A briefe chronicle of the foure principall empyres To witte, of Babilon, Persia, Grecia, and Rome. Wherein, very compendiously, the whole course of histories are conteined. Made by the famous and godly learned man Iohn Sleidan, and englished by Stephan Wythers.

The first booke of the foure soueraygne empyres.

BEfore that I begynne to speake of the foure soueraygne and principall Empyres, to witte, of Babilon, Per∣sia, Grecia, and Rome: I must briefely say, that there is great discorde in the numbring of yeres, since the creation of the world for both the Hebrues, Eusebius, Augustinus, Al∣phonsus and Mirandula, do greatlyvary among them selues. Notwithstanding, because that al∣moste all the learned men of our tyme, doe herein frame themselues according to the numbrynge of the Hebrues, I wyl followe them steppe by steppe when neede shall require. And first of all to come to my purpose, to witte, vnto the first Empyre, omittinge that whiche came to passe in the firste age, omitting also to speake of the vniuersal flood (for as muche as all these things are comprehen∣ded in the holy scriptures, neyther is it possible better to describe them) I wyl begynne from that tyme, in the whiche after that the abundaunce of waters were retyred and the earth dryed, man∣kynde then beyng brought to a very smale num∣ber, beganne agayne to multiplie.

The vniuersall flood is referred to the .M. CCCCCC. LU I. yere after the creation of the worlde. Methusalah the seuenth from Adam di∣ed in that tyme, at the age of nyne hundred & six∣tie nyne yeres. Noah the nephew of Methusalah

by Lameth his sonne, liued then beyng sixe hun∣dred yere olde, he with his familie was preserued by the singular grace of God. And after that the number of men beganne by lytle and lytle to en∣crease, he perswaded his chyldren & others of his posteritie to scatter them selues in diuers coun∣treys to fyll the earth, & to buyld cities & townes: and to that ende, he appoynted vnto euery one by lot hys Prouince, aboute an hundreth yeares after the flood.

At that time Nimrod sonne to Noahs nephew abode with his people in the land of y^e Chaldees. And finally as diuers through the great multi∣tude of persons, were forced to depart, and to seke diuers habitations: they would before theyr departure leaue behynde them a perpetuall sygne of theyr memorye, and hauyng Nimrod to be theyr captain, they beganne to buyld a citie, and therein a towre of a wonderfull hyght: And for∣gettyng the wrath of God (which had but euen a lytle before swallowed vp the whole world, and whereof there is no doubt, but Noah did dili∣gently and often tymes put them in memorie) they thought to get them a perpetuall name by sumptuous & proude works. Wherewith the lord being angry, did bring theyr enterprise to nought by confusion of language, the which before was but one kynde of speche vsed of al men. Wherefore being cōstrained to leaue of their worke, they dyd scatter thēselues into diuers partes of the world. The towne tooke her name of this confusion of

tongues, for it was called Babell. And from that tyme (to witte, an hundreth and one and thyrtye yeres after the flood) is gathered the begynnyng of the raygne of Chaldea and of Babilon. Nowe the first kyng was the aforesayde Nimrod, who (as it is sayde) raygned sixe and fiftie yeares. The holy scripture calleth hym a mighty hunter, and doeth attribute vnto hym power and violence: others call hym Saturne, & they say that in the fyue and fourtye yere of hys Empyre he sent As∣sur, Mede, Magog, and Moscus, for to guyde the bandes of men whiche he sent to inhabite here and there, and for to grounde and establish king∣domes of theyr names, to witte, of Assiria, of Mede, of Magog, and of Moscus: whereof the two fyrst apperteyne vnto Asia: the other two last appertayne vnto Affrica, and vnto Europa.

The holye scipture also maketh mencion of that Assur, and sayeth that the cytye of Nineue was buylded by hym.

Iupiter Belus succeded his father Nimrod, who some say did, occupie all the West parts euen vnto Samaria on Europe, & after that he had made warre agaynst Sabatius kynge of Sag∣nos, whome he could not altogether discomfite, because he was preuented by death: but Ninus his sonne vtterly vanquished him, and hauynge spred hys dominion farre abroade, he first of all gotte the Monarcke. Thre .C. and fifty yeres af∣ter the flood Noah dyed: And about eyghtene yeares after, Abraham the tenth after Noah left

hys countrey by the commaundement of God, be∣ing thre score and fyftene yeres olde.

Foure and twentye yeares after God made a Couenaunt with him by the Circumcision, whi∣ch he instituted. In the hundreth yere of hys age Isaac hys sonne was borne vnto him, and he ly∣ued after that tyme, thre score and fiftene yeres: for the lyfe of man was euen alreadye greatlye shortened.

The holy scriptures teache vs howe, and for what cause Iacob his nephewe came into Egipt where he dyed: and howe those of hys lynage dwelt there for certeyne hundredes of yeres, and beynge oppressed with moste cruell bondage, brought out, and delyuered by the grace of God, vnder the gouernement of Moyses. Nowe thys goyng furth of Israell out of the lande of Egypt, is coūted to be the .MM.CCCC.LIIII. yere after the creation of the worlde .CCCC.XXX. yeres after the promise was made vnto Abra∣ham, as sayeth Paule the Apostle. After Moyses the people of Israell had Iudges vntyll Saull: whome Dauid succeded, beyng the second kynge of that people.

Let vs retourne vnto the Empyre of Babi∣lon. After the death of Ninus, Semiramis hys wyfe raigned, who was as noble in riches, victo∣ries, and triumphes, as euer was any. She en∣larged the towne of Babilon, and made it of an indifferent bignes: also she decked it with diuers fayre buildings, and did compasse it with walls.

She vanquished the countrey of Ethiopia, and also made warre agaynst the countrey of India. Zameis her sonne, the fifte kyng, did nothyng worthy of memory: But Arius that raigned next after him, ioyned to hys empyre the Bactrians and Caspians. Aralius his succcessour was (as it is reported) borne to warre: and yet not with∣standyng, we fynde none of hys actes in wry∣tyng. Baleus that folowed hym, did subiect di∣uers people vnder hym, & did spreade hys domi∣nion euen vnto the countrey of Indea: and ther∣fore he was surnamed Xerxes, that is to say, vic∣torious, a triumpher, and a man of warre. The nynth called Armatrites, was altogether addi∣cted vnto voluptuousnes, and ydlenes. There is nothyng found of Belochus the tenth, but that he set hys mynde vpon prognostications and di∣uinations. Baleus the eleuenth is counted to be (next after Semiramis) the most industrious and valiant man of warre: and it is sayd that he was greatly renoumed and praysed by the wry∣tyngs of learned men.

Altadas the twelue, loued to be at rest, and to liue a quiet and peaceable lyfe (as the report goth) estemyng it to be a great folly, to be tormented and vexed with diuers labours and cares, for to encrease hys kyngdome: for as much as it did not appertayne to the health or commoditie of men, but rather to theyr domage & bondage. The .xiii. that folowed him, named Mamitus, did agayne stirre vp & awake his men to warfare, in such sort

that his power was suspected & feared of y^e Siri∣ans & Egiptians. There is nothing to be sayd of Manchaleus, who is y^e .xiiii. Spherus y^e xv. was (as it is reported) a man of great vertue & wisdō.

There is no act mencioned of Mamelus, who was y^e .xvi. Merueylous thyngs are foūd to haue happened in all places vnder Sparetus the .xvii. Ascarades who was y^e .xviii. did subiect all Siria vnder his obedience. And here endeth Berosus, which is read at this day: of the which booke di∣uers do greatly doute, and do iudge it to be false: and not withstanding, they obserue this order, because that herein all other writings faile vs.

Other do count .xx. kyngs vnto Sardanapa∣lus, who was the .xxxviii. king of Assiria. He was the most effeminate that euer was borne: in such sort that he was always conuersant among wo∣men, handling the distafe & spindle, and he was so ouerwhelmed in pleasures and voluptuousnes y^t he scarsly did at any tyme shew him self abroad. These doings of his wer y^e cause that two of his lieutenants, Belochus of Babilon, & Arbaces of Medea did conspire against him, & after that thei had openly declared his filthines & dilicatenes, they made war against him. He finally presented himself in campe vnwillingly with his effeminat company: but hauing y^e worst hand, he hastely re∣tired into his palace, where after that he had ga∣thered a great heape of wood, he brunt him self with all his riches: whereby onely (as one wry∣teth) he declared hym self a man.

These two Lieutenantes did afterwards diuide the Monarchie betwene them. Belochus was kyng of Babilon, and Arbaces of the Medes and Persians. Sardanapalus then was the laste kynge of the Assirians accordynge to the order a∣boue mencioned, after that this Monarchie had continued M.CCC. yeres: for the moste parte of the kynges dyd lyue a very long tyme. Belochus, the .xxxix. or elles if it seeme better the first kynge of Assiria in the newe Monarchie, made Mana∣hem kyng of Israell become tributarie vnto hym. The holy scriptures doth not call him Belochus, but Phul. Hys successour was Phull Assur, sur∣named Tiglath Pillesser: who wanne certayue townes of Iudea and led the people captiue into Assiria. It is that Tiglath, whome Achas kyng of Iudea (vnder whome Esay lyued) prayed to succour hym against the kyng of Siria, and vnto whome he sent presentes.

Salmanasar succeded hym, who wanne the towne of Samaria, after he had beseged it three yeres, and led Hosea kyng of Israell, wyth the people, captiue, & gaue them a dwellynge place in hys countrey, euen in Medea, as y^e holy scripture saith: wherof some haue opinion that he raigned also ouer the Medes. Sennacherib folowed af∣ter him, who kept hys dwellyng in Nineue. He condemned kyng Ezechias in a great summe of money: afterwards he came and befeged Ierusa∣lem with a mighty army, and by the Embassa∣dours that he dyd sende, he exhorted the people

to yelde and guye ouer, and rayled on the kung, who hoped for succour at the hand of God. But he remayned not vnpunished: for euen in one night he loste an hundred foure scoure and fyne thousande men, that were kylled by the Angell: the whiche God euen a lytle before had fyrmely promised by Esay, vnto Ezechias the kyng. And beyng retourned home from thence, he was mur∣thered euen of his owne children,

Hitherto the Babilonians were subiect to the Assirians, after the ouerthrowe of Sardanapa∣lus: but after that Sennacherib (as it is sayde) was so euyll handled nere vnto Ierusalem, and shortly slayne of hys chyldren, thynges were greatly chaunged, and the kyngdome was diui∣ded. For the two brethren that had done the murther Adramelech and Sarasar dyd flye, and yet not wythstandynge, dyd put them selues in armes, and made out theyr power agaynst Assa∣radon theyr brother, who dyd vsurpe the kyng∣dome after the death of hys father: for as muche as before he dyd gouerne the publyke weale in hys fathers absence. Merodach lieutenant of Ba¦bilon fyndyng thys occasion fitte for hys purpose dyd rebell: and after that he had by lytle and lytle partly by fayre meanes, and partly by threates, gotten vnto hym self the countreys there about, he defied Assaradon, and finally hauyng vanqui∣shed hym in the twelfth yere of hys raygne, he ioyned the whole Empyre of the Assirians vnto the Babilonians, and raygned fourty yeres.

After him certain authours do place Benmero∣dach & Nabuchodonozor the first of y^t name: but for asmuch as y^e holy scriptures make no mencion of him, & seing also we ought not rashly to beleue other writings, we wil here place that Nabucho∣donozor (of whom the holy scripture so largely speaketh) next after Merodach. He then shortly after the beginning of his raigne, made war a∣gainst the Egiptians, & toke from them y^e whole coūtrey which is from Euphrates vnto Pellusiū. He layed tribute vpon Ioachim king of Iudea: & the .viii. yere of his raigne he brought his sonne king Ieconias captiue into Babilon, with the chief lords & artificers not onely of the citie of Ie∣rusalem, but also of the whole coūtrey. The .xviii. yere of his raign, after y^t he had layed siege for the space of two yeres before the citie of Ierusalem, he toke it, spoyled it & brunt it, he brake down the walls, & he led the most part of the people away captiue: he put out the eyes of king Zedechias, & slew his children, with the princes. Ieremy did foreshew this miserie, in the first yere of the raign of Nabuchodonozor, & from that time, is to be re∣kened the .lxx. yeres of the captiuitie in Babilon.

About the .xxiiii. yere of hys Empyre, after that Nabuchodonozor had vanquished the kyngs of the Amonites & Moabites, he led his army into Egipt: & hauyng gotten the whole countrey, he afterwards began his Monarche. The second yere of his sayd Monarche, as the learned men of our tyme do recken, he saw in hys dreame a mer∣ueylous

great Image, whose head was of gold, his breast & armes of syluer, his belly & thyghes were of brasse, his legges were of yron, hys fete partly of yron, and partly of clay. Vho after he was awaked, because he had forgotten his drea∣me, and yet not withstandyng was greatly asto∣nished therwith, he called together all the soth∣sayers, and charmers, whome he commaunded to declare vnto him what his dreame was: the which yf they dyd not, he threatened to put thē to death. yong Daniel (who was thither led cap∣tiue with the residue from Ierusalem) knowyng thys, he gaue to vnderstand that he could satis∣fie the kyngs desyre: who beyng presented, he first of all shewed what the kyng had dreamed: then afterwards he declared what the dreame dyd si∣gnifie, saying that the ymage did signifie the foure principall Empyres of the world, which should orderly follow one after another. Herevp∣pon he spake on this maner vnto the kyng, say∣ing. Thou truly art y^t head of gold: thou (I say) whome God hath endued with power and ma∣iestie, vnto whome he hath geuen domination ouer all men, ouer all beastes of the fielde, and ouer the foules of the ayre. After thee shall aryse another kyngdome of syluer: that is to saye, worse than thys of thyne. The thyrde shall be of Brasse, whyche shall haue domination farre abroade. The fourth shall bee of Iron, for euen as Iron bruseth and breaketh all thynges:

so shall that fourth and laste kyngdome, beate downe all the others, and shall make them sub∣iect vnto it. Beholde then the first prophecie and neuer hard of before, touchyng the foure Empy∣res, the whiche God hath reueyled vnto vs by Daniell: a thyng worthy to be perfectly prynted in memorye, for as much as in fewe wordes it comprehendeth the history of all tymes, euen vn∣to the end of the world, as I wyll hereafter de∣clare. It suffiseth for thys tyme to know how that God onely from that tyme dyd declare vnto vs the order and mutations of kyngdomes.

Now great Nabuchodonozars power was, it is more manifest out of that place of Daniel, where the scripture compareth hym to a tree, whose heyght reacheth vnto heauen, couerynge wyth hys shadowe the whole vniursall world, whose leaues are excedyng fayre, and fruite so pleasant that it was meate for all beasts, in whose bowes and braunches all sortes of byrdes buylte theyr nestes and tooke theyr rest. Thys then is the fyrst Monarche, the whych vnder thys kynge was greatlye angmented and lyfted vp in so∣ueraygne dignitie, on the contrarye parte it tooke an ende, and was altogether brought to ruine in his childrens childrens tyme, as God had before shewed by Daniell, and by other pro∣phetes, Nabuchodogozor raigned .xliii. yeres. It is nedeful y^t al men (but specially the kings & prin∣ces) shuld attentiuely read & consider with what horrible & monstruous example god punished his

pride (as sayth Daniel) to the ende that they may haue the maiestie of god in reuerence, and do their duetie towardes the people commytted vnto their charge.

Euilinerodach hys sonne folowed after hym, who reigned thirtie yeres, and had Assur for hys successour, who reigned but three yeares: Labas∣sarbach folowed after him, who kepte the kyng∣dome seuen yeres. He being dead, Balthasar dyd enioye the Empyre for fyue yeres. Certaine doe count them after this sort: but the learned men of our time haue these twoo, and place, nexte after Euilmerodach, Balthasar his sonne: & they holde that he reigned fourtene yeres. The which truely is necessary that it should so be, for to furnishe the number of thre score and tenne yeres, duryng the which y^e people of Iudea were captiues amongst the Babilonians: especially seyng that the begin∣ning of this captinitie is counted from the nyn∣tenth yeare of Nabuchodonosors reigne. They y^t folowe thys order of reckning, and let passe those two kinges before mentioned, do cleaue vnto the holye scripture, but chiefly vnto the testimonye of Ieremie, who did prophecie, that y^e Iewes shuld serue the kinge of Babilon, hys sonne, and hys sonnes sonne. But it is fre for euery man to iudge herein, as they shall thinke good. Notwithstan∣ding so it is, that Balthasar, according to y^e holye scripture, was the last Emperour of Babilon, and euery one doe agre therein. Diuers do write after what fort Babilon was takē: but Daniel maketh

mention, how y^t god did foreshewe vnto the king y^e calamitie which did not onely threaten him, but euē already did assalt hym: & sayth y^t the principal part of y^e Empyre was transterred to Daryus of Medea, beyng then. LXII. yeres olde. The Hi∣storiographers do call thys Daryus, Cyaxares, and he was the sonne of Astiages, y^e eyght king of the Medes, whom Daniell doth cal Assuerus who hauing neuer a sonne, gaue his daughter vn to Cyrus of Persia, hys systers sonne: and beyng afterwardes assaulted by the king of the Assyri∣ans, he required Cyrus to succour him. Who after y^t he was arriued wyth his armie, & chosen chiefe Captayne of the hoste, he prosperously behaued himself in his charge: for he wanne the most migh¦tye Citye of Babilon. After thys victorye Da∣rius is not found to haue liued passing one yeare: and yet then when Daryus lyued, after the ta∣king of the Citye, and y^t the people of Israel had bene almoste. LXX. yeares Captiue in Babilon, God reueiled to Daniel things of much more im∣portance as he prayed and redde with diligence the prophecye of Ieremye, the foreshewer of that Captiuitye. For he dyd not onelye assure hym of the delyuerance whyche was at hande, but also dyd shewe vnto hym in what tyme the Messyas (who shoulde make satysfaction for the fynnes of the worlde) shoulde come. Dary∣us veynge deade, the Empyre came into the handes of Cyrus: and thys is the begynning of an other Monarchye. For Cyrus onely dyd

enioye the countryes of Assyria, Media, and of Persya, euen vnto the sea of Ionia, as Thu∣cydides sayeth: moreouer also before the taking of Babilon he dyd take Cresus prysoner in bat∣taile, the most myghtye Kynge of Lidia. Cyrus then is the fyrste Kynge of Persya, and the be∣gynner of the seconde Monarchye hauyng vain∣quyshed the Babilonians, he made warre a∣gaynst the Scithians, and went euen hymselfe wyth hys armye to meete them: where he, a moste worthye prynce, was cyrcumuented by layinge of wayte, and beynge taken was kyl∣led. In the begynnyng of hys reygne after he had taken Babylon, he perinytted the people of Iudea whych were Captiues, to returne into theyr countrye, and there to buylde agayne the temple and the Citie of Ierusalem: for the accom∣plishing wherof he commaunded to giue liberally towardes the expenses. God had exprestye fore∣shewed these thinges namely by Esaye, certaine hundred yeres, before y^t euer he was borne. Xeno∣phon doth alledge the same in disputing, before his death in the presence of his children, of y^e im∣mortalitie of the soule, as it is recitited in Cicero, who hath eloquently translated y^t place, as also al others. Cyrus liued vnto the age of thre score and tenne yeares, he reygned thyrtye yeares, for he was fortye when he came to the crowne. He had a sonne named Cambyses, whō he made go∣uernour of y^e kingdome, when he toke his iournie for to go and make warre against the Scithians.

He in the absence of his father (who was greatly incombered) conquired Egipte: being truly an ex∣perte warriar, but otherwise vitious, and retay∣ning none of his fathers vertues. Amongest al o∣ther his vnhonest, shameles, and cruell actes, he caused his brother traiterously to be slaine. Plato saith in the bookes which he writte concerninge lawes, that Cyrus erred greatly, in that that he made hys children to be delicatly broughte vp a∣mongst women: whereof came to passe that they being waxed great, and being corrupted by flat∣terers (forasmuch) as diuers did seke nothing ells but to please them) they sought to slaye one an o∣ther after their fathers decease, Darius the sonne of Histaspos succeded Cambises the second kinge of Persia, who had reigned but a while after hys father. And for because after the death of Cyrus, & after that hys armie was so greatly ouerthro∣wen, certaine people, and amongest them the Ba∣vilonians, did refuse to be subiect to the Persians as sone as he came to the crowne he put himselfe in armes, and dyd agayne bringe them vnder his Empyre, hauing (after long seige) taken Babilon, by the meanes of Zopirus. After that, he toke vp∣on him to make war against y^e Athenians: who not waiting for y^e helpe of y^e Lacedemonians, dyd out of hād gather an hoste of men to the number of tenne thousand: by the which hoste of men vn∣der the conduction of Miltiades they dyd ouer∣throwe that hys great armye in the place called Marathon.

Darius thought to renue againe his armie: but he died in that enterprise: & Xerxes his sōne was his successour: who .x. yeres after the said iournye of Marathon (as Thucidides writeth) went into Grecia with an innumerable armie, to bring it vnder his subiection. Wherefore with one com∣mon consent the gouernement & principal charge was geuen vnto the Lacedemonians, who were then the most mightiest of all Grecia. But the A∣thenians folowing the counsell of Themistocles, dyd leaue their Citye, and hauynge caryed theyr wiues and childrē hether and thether, they toke shipping, and they dyd ouercome the enemie nere the Ile of Salamis. This victorie dyd saue the countrie of Grecia: for Xerxes being also discomfi∣ted by land, he did flye vilanously and vnprospe∣rously homewardes. The Grecians also dyd re∣turne after his departure, except the Athenians: for hauing in armie aboute a. C.C.C.C. vessells, they sailed further, and gyuing the assault wōne the towne of Sestes in Hellespontus, which the Persians did before kepe: and after that they had wintered there, tourninge homeward vnto their countrie, they gathered together their wiues & children, and did build agayne y^e walles of theyr Citie which was taken and brunt by the enemy, and they did fortifie y^e porte. Cicero writeth that this warre of the Persians, or as Thucidides cal¦leth it, of the Medes, fell almost in the selfe same time that that of y^e Volsciens did: wherein was Coriolanus, that was bannished from Rome.

This fell in the yeare of the foundation of Rome. CCLXVI. Herodotus which was before Thu∣cidides dyd discribe thys warre of the Persyans. Cicero doth call hym the father of Historyes but he sayeth that he was fylled wyth innumerable fables. The Lacedemonians beynge displeased wyth this fortifycation of their Citye, they (for because they colde doe nothing elles) dyd onelye grudge there agaynst. Synce that tyme, bothe they and the other Grecians, wyth the Atheni∣ans ioynynge together theyr power, toke Cy∣pria and the towne of Bizance, whych before the Persyans dyd keepe. There was then a∣mongest the other Dukes of the Lacedemoni∣ans, Pausanias, who beynge conuicted of trea∣son, after hys retourne homeward, and beynge fledde to a certayne place of Freedome, he was there constrained to dye for hunger, Themistoles beyng accused of the lyke crime, dyd flye. From that tyme after the Grecians were tourmented with sundry and diuers warres and dissentions, partly cyuill, and partlye forren, the whyche Thucydides doth lyghtlye touche. But fynal∣lye fyftye yeares after the departure of Xerxes oute of Grecya Cicero (accordynge to Thu∣cydides) sayeth that, that warre was great∣lye enflamed, at suche tyme as the whole coun∣trye of the Peloponesyans dyd conspyre against the Athenyans: of whom Perycles, the Dis∣cyple of Anaxagoras the Philosopher, was principall Captayne in that warre. Aristophanes

speaketh of hym, saying, that he in makynge hys oration, dyd kyndell, set a fyer, and bourne, the whole countrye of Grecia. For then they were both maysters of vertues and of Eloquence. On the other syde Archydamus, the Kynge of the Lacedemonians, had the pryncipall gouerne∣ment. Thucydides was the compaynion of Pe∣ricles, and he sought narrowlye to folow hys doynges: whoo also dyd putte thys warre in writting: Pericles beynge chosen pretour had for hys Adherante Sophocles a Tragian poet, as Cicero dothe declare.

Let vs nowe retourne vnto Xerxes. He hauing so yll handled hys affayres, fell into suche a contempte, that he was slayne of hys owne men. Hys sonne Artaxarxes long hand succe∣ded him, towards whome Themistocles (of whō we haue spoken a litle before) being bannished did returne, & there finished his life, and was buried in Magnesie. Darius the Bastarde reigned after longhand, whose sister he had in mariage. The a boue said warre of the Peloponesians fell duryng his raygne, and albeit that the Athenians had alreadye ynough to doe: yet neuertheles the fourth yeare of thys warre they sente an armie by Sea vnto Sycilia, faynynge to helpe the Leontins agaynst the Saragossens: but of trewth, it was for nothing els then to assubiecte that Ile vnder them: the whych yf they dyd, they might the better vainquishe all Grecia.

But as they did often times come and skermishe against them, Hermocrates Siracusanus, coun∣ceiled the Sicilians to agree amongest themsel∣ues, and to forget all yll will and inimites, consy∣dering that the Athenians sought to bring them al to subiection: so then he perswaded them in the seuenth yere of this warre. Thre yeares after the Athenians and the Peloponesiens made peace for fiftie yeres: but it lasted not seuē whole yeres. For they beganne to make diuers manful skermi∣shes. And albeit that y^e treatise of peace was not altogether broken, and that often tymes the of∣fences were appaised by Truce: neuertheles in y^e tenth yere they dyd put themselues in armes a∣gaine & fought outrageously with al their strēgth and power: and this other warre lasted seuētene yeares. Then the Athenians dyd agayne send a nauie verye well appointed vnto Sicilia. The chiefe captaines amongest the residue, were Alci∣biades and Nicias: of whom the last (to wite Ni∣cias) did by certaine orations greatly disswade y^e people, from that sayling, against the will of Alci∣biades. The Peloponesians dyd giue succour to the Sicilians: at length the Athenians ioyned battayle wyth the enemyes in the heauen of Sarrogosa: but after diuers varieties, and son∣drie changes of fortune, they were al ouerthrowē and slayne. As this was doing the Lacedemoni∣ans with their Confederats dyd ioyne themsel∣ues in league with Darius the King of the Per∣sians, against the Athenians. Tissaphernes was

the Embassadour of Darius. Moreouer, after Codrus, Polydore the Lacedemonian, and Ari∣stomenes of Messene, these that folow of whome some of them did diuers notable actes in the de∣fence of the whole countrey of Grecia, other some also in the defence of theyr owne natiue countrey are commonly numbred amongest the principall and most notable Captaines of the Grecians.

To witte, Miltiades, Leonidas, Themistocles, Pericles, Aristides, Pausanias, Xantippus, Leo∣tychidas, Cimon, Conon, Epaminondas, Leo∣sthenes, Aratus of Clarentia, Philopemen. Di∣uers of these were exiled and banished. Cicero doth describe the hauen of Sarrogosa, and he sayeth that it was neuer heard of that euer any nauie by sea dyd enter therein by force of armes, except that of the Athenians, whiche was to the number of thre hundred shyppes, and was de∣stroyed in the same hauen, by the nature of the same place and hauen: which was the cause that euen then firste of all the strength and power of the towne were ouerthrowen and broken down, so that theyr noblenesse, empyre, and glory pery∣shed in the sea. Thucydides sayth that Sicilia is in compasse as much as a great shyppe can saile round about in .viii. dayes, and that it is twenty furlonges distant from sure and firme grounde.

Darius had two sonnes, Artaxerxes Mnemon, and Cyrus: of whome the first succeded hys fa∣ther after hys death: Cyrus had to hys domini∣on and gouernment, Ionia and Lydia.

But he not content with that which he kept, he made warre agaynst the kyng his brother, wher∣in he had the ouerthrow and was slayne. Mar∣cus Portius Cato, doeth call this latter Cyrus king of Persia, and (as it is written in Cicero) ex∣cellent both in witte and in noblenes of Empyre, and folowyng also Xenophons wrytyng, he prai∣seth him for the care and diligence that he toke in husbandrye. For Xenophon put hymself in armes for hym, and he was his very familier: which was cause that afterwards the Atheniās, whose frend Mnemon was, did banyshe hym the coun∣trey. Ochus raigned after Mnemon: who was the last of Darius thre sonnes. Darius the last folowed hym: agaynst whome Alexander the sonne of Philippe kynge of the Macedonians made warre, & beyng come by force of armes into Asia, after he had taken the towne of Thebes, and pacified Grecia. He wanne thre battayles of Darius, in such sort that he drew so nere, that he toke his mother and his wife, and his chyldren. Darius truely dyd offer hym faire offers, yea a part of his Empyre, euen vnto the ryuer of Eu∣phrates: But alexander did reiect them and cessed not tyll he had altogether vanquished hym. For Darius seyng that it was not possible for hym to obteyne peace vnder these conditions, he dyd ga∣ther a most myghty armye for to offer the thyrde battayle, in the which he was cleane ouerthro∣wen and murthered of hys owne Souldyours in flyinge: and strayghte wayes after hym the

kyngdome of Persia, whiche had endured two hundred yeres and vpwards, was plucked vp by the rootes. By these noble victories, Alexander brought vnder hys obedience almost all the East countrey, & dyd tranferre the dignitie of the Em∣pyre of Asia into Europa, so that he dyd consti∣tute the thyrde Monarche. After that also he made warre agaynst the Indians, but he coulde not moderatelye beare so great aduauncement and clemencye of Fortune (suche is the infirmitye of men:) And therefore as he dyd many thyngs insolently, and would almost be worshypped as a GOD: he beyng arriued at Babilon dyed of an ague, or as others say, of poison when he was thyrty yeres old, and had raygned twelue yeres. Calanus Indus (as Cicero sayeth) dyd foreshew hym the ende of hys lyfe. For euen as he was readye to caste hym selfe into a burnynge fy∣er, and that Alexander dyd aske hym yf he had anye thynge to saye. All goeth verye well (sayeth he) I shall see thee shortelye.

And shortely after Alexander dyed. Hys discease is referred to the hundreth and fourtene Olym∣piades: and to the foure hundreth and nyne and twentye yere of the foundation of Rome: Three hundreth and two and twenty yere before the natiuitie of Christ. He was a feruent great lo∣uer of good letters, and verye liberall towards the learned men: For the cause whereof, he hath been greatly praysed of diuers.

He had the poesie of Homere in great dilectation: In such sort, that albeit that he had with hym (as it is sayde) diuers that did wryte his actes, not withandynge when he came into Sigia, standyng by Achiles tombe, O thou happy yong man (sayeth he) that hast founde Homere for to wryte and magnifie thy vertue. For euen as he would chiefely be paynted by Apelles, and hys Image to be grauen by Lisippus, so in lyke ma∣ner he would be praysed and commended to the remembraunce of hys posteritie by them, who in praysyng hym might obteyne honour and fame for the excellentnes of their spirite. He gaue Ari∣stotle his maister charge, to put in wryfyng the nature of all beastes. And to thys end he appoyn∣ted certaine thousands of men throughout all Grecia & Asia: to witte, vnto Heard kepers, Hun∣ters, Fishers, Marchaunts of fishe, Byrdcatchers and such lyke, who should playnly informe hym of all thynges. It is sayd moreouer that he gaue the sayd Aristotle in recōpence of hys payn eyght hundred talents, which amount accordyng to y^e reckenyng of the learned men of our tyme, to CCCC. LXXX. thousand crownes courrant. He sent to Xenocrates the Philosopher by his Em∣bassadours fiftie talentes, which amounteth to xxx. thousande crownes: but he refusynge them sayd that he had no nede of so great a summe, the Embassadours beyng returned, what (sayd Alex∣der) hath he no frendes for to do hym pleasure? Cicero sayeth that in his youth, when he was

the disciple of Aristotle, he declared hym self to be of a very good spirite, and to be greatly modest: but after he was made kyng, he behaued himself proudly, cruelly, and altogether vnmoderatly.

The Historiographers do mencion merueylous things of the magnificence, dilicatnes and super∣fluitie of Darius. For to y^e ende y^t his body should wāt no voluptousnes, he had in his campe expert Cokes y^t could dresse all maner of meates, & make all maner of dilicates, with makers of oyntmen∣tes. Diuers also haue described how great the magnificence and preparations of the kynges of Persia was, in theyr ordinary eatyng and dryn∣kyng. Their custome was (as Cicero sayeth) to haue many wiues, vnto whome thei did bequeth certain cities, to the ende that the one myght fur∣nyshe their head tyer, others such and such an or∣nament. Such therefore, as I haue sayde, was Darius end: and in flying, when he had dronke troubled water, and which was infected wyth dead mens bodies, he affirmed that in hys lyfe tyme he neuer dranke more sweter drynke, for he dyd neuer absteyne so longe from drynke that he coulde be drye.

After the death of Alexander, thys great Empyre was diuided amongest hys chyefe Lor∣des: To wytte, Ptolomeus, Laomedon, Anti∣gonus, Cassander, Leonatus, Eumene, Python, Lysimachus, Antipater, Meleager, and Seleu∣cus. Amongest them, the pryncipall was Seleu∣cus

kyng of Assiria, Ptolomeus of Egypt, An∣tigonus of Asia the lesse, Cassander after y^e he had oppressed all Alexanders kynsfolkes, was synce made kynge of Macedonia and of Grecia.

Lysimachus is he with whome Alexander be∣yng on a certayne tyme angrye, dyd cause hym to be shutte vp wyth a Lyon: But vnderstan∣dyng that he had kylled the sayde Beast, he had hym afterwarde in great honoure and estimati∣on. Furthermore, great warres were moued as wel amongest the sayd successours (the whych doeth commonly happen) as also amongest theyr sonnes, and theyr sonnes sonnes, for as muche as these outragious Spirites, coulde not for ambition, keepe theym selues in Peace, but dyd seeke to encrease theyr powers in doynge o∣thers wronge.

By these warres, whyche remayned a longe whyle, all these countreys were greatly spoyled, so that by lytle and lytle, they fell into the Ro∣maynes handes: who enlarged so theyr domi∣nion, that they established the fourth & last Mo∣narche: Of the whyche at thys present it is re∣quisitte we shoulde entreate of.

Nowe, amongest the Kynges of Egypt, Alexan∣ders successours, Ptolomeus Philadelphus, a Prynce of great name is also numbred. For he loued peace as much as was possible for him, and he dyd styrre vp and awaken the liberall Artes, and instituted rewardes and gyftes for the same, and caused a large and a greate Librarye to be

made: so that also he caused the Bookes of Moy∣ses and of the Prophetes, to be translated into the Greke tongue.

The begynnynge of Rome was at that tyme as the Kynge Salmanasar (of whome it hath been spoken) dyd raygne ouer the Assyrians. To witte, in the fyrste yeare of the seuenth Olympi∣ades, accordynge to Plutarchus: the thre thou∣sande, two hundreth and twelue yeare, aboute foure hundreth yeares after that Eneas had begonne to raygne ouer the Romaynes, after the warre of Troye, whyche Homere dyd de∣scribe: of the age of whome, no moore then of the Countrey, we fynde nothynge mencioned of anye certentye, excepte that Cicero sayeth, that he was longe tyme before the foundati∣on of Rome, and before Romulus. Howe be it, so it is, that there remayneth no prophane Wryter moore auncient then his Poesie: For as Horatius sayeth:

Before the tyme of stronge Agamemnon Many were of vertues and of renown: But all vnwaylde were shut vp in the nyght, For want of a Poete for theyr light.

Cicero is of the same opinion, and sayeth that no mencion is founde of anye Oratour be∣fore Homere. The originall of the Romayne people was smale and contemptible: But for be∣cause that GOD had so ordeyned it (as it shall hereafter be declared) it became merueilous great.

In the begynnynge seuen kynges dyd ragyne there for the space of two hundred fourtye and foure yeres. Cicero wryteth that Solon and Pi∣sistratus, lyued in Athens in the tyme of Serui∣us Tullus the sixte kyng: and that Pythagoras florished in Italie at such tyme as Tarquin the proude was put to flyght. He sayth moreouer y^t in the raygne of Seruius Tullus the citie of A∣thens had endured already seuen hundred yeres. The kinges beyng put downe, the gouernement was geuen vnto two Consulles, whose office did laste but one yere. L. Iunius Brutus the cheife Consull, was as vigillant and constant to kepe and preserue the libertie beyng gotten, as euer he was desyrous and prompte to put downe the kyngs & to establish y^e redom. For when his two sonnes Titus & Tiberius did consult wit other yonge Romaine gentlemen, for to reestablishe the Tarquins, their enterprise being disclosed by som coūsel breaker, he caused them openly to be behea∣ded. He displaced Tarquiin Coleatin his felow in office: who also was companion in putting down the kynges, and to the bryngyng of the enterpri∣ses to passe. Cicero doth defend thys act as iuste, and affirmeth y^t it was bothe for the vtilitie & ho∣nestie of the countrey that the name of the Ter∣quins shoulde be abolyshed and the memorie of the kyngdome wyped out.

Nowe, amongest the sundrye fortunes of the Romaine people, when the whole Tuscane had conspired, thre hundred of the house of the Fabi∣ens

beynge gone furthe of Rome agaynste the enemie, were al slaine and cutte in pieses, none re∣maining, saue one litle child, who since renewed the familye. Thys came to passe thre and thirtye yeres after the kings were put downe. Thre hun¦dreth yeres after the foundation of the Citie, be∣cause of the tumultes & conspiraties that were in the publike weale, embassadours were sent into Grecia, for to bring lawes from thence, which the Citie shoulde vse from thence forth. At whose re∣turne the state of the publike weale was changed and tenne men were chosen to haue the supreme gouernement: but thys estate endured not fullye thre yeres. For Appius Claudius, the one of these tenne, coueting wickedly to rauishe a yonge dam∣sel 01 the doughter of L. Virginius citezen of Rome he gaue the people occasyon to abolishe the whole order of them. Wherefore the gouernement came againe to consuls: but thys also lasted but a lyttle time, for they did creat Tribunes of souldiours ge¦uing them such power as the Consuls had, but these were displaced at the yeares ende, and dyd agayne gyue place to the Consuls.

In that time which was the thre hundreth and fyften yeare of the age of the Citye, L. Quintus Cincinatus, caused Spurius Melius, to be slaine of C. Seruilius Hala y^e maister of Horses, because that he by the meanes of distributing of certayne corne, did seke to make him selfe king in the Citye his house also was rooted vp. Two yeares after the gouernement retourned to the Tribnus of

souldiours, who since were no more elected two, but diuers together, accordinge as it pleased the people, & as the state of the publike weale did re∣quire. This gouernement did enduer nere hande thre score & tenne yeres: and amongst the resydue, M. Furius Camillus was excellent in this estate, and surmounte all others in vertue. After he had done good seruice to the cōmon wealth, was vā∣nished through the vngratitude of the Citezens, hauing bene alreadye foure tymes Tribun. But shortly after he was reestablished in his dignitye, for deliuering the Citie of Rome beyng taken frō the French Senoniens, whom he put to flyghte two yeres after, being made Dictator, fewe yeres after, M. Manlius, who did defend the Capitell, from the French men, was exhibited the dominiō of the rocke called Tarpeius, for suspition that he would get the kingdome to himselfe: and herevp∣on a decree was made, that from thence furth after no noble man of the house of the Manlius shoulde bee called Marcus. Camillus was sence chosen for y^e seuenth time Tribune of souldiours: and he dyed of a verye great age, thre hundreth foure score and nyne yeares after the foundation of the Cytye, and one yeare before the gouerne∣ment and care of the publyke weale was taken from the Tribunes and restored to the Consuls: of whome then onelye one was of the com∣mon sorte.

That age had syngular notable Captaynes in the Cytye of Rome: To wytte M. Valerius

Coruinus, T. Manlius Torquatus, C. Mar∣tius Rutilius, P. Decius Mus, Papyrius Cur∣sor, Publius Philo, L. Volumnius, and others. Amongest these here named T. Manlius Tor∣quatus Consul caused his sonnes head (albeit he had gotten the victorye) to be stroken of, because he had, agaynste the lawe and out of hys order, foghten hand to hād against y^e enemy, P. Decius Mus, in the battaile against the Latins, vowed himselfe to dye for the armie of the Romaine peo∣ple: and passyng throughe the thickest of the ene∣myes, he was slayne: wherewith the Romaines beyng alreadye enflamed dyd agayne encourage themselues, & got the vpperhand. His sonne who bare the self same name, and was also Consul, did euen the like foure and fortye yeares after: in the battaile whych the Romaines had agaynste the Frenche Senoniens. In the tyme aboue sayde, whyche was foure hundreth and twentie yeres after the foundatyon of Rome, Alexander the great, the beginner of the thyrde Monarchye, dyd floryshe and went a warrefare, it hath bene sayde. Titus Liuius compareth L. Papyrius Cursor wyth hym and makynge a certayne trai∣tyes for to recreate aswell hys spyrite as the readers, he shewed that amongest others he coulde resyste Alexander, yf paraduenture af∣ter he had assubiected the countrye of Asya he would passe throughe Europa wyth hys armye for to make warre agaynste the Romaynes.

The said Papyrius was a man greatly vertuous for (ouermitting his other actes) when T. Ver∣turius Caluinus, and Spurius Posthumius Al∣binus, Consuls, weare, wyth the whole armye putte vnder subiection by the Samnites in the straightes of Candines, and had vnhonnestly a∣greed with the enemy, he beyng made Consul, he put them to flight and wanne y^e victorie. Sence beynge Dictator, he declared vpon the maister of his Horses, how narrowly the discipline of war∣faire ought to be kept and executed. This age & the former did bring forth in Grecia most learned men. For Socrates did then florishe. Of whom, as out of a fountaine, proceded Aristippus, Plato Antisthenes, Speusippus, Aristotels, Dicear∣chus, Xenocrates, Heraclides, Thophrastus, Po∣lemo, and Strato, who were all phisitions, and according to the saying of Cicero, contemplators and searchers out of nature. There was also ora∣tours of greate fame, as Gorgias, Protagoras, Prodicus, Hippias, Isocrates, Lisias, Demosthe∣nes, Hiperides, Aeschines, Phalereus, Demetri∣us, Demochares. But of the Historiographers, Xenophon whom Cicero doth call Socraticus, and Calisthenes the compaynion of Alexander y^e great, were the chiefest. Denis the tyrante of Sa∣ragosse lyued at that tyme: vnto whom Plato beyng come, and hauing freely spokē of the duety of a prince, he was in very great danger of his life as Cicero reciteth. This is he who did not com∣mitte the sauegard of his body to his kinsfolkes,

but vnto cruel and barbarous men gathered here and there: who taught his daughtours to shaue for feare of putting his necke in y^e barbers hands: who toke from them the handling of Iron, and steelle when they were come to age, & taught thē to bourne awaye hys bearde and his heare wyth nuttes shells: who came not in the night to hys women, before that he had sought and searched through out: who forasmuch as he durste not propound his oration in the ordinarie feates and skaffoldes, he did the same from oute of a tower: who declared vnto Damocles the flatterer, what was his felicitie, which he did esteme so greatlye when he caused him to sytte at hys table, where wanted no maner of delicates, and where was excessiue abondance of all thinges, and yet in the meane time he caused a sword to descēd from out of a planke, or beame, right ouer his head holding only but by the heare of an horses taile.

About two and fourtie yeres after the death of Alexander, Pyrrhus King of the Epirotes made warre against y^e Romains, and went into Italie. The second yeare of the warre, he solicited y^e Se∣nate to enter into a certayne traities of peace and alliaunce: but Appius Claudius, being of a verye great age and blind, who before seuentene yeares was twise Consul (as Cicero sayeth) he came in Parlament, and did disswade the Senate (other wise inclyned therto) to agree or make peace with hym, for he was of so great a courage, that for his misfortune he did not leaue of from doing all

endeuour both priuatly and publikely. The orati∣on that he made concerning Pirrhus, for to hyn∣der the peace, was found yet in Ciceros tyme, as 1 he himselfe witnesseth C. Fabricius Luscinus did good seruice then to y^e publike weale. Who beyng solicited of Pyrrhus for to rebell, dyd nothing re∣gard his great presents nor promises. Moreouer he sent againe vnto him prisoner a certaine Fugi∣tiue, who did assure him to poisō the king. Cicero doth compare him to Aristides of Athens. Mani∣us Curius Dentatus did altogether ouerthrowe Pirrhus at his second retourne into Italye, and triumphed ouer him. Pirrhus was the first y^e did euer bring Elephantes into Lucania. The Ro∣maines hetherto, almost for fyue hundreth yeres space did onely make war with y^e people of Italie amongest whom the Latins, Veientes, Eques, Falisques, Samnites & the Toscanes did stoutly resyst, and did often times rebell: being sometimes vanquished, and sometimes getting the victorye: who finally beinge ouercome and pacifyed, there brust forth a longe & great warre against the Car∣thagians, whose Citie was much more auncient then Rome, as it is most euident.

Thys warre beganne amongest them in the yeare of Rome foure hundred foure score and fiue in the which the fortune of M. Attilius Regulus is worthy of Memorie. For he beyng taken of the Carthagians, and sent to Rome for to treate for peace and for the change of prisoners, vpō charge and condition, that yf he dyd obtayne nothinge

he should render himselfe againe prisoner: after he was thether ariued, he gaue cleane contrarye counsell to the Senate, and declared that it was not for the prosite of the publyke weale so to doe. Afterwardes folowing hys opinion, that fayth ought to be kepte euen vnto the enemie, he retour¦ned vnto Carthage, where he was put to death after the moste cruellest maner in the world: for they did cutte of hys eye liddes: and being bound to an ingine, he was killed wyth ouerwakyng. During this warre the Romaines at the fyrste did fyght luckelye by sea in Sicilia against Han∣no, vnder the conduction of Plubius Duillius, Consull.

Thys Duillius, and Manius Curius, C. Fabri∣cius Attilius Calatinus, Cuee and publius Sci∣piones, Aphricanus, with Marcellus & Fabius are named of Cicero amongst the excellent Cap∣taines of Rome. The yere folowing, L. Corneli∣us Scipio dyd take the Illes of Corsica, and of Sardinia. This warre of Affricke (which had endured twenty and three yeares) was pacifyed vnder Quintus Luctatius, Catule Circus and Auleus Manlius, Consulls. Twoo yeares after Ennius was borne, whoo was fyue yeares el∣der then Marcus Portius Cato, whome he dyd call hys familier frende. The Romaius weare then agayne occupyed wyth neewe warres agaynste the Faliscyans, Geneneens, Sclauoniens, Frenche men, them of Ba∣uiers, and the Lombardes.

Who beyng vaynquished, there bruste forth ano∣ther warre of the Carthagiens, foure and twenty yeares after y^e peace was made, vnder P. Scipio and Titus Sempronius Longus Consuls. Ha∣niball was the head captaine, who assaulted the towne of Sagonte: & passing through Spayne into Fraunce, & from thence into Italy, he wanne thre battailes one after another against the Ro∣mains. The fyrste at Ticinum, the other at the floode of Trebia, the thyrd at the lake Trasime∣nus. But Quintus Fabius beyng made dictator, and goyng to mete the enemy, he by his lingring did stoppe and breake his violence and inuasyon. It is he in the praise of whom Ennius writeth.

One man by his slackinge only Restorde vs the thinge intierly.

Cicero doth Iudge him to be of a verye subtyll minde, and that he could easely concele, holde hys peace, disemble, spye out and preuent the enterpri∣ses of enemyes. Since, the Romain people did re∣ceaue a great ouerthrowe in the place called Can∣nes: the which gaue such occasion of feare to the Citie, that diuers of the chiefest were mynded to forsake it and to flye awaye. But they were com∣forted and kepte backe by P. Cornelius Scipio, the sonne of Publius, a verye hardye and man∣full yonge man, who was then but goynge into xxv. yeres. Foure yeares after M. Marcellus dyd winne the towne of Saragosse, after long seyge. Archimedes, an excellent Mathematicion, was killed in y^e assaulting of the towne: who making

certayne fygures in the dust, dyd nothyng doubt of the takynge of the countrey. Marcellus was greatly wrathe at hys death, when he vnder∣stode it: and commaunded to bury hym. As con∣cerninge the towne, he dyd not onelye leaue it whole and sounde (as Cicero sayeth) but also in such sort decked, that it might haue bene a perpe∣tuall monument of hys victorye, gentlenes and clemencie. And lykewyse he sayeth, that in the victorye of Marcellus there was not so manye men slayne, as there were gooddes spoyled at the commyng of Verres Pretor into the sayde Cyty. But Titus Liuius saith y^t it was a very pituous thinge to see the villanies that were there com∣mitted by angre, enuye, and couetousnes. A hun∣dred, thyrtie and seuen yeres after, Cicero beyng Treasurour of Sicilia, did shewe Archimedes sepulchre vnto the Senate of Saragosse, the whiche he knewe by a certaine discription, all be it, that it was altogether ruinated and so couered with Briers and Thornes, that euen they of the Citie knewe not where it was. The sayde Cicero sayeth, that the towne of Sarragosse is the grea∣test and fayrest of all the townes of Grecia, and is compacte and made of foure great townes: of the Ile, where the fountayne of Arethusia is full of fishe: of Acradina; where is the market place, and the couered Galleries, with the Palaice or Par∣lement house: of Tyche, where the temple of For∣tune is: of the newe towne, which was laste of all buylte, and it hath a very large Theatre.

Now amongest all other nacions the countrey of Sicilia dyd first of all encline vnto the amitie and loyaltie of the Romaines: and was the first that was named a Prouince, as witnesseth the sayde Cicero. After the victorye of Cannes, Hanniball tooke all Campania, which yelded vnto hym. His armie also wyntered at Capua, where it was effe minated and corrupted through the abundance and superfluitie of all thynges. Thre yeres after the takyng of Sarrogosse, Capua was geuen to the Romains by composition. There was great and long deliberation, for to know whether the towne should be rased: but finally, it was conclu∣ded that it shoulde be kept. Not withstandynge for to take from them all meanes for euer of rebel∣lion, theyr territorie was taken from them, and al office and Senate with the publyke counsell.

To be short they had no forme of a publyke weale left them: but it was ordeyned that the towne should serue as a berne, and place for to holde and house the fruite of the whole territorie there a∣bout, and for to lodge the labourers. Two yeres after, Asdruball brought freshe souldiours into Italy to the succour of Hanniball, but he was ouerthrowen neare the flood called Metaurus, by the consulles M. Liuius Salinator, and C. Claudius Nero. In the meane tyme, P. Corneli∣us Scipio, of whome mencion hath bene made, prospered luckely in Spaygne, albeit that his fa∣ther and his vncle had bene there slaine. And af∣ter that he had recouered the whole Prouince,

retourned to Rome, where he was chosen con∣sull. He required that the countrey of Affricke might be assigned hym for to make warre there.

But Q. Fabius Maximus, beynge of a great age dyd sharpely withstand hym, and was of opinion that it behoued not to go into Affricke, but that it was mete and conuenient to make warre with Hanniball. Scipio was of a contrary opinion, be∣cause that yf they did make warre agaynst the Carthagians in their countrey, they shoulde be forced to call agayne Hanniball from Italy, as he vppon whome lay all theyr helpe and succour.

After long stryfe the Senate assigned Sicilia vn¦to Scipio, and did permitte hym to take the spoyle of Affricke, yf it were for the commoditie of the publyke weale.

He then tooke his iourney from Sicilia vnto Af∣fricke: and dyd proue by effect that which he had before forshewed vnto the Senate. For the Car∣thagians hauynge lost certaine battayls against hym, and beyng greatly endomaged, dyd call a∣gayne Hanniball. So that by thys meanes, he who for sixtene yeares space, had not ceassed to hunt through Italy, who also had encamped his army nere the walles of the cytye of Rome, was constrained (albeit, it was soore against his will) to retyre homewarde to hys countrey. Finallye, Scipio wan a great battaile of hym: who after∣wards by the wyll of the Senate, made peace with the enemy: herevppon the surname of Affri∣cus was gyuen vnto hym.

But here to be consydered, from howe great trou∣bles the Romaines were delyuered: for euen al∣readye by the space of certaine yeares, all their for∣tune hunge by a very small threde: but it was be∣fore predestinated that they shoulde come to an ende of all violence and calamitie, and shoulde be Lordes of the worlde. The which (as some saye) Hanniball did foresee, when his brother Asdru∣ball was vanquished. Horatius reciteth his very wordes which he then sayde, in the verse by the which he prayseth Drusus and his familie. And for because that the said Verse is most learned and elegant, it doth well deserue that the youth should learne the same by harte. The peace being concluded with the Carthagiens, besides the o∣ther warres wherewith the Romains were in∣combred to witte, in Italy, Istria, and Portin∣gale, they made another great warre also against Philippus kyng of Macedonia, who had afflic∣ted and oppressed the countrey of Grecia. Titus Quintus Flaminius was the chief captaine of this warre: who after the ouerthrow of the ene∣mie, reestablished the countrey of Grecia in her li∣bertie, by the consentinge of the Senate. And a∣mongest all other articles, he charged king Phi∣lip, not to go a warfare without the limites of Macedonia, vnlesse he had permission of the Se∣nate. This warre ended, another folowed it, against Antiochus king of Siria: Who being passed into Europa, was ouercome by M. Gala∣brio, and driuer out of Grecia. For the accom∣plishing

whereof, the aboue said Philip kyng of Macedonia did geue succour to the Romaines. These kinges of Asia, of Syria, and of Macedo∣nia, did descend of them who after the death of Alexander the great dyd diuide amongest them the Prouinces, as it hath been said. For after that Carthage was pacified and, all Italye brought vnder the subiection of the Romains, and that they had also conquered the other coun∣treys of Europa more nearer, both by Sea and by land: they were growen to such power, that euen the Kynges and the peoples farre of dyd craue succour and helpe of them: Whiche amon∣gest others, the Egiptians did. For because that their Kyng Ptolemeus Epiphanes, being then but of fewe yeares, was not apt to the gouern∣ment of the publyke weale, and for that they stood in great feare of Antiochus: they sent Em∣bassadours to Rome, by whome they did desyer the Senate to take the lytle king into their safe∣gard. This being agreed vpon, the Senate did will Antiochus not to meddle or make with Egipt. Whereat he being displeased (especially be∣cause that Hanniball the fugitiue, did incite him as much as was possible, to make warre) he sai∣led into Grecia with his armie: where he was ouerthrowen as we haue before saide. After that, the Romaines made a new armie by Sea, for to folowe and pursue him: and being sayled into Asia, they dyd vanquishe and gette a great Bat∣tayle of him and dyd putte hym to flyght from

beyond the mounte of Taurus.

After hys ouerthrowe he was wont to saye (as Cicero reciteth) that the Romaine people had done hym a great pleasure, in easynge hym from ouer great charge, and in leauing him so straight limittes of hys countrey. L. Cornelius Scipio the brother of P. Scipio Affricanus did conduct this warre: who for this cause was surnamed Asiaticus. Shortly after M. Fuluius, surnamed Nobilior, dyd subdue the Etolians, and trium∣phed ouer them. And when P. Scipio Affrica∣nus (who in that warre had been lieutenant for his brother) was retourned to Rome, the Tri∣bunes of the people beganne to trouble and tor∣ment hym. Wherefore he departed from thence and went into Laterne to hys Towne: and there as certaine saye thys noble man dyed, beyng nine and fourty yeres olde, no yonger nor elder then M. Portius Cato. Cicero in the Dialogue which he wrote of olde age, doth introduct Cato, & spea∣keth louyngly and honorablye of the age of them bothe, and of theyr studyes. But aboue all he magnifieth the greatnes of courage that was in Scipio. Titus Liuius sayth that Cato did beare hym enuy, & that he vsed to take this hys fortune and prosperitie in euyll parte. Cicero affirmeth that he was prompt and quicke in all his affay∣res. In that tyme floryshed Ennius Plautus, and Nenius, Poetes.

Antiochus beynge ouerthrowen, Hanniball dyd flye vnto Prusias kynge of Bithinia. And for

because that the Romaynes dyd require that he shoulde be rendered vnto them, he droncke poy∣son, and so kylled him selfe.

Antiochus the noble succeaded this Antiochus: He also dyd deliberate to gette the kyngdome of Egypte, for as muche as he was the Vncle of Ptolomeus Philometor, Kyng of Egypte: who beyng yet but a chylde, had succeaded hys father deceassed. Wherefore he declared hym selfe to be hys Protectour, myndynge by thys meanes to oppresse hym, and to take to hym selfe the chyefe dignitie. But hys enterpryses beynge knowen, the Romaynes (whome the Egyptians had agayne solicited to succour them) dyd hasten to sende C. Popilius Lenas in Embassage. Who beynge comme to speake face to face with Antio∣chus, he wylled hym in the name of the Romaine people, to departe from Alexandria whyche he kept beseiged: but as Antiochus did aske respit to aduise therevppon, Popillius made a rounde cir∣cle before hym with the rodde that he helde, and did commaunde him to declare what he mynded to do, before he departed from thence. By thys meanes he, who was not ignoraunt of the po∣wer of the Romaines, was so affrayed that he promysed to leaue all thinges in peace. These thinges are recited to the ende to declare howe by litle and litle the Romaines are waxed greate of small beginninges, and howe they did so ad∣uaunce them selues, that they assubiected almost all countryes.

For euen alreadye, theyr valyauntnesse was passed through Italy, and had inuaded diuers parts of the world. Not withstanding, there was yet many lettes, and inconueniences, in such sort, that they had no lytle a do for to esta∣blyshe thys so great an Empyre, which should comprehend and compasse the principall part of the world, as I wyll here after orderly and briefly declare. Philip kyng of Macedonia, of whome mencion hath been made, beinge very wroth, for that he was so enclosed by the Ro∣maynes, purposed to begynne to make warre agayne. But he was preuented by death, and Persea hys sonne succeaded hym, who of long tyme was so eneduraged agaynst the Romay∣nes in such sort, that he tooke in hand as it were the heritage of makyng warre.

But L. Emylius Paulus (who had been twyse Consull) finally dyd gyue hym the ouerthrow in playne battaylle, and tooke hym Prysoner, wyth hys Wyfe, hys Mother, and hys Chyl∣dren, whome also he ledde away in triumphe.

And for thys victory he was surnamed Mace∣donicus. From that tyme also Macedonia was made a Prouince of the Romaynes. In the for∣mer laste yeare, Ennius beynge three score and tenne yeares olde (accordynge to the sayinge of Cirero) departed oute of thys lyfe. Fewe yeares after, P. Cornelius Nasica, dyd assubiect the Dalmatians.

And incontinently after y^e thirde warre of Affrike beganne to brust forth. For because that the Carthagiens, who could not liue in rest, did moue warre and oppresse their neyghbours, but chiefly Massinisse king of Numidie, the compainion and frend of the Romaines: the Romaines beyng re∣quired to succour them, purpossed to put themsel∣ues in armes, aboute the sixe hundreth and foure yere after the foundation of Rome. But their opi∣nions were diuers, to wytte, whether it were more conuenient to breake downe and destroy the Citie, then to preserue it. The saying of them who were of opinion that it was not conuenient that it should be destroied, was, that if Carthage were once taken away, they would afterwardes euen amongest themselues, make hurliburlies by seditions & ciuill warres. But M. Portius Cato did counsell the contrary, declaring the great dan∣ger which did threatē the publike weale of Rome, if thys Citie were not vtterlye rooted vp and de∣stroied. His opinion gotte the victorie, albeit that he disceased in thys deliberation, hauynge lyued foure score and fiue yeres. Cicero doth name hym amongest the auncient oratours, and doth place hym nexte vnto Marcus Cornelius Cethegus, who he saith was renoumed of Ennius. He sayth moreouer, that an hundreth and fyftie of Catos orations were found, full of learned wordes and notable matters: and rebuketh y^e nicenes of hys time, because they did not regarde to reade them diligently ouer. He compareth him to Lysias the

Scriuener of Athenes, P. Scipio Aemilianus y^e sonne of Paulus Macedonicus, and the nephew by adoption of P. Scipio Aphricanus, had the charge and gouernement of the thyrde warre of Carthage. And foure yeres after y^t certain others had begonne the war, he came and assaulted Car¦thage wyth suche force, that hauyng constrained them to yelde, he spoiled it, brunte it, and beate it downe to the ground. By reason wherof he was also surnamed Aphricus, aswell as he who dyd vanquishe Hanniball, as it hath bene sayde. And behold here y^e end of a most myghtie Citie whose foundation was more ancient then that of y^e City of Rome: and being nothing inferrior in excellēcie of captaines, did greatly enlarge her dominiō. Ci∣cero writeth that P. Scipio after the takinge of Carthage, did render vnto y^e Sicilians the Ima∣ges and ornaments y^t the Carthagians had take from them aforetime: and did render vnder the Agrigentins that renoumed bul which is said to haue bene within the tyrante Phalaris denne, wherin he vsed to shut vp lyue men, for to bourne them with fier which he did kindell in the toppe therof. This Phalaris was not killed by craftye snares or intrapmentes, as diuers other tyrantes were, but all the Agrigentins on a heape did caste themselues vpon him to slay him. Cicero nameth the country of Affrike, the bulwarke and fortresse of all the prouinces.

About that time the Romains stirred vp warre against the Acheans, a certaine people of Grecia,

because that they had violated & outraged theyr Embassadours. The head of this armie was the Consul L. Mummius, who also wāne the victo∣rie in such sort, that al Achaia dyd yeld vnto him. And by the wyll of the Senate he brunte Corin∣thus the principall and chiefest Citie of all Grecia as sayth Cicero: & he did vtterly beate it downe to the ground, to take away all feare of euer buyl∣ding or reestablishing it againe. Mummius was for the gettynge of thys vyctorye surnamed Achaicus.

In y^t time also one named Viriatus, did vsurpe the kingdome of Portingall, who frō a shepharde was become a hunter, from a hunter to a theyfe, and fynally a conductour of a myghty armye. He dyd fyghte for the space of certayne yeares a∣gaynst the Romaynes, and often tymes to hys owne aduantage. But at the last he was slain by treason. By thys meanes the Consul Decius Iu∣nius Brutus dyd vanquishe all portingall euen vnto the Ocean sea.

In the meane time during these troubles, the Romains had receiued a great ouerthrow of thē of Numance in Spaine. And therfore because o∣ther wise it shuld be greatly ignominius vnto thē they mynded not to keepe the traitye of peace, whyche was made by Mancinus Consull, but dyd agayne electe, oute of order, Publius Sci∣pio Aemylianus Aphricanus, to be Consul, and gaue vnto hym the charge and conductyon of the warre.

He went forth with an armie, and finding there y^e souldiours very nice and vnpatient of labour, he accustomed them vnto a more sure discipline, and euen straight out of hande he beseiged the Cytye round about. And finally he toke it and destroyed it, fourtene yeres after the destructiō of Carthage and in the DCXXII. yeare of the foundation of Rome. Cicero doth call Carthage and Numance the two terrors of the Romain Empire. In that time rose the tumult of bondmen in Sicilia: who fynally could scarse be vanquished by the Consull C. Fuluius, yea, albeit that he had raised vppe a great armie.

Shortly after the Romaines had warre in Asya againste Aristonicus. For Attalus king of Per∣game, had appointed and ordained, by hys testa∣ment, the Romaines for his inheritour. But Ari∣stonicus his kinsman, possessing that part of Asia, did beguile the Romaines of the will of the testa∣ment. The Consul M. Perpenna dyd defye hym, and toke him captiue. The yere folowing, which was the sixe hundreth twenty and fyftye yeres of the age of the City, P. Scipio Aphricanus, lying in his house, was smothered in the night euen of his nerest kinsfolks, as it is thought. Cicero doth praise him for his singular eloquence, loyaltie, and wisdome. He writeth that there was no informa¦tion at all made of his death, albeit that y^e whole Citie was greatly sory therefore: and sayth more∣ouer that the very same yere the sunne did shewe her self double. So by this meanes he who was

most noblest & excellenst of the captaynes of warre died at the age of sixe & fiftie yeres. Cicero faineth in a certaine litle Booke, y^t Aphricanus the first of that name, dyd foreshewe hym this mishape. In thys tyme lyued Lucilius, Terentius, Pacunius, Accius, Licinius, Cecilius, and Afranius, C. Le∣lius the very welbeloued of Aphricanus, doth call Pacunius hys frend, and Terence his familier.

These thinges being ended, Fabius Maximus Consul wanne a great battaile against the Sa∣uoisiens, Auuergnats, and them of Rhodez, who are all Gaulles. In y^e same time also C. Gracchus Tribune of the people, an eloquent man, and de∣fender of the law appertaining to the deuiding of landes, was killed at Rome twelue yeres after y^t Tiberius Graccus his brother had ben slayne for the selfe same matter. Cicero doth praise thē both for their eloquence. But as for Tiberius orations he iudgeth them not to be greatly fyne in words, but sufficientlye subtill, and full of wisedome. As concerninge his brother Caius, he is of opinion y^t his doings ought to be read, but especially of the youth: for because that he cannot onely sharppen, but also nourishe and increase the wytte: and for this cause, he calleth him the most ingenious and eloquenest amongest the Romaines. Gracchus had afore dreamed that his brother Tiberius did aduertise him that he should dye the same death that he dyed: and Cicero sayeth that before that he was chosen Tribune of the people, he declared this vnto diuers. Their lawes are yet founde as

of wheate, of bringynge certayne citizens oute of Rome to place them els where, of y^e profite of soul∣diours, of the administration of prouinces, of the voice of the people, of letting out to hire the lands of Attalus & of Asia. The warre of the Romaines against Iugurtha king of Numidie folowed these perturbations of Tribunes. This warre was en¦terprised by L. Calphurnius Bestia, Consull, after wards continued by P. Cecilius Metellus, and fynally brought to an end by the Consull C. Ma∣rius, who afore time had bene a warrefare vnder P. Scipio Bacchus, king of Mauritanie, compai∣nion of Iugurtha, was causor of the fynishing of this warre. For he seing himselfe ouerthrowen in battayle, and myndynge not to hazarde hymselfe any more, he delyuered Iugurtha prisonner vnto Silla, who for that purpose was sent of Marius. At that time, to witte, syxe hundreth eyght and fourtye yeares of the age of the Citye, M. Tulli∣us Cicero was borne, which was eyghte yeares after the byrth of Q. Hortensius, a notable Ora∣tour. Durynge the warre of Iugurtha an Infy∣nite number of hygh and lowe Almains dyd en∣ter by violence partlye into Italye, and partly in∣to Gallia, who after that they had made a great slaughter of the Romains, and had ouerthrowen in feild somtimes Proconsulls, other times lieute∣nātes, finally they were al vanquished & ouercome by C. Marius, who was foure tymes Cōsul. The hygh Almains were ouerthrowen at Aix in pro∣uince: and the lowe, at the inner borders of Lom∣bardie.

This lucke was folowed with a new trou¦ble. For certaine countries of Italie were reuolted from the Romains, to witte the Samnites, the Pelignians, Marsians, Vestinians, Marrucini∣ans, Vmbres, Picentes, & Lucains, They were foughten with all diuersely, and could scarcelye be brought agayne to subiection.

Shortly after befell an other mishap very hurt∣full to the publike weale: for Mithridates kyng of Pont had driuen Ariobarzanes King of Cappa∣doce, and Nicomedes King of Bithinia (the com∣painions and frendes of the Romaines) oute of their kyngdomes. And herewyth not beyng con∣tent, he had also vsurped Phrygia, a Prouynce of the Romaines, beyng entred wythin the coun∣try of Asia. Wherfore y^e Senat concluded to make war with him. Whervpon was moued dissention because y^t certaine wold haue L. Silla, who was of a noble stocke, & other some wold haue C. Ma∣rius for to be general captaine. P. Sulpitius tri∣bune of y^e people held on Marius syde. But Silla had his armie, by the aide wherof he constrayned Marius to auoid out of Rome. Who afterwards was in great daunger of hys lyfe, and hyde hym∣self in a fenne, or marishe, about Minturnes, & wēt in a smalle shippe after this sorte bannished into Afrike. But through occasion of y^e absence of Sil∣la, who was a warfaire in Asia L. Cornelius Cin¦na, Consul, began to make hurliburlies & to raise vp new dissentions: but he was put out & banni∣shed y^e Citie by Cn. Octauius his fellow in office.

Who when he was bannished, renued again his power, and accompained with him C. Marius, who vpon this occasion was returned frō Afrike. Wherfore these two hauynge coupled together their souldiours, they beseiged Rome on y^t syde of y^e gate called Ianiculū. And as diuers thinges were done in the Citie not onely by negligence, but also by treason and vnfaithfulnes: and that it was not possible for these anye longer to resyste them, place of entrance was geuē them. They as sone as they were permitted to enter, did fyll the whole Citye wyth slaughters and spoyles: and straight wayes dyd electe themselues Consulls: vnto the which estate and office they dyd dyuers thinges cruelly. For Sinna caused the most excel∣lent Oratour Mercus Antonius to be slaine: and Marius, Q. Catulus. These thinges beynge knowen L. Sylla, whoo by strength of armes had recouered the greatest part of the losses, and was entred in peace with Mithridates, returned backe againe into Italie. But Marius (who was then for the seuenth time Consull) was alreadye disceased oute of thys lyfe. Notwythstandynge L. Cinna had Cn. Payrius Carbo, to take hys parte. And although they prepared themselus wyth the sonne of Marius to resyste and arme themselues agaynste Sylla, neuerthelesse they were vanquished and ouerthrowen. In such sort that Sylla remayning victorious, dyd sharppely pursewe his enemyes, yea euen so narrowly that he propunded vnto them the table of proscriptiō,

and did sell all the goods of the rebelles & such as were bannyshed, and tooke from theyr chyldren all tytle and ryght of euer commyng to the ho∣nours of the common weale. There vppon he was made Dictatour: and then he began to rule and ordeyne al thyngs accordyng to hys fantasy: and dyd abolyshe the strength and power of the Tribunes of the people. Moreouer, when he sold the goods of the Citezens of Rome, he declared vnto the whole company that he solde hys pray. Briefely, it was not possible for any man to enioy hys goods or the countrey, yea or hys lyfe, vn∣lesse it pleased hym. He was so enflamed with angre agaynst Marius, that he caused that whi∣che remayned of hys dead bodye, to be throwen into the ryuer of Anio. But he fyrst of all the no∣bles of the house of Cornelius, woulde haue hys bodye burned to ashes after hys death, searyng of lykelyhode, that he shoulde be so done to, as he dyd vnto Marius. Cicero sayeth that Marius was stronge and vertuous, and perseuerous in angre: and that Sylla was vehement. L. Cinna he sayeth was cruell. He calleth also Marius the terrour of the enemyes, the hope and succour of the countrey. Sylla publyshed foure newe lawes: Of falsholde, of Parent kyllers, of Ruffi∣ans or Murtherers, and of iniuries.

He beynge Dictatour, Cicero at the age of syxe and twentye yeares, proceaded to pleade causes, and dyd pleade openlye the cause of S. Roscius.

There were before hym certayne excellent Ora∣tours, to wit: Q. Catulus, C. Iulius, Marcus Antonius, and L. Crassus, in whose tyme the La¦tyne tongue begannne to waxe rype, as Cicero sayeth. This age surely was the most learnedst of all the others. For let me omitte to speake of so many and notable Oratours: there was not∣withstandyng excellent Iurisconsuls, and amon∣gest them C. Aquilius Gallus, L. Lucilius Bal∣bus, C. Iuuentius, Sex. Papyrius the disciple of Q. Mutius Sceuola Pontifex, vnder whom also Cicero dyd study in hys youth. P. Seruius Sul∣pitius was almost of the age of Cicero: who ha∣uyng heard the aboue named, had to hys disci∣ples, A. Offilius, P. Alphenius Varus, C. Titus Decius, the two Ausides, C. Atteius Pacunius, Flauius Priscus, Cinna, P. Cecilius. C. Trebata flourished also with Sulpitius, whose disciple was Antistius Labeo. Cicero praysyng honora∣bly this Sulpitius after hys discease, sayeth on this maner: If all they that euer had in thys towne vnderstandyng of iudgement and ryght, weare heaped together, yet could they not in any wyse be compared with Seruius Sulpitius. For he was no lesse instructed and experimented in equitie then in ryght.

Quintus Sertorius dyd remayne of the number of the bannyshed, a man of greate sto∣macke and expert in the feate of warre. He dyd moue and styrre vp a terrible great warre in Por∣tingale: and hauyng vanquished & ouerthrowed

certayne captayns of the Romaines, subdued di∣uers townes. Wherefore the charge and condu∣ction of the warre on the Romaines syde, was at the last geuen vnto Pompeius. And after diuers and sundry combats, finaly Sertorius was slain by treason. And ten yeares after the begynnyng of thys war, Pompeius dyd recouer the Spani∣ards. At that tyme Nicomedes kyng of Bithinia dying, had ordeyned the Romains to be hys in∣heritour: but Mithridates kyng of Pont, who was entred in alliaunce with Sertorius, had vsurped and gotten Bythinia duryng the diui∣sions and discordes of Marius and Silla: and be∣ganne agayne to make war with all hys strength and power. L. Luculus consull was sent against hym, who wanne certayn battayles by cheualry: and after beyng Proconsull, he in such sort slewe and cut in sunder hys armye, that hauyng displa∣ced hym out of Bithinia, he constrayned hym to retyre to the countrey of Pont. Where hauyng lost a great battayle, he fled towards Tigranes kyng of Armenia. Lucullus pursued hym so neare that in certain conflictes he ouerthrewe the hoo∣stes both of the one and of the other. And it re∣sted but onely vppon the sedicions and conspira∣ties of the Souldiours (which certain did crafte∣ly moue) that he came not to the end of the warre and to haue caryed away the glory and triumphe of the victory. For shortly after he was called back againe, and this commission was geuen vnto Cn. Pompeius. Of the doyng whereof Cicero

was also one of the perswaders, who had made the people wyllyng herevnto, by a certayne ex∣cellent oratiō which he made in y^e prayse of Pom∣peius. Luculus being called home again, he letted therfore not to triumphe, & made the Romains a notable and sumptuous great feast. Since that tyme he would no moore entermeddle or be occu∣pyed with publyke affaires, but did leade hys lyfe at home in the study of Philosophie, beynge not withstandyng very sumptuous in hys ordi∣nary lyuynge, as he was alwayes. He garnished a most ample and magnificall library, of the whi∣che Cicero maketh mencion: and sayeth that he went thither often tymes to fetche certayne boo∣kes. Pompeius gaue Mithridates a cleane ouer∣throw, and droue hym farre of: and receyued Ti∣granes who did yeld and render himself vnto his deuotion & clemencie. Cicero reciteth that Pom∣peius seyng in hys campe this kyng prostratinge himself and demaunding pardon, he lifted hym vp, and put againe the crowne vppon his head, which he had cast of. Afterwarde chargyng hym with certaine thinges, he commaunded him to hold and kepe alwayes his kyngdome. Mithri∣dates finally beyng beseiged of his sonne Phar∣naces did slay him selfe. Cn. Pompeius had got∣ten great credite and estimation, for the warre which he made against the pyrates, before that he went agaynst Mythridates.

This war being ended, sodenly another fier be∣gan to kindle: for L. Catilina had conspired with

diuers others, to destroy the publyke weale. But his wickednes beyng disclosed by the dexteritie and industrie of Cicero, who was then consull, he was bannished the citie: and hauyng gathered an armie and bande of desperate Villens in the countrey of Toscane, he remained slaine in the fielde, beyng vanquished by C. Antonius consull and fellow in office with Cicero. Who through out all his writings doth praise and magnifie the paine and labour that he tooke for the publyke weale. and sayeth that than not onely appeared in the night flames of fyer, with burnyngs in the Element, thundrings and earthquakes: But al∣so he applieth and maketh serue to this purpose, the straunge and vnaccustomed Sygnes, that came to passe and befell twelue yeares before that he was Consull, at such time as L. Cotta and Torquatus were in that office: In the which time vehement flames of lightning fell vppon di∣uers towres in the palaice of the city of Rome, di∣uers Images of gods were displaced, diuers pi∣ctures of men of old tyme throwen downe: The tables of brasse wherein the lawes were grauen, the molten Image also of Romulus founder of Rome (which was as it weare sucking, and han∣ging ouer the Wolfes dugges) was striken with thunder. Cicero describing the spirite and nature of Catilina, sayth that there was neuer the lyke monster in the world, that was compact and mix∣ed with such couetousnes, & so many contrary & sundry cōplexiōs repugning one against another.

The same yere that Cicero was consull, C. Octa∣uius was borne, and the countrey of Iudea was made tributary to the Romaines, after that Ie∣rusalem had bene assaulted and wonne by Cn. Pompeius.

Fyue yeres after, at such tyme as Piso & A. Ga∣binius were consuls, the Swicers dyd chaunge their dwellyng place, and did purpose to passe by prouince, for to enter and perce through the resi∣due of Fraunce, and there to make theyr habita∣tion, because of the goodnes and fertilitie of the countrey. This beyng knowen and disclosed, C. Iulius Cesar, yonger then Cicero by sixe yeares, did raise vp his army, for as much as the Senate had assigned him that Prouince: and went to mete the enemy, whome he ouerthrew in playne battayle. And shortly after he dyd the lyke vnto Arionistus king of the Germaines, who had op∣pressed the countreys of Lions in Fraunce, but especially the Burgonions the frends and com∣panions of the Romains: for he ouerthrew hym neare vnto the riuer called Rhyne, being depar∣ted from Bessanson a towne of Burgonie. Which being done, he brought the whole countrey of Gallia vnder the subiection of the Romains. Af∣terwards sayling into Britan, he assubiected the Ile. Cicero reciteth that Cesar did write to him out of Britan the first of September, and that he receyued the letters the .xxviii. day of the sayd moneth. About the time that Cesar was depar∣ted into Gallia, Cicero was so vexed & troubled

of P. Claudius Tribune of the people, that he flede and went in exile, after that he had made an oration vnto the people & horsemen, by the which he commended vnto them hys chyldren and fa∣milye? Certayn monethes after he was, to the great ioye and gladnes of the people, called home againe. And then he made another oration vnto the Romains, by the which he gaue thanks vnto his frends. Since he layd y^e cause of his bannishe∣ment vpon L. Piso and A. Gabinius beinge then Consulls, and proued by the orations whych he pronounced against them both, that he was be∣trayed by them. In one of the sayde orations, he counselleth the Senate to take from them the Prouinces of Syria and of Macedonia, and not to call backe againe C. Cesar, who prospered in the warres that he had in Gallia: but rather that they should continue him in this gouernment, to the entent y^t he might bring the warre to an end.

During these enterprises: Ptolomeus Auletus king of Egipt: beyng dryuen out of his kyngdom for his cowardnes and crueltie, he fled and rety∣red vnto Rome: where the Senate through the perswasion of Cn. Pompeius dyd reestablishe him by A. Gabinius, in puttyng downe Archela∣us who raigned by the consent of the people. Ga∣binus was afterwardes condemned to paye vn∣to the publyke treasour ten .M. talents, or accor∣dyng to y^e reckning of certain of our tyme .vi. mil∣lions of gold, for because he had receiued as much of Ptolomeus .M. Crassus, vnto whom the com∣mission

of the war of Parthia had bene geuen, was also vanquished beyond Euphrates & slaine (contrary to the law of armes) as he communed and reasoned of matters. This is he who vsed to say that none was riche, yf he could not maintain an army with his own reuenew. In the selfsame time P. Clodius was killed of T. Annius Milo. And albeit, that Cicero did defend the cause of Milo (Pompeius being for the third time Con∣sull, yea him self alone) not withstanding he was bannished. The French war beyng once ended, which was about y^e viii. yere, ciuil war was raised betwene C. Cesar and Cn. Pompeius, his kins∣man. The cause and beginning hereof was, that Cesar shuld be put out of his Consulship, if he did not out of hand discharge his armie & geue ouer y^e prouince. But he was persuadid in himselfe y^t he could not be in safety if he did dismisse his souldi∣ars. Notwithstanding he made this offer, y^t both he & Pompeius shuld yeld vp their souldious: and for asmuch as this was not accepted, he toke his iourney: & with an vncredible swiftnes he came out of France into Italy with his hoste, & entred into Flaminia, where he tooke diuers townes.

Which being knowen Pompeius & the two con∣suls (to wit C. Marcellus & L. Lentulus) did flye frō Rome & went to Ranusiū of the coūtrie of Pu¦ell, bordering on the sea. Cesar came thither also: but y^e cōsuls had alredy passed y^e sea, & wer ariued at Durazo, whether also shortly after Pmopeius fled. And for because y^t Cesar being excluded by y^e time, and destititute of vessels of warre could not

folow or pursewe them, he returned vnto Rome: where he holding a courte, made a complainte of the iniuries done against him, and did propound certaine conditions of peace. But because that the Senate dyd shewe themselues slacke and colde herein, he went vnto Massilia where the gates were shute against him. Wherfore he hauing pre∣pared an army by sea, he beseiged the towne both by Sea and by Land: & leauing there his lieute∣nauntes, he toke his iournie towardes Spaine, where finally Petreius & Afranius the captaines of Pompeius dyd yelde vnto hym wyth all theyr armie. Whiche beinge done, he retourned backe a∣gain vnto Massilia: the which then beyng voyde of all hope did yelde vnto his deuotion. Straight waies after this he returned vnto Rome, hauing in his absence bene made dictatour by M. Lepi∣dus Pretor: where he made an assembly of y^e peo∣ple, and was chosen Consull with P. Seruilius Isaurico. Afterwardes, hauinge lefte and gyuen good order of his affaires, he went into Grecia: & to conclud he ouerthrew Pōpeius in a great bat∣taile in y^e contry of Thessalia & wanne his campe yea, albeit his armie was much greater. Pōpeius flying away went into the countrie of Egipte, at which time raygned Ptolomeus Dionisius, the sonne of Ptolomeus Auleta, whome (as we haue sayde) Pompeius beynge Consull dyd, by A. Gabinius reestablyshe in hys Kyngdome whereof he was depryued. Pompeius hoped that, in partye recompence of hys good deede, he

should finde some helpe & succour in that country. But y^e king was then but a childe: Wherthrough it befell that his famillier frendes dispisynge the present state of Pompeius, or at the least fearing certayne motions and vprores, dyd slaye him by treason. Cesar pursewing him, ariued at Alexan∣dria, accompained with three thousand and two hundreth men, where he was first of al aduertised of the death of the sayd Pompeius. Cicero giuing his Iudgement of them both, sayth on this wise: If so be that Pompeius had demissed somewhat of his great grauitie, and that Cesar had greatly refrained from hys couetousnes, we myght haue had some certaine assured peace and some publike weale. The king of Egipte was then in armes a∣gainst his syster Cleopatra. Cesar beynge in Alex∣andria would that they shoulde pleade their con∣trouersyes rather by ryghte, before hym, then by armes: seyng y^t he was Consull of the Romaines, and that certaine yeares before amitie was con∣tracted by lawe and consent of the Senate wyth Ptolomeus the kinges father. The gouernours toke this thyng very greuously, and complayned that the royall maiestie was greatly empeched & lesned in that they were caused to appeare and pleade their cause. Their hartes then were so en∣flamed with wrath, that they put themselues in armes against Cesar: who after great and sondry dangers reinained victorious. Notwithstanding y^e king being dead he ordained not, neither made the kingedome of Egipte in maner of a prouince:

but left y^e kingdome vnto Cleopatra and to hys yonger brother. From thence he toke his iournye into Syria, and afterwardes into Pont, where he defyed the king Pharnaces the sonne of Mi∣thridates: and did pacifye Cappadocia, Armenia, Gallograecia, Pont, and Bithynia. This beynge done he came agayne into Italye and after that into Rome. And in the middest of the winter, yea, in the shortest dayes therof he toke shyppe in Si∣cilia for to sayle into Affrike, albeit that y^e prynci∣palest and chiefest diuinor had aduertised him not to take his iournie till winter were past. After the iourney of Pharsalica Scipio and Cato, sōnes of y^e Nephewes of A. Portius Cato, were retyred in to the sayd coūtry of Affrike, and hauing raised a great band of men of warre, they had assubiected and brought the king Iuba vnder theyr gyrdell, Cesar then ariued there, and beseyged and ouer threwe them both.

But as concerning Cato he slew himself at Vti∣ca, for feare of falling into the handes of Cesar. The which Cicero approueth beyng of opinion y^t considering the incredible grauitie that he natu∣rallye had, it behoued hym rather to dye suche a death, then to behold the face of the Tirante. Ca∣to was of the Stoical secte, and sometimes he did defend in the open Senate certaine brutishe and horrible sentenses: as if he had bene in y^e politike gouernaunce of Plato (according to the saying of Cicero) and not in the affaires of Rome, Ceser was retourned vnto Rome: & hauing triumphed

ouer the Galles, Egiptians, those of Pont, and of Affrike, he stirred vp warre agaynst Sext. Pompeius in Spaine, where he also gaue him y^e ouerthrowe. So therefore all his enemies beyng vanquished, and the people beynge pacifyed in all parties, he returned to Rome .v. yeares after the beginning of y^e ciuil warre. And after that he had triumphed ouer Spaine, he fell out of fauour and was hated of diuers, forbecause that he had al∣ways kept & retayned to himself y^e name & power of Dictatour, which was offered him, for y^t al∣so he did electe such Senatours as semed good to his fantasye and almost onely dyd conferre the ho¦nours & offices of the weale publike vnto whom it pleased him After then that y^e estate of the pub∣like weale was changed and y^t the gouernement therof was reducted vnder y^e power & auctority of one only, y^e cōspiraties which were made against him were so enflamed, y^t v, monthes after his re∣turne vnto Rome, the xv. of March he was mur∣dered in y^e court of Poinpeius, where y^e parliment was kept euen by thē who were greatly boūd vn to him for his clemencye & gentilnes lately before shewed vnto thē. For he had pardoned thē theyr putting on of armes against him in y^e war of Pom¦peius. The muderers were M. & D. Brutus, C. Cassius, Cn. Domitius, C, Trebonius, Q. Tulli∣us Cimber, y^e two Seruilians, Casca, Hala, & dy∣uers others. M. Antonius, Consull & fellow in of∣fyce with Cesar doth charg Cicero also before the Senate, as consenting therto, forasmuch as incō∣tinently after Cesar was slaine, M. Brutus hol∣ding vp the bloudy sword cried out naming hym

& was thankful vnto him for y^e libertie recouered. Some there be y^t say that Cesar spake in Greke to M. Brutus euen in the very instant y^t he fell vpon him to slay him: and y^t he called him sōne. I cānot wel tell how they vnderstand the same. Notwith¦standing so it is y^t it is manifest by Cicero, y^t Bru∣tus was but fiften yeres yonger then Cesar. The said Cesar had made certain lawes, partly in hys consull ship & partly when he was Dictatour, the which in his respect are called Iuliā lawes. They are as concerning feildes, iudgements, violence re¦quiring againe of y^e polings & extorsions of gouer¦nors, of benifites & of vsurie. There are certaine o∣ther of the same name: but they were made by Oc¦tauius. Euery one doth cōfesse y^t Cesar was very clement & mercifull. Cicero moreouer doth prayse him for his spirite, for his subtilitie, reason, memo∣rie, instructiō, ripe thoughts & diligence. yet neuer theles he was greatly greued and wroth y^t he did raigne & beare rule, albeit y^t he coūterfeted the con¦trarye. He writeth in a certaine epistle to Atticus. Thou shalt vnderstād y^t this raigne cānot endure aboue half a yere. Now in al these doinges Cicero was greatly variable & incōstant. For in y^e war he ioyned himselfe to y^e campe of Pōpeius & toke his part albeit y^t he did reprehend his faint hart & his negligence. Moreouer besides this, in y^e epistles to his frends he called Cesar, during y^e war, tirant, & monster. But after y^t Pōpeius was dispatched, & y^t Cesar pardoned diuers, he changed his time & note: and in three orations whiche he made, he exalted him euen to the verye heauen, so great∣lye dyd he prayse and magynifye hym.

And sence that Ceser had bene aduertised that he was conspired against, and that oftentimes he brast forth in these words, that he had lyued long ynough: Cicero prayed and besoughte hym to put away y^t fantasye. For althoughe y^t he had gotten as much glory as was possible, & that in respecte hereof he had lyued long ynough for himself: not∣withstanding he had liued to lytle a whyle for the publike weale, the which could not well want or be destitute of his succour and defence. Moreouer (saith he) thou hast no occasion to feare any daun∣ger at all: for all as many as we are of vs doe pro∣myse the not onelye to make good watche for to kepe y^e, but also to present and put our owne per∣sones in readines before thee. After y^t Ceser was slaine he triumphed for ioye: & said y^t the mourde∣rers had obtained so great glory, that the verye heauen could not comprehend y^e same. This then is y^e fourth and last Monarchie. Wherin we must note, how of small beginninges y^t Citye hath en∣creased and mounted by lytle and litle to souerain power. For beyng buylt by shypheards fynallye it became Maisteris of the whole world. Hereafter folowyng I wyll declare as briefely as shalbe pos∣syble, lowe she is sence decayed and fallen daye by daye from that hyghnes and greate dominati∣on and hath bene ruined.

Notes

• Discorde in numbryng of the yeres.
• The He∣brues are to bee folowed in countyng the yeres.
• The yere the flood
• Men couet to buylde in theyr perpe∣tuall me∣morye.
• God resi∣steth the proude.
• Nimrod the first kinge of Chaldea.
• Assur.
• Iupiter Belus.
• Ninus.
• Circūcision instituted.
• The goyng out of egipt.
• Semiramis the widdow of Ninus.
• The noble∣nes of Se∣miramie.
• Zameis.
• Arius.
• Aralius.
• Baleus y^t was surna∣med Xerxes.
• Armatrites
• Belochus.
• Baleus.
• Altadas.
• Mamitus.
• Manchale••.
• Spherus.
• Mamelus.
• Sparetus.
• Ascarades.
• Sardana∣palus.
• Belochus. Arbaces.
• The ende of Sardana∣palus.
• Belochus the first king of Assiria in the newe Monarche.
• Salmana∣sor.
• Senna∣therib.
• Assaradon.
• Merodach
• Benmero∣dach. Nabucho∣donozor.
• The wyn∣ning of Ie∣rusalem.
• Nabuchodo¦nozor saw a monstrous great image
• Daniel.
• Nabucho∣donozors power.
• Euilmero∣dach Na∣buchodono∣sors succes∣sour.
• Balthasar the laste Emperour of Babilō.
• Darius.
• Assuerus.
• Cyrus.
• The second Monarchie of Persia.
• The death of Cyrus.
• Cambyses the sonne of Cyrus.
• The sōnes of Cyrus were yll in∣structed.
• Darius the thirde king of Persia.
• Darius o∣uerthrowē by the A∣thenians
• Xerres the fourth Em¦perour.
• Xerxes o∣uerthrowē by the Gre∣cians.
• The warre of the Per∣sians.
• The Pelo∣ponnicall Warre a∣gainst the Athenians.
• Pericles.
• Artaxerxes longhand the 5. Emperour. Darius the bastrard the syxte.
• Alcibiades. Nicias.
• The ouer∣throwe of y^e Athenians in Sicilia
• The excel∣lent captens of Grecia.
• Artaxarxes the. 7.
• Ochus. 8. Darius. 9. and y^e last.
• The victo∣ries of Alex∣ander agaīst Darius.
• Alexander y^e beginner of the thirde Monarchye.
• Alexander a louer of good letters.
• The libera∣litie of Alex¦ander tow∣ards lear∣ned men.
• The super∣fluitie of Darius.
• Darius end
• The succes∣sors of Alex∣ander.
• Lysimacus.
• The begin∣ning of the fourth Mo∣narchy.
• Ptolome∣us Phila∣delphus the father of good letters.
• The time in whiche Rome was builte.
• The warre of Troye.
• The age of Homer vn∣certayne.
• The begin∣ning of the Romaines.
• The first go¦uernement at Rome.
• Two Con∣suls gouern
• The Fabi∣ens slauter.
• Tenne mē elected to be supreme gouernors.
• The wic∣ked cupidi∣tie of Appi∣us Clau∣dius.
• The thirde mutatiō of y^e Romain Policie.
• Melius slain for his ambition.
• Camillus surmunted all other in vertue.
• The excel∣lēt captains of Rome.
• Papyrius Cursor.
• A place in Italie so called.
• Socrates y^e foūtaine of Philosophi.
• The actes of Denis y^e Tirante.
• Pyrrhus against the Romains.
• The fayth∣fullnes of Fabricius.
• The fyrste warre of Carthage.
• An acte worthye of Memorie.
• The cruell death of Attilius Regulus.
• Excellent consulls.
• The second warre of Carthage.
• A Citie in lumbardy called nowe Pauia. Quintus Fabius a most prudēt Captaine.
• Archime∣des excellēt in Algoris∣me musike, & Geome∣trie, & Astro nomie.
• Cicero trea∣surour of Sicilia.
• Sicilia the first {pro}uince.
• Superflui∣tie & wan∣tonnes vn∣profitable in an armye.
• The ouer∣throwe of Asdruball.
• The victory of Scipio 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Affricke.
• Warre a∣gaynst Phi∣lip of Mace∣donia.
• Another war against Antiochus king of Sy∣ria.
• The greate authority of the romain••
• Antiochus vanquished and spoyled.
• The deathe of Pub. Sci¦pio.
• Cato enui∣ous agaynst Scipio.
• Hanniball poysoneth hym selfe.
• Popilius maketh An∣tiochus af∣frayed.
• Persea king of the Mace∣donians ta∣ken prisoner
• The thirde warre of Carthage.
• Diuers iudgments as touching the preser∣uation, or distructiō of Carthage.
• The death of P. Cato.
• The distruc¦tion of Car∣thage.
• The warre of the Ro∣maines a∣gainst the Acheans.
• The de∣struction of Corin∣thius.
• Warre a gainst Vi∣riatus.
• The war of Numance.
• The warre of bondmē and slaues,
• The death of P. Sci∣pio. Aphrica∣nus.
• The two Grackes.
• Gracchus dreame.
• The warre against Iu∣gurtha.
• The byrth of Cicero.
• Tētones & Chimbres ouerthrowē by Marius.
• The warre against Mi∣thridates.
• Ciuill war betwene Sylla and Marius.
• Sylla vic∣torious.
• The lawes of Sylla.
• The first pleading of Cicero.
• Excellent & notable Iu∣risconsuls.
• War raised in Portin∣gale by Ser¦torius.
• L. Luculus agaynst Mi∣thridrates.
• The sump∣tuousnes of L. Luculus
• The victory of Pompei∣us against Mithridates
• The warre against the pyrates.
• The conspi∣ratie of Ca∣tilina.
• The byrthe of C. Octa∣uius.
• The Swi∣cers ouer∣throwen by Iulius Ce∣sar.
• The exile of Cicero.
• Ptolomeus Auletus.
• The king of Egipt re∣established by the Ro∣maines.
• Crassus slaine by the Parthians.
• Ciuill war betwene Pompeius and Cesar.
• The Cap∣taines of Pompeius yelde vnto Cesar.
• Pompeius vanquished by Cesar.
• The death of Pompei∣us.
• Warre in Alexandria againste Cesar.
• Cesar vic∣torious in Afrike.
• Cesar slayn in the Se∣nate.
• Leges Iulae
• The incon∣stancye of Cicero.
• The fourth and last Mo¦narchye.