THE LIFE, & DEATH OF ALEXANDER the Great, KING OF MACEDONIA.

ALEXANDER, His Pa­rentage. surnamed the Great was the Son of Philip, King of Ma­cedonia, and of his Queen Olympias. He was born on the sixth day of our June, called by the Macedonians, Lous. Upon the very same day that the Temple of Diana in Ephe­sus was burned down; whereupon the Priests, Magicians, and South-sayers ran about the City, crying, that some great Plague and mischief to Asia was surely born that day. Three messengers came [Page 2] to King Philip, presently after he had won the City of Potidaea, upon the same day, who brought him great Newes, the first, that Parmenio his Generall, had won a notable Battel of the Illyrians: the second that his Horse had won the prize at the Olympian Games: and the third, that his wife Olympias had brought him a Son,His Birth. that was named Alexander, born at Pella in Macedonia.

Philip being marvellous glad to hear these newses, the Southsayers much added to his joy; assuring him, that his Son that was thus born, should be invincible. He had naturally a very fair white colour, mingled with red, which chiefly appeared in his face and breast: His skin had a marvellous sweet savour, and his breath was ve­ry sweet, which shewed his excellent constitution. He was naturally hot and Cholerick, which made him to be addicted to drink, and hasty, and yet was chast withall. His Father was very carefull of his Education, and there­fore gat for him excellent Tutors, as Leonidas, which had the chiefest Government of him. Then Lysimachus, an Acarnanian: His Edu­cation. and Aristotle, the Best Philosopher of his time, to whom Philip allowed a very Honourable stipend.

He delighted much in hunting divers kinds of wilde Beasts, and playing at the Staff. On a time while he was young, Ambassadors were sent to his Father from the King of Persia, and it fell out that Philip was in some journey out of his Kingdom. Alexander therefore intertained them familiarly, not using any childish que­stions to them, nor enquiring about trifling, and tri­viall matters, but what distance it was from one place to another, and which way they went into the higher places of Asia; His early wisdom. Also about the King of Persia himself, how he behaved himself towards his enemies, and what power he had, &c. insomuch as they were ravished with delight to hear him, judging him to be of great Courage, and of a Noble minde, and one that was like to attempt great enterprises. When at any time news was brought [Page 3] him that his Father had taken some famous City, or had won some great Battel, he was no whit glad to hear it, but would say to his play-fellows: Sirs, My Father will do all, I shall have nothing left me to Conquer with you that will be ought worth.

Upon a time Philonicus, B [...]cepha­lus broken by Alex­ander. a Thessalian brought a brave Horse, called Bucephalus, to sell unto King Philip, de­manding thirteen Talents for him, and they went into the Field to try him: But the Horse was found to be so unruly, and churlish, that they which should have rid­den him, said, that he would never be made service­able: For he would let no man get upon his Back, nor abide any of the Gentlemens voices that were about Philip, but would yerk at them with his heels; whereupon Phi­lip, being afraid, bad them take him away as a wilde, untamable, and unprofitable Beast: which they had done accordingly, had not Alexander, that stood by, said, O Gods! what a Horse do they turn away for lack of skill, and courage to handle and break him? Philip heard what he said, but held his peace. Alexander often repeating those words, and seeming sorry that the Horse should be sent back, Philip said, Why doest thou controll them that have more skill and experience than thy self; and that know better how to handle a Horse than thou do­est; Alexander answered, and yet me-thinks I could handle him better than all they have done. But if thou canst do no more than they (replied Philip) what wilt thou forfeit for thy folly? I am content (said Alexander) to forfeit the price of the Horse. Every one laughed to hear his answer, and the match was made between the Father and the Son. Then ran Alexander to the Horse, and took him by the Bridle, and turned him towards the Sun. It seems he had observed how mad the Horse was to see his own shadow, which was before, always before his eyes as he stirred too and fro. Then Alexander speaking gently to the Horse, and clapping him on the back with his hand, till he had left his fury and s [...]orting, softly let fall his Cloke from him, and lightly leaped on his back, and so [Page 4] gat up without any danger, and holding the reins of the Bridle hard, without striking or stirring the Horse, made him to be gentle enough. And when he perceived that the fury of the Horse was calmed, he put him forward, and began to Gallop; Then he put him to his full carrier, spurring, and switching him. Philip at first, seeing his sons confidence, began to fear lest he should catch any hurt: But when he saw him readily to turn the Horse at the end of his carrier, and shewing bravery for what he had done, all the Spectators gave a great shoot for joy: and the Fa­ther fell a weeping for joy: and when Alexander was allighted from the Horse, his Father went and kissed him, saying, O Son! thou must have a Kingdom that is meet for thee; for Macedonia is not sufficient for thee: Consider­ing also that he was not to be rigorously dealt with, and that by gentle means and perswasions he could make him do what he would, he ever sought rather to perswade than to Command him what he would have done.

Alexander in these his younger days was very mild,His mild­ness. and of a patient disposition, insomuch as being told that some of his Friends used in secret, to speak against him, he said, Regium est malè audire cùm benefeceris. Its a Kingly thing to hear ill, when one doth well.

King Philip being dead,He comes to his Kingdom. his son Alexander succeeded, be­ing a Prince no less Valiant by Nature than by Education, being well instructed, & inriched with all sorts of Learn­ing. He began his Reign in Macedonia, four hundred and seventeen years after Rome was built, being himself about twenty years old.

Upon this change of the King the neighbour Nations, whom Philip had oppressed, adventured to endeavour the recovery of their former liberty by force of Arms, the young years of Alexander giving some hope of prevailing, & his suspected severity encreasing the courage of others, who could easilier resolve to die, than to live in slavery: But Alexander gave no respite to these discontented hu­mours;He slays his Fa­thers mur­therers. For after revenge taken upon the Conspiratours against his Father, whom he slew upon his Tomb, and [Page 5] the celebration of his Funerals, he first engaged his Macedonians to him by freeing them from all exactions, and bodily slavery, other than his service in the Wars, and to others that contemned his youth, he used such an sterity, and such clemency to the rest; that having calmed these neerer discontents, he presently went into Peloponnesus, and so insinuated himself amongst them, that by the Council of the States of Greece, he was chosen Captain Generall to mannage the War against the Persians, as his Father had been before him, who was so intent upon that War, that he had sent over into Asia part of his Army under the Conduct of Parmenio, and Attalus, with order to take in some place which might secure the descent of the rest.

Upon this enterprise against the Persians was Alexander wholly busied,He in-tends war against Persia. his restless thoughts both sleeping and waking, presenting to him the Riches, Honour, and large Dominions which he hoped to attain thereby. Yet was he again crossed, and retarded by the Athenians, Thebans, and Lacedemonians, who had united themselves against him, hoping by the assistance of the Persians, to re­cover their former liberty; and they were to this, en­couraged by Demosthennes, whom the Persian Gold had bribed thereunto. This unexpected rub, and loss of time was very grievous to Alexander, who was troubled that he should turn his Sword from the base and effeminate Persians, against the manly, and famous Grecians, of whose assistance in his intended Wars he had assured himself; He therefore made such expedition against them,He sub­dues the Grecians. that himself, with his Army at his heels, brought them the first news of his preparations. This celerity of his made them begin to stagger, and the Athenians, as they were the first that moved, so were they the first that fainted, and by their Ambassadours sought to pacifie him. Alexander was not long in resolving, but admitted their excuses, and made peace.

Having now quieted his Borderers on the South, he resolved also to assure himself of those Nations which [Page 6] lay on the North of Macedonia, And other Nations. viz. the Thracians, Tri­balles, Poones, Getes, Agrians, and others, who by their fre­quent incursions had much molested his Father; and withall those, after he had given them divers overthrows, he made peace, or brought them into his Subjection: and yet could he not find the way out of Europe.

The Thebans, which had one thousand Macedonians in Garrison in their Citadel, being impatient of slavery, endeavoured to force it; which Alexander being inform­ed of, hastened to their succour with thirty thousand Foot, all old Souldiers, and three thousand Horse, and present­ing himself before their City, he gave the Thebans time to resolve whether they would have peace or War, only demanding that they should deliver up to him the two chief Incendiaries, Phaenix, and Prothytes, which they took in such scorn, that they demand Philotas, and Antipater, two of his chief Captains.And the Thebans. This so incensed Alexander, that whilst he assailed the City before, the Macedonian Garrison did the like behind, and so breaking into the City, he slew ninty thousand of them, and sold thirty thousand more for slaves, and this he did for a terrour to the other Grecians.

Many Arguments were used by Cleadas (one of the Pri­soners) to disswade him from destroying the City, of Thebes but all proved fruitless; for he razed the City, only out of his respect to learning, he pardoned all of the race of Pinda­rus the Poet, and set at liberty Timoclea, the sister of Theagines, who died in the defence of the liberty of Greece against his Father Philip. This Noble Woman, being ta­ken by a Thracian, and ravished, he threatned to kill her unless she would discover her Treasure to him: She led him to a Well,A brave Example. and told him that she had cast it therein, and when he stooped to look into the well, she thrust him in, and stoned him to Death.

Alexander shortly after at a Common Council of Greece, being chosen General a second time against the Persians, went to visit Diogenes the Philosopher, there. Then re­turned into Macedonia, where, in a Town called Dios, as [Page 7] he was wholly taken up with thoughts of subduing Asia, there appeared to him in his Sleep the resemblance of the High Priest of Jerusalem, His vision. who bad him be couragious and bold, and speedily with his Army to put over into Asia, promising that he would be his Conducter in the Con­quest of the Persian Empire, as Alexander himself re­ported.

All being now quieted at home,He goes into Asia. Alexander leaving the Government of Macedon, and Greece to Antipater, in the beginning of the Spring he passed the Hellespont, and being ready to dis-imbark, he threw a Dart towards the Asian shore, as a token of defiance, commanding his Souldiers not to wast, and destroy the Country, or to burn those buildings which themselves were presently, and in future to possess. Then landed he his Army consisting of thirty two thousand foot, and five thousand Horse, all old Souldiers, neer unto Troy, where he offered a Sa­crifice upon the Tomb of Achilles, his Maternall An­cestor.

But before he left his own Country,His cru­elty. he put to death, without any offence given him, all his Mother in Laws Kinsmen, whom his Father had greatly advanced, not sparing such of his own as he suspected, thinking by un­just cruelty to secure himself for the present, and future: Yet the end fell out contrary to the Policy which his Am­bition taught him,Gods Ju­stice. though well agreeing with the Justice of God: For within a few years all that he had planted was rooted up; those whom he most trusted were most Trai­terous: His Mother, Friends and Children fell by such another merciless Sword as his own, and all manner of confusion followed his dead Body to the Grave, and left him there.

When Darius, Darius his Pride. the King of Persia, was informed that Alexander was landed in Asia, he so much scorned the Macedonian Army, and contemned Alexander himself, that writing to him, he stiled him his Servant, and repre­hended him for his presumption, and disloyalty (For Darius Intitled himself King of Kings, and kinsman of the [Page 8] Gods) and withall, he wrote to his Leiutenants in the Lesser Asia, that they should take Alexander alive, whip him with Rods, and then convey him to his presence; that they should sink his Ships, and send his Macedonians prisoners beyond the Red Sea.

Notwithstanding these brags Alexander soon discover­ed what manner of men the Persians were: For two of Darius his Generals [Spithredates, and Rhaesaces] at the River of Granick (which severs the Territories of Troy from Propontis) with a huge Army both of Horse and Foot, sought to stop his passage, taking the higher ground, and the bank of the River to defend, which Alex­ander was forced to climb up unto from out of the Chan­nel,His victo­ry at Gra­nick. yet was his victory so easily, that the Persians flying, he slew twenty thousand of the Foot, and two thousand five hundred Horsemen, with the loss of twelve of his own Foot, and two and twenty of his Horsemen, which shews that the Persians were rather killed in their backs whilst they ran away, than hurt in their bosoms by resisting.

It was wisely done of Alexander to pass this River of Granick in the face of the enemy, without seeking any other place, or means to convey his men over. For having beaten the Asiaticks upon their own ground, he did thereby cut off no less of their reputation, than of their strength, leaving the partakers of such cowards without hope of Succour.

Presently after this victory,He wins many Ci­ties, and Countries he recovered Sardis, Ephesus, and the City of the Trallians, and Magnesia, all which were soon rendred to him, the Inhabitants he received with great grace, suffering them to be Governed by their own Laws: and about the same time, by Parmenio, he wan Miletus, and by force took in Halicarnassens, which be­cause it resisted obstinately, he razed it to the ground. From thence he went into Caria, were Ada, the Queen, who had been cast out of all that she held (except the City of Alinda) by Darius his Leiutenants,The Queen of Caria Adopts him. presented her self to him, and adopted him for her Son, and Successour, [Page 9] which Alexander took so kindly that he left the whole Kingdom to her disposall. Then entred he into Lycia, and Pamphilia, and assured to him all the Sea-Coasts, and sub­jecting to him Pisidia, he steared his course towards Da­rius, who (as he was informed) was marching towards him with a marvellous great Army) by the way of Phrygia, and this he might the easilier do, for that his first victory had laid under his feet all the Provinces of Asia the less, which bordered upon the Sea-coast.

Then gave he order for the se [...]l [...]ng and Government of Lycia, and Pamphilia, and so marching towards the North, he entred Celenas, seated on the River Maeander, which was abandoned to him, only the Castle held out, which yet after forty days, was surrendred to him also: for so long time he gave them to attend succout from Darius. From Celenas, he passed on thorow Phrygia to­wards the Euxine Sea, till he came to the City of Gor­dium, sometimes the Regal City of King Midas, where he found the Gordian Knot,He Cuts the Gordi­an knot. which when he knew not how to undo, he cut it assunder with his Sword: For there was an old Prophesie which promised him that could unty it, the Lordship of all Asia: whereupon A­lexander, not respecting the manner so it were done, assu­med to himself the fulfilling of the Prophesie by hewing it in pieces.

Now before he left this part of Asia to go to the East, he took care to clear the Sea-coast on his back, and to thrust the Persians out of the Islands of Lesbos, He Con­quers the Islands. Chio, and Coos, the charge whereof he committed to two of his Captains, giving them such directions as he judged most meet for that service, and delivering to them fifty Ta­lents for defraying the charges thereof: and withall, out of the spoil gotten by his first victory, he sent sixty Talents more to Antipater, whom he had left for the Government of Macedonia and Greece. From Celenas he went to Ancira, standing on the same River of Sanguarius, which runs through Gordium: there he mustered his Army, and so entred into Paphlagonia, whose Inhabitants [Page 10] submitted themselves to him, and thereby obtained free­dom from Tribute. There he left Catus Governour, with one Regiment of Macedonians newly come to him.

Here he heard of the Death of Memnon, Memnon dies. Darius's Leiute­nant, which much encouraged him to pass on towards him: For of this one Commander he had more respect than of all the multitude assembled by Darius, and of all the Captains he had besides. Then did he travell hastily towards Cilicia, with a desire to recover the Streights thereof before Darius should arrive there. The Gover­nour of Cilicia hearing of Alexanders hasty march, left some Companies to keep the Streights, which were in­deed very defensible, and now (though too late) began to prize,Good Counsel neglected. and put in Execution the advise of Memnon, who in the beginning of the Wars, had counselled to wast all the provisions both for Man, and Horse that could not be conveyed into strong holds, and always to give ground to the Invader, till he found some such notable advantage as might secure to him the victory. For the fury of an invading army is best broken by delays, change of diet, and want, and other inconveniences bringing, and breed­ing many diseases upon all Nations out of their own Country. And had Darius kept the Macedonians but a while without meat, and sleep, refusing to give or take Battel, and had wearied them with his light Horsemen (as the Parthians afterwards did the Romans) in all probability he might have saved both his life, and Estate. For it was one of the greatest encouragements given by Alexander to his Macedonians before the third, and last fatall Bat­tel, that they were now to fight with all the strength of Persi [...] at once.

But where God hath a purpose to destroy, wise men are taken away, and the charge of things is committed unto such as either cannot see what is for their good, or that know not how to put in execution any sound advice; the course which Memnon had propounded, must in all liklyhood have brought the Macedonians into great straits, and stopt them at those nar­row [Page 11] passages of Cilicia. For had Cappadocia, and Paphle­gonia been wasted when Alexander was far off, and the Streights of Cilicia been defended by Arsenes with his best Souldiers, hunger would not have suffered the ene­my to stay the triall of all means for the forcing of that passage: Or if the place could not have been defended, yet might Cilieia at leasure have been throughly spoil­ed, that the heart of Alexanders Army should have been broken, whilst they sought out miseries by painfull travell.

But Arsenes leaving a small number to defend the Streights, took the best of his Army with him to wast and spoil the Country; or rather, as it seemed, to make himself some work, under which pretence he might with honesty run the further from Alexander; And in truth he so handled the matter, that he gave cause to the Cicilians to wish for Alexanders coming, and as great cause to the Keepers of the Passage not to hinder it. For cowards are wise in apprehending all forms of danger. These Guardians of the Streights, hearing that Arsenes hasted to joyn himself with Darius, burning down all as he went, as one despairing to defend it, began to think, that sure­ly their Generall (who gave for lost the Country be­hind their backs) had exposed themselves to certain ruine, as men that were fit only to dull the swords of the Macedonians; Wherefore, not being ambitious to die for their Prince and Country (which honour they saw that Arsenes himself could well forbear) they presently followed the footsteps of their General, gleaning what he had left. And thus Alexander without hazard, got, both the entrance into Cilicia, The Streights of Cilicia taken. abandoned by the cowardliness of his enemies, and also that whole Province whose minds were now alienated from the Persians through the impru­dent carriage of Arsenes.

When Alexander with great speed was come to Tarsus, taking pleasure in the River Cydnus, which ran through the City, all hot as he was, he threw off his Armour, and leaped into the cold water, whereupon he grew in­stantly [Page 12] so benumbd in all the Nerves of his Body, that he lost the use of his Tongue; and so far was he from hope of recovery, that nothing was expected but present Death: But one Philip a Physician, gave him a Potion, which he took, and it cured him out of hand, though Parmenio had forewarned him, that this Philip was set on work to poison him.

In the mean time Darius approached,Darius his Army. having gathered together an Army of two hundred and ninty thousand men out of divers Nations (saith Q. Curtius) or of three hundred thousand Foot, and one hundred thousand Horse, (as Justine numbers them) Or of six hundred thousand, as Plutarch relates.

The manner of his comming was rather like a Mas­ker,The man­ner of his march. than a man of War; and like one that took more care to shew his Glory and Riches, than to provide for his own safety. For before his Army there was carried the holy Fire, which the Persians worshipped for their God; attended by their Priests, and after them three hundred sixty and five young men, answering to the days of the year, clothed in Skarlet. Then the Chariot of Jupiter, drawn with white Horses, with their Riders clo­thed in white, and carrying Rods of Gold in their hands. Next after them came the Horse of the Sun, and after him ten sumptuous Chariots Inlay'd and garnished with God & Silver:His Pride and Folly. and then the Vaunt Guard of their Horse, compounded of twelve severall Nations, which, the better to avoid confusion, did hardly understand one anothers Language, and these, marshalled in the head of the rest, being beaten, might serve very fitly to disorder all that followed them. In the tail of these, marched the Regiment of foot stiled by the Persians, Immortall, because if any died, their place was presently supplied by others; and these were armed with chains of Gold, and their coats embroidered w^th the same, having their sleeves garnished with Pearl: Baits fit either to entice the poor Macedonians, or to perswade them that it were great in­civillity to cut or deface such goodly Garments.

[Page 13] Then marched after them fifteen thousand, more rich and glittering than the former, but apparelled like Wo­men, and these were honoured with the title of the Kings Kinsmen. Then came Darius himself with the Gentlemen of his Guard-robe, riding before his Chariot, which was supported by the Gods of his Nation, cast and cut in pure Gold: the head of this Chariot was set with precious Stones, with two Golden Idols, covered with an open winged Eagle of the same mettal. The hinder part being raised high, whereon Darius sat, had a covering of inestimable valew.

This Chariot of the Kings was followed with ten thou­sand Horsmen, having lances plated with Silver, and their heads guilt. He had for the proper Guard of his own Per­son, two hundred of the blood Royal: blood too Royal, and precious to be spilt in any Noble adventure, & these were backed with thirty thousand Footmen, after whom again were led four hundred spare Horses for the Kings own use. Then followed the Rereward, being led by Sisygambis, the Kings Mother, and by his Wife, drawn in glorious, and glittering Chariots, followed by a great train of Ladies on Horseback, with fifteen rich Wagons of the Kings children, and the Wives of the Nobility, waited upon by two hundred and fifty Concubines, and a World of Nurses, and Eunuches most sumptuously ap­parrelled: Between these, and a Company of slight Armed Slaves, was the Kings Treasure, loaden on six hun­dred Mules and three hundred Camels.

In this sort came this May-game King into the field, encombred with a most unnecessary train of Sumpters, attended with Troops of divers Nations, speaking divers Languages, impossible to be well Marshalled by reason of their numbers, and for the most part so effeminate, and so rich in Gold and costly Garments, as the same could not but have encouraged the Nakedst Nation a­gainst them.

When Alexander met with these effeminate Asiaticks, Alexander beats Darius. it may easily be guessed what a cheap Victory he had [Page 14] over them. Some say that he slew in this Battel sixty thousand Footmen, and ten thousand Horsmen. Q. Cur­tius saith, an hundred thousand Foot, with as many Horsemen, and took forty thousand Prisoners, whilest of Alexanders Army there miscarried but two hundred and eighty of all sorts, of which number some Historians cut off almost one half. He took Prisoners also Darius his Mother, Wife, Daughters, and other the Kings Chil­dren. Darius by this time found it true, that Charidemus, a banished Grecian of Athens, had told him when he made a view of his Army about Babylon, to wit, That the mul­titude which he had assembled of divers Nations, richly attired but poorly Armed, would be found more terrible to the Countries through which they should pass, than to the Macedonians whom they ment to assail, who being all old, and Well-disciplined Souldiers, imbattelled in gross Squadrons, which they called their Phalanx, well covered with Armour for defence, and furnished with advantagious Weapons for offence, would make so little account of his delicate Persians, ill Armed, and worse Disciplin'd, that except he would (having such abundance of Treasure) entertain a sufficient num­ber of the same Grecians, and so encounter the Ma­cedonians with men of equall courage, he would re­pent overlate, as taught by the miserable success like to follow.

But so unpleasing was this discourse to Darius, (who used to hear nothing but his own praises) that he caused this poor Grecian to be presently slain,Darius his cruelty, who whilst he was under the Tormentors hand, said, to the King, that Alexander, against whom he had given this good coun­sell, should certainly revenge his Death, and deser­vedly punish Darius for refusing this advise.and Folly. Da­rius likewise slighted the counsell given him by the Grecian Souldiers that served under him, who intreat­ed him not to fight in those streight places where Alexander could bring as many hands to fight as Darius could: and these old blades, when Darius was overthrown [Page 15] with all his cowardly, and confused Rabble, under their Captain Amyntas, held firm, and made a brave retreat in despite of the vanquishers.

These Grecians also after their retreat, advised Da­rius to draw back his Army into the plains of Mesopota­mia, where he might have environed the Macedonians on all sides with his multitudes; they counselled him also to divide his huge Army into parts, and not to cast his Empire upon one Battel, &c. But this advise was so con­trary to the cowardly spirits of the Persians, that they perswaded Darius to environ these Greeks with his Army, and to cut them in pieces as Traitors. But Darius was so infatuated that he would needs fight with Alexander in such a streight place, neer unto the City of Issus, where he could bring no more hands to fight than Alexander could (who by the advice of Parmeni [...] staid there as in a place of advantage) whereby he was utterly overthrown, his Treasure lost, his Wife, Mother, and Children (whom the Grecians had perswaded him to leave in Babylon) taken prisoners, and all their train of Ladies spoiled of their rich Garments, Jewels, and Honour. Indeed the Queen, with her Daughters, who had the good hap to be brought to Alexanders presence, were intertained with all respect due unto them, their Honours preserved, and their Jew­els, and rich Garments restored; and though the Queen was a most beautifull Lady; and her Daughters of ex­cellent features,Alexan­ders Cha­stity. yet Alexander mastered his affections towards them all: Only he embraced the Wife of the Valiant Memnon, who was lately dead, she being taken by Parmenio, as she fled from Damascus, at which time the Daughters of Ochus, who reigned before Darius, and the Wives and Children of almost all the Nobility of Persia, fell into Captivity, together with the Treasure of Darius (not taken at Issus) was seized upon, amounting to six thousand and two hundred Talents in ready Coin, and in Bullion, five hundred Talents, with a world of Riches besides.

Parmenio also in his Letter to Alexander sent him [Page 16] word, that amongst other things, he had taken at Da­mascus three hundred twenty nine of the Kings Wo­men, which were Skilfull in Musick; forty six Weavers, or Knitters of Crowns; Pastry Women two hundred seventy seven; Cook Maids twenty nine; White-meat-makers thirteen; Makers of drinking Cups seventeen; Wine-cellar men seventy; Apothecaries, and Confecti­oners forty. Thirty thousand Men, and seven thousand Camels.

Darius himself leaving his Brother dead (casting the Crown from his head) with divers others of his Chief Captains,Darius flies. hardly escaped by flight.

After this overthrow given to Darius, all Phoenicia (the City of Tyre excepted) yielded unto Alexander, who made Parmenio Governour of it. Also Aradus, Zidon, and Biblos, which were Maritine Cities of great importance, of which one Strato was King (but hated of his People) submitted unto Alexander: Alexan­ders great success. Yea, good success attended him every where. For Antigonus, who was his Lieute­nant in Asia the Less, overthrew the Cappadocians, Paphla­gonians, and others lately revolted. Aristodemus also, who was Darius his Admiral, had his Fleet partly ta­ken, and partly drowned by the Macedonians. Likewise the Lacedemonians, who rose up against Antipater, were beaten: and four thousand of those Greeks, that made so brave a retreat at the last Battel, being led by Amyntas in­to Egypt, intending to hold it for themselves, were there slain: for the time to divide Kingdoms was not yet come.

Alexander to honour his beloved Ephestion, gave him power to dispose of the Kingdom of Zidon, and Ephestion, to shew his gratitude, offered to bestow it upon his Host with whom he quartered;A notable Example. But the Man, not being of the Kingly Race, refused it, saying, It is not our Country-fashion, that any should be King, but such as are of the Kingly Line. And such an one (saith he) lives hard by, a good, and a wise man, but very poor, and one that lives by his hard labour. Then did Ephestion (taking Kingly ap­parrell [Page 17] along with him) go to this poor Man, and salu­ted him King, bidding him, wash off his dirt, and put off his rags, and put on that Royall Apparel; The poor Mans name was Abdolominus, who thought he had been in a dream, but being by the standers by, washed, and adorned, Ephestion led him into the Pallace, saying, When thou sittest on thy Throne, and hast power over the lives of all thy Subjects, forget not thy former condition. Alex­ander hearing of it, sent for him, and asked him, with what patience, he, being of so Noble an Extraction, could bear his former poverty? To whom Abdolominus answered; I pray God that I may bear the Kingdom with the same mind. For (said he) these hands have provided for my necessities, and as I had nothing, so I wanted no­thing.

While Alexander staid in those parts,Darius de­sires peace, which Alexander rejected. he received a Letter from Darius, wherein he desired to ransom his Wife, Mother, and Children, with some other conditions of peace, but such as rather became a Con­queror, than one who had been so shamefully beaten, not vouchsafeing in the Endorsment to give Alexander the title of King. Alexander disdained his offers, and sent him word, that he was not only a King, but the King of Darius himself.

When Alexander came neer the City of Tyre, he re­ceived from them the present of a Golden Crown, and great store of Victuals, with some other things, which he took very thankfully, sending them word, that he desired to offer a Sacrifice to Hercules, the Protector of their City, from whom he was descended. The Tyrians, not liking his presence within their walls, returned an­swer, that the Temple of Hercules, was seated where the old City stood;Tyre at­tempted, but Alexander was resolved to enter Tyre by force, though in most mens Judgements the City was impregnable; for the Island whereon it was built, was eight hundred furlongs from the land, yet with the labor of many hands, having great store of stone from old Tyre, and Timber sufficient from Libanus, he stopped up [Page 18] the passage between the Island and the Main, being more than once carried away by Storms, and sometimes fired by the Tyrians, yet with the help of his Navy, he over­came all difficulties,and taken. and prevailed, having spent seven moneths in that attempt. The Tyrians in the beginning of the Siege, hard barbarously drowned some messen­gers sent by Alexander to perswade them to yield, in respect whereof, and of his great loss of time and men, he put eight thousand to the sword, and caused two thousand of those that had escaped the first fury,Alexan­ders rigor. to be hanged on Crosses upon the Sea-shore, and reserved for slaves thirteen thousand, some say thirty thousand, and many more of them had died, if the Zidonians, that served Alexander, had not conveyed great numbers of them by shipping to their own City. Alexander gave the Government of this Territory to Philotas, the Son of Parmenio. Ephestion had the charge of the Fleet, and was commanded to meet Alexander at Gaza in the way to Egypt.

Whilst Alexander lay at the Siege of Tyrus, he sent to Jaddus, the High Priest at Jerusalem, demanding of him supplies, and provisions for his Army; and with­all, such Tribute as they formerly paid to Darius: But when Jaddus answered, that he was tyed by a former Oath of Allegiance to Darius, from which he could not be free so long as Darius lived: Alexander grow­ing wroth at this answer, swore, that as soon as he had taken Tyrus, he would march against Jerusa­lem.

At the same time also came Sanballat, the Cuthaean to Alexander; who, having forsaken Darius, brought with him eight thousand men: Him did Alexander receive very graciously; Whereupon he asked leave of him to build a Temple upon his own Land, and to make High Priest thereof, his Son in Law, Ma­nasses, who was Brother to Jaddus, the High Priest at Jerusalem; and having obtained leave, because he now grew old, he fell presently to work, and built a [Page 19] Temple, and made Manasses High Priest of it, think­ing hereby to leave a great Honour to the Posterity of his Daughter.

In the mean while Darius sends again to Alexan­der, Darius his second message. setting before him all difficulties he should meet with in his passing on to the East, laying the loss of the late Battel to the streightness of the place: He bids him to consider how impossible it was for him to pass the Rivers of Euphrates, Tygris, Araxes, &c. with all such other dreadfull things as he thought might discourage him. Moreover he profered to him all the Kingdoms which lay between the River Halis, and the Hellespont, as a Dower with his beloved Daughter:Rejected by Alex­ander. But Alexander rejected all, saying, That he proferred him nothing but what already was his own, and what Victory, and his Virtue had possessed him of. That he was in a capacity to give conditions, and not to receive any: and that having passed the Sea it self, he disdained to think of resistance in transporting his Army over Rivers. Indeed Parmenio, who was now old, and full of Honour and Riches, told the King, that if he were Alexander he would embrace the offers of Da­rius; to which Alexander answered, that so would he if he were Parmenio.

Then did Alexander march on towards Egypt, and when he came to Gaza, Gaza be­sieged, Getes the Governour, a faith­full servant to Darius, shut the Gates against him, and defended the Town with a Noble Resolution, at the siege whereof Alexander received a wound in the shoulder which was dangerous, and a blow on his leg with a stone. He found better men in this place than he had done in the former Battels: For he left so many of his Macedonians buried in the sands of Gaza, that he was fain to send for a new supply into Greece. Here it was that Alexander began to shew his cruelty: For after he had taken Gaza by assault,and taken. Alexan­ders cru­elty. and Getis the Governour, who was weakened with divers wounds, and who never gave ground to the Assailants, Alexander caused holes [Page 20] to be bored through his feet, and himself to be drag­ged about the streets whilst he was yet alive, who being as valiant a man as himself, scorned to ask him either for life, or the mitigation of his Tor­ments.

From Gaza Alexander led his Army towards Jeru­salem, He goes to Jeru­salem, a City for the Antiquity, and great fame there­of, well known unto him; while he lay before Tyre, he had sent for some supplies thither, which Jaddus the High Priest, being Subject, and Sworn to Darius, had refused him. The Jews therefore fearing revenge, and unable to resist, committed the care of their Lives and Estates to Jaddus, who had recourse to God by supplications and Sacrifices for the Common safe­ty; and was by him warned in a Dream that he should make Holy-day in the City, and set the Gates wide open, and that he and the rest of the Priests, every one in his Priestly Raiment, and the People all clothed in white, should go forth and meet Alex­ander; and accordingly, he Issued out of the City, array­ed in his Pontificall Robes, to wit, an upper garment of Purple, Embroidered with Gold, with his Mitre, and the Plate of Gold, wherein was engraved the Name of God, the Priests and Levites also in their rich Ornaments, and the People in White Garments, in a manner so unusuall, stately, and grave, as Alexan­der greatly admired it; and when he came neer to the High Priest,and wor­ships the High Priest. he fell to the ground before him, as re­verencing the Name of God, and when Parmenio repro­ved him for it, Alexander told him, that in Dios, a City of Macedonia, his mind being busied about the Con­quest of Asia, His vision. he saw in his sleep such a person as Jaddus, and so apparelled, by whom he was encouraged to pursue his purpose, with assurance of Victory; and now beholding with his bodily eyes him who before was onely represented to his fancy, he was so exceed­ingly pleased, and encouraged, as (contrary to the expectation of the Phaenicians, who hoped to have sackt, [Page 21] and destroyed Jerusalem) he gave the Jews all,His favor to the Jews. and more than all that they desired; During his abode there, Jaddus shewed him the Prophesie of Daniel, wherein he saw himself; and his Conquest of Persia so directly point­ed at, as that nothing from thenceforth could either af­fright, or discourage him therein.

The next day Alexander assembled the People, and bad them ask what they would of him: But they asked nothing but that they might live according to the Laws of their own Country, and that every seventh year (wherein they were to have no harvest) they might be exempted from paying any Tribute, all which he granted. And when they asked further, that he would suffer the Jews, which dwelt in the Countries of Babylon, and Media, to live according to their own Rites and Laws, he answered, that he would satisfie their desires in that point also, so soon as he should get those Countries into his power. And when he told them, that if any of them would follow him in his Wars, they should use their own Rites wheresoever they came, many listed themselves to serve him.

From Jerusalem Alexander turned again towards E­gypt, Egypt de­livered to him. and entring into it, Astaces, who was Darius's Lieutenant, received him, and delivered into his hands, Memphis, with eight hundred Talents of Trea­sure, & all other the Kings Riches; and when Alexander had set things in order in Egypt, he began to affect a Deity,His jour­ney to Jupiter Hammon. at the Temple of Jupiter Hammon, so foolish had prosperity made him. He was to pass over dan­gerous and dry Sands, where, when the water which he brought on his Cammels backs was spent, he must need have perished, had not an extraordinary showre of Rain fallen, just when his Army was in extream despair.Zach. 14. 18. Indeed it never Rains in Egypt; but the purposes of Almighty God are secret, and he bring­eth to pass whatsoever pleaseth him. Its said also that when he had lost his way in those vast Desarts, a [Page 22] flight of Crows flew before his Army, making some­times more, sometimes less hast, till they had guided him over those pathless sands to Jupiters Temple.

When Alexander came neer the place,His Pride. he sent some of his Parasites to corrupt the Priests attending the O­racle, that their answer might be given in all things according to his mad ambition, who affected to be accounted the Son of Jupiter: and accordingly, he was saluted Jupiters Son, by the Devils Prophet, for which he was richly rewarded, and presently a rumour was spread abroad, that Jupiter had owned him for his Childe: and the better to confirm his followers in the belief of his Deity, he suborned the Priests to give answer to such as consulted with the Oracle, that it would be very pleasing to Jupiter to Honour A­lexander as his Son. But this is certain, and very observable,The pow­er of the Gospel. that at Christs coming, and the first preach­ing of the Gospel, the Devil in this, and in all other his Oracles, became speechless.

From the Temple of Hammon, Alexander returned to Memphis, where, among many other learned men, he heard the Philosopher Psammones, who understanding that he affected the title of Jupiters Son, told him, that God was the Father King of all men: and, refining the pride of this haughty King, he brought him to acknowledge, that God was the Father of all mortall men, but that he acknowledgeth none for his children, save good men.

The charge of the severall Provinces of Egypt, A­lexander gave to severall Governours, following there­ing therein the Rules of his Master Aristotle, that a great Dominion should not be continued in the hands of any one man; Alaxan­dria built. Then gave he order for the building of Alexandria upon the most Westernly branch of Ni­lus; and thus having setled (as he could) the State of Egypt, with the Kingdoms of the Lesser Asia, Phoenicia, and Syria, he Conducted his Army to­wards [Page 23] Euphrates, He pas­seth Eu­phrates. which passage (though the same was committed to Mazeus to be defended by him) yet did he abandon it, and Alexander without resistance, pas­sed it. From thence he marched towards Tygris, a Ri­ver, for the swiftness thereof, called by the Persians, The Arrow: Here might Darius easily have repelled him; for the violent course of the stream was such, as it drave before it many weighty stones, and those that moved not, but lay in the bottom, were so round, and smooth by continuall rolling, that no man was able to fight upon so slippery a standing: Nor were the Macedonian Footmen able to wade through the River, otherwise than by joyning their hands, and interlacing their Arms each in others, making there­by one entire, and weighty Body to resist the impe­tuousness of the stream: and besides this, the Chan­nell was so deep towards the Eastern shore,And Ty­gris. where Darius should have opposed him, that the Footmen were enforced to lift their Bows, Arrows, and Darts over their Heads to keep them from being made unservicable by the water. Indeed it cannot be deni­ed, that as all Estates of the World, by the surfeit of misgovernment, have been subject to many grievous, and sometimes, mortall diseases: So had the Empire of Persia at this time brought it self into a burning Fea­vour, and thereby became frantick, and without un­derstanding, foreshewing manifestly the death, and disso­lution thereof.

But Alexander had now recovered the Eastern shore of Tygris without any opposition but what the Na­ture of the River made, were Mazeus, who had the charge to defend the banks, both of Euphrates, and it, presented himself to the Macedonians, being at­tended with certain Troops of Horsemen, as if with uneven forces, he durst have charged them upon even ground, when as, with a multitude far exceeding them, he forsook those advantages which no va­lour of the enemy could easily have overcome. But its [Page 24] commonly seen that timerous and cowardly persons do ever follow those ways, Base cow­ardize. and counsels, whereof the opportunity is already lost.

Its true, that he set all provisions on fire wherewith the Macedonians might be assisted in their passage over Tygris, thinking thereby greatly to have distrested them: but the execution of good counsel is fruitless, when un­seasonable. For now was Alexander so well furnished with carriages, that no conveniences were wanting to the Army which he conducted. Those things also which Mazeus now sought to destroy, Alexander being in sight,Darius his new Ar­my. by his Horsmen, saved and recovered them. This Mazeus might have done some dayes before at good leasure; yea, at this time he might have done it with so great a strength of Horsmen, as the Mecedonians might not have dared to pursue, leaving the Body of their Foot out of sight, and so far behind.

Darius, upon Alexanders first return out of Egypt, had assembled all those Forces which the Countries next to him could afford; and now also were the Arians, Scy­thians, Indians, and other Nations come to him. Na­tions (saith Curtius) that rather served to make up a number, than to make resistance. Some reckon them to amount to the number of ten hundred thousand Foot, and four hundred thousand Horse, besides armed Cha­riots, and some few Elephants. Crutius numbers them but two hundred thousand Foot, and about fifty thou­sand Horse, which is more probable: And yet seeing Darius had more confidence in the number, then in the Valour of his Souldiers, probably he had brought together some three or four hundred thousand of all sorts, with which, he hoped in those fair plains of Assyria, to have overborn the small number of the invading Army. But its most true, That in every Battel skill and practice do more to wards attaining the victory, than multitudes, and rude audacity.

Whilest Alexander rested,An Eclipse frightens the Mace­donians. and refreshed his Army after their heard passage over Tygris, there happened an Eclipse of the Moon, at which the Macedonians (being ignorant of the cause, and reason of it) were much troubled; [Page 25] taking it as a certain presage of their ruine and destructi­on, insomuch as they began not only to murmur, but to speak boldly, that to satisfie the ambition of one man, and of such an one as disdained Philip for his Fa­ther, and would needs be called the Son of Jupiter, they should all perish: For he enforced them, not onely to War against a world of enemies, but a­gainst Rivers, Mountains, and the Heavens them­selves.

Hereupon Alaxander, who was now ready to advance, made an halt, and to quiet the minds of the multitude, he called before him the Aegyptian Astrologers, that by them the Souldiers might be assured that this Eclipse of the Moon, was a sure persage of his good suc­cesse. But they never informed them that it came to pass by naturall causes, but reserved that as a secret fit to be kept amongst themselves. These Astrologers gave no other reason for it than this, That the Grecians were under the Aspect of the Sun, and the Persians un­der that of the Moon, and therefore the Moon losing her light, did foreshew that the state of Persia was now in danger of falling, and their Glory of being obscured. This being noised through all the Army, every man was satisfied, and quieted, and their courage re­doubled.

As Alexander drew neer the Persian Army, certain Letters were intercepted, written by Darius to the Grecians, proffering and promising them a great summe of money, if they would either kill, or betray Alexan­der. But these, by the advice of Parmonio, were sup­pressed.

About this time also Darius his beautifull Wife,Darius his Wife died. being oppressed with sorrow, and wearied with travel, died: which accident Alexander seemed to bewaile no lesse than Darius. who, upon the first report of it, suspected, that some dishonourable violence had been offered to her; but being satisfied by an Eunuch of his own that attended her, of Alexanders kind, and Kingly respect towards [Page 26] her from the very time of her being taken, he prayed the immortall Gods, that if they had decreed to set a new Master over the Persian Empire, that then it would please them to confer it on so just and chast an ene­my as was Alexander, to whom, once more before the last triall by Battel, he offered these conditions of peace.

That if he would marry his Daughter,Proposals to Alex­ander. he would de­liver, and resigne up to him all Asia the lesse, with Egypt, and all those Kingdoms between the Phaenician Sea and the River Euphrates. That he would pay him for the Ransom of his Mother, and other Daughters, thirty thousand Talents, and that for performance there­of he would leave his Son Ochus in Hostage; and they sought by sundry Arguments to perswade Alexander to accept hereof. Alexander causing the Ambassadors to withdraw, advised with his Councel, yet heard no man speak but Parmenio, who was the very right hand of his good Fortune, and he perswaded him to accept of such fair conditions: He told him, that the Empire be­tween Euphrates and the Hellespont, was a large addition to Macedonia: That the retaining of those Persian priso­ners was a great cumber to him; and that the Treasure offered for them was of far better use than their persons, with divers other Arguments, yet Alexander, rejected all; though it was very probable, that if he had followed his advice, and set bounds to his ambition within those limits, he might have been as famous for his virtue, as he was for his great successes, and might have left a successor of fit age to have enjoyed his estate, which afterwards, indeed he much enlarged, rather to the greatning of o­thers than himself, who to assure themselves of what they had Usurped, left not one of his issue alive within a few years after. Besides, Alexander by going so far into the East, left behind him the reputation which he brought with him out of Macedonia, of a just and pru­dent Prince: A Prince temperate, advised, and grate­full; and learned by aboundance of prosperity, to be [Page 27] a lover of wine, of Flatterers, and of extream cruel­ty.

But the Persian Ambassadors waited for their answer,Alexan­ders an­swer. which was to this effect: that what curtesies soever he had bestowed upon the Wife, and Children of Darius, proceded from his own naturall clemency, and magna­nimity, without all respect to their Master, but thanks to an enemy was improper: That he made no Wars against adversity, but against those that resisted him: Not against Women, and Children, but against armed enemies: And also that by the reiterated practices of Darius, to corrupt his Souldiers, and by great summes of money, to debauch his Friends to attempt some­thing against his Person, he had reason to doubt whe­ther the peace offered were really intended, yet could he not (were it true and faithfull) resolve in hast to ac­cept of it, seeing Darius had Warred against him, not as a King, with Royal and overt forces, but as a Traitor, by secret, and base practices. Besides, the Territories which he offered him were already his own; and if Darius, could beat him back again over Euphrates, he would then believe that he offered him somthing that was in his power to give: Otherwise he propounded to himself, as a reward of his enterprizes, all those King­doms which Darius as yet had in his possession; where­in, whether he was abused by his own hopes or no, the Battell which he meant to fight the day following, should determine. And in conclusion, he told them, that he came into Asia, to give Kingdoms, and not to re­r [...]ive them: That the Heavens could not hold two Suns, and therefore if Darius could be content to ac­knowledge Alexander his Superiour,His ambi­tion. he might perchance be perswaded to give him condition fit for a second per­son, and an Inferiour.

The Ambassadors being returned with this answer, Darius prepares to fight, and sent Mazeus to defend a Pass, which yet he never dared so much as to hazzard. Alexander consulting with his Captains, Parmeni [...], [Page 28] perswaded him to force the Camp of Darius by night, that the multitudes of his enemies might not affright his Macedonians, being comparitivly but a few. But Alex­ander replied, that he s [...]orned to steal a victory, and resolved to bring with him Daylight to witnesse his Valour. His Va­lour. Indeed the successe commended Alexanders resolution, though the Counsel given by Parmenio was more sound. Yet when he came to view the multitude of his enemies, he began to stagger, and entrenched himself upon a Ground of advantage, which foolishly the Persians had aban­doned. And when as Darius, for fear of a Camizado, had stood with his men in A [...]mour all the day, and forborne all sleep in the night; Alexander on the contrary, gave his men rest, and store of food, knowing, that Souldiers do better stand to it in fight, if they have their bellies full of meat and drink: for hunger within, fights more eagerly than steel without.

The numbers which Alexander had,They pre­pare to fight. were about fourty thousand Foot, and seven thousand Horse, which were of the Europaean Army: And besides these, he had E­ [...]yptians, Syrians, Judaeans, and Arabi [...]ns which followed him out of those Countries. He used but a short speech to his Soldiers to encourage them, neither need he; For one victory begets another, and puts courage into the Conquerours, and taketh away spirits from those that have been beaten.

Some make large descriptions of this Battel,A Battel. fought at Gaugamela, but in conclusion they tell us but of three hundred of Alexanders men that were slain, and some say lesse; but of the Persians there fell fourty thousand: But what can we judg of this great encounter, other than (as in the two forme Battels at Granick, and in Cilicia) that the Persians, upon the first charge, ran a­way, and that the Macedonians pursued them. For if that every man whom Darius brought into the field, had but cast a Dart, or a stone, the Macedonians could not have bought the Empire of the East at so eas [...]y a rate, as six or seven hundred in three such notorious Battels. [Page 29] Certainly if Darius had fought with Alexander upon the banks of Euphrates, and had Armed but fifty or sixty thousand of this great multitude, onely with Spades (for most of his men were fit for no other weapon) it had been impossible for Alexander to have passed that River so easily, much less the River of Tygris. But as a man,Darius beaten, whose Empire God was putting a Period to, he abandoned all places of advantage, and suffered Alexander to enter so far into the bowels of his King­dom, as all hope and possibility of escaping by re­treat being taken from the Macedonians, they were put to the choice, either to die or Conquer, to which Election Darius could no way constrain his men, seeing they had many large Regions to run into from their invaders.

Darius, and flyes. after the rout of his Army, fled to Ar­bela that night, better attended in his flight than in the fight, and to them that fled with him, he pro­pounded his purpose of retreating into Media, perswad­ing them that the Ma [...]edonians, who were greedy of spoil and riches, would rather attempt Babylon, Susa, and other Cities filled with Treasure, than to pursue the vanquished. This miserable resolution his Nobility rather obeyed, than approved.

Soon after the departure of Darius, Arbela ta­ken and much Treasure. came Alexander to Arbela, which, with a great mass of Treasure, and many Princely Ornaments, was surrendred to him. For the fear which accompanied Darius, took no­thing with it but shame, and dishonour. He that had been twice beaten before, should have sent his Treasure into Media rather than to have brought it to Arbela, so neer the place where he intended to wait the coming of his enemy. If he had been victorious, he might have brought it back at leasure: But be­ing overcome, he knew it impossible to drive Mules and Camels loaden with Gold, from the pursuing Enemy, seeing himself, at the overthrow which he had in Cilicia, cast the Crown from his head, to run [Page 30] away the lighter: But its easier to reprehend, than to amend what is past.

From Arbela, Babylon taken. Alexander marched towards Babylon, where Maz [...]u [...], in whom Darius had most confidence, rendred to him, himself, his Children, and the City. Also the Captain of the Castle where the Treasure was kept; strewed the streets with Flowers, burnt Frank­incense upon the Silver Altars, as Alexander passed by, and delivered to him whatsoever was committed to his trust. The Magi also, who were the Chaldean Astrolo­gers, followed this Captain to entertain their new King: After these, came the Babylonian Horsemen, in­finitly▪ rich in attire, but exceeding poor in Warlike furniture. Between these and himself, Alexander caused his Macedonian footmen to march. When he entred the Castle he admired the Glory thereof, and the abund­ance of Treasure which he found therein, amounting to fifty thousand Talents of Silver uncoined. In this City, rich in all things, but most of all in voluptu­ous pleasures, the King rested himself and his whole Army thirty four days, spending that time in Ban­quetting, and in all sorts of effeminate exercises, which so much softned the minds of the Macedonians, not acquainted till now with such delicacies, as the severe Discipline of War, which taught them to en­dure hunger and thirst, painfull travell, and hard lodging, began rather to be forgotten than neglected. Alexander, as he was rowed upon a Lake neer Baby­lon in his Gally, a sudden tempest arising blew off his Hat, and Crown fastened upon it, into the Lake, whereupon one of the Marriners, leaping into the water, swam, and fetched it to him, and to keep it the drier, he put it upon his own head. Alexander rewarded him with a Talent for saving his Crown; but withall, caused his Head to be cut off,Base cru­elty. for presuming to put his Crown upon it.

During his abode here, Alexander instituted those Regiments consisting of a thousand Souldiers, ap­pointing [Page 31] Collonels over them, who thereupon were called Chiliarks. This new order Alexander brought in, was to honour those Captains, which were found by certain select Judges, to have deserved best in the late War.

While Alexander was yet at Babylon, there came to him a great supply out of Europe. For Antipater sent him six thousand Foot, and five hundred Horse out of Mace­donia; and of the Thracians three thousand Foot, and as many Horse, and out of Greece four thousand, and four hundred Horse, by which his Army was great­ly strengthened. For those that were infected with the pleasures of Babylon, could hardly be brought a­gain to change their soft beds for hard boards, and the cold ground.

Alexander left the City and Castle of Babylon, with the Territories adjoyning, in charge with three of his own Captains, Aga [...]hon, Minetus, and Appolidorus, leaving a thousand Talents to supply their wants: But to grace Maz [...]us, who delivered up the City to him, he gave him the title of his Lieutenant Generall, and took along with him Bagistines, who surrended the Castle to him; and having distributed to every Soul­dier a part of the Treasure, he left Babylon and en­tred into the Province of Satrapene, marching from thence towards Susa in Persia, situated on the River Euleus, which City was sometime Governed by the Prophet Diniel. Susa taken Here Abulites, the Governour of this famous City, gave it up to the Conquerour, with fifty thousand Talents of Silver in Bullion, and twelve Elephants for the War, with all other the Treasure of Darius there; such as the Persian Kings had for a long time, heaped up together, leaving it from Father to Son; all which in one hour came into his hands who had never cared for it. In this sort did those Vassals of Fortune; those lovers of the Kings prosperity, not of his Person, purchase their own peace, and safety with their Ma­sters Treasure; and herein was Alexander well advised, [Page 32] that whatsoever titles he gave to the Persians, yet he left all places of importance in trust with his own Cap­tains, as Babylon, Susa, Persepolis, with other Ci­ties, and Provinces that were Conquered by him: for had Darius but beaten the Macedonians in one Battel, all the Persian Nobility would have turned again to their na­turall Lord.

Whilest Alexander was ransacking Arbela, Gross folly. Mazeus might have furnished Darius from Babylon; and whilest he stayed those thirty four dayes at Babylon, Abulites might have holpen him from Susa: and whilest he was Feasting, and Frolicking there; Teridates from Persepolis might fully have supplied him: for the chiefest bulk of his Treasure was laid up in that City: But benefits bind not the ambitious but the honest; for those that are selfish, do in all changes, consult only the conservation of their own greatness.

The Government of Susa, with the Castle and treasure, Alexander committed to his own Macedonians, making Abulites, who rendred it to him, his Lieutenant, as he had done Mazeus before, giving them Honourable Titles, but neither trust nor power. For he left three thousand old Souldiers to Garrison that City, and with them, the Mother, and Children of Darius to repose themselves there.

From Susa Alexander marched with his Army to­wards Persepolis; Alexandor beaten. but when he sought to pass those Mountains that [...]under Susiana and Persia, he was soundly beaten by Ariobarzanes, who defended those Streights▪ against him, called Pylae Persidis, and after the loss of many of his Macedonians, he was forced to save him­self by retreat, causing his Foot to march close toge­ther, and to cover themselves with their Targets from the Stones that were tumbled upon them from the Moun­tain-tops. Yet in the end, he found out another passage, which was discovered to him by a Lycian that lived in that Country, and thereby, coming suddenly upon Ario­barzanes, who now was enforced to fight [...]pon even [Page 33] ground, he overthrew him, who from thence fled to Persepolis: But the Citizens refusing to admit him, he returned and gave a second charge upon the Macedo­donians, in which he was slain.

Many Greeks (for Authors agree not upon their number) having been taken Prisoners by the Persians, Barbarous cruelty. presented themselves here to Alexander. These had the Barbarians so maimed, by cuting off their Hands, Eares, Noses, and other Members, as that they could not have been known to their own Country men, but by there Language. To each of these Alexander gave three hundred Crowns, with new Garments, and such Lands as they liked to live upon.

Tiridates, one of Darius his falshearted Grandees, hearing of Alexanders approach to Persepolis, made him know that Persepolis was ready to receive him, and in­treated him to double his pace, because there was a de­termination amongst the People to Plunder the Kings Treasury. This City was forsaken by many of her In­habitants upon Alexanders arrivall,Persepolis taken. and they that staid, followed the worst Counsel. For the City was given up to the Liberty of the Souldiers t2o spoil, and kill at their pleasure. There was no place in the world at that time, which, if it had been lain in the Ballance with Persepolis, would have weighed it down, Indeed, Babylon, and Susa were very rich; but in Persepolis lay the bulk, and greatest store of the riches of Persia. For after the spoil that had been made, of money, curious Plate, Bullion, Images of Gold, and Silver, and o­ther jewels, there remained to Alexander himself one hundred and twenty thousand Talents, and as much other Treasure as twenty thousand Mules, and ten thousand Camels could carry away, much whereof had been reserved there from the dayes of Cyrus. Here it was that Alexander, setting himself down upon Darius his Throne, it was so high that his feet could not reach the ground, whereupon one of his attendants brought him a little Table, and set it under his feet. One of [Page 34] Darius's Eunuchs standing by, sighed, and wept grie­vously, which Alexander taking notice of, asked him the reason of it? the Eunuch answered, I weep to see a Table that was so highly prized by my Master Darius, now to be made thy footstool. Here he left the same number of three thousand Macedonians, in Persepolis, as he had done in Susa, and gave the same formall honour to the Traitor Tiridates, as he had done to Abulites; but he com­mitted the charge of the place to Nicarides, a Creature of his own.

The Body of his Army he left here for thirty dayes, un­der the care of Parmenio, and Craterus, and with a thou­sand Horse,A foolish enterprise. and certain chosen Bands of Foot, he would needs view in the winter time, those parts of Persia which now were covered with Snow: A fruitless and foolish enterprise. Some speak it in his praise, that when his Souldiers cried out against him, because of the extream Frost and Snow, through which they could not make way but with great difficulty, that Alex­ander forsook his Horse, and marched on foot before them: But what can be more ridiculous than for a man to bring other men into extremity, thereby to shew how well him self can endure it; Being his walking on foot did no o­therwise take off their wearinesse that followed him, than his sometime forbearing to drink, did quench their thirst that could lesse endure it.

Alexander being returned to Persopolis, Alexander turns Drun­kard. those Histori­ans that were most enamored of his virtues, complain, that the opinion of his Valour, of his Liberality, of his Clemency towards the vanquished, and all other his Noble conditions, were drowned in Drink. That he smothered in his carousing cups all the reputation of his former actions, and that by descending as it were, from the awfull Throne of the greatest King, into the compa­ny, and familiarity of the bastest Harlots, he began to be despised both of his own, and of all other Nations. For when he was enflamed with Wine, and being per­swaded by the infamous Strumpet Thais, he caused the [Page 35] most sumtuous,Persopolis burnt. and goodly Castle and City of Perse­polis to be consumed with fire, notwithstanding all the Arguments that Parmenio could use to the contrary, who told him, that it was a dishonour to destroy those things by the perswasion of others, which by his proper virtue, and force, he obtained: and that it would be a certain evidence to the Asiaticks, to think hardly of him, and thereby alienate their hearts from him. For they might well believe, that he which demolished the goodliest Ornaments they had, meant nothing lesse, than after such vastations, to hold the possession of them.

About this time Alexander received another supply of Souldiers out of Cilica, Darius his last Army. and advanced to find out Darius in Media. Darius had there formed his fourth, and last Army, which he meant to have encreased in Bactria, had he not heard of Alexanders comming on, with whom (trusting to his present numbers, which yet were but thirty or fourty thousand) he intended once again to try what he might doe against him. He therefore called together his Captains, and Com­manders, and propounded his resolution to them, who desparing of good successe, stood for a while silent: But at last Artabazus one of his eldest men of War, who had sometime lived with King Philip the Father of Alexander, brake the silence, protesting that he could never be beaten by any adversity of the Kings, from the faith that he had ever ought him, with firm confidence that all the rest were of the same mind, whereof they likewise assured Darius, by the like pro­testation, and so they approved of the Kings resolu­tion. Two onely, and they the greatest, to wit, Naburzanes, The Treason of Bessus. and Bessus, who was Governor of Bactria, had conspired against their Master, and therefore advised the King to lay a new foundation for the War, and to pursue it for the present by some such person a­gainst whom neither the Gods, nor Fortune had in all things declared themselves to be an enemy.

[Page 36] This preamble Naburzanes used, and in conclusion advised the Election of his fellow Traitor Bessus, with promise that when the War should be ended, the Em­pire should be again restored to Darius. The King, swolne with disdain, pressed towards Naburzanes to have slain him; but Bessus, and the Bactrians, whom he commanded, being more in number than the rest, with held him. Hereupon Nahurzanes withdrew himself and Bessus followed him, making their Quar­ters apart from the rest of the Army. Artabazus, the the Kings faithfull servant, perswaded him to be advised, and to comply for the time, the rather because Alex­ander was at hand, and that he would at lest make shew of forgeting the offence: which the King (being of a gentle disposition) easily yeilded to. Then came Bessus to the King and made his submission: But Patron, who commanded a Brigade of four thousand Greeks, The fide­lity of the Greeks. which had in all the former Battels served Darius faithfully, and had alwayes made their retreat in despit of the Macedonians, offered himself to Darius to guard his Person, protesting against the Treason of Bessus. (But God had otherwise determined of the Empire, and therefore so far was the King infatuated, that he ever rejected their Counsel from the begining of the War, who were most faith­full to him.) And now hearkened to Bessus, who told him, that the Greeks, with Patron their Captain, were corrupted by Alexander and practiced the division of his faithfull servants: Yet, even this while, Bessus had corrupted, and drawn to himself thirty thousand of the Army, promising them all those things by which, the lovers of the world and themselves, are wont to be al­lured, to wit, Riches, honour, and Safety.

Now the day following Darius plainly discovered the purposes of Bessus, Dariu [...] discharges his Atten­dants. and being overcome with pas­sion, as judging himself unable to make head against these ungratefull and unnatural Traitors, he prayed Artabazus, his faithfull servant, to depart from him, and to provide for his own safty. In like mannor he dis­charged [Page 37] the rest of his attendants, all save a few of his Eunuchs. For his Gaurds had voluntarily abandoned him. His Persians, being most base cowards, durst not undertake his defence against the Bactrians, though they had four thousand Greeks to assist them, who of themselves were able to beat both the Parties. But its most true, That him that forsakes himself, will no man follow. It had been far more manlike, and King­like to have died in the head of those four thousand Greeks, who offered him the disposall of their lives, (to which Artabazus also perswaded him) than to have lain upon the ground bewailing himself, and suffering himself to be bound like a slave, by those ambitious Monsters that laid violent hands on him;Darius made a Prisoner and abu­sed. whom neither the consideration of his former great estate, nor the Ho­nour he had conferred upon them, nor the trust he had reposed in them, nor the world of benefits he had be­stowed on them, could move to pitty: No, nor his present adversity, which above all things should have prevailed with them, could pierce their viperous, and ingratefull hearts.

Darius, thus forsaken, was bound by them, and laid in a Cart covered with Hides of Beasts, that he might not be discovered; and to adde despite, and derision to his adversity, they bound him with Chaines of Gold, and so drew him amongst their ordinary Carriages. For Bessus, and Naburzanes perswaded themselves that they might redeem their lives, and be setled in their Provin­ces that they held, either by delivering him a Pri­soner to Alexander, or if that hope failed, to make themselves Kings by his murther, and then to de­fend themselves by force of Armes. But their ex­pectations were frustrate in both.Gods Justice. For it was against the Nature of God, who is most just, to suffer such villany to go unpunished, yea, though against an Hea­then King, and an Idolator.

Alexander hearing that Darius was retreated towards Bactria, Alexander pursues him. not daring to abide his coming, hastned after him by a violent march, and because he would not [Page 38] force his Footmen beyond their strength, he mounted on Horseback certain select Companies of them, and those which were best Armed, and with six thousand o­ther Horse, he rather ran than marched after Darius. Now such as hated the Treason of Bessus, secretly forsook him, and gave intelligence to Alexander of all that had happened, informing him of the way that Bes­sus took, and how neer he was unto him. Hereup­on Alaxander again doubled his pace, and his Vant­guard being come within sight of Bessus his Reare, Bes­sus brought a Horse to the Cart where Darius lay bound, perswading him to mount thereon, and to save himself by flight. But the unfortunate King refusing to follow those that had betraied him, they cast Darts at him,Darius is wounded. and gave him some mortall wounds: they woun­ded also the Beasts that drew him, and slew two poor servants that attended his Person. This done, they all fled that could, and left the rest to the mercy of the Ma­cedonians.

Polystratus, a Macedonian, in his pursuit after Bessus, being extream thirsty, as he was refreshing himself, with some water that he had found out, espied a Cart drawn by wounded Beasts, that were now scarce able to go, whereupon he searched it, and there found Darius bathed in his own blood: and by a Persian Captain that Polystratus had, he understood that it was Darius, and was informed of that Barbarous Tragedy. Darius also seemed greatly comforted (if dying men, ignorant of the living God can be comforted) that he vented not his last sorrowes unheard, but that by this Macedonian, Alexander might be informed of the truth, and take vengeance on those Traitors, who had dealt no lesse unworthily; than cruelly with him, re­commending the revenge thereof to Alexander by this messenger,His last words. beseeching him to pursue the Trai­tors, not for Darius, his sake, but for his own Honour, and for the safety of all that did, or should hereafter weare Crowns. He also having nothing else to present [Page 39] to Alexander, rendred him thanks for his Kingly Grace, and favour used to his Wife Mother and Children, desiring the immortall Gods to subject to him the Kingdom of the whole World. As he was thus speaking, importu­nate Death pressing out his few remaining spirits, he desired a little water, which Polystratus presented un­to him, after which he lived but to tell him, that of all the good things which of late he was Ma­ster of, he had nothing remaining but his last breath, wherewith to desire the Gods to reward his compas­sion.

The Macedonians began now to hope that their tra­vels were neer an end: and therefore every man was preparing for his return, whereof when Alexander was informed, he was much troubled at it. For the boun­ded Earth suffized not for his boundlesse ambition.Alexan­ders Am­bition. Ma­ny Arguments he therefore used to draw on his Army farther into the East: But that which prevailed most was, that Bessus, a base Traitor to his Master Darius, having at his devotion the Hyrcanians, and Bactrians, would in a short time, if the Macedonians should now returne, make himself Lord of the Persian Empire, and reap the fruit of all their former travels. In conclusion, Alexander wan their consents to go on: Which done, leaving Craterus with certain Regiments of Foot, and Amyntas with six thousand Horse,He goes into Hyr­cania. in Parthia, he entred (not without some opposition) into Hyrcania. For the Mardons, and other Barbarous Nations, defended cer­tain passages for a while. But at last prevailing, he passed the River of Zioberis, which, taking its rise in Par­thia, empties it self into the Caspian Sea. It runneth under the ledg of Mountains which bound Parthia, and Hyrcania, where, hiding it self under ground for three hundred furlongs, it then riseth again, and follows its former course as is said before. In Zadracarta the Metropolis of Hyrcania, Alexander rested fifteen dayes, Banquetting, and Feasting therein.

About this time Phataphernes, one of Darius his great­est [Page 40] Commanders,Diverse submit to him. with some others of his followers submitted themselves to Alexander, and were restored to to their places, and Government. But above all other, he Graced Artabazus most highly, for his approved and constant Faith and Loyalty to his Master Darius. Artabazus brought along with him ten thousand and five hundred Greeks, the remainder of all those that had served Darius. He treated with Alexander for their pardon before they came; but in the end, they rendred themselves simply without promise or composition: Alexander pardoned all but the Lacedemonians, whom he imprisoned, their Captain having slain himself: He was also prevailed with (though to his great disho­nour) to pardon Nabarzanes, that had joyned with Bessus in the murther of Darius.

Heere (as some write) Thalestris, Queen of the Ama­zons comes to him. Queen of the Ama­zons came to visit him, and her suit was (which she easily obtained) that she might accompany him, till she proved with child by him: which done she refused to go along with him into India, but returned into her own Coun­try.

Now as Alexander had begun to change his conditions after the taking of Persepolis: So at this time Prosperity had so much corrupted his virtue, that he accounted clemency to be but basenesse, and the temperance, which all his life before he had used, to be but a poor, and abject humour, rather becoming the instructers of his youth, than the condition, and state of so mighty a King, as the World could not equal. For he perswaded himself that he now represented the greatness of the Gods; and he was pleased when those that came before him,He affects a Deity. would fall on the ground and adore him. He wore the Garments, and Robes of the Persians, and commanded his Nobles to do the like. He entertained into his Court, and Camp, the same shamelesse Rabble of Curtizans, and Catamite, [...] as Darius had done, whom he imitated in all the proud, voluptuous, and detested manners of the Persians, whom he had vanquished, and became a more foul and fearfull monster [Page 41] than Darius, from whose Tyranny, he vaunted, to have delivered so many Nations; Insomuch as they that were neerest and deerest to him, began to be ashamed of him, entertaining each other with this, or the like scornfull discourse.For which he is scor­ned of his Friends. That Alexander of Macedonia was become one of Darius licentious Courtiers: That by his Ex­ample, the Macedonians, after so many, and tedious travels, were more impoverished in their virtues, than en­riched by their victories, and that it was hard now to judge, whether the Conqueres, or Conquered were the baser slaves. Neither were these things so whispered in corners, but that they came to Alexanders ears: He therefore with great Gifts sought to stop the mouthes of the better sort, and of such of whose Judgments he was most jealous.

Then did he make it known to the Army, that Bessus had assumed the title of a King; and called himself Ar­taxerxes, and that he had compounded a great Army of the Bactrians and other Nations, whereby he per­swaded them to go on, to the end that all which they had already gotten, together with themselves (so far engaged) might not be cast away, and lost. And be­cause they were pestered with the plunder of so many rich Cities, that the whole Army seemed but the guard of their carriages, he commanded that every mans Fardel should be brought into the Market place,He burns all the Spoils. which when it was done, he, together with his own, caused all to be consumed with fire. This, in probability, might have proved very dangerous unto him: For the Com­mon Souldiers had more interest in that which they had purchased with their painfull travel, and with their blood, than in the Kings Ambition; had not his happy temerity overcome all difficulties.

As he was upon his march,Rebellion against him. news was brought that Satribarzanes, whom he had established in his former Government over the Arians, was revolted; Where­upon, leaving the way of Bactria, he sought the Tray­tour out: But the Rebel hearing of his coming, fled with [Page 42] two thousand Horse to Bessus: Then marched Alexander on against Bessus, and by setting a great Pile of Wood on fire, with the advantage of a strong winde, he won a passage over an high, and unaccessible Rock, which was desended against him by thirty thousand Foot, the extremity of the fire, and smoak, forcing them to quit the place, which otherwise had been invincible: After which, he found no resistance till he came into Aria, on the East of Bactria, where y^e chief City of that Province, called Arta­coana, was a while defended against him, by the revolt of Satribarzanes; but in the end, he received the In­habitants to mercy. At this place his Army was recruited with a new supply of five thousand, and five hundred Foot, and neer five hundred Horse out of Greece, Thessaly, and other places.

At this time it was that the Treason of Dimnus was discovered,Treason against him. of which Philotas, the Son of Parmenio, was accused, at least as accessary if not principall. This Dim­nus, with some others, having conspired against the life of Alexander, went about to draw Nicomacus, a young man whom he loved, into the conspiracy; The youth, although he was first bound by Oath to secrecy, when he heard so foul a matter uttered, began to protest against it so vehemently, that his Friend was like to have slain him, to secure his own life; and so, constrained by fear, he made shew as if he had been won by perswasion, and by seeming at length, to like well of the business, he was told more at large who they were that had under­taken it. There were nine or ten of them, all men of rank, whose Names Dimnus (the better to countenance the enterprize) reckoned up to him. Nicomacbus had no sooner freed himself from the company of this Tray­tour Dimnus, than he acquainted his own Brother, C [...] ­ballinus, with the whole design, whereupon it was a­greed between them, that Ceballinus (who might do it with the least suspition) should go to the Court, and utter all. Ceballinus meeting with Philotas, told him the whole business, requesting him to acquaint [Page 43] the King with it, which he promised to do, but yet did not.

Two days passed, and Philotas never brake with the King about the matter, but still excused himself to Ce­ballinus by the Kings want of leasure. This his coldness bred suspition, and caused Ceballinus to apply himself to one Metron, Keeper of the Kings Armory, who forth­with brought him to Alexanders presence.Its disco­vered to Alexander Alexander finding by examination what had passed between Ce­ballinus, and Philotas, fully perswaded himself that this concealment of the Treason argued Philotas to have a hand in it; when Dimnus therefore was brought before him, he asked him onely this Question; Wherein have I so offended thee, that thou shouldst think Philotas more wor­thy to be King than my self? Dimnus, when he was first apprehended, perceiving how the matter was like to go, had so wounded himself, that he lived no longer than to give his last groan in the Kings pre­sence.

Then was Philotas sent for, and charged with the suspi­tion which his silence might justly breed. His answer was, that when the Treason was revealed to him by Nico­machus, he judged it to be but frivolous, and therefore forbore to acquaint Alexander with ir, till he could pro­cure better information. This errour of his (if it were but an Errour) though Alexander, for the notable ser­vices done by his Father Parmenio, and his Brother Ni­canor, lately dead, and by Philotas himself, had freely par­doned him, and given him his hand for assurance: Yet, by the instigation of Craterus, he falsified his Princely promise,Philotus accused. and made the Enemies of Philotas his Judges. Cra­terus indeed perswaded himself, that he could never find a better occasion to oppress his private enemy, than by pretending Piety, and Duty to his Prince. Whence a Poet saith,

Now the King, following the advice of Craterus, had resolved the next day to put Philotas to the Torment,Alexan­ders dissi­mulation. yet in the very evening of the same night in which he was apprehended, he called him to a Banquet, and dis­coursed as familiarly with him as at any other time. But when in the dead of the night, Philotas was taken in his lodging, and that they which hated him began to binde him, he cried out upon the King in these words: O Alexander, the malice of mine enemies hath surmounted thy mercy, and their hatred is far more constant than the Word of a King. Many circumstances were urged against him by Alexander himself; and this was not the least (not the least offence indeed against the Kings humour, who de­sired to be adored as a God) that when Alexander wrote unto him concerning the title given him by Jupiter Ham­mon, he answered, That he could not but rejoyce that he was admitted into the Sacred fellowship of the Gods, and yet he could not but withall grieve for those which should live under such a one as would exceed the nature of man. This, said Alexander, assured me that his heart was estranged, and that he de­spised my Glory.

Philotas was brought before the multitude to hear the King [...] Oration against him.Philatas accused by the King. He was brought forth in vile Garments, and bound like a Thief, where he heard him­self, [Page 45] and his absent Father, the greatest Captain in the World, accused, and also his two other Brothers, He­ctor, and Nicanor, who had lost their lives in these Wars; wherewith he was so overcome with grief, that, for a while, he could utter nothing for tears, and sorrow had so wasted his Spirits, that he sank between those that led him. In the end, the King asked him in what Language he would make his defence? He answered, In the same wherein it had pleased the King to accuse him: which ac­cordingly he did, to the end that the Persians, as well as the Macedonians, might understand him. But here of the King made this advantage, perswading the As­sembly that he disdained the language of his own Coun­try, and so, withdrawing himself, he left him to his mer­ciless enemies.

This proceeding of the Kings, Philotas greatly lamented, seeing the King, who had so sharply invieghed against him, would not vouchsafe to hear his answer. For hereby his enemies were emboldned against him, and all the rest, having discovered the Kings mind, and resolu­tion, contended amongst themselves, which of them should shew the greatest hatred towards him. Amongst many Arguments which he brought for his own defence, this was not the least, that when Nicomachus desired to know of Dimnus, of what quality, and power his partners in the conspiracy were, seeming unwilling to adventure himself amongst mean, and base Companions, Dimnus named unto him, Demetrius, of the Kings Bed-Chamber, Nicanor, Amyntas, and some others, but spake not a word of Philotas, who, being Master of the Horse, would greatly have graced the cause, and encouraged Nichomacus. And to make it more cleer that he knew nothing of their intents, there was not any one of the Conspirators, that in their torments, would accuse him. Yet at the last,Philotus condemn­ed, and tortured to death. himself being put to extream torments by the devise of his professed enemies▪ Craterus, Cenus, Ephe­stion, and others, Philotas accused himself, hoping that they would have slain him immediatly: But he failed [Page 46] even in that miserable hope, and suffering all that could be inflicted on flesh and blood, he was forced to confess, not what was true, but what might best please them, who were far more merciless than Death it self. Cruelty is not a humane vice: It is unworthy of man: Its even a beastly rage to delight in blood and wounds, and casting away the nature of man, to become a savage Monster.

Now whilst Alexanders hands were yet died in blood,Alexan­ders cru­elty. he commanded that Lyncestes, Son in Law to Antipater, who had been three years in Prison, should be slain. The same dispatch had all those that were accused by Nicomachus. But Parmenio was yet living. Parmenio, who had served with great fidelity, as well Philip the Kings Father, as himself. Parmenio that first opened Alexanders way into Asia: That had cast down Attalus, the Kings enemy: That had always, and in all hazards the leading of the Kings Vaunt-gard: That was no less Prudent in Coun­sell, then successfull in all his enterprises. A man, beloved of the men of War, and to say the truth, he that had pur­chased for the King the Empire of the East, and of all the Glory and fame which he had attained to. That he might not therefore revenge the Death of his Son, though not upon the King (for it was unlikely that he would have stained his fidelity in his [...]ge, having now lived se­venty years) yet upon th [...], who by base Flattery had possessed themselves of the Kings affection, It was re­solved that he should die also: and Polydamus was im­ployed in this business, a man whom of all others Par­menio trusted most, and loved best. Who (to be short) finding him in Media, and having Cleander, and other Murtheres with him,Parmenio murther­ed. slew him as he was walking in his Garden, and reading the Kings letters. This was the end of Parmenio (saith Curtius) who had performed many notable things without the King; but the King without him did never effect any thing worthy of Praise.

These things being ended,Alexander marches forward. Alexander marched on with his Army, and subdued the Araspitans, and made Ameni­des [Page 47] (sometime Secretary to Darius) their Governour. Then he Conquered the Arachosians, and left Menon to command over them. Here the Army (that was some­time led by Parmenio) found him, which consisted of twelve thousand Macedonians and Greeks, with whom (though with much difficulty) he passed through some cold Regions. At length he came to the foot of y^e Mountain Taurus, towards the East, where he built a City, which he honoured with his own Name, and peopled it with seven thousand of his old Macedonians, Builds a City. worn out with age, and the travels of War. The Arians, who since he left them were revolted, he again subdued, by the industry, and valour of Caranus, and Erigius: and now he resolved to find out the new King Bessus in Bactria, who hearing of his coming, prepared to pass over the great River of Oxus, which divides Bactria from Sogdiana. Bessus having now abandoned Bactria, Alexander made Artabazus Go­vernour of it, and himself marching forward with his Army,Wants water. they suffered great want of water, insomuch as when they came to the River Oxus, there died more of them by immoderate drinking, than Alexander had lost in any one Battel against the Persians. He found upon the Banks of this great River no manner of Timber, or o­ther materials wherewith to make Bridges, or Boats, or Rafts▪ but was forced to sew together Hides that cover­ed his Carriages, and stuffing them with straw, he was six days in passing over his Army after that manner, which Bessus might easily have distressed, if he had dared but to look the Macedonians in the face. He had formerly complained of Darius for neglecting to defend the Banks of Tygris, and other Passes, and yet now, when this Trai­terous slave had stiled himself a King, he durst not perform anything worthy of a slave: and therefore they that were neerest to him, and whom he most trusted, to wit, Spita­menes, Dataphernes, Catanes, and others, the Commanders of his Army, moved, both by the care of their own safe­ty, and the remembrance of Bessus his Treason and cruel­ty against Darius, Bessus ta­ken. bound him as he had done his Master, [Page 48] only his chain was closed about his neck, like a Ma­stiff Dog, and so they dragged him a long to present him to Alexander.

In the mean time Alexander was arrived at a certain Town inhabited by Greeks of Miletum, brought thither by Xerxes, when long before he returned out of Greece, whose children had now almost forgoten their Country Language.Alexan­ders cruelty. These entertained him with great joy: but he most cruelly put them all to the Sword, and destroyed their City. At this Place he received Bessus, and ha­ving rewarded Spitamenes, Bessus slain. and his Associates, he deliver­ed the Traitor into the hands of Oxatre, Brother to Da­rius, to be tormented by him.

But now when he thought himself most secure, and out of danger, some twenty thousand Mountainers as­saulted his Camp, in repelling whom, he received a shot in his legg,He is wounded. the Arrow head sticking in the flesh, so that he was faign to be carried in a Horslitter for some time after.

Shortly after he came unto Maracanda, judged by some to be the same with Samarcand, the Imperiall Ci­ty of the Great Tamerlan, which was in compasse se­venty furlongs. Heere he received the Ambassadors of the Seythians (called Avians) who offered to serve him

Presently after, the Bactrians, with the S [...]gdians, were again stirred up to Rebellion by the seme Spitame­nes, and Catanes, who had lately delivered Bessus into Alexanders hands. Many Cities were stoutly defend­ed against him, all which, after he had subdued them, he utterly defaced,He is wounded. [...]. killing all therein. At the Siege of one of these he received a blow in the neck, which struck him to the ground, and disabled him from action many dayes after: In the meane while Spitamenes had recovered Samareand, against whom he sent Menede­mus, with three thousand Foot, and eight hundred Hors­men.

In the heat of these affairs, Alexander marched to the [Page 49] River Jaxartes, that runs between Sogdiana, and Scythia, which he pasted over while Menedemus was imployed in the recovery of Samarcand. Upon the Banks of this River he built an other Alexandria, sixty furlongs in compasse, which he beautified with Houses seventeen dayes after the walls were built: But the Scythian King, perswading himself that this City was built on purpose to keep him under,He builds a City. made some attempts to hinder the erection of this new City; but being naked of defensive Armes, he was easily beaten-away, Sixty of the Mace­donians are said to be slain in this conflict, and eleven hundred wounded, which might easily be done in passing a great River defended against them by good Archers. Of the Scythian Horses eighteen hundred were brought into the Camp, and many Priso­ners.

Whilest Alexander was securing himself against those Scythians, bordering upon Jaxartes, he received the ill newes that Menedemus was slain by Spitamenes, Menede­mus slain. his Army broken, and most of them killed, to wit, two thou­sand Foot, and three hundred Horse. He therefore intending revenge upon Spitamenes, made all the hast he could, but Spitamenes fled into Bactria. Whereupon Alexander killed, burned, and laid wast all before him, not sparing the innocent Children, and so departed, leaving a new Governour in that Province.

To repaire this losse, he received a great supply of nineteen thousand men out of Greece, Li [...]ia, and Syria, with all which, and his old Army, he returned towards the South, and passed the River of Oxus, on the South­side whereof he built six Townes, neer each to other for their mutuall security. But he found a new up-start Rebel,A Rebel­lion. one Arimazes (a Sogdian) who was followed by thirty thousand Souldiers, that defended against him a strong piece of ground on the top of an high and steep Hill. Alexander sought (but in vain) to winne him with fair words: wherefore he made choise of three hundred young men, and promised ten Tallents to the [Page 50] first, nine to the second, and so proportionably to the rest, that could find a way to creep to the top there­of. This they performed with the losse of thirty two of their number, and then made a signe to Alexander, that they had accomplished his Commandment. Here­upon he sent one Cophes to perswade Arimazes to yeild up the place, who, being shewed by Cophes, that the Macedonians were already gotten up, he yeilded simply to Alexanders mercy, and was, with all his kindred, scourged, and Crucified: which punishment they well deserved for keeping no better a watch in so dangerous a time. For the place might have been defended against a­ny power.Clytus slain.

After these Sogdian, and Scythian Wars, Alexander committed the Government of Samarcand, and the Country about it, to Clytus whom yet he slew soon after, for preferring the virtue of Philip the Father, before that of Alexander the Son, or rather because he objected to the King the death of Parmenio, and derided the Oracle of Hammon: for therein he touched him to the quick; his Speech being in publick, and at a drunken Banquet. Clytus, indeed, had deserved as much at the Kings hand as any man living, having saved his life, which the King well remembred when he came to himself, and when it was too late to repent. As Clytus in his Cups, forgat whom he offended, So Alexander in his drunken­nesse forgat whom he slew, for griefe whereof, he af­terward tore his Face, and sorrowed so inordinately, that had he not been overperswaded by Calisthenes, The ef­fect of drunk­nesse. he would have slain himself. Drunkenesse both kindles, and discovers every vice: It removes shame which gives impedi­ment to bad attempts. Where Wine gets the mastery, all the evill, which before lay hidden, breaks out. Drunkennesse indeed rather discovers vices than makes them.

Soon after this, Spitamenes, who slew Bessus, and had lately revolted from Alexander, was murthered by his own Wife, and his Head was presented to: Alexander, Spitamenes being thus taken away, the Dabans also sei­zed [Page 51] upon his fellow conspirator, Dataphernes, and de­livered him up: So that Alexander being now freed from all these petty Rebels, and disposed of the Provinces that he had quieted, marched on with his Army into Gabaza, Dreadfull stormes. where it suffered so much Hunger, Cold, Lightning, Thunder, and such storms, that in one of them he lost a thousand men. From hence he invaded the Sacans, and destroyed their Country. Then came he into the Territories of Cohortanes, who submitted himself to him, and presented him with thirty beautifull Virgins, amongst whom, Roxane, after­wards his Wife, was one; which, although all the Macedonians stomached, yet none of them durst use any freedom of speech after the death of Clytus. From hence he directed his course towards India, having so encreased his numbers, as amounted to one hundred and twenty Thousand Armed men.

In the mean while he would needs be honoured as a God,His Am­bition. Calisthenes speaks a­gainst it. whereunto, that he might allure his Macedoni­ans, he implyed two of his parasites, Hagis, and Cleo, whom Calisthenes opposed. For amongst many other honest Arguments which he used in the Assembly, he told Cleo, that he thought that Alexander would dis­daine the title of a God from his Vassels: That the opinion of Sanctity, though it did sometimes follow the Death of those, who in their Life-time had done the greatest things, yet it never accompanied any one as yet living in the world: He said, that neither Hercules, nor Bacchus, were Deified at a Banquet, and upon drink (fot this matter was propounded by Cleo at a Ca­rousing Feast) but for the more than manly acts preform­ed by them in their Life-time, for which they were in succeeding Ages numbred amongst the Gods. Alexan­der stood behind a partitian, and heard all that was spoken, waiting but for an opportunity to be revenged on Calisthenes, who being free of speech, honest, Lear­ned, and a lover of the Kings Honour, was yet shortly after tormented to Death. For upon occasion of a con­spiracy [Page 52] made against the King,And is tormen­ted to Death. by on Hermolaus, and others, who confessed it, he caused Calisthenes, with­out confession, accusation, or tryall, to he torne asunder upon the Rack.

This deed, unworthy of a King, is thus censured by Seneca. This (saith he) is the eternal crime of Alexan­der, which no virtue, or felicity of his in War shall ever be able to blot out. For as often as any man shall say, He slew many thousands of Persians, it will be replyed, He did so, and he slew Calisthenes too. When it shall be said, that he wan [...] all as far as to the very Ocean, whereon also he adventured with unusuall Navies, and extended his Empire from a cor­ner of Thrace, to the utmost bounds of the East; it shall be said withall; But he killed Calisthenes. Let him have outgone all the antient Examples of Captains, and Kings, none of all his Acts make so much to his Glory as the Death of Calisthenes to his roproach.

With the Army before mentioned, of one hundred twenty thousand Foot and Horse,He mar­ches into India. Alexander entred into the Borders of India where such of the Princes as submitted themselves to him, he entertained lovingly, the others he enforced, killing man, woman, and child, where they resisted. He then came before Nisa, built by Bacchus, which after a few dayes was rendred to him. From thence he removed to a Hill at hand, which on the top had goodly Gardens,His Feasts to Bac­chus. filled with delicate fruits, and Vines, dedicated to Bacchus, to whom he made Feasts for ten dayes together. And when he had drank his fill,He con­quers ma­ny Coun­tries. went on to Dedula, and from thence to Acadera, Countries spoiled and abandoned by the Inhabitants, by reason whereof, victuals failing, he divided his Army. Ptolomy led one part, Cenon an other, and himself the rest. These took in many Towns, whereof that of greatest fame was Muzage, which had in it three hun­dred thousand men, but after some resistance, it was yeilded to him by Cleophe the Queen, to whom he again restored it. At the Siege of this City he received a wound in the legg.

[Page 53] After this Nola was taken by Polisperchon; and a Rock of Great strength by Alexander himself: He wan also a passage from one Eryx, who was slain by his own men and his Head presented to Alexander: This was the summe of his Actions in those parts, before he came to the great River Indus. And when he came thither, he found there Ephestion, who (being sent before) had pre­pared Boats for the transportation of his Army, and be­fore Alexanders arrivall, had prevailed with Omphis, King of that part of the Country, to submit himself to this great Conqueror. And hereupon soon after Alexan­ders coming, Omphis presented himself, with all the strength of his Country, and fifty six Elephants, unto him; offering him his service, and assistance: He told A­lexander also that he was an enemy to the two next great Kings of that part of India, named Abiasares, and Porus, where with Alexaender was not a little pleased, hoping by this their disunion, to make his own victory by far the more easy.

This Omphis also presented Alexander with a Crown of Gold, the like did the rest of his Commanders, and with all,His Pro­digallity. he gave him eight Talents of Silver coined, which Alexander not only refused, but to shew that he co­veted Glory, not Gold, he gave Omphis a thousand Ta­lents of his own Treasure, besides other Persian rari­ties.

Abiasares being informed that Alexander had received his enemy Omphis into his protection, he resolved to make his own Peace also. For, knowing that his own strength did but equall that of Omphis, he thought it but an ill match, when Alexander, who had already subdued all the greatest Princes of Asia, should make himself a party, and head of the quarrell. So then now Alexander had none to stand in his way but Porus, He sends to Porus. to whom he sent a command, that he should attend him at the Borders of his Kingdom, there to do him Homage: But the gallant Porus returned him this manly answer: That he would satisfie him in the first [Page 54] demand, which was, to attend him on his Borders, and that well accompanied, but for any other acknowledgment, he was resolved to take counsel of his Sword. To be short, Alexan­der resolved to pas [...]e over the River of Hydaspes, and to find out Porus at his own home: But Porus saved him that labour, attending him on the farther bank, with thirty thousand Foot, ninety Elephants, and three hun­dred armed Chariots, and a great Troop of Horse. The River was half a mile broad, and withall, deep and swift, It had in it many Islands, amongst which there was one much overgrown with Wood, and of good ca­pacity.

Alexander sent Ptolomy, with a good part of the Army up the River, shrowding the rest from the sight of Porus under this Island, by this devise, Porus being drawn from the place of his first encamping, set himself down opposite to Ptolomy, supposing that the whole Army of Alexander was there, intending to force their passage: But in the mean while Alexander with his men, reco­vered the farther shore without resistance, and ordering his Troops, he advanced towards Porus, who at first imagined them to be Abiasares his confederate, come over Hydaspis to asist him: But finding it to be other­wise, he sent his Brother Hagis, with four thousand Horse,A Battel. and a hundred armed Chariots to entertain him. Each Chariot had in it four to fight, and two to guid it: But they were at this time of little use, by reason that much raine having falne, the Fields were so soul that the Horses could hardly trot.

In this fight the Scythians, and Dahans had Alexanders vantgard, who so galled the Indians, with their Darts and Arrows, that the Horses brake their reines, and overturned the Chariots, and those that were in them. Perdiccas also charged the Indian Horsemen, who were by him forced to recoil. Then did Porus moove for­ward with the Gross of his Army, that his Vantgard, who were scattered, might retreat into his Reare. Alex­ander [Page 55] being followed by Ephestion, Ptolomy, and Perdic­cas, charged the Indian Horsmen in the left wing, com­manding Cenon to set upon the right. He directed also Antigonus, and Leonatus to charge Porus his Battel of Foot, strengthned with Elephants, Porus himself riding upon one of the biggest of them. By these Beasts the Macedonian Foot received the greatest damage; but the Archers and Darters being well guarded with the long, and strong Pikes of the Macedonians, so galled them, that the Elephants being inraged, turned head, and ran over their own Footmen that followed them. In the end,Porus beaten. after a long and doubtfull fight, by the ad­vantage of weapons, and the skill and courage of the Macedonian Captains, the victory fell to Alexander, who also far exceeded Porus in number of men. For besides the Macedonians, and other Eastern, and Northen Na­tions, Alexander was assisted by Porus his Confederates, and Country people: Yet for his own Person, he never gave ground, otherwise than with his Sword towards his enemies, till being weakned by many wounds, and aban­doned by his Army,He is re­stored to his King­dom. he became a Prisoner to the Con­queror, from whom again he received his Kingdom, with a great enlargement,

I forbear to mention other petty victories which Alex­ander obtained after this, in his failing down the River of Indus. The discription of places about the Head, and branches thereof, are better known to us by reason of our late Navigations, and discoveries, than they were in former times. The magnificence and Rights of those Indian Kings we could in no sort be perswaded to believe, till our own experience had taught us, that there are many stranger things in the world than we see in our own Country.

Alexander having by this time overwearied his Ar­my, he discovered the rest of India by fame. The In­dian Kings whom he had subdued, informed him, that a King called Aggrame [...]s, ruled over many Na­tions beyond the River Gang [...], who was able to bring [Page 56] into the Field two hundred thousand Foot, twenty thousand Horse, three thousand Elephants, and two thousand armed Chariots. With this report, though Alexander was more enflamed than ever, to proceed in his Discoveries and Conquests, yet all his Orato­ry could not prevaile with his Souldiers to adventure over those wast Desarts beyond Indus, and Ga [...]ges, which were more terrible to them, than the greatest Army that the East could gather. Yet at last they were overcome by many perswasions to follow him to­wards the South, to discover such parts of the Ocean, as were neerer at hand, unto which the River Indus was their infallible guid.

Alexander seeing it would be no otherwise, devised a pretty trick by which he hoped to beguil after-ages,His Poli­cy. and make himself seem greater than he was. For which end he enlarged his Camp, made greater Trenches, greater Cabins for Souldiers, greater Hors-stalls, and higher Mangers than Horses could feed in. Yea, he caused all furniture both for Men, and Horses, to be made larger than would serve for use, and scattered these Ar­mors and Bridles about his Camp, to be kept as re­liques, and wondred at by those Barbarous Peo­ple. Proportionable unto these he raised up twelve great Altars to be Monuments of his jorneyes end.

This done, he returned again to the banks of Ase­sines, and there determined to build his Fleet, where Ausines, and Hydaspes meet; and to testifie by a su­rer Monument, how far he had passed towards the East,He builds two Ci­ties. he built by those Rivers, two Cities: the one he called Nicaea, and the other Bucephalon, after the name of his beloved Horse Bucephalus. Heere again he re­ceived a new supply of six thousand Thracian Horse­men, seven thousand Foot, and from his Leiutenant of Babylon, twenty five thousand Armours, garnish­ed with Silver, and Gold, which he distributed amongst his Souldiers.

[Page 57] About these Rivers he wan many Towns,His Con­quests. and com­mitted great slaughter on those that resisted. Its said, that besieging a City of the Oxidracans, he leaped from the top of the wall into it, and fought long against all the In­habitants, till his Souldiers, forcing a Gate, came in to his rescue. Finally he passed down the River with his Fleet, at which time news was brought him of a Rebellion in Bactria, and then of the arrivall of a hundred Am­bassadors from a King in India, who submitted himself to him. These Ambassadors he Feasted upon a hundred Beds of Gold, with all the sumptuousness that could be devised, who soon after their dispatch, returned again, and presented him with three hundred Horses, and one hundred and thirty Wagons, and in each of them four Horses, a thousand Targets, with many other things rare and rich.

Then sailed Alexander towards the South, passing through many obscure Nations, which all yielded to him, either quietly,He builds a City. or by force: Amongst these, he built an­other Alexandria. Of the many places which he took in his passage, one was called Samus, the Inhabitants whereof fought against him with poisoned Swords, with one of which, Ptolomy (afterwards King of Egypt) was wounded, and was cured by an Herb which Alexander dreamed he had seen in the mouth of a Serpent.

When he came neer to the out-let of Indus (being ig­norant of the Tides of the Sea) his Gallies on a sudden were shuffled one against another by the coming of the Flood, and in the Ebb, they were left on the dry ground, and on the Sandy banks in the River, wherewith the Macedonians were much amazed: But after he had a few days observed the course of the Sea, he passed out of the Rivers mouth some few miles, and then offering Sacrifice to Neptune, he returned; and the better to inform himself, he sent Nearchus, and Onesicritus to discover the Coast to­wards the mouth of Euphrates.

Neer the out-lets of this River,He wants food. he spent some part of Winter, and from thence in eighteen days march, he re­covered [Page 58] Gredosia, in which passage his Army suffered such misery through the want of food, that of one hundred and twenty thousand Foot, and twelve thousand Horse, which he carried into India, not a fourth part returned alive.

From Gredosia, Alexander led his Army into Caramania, and so drawing neer to Persia, he gave himself wholly unto Feasting and Drinking,His Debauched­ness. imitating the Tryumphs of Bacchus. And though this Swinish vice be hateful enough in it self; Yet it always inflamed this King to cruelty For (saith Curtius) the Hangman followed the Feast: For Haspastes, one of his Provincial Governours, he com­manded to be slain; so as, neither did the excess of Voluptu­ousness quallifie his Cruelty, nor his cruelty at all hinder his Vo­luptuousness.

While he refreshed his Army in these parts, there came a new supply to him of five thousand Foot; and a thousand Horse, which were conducted to him by Clean­der and his fellows, that had been impolyed in the mur­ther of Parmenio. Against these murtherers great com­plaints were made by the Deputies of y^e Provinces,He Pu­nishes his Officers. in w^ch they had commanded; and their offences were proved to be so outragious, that Alexander was perswaded, that, had they not altogether despaired of his return out of India, they durst not have committed them. All men were glad of the occasion, remembring the Virtue of him whom they had slain. The end was, that Cleander, and the other chief, together with six hundred Souldiers, who had been the instruments of their ravages, were de­livered over to the Hangman; Every one rejoycing that the wrath of the King was at last powred out upon the Ministers of his Anger.

Nearchus, and Onesicritus were now returned from searching the Coast, and made report of an Island they had discovered, rich in Gold, and of other strange things; whereupon they were commanded to make some farther discovery, after which they should come up Euphrates, and meet the King at Babylon.

[Page 59] Alexander drawing neer to Babylon, He visits the Sepulchre of [...]rus. went to visit the Sepulchre of Cyrus in Pasagardes, where he was presented with many rich gifts by Orsanes, one of the Princes of Persia, of the race of Cyrus. But because Bagoas, an Eu­nuch, who was in speciall favour with the King, was neglected, he suborned some loose fellows to accuse Orsanes for robbing Cyrus his Tomb,His cruel [...]y. for which he was condemned to die, and Bagoas assisted the Hangman with his own hands to torment him. At this time also Alex­ander caused Phradites to be slain, suspecting his greatness Hence (saith Curtius) he began unreasonably to shed blood, and to believe false reports. Indeed, he took the way to make all men weary of him, and his Government, seeing tyranny is more dreadfull than all adventures that can be made against it.

About this time Calanus the Philosopher burnt himself having lived seventy three years,Calanus burnt him­self. and Historians say, that before his Death, he foresaw, and foreshewed the Death of Alexander, promising to meet him shortly after at Ba­bylon.

From Pasagardes, Alexander went to Susa, His mar­riage, and [...]easting where he Married Statira, the Eldest Daughter of Darius, gi­ving her younger Sister to his beloved Ephestion, and eighty other Persian Ladies to other of his Captains. To his wedding Feast, he invited six thousand Guests, to each of which he gave a Cup of Gold.

Unto this place came to him three thousand young Souldiers out of his Conquered Provinces, whereat the Macedonians greatly murmured. Harpalus, his Treasurer in Babylon, having lavishly consumed the mony in his keep­ing, fled with five thousand Talents, and six thousand hired Souldiers; But when he came into Greece, he was there slain.Harpalus slain. Alexander much rejoyced at the fidelity of the Greeks, who would not be corrupted with Harpalus his Bribes: Yet he sent a command to them, that they should receive their banished men again, whereunto they all for fear, yielded, except the Athenians, though they saw that it was a manifest preparation to their bondage.

[Page 60] After this there followed a marvellous discontent in his Army,His Army discon­tented. because he had resolved to send into Macedonia all those old Souldies which could no longer endure the tra­vell of the War, and to keep the rest in Asia. He made many Orations to satisfie them, but all his words were in vain during the height of their fury; Yet when their first passions were evaporated, they became more tractable. And with such as were licenced to depart, he sent Craterus, to whom he gave the Lieutenantship of Macedonia, He sends for Anti­pater. Thessaly, & Thrace, which Antipater had Govern­ed from the time of Alexanders departure out of Europe, who (during that time) had subdued the rebellious Greeks, discharged the trust committed to him with great fidelity, and sent him from time to time so many strong supplies into Asia.

Certainly if Alexander had not taken counsell of his Cups, he would have cast some better colour upon this alteration, and given Antipater some stronger reasons of his remove, than to imploy him in conducting a new sup­ply of men to Babylon, the War being now at an end. For Antipater could make no other construction of this re­move, but that he had a purpose to send him after Parme­nio, and the rest. The truth is, the King notwithstanding his undantedness, had no great mind to grapple with An­tipater.

Alexander having thus sent for Antipater, made a jour­ney into Media to settle things there,Ephestion dies. were Ephestion whom he loved, and favoured above all others, died. The King greatly lamented his loss, hanged the Physician that could not cure him, and built him a Monument that cost twelve thousand Talents. After which he returned to Babylon. Thither Antipater came not, but sent, and that, not to excuse, but to free himself; And if we may believe Curtius, he suborned his Sons Cassander, Philip, and Jolla, who were Alexanders Cup-bearers, to give him poison;Alexander dies. Thessalus (who was one of the conspi­racy) having invited him to a Drinking-Feast for that purpose. Others say that by his inordinate [Page 61] drinking, he fell into a Feavour whereof he died.

A little before his Death,His Will. his Friends about him, asked him to whom he would leave his Empire? He answered, To the most worthy man. Then asked they him, when they should give him Divine Honors? He answered, When they themselves were happy; which were the last words that he spake, and so he died, having lived not all out thirty three years, nor reigned thirteen.

As soon as he was Dead,The vani­ty of all earthly things. his great Captains sought to in­rich themselves by his Spoils, and whilst they were sharing the World amongst themselves, his dead Body lay many days in that hot Countrey unburied, stinking above ground: A notable Embleme of the Vanity of all earthly things. Besides this, his vast Empire was divided amongst his great Captains; To Ptolomaeus Lagi was allotted E­gypt, and Affrica; The con­fusions af­ter his Death. To Laomedon, Syria, and Phoenicia; To Python, Media; To Eumenes, Paphlagonia, and Cappadocia; To Antigonus, Pamphilia, Lycia, and Phrygia the Greater; To Cassander, Caria; To Menander, Lydia; To Leonatus Phrygia the Less; To Lysimachus, Thracia, with the neigh­bouring Countries; To Antipater, Macedonia, and the neighbouring Nations. But these men, not contented with their shares, fell out amongst themselves, making War one upon another to their own destruction; For Perdiccas, warring upon Egypt was slain by his own Soul­diers; Antipater died;Gods Ju­stice. Eumenes was betrayed by his own Souldiers, and slain by Antigonus; Olympias, the Mo­ther of Alexander, was slain by Cassander; Cleopatra, sister to Alexander, was slain by the treachery of Antigonus; Anti­gonus himself was slain in Battel by Cassander & Lysimachus; Roxane, the beloved Wife of Alexander, together with her Son Alexander; and Barsine, another of his Wives, which was Daughter to Darius, were all slain by Cassander. And presently after the whole Family of Cassander was rooted out; Ptolomy died in Egypt; Lysimachus was slain by Seleucus; and Seleucus himself presently after by Pto­lomy. So that all the Family of Alexander, within a few years after his Death, was wholly extirpated; And all his [Page 62] Friends, and great Captains, by their Ambition, and mu­tuall contentions, came most of them to untimely ends.

When the dead Body of Alexander had layen seven days upon his Throne, at last the Chaldaeans, and Egyptians were commanded from thenceforth to take the care of it; But when they came about it, they durst not at first ap­proach to touch it: But anon after, saying their Prayers, that it might be no sin unto them being but mortals, to lay their hands upon so Divine a Body, they fell to work, and dissected it, the Golden Throne whereon he lay, be­ing all stuffed with Spices, and hung about with Pen­nants, and Banners, and other Emblems of his high State, and Honour.

The care of his Funerall, and of providing a Chariot wherein to carry his Body to the Temple of Jupiter Ham­mon, was committed to Aridaeus, who spent two whole years in making provision for it, which made Olympias, his Mother, (seeing him lye so long unburied) in great grief of heart to cry out, and say; O my Son! Thou that wouldst needs be accounted amongst the Gods, and keptest such ado about it, canst not now have that which every poor man hath, a little Earth, and Buriall.

Long after when Julius Caesar had Conquered Pompey, and was idle in Egypt, Lucan tells us, that he visited the Temples, and the Cave, wherein the Body of Alexander the Great lay, In these verses,

Alexander was very Learned,His Cha­racter. and a great Lover of Learning and Learned men, insomuch as he reward­ed his Master Aristotle with eighty Talents for his Hi­story of Living Creatures. He so prized Homers Iliads, that in all his Wars, he carried it in his pocket, and laid it under his Pillow anights. He loved his Master Aristotle as if he had been his Father, and used to say, We have our being from our Parents, but our well-being from our School-Masters.

His Mother Olympias was very severe and morose in her carriage; and once Antipater, his Vice-Roy in Europe, wrote large Letters of complaint to him against her; to whom he returned this answer: Knowest thou not that one little tear of my Mothers, His love to his Mo­ther. will blot out a thousand of thy Letters of complaint; When he heard the Philosophers conclusion concerning the unity of the world, he wept, because there were no more worlds for him to Conquer but one. An evident note of his great ambition: which also manifested it self hereby;His Am­bition. That when he came to the Tomb of Achilles, he fell a weeping, considering that Achilles had a Homer to sing his praises, and to perpetuate his memory, whereas he had no such Poet to set forth his Commendations. Also he commanded that no man should draw his Picture, but Apelles, the most exquisite Painter in the world, and that none should make his Statue in Brass but Lycippus, the most excellent Workman in that kind.

Alexander used to carry his Head on one side inclining to the left,Flattery. wherein his Court-Parasites (to ingratiate themselves with him) imitated him. One desiring to see his Treasures, and his Jewels, he bad his Servants shew him, not his Talents of Gold, and Silver, and such other precious things, but his Friends.

[Page 64] When he had overcome Darius, and gotten possession of all his Dominions, and Treasures, he began to degene­rate into the Asian Luxury.He dege­nerated after his victories. His Chastity and modera­tion were turned into Pride, and Lust. He judged his Country manners, and the Discipline of the former Mace­donian Kings too sordid and mean for him. He imitated the pride of the Persian Kings, he made him a Crown and Robs like unto Darius. He grew so proud and insolent, that he suffered his Souldiers to fall down and worship him like a God. Yea, he comanded his servants, and slaves to do so. He clothed his Captains and Horse-men like unto the Persians, which though they disliked they durst not refuse. He gat him three hundred sixty five Concubines, of the beautifullest virgins that could be found in Asia, after the manner of the Persian Kings, one of which lay with him every night. He had his Troops of Eunuches, with Musicians, Jesters, Singing women &c. He spent whole dayes and nights in profuse Feast­ing, and Revelling All which was very offensive to his old Captains, and Souldiers.

When he was a Boy, he took both his hands full of perfumes, and cast them into the fire as he was Sa­crificing, whereupon Leonidas, one of his School­masters said to him: O Alexander, wben thou hast Con­quered those Countries wherein these odors grow, then thou maist be so liberall, but in the mean time be more spar­ing. Afterwards, when he had Conquered Arabia Foe­lix, he sent to Leonidas a hundred Tallents of Myrrhe, and five hundred of Frankincense, bidding him to be hereafter more Liberall in his service of the Gods.

He was of so bountifull a disposition,His boun­ty. that it was a greater trouble to him not to be asked than not to give. He wrote to Phocian, that he would make use of his friendship no more if he refused his Gifts. Sera­pion, a young Boy that used to play at Ball with him, gat nothing because he asked nothing; whereupon the next time he played, he threw the Ball to all but Alex­ander, [Page 65] the King marvelling at it, asked him why he threw not the Ball to him? Forsooth (said Serapion) be­cause you asked it not. Alexander laughing at the jest, sent him a liberall Gift.

As he was travelling through the Deserts of Persia, himself and his Army were in great straits for want of water: One of his Souldiers having two Sons ready to die of thirst, sought up and down, and at last found a little water, wherewith he filled a leather Bottell, and was running with it to his Sons: but meeting Alexander by the way, he filled it out into a dish, and profered it to him. Alexander asked him, whither he was car­rying it the man told him that his two Sons were rea­dy to die with thirst: But (said he) pray you Sir, do you drink it; For if my Sons die I can get more, but if you die, we shall not have such an other King. Alexander hearing this, gave him the water again, and bid him carry it to his Sons.

Alexander in his younger dayes was so moderate,His Tem­perance. and temperate, that he would often open his chests, and look upon his Garments, to see if his mother had not provided him, either delicate or superfluous Ap­parell.

Also when the Queen of Caria, to shew her great love to him, sent him daily variety of Dishes and Dain­ties, and at last sent her Cooks, and Bakers to him, he returned them back again, saying, That he had no need of their service; for his Master Leonidas had pro­vided him better Cooks, by teaching bim to dine and sup Frugally, and sparingly. Also when he had any rare, and dainty Fruits, or Fishes sent him from the Sea, he used to distribute them amongst his Friends, reserving very little or none for his own use.

One craving a small gift of him, he gave him a whole City, and when the Poor man said, That it was too much for him to receive: Yea (said Alexander) but not for me to give.

[Page 66] As he was advanceing to Conquer a Kingdom in In­dia, Taxilis, who was King thereof, came and met him, saying, O Alexander, What need we fight, if thou comest not to take away my food and water, for which its only fit for wise men to fight? If thou seekest after Riches, if I have more than thou, I will give thee part of mine: if thou hast more than I, I will not refuse part of thine. Alexan­der being much taken with his speech, said to him, Go to, I will contend with thee in bounty, and so they mutually gave and received many Gifts. At last Alexander gave him a Thousand Tallents, which much grieved his Friends, and rejoyced the Bar­barian.

He shewed an admirable Example of his Chastity in the heat of his youth,His Cha­stity. when having taken the Mother, Wives, and Daughters of Darius, women of admira­ble beauty, yet, neither by word, nor deed did he profer them the least indignity, thinking it a greater honour to overcome himself than his Adversaries: And when he looked upon other Captive Ladies that excelled in sta­ture and beauty, he merrily said, Persides oculorum dolores esse: That the Persian women were a disease of the eyes, and yet he looked on them but as one so many Statues. When he was informed that two of his Captains under Parmenio, had ravished two of the Persian Ladies, he wrote to him to enquire after the matter, and if he found it true, he should cut off their Heads, as of Beasts born for the hurt of mankind. He also sent him word, that himself was so far from contemplating the Beaut [...] of Darius his Wife, that he would not so much as suffer her to be commended in his presence; and that he was so carefull of their Chastity, that they lived in his Camp, shut up in their Tent, as if they had been in a Temple.

At the Death of Ephestion, his Favourite, he did not only clipp the haire of his Horses, and Mules, but plucked down also the Battlements of the City walls, that they might seeme to mourne for his Mi [...]ions Death, [Page 67] shewing now deformity instead of their former Beau­ty.

Porus, an Indian King, fighting valiently against him, received many wounds, and at last, being overcome, and falling into his enemies hands, they brought him to Alexander, who hearing of his coming, went forth, with some of his Friends, to meet him, and asked him what he would have him to do for him, Porus an­swered, My only desire is, that thou use me like a King: Alexander, admiring his magnimity, replyed, This I will do for my own sake: but what wouldest thou have me doe for thine? Porus answered, That all was contained in his former demand of Kingly usage: Alexander was so pleased with this, that he restored him to his Kingdom, and gave him an other bigger than his own.

THE LIFE & DEATH OF CHARLES the GREAT, King of FRANCE, and Emperor of GERMANY.

PEPIN, sirnamed The short, King Pepins Children. the 23d. King of France (a wise and valiant Prince) had two Sons, Charles and Ca­roloman, and five daughters: Birthe, who was maried to Milon Earl of Mans, by whom she had great Rowland: Hiltrude, maried to Rene Earl of Genes, by whom she had the renowned Oliver; Rohard, Adeline, Idubergue, Ode, and Alix.

Pepin being toiled out with great Wars, much broken with the care of Publike affairs, and now grown Old, that he might imploy his last dayes in the maintenance of Justice and Peace, the burden of War he laid upon his Eldest Son Charles, a wise and a valiant young Prince, of whose mo­desty and obedience he was well assured: And then retiring to Paris, he was not long after surprised with sicknesse, in which he recommended his two Sonnes to the Estates of [Page 70] France, Pepins death. to give them portions at their pleasures, and so en­ded his dayes Anno Christi 768.

He was a Religious Prince,His Cha­racter. wise, moderate, valiant, lo­ving to his Subjects and beloved of them, happy in his Father, and his Children, and in his Government; An ex­cellent Patterne for other Princes, who by his Example, hold it for an undoubted Maxim, That the strongest Fortress, and best security for a Prince, is the love of his Subjects, and the surest bond of his Authority, a respect gotten, and preser­ved by virtue.

Pepin being dead, the Estates of France assembled toge­ther,Charles made King. and by their joynt consents, divide the Kingdom be­twixt his two Sons Charles, and Caroloman, by equal porti­ons. Brothers these were of divers humors, who had cer­tainly ruined each other by this equality of power, had not the death of Caroloman, within three years after, divolved the Goverment of the whole Realm upon Charles.

Charles was endowed with singular gifts both of Body and Mind,His Educa­tion. which were much improved by the sedulous care of his Prudent Father, manifested in the virtuous education of him: For which end he procured Paul of Pisa, a lear­ned man, to instruct him in the Greek and Latin Tongues, and one Aymon to read to him Philosophy, and the Mathema­ticks: Himself also trained him up in Feates of Armes, and Warlike exercises. But above all, and as the ground of all virtues, he was carefull to have him trained up, and well instructed in Religion, which all his life after he loved, and honored with great Reverence the Church and Pastors thereof. He called the study of Humane Sciences his Pa­stimes, and the companions of his Sword, and did sometimes recreate himself therein. He loved Learning and Learned men by Nature. He delighted in Poesy, as some of his wri­tings do shew; but especially in History, wherein he was exceeding well read. Charity, Temperance, Equity, care of Justice to releive his Subjects, to keep his Faith and pro­mise, both to Friend and Foe, and to use a Victory modest­ly, were the notable effects of his excellent knowledge, as remarkable in him as in any Prince that ever lived. The [Page 71] Universities of Paris, and Pisa (either Founded, or endow­ed by him) witnesse the great love and honour that he did bear to learning.

During the Life of his Father Pepin, His Valour and other vertues. he shewed how much he had profited in Armes under so good a Schoolmaster, ha­ving great Commands under him, which he discharged with notable reputation; and the improvement of his skill and a­bility after he came to his Kingdom, shew plainly, that there was never any Soldier that carried Sword with more valour, nor great Captain that commanded with more Obedience, or that performed Noble Actions with greater successe, or that used his Victories with more mildnesse, and judgment. Neither did ever King or Prince rule with more authority, nor was more reverently obeyed by his Subjects and Soldi­ers then our Charles; who therefore well deserved the name of Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, by reason of his great virtues. He was of a lively disposition, quick, active, and vehement: Quicquid egit, valdè egit: Yet modesty, and wisdom did so season, and moderate his vivacity, and vehe­mency, as gave a great lustre to both, and kept them within their due bounds: And this mixture of divers humors so tempered with moderation, made him as admirable for his Judgment, as venerable in his Person and countenance.

There appeared in him a grave,His Endow­ments. sweet Majesty in a goodly Personage: His Body was large and strong: He was very patient of labour: Had a quick spirit, was cleer and sound, both in apprehension, memory, and Judgment: Resoluti­on never failed him in difficulties, nor a Reply in Discourses. Terrible he was to some, Amiable to others, according to the Cause, Persons, and Occurents; which virtues purchased him such great esteem, as that he was beloved, respected, and reverenced of all men, which effects the story of his raign will shew: For having received a great Kingdom from his Father, he enlarged it with wonderfull successe; God having raised him up to be a Bulwork to Christians against the inundation and rage of Barbarous Nations in the decay and ruin of the Empire. And in prosecuting the Narrative hereof, I shall first set down his actions during the Life of [Page 72] his Brother Caroloman, then what he did from the time of his death, till he was made Emperor, and lastly what his Deportment was from thence to his Death.

Caroloman, Carolomans envy. being Crowned King at Soissons, as Charles was at Wormes, began to be extream jealous of his Brothers greatnesse, whom, with grief, he saw to be beloved, hono­red, and obeyed by all the French, and that deservedly for his singular virtues and endowments both of Body and mind. This jealousie (too ordinary a concomitant of Princes) made him seek by all meanes to undermine, and overthrow the affairs of Charlemagne, whose eyes were fixed upon Italy, as the fittest, and most glorious Theatre wherein to exercise his valour, and to maintain his authority and power amongst Christians; and Caroloman did all that possibly he could to cross his designes therein. But before I bring him upon that stage, give me leave to shew you what at this time was the State of Italy, and Rome.

Rome (sometimes the Head of the World) was of late be­come the Chaos of all confusion,The State of Rome. the Randevouz of all Bar­barous Nations, as if they had vowed the ruine thereof by turnes, having already sackt it three times. For under the Empire of Honorius, Anno Christi 414. The Goths, under their King Alaricus, after two years seige, took it, and sackt it, but did not dismantle it. Forty five years after, du­ring the Empire of Martian, Anno Christi 459. the Vandales, under the conduct of Genserick their King, took it again, sackt it, spoiled and disgraced it, leading the W [...]ddow of the Em­peror Valentinian the third, away in Triumph. And in the time of Justinian the Emperor, the Goths, under the com­mand of Totila, having weakned it by a long seige, took it, sackt, and dismantled it. Thus Rome was no more Rome, but a spectacle of horrid confusion: after so many devastati­ons retaining nothing of her antient beauty, but only the traces of her old buildings, and the punishment of her Ido­latry and Tyranny; Afterwards the Longobards, or Lom­bards held Italy, for the space of two hundred years, till by our Charlemagne they were subdued, and expelled.

[Page 73] Presently after the Death of Pepin, the Church of Rome fell into great confusions by the practices of Didier King of Lombardy, who having corrupted some of the Clergy, cau­sed Constantine, Brother to Toton, Duke of Nepezo, to be chosen Pope,Severall Popes cho­sen. which he persecuted with such violence, that he procured Philippicus, who was already Canonically cho­sen, to be deposed: But the better party, seeing them­selves contemned by the Lombards, assembled together, and by common consent, chose Steven the third (a Sicilian by birth) Pope; who being conscious to his own weaknesse, resolved to call in the King of France, and to oppose him a­gainst his too-powerfull enemies.

Charles being thus sollicited by the Pope, sent twelve Prelates speedily to Rome, that he might strengthen the Popes party against the other, intending in a greater need to apply a greater remedy; and the matter succeeded accord­ing to his desire. For a Councel being assembled at Late­ran, Steven confirmed. they confirmed Steven, lawfully chosen, and depo­sed Constantine, who was set up by disorder and violence. But Didier would not rest satisfied with this affront, and seeing that force had succeeded no better, he resolved to try Policy, intending to undermine Steven with fair pretences: For which end he sent to congratulate his Election, purged himself in reference to the Anti-Pope Constantine, Didiers Po­licy. now de­graded: accused both him and his Brother Toton of ambi­tion, and protested to live with Steven in amity; and to ma­nifest this his good meaning, he desired him to be pleased with his repair to Rome, that there he might confer with him in private. The Pope (who never seeks to the French but in case of necessity) was easily perswaded by Didier, who came to Rome, conferred with the Pope, and made great Protestations of his Obedience to him. But these his faire shewes continued not long.

There was at this time at Rome a Governour for the Ea­sterne Emperor, called Paul Ephialte, him Didier corrup­ted, and the administration of Justice being in his hands, he made use of him so cunningly, as that in the presence of Pope Steven, he caused him to seize upon two of his cheif Se­cretaries, [Page 74] Christopher, The Popes Secretaries hanged. & Sergius (whom Didier accused of some pretended crimes) and presently to hang them in an infamous manner. Their greatest offence was, because they favored the French. Neither did he rest here, but cau­sed all the principal Citizens to be banished, whom he ob­served to be of the French faction, that so, having re­moved all hinderances, he might be Master of Rome in despite of the Pope.

Steven was not so dull but he discovered the Lombards pra­ctice exceedingly to tend to his prejudice:The Pope sends for K. Charles. whereupon he sent to Charlemagne, beseeching him to prepare an Army against Didiers force. This Charlemagne easily assented to, and fully resolved upon: But Didier had provided a diver­tisment in France by the meanes of Caroloman, to stop Charles his passage into Italy, making work for him in Guien­ne, where there arose a perilous Warre upon this occasion.

Though the Country of Guienne depended upon the Crown of France, Troubles in Guienne. yet were there many Tumults raised by the pra­ctices of some Noblemen of the Countrey, who frequently stirred up the people (mutinous enough of themselves) to Rebellion. The cause of these Troubles was, the abuse of the former Kings Clemency and Bounty, who suffered such people as he Conquered, to enjoy their priviledges and li­berties. Eudon (a Nobleman of Guienne) began first un­der Martel, Jeffery and Hunult his Children, and heirs of his discontent, had continued it under Pepin; and Jeffery be­ing now dead, Hunalt succeeded him with the like hatred, which Caroloman fomented, that he might imploy him a­gainst his Brother Charles.

Guienne was a part of Charles his portion: But Hunalts design was, to withdraw that Country wholly from the Crown of France, and for that end he pretended a Title to the Dukedom thereof, labouring to procure the people to Elect him, having the promise, and assistance of Caroloman to further him therein. Indeed the countenance of Carolo­man could do much; but the wisdome and courage of Char­lemagne prevailed more: For being advertised of Hunalts practice, and of his Brothers secret designes, he armed [Page 75] with such speed, as that he surprised the Townes of Poi­ctiers, Charles subdues Hunalt. Xante, and Angoulesm, and all the Country adjoyn­ing, Hunalt (who had reckoned without Charles) finding himself thus prevented, fled to a Noble man of that Coun­try called Loup, whom he held, not only to be firme to his fa­ction, but also his trusty and affectionate friend.

Charlemagne being informed hereof, sent presently to Loup, requiring him to deliver Hunalt into his hands, who was guilty of high Treason;Charles his Policy and Clemency and in the mean time he built a Fort in the middest of the Country, where the Rivers of Dordonne, and Lisle do joyn, which he called Fronsac, the better to secure his Country against such Invaders. Loup, not daring to refuse, delivered up Hunalt, and all his Fami­ly into the hands of Charles, who pardoned Loup, and all that obeyed him; thus ending a dangerous Warre without blowes: And to Hunalt he granted life, and liberty, and the enjoyment of his goods; leaving a memorable example to all Princes how to carry themselves in a Civil War, pre­venting a mischief by prudence, and diligence, and not to thrust their vanquished Subjects into despair by ri­gour.

Caroloman seeing his practices against his Brother to suc­ceed so ill, undertook a journy to Rome, with an intent to cause some alterations there, which yet he covered with a pretence of devotion. He also took his Mother Berthe a­long with him, and in their passage, they were honourably entertained by Didier King of the Lombards, where Berthe treated, and concluded a marriage between her Son Charle­magne, and Theodora, Sister, or Daughter to this Didier, who was one of the greatest enemies to her Sons good Fortune.Charles his marriage. Yet Charlemagne (to please his Mother) received his Wife, but soon after, put her away, as neither suiting with his af­fects, or affaires, and so, that which was intended as a cause of love, bred a greater hatred betwixt these two Princes. Caroloman having effected nothing at Rome answerable to his desire,Carolomans death. but only discovered his foolish, and malitious jealou­sie, too apparent under his feigned devotion, returned in­to France, and there soon after died. Anno Christi 770. [Page 76] Leaving the intire Kingdom to his Brother, who had now no Corival.

Charlemagne having put away his Wife Theodora upon su­spition of incontinency,C [...]arles his second ma­riage. he married Hildegard, or Ilde­grade, Daughter to the Duke of Sueve, his Vassall, by whom he had Charles, Pepin, and Lewis, and three Daugh­ters, Rotrude, B [...]rthe, and Gille, who were the Nursery of his Noble Family. But Carolomans jealousie died not with him, but survived in his Wife Berthe, who (being impati­ent of her present condition, and thrust headlong with a spi­rit of revenge against her Brother in Law, Charles) retired with her two Sons to Didier, King of Lombardy, as to the most bitter, and irreconcilable enemy of her Brother Charles. Didier intertained her and her Children very curteously, hoping by them to promote his design: But it proved the leaven of his own destruction. His practice (together with the Widdows) was to procure the present Pope, who (Ste­ven being dead) was one Adrian, Pope A­drian. a Roman Gentleman, to Crown, and confirm the Sons of Caroloman for Kings of France, wherein the Lombard had two designs. First, by this meanes to bring the Pope in disgrace with Charle­magne, that he might the easilier suppresse him, being de­stitute of the French aides, whereon he chiefly relyed; and Secondly to set France in a flame, by setting up new Kings in it.Didiers Po­licy. Didier therefore earnestly besought the Pope to grant this favour to the Sons of Caroloman for his sake: But Adrian (well acquainted with the Lombards humour) was so resolute in denying his request, as that they fell into open hatred. And Didier being much displeased with this repulse, took Armes, and with his Forces entred into the Exarchy, being a Signory under the Popes jurisdiction,He makes Warre a­gainst the Pope. and besieged Ravenna, the chief City of the Exarchie: Whereupon the Pope sent his Nuncio to him, to expostulate the cause of this so sudden War against his Subjects; desiring him to restore what he had taken, and not to proceed in this Hostile man­ner without any reasonable cause, and that upon the pain of Excommunication.

[Page 77] At the same time there fell out a great occasion to en­crease the hatred between Charlemagne and Didier: Hunalts ingratitude For that Hunalt (who had bin before vanquished in Guienne, and to whom Charles had shew'd so much favor) very ingratefully retir'd himself to Didier, who did not only receive him courte­ously, but honored him by making him Generall of his Army which he had raised against the Pope. And Didier suffered him­self to be so far abused by the insinuations, and perswasions of Hunalt, touching the meanes to attempt something against the Estates of Charlemagne, that holding Italy undoubtedly for his own, he plotted a War, and assured himself of a cer­tain victory in France. Thus Ambition and Covetousnesse hasten mens ruine. The Pope having no other defence to secure his Estate but his Excommunication, The Pope sends to Charles for aid. which against Di­dier proved but Brutum fulmen, a meer scarecrow, he was forced to have recourse to Charlemagne, as to his Sacred Anchor, or last Hope, intreating speedy aide from him in this his great necessity. Charlemagne had great reason to Arme against Didier, who had alwayes crossed his affairs; fed and fomented his Brothers jealousies, entertained his Widdow, and Children, and laboured to have them chosen Kings of France, and all to trouble or ruin his estate. He had also received his rebellious Subjects, and with their aid, pra­cticed to make a War against him.

The sollicitation,Charles Arms a­gainst Di­dier. and request also of the Roman Church was a great incentive to induce him to Arm, against him, who professed himself to be an open enemy to the Christian Reli­gion, whereof the former Kings of France had shewed them­selves Protectors, and Guardians. But that he might not at­tempt any thing rashly, he first sent his Ambassadors to the Pope, to assure him of his good will, and promising not to [...] wanting to him in his necessitie: Yet withall, to tell him, that he thought it best, first to use mildnesse, before he at­tempted force against the Lombard. He therefore sent also his Ambassadors to Didier to summon him to restore what he had taken from the Pope, and to suffer him to live in Peace. Di­dier (who relied much upon his Policy) gave good words to the Ambassadors, promising them to perform all that Charles [Page 78] required, but in effect, he would have the Pope to accept of conditions of Peace from him, and that the Children of Caroloman should be declared Kings of France.

These demands were judged so unreasonable, that the Treaty was broken, and the French Ambassadors returned home: And Didier prosecutes his War against the Church more eagerly then he did before;Didier prospers in his Wars. and having spoiled all the Territories of Ravenna, he took Faenza, Ferrara, Comachia, Campagnia, and Romandiola, Towns of the six Govern­ments, or Hexarchy. Charlemagnes Ambassadors, upon their return, inform their Master, that the War with the Lombard could not be avoided: and they found Charles in a Posture fit to invade Italy: For he had Levyed a goodly Army to suppresse the rebellious Saxons, who (impatient of the French yoke) revolted daily from his Obedience, which Army was now ready to be imployed against the Lom­bard.

Yet was not Charlemagne willing to attempt any thing in a matter of such importance without the advise of his Estates,Charles calls a Par­liament. and therefore he presently summoned a Parliament, and (being loath to lose time) in the mean season he caused his Army to March, and to make there Rendevouz at Geneva, (a Town under his Obedience, and in the way to Italy) and having divided his Army into two Parts, he seized upon the Passages of Mount-Cenis, and St. Bernard, which are the two entrances from France into Italy.

The Estates at their meeting having found the Causes of War against Didier, Enters Italy, and beates Didier. King of Lombardy, to be just, Charle­magne caused his Army to advance with all speed, and to joyn near to Verceil. There Didier attended him and gave him Battel: But at the first encounter he was vanquished by Charlemagne. After which, the Lombard rallying, and reenforcing his Army, fights him again, and was again bea­ten, and so shattered were his Troops, that he was enforced to suffer his Enemy to be Master of the Field; which proved an infallible Harbinger to his totall Ruine. Thus having tumultuously trussed up what he could in such haste, he sent his Son Aldegise to Verona, with the Widdow and Children [Page 79] of Caroloman: and cast himself into Pavia, which he had diligently Fortified, as the Fortress, or Dungeon rather of his last Fortune.

Charlemagne pursues him at the heels,Charles be­sieges Pa­via, & Ve­rona. and with all his Forces besieged him in Pavia, resolving to have it at what price soever. And to make his resolution the more mani­fest, he sent for his Wife and Children into Italy, to the end that the Italians (who hitherto were doubtfull to whom to adhere) might know his mind, and without attending any new occurrents, might resolve to obey the Victor.

Having thus cooped up Didier in Pavia, and seised upon all the avenues, he resolved to attempt Verona also, which they held to be the strongest place in all Lombardy. So lea­ving his Uncle Bernard to continue the siege of Pavia, he marched with part of his Army to Verona.

His beginnings being so succesfull,The Itali­ans submit to him. and this Check given to Didier, (who was now, as it were, shut up in Prison,) gave a great alteration to the affaires of either party amongst these people of diverse humours. The Spoletines, and Rea­tines, and those of Ancona, of Fermo, and of Ossino (stri­ving as it were, which should be first) yielded to Charle­magne, and detested the wretched, and forlorn estate of Didier, as a worthy reward of his Treachery, Injustice, and Violence. The Venetians (who were Neuters, and specta­tors of this Tragedy, and had never dealt in any sort with Didier) offered amity and succours to Charlemagne, who de­sired them to keep the Seas quiet, lest the Emperor of Con­stantinople should espouse Didiers quarrel, and cause any new disturbance.

Charlemagne staid not long about Verona before the City began to think of yielding: and Berthe, the Widdow of Caroloman, was the chief Instrument to draw them to a sur­render, the French Forces being (as she said) very formi­dable. Aldegise, the Son of Didier, seeing the Citizens so unanimous in their resolutions to open their Gates to the Conqueror, and being unable to relieve his Father, he se­cretly stole away, and fled to the Emperor of Corstantino­ple. Then did Verona yeild to Charlemagne upon composition,Verona tak­en, [Page 80] who received both the Inhabitants, and Berthe to mercy, keeping his agreement punctually with them; upon Berthe & her Children, he inflicted no punishment; but only blamed them for their uncivil rashness, and enjoyned them to return into France, there to do better, and to live more honorably. This being about Easter, Charlemagne took the oportunity to go to Rome, where yet he staied only eight dayes to visit the most remarkable places, and to confet with Pope Adri­an. The Pope made Charles a Patrician of Rome, which was a step to mount him to the Empire. From thence he hasted, and came to Pavia, which had now been besieged for the space of ten moneths: and being pressed by Warre without, and by the Famine, and Pestilence within, it at last yeilded upon composition: and Didier (who had hated Charles without cause,And Pavia. and attempted War rashly) fell into his enemies hands, who yet shewed himself Prudent in un­dertaking the War, and mild and modest in his use of the Victory.

Thus Charlemagne having begun the War justly, and ended it happily,Didier ta­ken Priso­ner. ruined the Kingdom of the Lombards in Italy, car­rying Didier prisoner with him to Lions, or to Le [...]g; for Authors agree not of the certain place. This was Anno Christi 776. A notable date to present the Tragicall end of so great a Kingdom, which had continued in Italy for the space of two hundred and four years under Princes of diverse dispositions. But Pride, Injustice and Tyranny, had provo­ked the wrath of God against them, so as whilst they thought to take from another, they lost their own; To usurp the liberties of others, they fell into ignominious slavery them­selves; and their subtilty proved the occasion, and hastener of their ruine. An excellent Pattern for Princes and great States not to attempt an unjust and unnecessary War, nor to usurp upon any other mans right, thinking to prevail over a good cause by Craft and Policy.

Charlemagne (as was said before) used his Victory with great moderation towards the Conquered Nation,Charles his moderation which gave great content to all the Italians, who held it a gain to have lost their old Master, & to be rightly made free by being [Page 81] subject to so wise a Lord. For he left unto them their ancient liberties, and to particular Princes (such as were Vassalls to Didier) their Signeories. To Aragise, Son in Law to Didier, he left the Marquisat of Beneventum. He placed French Go­vernors in Conquered Lombardy, whom he ordered to treat these his new Subjects with the like mildnesse, as he shewed to those of his antient Patrimony left unto him by his Prede­cessors.

During the Seige of Pavia, A Councel at Rome. Pope Adrian held a Councel at Rome, in favour to Charlemagne, to give him honours answerable to his merits of the Church, wherein it was de­clared, that the right to give all Benefices throughout all Christendom did belong to him.

No sooner was Charlemagne returned into France, New trou­bles in Ita­ly, but Aldegise (the Son of Didier) sought to disquiet Italy, being assisted by Constantine, the Emperor of Constantinople, and the practises of Rogand, to whom Charlemagne had given Friul, who now revolted from his Obedience. But the vi­gilancy, and care of the Governors whom Charlemagne had set over his new-conquered Subjects, soon put an end to these Rebellions:But sup­pressed. and Rogand being taken, suffered accor­ding to his demerits, being beheaded by the Kings command­ment. Thus Italy remaining quiet to him, and his, (as con­quered by a just War) it was afterwards incorporated into the French Monarchy in his posterity, being given in Par­tage to the Children of France, whilst the good Govern­ment of the French Kings maintained the dignity of the Crown.

But the end of this War proved the beginning of another in Germany, Charles his Wars with the Saxons. whereof the Saxons were the chief promoters, drawing other People of Germany in to their assistance. This War continued the space of thirty years, yet not without some intermissions: The Saxons having still a mind to oppose and Cross Charlemagne in his proceedings, especially when he was busied in other affaires of great consequence.

These Saxons were subject to the Crown of France, e­specially under Martel, and Pepin his Son. The motives of this War were diverse: The impatiency of a People desi­ring [Page 82] their antient liberty,The cause of it. and not able to bear subjection to a forreigner: the hatred & jealousie of a Potent neighbour, threatning them with servitude: A controversie about the li­mits and bounds of their Lands: But the greatest, and most important cause was, the diversity of Religion: For the Saxons were obstinate in retaining and cleaving to their Pa­gan superstition, which they had received from their Fore­fathers, and Charlemagne urged them to forsake their Pa­ganisme, and Idolatry, and to make open profession of the Christian Faith; being moved with Zeal to the general ad­vancement of the Truth, and the private Duty of a Prince to his subjects, to provide for their soules health. Upon this controversie about Religion the Saxons fought eight times with Charlemagne: especially taking advantage when they found him busied elsewhere, watching their oportunities ei­ther to cross him in his designes, or to frustrate his attempts. At such time as he was in Italy against Didier, they played Rex, not only in rejecting the French command, but also in making War against those Cities in Germany which o­beyed Charlemagne. They had taken Eresbourg from the Crown of France even upon his return, and besieged Si­gisbourg, robbing, and spoiling all the Country round a­bout.

Charlemagne (who would never undertake any weighty matter without good advise) assembled a Parliament at Wormes, Charles calls a Par­liament. and by their Counsel and assistance, levied a great Army, to Charge the Saxons in diverse places at once. This resolution succeeded happily: For having vanquished the Saxons twice in one moneth in a pitched Field, he soon re­duced them to their antient obedience: Using his Victo­ries with much modesty and discretion; desiring rather to shew them the power of his authority, then the rigour of his force.The Saxons overcome. The chief amongst the Saxons was Widichind, and as Religion was the chief motive of their frequent Rebel­lions; so Charlemagne, seeking the establishment of the Chri­stian Religion in Saxony with great Zeal, after much relu­ctance, happily effected it. For having vanquished this Widichind, by reason and humanity, he brought him to the [Page 83] knowledge of the Truth;And con­verted. and by his grave and prudent con­versation, he perswaded him without any Violence, to leave and forsake his Pagan superstition, which force of Armes could never have effected in him, nor in the Saxons. For mens soules are not be compelled with force of Armes, but with reason. And by the meanes and endeavours of this Widichine, the greatest part of the Saxons were brought to the know­ledge of the true God, and the obedience of the French Mo­narchy: And the most obstinate were forced, either to sub­mit, or to abandon their Country. And indeed great num­bers of Saxons retired themselves into divers strange Coun­tryes.

Thus the War with the Saxons was happily ended (which had been long & dangerous) and the Conquered, by the Truth were the true Conquerors, by attaining to the knowledge of the true God. Charlemagne was very carefull to have them well instructed in the Truth: For which end he ap­pointed godly and learned men in all places, and gave them honourable maintenance, whereby he shewed that his Pie­ty was not inferior to his Valour, and happy successe; and for a president to Princes to make Religion the Soveraign end of their Armes and Authorities.

This Widichind was very eminent, both for Wisdome, Valour, and Authority in his Country; and from him are descended many famous Families: as the two Henries, the one called the Fowler, and the other of Bamberg; and the two Othos, all of them Emperors: as also the Dukes of Sax­ony, the Marquesses of Misnia, the Dukes of Savoy, and the famous race of Hugh Capet in France.

From this War of Saxony did spring up many others in the Northen parts, of which we shall hear afterwards; but be­cause in the Interim their fell out great Wars in Spain against the Sarazins, which (like a Deluge) threatned to over-run all Christendom, I shall intermit the former, till I have spoken something of this latter, that I may proceed with the more clearness in the remainder of this History.

The motive of the Spanish War,Charles his Wars in Spaine. was more upon pleasure then necessity: But Zeal of Religion gave a colour and [Page 84] shew of necessity to the Heroical designes of Charlemagne, who sought to enlarge the limits of the French Monarchy by his Armes. But this his Spanish War, as it was undertaken upon lighter grounds, so was it, more painfull, more dan­gerous, and lesse successefull then that of Italy, whereunto necessity and Duty had drawn Charlemagne; yet did his wise and wary proceeding in the action, warrant him from all blame. The occasions wh [...]ch moved him to bend his Forces against the Sarazins in Spain were, the assurance of good successe, the quiet and peace of his Realme, that he might have opportunity to imploy his Souldiery, the hate of the Spaniards against the Sarazins, and the generall fear of all Christians, least these Caterpillers should creep further into Europe.

This was the estate of Spain at this time. The Sarazins had conquered a great part of it, and were divided under diverse Commands which had the Title of Kingdoms. Yet these diverse Kings (being apprehensive of their common danger) resolved to unite their forces against Charlemagne, their common enemy; and foreseeing the Tempest, they sought to prevent it, and to cross the designes of Charle­magne: For which end, they suborned King Idnabala, a Sarazin, being a very subtile, and crafty man, to insinuate himself into the acquaintance, and familiarity of Charlemagne, which stratagem prevailed more then all their Power and Forces.

Charlemagne was much quickned to this War by Alphonso, Charles cir­cumven [...]ed. surnamed the Chast, King of Navar, & by the Asturians, and Gallizians (Christian People of Spain) who suggested to him that the War would be easie, profitable, and honourable, and therefore most worthy the Valour, and Fortune of Charlemagne. This Idnabala also (under a shew of friend­ship) laboured to hasten him to the execution of this en­terprise, from which he knew well he could not divert him, that he might the better betray him by discovering his Coun­sels to the Sarazins.

Charlemagne being wel-affected of himself,Charles cal [...]s a Par­liament. and thus exci­ted by others, assembled a Parliament at Noyon, and there [Page 85] concluded a War against the Sarazins in Spain. The army which he imployed in this action was very great, both for number of men, and Valour of Commanders, and Cheif­taines, being the most choise and worthy Captaines in all Christendom: His great preparati­ons. amongst whom, these were of chiefest note, Milon Earl of Angers: Rowland the Son of Milon, and Ber­the, Sister to Charlemagne; Renald of Montaubon. The four Sons of Aymon: Oger the Dane: Oliver, Earl of Gene­va: Arnold of Belland: Brabin, and many others. The Valour of which persons hath been fabulously related by the Writers of those dark times (who for the most part were Friers, concerning whom the Proverb was, a Fryer, a Ly­er,) with the addition of a thousand ridiculous Tales, so that the truth is hardly picked out from the midst of so much error: Yet what is most probable, and can be gathered out of the most authentick Authors shall be here set down. They say, that Charlemagne, to make this undertaking more ho­nourable in shew, did at this time institute the Order of the twelve Peers of France.

Charlemagne being entred into Spain with his brave Army,His entry into Spain. found no object for them whereon to exercise their Valour: For the Sarazins, resolving to make a defensive, rather then an offensive War, had withdrawn themselves into their Cities, which they had fortified strongly. The most re­nowned of the Sarazin Kings at this time, were Aigoland, Bellingan, Dmises, Marsile, and Idnabala: But this last, as was said before, made shew of much friendship to Charle­magne, and of open hatred against the other Sarazin Kings; with whom notwithstanding he held secret and strickt intel­ligence to betray Charlemagne unto them.

The first City that the French attempted was Pampelune, Pampelune taken. in the Kingdom of Navarr, the which they took by force, but with much paines, danger, and losse. Having sackt this City, and put all the Sarazins in it to the sword, they mar­ched to Saragoce, which yielded to them upon composition, as did also many other small Townes, being terrified with the example of Pampelune. This prosperous beginning en­couraged Charlemagne to advance forward, relying on his [Page 86] wonted Fortune and good successe: But as he passed tho­row the Provinces of Spain, like a Victorious Prince, without any opposition, he divided his Army, and gave part of it to be conducted by Milon of Angers, his Brother in Law, who in his March near unto Bayon, was set upon by Aigo­land, the Sarazin King, who in this common danger had thrust an army into the Field,Milon de­feated. and now assaulted Milon, and his Troops, little expecting any enemy, and took him at such an advantage, as he defeated him.

This losse was very great: For Writers say that forty thousand of the French here lost their lives; Milon himselfe being also slain for a confirmation of the Sarazins Victory. Charlemagne was at this time afar off, and so notable by any diligence to prevent the losse. Yet he suppressed his grief and trouble, least he should discourage the whole Army: and so hastning thitherward, he gathered up the remainder of those broken, and dispersed Troops, withall, keeping the Conquered Cities, and such as were Friends in their due Obedience: But after this there fell out another acci­dent.

Aigoland being puffed up with Pride through his late Vi­ctory,Aigoland entred France. marched with his Army into Gascoine, and besieged Agen, to divert Charlemagne from his pursuit, and to draw him home to defend his own Country.Charles returnes. So as Charlemagne, fearing least his own absence, and the Sarazins late Victo­ry should cause any alteration in the minds of them of Gui­enne, being then Subjects of whom he had no great assurance, he returned into France. Aigoland had now continued some moneths at the siege of Agen, yet had prevailed little, but only in over-runing the Country, which he did freely (with­out any considerable resistance) even unto Xaintonge: the Country-men in the mean time retiring into the Walled Townes, expected the return of Charlemagne their King: Aigolands Army was very great, and puffed up with the re­membrance of their late Victory: So as Charlemagne return­ing with his Forces from Spain well tired, he maintained his Countries more through his authority, then by present force; yet did he give life to the courage of his Subjects with his [Page 87] presence, and bridled the proud Sarazin, who could not be ignorant with whom he had to deal, nor where he was, being environed with the enemies on all sides, and in an ene­mies Country.

Hereupon Aigoland, Aigolans Policy. pretending an inclination unto peace, gave Charlemagne to understand that he had been the first Invader, and that his own comming into France was on­ly to draw his enemy out of Spain, and to cause him to leave to the Sarazins their conquered Countries free: and therefore (said he) the Treaty of an accord is easy, seeing all the question is only to leave to every man his own, and to suffer him to enjoy it quietly, the world be­ing wide enough for us all. But to the end this Treaty might take good effect, after many messages to and fro, they resolve to come to a Parlee: and upon Charlemagnes Faith given, Aigoland came to his Camp.

Charlemagne, either really moved with a Zeal for Religi­on, or at least, making it the colour of his Actions, gave the Sarazin to understand, that he should have his Friend­ship if he would leave his Pagan Superstition, be Baptised, and make open profession of Christianity. The Sarazin, although he had a goodly Army, yet not willing to ha­zard any thing, and content with his former revenge upon Charlemagne, desired nothing more then to return quietly into Spaine. And being now in the middest of his enemies Camp, to maintain his reputation, he made no shew at all of fear, but talking to his own advantage (as if no force, but only reason should move him) he entred into a serious and cunning discourse with Charlemagne, shewing, That un­necessary Wars were the ruin of mankind, and that he was grieved to see so much Blood spilt: That he had not begun, but followed, being urged by necessity to defend himself and his Country against the Forces of Charlemagne: That he was not yet so dejected, nor his Forces so weak as to re­fuse the Battel: But for that it would be an infinite losse to hazard the lives of so many men, he desired rather to make tryal of the right by some Troops, and they that vanquish­ed should be deemed to have the right, and true Religion [Page 88] on their side: Protesting to yeild to that Religion which should appear to be best upon this tryal. This Proposal, and condition was accepted by Charlemagne: The Com­bate was fought, the proof made, and the Christian Troop vanquished that of the Sarazin.

Then did Aigoland protest openly,Aigolands dissimula­tion. that he would be­come a Christian, but in heart he had no such meaning, and therefore took this opportunity to fly from his promise. He gives Charlemagne a visit, and finds him at the Table, well accompanyed with his chief followers, (for then it was the Custome of Kings not sit, and eat alone) but, casting his eye aside, he saw twelve poor men ill apparelled, sitting upon the ground, near to the Table of the Noblemen; and demand­ding what those poor, miserable Creatures were which did there feed apart: One answered, That they were the ser­vants of God: He then replyed, surely your God is of small account, whose servants are so miserable, and contemptible: And thereupon takes an occasion to retire himself, having lost nothing, but made great advantage by this Treaty: Having hereby qualified the force of Charlemaegne, viewed his Army, made shew of his own Courage and dexterity, and all, without an Ambassador.

Charlemagne on the other side,Charles re­turnes into Spain. seeing himselfe thus deluded and affronted, was resolved to take revenge for so notable a loss of men, and so bold an attempt of the Sara­zin, so that withall speed he raised an Army of a hundred and thirty thousand men, and being thus fraught with Chol­ler and indignation, he returned into Spain. His first en­try was prosperous: For in the encounter he defeated Ai­golands Army near to Pampelune, and for a Seal of his Victo­ry,Aigoland overthrown and slain. he carried [...]ay the head Aigoland his enemy, who was slain by the hand of Arnold of Belange, a Noble and Valiant Knight: But the sequel was not answerable to the beginning: For notwithstanding the overthrow of the Sara­zin Troops, all the rest in Spain were not vanquished, where there were more Kings, and more men of War, who kept correspondence with Amurath, King of Babylon, which place was their Nursery, and Storehouse.

[Page 89] Marsile and Belingand, The Sarazins Rally. two Brethren, were the chief of the remainder of the Sarazin Army, [...] Gyant slain. wherein there was a great Babylonian Gyant, called Ferragat, of an exceeding stature, him did Rowland slay, who was Nephew to Char­lemagne; after which the Sarazins gathered together the relicts of their brooken Troops, and made a shew of reso­lute men, vowing to sell their lives at a dear rate to Charl [...] ­magne, being favoured by many great, and good Townes in the Country. Charlemagne makes a sudden stop and pur­sues not his Victory, God reserving to himself a Soveraign power over all mens designes, yea, over the greatest, and in matters of greatest consequence, to the end that all may learn to ask counsell and successe of him, and it was his will, and pleasure that the French Forces should not conquer and possesse Spain, the which he had reserved as a portion for another Nation.

Thus Charles, A Treaty of Peace. who should have prosecuted his late Victo­ry vigorously, grew remiss, which encouraged Idnabala the Sarazin (who had free accesse into the Camp) to make a motion of Peace. He was a good Secretary of his own Companions minds, what shew soever he made of speaking of himself. Charlemagne (finding by his late experience that the event of Warre is uncertain and doubtfull, and that this War tended to the loss of his Subjects, who imployed both their lives and goods for the purchass of an uncertain Victory, and seeing himself overburdened with great affairs in his other Estates, to the preservation whereof reason did summon him rather then to seek for new) he seemed not unwilling to hearken to the motion of Idnabala, who as­sured him that he found the Sarazins affaires to be so despe­rate, that they would be glad to embrace his friendship at whatsoever rate they purchased it. The Treaty hereupon began, and the cheif Article was propounded, which was, that they should embrace the Christian Religion, and this Charlemagne seemed to urge with great vehemency: but finding the Sarazins obstinate in their refusall, he was con­tent to grant them peace, paying him some great summs of money, as a token that they had been vanquished by him.

[Page 90] And accordingly he sent a Noble man of his Court,A Traytor. named Ganes, to treat with them, who (being by Bribes cor­rupted by Marsile, and B [...]llingand) undertook so to order businesses, that Charlemagne should return into France, and by the way, should receive a notable disgrace: yet they seemed to make such a Composition and agreement, which in shew, was very honorable for Charlemagne: to whom they pro­mised to pay (as an Homage, and acknowledgment for the peace he should grant them) what sums of mony he would appoint, and that thereupon he should retire with his Army into France; yet leaving such Forces in Spaine as he pleased, to see the condition which should be agreed upon, perfor­med. But Ganes had discovered to them, that Charlemagne upon other accounts, was necessitated to return, and therefore desired to leave the smallest Forces that he could in Spaine.

The Agreement being thus concluded,Charles re­turns into France. Charlemagne de­parted with his Army, attending a better opportunity to ef­fect what he had designed: and he left his Nephew Rowland only with twenty thousand men, to see the conditions per­formed. And to make his passage into France the more ea­sy, he commanded him to lodge in a place of advantage, in the Pyrenean Mountaines, called Roncevaux: and so the French Army marched backwards to France, under the con­duct of Charlemagne, who little dreamed of such an affront as he shortly after met with.

Whilst the French Army were upon their retreat, Marsile and Bellingand slept not, but gathering together all the Forces they could, they lodged them secretly in the hollow Caves of those Mountaines, being places inaccessible, and wholly unknown but only to the Inhabitants of those Coun­tries. They had intelligence given them by Ganes what number of men Charlemagne had left in Spaine, Rowland assaulted. under the command of Rowland, to whom the reputation of his Uncle, and the good will of the People of Spaine in the Chiefest Townes, was of more use then his twenty thousand men, although they were the choise of all the Army. Rowland had no fear of an Enemy, when as returning to his Garri­son, [Page 91] he was suddenly set upon by the Sarazins, who were far more in number then the French, who seing them­selves thus treacherously assaulted, and compassed in, de­fended themselves valiantly against those miscreants: But still fresh Troops of Sarazins issued forth of these Caves on every side in so great numbers as that in the end, the French (tired and spent in so long and painfull a conflict) were op­pressed by the multitudes, rather then overcome by the Va­lour of their enemies.

Rowland in so great and extreame a danger (gathering together the pieces of his shipwrack) performed both the Duty of a good Commander,His Valor. and of a valiant, and reso­lute souldier, fighting gallantly, and having beaten [...]wn a great number where the enemies were thickest; he at length came where King Marsile was, whom he slew with his own hands. But Belingand, holding the Victory abso­lutely his own, pursued the French with great violence; in so much as Rowland (not able to hold out any longer) reti­red himself apart, and finding his Death approaching, he endeavoured to break his good Sword Durandall, His Death. but his strength failing him, he dyed of Thirst, through so long and difficult a combate in that hot Country: and with him dyed Oliver, Oger the Dane, Renald of Montaubon, Arnald of Belland, and other Nobles Personages, who are the sub­ject of many fabulous stories: Yet the Fame of their sin­gular virtues, and prowess is engraven in the Origi­nals of true Histories, where it shall never be blotted out.

Charlemagne having intelligence brought him of this great and unexpected losse,Charles overcomes the Sarazins returned suddenly to take his re­venge upon the Sarazins, of whom he killed an infinite num­ber in severall places: and being informed of the Treason of Gaines, he caused him to be drawn in pieces by four Hor­ses, as the only author of this miserable defeat. And being transported with a just disdain, and indignation for this so base an affront, he had purposed to have passed on in Spain to take further revenge. But the great and weighty affaires of his other Estates called him back into France to attend upon [Page 92] them. And so ended his Spanish Wars with small successe, having troubled Charlemagne at divers times,Returns into France. for the space of fourteen years. For God had appointed the limits of his designes, as reserving to himself a Soveraign power over all mens enterprizes, even of the greatest.

Charlemagne made a Tomb for his Nephew Rowland, and honoured the memory of those other worthy warriers (who died in the Bed of Honor) with Monuments: after which he was necessitated to undertake divers other Wars, both in Italy and Germany, in all which it pleased God to give him better successe.A Rebelli­on in Italy. Italy (during Charles his Troubles in Spain) had rebelled, being provoked thereto by Adalgise, Duke of [...]eventum, who endeavoured to repossesse the Race of Didier: but that attempt was soon suppressed by Charle­magne, to the cost of the Lombard Rebells: yet shortly af­ter ensued another War in Germany.

The like occasion also bred a War in Bavaria: His Wars in Bavaria For the King Tassillon, who was Son in Law to Didier, King of Lom­bardy (being eagerly pressed by his Wife, and wonderfully discontented with Charlemagne) shaked off the yoke of subje­ction, and betook himself to Armes: But Charlemagne surpri­sed him with such celerity, that Tassillon was forced to sue for Peace; which Charlemagne granted upon condition of his subjection, and loyalty: But again Tassillon, not a­ble to contain himself raised a new War in another place, as when we stop one breach, it finds [...]ent by another. He stirred up the Huns and Avars (a neighbouring People to Austria, which was one of the Estates of the French Mo­narchy) against Charlemagne, who yet suppressed them with happy successe; and Tassillon himself being again vanquished by Charlemagne, and found guilty of Rebellion and Trea­son, was condemned to lose his Estate according to the Salique Law: and with him, the Kingdom of Bavaria en­ded, being now wholly incorporated into the Crown of France.

The Huns and Avars (of whose names joyned together, the word Hungary hath been made) were also punished by Charlemagne, and brought under the yoke of the French [Page 93] Monarchy. They had formerly attempted by War to dis­quiet the Country of Austria, whom Charlemagne had at divers times opposed by his Forces,His Victo­ries. so that the War, at times; had continued for the space of eight years, and the final issue was, that all the Country obeyed him: The Danes also, the Sorabes, and Abrodites, and the Westphali­ans, (who had all joyned in this War of Hungary) were al­so brought under the obedience of Charlemagne. The li­mits of the Northen Kingdom called Austrasia, were so en­larged, that it was divided into two Kingdoms, and the Realm of Austria which joynes upon France, was called Westriech, that is to say, the Realme of the We [...] and that which is towards Danubius, was called Ostrie [...] [...] that is the Kingdom of the East, Austria being then of a greater command then it is at this day. For it contained all Hungary, Valachia, Bohemia, Transilvania, Denmark, and Poland: Then was the French Monachy of a vast extent. But all these Nations have since, either returned to their first beginning, or new Lords have seized upon them.

Thus the French Monarchy was greatly enlarged by the prowess and Valour of Charlemagne: His educa­tion of his Children. and his Children were grown up, as in age, so in knowledge & experience, through the carefull education which their prudent Father gave them; who framed them to the management of affairs, intending them to provide that they might first succeed him in his vir­tues, and afterwards in his Kingdoms. But man purposeth and God disposeth, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Hun­gary made the Roman Empire in the West, and Charlemagne being Master of these goodly Provinces, was in effect an Emperor, but only wanted the Title, and the soleme De­claration of this dignity. And shortly after, the Provi­dence of God that gave him the former, ministred opportu­nity to him for the enjoyment of the latter, which came thus to passe.

Leo was at this time Pope of Rome, A Sedition in Rome. against whom there was strange sedition raised by Syluester, and Campul, men of great credit in the Court of Rome. These men (with their adherents) upon a solemn day of Procession, seized upon [Page 94] Leo before St. Laurence Church, whom they stripped of his Pontifical Robes, cast him unto the ground trod him under their feet, and bruised his face with their fists, and having dragged him ignominiously through the dirt, they cast him into Prison: where yet he stayed not lo [...]g, being freed by a Groom of his Chamber called Albin: and so ha­ving recovered St. Peters Church, he sent to Vingise, Duke of Spoleto, intreating him to deliver him from this miserable Captivity. Vingise failed him not, but came to Rome, and carried the Pope along with him to Spoleto; The Pope freed out of Prison. Flies to Charles where yet he stayed not long, but from thence went to Charlemagne into Fra [...] whom he found full of Troubles. He complained [...] of the Romans sought to usurp his power into their han [...], and advised the King, to exact an Oath of Fidelity of them. Paschalis was there soon after him, and accused the Pope of Adultery, and other grosse Crimes. Charle­magne dismissed them both, and promised to be at Rome within a few moneths, and accordingly prepared for his journey.

In December Anno Christi 800. Charlemagne was recei­ved in Rome with all shewes of Honour,Charles goes to Rome. and within eight dayes he went into St. Peters Church, and in the presence of all the people and Clergy, he asked, who had any thing to say against Pope Leo? Paschalis, or Paschasires, and Campulus had published the Popes Crimes by Writ: but knowing how Charlemagne stood affected towards both parties, they appeared not; so none prosecuting these crimes against him,Clears the Pope upon his Oath. the Pope was absolved upon his Oath; wherein he swore by God and the four Evangelists, that all these things were false which they layed to his Charge: Whereupon the King declared him innocent, and condem­ned his accusers, and within few daies three hundred of them were beheaded in the Lateran Field for their presumption, and affectation of liberty, on the eighteenth of December; and shortly after, Charles was chosen Emperor: but before I speak of that, I must represent you with a brief view of the pre­sent estate, and condition of the Emperor of Constantino­ple.

[Page 95] The seat of the Roman Empire,The State of the Ea­sterne Em­pire. since the time of Constan­tine the great, remained at Constantinople, a City of Thrace, situated in a convenient place for the guard of the Easterne Provinces: After which, all the West being full of new Guests, who had expelled the Romanes, the name, authority and power of the Empire remained in the East, where now the State was in a strange confusion, the mother being banded against her Son, and the People amongst themselves.

Constantine the Son of Leo the Fourth, was Emperor at this time, who from his Infancy was governed (together with the Empire) by his Mother Irene: But being now come to the age of twenty years, he assumed the Government in­to his own hands.Contention about Ima­ges. There was then a great division in the East, which had been continued from Father to Son for four­score yeares together, about bringing Images into the Churches. The Bishops would needs bring them in: But the Emperors together with the greatest part of the People opposed themselves against them. This contention had its beginning under Philip Bardanes, was continued under Leo Isaurus, and from him was derived to his Son Constantine, surnamed Copronimus, and to Leo the Fourth, Son to the said Constantine. This filled all the East with infinite scan­dalls.

The same fire of contention continued in the minority of our Constantine, who was yet governed by his Mother, a woman of a violent spirit, who had undertaken the protect ō of Images,A Counsel from them. & held a Councel of many Bishops for the defence thereof: But the people growing into a mutiny, by force expelled them from Constantinople, where their Assembly was held. But Irene, being resolved to carry on her design, assem­bled another Councel at Nicea, City of of Bithinia, honored for having intertained the first general Councel under Constan­tine the Great, the first of that name: where it was Decreed, that Images should be placed in Churches for devotion. But Charlemagne did not allow of this Decree, and either him­ [...] or some other by his Command,C [...]arles a­gainst I­mages. did write a small Trea­tie against this Councel, the which beares this Title, A Trea­tise of Charlemagne, touching Images, against the Greek Sy­node.

[Page 96] This crafty Woman made choise of the City of Nicea, that the name of the ancient first Councel held there, might honour this new invention with the pretext of Antiquity: For there are some that confound the first Council of Ni­cea with the second, and Constantine the fourth with the first.

Constantine continued in the hereditary hatred of his Fa­ther, and Grandfather against Images, so as being of age, and in absolute possession of his Empire, he disannulled all these new decrees, and caused the Images to be beaten down in all places: Yet did he make all shews of respect to his Mother, yeilding unto her a good part of his authority and command: which respect was the cause of an horrible Tra­gedy. For this Woman being transported for two causes (both by reason of her new opinion, and for despight that she had not the whole Government in her own power) grew so unnatural, that she resolved to dispossess her Son of the Empire, and to seize up on it herself: And indeed the authority which her Son had left her, and the free accesse which she had unto his Person, gave her oportunity for the execution of her design.An unna­tural Mo­ther. For having corrupted such as had the cheif Forces of the Empire at their command, and won them to her with her Sons Treasure, she seized on his Person, put out his eyes, and sent him into Exile (where, shortly after, he died of grief) and took possession of the Empire.

These unnatural and Tragick furies were practised in the East, whiles that Charlemagne, by his great Valour built an Empire in the West. Irene, in her Son Constantines life time would have married him with the eldest Daughter of Charlemagne: but this accident crossed that design.

After the Death of Constantine, Irene sent to Charlemagne to excuse herself of the murther,Irene treats with Charles. disavowing it, and laying the blame upon such as had done it (as she pretended) with­out her command. And to win the good liking of Charle­magne, she caused him to be dealt withall about marr [...] (For at that time Festrude was dead) with promise to con­sent that he should be declared Emperor of the West, and [Page 97] that she also would resign unto him the Empire of the East: But Charlemagne would not accept of her profers. The No­bility and People of the Greek Empire did so hate Irene, as having suffered her the space of three years, in the end, they resolved to dispossesse her.

This Woman,Irene ha­ted and deposed, Nicephorus succeeds her. the unnatural murtheress of her own child, being thus publickly hated and detested, Nicephorus, a great and Nobleman of Greece, assisted by the Chiefest in the Court, and with the good liking, and consent of the Peo­ple, seized upon the Empire, and took Irene, whom yet he only banished, to give her oportunity and means to live better then she had done: And afterward he treated, and agreed with Charlemagne, that the Empire of the East con­tinuing under his command, the other of the West should remain to Charles.

By this Transaction of Nicephorus, He treats with Charles. and the consent of the Greeks, the possession of the Empire was ratified and confirmed to Charlemagne, and now began the Division of the Empire into the East and West. That of the west began in Charlemagne, and continued in his Posterity, whilest they were inheritors of their Fathers virtues: But after­wards it was translated to the Princes of Germany, who yet acknowledge Charlemagne to have risen from a German stock, being born at Wormes, Crowned at Spire, and inter­red at Aix, all Cities of Germany. Hitherto we have repre­sented, what Charlemagne did whilest he was King of France only: Now we are come to consider what hapned to him, worthy of Memory, whilest he was Emperor.

The deeds of Charlemagne after he came to the Empire.

The Romanists do boast that the Pope gave the Empire of the West unto Charlemagne: But the truth is, the Popes had not yet come to that hight as to pretend to a power of disposing of Empires and Kingdoms at their own pleasure: But the right of Charles came another way. For before he came to Rome Anno Christi 800. he had all France under his Government, together with Franconia, and Austrasia: [Page 98] He had subdued a great part of Spaine unto the River Iberus, from the Sarazins: His large Domini­ons. As also Saxony, West phalia, Dacia, Hungary, Istria, Dalmatia. He had likewise subdued all Italy, except Magna Graecia, and therefore he was entitled, Charles by the Grace of God King of the Frenches, Emper­or of the Lombards, and Patricius of Rome: So he stiles himself in his Epistle to Alcwin: and Alcwin in an Epistle to him stiles him, The Glorious Emperor [Gallicarum] of France, and Recto [...] & Defensor Ecclesiae: Both which Epi­stles are in the second Part of Alcwins Works. His Coro­nation was by the Decree and Prayers of the Romane Peo­ple. Sigisbert in his Chronicon, shewes the time, and cause, saying: The Romanes, who in heart were long before falne from the Emperors of Constantinople: Taking the oportu­nity that Irene had picked out the eyes of her own Son the Emperor, with one General consent they resolved to Pro­claim King Charles for their Emperor, and to Crown him by the hands of the Pope:His title to the Em­pire. So on Decemb. 25. Anno Christi 800. they Crowned him by the hands of Pope Leo, as the Emperors were wont to be Crowned by the Bishops of Con­stantinople; and the People cried thrice, C [...]olo Augusto, à Deo Coronato, Magno & Pacifico Imperatori, Vita & Victoria, And the Pope anointed him: As also his Son Pepin, whom Charlemagne, by a solemn Decree had made King of Italy. And the Pope knowing the dangers which had oft befaln himself and his Predecessors,Naucler. intreated the Emperor that he would be Protector of the Church of Rome.

Thus Charlemagne, the King of France, was advanced to the Empire, partly by Inheritance, partly by the sword, by dedition, and the Title was given him by the People, and the Bishop of Rome: yet nothing was proper to the Bishop, but the Coronation and other Ceremonies, which he performed in the name of the People, according to the Custom at Constantinople. At the same time also it was a­greed,An agree­ment be­twixt Charles and the Pope. that all the Chief men of the City, as well Ecclesi­astical, as Secular, should give their Oath of Fidelity unto the Emperor. Secondly, That the Emperors Missus should reside in the Pallace of St. Peter to decide Pleas a­mongst [Page 99] the People: and that there should be allotted for his maintenance, a part of the former Emperors Patrimony. Thirdly, That if any mans cause was perverted by the ordi­nary Judges, and the wronged person should implore the aid of the Missus, or Emperors Commissioner, for Justice; and the Missus should adjure the Judges, saying, By the Faith ye owe unto my Lord the Emperor, I require you to do this man Justice: Then none should dare to decline, either to the right hand or to the left, although the wrong were done by any of the Popes kinsmen. Fourthly, That the Mulcts which should be imposed upon any guilty person, should be equally divided between the Emperors Missus, and the Popes Missus. Fifthly, That if any goods fell under Es­cheat, they should appertain to the Church, without an expresse gift of the Emperor. Continu. Eutrop. Catal. Test. Verit.

Yet all this right was not sufficient for Charlemagne, Charles is envied. nor did he enjoy the Empire without contradiction. For he was forced to overcome the envy of this assumed Title with great sums of mony; Especially the Emperor of Constanti­nople envyed it; but Charlemagne by his magnanimity pre­vailed against their contumacy, wherein he excelled the Greeks: and he sent many Ambassadors unto them: espe­cially unto Irene, not only to treat for Peace, but about her marriage, that thereby he might the better confirme his Title: But before his Ambassadors came the second time to Constantinople (Irene being sick) the People had Crow­ned Nicephorus on the first of November Anno Christi 802.

Yet did Nicephorus renew the League with Charlemagne, which Irene had before made with him: but (as Sigonius saith) with expresse condition, that Venice should be free betwixt the two Empires.Zonar. In the mean time Nicephorus was molested by the Sarazins, and was forced to agree with them upon hard conditions: He was also molested by the Bul­garians, over whom he obtained one great Victory; but when he refused all conditions of Peace, they assembled together again to fight for their Lives and Land, in which Battel they [Page 100] overthrew,Nicephorus is slain. and killed Nicephorus, and his son Stauracius was wounded in the fight, and fled to Adrianople, where he was afterward declared Emperor. But after three Months Michael Rangabis, his Brother in Law, shut him up in a Mona­stery. Then were mutual Ambassadors sent between the two Emperors, & a perpetual Peace was concluded betwixt them.

Charles the Great was Crowned Emperor in the thirty-third year of his Raign, upon the 25^th of December, and in the fifty eighth year of his age. He fought many Battels and was always victorious. He had (as was said before) Wars with the Heathenish Saxons, which, by times, lasted thir­ty years:The Saxons oft rebell. He oft-times overcame them, and granted them liberty, upon condition that they would imbrace the Chri­stian Faith; but upon every oportunity their Duke Wedekin, shaked off both Loyalty, and Christianity. At several times when Charlemagne had obtained a Victory, his manner was to erect a new Bishoprick:Charles his Prudence. Crantz. in Saxon. So that he erected seven Bishop­ricks in that province, to which he annexed Princely Power, knowing well, that such fierce People might sooner be ta­med by Religion then by Armes.Bishop­ricks erec­ted. The places where these were erected, were, Breme, Verda, Minda, Paterborne, Os­nabourg, Hildesem, and Halberstad. But though he gave the Bishops power of Governing, yet the Nobles did not altogether loose the power of administring in Publike af­fairs. At last, because the Saxons revolted again, he removed ten Thousand of them, with their Wives and Children, into Brabant, and Flanders, and sent some French to inhabit in their roomes.

Charlemagne lived fifteen years after that he had united the Romane Empire to the French Monarchy; yet not with­out many troubles. For Grimoald, Duke of Beneventum sought to disturbe Italy in the behalf of the Lombards: Troubles in Italy. but Charles prevented it betimes, imploying against him his Son Pepin, a Worthy and a Valiant Prince: and Grimoald being vanquished, was entreated withall mildnesse, and being re­stored to his Estate, he became afterwards a very affectio­nate, and obedient servant to Charlemagne, who was a Pru­dent Conqueror, that knew as well how to use, as how to get a Victory.

[Page 101] After this it followed, that for some attempts made by the Venetians against the Empire of Charlemagne, War with the Veneti­ans. in the behalf of the Emperor of Constantinople: or (as others say) upon the false information of Fortunatus, Patriarch of Grado, that Charlemagne commanded his son Pepin, King of Italy, to make Wars against them: which he accordingly began with great resolution, and took the Cities and Fortresses which the Venetians held within the main land, and at length be­sieged the City of Venice it self, both by Sea and by Land, to the relief whereof the Greek Emperor sent a Fleet: about which Authors agree not; for some say, that Pepin wholly took Venice: Others say, that he only took some Islands thereof, and that the Plac [...] [...] is called Rioalto defended it self: How ever it was, this War continued long, Obeliers, and Becur, two great Personages, being the chief Comman­ders for the Venetians. At last Peace was concluded be­twixt them, and the Venetians had liberty to live after their own Lawes and customs, and the Venetians won great re­putation for being able to defend themselves against so po­tent and Victorious an Enemy. Charlemagne would have the Country which he had Conquered from the Lombards, to be called Lombardy, that by retaining their Name, he might somewhat sweeten their servile condition, in the ruin of their Estate.

But now Charlemagne, Charles makes his Will. finding himself old and broken, and his Children Valiant, Wise, and Obedient, he resolved to make his last Will and Testament, wherein he divided his Kingdomes between his three legitimate Sons, to wit, Charles his Eldest, Pepin, and Lewis: In which he made his eldest Son Charles King of the greatest, and best parts of France, and Germany. To Pepin he gave the Kingdom of Italy, and Bavaria, with some other Provinces. And to Lewis he bequeathed Provence, and that part of France which bordereth upon Spaine, together with some other Provin­ces. But all succeeded after an other manner then he inten­ded, God the Soveraign disposer of Kingdoms, having de­creed otherwise to dispose thereof. He endeavoured also to reduce all his Kingdoms under one Law, making choise [Page 102] of the Roman Laws above all others, both for the digni­ty of the Empire, and because they seemed to him, to be most Just and equal:He gives Laws to his Sub­jects. But the French, being loath to alter any thing in their customary Laws, desired, and obtained of him that they might be governed by the same: So as Gaul, Narbonne, (which comprehends Daulphine, Languedoc, and Provence) do use the written Laws (as the ancient Provinces of the Romans) and the rest of France observe their custo­mary Laws.

It afterwards happened that a great Fleet of Infidels which inhabited Spaine, with the aid, and assistance of some Africans, invaded the Isles of Sardinia, and Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea, for the [...] whereof, the Emperor Charlemagne sent commandment to his Son Pepin that he should send thither against them a valiant Captain whose name was Buoaredus, Infidels beaten, who took so good order as that he drove those Infidels out of those Islands, and slew five thou­sand of them in one Battel. And with no lesse good suc­cesse, the Emperor undertook an other War against the Dukes of the Bohemians, And the Bohemians, and Polan­ders. and Polanders, which is a part of the ancient Sarmatia, who infested the Countries under his Do­minions, against whom he sent his Son Charles with great Forces of Burgonias, Saxons, and Germans: And this young Charles, imitating his Father, Warred valiantly, and with discretion against them, and coming first to a Battel with the Bohemians, led by Leo their Duke, he overcame them, as he did also at other times, and at last slew Leo their Duke; the like successe he had also against the Polanders, so as at length they all became his Fathers Subjects. And for these Victories of Charlemagne he was so much feared, and renow­ned through the World, that a great King of the East; and Amurath, the greatest of all the Mahomatists, sent their Am­bassadors, with rich Presents unto him, desiring peace, and friendship: and the like did all Christian Kings.

Charlemagne thus living with honour,His War with the King of Denmarke. and in tranquillity, Godfrey King of Demark (which was a dependance of the Realm of Germany, and part of Charles his Portion, as was hinted before) made War against him. This Godfrey was a [Page 103] mighty Prince, and commanded over a large Dominion, and with great Forces came into Friesland and Saxony, where he did great harm. Against whom, the Emperor addressing himself (though he was now Old, and unweil­dy) speedily departed with a great Army: but by the way news was brought him that King Godfrey was dead, and that his Army was returned into their own Country. And upon the same day news came also,Pepin dies, that his Son Pepin (who had raigned in Italy in great prosperity) was dead in the City of Millan, which was an occasion of great grief to the old Emperor. Then did he return to the City of Aken, or Aix, unto which place Ambassadors came to him from Hermi­gius, who succeeded Godfrey in the Kingdom of Denmark, humbly desiring Peace. The like came also to him from the Emperor of Constantinople, and others also from Am­bulat, a King of the Moors, who raigned in a great part of Spaine; to all which he returned gracious answers, and granted their Petitions: withall, giving hearty thanks to God for that he was generally so well esteemed of. But after this Sunshine, an other storme returned, as the clouds return after the raine: And Charles. For it pleased God to take away an other of hs Sons, called Charles, who lay on the borders of Germa­ny for the defence thereof; so as now his whole hope rested in his third Son Lewis.

Thus man purposeth and God disposeth. Thus the Sons die before the Father. Thus we see the greatest cannot free themselves from the common calamities of mankind. Thus both great Kings, and great Kingdoms have their Period.

Thus Charlemagne lost his Children, and his great Empire her best support under God: For these two Princes (like Stars of the greater magnitude) did shine bright by inheri­ting their Fathers virtues, and Valor, leaving behind them [Page 104] Lewis their Brother, with large Territories, and few ver­tues, to Govern so great an Estate.

After the Death of these two great Princes,New ene­mies rise up. many ene­mies rose up against old Charlemagne, who seemed (as it were) to have lost his two Armes: as the Sarazins in Spaine, the Sclavonians, and the Normans in the Northern Regions: But he vanquished them all, and brought them into his obedience and subjection, old and broken as he was.

Charlemagne all his Life time held the Church in great re­verence,His love to the Church. and had imployed his Authority to beautify it, and bountifully bestowed his Treasure to enrich it: But this great Plenty, joyned with so long and happy a Peace, made the Church-men to live losely.

Charlemagne (being himself well instructed in Religion) knowing of what great importance it was, to have such as should instruct others to be sound in the Faith, and holy and exemplary in their lives, he at sundry times, called five Councels in sundry Places of his Dominions (For as yet the Popes had not challenged that Power to belong to them) for the Reformation and good Government of the Church:He called five Coun­cels. As at Mentz: at Rheimes: at Tours: at Chaalons: and at Arles: and by the advise of these Ecclesiastical Assemblies, he made and published many Orders for the good of the Church which were gathered together in a Book called, Ca­pitula Caroli Magni. A worthy President for Princes who seek true honour by virtue, whereof the care of Piety is the cheifest Foundation.

In the Preface to this Book, he thus saith, that he had ap­pointed these Constitutions with the Advice of his Presbyters, His Eccle­siastical Constitu­tions. and Counsellers: and that herein he had followed the Exam­ple of King Josias, who endeavoured to bring the Kingdom which God had given him, to the worship of the true God: Some of his Constitutions are these. He commanded to look to, and to try the learning and Conversation of such as were admitted into the Ministry. He forbad private Masses, Also the Confusion of Diocesses, requiring that no Bishop should meddle in an others Diocesse. He forbad that any [Page 105] Books should be read publickly, but such as were approved by the Councell of Calcedon. He forbad the worshipping of Saints. He commanded Bishops not to suffer Presbyters to teach the People other things then what are contained in, or according to the holy Scriptures. And Lib. 2. Ch. 3. he saith, Although the Authority of the Ecclesiasticall Mini­stry may seem to stand in our Person: Yet by the Authority of God, and Ordinance of man, its known to be so divided, that every one of you, in his own place and order, hath his own pow­er and Ministry: Hence its manifest that I should admonish you all, and you all should further and help us. He admonished Bi­shops especially, to teach both by Life and Doctrine, both by themselves, and the Ministers that were under them, as they would answer the Contrary in their accounts at the Great Day. He Ordained that the Bishop of the first See should not be called the Prince of Priests, or the highest Priest, or have any such Title, but only should be called, The Bishop of the first See. That none can lay another foun­dation, then that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus, and that they which lay Christ for their foundation, its to be hoped that they will be careful to shew their Faith, by bring­ing forth good Workes.

He held also a great Councel in the City of Frankfort, A Councel at Frankfurt of the Bishops of France, Germany, and Italy, which him­self honoured with his own presence; where, by generall consent the false Synod of the Greeks (they are the words of the Originall) untruly called the seventh, was condemn­ed, and rejected by all the Bishops, who subscribed to the condemnation of it. This was that Co [...]cel (spoken of be­fore) called by Irene at Nice, wherein the bringing of Ima­ges into Churches for devotion, was established. In a Word, if Charlemagnes medling with Italy, and his advan­cing the Pope, for confirming that which he had taken, could be excused, he was unto all Princes a patterne of mag­nificence, of Zeal in Religion, of learning, eloquence, temperance, prudence, moderation, &c. Al [...]win saith of him, Charles was a Catholick in his Faith, a King in power, a High Priest in Preaching, a Judge in his equity, a Phi­losopher [Page 106] in liberal studies,His Tem­perance. famous in manners, and ex­cellent in all honesty. He was so temperat, that notwith­standing his great revenues, he was never served at the Table with above four dishes at a meal, and those of such meat as best pleased his taste, which he used to the same end for which God created them, which was for sustenance, and to support his Body, not for shew and pomp.

His ordinary exercise was hunting when he was at leisure,His Exer­cises. in time of War: and in times of peace, he attended to such as read Histories to him, and sometimes he heard Musick, with which he was much delighted, having good skill therein himself: He was very charitable, and a bountifull Almes­giver, and so carefull to provide for the poor Christians, that in Syria, in Africa, and in Aegypt, and in other Pro­vinces of the infidels,His Chari­ty. where Christians lived, he found meanes to have Almes houses, and Hospitalls erected, and en­dowed for those that were Poor.

But there fell out a new accident, which drew our Great Charles again to Armes in his old age, and that was this; Al­phonso, King of Navarr, surnamed the Chast, by reason of his singular,His last Wars. and signall temperance in that kind, did in­form, and advertise him, that there was now a very fit opor­tunity, and meanes offered for him utterly to subdue the Sa­razins in Spain. Charlemagne (who infinitely desired to finish this work, which he had so often attempted with no great successe) gave ear to the information and advice, whereupon he raises an Army, and marches into Spain, re­lying on the Spaniards favour, and assistance, they being Christians. Indeed Alphonso meant plainly, and sincerely, but so did not his Courtiers, and Nobles, nor associates, who feared Charles his forces no less then they did the Sarazins, & if Charles prevailed, the most confident of Alphonso's servants and Officers doubted to be dispossessed of their places, and Governments by a new Master: and therefore they labour­ed to cross Alphonso, and to countermand Charles; but the Lot was cast, his Army was in the Field, and he was resol­ved to passe on: But when he was entred into Spain, he en­countered with so many difficulties, that being discouraged, [Page 107] he returned back into France, and so concluded, and put a period to all his Warlie enterprises; embracing again the care of the Church, and of Religion, as a fit subject for the remainder of his dayes.

Charlemagne was threescore and eight years old when he left the Wars,His prepa­ration for Death. after which he spent three whole years in his study, to prepare himself for Death, in which time, he read much in the Bible, and read over also St. Augustines works, whom he loved and preferred before all the other Doctors of the Church: He resided also at Paris, that he might have oportunity of conferring with learned men. There he erected a goodly University, which he furnished with as learned me [...] as those times could afford, and en­dowed it with great priviledges: For he had an exceeding great care to make it a Nurcery for the holy Ministry, that from thence the Church might be supplyed with able Tea­chers, whence also grew so many Colleges of Chan [...]ons, with sufficient revenues annexed thereunto.

Thus Charlemagne spent three years happily in the only care of his Soul, leaving an illustrious example to all Princes, to moderate, and ennoble their greatnesse with Piety, and so to enjoy their Temporal estates, as in the mean time not to neglect their eternal concernments, and to think of their departure out of this Life in time.

Foreseeing his Death (whereunto he prepared himself by these exercise) he made his last Will and Testamont, He makes His Will. leaving his Son Lewis the sole heir unto his great Kingdoms, and be­queathed to the Church much Treasure. But all things and Persons in this World have an end: His Testament was but the Harbinger to his Death; for presently after, he was taken with a pain in his side, or Pluresie, and lay sick but eight dayes, and so yielded up his Spirit unto God that gave it, Anno Christi 814. and of his age seventy one, and of his Raign forty seven, including fifteen years of his Empire: His Body was interred in a sumptuous Church which he had caused to be built in the City of Aquisgrave, or Aix la Ca­pelle, where he was born, and his memory was honored with a goodly Epitaph.

[Page 108] He was one of the greatest Princes that ever lived:His virtues. His vertues are a patterne to other Monarchs, and his great suc­cesses the subject of their wishes. The greatnesse of his Monarchy indeed was admirable:His large Dominions For he quietly enjoyed all France, Germany, the greatest part of Hungary, all Italy; and a good part of Spain. At the time of his Death he was in peace with the other Kings of Spain, as also with the Kings of England, Denmark, Balgarie, with the Emperor Leo of Constantinople, His Cha­racter. and withall the Princes of that time.

This Noble Prince was endued with so many excellent virtues that we read of very few in antient Histories that ex­celled him, so that he may be justly compared with the best of them: For in Martial Discipline, in Valour, in Dexte­rity, in feats of Armes, there are none that exceeded him. He obtained as many Victories, fought as many Battles, and subdued as many fierce and Warlike Nations as any one we read of, and that both before, and after that he was Emperor. He was tall of Stature, very well proportioned in all his members, passing strong: of a fair and grave countenance, Valiant, mild, mercifull, a lover of Justice, liberall, very affable, pleasant, well read in History, a great Friend of Arts and Sciences, and sufficiently seen into them, and a man who above all, loved and rewarded learned men. He was very Charitable in his Kingdoms, yea, in his very Court, he harboured and relieved many Strangers, and Pilgrims. In matters of Faith and Religion he was very Zealous; and most of the Wars which he made,His Zeale. were to propagate and enlarge the Christian Faith.

He (being misled by the darknesse of the times wherein he lived) superstitiously honoured, and obeyed the Church of Rome, and the Pope that was Bishop thereof, together with other Bishops and Prelates, commanding his Subjects also to do the like. He was also very devout, and spent much of his time in Prayer, Hearing, and Reading. In his Diet he was very temperate, and a great enemy to riot and excesse; and though he was Rich and Mighty, yet fed he his Body with what was necessary and wholesome, not rare, costly, and strange.

[Page 109] And yet his virtues were not without their blemishes (as the greatest commonly are not without some notable vices) For in his Younger dayes,His blemi­shes. he was much given to women, adding Concubines to his lawful Wives, by whom he had di­vers Children: But this was in the time of his youth: For afterwards he contented himself with his Wife, and for a remedy of this imperfection, though he was three or four times a Widdower, yet he ever maried again the Daughter of some great Prince or other.

To conclude all, he was an excellent Emperor, that loved and feared God, and dyed when he was very Old, and full of Honour, leaving Lewis (the weakest of his Sons) the sole heir of his great Empire, but not of his virtues: So that this great building soon declined in his posterity.

He had engraven upon his Sword Pro Deo, & Religione, For God, and Religion: He used to set his Crown upon the Bible, as our Canutus sometime put his Crown upon the Rood, both of them thereby intimating, that as all honour was due to God, so true Religion was the best Basis of Go­vernment, and that Piety was the best Policy.

[Page 110] He had five Wives:His Wives and Chil­dren. the first was called Galcena, the Daughter of the King of Galistria, by whom he had no Children. The second was Theodora, the sister (or as others say) the Daughter of D [...]di [...]r, King of Lomb [...]rdy; whom he kept not long, but repudiated her for sundry reasons. The third was Hildeb anda, Daughter of the Duke of Sue­via, whom he loved exceedingly, and had by her three Sons, viz. Charles his eldest, whom he made King of the greatest, and best part of France, and Germany: Pepin his second, whom he made King of Italy, Bavaria, &c. Lewis his youngest, to whom he left the Empire intire, his Brothers being both Dead, in their Fathers Life time. This Lewis was surnamed Debonaire, or the Courteous. He had also three Daughters; the eldest was called Ro­thruda: the second Birtha; and the youngest Giselia who would never marry. His fourth Wife he had out of Germany, called Fastrada: And his fifth and last, was also a German Lady, called Luithgranda, of the Suevian Race, by whom he had no Children.

He shewed his love to Religion by having one,His devoti­on. du­ring his Meale-times, that either read to him some part of the Holy Scriptures: or else some part of Saint Au­gustines Books, especially that De Civitate Dei: or some History. He was also a great Friend to Learning, and therefore erected three Universities: One was Padua in Italy; another was that at Boulognia: the third was that in Paris, whereunto he was excited by our Countryman Al [...] ­win, who was his Tutor.

His Sons he caused to be trained up in the Study of the Liberall Arts:His care of his Chil­dren. and his Daughters to Learne to sow, and practice good Huswifery. He alwayes wore a short Sword at his Girdle, in the Pummel whereof was en­graven his Coat of Armes, with which he Sealed all his Lawes, &c. And used to say, Behold the Sword which shall defend my Lawes, and that shall be drawn and im­ployed against those that break them. In the year eight hundred and four, The King of the Scots entered in­to the first League which was between the two King­doms [Page 111] of France, His league with Scot­land. and Scotland, which was confirmed by succeeding Kings, which occasioned one of them to adde unto their Coat of Armes a double streak of Gules with Flower de Lisses round their Escutchion, to shew that their alliance with France conduced much to the support of their Kingdome.