AN HISTORICAL TREATISE OF THE TRAVELS OF NOAH INTO Europe: Containing the first inhabitation and peopling thereof.  
As also a brief recapitulation of the Kings, Governors, and Rulers commanding in the same, even until the first building of Troy by Dardanus.  
Done into English by Richard Lynche, Gent.  Tempo è figlinola di verita. 〈…〉 
LONDON, Printed by Adam Islip. 1601.   

To the Worshipful my very good and Master Peter Manwood ●auile.  
SIr, being wholly unfurnished of any other means to testify my gratefulness for your many kindnesses towards me, and thinking it unfit that they so long should sleep obscured or publicly unacknowledled, I judged it irrequisit by dedication of these few lines unto you (disabled by Fortune for any other fashion) to let you know how much I desire to be found thankful to an assured friend. The matter handled, challengeth no great worth, the manner in the dressing of it less, and yet my endeavours to deserve the continuation of your love, not to be rejected: as Time shall beget a more opportune occasion, my industry shall not slack to apprehend the same, from which (it may be) may be produced a better-shaped issue: till when and ever after I rest  
Yours in all sincere affection and fidelity, assured, Richard Lynche.   

❧ A TREATISE OF the travails of Noah into Europe, containing the first inhabitation and peopling thereof.  
TO begin with the genealogy of Dardanus (the first founder and erecter of the city of Troy) it is requisite that we take for our chiefest guide therein the first prince and Patriarch of the world, called Noah, surnamed Gallus; following herein most especially, the chronicle of that authentic writer, Berosus the Chaldean: who indeed of all others most accordeth with the writings and holy works of Moses in the old Testament; for as much as the Chaldeans generally addicted themselves to letters: unto which they were alured and persuaded by Noah, showing them the use of History, and therein the true particulars of the creation of the world, until that very time wherein they then lived; which also Noah himself learned and was instructed in by his father Lamech, who likewise received his knowledge from his grandfather the Prophet Enoch, before he was transported into the heavenly Paradise: and this Enoch had it by tradition from the first father Adam, who was possessed therewith by divine instinct and holy inspiration. Let us now therefore attend what this Berosus the Chaldaean will deliver unto us, being a most renowned, ancient, and grave author, who flourished not long before the times of Alexander the Great; and unto whom (as Pliny in his Natural history reporteth) the Athenians for his great wisdom and eloquence, erected in their university a most stately and gorgeous statue to his own shape and similitude, whose tongue they guilded over with most pure and resplendent gold. This Berosus we will in this Treatise much rely upon, adjoining withal unto his authority other authors of great worth, learning, and antiquity.  
No (according to S. Jerome in his interpretations of Hebrew words) signifieth as much as resting or easing of a man's self; and he was the son of Lamech, which signifieth humility. This Noah by the descriptions of old writers was taken in those days to be a Giant, in respect of his extraordinary stature, proportion, and corpulency: and he was about the age (as Moses also in the sixth chapter of Genesis affirmeth) of five hundred years, when he begat of his vile Ty●● (otherwise called Aretia) these his three first sons, Se●, which interpreted, signifies famous, otherwise called Melchisedech: I'm the second (though Berosus affirm him to be the youngest) which signifies subtlety or craft: and japhet, which signifies liberty or freedom: with these his three sons, No and his family lived in a city called Enos, which was the first city in the world, and was built by Cain the son of Adam, at the foot of the mountain Libanus in the land of Syria, and in the particular province of Phoenicia, not far from the famous city of jerusalem, situated in the holy land.  
In this city of Enos, and in many others thereabouts, inhabited and lived many most deformed, fierce, and terrible giants, who by reason of their unmatchable strength and indomitable powerfulness, ruled and overswaied all those people thereabouts at their pleasure, committing many odious and ungodly deeds, and living a most dissolute and vicious life, engorging their luxurious appetites with surfeits of adultery and libidinous conversation, as void of shame, the law of nature, and the fear of God.  
In these times many very learned Astronomers and wise soothsayers gave out prophetical divinations of the sudden approaching destruction of the universal world, which their forewarning prognostications they engraved and cut forth in pillars of marble and stony monuments, to signify thereby unto the world, their knowledge of such future and sure happening accidents. All this notwithstanding, these obstinate and heart-hardened Giants persevered in their impious and detestable practices, tyrannising and oppressing without all measure, addicting themselves to the finding out of weapons, shields, and other warlike accoutrements, as also to the making of tents, pavilions, and such like expedient necessaries for the field: wholly excluding all thoughts of any alteration or change to ensue: only the good giant Noah, among all the rest, feared God, and was obedient to his laws, with all the rest of his family and household, which was Titea his wife, Sem, Cham, and japhet, their children, and Pandora, Noela, & Noegla, their wives: all which, No instructed in modesty and good manners, and in the reverence and fear of their sovereign Creator. He therefore, as well by divine commandment, as by the science of Astronomy, by which he gathered the overthrow and confusion of the world, began to frame and fashion that huge ship or Ark, which we so often read of in holy scriptures, & which was appointed from above to be the means of the salvation and preservation of human kind. No, when he saw this general inundation to approach and show itself, conveyed him and his family into this Ark, when presently all the world, and all things else therein (this excepted) were overwhelmed and subverted under the raging fury of this so strange and all-devouring deluge: and this was performed on the eighteenth day of April, in the six hundred year of the age of Noe. And hitherto was accounted the first age of the world, according as Philo the jew in his computations affirmeth.  
The world thus universally drowned and kept down under the all-subduing power of the waters (Noah and his family excepted) in the end they began again to sink back and retire into the earth, which when No perceived (his Ark then resting on the top of the high hill Gordicus in Armenia) by the will and commandment of God, he with the rest (which were seven) came out of his ship, and descended down unto the new-dried land: which was performed eight hundred thirty three years before the foundation of Troy, & before the incarnation of Christ two thousand three hundred and seventeen years. No then seeing himself thus left the sole King, Monarch, Emperor, Patriarch, Lord, and Master of the whole universal land, remained wondrously astonished at this so strange and sense amazing accident: and passing along the land, he found on a plain a fair pillar of marble, whereon he carefully engraved and set down the deluge and general inundation of the world in the form of an historical discourse: & this stone (as it is reported) is called at this day by the inhabitants thereabouts, Myri-Adam, which interpreted, signifies the issue of No; and it standeth in the country of Armenia, being a great province in Asia the great, which affronteth towards the East the Hyrcanian sea, towards the South lies Mesopotamia, towards the North Colchos and Albania, and towards the West, Cappadocia; and through the midst of it run the two famous rivers, Tigris and Euphrates, of all which countries, hereafter in this history more at large shall be spoken. It is written, That No begat of his wife Tytea after the flood, thirty children, viZ. Tuyscon the Giant, Prometheus, jupetus, Macrus, and the sixteen Titans which were all Giants: also Cranus, Granaus, Oceanus, and Tipheus; and of daughters, Araxa surnamed the Great, Regina, Pandora, Crana, and Thetis: some authors do allege more, but for brevity's sake we will not further contend with others opinions. No thus living in Armenia, instructed these his children in the knowledge of sacred Theology, and in rites belonging to religion and holy sacrifices, as also in the understanding of human manners and secrecies of Nature, of which he himself had composed many books, which afterward the priests and churchmen of Scythia and Armenia, preserved and kept a great regard and reverence. For this cause he was called among the Scythians Ogyges Saga, which interpreted from the Scythian language, signifies as much as, Great Patriarch, sovereign Priest, and mighty Sacrificer. And this Berosus affirmeth, saying: Primum itaque dixerunt Ogygam Sagam, 
Berosus.  id est, Illustrem sacrorum Pontificem Noam: he also taught and instructed them the knowledge of the course of the planets, and divided the year into twelve months, according to the course and circumference of the Moon: he also by his study of Astronomy and observance of the celestial motions, could prognosticat of the alterations of weather in the year succeeding: for which causes the Scythians and Armenians very highly honoured him, thinking him to partake of the divine nature and supernal knowledge, and therefore called him Olybama & Arsa, which is as much as to say, the Heaven, and the Sun: and they afterward also built and named many great cities in his name and of his wife Titea, so much were they honoured for their virtues and godly conversation. He further taught those people the use of agriculture and tillage of the ground, and also the finding out of the use of the grape, and the manner to plant vines and other necessaries for their more easy living, whereupon he was entearmed also janus, which in the Scythian tongue, signifies the giver of wine. But as he was the first that found out the use thereof, so was he the first that felt the power and virtue of it, who not being able to endure the fume and mighty strength of the operation thereof, in a great feast whereto he had envited many of his friends, fell extremely drunk, and so overcome therewith, as he lay sencelesly sleeping in unseemly manner amid these his guests and friends so envited: such was the fury of that newfound drink.  
Among all the sons of Noah, Cham was the least in his father's favour, who also by reason of his Magic art (wherein he had great knowledge) was called Zoroast, who wholly gave himself over unto all incivility and rude behaviours, following the abominations and vices of those horrible giants before the flood: he, as hating his own father, for that he saw himself least beloved of him, as he saw him thus lying drunk (using some charms of enchantment) took now the time of revenge, and by his Magic so bewitched his father in those places of generation, that he disabled him ever after to have the use of women, or to get more children: for these and other such his detestable impieties, he incurred the wrath and displeasure of God, in most grievous manner, and was afterward banished from his father; who afflicted him with no more punishment therein for such his unnatural deed so committed.  
human kind through the succession of time, so much increased and multiplied, that they were now enforced to seek out some new habitations and places of abode: whereupon the good Patriarch Noah, surnamed janus, began to exhort the princes and chief of his family, to put themselves in search for other countries and places of residence, and there to build and erect villages and cities, for the society of human conversation: and he thus allotted unto them their regions and quarters, where to populat and inhabit. To Sem, surnamed Melchisedech, he appointed Asia the great, which in itself contains the half of the world: and he had with him in his company xxv. Rulers of his family. He afterwards built the city of Salem, now called jerusalem, and he lived even until the time of Abraham. Unto japhet his brother was allotted Europe, and he had with him fourteen rulers of his generation: and unto these two, No bequeathed his blessing most amply, according as the scripture maketh mention: As for Cham, although he was out of grace with his father, yet had he his inheritage also allowed unto him, which was the other third part of the world, as hereafter shall be farther spoken of.  
Friar john Annius of Viterbe, the expositor of our author Berosus, doth recite, that Philo the jew (another very ancient author) doth write, That in the hundred year after the deluge, No to show and instruct his children in cosmography, went upon the mountains which overlook the Pontic sea (part of which is now called Mare Mediterraneum) and there showed unto his son Sem all the Asiaticke seas, from the flood Tanais in Tartary unto the river Nilus in Egypt: unto Cham he showed all the rivers issuing from the seas of Africa, and from thence through Egypt to the straits of Gybraltar: and to japhet all the rivers and floods of Europe, passing from those straits, through Spain, France, and Italy, and those countries round about; into which country of Italy No also afterward arrived, and left behind him certain of his people in that part of the country where Rome was long after built, which was eight hundred years after the flood: from thence he passed unto the coasts of Greece, and entered into the straits leading to Constantinople, by the sea called Mare Major, and so again to the floods of Tanais in Tartary, from whence he first set forth. And it is to be noted, That as he passed through all those countries, he always left people behind him to inhabit and increase in those countries, destributing unto every number certain quarters to remain in: and after this time, in short space many countries were again reinhabited and peopled afresh, which since the flood were desolate, and lay naked and depopulat.  
About the one and twentieth year of this his return from the above written voyage, No began to divide kingdoms, & also to erect monarchies in the world: of which the first was the monarchy of Babylon, over the which, Nembroth the Giant, the son of his nephew Cus, who was the son of Cham, was first of all established, in the hundred and one and thirtieth year after the inundation; and he was called the first Saturn or king over the Babylonians and Assyrians, who afterward in a fair Campania called Sennaar, laid the foundation, and erected the great tower and city of Babel, which he had caused to be built even to the height of the highest mountains, but after by the confusion of languages it was given over and left unfinished. Nembroth after this lived in peace and tranquillity 56 years.  
Not many years after the setting up of the monarchy of Babylon, No divided four particular kingdoms in Europe, viz. the kingdom of Italy, Spain, France, and of Almaigne: for in Italy reigned Comerus Gallus, the eldest son of japhet: in Spain ruled Tubal (called also jubal) the fifteenth son of japhet: in France Samothes (surnamed Dis) japhets' fourth son: and over Almaign, (now called Germany) governed the Giant Tuyscon, one of the sons of Noe. And so likewise in many other places of the world were several governements and kingdoms then erected, which now to recite, were tedious and impertinent to our purpose; & every one of them a long time kept and were contented with their quarters so allotted unto them, and imposed laws and edicts unto their people, and they called the country after their own name, as also many mountains, rivers, and towns were so entearmed, to the end, that all succeeding posterity might know by what means and by whom such cities and other monuments received their first ground and foundation.  
After these kingdoms and governements erected, and the earth now again well peopled, No now undertaketh his second voyage into Europe, leaving Sabatius Saga his nephew, and brother to Nembroth king of Babylon, to govern and command over the country of Armenia, from whence he now departeth with purpose to visit his children, and to know of their estates. And this Sabatius Saga (called also Saturn) had all the country even unto the land of Bactria, lying towards India (at this day called Tartary) under his rule and authority. These things at home thus established, No (surnamed janus) with his wife Titea, and many multitudes of people beside, began his voyage (which was eight score and nine years after the flood, and in the eight and thirtieth year of the reign of Nembroth) towards Hyrcania, which he then peopled, and called them after his own name janij. From thence he came to Mesopotamia, where also he left behind him many people to inhabit: and from thence he attained the country called Arabia Foelix, where he erected two cities, the one called Noa, the other Ianinea, furnishing them with inhabitants: after, he passed from thence, and came into Africa, which part of the world he first assigned unto the government and sovereignty of his second son Cham, but at that time there ruled Triton the son of Saba, which was the son of Cus, the eldest son of the same Cham. This Triton received Noah and his company with great joy and gladness of heart, and he stayed there some half a year, in which time Triton died, and left his son Hammon inheritor to the kingdom of Africa, otherwise called Lybia. After this, No passed forward, and at the length arrived in Spain, which was two hundred fifty nine years after the flood, and in the tenth year of the reign of Ninus the third king of Babylon.  
jubal or Tubal, the fift son of japhet, and the first king of Spain (as all histories do affirm) received his grandfather Noah janus, and his grandmother Tytea, with honourable entertainment and all gladsome willingness: who also were exceeding joyful to see the prosperous estate of their nephew jubal, for so much as they found, that he governed his people with great justice, policy, and good laws, as Berosus in a certain place allegeth, saying: Anno Nini quarto Tuyscon gigas Sarmatas, legibus format apud Rhenum: Idipsum agit jubal apud Celtiberos (hoc est Hispanos) & Samothes apud Celtas. No therefore to help his nephew for the better peopling of his country, founded there two great cities, calling the one Noela and the other Noegla, in remembrance and honour of those his two fair daughters, so called, being the wives of japhet and Cham: & after this, departed for Italy to his nephew or grand child Comerus Gallus, the first son of japhet, whom before he had appointed to be king of that country. In this voyage, and in his remain in Spain, were spent nine years. Now it is not written, whether he went this journey into Italy by land or sea, notwithstanding it is very likely, and agreeth with good probability, that in this his voyage he would not pass by without visiting the wise prince, his nephew Samothes, the brother of jubal king of Spain, who was by his appointment created the first king of France, as is before touched, and he had reigned about this time six score years, and lived after this in peace and tranquillity five and thirty years and upward.  
The second time of the coming of janus thus into Italy, was in the time of his age eight hundred and threescore years (and now eight score since his last departure from thence) where thinking to find Comerus Gallus, he now understood that he was dead, and that his son Cham, (contrary to the appointment of Noah) not contented with the sovereign domination of Africa, had there wrongfully usurped the signory of Italy, and had now commanded over that country five and twenty years or thereabouts: and which was worse, as all the other kings in Europe had instructed and governed their people in civility, manners, and education, he contrary to such their good examples, had most abominably corrupted the youth of Italy with all manner of impieties, vices, and odious sins, which he with the help of those people (called Aborigines, which he brought along with him to people the country) made them to embrace, entertain and live in. No upon the knowledge of this, waxed marvelous heavy and discontent, as sorrowing for the ungodliness of his own son, and suffered him thus for the space of three years to continue therein, hoping daily to see some amendment or other in him: but finding him to persever therein, and rather to increase in it than otherwise, he banished him, with a certain number of people with him, from out the confines of Italy; from whence departed, he arrived in the Island of Sicilia, where he with his company long after lived.  
janus then taking upon himself the kingdom of Italy, which was now two hundred threescore and twelve years after the flood, he began like a careful governor to root out and separate the infectious sheep out of the whole flock, least with their impurities all should be corrupted, and so he chose out a certain number of people which were tainted with the vices of their commander that last ruled (and which people were called Aborigenes) & commanded them to departed out of the country, over the river Tybre, first called janiculum: which thing they performed and demanded for their queen and governess Crana, noah's daughter, which he also granted them: and he appointed a kingdom and government for them, and they were as is already said, called Aborigines, & those which were left in Italy, were called janigines, after his own name. He had not long reigned here, but he caused to be built on this side of the river Tybre, towards Tuscania, a marvelous great city on the top of a high mountain, which he then called janiculum, & after that Vaticanum, and since the town of S. Peter of Rome, and it was seated on the same place, which at this day S. Peter's church standeth upon, as also the Pope's palace, called at this day in Italian, Belvedere, which is as much as, The fair sight. Round about those countries to the river Arnus, which passeth through Florence, to the bounds of Sardinia, did No cause to be inhabited and made populous in those days: wherein also he built and erected many most beautiful cities, which he called Aryn Ianas, id est, ex Iano exaltatas: and he began then also to write and set down laws and institutions for the  administration of justice, and government of Commonweals, which he first prescribed in the city of Vetulonia, called since Viterbe: and instructed the people also in the sciences of Physic, Astronomy, and Divinity, and in the ceremonious rites and customs belonging to holy sacrifices; and of these also he made many and several books.  
It hath been mentioned before, how that upon noah's last departure out of Armenia, he constituted and established his nephew Sabatius Saga, surnamed Saturn, to rule as King and Patriarch over that country; wherein he afterward reigned peaceably, even until the time of the reign of jupiter Belus, the son of Nembroth, the second king of Babylon: who yielding unto his disordinate desires, and coveting to command as sole Monarch of the whole world, was the first violater & infringer of the ordinances appointed in those days, and by whose means the golden age afterward lost such her title, and never since was called so: for before such his over haughty humours, all things were peaceable, common, & free. This jupiter endeavoured by all devises possible to overturn the greatness of Sabatius Saga, surnamed Saturn, and commanded also his son Ninus to undertake all means how to bring him and his family to death and destruction: which thing they jointly effectuated so far, as hardly escaped he the snares and subtleties laid to entrap him. Saturn therefore seeing himself in those dangers and casualties, to be deprived of all dignity and command, for succour and refuge fled unto his grandfather Noah, there hoping to be protected, safe guarded, and defended, which thing also Virgil thus remembreth: Primus ab ethereo venit Saturnus Olimpo, 
Virgil. Whereupon Poets feign, that Saturn was banished heaven by jupiter.  arma jovis fugiens & regnis exul ademptis. No, according to the expectation of Saturn, friendly entertained him, & gave him many gracious signs of his welcome & wished arrival: and for to honour him the more, and to show the effects of his friendship and good will towards him, created him the Commander, King, and Patriarch of the Aborigenes, whom lately we specified: and there caused him also to build a city, which he called after his own name, Saturnia, hard by that of janus, called janiculum; in which very place at this day one part of Rome, which lieth on the other side of the river Tybre, standeth, and is erected; as Virgil also in his Eneidos mentioneth, 
Virgil.  where he bringeth in Aeneas speaking to Evander, saying: Haec duo preterea disiectis opida muris, Reliquias veterum vides monumenta virorum, janiculum huic, fuerat, illi Saturnia nomen. janus then and Saturn thus reigning together, Titea the great, noah's wife, began in those times first to set up the order of Nuns, and ceremonies of Vestal virgins, inventing then the setting up of lights and lamps in the churches and temples dedicated to the profession of virginity and chastity, which custom was in those days very reverently regarded, and endured in great honour and reputation, even unto the time of the Romans. Saturn likewise very painfully instructed the people in tillage, and in the nature of soils, wherein he had great skill and knowledge, as also in the ceremonies of religion: and not long after (having instituted his son Sabus to be the successor to the kingdom of the Sabines and Aborigenes) he died, in the three hundred and forty fourth year after the inundation of the world. In the very same year also, No janus finding & perceiving his end to approach, and that now his lustiness and vigour of spirits began to shrink and decrease, created one of his sons, called Cranus, the King and Patriarch over the janigenes (which are now called Tuscans) and the sixth year after departed this life, and gave up to his maker, his noble and heroic spirit: which was after he had reigned in Italy fourscore and two years, and after the flood three hundred forty six years, before the foundation of Troy four hundred and fourscore, and before the incarnation of Christ, one thousand nine hundred threescore and seven years, and in the age of the same Noah, nine hundred and fifty.  
The death of this good King and Patriarch possessed almost all the people in the world with great sorrow and lamentation, and especially the Armenians and Italians, who in most honourable manner celebrated his obsequies with such their then used rites and ceremonies, and afterward dedicated and attributed unto him divine honours and godlike adoration, building and consecrating temples and holy altars unto him, calling him by diverse and several names and titles, as the Sun, the Heaven, the Seed of the world, the Father of the gods, the Soul of the world, the God of peace, the giver of justice and holiness, the expulser of things hurtful: also their children and successors called him janus, Geminus, Quadrisons, Enoirius, Ogyges, Vertumnus, Vadymon, Protheus, Multisors, Diespiter, and jupiter: and they invented all manner of honours and strange worships to reverence and adore him: they also shaped forth his picture into divers forms and fashions: sometimes setting him forth with two faces, to signify thereby his wisdom upon every matter and every occasion: sometimes also with four faces, to denotate thereby that he was the god of the year for that he had so divided it into four several parts, being the Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, 
Macrobius.  as Macrobius in his Saturnals also remembreth, saying: janus apud nos in quatuor partes spectat, ut demonstrateius simulachrum èphaleris advectum: Afterwards, the Phoenicians portrayed him forth in the form of a Dragon, biting her tail, to show thereby the roundness, and the beginning and ending of the year. In honour of him also at this day the first month of the year is called after his own name januarius, 
Servius.  as Servius in his Aeneidos affirmeth. The ancients likewise have shaped him forth with two keys in his hand, to show thereby that he was the invent or of gates and doors, as also of the locking of them and making them fast, to the end, that the holy temples and sacred places should not be polluted with the impious abuse of thieves and uncivil persons, and to avoid adulteries and other such like sins then reigning; and of his name since have all doors and gates been called januae. In many other sorts and forms have the ancients defigured the image of this Noah janus, as Propertius and many others have written, who in the fourth book of his Elegies, thus speaketh: 
Quid mirare meas tot in uno corpore formas?  
Accipe Vertumni signa paterna dei  
Tuscus ego Tuscis orior, etc.   
And undoubtedly, there hath not been read of any that lived so uprightly and justly as this Patriarch Noah, neither that ever any had such honours, reverence, and godlike adoration done unto him, both in his life time, and after his death, who also was among those people in those days called God: neither is it to be wondered, that in those elder times there were so many gods held & worshipped among the ancients, for so much as it is to be understood, That in those days all those princes, rulers, and governors that had lived virtuously, justly, and godly, and had commanded their people with mildness, equity, and uprightness, were entearmed gods, and that also without performing any idolatrous adoration or reverence unto them, as Metasthenes, an ancient author and historian of Persia affirmeth, where he thus saith: Ante Nynum ducentis & quadragintà novem annis regnatum fuit sub tribus dijs regibus, quorum qui primus universo imperavit orbi, fuit Ogyges, qui prefuit inundationi terrarum, etc. Cathon also, another very ancient writer, thus speaketh: Italia complura a dijs & ducibus sortita fuit nomina, à jano janicula quem quidem Enotrium dictum existimant, quia invenit uvum & far. And for these and such like reasons, Moses and other godly patriarchs were called gods, not that they were so in essence, but only in participation, as in the seventh chapter of Exodus it is written: Ego te dedi deum Pharaoni: and in the the three and twenty chapter, Dijs non detrahes, & principem populi tui ne maledicas. Further also the Prophet David thus saith: Principes populorum congregati sunt, cum deo Abraham, quoniam dij fortes terrae vehementer elevati sunt.  
These things are thus so amply and at large exposed, to the end, that the reader of this Treatise should not so much marvel or wonder when mention is made in this book of gods and goddesses, which in those days were so much observed and reverenced. 
Ovid.  Ovid rehearsing the words of this Noah janus, and showing that in his death the golden age ceased, thus saith: 
Tunc ego regnabam patiens cum terra deorum  
Esset, & humanis numina mixta locis  
Nondum justitiam, facinus mortale fugarat,  
Vltima de superis illa reliquit humum,  
Proque meta populum, sive ut pudor ille regebat,  
Nullus erat justis reddere iura labour  
Nil mihi cum bello, posts pacem que tuebar, etc.   
And as Noah was among these ancients thus honoured and adored, and temples and altars consecrated unto him: so also was Titea his wife held in great reverence, worship, and holy esteem, who was called also Vesta, Aretia, Terra, Regina sacrorum, magna Cybele's, Materque deorum, atque Vestalium Princeps, sive Abbatissa, as Berosus and other writers affirm. Having thus touched the death of this good Patriarch Noah, it shall not be now impertinent something to remember and speak of the wicked and abominable life of his degenerate son Cham, which although of itself it be worthless of any recapitulation or recital, yet to descend to the lineal genealogy of the Lybian Hercules the Great, it cannot be well omitted: from which Hercules, Dardanus the first founder and erecter of Troy, descended and came.  
It hath been already specified, how Noah dividing the universal earth unto his children, and how Cham abounding in all vices and detestable courses, notwithstanding was not deprived of his portion, but had his right of inheritance justly allotted unto him, which was the third part of the world, and particularly Africa to the hither part of Egypt; for which countries he was commanded by his father to departed, with his wife Noegla, and five and thirty rulers (which is as much to say, as the chiefs of family of his blood and house) as also with all their children and issue: which was accordingly performed, and presently he established himself as king and Saturn of Egypt, where he erected and built a city called Chemmyn: and among them also, he himself was called Pan, and Silvanus, which people likewise (so engendered and issued of that family) to honour and worship him the more, and to show their love unto him, lived in all impious and ungracious manner, perpetrating most odious and soule-damning villainies, affirming publicly, That men ought lawfully to have the company of their own mothers, sisters, and daughters, in all lusts and concupiscence of the flesh; and other many most inhuman and shameful acts, not to be recited. And to show that they gloried and boasted in the wickedness of such their king and ruler, they entearmed him by the name of Cham Esenuus, which signifieth their infamous god Pan. And thus he ruled in Egypt long time, even unto the six and fiftieth year of the reign of jupiter Belus, the second king of Babylon: in the which year he began to travel, and came into Italy (which was then called Kytim) to his brother Comerus Gallus, the first king of that country; after whose death, I'm presently usurped and undertook that mighty government: who in stead of virtuous instructions and godly laws, in which all other princes round about him, his kinsmen (commanding Germany, Spain, and France) had instructed and taught their people, clean contrary infected the youth of Italy with all manner of impieties, incivility, and corruptible vices: persuading them (being of themselves well addicted) to usury, robbery, murder, poisonings, and the study of the Magic art, who by reason of his own great skill therein, was surnamed Zoroaster, and was the first inventor and practiser of that vild and diabolical learning, of the use of which he composed and writ many books, and he was called generally throughout the world, Cam Esenuus, id est, Cam infamis, & impudicus, propagator. Some have thought, That the Turk for those and such like causes, is called in his letters patents, le grand Cam de Tartary.  
It is written, That Cham had one sister which was called Rhea, married to Hammon king of Lybia, who also was enamoured of one other fair woman, called Almanthea, and had of her by adulterous means, a son, whose name afterwards was Dionysius; which child was secretly brought up and nourished in a certain city of Arabia, called Nysa: notwithstanding, the matter was not so closely & cunningly handled, but his wife Rhea had privy advertisements thereof. Whereupon in despite and jealous discontent, she forsook her husband, and went home to her brother Cham (then abiding in the Island of Sicilia) who presently married and espoused her, and (as some writers hold) his wife Noegla being alive: but of this other he afterwards got many children, as Cus the father of Nembroth, the first king of Babylon, Typhon the giant, and also many others.  
Cham and his own sister Rhea thus married together, they consulted and advised to be revenged of king Hammon of Lybia, and to that effect raised a great army of men, and with the assistance and help of their brothers (the sixteen giants) they set forwards from Sycilia, and in the end arrived within the territories and confines of Lybia, where they gave king Hammon battle, and in the field overthrew and vanquished him, so that he was glad to fly into the Isle of Crete (now called Candia:) not long after this, Rhea had a son of her husband Cham, called Osiris, afterwards surnamed jupiter justus, who proved a most noble and gallant prince, far differing from the wicked humours and dispositions of his father.  
After this, about the three and fortieth year of the reign of Nynus king of Babylon, Dionysius the son of king Hammon and of the fair Almanthea, now being come to age and of man's estate, began now to think upon the wrong offered unto his father by Cham & Rhea, in usurping the command of Lybia, and determined accordingly to be revenged upon them, which also he afterwards performed, and expulsed them again out of the country, investing himself in the regalty thereof. Notwithstanding, he used Osiris (the young son of Cham and Rhea) with great clemency and mercy, and received him as his adopted child, and in remembrance of his father called him also Hammon and jupiter: and brought him up very carefully in the study of letters and other necessary gifts: over whom he appointed as schoolmaster and tutor, a learned man called Olympus, of whom afterwards Osiris took his name, and was surnamed Olympicus. After that Cham and his wife and sister Rhea were thus discomfited and overthrown by Dionysius the new king of Lybia, and now retired with such disgrace into the furthermost and obscurest corners of Egypt; Rhea was presently upon this, delivered of a daughter called juno, which was also called Isis the Great: and this was in the first year of the reign of Semiramis, which was three hundred and two years after the flood: and this Isis was accounted for the fairest, as also the best disposed lady of the world. But her unfortunat & wicked father Cham, now remaining in Egypt (as hath been already specified) was not contented with such his habitation there, but seeking further (as over ambitiously inclined) arrived in the country of Bactria, not far from Persia, where he so wrought and prevailed with his diabolical skill of necromancy, that he subjugated and brought under all those people thereabouts, insomuch as he there reigned in great puissance, pride, and mightiness: and yet not with this satisfied, gathereth great troops and armies of men, and invadeth the Assyrians, against whom marcheth their king called Nynus the young, the son of the before mentioned Semiramis, whose fortune was such, as he victoriously triumphed over his enemy Cham, suppressing his glory, rule, and haughtiness, he himself being in that battle slain, and all the army shamefully discomfited.  
Many writers have affirmed, That this Cham was a man of singular ingenuity and sharp capacity, and that he first found out the seven liberal Sciences, and had wrote many books of great worth, among which, his chiefest were of necromancy, of which, most part of them were burned by the beforesaid Nynus. Some also say, That he only in the world came out of his mother's womb laughing and with a smiling countenance, which is an uncouth thing, and (as most hold) prognosticating no good. Unto this Cham, Typhoon the Giant (his eldest son by Noegla) was heir, and also succeeded him in humours and malicious dispositions, who was brought up in Egypt, & there continued. And now also it shall be fit to revert our history unto the two youngest children of Cham Zoroaster, which excelled in all good parts and virtuous inclination as their father abounded in the contrary, & that was that Osiris before spoken of (the adopted son of Dionysius, king of Lybia) and Isis his sister, the fairest & best accomplished damosel in the world, whom afterward he took to wife and married, with whom he had also the kingdom and principality of Egypt. These two now newly espoused, he being of threescore years of age, and she about fifty (and yet our author Berosus terms them very youthful) began to apply themselves to the study of the nature of herbs, and to the finding out of planting, tilling, and sowing of corn, which afterwards they instructed their people in, and showed the use to their neighbours dwelling in Palestina, of which ruled king and governor Sem, surnamed Melchisedech, who was the first that ever offered bread and wine unto God. From thence Osiris passed into Egypt, and there also very painfully showed them the manner of tilling and agriculture, as likewise the Poet Tibullus speaketh of, 
Tibullus.  saying: 
Primus aratra manu solerti fecit Osiris,  
Et tenerum ferro sollicitavit humum.   
Afterward he traveled into many other countries, always learning them (then living by acorns, nuts, and water) in the knowledge of such his new invention; and by these gentle and mild courses he gained the love of all people, and by that means almost possessed himself of all the world, with the regalities and principalities thereof (the Empire of Babylon only excepted) whose conquests, victories, prevailements, and powers, we will something more amply hereafter remember, following as well our own author Berosus, as also Diodorus Siculus, the learned Catasthenes, and many other authentic authors herein in their books and writings of matters of elder times, and subjects of antiquity Osiris therefore (surnamed jupiter justus) having by his wife and sister Isis (otherwise called juno) and also of many other ladies, which here shall be needless to recite) many children, as Hercules the great, Anubis, Macedon, Lidus, Meon, Neptune, Oros, and also many others, he assembleth a mighty army of all sorts of people, both puissant and subtle, and leaving the government of the kingdom of Egypt to the queen Isis, carrying along with him some of his aforesaid children, he taketh a long and wearisome journey. The chief place of command in all his army, he appointed unto his eldest son Hercules of Lybia, who upon his escutchion and arms, bore depainted the shape of a crowned Lion rampant, holding in his forefeet a mighty hatchet. His two other brothers, Anubis and Macedon, carried defigured on their shields, the one a Dog, the other a Wolf; according to the signification of their names. The arms of the Emperor Osiris was a royal sceptre, and under that, the form of an eye: as who searcheth the monuments of antiquity, may there find it out: by which is perceived how ancient an usage the giving of arms is, and how to be respected. And in those times all good and just princes were called gods, as Pan, Apollo, jupiter, and infinite others, with their goddesses, muses, and nymphs.  
This mighty, powerful, and gallant army thus gathered together, the Emperor Osiris proceedeth in his intended voyage, and therein compasseth round the whole universal earth: his first resistance was upon his entering into Africa, where was opposed against him the Giant Antheus, but him he presently overthrew. After that, he quietly passed into India and Aethyopia, where he did great good in instructing the poor ignorant people in the true knowledge of necessary nutriment and victuals, telling them the manner how to govern and command with policy, justice, and equity. Here also he subdued many most ugly and fierce Giants, full of cruelty and blood, who generally with their greatness had tyrannised over all those countries of Asia. He slew the tyrant Busiris of Phoenicia, which used to sacrifice men and women unto the gods. After this, he arrived in Phrygia, and there also subjugated the Giant Typhon, in whose command and place he established one of his own sons, ruling there, being the place where Troy afterward was erected. From thence he came by long passages, into this part of the world, being Europe, through the straits of the sea called Hellespont, since called the arm of S. George dividing Grecia from Turkey.  
At this time ruled in Thracia (which is that part of Greece where Constantinople is erected) a most horrible tyrant and inhuman Giant called Lycurgus, who now denied passage through his country unto Osiris, and at the first fiercely resisted his approaches, but in the end, in gallant fight, he slew him with his own hands, and remained victor and sole commander of that country: which afterwards he resigned to one of his own followers called Maron, being a young and valiant prince. From thence he passed into another province called Emathia, in which also ruled many bloody and cruel Giants, all which he clean extirpated, destroyed, and subdued, settling the country in peaceable quietness and security, over which he appointed to be commander, one of his own sons before spoken of, called Macedon, who afterwards called that country after his own name, Macedonia, and the people Macedonians, of whom descended and issued the everfamous conqueror, Alexander the great. Out of this country, the Emperor Osiris presently departed, and came into the Isle of Crete (now called Candia) where he vanquished the Giant Milinus, a tyrannical and sour governor, yet he appointed his son (in whom good hopes appeared of good government) to be king of the said Island. From these parts he returned again into Grecia, and so to Scythia, now called Tartary, where he found his eldest son, the great Hercules of Lybia, in prosperous estate: who at this instant was extremely enamoured of a lady called Araxa, by whom afterwards he begat a son called Tuscus, which long after was king of Italy, and of whom descended king Dardanus, the first founder and builder of Troy. From Tartary, the mighty Emperor Osiris (surnamed jupiter justus) and his son Hercules are now departed, and in short space arrived in Hungary, and so came into Almaign or Germany, even unto the flood of Duno, not far from the famous river of Rhyne, where (finding the country something populous) he made some stay and residence, painfully instructing them in the sowing of corn and planting of vines: and builded also in this place divers villages and cities, of whom, he being also surnamed Apis) the mighty house of the Counts of Hasbourgh in Germany took her name; from which hath issued the noble and illustrious house of Austria, since in great power and greatness exceedingly flourishing. He also there gave the names unto the chiefest hills & mountains thereabouts, whereof at this day some are called Appenini. And from thence he passed into Italy, which presently shall be further shown, and as that very ancient author affirmeth, 
Cathon.  whom we call Cathon the ancient, saying: Aurea et as usque ad Apina deorum Italiae ultimum, etc.  
In these times there reigned in Germany a prince, called Gambrivius, the seven. king of the Germans, descended from the house of Tuyscon the Giant, the first king of that country, and the son of Noe. With this prince the emperor Osiris made long residence, and was royally feasted and entertained, as being indeed near in kindred and consanguinity, who accordingly received him and his train with great joy and gladness. The country of Italy about this time was extremely oppressed with the tyranny & bloody fashions of infinite numbers of Giants that thereabouts then lived, called Titans, insomuch, as the people of the country, not able longer to tolerate and endure those such slavish impositions and unsufferable tyrannies, (hearing of the fame and late arrival of the Emperor Osiris into Germany) sent their messengers or ambassadors unto him, most humbly craving and desiring his favourable assistance and protection against those barbarous and uncivil oppressors, and that he would make a journey thither to deliver them from the miserable servitude & bondage that they then were forced to abide and live in. The Emperor Osiris or jupiter hearing and accepting of their distressed condition and case, willingly condescended to leave Germany, and to undertake a voyage thither, to redress and suppress their wrongs, and the giants super-arrogant pride, glory, and haughtiness: which, although they were of kindred and alliance unto him, yet in respect of their uncivil and tyrannical usances, he instantly proceeded to the redressement thereof: and in three several battles utterly overthrew, vanquished, and discomfited them, and thereupon took upon him the government of the principality of Italy, which (long before) his father Cham and his grandfather Noah were also possessed of: and he commanded and ruled over the Italians for the space of eleven years, where for the most part he remained in the city of Viterbe, called also Vetulonia, and at the end of eleven years, in great triumph, joy, and glory, instituted his nephew Lestrigon the Giant (the son of his son Neptune) king, commander, & ruler over all the country of Italy.  
But for so much as in this book mention is made oftentimes of strange and horrible Giants, & other rare and admirable things, the reader may perhaps remain incredulous, and scarce believe them to be true, accounting them wholly fabulous, and by invention fashioned, yet to allege some authority for the confirmation thereof (leaving out infinite other examples of infallible certainty) you only shall be referred to the holy scriptures, and also unto josephus the jewish writer, who amply hath handled the apology thereof: among the rest, Nembroth, Goliath, and others, are apparent, that they were Giants, and of unusual stature, strength, & proportion of body. If the authority of Boccace may be accepted, he thus writeth of himself: In my time (saith he) there was found under the foot and hollow cavern of a mountain, not far from the city of Deprana, in the Isle of Sicilia, the body of a marvelous, huge, and strange proportioned Giant, which seemed to hold in one of his hands a mighty long piece of wood like unto the body of a young tree, or the mast of a ship, which so soon as it was touched, fell all into ashes and dust, but it was all garnished & wrought about with lead, which remained sound and firm, & it was found to weigh five hundred pound weight: his body also being touched, consumed, and became all powder and ashes, except certain of his bones, and three of his teeth, which were also peized, and every tooth weighed forty ounces. For the height and full stature of his body; it was conjectured by the people of that country, to be two hundred cubits long. And the same author saith, That his teeth were afterwards hanged up in our lady's church of Deprana, for a strange monument, and a thing of wonderful admiration. In many other places are the bones of giants that lived in those days, kept and preserved for wonders and relics of memory, but yet not of so uncouth and almost incredible hugeness: but leaving these matters to be further ruminated by the scrupulous, I will return to our main intendment proceeding, till I have further explained the obscurity thereof.  
These things above spoken of, being achieved by Osiris against those Giants and molesters of  conversation, he departed out of Italy with all his royal army, singularly well prepared and in gallant equipage, accompanied with gods, heroes, demie gods, and martialists, that is, with all valiant, courageous, and wise princes, rulers, and captains: and it is not written, whether in this his journey he passed through Gaul (now called France) or went that way by sea, but hard by the continent he coasted, in which then ruled one Lucus, king of that famous country: but howsoever he journeied, he now is strived in Spain, where once again he renewed mortal battles against the Tytans, which were mighty Giants, and cousins to those he before discomfited in Italy, these also he now subdueth and quite raseth out all their generation, leaving the government of that country to the command of Geryon. And from thence he again sailed into Greece, and arrived in the province of Peloponnesus, now called Morea: and he there settled himself, and ruled in the city of Argos for the space of five and thirty years, as it is written by Eusebius in his book of Time. After this he createth his son Egialus, king of Achaia, 
Eusebius.  and so returneth again into Egypt, there to spend his latter days with his wife and sister Isis, surnamed juno; who took such his coming home in full joyous acceptance and gladsome pleasingness. By this time all the world had been filled with the report of Osiris great fame and worthiness, unto whom were ascribed and given many titles & names of triumph, as jupiter justus, Dux, Rex, Consultor, Cuius regnum perpetuum est, & habitatio in Olympo: all which were clean contrary to those wherewith his father Cham was entitled.  
Being thus returned into his country of Egypt, he caused in many and several parts and corners thereof, to be erected certain columns and high pillars, in which he commanded to be cut out and engraved for the preservation and memory of his name and glory, these following lines, 
Diodorus Siculus.  as Diodorus Siculus repeateth them: Mihi pater Saturnus deorum olim junior, sum vero Osyris rex, qui universum peragravi orbem, usque ad Indorum desertos fines, ad eos quoque sum profectus, qui arcto subjacent, & Istri fontes, & usque Oceanum, sum Saturni filius antiquior, germane ex pulchro & generoso ortum, cui genus non semen fuit, nec fuit in orb locus quem non adinerim, docens ea quorum inventor fui.  
After he thus was quietly seated in his kingdom of Egypt, his brother Typhon the Egyptian (who in all villainy & malice followed the humours of his father Cham) began now to repine and envy at the glory and fortune of the Emperor Osiris, in so much as he fell into a present conspiracy with many other malicious Giants for the death and destruction of him and of his greatness: which he most traitorously prosecuted so far, as in the end, by subtle and crafty practices he entrapped him, who was by him and the rest of the Giants cruelly murdered and torn in pieces, whose body they divided, and had hewn out into six and twenty pieces, whereof every Giant had a share and part, as a reward and satisfaction for such their bloody and victorious stratagem: but afterwards these parts of his body were found out and gathered together again by the means of his wife Isis, and buried, with their right honour and due solemnity, whom after his death the Egyptians held & worshipped as a god, as also the children of Israel did the like in the desert. Boccace saith, That he was called also Serapis, and that the ancient Poets termed him likewise Dionysius, Liber Pater, and Bacchus, and that he was the first that ever triumphed, which was in the first voyage he made into the Indies; and that the invention of garlands and crowns was by him devised.  
Our author Berosus by his collections seemeth to allege, That this Emperor Osiris was thus slain in the prime and flower of his age, having attained only unto three hundred years, for he was borne about the time of Ninus the third king of Babylon, and died in the reign of Baleus, the Babylonians eleventh king, by which it is very apparent, what wonderful long time men in those ages did live. His wife Isis survived him two hundred and fourscore years, as hereafter shall be mentioned, who after that she had with all fit ceremonies and rites performed the funerals of her murdered husband, began now to think upon the actors thereof, and to meditate upon revenge and direful practices: whereupon she convocateth all her children and nephews, and inciteth them to the embracement of this her attempt and action, against the horrible murderers of her newly interred husband. To be short, they condescend to her motion, and in the field encounter with Typhon and his associates, and in battle utterly subdue them: which victory was achieved hard by the river Oris in Arabia, and in the same place where Osiris himself slew the mighty Giant and tyrant Antheus. The world being thus delivered of the perverse generation of Cham, Isis remained a peaceful and secure governess and queen over Egypt, which she compassed as well by her own policies and devises, as by the valour and hardy prowess of her children, of which the chiefest and most valiant was called Hercules of Lybia, of whom now (withdrawing my pen for a while to speak further of Isis) I will more amply entreat.  
Hercules therefore, the most valorous and courageous young prince, after he had by this means revenged the death of his father Osiris upon his uncle Typhon, and the rest of his associates, began now to have a feeling of this own power and vigour, and undertaketh many most tedious voyages, to scour all places of the world from the tyranny and oppression of such inhuman and impious tyrants: and first he passed through the province of Phoenicia, where he slew the tyrant Busyris, the son of him, whom Osiris before had slain. From thence he went into Phrygia, where Troy afterward was built, and there overcame the young tyrant Tipheus; and he gave the government of that country to his own son Athus, which he begat of a lady called Omphale, as hereafter shall be declared. Likewise he vanquished the Giant Mylinus, the younger king of the Island of Candia: and from thence he came into Africa, since called Barbaria, of which, he named most part of it Lybia after his own name, which before was called Phutea: and there in memory of his conquests he erected a column and stately pinnacle. From hence passing through the straits of Gibraltar, he arrived in Spain, where upon his first landing, he fought body to body against the three Gerion's, which were brothers and joint commanders and kings of Spain, those also he overcame and slew, and created his son Hispalus king and ruler of that country: which was now the ninth king thereof, and of whom the city Hispalis, now called Sivile in Spain, took her name and was so called. After this, Hercules determined to make a journey into Italy, there also to purchase further fame and reputation, by suppressing the tyranny of those that there then lived according to their own will, power, and mightiness. In this his journey towards Italy by land, he passeth through the kingdom called Regnum Celticum, then called also Gaul, and at this day is known and nominated by the name of France: of the antiquity of which country (before we come to speak of his arrival in Italy) having so fit occasion, we will in this place something remember.  
First therefore we must find out and know in what time and in what age this famous Hercules of Lybia passed through the country in this his journey, for so much as it is not written of any certainty, or by any authentic author, That he ever journeied through this kingdom before, although some do hold, That he went that way into Spain with his father jupiter (surnamed justus) in the reign of Lucus, the eight king of Gaul, as hath been before somewhat commemorated: and this matter may be easily and evidently discovered, by comparing the times wherein Hispalus was established and made king of Spain with those succeeding, of which, 
Johannes Annius.  johannes Annius of Viterbe, a most excellent writer & diligent historiographer in his Chronicles of Spain, saith, That the same Hispalus was crowned and invested in the kingdom of Spain by his father Hercules, in the six and thirtieth year of Baleus (the second of that name) the eleventh king of Babylonia; which was after the flood five hundred fourscore and ten years, before the foundation of Troy two hundred threescore and one, and before the incarnation of Christ a thousand seven hundred and seven and twenty: for Hercules was born presently after the death of Ninus, the third king of Babylon, from whose death unto the six and thirtieth year of Baleus, the eleventh king, were just two hundred fourscore and ten years: so that by this means it may clearly be perceived, in what time and in what age this Lybian Hercules so arrived in Gaul, being presently after the coronation of his son Hispalus in Spain. At this very time therefore of his coming into Gaul (which we will now hereafter call France) reigned and governed in that country as their king and commander, one called by the name of jupiter Celtes, the son of king Lucus, whom before we a little touched, who exceeded all others in riches in those days, and was marvelous wealthy in sheep, in cattle, and in pasturage, which were all the goods and possessions that princes in those times abounded in, in that country; for then silver or gold was not there known, jewels and rare stones were disesteemed, no tributes were paid, no taxes or impositions laid upon the subjects, all things without deceit, art, or any villainous invention of man's brain, were peaceably enjoyed. And to confirm this their ignorance of silver and such metals Diodorus Siculus thus saith, That the shepherds of this king jupiter Celtes, attending their flocks on the top of those mountains which divide the kingdom of France from that of Spain, called Pyrenci, espied on the sudden on the one side of the furthermost hills, certain liquid moisture to run down in hasty streams into the valleys below; and at the higher part of that mountain, certain flames of fire in most furious manner to show themselves, in so much, that very hard rocks and stony substances on that mountain were dissolved and were melted with the extremity of the heat and riscaldation of those fires: which also ceased not, but continued in that strange manner many months together. The silly and simple understanding of these shepherds, by no means assumed any apprehension of this so strange working of nature, but entertained it as a matter exceeding their capacity and reach of judgement, and therefore passed it over with the lesser wonder, in that they acknowledged in themselves so deep an imperfection and want of knowledge. But it so fortuned, That certain merchants of Phoenicia traveling along those coasts, and perceiving that that metal must needs be good which so distilled and tumbled down from the tops of those mountains (being, as many old writers allege, the metal of silver) began to feel the dispositions of those all ignorant shepherds, and to come to some composition and friendly terms for exchange of some wares they had, with that metal, which those hills in that plenty so afforded and yielded forth. The poor shepherds (as I told you before) not capable of the true value thereof, for matters of very little worth (which those merchants than had) exchanged the one for the other, without any suspect of disadvantage or ill bargain on their sides: and thereupon the Phoenicians laded and fraughted their ships (then abiding in a port or haven not far of) with that metal which those silver mine's so produced, and afterwards enriched their country therewith in most abundant and plentiful manner: and by the reason of these fires, those hills were afterwards entearmed and called Montes Pyrenaei, for Pyr in Greek signifies Feu in French, and fire in English. But to return from whence we digressed. This royal king, jupiter Celtes which before we remembered, had one only daughter, which he prized and endeared as his chiefest good; who exceeded all other ladies in the world, in proportion and stature, and in the graces of natural beauty, and for that she was of so extraordinary and large tallness, she was in those days held among those people a Gyantesse. This lady, whether proud of her own goodly features, or chaste in her cogitations, could not by any means be brought to affect any man whatsoever living, neither would her father consent to any match or marriage, that might be occasion to take her from his sight, and the fruition of her so desired presence, until the coming of this so far-famoused and renowned Hercules of Lybia (of whose great worthiness and strange performances, they had largely heard) they of themselves entertained a new thought, and were easily induced, upon the first sight of his parsonage (which was majestic and of wondrous grace) to unite their house with one of so noble demerit and of so general fame. Hercules likewise became so far ensnared with the gallant beauty, big proportion, and equisit perfections of Galathea (for so was the lady called) that he instantly discovered the motions of his affections and love towards her, which were reciprocally embraced and kindly entertained: so that there rested only the consummation of the nuptials, which were presently after performed with all manner of solemnisation and rites of ceremonies observed in those days. Not long after the marriage of the Giantess Galathea unto Hercules, her father jupiter Celtes died, who for his virtuous life and good government, was held in that reputation, esteem, & reverence among those people, that ever since that day, the third part of all that country of France is called after his own name Celtica. After him succeeded his son in law Hercules, and took upon him the command and government of the country of France, living peaceably and prosperously with his wife Galathea many years, and taught also the people new courses how to live, & better customs and fashions of behaviour, controlling them for their rude and uncivil manners, and wholly depressing a most inhuman and impious order they had, of sacrificing poor strangers unto their gods, this he abolished and wholly extinguished, enjoining straight laws, & punishments for the violaters and infringers of such his commandment herein. Not long after, he built and erected a most gallant and mighty city, which he caused to be seated on a high mountain of that country, which now is called by the name of the Duchy of Burgundy, between Authun & Langres, which city he called Alexia, which interpreted, signifies conjunctive or uniting, to show that there were two noble houses of strange countries conjoined and made one. This city afterwards flourished in great glory and puissance, and especially in the times of julius Caesar, before which, he himself with a most strong army lay, begirting the same with a most strict & hard siege: at which time, the giving of the flowers de Luce's in France took his original, as julius Caesar himself in his seventh book of his Commentaries affirmeth. But at this present, that once gallant and glorious city of Alexia is but a mean village, and of small account in the country of Lauxois not far from Flavigny.  
The great city of Alexia thus in those days peopled, inhabited, and fortified by the great Hercules, the king of Gaul: after some orders and institutions appointed for the good governance and managing of all things whatsoever at home, he proceedeth in his intended voyage for Italy, and for that expedition raised a mighty and powerful army; with which, after he had taken his leave of his wife Galathea, and of his young son Galatheus, (now aged about four years or thereabouts) he progresseth to the effectuating of his first entendment, and presently enters into the territories of the Allobroges (which country is now called Savoy) and there with main force of many hands and laborious soldiers, he maketh his passage through those wondrous high rocky mountains, in all ordinary sense and opinion then inaccessible and not to be passed; but as the extreme industry and painfulness of work bringeth all difficult things in the end to obedience and command of art, so these undigested heaps of stubborn stones and rocks, were forced at the last to give way unto his army, so far, that all their horses and baggage whatsoever found a very plain and easy passage. From thence he descended and came into Italy, where he fully revenged himself of those inhuman and lawless Giants, which were the death of his own father jupiter justus: and after all tumults quieted, and the resistants subdued, he fell to prescribe laws to the people, and to instruct them very carefully in matters of  association & orderly living: where we will for a while leave him, and once again betake ourselves more particularly to entreat of the first original & inhabitation of France: to begin with which, it must of necessity be drawn by the lineal succession and descent of father to son, even unto that jupiter Celtes, and this Hercules of Lybia we so lately remembered.  
It hath been in the beginning of this book related, how in the hundred year after the universal inundation and deluge of all things whatsoever which were contained in the wide embracement of the world, the good father and Patriarch Noah made his first voyage, and put forth from Armenia with all those his children, nephews, and kinsfolks, to discover unto them the situation of many other countries then unknown: and that he first passed over the Pontic sea, and so to the arm of the sea Mediterranean, coasting along the continent about all those quarters; of purpose to show unto his children the division of the world, and Cosmographically to instruct them in the situation of each several country, as they stood and were inhabited before the flood: and after that, to proportionize unto his three first begotten sons, every one his share and allowance for his rule, command, and domination, as hath been before already spoken of. And in these his travels, he brought also along with him many sorts of beasts, cattle, herbs, and other such things that were available for the increase and maintenance of human life; and with every one of his children or kinsfolk left a certain allowance of such things, there to multiply and engender. In this his first peregrination, he came into Gaul, and so into Italy, where after he had spent some time, he returned back into Armenia, about the tenth year he had set forth from thence: by which it may be gathered, that Gaul was first inhabited and peopled in the hundred and eight year after the general flood.  
After this his return into Armenia, having there rested himself some one and twenty years, he began to invent the foundations of great cities, and to establish kingdoms and signories throughout the world: so that in the hundred and two and thirtieth year after the deluge he first erected and appointed the monarchy of the Babylonians, of which, the first king was called Nembroth, noah's cousin: and about the thirteenth year of the reign of this Nembroth, he instituted and established for the king of the Gauls one other of his kinsmen called Samothes, surnamed Dis, the fourth son of japhet, a man very wise and well governed. Samothes therefore accordingly took his leave of the Patriarch Noah, his grandmother Titea, of his father japhet, and of his mother Noegla and the rest of his kindred, and set forward toward his kingdom and government with all expedition possible: carrying along with him divers sorts of cattle, poultry, and other things necessary for the maintaining and conservation of mankind (which kind of things were all the riches & treasures that men desired to possess in those days:) and thus with all his train, family, and followers, he taketh shipping in the sea called Marc major, and in the end, by the favourable assistance of prosperous winds, he arrived within the confines of Gaul, which was some seven & thirty years after his first being there with his grandfather Noah, and about eightscore and four years after the deluge: by which it may be understood, That this Samothes the fourth son of japhet, was little less than seven score years of age, when he now last visited the country.  
Samothes therefore now entered into his own kingdom with his wife, children, and followers, and also his horses, kine, and other things necessary, began to settle himself therein, and to give out edicts and brief commands what he would have done and performed in this his country: which was done in the year after the flood above written, and about two thousand fourscore and thirteen years before the incarnation of our Lord jesus Christ. The country was very much peopled by this time, and great increases of all other things there were found upon his now coming (for it was now seven and thirty years passed since No left people there first to inhabit and multiply, which in such a time grew to great abundance of all things whatsoever.) His welcome and entertainment was wondrous gladly accepted of those people and men of the country, who acknowledged him as their Lord, their Patriarch, their chief, and their Saturn; which names in those days were given as titles only of honour, excellence, and dignity, as Zenophon in his Aequivocals also saith: Saturni dicuntur familiarium nobilium regum, qui urbes condiderunt Primogeniti eorum, vocantur joves, & junones: vero Nepotes eorum Hercules fortissimi & cetera.  
It may now very well be imagined, that those people having so long time lived without a governor, king, or particular commander, must of necessity be very rude, uncivil, obstinate, and barbarous, living only according to the laws of Nature, and following their own wills, desires, and concupiscence. Yet notwithstanding, Samothes by fair and gentle demeanours & mild carriages, so won their hearts unto him, that they became easily reclaimed, and brought to be docible and obedient to what precepts or commands were imposed upon them: and upon this he devised laws and ordinances for domestic conversation, which he caused to be made plain unto the people, who at the first something wondered at so strange alterations, having so many years together lived without any chief, or any laws to curb or bridle their natural fantasies and disordinate affections. And these laws were made in the fourth year of the reign of Ninus, the third king of Babylon, at what time also Tuyscon the Giant, his uncle, king of Almaigne, and Tubal king of Spain, did the like, instructing their people very industriously in the rules of Philosophy, Physic, and Astronomy, which they themselves had learned of their grandfather Noah and their father japhet. And if it be here demanded, what kind of writings they then used, Berosas doth answer, that they were certain Phoenician characters & letters (which also were used in Armenia) which were very like unto those which Cadmus long time after brought from Phoenicia into Greece, and therefore julius Caesar in his sixth book of Commentaries saith, That the Gauls did use in those times Greek letters for their manner of writing: but undoubtedly, those characters were found long time before they were ever known in Greece, as Zenophon and many other authors confidently do affirm.  
Samothes, surnamed Dis, living thus in all tranquillity and peaceable security among his people, ceased not daily to possess their hearts with strong opinions of the worth and value of learning, for it is written, that he was the wisest and most learned prince in the world in those times, as Berosus also alloweth, when he thus saith: Samothes, qui & Dis vocatur, Celtas colonias fundavit, nec erat quis etate illa isto sapientior, ac propterea Samothes dictus est.  
Among other his rules of Philosophy and learning, one was (being the chiefest) he taught the people, That the souls of men were immortal; which before they hardly believed, as men dwelling in the shade of ignorance, and enveloped with dark mists of error. After he had thus established laws and ordinances for the good government of his country, and all his people enjoying peaceably the fruits of quietness: after the end of seven and forty years, he rendered up unto Nature that debt which could not be any longer kept back and detained; and left his eldest son (called Magus) inherit or unto his kingdom and government, which was in the one and fiftieth year of the reign of Nynus the third king of Babylon, and when his father Samothes had commanded that country sevenscore & five years, being at his death about three hundred years of age, or much thereabout. This Samothes was of that esteem in those days, and so generally reverenced and loved for his virtues through all that country, that the Gaulois or Frenchmen, even unto the time of julius Caesar, boasted and gloried of nothing so much, as that they were descended and issued from him, so highly was he possessed of the people's hearts, in the greatest opinion of truest love, the which thing also julius Caesar in the sixth book of his Commentaries more copiously remembreth. In his time also the sects of Philosophy first took their beginning and original in Europe, and were called Samothees, which were men studied and expert in all letters, human and divine; contrary to the opinion of many, who writ, that Greece was the first mother and bringer forth of arts and sciences. But Diogenes Laertius, in the beginning of his book entitled, The lives of the Philosophers, contradicteth those suppositions, saying: Philosophiam à Barbaris initia sumpsisse complures auctores asserunt, constat enim apud Persas claruisse Magos, apud Babilonios' & Assirios floruisse Caldeos, apud Celtas & Gallos' Druidas, & qui Samothei dicuntur. Magus, the eldest son of the Patriarch and Saturn, Samothes surnamed Dis, began now to take upon him the rule and command of this his country so left unto him by rightful succession from his father, in the three hundred year after the flood, after the nativity of the Patriarch Abraham eight years, and before the birth of Christ two thousand and seventeen years. This Magus was a prince of great wisdom, learning and judgement, and also a great builder, as the interpretation of his name delivereth us: for this word Magus, in the Scythian tongue signifieth a builder or erecter; and in the Persian language, a Philosopher or a wise man. And Berosus in his book of Time thus saith of him: Nini LI. anno, apud Celtas regnavit Samothis filius Magus, à quo oppida plurima posita sunt in ea regione: by which it may be gathered, that he was the first that ever in that country caused any villages, cities towns or houses to be built and erected, for before that time men lived altogether in the fields, under the umbrages of trees and covertures of some pleasant groves. johannes Annius di Viterba in his Commentaries upon Berosus, saith, That this word Magus signifieth in that tongue which first was used in that country of Gaul, as much, as a palace, house, or mansion: which opinion challengeth unto itself the stronger probability, for that with Ptolemy in his cosmography you shall find; that most of the most ancient towns in that country ended with this word Magus: as in Aquitaine, Noviomagus; in the province of Lions, Neomagus; in Gallia Belgica, Rhotomagus, which is now the city of Rouen in Normandy: there is also Berbetomagus, Vindomagus, and many others, whose names do end in this word Magus; as also Nimegham in Guelderland, was called likewise Noviomagus. By all these instances it is made apparent, that this Magus, the son of Samothes, 
Magus king of France the first that ever built towns in that country, and caused them to be inhabited  was the first that reduced & gathered together the people of that country into villages, towns, and boroughs. And further, either of his life, or the certain time or continuance of his reign and government, it hath not been by any allowed author or ancient writer capitulated.  
After Magus, succeeded one of his sons called Sarron, 
Sarron king of France, the first founder of Universities.  the third king of France, who excelled in the study of letters, and governed his people with great mildness, clemency, and uprightness; and he was the first that erected universities or public schools of learning: and of him also came a sect of Philosophers called Sarronides, as Diodorus Siculus in his sixth book of Antiquities affirmeth, thus saying: Sunt apud Celtas Theologi, ac Philosophi quos vocant Sarronidas, qui praecipue ab eis coluntur, nam moris est apud illos nullum absque Philosopho sacrificium facere, etc. For in those days Philosophers and men of learning were regarded with great reverence, zeal, and gracious respect; and nothing there, of any import was concluded or agreed upon without their privities consent or advise therein.  
Unto the kingdom of France after Sarron, came Drijus, Sarrons eldest son, unto whom Berosus ascribeth this title: Apud Celtas Drijus peritiae plenus. He began to reign four hundred and ten years after the general deluge, which was about two hundred five & fifty years after the first foundation and inhabitation of the kingdom of France. He was deeply seen in principles of Philosophy, & very skilful in many other sciences. And it is very credibly delivered by many very grave and learned writers, that he built the city of Dreux in Normandy, and that of his name came the sect of Philosophers, which were called druids, which were wondrous learned Divines, Augurers, Magicians, and Sacrificers: but such their oblations and sacrifices in these their days of blindness, were performed with such inhuman and ungodly fashions, with the effusion and shedding of human blood in that lamentable and cruel manner, as is too strange to be reported: which unnatural and impious custom, was abolished and clean put down by the first Roman emperors, Augustus, and Divus Claudius, as Suetonius Tranquilius, julius Caesar, and Pliny, more directly have particularized the same.  
After the death of this king Drijus, his son (called Bardus) reigned in his place, & was the fift king of France. This Bardus was the first deviser and inventor of rhymes, songs, and Music, of whom the Poets and Rhethoricians first took their sect, which were called also Bards, 
Bardus king of France first inventor of Poetry.  as Diodorus Siculus in his sixth book more at large remembreth. And these Poets and singers were held in that reverenced regard in those times among those people, that if upon the instant encounter of the battles of the enemies on both parts, these Poets had stepped and put themselves in between both the armies, they had for that present time recalled their furious intendments, and been mollified with the pleasant persuasive tongues of these eloquent Rhethoricians and sweet-singing Poets, as Berosus in one place saith to the same purpose: Etiam apud agrestiores barbaros ira cedit sapientiae & Mars reveretur musas.  
The debt due unto Nature being fully satisfied by this king Bardus (for no quillit or evacuation whatsoever may avoid it) his eldest son called Longho was called upon to undertake that which his father had left hereditary unto him: of whom, no extraordinary memorable thing is left by fame unto the sons of time, nor any authority of any great antiquary possesseth us with his worthiness virtues or perfections: it is only supposed, that before his death he built the city of Langres, which we call in Latin Civitas Lingonensis. And he had a son called Bardus the younger, which was the seventh king of France, and began to command some three hundred and one and forty years after the foundation and enpeopling of this country of France. And it is very probable, That of these two kings Longho and Bardus, the first original and beginning of the people called Lombard's took their being and name, for they are entearmed in Latin Longobardi, which nation, although at the first they were extracted and descended out of Almaign (now called Germany) yet they bare domination and rule for the space of two hundred years and more in Italy, even until the time of king Charlemagne, who absolutely deprived them of all command, power, and authority in that country round about.  
The eight king of France, was Lucus, the son of Bardus the younger, of whom it is written (as Ptolemy and others do affirm) the people called Luce's or Lucenses (since inhabiting about the city of Paris) took their name and original. Of him also, writers have been very sparing to speak of, more than that he begat a son called jupiter Celtes, the ninth king of France, and father to the fair and beauteous gyantesse Galathea, whom before we so largely spoke of and remembered. And it is by computation and due reckoning found, that since the first Saturn and king of France called Samothes surnamed Dis, unto the reign of jupiter Celtes, were about four hundred years. And now having thus lineally drawn the succession of every king of this country, since the first inhabitation thereof until this jupiter Celtes, and so consequently unto his son in law, Hercules of Lybia, now the tenth king of France; we will proceed with him (now employed about his affairs in Italy) and with his issue and posterity, as it is delivered by authors of great worth, learning, and authority.  
It hath been before somewhat touched, how Hercules passing through those mountainous places of the country of Savoy, at length arrived in Italy, where (having a puissant army) he presently fell to wars with the Giants called Lestrigones, most bloody, cruel, and oppressive tyrants, and the murderers or consenting aidants unto the death of his father Osiris (surnamed jupiter justus.) With these powerful commanders in that country, he entertained many fights, and found them very resolute, & prepared to endure the uttermost of his mightiness and strength: yet in the end, after a ten years wars he victoriously triumphed over them, and utterly razed out all their issue and posterity whatsoever: and the place wherein his last battle against these Giants, was fought in, retaineth still his old name, and is yet called, The valley of the Giants; which is hard adjoining unto the city called Tuscanella in Tuscania. These  & intestine broils being thus valiantly and successfully appeased, Hercules remained a quiet and peaceable possessor of all the country of Italy, wherein he reigned and continued for the space of twenty years, much about the time that his father Osiris, his grandfather Cham, and his great grandfather Noah, had there commanded: in which time he bestowed many gracious and commodious good turns upon the people of that country, and built and erected many gallant and famous cities, although the most part of them be at this day by the all consuming tyranny of Time ruinated, spoiled, and decayed. He also at this time caused the Island of Sardinia to be peopled, frequented, and inhabited, which until that time lay waste, depopulate, and barbarous: and in this place he appointed a ruler called jolaus to command as under him, that country, and those people so committed unto him. He likewise caused through most part of Italy (especially in the moorish & wettest places thereof) many ditches and trenches to be cast up, that thereby the palludious meres and standing lakes, might find passages to empty their floods, and that the fields and bastures by that means might be preserved dry, and be made more fit for agriculture, tillage, and other necessary increases for the general profit and good of all the whole country thereabouts: and of him the river Arnus taketh name, for Hercules was also surnamed Musarnus: and he lived for the most part of the time that he spent in that country, in a city called Fesula in Tuscania, which city even at this day (though not in that glory as heretofore) giveth the arms of Hercules.  
Italy being thus freed from the servitude wherein it lived of those ungodly and uncivil Giants, and being now brought to a general quietness, ease, and prosperous estate, Hercules determined with himself to send for both of his eldest sons, to establish the one in the principality of Italy, & the other in the kingdom of France; and he to take his journey once again into Spain (to which country he was much addicted) there to live privately, and to spend the rest of his years to come, in peace pleasantness, and in all content. Whereupon he dispatched messengers to his wife Galathea (then remaining in France, as hath been before spoken of) to send him presently his son Galatheus, being now of man's estate, and very able to bear arms. Other messengers were dispatched into Scythia (now called Tartary) there to seek out his eldest son Tuscus, then remaining with the queen Araxa, queen of Scythia, inhabiting those countries which lie upon the flood Tanais, and by the moors and water-lakes called Meotides. Upon the commandment of king Hercules, Galathea his wife presently sent unto him his son Galatheus into Italy, accompanied with the greatest men of France, who was very joyously welcomed unto his father with great feasts and signs of gladness: for he was now grown up unto a gallant big proportion of body and comely feature, and was also of a very gentle and gracious disposition, mild in his demeanours, and yet majestical and of a spirit-promising aspect, throughout all his countenance. Not long after him arrived his elder brother Tuscus from Tartary, who also was of a mighty corpulency and extraordinary large stature, whom indeed Hercules had begot in the very prime of his youth and vigorous lustiness. Upon the meeting of these two, a great court or assembly of great lords and princes was held in all pomp, glory, and magnificence: where, in the presence of all the noble Lords and Barons of divers countries and governments, as of Egypt, Lybia (now called Africa) Spain, France, Italy, and Tartary, with great solemnities, rites, and ceremonies, Tuscus was created and established the sole king, Saturn, and commander of all the country of Italy, and he was there invested in the dignity of Ceritus, that is as much to say, as jupiter crowned, or Patriarch of Tuscania: & the younger brother Galatheus, aged about six and thirty years or thereabouts, was preferred also at that time unto the rule and government of the kingdom of France. All which ceremonies were performed with great triumph, state, and royalty, and kept in the city of Viterba, in the year after the universal inundation of the world, six hundred and five and twenty, before the foundation of Troy ninescore and one years, and before the incarnation of Christ a thousand six hundred forty eight. These things thus solemnly consummated, and Hercules voluntarily dispossessing himself of these two such imperial crowns. After he had delivered some instructions & principles of good government to these new erected kings, Tuscus and Galatheus, after a general congee of them all, he took his journey towards Spain, to the great discontent and grief of all the chief Barons, and also of the Plebeians, throughout all the country of Italy: but being now arrived in Spain, he found his son H●spalus, which he himself had before established in that kingdom, to be dead, who had reigned only seventeen years: and that after him succeeded his nephew Hispanus, the seventeenth king of Spain, and the first of that name, who called the country after his own name, Hispania, which name it ever since hath retained: for before that time it was called H●beria. This Hispanus reigned afterwards some two and thirty years or near thereabouts, as most writers and chronographers of Spain do agree. And in this king's reign, about the nineteenth year thereof (as is before written) arrived Hercules in that country, now very aged, and of many years, where he continued three years with his nephew, without any command or place, in as great content, ease, and quiet as might be, for he had now given over the desire of rule and principality, and gloried in nothing so much, as that he by his own valour, prowess, and labours, had conquered such gallant countries to dispose of as he himself thought good, and to give to his children to enjoy as their rightful inheritances: for indeed he was the Monarch and prince almost of all the world, and had attained unto such his height of glory and fame, not by oppressions, tyranny, or unlawfulness, but by the subduing of wicked and ungodly giants, the deposing of all usurpers and bloody governors, & by the abolishing and rooting out of all devilish and inhuman customs then observed in those days among the poor and faith-wanting vulgars' in those times of error. In these his times of privateness and retired living which he spent in Spain, he builded and caused to be erected many great towns, cities, and villages; for which cause the people of that country still call him Hercules the builder. Besides this, also he gave and addicted himself to the finding out of the natures of strange herbs, and to the study of Astronomy, and the Magic art, where in he wondrous deeply was seen, and excellently well read; but he never applied the use thereof but unto the good and general commodity of the country. He found out many remedies and enchantments against the poison of serpents and many other venomous beasts, then abounding in that country in great plenty, and by which the inhabitants before were grievously molested and exceedingly troubled. He also performed there many other memorable things of great worth, value, and import, as Higinus and many other very learned writers do affirm. Not long after, his nephew Hispanus, king of Spain, died without issue, & left none of his own blood to inherit the kingdom after him: whereupon by the general entreaty of all the whole land, and by public consent, the command and government of that country was imposed upon Hercules, whom the people for his virtues, fair demeanours, and good government, did indeed very highly affect and reverence: and here (having so fit an occasion to speak of the original and antiquity of this country of Spain) we will for a while leave him, undertaking the charge once again and the command and government thereof: and we will begin with the first king of Spain, and so by succession and lineal descent from one to another, as far as Berosus, Eusebius, Solynus, and Diodorus Siculus have proceeded therein, and until we come to the reign of this Hercules.  
The very first inhabitation and peopling of this country of Spain, was by those people that came from the other side of the Caspian sea, called Iberi, Persae, Phenices, and Paeni, as Pliny in the third book of his natural history doth allege; as also Marcus Varro, and Cato in his originals do affirm the same; wholly condemning the Grecians of vain glory and ignorance, to write, that Hercules, Pirene's, Lusus, and Pan were the first that ever inhabited in this country: but of the colonies therefore of those people before mentioned, it is very certain, that Spain took first her original, as also those other Islands round about, is called Sicilia, Corsica, Sardinia, and Baleares: and the Island Corsica was so called of the people Corsi, which the Grecians term Cyrnum or Cyrum, but the Persians and Hebrews Corsum: and after these people, the Goths and Alani came and lived in Spain long time, and continued for the most part of them until this very present wherein we now live, from whom and from the rest before mentioned, it is delivered for certain by many ancient, grave, and learned writers, this country of Spain deriveth her first beginning and principal foundation.  
S. Jerome, Eusebius, josephus, and many other approved good authors, do all consent and agree, That Tubal the fift son of japhet, the son of Noah, was the first that ever was called by the name of king in that country of Spain, and that he was also the first that erected & built towns and cities, and prescribed bounds and limits in the same; which as Berosus saith, was after the flood a hundred three and forty years, and in the twelfth year of the reign of Nembroth, the Babylonians Saturn and ruler; which was before the foundation of Troy six hundred thirty seven years, and before the nativity of Christ two thousand two hundred years. The great city which he called after his own name (Tubal) is in Baetica, as Pomponius Mela affirmeth, as also Strabo averreth the same. This kings chief study and delight was in pasturage, in flocks of sheep, and herds of cattle, wherein in those times men reposed great contentment, pleasure, and felicity: & such his study the people (called Arameans) entearmed by the name of Tharaconem, which is as much to say, as Pastorum congreationem, The meeting together or assembly of shepherds, as S. Jerome and the Thalmudists of the jews interprets it: and of the same the great city of Tharacona is called, as Saguntum first took her name of Sagus, the builder and erecter thereof. He began also first to set down laws, precepts, and directions unto his people, and to possess them with the opinion of good obedience unto their prince, and persuaded them by fair and gentle means to the embracement of a  and quiet life and conversation: and this, Berosus saith was performed and done in the fourth year of Ninus king of Babylon, as before in some places hath been a little remembered: and Strabo saith, That in the tenth year of the same Ninus king of Babylon, and in the age of Tubal one hundred and fifteen years, No (surnamed janus) coming out of Africa and Phoenicia, arrived in Spain, & brought thither with him two colonies, called Nooelas and Nooeglas; although Pliny in his third book of natural history, in the six and twentieth chapter thereof calleth them Nooegas and Nooelas: and in this country were they planted, and remained with great multiplication, increase and abundance. This Tubal reigned in this his government, until the nine and fortieth year of the reign of Ninus, and from the first inhabitation of Spain a hundred and five and fifty years: 
The Patriarch Abraham borne.  and in this king's government was the Patriarch Abraham borne, which was just by all nearest computation, towards the end of his reign, and in the four and fortieth year of the before specified Ninus king of Babylon.  
Unto Tubal succeeded his son called Iberus, in the government and kingdom which he had left him to enjoy: which was from the flood two hundred ninety & nine years, from the first enpeopling of Spain a hundred fifty six, before the erection of Troy five hundred thirty and one, and before the birth of Christ two thousand and sixteen years. 
Marcus Varro.  And of this Iberus (as Marcus Varro allegeth) the country was generally called Iberia, as it was afterwards Celtiberia, of certain people called Celtes, inhabiting long after in France, as many authentic hystorians do affirm: and of this king also the river Iberus took her name, 
Solynus.  and was so called. This flood, as Solynus, Albertus Magnus, and Diodorus Siculus aver, beginneth his first Spring, and taketh his head under the hills called Montes Pyrenaei, which lately before we remembered, and from thence runs winding and crooked like the shape of a serpent or snake through the promontory of Feraria, and so tumbleth down amain into the sea called Pelagus Believe. And this king Iberus reigned until the three and thirtieth year of the rule of Semiramis, which is about seven and thirty years or much thereabouts, as Eusebius accounteth it.  
The third king of Spain, according to the opinion of most hystorians, was jubalda, of whose name the hill called jubalda, was so called, as Berosus affirmeth, although in Ptolemy it is written jubeda, 
Ptolemy.  and by the successions of times, corruptibly Gybaltar, by which name at this time the country doth acknowledge it. This jubalda began to enter into his kingdom in the four and thirtieth year of the reign of Semiramis: from the world's inundation three hundred thirty six, from the birth of the holy Patriarch Abraham four and forty, from the first inhabitation of Spain two hundred wanting seven years, before the building of Troy four hundred fourscore and four years, and before the birth of our Saviour Christ one thousand nine hundred fourscore and one years. And in this kings reign the ever-famoused Hercules of Lybia was borne, which was before the birth of the Grecian Hercules, of whom so many grave authors have written and been deceived, almost seven hundred years: of the difference of which, because it hath bred such an incurable scar of error among very learned and old writers, I think it shall not be much impertinent in this place something to particularise. Of the number therefore of those men which were called by the name of Hercules, 
Varro.  Varro and many other authors allege to be at the least three and forty several names, but the most famous & renowned were only two, of which, the first and most worthy was called Egiptius Thebanus, or Hercules Licicus; the second, Alcaeus Graecus, the son of Alcmene and Amphitryo, as Diodorus Siculus, Herodotus, and many others affirm, who report also, That there was a temple in Phoenicia built and dedicated unto the first Hercules many years before the coming of this Hercules Graecus, the son of Amphitryo, and that also long after both these two (with the ancient Grecians) were held and worshipped in great reverence and adoration; but the one of them, being Hercules Egiptius (say they) was adored as a god, the other but as a mighty and famous conqueror. Cicero in his book entitled de natura Deorum, setteth down this Hercules also as a god, as Macrobius also and many others have opinionated the same. Diodorus Siculus in his first book confidently allegeth, That this Hercules Graecus had not to name Hercules, which signifies hearty, but that his proper name was Alceus and also Heraclius, which interpreted, signifies junonis gloria: which opinion likewise Herodotus consenteth with, when in his second book of histories he affirmeth, that this word Hercules is not a Greek word, but of the Egyptian language, and that the Grecians afterwards stole it from the right owner thereof, and unworthily attributed it unto this Alceus, the son of Amphitryo: which thing also Eusebius maintaineth, and saith, That those famous and gallant exploits wherewith the world was so long possessed, and carried such universal admirations among all men, were misplaced and bestowed on a stranger, that came not near the true merit and worthiness of him whom it truly concerned; thereby clean exempting & excepting this Alceus (amphitrio's son) from all interest or right unto any these so high and wonder-worthy performances, as only particular and belonging unto this noble Hercules Egiptius or Libicus, the son of Osiris, called jupiter justus (as Diodorus Siculus, Berosus, & Moses also, certainly do report.) Unto him also the people of Lybia consecrated many triumphs, ceremonious observances, and general feasts, as one for his valour and virtues honoured and worshipped amongst them as a mighty and powerful god: so were they blinded from the true sight and understanding of knowledge, in those times of darkness, error, and superstition. And these people were first called Phutei or Phaetontei, as josephus and Iheronimus in his tenth chapter upon the book of Genesis affirmeth. Unto this Hercules of Lybia were adjoined also all these names (according to the Egyptian tongue) Her, Hercol, Arno, Musarno, and Are; of which, hereafter occasion will present itself, further to expound, and more largely to speak of: but it is most unfallibly certain, that this Hercules Egiptius or Libicus, was long before the times of the so much renowned Hercules of Greece: who indeed according to the writings of very many grave and learned authors, deserved not the least part of so many glorious praises and titles of honour, as the flattering and self-pleasing conceits of the Grecians have so amply and prodigally ascribed unto him: for he is by many authors set down no other but a very pirate on the sea, a robber and bloody oppressor, where he could find out any booty or advantage to show his power, will, and mightiness; much unlike the proceed that victorious and virtuous conqueror Hercules of Lybia: to approve which to be no detraction, but memorious notes of forepast learned writers, Manethon that famous Priest and Hystorian of Egypt, thus saith: Constat hunc Herculem Graecum dolo non bello Laumedontem nil eiusmodi, suspicantem occidisse, & primum ex maximis piratis extitisse, quanquam virum divino & admirabilirobore preditum, etc. Whereby it is very apparent by this authority and many others of like worth and antiquity, that this Hercules the Grecian was but some famous robber or pirate, living for the most part among the Argonauts, men excelling in warlike discipline, and armed with armours of iron and other like furnitures for the wars, as Eusebius saith: Hercules Alceus affuit domito jam orb, & legibus & regibus formato, & instituto, & formidoloso ferro invento: whereas contrariwise, Hercules Egiptius lived in times of ignorance, in respect of those knowledges, when the use of armour or iron was unfound out, the fury of war not then felt, and in times of new-rising tumults, not as then ripened or grown to any head or maturity. His armour was the skins of wild beasts, and such like accoutrements was he habited with: which also is attributed unto Hercules Alceus, as having a Lion's skin and a great club in his hands, but they are among the rest of the fables which the Grecians used, inserted: for it is nothing likely, that the use of iron being in those times found out, he would have used any such inferior means of defence for the safety of his body. This assertion also maketh clean contrary against him: for Hercules of Lybia was borne before the destruction of Troy (according to the computation of the Egyptian years) above ten thousand years, but Alceus not fully two thousand, as Diodorus in his first book of Time allegeth: which manner of computation and reckoning of the Egyptians, if we will reduce to the order and rule observed by the Chaldeans, Scythians, Hebrews, and janigenae, which is by the circular circumference and revolution of the Sun, accounting it as we now reckon, we shall find, that he was borne presently after the king of Babylon called Ninus, which is according to our latter observation, some eight hundred years before the overthrow and ruin of Troy; which maketh up the number & proportion of ten thousand years, held and observed among the Egyptians: by which we may perceive the great distance of time that was between these two famous personages, Hercules Egiptius or Libicus, the son of Osiris, surnamed jupiter justus, and Hercules Graecus or Alceus (or as some hold) the son of Amphitryo and Alcmene: or the son (by adulterous means) as some others do think, of one called jupiter Graecus. But having now thus far digressed from the main intendment, we will return to the prosecuting thereof.  
The continuance of the reign of the above written jubalda, king of Spain, dured from the four and thirtieth year of the reign of Semiramis, the Babylonian Empress, until the eighteenth year of Arius; which is in the whole about the time of threescore and four years, as by the diligent & careful collections both of Eusebius and Berosus, is clearly approved. And about this time (the Patriarch Abraham, being about the age of a hundred years) is borne his son Isaac, 
Isaac born.  as all histories for the most part give record and mention. In the government of this king jubalda, no memorable act done in that country, is left written by hystorians.  
Unto the kingdom of Spain, next after him, succeeded Brygus, which was in the eighteenth year of the late specified Arius, the Babylonians sixth king; which is from the first inhabitation of Spain, two hundred threescore and seven years, and before the foundation of Troy four hundred and thirty. This word Brygus with the Arameans and Armenians, is called Castellum. And the Etruscians at this day (with whom many words of the Aramen language remain) call a castle Bricola, by changing the letter g into c. This king Brygus (as Berosus & other writers affirm) founded and erected many towns and great castles in the kingdom of Spain, as Ptolemy also copiously hath delivered; as in the country of Lusitania, there are castles called at this day Laccobryga, Mirobryga, and others. And in the province of Taracona, a town called Brygantum, Volubryga, and many others, sounding and ending after the name of the king Brygus. Pliny saith in his fift book of natural history, 
Pliny.  that many old writers do affirm, That a certain people called Brygi in Europe traveled into Asia, and there builded a city and called it Brygios, which afterwards by changing the letter B into P, was called Phrygios; and that the Phrygians afterwards from these people took their first original and being, of whom issued that famous progeny of the trojans, so gloriously renowned throughout the world: and this king Brygus reigned in all security and peace until the first year of the reign of Balaneus, the eight king of Babylon, which was about two and fifty years or near thereabouts.  
The fift king of Spain was Tagus (as Berosus and Diodorus deliver) and he began his rule and government before the nativity of Christ a thousand eight hundred threescore and five years, before the building of Troy threescore and eighteen years, after the first peopling of Spain three hundred and nine years. And of this king's name that far-famed river Tagus taketh her name: in which (as Pliny and Solynus report) were found many golden sands, heaped together in many places of that river. This king with many authors is called also Tagum Orma, and Moses by synoereicall composition, termeth him Tagorma, as Ptolemy and many other writers of great worth and credit, more particularly have spoken of the same: and this Tagus reigned in the kingdom of Spain, about the time of thirty years, by all due computation and conferring of consent of times, and as Berosus affirmeth the same.  
In the first year of the reign of Armatritis the ninth king of the Babylonians and Assyrians, the rule and government of the kingdom of Spain fell and came unto Betus, of whom afterwards a great part of that country took her name, and was known by the name of Baetica. The Etruscians by transposition and division of ae, call him Beatus, which with the Latins signifies happy or blessed. The Hebrews derive this word Betus from Behin, which as S. Jerome interprets it, meaneth as much as, locus vitae meae (id est) foelic tatis ●ptatae: and from hence it is likely, that in this country some supposed the Elesian fields to be, and so also thereby many other such like suppositions arose, which to decide, would here be tedious, and too much digression from the matter intended. This king Betus reigned seven and thirty years, as Berosus and other authors do allege.  
After him in the eight and thirtieth year of Armatritis above mentioned, Geryon (surnamed Aser) challenged unto him the rule and domination of the country of Spain: wherein it is written, he governed with great tyranny and oppression of the inhabitants thereof, intruding himself by violent and forcible means into the possession and government of that kingdom. This word Geryon signifies in the Hebrew tongue as much as advena in Latin, which he manifested more plainly by coming from Mauritania into this kingdom of Spain, and ruling there like a stranger, according to his own will, desire, and mightiness. Berosus, as also Diodorus Siculus, doth affirm, That he had another name also, which in the Aramen & Mauritanian language was Deabo, in the Greek Chryseo, in Latin Aureo, which first of all came of his great wealth and store of gold, in which he most wondrously abounded in those days: and this Geryon reigned thus in this his usurped authority until the eight and twentieth year of the reign of Belochus, the tenth king and ruler of Babylonia, which was about the time of three & thirty years or near thereabouts. Immediately after him, three brethren together took the rule and government of this country of Spain into their hands, which were called Deabi Lomnimi, which word (as S. Jerome expoundeth it) signifieth the chiefs or rulers of armies, and which we call by the name of the three Gerion's, being indeed the sons of the beforementioned Geryon, the last king and ruler of Spain. In the time when these three brethren thus reigned and ruled together, happened that generally known accident, which afterward the world so universally entertained from the report of loud-tongued Fame, which was, the untimely and unfortunat death of Osiris, surnamed jupiter justus; who was most traitorously and vilely murdered by his brother Typhaeus Egiptius, whose all-lamented death was afterward highly revenged by his son Hercules Lybicus, who instantly took up arms, and scoured almost all the countries of the world, until he had found out the author of the murder of his father Osiris, upon whose body, his angry and wrathful mind took in the end direful and cruel revenge: at which time also (he being in the pride and fullness of fury and choler) searched out all corners and places of abode, where any such like bloody and impious giants, rulers, and commanders, kept their tyrannical and uncivil governments: among the rest, he slew Busyris in Phoenicia, Typhaeus the younger in Phrygia, Mylinus, a great commander on the sea in Crete, Antheus in Lybia, the Lestrigones in Italy, and afterwards, these three brethren called Geriones in Spain, and also many others in many other places, as hath already heretofore been spoken of. After the overthrow thus of these late specified Geriones, he established and appointed to succeed them one called Hispalus, who now after these, instantly took upon him the government thereof.  
Hispalus therefore (according to the report and affirmation of Berosus) now entered to take possession of the regalty and principality of Spain, which was from the flood five hundred fourscore and nine years, before the erection of Troy two hundred one & forty years, before the birth of Christ a thousand seven hundred twenty seven, and after the first finding out and peopling of Spain three hundred seven and forty years. Of this Hispalus, the city Hispalis first was erected and so entearmed, and he was the son of Hercules Lybicus, as many authors and writers of fame and great antiquity have given in report unto the posterity of time. He reigned and commanded over Spain until the very end of the reign and government of Baleus, the Babylonians eleventh king which was by just reckoning and account, the time of seventeen years.  
In the first year of the reign of Altades, the twelfth king of Babylonia, Hispanus the nephew of Hercules, was established king and sole ruler over the dominions of Spain, of whom the country then generally was called Hispania, which the malice of time hath not yet worn out, but still it is known and called after the same name. After him, Hercules (coming out of Italy, fraught with years and many victories) took upon him by the election and suffrages of all the people, the rule & government thereof. And thus hath been lineally drawn forth the first inhabitation of the country of Spain with the particular and right successions of the kings and commanders thereof, as hath been warranted and allowed by writers of great antiquity and industrious Chronographers of Spain: where we will now surcease to wade any further, having brought it unto the very times where we last left our chief purpose and matter; and will go forward, and proceed from hence until we shall nearer arrive at the time wherein Troy was first erected and founded, following herein the same manner of method and form, with which we first set forth, and mean to continue unto the end (by the favourable permission and allowance of the divine Majesty.) Hercules therefore ruling thus in Spain, built and erected many goodly cities and fair castles in that country, whereupon at this day in some ancient records and monumental schedules of Spain, you may read of another title given unto him, which is, Hercules edificator. He was called also by these names, as Her, Hercol, Arno, Musarno: and they thus signify and are englished from the Hebrew tongue, as S. Jerome and others expound it: Her signifieth hairy, Hercol all covered over with hair, Arno signifieth a Lion, and Musarno the portraiture or effigies of a Lion, and these names were thus ascribed unto him, for that he always wore for his upper garment the hairy skins of Lions, Bears, Leopards, and other such like beasts, and for that on his shield or target was depainted and drawn the shape and form of a Lion, and which, in all his wars and attempts he always carried about him: & with some he was called the knight of the ramping Lyon. The town of Vetulonia, called also Viterbe, caused the picture of Hercules to be stamped and imprinted on their coin: which continued unto the time of the reign and government of the last king of the Lumbards', who then abolished the remembrance thereof by any such representation or means of memory. After the time of some nineteen years or thereabouts, as most writers do allege, having governed with all love and obedience of the people, Hercules died, leaving all those countries thereabouts heavily lamenting the loss and departure of so noble and gallant a conqueror; which was about the time of his own age three hundred and fifty years, and after he had reigned and commanded in France, Italy, and Spain, threescore and seven years. In solemn remembrance of whose generally deplored death, the people of Spain erected many must sumptuous and costly monuments, and bestowed upon him a wonderful rich and stately tomb, which as some hold, was built hard by that place, which as we now call them, the Gades, pillars, or columns of Hercules are seated upon, being not far from the famous straits of Gibraltar. Unto him also after his death they attributed very godlike honours, and terms of veneration and reverence; so was he possessed while he lived among mortals, with the love and opinion of all those people thereabouts, and wheresoever else he had governed and commanded. And more of this so far renowned conqueror Hercules shall not at this time be declared, whose victories, triumphs, & exploits would indeed require a small volume of themselves, being so many, so glorious, & so worthy, deserving in the perfection of their own merit to be insculpt in the brass leaved book of time-resisting and endless perpetuity. And now we will revert our pen to speak of his two famous sons, Tuscus king of Italy, and Galatheus king of France, and of their issue and posterity. But first is to be understood, that unto the kingdom of Spain next after Hercules, succeeded Hesperus, being the twelfth king and governor thereof, & who was brother unto the renowned Atlas, whom hereafter occasion will be presented to speak and entreat of.  
It hath been before declared and mentioned, how that the great Monarch and Emperor Hercules dispossessing himself voluntarily of two royal & mighty kingdoms, placed and instituted therein his two sons, Tuscus and Galatheus: who long time after lived reciprocally, & reigned together in their several commands and government, in all peace, quiet, and tranquillity. And to show and manifest this their love and agreement the more, Tuscus freely bestowed and gave unto his brother Galatheus the great Island of Sicilia, as then appertaining & belonging unto the crown and kingdom of Italy, and which was then altogether desolate and disinhabited (the race and generation of Cham, noah's son, the first commander thereof, being now extinct and perished.) Unto this Island, Galatheus made a journey, carrying with him great numbers and abundance of people, and all things necessary for the in peopling and inhabiting thereof: which people and nation he afterwards and from thence forth called after his own name Galath-enes; and erected and built also a very great city there, calling it by the name of Cenegalatha, of which city likewise, Pliny in his fourth book of Natural history doth there entreat and mention. And it was held in those days to be the greatest and chiefest honour that might be, to authorize and licence any to build and erect any city, and to call it after his own name: for the denominating of which, no man neither could give any leave or authority, but those which were established in place and office of Coritus, that is, the Patriarch, jupiter, or chief king and commander of that country, as Tuscus then was, being the sole king and ruler over all Italy and all those territories adjoining thereunto. And this grace and favour Galatheus took in great thankfulness and all kind acceptance, endeavouring by all means possible to be found grateful for so high a favour received. After all matters were well settled and orderly disposed in this new erected government of Sicilia, Galatheus returned back again into his country of France, where with all signs and apparent tokens of a long wished welcome, he was joyfully received of his people in all the provinces round about, where we must now leave him for a while, to speak of his brother Tuscus, and of his affairs and negotiations in his government and charge.  
This Tuscus (as is before declared) was the sole and absolute King, Patriarch, and jupiter of all the dominions of Italy; of whose name also a chief province of that kingdom than took her name, and was called Tuscania, and by the favourable good will of the tyrant Time (who is wont to blot out all relics and tokens of antiquity) it yet retaineth the same: in which particular country, he for the most part made his continual abode & residence, which before that time was called Etruria, 
The divers and several names of Italy.  & before that, janicula, and the people thereof janigenes, which is as much to say, as the issue of janus: it was also called Oenotria, Hesperia, Apenina, and many others, according to the greatness or will of any such chief or famous king so commanding and ruling over it. Dionysius Halicarnasaeus, writeth, That the country Hetruria (taken oftentimes for the whole and entire kingdom of Italy) was also called Comera, of Comerus, japhets' son; and it had to name also Razenua, 
It was also called Taurina and Saturnia.  Thuscia, and Thussa, and at this day Italia, as hereafter shall be declared. Berosus further saith, That at the first peopling and inhabiting thereof, it was called Vmbria of the people Vmbri, which heretofore we have somewhat touched, as also Pelasgia of the people Pelasgi (taken also sometimes for the inhabitants of a country in Greece.) Besides all these, it was also known by the name of Tarrhenia, as many authors of great and approved knowledge in matters of antiquity, have more amply delivered, which opinion also should be more easily entertained, if we will but diligently mark the divers and several names given & attributed unto other countries, after the same fashion and manner: for first concerning the people of France, 
The old names of the people of France.  they were first of all called Samothei, of Samothes their king, then Celti, then Galatij, after that Belgae, of their king and Patriarch Beligius, after that Galli, and since that Francigenae or Franci. The names in like manner of the people of Germany varied and differed very often and severally: 
The names of the people of Germany.  For the first name that ever that people received, were Tuyscones, of Tuyscon one of noah's sons, the first that ever was king and ruler over that country. After that they were called Gambrivij, than Ingheones, after that, Isteones, Suevi, and Vandali, then also Thetanes, Theutontes, Vindelici, Vandalisci, after that Alemanni, and last of all, of the Romans (as some hold) they were generally entearmed Germani. So that by these it is plainly shown, how almost all countries and nations have at divers times been diversely and differingly called: by the occasion of which, many writers that have not indeed seriously and laboriously looked into fragments of old and authentic fathers, for the derivations and first originals of cities and countries, have been infected with some disease or other of ignorance and error; by reason of which dangerous sickness, first creeping (though not perceived) into the heads of men learned and of authority, it hath proved universally mortal, to all those that have not invoked the aid of that good Physician, industry, throughout all the world wheresoever. And so now again we will return to the place from whence we last of all set forth, which was from the matters and particulars which we handled of king Tuscus, sole ruler and commander of all the country of Italy, of whose actions or memorable atcheevements, there is little read in any authors, only it is writ, that he first invented the order and dignity of the Palladian knighthood, and instituted large privileges and allowances for the maintenance of that new found ceremony. And of any matter else which might challenge unto itself worth and extraordinary commends, done and performed by him, few or no hystorians have written: only he left after him, his son Altheus inheritor & rightful successor to his government and kingdom.  
Altheus then, the son of Tuscus, began to take upon him the rule and command of Italy, presently after the death of his deceased father, which was the fourth year after the death of his grandfather Hercules in Spain, who as you have heard, left inheritor unto him Hesperus, the brother of Atlas, for the government of that country: which Hesperus had not there long reigned, but he was expulsed and driven out of his country by violent and oppressive means by his brother Atlas the giant, surnamed Italus: so that now he was enforced to forsake the country, and to fly into Italy, in one part of which, he afterward commanded, and called it after his own name Hesperia, which name it long time afterwards retained. After this, Atlas Italus, not contented sufficiently with the principality and dominion of Spain (as overambitiously thoughted) came also into Italy, and overswayed by his mightiness and power all the country round about, and created and established himself king & ruler thereof, and called all the country generally after his own name, Italia, by which it is at this day called, & in the kingdom of Spain he appointed one of his sons to reign called Sicorus, which was now by just account the fourteenth king thereof. When these things were thus done, he went also into Sicilia, as Galatheus before had done, and there for a while he rested himself, till at the length he returned again back into Italy, wherein afterwards he lived many years. This Italus Atlas by his descent was of the lineage of japhet, and of his son Comerus Gallus, the first king of Italy; and it was he, which according to the opinions of many, excelled most of all men then living, in the knowledge of Astrology, for which cause, the busy Poets feigned, that he supported and upheld the heavens with his shoulders. Altheus all this while was suppressed and kept under by the mightiness of this ruler, by reason whereof, histories cannot speak of any worthy matter done or performed by him: only it is written, he builded and erected two very large and beautiful cities, one of them called Alteta, the other Althaea, with a castle also called after the same name. And this Altheus, the son of Tuscus before specified, was uncle unto Dardanus, the first builder and founder of Troy. He had also a son called Blascon, but it is not read, that he was afterward Coritus, that is, king of Italy, or commanded in any extraordinary power and authority; but that this Atlas Italus created and established one of his own sons, called Morges, in the dignity and office thereof, wrongfully disinheriting the true heirs that might lawfully have challenged the same: so that by this unjust means of usurpation & greatness, the line and issue of Hercules was debarred from the possessing and enjoying of what rightfully belonged unto them. Also he created and appointed his daughter called Rhoma, as duchess and commandress of the people and nation called Aborigines (of whom heretofore we something spoke of.) And this Rhoma was afterward married to a prince of Tuscan, of whom she had a son called after her own name Rhomanessos, who was the first that ever laid the first foundation of the city of Rome; as Sempronius very confidently affirmeth, condemning all those which attribute the first founding thereof unto Romulus, who (saith he) indeed beautified and enlarged the same, but was not the first that laid the foundation thereof; and that his name Romulus (being himself found hard by that city by wondrous accident) took his name of Roma, and not Roma of Romulus, as the above written author Sempronius, a very sufficient writer, and some others also of allowed authority, have averred the same. And the interpretation of this word Rhomanessos, as S. Jerome, the Talmudists, and many others do expound it, is as much, as, Magna aut potens sublimitas, a mighty or powerful height or glory; being compounded of two several words of the Aramean language; Roma, which interpreted, signifies sublimitas, and Nesson, which is validum or magnum: or as some understand it, it signifieth validum augurium, which is, a strong and infallible prophecy, which indeed the exceeding greatness & all subjugating power & mightiness of that Empire did afterwards very fitly answer and make good, being raised unto that infinite greatness and highest perfection of sovereignty, that it impelled almost the greater part of the world to sue unto her for favour, and to become tributary in great taxes and impositions unto her seat & magnificence. And this city also was called long after by the name of Valentia: of which, now we will cease further to entreat, returning to the matter before handled of Atlas, surnamed Italus, now flourishing and commanding over Italy in great puissance, glory, and mightiness: who although (as it is already before specified) he bore great affection, favour, and love unto his son Morges, and had established him in the regalty and kingdom of Italy, as Coritus, yet he began in the end to think and meditat with himself how apparent and monstrous wrongs and indignities he had offered to all the issue and posterity of Hercules, in expelling Altheus, and depriving his son Blascon of his right in the principality of that country; & in those thoughts and humours, he caused to be called unto him Camboblascon, the son of the beforementioned Blascon, the son of Altheus, and in am and recompense of all former and forepast injuries, he gave unto him one of his own daughters in marriage and matrimonial association, who was called Electra, with whom in dowry he gave all those towns and countries lying about the Alps and the hither mountains, nearest confining upon Italy: and upon this, presently after died. After whose death, his son Morges, possessed belike with holy and religious cogitations, acknowledging the mighty wrong and disparagement which his father had imposed on his brother in law Camboblascon, in depriving him of his rightful succession, willingly and voluntarily despoiled himself of his crown and command, and transferred it upon Camboblascon, whom presently he caused to be created and established in the dignity of Coritus, that is, the jupiter or king of Italy; and so after that, contented himself to live privately and obscurely with his brother in law and sister Electra: with whom he had not many years lived and conversed, but he died, and paid Nature that debt which no sureties can put off, or be bound for: and so then Camboblascon was with more general allowances of the people fully invested in his office and place of Coritus, which is as much to say, as jupiter Coronatus, as I have already made known, and which I cannot almost too often expound, in that many have made so many and several doubts and scrupules, What these jupiters', Saturn's, and Hercules might mean? which names indeed are nothing else but titles of honour, superiority, and dignity: and jupiter was such, as in Egypt Pharoa, and in Rome Caesar, and as now their Pope: for jupiter is as much as, juvans pater: and Papa, Pater patrium. And whereas the superstitious people in those days honoured and reverenced them as gods, it was nothing else, but for some excellency and great dignity they possessed, or for some great virtue, learning, and knowledge they were then endued with, as Fabius Pictor and Zenophon have delivered the same, saying: Principes quia justi erant, & religionibus dediti, iure habiti dij, & dicti. Non enim arbitria illorum ab equo, vel populis à iure innato discedebant. Now then having satisfied that point, we may the more boldly proceed with our intendment and with the matters of this Camboblascon, king of Italy, and jupiter and Patriarch thereof, and the great father (as they say) of the famous and renowned Trojans. And this king built the fair city of Montoblascon in Tuscania, which by corruption is now called and known by the name of Montflascon: and another also which he named Coritus, now called Cornete, which is situated about some forty miles from the now mighty city of Rome. And this Camboblascon had by his wise Electra, the daughter of Atlas Italus king of Italy, three children, which are these, jasius, Dardanus, and Armonia: jasius being created Coritus and Patriarch of Italy, his father being alive, who also bestowed upon him the rule and kingdom of France (as many historiographers affirm) the next year after; so that he became very mighty and powerful in all those countries thereabouts. And now we will proceed with the rest of the kings of France, beginning where we last left of, which was (if it be remembered) at Galatheus, the noble son of Hercules of Lybia, and of his fair wife Galathea: where it was then mentioned, how this Galatheus at the hands of his loving brother Tuscus, received the Island of Sicilia, and accordingly, carried with him people to inhabit and possess the country, which being performed, he returned also back again into France, as hath been likewise before somewhat touched: after which time, he lived peaceably and quietly many years, governing his people with great mildness and clemency, and yet mingled and accompanied with uprightness of justice, and execution of his laws and edicts; of whose deeds and performances, more than are already spoken of, few or no writers have mentioned, only, that of him and of his name the country generally was called Gaul, and so continued, and the people thereof termed Gaulons, which by corruption and overturning of many ages and times, are now in some part of that country called Walloons, and which before Galatheus, were called Samothei or Celti. And it is most likely by the conjectural opinions of most writers, that this king Galatheus remained and lived in those days for the most part in that part of Gaul, which is now the province of Acquitaine, which is so called of the abundance of waters and rivers, wherein that country was wont to exceed, and that this place was held to be the first and most ancient of all the other parts of France, which indeed are only two more, for that the whole country of France is by most divided only into three parts, and they are called Gallia Acquinatica, Celtica, and Belgica, which of themselves retain and carry the very names of the first kings and rulers of them, as before is something specified. The chief cities and principal signories of Gallia Aquinatica, 
The chief cities of Gallia Acquinatica.  are supposed and held to be these, as most ancient writers do consent, Narbon, Thoulouse, Caours, Rodetz, Lymoges, Perigort, Bourdeaulx, Zainctes, Augolesme, Baione, Clermont, Bourges, Tours, Foix, Lestore, Allebreth, Saint Pons, Nantes, Resnes, Saint Malo, and others. The chiefest rivers and waters, these, Gironde, Dordonne, Garonne, Loire, Lalier, Cher, Charente, & many others, now too long to recite.  
After the death of the famous and most renowned prince Galatheus, his son Harbon took upon him the government of the country, and was established the twelfth king of France, who presently erected and built a very gallant city for his seat, and called it Harbonne after his own name, which is now called Narbonne, as many authors do affirm. And of this king, little or nothing is left written, memorable, or meriting a tedious commemoration or rehearsal: only he left behind him a son called Lugdus, which was now the thirteenth king of this country of France, and who built the famous city called Lugdunum, called also Lion; which is now one of the chiefest and principallest cities of France, and which hath long time flourished in great privileges, prerogatives, and extraordinary customs, being a city indeed tres-auncient and of long continuance; and of her name, all that province is called Lyonnoise, which, as some hold, is contained within the bounds of Gallia Celtica, and is the greatest and the chiefest part thereof. 
The first foundation & building of the city of Lions in France.  And this city of Lions was first founded and erected by the same king Lugdus, in the twelfth year of the reign of Mancaleus, the fourteenth king of Babylon, which is as much to say, as after the flood & inundation of the whole world six hundred and fourscore years, after the first inhabiting of France five hundred and sixteen years, before the foundation of the city of Troy one hundred and forty years, and before the now famous city of Paris was erected, two hundred and twenty years, before Rome was built, five hundred threescore and eighteen years, and before the incarnation and birth of our Saviour Christ a thousand six hundred seven and thirty years, or near thereabouts. And in the times of this king Lugdus, arrived and came into France the queen Isis, who was so famous and so renowned throughout all the world.  
After this Lugdus succeeded his eldest son Belgius, now the fourteenth king of that country, whose name is yet even fresh in all men's memories, for of his name that great and populous country called Gallia Belgica, took her title and was so called, of which (as of the other) we will now make some mention. The chiefest rivers and waters thereof are these, Lescault, la Sambre, le Lis, le Rhine, , and Moselle, Saine, Marne, Somme, le Daulx, and others: the chief woods and forests these, Mormault, and Ardenne. The highest hills and mountains, are the hill Saint claud, les Faucsilles, and Vosegus. The principal villages and greatest cities are these: Cambray, Vallenciennes, Couloign, Conflans, Vtrecht, Mayence, Strasbourg, Aix, Constance, Lyege, Tournay, Arras, Amiens, Beauvais, Senlis, Laon, Noyon, Soissons, Meaulx, Rovan, Rains, Metz, Langres, Besancon, Salins, Dole, Losanne, Geneve, and Camberi. The chief signories are these: the Dukedoms of juliers, Cleves, Cheldes, Brabant, Lorraine, Bar, Lembourg, and Luxembourg: the counties Palatine, Haynau, Bourgoigne, Ferretes, Montbeliard, Flaunders, Artois, Champain, Holland, Zealand, and Namur. This king Belgius (of whom all these gallant and most famous countries were thus called) builded also the city of Belges, of which, now only some ruins and relics of memory are left, which are to be seen in the country of Haynau, and which julius Caesar likewise in the sixteenth book of his Commentaries doth mention & remember, where he calleth it Belgium. This word Belgius (as many old writers expound it) signifieth in the Hebrew or Phenician language (which tongue the ancient Gauloys then used) as much as, An ancient god wrestling; for in those times (as I already have spoken) the people called their kings, gods: by which it may be gathered, that this their king Belgius was a great wrestler, unto which kind of exercise and unto the barriers, the people inhabiting in Gallia Belgica did not long since wonderfully much addict themselves, & were very active and skilful therein, howsoever at this day those sports for the most part are now utterly left off and rejected. S. jerom saith also, That this word Belga signifieth in the Hebrew tongue, An ancient commotion, or an old strife: and indeed heretofore those people of that country were much conversant in wars, in troubles, and dissensions, and were held to be the most valiant and strongest nation of this part of the world, as Caesar also in his Commentaries allegeth to the same purpose, saying: Fortissimi autem omnium Belgi. And Strabo in the fourth book of his Commentaries also saith thus: Omnium Gallorum Belgi sunt summi: as a people that in those times (as it is written) could bring into the field three hundred thousand fight men. And thus much for the descriptions of the people of the country called Gallia Belgica, with the chiefest towns, signories, and rivers thereof, and now we will look back again for the prosecuting and finishing of our former matter.  
In this king Belgius, the line and race of Galatheus the son of Hercules Lybicus, failed and was determinate, so that upon his death the people of France (being of themselves wonderfully desirous to elect one of that lineage so near as it was possible) bestowed the government and command of that country upon the above written jasius janigena, the son of jupiter Camboblascon. And so by that means jasius was invested and established in that kingdom as the fifteenth king and Patriarch thereof. And in this year the realm & kingdom of Athens in Greece was first set up and begun, as Berosus our chiefly followed author in these matters of antiquity averreth, who thus saith: Apud janigenas à patre, jasius creatus est Coritus, & anno sequent simul ceperent duo reges, videlice primus Rex Athentensium Cecrops priscus, & jasius Ianigena apud Celtas. And this was about fourscore years or thereabouts before the first building and erection of the city of Troy.  
jasius janigena, the eldest son of jupiter Camboblascon (as is before declared) being thus so gloriously possessed of two such regal and powerful kingdoms, and being in the chiefest spring and blooming days of his age, contracted and joined in marriage with a noble and rich lady called Ipitis Cibele's: for the celebration of which nuptials and espousals, great feasts and ceremonies of joy and triumph were held and kept, and (as some writ) performed in the city of Viterbe, than the capital seat of all Tuscania. And this was before the foundation of Troy threescore and seventeen years, in the presence of Dardanus the first builder thereof, and brother to the new married king jasius janigena. Many writers do affirm, That in this marriage were greater triumphs, pastimes, sports, magnificency, state and pomp, than in any other in those times throughout all the world whatsoever, and chiefly in respect of that noble assembly and meeting of so many mighty and great princes, and more particularly for the coming of the famous empress and goddess (as they term her) the Egyptian Isis, the daughter of Cham, the wife of jupiter justus, otherwise called Osiris, and the mother of that all renowned and ever memorable conqueror, Hercules of Lybia, king and emperor of all France, Italy, and Spain. And this Isis there first taught those people the manner of making bread, of flower, meal, and such like stuff; although before that Osiris her husband had instructed them in knowledge of agriculture, tilling, and sowing corn, yet they were not until now perfected in the use and right applying thereof, especially for the making of bread, which they learned and understood by the coming of this empress Isis. And this marriage and ceremony of association and matrimony was the first that in those times was celebrated and solemnized with any rites, feastivals, or new invented usances, as Diodorus Siculus to the same purpose thus saith, these being his very words: Has nuptias à dijs primum celebratas ferunt, Cereremque in gratiam Iasij ei ex frumento panem attulisse, Mercurium lyram, Palladem decantatum monile peplum, ac tibias, etc. This their goddess Isis, otherwise called by the names of Ceres, juno, Frugifera, Legifera, and others, was by all probability and by the opinion of all writers a woman of wonderful long life and many years, for at her now arrival and coming to this marriage into Italy, she was at the least four hundred and fifty years old, as she that was borne in the first year of the reign of Semiramis queen of Babylon, and lived in the whole at the least six hundred and sixteen years, for she was living after the first destruction and desolation of Troy, by the space of forty years or near thereabouts, as almost all writers have delivered in their opinions to the same purpose and effect. johannes Annius an old writer, saith, That she was in Germany in the time of Hercules Alemannus, the eleventh king of that country, by him called Almaigne: and Cornelius Tacitus also seemeth to affirm the same by these words, Pars Suevorum etiam Isidi sacrificat. It is written also, that she was in France in the time of Lugdus then king thereof, as hath been before declared, and that she had traveled almost all these parts of Europe, instructing and teaching the poor ignorant people the use of many things then unknown & unfound out. And to approve the better that she was present at this marriage of jasius janigena, it is yet apparent in that country of Tuscan by many very ancient scrolls, lest still from time to time in that country from one posterity to another; as also certain old statues and monuments of marble, with inscriptions of characters infixed thereon, found out in the times of Pope Alexander the sixth, aver the same, which as johannes Annius saith, were first found in the earth in the city of Viterbe: and that there were at that time upon further digging and search of more such like relics, found hidden far in the ground four several images or pictures of triumph, the one was of jasius, the other of his mother Electra, the third of his fair sister Armonia, which never married, but continued and died a vestal virgin, and the fourth was of Cibele's the now new married wife of jasius. There was also found another square kind of table made of marble, on which were in Greek letters, these words following engraved, which not long after were thus translated into Latin. Coritina desponsatio, cum Electra Atlai Kytij iamdudum pertransiverat, & maxima Isis Frumentaria atque Panifica, concessit ad nuptias Iasij filii Coriti, in habitaculum turrite Cibele's sponse jasijs in prelio Cybelario, ad fontem Cybelarium, paulo post sub vadimonia palatia, & paulo post à scelerato fratre Dardano jasius male perijt in agro Iasinello in Theisijs, etc. And these be the very words used heretofore by authors of antiquity. By these therefore and by like semblable apparences it is cleared, that this Isis, their so reverently-adored goddess, was now present at the consummation of the espousals of jasius janigena, king of Italy and France, with the lady Ipitis Cibele's, his wife. And that this Isis had traveled and journeied through many and divers countries, it appeareth by many and several pillars and stony monuments erected in many countries of Europe in that behalf, as many authors do produce. Diodorus Siculus inferreth, That in Egypt she caused herself a mighty and stately column to be erected, wherein she caused also these words to be insculped and inserted. Ego sum Isis Egipti Regina, à Mercurio erudita. Que ego legibus statui, nullus soluet: ego sum Osyrides, ego sum prima frugum inventrix, ego sum Oriregis matter. But to omit many other like authorities and approvements which might conduce to the clearer manifesting and unclouding of what was first proposed, we will now go forward with this royal marriage of jasius, that we with more speed may attain to the complete accomplishment and effectuating of my purposed entendment.  
This great king and ruler jasius janigena had of this his wife Cibele's a son called Corybantus, so that now there wanted not any terrene or earthborn delight or felicity which might make this happie-seeming potentate more fortunate, mighty, or contentful, but it is a common humour of fortune, that amidst the thickest and most abundances of her graces and favours, she in some angry or fantastic imagination, suddenly snatcheth away her so liberally bestowed gifts, and leaveth the late possessors thereof involved and wrapped in a world of the miserablest unhappiness and soul vexations that may be invented, as by the fatal success and end of this king's life most plainly appeareth. For when as Dardanus, his younger brother (a man indeed of a proud heart, great courage, and inward ambition) saw his brother jasius thus to float (as it were) on the calm seas of joyous prosperity, and to taste of the sweet cup of Nectar, which Fortune oftentimes administereth unto her favourites, and thus to live famous in such abundant measure of grace and happiness; he infinitely repined and maliciously stomached such the greatness and height of his power and authority, he being himself so suppressed and obscured by the spite of Fortune, and living privately and without command, as an inferior or some base born person or slave. These things oftentimes revolving and studying within himself, he could not now any longer depress or quench the overfurious heat of his aspiring spirit, but in a disdainful and scorning kind of fashion went unto his brother the king, to demand leave and licence, That (upon some occasions of discontent pretended) he might departed out of the country to seek out his better fortunes: which request jasius refused to condescend unto, and would by no means allow of his brother's purposes in that behalf intended: whereupon Dardanus (taking it in great dislike and disparagement unto his greatness) began secretly to enter into deadly hostility with him, and to gather many factions and parties together on his side, which, by reason that he was exceedingly well beloved throughout most of those countries, grew to a great number and multitude of men, especially of those people then inhabiting on the other side of the river Tybre, which we called since the Latins, besides the country of Naples, Povilla, Calabria, and others thereabouts; all these conjoined and consorted with the faction of Dardanus: and with jasius, all those on this side of Tybre, being them of Tuscania, France, and other particular provinces thereabouts. At this very time (as many writers do deliver) happened in the world many uncouth, strange, and wonderful portents, as fearful earthquakes, lightning, blazing comets, and ugly visions; as also throughout all Thessaly a general overflow and deluge of waters, in another part of Greece, a strange combustion of houses and towns, and miserable effects of fire throughout most part of that country. In the same time also, Pharaoh king of Egypt following Moses and the children of Israel through the red sea, with all his army perished and were overwhelmed with the churlish buffet of the angry and wrathful billows. All which signs and extraordinary accidents did manifestly pretoken & prefigure the sudden approach of some great alteration of estates, and troubles of mighty kingdoms.  
The fire of discontent and enmity between the two brothers being thus wholly set on flame, and divers attempts and meetings of wrath passed between them, it happened that Dardanus received the worst, and upon many encounters still was put unto his shifts, especially by the fresh supply and aid which Siceleus, king of the isle of Sicilia, & the sixteenth king of Spain had then brought unto his brother jasius: so that continually being weakened more and more both in numbers of men, and in the courages of them that stayed, he was enforced for his own security to give over those such public means of oppression and revenge, and to betake his thoughts unto contriving and plotting of some more inward and therefore more dangerous stratagems. So that in the end (to avoid prolixity and tedious circumstance) he so wrought that he awaited a time when the king his brother (than all suspectless of any intended mischief) went privately to a fountain or spring to wash himself, which occasion and opportunity so fairly presenting itself, Dardanus most traitorously and vilely murdered him. And upon that, not daring to adventure his stay, or to engage himself so far in those cases of peril, he presently took shipping in the next haven, and with all his jewels & what else riches portable, he could carry with him away, with many of his friends, followers, and servitors, he secretly and closely set sail and departed.  
The right noble and trespuissant king of France thus cruelly murdered by the bloody hands of his own natural (though in that unnatural) brother, in the fiftieth year of his reign and mighty government, and in the fourscore and fourth year of his own age; all the people and inhabitants thereabouts began mightily to bewail his untimely and miserable end, which was before the foundation of Troy eight and twenty years or much thereabouts. In general deploration and laments of this king's death, not only Italy and France, but all parts of the world unto whom the shrill voiced trumpet of Fame had sounded forth this report, conjoined and bemoaned together, for that he kept peace and amity with all princes whatsoever, in all unity, love, and concord; and carried himself so upright and so wise in the troublesome managing of affairs belonging unto two kingdoms, that he gained and won unto him the hearts and affections of almost all people whatsoever. After his death, his son Coribantus succeeded in the government of the kingdom of Italy, but not of France, so that the people thereof were a good while after without a chief or ruler: but in the end they chose and elected one that was nearest unto the lineage and line of Hercules as they might, and his name was Allobrox, now the sixteenth king thereof. The which king afterward for the most part kept and remained at the foot of the mountains Apennini, afronting upon Italy, and there commanded even unto the hills Pyrenei (which divide the country of Spain from France) and from the Mediterranean sea unto the main Ocean, and unto the river of Rhyne: and he there builded and erected many famous towns and cities, of which, some were those which were since called Piedmont, Savoy, Proaunce, Dauphin, and others, and which people of very late times (if not at this day) were called Allobroges: and in this king's reign was the farre-famed and mighty city of Troy first built and erected. To come unto the foundation of which, we must here in these affairs pause and take breath a while, and return unto Dardanus, now on the sea tossed with uncertain fortunes, and tempest-beaten indeed with overblowing and cruel winds, so that he remained in very great danger and hazard to be cast away and swallowed in the vast and merciless embracements of the all-wracking waters. Enforced by these calamities, he was glad to put in at an Island of the Cyclades, attending there the favourable smiles of Fortune, and the abatement of those horrible and tempestuous storms. In the end he put forth again, and recovered the sea Archipelagus, and went afterwards on shore in an Island in Greece called Samos or Samothrace, according to that which the Poet Virgil in his eight book of his Aeneidos saith: Arunculoes, ita ferre senec his ortus in agris, Dardanus Ideas frigiae penetravit ad urbes, Treiciamque Samum quae nunc Samothracia fertur. This Island of Samos or Samothracia, is directly opposite unto the country of Thrace in Greece where Constantinople is erected, which heretofore abounded in all plenteous manner with Vines, Olive trees, Grapes, and others such like fruit of most sorts; and in this country also was the learned and famous Philosopher Pythagoras borne, and one of the prophetesses called Sibeles' Sameos: but it is now (the more to be lamented) in the tyrannous hands and possessions of the bloody and barbarous Turk. In this country, Dardanus stayed a good space before he laid the foundation of Troy, hoping yet to be recalled home again into Italy: but when he perceived that all hopes were frustrate that were builded on such grounds, he putteth himself forth to seek out as yet his further fortunes, which happened as hereafter shall briefly be unfolded.  
It is to be understood, that on the other side of the sea Helle sponte, which is called also the straits leading unto Constantinople, in the firm continent of a country called Asia Minor, now called Natalia or Turkey, and not far from the above written Island of Samos, is a province called Lydia, which heretofore was called also Meonia; in the which country, as also in those next and near adjoining thereunto called Phrygia, reigned and governed at that time a prince called by the name of Athus the younger, of the same blood and parentage as was Dardanus for (if it be remembered) we long since spoke how Hercules of Lybia had a lady to his wife called Omphale, by whom he begat a son called Athus the great, of which Athus, from descent to descent in four generations came this Athus the younger king of Meonia and Phrygia, and who had two sons also, the one called by the name of Lydus, the other Tur●henus. This king Athus having now upon the arrival of Dardanus, great abundance of people in his country, by reason of fruitful increases and multiplications: and having also but small store of victuals and food in his country to nourish and maintain so populous a state, for want of which, great famines, pestilences, and other diseases arose in the country, knew not almost how to dispose of his people, or in what sort to remedy this mischief, so that in the end he was enforced by reason of that mortal famine, to discharge many of his subjects out of the country to seek out some new inhabitations and places of abode: which thing also they wondrous willingly embraced as glad to be rid and quit of so penurious and starving a place. Dardanus hearing and understanding of these proceed, and in what necessities they stood in by means of the overaboundance of inhabitants, presently made his repair to king Athus, and there desired of him, That since he must needs send forth such people for the finding out of new places of habitations, that he would bestow the charge, conduct, and leading of them upon him, and that he would join with them for the provisions and necessaries needful and convenient for the settling of themselves in such their new places of abode, residence, and habitation. This thing king Athus very willingly entertained, especially, for that Dardanus was of his own kindred and consanguinity. This request and desire of Dardanus thus obtained, he knew no other means to requite so great a favour, and to be occasion to draw on further kindnesses, but to offer unto Athus, and utterly to resign all his right, title, interest, and claim in the kingdom of Italy for one of his sons, unto which of them the father pleased and was contented. This proffer of Dardanus being well considered of by king Athus, was in the end thankfully accepted: in am and exchange whereof was allowed unto Dardanus a certain quantity and piece of ground in Phrygia for him to build and erect a city upon. And between the two brethren, Lydus and Turrhenus, lots were indifferently cast, which of them with a certain number of people should set forward for Italy, and which should stay at home: for the deciding whereof, it fell unto Lydus to remain behind, and to be left inheritor unto that kingdom which afterwards of his name was called Lydia; and that Turrhenus should be presently dispatched away with his people to inhabit in Italy, of whom afterwards also it was called by the name of Turrhena. These covenants and agreements concluded upon, Turrhenus setteth forward from Asia Minor (now called Turkey) in his journey for Italy; and Dardanus with his people and associates began now to build in Phrygia, and in short space fully finished and erected a city, which he called after his own name Dardania: which was before the incarnation of Christ a thousand four hundred fourscore and seven years, before the building of Rome by Romulus four hundred and seven and twenty years, and before the city of Paris was erected threescore and ten years, as Eusebius and most writers do affirm. On the other side Turrhenus is arrived in Italy, and presently repaireth unto the queen Cibele's, the widow and late wife to jasius janigena, as before hath been declared, as also unto her son Coribantus king of Tuscania; unto which two, he brought and presented many costly and rich gifts from his father Athus king of Meonia: who also received them in all gracious and kind acceptance, as coming from their kinsman, and of the race and blood of Hercules of Lybia. Turrhenus had not long remained here, but that he was highly favoured of the king Coribantus, who now desirous to see and understand of the estate of his kinsman Dardanus, prepared presently to take in hand that so long and tedious journey, and ordained and instituted at home for the government of his country, the order of the twelve Dukes, whereof Turrhenus was one; and so with a great troop and company of followers & friends he embarked for the cost of Phrygia, to see the greatness of Dardanus, and the beauty and excellency of his new built city Dardania. After some tedious and troublesome travels in this voyage, at the last he arrived at his wished and desired place, where with all manner of ceremony he was joyfully entertained by Dardanus, whose reciprocal and mutual love grew in the end to be such, as he resolved and there set down his rest for ever to remain, and not to return again into Italy, but sent word thither of his purposes, and commanding them to create and establish Turrhenus in his absence king and sole ruler over all that country. In few years Dardanus began to grow unto great mightiness, riches, and power, who had also a neighbour prince, of mighty puissance, wealthy, and fortunate, whose name was Te●●rus, whereupon many writers call the Phrygians also Teucri; and this Teucrus was the son of Scamander and Idea, and had also himself a very beautiful and fair daughter, which he married shortly after unto Dardanus, and was called Batea, of whom Dardanus begot a son called E●icthonius, who succeeded after him and was inheritor unto the kingdom of Phrygia. This Ericthonius in process of time arose up unto a wonderful greatness and large possessions, who (as many writers do affirm) was accounted to be one of the richest kings in those days in that part of the world, who (as it is also said) had at the least three thousand horses of his own continually feeding in his pastures. And this Ericthonius had also a son whom he named Tros, whom after his death he left as successor and inheritor unto him, and of whose name afterwards the Dardanians were called Trojans. This Tros very much obliged and beautified the city also of Dardania, 〈…〉; which long time after it retained 〈…〉 had three sons, which were, Ilus, Assaracus, 〈…〉 he brought up in the knowledge 〈…〉 warlike sciences, unto which kind of study (as it is written) he himself also was much addicted, and had many years together maintained hostile wars with the king of Crete called jupiter, the fourth of that name there: in which wars, his son Ganymedes was taken prisoner even by the hands of jupiter himself, who for that in his ensign and colours he gave an Eagle, (being his arms) it should seem the Poets for that cause have devised and feign 〈…〉 as he was on hunting was snatched up from the 〈◊〉 unto heaven by jupiter, 〈…〉 Eagle, find that he is now taken for one of the twelve signs of the Zodiac called Aquarius. Some other authors also write, that one Tantalus, king of high Phrygia and of Paphlagonia, a most miserable, covetous and avaricious prince, had laid certain snares and privy means to entrap this Ganymedes and to take him prisoner as he used to sport himself in hunting, thinking by that devise to get a mighty ransom of his father Tros for the redeeming and enfranchising of his imprisoned and captivated son, and that this Tantalus sent him to one jupiter of the Isle of Crete, for to safeguard him, and to have half the ransom which should be paid for his redeliverie and freedom. And for such like causes belike, the Poets also do invent and say, that Tantalus is plagued and tormented in hell, standing up to the chin in water, and apples hanging down unto his lips, and yet can neither drink nor taste the one or the other; and it is also more credibly written, that he died most miserably and in great extremity. His son Pelops also, banished and exiled his own natural country, fled into Greece, and there married a wonderful rich wife and great lady, by which means he got unto himself and obtained the command of a whole country, which he called after his own name Peloponnesus, which is now the country of Mauritania, and subject unto the Empire of the Turk. And of this Pelops issued and came the two famous captains, Agamemnon and Menelaus. Tros thus having lost his son on this fashion, studied upon revenge, and in the mean times comforted himself with his two other sons, Ilus and Assaracus. And this Ilus called Troy after that, Ilium; who begat a son named Laomedon, the father of the renowned Priamus: and of Assaracus issued and came Anchises, Aeneas father. And the before written Tros ruled & commanded there in great power and puissance for the space of threescore years or near thereabouts, 
Archilochus.  as Archilochus in his book of Times alloadgeth.  
Laomedon, the son of king Ilus (as is beforesaid) after the death of his father took upon him the rule and government of Troy, in the two hundred and two and twentieth year after the first foundation thereof by Dardanus, and he had five sons and two daughters, which were these, Priamus, Titonus, Lampus, Clytion, and Letaon, and of these Homer in his Iliads maketh further mention: his daughters were Antigone and Hesione. 
Homer.  The Greek Poets (who indeed for the most part are full of such like fables) do say, that the two gods Neptune and Apollo, for a certain sum of money promised them by him, went with him about the circuit of the city, and there erected wonderful strong and most huge high walls round about the same: the which walls afterwards finished accordingly, and no money received nor to be got, Apollo in great rage and anger infected the city with a deadly and general pestilence; and Neptune in token of his wrath and displeasure also, sent a monster of the sea among them, unto which, they must every day give and throw a young child, or else that they all should perish and be devoured by the ravenous maw and hunger thereof; and that in the end it happened upon the daughter of Laomedon (called Hesione) to be given unto this marine beast, which (say they) was rescued and relieved by great fortune by Hercules of Greece, which came that way, and who afterwards slew that monster, and in gratification thereof the lady Hesione (the daughter of Laomedon) was promised unto him not long after in marriage, but yet not married unto him by reason of the unwillingness afterward (howsoever it fell out) of her father: for the breach of which promise, Hercules afterwards slew Laomedon in open battle, and spoiled and ruinated such his glorious city. And for that Thelamon his consort had that day behaved himself very valiantly in fight, he bestowed the young lady Hesione upon him, as his concubine and slave; who carried her away with him into the country of Solamina, whereof he was then king and ruler. But it is most certain, that for the most part all those Greek writers have erred infinitely and have delivered many most unlikely histories: for this Hercules (as hath been before spoken) was a notable and a famous pirate; and he slew Laomedon by treachery, and surprised Troy on a sudden and unawares, and also he was a common ravisher of maidens, as of Hesione, Medea, and others, as Manethon, johannes Annius, and jacques de Bergame have written and very plainly approved the same. Laomedon being slain, Titonus succeeded next after him: but he being of another disposition, resigned his interest therein, and betook himself to travel into strange countries, even unto the Indies, where (according to Diodorus Siculus) he married a lady called Ida, and (as the Poets writ) Aurora: of whom, he afterwards had a son called Memnon, who long after came unto the succour of Priamus in his chiefest wars, and was there slain by the hands of Achilles. In the absence therefore of his brother Tithon, Priamus took upon him the government and charge of that kingdom, being the second son unto Laomedon their father: who in short time came to be one of the greatest and most famous princes of the world, for it is written, that he was wondrous wise, discreet, and valiant, and matched his children with persons of great sort, worth, and dignity. And for to make him at the first the stronger, and that he might have time to re-edify his late spoiled and fire perished city, he entered into alliance and fast kindred with a very mighty and powerful prince, near adjoining upon his country, who was called by the name of Cypseus, or (as some hold) Dymas, king and sole commander of Thrace, which is a province in Greece on this side of the sea Hellespont, whereof the chief city is at this day Constantinople: and with this Cypseus or Dymas his daughter, called Hecuba, he married: a lady accomplished with all exterior graces and inward virtuous dispositions, at which espousals of Priamus and Hecuba, great ceremonies and signs of joyfulness were shown forth and observed: and of this lady it is writ, that he begot nineteen children male and female: and of other women and concubines which he daily kept and maintained in his palace (according to the fashions and usances in those days) he had one and thrifty more, so that only nineteen of his fifty sons and daughters were legitimate and lawfully begotten, the rest bastards and illegitimate. That Priamus in all had so many children (which indeed he publicly maintained and shamed not to acknowledge) Virgil also in the second book of his Aeneidos thus saith: Quinquaginta illi thalami, spes tanta nepotum. And Homer likewise in the last book of his Iliads most plainly seemeth to confirm the same.  
Troy now thus most gallantly flourishing, newly fortified, repaired enlarged, enriched, enpeopled, & thoroughly provided and stored of all manner of things which might be necessary either for the use of fatal wars and open hostillities, or for the conservation of peace & domestic tranquillity, began to assume unto herself a mighty and glorious self-conceit and strong opinion of her own power, height, and magnificence, assuring herself of all victorious prevailements over her enemies whatsoever, and of a never failing prosperity, glory, and felicity: and yet it is not writ, that Priamus himself was puffed up with any more extraordinary pride or insolency than became the greatness of so puissant a prince. It is writ also, that in the times of this his greatest power, he was forewarned by certain Oracles and false gods which they used to worship in those days, that so long as he did preserve and safeguard three things belonging unto the city, the town should be inexpugnable and never to be lost, as Servius and Boccace have written of the same; the things were these, The image of Pallas called Palladium, preserved undefaced, The sepulchre or tomb of Laomedon which was under the great gate Scea, kept undespoiled & whole, and so long as the life of Troilus lasted and did endure. Priamus therefore very careful to keep these three things with all diligentnesse and heed, lived in the greatest pomp, delicacy, and state that ever any prince in the world in those times did or could: so that he seemed not only to be king of Phrygia, but also chief dominator and emperor of all Asia, now called Natalia or Turkey: and he was called also in those times, The king of kings, as Strabo in the thirteenth book of his Geography, to the same purpose thus saith: Priamus magno ex parvo, & Rex Regum effectus. And these his powers and authorities not only extended and stretched themselves abroad throughout the main continent and firm lands of all those countries thereabout round, but in the end showed themselves also and possessed their master of many famous and great Islands lying far in within the bosom and embracement of the uncivil and rude behaviored sea; as the Island of Tenedos, and the Island of Metelyn, were subject and vassalized unto the government of his imperious principality, paying him yearly tributes, taxes, and impositions; and many others also of great same adjoining near thereabout: so that the infinite greatness and large command of this thrice mighty emperor Priamus, possessed all the princes and rulers of countries near that way, with astonished admiration and wondrous maze of his so sudden and unexpected puissancie. And thereupon sent and dispatched messengers from all quarters to crave his amity, friendship, and to be in league with him, as also to be nearer allied unto him in some matches and marriages of their children on both sides; by reason whereof, Priamus matched his children with great houses, and of great power and possessions. First he married one of his legitimate and lawfully begotten daughters called Creusa, unto a prince of great means named Aeneas, the son of old Anchises: his daughter Astyoche, he matched with one Telephus, a mighty king of Mysia: and his son Hector joined in matrimony with Andromacha, the fair daughter of Ection, the powerful and famous king of Thebes and Silicia: and Polydamas, one of the sons of Antenor, married with one of Priamus' daughters, (being a bastard, and begotten of one of his concubines) being of an excellent and singular beauty, called Lycasta. So also many others of his children were linked and joined in marriages with men of great rule, power, and command in those days; the posterity of which, and of their deeds and mightiness, hereafter in some other place and opportunity, occasion may be presented further to speak of, And for this time (being indeed forced by an extraordinary occasion) I must thus on the sudden abruptly break of; desiring and wishing very earnestly, that if this small piece of pains of mine shall fortune ever to be publicly impressed (which leaving behind me, it will not be in my power to prevent) it may indifferently pass uncensured, till the return of his fortune beaten father may answer for the innocency of the child, and be able a little better to protect him in his afflictions.  
And thus it hath been with great care and diligence laboured to find out the truest Hystorians for the deriving of Dardanus, and consequently this king Priamus, from the race and line of the first prince and Patriarch Noah, with the particular successions of kings and emperors of Europe, as hath been warranted by the authorities and writings of very learned and authentic authors.  Tempo è figlivola di verita. 
FINIS.