The History of the Nine Worthies OF THE WORLD;  

Three whereof were Gentiles.  
I. Hector Son of Priamus King of Troy.  
II. Alexander the Great King of Macedon.  
III. julius Caesar, First Emperor of Rome.   

Three Jews.  
iv joshua Captain General of Israel.  
V David King of Israel.  
VI judas Maccabeus a Valiant Commander.   

Three Christians.  
VII. Arthur King of Britain.  
VIII. Charles the Great, Emp. of Germany.  
IX. Godfrey of Bulloign King of Jerusalem.   
Being an Account of their Glorious Lives, Worthy Actions, Renowned Victories and Deaths.  
Illustrated with Poems, and the Picture of each Worthy.  
By R. B.  
Licenced, and Entered according to O●d●●.  
London, Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultry near Cheapside. 1687.   

 king on orb  

BY Arms and Virtue these to Honour risen  
By both they Conquered and ore'came their Foes,  
Whereby of Worthies they obtained the name  
Whose Acts are registered in the Book of Fame,  
Though they are Dead, their Deeds will never  
But still be Famous to Posterity.   
 modern bookplate   

TO THE READER,  
HAving often heard and read of the Nine Worthies, and not meeting with any particular Relation of them, I thought it might be worth my while to search out who they were, and found that the Ancients celebrated the memory of nine Renowned Persons, for the most Worthy Hero's in the Ages wherein they lived. Three whereof were Gentiles, Hector Son of Priamus King of Troy, Alexander the Great King of Macedon and Conqueror of the World, and Julius Caesar the first Emperor of Rome. Three were Jews, Joshua Captain General and Leader of the Hebrews into the Land of Canaan, David King of Israel, and Judas Maccabeus a Valiant Jewish Champion against the Tyranny of Antiochus. And the last three were Christians, Arthur the famous King 〈◊〉 B●●●●ain who valiantly defended his Country against the Saxons, Charlemaign or Charles the Great King of France and Emperor of Germany, and Godfrey of Bulloign, called King of Jerusalem, so memorable for his Gallant Achievements in recovering the Holy Land from Saracens and Infidels.  
Having discovered their names, I next endeavoured to collect from the most credible and Authentic Authors, what I could meet with of the Worthy Actions, and exploits whereby they obtained the Great Title of Worthies, which I have done in as brief a method as such notable Deeds could be contained in, which I now present to my Countrymen, both for their Information and Delight, not doubting but it will be acceptable, especially since a Courageous Prince of our own Nation has been dignified with this mighty Honour; If it please, as I hope it may, I shall be very well satisfied with the pains I have taken in gathering these Remarks out of other Voluminous Histories.  
R. B.   

The History of Hector of Troy, the First Worthy of the World.   portrait of Hector 

REnowned Hector, Priam's Valiant Son  
Deservedly the Name of Worthy won,  
His Country's miseries he did foresee  
And therefore first engaged unwillingly.  
But when his Father's Glory called him forth,  
He then displayed his Gallantry and worth,  
His Thundering Arm no Grecian could withstand,  
All fled and trembled where he did command.  
At length, at unawares he lost his Life,  
Achilles thus betwixt them ends the strife:  
Troy and his Father's House soon after fell,  
As Hellon and Cassandra did foretell.   
THough the Poets have mingled and corrupted the History of the Destruction of Troy, with their Fictions and Fables, as they have most other true Stories of former Ages, yet it is most certainly related by Ancient Historians of undoubted veracity, that the Ruin of this famous City was occasioned by means of a Wooden Horse, as is commonly believed; And that Hector the Son of King Priamus of whom we now write the Life, was a renowned and Valiant Captain, and lost his Life in defence of his Father and his Country; But for the better understanding the Story, we will look farther back, and consider the original of this once Magnificent City.  
Troy was heretofore one of the most Noble Clour of Asia Minor, as well for its Largeness and ●iches, as for that renowned War, which it managed against the Armies of Greece; It was situate in Phrygia, a Province stretching itself upon the Coast of the Aegean Sea, near the Hellespont, called now the River of Constantinople, over against the Chersonesus of Thracia, and the Island Tenedos, which was not far distant from it; The River Scamander, which proceeded from Mount Ida, ran by the Walls thereof, and joining with the R●ver Simois, they both together empty themselves into the Sea, near the Promontory called Sigeum.  
The first who built this City, and commanded there in Chief, was Dardanus the Son of the King of Corinth; When his Elder Brother was dead, a dispute arose between him and his other Brother about the Succession, part of the People favouring one, and the rest the other, but Dardanus having at length defeated and killed his Brother Jasius, He with his Favourites were forced for their security, to take Shipping and fly into Phrygia, where he married the Daughter of King Teucer, with whom he jointly reigned in that Country, which was then named Tevoria, and afterward Dardania, by which name also the City of Troy was then called; This happened about the time that Moses left the leading of the People of Israel to Joshua, about seven hundred years before the building of the City of Rome, and six hundred and fifty years after the first foundation of the Assyrian Monarchy.  
Dardanus left his Kingdom to his Son Erichthonius who begat Tros; When he was possessed of the Kingdom he called the City after his own name Troja, and the Country round about Troas; This Tros had several Sons, the eldest was named Ganymedes, and having War with Tantalus King of Phrygia, he took his Son Ganymedes Prisoner, and sent him as a present to Jupiter King of Crete (now called Candia) and this gave occasion to the Fable that Ganymedes was ravished by Jupiter; His second Son was Assaracus, who was Father of Capys, of whom came Auchises the Favourite of Venus, who had by him Aeneas, born upon the banks of the River Simois. But the Heir of his Crown was Ilus, who altered the name of Troy to Ilium, which he mightily enriched.  
Laomedon succeeded his Father Ilus, he fortified Troy with Walls, by the assistance of Apollo and Neptune, who being both fallen into displeasure with their Prince, and seeing themselves reduced to extreme poverty in a strange Country, far from their possessions which were in Crete, they resolved to enter themselves into the service of King Laomedon to help to build the Walls of his City. They wrought long for this ungrateful King, but when they saw no hopes of the reward promised them with an Oath for their labours, but that he was so unworthy to refuse it, he was afflicted with many diseases, so that to be delivered he was forced to expose his own Daughter Hesione to be devoured by a Sea Monster, it being required of them to deliver up a Virgin every year to be destroyed by them; The King was extremely concerned that the Lot should fall upon his Daughter, but Hercules travelling that way came to Laomedon, and offered to deliver her, by destroying the Monster if the King would give him for a reward some Noble Horses called for their excellency, The Horses of the Sun then in his Stables in Troy. The promise was made, but perfidious L●omedon stood not to it after Hesione was set at liberty, which so much incensed Hercules, that he besieged the City of Troy, took and plundered it, killed Laomedon, and carried his Son into Captivity, who was afterward redeemed by the Trojans, and for that cause was named Priamus, which in Greek signifies Redeemed. To effect this, Hercules had the assistance of his Friends and Allies, especially of Telamonius the King of Salames, and Father of Ajax; He carried away all Laomedon's wealth, with Hesione his Daughter, who was married to King Telamonius.  
Priamus being redeemed by his Subjects, and established in the Kingdom, began to enlarge his Dominions, and to render the City of Trey far more famous than ever it was before, for he rebuilt all the Walls, adorning them with Forts and Bastions, which were then called Pergamon. His Wife's name was Hecuba Daughter of the King of Thracia; She had by him many Sons, as Hector, Polites, Deiphobus, Helenus' the Soothsayer, Troilus, Paris, and Polydorus, and three Daughters named Polyxena, Cassandra, and Creusa; His Court and Palace were full of pomp and glory, and he lived in this prosperous Estate many years, but when he espoused the quarrels of the Asian People against Greece, thereby engaging himself in the public enmity of his Country, and suffered Paris to affront the Grecians, he brought up, on himself and his subjects utter Ruin and Destruction, and was at last so unhappy to behold with his own Eyes, the total desolation of the City of Troy, which had lasted only three hundred years, as Herodotus a faithful Historian hath related.  
When Hecuba was with Child of Paris, she dreamt she was bringing into the World a Firebrand, that should kindle the flames of War in that Country, and cause a general Destruction therein. It was the custom of the Heathens, when any strange accident happened to consult the Oracles, and inquire from them what they ought to do; When Priamus therefore understood his Wife's Dream, he sent to take advice with the Oracle, who informed him that this Child would be the cause of the Ruin of his Country: To prevent this, as soon as he was born, the King delivered him into the hands of a Soldier named Archelaus, that he might cast him into the woods to be devoured of the Wild Beasts, and thereby avoid the mischief which threatened his Kingdom; But the Mother seeing the Child so beautiful, and well shaped, was moved with compassion & sent him to Mount Ida to the King's Shepherd, where he was brought up as his Son, this mean education did not take from him the generous qualities and inclinations which he had received from his illustrious birth, for on every occasion, he made appear to all the World a great Courage, Prudence, and Justice, and all other virtues worthy of a Prince, so that he proved as Valiant as he was handsome; Insomuch that the Poets feigned, Juno, Pallas, and Venus agreed to choose him sole Arbitrator and Judge of their Concerns in a difference between them, which was this.  
At the Marriage of Peleus and Thetis, whilst these Goddesses were merry at the Feast, the Goddess of Discord, cast into the middle of the Company a Golden Apple with this Inscription; For the Fairest and most Beautiful. Each of these Ladies claimed it as their own, and because they could not agree, they resolved to leave it to the judgement of Paris, who was corrupted with the Charms and Promises of Venus; For she had engaged to procure him the handsomest Lady in the World, whereupon he despised the Riches of Juno, and the Wisdom of Pallas, and pronounced his sentence in favour of Venus, whereby he provoked the Wrath of these Goddesses against himself and all his Nation. This is the Fable.  
After in a Public Assembly he declared who he was; for the Nobles and Gentry of the Country being met near the City to see the sport of Wrestling, when every one strove to express his Strength and Courage, he likewise went forth, and threw to the ground many who undertook to engage with him; Hector the Son of Priamus among the rest did try his strength, and was also overcome; But this disgrace so enraged him against Paris, that he resolved to kill him, esteeming him no better than a Country Clown. In his Anger he had taken away his Life had not Paris to prevent it, shown him certain small Jewels which Queen Hecuba his Mother had delivered to the Shepherd his Tutor, and thereby declared himself to be his Brother. King Priamus who had already admired his Address and Courage in the Combats, was ravished with joy to understand the strange preservation of such an Excellent Son; He therefore embraced him, brought him to his Palace, and gave him a Train of Attendants suitable to his Quality, having forgot the Oracle foretold he was to be ruin of his Kingdom and Country. He was at first renowned for his Justice and Civil behaviour, but vice overcame his Generous Disposition, and the Pleasures of the Court and sudden change of his condition altered his Temper and Carriage, so that he had two natural Sons by Oenone, Daphnis and Ideus who were as obscure as their Father was Famous.  
King Priamus thinking himself now strong enough to encounter his old Enemies the Grecians, assembled his Nobility to Court, to whom he spoke to this purpose, My Lords, You cannot forget the cruel injuries we have undeservedly received from the Greeks, who lately invaded our Country, and barbarously murdered your Parents and Friends as well as mine; Having likewise carried away Captive Hesione my most Fair and Beloved Sister, whom they still retain among them as a common Strumpet; You must needs remember how they battered down this Famous City, overthrowing and ruining the Walls, Houses, and Palaces thereof even to the very ground, and rob us of all our Riches and Wealth wherewith Troy did then abound. I therefore think it very just and reasonable that, by the assistance of the Gods who resist the Proud and Insolent, we ought to join together, and endeavonr to take vengeance of them for those many wrongs we have received, since our City is now so well peopled with valiant Soldiers, and that we have Arms and Riches enough to furnish a complete Army. You know likewise we have made Alliances with divers great Princes our Neighbours, who no doubt will assist us if we should have occasion for their help. So that my opinion is, we ought now to seek Redress for all our wrongs; But since the fortune of War is uncertain, and none call tell the Event thereof; and though the dishonour of my Noble Sister be a very great Affront to me, yet before I begin the War, I will send some Prudent Person fairly to demand the Restitution of Hesione, which if granted, I will be content to remit all their other Affronts.  
The whole Council approved of this his Resolution, and Antenor one of his Princes was instantly dispatched to Salamine to King Telamonius, and being admitted into his presence he thus Addressed him; Sir, Priamus King of Troy hath sent me to your Highness to desire you would please to restore him his Sister Hesione, whom contrary to the Laws of Honour you detain as your Concubine, it being no way proper to your glory thus to abuse the Daughter and Sister of a King, who issues from a more Noble Family than yourself. Yet if you please to send her back, my Master is willing to pass by all other Indignities and Damages, which he hath received from you or yours.  
King Telamonius upon hearing this Message fell into an extreme Passion, and fiercely replied, Friend, whatever you are, I cannot but much admire at the weakness of Priamus, with whom I have no Correspondence, nor Amity, and whom I have not the least cause to fear, nor grant his request. Thy King ought to remember that I and others my Confederates came into his Country to revenge an injury which his Father Laomedon offered to some of our Allies, and because I was the first who entered the City of Troy with great danger of my Life and Effusion of my Blood, Hesione of whom thou speakest, was bestowed upon me as the recompense of my Victory to use her at my pleasure, and since she is so Noble and Beautiful a Lady, I am very unwilling to be deprived of what is so delightful to me, and whom I obtained with so much pains and danger, go therefore and tell Priamus that he is never like to recover her but with the point of his Sword; Neither can I think that thou art a very discreet Person to undertake such a Voyage with so great peril of thy Life, and to bring such an Errand into a Country where thou and thy Countrymen are mortally hated, I command thee therefore to go hence with all speed as thou hopest to escape a severe and cruel death.  
Antenor instantly took Shipping, and carried the same Message to King Peleus, then to King Castor and Pollux, and lastly to Duke Nestor, all of them Grecian Princes, who all defied Priamus with the utmost contempt and scorn, especially Nestor, who all enraged, said, Thou vile wretch were it not for my Nobility I would cause thy Tongue to be plucked out of thy mouth for presuming to utter such things before me, and in despite of thy King would see thee torn piecemeal by Wild-Horses; Antenor doubting he might be as good as his word, returned immediately to Sea, and sailed toward Troy, where at length after many dangers he arrived in safety. And then in the Company of several Noblemen he presented himself before King Priamus, all the Barons of the Realm, and all the King's Sons being present to hear what Tidings he brought; To whom Antenor gave a full Account of his Embassy, and of all that happened to him during his Voyage. At the recital whereof, Priamus was very much disturbed, and by their opprobious Speeches he perceived that it was impossible to recover his Sister without bringing on himself the utmost force and fury of the Grecians.  
Soon after he again assembled his Nobility to his Palace of Ilium, to whom he thus spoke, My Lords, you may remember that by your advice I sent Antenor into Greece, to demand the return of my Sister by all fair means possible, you likewise are sensible what injurious answers they gave to my proposals, and how little they value the wrongs we have received, insomuch that they threaten us with new mischiefs, which Heaven forbidden should ever fall upon us; But since we have a strong and well fortified City, and several considerable Princes firmly confederate with us, in my opinion we are in a Capacity to revenge these reiterated damages; Therefore if you think fit, we will send our Forces privately into their Countries, where finding them utterly unprovided of defence, we shall be able in some measure to right ourselves upon them; Neither ought you to be discouraged because they have been lately so victorious against us, since it often happens that the Conquerors at length are vanquished by the Conquered.  
All present were satisfied with this determination, and being all dismissed, he called all his Sons who were not present at the debate, to whom he again declared his intention, with tears in his eyes to this purpose; Dear Sons, you ought never to forget the death of your Grandfather Laomedon, nor the servitude of your Aunt Hesione whom the Greeks our inveterate Enemies abuse at their own pleasure, which methinks should stir up thoughts of revenge in your minds, but if this do not move you, yet you ought to endeavour it for my Satisfaction who have brought you up with the utmost care and diligence, and who am ready to die with sorrow and vexation in reflecting on the multiplied injuries I have received from them; And thou my Wise and Valiant Son Hector, thou who art the Eldest of thy Brethren, I require thee chief to undertake this matter, thou shalt be the Principal Commander in executing this my will, and all the rest will gladly obey thee, yea the whole Kingdom will willingly submit to thy Conduct, whom they know to be so valiant and courageous, and therefore upon thee I must lay all the burden of this War, and discharge myself thereof, not doubting but by thy prudence and valour all will be brought to an happy effect, and thy Father be revived in his old Age with the reports of thy growing glory.  
To this speech Hector returned this mild and discreet answer; Dear Father, and my Sovereign Lord; I am satisfied that there are none of your Sons but are sufficiently inclined to require satisfaction for any wrongs offered us, or any of our Family, & according to the quality of the Person abused so doth the injury appear greater; It is natural to men to seek redress of injuries yea the very Beasts by nature strive to do the same; Neither, Most Dear Father, is there any of your Sons who ought more sensibly to resent the Murder of our Lord and Grandfather than I who am the eldest; But I beseech you before you undertake this enterprise, to consider seriously what may be the Issue and Event thereof, otherwise you may have cause to repent that ever it was begun; I speak not this out of Contradiction or Cowardice, but only to induce your Highness to take mature advice and deliberation in the matter. You know that all Africa and Europe are Subject to the Greeks, and that they abound with stout and valiant Soldiers, so that our strength in men at Arms is not comparable to theirs; Why therefore should we who live in peace and quietness disturb our own Welfare and Prosperity. Hesione is not of so much value that we should endanger all our Lives and Estates only for her sake; She hath been already a long time in Greece, and I think it were better she should spend the rest of her days, which cannot be many, in that Country, than that we should run such great hazards to fetch her home again. I again declare, Dread Sir, I speak not this for fear, or want of Courage, but because the chance of War is uncertain, and lest fortune by this adventure should confound and destroy our Realm, or at least cause us to wish a thousand times that we had never undertaken so dangerous an Enterprise.  
When Paris heard Hector thus declare his mind, he was much concerned, and standing up said; Dread Lord, I beseech you hear me one word; To what ill end can this undertaking against the Greeks possibly come? Are we not furnished with as gallant and courageous Knights as any in the World? Yes certainly, and are able to defy the greatest force can be brought against us; Go on therefore I entreat you with your design in sending some Men and Ships to Land and Forage in Greece, and if you please to accept of my Service I shall most readily undertake this employ, not doubting but to do them very great damage, and to bring away some Noble Lady, by exchanging of whom you 〈…〉 your Sister Hesione without further troub●●● Deiphobus the third Son confirmed what Paris had said, but Helenus the fourth, who was a Priest or Soothsayer, smartly replied; Mighty Father and Sovereign, beware that the thirst of revenge do not bring upon you greater mischiefs; You know very well I understand and can foretell things to come, as you have often experienced, The Gods forbidden that it should ever happen Paris should be sent into Greece, for if you make an assault upon them, I now declare and presage, you shall see this Honourable City destroyed by them, and your Trojans and all your Children killed, be therefore persuaded not to adventure upon what will certainly end in utter desolation, with the death of yourself and Queen, and we that are your Children shall not escape; For if Paris go into Greece, all these evils shall surely come upon you.  
The King was much disturbed at these words, and for some time all stood silent, when Troilus his youngest Son briskly answered. My noble Lords, why are you discouraged for the words of this cowardly Priest, who you know doth as naturally hate War and Fight as he loves good eating and drinking? Who can believe that any man knows future events unless they are revealed to him by the Gods? it were then great folly in us to concern ourselves about his dreams. If Helenus be afraid, let him go into the Temple and sing Service, and let us, Dear Lord and Father revenge by force of Arms the injuries we have received from the Greeks, send your Ships therefore instantly, and doubt not but your valiant Subjects will procure you sufficient satisfaction from your enemies. The whole Assembly approving this advice, they broke up, and Priamus presently dispatched his two Sons Paris and Deiphobus to raise Forces in Panonia; though Cassandra his Daughter Surnamed the Prophetess upon hearing this their resolution, like one frantic thus cried out; O Noble City of Troy, what Fury hath moved thy Citizens to bring thee to ruin and desolation? How soon wilt thou be overthrown and destroyed even unto the ground? O Queen Hecuba for what crime hast thou deserved to see the lamentable death of all thy Children? Why dost thou not prevent Paris from going into Greece, which will be the cause of so many deplorable mischiefs? She than ran to her Father, and drowned in tears humbly besought him by no means to proceed in this enterprise, because by her Science she certainly foresaw horrible effects would undoubtedly follow; But neither the dissuasions of Hector nor Helenus, nor the admonitions of Cassandra could prevail in the least upon the mind of Priamus, nor stagger his resolution, as if inevitable destiny had absolutely designed the ruin both of himself and his Kingdom.  
In the Spring Paris and Deiphobus returned with three Thousand stout Soldiers, and were soon after embarked in twenty Ships, accompanied with Aeneas, Antenor and Polidamas, and Landing at Sparta, were received by Menelaus King thereof with all expressions of kindness and civility, and when his Affairs did require his presence in Crete (now Candia) he left Paris at his Palace in his absence, but the Affection of this King was requited with a notable Treason and Ingratitude; For Paris having secretly Contracted a Friendship with Helena his Queen the Sister of Castor and Pollux, and accounted then one of the greatest Beauties in the World, he Debauched her, and when he saw a favourable opportunity he rifled his Palace, plundered the City of Argos, and carried all away Captive, with Helena and her two Ladies of Honour, and at length brought them all to Troy; The next Morning he married her in the Chief Temple of that City; King Priamus received his Sons and their Booty with great joy, remembering his hard usage from the Greeks during his Captivity, and because they had utterly ruined his City in the Reign of his Father Laomedon, in hope likewise hereby to recover his Sister Hesione out of their hands. When Cassandra heard and saw the rejoicing at the Marriage of Paris, which lasted eight days throughout the whole City, she like a Frantic Woman cried out, O unhappy Trojans, what madness is it to rejoice at this Wedding, which will bring so many evils! Yourselves and your Children shall be slain, this Famous City shall be utterly destroyed; O unhappy Mothers! you shall see your sucking Babes torn in pieces before your Eyes. O most unfortunate Mother and Queen Hecuba! where wilt thou find Tears enough to weep for the Murder of thy Children. O blind and foolish people! why do you not send Helena home again, before the Swords of your Enemies be sheathed in your Bowels? do you believe that her King and Husband will not seek Revenge? Yes certainly, and woeful will his vengeance be unto you. O unhappy Helena! thou wilt be the cause of sad calamities to this our Country. King Priamus hearing her thus crying, commanded her silence, which she refusing, was cast into Prison, where she continued many days; Happy had it been for him and his people too, had they believed this warning of hers, which might have prevented those desolations that will be read with pity to the end of the World.  
Men●laus who was at that time with King Nestor at Epirus, hearing the news of the carrying away his Wife and ruin of his City was extremely disturbed, and sent to Agamemnon King of Mycenae his brother to come to him, who arriving and understanding the affair, he was mightily concerned for this disgrace of Menelaus, which obliged him to acquaint the Princes of Greece with this notable affront, which all the Nations had received by this Action. They all agreed to consult about this business in two general Assemblies, where it was resolved to join all their Forces together under the leading of Agamemnon, and revenge this injury, and that they should oblige themselves solemnly by Oath not to forsake the War till the Trojans had made full satisfaction for the wrongs received.  
Besides Agamemnon many other valiant Commanders and stout Soldiers were met together in the Grecian Army,) as Palamedes, Achilles, Ajax, Ulysses, Menelaus, Stenelus, Diomedes, Protesilaos', Idomeneus and Nestor, who was said to be three hundred years old, and whose wise Counsel and Eloquence was very serviceable to the Greeks, for he insinuated himself into the minds of the Auditors so pleasantly as if honey had dropped from his mouth with his words; They wanted no kind of Instruments nor Engines of War for their assistance in a Siege; In short time all things being provided, the Grecians landed at the Isle of Tenedos three miles from Troy, where they soon got possession of the Castle, though valiantly defended by the Trojans; After which they sent to Priamus' t● demand Helena, and Satisfaction for the damage they had received by Paris, and if not to assure him that sudden ruin would fall upon him.  
Priamus treated the Messengers very roughly and returned them back with an absolute denial and defiance to their General Agamemnon; Who thereupon ordered his Ships to sail immediately to Troy, where being arrived they endeavoured to Land, but were so warmly received by the Trojans who were prepared for them upon the Shore, that there ensued a very bloody Battle, so that the Greeks were sometimes forced back almost to their Ships, but being reinforced they pressed very hard upon the Trojans, so that a great cry arose among them, which Hector the most Noble Worthy hearing, he instantly issued out of the City with fresh Forces, and meeting with Protiselaus who had that day slain a great many Trojans, he struck him dead to the ground, and then pressing forward he bore down all who stood in his way, his name being so terrible to his Enemies that none durst withstand him; About Evening Hector returned into the City, when Achilles, landing with his Myrmidons, made a great-slaughter of the Trojans, and at length all the rest of the Fleet landed, though not without stout opposition from Troilus, Paris, and Deiphobus; That night the Greeks encamped in the Field, and the Trojans retired within the City, and were Besieged there●n by the Greeks; Next Morning Hector issued ●ut of the Gates with a gallant Company, when Patroclus advanced against him with all his Force, so that his Spear pierced through his Shield, but Hector with one blow cut him down, and observing his gallant Armour, was desirous of it, and alighting to seize it, was immediately encountered by King Menon with three thousand men, who endeavoured to seize both him and his Horse, but Hector remounting, made his way through the thickest of his Foes, and overthrew all that opposed, and attempted the second time to take off the Armour of Patroclus when Idumeneus' King of Crete came upon him with two Thousand more, who being enraged at this disappointment, made a terrible slaughter among the Greeks, striking off Heads, Legs and Arms in abundance, and killing fitteen of the most valiant Grecian Commanders with his own hand; During this skirmish King Menon carried off the Body of Patroclus to his Tent, and thereby defeated Hector of his prize to his great vexation.  
The Trojans hearing that Hector was unhorsed, and in great danger of his Life, issued out with all the strength they had to his rescue, so that the Battle was renewed with more sury than ever, and Hector being earnest in fight was encompassed on all sides by the Enemy, but as his danger so his valour increased, so that like a raging Lion he brought ruin and destruction wherever he came, and having another Horse brought him, his own being slain under him, he revived the courage of the Trojans, who by the multitude of their Enemies were even tired out, and just ready to leave the Field; Hector endeavouring to put the Enemy to flight was hurt in the Face with an Arrow shot by King Humerus, but not without a quick revenge, for Hector instantly returned upon him, and slew him, and presently after meeting with King Menon, Ha' Traitor, said he, that hinderedst me from taking the Arms of Patroclus, I will now be avenged of thee; and therewith struck him dead off his Horse. This day the Trojans had great advantage of the Greeks, and might nave put an end to the War, had not Hector unhappily met with Ajax in an Encounter, and understanding he was his Kinsman, instead of killing him as he might have done, embraced him in his Arms, and invited him to come to Troy, and see his Kindred; Ajax subtly answered, that it was not now a convenient time, but if he had so much kindness for him as he said, he desired that for his sake the Battle might cease that day only, to which Hector readily agreed, and blowing a Horn, thereby recalled all the Trojans into the City, who had already begun to set Fire to the Grecian Ships, and had burnt them all, if they had not been prevented by this unfortunate accident.  
This short Truce being expired both sides soon prepare again for Battle, and both Armies being ●eady, Hector assaulted Achilles, who commanded the Greeks, with so great force that both fell ●o the Earth, Hector remounted first, leaving Achilles on the ground, and fell in among the body of his Enemies whom he slew on all hands, having his armour covered with the blood of his Opponents, Achilles recovering himself fell likewise with great fury upon the Trojans, and at length again encountered Hector, by whom he was again dismounted, but being soon horsed again there ensued a bloody duel between these two gallant Commanders, and they had certainly killed each other had they not been timely parted; The rest of the Trojan Generals behaved themselves with much courage, and Hector was commonly at the head of them; King Prothenor observing his advantage, came suddenly upon him and struck him to the Earth, but Hector remounting in an instant, soon dispatched him, whereat the Trojans taking courage followed the Grecians so close that they fled to their Tents, whom they pursued till night prevented them, and then returned into the City.  
After this battle Agamemnon called a Council of War in his Tent, wherein they concluded that it was in vain to hope for success against their Enemies till the valiant Hector was killed, and therefore they desired Achilles as well for his Strength as wisdom, to undertake it; Achilles readily accepted this charge, as knowing Hector to be his mortal adversary, and being willing he should die rather by his hand than any other; Soon after the Trojans again issued out of the City, and engaged with the Greeks, in which Battle the Valiant Hector slew three of the Greek Princes, and again encountered Achilles, both of them being again dismounted by the force of their Spears, but night coming on both sides retired. In the next fight many gallant Commanders were killed, but the Trojans lost more than the Greeks; But in the seventh Battle though Hector was very much dissuaded from fight that day both by his Father Priamus, and his Wife Andromache, who seeing him Armed fell at his Feet, together with her two little Sons, humbly entreating him to disarm himself, since she had drearned the night before that if he went out that day he should certainly be slain, and said she, If you will not do it for my sake, yet have compassion on your Dear little Children, and do not expose both them and me to a Cruel Death, or cause us by your death, to be carried into slavery in a strange Country: But her reasons not in the least prevailing, his Mother Queen Hecuba, and Queen Helena, with all his Sisters came to him with tears in their Eyes, and begged him not to go out, yet all to no purpose, for taking his Horse he was just going into the fight which was already begun, when his Father Priam seizing his Horse by the Bridle prevented him, and made him return, but he would by no means be persuaded to disarm;  
The Battle was very bloody to the Trajan's, and by the obstinate Valour of the Greeks they were beaten back to the City Gates, and Margetton one of Priamus natural Sons was slain by Achilles, which when Hector heard, he was so enraged, that putting on his helmet, he privately got away into the Fight, where he soon dispatched several of the most forward Greek Captains, and again restored the Battle by his presence, so that the Greeks lay dead on all sides; When Achilles observed Hector to make such havoc of his Commanders, he concluded that all his endeavours or hopes of success would be in vain whilst Hector lived, and therefore taking a Noble Grecian with him called Policceus, they came upon him with the utmost fury imaginable, but Hector soon dispatched the Nobleman; Achilles resolving to revenge his Death, assaulted him courageously, but Hector threw a dart at him with such violence that it wounded him in the thigh; Achilles retired to bind up his wound, and then returning to the Battle with a very great Spear, wherewith he vowed to be the death of Hector, he found him carrying a Grecian Prince very richly armed out of the Field, having thrown his shield behind him for his ease and thereby left his breast uncovered; Achilles observing his advantage, without being perceived by Hector, came suddenly up to him and thrust his Spear into his Body wherewith this Gallant Worthy fell instantly dead to the ground; King Memnon who was present, seeing Hector slain, fell upon Achilles with his utmost force, striking him to the ground, and wounding him very dangerously, but his Soldiers laid him upon his Shield, and so carried him into his Tent; The Trojans were wonderfully discouraged at his death, and retired into the City with much sorrow and lamontation; But who can express the grief of his Father, Mother, Wife and Kindred, they tore their garments and faces, and were for a long time as it were distracted for grief?  
Hector being buried with much funeral Pomp and State, the Trojans fell upon the Greeks and cut off abundance of them in revenge of his death; To conclude, there were many slain, and much blood Spilt in the frequent Sallies of the besieged, and Memnon whom the Trojans put their trust in next to Hector being likewise slain, they were much terrified yet was Achilles soon after killed by Paris, at which they began to take courage again, and express their Joy, but it lasted not long, for Pyrrhus the Son of Achilles being arrived from Greece, succeeded his Father in all his Offices, and had no less success in the Encounters although he was very young; He revenged his death upon the Trojans in many Battles, in one of which he killed Paris. At last the besieged were so unhappy as to see their Palladium, upon which they superstitiously believed the safety of their City did depend, stolen and carried away privately by Ulysses and Diomedes; You must know that Troy was first built by Dardania, and afterward enlarged by his great Grandson Ilus, who named it Ilium; This Prince made his Prayer to the Gods, that they would please to give him some sign, whether they did approve of the Building this City; Immediately at his words (saith the Story) there fell down from above, the Palladium, which was an Image of three Cubits long, holding in one hand a Lance, and in the other a Spindle with a Distaff; The Statue no sooner touched the Earth, but it began to march in the presence of the King. The Oracle afterward informed him, that Troy should never be taken nor destroyed whilst that remained safe; Ulysses and Diomedes stole secretly into the Citadel of Troy through a Gutter, and carried away the Palladium; This caused King Priamus to come to an Agreement with the Greeks, but had no mind to restore Helena, who was Married to Deiphobus his Younger Son after the death of Paris. Aeneas and Antenor were Commissioned to Treat with the Enemy, who concluded a Peace for a certain sum of Money, and a quantity of Provisions which the Trojans were to furnish the Greeks for their return home.  
This Peace was but a cheat that the Greeks might surprise them with less difficulty; When they raised the Siege, they pretended to leave behind them a Present for Minerva to appease her Wrath, as if they had displeased her by Stealing away and profaning the Palladium; for that purpose they caused a Wooden Horse of a Prodigious bigness to be made; In the Belly of it they shut up a great many of the stoutest and ablest Soldiers of the Army, and left it before the Walls of the City, and retired with their whole Forces as if for good and all, but they went no farther than the Isle of Tenedos, expecting to see the success of their Enterprise. The Besieged immediately go out of their City where they had been shut up so long, they visit all the quarters of the Grecian Camp, they admire this great Wooden Horse; At length they consult whether they should carry it into their City; Some were for it, others suspected some deceit, among whom one Lacoon cast his Lance against it, but seemed to be instantly punished, for two dreadful Serpents immediately killed him and his two Children. This Accident caused them all to resolve to drag this Wooden Engine into Troy. But they were far more eager when they heard the Relation and discourse of one Sinon, a Fellow taught by Ulysses for this purpose, and taken as a spy by the Trojans, who told them, That when the Fleet was ready to set sail toward Greece, the Gods had demanded a Grecian to be sacrificed to them that the Voyage might be prosperous, and that Ulysses his mortal Enemy having caused the Lot to fall upon him, he was forced to run away and hid himself; Thus persisting in his dissimulation, he told them that the design of the Greeks was to reconcile themselves to the Goddess Pallas, and therefore they had dedicated unto her this Horse, which they had caused to be made so large that it might not enter within the Walls of the City, and that the Trojans might not make use of it to their advantage; and to the prejudice of the Greeks.  
This Discourse removed out of their minds all Jealousy and Suspicion, and caused them to resolve to break down a part of the City Wall to carry in this great Horse; Every one employed himself in this Work with all their ●ower and diligence, and having drawn it into the midst of the City, they all departed to Drink, Dance, and make merry, wherein they continued till night, and were then overcome with Wine and Sleep; When Sinon saw things in this posture, he opened the Belly of the Horse to let out the Soldiers who had been there shut in, and then he made a Fire to give notice to the Greek Army, who hastening back without noise, entered by the breach lately made in the Wall, and soon dispersed themselves into every part of the City to burn and plunder it, Pyrhut went directly to the Palace, where he Massacred King Priamus, and all his Sons, and his Daughter Polixena; The rest of the poor Inhabitants had no Quarter granted them, but were all cruclly murdered without respect to Quality, Sex or Age; And thus after ten years' Siege this Famous City was destroyed and burnt to the ground, about three hundred years after it had been built by Dardanus, and about two thousand eight hundred years from the Creation of the World. Helena the occasion of all this desolation returned with her Husband to Sparta, where she lived till his death. She being afterwards banished by the Sons of Menelaus, fled to Rhodes to Queen Polixena her old Acquaintance, who suffered her to be hanged on a Tree for her Infamous and Wicked Life.   

The History of Alexander the Great, the Second Worthy of the World   portrait of Alexander 

THE Second Worthy, was Great Alexander,  
That Valiant Captain, and renowned Commander.  
He in his youth did the known World subdue  
And wept because he found no more to do.  
He was a Prince that had a Mighty Mind  
And to all Glorious Actions was inclined.  
With Thirty Thousand men he put to slight  
Six hundred thousand Persians, and quite  
Destroyed that Potent Monarchy, which long  
Had Triumphed over Nations Great and Strong,  
Yet he who others could subdue by wine  
Was Conquered, and did his Life resign.   
ALexander the Great was the Son of Philip, King of Macedon and Olympias; His Father after he subdued Greece, and was acknowledged their Captain General, listed the Auxiliaries of ever City, by whom he was to be assisted against any Invasion, or to lead them forth against any Nation, for it was not doubted but that the Empire of the Persians was the design of those great preparations, the number of foot were two Hundred Thousand, and fifteen Thousand Horse, besides which he had an Army of Macedonians, and another of the barbarous Nations who were conquered, and borderers upon his Kingdom. In the Spring he sent Parmenio, Amyntas and Attalus, (whose Sister he had lately Married, having divorc Olympias upon suspicion of incontinency) into that part of Asia which was under the power of the Persians; But while the Auxiliaries of Greece were drawing into a Body, he celebrated the Nuptials of Cleopatra his Daughter and Alexander whom he had made King of Epirus; The day was remarkable for the magnificence of the Two Kings, the one Marrying, the other giving his Daughter in Marriage; Neither was there wanting the delight of Interludes and Masks, to the beholding whereof when King Philip passed without a Guard, between the two Alexander's his own Son and his Son in Law, Pausanias' one of the Nobility, being suspected by none, Killed Philp as he was going through the crowd, and made the day destined to mirth and Marriage, black with the lamentation of a funeral.  
This Pausanias about the fourteenth year of his age was enforced to be a Prostitute or Sodomite to Attalus, to which indignity this ignominy was added that Attalus having afterwards brought him into the Banquet, and made him drunk, did not only expose him to his own lust, but to all his guests, and rendered him a common laughing stock among them, which Pausanias resenting with great indignation, often complained of it to Philip, but finding that he was both deluded and delayed in his just complaints, & likewise that his adversary was honoured with a new addition of power & greatness, he converted his anger against Philip himself, & that revenge which he could not have on his adversary he took on his unrightous Judge; Pausanias was seized and crucified for the Fact.  
As there were divers Nations in the army of Philip, so he being slain, there were divers agitations of minds in them; In these distractions the coming of Alexander was a Sovereign remedy, who in a very obliging Speech, quieted their minds, and procured to himself a very great esteem from them; He was then but twenty years old, and gave exceeding hopes of a growing Virtue; He freed the Macedonians from all Tributes whatsoever, unless a discharge from the War, wherewith they were extremely satisfied, declaring that they had only lost the Person but not the Virtue or valour of their King; He caused all who were guilty of his Father's death to be slain at his Funeral; He awed many Nations who were ready to rebel, and marching privately into Greece, called the Magistrates of all the Cities to Corinth, by whom he was made General in the place of his Father, after which he proceeded in his preparations for the Persian War begun by his Father, during which he had notice that the Athenians, Lacedæmonians and Thebans had revolted to the Persians by the treachery of Demosthens the Orator, who corrupted him with a great sum of gold; But upon Alexander's approach they soon returned again to their obedience, the Thebans only persisting, who were thereupon quickly subdued, their City leveled to the ground, and their Citizens sold for Captives.  
Alexander being now wholly intent upon the War in Asia, put to death all his Kindred, or friends, that he imagined might nourish any aspiring thoughts; After which having drawn his Army all into one Body, he speedily embarked them, and being come within sight of Asia, inflamed with an incredible ardour of Spirit, he erected 12 Altars where he made his Vows to the Gods of War; He than divided all his Patrimony and Kingdom which he had in Macedonia and Europe amongst his Friends, alleging That Asia was sufficient for himself. And before any of his Ships Sailed he offered Sacrifices, desiring Victory in this War, in which he was to be the Revenger of Greece so often invaded by the Persians, whose Empire was grown Old and Ripe for change, it being now high time that the Turn should again come about when others who would use their power better should enjoy it; Neither were the resolutions of his Army less prosaging good fortune than his own, who forgetting their Wives and Children and the War which was so far from their own Country, assured to themselves the Persian Gold and all the riches of the East, as if already in their possession.  
When they drew near the Asian Shoar, Alexander first threw a dart, as into an Enemy's Country, and leaping ashore in his Armour, vaulted twice or thrice into the Air; He there again sacrificed, praying That those Countries might willingly receive him as King; He did the same at Ilium, upon the Tombs of those who fell in the Trojan War; Advancing afterward towards the Enemy, he made Proclamation, That none of his Soldiers should plunder, since they ought to spare their own goods, and not destroy what they came to possess; In his Army were thirty Two thousand Foot, and Four Thousand five Hundred Horse, and a Fleet of one hundred eighty two Ships; With which inconsiderable Force it may seem wonderful he durst undertake to overcome all the Western World, especially since his Army did not consist of stout young men in the Flower of their Youth, but chief of Old Soldiers, some of whom by the Laws of War, aught for their age to have been discharged from further Service, being such as served both his Father and Grandfather, whereby they now seemed Select Masters of War, rather than private Soldiers, there being no File-leader who was not sixty years old, the Order of the Camp being so excellent as it appeared like the Senate of some ancient Commonwealth, therefore in the Battle no man thought of flight but of Victory, having no hope in the nimbleness of their Feet, but in the strength of their Arms.  
On the other side Darius King of Persia, confident of his strength, affirmed he would have nothing done by Policy or Circumvention, since it was not suitable to his Grandeur to steal a Victory, and therefore thought it more honourable to admit the Enemy to enter his Country, than to fall upon him on the Borders: The first Battle was in the Plain of Adrastum, where an Army of six hundred thousand Persians were overcome as much by the Policy of Alexander as the courage of the Macedons, great was the slaughter of the Enemy, whereas he lost only nine Footmen, and one Hundred and Twenty Horse, whom to encourage the rest, he caused to be honourably buried, and Statues were erected for them as for some memorable Commanders, bestowing great Privileges on their Relations and kindred; After this Victory, the greatest part of Asia submitted to him; He also made many Wars with the Lieutenants of Darius, whom he overcame not so much by Arms as the Terror of his name.  
While he was thus Victorious he understood by a Captive that a Treason was contrived against him by Alexander Son in law to Antipater (than the King's Lieutenant in Macedonia) but fearing if he should put him to death it might occasion some Tumult in Macedon, he only confined him to Prison in Bonds; After this he advanced to Gordium, situate between both the Phrygias, which City he desired to be Master of, not so much for the plunder as because he heard that in the Temple of Jupiter which was within it, there was consecrated the Plough of Gordius, the knots of whose cords if any could unlose, the Oracle of Old had presaged he should reign over all Asia; The Original of the Story was this; When Gordius was ploughing in this Country with his Oxen, great flights of Birds of all sorts flew round about him, who going to the Soothsayers and Astrologers of the next City to know the meaning, he met at the Gate a Virgin of admirable Beauty, and ask her whether he should go to be resolved of his doubt, she having some knowledge herself in the Art by the instructions of her Parents told him, That the Kingdom and Government of that Country was presaged to him thereby, and offered him to be a companion of his good fortune by giving herself in Marriage to him; He was unwilling to refuse so fair a condition, which seemed the first felicity of his Kingdom; After this Marriage a Sedition arose among the Phrygians, and counsel being asked, what would put an end to these mischiefs, the Oracle replied, That there was a necessity of a King; And being again demanded, who he should be, answer was made; That they should make him King whom they should find with a Plough entering into Jupiter's Temple; Gordeus was the man, whom they presently saluted as their King, who consecrated to Regal Majesty in that Temple the Plough, by which the Kingdom was conferred upon him. After him reigned his Son Midas, who being instructed by Orpheus in the Solemnities of Worshipping their Gods, he filled all Phrygia with Religion and Ceremonies, by which, during his life, he was thought safer than by Arms.  
Alexander soon took the City, and entering the Temple, inquired for the Plough, which being shown him, when he could not discover the ends of the Cords lying hid amongst the multiplicity of the foldings, he gave a violent interpretation to the sense of the Oracle, and cutting the cords asunder with his sword, the knots were undone, and he found the ends lying undiscovered in the Mystery of the Twists; Mean while he heard of Darius approach with a formidable Army, and fearing the danger of the straits of Taurus, he marched speedily over that Mountain, his Foot going five hundred Furlongs without Respite; Coming to Tarsus and being taken with the pleasant River Cydnus running through that City, he disarmed and covered with dust and sweat, threw himself into it, which was so very cold, that it caused a Chillness and benuming in every joint, which rendered him Speechless, and made his condition very dangerous, and the more because he had received letters that day from Cappadocia, that Philip his chief Physician in whom he put most confidence, was corrupted by Darius to destroy him: However the case being desperate, he ordered him to prepare a potion, and having received the Cup, he delivered these Letters to him, and steadfastly beheld him as he drank the Physic, and observing no alteration in his countenance in reading them, he became more cheerful, and in four days was perfectly recovered.  
And now Darius advanced toward him with Three hundred thousand Foot, and One hundred thousand Horse, and though the multitude of his enemies did somewhat disturb him, yet when he reflected what mighty Actions and what notable Conquests over many Nations he had performed with as few men, he resumed his former courage, but thought it necessary by no means to delay fight least some discouragement might happen to his Soldiers, and therefore riding through the midst of his Troops, he by several Speeches and Orations endeavoured to confirm their valour, teling them, The World had no Soldiers comparable to them, and that this one Battle would put an end to their labours, but their glory and renown would remain for ever; Darius on the other side was no less industrious, admonishing his men not to forgot the ancient Glory of the Persian Empire, and of their everlasting possession of it, which was granted them by the Immortal Gods.  
After this the Battle was fought with great resolution, in which both Kings were wounded, and the Victory was doubtful till Darius fled, thereupon there followed a great slaughter of the Persians, threescore and ten thousand Foot, and ten thousand Horse being slain, and forty thousand taken Prisoners; Of the Macedons were slain one Hundred and Thirty Foot, and one hundred and fifty Horse; Much Gold, and other rich moveables were found in the Persian Camp, and among the Captives there were the Mother and Wife of Darius, and his two Daughters, to comfort whom when Alexander came in person with some Soldiers, they embracing one another expecting present death, made a Screaking lamentation, then humbling themselves to the knees of Alexander, they desired not life, but only a reprieve till they had buried Darius; Alexander moved at their Piety, assured them he was alive, and to remove from them the fear of death, commanded they should be honoured as Queens, and that the daughters should choose them Husbands according to their Quality; After which observing the riches and precious furniture of Darius, he was possessed with admiration, and then first began to delight in luxurious Banquets, and Feasts, and to be tempted by the Beauties of Barsinoe his Captive, on whom he begot a Son, named Hercules. But considering Darius was yet alive, he commanded Parmenio to seize upon the Persian Fleet, and sent other Commanders to take possession of some Cities in Asia, who soon delivered themselves up with vast Sums of Gold, upon the same of this great Victory. He then advanced into Syria, where many Kings of the East with Fillets and Mitres met him, some of whom he received as Friends, others he deprived of their Kingdoms, preferring new Kings, and among others, Abdolominus was by him chosen King of Sidonia, who before lived miserably, his only employment being to scour Ditches and water Gardens, Alexander rejecting the Nobility lest they should impute their Royalty to their birth, and not his generosity.  
The Citizens of Tyre sending him a weighty Crown of Gold on pretence of gratifying him, the gift was gratefully accepted, and the Ambassadors were told, He would come thither himself, and pay his vows to Hercules; Who alleging he might perform that better in the Old Town of Tyre in the ancient Church, he was so incensed that he threatened utterly to destroy their City, and immediately drawing his Army to the Island, was resolutely received by the Tyrians who depended on assistance from Carthage, but that failing, they were not long after surprised by Treachery and destroyed; He than took Rhodes, Egypt and Cilicia upon composition, and resolved to visit the Temple of Jupiter Hamon to inquire of future events, and of his own Original, since his Mother Olympias had confessed to his Father Philip that Alexander was not begot by him, but by a vast great Serpent, and Philip a little before his death openly declared, That Alexander was not his Son, and divorced Olympias as guilty of incontinence. Alexander therefore being ambitious of being a God, and to free his Mother from disgrace, sent some before hand with presents to the Priests, ordering them what answers they should return, so that entering the Temple, they instantly saluted him as the Son of Hamon, who being joyful of this adoption by this Deity, commanded that Jupiter Hamon should be esteemed his Father; He then demanded, Whether full Revenge had been taken of his Father's Murderers. It was answered, That his Father could neither be killed, nor die, but the Revenge for King Philip was fully performed; In Answer to a third demand it was said, That both Victory in all Wars and the possession of all Lands was granted to him; His Commanders and Intimates were likewise enjoined by the Priest to worship him as a God, and not as a King. From hence he was possessed with wonderful insolence and pride, altogether estranging himself from his former familiarity learned of the Grecians and Macedonians; He then built Alexandria, and settled a Colony of Macedons there, commanding it should be the Chief City of Egypt.  
Darius' flying to Babylon, sent Letters to Alexander offering him a vast sum of money for redeeming the Captive Ladies, who returned answer, That to redeem them, he must not only give his money but his Empire. Darius soon after writ again, proposing his Daughter in Marriage, and a great part of the Empire, but Alexander writ back, That he gave him only what was his own before, and commanded him to come as a Suppliant to him, and to permit the Conqueror to dispose of the Kingdom at his own pleasure; Darius hereby despairing of Peace, prepared again for War, and advanced against Alexander with four hundred thousand Foot, and one hundred thousand Horse; In his march he was informed his Wife was dead, and that Alexander had been extremely kind to her and the rest, lamenting her death, and assisting at her Funeral, and that he often went to comfort his Mother and Daughters, whereat he confessed; He was truly Conquered, since after so many Battles his Enemy had likewise overcome him in kindness, and that it was some comfort to him in his Misery, to be subdued by so gallant an Adversary. He thereupon writ the third time to him, giving him many thanks for his Civil Respects to his Family, offering his other Daughter, and the greater part of his Kingdom, even to the River Euphrates, and thirty thousand Talents for the other Captives; Alexander answered, That giving thanks to an Enemy was superfluous, neither had he done any thing either for Flattery, fear of future events, or in hope of peace, but out of the greatness of his mind, whereby he had learned to contend against the Forces, but not the calamities of his Enemies; He promised to allow the same grants to Darius, if he would be his second, not his equal, but as the World could not be governed by two Suns, no more could it endure the Government of two such great Empires in a safe condition, therefore said he, Come if you will, and this very day surrender yourself to me, or else prepare for Battle the next, wherein you have no reason to promise yourself any  success than you have already found.  
Next day both Armies stood ready to fight, at which instant Alexander possessed with too much care, fell into a deep sleep, and was hardly waked by Parmenio, and all admiring that he who slept little, should now be overcome therewith, in so great danger, he replied, That his being delivered from a great fear was the occasion of it, since now he was to fight with all the Forces of Darius at once, being before afraid the War would be delayed should the Persians have divided their Army; Before the Battle, both Armies viewed each other, the Macedons admired the multitude, greatness of Body and Beautiful Armour of their Enemies. The Persians were amazed to think how often so many thousands of them had been overcome with so few Soldiers; Alexander bid his Soldiers, Not be troubled at the multitude or strength of their Enemies, but to consider this was the third time they had fought with them, and that they were never the more valiant for flying away so often, that they ought to despise an Army shining with Gold and Silver, since their Iron would soon purchase it to themselves. Then both Armies engaging the Macedonians in contempt of the Enemy so often conquered, threw themselves upon the Swords of their Adversaries, and the Persians desired rather manfully to die than be again defeated, seldom more blood was shed in any Fight; Darius seeing his Forces routed would willingly have died himself, but those next him compelled him to fly, some persuaded him to break down the Bridge of Cydnus, and stop the Enemy's progress; who answered, That he would not provide for his safety so dishonourably by expesing so many thousands of his own Soldiers to the fury of the Enemy, who ought to be allowed the same way to escape which lay open to himself.  
Alexander was still personally present in the greatest difficulties, and where the Enemy stood firmest, he clapped in amongst them, and made the most pressing dangers more his own than his Soldiers. In this Battle he gained to himself the whole Empire of Asia in the fifth year of his reign, so happily, that none after durst Rebel, the Persians whose Empire had continued so many years, now patiently enduring the Yoke of Servitude; His Soldiers refreshed, and rewarded, the Booty being so great that they were thirty days in dividing it, he found hid eleven thousand Talents, and then took Persepolis the Chief Seat of the Kingdom renowned for many years, and full of the spoils of the World, which were now discovered in the destruction thereof. At this place eight hundred Greeks who had been formerly taken Captive by the Persians, came to Alexander with their dismembered Bodies, desiring him as he had delivered Greece, so he would likewise them from the Cruelty of their Enemies; The King granted them to return home, but they rather chose to be seated in some Plantation there, lest instead of joy they should present to their Parents the lamentable and loathed spectacle of themselves.  
Mean time Darius was seized on by his own Kinsmen, and Fettered in Golden Chains in a Parthian Town called Taneas, thinking thereby to purchase savour of the Conqueror; Alexander pursuing him full speed, came to the same Town next day, and was informed that Darius was by night carried away in a close Wagon; Therefore ordering his Army to follow, he pursued him with only seven thousand Horse, encountering several dangers by the way, and having run many miles without gaining any Intelligence of him, he stayed to refresh his Troops, when one of his Soldiers going to the next Spring, found Darius there, bleeding through many wounds, but yet alive, who observing the Soldier to be a Persian Captive he said; It was some comfort to him in his deplorable Misfortunes, that he should speak to one who understood him, and should not breathe forth his last words in vain; He desired him to represent to Alexander, his real sense of the many obligations received from him, which he was sorry he had not the happiness to return, since he had demeaned himself toward his Mother and Children not as an Enemy but a King, and that he was more happy in an Adversary than in his own kindred, since Alexander had spared the Lives of his near Relations, whereas his own Life was taken away by his Kinsmen to whom he had given both Life and Kingdoms, for which he should receive that recompense which was due to a Conqueror. All the return he could make him for his repeated savours, was as a dying man to beseech the Powers above, and the Powers below, and the Gods that dispose of Sceptres, to bestow upon him the Empire of the whole World. For himself he desired to have rather a solemn than a sumptuous Funeral; As to his death the revenge ought to be exemplary, it being not only. Alexander's but the common cause of all Kings, and would be as dishonourable as dangerous to be passed over, since hereby he might both declare his Justice, and procure his future safety, and in hope of his performing it, He gave the Soldier his right hand, the only pledge of the Faith of a King, and soon after gave up the Ghost. Alexander coming thither, and hearing this Relation, having beheld the miserable condition wherein he was, with tears lamented his death so unworthy his former grandeur, and commanded his Body to be Buried like a King among the Tombs of his Predecessors.  
Alexander after this honoured the Soldiers he lost in pursuit of Darius with great suneral expenses, dividing fifteen thousand Talents among their surviving Companions; He now received Intelligence that after his departure almost all Greece combined to recover their liberty in his absence, the Lacedæmonians leading the Van, who despising the Peace with Philip and Alexander, Agis their King became General of this War, which insurrection Antipater suppressed in the beginning, though with great blood shed on both sides, Agis making terrible slaughter of his Enemeiss, and sometimes driving whole Troops before him. After the death of Darius, Alexander's Soldiers did not doubt but the War was quite finished, expecting nothing but a speedy return to their own Country, and in their imagination already embraced their Wives and Children, when Alexander calling a General Council, declared unto them, That they had gained nothing by so many famous victories if their more Eastern Enemies were yet untouched, neither did he make War to conquer the Person, but the Empire of Darius, and that those were to be pursued who fled away, and revolted from him; Having by this speech revived the courage of his men, he subdued the Mardians and Hyrcanians; In this place Thalestris or Minothea Queen of the Amazons addressed herself to him, attended with three hundred Thousand Women, having traveled twenty five days through many terrible Nations, only as she said, To have a son by so great a Conqueror; Her countenance and the cause of her coming were the subject of much wonder, both for the strangeness of her habit, and request. To satisfy which the King took thirty day; leisure, and when she thought she was with Child, she took her leave and departed.  
Alexander now assumed the habit, and Diadem of the King of Persia, as if tranformed into the fashions and Customs of the Conquered, and to prevent envy, commanded his friends likewise to wear long Robes of gold and purple, and to imitate their Riot also, he divided the night by turns among troops of Concubines, admired both for birth and beauty, adding thereto Feasts and Plays to complete his Luxury; which caused great indignation among his Commanders to see him so far degenerate from his Father Philip, that he did not care to have his own Country so much as mentioned, being overcome with the same vices which were the overthrow of his Enemies; yet he politicly permitted his Soldiers to marry those Women who were their Captives, to make the War less tedious, and their desires to abate of returning home, and likewise that Macedonia might be the less exhausted with recruite if young Soldiers born in the Camp should succeed, their Old Fathers. The Parthians being next subdued, Andragoras a noble Persian was made their Govenor, from whom the Kings of Parthia derived their original. In the mean time Alexander exercised his rage on his own men more like an Enemy than a King, especially on those who upbraided him for subverting the Customs of his Country, for which offence old Permenio next in dignity to the King and his Son Philotas, though upon other pretences, were put to death; upon which, murmurs risen throughout the Camp in compassion to these innocents', and secrets whispers that they could hope for little better to themselves; which being told Alexander, he declared he would send some into Macedonia to give an account of his Conquests, desiring his Soldiers to write freely to their Friends, who were glad of such an opportunity; This done he commanded the Letters to be secretly brought him, whereby having discovered every man's opinion of him, he reduced those who had writ severely into one Company, with an intent either to destroy or distribute them into Colonies in the furthest parts of the World.  
He then subdued the Dracans, and divers other Nations inhabiting at the foot of Mount Caucasus, when Bessus one of the Favourites of Darius was brought bound in chains, who not only betrayed but killed his King, whom Alexander delivered to the brother of Darius to be tormented in revenge of his Treason, And to leave his name in those remote Countries, he built a City which he named Alexandria on the River Tanais within seventeen days, making a Wall about it of six mile's compass, and transplanting thither the people of three Cities adjacent, built by Cyrus; He likewise built twelve Cities amongst the Bactrians and Sogdians, wherein he placed all whom he found seditious in his Army; After this, one Holiday he called his chief Captains together to a Banquet, where mention being made of the exploits performed by Philip, Alexander preferred himself above his Father, and extolled his own Achievements to the skies, the greatest part of his guests assenting thereto, but Clitus an Old Commander upon confidence of the King's Friendship, still persisted to magnify the actions of Philip; which so inflamed Alexander, that snatching a spear from one of the Guard, he killed him at the Feast, and insulted over his Dead body; but his Passion being abated he hearty repent of that rash action, lamenting his innocent Old Friend whom Wine and Gluttony had thus destroyed, and would have done execution upon himself for the same, had not his Friends prevented him; Yet melting into tears he embraced the dead Body, handled his wounds, and confessed to him his madness as if alive, and taking the spear again into his hands he had certainly slain himself if the attendants had not interposed. This resolution to die continued with him several days after; The remembrance of his Nurse who was Sister to Clitus still renewed his grief, for making her so cruel a recompense for the nourishment she had given him, and that being a young man and a Conqueror he should requite her who brought him up in her arms with Blood and Murder. He then reflected on the disgrace this act would procure him both in his own Army and the Conquered Nations, appearing now more terrible among his Friends at a Banquet than being armed in the face of his Enemies, than Permenio and Philotas, and all the Princes he had destroyed in Macedon represented themselves to his memory, for which he abstained four days from eating a bit of meat, till he was at last prevailed on by the Prayers of the whole Army, desiring him not so much to resent the death of one as thereby to destroy them all, nor to forsake those whom he had brought into the utmost parts of the East among barbarous and cruel Nations, sufficiently provoked by his invasions;  
The persuasions of Calisthenes the Philosopher and his familiar acquaintance prevailed much upon him, being bred up with him in the School of Aristotle, and whom he sent for on purpose to record his Conquests and Victories. Having therefore resolved to pursue the War, he took several Nations who submitted to him into his protection; Yet not long after to render himself still more hateful, he commanded, That he would not only be Worshipped but adored, which was the only thing he had forborn in his proud imitation, of the Persian Kings. Calisthenes was the most resolute opposor of this innovation, which ruined both him and divers other Princes of Macedon, who were all put to death under pretence of Treason; Yet would not the Macedons submit to adoration, but retained their ancient custom of saluting their King. He next marched into India to bond his Empire with the Ocean and the farthest East, and to make himself and his Army more renowned, he covered the trappings of their Horses, and the arms of his Soldiers with Silver; When he came to the City of Nysa, the in habitants made no resistance because of their religious confidence in the assistance of their God Bacchus, by whom that City was built, which he commanded should be spared that he might follow the footsteps of their Deity; He than led his Army to see the Holy Hill of Bacchus which was clothed with Vines and Ivy so naturally and elegantly as if adorned by the hand and industry of the Planter; From hence he marched to the Hills of Dedalus and the kingdom of Queen Cleophis, who yielding to him without resistance received back her Kingdom, redeeming it by exposing herself to his pleasure, and obtaining that by wantonness which she could never have recovered by force of Arms; She called her Son, then begotten by him, Alexander, who after enjoyed the Kingdom of the Indians, she was afterward called by her subjects The Royal Harlot.  
Having marched almost through all India, he came at length to a Rock as wonderful for its bigness as ascent, into which many Nations fled for security, and understood that Hercules was by an Earthquake hindered from taking it; Being thereupon transported with ambition to transcend the Actions and labours of Hercules, he with almost infinite difficulty and danger became came Master of it, and took into his protection all the Nations thereabout. One of the Indian Kings named Porus, was as admirable for his strength of Body as greatness of Mind, who having notice of Alexander's advance, prepared an Army to entertain him; The Battles being joined, he damanded of the Macedons their King, being resolved as a private Enemy to fight with him hand to hand. Alexander made no delay to answer him, and in the first encounter falling headlong to the ground, his Horse being killed under him, he was preserved by the concourse of his Guard. Porus almost covered with Blood from the many wounds received, was taken Prisoner, and had such Indignation to be overcome, that though he had Quarter given he would receive no sustenance, nor suffer his wounds to be dressed, being with much difficulty persuaded to be contented to live. Alexander in honour of his valour sent him back safe to his own Kingdom; He erected there two Cities, one called Nicaea, and the other Bucephale after the name of his Horse; He than overthrew the Armies of the Adrestians and divers other people, and marching to the Euphitans he found they attended his coming with an Army of two hundred thousand Horse, whereupon all his Soldiers being tired as well by the number of their victories as their labours, humbly besought him with tears To put a period to his Wars, and now at last to think of returning to their Country, entreating him to consider the years of his Soldiers, whose age could scarce suffice to carry them home again; Some shown their grey hairs, others their Wounds, some their Bodies consumed with sickness, others their loss of Blood, which they had freely shed in continual warfare both with himself and Father, and therefore desired That the remains of their worn bodies might be buried in the graves of their Ancestors, and however if he would not spare them, Yet that he would spare himself, and not tempt his good Fortune by venturing it too far. Moved with these just petitions, he to give an end to his Victories, commanded his Camp to be made exceeding mangnificent, that by the large Extent thereof the Enemy should be terrified, and his fame admired in future ages; His Soldiers never undertook any thing more readily, and then falling upon their formidable enemy with all their might, they soon put that undisciplined multitude to flight, and with great Joy returned to their Quarters.  
From thence he marched to the River Acesines, on which he sailed to the Ocean, where two Nations of whom Hercules was the founder submitted to him, from whence he sailed to the Sycambrians who with fourscore and three thousand armed Foot, and threescore thousand Horse were ready to receive him. Having overthrown them in the Field, he came to their chief City, and being himself the first man that scaled the Walls, when he found them unguarded, he leapt down into the City alone without any guard. The Enemy seeing him single with a great shout ran toward him from every place, hoping by the death of one man to end the Wars of all the World, and revenge the quarrel of so many Nations. Alexander resolutely resisted them, and fought alone against so many. Thousands. It is incredible to be spoken that neither the multitude of his Foes, the fury of their weapons, nor the cries they made to encourage one another, could any way affright him, he alone killed and put to flight so many, but at length finding he was overpowered, he got to the body of a Tree close under the Wall, where he a long time sustained their fury, till his Soldiers understanding his danger, leapt down to his assistance, many of whom were slain, and the Battle continued doubtful until the Walls being beat down, his whole Army came to his rescue. In this Fight being shot with an Arrow under the breast, he fainted with loss of Blood, yet fought so long with one knee on the ground till he had killed two who wounded him.  
The cure was more grievous than the wound, but being at last recovered, though with extreme difficulty, he sent Polypercan with his Army to Babylon, he himself going with a Select party aboard his Fleet to make further discovery of the Ocean, and landing at the City of King Ambigerus, the Inhabitants believing he could not be overcome by the Sword, poisoned their Darts, wherewith they forced him from the Walls, and killed many of his Soldiers, among others Ptolemy was deadly wounded, and being ready to expire, an herb was shown to Alexander in a dream, which being found and steeped in his drink, recovered Ptolemy and the greater part of the Army; At length the City being taken, he returned to his Ships and Sacrificed to the Ocean, imploring a happy return into his Country, and at length arrived at the Mouth of the River Indus, where as a Monument of his Achievements he built the City of Barse and Erected Altars, and having left a Governor over the Indians, he marched toward Babylon, digging Wells by the way to procure fresh Water to his tired Soldiers; Hither many of the Conquered Nations had sent their Ambassadors to accuse his Lieutenants of Oppression and Cruelty, whom Alexander without any respect to friendship caused to be put to death in their presence.  
After this he Married Statyra, Darius' Daughter, and gave the most noble Virgins of all Nations for Wives to his Princes, thereby to mitigate his own fault. He then called his Army together, and promised to pay all their Debts, that they might carry home all their Booty and pay entire, which munificence was remarkable for the vastness of the Sum, Twenty three Thousand Talents being laid out in this affair; His old Soldiers being thus sent home, the younger were much displeased, and began to mutiny that they had not the same favour, some of whom Alexander chastized, and persuaded others, but at length finding words would not prevail, he leapt unarmed from his Throne, among the Armed multitude, and seizing twelve of the chief Authors of the Sedition, hurried them to Execution, none daring to offer the least resistance. Calling then together the Persian Soldiers, he extolled their constant fidelity both to himself and their former Kings, and declarcd he would now commit himself to their Custody and no longer to the Macedons; And accordingly chose a thousand of them for his Lifeguard, mingling also several Regiments of Persians among his Macedons to learn their discipline, which his Army took so much to heart, that all weeping they repaired to him, beseeching him rather to punish them than to put such a severe affront upon them, by which submission they prevailed so far that he dismissed and sent back to Macedonia Eleven thousand of his Old Soldiers, and their pay was continued to them in their return as if they had still served.  
At this time Ephestion one of his Favourites, both for his Beauty, Youth, and Wisdom died, whom Alexander below the dignity of a King, lamented a long time, erecting him a Tomb which cost twelve thousand Talents, and commanding him to be worshipped as a God.  
Returning to Babylon from the furthest Coasts of the Ocean, he had notice that Ambassadors from Carthage and other Cities in Africa, as also from Spain, Sicily, France, Sardinia, and divers Cities in Italy, attended his Arrival, the Terror of his name having so possessed the World, that all Nations submitted to him as a King destined to be their Ruler. For this cause, approaching Babylon to keep as it were a Parliament of the whole World, some Magicians advised him not to enter that City, affirming it would be fatal to him, therefore declining it, he turned aside to Bersia, a City heretofore unpeopled on the other side Euphrates where he was importuned by Anaxarchus the Philosopher to despise the Presages of the Magicians as false and uncertain, and if proceeding from Destiny or Nature not to be prevented. Going therefore to Babylon, after a while he again prepared a Solemn Feast, which he had for some time intermitted, where he devoted himself absolutely to mirth, both day and night; After which Thessalus his Physician invited him and his Companions to another debauch, where taking the Cup into his hand, in the middle of his draught, he groaned as if he had been struck through with a Sword, and his Body became so extreme tender that he complained if but touched, as though he had been wounded; His Friends said, his disease was occasioned by excess of Wine, though it were really Treason, the infamy whereof the power of his Successors did suppress. The Author of this Treason was Antipater, who when he beheld his dearest friends commanded to death, his Son in law slain, and himself who had performed such considerable Service in Greece disrespected, and accused by his Mother Olympias of many insolences, and likewise considered his late severity to his Lieutenants, and expected the same treatment, to make sure work with the King, he suborned his son Cassender, with his Brother Philip and Jolla, who used to minister to him, to poison him; So great was the strength of the Poison, that it could not be contained in Iron, Brass, nor any thing but a Horse's hoof, Cassander was bid to intrust none but Thestalus, so that when the Feast was in his house, after Philip hast tasted the King's Cup, having the poison ready in cold Water, they put it into the Wine; Four days after Alexander finding Death certainly approaching, said, He believed it was the fate of his Family to die about thirty years Old. After which he pacified his Soldiers who were ready to mutiny, suspecting he perished by Treason, being therefore brought into the highest place of the City, he admitted all into his presence, and gave them his right hand to kiss, and when all wept, he appeared without the least trouble, comforting those who impatiently lamented, his courage being now as invincible against death as formerly against his Enemies. The Soldiers departing, he asked his Friends about him, If they thought they should have another King like him. When all holding their Peace, he confidently presaged as if he had seen it with his Eyes, That Macedon should lose much blood in his quarrel, and many Thousand Lives would be sacrificed at his Funeral; He than commanded his Body to be buried in the Temple of Jupiter Hammon, and then fainting away, his Attendants demanded whom he would constitute heir of his Empire, he only, answered, To the most Worthy; So great was the vigour of his mind, that though he left behind him his Son Hercules, his Brother Arideus, and his Wife Roxane big with Child, yet forgetting those Obligations, he only nominated, The most Worthy to be his Heir, as if it were unreasonable that any but a valiant man should succeed a Conqueror. With these words, as if the Spirit of Discord had been sent among them, his chief Captains instantly grew jealous of each other, and privately sought to gain the favour of the Soldiers to themselves; On the sixth day being Speechless, he gave his Ring off his Finger to Perd●ccas, which for the present pacified the growing dissensions, for though by voice he was not nominated Heir, yet by choice he seemed to be so, Alexander deceased being Thirty three years and one mouth Old, a man endued with a mighty Spirit above other men, whose Mother Olympias dreamt when he was conceived that she had commerce with a God, and by his Actions he after seemed to be above the condition of Mortal men; There appeared also many Presages of his future greatness on his Birthday, for two Eagles flying all that day round about the Palace, settled at last upon the battlements of his Father's Court, seeming to prognosticate to him the two Empires of Europe and Asia, and on the same day his Father received the glad tidings of two Victories, one in Illyria, and another in the Olympic race, whither he sent some Charlots drawn with four Horses, which portended to the Infant the Victory over all the World. He was of admirable apprehension and learning, and was educated under Aristotle the most famous Philosopher. Being invested in his Father's kingdom, he commanded himself to be called, King of all Countries, and Lord of the World; So great a confidence had his Soldiers in his good fortune, that he being present they scared not, though unarmed, the force of any Enemy; He never encountered any Adversary whom he did not overcome, nor besieged any City which he did not take, nor invaded any Nation over whom he did not Triumph, and therefore deservedly gained the name of Alexander the Great, and one of the Worthies of the World. Yet was this Great Conqueror at length destroyed not by the valour of his Enemies, but the Villainy and Treason of his own Friends and Subjects. He lived in the Year of the World 3611, before Christ 337 years.   

The History of Julius Caesar first Emperor of Rome, The Third Worthy of the World.   portrait of Julius Caesar 

GReat Julius Caesar next attained the Name  
Of the Third Worthy; Whose immortal Fame  
Remains still fresh in the Records of time,  
He to the Empire of the World did climb,  
And what he Conquered by his Sword in Fight  
He with his Pen did elegantly write,  
At length through many wounds his Soul hence fled  
And he who never before was Conquered  
In War; He who with slaughter strewed  
So many Lands; With his own blood imbrued  
The Seat of wronged Justice; And fell down  
A Sacrifice t' appease the incensed Gown.   
Julius Caesar of the Noble Family of the Juli● so called as some think from Julus Ascanius the Son of Aeneas, from whom they were ambitious to have descended, and Caesar, because it is said, he was cut out of his Mother's Womb, though others derive it a Caeso Elephanto, from his Grandfathers, killing an Elephant; He was but Sixteen years old when his Father died, and yet was designed the next year to be Highpriest of Jupiter, and having divorced himself from his first wife, whose birth was not so eminent as his Fortune, he married Cornelia, daughter of Cinna who had been four times Consul, by whom he had his daughter Julia; Sylla used all possible arguments to have separated him from her, but not prevailing, he pursued him as an Enemy, and designed to arrest him; At length by the intercession of the Vestal Virgins and some of his kinsmen, he obtained pardon, though Sylla then cried out by way of prediction, Take him then since you will needs have him, but know the person for whom you have been so zealous will be the destruction of the Nobility and Common Interest we have so earnestly defended, for I assure you there are in Caesar many Marii or disturbers of their Country; He first bore arms in Asia as a Volunteer, and afterward in Cilicia, but hearing of Sylla's death, and hoping for new troubles from the discontents of M. Lepidus, he returned to Rome, where he accused C. Dolabella of extortion, but unable to make good his charge, and Dolabella acquit, he withdrew to Rhodes both to avoid envy, and to study more privately under A. Molon the most celebrated Orator of those times. In his passage he was taken by Pirates in whose hands he continued forty days with great perturbation of mind with only his Physician, and two servants, having sent away the rest to procure his ransom, who bringing fifty Talents, he was set ashore; to recompense their kindness, he puts immediately again to Sea, pursues, overtakes and executes these Robbers, as he had often threatened them in jest when he was their Prisoner.  
In the mean time Mithridates making great devastation in the neighbouring Countries, Caesar thinking it dishonourable to lie still while his Allies were in distress, he passed from Rhodes to Asia, and raising what Forces he could, beat Mithridates' Governor out of those Provinces, and confirmed several in their allegiance who before were inclining to revolt. The first dignity bestowed on him by the People was to be Tribune, which Office he strenuously maintained. Being Quester he made Funeral Orations, according to custom, in praise of Julia his Aunt, and Cornelia his Wife, wherein he speaks thus of his Extraction. My Aunt Julia by the Mother's side was descended from Kings, and by the Fathers she was allied to the Gods, for from Ancius Marcius the Marcijs, who were called Reges or Kings are derived, and the Ju●● were derived from Venus. In our House there fore we have the Majesty of Kings, who are th● most potent among men, and the Veneration 〈◊〉 the Gods, who are more powerful than they. A● Questor the Government of the furthest part o● Spain fell to his Lot, and going his Circuit t● keep Courts of Justice, he came to Cadez, whe● observing the Image of Alexander in the Tem● i'll of Hercules, he fetched a deep sigh for having done nothing remarkable at that Age wherein he had Conquered the World; Upon which contemplation he begged to be immediately dismissed designing for Rome to attend some greate● Enterprise. He likewise dreamt the Night● before, that he had ravished his Mother, and was extremely exalted when the Interprete● told him it was a presage of his Dominion over the whole Earth, since the Mother which seemed to be violated could be nothing but the Earth the common Mother of all.  
Departing therefore out of Spain before his Commission was expired, he went amongst the Latin Colonies who were at that time pressing for their Freedom, and if not prevented, had certainly excited them to Sedition. Yet this did not discourage him, for being made Aedil, he was suspected of Conspiracy with M. Crassus, Sylla and Antonius, their design was to have set upon the Senate, and having cut the Throats of such as they thought convenient, Crassus was ●o have been Dictator, and Caesar, Master of ●he Horse, and the Republic to be settled according to their contrivance, but at the day appointed either for fear or remorse, Crassus ●bsenting himself, their Plot was not Executed. ●n his Aedilship he beautified the Market-places ●nd Halls of Justice, and adorned the Capitol with Galleries, that From thence the common People might be spectators of the Baiting of wild Beasts, Stage-Plays, and such other diver●ions as might insinuate his generosity toward ●hem; To which were added Sword-Players ●n so great numbers, that his Enemies alarmed ●t their multitude, published an Edict to restrain them to a certain number; having here●y obliged the People, he intended to get the Government of Egypt to himself by their Act, and when the Nobility prevented him therein, ●he was much disturbed; Yet by his liberality ●he soon after obtained the Office of Highpriest, which he managed with extravagant profuseness.  
The Conspiracy of Catiline being discovered, and the Senate generally condemning him and his Accomplices to death, Caesar only was the man who endeavoured to moderate the Sentence into Imprisonment and Confiscation, which he pressed with so much heat, that had not Cato's Oration recollected them, the whole Senate had complied. Yet he afterward opposed the Execution of the Decree, with that obstinacy, that he was threatened to be killed by the Guards, who set their Swords to his Throat, and frighted him into compliance. He next asserted some Privileges in behalf of the People contrary to the mind of the Senate, who thereupon forbidden him to proceed in executing them, of which he took no notice but went on, till some Soldiers were ordered to interrupt him; Then he dismissed his Officers, and laid by his Purple Robe, retiring privately to his own House, as if submitting to the iniquity of that time. Two days after the People came to him in great throngs, and in a tumultuous way offered him their assistance, but he appeased them beyond all expectation, and the Senate (who suddenly met about that Commotion) sent him thanks by some Principal Persons; He was also re-invited into the Senate, commended, restored, and the Decree for his suspension revoked.  
He fell again into some trouble upon an accusation of being concerned in Catiline's Conspiracy, but appealing to the Testimony of Cicero, he was cleared of it, and his Accuser fined, his goods seized, and himself almost torn in pieces by the People. In a short time he was made Consul with Bibulus, and some affronts being put upon him by the Senate, he contracted a strict Friendship with Pompey, at that time at defiance with the Senate, to whom he reconciled Crassus, and joining all together, nothing for the future could be transacted in the State but by the consent of all three. After his promotion to the Consulship, a Law called Lex Agraria being propounded, and his Companion Bibulus protesting against it, Caesar violently drove him out of the place, and finding upon his complaint of that violence, that none of the Senate durst move in his behalf, in utter despair he retired immediately to his House where he continued all the rest of his Consulship, so that now Caesar had the sole administration of Affairs, which he managed with that  arbitrariness, that some merry Citizens upon subscribing any Will or Record writ thus, Not when Caesar and Bibulus, but when Julius and Caesar were Consuls, and these Verses were dispersed.  
Non Bibulo quidquam, etc.  
All things of late Great Caesar acts alone,  
Poor Bibulus is out of Fashion grown.  
Upon all occasions he extended his power to the utmost; The Farmers of the Revenues petitioning for abatement because of the hardness of their Bargain, he abated them a third part, admonishing them to bid more warily for the future. He caused Cato to be halled violently out of the Senate and committed, for only interrupting him, and others were made sensible of his least displeasure. He then married Calphurnia the Daughter of Piso, by which alliance he still grew greater, and had a Triumph a lowed him for conquering Gallia now Fran●● with which advancement he was so elated tha● a while after in a full Assembly he boasted 〈◊〉 had laid his Enemies on their backs. His achievements during the nine years wherein 〈◊〉 had the principal command of the Army we●● generally these. He reduced into a Province tha● part of France which lies between the Pyrenea● Mountains, the Alps, the Mountains Gerbenn● the Rhyne and the Rhosne, containing thr●● thousand two hundred Miles in circumference imposing a vast Tribute upon all the grea● Towns and Cities; He was the first of all th● Romans who built a Bridge over the Rhin● assailed the Germans on the other side the Rive● and gave them several considerable defeats He invaded the Britain's likewise, who wer● till then unknown, and having overrun them in a short time; forced them to give him Hostages and Contribution; Amongst all the Variety and Greatness of his Erterprises, he never had ill fortune but thrice. First upon the Coasts of Britain, where his whole Fleet had like to have miscarried by storm; The Second in France where one of his Legions was entirely cut off, and the third on the Frontiers of Germany, where two of his Lieutenants were circumvented by an Ambuscade and defeated.  
At this time the Commonwealth was in great consternation, and the Senate resolving ●o create but one Consul which should be Pom●ey, Caesar prevailed with the Tribunes who were endeavouring to make him his Colleague, that they should propose to the People, That in respect of his absence upon Public affairs they would make him capable of being chosen again when his Consulship was out, l●st otherwise he should be constrained to leave the Wars he had so prosperously begun, unfinished; Having succeeded in his desires, his hopes were enlarged with his Designs, there was no kind of Bounty or Munificence which he omitted to all people; He began to build the Town-Hall with the Spoils of his Enemies, paying a vast Sum for the Ground; and having published a solemn Sword-play, and made a Feast to the People in memory of his Daughter, he not only employed all the Cooks and Victuallers of the City to provide what they could get, but made vast preparations likewise at home; He doubled the pay of his Soldiers forever; He endeavoured to continue his friendship with Pompey by promising him Octavia his sister's Grandaughter in Marriage; He obliged all Persons about Pompey, and most of the Senators either by giving or lending them money, upon very reasonable Terms; He ingratiated himself with the rest by frequent invitations or noble Presents, not forgetting to let their Servants partake of his bounty according to their interest with their Masters. All Criminals, Debtors and Prodigals had their Sanctuary in him, provided their Crimes, Debts and Necessities were not beyond his relief, in which case he used plainly to tell them, They had nothing to pray for but a Civil War.  
Nor was he less studious in insinuating into Foreign Princes and Provinces; To some he would make Presents of a thousand Prisoners at once; To others he would send as many and great supplies as he pleased without consent or Authority of Senate or People. He likewise beautified and adorned the most eminent Cities in Italy, France, Spain, Asia, and Greece with their most considerable Buildings; Till at length all being amazed to see whither these things should tend, Mrcellus the Consul proposed to the Senate to name a Successor to Caesar before his time was expired, because the War being finished and Peace restored, it would be convenient to disband the Army, which was accordly done, though opposed by the Tribunes, and Caesar was likewise deprived of the Provinces over which he was Governor; Caesar being nettled at the fierce opposition against him, humbly addressed to the Senate, That either that Favour and Privilege of the people might be made good to him, or that all other Generals might lay down their Commands; intending thereby that Pompey the Senate's General should dismiss his Forces, and hoping that he could afterward sooner raise a new Army than Pompey. But the Senate not thinking it fit to capitulate with a Subject, Caesar went into the lower part of France, resolving to oppose with his Sword whatever Decree the Senate should make against the intercession of the Tribunes of the People who were of his Party, and this was his pretence for the Bloody Civil Wars that followed, though Pompey use to say; That not being able to finish these public Buildings which he had begun with so much magnificence, nor to satisfy the expectations of the People with his private Estate, he resolved to put all things into confusion. Others say, he was jealous of being questioned for what he had done illegally in his first Consulship, contrary to the Laws and Remonstrances of the Tribune's; and the rather because Cato had solemnly sworn to impeach him as soon as ever he parted from his Army, and it was generally said, That if he returned as a private People, they would handle him as they did Milo, and make him answer before the Judges with strong Guards about him, which seems the more probable by what he said at the Battle of Pharsalia when he saw his Adversaries run, This is their own do, I myself must have been condemned after so many Noble exploits had I not begged the assistance of my Army; Some said that having been so long used to command, and cunningly computing his own and Enemy's power, he laid hold of that occasion to usurp that power which he had long before designed since he had often in his Mouth two Verses of Euripedes.  
Nam si violandum est jus, etc.  
ne'er stand on Justice when the Stake's a Crown,  
In lesser things pretend Religion.  
When he had Intelligence that the intercession of the Tribunes was ineffectual, and that they were gone out of Rome, he made bold with a Baker's Mules, and instantly clapped them into his Chariot, and after Sunset traveled with great privacy through by-lanes to his Troops on the Banks of Rubicon, whither being come, he stood still a while ruinating upon the Enterprise he was undertaking, at last turning to those next him, he said, Thus far we are safe, and may return if we please, if we pass but this Bridge me shall have nothing to trust to but our Arms. While he stood doubting, there appeared to him a Person of a Remarkable Stature and Beauty sitting hard by him, and playing upon a Reed, not only the Shepherds, but several of the Soldiers ran to hear him, and some Trumpeters among the rest, which being observed by this Piper, he suddenly snatch a Trumpet out of one of their hands, and leaping instantly into the Water, he sounded a charge which he continued to the other side of the River with such loudness as made the Earth tremble again; Upon which Caesar cried out; Come then, it is decreed, let us go whither the Prodigies of the Gods, and the Iniquity of our Enemies leads us.  
Having passed his Army over the River, and joined with the Tribunes of the People, who being expelled out of the City, retired to him; He made an Oration to his Soldiers, and with Tears in his Eyes implored their Fidelity and Assistance, affirming he would strip himself of all rather than any should go unsatisfied who asserted his Honour; After this he possessed himself of several Towns, and marching toward Brandusium whither Pompey and the Consuls were fled for more speedy transportation, he endeavoured to prevent them but in vain, and so returned to Rome with his Army, where calling the Senate together, and advising about the most weighty matters of State, he then marched into Spain against the most considerable of Pompey's Forces, commanded then by three Lieutenants, saying at his going thither, That he was now going against an Army without a General, but at his return his next Expedition would be against a General (meaning Pompey) without an Army. He was opposed at Marseilles, but at length he reduced it, and settled Spain in a short time. Coming back to Rome, and ordering all things there according to his own mind, he marched against Pompey himself, and besiege him in his own Camp four Months with incredible labour, & at last utterly defeated him at the Battle of Pharsalia; He pursues him to Alexandria in Egypt where he finds him slain by King Ptolemy who was conspiring the same entertainment for him, whereupon he was there engaged in a most desperate War, having neither time nor place to defend himself, yet though it was Winter, and his Supplies on that account uncertain, though he was shut up within the same Walls with a numerous and subtle Enemy, and unprovided of all kind of necessaties, he overcame them at last, made himself Master of all Egypt, and gave the command of it to Cleopatra, and her youngest Brother not daring to make it a Province, lest falling into the hands of a Pragmatical Governor, it might cause new disturbances. When Pompey's head was presented him he wept bitterly, and caused him to be honourably buried, saying, I lament Pompey's Fall, and fear my own Fortune; And finding many Letters in his Coffers whereby divers shown their good will to Pompey, and hatred toward him, he never read them, but instantly burnt them all, lest being exasperated by them he should have been tempted to commit some great mischief; When Pompey's Images were thrown down, he set them up again, which made Cicero say, That Caesar in setting up Pompey's Images again made his own stand surer. He accounted his Conquest of the two Sons of Pompey the Great in Andaluzia in Spain the most glorious of all his Victories, for he would after often say, That at other times he fought for Fame and Glory, but that day for his life which he had never fought for before.  
From Alexandria he went into Syria, and from thence to Pontus, where in four hours he beat Mithridates quite out of the Field; after which he reduced Scipio, Juba and Pompey's Sons in Spain. In all his Civil Wars he never received any defeat in person, but only in his Lieutenants, Curio miscarrying in afric, and Antonius taken Prisoner, Dolabella lost his Fleet in Illiricum, and Domitius his Army in Pontus; Once at Dyracchium when Pompey repulsed him, but not prosecuting his advantage, Caesar declared, He knew not h●w to make the best use of a Victory; His next Exigence was in Spain abovementioned, where in his last Battle his affairs were so desperate, that he thought once to kill himself. His wars being ended, he triumphed five times, after he had defeated Scipio four times in a month, and once more after the victory over the Sons of Pompey; His first and most magnificent Triumph was that of the Gauls, his next of Alexandria, the third of Pontus, the fourth of afric, and the last of Spain, the Pomp and preparation of each of them being different and various. On the day of his  Triumph the Axletree of his Chariot breaking, he had like to have been cast upon the ground, He ascended to the Capitol with lights, having forty Elephants attending him on both hands, with carriers of Torches. In his Ponitck Triumph upon the several Pageants this Motto was inscribed, Veni, Vidi, Vici, I came, I saw, I overcame, alluding to the expedition of his Conquests. He bestowed very great gifts and possessions upon his Old Soldiers, and exhibited several Prizes, Stage-Plays, and other magnificent shows to please the People; And applying himself to the Settlement of the State, he reform the Calendar which was then become confused, and reduced it to that Account which from him is to this day called the Julian Account. He filled up the Senate according to his own mind, none daring refuse to choose whom he recommended. In the administration of Justice he was diligent and severe, and reduced the Extravagancy of Coaches, Diet and .  
His stature was tall, his complextion white, his limbs strong and compact, his visage full, his eyes black and lively, his temper sound and healthy, only in his latter days he was subject to Swooning fits, and to be affrighted in his Dreams; Twice he was surprised with the falling-sickness as he sat in judgement His baldness was a great trouble to him, and had often exposed him to the scoffs of his Enemies, and therefore among all the Honours conferred upon him by the Senate and People, he received none with more delight than the privilege of wearing a Laurel Garden perpetually; In his  he was singularly remarkable, wearing his long Senators Robe studded with Gold, fringed at the hands and girt about, but always loosely, which gave occasion to that expression of Sylla, who oft admonished the Nobility, To beware of that Boy who went girded so slightly; He was exceedingly addicted to Neatness, and sumptuous Hospitality at his Table; It is reported he undertook the Voyage into Great Britain in expectation of Pearls, whose value he could judge by poising them in his hands; He was a great Lover, and a most curious Collector of Jewels, Seals, Pictures, Statues, and all kind of Antiquities; He Spared no cost for Slaves if young and handsome. He kept his House in such exact Discipline, even in little things as well as great, that he clapped one of his Servants into Irons, for giving some Guests worse bred than himself, and punished another of his Gentlemen whom he much favoured, with death, for committing Adultery with the wife of a Roman Knight, though no complaint was brought against him.  
Yet the general report was that himself was much given to Women, (if not worse) and with his liberality debauched many Ladies of Quality, and among others Mutia the wife of Pompey, who was often upbraided, That out of an extravagant ambition of greatness he had Married Caesar's Daughter for whose sake he had put away his own wife though he had three Children by her, and they were wont in Passion to call him Adulterer; But his greatest affection was for Servitia the Mother of Brutus, presenting her with a Pearl of a very vast value, & suffering her to purchase Lands at a very low rate; Nor did he abstain from the Ladies in the Provinces where he commanded, if we may believe what the Soldiers sung at his  Triumph, 
Look to your Wives, our baldpate Fornicator  
Will cuckold you; See therefore to the matter;  
His Money's spent in France, He's now come home  
At the Old Rate to borrow more at Rome.   
He was likewise enamoured of several Queens, as Eunoe wife of the King of Mauritania and others, but his chiefest Passion was for Cleopatra, with whom he would oft entertain himself till next morning, passing with her in the same Barge or Pleasure-boat into Egypt almost as far as Ethiopia, and had doubtless gone through had not his Army mutined and refused to follow him. He after invited her to Rome, and sent her back with many Honours and Rewards; He permitted her to call a Son of hers by his name, who its said did exactly resemble him. That he was temperate in drinking, his very Enemies confess. Cato's saying was; That he was the only sober man ever went about to subvert the Government of the State. In his Diet he was so indifferent, that being at a public Entertainment where ill Oil was brought up instead of good, the rest refusing to touch it, he eat very hearty, lest otherwise he should upbraid his Host of poverty or neglect. He abstained from no way of getting Money in his Civil and Military Commands, and maintained his Civil Wars, Triumphs, and shows by all manner of Rapine and Sacrilege. In Eloquence and Martial Conduct he excelled the best of his Predecessors, none being more pungent nor frequent in his Sentences, or more Neat and Elegant in his words. He writ the Commentaries of his own Actions in the Wars of France and against Pompey, in so Judicious, Eloquent and Modest a Style, as justly makes it a question whether he writ or fought with the greater Spirit.  
At his Weapon, and riding the Great Horse he was excellently expert, and in labour most indefatigable, marching constantly at the head of his Army, both on Horseback and a foot, always with his head bare in all weathers. His diligence was so incredible, that upon an expedition he would go fifty Leagues a day in a Hackney Chariot, swimming over Rivers if any were in his way, or else passing over with blown Bladders, so as he outran all Intelligence of him. In his Martial undertake, it is doubtful whether he used more Caution or Courage, he never marched his Army in any dangerous ways, till he had first throughly discovered them; Before his landing in England, he himself surveyed the Ports and Acesses to go into that Island. Having notice that his Camp was Besieged in Germany, he passed the Enemy's Guards disguised like a Frenchman, and came safe to their relief. No Religious scruple ever hindered his designs; when he went against Juba, the Beast ran away just as it was to be Sacrificed, which was thought an ill Omen, yet he valued it not; As he was getting out of the Ship he fell to the ground, but perverting the bad presage he cried out, I take possession of thee O afric. When he saw any Battle doubtful he dismounted his Troopers, and sent away all their Horses and his own first, that it being impossible to escape, they might either Fight or Dye. He rid upon a most remarkable Horse, whose Feet were almost like a Man's, the Hoofs being cloven to the Toes, he bred him up from a Colt with great care, because the Astrologers declared, That Horse's Master should have the Empire of the World; Neither would the Horse suffer any Body upon him, but Caesar who backed him himself.  
He several times restored the Battle when it was almost lost, by opposing himself against them that fled, taking them by the Throats, and forcing their Faces toward the Enemy. After the Battle of Pharsalia, going to Sea in a Bark by himself, he met with ten of the Enemy's Ships, and stoutly commanded them to yield, which they instantly performed. At the Siege of Alexandria, as he was attempting the Bridge, the Enemy made a desperate Sally, and forced him into a Boat, into which others throwing themselves, he leapt into the Sea, and swum two hundred paces to the next Ship, though he held his left hand above water to preserve some Papers, and haled his General's Robe after him with his Teeth lest it should fall into his Adversaries hands; He considered his Soldiers neither by their Qualities nor Wealth, but their Courage and Strength, using them all alike, with the same severity and indulgence, and would oft give them false Alarms; If they were at any time discouraged with the report of the number of their Enemies, he would not lessen but increase their number above what was true. As upon the approach of Juba whose power was terrible to them, he called them together, and said; Know that in few days Juba will be here with ten Legions, thirty Thousand men at Arms, an hundred Thousand Horse, and three hundred Elephants. Therefore let every one forbear to inquire or concern himself further, for I am sufficiently informed; and if any presume to discourage you, I will put him into the oldest Ship I can get, & expose him to the mercy of the Winds and Floods.  
He neither took notice of all faults, nor punished them alike; Those that were seditious or deserted their Colours he punished severely; After a Victory he would abate his strict Discipline, suffering all their Riot and Luxury, boasting often, That his Soldiers could fight in their very perfumes. He used to call them his Companions and Fellow Soldiers, and kept them always brave in Arms shining with Gold and Silver that they might fight more stoutly if but to save their Armour, he loved them so well that hearing of the defeat of his party under Titurius, he let his Beard and Hair grow for indignation till he was throughly revenged; By which obliging carriage his Soldiers had such an entire affection for him, that when he first undertook the Civil wars, there was not a Captain in his Legions but offered to find him a Horse out of their own pay, neither did any forsake him, and though taken by the Enemies, and offered their lives to take up Arms against him, chose rather to die; They endured hunger and other extremities of War with extraordinary constancy, and when repulsed at Dyracchium, they came and offered themselves to be punished, So that Caesar had more trouble to comfort than correct them. During his ten years' War in Gaul they never mutined, in his Civil Wars but seldom, and then returned presently to their duty; After he had made himself Emperor he advanced Persons of the meanest condition to the highest honours, for which being blamed, he said, If they were Thiefs and Murderers and had stuck to me in defence of my honour, I would have done the same.  
He was not naturally revengeful, and for Clemency and Moderation was admirable; At the Battle of Pharsalia he proclaimed, That all Citizens should be spared; And none were killed but in the heat of fight. And having information of several conspiracies and meetings in the night, he troubled them no further than by Edict to let them know they were discovered. To such as spoke ill of him, he thought it sufficient to admonish them before the People to desist for the future, and being severely aspersed by Libels whose Authors were in his Power, he took all patiently without revenge. Yet many of his Speeches and his Irregular Actions sufficiently discover that he much abused his Authority, and committed many Capital Crimes; For besides the extravagant Honours he assumed, as the perpetual Dictatorship, the continual Consulship, the Censorship, the Title of Emperor and Father of his Country, a Statue among the Kings, a Chair of Gold in the Senate, and another in the Courts of Justice; He usurped greater Dignities than became a Man, as to have his Image carried like a God in the Cercensian Games; He had his Temples, Altars, and Images placed by the Gods, his consecrated Beds and his Priests; In short there were no Honours whatever, but he took or gave as he pleased. Nor did his public Expressions speak him less presumptuous, saying usually, The Commonwealth was now but a word without either Body or Soul. That Sylla was no good Grammarian to part with his Dictatorship so easily; That hereafter he was to be spoke to with more reverence, and every word he uttered was to be looked on as a Law. Nay so confident was he grown that when a Beast in Sacrifice was found without a Heart, which the Spectators said was an ill Omen; Trouble not yourselves says he, theyshall be better when I please, nor is it to be thought a Prodigy if a Beast wants a Heart, But the most cruel, and desperate hatred against him risen from hence, that when the Senate came to him in a Body with most Honourable Decrees, he received them sitting before the Temple of Venus; And in one of his Triumpts passing by the Seats of the Tribunes, and observing all the Company risen up and saluted him but P. Aquilla the Tribune, he in great indignation cried out; Well done Tribune Aquilla, you had best try if you can wrest the Government of the Commonwealth out of my hands with your Tribune-ship; When at a Festival one had put a Crown of Laurel on his Statue, and the Tribunes ordered it to be taken off, he was so offended, taking it for an ill Omen of his Coronation, that he sharply rebuked them and turned them out of their Commands. He suffered some Persons to salute him with the Title of King; And it was affirmed that he resolved suddenly to declare his Opinion that Caesar should be called King, because he found in the Books of the Sybyls, that the Parthians were not to be Conquered but by a King.  
This was the great occasion of hastening the Conspiracy against him, and their Counsels were now united, the People growing sensible of their condition, and wishing for some Body to assert their Liberties; some writ under the Statue of the former Brutus, Would to God thou were alive again; Others under Caesar's Image, Brut us was created the first Conful for expelling Kings, and this man the last of Kings for suppressing Consuls; The Conspiracy was managed by above threescore Persons, the chief were C. Cassius, Marcus and Decimus Brutus, they long deliberated whether to throw him over the Bridge, or to kill him at his entrance into the Theatre, but when the Senate had Order to meet in Pompey's Court upon the Ideses of March, they preferred that time and place before all the rest.  
Caesar had warning of his death by many Presages; In digging up some Sepulchre, at Capua, they found in the Monument of Capys Founder of that City, a Brass Table with this Inscription in Greek, When the Bones of Capys shall be discovered, it shall come to pass that a Person descended from Julus shall be murdered by his Kindred, and his death revenged a while after with the ruin of all Italy; Not many days before this disaster, his Horses which he had consecrated at his passage over the Rubicon, being turned into the Fields, refused to eat, and seemed to weep abundantly. As he was at Sacrifice, Spurinna the Soothsayer bid him beware of the danger hanging over his head which would scarce be deferred beyond the Ideses of March; The day before, a little Bird called Regaliolus flying into Pompey's Court with a branch of Laurel in her mouth, was pursued by several Birds out of the next Grove and torn in pieces there. That night he himself dreamt he was flying above the Clouds, and sometimes shaking Jupiter by the hand. Calphurnia his Wife dreamt likewise that the top of the House was fallen down, and that her Husband was stabbed in her Arms, and immediately the doors flew open of themselves; Upon which she earnestly persuaded him not to go to the Senate that day, but all the Charms of her loving Eloquence and Tenderness could not prevail; Hear his answer in the words of the Elegant Cucan, as excellently rendered into English.  

Ah Dear Calphurnia!  
Dearer to me than that life breath I draw  
Wouldst thou forbear thy grief, it could not lie  
Within the power of any Prodigy.  
To make this day a sad one; should I here  
Begin to learn that superstitious fear  
Of Fatal days and hours, what day to me  
Can e'er hereafter from such fears be free,  
I only should my wretched mind torment  
And not my destined time of Death prevent,  
But live forever with vain fear diseased  
When  Astrologers and Augurs pleased,  
If Caesar's danger grow from discontent  
Of Rome, not one days absence can prevent  
Nor scarce reprieve my Fate, and once to die  
Better than ever fear Conspiracy.  
What good can strongest Guards on me confer,  
But make me live perpetual Prisoner?  
Why should I fear the People's discontent?  
Who now enjoy under my Government  
More wealth, more safety, and prosperity.  
Than by my death they could? The death of me  
That have already reached the height of all  
Glory and State that can to man befall.  
And wrought my furthest ends, can never be  
So much my own as their calamity.  
Oh do not fear thy Dream, Calphurnia,  
Nor sad Presages from such trifles draw,  
But if they are Presages, tell me then,  
(For our two Dreams to night have different been)  
Which should prevail? Methought I flew above  
The lofty Clouds and touched the hand of Jove.  
And to myself did seem more great and high  
Than e'er before; what but felicity  
Should this portend? I dare not now suspect  
In Peace, Heavens care who helped me to effect  
My roughest Wars; Oh let no sad surmise  
With causeless grief bedew Calphurnia's Eyes.   
Yet though he seemed to slight these Prodigies, they had such influence upon him, that he had once some thoughts of staying at home that day. But D. Brutus coming, and persuading him not to disappoint the Senate now it was full, and had long attended him, he went about Eleven a Clock; By the way he was presented by a Person he met, with a Paper discovering the whole Conspiracy, but he put it among his Papers in his left hand as if he would read it anon. Having then Sacrificed to the Gods, and succeeding in none, in defiance of all these ill Omens, he entered the Senate, laughing at Spurinna for a false Prophet, seeing the Ideses Ideses of March were come without any disaster, to which he replied, They are come indeed but not past. As soon as he was set, the Conspirators placed themselves about him pretending to do him honour, and immediately Cimber Tullius who had engaged to begin, addressed himself to him as if to demand something, but Caesar seeming to put him off to another time, Cimber catcht hold of his Gown by both Shoulders, and Caesar crying on't that, This was violence, one of the Cassii came and stabbed him under the Throat, Caesar laying hold of his Arm struck it through with his Dagger, and endeavouring to rise was stopped by another wound, when Brutus assaulted him he cried out, And art thou amongst them too my Son Brutus? but seeing several Swords presented to his Breast, he covered his head with his Gown, and in this manner received twenty three wounds, and died without speaking a word, or fetching so much as a sigh. Which the Poet thus expresses.  

Hopeless he hides his Face and fixed stands  
T'indure the fury of revenging hands.  
Suppressing groans, or words, as loath to shame  
His former life, or dying, slain the Fame  
Of those great deeds throughout the World expressed  
These silent thoughts revolving in his Breast.   

" Yet has not Fortune changed, nor given the power  
" Of Coesars' head to any Conqueror.  
" By no Superiors proud command I die,  
" But by subjected Rome's Conspiracy.  
" Who to the World confesses by her fears,  
" My Power and Strength to be too great for hers,  
" And from Earth's highest Throne sends me to be  
" By after Ages made a Deity.   
Being dead all the Conspirators fled, and he was carried home in a Litter; They once resolved to have drawn his Body into Tiber, to have confiscated his Estate, and make void all his Acts, but were afraid of M. Antonius the Consul. He was afterward buried with very great Magnificence and Pomp, and instead of a Funeral Oration M. Antonius the Consul published an Act of the Senate, by which they decreed him all Honour both Humane and Divine, and likewise caused an Oath to be read, whereby they obliged themselves in the defence of a single Person. The Funerals being over, the people ran in multitudes with Firebrands in their hands to set the Houses of Brutus and Cassius on Fire. Some thought that his sickness made him desire to live no longer, all agree he died according to his own desire, for reading how Cyrus being under the extremity of a Disease, gave directions for his Funeral, abhorring so tedious a death, he wished when he died it might be of a sudden, and the day before his death being at Supper with Lepidus, a question arising which was the best death, he declared, In his Judgement a sudden and unexpected. He died in the 56 year of his Age, and was Cannonized among the Gods, not only by those who made the Decree, but by the persuasion of the People. Of his Murderers scarce any outlived him three years, or died a natural death. All stood Condemned, and fell by divers Accidents, some drowned at Sea, others killed in Fight, and some flew themselves with the same Dagger wherewith they had Murdered Caesar. He lived in the year of the World 3901. and before the Birth of Christ 47 years.   

The Hist. of Joshua Capt. General and Leader of Israel into Canaan. The Fourth Worthy of the World.   portrait of Joshua 

Joshua's much Wo●th●●, than the Three before  
They False Gods, he the True God did adore,  
By whose Great Power and overruling hand  
The Sun and Moon he caused still to stand,  
And made a longer day than e'er was known  
Whereby God's Enemies might be overthrown.  
He thirty Kings subdued in Canaan,  
And settled Israel in their Conquered Land,  
At length be●●●● full of Years and Victories  
He leaves to Israel this last advice,  
That they should serve the Lord and him obey,  
And then God from the Earth takes him away.   
WHO can see the Sun and not remember Joshua, and the great Commerce that this valorous Captain had with the King of Stars; All the world lift up their Eyes to it, but none but he hath lifted up his voice so far as it, to make himself be heard, and obeyed. The Stars knew Joshua (or Jesus) because he bore the name of him that form them; It is he that gave us the foretastes of the name of Jesus, at which the Heaven, the Earth, and Hell do bend the knee.  
Moses knowing that by God's appointment he was to die, and not enter into the Land of Canaan; When they came upon the Borders, he called the Israelites together, and spoke to them to this purpose; Seeing, saith he, I go to my Ancestors, and God hath prefixed this day for my departure, it is very just that while I am alive and stand in your presence, I should give him thanks for the care and providence he hath hitherto had of your Affairs, not only in delivering you from so many evils, but also in largely imparting his blessings to you, and because he hath also assisted me with his savour whilst with my utmost I endenvoured to make you as happy as possible) for it is he only who hath begun and accomplished all those great things that have been done for you, and who hath made me his Minister and Servant in all the good which you have received; For all which blessings, I have thought it requisite in departing from you to praise the goodness of that God, who in time to come shall have the care and charge over you, and to acquit myself of that debt, I leave you this remembrance, That you ought to serve and honour the Lord, and reverence the Ordinances which he hath given you, whereby he may continue his favour toward you, and may give you grace to preserve and keep his Excellent Commands; Surely a Lawgiver that were no more than a man, would be much displeased with those who should violate his Ordinances, and set them at nought; Do not you therefore tempt God, who is provoked to anger when those Laws which he himself hath established and given you shall be contemned and neglected.  
Whilst Moses pronounced these his last words, and foretold to the Tribes their several Destinies, and wished them all manner of blessings, the whole multitude broke out into Tears, and the Women beating their breasts, shown their sorrow for his Death; The Children likewise lamented because in their tender years they had understood the virtue and famous Acts of Moses; Who beholding their affection could not restrain himself from Tears; Afterward he walked toward the place where he was to die, and they all followed him weeping, when beckoning to them to stand still, and not afflict him any longer with their griefs, having appointed Joshua to be his Successor to head the Armies against the Canaanites, according to the Command of God, and laid his hands on him he went accompanied only with him and Eleazar the High Priest, up to the Mount Abarim, which is very high, and from whence he could discover the greatest part of the Land of Canaan, where taking his last leave of Joshua and Eleazar, with many endearing embraces, on a sudden a Cloud encompassed him, and he was carried into a certain Valley where he died and was buried. The whole time of his Life was a hundred and twenty years, the third part whereof he spent in governing this great People; In Counsel and Judgement he had no equal; In Eloquence he was incomparable; His skill in War made him renowned amongst the greatest Captains, and no man had the gift of Prophecy in so great a degree, for his words seemed as so many Oracles, and as if inspired by God himself. The People mourned for him thirty days with real grief and trouble; In short, he left behind him a great estimation among all who were acquainted with his Virtues and Graces.  
After Moses was taken from among men, and the time of mourning past, Joshua a man in whom was the Spirit of wisdom, commanded the People to prepare and march forward to battle; Sending spies to Jericho to sound their minds, and discover their Forces, and then raising his Camp, he proceeded toward the River Jordan; And the Princes of the Tribes of Reuben and Gad and of the half Tribe of Manasses (to whom the Country of the Amorites, which was the Seventh part of Canaan, was given for an habitation) having furnished him with Fifty ●housand men, he proceeded toward the Enemy; At which time the Spies returning, and having surveyed Jericho gave an Account thereof, and likewise how narrowly they escaped, having been hid by Rahab the Harlot under some packs of Linen, who being thus delivered from danger by her means, she desired them to swear, That when they should take Jericho and kill all the Inhabitants with the Sword, as she knew that God had commanded, they would save her life and the lives of her family as she had saved theirs; Which they accordingly agreed to, advising her that when she should perceive the City ready to be taken, she should bring all that she would have spared into her own house and then hang a red Cloth over her door, that the General observing the sign might forbid the Soldiers from plundering or destroying her or hers; After this she let them down with a rope from the Wall, whereby they escaped back again.  
Joshua having this account, seemed somewhat concerned how they should pass over the River Jordan, because it was deep and without Bridges. But God promised him they should have a safe passage over; Joshua therefore waited with his Army two days, and then passed over the River, the Priests going first with the Ark, who as soon as they had set their feet in the Water, which was then very high, it being in harvest, the Waters from above risen up in an heap, and the Priests stood on dry ground in the midst of Jordan till all the People passed quite over, and then according to God's command, they took out of the middle of the River Twelve Stones wherewith to build an Altar for a Memorial to after-ages of this wonderful deliverance; And all things being finished, the Priests came out of the River, which instantly after flowed with as much violence as before; Whilst the Israelites did all this, the Canaanites never sallied out upon them, but dismayed with fear, kept themselves within the Walls of Jericho, which Joshua resolved to besiege with all his Forces; But God commanded him that on the first day of the feast, the Priests leaving the Ark and guarded on every side with Troops of armed men should draw near Jericho, sound-Seven Rams horns, and at night to return to their Camp; This they performed six days together, but on the Seventh, Joshua assembled the People early, and caused them to encompass the City seven times that day, and the Trumpets sounding with great force, the Walls by the power of God without any violence used by the Hebrews, fell down flat to the ground, so that entering the City over the ruins they put all within it to the Sword, the Enemy through the sudden astonishment that fell upon them being unable to resist, and so great was the slaughter that they neither spared Women nor Children, but filled the City with dead Carcases, which at length being set on fire served for a funeral flame to consume them; Only Rahab and her household were saved by the Spies, and Joshua bestowed an Inheritance upon her; and ever after held her in great honour.  
Then Joshua denounced Curses on those who should endeavour to rebuild this City, foretelling. That he should lay the foundation thereof in the days of his Eldest Son, and should lose his youngest ere it was finished. There was much Spoil taken both of Gold, Silver, and Brass in this City, and Joshua having before commanded that all the Gold and Silver should be brought to one place to offer to God as the first fruits for his assistance, none of them, but only one man, kept any thing to himself, all being delivered to the Priests to be laid up in the Treasury, but Achan the Son of Zebedias of the Tribe of Judah having got the King's Coat embroidered with Gold, and a Wedge of Gold of two hundred Shekels in weight, and thinking it unjust that what he had got with the hazard of his Life should be taken from him, he digged a Pit in his Tent and buried his Spoils therein, designing to defraud God as well as his Companions.  
At this time the Israelites Ten●s were pitched in Gilgal, which signifies Liberty, because being delivered from Egyptian bondage, and the wants of the wilderness they now thought they had nothing more to fear; A few days after the destruction of Jericho Joshua sent out three thousand armed men against Ai, a City hard by, who encountering with their adversaries, the Israelites were put to flight and lost thirty six men; The news of this disaster being brought to the Camp, they were much astonished, not only for the men they had lost, but despairing of future success, since they persuaded themselves they were already Masters of the Field, and that their Army should be always Victorious according to the promise of God, and that this advantage would much encourage their Enemies; So that clothing themselves in Sackcloth, they spent three days in tears and lamentations without taking any meat; When Joshua saw them thus dejected, falling on his face to the Earth he thus addressed himself too God. O Lord thou knowest we have not been induced by our own rashness and temerity to attempt the Conquest of this Land by force, but have been thereunto encouraged by thy Servant Moses to whom thou didst promise by divers signs to give us this Country to inhabit, and that our Arms should always have the Victory in Battle, and of these thy promise we have oftimes experienced the certain accomplishment; But now O Lord what shall I say when Israel turneth their backs before their Enemies, for having beyond all expectation received an overthrow, and lost some of our Soldiers, we are extremely terrified by this accident, lest the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the Land should hear it, and should encompass us and cut off our name from the Earth, for we have little hope of any prosperous proceed, in time to come; But be thou assistant to us O Lord who art Almighty, and in thy mercy change our present sorrow into joy, our discouragement into confidence, and give us Victory.  
Joshua having made this Prayer, God presently commanded him to arise and purge the People from that Sacrilege and Theft which had been committed among them, by concealing those things which were consecraed to himsef, assuring him that his was the cause of their present Calamity, which as soon as it was discovered, Israel should be again victorious over their Adversaries. Joshua hereupon calling for the High Priest and the Magistrates, he cast Lots upon the Tribes, and the Lot fell upon the Tribe of Judah, he then cast them again upon Families, and it fell upon the Family of Zacharias; Lastly, the Lots were cast Man by Man, and it fell upon Achan, who unable to deny what was discovered by God himself, confessed the fact, and produced what he had concealed, whereupon he was presently stoned to death, and the Anger of the Lord was appeased.  
Then Joshua having purified the People, led them forth against the City of Ai, and laying an ambush of men secretly over night above the City, early in the morning he drew the Enemy out to fight, who being encouraged by their former success, boldly assaulted them, but Joshua seeming to retreat and fly, drew them farther off the City, imagining that the Israelites fled, and that they should gain a second Victory over them, and thereupon all the Men of Ai, and of the next City Bethel, were called out to pursue them, so that there was not a man left in either City. When Joshua suddenly making a stand, and giving a signal to those in ambush, they instantly marched into the City and set it on fire, which when the Men of Ai looking back perceived, they presently fled and scattered themselves through the Fields, but were pursued so furiously that few escaped, the King of Ai was taken alive and hanged on a Tree by Joshua, and twelve thousand, even all the Inhabitants of Ai were slain that day; The spoil they got was very considerable both in Silver and , all which Joshua when he came to Gilgal distributed among the Soldiers.  
The Gibionites who dwelled near Jerusalem, having notice what had happened to Jericho, and Ai, and fearing the same misfortune, since they understood that Joshua intended utterly to root out the Canaanites from off the Earth, they resolved to send Ambassadors to conclude a Peace with him, and knowing that if they owned themselves to be Canaanites, Joshua would make no League with them; They came to him with protestations, that they had no converse nor alliance with that Nation, but being incited by the fame of his glorious Victories, they were come from a very far Country, which he might perceive by their old Shoes and Garments, and by the mouldy Bread, which were all new when they set forth on their Journey, but by the length of the way were now in the condition they saw them; And that they were assured that God had given the Israelites the Land of Canaan to inherit, with whom they therefore desired to be confederate; By this subtle practice they persuaded the Hebrews to enter into Amity with them, and Eleazar the High Priest and the Council of Elders swore to them that they should for the future be their Friends and Allies, and no hostility should be offered them. In three days after Joshua encamping on the Borders of their Country, understood that the Gibeonites dwelled not far from Jerusalem, and were Canaanites, and sending for the Chief of them, charged them with this deceitful dealing, who alleged that having no other way to procure their safety they were obliged to make use of this, whereupon he called to him the Highpriest and Elders; and they concluded not to infringe the Outh of God, but however for this treachery they were condemned to be Hewers of Wood, and Drawers of Water to the Camp.  
When the King of Jerusalem heard that the Gibeonites had submitted to Joshua, he assembled live Kings his Neighbours, and resolved to fall upon them, who perceiving their danger, desired Joshua to assist them, who marching with all speed to their relief, he with his whole Army fell upon them early in the morning, and quickly put them to flight, and pursuing them to a steep Tract called B●thhoron the Lord destroyed a great number of them by Thunder, Lightning, and Hailstones from Heaven, and the night approaching Joshua with mighty Faith cried out, Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon, and thou Moon in the Valley of Ajalon, and the Sun stood still, and the Moon was stayed till the Peope had avenged themselves on their Enemies, and the Sun did not go down about a whole day, and there was no day like that before or after it, that the Lord harkened to the voice of a man, for the Lord fought f●r Israel; and the five Kings hid themselves in a Cave near Makkedah, but were discovered and brought to Joshua, who commanded his Captains to tread upon their Necks as an evident token to them of success against all the rest; After which he slew thom and hanged them on five Trees, and their Forces were utterly cut off and destryed; After this wonderful success; Joshua led his Army to the Mountains of Canaan, where having made a great slaughter, and taken rich booty he brought back the People to Gilgal.  
The Renown of the Israelites Victories, and that they gave no quarter coming among the Neighbour Nations, they were possessed with extreme f●ar, and resolved to try their utmost strength; Whereupon their Kings raised an Army of three hundred thousand Foot, ●en thousand Horse, and twenty thousand Chariots, so great an Host as was sufficient utterly to swallow up the Israelites; But the Lord bid Joshua not to fear, since they should all surely be delivered into his hand; Encouraged by these promises, Joshua marched out courageously against his Enemies, and the fifth day he came upon them; The Encounter was strong, and the Slaughter very great, multitudes being also killed in the pursuit, and all the Kings slain, very few of this numerous Army making their escape; Joshua having command-their Horses to be slain, and their Chariots to be burnt; he afterward marched victoriously through the whole Country, besieging and taking many strong places, and killing all that fell into his hands, so that in five years none of the Canaanites were left alive, but only in two or three strong Fortresses.  
Then Joshua removed his Camp to Shiloh, and set up the Tabernacle there, and from thence he marched to Sichem, and there built an Altar according to the command of Moses, and being now well stricken in years, he assembled all the People in Shiloh, where he represented to them the happy success wherewith till that time God had favoured them because they had observed his Laws, that no less than one and thirty Kings who had presumed to oppose them, were by them overcome, and all their Armies discomfited in Battle, and most of their Cities destroyed, so that there was no memory of them remaining, he therefore thought fit they should send to survey the extent of Canaan, and to measure it out among the Tribes; which being approved of by the Congregation, ten men were appointed to view the Land, who returning with a full account of it in fix months' time, Joshua with the High-Priests and Princes of the Tribes divided the Country amongst them; and then he distributed the prey they had taken from the Enemy, which was very great, so that they were all enriched by it.  
After which he assembled the whole Army, and to those that were planted on the other side Jordan, who had born Arms with the rest, and were in number no less than Fifty Thousand, he spoke after this manner; Since God the Father and Master of our Nation hath given this Country into your possession, and hath promised to preserve the same to your for ever, and since ye have cheerfully assisted us in all our necessities and dangers, according to God's command and direction, it is requisite, now we have no further service for you, that we dismiss you home to enjoy what you purchased, and may thereby be in a capacity to engage with us hereafter upon all occasions. We therefore give you hearty thanks that you have vouchsafed to be our companions in all our perils, and desire you would always continue this mutual affection between us, remembering that by God's favour, and our assisting each other we have attained to this our present Felicity. Neither have you adventured without some reward for your labours, for you are hereby enriched, and shall carry home much Cattle, with Silver, Gold, Brass, Iron, and very much Raiment, and likewise our sineere love to you, whenever you have occasion to use us; For we have no● forgot nor slighted Moses command before his death, neither have you spared any pains to oblige us to you. We therefore dismiss you to your own possessions in fullness of Contentment, beseeching you never to put any bounds to our inviolable Amity, and Friendship, and let not the River Jordan which is betwixt us hinder you from considering us as Hebrews, for we are all the posterity of Abraham, and the same God gave Life to both our progenitors, whose Laws and Religion instituted by Moses are diligently to be observed, for thereby will the Lord become our helper, but if we degenerate from his Statutes he will surely be our Enemy.  
Having spoke thus, Joshua embraced the Chief of the Tribes, who returned and their whole peoplewith them; After the Tribe of Reuben and Gad and the rest of the Menassites had passed over Jordan, they built an Altar upon the Bank of the River as a Memorial to Posterity of their Alliance with those on the other side; which when the Israelites beyond Jordan heard, they rashly imagined their Brethren designed to violate their Religion, and introduce the Worship of false Gods, and therefore instantly Armed themselves to be revenged on them as having forsaken the Laws and Ordinances of their Forefathers. But Joshua and Eleazar the Highpriest, and the Elders restrained them, advising first to inquire what their intention was, and accordingly to proceed against them; Whereupon they sent Phinehas the Son of Eleazar, and ten of the Princes as Ambassadors to them, who when they were arrived, an Assembly was summoned, and Phinehas standing up in the midst of them, spoke to this purpose.  
You have committed too heinous an offence to be punished with words, and yet we would not suddenly take up Arms against you, though the crime you have committed is very heinous, but rather choose first to admonish you; To which purpose we are sent to you as Ambassaders, hoping that in consideration of the Friendship between us you will be persuaded to acknowledge and detest your fault; We therefore require you to inform us of the cause why you have built an Altar, that if it be with an ill design you may not think you are hardly dealt with, if we take revenge upon you for the same, but if it be otherwise, we may be satisfied upon what account it is erected; For we can scarce believe that you who are so well grounded in the knowledge of God, and the Laws which he himself hath given you, should since your departure from us, and arrival in your own Patrimony, which you have obtained by his favour, and peaceably enjoy by his Providence. So forget him, as to forsake his Tabernacle, Ark, and Altar, and introducestrange Gods, and thereby be Partakers of the impieties of the Canaanites; Yet if you repent your folly and return to your Ancient Religion a pardon is granted you, but if you obstinately persist in your wickedness, we will venture all in defence of our Faith, and Gods true Religion, and will treat you like the Inhabitants of Canaan; For though you have passed the River you are not exempt from God's power who is in all places, and can at all times avenge himself upon you for your Iniquities. Resolve therefore with yourselves to renounce your Error, and consider whether it be not better for you to enjoy Peace and Safety, than to expose yourselves, your Wives and Children to the danger of a bloody War.  
Phinchas' ending hi● Oration, the Chief of the Assembly made this reply; We never the ●ight of breaking the Union which joins us so near together, or of innevating any thing in the Religion of our Fathers; we will always persevere therein; We know that there is one God the common Father of all the Hebrews; and none but the Brazen Altar which is before the Tabernacle shall receive our Sacrifices; As for that which we have 〈◊〉 erected, and causeth suchjealousie in you, we did not build it with the least intent to Offer Sacrifice thereon, but only as a perpetual 〈◊〉 of our Alliance, and ●f our Obligation to con●inue firm in the same belief, but without the least intent of making alteration in our Religion; To the truth whereof we call Almighty God to witness, therefore instead of continuing in all ill opinion of us, we desire that for the future you would never suspect us conscious of such a crime whereof none of Abraham's Posterity can he guilty without deserving to lose his life. Having heard this modest reply, and praised their Constancy, Phinehas returned, and gave Joshua an Account thereof in the presence of the People, who rejoicing that there, was no cause of Bloodshed, Offered Sacrifices of thanksgiving to God and dissolving the Assembly each man returned nome.  
A ●r twenty years, Joshiea being extreme old, called to him the Princes, Magistrates and Elders, to whom he uttered his dying words to this Effect; That they should call to remembrance the many benefits God had bestowed upon them, whereby from a very mean and afflicted condition they had attained to great Riches and Glory; He then earnestly exhorted them Religiously to observe God's Commandments, that so he might continue his merciful hand over them, since he assured them that they could obtain his favour by no other way but Obedience; Which he thought himself obliged to admonish them of before his departure out of this Life. That he was certain was now just at hand; As he ended these words he gave up the Ghost, and died in the hundred and tenth year of his Age, whereof he spent forty as Minister under Moses their Chief Magistrate, and after his death he Governed the Commonwealth twenty five years; A man of incomparable Prudence and Eloquence, Wise and Diligent in matters of Government, and equally capable of the most important Affairs in Peace and War, in a word, the Most Excellent Captain General of his time, whose only presence was worth hundreds or others, whose Soldiers thought nothing impossible under him, and by whom his Enemies esteemed themselves vanquished as soon as seen; But let us remember while we speak of Joshua that God hath covered him with the Rays of Glory, so that we are constrained to cover his brave Acts in silence. He died in the year from the Creation of the World 2560, and about 1500 years before the Birth of Jesus Christ.   

The History of David King of Israel; The Fifth Worthy of the World.   portrait of King David 

DAvid a Man was, after Gods own heart,  
Who wondrous blessings did to him impart;  
By whose assistance in his youth he killed  
The Great Goliath, and so won the Field;  
But though he made this mighty Monster fall,  
A greater rose; The jealousy of Saul,  
Yet Saul at length in battle overthrown  
David obtains the Kingdom and the Crown,  
A Worthies name he justly doth deserve  
Whom many Worthies did obey and serve.  
He reigned forty, lived seventy years,  
And then Death put an end to all his Cars.   
THE Life of David is a mixture of Good and Evil, of Joy and Grief, of Contempts and Glories, of Vices and Virtues, of Actions and Passions, of unthought of Successes, and of strange Accidents and Marvels; We will consider him in a twofold state, of a Servant, and of a Master, and will observe with what Wisdom he preserved himself in the one, and with what Majesty he behaved himself in the other. He comes first to Court under the quality of a Musician, there he makes himself known for a good Soldier, admired as a Commander of an Army, and crowned as a Conqueror. Saul was tormented with an Evil Spirit which was maintained by his melancholy humour, and nourished by his passion, They seek out for him a fair Young man, who withal was skilful in playing on the Harp, to make him merry, one of his Servants said, That David the Son of Jesse was fit for that Employment; He is sent for in the King's name, he comes, he pleaseth while he played on his Instruments, but Saul is displeased when he handleth his Weapons, whose envy caused his Valour to be reputed a fault.  
This young Shepherd who in his Apprenticeship had learned to fight with Lions and Bears, would go to the War as well as his Brethren, who blame his Curiosity, and despise his Person; There must be usually some famous Exploit to put a man at first in great credit at Court, and the Combat of Goliath was that which Heaven had prepared to raise David; One man alone who affrighted the whole Army, nine foot high, and armed with five hundred pound weight of Iron, continues for forty days his proud Bravadoes, challenging the stoutest of the Israelites to combat. All their hearts were frozen at the sound of his terrible voice, and none dares come forth against him. The King propounds great Riches and his Daughter in marriage to him who would take away this blemish from the People of God, printed on the whole face of the Army by this Philistine. David hereupon presents himself, and gets forth to fight with him, not with the guilded Arms of Saul, but only with a Sling; The Giant scoffs at him, and finding him sufficiently armed to defend himself from Dogs, but not fit to set upon Men, he designs David's little body as a fit prey for some Bird of rapine. But this Champion of the Lord of Hosts reads first a Lesson to him of Religion before he shows his skill in fight; Thou comest to me (saith he) with a Spear, a Sword, and a Buckler, but I come to thee in the Name of the God of Armies, of the God of the Hosts of Israel, at which thou this day hast scoffed with so great insolence; It is written in Heaven that this great God will deliver thee into mine hands, and that I shall take away thine head from off thy shoulders, and that I shall make a great Feast for all the Beasts of prey with the flesh of this thy monstrous Body, whereby thou shalt know there is a God in Israel.  
He saith it, he doth it, he strikes his Adversary with a blow of the Sling in the midst of his Forehead, & makes this mighty Tower of flesh to fall in a moment, cutting off the head of this terrible Giant with his own Sword, which put the whole Army of the Philistims to confusion, and raised up the glory of the chosen People to an incomparable height. Yet this is the fountain of all the great Evils that David after suffered, the Great ones admire him, the People applaud him, he is the Subject of the Songs of the Daughters of Jerusalem, which set him above Saul. It is this Music that enraged saul's evil Spirit, and would not give him any rest; David must be destroyed because he saved the Nation; He must be put to death because he restored the people to life; He must be dishonoured for having recovered the honour of the King; He is sufficiently faulty because he is too virtuous. Saul resolved to be rid of David, yet thought it dangerous to attempt his life openly who was so high in the people's esteem, and therefore under pretence of honour bestows on him a chief place in the Army, believing his Courage would carry him into danger, and so his death would be imputed to chance or destiny; But when he saw he returned from manifest perils with Victory and the applause of Israel, and that he behaved himself with great wisdom, Saul suspected him more than before, and injuriously married his Eldest Daughter to another; But since his honour was engaged, and to prevent the scandal of faithlesness, he offers him his younger Daughter Michael, but with very harsh and dangerous conditions, no less than by the death of two hundred Philistims, whom he hoped it was hardly possible for him to vanquish, but herein God who overthrows the designs of the malicious to establish his own Councils upon their ruins, caused the Victories and Marriage of David to succeed to his own content, accompanied with the good will and admiration of all the Court.  
Jonathan the Eldest Son of Saul was so astonished with his valiant Exploits, his rare Virtues, and incomparable Carriage, that he loved him as his own Heart, and bereft himself of the most precious things he had to adorn him withal; David likewise swears unto him reciprocally an Immortal Friendship, and their two Souls seemed united together with an indissoluble affection. Poor Jonathan who was of incomparable mildness declared to his Father as much as he durst the innocency of David, and the great services he had done to the Crown, assuring him there was not a man in the Kingdom of a more harmless and pleasing Conversation, and that it was the joy of his Heart, and his only safety to have him always at his side; Saul seemed to be overcome with these discourses, and suffered David, whom he had driven far off, to return again near his Person, but Saul upon a day when David played on the Harp in his presence, endeavoured to strike him through with his Lance had not David's nimbleness avoided that evil blow, and lest any should charge him with perfidiousness, he excused it by the distemper of his Spirit; Jonathan yet another time endeavoured his reconciliation, but being repelled by Saul with harsh words and threats to kill him, he saw clearly there was no more safety for his Friend, and persuaded him to retire; David goes from Court, and makes a sad departure from his beloved Jonathan, thousands of tears and sighs being vented betwixt them.  
Saul seeing he was escaped out of his bloody hands, sends Soldiers to bring him back, which Michal his Wife having notice of, she tells her Husband, and makes him departed suddenly in the deep silence of the night, putting in his place an Image in the Bed; Next morning saul's Guards break into the House, and passing on to the Bed, there found the counterfeit; Michal was accused thereof and chidden by Saul, but she excused herself saying, Her Husband had compelled her to it, threatening to kill her, if she would not obey; This still increased his rage, and caused him to invent every day new means to destroy him, whom above all men he ought to have preserved. In the mean time David knew not whither to retire himself; He would have taken the boldness to have gone to Samuel who was yet alive, but this would have been prejudicial to both in the mind of Saul, who turned all suspicions into fury; He therefore goes to the Town of Nob to Abimelech the Highpriest, who seeing him in a very mean Equipage was somewhat amazed at his Arrival. But David to confirm him, said that he came about some urgent business of the Kings, and had not time to provide for his Journey, desiring the Priest to give him some Bread and a Sword, who having no other, gave him some Loaves of the Consecrated Shewbread, and the Sword of Goliath which was kept in the Tabernacle for a Monument.  
Saul hearing that David was seen in the Woods with a Lance in his hand, and accompanied with several Captains and Officers, sharply complained of the unfaithfulness of his Servants. Whereupon Doeg an Edomite of a barbarous behaviour, to get savour with his Master, accused Abimelech the Priest with all his Company for furnishing David with Weapons and Provisions, he being present at that time; Saul instantly sent for him, and reproached him with the fact, he wisely excused it as not knowing but David was as much in the King's favour as ever, and that what he did was for saul's service as he judged This excuse was very just and lawful, but the jealousy of Saul was never satisfied, so that without any other form of proceeding, he commanded that villainous Butcher Doeg, (all others refusing to lift up their hands against these sacred Persons) to fall upon the Highpriest, and the Priests that accompanied him, eighty five in number, who were all murdered in one day, and that cursed Servant exceeding his Commission drove on his Murderers to the Town of Nob which they filled with Fire and Blood.  
David having understood by Abiathar the Son of the Highpriest all that was past, was pierced with most bitter grief, accusing himself as the cause of the death of these unhappy ones, and perceiving well the Spirit of Saul was wholly invenomed, he saved himself in the Cave of Adullam, where though he thought himself hid from the Eyes of all the World, yet his Father and Brethren flying the Persecution, found him out, and wounded his tender heart with their Lamentations for the change of his condition, who was now no longer a David Triumphant, the object of all thoughts, and the discourse of all Tongues; He comforted them the best he could, and recommended them to the protection of the King of Moab till he knew what it would please God to do with him; At this time all the banished that fled for safety, and all the miserable betook themselves to David to the number of four hundred men, who entrenched themselves in a Fortress, going forth every day to seek wherewithal to maintain themselves. In the midst of all these misfortunes the good Prince kept always in his Heart a true love of his Country, and knowing that the Philistines had laid Siege before Keil●h he failed not to relieve it, though this ungrateful City designed to have delivered him up to Saul if he had enclosed himself therein, which having consulted the Oracle of God he would not do, but retired to the Desert of Ziph, where Jonathan his beloved Friend secretly met him, comforted him, and assured him that he should be King after his Father, and that himself would be content to be his second.  
Mean while David ran from Desert to Desert with his Troops, when he received a severe Check from Nabal to whom he sent for relief, and for which he threatened to destroy his Family, had not Abigal, who appeared before him with great wisdom and humility, stayed the Sword already drawn for the desolation of her Family. The Philistines about this time had taken the Field, whom Saul having encountered and driven back, he returns to the pursuit of David, with three thousand men, and entering into a Cave for necessity, where David was hid with a small number of his most faithful Servants, they persuaded him, That by the hand of God his mortal Enemy was now delivered into his power, by whose death he might put an end t● all his Calamities; But David by a strong inspiration from God, resolved in his heart never to lay his hands upon Gods Anointed, and contenting himself with only cutting off the Skirts of his Garment, he went out of the Cave after Saul, and cried after him with a loud voice, saying, Behold my Lord, my Father, and my King the innocence of my hands, and be no more filled with vain and false suspicions of poor David, you cannot be ignorant that God at this time had put me into your power, and that I could have taken away your life to have saved my own, but God by his grace hath preserved me from such ill thoughts and hath secured you from all danger; I had never yet any intent to hurt you, though you cease not to persecute and torment my life with a thousand afflictions; Alas my Lord what is it you desire? Against whom are you come forth with so great a strength of Arms and Horses? against a poor dead Dog, a miserable little Beast? I beseech the living God to be Judge between us, and to make you sensible of the goodness of my cause.  
Saul was so amazed with this action that he ran to him, and embracing him weeping, said, This O David is a sure sign whereby I know for certain thou shall reign after me, so great a goodness not being able to be rewarded but by an Empire I only beseech and entreat you to have pity on my poor Children after my death, and not to revenge upon them the injuries I have offered you; Hereupon he swore to deal peaceably with him for the future; But the Spirit of Saul was unequal and oft departed from reason for a long season; Whereupon David resolved to go out of the Kingdom to Achish King of the Philistines a Sworn Enemy to Israel, since he could not besecure any where else, yet did he never bear arms against the people of God: At last the fatal day of Saul drew near, and he saw the Philistines came upon him with their utmost strength, and being troubled in mind, in the confusions of a disturbed Spirit, he sought to the Divine Oracles to learn his destiny in this pressing necessity, but this unhappy Prince sought after the dead in vain, having trod under feet the admonitions of the Living; and therefore he applies himself to the Witch of Endor, who by samuel's appearance foretold the routing of his Army, his own death, and likewise his children's sad Fate, at which he was so affrighted that he fell into a Swoon. Being recovered, he went to his Army, and the next morning perceived the Philistines wonderfully increased, and resolved to fight; And his own people exceedingly weakened, and seeming to carry misfortune in their faces; The Enemies gave the onset with very great violence, and overthrew the foremost of the Israelites, wherein Jonathan with his two Brethren sealed the last proofs of their valour with their blood and death in the sight of their miserable Father, who seeing he could not die so soon as he desired suffered himself to fail upon his own Sword, vomiting, forth his Soul and blood with ragings and griefs unspeakable.  
While this unhappy Battle was fought, David was pursuing the Amalakites, who in his absence had sacked the Town of Ziglag the place of his retiring, whom he overtook loaden with their prey, and regained his two Wives Ahinoam and Abigail whom they had taken away; As he came from this Battle, a young Amalekite presents himself, and brings him the news of the death of Saul and Jonathan, and his other Sons, affirming that he himself had stood by at the death of the King, and had helped him to die by his own command; Whereat David moved with extreme grief, tore his garments, wept, fasted, and made a funeral Lamentation over Saul and Jonathan; Causing likewise the Amalekite to die, who by his own confession was accessary to the death of the King; And though David at this time might have taken possessesion of the Kingdom, yet upon prudent deliberation he thought it not convenient to be too hasty; Whereupon Abner a chief Captain, without losing time, seeing there yet remained a Son of Saul alive named Ishbosheth, aged forty years, though of little courage, and less understanding, he made him presently come into the Camp, and caused him to be proclaimed the true and lawful Successor of Saul, not so much for the love he bore him, or the esteem of his sufficiency, as intending to reign by him and over him.  
All the People swore Allegiance to Ishbosheth, except the Tribe of Judah from whom David sprung, which joining together in favour of him, crowned him King in Hebron, where he reigned seven years before he possessed the whole Kingdom of Israel. Afterward Abner laying aside his warlike humour, fell in love with a Concubine of saul's named Rispah, whereat Ishbosheth being offended, Abner for one poor word spoken in a very mild manner, entered into a rage against the King, and said, It was to use him as a Dog to quarrel with him for a woman after so great Services as he had done for the Crown, and from whom he held both his Life and Kingdom; The poor Prince held his peace, and durst not answer a word to this bold Fellow, and was pitifully devoured by his own Servant. Abner grew so hot with anger that he dispatched Messengers to David to desire his friendship, and promiseth to bring the whole Kingdom of Ishbosheth into his hands. David answered, That he was willing to make peace with him, if he would cause his Wife Michol to be restored to him, whom they had married to another after his departure, which was readily agreed to, and performed.  
Mean time Abner powerfully solicits the people of Israel to betake themselves to David, since God had committed their safety and rest into his hands, who would unite all the Tribes under one Monarchy, which would make him a happiness to his people, helpful to his friends, and terrible to his Enemies. This Discourse prevailed very much on the Principal ones of the Nation, who saw small hopes of Ishbosheth, he being disparaged both by Nature and Fortune. Soon after Abner meets David at Hebron, who made him a Feast, harkened to his Propositions and conducted him back with honour. Joab who was at that time absent, soon understood the coming of Abner and being jealous that the Friendship of a man who seemed to draw a whole Kingdom after him might much prejudice his interest he enters roughly into the King's Chamber, telling him that Abner was but a deceiver who came to spy out his secrets, and that he ought to have secured him when under his power; And since David seeing him in such a rage answered nothing Joab without Authority sends a message to Abner to return to Hebron under colour of treating more fully with David; He lightly believed it, and came back the same way, when Joab treacherously surprising him killed him at the Gate of the City.  
David was much perplexed hereat, and uttered grievous Curses against Joab and his whole race, and to deface the blemish of this Murder, be assisted at the Funerals of Abner, protesting against the cruelty of those who had taken away his Life, and highly setting forth the praises of the dead; yet he caused not process to be made against Joab, conceiving that he was not able to destroy him in such a time when it was dangerous to provoke him. After this Ishbosheth King of Israel was slain by two Murderers Rechab and Baanah as he slept on his Bed at Noonday, who cut off his Head and brought it to David, at which this great King was so highly incensed, abhorring this barbarous Fact, that he instantly condemned them to death, and their Heads and Feet being cut off, they were hanged up at the Fish●ood of Hebron.  
The death of Ishbosheth the Son of Saul ended the difference between the two 〈◊〉 Houses, and all the Tribes, yielded universally to David; So that now he began to Reign absolutely, and to disscover the Admirable Qualities and Royal Virtues wherewith he was adorned. And it is certain that of all the Kings of Judah, none equalled him in all kind of perfections. He was one who feared God without Superstition; was Religious without Hypocrisy; Valiant without Sternness, Liberal without reproaching any, a good Husband without Covetousness; Valiant without Insolence, Vigilant without Unquietness, Wise without Subtlety, Courteous without Looseness, Humble without Cowardliness, Cheerful without too much Familiarity, Grave without Fierceness, and Kind without any Compliment; Above all he was all his Life very Zealous for Religion, and wonderfully affected toward Divine things, settling the Worship of God, and composing Hymns for the people, which have continued to all Ages, and serve for perpetual Springs of Devotion even to this very day; Yet did these Exercises no way diminish his Actions of Valour; He overthrew the Philistines in two great Battles, and made War on every side, in the East against the Moabites and Amonites, in the West against the Phoenicians, on the South against the Amalekites, Arabians, and Idumeans, and in the North against the Syrians, Sabeans and Mesopotamians, and was happy in all his Erterprises; Besides which he made Leagues with the Kings his Neighbours, which he gained either by Friendship or Force. He rendered Justice exactly to his Subjects, favoured Arts, Enriched and Fortified Towns, Erected Stately Palaces, and brought the Kingdom of Judah out of Servility, who had not yet known what Magnificence was; He was honoured by the great Ones, beloved by the Priests, admired by the Wisest, and almost adored by the People. But as all light in mortal things hath a shadow; God suffered him to fall into a great offence which served to humble him, and caused very much trouble in his House; His mind being freed from the cares of War and Business, he descried from the top of his Palace a Woman that bathed herself in her Garden, he inquired her name, her Kindred, and her Quality, and becoming in Love thereby, sends for her to his house, and had Company with her; How dear did this unhappy cast of his Eye cost him; When a man once exceeds in this blind Passion, he goes further than ever he designed. She soon after sends word to David that she had Conceived, and that her Husband having not seen her of a long time, might have very ill apprehensions of her; The honour of this lost Creature must now be covered, the King sends for her Husband under some other pretence, he comes from the Army, is kindly entertained, and David is earnest with him to go home and take his ease with his Wife, but the good man refuses it, saying, That it was not fit for him to lie in a Bed when the Ark of God and his Captain Joab were under Tents; He lies on the ground before the door of the King's Chamber, and so passeth the night, having no desire but to return speedily to the Army; Alas poor Vriah! thou art made a harmless Sacrifice, and wast but too faithful, and therefore must water with thy blood the guilt of thy Master! David dictates a bloody Letter to Joab to place Vriah in the Forlorn hope, that he might be fairly rid of him, and Vriah carries this deadly Letter; Joab without enquiring obeys, the Innocent Vriah is massacred, and these false Lovers now think themselves secure; David remains nine Months covered with this Filth and Blood, without coming to the knowledge of himself, until Nathan the Prophet removes the Veil that blinded him, who though he knew how dangerous it was to reprove a King, and especially in such a case, yet resolved to show David his sin, by uttering a Parable of a Rich Man that had great Store of Sheep, who yet had violently taken away one only Ewe from a Poor Man, which David finding very strange, judged him worthy of death, whereat the Prophet hits him home, telling him, He was the Man who had caused poor Uriah to be slain after he had taken Bathsheba from him. David awaking as it were out of a dead sleep, acknowledged his sin with a true humility, and submitted himself to all the Chastisements it should please the great Judge to inflict upon him; He was presently changed into another man, and was exceeding Penitent, his Heart bleeding and his Eyes weeping continually for his grievous offence, and God beginning the punishments of his sin (which yet he had pardoned as to his own person) caused the Child Conceived in Adultery to die.  
A year after those pitiful Tragadies of his House which the Lord had threatened him with, came upon him, and filled his heart with terrors; Amnon the eldest Son of David fell in love with his sister Thamar a very fair Princess, and being in despair of obtaining his desire, falls sick; The King his Father goes to see him to take order for his health, who tells him; There is but one medicine that will cure him which is that his sister Thamar should come and make him broth with her own hand, wherein she had much skill. This is easily granted, and the innocent Maid goes to him, who soon discovers his passion to her, which she as violently opposed by reasons and tears; Whereupon this barbarous Man proceeds to force and ravishes her, which being passed, he entered into as furious a repentance, and not enduring to behold her, drives her out of his House with reproach and sco●●, she puts on morning attire, and covers her head with ashes and at last discovers all to Absolom her brother by the same Mother, who comforts her, and promises revenge; David hears of it, but remembering his own offence, durst not censure that of his Son, especially since he loved him tenderly and feared to offend him  
Absolom seeing David did nothing in it, resolved to do himself Justice with his own hands; and having kep● his design secret two years to prevent suspicion, he makes a Royal Feast to which he invites his Father and all his brethren; David excuses himself, and the other earnestly entreats that his eldest brother Amnon might supply his place, to which his Father consents. The brethren enter joyfully into the Hall where the Banquet was, where Absolom had prepared a Bloody Spectacle and horrible Sacifice; he gives the word to his Servants that when his brother Amnon had drank plentifully, they should take their opportunity to kill him without enquiring the cause, since his Command was sufficient authority and security; The Wine and good cheer having made them merry, on a sudden drawn Swords glittered before their eyes; Fear came upon all, but the danger was only to Amnon who was suddenly Murdered, his blood leaping on his Brother's Table for a just revenge of his shameful lust. The Brethren affrighted instantly fly and report brings the sad news to David that Absalon had slain all his Brethren; The poor King casts himself on his face upon the ground weeping, and all the Court tear their  and put on Mourning, when Jonadas certifies that none but Amnon was killed in revenge of the offence committed against Thamar. David returns a little to himself, and his other Children present themselves before him affrighted and weeping for that which had passed.  
Absalon saves himself in the House of his Grandfather by the Mother, the King of Geshur, where he remains three years without daring to see the King his Father who would not ways pardon this great Crime. Joab labours to reconcile the Son to the Father by the mediation of a discreet Woman of Tekoah, and at length prevails, Absalon returns, the King embraces him, gives him the kiss of peace and re-establishes him in the Court; The Spirit of this Prince was high and tempestuous, and being well made, courteous, liberal, courageous and capable of great undertake, he entertained ambitious thoughts; He saw his Father declining, Adonijah his elder Brother too much a fondling, and Solomon yet a Child unable to oppose him, and therefore conceived the Kingdom could not slip out of his hands; And the better to secure it he provided himself a guard of Soldiers and ceased not secretly to gain the hearts and good will of all his Father's Subjects; Never was any Prince more prodigal of his Courtesies, whoever had any business with the King, he called them to him, embraced them, kissed them, and enquired of their condition and suit, and said, There was no other mishop but that the King was old and tired with business, and had not appointed any one to hear the Complaints of his Subjects and do them Justice, but if one day he should have that charge due to him by his cirth, he would give full satisfaction to every one.  
By this means he made himself Conqueror of hearts, and by the advice of Achitophel a great Politition, gets leave of David to perform a Vow in Hebron whither he goes accompanied with many of his Followers, giving order to the rest of his Confederates, that at the first sound of a Trumpet they should march to him, which being done, he caused himself to be crowned King in Hebron; The news came quickly to David, that his Son had revolted and got possession of Hebron, and that all the Forces of the Kingdom ran to him; This poor Prince at the tidings of this Rebellion thinks of nothing but flying, and leaves his chief City to save himself in the by paths of the Wilderness: He is the first that goes forth, without a Horse to ride on, upon his ●are feet, with his head uncovered and tears in his Eyes, marching thus like a true Penitent, and adoring the Judgements of God, which made him bear the enraged Tongue of Shimei with a deep patience, and would not suffer him to be chastised for his horrid insolence. Mean while Absalon entered Jerusalem without resistance, where Achitophel to make the difference irreconcilable, gave him the detestable Counsel to abuse his Father's Concubines that were left in the Palace; After he had performed this Villainy, he contrives to surprise his Father at unawares, which by Achitophel's subtlety might have probably succeeded, had not Hushai a secret Friend of Davids who joined himself to Absalon on purpose to discover his designs, prevented the Plot by this cunning speech, That they should do nothing hastily, since his Father was an old Captain, and politic in War, who had still in his Army men of Valour and Counsel, and that it stood not with his honour to give Battle unless he were assured of the Victory, for if at the first Encounter he should be repulsed, it would be of dangerous consequence, and might so discourage his men, that his whole Army might be routed, but if he would stay a while, the People would gather to him as the Sand on the Sea shore, and being in the midst of such a mighty Army, nothing would be able to stand before him. This Counsel being preferred before Achitophel's, he was so enraged that he goes instantly home and hangs himself, by the most manifest Justice of God. After which Absalon thinking himself sufficiently strong, passes over Jordan, makes Amasa his chief Captain, and designs to give Battle to his Earler; David having had a little leisure to recollect and fortify himself, takes Courage again, and dividing his Army into three parts, appoints Joab, Abishai, and Ittai to command it; He would have been present himself had not his Council dissuaded him, therefore encouraging his people, and charging them strictly if they should gain the Victory to secure his Son Absalon without any hurt, he retired out of the Camp.  
The Trumpets sound, and the Armies approach David's men having a good Cause, engage like Lions; But the Rebels affrighted with their own guilt, were soon disordered, and put to flight, so that one Party seemed to come only to kill, and the other to be slain, Twenty thousand falling dead on the place; Absalon astonished at this sudden change of Fortune, gets on his Mule and flies through a Forest where his head being caught within the branches of a Tree, his Mule left him hanging between Heaven and Earth; as a spectacle of the Vengeance of God for his ingratitude to so good a Father; Of which Joab having notice, struck him through with three Darts, though forbidden by David, and ten young Soldiers made an end of him, the body, was interred in a Pit under a great heap of Stones, though he had built a stately Monument for himself which he called Absalon's Place. Behold the horrible end of an Evil Son and a Rebellious Subject, sufficient to deter Posterity from such wicked practices to the end of the World. While this was doing, David enclosed himself in a little Town, expecting the Event, and continually enquiring of the health of Absalon, but when certain news came of his death, he was pierced with so violent a grief, that he could not be comforted, losing all Courage, and crying every moment, O Absalon my Son Absalon, Oh that this favour had been done for me that I might have died for thee! Every one cast down his Eyes for pity, and the whole Victory was turned into sorrow.  
Joab always bold and insolent toward his Master, reproaches David, thinking thereby to justify his own fault, telling him, That he would put to confusion all his faithful Servants who had that day saved his Life, his House, and Kingdom, that he seemed of a very strange nature, to hate those that loved him, and love them that hated him, since it was plain that if all his good Captains and Soldiers had perished to save the life of one Rebellious Son he would have been very well satisfied; Further he swore to him by the Living God, That if he did not rise, and entertain those who returned from the Battle, there would not one man remain with him before morning, which would prove a greater displeasure than had ever yet happened to him. He presses him so vehemently that the King without daring to answer a word risen up, and did all he required; By degrees his great grief diminished, and the rejoices of the people who came to carry him back to Jerusalem in triumph made him forget his loss, and endeavouring to bring back all to him, he pardoned them with unspeakable meekness, being ready to give Joabs' place to Amasa Absalon's chief Captain; But Joab quickly prevented this, by killing with his own hand him who was designed his Successor. After this he pursued Sheba a Captain of the Rebels who retired into Adela, which being besieged by Joab, a Woman of great discretion and credit with the people persuaded them to slay him and throw his head over the Wall which put an end to this whole bloody War.  
After David's re-establishment in his Kingdom, he reigned about Eleven years in full peace, and in continual exercises of Piety and Justice, and assembling the States of his Realm, he made his Son Solomon whom he had chosen, to be confirmed King in his stead; He lived near seventy two years, reigned forty, and died a thousand thirty two years before the Birth of our Saviour, and about three thousand from the Creation of the World, leaving vast Treasures for building the Temple, as an Eternal, Monument of his Devotion and Understanding; It was a special favour to him that Jesus Christ should be born of his Line, and that his Birth was revealed to him so long before it was known to the world; He oft sets it down on the ●ide of his Psalms, and was in an Ecstasy in Contemplation by the foretaste of this happiness; Men usually take their Nobility and Names from their Predecessors, but David drew his from a Son who is the Father of Glory and Author of Eternity; All things were great in David's Person but the height of all this greatness is that from his Family there was given to us a Jesus.   

The Hist. of Judas Maccabeus a Valiant Commander of the Jews; The sixth Worthy of the World.   portrait of Judas Maccabeus 

This Valiant Worthy for his countries' Cause  
And in defending of God's Truth and Laws  
Was still engaged, and often with a few  
He Thousands of his Enemies did subdue.  
Their Number nor their strength he did not fear  
Hoping that God would still for him appear  
Who fought his Battles; And would ne'er comply  
To wicked Heathenish Idolatry.  
At length forsaken by almost all his men  
His Courage would not suffer him, even then  
To fly away, but being with killing tired  
He dearly sold his life, and so expired.   
AFter the death of Alexander the Great, his Army and Dominions were divided between his Captains, among whom Seleucus made himself King of Syria, And afterward Antiochus Epiphanius reigned in Asia, who being invited by some Apostate Jews to come to Jerusalem, he encamped before it, and by his Faction within had the gates opened and the City betrayed to him, about the year of the World 3796. and before the Nativity of Christ 168. He rob the Temple, and carried away the Golden Table, Candlestick and Censers, with all the other vessels dedicated to God, leaving nothing of any value behind him, and raising such an horrible persecution against the Jews, that the Heavens seemed to weep, and the Earth to blush with Blood; It was a sport to that barbarous man to profane Holy things, and a continual exercise to flea and roast men alive, or to throw them into boiling Caldrons, for no other crime but persisting in the True Religion, as he did by the Seven Sons of the Maccabees, whose courage and constancy outbraved all his most exquisite Tortures. He overturned the Altars upon the bleeding Priests, strangled the Children in the bosom of their sighing Mothers, the Flames devoured the sacred and profane Buildings without distinction, and the Houses that now seemed but Dens of Beasts, represented so hideous a spectacle as gave more desire to die than courage to live.  
Amidst these desolations was found a gallant Old man named Mathias a Priest, the Father of many Sons, all men of valour, who went out of Jerusalem to retire himself to the City of Modin, where he assembled his Family, resolving to oppose themselves against the fury of the Tyrant, but was quickly summoned to render up himself and all his men, and to offer Incense to their Pagan Idols; But this virtuous man, calling his people together, spoke thus to them; We should be too much in love with Life, to keep it with the loss of the True Religion; I am sorry that ever I was born in such an Age as to have seen the disasters of my Nation, and the desolation of the Holy Jerusalem, abandoned to the hands of Rapine and to impious profanation; Her Temple hath been the Object of all reproaches, and those Vessels of Glory that served for the Ministry of the Living God have been taken away by violence; We have seen our Streets covered with dead Bodies, and the little Children with their Throats cut lying upon the Carcases of their Fathers; And what Nation hath not possessed our Inheritance, and enriched themselves with our Spoils; The holiness of the Temple hath not stayed Sacrilegious hands, neither hath this famous City been able to preserve itself from Flames; After this what pleasure can we have in Life, unless it be to revenge the quarrel of God? I am promised all the honours and privileges I can reasonably hope for, if I will obey King Antiochus, and join with those Apostates who have so basely betrayed their Faith, but God forbidden that I should ever fall into so odious a compliance; When almost all my Nation have conspired to forsake the Law of their God, and accommodate themselves to the times, and their Princes will, I can answer for myself, my Children, and my Brethren, and can assure myself they will never commit so vild a crime. Let all those who have a Zeal for True Religion join themselves with us, and know that among so many miseries there is nothing better than to proceed in the ways of Religion and Glory, though with the loss of our dearest blood and life.  
In the mean time the King's Commissioners pressing every one to declare himself, one of the Jews, whether induced by terror, or reward, steps forth from among the people to sacrifice according to the command of the King, wherewith Mathias inflamed with Zeal, was so displeased, that he and his Sons fell upon him, and hewed him in pieces, they also slew Apollo's the King's Captain and other Soldiers who withstood them; Then he overthrew the Altar, and with a loud voice said, All that are affected to the Laws of their Fathers, and the Service of God, let them follow me; Whereupon many of them retired with their Wives and Children into the Deserts and Caves, but were soon pursued and overtaken by the King's Captains, who again renewed their persuasions to them to offer Sacrifice to the Idols, which the Jews absolutely refusing, and resolving rather to die than commit such Impiety, these bloody Persecutors assaulted them on the Sabbath day, and burned them in their Caves, who neither resisted nor defended themselves lest they should profane the Sabbath; Some thousands of Men, Women and Children were there destroyed, yet divers escaped who joined themselves with Mathias, and chose him for their Captain, who then informed them that they might lawfully fight on the Sabbath if they were assaulted, else they were guilty of their own deaths; And having assembled a sufficient number, he destroyed the Heathen Altars, and slew those who had forsaken their Religion, commanding them to circumcise their Children, and driving from every place those whom Antiochus had appointed to see the Laws executed.  
Having thus governed one year, he fell sick and perceiving his death to approach he sent for his five Sons, John, Simeon, Judas Maccabeus, Eleazar and Jonathan, whom he earnestly exhorted to follow his steps its maintaining the Law of God, and fight for their Country, assuring them of the divine assistance which never fails those who love and fear God, but taking pleasure in their virtues will grant them favour to recover their former liberty and peace; And saith he, God will establish you in the possession of your ancient Laws, and though our bodies are mortal and subject to death, yet the memory of our virtuous actions will remain to eternity, never doubt therefore to venture your lives in so good a Cause, but above all I exhort you to love and concord, and whatever you find any one most apt and fitted for, let him prosecute the same, without contradiction from the rest. I charge you to obey your brother Simeon a politic and valiant man, in what ever he shall Counsel you, but make Judas Maccabeus your Captain who is courageous and strong, for he shall revenge the injuries and outrages that have been done to our Nation, and shall put your Enemies to flight; Assist him therefore like men of valour, and such as fear God, and thereby you shall be sure to prevail.  
Soon after Mathias gave up the Ghost, and Judas Maccab●us was made General, who by the assistance of his Brethren and other Jews, drove the Enemy out of the Country, and cleansed the Land of Idolatry; Which when Apollonius the General of Antiochus in Samaria heard, he invaded Judea; Against whom Maccabeus went forth, and in a terrible Battle, overthrew and killed Apollonius, taking his Camp and therein a very rich Booty, together with his Sword. After this, Seron Governor of Coelosyria with the assistance of many Apostate Jews, marched against Judas to B●thoron, who observing his Soldiers discouraged by their great numbers, and because they had fasted so long, and were thereby disabled, he encouraged them, saying, That Victory did not consist in numbers of men, but in their Devotion toward God, who had so assisted their Forefathers, that with small Forces they had often defeated many thousands of their Enemies; They were hereby so prevailed upon, that without sear of their multitude they ran all upon Sevon, routed his Army and slew him, together with eight hundred of the Syrians, the rest escaping by flight.  
Antiochus enraged at this defeat, commanded Lysias the Governor of Egypt to go with a very strong Army and conquer Judea, and then to sell the Inhabitants for Slaves to those that would give most, and utterly to destroy and ruin Jerusalem; Lysias having this command, sent Prolomy, Nicanor and Gorgias, men of great Authority, about the King, with Forty thousand Foot, and Seven thousand Horse to invade Judea, who marching to the City of Emaus, greatly increased their Forces. Judas having viewed the Camp and number of his Enemies, exhorted his Soldiers to repose their confidence and hope of Victory in God alone, appointing likewise a Fast to humble themselves before God by supplications and prayers in such a time of extreme danger, and assuring them that God would have compassion on them and strengthen them to put their Adversaries to sham●; Next day he mustered his Army, discharging all who were newly married, or had lately bought Possessions, according to the Law, and then spoke thus to the rest; Countrymen and Companions, we had never more occasion to express our Courage, and contemn Dangers than at this present; For if you now fight valiantly, you may in this one Battle recover your Liberties, whereby you will have opportunity again to serve the True God, and live a happy life; But if you prove Cowards in this Encounter, you will be branded with perpetual Infamy, and endanger the utter extirpation of your Nation; Consider therefore that if you fight not you must die, and on the contrary assure yourselves that in fight for your Religion, Laws and Liberties, you shall obtain Immortal Glory, Be ready Therefore in the morning to give your mortal Enemy's Battle.  
Immediately news was brought him that a strong party of Horse and Foot were designed to fal● on him that night, whereupon Maccabeus suddenly resolved to break into the Enemy's Army the same night while they were so divided; Having therefore refreshed himself and his Army, and leaving many Fires in his Camp to deceive the Enemy, he marched all night to seek them out; Gorgias finding the Jews had forsaken their Camp, imagined that they were fled to the Mountains for fear, and diligently pursued them; But in the morning Judas with only three thousand men, ill armed, shown himself to the Enemy at Emaus, and having observed their posture, he persuaded his men, To fight Valiantly since he was certain God would deliver their Enemies into their hands, and thereupon causing his Trumpets to sound he fell upon them with, such fury and resolution that being absolutely affrighted and surprised they instantly gave ground, and having slain such as resisted, he pursued the rest to the Plains of Idumea; In this fight three thousand of the Enemy were Killed, yet would he not suffer his Soldiers to take the spoil, telling them, that they were still to fight with Gorgias and his Army, whom when by God's help they had beaten, they should then securely enrich themselves with the booty; Gorgias and his Army observing from a Hill the flight of their Frie●●s, and the readiness of the Jews to give them battle, were so discouraged that they fled likewise, whereupon Judas and his men returned to gather the Pillage, where finding great store of Gold, Silver, Scarlet and Purple, they returned home with Joy, praising God for their good success.  
Lysias was extremely concerned at this overthrow, and presently invaded Judea with Sixty thousand Chosen Foot, and five thousand Horse, and encamped in Bethsura. Which Judas hearing, came out against him with only ten thousand men, and seeing their number so vastly exceed his, he cried earnestly to God that he would please to fight with him and for him, and then charged the front of the Enemy with such force, that he discomfited and slew above five thousand of them. Lysias perceiving the resolution of the Jews who would rather die than lose their liberty. He returned with the rest of his Army to Antioch to reinforce them. Mean while Judas assembled the People, and told them, That having obtained so many Victories through the mercy of God, they ought now to go up to Jerusalem, and purify the Temple that was desolate, and to offer Sacrifices according to the Law of the Lord; Then going up with a great multitude of People, he found the Temple desolate, the gates burnt, and grass growing within the same; At this sad spectacle he and all present could not forbear weeping, and presently applied themselves to purge the Temple; Then Judas caused a Table, a Candlestick, and an Altar for Incense to be made all of Gold, putting up a Rail, and Gates to the Temple, and throwing down the Altar which was profaned by Antiochus, he built a new one of stones neither Newed nor Hammered; And on the twenty first of Chasleu, or September, lights were put in the Candlesticks, perfumes laid upon the Altar, Loaves set upon the Table, and Sacrifices offered upon the New Altar, which had been neglected for three years past; Then did Judas and his Countrymen celebrate a Feast unto the Lord for eight days, praising God with Hymns and Psalms, He also enclosed Jerusalem with a Wall, and built 〈◊〉 Towers thereon in which he planted Garrisons against the incursions of the Enemy, and fortified Bethsura for a defence to it.  
The Nations ●ound about envying this prosperity of the Jews, surprised many of them by Treachery, whereupon Judas made an incursion, slew many Idumeans, and brought a great prey out of their Country, besieging the Sons of Baan their Prince who lay in wait for the Jews, and at length setting fire to their Towers, killed all that were therein. After this he overcame a mighty Army of the Ammorites under the command of Timotheus, taking and burning their City of Jazor, and leading their Wives and Children Captive into Judea. The Neighbouring People hearing of his departure assaulted the Jews and Galaad, who retiring into the Fort of Dathema, sent to Judas for relief; And at the same time Letters came out of Galilee, that they were endangered by the Inhabitants of Ptolemais, Tyre, Sydon, and others thereabout. Judas hereupon sent his Brother Simeon with three thousand chosen men to relieve Galilee, and himself with his Brother Jonathan, and eight thousand others, marched to Galaad; Simeon fought against his Enemies in Galilee, and slew about three thousand, pursuing them to the Gates of Ptolemais, and taking much spoil, and releasing many Jewish Prisoners he returned victoriously home. But Judas passing Jordan, was there informed that his Brethren were Besieged in their Cities and Castles, and some already in great extremity; Hereupon he first fell upon the Inhabitants of Bozra, took their City, set it on fire, and killed all able to bear Arms; Then marching all night he arrived early next morning to the Castle where the Jews were Besieged by the Army of Timotheus, who were just ready to scale the Walls, when Judas dividing his Forces into three Battalions, courageously assailed them, who hearing it was Maccabeus, were surprised with such dread that they instantly fled; Judas his men slaying about eight thousand in the pursuit; Then marching to Molla he seized it, slew all the men therein and burned it with Fire, after which he destroyed several other places.  
Soon after Timotheus raised another Army, wherewith he marched to Jordan, exhorting them valiantly to oppose the Jews, and to hinder their passage over the River, since if they once past Jordan, they were sure to be defeated. Judas hearing this, marched hastily against the Enemy, and passing the River, unexpectedly fell upon them with such violence, that casting away their Arms they fled for their lives, some endeavoured to save themselves in Carnain, but Judas taking that City and Temple, slew them, and burned the same, and then he led away all the Jews who dwelled in Galaad with their Wives, Children and substance, and brought them into Judea. When he drew near the Town of Ephion, they had barricadoed up his way that he could not pass, and refusing upon his desire to open the passage, he Besieged the City, took it by assault, burned it, and slew all the Inhabitants. After this passing over Jordan they came into Judea with great joy and gladness praising God, and Offering Sacrifices of Thanksgiving for the safe return of the Army, because in all these Batrles and Encounters they had not lost one Jew. But whilst Judas and Simeon were gone upon these expeditions, the two Captains with whom he had left the rest of his Forces (with a strict command to have a watchful Eye over Judea. but not to join Battle with any Enemy till his return) being desirous to gain the repute of valiant men, went out with their Soldiers toward Jamnia, against whom Gorgias Governor of that place issued out, and slew two thousand of them, the rest flying back into Judea. Then Judas and his Brethren took divers Cities from the Idumeans, and with much Booty and great Joy returned home.  
The Bloody Antiochus being at this time in Persia, heard of a wealthy City called Elymais, wherein stood a rich Temple of Diana; Thither he went and besieged it, but the Inhabitants sallied out, and with great loss drove him from thence, whereupon he returned to Babylon, where having notice of the overthrow of his Captains in Judea, and the power of the Jews, this with his former defeat so wrought upon him that he fell sick, and finding no hope of recovery, he called his most familiar Friends about him, telling them, That he was plagued with this violent and desperate affliction for tormenting the Jews. destroying the Temple, committing horrid Sacrilege, and contemning the True God; But now he vowed if it pleased the Lord to restore him, he would become a Jew, and do many great things for them, and would go through all the known World to declare th● power of God; Who knowing his hyprocrisy, continued to plague him in a terrible manner▪ He had an intolerable pain and torment in his bowels and inward paits from whence issued abundance of Worms continually crawling out, so that he rotten above ground with such an intolerable stink, that none could come near him, neither could himself endure it; And thus this vile Person who had insolently boasted he would make Jerusalem a common Burying place, and the streets thereof run with the Blood of God's People, by his just Judgement ended his life in extreme misery; Before his death he made Philip his Chief Captain Governor of his Kingdom, requiring him to be very careful of his Son Antiochus.  
Then was Antiochus proclaimed King, and Surnamed Eupator; About which time the Apostate Jews in garrison at Jerusalem did much mischief, slaying those unawares who came to Worship and offer Sacrifices in the Temple; Judas hereupon resolved to cut them off, and accordingly besieged the Fort with his Army, when some of the besieged escaping by night, went and desired Antiochus not to suffer those to perish who for his Father's sake had forsaken their God and their Religion; who thereupon sent a mighty Army of an hundred thousand foot; twenty thousand Horse, and thirty two Elephants under Lysias their Captain, to relieve them, who sat down before Bethsura a strong City, but were valiantly resisted by the inhabitants who sallied out and burnt the Engines prepared for battery; Whereupon Judas raising his siege before the Castle of Jerusalem, marched toward the Enemy, who preparing to meet him, Antiochus then present caused his Elephants to march first through the narrow passage where Judas was encamped, each Elephant having a thousand Foot and an hundred Horse for his guard with a Tower on his back furnival with Archers; The rest of his Forces were ordere●●● march by the Mountains, and with great shouts to a●●●l their Enemies, and by uncovering their brazen and golden Bucklers to dazzle the eyes of the Jews; Yet was Judas no way disturbed, but encouraging his Army slew six hundred of the Forlorn Hope; Eleazar the Brother of Judas seeing a huge Elephant with Royal trappings, and judging the King was on him, having with a noble courage slain those about him, thrust his Sword into the belly of the Beast, who suddenly falling, slew him with his weight.  
Judas observing the great strength of the Enemy, matched back to Jerus●lem, Antiochus following him, and taking Bethsura by Treaty for want of provisions and despairing of relief, they having the King's Oath that no violence should be offered them, yet he thrust them out of the City and put a Garrison therein. He lay long before the Temple of Jerusalem, the besieged defending it gallantly, only they wanted Victuals the Land not having been tilled for seven years before, whereupon divers secretly fled, and few remained to defend the Temple, when by God's providence, Antiochus had news that Philip his Father's Governor was coming out of Persia to make himself Lord of his Country; Whereupon Antiochus sent an Herald to Judas, promising the Jews peace and the liberty of their Religion; Which Judas accepting, and taking the King's Oath for the true performance thereof, he surrendered up the Temple to Antiochus, who entering the same, and finding it so impregnable a place, he contrary to his Oath commanded the Wall that encompassed it to be levelled, and so returned to Antioch with Onias the High Priest, whom by the counsel of Lysias be put to death, because he had advised his Father to enforce the Jews to forsake their Religion; A just reward for so wicked a Fact.  
Philip having Conquered much of his Country, Antiochus marched against him, fought with him and slew him. Soon after Demetrius Son of Seleucus took Tripoli in Syria, and declaring himself King, invaded the Kingdom of Antiochus, to whom the people generally submitting, seized on Antiochus and Lysias, and bringing them to Demetrius he caused them to be slain; To this new King, divers Jews, banished for their impiety, together with Alcimus the High Priest resorted, accusing Judas Maccabeus, his brethren, and the rest of the Nation for killing their Friends, and banishing such as were for Demetrius; Who much moved with these reports, sent a great Army under Bacchides a Valiant and Experienced General to destroy Judas and his Confederates; He marching into Judea sent to Judas pretending to make peace with him, who observing him to have such strong Forces, would not trust to his false promises, though some of the people did, having his Oath for their protection, but paid dear for their credulity, for he slew threescore of them at one time. Then going from Jerusalem he seized and put to death many Jews, commanding the rest to obey Aleimus the Highpriest, who by his feigned and familiar deportment drew many wicked Jews to join with him, and then marched through the Country slaying all who were for Judas, who seeing many upright men thus causelessly killed, he with his Army went through the Land, and flew all the Apostates that were of Alcimus his Faction; He thereupon going to Demetrius, made grievous complaints against Judas, and showing how dangerous it would be to the State if he went thus on; Demetrius thereupon sent an Army against Judas under Nicanor, commanding him not to spare any one of the Nation of the Jews.  
Nicanor coming to Jerusalem, offered no act of hostility, but endeavouring to entrap Judas by subtlety, sent him a peaceable Message, protesting he deigned no injury, but came only to express the good affections of Demetrius to the Jewish Nation. Judas and his Brethren deceived with these fair pretences, entertained him and his Army, and Nicanor saluting Judas, whilst they were in discourse, he gave a sign to his Soldiers to seize him, but Judas discovering the Treason, escaped from him, and got to his Army; Upon which Nicanor proclaimed open War against him, and fought him near Caper-Salama, where ●e obtained the Victory, and constrained Judas to re●etreat into the Fortress of Jerusalem, where Nicanor ●esieged him a while, and then retired; At which time certain of the Priests and Elders met him, and having given him reverence, they showed him the Sacrifices they intended to offer to God for the King's prosperity; But Demetrius blaspheming, threatened them if they did not deliver Judas into his hands, at his return he would destroy the Temple; Hereupon the Priests wept abundantly, beseeching God to defend the Temple and his True Worshippers from the outrage of their Enemies.  
Nicanor coming near Bethhoron, received a great supply of Soldiers out of Syria; Judas likewise was not far off with about a thousand men, yet exhorting his Soldiers to trust in God, and not fear the multitude of their Enemies, he courageously encountered Nicanor, where the Conflict was doubtful, yet at last Judas had the advantage, killing a great number of his Enemies; Nicanor himself fight valiantly was slain, whereupon his Army fled, and Judas speedily pursuing, made a great slaughter, and by sounding a Trumpet giving notice to the Neighbouring places, the Inhabitants armed themselves and killed those that fled, so that not one escaped from this Battle, though they were at least Nine thousand men; After this the Jews had some rest; But Alcimus the High Priest intending to beat down the old Wall of the Sanctuary, was suddenly strucken by God, became speechless, and fell to the ground, and having suffered grievous torments many days he died miserably; Whereupon the People by general consent chose Judas Maccabeus High Priest, who hearing of the great power and Victories of the Romans sent two Persons to Rome to make them his Allies and Confederates, and to write to Demetrius to give over his Wars against the Jews. These Ambassadors coming to Rome were entertained by the Senate, and an Alliance was concluded upon these conditions, That none under the Romans should War against the Jews nor furnish their Enemies with Victuals, Ships, nor Silver; That if any made War on the Romans, the Jews should assist them; That the Jews should neither add nor dimini●● from this Association, without the general consent of 〈◊〉 Romans, and that what was thus concluded should contit● forever.  
The death of Nicanor, and the loss of his Army being reported to Demetrius, he sent another unde● Bacchides, who coming into Judea, and hearing tha● Judas was encamped at Bethzeth, he marched against him with twenty thousand Foot, and two thousan● Horse; Judas had not in all above two thousand me●● who seeing the vast number of their Foes were muc● afraid, so that many forsaking the Camp fled away, an● there remained with Judas only eight hundred me● and his Enemies pressed so hard on him that he l●● no time to re-assemble his Forces, yet he resolved 〈◊〉 fight with that small handful, exhorting them to behave themselves valiantly; Who answering, That they we not able to make head against so great an Army, advise● him to retire, and stand on his guard till he had re●● enforced himself; Judas replied, God forbidden that the 〈◊〉 should see me turn my back upon mine Enemies, though die and spend my last Blood in this Battle, yet will I neve● blemish my former Worthy actions by an ignominious flight And having again encouraged his Soldiers, he commanded them to use their utmost courage against the Enemy without any apprehension of danger.  
Bacchides marshaled his Army in Battalia, and ca●●sing the Trumpets to sound, and his Soldiers to make 〈◊〉 great Shout, he charged his enemies; Judas did the like, and encountered Bacchides upon which there ensued a most bloody Fight which continued till Sunset. Juda●● perceiving that Bacchides and the flower of his Army fought in the right wing, drew his most resolute Souldier● thither, who broke in upon them, and forcing them to fly, pursued them to Mount Aza; But the left wing followed Judas and enclosed him on the back part, so that finding himself in much danger, he with his Followers resolved to sell their lives dearly and fight it out to the last; He slew a great number of his Enemies, ●ill at length he was so wearied with killing that he ●ell to the ground and was there slain, upon which his ●ew remaining companions betook themselves to flight, Simeon, and Jonathan his Brothers recovered his Body and buried it at Modin, all the people weeping and making great lamentation for the death of so valiant 〈◊〉 Commander, for whatsoever Virtue hath of great, whatsoever valour hath of generous met in the person of Judas Maccabeus to make a Marvel of his life, and give immortal memory to his Name. In the space of six years be sustained the great and prodigious Forces of three Kings of Asia as you have heard, opposing himself with a little flying Camp, against Armies of forty, sixty, an hundred thousand men which he put into disorder and confusion; He defeated nine Generals of the Infidels in ranged battles and combats, killing some with his own hands, and carrying away their Spoils, so that of all his great Qualities, Valour always held, the upper rank, and worthily entitled him to the name of a Worthy.   

The History of Arthur King of Britain. The Seventh Worthy of the World.   portrait of King Arthur 

Arthur the Great and Worthy British King  
Glory and Victory to his Realm did bring.  
He th' Heathen Saxons often overcame,  
Inducing them to own the Christian Name.  
He while he lived upheld the Sinking State,  
And Conquest seemed upon him still to wait,  
His Subjects Love he thereby doth attain,  
And he must choose one after him to Reign.  
The Pictish King this Choice doth much resent  
As if to wrong him of his Rights they meant  
Both Kings engage in Fight, where both Kings died  
With Thousands of their Subjects on each side.   
THe British Writers have related such Strange and Miraculous Actions and Adventures of this Worthy Prince, that many Intelligent Men have been apt to think that all which hath been written of his Heroics deeds is mere Fiction and Invention, yea some are of opinion that there never was any such Person, but though Historians disagree about times and places, some writing carelessly and others superstitiously, yet they all agree upon the Predecessors and Successors of this Noble King, but as it is most execrable Infidelity to doubt that there was a Joshua; Wicked Atheism to question if there were a David, and unreasonable to deny the being of Judas Maccabcus; As it may be judged folly to affirm there was never any Alexander, Julius Caesar, Godfrey of Bullen or Charlemain, so we may be thought guilty of incredulity and ingratitude to deny or doubt the honourable Acts of our Victorious Arthur. This is premised in vindication of our Hero, and his immortal name and fame, whereby he justly gained the Title of the Seventh Worthy of the World. Now to his History.  
After this Kingdom had for above four hundred and eighty years been subject to the Romans which began by the Conquest that Julius Caesar made here in the Reign of Cassibelan King of the Britain's seventeen years before the birth of our Blessed Saviour, and ended in the time of the Emperor Gratianus, three hundred seventy six years after Christ; Vortigern of the blood Royal of the British Kings, by usurpation, and the Murder of Constance the Son of Constantius, seized upon the Crown, who growing odious and hateful to his Subjects both for his wicked life and ill got Sovereignty, he was forced to send to Germany for the Saxons to aid and support him; The Saxons at this time possessed the third part of Germany, holding all the Countries between the River Rhine and Elbe, bounded on the North by the Baltic Sea and the Ocean, and governed by twelve Princes who elected a Sovereign Leader and General in time of War; This being so sparious, populous and near a Country, well furnished with Shipping, which the Britain's wanted, yielded always plentiful supplies to the undertakers of this action who were first Two brothers Hengist and Horsa; After they had continued here a while as hired Soldiers, and observed the weakness both of Prince and People, their number daily increased; At first they had only the Isle of Thanet allowed them to inhabit, but soon after the whole County of Kent was made over to them upon condition they should defend the Land against the Picts and Scots; And in short time greater privileges were granted them upon Vortigerns marrying the daughter of Hengist an exceeding beautiful Lady, who was brought over on purpose to steal away the heart of a dissolute Prince, so that by tha● alliance, and the fruitfulness of the Country so many 〈◊〉 this populous and Military Nation came in, that Kent i● a little while grew too narrow for them, and Hengist 〈◊〉 extend their power into all parts of the Kingdom, persuaded Vortigern to plant a Colony of them in the Nort● beyond Humber, to be a continual guard against all invasions on that side; Which being granted he sends fo● Occa his Brother and his Son Ebusa to manage that design and hereby the Saxons came to possess Kent and Northum beland, which contained all the Country from the Rive● Humber to Scotland.  
And now of Servants they became Masters, contemning their Entertainers, and committing many insolences, whereupon the British Nobility combine together and resolve to depose Vortigern, the Author of this inconsiderate admission of Strangers, and to choose Vortimer 〈◊〉 Son in his stead, a Prince of great worth, who whil● he lived gave them many fierce encounters; but all prevailed not, for the Saxons being possessed of the chief Ga●● of the Land which lay open to their own Country 〈◊〉 receive continual supplies from thence without resistan●● had the advantage to weary them all out at last; And beside force they are said to have used treachery in murdering three hundred of the British Nobility at Ansbury (where they innocently met to treat of a peace with them) took their King Prisoner, and would not release ●im, but upon granting them three Provinces more; Also the long life of Hengist, a Politic General, who pved almost forty years, made much for the settling ●heir Dominion here, which was not effected without a great deal of labour and much effusion of ●loud.  
For the Britons being by continual Wars made ex●ert in Military discipline, grew at length so enraged to ●e their Country ravished from them by Foreigners, ●hat they sold their Liberties and Inheritance at a very ●ear rate.  
Wherein much must be attributed to the courage ●nd gallantry of their Leaders from whom the Spirit and alour of a people doth usually proceed, of whom none ●re more worthy to be remembered than Aurelius Ambrosius ●e last of the Romans, and our worthy Prince Arthur ●e Noblest of the Britain's; A man in conduct and valour almost above a man, and worthy of eternal memory, who while he stood, bore up the sinking state of his country. He was the Son of Uter Pendragon by the ●ir Igrene, and during his life had continual War ●ith the Saxons and the Picts and Scots who were sometimes confederate with them; In the beginning of his ●eign the two Kings of these two Nations seemed to envy ●s advancement to the Crown of Britain, Loath King 〈◊〉 the Picts having married the elder sister of Aurelius ●mbrosius, and Vortigern, and Conran King of Scots ●●e younger, and because Arthur was begot out of wed●ck, though his Mother was after married to Vter ●●ey thought it more reasonable the Kingdom should de●end to their Sister's Son than to him; Whereupon Loth ●●nt Ambassadors to the British Lords and Nobility retiring that according to the ancient Laws, and Customs of this Realm they should receive him as King who ●nd Married the Sister and Heir of the two brethren Am●osius and Uter their last Kings. The Erittains' received ●is Message with great scorn, disdaining to think of sub●iting to a stranger, and dispatching the Ambassadors ●ith many reproaches against Loath and the Picts they proclaimed Arthur King of the Realm who raising a potent Army marched instantly against the Saxons, hoping to engage them before the Picts should join, which doubtless they would do suddenly; Having therefore procured more aid from Armorica, or little Britain in France, they met with the Saxons within ten Miles of London, whom they vanquished in two set battles, and obliged them to pay Tribute, and receive such Governors over them as Arthur should appoint, with several other very hard conditions, to the great rejoicing of the Britain's for such prosperous and happy success under their new elected King.  
After this the Britain's easily took London, where Arthur continued for some time in consultation with his Nobility and Commanders how they should proceed it their Wars against the rest of the Saxons; Having a● length prepared a mighty Army, Arthur resolved to ge● against those beyond Humber in the North, with whom the Picts had concluded a League, whereby they were obliged to assist each other against their Common Enemies the Britain's. Arthur marching into Yorkshire, encamped near the Enemy, who were already joined together, and resolving to fight the next day, he appointed Howel Commander of the French Britons to engage the Picts, while himself dealt with the Saxons; The battle was very furious, and for some time the Victory was doubtful, but at length the Picts were put to flight which the Saxons perceiving, and thinking themselves unable to bear the whole Force of the Britain's, they likewise left the Field, and fled with all speed toward York Arthur pursuing them, besieged that City almost three months, the Saxons valiantly defending it, and making brisk sallies upon the Besiegers, but at length provisions growing very scarce, they were just ready to have surrendered, when notice was given them, that a strong Army of Picts and Saxons were coming to their relief together with Occa who escaping into Germany from the last battle, was newly arrived with fresh Forces in the River of Humber, whereupon the Saxons refused to treat any further, not doubting but the Britain's would be quickly forced to raise the siege, and be glad to get off with their own lives.  
Arthur having Intelligence of these Succours, and judging it no wisdom to stay for their coming, considering how many of his Soldiers were diseased and sick by lying so long in the Field, raised his siege, and went into Wales, where leaving the French Britain's to quarter that Winter, he with his choice Troops marched to London to prevent any disturbance from the Kentish Saxons, or others. In the Spring having mustered his Forces he proceeded against Colgern and Occa the two Saxon Generals, who coming out of Northumberland was●ed and destroyed the British borders with their usual Cruelty; Whereupon Arthur encountering them twice in ●attel, overcame in both, and then again beseiging York 〈◊〉 at length got possession thereof by means of a Britain, who living among the Saxons within the City, privately ●et in some Britain's in the dead of the night, who breaking open the gates, gave entrance to the whole Army; Arthur would not suffer many of the Saxons to be slain, but pardoned all who begged quarter, thereby to gain a repuation of Clemency amongst his adversaries. The Britain's having thus gotten York, many skirmishes happened between them and the Saxons thereabout, but Winter ●oming on, they gave up themselves to drinking, banuetring, and other voluptuous pleasures, so that when they harcht into the Field next Summer, they were unable to ●ndure the labours and Fatigues of War, and for several ears performed very little Service.  
At length Arthur concluded a League with Loath King of picts whereby it was agreed, That Arthur during his life ●ould be King of Britain, and after his disease, the King●on should descend to Mordred the eldest son of Loath, and his ●eirs; That the Picts should at all times assist the Britain's against the Saxons, and should freely possess all such Lands as ●bey recovered from them beyond the River Humber. ●hat they should duly observe the League which was ma●● between them and the Scots; That Mordred should marry the Daughter of Gawolan a Noble Britain; and next to Arthur himself; That the Children of this marriage should be brought up by their Grandfather in Britain till they came to years of discretion. That Gawan the Brother of Mordred should serve King Arthur in his Wars, for which he should receive large possessions and rewards. Arthur having concluded this League, and being desirous to purge this Island of the Heathenish Saxons, he sent to the Kings of Scotland and Pictland, requiring them; That for the advancement of Christ's Religion which they professed and owned they should forthwith assembl● their Forces, and meet him at Tynmouth at a day appointed, that so they might join together and march against their commo● Enemies the Saxons. These two Kings presently consented to this so reasonable request, and in a few days meeting with the Britain's, they presently marched altogether against the Saxons, whom they understood were already in the Field under Occa their General, ready to receive them Both Armies approaching each other, Colgern Duke 〈◊〉 Northumberland rid up to the very Front of the Picts Army where he severely reproached Loath and his Nobility 〈◊〉 their breach of Friendship with the Saxons, and told the● he did not doubt but suddenly to see some just judgement fall upon them for their Treachery and Falsehood, 〈◊〉 thus joining with their former Enemies against the● most trusty Friends and constant Allies  
The Pictish King being mayed hereat, commande● his Standards to advance, neither were the Saxons id●● so that the Skirmish began, which Arthur perceiving commanded the Britain's to engage, so that there immediately followed a terrible slaughter; The Scots in th● right wing killing Childrick an eminent Saxon Captain quickly discomfited them on that side, Colgern earnesly desiring to be revenged of King Loth, rushed in up him with such violence that at the first encounter threw him to the ground, but instantly two Pictish Heremen coming on one side of Colgern ran him quite throu●● the body, Loath soon recovered himself, but Colgern be● dead, his men were so disheartened that they present ran away; Arthur perceiving the main battle of 〈◊〉 Saxons was now left naked, pressed ●n so violently up Ocea, that having received a desperate wound, 〈◊〉 escaped out of the battle, but being at length brought to the Sea side, he got into a Ship and escaped into Germany; This Victory being thus obtained, the Saxons were forced to submit themselves to King Arthur, who offered them pardon as to life and goods if they would turn Christians, and never hereafter engage against their Neighbours the Britain's, Scots, and Picts, which if they would not consent to, he commanded them that leaving their Arms and goods behind they should upon pain of death departed the Kingdom within fourteen days; Hereupon many Saxons went over to Germany, others pretending to be Christians still remained, hoping for better fortune; Several who continued after the time appointed, and refused to be baptised were put to death according to the proclamation, so that very few were thought to profess he Christian Faith sincerely.  
All things thus quieted in Northumberland, Arthur repaired several Churches in York and other places, which had been ruined and defaced by the barbarous Infidels; Next year he had notice, that the Saxons who inhabited the Isle of Wight joining with those in Kent had fallen upon the Britain's on that side the Thames, killing and destroying a great number of them, whereat being much moved, he hasted toward Lonaon with his Forces, resolving utterly to root out the East and South Saxons since his Subjects could never be secure so long as that wicked generation remained amongst them. In pursuance of the League he had Twenty Thousand Picts and Scots in this expedition; Eugenius Nephew to King Congal, and Mordred Son of King Loth being their General. Then marching forward he encamped in the Field near the Thames, and himself with some of his Nobility going to London caused prayers to be made to Almighty God three days together for their good success against the Saxons, on the fourth day Divine Service being celebrated by the Bishop of London, and a Sermon preached in the Market place, he committed himself and his whole Army to the tuition and protection of Jesus Christ, and then issuing out of the City, he exhorted his Soldiers to be of good courage since they were to fight in a just quarrel against Pagans and the implacable enemies of the Christian Faith.  
Morderd, and Gawolan his Father in Law marched in the front with five thousand Horse, and being come within five miles of the Saxons Camp, there came Ambassadors to King Arthur desiring him not to proceed any further, since if he pleased they were willing to departed the Land with their goods and substance without further molesting the Britain's ever hereafter. But Arthur would not consent hereto, neither would so much as allow them a Truce for three days, which they earnestly desired, only he told them that he would not march above two miles that day, so that if they came again next morning he would in the mean time consult with his Nobility and Captains what answer to give to their request. Whilst the Britain's were busied about the news these Ambassadors brought, the Saxons suddenly marching out of their Camp fell with much violence upon the Forces of Mordred and Gawolan, of whom they killed a great number in that surprise, though by their exhortations their men made the utmost resistance so small a company could against the multitude of their Enemies, by whom being at length oppressed they were forced to fly, not resting till they came to the rest of the Army; Mordred and Gawolan by the help of fresh Horses made their escape without hurt though many of their followers were killed in the Fight and Chase.  
The Saxon Ambassadors being not yet gone out of the Camp, were hereupon secured till next morning, and then sent back with this answer; That the Britain's were resolved for the future never to treat with any Messengers free the Saxons about Peace, since it is apparent they designed nothing but treachery and falsehood, having contrary to the Laws of Ar●● unworthily fallen upon the British Ferces, whilst their Ambassadors pretended to make an Accommodation, that therefore they should expect nothing from Arthur but the utmost revenge and the most cruel Severities of War in recompense of their wicked infidelity. They had no sooner received this answer, but forty other of the Principal Saxons arrived, who endeavoured to excuse what had happened over night, laying all the blame on some few rash heady fellows, who knew nothing of the proceed of the Commanders of the Army, nor of their sending Ambassadors to them.  
But Arthur suspecting this to be another subtle trick of the Saxons, commanded these Messengers as well as the former to be secured in the Marshal's Tent; whilst he himself in the second Watch of the night marched privately against the Enemy, dividing his Army into three parts; and having gove about three miles they fell upon the Saxons Outguards  they were ware, which caused such a tumult and confusion amongst them, one calling and crying out upon another, that the most valiant among them were dismayed. Mordred desirous to revenge his last overthrow, fell in fiercely among them; But some having by this time armed themselves made resistance, defending themselves amidst the Carts and Carriages, and thereby for a while stopped the violence of the Britain's, others unable to resist, broke out of the Camp and fled, but being pursued by the British Horse a great number perished in the next River, choosing drowning rather than to fall into the hands of their merciless Adversaries, who that day gave no Quarter. It was thought this Bloody Battle, and so great a slaughter of such a multitude of Saxons would have utterly disabled them that they should never after have been troublesome to the Britain's. Arthur having thus vanquished his Enemies, dismissed all the Ambassadors in his Camp, upon condition they would return back to Germany, but suffered the rest of the meaner Saxons to remain still in the Land, provided they would turn Christians, and pay a yearly Tribute. The Scots and Picts who had assisted him in this War he treated with much State and Magnificence at London, giving them all possible respect and honour, and dismissing them with rich Presents and Princely rewards.  
It is written of King Arthur, that in one Battle against the Saxons with his Sword named Callibourn he slew above eight hundred of them, if it be possible to be true. In twelve set Battles besides Skirmishes, he is said to have returned Victor from the slaughter of the Saxons; The names of which places are said to be. The first at the mouth of the River Gleyn; The second, third, fourth, and fifth near the River Douglas in Lenox. The sixth at the River Bassus; The seventh in the Wood Calydon; The eight near the Castle of Guinien. The ninth at Carlion in Wales; The tenth by the Seaside in a place called Rithwood. The eleventh upon a Hill named Agued Cathergain; The twelfth at Bath or Bathen Hill.  
Whilst these things were acted in Britain, Conranus King of Scotland was Murdered in his Bedchamber, by the Treason of Donald Governor of Athol, in the twentieth year of his Reign and the sixteenth of Arthur's Dominion over Britain; After whom succeeded Eugenius his Nephew; About this time some Authors ascribe to Arthur the obtaining of many glorious Victories against the Irish, Danes, Norwegians and other Northern Nations, yea some affirm that he subdued most part of Germany, the Low Countries, Normandy, France, the Romans, and the people of the East, the credit whereof seems very doubtful. Only it is certain (as Hector Boetius affirms) that Arthur lived in the days of Justinian the Emperor, about which time the Goths, Vandals, Burgonians and French invaded and ruined divers parts of the Roman Empire, yet we find no mention of K. Arthur acting any thing among them.  
But notwithstanding his wonderful Achievements, it is related Lucius Hiberus the Roman Legate demanded of him a Tribute for Britain, which he not only denied but also threatened to have a Tribute from Rome, as appears by his Letters sent to the Senate to this purpose. Understand you of Rome that I am King Arthur of Britain, and freely it hold and shall hold, and at Rome hastily will I be not to give you Truage, (or Tribute) but to require Truage of you, for Constantine who was Helen's Son, and other of my Ancestors Conquered Rome, and thereof were Emperors, and what they had I hope to recover by God's grace; And accordingly (saith the story) he set forward against Lucius Hiberius, who with great power and vain confidence came marching against him, where after a long and bloody fight the Romans were discomfited, their General killed, and his slain Body sent to the Senate for a Tribute from Britain.  
King Arthur to increase the Courage of his Soldiers is said to have instituted the Order of the Knights of the Round Table, to which none were admitted, but such of the Nobility as were most renowned for Virtue and Courage, they were in all the number of one hundred and fifty, the Chiefest of them being Sir Lancelot, S●r Tristram, Sir Lamrock, Sir Gavin and others. They were all recorded for Knights of great Renown, and had not King Arthur's Valour been most transcendent each of them might have passed for no less than a Worthy. These things are related of him of which the Reader may credit as much as he please. To pass therefore these questionable matters, let us proceed to what is more certain.  
After the Britain's were delivered from the terror of the Saxons, and had for some time enjoyed peace and quietness, they grew Rich and Wealthy, and then began to repent of the League they had made with Loath King of the Picts, whereby it was agreed that Mordred his Son should succeed, they now resolving that no Foreigner should Reign over them, and therefore addressing themselves unanimously to King Arthur, they humbly beseech him since he had no Sons to nominate a Successor of their own Nation to govern them after his decease; Arthur finding it in vain to contradict this their resolution, since they absolutely refused to be ruled by a Stranger, advised them to find out one of the Bloud-Royal themselves, whom for his Wisdom, Valour, and Nobility they were willing should Reign over them, and he for his part promised to ratify and confirm their Election. The Nobility and Commons thereupon met together with great joy, and at length agreed upon Constantine the Son of Cador Duke of Cornwall, a virtuous and comely young Gentleman, and induced with all Princely qualities; who being brought by the Peers of the Realm into the Council Chamber and presented to Arthur, he gladly accepted their Choice, and forthwith caused Constantine to be Proclaimed Heir Apparent to the Crown by the name of Prince of Britain; who being thus preferred, behaved himself with that discretion and gallantry, that the Britain's entertained a very high opinion of his worth and future Government.  
Mean time Loath King of the Picts deo●asing, Mordred his Son succeeded him, who hearing that Constantine was proclaimed Prince, was much disturbed and sent Ambassadors to Arthur to complain that contrary to the honour of a King he by proclaiming Constantine his Heir had broken the League between himself and his Father, and endeavoured to defeat him of his rightful Inheritance; desiring him not so easily to consent to the persuasions of the Britain's, as thereby to violate the Laws both of God and man, and admonishing him yet to observe the League which he had solemnly sworn to, and to persuade his Subjects to do the like, lest they should provoke the wrath of Almighty God against them who is a just revenger of the breach of all Oaths, Leagues, and Covenants. To this the Nobles of Britain answered, That the League concluded between Arthur and Loth endered but for their Lives, and was determined upon the death of either of them, and therefore Arthur had done nothing but according to the duty of a Prince who tendered the peace and happiness of his Subjects in providing one of their own Nation to succeed him, thereby to prevent the Realm from falling into the hands of strangers, which they could by no means suffer. Therefore if the Picts loved their Weal & Security, it would be good for them to be contented with their own Bounds and Dominions, since if they should attempt to gain other men's Estates and Territories they would be forced in a short time to see the mischievous Consequences of such ill advised undertake,  
The Ambassadors of Pictland returning with this Answer, the whole Nation were so stirred with indignation, that they resolved immediately to revenge their wrongs by open War; But first they endeavoured to procure the Scots to assist them, and sending Ambassadors to Eugenius then King of Scotland, he readily agreed to their requests upon pretence that some Scotch Rebels who fled to Arthur were received by him, and likewise suffered to make In roads into Scotland. Arthur having notice of these Transactions, and War being Proclaimed against him, he first secured the Sea coasts with considerable forces to prevent the Landing of the Saxons if they should attempt it. And then marched with the rest of his Army as far as the River Humber, near the Banks whereof he pitched his Tents, (a place formerly fatal for the overthrow of the Britain's) expecting the Scots and Picts, who in a short time came up to them, and both Armies were in sight ready to engage each other, when certain Bishops of all the three Nations riding to and fro, took great pains to persuade the Kings to Peace and Concord, especially since what they were going to try with the Sword, and the loss of much Blood and many Lives, might as well be composed by an Amicable and Friendly Agreement; Neither could they better gratify the Saxons, the common Enemies to the Christian Religion than by weakening and destroying each other to make way for them to Conquer all together.  
Mordred and Eugenius were induced by these earnest exhortations to refer the differences to some indifferent Persons, and presently to lay down their arms upon assurance that the League with King Loth should be faithfully observed. Arthur was also content for his part to have agreed thereto, but the other Britain's, especially the Kindred and Allies of Constantine, utterly refused it, and gave divers reproachful words to the Bishops for their unseasonable interposing, since they were already ranged in battle, so that it might be doubted they designed to betray their Army to their Enemies under pretence of an unprofitable agreement. After this both Parties engaged with great fury, but the Britain's had such disadvantage by the place where they stood, which was full of Mire, Bogs, and Mosses, that they could neither advantageously defend themselves nor offend their Enemies, yet the Battle continued a long time with the slaughter of so many men that the river Humb●r near which it was fought grew red with blood, and carried a multitude of dead bodies into the Sea. In the heat of the sight a subtle Scot cried out with a loud voice in the British tongue, that Arthur and most of his Nobility were slain, and it was therefore in vain to resist any longer or hope for Victory, but better for every man to shift for himself and endeavour to make his escape.  
This news wonderfully encouraged the Scots and Picts, but the Britain's were so much astonished at it that the greatest partinstant●, fled away; Others judging it only a crafty device to discourage them continued to make the utmost resistance, till they were overpowred and almost every man slain. This Victory was veryhardly got, and cost more lives than any other for many years before, for of the Scots and Picts who won the Field there were killed above Twenty Thousand, together with King Mordred, and abundance of the Nobility of both Nations; Of the Britain's and their confederates in the fight and pursuit above thirty thousand fell, and among them King Arthur himself, and Gawan brother to Mordred who had such an entire affection for his Lord and Master Arthur, that he fought courageously on his side that day against his own brother Mordred. Gawan and most part of the British Nobility were likewise slain. Next day the Camp was plundered, and among other rich spoils Guyniver King Arthur's Wife, with a great number of other Ladies and Gentlewomen were taken Prisoners, though she and some others were afterward redeemed upon ransom. This Bloody Battle was fought in the year of our Lord 542. the 26 year of the reign of King Arthur, and so much weakened both the Picts, Scots and Britain's, that they could not recover their losses in man, years. The same year many strange Prodigies were seen. The Grass and Herbs in Yorkshire were stained with Blood; Near Camelon a Cow brought forth a Calf with two heads; and an Ewe brought forth a Lamb of both Sexes; The Sun for several days appeared like Blood; The Sky was full of bright Stars at noon divers days together. In Wales there was a Battle between the Crows and Magpies on one side, and the Ravens on the other, and great slaughter was made on each side.  
The Body of this famous Worthy was buried at Glassenbury in Somersetshire in the Church yard, and discovered in the reign of King Henry the second, who being informed by a Welsh Ministrel that could sing many Histories in Welsh of the Acts of the ancient Britain's, declared that Arthur's Body was there buried Sixteen foot deep between two Pillars lest his Enemies the Saxons should have found him, Henry caused the place to be dug up; After they had digged about seven Foot, they found a mighty broad Stone with a leaden Cross fastened to that part which lay downward, with this Inscription. Hic jacet Sepultus, inclytus Rex Arthurus in Insulae Avaloniae; Here lieth the renowned King Arthur in the Isle of Avalonia; His Body was enclosed in a great Tree made hollow,  being opened, his Bones appeared of a very great bigness, his Shinbone reached above the knee of a very tall man, his skull was so large that the place between his eyes was a span broad, in which there appeared some signs of wounds and bruises; The Body of his wife Gynever was likewise buried with him, the Hair of her head was curiously plaited and shined like burnished Gold, but being touched instantly fell to dust. The Abbot who by the Kings command searched for the Grave, removed both their Bones to the great Church and there buried them in a fair double Tomb of Marble, laying the Body of the King at the head thereof, and the Queen's at the feet, above six hundred years after they were first buried, and in the year of our Lord. 1191. I shall conclude the life of this, Worthy Prince with an Epitaph written in me ●●ry of him by John Leland a Monk in Latin, and translated into English many years since by Nicholas Roscock which you shall have in the Poetry of those times.  

Saxonicas toties qui fudit Marte cruento  
Turmas, & peperit spoliis sibi nomen opimis, etc.   

Who vanquished the Saxon Troops  
With Battles bloody broils  
And purchased to himself a name,  
With Warlike Wealthy Spoils   

Who with his shivering shining Sword  
The Picts so oft dismayed,  
And an unwieldy servile Yoke  
On Necks of Scots hath laid.   

Who Frenchmen puffed with pride, and who  
The Germans fierce in fight  
Discomfited; and beat the Danes  
With strong and martial might.   

Who of that murdering Mordred did  
The Vital breath expel  
That horrid, cruel, Monster great,  
That bloody Tyrant fell.   

Here liveless Arthur lies entombed  
Within this stately Hearse,  
Famous for Strength and Chivalry  
And 'gainst his Enemies fierce.   

Whose glorious Acts and Victories  
Through all the World do fly,  
And whose most worthy Fame and Name  
Doth reach the very Sky.   

Therefore you Noble Progeny  
Of British Line and Race  
Never forget your Emperor Great  
Of thrice renowned Grace.   

But place upon his sacred Tomb  
Your Rosy Garlands gay  
Whose fragrant smell may witness well  
Your duties you display.  
Grass and He● 〈…〉  
Near Camelon 〈…〉    

The Hist. of Charles the Great K. of France and Emp. of Germany; The Eight Worthy of the World.   portrait of Charlemagne 

HE well deserved the name of Charlemain  
That to such mighty Glory did attain,  
Who all his Enemies having overcome,  
Was owned and Crowned Great Emperor of Rome▪  
Virtue and Valour he still mixed so well,  
'Twas hard to say in which he did excel.  
The Christian Faith he always did defend,  
And against Saracens did oft contend.  
The Huns and Pagans too he conquered,  
His name alone filled them with fear and dread,  
Yet all his fury he laid by, if they  
Would Idols leave and the True God obey;   
THE Ancient French Historians relate, that the original Habitation of this now Potent Nation was in that part of Germany which lay nearest Gaul, now called France, and having together with the Romans obtained a great victory against the Alans, Enemies to the Empire in the Reign o● Valentinian they got possession of a great part of Gaul as a fruit of their Conquest, which they held by their Sword not doing any homage for it but to their own valour. Pharamont laid the first Stone in the Building of this great Monarchy, Clodion prosecuted this design; Merovee made it appear above ground, Clovis adding the profession of Christ to his own and Predecessors valour, so won the Hearts of the Gauls, the Natives of this Country who were generally Christians, that he procured voluntary obedience from them, and an assured possession of his new Conquests, uniting both Nations into one, and giving Law to the Conquered with such wisdom and discretion, that the name of France was generally received in Gaul. The race of Pharamont continued successively in France during the Reign of one and Twenty Kings for about one hundred and twenty years; At which time nine or ten Idle Kings (as the French History calls them) succeeding each other, the Kingdom was thereby reduced to a multitude of dangers and inconveniences which gave occasion to Charles Martel to lay the Foundation of a new race of Kings from his own Posterity, who being first Mayor or Governor of the Palace, was chosen Prince of the French, and upon this account is reckoned the 22 King of France; He was a man of great wisdom and courage, and managed all A●●●rs of War and State during the Reigns of the three last Kings.  
In the time of Thierry the Second, the Saracens or Turks issuing out of Asia into Africa and Spain, possessed themselves of many mighty Kingdoms and Provinces under the command of Abderamen their King, and afterward invaded France with an Army of four hundred thousand men, but by the admirable conduct and valour of Martel, this vast multitude was utterly vanquished, three hundred seventy five thousand Barbarians being slain in the Field, and their King found dead in a heap of Carcases not wounded but smothered by the multitude that fled, the French lost fifteen hundred, and among them many of their Nobility and Gentry; The Care and Toil of great Affairs, together with his Age having much broken Martel, and the weakness of Childerick, the last King of the first Race giving him encouragement, he resolves so to dispose of things as to leave the Kingdom to his Children, and therefore observing that Childerick loved no man neither any man him, and that Pepin Ins own Son was beloved of all both for his own and Martels sake, as the Protector of their Liberty, whereas Childerick did not regard the common good but spent his time in folly and voluptuousness; Martel therefore at his death left France to the Government of Pepin whom he knew to be stout, and of a great Spirit. After his death the Friends of Pepin proclaimed his merits in all places; but Religion, and the Reverence and Devotion the French Nation naturally bear to Kings seemed to be insuperable difficulties to his advancement to the Crown; Childerick had already Reigned nine years, only in appearance, under Martel, and four more under Pepin, who to remove the last scruple, represented to the People, that their Allegiance was vowed to true Kings and not to Kings in imagination and disguise, that they were sworn to maintain a Religious, Just, Merciful, Diligent and Active King, able to withstand their Enemies, to punish the wicked, to defend the good, and to protect the Christian Law; according to the express words th● French Kings are Sworn to in their Coronation-Oath; Why then should they think themselves bound to a vicious King who was negligent and careless of himself and his Subjects, since the Con●●ct between them was limited, and the French were only obliged to obey him, who being endued with many Royal Virtues, persorms the Office of a true King. These reasons were plain, and easily received by all men as absolutely necessary for the common good, though most of thera who seemed thus convinced had an Eye to their particular advantage by the favour of Pepin. As to the scruple of Religion how they could be dispensed from their Oath of Allegiance, Pepin assuring himself of good Friends at Rome, sends thither two Bishops to Pope Zachary to represent to him the present State of France; who being truly informed of the weakness of Childerick, who was hated and contemned of all men, and of the general resolution of the French to receive Pepin, but chief moved with hopes of great Assistance from him against the Lombard's his Capital Enemies; He discharged the French from their Oath of Obedience to Childerick and all his Race.  
Being thus freed from their Allegiance, they Assemble the General Estates, where it was concluded, That to avoid that Confusion in the Realm which was apparently grown by the negligence of former Kings, Childerick should be rejected, and Pepin chosen; The one unworthy to reign by reason of his Vices, and the other most worthy to be K. for his Royal Virtues; But lest the Fundamental Law of Succession should be directly infringed and broken, they derive the race of Pepin from Clovis the great King of France, to whom he was acknowledged next Heir both by Succession and Virtue. The Assembly hereupon commanded Boniface Archbishop of Mentz to declare to Pepin, That in regard of his Virtues and their future hope of his worthy Government the French had by a free and gener all consent elected him King. And in prosecution of this Decree, Pepin was instantly Crowned by the said Archbishop, and then being raised upon a Target or Shield, he was carried about the Assembly according to an ancient Ceremony of the French; And by Virtue of the same Decree, Childerick was deposed as unworthy of the Crown, and afterward degraded, shaved, and confined to a Monastery, there to pass the remainders of his days. This Pepin called the Short, the Twenty third King of France, having reigned eighteen years with much glory and the great love and affection of his Subjects (the strongest Foundation upon which a Prince can build his Authority) died in the year 768.  
After his death the Estates of France being assembled, concluded to divide the Realm between his two Sons, Charles or Charlemagn the Elder, and Caroloman the Younger; Charles being Crowned at Worms, and Caroloman at Soissons; Writers have not set down the bounds of their Dominions, since three years after their Father's death the whole Kingdom came to Charles; Brothers they were of different humours, who by equality of power endangered the ruin of the Monarchy, had not divine Providence united it in the Person of this great Prince Charles; He was endued with excellent gifts both of body and mind, of a Virtuous conversation, and above all carefully educated in the Christian Religion, for which he had much reverence all his life; Charity, Temperance, Equity, and Justice in relieving his People, Fidelity to all, and Modesty in using Victorles, were the admirable effects of his knowledge, and as remarkable in him as in any Prince whatever; He naturally loved Learning and Learned men, having been instructed in the Greek and Latin Tongues, and likewise in Philosophy and the Mathematics, which Sciences he termed his Pastimes, and the Companions of his Sword, wherewith he oft diverted himself. He took delight in Poetry, as some of his writings witness, but especially in Histories, wherein he was exceeding well read; In Arms his Father Pepin was his Schoolmaster, under whom he had great Commands which he discharged with such reputation that he well deserved the name of Great both for his Valour and Virtue; There appeared in his Countenance a grave sweet Majesty, in Personage he was Tall, Strong, and Patient of labour, of a clear Spirit, a sound Apprehension, Memory and Judgement, which never failed him in difficulties, terrible to some, and pleasing to others, according to the occasion; These Virtues gained him so much Repute that he was Beloved, Respected, and Obeyed of all men, and having received a great Kingdom from his Father, he enlarged it with wonderful success; Charles ●●rtel, Pepin, and this Great Charles seeming to have been raised up after each other to preserve the Christian name amidst the deluge of barbarous Nations, and the ruin of the Roman Empire.  
Caroloman was exceeding jealous of his Brother's greatness, whom with grief he saw honoured, obeyed and beloved by all the French, which caused him to endeavour as much as possible to countermine his designs, who had his eye upon Italy as the most proper Theatre for his valour; For after the death of Pepin the Church of Rome, fell into great confusions by the practices of Didier King of Lombardy, who having corrupted some of the Clergy caused Constantine brother to the Duke of Nepezo, (his creature and trusty friend) to be chosen Pope, and Phillipicus already elected to be violently deposed; The other party resolving not to be imposed on by Didier, by common consent choose Stephen the Third a Sicilian to the Popedom, who resolves to call in the King of France to his assistance, upon which Charleses first sends twelve Prelates to Rome to strengthen his party who unanimously confirm the Election of Stephen, and depose Constantine raised by force and disorder; Though Didier resolved not to be controlled, yet cunningly dissembling his thoughts, he sends to congratulate the Election of Stephen, and renounces Constantine, and pretending to desire the continuance of friendship, proposes to come to Rome and confer with him in private; The Pope, who only made use of the French for necessity; was easily persuaded by Didier to consent thereto, who coming makes many Protestations of Obedience; Paul Ephialte a Grecian was then Governor at Rome for the Emperor, whom Didier so corrupted that having the Execution of Justice in his hands, he causeth him to seize upon Christopher and Sergius the Pope's two Secretaries in the presence of Stephen, whom accusing of supposed crimes, he infamously hanged, their greatest offence being for favouring the French; yea he proceeded to banish all the Citizens of Rome who were noted to be of the French Faction, resolving to be Master of Rome in s●●ght of the Pope; Stephen observing the falsehood of the Lombard's, flies again to Charlemain for help, who resolving to assist him, Didier had so wrought with Caroloman his Brother that he found means to hinder him by raising a dangerous War in Guienne.  
Though the County of Guienne depended on the Crown of France, yet many Rebellions happened by the practices of the Noblemen, who abusing the bounty of the French Kings that allowed them their ancient Privileges, were ambitious to be absolute Sovereign's themselves. & to cast off their dependence upon France; Hunalt at this time was the principal Person in this Country, whom Caroloman finding to be very desirous of being a Duke, or Prince, resolves to employ him against his brother Charles, Hunalt not doubting but to have credit enough with the People to make himself absolute if he were favoured by one of the Kings of France against the other; Guienne was part of Charlemagnes Territories, against whom Hunalt designs to make open War, but though the countenance of Caroloman might do much, yet the Wisdom and Courage of Charles prevailed more for understanding his brother's secret practices, he armed so suddenly that he seized several Great Towns and thereby all the Country adjoining submitted to him; Hunalt finding himself prevented, fled to a Nobleman in that Country, called Loup his faithful and affectionate Friend, to whom Charles instantly sends to deliver Hunalt into his hands, as guilty of High Treason; Who unable to resist, sends him back, with all his Family to whom Charles graciously grants both life and liberty, and pardons Loup, and all that obeyed him, thereby ending a dangerous War without blows.  
Caroloman finding his designs against his brother unsuccessful, takes a Voyage to Rome under show of Devotion, though intending other matters; His Mother Berthe accompanying him, was honourably received by Didier King of the Lombard's, who then concluded a Marriage between her Son Charles and Theodora daughter to Didier one of the greatest enemies of his Sons good fortuno, yet Charlemain to please his Mother Married this Wife, though he soon after put her away as disagreeable to his humour and affairs, and likewise on suspicion of incontinency, so that what should have been a cause of love, bred greater hate between these two Princes; Carolom●● having effected nothing at Rome, only discovering his malicious Jealousy, returns into France, and soon after dies in the year of our Lord 770. Charles being now alone by his brother's decease, quietly takes possession of his Dominions, and then marries Hildegard daughter of the Duke of Sueve his own Subject, by whom he had three Sons and three daughters;  
Carolomans' Jealousy died not with him, for his Wife Birth impatient of her condition retires with her two Sons to Didier, who contrived with the Widow to procure from Adrian then Pope a confirmation of her Sons in the Crown of France; which the Pope absolutely refused; At which time Hunalt forgetful of the mercy of Charles comes to Didier by whom he is received and made General of the Army against the Pope for denying the King of Lombardy's request, who having no other weapons but Excommunication, implores the aid of Charles, who first sends Ambassadors to Didier requiring him to restore what he had taken from the Pope, and to suffer him to live in peace; Who insisting upon having the Children of Caroloman declared Kings of France; His demands were thought so unreasonable that the Treaty is broke off, and Charles instantly prepares for War, and in a short time gives the Lombard's two notable defeats; And at length besieges him and all his Forces, in Pavia, which was soon surrendered, and Didier falls into his hands who was sent Prisoner to Lions, and the Kingdom of the Lombard's thereby utterly ruined; During the Siege of Pavia a Council was held at Rome by Pope Adrian in favour of Charlemain, and for his merits toward the Church the right to bestow all Benefices in Christendom was said to belong to him.  
Charlemain being returned into France, Aldegise the Son of Didier endeavoured to disquiet Italy by the aid of the Emperor Constantine, and the practices of Rogand to ●om Charlemain had given Friuli, but all these Rebellions were soon suppressed by the diligence of the French Governor's, and Rogand being taken, was beheaded by ●he Kings Command. But the end of this War was the beginning of another in Germany, whereof the Saxons were the Chief Authors with the assistance of some of their Neighbours, this War continued thirty three years at divers times; The Saxons in Germany were at this time Subject to the Crown of France under Martel and Pepin his Son, and the desire of recovering their ancient liberty, but especially of retaining their Pagan Superstition received from their Ancestors, was the chief occasion of these tedious Troubles; For Charles zealous for the Christian Faith, endeavoured to oblige them to make profession thereof; Upon this Controversy of Religion the Saxons made War eight times against him, especially when they found him busied elsewhere, and took Strasburg, and several other Towns then in possession of the French; whereupon Charles calling a Parliament at Worms, levied a great Army, wherewith having vanquished the Saxons twice in one Month in the open Field; he reduced them to their ancient Obedience, yet used his Victoty with much Modesty and Wildom, designing rather to show his Power than his Justice. The Chief Commander among them was one Widichind, who being by Charles persuaded without any violence to embrace the Christian Religion, by his means the greatest part of the Saxons were brought to the knowledge of the true God, and into Obedience to the French Monarchy.  
After this, the Zeal for Religion gave some colour of necessity to the Heroical desire of Charlemain to enlarge his Dominions by making War upon the Saracens, or Moors in Spain, who had then conquered a great part thereof, which they divided into distinct Kingdoms; yet all these petty Kings resolved to unite against Charles their common Enemy, and to prevent all his designs, they caused one of their Kings called Idbunala to insinuate into his Friendship, and Charlemain pushed on both by him and Alphonso (surnamed the ) King of Navarre, and well affected thereto himself, he brings his Forces into Spain, and took the Cities of Pampelona and Saragosa, plundering them and putting all the Saracens to the Sword. Encouraged by this success, he marches on relying on his usual Fortune, many small Towns in the way terrified by their example, yielding upon composition; and then giving part of his Army to be commanded by Milon his Brother in Law, it happened that near Bayonne, Aigoland a Saracen King took him at such advantage that he defeated him with the loss of forty thousand men, Milon himself being slain. Aigoland elevated with this Victory, and Charles being far off, he marches into Gascoign and besieges Again, to draw him home for the defence of his own Country; who doubting the Fidelity of the Gascons, makes a speedy return, but so tired that his Troops were altogether unserviceable; which Aigeland being sensible of, sends him a Proposal, That to prevent bloodshed, and the unnecessary destruction of Mankind, and since he understood that Charles would make Peace with them if they would embrace the Christian Religion, he desired the Trial of the true Faith might be made only by some few Troops protesting to yield to that Religion which should overcome in the Combat; The condition was accepted by Charles, and the Christian Troop vanquished the Saracens; Aigoland hereupon declares himself openly a Christian, but intended nothing less, and takes this occasion to break the Treaty; He finds Charles at his Table eating with the Chief of his Followers, (for Kings used not then to eat alone) and sees twelve poor men in very ragged  near the Nobleman's Table, and demanding who those miserable Creatures were that fed by themselves, was told, They were the Messengers of God, who replied, Sure your God is very poor himself, since his Messengers are so very mean and contemptible; and thereupon takes occasion to retire.  
Charlemain resolving to be revenged for this bold affront of the Saraeen, raises an Army of an hundred and thirty thousand men, wherewith he defeated Aigolands' Forces at Pampelona, and carried away the head of this profane King as a Tropby of his Victory; and afterward utterly defeated the remainder of his Forces; The Saracens again Mustering a new Army, Rowland Nephew to Charles marches against them with only twenty thousand men, and being suddenly set upon in his passage over the Pyrenean Mountains, he is over powered with numbers, and retiring himself apart for some refreshment, he there perishes for thirst, by reason of the long and painful Combat he had endured; yet not without revenge, for he killed Marseilles one of their Kings with his own hand. Charlemain advertised of this unexpected loss, returns suddenly and taketh revenge on the Saracens, killing a vast number of them, and building Tombs for Rowland and those other valiant Commanders who died in the Bed of Honour; and his other urgent Affairs in France requiring his presence he returned thither; That the War in Spain ended with little success, having disturbed Charles at divers times for fourteen years past.  
At his return from Spain, Charlemain finds occasion to exercise his Valour first in Italy where Old i se the Son of Didier again attempted to settle himself, but was soon suppressed with much loss to the Lombard Rebels. The like occasion bred a War in Germany; For King Tasilon Son in Law to Didier, by his Wife's persuasions endeavours to shake off the Yoke and flies to Arms, engaging the Huns, and other Nations against Charlemain who suppressed them with such happy success that Tasilon being Vanquished, and found guilty of Treason and Rebellion, was according to the Salic Law, condemned to lose his Estate whereby the Kingdom of Bavaria ended, and was incorporated into the Crown of France. The Huns (from whom the Hungarians are derived) together with the Danes, Westphalians and divers other Nations who were united in this War against Charles, were all brought under his Obedience, their Country's containing Hungary, Valachia, Bohemia, Transilvania. Denmark and Poland; Thus the French Monarchy grew great by the happy Valour of charlemagne; France, Italy, Germany, Spain and Hungary made the Romon Empire in the West, and Charles being Master of these go●dly Provinces, was in effect Emperor thereof, and wanted only the Title, which he obtained by this means.  
Leo being then Pope of Rome, a strange sedition was raised against him by Silvester and Gampul men of great credit in the Court of Rome, who in a Solemn procession seize upon the Pope before St. Laurence Church, they stripped him of his Pontificial robes, throw him to the ground, tread him under their feet, bruise his face with their fists, and having drawn him ignominiously through the dirt, they throw him into Prison; But he continued not long there being freed by a Groom of his Chamber, and recovering St. Peter's Church, he entreats Vingise Duke of Spoleto to free him from this miferable Captivity, who presently marching to Rome, carried him thence to Spoleto; From whence he goes with all speed to France to Charles whom he found engaged in many troubles, who yet neglected all other affairs to assist Leo in this his great necessity; And marching to Rome with a potent Army, he speedily pacifies all disturbances, and punishes the Pope's Enemies according to Law; Leo being thus put into possession of his Sovereignty, declares Charles to be Emperor of the West, which with the price of his blood lost in opposing the furious incursions of barbarous Nations he had valiantly gotten possession of, and accordingly Crowns him Emperor with the full consent of the Roman People who assisted at his Coronation, crying with one general voice, All happiness, long life and Victory to Charles Augustus Crowned the Great and Peaceable Emperor of the Romans, always happy and victorions; This was performed in the year of our Lord 800. Italy having for thirty years passed suffered horrible Confusions without Emperor, without Laws and without order.  
The Seat of the Roman Empire since Constantine the Great remained at Constantinople a City of Thrace, convenient for the guard of the Eastern Provinces; All the West being full of strangers, who having expelled the Roman Name and Authority, the force of the Empire remained in the East, where the State was in a strange confusion by fatal differences; Constantine Son to Leo the Fourth was then Emperor, who (together with the Empire) was governed from his infancy by Irene his Mother; At this time there was great division in the East about Images, which had already continued eighty years, the 〈◊〉 ops would needs bring them into the Christian Church, but were always opposed by Constantine's Predecessors; but the Empress having assembled a Council at Nice it was there decreed by her consent and earnest desire, That images should be planted in Christian Churches for Devotion; Charlemain did not approve of this decree, but writ, or caused to be written a small Treatise against this Council, to be seen at this day, and called, A Treatise of Charlemagn's, touching Images against the Greek Synod.  
The present Emperor Constantine retained the hereditary hatred of his Father and Grandfather against them, so that being now of age, and in possession of the Empire he disannulled all those new decrees, and caused images in all places to be beaten down, yet he still shew●ed respect to his Mother, allowing her great part of her former Authority, which occasioned an horrible Tragedy to follow, for being enraged both for his crossing her new opinion about Images, and for the loss of part of her power, She resolves to disposless him of the Empress, and having corrupted the Chief Officers with her Son's Money, she seized on him, put out his eyes, sent ●im into banishment. where he soon after died for grief, and took possession of the Empire for herself.  
These unnatural Tragedies were acted in the East while Charlemain by his great Valour erected an Empire in the West; After Constantine's death, Irene sent to Charles to excuse herself, disowning the Murder, and charging it on some who had done it without her command; and likewise treated with him about Marrying ●er, his Empress being lately dead, premising to consent he should be declared Emperor of the East, and that ●he would resign up all her power to him, but Charlemain would not accept thereof; the Nobility and People after this, had such a public derestation of her, the Murtheress of her own Child, that having suffered ●er three years, Nicephorus a Noblemant of Greece, aff●●ed ●y the Chief of the Cou●●, and with the consent of the people makes himself Emperor, and only Banishes Irent He afterwards Treats and Compounds with Charles, tha● the Empire of the East continuing under his Command that of the West should remain to Charlemain, which being confirmed by the general assent of the Greeks, th● Empire was divided into the East and West; That of th● West began with Charlemain, and remained in his Family while they continued Virtuous, and was afterward removed to the Princes of Germany, who acknowledge the Germane Original of Charlemain, he being born a Worms, Crowned at Spire, and buried at Aix, all City of Germany.  
Charles lived fifteen years after he had united the R●● man Empire to the French Monarchy; Grimald Duke 〈◊〉 Benevent after endeavoured to disturb Italy for the Lombard's, but was timely prevented; and about the same time the War in Saxony was renewed, being always pro● to Rebellion, and likewise that against the Huns, Bohe● ans, Sclavonians and Saracens; As likewise a dangerous War against the Venetians, by whom the Emperor and hi● Frenchmen received a severe check, and had reason to glo●ry that among all the People of Italy subdued by Charle magne, they remained unvanquished, and were able 〈◊〉 oppose themselves against him. At length all things bein● quieted, and Char'es finding himself old and broken wit● cares, and that his three Sons were Wise, Valiant, an● Obedient, he resolved to divide his Empire among them; To Pepin he gave Italy; to Charles, Germany at the Neighbour Counereys, keeping Lewis his Eldest So● at home to Inherit the Kingdom of France; But in a sho● time after, his two Sons Charles and Pepin the best supports of the Empire and true Inheritors of their Father Valour, both died, leaving Lewis their Brother with large Territories, and mean Virtues, to succeed in so great a● Estate Charlemag●e secming hereby deprived of 〈…〉 Arms, his Enemies the Saranens in Spain, and the 〈◊〉 ●on a●s and 〈◊〉 in the N●rth risen in Rebellion ag●●●● him, ●ut as old and broken as he was, he vanquished the● all and reduced them again to Obedience. And his A● fairs being thereby again settled, his mind now wo●n out with the toils and difficulties of his whole Life, re●●●●d nothing but rest, and being well instructed in Religion, and knowing how necessary it was that those who taught others should be well qualified themselves both in Doctrine and Manners, he called five Councils for Reforming and Governing the Church, and likewise a great Councils at Frankford of the Bishops of France, Germany, and I●aly, which he himself honoured with his presence, where by general consent, The false Synod of the Greeks, untruly ●alled the Seventh, was condemned and rejected by all the Bishops who subscribed to the condemnation. After this a new accident called Charles again to arms, Alphonso King of Navarre, (Surnamed the  for his singular temperance) sends to him, that now there was opportunity utterly to root the Saracens out of Spain, Charles extremely desirous to finish this work, raiseth an Army and marches thither, but though Alphonso meant sincerely, the Chief of his Court (who feared the Forces of Charles no ●ess than the Saracens, doubting to be deprived of their Governments by a new Master) created so many difficulties and dangers, that he was obliged to return into France without acting any thing considerable, and so concluded all his Erterprises, embracing the care of Religion as a Subject only fit for the remainder of his ●●●ys; He was Sixty eight years old when he left the W●s and spent three whole years in his Closet, reading the Bible, and the Books of St. Augustine whom he admired above all the Doctors of the Church; He resided at Paris to have frequent conference with the Learned, where he erected a famous University, supplied with learned men, and enriched with great Privileges.  
Thus Charlemain spent three years happily, only in the care of his Soul, leaving an excellent example to Princes to moderate their greatness with plety, and in the full enjoyment of Temporal things not to forget eternal, nor their departure out of this life; Then sore●clling the time of his Death, he made his Will, leaving Lewis his Son sole Heir of his mighty Deminions, and causing him to be Crowned by the General consent of th● Estates, where himself being present, after having mad● a long and fervent prayer prostrate before God, with hi● dear Lewis, he put the Crown upon his head, and said thus to him.  
My Dear Son, it is to day that I die to the Empires of th● World, and that Heaven seems to make me be born again in you Person; If you will Reign happily, fear God, who is the foundation of Empires, and the Sovereign Father of all Dominions; Keep his commandments, and cause them to be observed with in violable fidelity; Take the care and protection of Religion an● God's Church into your hands; Love your Sisters, render you● self good and officious to your kindred; Honour God's Ministers cherish tenderly your Subjects as your Children, and be contin●● alley the Comforter and Protector of the Poor. Chastise the vicious, and recompense men of merit; Establish Governor's Judge and Officers that are capable and without reproach, and when you have chosen them, do not deprive them of their charges with out very just cause. Serve first of all for an Example to a● the World, and lead before God and man an irreproveable life.  
After this Action, he survived about a year longer employed in all kind of Religious Exercises and then falling sick, continued so only eight days and died in the 71 yea● of his age, and the 47 of his Reign including the 15 year of his Empire, and in the year of our Lord 814; H● Corpse was exposed in public, clothed like a King wit● a Sword, and the Gospel lying by him, which he had ●●glor ously defended; He was buried with a Stately mag● nitiance in the Church of Aix in a Chapel himself he butle. He was one of the greatest Princes of the Age His Virtue may be a pattern for Princes, and his Fortur● the Subject of their withes. The greatness of his Mon ●●●chy is admirable, for he quictly enjoyed all Fran●, romany most part of Hungary, all Italy and part of Spai● Yet his Virtues were greater th●n his Empire, his 〈◊〉 mency, wisdom, courage, Learning (even in the Hol● Ser●●●res) his 〈◊〉, Magnanimity and singular 〈◊〉 〈…〉 P●aise. He was universally lamened 〈◊〉 all the Wold, as the Farner of the Univere, and the Singular O●● m●●● of 〈…〉, and truly merited th●n a●me of one of 〈◊〉 Worthies of the World.   

The History of Godfrey of Bullen called King of Jerusalem. The Ninth Worthy of the World.   portrait of Godfrey, King of Jerusalem 

GOdfrey a Worthies Name doth well deserve  
Whom for his Valour, All might wish to serve,  
He for recevery of the Holy Land  
The Turks and Infidels did oft withstand,  
Whereby at length he won Jerusalem,  
That had a long time been enslaved by them,  
In which he so much Courage made appear,  
The Christian Princes with one voice declare  
That he alone shall be Jerusalem's King,  
And th' richest Spoils they freely to him bring,  
Which Honour, all Men since him justly give.  
And'mong the Great his Fame shall ever live.   
 
the Princes of that fair Duchy of Lorraine. Godfrey of Bossu having no Children, made him his Heir, and gave him the Earldom of Bullen which occasioned him to have that Strname who by his Heroic Actions hath rendered himself one of the Worthies of the World; He was naturally inclined to all sorts of Virtue, much whereof was owing to his happy education under the exact care of a wise Father and a Mother of extraordinary merit, who with a diligence unusual to her Sex had herself studied, and therefore infused into him all sort of curious Learning; and is said to have predicted the future greatness of her three Sons, for one day as the Earl her husband demanded of her what she had hid in her lap, being playing with the Children, she very seriously answered, that she had there three Great Princes, one Duke, one King, and one Earl, which was afterwards verified in the admirable Fortunes of these three Princes, for Godfrey was Duke of Lorraine and King of Jerusalem; Baldwin was King of the same Realm, after Godfrey, and Prince of Edessa, and Eustace whom some say was the elder Brother, was Earl of Bullen after the death of his Father; It is likewise related that she had a strange dream before the Birth of Prince Godfrey, for the Sun seemed to descend from the sky and fall into her lap, and she saw her little Son sitting on a Throne in the midst thereof; But this is certain that she used to relate with much pleasure after the Glorious success her Sons had in the Holy-War, that long before there was any discourse thereof, Prince Godfrey used to say, That he would one day take a Voyage to Jerusalem not for Devotion only as a Pilgrim, but as a Captain and Conqueror at the head of an Army to chase the wicked Infidels from that Holy place.  
After his Uncle's death the Emperor Henry the Fourth pretending that the Duchy of the lower Lorraine for want of Heirs Male devolved to him conferred it on his Son Conrade, leaving Godsrey nothing there but the Marquisate of Antwerp, and on the other side Albert Earl of Namur his kinsman and the Bishop of Verdun endeavoured to deprive him of Bullen and Verdun; So that before he was seventeen years of age he was compelled to an early Valour for recovering his Right; which he did by vanquishing their joint Porces, and conquering Earl Albert in a single combat; And then he assisted the Emperor Henry in his Wars in Italy and Germany, though he had injuriously dealt with him who was at length so much overcome by his extraordinary merit and the considerable services he had performed, that he again put him into possession of Lorraine, his Mother's inheritance, which he had detained from him thirteen years; and likewise gave him his sister Adelaida in marraige;  
Godfrey's aflairs being in so good a Posture, the Voyage for the Holy Land was proclaimed, which he embraced with such earnestness and generosity that he sold almost all his Estate to the Bishops of Liege and Verdun to raise Forces, so that by an odd adventure the Princes improverished themselves to serve Jesus Christ, and the Priests enriched themselves with the spoils of these Temporal Princes, choosing rather to make use of that money (which like them they should have employed in this Holy Expedition) to advance their present fortunes which they saw these Princes so generously part with for the Love of God; Godfrey being hereby provided to raise Soldiers, his fame and repuration soon furnished him with military men from all parts, many Princes and Gentlemen, also his Friends serving under him as Volunteers; He was now about thirty five years old, and so excellently qualified both in Person and mind for a Captain and a Soldier, that he obtained an absolute Empire over those Spirits who voluntarily submitted to his conduct. But Peter the Hermit addressing himself to him, Godfrey perceiving he should be clogged with a multitude of unprofitable people who followed that Priest, and were more like to cause a Famine than give any real assistance, he ordered that they should march under their own Leader, and Peter being a Gentleman, who before his turning Hermit, had born arms, the desire of glory induced him to believe that he might lawfully undertake such a military command without affronting the order of Priesthoed, or embracing the World which he had renounced, but he soon found by woeful experience what it was to exceed the Bounds of his Profession, for his Soldiers in their march living upon free Quarter, were most of them knocked on the head by the Inhabitants before they got to Constantinople.  
In August 1096. Godfrey with an Army of ten thousand Horse, and seventy thousand Foot well appointed, and attended with many Princes and Nobles of the first Quality, marched into Germany, and passing over the vast Countries of Bulga●ia, he at length arrived at Philipolis in Thracia, where some differences with Alexis the Greek Emperor being composed, he at length came to Constantinople, whither the rest of the Christian Princes and their Forces following soon after, it was resolved first to Besiege Nice the Capital City of Bythinia, and Duke Godfrey advancing before as far as Nicomedia, and having leveled the ways over the Mountains from that Town to Nice, they invested that place. May 16. Godfrey with his Brother Baldwin took the Right hand over against the Principal Gate of the City where it was most strongly Fortified. May 24. A general Assault was given upon several Quarters at once, and the Combat was continued all day till night parted them, and the next morning again renewed with extraordinary fury though without effect, the Besieged being not only gallant men, but in hourly expectation of relief from Soliman the Turkish Emperor, to whom they had dispatched an Express to inform him of their condition, and the Sultan's Letters in Answer to them whereby he assured them of certain relief the next morning, being intercepted by the Christians they accordingly made Provision to receive him; The Turks early in the morning descended from the Mountains, and dividing into two great Bodies, one of them assaulted Godfrey's Quarter which lay next to that of Reymond Earl of Flanders, but were received by both these Princes with so much vigour, that they were presently put into disorder, and forced to a hasty flight; yet the Besieged continued to make an obstinate defence, among whom there was one Valiant Turk, who for his great Bulk and extraordinary Strength seemed a Giant, that defended one of the Towers which were assaulted by Count Raymond; he had been often repulsed but still renewed the Attack making terrible havoc among the Christians, and intolerably insulting over those who fell under his Arms, and exposing himself naked to a vast number of Arrows that were shot at him, he with both his hands fell to throwing down Stones of a prodigious bigness upon those who attempted to undermine the Wall, though he had above twenty Arrows sticking in his Breast, and looked as if he were bristled with them; Godfrey coming from his own Quarter, and unable to endure this insolence of a Barbarian, with a well placed Arrow shot him through the very Heart, and tumbled him dead into the Ditch; Thus the bravest man of the Turks seemed to stay to receive an honourable death from the hand of the gallantest of the Christians; Soon after Solyman having made another fruitless attempt to relieve them, the Besieged delivered up the City by Treaty to the Christians.  
The Princes, not to lose the season of the year, marched immediately from thence toward Syria and for convenience of Forage they separated into two Bodies, that part under the Earl of Flanders and the Duke Normandy taking the left, and Godfrey the right hand, but yet without distancing the Armies above two miles asunder; The Duke of Normandy had not marched far, when they had notice that Solyman with three hundred and sixty thousand Turks and Persians, all Horse, with an infinite number of Arabians intended to surprise and surround the Christians the next morning; Who instantly sent to advertise Duke Godfrey of their danger, who again joining the Army the Princes encouraged their Soldiers telling them, That they were the same Enemies they had oft before vanquished at Nice, and that in sighting valiantly against those wicked Insidels, if they died they might be certain of eternal happiness; And then drawing their Swords they cried out, It is the will of God, which words the whole Army repeated with such a terrible Harmony, the Valleys, Rocks, and Mountains shook with the dreadful Echo; and thereupon, presently engaging, by the Conduct of Godfrey and Reymond who ran full speed upon the Turks with their European Lances, which they had neither Shields nor Breastplates to oppose, they were overthrown horse and man, and the Arabs not enduring a charge hand to hand, fearing to be surrounded, began to betake themselves to slight, which caused such fear and disorder in the whole Army, that it put them in a moment to general rout, and the Christians obtained a complete Victory, with a Prodigious quantity of booty and plunder which they found in the Turkish Camp, and then marching forward toward Syria they arrived about Antioch in Pisidia which surrendered to them without resistance as did most of the other Cities in their passage.  
Whilst the Army refreshed themselves in Pisidia after such Toils and hardships, Prince Godfrey had like to have been lost by a strange accident, which however redounded in conclusion much to the honour of this Prince, advancing his Reputation, Courage and Nobleness which appeared even to admiration upon this dangerous occasion; For one day entering alone on Horseback into a Wood, he heard the voice of a man who cried out for help with all his power, and advancing to the place from whence the noise came, he perceived it was a poor Soldier, who coming to cut Wood was running almost quite cut of breath round a great Tree to save himself from the merciless Jaws of a monstrous and furious Bear which was just ready to seize upon him; Godfrey transported with Courage and Charity spurred on his Horse with his sword in his hand toward the cruel Beast, who forsaking the Soldier, with inflamed eyes, gaping Jaws, and the terrible Claws of her two fore Paws, advanced toward him, and raising herself upon her hinder feet to throw herself upon the Horse, she was affrighted with the Sword, and to avoid the blow fell sideling, but so that Horse and man fell over her, and she catchy hold of the Duke's Coat to draw him toward her, but Godfrey nimbly recovering his fall, and seizing on her left paw which she thrust out to lay hold of him, he ran his Sword up to the hilt in the belly of this monstrous enemy, when one of his Gentlemen coming in at the noise dispatched the Beast already overthrown with the terrible blow she had received; But Godfrey in drawing his Sword from between his legs after his fall, having given himself a cruel wound in his Thigh, which during the heat of the combat he did not perceive, he had lost so much blood, that after he began to cool, he suddenly sunk down in a Swoon; This accident though it proved not dangerous, spread a mighty Consternation through the whole Army as if all had been lost, so much confidence and authority they placed in his Valour and Judgement, especially since the last battle where he gained the Christians a glorious Victory out of the hands of the Insidels, who were just ready to ruin them.  
The Christians having conquered Cilicia and great part of Armenia, they next besieged the City of Antioch, and having lain some time before it, two Fleets from Genoa, and Pisa arrived very fortunately at the Port of St. Simeon with all sorts of Provisions, which were very welcome after a five months' Siege, the news whereof no sooner arrived at the Camp, but the Soldiers ran thither in Shoals to furnish themselves with what they wanted. The Turks who continually watched for all advantages laid an Ambuscade of four thousand men that secretly sallied out of the Town, who meeting with the Soldiers in their return without Order or Arms, but only their Swords and loaden with Provisions, they fell upon them, and obliged them to fly to the Mountains leaving all their Provisions, and a thousand of their Companions dead upon the place.  
Godfrey soon advertized of this disaster, took a strong Party resolving immediately to charge the Tarks whom he doubted not to find in sufficient disorder upon Joy of their Victory; The Governor of Antich having from one of the Towers of his Castle observed this motion of the Christians, was in much pain for the safe return of his men, and therefore commanded the greatest part of his Army to sally out of the City for their relief; Godfrey marched on slowly, having notice that the Conquerors, having joined the Troops of the Town, drew near loaden with their booty, then drawing his Sword and turning to his men, after he had looked fiercely toward the Enemy, he cried, Fellow me it is the will of God● Ordering them only to use their Swords without either Lances or Arrows, so that with their Swords drawn and their Bucklers they made a kind of Penthouse against the Arrows of the Turks, who being thereby put out of their usual way of fight, the Service of their Bows being taken from them, they presently recoiled upon their assistants, and being encumbered with Spoils, the Christians fell into the midst of them, and on all hands made a most horrible slaughter of these miserable wretches, so that they were totally routed, some flying to the mountains, others toward the City, not dreaming that the Gate was shut against them; Godfrey to prevent their return into the Town, flew like lightning among his enemies, there was no blow of his terrible Sword which drew not a dreadful death with it, so that he filled all with Horror, Lloud and Terror, which way soever he turned himself, and the other Princes finding the Enemies stopped by Godfrey's Squadron, made a most woeful destruction among them, and their lamentable cries at length obliged the Governor to open the Gates, and receive the small remainder into Antioch.  
One of the Principal Turks of a Stature much exceeding others, transported with fury to observe that Godfrey killed all who came within the reach of his terrible Sword, he ran up to him foaming with rage, and with his broad-Sword discharged so terrible a blow on the Duke that he split his Shield in two pieces which he had opposed to secure his head; when Godfrey raising himself upon his Stirrups, gave him such a furious stroke, that his Sword falling on his right Shoulder passed quite through his Breast to his left side, and made that half of his body tumble to the ground, while the other remaining in the Saddle was carried by the Horse quite through the Town, making such a fearful spectacle as struck Consternation and Horror in all the beholders; Night coming on the Defendants throwing whole showers of Arrows from the Walls, hindered the further pursuit of the Victory; The Christians lost above a thousand men, but it is almost impossible to count the loss of the Turks, which was so great that they partly stopped the River with their dead Bodies.  
After this great Victory the Besieged were more closely blocked up, and some time after Antioch was surprised by Stratagem by the Christian Princes; which was followed by another great Victory wherein the Enemy lost an hundred thousand Horse, and an incredible number of Foot. And then the Princes assembled to consult concerning the principal Enterprise, which was that of Jerusalem, during which Godfrey, or Geoffry de la Tour, going out upon a party as he frequently did, he heard the terrible roaring of a Lion, who seemed rather to cry out for some dreadful mishap befallen him, than in following the Prey to devour it, and without a moment's deliberation he broke away from those that would have held him, toward the next Wood, and ran directly to the noise, where he saw a horrible Serpent of prodigious magnitude, who having wound himself about the Legs of a Lion, had prevented him from defending himself, and darted many blows at him with his Tongue to kill him with his Poison; who thereupon struck the Serpent such a blow with his Sword, that he killed him without hurting the Lion, and after that cut the wreaths of the Serpent wherewith he was entangled; when the poor Lion saw himself at liberty, he came in the most expressive manner, and with the greatest submission to render thanks to his deliverer, couching down and licking his Feet, and afterward would never forsake him, but sollowed him like a faithful Dog without offending any but his Enemies, upon whom by a sign given he would be sure to fall, and was always with him in the Combat and Chase, and never failed to provide Venison for his Master; a marvellous instance of natural gratitude, and a reproach to Mankind, who oft prove ingrateful to their Benefactors though endued with all the force of reason.  
The Christians now marching with all speed toward Jerusalem, took Rama in their way and then marching to Emaus about two Leagues and an half from Jerusalem, they from thence had a fair prospect of the lofty Towers of the Holy City which filled the hearts of the Princes, Officers, Soldiers, and the whole Troop of Pilgrims with great Joy, and then coming up to it, that they might avoid a tedious siege, like that of Antioch, it was resolved to attack the place by main force, though those within were more numerous than the Christian Army who were not above Twenty Thousand Foot and fifteen Hundred Horse, the rest of that vast number of three Hundred Thousand men who came into Asia, being either dead with diseases, or slain in the several encounters, the Christians therefore coming up close to the Walls, raised up their scaling Ladders and mounted to the top from whence with mad courage they threw themselves into the Town, where they desperately fought hand to hand with the Saracens, who were amazed at this more than heroic boldness, and no doubt if they had had more Ladders Jerusalem had been that day taken, but since one Ladder could mount a very few men, a Retreat was sounded after having lost a great many brave Soldiers in that rash attempt, who yet sold their Lives so dear, that twice as many of the Saracens fell with them.  
Duke Godfrey concerned at this miscarriage, resolved for the future to assault the Town with proper Engines of War, which he managed with such extraordinary success, that making a great breach in the Walls, he threw himself into the Town with such admirable courage, that the other Princes following him, they in short time all entered and took full possession, putting all the Insidels to the Sword, and killing the very Children in the Arms of their Mothers thereby if it were possible to extinguish the whole race of Turks. In short a most terrible vengeance was taken upon them, and the Houses being plundered the whole Army found themselves enriched beyond imagination; The richest Booty was found in the Temple of Solomon, from whence was taken an inestimable Treasure of Gold, Silver and Jewels, which the Princes generously presented Duke Godfrey as the Person to whose only courage and conduct it was due;  
Eight days after this happy conquest the Princes and Lords assembled to re-establish the ancient Government of Jerusalem by giving it a King; Divers were proposed, and it was offered to Robert Duke of Normandy Son to William the Conqueror, but he designing to return home as soon as possible, declined it, telling the Assembly, That it was most evident they ought to choose that Person whose Piety, Modesty, Frudence Justice, Valour and Success had appeared in many occasions; That Person whose strength of Age, Body, Nobility, Greatness and Majesty, worthy of an Empire, conspired to rank him among the greatest Princes that ever were, and My Lords (said he) all these extraordinary qualities render themselves so conspicuous in the Person who possesses them, that it may seem unnecessary to name him, and God himself seems to have nominated him in giving him these surpassing advantages above the rest of mankind, whom he hath chosen like a second David to be King of Jerusalem, It is the Illustrious Godfrey of Bullen Duke of Lorraine, whom the Prince had no sooner named but the whole Assembly interrupted him, crying out with the same mind and voice, Godfrey, Godfrey, long live Godfrey the most puissant and pious King of Jerusalem; And notwithstanding all the resistance of that modest Prince, he was obliged to consent to the Election which seemed confirmed to him by Divine approbation; And the very same day he was conducted to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and there proclaimed King amidst the acclamations of the whole Army, and all the Christians of the Country who came flocking in to inhabit the City of Jerusalem; He was there presented with a Royal Crown richly adorned with Pearls and precious Stones which he absolutely refused with this Zealous answer.  
Why should I bear the name of a King in a place where my Saviour hath been crowned with reproaches? should I take the Sceptre in my hand, where he hath taken the Cross upon his Shoulders? Should I suffer a Crown of Gold upon my head where he hath received a Crown of Thornes? Sure I should then hold myself for vanquished if such a vanity should be victorious over my heart. It is God that hath inspired us with these designs; It is he that hath conducted and crowned us with success, I pretend therefore to no other honours, than to lay all honours at the feet of the Cross of Christ. But though he would not take upon himself the name of King, yet it was constantly given him, as all Historians of that time and Posterity have ever since done to this very day, and certainly never any King better deserved to wear that glorious Title which he adorned with so many Royal Actions.  
The Sultan of Egypt coming too late to relieve Jerusalem, advanced now with a formidable Army to besiege it, against whom Godfrey and his Soldiers marched with much courage and resolution, over whom they obtained an entire Victory, with richer pillage than any time before in the whole War, the Enemy losing thirty thousand upon the place and as many more in the pursuit. After this Battle the Princes and great Lords who followed them believing they had fully accomplished their vow of recovering the Holy Land, took their leaves of King Godfrey to return to their respective Countries, leaving him only three hundred Horse and about two thousand Foot, with which few Troops the King to enlarge the Frontiers of his new Kingdom, conquered the places which were yet untaken round about Jerusalem; And now after so many Toils being fallen sick he caused himself to be removed to the City, where July 8. 1100. In the fortieth year of his age, and the first of his Reign he rendered his glorious Soul into the hands of his Almighty Redeemer by a most Religious death, (his brother Baldwin succeeding K. of Jerusalem in his stead) He was a Prince in whom all Virtues, Christian, Civil and Military met in the highest point of humane perfection without mixture of any default, so that it will remain difficult to find another like him to whom without Flattery the same praises may be given, and which induced future Ages to bestow on him the honourable Title of one of the Worthies of the World.  
FINIS.   

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