Ms 1.5 1
Position
The Dragon was
yethe whole Roman Empire
untill its division, & then
yethe nations of yethe Western Empire were
yethe Beast
wthwith its ten horns & those of
yethe Eastern
yethe Dragon continued.
Till yethe reign of Constantine yethe great, Rome continued the
only Metropolis or seat of yethe Empire: but he out of some
displeasure taken against ytthat City caused Constantinople to
be built aa about yethe 25t year of his reign A.C. 330, & bb in
dowing it wthwith many privileges equal to those of Rome, made
it a fellow seat of yethe Empire & called it new Rome;
whence Thrace obteined yethe name of Romania for many
ages after.
At his death A.C. 336 happened yethe first disivision of yethe
Empire between these two seats. ffor c his second son Constantius
inherited Constantinople wthwith yethe lesser Asia, Egypt & yethe East;
his third Son Constans Rome wthwith Italy Illyrium & Afric; his
first son Constantine Spain Gallia & other northern parts of
Europe to yethe borders of Thrace; his brothers son Delmatius
Thrace Macedon & Greece; Annibalinus Armenia; &
some other portion of yethe East. But d Constantius soon slew
Delmatius, Annibalinus & & took their dominions to
himself; & in yethe third yeare e Constantine was also slain by yethe
soldiers of Constans & all yethe e western part of his territories
subjected to Constans & all yethe Eastern to Constantius: so that wthwithin
three years after the death of their father, yethe whole Empire
became divided between yethe two seats, yethe f common border of
their ditions being at yethe confines of yethe eastern & western
Illyricum.
Constans reigned thus alone in yethe west ten years more
& after him Magnentius yethe Tyrant four years: but then
g Constantius out of yethe East wthwith an Army of 70000 invaded
& overcame Maxentius & so reunited yethe two Empires under
himself 18 Cal. Sept. A.C. 353. And in this united form yethe Empire
continued till yethe reign of Valentinian I who was elected by yethe Sol
diers2diers successor to Iovian in yethe whole Empire A.C. 364
but wthwithin three Months constituted his brother Valens Empe
rour over yethe East & reserved only yethe west to himself.
Valens was succeeded by Theodosius I, & Valentinian
first by his sons Gratian & Valentinian II & then by yethe
Tyrants Maximus & Eugenius who slew his sons, & lastly
by Theodosius I who vanquished yethe Tyrants & after yethe
conquest of yethe last of them reigned sole Emperor 4 months
& then left yethe Empire again divided between his sons
Arcadius & Honorius, after wchwhich it could never be reunited.
This is yethe history of yethe division of yethe Empire & con
sequently of yethe rise of yethe Beast of out of yethe Sea. ffor it has
been sufficiently manifested i ytthat yethe old Roman Empire was yethe
Dragon, & in Posit we shewed ytthat yethe kingdom repre
sented by yethe Dragon was to become divided, & in yethe time of
yethe sixt head, that is between yethe 10th Persecution & Theo
dosius's Reign, to become divided, & one part of yethe division
to be represented by yethe Beast rising out of yethe Sea, yethe
name of yethe Dragon being continued to yethe other.
Now of these two parts it's plain ytthat yethe western
must be yethe Beast. ffor. jst its was fit ytthat yethe name of
yethe Dragon should be continued to yethe bigger of yethe two
parts & such were yethe nations of yethe Eastern Empire
they being two thirds of yethe Whole. 2dly The
Dragon's having but one crown upon each head shows
ytthat he was to continue always monarchicall, & yethe Beast's
having ten crowns on his horns wchwhich stood all on yethe
same head shows that in yethe reign of ytthat head he
was to be rent into so many kingdoms, as we explained
at large above: & accordingly yethe western Empire was
soon broken in pieces, & yethe eastern continued always
monarchical, though not always of so large extent as
to comprehend all yethe nations represented by yethe Dragon
after yethe division, nor so lasting as to be of equal durati
on wthwith him, for ytthat Empire is already ceased whereas
yet by yethe Dragon I still understand all those nations wchwhich the3 the Eastern Empire conteined at it's first division from yethe
western, much after yethe same manner ytthat all Daniel's Beasts
(as shall be presently shewed) signify to yethe end of yethe world all those nations wchwhich once
constituted yethe Empires represented by those Beasts, as shall be
presently shewed. 3dly The Dragon gave yethe Beast his seat,
Apoc. 13.2, & therefore ytthat part must be yethe Beast to wchwhich yethe
Dragon relinquished his old seat Rome to chose a new
one for himself. The founding of thate new seat as I told
you was begun by Constantine yethe great about 6 years before
his death, & he dying left his will wthwith a certain Presbiter (Eu
sebius Nicomedensis as I suppose) to be given to Constantius as yethe
most trusty & worthy of his sons, who soon af thereupon conveninged
his brethren in Pannonia & distributed his fathers kingdoms according
ly; giving Rome yethe ancient Imperial seat to his younger Brother
Constans & reserving yethe new seat Constantinople to himself. And
thus yethe Dragon (if yethe act of yethe Emperors may be esteemed yethe act
of yethe Empire) gave his seat to yethe Beast. But we need not regard
much yethe personal actions of yethe Emperors; its enough to denominate
yethe western Empire yethe Beast to whom yethe Dragon gave his power & seat ytthat it & no other dominion but it suc
ceeded immediately & freely, & not by way of invasion or violence but as
it were by free concession succeeded yethe Dragon in his ancient Im
perial seat power & authority. 54. There is yet another reason
of yethe assertion not to be past over becaus yethe fundamental one:
& 'tis this, ytthat Daniel's fourth Beast, wchwhich is yethe same wthwith StSaint Iohn's,
signifies properly yethe western nations of yethe Roman Empire, &
those alone. Daniel's Beasts are usually interpreted each of yethe whole
dominion of each of yethe four yethe Empires they it signifyissignifies; & thus
perhaps they may be understood in a generall sense, but strictly
& properly they must signify only yethe principal part of each
Empire in such an manner ytthat if all yethe nations considered
in Daniel's prophesies, ytthat is all yethe dominions of yethe four Empires
taken together be divided into four parts, yethe four beasts may
signify one one part & another another part, & altogether yethe
whole wthwithout interfering wthwith one another. And this I gather
first from the parallel vision of Nebuchacnezzar'sNebuchadnezzar's Image whose
head & breast & belly & leggs were in yethe end all broken at once4 once by yethe fall of a stone cut out of a mountain wthwithout
hands: for this argues that these parts of yethe Image signify
so many severall great nations or peoples at once, wchwhich
although they reigned successively (first yethe Babylonians Chaldeans
then yethe Persians &c) yet each of them after it had done
reigning continued in being till yethe rest had also reigned, so
ytthat all of them in yethe end might as it were be dasht in pieces
together by yethe kingdom of saints represented by yethe stone. Se
condly I gather it from the vision of yethe four Beasts: for yethe
Beasts are not represented as perishing or vanishing every one
at yethe rise of yethe next but continuing all together till yethe
Ancient of days came to judgment & caused yethe 4th Beast to
be slain & his body to be given to yethe burning flame. ffor
it is expresly said ytthat when yethe 4th Beast was slain yethe other
three had their dominion taken away but yet their lives
prolongued for a time & a season. Wchwhich is as much as to
say, ytthat when yethe saints take yethe kingdom yethe nations re
presented by yethe 4th Beast shall perish but those repre
sented by yethe other three beasts shall still continue in being
for a time & have only their dominion (that is yethe tempo
rall power of their Rulers whatsoever it be) taken away
& given to yethe saints. All yethe four Beasts therefore continue
together till yethe slaughter of yethe fourth Beast & therefore
must represent nations distinct both from him & from one
another. And consequently since Greece & yethe territories beyond
yethe Hellespond belong to yethe three first; namely Babylonia & Media to
yethe first Persia to yethe second, & Egypt, Syria, yethe lesser Asia
& Greece (the four heads of yethe Leopard) to yethe third: there
remain only yethe regions of yethe Roman Empire westward of
those places for yethe fourth. Every one of these four Empires
therefore, seing they extended into one another, is to be con
sidered as consisting of two sorts of two sorts of people, one in
trinsic or yethe Beast it self, yethe other extrinsic or yethe nations of
yethe other Beasts conquered by that Beast. For what els signify the5 the words ytthat The fourth Beast devoured & brake in pieces &
stamped yethe residue wthwith his feet, Dan. 7.7 but ytthat yethe fourth Em
pire was to consist of partly those nations wchwhich were considered
as yethe Beast himself (viz: Italy & its neighbours round about,)
& partly other nations (Greece & all yethe East) wchwhich were con
quered & as it were devoured broken in pieces & stamped upon
by yethe people of yethe first.
SeingSeeing therefore yethe Roman Empire before its division
conteined not only Daniel's ten hornd Beast but also his Leopard
& sometimes a part also of yethe two first Beasts; yethe whole
before its division was fitly represented in yethe Apocalyps by a
Beast of a differing kind from yethe ten hornd Beast namely by
yethe great red Dragon; & afterwards when yethe Western Na
tions wchwhich are precisely Daniel's Beast became divided from
yethe rest, yethe division was as fitly represented by yethe rising of
yethe Beast out of yethe Sea, ytthat is out of yethe great Sea of yethe
Roman Empire wherein it lay inclosed before.
Having given you my reasons why I understand the
western Empire by yethe Beast, I shall now for a conclusion
to this Position consider yethe circumstances wchwhich attended yethe divi
sion of yethe Empire, that it may appear how all things agree
to yethe Prophesy. And in doing this I shall give y a comment
on yethe prophetiqꝫque histories of yethe Dragon & Beast in order.
The history of yethe Dragon.
How yethe victory of Michael over yethe Dragon was fulfilled
by yethe victory of Christianity over Heathenism at yethe end of
yethe 10th Persecution so as to deserve that acclamation: Now is
come salvation & strength & yethe kingdom of orour God & yethe power
of his Christ; I shewed in Posit . And yet that the
casting out of yethe Dragon was not completed till Theo
dosius reign I shewed in Posit In all this interval
therefore though yethe Christian part were deservedly called
yethe Kingdom of God, & his Christ yet yethe Empire in general
as well in respect of religion as polity retained yethe name
of Dragon as it might well have done from yethe major
part though they had never more recovered yethe Throne.
Now6
Now when yethe Dragon was cast out, he was not destroyed.
He was only cast out of heaven to yethe earth, wchwhich denotes not
a total ceasing but a change of his worship from a nobler
to an ignobler state, from yethe stately worship in yethe tem
ples of yethe heathen Gods to yethe sordid worship in sepulchres
of yethe Christian Divi, from yethe adoration of ancient Kings,
& others yethe most renouned Heros of this world to yethe adora
tion of mean & despicable plebeians in their rotten reliques.
He was cast out of heaven, as in respect of yethe Imperial
Throne & Court wchwhich was yethe political heaven of yethe Em
pire from whence he fell, so in respect of yethe stately
Idol Temples whose glorious roofs & walls are in yethe
sixt seal compared to yethe heavens, & yethe Idols placed aloft
to stars in them. From hence he was cast down to
yethe earth to be worshipped below in vaults & cavenscaverns of
yethe earth where Christians began to idolize yethe intombed
carcasses of their dead. And from this new kind of Ido
latry (so much yethe more wicked & odious in God's eyes be
caus a corruption of his own Church) proceeded that excla
mation in yethe next words: Wo to yethe inhabitants of yethe earth
& of yethe Sea for yethe devil is come down unto you having
great wrath becaus he knoweth that he hath but a short
time. vers 12.
This exclamation is a plain declaration that the Devil
so soon as his old worship was cast out, was to begin a new
game in yethe world; & to prove that this new game was
nothing els but yethe new worship of Saints & Reliques, I
need use no other argument but this, that in yethe figure
there is no interval between yethe Dragon's being cast out of
heaven & his coming down to yethe earth, & therefore we
must look for yethe beginning of yethe Devil's new game
where his old game ended: & accordingly the worship
ing of Saints & Reliques, & besides that no other worship
wchwhich can be accused of Idolatry, began to overspread the
world at that very time when yethe Idolatry of yethe Heathens
ceased. ffor their Idol worship (at least among yethe Romans)
ceased at that final universal shutting up of yethe Idol - Temples7 Temples wchwhich was in yethe beginning of Gratian's & Theodosius's
reign. And then began yethe Devil to overspread yethe Christian
world wthwith yethe worship of Sts & Reliques. In Iulian's reign he
laid yethe bait, wchwhich for a while fermented more secretly, &
at length wrought notoriously all yethe world over by means of
those numberles miracles (whether feigned or diabolical) wchwhich
were cryed up in Theodosius's & his son's reigns to be done
every where by yethe reliques & at yethe shrines of Saints, the
Monks swarming up & down yethe Empire wthwith reliques to re
commend & sell to yethe people, & yethe gravest Clergy men of
that age countenancing yethe miracles & looking upon them
as if yethe miraculous Apostolic age it self was revived
in & out done by their own, & not considering that God
sometimes permits even signs & wonders to be done by Se
ducers in favour of Idolatry to try men Deutr. 13.1, 2, &
that yethe coming of yethe man of sin was to be after yethe work
ing of Satan wthwith all power & signs & lying wonders, God
sending yethe world a strong delusion for want of love to
yethe truth, 2 Thes 2.
This was yethe wrath wthwith wchwhich the Devil came down among yethe
Apostates, & set up that way of worship for yethe sake of wchwhich
yethe nations of yethe Eastern Empire continue to this day repre
sented by yethe Dragon. But besides this wrath vented on yethe
Apostates yethe Dragon exercised his malice on yethe true Church
also for it follows in yethe next words ytthat when yethe Dragon
saw that he was cast down unto yethe earth he persecuted yethe
woman wchwhich brought forth yethe manchild, & that wthwith so great
violence that yethe woman thereupon began her flight into yethe wil
derness. Of the time of this persecution we have these two
firm characters, one that it was so soon as yethe Dragon saw
that he was cast unto yethe Earth, or at his first coming down
among yethe inhabitants of yethe earth & Sea, the other that it was
at yethe beginning of yethe seventh Trumpet Seal as we shewed in Posit:
And both these reject it upon Theodosius reign. Nor did the
event fall short of yethe prediction, for yethe Church continued to flourish over8 over all yethe Empire & especially in yethe East till yethe reign of this
Emperour, but he in yethe second year of his reign raised a most
violent persecution against her, expelled her Bishops & Priests, dis
solved her Assemblies, interdicted her worship, & oppressed her
members so much, that yethe most of them were moved to fall a
way to yethe side of her Persecutors, & a good part of yethe rest
to fly out of yethe Empire to barbarous nations: insomuch that
wthwithin yethe short space of fourteen years shee seemed almost to
disappear & leave yethe Empire to her adversaries. Never was
there so great a change wrought by violence in so short a time.
Now as yethe woman upon this persecution fled from yethe Dragon
he cast out of his mouth waters as a flood after her that he
might cause her to be carried away of yethe flood. ch 12.15, 16.
Here since yethe Dragon wchwhich persecuted yethe Woman is yethe Em
pire ytthat instrument of yethe old Serpent, the waters wchwhich
he cast out of his mouth must be yethe people of yethe Em
pire they being yethe flood of enemies wchwhich yethe Empire spew
ed out against her in yethe persecution, & yethe Earth wchwhich
took part wthwith yethe Woman against yethe Dragon must (according
to what we explained above) be yethe people of forreign
nations wchwhich bordered upon yethe Empire. The forreign nations
therefore so soon as yethe Dragon had spewed out waters as a
flood after her were to take her part & swallow up
those waters: & accordingly so soon as yethe 14 year's
persecution of Theodosius was finished, wherein yethe Church
wchwhich had flourished from yethe Apostles time till then almost
sunk under yethe vast numbers of Apostates wchwhich yethe Persecuti
on had made to fall from her, & other enemies raised
against her by yethe Empire; so soon I say as this persecution
had thus filled up yethe number of yethe Churches enemies, the nor
thern nations invaded yethe Empire & waged yethe wars of yethe
four first Trumpets, & as many of them as were Christi
ans took part wthwith yethe Church insomuch as wthwithin a while to
found divers kingdoms of yethe true religion, as yethe Visigothic
yethe Ostrogothic yethe Vandalic yethe Burgundian yethe , & for some time the Suevian, the
Alan the Franck, the Lombardic & Burgundian. And by
these yethe Church was so much releived that it was 200 years
more before she could be overcome a second time & made totally9 totally to vanish into yethe Wilderness. Thus the earth helped the
Woman for a time & swallowed up yethe waters. It is not
said annihilated them but swallowed them up, that is dryed
up yethe power of yethe people signified by yethe waters (Fig ) by
invading & allaying them as earth allays or contemperates wa
ter when it soaks it up; & not only by allaying but conquering
them. ffor yethe conquests whereby so many new Barbarian
Kingdoms were erected wchwhich devoured so much of yethe Empire
could not be expressed by a fitter nor scarce by any other
figure here, then yethe Earth's swallowing up yethe waters.
After all this, when yethe Woman was totally fled into
yethe Wilderness, the Dragon, having as it were lost sight of
her, wento to make war wthwith yethe remnant of her seed, vers 17.
that is wthwith those true Christians wchwhich remained so few & so
much dispersed as not to have yethe face of a Church, &
therefore are not called yethe Woman but only her seed.
ffor though yethe woman during her abode in yethe wilderness
be really all one wthwith this her seed, yet she most properly repre
sents yethe Church as it consists of such visible Assemblys as
have yethe face of a church, & therefore to distinguish this
her state of dispersion & obscurity, from her visible state at
other times, yethe aggregate of her members are here called only
yethe remnant of her seed.
The history of yethe Beast
Whilst yethe Dragon was doing these things, yethe Beast rose out of
yethe Sea, & sufferred a deliquium, & then ascended out of yethe bottom
les pit & reigned to yethe End. Posit.
He is described to be like yethe Leopard, that is, at first Mo
narchichal, but soon broken into many kingdoms as yethe Greek
Empire was after yethe death of Alexander: to have feet like
yethe feet of yethe Bear, that is ✝✝ pedes ad pugnam compositos, pugnaces exercitus ut olim Cyrus. Vrsa Enim pugnat cum pedibꝫbus. Et similiter Be hæc Bestia in Daniele quod reliquum erat pedibus calcare dicitur. stout Armies like those of Cyrus
(see ffig :) & to have a mouth like yethe Lyon, that is a mouth
speaking proud & blasphemous things against yethe most high like
yethe kings of Babylon.
His rise out of yethe Sea & wound wthwith a sword were to happen
in yethe sixt head or seale (Posit V) that is between yethe 10th
Persecution & Theodosius's reign, & this limits us to yethe rise of
yethe Western Empire at Constantine's death for yethe first, & to the deliquium10 deliquium of that Empire by the mortal wound made wthwith
Constantius's sword for yethe second.
His rise out yethe Sea may be recconed to begin at the
death of Constantine & to be completed wthwithin three years
after when yethe whole Empire by the death of yethe younger
Constantine became divided between Constans & Constantius, Rome
& Constantinople. This was his rise as to his politique state;
but besides he might be said to rise also about this time in
respect of his new religion. For yethein the Homoüsian controversy
Constantine sided wthwith the Church in the latter part of his
reign, but his Sons became divided in their opinions Constanti
us treading in his father's steps but Constans taking part wthwith
the Homoüsians, being thereto moved by yethe instigation of Pope
Iulius & his guest Athanasius. And by their influences so many
of yethe Bishops & Clergy were led aside that immediately after
the Council of Sardica (wchwhich was called in yethe 11th year after
yethe death of Constantine) yethe western Churches wchwhich had hitherto
communicated wthwith yethe eastern separated from them & refus
ed to communicate wthwith them any longer: of wchwhich separation
the limit was yethe town Sardica & yethe Mountain wchwhich
were a little way wthwithin yethe borders of yethe Eastern Empire.
Thus by a religious as politiqꝫque division of yethe Empire the Beast
rose at this time out of yethe great Roman Sea: & as the
Dragon signified yethe old Empire both in respect of its being
a body politiqꝫque & in respect of its being a state of heathenism
so I conceive yethe Beast signifies yethe western Empire both as
it was a new body politiqꝫque derived out of yethe old Empire
& as it was of a new fals religion that great Antichristi
an Apostacy wchwhich it was to spread & reign in to the end
& for yethe sake of wchwhich it is not represented by any natural
Beast as yethe Chaldæan Persian & Greecian Empires were, but
by a Nameles beast or monster to express its greater brut
ishness & uncleanness.
Now as yethe Beast thus rose in both respects so in a civil
& religious respect, so he received his mortal wound in
both respects. ffor when Constantineus invaded & conquered
yethe western Emperour Magnentius, he not only made yethe
western Empire cease for a time but supprest its religion
too, deposing the & banishing yethe Homoüsian Bishops those few proceeding at first by perswasions by all fair means & perswasions & yethe convening of Councils to bring things wchwhich to11 wchwhich persisted openly to vindicate Athanasius, amongst wchwhich was yethe
an agreement wthwithout force, & at length banishing those few
Bishops that remained obstinate & were condemned in the Council of Mediolanum namely bb Athanas. Apolog. Ruffin Paulinus Trevis, Dionysius Alb.
Lucifer Sard., Eusebius Verc., Osius Cord., & Liberius Rom., whereof Osius & Liberius
were soone after converted to yethe right faith & restored to their
seats Corduba & Rome & cc Fulgos l 7. c 3 Sulvitius Severus some write that Eusebius there, & Dionysius Alb. subscribed against Athanasius in yethe coūunsel of Mediolanum & by consequence were not banished. So far did yethe Athanasian faction
dwindle at this time that when the Emperour sent for yethe B Li
berius yethe BpBishop of Rome, dd. Theod. 2.16 he askt him how great a part he was ——— those few Bishops that remained obstinate & were condemned in yethe
counsel of Mediolanum, namely Paulinus Trevir. Dionysius Alb. Eu
sebius Verc. Lucifer Caral. & Rhodianus. Yet Fulgos l 7. c 3 & Sulpitius
Severus except say ytthat Dionysius subscribed to yethe counsel & consequently notconsequently was not banished. A little after these
was Liberius BpBishop of Rome banished also, but yet wthwithin a while upon recanting
his errors restored to his seat. And at this time so far did was yethe Athanasian
faction dwindled, that when yethe Emperor sent for Liberius he askt him
how great a part was told him that Athanasius was condemned by all
yethe Bishops of yethe whole world, & askt him how great a part he
was of yethe whole world that he alone should vindicate that most wicked man
& break yethe peace of yethe whole world. And — of yethe whole world that he alone should vindicate yethe most wicked
Athanasius & break yethe peace of yethe Church & whole world. And
yethe BpBishop answerd that yethe cause of his faith was not diminished by his
being alone, for so of old there were only three found to stand up
against the resist Nebuchadnezzar. And then the Em a little after
yethe Emperour again insisted upon his singularity, telling him
that he was yethe only man that who defended that wicked person.
Now this being the last moment of yethe Churches flourishing
the Angel from hence as from the nearest distance shewed StSaint
Iohn in yethe 17th Chapter a prospect of the times of Apostacy
calling yethe Beast (in respect of yethe time wchwhich was looked upon
as present in yethe vision, (wchwhich was when five Kings or Heads
were fallen & yethe sixt in being) the Beast wchwhich was & is not
& shall ascend out of yethe bottomless pit, & yethe Beast wchwhich was &
is not & is at hand.
The political restauration of yethe Beast (as I said) was at
yethe new division of yethe Empire between Valentinian & Valens
& this was accompanied wthwith a division in religion too. ffor
Valens trod in yethe steps of Contantius but Valentinian tole
lerated all religions, whereby yethe Athanasian party by degrees
revived in yethe west & not only revived but ran further
into errors, apostatizing so far that yethe rise & spreading of
this Apostacy is exprest by yethe Beasts ascending out of yethe bot
tomles pit. This Apostacy consisted in yethe depravation of
manners worship & faith; of manners to so great a degree
that Salvian one of their own Bishops comparing them wthwith yethe
heathens of the same time could not but judge yethe Christi
ans apparently sunk below 'em; of worship by introducing yethe ado
ration of Saints & reliques wthwith many other superstitions conse
quent thereto; of faith by changing yethe doctrins of yethe Trinity
incarnation & passion, so as to deny the ffather to be yethe only
supreme God, & that Spirit wchwhich was truly incarnate so as to become a12 a true sensitive passible man subject to all infirmities of yethe flesh
but sin & by undergoing yethe afflictions of a troublesome life &
painful death performed yethe work of orour redemption, to be the λο
γος or only begotten Son of God by whom he made yethe world, or
any thing els more then a meare human soul; that is so as
to set up Antichristianity according to StSaint Iohns definition of it.
And certainly for a kingdom to be rise wthwith vitious living,
Idolatrous worship & Antichristian faith at it's heels, & over
spread the world therewith for so many ages, is to rise out of
the bottomles pit wthwith a witness.
The accomplishment of this ascending out of yethe Pit I
suppose to be at yethe end of Theodosius reign, for though he
& Gratian joyned in yethe work yet Valentinian II by the favoured sided with
yethe Arrians in Italy. Yea Theodosius himself, though he deposed
yethe Arrian Bishops at yethe beginning of his reign, yet he began
not to interdict yethe Assemblies of yethe people for religious worship
till aa Theod. l 5. c 16. after his return from yethe war wthwith Maximus, & the ensuing
insurrection of Eugenius hindred their suppression in yethe west till
after his overthrow. Wherefore yethe Beast cannot be said to have
been fully risen before Theodosius became Master of yethe whole
Empire, & after four months oppression of yethe Church, left it
divided between his sons. Thus was the Oracle that yethe Christian religion should last but 365 years fulfilled And now the Beast being arrived to
maturity as well by yethe fall of yethe Church & fulness of wicked
ness as by yethe final division of yethe Empire, begins his reign
in yethe state of his 8th head wchwhich in chap 17 is called yethe
Beast eminently as if all yethe former times belonged to the
Dragon. And indeed although you may, as often as yethe Empire
became divided restrain yethe Dragon to signify yethe eastern part
only yet seing yethe monarchical form of yethe empire was not
perfectly dissolved till yethe death of Theodosius, & yethe reign of
yethe Beast is limited to yethe 8th head in Chap 17, & accordingly
in chap 13 none of his seaven heads crowned; I had rather
consider yethe whole Empire to be yethe Dragon till that Emperors
death, & look upon yethe Western Empire in yethe times of division
from yethe Eastern to be yethe Beast in a state of minority & im
perfection, not yet fully emerged out of yethe Dragon but a portion
of him till Theodosius perfected yethe Division.
The ten horns of yethe Beast.
Thus I have drawn down yethe history of yethe Beast till he
began the wicked reign of his eighth head, & this being yethe horned head13 head, the next thing to be considered is yethe rise of his horns, or
his rending into ten kingdoms: for yethe more certain defining of
wchwhich, we are first to know yethe just time & place in wchwhich
they were to rise.
The place according to what we have shewed
must be yethe western Empire precisely, excluding yethe eastern: for
as they are yethe horns of Daniel's 4th Beast they must have no
thing common wthwith yethe heads of yethe Leopard, as they are they
but be restrained to yethe regions precisely signified by that Beast;
& also as they are yethe horns of StSaint Iohn's Beast they are li
mited to him by their receiving their kingdoms yethe same hour
hour wthwith him & giving their kingdom to him & being all
crowned on his head & uncrowned on yethe Dragons.
The time is determined by this that yethe ten kings re
ceive their kingdoms yethe same hour wthwith yethe beast Apoc 17.12, ytthat
is wthwith yethe Beast as he is considered in yethe vers before where he
is taken for yethe 8th head or King, wchwhich as we have shewed
is yethe western Empire commencing at yethe death of Theodosius.
The length of this hour therefore being known we shall have
yethe just intervall of time wthwithin wchwhich yethe 10 Kings were to re
ceive their Kingdoms. For by what was shewed in Posit
they were to rise after this head & therefore yethe hour must
be dated from its rise. Now yethe length of yethe hour is determined
by what we shewed above concerning yethe half hour's silence,
to be 15 years, yethe double of ytthat half hour. And therefore
yethe 8th head or Western Empire is to be rent into these
ten horns or Kingdoms wthwithin 15 years after it's beginning,
that is, before yethe year 410. This is yethe latest, & yethe soonest
is yethe year 408, yethe western Empire being preserved intire
till then. ffor by what we produced out of above pag pag out of
Claudian, it is manifest that all Gallia & Spain conti
nued quiet till that great irruption of barbarians wchwhich be
gan yethe wars of yethe second Trumpet. But whether invasion
began A.C. 407 or A.C. 408 might be disputed Now this began with the year 408. ffor Orosius
yethe earliest writer put's it Ante biennium aa Roma capta est 9 Kal. Sept. (Paul: Diac. Romanæ irrup
tionis. Prosper & Marcelline in yethe 2d year after yethe over
throw of Rhadagaisus, & Marcelline an accurate chronologer Indic 6, Basso & Phil Coss14 head, the next thing to be considered is yethe rise of his horns, or
his rending into ten kingdoms: for yethe more certain defining
of wchwhich, we are first to know yethe just time & place in wchwhich
they were to rise.
The place according to what we have shewed must be yethe
western Empire precisely, excluding yethe eastern: for as they
are yethe horns of Daniels 4th Beast they must have nothing
common wthwith yethe heads of yethe Leopard; & as they are yethe horns
of StSaint Iohn's Beast they are limited to him by their receiving
their kingdoms the same hower wthwith him, & giving their king
dom to him, & being all crowned on his head & uncrowned
on yethe Dragon's.
The time is determined by this that yethe ten kings receive
power their kingdoms yethe same hower wthwith yethe beast Apoc 17.12, that is
wthwith yethe Beast as he is considered in yethe vers before where he
is taken for yethe 8th head or king wchwhich as we have shewed is
yethe western Empire commencing at yethe death of Theodosius.
The length of this hower therefore being known, we shall
have yethe just intervall of time wthwithin wchwhich yethe 10 Kings were
to receive their kingdoms For by what was shewed in Posit they were to rise after this head & therefore the hower must be dated from its rise.. Now for defining this hower, if ac
cording to Posit we take a prophetic day for a
year, yethe hower will be 15 naturall days: but this is too
short a time for so great a revolution as yethe setting up
ten kingdoms, & therefore we must repeat yethe figure & take these
15 days for Philosophic days that is for 15 years. And this I
perswade my self is yethe true measure of yethe hower because
yethe double of yethe half hower's silence wchwhich lasted from yethe ceasing
of yethe Gothic wars in yethe beginning of winter A.C. towards the end of yethe year 380 to
yethe commencing of Theodosius's wars wthwith Maximus in yethe be
ginning of Summer middle of the year A.C. 388, that is, seven years & a half
or thereabouts. The Now the length of the hower is determined by what we showed in above in concerning yethe half-howers silence to be 15 years the double of that half hower. And therefore the 8th head or western Empire therefore is
to be rent into these ten horns or kingdoms wthwithin 15 years after its
beginning, that is, before yethe yeare 410. This is yethe latest, &
yethe soonest is yethe year 408, the western Empire being preserved
intire till then. ffor by what what we produced above pag out of Claudi
an it is manifest that all Gallia & Spain continued quiet till that great
irruption of Barbarians wchwhich began yethe wars of yethe second Trumpet, & this began wthwith yethe year
408. ffor Orosius the earliest writer puts it two years before yethe aa. Roma capta est 9 Kal. Sept (Paul Diac. Sigebert. A.C. statuant) 410. sacking of Rome, Prosper &15 & Marcelline in yethe second year after yethe overthrow of Radagaisus;
& Marcellin Indic 6 Basso & Philippo Coss. By all wchwhich charac
ters it must happen AC 408, yet so that yethe passage of yethe Barbari
ans over the Danube may fall in yethe last day of December A.C.
407. For Prosper informs us that it happened in yethe last day of De
cember though he put both that & yethe overthrow of Radagaisus
a year too soon. This determination is not a little confirmed
by yethe time of Stilico's death wchwhich was caused by & soon followed
upon ytthat invasion (Oros. Iornand.) & happened A.C. 408. 10 Kal.
Sept. between Arcadius's death & Alaric's invasion of Italy
(Zosim. ) both wchwhich were in yethe same year. I may add that in
yethe year before, Stilico was preparing an expedition into Illyric
um against yethe Greek Emperor (Zosim.) wchwhich it is not likely he
would have presumed to proceed in if yethe Barbarians had
been then in Gallia. Prosper therefore & after him Cassiodo
rus err who put it a year sooner. Yea Prosper is so uncer
tain in yethe time of this action that (in calce lib 1 Euseb. Chron).
he puts it after Arcadius's death. ✝ he has done in yethe first & last, seing yethe things have an affinity wthwith one ano
ther. This determinatondetermination is not a little confirmed by the time of Stilico's
death wchwhich was caused by, & soon followed upon that invasion (Oros. Iornand.)
& happened an. 408.10 Kal. Sept. between Arcadius's death & Alaric's in
vasion of Italy (Zosim.) both wchwhich were in yethe same year. I may add
that in yethe year before Stilico was preparing an expedition against
yethe Greek Emperor (Zosim.) wchwhich it is not likely he would have pre
sumed to proceed in if yethe Barbarians had been then in Gallia.
And to say no more, Ierom in his epistle ad Gerontiam written quam
Roma vitam auro et omni supellectile redemerat, i.e. an. 409,
relates yethe Gallic invasion from yethe beginning of it after such a
manner as if the whole news was but then hot in the east where he was
Yet Prosper makes yethe depopulations of Gallia by yethe Huns Vandals Alans
& Goths sucessively to have lasted 10 years & anno 316 Gallia
had an universal peace
Italy & the eastern parts of this Empire began before this time to be much
troubled bye yethe wars of yethe first Trumpet, but now those troubles
were all overcome, Alaric, Radagaisus & all other invaders be
ing either vanquished or repulsed. If any of them had a title
to any portion of this Empire, 'twas Alaric, & yet he appears not
to have had any unless as a subject to yethe Emperor. ffor though
his nation entred yethe Empire above 30 years before, yet they residderesided
wthwithin yethe eastern Empire all yethe reign of Theodosius & for five years
after. And besides, their coming into yethe Empire was upon terms of sub
jection, wchwhich though they brake yet being well beaten by Theodosius, they
not only made peace wthwith him but returned to their obedience, &
their Captain Alaric as one of his other subjects served under him in
his wars wthwith Eugenius. And after his death bb Gormand Get. Sigebert. when they constituted Alaric
their King & rebelled again, though Alaric harassed yethe Eastern
Empire five years together yet when he came into yethe western he
was so soundly beaten by Stilico ytthat cc Claud. & Pruden in locis supra citatis pag. Claudian called yethe remainder of
his nation, tanta ex gente reliquias breves, & Prudentius gentem de
litam: whereupon he was forced to submit himself again being
humbled so far ytthat dd Oros l. 7, c 38. Orosius tell's us he did pro pace optima &
quibuscunqꝫque sedibus suppliciter & simpliciter orare. After this But then ee Oros. Philostorgius Olympiodor. Stilico
beginning to think of transferring getting yethe Empire to himself & his son, favoured them
underhand for his use & after a while procured Alaric to be honoured
wthwith a military præfecture & sent him into yethe east in Honorius's service
committing some Roman troops to his conduct amongst his Goths & intending
promising to follow soon after to joyn forces in yethe expedition wthwith his own army army; his pretence being to recover some regions of Illyricum
wchwhich yethe Eastern Emperor injuriously detained from yethe western,
but his real designe to make himself Emperor of yethe East:
for yethe facilitating of wchwhich he had invited that great inundation
of Barbarians for a diversion to yethe western Empire to invade
it after his departure. In these circumstances Alaric stayed
in Epire till yethe year 408, & therefore was not supreme Lord
over any part of yethe West so as to breake yethe Empire till this year in wchwhich he returned
to invade it. The western Empire therefore was preserved
intire till yethe year very end of yethe year 407 & so there
remain only yethe years 408 & 409 for its breaking into yethe ten horns or kingdoms.
To these circumstances of time & place we may add
another of the proportion of these horns ten kingdoms to
yethe four capital Kingdoms into wchwhich yethe Greecian Monarchy was
divided, namely that these were to be much less then those:
ffor this may be gathered both from their greater number
& from — 16 gathered both from their greater number & from their repre
sentation in Daniel's vision chap 7, those being there represented
not by horns as these are but by four heads of yethe Tyger to set
'em forth wthwith yethe more amplitude comparatively to these.
And these things premised I proceed now to yethe enumeration
of these horns wchwhich are these. 1 The Kingdom of yethe Vandals
2 The Kingdom of yethe Suevians. 3. the Kingdom of yethe Alans
in Spain. 4 The Kingdom of yethe Alans in Gallia. 5 The
Kingdom of yethe Burgundians. 6 The Kingdom of yethe Franks
7 The Kingdom of yetheBrittain. 8 The Kingdom of yethe Visigoths
9 The Kingdom of yethe Huns. 10. The Kingdom of Ra
venna: all whose Kings received power as Kings in yethe
years 408 & 409.
The seven first seven were founded by yethe Gallic ir
ruption wchwhich began yethe wars of yethe second Trumpet A.C. 408
ineunte: the manner of wchwhich was this. The Vandals under
Godegisilus, yethe Alans in two bodies one under Goar, another
under Resplandial, yethe Suevi under Ermeric & yethe Burgundians
under Gundicar, in yethe end of yethe year 407 rising from their seats in Germany as was said
force their way through yethe Franks, pass yethe Rhene at Ments &
diffuse themselves through yethe next regions of Gallia & amongst other actions the Vandals take Trevirs.. A.C. 408. Indic 6. Basso et Philippo Coss: Stilico Comes regnum inhians, Alano
rum Suevorum Wandalorumqꝫque gentes donis pecunijsqꝫque illectas contra regnum Honorij ex
citavit. Marcellini Chron. Vpon this
Alarm yethe Brittish soldiers revolt & set up tyrants there first Mar
cus whom they slew presently yn Gratian whom they slew in four months & lastly & Constantine one after another, & under Constan
tine whom so soon as they had set him up (wchwhich was yethe summer fol
lowing yethe irruption,) they invaded Gallia, thinking to get yethe whole
Empire. & after a while Constantine drew Goar to his side against
Honorius. Constantine soon possest a good part of Gallia, but the Barbarians being in his way, he invited yethe Franks against yethe Vandals In yethe mean time & drew Goar also to his side. The Franks therefore also The next winter yethe Franks also, being put into a
posture of war those beyond the Rhene by yethe late hostile impression wchwhich yethe other Barba
rians had made upon them & invited to invade Gallia by their their examleby their example pass again yethe Rhene & now
& thereuponre on this side by the immin invited by yethe negligent government of Constantine to follow yethe follow the
example of yethe rest, & having passt yethe Rhene also into Gallia, & first
fallen upon yethe Vandals take trevirs from them for the Romans & slay about almost twenty thousand of them
in battel, yethe rest escaping only by a hand of aa Sigebert Resplendial Alans that came timely
to their assistence. Then Resplendial seeing this disaster, &
that Goar & Gundicar wereas fallen away to yethe Romans, consulting his safety
left yethe coasts of yethe Rhene & together wthwith yethe Suevians & residue
of yethe Vandals went towards Spain, spreading into & vexing all
places by yethe way. They were at first stopt by yethe Pyrenæan
mountains wchwhich made them diffuse themselves into Aquitain & several other parts of Gallia but after some time they had yethe passage betrayed to them by some of yethe
soldiers of Constans yethe Son of Constantine whom his Father had created17 created Cæsar & sent into Spain to order his affairs there.
They entred Spain 4 Kal. Octob. A.C. 409 & from that time every
one conquering there what he could, at length to avoyd
wars wthwith one another they divided their conquests by lot
& yethe Vandals obteined Bœtica & part of Gallæcia, yethe Suevi
ans yethe rest of Gallæcia & yethe Alans Lusitania & yethe rest
of yethe Carthaginian Province. Ⓡ
Ⓡ In yethe meane while forces of Honorius sent against yethe Barbarians took Trevirs from yethe Franks. Also, Stilico's expedition against yethe Greek Emperor being stopt
stopt by Honorius's order, Alaric came out of Epire into Noricum & demanded a
summ of money for his service. The senate were inclined to deny him, but
by Stilico's mediation granted it. But after a while Stilico being detected & slain as a
trayterous conspirator wthwith Alaric, & so Alaric disppointed of his money &
reputed an enemy to yethe Empire, he brake streight into Italy wthwith his army wchwhich
he brought out of Epire, & sent to his brother Adaulphus to follow him wthwith
what other forces were remaining in Pannonia, wchwhich were not great, but
yet not to be despised. After he had besieged & taken Rome & was ship
wrackt in his attempt to pass into Afric, as was described above Honorius made peace wthwith him &
got up an army to send against yethe Tyrant Constantine. At the same
time Gerontius one of Constantine's Capitains revolted from him & set up
one Maximus Emperor in Spain: whereupon Constantine sent Edobec another
of his Capitains to draw to his assistence besides yethe Barbarians that were in
Gallia fresh supplies of Franks & Alemans from beyond yethe Rhene. Gerontius
advancing began to besige ContantineConstantine in ArelalumArelatum, but Honorius immediately at the same time
sending Constantius wthwith yethe Army on yethe same errand, Gerontius fled, & Constantius
continued yethe siege being strengthned by yethe access of yethe greatest part of Gerontius's soldiers. After After 4 months siege, Edobec having procured succors, yethe Barbarian Kings
at Ments constitute Iovius a Tyrant Emperour & together wthwith him set forward to re
lieve Arelatum. At their approach Constantius retired, & they pursuing, beat
him them by surprize, but not prosecuting his victory yethe Barbarians
soon recovered themselves, yet not so as to hinder yethe fall of yethe Tyrants.
but yet Brittain could not be recovered to yethe Empire but remained ever after a distinct Kingdom. The next year the Goths also were notably overthrown at & forced to wthwith much the Emperor to be shut of them, permitting them] into Aquitain. By this victory yethe Barbarians wchwhich were still harassing Gallia began to be further awed & also were notably overthrown & forced invaded Aquitain, yet scarce so as to leave their hold in Italy, till they were beaten in Aquitain by Constantius and they invaded [ by Constantius: wchwhich victory happend about yethe year 414. They invaded Aquitain wthwith much violence, causing yethe Alans —] violently causing the Alans & Burgundians to retreat wchwhich were then depopulating it. At the same time yethe Burgundians were brought to terms of peace & had the Emperor granting them for inheritance a region wchwhich they h upon yethe Rhene wchwhich they had invaded, but sending Castinus wthwith an Army to check yethe ffranks the Franks continued And yethe same I guess he did wthwith yethe Alans, but the Franks two or three years not long after among other mischiefs retaking & burning Trevirs, Castinus was sent against them wthwith an army.
In yethe meane while Goar & Gundicar were buisybusy in getting what they could in Gallia, & Honorius having sent Constantius to besiege Constantine in Arelatum, they set up one Iovius another tyrant & together wthwith him & yethe Franks who had lately received new supplys by a second irruption began to advance toward yethe releif of Constantine. But Constantius hearing of their coming doubled his diligence & took yethe City before their arrival. After this followed various wars between these barbarians & yethe Romans, in wchwhich Iovian was soon slain Trevirs taken by the Franks from the Romans & burnt, & yethe Franks Castinus a Roman Captain sent against yethe Franks in particular. But such was yethe multiplicity of these wars that we have no distinct account of them..
Now yethe records of this history, (that I may not deliver it gratis) are chiefly these: ✝
✝ Stilico Alarichum cunctamqꝫque Gothorum gentem pro pace optima et quibuscunqꝫque sedibus suppliciter et simpliciter orantem occulto fædere fovens ad terendam Rempublicam reservavit. Præterea Gentes alias copijs viribusqꝫque intollerabiles quibus nunc Galliarum Hispaniarumqꝫque Proviniciæ premuntur, hoc est Alanorum Suevorum Vandalorum ipsoqꝫque simul motu impulsorum Burgundionum ultrò in arma solicitans suscitavit, eas interim ripas Rheni quatere et pulsare Gallias voluit. Itaqꝫque ubi Imperatori Honorio exercituiqꝫque hæc tantorum scelerum scena patefacta est, commoto justissime exercitu occisus est Stilico. Oros l. 7, c. 38. Ante aa prid Kal. Ian. A.C. 407 finiente ut supra probatum est, pag a. Rhenum transiebant prid. Kal. Ian A.C. 407 finiente, ut supra probatum est, pag. biennium Romanæ irruptionis excitæ per Stiliconem gentes Alanorum Suevorum Vandalorum, multǽqꝫque cum his aliæ, ffrancos proterunt, Rhenum transeunt, Gallias invadunt, directoqꝫque impetu Pyrenæum usqꝫque perveniunt, cujus obice ad tempus repulsæ per circumjacentes Provincias refunduntur. His per Gallias bacchantibus, apud Britannos Gratianus municeps ejusdem insulæ tyrannis creatur & occiditur: Hujus loco Constantinus eligitur qui continuò ut invasit imperium in Gallias transijt. Oros. l 7. c 40. & Paul. Diac in Eutrop.: continuat: l 13. Frigeridus, cùm Romam refert a Gothis captam atqꝫque subversam, ait: Interea Resplendial Rex bb. In nonnullis editionibus, ponitur Alemannorum, sed in edit. Bladij A.C. 1512 (quæ cæteris, vetustior est) legitur Alanorum Id quod et sensus loci requirit et Authorum testimonium, tradente Sigeberto, Trithemio, Authore Annalium Bonorum, Vasæo, Bacchero, alijsqꝫque Resplendialem fuisse Regem Alanorum. Alanorum, Goare ad Romanos transgresso, de Rheno agmen suorum convertit, Vandalis Francorum bello laborantibus, Godegisilo Rege absumpto, acie viginti ferme millibus ferro peremptis, cunctis Vandalorum ad internecionem delendis ni Alanorum vis in tempore subvenisset. Movet nos hæc causa quod cum aliarum Gentium Reges nominet cur non nominet et Francorūum Greg. Turonensis l. 2. c 9. Vandali Alani et Suevi Pyrænæos montes transgressi Hispaniam ingrediuntur omnes eodem tempore (Oros l 7. c 40, Sozom l 9. c 12. Idat. Chron. Isidor: Hist: Suev: & Hist. Wand. P. Diac. in Eutrop. continuato. Sigebert. alijsqꝫque omnes.) Idqꝫque 4 Kal. Octob. Ann: Olympiade: 297, Æra18 Æra Hispan 447, Anno 15 Honorij (Idat.) Honorio 8 & Theodosio 3 Coss: (Prosper. Idat. Cassiodor.) hoc est Sept 2 A.C. 409. ** ** Quomodo aditus in Hispaniam barbaris proditus, sit vide apud — — — — Oros: l 7: c 40. Vbi hæc habet: Constantis milites barbari, prodita Pyrenæi custodia, claustrisqꝫque patefactis cunctas gentes quæ per Gallias vagabantur Hispaniarum provincijs immittunt ijsdemqꝫque ipsi adjunguntur, ubi actis aliquamdiu magnis cruentisqꝫque discursibus, post graves rerum atqꝫque hominum vastationes quarum ipsos quoqꝫque modo pænitet, habita, sorte et distributa usqꝫque ad nunc possessione consistunt; Hoc est ad an 417, quando hæc scripta fuerunt. Biennio post captam Romam Anno 17. Honorij, Æra Hispan 449 (A.C. 411) subversis Hispaniæ Provincijs barbari ad pacem ineundam conversi sortè ad habitandum sibi provinciarum, dividunt regiones, Gallæciam Vandali occupant et Suevi sitam in extremitate Maris Oceani, Alani Lusitaniam & Carthaginensem Provincias, & Vandali congnomine Silingi Bæticam sortiuntur. Hispani per civitates et castella residui a plagis, barbarorum per Provincias dominantiam se subjiciunt servituti. Constantinus post triennium invasæ tyrannidis ab Honorij duce Constantio intra Gallias occiditur. Idat: chron. & Isidor & Eadem pene habet Isidorus in Hist: Wandal. ✝ ✝ Quomodo Gothi Basso et Philippo Coss: ex Epiro in Noricum profecti mercedem poscunt & Alarico 10 Kal. Sept. interfecto Italiam e vestigio invadunt non manentes advocata e Pannonijs auxilia vide apud Zosimum lib. 5 Anno post urbem captam Constantius comes in Galliam cum exercitu profectus, Constantium Imperatorem apud Arelatum civitatem clausit cœpit occidit. Iovinus postea vir Galliarum nobilissimus in tyrannidem mox ut assurrexit cecidit. Oros l 7, c 42. Iovinus apud aa Moguntiam Mundiacum Germaniæ alterius urbem studio Goaris Alani et bb Gundicarij Guntiarij Burgundionum præfecti Tyrannus creatus est. Olympiodor. apud Photium. Dum - Dum Constans, inquit Frigeridus, cum Patre resideret, ab Hispania nuncij commeant a Gerontio Maximum unum e clientibus suis Imperio præditum atqꝫque in se Comitatu gentium barbarorum accinctum parari: quo enterriti, Edobecco ad Germanos gentes præmissu, Constans & præfectus jam Decimius Rusticus ex officiorum magistro petunt Gallias cum Francis et Alamannis omniqꝫque militum manu, ad Constantinum jamjamqꝫque redituri. Item cùm Constantinum obsideri scribit Frigeridus, ita dicit: Vix dum quartus Frigeridus cùm Constantinum obsideri scribet, ita dicit: Vix dum quartus obsidionis Constantini mensis agebatur cum repentè ex ulteriori Gallia nuncij veniunt Iovinum assumpsisse ornatus regios & cum Burgundionibus Alemannis Francis Alanis omniqꝫque exercitu imminere obsidentibus, ita acceleratis moris reserata urbe Constantinus deditur. — Et paulò post: Hisce diebus Præfectus tyrannorum Decimius agroetinus ex primicerio notariorum Iovini multiqꝫque nobiles apud Avernos capti a Ducibus Honorianis & crudeliter interempti sunt. Trevirorum civitas a Francis direpta incensaqꝫque est secunda irruptione. — Cùm autem Asterius codicillis Imperialibus Patriciatum sortitus fuisset, hæc adjungit: Eodem tempore Castinus domesticorum Comes expeditione in Francos suscepta ad Gallias mittitur. Greg. Turnonens. l 2. c 9. Franci per Gallias incessentes deripiunt primò & secunda irruptione incendunt urbem Trevirim. Sigebert. Wandalis Suevis et Alanis Hispanias ingressis occupantibus, Gerontius omnium Constantini ducum fortissimus, hostis illi factus, Maximum Imperiali veste induit & Tarracone morari jussit. Constantinus verò cum defectionem Maximi comperisset Edobecum ducem suum trans Rhenum direxit ut Francorum et Alemannorum auxilia impretraret, Constanti autem filio suo Viennæ custodiam commisit. At Gerontius expeditione suscepta obiter Constantem Viennæ interfici curavit & Arelatum profectus eam obsidere aggressus est. Sed novi multò post cùm Exercitus Honorij duce Constantio contra Tyrannum missus advenisset, Gerontius cum paucis militibus fugit & mox perit, major enim pars eorum ad Constantium transfugerat. Interim circumsidente Arelatum Honorij exercitu, Constantinus adhuc obsidionem sustenebat cum ei nunciatum esset Edovicum cum ingentibus auxilijs adventare. Nunciato protinus Edovici adventu, et quod is in proximo castra haberet, Honorij duces se ultra amnem Rodanum recipiunt. Et Constantius quidem qui pedestres copias ductabat adventum hostium opperiebatur. Vlfila verò Constantij Collega haud procul abditus cum equitatu subsidebat. Potsquam hostes exercitum Vlfilæ prætergressi jam cum militibus Constantij pugnam inituri erant, repentè signo dato prorumpens Vlfila hostes e tergo invadit. Statimqꝫque disjectis eorum copijs alij in fugam versi alij occisi, plurimi armis abjectis veniam poscentes salutem consecuti sunt. Dein cùm Constantius trajecto iterum amne ad obsidium urbis revertisset, obsessi portas apperiunt, Constantinus una cum Iuliano filio in Italiam missus antequam eo pervenisset in itinere est occisus. Nec multo post Iovinus & Maximus Tyranni ex improviso interfecti sunt. Sarus item et alij complures qui Honorij imperio fuerant insidiati. Sozomen l 9. c 12, 13, 14, 15. Hanc historiam Prosper refert ad Consulatum Theodosij A.C. 411. De hac et sequenti victoria adversus Gothos in Italia versa pag Versa pag. Gothos in Italia hæc habet Hieronymus: Tunc lugubres vestes Italia mutavit & semiruta urbis Romæ mænia pristinum ex parte recepere fulgorem. - Putares extinctam Gothorum manum, et colluviem perfugarum atqꝫque servorum, domini desuper intonantis fulmine concidisse. Non sic post Trebecāam Thasymenum & Cannas: in quibus locis Romanorum exercituum cæsa sunt milia, Marcellini primùm ad Nolam prælio se populus Romanus erexit. Minori priùs gaudio strata Gallorum agmina, auro redempta Nobilitas et seminarium Romani generis in arce cognovit. Penetravit hic rumor Orientis littora, &c. Hieron: ad Demetriadem epist 8. De prælio priori meminit etiam Zosimus (lib 6). licet malo rerum gestarum ordine, additqꝫque Barbaros, quod Romani non insequerenter fugientes, resarcita clade quam acceperant vires recolligisse & rursus hosti pares evasisse. Et Iornandes (in Geticis) meminit Gentes Francorum et Burgundionum Gallias diu & crudeliter infestasse usqꝫque ad adventum Gothorum ex Italia in Aquitaniam, tunc autem metu Gothorum in suis se finibus cœpisse continere: non ultra Rhenum scil: sed in Germanijs cis Rhenūum et Gallia BeligicaBelgica quibus ungues infixerant. Et non multò post Francis Trerim denuo capientibus & incendentibus Castinum contra Francos haud quiescentes illos missum esse puto salten ante an 420 nam exinde detinebatur in bello Hispanico & Afr. ⁘ [⁘ De Treviris autem prædictis quatuor eversionibus hæc Iubaianus: Non agitur Trevirorum Non agitur Trevirorum urbe excellentissima sed quia quadruplici est eversione prostrata. Et paulo post: Expugnata est quater urbs Gallorum Trevir opulentissima. Atqꝫque iterum: Excisâ ter continuis eversionibus summâ urbe Gallorum. Salvian de gubern. Dei lib. 6. ] Anno 18 Honorij (A.C. 412) rursum alia prædatio Galliarum Gothis qui Alarico duce Romam cœperant Alpes transgredientibus: Anno 19 Honorij Valentia nobilissima Galliarum civitas a Gothis effringitur ad quam fugiens se Iovinus contulerat. Anno 20 Aquitani a Gothis tradita. Prosper apud lib 1 Euseb. lib 1.
These records of yethe Ancients I shal conclude wthwith yethe collection of a modern writer speaking of yethe Barbarian kingdoms founded at this time wthwithin yethe Empire. Honorio, inquit, regnante in Pannoniam Hunni, in Hispaniam Vandali Alani Suevi et Gothi, in Galliamin Galliam Alani Burgundiones et Gothi certis sedibus permissis accepti. Sigonius de Occ Imp. ad an 423. Yet Hæc autem expindipugnatio erant a Vandalis Francis et Romanis successivè A.C. 408 & 409 & a Francis denuò A.C. 415, de quibus postea.
The beginnings & first actions of these kingdom's being described, let us now take a view of their Kings & standing severally.
1. The aa Vide Idatium Isidorum, Victorem Procopium, aliosqꝫque. Kings of yethe Vandals were A.C 408 Godegisilus, 409 Gunderic, 426 Genseric, 477 Huneric, 484 Gundemund, 496 Thrasamund, 523 Hilderic, 531 Gelimar. ⊛ ⊛ Godegisilus Gunderic led them into Spain & Genseric into Afric. ffor though Frigerid supposes Godegisilus slain in battel wthwith yethe Franks bb Procop. Wand. Procopius affirms he died in Spain, & wthwith Procopius cc Isidor. in calce Regni Wand. Isidor accords saying that from yethe beginning of Gunderic to yethe taking of Gelimer by Belisarius were 123 years & 7 months. For Gelimer was taken in Aprill A.C. 534, & therefore Gunderic must have begun but in September A.C. 410. agrees who calls Gunderic the first king that succeded in Spain & makes him begin his reign in the third year after they had invaded it. Yet Procopius affirms ytthat Godegisilus died in Spain but sed Frigerido suffragatur Isidorus in fine Chron Wand ubi dicit quod a primo anno Gunderici quo in Hispaniam ingresssus est, usqꝫque ad Gelimiri casum et Wandalorum interritum anni 123 mens. 7. Vnder Genseric they trajected into Afric A.C. 427, & were conquered by Belisarius under Gelimer & their Kingdom dissolved A.C. 534.
2. The dd Vide Idatium, Isidorum, Vasæum, Iohan Biclaxiensim. Kings of yethe Suevians were AC 408 Ermeric, 438 Rechila, 448 Rechiarius, 458 Maldra, 460 Frumarius, 463 Remismundus19mismundus; & at length ee Isidor. after divers Arrian Kings reigned A.C. 563 Theodemir, 568 Miro, 582 Euboricus, & 583 Andeca. This Kingdom remained always in Gallæcia & Lusitania ✝ ✝At yethe departure of yethe Vandals into Afric Ermeric e inlarged it into all Gallæcia Ermeric after yethe fall of the Alan's Kingdom e inlarged it into all Gallicia forcing yethe Vandals to retire into Bœtica, & Rechila e added Bœtica & yethe Carthaginian Province, but yethe Goths lessened it again at the end of Rechiarius his reign. It lasted 177 years. & lasted 177 years according to Isidorus, or as Vasæus writes till yethe year 584 when Leovigildus subdued Andeca & made their kingdom a province of yethe Visigoths. Some account this kingdom revived in the kingdom of Portugal, because the Suevians were seated on that side Spain.
3 The Kings of yethe Alans in Spain were A.C 408 Resplendial & 416 ff Vasæus, p 635. Bucher p 436 sect 6. who led them into Spain & A.C. 416 Ataces. This Kingdom was gg Isidor Petavi' Doct. Temp. more potent then the two former, but of much shorter continuance: for Vallia King of yethe Visigoths hh Idatius Isidor h Idatius, Isidor, Vasæus. in yethe last year of his reign, that is between yethe years 418 & 419 slew Ataces (or Othacar) wthwith almost all his Army, & then yethe Alans subjected themselves to Gunderic yethe King of yethe Vandals who lived in Boetica. But Vasæus tells us that wthwithin two or three a years or two they wthwithdrew themselves again from Gunderic & lived in yethe Carthaginensian Province wthwithout a King tributary to yethe Romans: giving the name Catalaunia to yethe region: Of wchwhich name Beatus Rhenanus (lib 1, p 27) gives us this account. this account. Catthi cum Alanis juncti Hispaniam prorupere regno illic constituto, quod vernacula linguâ a consociatis nationibus occupatricibus hodiè Cathaloniam vocant. Tametsi quidam a Gothis & Alanis derivent. Cujus causa est quod minus noti sunt Catthi vulgò quàm Gotthi. where becoming mixed wthwith yethe Goths after this second Gothic invasion of Spain, they gave at length yethe name of Got-Alania or Catalaunia to yethe region Catthi cum Alanis juncti Hispaniam prorupere regno illic constituto quod vernacula lingua a consociatis nationibus occupatricibus hodiè Catholoniam vocant, Tametsi quidam a Gothis et Alanis derivent cujus causa est quod minus noti sunt Catthi vulgo quàm Gotthi.
4 The ll Bucher p 437 & sequ. Kings of yethe Alans in Gallia were Goar, Sambida, Eocharich, Sangibanus, Beurgus, &c. The Chronicon Aventinus (in Annal. Boiorum) tells us ytthat Goar before he led his Alans into Gallia was King of his Alans before he led them into Gallia, & ytthat he together with Huldin & Sarus Kings (as they called them) of yethe Hunns & Goths was hired by yethe Romans out of Germany against Radagaisus. But what his dominion was in Germany is nothing to orour purpose seeing that was wholly wthwithout yethe Empire & ceased at his transmigration. We are here to consider him only as he invaded yethe Empire & began a new kingdom upon a Roman people & dition by conquest. Vnder mm Prosper. Sambida (whom nn Bucher p 441 Bucher puts yethe successor if not yethe Son of Goar) yethe A these Alans had yethe territories of Valence given them by Ætius yethe Emperors General A.C. 440, & pp Prosper, Bucher pag. 441. In vita S. Germini apud Suriūum (Tom. 3, c 3 Iulij) narratur hæc Eocharici historia, nisi quod Alemanni pro Alanis corruptè seribuntur. Potentia reg Potentia regni hujus eo regnante exinde colligi potest quod in dicta historia Rex ferocissimus appellatur & subditi ejus gens bellicosissima. reg two years after, Eochlaric being then come to yethe throne, they had yethe regions of yethe rebellious Galli Armorichi given them by yethe same Ætius & invaded them, expelling yethe Lords thereof. Vnder qq Iornand. Get. Sigebert Paul Diac. misc. lib 15 Sangibanus they joyned wthwith Ætius & yethe other Kings in that against Attila in that memorable battel against Attila A.C. 451: at wchwhich time q Orleans was in their regal city.r Iornandes r Iochert. Sidonius lib 1 epist 15 dition. Attila had then invaded his territories & rr Sozom. Sedemus lib 8. epist 15 besieged Orleans & thereupon Ætius wthwith his associates coming to raise yethe siege yethe battel was fought there in yethe Campi Catalaunici so called, as I conceive, from these Alans mixt wthwith yethe Chatthi, as Catalaunia in Spain was from yethe other Alan Kingdom. The region is now for shortnesscalled only Campain. Vnder ss Iornandes Beurgus or zz P. Diac. misc ven ad Eutrop continuat. Biorgor they infested Gallia round about till yethe reign of Maximus yethe Emperor, & then they troubled Italy. bBut at20 at length ✝✝ Marcellin chron Cassiodor Chron. Ricimer the Emperors Generall slew Beurgus at yethe foot of yethe mountain Bergamus in Liguria a Province of Italy. Feb 6. A.C. 464. Rustico et Olybrio Coss. What kings they had afterward I read not, nor what became of yethe kingdom. Only I find it was standing in yethe time of Theudebertbertric a king of yethe Austrian Franks who began his reign A.C. 533 536 533 511 & not only standing but in so good condition as to invade these Franks though wthwith bad success. For in excerpta Chronica Gregorij Turonensis I Chap 32 I find this record. Alani a Theudeberto filio Theuderici superantur, omnemqꝫque prædam et vitam amiserunt. The title of yethe Chapter is; De Alanis, quomodo in regno Francorum interfecti sunt. After this loss I guess they became a province of yethe Franks becaus I find this king Theudebert first under his Father & then for him self was a great warrior & amongst other deeds vv Marcellin Chron conquered A.C. 559 A.C. 539 some provinces of Italy, & that at this time the kingdom of the Burgundians was also overthrown.
5 The Burgundian Kingdom was founded by those Burgundians wchwhich advanced to yethe side of yethe Rhene in yethe Reign of Valentinian, but xx Oros l 7. c 38 Iornand: Get. Hieronymus ad Gerontium. Freculph: chr l 5, c 5. Paul. Diac Misc. l 13. now A.C. 408 brake into yethe Empire together wthwith yethe Vandals & other Barbarians. Prosper & Cassiodorus deliver that in yethe consulship of Lucian wchwhich was A.C. 412) the Burgundians obteined a part of Gallia next yethe Rhene, that is, not only by conquest but also by concession of yethe Emperour, as yy Bucher l 14. c 4. Bucher conjectures well determins. ✝ ✝ Of this seat This their first seat was in Gallia Belgica, of wchwhich Sidonius (in Avitum) makes this mention. — Belgam Burgundio quem trux presserat &c. And ytthat their kingdom was potent from yethe beginning & soon became well setled,, as is to be gathered from this passages of Orosius written A.C. 417. Burgundionum esse prævalidam et perniciosam manum, Galliæ hodieqꝫque testes sunt, in quibus præsumpta possessione consistunt: quamvis providentia Dei omnes Christiani modò facti, catholica fide, nostrisqꝫque clericis quibus obedirent receptis, blande mansuete innocenterqꝫque vivant, non quasi cum subjectis Gallis, sed verè cum fratribus Christianis Oros. l. 7. c. 32. About the yethe year 435 they received aa Prosper. Cassiodor Nota; hic in Prospero legitur [Peretio] pro [per Ætium.] great overthrows by Ætius & yethe Huns, in wchwhich wars their king Gundicar was slain Gundicar was in wchwhich war their king Gundicar was slaina Prosper. Cassiodor. Hic in — — — Prospero Prospero ubi dicit universe pene gens cum rege Peretio deleto pro Peretio [ lege [rege Per Ætium] nam regi nomen regem illum Cassiodorus vocat mox erat Peretius sed Gundicarius, ut Gundicarium habet Cassiodorus. but five years after they had bb Prosper Subaudia granted them to be shared wthwith yethe inhabitants, & from that time they became again a very powerfull kingdom being seated in Gallia Sequana & Lugdunensis for a time rr Greg. Tur: l 2, c 9 bounded by the river Rhodanus, but afterward extending much further toward yethe heart of Gallia. Their cc Prosper. Cassiodor. Iornand. Greg: Turonensis. Bucher. Sigebert. Kings were A.C 408 Gundicar, 436 Gundioc, 467 Bilimer, 473 Gundobaldus wthwith his Brothers, 510 Sigismund, 517 Godomarus. Gundioc or Gundeuchis left his Kingdom wthwith Bilimer to be divided between his sons Gundobald, Godegisilus, Chilperic & Godmarus. Gundobald yethe eldest ee Greg: Turon. l 2 c 32, 33. conquered yethe regions about yethe Rivers Araris & Rhodanus wthwith yethe territories of Marseille, ff Bucher p 556. invaded Italy in yethe reign of Glycerius, & conquered all his brethren. Godomarus made Orleans his royal seat whence yethe Kingdom was afterwards called also Regnum Aurelianorum. He was conquered by Clotharius & Childebert Kings of yethe Franks hh Sigebert in yethe year 526 or according to kk Petav: De Doctr: Temp. Petavius in yethe year 532: & so the Kingdom came to yethe Franks. Clodomir A.C. 561 left his kingdom divided between his sons & gave Burgundy to Guntheramnus whose successors were A.C. 594 Childebert, & A.C. 597 Theodoric. Theodoric by conquest joyned yethe kingdom of Austrasia to Burgundy: But at his death A.C. 615 the whole fell to Clotharius21 Clotharius yethe Monarch of yethe Franks. Afterward Austrasia & wthwith it I suppose Burgundy was again sometimes divided from & sometimes reunited to yethe Parisian Kingdom untill yethe reign of Charles yethe great who made his son Carolotus king of Burgundy & thenceforward for above 300 years together it injoyed its proper Kings; viz: untill a little after yethe year 1136; but was then broken into yethe Dukedom of Burgundy, yethe County of Burgundy & yethe County of ** Savoy Subaudia, & afterward those were broken into several other less Counties wchwhich you may see reccon'd up by Lazius De Gent. migr. lib. 11.
6 ✝ ✝ 6. The first mention of yethe Franks in credible Histories is in ytthat German invasion of yethe Empire wchwhich happened in yethe reign of Gallienus & his successors: whence it's probable that they came then from remote parts of Germany & upon their repuls seated themselves upon yethe Rhene. Their seats there were in Franconia & Franconia & Thuringia & Franconia. They had formerly kings, but in yethe reign of Theodosius & his sons lived under Capitains Marcomir, Suno, Genobald & others till yethe year 408, & then began a new kingdom by asserting their liberty from yethe Romans invading Gallia & instead of Capitains setting up a king ofver them: for at yethe time of yethe Vandalic invasion they were in servitude to — The Franks before this invasion inhabited lived wthwithout Kings in Thuringia & Francia orientalis or Franconia, they did not like yethe other barbarians begin their kingdom by a total transmigration, but by asserting their liberty from yethe Romans & instead of Capitains setting up a king over them. ffor at yethe time of yethe invasion they were in servitude to yethe Romans & therefore did not then joyn wthwith their enemies but suffered yethe first shock of yethe invasion. Their bondage to yethe Empire is to be learnt out of Claudian above cited, where he describes not only so firm a peace wthwith them that yethe Belgic heards might feed quietly on yethe mountains of yethe Franks as far as to yethe river Albis & Romans hunt securely in yethe Hercynian wood but so great an inslavement of them that Stilico caused their former Capitains to be taken away & set new ones over them & imposed yethe Roman laws upon them so that they had no power to punish rebels but only to imprison them & reserve them to be tryed by Roman Iudges: wchwhich is so great a subjection, that for yethe time it lasted they cannot but may well be recconned an Appendix to yethe Empire. TAnd this may give them some title to a horn of yethe Beast from yethe time that they asserted their liberty & set up a king over them: but the maine ground of that title is that they then began those conquests over Gallia whereby in time they translated their nation wholly thither ffor their invasion of Gallia followed so soon after that of yethe Vandals & Alans that Paulus Diaconus (lib 14) joyns them together. Trithemius describing — occiderunt &c. And Bucher a diligent — Cologne also. And to conclude, yethe dating this Kingdom from yethe said taking — ffor Bucher a diligent examiner of their records determins the aa Bucher p 428 sec 38 p 430 sect 49. beginning of their kingdom on this side yethe Rhene in Belgium & yethe second Germany to be at yethe taking of Trevirs from yethe Vandals & affirms out of Salvian that they then subverted ** Colonia Agrippina Cologne also. And bb Trithem annal p 62. Trithemius describing yethe Siege of Rome by Alaric adds: Dum hæc agerentur in Italia per Gothos, Franci tempus adesse rati quo sibi Galliam subjicerent universam, contractis copijs adunaverunt exercitum, & fines Gallicanos transgressi primò cùm Vandalis congrediuntur qui Gallias incursabant, quorum regem Godgisith cum quorum regem Godgisith cum 20 millibus occiderunt &c. And In short the opinion of Bucher in dating this kingdom yy Carion Chron. Gutberlethus Chron. Bucher p 430 sec 49. Pezelius Malif: Histor. &c. from yethe taking of Trevirs is the generall tradition of historians, only they differ in yethe time of taking that Cityies taking some referring only22 some referring it to yethe years cc Apocalypsin. 403, others to yethe year 406 others to yethe year 410 or dd Carion in p 296. 406 or ee Bucher. Sige 410 or but by what we showed above both that & yethe precedent taking it by yethe Vandals must be in yethe year 408. ffor the marching of yethe Barbarians toward Spain & the immense wasting of Aquitain & other parts of Gallia after they were stopt by yethe Pyrenæan hills untill they had yethe passage betrayed to them, (all wchwhich followed both takings of Trevirs) could not well take up less then a year: & Orosius describes its so as if the time between their passing yethe Rhene & marching towards Spain was not considerable. Bucher would f f Bucher p 41 sect 2 & p 424 sect 21. collect by yethe putting yethe Consuls in an epitaph found on yethe tomb of one Eusebia there, that yethe town stood secure in yethe year 409 & not therefore so would not have it was not taken by yethe Vandals till yethe next year, but I should rather infer that the Romans had recovered it before that time yethe date of that Epitaph yethe from yethe Franks: , for yethe ffranks only plundered it & left it to yethe Romans after they had plundered it. ffor of yethe foure times that Trevirs was taken since thre were continually one after another (as Salvian tells us) its plain that the third taking must be much nearer to yethe two first then to yethe 4th.
The g kings of yethe Franks were A.C. 408 Theudemire, 417 Pharamund, 428 Clodio, 448 Merovens, 456 Childeric, 482 Clodo The beginning of Theudemir (whom Ivo (called Didio Ivo Carnotensis, & Thiedo & Thiedemeres by Rhenanus) Bucher supposes to have immediately succeeded Marcomir & Suno yethe Capitains of the Franks the whom Stilico caused to cease A.C. 395. And indeed perhaps he might begin then as one of yethe new Capitains whom Stilico set over them instead of yethe former becaus his father Ricimer lately dead was one of Theodosius's principal favorites (being Domesticorum Comes, & Consul A.C. 384, & loaded wthwith other honours:) but his shaking off subjection to yethe Romans so as to receive power as a king, suits only wthwith yethe year 408 when yethe other barbarians first by an impression they invading yethe Franks put them into a posture of war & then by invading Gallia cut of yethe influence of yethe Romans upon them: Constantine, I guess, at yethe same time to gain their allience confirming them in their liberty. To this determination agrees well wthwith the excerpta Gregorij Turonensis e Fredigario lib 2 cap 5, 6, 7, 8. where he thus describes in order this kings beginning, the Tyranny of Iovinus, yethe second taking of Trevirs by yethe Franks & yethe expedition of Castinus. Exctis, inquit, ducibus in Francis denuò Reges creantur ex eadem stirpe qua prius fuerant. Eodem tempore * Iovinus regios assumpsit. Constantinus fugam vertens Italiam di a Iovino principe percussoribus super Mentio flumine catur. Multi nobilium jusse ✝✝ Iovinus Avennis capti & a ducibus Honorius crudeliter inter Trevirorum civitas facti senatoribus nomine23mine Lucij a Francis capta et incensa est. — Castinus Domesticorum Comes expeditionem accepit contra Francos eosqꝫque proterit &c. Then returning to speak of Theudemire he adds: Franci electum a se regem, sicut prius fuerat crinitum inquirentes diligenter ex genere Priami Frigi & Francionis super se creant nomine Theudemerem filium Richemeris, qui in hoc prælio quod supra memini a Romanis interfectus est. (i.e. in prælio cum Castini copijs.) This taking of Trevirs (because Iovinus was slain A.C. 413 (Prosper) & it followed the ruin of his confederates) I suppose is that wchwhich Bucher out of Vindeline in Lege salica & others assignes to yethe year 415, & its most probable ytthat yethe expedition of Ca immediately after this followed yethe expedition of Castinus, & consequently wthwithin a yeare or two yethe death of Theudemir: Ivo puts Theudemir's reign between Pharamund's & Clodio's but ytthat can't be: for Castinus who slew him, was aa Prosper. Idat. chro A.C 422 sent wthwith an army into Spain to make war upon yethe Barbarians there, bb Baron: ann 42 §>1, 2. A.C. 424 fled to Boniface in Afric. cc Prosper in Euseb l A.C. 425 was banished & dd. Prosper in Eus. l 1. A.C. 428 CodioClodio began. of wchwhich Greg. Turonensis in his History lib 2 c 9 makes this further mention: In Consularibus legimus Theodemerem regem Francorum, filium Ricimeris quondam et Ascilam matrem ejus gladio interfectos. Bucher supposes this Bucher supposes this king to have reigned only over yethe Franks ytthat were in Gallia & ytthat yethe transnane Franks afterward grew into one wthwith these: wchwhich would be more to orour purpose if yethe we could be sure of yethe matter of fact.
Of Pharamund Prosper makes this mention has this record: Anno 25 Honorij Pharamundus regnat in Francia. This Bucher ✝ ✝ This Bucher becaus it being there put the yeare before an eclips of yethe sun, 4 years before yethe death of Constantius & seven years before yethe death of Honorius, I re wchwhich happenned in yethe years 420 418, 421, & 423 or 424, I refer (wthwith Bucher) to yethe year 417 Bucher refers to yethe year 417 — hh Bucher p 453. ref to yethe year 417, dating these yeares of Honorius from his being created Atus before yethe death of his Father refers to the ✝ ✝ refers to yethe year 417, becaus it the death of Valentinian, & kk Bucher optimè p 616 & p 453. proves that at this time Pharamund was not only king by yethe constitution of yethe Franks but crowned also by yethe consent of Honorius & had a part of Gallia assigned to him by covenant: wchwhich might be yethe reason that many reccon him I suppose was the cause that Roman writers give occasion to his being reccond him yethe first king. by many. In yethe last year of his reign, Ætius ll Prosper l Felice et Tauro Coss: [i.e. A.C. 428] Pars Galliarum propinqua Rheno, quam Franci possidendam occupaverant ab Ætio comite recepta. took from him some part of his possession in Gallia; but his successor Clodio mm Greg. Turon. Hist l 2. c 9 excerpta ex Fredegario, & Ivo Carnotensis. recovered all & more conquering as far as to yethe river ** Somona vel Sumina. Some: & prosecuted yethe war at wchwhich time I suppose yethe 4th taking of Trevirs happend ffor nn Salv. de Gub. Dei l 6. Salvian tells us it was 4 times taken, & that three of those times were continual, & consequently yethe 4th at some distance from yethe rest. & Merovæus prosecuted maintained added to Clodio's victories, of both wchwhich oo Sidon. in Avito vers 373. Sidonius — who wrote at that time gives us these hints z.z Sidon in Majoram Francus quà Cloio patentes Atrebatum terras pervaserat — Et alibi — Francus Germanam primam Belgamqꝫque secundāam Sternebat. aAt length Clodomer extended yethe kingdom far & wide, conquering yethe Alemans kingdom of yethe Alemans Burgundians, driving drove yethe Goths out of Gallia, possessing all to yethe Pyrenæan hills pp Greg. Turnon l c 38. & placinged his seat at Paris A.C. 508 where it has continued ever since, yethe former Kings being qq Bucher p 445 seated at ** Divodurum in Lotharingia. Metz & sometime at Despargum. This was yethe original of yethe prsentpresent kingdom of France.
7. The revolt of Britain under yethe successive Tyrants Gratian & Constantine is mentioned recorded by Olympiodorus, Orosius, Sozomen, Idatius, Zosimus, Iornandes, Procopius, Sigebert & Gallic expedition of Constantine, Prosper & after him Zosimus24 Zosimus puts Honorio 7 & Theodosio 2 Coss: wchwhich is a year too soone ffor both of them joyn it wthwith yethe irruption of yethe Barbarians into Gallia as consequent thereto & so does Orosius the antientest recorder of these times who writes thus. Ante biennium Romanæ irruptionis excitæ per Stiliconem Gentes Alanorum Suevorum Vandalorum multæqꝫque cum his aliæ, ffrancos proterunt, Rhenum transeunt, Gallias invadunt &c. His per Gallias debacchantibus apud Brittanicas Gratianus municeps ejusdem Insulæ Tyrannus creatur & occiditur. Hujus loco Constantinus ex infima militia propter spem nominis sive metu virtutis eligitur, qui continuò ut invasit Imperium in Gallias transit. l 7. c. 40. But further Constantine reigned three years (Idatius edit Sirmondi) & was slain yethe next year after yethe sacking of Rome, ytthat is A.C. 411 (Oros. Prosp. Marcel. Idat.) 14 Kal. Octob (Marcellin) & therefore must have begun his reign in yethe year 408. Yea Sozomen joyns Constantius's expedition into Gallia wthwith Arcadius death or yethe times a little after yethe death of Arcadius, & Orosius in yethe newly cited place tells us that he passed into Gallia continuò ut invasit Imperium as soon as ever he was in yethe Throne. Wherefore yeThe beginning of his reign must therefore be about yethe time of Arcadius's death; & this happenned A.C. 408 (Sozomen. Socrat. Marcel. Cassiod. Procop. Zosim.) either in May 1st (Socrates) or 11 Kal. Sept. (Theoph.) Wherefore Constantine's reign must begin A.C. 408 in Sommer. And from hence if you substract yethe 4 months reign of Gratian & yethe short reign of Marcus you will fall upon yethe beginning of ytthat year (I suppose yethe end of Ianuary,) for yethe first defection for yethe 1st defection; for Marcus's reign was so short ytthat Orosius — — — — passes him over in silence & begins wthwith Gratian And perhaps Gratian's reign might not be full 4 months. From these grownds it is evident therefore that Prosper set's Constantine's reign & Gallic expedition a year too soon, as he does also the Invasion of Italy by Radagaisus & of Gallia by yethe Vandals Alans & Suevians, & much more does Olympiodorus err whilst he set's Constantine's reign a year sooner then Prospers.
Now though the reign of these Tyrants was but short yet they gave a beginning to yethe Kingdom of yethe Brittains & so are to be recconned the thre first Kings for from that time they the Brittains continued a distinct Kingdom absolved from subjection to yethe Emperors, by reason that for after yethe Island was almost emptied of yethe Romans by Constantines expedition, the Brittains laying hold of yethe advantage expelled the rest & asserted their liberty & from that time the Emperors through the troubles & weakness of yethe Empire could not spare soldiers to be sent thither25 thither again. on wchwhich advantage yethe Brittains laying hold forthwith asserted their own liberty: for This we learn out of Prosper Sigebert Zosimus & Procopius for unquestionable records. ffor Prosper tell's us A.C. 410 Variane Coss: Hac tempestate præ ** corruptè legitur valitudine invaletudine Romanorum vires funditus attenuatæ Brittanniæ And Sigebert conjoyning this wthwith the siege of Rome sayth Britannorum vires attenuatæ & subrahunt se a Romanorum dominatione. And Zosimus lib 6 Cuncta pro lubitu invadentes transrhenani Barbari, eò tum incolas Brittanniæ Insulæ Brittanniæ, tum quasdam Celticas nationes redigerunt ut ab Imperio Romano deficerent & Romanorum legibus non ampliùs obedientes, κατ᾽ εἁυτὸν βιατεὺειν, arbitratu suo viverent. Itaqꝫque Britanni sumptis armis et pro salute sua periclitati, civitates a barbaris imminentibus liberarunt. Itidem totus ille tractus ** Arborichus Armorichus, cæteræqꝫque Gallorum Provinciæ Britannos imitati consimili se modo liberarunt ejectis Romanis Præsidibus, & propria quadam republica ex arbitratu suo constituta. Hæc Britanniæ Celticarumqꝫque gentium rebellio, quo tempore Constantinus iste regnum usurpabat accidit. And so Procopius Procop Vand. l. 1. (Vand. l. 1 Edit. Grotiana) delivering yethe defection of this Island under Constantine, adds Quo licet interfecto [non tamen & Britanniam Romani recipere potuêre sed mansit ab eo tempore sub insessoribus Insula. So Sigonius Sigon. De Occ. Imp. l 11 ad Ann. 411. Imperium Romanorum post sucessum Constantini in Brittannia nullum fuit. By all wchwhich it should seem that yethe Brittains expelled yethe reliqꝫques of yethe Roman soldiers even while Constantine reigned in Gallia. And So also Procopius (vand. l 1) speaking of yethe same Constantine: Κωνσταντινος μάχη ἡσσηθὲις, ξὺν τοις παισὶ θνήσκει. Βρεττααννίαν μέν τοι ῾ρωμαιοι ἀνασώσασθι ὀυκέτι ἔσχον ἀλλ᾽ ὀυσα ὑπὸ τυράννοις ἀπ᾽ ἀυτου ἔμενε. Constantinus bello superatus cum liberis interijt; Britanniam tamen Romani non amplius potuêre recipere, sed ab eo tempore sub Tyrannis constituta mansit. And another old author ✝ ✝aa Chron. M.S. in Archivis Trin. Coll. Cantabr. scriptum A.C. 914 circiter. Author, A.C. 409 Roma a Gothis fracta ex quo tempore Romani in Britannia cessarunt. And so Sigonius ad Ann 411 Imperium Romanorum post excessum Constantini in Britannia nullum fuit. And indeed yethe Emperor seems to have had no desire to keep yethe Island, for Zosimus (lib 6) tell's us ytthat yethe Emperor during yethe Tyranny of Constantine wrote to yethe Britains to look to their own concerns.
Yet after this (viz. bb Ethelwerdus f 474 A.C. 419) the Britains being invaded by yethe Scots sollicited Honorius for aid, cc Zos l 6. p 830 who at first denyed them & bad them look to their own affairs but upon further intreaty & he out of pity or hopes of recovering the Isle sent dd Bucher p 466. Vsser p 1096. Gallio wthwith a Legion whereby thither by whose assistence yethe Scots were overthrown & forced to retreat, & then Gallio wthwith his soldiers returned back again. This victory by yethe last coyn of Honorius in Camden appears to have been in yethe year 420 because of yethe three Cæsars on its other side wchwhich reigned together in this year only.
What Captain or Captains the Brittains set over them at their first assertion of their liberty the first Tyrant or Tyrants were wchwhich Procopius tells us held the Island from the departure of Constantine I read not, ee Bucher p 481. but in yethe year 425 they made Vortigern their king: for thus it is found recorded in an old Chronicle at yethe end of Nennius in Camden ff. Vsser. Brit. Eccl. p 402. Prisc Defens. Brit Hist p 119. Guortigernus tenuit Imperium in Britannia Theodosio et Valentiniano Coss. [i.e. An. 425] & in quarto anno regni sui Saxones ad BitanniamBritanniam venerunt. Fælice et Tauro Coss [i.e. An: 428.] This coming of yethe Saxons Sigebert refers to yethe 4th year of Valentinian wchwhich falls in wthwith yearthe year 428 assigned by this Chronicle, & two years after (according to Beda & qq Vsser p 333. Vsser) the Saxons together wthwith yethe Picts were beaten by yethe army of yethe Britains wchwhich one Germanus (who came into England rr Prosper A.C. 429 [& returned into France ss Bucher p 481 A.C. 430]) baptised at Mold in Flintshire when they were to go against yethe said enemy. And after this the Britains had tt Prosper various wars wthwith26 the Picts & Saxons together, in wchwhich they were almost overwhelmed & when they got free from these, they were again as much perplexed wthwith the Picts: Whereupon they sent to implore yethe Emperors aid vv Beda, l. 1 c 13. Freculph. p 637 A.C. 447, & that being denyed they called in Hengist & Horsa wthwith their Saxons who came accordingly xx Ethelwerd f. 474. Beda l 1, c 15 Chron. prædict. M.S A.C. 449 & by their aid yethe Britains expelled their enemies but a while after (viz yy Ethelwerd f 474b Vsser p 404. Chron prædict M.S. A.C. 455) began to be vexed by new & lasting wars wthwith these Saxons wchwhich they had called in.
Vortigern was slain perished aa Vsser p 1115 A.C. 466, & after him reigned Aurelius Ambrosius yethe bb Vsser p 375 Sigebert. son of yethe aforesaid Constantine, & then Vther Pendragon yethe brother of Aurelius, & then yethe yethe victorious Arthur yethe son of Andragon who was slain in battel cc Prisc. Defens. Brit Hist. p 122. Vsser Eccl. Brit p 401. Sigebert A.C. 542. After him dd Sigebert &c reigned in order Constantine, Aurelius Cunanus, Vortiporus, Inalgo, & lastly Carthericus in whose reign yethe Britains were dispersed & broken into several Principalities, yethe Heptarchy of yethe Saxons succeeding them as yethe Normans have since done yethe Saxons.
8 The ee Vide Isidorum Idatium Procopium, Iornaldem, &c. Kings of yethe Visigoths were A.C. 408 Alaric, 410 Athaulphus, 415 Sergeric, 415 Vallia, 419 Theoderic, 451 Thorismund, 452 Theoderic &c. For yethe reasons above mentioned I here date yethe reign of Alaric but from his last invasion of yethe western Empire though he was Lord of yethe Goths before. In yethe ff Oros. l 7. c 43 end of Athaulphus reign yethe Goths were worsted by the Romans & attempted to pass into Spain. Sergeric reigned gg Isidorus but a few days. In yethe hh Prosper in Euseb l 1 beginning of Vallia's reign they assaulted yethe Romans afresh but were again repulst, & then made peace kk Oros l. 7, c 43. Isidor. Chron. Got. on this condition that they should in behalf rr Iornandes of yethe Empire invade yethe Barbarians kingdoms in Spain: wchwhich they did together wthwith Constantius in yethe years 416, 417, & 418, overthrowing yethe Alans & part of yethe Vandals, & then tt Isidor. ib. received Aquitain by a full donation leaving their conquests in Spain to yethe Emperor though Sigonius thinks they had some seats granted them inthere Spain also. mm Isid: ib. A.C. 4565 Theoderic (nn Iornand. Get. assisted by Gundeuchus king of yethe Burgundians) invaded Spain wchwhich was then almost all subject to yethe Suevians, & took a good part of it from them. for himself A.C. the Franks took Gallia from expelled yethe Goths out of Aqui Gallia A.C. pp Isidor A.C 506. The Goths were driven out of Gallia by the Franks. A.C. 585 They conquered yethe Suevian kingdom & became Lords of all Spain, wchwhich they have held ever since A.C. 713 they began the Saracens invaded them but in time they recovered again & have reigned in Spain ever since.
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