I. The Noble Actions, Life, and Death of the Famous and Renowned He­ctor Prince of Troy, &c.

I Suppose there is few who have not heard of the famous Siege of Troy, once a renowned City in Asia the Less, against which all the Power of Greece fought ten Years, e're they could subdue, and utterly destroy it: But being now to write of the glorious Actions of the Nine Worthies of the World, whose famous Valour has made Men stand amazed, and transmitted their Names and worthy Deeds to Posterity; I must, however, say something of that War, which has employed so many Pens, Antient and Modern, to set forth the Life and noble Atchivements of the Every-renowned and Valiant Hector, the eldest Son of Priamus, King of Troy.

This famous City, commanding once so many Realms in Asia, stood on the Coast of the Aegean-Sea, on the Asian side, near the Helespont, called now the Streight of Constantinople, over-against the Chersonesus of Thrace, water'd by the famous Rivers Scamander and Simois; after changing his Name, till at length it was called Illium and Troy, and was twice subdued by Hercules; and Priamus, Son to King Laomedon, and Hesione his Daughter, were carried Captives in­to Greece; the first of them was ransom'd, but the latter being very beautiful, King Telamon, Father to Ajax, kept her for his Pleasure, and would by no Entreaty consent to restore her; though Priamus, after the Death of his Father Laomedon, coming to the Crown, sent Antenor, one of his chief Nobles, to Telamon's Court, to solicite her Delivery, by whom, and other Princes of the Greeks, he was dis­missed with Scorn, and terrible Threats. But Priamus concluding himself now strong enough to be revenged on the Greeks, for the Injury and Affront done to him, in the detaining his Sister, called his Sons and Nobles to Councel, laying the matter before them, and requiring Advice: All the Nobles approved of the Design; but He­ctor and Helenus, two of his Sons, perswaded him from it, as an Attempt full of Danger; as likewise did Cassandra his Daughter, who was a Prophetess, and ever spoke Truth, but never could have any Credit to be believed. However, the King being stedfastly bent on the matter, ordered his Son Paris, at whose Conception Queen Hecuba, his Mother, dreamed she brought forth a Fire-brand that [Page] set all Troy in a Flame, was with his Brother Diophebus sent to Spar­ta, with many Ships and armed Men, where King Manelaus reigned, and there being entertained as Guest, they in his Absence stole a­way his Queen, the fair Hellena, Daughter to Ledea, with many of her Ladies; and laying the City wast, brought with them great Riches to Troy; where Paris was married, as Venus had promised him, to Hellena, the most beautiful Lady in the World.

King Menelaus no sooner heard of this great Injury done him, but he consulted with King Agamemnon his Brother, and other Princes of Greece, who looking upon it as an insufferable Affront done to all the Estates, resolved upon a War, vowing once more to level the Walls of Troy; appointing Agamemnon General over all the Forces. So with a thousand Ships passed from Europe to Asia, and took Tene­dos, after a stout Resistance made by the Trojans, who garisoned the strong Castle; then coming near the City, they Landed, but not without great Effusion of Blood on both sides, so that the Sea became red; for Hector, who by his Father's Appointment, was General of the Trojans, advancing to Succour his Men that fainted, with a mighty two-handed Sword, levelled all in his way, killing King Protesilaus, as he came with a huge force to stop his Fury; and soon after King Patarocleus, who came upon him with two thousand Men, whose rich Armour he coveted to take, but was hindred by King Menon, with a great Power; which King, after the Slaughter of Multitudes of his Men, he slew in Revenge of that Disappoint­ment, driving many of the Greeks into the Sea: but at last, the strong Achilles, Menelaus, Agamennon, Ajax, Diomed, Ʋlysses, Idu­meus, and other valiant Princes and Captains, getting on Shore, so encouraged their Men, that the Fight continued exceeding bloody till Night parted them, and then the Trojans retired to the City.

Early the next Morning the Trojans took the Field, and found the Greeks encamped not far from the City, when the Trumpets sound­ing to Battle, the two Armies joyned more furiously than before; and Hector fell on like an impetuous Storm, making whole Lanes of Dead before him, at every stroke giving Death, making Heads and Limbs to fly about the Plain, till he came where King Humerus fought successfully, him he encountered, and soon overthrew with the slaughter of most of his Men, and pressing forward, came where Achilles and his Mirmydons made great Destruction, overthrowing that strong Champion, and slaying his Horse, and had surely slain Achilles, had not his Men rushed violently to his Succour, and lost many of their Lives to save him; and so pressing on, he threw fla­ming Brands on the Grecian Fleet, and set part of it on Fire▪ and [Page] this Day he had gained assured Victory, had he not met Ajax, in the fierce Encounter, and knowing him, spared his Life, and by him was perswaded to a Sessation of Arms for that time, and making a Truce, so that the Retreat was sounded, much against the Will of the Conquering Trojans; which Over-sight, cost him his Life, and the Destruction of his Family, with the Ruin of the City.

The Greeks having gained a Truce, recruited with fresh Forces, secured their Fleet with Trenches, and after this, and some other dreadful Battles, they plainly perceived, unless Hector was slain, all their Hopes of winning Troy was in Vain, and that they should rather perish with their whole Army; they then held a Consult how to bring it to pass by any means; and in the Conclusion that Task was imposed on Achilles, the Fiercest and Strongest of all the Greeks; who watched many Opportunities, but was as often worsted and wounded in all the fair Encounters, and most of his Mirmydons, the valiantest of the Soldiers slain; till one Day, contrary to the Intreaty of his Wife Andromache, who dreamed if he went that Day to the Field, he would be slain, as also the King, and the Tears of his Mother and Sisters, hearing Margetton, his natural Brother was slain, and the Trojans in Rout, he armed, and desperately rushing on, slew a Multitude with his own Hand, and restored the Battle; but having taken a King in rich Armour Prisoner, as he cast his Shield behind him, to lead him out of the Ranks, his Breast being Defenceless, Achilles suddenly came upon him, inclosed him with his Men, and run his Spear into his Body, so that he fell down dead, and with him dyed all the Hopes of Troy; for though Achilles was soon after slain by Paris, Phyrrus his Son, no less in Strength and Courage arriving in the Camp, Paris and Tragilus, King Priamus's Sons, being slain, and the Palladium, which was the Safe-gaurd of Troy, stole by Ʋlysses and Diomede, who slew the Warders of the Tower, who kept it; the City was soon after taken by the means of a mighty Wooden-Horse the Greeks dedicated to Pallas, to at­tone, as they feigned, for the Theft of the Palladium; which, upon the supposed Departure of the Enemy, was, by the Perswasion of one Sinon, a crafty Greek, drawn into the Gity, and the Walls broke down to give it entrance; when in the Night he let out the armed Men in the Belly of it, who seized the Gate, called in their Companions, slew the King, laid the City in Ashes, and carried the Queen, her Daughters, and most that escaped the Sword, Cap­tives to Greece.

II. The Life, Actions, and Death of Alexander the Great, King of Macedon, who conquered the World, &c.

ALexander from his many glorious Exploits and amazing Victo­ries, Sir-named, The Great, was the Son of Philip King of Macedon, by Olympius his Queen; this Philip before his Death brought all Greece under his Subjection, and intended to war on the Persian Monarchy, then flourishing in Asia, and Part of Africa, of vast Extent, governed by King Darius; but being slain before he put his Intendments in Execution, his Son Alexander assembled the Gre­cian States at Corinth; and was by them chosen General of their Armies in his Father's stead; but soon after, by the Perswasion of Demosthenes the Orator, corrupted with the Gold of Persia, the Lace­demonians, Athenians, and Thebans revolted from him, and made an Alliance with Darius; but Alexander soon reduced them to Obe­dience, levelling the City of Thebes to the Ground, and selling the Citizens for Slaves.

Thus having settled his Affairs in Greece, and put to Death all those he suspected could disturd its Quiet in his Absence, distributing his Treasure amongst his Commanders and Soldiers, reserving no­thing but Hope of the World's Empire for himself, he passed into Asia with an Army of 30000 Foot, and 4500 Horse, mostly of Sol­diers who had served his Father; which small Number Darius so much despised, that he sent to his Lieutenant in the Lesser Asia, to fall upon and destroy them, but to take Alexander alive, to scourge him, and send him bound in Chains to Babylon, where he resided. But it fell out much otherwise than he expected, for with his hand­ful of Men, he overthrew several Armies commanded by the Persian Lieutenants, with almost incredible Slaughter, taking most of the strong Places in the Way as he marched, which rouzed King Darius from his Ease and Luxury of his Court, to raise the whole Strength of his Kingdom, in hopes to drive out an Enemy now grown so for­midable to him, and a mighty Battle was fought between the Plains of Abrastum, where he overthrew an Army 600000 Persians, with the Loss only of 9 Foot-men, and 100 Horse-men, and taking ex­ceeding rich Plunder; having buried the Dead, and erected seve­ral Monuments in Token of his Victory, upon which a great Part of Asia submitted to him.

After this Battle, he marched to the City of Gordium, where in the Temple of Jupiter, he cut the Gordian Knot in two, with his Sword, of which there went a Prophesie, That whoever could unfold it, [Page] should be King of that Country; and having garrisoned that City, marched on, but fearing to be entangled in the narrow Passages of the huge Mountain Taurus, he marched speedily over it, his Foot marching five hundred Furlongs without Respite, and so he came to Tursus, where being taken with the pleasant River Cydnus, he plun­ged into it to cool and refresh himself when hot, which caused an Ague-fit; and when Philip his Physician presented him a Portion, he took it boldly, though he had a Letter sent him, that Philip was bribed by Darius to poison him; which Letter he delivered to Phi­lip, whilst he was drinking the Potion, who read it undauntedly, and soon after Alexander recovered.

And now Darius approached with a recruited Army of 300000 Foot, 100000 Horse; when Alexander encouraging his Soldiers, and extolling their Valour, who had broke through so many Nati­ons, and been ever victorious, he caused the Charge to be sounded, and the two Armies rushed together with great Fury and Violence; but after a bloody Encounter, in which both Kings were wounded, the Persians gave way, after 30000 Foot and 10000 Horse were slain, and 4000 taken Prisoners, with the Loss of no more than 130 Foot, and 150 Horse of the Macedonians; and all Darius's Treasure of Gold, Silver, Jewels, &c. fell into the Hands of the Victors; and among the Captive, were the Mother, Wife, and two Daughters of Darius, who fell on their Knees with piteous Cries before Alexander, expecting no less than Death, or worse Treat­ment; but he kindly raised and comforted them, causing them to be honouaably attended, and well-used; and falling into Love with the beauteous Barsione, one of the captive Ladies, he got a Son on her, whom he named Hercules: and after that married Statira, the eldest Daughter to Darius, giving Parisatis to his dear Friend Haeph­ston; and seizing on the Persian Fleet, marched unto Syria, where many of the Eastern Kings who had been tributary to Darius, came and layed their Crowns at his Feet; most of them, receiving them again as his Bounty, to be tributary under him. Then he passed from Syria into Egypt, taking all the Cities in his Way: and ha­ving been reputed to be the Son of Jupiter Ammon, and not of King Philip, who had put away his Mother upon her confessing Jupiter came in the Shape of a Dragon, and got him in the Absence of Phi­lip, he enquired of that, and other Events at the the Temple of Ammon, where the flattering Priests declared him to be the Son of Jupiter Ammon; and that both Victories in all Wars, and the Pos­session of all Lands were granted to him; charging his Followers to adore him as a God: which puffed him up with such Pride, which, [Page] together with the Luxury of Asia, utterly debauched his Virtues: for complaining of which, Parmenio, one of his greatest Captains, was by his Command flead alive, and his Son Philotes slain.

After this, he built a City on the Sea-coast of Egypt, calling it Alexandria, from his own Name, and settled a Colony of Macedo­nians in it. And here Darius writ to him to part his Empire with him, and that he should freely enjoy his Part with his Daughter; al­so he offered him a vast Sum to redeem his Mother, Wife, and Daughters; but he refused all, unless he would surrender up the whole Empire of Persia: Upon which Darius resolving to try ano­ther Field, raised an Army of 400000 Foot, and 100000 Horse; but in his March heard his Wife was dead, and that Alexander had buried her very honourably, and wept at her Funeral, using the rest very courteously; which made him confess he was truly con­quered, since, after so many Battles, his Enemy had overcome him in Kindness; and that it was some Comfort to him in his Misery, to be subdued by so noble an Adversary: However, another bloody Battle was fought on the Plains of Arbella, where the Persians and Scithians at first prevailed, and with barbarous Shouts run on the Plunder; but suddenly an Eagle hovering over the Head of Alex­ander, it was taken by his Men as a Presage of Victory, which re­viving their fainting Spirits, made them fall on so desperately, that with the Battle they won him the Empire of the East; for Darius flying, was taken by Neorbarzanes and Bessus, two of his own Prin­ces, bound in Chains, and laid on a Waggon, thinking with the Head of their King to purchase their own Conditions with Alexan­der; but being hotly pursued, they mortally Wounded him, and left his Body on the Land, where he expired, and was magnificent­ly buried by Alexander, who took Possession of the Persian Em­pire.

Alexander having gotten the Empire of Darius, warred on many Nations, and coming to the great Indian Sea, after he had over­come King Porus, who made a stout Resistance, he wept, because, as he supposed, there were no more Countries to conquor; and in his return, Kings submitted every-where to him, and Thelestus, Queen of the Amazons, came with 5000 Virgins arm'd, to request him to lye with her, that she might have a Son by so Great a Con­querour; and had her Wish.

Peace being now pretty well settled, Alexander laying aside the Macedonian Fashion, followed the Persian Mode, as well in Apparel as in Riot and Luxury, making many drunken Banquets, in one of which he killed Clytus an aged General, who had done him great [Page] Service in his Wars; but being sober, he exceedingly mourned his Death, refusing Food for four Days; but afterward putting many of his Lieutenants to Death upon little Pretences, and growing Outragious in his Actions, Antipater, Lieutenant of Macedon, fear­ing his own Life, caused his Son Cassander, who waited on the King, to Poison him at one of his Banquets; and so dying without an Heir, his mighty Empire was divided amongst his great Captains, and his Body carried to Egypt and there buried.

III. The Life and glorious Actions of Julius Caesar, the first Emperour of Rome.

JƲlius Caesar, the great Roman Captain, and Emperour of the World, descended of the Julian Family, so called from Julius Ascunius, the Son of Aeneas of Troy, and Caesar, from his being cut from his Mother's Womb, began very early to climb to the highest Honours, being made Priest of Jupiter at sixteen Years of Age; and though he was grievously persecuted by Syla, who, foreseeing his rising to Greatness, labour'd to destroy him; often saying, There were many Mariuses in that Boy, he escaped his Hands, and studied at Rhodes under A. Molon, the famous Orator, where he grew so perfect, that on all Occasions he had moving Words at Command, which mightily favoured his Purpose, and once appeas'd a Mutiny in his Army, when the Soldiers in their Rage and Fury sought his Life, And having passed the Offices of Questor in Spain, and Tri­bune of the People, he gained by his fair Speeches and Liberality so much Love amongst the Vulgar, that they every-where extolled him to the Skies; especially when he had successfully fought against, and overthrown the Lieutenants of Mithridates, King of Pontus, and turned many to their Alliance, who were wavering and ready to Revolt: And, to strengthen his Alliance, he married Cornelia, Daughter to Cinna, who had been four times Consul; by whom he had a Daughter named Julia, after married to Pompey the Great; when coming to the Temple of Hercules, and seeing the Statute of Alexander the Great, he wept, because he had lived to his Age, and had done nothing to compare with him: And ever after it put such an Aspiring into his Mind, that he grew restless till he subdued to himself the Roman Empire, far larger in Extent than that that Alex­ander had possessed.

After he had done many obliging things, to bind the Affection of the People of Rome to his interest, he was made Consul with Bi­bulus, and soon so prevailed over his Partner, that he laid him aside, [Page] and acted alone in all Publick-Affairs; managing the Farms and Revenues of the Roman People to great Advantage; causing Cato to be violently pulled out of the Senate house, and committed, for interrupting him: for which he incurred his mortal Hatred ever after. And his Wife dying, he married Calphurnia, Daughter of Piso; which so strengthen'd his Alliance, that he awed the Senate.

Soon after he went with the Consullary Army over the Alps, sub­dued France, then Gallia, and a great part of Germany, and sailing over into Britain, after many dangerous Battles fought with the Bri­tains, he subdued a great Part of this Island, in his three Expeditions, and laid a Tribute of 3000 Pound Weight of Silver on the Natives, to be paid Yearly to the Romans. And when he had warred ten Years successfully abroad, hearing that Pompey had made a great Party against him in the Senate, and that they were about to divest him of all his Honours, and calling him home as a private Man, ap­pointing Domitius his Successor in Gallia, he was much disturbed, and setling his Affairs as well as he could resolved to march with his Army to Rome, though upon a Table of Brass, placed on the o­ther side the River Rubicon, whereon was engraven an Act of the Se­nate, that no Roman should pass that River homeward Armed; when encamping on the Bank of that River, he paused a while, say­ing, to those about him, Thus far we are safe, and may return if we please; If we pass this Bridge, we shall have nothing to trust to, but our Arms. When he had spoke these Words, there appeared a Person of remarkable Stature and Beauty, playing melodiously on a Reed, which made many flock about him, when snatching a Trumpet out of one of their Hands, he stalked through the River, sounding a Charge; whereat Caesar seemed to be much amazed, though it was thought to be a Device of his to draw on his Men more willingly, and crying out, Come then, it is decreed; [...] go where the Progenies of the Gods, and the Iniquities of our Enemies [...] and immediately causing his Eagles to advance, he passed the forbiddes River; at the Ter­ror of whose Approach, Petreus Aff [...]nas, young Syla, and most of Pompey's Lieutenants in Italy, deserted the Towns, and fled; and the Massilians, and some others that made Resistance, were reduced, into which Towns Caesar putting Garrisons, marched to Rome, for Fear of whom, Pompey and the Senate fled with the greater Part of the Inhabitants, whereupon he [...] without Resistance, and was received by his Friends with joyful Acclamations; then he seiz'd on the vast Treasure, sent by all Nations as Tribute, in the Tem­ple of Saturn, enriching his Soldiers; and having settled Affairs, and hearing Pompey was gathering forces in Greece, and other Easter [Page] Countries, he hasted after him with Part of his Army; leaving Mark Anthony with the rest in Calabria, who lingering behind, Cae­sar impatient of Delay, in a stormy Night stole from his Army, and in a little Fisher-boat passed the Seas to fetch them; a Danger the meanest of his Soldiers would not have ventured: And then, ha­ving his full Army, after some Skirmishes and taking of Towns, and drawing a Bullwark about Pompey's Army of fifteen Miles in Circuit, both Armies upon the Plains of Thessaly, joyned in a dreadful Battle, where Crastinus, an old Soldier, crying out, O Caesar, I shall so be­have my self this Day, praise me alive or dead; threw the first Pile, and was himself slain, being run through the Mouth with a Sword. In this Battle, Caesar, as in all others, was victorious, most of the Senators and noble Romans, with 40000 others, being slain, and Pompey fled to Egypt for Succour from King Ptolomy; and being in­vited on Shore with great Promises of Kindness, was treacherously slain e're he landed, by Achilles and Septinus, and his Head cut off, and that Embalmed for Caesar's fight; but he coming into Egypt, not only detested the base Murther, but wept over the Head, cau­sing it, with the Body, honourably to be buried. But soon Phati­nus and others of the Court conspired to take his Head, but by his Courage and Fortune were prevented, by his firing the Ship-house, and swimming to his own Fleet, after which, he conquered all E­gypt; and the King in his Flight being drown'd in the River Nilus, he made Cleopatra his Sister, Queen, and begot on her a Son named Cesaria, afterwards slain by the Command of Octavius Augustus.

Having settled Affairs in Egypt, he overthrew Pharnaces, who had rebelled in Asia, and in the Field of Thapsus in Africa, in a bloody Battle overthrew Cipio, the Roman General, and Juba King of Mauritania, who joyned his Forces with him. Then coming to Rome, had all the Honours he could wish heaped on him: But Pom­pey's Son raising a War in Spain, drew him thither, where, in the fatal Battle of Munday, he overthrew them. Then returning to Rome, was decreed by the Senate Perpetual Dictator, ever Augustus, and Father of his Country, had Temples and Statues erected to his Honour, and, without Controul, whatever he pleased. But at­tempting to be made a King that he might overcome the Parthians, Brutus and Cassius, with other Senators, conspired against him; and though several unlucky Dreams and Omens fore-run his Death, as his Dreaming he was taken up into the Clouds, and shook Hands with Jupiter; his Wife's dreaming the Night before he was slain, she found him stabbed, and bloody in her Arms; a little Wren flying with a Laurel-branch to Pompey's Theatre, was pulled to pieces by [Page] other Birds; and all the Sacrifices appearing unlucky, yet undaunt­ed he went to the Senate-house, and pocketed by the way a Scrole presented him unread, that revealed the whole Conspiracy; but no sooner had he taken his Seat, but Cimber rudely took him by the Shoulders, and the rest stabbed him with twenty three Wounds, he in vain resisting such a Multitude: And thus this Worthy, never overcome, but always fortunate in Wars, fell a Sacrifice to the in­raged Gown-men; but his Death was severely revenged on them.

IV. The famous Life and Renowned Acts, Joshua, Captain General of the Israelites, who subdued thirty Kings, with the whole Land of Canaan.

AFter Moses, by the mighty Hand of God, with many Signs and Wonders, had brought the Children of Israel out of their Egyptian Bondage, fed and instructed them forty Years in the Wil­derness, he having Notice to prepare for his Death by the Appoint­ment of God, chose Joshua the Son of Nun, to succeed him as Cap­tain General of the People, and utterly to subdue the Canaanites on the other side Jordan, as he had done on this side. When going up into Mount Abarim Moses died, and was buried by God in a Valley, least the Israelites, who had a great Veneration for him, knowing the Place of his Burial, should have builded an Alter there, and committed Idolatry in Worshipping him.

Upon Notice that Moses was dead, Joshua encamped two Days before the River Jordan, and on the third the Priests entered with the Ark of God, when immediately the Waters retreated, and stood like a Wall on either Hand, so that the whole Army, whilst the Priests stood in the middle, passed over on dry Ground; and then they took twelve Stones, according to the Tribes, and raised as a Monument to succeeding Ages: And no sooner were the Priests come out of the River, but the Waters returned to their full Forces before. And the Princes of the Tribe of Gad, and Rhuben, and the Half Tribe of Manasses, to whom the Land of the Amorites, being the seventh Part of Canaan, fell as a Lot of Inheritance, having sent 50000 fighting Men to assist their Brethren in conquering the rest: Joshua sent Spies to Jerico, to view that strong fenced City, who had been destroyed upon Notice of their coming, had not Rahab, the Harlot, hid them under Bundles of Linnen till the Search was over, and then let them down by the Wall in a Basket, so they escaped to Joshua; by which good Office she saved herself and her Houshold, when the City was utterly destroyed, for Joshua immediately went against it; and by the command of God, the Priests encompassed [Page] it six Days, blowing Trumpets of Rams-horns, and on the seventh Day seven times, when by the mighty Power of God, the Walls fell flat to the Ground, and the whole Army marching into the City destroy'd all the People, Rahab and her Houshold accepted, and burnt it with Fire; laying up the rich Spoil as the First-fruits of their Victory, as a Dedication to God Almighty, except a Wedge of Gold, and a rich Babilonian's Garment; which Achan with-held, and hid in his Tent; but going against Aii, a strong fenced City, and the Men of Israel being there discomfitted, and thirty of them slain, this Fraud was discovered to be the Cause of it, and Achan stoned to Death; after which, they took Aii, and put all to the Sword, except the King, who, taken alive, was hanged on a Tree; as the like also they did by the City of Bethel, and the rich Spoil was divided amongst the People.

The Gibeonites, who dwelt in a Town near Jerusalem, hearing how Joshua destroyed all before him, dealt craftily, sending Am­bassadours, pretendedly from a far Country, wearing old Shooes and Cloaths, with rent Bottles and mouldy Bread, to make a League; which they did, but for this Deceit, they were neverthe­less punished, by being made Slaves to hew Wood and draw Wa­ter for the Camp. And when the King of Jerusalem, and other Confederate Kings assembled a mighty Army utterly to destroy them, for making this League with the Enemies of their Country, upon their Supplication, Joshua made a hard March to their Relief, and utterly, in a terrible Battle, discomfited the Kings and their Armies; and to lengthen out the Day for their Distruction, at the Prayer of Joshua, the Son and Moon, that were hastening to set, stood still for the space of a whole Day, so that there was no Day like that Day in which God fought for Israel, by destroying Multi­tudes of their Enemies with mighty: Hail stones that fell upon them, yet hurt not one of the pursuing Israelites; and their five Kings being found hid in the Cave Mukkeda [...] Joshua pulled them out, and caused the People to set their Feet upon their Necks in Token of Subjection, slew them, and hanged them on five Trees; burning 2000 War-charriots with Fire; and then marched through all the Land of Canaan, taking Cities and Strong holds, and in five Years utterly subdued it, unless some few strong Garrisons; and having caused is to be viewed divided it amongst the Tribes by Lot of [...], as Moses had appointed, setting up the Tabernacle of God [...] Shiloe.

This famous War as it was thus finished, the fifty Thousand, whose Lot was in the Land of the Amorites, returned with great [Page] Riches to their Wives and Children; and that the parting of the River Jordan might not in time to come make them be taken for a­nother People, they erected an Altar there, which by a Misunder­standing had like to have created a bloody War between their Bre­theren and them; but the real Cause being known, it was pre­vented.

And now Joshua having Governed successfully twenty Years, and grown Old, finding the time of his Death approaching, assembled the Princes and Heads of the ePple, and gave them a strict Com­mand to Obey the Lord their God in all things; that he had com­manded by the Mouth of his Servant Moses, and to walk uprightly in his sight, that it might be well with them and their Children for ever. And soon after he died, greatly lamented of the People, in the 110th Year of his Age, and from [...]e World's Creation 2560. and before the coming of Christ 1500.

V. The Life and glorious Reign of David King of Israel.

DAvid the renowned King of Israel, and Captain of the Peple of the Lord of Host, was the Son of Jesse, of the Tribe of Ju­dah, who, in his young Years, kept his Father's Flocks, and was then very Daring and Valiant, as appears by his fighting with, and killing a Lion and a Bear, who came to devour his Sheep: and when Saul, King of Israel sinned against God in disobeying his Com­mands, this Striplin was appointed to Reign over Israel; and by a special Command was annointed King by Samuel the Prophet: And the first of his publick Appearance, to make himself known, and to rise to Greatness, was when Saul and his Armies were defied by Goliah, the great Giant of Gath, whom he slew with a Sling and a Stone; and had Michol the King's Daughter in Marriage, as it had been promised to him that should overcome that daring Champion of the Philistines, who had been a Man of War from his Youth up­ward; and highly was he favoured in the Court of Saul, by Ab­ner, the Captain of the Host, with the Giant's Head in his Hand: But after his many Victories, the Virgins in their Songs ascribed to him ten Thousands of Slain, and to Saul but one, which stirred up his Jealousie and Envy against him, without his deserving it.

David no sooner became renowned at Court, and throughout all the Land of Israel, but Jonathan, Saul's eldest Son, and a very vertu­ous Prince, made a very strict League of Friendship with him, in­somuch that they became as own Brothers, he labouring to pacifie his Father's Wrath towards David, till he incurred it himself, and [Page] narrowly escaped Death, as David had often done; Saul by this time having Notice that by God's Appointment David was to be King of Israel, his Spirit was so troubled, that at times he fell into a melancholy Madness, so that an evil Spirit possessed him; and when David was playing before him on his Harp, as he often did to drive away the Spirit, Saul falling into one of his Fits, narrowly mist slaying him, by throwing a Javelin at him with such Force that it stuck in the Wall, and David fled for his Life; and Saul sent Soldi­ers to pursue him, and beset his House, where he had been taken, but that his Wife let him down a Back-way, and laid an Image in his Bed, pretending he was sick, till he escaped to the City of Nob, where of Abimelech the High-Priest he obtained Shew-bread for his Sustenance, and the Sword of Goliah, kept there as a Monument, for his Defence; of which Doeg the Edomite informing, all the People belonging to that place were slain by Saul's Command, as Abettors to his Enemy; which News greatly grieved David, who then made his aboad in the Woods and Mountains: And many were the Persecutions he endured from that time, till Saul and his Sons being discomfitted by the Philistines, fell on their Swords, and died on Mount Gilboa.

After the Death of Saul, Abner his Uncle, after some Battles fought against David, on the behalf of Ishosheth, Saul's Son, upon a Quarrel between them about Rispha, one of Saul's Concubines, de­posed his Master, and made an Agreement with David, to settle him in the Kingdom: which he performed, by drawing the Tribes of Israel to his Party; and David was saluted King: but Joab Cap­tain of David's Host, envying a Man that had such great Power with the People, and become a new Favourite with the King, to his Pre­judice, secretly sent for him to treat about Affairs at Hebron, and there in the Gate treacherously killed him; whose Death David greatly lamented; but Joab being powerful in the Army, he durst not punish him for it. And soon after Ishosheth, the late King of Israel, was murthered, whose Murtherers David caused to be put to a cruel Death. And soon after the Philistines invading the Land, he overthrew them in two great Battles, and extended his Bor­ders by Victories over the Moabites and Ammonites, and Westward upon the Phoenetians, warring with the Arabians, Syrians, Hume­ans, Amalekites, and Messopotamians, and much enlarged his King­dom to which it was in the time of Joshua, or ever before his Reign; and settling his Affairs in Peace and Plenty, the great Decayers of Virtue, he unhappily cast his Eyes from his Tarras on the beautiful naked Body of Bersheba, Wife to Ʋriah, one of his faithful Captains, [Page] as she was Bathing in a Fountain, sent for her, and lay with her; and when she had told him she was with Child, he sent for her Hus­band to cover the Shame; but he refusing to lie with her, he sent Letters by him to Joab to have him destroy'd; who, as he was di­rected, set him in the Front of the Battle, and retired from him, so that he sell by the Sword of the Ammonites: And David took Barsheba to be his Wife: and after the Prophet had reproved him, he wept bitterly; but that Child dying, he begot on her Solomon, who after was King of Israel: Yet God punished him for this Sin, by the Ravishment of his Daughter Tamar, the Murther of his Son Amnon; and lastly, by the Rebellion of his Son Absolom, who drove him almost out of his Kingdom; and was, contrary to the King's Command, after a great Defeat, slain by Joab as he hung by the Hair of the Head in an Oak; whose Death David lamented in a very sorrowful manner, till Joab rebuked him; and compelled him to speak comfortably to the People, whose Sorrow had utterly dis­heartened them.

After this Victory won, David was carried back with the Consent of all the People to Jerusalem, where having pardoned Shimei, that cursed him in his Flight, angry with Joab, he made Amasa Captain of his Host, who had headed Absolom's Army; but Joab slew him in the way as they were marching in pursuit of Sheba, a Captain who had rebelled, whom he besiged in Adelda, where his Head, by the Perswasion of a Woman of that City, was cut off, and thrown over the Wall; upon which Joab raised the Siege. Yet David having numbred the People, against the Advice of his Councellors, to know what Strength he had, God was displeased, and sent a Pesti­lence that consumed a great number of them.

And now David having reigned eleven Years in Peace, betook himself to Piety and Devotion, writing his Hymns and Psalms in the Praise of God, and preparing Materials to build the Temple, and when he had reigned forty Years he died in the seventy second Year of his Age, appointing his Son Solomon to succeed him in the Throne.

VI. The Life and valiant Actions of Judas Maccabeus, Captain of the Israelites, against Atiochus the Persecuting King of Syria.

AMong other famous Worthies of the World, who stood as a Bulwark in the Defence of their Country, and by true Va­lour, with small Numbers, got almost incredible Victories over the Multitude of their Enemies, I must worthily rank Judas Maccabeus, the renowed Captain of the Jews.

[Page]In the youthful Days of this valiant Heroe, some of the looser sort of the Jews being punished for their Disorders, and the Neglect of their Religion, fled to Antiochus Epiphanius, who reigned over Syria, and a great part of Asia, being one of those Greek Captains who had parted Alexander's Empire amongst them: This cruel King, they earnestly solicited to invade Jerusalem, who in the Year of the World 3796, sent a great Army to invade the Land of Judea, who slaughtered all that fell in their way, burning and destroying their Towns and Strong-holds, and had Jerusalem betrayed to him by the Factious Party; who, over-powering the others, open'd the Gates and let in the Army, where they sacrilegiously robbed the Temple, carrying away the Golden Table, Candlesticks, and Censures, with all other Vessels and Things of Value, dedicated to the Worship of God; raising a cruel Persecution against the believing Jews, who refused to fall down and Worship their Idols, fleying some alive, roasting and broiling others, boiling some in Cauldrous, and put­ting the seven Sons of the Maccabes to horrible Torments, by broil­ing them on Grid-irons, and frying them in Brass Pans alive, &c. which Torments they overcame with a admirable Patience, Con­stancy and Courage, till Death eased them, and gave lasting Joys for short Pain. He [...] threw the Altars, slew the Priests, and strangled their Children in the Arms of their weeping Mothers, and prophanded the Temple of God with abominable Sacrifices.

In the time of this Dissolation in the Holy City, and others, God stired up the Spirit of Matthias, Father of Judas Maccabeus, to be­gin the Deliverance of his People from the Cruelties of the Heathen Tyrant. This Man was a Priest, who with his valiant Sons, and o­ther Godly Jews, retired to the City of Modin, where he was soon summoned to surrender, and submit himself, and all with him, to the Tyrant's Mercy; but he refused, and calling the People together, repeated all the miseries and Cruelties the Nation of the Jews had suffer'd; exhorted them to be couragious, and trust in God, as he and their Fathers had done in the like Distress, and revenge them on their Merciless Enemies: with other encouraging Words, which made them take Heart and resolve to stand in Defence of their Re­ligion and Lives, and fight on the Sabbath-day if they were assaulted, which before they had refused for fear of breaking it, suffering their Throats to be cut without Resistance, their Enemies hunting 'em out in Woods and Caves whether they were fled, and chusing for that Purpose, to fall on them on that Day: And whilst they were thus consulting, an irreligious Jew, to please the King's Commissioners, pr [...]tly stept forth and slewis Swine on the Altar, to do Sacrifice [Page] to Jupiter, when Matthias in his Zeal slew the Jew, and overthrew the Altar, and slaying Appolonius the King's Captain, and other Sol­diers that resisted; he cryed out, All you that are affected to the Law of your Fathers, and to the Service of God, follow me.

Upon this, he assembled a great Company, overthrew his Ene­mies Armies, and slaughter ed Multitudes of them; putting to Death many of the Apostate Jews; but being very aged, he recommended to them as their Captain, his Son, Judas Macchabeus, and when he had exhorted them to be Couragious, and expect the Divine As­sistance, he gave up the Ghost. Judas after his Father's Death, took on him the full Command, and overthrew Antiochus his Lieutenant of Samaria, and slew him with most of his Army, taking great Spoil. After this, Seron Governour of Coelosyria, came upon him with a great Army, when Judas encouraging his Men to trust in God, who with a small Force could confound the Mighty, and to fight like valiant Men, he fell like a Tempest on the General, and in a bloody Battle slew him and 800 Syrians, getting great Spoil of their Tents and Armour. These unexpected Defeats so enraged Antiochus, that he commanded Lysias Governour of Egypt, to march with all the Power of that Country, and utterly destroy the Jews, or sell them for Slaves to those that would give most, and utterly to lay Jerusa­lem wast: Upon this, Lysia raised a huge Army, and sent them under the leading of Ptolomy, Nicanor and Georgias, three prime Captains, and Men of great Authority with the People: whereupon Judas and his Men called on God for Assistance, proclaiming a Fast, and hum­bling themselves before him, and then fell upon their Enemies with great Fury, with only 3000 Men, so that he soon put them to the Rout, covering the Field with dead Bodies, and slew them in the Pursuit to the Plains of Idumea, and then returned to the Spoil; and soon after overthrew Lysias, who invaded Judea with an Ar­my of 60000 Foot and 5000 Horse, with a mighty Slaughter, so that Lysias returned to Antioch to recruit his broken Army; where­upon Judas exhorted the People, that as an Acknowledgment of God's Favour and Goodness in giving them so many Victories, they should go up to Jerusalem, purge the Temple, and offer Sacrifice; which they did with much Devotion, giving Praise and Thanks to Almighty God for their Deliverance, rebuilding the Altars, and repairing the Breaches.

After this, he set upon his Enemies, and wasted them round about Jerusalem, relieving those Jews that were distressed by their Ene­mies, by his Brother Simeon, whom he sent with an Army unto Gal­liles and other places; obtaining these and many other gallant Victo­ries [Page] with little Loss of Men, which made Antiochus storm, and in the End, send Bacchides the Great Marshal of his Army, with a mighty Force, even all the Strength of Syria; and Judas having but few in number, many being fled for Fear, nevertheless, contrary to the Mind of his Captains, who desired him to retreat till he was better recruited, gave Battle, and the Jews fought like Lions, selling their Lives at a dear Rate; yet being over-powered by Numbers, and enclosed with the Multitude of their Enemies, Judas, after he had slain many of the Enemies, weary with Killing, fainted, and fell to the Ground, where he was slain: But Simeon and Jonathan recovered his Body, and buried it.

VII. The Life and famous Actions of Arthur, King of the Britains, who subdued the Pagan Saxons, and drove them out of the Land, with many other great Exploits.

ARthur of famous Renown and Memory, the Worthy King of the Britains, of whom so many wonderful Stories are related, as likewise of his valiant Knights of the Round Table, was, accord­ing to true History, passing others over, the Son of Ʋter Pendragon, got on the fair Igrene, Daughter to the Duke of Cornwal; and tho' he was born out of Wedlock, yet afterward Ʋter married his Mo­ther, and left him Heir to his Kingdom, tho' he had two Sisters, one married to the King of the Scots, and the other to the King of the Picts; which Kings, were highly displeased, that Arthur, who was not Legitimate, should succeed to the Crown in bar of their pretended Right; and the Saxons, who a considerable time before had been called in by Vortegern, under the Leading of their two Captains, Hihgest and Horsa, as Aid against the Picts and Scots, who miserably harazed the Britains, when the Romans withdrew their Forces to support their tottering Empire, having of Servants forcibly possessed themselves of most of the East and Northern Parts of what is now called England, Loth, the Pictish King who had mar­ried the eldest Sister, finding he could not by his Ambassadors pre­vail with the Britains to admit him their King, but that they had ac­cepted Arthur, they disdaining to submit to a Stranger, when they had so Valiant and Worthy a Native to defend them, he joyned League with the Saxons, soliciting the King of Scots to do the like, resolving utterly to exterpate the British Name from off the Face of the Earth.

The Knowledge of this Confederacy soon rouzed King Arthur, when leaving the Pleasures of his Court, and having raised an Army [Page] of his own Subjects, and received some Forces from Armorica, or Little Britain in France, he marched couragiously against the Eastern Saxons to give them Battle, e're the Picts should joyn their Forces; and meeting their Army very numerous, about ten Miles from Lon­don, he vanquished them in two bloody Battles, and made them be­come his Tributaries, and receive over them such Governours as he appointed, with many other hard Conditions. After this, he took London, and held a kind of a Parliament of the British Estates, wherein it was agreed to recruit the Army, and speedily march Northward against those beyond the River Humber; when in York­shire, he fought the Picts and Saxons who had joyned their Armies, and overthrew them with a terrible Slaughter, pursuing the flying Saxons to York, where he besiged them; but Scarcety and Sickness growing in his Army, and hearing great Multitudes of Picts and Saxons, who had passed the Seas from Germany, under Occa their Captain, were coming to Relieve them, he broke up the Siege, and retired into Wales; but early in the Spring marched to London, and settling Affairs with the Saxons of Kent, marched Northward, and overthrew Colgern and Occa, two Captains that were ravaging the Country, and took the City of York, sparing the Lives of the Inhabitants, and concluded a League with Loth King of Picts, where­in it was concluded, that Mordred, Loth's eldest Son, should succeed Arthur, in the Kingdom of Britain; and in the mean time with Joynt Forces help to expel the Saxons; and that Mordred should marry the Daughter of Gawolum, a noble Britain, and the Children to be brought up by the Grandfather in Britain. And in this League was included the King of Scots, who at King Arthur's Desire, joyned their Forces near Tinmouth, where they overthrew the Saxons with a terrible Slaughter, killing Colgern and Childrick, two of their chief­est Captains, so that the remaining Saxons were so disheartened, that most of them left the Kingdom, others submitted to live peaceably under such Governours as should be appointed them, and turned Christians, at least in Shew; and such as stayed after Procla­mation, and refused to be Baptized, suffered Death. Then the King repaired several Churches the Pagan Saxons had ruinated. But the Saxons of the Isle of Wight, joyning with those of Kent and Sussex, fell surprizingly upon the Britains that inhabited amongst them, flew them, and made Spoil of their Goods; but the King, with the Aid of the Picts and Scots, marched against them, who feignedly sent their Supplications to him, to treat about their de­parting the Land; but whilst they were Treating, they fell upon the advanced Part of the King's Army, and killed many of them; [Page] and tho' their Commanders sent to excuse it, as done rashly by some who were ignorant of the Treaty, the King resolved to Punish such Treachery, which he did by setting upon them with such Fury, that few of their great Army escaped the Slaughter; and many, urg'd by the devouring Sword behind, threw them­selves into the River to avoid it, and were drowned, and so the Land was cleared of all, but those who complied to the Terms beforementioned: And in this Battle, with his Sword called Callibourn, some Histories say he slew 800, but this looks something incredible; but certain it is, he returned Victorious from twelve set Battles, besides Skirmishes, the 1st at the River Gleyn, 2, 3, 4 and 5 at the River Douglass in Lenox, 6 at the River Bassus, 7 in the Callido­nian Wood, 8 near the Castle of Guiven, 9 at Carleon, 10 near Richwood, 11 on a Hill called Agued Cathbergain, and 12th at Bath, or Bathen Hill.

Some Authors mention he had several Battles with the Danes and Norwigi­ans, and drove those Invaders out of the Land; and when Lucius Hiberius, the Roman Legate, came to demand Tribute for Britain, King Arthur stoutly answered, That from Constantine the Great, Son of Hellen, a British Princess, he claimed a Succession to the Roman Empire, and would e're long come with an Army to Rome, subdue it, and make it Tributary to Britain; which stout Answer, so dashed the Legate, that he return'd much troubled; and some write, but upon what Certainty, I know not, that this King passed the Seas with a Fleet of 1000 Sail of Ships, and a mighty Army, subduing France, Ger­many, the Netherlands, and Italy.

Soon after the Saxons were expelled, Loth, King of the Picts, dyed; and the Britains, unwilling a Stranger should Reign over them, in a manner, by their Importunity compelled King Arthur to exclude Mordred, now King Pict­land, from the Succession, and to Adopt Constantine the Son of Cador Duke of Cornwal, a valiant and virtuous young Man; which Disappointment so vexed Mordred, that after many threatning Messages, finding no Redress, he raised the Power of his whole Kingdom; to which many Scots joyned themselves, and ravaged the Northern Parts, slaying and burning all in his way: And tho' several Bishops on either Part laboured for a Reconciliation, they could not prevail; so that to decide the Controversie, a dreadful Battle was fought, near the River Humber, and the Britains being entangled among the Bogs and Quagmires, a Place that had been ever fatal to them, tho' they fought like Lions, yet in the end both Kings, with most of their Nobles being slain, with 20000 Picts and Scots, and 30000 Britains, the Day fell to the Picts and Scots, by a crafty Device of a Scot, who getting among the Britains, cryed, in the British Tongue, Our King and his Nobles are slain, every Man shift for himself; which wrought such a Fear in the Army, that it fell in Rout before there was any Cause for it; and this Loss was so great, that neither Nation recovered it in many Years.

The Body of King Arthur being found covered with the Heaps he had slain, was honourably buried in Glastenbury Church-yard, in Summersetshire; and after his Death, the Saxons came again, and drove the Britains into the Moun­tains, taking strong Possession of all the plain Country.

The Life and Glorious Actions of Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, who restored the Roman Empire in the West.

WHen the barbarous Nations, as Goths, Huns, Sarazens, Vandels, Lumbards, &c. had torn the Roman Empire in pieces, and divided it among them­selves, grievously Persecuting all that professed the Name of Christ, GOD, hear­ing the Cries and Groans, and seeing the abundant Tears of his afflicted Peo­ple, raised them up Deliverers: And first Charles Martell, a French Prince, who taking Courage to rescue his oppressed Country, raised an Army of 60000 French and Germans, who gave Battle to Abderamen, a King of the Sarazens, who had over run Franco, with an Army of 400000 Men, and overthrew him, with the slaughter of 375000 of his Men, and found him overwhelmed with a Heap of the Slain, and tho' not wounded, his Men in their Flight from the pursuing French Men, pressed him to Death; and soon after overthrew with great Slaughter another King of the Sarazens, who was coming to Aid the for­mer with an Army of 300000 Men, utterly driving the Sarazens out of France and Germany; for which worthy Service, after his Death, his Son Pepin, a valiant Prince, was made King; and Childrick, a lazy vicious Prince, of the Race of Pharamond, laid aside. This Man did many great Actions, much en­larging his Kingdom; and dying, divided his vast Dominions between his two Sons, viz. Charles or Charlemagne, and Caroloman, the first being crowned at Wormes, and the last at Soissons; but long they agreed not, for Charles be­ing of a mild Temper, and Caroloman of a turbulent Spirit, he laboured to supplant him; and to that end, after some Contests, he joyned with the Ene­mies of Charles, went to Rome under a Pretence of Devotion, labouring to make the Pope his Friend, and to League himself to Didier, a powerful King of the Lombards in Italy, which wrought much Trouble to Charles, from the Lom­bard and Pope. But within three Years after his being crowned, Caroloman dyed; and then, after strugling with some Rebels, the whole Inheritance fell to Charles, who warred with the Saxons, Bavarians, and other Nations, sixteen Years, and overcame them, making them his Tributaries: And when Didier, the King of the Lombards, went to Rome, and hanged the Pope's two Secreta­ries for siding with Charles, and caused the Pope to be deposed, Charles having over come the Sons of Caroloman, who raised Disturbances in France, to put themselves in Possession of their Father's Estate, he raised an Army, and passing the Alps, entered into Italy, and in two great Battles defeated the Lombards, besieging them and their King in Pavia, which was soon surrendred to him, and Didier their King was sent Prisoner to Lyons in France, and so ended the Lombard Kingdom in Italy, which had long flourished, and been the Terror of all that Country: and for this great Service, Pope Adrian, in a Councel held at Rome, decreed, That Charles should have a Right of Disposing of all the Ecclesiastical Benefits that became Vacant, throughout Christendom.

Charles no sooner returned into France, but Aldegise, Son to Didier, raised, Commotions in Italy, by the Helpe of Rogand, to whom Charles had given the Country of Friuli; but by the Care and Vigilence of the French Governours, Rogan was taken, and by the King's Command lost his Head, which ended the Sedition: And being now at Leasure, he resolved to War on the Sarazens [Page] and Moors, who coming over to Africa, had strongly possessed themselves of all Spain, and overthrew them in several Battles, taking the Cities of Pampe­lona and Saragosa, and many other strong Places, putting those he found there­in to the Sword for their Cruelty towards the Christians; but Agoland, a Sara­zen King, taking the Advantage of streight Passages in the Mountains, fell upon Milon, the Brother of Charles, and slew him, with most Part of his Ar­my; and elevated with this Victory, he marched into France, and besieged Agen in Gascoine, but Charles soon overtook him; yet his Troops with long Marches were so weary, that they were not at that time in a Condition to fight; yet Agoland propos'd a Way to decide the Difference, viz. That a Troop on either Party should fight it out; and the Sarazen promised to turn Christian, if his was beaten; and his Troop being worsted, and mostly slain, he did become a Christian in Shew, but seeing the King at Dinner, and a Table in the same Room at which many poor Men fed of the King's Bounty, he de­manded what they were; to which Charles answered, They were God's Mi­nisters; Nay, then said the impious Sarazen, your God must needs be very poor himself, seeing his Ministers are so very poor and contemtible; and so departed. But Charles, to be revenged of him, followed him into Spain, overthrew him in a great Battle, and brought away his Head as a Trophy of his Victory.

Thus this great Man having extended his Dominions very largely, was by Pope Leo whom he had delivered from his Enemies, crowned Emperour of the West; and having settled his Empire over many Nations in Peace, he be­took himself to a quiet Life; he caused Lewis his Son to be crowned Emperour of the Romans, giving him good Exhortations to govern well that great Peo­ple committed to his Charge, with a Regard to the Christian Religion, Piety, and Mercy, having got him by his Sword and Prudence the Dominion over all France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Poland, and Part of Spain; and so in the midst of his Devotions he died in the 71 Year of his Age, when he had reigned 47 Years, and was a while layed in State, and then buried in a stately Monument in the Church of Aix, In a Chappel himself had founded, a little before for that Purpose.

IX. The Life and Glorious Actions of Godfrey of Bulloign, Duke of Lorain, who conquered the Holy Land, and was crowned King of Jerusalem.

SInce many People have heard of a Holy War, and yet but few can tell to what Purpose it was made, or in what Region, I shall here, for their better Instruction, set forth a satisfactory Relation of it, in the Life and noble Actions of one of the famous Worthies of the World, Godfrey Duke of Bulloign, Lo­rain, and Verdon.

It so happened, for the Lukewarmness of the Eastern Christians, and their furious Contests about Niceties in Religion, which caused a general Decay of Piety amongst them, that God suffered them at first to be over-run, and their Countries taken from them by the barbarous Sarazens, and they being subdued by the Turks, all manner of Cruelties were used towards the Christians, that still inha­bited amongst them in great Numbers, which made them groan under their hea­vy Bondage, and cry to God for Succour in their Distress; when the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and other good Men assembling, it was resolved to send one Peter, [Page] a French Man, who had taken upon him the Life of a Hermit, with their Sup­plications to the Western Christians, beseeching them in the Bowels of Mercy and Compassion, to look with Eyes of Pity on their Sufferings, and with an armed Power rescue them and the Holy City of Jerusalem, out of the Hands of the merciless Enemies of the Name Christ; this Man, after a tedious Tra­vel, and escaping many Dangers, came to Rome, Anno 1093, Ʋrbin the Se­cond being then Bishop of that See, to whom he delivered the Patriarch's Letters, and gave a full Account of the Matter so moving, that the Bishop could not refrain from Tears, and summoning a Councel at Placentia, whither most of the Christian Princes and Prelates were invited, where, appearing in full Assembly, the Pope with moving Orations, causing the Patriarch's Letters to be read, and Peter to declare the cruel Usage the Eastern Nations suffered at the Hands of their Infidels, the Princes were so inflamed with a Zeal of De­livering their suffering Brethren, that with one Consent they agreed to raise Forces immediately, and march to Jerusalem; which unanimous Agreement, the Pope no sooner perceived, but with Tears of Joy in his Eyes, he cried out, It is the Will of God; which Motto they put afterward in their Standard; and so the Counsel ending, every one repaired to their Country to raise Forces, which were to wear Red Crosses on their Breasts, to distinguish them; And the Chief of these were Godfrey of Bulloign, and his two Brothers, Baldwin, and Eustace; Hugh Earl of Vermondois, the French King's Brother; Robert Duke Normandy, Son to our King William, Sir-named the Conqueror; Stephen Earl of Chartes and Blois; Hugh Earl of St. Paul; Raymond Earl of Tholouse; Robert Earl of Flanders, with a great Number of Nobles, and Gentlemen, who lan­ded with an Army of 300000 valiant Men on the Shoars of Asia, striking Ter­ror to their Enemies; and marching on, besieged the City of Nice, the Capi­tal City of Bythinia, which Solimon the Turkish Sultan of Persia came with a a huge Army to relieve, but was utterly defeated, with such Slaughter, that the Fields were covered with Blood, and the Bodies of the Slain. After which the Christians returned again to their Siege, and Duke Godfrey with an Arrow killed a mighty Giant-like Turk, who had manfully defended the Breach, tho' twenty Arrows were sticking in his Breast, and killed the Assailants in great Numbers, with huge Stones which he threw at them; and soon after the City was taken, and delivered to Emanuel the Greek Emperor, in Lien of the Supplies of Provision he was to furnish the Army withal.

This City taken, they marched towards Syria in two Bodies, the one com­manded in Chief by Duke Godfrey, and the other by the Duke of Normondy and the Earl of Flanders, and in their Way being encountred by 300000 Turkish and Persian Horsemen, they soon put them to the Rout, with incredible Slaugh­ter: And having taken Tripolis, a strong City in Syria, they advanced towards Antioch; but Peter the Hermit, who had got together a great Multitude of Men out of the Territories of the Church, and from Monasteries, whose Busi­ness was rather Eating than Fighting, advancing too far before the Army, and falling into an Ambush of the Enemy, most of them were slain, with their Lea­der: But the Army coming before the City of Pisidia, it surrendred. But new Duke Godfrey going into the Woods to recreate himself, narrowly missed being slain by a monsterous Bear, whom he found assaulting one of his Soldier, who went to cut Wood; but though the Bear got him down, he drew his [Page] Sword under his Thigh, by which he wounded himself, and lost much Blood, yet running it into the Belly of the Bear, he killed her: and on the like Occa­sion at another Time he, hearing a Lyon roar piteously in a Forrest, and going to see what the Matter was, found a huge Serpent had twisted itself about the Lyon's Legs, and with his poisonous Sting was darting at his Head to kill him; but the Duke pitying the noble Lyon, with his huge Sword cut off the Sepent's Head, and relieved the Lyon; who in Gratitude, far surpassing most Men, e­ver after during his Life, followed him, hunted wild Beast for him, and fawn­ed on him like a Spannel, often defending him against his Enemies.

The Christians having conquered Siletia, and a great Part of Armenia, be­sieged the City of Antioch, in which was a strong Garrison; and at their first setting down before it, Duke Godfrey, with a selected Party, only with their Swords in their Hands, defeated an Army of the Turks who say in Ambush to surprize his Soldiers sent to fetch Provision for the Army at Port Simon, brought thither by Ships from Genoa and Pisons, which the Pope had sent for the Relief of the Christians in Syria; and after a te [...]ious [...]ge, took Antioch, and from thence marched towards Jerusalem, over [...]wing [...]ome Ar­mies of Turks by the Way; when in one Battle, a Gi [...] [...] T [...]k seeing Duke Godfrey beat down Multitudes before him, came on a [...]a [...]y, all foam­ing, to encounter him with his mighty Cimiter, but after a fierce Encounter, the Duke with a forcible Stroak of his Sword, cut his Shoulder down to his Wast, so that he fell dead from his Horse.

The Army coming within sight of the Holy City Jerusalem, fell on their Knees with devout Prayers for God's Assistance, vowing never to depart till they had taken it; and such was their resolute Courage, that they no sooner came to the Walls, but immediately many scaled them, and beat the Defen­dants from the Battlements, leaping into the City, and tho' these were not seconded for want of Leaders, they sold their Lives at a dear Rate. After this they lay'd a formal Siege, and it being extream hot Weather, they suffer'd much thro' Thirst, for the Brook Kedron was dried up, and the Infidels had poisoned all the Wells; yet that of Siloe had worked out the Poison, and the Water was become wholesom, yet it yielded but little; however, they made many terrible Assaults, and at length enter'd by main Force, putting all the Turks and Sarazens to the Sword: And in Solomon's Temple found vast Riches; whilst the Christians there embraced the Soldiers with Tears, extolling them as their Deliverers.

Now the City was taken, the Princes resolved to settle a Christian King therein, and the Lot fell upon the Duke of Normandy; but he minding his In­tetests nearer home, refused it: Then with a unanimous Consent they chose Duke Godfrey King, though he modestly refused so great an Honour; how­ever, it being pressed upon him, he accepted it; but would not be crowned with a rich Crown that was offered him, saying, God forbid that any Christian King should wear a Crown of Gold, where his Saviour, for the Redemption of Man­kind, had worn a Crown of Thorns. And the Princes having overthrown the Sultan of Egypt, who too late coming, to relieve the City; most of them took Leave of the King, and retutned home; who being busied in enlarging his Frontiers, fell sick, and dyed in the first Year of his Regin; and his Brother Baldwin succeeded him.