CHAP. IV.

[1]Chap. ii. 41, &c.

Of the vision of the four Beasts.

In the next vision, which is of the four Beasts, the Prophecy of the four Empires is repeated, with several new additions; such as are the two wings of the Lion, the three ribs in the mouth of the Bear, the four wings and four heads of the Leopard, the eleven horns of the fourth Beast, and the son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven, to the Antient of Days sitting in judgment.

The first Beast was like a lion, and had eagle's wings, to denote the kingdoms ofBabyloniaandMedia, which overthrew theAssyrianEmpire, and divided it between them, and thereby became considerable, and grew into great Empires. In the former Prophecy, the Empire ofBabyloniawas represented by the head of gold; in this both Empires are represented together by the two wings of the lion.And I beheld,saith[1]Daniel,till the wings thereof were pluckt, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it; that is, till it was humbled and subdued, and made to know its human state.

The second Beast was like a bear, and represents the Empire which reigned next after theBabylonians, that is, the Empire of thePersians.Thy kingdom is divided, or broken, saithDanielto the last King ofBabylon,and given to theMedesandPersians,Dan.v. 28. This Beastraised itself up on one side; thePersiansbeing under theMedesat the fall ofBabylon, but presently rising up above them.[2]And it had three ribs in the mouth of it, between the teeth of it, to signify the kingdoms ofSardes,Babylon, andEgypt, which were conquered by it, but did not belong to its proper body. And it devoured much flesh, the riches of those three kingdoms.

The third Beast was the kingdom which succeeded thePersian; and this was the empire of theGreeks,Dan.viii. 6, 7, 20, 21. It waslike a Leopard, to signify its fierceness; and had four heads and four wings, to signify that it should become divided into four kingdoms,Dan.viii 22. for it continued in a monarchical form during the reign ofAlexanderthe great, and his brotherAridæus, and young sonsAlexanderandHercules; and then brake into four kingdoms, by the governors of provinces putting crowns on their own heads, and by mutual consent reigning over their provinces.Cassanderreigned overMacedon,Greece, andEpirus;LysimachusoverThraceandBithynia;PtolemyoverEgypt,Lybia,Arabia,Cœlosyria, andPalestine; andSeleucusoverSyria.

The fourth Beast was the empire which succeeded that of theGreeks, and this was theRoman. This beast was exceeding dreadful and terrible, and had great iron teeth, and devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet; and such was theRomanempire. It was larger, stronger, and more formidable and lasting than any of the former. It conquered the kingdom ofMacedon, withIllyricumandEpirus, in the eighth year ofAntiochus Epiphanes,Anno Nabonass.. 580; and inherited that ofPergamus,Anno Nabonass.615; and conquered that ofSyria,Anno Nabonass.679, and that ofEgypt,Anno Nabonass.718. And by these and other conquests it became greater and more terrible than any of the three former Beasts. This Empire continued in its greatness till the reign ofTheodosiusthe great; and then brake into ten kingdoms, represented by the ten horns of this Beast; and continued in a broken form, till the Antient of days sat in a throne like fiery flame, andthe judgment was set, and the books were opened, and the Beast was slain and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flames; and one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Antient of days[3], and received dominion over all nations, and judgment was given to the saints of the most high, and the time came that they possessed the kingdom.

I beheld,saith[4]Daniel,till the Beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flames. As concerning the rest of the Beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. And therefore all the four Beasts are still alive, tho the dominion of the three first be taken away. The nations ofChaldeaandAssyriaare still the first Beast. Those ofMediaandPersiaare still the second Beast. Those ofMacedon,GreeceandThrace,Asiaminor,SyriaandEgypt, are still the third. And those ofEurope, on this sideGreece, are still the fourth. Seeing therefore the body of the third Beast is confined to the nations on this side the riverEuphrates, and the body of the fourth Beast is confined to the nations on this sideGreece; we are to look for all the four heads of the third Beast, among the nations on this side of the riverEuphrates; and for all the eleven horns of the fourth Beast, among the nations on this side ofGreece. And therefore, at the breaking of theGreekempire into four kingdoms of theGreeks, we include no part of theChaldeans,MedesandPersiansin those kingdoms, because they belonged to the bodies of the two first Beasts. Nor do we reckon theGreekempire seated atConstantinople, among the horns of the fourth Beast, because it belonged to the body of the third.

[1]Chap. vii. 4.[2]Chap. vii. 5.[3]Chap. vii. 13.[4]Chap. vii. 11, 12.

[1]Chap. vii. 4.

[2]Chap. vii. 5.

[3]Chap. vii. 13.

[4]Chap. vii. 11, 12.

Of the Kingdoms represented by the feet of the Image composed of iron and clay.

Daciawas a large country bounded on the south by theDanube, on the east by theEuxinesea, on the north by the riverNeisterand the mountainCrapac, and on the west by the riverTibesis, orTeys, which runs southward into theDanubea little aboveBelgrade. It comprehended the countries now calledTransylvania,Moldavia, andWallachia, and the eastern part of the upperHungary. Its antient inhabitants were calledGetæby theGreeks,Daciby theLatins, andGothsby themselves.Alexanderthe great attacked them, andTrajanconquered them, and reduced their country into a Province of theRomanEmpire: and thereby the propagation of the Gospel among them was much promoted. They were composed of severalGothicnations, calledOstrogoths,Visigoths,Vandals,Gepides,Lombards,Burgundians,Alans, &c. who all agreed in their manners, and spake the same language, asProcopiusrepresents. While they lived under theRomans, theGothsorOstrogothswere seated in the eastern parts ofDacia, theVandalsin the western part upon the riverTeys, where the riversMareshandKereshrun into it. TheVisigothswere between them. TheGepides, according toJornandes, were upon theVistula. TheBurgundians, aVandalicnation, were between theVistulaand the southern fountain of theBoristhenes, at some distance from the mountainCrapacnorthwards, wherePtolemyplaces them, by the names ofPhrugundionesandBurgiones.[1]TheAlans, anotherGothicnation, were between the northern fountain of theBoristhenesand the mouth of the riverTanais, wherePtolemyplaceth the mountainAlanus, and western side of thePalus Mæotis.

These nations continued under the dominion of theRomanstill the second year of the EmperorPhilip, and then for want of their military pay began to revolt; theOstrogothssetting up a kingdom, which, under their KingsOstrogotha,Cniva,Araric,Geperic, andHermanaric, increased till the year of Christ 376; and then by an incursion of theHunsfrom beyond theTanais, and the death ofHermanaric, brake into several smaller kingdoms.Hunnimund, the son ofHermanaric, became King over theOstrogoths;Fridigernover theVisigoths;Winithar, orVinithar, over a part of theGothscalledGruthungibyAmmian,GothunnibyClaudian, andSarmatæandScythiansby others:Athanaricreign'd over another part of theGothsinDacia, calledThervingi;Boxover theAntesinSarmatia; and theGepideshad also their King. TheVandalsfled over theDanubefromGebericin the latter end of the reign ofConstantinethe great, and had seats granted them inPannoniaby that Emperor, where they lived quietly forty years,viz.till the year 377, when severalGothicnations flying from theHunnscame over theDanube, and had seats granted them inMæsiaandThraceby theGreekEmperorValens. But the next year they revolted, called in someGoths,AlansandHunns, from beyond theDanube, and routed theRomanarmy, slew the EmperorValens, and spread themselves intoGreeceandPannoniaas far as theAlps. In the years 379 and 380 they were checkt by the arms of the EmperorsGratianandTheodosius, and made a submissive peace; theVisigothsandThervingireturned to their seats inMæsiaandThrace, theHunnsretired over theDanube, and theAlansandGruthingiobtained seats inPannonia.

About the year 373, or 374, theBurgundiansrose from their seats upon theVistula, with an army of eighty thousand men to invadeGallia; and being opposed, seated themselves upon the northern side of theRhineover againstMentz. In the year 358, a body of theSalian Franks, with their King, coming from the riverSala, were received into the Empire by the EmperorJulian, and seated inGalliabetweenBrabantand theRhine: and their KingMellobaudeswas madeComes domesticorum, by the EmperorGratian.Richomer, another nobleSalian Frank, was madeComes domesticorum, andMagister utriusque Militiæ, byTheodosius; and A.C. 384, was Consul withClearchus. He was a great favourite ofTheodosius, and accompanied him in his wars againstEugenius, but died in the expedition, and left a son calledTheudomir, who afterwards became King of theSalian FranksinBrabant. In the time of this war someFranksfrom beyond theRhineinvadedGalliaunder the conduct ofGenobald,MarcomirandSuno, but were repulsed byStilico; andMarcomirbeing slain, was succeeded inGermanyby his sonPharamond.

While these nations remained quiet within the Empire, subject to theRomans, many others continued so beyond theDanubetill the death of the EmperorTheodosius, and then rose up in arms. ForPaulus Diaconusin hisHistoria Miscell.lib.xiv. speaking of the times next after the death of this Emperor, tells us:Eodem tempore erant Gothi & aliæ gentes maximæ trans Danubium habitantes: ex quibus rationabiliores quatuor sunt, Gothi scilicet, Huisogothi, Gepides & Vandali; & nomen tantum & nihil aliud mutantes. Isti sub Arcadia & Honorio Danubium transeuntes, locati sunt in terra Romanorum: & Gepides quidem, ex quibus postea divisi sunt Longobardi & Avares, villas, quæ sunt circa Singidonum & Sirmium, habitavere:andProcopiusin the beginning of hisHistoria Vandalicawrites to the same purpose. Hitherto theWestern Empirecontinued entire, but now brake into many kingdoms.

Theodosiusdied A.C. 395; and then theVisigoths, under the conduct ofAlaricthe successor ofFridigern, rose from their seats inThraceand wastedMacedon,Thessaly,Achaia,Peloponnesus, andEpirus, with fire and sword for five years together; when turning westward, they invadedDalmatia,IllyricumandPannonia; and from thence went intoItalyA.C. 402; and the next year were so beaten atPollentiaandVerona, byStilicothe commander of the forces of theWestern Empire, thatClaudiancalls the remainder of the forces ofAlaric,tanta ex gente reliquias breves, andPrudentius,Gentem deletam. ThereuponAlaricmade peace with the Emperor, being so far humbled, thatOrosiussaith, he did,pro pace optima & quibuscunque sedibus suppliciter & simpliciter orare. This peace was ratified by mutual hostages;Ætiuswas sent hostage toAlaric; andAlariccontinued a free Prince in the seats now granted to him.

WhenAlarictook up arms, the nations beyond theDanubebegan to be in motion; and the next winter, between A.C. 395 and 396, a great body ofHunns,Alans,Ostrogoths,Gepides, and other northern nations, came over the frozenDanube, being invited byRufinus: when their brethren, who had obtained seats within the Empire, took up arms also.Jeromecalls this great multitude,Hunns,Alans,Vandals,Goths,Sarmatians,Quades, andMarcomans; and saith, that they invaded all places betweenConstantinopleand theJulian Alps, wastingScythia,Thrace,Macedon,Dardania,Dacia,Thessaly,Achaia,Epirus,Dalmatia, and allPannonia. TheSueviansalso invadedRhætia: for whenAlaricravagedPannonia, theRomanswere defendingRhætia; which gaveAlarican opportunity of invadingItaly, asClaudianthus mentions.

Non nisi perfidiâ nacti penetrabile tempus,Irrupere Getæ, nostras dum Rhætia viresOccupat, atque alio desudant Marte cohortes.

Non nisi perfidiâ nacti penetrabile tempus,

Irrupere Getæ, nostras dum Rhætia vires

Occupat, atque alio desudant Marte cohortes.

And whenAlaricwent from those parts intoItaly, some other barbarous nations invadedNoricumandVindelicia, as the same PoetClaudianthus writes:

——Jam fœdera gentesExuerant, Latiique auditâ clade ferocesVendelicos saltus & Norica rura tenebant.

——Jam fœdera gentes

Exuerant, Latiique auditâ clade feroces

Vendelicos saltus & Norica rura tenebant.

This was in the years 402 and 403. And among these nations I reckon theSuevians,Quades, andMarcomans; for they were all in arms at this time. TheQuadesandMarcomanswereSueviannations; and they and theSuevianscame originally fromBohemia, and the riverSuevusorSprakeinLusatia; and were now united under one common King calledErmeric, who soon after led them intoGallia. TheVandalsandAlansmight also about this time extend themselves intoNoricum.Uldinalso with a great body ofHunnspassed theDanubeabout the time ofChrysostom's banishment, that is, A.C. 404, and wastedThraceandMæsia.Radagaisus, King of theGruthunniand succesor ofWinithar, inviting over more barbarians from beyond theDanube, invadedItalywith an army of above two hundred thousandGoths; and within a year or two, A.C. 405 or 406., was overcome byStilico, and perished with his army. In this warStilicowas assisted with a great body ofHunnsandOstrogoths, under the conduct ofUldinandSarus, who were hired by the EmperorHonorius. In all this confusion it was necessary for theLombardsinPannoniato arm themselves in their own defence, and assert their liberty, theRomansbeing no longer able to protect them.

And nowStilicopurposing to make himself Emperor, procured a military prefecture forAlaric, and sent him into theEastin the service ofHonoriustheWesternEmperor, committing someRomantroops to his conduct to strengthen his army ofGoths, and promising to follow soon after with his own army. His pretence was to recover some regions ofIllyricum, which theEasternEmperor was accused to detain injuriously from theWestern; but his secret design was to make himself Emperor, by the assistance of theVandalsand their allies: for he himself was aVandal. For facilitating this design, he invited a great body of the barbarous nations to invade theWestern Empire, while he andAlaricinvaded theEastern. And these nations under their several Kings, theVandalsunderGodegisilus, theAlansin two bodies, the one underGoar, the other underResplendial, and theSuevians,Quades, andMarcomans, underErmeric, marched thro'Rhætiato the side of theRhine, leaving their seats inPannoniato theHunnsandOstrogoths, and joined theBurgundiansunderGundicar, and ruffled theFranksin their further march. On the last ofDecemberA.C. 406, they passed theRhineatMents, and spread themselves intoGermania primaand the adjacent regions; and amongst other actions theVandalstookTriers. Then they advanced intoBelgium, and began to waste that country. Whereupon theSalian FranksinBrabanttook up arms, and under the conduct ofTheudomir, the son ofRicimer, orRichomer, abovementioned, made so stout a resistance, that they slew almost twenty thousand of theVandals, with their KingGodegesilus, in battel; the rest escaping only by a party ofResplendial'sAlanswhich came timely to their assistance.

Then theBritishsoldiers, alarm'd by the rumour of these things, revolted, and set up Tyrants there; firstMarcus, whom they slew presently; thenGratian, whom they slew within four months; and lastlyConstantine, under whom they invadedGalliaA.C. 408, being favoured byGoarandGundicar. AndConstantinehaving possessed a good part ofGallia, created his sonConstans Cæsar, and sent him intoSpainto order his affairs there, A.C. 409.

In the mean timeResplendial, seeing the aforesaid disaster of theVandals, and thatGoarwas gone over to theRomans, led his army from theRhine; and, together with theSueviansand residue of theVandals, went towardsSpain; theFranksin the mean time prosecuting their victory so far as to retakeTriers, which after they had plundered they left to theRomans. TheBarbarianswere at first stopt by thePyreneanmountains, which made them spread themselves intoAquitain: but the next year they had the passage betrayed by some soldiers ofConstans; and entringSpain4 Kal.Octob.A.C. 409, they conquered every one what he could; and at length, A.C. 411, divided their conquests by lot; theVandalsobtainedBœtica, and part ofGallæcia; theSueviansthe rest ofGallæcia; and theAlansLusitaniaand theCarthaginianProvince: the Emperor for the sake of peace confirming them in those seats by grant A.C. 413.

TheRoman Franksabovementioned, having madeTheudomirtheir King, began strait after their conquest of theVandalsto invade their neighbours also. The first they set upon were theGaulsofBrabant[2]: but meeting with notable resistance, they desired their alliance: and so thoseGaulsfell off from theRomans, and made an intimate league with theFranksto be as one people, marrying with one another, and conforming to one another's manners, till they became one without distinction. Thus by the access of theseGauls, and of the foreignFranksalso, who afterwards came over theRhine, theSaliankingdom soon grew very great and powerful.

Stilico's expedition against theGreekEmperor was stopt by the order ofHonorius; and thenAlariccame out ofEpirusintoNoricum, and requested a sum of money for his service. The Senate were inclined to deny him, but byStilico's mediation granted it. But after some timeStilicobeing accused of a traiterous conspiracy withAlaric, and slain 10 Kal.Sept.A.C. 408;Alaricwas thereby disappointed of his money, and reputed an enemy to the Empire; he then broke strait intoItalywith the army he brought out ofEpirus, and sent to his brotherAdolphusto follow him with what forces he had inPannonia, which were not great, but yet not to be despised. ThereuponHonoriusfearing to be shut up inRome, retired toRavennainOctoberA.C. 408. And from that timeRavennacontinued to be the seat of theWesternEmperors. In those days theHunnsalso invadedPannonia; and seizing the deserted seats of theVandals,Alans, andGoths, founded a new kingdom there.Alaricadvancing toRomebesieged it, and 9 Kal.Sept.A.C. 410 took it: and afterwards attempting to pass intoAfrica, was shipwrackt. After whichHonoriusmade peace with him, and got up an army to send against the TyrantConstantine.

At the same timeGerontius, one ofConstantine's captains, revolted from him, and set upMaximusEmperor inSpain. WhereuponConstantinesentEdobec, another of his captains, to draw to his assistance, theBarbariansunderGoarandGundicarinGallia, and supplies ofFranksandAlemansfrom beyond theRhine; and committed the custody ofVienneinGallia Narbonensisto his sonConstans.Gerontiusadvancing, first slewConstansatVienne, and then began to besiegeConstantineatArles. ButHonoriusat the same time sendingConstantiuswith an army on the same errand,Gerontiusfled, andConstantiuscontinued the siege, strengthned by the access of the greatest part of the soldiers ofGerontius. After four months siege,Edobechaving procured succours, theBarbarianKings atMents,GoarandGundicar, constituteJovinusEmperor, and together with him set forward to relieveArles. At their approachConstantiusretired. They pursued, and he beat them by surprize; but not prosecuting his victory, theBarbarianssoon recovered themselves; yet not so as to hinder the fall of the tyrantsConstantine,JovinusandMaximus.Britaincould not be recovered to the Empire, but remained ever after a distinct kingdom.

The next year, A.C. 412, theVisigothsbeing beaten inItaly, hadAquitaingranted them to retire into: and they invaded it with much violence, causing theAlansandBurgundiansto retreat, who were then depopulating of it. At the same time theBurgundianswere brought to peace; and the Emperor granted them for inheritance a region upon theRhinewhich they had invaded: and the same, I presume, he did with theAlans. But theFranksnot long after retaking and burningTriers,Castinus, A.C. 415, was sent against them with an army, who routed them and slewTheudomirtheir King This was the second taking ofTriersby theFranks. It was therefore taken four times, once by theVandalsand thrice by theFranks.Theudomirwas succeeded byPharamond, the Prince or King of theSalian FranksinGermany. From thence he brought new forces, reigned over the whole, and had seats granted to his people within the Empire near theRhine.

And now theBarbarianswere all quieted, and settled in several kingdoms within the Empire, not only by conquest, but also by the grants of the EmperorHonorius. ForRutiliusin hisItinerary, written in Autumn,Anno Urbis1169, that is, according toVarro's computation then in use, A.C. 416, thus laments the wasted fields:

Illa quidem longis nimium deformia bellis;

And then adds,

Jam tempus laceris post longa incendia fundisVel pastorales ædificare casas.

Jam tempus laceris post longa incendia fundis

Vel pastorales ædificare casas.

And a little after,

Æternum tibi Rhenus aret.

AndOrosiusin the end of his history, which was finished A.C. 417, represents now a general pacification of the barbarous nations by the wordscomprimere,coangustare,addicere gentes immanissimas; terming themimperio addictas, because they had obtained seats in the Empire by league and compact; andcoangustatas, because they did no longer invade all regions at pleasure, but by the same compact remained quiet in the seats then granted them. And these are the kingdoms, of which the feet of the Image were henceforward composed, and which are represented by iron and clay intermixed, which did not stick one to another, and were of different strength.

[1]Procop. l. 1. de Bello Vandalico.[2]Galli Arborici:whence the region was namedArboricbant, and by contractionBrabant.

[1]Procop. l. 1. de Bello Vandalico.

[2]Galli Arborici:whence the region was namedArboricbant, and by contractionBrabant.

Of the ten Kingdoms represented by the ten horns of the fourth Beast.

Now by the wars above described theWesternEmpire of theRomans, about the time thatRomewas besieged and taken by theGoths, became broken into the following ten kingdoms.

1. The kingdom of theVandalsandAlansinSpainandAfrica.2. The kingdom of theSueviansinSpain.3. The kingdom of theVisigoths.4. The kingdom of theAlansinGallia.5. The kingdom of theBurgundians.6. The kingdom of theFranks.7. The kingdom of theBritains.8. The kingdom of theHunns.9. The kingdom of theLombards.10. The kingdom ofRavenna.

1. The kingdom of theVandalsandAlansinSpainandAfrica.

2. The kingdom of theSueviansinSpain.

3. The kingdom of theVisigoths.

4. The kingdom of theAlansinGallia.

5. The kingdom of theBurgundians.

6. The kingdom of theFranks.

7. The kingdom of theBritains.

8. The kingdom of theHunns.

9. The kingdom of theLombards.

10. The kingdom ofRavenna.

Seven of these kingdoms are thus mentioned bySigonius.1Honorio regnante,in Pannoniam2Hunni,in Hispaniam3Vandali,4Alani,5Suevi&6Gothi,in Galliam4Alani7Burgundiones&6Gothi,certis sedibus permissis, accepti. Add theFranks,Britains, andLombards, and you have the ten: for these arose about the same time with the seven. But let us view them severally.

1. The Kings of theVandalswere, A.C. 407Godegesilus, 407Gunderic, 426Geiseric, 477Hunneric, 484Gundemund, 496Thrasamund, 513Geiseric, 530Gelimer.Godegesilusled them intoGalliaA.C. 406,GundericintoSpainA.C. 409,GeisericintoAfricaA.C. 427; andGelimerwas conquered byBelisariusA.C. 533. Their kingdom lasted inGallia,SpainandAfricatogether 126 years; and inAfricathey were very potent. TheAlanshad only two Kings of their own inSpain,Resplendial, andAtaces,UtacusorOthacar. UnderResplendialthey went intoFranceA.C. 407, and intoSpainA.C. 409.Ataceswas slain with almost all his army byValliaKing of theVisigothsA.C. 419. And then the remainder of theseAlanssubjected themselves toGundericKing of theVandalsinBœtica, and went afterwards with them intoAfrica, as I learn out ofProcopius. Whence the Kings of theVandalsstyled themselves Kings of theVandalsandAlans; as may be seen in the Edict ofHunnericrecited byVictorin hisVandalicpersecution. In conjunction with theChatti, theseAlansgave the name ofCathalaunia, orCatth-Alania, to the Province which is still so called. TheseAlanshad alsoGepidesamong them; and therefore theGepidescame intoPannoniabefore theAlansleft it. There they became subject to theHunnstill the death ofAttilaA.C. 454, and at length were conquered by theOstrogoths.

2. The Kings of theSuevianswere, A.C. 407Ermeric, 458Rechila, 448Rechiarius, 458Maldra, 460Frumarius, 463Regismund. And after some other Kings who are unknown, reigned A.C. 558Theudomir, 568Miro, 582Euboricus, and 583Andeca. This kingdom, after it had been once seated inSpain, remained always inGallæciaandLusitania.Ermericafter the fall of theAlankingdom, enlarged it into allGallæcia, forcing theVandalsto retire intoBœticaand theCarthaginianProvince. This kingdom lasted 177 years according toIsidorus, and then was subdued byLeovigildusKing of theVisigoths, and made a Province of his kingdom A.C. 585.

3. The Kings of theVisigothswere, A.C. 400Alaric, 410Athaulphus, 415SergericandVallia, 419Theoderic, 451Thorismund, 452Theoderic, 465Euric, 482Alaric, 505Gensalaric, 526Amalaric, 531Theudius, 548Theudisclus, &c. I date this kingdom from the time thatAlaricleftThraceandGreeceto invade theWestern Empire. In the end of the reign ofAthaulphustheGothswere humbled by theRomans, and attempted to pass out ofFranceintoSpain.Sergericreigned but a few days. In the beginning ofVallia's reign they assaulted theRomansafresh, but were again repulsed, and then made peace on this condition, that they should on the behalf of the Empire invade theBarbariankingdoms inSpain: and this they did, together with theRomans, in the years 417 and 418, overthrowing theAlansand part of theVandals. Then they receivedAquitainof the Emperor by a full donation, leaving their conquests inSpainto the Emperor: and thereby the seats of the conqueredAlanscame into the hands of theRomans. In the year 455,Theoderic, assisted by theBurgundians, invadedSpain, which was then almost all subject to theSuevians, and took a part of it from them. A.C. 506, theGothswere driven out ofGalliaby theFranks. A.C. 585, they conquered theSueviankingdom, and became Lords of allSpain. A.C. 713, theSaracensinvaded them, but in time they recovered their dominions, and have reigned inSpainever since.

4. The Kings of theAlansinGalliawereGoar,Sambida,Eocharic,Sangibanus,Beurgus, &c. UnderGoarthey invadedGalliaA.C. 407, and had seats given them near theRhine, A.C. 412. UnderSambida, whomBuchermakes the successor, if not the son ofGoar, they had the territories ofValencegiven them byÆtiusthe Emperor's General, A.C. 440. UnderEocharicthey conquered a region of the rebellingGalli Arborici, given them also byÆtius. This region was from them namedAlenconium, quasi Alanorum conventus. UnderSangibanusthey were invaded, and their regal cityOrleanswas besieged byAttilaKing of theHunns, with a vast army of 500000 men.Ætiusand theBarbarianKings ofGalliacame to raise the siege, and beat theHunnsin a very memorable battle, A.C. 451,in campis Catalaunicis, so called from theseAlansmixt with theChatti. The region is now calledCampaniaorChampagne. In that battle were slain on both sides 162000 men. A year or two after,Attilareturned with an immense army to conquer this kingdom, but was again beaten by them and theVisigothstogether in a battle of three days continuance, with a slaughter almost as great as the former. UnderBeurgus, orBiorgor, they infestedGalliaround about, till the reign ofMaximusthe Emperor; and then they passed theAlpsin winter, and came intoLiguria, but were there beaten, andBeurgusslain, byRicimercommander of the Emperor's forces, A.C. 464. Afterwards they were again beaten, by the joint force ofOdoacerKing ofItalyandChildericKing of theFranks, about the year 480, and again byTheudobertKing of theAustrian Franksabout the year 511.

5. The Kings of theBurgundianswere, A.C. 407Gundicar, 436Gundioc, 467Bilimer, 473Gundobalduswith his brothers, 510Sigismund, 517Godomarus. UnderGundicarthey invadedGalliaA.C. 407, and had seats given them by the Emperor near theRhineinGallia Belgica, A.C. 412. They hadSaxonsamong them, and were now so potent, thatOrosiusA.C. 417 wrote of them: 'Burgundionum esse prævalidam manum, Galliæ hodieque testes sunt, in quibus præsumpta possessione consistunt. About the year 435 they received great overthrows byÆtius, and soon after by theHunns: but five years after hadSavoygranted them to be shared with the inhabitants; and from that time became again a potent kingdom, being bounded by the riverRhodanus, but afterwards extending much further into the heart ofGallia.Gundobaldconquered the regions about the riversArarisandRhodanus, with the territories ofMarseilles; and invadingItalyin the time of the EmperorGlycerius, conquered all his brethren.GodomarusmadeOrleanshis royal seat: whence the kingdom was calledRegnum Aurelianorum. He was conquered byClothariusandChildebert, Kings of theFranks, A.C. 526. From thenceforward this kingdom was sometimes united to the kingdom of theFranks, and sometimes divided from it, till the reign ofCharlesthe great, who made his sonCarolottusKing ofBurgundy. From that time, for about 300 years together, it enjoyed its proper Kings; and was then broken into the Dukedom ofBurgundy, County ofBurgundy, and County ofSavoy; and afterwards those were broken into other lesser Counties.

6. The Kings of theFrankswere, A.C. 407Theudomir, 417Pharamond, 428Clodio, 448Merovæus, 456Childeric, 482Clodovæus, &c.WindelineandBucher, two of the most diligent searchers into the originals of this kingdom, make it begin the same year with theBarbarianinvasions ofGallia, that is, A.C. 407. Of the first Kings there is inLabbe's Bibliotheca M.S.this record.

Historica quædam excerpta ex veteri stemmate genealogico Regum Franciæ.

Genobaldus, Marcomerus, Suno, Theodemeris. Isti duces vel reguli extiterunt à principio gentis Francorum diversis temporibus. Sed incertum relinquunt historici quali sibi procreations lineâ successerunt.

Pharamundus: sub hoc rege suo primo Franci legibus se subdunt, quas primores eorum tulerunt Wisogastus, Atrogastus, Salegastus.

Chlochilo. Iste, transito Rheno, Romanos in Carbonaria sylva devicit, Camaracum cepit & obtinuit, annis 20 regnavit. Sub hoc rege Franci usque Summam progressi sunt.

Merovechus. Sub hoc rege Franci Trevirim destruunt, Metim succendunt, usque Aurelianum perveniunt.

Now forGenobaldus,MarcomerandSuno, they were captains of theTransrhenane Franksin the reign ofTheodosius, and concern us not. We are to begin withTheudomirthe first King of the rebellingSalii, calledDidiobyIvo Carnotensis, andThiedoandTheudemerusbyRhenanus. His face is extant in a coin of gold found with this inscription, THEUDEMIR REX, published byPetavius, and still or lately extant, asWindelinetestifies: which shews that he was a King, and that inGallia; seeing that rudeGermanyunderstood not then the coining of money, nor used eitherLatinwords or letters. He was the son ofRicimer, orRichomer, the favourite of the EmperorTheodosius; and so being aRoman Frank, and of theSalianroyal blood, they therefore upon the rebellion made him King. The whole time of his reign you have stated inExcerptis Gregorii Turonensis è Fredigario,cap.5, 6, 7, 8. where the making him King, the tyranny ofJovinus, the slaughter of the associates ofJovinus, the second taking ofTriersby theFranks, and their war withCastinus, in which this King was slain, are as a series of successive things thus set down in order.Extinctis Ducibus in Francis, denuo Reges creantur ex eadem stirpe qua prius fuerant. Eodem tempore Jovinus ornatus regios assumpsit. Constantinus fugam versus Italiam dirigit; missis a Jovino Principe percussoribus super Mentio flumine, capite truncatur. Multi nobilium jussu Jovini apud Avernis capti, & a ducibus Honorii crudeliter interempti sunt. Trevirorum civitas, factione unius ex senatoribus nomine Lucii, à Francis captà & incensa est.—Castinus Domesticorum Comes expeditionem accipit contra Francos, &c. Then returning to speak ofTheudomir, he adds:Franci electum à se regem, sicut prius fuerat, crinitum inquirentes diligenter ex genere Priami, Frigi & Francionis, super se crearunt nomine Theudemerum filium Richemeris, qui in hoc prælio quod supra memini, à Romanis interfectus est; that is, in the battle withCastinus's army. Of his deathGregory Turonensismakes this further mention:In consularibus legimus Theodemerem regem Francorum filium Ricimeris quondam, & Ascilam matrem ejus, gladio interfectos.

Upon this victory of theRomans, theFranksand rebellingGauls, who in the time ofTheudomirwere at war with one another, united to strengthen themselves, asOrdericus Vitalis[1]thus mentions.Cum Galli prius contra Romanos rebellâssent, Franci iis sociati sunt, & pariter juncti, Ferramundum Sunonis ducis filium, sibi regem præfecerunt.Prospersets down the time;Anno 25 Honorii, Pharamundus regnat in Francia. This,Bucherwell observes, refers to the end of the year 416, or the beginning of the next year, dating the years ofHonoriusfrom the death ofValentinian; and argues well, that at this timePharamondwas not only King by the constitution of theFranks, but crowned also by the consent ofHonorius, and had a part ofGalliaassigned him by covenant. And this might be the cause thatRomanwriters reckoned him the first King: which some not understanding, have reputed him the founder of this kingdom by an army of theTransrhenane Franks. He might come with such an army, but he succeededTheudomirby right of blood and consent of the people. For the above cited passage ofFredigarius,Extinctis Ducibus, in Francis denuo Reges creantur ex eadem stirpe quâ prius fuerant, implies that the kingdom continued to this new elected family during the reign of more Kings than one. If you date the years ofHonoriusfrom the death of his father, the reign ofPharamondmight begin two years later than is assigned byBucher. TheSaliquelaws made in his reign, which are yet extant, shew by their name that it was the kingdom of theSaliiover which he reigned; and, by the pecuniary mulcts in them, that the place where he reigned abounded much with money, and consequently was within the Empire; rudeGermanyknowing not the use of money, till they mixed with theRomans. In the Preface also to theSaliquelaws, written and prefixed to them soon after the conversion of theFranksto the Christian religion, that is, in the end of the reign ofMerovæus, or soon after, the original of this kingdom is thus described:Hæc enim gens, quæ fortis dum esset & robore valida, Romanorum jugum durissimum de suis cervicibus excussit pugnando, &c. This kingdom therefore was erected, not by invasion but by rebellion, as was described above.Prosperin registering their Kings in order, tells us:Pharamundus regnat in Francia; Clodio regnat in Francia; Merovæus regnat in Francia: and who can imagine but that in all these places he meant one and the sameFrancia? And yet 'tis certain that theFranciaofMerovæuswas inGallia.

Yet the father ofPharamond, being king of a body ofFranksinGermanyin the reign of the EmperorTheodosius, as above,Pharamondmight reign over the sameFranksinGermanybefore he succeededTheudomirin the kingdom of theSalianswithin the Empire, and even beforeTheudomirbegan his reign; suppose in the first year ofHonorius, or when thoseFranksbeing repulsed byStilico, lost their KingsMarcomirandSuno, one of which was the father ofPharamond: and theRoman Franks, after the death ofTheudomir, might invitePharamondwith his people from beyond theRhine. But we are not to regard the reign ofPharamondinGermany: we are to date this kingdom from its rise within the Empire, and to look upon it as strengthened by the access of otherFrankscoming from beyond theRhine, whether in the reign of this King or in that of his successorClodio. For in the last year ofPharamond's reign,Ætiustook from him a part of his possession inGallia: but his successorClodio, whomFredigariusrepresents as the son ofTheudomir, and some callClogio,Cloio, andClaudius, inviting from beyond theRhinea great body ofFranks, recovered all, and carried on their conquests as far as the riverSoame. Then thoseFranksdividing conquests with him, erected certain new kingdoms atColognandCambray, and some other cities: all which were afterwards conquered byClodovæus, who also drove theGothsout ofGallia, and fix'd his seat atParis, where it has continued ever since. And this was the original of the present kingdom ofFrance.

7. The Kings ofBritainwere, A.C. 407 or 408,Marcus,Gratian, andConstantinesuccessively; A.C. 425Vortigern, 466Aurelius Ambrosius, 498Uther Pendraco, 508Arthur, 542Constantinus, 545Aurelius Cunanus, 578Vortiporeus, 581Malgo, 586Careticus, 613Cadwan, 635Cadwalin, 676Cadwallader. The three first wereRomanTyrants, who revolted from the Empire.Orosius,ProsperandZosimusconnect their revolt with the irruptions of theBarbariansintoGallia, as consequent thereunto.Prosper, with whomZosimusagrees, puts it in the year which began the day after that irruption. The just time I thus collect:Marcusreigned not many days,Gratianfour months, andConstantinethree years. He was slain the year after the taking ofRome, that is A.C. 411, 14 Kal.Octob.Whence the revolt was in Spring A.C. 408.SozomenjoinsConstantine's expedition intoGalliawithArcadius's death, or the times a little after; andArcadiusdied A.C. 408Maythe 1st. Now tho the reign of these Tyrants was but short, yet they gave a beginning to the kingdom ofBritain, and so may be reckoned the three first Kings, especially since the posterity ofConstantine,viz.his sonsAurelius Ambrosius, andUther Pendraco, and his grandsonArthur, reigned afterwards. For from the time of the revolt of these TyrantsBritaincontinued a distict kingdom absolved from subjection to the Empire, the Emperor not being able to spare soldiers to be sent thither to receive and keep the Island, and therefore neglecting it; as we learn by unquestionable records. ForProspertells us;A.C.410,Variane Cos. Hac tempestate præ valetudine Romanorum, vires funditùs attenuatæ Britanniæ. AndSigebert, conjoining this with the siege ofRome, saith:Britannorum vires attenuatæ, & substrahunt se à Romanorum dominatione. AndZosimuslib.6.TheTransrhenane Barbariansinvading all places, reduced the inhabitants of the island ofBritain, and also certainCelticnations to that pass, that they fell off from theRomanEmpire; and being no longer obedient to theRomanlaws,κατ' ‛εαυτον βιατευειν,they lived in separate bodies after their own pleasure. TheBritonstherefore taking up arms, and hazarding themselves for their own safety, freed their cities from the imminentBarbarians. In like manner allBrabantand some other Provinces of theGaulsimitating theBritons, freed themselves also, ejecting theRomanPresidents, and forming themselves into a sort of commonwealth according to their own pleasure. This rebellion ofBritainand theCelticnations happened whenConstantineusurped the kingdom. So alsoProcopius,lib.1.Vandal.speaking of the sameConstantine, saith: Constantinebeing overcome in battle, was slain with his children:Βρεταννιαν μεν τοι Ρωμαιοι ανασωσασθαι ουκετι εχον· αλλ' ουσα ‛υπο τυραννους απ' αυτου εμενε.Yet theRomanscould not recoverBritainany more, but from that time it remained under Tyrants. AndBeda,l.1.c.11.Fracta est Roma à Gothis anno 1164 suæ conditionis; ex quo tempore Romani in Britannia regnare cessaverunt. AndEthelwaldus:A tempore Romæ à Gothis expugnatæ, cessavit imperium Romanorum à Britannia insula, & ab aliis; quas sub jugo servitutis tenebant, multis terris. AndTheodoret,serm.9.de curand. Græc. affect. about the year 424, reckons theBritonsamong the nations which were not then in subjection to theRomanEmpire. ThusSigonius:ad annum 411, Imperium Romanorum post excessum Constantini in Britannia nullum fuit.

Between the death ofConstantineand the reign ofVortigernwas an interregnum of about 14 years, in which theBritonshad wars with thePictsandScots, and twice obtained the assistance of aRomanLegion, who drove out the enemy, but told them positively at their departure that they would come no more. OfVortigern's beginning to reign there is this record in an old Chronicle inNennius, quoted byCamdenand others:Guortigernus tenuit imperium in Britannia, Theodosio & Valentiniano Coss.[viz.A.C. 425.]& in quarto anno regni sui Saxones ad Britanniam venerunt, Felice & Tauro Coss.[viz.A.C. 428.] This coming of theSaxons,Sigebertrefers to the 4th year ofValentinian, which falls in with the year 428 assigned by this Chronicle: and two years after, theSaxonstogether with thePictswere beaten by theBritons. Afterwards in the reign ofMartianthe Emperor, that is, between the years 450 and 456, theSaxonsunderHengistwere called in by theBritons, but six years after revolted from them, made war upon them with various success, and by degrees succeeded them. Yet theBritonscontinued a flourishing kingdom till the reign ofCareticus; and the war between the two nations continued till the pontificate ofSergiusA.C. 688.[2]

8. The Kings of theHunnswere, A.C. 406OctarandRugila, 433BledaandAttila.OctarandRugilawere the brothers ofMunzucKing of theHunnsinGothiabeyond theDanube; andBledaandAttilawere his sons, andMunzucwas the son ofBalamir. The two first, asJornandestells us, were Kings of theHunns, but not of them all; and had the two last for their successors. I date the reign of theHunnsinPannoniafrom the time that theVandalsandAlansrelinquishedPannoniato them, A.C. 407.Sigoniusfrom the time that theVisigothsrelinquishedPannoniaA. C. 408.Constat, saith he,quod Gothis ex Illyrico profectis, Hunni successerunt, atque imprimis Pannoniam tenuerunt. Neque enim Honorius viribus ad resistendum in tantis difficultatibus destitutus, prorsus eos prohibere potuit, sed meliore consilio, animo ad pacem converso, fœdus cum eis, datis acceptisque obsidibus fecit; ex quibus qui dati sunt, Ætius, qui etiam Alarico tributus fuerat, præcipue memoratur. HowÆtiuswas hostage to theGothsandHunnsis related byFrigeridus, who when he had mentioned thatTheodosiusEmperor of theEasthad sent grievous commands toJohn, who after the death ofHonoriushad usurped the crown of theWestern Empire, he subjoins:Iis permotus Johannes, Ætium id tempus curam palatii gerentem cum ingenti auri pondere ad Chunnos transmisit, notos sibi obsidiatûs sui tempore & familiari amicitiâ devinctos—And a little after:Ætius tribus annis Alarici obses, dehinc Chunnorum, postea Carpilionis gener ex Comite domesticorum & Joannis curopalatæ.NowBuchershews thatÆtiuswas hostage toAlarictill the year 410, whenAlaricdied, and to theHunnsbetween the years 411 and 415, and son-in-law toCarpilioabout the year 417 or 418, andCuropalatestoJohnabout the end of the year 423. Whence 'tis probable that he became hostage to theHunnsabout the year 412 or 413, whenHonoriusmade leagues with almost all the barbarous nations, and granted them seats: but I had rather say withSigonius, thatÆtiusbecame hostage toAlaricA.C. 403. It is further manifest out ofProsper, that theHunnswere in quiet possession ofPannoniain the year 432. For in the first book ofEusebius's ChronicleProsperwrites:Anno decimo post obitum Honorii, cum ad Chunnorum gentem cui tunc Rugila præerat, post prælium cum Bonifacio se Ætius contulisset, impetrato auxilio ad Romanorum solum regreditur.And in the second book:Ætio & Valerio Coss. Ætius depositâ potestate profugus ad Hunnos in Pannonia pervenit, quorum amicitiâ auxilioque usus, pacem principum interpellatæ potestatis obtinuit.Hereby it appears that at this timeRugila, or asMaximuscalls him,Rechilla, reigned over theHunnsinPannonia; and thatPannoniawas not now so much as accounted within the soil of the Empire, being formerly granted away to theHunns; and that these were the very same body ofHunnswith whichÆtiushad, in the time of his being an hostage, contracted friendship: by virtue of which, as he sollicited them before to the aid ofJohnthe Tyrant A.C. 424, so now he procured their intercession for himself with the Emperor.Octardied A.C. 430; forSocratestells us, that about that time theBurgundianshaving been newly vext by theHunns, upon intelligence ofOctar's death, seeing them without a leader, set upon them suddenly with so much vigour, that 3000Burgundiansslew 10000Hunns. OfRugila's being now King inPannoniayou have heard already. He died A.C. 433, and was succeeded byBleda, asProsperandMaximusinform us. ThisBledawith his brotherAttilawere before this time Kings of theHunnsbeyond theDanube, their fatherMunzuc's kingdom being divided between them; and now they united the kingdomPannoniato their own. WhencePaulus Diaconussaith, they didregnum intra Pannoniam Daciamque gerere. In the year 441, they began to invade the Empire afresh, adding to thePannonianforces new and great armies fromScythia. But this war was presently composed, and thenAttila, seeingBledainclined to peace, slew him, A.C. 444, inherited his dominions, and invaded the Empire again. At length, after various great wars with theRomans,Attilaperished A.C. 454; and his sons quarrelling about his dominions, gave occasion to theGepides,Ostrogothsand other nations who were their subjects, to rebel and make war upon them. The same year theOstrogothshad seats granted them inPannoniaby the EmperorsMarcianandValentinian; and with theRomansejected theHunnsout ofPannonia, soon after the death ofAttila, as all historians agree. This ejection was in the reign ofAvitus, as is mentioned in theChronicum Boiorum, and inSidonius, Carm. 7 in Avitum, which speaks thus of that Emperor.

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