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This is that third transmarine age of the people of Rome, in which employing themselves upon exploits out of Italy, they displayed their adventurous armes over the whole earth. Of which age, the first hundred yeeres were holy, pious, and (as we have alreadie said) the age of gold, voide of hainous fact, or foule black deed, all the while the simplenesse, and puritie of that shepherd ish originall continued, and the imminent feare of the Pilmish-men maintained among us ancient discipline. The other hundred yeeres (which we reckon from the destruction of Carthage, Corinth, Numallce, and from the date of the last will, and testament of King Attalus (in which hee devised his kingdome in Asia) up to C(fsar, and Pompey, and to Augustus, who followed them) as the glorie of martial acts made stately great, if so vast domestick mischiefes made wretched, and worthie to bee blushed at. For as it was noble, and goodly to have conquer'd Gallia, Thrace, and Ciiicia, most fertil, and most powrfull provinces, the Armenians also, & Britalls, great names, but more for the honour of the empire, than for the uses thereof: So was it a brutish, and a shamefull thing to fight, and bicker at home, at the same time, with our owne citizens, associates, bondmen, fencers, and the whole Senate with it selfe. And I know not, whether it had not beene better for the people of Rome to have rested content with Sicilia, and Africk, yea, or to have wanted them also, having Italie at command, then to growe to such greatnesse as to bee consumed with

their proper strengths. For what other things else bred civill furies, but the too much rankness of prosperitie? The first thing which corrupted us, was the conquest of Syria, & next after that, the heritage of the king of Pergamus in Asia. The wealth, and riches of those countries were the things which crusht under them the morall vertues of that age, and overthrew the commonweal drownd in her owne vices as in a common sinke. For what cause was there why the people of Rome should stand so hard for fields, or foode, but as they were driven by the hunger which prodigalitie had procured? From hence therefore sprang the first, and second Gracchan seditions, & that third Appuleian. And out of what other ground did it growe, that the knights and gentlemen if Rome separated themselves from the Lords, to have soveraigne power in seats of judgement, but meerry out of covetousnes, that so they might convert to private lucre the customarie paiments due to the State, and even judgement in law itself? This brought in the promise of making all Latium· free of Rome, from whence rose the war with associats. And what bred the warre with bondmen? what? but the great number of them in families? whence came the armies of fensers against their owners, but for the excessive prodigality used in showes for gaining popular favour? while the Romans gave themselves over to showes of swordplayers, they brought that to bee a profession, and Arte, which was before those times the punishment of enemies. And, to touch on more gallant vices, was it not over-much wealth which stirr'd among us rivalities in honours? Or did not the stormes of Marius, and Sylla, and the magnificent furniture of feasts, & sumptuous presents, rise out of that abundance, which ere long would bring forth beggerie? This was it which made Catilille fall foule upon his countrey. To bee briefe, what other fountaine had that very desire ill some of soveraigntie, & to rule alone, but too much store of wealth? But that desire did mutually arme CdJ.far and Pompey with those mortall enmities, which like the furies fire-brands, set Rome on a bright blaze. Our purpose therefore is, to handle these civill quarrels, distinguished from just, and foreine warres, in order as they fall.