army was which had exposed itself to danger, the greater profit had every soldier; but when it consisted of many hands, they who remaining at home were fain to undergo more than ordinary travel in domestic affairs, did receive by so much the greater portion. But the Lord's tribute was always certain, yea, many times it was encreased, either by some especial commandment, as when all the gold, and silver, and other metals, found in Jericho, were consecrated unto God"; or by thankfulness of the rulers and people, as when after the victory obtained against the Midianites without the loss of one man, all the jewels, bracelets, ear-rings, and the like, were offered 20 up, as voluntary presents.

Now howsoever the Israelites were many times oppressed, and trodden down by other nations, yet were not these treasures robbed or spoiled; for the enemies never got possession of the tabernacle that was in Shiloh. Wherefore it cannot otherwise be, than that the wealth of the sanctuary must have been exceeding great; as containing above a hundredth part of all the money and other goods found by the Israelites in the whole land of Canaan”; and of all that was purchased by so many victories as they obtained against the bordering nations. For that this treasury was not defrauded of the due portion, it is evident; seeing, that before the time of David and his lieutenant Joab, it is recorded, that Saul and Abner, and before them Samuel, had used to dedicate of the spoils obtained in war, to maintain the house of the Lord; the like whereof may be well presumed of the former judges and captains in other ages. Certain it is, that the conquest of David brought into the land far greater abundance of riches, than any former victories had purchased, those of Joshua perhaps excepted; but these vast sums of an hundred thousand talents of silver, may seem rather to have been made up, by the addition.

19 Josh. vi. 19. 20 Numb. xxxi. 50. 21 1 Chron. xxvi. 27, 28.

of his winnings and liberality, to the treasures laid up in many former former ages, than to have been the mere fruits of his own industry.

Now concerning the riches of Solomon**, it is more manifest how he gathered them; for he received of yearly revenues, with his tributes, six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold'3, besides the customs of spices. He had also six rich returns from the EastIndies, which greatly increased his store. For his ships performed that voyage every three years, and he began that trade in the twenty-second year of his reign, and ruled forty years. Besides this, all Judea and Israel were now mastered to his hands; all the Arabians his borderers, the Syrians of Zobah, of Damascena, of Palmyrena, of Iturea, all of Idumea 24, Moab, and Ammon, paid him tribute; as likewise did the Hittites, who with the Perizzites, Hevites, Jebusites, and other races of the Canaanites, were not as yet extinguished, though subjected.

Into this flourishing estate was the kingdom of Israel reduced by David, who, after forty years reign, and seventy years of life, died in a good ages, full of days, riches, and honour, and was buried in the city of David. It is written by Josephus, that there was hid, in David's tomb, a marvellous quantity of treasures, insomuch as Hyrcanus, (who first of the Chasmanæi, or race of the Maccabees, called himself king,) one thousand three hundred years after, drew thence three thousand talents, to rid himself of Antiochus, then besieging Jerusalem; and afterwards Herod opening another cell, had also an exceeding mass of gold and silver therein. And it was an ancient custom to bury treasure with the dead. So the Peruvians and other Americans did the like; which being discovered by the Spaniards, they enriched themselves by nothing so much in their first

22 1 Kings x. 14. 23 A talent of Gold is seven hundred and seventy French crowns. 24 1 Kings ix, 20. and x. 29. 25 1 Chron. xxix. 28. 26 Josh. Ant; l. 7.

conquest. That Solomon did bury so much treasure in his father's grave, it would hardly be believed, in regard of the great exactions with which he was fain to burthen the people, notwithstanding all the riches which he got otherwise, or which were sent unto him; were it not withal considered that his want of money grew from such magnificent employments. Particularly of the sepulchre of David, the scriptures have no mention, but only the sepulchres of the kings of Judah, as of an honourable place of burial. Yet the monuments of those kings 7, as, (by relation of the duke of Ulika,) they remained within these thirty years, and are like to remain still, are able to make any report credible, of cost bestowed upon them.

SECT. X.

Of the Philistines, whom David absolutely mastered; and of sundry other contemporaries with David.

Or the Philistines, whose pride David was the first that absolutely mastered, in this conclusion of David's time, somewhat here may be spoken.

They descended of Casloim, who, according to Isidore, 1. 9, 19. and Josh. l. 1. Ant. 17., was one of the sons of Misraim, and was surnamed Philistim, as Esau was surnamed Edom, and Jacob Israel. There were of them five cities or petty principalities; namely, Azotus or Asdod', Gaza or Aczaph, Ascalon, Geth, or Gath, and Accaron. It seemeth that Cas loim was the first founder of this nation, because of his kindred on either hand, the Canaanites and the Egyptians.

The first king of these Philistines which the scriptures have named, was that Abimelech which loved Sarah, Abraham's wife".

The second Abimelech lived at once with Isaac, to whom Isaac repaired in the time of famine, Abi

27 Peregrinat. Hierosol. D. N. Ch. Radz. Epist. 2. 1 1 Sam. 6. 2 Gen. 20.

melech then residing at Gerar in the border of Idumea; which Abimelech fancied Isaac's wife3, as his father had done Sarah.

After Abimelech the second, the Philistine kings are not remembered in the scriptures, till David's time. Perhaps the government was turned into aristocratical; for they are afterwards named princes of the Philistines, howsoever Achis be named king of Gath, the same to whom David fled, and who again gave him Ziklag to inhabit in Saul's time.

After him we read of another Achis, who lived with Solomon, to whom Shimei travelled to fetch back his fugitive servant, what time the seeking of his servant was the loss of his life. Jeremiah the prophet speaketh of the kings of Palestine or Philistine. Amos nameth the king of Ascalon; Zacharias, a king of Gaza. The rest of the wars of the Philistines are remembered in the catalogue of the judges, of Saul and David, and therefore I shall not need to collect the particulars in this place.

There lived at once with David, the third of the Silvii king of Alba, called Latinus Silvius, who is said to have ruled that part of Italy fifty years. And about his fourteenth year, Codrus the last king of the Athenians died, to whom succeeded the first prince of those, who being called after Medon, Medontidæ, without regal name governed Athens dur ing their life.

The reasons which moved the Athenians to change their government, were not drawn from any incon venience found in the rule of sovereignty, but in ho nour of Codrus only. For when the Grecians of Doris, a region between Phocis and the mountain Oeta, sought counsel from the oracle, for their success in their wars against the Athenians, it was answered, that then undoubtedly they should prevail, and become lords of that state, when they could obtain any victory against the nation, and yet preserve

• Gen. xxvi. 4 Judg. xvi. 1 Sam. xviii, 29. 1 Sam. xxi, 11. 1 Kings ü.

the Athenian king living. Codrus, by some intelligence, being informed of this answer, withdrew himself from his own forces, and putting on the habit of a common soldier, entered the camp of the Dorians, and killing the first he encountered, was himself forthwith cut in pieces.

Eupales, the thirty-first king of Assyria, which others account but the thirtieth, began to rule that empire about the thirteenth year of David, and held it thirty-eight years.

Near the same time began Ixion, the second king of the Heraclidæ, the son of Eurysthenes in Corinth; and Agis the second of the Heraclidæ in Lacadæmon; in honour of which Agis, his successors were called Agidæ, for many years after. He restored the Laconians to their former liberty; he overcame the citizens of Helos in Laconia, who had refused to pay him tribute; he condemned them and theirs to perpetual slavery; whereof it came, that all the Messenians, whom at length they brought into the like bondage, were after called Helotes.

In like sort, from the Sclavi came the word slave. For when that nation, issuing out of Sarmatia, now called Russia, had seized upon the country of Illyria, and made it their own by conquest, their victory pleased them so highly, that thereupon they called themselves by a new name, Slavos, which is in their language Glorious. But in after-times, (that warmer climate having thawed their northern hardiness, and not ripened their wits,) when they were trodden down, and made servants to their neighbours, the Italians, which kept many of them in bondage, began to call all their bondmen slaves, using the word as a name of reproach; in which sense it is now current through many countries.

Other chronologers make this Agis the third king of Sparta, and somewhat later, about the twenty-third year of David; and, say that Achestratus was the fourth king of this race, the same whom Euse