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the process of his wars in Syria, where the nations beyond Euphrates had no power to molest him, being more than ever troubled themselves, with the return of their oppressors: For the Scythians resolv ing now to seek no further, began to demand more than the tribute formerly imposed. And not contented to fleece the naturals with grievous exactions, they presumed to live at discretion upon the country, taking what they listed from the owners; and many times, (as it were to save the labour of taking often,) taking all at once. This tyrannous dominion they long used over the Higher Asia, that is, over the country lying between the Caspian and Red seas, and between India and Asia the Less. Happy it was for the poor people, that in so large a space of ground, there was room enough for these new comers, otherwise the calamity that fell, as it were by chance, upon those private men, to whose wealth any Scythian did bear a fancy, would have lighted in general upon all at one clap, leaving few alive, and none able to relieve their fellows. Yet it seems that the hea viest burthen lay upon Media, for it was a fruitful country, not far from their own home, and lay under a climate well agreeing with the constitution of their bodies; there also it was that they had the fatal blow, by which their insolent rule was taken from them.

Cyaxares, king of the Medes 5, who, in this extremity, was no better than a rent-gatherer for the Scythians, perceiving that this land lay unmatured and waste, through the negligence of his people, that were out of heart by daily oppressions, and that the matter could not be remedied by open force, resolved to prove what might be done by stratagem. The managing of the business is thus delivered in brief, that he and his Medes feasted the better part of the Scythians, made them drunk, and slew them,

5 Herod. 1. i.

recovering hereby the possession of all that they had lost.

Such another slaughter was committed upon the Danes in England, but it was revenged by their countrymen with greater cruelties than ever they had practised before. That the Scythians, which escaped this bloody feast, made any stir in Media, I do not find; neither do I read, that either in revenge hereof, or upon other pretence, the Medes were troubled by invasion from Scythia in time following.

This is the more strange, for that the army returning home out of Media was very strong, and encountered with opposition, (as Herodotus reports it',) no less than it had found abroad. Wherefore it may be, that the device of Cyaxares, to free his country, took good effect, with less bloodshed than hath been supposed. For, if he surprised all the chief of them, it was no hard matter to make a good composition. Many of them doubtless, in twenty-eight years, had so well settled themselves, that they were desirous of rest, and might be permitted, without any danger, to remain in the country; many, (of whom I shall speak anon,) having done what they could in the business for which they came forth, were willing to return home with what they had gotten; such as were not pleased with either of these two courses, might go join with the Cimmerians in Lydia, or seek their fortunes in other provinces among their own companions.

Whereas all the families of the north are said to have been with Nebuchadnezzar, it may be understood, that a great part of the Scythians, upon hope of gain, or desire to keep what they had already gained, were content to become subject unto Nabulasssar; mens love of their wealth being most effectual, in taming the more unquiet love of inordinate liberty. This is cer

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tain, that Nebuchadnezzer 7, as ever after, so in his first beginning of war, did beat the Egyptians, who, in ages foregoing, had been accustomed to deal with the Babylonians after another fashion; and this new success of that king may be imputed, in regard of human means, to such addition as this of new forces.

Of the Scythian army returning out of Media, divers authors report a story, which confirms me in the opinion, that this company went forth to assist their kindred and friends, in acquiring a new seat, and establishing their plantation. For these had left their wives behind them; a good argument to prove that they meant to come again. The Scythian women, to comfort themselves in their husband's absence, became bedfellows to their slaves. These got a lusty brood of youths, that were loth to be troubled with fathers-in-law, and therefore prepared to fight with them at their return. If they were only the children of slaves which compounded an army, (as Herodotus would have it, who tells us, that the Scythians were wont to pull out all their bond-mens eyes,) it must needs be that they were very boys, or else that the women did very little while continue chaste. Wherefore I rather believe the tale as it is told by the Russes themselves, who agreeing in the rest with the consent of histories, make that report of their ancestors returning homewards, which I will set down, as I find it in Doctor Fletcher's exact discourse of the Russe commonwealth. • They understood by the way that their bond-slaves, whom they left at home, had in ⚫ their absence possessed their towns, lands, houses, wives, and all. At which news being somewhat amazed, and yet disdaining the villany of their servants, they made the more speed home; and so not far from Novogorod met them in warlike 8 Russe Commonwealth, chap. iv.

7. Jer. xxv. 9.

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manner marching against them. Whereupon advising what was best to be done, they agreed also to set upon them with no other shew of weapon but with their horse-whips, (which, as their manner ' is, every man_rideth withal,) to put them in re'membrance of their servile condition, thereby to terrify them, and abate their courage. And so marching on, and lashing all together with their whips in their hands, they gave the onset; which ⚫ seemed so terrible in the ears of their villains, and ' struck such a sense unto them of the smart of the whip, which they had felt before, that they fled all together like sheep before the drivers. In memory of this victory, the Novogorodians ever since stamp ⚫ed their coin, (which they call Novogrodskoy, cur * rent through all Russia,) with the figure of a horseman shaking a whip aloft in his hand.' It may seem, that all the women in that country have fared the worse ever since, in regard of this universal fault; for such a pudkey or whip, as terrified those slaves, curiously wrought by herself, is the first present that the Muscovian wife, even in time of wooing, sends to him that shall be her husband, in token of subjection; being well assured to feel it often on her own loins. But this was a document unto the Scythians, or rather Sarmatians (for Novogorod stands in the country that was called Sarmatia,) to beware of absenting themselves any more so long from their wives; which, after this, I find not that they did.

Thus much I thought good to set down of the Scythian expedition; not only because it is the most memorable act performed abroad by that nation, famous in histories, and terrible to many countries; but for that it appears to have been a great cause of the Egyptians prevailing hitherto in Syria, and about Judæa, which continues yet a while the centre of our discourse.

SECT. V.

Of the Princes living in divers Countries in these Ages.

HAVING thus far digressed from the matters of Judah, to avoid all further occasion of doing the like, I will here insert a note of such kings and men of mark, as were between the death of Manasseh and the ruin of Jerusalem. Of the Egyptians, Babylonians, Medes, and Lydians, I have spoken as much as I thought needful. In Rome, Tullus Hostilius held the kingdom, until the one and twentieth year of Josiah, at which time Ancus Martius succeeding reigned four and twenty years. After him L. Tarquinius Priscus, a new come stranger, but very rich, prevailed so far by his graciousness among the people, that he got the kingdom to himself, disappointing the sons of Ancus over whom he was chosen tutor. He began in the fourth of Zedekiah, and reigned eight and thirty years. In this time it was, namely, in the second year of the thirtieth Olympiad, that the Lacedæmonians, bethinking them how to be avenged of the Arcadians, who gave succour to the Messenians against them in the former war, entered their territory, took the city of Phigalia or Phialia, from whence their garrisons were soon after beaten out. Cypselus, expelling the race of the Bacchidæ, made himself lord of Corinth about these times, and governed it in peace thirty years; leaving for successor his son Periander, one of the seven sages, but a cruel tyrant; who, among other vile acts, slew his own wife, and afterwards, as in her honour, stripped all the Corinthian women stark naked, burning their apparel, as an acceptable offering to her ghost. Hereby we may perceive that the wisdom of the Greeks was not excellent in those days, when such

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