The stay of stately throne is nothing sure, Where great estates on brybes or blodshed build; As _Didius Iulian_ put for proofe in vre, Th’emperiall seate he bought, and soone was kild: So _Niger_ after him by armes assayde the same, _Albinus_ then, from _Britayne_ armed came, [For Empire sake they lost their heades and fame.] 2. These three stoode in my way to high estate, Which I sore thirsted for, but yet at last I made thereto, by bloudshed bold, a gate, And letlesse so vnto[1057] the throne I past: The souldiers _Iulian_ slewe, for insufficient pay: My seruants eke at _Antioch Niger_ slay: [At _Lyons_ siege they tooke _Albinus_ head away.] 3. Then was my seate, me thought, assurde to bide, There could no tempest teare my sayles adowne: No showre could cause my fixed foote to slide, Nor vnder creeper crooke[1058] from me the Crowne Which had the guyde of all _Europae’s_ [wealth and] might, He, needed not to feare the force of fight, [Nor yet the ire of any worldly wight.] 4. Encouraged with loue of lasting fame, I entred with an armie into th’East, _Armenia_ can full well reporte the same, Whereas my warlike glory first increast. _Angarus_ I subdude by fight the noble King, And bid his sonnes to _Rome_ for hostage bring, [For which my fame through all the worlde did ring.] 5. _Arabia Fælix_ felt my force likewise, Although those warres had not so good successe: Yet made I them with bowes (good archers) rise, Or else they had bene driue to great distresse. Their [fethered] shaftes from _Arras_ shot, made vs to smarte, They poysoned of my men by policy and arte, [And forced mee afflicted sore, with souldiers to departe.] 6. To _Parthia_ thence, agaynst of armes the lawe,[1059] Wee gate, forgot the truce before was plight: And when occasion fit to serue therefore wee sawe,[1060] King _Artabane_ w’assaylde, and put him thence to flight.[1061] With fire and sword wee brent, [turmoylde,] and spoylde his land, Tooke captiues, slewe the men that did vs ought with-stand,[1062] [Enritcht with boetyes thence retournde, whereof great store we fand.] 7. To _Rome_ I came, and caused chartes[1063] bee drawne Of iourneys mine, by land and seas the plats: Not erst before such expedition sawne, Nor of those Countryes seene so perfect mapps. The worlde did wonder at my heaps of haps, The _Romaynes_ honourde mee[1064] with triomphes when I came, They vnto mee of _Parthique_ gaue to name, [And Poets pennes perpetuate my prowes, facts, and fame.] 8.