The INTRODUCTION^ 21 



with Silver, as well as purple Sails \ as if their 

 greateft Delight had been to glory in their Iniquity. 

 Nor were they content with committing Pyracies 

 and Infolencies by Sea, they committed as great 

 Depredations by Land, or rather made Conquefis ; 

 for they took and fack'd no lefs than four hundred 

 Cities, laid feveral others under Contributions, 

 plundered the Temples of the Gods, and inriched 

 themfelves with the Offerings depofited in them ; 

 they often landed Bodies of Men, who not only 

 plundered the Villages along the Sea Coaft, but 

 ranfacked the fine Houfes of the Noblemen along 

 the Tiber. A Body of them once took SextiSius and 

 Bellimsj two Roman Prsetors, in their purple Robes, 

 going from Rome to their Governments, and carried 

 them away with all their Sergeants, Officers and 

 Vergers i they alfo took the Daughter of Antonlm 

 a conliilar Perfon, and one who had obtained the 

 Honour of a Triumph, as Ihe was going to the 

 Country Houfe ot her Father. 



But what was moft barbarous, was a Cuftom they 

 had when they took any Ship, of enquiring of the 

 Perfon on Board, concerning their Names and 

 Country if any of them faid he was a Roman ^ they 

 fell down upon their Knees, as if in a Fright at 

 the Greatnefs of that Name, and beggM Pardon for 

 what they had done, and imploring his Mercy, they 

 ufed to perform the Offices of Servants about his 

 Perlbn, and when they found they had deceived 

 him into a Belief of their being fincere, they hung 

 out the Ladder of the Ship, and coming with a fliew 

 of Courtefy, told him, he had his Liberty, defiring 

 him to walk out of the Ship, and this in the Middle 

 of the Sea, and when they obferved him in Sur- 

 prize, as was natural, they uled to throw hira over- 

 board with mighty Ihouts of Laughter ^ fo wanton 

 they were in their Cruelty. 



B 3 Thus 



I.. 



