Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/162

 126 ALA R that he was poifoned by the Jefuits, who, after his death, ufed to fay, that he was well gone, and that God had taken him away in good time. Befides the works of his already mentioned, he wrote alfo feveral other pieces; one, in parti- cular, " Of the Worfhip due to Saints, and their Relics; a " true, fincere, and moiled Defence of Chriftian Catholics, " that fuflered for their Faith, at home and abroad, againft a " tion of Juftice in England ;". wherein it is declared how un- " juftly the Proteftants do charge the Catholics with Treafon ; <c how untruly they deny their perfecution for Religion ; and ' how deceitfully they feek to abufe Strangers about the " Caufe, Greatnefs, and Manner of their Sufferings: with " divers other matters pertaining to this purpofe." The book to which this was an anfwer, was penned by lord Burleigh himfelf j and the original, underhis own hand, as Strype tells us (Annals, vol. iii. p. 481.), is yet preferved. . ALARIC, a famous general of the Goths. He entered ' Thrace at the head of 200,000 men, and laid wafte all the ' country through which he pafied. He marched next to Ma- Srrrafr*, cedonia and Theffaly : the Theffalians met him near the ^VM Clef/mouth of the r ' ver P eneas > an( l killed about 3000 of his op. jo. army; neverthelefs he advanced into Greece, and after hav- ing ravaged the whole country, returned to Epirus, loaded Petav. Rat. w ith immenfe fpoiis : aftei flaying here five years, he refolved to turn his arms towards the Weft. He marched through P-miii." Psnnonia; and, finding little refiftance, entered Italy, under F- !>* the confulfhip of Stilicho and Aurelianus, A. D. 400, but 'did not perfoim any memorable exploit for two years. In 402, being encamped near Polenzo, Stilicho came againft with a powerful army, and made a fudden attack upon his troops on after-day, being in hopes that the Goths would not defend themfelves on that day: but he was difappo'mted ; for though many of the Goths were flain in the beginning of the battle, yet at laft they took to their arms, and Alaric made fo vigor- ous an attack upon the Roman army, that, according to Caf- C!audi?n fiodorus as well asjornandesand Orohus, he routed them, took >1son ' their camp, and got an irnmenfe booty: but Claudian and Prudentius fay, on the contrary, that the Goths were defeat- ed. Certain it is, Aiaric loon after engaged Stilicho; and it was not till after feveral defeats, and when many of his Goths . ibid. had deferted, that he was obliged to retire into Pannonia. Whilft Alaric was in Pannonia, Stilicho concluded a peace with him, on condition that he (hould retire into Epirus } which
 * falfe, fcditious, and flanderous Libel, intitled, "TheExecii-