fyre wasteth euery thynge And yron herd doth neshe thynges perce If ought abideth y ◠they may not transuerce Yet cōmeth time and by continuaunce It al consumeth with his sharpe launce His sharpe toth of consumpcion In stil wise doth his busy cure For to aneantise in conclusion Al thynge that is brought forth by nature By long abydyng ye may thē not assure For olde thynges deuoured men may se Ferre out of mynde as they neuer had be Who can or maye remembre in any wise The glorious prowesse of these princes olde ▪ Or the noblesse of Philosophers wyse ▪ Or of poetes their feyning to vnfolde ▪ Processe of yeres alas as I you tolde Deuoured hath their name their noblesse Derked their renoune by foryetfulnesse Thus of their names is left no memory Tyme w t his rasour hath done so greate vengeaunce Shauen away the honor glory Of many noble ful mighty of puissaunce That there is left nowe no remembraunce Of princes poetes ne Philosophers For whan y ◠deth nailed them in their cofers Cam time vpon and by processe of yeres Their memory hath dusked their minde And reuolucion of the heuenly spheres By oft turnyng their glory hath left behind Thus euery thinge whiche subget is to kind Is in this life without more auauntage wasted with time and processe of long age In the first time from Adam to Noe Prudent listers which list in bokes to rede Founde of fortune no mutabilite Neither of her chaūge they toke the no hede But from Adam there rekened ben in dede Vnto Nembroth by turnynge of the heuen A thousand yeres .vii. hundred and eleuen In which space who that considereth wel There ben no thinges writen in especial Digne of memory ne spoken of neuer a del which that ben notable ne historial But fro the time Nembroth had a fal Vnto Cadmus the yeres to conteine They were a M. iiii hundred and fourtene Touchinge this Cadmus as Bochas list endite It is rehersed b◠Rethoriens Howe one Vexores in bokes as they write was made first a kinge of the Egipciens whan Philosophers and nigromanciens Began first taboūde their renoune tauaūce Nachor y ◠time hauyng y ◠gouernaūce Of the Ebrues as made is mencion After Nembroth by true rehersayle Thre hundred yere by computacion Foure score .xii. which time it is no fayle That Vexores begā warres great bataile Of volunt ayenst straunge nacions And to conquere Cityes borowes townes By force only without title of ryght He wan al Egipt to encrease his name But for al that who lyst to haue a sight There is nowe left no reporte of his fame Saue Bochas wryteth howe he first dyd attame Hys mighty conquest of intencion That the glory and the high renoune Ascriued were vnto his worthynes And the residue and surplusage Of golde treasure of good and of richesse Turne should to common auauntage Of al hys people that euery maner age Report mighte it was to him more nerre Aboue singularite his cōmon to prefer Also Tanais of Cithie fyrst kynge Whan Sarneke was duke and souerayne Ouer the Iewes by recorde of writynge Two hundred yere .xl. also and twaine After Nēbroth this Tanais gan ordayne A mighty power a stronge battaile Them of Cithye proudly to assayle Conqueryng from thens vnto the yle Called Ponte in a ful cruel wyse And though his lordship lasted but a whyle All that he wan was for couetise And as Bochas doth of thys folke deuise Proces of yeres for al their great puissaunce Hath put their names out of remembraunce Zoroastes also for all his great myght Of Bactrians kyng and possessoure Lorde of Trace and a full myghty knyght Of all his dedes and his great laboure Of his conquest ne of his great honoure Is nothing left of writyng vs beforne Saue y t he lough the houre y t he was borne He began full sone for to be mery With sodaine laughter at his natiuitie And worthy Ninus that was kyng of Assiry Expowned his laughter to great felicitie The which Ninus wan many a fayre coūtry And day by day his power gan encrease For which he would not of his cōquest cease For this is the maner of these conquerours Whan they haue had in armes victory Do their might their paine their labours With newe emprises to be put in memory For their courage surprised w t vayne glorye Can not be styll content in their estate Till their Parady say to them checkmate Fortune of armes in bokes ye may read With a false laughter on folkes dothe smyle She frowarde euer ere they can take hede Of nature will falsely them begyle Conquest by warre lasteth but a while For who by death dothe sturdy vyolence God will by death his vengeaunce recōpence This worthy Ninus gan mightely preuayle Ayenst zoroastes of whom I spake tofore For he with hym fought last in battayle In whiche Ninus hath him so well ybore That zoroastes hath the felde ylore And he was aucthour as bokes specify Of false Magyke and Nygromancy He fonde the nature of euery element Their kindely workyng their mutacions The course of starres and of the firmamente Their influences their dispositions Their aspectes and their coniunctions Wrote in pillers deuised of metall The seuen sciences called liberall Also in pillers of Brycke full harde ybake There were vp set longe large and huge He began also write them and vndertake To make them sure as for their refuge That they shoulde by floude ne deluge Defaced ben as of their scripture But in their grauyng perpetuall endure But though zoroastes these craftes out fond Full little ornought it myght to him auayle And though he were a good knight of his hōd He was of Ninus slayne in batrayle Lost his realme and royal apparayl And Ninus dyed within a litle throw But in what wise the story is not knowe Also Moydes kyng of Sodome I fynde of him no memory by writyng Saue in a story as men may reade and se He and his people were freell in liuynge But he that was of Assiriens kyng Through false Fortune that can so oft vary To Babylon made them tributary We haue sene and redde also The vengeaunce and the pestilence Done in Egypt to kyng Pharao For that he made a maner resistence Ayenst God of wilfull insolence Therfore his people vpon a day and he Were drent echone in middes of the see The people of God ledde by Moyses Without trouble of any maner wawe Went echone in quiet and in peas And Pharao as he gan after drawe Them to pursue by a full mortall lawe In his pursuite forward was atteynt Among the waues with his host and dreynt In Exodi ben these mencions Ceriouslye put in remembraunce The. xii plages and persecutions In Egypt done by full great vengeaunce And of their treasour their great substaūce They were dispoyled by Ebrues it is tolde Of their vessels of siluer and of
thyrein and she is called slouth An euident token of frowarde slogardye Vpon thy bed thy limmes so to dresse Ryse vp for shame for I can well espy Folke that can grone and fele no sycknesse Their chamberlayne is called ydlenes which layth thy pyllow at â—ue and morrowe Voyd her from the and let her go with forow To all vertue froward and contrary Is ydlenesse here in this present life which hath the draw away fro thy lybrarye Wyll the not suffer to be contemplatyfâ— For her condycion is to holde stryfe With euery vertuous occupacion which men shuld voyde of wysdom and resoÌ„ In this mater what shuld I long tary Thyslombre leaue and vp thine eine dresse The boke I made of life solytarye Remembre theron the which in sykernes Teacheth the way of vertuous busynes By and by who list rede euery lyne Of contemplacion moral and diuyne As I sayd erst yet lyft vp thy loke Forsake thy bed ryse vp anone for shame Woldest y â— rest nowe vpon thy seuenth boke And leaue the eight in soth thou art to blame Procede forth and get thy self a name And with one thyng do thy self comforte As thou deseruest men after shal reporte Make a comparison twene derknes lyght Twene ydlenes and occupacion Twene fayre dayes and the cloudy nighte Twene a cowards prowesse and hye renoun Twene vertuous speche false detraction And to conclude all vices to represse Contrary to slouthe is vertuous busynesse Vertuous busines O Bochas take hede Reneweth all thynges of olde antiquite Maketh men to lyue after they be dead Remember the nobles of many a great citye And ne were writers al were gone parde Wherfore Bochas syth y â— art nere the lande Suffre not thy shyp to stomble on the sande I meane as thus the shyp of thy trauayle Which hath passed the se of bokes seuen Cast not ankre tyll thou haue good â—â—â—ayle Let no tempest of thundre nor of â—eum Nor no wyndes of the cloudye heuen Nor no fals â—aÌ„glers of demers the will bliue Depraue thy laboure and let thy ship to ariue Haste on thy way let grace crosse thy sayl Fall on no lande of wilful neglygence Let good wyll be chefe of thy counsayle To gye thy rother set entyre diligence If vitayle â—ayle and wine to thy dispence yet at the last thynke forth y â— socour Some royal prince shal quite the thy labour Thinke by writing auctors did theyr payne To yeue princes theyr commendations To Remuâ— Romulus called fouÌ„ders twain Of Rome towne and of two Scipions The kinghthode Prudence of two Catons Of Iulius Pompey and Hanybal eke also By ensample of whome loke that thou do so Of Prophetes they wrote the prophesies And the noblesse of olde Moyses Of poetes the laure at poesies The force of SaÌ„pson y â— strength of Hercules Of two grekes Pyrrus and Achylles By their wryting bokes say the same Vnto this day yet endureth the name And he that can and ceaseth for to wryte Notable ensamples of our predecessours Of enuye men wyll him atwite That he in gardayns let peryshe the holsome floures In sondry wyse that might do great socours Labour for other and spare not thy trauayle For vertuous labor agayn slouth doth auaile â–ª A thing remembred of antiquite Is whan there is set a fayre ymage Of a prince of hye or lowe degre Or of a person a prynte of his visage Gladdeth his frende quicketh his corage And semblably by example men may fynde Things forgotten by writing come to minde â–ª And for to make our names perdurable And our merites to put in memory Vices to eschewe in vertue to be stable That labour may of slouth haue the victorye To clayme a see in the heuenly consistory Dispyte of ydlenes and forthering of vertue Fyne of our labour be yeue to Christ Iesu. Whan Petrark had reherced this lesson In rebuking of vicious ydelnes Bochas supprised and moued of reason Rose from his couche and gan his pen dresse well ouercame the impotent feblenes Of croked age that Bochas vndertoke For to accomplyshe vp his eight boke I following after for dulled for rudenesse More than thre score yeres set my date Luste of youthe passed his freshnes Colours of rethorike to helpe me translate were faded away I was borne in Lydgate Wher Bacchus lycour doth full scarsly flete My drye foule for to dewe and weâ—e Though passed age hath fordulled me Tremblynge ioyntes let my hande to wryte And fro me take all the subtylte Of curious makyng in englyshe to endyte yet in this labour truelyme to acquite I shal procede as it is to me due In these two bokes Bochas for to sue FINIS ¶ The firste Chapter ¶ Howe the proude tiraunte Domician Emperoure of Rome and manye other Emperoures and Nobles for their outrages and wretchednes mischeuouslye ended BBrother to Titus sonne of Vaspacian Came next iordre as writeth mine autour The proude ambicious called Domician That was in Rome crowned Emperour An extorcioner and a false pillour Proudly coÌ„maunded in his estate vp stalled Of all the worlde he shulde a God be called Thrugh hye presuÌ„pcion of him it is eke tolde Nether of tymber koruin nor of stone Set vp images of syluer and of golde In token there was no God but he alone In to Pathmos he exyled eke saynt Iohn And agayne cristen the seconde next Neron That began first the persecucion This same tyraunt reignyng in his estate To all the citye was passinge odyous Best and most worthy he sâ—ewe of the senate And vnto all that were vertuous Mortall enemy and moste malicious And for slaughter of senatours in the toune Asked the triumph as made is mencyon Made amonge iewes by ful great outrage where as he had greatest suspicion To slee al tho that were of the lynage Of Dauids kinred and of kinge Salomon Least he were put out of dominacion Amonge iewes this was hys meanynge Slewe all tho that was borne to be kyng Amyd the palays as God wolde of right Punysh a tyraunt and quite him hys mede This Domician was slayne vpon a nyght His caraine after vnburyed as Irede And Comodus doth after him succede whiche was all yeue by fleshly appetite To leaue all vertue and folowe his delyte Theatre playes of custome he did vse As was the custome there and the vsage His life in vices he falslye did abuse In lecherous lustes spent al hys yonge age To the romaynes did ful great domage For of the senate that were moste vertuous were falslye slayne by this Comodus In his time by stroke of thunder dente And firye lightning y â— came down fro heuen The common lybrary was of the cyte brente Wyth royall bokes of all the craftes seuen Bokes of poetes mo then I can neuyn And Comodus breuely to termyne was slayn and strangled by hys concubyne Helinus Pertynax came nexte on the ringe Ordained after Emperour of that toun Olde and vnweldy â—lame in his ginning After whom
among with transmutations Set in Ouide by full souerayne style Whan he on them had mused a long while Sene the maner both of forowe and ioye He began to remēber of Priamus of Troy First of his byrthe and of his kynrede How among kinges he was most famous And as poetes recorde of him in dede He descended of worthye Dardanus Whiche as his line declareth vnto us From Jupiter was lynially come downe Vnto his father called Laomedoun Of olde Troy this Laomedon was kyng Destroyed by Grekes he and his countrye After whom this Priamus raynyng Made there ayen a myghty strong citye Where he full longe in full great royaltie With wife childer most worthy of renoun With scepter and crowne held the possessioun Gouerned his citye in peace and rightwisnes And Fortune was to him fauourable For of all Asie the treasour and riches He did assemble this kyng most honourable And in armes he was so commendable That through the worlde as far as mē gone Of high nobles the ronoume of him shone This Priamus had children many one Worthy princes and of full great myght But Hector was among them euerychone Called of prowes the lanterne and the lyght For there was neuer borne a better knyght Troylus in knyghthode so manly was foūd That he was named Hector the seconde But I should rehearse the manhede Of kyng Pryam and of his sonnes all And how his citye besieged was in dede And all the story to remembraunce call Betwene him and Grekes how it is befall The circumstaunces rehearsyng vp doun To set in order the first occasion Of the siege why it was first layed By Hercules and also by Iason The maner whole in Troye boke is sayde Rudely endited of my translation Folowyng vpon the destruction Called the second whych by accomptes cler◠Fully endured the space of ten yere For as me semeth the labour were in vayne Truely also I not to what entent That I should write it newe agayne For I had once in commaundement By him that was most noble and excellent Of kynges all for to vndertake It to translate and write it for his sake And if ye list to wete whom I meane Henry the fifte most myghty of puyssaunce Gaue me the charge of entent full cleane Thinge of olde time to put in remembraunce ▪ The same Henry for knyghtly suffisaunce Worthy for manhode teken kynges all With nyne worthies for to haue a stall To holy churche he was chefe defensoure In all suche causes Christes chosen knyght To destroy heritykes he set all his laboure Loued all vertues and to sustayne right Through his nobles his manhode might Was diligent and did his busy payne To haue set peace betwene realmes twayne A meane in sothe England and Fraunce His purpose was to haue had a peace finall Sought out meanes w t many a circumstan̄ce As well by treaty as actes marciall Theron ieoparded lyfe goodes and all But wo alas agaynst death is no boone This land may say he dyed all to soone For among kinges he was one of the best So all his dedes conueyed were by grace I pray to God so geue his soule good rest Wyth sayntes in heauen a dwellyng place For here with vs to little was the space That he abode of whom the remembraunce Shall neuer dye in England ne in Fraunce This worthy kyng gaue to me in charge In Englysh tonge to make a translation Out of latyn within a volume large Howe longe the grekes lay tofore the toun And how that Paris fyrst at Cytheron In Venus temple sleighly dyd his payne There to rauysh the fayre quene Heleyne In which boke the processe ye may se To hym how she was wedded in the toune And of the siege layde vnto the cyte By Menelay and kyng Agamennon And many another full worthy of renoun On eyther partie which that in battaile Fro day to day ech other dyd assayle Wherto shuld I tell or what shuld I write The deth of Hector or of Achylles Or wherto should I of newe endite How worthy Troilus was slaine in y ◠prese The ende of Paris or of Pallamides Or the slaughter of manly Deyphebus Or howe his brother called Hellenus Tolde afore howe it was great folly That Paris should wed quene Heleyne And how Cassandra in her prophecy On this wedding fore began compleyne And for the constreint of her hertely paine How she wexe madde ran about the toune Tyl she was caught shet vp into prison Al this matter ye may behold in dede Set by and by wythin Troye boke And how Creseide loued Dyomede Whan worthy Troylus she wilfully forsoke Of her nature a quarel thus she toke To assay both if nede were also to feyne To take the thirde leue thē both tweyne I passe ouer and tel of it no more Ne by what meanes the grekes wan y ◠toun How Eneas neyther how Anthenore Ayenst kyng Priam cōspired false traison Neyther howe Vlixes gate Paladion The deth of Priam ne of Eccuba the quene Ne howe Pyrrus flewe pong Pollicene Neyther here to write it is not mine entent Repeyre of grekes home in to their countre After the cyte at Iiyon was brent Neither of their mischefe they had on the see Neyther howe Vlixes founde Penolope A true wyfe though he were long her fro Through al Grece I can rede of no mo Of these matters thus I make an eude What fil of grekes after their viage To Troy boke tho folke I send Which haue desire to se the surplusage Howe grekes made fyrst their passage Towardes Troy besiegynge the cite Bede the storye ye get no more of me The .xvii. Chapter ☞ Here speketh Bochas the authour of thys boke agaynste the surquedous pryde of them that truste in rychesse sayeng these wordes vnto them ME proude folkes that set your affiaūce In strength beaute or in hye nobles If ye consider fortunes variaunce And coude a myrrour before your eyen dresse Of kyng Pryam and of his great richesse To se how he and his children all From their noblesse sodainly ben fall Hector of knighthode called sours wel Sad and demure and famous of prudence Paris also in beaute dyd excell And Helenus in perfyt prouidence Troylus in armes had great experience Also Deyphebus preued manly on his fone Yet in y ◠warre they were slaine euerychone Had not this kyng also as I can deuise By noble Heccuba whiche that was y ◠quene ▪ A doughter called Cassandra the wyse Her yong suster fayre Pollicene Alas alas what may all such pride mene For albeit their renome spronge ful far Yet are these women deuoured in the war Was he not mighty strong in all thynges And had also of his aliaunce Ryght worthy princes many rych kynges And nighe al Asie vnder his obeisaunce Holde in his tyme most famous of puissance Most renomed of richesse and tresours Tyl that fortune wyth her sharpe shoures Whan that he satte highest
tyrant in hys most crueltie To gyn a warre on Samos the citye And whan his glory was most clere of lyght And hys nobles shone hyghest at the full Fortune gan through her changeable myght Of his prosperitie the fethers for to pull And than at erst his courage gan to dull And all his pryde vnwarely for to appall Whan he was spoyled of his ryches all First whan Orontes his countrey gan assaile This Pollicrate of sodaine auenture Outrayed was and taken in battayle By a full perillous mortall disconfiture Thus fortune coulde brynge him to her lure Through her vnware vgly false disdaynes Led into pryson bouÌ„de in stronge chaynes The people dwellyng within his region Reioysed in hart to se him suffer payne His tyranny his false extorcion Caused that they did at him disdayne For of his death no man lyst complayne Men through the world haue great plesauÌ„ce To se a tyrant brought vnto mischaunce Foure thinges his tormentes did augment Sodayne departyng from his riches And that he sawe eche man in his entent Of his mischefe haue so great gladnes Hanged he was mine auctour dothe witnes And honge so long in teÌ„pest rayne thunder Till euery ioynt from other went a sunder To beastes wilde and foules rauenous Naked he henge suche was his auenture To all folkes he was so odyous Had in despite of euery creature At his departyng denyed sepulture Guerdon for tyrantes veÌ„geable retcheles That can not suffer the people to liue in pees Thus many tyrantes excede far their bouÌ„des By false outrage and well resembled be To cruel wolues or to furious houndes Frette with an etyke of gredy cruelte To staunche their honger aueyleth no piente Whiche for their surfets froward to rede w t Policrates in hell shall haue their mede ☞ The .ix. Chapter ☞ Howe the tyraunt Alexander sloughe his Philosopher Calistenes wyth other for saiynge trouth AMonge all stories to tell the pyteous caas Of wofull playntyfes that put theim selues in prees With wepyng eyen myne auctour Bochas Was moued in hart not to be retchles To write the fall of Calystenes Whiche alas as it is remembred Was for his trouth on pieces all dismeÌ„bred For whan Bochas his story gan aduert He dempt anone in his fantasy No man had so harde a stoned hart That might of ryght his eyen kepe drye To se the processe of hys tormentry Yet gan myne auctour his wofull pen prefer To write the wrong done to this philosopher This Calystenes in youth right well thewed His grene age promoted to doctrine By influence of heauenly fate endued Greatly to profite in morall disciplyne Disposed of nature by grace which is deuyne To conquere as bokes do specify The noble surname of philosophy Of his merites famous and notable Philosophy did her busy payne To geue him suâ—ke because that he was able The sote mylke of her breastes twayne most precious licour who might therto attain For baume is none the vertue well declared Of worldly riches may be therto compared This precious pyment is geue to no foles Aboue all lycours it dothe so farre excell Whose originall sprange in the holy scholes Of Athenes as famous bokes tell For of philosophy there sprange first the well Where Calystenes thexperience is couthe With fulsum plenty was fostred in his youth Though he was borne of a good lynage Vertue made him more high for to assende To be enhaunced for nobles of courage More than for bloude who can comprehend For philosophers clarkes more commende The morall vertues entresured by writings Then all the treasures of worldly kynges Of gentle stockes recken out the issues That be discended downe from a royall lyne If they be vycious voyde of all vertues And haue no tarage of vertuous disciplyne With temporall treasure though they shyne As for a tyme sittyng on hye stages Without vertue they are but dead ymages For though prynces haue coÌ„quered by battail This world in roundnes by their chyualry What may their triuÌ„phes or nobles auayle Without that vertue by ryght their titles gye To be compared vnto phylosophy â–ª For philosophers apply all their ententes To knowe heauen and cours of elementes They set no store of thinges transitory Nor of fortunes expert doublenes To heauenly thynges is set all their memory How the .vii. planets in their course theÌ„ dresse Meuing the stars sparking in their brighnes With reuolutions of the spheres nyne Mother of musyke as auctours determyne And in the noble twaye famous houses Flouryng in Grece rychest of euerychone Called by olde date the fayre true spouses Of philosophers many mo then one In Achademie and Athenes shone The bryght lanterns of most reuerences This world tenlumine by lyberall scyences And among other this Calystenes Was in his youth put for to scholey In the two scholes of prudent Socrates And of Plato whiche that bare the key Of lecre misteries and of diuine Idey In whiche two scholes of great abilitee Was noâ—e profited halfe so muche as he These old clarkes these olde philosophers Were in tho dayes for doctrine souerayne Called in this world y e riche precious coffers And treasures that kept the chestes twayne Amyd their brestes wherin god did ordayne Most clere possession put in their depose Of all sciences vnder a key close This Calistenes scholer and auditour Of Aristoteles by cunning conqueryng The noble gemine and most precious floure Of philosophy all floures surmountyng Wherthrough he was chosen in his liuyng As his master lyst for him prouide On Alexander to awayte and abide For Alexander of kynges most entere And most worthy to speake of hye prowes Did Aristoteles humble requere To prouide and do his busines By expert knowyng and auisenes To sende him one whiche of philosophy Might by good couÌ„saile his coÌ„quest magnify To write also his tryuÌ„phes digne of glory And to remember his actes marciall Put his palmes of knighthode in memory And to direct in especiall His royall nobles in vertue morall That no erroure be sene here nor there In hym that should all the worlde conquere But it fell so of knightly aduenture Whan of fortunes high promocion That he by armes proudly gan recure Of Perce Mede the mighty region Brought kyng Dary vnto subiection Gate hole his tresure y â— no man might expres To accompt the nuÌ„ber of his great riches Whiche vnsure tresure slydyng abundasice With wasting shadowes of goods traÌ„sitorye In surquedous pride gan so his hart auauÌ„ce By false ambicion outragious vaynglory That made him lese mynde and eke memory To knowe of nature he was man mortall But lyke to goddes that were celestiall Aboue the palme of olde conquerours Knightly triumphes conquestes marciall He vsurped by title of his labours To heauenly goddes for to be egall And through his merites most imperiall He gan presume by fyne he was aâ—yed With the seuen goddes for to be deified Through all his palaice and his royall hall A lawe ne set vpon
during al his life Maried he was had a right fayre wyfe Children many seruauntes yong and olde And as I finde he helde a good houshoulde De Officiis he wrote bokes thre De Amicitia I fynde how he wrote one Of age another notable for to se Of morall vertue they treated euerychone And as Vyncent wrote full yore agone In his myrrour called Hystoriall Nombre of his bokes be there remeÌ„bred all He wrote also the dreme of Scipion Of rethorike compiled bokes twayne And twayne he wrote of diuinacion Of titell of land to write he did his paine A large boke of glorie that is vaine Dere Publica and he saith him selue Of his oracions he wrote bokes twelue And of his dities that called be morall Is remembred notably in dede In the said myrrour Historiall And yet this said Tullius as I rede Myd his worshyps stode alway in drede Of fortune for in conclusion He by enuy was banished Rome toun Beyng in exile this famous Tullius At Campania in Atiue the cite Receiued he was of one Plaucius A man that time of great authorite And while that he abode in that countre Sleping a night the boke maketh mencion How that he had a wonders vision He thought thus as he laie sleping In a desert and great wildernesse Finding no pathe but to and fro romyng Howe he mette cladde in great richesse Gaius Marius a prince of great noblesse Askyng Tulli with a sadde countenaunce What was chefe and cause of his greuaunce Whan Tullius had him the cause tolde Of his disease and his mortal wo Marius with his hande set on him holde To a â—ergiaunt assigned him right tho And in all hast bad him he should go To conuey him do his bu sy cure In all hast possyble to his sepulture Where he should haue tidinges of plesaunce Of his repeyre in to Rome towne Be alleyed of his olde greuaunce This was th ende of his auision The next morow as made is mencion There was hold to Tullius great aueile Tofore Jupiter in Rome a great counsayle Within the temple buylded by Marius The Senatours accorded were certaine To reconsile this prudent Tullius Out of his exile to call him home againe After receiued as lord and soueraine Of eloquence by assent of the Senate Fully restored vnto his fyrst estate This thinge was don whan y â— Rome toun Was at grettest strife twene Cesar PoÌ„pey And for Tullius drue him to Caton With Pompeius Cesar to warrey And of Julius the partie disobey Out of Rome Tullius dyde him hie Fledde with Pompey in to Thessalie Cesar after of his free mocion Whan he stode hiest in his glorie Hym reconsyled againe to Rome town Vpon Pompey accomplished the victorie But Julius slaine in the consistorie By sixty Senatours being of assent Tullius againe was in to exile sent And in a cite called Fariman Tullius his exile dyd endure For Antonius was to him enemy than Bycause that he percase of auenture Compiled had an inuectife scripture Agayne Antony rehersing all the caas Of his defautes and of Cleopatras Thus of enuy and of mortall haterede His deth compassed by Antonius And afterward execute in dede By procuring of one Pompilius Gate a coÌ„mission the storie telleth thus Of false malice and forthe anone went he In to Gayre of Compayne the cite And by the vertue of his commission Taking of Antony licence and liberte Chefe rethorician that euer was in the toun Among Romains to worshyp the cite Was slaine alas of hate and enmyte By Pompilius rote of all falshead Profering him selfe to smite of his head Tullius afore had be his defence Fro the galowes and his dethe eke let Which had deserued for his great offence To haue ben banged vpon an hie gybet Who saueth a thefe whan the rope is knet About his necke as olde clerkes write With some false turne y e bribour wil hi quite Lo here the vice of ingratitude By experience brought fully to a prefe Who in his hert treason doth enclude Cast for good wyl to do a man reprefe What is the guerdon for to saue a thefeâ— Whan he is escaped loke and ye shall fynde Of his nature euer to be vnkinde This Pompilius traitour most odible To shewe him selfe false cruell veÌ„geable Toward Tully did a thing horrible Whan he was dead this brâ—bour most culpable Smit of his right haÌ„d to heare abominable With which hande he lerning on him toke To write of vertues many a famous boke The hande the head of noble Tullius Which euery man of right ought complaine Were take and brought by Pompilius Vpon a stake set vp both twayne There to abide where it did shyne or rayne With wynde weder tyll they were defyed In token al fauour was to him denied ⧠The .xvi. Chapter * A chapiter againe ianglers and dyffamers of rethorike BOchas complaining in hys studye alone The death of Tulli and the wofull fall Grudging in hert made a pitous mone The folke rebuking in especiall Which of nature be boystous and rurall And hardy ben for they no conning haue Craft of rethorike to hindre and depraue Clerkes olde did greatly magnifie This noble science that were expert wyse Called it parte of philosophy And said also in their prudent auise There be thre partes as tresours of gret prise Compiled in bokes and of olde prouided In to which Philosophie is deuided The first of them called is Morall Which directeth a man to good thewes And the second called Natural Telleth the kinde of goodmen and shrewes And the thirde racionall well shewes What men shal voide and what thing vnderfong And to that partie Rethorike doth belong By Tullius as authours determine Of his person rehersing in substaunce Traunslated was fro Greke into Latine Craft of rethorike and for the abundance Of eloquence stuffed with plesaunce All oratours remembred him toforne Was there none like nor after him yet borne Bochas also saithe in his writinges And preueth wele by reason and sentence To an oratour longeth four thinges First natural wyt practike with science Vertuous life chefe grounde of eloquence Of porte aâ—d maner that he be tretable These meanes had mine auctor hold hi able In his writing and in his scriptures Bochas wele parceiueth it must nedes ben Howe y â— of right there long fiue armures To euery notable rethoricien Sette here in order who list them sene Whiche he calleth rehersing in sentence The fiue baners longing to eloquence The fyrst of them called Inuencion By whiche a man dothe in his hert finde A secrete grounde founded on reason With circcÌ„staunces y t nought be left behinde Fro poynt to poynte imprinted in his minde Touching y â— matter y e substaunce the great Of whiche he cast notably tentreat Another armure in order the seconde Of right is called Disposicion As of a matter whan the grounde is founde That euery thing by iust deuision Be voide of al foreine digression So disposed touching
the boke maketh mencion By no title of succession But an intrusour one called Iulyan The state vsurping to reigne there began But of the noble lynage Affrican Borne in Tripolis a mighty great citye One Seuerus that was a knightly man Gadred of romayns a wondre great meyne Bothe made stronge Iulian met and he At Pont miluin a citie of Itayle And there was Iulyan slaine in batayl Seuerus after entred the empyre And toke vpon him the dominacion Vpon cristen of malice set a fyre Began againe them a persecucion Of tyrannye and false ambicion But one of Egipt called Poscennius Againe Seuerus gan to worke thus Gadred meyny Seuerus for to assaile In purpose fully and theron did hys payne First with him to haue a great batayle Next of th empyre the crowne for to attayne But ye shal heare what fel on these twayne On Poscennius fill the discomfiture And Seuerus th empyre dothe recure In his purpose or he might auaile with one Albinus that was a manly knyght He had in Gaule a full great batayle Full great bloudshed in that mortall fyght Albinus slaine of very force and myght Seuerus after entred in Bretayne Caught sicknes and died of the paine After Seuerus next came Antonine Of whom the frowarde disposicion As all auctours of him determine His busines and occupacion Set holy in fleshly dilectacion So false a lust his corage did assayle Amonge Parthois flayne in batayle Macrinus after tofore Bochas came down Whylom a prefecte in Rome the cyte Of the pretoyr and by inuasion Came to the imperiall famous dignitye Occupyed a yere sate in hys imperyal se Tyl fortune lyst hym so disgrade Amonge his knightes flayne at Archelade Next came Aurelius surnamed Antonyne A great rybaude passyng lecherous Yet was he byshop as auctoures determine In the temple of Heliogabalus And in his time was one Sabellius A false heretike of whom gan the names Of a secte called Sabellianes This said Aurelius againe all nature Of false presumpcion in bokes it is told Wolde not purge his wombe by nature But in vessels that were made of golde And in dispyte whan that he was old Slaine of his knightes and not after longe His carayne was thrown in a gonge After this proude foresayde Antonine In to th empyre by iust election Of senatours as bokes determyne Came Aurelius and for his hye renoune Surnamed Alisaunder as made is menciō Fought with Perciens like a manly knight And there king Xerxes was put vnto flyght This Aurelius this proud knyghtly man Whan he sate iudge in the consistory There sate one with him called Vlpian A great ciuilian notable of memory Of whome it is to his encreace of glory Reported thus by great auctorite He of digestes made bokes thre Full piteously this emperoure lost his lyfe Casuelly as made is mencion Among his knightes by a sodayne strife Where he was slaine in that discencion After whose ende for short conclusion Tofore Bochas the boke wel tel can Came Maximinus and with him Gordyan Maximinus the cronicle both expres Chose of his knightes and his soudiours For his victorious marcyall hye prowesse Done in Almayne and amonge Emperours Set vp in Rome maugre the senatours After strong enmy as mine autoure sayth With all his power vnto cristen fayth He was enemy his life who list to sene To cristen clerkes of auctorite And specially to olde Origene But in his moste furious cruelte In Aquyleya a mighty stronge countre Of a prefecte called Pupien he was slaine Of whose dethe cristen men were full fayne Next by the senate chosen was Gordyan First agaynste Parthois he cast hi to werrey Of Ianus temple whan the werre began He made the gates be opened wyth the keye Whiche was a token as old e bokes seye Tho gates opened to folkes nye and ferre That w t their fone y ◠romayns wold werre With Parthois first this said Gordian To holde werre fast he gan him spede And vpon them alway the felde he wan After he sped him in to Perce and Mede Alwaye victorious in batayle as I rede Vpon Eufrates slayne as I fynde By false treason y ◠cronicle maketh mynde Next in ordre came Philip by his name His sonne eke Philip came with him also Myn auctour Bochas reherceth y ◠same The father the sonne baptised bothe two Right sad and wyse in that they had to do And were the first cristen of echone Emperors rekened for ther tofore was none By Poncius the martyr as I rede In Meya a famous great cyte They were baptysed afterwarde in dede Slayne in batayle for they lyst not fle Tofore their dethe bothe of assent parde Their treasour hole that were imperiall To christes church I fynde they gaue it all The Bishop Sixtus toke possession Vertuously assigned it to Laurence Therof to make distribucion To poore folke in their indigence For whiche dede by cruell violence The tyraūt Decius agayn thē toke a stryfe Caused holy Laurēce by brēning lose his life This same Decius cursed and cruell Caused y ◠slaughter of these Philips twayn And for he was subtell false and fell By sleight falshed he dyd hys busy paine To the empyre by force for to attayne The seuenth tyraunt by persecucion which agayn christen folk toke first occasion Myne auctour writeth time of this Deciue The holy Hermyte example of perfytenesse By dayes old called Antonyus Liued in deserte ferre out in wildernes As an Hermyte dispysing al ryches Lyued by frute and rotes as men tell And of perfection dranke water of the well Vpon Decius for his cursednes Again christen which gaue so hard sentence Thrugh Rome Itayle myne auctor bereth witnesse In euery cyte was grete pestilēce That by the sodaine deadly violence The hertes of men dependinge in a traunce To saue their liues coude no cheuisaunce Of this mater write nomorc I can To this emperour I wyll resorte agayne Speke of Gallus and Volucian That busy were their laboure was in vaine Their time short as some bokes saine For Martyn writeth an olde cronyculere In th empyre they reigned but two yere But bothe were slayne by the procuring And by the purchace of one Emelyan A romayne knight whiche by slye workinge To occupye th empyre tho began By tyrannye the Lordshyp there he wan Whose lordship for hap and lacke of grace No lenger last then two monthes space This lytell chapter as tofore is sene Reherced hath and tolde in wordes playne Of emperours almost full fourtene And of all were good none but twayne whiche to reherce I haue do my paine And to procede further as I began I must wryte of one Valeryan HIs sonne and he called Galiene To all christen bare great enmyte Slew al tho their legend men mai sene That serued Christ in trouth and equytie whose persecusion and hateful crueite Abated was as I can well reherce By one Sapor that was kyng of Perce By force of armes Sapor this mighty king
ware As they departed such part againe they toke As men deserue suche shall be their mede This frowarde storye ende of the eight boke Of Rosamonde Melchis wrought in dede For short conclusion byddeth men take hede They shall agayne receiue such measour As they measure vnto their neighbour ☞ Thus endeth the eyght boke and herafter foloweth the nynthe ¶ Hovve the Emperoure Mauricius hys wyfe and hys children were slayne at Calcidony ¶ The Fyrst Chapter TO Frances Petrark as Bochas vndertoke In eschewyng of slouthful ydelnes As he began taccoÌ„plysh vp his boke AssurauÌ„ce made hym do his busines Which thinge remeÌ„bred gan his pen dresse The nynth boke so god wold gyue him grace It to performe if he had lyfe and space At the beginnyng sothly of his labour In his study there dyd to hym appeare Mauricius the myghty Emperour Which complayned rehersynge the manere Howe he by Phocas cruell of loke chere Distroied was wyfe childreÌ„ and kinrede The slaughter couth who lyst the storie rede The sayd Maurice as write Bochas Jhon Was by Phocas brought to distruccion His wyfe and children were slaine echone At Calcidony as made is mencion After whose deth he toke possession The sayd Phocas as put is in memory Gaue Pantheon to saynt Gregorye Whyche was a temple of olde foundacion Ful of ydols vp set on hye stages There throughe the worlde of euery nacion Were of theyr goddes set vp great ymages To euery kingdom direct were their visages As Poetes and Fuigens by hys liue In bokes olde plainely doth dyscriue Euery ymage had in his hande a bell As apparteyneth to euery nacion Which by craft some token shoulde tel Whan any kingdome fil in rebellion Or gan maligne agayne Rome toun Which to redresse w t strong myghty hande Sent a prince to chastice al that lande The saide temple builded of lime and stone Pope Boniface as bookes specify Wher it was first called Pantheon Set vp crosses vpon eche partye Halowed it to martirs and to Mary Yere by yere gynnyng of Nouembre The feast hold the martiloge doth remembre In Asia this Emperour Maurice was slain In the cite that called is Calcidony Al his housholde and many good Romaine By Phocas percieÌ„s as had is in memorye And Phocas after for his vaynglory Slaine by Heraclius he thaÌ„ was Emperour Four twenty wynter he was gouernour The .ii. Chapter ¶ Of Machomet the false prophet and how he beyng dronke was deuoured amonge swine AFter the deth of Phocas as I tolde WhaÌ„ Heraclius to raine first began Came Mahomet in his time yhold A false prophet and a magician As bokes olde well reherce can Borne in Arabia but of low kynred All his life worshipped ydols in dede And whan that he grewe in to great age Disceyuable in many sondrie wyses with Camels vsed fyrst his cariage False and double and subtle in his diuises He went to Egipt and fette marchandiÌ„ses To Jewes christen he sondrie times sent Learned the olde and the newe testament As bokes olde recorde in that partie Thys Mahomet this cursed false man Out of Egipte fast gan hym hye Towarde a countre called Corosan With a lady that hight Cordian Through his subtill false daliaunce By crafte he fyll in to her acquaintaunce He wrought by his enchauntementes And by false meanes of nygromancy Her enclyning towarde his ententes For both he coude flatter wel and lye Sayd openly that he was Messy Jewes abiding vpon his coÌ„myng As greattest prophet their souerayne kyng Thus the people he brought in great errour By his techyng and his false doctryne He wext among them a great gouernour The saide lady also dyd to him enclyne As to a prophet whych that was diuine Sent from aboue as she dyd vnderstande For whyche she toke him to her husbande His lynage gan at Hismaell Had a syckenesse full ofte sithe fyll doun In his excuse saied that Gabriell Was sent to him fro the heauenly mancion By the holy gost to his instruction And for the Angell shewed him selfe so shene To stande vpright he myght not sustene On his shoulder were oft tymes seyne Whan he to folke shewed his presence Milke white doues which that piked greine Out of his eares affirmyng in sentence They came by grace of gostly influence Him to visite to shewe and specifye He was the prophet that called was Messy Newe lawes also he dyd ordaine Shewed signes by false apparence Lyke Moises him selfe he dyd feyne A prophet of most excellence And thervpon to shewe an euidence Smal portes wyth mylke and hony borne On a great bull were hanged on eche horne He made the people gyue credulite To his doctrine and froward teachyng By mylke and hony figured was plente By the merite of his gostly workyng And thus he was at his beginnyng Take of Sarasis as they gan to him draw Whych by false errour bounde theÌ„ to his law A clerke of his called Sergius Wrote his lawes and these miracles thre First of the doues howe they came to hiÌ„ thus As here tofore rehersed was by me Howe mylke hony were tokens of plente And of the Bull afore by craft made tame By false disceytes to gete hym a name Of Arabiens and Sarasins as I rede And of Turkes made prince gouernour With Hysmaeâ—ytes folke of Perce mede He gadered people gan wexe a warriour Agayne Eraclius the myghty emperour And vsurped to ride in the contrees â–ª Gate Alisandry wyth many mo citees Of tho parties desirous to be kynge Of that purpose whan he was set asyde The people falsly dyssimulynge Tolde he was sent prophetes to prouyde For tho couÌ„trees for to be their gyde And for he was lecherous of corage He made of Venus to set vp an ymage Made Sarazins to worship the friday Semblably hys story dothe expresse So as the Jewes halowed the saturday All his workes concluding in falsnes Whan he dranke wyne fyl in dronkeÌ„nes Taught the people like a false prophet To drinke water and good wyne to lete As I sayd the heretyke Sergius With him of counsaile frowarde contrary Fone to our fayeth he and Nestorius From holy churche greatly they gan vary On whose errours Bochas list not tary More to write of this Machomete Any gromancian and a false prophete Who list to se his lawes euerychon Yeue to Sarazins his boke caÌ„ bere wytnes As they be set in his Alkeron Echone in ordre grounded on falsnesse Lyke a glotton dyed in dronkennesse By excesse of drinkynge moch wyne Fyll in a podell deuoured among swyne Thys was the ende of false Machomete For all his craftes of nigromancy The funerall fine of this saide prophete Dronklewe of kynde called him selfe Messie Whom Sarazins so gretly magnifye Jhon Bochas let be for a quene of Fraunce More of his errour to put in remembraunce The .iii. Chapter ☞ Howe Brounchylde a quene of Fraunce slewe her kin brought the land in diuision and after was hanged hewen
DIEV ET MON DRIOT ARISE FOR IT IS DAY A memorial of suche Princes as since the tyme of King Richard the seconde haue been vnfortunate in the Realme of England ¶ LONDINI In aedibus Johannis Waylandi cum priuilegio per Septennium The copy of the quenes Maiesties letters Patentes MAry by the grace of God Quene of Englande Fraunce and Ireland defendour of the faith and in earth of the Churche of Englande and also of Ireland the supreme head To y e Prynters of bookes and booke sellers and to al other out Officers Minysters and Subiectes these our letters patentes hearing or seing gretyng Knowe ye that we of oure especial grace and meare mocion haue geuen and graunted and by these presentes doo geue and graunte full power licence auctoritie and Priuilege vnto our welbeloued Subiect John Wayland Citezeyn and Scriuenour of London That he his Assignes only and none other person or persons shal from hensforth haue auctoritie lybertie to prynt al and euery such vsual Primers or Manual of prayers by whatsoeuer other title y â— same shal or may be called which by vs our heyres successours or by our clergy by our assent shal be auctorised set furth and deuysed for to be vsed of all our louing Subiectes thoroughout all our Realmes and domynyons duringe the full tyme and terme of seuen yeares next ensuing the date of these our letters Patentes And farther that it shal not be lawful for any maner of other person â–ª or persones of out said Subiectes to Prynt or to procure to be imprinted anye Prymers or Manuall of prayers by whatsoeuer title the same shall or may be called or set furth during the said tearme nor any booke or bookes which the saide John Waylande or his Assignes at his or theyr costes and charges shall first Prynte or set furth during the said terme of seuen yeares next ensuing the printing of the same booke or bookes vpon payne of forfature and confiscacion of the same Prymers Manuall or prayers and bookes â—o thuse of vs and oure successours Wherfore we wâ—ll and commaunde all you our Printers and other our Subiectes that ye nor any of you do presume procure or attempt to print or setfurth any maner Prymers Manuall of prayers booke or bookes which the said John Wayland or his assignes shal first Print during the tyme of thys our Priuilege and licence vpon payne of forfature and confiscacion of the same Prymers Manual of prayers and bookes as aforsaide And as ye tendre oure pleasure and wyl auoyde the contrarie In witnes wherof we haue caused these our letters to be made patentes Wytnes our selfe at Westminster the foure and twentith daye of Octobre in the fyrst yeare of our reigne Per breÌ„ de priuato sigillo et de data predicta ¶ Here foloweth the Table of thys presente Booke called the fall of Princes and Princesses c. Whiche boke is deuyded in to nyne bookes and euerye booke contayneth dyuers chapters as here after foloweth And fyrst of the fyrste boke whiche contayneth xxiiii Chapiters THe Prologue of John Lidgate Monke of Bury translatoure of this boke The fyrst Chapter of the firste booke sheweth howe Adam and Eue for theyr inobedience were put out of Paradyse and howe they standinge naked before Bochas desyred hym to put theyr wofull fall fyrste in remembraunce And howe they and theyr ofsprynge liued in sorowe wretchednesse with a Lenuoye The fyrste chapter Howe Nembroth buylded the towre of Babylone to saue him selfe from Noes stode whiche for his pryde and presumpcion was put from his magnifycence and his towre with sodayne leuyn smytten downe The second chapter An exclamacioÌ„ of John Bochas against proude foâ—ke shewynge howe God maye them and theyr pryde abate whan 〈◊〉 shall please him and by dyuers meanes waies them punysh and chastice With a lenuoy The third chapter Howe manye yeres were betwene Adam and Nembroth and betwene Nembroth and Cadmus and of dyuers other kinges The fourthe chapter Of Ogiges king of Thebes leafe .vii. Of a greate flode in Tessaly leafe .vii. Of goodly Jsys wyfe to Apys king of Argyue and howe he was slayne by hys brother Diffeus The fyft chapter Of Grisiton that eate hys members for hungre With a Lenuoy the sixt chapter Howe Jupiter rauyshed Europa the doughter of kynge Agenor and how Cadmus was sent to seke her in to diuers couÌ„trees With a Lenuoy of the translatour The seuenth chapter A goodlye processe of Oetes kynge of Colchos of Jason and Medea of Theseus Sylla of Nisus and of dyuers other With a Lenuoy The eyght Chapter Of mightye Jabyn kyng of Canaan of Quene Jocasta and how Thebes was dystroyed With a Lenuoy The .ix. chap. How Atreus kyng of Messene wrought againste his brother Thiestes and howe he stewe his children dismembred them in pieces and made the said Thiestes to eate of their flesh and drinke of theyr blode The tenth chapter How Atreus accused him selfe of murder and his brother of auoutry don wyth Europa the quene With a Lenuoy The xi chapter Of duke Theseus and of Ariadne that saued his lyfe in a caue and howe he lyke a forsworne man for soke her and wedded fayre Phedra which afterwarde slew her selfe a Lenuoy The .xii. chapter How Bochas blameth theym that gyueth hasty credence to liers and flatterers With a Lenuoy The .xiii. chapter Of quene Althea and howe Hercules by women was broughte to confusion With a Lenuoy The .xiiii. chapter A processe of Narcissus Byblis Myrra and dyuers other their infortunes to Bochas complaynyng and howe Narcissus Byblis and Myrra dyed at myschefe with a Lenuoy The fyftene chapter Of Priamus kynge of Troye and how the monke of Burye translatoure of thys boke wrot a boke of the siege of Troy called Troy boke the sixtene chapter Here Bochas authoure of this boke wryteth agayne the Surquedous pryde of them that trust to much in theyr riches The seuentene chapter Here also John Bochas putteth a great prayse and commendacyon of suretye that standeth in pouerte With a Lenuoy The eyghtene chapter Of mighty Sampson whiche tolde all his counsayle to Dalyda wherby he was disceyued With a Lenuoy The nyntene chapter A chapter of Bochas disâ—â—yuynge the malyce that is in Women The twentye chapter Thexcuse of Bochas for hys wrytyng againste mysgouerned women in maner of a Lenuoy The. xxi chapter Of myghtye Pyrrus that slewe Pollycene whiche for his pryde and auoutrye died in pouerte and at the last was slayne by Horestes The .xxiii. chapter Of Machayre and of his suster Canace The .xxiiii. chapter The letter of complaynte wrytten by Canace to her brother Machayre With a Lenuoy The .xxv. chapter ¶ Thus endeth the Table with the Chapiters of the fyrste boke and here foloweth the table of the seconde boke which containeth .xxxi. chapters THe Prologue of the translatour The fryste Chapter of the second boke declareth how Saule Kynge of Ierusalem borne of lowe degree as longe as
our power in grace them supporte For in this world is nothing more perfite Neither taccōplish thinge of more plesance Than a man for to haue delyte In lytell good to haue suffisaunce And to be content in his gouernance Auoyde auarice and thinke euer among To his neighbour that he do no wronge Not to couet his goodes in no wise Him selfe gouerne like to his estate Not to excede but flye and also dispise All maner loue whych is disordinate Him selfe preserue from contecke debate And specially to esche we it is good Slaughter murdre sheding of bloude Flye from his syn and hate for to lye O folde offences among haue repentaunce And to esche we all scorne and malory Ayenst vyces do almesse and penance And to haue most souerainly pleasaunce To sewe the pathes of oure Lorde Jesu True examplayre of grace and vertue Which for our sake and our redempcion And for our loue was nayled on a tre Suffered payne and cruell passion And nothing asketh of high lowe degre Recompensed ayenwarde for to be But that we set all holy our ententes For to fulfil his commaundementes And of his grace here in this mortal lyfe As we precell of wysdome and reason And of his gift haue a prerogatife Tofore all beastes by discrecion Therefore let vs of hole intencion As we of reason beastes ferre excede Let vs be before thē in word exāple dede Grounde our selfe first vpon humilite Our pompous eyen mekely to vnclose Enclyne our hartes so conceiue and se All worldly welth shall fade as a rose And of meke hert let vs our selfe dispose By this tragedy to haue knowledgynge Of our mischefe howe rote and beginninge Was the vice of inobedience Surquidy and false disobeisaunce As myne anctour hath shewed in sentence Emprinteth it well in your remembraunce Be ware the serpent wyth disceiuance The flesh the world your enemies all thre Through their traynes ye nat disceiued be Your best shilde to make resistence Ayenst their power sothly is mekenes Your haburion most mighty of defence The fendes power to venquish oppresse It is to remembre deuoutly with lownes Howe mekely Christe to pay our taunsum Suffred on crosse deth and passion Therby men may that prudent ben wyse The ioyes clayme whych bene eternal And entre ayen into Paradise Fro whens Adam by pryde had a fall To whych place aboue celestiall O Christ Jesu so brynge vs to that glory Whyche by thy deth haddest the victory Lenuoye SOdeine departinge out of this felicitie Into miserie and mortal heuinesse Vnware depriuynge out of prosperitye Chaunge of gladnes into wretchednes Longe languishynge in wo and bitternes Continuell sorow dred dole pestilence Were fyrst brought in by inobedience Adam and Eue lost their libertye Their fraunchise and their blessednes Put in exyle and captiuitye To lyue in wo labour and pensifnes Through false desire and pompous wilfulnes To the serpent whan they gaue credence The lord mistrustyng through inobedience But O alas wher as they were free Of ioy eternall stode in sekernes They were to blynde alas it was pitie To leue their rest and liue in wetines All their ofsprynge to brynge in dystresse Drawynge fro God hys due reuerence Through false consentynge to inobedience Wherefore ye prynces auysely doth se As thys tragedye in maner bereth wytnesse Where as wanteth in any comonalte Subiection for lackynge of mekenes And wyth poore pryde hath an enteresse There foloweth after through froward insolence Among the people false inobediēce And noble princes whych haue the souereinte To gouerne the people in ryght wysenesse Lyke as ye cherishe them in peace vnite Or frowardly distroy them or oppresse So ayenwarde their corages well dresse Lowly to obeye to your magnificence Or disobey by inobedience Che .ii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Nembroth bylt the tower of Babylon to saue him fro Noyes stode whyche for his pryde was put fro his magnificence and hys tower with sodayne leuyn smytten downe MYne auctour Bochas lightly oueryode The vengeaunces myscheues huge Which y ◠God toke with Noyes flode Whan he sent an vniuersal deluge Ayenst whych there was no refuge Saue .viii. persons in that mortal wo Whiche in a shyp were saued and no mo Wherefore myn auctour lightly ouergoth Maketh of that age no special mencion But passeth ouer from Adam to Nembroth Consideryng howe in that deedly chaunce The lorde for syn toke so greate vengeaunce That by wryttynge of storyes no victorye Of highe ne lowe was left to memorye For there was laft cronicle none ne boke After that made mencion Of none auctour who so lyst to loke For all was brought to destruction By a deluge wythout any excepcion For whych myne auctour trāsported his stile And of that tyme lyst nothynge compyle He founde no mater wheron he myght found Nor set his fote by none auctoritie Neyther no truth his purpose on to grounde Of olde wrytynge that he coude se For whych him thought of necessitie The surplusage of all that tyme lete And after Adam with Nembroth for to mete And certes lyke as Bochas in hys boke Remembreth first of Adam the story So next in order he the story toke To speke of Nembroth and his surquedye Whych here first as bokes specifye After the flode his waues gan aswage Was made a lorde to gouerne in that age For whan the flode began to decrece And God his vengeaunce gan to molifye Withdrawe his hand the water tho gan cese◠Vpon the mounteynes high of Ermonye The shyp gan rest the Byble can not lye And in that age called the seconde Lynage of man gan first to habounde To encrease ayen and to multiplye And by dyscent in bokes ye maye se Specified the genelogye Howe that one Chus cosyn to Noe A man that tyme of greate auctorritie Vnto this Nembroth the storye dothe assure The father was as by ingendrure This Nembroth was mighty large long Excelling other as of his stature Surquedous hardy and right stronge And in his time great labour might endure And in his force to much he dyd assure And yet was none on water ne on lande Which durst his power presume to withstand And his noblesse more to magnify In worldly worship by reporte of his glorye He was called chefe prince of venery Desirous euer to haue the victorye Of beastes wilde to be put in memory And haue a price amonge these champions Tigres to daunt eke boores and Lions There was no beast in wodes so sauage That durst ayenst him make resistence His furious yre so mortall was on rage The erth quoke for feare of his presence Tyll at the last in his aduertence As a prince deuoyed of all grace Ayenst god he began to compace He made a maner coniuracion This frowarde Gyaunt and a conspiracy Toke his counseyl by false collusion His might his power for to multiply And his estate for to glorifye Thought he woulde of his entent not fayle God and
Of surquedie that he was so contrary And for the place was wilde and solitarye Of thys Senaar and furious sauage Nembroth gan to feble fal in great age And yet some bokes of him specifye He waxte froward of hys condicion And was fyrst grounde of ydolatrie And fynder vp of false religion Causynge people to haue an opinion Goddes to worshyp in Panimes wyse Founder of rightes and of false sacrifyce Towarde Perce chese hys dwellynge place The whych countre is in the Orient That hys lordshyp shuld stretch a great space He bounded hym into the Occident For Perce lande hath hys extent Toward the parties of the Reed see And thys lande Perce who so lyst to se As bokes olde remembre put in mynde How that Perce costeth inuiron Septemtrion and the great Inde And many another myghtye region Where Nembroth had first dominacion Whyche extendeth as bokes specifye Out of Mede into Germanye But in lordeshippes as myne auctour sayeth Without that vertue be their true guyde In them there is surauÌ„ce none ne fayeth Thynge that passeth may no whyle abyde Wherefore Bochas in a spyte of pryde And in rebukynge of al folkes proude Makyng his coÌ„playnt cryeth to theÌ„ ful loude The .iii. Chapiter ¶ An exclamacioÌ„ of Bochas ayenst al proude men shewynge howe God maye them and their pryde abate whan hym best lyste by manye dyuers meanes and wayes punyshe and chaslyce ME al proud most ryal in your floures Whych that most trust to reygne long Dresseth vp youre roches and youre towres And ayenst God make youre selfe stronge And let your power proudly vnderfonge Your selfe wyth pryde for to magnifye Ayenst the heuin to holde the champartye Buyld vp your castles reyse them vp tyghte Of Adamantes wyth yron stronge ybounde With square stones large and huge of hyght Reyse vp your walles most mighty profouÌ„d And shit your duÌ„geoÌ„s w t mighty chenes rouÌ„d Lette men of armes who euer wake or slepe Nyght and daye your watche so straitly kepe As god ne man in your opinions Your fortresses myghte not assayle Your Castels ne your stronge dungeons Stuffed wyth men plenty of vytayle Lyke to stande euer and neuer for to fayle As god not might ayenst your false puissauÌ„ce WhaÌ„ euer hym lyst of right to do vengeaunce Set afore youre eyen that ben blynd The monstruous werke of greate Babilone The pride of NeÌ„broth that was put behinde Maugre his mighte his towre smyt doun For al the craft of werkemen and mason Distroied was with a sodayne leuin To auenge hys pryde sent a downe fro heuin For though your strengthes so assured be That none engyne may thereto attayne Gunne ne Bumberdes by no subtilte Shot of arowblast ne touche of dundayne Yet god that is lord and souerayne Which lyche desertes can both spyl saue May confounde it with an erth quaue Myne auctour asketh what castel or towre May be so stroÌ„ge made in any wyse But that by meane of some false traytoure Or by some way that he can deuyse It may be lost or solde for couetise And deliuered for al the stronge bondes Into the power of their enemies handes Or by some other sodayne aduenture Castels cities and many a riche towne Haue be lost they might not them assure For to resist ayenst false trayson Sume haue be lost also by rebellion And all these meanes the truth to begyn Is but punishynge whyche god sent for syn God hath a thousande handes to chastyse A thousande dartes of punicion A thousande bowes made in diuers wyse I thousande arowblastes bent in hys doÌ„geoÌ„ Ordeyned echeon for castigacion But where he findeth mekenes repentauÌ„ce Mercy is maistresse of his ordinaunce Ye that bene wyse considereth howe the rote Of vices al is pride ye may well se Pulleth him downe and putteth vnderfote And taketh your counceyl of humilitie And if ye list to stande in surete Byldeth in hert for more sekernesse A towre of vertues grounded on mekenesse Whose masonry is of no costage Of vertues grounde and soueraine Blastes of wyndes and of weders rage Neyther no tempest hasty ne sodayne Pompe ne blast though they do their payne This vertue mekenesse for to vndermyne They be to feble to make her to enclyne For where mekenesse is grounded verily Though he somtime fele aduersite He passeth ouer and suffreth paciently And venquisheth all maner enmytie The assaute also and the contrariosite Of infortune and of worldly trouble And of victory conquereth a Palme double And tho mekenes amiddes the flodes flowe Of worldly mischefe and persecucion Whyle pacience in her bote doth rowe Tho froward waues tosse her vp and downe A calme shall folowe of consolacion Whan sterne windes their blastes haue laid lowe The name of mekenesse shal shewe be well knowe She may be troubled but ouercome neuer And for a tyme she may suffre werre But at the ende she vanquisheth euer On land and see whether she be nere or ferre To the hauâ—â— of life she was the lode sterre I take recorde of the humilite Of Mary so blessed mote she be The rote of mekenes floureth vp so faire Whose beaute dredeth no tribulacions In somer ne wynter her floures not apayre And her frute lasteth in all maner seasons Pryde may assayle with his bostful sownes And finally for her encrease of glory With humblenes she wynneth the victorye ¶ Lenuoye Ofolkes al that this tragedies rede Haueth to me kenes amonge youre aduertence Of proude Nembroth also taketh hede How that he fel from his magnificence Onely for he by sturdy violence List of malice the mighty lorde assayle But in such case what myght his pride auayli Noble princes which this worlde do possede Ye that be famous of wysdome and science And haue so many subiectes that you drede In gouernaunce vnder your excellence Let your power with mekenes so dispence That false pride oppresse not the poreyle Which to your nobles so muche may auayle Pride of Nembroth dyd the brydel lede Which him conuayed with great insolence Pride apertayneth nothynge to manhede Saue in armes to shewe his presence Wherfore honour laude and reuerence Be to mekenes that hath the gouernaile Of al vertues which man may most auayle The .iiii. Chapter How many yeres was betwixt Adam and Nembroth and bitwixte Nembroth and Cadmus of other kinges THese olde poetes w t their sawes swete Ful couertly in their verses do fayne How old Saturne was suÌ„timne king of Crete And of custome dyd hys busy payne And of his goodnes list to ordayne That he shoulde as of his nature Echon deuoure as by his ingendrue In this mater shortly to soiorne To vnderstande of poetes the processe They meane plainly that this word Saturne Doth in it selfe nothinge but Time expresse And Philosophers bere also wytnes That as in tune forth euery thing is broght So time ayenward bryngeth al to nought Clerkes also recorde in their wrytinge Vnder support as I dare reherse How that
a citye rayse Which the poetes greatly cōmend and praise And y ◠his buildyng myght the more auayle All the foreyns that did about him dwell Full like a knyght by force and by battayle Out of that countrey he did them expell Raysynge a citie whiche that did excell And as Ouide also recordeth the same Vnto thys day of Thebes beareth the name And he was not onely glorified For rearyng vp of this great citye But he was also magnified For his manhode his magnanimitie And most commended if ye list to se For the surmountyng famous excellence Whiche that he had in wysdome and science For as myne aucthour of him list indite Through his noble prudent puruey aunce He taught fygures letters for to write And made lawes of full great ordinaunce Among the Grekes and set a gouernaunce Thei◠vycious life by vertue to restrayne And who outraied was punished w t the pain And of entent to encrease hys lynage And his citye also for to multiply He toke a wife that was but yong of age And she was called as bokes specify Hermyone and touching her alye Though that she were borne of royall bloud She was also bothe ioly fayre and good And this was done as writeth mine auctour After the death of worthy Iosue Sothonyell beyng successour Hauyng the leadyng and the soueraintie Of Israell whan Thebes the citye Was founded first in the dayes olde By kyng Cadmus tofore as I you tolde Foure daughters he had by his lyue Full fayre echone and goodly on to se And their names to reherse blyue Semele was the eldest and next Acthonie The thirde in order was called Inoe And Agane was yongest of them all Of the whiche daughters thus it is befall They were echone of port and of manere Full well fauoured in euery mans syght Right womanly and heauenly of their chere And for their beauty their father anone right As it was sittyng wyth all his full myght Like their estates birthe and also their age Made thē be wedded and ioyned in mariage To worthy princes his linage to auaunce And they encreased by procreation Wherof the kynge had full great pleasaunce And great reioysyng in his opinion To saue his lyne by generation With his neuewes and cosyns of alye Fro day to day to waxe and multiply And this encreased his felicitie Whan he considered verely in dede The riche buildynge of his royall citye And Fortune did his brydle leade To great riches in bokes as I reade To great nobles hauyng great residence In his citye of moste magnificence His daughter Semele record of mine auctor Though she discended were of the bloud ryal To Iupiter she was paramoure And by his power supercelestiall She conceiued in especiall As poetes of her list to endite Him that is god of grapes redde and white Called Bachus whiche hath the gouernaūce Of wynes all and the regaly Wherof after was take full great vengeaūce For when Iuno did first espye Of Iupiter the great auoutrye Of great hatred and enuyous desire She made Semele to be brent w t sodayn fire By discendyng of a sodayne leuine And on Semele the vengeaunce downe wēt Fro Iuno ielous cleped quene of heauen To wreke her wrath purposely ysent And fore the flame consumed was and spent There was of her left no remembraunce But of the ende the wofull mortall chaunce Also Actheon the sonne of Acthonie To great mischefes and infortunes borne Whose father called was Criste Come of the kinred that I you tolde toforne With cruell houndes alas he was to torne For that he sawe as bokes of him tell Dyana naked bath her in a well And as Poetes remember at the lest Whan the ladyes of Thebes the citye Helde of Bachus solemnely the feaste The yonger sister called Agane Daughter to Cadmus alas it was pitie Ayenst her owne sonne deare She was so wode and mortall of her cheare Murderyng hym in full cruell wise In her rage she was so furious For he lough at the sacrifyce In Thebes done by women to Bachus The whiche sonne was called Pantheus Whom that she slewe w t a sharpe dart In her wodenes as she him founde apart These great mischeues fell in the lyue Of king Cadmus through his vnhappy chāce Fortune his noblesse gan vndermyne And thought she would his glory disauaunce All worldly gladnes is medled w t greuaunce Experience in Cadmus ye may se So importable was his aduersitie For while he sate most highest in his glory No part clipsed of his prosperitie His bryght renowne and his royall memory In realmes spredde many a farre con̄trey He moste wealfull in his high see Set w t his linage most high in noblesse Than came Fortune the false enchaunteresse Of wilfulnesse and founde occasion Ayenst Cadmus and made his renowne dul Of his kynred by false collusion She gan away the bryghtest fethers pull And whan his shining was waxt vp to y ◠full After the chaunge of fortunes lawe His glory gan discrece and withdrawe It was more greuous to his dignitie A sodayne fall from his high noblesse Than if that he had neuer be Set in the state of his great worthines For the furious mortall heauines Of his kinred without any more Would haue greued a pore man full sore And amonge his sorowes euerychone To rehearse playnly as it was I dare affirme how that there was one Most horrible dreadfull in such a caas For Cadmus sonne called Athamas His sonne in lawe through false melancoly Fell sodaynely into a frenesy Of whom the wife was called Inoe Cadmus daughter as ye haue heard expresse Which through the cōstraynt of his infirmitie In his rage and furious wodenes Thought that his wyfe was a lyonesse And in his wylde ymaginations That his two children were also two lyons And vpon them full loude he gan to crye Towarde his wife in haste he came anone And from her armes there was no remedy The childe he rent and on a craggy stone He gan to brast it and breake it euery bone The whiche childe Bochas writeth thus Full tender and yong called was Learchus And all this wofull and sodaine aduenture Of this rage whan that she toke hede As most sorowfull of any creature Her other childe she hent anone for drede For of succour she knewe no better spede So as she might gan haste out of his sight But welaway as she toke her to flyght Her husbande came after pursuyng Like a woode Lyon in his crueltie Downe from a hill whiche was dependyng She and her childe fell into the see Was it not ruthe was it not pitye A kings daughter her lord i Thebes crouned He to be woode and she for feare drowned ▪ Lo here the fine of Cadmus euery deale His children slayne and his allies all And he him selfe from fortunes whele Whan he wened leste full sodaynly is fall His little suger tempred with moche gall For among all his mortall peynes His
the felde ysoyled Cause of another vnhappy heuynesse And of her deedly desolacion Was the people felly dyd them dresse Of Arabye in their rebellion Agayne her husband of entencion To robbe his treasour to their auauntage And take his richesse by outragious pillage Some of his meyny they put in prison There was agaynst theÌ„ made no defence Spared nother citie borough ne toun Slough man chyld through sturdy violeÌ„ce Her lorde enfect wyth sodaine pestilence Conceyued fully by his malady There was no gayne but he must nede dye After his deth most wretched odible His body corrupt his bowelles fyl doun Of his carayne the stench was so horible The ayre enfect about hym enuyron With so great horrour and putrifaction That no man myght abyde nor endure To bryng his body vnto sepulture Her third vnhap whereof she was ful fayne That fortune lyst her efte assayle Made her vncle kyng Joram to be slayne With an arow as he fled in batayle She supposyng greatly it should auayle Lyke a woman most furious wode She of king Dauid slough al y e rial blode Her purpose was to gouerne al the realme Alone her selfe to haue dominacion To reigne in Juda and Jerusalem This Athalia by vsurpacion And for that cause in her entencion With mortal sworde she made tho fyne That were disceÌ„ded froÌ„ Dauid doun by lyne Except one Joas she left not one a lyue Chyld of a yere sonne of kyng Ochâ—sy Whom Josaketh the story do the disctiue Of very pitie caught a fantasy The childe to saue that he shal not dye From the malice of Athalia And she was wyfe to byshop Joiada She this byshop with hole hert entere Kept this chylde in ful secret wyse Within the temple the space of seuen yere And in the seuenth the storye doth deuise Joiada toke on him this emprise Yonge Joas vpon a certayne day By iust title to crowne him if he may His messangers he sendeth out anone Of princes tribunes gan a counsaile cal Of preestes eke and leuites euerychone And whan he had discured to them al Hole his entent thus it is befal Sworne and assented as it was sytting That yonge Joas shal be crowned kyng For by promise which y â— is diuine Quod Joiada if ye take hede God hath behested to Dauid his lyne And assured vnto his kynred In Jerusalem how they shal succede And though Joas be yong teÌ„dre of might He to the crowne hath neuer the lasse ryghte In this matter I wyl not that ye slepe But to shewe your true diligence On four parties the temple for to kepe That no man entre by no violence And in the myddes by royal excellence Quod this byshop no man shal vs let On Joas heade a crowne for to set And whan ech thing was brought to poynt Hys hygh estate to encrease and magnify The people anone whan he was anoynt Viuat rex they began to cry And whan Athalia gan this thyng espye For very ire and the sodayne wonder Of melancoly her clothes cut asonder Ran to the temple and gan make a fray With her meyny and to crye aloude Bad them go sle make no delay The yong kyng in al the hast they coude Her venym hid vnder a couerte cloude Al at ones her purpose to recure By sodaine malice she gan y e day dyscure The temple was kept entre had she none People ordayned awaytyng for the nones And or she might any further gone Clenly armed the Centuriones The cruel quene assayled al at ones And of her malice to wryte a short tale They slough her after at Cedron in the vale Lo here the ende of murdre tiranny Lo here the ende of vsurpacion Lo here the ende of false conspiracy Lo here y â— ende of false presumcion Borne rightfull heyres wrongly to put them doun O noble princes though god make you stroÌ„g To ryghtful heyres beware ye do no wrong ¶ Lenuoye THese tragedies to estates degrees Fully declareth the decepcions Of fortunes false mutabilitees Shewed in prouinces cities and eke touns Princes vnwarely lost their possessions Which for their synnes in diuerse wyse Had of god warnyng lyst not for to ryse Mighty princes cast downe from their sees Lost their liues and their regions Vnwarely throw from their felicitees Jeroboam for his oppressions And for his frowarde false oblacions Done to Idols his story doth deuyse Had of god warning lyst not for to ryse Achab also had great aduersities Through false couÌ„saile and exhortacions Of Iezabel rote of iniquities Dyd to his people great extorcions She slough prophets goddes champions Both he and she most cursed in their gyse Had of god warnyng lyst not for to ryse Athalia with her duplicitees And conspired false intrusions Slouh Dauids sede to entre their dignitees And possede their dominacions But for her hateful false collusions Vnwarely slayne for her great couetise Had of god warnyng lyst not for to ryse Princes remembre in your prosperitees And se afore in your discrecions Wrong clyming vp of states or degrees Outher by murdre or by false treasons Asketh a fal for their final guerdons Namely of them that the lord dispise And for his warnyng lyst not for to rise The .xiii. Chapter ¶ Howe Dydo quene of Cartage slough her selfe for conseruacion of her chastitie NOwe muste I put my rude stile in prees To queene Dido makynge my passage Her Lorde Siche was priest to Hercules Her father Belus fal in great age Kyng of Tire she quene of Carthage And it is red in bokes that ben true How fyrst in Tire was found purple hewe Chadmus founde fyrst letters for to write Gaue them to Grekes as made is mencion Whose brother Fenix as clerkes eke endite Founde first the colour of vermilion And of Cartage the famous mighty toun This sayd Dido her story doth expres How she was quene and founderesse But her husband was chefe lorde fyre Called Sicheus full famous of renoun Of this noble citie called Tyre Had great treasour great possession And for enuy kyng Pigmalion Broder to Dido this Siche slough in dede Of false entent his richesse to possede Dido this slaughter toke greuously to hert Sore complayning this vnhappy chaunce Cast she would if she might asterte Flye out of Tire and her lyfe auaunce With al the treasour the haboundaunce Behynde left whan her lorde was dede Her shyppes entryng went awaye for drede She knewe and drede the gredy auarice Of her brother kyng Pigmalion And how that hateful vnstauncheable vice Was grounde and rote and chefe occasion Why y â— her lord was slayne in that toun For whome she cried ful oft wel away Whose deth was cause why she fled away She had also this opinion Which caused most her hertly heuinesse That sith her brother Pigmalion Had slayne her lorde for his great ryches If she abode that he woulde hym dresse Parcel for malice
puissaūt Support the simple punyshe the tyraunt The .xxvii. chapter Of the two brethren Artaxerses and Cyrus and howe Artaxerses slew his children and concubines and howe they ended AFter the fall of Aman doubtles Whē he best wēd to haue be ī his flours Tofore John Bochas came Artaxerses Most renomed in his time of conquerours Which gan declare his sodeyn sharpe shours With all the parcels of his mortal payne Which that fortune agayne him gan ordayne This Artaxerses as put is in memorye All other prynces excelled in rychesse Whiche in hys chare famous of glorye And with hys trone of worldlye hye noblesse Sate in his tyme the story beareth wytnesse Highest exalted y ◠was of any kyng That he shoulde fall was it nat an vncouth thyng Kynges he had vnder his obeysaunce An hundred prouinces twentie eke seuen Son vnto Dary prince of moste puissaunce His fame drede more than fyry leuen None so mighty vnder the starred heauen Accompted was that tyme in warre and pees As was this kyng called Artaxerses He had a brother that named was Cyrus Out of one stocke came theyr bothe lynes But Artaxerses the story telleth thus Was lorde of graynes of oyle and of wines And had also by diuers concubines An hundred children lyke as it is tolde And fiftene ouer tofore or he wexe olde Of bothe brethren the power last farre Duryng theyr tyme stode in full hye estate Yet atwene them was ful mortall warre Agayne nature an vnkyndly debate For thylke warres be most infortunate Whan blode w t blod let no man deme other Lyst warrey as brother agaynst brother And finally cause why thys warre gan Atwene these brethren as made is mencion Through whiche debate died many a man The grounde of all and first occasion Was onely thys for succession After king Dary reigning in Perce Mede Whiche of them twayne shoulde next succede But Artaxerses by a maner prouidence Put his brother priuely in prison That he ne should make no defence Nor gather people to hys destruction This yonge Cyrus as made is mention Was fast stocked and eke as it is tolde That his stockes and fetters were of golde And though it be nat remembred in Bochas Howe that Cyrus escaped fro pryson Yet also soone as he delyuered was Through Perce Mede rydyng vp doun He gadered people of entention Through olde hatred hys brother tassayle The felde assigned they mette in battayle Wher Cyrus proudly put hym selfe in prees To shewe hys manhode in speciall Sought his brother called Artaxerses And gaue to hym a wounde ful mortall Without frendshyp or fauour fraternall That Artaxerses his wounde gan so ake Constrayned was the felde to forsake And Cyrus than furious as a Lyon Hys aduersaries gan mortally to wake But false fortune full of collusion Vnder faynt smilyng a mow gan him make Whiche caused alas y ◠he that day was take Afore ywounded it woulde be none other And then presented to his vnkynde brother And though this Cyrus had afore be found Yonge freshe lusty and manly of his honde By the constraynt of his mortall wounde He dyed anone for he no succour fonde Than the two kingdomes w tin Perce londe Fyll to the handes of Artaxerses In whiche after he liued longe in pees Thus a great space like a mighty kyng All Perce he helde vnder his obeysaunce By famous nobles full gloriously shinyng Hauyng of riches most fulsom abundaunce And as it is put in remembraunce To more encrease of his prosperitie In true wedlocke he had sonnes thre The fyrst of them called Darius Arobratus named the seconde And the thirde named was Othus Manly prynces like as it is founde And of nature lyke as the kyng was bound Vnto Dary as made is mencion Aboue echone he had affection And for he dempt him able to the warre By likelyhode of yeres yong and grene He cast fully his nobles to prefarre Of hye prudence thus he dide mene His impotence to support and sustene For he was feble in Perce to raygne alone He set vp Dary with him in his trone Whiche was a thing straunge contrarious Agayne the custome of Perciens vsaunce But he supposed his sonne Darius Shoulde in suche case encrease and aduaūce His fathers party of naturall attendaunce And shew vnto him trouth and kyndnes His impotence to cheryshe of gentlenes But in estates oft it dothe thus fall Whan that prynces be runne farre in age Their childrens loue ayen thē dothe appall Shewyng no frendshyp saue for adauntage How that they may reioyce their heritage And in suche case whan they wexe stronge Thinke their fathers liue all to longe And Artaxerses stode in the same caas As in the story playnly ye shall fynde By rehearsayle and writyng of Bochas How this Dary was false and eke vnkynde Forgetfull and had nothing in mynde How his father the trouth to reherce Hath made hi equal w t him to raign in Perce And to declare the first occasion To his father how the sayd Dary By a false maner of rebellion Gan in his workyng for to be contrary Whiche to discure I wyll no lenger tary But wyth my penne in all haste procede Here to discriue how it fell in dede Artaxerses among hys concubynes It is remembred how that he had one Whiche for to reken wyues and vyrgynes Was fayrest holde of them euerychone Called Arthasia of full yore agone And was that tyme her beauty to discryue Among the Perciens the fayrest holde alyue And though she were yrun farre in age Lyke as bokes lyst of her expresse Both of colour and also of vysage She kept her beauty her natyfe freshenes Whyche was afore for her semelines To the sayd Cyrus briefly to termyne Chose long afore to be his concubyne But whan thys Cyrus was passed into fate Which for his brother might not liue in pees Anone vpon wythout lenger date She was take vp for kyng Artaxerses Because she was of beauty pearles After long tyme when he fell in age She claymed was by title of heritage Of kyng Dary by hys fathers lyue Faynyng his clayme by succession And though his father agayn it dyd stryue And thus began as made is mencion Of their debate the fyrst occasion For Dary cast all be he bare it styll Her to reioyce agayne hys fathers wyll And to accomplyshe falsely his entent Of her to haue full possession To afforce his party he made thys argument Cyrus quod he as made is mencion Raygnyng in Perce that mighty region And this story do the playnly determyne For her beuty made her hys concubyne And after time whan Cyrus was dede Artaxerses his father ye may se Next him succeadyng in Perce it is no drede Lyst her to clayme eke for her great beauty And so quod Dary she longeth now to me Because she is so pleasaunt to my syght By succession I will her clayme of ryght Thus kyng Dary to his father sayde He would haue Arthasia
or rede Of this forsayde manly Hanyball My penne quoke my herte I felt blede For to beholde the wofull pytous fall Of hym that was the defensable wall Of Cartage the myghty strong toun Which slewe him selfe by drinkyng of poyson It was to him he thought more manhede To sle him selfe by vengeaunce most mortal Than his enemies by constraynt should hym lede In chaynes bounde he to be thrall So great dispite he had of them at all That leuer he had than byde in theyr pryson To murder him selfe by drynkyng of poyson As me semeth in thys horrible dede He resembled the furies infernall Of cruel Pluto I trowe he toke his mede Voyde of all reason became bestiall It whose terrible feast funerall Goddesse Proserpina came w t Manes doun The same tyme whan he dranke poyson Noble prynces consider and take hede Leauyng the surplus hys dedes marcyall Knyghtly remembre haue in herte hatrede Of his enpoysonyng in especiall Abhominable to god and man withall That a prynce so famous of renoun Shoulde murder him selfe by drinking of poyson The .xxi. Chapter ☞ Howe Prusias kyng of Bithinye that betrayed Hanybal woulde haue disherited his sonne and heyre went a beggyng in straunge landes FOlowyng in order there came to Bochas Of Bithinye the great myghty kyng Whiche in his tyme was called Prusias Greatly sclaundred and noysed of one thyng That he was false and double in workyng Agayne the noblesse of his estate royall Because that he betrayshed Hanyball This diffaute derked the bryghtnesse Of hys fame and his knyghtly renoun And eclipsed hys passed olde prowesse By reporte in many a region Alas that euer the condition Of doublenesse by falsenesse or faynyng Shoulde be founde and namely in a kyng Of this Prusias further to procede Which agayne Hanyball wrought thys treason A sonne he had called Nychomede Borne to be heyre by iust succession But hys father by false collusion Purposed hym for he was yonge of age To put hym out of hys heritage In this matter ther grewe vp a great stryfe By Prusias agayne thys Nychomede Cause that he by hys seconde wyfe Had a yonge sonne in bokes thus I rede Whome he purposed to preferre in dede For whyche he caste by shorte conclusion Of Nychomede the destruction And for tacomplyshe this frowarde falsematere By full great delyberation Kyng Prusyas gan shew heuy chere Gayne Nychomede sekyng occasion To depriue hym of possession After hys dayes by subtell false workyng In Betheny he shal nat reygne as kyng The people seynge thys great iniquite Wrought by the king gayne good conscience Through all the lande of hye and lowe degre To Nychomede all of one sentence Gaue theyr good wyll theyr beneuolence For euery lorde and euery great baron Stode whole w t him through all the region Thus by iust tytle he was crowned kyng Prusias for shame and heuynesse In straunge countreys lyued by beggyng All desolate cryed for almesse Loe here the ende of treason and falsnesse Left at mischefe myne auctour sayth y ◠same Of pouerte forsoke hys owne name Se here two thynges take ryght good hede Of Prusias the vnware sodain mischaunce The disherytyng done to Nychomede After folowyng on him the great vengeaūce As the story putteth in remembraunce For treason done odyble and mortall Agayne the foresayde famous Hanyball The .xxii. Chapter ⧠Howe Perses of Macedone kynge that enpoisoned his brother was by Emilyus outrayed and died in pryson BEspreynt with teares pitouslye wepyng As Bochas sate in hys studye alone Next came Perses of Macedone kyng And mortally he gan sygh and grone And furiously for to make hys mone That he was whylom of so great renoun Constrayned after to dye in pryson This sayd Perses of nature was frowarde Yuyll disposed eke of hys condicion Though he of byrth was but a bastarde He compassed by false collusion After hys father to haue possession As myne auctour remembreth by writyng Of Macedone to be crowned kyng His father Philip the story telleth thus Had a sonne whiche was yonge of age Wyse and redy called Demetrius Borne and begot trewly in mariage But Perses cast by furious outrage Hym to destroy and murdre by poyson He of that kyngdome to haue possession Falsely compassed to hys auauntage In his entent Demetrius to depriue Of Macedone whiche was his heritage And thervpon he letters gan contriue To preue him traytour while he was alyue Wherof kyng Philip greatly was anoyed That he and Perses should be distroyed By Demetrius that thought no domage Ment no harme in hys opinion Yet his father suspicious of corage For Perses gaue hym false information Made him be slayne by drinkyng of poyson Vpon a daye a thyng abhominable Sittyng at meate at his fathers table King Philip after when he knew the trouth Had of his dethe great compassion But all to late and that was great routh Whiche caused after hys owne destruction For sorowe dyed and of presumption Perses after falsly vsurpyng In Macedone was crowned for the kyng With diuers countreys made his alyaunce In Grece Trace gate frendes nere ferre And of pride and wylfull gouernaunce Cast with Romayns for to holde werre Vngrace and youth made him for to erre Tyll a Consul sent fro Rome toun Brought thys Perses vnto distruction Called Emilius was thys Consulere Sent again Perses to haue a great batayle Seynge his doughter heuy of her chere When he went out hys enemies to assayle Made vnto her this vncouth apposayle Why wepe ye so what thyng doth you agreue At my departyng takynge of meleue Father quod she and ye take good hede A whelpe I had that dyd great pleasaunce Called Perses the which right now is dede And this chefe cause is only of my greuaūce Her father than gan chaunge countenaunce This is a token to myne encreace of glory That I of Perses shall haue the victory In Macedone he and Perses mette And quit hym there lyke a manly knyght Cōquered the lande none might him withlet And manly put Perses to the flyght After to Trace he toke the way ryght Of whiche conquest short processe to make With his two sonnes Perses was ther take Emilius after thys victory Asketh the triumphe to hys guerdon And as it is remembred in hys story Perses foloweth his chayre throughe Rome toun Condempned after to dye in pryson The whiche dethe he dyd well deserue For he by poyson made hys brother sterue Thus can fortune erly and eke late Downe from her whele and hye stage Of proude prynces the surquedy abate Whan to her lust she seeth moste auauntage She frowardly gan tourne her vysage And sodaynly the estate of them consume Aboue their office that wrongly lyst presume Amonges whiche a kyng of Israell Agayne the precept and lawe of Moyses Called Ozias the byble can well tell Of presumption wylfull and recheles To sacrifice put hym selfe in prees Lyke a byshop in the temple arayed But or he passed greatly he was affrayed
dyscencions In regions prouinces and citees Desolacions of townes and of countrees Where of men had firste experience By thy chaungeable gery violence Thus by the opinion of thy whele double As fayre by nature as it was possible Ouerthwertly thou broughtest mē in troble Madest eche to other froward and odible By thy traines vncouth and terrible Lyke as a corser maketh coltes y t be wylde With spurre whyp to be tame and mylde Thus by the tempest of thine aduersitees To make men more tame of their corages In their discordes twene kyngdoms citees After the sharpenes of thy cruel rages Onely by speche meane of faire langages Folke by thy fraude fro grace ferre exyled Were by faire speche to vnyte reconsiled People of Grece of Rome of Cartage Nexte in Itayle with many a region Were indused by swetnesse of faire langage To haue togither their conuersacion To buylde castels and many a royal toun What caused this to tell in briefe the fourme But eloquence rude people to enfourine ▪ Afore tyme they were but beastial Tyl they to reason by lawes were cōstrained Vnder discrecion by statutes natural Fro wilful lustes by prudēce were restrained By assent made one togider enchayned In golden chaines of peace and vnite Thus gan the buylding of euery great cite But whan thou medlest to haue an entresse They that were one to bring them at discorde To interrupt with thy doublenesse Citees regions that were of one accorde Lyke as thys boke can beare me wel recorde Fro the tyme that thou first began Thy mutabilite hath stroyed many a man Thou causedst men to be obstynate In their corages and incorrigible Wilful froward causeles at debate Eche to other contrarious and odible Them to refourme almost impossible Tyl faire speche voidinge diuision Peace reconciled twene many a region For there is none so furious outrage Nor no matter so fer out of the way But that by meane of gracious langage And faire speche may a man conuay To al reason mekely for to obey By an example whyche I reherce shal We le to purpose and historial The hardy knight the cruell Achylles Whan hateful ire assailed his corage There was no meane w t him to treat of pees To styl the tempest of his dolefull rage Saue onely this which dyd his ire aswage By attemperaunce to obey to reason Whan of an harpe he heard the swete soun Which instrument by hys great swetnesse Put al rancour out of hys remembraunce Wrested him againe to al gladnesse From him auoiding al rācoure greuaunce Semblably fayre speche and daliaunce Set men in rest in realmes here yonder By good langage that were ferre asonder With these wordes Bochas wext debonaire Towarde fortune as he cast his loke Withdrewe his rancour and to speke faire Touching his labour y t he vpon him toke Beseching her for to forther his boke That his name which was but little knowe By good report might be further blowe That his name might ferther sprede Which stode as yet shrouded in derknesse By her fauour his name forth to lede His boke to forther do her businesse By good reporte to yeue it a bryghtnesse with laureate stremes shad forth to people al By foryetfulnesse that it neuer appall This was the hyl whych y t Jhon Bochas Made vnto fortune with ful humble style Whan fortune had conteiued al his caas Soberly stoode and gan stynt a while And glad of chere after she gan smyle On myne auctour and with a freshe visage In sentence spake to him this langage Sothly quod she I se the busines Of mortall men howe curious y t they be Howe they study by greate auysenesse Of my secretes for to be priue To knowe the conceites hyd within me And my counsails ye men do al your payne Albe that lightly ye may not therto attayne In this matter your wyt doth neuer faynt Ymaginyng my lykenesse in your mynde Lyke your conceytes ye forge me painte Somtyme a woman w t winges set behinde And portrayen me with eyen y t ben blynde Cause of al this brefely to expresse Is your owne couetous blyndnesse Your appetites most straunge dyuers And euer full of chaunge and doublenesse Frowarde also malicious and peruers By hastye clymbing to worship riches Alway voyde of trouth and stablenesse Most presūptuous serche out in al degrees Falsly to attayne to worldly dignitees Bochas Bochas I perceiue euery thyng And knowe full wele the great difference Hyd in thy selfe of wordes and thynkyng Atwene them both the disconuenience Hast thou not writen many great sentence In thy boke to sclaundre wyth my name Of hole entent my maners to defame ▪ Thou callest me stepmother most vnkynde And somtyme a false enchauntresse A mermaide with a taile behind Of scorne somwhyle me namyng a goddesse Somtyme a witch somtyme a sorceresse Fynder of murdre and of disceites al Thus of malice mortal men me call Al this is done in dyspite of me By accusacion in many sondry wyse Ye oft appeche my mutabilite Namely whā I your requestes do dispyse For to accomplyshe your gredy couetise Whan ye fayle ye lay on me the wyte Of your aduersitees me falsly to atwite And thou of purpose for teslaundre me Hast writen vngoodly a cōtrarious fable Howe I wrestled wyth glad pouerte To whose party thou were fauourable Settest me a backe gayne me y u were vengeable Nowe of newe requirest my fauour The for to helpe and forther thy labour Ascaunce I am of maners most chaungeable Of condicions very femynine Now here now ther as y e wynde vnstable By thy discripcion and by thy doctrine To euery chaunge redy to enclyne As women ben yong and tēdre of age Which of nature be diuers of corage But for to further in party thyne entent That of thy boke the processe may procede By my fauour to the accomplishment I am wel wylled to helpe the in thy nede Like thy desire the better thou shalt spede Whan I am towarde with a benigne face To spede thy ioruey by support of my grace That thy name and also thy surname With Poetes and many an olde auctour May be regestred in the house of Fame By supportacion of my sodaine fauour By assistence also of my socour Thy worke texplete the laurer for to wyn At Saturninus I wyl that thou begin The fyrst Chapiter ¶ Here reherseth Fortune her condicions vnto Bochas shewyng how many one she enhaunceth for a time and anone after them sodainly ouerthroweth AMonge Romayns this said Saturnyne Was outragious of condiciōs Caused in Rome whā he gan malygne Great debates and great sedicions And by hys frowarde conspiracions He was sharpe enemy agayne the prudēt iuge Called Metellus deuoide of al refuge Fro the Capitole set with mighty hande Founde no socour Metellus in the toun The same tyme thou shalt vnderstande Howe by my helpe and supportacion One that was smal of reputacion Called Glaucus in pouert
al the people standing enuyron Thought it so bright in their inspection Passing the sonne as it did seme But what it ment no man coude deme As the preestes dyd their busy cure To offre a calfe anone or they toke hede The same calfe a thing agayne nature Brought forth a lambe y e same time I rede An vgly token which put them in gret drede A contrary pronosticacion Shewed vnto them of their subuersion With other tokens frowarde and contrarye The same time were shewed euer amonge The brasen dores of the inwarde sentwarye With yron barres shit that wer most strong Brode of entayle rounde and wondre longe That might nat meue w t .xxx. mennes might Opened by them selfe twyse on a night There were sene also chares in the eyre Men of armes with bright swordes clere Of plate and maile the armure was so faire Bright as Phebus where it did appere â–ª And as the storie also doth vs lere With their sheltrons and their apparayle A profer made their cyte for tassayle To the Iewes it dyd sygnifye A pronostyke of theyr distruction Preestes to the temple as they dyd hie Vpon a night to do oblacion Amid the temple was herde a dredfull foun Of which noyse this was y â— dredeful ende Ryse vp echone and let vs hence wende And ful four yere tofore the siege gan One Ananias yonge and tendre of age Of his byrthe sonne of a rude man By disposicion dul of his corage Lyke as he had fall in a rage Ran in the cite by a maner frensye Spared nat with open mouthe to crye Vnto this noyse was made none obstacle But obstinat euer to his entent Day of the feest holde in the tabernacle A voice quod he out of the orient Voice fro the southe fro northe occident Voice fro y â— four wyndes y â— blow so wyde Voice again IerusaleÌ„ crieth on euery syde Voice againe the teÌ„ple agayn y â— people also Voice againe husbaÌ„des voice againe wiues Wo to Ierusalem with a treble wo Of hungre thurst lesing of their â—iues Of sworde and fyre many sodayn striues This was the wretched lamentacion Which Ananie cried through the toun Beaten he was for his affray ful ofte Whipped scourged endlonge vpright Al were it so be felte it ful vnsofte Was by â—eating made faint feble of might He stynt nat to crie so day and night A pronostike shewing to the cite Howe ryght sone it shoulde distroyed be By rehersayle also of Carnotence With that cite for sinne it stode so tho That if Romains by marciall vyolence Had nat come and done them all this wo The erthe should haue opened and vndo Deuoured the people voyde of al refuge Or drowned y e toun by some sodayne deluge Breuely to passe this vengeaÌ„ce most terryble Done vpon Iewes for their transgression For their demerites y e punishing most horryble Of Ierusalem fynall subuersion Of the temple the tabernacle and the toun In Iosephus who lyst se al the dede De Bello Iudaico y â— surplus he may rede ☞ Thus endeth the seuenth boke and here after foloweth the prologue of the eyght ¶ The Prologue of the eyght Booke BOchas maketh here an exclamacion Agayn the iewes great vnkyndnesse Brought bi the romains their cite adoun Lyke as the story dyd here tofore expresse They disparcled to liue in wretchednesse By gods hand punished for theyr outrage For euer to liue in tribute and seruage Folowyng myne auctor I cast for to touch So as I can rehersyng the manere Howe Iohn Bochas lying on his couche Spake to himselfe sayd as ye shall here Why arte thou so dul of loke and chere Lyke a man thy face beareth wytnesse That him disposeth to lyue in ydlenesse Certes quod Iohn I take right good kepe Of muche trauayle that the outrage Hath by longe slombre caste me in a slepe My lymmes feble croked and faynt for age Caste in a drede for dulnesse of corage For to presume vpon me to take Of the eyght boke an end for to make Thou wenyst perauenture in thine opinyon By this labour to get the a name For to reherce the sodain falling doun And by some newe processe for to attame Of princes sitting hie in the house of fame In diuers bokes where thou dost them fynd Perpetually to put thy name in minde Thy dayes short put the in great drede Of suche a labour to take the passage The more feble the flower is the spede Thy sight darked and thou arte fal in age Among remembring thinke on this langage Whan men be buryed low in the earth doun Saue of good liuing farewell all guerdon Worldlye goodes shall passe right sone Tresour connyng and al shal out of mynde Frendship chasigeth as doth y â— cloudy mone At a strayte nede fewe frendes men do finde But a good name whan it is left behind Passeth all ryches if it be well deserued And al golde in cofer locked and conserued Of thy labour the fame shall were derke Beware Bochas and herof take good hede Slouth snake to me and bad me leue warke For smal reward y â— shalt haue for thy mede As by ensample thou mayste of other rede This was the langage I had therof routhe Atwene Iohn Bochas this ladye Slouthe Bochas astonied gan down his heed decline Vpon his pillowe hanging in a traunce Stode in gret doute coude not determyne Lyke a man hangynge in balauuce To what partye he shulde hys pen auaunce To procede as he vndertoke Or leue the labour of his eyght boke Atwene twayne abyding thus a while What was to do in doute he gan to flete Halfe within and half ouer the stile Coude not discerne to him what was moste mete â–ª Tyll Fraunces Petrark â–ª the laureate poete Crowned wyth laurer Grace was his gide Came and set him downe by his beddes side And as Bochas out of hys slombre abrayde And gan adawen somwhat of hys chere And sawe Petrarke lowly to him he sayd Welcome mayster crowned wyth laurere whiche haue Itayle lyke a sonne clere with poetry plainly to discriue Most soueraynly enlumined by your liue I haue desyred as it is well couthe Of rightfull herte by humble attendaunce To do you worship fro my tendre youth And so shall I euer voyde of all varyaunce Duryng my lyfe for trewly in substaunce Ye haue ben lanterne lyght and dyrection Aye to support myne occupation As in wrytyng bokes to compyle Chefe ensample to my great auauntage To refourme the rudenes of my stile with aureat colours of your fresshe langage But nowe for dulled by impotence of age Of Deccepitus marked with many a signe My labour vp of writing I resigne I cast me not forthe to procede Stande at a bay fordriuen for werynes Quod Fra. Petrark lese not thus thy mede Yeue me no cause to report nor expresse In thy last age thou hast found a maistres which the bridled in soth that is routhe And holdeth
laboure with many a straunge forayne soudyoure Hauynge no title nor commyssion Contynued longe in hys rebellyon Wherof astonied was Dioclisian Seyng this mischefe dredful and perillous Ordayned in haste that Maximian Was surnamed and called Herculius Made hym emperour called Agustus Whiche had a fore no more gouernaunce But Gaule whiche now is called Fraunce Also more ouer this Dioclisian Made in thys whyle gouernours twayne Constancius and one Maximian Surnamed Galerius Cōstancius i certayn In this whyle to wedde he dyd his payne Doughter of Maximian called Herculius Named the odora myn auctor writeth thus By Theodora this Constancius Had sixe children in trewe mariage Broder to Cōstātyne y ◠cronicle telleth thus Whiche afterwarde when he came to age For his manhode and marciall corage Was chose and made Lord and gouernour Of all the worlde and crowned emperoure Carausius which had ful seuen yere Lyke as I tolde rebelled in Bretayne Agaynst the romayns a great extorcionere A knighte Allectus that did at hym disdayne Murdred him and after did his payne By force only and extort tyranny Fully thre yeres his place to occupye Tyll Asclepio was sent from Rome doun Slewe Allectus maugre all his myght ▪ Brought all Bretayne to subiection Of the romayns lyke as it was ryght And in this while like a manly knight For Italiens gan romayns disobey Constancius gan proudly them werrey He first wyth them had a stronge batayle His meyay slayne and put to the flighte Trustyng on fortune he gan thē efte assayle And sixty thousand were slayne in the fight The felde was his thrugh fortunes might As she that coude dissymule for a whyle And afterwarde falsly him begyle I wyll passe ouer as brefely as I can Set a syde all forayne incidentes Resorte agayne to Dioclisian Which at Alisaūdre proudly pytched his tentes The captaine slewe gaue commaund emēts To his knightes to do their auauntage With the cite by robbynge and pyllage Can agayne christen great persecucion Vsed this tyranny in the Orient By his bydding Maximian came doun Towarde the parties of the Occident Bothe these tyrauntes wrought by assent Vnder whose sworde many martyr deyes Slayn in Octodorū the legion of Thebeies At Verolamye a famous olde cyte Saynt Albou slaine his legend doth so tell And in Rome by furious crueltye The pope slayne that called was Marcel By their statutes and by their domes fell Churches were brent in townes and cyties Lost their fraunchise and al their liberties Frowarde enemy he was to Christes lawe Made many a martyr to dye for his sake Wext feble and olde and gan him withdraw From occupacion his rest for to take His attorney Maxymyan he dothe make In his last age it is reherced thus Stode in great drede of Constantius The drede of him sate so nye his hearte And thervpon toke suche a fantasy Imagining he might not start By fraud of him but that he shuld dye Almoste for fere fyll in a frensye Of which drede the boke maketh mencion He slewe him selfe by drinkyng of poison As I tolde erst in the Occident Maximian called Herculius Reygned as Emperour euer in hys entent To pursue martyrs he was aye laborus Of whose byrth Bochas foūd no auctoures This to saye he coude neuer rede Where he was borne nor of what kynrede He findeth no more of this Maximian Of his vsurpynge in esspeciall But that he was by Dioclisian Set in dignite called imperiall Famous in armes prudent and marcial Daunted al tho that did againe him striue Slewe Gencyans called in nomber fiue Rode in Affrike lyke a conquerour Broughte to subiections the sturdy nacions Fortune that time did him such fauoure Gate Sarmatoise with other regions with other cities and many riche towns By his conquest of new that he hath won Through y ◠world his name shone like y ◠son He was cheryshed in armes from hys youth And did greate emprises for Rome the cytie Yet Dioclisian as it is well couthe Counsayled him resigne his dignitie But he was lothe to forsake hys see Syth he was Lord and gouerned al For to renounce his state imperiall But by assent of Dioclisian As he him selfe had left the gouernaunce Euen so thys Maxymyan Discharged him self of his royal puissaunce But afterwarde he fyll in repentaunce And busy was as dyuers bokes sayne The state of Emperour to recure agayne Which for to acheue he dyd his diligence He was distourbed by Galerius For his sonne that called was Maxence Put in possession myn auctour writeth thus To which thing he gan wexe enuyous And gan ordeyne meanes in hys thought To trouble him but it auailed nought Whan his purpose myght take none auayle Againe Maxence as Bochas doth discryue His daughter Fausta that knew his coūsail Discured his purpose for which he fled bliue Into Gaule and durst no lenger striue And by Constantius in Marcile the cite Slayne sodenlye lost al his dignite The .viii. Chapter Howe Galerius oppressed martyrs and Christes fayth and myscheuously ended NExt tofore Bochas came Galerius A man disposed to ryot and outrage Euel teached frowarde and vicious There is no story that speketh of hys lynage Yet was he set ful hye vpon the stage Of worldly dignyte rose vp to hye estate Yet in his ginning he was not fortunate He was sent out by Dioclisian And made emperour by hys auctorite Agayne Narseus the proud knightly man Reignyng in Perce and Lord of that coūtre Whiche helde werre with Rome the cyte For which Galerius toke on him this emprise wyth myghtye hande hys pryde to chastyse Galerius entred into Derce lande Kinge Narseus met him of auenture Had a strong batayle fought hand for hande His fortune such he might not endure On Galerius fyll the discomfyture Clad in purple as made is mencyon Of Dioclisian receyued hys guerdon At their meting anone or they were ware Dioclisian made him to abide To his confusyon sytting in his chare To walke on fote by the chares syde Wyth many a rebuke abated was his pryde Galerius for the great shame Gan seke a meane agayne to get hys name Came for to assemble hys old soudiours Made for his ordinaūce by diligent workig Chase out the best proued warryours With a great hoste to Perce he came ryding and ofte there fought with the king That the perciens maugre al theyr myght Were of Galerius that dai put to flight The felde was his he gate greate riches Robbed their tentes and wan there pillage In this resort receiued in sothnes In great nobles because of that voyage Thus can fortune chaunge her vysage Of Dioclisian where he stode in disdaine wyth newe tryumphe resorted is agayne This cloudy quene stādeth neuer in certain whose double whele quauereth euer in dout Of whyse fauour no man hath be certayne Though one haue grace another is put out Let euerye man as it cometh about Take his tourne and neuer in her assure Faylynge in armes is but auenture Thus Galerius
repayre To a woman which had in her entrayle Spyrites closed to make his diuinayle In whose wombe barain and out of grace Of wicked spirites was the dwellyng place This sayd woman was a creature The which afore by cursed Julyan By his lyfe his purpose to recure In sacrifice was offred to Sathan And so as he with cursednes began Such was his ende as al bokes tell whose soul with Pluto is buryed depe in hel With this tyrant Bochas gan wexe wroth For his most odious fell outrage And to reherce in partie he was lothe The blasphemies of hys fell langage For nouther furye nor infernal rage May be compared with poison fret within To the false venyme of this horrible synne It is contrary to all good thewes And tofore God moste abhominable Hatefull to all saue to cursed shrewes For of all vyces very imcomparable Moste contagious and most delectable The mouth enfect of such infernal hounds Which euery day sle Christ with new wouÌ„ds For obstynate of purpose for the nones Of disposicion furyous and wode Not afraide to swere goddes bones with horrible other as body flesh and bloud The Lord dismeÌ„bring most gracius good His fete haÌ„des armes face and heed Reno him of new as they wolde haue him deed This blessed Lord which is immortall Though they be dedly they would him slee ageyn They be erthly he is celestial In froward wise they ben ouerseyne Discrecion fayleth their reason is in vayne All suche blasphemy for shorte conclusyon Procedeth of pride and false ambycion It semeth to me they haue foul fayled Of kyndnes to do him reuerence which for their loue vpon the crosse was nayled To pay the raunsome for mans offence Suffred death with humble pacyence False rebukyng spyttyng in hys vysage To bring mankynde vnto his heritage False surquedy that doth the heartes reyse Of such blasphemers as was this Julian whose great empyre might not counterpeise Again the Lord which is both God and man The original ground of pride was Sathan Prince vnder him most infortunate was this Apostata reignyng in his estate What was th ende of this tyrant horrible This cruell felon hatefull to euery wyght By sodayne myracle to al his hoste visible There dyd appere a very heuenly knyght Most freshly armed angelyke of sighte With a sharpe speere sitting on his stede Made the tyrant his hert bloude to blede His false goddes might him not auaile His frowarde off rynge done to maumetry Nor al his proude imperyall apparayle His inuocacions nor hateful sorcerye For this apostata that dyd his faythe denye Amonge his knightes slayn by death sodain His soule in hell with sathan in great payne The xv chapter ¶ Howe themperoure Valence slewe Heremites shed christen blud â–ª distroyed churches and after was brent BOchas in hast doth hys style dresse Next to the mperour y e called was ValeÌ„ce Rehersyng first the perfyte holynesse Of Heremytes that did their dilygence To lyue in penaunce and in abstynence Forsoke the worlde and for Christes sake In to desert they haue the way take â–ª In this world here they lyst no lengar tarye Dyuers and double of trust no certayne Ferre in Egypte to liue solitary Depe in desertes of folke not to be sayne The soyle was drye of vitayle ful barayne The frutelesse trees vp seared by the rote For Christes loue they thoght y e life most soâ—e This sayd Valence of malice frowardly To this Heremites y â— liued in gret penaunce Causelesse with full great enuy Troubled them and did theÌ„ great greuauÌ„ce Lyke a tyraunte set al in vengaunce Distroyd churches with people that he ladde And where he went christen bloud he shadde This mean while by robbyng and rauyne In Mauritayne which is a great countre There was a prince that called was Faryne And in Cesaria a famous great cyte For his extorcion and his cruelte He toke vpon him proudly there reignynge Maugre romayns to be crowned kinge Theodose the fyrst a manly man Was sent out his malice to withstand By the bidding of Valencian Which that time the mpyre had in hand Bothe atones but ye shal vnderstande Theodose was sent out to assayle The sayd Farine and slewe him in batayle Of whiche Faryne by full cruel hate In that countre presumptuously reignynge Smote of his heed and sate it on the gate Of Cesaria this was the endyng Which by intrusioÌ„ afore was crowned king In Mauritayne oppressing them by drede As ye haue herde for which he lost his heade In this mater Bochas doth not soiourne By no attendaunce nor long diligence But of purpose dothe agayn retourne To the mperour that called was Valence Which as I told did so great offence The holy church of froward cursednes Slewal Hermites that bode in wildernes God wolde not suffre he shuld long endure Graunteth no tyraunt here longlyfe For by some mischefe or sodaine auenture They dye by murdre with dagger swerde or knife The Gotheyes whilom gan a stryfe For his outrage and great oppressyon They agayne romains fyll in rebellion A prince of his called Maximus Distressed them by so great tyranny And was vpon them so contrarious That they gadred all the cheualry And wext so strong vpon their partie That by their manhode it fel of auenture They on Valence made a disconsiture Spared not by robbynge and pillage Slough and brent many a stately place Cyties townes and many a small village That were famous within the laÌ„d of Trace But furiously thei met him in the face Where like a coward he turned his visage To saue his life lay hyd in Cartage Thus finally this emperour Valence As ye haue heard fayled of his entent The Gothes folowed by cruel violence As wylde beastes al of one assent The house and him to ashes they haue brent Lo here the fyne ye princes take hede Of tyrantes that saintes bloud do shed The .xvi. Chapter ¶ Of kynge Amacisius and howe Gracian and Theodosy distroied temples of fals gods how GraciaÌ„ was put to flight AFter Valence to God contraryous In al his workes most froward of liueÌ„g Tofore Bochas came Amacisius Which of Gothes was whilom Lord kyng Of his great age piteously complaining Inflate and dole lyst make no delayes Slew him self to short his greuous dayes Then came downe the brother of Valence The mighty emperour called Gracian Whiche afore had had experyence First with his vncle Valentinyan In the Empyre as bokes tell can And afterward Theodosy and he Had gouernaunce of Rome the cyte Theodosy and Gracien of assent Distroyed temples as in that partie Of false goddes also they haue downe rente The great ydols and all such maumetrye And full deuoutly gan churches edifye And in this whyle as fortune dyd ordayne One Maximus was vicar in Bretayne An hardy knight albe that he did vary From his promise made by sacrament In Bretayne list no lengar tary â–ª But into Gaule of hert and hole entent Gayne Gracian he sodenly is went And as
marueylous rehersayle Howe any woman of reason should be So ful of malice and of cruelte To slee her kyn and set at distaunce By deuision all the realme of Fraunce Bochas dempt it was nat credible That a woman shuld be so vengeable In her malice so venymous and terryble Of slaughter and murdre to be culpable The story susperte helde it but a fable Onely excepte that she dyd him exite With great instaunce her story for to write Her crie on Bochas was very importune To set in ordre her felicitees With her vnhappy chaunges of fortune Her disclaundred great aduersitees With her diffame reported by countrees No very grounde found in bokes olde But of confession that she her self tolde That mine auctour reherced w t soleÌ„pne style Reherce shoulde her wordes disclaundrous Her flouring yeres also for to compyle Medled with her daies y â— were contrarious Her fatall ende froward and furious Wherof encombred of very werynesse Towarde Eraclius he gan his pen dresse The .iiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Eraclius the Emperour sustayned heresy fyll in to dropsye and sicknes vncurable so died AFter Phocas with great honoure and glory Crowned emperour of Rome the cyte In whose time as saith the story The Romains stode in great perplexite By them of Perce that rose with Cosdroye Whiche toke vpon him to be lord and syre As a tyraunt to trouble the empyre Gate many a prouince many a famous Reiem Through all Asie as the cronicle saythe Gan approche toward Jerusalem Afore the towne proudly a siege he laythe As a tyraunt frowarde to Christes faythe But Eraclius maugre all his might Smyt of his head slewe him like a knight And by grace whiche that is deuine This famous prince this Eraclius In his beginning slew many a Sarazyne Holde in tho daies notable and glorius And in his conquest passing famous Dyuers relykes of the crosse he sought And froÌ„ tho couÌ„treis many of theÌ„ he brought Was none so famous holde in his dayes As Eraclius the empyre for to gye Nor more manly found at all assayes Of hie prowesse nor in chyualrye But whan he gan sustaine heresye God toke from him within a littel space His hap welfare his fortune his grace He gan sustene and folowe certaine rites Of wylfulnesse and frowarde fantasy Of a secte called Monacholites Which was a sect of frowarde heresy And sith that he drewe to that party The story telleth for all his hygh estate This Eraclius was neuer fortunate Where he was first drad on the see and land Namely of Sarazins for al his chyualry Grace fortune from him w tdrew her hand For whan he fyll in to heresy He was trauailed with such a dropsy That therwithal he had a frowarde lust Euer to drinke and euer he was a thurst In tho dayes founde was no leche Albe that they were sought on eche partye The sayd prince that coude wyshe or teach Him to releue of his dropsye Made faint feble wyth a great paulsye Thus in sickenes he hath hys dayes spent By vengeauÌ„ce slayne w t infernall turment Of Eraclyus this was the wofull ende As is reherced slayne with sicknes Out of this worlde whan he should wende Al hole the empyre stode in great dystres Force of Sarazins dyd them so oppresse And day by day drewe to decline By his sonne called Constantine The .v. Chapiter ¶ Howe Constantine the sonne of Eraclius supporting errours and heresy was murdred in a stewe WHiche was his successoure as made is mencion In whose time throughe his greate foly Sarasins did great oppression Spoyling the countreis of all Lumbardy And Constantine of wilfull slogardy Wasted his daies till he hath brought All the Empyre almost to nought Gaine Christes faythe in especiall He gan of malice his wyttes to applye And was therto enemy full mortall And chefe supportour of false heresie And towarde Rome fast he gan him hie Spoyled temples of many ryche ymage And by water after toke his passage To Constantinople fast he gan him hie By Scâ—â—il the way was al moste mete At Syracuse I fynde that he did ariue And for the season was excessite of hete Which in his labour made him for to swete And secretly he gan him selfe remue To be bathed in a preuy stue Of euny ther he was espyed His owne knightes like as it is founde By conspyracion certayne of them alyed Fil vpon him with sharpe swordes grounde And mercilesse with many mortal wounde They stewe him there on him they were so wode Amid the stewe naked as he stode After whose death they dyd theÌ„ selfe auauÌ„ce To chose a knight borne in Armenye Of the empyre toke the gouernaunce And to supporte falsly their partie But Constantine succeding of alie Beyng next heyre the trouthe for to sue To him that was murdred in the stewe Called Constantine as his father was Right notable in actes marciall More wysely gouerned stode in other cas Lyke a prince by iugement royall Of manly herte and corage naturall The conspyratours first of all he slethe That were assented to his fathers deathe To great encreace of his famous renoun Grace of god did him enlumine Constantinople in that royall town Olde heresie to cease and to fyne Two hundred bishoppes eke also nyne He made assemble to stande at defence Of Christes faythe of manly prouidence He was eke busy churches to restore All heretikes manly to withstande Their opinions examined well before And whan the trouth was well vnderstonde Like Christes knight list for no man wonde To punish them iustly by rigour Without excepcion of person or fauour Of him in Bochas litel more I rede Nor of his empire I fynde none other date Spared no heretikes for golde nor mede At Constantinople he passed in to fate Whan Bulgarence gan with him debate A frowarde people wilfull and recheles Gaue them a tribute for to lyue in pees The .vi. Chapter ☞ Howe Gisulphus was slaine his wyfe ended mischeuously in lecherye NExt came Gisulphus to Bochas on the ring A famous duke and notable in hys lyfe With weping eyen pitously plaining With whome also came Rimulde his wyfe Which that liued euer in sorow strife Yet was she both of byrthe and of lynage Right excellent and fayre of her visage Sixe children had this famous quene By Gisulphus gotten in mariage Wonder semely and goodly vnto sene And fortunate by processe of their age Albe theyr father felt great domage By the werres he had in his liuing With Cathamus that was of Narces king This Cathamus with many strong batayle Is discended and take the way right Of duke Gisulphus the landes to assayle Togither met in stele armed bright Gisulphus slaine his people put to flyght And Cathamus w t stronge mighty hande Toke possession conquered all his lande After whose death Rimulde the duchesse Greatly astonied pale of her visage To the castell of Forgoile gan her dresse With her knightes of
gret penaunce Stable of their chere visage couÌ„tenaunce Neuer to vary for none auenture Like Christes chaÌ„pions perpetually teÌ„dure Whose foundacion by notable prouidence Grounded on Christ their soules to auaunce Graue in their hertes and in theyr conscience Voiding all trouble of worldly perturbauÌ„ce Chaunges of fortune w t her double chaunce Loued god and dred aboue eche creature In hope with him perpetually to endure The .xxxiii. Chapter ¶ Howe Philip le Bele king of Fraunce was slaine with a wilde Bore and of his thre sonnes and their wedding Whan Bochas had written of pacieÌ„ce And commended the vertue of suffraunce Philip le Bele came to his presence Fift of the name crowned king of Fraunce Gan complaine his vnhappy chaunce And on fortune of custome that can vary Which was to him cruell aduersary Wounded he was with a greuous sore Gan his complaynt to Bochas determyne How he was slaine with a wilde bore In a forest which called was Compyne Tolde howe he was sclaundred al hys line Ones in FlauÌ„ders w t many a worthy knight VeÌ„quished of fleÌ„minges felly put to flight Proceding ferther gan touche of his lynage Howe in his time he had sonnes three Lewes Philip Charles yonge of age The fourth Robert also a doughter had he Called Isabell right excellent of beaute The sayde Robert the storie is well kouthe Whiche that died in his tender youthe To this story who liâ—t haue good regarde The circumstaunce wysely to discerne His doughter Isabell was wedded to Edward Carneruan the boke so doth vs lerne This yonge Philip wedded in Nauerne The kinges doughter a stately mariage Called Jane whyle she was tendre of age The same Philip after crowned king Of Nauerne his father of assent Fyue sonnes he had than liuing Of which fiue as in sentyment Thre in nombre be right pertyn ent The matter who so list to loke And the processe of the same boke The eldest sonne called was Lewise To whome his father gaue possession Of Nauerne bycause that he was wyse For to gouerne that noble region Philip his brother for his high renoun Was afterwarde by iust enheritaunce And rightful title crowned king of Fraunce The thyrde brother was by title of right Made erle of march named was Charles Eche of them in the peoples syght Were famous holde passing of great prise And for they were right manly right wyse Philip and Charles toke in tendre age The erles doughters of Burgoin in mariage But as the storye reherseth in certayne To their noblesse fortune had enuy And by a maner of malice and disdayne Brought in a processe vpon the party Of their two wyues frowarde auoutry Causing the death of these wyues thre Whan they most floured in their felicite After these three princes glorious Tofore Bochas had shew theyr entent A mighty duke notable and famous Came to complaine Charles of Tarent Which in his time to Florence went To make peace in his royall estate Twene Guerâ—te Gemellius standing at debate The said Charles borne of the blod of frauÌ„ce A manly knight the story doth deuise By whose vnhappy fatall froward chaunce In the werres twene Florence and Pyse On horsbacke sittinge in knightly wyse Hurt w t an arowful lowe down to grounde Wherby he caught his last fatal wounde A man of armes beyng a soudyour With the pisanes were it wronge or right Of false disdaine did his busy labour To treade on Charles in the peoples syght Whan he laye gruffe wherfore he was made knight By theyr captain for a maner pryde Which gouerned the Sybelines syde And in his study wyth full heuy chere While John Bochas bode styll on his sete To him appered and gan approche nere Daunt of Florence the laureate Poete With his dities and rethoriques swete Demure of loke fulfilled with pacience With a vysage notable of reuerence Whan Bochas saw him vpoÌ„ his fete he stod And to mete him he toke his pase full right with great reuerence auailed cappe and hod To him said with humble chere and sight O clerest sonne O very sothfast lyght Of our cite which called is Florence Laude be to the honour and reuerence Thou hast enlumined Itaile Lombardy With Laureate ditees in thy flouring dayes Grounde and ginning of prudent policy Monge Florentines suffred great affrayes As golde pure proued at al assayes In trouth madest mekely thy selfe stronge For commoÌ„ profite to suffre paine wronge O noble Poete touching this matter How Florentines to the were vnkynde I wyll remember write with good chere Thy pytous exile and put here in mynde Fray quod Daunt here stante one behinde Duke of Athens turne to him thy style His vncouth story breuely to compyle And if thou lyst do me this plesaunce To discryue his knightly excellence I wyll thou put his life in remembraunce How he oppressed by mighty violence This famous cite called Florence By which story plainly thou shalt se Whiche were frendes and foes to the cite And which were able to be excused If the trouth be clerely apperceyued And which were worthy to be refused By whome the cite ful falsly was disceiued The cyrcumstaunce notably conceiued To reken in order by euery syde Which shoulde be chaced and whiche shoulde abyde The .xxxiiii. Chapter ¶ How duke Gaulter of Florence for his tirannye lechery and couetyse ended in myschefe ANd whan Bochas knewe all thentencion Of the saide Daunt he caste him anone ryght To obey his mayster as it was reason Toke his penne and as he cast his sight Alite aside he sawe no maner wight Saue duke Gaulter of all the longe day For Daunt vnwarely vanished was away This said Gaulter bruely to perocede Lyke as it is put in remembraunce Touching his line and his royall kynrede He was discended of the blode of Fraunce By longe processe and knightly purueyaunce His father fyrst by diligent labour Of Athenes was lorde and gouernour Stode but a while in clere possession Grekes to him had full great enuy Cast of assent to put him doun And de priue him of his famous duchy To their entent a layser they did espy Toke him at mischefe quaking in his drede Of hie dispyte in haste smyt of his heade Vpon whose death auenged for to be This said Gaulter with mighty apparayle Cast he wolde asiege that cite But of his purpose longe he did faile And in this while w t many stronge batayle Two mighty prices were coÌ„e down of Pise Laide a siege to Luke in full knightly wyse Florentines to Luke were fauourable And to delyuer the siege from the toun With multytude almost innumerable Made ordinaunce and knightly came doun Which tourned after to their distruction For it fell so of mortall auenture On Florentines fyl the discomfiture The noyse and fame of this great batayle Gan sprede ferre by reporte of langage In Lombardy and in Itayle Monge soudiours lusty of corage And among other fayning a pylgrimage The said
tofore Gaulter his iudgemeÌ„t to shew With sharp swordes he was all to hewe The execucion done vpon these thrâ— In Tuskan borne the rancour did apease Of Florentines to staunche the cruelte Againe Gaulter to his life great ease He glad to escape out of his disease Fled away in full secrete wyse The towne restored again to their frauÌ„chyse Thus he lost by his insolence All his power and dominacion Bothe of Tuskan and also of Florence And as mine auctour maketh mencion Fro Lombardy he is discended doun Drew to king Iohn reigning tho in FrauÌ„ce And of byrth full nigh of alyaunce As I fynde he was on that partye With king Ihon this Gaulter like a knight Whan that the king with all his chiualry Was take him selfe his lordes put to flighte Into Englande lad after anone righte The said Gaulter hauing no regarde To his worshyp fled like a cowarde Met in his flyght with diuerse soudyours Of Lombardy abiding with king Iohn Which that time as brygantes pyllours Toke this Gaulter led him forthe anone His force his corage his herte was agone Of auenture a certaine Florentine Smit of his head this was his fatall fyne The .xxxv. Chapter ¶ Of Philipot Cathenoise borne of lowe birth which came vnto great estate and after she her sonne her doughter were brent BEspraynt with teares and wofull noyse Tofore Bochas quaking in sorow and drede Next in order came Philipot Cathenoyse Poore of degree borne of lowe kynrede Which rose after to great estate in dede And gan with sorow complaint ful mortal Seriously to tell her woful fall Touching her byrth derke was her linage Of poore bed borne on outher syde Bochas was lothe to spende great langage On her history longe theron to abyde Purposed him nothing for to hide Of the substaunce but tell all the great And superfluite of the remenaunt to leat Whiche was reherced by him in his youth Whan he was toward Robert of Cecyle Kyng of Ierusalem the storye is nat couth Yet in his boke he list it compyle And it reherce by full soueraine stile Lyke in that courte as it was to him tolde By one Bulgare called in slauaine olde The sayd Bulgare was a marynere With him also was a Calabrien Called Constantine which full many a yere Trauailed had and sondry thinges sene In diuers countreis there he had bene Monge other thinges sene in dayes olde This was a storie which Bulgare tolde Duke of Calabre Robert by his name By his father Charles the mighty kyng Had in coÌ„mauÌ„dement y â— storye saith the same Gayne Frederike to make a stronge ryding Which by force proudly vsurping Toke vpon him to be lorde of that yle Which called was the kingdome of Cicyle Depranne in sothe called was the towne Where duke Robert his pauyllions pight Rode armed through his hie renowne Gaine Frederike for the lande to fight And to withstande him plainly if he might And so be fyll the morowe before prime The dukes wife of childing bode her tyme. Violaunt men did that lady call In her time a famous great duchesse Destitute of other women al Whan her childe was borne in that distresse To yeue it souke the story doth expresse Saue for mischefe Philipot was fet nere Of Cathenoyse the dukes chefe laundere By a fysher which was her husbande A childe she had lyuing by theyr trauaile Which fro the sea vnto the courte by lande Day by day caried vitaile And in this case be cause it might auayle Philipot was brought in this greate straytnesse To be norice vnto the duchesse Where she was cherished after her desyres Eche thing redy whan that euer she sent With the duchesse amonge other chambrers In to Naples I fynde that she went Tyll Atropose frowarde of entent Made of this childe there is no more to say The lyues threde for to breke in tway With king Charles of whoÌ„ I spake toforne As mine auâ—tour remembreth in his boke Was one Raymond of Champayne borne Whiche w t the king was called mayster coke And on a day his iourney he toke Towarde the sea a pyrate as I finde Solde him a child which was borneiÌ„ Inde Lyke Ethiopiens was his colour For whoÌ„ this coke Raymonde hath deuysed For in his notable diligent labour Made him christen and so he was baptised Gaue him the name and also practysed Him to promote that he vpon him toke By his doctrine to be mayster coke For he sone after toke the order of a knight The Ethiopien wext a good officere Gate suche grace in the kinges sight To be about him more nere By processe he was made wardyopere And though he was blacke of his visage To Cathenoyse he was ioyned in maryage Wexte malyperte and of presumpcion To be made knight y â— king he gan requere Which of fredom and great affection Is condiscended to graunt his prayere But to declare plainly the manere In this time Violaunt the duchesse Afore remembred dyed of sicknesse After whose death bokes dothe certifye Howe duke Robert of Naples the cite Wedded a Lady that called was Sausye To whom Philipot as fyll to her degre With diligence and great humilite To please her dyd so her deuer That of counsayle there was none so nere Euer redy at her commaundement Wrought atyres plesaunt of delite With holsom waters that were redolent To make her skyn by washing sote white Made confections to serue her appetyte By her husbande the story who lyst se The same Philipot had chyldren three She was connyng of her porte prudent Chosen by fauour for to be maystresse To fayre Iane yonge and innocent Which doughter was to the great duchesse Of Calabre and furthermore to expresse Her husbande the Ethyopyen withall Of Charles houshold was made seneschall O lorde quod Bochas spake of hie disdain What meneth this fortune for to make chere With her fauour to rayse vp a forayne Vpon her whele with bright fethers clere But of custome it is aye her manere Fayrest to appere with chere countenauÌ„ce Whan she wyll bryng a maÌ„ vnto mischauÌ„ce For he that was a boy the last day An Ethiopien borne horrible of sight And afore time in the kechyn lay Amonge the pottes with baudy cote anight Nowe of newe hath take the ordre of knight With king Charles is now seneschall Such sodayne climbing asketh a sodain fal He and Philipot his wyfe fro pouerte Be enhaunced and rissen to great richesse Two of their sonnes stately maryed be And he for fauour more than worthynesse To order of knight in his most highnesse Their father died whose feast funerall Was solempnysed and holde full royall Thus can fortune chaunge as the mone Her bright face derked with a skye His eldest sonne dyed after sone The seconde left vp his clergie To be made knightlgan him selfe apply Stode of his father plainly as I rede In his office by fauour to succede Thus by processe fro Philipot anonright Deathe of