Mars the frowarde star To engendre debate or some mortal war In thys matter playnly thus I deme Of no connyng but of opinion Though he were crowned w t sceptre and diademe To reigne in Thebes the stroÌ„g myghty toun That some aspect came fro heuen adoun Infortunate frowarde and full of rage Which agayne kynde ioyned the mariage He crowned was by assent of all the towne Flouryng a season by soueraynte of peece And whyle he helde the possession Sonnes and doughters he had doubtles The fyrst sonne called Ethiocles Polynices called was that other As sayth Bochas the seconde brother Also he had goodly doughters twayne The eldest called was â—ntigone The seconde named was Imeyne And both they were ryght fayre vnto se The quene Iocasta might no gladder be Than to remembre whan they wexe in age Her goddes had encresed their linage It was her ioye and her felicitie To se her children that were so inly fayre But after ioye ther cometh aduersite And hope assured wanhope doth oft appayre â–ª CoÌ„trarious trust wyll gladly their repaire Wher false wenyng in hert is coÌ„ceyued Through ignoraÌ„ce which hath many disceiued What thynge in earth is more disceyuable Than whan a man supposeth verily In prosperite for to stand stable And from his ioye is remeued sodaynly â–ª For where fortune is found to hasty To trise folke she is greuous to endure For sodayne chaunges be hatefull to nature Vnware wo that cometh on gladnes Is vnto hertes ryght passinge encombreous And who hath felt his parte of wealfulnesse Sorowe suynge on is to hym odious And worst of al and most contrarious Is whan estates highest of renoun Ben froÌ„ their noblesse sodenly brought doun There is no glory whych that shyneth here That false fortune can so magnifie But whan his laude brightest is clere She can eclips it wyth some cloudy sâ—â—e Of vnware sorowe onely of enuy Seeth of Edippus an open euidence Which by his life had experience Of highe noblesse and therwyth also Parte importable of great aduersite Hys ioye euer meynt wyth ful mortal wo. For while he reigned in Thebes the citie â–ª And Iocasta with ful great â—oâ—alte Within the countre there fyl a pestilence The people infectyng with his violence Through all the land and al the region In euery age but most greuously On them echone that were of that towne The infection spred most specially And of vengeauÌ„ce the swerd most rigorously Day by day began to byte and â—aâ—ue Of ech estate causyng folke to sterue Thus began to encrease the mortalite That euery man stode in ieopardy Of their lyues throughout the countre So importable was their malady That ye might heare the people clepe and cry Dispeyred so were they of theyr lines Voyde of all socour of their preseruatiues They sought herbes spices in their cofers And began to seke for helpe other socours The cause enquiringe of prudent philosofers And of their most experte diuinours Why that the goddes wyth so sharpe shours Of pestilence and in so cruel wyse Lyst them alas so mortally chastyse But among all in soth this is the case There was founde one ful prudent and wyse A prophet called Tiresias Of prophecy hauyng a souerayne prise Which affirmed and sayd in thys wyse As vnto him was shewed by myracle Phebus him selfe declarynge the oracle Cause of this syckenes and these maladies As the goddes plainly haue disposed And Senecke writeth also in hys tragedies Though the cause be secrete and yclosed Vnto the tyme there be a kyng deposed Which slew his father raft him his life And hath also take his mother to his wyfe Tyll thys be done and execute in dede Ther may be made no redempcion But pestilence shall multiply and sprede Euer more and more through that region Tyl vnto the tyme that he be put a doun Fro his crowne whych not long agone His father slough among his mortall fone And hath his mother wedded also Agaynst lawe and agaynst al ryght Tyll vengeaunce vpon that crime be do There shal be war pestylence and fighte Sorowe strife euery maner wight Of veugeaunce hys neighbour shal hate Brother w t brother bloud w t bloud debate This is al and some there may be no socour Whych brought the people in great heauynes For Tiresias the great diuinour By propherâ— told them thus expresse And at the last by tokens and witnes Men vnderstode by signes out shewyng This pestilence was brought in by the kyng And though the people gaue no credence To Tiresias ne to his prophecy The quene Iocasta caught au euidence And in her hert a full great fantasy Specially whan she dyde espie Of Edippus the fete that were wounded How this tumour was on trouth ygrounded Because also there was a diuinour Which tolde tofore that Edippus shoulde be To Layus of Thebes successour Wherby the kyng the quene and the ryte Fyl in great trouble and great aduersite Well more than I by writyng can report For there was nothing y t myght theÌ„ recoÌ„fort Ful oft in the day Iocasta gan to swoune And kyng Edippus to sobbe crye and wepe In salte teares as they them would drown Deth craÌ„pishing in to their hert gan crepe A day coÌ„plainyng a night they may not slepe Cursynge the houre of their natiuyte That they should lyue that day for to se. Their mortall chaunce their dedly auenture Their fortune also whych gan on theÌ„ froun Inpacient and doleful to endure Their froward fate wyth their lokes broun The kynge foryre caste away his crowne And began to â—ace for coÌ„straint of his payne Out of his heed his wofull eyen twayne Day and night he cried after deth Hatefull to come in any mannes sight Most desirous to yelde vp the breth Woful in hert to come in any light Coorbed for sorow feble to stande vpright And specially in hys deedly distres For drede and shame he dared in derkenes The cruel constrâ—int of his most grenance Was that his sonnes had hym in dispyte Which gan his sorowe greatly to auance For him to scorne was set all their delite Was neuer none that stode in worse plyte For thus lyeng and destitute of chere Vnto the goddes he made his prayere Beseching theÌ„ with a ful doleful herte Vpon his wo to haue sum compassion And that they would for to auenge his â—inert Bitwene his sonnes make a diuision Eche to brynge other to distruction Thys was his prayer in substaunce That eche on other may take vengeaunce In yeres fewe for their vnkyndnesse They herd his prayer as ye haue herd deuise The bretherne two through their cursidnes Eche gan other mortally dispise For lacke of grace and for false couetyse Eche for his partie desirous in dede Tofore other to reigne and succede And thus these bretherne most infortunate Bitwene them selfe fill at discencion And finally this vnkindly debate Brought al Thebes to distruccion Yet was there made fyrst a conuencion By
Kingdomes deuided may no while endure Princes princesses which haue the soueraintie Ouer the people and domination Ifye lyst longe lyue in felicitie Cherishe your subiectes do none extorcion And aduertise of wysdome and reason As this tragedy dothe to you discure Kyngdomes deuided may no while endure The .x. Chapter ☞ How Atreus kynge of Messene wrought ayenst his brother Thiestes slew his thre children dismembred them in pieces made Thiestes to eat of their flesh drinke of their bloud BOchas the Poete auctour of this boke Him purposyng to gather and compile Diuers stories anone his penne he toke Him remembryng within a little while In this chapitle began direct his style To write the story hye and compendious A forne all other of duke Theseus Lorde of Athens a famous great citye Right strong and myghty on euery side But at his backe Bochas did one se Which cryed loude and bade he shold abide Bochas quod he fro the me list not hide My wofull case ne in no wise spare My piteous complaynt to the to declare I am Thiestes besprent all with wepyng Drowned in teares as thou maiest well se Sometyme sonne of the mighty kyng Pelops and borne also parde Of quene Hippodamea excellent of beautye And for thou art desirous to endite Of people vnhappy and their wo to write My will is this anone that thou procede Turne thy style and take thy penne bliue Leaue Theseus and take of hym none hede But first my tragedy that thou discryue For I suppose that in all thy lyue That thou saw neuer a thing more dolorous More vnhappy frowarde ne more piteous Than is alas my mortall aduenture Incomperable the sorow surmounting Of quene Iocasta most wofull creature Or of Edippus his fate euer complaynyng For my complaynt hath none endyng But lasteth euer and beareth me witnes No wo resembleth vnto my heauines And with y â— worde John Bochas styll stode â–ª Full soberly to geue him audience And in the place demurely abode To hear the substaunce of his mortal offence Whiche thus began to shewe the sentence O John quod he I pray the take good hede My wo to write that men may it reade Alas my brother rote of vnkyndenes Atreus called of reason sours and well And finder out of treason and falsenes For all other in fraude he doth precell Whose couert hate is more than I can tell I supposyng of very innocence In him no malice disceite nor none offence But as brother should a brother trust I trusted him of hart will and thought By apparence none other cause I wyst For in his person I supposed nought That euer he culd so false a thig haue wroght But who may soner another man deceyue Than he in whom no malice men conceyue â–ª I demed of him as of my true brother Wenyng he had faythfull ben to me I sawe no signe ne I knew none other In him suposynge no duplicitie But wo alas how might it euer be Or who did euer in any story finde Bloude vnto bloude to be so vnkynde I will passe ouer to tell the worthines Touching the estates of our progenitours Of our kynred and the great noblesse I tell nothing nether of our predecessours Ne of my youth howe passed ben the floures I leaue all this and vnto mynde call The wretchednes that I am in fall My brother founde a false occasion Ayenst me and began a cause feyne To banish me out of our region And began at me of hatred to disdayne Vpon me affirmyng in certayne In our kingdome whiche called is Missene I should haue lien by his wyfe the quene This he compassed full falsely of malice Him selfe well knowyng that it was not so Euer founde vnkynde and misauise Not like my brother but like my deadly â—o And to encrease great percell of my wo By long processe in his entencion He â—â—â—â—gined my destruction And his chefe cause was false couetise Touchyng this thing which he did fame And yet this kyngdome truely to deuise Should haue beÌ„ departed betwene vs twaine But ayenst truth he did so ordayne Me to exyle out of that region Him selfe alone to haue possession Yet in his hart he cast an other wile To my vndoyng and desolation To the place whence he did me exile Vnder a shadowe of false collusion To make a maneâ— reuocation Of brotherhead shewyng a pretence Me to restore ayen to his presence To be accepted as a brother shoulde With full accorde styll with hym to abide All miuries of whyche afore I tolde On either party forget and set asyde That nothing after should our loue deuide But of one will and one entencion Leade all our lyfe without deuision Wherof the people were full glad and lyght Throughout Missene that mighty region At my resortyng founde I euery wyght Ready of hart and whole affection Me to receyue into that noble towne And none so ready by sygnes out shewyng To make me chere in sothe as was the kyng There is no domage in comparison That may be lykened by no resemblaunce To fayned truth and simulation Whan fraude is hyd w t a fayre countenaunce Pretendyng truth outward by deceyuaunce And vndernethe of most false entent Of doublenesse dareth the serpent As vnder flowers is shrowded the dragon For to betray by sodayne vyolence Suche folke as haue no suspection But truely meane in their pure innocence Till they be caught dispurueyed of defence Or as a fishe with bayte of false pleasaunce The hoke not sene is brought to mischaunce Thus semblably at my home commyng I was receyued with euery circumstaunce Lyke as halfe heyre and brother to the kynge And he pretendyng as by countenaunce That he had so inly great pleasaunce Of my repayre of truth he tolde so For reioysyng that he sayed he woulde go Vnto his gods to do some obseruaunce For this accorde and humble sacrifice Made his ministers w t faythful attendaunce To wayte on me in all their best wise It nedeth not to tell ne deuise Neither by wrytyng in bokes sor to set Halfe the ioye he made whan we mette First how frendly he did me embrace Of harty gladnes within his armes twaine â–ª And how for ioye the teares on his face Full entirely gan distyll and rayne That for my party he could not me restraine But that I must of frendshyp fraternall Wepe as did he in his estate royall The wily wolfe that cast him to deuouâ— The sely lambe whiche can no defence Ne none helpe him selfe to succour So feble he is to make resistence Whiche demeth truth of false apparence What wonder is it the fraude not conceiued Though such lambes vnwarely be disceiued Though that roses at midsomer be full sote Yet vnderneth is hyd a full sharpe spyne Some freshe floures haue a full bitter rote And lothsom galle can suger vndermine In dredful stormes y â— sunne amoÌ„g doth shyne And vnder a shadow of fayned frendlyheade There is no frendshyp so perillous to dreade
by the goodly hede And through the nobles of this most knightly man All mistes clered of dispayre and drede Trust hope and fayth into my hartran And on my laboure anone forthwyth I gan For by cleare support of my lordes grace All foraynes lettyng fro me I did enchace For folke that vse to make great vyages Whiche vnderfonge long trauell and labour WheÌ„ thei haue don gret part of their passages Of werines to asswage the rygoure Against faintyse to fynde some fauâ—â—â— Loke oft agayne parcell to be releueâ— To se how muche their iourney is acheued Cause why they so oft loke ageyne Backeward turne loke and eke vysage Is only this that it may be seyne To them how much is done of their vyage Eke wery folke that gone on pylgrimage Rest them some while a full large space Laborious sweate to wipe fro their face Their heauy fardell among they cast adoun At certaine bouÌ„des to do their backes ease At welles colde eke of entencion Drinke freshe water their greuous thurst to apease Or holesum wynes their appetite to please Rekenyng the myles by computacions Whiche they haue past of castels of townes It doth them ease the number for to know Syth they began of many great iourneys Of hye mountayns and of valeyes lowe And straunge sightes passyng by countreys The vncouth buildyng of borowes and cities Counting y e distaunce froÌ„ townes the spaces This is their talking at their restyng places The residue and the surplusage They reken also of their labour commyng Thinke it is a maner auauntage To haue and se a cleare knowlegyng Of thinges passed thinges eke folowynge For to their hartes it doth full great plesauÌ„ce Whan all suche thing is put in remeÌ„braunce And semblably Iohn Bochas as I fynde Gan turne backe his loke and countenaunce And to remember appoyntyng in his minde To the stories rehearsed in substaunce In his two bokes of sorowes displeasauÌ„ce Him selfe astonied marueilyng a great dele The fall of prynces from Fortunes whele Of their vnhap as he dothe rehearce Towarde theÌ„ selfe the cause dothe rebounde Their climbyng vp the heauens for to perce In worldly riches to encrease and abounde Their gredy etike doth them selfe confounde And their thirst of hauyng vnstauncheable Causeâ— their nobles to be so variable Hygh climbyng vp of reason who can se Dulleth of braines the memoriall Blunteth the sight of hygh and low degre Whiche from aloft maketh them to haue a fal Men saye of olde who that couet all At the vnset houre suche one shall not chese But all his gadryng at once shall he lese For worldly folke whiche so hye aryse Wyth the great peyse of worldlye abundauÌ„ce And with the weight of frowarde couetise Namely where Fortune holdeth the balauÌ„ce With vnware turne of some vnhappy chauÌ„ce This stormy quene this double Goddesse Plungeth theÌ„ downe from all their riches Wherfore Bochas hereof to make a prefe Sheweth to purpose a sentence full notable A clere example of suche vnware mischefe Writeth of an auctour by maner of a fable Albe the menyng be full commendable And well accordyng in conclusion To the clere purpose of his entencion Finis ¶ Hovve Andalus doctour of Astronomy concludeth how Prynces shoulde not atwite constellacions nor Fortune of their vnhappy fallyng but their demerites and vycious liuyng ¶ The first Chapter AT Naples whylom as he dothe specify In his youth whan he to schole went There was a doctour of Astronomye Famous of cunnyng and right excellent Of hym rehearsyng shortly in sentment His ioy was most to study and wake And he was called Andalus the blake He redde in scholes the mening of the heauen The kinde of starres and constellacions The course also of the planets seuen Their influence and their mocions And helde also in his opinions The fall of princes the cause well out sought Came of them selfe and of fortune nought Nor the starres was nothing to wite By their meuyng nor by their influence Nor y t men should of right the heauen at wite For no froward worldly vyolence For this clarke there concluded in sentence How men by vertue longe may contune From hurt of starres or of fortune Their owne desert is chefe occasion Of their vnhappe who so taketh hede And their demerites vnwarely put theÌ„ doun Whan vycious life doth their brydle lede Course of fortune nor of the starres rede Hindreth nothing agayne their felicitie Syth of free choyse they haue full libertye God punished sinne in many maner wyse Some he chastiseth for theyr owne auaile Men may of reason in suche case deuise Sinne aye requireth vengeauÌ„ce at his tayle God of fortune taketh no counsayle Nor from her meuyng no man is more fre As clarkes write than is glad pouertee And vnto purpose this auctour full notable To his scholers there beyng in presence Full demurely gan reherse a fable With many a coloure of sugred eloquence Theron concludyng the suÌ„me of his sentence Touching a strife whiche he did expresse Atwene glad pouert this blinde goddesse ☞ A disputation betwene Fortune and glad pouerte HVod Andalus whilom of fortune In straite place there sate glad pouert Whiche resembled of loke of figure A retcheles woman most vgly vnto se At a narow metyng of hye wayes thre All to torne to ragged and to rent A thousand patches vpon her garment She was hydous bothe of chere and face And in semyng voyde of sorow and drede And by that way as Fortune did pace And of glad Pouert sodaynly toke hede She gan to smile and laught at her in dede By a maner scornyng in certayne Of her aray she had so great disdaine Whose froward laughter whaÌ„ pouert did espy How she of her had indignacion She rose her vp of hygh melancholy Playnly to shewe her entencion Without good day or salutacion Doyng to Fortune no maner reuerence Vnder these wordes declaryng her sentence O thou Fortune moste fole of foles all What cause hast thou for to laugh at me Or what disdayne is in thyne hart fall Spare not a deale tell on let se For I full little haue ado with the Of olde nor new I haue none aquayntaunce Neither with the nor wyth thy gouernaunce And whan Fortune beholdeth the manere Of glad Pouert in her to torne wede And knew also by countenaunce and chere How she of her toke but little hede Like as she had to her no maner nede The whiche thinges conceyued and seyne To pouerty she answered thus ageine My scornefull laughter plainly was for the Whan I the sawe so megre pale and lene Naked and colde in great aduersitie Scabbed scoruy scalled and vnclene On backe and body as it is well sene Many a beast walke in their pasture Whiche day by day of new thou doest recure Hauyng nothing to wrap in thy head Saue a brode hatte rent out of nattes olde Full of honger for defaute of bread Slepyng on strawe in the frostes colde And where thou comest
falsnes In princes hertes aye playnly to expres Who by rauyne riches wyl recure God wyl nat suffre him longe to endure Noble princes stable in your constaunce Ye that desyre to stand in sykernes Remembre oft vpon the fatal chaunce Of proud Xerxses and his cursednes Your life disposing in your hygh nobles If that ye lyst your states to assure Eschue rauyne and ye shal long endure The .xi. Chapter ¶ How Artabanus murdred king Xerxses and howe hym selfe was murdred after NExt these tragedies weping dolerous Whyle Bochas stint wold haue be in pees A knight appered called Artabanus Whyche had aforne murdred king Xerxses And gan his complaynt for to put in prees Full concludyng to speke in wordes playne Who vseth murdre by murdre shal be slayne This Artabanus by record of writing With Xerxses prouost whylom as I rede Falsly conspyred by sleight of his workynge For to be kynge bothe of Perce and Mede Hauing seuen sonnes which that wer in dede Worthy knyghtes manly and right stronge Albe their father was set to do great wrong For he presumed by vsurpacion In Perce and Mede to quench y ◠clere lyght And trouble the lyne of iust succession For so as he of force and nat of ryght Nothyng resemblyng to a trewe knight The murdre of Xerxses falsly did ordayne Right so he cast to murdre his sonnes twain And to conclude playnly and not tarye This sayd kyng that called was Xerxses Had two sonnes the yongest called Dary And that other colled Artaxerxses which as the story reherceth doutles Were by discent borne to succede After their father to reign in Perce Mede The murdre of Xerxses outward was vnknow Nor how Artabanus had y ◠treson wrought Tyl afterwarde within a lytel throwe He had of newe forged out and sought Fals odious trains that wer neuer thought Told Artaxerses as he gan with him rown Howe Dary cast to occupy the croun And how the dethe of Xerxses was ordained Only by Dary and by none other wight wher vpon which ought be complayned Artaxerxses prouided anon right The slaughter of Dary so agayn all ryght This younge brother in his innocence Was falsly slaine and did none offence Ye wote by whom this treson was compassed Twene brethern twain to make diuision The younger slayne and nothyng trespased Moste redy way to the distruccion Of Artaxerxses for in conclusyon Whan the bretherne murdred were in dede Artabanus thought to succede But Artaxerxses by playne instruccion Of one that was called Baccarus By tokens knewe the couert false treason Of this aforesayd double Artabanus And howe that he by traynes outragyous Had Xerxses slayne as ye haue herd toforne And Dary appeched wherby he was lorne But this vncouth straūge treason wrought Whan Artaxerxses had knowlegyng By great aduise wayes he hath sought Artabanus to bryng vnto rekenynge But specyally he dred him of one thyng He feble was to bryng this thing about Of hys seuen sonnes he had so great doute But for to accomplyshe fully his entente Ful secretly this was his ordynaunce To al the worthy he hah his letters sent Dwellyng in Perce vnder his obeysaunce Without excuse or lenger attendaunce Armed echone and in especyall To come in haste vnto his courte royall Cause of their cōming was to them not know The kynges purpose was holden secre And kept so close both from hye and lowe That to his meanyng no man was priue Except the kyng sayd he woulde se What number of men if it come to nede In his defence he myght gather and lede And among other came Artabanus Vnto the court and list not for to fayle A man that was cruell and couragious Full of sleyghtes in all his gouernayle Whiche thilke tyme armed was in mayle For he with him none other armure lad Saue on his backe an haburion he had Than Artaxerses beyng in his strength To him abrayed of false affection For that my mayle wanteth of his length I woulde with the chaunge myne haburion The tother hauyng none euyll suspection Vngyrt him selfe would no lenger abide Bothe sworde dagger cast thē farre aside And while that he threw of his haburion And with the mayle stopped was his sight He being naked for short conclusion The king out pulleth a sworde kene bryght And through the hert he roue him anon right And after that of indignacion Toke his seuen sonnes cast them in pryson Of their ende what shoulde I more endite Nor of their death make digression God may his vengeaunce a while respite But murder wyll out all suche treason And for Artabanus had a condicion Falsely to murder as ye tofore haue seyne w t vnware murder guerdoned was ageyne Thus euer murder requireth for his wages Slaunder importable odyous to heare A worde diffamous most foule in all lāgages The sounde horrible by report to appeare A clips during whose darknes may not cleare For this worde murder most vgly vnfayre By a rehearsyng infecteth all the ayre ¶ The .xii. Chapter ¶ How duke Palantes Spartenoys warred theim of Missene for rauishyng their maydens AFter the death and fatall caas And piteous murder of Artabanus Next in order appeared to Bochas A mighty duke called Palautus Sonne of a knyght named Arathus Which was exiled though he no treasonment Out of his citye that called was Tarent Vpon his exyle he sore gan complayne Besechyng Bochas to get him a space Within his boke to write his greuous payne Albe though he whilom stode in grace By glad aspectes of fortunes face For she him raysed by fauour of her might To dukes estate from a pore knyght But cereously this matter to conuey How he was made duke and gouernour Whan Sparteyns gan mortally warrey Against Missenes as sayth mine auctour With great costage and diligent labour And cause was this for they w t mighty hand Rauished by force all maydens of the lande For this people now named Spartenois As the story clerely can deuise Were called afore Lacedemonois In armes proued manly and ryght wise And while they did a solemne sacrifise Vnto their goddes the people of Messeny Rauished their maydens or they it did espy On whiche wronge for to do vengeaunce The Spartenois caught indignacion And of assent with all their whole puissaunce They layed a siege rounde about the toun And of one wyll and one affection They made a vowe y ◠siege when they begon Neuer to depart tyll the towne were won Afore the towne fully ten yere they lay And fro the siege as they had made their othe They not departed neyther night nor day But styll abode and not a sunder gothe Therof their wiues at home were wrothe To their husbande 's a messengere they sent Vnder these wordes declaryng their entent Sayd it was not accordyng with reason They like widowes to liue disconsolate Without comfort or consolation Farre frō their husbandes to stande desolate Mischeues cōsidred that fal in eche estate
brought lowe Made Consulere the story is well knowe A seruaunt first and almost set at nought And afterwarde I made him fortunate Left neuer tyll I had hym brought By a prerogatife chose of the Senate To be a pretour an office of estate Which also wrought by conspiration To bryng Metellus to destruction Of whose assent there was also another Called Marius beyng the same yere Texplete this treason their sworne brother which was also that tyme a Consulere I fortune made them full good chere Lyke their desyres gaue them liberte To banyshe Metellus out of their cite Of these thre Romains the first Saturnine And Glaucus was called the seconde And Marius layde out hoke and lyne As I haue tolde Metellus to confounde To their purpose I was also founde Fauourable to bryng them to mischefe As their story sheweth an open prefe They banyshed hym out of Rome toun And Saturninus by hys subtell workyng Clambe vp fast of presumpcion To be called of Rome lorde and kyng I gaue hym fauour by a maner false smiling Tyll at the last playnly to declare Of his distruction I brought him in y â— snare The Senatours knowyng the malyce Of Saturne which made a great gadryng Of sundry folke castyng in his auyce By theyr fauour he might be called kyng All this while of his vpclymbyng I shewed hym duryng a longe space Him to disceyue a full benigne face Tyll Marius a mighty Consulere To withstande his presumption Rose with stronge hande with a knyghtly chere Beset hys palays about enuyron Brake hys gates amyd of the toun And Saturninus voyde of all fauour To the Capitoyle fled for succour He was forbarred by Marius of vitayle The Capitoyle besieged rounde aboute At the entryng was a stronge batayle On outher party slayne a great route Thus of my fauour he gan stande in doute Thus Saturninus brought in gret distresse His good acheted lost all his rychesse Experience full openly men leareth Suche as hyest thervpon ascende Lyke as the turne of my whele requireth Whan they lest wene doun they shall disceÌ„de They haue no power them selfe to defende Agayne my might when they be ouerthrow What do I than but laughe make amow Drusus also borne of great lynage And discended of full hye noblesse Vnto vertue contrary of his corage Frowarde founde to all gentlenesse Yet chose he was the story doth expresse Questour of Asye an offyce of hye degre For his byrthe to gouerne that countre But oft tyme vertue nor gentlenesse Come nat to heires by succession ExaÌ„ple in Drusus the story bereth witnesse Which bothe of corage and disposicion Was euer frowarde of condicion For which let men deme as they must nedes Nat after byrthe but after the dedes Vertues all in hym were set asyde Slowe to be armed hated chiualry Most couetous deynous full of pryde His dedes frowarde full of trechery To hie estate I dyd hym magnify Yet al my giftes in hym ne might stretche For here tofore thee he coÌ„meth like a wretche He dare for shame nat shewe his visage So farre disclaundred is his wretchednesse His couetyse and vicious outrage Falsely caused by hys doublenesse Maguldusa a prynce of great noblesse Betrayshed was for mede to the kyng Called Boccus by Drusus false workyng What maner turmeÌ„t or what greuous payne Were coÌ„petent couenable or condigne To him that can outwarde flatter fayne And in his hert couertly malâ—â—â—e â–ª As Drusus dyd which shewed many signe To Maguldusa of loue and frendlyhede Vnderneth false treason hydde in dede But Maguldusa lyke a manly knyght Gayne king Boccus hath hiselfe soccoured Whan he by dome was iudged agayne ryght Of an olyphaunt for to be deuoured Scaped frely and after that laboured To acquite hym selfe through his hie renoun Slew false Drusus myd of Rome toun Bochas also men put the lacke in me That I was cause of the destruction By my contrarious mutabilyte Of the notable famous Scipion Which in the tyme of Sensoryn Caton Gate the triumphe for many great victory To put his name perpetually in memory For his merites chose a Consulere And chefe byshop to gouerne their cite To all the Senate patron most entere Most famous of name and dignite Saued Romayns from all aduersite Tyme whan the werre dredefull dispytous Gan atwene Pompey and Cesar Julius Thus whan the sayde famous Scipion Was through my fauor acoÌ„pted most notable He fro my whele sodenly was throwe doun Which neuer in word nor dede was culpable But the Romains malicious and vnstable By theyr hangman first chayned in pryson After racked there gayned no raunson Thus he that had auayled them so ofte To saue hym selfe founde succour on no syde His dead body they henge it hye alofte For a spectacle longe there to abyde Thus geryshly my gyftes I denyde StouÌ„dmeale nowe frende nowe aduersary Rewarde good with guerdons ful contrary This was experte full well in Scipion Gan with loye and ended in wretchednesse Bochas remembre make hereof mencion And of Fanaticus how I of gentlenesse Made him ascende to notable hye prowesse Yet bokes saye touchyng his kynrede Manly of person a chorle borne in dede For my disporte with a glad vysage I set hym vp 〈◊〉 hye vpon my whele Gaue hym lordshyp out of low seruage To do him fauour it ly kedine full wele Wherfore Bochas his story euery dele Note it well and in especiall How he by sleyght came to estate royall By sleyghty fainyng to dyuers folke he tolde How that he spake w t Scirra the goddesse At euery houre playnly whan he wolde Of presumption discriued her lykenesse Sayde also how she of her goodnesse Had graunted him hys stare to magnyfy Duryng his life a spirite of prophesy And furthermore the people for to blynde He fantasied by a crafte vncouth Within a shale the story maketh mynde Of a nut to haue fyre in hys mouthe Blew it sparkling north and southe Affyrmed wherwith folke were blent It was a spirite to hym from heuen sent By which he wrought many great vertue Gadred people tyll he had in dede Two thousande churles at hys retinue Whiche afterwarde his purpose for to spede To syxty thousande encreaced as I rede I suffred all serued hym at the tyde Tyll all the courte grutched at hys pryde Though of byrthe he was but a vileyne Rose vp of nought by sodeyne auenture My gery fauour made hym to be seyne Royal of porte dyd hys busy cure To rayse hys baner ware a cote armure And by gracious supportation Brought great people to his subiection At the last my lust gan appall Towarde him not beynge fauourable Down fro my whele anone I made him fal For by Romains was sent a great constable Called Porpenna a prince full notable Whiche fyll on him venquisshed him anone Slewe outrayed his churles euerychone Him selfe was hanged vpon an hye gybet Some of his meyny was cast in pryson Thus to his pryde I gaue a great
Gan in Asia and with his host came doun By tygre Eufrates knightly so rydyng Towarde the partyes of Septemtryoâ— â–ª To Caucasus not ferre fro Babylon And all Surrye he proudlye dyd assayle And Capadoce he wan eke by batayle Whom for to mete came Vale rian To Mesopotayme with many legions The werre was stroÌ„g but this knightly man This hardy Sapor with his champions The felde hath wonne with all the legions Afore reherced and through Perce he lad Valerian bouÌ„de with chaynes rouÌ„d and sad He was by Sapor maugre hys vysage â–ª This ValeriaÌ„ so straytly brought to wrake Lyke a prisoner bounde to seruage By obeysaunce that founde were no lacke To knele on foure and profre his backe Vnto Sapor whan hym list to ride Therby to mounte for al his great pryde This was the offyce of Valerian By seruitude duryng many a yere Wherfore he was called of many a man The assendyng stocke in to the sadyll nere Whiche is in frenche called a mountuere This was his office to bowe doun his corse Whan y â— king Sapor shulde light on horse This is the guerdon fauour of fortune Her olde maner to princes and to kynges Her double custome vsed in commune By sodayne chaunge of all worldly thynges After triumphes and their vprisinges What foloweth after here well tell I can I take recorde of Valeryan Thys Lady fortune the blynde fell goddes To Valerian shewed herselfe vnstable Taught him a lesson of the doublenes To kyng Sapor she was fauourable But yet he was to cruell and vengeable Wyth his fete deuoyde of all fauoure To foyle the backe of an emperour Of olde it hathe be songe and cried loude Recorde on Cyrus and many other mo Kinges of Perce of custome haue be proude After punyshed and chastised eke also Princes of mercy shulde take hede therto After victory in their estate notable To their prisoners for to be merciable Myne autor Bochas in this mater tel can Rebuke tyrauntes that were by dayes old Turneth his side speketh to Valerian Where be thy rubies saphires set in golde Theryche peerles and rynges manifolde That y â— were wont to weare vpon thy hoÌ„ds Now as a wretch art bouÌ„d in forayn bondes where thou were wonte of furyous crueltie Clad in purple within Rome toune To Christ contrary in thyne imperyall se Gaue dome on martyrs to suffre passion Nowe lyest thou bound fettred in preson To kyng Sapor constrayned to enclyne whan he lyst ryde bothe necke and chine Thus art thou fall in thine imperial stage Thinke on fortune haue her in memory She hath the cast in thraldom and seruage And eclypsed all thine olde glory where thou sate whilom in the consistorye As an emperour and a mighty iudge Lyest bound in chayns knowest no refuge It is fall ferre out of thy mynde The knightly dede of worthy â—ublyus Of Rome a captayne ordayned as I finde To fyght agayne Aristomachus Kyng of Asye of fortune it fell thus whan the romayns dyd the felde forsake This Publius amonge his fone was take This noble prince standing in dredeful cace His lyfe worshyp dependyng atwen twayn In his hande holding a sturdy mace Smyt out one of his eyen twayne Of him that led him that other for the payne That he felte and the great smerte Toke a dagger roue Publyus to the herte which loued more his worship thaÌ„ his lyfe Chase rather to dye than liue in seruage This conceite he had in his imaginatife And considred sythe he was in age To saue his honoure it was more auauÌ„tage So to be slayne his worshyp to conserue Than lyke a beast in prison for to sterue Fortune his chaptre of him it was not rad As Valerius maketh mencion After whose conceyte no man in vertue sad Shulde not longe languy she in prison But rather chose lyke his opinion Of manly force and knightly excellence The dethe endure of longe abstynence As whylom dyd the princesse Agripine whan she in prison lay fettred and bound Of her fre choyce she felt great pyne Of hungre and thurst in story it is found That she lay pale grofe vpon the grounde Maugre Tibery and let her gost so wende Out of her bodye this was her fatall ende Thou stode ferre of all suche fantasy I speke of the O thou Valerian Thy cruell herte of false malencolye Made whylom dye many a christen man And martyr syth Christes faythe began Which for mankynde dyed vpon the Rode There for tacquyte hym lyste shed hys blode Agayne his lawe thou were impacient And importune by persecucion Thou dydest fauour suffre in thine entent â–ª That Egipciens dyd their oblacion Their sacryfices and ryte vp so doun Vnto ydols of frowarde wylfulnesse That was of Egipt called chefe goddesse Fauourable thou were in thy desire To suffre Iewes their sabote to obserue And Caldeis to worshyp the fyre And folke of Crete Saturne to serue And cristen men thou madest falsly sterue Of whose lawe for thou dyd not retche Thou died in presoÌ„ at mischefe like a wretch The .ii. Chapter ¶ Howe Gallyen sonne of Valerian was slayne NExt in ordre to Bochas tho caÌ„e doun Sonne of Valerian one called Gallien But for great horrible effusion Of christen bloud that men might sene Shed by Valerian God wold it shulde bene Shewed openly to romains by vengaunce Of manye a countre sodaine dis obeysaunce They of Almayne the Alpes dyd pace Vnto Rauenne a cite of Itaile Gothes also proude of chere and face Had agayne grekes many a great batayle And they of HuÌ„gry armed in plate mayle wyth them of Denmarke furious and cruell Agayne romayns wexte of assent rebell To whose domage in this meane whyle Amonge romayns it is befall thus wofull werres whiche called bene ciuile Gan in the cyte cruell and dispiteous First whan they met was slayne Gemyus which first toke on him in bokes as I rede Of hye corage to we are purple wede One Posthumus a mighty strong romayne Kept all Gaule vnder subiection To their auayle after vnwarly slaine Among his knightes for al his hye renoun By a sodayne vncouthe discencion Next Victoryne hauing the gouernaunce Of al Gaule was first slayne in Fraunce But Gallien of whom I spake toforne Sonne and heyre to Valerian His Domination of purpose he hath lorne In Republica whan he began Lyke a contrarious and a frowarde man wext lecherous and obstinate of liuinge At mischefe slayne â–ª this was hys endynge The .iii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Quintilius was murdred by women NExt Gallien came one Quintilius A man remembred of great atteÌ„perauÌ„ce Brother of byrth to great Glaudius wise and discrete in al hys gouernaunce who may of fortune eschue the chaunce To wryte his ende shortlye in a clause Of women murdred I can not say the cause The .iiii. Chapiter Of Aurielan in Denmarke borne OF Denmarke born next came Aurelian A worthy knight his enemies to assaile Again Gothes a great warre he began Gate victory
in peces small _â—She came arayed nothynge lyke a quene Her heer vntressed Bochas toke good hede In al his booke he had afore not sene A more wofull creature in dede With weping eyen to torne was al her wede Rebuking Bochas cause he had left behynde Her wretchednes for to put in mynde Vnto myne auctour sodaynly she abrayde Like a woman that were with wo chekmate First of al thus to him she saide Sometyme I was a quene of great estate Crowned in Fraunce but nowe all disolate I stand forsoth BrouÌ„shilde was my name Which to reherse I haue a maner shame Thou were busy to write the wofull caas Within thy boke of Arcinoe Dyddest seruice to quene Cleopatras Of Rosamonde thou wrote also parde And amonge al thou hast forgoten me Whereby it semeth thou doest at me disdayne List no parcell to write of my paine Whan Bochas herd this of chere he wext sad Knowyng nothyng of that she dyd endure Iwysse quod he afore I haue not rad In no cronicle nor in no scripture Of your frowarde wofull auenture No quod she I pray you take good hede So as they fyll I wil reherce in dede Bochas with Brounchilde gan debate anon Sothly quod he this is the condicion Of you women almost euerychone Ye haue thys maner wythout excepcion Of your naturall inclinacion Of youre declaring thys obseruaunce to kepe Nothynge to say contrary to your worshepe Nature hath taught you all that is wroÌ„ge to excuse Vnder a curtaine al thig for to hyde With litel graine your chaffe ye can abuse On your defautes ye lyst not for to abide The gaule touched al that ye set asyde Shewe roses freshe wedes ye let passe And fairest chere there ye most trespasse And if ye shall tel your owne tale Howe ye fil fro fortunes whele Ye wyl vnclose but a litel male Shewe of your vyces but a smal percele Brotle glasse sheweth brighter than stele And though of vertue ye shew a faire preteÌ„ce He is a fole that yeueth to you credence Quod Brounchilde I do ryght well espye Thou haste of women a false opinion Howe they can flatter wele and lye And ben diuers of disposicion Thou myghtest haue made an excepcion Of hie estates and them that gentle bene Namely of me that was so great a quene Your hye estate by kynd hath no power To chaunge in nature nouther cold nor hete But let vs passe and leaue this matter Theron to abyde or any more to plete Of your complaint say to me the greate By way of seruyce to you I shall me quyte As ye declare take my penne and write Take hede quod she and with good auice Fro the trouthe beware that thou ne varye Whilom in Fraunce reigned kyng Clowise Had a sonne that named was Clothary Clothar had an heire y t named was Lotarye And this Lotary named the seconde Had sonnes four in story it is founde To the cronicle who can take hede As it is put in remembraunce Whan their father the mighty kig was dead Atwene these foure was parted all Fraunce Eche by him selfe to haue gouernaunce By one assent as brother vnto brother Wearing their crownes ech quit theÌ„ to other The same time I called Brounchylde Me lyst not varye from the olde writinge Had a father named Leuechylde Of all Spayne soueraine lorde and kynge My sayd father to ful great hyndring Of bothe realmes the fame ranne so ferre Twene Spaine FrauÌ„ce gan mortal werre The brethern four in FrauÌ„ce crowned kings Agayne my father made strong defence Of marcial pride and fortunat chaungynges Whan they met by mortall violence Of sodayne slaughter fyll such pestilence On outher partye the felde like a great flode With the tirrible effusion of blode To both realmes y â— werres were importable Causyng of deth passyng great domage Sought meanes wext by assent tretable Of blode shedyng to appease the wofull rage By one accorde I was yeue in mariage To Sigebert reignyng tho in Fraunce Twene both realmes to make aliaunce Nay quod Bochas I deme it was not so Twene you me there must begyn a strife Be aduised take good hede therto The first assuraunce of mariage in your lyfe Of Chilperik ye were the wedded wyfe Cronicles sene what euerye expresse In this matter wil beare w t me wytnes Though some bokes reherce and so sayne Lyke as ye haue made here mencion Their rehersaile stande in no certaine For by the assent of outher region Spaine and Fraunce in their conuencion Ordained so in my tendre age To Sigebert I was yeue in mariage Imeneus was not there present Whan he toke our chambre towarde nyght For Thesiphone her susterne of assent Infernall goddesses bare the torches lyght And as the torches shewed derke and brighte Thereby the people present one and al Dempt of the mariage what should befal This custome vsed of antiquite From their temples of goddes goddesse At mariage of folke of hye degree Torches were borne of whom men toke witnes As they were dercke or shewed their bryghtnes The difference sene in eche estate If it were towarde or infortunate Of this mariage short processe to make The torches brent yet they were not bright Shewed out combrous smokes blake Of consolacion lost was al the lyght Thus in derknes wasted the fyrst nyght Their verse songe of goddes and goddesses Were all togither of sorow and heuynesses These were the tokeÌ„s the night of mariage Pronostikes of great aduersyte Yet of nature I had this auauntage Of womanhead and excellent beaute And like a quene in stones and perre I was arayed clad in purple wede With a crowne of golde vpon my head Solempnely crowned quene of Fraunce Which for to se folke fast gan repayre Of all welfare I had suffysaunce Clombe on fortune full hie vpon the stayre A sonne I had called Clotayre By Sygebert by recorde of writing Thyrde of the name in FrauÌ„ce crowned kiÌ„g So wolde god that day that he was borne He had be put in his Sepulture In saluacion of blode shede here toforne Caused the death of many a creature As diuers bokes reporte in scripture Ground ginning as made is mencion Within this lande of great diuision He with his brethern of whom I spake late At him began the first occasion Nat so quod Bochas ye fayled of your date Who was chefe cause of diuision Sothly quod she in myne opinion Among them selfe I dare well specify Chefe ginnyng was fateruall enuy Kepe you more close in this matter ye do faile Folowing the traces of your condicion Ye halte foule in your rehersaile For of your owne ymaginacion Ye sewe the sede of this dissencion Amonge these kynges if ye take hede By which in Fraunce many man was deade Than Brounchilde gan to chaunge chere To Bochas sayde with face full cruel Not long agon thou knewest not the manere Of my liuing but a small parcell Me semeth nowe thou knowest euery del So that ye may
enterchangiÌ„g y â— eche should reigne a yere The tother absent to play come no nere This concluded by their both assent And by accorde of that region Polynices rode forth and was absent Ethiocles toke fyrst possession But whan the ye re by reuolucion Was come about he false of his entent Vnto the accorde denied to assent Thys was a cause of theyr both striues Polynices was thus put out of his ryght Tyll Adrastus that kyng was of Argyues which thorow al Grece gretest was of might Sent vnto Thebes Tideus a knyght Hys sonne in lawe to treat of thys matter And the cause finally to lere Wher through the kyng called Ethiocles Would condiscende of truth and of reason To stynt warre and to cherishe pece After the accorde and composicion Vp to deliuer Thebes that mighty towne Vnto his brother whych abseÌ„t was without Now that his yere was fully come about But he was false and frowardly gan vary Ethiocles from hys conuenciâ—n For whych Adrastus no lenger would tary Whan Tideus had made relacion But called anone throughout his region All the worthy both nere and farre Ayenst Thebes for to begyn a warre For thys cause lyke as ye shal lere Polynices to force hys partie Ywedded had the kynges doughter dere I meane of Adrastus floure of chyualry Whan Tideus dyd him certifye Touchinge the answere of Ethiocles And of his truth how he was recheles False of hys promyse cursedly forsworne For to hys truth none aduertence had he Neyther to the accord y t was made beforne Touchyng y â— deliuerauÌ„ce of Thebes the citie But who that lyst the storye clerely se Of these two bretherne and their discencion And howe Adrastus lay to fore the toun And howe Tideus through his high prowes Fought by the way going on message And how of Grece all the worthines Wyth kyng Adrastus went in this viage And of the mischefe that fyll in that passage For lacke of water tyll that I siphile Norishe of Ligurgus so fayre vpon to se Taught Tideus to fynde out a riuer She that dyd in fayrnesse so excell Ne howe the serpent most vgly of his chere Of â—ig Ligurgus y â— childe slough at the well Neyther howe Amphiorax fyll doun to hel All to declare me semed was no nede For in the siege of Thebes ye may it rede The storye hole and made there is mencion Of either parte their puissauÌ„ce their might And how Adrastus lay tofore the toun And how they inette euery daye in fyght And howe Tideus the famous knyght So reâ—omed in actes marcial Was slayne alas as he fought on the wal And howe the bretherne met among the prese Lyke two Tigres or lions that were wode With sharpe speres this is doutlesse Eueryche of them shed others hert bloud This was the fyne thus with theÌ„ itstode Saue at their feestes called funerall There fell a marueyle which I tel shal Whan they were brent in to ashes dede Of their enuy there fyll a ful great wonder Amonge the brondes and the coles rede Hyghe in the ayre the smokes went a sunder The one to one party and that other yonder To declare the storye me list not fayne The gret hatered y â— was bitwixt hem twayn Thus for their yre and false discention All the lordes and all the chiualrye Were slayne of Grece and also of the towne And rote of all myne aucthour list not lye Was false alyaunce and fraternall enuy And chefe grounde with all the surplusage Who serche aright was vnkyndly maryage The quene Iocasta felt her part of payne To se her chylder eche of them slea other Her son her lorde blynde on his eyen twayne Which to his sons was father also brother Fortune would it shoulde be none other Also Parchas sisters which be in nuÌ„ber thre Spanne so the threde at their natiuitie Also whan Iocasta stode thus disconsolate And sawe of Thebes the subuersion The countrey destroyed and made desolate The gentle bloude shedde of that region Without comfort or consolacion Thought she myght be no more appeyred But of all hope fully loe dispayred Trist and heauy pensyfe and spake no word Her sorowes olde and newe she gan aduert Toke the sworde of hym that was her lorde w t which Edippus smot Layus to the hart She to â—inyshe all her paynes smarte And fro the body her soule to deuide Roâ—e her selfe throughout euery syde She wery was of her wofull life Seyng of Fortune the great frowardnes How her diffame and slaunder was so rife And of Edippus the great wretchednes Also of her sonnes the great vnkindnes All these thinges weyed on her so sore That for distresse she list to liue no more Bochas writeth concernyng her fayrenes Constraynt of sorow caused it to fade The famous light also of her noblesse And all the clearenes of her dayes glade With vnware harmes she was so ouer lade Of very anguyshe that she her selfe did hate So inly contrary disposed was her fate Thus death deuoureth with his bitter gall Ioye and sorow auoyde of all mercy And with his dart he maketh downe to fall Riche and pore them markyng sodaynly His vnware stroke smiteth indifferently From him refusyng fauour and all mede Of all estates he taketh so little hede Better is to dye than liue in wretchednes Better is to dye than euer lyue in payne Better is an ende than deadly heauines Better is to dye than euer in wo remayne And where y â— mischefe doth folke to coÌ„plaine By wofull coÌ„straynt of long coÌ„tinuaunce Better it is to dye thaÌ„ liue in suche greuauÌ„ce Taketh ensample hereof and a priefe Of kyng Edyppus that was so long ago Of quene Iocasta that felt so great mischiefe And of their children remember also Whiche euer liued in enuy sorow and wo. Fortune alas duryng all their dayes Was so frowarde to them at all assayes Touching Edippus processe finde I none What ende he made in conclusion Saue Bochas writ howe that kyng Creon Cosen and heyre by succession Exiled him chayned farre out of the towne Where he endured mischefe sorow and drede Tyll Attropos vntwyned his liues threde ☞ Lenuoy IN this tragedy thre thinges ye may se The pryde of Iabin false presumption Of quene Iocasta the great aduersitie Of kyng Edippus the inclinacion To vyces all and the diuision Of the two brethren playnly vs to assure Kyngdomes deuided may no while endure ☞ Omne regnum in se diuisum desolabitur For who sawe euer kyngdome or countrey Stande in quiete of possession But if there were ryght peace and equitie And iust accorde without discention Voyde of vntruth and false collusion â–ª Plainly declaryng by ensample and scripture Kingdomes deuided may no while endure Seeth here example of Thebes the citye And how that noble myghty region Through their frowarde false duplicitie With warre were brought to destruction Their promise broken their couert treason Shewed by their harmes ipossible to recure
thys brond among the coles reed Be ful consumed into ashes dead But whan Althea espied their entent And conceyued the fyne of their sentence She rose vp and the brond she hent Out of the fyre wyth ful great diligence Quenched anone the fyres violence The dome of Parche she gan thus disobey The brond reseruinge vnder locke key Touchyng the father of this Melliager Oeneus of hym thus I rede Howe that he sought nighe and ferre Goddes goddesses whose lyst take hede In hope onely for to haue great mede For to them al poetes thus deuyse Saue to Diana he dyd sacrifyce Wherof she caught an indignacion Cast she woulde on hym auenged be Sent a Boore in to his region Full sauage and full of cruelte Which deuoured the frute of many a tree And distroyed his cornes and his vynes That such scarsnesse of vitayles of wynes Was in his land vpon euery syde That the people of necessite Compelled were among to prouyde Some meane or way to saue their countre And at the last they condiscended be That Melliager lusty of his corage Shoulde chose w t him folkes fresh yonge of age This dredeful Boore mightely to enchace And forth they went echon deuoyde of drede With round speres they gan him to manace But Melliager made fyrst his sydes blede And wyth a swerde than smote of his hede Wherof the countre was glad and fayne And in this wyse the tuskye bore was slaine Some bokes tell of this huntyng That a lady whych was borne in Irge Called Athalanta doughter to the kyng To slee this Boore toke on her the charge And wyth an arowe made his wouÌ„des large Also in Ouide lyke as it is founde Because that she gaue the fyrst wounde Melliager anone for a memorye As he that was her owne chosen knight Gaue her the heed in token of this victory But his two vncles ayenst al skyl and tyghte Raft her the head of very force and myght Hauyng dispite that she in her auyse Of this victory shoulde beare away the price With which iniury Melliager was wroth Agaynst them proudly gan disdayne Pulled out a swerde vpon theÌ„ goeth And throughe hys manhode slewe his vncles twaine And after y t dyd his busy payne To take the heed and wyth humble entent To Athalanta agayne to be present One of his vncles was called Flexippus A manly knyght but yonge of age That other brother named Theseus But whan their suster herde of that outrage Howe they were slayne she gan in her visage Wexe deed and pale alas for her bloud Whan she espyed the cause howe it stode She had no matter god wote to be fayne Quene Althea to stand and beholde Her bretherne twayne of her son slayne At the huntyng of whych tofore I tolde Fyrst thynges twayne she gan peise vnfold Of her bretherne the loue and nigh kynted And of her sonne the hasty cruel dede And remembring she casteth in balaunce Of hertely wo that she dyd endure Thought if she dyd vpoÌ„ their deth vengeauÌ„ce To slee her son it were ayenst nature Thus in a warre longe tyme she dyd endure Her deedly sorowe peysyng euery dell Wheder she shal be tender or eruel Thus tender I meane her son for to spare Or punishe the dethe of her brether twayne Thus confortlesse al destitute and bare In languishing she endured forthe her payne And temedy can she none ordayne Saue faine she would auenge her if she may But than came forth nature and sayd nay It was her sonne agaynst all kyndly ryghte Of whom she cast auenged for to be To women al an vgly straunge syghte That a mother deuoyde of all pitie Shoulde slee her childe so merciles parde Naye not so nature wyl not assent For if she dyd full sore she should repent But O alas al fatal purueyance Kepeth his course as some clerkes sayne But the wrytyng of doctours in substaunce And these diuynes reply there agayne And affirme the opinion is in vayne Of them that trust in fate or desteny For God aboue hath the soueraintie And of fortune the power may restrayne To saue and spyl lyke as folke deserue Ayenst his wyl they may nothynge ordayne Of necessite what course that they conserue But this matter al holy I reserue Vnto diuines to determyne and conclude Whych nat partayneth vnto folkes rude But Althea of Calcidony quene Began sore muse and henge in balaunce Her bretherne deed whan she dyd them sene Than was she meued anon to do vengeanÌ„ce Vpon her son by ful great displeasance But as poetes lyst for to compile Nature her made w tdrawe her hand a while Thus betwene yre and affection She helde her long of euery partie stable Tyll that she caught in her opinion A soden rancor which made her be vengeable And hasty worth which is not coÌ„mendable Ayenst her son made her with her hande Out of her chest to take the fatall brande â—nd sodaynly she cast it in the fyre And wexed cruell agaynst all womanhede To execute her venomous desyre The fatall bronde among the coles rede Consumed was into ashes dede And furiously in her melancoly The vengeaunce done she thus gan to cry O ye Parce froward susters three Which of Joue kepe the library And of children at their natiuite Awayte the sentence whych may not vary Wherso it be wylful or contrary Vpon his domes alwaye takyng hede How that ye shall dispose the fatal threde Thou Cloto takest thy rocke on hand And Lachesis after doth begyn By great auise who so can vnderstande The threde of length to drawe and to spyn But whan the spirite shal froÌ„ the bodye twin Thou Atropos doest thy busy payne Ful frowardly to parte the thred in twayne I may wel playne in such perdicion Not for a day but wo alas for euer Ye haue vntwyned and made deuision Of my two bretherne caused theÌ„ disceuer That here on lyue I shal se them neuer And I of haste alas why dyd I so Tauenge their deth haue slayn my son also O ye doughters of Cerberus the fell Whose vgly moder was the blacke nyght Al your kyndred and linage lyue in hell And for to aueÌ„ge the wrong great vuryght Which I haue accomplished in your syght I wyl wyth you perpetually complayne Like my desert tendure sorow and payne And whyle she gan w t her selfe thus stryue Vpon her sorowes that were endlesse She made a swerde through her hert to riue Of her selfe she was here recheles And Bochas after among al the prese Sawe as hym thoughte wyth a full hidious chere Deed of visage Hercules appere Whose father was Jupiter the greate His mother doughter of Amphitrion Called Alcumena sumtyme borne in Crete And as poetes reherce one by one So excellent was there neuer none To speke of conquest of victory and fame Here in thys world that had so great a name Dredful of loke he was and ryght terible His berde also blacke which hing
great meyny Liuyng in hope to se some chaunges newe That he on Rome might auenged be And specially that he myght se Kyng Hostilius of frowarde enuy That day outrayed with all his chyualry First when he saw the Romayns enbattailed And Fydinates on that other side Their wardes ready for to haue assayled He couertly did on an hyll abyde And to nor fro lyst not go nor ryde Nor his person put in ieopardy But who was strongest to holde on y ◠partye Wherof the Romayns fyll in suspection Of kyng Mecius whan they toke hede Tyll Hostilius of hygh discrecion Through his knighthode put thē out of drede ▪ And gan dissunule of Mecius the falsehede And to comfort his knyghtes of entent Sayd what he did was done by his assent He was full lothe that his chyualry Should know the effect of Mecius treason Whiche cause myght in all or in party Full great hindryng by some occasion To deme in him falsenes or treason Yet of trouth the story beareth witnes All that he ment was vntrouth and falsenes Thus of manhode and of high prudence He to his knyghtes yaue hart hardines Made them set on by so great vyolence That he the felde gate of high prowes On Fidinates brought in so great distresse And so outrayed of force on euery side Tofore Romayns that they ne durst abide And whan Mecius saw them thus outrayed By a maner of fayned false gladnes Like as he had in hart be well apayed To Hostilius anone he gan him dresse Him selfe reioysyng by counterfayte likenes And for his meanyng playnly was conceiued So as he came ryght so was he receyued Thus whan Mecius stode in his presence With a pretence of faithfull stablenes And all the apport of trouth in apparence He shadowed hath his expert doublenes Vnder sote hony couert bitternes Frendly vysage w t wordes smothe playne Tho mouth hart departed were in twaine But Hostilius hath all his fraude espied And his compassed falsenes and treason And therupon hath iustly fantasied A paine accordyng ypeysed of reason Him to punishe by a double passion This to mean like as he was deuided A double torment for him he hath prouided This was his dome and his fatall payne By Hostilius contriued of iustice His fete his armes atwene charets twayne Naked and bare the story dothe deuise To be bounde and knit in trauers wise Contrariously the horse to drawe and hale Tyll all his body were rent on pieces small And right as he was cause of great trouble Founde aye in dede most full of variaunce Therfore his payne was in maner double Right as him self was double in gouernaūce False of his othe of hest and assuraunce And double in menyng as he hath perseuered So in his ende his mēbres were disceuered His fete were drawe from the head asunder There was no ioynt with other for to abide Here was a legge and an arme lay yonder Thus eche member frō other gan deuide And for he coulde holde in outher syde By false pretence to outher party true Him to chastice was founde a payne newe The .xxx. Chapter ☞ A Chapiter howe prynces shoulde of their othes and promises be true auoydyng all doublenes and deception SO here the ende of double false meanyng Whā worde hart be contrarious Othe and behest false founde in a kyng Of Albanoys as was this Mecius O noble prynces prudent and vertuous Let neuer story after more recorde That worde dede shoulde in you discorde For kyng Mecius variaunt of courage Whose inward menig was euer on treasō set Traynes contriuyng with a fayre vysage His thought his harte w t double cordes fret By Bochas called disceyte false baret Whiche vyce discriuyng concludeth of reason Fraude of all fraudes is false deception For with a face flatteryng and peacible Pretendyng trouth vnder false pleasaunce With his panteris perillous and terrible Trappeth innocentes w t gryns of mischaūce I meane disceite that w t her countenaunce Folkes englueth simple and retcheles And than warreth vnder a face of pees Puissaūce of prynces famous honourable Hath ben disceaued by this traytouresse And folke most prudēt in their estate notable Hath be distroubled by suche doublenes And many a knyght victorious of prowes Hath ben entryked for all his hygh renoun By traynes founde of disceyte treason Disceyte deceyueth shal be deceyued For by disceyte who is disceyuable Though his disceyte be not out perceyued To a disceyuoure disceyte is retournable Fraude quit w t fraude is guerdon couenable For who with fraude fraudulent is found To a defrauder fraude wyll aye rebounde ¶ The .xxxi. Chapter ☞ Of kyng Hostilius that first weared purple hewe consumpt with fiery leuin WHat shoulde I more of disceite endite Touching the fraude of kyng Mecius For I me cast now finally to write The fatall ende of kyng Hostilius Whiche was the first as sayth Valerius In Rome citye that auctours knew Among kynges that weared purple hewe But after all his tryumphall noblesse And many vncouth knightly high emprise Fortune to appall the pryse of his prowesse Made him to be in full frowarde wise Retcheles and slowe to do sacrifice To Jupiter for whiche sent from heuin He was consumpt with sodaine firy leuin Here men may se the reuolutions Of fortunes double purueyaunce How y e most mighty of Romayne champions Haue sodainly be brought vnto mischaunce And their outrages to put in remembraunce Great conquest turned to wo frō ioye For a rebuke I sende them this lenuoye ¶ Lenuoy ROme remember of thy foundacion And of what people thou toke thy beginnynge Thy buildyng gan of false dissencion Of slaughter murdre outragious robbing Yeuyng to vs a maner knowlegyng A false beginnyng auctours determine Shall by processe come vnto ruyne Where be thy ēperors most souerain of renoun Kinges exiled for outragious liuyng Thy Senatours with worthy Scipton Poetes olde thy tryumphes rehearsyng Thy laureat knightes most stately ridyng In high honour ▪ for al their noble line Is by longprocesse brought to ruyne Where is now Cesar that toke possession First of the empyre the tryumphe vsurpynge Or where is Lucan that maketh mencion Of all his conquest by serious writyng Octauian most solemnely raignyng Where is become their lordshypor their lyne Processe of yeres hath brought it to ruyne Where is Tullius chefe lanterne of thy toun In rethorike all other surmountyng Morall Senec or prudent sadde Caton Thy common profite alwaye preferryng Or rightful Traian most iustly in his deining Whiche on no party list not to declyne But long processe hath brought all to ruyne Where is the temple of thy protection Made by Virgill most curious of buyldyng Ymages erect of euery region Whan any lande was founde rebellyng Toward that part a smal bell heard ringing To that prouynce the ymage did enclyne Which by long processe was brought to ruyne Where is also the great extorcion Of consules and prefectes oppressyng Of Dictatours the false
my selfe dispose And my wittes specially apply Cause of my cōmyng clerely to vnclose And tell the effect of mine ambassatry And my speache so gouerne and gye After I am receyued to thy grace My selfe declaryng if I haue time and space For like thy mother if thou receiue me And me accept vnto thy presence I must therafter so gouerned be To tell my tale playnly in sentence So that thou geue me frendly audience And if I be not receiued in suche wise More strongly my tale I must deuise This noble prynce this Corolian When that he heard his mother thus cōplaine Full like a lorde and a knyghtly man Gan her embrace in his armes twayne In lowly wise there is no more to sayne Saue like a sonne of due and ryght To her he sayd full lyke a manly knyght Madame quod he be it to your pleasaunce To hear my conceyt as in this matere With faythfull hart humble attendaunce I you receyue as for my mother dere But and ye lyke benyngly to here The ingratitude done in most cruel wise To me of Romayns I purpose to chastise Ah sonne quod she touching their offence Done to thy nobles their great outrage They shal by menes their trespace recōpence And thinke thou art borne of their linage And suffer y t mercy thy rigoure may asswage And think of nature thou maist not wel w tsay Thing for the which thy mother doth pray Thou shalt not close thyne entrayles of pitie To the requestes of me and of thy wife Nor gynne a warre agayne thy countrey To stroy thy lyne by newe mortall strife Thy children and me to make vs lose our life Wey in balaunce to Romayns thy hatred Against the loue of me and of thy kynred Sende home agayn thy straunge souldiours Which ben so redy y ◠Romains bloud to shede Let stand in peace our walles our towers Suffer thy grace thy rancour to excede So that thy pity may put away all drede And condiscende to receyue for hostage Me to be pledge for their great outrage Behold the wōbe in whiche thou were borne And se also my naked sydes twayne By whiche thou were fostred here toforne If there were lack thou woldest cry plaine Remember theron and at me not disdayne But vnto mercy receyue this citee At the request here of thy wife and me Whilom my milke thy chrishing was fode To stynt thy cry whan thou diddest wepe Their sote drops full holsome were and good Thy tender youth for to preserue and kepe And like a mother to bryng the a slepe I woke full oft to the I was so kynde Wherfore dere sōne on my request haue mind If that thou lyst this city now torment Their demerites by rygour recompence Punyshe me for them and I wyll assent To beare the gylt of their great offence But dere sonne let thy magnificence Suffer of knighthode y t mercy may in dede Attemper thy rygour or thou to dome procede Suffer Romayns to liue in quiete Graunt thē peace agayne their great outrage Some drope of pity let in thyne hart flete And thinke thou art borne of their linage Loke vpon them with mercifull vysage Whiche offer them selfes as they shal fulfill Their lyfe their death all wholy at thy will Remember of nature how that the lyon Set aside his rage and his wodenes To them that mekely afore him fall doun His royall kinde will do them no duresse To exemplify to knyghtly noblesse w t rigorous swerd thou shalt no more manace Them that be lowly yelden vnto thy grace And whan this prynce this Corolian Had heard all that his mother list to sayne He goeth to her in all the haste he can Besprent w t teares y ◠on his chekes rayne And her embraced with his armes twayne And sayde mother there may be no lettyng Me hole of hart to graunt your askyng The siege he made for to auoyde away And to repayre home to their countrye And wyth his mother and wife he was y t day With great gladnes and solemnitie Anon receiued into that citye Like as fortune him neuer wold haue fayled But she fone after of newe hath him assayled The gery Romayns stormy and vnstable Whiche neuer in one styll coulde abide Against this prynce most knyghtly notable For to conspyre of new they gan prouide And banished him to Tuskan there beside Where he was slayne within a little space For he the Romayns afore toke to grace ☞ The .ix. Chapiter ¶ Howe Melciades Duke of Athens with small nombre vanquished .vi. C M. Perciēs and after by his comonte that aye of custome desyreth a chaung of princes new he was chayned in pryson and so dyed AMonge other that putte theym selfe in prees For too bewayle their greuous heauynesse Came of Athens Duke Melciades which thrugh his manhod hygh prowesse And thrugh his knightly renomed noblesse Like as auctours his triumphes lyst cōmēd Faught many a batayle his city to defend And of victories as it is compyled For comon profyt of that noble toune Faught wyth a tyraunt y t was tofore exiled Called Hippias which by false treason Had to kyng Dary made a suggestion Vpon Athens in al the hast he might To rayse al Perce agayn the town to fyght Sixe hundred M. accounted was the nōbre Of Perciens armed in plate and maile Them of Athenes by force to encombre Echone assembled them proudly to assayle But this Duke for nothyng wold fayle Melciades but knightly toke his place With ten thousande he met him in the face For both he was manly and ryght wyse And of his handes proued a ful good knight Set vpon them with so prudent auyse That they of Perce for all their great might Were four tymes put vnto the flyght By thylke Duke if I shall not fayne And by the noblesse of other knyghts twain Themystocles ycalled was the tone Which of his hand as auctours list discryue Was in a felde proued on hys fone The manlyest knight in his time alyue Whych thylke day so proudly dyd stryue Agayn thē of Perce such a slaughter make That fynally the field they haue forsake Cynegirus a knyght eke of that towne The same day through his chyualry With blody swerde as he went vp and doun without nombre in his melancoly Slough Perciens bokes specify That for the tyme they no refute can Saue to their shyppes for drede of dethe they ran And there he wrought a straunge marueyle As writeth Bochas affyrmyng it certayne The greatest shyp that bare largest sayle with his righthand he gan it so restrayne Lyke as it had be fastned wyth a chayne Maugre Perciens whiche did thē sore greue That by no craft they could it not meue But whan that they none other refute wyst Frely to escape out of his daungere Tyl they his right hand cut of by the wrist But w t his left hand he gan approche neare And helde it styll an vncouth thing to
brake The .iiii. Chapiter ⧠Howe Pausanias duke of Lacedemon was exyled by them of Athenes THys was his end after this Bochas Gan in hast hys style auaunce Of Pausanias to tel the pitous caas And all the maner of hys wofull chaunce Whiche was a duke had in gouernaunce Lacedemone there foundyng a cite Which of olde tyme was called Bysaunce They of Athenes that cite gate with might And it conquered by theyr chiualry And afterwarde were it wronge or ryght They exyled the same Pausany And thus fortune through her false enuy Caused that duke without more delayes In payne pouerte for to ende his dayes ☞ The .v. chapter ⧠How Heliarchus the tyrant for extorcion and oppression was slaine by the knyght Leonides AFter the fall sothly of these twayne Iohn Bochas was moued of courage For to rehearse with all his busy payne The great fury and the odious rage Of Helyarchus whiche by great outrage Though he ne were famous in chiualry He noyed all Perce with his tyranny Wherfore Bochas gan at him disdayne Cast he woulde onely for his sake Touche of tyrantes mo than one or twaine And by writyng agayn theÌ„ a warre make And in his hande he gan a penne take Tolde in order the perillous pestilence Whiche they wrought by mortall vyolence First he declareth how fortune of right Againe tyrantes furious and wode Hath full cause for to shew her myght To appal their dignities in which they stode Suche as reioyce for to shede blode Do nought els but labour and deuise To spoyle the temple in many sundry wyse And Helyarchus through hys cruelte And his contryued false extorcions Was mortall enemy to a fayre citee Called Heraclye and many other townes And by extort false oppressions As the dede concluded at a prefe All that countrey he brought to mischefe Turnyng his grace and fauour to hatrede Mercy and pitie vnto crueltie Franchise of people to seruitude and drede Oppressed their fredome and olde lybertie And all their statutes by which they wer fre He interrupted of force and not of right Whiche made him odious in all mennes sight But to restrayne his great extorcions Fortune this while was not retchles For his horrible abhominacions She gan to auale him this goddesse merciles By a good knyght called Leonides Whiche with a felow borne of that countrye Cast on this tyrant auenged for to be They dempt it was an almesse dede To set their lande in quiete and in ease Of a tyrant the furious bloude to shede His importable malyce for to appese Whyche to their citye did so great disease And of assent with their swerdes kene They slew the tyrant in their mortall tene Of whose death many a man was fayne And specially of Heraclie the cite Dempt it was medefull y t he was so slayne To set in quyete all a commonte Lo here men may the rightfull guerdon se Of tyrantes whiche by their vyolence To oppresse the people haue no conscience The .vi. Chapiter ☞ How the vycious Dyonis kyng of Cycyle slewe his brethren and kynrede and after exiled dyed at mischefe AFter this tyrant with a full heauy chere And countenaunce piteous lamentable Vnto Bochas Dionys dyd appere Whiche in tyranny most was importable Through his lande hatefull and reprouable But for all that he gan myne auctour pray Of his maners sumwhat to write and say Bochas lyst not rehearse his lynage Nor make no processe of his genealogy Because he was with all hys great outrage Full of all vyces pryde and lechery Of auarice ofyre and of enuy In Cicyle helde his royall see At Cyracusis a mighty stronge citee Thys Dyonis was cursed of nature Most malicious both of thought dede For as it is remembred in scripture He slewe his brethren his cosyns kynrede That he alone in peace might possede Wythout trouble or interruption Of all Cicyle the mighty region Among all vyces Bochas dothe specify He gan drawe vnto ydlenes Folowed his lustes of foule iechery And oft of custome he fell in dronkennes And thought it was most souerain blessednes Lyke as he had be master of fortune To solow his lustes and aye therin contune He waxt ryght fatte and right corcious And his eyen gan darke of his syght That vnneth this man most vycious Ne myght not well beholde the dayes light And of malyce thys tyrant agayne right With helpe of robbers of false foreyns Slough of his citte nye all the citâ—zeyns His vycious lyfe in order to rehearce Were contagious to the audience His extort pillages done in Grece Perce For to write or tell them in sentence Would infect the ayre with pestilence But I wyll briefelye remember and discriue The sacrileges whyche he dyd in hys lyue In Venus temple besyde Cytheron A great number of women he dyd call Fâ—ll well beâ—eue and by oppression He made his meyny vnwarely on theÌ„ fall Dispoyled them so that one and all By hys outrage and frowarde vyolence They naked stode echone in his presence And whan he sawe their shape and feytures He suche chose out as were to his pleasaunce Robbed the other and toke their vestures And let them go without ordinaunce And for this vncouth abhominable chaunce Their city Loâ—roys arose w t stronge hande For hys outrage banished hym their lande An other tyme also he dyd soiourne Wythin the temple lyke as it is tolde Of Jupiter sonne vnto Saturne There beholdyng his relykes manifolde Sawe among other a mantyll large of gold Wherupon whan he cast hys loke That ryche iewel vnto his vse he toke And thus he sayde him selfe to excuse It was to heauy and to comerous In somer season that mantyll for to vse Bicause it was to large and poâ—derous And ouermore he aledged for hym thus Sythe the garment forged was of golde For wynter season how it was to colde And whan he gan away thys mantel pulle Than ryght anone thys tyrant deceyuable Gaue hym another single made of wulle Affirmed sothely it was more conuenable To other season more meâ—e and agreable CoÌ„cludyng thus for somer it was â—yght And warme for wynter in the colde nyght An other tyme this tyrant eke also Whiche was of hart most auaricious Entred ones the temple of Appollo And of his sonne Esculapius And whan this tyrant fell and contrarious Beheide Appollo beardles that was olde And Esculapius with a long bearde of golde Quod Dionis than as semeth vnto me Here is a straunge froward coÌ„uenience That the father beardles should be The sonne bearded standyng in his presence Made anone by sturdy vyolence To take away the bearde which in his syght Of most fyne golde shone so clere and bright Through Grece Perce where he did gone In all the temples this was his vsaunce The stately relyques wyth many ryche stone And massy tables of full great substaunce To take them all that were to hys pleasauÌ„ce He spared none thus liuynge lyke a thefe Til he
Gentle bloude of his royall nature Is euer enclyned to mercy and pite Where of custome these vyllains do their cure By their vsurped and extort false poste To be vengeable by mortall cruelte Through hasty fumes of furious courage Folowyng the tetches of their vyle lynage O mighty prynces your nobles do assure Your passions rest with tranquilitie Se how there is no meane of measure Where a tyrant catcheth the souerayntie Let Agathocles your worldly myrrour be To eschue the traces of hys froward passage As royall bloude requyreth of your lynage The .xvi. Chapiter ☞ Howe Cassander slewe the wyfe of Alexander and Hercules her sonne and how Antipater slew his mother of other murders THE greate mischiefe of Fortunes myght The wofull falles fr◠her whele in dede Of prynces pryncesses who so loke aright Ben lamentable and doleful for to rede But for all that Bochas dothe procede In his rehearsayl remēbryng thus him selue To him appeared of men and women twelue After the death of kyng Agathocles There cāe tofore him worthy quenes twain The first of them was called Bersanes And of her mischefe gan to him complayne Wife of Alexander the story lyst not fayne The mighty kyng greatest vnder sonne Whiche by conquest all this world hath won Wife to Alexander was this Barsanes By his lyue as made is mencion Whiche with her sonne named Hercules Wereby Cassander brought to destruction And of her death thys was the occasion Cassander dradde y ◠Bersanes the quene Woulde with her sonne on him auenged bene For his treasons whiche he tofore wrought On Alexander and on hys lynage And specially if that she were brought To Macedone for her auauntage Wyth her sonne that was but yonge of age Cassander thought and drede as I haue told They wold auenge his tresōs wrought of old He cast afore of malice causeles This Cassander most falsely workyng That if this knyght this yonge Hercules Son of Alexander by recorde of wrytyng In Maredone were take and crowned kyng How that he woulde of equitie and ryght His fathers death auenge lyke a knyght Whiche thing to eschue Cassāder gan prouide And by false fraude was not retchles But on a day he list not longe abide Slew first the quene this sayd Bersanes And than her sonne ycalled Hercules Thus by Cassander of murder crop and rote They murdred wer there was nonother bete This crueltie myght not suffice Vnto Alexander by recorde of scripture But lyke a tyrant in vengeable wise He did them bury by froward auenture Where no man should know their sepulture And thus alas whiche pity is to rede He murdred foure out of one kynrede To Alexander he ministred the poyson Slewe the quene called Olympiades And of hatred by full false treason As I haue tolde he slew quene Bersanes Wife to Alexander mother to Hercules Whiche in his youthe by Bochas rehearsyng In Macedoyne was like to haue be kyng After all this he could not liue in pees But euer ready some treason for to do Slewe eke the quene called Roxanes Vpon a day and her yonge sonne to And she was wyfe to Alexander also Cassander dreadyng in his opinion Lest they would venge thē vpon his treason Thus euer he liued in murder sorow strife By way of fraude came all his encrees And as I finde how he had a wife And she was called Thessalonices And this story remembreth doubtles A sonne they had borne atwene them twayne To stea his mother which after did his paine Shortly to passe mine auctor writeth nono-ther Antipater was her sonnes name And bicause that she loued his brother Better then him he to his great defame Cōpassed her death the story sayth the same Notwithstandyng to appese his crueltee She asked mercy knelyng on her knee Her breastes open white and soft as silke All bedewed with teares her vysage Requyred mekely at reuerence of the milke With whiche he was fostred in yong age For to haue mercy and to appease his rage And to accept goodly her prayere To saue the life of his mother dere But all for nought he heard her neuer adele He was to her surmountyng all measure Like his father bengeable and cruell I trowe it was youe him of nature For by recorde of kynde and eke scripture Selde or neuer no braunche that is goode Spryngeth of custome out of cruel bloude Of her death cause there was none other That Antipater slough his mother dere But for she loued Alexander his brother Better than him the cronicle doth vs lere Whiche Alexander if ye lyst to here Had in his succour I finde by writyng Demetrius that was of Asye kyng Thessalonices was in this while dead By Antipater he most infortunate Bathed in her bloud her sides wer made red Without compassion of her hye estate And her two sonnes liuyng at debate Til Lisymachus y t prefect was of Trace Them reconsyled eche to others grace Whan Demetrius knew of their accorde God wot the sothe he nothing was fayne But by his fraude the story beareth record That Alexander maliciously was slayne This while Antipater stādyng in no certayne Tyll he by sleyght of Lisymachus Was murdred after the story telleth thus To write the proces and the maner hough That Lisymachus by fraudulent workyng His sonne in lawe Antipater thus slough False couetise was cause of all this thing And Demetrius toke on him to be kyng Of Macedone remembred tyme and date Whan both brethren were passed into fate Duryng this murder all this mortal strife In this proces like as it is founde Of Antipater Erudice the wyfe Daughter of Elenchus was in chains boūde Cast in pryson darke hydous and profound And for a whyle I leaue her there soiourne And to Demetrius I wyll agayne returne Which made him selfe to be crowned kyng Of Macedone through his great puissaunce But to destroy his purpose in workyng There were thre princes notable in substaūce Confederate and of allyaunce Echone assented for short conclusion To bryng Demetrius to destruction One the first was worthy Tholome Kyng of Egypt in armes full famous Other twayne the story ye may se Called Seleuchus and next Lisymachus And of Cypre came the kyng Pyrrhus Lorde of Prouynce as it is eke founde They made thē strong Demetrius to cōfoūd Shortly to tell with their apparayls Of Macedoue they did him fyrst depryue Game vpon hym with four strong battayles That he was neuer so ouerset in his lyue Take of Lisymachus the story doth discryue Cheyned in pryson of his life in dout For I not finde that euer he issued out ☞ The .xvii. chapter ¶ Of the two prefectes Perdicas and Amintas NExt in order Perdicas did appere Whilom prefect of great Babilon And w t him came Amintas eke yfere An other prefect as made is mencion Whiche Bactry had in his subiection A great prouince youe him by iudgement Midde of Alia towarde the occident These sayd twayne for their worthines And for
dronke myghty wynes To fyll their paūches they were so desyrous That they forgate their marciall doctrines To ascēd y ◠moūtayne feble were their chines Their heades totter their braine gan faile The temple aloft to spoyle or to assayle In their assending by wayes that they chees Vpon the roche they were beat doune Priestes of the temple put thē selues in prees One bare a standard another a penoune Clad in chesibles for hye deuocion And with their other vncouth apparayles Bothe on the roche lowe in their battayles The people of Brennus was incomperable Spred all the felde the story beareth witnes But it is sayd of olde and is no fable That no defence is in dronkennes And wisdome fayleth where is greate excesse And in a felde playnly to conclude Victory alwayes standeth not in multitude For they were set as Bochas dothe deuise Not to knighthode but to false outrage To spoyle and robbe by gredy couetise And stuffe their somters with great pillage Furious rauine hath brought thē in a rage And farewell knighthode marciall noblesse Where couetise is lady and maistresse Two mighty dukes were with Brennus Whiche that were chefe of his counsayle Euridanus that one that other Thessalonus Which as they thought to their great auaile Began a purpose and it was disauayle To robbe the people the countrey ech toun Whiche turned after to their confusion Thus auarice w t stomake vnstaūcheable Hath strāgled y ◠power of many a worthy knight And couetise her sister vntretable Hath of high nobles full oft quaint the lyght Wher Tātalus raigneth a lion hath no might This to meane honger and couetousnes Turneth all nobles into cowardnes For by the counsayle of these dukes twayne Brennus set all his opinion To spoyle and robbe dyd his busy payne To pyll the cities of all that region But in this while as made is mencion Myd their battayles Bochas dothe me lere The God Appollo and Pallas did appere Appollo first shewed his presence Freshe yonge lusty as any sunne shene Armed all with golde with great vyolence Entred the felde as it was well sene And Diana came with her arowes kene And Mynerua in a bright haberion Which in their cōminge made a terible soun The noyse was herd of their bright armure Which made their enemyes almost to raue That they might afore them not endure Fled the felde for drede them selfe to saue And there was herde an hidous erthquaue And from heauen in this mortal batayle Of colde constreyning great stones do hayle Their aduersaries beate downe grounded And afore them durst not abide And Brennus so mortally was wounded Both brest heed hurt through eyther syde Lo here the ende of couetise and pride For Brennus for constraynt of his smert Roue with a dagger him selfe to the herte This was his ende vēgeable merueylous And his dukes slayne both twayne Called Euridanus and Thessalonus The grekish goddes gan at him so disdayne Of sacrilege se here the greuous payne For to goddes who lyst do no obseruaunce Shall vnwarly be punished wyth vēgeaūce It is not holsome with goddes to play Nor their puissaunce presūptously to attame For where as they by vengeaūce lyst werray who lyst assay shall fynde it no game For his presūpcion Brennus founde the same For Appollo Diana and Mynerue For his outrage vnwarly made hym sterue ⧠Lenuoye THis tragedy declareth who lyst here Of duke Brennus many great batayle His extorte conquest and holy the maner Howe by force he rode through al Itayle After how he the Romayns dyd assaile His fall in Grece by vengeable violence For he to goddes would do no reuerence Toke al the treasours iuels most entere Out of their temples and richest apparayle Golde and perle and al that yfere To his encrease whych that myght auayle The rich he robbed oppressed the porayle Of verye pompe and frowarde insolence And lyst to goddes do no reuerence This mighty tiraūt most surquedous of chere With couetyse brent in hys entrayle Whose gredy fret ther might no mesure stere Tyll that fortune at mischefe dyd hym fayle He lacked might her variant whele to nayle Agayne whose fall there was no resistence For he to goddes lyst do no reuerence Noble prynces conceyue and do lere The fall of Brennus for misgouernayle And prudently paysyng thys matere Vertue is strōger than outher plate or maile Afore considred what Brennus doth coūsayle Chefe preseruatyfe of your magnificence Is to god to do due reuerence The .xxiiii. Chapter ⧠Howe Pyrrus kynge of Pyrothe lyst nat lyue in peace but of pryde and presumption in warre came vnto mischaunce IN Bochas boke next folowīg on y ◠rig Came yong Pirrus sonne of Earides Borne by discent to reigne be kyng And to enherite the lande of Pyrothes Yet in his youth and his tender encrees The frowarde people dwellynge in y ◠place Without his gylte gan his dethe purchace But to preserue hym as made is mencion He was committed and take in kepyng Certayne yeres for hys sauacion To one Glaucus of Illirie king Whose wife was cosyn by record of writing To the sayde famous Earides And she in story called Beronices He nye of blode to thys noble queene Bothe twayne borne of one lynage Wonder gracious to all that did him sene And well fauoured of fetures and visage And in the whyle of his tender age One Cassander of Macedone kyng Compassed his deth by subtel false workyng And his purpose for to bryng aboute He sent for hym by false collusion Puttyng Glaucus playnlye out of doute But yf he came lyke hys entencion He wolde worke to hys destruction Gather people bothe nye and farre And on Glaucus gyn a mortall warre But kyng Glaucus toke herof no hede Hauyng to Pyrrus so great affection Of him receyued verely in dede To be his sonne by adoption Purposyng of whole entencion To make Pyrrus plainly if he may To be his heyre and raigne after his day Pyrrus alway vp growyng by encrees Full amiable bothe of there and face And in this while the people of Pyrothes Knowyng that he stode in Glaucus grace Chaunged their hartes cast thē in short space For to restore all of one courage The sayd Pyrrus to his heritage Thus by assent he was crowned kyng Yonge freshe and lusty semely ther withal Wonders well thewed in his vp growyng Like his lynage of courage wext royall The whiche was cause in especiall He was beloued offrendes about And of his enemyes greatly had in doubt The name of him gan to sprede farre Through all Grece about in eche countrey The lande of Tarent gan in his tyme warre Agayne the Romaynes as ye may se Requiryng Pyrrus that he woulde be Fauourable and helpyng of entent To the party of them of Tarent To their request he can condiscende And of purpose cast him not to fayle If that fortune woulde him grace sende With myghty hande marciall apparayle For
there was founde great duplicite Followyng after who so can take hede Lyke as this story shall deuyse in dede For by the fraude falsenes most mortall Compassed beforne it is thus befall That by the sleight of this Hastruball As affricans be nye double all Vnder suger can hyde well their gall So Hastrubal by false decepcion Vnder fayre chere deceyued Scipion. He brought in Siphax by false subtilte And by his sleight painted fayre langage That he shoulde with him alied be By full assent to haue in mariage Sophonisba a maiden of Cartage Which was doughter yong fayre withal As sayeth Bochas to this Hastruball The whiche thynge by crafte was brought about And accoÌ„pished verily in dede And by thys meane plainly out of doute There first began rancour and hatrede Simulacion fayned and falshede That atwene Siphax Hastruball alas Scipion was desceiued in this caas And after that done was this mariage Siphax ful enemye to this Scipion With Hastruball rode in to Cartage And gan werray againe Rome toun And in this while as made is mencion Kynge Massmissa out of wildernes Toward Scipion in al hast gan him dresse With his people gan to make him stronge Through helpe of Scipion and of Belgius Went againe Siphax abode not longe His herte againe him was so enuious And on a day the story telleth thus Wyth Affricans and folke of Cartage Siphax the Romains met in the vysage Of Massinissa the people were so woode Vpon Siphax auenged for to be Through their battayls came to him there he stode And maugre him and his cruelte Of very manhode space was none to fle They brought him home throughe theyr hye renoune Into y â— haÌ„ds of worthy Scipion. Siphax was take thus or he was aware Vnder his baner maugre al his myght And in to Rome ledde afore the chare Of Scipion the noble worthy knight That wan the triuÌ„phe grauÌ„ted hym of right And Sophonisba afore to Syphax wyfe Wed to Massinyssa at th eÌ„de of all thys stryfe Lo howe fortune chaunge can her tydes To one this daye she can be fauourable Marke capitayns and these great gydes Which wende haue founde her whele stable But she is aye frowarde chauÌ„geable Frendly to daye to morowe at discorde If this be trewe Siphax can beare recorde This Siphax was sente out of the toune In chaynes bounde without more taryinge And at Tyburny lay fettred in prison Dyed at mischefe made there his endynge And for bycause that he was a kyng The Romayns made of marcial pyte Him to be buried within their citye ☞ The .xi. chapter ⧠Howe Nabyn hauynge no tytle but by ticannye toke on hym to be kyng of Macedoyne and was slayne NExte came Nabyn ful pytously wepynge Tofore Jhon Bochas whyche by tirannye Of Macedoyne toke on hym to be kynge Hauynge no tytle saue tytle of robbery Onely by force hym selfe to magnify Which with stronge hande toke ful possession For to be crowned in thylke region This Macedoyne as by olde writynges Whylome was had in ful great reuerence Bycause onely it floured in two thynges Both in knighthode souerayne Sapience Mars there by manhode Pallas by prudeÌ„ce And whyle these two had gouernaâ—ce Or al welfare they had suffisaunce And whyle noblesse of these thynges twayne That is to say the floure of hye clergy The hye renome mooste famous souerayne Of marciall prowesse and of chiualry Gouerned that land by new policy Than stode that kingdome auctours reherce koÌ„ne Amonge the Grekes lyke an heauenly sonne But at the last eclypsed was the lyght Bâ—th of knighthode and Philosophy Whan couetise gan enter agayne righte For to vsurpe vpon the regaly By intrusion of false tyranny And by extorte force made their entrynges Hauyng no title there to reygne as kynges This was chefe cause for short conclusion That the noblesse of Grece was brought baas And Macedoyne brought to confusion By couetyse that set them in such caas Thereby theyr knighthod translated was And their polycy in Cronicles ye may se Out of Grece into Rome the citye And among other by clere remembraunce Of suche tyrauntes by ordre rehersyng Nabyn was one that had gouernaunce In Macedoyne was there crowned kyng Without title there falsly reignynge And for his frowarde contagious cruelte He was behated of Rome the citye The Romayns sent a mighty Consulere Tytus FlaÌ„minius of their werres gyde To Macedoyne he gan to aproch nere Towarde Argos where Nabyn dyd abyde Of entent for to abate hys pryde But while Nabyn stode hiest in estate Of Grece hys lieges with him were at debate A Duke yealled Philopomenes With the people that dwelled in Grece lande To stryue w t Nabyn put hym selfe in prees Discomfyted him fightynge hande for hande â–ª And at great mischefe ye shall vnderstande Alexamenes a knyght of that countre Slewe thys Nabyn the Cronycleye may se. The .xii. Chapiter ¶ Here Bochas reherseth the mortal werres bytwene Romayns Affricans AFter this Nabyn Bochas dothe procede To tel the werres and the mortall striues Twene Romains and Affricans in dede Wherby ful many lost their liues Caused widowes maidens eke wiues To wepe waile in such disâ—oynte they stode On outher party to se the losse of bloode For the party of them of Rome towne Were made capitaines and diuers officers Which into affrike w t people were sent down And specially there were two Consulers Notable in armes famous in tho yeres Marcus MaÌ„lius borne of the Romain lie That other called Lucius Censorine With them was sent a tribune ful notable Of whom tofore I made mencion For the werres most worthy most able I meane of Rome proude Scipion Which of their cite was chefest champion Of entent the affricans tanoye And specially Cartage to distroye And nye by Cartage ther was a citie stronge Mightely builded and stode vpon the see The walles thicke rounde square longe Chefe diffence called of that countre To saue and kepe them from aduersite And forty cubytes with crestes marciall Lyke as I fynde of height was the wall And in the fronte raysed for the werre Of stones square was an hye dungeon Called Birsa fro which wounder ferre Men myght beholde the courtreis enuyron And ss I reade for their saluacion The Affricans of purpuse dyd ordayne For their captaines Hastrubalies twayne The sayd dungion mightyly battailed Againe al sautes to stand and endure But worthy Scipion for al y â— hath not fayled For to approche and do by buâ—y cure With his engyns mighty stronge sure So that by force this knight most marcial A great quantite brake downe of the wal And Lucius called Sensorine Departed is with Marcus Manlius And by the Counsayle of Scipion doctrine Both of assent in armes vertuous They toke their waye myne auctour telleth thus Wyth Hastrubal sothly and they myght Where as he lay that same day to fight These Consulers assayled the citye Called Ciâ—ie and beate downe the
But through fortunes mutabilite That blind lady so made her power stretche As he began to ende lyke as a wretche Reken the estates of worldly regaly NoÌ„bre of meyny golde treasour richesse Stately castels paleys on eche party CoÌ„quest by fortune cumbinge to hie noblesse Cruel sworde conueyed by wyifuinesse Power extort with couetyse oppressyng Causeth destruccion of many earthly kyng But in contrary who lyst hym selfe knowe And is by grace inclined to mekenesse Though he in pouerte be brought vp lowe And is by vertue enclined to worthynesse With scepter of peace sword of rightwisnes Indifferently his domes demeanyng Suche one is able to be cleped a kyng What is chefe cause grounde and occasion That princes ofte stande in ieopardy Of worldly chaunges in suche diuision Reygnyng amonge them y t serpent of enuyâ— Symulacion faynyng flatery The south out serched who so lyst to loke By many tragedy expert in thys boke The .xxxi. Chapter ¶ Howe Bitynctus kyng of Auergnoyes by the Romains was taken and died in prison BItynctus next of Auergnoyes kyng Came tofore Bochas ginnig his coÌ„plaint Of his distresse thordre rehersyng And howe that he was made feble and faint Againe the Romains mischeuously attaint Nat withstanding to maintayne his quarel He cast of pride agayne them to rebell But it is first put in remembraunce How Auergnoyes is a nacion Hanging on Gaule longeth vnto Fraunce Of which Bityncte stode in possession Hauing dispite in his opinion To the Romains in any wise to obey But proudly cast againe them to werrey His labour was to stande in franchise And be at large from their subiection Gau of pride their lordship to dispise Gadred people of presumption Whom for to mete Fabius was sent doun A mighty consul which knightly toke on haÌ„de For theyr party Bitynctus to withstande Of whose coÌ„myng Bytictus toke dysdayne By cause the folke whyche Fabius dyd lede Were but fewe and whan he hath them seyne He sayd of scoru this people who taketh hede May not suffise my houndes for to fede WhaÌ„ they be slayne to fewe they be in noÌ„bre With multitude y t I shall them encombre An hundred thousaÌ„d in hys vaoward he had That passe shoulde of Auuergne the ryuere And fowerscore thousande beside that he lad the Consul Fabius met him with good chere Whan he was passed of Rodanus y â— daâ—gere Fought al the day tyll it drewe to night The Romayns wan their fone put to flyght At the ryuere lyke as saieth the boke There were drowned brought to mischauÌ„ce Fyfty thousande as they water toke Through fortunes frowarde variaunce And by attaynt tencrease of his greuaunce Bitiâ—â—tus take was of the Romayns Dampned to prison there to dye in chayns ☞ The .xxxii. Chap. How the tyrant Euergetes wedded quene Cleopatra slewe her eldest sonne exyled hys wyfe and wedded her doughter AFter whose deth pitously to rede sene Of Epiphanes the great Tholome Came the doughter Cleopatras the quene Gan complayne her greate aduersitie Her sorowe furious diffaced her beaute Her chekes whyte of blode teares meynt Rent w t her haÌ„des were pitously bespreint To Philometor she wedded was aforne Whylom sonne to Tholome the kynge And by her lorde in true wedlocke borne Two sonnes she had as by olde wrytyng After whose deth anone vp suynge To Euergetes a prince yonge of age She was agayne ioyned in mariage By title of her in Egipt lorde and syre Kyng of that lande cruel and dyspytous Whose story sheweth no kigdom nor Empire May of them selfe make no man vertuous For lyke a tygre this tiraunt furious Her eldest sonne day of their mariage Borne to be heire he slewe of mortal rage Not longe after this extorte cruelte Albe they had children atwene theÌ„ twaine Out of Egypt he made her for to fle And of malyce he gan at her disdaine I trowe she had matter for to plaine He toke her doughter whan y t she was gon Agayne nature and wedded her anon She called was Cleopatras also But Euergetes to she we him more veÌ„geable Againe her mother that was fro Egipt go The citie which was to her fauourable The people exyled he wode vntretable In her dispyte gaue that notable toun Of hateful malyce to a straunge nacion But whan he know through his cruel dedes And gan conceyue howe he was culpable Sawe againe hym y â— many folde hatredes And conspiracion of states honorable He at large to be more vengeable Game Cleopatras to gyn an vncouth stryfe Went in to exyle wyth hys newe wyfe Gadred people his olde wyfe to assayle On her chyldren to shewe more vengeaunce A day assigned helde with her battaile But which of them was driuen to vttraunce Myne auctour plainly put not in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce But suyng after thus of him I rede Howe of malice he wrought a cruel dede Which to reherce is nouther good ne fayre But terible and abhominable He dismembred her sonne and hys hayre On peces smal this tirauÌ„t most vengeable And whan the mother sate at her royal table With body and heed at a solempnite Let her be serued of frowarde cruelte Wherof al Egipt had indignacion And for to auenge his cruel great outrage They toke his plates basnet haberion And his cote armure wrought of gret costage Fro their temples rent out his ymage In token he was a tiraunt most attaint Eche thing diffaced y t was of him depaint Whose hateful story replete of wretchednes Full of vengeaunce fro warde mischeues Therfore I deme Bochas lyst not expresse More of his life fulfylled of al repreues Of Cleopatra wrote not the fynal greues In this chaptre what fatal way she toke Lest y â— matter shoulde difface his boke ¶ The .xxxiii. Chapter ¶ Howe Jugurtha by entrusion was kynge of Numedy slew y â— rightful heires after he hym self was drowned AFter thys woful deadly auenture Of Cleopatras whose storye is full olde Came Jugurtha the manly man to lure And to Jhon Bochas hath his tale told Of his conquestes and dedes manyfolde Subtyl of wyt as myne auctour sayeth Gaue lytel force for to breake his fayth But in ordre the story to conuay Of Jugurtha and of hys kinted Massmissa kyng of Numedy soth to say His vncle was and also as I tede The sayd kyng had a sonne in dede Called Mysipsa eldest in wrytinge After his day to reigne as kynge This Massinissa ordayned afterwarde Tofore his deth of hole entencion By cause Jugurtha was borne a bastarde To depriue him of al succession In his Testament but in conclusion His sonne Mysipsa afterwarde made kynge Was to Jugurtha frendly and louynge Mysipsa had two sonnes as I fynde The tone of them called Adherbales The seconde the story maketh mencion Was that tyme named Hyempsaies Wyth whom Jugurtha put him selfe in prees For to abyde dwell in especial Lyke as their cosyn in their corte royal Cherished full wel bycause y e he was wyse And right
Delyted hym wyth a greate nauee Lyke a Pyrate to robbe on the see To his father contrary in suche caas For euery Pyrate of custome he dyd hate Vpon the sea whose vsage was Against theim proudelye to debate Pursued them early and eke late Where this Sextus to his great reprieâ—e Was on the sea a robbour and a thefe The sclaundre of him gan to sprede farre Reported was in many a farre countre With Triumuir this Sextus gan a war Which is an office and a dignite By the Romains coÌ„mytted vnto thre Notable estates those for chiualry Thempire all hole to gouerne and to gye The fyrst of them named Lepidus And the seconde called Octauian The third in nombre was Antonius Again which thre Sextus this proud man Of surquedy a newe warre began Afore by Julius for his rebellion Banished for euer out of Rome toun Triumuir of politike gouernaunce Well auised afore in their reasons Treating for peace by notable purueiaunce With proude Sextus vnder condicions Write and enacte in their conuencious But anone after list no while tary He to his promise was froward contrary For his conuycte outragious falsnesse And on the sea for his robbery Bochas of him writeth no long processe Hauing disdaine his name to magnify For he to vertue list nothing apply The different cause which is in the state Atwene knighthode and life of a pyrate With fugitiue theues and robbours And men exiled out of Rome toun Banished people false conspyratours With other conuicte of murdre and trayson He toke all such vnder protection And one Moena a churle of his certaine Of fourty shyppes he made him capitain The said churle vnwarely tho began To folow the nature of his condicion Alied him selfe with Octauian Againe his lorde of full false traison With all his nauy shyppes he came doun Spared nat to mete of very pride With Menecratus y t was on Sextus side But al so soone as the bataile began And the parties togider shoulde gone All the vesselles of Octauian With sodaine teÌ„pest were drowned echone Beside a castell buylt of lime and stone Called Nauleton where yet to gret reprefe Sextus fled was brought to mischefe Went in to Grece to make him strong agein To holde a batayle with Antonius Take in his coÌ„ming by strength of a capitcin Longing to Antonie called Phurnius Whilom nephue to Cesar Julius And or duke Sextus might farther wende He slaine was and made there his ende Of Triumuir in th empyre as I tolde There was a capitaine called Lepidus Whiche by his office like as he was holde Right busy was the boke reherseth thus To reconsile the proude Antonius To the grace of great Octauian Eche thing forgiue wherof the war began And to conclude shortly who list se Fortune a whyle was to him gracious Th empyre all whole gouerned by these three Lordshyp of Affrike had Lepidus By which he wext proude and contrarius To him assigned vnder commissions Fully the nombre of twenty legions Wherof in herthe caught such a pride Causing by processe his distruction Surquedy a while was his gide Fro his estate till he was fall doun Namely whan he of false presumpcion Toke vpon him of malice to warrey The said Octauian and gan him disobey Whan Octauian his malice dyd se That he gan waxe sodainly contrary He threw him downe from his dignite Cast him in exile list no lengar tary Lo how Fortune gan sodainly vary To make him that had gouernaunce Of all Affryke to come to mischaunce Another prince Cesar Lucius Exiled was from Rome the cite By his vncle the said Antonius Of wylfulnesse and hasty cruelte For in that time as men may rede and se Contriued causes were founde vp of malice Texile princes notable holde and wyse Some bycause they helde with Cesar Other for Pompey y â— helde on that partie Some for their good afore or they wer ware Some for suspection some for enuy Some for they coude nat flatter nor lie Some for vertues which was great routhe Bycause they were so stable in their trouthe In this trouble dredefull and odious As is rehersed in order ye may rede The noble knight Paulus Lucius Exiled was of malice and hatered Folowing vpon the great horrible dede The pitous death and the hatefull caas Of great Antonie and Cleopatras The tragedy of these ylke twaine For me as nowe shal be set asyde Cause Chaucer chefe poete of Britaine Seing their hertes coude nat deuide In his boke the legende of Cupide Remembring there as one they did endure So were they buryed in one sepulture Thing ones said by labour of Chaucer Were presumpcion me to make againe Whose making was so notable and enteer Right compendious notable in certayne Which to reherce the labour were in vayne â–ª Bochas remembring how Cleopatras Caused Antonie howe he distroied was Her Auarice was so importable He supprised with her great fayrnesse Folowing her lustes foule abhominable She desyring to haue be empresse And he alas of frowarde wylfulnesse To please her vnhappely began To warrey the great Octauian Frowarde ambicion set his hert on fyre To climbe vp to the imperiall sea To haue possession of the hole empyre Toke vpon him if it wolde haue be To reigne alone in Rome the cite Cleopatras to foster her in pride Tytell of Octauian for to set asyde With multytude of many legions As I haue tolde againe Octauian To him accroched of diuers regions Great multytude of many manly man First on the sea to warre he began Where he was maugre all his might To his confusion vnwarely put to flight Dispeyred fled home to his countre Knowing no helpe nor meane to recure But to thencreas of his aduersite Whan that he sawe his woful auenture Gaine Octauian he might nat endure With a sharpe swerde his danger to diuert Him selfe he rofe vnwarely to the hert Of whose dethe the quene Cleopatras Toke a sorow very importable Bicause there was no recure in the caas Thought of his wo she would be partable Whose fatall ende piteous and lamentable Slough eke her selfe loue so did her raue After they both were buried in one graue ⧠Thus endeth the sixt boke and here after foloweth the seuenth ¶ Of Antony son and heire to the greate Antonie and of Cesarius Julia Agrippa Cassius and Galbus ¶ The Fyrst Chapter THis storie ended last of the sixte boke Bochas wery thought for the best Of gret traueile oppressed in his loke Fil in a slombre leaniÌ„g on his chest Fully in purpose to haue take his rest But euin as he rest should haue take Came a great prees and made him tawake First of that felowship came the son heyre Of Antonie w t blode spreint all his wede Called Antonie fall in great dispeyre Cause Octauian bare to him haterede Whose swerde he fled quaking in his drede To an olde temple socour for to haue Trusting fro death the place should hâ— saue In that temple
of his chyldren beyng at nurcery As the story putteth in remembraunce Of auenture or they coude it espy His knightes slough I trowe it was vengeaūce Eche tirant gladly endeth with mischaūce And so much he that wext ayen Christ wode Which for his sake shedde innocētes blode The nōbre of childre that were slayne in dede About Bethelem and in tho parties An hundred forty and four M. as I rede Two yere of age sought out by espies Of Herodes and for the prophecies Of Christes byrth mencion did make They were echone slayne for his sake Fro that day forth as made is mencion He fyl in many vncouth malady His flesh gan tourne to corrupcion Frette wyth wormes vpon eche party Whiche him assailed by great tourmentry His legges swole corbed blacke gan shyne Where vengeaūce worketh adue al medicine Of his sickenes the stenche was so horible To awayte on him no man myght abyde Vnto him selfe his carrayne wext odible So sore he was troubled on eche syde Leches for hym did a bath prouide But al for nought in such mischefe he stode Of greuous constraynt he sodēly wext wode In token he was wery of his lyfe So importable was his mortal paine To pare an apple he asked a sharpe knyfe His malady dyd hym so constraine Fully in purpose to cut his herte in twayne The knife he raught leysar whan he founde One stode besyde bacwarde drue his hond For payne vnneth his winde he might drawe Gaue al his frendes in commaundement By a decree and a furious lawe That al the worthy of parties adiacēt Whiche y ◠were faine or glad in their entente Of his dethe he voyde of all pitee The same day they shoulde slayne be This cursed wretche this odious caytife I rede of none stode farther out of grace In sorowe mischefe ended hath his lyfe Eche man was glad whan he shoulde pace And for his storye doth this boke difface With wofull clauses of him whan I wryte Therefore I cast no more of him tendite ¶ Lenuoy OF Herodes the vnware cursed fall The lyfe vngracyous of hym and hys kinrede Euer vengeable in his estate roial Hys wyfe his childre slough of olde hatered Innocentes he made in Bethelem blede Reignyng in Juda borne of foreyne lygne The fyrst tyrant ye may the Byble rede Whych ayen Christ gan frowardly maligne Hys swerde of rigour cruel and mortal Aye redy whet to do vengeaunce in dede Hasty and fumous with furies infernall Of wylfull malice innocētes blode to shede Dyd execucion also on womanhede Slewe his alies whiche was a cursed signe For the fyrste cause he stode in drede Whiche againe Christe gan frowardly maligne He woulde that none were to hym egall That daye alyue in Israell to succede The byrthe of Christ dred in especiall Cause fro Jesse his line gan floure sede He but a forrayne came in by fraude mede Without titell to that estate vndigne The fyrst also who lyst take hede Whiche agayne Christe gan frowardely maligne Noble princes that gouerne ouer all This large world both in length and brede Whan you sitte hyest in your royall stall Do not the people oppresse nor ouerlede Vpon Herodes remembre as I rede In what mischefe that tyrant dyd fyne To shewe y ◠none shal in hys purpose spede Whyche ayen Christ doth cursedly maligne The .iii Chapiter ¶ Of Antipas exiled by Octauian and of Archelaus sonne of Herodes the seconde COmpendiouslye thus ye haue herde the fal Of Herodes remembred by Bochas Who in his testament set in especiall To succede him Herode Antipas In hast exiled of hym thys was cas By Octauian to Vien as I rede And Archelaus ordained to succede Sonne of Herodes called the seconde Which in effect toke possession In Hierusalem reigned as I rede Of whom mine aucthor for short conclusion Maketh in his boke but small mencion Hym and hys brother set sodainly asyde Of them to write no lenger lyst to abyde Saue that he writeth the forsaide Antipas At Vien a mighty great cite In his exyle soone after slayne was And Archelaus succeding in Jude With Herodias who lyst the storyse By Agrippa to Tiberye accused Of certayne crimes coude not be excused A certaine time cōmaunded to prison Of themperour coude neuer get grace Banished him fer from hys region In to Spaine for a certayne space And his worshyp breuely to deface Fortune caused to his final reprefe He died there in pouerte and mischefe The fatal ende rehersed of these twayne In what distresse that they dyd fyne Myne auctour after gan his pen ordaine To write the case by many a wofull lyne Vpon the striefe at wene Messalyne And other twayne standynge by her syde Tofore Jhon Bochas howe they dyd chyde Tofore Bochas they came all thre to playne Messalyne the wyfe vnto Claudius Againe whom there were other twayne Calligula and Tiberius In whose time was slaine Christ Jesus Touching y ◠debate that was amōg these thre Suyng the processe here folowyng ye shal se. The .iiii. chapter ¶ Of the strife bytwene Calligula Tiberius and Messalyne THys empresse named Messalyne As I haue tolde was wyfe vnto Claudius Successour as bokes determyne To Calligula called Gayus And as I fynde that Tiberius With Calligula both wode for tene Stode afore Bochas Messaline atwene Metynge al thre with furious loke chere Gayus Calligula called by his name Gan first reherce anone as ye shall here Without reuerence or any maner shame With an exordye to diffame Bochas present felly gan abrayde To Messalyne and euen thus he sayde Thou sclaundred woman noysed in lechery Thrugh the world as folke thy name atwite And reported for thine aduoutry What doest y ◠here in thy mournyng habite ▪ I trowe thou commest of purpose to visite In this place the vnhappy women fiue Touchinge disclaundre that euer were alyue The first of them called Emilia And Lepyda was named the seconde Liuia Plaucia and the fyfthe Elya Diffamed echone in dede as it was founde In token wherof the lechery to confounde Of Emilia in auoutry take Was by the lawe of her lorde forsake By the whylom was knowe that Drusus Strangled was murdred by poyson Lyke to Claudia doughter of Claudius Which by her lorde the booke maketh mēcion Was throwen out to her confusion For her defautes founde in auoutry Sclaundred for euer there was no remedy Thou coudest whylom make thy lorde slepe With certaine drinkes to cast him in a rage By which he was made his bedde to kepe To get layser in thy flouring age For to misuse of false lust thyne outrage A nightertyme toke vpon thee a wede At the bordell dyddest amysse for mede Thyne appetite was very vnstaūcheable It is a shame to write it or expresse Thyne hateful lyfe was so abhominable Tibery and I can beare hereof wytnesse And with the worde anone she gan her dresse Whan she had herde al their fel langage Gaue them this answere
wyth a sad visage Certes quod she I coude neuer kepe To saue my selfe a woful creature I haue great cause to complayne cry wepe My sclaūdrous lyfe which I may not recure But I suppose I had it of nature To be such one for by dayes olde An astronomer so my father tolde At my byrthe takyng the ascendent Tolde longe afore of my misgouernaunce The sonne the mone towarde the orient Were in the signe that beareth the balaūce And sayde also more for assuraunce The same signe had by discripcion His fote in Virgyn armes in Scorpion Amid the heuen was Venus exaltate w t Mars cōioyned the boke maketh mēcion And Jupiter was also infortunate To my sayd disposicion Within the fyshe helde tho his mancion Thus by the lordshyp plainely of Venus I was disposed for to be lecherous In her excuse the sayde Messalyne Gan alledge her constellacion But prudent clerkes plainly determine Of heuenly course the disposicion Is obeysaunt and subiecte to reason That euery man which well gouerned is Is not constrayned of force to do amys Nor byndeth no man of necessitie Vicious lustes frowardly to sue A vertuous man stante at liberte False inclinacions by prudence to remewe Euery man by grace may eschewe Al thynge to vertue that founde is contrary For there is no synne but it be voluntarye Yet for all this the sayde Messalyne In her excuse woulde not be in pees The heuyn quod she as Poetes determyne Was borne vp whylom by myghty Hercules Yet coude he neuer of nature haue relees For al his knighthod and his chiualry To ouercome the vyce of lechery But thou Calligula and thou Tiberius What euer ye say I take thereof none hede For thou Calligula called eke Gaius Thy selfe diffouled with lechery in dede To rebuke other y ◠shouldest stande in drede But thy rebukes in party for to quyte Who is defouled none other shoulde atwyte By fames trūpe thy sclaūdre is out blowe Through all the worlde reported shamefully Thy thre susters fleshely thou dydest knowe Wexe rede for shame and for thy party For the vice of hateful lecherye Durynge thy life putme no more in blame Whiche art thy selfe defouled in the same It sitteth not in no maner wyse A thefe for theft to syt in iudgement A lecherous man a lechour to chastise Nor he that hath al his lyfe spent In waste riote forfeted and miswent To be a iudge other to redresse Nor leprous leches to cure men of sickenes I woulde haue suffred take in pacience If of Affricke the chaste Scipion Had me rebuked for my great offence I would haue suffred his worde of iust reson Or if the famous prudent olde Caton Had agayne me in such case made abrayde I would haue suffred what euer h ehad saide Or if Lucrece for my correction Had layd to me by vertuous doctrine All my forfetes myd of Rome toun I would haue bowed both backe chine To haue obeyed vnto her discipline Shame for a creple to stād y ◠hath no mighte To rebuke other for they go not vpright Agaynst the also I may reply Many an other false conspiracion Touchyng maters of nygromancy And many an other contriued false poyson Foūde in two bokes Bochas maketh menciō One called Pugio most supersticious And the seconde named Gladius Able all this worlde tenuenyme encloy Againe thre states dwelling in Rome toun Their names write of them thou cast distroy Which to remembre is a great abuston A chest also fulfilled of poyson After thy dethe cast in thee see I rede By which an hundred M. fishes were deade On this mater is tedious for to abyde Namely to princes princesses borne of hie estate It sitteth not gentle bloud to chide By furious rancour to stande at debate And for these maters ben infortunate I wyl passe ouer and no more of them write Saue of their ende cōpendiously to endite To the Tiberye I haue somwhat to sayne Knowe and reported by many a creature How in Chāpaine folke had of the dysdayne For thy most hateful lecherous ordure In thilke vice whych is agayne nature Whiche taccōplish voyde of al hap and grace Thine abydyng was in a suspicious place To such false lustes duringe all thy lyfe Lyst not forbeare in thy latter age Thou vsidst many rich restoratife In such vnthrift to encreace thy corrage Of ribaudy thou fyll in suche dotage Howe mayst thou than rebuke me for shame Which in such case art blotted with diffame I dyd amysse but it was in my youth Horrible thinges which Gaius hath tolde But thine outrage the reporte is yet couthe Thou dydest them vse both yonge and olde And for tafforce your vices manifolde Thou Caligula in all such ribaudy Dyd greatest surfet in frowarde glotony Also Tiberye thou beyng Emperour Cruel causelesse and most malicious Diddest murdre in Rome the famous orator Called in his tyme prudent Asinius Which thrugh thempire Romains tolde thus Was light lanterne founde at all assayes Of rethorike called in his dayes Thou were eke cause that werthy Nonomus Kyng of Parthois through thy cruelte Exyled was thou were so couetous To haue possession of his treasour parde Died in mischefe and in pouerte Be shamefast any wyght to accuse Which in such case thy selfe can not excuse To Agripyne thou dyddest great outrage As Romayne stories well reherce can Whan she for socour to the great ymage Ran to be saued of Octauian Myd the temple a place called than Whiche halpe her not y ◠she lyst thyder wende Put out by force for hunger made an ende Thyne owne brother called Germanicus Which in his tyme was so good a knyght Thy brother also called eke Drusus Both were poysoned slayne agaynst ryght By false cōspiring of thine imperial might Texcuse the murdre thy selfe at the leest Were clad in blacke at their funerall feest I haue no connyng spech nor langage To reherce nor make mencion Specially of y e great outrage And sacrilege thou dyddest in Rome toun By violence whan thou drewe doun The ymage of Janus after in all hast In to Tibre thou madest him to be cast And thou Caligula among thy vices all Of surquedye and false presumpcion Wouldest that men a god the shoulde call Twen Pollux Castor to haue thy manciō Fro which place thou art nowe throwe doun Whych helde thy selfe amōg the goddes seuen Egall to Jupiter for to syt in heauen Answere to me here beyng in presence Which of these four Mars Janus Minerue Or Mercurie god of eloquence Hath rent the downe as thou dydest deserue Fro Jupiter in mischefe for to sterue That thou herafter wher so y ◠laugh or froune Shalt haue no fauour more w t him to rown With these defautes and many other Afore reherced in hindring of thy name Howe thou ordaynest fyrst to sle thy brother w t mē of armes which was to thi gret shame To Tholome thou didest also the same Sonne and heire
maketh mynde How of their cite there sholud nat lye a stone Vpon another for their mortal fone Should theÌ„ besiege he told them so certaine And make Ierusalem with y e soile al plaine With weping eyen Christ told theÌ„ so beforne Of their ruine and their distruction Synne was cause that they were lorue For they nat knewe to their confusion Time of their notable vysitacion Whan Christ came down borne here in erthelowe For their saluacioÌ„ they lyst him nat to know Thyrty yeres fully cronyculers write And somwhat more after his passion Amonge the Iewes playnly to endyte Within them selfe fyll a diuision Murdrers to se vp within their own toun So great a nombre with many an homicide That in the cite no man durst well abyde Their presidentes reigning in Iude Seing this horrible foule rebellion And of murderers the mortall cruelte That longe endured in that region Which for to appese romains sent doun Vaspacian with many a manly knight Whiche in to Galylee toke his way right And to chastyse tho murderers robbours Brent their couÌ„trey as he rode vp and doun So continued with his soudyours Tyll vnto time the countreys enuyron Of Ierusalem entred be the toun With their oblacions in many sondry wyse As Paskâ— required to do their sacrifyse Tofore tho dayes was Ierusalem Had in great worshyp of all nacions Called princesse of euery other reem Whose fame stretchyd through al regyons Their treasour great and their possessions Double walled of buylding most notable Dreding no enemy for it was impregnable Among romayns was many a manly man Willing echone of one affection Through the knighthode of Vaspasian Echone to labour to the distruction Of Ierusalem for great diuision Amonge them selfe was gon in the cite By certaine captains y t were in nombre thre Simon Iohn and Eleazarus Horrible tyrauntes oppressing the porayle Of gouernaunce frowarde and outragious Falsly deuided eche other dyd assayle Amonge them selfe had many gret batayle Werre without and werre was within Thus of vengeaunce mischefe dyd begyn Vaspasian nat beyng rechelees For his party lyke a prudent knight By notable meanes exited them to pees But all for nought blent their owne sight To chese the best they coude nat se a right And in this while this noble werryour Vaspasian was chosen emperour By Alexsaundrie to Rome he went againe Receiued there themperiall dignite His son Titus he made his chefe capitaine His procuratour to gouerne in Iude Beset enuyron Ierusalem the cyte With men of armes sieged it so about That none might entre nor none issue out Stopped their coÌ„dutes their waters clere Enfamined them for lacking of vitayle A certain woman thus saith the croniculere Rosted her childe whan vitaile did fayle She had of store none other apparayle Theron by layser her selfe she dyd fede Which in a woman was to horryble a dede Their mighty walles with gons cast downe Two stronge towres take of their cite Resistence gan fayle in the towne They stode of hungre in such perplexyte Tytus of knighthode and magnanimite Throughout the toure called Antonian Is entred in like a knightly man The people in streates lay for hunger dead To bye nor sel no lyfelode in the town There was no succour of drinke nor breed In paine of death borne nouther vp ne doun Vomyte of one was the refection Vnto another there was such scarcite Who redeth Iosephus the trouth he may se. Brent was the temple made by Salomon Which had endured thus writ y e croÌ„yculere That was so royal buylt of ryche stone Fully a thousande two hundred yere Romains entred maugre their portere With speare pollax sworde sharpe whet Lyke wode lions slewe whom they met Their riche gates couered with plate of gold Were brent and molten without excepciou The siluet ymages y â— forged were oâ— gold The vyolent fyre made them renne â—oun Noble Tytus had compassiou His marciall dukes spated nothing certain Lest of presumpcion they wolde rebel again A leuen huÌ„dred thousande were there staine By sworde by hungre by fyre pestilence Stynke of carayns y â— in the strâ—â—â—s layne Caused of deathe most sodayne vyolence And Titus gaue among them this sentence I meane of them that dyd aliue dwell For a penny men shoulde thurty sell. So as Iudas solde Christ for thurty pence Titus againe thought of equyce Of marchaundyse to make recompence Thurty Iewes founde in the cyte For a penny and for nomore parde They to be solde for theyr great outrage Euer amonge Sarazyns to liue in seruage Of the temple a priest that was full olde Two stately lantarnes y â— were bright shene Tables basyns violes of bright golde He presented and thus he dyd mene That their treasure should wele be sene Of the temple and shewed to Titus In token it was whilom so glorious To shewe eke there he did his busy cure Silke sinamone frankencens withall For sacrifise the purpurate vesture With Vrimthumun the ryche pectorall Whiche ordained were in especiall For the solempne place of places all Sancta sanctorum and so men dyd it call Of the cite a prince called Ihon To Titus came and shewed his presence Pale for hunger there came also Symon Brought by a duke y t named was Terence Clad in purple brought by violence Receiued of Titus whan this noble town Castels towres walles were smyt downe In to a castell called Mazadan Eleazarus had take his flight Belieged of Scilla or he the castell wan This Eleazar like a furious knight Within the castel the selfe same nyght Styred euery man father childe brother With sharpe swordes erche man to sle other Thus was this cite most stately of bilding That whilom was of this worlde chefe toun Where Melch yâ—â—der reigned preest kyng By dayes olde as made is mencion Restored by Dauid builded newe of Salomon Princesse of proninces was no wher such another Now is it ahiect refuse of al other Vnto the Iewes Christ Iesu gaâ—e respite Full thurty yere or he toke veingeaunce In token the lord hath ioye great delite Whan that sinners dispose them to penauÌ„ce By contricion and vertely repentaunce This blessed lorde this king most merciable Lengest abideth or he lyst be vengeable He was to them so gracious and benygne Bade that they shoulde to him conuert sone Shewed vnto them many an vncouth signe During twelue daies eclipsed was y â— mosis The people atones knew nat what to done But indurate in their froward entent Like folke abashed wyst nat what it ment Afore the siege or Titus gan the werre Ouer the cite wherof they wext aferde There appered a comete and a sterre The sterre was shape like a sharpe swerde Touching the comet there was neuer herde Of such another so firy bright and clere Which endured the space of al thâ— yere Their festiual day halowed in Apryl Their priestes busy to make oblacion So great a light in the temple fyll That
Take at mischefe and maugre his might In chaynes bound dampned anone ryght For to be deed his people as it is tolde Many one slayne some take and some sold. There was none prouder nor more suâ—qÌ„dus In thylke dayes plainly to discryue Then was this said king Radagasus Which toke on him with romains to stryue His â—ower short was ouerturned bliue For fortune of malice had a lust To â—â—e this tirant with hunger with thrust Among other proud princes all Reioised him selfe by a maner vainglory Because that men in countres did him cal King of Gothes short is the memorye Of him rehersed or written in history To gyue ensample in dede men maye finde The name of tyrantes is sone out of minde The .xix. Chapter ¶ Howe Ruffyn chamberlayne with Theodosy vsurped to be Emperour and therfore by Honorious dampned and his heade smyt of HIe climing vp hath oft an vnware fal And specially whan it is sodaine Fro low degre to estate imperyall Whan false ambicion the ladder doth ordain By vsurpacion presumptuously to attayne Abouâ— the skyes with his heade to perce Fro whens he come were shame to reherce I meane as thus al such hasty climbing Of them that list not them self to know And haue forget the grouÌ„d of their ginning By froward fame with worldly winds blow â–ª To reise their name aboue sagitaris bowe Recorde of Ruffin which proudly gan desire By false intrusion to occupi the â—pite Which Rufin was whilom chamberlayn With Theodosy and holde a manly knight Yet in one thing he was â—oule ouersaine By couetise blynded in his syght To speÌ„d his labour that had no title of right By the emperour Honorius he was sent For to gouerne all the Orieate By processe Ruffin was made vikeâ—e Called after the vikarimperial Toke vpon him holye and entere By authorite chefe and principall Him selfe alone for to gouerne all And most able thus he did deme Before all other to weare a diedeme Of him selfe so much he did make In porte and therto most ambicious At Constantinople he was vnwarely take First bound in chaynes after serued thus By true iudgment of Honorius His hed smot of and his righthand in dede This was his ende no more of him Irede The .xx Chapter ¶ Howe Stillyon and other of like condicon ended in mischefe AFter whose dethe to Bochas came one Such other like of condicion Afore remembred called Stillion Purposed him to haue possession Of the Empyre hole thus he thought And by what mene y â— way his fader sought Compendiously to tell of these twayne Fro diuers countrees towarde SepteÌ„trion To gather people did theyr busy payne Of many dyuers straunge nacion Againe Honorius they came togyder doun And as they met fortune made them fayle Bothe atones slaine were in batayle Their ginning cursed had a cursed fyne After whose death I rede of other twayne Of one Constance his father Constantyne Which Constantine toke on him certayne To reigne in Gaule and after dyd ordayne In that countre to be gouernour There to continue as lorde and Emperoure His sonne Constaunce caught a deuocion Of conscience and forthwith anonright Was shaue a monke made his profession His father after of very force and might Let take hiÌ„ out gaue hiÌ„ thorder of a knight Bothe of assent gan make them selfe strong Toppres the countre do the people wrong This said Constaunce as mine auctor saith Was confederate of hatefull cruelte With one HeÌ„ricius assurauÌ„ce made of faith As brethern sworne for more authorite And for to make the nombre vp of thre Constantyne was sworne with them also To be al one in what they had to do These saide thre sworne and ioyned thus Conquered in Spayne many a great cyte But in this whyle this said Henricius Traytour false and full of duplicite His felowe slought againe his othe pardye Thus was ConstauÌ„ce through false collusioÌ„ Of Henricius murdred by trayson Henricius lyued nat but a whyle By his owne knightes he slaine was also Fraude for fraude disceit is quyt with gyle It foloweth euer and gladly cometh therto Men receiue their guerdon as they do Let men alway haue this in remembraunce Murdre of custome wyll ende w t mischauÌ„ce Among suche other thus endinge in mischefe Came Attalus and one Eraclyan For no prowes but to their great reprefe Remembred here their storie tell can Agayne Romanes whan they rebell gan By Honorius afore made officers And of the Empyre called chefe vykars First Attalus for his tyranny Whan he in Gaule was made gouernour Went in to Spaine with a great company Dyd his payne and fraudulent labour By false sleight to be made Emperour Take and bounde exiled for falsnesse His hande smyt of ended in wretchednesse Of Eraclian the ende was almost lyke Yet was he promoted to great prosperite Made gouernour and lorde of Affrike Of Consulere rose to the dignite Rode through Libi and many a gret couÌ„tre With thre thousande shippes gan to sayle And with seuin hundred to ariue in Itayle So many shyppes neuer afore were seine Like as it is accompted by wryting His nauy passed the nauy in certayne Of mighty zerxses that was of Perce king Or Alisandre but yet in his coÌ„ming Toward Itaile whan he should aryue The sea fortune gan againe him stryue At his arriuaile he had a sodaine drede Cause Honorius had sent downe a capitain Constancius called gouernoure and bede Of all the Romains to mete him on y e plain For whiche Eraclian tourned is again As I fynde gan take his passage Towarde the cite that called is Cartage Thus fortune lyst her power shewe Or he came fully to that noble towne With sharpe swerdes he was all to hewe Among his knights through false collusion As they fil at a discencion Of intrucion fyrst gan the quarell Again Romains whan he gan rebell ⧠The .xxi. Chapter ¶ A goodly processe why Rome was distroied and for the same or lyke cause many other realmes OF many mischeues before rehersed Some drawe a longe and some shortly tolde And howe fortune hath her whele reuersed By tragedies remembred manyfolde Tofore by Bochas of princes yonge olde In the eight boke rehersed the processe Echone almost ended in wretchednesse Namely of them that dyd moste desyre By wrong titel them selfe to magnify To haue lordshyp and gouerne th empyre The state imperial proudly to occupy Whiche estate plainly to specifye As farre as Phebus doth in his spere shyne Among all lordships is brought to ruyne Fro mine authour I lyst nat discorde To tel y â— ground why Rome came to nought By an example I cast me to recorde What was chefe cause if it be wel out soght By a storie that came vnto my thought Of John Bochas whiche ye shal here That full notably is rehersed here Which ensample and storie rehersing Ceriously folowing myne authour Odoacer whylom a famous king A kyng by name and a great gouernour But of
vpon him of surquedous outrage Without title byrthe or lynage To succede by fraude and false labour Among Romains to reigne as emperour He was vngracious sitting in that estate In mischefe spent his dayes euerychoue With lyce and wormes made infortunate Through skyn and fleshe fret vnto the bone Craft of medicine nor socour was ther none So depe he was fret in his entrayle Died ▪ in distresse no leche might auayle ¶ Here Bochas counsayleth princes to remembre on Arnolde MYne auctour Bochas stynte here a while Sharped his penne of entenciō Gan for anger to transporte his style To write of tyrauntes the transgression More wode and fell than any Scorpion Them counsailing whan they be most bolde For to remembre of this proude Arnolde He ne was nat in his pride assayled With wolues Tigres nor Lions With rauynous Beares nor wilde bores trauayled Nouther with other mighty champions Which haue conquered many regions But with wormes engendred of his kynde The said Arnolde was murdred as I fynde In suche disioynt the said Arnolde stode With lice and wormes fret againe nature That was so nie borne of Charles blode Impotent the paine to endure Whiche was in sothe an vncouth auenture That a prince might nat be socoured Of smale wormes for to be deuoured A greate ensample who lyst considre and see To princes all for to abate their pride Let them consydre theyr fragylite To se an emperour to abide Thassaute of wormes and ley ▪ their boste asyde In this Arnolde wysely aduertyse How god hath power their pompe to chastise ▪ Death of Arnolde did my pen encombre For the great abhomynacion Than to Bochas came the twelft in nombre Called Pope Jhon as made is mencion Entring by fraude and false election To goddes lawe frowarde and contrary Nar like a pastour but lyke a marcenarye Called aforne he was Octauian Nothing resembling Peters gouernaunce Fro the time in Rome that he began To sit as Pope he gaue his attendaunce To folow his lust and his fleshly plesaunce In hauking and hunting stode his felicite And amonge women conuersaunt to be Vnto surfete ryot and glotony He gaue him wholy and toke of it no kepe Greatly disclaundred he was of lechery Kept in his court without shame or drede A nombre of women in cronicle as I rede Two cardinals of purpose did entende His vicious life to correckre and amend And of entent these Cardinals two The churche esclan̄dred cast them to redresse Made letters sent them to Orcho Duke of Saxon that he should him dresse Toward Rome and of hie noblesse On holy churche to haue compassion Make of this mischefe iust reformacion This Pope Jhon whan he hath perceiued Of these Cardinals the maner of writing And howe the duke y ◠letters hath receiued He to do vengeaunce made not taryeng Bode no lenger this iudgement yeuing Cut of the nose felly of that one Hand of y ◠other and both were called John The emperour did his letters sende To this Pope of hole affection Of his defautes he should him amende But there was found no correction For which he was deposed and put doun By Cardynals for his cursidnesse Me list nomore to write of his wretchidnes For his defautes his gret ontrage This John put downe as ye haue herde deuise Mine auctour after caught a great corage Seing this mischefe in many londry wyse In holy churche which that dyd aryse Among prelates cast him selfe blyue Their defautes openly to discryne Of their pride and presumpcion And while he gan studie in this matter He gan rembre anone in his reason Vpon a verse written in y t Sautere Touche nat my prophetes ne nigh thē nat to nere Nor againe thē beware in dede and thought In no wyse that ye maligne nought For this cause as ye shall vnderstande Touching this matter plainly as I rede Mine auctour gan withdraw his hande Left his purpose and forth gan procede To whose presence or that he toke hede Came a prince duke Charles of Lorayne Him besought to write his greuous payne ⧠The .xv. Chapter ☞ Of Charles of Lorayne confounded with hunger THis Duke of Lorayne as ye shall conceiue Had werre with y ◠king of Fraūce Called Hugh Capet and as I apperceyue An archebyshop to do the king plesaunce Of hatred made his ordinaunce Agayne this duke a wayte vpon him set That he him toke a bedde whan he slept The said byshop gan falsly vndermyne This worthy duke by full false treason Which as I fynde was called Anceline And he was bishop that time of Leon Which by fraude and false collusion Toke this prince y t was duke of Loraine And to the king he brought him by a traine By whome he was deliuered to prison To Orliaunce and with chaynes bounde What was his ende was made no mencion But in a pyt horryble and profounde Mischefe with hunger did him so confounde That I suppose this duke of Loraine Consumed was for constraint of his paine The xvi Chapiter ¶ Howe king Salamon whylom king of Hungery was put to flight AFter to Bochas there came doun Princes four and eche for his party Their grefes tolde and fyrst Salamon That whylom reigned in Hungry Bothe fole and cowarde bokes specify Voyde of reason noysed of ygnoraunce And at a point coude no purueiaunce Fortune also did at him disdayne For he was nouther manly nor coragious Again whom were worthy knightes twain Herta was one with Laodislaus Famous in armes notable and vertuous Bothe at ones on Salomon came doun And made him flye out of his region Through his vnhappy frowarde cowardise There was in him founde no defence Flight was his shelde list in no wyse Gaine his enemies make no resistence Fayled herte to come to presence To saue his lande he drede him selfe so sore Of whom Bochas writ in his boke no more The .xvii. Chapter ¶ Howe Petro kyng of Hungery was slayne AN other kynge put here in remembraūce Called Petro reygning in hungry For his defautes agayne the kynge of Fraunce Y called Charles of malice and foly By indignacion this was his turmentry His eyen put out ther was no better socour And after slaine by dome of the emperour The .xviii. Chapter ⧠Howe Diogenes the Emperour was taken and his eyen put out AFter to Bochas there came twain on the ryng Duke of Sweue formest as I rede Againe themperour fyrst malicyously working Henry the emperour reigning tho in dede But for his malice this was his fatal mede Banyshed to dwel amonge beastes sauage Slaine in a forest for his great outrage Whan Constantine departed from thys lyfe Whiche of all Grece was lorde gouernour By mariage of her that was his wife A knight Diogenes was made emperour Fortune to him did so great fauour Constantinople holding in his hande As souerayne prince of al grekes lande Yet ther were some that grutched theragain And had of him great indignacion The king of Perce
Henry hys father gan counsayle Agayne the churche to do no violence But him submit wyth humble obedience The strife enduringe atwene these estates Frederik made his sonne to be accused To hym of crymelese magestatis Woulde not suffer he should be excused But lyke a man maliciously refused By his fathers cursed false treason He was coÌ„maunded to dye in prison Some bokes say he was taken brought To his father of dome to haue sentence But lyke a man passed sorow thought Whych to hys lyfe had none aduertence Furiously and wyth great vyolence As he was lad alas on horsbake Hys horse fyl downe so hys necke he brake Some bokes reherse of hym and sayne Hys father toke agayne hym occasion And whan he had longe in cheynes layne At great mischefe he dyed in prison And some saye that he fyl doun Of a bridge as Bochas reherseth herâ— And drowned was in a depe ryuere ☞ A commendacion of Bochas of suche as be kynde to their kynred NExte in ordre myne auctour dyd hys cure To make a speciall commendacion Of such as be disposed by nature And by their kyndly inclinacion As blode requireth and generacion To acquite theÌ„ selfe in thought wyll dede Without fayning vnto theyr kinred Specially that none vnkindnesse Be founde in them for none aduersite To consider of naturall gentylnes To them appropred is mercy and pyte And to auoyde the false duplicite That was in Frederik whyche so vnkyndly Let slee hys sonne that called was Henry Pyte is appropred to kynrede Father and mother by disposicion To cherysh theyr chyldren and eke fede Tyl seuen yere passe lawe maketh mencion And as they be bounde of naturall reason That tyme passed their tendernes tenâ—lyne Vnto fortune by vertuous dyscipline Than afterwarde in theyr adolescence Vertuously to tech them and chastise Norish them in doctrine and Science Fostre in vertue vices to dyspyse To be curteyse prudent sad and eke wyse For whan they gyn wyth vertue in that age Gladly after they do no great outrage As it longeth to euery gentle lygne And blode royall by kyndly influence To father mother shewe them selfe benigne Of humble hertes to do them reuerence Aye to remembre in their aduertence On syxe princes that wrought the contrarye For whyche fortune was their aduersarye Eueriche to other founde was vnkinde In cursed blode may be no kindnesse Of one tarage sauoureth tree and rynde The frute also beareth of the tre wytnes And semblably the fathers cursednes Wyth mortall sworde in nature reprouable Againe the childe is ofte sene vengeable Among whych Brutus is rekened one Next in order folowed Manlius Slewe their chyldren by recorde euerychone Philip Manlius and also Cassius And cruell Herode fel and malicious Frederik also most vengeably Slewe his sonne that called was Henry This Frederik aye frowarde and contrary Towarde his son not gracious nor benygne From holy churche vngoodly he gan vary And theragayne frowardly maligne And lyke a man obstinate and vndigne Dyed accursed thrugh misgouernaunce Wythout confession or repentaunce The .xxiiii. chapter ☞ Howe Manfroye kyng of Poyle was slayne NExte too Bochas of Poyle came the kynge Began hys fall and complaynte to specify Called Manfroy and for hys false workyng Put downe and slayne cause of his tiranuy Lo what auayleth septr or regaly To a tyraunt which of violence List to god warde haue none aduertence The .xxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe Ences kyng of Sardiny dyed in prison WYth loke downe cast deadly pale of chere Of Sardinya Ences nexte came doun Kyng of that lande to tell the manere Howe he werrayed agayne the myghty toun Called Bononâ—a to his confusion By them veÌ„quished wyth chaynes rouÌ„de Dyed in prison so long he lay there bounde FolowiÌ„g myne auctour called Bocas Jhon In Sardinia as he maketh mynde Serpent nor wolfe in that lande was none Hauyng a well whych of very kynde Theues eyen the water maketh blynd To true folke as he doth deuine Water thereof was helth and Medicine There groweth also an herbe as bokes sey Which that is so diuers of nature Who tasteth therof laughyng he shal dey No medicine may helpe them nor succour The touche therof stante eke in auenture If it enter his mouth on any syde He shal alyue for laughter not abyde The .xxvi. chapter ⧠Howe an other Frederyke was slayne by iudgemente of hys brother THere was another frowarde Frederike Sonne of Alphonce that was king of Castyle Of corage wode and eke franâ—yke His owne brother falsly to begyle Began a werre lastynge but a whyle Whose purpose was his brother to dysceiue And the crowne of Castile to receyue This Frederike came with a greate battaile Agayne his brother for the same entent Of his purpose yet he dyd fayle God nor fortune were not of assent Take in the felde and by iudgement Of his brother for his great trespace Slayne openly he had no better grace The .xxvii. Chapter ☞ Howe Manimettus and Argones dyed at mischefe MAnymettus of Perce lorde and kyng Came next in preace distressed in gret payne Vpon fortune pitiously playnyng His aduersite dyd him so constrayne For there was one whych at him did disdaine Called Argones voide of title or ligne Gayne Manimettus proudlye gan malinge Whych Argones for his presumpcion Take at mischete by sodayne violence His dome was giuen to dye in prison Of no power to make resistence But fortune that can no difference Of her chaunges atwene frende and fo Caused them dye at mischefe both two ⧠The .xxviii. Chapter ☞ Howe Charles Kynge of Jerusalem and of Cecile for auarice and auoutry died at mischefe AFter these forsayde rehersed in sentence As Bochas remembreth in hys style Came Noble Charles vnto presence Kyng of Jerusalem and also of Cecile Of whose coÌ„ming myn auctour a great while Astoyned was to se his knyghtly face With such chere come in to the place For by hys porte who behelde hym wele Considred fyrst his loke and hys vysage It sempt he trad vpon fortunes whele And of his noble marciall corage Had of her power gotten auauntage Shewyng him selfe on eche partye Her and her might dyd vtterly defye First to commende his royall hye lynage And of his vertuous famous alyaunce And by writing and praysing of langage The name of him specially to auaunce Sayth he was borne of the blode of FrauÌ„ce And to encreace most soueraynlye his prise Writeth he was brother vnto saynt Le wyse Gaue to Fraunce this commendacion So as Phebus passeth eche other sterre Right so that kingdom in comparison Passeth euery lande both nie and ferre In policy be it peace or werre For it transcendeth in peace by prouydence And in werre by knightly excellence These wordes be nat take of myne auctour Entytled here for a remembraunce By one Laurence whiche was translatour Of this processe to commende Fraunce To prayse that lande was all his plesaunce Sayth influence of that royall lande Made Charles so worthy of
the name of king Siculus Trinacry a countre merueylous Toke first his name of famous hylles thre The chefe of them is called Peâ—orus The next Pathmus the third Lyllybe Not ferre from Ethua the sayd hilles be Beside a sea full perilous and ylle With two dangers Caribdis and Scille The sayd Lewes kyng of Jerusalem And of Cecile the boke maketh mencion Which was chased and put out of his realme By another Lewes and put down Ended in pouerte for short conclusion This last Lewes of pite dyd hym grace Tyl he died to haue a dwellyng place The .xxxviii. Chapter How king John of Fraunce at Poyters was taken prisoner by prince Edwarde and brought into Englande NExt of all and last of euerychone Cursyng Fortune with all her variaunce Makyng hys complaynt to Bochas came king John Tolde his tale how he was take in Fraunce By priÌ„ce Edward for all his great puissauÌ„ce And after with strong and mighty hand He was fro Poyters brought into England Afore distroyed his castels and his townes And ouerthrowen manly in battayle His princes slayne theyr baners penouns Nor brode standers might them not auayle The trace out sought spoiled of plate maile Maugre his might kiÌ„g John was prisoner In England after abode full many a yere Set afterwarde to full great raunson The worthy slayne on the Frenche party The same time in Brutes Albyon There floured in suche noblesse chyualry With high prudence and prudent policy Mars and Mercury aboue eche nacion Gouerned that tyme Brutus Albion Mars for knighthode theyr patron i batraile And Mynerua gaue them influence Meynt with brightnesse of plate mayle To stour in clergye and in hie prudence That prince Edward by marciall violence That day on liue one the best knight Brought home kinge John maugre all hys might Though Bochas gaue him fauour by laÌ„gage His heart enclined to that partye Which vnto him was but small auauntage Worde is but winde brought in by enuye For to hinder the famous chiualrye Of English meÌ„ ful narow he gan him thinke Left speare shelde fought with pen ynke Though the sayd Bochas floured in Poetry His parcial writyng gaue no mortal wouÌ„de Caught a quarell in his melancoly Which to his shame afterward did rebounde In conclusion lyke as it was founde Agayne king John a quarel gan to take Cause that he would of English men be take Helde them but small of reputacion In his report men may hys writyng see His fantasy nor hys opinon Stode in that case of none authorite Their kiÌ„g was take their knightes did flee Wher was Bochas to helpe theÌ„ at such nede Saue with his pen he made no man to blede Of right wisnesse euery croniculer Should in his writyng make no exception Indifferently conuey his matter Not be perciall of none affection But gyf the thanke of mortal guerdon Hys style in order so egally obserued To euery party as they haue deserued Laude of king John was that he abode In that he quit hym like a manly knight His lordes slayne some away they rode Most of his meyny toke them to the flight This iourney take for king Edwardes right The feelde y wonne haue this in memory Trouthes hold hath gladly the victory Of king John what should I write more Brought to this land with other prisoners Vpon which the realme complayned sore By rehearsayle of olde Croniclers Died in England within a fewe yeres Led home agayne after theyr writynges Lieth at S. Denys with other kinges ⧠Lenuoye OF Bochas boke the last tragedye Compendiouslye put in remembraunce How prince Edwarde w t his chiualrye Fought at Poiters w t king John of FrauÌ„ce And through his mighty Marciall puysauÌ„ce GrouÌ„ded his quarell vpon his fathers right Toke him prisoner ful like a manly knight By collusion kyng John dyd occupye Set out of order the royall aliaunce Scepter and crowne with all the regalye Was down desceÌ„ded to Edward iÌ„ substauÌ„ce CoÌ„ueyed y e brauÌ„ches by lineall concordaunce For which title grounded vpon right Prince Edward fought like a manly knight His clayme and quarel more to fortify In token y â— god his quarel would auaunce Discomfiture was made on that party Vpon kyng John by violent vtraunce An heauenly signe by influent purueyaunce Sent from aboue to shew Edwardes right For which y e priÌ„ce fought like a maÌ„ly knight Noble princes your heartes do applye Justly to way this matter in balaunce All thing paysed ye mâ— it not denye If ye consider euery circumstaunce In right Judges may be no variaunce The fielde dâ—rreyued deme who hath right For whiche y e priÌ„ce fought like a maÌ„ly knight Thing of assent put in ieopardy And committed to Gods ordinaunce There may be after no contrauersy Atwene party quarel nor distaunce Who shal reioyse in this case stode Fraunce Sith at Poyters declaring who hath right PriÌ„ce Edward fought like a manly knight ¶ Here Bochas maketh a rehearsayl how Fortune hath made highe estates vnwarely to discende LEt folke of wisdom coÌ„sider in their wit Gather vp a sum count in theyr reason To all estates how Fortune hath her quit To popes prelates gyn first in Rome town To cardinals most souerayne of renown When they sat hiest coude them not defende Agayn Fortune by no proivsion But with a turne she made them to diseend After in order call to remembraunce The state imperial of famous emperours Which as Appollo through theyr puyssaunce Theyr fame vp blow to Jupiters tours And forget not these olde conquerours Aboue Mercury cast them to ascende Tyl that fortune with her frowarde shours Most sodaynly made them to discende Kinges and princes of diuers regions In Asye Europe Affrike and Cartage Of Ethiope the marciall champions Monsters of Inde hydous of visage Athlas Hercules iÌ„ their most furious rage Against whose might no man coude hiÌ„defeÌ„de What folowed from their hyest stage Fortune vnwarely made them to discende Priestes prelates well fed fat persons And patriarkes that had great soueraynte Reken vp religioÌ„s w t al their brode crownes Byshops abbottes confyrmed in their see Beholde of fortune the mutabylite Seculere chanons w t many great prebende whan they sate hyghest in their felycite Howe sodaynly she made them to discende All y t is written is written to our doctryne One courbeth lowe another gothe vpright Some be vicious some in vertue shyne Phebus now clipsed soÌ„tyme shyneth bright Somtyme cloudy somtyme sterlight Some folke appayre some dothe amende Shew of Fortune the power the might One goth vpward another doth discende Some man holy encreaseth in vertue Another rechelesse of frowarde wilfulnesse One is perfit and stable in Christ Jesu Another braydeth vpon frowardnesse One encreaseth with treasour richesse Who list thriue to labour must attende Maugre the world Fortunes doublenesse Doth one arise another doth discende One is busy and setteth ail his labour Early to aryse his good to multiply Another spendeth and is a great wastouâ— Some tre is barayn some tre doth fructifye One can say sothe another can well lye One can gather another can dispende Vnto fortune this matter dothe applye She maketh one to arise another to disceÌ„de All these matters combined into one Of which this boke maketh mencion Voyde the wede of vertue take the corne As reason teacheth in your discrecion And for to make a short conclusion In a brefe summe this b 〈…〉 o comprehende Fortunes whele by reuolâ—â—ion Doth one clymbe vp another to discend ☞ The wordes of the translatour W 〈…〉 letters leues this lytell boke treÌ„bling Pray to the prince to haue on the pyte Vâ—â—â—e of all picture and enlumynyng Wâ—â—â—h hast of Cicero no curious dyte 〈◊〉 of his gardayne no floures of beaute 〈…〉 graunt grace thy rudenesse nat offende 〈…〉 hygh noblesse and magnanymyte 〈…〉 s presence whan thou shalt ascende And for my parte of one hert abyding 〈…〉 de of chaunge and mutabylite 〈◊〉 present this boke with hand shakyng Of hole affection knelyng on my kne Praying the lord one two and thre Whose magnificence no clerke may coÌ„preheÌ„de Sende you might grace and prosperite Euer in vertue to encreace and ascende To kisse y â— steppes of theÌ„ that were furtheriÌ„g Laureat poetes whiche had soueraynte Of eloquence to supporte thy makyng And pray all tho that shall this processe se In thyne excuse that they lyst to be And where it is amysse for to amende Set thy grounde vpon humylite Vnto their grace that thou mayst ascende In a shorte clause thy content rehersyng As one vp clymbeth to great prosperite So another by experte knowlegyng From great rychesse is brought to pouerte Alas O boke what shall I say of the Thy tragedyes thrugh all y â— worlde to sende Go forthe I pray excuse thy selfe and me Who loueth most vertue highest shal ascende Blacke be thy wede of coÌ„playnt mourniÌ„g Called fall of princes from their felycite Lyke Chaunteplure now singing nowe weping Wo after myrth next ioy aduersyte So entremedled there is no suerte Lyke as this boke doth prayse coÌ„prehende Nowe on the whele now set in lowe degre Who will encreace by vertue must ascende The ende of Bochas Volumes