he came to nought His renowne sprade through many a reme And all people gan hym magnifye A siege he layed vnto Jerusalem In the tyme of kyng Sedechye But in hys most frowarde surquedy Gods aungell tofore the citye An hundred M. slough of his meyny And the more to make hym aferde Amyd of hys people the selfe same nyght Gods aungell shoue away his berde With a sharpe sworde that shone full bryght Left hys siege and toke hym vnto flyght And in a temple hys gods worshyppynge Slough him selfe as he sate knelyng ¶ The .xxi. Chapter ¶ How king Sedechy as for false for swearyng was slayne and made blinde in pryson TOuching y â— coÌ„playnt of kyng Sedechy And of his sorowes to shew y â— manere Holy write doth clerely specify Wherfore it were but vayne to tell them here For there men the processe may playnly lere How Joachim kyng of Jerusalem His owne brother was led out of his reame Wherof in hart he felt full great sore This Sedechias as it is there founde Because the kyng Nabugodonosor His brother helde strong in pryson bounde Fully in purpose the Jewes to confounde For this tyrant had in that mortall strife His bothers children in pryson and his wyfe And yet this tyrant in his tyranny This fauour did in his fell rage Vnto this most wofull Sedechy To suffer him rayne in his great age From yere to yere to pay him a truage By fayth and othe â–ª and composition Raysed of his people and brought to Babilon Yet Sedechias in especiall By a maner of false felicitie Hym selfe reioysed in his see royall To occupy that noble dignitie And so forgate the great aduersitie Of his brother and other frendes all Touching the mischefe that they were in fall Of pryde he fell into presumption Whan he remeÌ„bred his brother his lynage Considered how fro kyng Salomon He was discended by title of heritage Gan disdayne to pay his truage And to maligne in hart he was so wrothe And falsly brake his assuraunce and his othe He had a maner indignacion Whiche he caught of olde remembraunce How tyme passed to kyng Salomon By hys manly prudent gouernaunce Kinges about for a recognisaunce Payed trybute and durst it not wythsay Fro yere to yere his nobles to obay Whiche thing remembred of kyng Sedechiâ— As he wext great stronge in puissaunce Of hye disdayne his tribute gan denye Set aside his fayth and assuraunce So that his othe stode in no substaunce For he agaynst the kyng of Babilon Presumptuously fyll in rebellion And his kyngdome to strength and fortify Thought he woulde to his aduauntage The kyng of Egypt haue on his party Of pryde he fell into so great outrage That he no more woulde pay his truage But fynally suche wayes he hath sought That of his othe little he ne rought But wo alas it is a dolefull thing To be remembred in hye or lowe degre That any prynce or any worthy kyng Should false his othe or vntrue be Or that men should suche variaunce se In their courages whiche ben so hye borne For any cause falsly to be forsworne By reporte it dothe their fame trouble Infortuneth and clipseth their nobles Whan a prince is of his heste double And chargeth not of wilfull rechlesnes Al be his promisse conclude on doublenes Though god awhile suffer them and respite At vnset houre their falsenes he will quyte His warnyng oft he sent to them afore Because they lackt prudent policy Recorde I take of Nabugodonosor Whiche came vnware on kyng Sedechye For he his tribute gan falsely him denye With all his power as it did abrayed To Jerusalem a mighty siege layed They within constrayned were of nede The kyng him self there was no better defeÌ„ce With mans fleshe his people for to fede While the Caldeys by mighty vyolence Of very force without resistence On false forswearyng for to take wreke Their mighty towers their walles breke To slea and kyll they list none to spare Who soeuer they met or came in their â—ight Sedechias left the towne all bare But take he was as he him toke to flyght In chaynes bounde and fettred anone ryght In whose preseÌ„ce tencrease his paines anone His yonge children were slayne euerichone His wyues most wofull in their cheres Whiche in their tyme goodly were and fayre Deliuered were in handes of straungeres And more alas to put him in dispayre Into his kyngdome neuer to haue repayre With sharpe tonges it was to great a payne Out of his head was rent his eyen twayne Of Jerusalem his citye was brent Playne to the grounde into ashes dede His great riches his treasour wholy sent To Babilon with stones blewe and rede Vessels of golde whiche richest were in dede Without mercy or remission Caldeis toke to their possession And thus in sorowe and in wretchednes He dyed alas fettred in pryson Lo here the ende of periury and falsenes Lo how fortune can turne vp so doun Of mortall men the condicion Now richest shynyng in hye prosperitie With vnware chauÌ„ge to hatefull pouertie Now men lift vp to royall dignities Now hye aloft by fulsum aboundaunce But what auayleth to syt in royall sees To folke that haue therin none assuraunce â–ª Namely whan fortune holdeth the balaunce Whiche aye of custome vnto hye estates Hath a false ioy to shewe her checkmates Recorde I take of prynces more then one Their wofull fates hangyng in ieopardy Remembred late and amonge eche one The wofull fall of kyng Amazie His sonne eke lepre whiche called was Ozie And last of all how in Babylon Kyng Sedechias dyed in pryson ¶ Lenuoy NOble prynces consider the fallas Of fortunes frowarde flattery Sith her disceits in many diuers caas How she first mocked manly Amazy Whiche slayne was for his surquedy To yeue you warning by exaÌ„ple ye may rede WhaÌ„ ye sit hyghest your fall is most to drede And as it is remembred in Bochas Eke in the Bible of king Ozie In his time how famous that he was Bothe of ryches and of chyualry Punished with lepre bokes specify For his presuming remeÌ„bryng this in dede Whan ye syt highest your fall is most to drede All worldly glory flyeth â—ence a pas I take wytnes of kyng Sedechye For false forsweryng he slayne was alas Made blynde in pryson the story can not lye Thus sheweth fortune through her frowarde enuy To you prynces if ye list take hede WhaÌ„ ye sit hyest your fal is most to drede ¶ The .xxii. Chapter ☞ How kyng Astiages laboured to disherite Cyrus but god suffred his malice not to preuayle AFter these kinges one folowed in y â— prees And to Bochas his coÌ„platâ—t can discure He was called the great Astiages Whiche tolde in order his vncouth auenture Lorde of Asye as bokes vs assure And had of treasure duryng all his life Aboue all kynges a prerogatyfe Most fortunate in all his gouernayle Felt of fortune none aduersitie Saue an heyre male nothing did him fayle
Howe with a smale sodayne infirmite When deth age lyst she we theyr presence Disdayne al freshnes with vnware violence Agayne whose might there is no other grace Processe of yeres all beaute doth deface Though Demetrius was fayre vpon to se As ye haue herde rehearsed in sentence Gayne law and ryght he loued Arcynoe Thoccasion founde by her false insolence Bycause reason made no resistence Nat aduertyng how euery hour and space Processe of yeres all beaute doth difface Full horrible was their iniquite And tofore god hatefull their offence For through false lust and sensualite Lost was the bridell of inwarde prouidence Sharpe mortal sworde made y e recompence Drowned in teres whan she dyd hi embrace With blody woundes disfigured all hys face O noble prynces let thys story be A clere myrrour to your magnificence Therein considred the false fragilite Of worldly fayrnes which is but apparence And transitory but so be that prudence Gouerne the passage vicious lust to enchace Processe of yeres all beaute dothe difface The .ii. Chapter ¶ Howe the two brethren Seleuchus and Autiochus eche desyrous to excell other fyll at discorde and ended in mischefe THere is no man that can in story rede Of more mischefe nor of more debate Than of debate that is atwene kinrede Twene blode blod gayne kide infortunate Namely in persons whiche ben of hye estate As it fyll ones the story beareth recorde Atwene two brethren that were at discorde That one Seleuchus Antiochus the other As the story hereafter shall deuy se Eche desyrous for to excell other In worldly worshyp wonderly they were wyse And both blent by worldly couetyse For to clymbe vp to hye estate Whiche caused them to be at debate Both mighty kinges Bochas maketh mâ—cioÌ„ And of one wombe sothlye they were borne Vnder a cursed fell constellacion Of frowarde sede may grow no good corne And through couetyse bothe they were lorne And distroyed by the mortall werre That was atwene them in Asie nye ferre It is to me verye contagyous To rede the batayles and discencions The false promyses of Antiochus With the disceytes and conspirations Bretherne of byrth and of condicions Contrarious wayes euer they dyd wende Frowardly they began so made an ende Their mother was called Leodices And in Asya Seleuchus was reignyng Euer in werre coude nat lyue in pees And in Surry Antiochus was kyng And among robbers they made theyr ending Where euer they fought in wronge or ryght Neuer they bode but toke them to flyght Though Seleuchus was at his gynnyng Shynyng in glory and in hye prowesse And of Asya he was lorde and kyng With great diffame was derked his noblesse Bycause that he of great vnkyndnesse Ful falsely slewe without iudgement Hys yonger brother that was innocent And by the byddyng of Leodices Which was his mother of hatefull cruelte Falsely to murdre the quene Beronices Wife to the kyng called Tholome Reygnyng in Egipt but it stode so that he For all his power fayled of hys pray Bycause that she was ware fled away Yet afterwarde of olde hate and enuy This Seleuchus by full false treason Murdred Beronices by conspiracy Her sonne also as made is mencion The sclaundre arose through many a region And was reported vnto hys diffame Wherthrough he lost his worship his name And on thys murder auenged for to be For the horrible great abusion The kyng of Egypt the sayde Tholome Gan make him strong came w t people doun But for there was so great discention Through al his land the story saith certayne He was constrained to returne home agayne Seleuchus than made a stronge armee Gathered shyppes stuffed them w t vytayle Towarde Asye he taken hath the see But suche tempest gan hys people assayle That hertes and power of them gan fayle w t thundring lightning veÌ„geably distrained To take the land of nede he was constrained The people of Asye seyng thys mischefe Had of Seleuchus great compassion And their succour to set at a prefe They hym receyued into that region Though it stode as made is mencion That aforetyme for hys cruell dede They had his person in full great hatrede And for he fonde fortune fauourable Nat considryng her mutabilite He cast of rancour for to be vengeable And gyn a werre agayne Tholome His men outrayed he was constrayned to fle Knewe no refute nor succour of none other But for great mischefe sent to hys brother I meane hys brother called Antiochus Behestyng him for to crowne hym kyng Of all Asye hys story telleth thus Toke truse thys whyle by subtyll false workyng With Tholome for ten yere enduryng And when his brother came with his powere Falsed his promise double of hert and chere Thus of newe they fyll at debate Eche gan other myghtely werray False couetise to encreace theyr estate Caused that nouther lyst other to obay Met in a felde there is no more to say Fought haÌ„de for hande their hostes both two Seleuchus fled as he was wente to do Thus a false werre of hatred fraternall Agayne nature set them at discorde Eche busy was in especiall As their story remembreth by recorde Neuer their lyfe to be at one accorde But whaÌ„ Seleuchus was put thus to flight The people of Surry gan deme anonryght That he that day was outher take or dede And Gallougreis a people of great poste Of Couetyse gan hast them in great spede To entre Asye and spoyle all that countre To Antiochus they had eke enmyte That he was fayne for hys fauacion To pay to them a full great raunsom Their heart was yeue onely to pyllage Takyng of hym of golde a great quantite And he seyng of robbyng the outrage Drew to the pyllours one of them was he And through al Asye they robbed eche couÌ„tre For Seleuchus they gan so purchace That he nat durst abide in no place Than Antiochus drewe to Tholome Voyde of saueconduyte or any assuraunce Though y t atwene them was great enmyte For a season as made is remembraunce To haue founde succour in his gret greuauÌ„ce But all for nought for in conclusion Tholome hym toke and cast in derke prison There constrayned of necessite Knowyng no meane to make his raunson By a woman that lyued in pouerte He was holpe out of that derke prison Lo here of fortune a false condicion That coude make a kyng without pere Of a woman to stande in daungere To proude folke this maye be a myrour To se a prynce thus sodaynly brought lowe That shone in ryches lyke an emperour Which of disdayne lyst no man to knowe Now is he cast nowe is he ouerthrowe Now hath he cause to plain wepe mourne Knowyng no frende for succour him to turne He was aferde to holde hys passage By hye wayes or for to come in syght Fyll amonge theues they by great outrage All mercylesse slew hym anone ryght And his brother for all his great myght
heare That he had force so great a ship to let But than alas his left hand of they smet Yet maugre theÌ„ whan he their malice seeth All were it so that he had lost eche hande The ship he styll helde with his teeth That they ne myght departe from the lande Lyke as their vessell had fal vpon sand Caused that day mine auctour doth reherce Two hundred M. were slain of theÌ„ of perce And whan this singuler mighty champion Cinegirus most vncouth of corage Had done this maruaile as made is meÌ„cion Of very anguish he fill into a rage Lyke a beest furious and sauage Ran about alas for lacke of mynde In Bochas boke no more of him I finde But in this proces after I beheld Aye howe that fortune can her frends fayle For Melciades leder of that fielde And gouernour of al that great batayle Causing victory as made is rehersayl yet his people of malice and of yre Again his nobles falsly gan conspire They of Athenes set him in prison And in chaynes mightily him bounde Vnkindly they yaue him this guerdon For al the knighthod they in him found Yet had he suffred many a mortal wound In their diffence and for their libertees To saue their liues their toun countrees This was the ende of duke Melciades Through y â— constreynt of his stronge bondes Eke they exyled the knyght Themystocles Out of their towne to lyue in straunge loÌ„des That was so worthy proued of his hondes To shewe the chaunge and mutabylite Founde in fortune and euery comonte ¶ Lenuoye THe stormy trust of euery comonte Their gery corages and trobled coÌ„staunce In this tragedy men may behold se Now vp now doun as fortune cast her chauÌ„ce For they of custome haue ioy most plesauÌ„ce In their desyres vnstedfast and vntrewe To se ech day a chaunge of princes newe Corolyan of Rome a chefe cytye Was there protectour thrugh his mighty pusauÌ„ce Venquisshed their enemies set theÌ„ in suerte Brought in rebelles to their obeysaunce But they agaynwarde of wylfull variaunce Banysshed hym twyse and no cause knewe Saue for to se a chaunge of princes newe The knyghtly noblesse the magnanymyte The polyce the prudent gouernance Of Melciades duke of the countre Where y t Athens is chefe towne in substauÌ„ce Whan he their comon gan most to auaunce The more vnkyndly in honor y t they grewe Most they wer busy to chauÌ„ge him for a new Themystocles hauyng the soueraynte Of knyghtes all that bare speare or launce Duryng his tyme I take no more on me For coÌ„parisons do oft tyme great greuaunce Sixe hundred thousande he put to vttraunce Vnto Athens neuer founde vntrewe Yet they conspyred his exyle for a newe What thyng may here flour in felycite Or stande stable by longe contynuaunce In hyghe estates outher in lowe degre Nowe flowe now ebbe nowe ioy nowe mischauÌ„ce After as fortune holdeth the balance And specially false feyning and vntrewe Comons desyre a chaunge of princes newe Noble princes in your prosperite On sodayne chaunges set your remeÌ„braunce Fresshnesse of floures of braunches y â— beaute Haue aye on chauÌ„ge a treÌ„blyng attendaunce In trust of comons is no perseueraunce As wynter somer be dyuers of their hewe So be they dyuers in chauÌ„ge of princes nâ—w The .x. Chapiter ☞ Howe Xerxses kyng of Perce for his rauyne and couetyse was dismembred in to small pieces ANd tofore Bochas pitously wepynge For to declare his deedly heuynesse Came Xerxses nexte of Perce kynge And gan coÌ„playne his dole and his distresse Which in thre thinges y â— story bereth witnes And as the cronycle clerly can vs tell All other princes in erthe he dyd excell In high estate was none so greate as he Neyther in ryches nor worldly habundauÌ„ce Nor none that tyme of so great dygnite For as it is put in remembraunce He had all Perce vnder his obeysaunce Nor neuer prince as auctours do conclude Hosteyed attones with suche a multitude Space of fyue yere he had his ordynaunce SeueÌ„ hundred thousaÌ„de people he dyd rayse Dempt of pride agayn his gret puissaunce None erthly power myght counterpayse But some auctors alowe him nat nor prayse Bycause that he people to encombre Set all his trust to coÌ„quere w t gret nombre But manly princes haue this opynion In multytude standeth nat victory For knightly prowesse of euery champion Which manly cast theÌ„ in armes to haue victory Enprynted hath fixe in his memory Marciall tryumphes god ne doth nat shewe In nombre great no rather than in fewe This sayd Xerxses by recorde of auctours Had also in cronycles as I rede Thre huÌ„dred thousande straunge soudeours Without other that were of Perce Mede Whiche gan the erthe for to cure and sprede Dried ryuers that they dyd attayne Karfe downe hylles made valeys playne This was chefe conceyte of his fantasies To haue all erthe vnder subieccion Thought his power raught aboue the skyes Of surquedy and false presumpcion For as he demeth in his opynion Howe in his power playnly that it lay Fro god of heuin the heuyn to take away But thylke lorde y t can the meke enhaunce And from their sees the proude put doune And namely them y t haue no remembraunce To aduertyse of wysdome and of reason To knowe the lorde most mighty of renoune The lorde of lords which plainly to compyle Wyll suffre tyrauntes to reigne but a whyle And one the maruayle that euer I dyd rede Greatest and vncouth playnly vnto me Is howe Xerxses kynge of Perce Mecde For to shewe a specyall syngulerte Out of Asie ouer the great se As sayth myn autour whoÌ„ I dare alledge In to Europe made a myghty bridge Some men peraueÌ„ture will ther at disdayne And say it is a maruayle nat credyble Yet craft in case to suche thing may attayne Whych by nature semeth an impossyble And as to me it is a thing odyble Thynges to inpugne autentyke and olde Whiche notable clerkes in their dayes tolde These newe men that haue but lytell seyne Nouther expert in crafte nor in nature For lacke of reason holde all such thing veyne Though that it be remembred in scripture For euery maruayle and euery auenture Is straunge to hym as I reherce can That lacketh y e cause wherof y e grouÌ„d began This sayd Xerxses had eke possession By the tytle of his father Darye Of all Egypt as made is mencyon But they of Grece were to hym contrary Wherfore he cast no lenger for to tarye This proude prince but mightely werrey Lacedemonoys which wolde him nat obey But one that was called Demaratus Whych of that country had afore be kyng And was exyled the story telleth vs That tyme w t Xerxses in housholde abyding Whyche loued that land for all his exyling Gaue theÌ„ warning to saue theÌ„ fro mischauÌ„ce Of Xerxses power and all his ordynaunce He wrote them letters grauen in a table All themprises of Xerxses out of doute
reioysed all hys life Kept what he redde in his memoriall And of wyse counsaile was none to hym egal An vncle he had ycalled Perycles Which stode in daunger of excessife spendyng Yet in hys youth thys Alcibiades Seyng hys vncle pensiefe in lokyng Cast of wisdom to remedy that thyng And for to aswage hys heartes heuynesse Gaue hym this counsail by great auisenesse Fyrst to rehearse how the matter stode And of hys vncles wofull hygh distresse Ther was to him delynered a sūme of goode To repayre the temple of a goddesse Called Minerna but for the great excesse Of hys dispences he stode somwhat in drede Touching thacoūpt y ◠he muste yelde in dede Alcibiades here vpon musyng To hys vncle gaue counsayle in sentence Vncle quod he let be your thynkyng And for your selfe shape thys diffence Nat for tacoūpt by meane of your prudence Afore prouided with face chere vnfayned To suche duresse that ye be nat constrayned And whan Pericles his coūsaile aduertiseth Fonde to his worshyp it was resonable And by good layser him selfe ful wel auiseth And by prouision prudent and notable Saued hys estate frō eche thyng reprouable So that he stode touching thys matter As for accomptes out of all daunger Alcibiades of Athens chefe capteyne From day to day waxt vp to great encres Suche another was ther no where seyne Them to gouerne bothe in werre pees And all the citye by assent hym chees Of theyr nauy in especiall Vpon the see to be theyr admyrall For his knighthod they sent hym out aferre To Cathenoys to be theyr gouernour Gayne Cyracusenes for to gin a werre First there receiued w t glory gret honoure But in the end of his great laboure Fortune that is aye varyaunt and vnstable Was to this duke nat founde fauourable He was accused to them of the toun Which in Athenes had gouernaunce That he was gilty in party of treason By thē reuoked for al his great puissaunce Of Capitaynship and by their ordinaunce And fortunes false mutabylitie Vnwarely depriued from all dignitie But for him selfe thus he gan prouide Went into exyle not fer from that countre In to a cytie that called was Elyde There for to haue fredom and lyberte And of hys lyfe to stand in suerte For in Athenes they wolde haue him deed Vnto their goddes to offre vp his heed But whan he was of their entent certayne To Lacedemone he toke the ryght way And by relacion there he herd sayne Howe Cathemenses were put to afraye In a batayle vpon a certayne daye Which that they held to their aduersytee Gayne Cathenoys as they fought on the see But the cause of this discomfyture As was tolde Alcibiades Was by thre captayns through misauenture Which in their leading were found recheles The chefe of them named Demosthenes The tother called the story telleth vs The tone Niceas the tother Eurilocus Alcibiades hauyng herof tiding To auenge his wrong put him selfe in prees Of Lacedemon he gothe fyrst to the kyng Which of trouth was called Agydes Beseching him to graunte to his encres Certayne soudyours out of hys countre For to werrey of Athenoys the cyte Thus he waxte stronge of noble prouydence Had great people vnder his gouernaunce And lyke a duke made strong in hys defence The people gadred to his obeysaunce That other princes that wer of hye puisaūce Gan haue enuy of wylful frowardnesse And to malygne agayne hys hyghe noblesse For selde or neuer in any regyon Prowesse of armes noblesse of chyualry Encrease of ryches report of high renoun Fame of connyng in craft or in clergy May no wher dwell without some enuy From whose malyce as folke expert may se Saue only wretches no man hath lyberte For which this prince as put is in memory Escaped nat for all his hygh parage But that some enuyed at his glory For in this life no man hath auauntage Agayne tonges nor odyous false langage To stop such venym this is the best obstacle That mē with suffraūce tempre their triacle The clere prowesse of Alcibiades Stayned the nobles of other prynces al His eure hym raised vp to so great encres To the highest trone of fortunes hall Such fatal grace is vnto hym fal That in tho dayes playnlye this is no fable There was no knight to him resemblable In his exyle so clere his renome shone And through Grece gaue as gret bryghtnes As doth a ruby aboue eche other stone Yet for to clips and shadow his worthynes Lacedemonois dyd their busynesse Such as nat myght to his nobles attayne By false report his renome to restraine Awayt was layd to take him at mischefe And many traynes wer serched out sought Of entent to put him at reprefe But al y ◠euer agayn him they haue wrought At the end the purpose came to nought For God prouideth of his magnificence Agayne such malice to saue innocence He was lykely to fal in great daungere Lacedemonois gan so at hym dysdayne Because his honour nobles shone so clere That to his fone it was a deedlye payne And thus his lyfe stode in no certayne For all be it he manly was and wyse He knew nothinge their purpose nor malyce Hee had almoste ywarned be to late And lyke to haue stand in great perplexitie And more his grace and fortune to abate By thoccasion of hys great beaute He wyth the quene was woxen full priue For in her grace so well stode there none Whiche gaue to him warnyng of his fone And by the counsayle onely of the queene Fro Lacedemon he wysely toke his flight Towarde Athenes thought he wolde sene His owne countre full lyke a manly knyght And though thei had nat gouerned thē a right Towardes hym beyng in distresse To auenge his wronge he dyd thē no duresse For he thought it was agaynst nature To be vengeable or shewe his cruelte By thoccasion of any auenture Or ginne a werre vpon his countre His natiue bloud meued him to pyte And of very naturall gentlynesse Was debonayre agayne their vnkindnesse The case was this for short conclusion How king Dary with great apparayle Thought to werrey of indignation Them of Athenes their towne tassayle And in purpose proudely to preuayle Thessifernes a prince of great puissaunce Of Daries power had al the gouernaunce Final cause and grounde of all this werre That Darius gan on them so hastelye And that he sent his puissaunce from so ferre For to destroy Athenes vtterly Was to holde vp and sustayne the party Of Lacedomone whiche of olde hatrede Were euer enuyous thē to oppresse in dede But by meane of Alcibiades And his treatie founded on prudence Thessifernes enclined to the pees Therby in party to appease his violence And all was done of noble prouidence And fro the place to which he was exiled He to Athenes shoulde be reconciled Vnto the citie he dyd signify How Darius had made his ordinaunce And by his letters he
werre Agayne the sayd myghty Artaxerses Wenyng therby to haue had great encrees Gadred shyppes and made a great armee In his entent to haue met hym on the see To Lacedemons he was fauourable Sent them vessels stuffed with vitayle Dempt of pride that hym selfe was able With Artaxerses to holde a battayle But hasty trust doth fooles often fayle For this Theo was after anone ryght Dryuen out of Egipt and yput to flyght Artaxerses pursued hym so sore Tofore hys face he durst nat appere Fledde into Araby myne auctour saythe no more Banished from Egipt deedly of face chere And of hys fate who so lyst to lere He was depriued from kyngly dignite And by fortune cast from his royall see The .xxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe Amynta of Macedone kyng had by Erudice hys wife Alysandre Perdica and Philyppe that were slayne ANd among other their fates cōplaining Through fortunes dredefull violence There came Amynta of Macedone kyng And to John Bochas shewed hys sentence And to declare hys magnificence To Alysandre graunde father in his lyfe Hauynge four children by Erudice hys wyfe The fyrst of them was Alysandre called And Perdica named the seconde The thirde Philyppe in Macedone stalled Kyng of Grece lyke as it is founde Whiche in ryches greatly dyd habounde And was eke father thys noble warriour To Alysandre the mighty conquerour And or myne auctour further dothe procede He maketh a maner of disgression From his matter like as ye may rede And gynneth in order a discription Of Macedone the famous region Amonge Grekes writeth in especiall Of seuen prouinces it is the principall And so procedyng he sayth how that countre Stretches his boundes about hym enuyron Towarde the see which called is Egee Forthe by Achaya towarde Septentrion And to Messene westwarde it gothe doun And who that can by crafte the costes cast To Dalmacia the name therof dothe last In Macedone he dothe also vs lere Of Olympus standeth the great mountayne And in that kyngdom is many great mynere Of golde and syluer lyke as bokes sayne And on that hyll is nouther wynde ne rayne For thylke mountayne so high dothe attayne That it may nouther blow there ne rayne The kyng Amynta of whō I spake toforn Had in Grece many great battayle Olympiens in Macedone borne And Illyriens togyder he dyd assayle Through his wisdom he did alway preuayle But with his enemys whyle he stode in strife Hys dethe was shapen by Erudice hys wife Myne auctour Bochas of her doth diffine She imagined his destruction Bycause she had another concubine On whom she set all her affection Day set and tyme to hys confusion Fully ordayned at a mariage He to be slayne of one of his linage He had a suster called Vryone Whiche prudently espied the manere Of Erudice and secretly alone Goth to the kyng and tolde hym all yfere And as the story in order telleth here Though she fayled that daye of her empryse She thought to fulfyll it in another wyse Thys to meane of her iniquite Of her fraude and false ymaginyng She was in cause through her cōtrariouste Of the destruction of their myghty kyng For the conclusion of her false workyng was to haue slayne the kyng and all his lyne She to haue raygned with her concubyne But whan she saw she myght nat atcheue Her furious purpose by none auenture Her venomous malice vpon her lord to preue On other parties she dyd her busy cure Enmitees and mischeues to procure Agayne the kynge by mortall fell assayes With sorow trouble for to shorte his dayes Night and day hys lyfe stode euer in drede Hym to betraye she cast out hoke and lyne And who is he that can or may take hede Frely to escape to eschewe or decline Malice of women whan they be serpentine ▪ Se an example of thys quene Erudice Voyde of all vertue and full of euery vice Alas no prince can beware by other To bridel their nobles with reynes of reson Such as commit alas bothe shyp and rother Vnto Sirenes to row them vp and doun Throughout Caribdis to theyr destruction By craft of Cyrces alas they wer made nice Blynde to remembre vpon thys Erudice Which made Aminta to liue i sorow drede To rest in peace suffered him to haue no space In thought trouble his lyfe gan he lede Tyl by long processe deth gan hym manace Yet or he died fortune gaue hym grace His eldest sonne by wisdome to ordayne Called Alysandre hys crowne to attayne Thus Alisandre was hys successour For Cathynenses gan their rancour lete Agaynst hym for he wyth great labour By theyr sufferaunce came to hys royall sete And for to set hys realme in quiete First with Athenes the myghty strong toun Prouided a peace of hie discretion And for to auoyde all ambiguite Of olde debates and of olde outrage First he sent into that strong cite His sonne Philippe yong and tender of age On peace assured to lye there for hostage And in that citye the storie beareth witnes He gan to grow vnto full hye nobles He was committed vnto the discipline Of a great duke called Epaminondon Which to all vertue his youth made encline For of this duke Justine maketh mencion By a maner recommendacion Tofore nor after as by hys auyse Was neuer no prynce more excellent nor wise Fyrst he commendeth hys vertuous corage Hys hye noblesse hys vertuous excellence And by discent he borne was of hye linage And in two thynges concludeth his sentence Sayeth that he was of most magnificence Egall to Mars by famous chiualry And sonne to Phebus through hye philosophy And Bochas here doth hys style auaunce Ful notably with excellent langage And sayth no treasour atteyneth in substaūce To thylke richesse auoydyng all outrage As when there is by bonde of mariage Knyt vp a knot atwene excellence Of famous knighthode of dame prudence This knot auaileth more than golde in cofer And is more glorious perpetually to abyde A mighty prince ought be a Philosopher Whiche can by prudence al vices set asyde For whan to manhode prouidence is gyde And vertuous force is captayne in the werre Let men well trust that partie may not erre This Epaminonda of knighthod sustenour Carbuncle of vertue as bokes tell con Of gentel maners called the famous flour And of high noblesse a very worldly son Whose knyghtly triumphes be so high vp ron To Martes palais with the blessed souns Of famous trumpettes golden clariouns For he was called the bright myrrour Of rightfull quarelles the partie to sustene Of extort wronges most iust reformatour Aye egall iuge of entent most clene Whiche neuer coude nothing but truth meaane Wolde of custome for hate nor aliaunce On nouther partie decline the balaunce And to commende hys vertuous prowesse Hys proued triumphes hys magnanimite Hys marciall actes hys knyghtly busynesse In the gettyng of many strong cyte And all his labour was for the commonte Which to augment he woulde
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
Cesar was deified Of whō by Romains was set vp an ymage But whan he sawe he was espied He ran to Julius hie vpon a stage Gan him to enbrace in his piteous rage He rent away by sodaine violence Vnwarely slaine there gained no defence Next in order came Cesarius Of whom there fill a wondre pitous caas Whilom beget of Cesar Julius Vpon the yong fayre Cleopatras Slaine in his youth thus writeth Bochas As Octauian dyd him selfe assigne For he gaine Romains should nat maligne Folowing in order Julia began Hir greuous complaint to Bochas specify Whilom doughter to great Octauian With weping gan to houle and crie Which by her father to punish her lechery Exiled was out of her countre For lacke of socour died in pouerte Her son Agrippa yong and tendre of age Borne of hie blode Bochas doth expresse Came next in order pale of his visage Which spent his time in slombre idelnesse Froward to vertue for his wretchednesse Octauian which was great touthe Suffred him die at mischef for his slouth After Agrippa came forth anone right Cassius of Parme a famous great countre Which in Itaile was holde a māly knight With Marke Antony wele cherished secre Bode in his court and there withall parde Greatly alowed fyrst for his chiualry And for his notable famous policy And there withall he had in existence A right great name stode in great fauour For his knighthode for his hie prudence After accused vnto the Emperour Octauian for a coniuratour He should haue be of frowarde false entent To Julius death fully of assent For whiche by bidding of Octauian Take he was being but yong of age And as mine auctor well remembre can Brought tofore Julius hie vpon a stage There offred vp vnto his ymage By cruell death ▪ the storie telleth thus For the false murdre of Cesar Julius After the death of the saide Cassius Another came of Rome the cite Which as I rede called was Galbus Of a Pretour hauing the dignite And for suspection slaine eke was he His eyen fyrst out of his head were rent For Julius death than in to exile sent Toward his exile by brigantes he was slaine And After that within a litel while Of his labour nouther gladde ne faine Bochas began to dyrecte his stile To great Herodes breuely to compile His greuous fal and holy the manere To set in order next as ye shall here The .ii. Chapter ⧠How the tyraūt Herodes slough his wyfe and chyldren and after died at myschefe REmembrynge fyrste in Jurye he was kyng Antipater his father who lyst se In Arabia mightely reignyng Ouer the prouynce called Idume This same Herodes gardeyne of Galile Ordayned was fyrste for his hye prudence And for his notable knyghtly excellence Famous in manhode famous of his lyne Famous also by procreacion I rede also he had wyues nyne And amonge all as made is mencion To hys pleasaunce and his opinion Maister of stories reherseth there was one Mariannes fayrest of echone By whom he had worthy sonnes twayne Alysander and Aristobolus But for his suster dyd at her disdaine Called Saloma the storie telleth thus He vnto her wext suspicious Bycause she was accused of enuy By Saloma touchyng auoutry Agayne her of rancour sodaynly He gan of herte greuously disdayne With rigorous hert he slewe her furiously But as the storie doth vs ascertayne He for her deth after felte great paine Euer whan it came to his remembraunce Her porte her chere her womāly plesaunce Lo what it is a prince to be hasty To euery tale of rancour to assent And counsaylles to procede wilfully To execucion of frowarde false entent For Herodes so sore he dyd repent That he for thought fyl in to an noy Of hertely sorowe and malencoly Rest had he none nouther day ne nyght Troubled with fury that he wext frantyke w t dremes vexed many an vncouth syght Of chere nor colour to no man he was lyke And euery moneth ones lunatike A great whyle he had this wofull lyfe For sorowe onely he had slayne his wyfe And as the storye wel reherce can In the Capitoyle mydde Rome the cite By Antonye and by Octauian He crowned was and made kyng of Jude By the Senate made theron a decree And registred that he and his kynred Shulde in that lande lineally procede In Rome was made the confirmacion To this Herodes bokes specifye Beyng afore the translacion Was made of Juda and of Jurye Septer and crowne with all the regaly By hym vsurped as ye haue herde toforne Vpon the tyme whan Christ was borne This same Herodes by procuracion Of Antonye dyd also occupy By Augustus plener remission The great estate called Tretrarchy In two kyngdoms with al the regaly Of Traconitides Jtury eke also By the Romains made lorde of bothe two Mayster of stories reherseth of hym thus For commendacion in especiall In Aschalon he buylded a stately hous Of right great cost a palayes ful royal Was none so riche for to reken all After whych myne authoure doth so wryte He called was Herode Aschalonite This same Herodes cruell of nature Of chere and porte passyng ambicious Aye to be venged dyd his busy cure On al that were to hym contrarious Hys wyues brother Aristobolus In Jerusalem chefe byshoppe as I rede Falsely he slough of malyce and hatered Vniustly reigned borne through his realme His hert fret and cankred wyth enuy Another byshoppe in Jerusalem Called Hircanus myne authour lyst not lye This same Herodes in his malencoly Slewe hym vnwarely by rācour vengeable Setting at dyner at his owne table There was no man of corrage more cxuel Nor more desirous to be magnified To make his name also perpetual Four statelye cities he hath edified Of which the names be here specified Cesaria Sebastin citees souerayne Antipadra Cipre that other twayne He had also a false condition He trusted none that was of his kynrede His sonnes twaine he had in suspectiō Their purpose was to sley him of hatred Whan he were deade hopyng to succede And causelesse as father most vnkynde Made thē be slayne in story thus I fynde In al his workyng he was founde double A great tirant hold throgh his realme Neuer thinge so greatly dyd him trouble As whan thre kinges came to Jerusalem Jesu to seche that was borne in Bethelem Boldly affirmynge cause of their commynge Was to worshyp that blessed yonge kyng The which thynge whan he dyd aduertise Prophecies remembringe and writinges Within hym selfe a meane he gan deuise First to distroy these famous holy kynges Namely whan he knewe of their offrynges Imaginyng gan suppose blyue The child was borne that shuld him depriue Newly discended fro Dauid doun by line Cast almost Herodes in a rage Of cursed hert gan frowardly maligne Lyke a tirant of venomous outrage Slewe al the children within two yere of age About Bethelem a ful large space He spared none for fauour nor for grace One
Belset Tarquiniaine Fro him by force toke many a region Mesopotamie to his possession Toke by strong hand through his chiualry Maugre Diogenes almost all Surrye Belset Tarquiniā made him selfe so stronge By manly force Diogenes to assayle And for Diogenes thought he did him wrong He gan ordaine great stuffe and apparayle A day assigned they met in batayle Diogenes of froward auenture He his knightes brought to discomfyture Take he was brought by great disdayne In whom as tho there was no resistence To kinge Belset called Tarqumiaine And whan he came to his presence Against him was yeue this sentence To lie downe plat and that king Belset Should take his fote and on his throte set This was done for an hie dispite Diogenes brought forthe on a chayne Without reuerence fauour or respyte At great feastes assigned was his payne And alder last put out his eyen twayne The whele of fortune tourneth as a ball Sodayne clymbing asketh a sodayne fall The .xix. Chapiter ¶ How Robert duke of Normandy foughte with the Turkes was named to the crowne of Jerusalem and died at mischefe AWorthye Prynce spoken of in manye reem Noble Robert duke of Normandy Chose to the crowne of Jerusaleem But for cause he did it deny Fortune vnto him had enuy The same Robert next in ordre was That came to playne his fall vnto Bochas For Christes fayth this mighty champion This duke Robert armed in plate and maile With manly Godfray Godfray de Bollion Againe turkes fought a great batayle For Christes faythe that it should auaile To sustene the lawe in their entent To all the kinges of the Occident Of Turkes Sarazins was so gret a nōbre Gaine Christes law gadred in puissaunce The fayth of Christ falsly to encombre But there were made hasty ordinaunce By kinges of England Normandy Fraūce First to socour did their busy paine Godfray de Bollion y t was duke of Loraine Which on Sarazins made a discomfyture Maugre Turkes for all their great might In which battaile Christ made him recure The felde that day to supporte his right Where Robert was found so good a knight That for his noblesse by recorde of writyng Of Jerusalem was named to be king He assented nat to the election Bycause of new that he did vnderstande His elder brother for short conclusion Y called Willyam was dead in Englande Wolde in no wyse take y ◠crowne on hande Of Jerusalem but like a manly knight Came to Englande for to clayme his right And yet or he came he had knowledging His yonger brother called Henry Had vpon him take to be crowned kyng Tolde his lordes and princes fynally He was next heyre entred rightfully As enheritour to succede in that reem His brother being king of Jherusalem God wot the cause stode all in other wyse The said Robert duke of Normandye Purposed him by marciall emprise From his brother to take the regalye Toke his princes and his chyualrye Thought he wold like a manly knighte Arryue in England and reioyse his righte Both in one felde assembled on a day The brethren twayne ech w t strong party To darraine and make no delay Eche with other to holde champarty But whan these lordes the mischefe did espy They busied them and were nat recheles Atwene the bretherne to refourme pees The said bretherne were fully condiscended Vpon this poynt for shorte conclusien As in the accorde was iustly comprehended Henry to holde and haue possession During his life of al this region And Robert should haue for his party A summe of golde with all Normandy Thre thousande poūde put in remembraunce Eche yere to Robert sent fro his region Of which payment to make full assuraunce Was layde hostages as made is mencion But yet of new fyll a discencion Atwene the bretherne of hatred and enuy For a certaine castell y ◠stode in Normandy Which castell longed of heritage Vnto the kinges iurisdiction Of which the duke toke his auauntage Maugre the king and held possession Turned after to his confusion And whan the king this thing did espye With stronge hand came to Normandy Where the duke was layde a siege about Made ordinaunce to recure his right Gate the castell toke his brother out Emprisoned him of very force and might Left him alone out of all mennes sight Fourtene yere the cronicle writeth so There he died in mischefe and in wo. Whyle Bochas was busy in his labour His boke tacomplyshe with great diligence To him appered the great emperour Called Henry shewed his presence Gan complaine vpon great offence Done to him the mischefe and distresse By his sonnes great vnkyndnesse The which sonne was called eke Henry Greatly accused of ingratytude Cause he wrought so disnaturally Toke his father with force and multitude Entreated him boysteously and rude And afterward there gayned no raunson At great mischefe he dyed in pryson The .xx. Chapiter How Joceline prince of Rages for pryde slouth and lechery dyed in pouerte NExt in ordre with trist ded visage ▪ Vnto Bochas to shew his heuines Came Jocelyne lord and prince of Rage Which is a cite famous of ryches And this prince mine auctor bereth witnesse Was greatly yeue to slouth and slogardy And all his lust he set in lechery Left his lordshyp out of gouernaunce For lacke of wisdome and discrecion In fleshly lust set all his plesaunce And of the countreis about him enuyron He was nat had in reputacion Certayne princes mine auctor doth discryue Of his lordshyp cast him to depriue Amonge whiche the prince of Alapy Called Sanguyne the story who lyst se To Joceline hauing great enuy Layde a siege to Rages the cite He beyng absent ferre from that countre And thus for slouthe wylful neglygence Rages was take by mighty violence And Joceline commaunded to prison To him fortune was so coutrarious Lost his lordshyp and dominacion Lo here the fyne of folkes vicious Slowe delicat proude and lecherous Dyed in pouerte in mischefe and in nede Of vicious princes lo here the fynall mede The .xxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe the emperour Andronicus slewe all that were of the blode royal cheryshed vicious people and after was hanged AS very heire here and trewe successour By election and also by lynage Came Andronicus lorde and emperour Of Constantinople crowned king of age Next to Bochas with trist and pale vysage Beseching him to do his busy cure To remembre his woful auenture Amonge grekes by story and scripture This Andronicus gouerned nat aright Againe lawe and eke agayne nature Founde with his suster fleshly on a night Bothe of assent toke them to the flight Agayne him his cosyn was so fell Lorde of that countre called Emanuell For a time stode as a man exiled For his discēcions many an vncouth strife By his princes after reconsiled Standing in hope he should amende his lyfe But in the tyme that he was fugitife He was made lorde stode so for a whyle Reignyng
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
liege men of Thebes citezynes Made ayenst him conspiration Put him in exile and his wife also His sons daughters brought to destruction And to the encrease of his mortall wo He and his wife compelled bothe two For very pouerte and very indigence In their last age to purchace their dispence Thus of Cadmus the sorowes to discriue And his mischiefe to put in remembraunce He banished was twise by his lyue First by his fathers cruell ordinaunce Of his sister to make enquiraunce And alder last in his vnweldy age He was compelled to holde his passage Out of Thebes his wife and he alone In sorow wepyng to accomplishe their daies Into Illery togither they be gone Their pacience put at fell assayes Whose bitternes felt none alaies Also of their ende and vnhappy fate Ne of their death I finde none other date Saue that Ouide maketh mencion And Iohn Bochas the poete excellent Say that two brethren zethus and Amphion Out of Thebes by one assent Haue this Cadmus into exile sent His wyfe also after their high noblesse To ende their life in sorow and wretchednes But the Gods of mercy and pitye WhaÌ„ they theÌ„ saw by fortune thus cast doun From their estates into great pouertie Hauyng of them full great compassion They made of them a transformacion Of bothe twayne them yeuyng a likenesse Of serpentes to liue in wyldernes ¶ Lenuoye OWhat estate may him selfe assure For to conserue his life in sikernes What worldly ioy may here long endure Or where shall men finde now stablenes Sithe kinges princes froÌ„ their high nobles Record of Cadmus ben sodeÌ„ly brought low And from the whele of fortune ouerthrow Who may susteyne the pyteous aduenture Of this tragedy by writyng to expresse It is like to the chaunte plure Beginnyng with ioy endyng in wretchednes All worldly blisse is meinte with bitternes The sodayn chauÌ„g therof may no man know For who sytteth highest is sonest ouerthrow Was in this world yet neuer creature Reken vp princes for all their hygh noblesse But fortune coulde enclyne them to her lure And them enperishe through her frowardnes Wherfore ye lordes w t all your great riches Beware afore or ye daunce in the rowe Of such as fortune hath froÌ„ her whele throw The .viii. Chapter ☞ A processe of Oetes kyng of Colchos Iason Medea Theseus Scilla Nisus and other mo WHan Iohn Bochas was most diligent To consider the successions Of lynages withall his entent In his writyng and discriptions To compyle the generations Of many noble famous of estate I meane of suche as were infortunate In his serchyng he founde not out a fewe That were vnhappy founde in their liuynge To his preseÌ„ce anone there gan hym shewe A multitude full piteously wepynge Among whiche full dolefully playnyng Came forthe Oetes hath coÌ„playnt beguÌ„ne Kyng of Colchos and sonne vnto the sunne For of Phebus which is bryght and clere Poetes write that he was sonne and heyre Because he was so myghty of power So freshe so lusty so manly and ryght fayre But of fortune he fell in great dispayre Cursyng his fate and his destayne When Iason first entred his countrey againe By Pelleus sent from Tessaly There to accomplishe by diligent labour The great emprises through his chiualry If God and fortune list do to him fauoure That they might winne the excellent treasour This is to meane that he were so bolde The ram to assail which bare y â— flece of gold This Iason through counsaile of Medee By sorcery and incantacion The bulle slough horrible for to se And vainquished the venimous dragon The kyng dispoyled of his possession Accomplished with carectis and figures Of Colchos the dreadful aduentures And afterwarde when he his purpose had He left Oetes in full great dispayre And Medea forth with him he lad And her brother which was the kyngs heyre But as I finde howe in his repayre Out of Colchos whan they gan remue Kinge Oetes after them gan sue Vpon Iason auenged for to be Without tariyng he folowed proudly The whiche thing when Iason did se This Medea gan shape a remedy She toke her brother and slewe him cruelly And him dismeÌ„bred as bokes make minde And piecemele in a felde behinde She gan him cast all bespreint with bloude Wherof his father when he had a syght Full pale of chere still in the felde he stode While she and Iason toke them vnto flyght I trowe that tyme the most wofull wyght That was on liue whan he did know His childe dismembred and abrode ysowe Whiche cause was alas and welaway That he so stout as man disconsolate While that Iason fro Colches went away And Medea most infortunate Was rote and ground of this mortall debate For who saw euer or redde of suche another To saue a straunger list to slea her brother Forsoke her father her countrey and kinred The lande emperished through her robbery Of her worshyp toke none other hede Loue hath her brought in suche a fantasy And while that she abode in Tessaly And with Iason did there soiourne She made Eson to youth returne A yarde she toke that was drie and olde And with her herbes and commiâ—tions She made it boyle in Ouide it is tolde And by charectes and incantacious And with the craft of her coniurations The yarde began to bud and blossome newe And to beare frute and leaues freshe of hew And semblably with her confections His olde humours the hath deputed cleane And with her lusty freshe pocions His empty skynne tremblyng and right leane Pale and wanne that no bloude was sene But as it were a deadly creature All this hath she transformed by nature Made him lusty and fresh of his courage Glad of hart liuely of cheare and syght Right well chered and clere of his vysage Wonders deliuer both of force and myght In all his members as weldy and as lyght As euer he was in the same estate By craft of Medee he was lo alterate After all this ayenst kyng Pelleus She began to maligne vncle vnto Iason And of enuy she proceadeth thus The kings daughters she draweth to her anoÌ„ Them counsaylyng that they should gone Vnto their father playnly vnto him sayne If he desired to be yong agayne Full restored his force to recure And therwithall in lusty age floure She behight to do her busy cure Lyke his desire to helpe and socoure And in this matter so crafty laboure Fynally stande in the same case To be made yonge as his brother was Touchyng whiche thing for more euidence This Medea hath to the daughters tolde Of entent to yeue the more credence She bade theÌ„ take a ramme y â— was right old And wyth a knyfe for to be so bolde To slea the beast before them there he stode And in a vessell drawe out the olde bloude Fullye affirmyng like as it were true That he should be a lambe agayne For she by craft would his bloude remue In such wise by
anoue That towarde Grece he should gone Vnto a mountaine that Phocis bare y e name And there he shoulde of his kynred here Also lyke his fate the answere was the same He shoulde slee hys owne father dere And after that to Thebes drawe hym nere Wedde his mother of very ignoraunce Called Iocasta throgh hys vnhappy chanÌ„ce He list no lenger tary ne abyde Thys sayd Edippus but forth goeth he And on hys way he began anone to ryde Tyi he the mount of Phocis did se Vnder the which stode a great countre Called Cetoyens whiche that time certayne Werreyed them that were on the mouÌ„taine His father Layus through his chiualry With Citoyens is entred into battaile And Edippus came wyth the partie Of the hyll armed in plate and mayle And as they began eche other to assaile Among the prese at the encountrynge Of auenture Edippus flewe the kyng Vnknowen to hym that he his father was Hauyng thereof no suspection Passed his way platly thys is the case And also vnknowen he came to the toun Of mighty Thebes wher for his hie renoun He was receyued wyth ful great reuerence Bycause that he slough in their defence Sphinx the serpent horible for to se Sometyme ordained by incantacions For to distroy the towne and the countre By his compassed sleightly questions Sloughe man and chylde in all the regions Such as not coude by wysdome or reason Make of his probleme playne exposicion Who so passed by he coude hym not excuse But the serpent woulde hym felly assaile With a problem make hym for to muse Called of some men an vncouth deuinayle Whych for to expowne who that did assaile Ther was none helpe neither other remedy By the statute but that he must dye And for all folke haue not knowledgyng Of this demaunde what it was in dede I wyll reherce it here in my wrytyng Compendiously that men may it rede First this serpent who that list take hede Was monstruous and spake ayenst nature And if it fyll that any creature Man or woman should forth by passe Highe or lowe of all that region As I sayde erst there was none other grace But if he made an exposicion Of this serpentes frowarde question He must dye and make no defence The whych demaunde was thus in sentence The serpent asked what thyng may that be Beast or foule whan it is forth brought That hath no power to stand go nor flee And afterwarde if it be well ysought Goth fyrst on foure or els gothe he nought After by precesse on thre than on twayne And eft agayne as nature doth ordayne He goth on thre and efte on four agayne Also kyndly right nature disposeth it so And in a whyle it foloweth in certaine To the matter which that he came fro He must of kynde resort ayen therto And who can not the meanynge clerely se He of this serpent shall deuoured be Which Edippus ful sobre in his entent Not to rekell or to hasty of langage But in his hert wyth great auy sement And full demure of loke and of vysage Considred fyrst thys perilous fel passage Sawe wel tofore that it was no iape And ful prouided y â— no worde should escape At good leysar wyth hole mynde memorye Seyng the ernest of this mortal emprise Hys life depending bitwixe deth victory Thys quod he plainly to deuyse Is fyrst a child whych may not suffyce Whan it is borne the truth is al day sene Wythout helpe him selfe to sustene After on four he naturally doth crepe For impotence and grene tendernesse Norices can tell that do them kepe But afterwarde vp he doth hym dresse With his two fete the thirde to expresse Is hand or benche or support of some wal To holde hym vp lest he catche a fall And afterward encresyng of his myght To great age whan he doth attayne Of his nature than he goth vpryght Mightily vpon his legges twayne Than cometh age his power to restrayne Croked lame lyke as men may se With a staffe or potent to make vp his legges thre But whan feblenesse or syckenes do assayle On handes and fete he must bow and lout For croche or potentes may not than auayle Whan lusty youth is banished and shet out Than eft agayne hereof maye be no dout With four fete to erth he doth retourne Fro wheâ—s he came there styl to soiourne All came fro erth and all to the erth shal Agaynst nature may be no protection Worldly estates echone they be mortal There may no treasour make redempcion Who clymeth hiest his fal is lowest doun A meane estate is best who coude it knowe Betwene hye presumynge bowing to lowe For who sit hyest stand in ieopardye Vnder daunger of fortune lyke for to fall Mischefe and pouerte as for their party Ben lowest brought among these people al. Some folke tast sugre and sum tast call Salomon therfore myrrour of sapience Bytwene great riches and great indigence Asked a meane called suffysance To hold hym content of coÌ„petent dispence Not to reioyce of to great haboundaunce And euer in pouerte to send him pacience Sobre w t his plenty in scarsnesse non offence As of grutching but bitwene ioye and smart Thanke god of all and euer be glad of hert Erth is the ende of euery maner man For the rich wyth great possession Dyeth as soone as I reherce can As doth the poore in tribulacion For deth ne maketh no diuision By syngler fauour but bitwene both ylich Of the poorest of hym that is most rich This said problem concluded in this case Whych y â— serpent began sleighly to propose That whan a childe is fyrst borne alas â—ynde to his dethwarde anon doth 〈◊〉 dispose Eche day a iourney there is none other glose Experience can tech in euery age Howe thys worlde is here but a pilgrimage Thys sayde Edippus fyrste in Thebes borne Sent to a forest deuouâ—ed for to be Founde brought forth as ye haue herde toforne And after drawynge home to his countre Slough hys father so infortunate was he Of frowarde happes followynge al hys lyue As this tragedy hys fortune shal discriue But for that he through his hye prudence Vnto the serpent declared euery dele He slough hym after by knightly vyolence More by wysdome than by armure or stele Stace of Thebes can tell you thys ful wele Whych was one cause if ye list to sene Whâ—â—through Edippus wedded hath y â— quene Called Iocasta princesse of that countre Hys owne mother vnknowen to them bothe And though she were ryghte fayre vpon to se With this mariage y â— goddes wereful wroth For their aliaunce nature gan to loth That a mother as ye shal vnderstande Shoulde her son take to be her husbande There was therin no conuenience To be supported by kynde ne by reason But if it so be the heuenly influence Disposed it by the inclinacion Of some false froward constellacion Caused by Saturne or
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
treasoure Badde him aske what thyng that he woulde That might him please or do to hym succour But of all that he nothinge ne tolde But prayed him ful lowly that he shoulde Not drawe frō him that thynge ayen al right Which for to giue lay not in his myght What thyng is that quod Alexander agayne I haue by cōquest al erthly tresour wun The philosopher said he spake in vayne Thou hast quod he no lordship of the sun Thy shadow letteth his bemes fro my tun And sith thou hast no power of hys lyght I pray the hertely forbarre me not his sighte Though Alexāder was myghty of puissance And all the world had in his demeyne Yet was hys reason vnder the obeysaunce Of fleshly lustes fettred in a cheine For in hys person wyl was souereyne His reason bridled by sensualite Troublyng the fredome of ryght equite For where that wyll hath dominacion In a prince which should sustayne ryght And parcial fauour oppresseth his reason And trouthes titel is bornedoun with myght And equal doome hath lost his clere light Though for a season they sit in hie cheyres Their fame shal fade within a fewe yeres In this make I comparison Bytwene Alexander and Diogenes That one endured but a short season For that he loued warre more than pees And for that other was not recheles But helde hym content wyth giftes of nature Vnto great age his pouert dyd endure Alexander was slayne wyth poysone In his triumphes whan he dyd excell But in a tunne that lay ful low downe Diogenes dranke water of the well And of their end their difference to tel Alexander wyth couetous was blent The philosopher wyth litel was content Blessed be pouert that may endure longe Maugre the fraude daunger of fortune Where as kynges and emperours strong In their estate no whyle may contune And al vertues rekened in cōmune Twene indigence and great habundaunce Is a good meane content with suffisaunce For with great plentye men be not assured After their lust alway to lyue in ease And though y ◠mē great tresure haue recured With their riches they fele many disease Lords haue not al thyng that may thē please But hertely ioy philosophers expresse Is grettest tresour twene pouert riches For this chapiter sheweth a fygure A maner lykenesse and demonstracion Howe Diogenes lenger dyd endure Than mighty Priam or kyng Laomedon So to exemplifye in conclusion There is more trust in vertuous symplesse Than in presumynge of vicious false riches For the auoutry of Paris and Heleine Brought al Troye to distruccion Pryde and luxury were also meanes tweine Why grekes layd a siege to the towne And finally cause of their confusion To eyther partie losse of many a man The groūd conceiued why fyrst that war gā Lenuoye THis tragedy piteous and lamentable Ful dolorous to write and to expresse That worthy Priam of kinges most notable Was fal in pouert for al his great richesse Fro kyngly honour in to wretchednes From sceptre croune and from his regaly To mischiefe brought through false auoutry ▪ Was not fortune froward and disceuable For to suffer by her doublenesse And by her course whych euer is variable That worthy Hector flour of al prowesse Should vnwarly most famous of noblesse Be slayne alas chefe stocke of chiualry For a quarel of false auoutry Agamemnon accompted incomparable Among grekes for trouth rightwysnesse To gouerne most glorious and able Within his paleis the storye bereth wines His wife Clitimnistra through her cursednes Assented was to murdre hym of enuy For the occasion of false auoutry Ye noble princes cōceiue howe chaungeable Is worldly honour through vnstedfastnes Sith of king Priam the glory was vnstable Fixe in your minde thys mater doth impresse And your corages knightly doth vpdresse Agayne al tytles holdeth champarty Whych appertayneth to false auoutry ¶ The .xix. Chapter Of mighty Sampson whiche tolde hys counsayle to Dalyda whereby he was disceiued WHo was more stronger thā Sampson None more deliuer y ◠byble bereth wytnesse Without weapen he slough a fierse lyon And for his enemyes to hym dyd expresse His vncouth problem anon he gan him dresse Agayne Philistines and slough of thē thirty To paye hys promyse spoyled them by by His problem was the text thus rehersyng After the letter in very sothfastnesse There came out mete of a thynge etynge And fro the strong there went out swetnes But hys wyfe of frowarde doublenes Which euer wrought to his disauayle Of worthy Sampson tolde the counsayle What is more stronge than is a lyon Or more swete than hony in tastyng But women haue thys condicion Of secrete thynges whan they haue knowleging They bolne inwarde their hertes aye freting Outher they must dye or discure So britel of custome is their nature This was the case the lyon that was deed Agayne the sonne gapynge lay vp right Aswarme of been entred in his heed Of whom there came hony anone ryght And whan Sampson therof had a syght He fautasied in hys opinion Full secretly this proposicion As ye haue herde gan it forth purpose That philistines to hym it should expowne Vnder a payne the trouth to hym vnclose But wyth hys wife they priuely gan rown And she on Sāpson gan cōpleyn and frowne And faymngly so long vpon hym wepe That he coud not his coūsayle fro her kepe Which whan she knewe made no taryeng But plaine and hole she gan it to declare Such double trust is in their wepynge To kepe their tonges women can not spare Such wepyng wyues yuell mote they fare And al husbands I pray god gyue thē sorow That tel their counsaile at euyn or morowe She told thē hole she told it thē not halfe And Sampson than gan vpon thē smyle If ye not had herde it in my calfe Ye should not haue found it a great whyle Who may be sure where women lyst begyle Though bokes Sāpson of strēgth so cōmēde Yet durst he not ayenst hys wyfe offende This mighty Sampson did also his payne Thre hundred foxes ones that he founde He toke their tailes knit thē twayn twain And amyd euerich he set a fyre bronde And as they ran in Phylistines lond So furiously vp and downe they went That they their frutes their vynes brent Eke by trayson whan he was ones bound Wyth stronge cordes as he lay a slepe There .iii. M. whych that Sampson founde To haue murdred hym or he toke kepe He brake his bondes and vp anone he lepe Of an asse he caught a chaule bone And a thousande he slough of them anone He gan to faynt and had a sodaine lust For to drinke faded face and chere And god sent hym to staūche with hys thurst From the asses to the water christal clere Which that sprāge out large lyke a ryuere Refreshed his spirite whych afore gan dul Tyl that he had of water dronke his ful After he went to Gasam the citye Amōg hys
Within thy house whan I did lere By clere example of manifolde doctrine Al that pertained to vertuous discipline Which I haue lost now in my dayes olde Dispaired it to recure agayne Myne owne childre I dare not the beholde Bycause the wombe in that they haue layne Diffouled is and pollute in certaine Which was tofore in chastitie conserued Chastise the auoutrer as he hath deserued And for my part to speke in wordes fewe Lenger to liue I haue no fantasie For where should I out my face shewe Or dare appere in any company Sith a derke spot of false auoutry Shal euermore whether it be false or true In to myne hindring y ◠sclaundre to renewe Lust afforced hath a false appetite Offrelte included in nature Maugre the wyll there foloweth a delite As some folkes say in euery creature Good fame lost ful hard is to recure And sith I may my harmes not redresse To you in open my gilt I wil confesse Al be I was againe my wil oppressed There was a maner constrained lust in dede Which for no power might not be redressed For feblenesse I stand in so great drede For which offence deth shal be my mede Sith leuer I haue with some edge tole To slee my selfe than lyue in slaūder dole O father myne spare and haue pitie And dere husbande rue on myne offence Goddes goddesses called of chastitie To my trespace graunt an indulgence For of my gylt to make a recompence Where that Venus gate in me a vaūtage Deth shal redresse chastise myne outrage For if I should make a delay To perse my brest w t sharpnes of a knyfe Men would deme and say fro day to day To make my sclaūder more open more rife Howe that I was more tendre of my life Thā of my worship which is to gret a shame To loue my life more than my good name In this matter no witnes is so good To put awaye all false suspection As with a knife to shed my hert bloud I myght not make a better purgacion To al folke that haue discrecion Than finally by my deth to excuse The gylt horible of whych men me accuse Go forth my soule pure and immortal Chefe wytnes of myne innocence Tofore tho iudges which ben infernal Fyrst Mynos kyng to deme my conscience With Radamanthus to yeue a sentence Lyke my desertes that it might be sene In wyfely trouth how that I was clene Thou erthly body which through thy fairnes Were to auoutry ful great occasion Of thy bloud shede out the rednes And by thy sides let it raile doun Stere and exite the people of this toun To do their deuer within a litle whyle For loue of Tarquyn al kynges to exile And fyrst I pray my husbande most entere Of this vengeaunce to make no delay With helpe and socour of my father dere To punyshe y ◠auoutrer in al haste ye may Let him take his wages and his pay Lyke as ye se plainly nowe conceyue For his offence the death I do receiue And sodaynly or they myght aduerte She toke a knyfe and with great violence Through the brest euyn to the hert She made it glyde there was no resistence Ful pale deed fyl down in their presence And by occasion of this piteous dede Tarquyn exyled and holy his kynrede For which cause by recorde of writyng Was there neuer in Rome the cite After that day no man crowned kyng As in cronicles ye may beholde and se Thus for luxurie and their cruelte Their tiranny and false extorcion They were exiled out of Rome toun The .vi. Chapter ¶ Howe Rome was after gouerned and Virginea by her father slayne GOuerned after by other officers As is remembred in Titus Liuius Called Decemuiri of diuers croniclers Amonge whyche there was one Appius A Judge vntrue proud luxurious Which through y ◠citie the story bereth witnes Behated was for his great falsenes And ones it fyll as he cast his loke Vpon a maide most inly fayre of sight A false desire within his hert he toke Her to dysuse agayne al skyl and ryght And she was doughter to a worthy knyght Ful manly founde in his dedes al And Vyrginius y ◠Romains did him cal Whose goodly doughter y e story doth vs lere Was after hym for his noble fame Virginia called most goodly and entere And for this cause she bare the same name But Appius to greatly was to blame Which hath conspired through his great falsnes If y ◠he might her beauty to oppresse This Iuge vntrue both in thought dede Of law vnrightful sought out occasion Made a sergiaunt of his to procede Agayne this mayde to take an accion Claimed her his seruant by false collusion And this done was by Appius of entent That he on her might yeue a iudgement And by this meane in his false delite Thought he myght her beautie best disuse So to accomplishe his fleshly appetite She beyng feble the accion to refuse Wherupon her father gan to muse Fully conceiued of Appius the maner In her defence wrought as ye shal here Whan Appius had yeuen his iudgement Againe this mayde which afore him stode Her manly father most knighty of entent Toke her apart as he thought it good And wyth a knyfe shed her hert bloud Dempt it better to slee her in clennes Than the tirant her beauty should oppresse Thus hole conserued was her virginite And vndefouled was her maydenhede For Vyrgynius to kepe her honeste Spared nothyng to make her sides blede But Appius for this horrible dede And Decemuiri through his vnhappye chaūce Had in that citye neuer after gouernaūce As the story also maketh mencion Appius ashamed of this dede Slough him selfe fetred in prison Of a false iuge lo here the final mede And tho Tribuni in Rome gan succede Twene right and wronge truely to discerne And romayne lawes iustly to gouerne Men may here se as in a myrour clere Estates chaunged for their great offences And by some poore person singulere Princes put doun from their magnificences Which not cōsidred in their great excellēces How god ordeineth his yerde in sōdry wise The poore sūwhile the pompous to chastise Here on to shewe example anone ryght Marked in story for a notable thynge Pausanias of Grece a manly knight Of Macedony slough Philip the Kyng At a table where he was sitting Atwene Alexandre and Olimpiades His wrong to auenge amyddes al the prees Eke Salmator a knyght of low degree For wronges done in especial Of manly force grounded on equite Slough of Cartage the Prince Hasdrubal Which brother was vnto duke Haniball Besyde a riuer as they met in batayle Called Metaure which renneth in Itaile Wherefore ye princes if ye lyst longe endure Be right wel ware be ye neuer so stronge In your lordshyppes not to much assure Or of surquedy the porayle to do wronge In your discrecion conceyuing euer amonge Greatest drede is that
may your state assayâ— Whan subiection doth the people fayle ¶ Lenuoye THis tragedy declareth in partye What myschefe foloweth of extorcion Eke of spousbrech and of auoutry By Tarquyn doue through false extorcion Vnto Lucrece wythin Rome toun Kynges exyled for such misgouernayle And false outrages done to the porayle Eke Appius of wylful tiranny Agayne Virginia toke an accion Through a false lust of frowarde lechery Blent and fer derked his memory reason Which was chefe cause and occasion Why the estate of dizhom dyd fayle Through false outrage done to the porayle Kyng Philyp lost sceptre and regally Of Macedone the famous regyon Vnwarely slayne amyd his chiualry Sittyng at the table w t in his chefe dongeon And greatest cause of his fallyng doun Was whan fortune his pride dyd assaile For false outrages done to the porayle Duke Hasdrubal whome bokes magnify Vp to the heuyn for hys hygh renoun Whose triumphes raught vp to the sky And had al Cartage in his subiection Yet was he slayne vnwarely by treason By a seruant lo what it doth auayle Treason purposed afore in the porayle Noble princes your reason do applye Whych ouer the people haue dominacion So prudently to gouerne them and gye That loue and drede by true affectyon Preserue their hartes from false rebellionâ— Syth to you nothynge may more preuayle Than true subiection expert in porayle The .vii. Chapiter ⧠How Jeroboham kyng of Israel for Idolatry disobedience came to a myscheuous ende NExte these storyes in Bochas as I fynde There dyd appere vnto his preseÌ„ce Kynges syxe hym praying to haue mynd Vpon their fal by vnware violence From theyr estates of royal excellence And to fore al I fynde that there came Of al Israel kyng Jeroboam Vnto myne aucthour he gan to declare His deedly complaynt with a pale face His great mischeues and his yuel fare And howe he fyl downe froÌ„ his kyngly place Through vnhappes which dyd him enbrace And as this story plainly hath deuysed For his offences howe he was chastised An Idolater he was as it is tolde Reysed vp auters of very force myght Set therupon two calfes of pure golde Dyd them worshyp agayne al skyl ryght Gaue euel example in the peoples syght Whan he dyd wyth fumes and ensence To false ydols vndue reuerence Fro the temple he made the people gone Priestes ordained after his owne gise Forsoke the trybe of Leuy and Aaron And vpon Bethel his offryng gan deuyse And whyle he dyd vnleful sacrifice God that well knewe of hym the false entent From Jerusalem a prophet to hym sent Whych him rebuked of his misgouernauÌ„ce And gan the parels to hym specifye Told him afore for to do vengeaunce Of Dauid kyng there should come one Josye Which should his priestes that falsly coud lye Manly distroy slee them al at ones And into asshes bren them fleshe bones And in token of their distruction The prophet tolde among them al How his auters shoulde bowe doun And his ydols from their stage fal Whom that foles their goddes falsly cal Which haue no power to helpe in no maner For they may neyther se fele nor here After thys prophet Jadan had tolde These sayde signes playnly to the kyng His auter fyl on peces many folde And ouerturned backewarde his offring For whych the kyng furiously loking Put forth his hand the story maketh mynde Bad his men the prophet take and bynde And as he his arme raught out on length Had no power it to wythdrawe ageyne Wext vnweldy contract lost his strength And whan the kyng these tokens hath seyne â–ª And how y e prophet spake no word in veyne Greatly astoyned coude say no more But praied Jadan his arme to restore And by his prayer and mediacion Of his arme after this vengeaunce There was anone made restitucion And of his payne feleth aleyaunce For which the kyng w t ful great instauÌ„t Required hym to be so graciouse That day to abyde and dyne in his house But the prophet would not assent Nouther wyth hym to eate nor to drynke Toke his asse and forth anone he went On whose departyng y â— kyng gan sore thynke And fantasies gan in his hert synke Specially whan he toke hede Of all these tokens howe they were true in dede God â—ad Jadan in this great emprise To Jeroboham fyrste whan he was sent Eate nor drinke in no maner wyse In that citie whyle he was present But a nother prophet of entent Ful olde and slygh on that other syde Compelled hath this Jadan to abyde Hym aforsyng by false collusion To resorte agayne vnto the citye And to make no contradiction With hym to dyne of fraternitye To hym affyrmynge it may none other be For god sent him as to his frende brother To abyde with him plainly with none other Of frendlyhede and true affection Within his house to shewe his presence For a repast and refection This is goddes wyl and fully his sentence To whose wordes y â— prophet yaue credence And as they sate at dyner both in fere God vnto Jadan sayd in thys maner For the brekyng of my comaundement Thy great offence thy transgression That thou hast be so wylfull negligent Thou shalt endure this punicion Be al to torne and rent of a lyon And in thy countrey thou shalt not recure With prophetes to haue thy sepulture Of which thing this Jadan nothynge fayne Gan to departe with ful heuy thought Of a lion amyd of the way slayne But his asse harmed was right nought A full great maruaile if it be wel sought The lyon syttyng as in their diffence And kept them both from al violence Al these tokens myght not conuert Jeroboam fro his iniquitie Goddes warnyng hym lyst not to aduerte Nor by hys prophete corrected for to be Wherefore god would that he should se Vengeaunce folowe as it dyd in dede Both vpon hym and his kynred A sonne he had which fyl in great sickenes Called Abia the boke doth specify For whych the king bad the quene her dresse To go disgised without company Vnto a prophet which called was Achy Hym to require truely for to sey Whether the chyld should lyue or dey And in his inward syght coÌ„templatife God shewed hym by clere inspection Of Jeroboam how she was the wyfe For al her sleyghty transformacion For nouther fallas nor false decepcion May be of god but it be parceyued For he â—e his prophets may not be deceyued She came to him in straunge wede At the entryng he called her by her name Come forth quod he for it is no nede To hide thy selfe as it were for shame For the trouth truely to attame God hath yeuen me fully knowledging What thou shalt answere say to the kyng Say plainly to him marke in thy thought In thy repayre these wordes rehersyng Syth god hath made thee raysed vp of nought From a seruant to reigne as a kynge Fro Dauids kyn most
the felde ysoyled Cause of another vnhappy heuynesse And of her deedly desolacion Was the people felly dyd them dresse Of Arabye in their rebellion Agayne her husband of entencion To robbe his treasour to their auauntage And take his richesse by outragious pillage Some of his meyny they put in prison There was agaynst theÌ„ made no defence Spared nother citie borough ne toun Slough man chyld through sturdy violeÌ„ce Her lorde enfect wyth sodaine pestilence Conceyued fully by his malady There was no gayne but he must nede dye After his deth most wretched odible His body corrupt his bowelles fyl doun Of his carayne the stench was so horible The ayre enfect about hym enuyron With so great horrour and putrifaction That no man myght abyde nor endure To bryng his body vnto sepulture Her third vnhap whereof she was ful fayne That fortune lyst her efte assayle Made her vncle kyng Joram to be slayne With an arow as he fled in batayle She supposyng greatly it should auayle Lyke a woman most furious wode She of king Dauid slough al y e rial blode Her purpose was to gouerne al the realme Alone her selfe to haue dominacion To reigne in Juda and Jerusalem This Athalia by vsurpacion And for that cause in her entencion With mortal sworde she made tho fyne That were disceÌ„ded froÌ„ Dauid doun by lyne Except one Joas she left not one a lyue Chyld of a yere sonne of kyng Ochâ—sy Whom Josaketh the story do the disctiue Of very pitie caught a fantasy The childe to saue that he shal not dye From the malice of Athalia And she was wyfe to byshop Joiada She this byshop with hole hert entere Kept this chylde in ful secret wyse Within the temple the space of seuen yere And in the seuenth the storye doth deuise Joiada toke on him this emprise Yonge Joas vpon a certayne day By iust title to crowne him if he may His messangers he sendeth out anone Of princes tribunes gan a counsaile cal Of preestes eke and leuites euerychone And whan he had discured to them al Hole his entent thus it is befal Sworne and assented as it was sytting That yonge Joas shal be crowned kyng For by promise which y â— is diuine Quod Joiada if ye take hede God hath behested to Dauid his lyne And assured vnto his kynred In Jerusalem how they shal succede And though Joas be yong teÌ„dre of might He to the crowne hath neuer the lasse ryghte In this matter I wyl not that ye slepe But to shewe your true diligence On four parties the temple for to kepe That no man entre by no violence And in the myddes by royal excellence Quod this byshop no man shal vs let On Joas heade a crowne for to set And whan ech thing was brought to poynt Hys hygh estate to encrease and magnify The people anone whan he was anoynt Viuat rex they began to cry And whan Athalia gan this thyng espye For very ire and the sodayne wonder Of melancoly her clothes cut asonder Ran to the temple and gan make a fray With her meyny and to crye aloude Bad them go sle make no delay The yong kyng in al the hast they coude Her venym hid vnder a couerte cloude Al at ones her purpose to recure By sodaine malice she gan y e day dyscure The temple was kept entre had she none People ordayned awaytyng for the nones And or she might any further gone Clenly armed the Centuriones The cruel quene assayled al at ones And of her malice to wryte a short tale They slough her after at Cedron in the vale Lo here the ende of murdre tiranny Lo here the ende of vsurpacion Lo here the ende of false conspiracy Lo here y â— ende of false presumcion Borne rightfull heyres wrongly to put them doun O noble princes though god make you stroÌ„g To ryghtful heyres beware ye do no wrong ¶ Lenuoye THese tragedies to estates degrees Fully declareth the decepcions Of fortunes false mutabilitees Shewed in prouinces cities and eke touns Princes vnwarely lost their possessions Which for their synnes in diuerse wyse Had of god warnyng lyst not for to ryse Mighty princes cast downe from their sees Lost their liues and their regions Vnwarely throw from their felicitees Jeroboam for his oppressions And for his frowarde false oblacions Done to Idols his story doth deuyse Had of god warning lyst not for to ryse Achab also had great aduersities Through false couÌ„saile and exhortacions Of Iezabel rote of iniquities Dyd to his people great extorcions She slough prophets goddes champions Both he and she most cursed in their gyse Had of god warnyng lyst not for to ryse Athalia with her duplicitees And conspired false intrusions Slouh Dauids sede to entre their dignitees And possede their dominacions But for her hateful false collusions Vnwarely slayne for her great couetise Had of god warnyng lyst not for to ryse Princes remembre in your prosperitees And se afore in your discrecions Wrong clyming vp of states or degrees Outher by murdre or by false treasons Asketh a fal for their final guerdons Namely of them that the lord dispise And for his warnyng lyst not for to rise The .xiii. Chapter ¶ Howe Dydo quene of Cartage slough her selfe for conseruacion of her chastitie NOwe muste I put my rude stile in prees To queene Dido makynge my passage Her Lorde Siche was priest to Hercules Her father Belus fal in great age Kyng of Tire she quene of Carthage And it is red in bokes that ben true How fyrst in Tire was found purple hewe Chadmus founde fyrst letters for to write Gaue them to Grekes as made is mencion Whose brother Fenix as clerkes eke endite Founde first the colour of vermilion And of Cartage the famous mighty toun This sayd Dido her story doth expres How she was quene and founderesse But her husband was chefe lorde fyre Called Sicheus full famous of renoun Of this noble citie called Tyre Had great treasour great possession And for enuy kyng Pigmalion Broder to Dido this Siche slough in dede Of false entent his richesse to possede Dido this slaughter toke greuously to hert Sore complayning this vnhappy chaunce Cast she would if she might asterte Flye out of Tire and her lyfe auaunce With al the treasour the haboundaunce Behynde left whan her lorde was dede Her shyppes entryng went awaye for drede She knewe and drede the gredy auarice Of her brother kyng Pigmalion And how that hateful vnstauncheable vice Was grounde and rote and chefe occasion Why y â— her lord was slayne in that toun For whome she cried ful oft wel away Whose deth was cause why she fled away She had also this opinion Which caused most her hertly heuinesse That sith her brother Pigmalion Had slayne her lorde for his great ryches If she abode that he woulde hym dresse Parcel for malice
parcel for couetyse To haue treasour some treason to practise And for to eschewe his malice treason For her nauy she maketh ordinaunce By the auise of them in whom as by reason She should of ryght set her affiaunce And they ful redy her to do plesaunce By one assent for nothynge would fayle With fayre Dydo out of that lande to sayle In Cypres fyrst was her aryuaile And theâ—e she founde by the riuer syde Of yong maydens w t ful rych apparayle Sixty and ten in the same tyde Whiche in the temple of Venus dyd abyde After the custome as I can reporte Of Cypriens straungers to disporte And in their most faythful humble wyse After the ryghtes of Cypre the countre Vnto Venus eche day do sacrifice Them to conserue in their virginite Duryng their life to lyue in chastitye Neuer to be ioyned in mariage And w t quene Dydo they went to Cartage In their passage fyll a great myrracle As Seruius maketh mencion For Dydo toke of Juno this oracle Outher by apparyng or by aduision Of Cartage to bylde that myghty toun And at reuerence of that great goddesse She to the parties fast gan her dresse The sayd citye stately for to founde And her werkemen as they the erth sought An oxes head of auenture they founde And to quene Dido anone the head brought Meninge wherof to serche out they thought And her clerkes in their deumayle Tolde it was token of seruage trauayle For which she list not to buylde in that place But remeued as she ought of ryght And fro thence but a litel space A soyle she founde ful dylectable of sight And as her werkmen wyth their full myght The grounde gan serch or they toke hede The story telleth they found an horse head And by expownyng of her deuinours Founde this beast myght greatly auaile Vnto princes and mighty conquerours Necessary in werre and batayle And for no wight her noblesse shoulde assaile Cartage she buylded of so great excellence Againe al enemyes to stand at diffence Some bokes declare and specify Dydo dyd as much land purchace As a skyn in rounde might occupy Of an oxe theron to buyld a place The grounde coÌ„passed toke a large space Whych strongly buylded thus it is befal After the skyn men Byrsa dyd it cal And whan this citie mightily was walled After a skyn wrought by good curray The name toke Carta it was called Lether of Birsa plainly this is no nay Toke eke his name durynge many a day Carta and Birsa knit in their langage As much to say as this word Carthage And in Affryke stant this teritory Where she builded this citye dilectable Founded it in laude and memory Of mighty Juno the goddesse honorable The citye walled w t towers strong stable Time of kyng Dauid amidde the fourth age As I sayd erst called it Cartage With great worshyp she raygned in y â— towne Euer of purpose to liue in chastitie And rounde about floured her renowne Of her prudence and her honestye Tyll the report of her famous beautye Came to the eares which gladly wil not hide Of a kyng that dwelled there beside Of Musytans he was lorde and syre As poetes playnly lyst decryue Whiche in his hart greatly gan desire The quene Dido by her assent to wiue Vnto her grace if he might aryue But for she had auowed chastitie She neuer cast maried to be The kyng supprised w t loue in his courage For her wisdome and her great bountee Sent for the princes of Carthage On this matter to haue a treatee To condiscende if it might be Like his desire in all their best entent Do their deuoyre to make her consent With his request he gan them eke manace If he fayled of his entencion Like his desire to stande in her grace Sayd he would be enemy to their towne To ordayne by force for their destruction Not fully sober nor fully in a rage This was to them playnely his langage But for they knewe her great stedfastnes And her hart very immutable They were aferde any word to expresse Lest their aunswere were not acceptable To his highnes for he was not treatable Eke in their conceyt they gan also recorde To his desyre the quene would not accorde With good aduice an answere they puruey To his purpose in party fauourable Aferde he would their noble towne werrey Or of disdayne vpon them be vengeable But quene Dydo in her entent aye stable Cast she would whatsoeuer they her tolde Her chast auowe faythfully to holde She set aside of this cruell kyng His fell manaces and his words great And to her prynces for their consentyng Which stode in feare of y â— he did them threate She vnto them yaue a maner heate For they were bolde to attempt or attame To treate of matter rebounding to her shame Nay rather dye quod she than assent To his desires whiche thing god forbede Or fro the tenter of my chaste entent For to remeue other in thought or dede Whiche were disclaunder to all womanhead To condiscende for any manacyng To breake a vowe for pleasaunce of a kynge Touchyng manaces made to the citie For to destroy it with his great myght Without cause or title of equitie To ground him a quarell agayne right Onely for he is blynded of his syght With froward lust my chaste auowe to assaile Be ryght well sure how he therof shall fayle If ye were bolde and manly of courage For comon profite your citye to defende And to w tstande his vycious outrage To treate w t him ye would not condiscende But mine entent platly to comprehend Whether it be to you ioye or displeasaunce In my promise shal be no variaunce My lorde Sicheus whiche alas is deade Vnto the worlde who lyst aduert Trust verely for manacyng nor dreade That he shall neuer dye in myne hert Nor he shall neuer myne auowe peruert Thus auysed while that I stande fre Quene of Cartage to gouerne this citye Mine hasty answere I pray you not disdaine But that ye list to yeue me libertye With your support that I may attayne To haue a space graunted vnto me This is to mene the space of monethes thre My lordes will to accomplyshe of entent Whiche whilome made in his testament Vnder couloure to her aduauntage She toke this space bokes specify That she might her citye of Cartage The meane time strongly fortify Agayne her enemies that for no sluggardy Of them that would her high estate confound Vnpurueyed her city not be founde Whan thre monethes passed were and gone She after would for hartly pleasaunce With sundry ryghtes many mo than one To all her goddes do some obseruaunce For a speciall singuler remembraunce Of him that was as ye shall vnderstande Whilom her lorde and best beloued husband And more to exalt her glory and his honour Held his exequtes by due reuerence Of all Cartage in the highest tower With brenning fire fumes and incence Her princes all beyng
melancoly and froward pouertie Ended his life in great aduersitye For of ire and impacience Fynally thus with hym it stode Furiously in his great indigence As writeth Bochas howe he dranke the blode Of a bul sauagine and wode With loue enchaufed made no delaies Most be stially ended thus his dayes ¶ The .xxv. Chapter ¶ Of Balthasar Kynge of Babylone and howe Daniell expowned Mane Techell Phares NExt to Bocas or that he was ware As he sate wrytyng wyth full great laboure Of Babilon cam great Balthasar To declare his sorowe and his langour Whych had misused ful falsly the tresour And the vessels brought from Jerusalem Into Babilone chefe citye of his reme For at a souper with his lordes al Whan of the vessels he dranke mighty wines And solemply sate in his roial stal And rounde aboute al his concubines Phylosophers magiciens and diuynes There came an hand the byble doth assure And on the wall gan wryte this scripture Mane techel phares wrytten in hys sight Though he the mening coÌ„ceiued neuer a dele Which on the wal shewed fayre bryght For whose sentence auailed none appele But the prophet holy Daniel Fully expowned to Balthasar the kynge The mistery of this derke writyng This worde Mane playnly not to tary In latyn tonge betokeneth in sustance The dayes counted rekened the numbrarye Of thy reigning of thy great substance And Techell sowneth a wayenge in balauÌ„ce In token thy power kyngdome by meâ—ure God hath paysed they shal no whyle endure Phares also betokeneth a breakyng In romaine tong in to peces smale For thy power and frowarde rebellynge Shal from the hie be brought in to the vale This is holy writ and no fained tale For whan princes wil not their life redresse God wyl vnwarely their surquedy represse Thou wert by tokens warned longe afore By many examples the story ye maye rede By the fallyng of Nabugodonosore And thou thereof toke ful litel hede The lord to thank haue his name in drede For whych thou shalt within a litel throwe Lose scepter crowne be brought ful lowe Let princes al thys story haue in mynde And for them selfe notably prouyde And namely tho that ben to god vnkynde Their concubynes for to set a syde And make vertue for to be theyr gyde Voyde lechery and false presumpcion Which hath brought so many to distruction Nabugodonosor had repentaunce And was restored to his possessions But god of ryght toke sodaynly vengeaunce On Balthasar for his trausgressions Wherefore ye princes dispose your reasons After your merites to haue god merciable For your demerites do fynde hym veÌ„geable Agaynst holy churche take no quarels But aduertise in your inward syght For Balthasar that dranke of tho vessels Stale fro the temple of very force myght He lost lorshyp and lyfe vpon a night So that the kyngdome of Assirieus Translated was to Medes PercieÌ„s The .xxvi. Chapter ¶ Home Cresus and Balthasar were vanquyshed by Cyrus and the sonne of Cresus slayne at the huntynge of a bore NExt to Ihon Bocas within a throw Wrytyng of princes many a pitous fate He sawe king Cresus with other on the row Lowly besechyng his fallyng to translate And howe fortune agayne hym gan debate And of his mischefe doleful for to rede For to discriue anone he gan procede For as it is remembred in writyng As god and kynde lyst for hym ordayne Of Lide he was gouernour and kynge And lordshyp had the storye can not fayne Of many kingdoms more than one or twain Fame in that tyme so dyd hym magnify That he was called floure of al chiualry And he was also in hys tyme founde The most expert in werre in batayle And of richesse was the most habounde And most excellynge in conquest to preuayle Plenty of people wyth royal apparayle And with al this to his great auauntage Numbre of childre tenblysse hys lynage In the most highest of his royal see And at was well nothyng stode amis Yet to amenuse his felicite A dreme he had and truely that was thys How that his sonne which called was Athis Was take from hym by mortal outrage Slayne sodenlye in his tendre age This woful dreme dyd him great distres And put his hert in great dispayre Standyng in feare great heauines Bycause hys chylde rendre yonge fayre Which that was borne for to be hys heyre Shoulde causelesse in suche myschefe die So as his dreame afore dyd specifye Of this processe to declare more How Cresus dreme fulfylled was in dede From Olimpus there came a wylde bore Most furious and sauagine of drede Wyth fomy tuskes which fast gan him spede Downe discendyng no where lyst abyde Tyl that he came in to the laude of Lyde And gan distroy their frutes their vines Where euer he came in any maner place Brake the nettes the stronge lynes Of the hunters that dyd at hym enchace But vnder supporte of the kynges grace Hys sonne of whom I spake tofore Gate him licence to hunt at this bore Hys father Cresus demynge of this ease There was no cause of drede in no maner Though hys sonne were present at the chase With other hunters suche game for to lere But aye fortune wyth her double there Is redy euer by some fatall trayne At such disportes some mischefe to ordayne For one there was whych had gouernance Vpon this chylde to wayte and to se Chasyng y â— bore to saue hym fro myschauÌ„ce From al domage and aduersite With many lusty folke of that countre With hornes houÌ„des sharpe speres grouÌ„de Sekyng the bore tyl they had hym founde And as they gan fiersly the bore enchace He that was charged to be the chyldes gyde As with his speare he gan the bore manace The head not entred but forth gan to glyde And on the chylde whych that stode besyde The stroke a lyght and or he dyd auerte The speres heade rofe hym through the hert But of this chylde whan y â— deth was couth Tolde and reported holy the manere How he was slayne in hys tendre youth Borne to be heire vnto his father dere Cresus for sorow chaunged loke chere And for constraint of dole in his vysage He resembled a very deade ymage But euery sorowe by long continuaunce At the last it sumwhat must aswage For ther is none so furious greuance Nor so mortal importable rage But long processe yeueth him auantage I meane thus there is none so great a sorow But it mought cese outher eue or morowe Philosophers concluden and discerne And by their reasons recorden by scripture Thyng vyolent may not be eterne Not in one poynt abydeth none auenture Nor a sorowe may not alwaye endure For stouÌ„demele through fortunes variaunce There foloweth ioy after great greuaunce The sorow of Cresus tho it were intollerable And at his hert the greuaunce sate so sore Syth that his dole was irrecuperable And meane was none
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
Lo here the ende of Malleus the tyraunt Whyche doth to prynces full well exemplify To God aboue how it is not pleasaunt Them to delyte in no suche robbery Nor pyl the people by no false tyranny Nor for no tales be hasty of vengeaunce For all suche thing to god is displeasaunce ¶ Lenuoy REade considered this sayd tragedy Sheweth to Prynces a myrroure full notable How they their rygour shall tēper modefy Or they procede for to be vengeable For in a prynce it is right commendable Rancour of hart of chere and of courage For to deferre tyll that their yre asswage Their hasty yre their sodayne melancholy Their colorike fumes y r fury vnrestraynable Their vnqueint fyres w t flame of tyranny Their fretyng etyke of hate incomparable Like beastial Tygres lyke lyons vntretable Ne will not suffer that infernall rage Defer their domes tyll their yre asswage The royall Lyon of morall gentry Among beastes of force incomperable Preueth not his power nor his regaly Gayn beasts prostrate which be not defēsable And mighty prynces should in case semblable For innocentes take mercy in morgage Respityng rygour tyll that yre asswage The sparkle of vēgeaūce is quycked in party By wyndes foure fell and abhominable Blast of detraction and blast of flattery Blast of false rowners y t forge many fable And blast of brybours vycious and culpable w t smoky slaunders and felons false vysage Causeth yre of prīces y t it may neuer asswage For whiche let prynces of noble policy Beware of tonges double and disceyuable Whiche w t their venym infect eche company Their poynaunt poyson is so penetrable To folke absent it is mischeuable So depe freteth their serpentyne langage Causig in princes their yre may not asswage Noble prynces let vertue magnify Your hygh estate to make you merciable For morall Seneke doth clerely specify The trone of prīces by clemēce is made stable Vengeaunce delayed to God is agreable And hasty rygour doth outragious damage Whē hūble requests your yre may not aswage ¶ The .xxi. Chapter ¶ How the substaunce of the host of Hymilcho duke of Cartage goyng to conquere Cecile dyed of pestilence and after he him selfe slayne AFter these myghty prynces twayne Next in order w t pale and deade vysage Tofore Bochas Hymilcho gan cōplayne The vnhappy fall of his fatall passage Whan he was sent by aucthoritie of Cartage To cōquere through his mighty puissaunce The lande of Cycile vnto their obeysaunce They of Cartage had an opinion That it was lefull after their entent Without title of ryght and of reason Their teritories and boundes to augment And for that cause Hymilcho they sente The mighty duke their nobles to aduaunce Whiche of Cartage had hole the gouernaunce And for he must passe by the see Towarde Cicyle this noble worthy knyght With him he had a full great enarmee Chose out of Cartage in stele armed bryght Their fone to cōquere of very force and might But Fortune gan at him so disdayne That to his purpose he neuer myght attaine Grounde and gynnyng of his distruction To be remembred shortly in sentence There fyll of the ayre a great corruption Whiche caused a full great pestilence Among his meyny by vnware violence And sodaine mischefe that is vpon him fall He lost almost his worthy knyghtes all Nye all hys people was slayne in y ◠morayne That but a few be left of hys meyne Infortunate he turned is agayne Home to Cartage and they of the citee All causeles of hasty cruelte Hath slayn thys duke as Bochas doth cōpyle Lo who may trust Fortune any while The .xxii. Chapter ☞ How Heynon duke of Cartage was dismembred AFter whose death a mā there gan succede A mighty duke y ◠called was Haynon Whyche purposed for to chaunge in dede His name of duke by false ambicion And to be called throughout y ◠mighty toun Kyng of Cartage and therupon of pryde To finde out wayes he felly gan prouide He was not cōtent a duke men shold him call But of Cartage for to be named kyng And like as his purpose that it should fall Fro day to day the meanes compassyng How he might fulfyll this vncouth thing For to be crowned and raigne in that londe And at the last this meane way he fonde He had a daughter yonge and tender of age Whiche of the people stode in great fauour And he him cast to yeue her in mariage To a yonge knyght sonne to a Senatour Whiche in the citye was a gouernour And that his purpose myght be attayned Day of the mariage tyme was ordeyned And in his palayce chefe and principall This sayd duke let make his ordinaunce To holde a feast full solemne and royall And with great coste made his purueyaunce Of sundry daintyes whiche y ◠in substaunce Were necessary in all maner thing Vnto the feast of a worthy kyng He gaue in charge vnto his purueiours That all were ready agayne a certayne day And to his feast came all the Senatours Dwellyng in Cartage there durst none saye nay And of his purpose to make no delay Thought his fraude was not apperceyued He cast y t day that some should be deceyued He conueyed in his inwarde entent He to be kyng and raygne in Cartage The Senatours would neuer assent To breake their custome nor their olde vsage He durst therof vtter no langage Kept him secrete without noyse or soun And fully cast him to procede by treason The next way he knew no better rede To his desire than playnely to ordayne That of Cartage the senatours were dede Than were he likely his purpose to attaine For to be crowned lorde and souerayne So to accomplishe his lust in all thing And in Cartage to raygne as lord and kyng For if the senate wer vtterly destroyed He should finde no maner resistence Wherby his purpose should be annoyed None dare say nay to his magnificence For in the porayle there was no defence And at this feast he cast him to procede All his entent to conclude in dede His officers he made to be sworne To helpe destroy falsely by poyson The senatours of whom I spake to forne And that their vitayles dainties in foyson And eke their wines for short conclusion Should with venym be intoxicate Through all the palaice spare none estate These officers had a conscience For to accomplyshe so horrible a thing And secretely vnder great prouidence To the Senate therof they gaue warning And whan they knew this mortall cōpassyng Of Duke Haynon to shew all the affray They put of prudence the weddyng in delay Wherof this duke gan haue suspection And of this matter fill in a maner drede Thought he would by some collusion Againe Cartage more mortally procede And gan call to helpe him at his nede Of Mauritayne a kyng of great renoun With him by force to fall vpon the towne Made him promise to his aduauntage For to make fre distribucion Of
the fayre And therwithall Artaxerses gan abrayde And aunswered with face debonayre My sonne quod he I will not be contrayre To thy desire but of affection Deliuer her to thy possession Of his promise he after gan repent Cast hym to make another cheuisaunce And secretely his concubine he sent Called Arthasia as made is remembraunce And through his sleyghty purueyaunce Vnto the teÌ„ple such meanes he hath sought Of great Appollo y t she in haste was brought Where she was veyled made a presteresse After the rites playnly and the gyse â–ª Of olde panyms by a maner holines And there professed for to do seruice â–ª As their statutes constrayne and deuise During her life it might none other be She bounde was to liue in chastite This thing was wrought by compassyng Of Artaxerses by frowarde ielosy Wherof Dary the yonge lusty kyng Wext almost wode whan he did it espy And gan compasse of melancholy Furious rancour and hasty cruelte Vpon his father auenged for to be And his party of force to sustene With him he had the story maketh minde His brethren in bast an huÌ„dred and fiftene Which to their father were false and vnkind Of all this number were left none be hynde That froÌ„ this purpose ones lyst dissent Hys death of one will they al assent Yet of this straunge false conspyracy Artaxerses had a knowledgyng Although the story dothe not specify How ne by whom he had therof wyttyng For whiche in haste he made no tariyng To gader meyny make him selfe stronge Him self to auenge of this disnatural wrong For Artaxerses lyke as the case tho stode Thought it sate well to his high nobles To be venged vpon vnkynde bloude For lawe nature decrees rightwisenes And all statutes dampne vnkyndnes Wherby this kyng occasion did finde Ayen his children because they were vnkynd Some men deme how great multitude Of many childre maketh a man stronge But therupon plainly to conclude Vertue is cause if she dwell them among But if their corage enclyneth vnto wronge And vycious life do their brydle lede The greater number the worse they do spede A progeny borne of a cursed lyne May through his frowarde false infection Outward of trouth though they shyne Vnder appearaunce and simulation Infect and corrupt all a region For it is sayd of full olde langage Frute of soure trees take a soure tarage This was well shewed in Artaxerses That suffred his brother dye at mischefe Bledyng his wounde left him helpeles Whyche to his name shall euer be reprefe Thus bloude vnkynde hath euer euil prefe For all the children fro his stocke discended Were cursed euerichone as here is remeÌ„bred Their stocke was fyrst contagious of nature The grefes frowarde were great in number Whiche of assent did their busy cure By false treason their father to encomber But there is no shade nor no couert vmber So closely kept namely of false gyle But the venym wyll shew out some whyle And thus the death contagiously conspyred Of Artaxerses sythe ago full yore Wheron to auenge his hart was so fyred Of furious yre and ybrent so sore That he not could defarre it now no more But with his meyny fyll on them anone Or they were ware slew theÌ„ euerychone He slough also all hys concubynes That wer their mothers of whoÌ„ I told toforn Suffred none to liue of their lynes So of y â— lynage he hath the wede vpshorne Founde among all no grayne of good corne Couyâ—t by doome whan they were presented To his death how echone they were assented His clothes sprent with the vnkynd bloude Of his chyldren whiche he dyd shede After whose death in great mischefe he stode And so in sorow his lyfe he did lede Dyed after in mischefe and in drede Death quyt w t death rage with rage Lo here the fyne of his vnweldy age ¶ Lenuoy THis tragedy afore declareth here The great outrage of vnkyndnes Betwene two brethrene raignyng both yfere In Perce lande as ye haue heard expresse Tyll deuision of all mischefe maistresse Gan enter in through fraternall hatrede Whyche agayn kynd destroyed their kinrede The warre arose contagious for to lere Throughe all Perce of mortall frowardnes Of Cyrus death rehearsyng the manere How helpelesse he dyed in distresse And how the nuÌ„ber of brethren did theÌ„ dresse To slea their father the story ye may rede Causyng an ende of all theyr whole kynrede Kyng Artaxerses with a froward chere His iniuries and wronges to redresse Slough hys childreÌ„ their mother eke yfere Spared not one of froward cursednes By whiche occasion toke a great sickenes After dyed in mischefe and in drede Causyng an ende of all his whole kynrede Lo here a sorowe not particulere For through all Perce ran the cursednes The croked fame spred bothe farre and nere Of this vengeable hasty fell woodnes The ayre enfecting w t slaunderous blacknes To shew of vengeaunce the coÌ„trarious mede Of bloud vnkynde borne of one kynrede Noble princes lift vp your eyen clere And consider by great auisenes The wofull stryues the odious fell dauÌ„gere Sowen in kinredes of wilfull straungenes Of all rancoure your courage do redresse Peysyng the mischeues folowyng in dede Of bloude vnkinde borne of one kynrede ☞ The ende of the thirde boke FRuite of writynge set in Cronicles olde Mooste delectable of freshenesse in tastynge And moste goodlye and glorious to beholde In colde and heate lengest abidyng Chaunge of seasons may do it no hyndryng And where so be that men dyne or fast The more men taste the lenger it will last It doth courages renue agayne glade Whiche may be called frute of the tree of lyfe So parmanable that it will neuer fade To the fiue wittes greatest restoratyfe And to their pleasauÌ„ce most chefe confortatife For of nature whan they be quicke goode They of this frute take their naturall foode Auctours hereon concluden and eke assent How that writyng of his kyndly right Dothe loued persons likenesses represent Of frendes absent seuered farre froÌ„ syght Darkenes of absence is clered with the light Thus frute of writyng hath his auauntages Of folkes farre of to present the ymages Lawe had perished nad be writyng Our fayth appalled nere vertue of scripture For all religion and order of good liuyng Taketh their example by doctrine of lecture For writing causeth with helpe of portrature Thinges darked of olde that were begon To be remembred with this celestiall son God set writyng and letters in sentence Agayne the dulnesse of our infirmite This world to enlumyne by craft of eloqueÌ„ce Canon Ciuyle philosophy these thre Confirmed fraunchises of many strong citee CouenauÌ„tes asseled trouthes of olde assured Nad writyng be myght not haue endured Diligence chefe tryumphatryce Of slogardy negligence and slouthe Eke of memory vpholder and nouryce And registrer to supposayle of trouthe Hath of olde labour els were great routhe Brought thinges passed notable in substauÌ„ce Onely by writyng to newe
payne of lyfe That men of custome shoulde him call This worlds monarke not mortal nor passiâ—e Soune to Jupiter for a prerogatyfe Which had th earth as god most of puissaunce Conquered by swerde vnto his obeisaunce By full auyse purposed for the nones Of pompous outrage surquedous entent Full great treasure of gold precious stones Vnto the temple of Jupiter he sent That the bishops and priestes shoulde assent Hym to receyue at his home commyng Lyke as a god and no mortall thyng Thus by extort drede vsurped myght Was fyrst brought in false ydolatry Causyng prynces to receyue agayne ryght Godly reuerence of froward mawmetry But whan Calistenes this errour did espy In Alexander he busily did entende This false opinion to correct and amende Put fyue causes notable to rehearce This Calystenes in especiall Though he was king of Egipt Mede Perce He preued of reason he was a man mortall His byrthe eke earthy and not celestiall Father and mother as of theyr natures Borne for to dye like other creatures His father Philyp of Macedony kyng His mother called Olympyades Worldly folke and heauenly nothyng With kynges quenes vpset by hye encrees Yet agayne death they coulde haue no relees Lawes of nature maugre their wyll to obey Not lyke goddes but onely borne to dey Kynde made them subiect to sundry passions And many vncouthe diuers infirmities Now glad now heauy of condicions Folowyng the forme of their humanities But of their false vsurped deities I can not say saue drede and flattery Wrongly in earth dyd them deify Eke Alexander folowyng euer his lust For all his lordshyp and his great myght He suffred passions of honger and of thurst Now hole now sicke now heauy now lyght Whose enterchauÌ„gyng in euery mans syght Clearely sheweth as clarkes rehearce can He was no god but like a mortall man It fyll ones myne auctor dothe compyle In a great heate longe or he was olde He bathed him selfe in the floude of Nyle Where of fortune he sodaynely toke colde His pores opened on partes manifolde Lay long after his story beareth witnes Or he was cured of that great sickenes But at the last by craft of medicine Deliuered he was of that infirmitie Nothing amended by his power diuine By might of Juno nor Jupiters postye Nor by his owne vsurped deitie For by the passions whiche he did endure It shewed he was a deadly creature Of him also it is made mencion He had a custome to fall in dronkennes Through vynolence lost oft his reason Than of yre and furious hastines He woulde smyte and hurt in his wodenes Whyche tokens were playnly to termyne In his person not heuenly nor deuyne Whan the philosopher called Calystenes Gan fyrst consider all these condicions In Alexander he put him selfe in prees Voyde of dissimulyng and dylacions For to reforme suche false ambicions Of godly honor which men did on theÌ„ fayne And from all vyces his courage to restrayne In this purpose as any center stable He cast him fully of true entencion To correct all that was reprouable Vsed in his person or in his region Trouth gaue him hart lyke a champion To tell the kyng in his estate royall He was no god but a man mortall For whiche the kyng of indignacion Caught a quarell agayne Calystenes Put vpon hym vniustly false treason Onely to slea his master causeles And for to attaynt him afore all the prees Sayd how he had of hys iniquitie Conspyred agayne his royall maiestye And fayned also the selfe same tyme How he had made a conspyration Agayne his lorde by an horrible cryme Interrupting the religion Of his deuyne institution That in such case there was no better read But Calistenes by lawe must be dead And to prolonge of his death the payne Vpon a borde he was layed a longe Hys fete smytte of and hys handes twayne His eyen rent out wer not his paines stroÌ„g â–ª Thus can tyraÌ„tes whan they lyst do wrong Slea philosophers wythout any ruthe Whyche spared not for to say them truthe Thys cruel vengeauÌ„ce myght not suffise But Alexander more to encrease his wo Dyd cut his lyppes in full cruell wise His nose thyrles hys eares eke also And w t the body he bade men should go Tofore hys hoste as it is remembred To shewe the tronke how it was dismeÌ„bred In a caue depe and wonders lowe Solitary darked all the boundes After the paynes he made hym to be throwe The place stuffed w t wode barking houndes Of false entent to rende his bloudy woundes Tyll Lisymachus of great compassion To short his torment gaue hym poyson Who red euer of tormentes more terrible O Alexander thou oughtest be ashamed To slea thy clarke wyth paynes so horrible For thy vyces because he hath the blamed Thy royall name therby is defamed But euer tyrantes whan theÌ„ lyst be woode Of innocentes reioyce to shede the bloude Agaynst his knyght gentle Lisymachus Because he had of hym compassion Kyng Alexander was melancolious Wythout cause title or affection Let shut hym vp wyth a fierce Lyon Voyde of all helpe for to be succoured Of entencion he should be deuoured But Lisymachus quyt him lyke a knyght Agaynst thys Lyon in the same place Ran fiercely on him of hys martiall myght Out of hys head hys tonge he dyd out race Reconciled to the kynges grace Because that he so knyghtly hath him borne Better cherished than euer he was toforne Another knyght that called was Clytus â–ª Famous in armes for his chiualry One the greatest of the kynges house And most commended of prudent policy Most familier as bokes specify About the kyng as it was ofte preued To tempre his courage when he was greued The kyng and he walkyng hande in hande Within the palaice beyng in presence Princes and dukes of many diuers lande Where they began by notable eloquence RemeÌ„ber of armes the famous excellence Of conquerous and other knyghtes olde And euery man about his tale tolde Among whiche Clytus the gentle knyght Gan to coÌ„mende and greatly magnify Philyp of Macedon as him ought of right Bothe of his wisdome of his chiualry Tyll Alexander had therat enuy Gan disdayne of furtous cruelte That any should be coÌ„mended more than he Caught occasion ofyre and false hatrede Agayne his knyght y â— was to him most true With a sharpe swerd vnwarely made hi blede His hart bloude hote and redde of hue By his sides raylyng downe of newe Therby to preue this story tell can He was no god nor reasonable man Thus in prynces furious and cruell Men may clerely an euidence se How that lordshyp is not perpetuell But full of chaunge and mutabilite Of there now frendly now sodayn enmite Record on Clytus most in the kynges grace Vnwarely slayne and did no trespace Was he worthy to be deified This Alysander most double of his corage Or was he worthy to be stellified This furious prince for his fell outrage That slewe his frendes
knyght ▪ That whan Alysander laye diyng certayne And gan to feble of hys force myght Dempt afore that it sat ful well of ryght How thys Perdicas for wisdom manhede In Macedone shoulde after hym succede And vnto hym with loke chere benigne Vpon his heed for sickenesse complaynyng With full whole hert for a notable signe Of succession he gaue to hym a ryng After his day to be crowned kyng Of Macedone sith he most might auayle Through al his empyre to haue y ◠gouernaile And yet sayth Bochas playnly in sentence Though he of knyghthode and hie prowesse Of manly force and also of prudence Passed all other the storye beareth witnesse By vicious pride frowarde boystousnesse He was more hyndred through his outrage Than all his enemyes myght do hī domage For throughe his pride and great extorcions Fro Macedone the people of that countre Fledde into other strange regions And of presumption the story sayth howe he Began a warre agayne kyng Tholome Where he was slayne in all mens syghtes Nat of his enemies but of his own knightes Eke of Anaxarchus of Capadoce kyng Whiche prouince ioyneth vnto Surry Touchyng the boūdes by recorde of writyng Towarde the Orient the lande of Armeny Hauyng two coūtryes Scilice and Isaury Towarde Cypre a great ryuere Rennyng amiddes with stremes freshe and clere This Anaxarchus were he lothe or fayne In dayes fewe hath hys kyngdome lorne For by Perdicas proudly he was slayne Of whom that I haue you tolde beforne Thus worldly prices tho they had it sworne For all theyr lordshyp and domination By fraude of fortune vnwarly be put doune And amonge other prynces of that age Vpon Alysander duly abydyng Bochas reherseth Amylchar of Cartage Duke of that cite by recorde of writyng After the death of that worthy kyng As ye haue herde ymurdred by poyson This sayd Amylchar repeyringe to his toun Was slayne in Cartage shortly to conclude Of cruel malice and conspiracion Within that cite of false ingratitude Whan he of knighthode frāchised had y t towne And nat withstandyng all his hye renoune Whan he stode hyest in hys felicite He by the commons was slayne of that cite The .xiii. Chapter ⧠Howe Eumenydes was twyse outrayed by Antigonus and at the last dyed in pryson WHā Alisader in his roial estate Had all conquered tofore as ye haue herd He like a god most pompous elate As souerayne prince of all myddleerde To take vpon hym was nothyng aferde To clayme in countrees a thynge y ◠was nat fayre Of Jupiter to be both sonne heyre One of the principles who so taketh hede That first brought in false ydolatry Was thylke tyme y t priestes for false drede Hys name with goddes gan to magnify And so to call hym of fayned flattery And mydde their tēples in Liby on a stage Of hys lykenes they set vp an ymage But lytle or nought to hym it myght auayle Agayne his deth for to do succour When the fell poyson hys hert dyd assayle Whiche made him fade as doth a flour Of whose empyre was none enheritour Saue in his deth thus stode the woful case Twene sixe thirty hys land deuyded was And in his story full playnly it is tolde This departicion to make it ferme stable He was laide forth vpon a couche of golde To reherse by tokens full notable Whome he dempt of very sothe most able Of all his princes playnly to discerne When he was deed his kingdom to gouerne First there was one amonge all that prees Next Alysander the knightlyest man The worthy knyght called Eumenides Whose high renoun ful well rehearse can Prudent Justinus the great historian Ordayned afore to gouerne realmes two All Capadoce and Pafflagony also His hie nobles as made is mention In especiall more to magnify Hym lacked nought of commendacion That apparteyned vnto chiualry To hie prudence or noble policy Except thre thinges myn auctor sayth y ◠same A crowne a scepter and a kynges name But for that he all other dyd excell Bothe of prudence and famous chiualry It is remembred as some bokes tell That there were some had therat enuy For when fortune lyst to set vp an hye Any person aloft vpon her whele Some are besyde that like it neuer a dele Who holdeth him euer vpon hie mountaynes Fyndeth great experiece of blastes shours Oft is troubled with storme wind raines So of Alysander the proude successours Whan they sat freshest in theyr flours Winde of enuy fortune helde so the rother That eche was busy to destroy other On hylles hye it is an impossible A man to abyde without winde or reyne A thyng expert and very visible Hye climbyng vp is medled with disdeyne Preace hath enuy as it is oft seyne And through preferryng of fortune ◠estates Is euer cause of great warre and debates This same thinge was well expert preued Among these sayd royall enherytours Of Alysander for eche of them was greued To see hys felow raygne in his flours And thus atwene these myghty successours Of false enuy there gan so great a stryfe That eche made other for to lose hys lyfe And as it is afore made mencion Pollicarpus and Neptolonyus By a maner false conspiracion Agayne Eumenides were onely enuious Of whose falsenesse he was suspicious Tyll on a day there is no more to sayne Metyng in battayle slew them both twayne For which slaughter proude Antigonus Of Macedone prefect and gouernour Wext in his heart so fell and dispitous And was withal a noble warriour With his knightes dyd wholly his labour Agayne Eumenides by marciall apparayle A felde assigned to holde great battayle Made vpon him a great discomfiture As they mette armed bryght in stele And thus Eumenides of mortall auenture Fledde at mischefe into a strong castell Wherof his knightes lyked neuer a dole For as the story playnly maketh mynde That day he fled and left his men behynde In which castell for he stode destitute Fro thencehe cast in all hast to flye In his great mischefe to fynde some refute That time he drew him to a strāge countrye Some succour to get auenged for to be Called Argyre by Grekes of entent The Latyn corrupt of this worde argent Of Argiraspedes a people that there dwell The name they toke after that region The whiche lande as olde bokes tell Hath of syluer plente and foyson For which cause by olde discription It toke the name of nature and of ryght Because the soyle like syluer shyneth bryght And of thys yle which hath so great a pryse As myne authour maketh rehersayle How the people be prouident and wyse Prudent in armes and manly in batayle Bothe to defende and proudlye to assayle Whiche by theyr wisdome good counsayle To kyng Alysander stode in great auayle And Eumenides one of his successours As ye haue herde drewe to that countre There to fynde some refute and succours In his mischefe and great
Romayns Sempronius another Consulere That was felowe to the sayde Scipion Sent â—ke fro Rome w t a full proude chere Gayne Hanyball but in his coÌ„myng doun Tofore Tresbie a large myghty towne Outrayed was by fatal auenture And after neuer his fal myght recure Of two Consulers this was the woful fyne Sempronius and Gneus Scipion Ouer the mountayne called Appenyne Went Hanibal through his great renoun To great domage and great confusion Of his people that passed the mountaines Distroyed w t colde snowe hydeous rayns Lost his knightes hys tresour his goodes There myght as tho be made no defence His gret stedes drowned in the floodes By the waters mighty vyolence Fonde for the time no better resistence Saue he escaped fro that sodayne wracke On an OliphauÌ„te he rydyng on the backe So importable was his greuous payne Onely borne vp of marcial corage Yet there he lost one of his eyen twayne Kept of knighthode one chere one vysage Through Itayle helde alway his passage Slewe a Consull called Flaminius Thus in thre battayls he was victorious But in thys whyle as saythe myne auctoure Quintus Fabius subtyl and disceyuable Whiche was in Rome a famous dictatour And he apperceyued by tokens ful notable No Romayne captaine was in tho dayes able As it was shewed by experience Gayne Hanyball to make resistence Yet in his conceyte he subtillye gan serche To fynde a waye he dyd his busy paine Day by day gan fully theron werche Outher by fraude or some coÌ„passed trayne To lye in wayte and secretely ordayne Embusshmentes to his auauntage Of Hanyball to stop the passage But al his traynes serued him of nought For Hanybal this worthy Affrican In his conquest so proudly hath wrought So lyke a prince and a knightly man For thilke tyme that he werres gan Agayne the Romayns both on see lande That they were feble his power to withstaÌ„d This QuiÌ„tus fabius kept him alway close Lyinge a wayte to fal on Hanihal And of assent eke to his purpose There was one Varo manly wyse wythal And these twayne in especiall Within Poyle a large great countre Fought wyth Hanybal at Cannas the cytie As the story maketh rehersayle The Romayne party of worthy werriours Where forty thousand slayne in battaile Emilius Paulus thurty senatours Twenty in numbre y t had ben Pretours And thre hundred captaynes of estate Slayne by Haniball in that mortal debate And by the slaughter of Emilius The noble consul Romains dispayred And Hanybal that day victorious To his lodgyng is agayne repayred His fone outrayed and mortally appayred Knewe no refute agayne this manly knyght But at mischefe toke them to the flyght The which day yf that Hanyball Had them folowed proudly to the towne By the counsayle of one Marthaball A manly knyght a prince of hye renowne He shoulde haue had full possession That day of Rome lyke to hys entent But I suppose fortune lyst nat assent In thys processe playnlye as I rede This Hanyball wexte proude ryght pompous Of four victories dempt hym selfe in dede Aboue all other to be most glorious Of his corage most inly surquedous But o alas alytle slouth and pryde For lacke of pursute his conquest set asyde Yet in hys conquest of knightes y â— laye dede Of Consulers olde and yonge of age With Senatours the processe who lyst rede Slayne in the felde in that mortall rage Duke Hanyball sent vnto Cartage Of clene golde by recorde of writynges Out of the felde thre bushell full of rynges After four victories here remembred By and by the processe who lyst se In which many worthy were dismembred Bothe of Affrike and Rome the cite Abate gan the great prosperite Of Hanybal by froward auenture Set ones backe fortune is harde to recure After the flours of hys felicite His noblesse drewe to declination To Capne he went a myghty stronge cite There to soiourne as made is mencion All the tyme of wynter colde season Where to his lust and bodily pleasaunce Of all vitayle founde great haboundaunce Whiche made his knightes slowe to y â— werre For wine women and plenty of vitayle Full oft sythe cause men to erre Make them feble their enemyes tassayle Gorges agroteied enbossed their entrayle Disposeth men rather to rest and slepe Then of their enemyes for to take kepe But whan wynter with his frostes colde Was ouergone in thylke region Hanyball gan his purpose holde To laye a siege vnto Rome towne But so great raynes fyll fro heauen downe So great tempest vpon euery syde For the constraynt he myght nat abyde To fortifye the sayde Hanyball Agayne his enemies where he had ado Sent letters vnto Hastruball In right great haste for to come hym to But fortune her whele hath tourned so That Hastruball wer he lothe or fayne By Salmator venquished was and slayne Of whiche mischefe and discomfiture Hanybal gan dull in hys corage Complayned sore of hys misauenture Knewe no refute agayne thys mortall rage Herde eke say that Affrike and Cartage Were of newe to hys confusion Strongly werryed by worthy Scipion. Siphax also of Numedy kyng Which agayne Romayns gan a werre make Maugre his might and all his fell workyng Was by force of Scipion ytake Wherthrough his corage greatly gan aslake And how Cartage chefe of that region Besieged was also by Scipion. Thus Hanyball constrayned was of nede Home to repayre for rescue of Cartage And was also in bokes as I rede The same tyme fall farre in age And at mischefe and great disauauntage Agayne Scipion full lytle might auayle By whom he was discomfited in batayle Cartage constrayned of necessite Them to submit vnto Rome toun And for their more aduersite Gneus Gernilius was fro Rome sent doun Onely of purpose for this conclusion For to procure in especiall Final distruction and death of Hanyball After all his marciall labours His olde felicite wext frowarde vnmete In holow ymages put all hys treasours Toke his passage into the lande of Crete And fortune contrarye and vnswere Made officers kepe hys rychesse In the temple of Diane the goddesse Som what for trust and percell eke for drede To fynde succour he went to the kyng Of Bithinye to helpe hym in hys nede Called Prusias but of hys commyng The sleyghty Romayns had knowledgyng To Bithinye downe theyr letters sent If Hanybal escaped they shoulde repent The letters redde the kyng the same daye Made his people besiege the dongeon Where duke Haniball of trust alone lay All destitute when he knew this treason Tescape hys enemyes draÌ„ke wylfully poysoÌ„ Chase rather so other escape was none Then in the handes to fall of hys fone Tofore his dethe sayde this oryson To all y â— goddes deuoutly downe knelyng That they woulde of this false treason Take vengeaunce of Prusias the kyng Whiche was cause by hys false workyng Of the destruction and dethe finall Of this famous worthy Hanyball ¶ Lenuoye THis tragedy frowarde to wryte
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
herts bote Angust passed againe in to the rote By course of nature y â— vertue doth resorte To reuolucion of kynde I me reporte Who should than debarre me to be double Sith doublenesse longeth to me of right â–ª Nowe lyke soÌ„mer nowe with winter trouble Now blinde of loke derke as y â— cloudy nyght Nowe glad of there of herte mery lyghte They be but foles againe my myght to muse Or me atwite though I my power vse Selde or neuer I byde not in one poynt Men must at lowpes take me as they fynde And whan I stande furthest out of ioynt To set folkes backwarde farr behynde Than worldly men with their eyen blynd Sore complayne vpon my doublenesse Call me than the frowarde false goddesse Thus by your wrytig marueilous laÌ„gage I am disclaundred of mutabilite Wherof by ryght I catche great auauntage Syth doublenesse no sclaunder is to me Whiche is a percel of my liberte To be called by tytle of ryghtwysnesse Of chaunges newe lady and princesse Thus whan fortune had sayd her wyl Parcell declared of her gouernaunce Made a stint and soberly stode styll Jhon Bochas sate herde al her dalyaunce Feareful of chere pale of countenaunce In order enprinted eche thynge y t she sayde Ful demure thus he dyd abrayde He toke vpon him vertue and corage Vpon a poynte for to abyde stable Certes quod he lyke to thy vysage All worldly thiges be double chaungeable Yet for my parte by remembraunce notable I shal perfourme southly if I conne This litel boke that I haue begonne And lest my labour dye not nor appall Of this boke the tytle for to saue Among myne other lytel workes all With letters large aboue vpoÌ„ my graue This bookes name shall in stone be graue Howe I John Bochas in especial Of worldly princes written haue the fall Of whyche emprise the cause to discriue Thys was first grounde I wyl not deny To eschewe slouth and vyces all my lyue And specially the vyce of glottony Which is norice vnto lechery This was chefe cause why I vndertoke The compylacion of this lytle boke Yet by thy talkyng as I vnderstande Eche thing here of nature is chaungeable After thy sentence both on see lande Yet coude I reken thynges that be stable As vertuous lyfe abydyng vnmutable Set hole to godwarde of wyl thought Maugre thy power ne chauÌ„geth nought Thou mayst eke call vnto remembraunce Thinges made stable by grace whiche is deuyne Hast thou not herde y â— perseuerauÌ„ce Of holy martirs whych lyst not to decline Fro Chrystes fayth tyl they dyd fyne Thy whele in them had none interesse To make them vary fro their stablenesse A man that is enarmed in vertue Againe thy myght to make resistence And set his trust by grace in Christ Iesu And hath al hole his hertely aduertence Ou ryght wisnesse force and on prudence With theyr suster called Attemperaunce Hath a sauecondute againe thy variaunce They set no store by thy double whele With supportacion of other ladyes thre Their trust staÌ„d not in plate mayle or stele But in these vertues faythe hope charite Called vertues theologice Watch wyth the fowre afore here specified Thy whele and the haue vtterly defied If I with wynges might flye to heauen There shoulde I se thou hast nothyng adone With Jupiter nor the planetes seuen With Phebus Mars mercury nor the mone But worldly foles erly late and sone Such as be blent or dyrked with lewdnesse By false opinion call the a goddesse Giftes of grace nor giftes of nature Almesse dede done with humilite Loue and coÌ„passion be ferre out of thy cure Semelinesse strength bouÌ„tye or beaute Vertuously vsed in their degre Gaine non of these thy power may not stretch For who is vertuous lytel of thee doth retch Of thy condicions to set another prefe Which foles vse in their aduersite For excusacion as somtyme sayeth a thefe Whan he is hanged it was his destyne Aâ—witeth fortune of his iniquite As she had power domination To rule man by wyl againe reason For whych quod Jhon Bochas in party desolate To determin such heauenly hid fecrees To tho that be deuines of estate I remit such vncouth priuitees And w t Poetes that be of lowe degrees I esche we to climbe to hye a loft Lest for presumpcion I shuld not fal soft But if I had hyd in my corage Such misteries of diuine prouidence Without enuy I would in plaine langage Vttre them by writinge with huble reuerâ—ce Predestynacion nouther prescience Not appertaine fortune vnto the And for my part I wyl excuse me And procede lyke as I vndertoke After that I tolde my matere Of fal of princes for to wryte a boke But yet afore if thou wouldest here I desire of hole herte and entere To haue a copie of princes names al Which fro thy whele thou hast made to fal Thy secre bosome is ful of stories Of suÌ„dry princes how they their life haue lad Of their triumphes and victories Which olde Poetes and Philosophers sad In meter and prose compiled haue an rad Song their laudes their fautes eke reserued By remembraunce as they haue deserued Of which I haue put some in memory Theron set my study and laboure So as I coude to their encrease of glory Though of laÌ„gage I had but smal fauour Cause Caliope did me no socour For which thou hast duringe al this while Rebuked me of my rude style Men would accouÌ„pt it were a great dulnesse But if language conueied be by prudence Out declared by sobre auysenesse Vnder support fauoured by defence Of Tullius chefe prince of eloquence Should more profite shortly to conclude Than my style spoke in termes rude Yet ofte tyme it hath be felte and seyne Vnder huskes growyng on land erable Hath be founde and tried out good greine Vnder rude leaues shakynge vnstable Pulled fayre frute holesome delytable And semblably where rethorike hath failed In bluÌ„te termes good couÌ„saile hath auayled Phylosophers of the golden ages And Poetes that founde out freshe ditees As king Amphion w t his faire langages And w t his harpig made folke of low degrees And laborers tenhabyte firste cytees And so by musyke and Phylosophy Gan firste of commons noble policy The chefe of musike is melody accorde Well of Philosophy sprang out of prudence By whych two meanes gan vnitye acorde With politike vertue to haue their asistence Wisemen to reigne subiectes do reuerence And by this grounde in stories men may se Were bylte the walles of Thebes the citie Accorde in musyke causeth the melody Where is discorde there is diuersite And where is peace is prudent policy In eche kingdome and euery great countre Strife first induced by thy duplicite For which y u maist as clerkes thee discryues Be called lady of contekes and of striues Fyrst were founde out hateful deuysions By thy contriued false mutabilitees Slaughter debate frowarde
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
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
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
Venandre and of three other kinges and howe they were distroied AFter all these straunge vncouthe thynges Tofore Jhon Bochas as made is mencion There came foure myghtye kynges For to complayne their desolacion Fyrst Gisiuill kyng of the region Called Venandre in werres ful contraire Vnto a prince called Belisaire And to this saide noble Belisaire Full renomed that tyme in chiualry The kyng of Gothes was also aduersayre And both atones of hatred and enuy Assented fully to holde champerty Gayne Belisaire which throughe his hie renoun Toke theÌ„ both cast theÌ„ in prison There is no more of theÌ„ in Bochas founde But after them in order by writyng Came Amarales wyth many blody wound Which in his tyme was of Mawres kynge Without cause or title of any thynge Vpon Jane Sanguin gan werray agayne right Which through Affrik was one y â— best knight The sayde Jane armed in plate and mayle Met Amarales in Affrike on a sande And helde with him a mighty strong bataile And lyke a knight slewe hym wyth his hand Droue al his people proudly frâ— that lande And in my boke there is none other mynde To be remembred oâ— him that I can fynde Than Synduall of Bretaine lorde kyng Tofore Bochas put him selfe in prees Gan shewe his mischefe pitiously wepyng Whan he helde werre wylfull recheles Agayne a prince called Narsates A Romayne knight feirse hardy stronge In his defence whaÌ„ men wold do hun wroÌ„g This Narsates of case or auenture Though he in dede was a manly knyght He fayled membres in sothe of engendrure His aduersaries echon he put to flight Toke their king forthwith anone ryght As the cronicle playnly doth recorde Hye on a galowes he hinge him with a corde Of Narsates after this victory Kyng Totila had full great disdaine With a great host most poÌ„pous in his glory Came vpon him and met hym in a playne With multitude though he were ouerlayne Turnyng Totila which many man behelde Of Narsates was slayne in the felde In order next Bochas doth write Of Gepidoys howe king Trusmonde Required him that he woulde endite The gret aduersites in which he dyd habouÌ„d And of his doughter called Rosamounde The vnhappy chaunce to make discryue To whom fortune was contrary al her lyue Albuinus king of Lombardy Which many a laude helde in subiection Conquered Beme Prage and Hungery The land of Gepedois with manye a region Fought with their king as made is mencion Slewe in battaile the said Trusmonde Wedded after his doughter Rosamonde Myne auctour gretly comendeth her beaute And wryteth also she was but young of age Whose story first whan I dyd se Howe vngracious also was her mariage I gan were pale and dead in my visage Greatly astoined confuse of very shame To write the story in hindring of her name I wyll forbeare and lightly passe here The surplusage lightlye ouerpasse For by and by to tel all the manere Of felonies that dyd in hertes brace It shoulde blot this boke and eke deface For which I cast truely and not fayle Touching her story to make rehersaile The .xxvii. Chapter ☞ Howe Albuinus was murdred by hys wife and howe she moste vycious was after murdred also KInge Albuinus as ye shall vnderstande After many a conquest and victorye Whyche he hadde bothe on see and lande To put his triumphes in memory Let crye a feast to his encrese of glory At whiche feest solempne and principall So as he sate in his estate royall Parcell for pride parcel for gladnesse The quene present the sayd Rosamonde Take supprised he was wyth dronkenes Of stronge wynes whych y t day did haboâ—d Sent a Goblet of golde as it is founde Vnto the quene with licour full pleasaunt Bad to her father she shoulde drinke a taunt She dempt it was a maner mokery First her name and worshyp to confounde To byd her drinke ataunt for her party To her father this sayd Trusmounde Slaine afore wyth many blody wounde By Albuinus through his vnhappy chaunce Of whych rebuke she cast to do vengeaunce She bare the rancour ful long in her entent Whiche day by day gan renewe encrease A certayne squier she made of her assent It to accomply she she woulde neuer cease And on another squier she gan preace Called Perdius accorded all in one This false murdre to execute anone The daye was set whyle he lay a slepe Fyll vpon him w t sharpe swordes grounde Her lorde was slayne alas he toke no kepe Or he died of fortune he hath founde A speares head to a tronchon bounde Him selfe defending in that mortall strife But slaine he was by treason of his wife After this murdre to escape fro daunger This Rosamonde fled awaye by night With her went Melchis her squier Toke a shyp sayled by sterre light To Rauenne they toke the waye ryghte Led with them for refute and socour Of Albuinus al the hole treasour After she was wedded to Melchise Man of this worlde stode most in her grace Her loue appalled set of him no prise For she not coude be content in one place Her ioye was euer newe thing to purchace To assaye many neuer pleased with one Tyll by experience she preued had echone Prouost of Rauenne and chefe gouernour For the excellence of her great beaute Aboue al women loued her peramour Whan she entred fyrst that cite And through her fraude and duplicite She cast to murdre in her frowarde auyce Her newe husband that called was Melchis The hote sommer in lusty freshe May The same Melchis for hete and werines Him selfe to bathe went a certayne day Caught a great thurst of very fayntnes And Rosamonde of infernall falsnes Toke a goblet with licour great foâ—son Gaue him to drinke wine medled with poisoÌ„ He dranke vp halfe and therwithal he gan Brest and belly to swell and to aryse Intoxicate wext deadely pale and wan And whan he dyd her treason aduertise He made her drinke in the same wise Maugre her wyll she might it not restrayne Guerdon for murder they died bothe twayne In this chapter but litle fruite I fynde Saue onely thys to put in remembraunce That folke shoulde call agayne to mynde Murdre afore god requyreth aye veÌ„geaunce This funeral story wayed in balaunce Wrought by Melchis compassed and founde By false treason of cursed Rosamounde Slewe first her lorde Albuinus as I sayde Two of her squiers dyd execucion Out of his slepe whan he dyd abrayde Let counterpayse what was her guerdon Ech murdred other by drinking of poison Melchis drank first next draÌ„k RosamouÌ„de At them it gan to theÌ„ it dyd rebounde Counterpaysed one murder for an other Albuinus slayne by Rosamounde hys wyfe By assent of Melchis after eche to other The poison parted there gan a fatall strife Murder for murder they both lost their life Who vseth falsnes ful wel affirme I dare Shal with falsnes be quit or he be
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
Gaulter by vnware violence Came fro Naples downe in to Florence The Florentines helde fyrst a parliament For the saluacion and garde of their cyte By great prudence and great auisement Of suche as were highest of degre By one assent they gaue the soueraynte Them to gouerne hopyng to theyr increace With statutes made both for werre peace The greatest states rulers of the toun Called Magnates tho daies in sothnes To Gaulter gaue this dominacion Of entent the commons to oppres And marchauntes to spoile theyr of ryches Streyne men of craft by froward violence Again theyr lybertees vsed in Florence The people alway in awayte lying To be restored vnto theyr lyberte Gan grutche sore among themselfe plaining For great extorcion done to their cyte The greatest also of most auctorite Had leuer to suffre Gaulter reigne Than their actions to modify or restraine The said Gaulter in full subtil wyse By a false maner of symulacion Enemye in herte vnto their fraunchyse All that he wrought for short conclusion Was done onely to theyr distruction With a pretence fayned of frendlyhede To his promise contrary aye was the dede Clambe vp by proces to full hie estate By fayned speche and subtil flattery In his herte wext pompous and elate His working outwarde no man coude espy Lyte and littel drough to his party That to conclude shortly for to sey All Florence his lustes dyd obey Gan subtelly please the commonte For to accomplysh falsly his desyers Made promise to encreace their liberte To suche as were frowarde of maners Made an othe to distroy their officers But they wolde of their fre volunte Graunt vnto him larger lyberte Gretter power and dominacion To encreace his might on euery syde Gan manace the grettest of the toun And day by daye encreace in his pride Felly he gan felly he dyd abyde Therupon kept close in their entrayle The Florentines greatly gan meruayle In this while there was one Reymere Of great auctorite and of great reuerence A mighty sergeant and a great officere To whose bidding obeyed all Florence Which with Gaulter accorded in sentence With soudiours had stuffed eche hostry For to sustene of Gaulter the party And traytourly for to fortifye The entent of Gaulter fell and ambycious To haue the state onely by tyrannye As their chefe lorde froward surquedous To reigne in Florence the case peryllous Whan two tyrauntes bothe of one assent With multytude to accomplishe their entent Which thinge considred by theyr gouernours And Magnates called in the cyte Whan they found among them no socours To remedy their great aduersite Fyll to accord of necessite Gaue their assent without variaunce That Gaulter should haue al y â— gouernauÌ„ce And condiscended they were to this issue That Gaulter should in all his best wyse Vpon the body be sworne of Christ Jhesu Them to restore vnto their fraunchyse Vsed of olde and for no couetyse From their promise for lyfe ne deth decline As the conuencion lyst to termine Herupon was blowe a trompet For to assemble the states of the toun A parlyament was holden Gaulter first set Holy to pronounce the conuencion With euery percell entytled by reason Like their accorde declaring anonright Stode vp a vocate in the peoples sight With men of Armes in stele armed bright Vnto their palayes chefe and principall The said Gaulter conueyed anonright Set in a seate moste stately and royal And the people with voice memorial Gan crye loude concluding in sentence Gaulter for euer chefe lorde of Florence Who to perseuer during all his lyfe Toke in the palayes full possession There durst none agayne it make strife Graunted to him the dominaâ—â—â— Of all the castels aboute enuyron Tuscan Areth and castell Florentine With all lordshippes to mount Appenyne As ye haue herde Gaulter thus began By his owne furious diuinayle Sayd he was borne to be lorde of Tuskan And a great party also of Itayle Tolde he was lad conuayed by a quaile Said euermore were it right or wronge That was the sentence of the birdes songe The same birde brought him first to Florence All the way afore him toke his flight With sote synging dyd him reuerence Hye in the ayre of corage glad and light wolde neuer parte out of his sight Gaue him tokens to set his herte afyre That of Florence he shulde be lorde syre The same birde he bare in his diuyses Full rychely enbrauded with pyrre Toke vpon him many great emprises As chefe lorde of Florence the cite Sate in iugement gouerned the countre Drewe to him flaterers folke y â— coude lye Baudes ribaudes where he might theÌ„ spy Of that cyte toke meruaylous truages Croched to him richesse of the toun Of lechery vsed great outrages Of maydens wyues made none excepcion Voyde of mercy grace and remissyon Founde quarell for to be vengeable That to reherce it is abhomynable Where he hated mercylesse he slee the Brake fraunchyses and olde lybertees The people plained desyred sore his dethe Cried vengeaunce about their citees For tyranny done in their countrees Which was cause of great discencion And of their citee almost subuercion Thus they were among theÌ„ selfe deuided For theyr greuous sodaine oppression Lacke of foresight y â— they were nat prouided To se mischeues that should fal in the toun This is very sothe where is diuysion By wytnes and recorde of Scripture May no kingdom nor cite longe endure For which they gan complaine one and all Bothe of the greate and comonte And of accord amonge them selfe they fal To refourme the hurte of their cyte And fynally they condiscended be By a maner fell coniuracion To procede to his distruction Vpon a day they armed in stele bright Magnates first with commons of the town All to assent rose vp anone right Gan to make an hidous sowne Let slee this tyraunt let vs pull him downe Layde a siege by mighty violence Aforne his palays where he lay in Florence Suche as were enclyned to Gaulter Amyd the palais the story doth vs lerne To eschue the siege with full heuy chere Ordained them selfe to flye away full yerne Out of the towne by a smal posterne Whan Florentines dyd their labour To vndermyne round about the tour Of which thing whan Gaulter toke hede This message sent vnto the toun Nat of trouth but fayningly for drede Made promyse by false collusion For to make full restitucion Of their fredoms as they lyst deuyse Sent them out Guyllamine Dassyse Which to the cite was proued vtter foe Had aforne done them great domage With Guyllamyne he sent to them also His sonne and he yre to stint al their rage Worse than his father of wyll and of corage Bothe at ones were hanged anon right Tofore the palays in Gaulters sight Another also that called was Henry Which had afore yeere instruction Vnto Gaulter and was eke enemy To stire him agayne that noble toun Gynner and grounde of their diuysion Which