neither any other march andise could be brought either from the kingdome of Naples from Corsica or the riuer of Genua vnto the cittie Against him Pope Alexander sent the great Consaluo who tooke the rocke and brought Menaldo bound to Rome vpon a leane Iade in maner of triumph And it is reported that he went with so confident a countenance that he inforced terror in all those that beheld him Consaluo for that he was a Spaniard got him his pardon and wrought the Pope to be very bountifull vnto him A true and famous History of Partaritus king of Lombardie who being pursued by Grimaldo fled first of all to Cucano king of the Auarior Huns and then into France and finallie after manie trauailes was restored to his kingdom with much maiestie wherein the worthy memorie of two faithfull seruants is happilie registred PArtaritus was the sonne of Albert kinge of Lombardie who after the death of his father raigned himselfe in Millan and Gundibert his brother in Pauia Betwixt these twoe there grewe a mortall discention for which cause Gundibert sent Caribald Duke of Turinge to Grimoald duke of Beniuent a most worthy and valiant Capteine requesting his assistance in armes against his Brother and promising him in rewarde thereof to bestowe his sister vpon him in mariage But Garibald vsed Treason against his Lord animating Grimoald to the enterprise not as an a better but a conqueror For said he you may easily occupie the kingdome by reason of the twoe brethren whoe through their dissentions haue almoste ruinated the same Grimoald asserteined her of made his sonne Duke of Beneuent and leuieng a mightie power set onwards on his way to Pauia and through euerie Cittie that he passed he drewe friends vnto him and won the better sort with benefites to the end they should assist him toward the attainment of the kingdome and comming to parlie with Gundibert who little suspecting the trecheries which Garibald had complotted came slenderlie and courtlie accompanied to intertain him he on sudden slue him and occupied the kingdome Partaritus assertained hereof abandoned Rhodeline his wife and his iit tle sonn and fled to Cucano king of the Auarior Huns Grimoald confirmed in the kingdome of Pauia vnderstanding that Partharithus was entertained by Cucano sent ambassadors vnto him threatning him that if he retained Partharithus his enimie in his kingdome he shoulde be assured to purchase of him a mightie enimie and more to occasion a present and dangerous warre The king of the Hunns assertained héereof called Partarithus vnto him and said thus I pray thée gentle friende depart into some other place for if thou be héere resident my good will towards thee will occasion great warres againste my selfe Partharitus vnderstanding the kings mind returning into Italie went and sought out Grimoald reposing his life vpon the good dispositions of his enimie And drawing neere the Cittie of Lodi he sent before him one of his faithfull seruants called Vnulfe who might make manifest to Grimoald both how much he trusted him and what he required at his hands Vnulfe presenting himselfe before the kinges Maiestie told him that Partaritus his maister had recourse vnto his clemencie and sought succour in his court Grimoald admiring his confidence faithfullie promised him that he might repaire vnto him vppon the faith of a prince assuring him that before he should be harmed he would hazard his owne hart A little while after when Partharitus presented himselfe before Grimoald and humblie knéeling on his knées be sought his fauour the king pitiouslie and gratiouslie entertained and kissed him whome in humble manner Partharitus saluted thus mightie Soueraigne I am thy seruant who knowing that thou art a Christian doubt not of thy compassion I might as thou knowest O king haue liued among Pagans but what life were that and howe base confidence were I in rather to trust the faithlesse then humble my selfe to the faithfull I beseech thée of mercie and kissing thy feete craue maintenance The king according to his maner swering a solemne oath promised him saieng By him that begat me since thou hast recourse vnto my faith I will neuer forsake thée but I will take order for thee in suche manner that thou maiest both honestlie and honorablie liue in this countrey Wherevpon he commanded him to be worthilie lodged giuing charge that he should be furnished of all necessaries whatsoeuer vpon his treasurie It chanced that Partaritus departing from the king and repairing to his lodging was suddenlie encountered with a whole troope of Cittizens of Pauia who came to sée him and salute him as their sorestemed friend But sée what great mischiefe procéedeth from an euill and detracting toong For some malignant flatterers beholding the same sought out the king and gaue him to vnderstande that if he made not Partaritus suddenlie out of the waie himselfe without all doubt should lose both his kingdome and life swearing to him that all the cittie was alreadie addicted to take his part Grimoald considering these thoughts and by his ouermuch credulitie suspecting more then he néeded suddenlie resolued on the death of miserable Partharitus and calling his councell vnto him ceased not to contriue the meanes howe the innocent might be made awaie They séeing that daie far spent resolued the déed shoulde be doone the next morrowe animating the king by good words who otherwise through feare was almost out of his wits notwithstanding thorow their perswasions gathering to himselfe more confidence the better to coulour his intention hee sent vnto him that night manie excellent dishes and strong wines purposing if it were possible to make him drunke assuring himselfe that by the meanes thereof he for that night shoulde haue more care of his sléepe than regard of his safetie But see how God helpeth the innocent for a certein gentleman who before time had béene a seruitour in Partharithus fathers court presenting him with a messe of meate from the king and leaning downward as if intending reuerence to his Maiestie tolde him secretlie howe the kinge the next daie had resolued to put him to death For which cause Partaritus suddenlie called his squire willing him for that night to giue him no other drink but a little water in a siluer cup knowing this that if those who presented him in the kings behalfe would request him to carouse to his health he might easilie doe without intoxicating his braines drinking onelie water Those that serued him at the table seeing Partaritus take his liquor so liuelie certified the king thereof who with much ioyfulnesse said let the drunkerd drinke his fill for this night but to morrowe yer euer he suspect the banquet I meane to feast him with his owne bloud This saide he caused his guard to be set the house fearing and suspecting least Partaritus should escape him in any sort The supper being ended and euerie one hauing taken his leaue Partharitus thus left alone with Vnulfe his trustie seruant and the Page who ordinarilie attended on
speeche pleased them all so that taking with them the horsie as Libussa had instructed them they let him freelie goe and followed him But scarselie had they trauelled ten miles when as the horse staied at a riuer called Bieli and arrested himselfe before a countrey fellow called Primislaus shewing manie signes of humanitie and obseruance toward him The Bohemians as well the nobles as commons behoulding this ran with all hast vnto him and after their salutations said thus vnto him Mount vppon this horsse and goe with vs Libussa hath chosen thée for his husband and the Bohemians admit thee for their prince Primislaus although he were a poore countrey clowne not incapeable of the generall desire of rule which attainteth all men gaue vnto them a homelie salutation after his manner and tolde them that he was addressed to doo whatsoeuer pleased them and vnder standing that he was to goe to Libussa as if hee had a longe voiage to make he fastened his bottle to his saddle bow and grasping his bread and chéese in his hand he rode on féeding like a rusticke king which was a verie sufficient euidence of that which Libussa before time had declared and told vnto them As soone as his guttes were full and his bottle emptied he mended his pace and they conducted him with great pomp and honnour into the cittie where he tooke Libussa to wife and during all his life time was wholie ruled and gouerned by hir counsels and perswasions But after she had submitted hir selfe to the destinies the gouernment remained wholie in Primislaus hands and the authoritie of Ladies ceased which euen vnto that hower was both maintained and augmented by Libussa After this Valasca which whilst Libussa liued was hir secretarie being a Ladie of great valour and no lesse resolution then an Amazon not induring or abiding that the authoritie of women should be thus annihilated assembling one daie in a priuie place all those that were of her faction she said thus vnto them My sisters we haue lost our good Ladie who alwaies defended vs from the outrages of men neither could she euer endure that we should be ouer borne by them so that she her selfe hâ—…ld the Emperie and we wish hir were in respect held and accounted for Queenes You see now how inforced we indure a hard and miserable seruitude liuing vnder the gouernment of our husbands after the maner of slaues except of our selues we shall gather head and courage to recouer our former liberties Wherefore if your thoughtes be as mine is let vs ioine like heroick Ladies and we will easily recouer our estates I as you know was secretarie vnto Libussa of whom I learned that which she knew I am skilfull in inchantments and the nature of hearbes is not vnknowne vntome if therfore you haue any meaning or will to followe me assure your selues that you shall be once againe lords ouer men Upon these words the whole assemblie of women condiscended to Valascas words and mutuallie conspired against men During this time Primislaus dreamed one night that a virgine gaue him bloud to drinke for which cause he being a notable soothsaier and willing to preuent a mischiefe which as he imagined might verie easilie be impugned hee conuocated all the chiefe nobles of his Prouince vnder intention to prohibit the ouer-great licence and libertie which women had in the common weale namelie the women were accustomed to ride and run the race on horssebacke to tournay shoote and followe the chace and brieflie to exercise themselues in all warlike discipline which as he thought were matters manageable by men and vnfit tasks for women But the Barons scoffed at him when he told them ther of and said that they rather deserued loue and reuerence for their agilitie and hardines then reproofe and dishonor Valasca meane while desisied not neither daie nor night to exhort hir confederates and often with drinks inchatments turned away their affections from the loue of men and daie by daie drewe more and more into this her League of conspiracie Finallie when she perceiued that she hadde gathered a sufficient power both of married wiues maids in one night she caused euerie one of hir faction to kill their fathers husbands brethren and sonnes in their beddes and afterwards taking armes with great expedition they all of them marched togither to a place appointed them by Velasca not farre distant from Prage and subduing some that had them in chace they made a roade to Vissigrade whereas Primislaus aboad intending there to surprise him but séeing they could not take the fortresse they retired themselues into a mountaine a place naturallie impregnable and there building a castle they called it Deiuizo that is the place of virgines bicause that in their toonge a virgine is called Deiuize This action of theirs seemed abhominable to all the inhabitants of the countrey as wel in respect of the great slaugh ter they had made as also because they had a great suspition of further mischéefe for which cause they generallie gaue Primislaus to vnderstand that they were addrest to bidde these new Amazons battell and that if it pleased him to marche forward with his hoast they also were in a readinesse to follow him The K. certified them that at that present he could not come by reason that the Gods had admonished him that all those who were addicted to indemnifie the virgines were to die certifieng them that it was behouefull to go another time But they who set light by his counsell leuieng by them selues a great armie marched toward Deiuizo and striking battell with Valasco were ignominiouslie ouerthrowne and put to flight with the slaughter of the greater part of the armie and whereas in this seruice Malada Nodea Suaâ—…acia Vorasta Ragda Zastana and Tristana had behaued themselues valiantlie in rewarde of their seruice they had coâ—…ars and chaines of golde giuen them and amidst that vnmeasureable pray which they had euerie one was rewarded acording to their desart Valasca slue with hir owne hand seuen of hir enimies and after that time was held and estéemed for a goddesse so that neuer aâ—…ter that time the Bohemians had the courage to troble or molest them But they euerie daie ranged about the confines spoiling robbing and burning and daie by day inforced greater dread and feare in the harts of their enimies and being now Ladies and soueraignes of the better part of Bohemia they were constrained to haue the companie of men by reason that other wise by course of time and warres they were likelie to be reduced and brought to nothing for which cause marrieng themselues they made a lawe that those maidens who were borne by them should with all dilligence bee tenderlie and carefullie brought vppe as for the males they commanded that their right eies should be pulled out and their middle fingers cut off to the ende that hauing attained Mans estate they should be disabled to shoote in the bowe or to handle warlike weapons
repaired to Salona in Dalmatia where he was borne But two yeares after that he had refused the Romain empire an honourable embassage was sent by the Senate vnto him praieng him earnestlie that he would haue pitie on the commons and content himselfe to returne to Rome It chanced that at such time as the said Embassadors came into his poore and homelie cottage hee himselfe was in a little garden he had setting of Lettises and diuers other hearbes and assoone as he had heard the discourse of that they were to deliuer him he returned them this answer Séemeth it a requisite matter vnto you my freendes that he who hath planted cut and watered lettice as these be should leaue them to seeke royalties and not to eate them in repose and quiet in his owne house yes my friends it is better eating these in quiet then gouerning of Rome with care Moreouer he said vnto them Now haue I proued howe much it auaileth to commande and howe healthfull it is to plough and dig Leaue me therfore I pray you in my house for why I rather desire to get my liuing in this village with my handes than to haue the charge of the Romaine empire accompanied with hate Porides the Athenian hauing in great iustice gouerned his common weale for the space of sixe and thirtie yeares at laste growing olde and fatiate of publike affaires departing Athens he went vnto a certein Lordship of his left him by his auncestors in a certeine village without the cittie in which plieng his booke by night and labouring his fields by day he liued fiftéene years more Aboue the doores of his house these words were written In veni portum spes fortuna valete Nil mihi vobiscum est ludite nunc alios Scipio the Affrican was one of the best beloued and honored captaines that euer Rome had for in the space of sixe and twentie yeares wherein he continued warre in Spaine in Affrica and Asia he neuer committed anye dishonost action neither lost any battell he neuer denied any man Iustice neither was there euer one obscure or base thought knowne in him he subingated Africa ruinated Carthage ouercame Hannibal destroied Nununtia and also restored Rome which after the battell of Cannas was almost forsaken and abandoned This man in the two and fiftie yeare of his age departed Rome and retired himselfe vnto a little farme of his which was betwixt Pozzuolo and Capua in which as Seneca witnesseth he had no other reuenewes but certeine fields wherein he liued a house wherein he ledged a barne wherein he bathed and one of his Nephues who serued him And with so great affection retired hee himselfe to the farme house that for eleuen yeares space which he liues he went not once to Capua or set foot towardes Rome All these excellent men of whom we haue spoken with manie infinite others also left their kingdomes Consulships gouernments citties pallaces fauourites cares and ritches for no other intent but a quiet life intending after worldlie affaires to reconcile themselues to a more straight order hauing respect to that which insueth after death A most subtill dispute made in Antioch in the presence of king Ptolomey by seuen seuerall Ambassadors which of their Common-weales had the best lawes and most notable Customes PLutarch writeth in his booke De exilio that king Ptolomey being in Antiochus there were vpon an appointed day at dinner with him manie embassadors from the Romaines Carthagenians Scicilians Rhodians Athenians Lacedemonians and Scicilians whoe falling into disputation amongst themselues euerie one began to praise and extoll their countries Lawes and customes as the best and moste exquisite The dispute was handled with great feruencie betwéene them and with manie reasons each one endeuoured himselfe to dignifie his state for which cause Ptolomey destrous to know the truth and to bring all contentions and discords to an exigent commanded them that euerie one should write or speake their customes or perfect Lawes which they had in their common weales for by that means it might be easilie iudged which prouince best deserued the Palme of iustice The Embassadors of Rome began and said We hold our Temples in wonderous great honor and reuerence we yeeld great obseruance to our gouernors and rulers we gréeuouslie punish the wicked offenders and malefactors The Embassadors of Carthage saied in the Common-weale of Carthage the nobles cease not to fight the commons and mechanicall persons to labour the Philosofers and learned to instruct They of Scicilie said In our lande we obserue intire iustice we traffique with vpright conscience and generallie imbrace equalitie They of Rhodes said In our common weale the olde people are honest the yonger sorte shamefast the Ladies and women solitarie and silent The Athenian Embassadors said In our common weal the rich are not permitted nor allowed to be partiall the poore to be idle neither those that gouerne are suffered to be ignorant The Lacedemonians said in our State enuie raigneth not because all are egall nor auarice because our goodes are in common nor any suffred to be idle but euerie one doth labour The Scicionians saied In our common weale we permit nor maintaine any trauailer least returning home againe he shoulde bring vs matters of noueltie neither admit we Physitians who spoile and kill the whole nor Orators who maintaine publike contentions Assoone as Ptolomey had heard all the seuen Ambassadors he praised all their common weales saieng that they were iustlie and worthilie gouerned commendinge their customes and holding their lawes praise worthie where vpon with great honors euerie one returned to his lodging glorifieng and reioycing in their credit and satisfied in his iustice Strange Lawes of Tirzus the Tyrant where-through he withstood Conspiracies TRizus the Tyrant indeuouring to preuent the coniurations and tresons which might be imagined and wrought against him by his cittizens forbad them by an especiall and prescript law to surcease their priuate and publike conferences tyranizing aswell ouer their toongs as their tresure But his cittizens enuieng and hating this his commandements kept their consultations by becks gestures and eager countenances when they were agréeued and smiling and pleasant lookes when they were contented if dangers threatned them they frowned if Fortune fawned they were not froward by this meanes expressing and shewing the affections of their minds and de luding the pollicie of the tyrant Tirzus séeing and beholding this varietie in the faces of his cittizens began to feare and for that cause forbad them such like significatiue and mute consult whervpon one of his cittizens amongst the rest repining at his tyrannie inuented a new meanes and entering the pallace with other friends wept and cried out verie bitterlie The Tyrant vnderstanding héereof hasted him with some of his guard to depriue the eies of their naturall libertie in like manner as he had reduced the toong and gestures into seruitude but the people amazedlie hating his insolence drew the weapons out of the hands of his guard and murthered both him and all his followres FINIS
THE Life and Death of william Long beard the most famous and witty English Traitor borne in the Citty of London Accompanied with manye other most pleasant and prettie histories By T. L. of Lincolns Inne Gent. Printed at London by Rychard Yardley and Peter Short dwelling on Breadstreat hill at the Signe of the Starre 1593. ¶ THE LIFE AND death of William Long beard Howe Willyam Long beard betraied his elder brother vnto his death of his falling in acquaintance with the Abbot of Cadonence in Normandy and how cunningly and coulourably they got authority from the Kinge to accomplish their ambitious pretences WHilst all the world was in vprore and schismes raigned in the Church when God by prodigious signes threatened pestilent plagues at suche time as two sunnes appéered in our Horizon in England and three Moones were discouered in the West in Italie William with the longe beard was borne in the famous Cittie of London of greater minde then of high parentage a graft of mightie hope at the first though as it afterwards proued his parents spent too much hope on so little vertue This frée Cittizen borne tenderlie fostered in his infancie was afterwards trained vp in good letters wherin he profited so suddenlie that most men wondered at his capacitie and the wisest were afraid of the conclusion And for that the age wherein hee was bread being the third yeare of Henrie the Second was full of troubles this yoong mans rare guifts were raked vp in the embers little regarded because not yet ripened but at last as years increased the minde ordained for mightie thinges began to mount the rather because ambition sealed his eies which made him with the Doue soare so hie till his own cunning and labour made him be ouerturned for when he perceiued his fathers foote alreadie prepared for the graue his mother seazed by age and more besotted with affection himselfe at mans estate without maintenance he thus began the first fruites of his impietie the sequell whereof exceedeth all conceit and testifieth his deuilish and damnable nature He had a brother elder than himselfe in yeares but yoonger in policie who hauing by his owne frugalitie gotten great wealth was called to be a Burgesse of the cittie a man beloued of all men for his vpright dealing and lamented of al men for his vntimelie death For William little regarding the benefites he had receiued of him in his youth the brotherlie kindnesse the bountifull curtesies sought all means possible to betray him who had trained him vp to suck his hart bloud who had sought his harts rest and to that intent séeing the opportunitie fitted him in the raigne of Richard the first that noble Prince of famous memorie he suborned certeine lewd and smister confederates of his to accuse him of Treason for which cause poore innocent man being suddenlie apprehended his goods were confiâ—…cate his body imprisoned his wife and children left succourlesse whilst wicked William being both complotter informer and witnes wrought so cunningly with the kings councell that the goods were his which his brother with his long labour had gotten and the poore innocent man brought out before the Iudges with wéeping eies beheld his yoonger brother both reuelling in his ritches and reiocing at his ruine Many were his obtestations before God and protestations to the Iudges manie his exhortations to his brother and detestations of his periurie But William whose hart was the very harbour of all impietie ceased not in his owne person to solicite and by his companions to incense the Iudges in such sort that his brother was at last by them condemned and adiudged to death as some Writers suppose for coining And being led forth to his execution like an harmelesse innocent the people mustering about the place the curssed brother the occasion and compactor of his confusion accompanie him with these or such like words he finished his life Thou God that knowest the cause of my vntimelie death canst in iuâ—…ice punish my vniust accusers meane while take mercie on my poore soule who am forsaken of my priuate friends be thou a safeguard vnto me whoe am left without succors and helpe the desolate widdow with hir distressed children This said after some priuate conference by permission betwéene his brother and him he suffered torment But William hauing gotten wealth began to take vpon him state and vnderstanding his father and mother through hartie griefe were in their extreame age committed to the graue he seazed on their goods carrieng such a countenance in London that all men wondered at him In wit he was pregnant in publike affaires pollitike in reuenges constant in speeches affable in countenance graue in apparell gorgeous yea so cunning was he to insinuate himselfe among the Commons that as the report went he had more Prentises clubs at his command then the best Courtier had seruants to attend him And as the custome is whilest thus he behaued himselfe it fortuned that hee fell in companie and conference with the Abbot of Cadonence in Normandie a man as high minded as himselfe and more subtill than Sinon by whose aduise and directions he grew so craftilie conceited that vnder a holie pretert he wrought more mischiefe than either the Councell of England could for a long time remedie or by industrie reuerse and thus it fortuned After that the noble and warlike Richard the firste of that name had to his immortall glorie recouered his rights in France established peace with the French king and by the perswasions of his mother Dame Elianor reconciled his brother Iohn who had before that time béene at deadlie â—…d with him It plesed his Maiestie partlie for his owne recreation sake partlie to remedie the discontents of his subiects to goe on Progresse in the eight yeare of his reigne and in the yeare of our Lord 1197. at which time the Abbot of Cadonence and William watching an occasion and oportunitie so cunninglie wrought she matter that they had audience at his Maiesties hands and attained vnder the broad seale the whole summe of their requests The Abbot couloured his stratagem vnder the coppie of conscience assuring the king that the corruption of his officers were the chiefest groundes of publike contention praieng him in the bounty of an heroick and princelie potentate to take some order for she correction of them least at the last it should turne to his owne confusion His maiestie that had euer regard of the poore with gratious good words thanked him for his good will giuing him warrant and authoritie to redresse those inconueniences and promising him great promotions if he tooke any profite by his pollicie William now that hath the second subtiltie to enact suted his lookes in all sobrietie and stroaking his long beard which he curiouslie fostered euen from the beginning tolde the king of the insolence and outrage of rich men who spared their owne and pilled the poore robbed Irus and clawed Midas beséeching in the commons behalfe a remedie
him to bed he discouered vnto them howe the king had resolued to kill him for which cause Vnulfe winding him about the necke with the shéetes of the bedde and laieng the couerlet and a Beares skin vpon his backe leauing him without capp as if he were some rusticke or common drudging fellowe began to driue him out of the chamber dooing him manie iniuries and villannies so that he verie oftentimes fell to the ground Grimoalds guard whoe were appointed vnto the watch seeing al these outrages asked Vnulfe what he meant Why said he my maisters this rascal slauehath made me my bed in the chamber of that drunken palliard Partharithus which is so full of wine that he sléepeth as if he were dead without stirring and this is the cause whie I beat him and I praye you dooth he not deserue it They hearing these words and beléeuing them to be true did all of them laugh verie hartilie to heare the tidings and giuing both of them licence to depart Partaritus hasted to the cittie of Hasti and from thense went into France praising God for his happie deliuerie As soone as they were gotte awaie the faithfull page locked the door verie diligentlie remaining all that night alone in the chamber and when the messengers of the king came with commission to bring Partaritus to the pallace the nexte daie they knocked at the doore whome the page in humble maner saluted praieng them to haue patience for a while for saith he my Lord being wearie of his last iourney sleepeth now verie soundlie The messengers returning to Grimoald told him the pages answer who all inraged charged them presentlie to bring him to his presence who repairing againe to the chamber doore were in like sort once more solicited by the page to vse forbearance but they admitting no delaies cried out hastilie and hartilie tut tut the droonkard hath now slept enough and therevpon bearing the doore of the hinges they forceablie entered the chamber and sought Partaritus in his bed but found him not wherevpon they asked the page what was become of him who answered them that he was fled The messengers all amazed herewith furiouslie laieng hands on the childes bushie lock and buffeting him pitiouslie brought him to the pallace and conducting him to the presence of the king saide Mightie Prince Partharitus is fled and this caitife boy helpt to conuey him and for that cause meriteth death Grimoald commanded them to laie hands off him and willed him with a friendlie countenance to discouer vnto him the manner and meanes how his maister had escaped awaie The page told him euerie thing as it had past whose faithfulnes when the king had considered vpon he royallie offered him to make him one of his pages assuring the lad that if he would be as faithfull to him as he had shewed himselfe towards his old maister he should both be rewarded and regarded After this he made search for Vnulfe who being brought before his presence was pardoned by him and not only pardoned but commended But as where affection is rooted there no fauors can supplant it nor promises suppresse it so these two louing their maister Partarithus verie deerelie took no delight but onelie in desire they had to sée and serue him for which cause a few daies after they repaired to Grimoald beséeching him of license to séeke out their maister Whie my friends quoth he had you rather séeke out your necessities then liue with me héere in all pleasures By God replied Vnulfe I had rather die with Partharithus than liue in all other worldlie contents and delights What saied the king to the page wilt thou also rather séeke out a bannished man then serue a king I my Lorde saide he for they are bad seruants that will leaue their maisters in miserie Grimoald wondering at their confidence praising both their faithes dismissed both of them with all fauour giuing them both horsse and money to furnish and further them on theyr iourney The two faithfull seruants humblie thanking the kinge tooke their waie into France hoping to finde their maister in that place according as was appointed But Partaritus fearing least by reason of a peace latlie capitulated betwixt Dogobert kinge of France and Grimoald he shoulde be there surprised suddenlie by some sinister subtletie tooke shipping for England and hauing alreadie sailed from the shore the voice of a man was heard among the rocks which asked for Partaritus and whither he were in that ship Whereto when answer was made that there he was the voice replied Then will him presentlie repaire vnto his countrey for Grimoald a three daies hence is departed this life Partaritus suddenly returned backe commanding the marriners to reenter the harbour and as soon as he was landed he diligently sought out the messenger that had thus informed him but finding him by no meanes possible he supposed it to be some messuage sent from God For which cause poasting towards his countrey and arriuing amongst the confines of Italie hee found there a great number of Lombards who expected him with whom he entered Pauia and driuing out a little son of Grimoalds from the kingdome he was by generall consent created kinge of Lombardie thrée monethes after the death of Grimoald For which cause he presentlie sent vnto Beneuent for his wife Rhodolinde and his sonne Cunibert And being a godlie Catholike and iust man a liberall patron of the poore and father of the innocent as soone as he hadde quiet possession of the kingdome in that place from whence he fled which is on the other side of of Tesinus he buil ded a monasterie to the honor and glorie of God his sauiour and onelie defender wherein there were diuers Nunnes inclosed whom he alwaies enriched with manie very goodlie possessions The Quéene likewise builded a church in honour of our Ladie without the cittie wals adorning it with maruelous rich ornaments his page and trustie seruant returning to his court as soon as they had tidinges of his establishment were by him fauourablie intertained and richlie rewarded Finallie after he had reigned eighteene yeares he departed this life not without the generall lament and teares of the whole inhabitants of Lombardie The wonderfull dreame of Aspatia the daughter of Hermotimus the Phocencian a verie poore man who afterwards thorow hir wonderful vertues became the wife of Cyrus king of Percia and was afterwards married to Artaxerxes ASpatia was the daughter of Hermotimus of Phocis who after the death of hir mother was brought vp and nourished in great pouertie yet was not hir pouertie so gréeuous as her continencie was gratious in her infanâ—…ie she had vnder hir chin a great swelling which disâ—…igured hir face and was a great disgrace to hir fairenesse For which cause hir father desirous to haue hir cured carried hir to a physitian who promised to heale hir for a certeine summe of money The good olde man hauing no money tolde the Physitian of his little meanes beséeching him