pouder playnly to expresse Troubleth the ayre and maketh folkes blynd For whiche in spousayle coÌ„uenient to fynde Let estates of their byrthe honourable Voyde al rascaly and wedde their semblable But Amazias woulde not beware For no warnyng nor for no prophecy But styll in hart great hatred bare Agayne kyng Joas of malyce and enuy Into a felde brought all his chyualry Gadred them out bothe nere and farre Ayenst gods will on him to gyn a warre And king Joas full like a worthy knyght Into the felde fast gan him spede And all the knyghtes of Juda anone ryght With stroke of vengeaunce w t a sodain drede To bid them flye god wot it was no nede And Amazias for all his great pryde Stode destitute and no man by his syde With him was none left of all his meynie So god and Joas agaynst him wrought Of Jerusalem entred the citye And Amazie of force with him he brought And in the temple the treasure out he sought Golde and siluer and wholy their riches And to Samaria home he gan him dresse And Amazias he let out of pryson After all this and suffred him go fre To his mischefe and his confusion And he was deliuered from his captiuitie For slayne he was in Lachis the citye Among his frendes by dissimulation His death conspyred vnder full false treason The .xvii. Chapter ☞ How vpon Ozias succeadyng kyng nexte in Iuda god toke vengeaunce smote him with leprie AFter in Juda the mighty region Next Amazias Ozias gan succede Wonder manlye and famous of renoun In all his workes full prouident in dede And of his knighthode vaiquished as I rede The Palestines for all their great puissauÌ„ce With all Ambie he brought vnto vttraunce Builded townes and many a strong citye And vnto Egypt he his bondes set Made castels besydes the redde see And in his conquest whom that euer he met Of manly pryde he woulde let I meane all tho that were his aduersaries To his lordshyp to make them tributaries He did his labour also to repare Jerusalem after his ruyne The walles reared which on y â— soyle lay bare Made newe towers ryght as any lyne Fanes of golde their turretes to enlumine And to force them let workmen vndertake Square bastiles and bulwarkes to make He delited to make freshe gardeynes Diuers grayne and herbes for to knowe Reioysed to plante sundrye vynes To graffe trees and sedes for to sowe And straunge fruits maketh theÌ„ grow arow And w t him had his enemyes to encumber Thre hundred thousand manly men in nuÌ„ber His noble fame gan to sprede wyde And greatly dreade for his prowes Wherthrough his hart corrupted with pride Because onely of his great riches And frowardly he did his busines For to maligne in estate royall Agaynst the lorde whiche is immortall To god aboue he gan waxe obstynate That by processe full small he did winne And sauour caught in his royall estate To folow his father in vnthrifty synne That grace vertue from him did twynne In most shinyng of his magnificence Fortune proudly assayled his excellence Cast she would within a little while His surquedy and frowarde pride assayle And full vnwarely deceyue him and begyle To make his power to appall and fayle Whan that this kyng toke on the apparayle Of a bishop of very frowardnes And to the temple proudly gan him dresse Beyng in purpose on a solemne day To take his waye vp to the hye alter Falsly vsurpyng whosoeuer sayde nay To sacrifyce holdyng the censere Tofore the alter that shone of golde so clere For whiche offence the bible sayth the same Azarias the bishop did him blame Gan withstand him in the face anone Fourscore priestes beyng in presence Of the kynred discended of Aaron Whiche forbade him and made resistence That with his hande he should put incence Vpon the aulter against gods lawe Him chargyng boldly his presence to w tdraw But of despite he made them hold their pees In payne of death began them manace And sodaynly among all the prees An earthquaue fill in the same place And therwithall in the kinges face Of the sunne there smote a beame so bryght That all his face was scorched w t the light He wared a leper foule and right horible For his offence as god list ordayne To euery man of loke he was terrible And but fewe his mischiefe gan complaine And a great hill y e same hour carft on twayne Not farre aside from the towne without Cities destroying that stode rounde about On kyng Ozie god toke this vengeaunce For all his lordship and his magnificence To punishe his pride and frowarde puissauÌ„ce And brought him lowe for his great offence For his person was put out of presence Perpetually as holy writ can tell Farre from all people w t lepers for to dwell His fleshe was troubled with diuers passioÌ„s For his sickenes auoyded the citye In crye and sorowe and lamentacions His lise he lad in great aduersitie And so he dyed in sorowe and pouertie Simply buried for all his great myght Within an ylande that stode farre out of sight ¶ The .xviii. Chapter ¶ In exhortation to Prynces to be aduised to do agaynst Goddes preceptes LEt prynces all in their prouidence Be right wel ware any thing to attame Whiche vnto God should be offence Lest that the fyne conclude to their shame Let them thinke for all their noble fame But they repent god of his iustice Their froward pryde vnwarely will chastice Let them beware of malyce to presume Againe his churche to do oâ—â—encion For god of right all tyrantes will consume In full short tyme for their presumption Whiche will not suffer theyr dominacion To enterrupt for all their great myght Nor breke the frauÌ„ches of holy churche ryght To prudent prynces whiche can discerne Let kyng Ozias considryng his offence Be in your mynde a myrrour and lanterne To holy churche to do due reuerence And conceâ—ue in their magnificence God will of ryght be they neuer so sâ—â—â—ng Chastyce theyr malyce though he â—yde long ¶ The .xix. Chapter How kyng Oseas was taken by kyng Salmanazer and dyed in pryson THere was another that called was Osce Which whilom raygned as I affirme dare In Israell whom fortune by enuy Made him be take or he was ware Besyeged about of kyng Salmanas are And into Assirie vnder his daunger The bible telleth he was a prysoner His cityes and townes brought to destruction And all his people vnder longe seruage Were take and kept in stronge Babilon Suffred there great payne and domage And in pryson by furious outrage This sayd Oseas in chaynes bounde sore For sorowe dyed of hym write I no more The .xx. Chapter ¶ Howe Senacheryb kynge of Assirie slewe him selfe WIth these forsayde wofull kynges three Senacheryb of Assirye kyng Came to Bochas most vglye to se Full piteously his fate complaynyng And specially hys vnware chaungyng He gan bewayle oppressed in his thought From hye nobles how
in his hondes But finally god through his ordinaunce Preserued his knyght froÌ„ al maner mischaÌ„ce Saule full oft was brought to mischefe Yet aye from death Dauid did him saue And hereof this was a speciall prefe Whan Dauid cut his garment in the caue And mo tokens if ye list to haue Another time Dauid also kept The life of Saule whan he lay and slept The case was this as they were hosteyng Not farre a sunder Saule lay on slepe All his people about him sleapyng And vnpurueyed lyke a stocke of shepe Of whiche thyng Dauid toke good kepe Downe descended and made no delay Came to the tent where kyng Saule lay The spete of Saule standynge at his heed Dauid toke it and went his was anone Of his coÌ„myng there was no man toke hede For Saule slept and his men echone And whan that he vp to the hyll was gone Toward Saule agayne he cast his loke Made a noyse that all his knyghtes woke Fyrst to Abner prynce of his chyualry Dauid sayd these wordes in sentence â–ª Abner quod he thou hast done great foly This day shewed a great negligence To suffer of Saule the magnificence In peryll stande and none hede take About his person to make his knights waâ—â— Thou art to blame for thy retchelesueâ—â—e To leaue the king stande in so great a drede In slepe to haue more sauour and swetenesse Than of his lyfe to take hede Such negligence requireth for his mede Death and turment by rightfull iudgement About a prynce whan folke be negligent And thou lyst to se an euidence How that hys lyfe stode in ieopardy Se here his spere yeue thereto credence How vnprouided ye were on your party Saule nor thou ye may it not denye Your life your deth your power your puissaÌ„ce This day god put whole in my gouernaunce But me to acquite of pure innocence As euery man should vnto his kyng And to declare in me was none offence Agaynst his nobles in will nor in workyng As God wot that knoweth euery thyng That I neuer by no conspiracy Wrought nor compassed agayne his regaly LO here example of perfite pacience Agayne malyce to shewe kyndenes Where Sauie shewed his mortall vyolence Dauid acquite hym w t suffraunce goodnes The tyraÌ„t vainquished bi his prudeÌ„t mekenes Men agayne trouth may well a warregyn But at th ende the palme he doth aye wynne For of this story if that ye take hede Saule is fall for hys frowardnes Into mischefe and into sodayne drede For Philistynes the byble beareth witnes With a great power gan thiderwards dresse Vpon kyng Saule auenged for to be Their tentes pight besyde Gelboe Wherof kyng Saule astonied in his hert Had lost his spryte of knyghtly hardines And specially whan he dyd aduert Prophete was none his harmes to redresse Of future thinges trouth to expresse In Israell whiche cast hym in great drede Because that tyme Samuel was deed For Saule had cast out all diuynes From Israell and eche diuineresse Notwithstandyng the palestynes Were risse agayne his power to oppresse And he ne knewe no maner sorceresse Of whom he might any counsayle take And he of god that time was forsake In this wise he stode disconsolate CouÌ„sayle of God nor prophete knewe he none But as a man most infortunate Vngraciously he sped him forth anone And secretelye this Saule is forth gone To a woman that should him rede and wisse In Israell called a phytonesse Whiche is a name as clarkes writen all And office who that taketh hede Soules of men agayne to clepe and call I mene suche that tofore were deade Whiche is a thing straunge for to reade That women should who so list to lere Make soules of dead men to appere Vnkouth and straunge is their opinion And to my witte a maner impossible Not accordyng me semeth to reason Nor like a thing whiche that is credible That a soule of nature inuisible Myght appeare or shewe visibly Vnto the eyen which that ben bodely But or that I any further flyt Lest I were holde to presumptuous To diuines this matter I commit And wise clarkes that ben vertuous In their wittes subtyll and curious To conclude as it dothe them seme In this matter a trouth for to deme Whether it was the soule of Samuell Or other spirite that she did call Whiche that tolde the kyng of Israell Of the battayle that shoulde after fall His aduenture and his mischefes all And of his death he tolde also in dede And how Dauid should after him succede Because onely of his disobeysaunce As it is written and for his retchlesnes On Amalech for he toke not vengeaunce Thus the spirite bare to him wytnes Wherof Saule fyll in great heauines Knowing no mene to escape out of this dout But take his fortune as it cometh about Tolde him also his enemies were so wrothe The Philistines beside Gelboe In that battayle he and his children bothe Shoulde dye that daye of necessitie His chyualry shall discomfited be Of his raygne there is no lenger date For god from him his kingdom wil translate And thus Saule returned is agayne His meyny after brought to disconfiture And whan he sawe all hys people slayne â–ª And how there was no meane to recure In that deadly wofull aduenture He bad his squier take his swerde as blyue And through the hart that he shold him ryue That his enemies which were vncircumcised Should haue no power in story it is founde To haue vpon him as they haue deuised To yeue hym hys last fatall wounde His high noblesse at mischefe to confounde But his squyre for feare of god and drede Woulde not assent to do so foule a dede To slea his lorde he greatly was aferde A thing hatefull in euery mannes syght But Saule toke the pomell of his swerde And in the grounde full depe anone it pyght And in all haste possible that he myght Made the poynt in his furious payne To perce his hart and part it euen in twayne The Philistynes anone as he was dead Spoyled hym of his royall armure Dismembred him and smote of his heade And in token of their disconfiture Toke the spoyles wyth all their busy cure And therof made in all their best entent To Astaroth of pryde a great present Thus was Saule slayne in sentence Of Philistynes vpon Gelboe Forsake of God for inobedience Abiect also from his royall see And thus for lackynge of humilitye Of god he was foreuer set asyde Lo here the ende of surquedy and pryde ¶ Lenuoy HAue mind of Saule which to estate ryal FroÌ„ low degre was called for mekenes But presuÌ„ption made hym haue a fall Of God abiect for his frowardnes Lost his â—rowne the bible beareth wytnes And cause was for his disobeysaunce To gods biddyng he yaue none attendaunce God not asketh no more of man at all But whole hart without doublenes For all the gyftes whiche in especiall He yaue to man of his goodnes But he chastiseth
lyue in shame And lasse yl to put in ieopardy Her mortal body than her good fame Whan honor dieth farewel a mānes name Better it were out of thys life disceiuer Than slandrous fame to sley a man for euer But to that purpose her husband sayd nay Her father also was thereto contrary Makynge a promise without more delay To do vengeaunce howe they wyl not tary To her declaring with reasons debonary Vnder these wordes trouth right cōserued To slee her selfe she hath nothynge deserued For sodainly and also vnauised As a foole is trapped in the snare By vnware fraude vpon the practised Thou were disceiued plainly to declare Hauyng thys conceyte harde is to repayre The name of thē which falsly be diffamed Whan wrōg report y ◠renome hath shamed Touchyng thy person I dare affirme seyn That it were a maner impossible And lyke a thynge which neuer yet was seen That thy worshyp was found corruptyble But stedfast aye and indiuysible Vnparted vertuous and made strong And nowe desirous to auenge thy wronge On thy iniury we shal auenged be Considred first the deedly heuines Which thou suffredest by great aduersite Whan y ◠auoutrour thy beauty dyd oppres And reioysyng by a false gladnes Maugre thy wyll as a thefe by nyght The encombred of very force myght But if thou woldest leue all thy mourning And restraine thy unportable wo Soone shuldest y u se an egall punyshyng Vpon thy most frowarde mortal foe To warne all other they shal nomore do so In chastisynge of false auoutry The and thy renome of ryght to magnify What was diffasyng to thy trewe entent Though his youth vnbridled went at large So for to aforce a sely innocent Whose wyckednes oughte to bere the charge And we of ryght thy conscience dyscharge The ioye vnlefull of his false plesaunce With double palme thine honor doth auance Conceiue and se O thou myne Lucrece How that reason and good discrecion Shoulde thy trouble thy mournynge cece Of ryght restrayne thy opinion So rechelesly to do punicion With knife in hande to slee thy selfe alas For others gylt and dyddest no trespas Let be Lucrece let be all thy dole Cease thy complaynt thy wo restrayne Should I fro the lyue alone al sole And thy deth perpetually complayne ▪ To put thy father in importable payne Of our welfare be not so rechelesse To dye and leaue our childre motherlesse Of prudence eke thou oughtest for to se And aduertyse onely of reason Though of force thy body corrupt be Thy soule inwarde and thyne entencion Fraunchysed ben from al corrupcion Offence is none consider in thyne entent But wyll hert yeue therto ful consent Thou were naked in thy bed lyenge Alone vnware slepynge voide of myght Suspeciouslesse al of his comynge That tyme namely because y ◠it was nyght A fearefull woman he a manly knyght Al be it so vnknightly was his dede Wyth naked swerde to assayle thy womanhead He myght thy body by force wel oppresse By sleyghty waies that he had sought But we le wote I for al his sturdinesse He myght neuer haue mastry of thy thought The body yelded the hert yelded him nought Ye were twaine y u feble he ryght stronge Thy trouth afforced he werker of the wrong Where mightest y u haue greater price or laude All ryght considred trouth equite Fyrst coūterpeysed his force sleighty fraud Than to parseuer in feminite With thought enhaunced infragilitie Of womanheade to haue an hert stable What thige in the myght be more cōmedable It is wel knowe y u were of herte aye one To all false lustes contrary in gouernaunce More lyke an ymage kerued out of stone Than lyke a woman fleshely of plesaunce The tirant foūde thee in chere countenaūce Whych euer after by womanly victory Shal be ascriued to thine encrease of glory Thy father Brutus hath the well excused My selfe also thy blood and thy kynrede On this matter let no more be mused To sley thy selfe or do thy sides blede Certes Lucrece thou hast ful litell nede It were great wronge by all our iudgement To spare a tirant and slee an innocent Thy lyfe to murdre to some it woulde seme Thou were gylty where as thou art clene Diuers wittes diuersly wyl deme Report thyng thou none dyddest mene For which thou shalt paciently sustene Tyll thy chaste wyfely innocence May se hym punished for his violence Folke wyl not deme a person innocent Which wilfully whan he is not cuipable Yeldeth him selfe to deth by iudgement And neuer was a fore of no gyit partable His own doome vpon him selfe vengeable Causeth people tho their reporte be noughte To deme a thinge y ◠neuer was ywrought To be auenged vpon thine owne life In excusynge of thy deedly fame To shewe thou art a true wedded wyfe wenyng by deth to get the a name In this deuise thou art greatly to blame Wher y u yet knowest thy honor clerely shyne To yeue the people matter to deuyne And with that worde Lucrece dyd abrayde Full deedly both of loke and chere To them againe euyn thus she sayde Let be husbande let be my father dere Speke no more to me of this matere Lest men dempt in hindryng of my name Idred death more than false dyffame Your counsayle is I shal my lyfe conserue To sorowe and sclaunder but no gladnes But lesse yl it is at an houre to sterue Than euer languish in sorowe heuines Deth maketh an ende of al worldly distres And it was sayde syth ful yore ago Better is to die than euer to liue in wo. Whan that worship in any creature Is staine and deed by slaūdrous report Better is of death the dredful payne endure Than by false noyse aye to liue in discōfort Where newe newe diffame hath his resort Neuer dyeth but quickeneth by y ◠outrage Of hateful tonges venimous langage Do your deuer to halowe make stable The chast chambres of wyfely gouernaunce For in this case if ye be variable On false auoutry for to do vengeaunce There shal folow euerlastynge remembraūce How true spousaile as ye haue herde deuised In your citie is broke not chastifed If ye be founde in such a case negligent To punish auoutry of right as your charge Through your slouth as ye were of assent Luxurie vubridled shall ren abrode at large Who shal than your conscience discharge Or what woman stande in sickernes Of Lucrece afforced the clennes O dere husbande what ioy shulde it be To thine estate in any maner place Lyke as thy wyfe to cherishe me Or in thine armes me goodly to enbrace The gilt horrible considred trespace By Tarquyn don alas and welaway Which i my persō may neuer be wast away And father mine how shuldest thou me cal After this day thyne owne doughter dere Which alas refuse of women al That to thy plesaunce was whilom most entere
Like to Syrens with voyce melodious Enoynt your eares to make you lecherous ¶ The .vi. Chapter ☞ How Cambyses assentyng to the murder of his brother Mergus at the last slough him selfe AFter the death of mighty king Cirus Next came his sonne called Cambises Heyre by succession full victorious Whiche tofore Bochas put him selfe in prees And gan his complaynt this is doubtles That they of Egypt in many vncouth wyse To sundry Goddes did sacrifice First vnto Apis they dyd Sacrifice Called Serapis their greatest god of all Raygnyng in Egypt most of excellence And god of goddes foles did him call And of his nobles thus it is befall Slayne by his brother whiche is a wonder Seuered on peces and ful farre east asunder And they of Egypt made their ordinaunce Vpon payne of death in their statute olde A god to call him and do their obseruance Within his temple like as they were holde Wherof Cambises tofore as I you tolde All the temples of that region Cast him by force for to throw doun The temple of Jupiter to robbe it by rauyne Called Hammon without exception His knightes sent to bryng it to ruyne But they echoue for their presumption With sodaine leuin were smit and beat down Wherof Cambises in Jsye tho raygnyng Had this dreame as he lay slepyng He drempt his brother y t called was Mergus Should in the kingdome after him succede Wherof in hart he waxt so enuious That he purposed of rancour and hatrede By some meane to make his sides blede And that his purpose should take auayle A magicien he toke to his counsayle And he was holde a full great Phylosopher Called Comares full sleyghty and cunnyng To whoÌ„ Cambises made a full large profer Of golde treasure to make him assentyng To execute this horrible thing And that he would in most cruell wise The murder of Mergus to coÌ„pas and deuise And while Cambises ordeyned this treason To slea Mergus his owne brother dere God from aboue cast his eyen downe Hym to punishe in full cruell manere For he waxed wode who so list to lere Caught a swerde roue his thigh on twaine And sodaynly he dyed for the paine For two causes god toke on him vengeaunce As mine auctour Bochas doth expresse For his presumptuous false disobeysaunce Spoyling the gods of their great riches And for the froward great vnkyndnes To yeue assent to the contagious caas Whan y â— Mergus his brother murdred was The death of whom was chefe occasion Of full great warre striues and debate Eke fynall cause why all the region Of mighty Perce stode disconsolate For heyre was none of high nor low estate By title of right through his vnhappy chauÌ„ce To be their kyng and haue the gouernaunce For the magycien called Comares Which â—lue Mergus as ye haue herd expres Toke his brother called Dropastes And made him kyng the story bereth witnes Because that he resembled in likenes Vnto Mergus of face and of stature To crowne him kyng therfore he did his cure The deth of Mergus outward was not know Nor playnly published in that region His body buried and cast in earth lowe Of whom the murder fraudulent treason The piteous slaughter wrought by collusion And all the maner by processe was espyed So openly it myght not be denyed And in what wyse the noyse gan out sprede Touchyng this murder odyous for to here Whan that Oropastes occupted in dede The crowne of Perce the story doth vs lere There was a prynce full notable and entere Called Hostanes that gan his wytte apply Of high prudence this murder out to espy While that Oropastes vnder a false pretence Of Perciens was receiued for kyng The sayd prynce did his diligence By inquisition to haue knowlegyng By what ingyne or by what sleyghty thing The sayd Oropastes caught occasion In stede of Mergus to occupy the croun On this matter he had a coniecture That his title was neither whole ne clere The trouth to trye he did his busy cure And to serche out wholy the manere He sought so farre that he came ryght nere And in this case letted for no slouth Tyll that he had founde out the very trouth The case was thus playnly to termine He had a daughter full fayre of her vysage Whiche of the kyng was chiefest concubine By whom he thought to catche aduauntage And vnto her he hath sent his message Secretely to enquire how it stode Where y t the kyng were come of Cyrus bloud And bade that she shoulde secretly take hede While that he slept to do her busy payne With her handes for to fele his hede And to grope after both his eares twayne And if it fyll there is no more to sayne Vpon his head that she none eares founde To tel her father of trouth as she was bouÌ„d This mighty prynce Hostanes knewe wele Ryght as it is recorded by scripture Touching this case how it stode euery dele How kyng Cambyses of sodaine aduenture By his liue for a forfeyture Made of Oropastes the story sayth not nay Both his two eares to be cut away And hereupon to be certified He was desierous to haue full knowlegyng Whiche by his daughter whan it was espyed Vpon a nyght liyng by the kyng Gropyng his head as he lay slapyng Full subtilly felt and toke good hede How he none eares had vpon his heed And to her father anone she hath declared The secrenes of this auenture And for no feare ne drede he hath not spared How that it stode playnly to discure And first of all he did his busy cure All the prynces of Perce lande yfere To counsayle call to entreat of this mattere And whan they were assembled euerychone Of Oropastes he tolde them all the chaunce And how y t Mergus was murdred yore agoÌ„e As here tofore is put in remembraunce Wherupon to set an ordinaunce And to redresse these wronges done toforne Of Perce lande were seuen prynces sworne Of one assent in their intencion By bonde of othe thei made their assuraunce And a full secrete communicacion To put Oropastes froÌ„ his royall puissaunce Whiche had all Perce vnder his gouernauÌ„ce By a full false pretence of herytage For he was like to Mergus of vysage These seuen prynces of which tofore I tolde All of one hart and by their othe ybounde Prudent and manly and of yeres olde Haue sought a tyme Oropastes to confound And w t their swerdes sharpe whet ground Vnder couert in their apparayle Came of entent Oropastes to assayle And in the palays whom euer that they met Or agayne them made resistence All of accorde they fiercely on him set But the magicien y â— was there in their preseÌ„ce Came agaynst them by sturdye vyolence And at the encountregan theÌ„ so constrayne That of the prynces they haue slaine twayne But finally the other prynces fyue Whan that they sawe their two feres blede In al the palays they left none alyue And kynge
neuer ceace Such ioy he had the common we le tencreace Thys was also hys vsaunce euermore What euer he gate to part it in largesse Of golde nor coyne he set but lytle store For all his heart was set on gentlenesse By manly fredome and playnly to expresse He spared no good it shewed well in dede Hys true seruauntes to helpe in theyr nede He kept nat in cofers hys treasour Of his nature he was so liberall For to releue eche manly soudiour Suche as were preued in actes marciall And for to holde hys feest funerall After his dethe his storie maketh mynde He was so fre he left nothyng behynde All his offices and famous dignities And great emprises in hys tyme wrought Encresed frāchises through Grece ī his cities With liberties by hys prudence out sought For common profit and for him selfe nought With great augmenting of strāge teritories All this came in by meane of his victories And amonge all hys knyghtly excellences By diuers auctours vnto mynde is brought How all hys lyfe he studied in sciences And vpon connyng set holy hys thought By manly prowesse of dethe he fered nought That was shewed as it is well founde The day whā he receyued his dethes woūde He was home borne vnto hys pauillion All his armour with bloude stayned reed And on a couche by his men layed downe And gan abrayde as he lay halfe deed Sirs quod he of one thyng take heed Hath any enemy thys daye in the felde When I was wounded taken vp my shelde And when hys knyghtes had tolde hym nay By a maner of knyghtly reioysyng He them commaunded without more delaye To his presence that they should it bryng And thervpon full pitously lokyng Full lyke a knyght and with mortall chere He kyssed it and sayde as ye shall here Thou were my felow in armes my brother That neuer wouldest my felowshyp forsake Sure abyding ther was nat such another In euery iourney that I dyd vndertake To me welcome an ende I must nowe make After my deth my soule shall haue plesaunce The to be kept yet for a remembraunce Afore hys deth as it is put in mynde The same hour it came to hys memorie To enquire he left it nat behynde Haue we quod he this daye had victorie Or in the felde who hath y ◠palme of glorie His knightes he prayed y ◠day he should dey The playne trueth they would to hym sey And they hym tolde playnly all the caas How his partie had wonne the feld of might And with that worde he so reioysed was That he hys spirite yelde vp anone ryght And so he died lyke a worthy knyght In whō is shewed what aueyleth in sentence Nobles of knighthode ioyned w t prudence And by the meane of hys wyse doctrine Philyppe that laye with hym in hostage Gan encreace in knyghtly discipline He wext in vertue ryght as he wext in age Whose father was by furions outrage Called Alysandre as made is mencion Slayne by hys mother by false trayson After whose dethe Perdicca in dede The yonger brother the story doth deuise To the crowne gan linially succede Slayne anone after in full cruell wyse Suche false murder euery man shuld agrise As ye haue herde first of Amynta Of Alysander and of kyng Perdicca The .xxvi. Chapter ☞ Howe the proude tiraunt Aman was hanged and the innocent preserued THe horrible fall furious for to rede That foloweth after of y ◠great Aman A ful false tyraūt foūd in word dede And was of byrth a Macedonian Which as the bible full well reherse can Was chefe maister who can well conscerne With Assuerus hys people to gouerne He was exalted hye in pryde To goddes people most contrarious Hys hatefull venym he lyst nat for to hyde But lyke a tiraunt most malicious Of wylful rancour fell and dispitous Fully disposed and coud him nat withdrawe To destroy the Jewes and theyr holy lawe To hys entent he gate auctoritie By hys subtell false compassyng Sent out letters into eche countrie Thrugh al Perce by biddyng of the kyng That hye and low within the land dwellyng No wight except that people all about Should vnto Aman obey knele and lout Thys was the byddyng of kyng Assuere Whan quene Vasty was voyded for her pride And Hester chosen a mayde most entere Was brought to court with y ◠kyng to abyde Which had in youth for to be her gyde A worthy Jewe called Mardoche Within Susis a fayre large cite By whose counsaile euery thyng she wrought Passyng fayre and of great mekenesse And when the Enukes to y ◠king her brought She was accepted for her great fayrenesse Vnto hys grace her storye beareth witnesse And there cherished in especiall Aboue all the maydens in the court royall And of all Perce she was crowned quene A pees commaunded through al tho regions Duryng the feast that men might sene The kynges nobley in cities and touns And of thys feast the ryche royall souns Came to the eares of simple Mardoche Whiche came with other the maner for to se. Tofore the palays as he dyd abyde With other Jewes in hys company Of happe as he cast hys eare asyde He of two porters the counsaile dyd espy How they them cast by false conspiracie To slee the kyng some day of the yere Like their entent whan they foūd best leisere Whan Mardocheus prudently gan fele The secrete malice of theyr compassyng Of compassion he would it nat concele But made Hester discure it to the kyng Wherof conuict they were led to hangyng As me semeth a competent guerdone For all that falsely ymagine suche treasone By which meane the sayd Mardoche Was wel accepted to the kyng Assuere Lykely also to stande at liberte Out of the malyce and fell daungere Of cursed Aman which made hym no chere But compassed in full fell manere Hym to distroy and Jewes all yfere Thys Mardocheus the Byble tell can Withdrew hym selfe to do reuerence Vnto thys tyraunt this frowarde Aman Lyke as the statute cōmaunded in sentence Whiche thing tauenge by frowarde violence This Aman made of hatrede to be set Afore the palais a myghty stronge gybet But who that cast hym to do vengeaunce And innocentes for to oppresse with myght And wylfull malice tagrege theyr greuaunce As God were blynde had of them no syght But at the last he wyll of very ryght Punysh the proude for furious violence The poore supportyng for theyr pacience As Mardocheus by innocent lyuyng By meane of Hester and her great mekenes Accepted was to Assuere the kyng The lawe of Jewes set in more surenes Frowarde Aman for hys cursednes Vengeable of pride in the bible ye maye see Was hye enhanged vpon a galowe tree Mardocheus of prudence and reason The furious daunger of Aman set asyde Preserued hys people fro destruction The tyraunt hanged for hys frowarde pride Thus can our lorde hys iudgementes deuide When he seeth tyme most mighty
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
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
tripet And fro my whele I cast him low doun In his moste hyest domynacion Toke no hede where he dyd laugh or mourne For with no man I do alway soiourne Bochas quod fortune take good hede also Howe I can bothe further and disauayle For ensample se howe Athenyo That whylom was a shepherde in Itayle A brigaunt after marchauntes to assayle Laye in wayte besyde a great mountayne Of fugitiues he was made a captayne Slewe first his lorde a ryche Senatour By violence brake many a stronge prison And for a tyme I gaue hym great fauour To gather robbours about him enuyron All the churles of that region He assembled through his iniquite To holde a werre with Rome the cite Besieged castels brake doun mighty tours Slewe and robbed about in eche countre Spoyled palayses of worthy Senatours Tytle had he none saue tytle of volunte Toke vpon hym of pride and cruelte For to be clad in purple lyke a kyng Bare a scepter amonge his men ridyng Vpon his head ordayned for the nones His golden heare tressed lyke an emperour A â—oyfe enbrouded all of ryche stones Me lyst to laughe that a false robbour By supportacion of my gery fauour Which last nat longe for after in short whyle As is my custome I dyd hym begyle I suffred hym and made hym fayned chere As I haue doen to other mo full ofte Tyll downe fro Rome was sent a Consulere Which toke him proudly henge him alofte His churles slayne some of them nat softe In cheynes bounde for shorte conclusion Were dempt by lawe to die in prison By whiche story Bochas thou mayst lere A great party of my condicion But now in hast a story thou shalt here Howe in the yere fro the foundacion More than sixty C. I meane of Rome toun Was a gatheryng a great company Together sworne by false conspyracy Them to withdraw fro the obeysance Of a Tribune called Clodoue Which for knighthode had gouernaunce And was sent downe from Rome cyte With myghty hande to rule a great countre Called Champayne and playnlye for to say The people there lyst hym nat obay Thre score and four were of them in numbre That named were chefe conspyratours Whiche y â— cast theÌ„ their captayne to encoÌ„bre w t multitude of theues robbours Whiche chase amonge theÌ„ to be their supportours Thre mighty captaynes of which there was one Called Spartharcus chefest of echone Gadred churles made them selfe stronge On an hye hyll toke their dwellyng place Hauing no regarde were it right or wronge To spoyle the countre beastes to enchace I cherished them with a benigne face For a season and gaue them liberte By false rauyne to robbe the countre What thing is more cruel in comparison And more vengeable of wyll nat of ryght Than whan a churle hath domination â–ª Lacke of discretion blyndeth so the syght Of comuners for defaute of lyght When they haue power couÌ„treis to gouerne Fare lyke a beast that can nothyng discerne Gladiators folkes dyd them call For their swordes wer with stele made fyne For to fight gayne wilde beastes all As lyons beares bores and wylde swyne And the mountayne where they dyd lyne Called Venuse and through their cruelte Slewe and robbed about in eche countre Spartharchus was their chefe captayne Brought vp of nought borne of low degre But Claudius a mighty stronge Romayne Was sent with power fro Rome the cite For to defende and saue the countre The hyll besieged before them as he lay He was rebuked beate and driuen away Many of them that kept the mountayne Were hurte that day the story telleth thus AmoÌ„ges which was slaine a great captayne That was felow vnto Spartharchus As I fynde he hight Inomaus For whose deth was take so great veÌ„geauÌ„ce That all the countre felt therof greuaunce They of the mountayne all of one assent Without mercy or remission Most vengeable haue robbed and brent All the countre about them enuyron Tyll two Consulers came fro Rome doun The first of them called Lentulus Both put to flight by y â— sayd Spartharchus Wherof the romayns greatly dismayed The Senatours of indignacion Bothe ashamed in them selfe affrayed Sent one Crassus a great lorde of the toun With the nombre of a legion And whan y t he on Spartharcus fyrste set Slewe of his men sixe M. whan they met And afterwarde besyde a great ryuer Called Salayre they had a great batayle Where Spartharcus stode in great daunger For his chere and countenaunce gan fayle Thurty thousande clad in plate mayle Were slayne y t day there gayned no raunson All their capitayns assigned to prison Without all this as made is mencion Sixty thousande in the felde lay dede And sixe thousande were sent to prison The felde with bloude stayned made rede And fourscore M. quakyng in their drede Were thylke day after the romayne gyse Take to mercy receyued to fraunchyse And Spartharcus at mischefe put to flight Whan I from him turned my visage He loste chere he lost also his might Whan I appalled the fyne of his passage And for he was a churle of his lynage Of his encrees I lyked nothyng wele Therfore vnwarly I cast him fro my whele Of my maners to make a greatter prefe There was another famous greate robbour Which through Spayne was a disclaundred thefe And for he dred of iustice the rigour Trusting he shulde fynde in me socour Called Vrinatus he Spayne anon forsoke And to Rome the right way he toke Gadred meyny of his condyrion Of euery secte to make him selfe stronge Theues and robbours of euery region Many a churle was medied them amonge His name tencreace were it right or wronge What euer he gate in cyte or village With his soudyours he parted the pyllage Thus by my helpe he came to greate richesse Which brought in pride and presumpcion He nat prouyded of my doublenesse Gan to maligne agayne Rome toun But by the prudence of last Scipion Sonne of Lepidus makyng therof no boste He slayne was by them he trusted moste By whiche ensample notable of remeÌ„brauÌ„ce Shewed heretofore John Bochas vnto the Thou mayst know in party my puysaunce My sodayne chaunges my mutabylite And for to auoyde all ambuguite To declare the summe of myne entent Great Marius to thee I do present Blacke his wede and his habyte also His heed vnkempt his lockes hore and gray His loke downe cast in token of sorow wo On his chekes the salte teares lay Whiche bare recorde of his deadly affray Wherfore Bochas do thy penne dresse To discryue his mortall heuynesse His robe stayned was with romayne blode His sworde aye redy whet to do vengeaunce Lyke a tyraunt most furyous and wode In slaughter murdre set all his plesaunce Yet nat forthy I gaue him gouernaunce Ouer the people rose on my whele vp fast But as vnwarely downe I dyd him cast Twene him Scilla y â— woful deadly stryues At large herafter Bochas thou
ware As they departed such part againe they toke As men deserue suche shall be their mede This frowarde storye ende of the eight boke Of Rosamonde Melchis wrought in dede For short conclusion byddeth men take hede They shall agayne receiue such measour As they measure vnto their neighbour ☞ Thus endeth the eyght boke and herafter foloweth the nynthe ¶ Hovve the Emperoure Mauricius hys wyfe and hys children were slayne at Calcidony ¶ The Fyrst Chapter TO Frances Petrark as Bochas vndertoke In eschewyng of slouthful ydelnes As he began taccoÌ„plysh vp his boke AssurauÌ„ce made hym do his busines Which thinge remeÌ„bred gan his pen dresse The nynth boke so god wold gyue him grace It to performe if he had lyfe and space At the beginnyng sothly of his labour In his study there dyd to hym appeare Mauricius the myghty Emperour Which complayned rehersynge the manere Howe he by Phocas cruell of loke chere Distroied was wyfe childreÌ„ and kinrede The slaughter couth who lyst the storie rede The sayd Maurice as write Bochas Jhon Was by Phocas brought to distruccion His wyfe and children were slaine echone At Calcidony as made is mencion After whose deth he toke possession The sayd Phocas as put is in memory Gaue Pantheon to saynt Gregorye Whyche was a temple of olde foundacion Ful of ydols vp set on hye stages There throughe the worlde of euery nacion Were of theyr goddes set vp great ymages To euery kingdom direct were their visages As Poetes and Fuigens by hys liue In bokes olde plainely doth dyscriue Euery ymage had in his hande a bell As apparteyneth to euery nacion Which by craft some token shoulde tel Whan any kingdome fil in rebellion Or gan maligne agayne Rome toun Which to redresse w t strong myghty hande Sent a prince to chastice al that lande The saide temple builded of lime and stone Pope Boniface as bookes specify Wher it was first called Pantheon Set vp crosses vpon eche partye Halowed it to martirs and to Mary Yere by yere gynnyng of Nouembre The feast hold the martiloge doth remembre In Asia this Emperour Maurice was slain In the cite that called is Calcidony Al his housholde and many good Romaine By Phocas percieÌ„s as had is in memorye And Phocas after for his vaynglory Slaine by Heraclius he thaÌ„ was Emperour Four twenty wynter he was gouernour The .ii. Chapter ¶ Of Machomet the false prophet and how he beyng dronke was deuoured amonge swine AFter the deth of Phocas as I tolde WhaÌ„ Heraclius to raine first began Came Mahomet in his time yhold A false prophet and a magician As bokes olde well reherce can Borne in Arabia but of low kynred All his life worshipped ydols in dede And whan that he grewe in to great age Disceyuable in many sondrie wyses with Camels vsed fyrst his cariage False and double and subtle in his diuises He went to Egipt and fette marchandiÌ„ses To Jewes christen he sondrie times sent Learned the olde and the newe testament As bokes olde recorde in that partie Thys Mahomet this cursed false man Out of Egipte fast gan hym hye Towarde a countre called Corosan With a lady that hight Cordian Through his subtill false daliaunce By crafte he fyll in to her acquaintaunce He wrought by his enchauntementes And by false meanes of nygromancy Her enclyning towarde his ententes For both he coude flatter wel and lye Sayd openly that he was Messy Jewes abiding vpon his coÌ„myng As greattest prophet their souerayne kyng Thus the people he brought in great errour By his techyng and his false doctryne He wext among them a great gouernour The saide lady also dyd to him enclyne As to a prophet whych that was diuine Sent from aboue as she dyd vnderstande For whyche she toke him to her husbande His lynage gan at Hismaell Had a syckenesse full ofte sithe fyll doun In his excuse saied that Gabriell Was sent to him fro the heauenly mancion By the holy gost to his instruction And for the Angell shewed him selfe so shene To stande vpright he myght not sustene On his shoulder were oft tymes seyne Whan he to folke shewed his presence Milke white doues which that piked greine Out of his eares affirmyng in sentence They came by grace of gostly influence Him to visite to shewe and specifye He was the prophet that called was Messy Newe lawes also he dyd ordaine Shewed signes by false apparence Lyke Moises him selfe he dyd feyne A prophet of most excellence And thervpon to shewe an euidence Smal portes wyth mylke and hony borne On a great bull were hanged on eche horne He made the people gyue credulite To his doctrine and froward teachyng By mylke and hony figured was plente By the merite of his gostly workyng And thus he was at his beginnyng Take of Sarasis as they gan to him draw Whych by false errour bounde theÌ„ to his law A clerke of his called Sergius Wrote his lawes and these miracles thre First of the doues howe they came to hiÌ„ thus As here tofore rehersed was by me Howe mylke hony were tokens of plente And of the Bull afore by craft made tame By false disceytes to gete hym a name Of Arabiens and Sarasins as I rede And of Turkes made prince gouernour With Hysmaeâ—ytes folke of Perce mede He gadered people gan wexe a warriour Agayne Eraclius the myghty emperour And vsurped to ride in the contrees â–ª Gate Alisandry wyth many mo citees Of tho parties desirous to be kynge Of that purpose whan he was set asyde The people falsly dyssimulynge Tolde he was sent prophetes to prouyde For tho couÌ„trees for to be their gyde And for he was lecherous of corage He made of Venus to set vp an ymage Made Sarazins to worship the friday Semblably hys story dothe expresse So as the Jewes halowed the saturday All his workes concluding in falsnes Whan he dranke wyne fyl in dronkeÌ„nes Taught the people like a false prophet To drinke water and good wyne to lete As I sayd the heretyke Sergius With him of counsaile frowarde contrary Fone to our fayeth he and Nestorius From holy churche greatly they gan vary On whose errours Bochas list not tary More to write of this Machomete Any gromancian and a false prophete Who list to se his lawes euerychon Yeue to Sarazins his boke caÌ„ bere wytnes As they be set in his Alkeron Echone in ordre grounded on falsnesse Lyke a glotton dyed in dronkennesse By excesse of drinkynge moch wyne Fyll in a podell deuoured among swyne Thys was the ende of false Machomete For all his craftes of nigromancy The funerall fine of this saide prophete Dronklewe of kynde called him selfe Messie Whom Sarazins so gretly magnifye Jhon Bochas let be for a quene of Fraunce More of his errour to put in remembraunce The .iii. Chapter ☞ Howe Brounchylde a quene of Fraunce slewe her kin brought the land in diuision and after was hanged hewen
his hande Of whose noblesse Pope Vrban had ioy Him to encrease for vertuous liuing Which that time was duke of Anioy After chosen of Cecile to be kyng Of Pope Vrban required by writyng Toward Rome that he should him dresse Of king Manfroy the tyranny to oppresse Agayne the Pope and holy churche right This said Manfroy dyd great extorcion Noble Charles as goddes owne knight Came with stronge hande vp to Rome toun Whiche in his comming gaue possession To Gyot Manfort for to haue the garde In his passage to gouerne the vowarde To Rome with great ordinaunce They passed ouer the boundes of Itayle This maÌ„ly knight Charles borne in fraunce Lad with him many a stronge batayle The Popes enemy manly to assayle But all this whyle to stande at diffence This said Charles founde no resistence Entring Rome to be their protectour Full well receyued at his first entryng Chose and preferred for chefe senatour By the pope most glad of his comming Of Cecile was after crowned king And of Jerusalem as made is mencion Graunted to him full possession Whiche in his ginning bare him so well Entring y â— land with knightly apparayle Of Cassine gate fyrst the stronge castell At Beneuent had a great batayle With kiÌ„g Manfroy whose partye did assayle To reherce shortly his auenture Charles made on him a discomfyture In which bataile king MaÌ„froy was slaine And noble Charles toke possession Wherof Romains were full glad and fayne Yet in Cecile there was rebellion But they were brought vnto subiection And Conradine recorde of al wrighting Sonne of Conrade claymed to be king Gan make him strong proudly toke his place At Alygate a famous olde cite Noble Charles with knightly chere face Fyll vpon him made him for to flye And to set rest in the countre To auoyde trouble make al thing certaine Gaue iugement Conradyne to be slayne Amonge kynges notable and glorious Charles was put as made is mencion Lyke a prince stronge and victorious In full peasyble and hole possession Of Cecile and all that regyon Agayns whom was no disobeysaunce Yelded of hole herte to his gouernaunce By tytle also of his alyaunce Fortune greatly did him magnifye For as it is put in remembraunce The noble princesse that called was Mary Doughter to Stephane reigning in Hungry Joyned was and knit in mariage To Charles son to thencrece of his lynage This same Charles by auctorite So as him selfe list to ordayne Was made king of the great cyte Called JerusaleÌ„ of townes moste soueraine By whiche title he bare crownes twayne His brother Lewes olde bokes say The same time in Egipt gan werray Gate all the countreys aboute enuyron whiche that sarazyns dyd falsly occupye Brought them agayne to subiection Of Jerusalem that iande to magnifye Cartage in Affrike with all their regalye And all the countreys beyng afore coÌ„trayre To kyng Charles became tributayre This whyle he sate highest in his glory Lyke Phebus shyning in his mydday spere with many conquest many great victory whan his noblesse shone most bright clere The same tyme with a frownyng chere Fortune gan from Charles tourne her face And him berafte her fauour and her grace This lady fortune doth selde in one coÌ„tune She is so geryshe of condicion A sorceresse a traytour in coÌ„mune Cast a false meane to his distruction One of his sonnes slayne with poyson which dyd eclypse myne auctor doth expresse A full great partye of his olde gladnesse He was disclaundred of all the vyce which appertayneth vnto tyranny I meane the vice of frowarde auaryce which is contrary vnto his chiualry Diffamed also of false auoutrye whiche was susteyned through his mayntenauÌ„ce within the lande by a knight of Fraunce The same knight abydyng in his hous All Cecile troubled with that dede The great offence was so disclaundrous Thrugh all the region it began to sprede For thylke woman plainly as I rede was wyfe to one whiche suffred this offeÌ„ce And to be venged dyd his dyligence John Prosith plainly was his name whiche cast him fully auenged for to be That kyng Charles should beare the blame Slewe al the frenchmen that bode in y â— couÌ„tre Without grace mercy or pite And for to do full execucion Required was the kyng of Aragon Lost of Cecile hole the region With obeysaunce of many countre And of Jerusalem the possession Fyll by processe in great aduersite And last constrained wyth greuous pouerte To god most mekely wyth ful heuy chere Soone to be dead was hys prayer Supprised he was w t sorowe in his corage Lost his force fyl in to malady Languished forth tyll he gan faâ—l in age Agayne fortune founde no remedy And by occasion of false auoutry Fyl to mischefe and for sorow drede This Charles died no more of him I rede ¶ Lenuoye Lyke as Phebus in some freshe morninge After Aurora the day doth clarifye Falleth oft that his bryght shining Is derked with some cloudy skye Alykenes shewed in this tragedye Expert in Charles the story doth well preue Youth and age rekened truely The fayre day men do praise at eue The noble fame of his fresh gynning To saint Lowes he was nygh of alye Ryght wyse manly vertuous of liuyng Called of knighthod flour of chiualry Tyll maintenaunce of auoutry Came in to hys courte to hurte hys name and greue His life his deth put in ieoparty The fayre day men do prayse at eue Lyke desertes meÌ„ haue theyr guerdoning Vertuous lyfe doth princes magnify The contrary to them is great hyndring Folke experte the trouth may not denye Serche out the rewarde of cursed lechery Where it is vsed the houshold may not preue In this matter to Charles haue an eye The fayre day to prayse towarde eue Noble princes al vyces eschewing Your hyghe corage let reason gye Withdraw your hand fro riotous watchyng Flye fleshly lustes and vicious companye Oppresse no man do no tiranny Socour the nedy pore folke do releue Let men report the prudent policye Of your last age whan it draweth to eue ⧠The .xxix. Chapter ¶ Of Hugoline Erle of Pise slaine in prison AFter Charles story red the woful fyne As ye haue herde the maner and y â— gyse To Jhon Bochas appered Hugolyne Called whylome the erle of Pyse Tyll they gan againe him aryse Most vengeable cruell and vnkynde Slewe him in prison no more of him I finde Saue his children of haterede and enuy Were murdred eke in a depe prison Next with his coÌ„playnt the kinge of Armeny Came tofore Bochas that called was AthoÌ„ A christen prince full famous of renoun For our fayth from which he lyst nat erre Gayne Tartaâ—ines longtime he held werre This manly king in knighthod full famous It was shewed his story who lyst rede Had a brother fell and dispytous Called Sabath desyrous to succede Sted of his brother the kingdome to possede By false treason reued of his right Kept him in holde and put him out
falleth whā fortune maketh best there And falsly smyleth in her double wede Folke sene expert than is she most to drede Thus whan the name of the worthy kyng Was ferthest sprade by reporte of memory In euery realme his noblesse most shinynge All his emprises concluding on victory This double goddesse enuied at his glory And cast meanes by som maner traine To clipse the light of knighthode in Britaine Thus whyle Arthure stode most honorable In his estate flouringe in his age Among his knightes of the rounde table Hyest of princes on fortunes stage The Romains sent to him for truage Gan make a claime frowarde outragious Takyng their title of Cesar Julius The same time this mighty kyng Arthur Conquered had Gaule and also Fraunce Outrayed Frolle lyke a conquerour Brought Paris vnder obeysaunce Toke them to grace with hys ordinaunce Gate al Anioue Angory and Gascoine Poitowe Nauerne Berry Burgoyne Cesed not but dyd his busy payne Most lyke a knight helde forth hys passage Gate all the lande of Poyters Tourayne Their cite yolde to hym they did homage To be rebell they founde none auanutage Soiourned in Fraunce as sayth y ◠Cronicler Helde possession the space of nyne yere Helde a feast full solempne at Paryse All the countreis whyth he gate in Fraunce Lyke a prince full prudent and rightwyse Which had of fredome full royall suffisaunce Of all his cōquest the countreis in substaunce For his princes and barons so prouided Lyke their desertes he hath them deuided To his Seneschal that called was Kay Anioue and Mayne he gaue all the party To his butler was made no delay Called Bedwere he gaue Normandye To a baron nye cosyn of alye A manly knight which named was Berell Gaue the duchy of Burgoyne euery del Thus he departed lordeshyppes of that lande There he thought was most expedient Some he reserued in hys owne hande Againe to Britayne retourned of entent Sent out letters helde a greate parliament After which he made a feast anon In the countre called Gloumorgon At a great cite called Carlion As is remembred by olde wrytinges Came many a prince many a freshe baron In nombre I fynde there were .x. kynges Redy to obey Arthur in al thynges Present also as was wele sene There was of erles rekened full thurtene Al the knightes of the rounde table Feast of Pentecost as feest principall Many estates famous and honorable Of princes barons borne of the blode royal Were present there and in especiall All that were by othe and promyse bounde To y ◠brotherhede of the table rounde And it fell so whyle that kyng Arthur As appertayned sate in hys estate There came .xii. sent downe by great laboure Of olde men chosen of the Senate Sad of their porte demure and temperate Richely clad of loke and of vysage Gray heared sempt of right great age First connyngly as they thought it due Cause of their cōmyng playnly their entent Fyrst of assent the kyng they dyd salue Next after that they tolde who them sent And their letters mekely they present Concludyng thus to speke in brefe langage Howe the Romains aske of hym truage Customed of olde syth gone many a day Whan that Cesar conquered first Britayne The kynge requiring to make thē no delay Arthur abode lyst nothinge to sayne But all the courte gan at them dysdayne The proude Britons of cruel hasty blode Wolde haue slayne thē euyn there they stode Nay quod Arthur to al his officers Within our courte they shal haue no domage They entred bene and come as messangers And men also greatly fal in age Let make them chere wyth a glad visage Toke his coūsaile with such as wer most wise With this answere sayde in curteyse wyse Your letters red and plainly vnderstande The tenure hole remembred in this place Touching y ◠charge that ye haue take on hāde To yeue answere reherced in short space By worde writyng ye greatly me manace How ye purpose wyth many strong battayle Passe the moūtains me felly for to assayle It nedeth not such conquest to alledge Agayne Britons of none olde truage Of your coming down y ◠way I shal abredge Wyth goddes grace short your passage Make you no delay but with my baronage Passe the see without long tariyng To mete Romaines at their downe cōmyng This was the answer youe to the messāgers At their departing bare w t them great riches As he bade also vnto his officers Agayne to Rome anone they gan thē dresse Plainly reporting the plentuous largesse Of worthy Arthure considred all thynges Of christendome he passed al other kinges Arthurs courte was the sours and well Of marciall prowes to Lucius they tolde And howe that he al other dyd excel In chyualry wyth whom they were w thold The chosen knyghtes both yonge olde In all Europe who can considre arighte Of all noblesse the torches be there lyghte He cast him not to paye no truage Sayde of the Romaynes he helde no londe Which to defende he wyl make his passage Of your clayme 's to breake a two the bonde And knyghtly preue with his honde Ye haue no tytle ye nor your cite Agayne Britons whych euer haue stand fre With y ◠al the kingdoms subiect to Rome toun Kynges Princes aboue the hie mountaines With Lucius they be discended downe To mete Britons vpon the large playnes Arthurs comming greatly he disdains Bycause he had plainely to dyscriue In multitude of people such fyue At Southhamptō Arthur toke the see With all his knightes of the rounde table Behinde he left to gouerne the countre His cosin Mordrede vntrusty vnstable And at a prefe false and disceyuable To whom Arthur of trust toke al his lande The crowne except whych he kept in hande Fro Southhampton Arthur gan to sayle With all his worthy lordes of Britaine At Harflue fonde good ariuaile He his princes their passage dyd ordaine Thrugh Normādy Fraūce eke Burgoine Vp to a cyte called Augustence Wher he first fonde of Lucius the presence So large a felde nor such a multitude Of men of armes assembled in a plaine Vpon a day shortly to conclude Togider assemble afore was neuer seine Lucius had on his party certaine Eastwarde the worlde all the chiualtye Brought by y ◠moūtains down to Germany Their wardes set in ech a great battaile With their capitaine to gouerne to gye Arthur w t britons the Romains did auaile Fond many Sarazins vpō that party The Briton Gaulfride doth plainly specify As he of Arthur the prowes doth discriue He flewe that day of Sarazins kynges fyue The great slaughter the effusion of bloude That was that day on outher syde Eche againe other y ◠furious were wode Lyke for the felde as fortune lyst prouide That if I shoulde longe theron abyde To write the deth the slaughter manere Touching the felde were tedious to here To conclude and leaue the surplusage In that
battayle dead was manye a knight The CoÌ„sul Lucius slaine in that rage The proude Romains by force put to flighte Of gentilnes Arthur anone ryght Let the body of Lucius be caried Againe to Rome it was no lenger taried The worthy princes lords that were dead And manly knightes abidynge wyth Arthur Like a king solempnly toke hede That they were buried by diligeÌ„t labour And in this whyle lyke a false traitour His cosyn Mordrede dyd his busy paine To take from him the kyngdom of Britayne So as the story plainly maketh minde Mordrede falsly to his auauntage Entreted them that were left behynde Vnder colour of fraudulent langage Gaue theÌ„ gret fredoÌ„e they did him homage That by his false conspiracion Brought al Britaine in to rebellion By faire behestes and many frendly signe Drewe the people to hym in sondry wyse Shewed him outwarde goodly benygne Gaue lybertees and many great fraunchyse To make BritoÌ„s their soueraine lord dispise And purueiaunce he gan make blyue To kepe the portes he shoulde not ariue Whan king Arthur had knowledgyng Of this false treason and al the purueyauÌ„ce That Mordrede made he lyke a manly king Left Burgoyne and al the lande of Fraunce Cast on Mordrede for to do vengeaunce Toke the see wyth great apparayle Cast at Sandwiche to make his ariuaile Mordred was redy w t knightes a gret noÌ„bre Made a stroÌ„g felde to mete him on the plaine In purpose fully Arthur to encombre At which arriuayle slayne was Gawayne Cosyn to Arthur a noble knight certaine Eke Aguisel was slayne on the stronde Kyng of Scottes or he came to londe Maugre Mordrede Arthur dyd arryue The grounde recured lyke a manly knighte For feare of whom anone after blyue The sayde Mordred toke hym to the flyghte And towarde London toke hys way ryghte The gates shyt and kept was the cite Againe Mordred he myght haue none entre In al haste to Cornwayle he fled The sworde of Arthur he durst not abyde Lest he shoulde lay his life to wed Yet for him selfe thus he gan prouide With multitude gathered on his syde Put life and dethe that day in auenture There to dye or the felde recure In fortune there may be no certayne Vpon whose whele al brotilnesse is founded Mordred tharday in the felde was slayne And noble Arthur to the deth was wounded By which the felde of britons was confoâ—ded Of so great slaughter good knightes lorne Vpon a day men haue not sene beforne After the battaile Arthur for a whyle To staunche his wouÌ„des hurtes to recure Borne in a lytter came to an yle Called Aualon there of auenture As the sayd Gaulfride recordeth by scripture How kyng Arthur flour of chiualrye Was fet w t his knightes liueth yet in fairy Thus of Britayne translated was that sonne Vp to the ryche sterry bryghte dongeon Astronomers wel reherce konne Called Arthurs constellacion Wher he sit crowned in the heuenly mancion Amyd the palaies of stones cristalline Tolde among christen of the worthies nyne This errour abideth yet among Brytons Which founded is vpon the prophesye Of olde Marlyn lyke their opinion He as a kyng is crowned in fairye With sceptre sworde and with his regalye Shal resort as lorde and soueraine Out of fairy and reigne in Britayne And repaire againe the rounde table By prophesy of Merlyn set the date Among princes kyng incomparable His sete agayne to Carlion to translate The parchas susterne spon so hys fate His Epitaphe recordeth so certayne Here lieth king Arthur y t shal raigne agayne Vnto Bocas I wyl agayne retourne Afore rehersed parcel of hys prowesse Theron to abyde me lyst no more soiourne But to remembre the great vnkyndnesse The conspiracion the treason and falsnes Done to king Arthur by his cosyn Mordred Make a Lenuoy that al men may it rede ¶ Lenuoye THis tragedy of Arthur here folowing Byddeth Prynces all beware of false treason For in erth is none so perillous thynge As trust of fayeth where is decepcion Hyd vnder curtayne of false collusion For which meÌ„ shuld I holde the couÌ„cel good Beware afore euer of vnkinde blode The world diuers fortune aye chaungeable In euery countre and euery region In a straite nede fewe frendes abyde stable Long absence causeth discencion And if princes by false diuision Nygh of alye shewe two faces in one hode Let men beware euer of vnkynde blode Who was more hardy of princes here reignig Or more famous of marciall renoun ThaÌ„ whilom was his enemies outrainge Arthur chefe sonne of Brutus albion But for al that the disposicion Of fate and fortune most furious wode Caused his distruccion by vnkynde blode What more coÌ„trarious to nature in shewinge Than fayre pretence double of entencion Great aliaunces frowardly workyng Hid vnder floures a serpent cast poison Bryght siluer scaled domageth the dragon Eche worme soÌ„e party tarageth of his brode And what more perilous than vnkinde blod Noble princes on Arthur remembringe Deme the day of Phebus going doun Al is not golde that is clere shininge Afore prouided of your inwarde reason False vndermining and supplantacion Remembring aye with Arthur how it stode By conspiracion of vnkynde blode ☞ An exclamacion of Bochas agayne kynredes vnkynde AGayne kynredes and vnkynde alyaunces Bochas maketh here an exclamacion Vpon Mordrede whyche wyth hys ordinaunces Caused of Arthur finall distruccion The fame eclypsinge of Brutus albyon Not wyth standyng plainly to discriue He trusted him aboue al men alyue It is a meruayle and vncouth to deuyse By what occasion or by what corrage That a man shoulde in any maner wyse Be founde vnkinde vnto his linage Hateful to god that in any age Blode agayne blode borne of one kynred Conspire should of malice and hatrede In this matter it were but vayne to tary The story knowe of Arthur and Mordrede By blode alied in workyng most contrary Which made many a Briton knyght to blede For by vsurpyng conspiracion falshede Of the sayd Mordrede most infortunate Caused al Britayne to stande desolate Fyrst desolate by absence of their kynge Called in his tyme of kynges most notable The desolacion of knyghtes abydynge Whilome in Britaine famous honorable Brethern echone of the rounde table Which by Mordred y â— false for sworn knight Stode longe eclipsed dyrked of his lyghte The light of noblesse y â— shone in Britaine By false Mordred was dirked of his bemes The monarchye departed was on twayne That stode first one with his marcial strems But afterward the brightnes of hys beames Drough to decline by false diuision Which hath distroied ful many a region Al the processe vpon a duplicite Plainely concludeth that is blode vnkynd Adue welfare and all prosperite Where peace and concorde is left behynde Trees may not thriue departed fro the rinde A plaine example in Arthur Mordrede Who can conceyue and list the story rede The .xxvi. Chapter ¶ Of Gisiuill kynge of