am nat worthy that men me shoulde call Or haue the name in no maner wise For the offence whiche ye haue herde deuyse To be called in this wretched lyfe Of Collatyn from henseforthe the wyfe Myne eyne also be blynded with derknesse Only for shame to lyfte vp their syght Outher their stremes or beame vp dresse Of the clere heuen to loke vpon the lyght Nor I may neuer be of the nombre of ryght Of true matrons amonge them ferre ornere For to be rekened in their kalendere Let myne iniury and this mortall cryme Be so punysshed of ryght and equyte Without delay of any lenger tyme That euer after it may example be Through all the worlde and eke in this cyte With suche a payne therupon deuysed That all auoutrors may be therby chastysed And if it seme in your opinyon In this case I shulde be vnpure I wyll receyue iuste punycion And the payne paciently endure If it so stande that perauenture Ye deme of reason that am so iust and stable In this mater that I be culpable Her tale tolde whan they longe had mused On this complaint in their inward sight Of trouth echone they helde her full excused Made all behest with all their full myght To auēge her wrong and Lucrece anonright Toke a sharpe knyfe or they might aduert And roue her selfe euyn through the hert ☞ The complaynt of Bochas vpon the luxury of princes as by examples of many dyuers myschaunces BOchas in hert brennyng hote as fyre Of very ire and indignacion Agayne tho princes which in their desire Haue fully set their delectacion Their felycite and their affection To folowe their lustes of false lechery Froward spousebreche and of auoutry He writeth again them that seketh occasiōs Places of lustes to haue their libertees For to fulfyl their delectacions And for taccōplysh their great dishonestees Deuyse out tauernes in borowes and citees And sitting there among their company After the dede they boste of their foly If any man pyntche at their outrage Or them rebuke for their transgressions They wyl answer w t froward false langage And for their party alledge great reasons First how it longeth to their condicions By right of nature as it is well couth Frely to vse lechery in youthe Affyrme also howe lawe of kinde is fre And so afforce them to sustain their party By exāple of Dauid which y ◠toke Bersabe And for her sake how he slough Vrie Dyd manslaughter and false auoutry For them allegyng agayne right and res◠For Dalida the luxurye of Sampson The story also they frowardly apply How for a woman prudent Salomon The lord offendyng did ydolatry And in diffence of their opinion Reherse these stories for their excusacion Of their errour therby a price to wynne As tofore God lechery were no sinne They not consydre in their entencion Of these stories of euery cyrcumstaunce First of kyng Dauid the great contricion Nor vpon Samson how god toke vēgeaūce First how he lost his force his puissaūce For his offence they haue not this in minde Nor how both his eyen were made blynde Nor their reasons they lyst not to enclyne For to conceyue in their discrecion The spyrite of wysdome heuenly and diuine Was take away fro prudent Salamon In chastising for his transgression And some doctours affyrme ouermore How Salomon repented hym ful sore The play of youth folke calleth lechery Say it is a game of nature And to sustayne and beare vp their party Howe it sit well by recorde of scripture Vnto euery lyuely creature That stant in helth and is coragious Of very kynde to be lecherous Vicious report they haue in remembraunce But vertuous thynge is ferre out of mynde Fleshly lustes and lecherous plesaunce In their desires be not lefte behynde Auauntyng lying they can of new out fynd And nowe a dayes they hold it curtesy Othes horrible flateryng and ribaudy In their auice they take lytel hede Vnto the doctryne of noble Scipion Which commaunded in story as I rede To Massinissa full famous of renoun Not to touche by no condicion Sophonisba fayrest of vysage But it were by way of maryage Though she were borne of the blod royal Her youth was set to all honeste Doughter and heire to noble Hasdruball Duke of Cartage the story ye may se And for her vertues of feminyte She wedded was of byrth as she was lyke To king Siphax which reigned in Affrike And for to preue the great lyberte Which is in vertue conueyed by reson And the false thraldom of dyshoneste Of bothe to make a playne comparison After the doctryne of Censorin Caton Shewed by him to folkes commune That vertue neuer is subiect to fortune Vertue conserueth measure and reson Consydereth thinges afore or they befal Taketh none emprises but of discrecion And on prudence foundeth her werkes al Aye to her counsayle attēperaūce she doth cal Warely prouiding in her selfe within The end of thynges to fore or she begyn This was the doctrine taught forth of Catō Lecherous lustes to put them vnder fote Grauntyng to vertue the domynacyon Plucke vp vyces braunche crop and rote Frute of goodnes groweth vp so sote Whan it is planted of youth in corage It neuer appalleth in eld of his tarage Caton of vertue was a chefe offyter Preferryng euer common commoditees Tofore profites that wer synguler To enhaūce the comon in kingdōs and citees Their wyttes peysed and their habylytees Persons promoting in whō it was supposed That they in vertue were naturalli disposed Manlye in hert he was aye to sustene Indifferent trouth and all iustyce Fleshly delytes of folke that were vncleane He was aye redy by rygour to chastyce And set lawes in full prudent wyse For to punysh flaterours and lechours And such as were open auoutrours He had of women none opinion With them to deale for luste nor for beaute But if it were for procreacion So stable he was found in his degre The boke redyng of immortalyte Which Plato made the trouth well sought Therin concludyng how soules dye noughte But lyueth euer in ioy or in payne Thus wrote Plato in his originall Men may the body bi deth ful wel constrain But the soule aye abydeth immortal For which this Caton stedfast as a wal For comon profyte to dye was not aferd Whan he him self slew with a naked swerde But to fortune afore his dethe he saide O thou princes of worldly goodes vayne To thy flateries I neuer did abrayde Thy fauour is so false and vncertayn That neuer I faught no fraunchise to atain As for my selfe no perciall syngulerte But all for profyte touching the comonte Agayne Cesar I made resystence To conquere fredome to me and to the toun Frely to eschewe his mortal vyolence This world dispising in mine opinion Our fraunchise thralled vnder subiection Iustly forsakyng the varyaunce of this life My soule conueyed to be contemplatyse This philosopher this prudent old Caton Tendring in hert common comodytees Tofore
Within thy house whan I did lere By clere example of manifolde doctrine Al that pertained to vertuous discipline Which I haue lost now in my dayes olde Dispaired it to recure agayne Myne owne childre I dare not the beholde Bycause the wombe in that they haue layne Diffouled is and pollute in certaine Which was tofore in chastitie conserued Chastise the auoutrer as he hath deserued And for my part to speke in wordes fewe Lenger to liue I haue no fantasie For where should I out my face shewe Or dare appere in any company Sith a derke spot of false auoutry Shal euermore whether it be false or true In to myne hindring y ◠sclaundre to renewe Lust afforced hath a false appetite Offrelte included in nature Maugre the wyll there foloweth a delite As some folkes say in euery creature Good fame lost ful hard is to recure And sith I may my harmes not redresse To you in open my gilt I wil confesse Al be I was againe my wil oppressed There was a maner constrained lust in dede Which for no power might not be redressed For feblenesse I stand in so great drede For which offence deth shal be my mede Sith leuer I haue with some edge tole To slee my selfe than lyue in slaūder dole O father myne spare and haue pitie And dere husbande rue on myne offence Goddes goddesses called of chastitie To my trespace graunt an indulgence For of my gylt to make a recompence Where that Venus gate in me a vaūtage Deth shal redresse chastise myne outrage For if I should make a delay To perse my brest w t sharpnes of a knyfe Men would deme and say fro day to day To make my sclaūder more open more rife Howe that I was more tendre of my life Thā of my worship which is to gret a shame To loue my life more than my good name In this matter no witnes is so good To put awaye all false suspection As with a knife to shed my hert bloud I myght not make a better purgacion To al folke that haue discrecion Than finally by my deth to excuse The gylt horible of whych men me accuse Go forth my soule pure and immortal Chefe wytnes of myne innocence Tofore tho iudges which ben infernal Fyrst Mynos kyng to deme my conscience With Radamanthus to yeue a sentence Lyke my desertes that it might be sene In wyfely trouth how that I was clene Thou erthly body which through thy fairnes Were to auoutry ful great occasion Of thy bloud shede out the rednes And by thy sides let it raile doun Stere and exite the people of this toun To do their deuer within a litle whyle For loue of Tarquyn al kynges to exile And fyrst I pray my husbande most entere Of this vengeaunce to make no delay With helpe and socour of my father dere To punyshe y ◠auoutrer in al haste ye may Let him take his wages and his pay Lyke as ye se plainly nowe conceyue For his offence the death I do receiue And sodaynly or they myght aduerte She toke a knyfe and with great violence Through the brest euyn to the hert She made it glyde there was no resistence Ful pale deed fyl down in their presence And by occasion of this piteous dede Tarquyn exyled and holy his kynrede For which cause by recorde of writyng Was there neuer in Rome the cite After that day no man crowned kyng As in cronicles ye may beholde and se Thus for luxurie and their cruelte Their tiranny and false extorcion They were exiled out of Rome toun The .vi. Chapter ¶ Howe Rome was after gouerned and Virginea by her father slayne GOuerned after by other officers As is remembred in Titus Liuius Called Decemuiri of diuers croniclers Amonge whyche there was one Appius A Judge vntrue proud luxurious Which through y ◠citie the story bereth witnes Behated was for his great falsenes And ones it fyll as he cast his loke Vpon a maide most inly fayre of sight A false desire within his hert he toke Her to dysuse agayne al skyl and ryght And she was doughter to a worthy knyght Ful manly founde in his dedes al And Vyrginius y ◠Romains did him cal Whose goodly doughter y e story doth vs lere Was after hym for his noble fame Virginia called most goodly and entere And for this cause she bare the same name But Appius to greatly was to blame Which hath conspired through his great falsnes If y ◠he might her beauty to oppresse This Iuge vntrue both in thought dede Of law vnrightful sought out occasion Made a sergiaunt of his to procede Agayne this mayde to take an accion Claimed her his seruant by false collusion And this done was by Appius of entent That he on her might yeue a iudgement And by this meane in his false delite Thought he myght her beautie best disuse So to accomplishe his fleshly appetite She beyng feble the accion to refuse Wherupon her father gan to muse Fully conceiued of Appius the maner In her defence wrought as ye shal here Whan Appius had yeuen his iudgement Againe this mayde which afore him stode Her manly father most knighty of entent Toke her apart as he thought it good And wyth a knyfe shed her hert bloud Dempt it better to slee her in clennes Than the tirant her beauty should oppresse Thus hole conserued was her virginite And vndefouled was her maydenhede For Vyrgynius to kepe her honeste Spared nothyng to make her sides blede But Appius for this horrible dede And Decemuiri through his vnhappye chaūce Had in that citye neuer after gouernaūce As the story also maketh mencion Appius ashamed of this dede Slough him selfe fetred in prison Of a false iuge lo here the final mede And tho Tribuni in Rome gan succede Twene right and wronge truely to discerne And romayne lawes iustly to gouerne Men may here se as in a myrour clere Estates chaunged for their great offences And by some poore person singulere Princes put doun from their magnificences Which not cōsidred in their great excellēces How god ordeineth his yerde in sōdry wise The poore sūwhile the pompous to chastise Here on to shewe example anone ryght Marked in story for a notable thynge Pausanias of Grece a manly knight Of Macedony slough Philip the Kyng At a table where he was sitting Atwene Alexandre and Olimpiades His wrong to auenge amyddes al the prees Eke Salmator a knyght of low degree For wronges done in especial Of manly force grounded on equite Slough of Cartage the Prince Hasdrubal Which brother was vnto duke Haniball Besyde a riuer as they met in batayle Called Metaure which renneth in Itaile Wherefore ye princes if ye lyst longe endure Be right wel ware be ye neuer so stronge In your lordshyppes not to much assure Or of surquedy the porayle to do wronge In your discrecion conceyuing euer amonge Greatest drede is that
among with transmutations Set in Ouide by full souerayne style Whan he on them had mused a long while Sene the maner both of forowe and ioye He began to remēber of Priamus of Troy First of his byrthe and of his kynrede How among kinges he was most famous And as poetes recorde of him in dede He descended of worthye Dardanus Whiche as his line declareth vnto us From Jupiter was lynially come downe Vnto his father called Laomedoun Of olde Troy this Laomedon was kyng Destroyed by Grekes he and his countrye After whom this Priamus raynyng Made there ayen a myghty strong citye Where he full longe in full great royaltie With wife childer most worthy of renoun With scepter and crowne held the possessioun Gouerned his citye in peace and rightwisnes And Fortune was to him fauourable For of all Asie the treasour and riches He did assemble this kyng most honourable And in armes he was so commendable That through the worlde as far as mē gone Of high nobles the ronoume of him shone This Priamus had children many one Worthy princes and of full great myght But Hector was among them euerychone Called of prowes the lanterne and the lyght For there was neuer borne a better knyght Troylus in knyghthode so manly was foūd That he was named Hector the seconde But I should rehearse the manhede Of kyng Pryam and of his sonnes all And how his citye besieged was in dede And all the story to remembraunce call Betwene him and Grekes how it is befall The circumstaunces rehearsyng vp doun To set in order the first occasion Of the siege why it was first layed By Hercules and also by Iason The maner whole in Troye boke is sayde Rudely endited of my translation Folowyng vpon the destruction Called the second whych by accomptes cler◠Fully endured the space of ten yere For as me semeth the labour were in vayne Truely also I not to what entent That I should write it newe agayne For I had once in commaundement By him that was most noble and excellent Of kynges all for to vndertake It to translate and write it for his sake And if ye list to wete whom I meane Henry the fifte most myghty of puyssaunce Gaue me the charge of entent full cleane Thinge of olde time to put in remembraunce ▪ The same Henry for knyghtly suffisaunce Worthy for manhode teken kynges all With nyne worthies for to haue a stall To holy churche he was chefe defensoure In all suche causes Christes chosen knyght To destroy heritykes he set all his laboure Loued all vertues and to sustayne right Through his nobles his manhode might Was diligent and did his busy payne To haue set peace betwene realmes twayne A meane in sothe England and Fraunce His purpose was to haue had a peace finall Sought out meanes w t many a circumstan̄ce As well by treaty as actes marciall Theron ieoparded lyfe goodes and all But wo alas agaynst death is no boone This land may say he dyed all to soone For among kinges he was one of the best So all his dedes conueyed were by grace I pray to God so geue his soule good rest Wyth sayntes in heauen a dwellyng place For here with vs to little was the space That he abode of whom the remembraunce Shall neuer dye in England ne in Fraunce This worthy kyng gaue to me in charge In Englysh tonge to make a translation Out of latyn within a volume large Howe longe the grekes lay tofore the toun And how that Paris fyrst at Cytheron In Venus temple sleighly dyd his payne There to rauysh the fayre quene Heleyne In which boke the processe ye may se To hym how she was wedded in the toune And of the siege layde vnto the cyte By Menelay and kyng Agamennon And many another full worthy of renoun On eyther partie which that in battaile Fro day to day ech other dyd assayle Wherto shuld I tell or what shuld I write The deth of Hector or of Achylles Or wherto should I of newe endite How worthy Troilus was slaine in y ◠prese The ende of Paris or of Pallamides Or the slaughter of manly Deyphebus Or howe his brother called Hellenus Tolde afore howe it was great folly That Paris should wed quene Heleyne And how Cassandra in her prophecy On this wedding fore began compleyne And for the constreint of her hertely paine How she wexe madde ran about the toune Tyl she was caught shet vp into prison Al this matter ye may behold in dede Set by and by wythin Troye boke And how Creseide loued Dyomede Whan worthy Troylus she wilfully forsoke Of her nature a quarel thus she toke To assay both if nede were also to feyne To take the thirde leue thē both tweyne I passe ouer and tel of it no more Ne by what meanes the grekes wan y ◠toun How Eneas neyther how Anthenore Ayenst kyng Priam cōspired false traison Neyther howe Vlixes gate Paladion The deth of Priam ne of Eccuba the quene Ne howe Pyrrus flewe pong Pollicene Neyther here to write it is not mine entent Repeyre of grekes home in to their countre After the cyte at Iiyon was brent Neither of their mischefe they had on the see Neyther howe Vlixes founde Penolope A true wyfe though he were long her fro Through al Grece I can rede of no mo Of these matters thus I make an eude What fil of grekes after their viage To Troy boke tho folke I send Which haue desire to se the surplusage Howe grekes made fyrst their passage Towardes Troy besiegynge the cite Bede the storye ye get no more of me The .xvii. Chapter ☞ Here speketh Bochas the authour of thys boke agaynste the surquedous pryde of them that truste in rychesse sayeng these wordes vnto them ME proude folkes that set your affiaūce In strength beaute or in hye nobles If ye consider fortunes variaunce And coude a myrrour before your eyen dresse Of kyng Pryam and of his great richesse To se how he and his children all From their noblesse sodainly ben fall Hector of knighthode called sours wel Sad and demure and famous of prudence Paris also in beaute dyd excell And Helenus in perfyt prouidence Troylus in armes had great experience Also Deyphebus preued manly on his fone Yet in y ◠warre they were slaine euerychone Had not this kyng also as I can deuise By noble Heccuba whiche that was y ◠quene ▪ A doughter called Cassandra the wyse Her yong suster fayre Pollicene Alas alas what may all such pride mene For albeit their renome spronge ful far Yet are these women deuoured in the war Was he not mighty strong in all thynges And had also of his aliaunce Ryght worthy princes many rych kynges And nighe al Asie vnder his obeisaunce Holde in his tyme most famous of puissance Most renomed of richesse and tresours Tyl that fortune wyth her sharpe shoures Whan that he satte highest
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
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
in his drede Trayterously through plate and mayle Perced his hart the bloud abrode gan rayle And as it is also of him remembred The Lucaâ—oyes by vengeable vyolence They haue his carayne on pieces dismeÌ„bred Tyll an olde lady beyng in presence Required them of humble pacience That she of grace gader myght anone His membres all and ioyne them into one And after to sende them vnto his sister dere Olympyades the stately great quene That of affection and loue most entere Whan it befell that she did them sene Should of nature as it muste nedes bene Weâ—e and prouyde in his estate royall To bury the body with feast funerall Se here example of this proude kyng Whiche would haue scaped his fatal desteny Chaunge of places auayleâ— hym nothyng Periodie of prynces may not chaunged be The terme set fro whyche they may not fle For whan heuyn of death hath set the date No mortall man may eschue hys fate The .xi. Chapter ☞ How Dary king of Perce and Mede was outrayed by Alexander kyng of Macedon IN Alexander called Epirothes Me lyst as now no lenger for to tary Slayn at mischefe for he was retchles Double of corage for he could chauÌ„ge vary For turne I will my pen to kyng Dary Whiche that whilom who so lyst take hede Most mightely raigned in Perce and Mede And among other notable warriours Like as I deme by heauenly influence Onely by title of his predecessours And through his prudent excellence To great encrease of his magnificence He had all Asie as made is mencion Vnder his lordship and dominacion And as myne auctor Bochas doth defyne He was discended from the imperiall bloude Of Artaxerses and borne eke of that lyne Passed all prynces of treasure and of goode In Perce Mede his great empyre stoode An huÌ„dred prouynces tencrease of puissaunce And seuen thirty he had in gouernaunce Ouer all Asie towarde the orient His lordshyp last bokes make mynde And he had eke toward the occident Ouer Egypt power as I fynde The redde sea was not left behynde Demyng hym selfe of all earthly treasour Was none but he lorde and gouernoure Toward SepteÌ„trion vnder y â— midday spere His power raught and hys regaly Ouer Inde in cronicles ye may lere And to the boundes of great Armenye Lorde of the kingdome y t called is Parthy Worldly folke dempt hym w t god egall â–ª Master to fortune she not but hys thrall But in his hyghest exaltacion Of worldly glory he could not preuayle For all his riches and vaine ambicion But fortune durst him wel assayle In his most royal riche apparayle Cast in her chauÌ„ges to giue hiÌ„ a sharpe shoure By Alexander of Grece enheritour Vnto purpose I will my penne dresse For to declare and make mencion How proude Dary in his most nobles Was by Fortune from his seate â—ast doun For anone after the coronacion Of Alexander in Macedone kyng This was the processe of his workyng He not delayed nor made no long date In purpose fully of yre to procede Of Perce Mede the scepters to translate All their riches to conquere and possede Perpetually for no abide in dede Vnder grekes mighty obeysaunce In Macedone to haue the gouernaunce And as mine auctour well reherce can He set in Grece the mighty stronge citye Of Corinthe the metropolitan There to establishe his imperiall see In regalibus whan he list crowned be As man whoÌ„ god liste of his might to marke The world to coÌ„quere be therof monarke At the ginnyng of his conquest famous Through out Grece in euery region First he chose out of his fathers house Knightes y t were most souerayne of renowne Notable in armes and of condicion Faithfull true which had of high prudence Foresight in armes of marciall prouidence To them he did full notably assygne As men expert in knightly apparayles To make his stuffe with many a riche signe And forge of stele his plate and his mayles Gaue them the rule to gouerne in battayles For prouidence of yore it hath be tolde Full muche auayleth of knightes wise olde All this accomplished he list no lenger tary This worthy kyng but w t his ordinaunce Purposed to begyn on kyng Dary And as it is put in remembraunce In most proude wise he gan him selfe auauÌ„ce First in his way to brenne and beate downe Of hasty yre Thebes the mighty towne After he gate two mighty regions The one of Frigie the other called Lyde Set by olde tyme were their foundaâ—ions Vpon two riuers runnyng there beside whose goldeÌ„ grauels their brightnes mai not hide Paceolus and Euxyne men them call Richest of stremes though men reken all And of his conquest farder to termyne He wan Isauria a prouince wonder stronge In Asia one chiefest of the nyne And Pamphile a kingdome large and longe He gate also were it right or wronge For where y t conquest haue any title of right My cuÌ„ning it passeth my reason my might I toke no party nor me lyst not tary In this matter but forth I will procede How Alexander hasted towarde Dary To atcheue his coÌ„queste of Perce of Mede But first he came to Frigia I rede Into a citye the name to specify Thylke dayes it named was Gordy After mine auctoure affirme well I dare There was a teÌ„ple in Frigia thus saith he Of Jupiter in whiche there stode a chare With ropes bounde of stones and pyrre Amonge whiche men might beholde and se A fatall knotte by craft made so subtile That no man could vndo it by no wyle For who that had science or cunnynge That curious knot to lose or vntwyne Ouer Asye he should be crowned kyng And Alexander as bokes determyne Seinge this chare knitte with many line And how it semed a maner impossible To seuer it whiche was indiuisible The chare w t coardes was so enterlaced That rychely stode in â—oues tabernacle Whiche by his witte coulde not be enbraced Neither by craft nor no solemne myracle Tyll Alexander by a diuyne oracle Drew out his sworde wherof meÌ„ had woÌ„der Carfe the knotte cordes all asunder Wherby he wyst that he was ordeyned Ouer all Asye to be lorde and kyng Whiche to reioyce this story is not fayned He rode like Mars his battayles coÌ„ueiyng Through Perce mede his staÌ„derds splayig Toward his coÌ„quest where I let him dwell And of his chare knottes I will you tell Prudent Justinus an olde croniclere In his cronicles rehearseth this story Nowe Gordius a pore laborer Beside the citye that called is Gordie â—ryng his lande did his oxen gye And all maner foules that hath flyght Hye in the ayre appeared in his syght Vnknowe to him the token what it meant With diuinours cast him to counsayle Called â—ugures which holy in their entent Knowen the processe of such diuinayle Where it shall profite eyther disauayle And at the gate of Gordy the citye He met a mayde excelling of beautie
mariage y t he myght vnderfonge In his diyng to set a fynall peace Twene these .ii. realmes for their both ēcrece After whose death thus the matter stode Quene Arcynoe most subtyll in workyng Agayne this matter so cruell was and wode Maryed her daughter w t out more lettyng Called Beronices agaynst the biddyng Of her father that called was Agas As heretofore rehearsed is the caas She maried her to one Demetrius That brother was by Bochas rehearsynge Vnto the mighty great Antygonus Beyng in Grece of Macedoyne kyng But infortunate was she after her weddyng As in this story suyng ye shall se By the false workyng of quene Arcynoe And to conclude shortly this mattere Whan thys quene this double Arcynoe Sawe of Demetrius the vysage the there His loke his coloure his langage beautie His manly port and his liberalitie She was enamored of fleshly pleasaunce Lyke her desyre to haue his acquayntaūce Of her nature she was most lecherous And of her frowarde inclination She brought about that Demetrius Assented was by her suggestion For to accomplish lyke her opinion All her desyres of fleashly appetite Thus of accorde there folowed their delite Lefte his wyfe called Beronices The quenes doughter agayne all ryght In a place secret out of prees They lay together almost euery nyght Takyng no hede of god nor of no wyght Tyll of fortune the case is so befall That he was hated of hys knyghtes all Dispyte they had of Arcynoe The dede horrible whan they dede espy Hys wyfe Beronices eke whan she dyd se Holy the maner of theyr ribaudry In heart she caught a great melancoly Ordayned knightes in stele armed bryght In their aduoutry to take them on a nyght Lying a bedde slept and toke no kepe After false lustes whiche they had vsed They fel vp on them whyle they dyd slepe The dede open myght nat be excused To all the worlde thus they were accused With swordes draw y ◠knyghtes thilke night To slee thē both were purposed anone right Out on Beronices cryeth John Bochas Because she badde spare Arcynoe Grounde gynnyng of this horrible caas Sayth her mercy was very cruelte To saue suche one it was a false pite As sayth myne auctour a thyng cōtrarious Her to preserue and slee Demetrius O Beronices small is thy discretion To saue the quene y ◠hath the treason founde First to Demetrius she gaue occasion For which she shuld haue had the first woūde Take for them bothe and in cheynes bounde And after that thys false Arcynoe To example of other shuld haue punished be And whyle they were taken thus in close The sayd Arcynoe made no delay But fro her bedde anone she vp rose Without clothes naked as she lay Ran to their swordes in all theyr gret affray Went atwene them dyd her busy payne To beare of strokes with her armes twayne To saue Demetrius naked as she stode Voyde of all drede dyd her busy cure Her whyte body all bespreynt with blode Gan to cry out on euery creature Alas quod she let me alone endure Deth by my selfe ye be to dispitous To saue my lyfe and slee Demetrius To the erthe anone she fyll adowne To stande vpryght she might nat sustene Deed pale wan with many pitous sowne Dethe of Demetrius gan wofullye bemene Embrasyng him with all his woūdes grene And in her armes albe that he laye deed She kyssed his mouth blew nothyng reed In sorow cōplaynt thus she made an ende I write no more of thys Arcynoe But to Beronices agayne I wyl now wēde For Bochas sayeth in the story ye maye se She after wedded was to worthy Tholome Like as it was her fathers first entent When y ◠he dyed and made his testament ☞ Thus endeth the fourth boke and hereafter foloweth the fyfte Here Bochas vvryteth agaynste them that delyte in beaute and semelynesse callyng to purpose howe a man borne in Tuscan whiche excelled in beaute and fayrnesse and for hys beaute should nat geue other occasion to synne he disfigured hys visage and body wyth manye a great wounde and spotte The first Chapter HEre Bochas scorneth hath disdayne Of thre maner of folke he dyd se In this worlde whiche that in certayne Set at theyr ioy and all their felicite For to excell in fayrenesse and beaute Nat withstandyng as ye well tell can It hath vndone full many a worthy man Recorde he taketh of Demetrius Which in his tyme was fayrest in certeyne Which caused hym to be contrarious To al vertue his story ye haue seyne But of tho folke Bochas hath most disdeyne That busy ben to conquere and recure Beaute by craft which cometh nat of nature The thirde is he y t grutcheth agayne kynde For lacke of stature and of semelynesse And all these thre ben ignoraunt and blynde And agayne reason their corages they dresse Yet aboue beaute vertue is maystresse And lytle worthe is fayrnesse in certeyne In a person where no vertue is seyne Vnto purpose he telleth of a man That excelled all other in fayrenesse Called Spurnia borne was in Tuscan And folke had ioye and great gladnesse To beholde hym for his semelynesse Whose beaute brought women in dotage When they cast her loke on hys vysage Wyues maydens dwellyng in that countre Presed fast on hym to beholde By theccasion of hys great beaute Nat onelye yonge but some that were olde Wyth loues axcesse nowe were they hote nowe colde Thus was hys beaute to many a creature Founde in effecte a perylous lure Husbandes olde caught a fantasy And had a maner suspection Styred by the serpent of false Jelosye Towarde Spurnia as made is mencion But for to auoyde all cruell occasion Of any people that suche malyce thought Ye shall here howe wysely that he wrought To put awaye false dylectacion And all occasions of Cupides rage He of prudence and discretion With many wounde diffaced hys vysage For he dempt it was great domage That by thenchesen of excellent beaute Any creature hyndred shoulde be Philosophers and poetes that were wyse Gaue vnto hym a great commendation That he coude so notably deuyse To fynde a waye within hys reason To set asyde all occasion Of suche vnlefull fleshlye fantasye That might styre women vnto lecherye He knewe afore and saw by experience That all beaute shall waste away and fade Lyke somer flours in theyr moste excellence That growe on hylles or belowe in shade The rose the lyllye whan they be most glade Vpon theyr stalkes theyr prefe is dayly seyne Been beten downe with a stormye reyne And semblably in euery creature Of lowe degre or of hye estate Beauty abideth nat nor lenger doth endure Than youthes ceson w t age is ful checkmate Who thinketh hereon I holde hym fortunate And can afore in his reason caste No worldly beauty in erth mai alway laste ¶ Lenuoye YE worldlye folke that reioyse in beaute Se with the eyen of your aduertence
repayre To a woman which had in her entrayle Spyrites closed to make his diuinayle In whose wombe barain and out of grace Of wicked spirites was the dwellyng place This sayd woman was a creature The which afore by cursed Julyan By his lyfe his purpose to recure In sacrifice was offred to Sathan And so as he with cursednes began Such was his ende as al bokes tell whose soul with Pluto is buryed depe in hel With this tyrant Bochas gan wexe wroth For his most odious fell outrage And to reherce in partie he was lothe The blasphemies of hys fell langage For nouther furye nor infernal rage May be compared with poison fret within To the false venyme of this horrible synne It is contrary to all good thewes And tofore God moste abhominable Hatefull to all saue to cursed shrewes For of all vyces very imcomparable Moste contagious and most delectable The mouth enfect of such infernal hounds Which euery day sle Christ with new wouÌ„ds For obstynate of purpose for the nones Of disposicion furyous and wode Not afraide to swere goddes bones with horrible other as body flesh and bloud The Lord dismeÌ„bring most gracius good His fete haÌ„des armes face and heed Reno him of new as they wolde haue him deed This blessed Lord which is immortall Though they be dedly they would him slee ageyn They be erthly he is celestial In froward wise they ben ouerseyne Discrecion fayleth their reason is in vayne All suche blasphemy for shorte conclusyon Procedeth of pride and false ambycion It semeth to me they haue foul fayled Of kyndnes to do him reuerence which for their loue vpon the crosse was nayled To pay the raunsome for mans offence Suffred death with humble pacyence False rebukyng spyttyng in hys vysage To bring mankynde vnto his heritage False surquedy that doth the heartes reyse Of such blasphemers as was this Julian whose great empyre might not counterpeise Again the Lord which is both God and man The original ground of pride was Sathan Prince vnder him most infortunate was this Apostata reignyng in his estate What was th ende of this tyrant horrible This cruell felon hatefull to euery wyght By sodayne myracle to al his hoste visible There dyd appere a very heuenly knyght Most freshly armed angelyke of sighte With a sharpe speere sitting on his stede Made the tyrant his hert bloude to blede His false goddes might him not auaile His frowarde off rynge done to maumetry Nor al his proude imperyall apparayle His inuocacions nor hateful sorcerye For this apostata that dyd his faythe denye Amonge his knightes slayn by death sodain His soule in hell with sathan in great payne The xv chapter ¶ Howe themperoure Valence slewe Heremites shed christen blud â–ª distroyed churches and after was brent BOchas in hast doth hys style dresse Next to the mperour y e called was ValeÌ„ce Rehersyng first the perfyte holynesse Of Heremytes that did their dilygence To lyue in penaunce and in abstynence Forsoke the worlde and for Christes sake In to desert they haue the way take â–ª In this world here they lyst no lengar tarye Dyuers and double of trust no certayne Ferre in Egypte to liue solitary Depe in desertes of folke not to be sayne The soyle was drye of vitayle ful barayne The frutelesse trees vp seared by the rote For Christes loue they thoght y e life most soâ—e This sayd Valence of malice frowardly To this Heremites y â— liued in gret penaunce Causelesse with full great enuy Troubled them and did theÌ„ great greuauÌ„ce Lyke a tyraunte set al in vengaunce Distroyd churches with people that he ladde And where he went christen bloud he shadde This mean while by robbyng and rauyne In Mauritayne which is a great countre There was a prince that called was Faryne And in Cesaria a famous great cyte For his extorcion and his cruelte He toke vpon him proudly there reignynge Maugre romayns to be crowned kinge Theodose the fyrst a manly man Was sent out his malice to withstand By the bidding of Valencian Which that time the mpyre had in hand Bothe atones but ye shal vnderstande Theodose was sent out to assayle The sayd Farine and slewe him in batayle Of whiche Faryne by full cruel hate In that countre presumptuously reignynge Smote of his heed and sate it on the gate Of Cesaria this was the endyng Which by intrusioÌ„ afore was crowned king In Mauritayne oppressing them by drede As ye haue herde for which he lost his heade In this mater Bochas doth not soiourne By no attendaunce nor long diligence But of purpose dothe agayn retourne To the mperour that called was Valence Which as I told did so great offence The holy church of froward cursednes Slewal Hermites that bode in wildernes God wolde not suffre he shuld long endure Graunteth no tyraunt here longlyfe For by some mischefe or sodaine auenture They dye by murdre with dagger swerde or knife The Gotheyes whilom gan a stryfe For his outrage and great oppressyon They agayne romains fyll in rebellion A prince of his called Maximus Distressed them by so great tyranny And was vpon them so contrarious That they gadred all the cheualry And wext so strong vpon their partie That by their manhode it fel of auenture They on Valence made a disconsiture Spared not by robbynge and pillage Slough and brent many a stately place Cyties townes and many a small village That were famous within the laÌ„d of Trace But furiously thei met him in the face Where like a coward he turned his visage To saue his life lay hyd in Cartage Thus finally this emperour Valence As ye haue heard fayled of his entent The Gothes folowed by cruel violence As wylde beastes al of one assent The house and him to ashes they haue brent Lo here the fyne ye princes take hede Of tyrantes that saintes bloud do shed The .xvi. Chapter ¶ Of kynge Amacisius and howe Gracian and Theodosy distroied temples of fals gods how GraciaÌ„ was put to flight AFter Valence to God contraryous In al his workes most froward of liueÌ„g Tofore Bochas came Amacisius Which of Gothes was whilom Lord kyng Of his great age piteously complaining Inflate and dole lyst make no delayes Slew him self to short his greuous dayes Then came downe the brother of Valence The mighty emperour called Gracian Whiche afore had had experyence First with his vncle Valentinyan In the Empyre as bokes tell can And afterward Theodosy and he Had gouernaunce of Rome the cyte Theodosy and Gracien of assent Distroyed temples as in that partie Of false goddes also they haue downe rente The great ydols and all such maumetrye And full deuoutly gan churches edifye And in this whyle as fortune dyd ordayne One Maximus was vicar in Bretayne An hardy knight albe that he did vary From his promise made by sacrament In Bretayne list no lengar tary â–ª But into Gaule of hert and hole entent Gayne Gracian he sodenly is went And as
Howe ech of them was in his coâ—tre Soueraynly by vertuous excelleÌ„ce Of olde commended for their pacience Which may be set and crowned in hir stall As Emperesse among vertues al. Among Ceciliens fyrst Theodorus For pacience had in great reuerence Amonge Grekes the story telleth thus Anaxerses for his magnificence By force of vertue grounded on pacience Because he was vertuous and wyse For sufferaunce gate him a souerayne prise Among Romains put in remembraunce Sceuola both philosopher and knyght For his marciall stronge constaunce Whan that he helde amyd the flame lyght Hande fingers among the coles bryght Tyl the ioyntes falling here and yonder From the wrest departed were a sonder Fyrst Theodorus borne in the famous yle By pacience great paines enduringe Chefe philosopher called of Cecile With chaynes bouÌ„de vpon the ground lying On his body layde gaddes reed brennyng Suffring his paine list it not refuse By kynge Jerome the tiraunte of Siracuse For common profit suffred all his payne Long tyme afore liyng in prison Whych by assent of mo than one or twayne Was the most chefe by conspiracion To bring the tiraunt to his distruccion For no paine that he might endure The coniuracion he would not discure Rather he chase in mischefe for to dey Than by name openly declare Of him that slewe the tiraunt sothly to sey Thought of ryght no man should spaâ—e For common profit helth and welfare To slee a tiraunt demyng for the best Al a region for to set at rest For which title he list suffre deth All his turment toke most paciently Theodorus tyl he yelded vp the breth Grutched not with noise nor loude cry Amyd wose hert roted was faythfully Common profit Bochas wryteth the same Among Ceciliens to get hym a name Grekes also coÌ„mende aboue the sterres Anaxerses and greatly magnifye Cause that he to stint mortall werres Lyst not spare to acquite hys partye In rebukyng manly the tirannye Of Nicoâ—reon a tiraunt full mortall Reignyng in Cipre in his estate royall Spared nouther for deth ne drede Him to rebuke by vertuous langage The tiraunt bad cut out of his heade Hys tonge in haste but he w t strong corage Sayde he shoulde haue none auauntage Of that membre whych wyth al his myghte Had tolde him trough in the peoples sight Of his manace set but litell tale Bytte of his tonge of stronge corage Chewed it al on peces smale Of manly herte thought it no domage Spyt it out in the visage Of the tiraunt gate so the vyctory To put his name euermore in memory And Sceuola equal to these twayne For common profit by iust comparison Put him in preace dyd his busye payne To slee Porcenna enemy to Rome toun For to accomplysh his entention Toke a stronge darte passingly trenchaunte With al his mighte cast it at the tiraunte Of his marke cause he dyd faile To slee his enemye after his entent Whych in Tuskan by many stronge battayle Gayns Romains wyth his knightes went This Sceuola his owne hand brent Cause that he failed of hys arte To slee Proceuna with casting of his darte To declare the force of his manhode Put him selfe auenged for to be As I haue tolde in coles rede His hande he brent for loue of his cite Onely to aquite his magnanimite Of feruent loue his cite to auayle To slee the tiraunt cause that he dyd fayle Thus for to put the marcial suffraunce Of these noble philosophers thre In perpetuall mynde and remembraunce Howe they them quit eche lyke his degre For their pure partye vnto the commonte Cause al their ioy and inward delite Was for auaile to the coÌ„mon profit Fyrst Theodorus put him selfe in prees For Ceciliens to dye in prison And for Grekes noble Anaxerses His tonge torne felte great passion And Sceuola for Romayns and their toun Suffred his hande by shorte auisement Of verye trouth in coles to be brent A martirdom it was in their manere Of their corage to haue so great constaunce Were so stable of herte body and chese For coÌ„mon profite of face and countenaunce Vnto the deth without variaunce Gate the triumphe by souerayne excellence With laurer crowned for their pacience Lyke as Phebus passeth the litel sterre Hyest vpraised in hys mydday spere So this vertue in trouble peace werre Called pacience most freshely doth appere Among vertues to shewe hys beames clere For pacience knyt wyth humilite Where they abyde maye none errour be Tâ—rauntes hertes this vertue doth appease Modifyeth their cruell fel wodenesse Rage of Lions who lyst lyue in ease Of folke prostrat his malice doth represse Al our ioy gan first wyth mekenes For of Juda the hardy stronge lion A maideÌ„s mekenes fro heauen brought doun In battaile and mighty stronge sheltrons Aduice with sufferaunce winneth the victory Pacience venquisheth champions Lownesse in vertue by many olde hystory And mekenes perpetuall of memory Al to conclude grouÌ„ded on reason A maidens mekenes wrought our redeÌ„pcion ¶ Bochas here commendeth humilite VErtue of vertues O noble pacience Wyth Laurer crowned O vertuous constauÌ„ce Laude honour prayse and reuereÌ„ce Be yeue to thee prices of most pleasauÌ„ce Most renomed by olde remembraunce Of whom the myghty marciall armure Gayne all vyces lengest may endure Grounde and gynnyng to stande at defence Agayne Sathans infernall puissaunce Laureat quene where thou art in presence From outrages haue no gouernaunce Condite head spring of pleÌ„tuous habuÌ„dauÌ„ce Cristall well celestial of figure Gayne al vices which lengest may endure Chefe founderes by soueraine excellence Of gostly building spiritual substaunce Empresse of most magnificence With heuenly spirites next of aliaunce With life euerlasting thy triuÌ„phes tauaunce And ioy eternal thy noblesse lo assure In the aureat throne perpetually to endure Three Jerarchies there liuing in preiÌ„ence With whoÌ„ humilite hath souerayne acquaintauÌ„ce Where Osanna w t deuout diligence Is songe of aungels by long continuauÌ„ce Tofore the throne keping their obseruaunce Syng Sanctus saÌ„ctus recorde of scripture Wyth voice memorial perpetually tendure The breÌ„ning loue of Cherubin by feruence Perfit in charite diligent obeysaunce And Seraphin wyth humble obedience And orders nyne by heuenly concordaunce Dominacion with vertuous attendaunce Afore the trinite synge freshly by measure Wyth voice memoriall perpetually tendure Suffraunce of panims hath but apparence Done for vainglory hangyng in balaunce But Christes martyrs in very existence Lyst againe tyrauÌ„tes make no repugnauÌ„ce Rather die than shew god displeasaunce Shewed in no myrrour likenesse nor picture Take full possession w t Christ euer tendure Suffraunce for vertue hath y â— preemynence Of them that set in god their affyaunce Recorde of Stephyn Vincent Laurence Blessed Edmonde by longe perseueraunce Suffred for our fayth victorious greuauÌ„ce Kyng made martyr a palme to recure In the heuenly courte perpetually to endure And for to set a maner difference In Bochas boke tolde euery circumstaunce Howe for our fayth by full great violence Dyuers sayntes haue suffred
Gaulter by vnware violence Came fro Naples downe in to Florence The Florentines helde fyrst a parliament For the saluacion and garde of their cyte By great prudence and great auisement Of suche as were highest of degre By one assent they gaue the soueraynte Them to gouerne hopyng to theyr increace With statutes made both for werre peace The greatest states rulers of the toun Called Magnates tho daies in sothnes To Gaulter gaue this dominacion Of entent the commons to oppres And marchauntes to spoile theyr of ryches Streyne men of craft by froward violence Again theyr lybertees vsed in Florence The people alway in awayte lying To be restored vnto theyr lyberte Gan grutche sore among themselfe plaining For great extorcion done to their cyte The greatest also of most auctorite Had leuer to suffre Gaulter reigne Than their actions to modify or restraine The said Gaulter in full subtil wyse By a false maner of symulacion Enemye in herte vnto their fraunchyse All that he wrought for short conclusion Was done onely to theyr distruction With a pretence fayned of frendlyhede To his promise contrary aye was the dede Clambe vp by proces to full hie estate By fayned speche and subtil flattery In his herte wext pompous and elate His working outwarde no man coude espy Lyte and littel drough to his party That to conclude shortly for to sey All Florence his lustes dyd obey Gan subtelly please the commonte For to accomplysh falsly his desyers Made promise to encreace their liberte To suche as were frowarde of maners Made an othe to distroy their officers But they wolde of their fre volunte Graunt vnto him larger lyberte Gretter power and dominacion To encreace his might on euery syde Gan manace the grettest of the toun And day by daye encreace in his pride Felly he gan felly he dyd abyde Therupon kept close in their entrayle The Florentines greatly gan meruayle In this while there was one Reymere Of great auctorite and of great reuerence A mighty sergeant and a great officere To whose bidding obeyed all Florence Which with Gaulter accorded in sentence With soudiours had stuffed eche hostry For to sustene of Gaulter the party And traytourly for to fortifye The entent of Gaulter fell and ambycious To haue the state onely by tyrannye As their chefe lorde froward surquedous To reigne in Florence the case peryllous Whan two tyrauntes bothe of one assent With multytude to accomplishe their entent Which thinge considred by theyr gouernours And Magnates called in the cyte Whan they found among them no socours To remedy their great aduersite Fyll to accord of necessite Gaue their assent without variaunce That Gaulter should haue al y â— gouernauÌ„ce And condiscended they were to this issue That Gaulter should in all his best wyse Vpon the body be sworne of Christ Jhesu Them to restore vnto their fraunchyse Vsed of olde and for no couetyse From their promise for lyfe ne deth decline As the conuencion lyst to termine Herupon was blowe a trompet For to assemble the states of the toun A parlyament was holden Gaulter first set Holy to pronounce the conuencion With euery percell entytled by reason Like their accorde declaring anonright Stode vp a vocate in the peoples sight With men of Armes in stele armed bright Vnto their palayes chefe and principall The said Gaulter conueyed anonright Set in a seate moste stately and royal And the people with voice memorial Gan crye loude concluding in sentence Gaulter for euer chefe lorde of Florence Who to perseuer during all his lyfe Toke in the palayes full possession There durst none agayne it make strife Graunted to him the dominaâ—â—â— Of all the castels aboute enuyron Tuscan Areth and castell Florentine With all lordshippes to mount Appenyne As ye haue herde Gaulter thus began By his owne furious diuinayle Sayd he was borne to be lorde of Tuskan And a great party also of Itayle Tolde he was lad conuayed by a quaile Said euermore were it right or wronge That was the sentence of the birdes songe The same birde brought him first to Florence All the way afore him toke his flight With sote synging dyd him reuerence Hye in the ayre of corage glad and light wolde neuer parte out of his sight Gaue him tokens to set his herte afyre That of Florence he shulde be lorde syre The same birde he bare in his diuyses Full rychely enbrauded with pyrre Toke vpon him many great emprises As chefe lorde of Florence the cite Sate in iugement gouerned the countre Drewe to him flaterers folke y â— coude lye Baudes ribaudes where he might theÌ„ spy Of that cyte toke meruaylous truages Croched to him richesse of the toun Of lechery vsed great outrages Of maydens wyues made none excepcion Voyde of mercy grace and remissyon Founde quarell for to be vengeable That to reherce it is abhomynable Where he hated mercylesse he slee the Brake fraunchyses and olde lybertees The people plained desyred sore his dethe Cried vengeaunce about their citees For tyranny done in their countrees Which was cause of great discencion And of their citee almost subuercion Thus they were among theÌ„ selfe deuided For theyr greuous sodaine oppression Lacke of foresight y â— they were nat prouided To se mischeues that should fal in the toun This is very sothe where is diuysion By wytnes and recorde of Scripture May no kingdom nor cite longe endure For which they gan complaine one and all Bothe of the greate and comonte And of accord amonge them selfe they fal To refourme the hurte of their cyte And fynally they condiscended be By a maner fell coniuracion To procede to his distruction Vpon a day they armed in stele bright Magnates first with commons of the town All to assent rose vp anone right Gan to make an hidous sowne Let slee this tyraunt let vs pull him downe Layde a siege by mighty violence Aforne his palays where he lay in Florence Suche as were enclyned to Gaulter Amyd the palais the story doth vs lerne To eschue the siege with full heuy chere Ordained them selfe to flye away full yerne Out of the towne by a smal posterne Whan Florentines dyd their labour To vndermyne round about the tour Of which thing whan Gaulter toke hede This message sent vnto the toun Nat of trouth but fayningly for drede Made promyse by false collusion For to make full restitucion Of their fredoms as they lyst deuyse Sent them out Guyllamine Dassyse Which to the cite was proued vtter foe Had aforne done them great domage With Guyllamyne he sent to them also His sonne and he yre to stint al their rage Worse than his father of wyll and of corage Bothe at ones were hanged anon right Tofore the palays in Gaulters sight Another also that called was Henry Which had afore yeere instruction Vnto Gaulter and was eke enemy To stire him agayne that noble toun Gynner and grounde of their diuysion Which
hye renounes And of their loue write a great history And how they conquered diuers regions Gouerned cities countreyes also townes Tyll fortune their prowes did appall To shew their suger was meint w t bitter gal Prynces pryncesses se how deceptory Ben all these worldly reuolutions And how fortune in her reclinatory With her treacle tempreth false poysons So marueilous ben her confections Of frowardnes she wyll what so befall Euer with her suger of custome temper gall ¶ The .xiii. Chapter ¶ Here Bochas writeth agaynste them that geueth hastye credence to lyers and flatterers IN this chapter Bochas in sentence Repreueth blameth not onely princes But all them that lyghtly geueth credēce To euery tale and fable whiche is Reported vnto them for sothfastnesse And list nothing do as it were due To proue the truth were it false or true All though so be in euery maner age Folkes ben diuers of condicions To turne plye and chaunge in their courage To outher party with sodayne mocions And for to bowe by transmutations With euery wynde as the vnstable leaues Which hang on trees in forestes in greues But of al chaūges y ◠chaunge is most to drede And most fearfull is that variaunce Whā that princes whych may the people lede Ben founde vnstable in their gouernaunce For their nobles and their hye puissaunce Assureth them by a maner of forme What euer thē list to accomplyshe performe To cōmen profite they most may aueyle Whan they ben ruled by wisdome and reason And to the people they may most disaueyle Whan they lacke wytte and discrecion Thus betwene twayne in euery region The people draweth who that can discerne To good or badde as prynces them gouerne They may not be to hasty ne to sodayne But do all thyng by good aduisement Kepe thē fro tonges y t parted be in twayne Not be to hasty to geue no iudgement And of folkes whan they ben absent Lieue no tales ▪ neither geue no credence Tyll that the party may come to euidence Sumtime hath happed that slowe credence Hath in some be founde full noyons But hasty credence I dare say in sentence A thousande folde is more perillous For vnaduised all haste is odious For haste full oft for lacke of reason Of muche people hath ben destruction There is no domage that men can purpose More to be dradde nor more lamentable Than a prynce his eares to vnclose To euery tale and euery fable It is a token their hartes be not stable Whan they to flatterers their eares do apply Namely to suche that can well forge lye Folke ben diuers some false some true In diuers studies done their busines Some can study and finde out tales newe And some for lucre can maintayne falsenes And holde vp quarels ayenst ryght wisenes Pretendyng truth vnder a false entent To hinder folkes whiche ben innocent Men to suppose it were a great folye That folkes shoulde in their opinion Speake or pronounce all on one party Or holde one way in their intencion For semblably as there is a diuision Of courages of hye or lowe degre So is there truly a great diuersitie In rehearsall or report of a thing For to his party eche man is fauourable Some man can say well in al his rehearsyng Some man is double and some disceauable Some men say true and some be variable Wherfore a prynce of ryght as it doth seme Should well examen before that he deme For there is none more dreadfull pestilence Than a tonge that can flatter and fage For wyth his cursed crabbed vyrulence He enfecteth folke of euery age Wo to tonges froward of their langage And wo to tonges false furious and wode Which of no person neuer can say good Bochas rehearseth it is right well sittyng That euery man other do commende And say the best alway in reportyng For in well saiyng no man may offende Where men say well god will his grace send After as men be mē must their praise vpraise Like their merites alowe them or disprayse But where a thing is vtterly vnknowe Let no man there be hasty of sentence For ryghtfull iudges sittyng on a rowe Of their wisdome and of their hye prudence Will of trouth haue first some euidence I meane such as gouerned be by grace Or any dome forthe of their lippes pace A prynce should assemble thinges twayne Within him selfe full prudently Shut vp the domes betwene lockes twayne One of the soule to reason for that party Prudence chosen and right for the body And betwene them bothe or he geue sentence To counsayle call truth and good conscience First to consider wyth euery circumstaunce And diligently do theron his laboure Of discrecion to take the balaunce And first wey out who is the accusour And whether that he for falsenes or fauoure In his processe list to procede Hereof a prynce must of ryght take hede He must also consider by and by What he is that to him is accused And whether the accusour be frend or enemy Or whether he shal be accept or refused In his actes this must afore be mused And whether he be by report of his name A man well noysed or slaundred by diffame If Thesius thus had ben auysed And considered of reason the manere He had not so hastely deuised His sonnes death like as ye shall leare For if there had assembled be in fere In his person prudence and reason He shoulde haue sene in his descrecion By knowlegyng of long experience Of his wyfe the great vnstedfastnes Which through her false compassed eloquence Was ready euer to bryng folke to distresse And in his writyng Bochas beareth witnes Of their nature women can flatter and fage And be sumtyme to copious of their langage Also of wisdome duke Thesius Should haue considred afore in his entent How that his sonne called Jpolytus Of all vnclennes was founde euer innocent And how that he by custome made his went Into forestes durynge his yonge age To hunt at beastes which that were sauage Rennyng on fote as ye shall vnderstande On hilles and valeys to eschue idlenes Mother of vices with his bow in hand Diana to serue of huntyng chefe goddesse Sumtime to hauke he did his busines Also vnto fishyng greatly he was applyed So that his youth was neuer vnoccupied Thus he liued in woodes solitary And of Venus dispised the seruice Among women he would neuer tary Their felowshyp he did alway despise For he demed by sentence of the wise Who toucheth pytche by a saye men may se It fayleth not he shall defouled be Jpolitus sawe wel this thing before Kept him at large from such contagiositie His grene youth he would not haue it lore To be defouled for lacke of chastitie For he liued euer in virginitie And neuer did Bochas will not vary Nothing that was vnto God contrary Thus of entent he kept his body clene Duryng his life both in thought and dede Whose mother was Jpolita the
quene Of Amasones in Ouide ye may rede But wo alas that Theseus toke hede For a tale of Phedra full of gyle Without gilte his sonne so to exyle After whose death some Poetes sayne Howe that Dyana for his chastitie Restored him vnto life agayne By Esculapius and gaue him lybertye In her forestes to hunt and to go fre For whiche restoryng as write Ouidius As twyse a man men call hym Virbius But Bochas here I not what he doth mene Maketh in his boke an exclamation Agaynst women that pity is to sene Sayth how their life and their generation Ben of their nature double of condicion And calleth them also diuers and vnstable Beastes resemblyng that ben insaciable He meaneth of women borne in Crete And nothyng of them y â— dwell in this couÌ„trey For women here all doublenes they lete And haue no tatche of mutabilitie They loue no chaunges ne no duplicitie For their husbandes in causes small or great Whatsoeuer they say they can not couÌ„terplete Blessed be god that them hath made so meke So humble and fearfull of their condicions For though men would cause and matter seke Against their pacience to finde occasions They haue refused all contradictions And theÌ„ submitted through their gouernauÌ„ce Onely to mekenes and womanly suffraunce I speake not of one I speke of euerychone That ben professed vnto lowlines Thei mai haue mouthes but laÌ„gage haue thei none All true husbandes can beare hereof witnesse For wedded men I dare full well expresse That haue assayed and had experience Best can recorde of wifely pacience For as it longeth to men to be sturdy And sumwhat frowarde as of their nature Right so can women suffer paciently And all wronges womanly endure Men shoulde attempt no maner creature And namely women their mekenes to preue Which may wel suffer if no man them greue Euery thing resorteth to his kynde As Bochas writeth sumtyme of the yere And who sercheth by processe he shall fynde That truth vertue may neuer fade of there For rightwisenes will alway shyne clere Truth and falsnes in what they haue to done They may no while assemble in one persone Feare and flattery they ben contrary They may together hold no long soiour Neither simplesse whiche that can not vary May neuer accorde with a baratour Neyther innorence with a lesyngour Neither chastite can not her selfe apply Her to conforme vnto no rybaudry Eche thing hath a proper disposition By the ordinaunce set in their courage And ech man foloweth his condicion As of the stocke the frute hath the tarrage Pilgrymes may go full farre in their passage But I dare say how farre that euer they go They beare some tarrage of y â— they came fro Bochas maketh an introduction In this chapiter of hygh noblesse That prynces haue in their possession And by a maner laughyng doth expresse How for toset them in great sykernesse They haue seruauntes vpon them abidynge And men of armes day and nyght awaytyng That no man may enter but he haue lycence The froward porters standyng at the gate Put men abacke by sturdy vyolence It were full harde agaynst them to debate Their watches kept early and also late Them to assure on nyghtes whan they slepe The chaÌ„berlains their dores straightly kepe Men assigned their meates to assay To taste their wynes lest there were treason Such mortall drede these lordes do affray So is their surenes meynt with suspection Who feadeth him glaoly that feareth poyson â–ª But pore folke franchised from such dreade Such as god doth sende w t myrthe they fede But Poetes that write tragedies Their complà ynyng is all of hye estates Rehearsyng euer their piteous ieopardyes Their sodayne chauÌ„ges their wofull fates Their deuisyons and their mortall debates And euer coÌ„clude their dities who so canrede High estates stande aye most in drede Ground and rote of all this mortall trouble As Bochas writeth and beareth witnes Ben these lyers with their tonges double Them selfe aye forsyng truth to oppresse With whom flattery is a chiefe maistresse And worst of all to their dreadfull sentence Is whan prynces be hasty of credence Hasty credence is roote of all erroure A froward stepmother of all good counsayle Ground of great hindring a dredefull disceyuour Fayre of face with a perillous tayle Gladly concluding w t ful great disauayle Next neighbour vnto repentaunce To all that trust haue in her pleasaunce ¶ Lenuoy PRynces pricesses coÌ„sider how in euery age Folkes ben diuers of their condicion To ply turne and chaunge in their courage Yet is there none to mine opinion So dreadfull chaunge ne transmutation As chaunge of prynces to geue iugement Or hasty credence without auisement It is well founde a passyng great domage Knowen and expert in euery region Though a tale haue a fayre vysage It may enclude full great deception Hide vnder suger gaâ—e and fell poyson With a freshe face of double entendem cut Yet geue no credence without auisement Let folkes beware of their laugage Kepe their tonges from oblocution To hynder or hurte by no maner outrage Preserue their lyppes from all detraction From champarty and contradiction Lest that fraude were found in their entent Ne geue no credence without auisement Prynces princesses of noble and high parage Whiche haue lordshyp and do nination Voyde them asyde that can flatter and fage Fro tonges that haue a terrage of â—reason Stoppe your eares from their bitter soun Be circumspect not hastye but prudent And geue no credence without auisement ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter ¶ Of quene Althea and how Hercules by women was brought to confusion WHaÌ„ Bochas had shewed his seÌ„tence And declared his opinion Against theÌ„ y â— wer hasty of credeÌ„ce He begaÌ„ anone to make a digression Fro that matter and of entencion To serche out mo his purpose to contune That were downe cast hyndred by fortune And as him thought he sawe a company Of many worthy whiche did appeare And among all first he did espye Quene Althea as she gan nygh him nere All be wept her face and also her chere With salt teares that pitye was to sene Whiche some time was of Caleâ—dony quene She was the daughter of kynge Thestius Wedded to Oene of Calsidony kynge Of cheare and face appearing full piteous Her heere to torne and frowardly liyng And in token also of complaynynge As writeth Bochas wherof he toke hede Blacke was her habite torne was her wede A sonne she had Melliager he hyght In earth was there none fayrer to se Ryght wel fauoured in euery mans syght And as I fynde at his natiuite Present were the fatal susters thre With their rockes and began to spyn fast And toke a brond and in the fyre it cast And in that hour this was their langage Touchynge thys chylde we full accorded be And haue disposed also the terme of his age The space concluded of his destyne As long tyme who so lyst to se Tyll