wrongfully vsurped that no folowing vertue can promise securitie to him that therein sitteth for Caesar in the heigth of his glory when he knew no enemie to feare was of a sodaine ouertaken by a secret conspiracie of his freendes among which were also Brutus and Cassius the first of which he loued so well that he had in his testament ordeined him to be one of his heires in fine he was by them inhumanely murdered in the senate house directly vnder a piller whereuppon stoode the statue of Pompie he had receyued many aduertisements of this conspiracie but would not beleeue any nor yet regarde the pitifull teares of his wife Calphurnia who the night before the murder dreamed that he was slaine and murdered in her armes and therfore with al humblenesse on her knees besought him to stay at home that day which if he had done the conspiracie had been discouered and hee deliuered of danger To those that had warned him hereof he made answere that he had rather once aduenture all then still to stande in feare vsing this Latine sentence Satius est subire semel quam semper cauere When his bodie was according to the Romaine rites to be burned M. Antonius made his funerall oration which he mingled with so many passionate and pitifull speeches and at the conclusion therof with weeping eyes shewing his bloody shirt vnto the people did so stirre their mindes to so high a degree of commiseration that filling the ayre with lamentable outcries they tooke the flaming brands and ranne about the towne setting fire on the conspirators houses who fearing the furie of the enraged multitude betooke themselues to flight but few of them or none escaped punishment by one violent death or other Much more might bee saide of this worthie Prince but his story is so common that I feare me this which is alredy done will rather breede tediousnesse then delight Antipater beeing by Alexander the great left in Macedon with the Queene Olympias in maner as vizroy and gouernour of the kingdome behaued himselfe with such insolence seueritie that sundry cōplaints were brought to Alexander of him of which Antipater hearing sent his sonne Cassander into Asia to make his excuses who vpō his first arriual seeing certaine Persians prostrating themselues at the feete of Alexander adoring him as a god fel into an extremitie of laughter being himselfe nourished in the strict discipline of Greece and vtterly vnacquainted with the Persian ceremonie in honoring their kinges at which Alexander who now accompted his country maner vnciuill and barbarous and delighted exceedingly in the honors done him by the Persians was kindled with so great a fury that taking Cassander in his armes he did beate his head against the walles rebuking him with many bitter taunting checkes did not admit the excuses which he alleaged in his fathers behalfe and withall grew into a great diffidence and dislike both of Antipater and his two sonnes Yolas and this Cassander which Antipater hearing and therefore mortally fearing the returne of Alexander prepared a poyson of such deadly violence that it could not in any thing els be conteined then in the hoofe of an Asse At length Alexander after his innumerable victories in Asia and India hauing vtterly ouerthrowen the Persian Empire vpon his returne allured with the delicacies of Babylon betooke himselfe there to quaffing and banqueting and to al maner of voluptuousnesse geuing thereby oportunitie to Yolas to present him with the deadly potion which his father had prepared which he had no sooner receiued but that he felt him-selfe seazed ouer his whole body with an intollerable torment yet such was the constant greatnes vertuous courage of his minde that he neuer so much as once complained or groned but with an incredible courage suppressing the rage of his inward horrible panges died as he had alwayes liued with a magnanimitie amazing the beholders in the verie pride of his youth Yolas was afterwardes taken by Olympias the mother of Alexander and put to death by exquisite tormentes Young Paris sonne to Priamus K. of Troy being by his father sent as Ambassadour to the Grecian Princes about the restitution of his Ant Hesione was by the way enterteined at the Court of Menelaus K. of Sparta where fixing his eyes vpon the marueilous beautie of Helena the new maried Queene grew so farre surprised with her loue that forgetting the lawes of hospitalitie alluring her aboorde his Shipp he hoysed vp sayles and caried her thence to Troy Which indignitie the Greekish Princes not enduring ioyning their forces togeather and making Agamemnon K. of Micene brother to Menelaus their generall sayled towardes Troy and among the rest young Achilles Prince of the Myrmidons and Epirots who by the way surprized the Townes of Tenedos Lesbos Chryse and Lyrnessus taking therein among other Captiues two young Maidens of excellent and singular beautie the one called Briseis and the other Chriseida daughter to Chriseis the Priest of Apollo Her he deliuered to Agamemnon reseruing Briseis to him selfe But presently there ensued a great and miserable mortalitie in the Armie which as Calcas the Prophet assured them should neuer ceasse till the daughter of Apollos Priest should be restored To which deliuerie of so faire and so beloued a pray Agamemnon would not by any meanes consent vnles Achilles in her steede woulde yeelde Briseis vp vnto him But so vnpatiently did Achilles brooke that vnprincely and discourteous demaunde that with his sworde he woulde presently haue slaine Agamemnon had not he bin by the other Greekish Peeres restrained who what with sweete perswasions and other practises at length so much with him preuayled that though extreamely against his will they made him deliuer his faire and dearely beloued Briseis to the pleasure of the Greekish Emperour But when she was once gon then began her absence to strike and wounde his hart with so excessiue a sorow and deadly a discontentment that full of irefull melancholy he retired him-selfe into his Tent refusing to come abrode to weare Armes as he was accustomed though euery day he saw fierce Hector come murdering and chasing the Grecians euen to their Tentes Manie meanes were made by the Greekish Lordes to remoue him from this setled and obstinate determination Agamemnon offered to returne Briseis vntouched with the interest of many other rich presentes but nothing preuailed till one day as Hector came victoriously beating downe the Greekish Quadrons his deare freende Patroclus thinking with the dissembled presence of Achilles to terrifie the Troian troupes armed him-selfe in the rich and gorgious Armour of Achilles but so cruell were his destinies that at his first entrie into the battayle he was by Hector encountred and slaine Which cruell tidinges had no sooner touched the eares of sorowfull Achilles but awaked with reuenge forgetting all other passions he called for his Armour and like an enraged Lion rushed into the thickest of the Troians presse in which verie
consisteth in fruitfully reading the sacred volume of the holy Scriptures the precious workes of those godly Doctors Fathers whose blessed pennes haue diuinely prescribed vnto vs the way of perfect repentance and vertuous perfection teaching vs nothing but that which still we ought to contemplate with the eyes of our mynde that is to lyue and die well For there is not any thing vnder heauen so happelesse heauie and miserable as for a soule sleeping carelesly in sinne to approch the dolorous passage of Death Of this desirable place I speake off the walles were all round about trimmed with Delight The Portal at which you entred figured foorth nothing but Pleasure The Dytches were secure deepe and well trenched curiously wrought in great conformitie by Good exercise The Chappel was of Zeale the Windowes of Charitable Loue the Gate wherein was the entrance and going foorth of Heedefulnesse and the Bridge of Industrious Trauaile The Vanes and Streamers of the house were of Pleasure which glystering aloft shewed all the passers by that there was the schoole and practise of Vertue and Learning No Idlenesse dared to approch this blessed Mansion for Diligence was the Porter Onely Emulation is suffered to enter who there serueth as a spurre to Vertuous operation In fine the time there bestowed is in the onely learning and exercise of that heauenly philosophie whereto whosoeuer arriueth may well be accounted happie and blessed That I was desirous to enter into this blisfull place no man needeth to doubt but in the end seeing the gates did not of themselues open vnto me I was bould to goe vnto the porter with earnest entreatie that I might by his fauour meanes be suffered to enter To which he answered this house said he which is the very Perfection of studie and enemy of ignorance is not to be dallied withall or to be entred with sportfulnesse and scorne For within it is enclosed the Treasure of life and the Riches of the Worldes wisedome it is kept and gouerned by a beautifull Princesse whom it hath pleased the highest to blesse with a Happy euer-during youth shee neuer changeth estate liuing free from deaths subiection her proper name is Memorie of all the worlde highly honored and esteemed From her are deriued all the chiefe pleasures wherewith Olde age is honored whom through wisedome and experience shee ennobleth with regard and worship Where shee is enterteined shee neuer breedeth weerinesse making him blessed with whom shee pleaseth to harbour Some there are whom shee flieth though they labour neuer so earnestly to be acquainted with her for in her operations is so great strange a secret of nature that neither Socrates nor Plato noral the deepe pearcing wits of the passed Philosophers haue bin able to define whence or how this corruptible body of ours is beautified with so pure and excellent an ornament as this of Memorie But for my part I do verily beleeue without any doubt or question that this being so singular a good procedeth onely from the miraculous working of God and not from any setled habite or ingrafted guift of nature for as the soule hath by God her habitation domicile appointed her in the body so hath Memorie hers in the soule it selfe whence she springeth vsing her qualities and operations And seeing the soule is an inuisible peculiar frame and workmanship of God as a sparke of his diuinitie It foloweth then also that my Ladie and Mistresse must needes be a seuered work of God alone without hauing any relation to Nature 〈…〉 Her excellence nobilitie and byrth considered and withall the notable comforts and sweete sauouring vertues that she in her selfe conteyneth she hath euer bin of all wise men honored in high degree as one of the chiefest beauties and ornaments of lyfe Since I first came acquainted with her seruice I haue bin in stead of her seruant as it were her gardian My name is Diligence and I continually accompanie her in respect of the vehement loue I beare vnto vertuous studie whose true perfection without her helpe is not to be obteyned The onely way to see her perfectly is through Vertuous industrie first by exercising our mindes to learne and know and then fastly to reteine that which we haue once learned and knowen But because I see you are arriued to this vncomfortable soyle of Olde Age taking compassion of your weakened forces I will accomplish your desire hoping somewhat therewith to refresh and comfort the languishing of your spirites Whereupon being by this industrious Porter brought to the presence of Memorie I was of her saluted with a most pleasing and gentle behauiour Her attire was sumptuous and rich embrodered in meruailous art by Cogitation rounde about strangely presenting vnto my view a large course and historie of Time both past and present And withall the more to subtilize my remembrance she made me smell to a Garlande of Knowledge which she ware whose excellent and delicious odour did so refresh the vigour of my senses that me thought I was not halfe so earthly as before After some few conferences I requested her to fauour me with the sight of her librarie which I imagined could not be but rare magnificent But she briefly answered me that whosoeuer determined to studie there may not vse any other bookes or lessons then such as Remembrance yeeldeth him for it were labour lost and meere vanitie for old men to begin first then to studie Their exercise ought rather to be in well keeping and reteyning that which before time they had seene and learned and therewith in shewing the fruites of their wysedome to recreate them selues and to counsell others But now tell me sayd she what is the thing that you do demaunde of me you shall finde me redy to yeelde you satisfaction Being comforted with her courteous and gentle language I did without delay acquaint her with the circumstances of my aduenturous enquest telling her how that my thought-fulnesse had instantly mooued me to visite the forest of Atropos which voyage I had now resolued and withall to enter in single combat with eyther of the two famous Champions Debilitie or Accident to whose garde the place is committed beseeching her earnestly to tell me if she had heard read or founde in any ancient bookes writinges or recordes hidden figures or long remembrance of times that any of these Champions had bin put to the foyle by any of those worthy men that at sundry ages haue liued so puissant and conquering in their times For yf any one had at any time or in any age vanquished them I woulde not doubt but by Gods assistance to goe as farre as he that had gon farthest But in fine howsoeuer the matter shoulde goe I tolde her that I was resolued to winne eyther glorie with my sworde or with my body death Memorie hauing with attention heard my speaches I will not sayd she smilingly enterteine you with long discourses but geuing
THE RESOLVED Gentleman Translated out of Spanishe into Englyshe by Lewes Lewkenor Esquier Nel piu bel vedere Cieco Imprinted at London by Richarde Watkins 1594. OMNE â—† BONVÌ„ â—† SVPERNE Maur. Kyffin to the Reader SEe heere layd open to thy sight and sence Th' Error and Terror of this wretched Life Thy many Foes the meanes for thy Defence The glorious End succeeding all this strife Learn to redeeme the precious Time heere lent thee Shunne false allurements and Courts subtilitie Resolue herein Of thine amisse repent thee So maist thou vanquish Chance and Debilitie This Allegorie shaped first in French And thence transferd into Castilian verse Conteining Rules our follies to retrench Lewknor by Metaphrase doth heere reherse Him vertue Armes and Languages adorn Hatefull reproouers he may iustly scorn Le Temps s'en va INforced cause vnfayned Loue proue both constaints in mee To raise my Muse Oh worthlesse Muse to sing the worth of thee But what I sing is that I see what I assured euer Hopes of your freends are springing stil sweete Lewes do stil perseuer And though nor Armes oh losse of Arme nor Muses now are minded Dispayre not freend men worthy know that now the time is blinded And as this perfect subiect shewes the subiect of thy minde So this pretends vnto thy frends more resteth yet behinde Thou leaust the Warres so wills thy freends leaue not the Muses name All is not lost though now likd least what left is vnto fame And rest not heere but still run on we longing are for more Great are thy guiftes yet geue vs still thou lesnests not thy store Rob. Dillington TO THE MOST HONORABLE AND VERTVOVS LADY THE LADY ANNE COVNTESSE OF WARWYCKE GReat Alexander excellent Lady in nothyng more delyghted then in the reading of warlyke discourses especially and aboue the rest with greatest affection he embraced the Iliades of Homer beholdyng therein as in a cleere looking glasse lyuely set foorth and deciphred in the person of Achilles the excellent vertues of his owne inuincible minde Traian lykewyse founde nothyng that so much pleased him as the morall preceptes and phylosophicall discourses of Plinie Neither is this affection peculiar onely to Princes but in a maner to the most part of men chiefly to delight in those discourses that to the qualitie of their humors are best agreeing In which regarde consideryng the sympathie betweene the noble vertues of your worthy minde and the most pure intentions of the Authour expressed in this Treatise I thought I coulde not to any more worthyly offer the patronage of this my poore translation entreating of a minde vertuously resolued then to your Ladyship whose pietie zeale religion and vertue haue placed you in that high seate of the worldes opinion that there is nothyng among all degrees sortes and sexes more honored nothyng more admired nothyng more applauded Accept therefore good Madame with your wonted fauour this poore Translation the greatest part of whose best substance is your owne as lyuely though vnder the shadowe of other names representyng the innated vertues of your owne noble minde I owe you many other dueties aswell in regarde of your many honorable fauours and continuall redinesse to do me good in Court since my first commyng to her Maiesties seruice as also of the infinite obligations which not onely I but also my Father and sundry of my frendes do owe vnto the memory of your noble deceassed Husbande and his most worthy and euer memorable Brother which I wyll rather endeuour alwayes to witnesse with an euer duetifull and obsequious remembrance then to endeere with any vayne circumstances of enforcing wordes And thus good Madame wyshing you happines and honor to the full measure of your vertues and mee to my wyll occasion and ablenesse to do you seruice I take in all humblenesse my leaue Your Ladyships euer most faythfully at commaundement Lewes Lewkenor To the Reader THis Treatise was first written in French by an ancient Knight of Burgundy called Olyuer de La Marche a man that both in matter of warre and peace bare great sway with Philip Duke of Burgundy and after him lykewise with Duke Charles his sonne whom in all his warres he neuer abandoned and was lastly with him at the vnfortunate battayle of Nancy in the yeere 1476. where by the Duke of Lorayne and the Swyssers he was ouerthrowen and slayne After this he had great charge and authoritie vnder his daughter the Lady Mary sole inheritrix of all the Dukes great estates and Prouinces who maryed Maximilian Archduke of Austria afterwardes elected Emperour to whom leauing two chyldren a sonne and a daughter she dyed shortly after some say of the fall from a Horse But this Authour who bestought to know the trueth sayth that it was through the inwarde conceyte of an excessiue sorow But once such was the greefe that he conceyued of her death and of the two other before named Princes vnder whom he had been brought vp that he retyred himselfe from administration of great matters to a quiet lyfe and in his solitarinesse composed this Treatise It hath been since translated into sundry Languages and among the rest by Don Hernando de Acunia into Spanysh verse and dedicated vnto the Emperour Charles the fifth whose translation I do here folow because I coulde neuer yet lyght on any of the French originals It seemeth that the Spanyarde in some places much altered the Authors meaning adding taking away according to his owne fancy and fitnes of the tyme in which he translated it as both by the sequele of this discourse appeareth as also by his Epistle to the Emperour which I haue here prefixed Some perchaunce may blame me of hauing done the Author whom I folow wrong by translating into an vneloquent barren Prose his excellent conceyte expressed in such heroicall Verse and beautified with so many fayre Tables purtraictes marueylously delighting with the varietie of the one and the sweetnesse of the other both the eare and the eye of the reader To this I answere with the confession of my fault that it is true and withall that this matter being for the most part allegoricall had in deede been farre better to haue been handled in verse Neuerthelesse I doubt not but those that do more esteeme substance then shadowes wyll lyke neuer the worse of the matter for being delyuered in a playne speach Neyther had mine Authour yf he were alyue any great cause to be angry with me seeing I haue bestowed an Englysh habite vpon him such as it is though it be no way comparable to the beautie of that wherewith he was in his owne countrey language attyred As for new fangled fickle conceyted heads that whensoeuer they reade any thing neuer go farther then the rynde my sliking of euery thing how vertuous matter soeuer it conteyne that thundreth not into their eares with a lofty tempest of words I would earnestly request them and that more in regarde of their owne
reputation then in defence of this poore Treatise whose harmlesse innocencie shalbe a sufficient shielde agaynst whatsoeuer calumniation to forbeare to censure amysse thereof for though perchaunce the basenesse of the style the shallownesse of the inuention yeelde no harmonie to delight their delicate eares yet it woulde be moderately iudged of in regarde that it conteyneth nothing but most effectual and moouing examples of great pietie laying open to our eyes the vaine and deceitfull instabilitie of this most wretched and miserable worlde and finally teacheth nothyng more then how to lyue vertuously and dye blessedly Besides it maketh honorable mention of sundy excellent Princes some of which though long agon deceassed yet such was their noblenesse and pietie that their names are styll entertayned of the worlde in all honor and reuerence Others yet lyuing who through the inestimable blessing wherewith God and nature hath adorned them are of all the worlde most worthyly honored with admirable applause As for me lyke a well mounted Cowarde in a skyrmish that relyeth more vpon the goodnes of his Horse then his owne valour So I hope the worthynesse of my Author and the zelous integritie of his discourse shall how faynt soeuer I finde myne owne desert be able to free me from the reprehension of those that are wyse and well iudgeing whom I chiefly desire to please and to whose censure I wyllyngly submit my selfe and this poore Pamphlet L. Lewk To the sacred Catholique and Imperiall Maiestie of great Caesar. I know not whether be greater the hardinesse of the Resolued Gentleman of whom this booke entreats in his combates or my presumption in dedicating it vnto your Maiestie for so small a seruice caryeth with it so great a disproportion that I feare my good intention shalbe accompted rashnesse in presenting so meane a trauayle to so high a greatnesse But two thinges did chiefly encourage mee to publish it vnder the glorious name of your Maiestie The one in respect of the conformitie of the discourse vnto your Maiesties vertues in whom aboue all the Princes of your tyme the profession and practise of true Christian and militar discipline chiefly florisheth The other of communicating vnto those of my nation these my poore paynes in translation of this Treatise which though it be lytle yet yf they do attentiuely reade and marke it they shall therein finde an excellent hydden treasure shewing in deede the very marke whereto the perfection of all vertue tendeth It was first written in French by a Gentleman of great worthynesse noble aswell in letters as in armes His intention was to discourse of the dangerous warres made vnto vs by our Senses touchyng diuers passages of age thorow which we runne or rather to speake more properly are by disorders violently caried And so vnder the figure of bodily combates he layeth the spirituall so lyuely before our eyes as cannot but draw the well-iudging Reader to great consideration of our frayle estate The translation hath not been altogeather without some hardnesse for that as the tongues are dyuers so is their style and maner of phrase exceedingly different I haue left out some thynges expressed by the Authour as being hystories peculiarly concernyng himselfe and his Countrey vtterly vnknowen and vnnecessary to vs and in their place haue inserted others of more moment and more famously knowen not onely to our owne nation but to all the worlde besides which I haue not done onely by myne owne aucthoritie but ioyntly by aduise of men of good iudgement and great skilfulnesse in eyther tongue But my intention being rather to prayse the Booke then to endeere the translation I say that it is such that both in myne and other mens iudgementes it deserueth your Maiestes protection And so with all humblenesse I kisse your Imperiall handes Your Maiesties humble seruant and subiect Don Hernando de Acun̄a THE RESOLVED GENTLEMAN IN the declining season both of the yeere and of my age trauailing farre from my natiue home countrie solitarie sorowfull all alone my thoughtfulnes did of a sodayne waken reuiue my slumbring memorie by renewing vnto her the time and historie of my passed youth and quickning my senses with a fresh and vnusuall vigor forcibly recalling my mynde to the consideration of my presente state by suggesting therevnto infinite and confused discourses of my many variable and dangerous forepassed fortunes did begin at length to argue with mee in this sort First quoth she Whosoeuer is forgetfull or carelesse of himselfe and his estate flyeth not the pitch of true honor neyther shall at any tyme see hymselfe beautified with the glorious bryghtnesse of her perfection in which miserable lethargie yf he perseuere then is his case most lamentable and vtterly desperate as not onely depriued of this worldes honor but also of that euerlasting glorie and eternall health to which blessed myndes with the winges of a vertuous industrie do aspire Seest thou not quoth she how miserable a face of thinges the now passed and gon sweete Sommer season hath left vnto vs The earth is now dispoyled of all her beautifull raymentes and glyttering ornamentes her greene and fruitefull florishing hearbes her so fayrely colored flowers and sweete odoriferous smelles are gone Both playnes and mountaynes are now depriued of all their passed pleasures hauing nothyng left them to delyght the beholders eyes but a bare and naked barrennesse The high stately Trees that lately so aloft florished all vigor and pleasing greennesse being lost haue now neyther fruite nor shadow hauing yeelded all their glorie to the nipping rigor of the colde that hath bereaued them of their fragrant humour Such as this of theirs is thy estate who hauing now ouergon the sundry degrees and seasons as the Spring Sommer and Autumne of thy age rest assured that thy Winter is at hande onely this is the difference that thou canst not be agayne renewed in this worlde as are these vegetatiue creatures for so is it by the eternall wisedome enacted that there is no going backe from that degree of age whereunto a man is once ariued It behoueth thee therefore well and wysely to ponderate with thy selfe that thou now drawest on towarde the exceeding dangerous horror of an ineuitable passage kept by an euer victorious enemie called DEATH who entertayneth in his dayly wages two myghtie and puissant Champions the one called Accident the other Debilitie the cumbate with one of which thou canst not by any meanes auoyde These two vnuanquished Champions do keepe the great forrest of Atropos agaynst all aduenturers the passage of which as it is most dangerous so is it full of horror and amazement For such is the nature of their chalenges that they neuer desist fyght tyll they see him whom they haue vndertaken conquered and dead them selues being free from death and carelesse of repose The elder of them and most terrible is Accident who with variable and vncertayne kindes of fight bereaueth for the most part the
husband was occasion both to him and her selfe of direfull and violent deathes and Accident hereof the onely executioner See heere the cruel poniardes wherewith in the heigth of his greatnesse most glorious Caesar hauing vanquished all publique enemies was by a priuate conspiracie of his dissembled freendes stabbed murthered in the senate house Accident did strangely bring him to this tragical end as most plainely the Romane histories do make manifest See heere the fatall Box wherein faithlesse Antipater kept the virulent poison wherwith he murthered admirable Alexander king of Macedone and conquerour of the worlde See heere the great and mightie trunchon of that deathfull speare wherewith fierce Achilles slew magnanimous Hector bulwarke of Troy and terror of the Grecians This was againe the fatall bow and stedie directed arrow wherewith effeminate Paris the firebrand of his country vnmanfullie reuenging the death of his noble brother traitorously to death wounded the glorie of the Grecian armie when full of ragefull loue he nothing lesse then death suspected This was the vnhappie sworde wherewith the honorable head of great Pompey was cut off by the vniust commaundement of the periured Egiptian traitor staining therewith his owne glorie and ouerthrowing the piller wherevpon Romes greatnesse was propped See heere the enuenomed ring out of which fearelesse Hanniball tooke his last draught of deadly poyson the greatnesse of his inuincible minde choosing by his owne handes rather to die then to yeld to any the least thought of captiuitie cursing as he died the head and kingdome of the disloial Bithinian Prince for hauing violated the lawes of hospitalitie See heere the bloodie Iaueline wherewith great king Agamemnon by the wicked consent of his detestable wife was trecherouslie slaine by Aegistus Ten yeeres had he warred in Asia commaunding all the vnited forces of the Grekish princes and lastly hauing burnt and razed Troy returning victoriously home in steede of glorious reposefull happinesse with hope of which he flattered him selfe was thus by Accident requited See here the well sharpned Cimitarre which guyded by the delicate hande of faire Iudith did deuide the brisled head of sleeping Holofernes from his huge giantlie carkas Great was the ioy of this deede vnto the Israelites and great was herein the successe of Accident This is the Hammer and therewith ioyntly the Nayle wherewith vertuous Iabel ended the vnworthie life of wicked Syzara geuing therewith ioy to the people and glorie to the greatnesse of Accident These were the fatall Lances of the two young Theban Princes Polinices and Etheocles either of which through ambitious desire to raigne did bereaue the other both of life and raigne whose bodyes as while they liued did harbour deuided and disagreeing soules so did their flames after death when with pompous solemnitie they were to be burned refuse to ioyne This was the sharpe piercing dagger wherewith dissembling Ioab mortallie to death wounded credulous Abner while he helde him in his armes embraced with a cheerefull disguysed shew of gladnesse This was the well directed Stone and this the farre reaching Sling out of which the feeble hande of young Dauid guyded it to the fall and death of great and puissant Golyas who alone was a terrour to the whole Israelites This was the well imployed Halter wherein proude Aman was strangled for endeuoring with damnable entent to murther and destroy the chosen and beloued people of God whereby the vertuous Queene Hester procured great honor to Mardocheus and executed in Aman the mighty power of Accident We had not visited the fourth part of this place so many so strange and so diuerse were the instrumentes that Accident vsed to surprise mens liues withall when the good Hermite withdrew me from thence willing me not to forget but mindfully to consider of those his reliques which I had seene Being thence departed when I began with perfect iudgement to consider of the thinges which I had viewed though the strangenesse and varietie of them were somewhat delightful yet coulde I not but feele a great tendernesse and perplexitie in my minde to consider that so many great and excellent men had been by Accident so cruelly murthered and made away some euen at such instantes as the vayne frailtie of this deceauing worlde did promise vnto them a stable and firme estate in all glorie happinesse and contentment withall it was a griefe vnto me that I had not seene the rest which remayned the which in apparance was ten thousande millions of times more then that which I had seene But withall I wondred much that among so many remarkable trophees of Accidents victories I had not seene any of his companion Debilitie which my freendly Hoast perceiuing tolde me that if I did at my returne repaire vnto him he woulde likewise satisfie mee therein and make me acquainted with the wonderous puissance of Debilitie As for now he chieflie desired to prepare me against the violence of Accident as being of the two the more cruel and sodaine and then he discoursed vnto me of many great and mighty Princes that he had at vnawares surprised and murthered some tasting of delicious meates some riding and managing of proude horses some geuing audience to sutors some riding in triumph to the capitoll some by sea some by lande some by fire some by fall of houses some by thunder some by earthquakes some in dauncing some in singing yea and some fast embraced in the armes of their beloued mystres euen in the pleasingest action of their Loue. Herewith the aged Father being loth to retaine me any longer from my intended voyage with tearefull eyes embracing me recommended me vnto God willing me not to be vnmindfull of his counsails and withall requested me at my returne if I did escape with life to come visite him which promising him to do I presently put on my armour and taking the Lance of Good gouernment which he had geuen me I leapt a horsebacke and went foorth on my iorney I had not long trauailed when I entred into a vallie that did directly leade me to a plaine which in appearance seemed to be aboue measure great and spatious This plaine I speake of is called Time which though it be large farre extended yet scarcely doth the passenger come vnto it when he is alredie beyonde it and the nature thereof is such that pleasure contentment do passe through it so vnconstantly and with such swiftnesse that they leaue in celeritie the winds behinde them I was no sooner come thither but my Horse whose name as before I tolde you was Desire tooke so strongly the head that do what I could I was not able to stay him till he had brought me farre beyonde the middle of the playne where striuing to restraine his course I might espie before me a fierce Champion that seemed in guyse of skilfull warriour to bid me battaill His armour was of Trauaile
the ende of my pretences was pleased to assist me with his gracious goodnesse so that I went on the right way to accomplish my faith and promise which I had geuen vnto Age and such was the haste I made to be at my iourneys end that I found my selfe arriued in the Countrey of Feeble olde Age before I my selfe knew how There the earth trembled and euery thing seemed to be a quagmire The ayre was darke and mistie the smelles noysome the grounde barren yeelding miseries in steede of fruite and the rentes that there were gathered was griefe and anguish There groweth not any tree that beareth either fruite or flower all is full of barren briers and withered thornes There is not any meate of good taste nor herbe yeelding iuise in fine it is a destroyed parte dry fruitlesse and consumed in the which there is not any nouriture or verie litle and that mingled with care and sorow The fountaines there are of sufferance the brokes of bitternesse The Moones brightnesse and the Sunnes glistering is there obscured with darkenesse and fogs The sweetest songs accustomably vsed in this barren desert are sorowfull complaintes of time misspent and for good things passed that can not be recouered The longer a man lingreth there the lesse repose he findeth euerie thing yeeldeth griefe and Infirmitie is there enthronized as princesse and regent of the whole territorie Health hath no entrie but is thence perpetually banished comfortable mirth appeareth not being suppressed by fretting Melancholy one of the cheefest Lordes of this desert A small iourney from thence lieth an Iland of diseased infirmitie whose proper name is Decrepitude where health died making griefe and sorow his executors bequeathing vnto them all his rightes and possessions I haue not as yet bin there but I am comen so neere that the verie ayre thereof maketh al the ioyntes and members of my body to shake and tremble Iudge then what effect it will worke in him that shalbe therein landed and ariued Thence being once entred there is no departing till the soule doe free it selfe from out the encombred bodies prison aspiring to a better habitation But which of all is strangest such is the miraculous working and vigor thereof that from the extremitie of Olde Age it constreineth men againe to returne vnto the verie extremities of Childehood then the which what wonder can be greater Feeblenesse is there so strong that it taketh from Strength absolutely his beeing The eyes brightnesse being of mans life the chiefest comfort is there in such sort turned to obscuritie and dimnesse that it scarcely seeth any thing at al and yet that litle is in such imperfect dazeling maner that all the things discerned seeme to be but images of death No benefit is so great that it can yeeld soundnesse of health or comfort and euerie litle euill is so efficient that it easily becommeth mortall each litle griefe offendeth deadly without resistance as in a rendred ouerthrowen Countrey where life hath nothing but onely the name and apparance I know this Decrepite estate to be a thing fearefull vnto fleshe yet surely it is a great benefite of God by whose goodnesse the vertuous and patient bearing thereof may be a great meane to our saluation which of his endlesse mercie I beseech him that we may all obteine But to come backe to my discourse being once in this vnpleasant desert of Olde Age I coulde not finde any path gate way or issue to get out vnlesse I woulde enter into that of Decrepitude and therefore I enterteined my selfe the best that I could in that health lesse prouince in which after I had a litle romed vp and downe I espied sundry people both men and women that did busie them selues in the practise of strange and cosening sleightes some to hide and dissemble their yeeres filled vp the wrinkled furrowes of their face with payntinges some died their heades and beards with waters of their owne mingling some pulled quite out the gray heares that appeared in them thinking so to rid them selues of those hatefull messengers of decaying life But Olde Age would not consent vnto such falsenesse protesting against them that they laboured in vayne for there is no possibilitie of turning backe one iot from that degree of his acquaintance and subiection whereto they are once arriued Being once withered and decayed with Age to florishe and waxe greene againe is not graunted to any mortal creature The ende of such deuices and endeuours tendeth in fine to nothing but to filling of the Churchyardes But leauing this discourse because it breedeth melancholie Olde Age as I tell you had so entangled me that though I woulde feine haue gotten out of his iurisdiction yet coulde I not by any meanes finde any way or passage which at the first mooued me to be very heauie and sorowfull and that the rather because I saw my youth vnrecouerable and my griefe remedilesse But euen as the poore seely birde newly inclosed within the prison of his Cage doth for a time at the first sullenly lament the losse of his abridged libertie till at last seeing the bootelesnesse of his sorow he beginneth to comfort him selfe with thinking of his sweete for passed pleasures as of the delightfull trees and sweetely smelling bryers wherein he had harboured the pleasant chirping of his litle louely companions with whom he had conuersed and such his other recreations and pastimes whilest he enioyed the freedome of the fieldes and euen with those thoughts of comfort forgetteth his melancholy and falleth sweetely a singing so fareth it with me who though my present estate mooued me to heauinesse and sorow yet considering the necessitie thereof and with all my many passed youthfull pleasures I framed my minde to a contentment and so began to trauayle and searche each part and coast of the countrie through to see yf I coulde finde any part or corner therof exempted from the generall barrennesse of the rest to th'ende I myght there passe away my time with lesse griefe Hauing trauayled awhile I happened of a sodayne to espie therein a place so full of goodlinesse and riches that I could not refraine from wonder in beholding it Within the same was a lodging of inestimable worth called Good aduenture Then first began I to perceyue the falsenesse of the worldes common opinion which is that there is not in Olde age any pleasure whereas surely there is a thing called Studie in whose vertuous exercise a vicelesse Youth passed ouer doth manifest the contrary But you must vnderstand that I meane not the fond studie of vaine worldly trifles but rather that which teacheth vs to scorne and contemne the brickle and howsoeuer faire guilded yet soone defaced alurementes of this world and so to liue and die that our soule once freed from the mortall bandes of our heere-soone perishing body may through the merits of our Sauiour attaine to euerlasting blessednesse and rest This I speake of
you the best aduise I may let you with your eyes beholde the certaine euent of this most dangerous enterprise in which you are engaged And opening therewith a Posterne gate she placed me in a great immense and spatious playne called the Vniuersal Sepulcher of mankind open and discouered on euery side without eyther Rocke or Mountaine so that there was no limit nor restraint to the eye but that it might boldly and frankly throw his view so farre as the sharpenesse thereof coulde pearce or discerne and as the playne was infinite so was the number of Graues Monumentes vpon most of the which of those of the right side were Epitaphes and famous Figures of the name and being of humane creatures whom Death had swallowed and deuoured Marke now there sayd she yf you can and note vp the number of those enterred bodies who sometimes florished with such applause of the worlde in great pompe honorable estate But yf your wittes be not able to comprehende them nor no wysedome learning or retentiue able to register them then rest assured that the force of your aduersaries are mightie and to be feared for they are all the spoyles of Debilitie and Accident See there the Churchyarde of Memorie wherein you shall finde buried al those whose names are in the sacred historie of the Bible mentioned Enoch and Elyas only excepted of whom it pleased the heauenly wisedome otherwyse to dispose There shall you finde all those whose names Homers heroicall verse or Liuies maiesticall prose hath made glorious to the worlde Those that Valerius and Orosius spake off lie here all in a reckoning Olde young rich poore fayre and foule lie heere altogeather encoffined The great warriours of Babylon the learned Philosophers of Athens the vanquishing Graecians and the ouercome Troyans the Amazonian Viragos and the Romane Matrons being summoned by DEATH haue all accomplished her commandement heere their carkases do rest I saw there of Queenes and Princesses Ladyes and Gentlewomen of high degree such a number that it passed imagination of which though some had bin glorified with regall diademes some shined with admirable beautie some adorned with infinite wysedome and incomparable vertue yet had no one of them all bin able to defende her selfe against the Neuermissing Dart of Liues enemie There were Popes and parish Clarkes Cardinals and Carters Bishops and Beggers Patriarkes and Pedlers though before time in degree vnequall yet now to the woormes alike who found no difference in their flesh Their bones being confusedly put togeather of such likenes that one was not to be knowen from another Emperours and slaues Kinges and Ploughmen Lordes and vacabondes Law-giuers Louts were there all vnder Deaths clapnet None of them escaped nor euer shall thence bring newes to the worlde of the good or euyll enterteinment he there receiued Retyred Virgins new professed Nunnes and aged Abbesses vertuous Matrones and wanton Curtizanes all had there yeelded vp their lyues to Deaths commandement In fine such was the infinitnesse of the number that my eyes were weeried with viewing and my spirits dulled with meditating vpon them Of all those whose carkases I there behelde I woulde gladliest yf I knew which way entreate of those of this present age of ours But though it shoulde please God to graunt vnto me the lyfe of Mathusalaem and I shoulde in all that time do nothing els but write yet should I want space to reckon vp the number of the dead inhabitantes that this playne possessed Cruell Accident woundeth Debilitie ouerthroweth and Atropos in her forest geueth them free campe and there all humane creatures do ende their lyues For so victorious is the violent hand of Consuming Death that whatsoeuer Nature buyldeth and maketh he breaketh and dissolueth and from this lot no mortall creature is free Herewith Memorie seeing me at these tragical sightes oppressed with exceeding sadnesse with a chearefull countenance bad me not be dismayed For Feare quoth she befitteth not a noble minde but yf you will folow my aduise take with you a magnanimious resolution to die constantly and with patience and so to order your soule that it may not be subiect to a seconde death but rather be receyued into that euerlasting ioy where it shall liue eternally in glorious rest And therewith leading me into an inner mansion and enterteining me still with good and vertuous counsell I tolde her that though my cause of Feare were greater then any hope of Comfort yet in fine come what woulde I was resolued to proue the vnauoydable aduenture let lyfe or death ensue as vnto the diuine Almightinesse should be most pleasing Of which my so resolued courage she did conceiue such liking that she offered her selfe to be my guyde which I thankfully accepted and without delay she tooke her Palfrie and bad me follow her Such was the speede we made that of a sodaine before I was well aware we were arriued neere the fatall place where the cruell dreadfull combat to which I hasted was to be ended and determined At our verie arriuall I heard a great noyse and clattering of men and armour as though it had bin of some well fought Turney or warlike iusting but the sounde thereof seemed rather plaintfull and discomfortable then signifiyng any pleasant triumph Approching neerer I might see certaine great letters of Golde ingraued in a fayre register or table of Stone conteyning these following wordes Heere all vayne worldly deuises and the life of all humane Creatures maketh an ende This is the dolorous passage where the strength beautie wysedome puissance and valour of mankinde is vanquished and ouerthrowen Atropos is Ladie of this place who mainteyneth heere in garrizons two mightie Champions whose incomparable valour hath bereaued of lyfe all those that euer liued in the worlde heretofore and shall do the like with those that liue at this present Accident commonly beginneth the fight against whose sundry stratagems and strange kindes of fight no worldly strength preuayleth but yf at any time he chaunce to misse then commeth the Prince of sorow called Debilitie whose heauie comfortlesse blow no Armour of proofe withstandeth So that heere in fine all humane flesh endeth leauing to the worlde their possessions vanities pursuites and fonde desires wherein while they lyued they did set such pleasure flattering them selues with a foolish conceipt of longer enioying them But hearing a great rumor noyse within the Steccada I stayed no longer heere but got me to the listes where I found a great number of people assembled to beholde a strange dreadfull combat that was there to be tryed so that there was a great whispering and confused noyse of voyces Atropos beholding all sate aloft in a stately skaffolde queintly clothed with a garment embrodered rounde about with Putrified earth and Wormes Her gesture full of Ire and threatning and in her hande a Death-bringing Dart with which she first defieth them that least thinke of it Cruelty
from sorow But returning to my discourse at the ende of the combat when I had seene the death of these three my so dearly honored soueraignes my eyes being drowned with teares and my soule with sorow vnwilling to ouer-liue so great a desastre I pulled downe my beuer and dreadlesse and carelesse what might happen nor looking nor fearing who came against me I rushed into the listes defying my aduersaries to come both or one or how they listed or dared Memorie seeing me thus altred feared least I had bin troubled with some passion of Despaire and therefore willed me to recommende my selfe vnto God which I did and constantly attended the comming of my aduersaries But by and by came vnto me a felow like a Heralde of litle stature with a blazon of prolongation his name was Sommons Great Atropos saith he that heere gouerneth hath commaunded me to tell thee that thy houre is not yet come and therefore willeth thee to stay till thou be called which shall not be long first In the meane time rest contented for there are now many other combats to be determined of greater worth and among the rest especially of fiue famous aduenturers whose names and particularities I desiring him to recount vnto me though sayd he some of these be things to come and the secretes of the destinies are not to be reuealed yet for this once I will satisfie thy request Know then that these fiue dismall conflictes I speake off heere to be tryed are such that the onely thinking of them breedeth an astonishing terrour both to Atropos and her Champions who hearing of the victorious conquestes that are and shalbe by these excellent aduenturers atchiued are fore-possessed with an incredible feare and amazement I will therefore tell thee first what each of the aduenturers is and then how prepared and armed they will come to this the last combat that euer they shall make And do not thinke that I do fable with thee in telling thee of things to come for I doe certeinly assure thee that the euent shalbe as I doe tell thee for Atropos is well acquainted with the Destinies who haue discouered the whole vnto her But because it greeueth me exceedingly to see thee so sorowful and sad I would yeeld willingly some comfort to thy perplexed minde And this assure thy selfe the heauens doe neuer denie consolation to the comfortlesse and distressed As for the three ended princes whose vntimely deaths haue brought thee to such excessiue and immoderate sorow and these other with the particularitie of whose combats I haue promised to acquaint thee they shall leaue behind them such and so noble a succession that their losse shalbe to the whole worlde restored But especially the great English Monarch who among the rest of his royal issue shal leaue one so excellent a daughter so highly of the heauens blessed that besides the glorifying of the frozen poles and the fiery equinoctials with the trophes of her inuincible armes such shalbe the worldes wonder and admiration of her vertue that the greatest kings princes and estates of the worlde shall thinke it the greatest happinesse that may befall them to be shrowded vnder the faire spreading wings of her Imperious gouernment some of them falling downe at her sacred feete and flying into her realme for refuge as to an vnblemished Azyle and inuiolable sanctuarie But now to enterteine thee no longer with circumstances know that the first which in these listes is by Atropos so fearefully expected is the great and mighty princes Dōna Isabella Queene and enheritrix of Castile Her am I ere long time ouerpasse to sommon to the aduenture of this passage to which as euery mortall creature is subiect so shall shee not be disobedient but presently come into the field armed and accompanied as followeth Shee shalbe mounted vppon a triumphall Chariot accompanied with innumerable vertues contending betweene them selues which of them shoulde haue the chiefe possession and presidence within the royall harbour of her thoughts They shall attende on eache side of her Chariot singing in her honour immortall prayses Fayth and pure Zeale shalbe her Chariots guyde Foure Horses exceeding the snow in whitenesse therein denoting her puritie shall draw the same their names Wisedome Religion Hope and Charitie all being blessings and especiall graces of the highest her armour shalbe of Magnanimitie her Helmet of good Counsayle assisting her in gouernment The Sworde she shalbe gyrt withall shalbe of an accustomed vertue of hers called Natural Pitie the which she shall employ put in vre against Crueltie Her Speare shalbe of good Desart steeled with a head of hating Errour all her workes and cogitations being thereunto incessantly bent and directed her Shielde of Honestie and her Coat-armour of Aucthoritie before which vayne Pleasure and worldly Vanitie neuer dare appeare Vpon her arriuall her King at armes called Gouernment shall proclayme all the particularities of her estate name condition and cause of coming Presently will weerilesse Accident come foorth armed with a new and fryghtfull Harnesse of Amazement his Shielde of Dispayre therewith to bereaue the defendant of all hope to escape his Dart of Crueliie his battle Axe of Impossibilitie whose blow no soundnesse of health nor vigorousnesse of force shalbe able to withstande his Sworde shalbe of Passion his Dagger of Sorow And thus furnished shall he begin the combat halfe dismayed at the vertue fame and estate of so great an enemie onely encouraged by the perswasion of Furie that still incenseth him forwarde The gentle Princesse seeing him come shall presently dismount off her Chariot and with a well resolued constancie attende him opposing against his fiercenesse her Speare of good Desart But inexorable Accident no whit at all thereof esteeming shall in such sort vexe and pursue this noble Ladie that notwithstanding all the defence of her infinite vertues he shall in the ende depriue her of lyfe and the worlde of his chiefe ornament So that heere shall be seene the ende of the mightie and puissant Queene the very thought whereof forepossesseth my minde with griefe But so firme and vnuanquished shall her vertue be that it shall perpetually retayne her name and memorie in lyfe in despite of Atropos that gaue her death Fame and Glorie shall geue her Sepulture and though her body be by death vanquished yet with a farre more worthy conquest shall her ioyfull freed soule by the grace of Gods goodnesse winne eternall rest in the heauens At the ende of this wofull conflict shall a noble and heroyicall aduenturer present him selfe in the lystes by name great Philip heyre to Austria Burgundie to which by mariage with Donna Iohanna daughter to Ferdinande and the late remembred Q. Isabelle he shall adioyne the riche and mightie kingdome of Spayne Sicily Arragon and Naples Accident vnderstanding the arriuall of this matchlesse Prince shall presently mount vpon a fresh Courser called Outrage his Armour shalbe of cruell Chaunce of a
amazement and feare that presently quitting the place he shal with haste repayre vnto the Pauilion of Atropos laying before her with a wylde and affrighted gesture the great danger of her selfe and her estate yf presently she did not take better order for the resistance of this puissant arriuing enemie As for me shal he say I am not able to beare the stroke of so vnresistable a force for how can I alone but feare him whom so many mightie Kings vnited and the most warlike nations of the worlde did so dreadfully redoubt This is he of whom the Destenies haue so often tolde you that with such an ouergreatnesse should commaund the worlde Great Maximilian Emperour of the Romane Monarchie shoulde serue him in his warres and to do him both honour and homage shoulde with the Englysh Rose adorne his Imperial diademe Iames the most puissant valourous King of warlike Scotlande should with the ouerthrow of his royal assembled Armie the slaughter of his innumerable Subiectes the death of his greatest Peeres the losse of al his honorable Enseignes Artillarie and Munitions and finally with his owne liues losse yeelding him at Floddon a most famous and memorable victorie satisfie his royall indignation so iustly conceyued at the disloyaltie of so neare a beloued kinsman freend The inuading French should with the feareful noyse of his onely approching name drowne them selues in the Southerne Seas Great Frauncis whom French hystoriographers and not vnworthely shoulde cal their Achilles should so feare the fortune of this inuincible Prince that he shoulde suffer him to range with his Armie ouer his Countrey vnfought withal to put sundry of his Townes to the sacke and lastly to returne victoriously vncontrolled Charles the fifth then whom since Charlemayne there neuer lyued a more worthy and heroycall Emperour though highly offended with him for his Auntes diuorsment yet should be so farre from daring to reuenge it notwithstanding the greatnesse of his Empire and many Kingdomes that he shoulde at length instantly desire his freendshyp yea and sue for it with mighty presents and great pensions to such great Lordes as shoulde in those dayes beare sway about him Charles of Burbon should receyue his wages by whose meanes the French King shoulde be taken at Pauia and afterwards agayne by the meanes and vnspeakable liberalitie of this redoubted Monarch mooued with a royall compassion should be set at libertie and restored to his regall Crowne and dignitie Pope Clement being prisoner to the Imperiallistes though afterwardes vnthankfully requiting so great a benefite should be by his meanes set at libertie and once againe enthronized But what shoulde I stande repeating these things vnto you which you your selfe so well remember were long agon by the Destinies in maner of prophecie to you vnfolded you see your selfe what he hath accomplyshed what now remayneth for him hauing by admirable Vertues and inuincible Armes drawen the worldes loue vnto him but aspiring to immortalitie to conquer death and to make him selfe Lorde of this Forest. As for my selfe I know mine owne power and finde the same farre too weake to resist so great a puissance Therefore I pray you yf you be not vtterly carelesse of my safetie and your owne seruice let Accident be commaunded to ioyne with mee and withall the vttermost of your other forces to be assembled to succour vs if neede require Atropos hereupon shall call for Accident encharging him to assist Debilitie comforting them both with this assurance that though this were the greatest and most redoubted enemie that euer they encountred yet they shoulde not feare for being mortall the high neuer-faylyng decree of Heauen had ordeyned him to death neuerthelesse she shall aduise them to arme them selues with all possible Heedefulnesse and to be circumspect in their maner of fight Heerewith being somwhat encouraged they shall arme them selues at all peeces with the surest tempered armours and the sharpest deadly weapons that the shorehouse or armorie of Atropos can yeelde them and so march into the listes though terrified in themselues yet terrible to al the world els saue onely to the dreadlesse Prince that shal encounter them And now euen like the roring Ocean against a tempest so shall the cloud-breaking noyse of his warrlike instruments approch with an vnspeakable terror when presently like the Sunne out of a cloude so gloriously from out the louing presse of his enuironing subiectes shall appeare the excellent heire of the two long diuided houses Lancaster and Yorke great Henry the eyght of England with an vnmooued Maiestie and sure resolued looke though he see all deaths forces bent vnto his ruine His Courser shalbe inuincible Courage sure footed and neuer once stumbling in this dangerous carreere but bearing him smoothly thorough without euer starting fearing or blemishing at the furious encoūter of his forcible enemie His Corslet shalbe of Fortitude gorgiously glistring in the pure brightnesse of true Nobilitie as being of excellent proofe against al outward violence so of singuler vertue in defending his royall minde from all thoughts of dishonour His Lance well iudging Foresight surely fastened to his rest of great Experience neuer therewith vnskilfully failing or vnknightly breaking a crosse but with a faire encounter still striking the honorable marke whereunto it is by his worthy minde directed His Sworde of cleere vnspotted Iustice firmely hilted in Wisdome and ensheathed in a faire scabbard of Mercie out of which he shall neuer draw it but when he shalbe by forcible necessitie therto constreined His Target of Trust onely in God vpon which he shal beare the blowes of all earthly violence His fierie crested Headpeece of high Cogitation lyned with prosperous Effect and adorned with a fayre beautiful penache of immortal Fame His Coat-armour of such and so great Renowne as neuer more coulde happen to any mortal creature His Heralde at armes shalbe vnspeakable Liberalitie which shal set such a grace vpon his other vertues and that in so loude a voyce that all the worlde shal heare him Thus honored thus armed thus adorned shal this great King enter within the compasse of the fatal lystes Vertue leading him and Glorie folowing him The eyes and hartes of al the worlde being fixed and attentiuely bent vpon the sequel of this admirable combat In fine the Heraldes hauing commaunded silence the Trumpets sounded the cruel notes of warte Accident not daring approche the rayes of so great a brightnesse shal begin the fight a farre off thinking to terrifie him with forayne Leagues and Inuasions But the King betaking him selfe to his trustie fore-remembred Lance shal with a thundring carrere so represse the violence therof that the blow in steede of harming him shal erect new Trophees to his honour Then shal he throw at the fearelesse Prince his dartes of Treason and secret Conspiracies but he vnsheathing his excellent Sworde shall turne the danger thereof aside and make frustrate the force thereof so that the smart and peryll shall returne to his enemies
But then twise wounded Accident enraged and betweene feare and furie desperate shall strike the triumphant King so cruel a blow with his Sworde of Distemperature that though styll remayning in courage inuicible yet shall he in his health and strength finde him selfe greatly impayred Neuerthelesse drawing the weakenesse of his body vp to the worthynesse of his mynde he shall enforce him selfe styll to mainteyne the fight tyll traytor Debilitie mercilesse like a preuayling cowarde shall while the King contendeth with Accident powre downe vpon him with all his violence so vnreliueable a blow of remedilesse Sicknesse that the neuer-before yeelding Prince shall now seeing such he knoweth to be the diuine pleasure with a quiet yet magnanimous resolution couering him selfe with his Target enrich the earth with the noble burden of his fallyng body and the heauens with his freed soule empouerishing onely the worlde whose griefe for his losse shalbe such as though the greatest pyller thereof being gone it coulde not but attende a speedie ensuing downefal and ruine But herewith as Sommons woulde haue proceeded in his wofull hystorie I feeling my very soule ouerburdened with an insupportable greatnesse of sorow entreated him to spare my alredie enough miserable eares and not to afflict them with hearing of further tragedies but yf euer he would do me pleasure then to shorten the time of my prolonged combat For alas what shoulde I miserable wretch that I am desire to lyue or wherein should life be sweete vnto me seeing the glorious lights of the worlde so soone extinguished no vertue no wysedome no loue no honour no beautie no conquest no nobilitie no goodlinesse no scepter no force no prayer being able to stay the stryking hand of vnmercifull DEATH Whereunto Sommons replying I had thought fayd he to haue reuealed vnto you two future Combats more of two great and Princely aduenturers The one of the most valourous and towardly young Prince of the worlde eldest sonne and successor to this great Englysh King The beames of whose sayre rising Sunne shall no sooner begin to glimmer in our Orizon but they shall warme the whole worlde with his loue The other of his eldest daughter lykewise succeding him in the royall Diademe who wereby Accident both soone depriued of their lyues and dispossessed of their thrones But seeing thee alredie of apprehensiue of forow and afflicted with such extremitie of passion I will forbeare to perplex thy eares with any farther griefe yet woulde not I haue thee to repine at the diuine ordinance For though the Almightie in his secrete iudgement shall thinke good to depriue the worlde of these most excellent Princes yet shal he not leaue it altogeather desconsolate and abandoned For he shal blesse the perished Princes with successors of such worthinesse that lyke true heyres as wel of the Vertues as Crownes of their predecessours they shal afresh brighten the worldes obscured face and with the goodly shyning of their wel deserued glorie returne the estate thereof into the former blisfulnesse But aboue all the rest so shall he ennoble the memorie of the late Englysh Monarch with so excellent and glorious a DAVGHTER that in her alone shalbe seene vnited all the seuerally dispersed Vertues that made so glorious the forenamed Princes in so much that all the worlde with one agreeing consent shal proclayme her to be the most admirable Princesse that euer lyued And which is a thing not of the lightest consideration but perchaunce one of the greatest wonders that euer any age hath seene In her onely shal not Fortune contende with Vertue but contrarie to her nature lyke a submisse and willing Handmayde attende vpon her noble desires constantly effecting them yea sometimes in things most rare and marueylous Likewise there shalbe so sweete a consent so fit a proportion betweene the great richesse of her minde and the fayre ornaments of her body that as the one shal atteine to the height and perfection of fortitude wisedome temperance iustice and all other diuine vertues wherewith a royall minde should be garnished so shall the other in goodly lyneamentes and beautifull features so without all degree of comparison surmount the rest of her sex that the worldes eye shal neuer more beholde a sweeter and more louely obiect as being in deede Delitiae humani Generis singular in her selfe and excellent beyonde al comparison And to make vp the full poynt of her happinesse as she shal both in rules of gouernment and vertue of gouerning serue to all Christian Princes as an excellent Paterne and example preseruing her Subiectes in a quiet estate full of reposefull blessednesse when round about her some through the tyranous exactions of their Prince and some through the vnskilful gouernment of their Prince and some through his negligent and contemptible loosenesse shall murther them selues with mutuall woundes and be torne within them selues to peeces As she I say shall by her princely care and prudent foresight maynteine her Subiectes in this calme securitie of vntroubled peace so shal they againe with so quiet and unmurmuring a course of faythful obedience loue and honour her that she if euer any Prince shalbe blessed in her Subiectes and they yf euer any Subiectes blessed in their Prince But which is strangest comming to the royal Diademe in the fayre youthful spring of her virgins yeeres she shall finde the estate of her Realme diuided in faction differing in religion and through the troubles of the late preceeding gouernement exceedingly discontented All which incōueniences being by the vnfortunate successe of the former gouernment wherein the Sworde was more employed then the Scepter styrred vp and in apparance tending to some feareful and dangerous issue she shal with the sweete breathing gale of her well tempered Mildnesse so pacifie alay and vtterly extinguish that she shal reduce her Subiectes from the deepest degree of constreyned feare to the highest pytch of faythful loue and duetiful obedience that euer Prince was honored withal Neither shall her inuincible armes in iustly vndertaken Warres abrode be lesse glorious vnto her then this her admirable Peace and iustice in ciuill gouernment at home Neyther shall be most warlike nations of Europe onely as Spayne Portugall France Scotlande and Irelande but euen the remotest regions and concealed partes of either Tropique the frozen Poles and the middle burning Zone be constreyned to bow vnto the victorious Englishe Enseignes nothing being more rife in the mouthes of men yea as well of the farthest Indians and sauage people as of the proude neighbouring nations then the name of great ELIZABETH written in the blood of those that resist and the pardoned lyues of those that yeelde of all victories the fayrest register and best enduring monument To recount vnto you the seuerall egregious victories that shee shall giue both by sea and land to the most fierce and warlike nations that then shall possesse the world were fitter for the large relation of a Chronicle then this my short
instant the valiant Hector disteyned in blood and bathing in swet was with his immoderate toyle welnigh sweltred in his Armour so that he withdrew him selfe out of the battayle and by the Riuers side disarmed him selfe to refresh his spirites and to take a litle ayre which Achilles perceyuing folowed him and at vnawares cruelly and dishonorably ran him thorow with his Lance and not yet therewith satisfied caused his body with thonges to be tied to a Horse tayle and so in derision to be thrise trayned about the walles of Troy Shortly after it fell out that either side being weerie with the dayly turmoyles of Warres agreed vpon certaine dayes of truice in which meane time it might be lawfull for the Troians to come into the Greekish Tents and the Greekes likewise to enter into Troy Among the rest Achilles entring the Towne chaunced one day to espie young Polixene daughter to K. Priam the sight of whose admirable beautie did so astonish him that laying all hostilitie apart from thence forwarde meditated on nothing but loue which Priamus and Hecuba the Parentes of the Virgin perceyuing enterteined him with hope to the end that they might with the more securitie entrap him to which his often repayre thither drawen with the violence of loue yeelded easie occasion So that one day among the rest Paris still watching his steppes slue him with an Arrow in the Temple of Apollo In reuenge of which trecherous and vnnoble acte afterwardes when Troy was taken and rased his sonne young Pyrrhus slue Priamus with his owne handes and sacrificed Polixene vpon his fathers Tombe Great Pompey after the vnfortunate battayle of Pharsalia wherein he was ouerthrowen by Caesar seeing all abandoned and lost fled out of his Campe comfortlesse and slenderly accompanied and disguysed with garments conuenable to his fortune went first to the Isle of Lesbos to see his faire and deare Cornelia who seeing her L. and Husbande that was wont to be wayted on when he went by Sea with 500. Sayle arriuing in a poore Barke and that not his owne altogeather sorowfull and vnhonored coulde not bridle the extremitie of her passion but fallyng downe at his feete with most pittifull and passionate lamentations imputing this great aduersitie of her noble Husbande to his vnhappie mariage with her did so intenerat the manly hart of Pompey that requesting her not to increase his miseries with her sorow he coulde not refrayne his eyes from bursting out into a riuer of vnused teares But seeing the speedie pursuite of his preuayling enemie gaue him no leysure long to determine he presently departed thence with his constant and most vertuous Cornelia and bended his course towardes Egipt no whit doubting but that young Ptolome the K. woulde receyue him with all courteous enterteynment and gentlenesse in regarde of the infinite fauours which he had done vnto his father Comming neare the shore he aduertised the King of his approch who was then in Pelusium with his Armie making warres against his sister Cleopatra The king was young and wholly gouerned by one Pothinus and Theodotus a Rhetorician who tolde him that the receipt of Pompey coulde not but be dangerous and that there was not any way more expedient to winne the good grace of Caesar then by bereauing Pompey of life To which vilanous and dishonorable counsell the youthfull abused King yeelded his consent and Achillas and one Septimius that had sometime serued vnder Pompey in the warres were sent to put in execution this dishonorable and bloodie decree They came vnto the galley wherein Pompey lay at ancher and pretending the coast to be full of flats and sandes and not to haue water inough for his galley they prayed him to come into their litle boat to which Pompey agreed though much in his minde amazed at this slender and honorles enterteinment Discending out of the galley he tooke leaue of his louing Cornelia with speech and gesture as it were presaging his ensuing desaster who with eyes full of teares and handes vp to heauen pursued him with her lookes till at length they were encountred with so dismall and horrible an obiect that if she had not been by the Mariners restreined she had throwen her selfe into the sea for when the boat euen now touched the brinke of the shore as Pompey reached out his hande to his seruant Philippus to helpe him to rise Septimius thrust him through the backe with a sword and then Achillas strake of his head which nowe whyte heares had made venerable throwing his body into the sea Soone after Caesar arriuing in Egipt was presented with this pitiful spectacle of Pompeys head But merciful magnanimous Caesar not enduring to beholde a sight of so great crueltie and horror turned with a wofull gesture his face watring his eyes with an infinite aboundance of teares shewing that he did abhorre both the vnnoblenesse of the deede and the barbarousnesse of the doers Achillas and Pothinus he caused presently to be slaine Theodotus fledde but fell afterwardes into the handes of M. Brutus who caused him to be put to a most cruell death and Ptolome himselfe shortly after was ouerthrowen in a battayle and slayne by the riuer of Nilus Anniball of Carthage the sonne of Amilcar noble in birth and great in puissance in his infancie was by his father made sweare vpon an altar whereon he was doing sacrifice that while he liued he should be a mortall enemie to the Romanes which he failed not to performe for after his fathers death beeing in Spaine created Captaine generall of the Carthaginian armie in the xxvi yeere of his age hee presently drewe downe his armie into Italy passing the Alpes with exceeding difficultie where he maintained warres xvi yeeres with the Romanes euen in the bowells of Italy taking from them all the plaine countrie and chasing them some times euen to the gates of Rome Besides many conflictes of lesse moment he ouerthrew them in foure famous battails at Ticine Trebia Thrasimene and Cannas sending to Carthage besides many other rich despoiles three whole bushels of rings taken frō the fingers of slaine Senatours and Romane knights For it was not lawfull for any els to weare them of gold But being in the ende called backe by the Senate of Carthage to the defence of his owne countrie he that was in Italy inuincible was in Africa fighting euen in the sight of his citie vanquished and ouerthrowen by Scipio Which brought him into such disgrace with his vnthankefull citizens who were now constrained to bow vnto the Romans yoke that fearing farther inconuenience he was constreined to flie vnto Antiochus king of Siria who newly entering into warre with the Romanes exceedingly reioyced at the happy arriuall of this famous and renowned Captaine wholy for a while vsing his aduise and counsell in all matters of greatest weight till at length abused with Romane practises and incensedby priuie whisperings of his Sirian nobilitie who grew exceedingly enuious at the familiar greatnesse
of the towne their Prince and Bishoppe being his kinseman spoyling their countrie and taking their townes and bringing them to such extremitie that they were constreined to receiue their Bishoppe againe withal to appease the Duke with great summes of Money Comming thence there fell out new occasion of warres betweene him and the French king for pacification of which differentes it was agreed that the king and he should meete at Peronne there to expostulat their greefes in freendly sort one with another And that he should geue vnto the king a letter of assurance vnder his hand and seale which he did But the conclusion hereof was that the Duke being aduertised how the King had by his Embassadours secretly practised with those of Lyege to rebell tooke him prisoner and led him with him to the Citie of Lyege which being by streight confederation allyed to the King he caused after all maner of rigorous crueltie executed vpon the inhabitantes to be saccaged and burnt and then vpon new agreementes to his owne aduantage he dismissed the King In the yeere 1474. the olde Duke of Guilders being vilanously and vnnaturally taken by his Sonne Adolph and imprisoned in a dungion mooued sundry Christian Princes to compassion among the rest D. Charles who earnestly laboured to make an attonmēt betweene them but his sonne arrogantly refusing to heare of pacification was by the D. of Burgundie retayned in prison whose father shortly after dying gaue his Dukedome by Testament to Duke Charles who tooke thereof vnder this title forcible possession and those which are discended of him do yet enioy it Sweetned with this Dutchie and aspiring to greater matters in Germanie he went besieged the citie of Nuz which was succoured by the Germans and Swissers vnder the conduct of Frederike the Emperour so that he was constrained to raise his siege In despite of which assistance geuen by the Swissers he entred their Countrey with his Armie but was by them ouerthrowen and vanquished at a place called Granson This day was the first of the Dukes misfortunes with which euen vntill his dying day he was perpetually pursued Encouraged with which victorie on euerie side new forces came out of Germanie to the Armie of the Swissers the D. of Lorayne him selfe in person Yet all this dismayed not the D. of Burgundie who hauing refreshed his Armie set vpon them the seconde time at a place called Morat but was as before vanquished againe and was constreyned to flie with the losse of 8000. of his men slayne in the Feelde Presently the Duke of Lorayne marched in all expedition to Nansie that helde for the Duke of Burgundie which rendred vnto him vpon composition Within two dayes after the D. Charles arriued with an vndismayed courage and full resolution to attempt Fortune agayne Among the rest that had credite about him was one Campobache an Italian Counte at home in his countrey poore and of no reuenew but by the D. aduaunced to great commaundement in his Armie and made Captaine of 400. men at armes who seeing the cruel misfortunes befallen to his Maister began presently to enter into practise with the D. of Lorayne about the merchandize of his Maisters lyfe the price of which he made 20000. Crownes and an Earldome this he promised and the same being accepted he did as villanously performe it For this battayle of Nansie was no sooner began but he with his 400. Italian Horsemen fled to the other side the amazement of which did so terrifie the Duke of Burgundies Armie being twise alredie beaten and discouraged that they presently fledde and the Duke him selfe was found in the feeld slaine mangled with many woundes for the villaine Campobache had hired 14. or 15. of his cutthrote traytors to watch the Duke at an inch to the ende that he would be sure he should not escape Mary his onely daughter and heire succeding her father in the Dukedomes of Burgundie and Brabant and the Earledomes of Flaunders Henault Artois Holland Zeland Frizland c. was by the consent of her Subiectes especially those of Gaunt in whose hands since her fathers death she had remained maried to young Maximilian Archduke of Austria and sonne to Frederike the Emperour of that name the third to whom hauing borne three children Philippe Margaret Francis who in his infancie deceassed she died in the fairest springing blossom of her youth being not aboue .xxiij. yeeres of age lies buried at Bruges Some do attribute her death to the fal of an Horse true it is she fell but the Author who was of great authoritie about her doth rather attribute it to some greeuous impression of sorow Philippe de Comines likewise seemeth to doubt whether she died of that fall or no. Don Iohn second of that name king of Castile had in first mariage Mary daughter to Ferdinand K. of Arragon by her he had a sonne called Henrie that succeded him and a daughter that died young His wife dying he tooke in second marriage Isabell daughter to Don Iohn infant of Portingale by whom he had a sonne called Alonso that died young and a daughter called Isabell and then dying in the yeere 1454. was by his sonne Henrie the. 4. succeeded in the royaltie who maried Iane daughter to Edward King of Portingale who bare vnto him a daughter likewise called Iane who though she proued a Princesse of much wisedome great beautie and many other excellent partes yet through a rumour of the Kinges impotencie in matter of generation Isabel sister to the king was by her faction proclaimed Heire apparant to the Crowne the young Princesse declared to be a bastard begotten vpon the Queene by Don Beltran D. of Abuquerque and by and by a mariage motioned betweene young Ferdinand Prince of Arragon and the Lady Isabell which was effected priuately in Duenas These matters were greeuous vnto the king but remedie it he could not In the ende he died and Ferdinand and Isabell were without contradiction obeyed in Castile which reprochfull iniurie the poore Princesse bearing with exceeding patience though many great mariages were offered her refused them all and betooke herselfe to a Monastery wherin she ended peaceably her dayes They began their reigne in the yeere 1474. and continued the same many yeeres in great glorie both of warre and peace They expelled the Moores out of Spaine and subdued the kingdome of Naples deliuering thereof a quiet possession to their successors which yet do enioy it They had betweene them a sonne whose name was Iohn a Prince of exceeding towardnes or rather singular perfection They maried him to Margaret daughter to Maximilian of Austria by the Lady Mary the before remembred Dutchesse of Burgundy but soone after the marriage he dyed for whom there was made such exceeding lamentation as by report of sundry Authors the like in the worlde was neuer heard of for besids the dolefull mourning of the Nobilitie Gentlemen so generall a greefe was
the first chapter of his commentaries maketh mention of Olyuer de La Marche to haue been a great cause of the warres betweene king Lewes the .xi. and the Count of Charoloys afterwardes called Charles the hardy which sheweth that he was a man of no small honour and dignitie Nothing so miserable as the man that lyueth careles of his estate The passage of death kept by two Champions Accident and Debilitie Author The fayre feeldes of worldly pleasure Yll Diet his propertie and parentage Yll diet encountreth the author in the playne of wâ—rldly pleasure The maner of their fight The author is foyled by Yll diet and succoured by Reliquia Iuuentutis Yll diet presenteth him with a cappe Reliquia iuuentutis doth abandon him The author amidds his wandring lighteth vpon the mantion of vnderstanding Reason the seate or mantion of vnderstanding The ende of true wisedome and vnderstanding whereto directed Accident alwayes ready to entrappe and bereaue life Good gouernment a sure defence against all casualties The surest preseruatiue against the violence of Accident The sleepes of true vnderstanding are secure Vnderstanding doth here represent vnto the author the infinite wayes and weapons wherwith Accident assayleth mankind and to make him haue the more apprehension therof doth lay before him the calamitous ends of sundry worthy personages perishing in diuers sortes sheweth him the wepons wherwith Accident bereaued them of their liues Cain the first manslear Sampson Deianeira Hercules Iulius Caesar stabbed with daggers Alexander the great poysoned by Antipater Hector slaine with a speare by Achilles Achilles slaine by Par is with an arrow Pompey beheaded by the commandement of young Ptolomee Hannibal poysoned out of a ring Agamemnon murthered by Aegistus by his wiues consent Holofernes slaine by Iudith with a Cimitarre Syzara slaine by Iabel with a nayle Etheocles and Polinices slaine with mutuall woundes of eithers Lance. Abner stabbed by Ioab Golyas slaine by Dauid with a sling and a stone Aman strangled with a halter Sundrie princes bereaued of their liues euen in the middest of their sweetest pleasures The playne of tyme. The nature thereof Desire hardly restrayned Heere the Author encountreth age and striueth mightyly to keepe him off but neuerthelesse in the end he is constrained to yeelde quietly vnto him Age striketh him with his sworde of many yeeres He yeeldeth vnwillingly to Age. Age enioyneth the authour to the accomplishment of some thinges vppon peine of periurie and dotage Loue. Mariage Amorous dssportes Courtly life The miserable estate of him that pursueth in court Nothing more rife in the court of Princes then veruous men honorlesse and vnregarded The vertuous man desireth aduancement onely thereby to be able to do his prince and countrie seruice Age presents the author with a siluer Gorget of maile He entrethinto the pathe of deceite Abusion the porter of loues pallace The pallace of Loue. The desert of olde Age. The Ilande of Decrepitude Sundry abusers of Age deceyuers of them selues Good Aduenture I take it that by this studie he meaneth Contemplation The Pallace of contemplation Memorie Ladie of the pallace of Contemplation Memorie is a thing celestiall and diuine deriued onely from God without hauing any relation to nature Diligence the porter of Memorie The attyre of Memorie The vniuersal sepulchre of mankinde The Churchyarde of Memorie All degrees alike to death Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat Feare befitteth not a noble minde Letters of gold engrauen in afaire table at the entry of the forest of Atropos The maner and attyre of Atropos Debilitie entreth the listes Philip surnamed the good Duke of Burgundie Accedent presenteth him selfe armed Charles Duke of Burgundie surnamed the hardie The Duke three times ouerthrowen by the D. of Lorayne and Swyssers and lastly slaine at the battaile of Naneie in the yeere 1476. Campobache an Italian Counte chiefe leader of the D. horse and of especial credite about him had agreed with the D. of Loraine to betray his maister which most Iudas-lyke he performed at this battell before Nancie The vayne instabilitie of the worldes iudgemne The surest anker is to trust onely in God Mary onely daughter and heire to Charles D. of burgundy and wise to the Archduke Maximilian who was afterwardes Emperour The Author offereth combat to the champion of Atropos The messenger or poursuiuant of Atropos called Sommons The combats of fiue famous aduenturers Sommons doth reueale vnto the Author the Secrets of the Destinies wonderfully among the rest foretelling the greatnesse of Queene Elizabeths glorie The Lady Isabell sister to Henrie the 4. of Castile and wife to Ferdinand of Aragon granmother to Charles the fifth In what sorte shee shal come to combat with death Philip sonne to Maximilian the Emperour and father to Charles the fifth His vertues Ferdinande K. of Spayne Aragon Naples and Sicilie Maximilian of Austria Emperour of the Romanes Great Henry king of England commeth to encounter the Champions of Atropos Paulus Giouius Martin de Bellay in his commentariâ—s writeth that K. Henrie the eight gaue the French K. towards his ransome 500000. crownes whiche the Emperour did owe him for not marying the Lady Marie accorning to couenantes betweene them and withall a Fleuredelice of golde vpon which Henrie the .7 had lent to Philip father to Charls the .5 50000. crownes at his being in Englande Moreouer whereas he had lent Charles 400000. crownes for which he should haue had the townes of Ayr S. Homer in gage he gaue vnto the French K. al those writings for it was one article of his fidelitie that he should pay al these sums vnto K. Henrie the. 8. King Edward the. 6. Queene Marie The prophesie of the Destenies coÌ„cerning Elizabeth the Queene of England Neuer Prince more blessed in her subiects Neuer subiects more blessed in their Prince He returneth to the mansioÌ„ of Memorie He is there visited by Vnderstanding Wherein consisteth the height of wisedome Death often striketh without warning Nothing so vncertaine as the houre of a mans death And therfore nothing so behouefull as to be alwayes in a redinesse What Armes are fit to encounter death withall Good workes done by others after a mans death nothing at al auailable Padrino in Spanish signifieth him that goeth with his freende into the feelde or doth accompany him vnto a iust or torney with meaning to defende him from wrong It signifieth also a Godfather AVTHOR How a man should exercise himselfe afore he commeth to the combat Who are the best maisters of Fence to instruct him that prepareth to fight this combat AVTHOR The miserable estate of a man dying The vertuous Champions othe The othe of the aduersary Iudge of the combat The blessed Sacrament of Christ his supper AVTHOR The best is to be euer redie The first vant-currors or messengers that sommon vs to this combat The ende of the bodie is corruption The Author alwayes vsed this Posie Cain Genesis Chap. 4. Sampson Iudges Cap. 16. Ouid. Seneca Centaures were young men in the time of Ixyon K. of Thessalia who being the first that tamed horses did vpon their backes many great exployts to the wonder of the bordering people who iudged them their horses to haue bin all of one peece thervpoÌ„ grew this fiction Plutarcb Appian Lucan Alexander Quintus Curtius Plutarch Appianus de rebus gestis Alexandri Homer Dares Ouid. Hector Achilles Pompey the great Plutarch Appian Lucan Anniball Plutarch Appian Titus Liuius Clytemnestra Agamemnon Quid. Eteocles and Polinices Princes of Thebes Sophocles Statius The two daughters were Antigone and Ismene Holofernes Iudith Chap. 12 13. Sisera Iudges Cap. 4. Abner 2. Sam. cap. 3. Goliath 1. Samuel Cap. 17. Haman Ester Cap. 3. Chronic. de Nicol. Gallis Michael Eisinger This was that Duke Philip whom the author serued and of whom he speaketh in this Treatise Chron. de Nicol. Gallis Philipp de Comines Michael Eisinger Charles the hardie Philip de Comines Michael Eisinger Nicol. Gallis The horrible treason of Campobache Marie daughter and heyre to Charles duke of Burgundy Philip de Comines 1578. Eisinger 1482. Isabell and Ferdenand Chronic. de Espania Fray Gonçalo de Yllescas Philip de Comines Philip of Austria Fray Gonçalo de Illescas 1506. Chronic. de Espania Michael Eisinger Surìus 1506. 1526. Maximilian Surius Gonçalo de Yllescas Michael Eisinger Henrie the eight Queene Elizabeth