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 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
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
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
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
ouer the whole Realme that the very mechanical people abandoned ouer to sorow ceassed their trades for the space of fourtie dayes filling the ayre with pittifull cries and lamentations They had also foure daughters Isabel Ione Mary and Katherine Isabel died yong Ione was married to Philippe brother to the foresayd Lady Margaret and Katherine to Arthur prince of Wales eldest sonne to Henry the seuenth of England Queene Isabel after that by many noble and heroicall deedes she had ouer the whole world won vnto her selfe a reputation to bee one of the most vertuous and excellent princesses that euer liued in the fiue fiftieth yeere of her age ended her dayes at Medina del campo the .xxiiij. of Nouember in the yeere 1504. Twelue yeeres after died Ferdinand her Husband at a litle Vilage named Madrigalecio hard by Gaudalupe A Prince as of singular integritie and vertue so of a rare and wonderfull felicitie and happines in whatsoeuer he did vndertake Philip sonne to Maximilian and Mary being in Flaunders hearing of the death of Isabel Queene of Castile whose eldest daughter he had maried departed presently thence towards Spayne with his wyfe the Ladie Ione to take possession of the Crowne and Royaltie which at their arriuall was willingly by olde Ferdinand to them resigned Philip being now but .xxiiii. yeeres of age was with a firme constitution of body wel proportioned and beautiful and especially aboue the rest so courteous and affable in his speeches and behauiour that what with his beautie and his vertue he drue the eyes and loues of all men to him in so much that the Spanish Nobilitie and Courtiers forsaking Ferdinand who thirtie yeeres had been their King all folowed the rising sonne of young Philip so that the Court of Ferdinand was altogeather solitarie and vnfrequented no one of the Nobilitie keeping him companie saue onely the Duke of Alua who neuer did abandon him with which inconstancie of theirs he growing into an exceeding dislike and with all not pleased with his Sonne-in-lawes behauiour which by reason of whisperers that went betweene was not so kinde louing and reuerent as he expected taking with him his approued seruant the Duke of Alua he went without delay to Arragon and thence to Naples But scarsely was his backe turned when young Philip liuing in as great delitiousnesse honor and triumph as either the delight of a Crowne the pleasure of that Countrey or the dutifull loue of his Subiectes could yeelde him fell extreamely sicke of a violent hot burning Feuer of which notwithstanding the lustinesse and strength of his young floorishing yeeres he died at Burgos the .xxv. day of September in the verie yeere of his entry into Spaine Neuer Prince left behinde him a nobler issue for he had by his wife the Lady Ione two sonnes and foure daughters of which the least was adorned with a royall Diademe viz. Charles who besides his great succession of many Kingdomes and Prouinces was elected Emperour of the Romans 2. Ferdinande who after his brothers death succeeded him in the Empire and was besides created King of Hungarie 3. Leonore maried first to Emanuel King of Portugale and after in seconde mariage to Francis the French King 4. Marie maried to Lewes King of Hungarie who in a battaile against the Turkes died young and without issue 5. Katherine maried to Iohn the thirde King of Portugale and lastly Isabel maried to Christerne King of Denmarke Maximilian sonne to Fredericke the Emperour thirde of that name and Leonore daughter to Edwarde king of Portugale was in his fathers time made king of the Romanes and after his deceasse Emperour He was a Prince exceedingly well learned iust in gouernment at home and fortunate in Warre abrode He had sundry victories against Mathias Corunis King of Hungarie from whom he recouered Vienna and many other of the Prouinces of the lower Austria Likewise he recouered from the French King the Earldome of Artoys and many townes of Burgundie and ouerthrew a great Armie of his at Guignet whereby he recouered Cambray He ouerthrew harde by Regensberg in a memorable battaile a great Armie of the Bohemians that came to make warre vpon his brother in lawe Albert Duke of Bauaria He was with K. Henrie the. 8. at the siege of Terowan and receyued his wages during which siege he him selfe in honor of England ware the Rose and his men the S. Georges crosse He was an exceeding scourge vnto the Venetiās from whom when they were in the fulnesse of their glory he tooke Padwa Verona Vincentia and the greatest parte of Foro Iulio and lastly ouerthrew them in a notable battaile by Vincentia where he slue of them 5000. Taking 24. great Cannons and all their Enseignes and Standards from them In seconde mariage he tooke Blanca daughter to the Duke of Milan Finally in the. 59. yeere of his age he died in Austria some say by taking or rather mistaking a wrong Potion to preuent a sickenesse which he feared He lieth buried at Newstad in Austria 8. leagues from Vienna He left behinde him 2. children Philip whose historie you heard before and Margaret who beeing by her first husband Iohn prince of Castile left a widow was afterward maried to Philibert Duke of Sauoy It is written of Maximilian that in his sickenesse he would not suffer those that were about him to honor him with any title of dignitie but to call him simply by his name Maximilian protesting himselfe to be but a vile peece of Earth and Clay made of no better mettall then the poorest begger The last combat spoken of in this treatise is of Henrie the eyght of famous memory Whose noble and heroicall deeds being so fresh in the remembrance of all men I thinke it needlesse to make repetition of them neither if I woulde vndertake it were the labour of so high a taske in any proportion conuenient to the feeblenesse of my slender force Much lesse to speake of her Maiestie whose Princely name is lastly therein mentioned but will leaue the glorious storie of her happie reigne to those golden pennes that being dipped in the licour of the Muses may like Ariosto his siluer Swannes with a cleere flight beare vp her sacred name and in dispite of Time fasten the same to the faire pillars of Eternitie in the highest turret of the house of Fame That which I can do is to pray vnto the euerliuing Righteousnesse that as he hath with admirable goodlinesse made her shine in giftes both of body and minde aboue all the Princes of her time so he will preserue her vnto vs many long and flowrishing yeeres For so long as wee shall enioy this our precious and sacred Palladium we shall neede to feare neither the force of fierce threatning Agamemnon nor the wiles offals vndermining Sinon FINIS I haue in the margent of euerie Historie noted the names of those Authors which herein I do chiefly folow Philip de Comines in
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
liues of braue and lustie youthes in the prime strength of their vnmellowed yeeres yea and sometimes he sporteth himselfe in the death of olde men women and chyldren But hydeous Debilitie with inuisible blowes killeth onely those that are weake and languishyng They are so nusled in blood that their dayly exercise and practise is nothing but to murder and destroy mankinde neyther is their puissance by any pollicie to be deluded nor by any agilitie or stratageme to be auoyded This being so iudge then with thy selfe in how great degree these myghtie foes are to be feared Thou hast been long agone summoned to this battayle by Excesse their heralde at Armes and therefore the fyght being so full of perill and the matter of such importaunce I cannot but much maruell at this thy carelesse vnreadinesse especially seeing at thy very birth-day thou wert waged therunto Thou doest not exceede Sampson in inuincible strength Hercules in valorous courage Salomon in profound wysedom Tullie in powerful perswading eloquence Diomedes in vigorous vnderstanding nor Absolon in delicious beautie yet no one of these was able to resist these death-bringing Champions that euen now attende thee in the lystes The farther that the vncertayne race of thy miserable lyfe lyngreth on the nearer approcheth the houre of thy ineuitable conflict to which attende no other trumpet then the dolefull knowlling of a deadly Bell. Therefore with all instance I aduise thee to looke well about and to call well all thy wittes tegeather that thou mayst be the better prepared agaynst the hard brunt of so terrible a reckoning Herewith my thoughtfulnesse ending I awaked as it were out of a drowsie traunce or dreame thanking her in the highest degree for these her carefull admonitions and withal tolde her that for mine owne part I was redy to performe as much as to a true resolued Gentleman did appertaine and therewithall presently without delay put on my armour and lyke a Knight aduenturous passed foorth onward on my way My horses name was Desire my harnesse tempred in the water of Puissance my shielde of Hope my launce of Aduenture and my sworde of Courage In this equipage I entred into the quest of my so much renowned aduersaries at the ende of two dayes trauaile in which I had not found any aduenture worthy the wryting I came into a very greene and florishing Medowe the name whereof was Worldly pleasure The outwarde shew whereof presented vnto my senses such pleasure and delyght that rauished with contentment forgetfull of my iourney and vndertaken enterprise I euen determined to remayne there But sodainely I myght espie a galant Ruffler that came fiercely coursing along the Medow bidding me defende my selfe for without farther delay he meant to iust with me I was much moued with the roughnesse of his speach and iesture as also that he had interrupted me in the sweetenesse of those delyghtes wherein my senses were lulled a sleepe I askt hym yf he were a Gentleman and withall of what name and Countrey My name quoth he in an ill tuned harsh and queasy voyce is Ill Diet My office is to put all out of order where I come My linage is noble for Gluttonie is my mother and I am her eldest sonne I am maynteyned with ryches norished in delices and hyghly esteemed in the court of Princes Are you then quoth I eyther of these warriours that do with such vnuanquished puissance keepe the forest of vnmercifull Atropos Neyther of them quoth he but yet their great familiar friende and lyue by the same chase which they do which is by persecutyng of lyfe And therewithall he gaue me such a blow with his launce of lytle witte vpon the bosse of my guylded target that I do yet full well feele the weight of his encounter neuerthelesse pullyng my spirites vnto me with an eagre desire of reuenge with a full carrere I brake my Lance on his bosome and foorthwith we both layde handes on our swordes with which being tempered in folly we gaue one an other mightie blowes of banquettes bathings quaffings watchings wantonnesse and such lyke wherein Time the treasure of life is consumed and nothing hoorded vp but griefe and repentance When he had almost weeried me with these kindes of blowes then he let driue at me a freshe with many disorderly strokes of dauncyng running leaping playing at tennis immoderate exercise sweatyng sodayne colde takyng and other such lyke so deadly and dangerous greetings that without all doubt he had then made an ende of my daies had not a Lady called Reliquia iuuentutis commen to my succour who though in a maner tyred with often helpyng me in such lyke combates yet did in defence of my health put foorth the vttermost of her force and vertue requestyng my aduersarie to leaue the fyght and to geue me respit to see yet somewhat farther on in the worlde I am contented quoth he for the farther he runneth on in the worlde and the more trust he putteth in his owne forces the more certaine is his destruction yet before he depart because he hath behaued himselfe so stoutely with me I wyll bestow a Cappe vpon him dyed in my colours of such operation and vertue that it shall distyll a fountayne of rhewmes and humors into his eyes legges thyghes armes and ioynts so that in one part or other of his bodie while he liues go where he will he shall haue cause to remember my acquantance In geuing me which present he departed with exceeding haste leauing me extreamely turmoyled and sore in my bones with the weerinesse of this combate But my greatest griefe was that wheras in this last conflict I had beene relieued through the helpe of that litle youth that was remaining in me the same also being my chiefest comfort did now of a sodaine abandon me bidding me hereafter gouerne my selfe well for of her I neyther coulde nor shoulde receiue any farther assistance Being thus forsaken I folowed on my way desolate and comfortlesse not knowyng whither Onely my thoughtfulnesse still suggested vertue and valour vnto my minde animating me to perseuere on in this important voyage But as my mynde doubtfully wauered in sundry and diuers thoughts amidde this vncertaine way the night drawing on I might espie an aged fatherly Hermite not farre off standing before the doore of his Cell whose graue and courteous aspect encouraged me to acquaint him with my wandering vncertaine voyage and in frendly sort to entreate him of harbour for that nyght The good Hermite bade me from his hart welcome and by his countenance worde assured me that I should finde him a most freendlie and comfortable Hoste He himselfe disarmed me and bringing me into the inwarde part of his lodging did cast a warme mantle about my shoulders Me thought I did neuer beholde a man of more pleasing behauiour nor one whose conuersation did more delight me After that he had called for water to