Gotes was set vp for a folde Founde and rent out in his dayes olde With cordes draw no rescue might him saue Of cruell vengeaunce to Catullus graue Where Scilla made by cruell iudgement With a sharpe sworde forged forto byte After time his eyen were out rent Bothe at ones his handes of to smyte His head of smit no ran̄som might hi quyte Set on a pole it woulde be none other And of dispight sent vnto hys brother To Marius of whome I spake nowe right The great duke so mighty and so huge Which had afore take him to the flight For feare of Scilla in that mortal deluge Into a citie to finde there refuge Called Preneste ther standing in gret drede Namely when he behelde his brothers hede Forasmuch as he no succour fonde Dispayred this was hys purpose To slee him selfe with his owne honde In thilke place where he was kept close Drewe out hys sworde and vp anone he rose Cōstrained his seruaūt in that sodain affray Smit of his head the selfe same day Men say howe death is fyne of all mischefe Ende of aduersite that dothe wretches tary Fortune here maketh another prefe In Marius howe she her course gan vary By an euidence hateful and contrary To shew her malyce and vngoodlyheed Agayne this duke alas whan he was deed This froward lady of malyce most vēgeable Whan her lyst furiously to raue And shew her selfe cruell and vnstable To none estate she lyst no regarde haue Caused Marius to be take out of his graue By cruell Scilla in story it is founde His vgly carayne smyt on peeces rounde And after more to shew hys cruelte Marius shoulde haue no burying place Cast his carayne of cankred enmyte Into Tybre there was none other grace Lo thus can fortune for her folke purchace By whiche example touchyng Marius Of worldly chaunges Bochas writeth thus Maketh in this chapter a discription First what thing is very gentlenesse To set a prefe and a probacion Nothyng attayneth vnto hie noblenesse But the clere shinyng of vertuous clennesse Which may nat shew i hie nor low parage But where it groweth out of a pure corage Worldly power oppression tyranny Erthly treasure golde stones nor rychesse Be no meanes vnto gentry But if vertue rule their hye prowesse For where vyces haue entresse In hie byrthe meane or low kynrede Deme no man gentle but onely by his dede In royall places of stone metall wrought With galaryes or stately cloysters rounde Gentilnesse nor noblesse is nat sought Nor in selers nor in vautes rounde But onely there wher vertue doth habounde Curyous clothes nor great possessions Maketh nat a man gengle but condycions Phylosophers conclude in their entent And all these worthy famous olde auctours No man may que the in his testament Gentilnesse vnto his successours Of wycked wede come no holsome flours Concluding thus of good men of shrewes Call eche man gentle after his good thewes Duke Marius of whom I spake toforne Of nature the story beareth wytnesse As by discent poore and nedy borne By disposycyon of coragyous noblesse Had in his persō wyt strength hardynesse Vnder all this there dyd his herte myne A worme of auaryce his worshyp to decline What vayleth plenty y ◠neuer may suffyse Or what the flode that stauncheth no thurst Or what an appetyte which euer doth aryse Alway to eate and euer to eate hath lust Of cankred hungre so fretyng is the rust That the riuer of Tantalus in his rage Of gredy etykes the fret may nat asswage Of Marius ye haue herd the ende His woful fall and his vnhappy caas In to fate howe he dyd wende Nowe wyl I folow myne auctor Bochas Howe vnto him thre Cleopatras With loke downe cast wofull face chere All atones dyd to him appere The fyrst of them by processe of writing Had thre husbandes Bochas doth expresse Wedded in youth to Alisaundre the kyng Called zebenna a prince of great noblesse After that for her great fayrenesse She wedded was vnto Demetrius And last of all to kyng Antyochus Of her three husbandes woful auenture And of her sonnes great vnkyndnesse Bochas afore hath done his busy cure Curyously the maner to expresse Which to reherce agayne were ydelnesse Syth all the processe here tofore is founde Of the first and eke of the secounde Which wedded was to kyng Tholome Lyke as afore eke made is mencion Bothe of their ioye and their aduersyte The first slayne by drinkyng of poyson And the seconde to her confusion By Euergetes were she wo or fayne Was with her chylde serued y ◠was slayne The thyrde wedded was to kyng Crispus Slayne in a temple by full great outrage For drede and shame gan wexe furious To saue her selfe knewe none auauntage Saue she enbraced of Jupiter an ymage In the story as here tofore is founde Or she was dead suffred many a wounde ⧠The .iii. Chapter ⧠Howe king Mithridate bode .vii. yere in wyldernes had great turmentes bothe on sea and lande by his blode broughte to vttraunce slewe himselfe with a sworde I Wyll passe ouer these Cleopatras three Forth procede to the hasty fate Sone execute by Parcas cruelte Vpon the duke called Mithridate First reherce the great vnkyndlye hate Of them that were his tutours as I rede Him to destroy by assent of his kynrede Which of purpose dyd hys death prouide By many vncouth straunge occasion In his tender youth first they made him ride Vpon an horse wylder than a lyon Of purpose onely for his distruction But al be so that he was yonge of age The horse he ruled in all his most rage Nat of doctrine but euen of nature He was disposed connyngly to ryde Ouer him the maystry to recure Maugre the horse of wyt he was his gyde What way he toke forwarde or asyde He daunted him y ◠where so euer he rode Bridled him and on his backe he bode His owne kyn and his next alyes Most laboured to bryng hym to mischefe With venomous drynke set on hym espyes At good leyser as doth a couerte thefe Of their fell poyson for to make a prefe In their entent this is well couthe Him to murder in hys tender youthe But whan y t he apperceyued their treason To saue him selfe made great ordinaunce Anone as he gan haue suspection Of theyr vnkindly hatefull purueyaunce For remedies made cheuisaunce Was prouided their malyce to decline By many notable proued medicine And their malyce prudently to eschue Is remembred whyle he was yonge of age With certayne frendes which y ◠dyd hym sue He disposed of custome hys corage To hunt and chase beastes most sauage Vnder that colour he dyd it for a wyle Ferre fro his countre tabsent him for a whyle Of one corage one heart and one chere Suffred manly toke none heuynesse In desertes space of seuen yere Amonge hye hylles bode in wyldernesse Set in Asia the story beareth witnesse Founde no lodgyng trasyng the
for wanting of their wil. And wheder were thei sorowful or faine Long tyme after their desolacion Whan they foūd Abell their own son slayne By cruel Cayne to his confusion ▪ The same Cayne as made is mencyon After that time wilde was vagabound Til blind Lameth yafe hī his dethes woūd Adam nor Eue afore that ylke time Had neuer sene no feest funeral It was of chaunge to them a new prime For to behold a thyng disnatural Brethern of one wombe by hatered eternal The one of hate so far hym selfe deuide Of false malice to be an homicyde And it was routh whan that they stode For to behold their son al deed Layd on the grond and bathed in his blod And al the soile where he lay was rede That whan Adam and Eue toke hede It was to them ful great aduersite The newe slaughter to behold and se. And euer among their sighes harde sore The bitter weping and sorowes to auaūce Or they were ware their heere 's woxe hore And age began theyr beautie disauaunce Their youth also by ful great displesaunce Began to appal or they it could aspye By cruel constreynt and force of malady And of youth fallen was their flour By the processe of many hundred yeres And by the duresse of great labour They wexe vnlusty vgly of their cheres Of age and deth these ben the daungers To say checkmate in nature it is couth Vnto beautie and grene lusty youth For whan the yeres fully passed be Of flouring age lastynge a season By processe at eye men may se Beaute declineth his blossoms fal adoune And littel and littel by succession Cōmeth croked elde vnwarely in crepynge With his potent ful porely manassing Thus to our father that called was Adam Of creatures fayrest of al feire After great trauaile by processe in he came And began vnwarely ascend vpō the steyre With his potent and cast him to repeyre With Atropose which afore shal gone For to attwin his liues threde anone And in Ebron was made his sepulture Ther after was bilded a mighty great cyte By whose story and recorde of nature I may conclude who list to se That neuer man had liberte Sithen that Adam our lord gan disobey Ayenst deth but that he must obey In cōplaining mine autor Jhon Bochas Ful pitiously in hys aduertence Bewepeth wayleth and oft sayeth alas In apple there was so great offence That for a taste of inobedience Adam alas should haue so great a fal So sodainely to die and be mortal Which example ought inough suffise In al this world though there were no mo To exemplify to folkes that ben wise How this world is a throwfare ful of wo. Lyke false Fortune y ◠turneth to and fro To make folkes whā they most clerely shine In their estates vnwarely to decline For though that thei their hedes lift a lofte Highe as Phebus shineth in his sphere Thinke them selfe as it falleth oft Their renown recheth aboue y e starres clere And howe they surmount euery sphere Their trust corrupt hath a sodayne fal For to declare you they ben mortal O worldly folke aduert and yene entent What vengeaūce and what punicion God shal take in his iugement For your trespas and your transgression Which breke his preceptes ayen al reason Ye haue forgotten how w t his precious blod You for to saue he died vpon the Roode For if Adam for his disobeisaunce Was by the lorde as him list ordaine Made first formed with euery circūstāce Of creatures to be most soueraine If that he was enbraced in the chaine Of seruitude with children ouersene what shal I than of other folkes sein◠That liue here in this deserte of sorowe ▪ In this exise of plesance desolate ▪ And in this worlde both euin and morowe Of hertely ioye stonte disconsolate ▪ All destitute and also infortunate And forpossed with wo and worldly troble Euer variable and ful of chaunges double Ye not entende but to false couetise To fraude berret and extorcion Agayne god in many dyuers wise Againe your neighbour by false collusion To do hym wronge and oppression And worst of al ye retche not by syn To slee your soule worldly good to wyn And if it fal your power to be but smal To accomplyshe your auarice in dede Your sinful wyl assenteth ouer al Thing to desire of which ye maye not spede And thus false lust doth your bridel lede Trust in hauing so sore you doth assayle Falsly afered the world should you fayle And if god benigne and debonayre With his yarde of castigacion Chastiseth you but easely and faire Ye grudge against his correction Nothing auerting in your discrecion Howe god not bad vs who can take hede For to striue ne wrastel in dede Neither our strength ne our might to appli Vpon the beast monstruous and sauage which called is the Chimere of Licy Specially whan he is in hys rage which monstre had to his auantage Heed of a lion as bokes determine Wombe of a gote and taile serpentyne Which was outrayed of Bellyferon As olde poetes make mencion Neither god bad not that men should gon In to Colchos to conquere with Jason The Flees of gold which in that region With firie bulles of mettal made of bras And by a dragon ful straitly kept was God bad vs not our contreys for to lete To vnderfonge things that ben impossible The Mynotaur for to slee in Crete Halfe man halfe bul if it be credible Which was a monster hateful and odible Sūtime brought forth in bokes ye may se By Mynos wife called Pasyphae Whose storie techeth if thou list to here This vgly beast and monstruous Through Ariadne the kings doughter dere Was sumtime slayne by duke Theseus Within a caue made by Dedalus God biddeth vs plainely for his sake So great emprise for to vndertake He byddeth vs not to be so recheles In perilous dedes that bene marciall Vs to ieoparde as dyd Hercules Which by the bidding in especiall Of Euristeus the mighty kyng royall Lordes of Athēs to make their honor shine Learned of armes the famous discipline Of these preceptes if we haue a sight And remembred of his highe bounte He vs cōmaundeth thinges that be lyght For to accomplishe with all humilite From our corage to auoyde all vanite And from our hertes to exclude ydelnesse And this false chāge of al worldly gladnes For vnto a man that perfite is and stable By good reasō mine auctor doth wel preue There is nothing more faire ne agreable Than finally his vicious lyfe to leue On verye god rightfully to beleue Him loue worship aboue al erthly thyngs This passeth victory of Emperours kinges The Lord biddeth also who so can discerne Of entere loue to do our labour In this life here so our life shal gouerne To father mother that we do due honor And in their nede to do them socour And in all vertue our frendes to comfort And to
as brethren were called Hercules To signify Poetes can well tell This name in conquest all other doth excell By olde tyme they that were pereles For their nobles in diuers regions All they for manhode were named Hercules Such as were noysed for famous champions Tygres to daunt eke boares and lyons And renoumed among them euerychone Bechas affirmeth that Theseus was one First as I sayd by his knyghtly trauayle Whan Athens stode in deuision Among them selues by warre and battayle By his wisdome and his discrecion To set accord within that noble towne Them that were exiled stode in no certeyne He of his knyghthode made theÌ„ resort ayen He gaue theÌ„ lawes wherby thei shold theÌ„ gye Noble statutes founded of reason Set amonge them so prudent policy In their liuyng that no discention Shoulde aryse by none occasion Among them selues in hye or lowe estate Prouidyng euer that there were no debate Thus began the city encrease and multiplye To waxe famous of wisdome and richesse There sprong the well fyrst of Philosophy There first of knyghthode rose the hye nobles By Theseus Bochas beareth wytnes Thus thinges two like as it is founde Cleargy and lawe did there first abounde For to set the citye in quiete He made peace through all that region And of knyghthode he manly did mete The cruell tyrant that called was Creon Maugre him made restitucion Of lordes bones that were at Thebes slayn To the ladyes wherof they were full fayne Thus through Grece his renome spradde His knyghtly fame began to multiply And long in ioye thus his life he ladde While that Fortune list him magnify But aye her ioye is meynt with some enuy For she froward list no more soiourne With Theseus but began her to face tourne Away fro him wexe peruerce and froward Of his glory vngoodly gan to doubul Downe froÌ„ her whele she made go backward Of his good name she gan the fethers pull Whan his noblesse was highest at full I meane the full of his felicitye There folowed an ebbe of great aduersitie And moreouer her frowardly to aquite His vnhaps rehearsyng one by one One the first as Bochas list to endite Was when he lay in Crete among his fone And out of pryson should into Grece gone Repayryng homeward him selfe w tdrawe The Mynotaur whan he had yslawe The first empryse that he vndertoke Was whan he escaped the importable payne Of Mynotaurs like as sayth my boke And w t him had the kings daughters twayne That he of malice falsely list disdayne Ayenst â—ryadne which did him saue From the death whan he lay in the caue Should haue ben slaine had not his socour be In his repayre he toke therof no hede He left her alone in great aduersitye Within an yle in mischefe sorowe and drede And fayre Phedra with him he did lede Wedded her like a forsworne man Thus w t vntruth his mischefe first began How Phedra quither y â— story is well know In his absence Bochas writeth thus Whan that she within a little throwe Loued agaynst kynde her sonne Ipolitus But he to her was contrarious Woulde not assent to so foule a dede For shame he fled percel also for drede To his father she him did accuse As ye toforne haue the story sene And for he did her company refuse He went away and came neuer agayne For ye haue heard how that he was slayne Within a chare through his vnhappy chauÌ„ce And how Phedra through vengeaunce Slough her selfe agaynst all womanhede Here in this boke tofore as I you tolde Of which thing whan Thesius toke hede Thought it was veÌ„geaunce for his offeÌ„ce old For he not quit him like as he was beholde To Ariadne whiche should haue be his wyfe By whose succour he scaped with his lyfe This infortune and this vnhappy chaunce Was to his nobles full contrarious The death also was to him a vengeaunce Of his sonne called Ipolitus For sorow of whom this duke Theseus With salt teares sore began to playne And helde the exequies of the ilke twayne I trowe also it did him sore greue Duke Pirotheus whan he sawe deade Slayne with a beast and myght not releue Of kig Orchus houÌ„d which had a treble head Whose teeth hortible of his bloud were redde Whiche infortune when he gan beholde Vnto the death he felt his hart colde And for to reken the great wretchednes The vnhappy chaunces y â— fell him in his lyfe Among all his other great distresses Was none so mortall and so full of strife As was whan he gaue credence to his wyfe Phedra called whiche of intencion Compassed vntruely an accusation Vpon Ipolytus of hatred and enuy Because he woulde not do so great offence As for to assent to her lechery Therfore of death he felt the vyolence And for his father to sone gaue credence Bochas forbade husbandes all their lyues Without prefe not leue to sone their wyues Neither be to hasty tales for to leue Of flaterers in chamber ne at the table Forgers of lesyngs my auctor doth wel preue To abide w t lordes that they be not able Here on he maketh a chapitle notable And of his wrytyng this was the cause why That prynces should examyne eche party Of wisdome also and of discrecion Without a prefe not be parciall For to a prynce it is confusion If betwene parties he be not found egall Caused many one for to haue a fall â–ª God suffreth such not longe to contune Withdraw their grace hindreth their fortuÌ„e Thus Theseus for his hastines His happe his grace discreased day by day The fame appalled of his worthines And frowarde fortune also in a wayte lay For his defautes to hinder him if she may Cast she woulde his nobles disauaunce And than his kyngdome by disobeysaunce From him w tdrawe honour and reuerence Full frowardlye through all his region They of Athens by cruell vyolence Fyll agaynst him in rebellion That he was fayne to flye out of that towne Thus hath fortune darked the bryghtnes Of all his nobles and cast hym in distresse Thus was the ende by great contrarioustie Of Theseus after hys dayes glade Whan the freshe floure of olde felicitie Fortune aduerse made them for to fade Eche thyng must bowe whan it is ouerlade Worshyp honour whan they brightest shine w t vnware chaunges than rathest do declyne ☞ Lenuoy THe vnsure gladnes the ioye transitory The vnstable surenes the transmutatioÌ„s The clowdy brightnes the false eclipsed glory Of earthly prynces whiche haue possessions Monarchies and dominacions Their sodayne chaunge declareth to vs all Their swete suger is meynt with bitter gall This blynde goddesse in her consistory With her pleasaunce medleth discentions After triumphes conquest and victory Reueth from kynges their scepters crowns Troubleth the people with false rebellions Se these dukes which from the whele be fall Al worldly suger is meynt with bytter gall This tragedy maketh memory Of dukes twayne and of their
melancoly and froward pouertie Ended his life in great aduersitye For of ire and impacience Fynally thus with hym it stode Furiously in his great indigence As writeth Bochas howe he dranke the blode Of a bul sauagine and wode With loue enchaufed made no delaies Most be stially ended thus his dayes ¶ The .xxv. Chapter ¶ Of Balthasar Kynge of Babylone and howe Daniell expowned Mane Techell Phares NExt to Bocas or that he was ware As he sate wrytyng wyth full great laboure Of Babilon cam great Balthasar To declare his sorowe and his langour Whych had misused ful falsly the tresour And the vessels brought from Jerusalem Into Babilone chefe citye of his reme For at a souper with his lordes al Whan of the vessels he dranke mighty wines And solemply sate in his roial stal And rounde aboute al his concubines Phylosophers magiciens and diuynes There came an hand the byble doth assure And on the wall gan wryte this scripture Mane techel phares wrytten in hys sight Though he the mening coÌ„ceiued neuer a dele Which on the wal shewed fayre bryght For whose sentence auailed none appele But the prophet holy Daniel Fully expowned to Balthasar the kynge The mistery of this derke writyng This worde Mane playnly not to tary In latyn tonge betokeneth in sustance The dayes counted rekened the numbrarye Of thy reigning of thy great substance And Techell sowneth a wayenge in balauÌ„ce In token thy power kyngdome by meâ—ure God hath paysed they shal no whyle endure Phares also betokeneth a breakyng In romaine tong in to peces smale For thy power and frowarde rebellynge Shal from the hie be brought in to the vale This is holy writ and no fained tale For whan princes wil not their life redresse God wyl vnwarely their surquedy represse Thou wert by tokens warned longe afore By many examples the story ye maye rede By the fallyng of Nabugodonosore And thou thereof toke ful litel hede The lord to thank haue his name in drede For whych thou shalt within a litel throwe Lose scepter crowne be brought ful lowe Let princes al thys story haue in mynde And for them selfe notably prouyde And namely tho that ben to god vnkynde Their concubynes for to set a syde And make vertue for to be theyr gyde Voyde lechery and false presumpcion Which hath brought so many to distruction Nabugodonosor had repentaunce And was restored to his possessions But god of ryght toke sodaynly vengeaunce On Balthasar for his trausgressions Wherefore ye princes dispose your reasons After your merites to haue god merciable For your demerites do fynde hym veÌ„geable Agaynst holy churche take no quarels But aduertise in your inward syght For Balthasar that dranke of tho vessels Stale fro the temple of very force myght He lost lorshyp and lyfe vpon a night So that the kyngdome of Assirieus Translated was to Medes PercieÌ„s The .xxvi. Chapter ¶ Home Cresus and Balthasar were vanquyshed by Cyrus and the sonne of Cresus slayne at the huntynge of a bore NExt to Ihon Bocas within a throw Wrytyng of princes many a pitous fate He sawe king Cresus with other on the row Lowly besechyng his fallyng to translate And howe fortune agayne hym gan debate And of his mischefe doleful for to rede For to discriue anone he gan procede For as it is remembred in writyng As god and kynde lyst for hym ordayne Of Lide he was gouernour and kynge And lordshyp had the storye can not fayne Of many kingdoms more than one or twain Fame in that tyme so dyd hym magnify That he was called floure of al chiualry And he was also in hys tyme founde The most expert in werre in batayle And of richesse was the most habounde And most excellynge in conquest to preuayle Plenty of people wyth royal apparayle And with al this to his great auauntage Numbre of childre tenblysse hys lynage In the most highest of his royal see And at was well nothyng stode amis Yet to amenuse his felicite A dreme he had and truely that was thys How that his sonne which called was Athis Was take from hym by mortal outrage Slayne sodenlye in his tendre age This woful dreme dyd him great distres And put his hert in great dispayre Standyng in feare great heauines Bycause hys chylde rendre yonge fayre Which that was borne for to be hys heyre Shoulde causelesse in suche myschefe die So as his dreame afore dyd specifye Of this processe to declare more How Cresus dreme fulfylled was in dede From Olimpus there came a wylde bore Most furious and sauagine of drede Wyth fomy tuskes which fast gan him spede Downe discendyng no where lyst abyde Tyl that he came in to the laude of Lyde And gan distroy their frutes their vines Where euer he came in any maner place Brake the nettes the stronge lynes Of the hunters that dyd at hym enchace But vnder supporte of the kynges grace Hys sonne of whom I spake tofore Gate him licence to hunt at this bore Hys father Cresus demynge of this ease There was no cause of drede in no maner Though hys sonne were present at the chase With other hunters suche game for to lere But aye fortune wyth her double there Is redy euer by some fatall trayne At such disportes some mischefe to ordayne For one there was whych had gouernance Vpon this chylde to wayte and to se Chasyng y â— bore to saue hym fro myschauÌ„ce From al domage and aduersite With many lusty folke of that countre With hornes houÌ„des sharpe speres grouÌ„de Sekyng the bore tyl they had hym founde And as they gan fiersly the bore enchace He that was charged to be the chyldes gyde As with his speare he gan the bore manace The head not entred but forth gan to glyde And on the chylde whych that stode besyde The stroke a lyght and or he dyd auerte The speres heade rofe hym through the hert But of this chylde whan y â— deth was couth Tolde and reported holy the manere How he was slayne in hys tendre youth Borne to be heire vnto his father dere Cresus for sorow chaunged loke chere And for constraint of dole in his vysage He resembled a very deade ymage But euery sorowe by long continuaunce At the last it sumwhat must aswage For ther is none so furious greuance Nor so mortal importable rage But long processe yeueth him auantage I meane thus there is none so great a sorow But it mought cese outher eue or morowe Philosophers concluden and discerne And by their reasons recorden by scripture Thyng vyolent may not be eterne Not in one poynt abydeth none auenture Nor a sorowe may not alwaye endure For stouÌ„demele through fortunes variaunce There foloweth ioy after great greuaunce The sorow of Cresus tho it were intollerable And at his hert the greuaunce sate so sore Syth that his dole was irrecuperable And meane was none
by succession Named Albanois princes of great nobles And by discent the story beareth wytnes From kyng Prochas recorde on bokes olde Came these .ii. brethren Rea their suster told Numitor slayne as made is mencion The kyngdom occupied by Amulius And Rea entred in to religion For to be wympled in that holy house Sacred to Vesta wyth virgyns glorious There for to abyde be contemplatife With other maydens duryng al her lyfe And thys was done whyle she was yonge of age By her brother of false entencion That she shoulde haue no maner heritage Nor clayme no title in that region Of her kynred by none occasion But stande professed in virginitye To fore Vesta and liue in chastitie Yet not withstanding her virginal clennesse She hath conceyued by natural myracle Gan to encrease in her holynes Whose wombe arose in kiÌ„de was no obstacle Agayne such bolnyng auayleth no triacle But the goddes for her so dyd ordayne That she at ones had sonnes twayne The temple of Vesta stode in wildernesse Where Rea had holy the gouernaunce Of priestly honour done to the goddesse Wyth many straunge vncouth obseruauÌ„ce But by her brothers mortall ordinaunce Her yong sonnes might not be socoured But cast out to beastes to be deuoured But a she wolfe whych whelped had late To yeue theÌ„ soke dyd her businesse By god ordained or by some heauenly fate TheÌ„ to conserue fro deth in their distres For holy write plainly beareth wytnes God can defende as it is well couth Children froÌ„ mischefe in their tendre youth But in this whyle this sayd Amulius That was their vncle as made is mencion Agayne his suster frowarde and furious Made her be shyt in a ful derke prison And there complaynyng the distruction Of her two children borne to her reprefe For very sorow dyed at great myschefe These sayde chyldren deuoyde of al refuse Besyde a riuer lay pitiously crying From al socoure naked and destitute Except a wolues vpon them waityng At whose wombe ful style they lay soukyng Vnto nature a thyng contrarious Children to souke on beastes rauenous But he that is lorde of euery creature Ryght as hym lyst can both saue spyl And beastes which ben rage of their nature He can aduert make them lye ful styl Tigres lions obedient at his wil The same lorde hath made a fel wâ—lâ—esse Vnto twey children her bigges for to dresse And whyle thys wolues had theÌ„ in depose Ther came an herde called Faustulus Behelde their soukyng saw theÌ„ lye ful close Whych sheperde was of kyng Amulius Caught vp these chyldreÌ„ the story telleth thus And brought theÌ„ forth with great diligence Vnto his wyfe that called was Laurence And she for loue dyd her busy payne Them to fostre tyl they came of age Gaue them souke of her brestes swayne Fro day to daye of hert and hole corage And they were called as in that langage After the storye that one of them Remus And the seconde was named Romulus Of whych brethern brefely to termyne The towne of Rome toke original Of false disclaundre fyrst began that lyne The rote out sought ful vicious fouÌ„de at all Clerely remeÌ„bred for a memorial Their begynning grewe of such incoÌ„tinence As clerkes call Incestus in sentence Incestus is a thyng not fayre nor good After that bokes wel deuise conne As trespassyng wyth kyn or wyth blode Or frowarde medlyng w t her that is a nonne And thus the line of Rome was begon For slaughter murder and false robbry Was chefe begynnynge of al their auncetry Of Couetyse they toke their auauntage Lyggers of waies and robbers openly Murdrers also of their owne linage And stronge theues gate to their company Spoiled al tho that past them forby Vnder shadowe of kepinge their beastayle Al maner people they proudly dyd assaile To â—lee marchauÌ„tes they had no conscience And for to murdre folke of euery age Women to oppresse of force and vyolence In al that countre this was their vsage Where they abode ther was no sure passage And these two brethern lyke as it is founde Fonde first y â— maner of speares sharpe groude Aspeare in greke called is quiris And for that cause the sayd Romulus As bokes say and sothely so it is He afterwarde was called Quirinus Which w t his brother y â— called was Remus Was in al thyng confederate partable That tofore god was vicious dampnable And as it was accordynge to their life For lacke of vertue they fyll in great diffame And atwene theÌ„ ther was an vncouth stryte Which of both should yeue the name Vnto the citie atwene ernest and game After theyr names Rome to be called Thus fyll the case afore or it was walled And therupon ful longe lasted their striues Which should of them haue dominacion Shewing their titles and prerogatyues Who should of them yeue name to the toun And reigne as kyng in that region There was no reason who shuld go beforne Bycause they were both at once borne But to fynishe their fraternal dyscorde They haue prouyded atwene theÌ„ anon ryght Thus condiscendyng to put theÌ„ at accorde Nouther by force oppressyon nor myght That whych of them sawe greatest flyght Of byrdes flyeng high vpon an hyl Should name the citye at his owne wyl Of this accorde for to be wytnesse They w t them lad a ful great multitude Therof to yeue a dome of rightwisnesse Both of wyse and of people rude Al at ones thys mater to conclude And to an hyl called Auentyne They ben asâ—ended this matter for to fine And byrdes syxe to Remus dyd appere By augury as they gan procede Called vultures ful fierce in their manere But in numbre the double dyd excede That Romulus sawe whan he toke hede Wherof ther fyll a great contrauersy Which of theÌ„ shoulde preuayle on his party Thus first of al Remus had a syght Of sixe birdes called Vultures And for to auaunce prefer hys right He ful proudely put him selfe in prees But Romulus was not recheles His brothers clayme playnly to entrouble Afforced hys title with the numbre double Yet of his purpose one of theÌ„ must fayle Though it so be that they euer striue But Romulus gan finally preuaile And to the citye he forth went blyue And as auctours lyst echone discryue And in their bokes as they reherce al After his name Rome he dyd it cal And al foreins to exclude out And agayne theÌ„ to make stronge defence Fyrst he began to wal it rounde aboute And made a lawe ful dredful in sentence Who clymeth the wal by any violence Outward or inwarde there is no more to sey By statute made he must nedes dey This was enacte by ful plaine ordinauÌ„ce In paine of deth which no man breke shal But so befyll Remus of ignoraunce Which of the statute knewe nothynge atal Of auenture went ouer the wal For whiche a knyght ordained in certayne The saide Remus hath with a pykeis slayn His brother
falsnes In princes hertes aye playnly to expres Who by rauyne riches wyl recure God wyl nat suffre him longe to endure Noble princes stable in your constaunce Ye that desyre to stand in sykernes Remembre oft vpon the fatal chaunce Of proud Xerxses and his cursednes Your life disposing in your hygh nobles If that ye lyst your states to assure Eschue rauyne and ye shal long endure The .xi. Chapter ¶ How Artabanus murdred king Xerxses and howe hym selfe was murdred after NExt these tragedies weping dolerous Whyle Bochas stint wold haue be in pees A knight appered called Artabanus Whyche had aforne murdred king Xerxses And gan his complaynt for to put in prees Full concludyng to speke in wordes playne Who vseth murdre by murdre shal be slayne This Artabanus by record of writing With Xerxses prouost whylom as I rede Falsly conspyred by sleight of his workynge For to be kynge bothe of Perce and Mede Hauing seuen sonnes which that wer in dede Worthy knyghtes manly and right stronge Albe their father was set to do great wrong For he presumed by vsurpacion In Perce and Mede to quench y ◠clere lyght And trouble the lyne of iust succession For so as he of force and nat of ryght Nothyng resemblyng to a trewe knight The murdre of Xerxses falsly did ordayne Right so he cast to murdre his sonnes twain And to conclude playnly and not tarye This sayd kyng that called was Xerxses Had two sonnes the yongest called Dary And that other colled Artaxerxses which as the story reherceth doutles Were by discent borne to succede After their father to reign in Perce Mede The murdre of Xerxses outward was vnknow Nor how Artabanus had y ◠treson wrought Tyl afterwarde within a lytel throwe He had of newe forged out and sought Fals odious trains that wer neuer thought Told Artaxerses as he gan with him rown Howe Dary cast to occupy the croun And how the dethe of Xerxses was ordained Only by Dary and by none other wight wher vpon which ought be complayned Artaxerxses prouided anon right The slaughter of Dary so agayn all ryght This younge brother in his innocence Was falsly slaine and did none offence Ye wote by whom this treson was compassed Twene brethern twain to make diuision The younger slayne and nothyng trespased Moste redy way to the distruccion Of Artaxerxses for in conclusyon Whan the bretherne murdred were in dede Artabanus thought to succede But Artaxerxses by playne instruccion Of one that was called Baccarus By tokens knewe the couert false treason Of this aforesayd double Artabanus And howe that he by traynes outragyous Had Xerxses slayne as ye haue herd toforne And Dary appeched wherby he was lorne But this vncouth straūge treason wrought Whan Artaxerxses had knowlegyng By great aduise wayes he hath sought Artabanus to bryng vnto rekenynge But specyally he dred him of one thyng He feble was to bryng this thing about Of hys seuen sonnes he had so great doute But for to accomplyshe fully his entente Ful secretly this was his ordynaunce To al the worthy he hah his letters sent Dwellyng in Perce vnder his obeysaunce Without excuse or lenger attendaunce Armed echone and in especyall To come in haste vnto his courte royall Cause of their cōming was to them not know The kynges purpose was holden secre And kept so close both from hye and lowe That to his meanyng no man was priue Except the kyng sayd he woulde se What number of men if it come to nede In his defence he myght gather and lede And among other came Artabanus Vnto the court and list not for to fayle A man that was cruell and couragious Full of sleyghtes in all his gouernayle Whiche thilke tyme armed was in mayle For he with him none other armure lad Saue on his backe an haburion he had Than Artaxerses beyng in his strength To him abrayed of false affection For that my mayle wanteth of his length I woulde with the chaunge myne haburion The tother hauyng none euyll suspection Vngyrt him selfe would no lenger abide Bothe sworde dagger cast thē farre aside And while that he threw of his haburion And with the mayle stopped was his sight He being naked for short conclusion The king out pulleth a sworde kene bryght And through the hert he roue him anon right And after that of indignacion Toke his seuen sonnes cast them in pryson Of their ende what shoulde I more endite Nor of their death make digression God may his vengeaunce a while respite But murder wyll out all suche treason And for Artabanus had a condicion Falsely to murder as ye tofore haue seyne w t vnware murder guerdoned was ageyne Thus euer murder requireth for his wages Slaunder importable odyous to heare A worde diffamous most foule in all lāgages The sounde horrible by report to appeare A clips during whose darknes may not cleare For this worde murder most vgly vnfayre By a rehearsyng infecteth all the ayre ¶ The .xii. Chapter ¶ How duke Palantes Spartenoys warred theim of Missene for rauishyng their maydens AFter the death and fatall caas And piteous murder of Artabanus Next in order appeared to Bochas A mighty duke called Palautus Sonne of a knyght named Arathus Which was exiled though he no treasonment Out of his citye that called was Tarent Vpon his exyle he sore gan complayne Besechyng Bochas to get him a space Within his boke to write his greuous payne Albe though he whilom stode in grace By glad aspectes of fortunes face For she him raysed by fauour of her might To dukes estate from a pore knyght But cereously this matter to conuey How he was made duke and gouernour Whan Sparteyns gan mortally warrey Against Missenes as sayth mine auctour With great costage and diligent labour And cause was this for they w t mighty hand Rauished by force all maydens of the lande For this people now named Spartenois As the story clerely can deuise Were called afore Lacedemonois In armes proued manly and ryght wise And while they did a solemne sacrifise Vnto their goddes the people of Messeny Rauished their maydens or they it did espy On whiche wronge for to do vengeaunce The Spartenois caught indignacion And of assent with all their whole puissaunce They layed a siege rounde about the toun And of one wyll and one affection They made a vowe y ◠siege when they begon Neuer to depart tyll the towne were won Afore the towne fully ten yere they lay And fro the siege as they had made their othe They not departed neyther night nor day But styll abode and not a sunder gothe Therof their wiues at home were wrothe To their husbande 's a messengere they sent Vnder these wordes declaryng their entent Sayd it was not accordyng with reason They like widowes to liue disconsolate Without comfort or consolation Farre frō their husbandes to stande desolate Mischeues cōsidred that fal in eche estate
Lo here the ende of Malleus the tyraunt Whyche doth to prynces full well exemplify To God aboue how it is not pleasaunt Them to delyte in no suche robbery Nor pyl the people by no false tyranny Nor for no tales be hasty of vengeaunce For all suche thing to god is displeasaunce ¶ Lenuoy REade considered this sayd tragedy Sheweth to Prynces a myrroure full notable How they their rygour shall tēper modefy Or they procede for to be vengeable For in a prynce it is right commendable Rancour of hart of chere and of courage For to deferre tyll that their yre asswage Their hasty yre their sodayne melancholy Their colorike fumes y r fury vnrestraynable Their vnqueint fyres w t flame of tyranny Their fretyng etyke of hate incomparable Like beastial Tygres lyke lyons vntretable Ne will not suffer that infernall rage Defer their domes tyll their yre asswage The royall Lyon of morall gentry Among beastes of force incomperable Preueth not his power nor his regaly Gayn beasts prostrate which be not defēsable And mighty prynces should in case semblable For innocentes take mercy in morgage Respityng rygour tyll that yre asswage The sparkle of vēgeaūce is quycked in party By wyndes foure fell and abhominable Blast of detraction and blast of flattery Blast of false rowners y t forge many fable And blast of brybours vycious and culpable w t smoky slaunders and felons false vysage Causeth yre of prīces y t it may neuer asswage For whiche let prynces of noble policy Beware of tonges double and disceyuable Whiche w t their venym infect eche company Their poynaunt poyson is so penetrable To folke absent it is mischeuable So depe freteth their serpentyne langage Causig in princes their yre may not asswage Noble prynces let vertue magnify Your hygh estate to make you merciable For morall Seneke doth clerely specify The trone of prīces by clemēce is made stable Vengeaunce delayed to God is agreable And hasty rygour doth outragious damage Whē hūble requests your yre may not aswage ¶ The .xxi. Chapter ¶ How the substaunce of the host of Hymilcho duke of Cartage goyng to conquere Cecile dyed of pestilence and after he him selfe slayne AFter these myghty prynces twayne Next in order w t pale and deade vysage Tofore Bochas Hymilcho gan cōplayne The vnhappy fall of his fatall passage Whan he was sent by aucthoritie of Cartage To cōquere through his mighty puissaunce The lande of Cycile vnto their obeysaunce They of Cartage had an opinion That it was lefull after their entent Without title of ryght and of reason Their teritories and boundes to augment And for that cause Hymilcho they sente The mighty duke their nobles to aduaunce Whiche of Cartage had hole the gouernaunce And for he must passe by the see Towarde Cicyle this noble worthy knyght With him he had a full great enarmee Chose out of Cartage in stele armed bryght Their fone to cōquere of very force and might But Fortune gan at him so disdayne That to his purpose he neuer myght attaine Grounde and gynnyng of his distruction To be remembred shortly in sentence There fyll of the ayre a great corruption Whiche caused a full great pestilence Among his meyny by vnware violence And sodaine mischefe that is vpon him fall He lost almost his worthy knyghtes all Nye all hys people was slayne in y ◠morayne That but a few be left of hys meyne Infortunate he turned is agayne Home to Cartage and they of the citee All causeles of hasty cruelte Hath slayn thys duke as Bochas doth cōpyle Lo who may trust Fortune any while The .xxii. Chapter ☞ How Heynon duke of Cartage was dismembred AFter whose death a mā there gan succede A mighty duke y ◠called was Haynon Whyche purposed for to chaunge in dede His name of duke by false ambicion And to be called throughout y ◠mighty toun Kyng of Cartage and therupon of pryde To finde out wayes he felly gan prouide He was not cōtent a duke men shold him call But of Cartage for to be named kyng And like as his purpose that it should fall Fro day to day the meanes compassyng How he might fulfyll this vncouth thing For to be crowned and raigne in that londe And at the last this meane way he fonde He had a daughter yonge and tender of age Whiche of the people stode in great fauour And he him cast to yeue her in mariage To a yonge knyght sonne to a Senatour Whiche in the citye was a gouernour And that his purpose myght be attayned Day of the mariage tyme was ordeyned And in his palayce chefe and principall This sayd duke let make his ordinaunce To holde a feast full solemne and royall And with great coste made his purueyaunce Of sundry daintyes whiche y ◠in substaunce Were necessary in all maner thing Vnto the feast of a worthy kyng He gaue in charge vnto his purueiours That all were ready agayne a certayne day And to his feast came all the Senatours Dwellyng in Cartage there durst none saye nay And of his purpose to make no delay Thought his fraude was not apperceyued He cast y t day that some should be deceyued He conueyed in his inwarde entent He to be kyng and raygne in Cartage The Senatours would neuer assent To breake their custome nor their olde vsage He durst therof vtter no langage Kept him secrete without noyse or soun And fully cast him to procede by treason The next way he knew no better rede To his desire than playnely to ordayne That of Cartage the senatours were dede Than were he likely his purpose to attaine For to be crowned lorde and souerayne So to accomplishe his lust in all thing And in Cartage to raygne as lord and kyng For if the senate wer vtterly destroyed He should finde no maner resistence Wherby his purpose should be annoyed None dare say nay to his magnificence For in the porayle there was no defence And at this feast he cast him to procede All his entent to conclude in dede His officers he made to be sworne To helpe destroy falsely by poyson The senatours of whom I spake to forne And that their vitayles dainties in foyson And eke their wines for short conclusion Should with venym be intoxicate Through all the palaice spare none estate These officers had a conscience For to accomplyshe so horrible a thing And secretely vnder great prouidence To the Senate therof they gaue warning And whan they knew this mortall cōpassyng Of Duke Haynon to shew all the affray They put of prudence the weddyng in delay Wherof this duke gan haue suspection And of this matter fill in a maner drede Thought he would by some collusion Againe Cartage more mortally procede And gan call to helpe him at his nede Of Mauritayne a kyng of great renoun With him by force to fall vpon the towne Made him promise to his aduauntage For to make fre distribucion Of
knyght ▪ That whan Alysander laye diyng certayne And gan to feble of hys force myght Dempt afore that it sat ful well of ryght How thys Perdicas for wisdom manhede In Macedone shoulde after hym succede And vnto hym with loke chere benigne Vpon his heed for sickenesse complaynyng With full whole hert for a notable signe Of succession he gaue to hym a ryng After his day to be crowned kyng Of Macedone sith he most might auayle Through al his empyre to haue y ◠gouernaile And yet sayth Bochas playnly in sentence Though he of knyghthode and hie prowesse Of manly force and also of prudence Passed all other the storye beareth witnesse By vicious pride frowarde boystousnesse He was more hyndred through his outrage Than all his enemyes myght do hī domage For throughe his pride and great extorcions Fro Macedone the people of that countre Fledde into other strange regions And of presumption the story sayth howe he Began a warre agayne kyng Tholome Where he was slayne in all mens syghtes Nat of his enemies but of his own knightes Eke of Anaxarchus of Capadoce kyng Whiche prouince ioyneth vnto Surry Touchyng the boūdes by recorde of writyng Towarde the Orient the lande of Armeny Hauyng two coūtryes Scilice and Isaury Towarde Cypre a great ryuere Rennyng amiddes with stremes freshe and clere This Anaxarchus were he lothe or fayne In dayes fewe hath hys kyngdome lorne For by Perdicas proudly he was slayne Of whom that I haue you tolde beforne Thus worldly prices tho they had it sworne For all theyr lordshyp and domination By fraude of fortune vnwarly be put doune And amonge other prynces of that age Vpon Alysander duly abydyng Bochas reherseth Amylchar of Cartage Duke of that cite by recorde of writyng After the death of that worthy kyng As ye haue herde ymurdred by poyson This sayd Amylchar repeyringe to his toun Was slayne in Cartage shortly to conclude Of cruel malice and conspiracion Within that cite of false ingratitude Whan he of knighthode frāchised had y t towne And nat withstandyng all his hye renoune Whan he stode hyest in hys felicite He by the commons was slayne of that cite The .xiii. Chapter ⧠Howe Eumenydes was twyse outrayed by Antigonus and at the last dyed in pryson WHā Alisader in his roial estate Had all conquered tofore as ye haue herd He like a god most pompous elate As souerayne prince of all myddleerde To take vpon hym was nothyng aferde To clayme in countrees a thynge y ◠was nat fayre Of Jupiter to be both sonne heyre One of the principles who so taketh hede That first brought in false ydolatry Was thylke tyme y t priestes for false drede Hys name with goddes gan to magnify And so to call hym of fayned flattery And mydde their tēples in Liby on a stage Of hys lykenes they set vp an ymage But lytle or nought to hym it myght auayle Agayne his deth for to do succour When the fell poyson hys hert dyd assayle Whiche made him fade as doth a flour Of whose empyre was none enheritour Saue in his deth thus stode the woful case Twene sixe thirty hys land deuyded was And in his story full playnly it is tolde This departicion to make it ferme stable He was laide forth vpon a couche of golde To reherse by tokens full notable Whome he dempt of very sothe most able Of all his princes playnly to discerne When he was deed his kingdom to gouerne First there was one amonge all that prees Next Alysander the knightlyest man The worthy knyght called Eumenides Whose high renoun ful well rehearse can Prudent Justinus the great historian Ordayned afore to gouerne realmes two All Capadoce and Pafflagony also His hie nobles as made is mention In especiall more to magnify Hym lacked nought of commendacion That apparteyned vnto chiualry To hie prudence or noble policy Except thre thinges myn auctor sayth y ◠same A crowne a scepter and a kynges name But for that he all other dyd excell Bothe of prudence and famous chiualry It is remembred as some bokes tell That there were some had therat enuy For when fortune lyst to set vp an hye Any person aloft vpon her whele Some are besyde that like it neuer a dele Who holdeth him euer vpon hie mountaynes Fyndeth great experiece of blastes shours Oft is troubled with storme wind raines So of Alysander the proude successours Whan they sat freshest in theyr flours Winde of enuy fortune helde so the rother That eche was busy to destroy other On hylles hye it is an impossible A man to abyde without winde or reyne A thyng expert and very visible Hye climbyng vp is medled with disdeyne Preace hath enuy as it is oft seyne And through preferryng of fortune ◠estates Is euer cause of great warre and debates This same thinge was well expert preued Among these sayd royall enherytours Of Alysander for eche of them was greued To see hys felow raygne in his flours And thus atwene these myghty successours Of false enuy there gan so great a stryfe That eche made other for to lose hys lyfe And as it is afore made mencion Pollicarpus and Neptolonyus By a maner false conspiracion Agayne Eumenides were onely enuious Of whose falsenesse he was suspicious Tyll on a day there is no more to sayne Metyng in battayle slew them both twayne For which slaughter proude Antigonus Of Macedone prefect and gouernour Wext in his heart so fell and dispitous And was withal a noble warriour With his knightes dyd wholly his labour Agayne Eumenides by marciall apparayle A felde assigned to holde great battayle Made vpon him a great discomfiture As they mette armed bryght in stele And thus Eumenides of mortall auenture Fledde at mischefe into a strong castell Wherof his knightes lyked neuer a dole For as the story playnly maketh mynde That day he fled and left his men behynde In which castell for he stode destitute Fro thencehe cast in all hast to flye In his great mischefe to fynde some refute That time he drew him to a strāge countrye Some succour to get auenged for to be Called Argyre by Grekes of entent The Latyn corrupt of this worde argent Of Argiraspedes a people that there dwell The name they toke after that region The whiche lande as olde bokes tell Hath of syluer plente and foyson For which cause by olde discription It toke the name of nature and of ryght Because the soyle like syluer shyneth bryght And of thys yle which hath so great a pryse As myne authour maketh rehersayle How the people be prouident and wyse Prudent in armes and manly in batayle Bothe to defende and proudlye to assayle Whiche by theyr wisdome good counsayle To kyng Alysander stode in great auayle And Eumenides one of his successours As ye haue herde drewe to that countre There to fynde some refute and succours In his mischefe and great
maketh mynde How of their cite there sholud nat lye a stone Vpon another for their mortal fone Should theÌ„ besiege he told them so certaine And make Ierusalem with y e soile al plaine With weping eyen Christ told theÌ„ so beforne Of their ruine and their distruction Synne was cause that they were lorue For they nat knewe to their confusion Time of their notable vysitacion Whan Christ came down borne here in erthelowe For their saluacioÌ„ they lyst him nat to know Thyrty yeres fully cronyculers write And somwhat more after his passion Amonge the Iewes playnly to endyte Within them selfe fyll a diuision Murdrers to se vp within their own toun So great a nombre with many an homicide That in the cite no man durst well abyde Their presidentes reigning in Iude Seing this horrible foule rebellion And of murderers the mortall cruelte That longe endured in that region Which for to appese romains sent doun Vaspacian with many a manly knight Whiche in to Galylee toke his way right And to chastyse tho murderers robbours Brent their couÌ„trey as he rode vp and doun So continued with his soudyours Tyll vnto time the countreys enuyron Of Ierusalem entred be the toun With their oblacions in many sondry wyse As Paskâ— required to do their sacrifyse Tofore tho dayes was Ierusalem Had in great worshyp of all nacions Called princesse of euery other reem Whose fame stretchyd through al regyons Their treasour great and their possessions Double walled of buylding most notable Dreding no enemy for it was impregnable Among romayns was many a manly man Willing echone of one affection Through the knighthode of Vaspasian Echone to labour to the distruction Of Ierusalem for great diuision Amonge them selfe was gon in the cite By certaine captains y t were in nombre thre Simon Iohn and Eleazarus Horrible tyrauntes oppressing the porayle Of gouernaunce frowarde and outragious Falsly deuided eche other dyd assayle Amonge them selfe had many gret batayle Werre without and werre was within Thus of vengeaunce mischefe dyd begyn Vaspasian nat beyng rechelees For his party lyke a prudent knight By notable meanes exited them to pees But all for nought blent their owne sight To chese the best they coude nat se a right And in this while this noble werryour Vaspasian was chosen emperour By Alexsaundrie to Rome he went againe Receiued there themperiall dignite His son Titus he made his chefe capitaine His procuratour to gouerne in Iude Beset enuyron Ierusalem the cyte With men of armes sieged it so about That none might entre nor none issue out Stopped their coÌ„dutes their waters clere Enfamined them for lacking of vitayle A certain woman thus saith the croniculere Rosted her childe whan vitaile did fayle She had of store none other apparayle Theron by layser her selfe she dyd fede Which in a woman was to horryble a dede Their mighty walles with gons cast downe Two stronge towres take of their cite Resistence gan fayle in the towne They stode of hungre in such perplexyte Tytus of knighthode and magnanimite Throughout the toure called Antonian Is entred in like a knightly man The people in streates lay for hunger dead To bye nor sel no lyfelode in the town There was no succour of drinke nor breed In paine of death borne nouther vp ne doun Vomyte of one was the refection Vnto another there was such scarcite Who redeth Iosephus the trouth he may se. Brent was the temple made by Salomon Which had endured thus writ y e croÌ„yculere That was so royal buylt of ryche stone Fully a thousande two hundred yere Romains entred maugre their portere With speare pollax sworde sharpe whet Lyke wode lions slewe whom they met Their riche gates couered with plate of gold Were brent and molten without excepciou The siluet ymages y â— forged were oâ— gold The vyolent fyre made them renne â—oun Noble Tytus had compassiou His marciall dukes spated nothing certain Lest of presumpcion they wolde rebel again A leuen huÌ„dred thousande were there staine By sworde by hungre by fyre pestilence Stynke of carayns y â— in the strâ—â—â—s layne Caused of deathe most sodayne vyolence And Titus gaue among them this sentence I meane of them that dyd aliue dwell For a penny men shoulde thurty sell. So as Iudas solde Christ for thurty pence Titus againe thought of equyce Of marchaundyse to make recompence Thurty Iewes founde in the cyte For a penny and for nomore parde They to be solde for theyr great outrage Euer amonge Sarazyns to liue in seruage Of the temple a priest that was full olde Two stately lantarnes y â— were bright shene Tables basyns violes of bright golde He presented and thus he dyd mene That their treasure should wele be sene Of the temple and shewed to Titus In token it was whilom so glorious To shewe eke there he did his busy cure Silke sinamone frankencens withall For sacrifise the purpurate vesture With Vrimthumun the ryche pectorall Whiche ordained were in especiall For the solempne place of places all Sancta sanctorum and so men dyd it call Of the cite a prince called Ihon To Titus came and shewed his presence Pale for hunger there came also Symon Brought by a duke y t named was Terence Clad in purple brought by violence Receiued of Titus whan this noble town Castels towres walles were smyt downe In to a castell called Mazadan Eleazarus had take his flight Belieged of Scilla or he the castell wan This Eleazar like a furious knight Within the castel the selfe same nyght Styred euery man father childe brother With sharpe swordes erche man to sle other Thus was this cite most stately of bilding That whilom was of this worlde chefe toun Where Melch yâ—â—der reigned preest kyng By dayes olde as made is mencion Restored by Dauid builded newe of Salomon Princesse of proninces was no wher such another Now is it ahiect refuse of al other Vnto the Iewes Christ Iesu gaâ—e respite Full thurty yere or he toke veingeaunce In token the lord hath ioye great delite Whan that sinners dispose them to penauÌ„ce By contricion and vertely repentaunce This blessed lorde this king most merciable Lengest abideth or he lyst be vengeable He was to them so gracious and benygne Bade that they shoulde to him conuert sone Shewed vnto them many an vncouth signe During twelue daies eclipsed was y â— mosis The people atones knew nat what to done But indurate in their froward entent Like folke abashed wyst nat what it ment Afore the siege or Titus gan the werre Ouer the cite wherof they wext aferde There appered a comete and a sterre The sterre was shape like a sharpe swerde Touching the comet there was neuer herde Of such another so firy bright and clere Which endured the space of al thâ— yere Their festiual day halowed in Apryl Their priestes busy to make oblacion So great a light in the temple fyll That
marueylous rehersayle Howe any woman of reason should be So ful of malice and of cruelte To slee her kyn and set at distaunce By deuision all the realme of Fraunce Bochas dempt it was nat credible That a woman shuld be so vengeable In her malice so venymous and terryble Of slaughter and murdre to be culpable The story susperte helde it but a fable Onely excepte that she dyd him exite With great instaunce her story for to write Her crie on Bochas was very importune To set in ordre her felicitees With her vnhappy chaunges of fortune Her disclaundred great aduersitees With her diffame reported by countrees No very grounde found in bokes olde But of confession that she her self tolde That mine auctour reherced w t soleÌ„pne style Reherce shoulde her wordes disclaundrous Her flouring yeres also for to compyle Medled with her daies y â— were contrarious Her fatall ende froward and furious Wherof encombred of very werynesse Towarde Eraclius he gan his pen dresse The .iiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Eraclius the Emperour sustayned heresy fyll in to dropsye and sicknes vncurable so died AFter Phocas with great honoure and glory Crowned emperour of Rome the cyte In whose time as saith the story The Romains stode in great perplexite By them of Perce that rose with Cosdroye Whiche toke vpon him to be lord and syre As a tyraunt to trouble the empyre Gate many a prouince many a famous Reiem Through all Asie as the cronicle saythe Gan approche toward Jerusalem Afore the towne proudly a siege he laythe As a tyraunt frowarde to Christes faythe But Eraclius maugre all his might Smyt of his head slewe him like a knight And by grace whiche that is deuine This famous prince this Eraclius In his beginning slew many a Sarazyne Holde in tho daies notable and glorius And in his conquest passing famous Dyuers relykes of the crosse he sought And froÌ„ tho couÌ„treis many of theÌ„ he brought Was none so famous holde in his dayes As Eraclius the empyre for to gye Nor more manly found at all assayes Of hie prowesse nor in chyualrye But whan he gan sustaine heresye God toke from him within a littel space His hap welfare his fortune his grace He gan sustene and folowe certaine rites Of wylfulnesse and frowarde fantasy Of a secte called Monacholites Which was a sect of frowarde heresy And sith that he drewe to that party The story telleth for all his hygh estate This Eraclius was neuer fortunate Where he was first drad on the see and land Namely of Sarazins for al his chyualry Grace fortune from him w tdrew her hand For whan he fyll in to heresy He was trauailed with such a dropsy That therwithal he had a frowarde lust Euer to drinke and euer he was a thurst In tho dayes founde was no leche Albe that they were sought on eche partye The sayd prince that coude wyshe or teach Him to releue of his dropsye Made faint feble wyth a great paulsye Thus in sickenes he hath hys dayes spent By vengeauÌ„ce slayne w t infernall turment Of Eraclyus this was the wofull ende As is reherced slayne with sicknes Out of this worlde whan he should wende Al hole the empyre stode in great dystres Force of Sarazins dyd them so oppresse And day by day drewe to decline By his sonne called Constantine The .v. Chapiter ¶ Howe Constantine the sonne of Eraclius supporting errours and heresy was murdred in a stewe WHiche was his successoure as made is mencion In whose time throughe his greate foly Sarasins did great oppression Spoyling the countreis of all Lumbardy And Constantine of wilfull slogardy Wasted his daies till he hath brought All the Empyre almost to nought Gaine Christes faythe in especiall He gan of malice his wyttes to applye And was therto enemy full mortall And chefe supportour of false heresie And towarde Rome fast he gan him hie Spoyled temples of many ryche ymage And by water after toke his passage To Constantinople fast he gan him hie By Scâ—â—il the way was al moste mete At Syracuse I fynde that he did ariue And for the season was excessite of hete Which in his labour made him for to swete And secretly he gan him selfe remue To be bathed in a preuy stue Of euny ther he was espyed His owne knightes like as it is founde By conspyracion certayne of them alyed Fil vpon him with sharpe swordes grounde And mercilesse with many mortal wounde They stewe him there on him they were so wode Amid the stewe naked as he stode After whose death they dyd theÌ„ selfe auauÌ„ce To chose a knight borne in Armenye Of the empyre toke the gouernaunce And to supporte falsly their partie But Constantine succeding of alie Beyng next heyre the trouthe for to sue To him that was murdred in the stewe Called Constantine as his father was Right notable in actes marciall More wysely gouerned stode in other cas Lyke a prince by iugement royall Of manly herte and corage naturall The conspyratours first of all he slethe That were assented to his fathers deathe To great encreace of his famous renoun Grace of god did him enlumine Constantinople in that royall town Olde heresie to cease and to fyne Two hundred bishoppes eke also nyne He made assemble to stande at defence Of Christes faythe of manly prouidence He was eke busy churches to restore All heretikes manly to withstande Their opinions examined well before And whan the trouth was well vnderstonde Like Christes knight list for no man wonde To punish them iustly by rigour Without excepcion of person or fauour Of him in Bochas litel more I rede Nor of his empire I fynde none other date Spared no heretikes for golde nor mede At Constantinople he passed in to fate Whan Bulgarence gan with him debate A frowarde people wilfull and recheles Gaue them a tribute for to lyue in pees The .vi. Chapter ☞ Howe Gisulphus was slaine his wyfe ended mischeuously in lecherye NExt came Gisulphus to Bochas on the ring A famous duke and notable in hys lyfe With weping eyen pitously plaining With whome also came Rimulde his wyfe Which that liued euer in sorow strife Yet was she both of byrthe and of lynage Right excellent and fayre of her visage Sixe children had this famous quene By Gisulphus gotten in mariage Wonder semely and goodly vnto sene And fortunate by processe of their age Albe theyr father felt great domage By the werres he had in his liuing With Cathamus that was of Narces king This Cathamus with many strong batayle Is discended and take the way right Of duke Gisulphus the landes to assayle Togither met in stele armed bright Gisulphus slaine his people put to flyght And Cathamus w t stronge mighty hande Toke possession conquered all his lande After whose death Rimulde the duchesse Greatly astonied pale of her visage To the castell of Forgoile gan her dresse With her knightes of