sufficeth to condemne me for this and al I am hartilie sorie My God I repent me from my soule my God Which said lifting vp his eies to heauen he praied a long time verie vehementlie and after manie fruitfull exhortations finished his life to the comfort of those who wished his soules health The reste his confederates after their seuerall confessions were serued with the same sauce and thus ended the troubles with their tragedies Their bodies cut downe were buried by their friends and happie was he among the poorer sort that had any thing to inritch the funerall of William Long beard and notwithstanding his confession at his death and diuers other euidences at his condemnation yet were there diuers whoe after his death held him for a saint casting out slanderous libels against the Archbishop terming him the bloudsucker of good men There were manie superstitious women who in their deuotion were wont to pray to him and after his death digged vp the ground about the gallowes trée affirming that manie had beene healed of sundrie sicknesses by the touch thereof All this their idolatrous constructions at first began by reason of a priest a néere alie to William who openlie preached that by vertue of a chaine wherewith William was bound during the time of his imprisonment ther were diuers men healed of hot feauers the bloud that fell from him at such time as he was quartered they cléerelie scraped vp leauing nothing that could yéeld any memorie of him either vnsought or vngotten But at last the Archbishop of Canturburie remedied all these thinges who firste accursed the Priest that brought vp the fables and after that caused the place to be watched where through such idolatrie ceased and the people were no more seduced But for that William wrote many notable Poems and translations in the prison which if you pervse will notifie vnto you his singular wit I haue thought good to subscribe them desiring your fauourable censure of them William Long beards Epitaph VNtimely death and my found fruits of Treason My lawlesse lust my murthers long concealed Haue ship wract life amids my Aprill season Thus couerd things at last will be reuealed A shamefull death my sinfull life succeedeth And feare of heauenly iudge great terror breedeth My mangled members in this graue included Haue answered lawes extreames to my confusion Oh God let not my murthers be obtruded Against my soule wrongd through my earthes illusion And as the graue my liuelesse limmes containeth So take my soule to thee where rest remaineth Thou trauailer that treadest on my toombe Remembreth thee of my vntimely fall Preuent the time forethinke what may become See that thy wil be to thy reason thrall Scorne worlds delights esteeme vaine honor small So maist y u die with fame where men of conscience foule Perish with shame and hazard of their soule I haue here vnto annexed likewise some other of his spirituall hymnes and songs whereby the vertuous may gather how sweet the fruits be of a reconciled and penitent soule The First That pitty Lord that earst thy hart inflamed To enterteine a voluntarie death To ransome man by lothed sinnes defamed From hel and those infernal paines beneath Vouchsafe my God those snares it may vnlose Wherein this blinded world hath me intrapped That whilst I traffique in this world of woes My soule no more in lusts may be intrapped Great are my faults O me most wilfull witted But if each one were iust there were no place To shew thy power that sinnes might be remitted Let then O Lord thy mercy quite displace The lewd and endlesse sinnes I haue committed Trough thine vnspeakeable and endlesse grace The Second Such darke obscured clouds at once incombred My mind my hart my thoughts from grace retired With swarmes of sinnes that neuer may be numbred That hope of vertue quite in me expired When as the Lord of hosts my gratious father Bent on my dulled powers his beames of brightnesse And my confused spirits in one did gather Too long ensnard by vanitie and lightnesse A perfect zeale not office of my sences So seazde my iudgement smothered in his misse That heauen I wisht and loathd this earthly gaile My hart disclaimd vile thoughts and vaine pretences And my desires were shut in seemely vaile So that I said Lord what a world is this After such time as he had receiued his iudgement he grew into this meditation of the miseries of life which I dare anow is both worthie the reading and noting yea euen among the learnedst The Third A shop of shame a gaine of liue-long griefe A heauen for fooles a hel to perfect wise A theater of blames where death is chiefe A golden cup where poison hidden lies A storme of woes without one calme of quiet A hiue that yeeldeth hemlock and no hony A boothe of sinne a death to those that trie it A faire where cares are sold withouten mony A fleshlieioy a graue ofrotten bones A spring of teares a let of true delight A losse of time a laborinth of mones A pleasing paine a prison of the sprite Is this my life why cease I then resolued To pray with Paule and wish to be dissolued Thus endeth the life of William Long beard a glasse for all sorts to looke into wherein the high minded may learne to know the meane and corrupt consciences may reade the confusion of their wickednes let this example serue to with draw the bad minded from Bedlem insolence and incorage the good to followe godlinesse So haue I that fruit of my labour which I desire and God shall haue the glory to whom be all praise FINIS Of manie famous pirats who in times past were Lordes of the Sea THere were manie worthie Pirates in our forefathers daies but among all of greatest reckoning Dionides was not least who exercised his larcenies in the Leuant Seas in the time of Alexander the great and Darius disdaining either to serue the one or submit himselfe to the other yea so resolute was he in his robberies and dissolute in his life that he neither spared friend nor sauoured foe but robd all in generall Against this man Alexander leuied a great armie and by strong hand subdued him and afterward calling him into his presence he said thus vnto him Tell me Dionides whie hast thou treubled all the Seas to whome he thus replied Tell me Alexander whie hast thou ouerrun the whole worlde and robbed the whole sea Alexander answered him bicause I am a king and thou art a Pirat trulie replied Dionides D Alexander both thou and I are of one nature and the selfe same office the onelie difference is that I am called a Pyrat for that I assault other men with a little armie and thou art called a prince because thou subduest and signiorest with a mightic hoast But if the Gods would be at peace with me and Fortune should shewe her selfe peruerse towards thée in such sort as Dionides mighte he
THE Life and Death of william Long beard the most famous and witty English Traitor borne in the Citty of London Accompanied with manye other most pleasant and prettie histories By T. L. of Lincolns Inne Gent. Printed at London by Rychard Yardley and Peter Short dwelling on Breadstreat hill at the Signe of the Starre 1593. ¶ THE LIFE AND death of William Long beard Howe Willyam Long beard betraied his elder brother vnto his death of his falling in acquaintance with the Abbot of Cadonence in Normandy and how cunningly and coulourably they got authority from the Kinge to accomplish their ambitious pretences WHilst all the world was in vprore and schismes raigned in the Church when God by prodigious signes threatened pestilent plagues at suche time as two sunnes appéered in our Horizon in England and three Moones were discouered in the West in Italie William with the longe beard was borne in the famous Cittie of London of greater minde then of high parentage a graft of mightie hope at the first though as it afterwards proued his parents spent too much hope on so little vertue This frée Cittizen borne tenderlie fostered in his infancie was afterwards trained vp in good letters wherin he profited so suddenlie that most men wondered at his capacitie and the wisest were afraid of the conclusion And for that the age wherein hee was bread being the third yeare of Henrie the Second was full of troubles this yoong mans rare guifts were raked vp in the embers little regarded because not yet ripened but at last as years increased the minde ordained for mightie thinges began to mount the rather because ambition sealed his eies which made him with the Doue soare so hie till his own cunning and labour made him be ouerturned for when he perceiued his fathers foote alreadie prepared for the graue his mother seazed by age and more besotted with affection himselfe at mans estate without maintenance he thus began the first fruites of his impietie the sequell whereof exceedeth all conceit and testifieth his deuilish and damnable nature He had a brother elder than himselfe in yeares but yoonger in policie who hauing by his owne frugalitie gotten great wealth was called to be a Burgesse of the cittie a man beloued of all men for his vpright dealing and lamented of al men for his vntimelie death For William little regarding the benefites he had receiued of him in his youth the brotherlie kindnesse the bountifull curtesies sought all means possible to betray him who had trained him vp to suck his hart bloud who had sought his harts rest and to that intent séeing the opportunitie fitted him in the raigne of Richard the first that noble Prince of famous memorie he suborned certeine lewd and smister confederates of his to accuse him of Treason for which cause poore innocent man being suddenlie apprehended his goods were confiâ—…cate his body imprisoned his wife and children left succourlesse whilst wicked William being both complotter informer and witnes wrought so cunningly with the kings councell that the goods were his which his brother with his long labour had gotten and the poore innocent man brought out before the Iudges with wéeping eies beheld his yoonger brother both reuelling in his ritches and reiocing at his ruine Many were his obtestations before God and protestations to the Iudges manie his exhortations to his brother and detestations of his periurie But William whose hart was the very harbour of all impietie ceased not in his owne person to solicite and by his companions to incense the Iudges in such sort that his brother was at last by them condemned and adiudged to death as some Writers suppose for coining And being led forth to his execution like an harmelesse innocent the people mustering about the place the curssed brother the occasion and compactor of his confusion accompanie him with these or such like words he finished his life Thou God that knowest the cause of my vntimelie death canst in iuâ—…ice punish my vniust accusers meane while take mercie on my poore soule who am forsaken of my priuate friends be thou a safeguard vnto me whoe am left without succors and helpe the desolate widdow with hir distressed children This said after some priuate conference by permission betwéene his brother and him he suffered torment But William hauing gotten wealth began to take vpon him state and vnderstanding his father and mother through hartie griefe were in their extreame age committed to the graue he seazed on their goods carrieng such a countenance in London that all men wondered at him In wit he was pregnant in publike affaires pollitike in reuenges constant in speeches affable in countenance graue in apparell gorgeous yea so cunning was he to insinuate himselfe among the Commons that as the report went he had more Prentises clubs at his command then the best Courtier had seruants to attend him And as the custome is whilest thus he behaued himselfe it fortuned that hee fell in companie and conference with the Abbot of Cadonence in Normandie a man as high minded as himselfe and more subtill than Sinon by whose aduise and directions he grew so craftilie conceited that vnder a holie pretert he wrought more mischiefe than either the Councell of England could for a long time remedie or by industrie reuerse and thus it fortuned After that the noble and warlike Richard the firste of that name had to his immortall glorie recouered his rights in France established peace with the French king and by the perswasions of his mother Dame Elianor reconciled his brother Iohn who had before that time béene at deadlie â—…d with him It plesed his Maiestie partlie for his owne recreation sake partlie to remedie the discontents of his subiects to goe on Progresse in the eight yeare of his reigne and in the yeare of our Lord 1197. at which time the Abbot of Cadonence and William watching an occasion and oportunitie so cunninglie wrought she matter that they had audience at his Maiesties hands and attained vnder the broad seale the whole summe of their requests The Abbot couloured his stratagem vnder the coppie of conscience assuring the king that the corruption of his officers were the chiefest groundes of publike contention praieng him in the bounty of an heroick and princelie potentate to take some order for she correction of them least at the last it should turne to his owne confusion His maiestie that had euer regard of the poore with gratious good words thanked him for his good will giuing him warrant and authoritie to redresse those inconueniences and promising him great promotions if he tooke any profite by his pollicie William now that hath the second subtiltie to enact suted his lookes in all sobrietie and stroaking his long beard which he curiouslie fostered euen from the beginning tolde the king of the insolence and outrage of rich men who spared their owne and pilled the poore robbed Irus and clawed Midas beséeching in the commons behalfe a remedie
for this inconuenience wherevnto the king easilie condiscended so that he likewise was authorized to redresse such enormities and both he and his fellowe Abbot were with manie princelie fauours dismissed Mounted thus vpon the whéele of Fortune which euerie waie sheweeth hir selfe as fickle as she is fauourable as ful of gall as she hath honie they both of them depart for London carrieng so high countenances as euerie one were amazed at their manners My lord Abbot first suted in his Pontificallbus called forth diuers officers purposing to examine their accounts taunting them with vntowarde languages and accompanieng threates with imprisonment But as the Giants that threatened the heauens were ouer throwne in their most hautinesse and as Phaeton vsurping his fathers seat was confounded for his ambitious pride by vntimelie death so the Abbot of Cadonence when he thoght to cauell at all accompts was called to accompt himselfe before she Tribunall iustice seat of God and died in midest of his iollitie But William who towred with the Phaenix to burne in the sunne and aduentured to crosse the troblesome seas of this world to perish with ouermuch wrastling in the same now began his pageant exhorting and stirringe the commons to loue and imbrace libertie to fight and labour for freedome brieflie to detest and blame the excesse and outrage of ritch men whoe as he tolde them reaped the sweet whilst they poore soules sweat for it Heerevnto wrested he manie stories of antiquitie First the Laconian state next the popular gouernement of Athens wherein peace neuer flourished better said he than when the Commons had fréedome of speech With these and such like honie spéech he so animated the multitude that like a second Hercules he drew them by the eares thorow the honie of his eloquence And to his words he annexed action vndertaking manie poore mens causes who were ouerborne by the rich handeling his matters with such pollicie as that he was held for a second God among the poore and for a long time esteemed for a good subiect by the Prince Yet notwithstanding this the mightie maligned him greatlie for that he had informed the king that by their meanes his Maiestie lost manie forfeits and â—…scheats which were due vnto him and for that his detested subtleties may be more apparant where through he cloked his succéeding treacheries I haue thought good to sette downe some one of them which may giue a taste to those tragike miseries which shall ensue How William with the long beard handled the cause of Peter Nowlay a Cobler who was iniuried by Robert Besant sometime Bailife of London DUring the time that William long beard flourished after this manner in all pompe and pleasure attended dailie and hourelie by hole troops of Citizens it fortuned that one Peter Nowlay a cobler a man of little capacitie liued in London whoe hauing gotten vppe by his owne handie labour and endeuour the summe of fortie marks and not knowing the meanes how to employ the same to his best commoditie solicited one Robert Besaunt sometimes Baylife of London to take the same money into his hands and to employ it to some good vse to the ende that after his decease his poore infants which were twoe in number might haue some succour and maintenance This money Robert Besaunt accepted hauing the vse thereof for the space of ten yeares accustoming poore Peter as these great men are wont to doo to a Sundaies dinner and swéet words which in these our daies is the verie poison of this world in that time was no small pestilence At last pleased God to call the Cobler to his mercie where through his poore wife liued distressed his children complaine theyr miserie and all his neighbors considering the honestie of the man in his life were compassionate and pittied his Orphans after his death The poore mother seeing hir necessities increase and hir abilitie quite ouerthrowne separated apart from all companie began to wéepe verie tenderlie recommending hir poore babes to his mercy who had no doubt lent them hir to a better end than famishment Ahlas said she my God if the least Sparrow is not vncared for by thee what letteth me to trust my childrens helth vnto thée who hauing bestowed breath vpon them mayest likewise in fauour bestow bread vpon them Thou séest Lord their friend is taken from them and the mothers neastlings without thy helpe must become staruelings Woe is me would God I had forgon my life or forgotten loue oâ—… would my handes were as plentifull as my heart is pittifull Ah Pellican I must imitate thée and pierce mine owne breast to the end I may foster my babes otherwise the helpe is vaine which hope yéeldeth since charitie is cold which should feede hope Woe is me where should I begin to mourne that haue no end of mone Shall I lament my marriage no the heauens ordained it shall I complaine of Fortune no for then I suppose an enimie where there is none shall I blame my fruitfulnes how vaine were that since it is a felicitie to enioy babes What then shall I doo truelie put my whole trust and confidence in Gods mercie whoe being Lord of all plentie can best of all relieue necessities Scarsly bad she ended these words when as hir yoong ones the one imbracing hir necke cried for meate the other kissing hir hands moorninglie bewraied his wants whilst she like Mirrha hauing tears to bewail them no tresure to relieue them sung this wofull Lullabie vnto them whilst the musicke of hir voice enforced them to listen hir Lullabie Ah little Laddes Giue ceaselesse sorow end with lullabie Suck vp my teares That streame from out the fountaines of mine eie Feed feed on me whom no good hope or Fortune glads Oh set me free From those incessant and pursuing feares which waken vp my woes and kil my pleasure Lullabie Weepe weepe no more But let me weepe and weeping weepe life hence That whilst you want I may not see false Fortunes proud pretence When I am dead My God perhaps will send you store Oh smile in need Poore hungry babes let smiles be nothing scant I teares yow smiles both haue no better treasure To bring these woes exceeding meane or measure To Lullabie Noe sooner had she finished hir song but Robert Besaunt entered the house who though altogither giuen ouer to couetousnesse yet beholding the wofull estate of the poore wife and children he comforted them the best he might sending for some little sustenance to yéeld hir and hir little ones som succour and after some conference about hir husbands state his maner of death he desired colourablie to see hir writings to the ende he might couenablie conuaie out of her hands the bill of fortie marks which he had past vnto Peter hir husband in his time The sillie soule supposing his almes deeds was vnattended by trecherie drew out of an olde till certeine briefes which she had vsing these or such like terms Maister Besaunt
for the space of foure houres continued a bloudie and desperate fight But when they perceiued the Traitors were desperate and the Church was sufficientlie strong to keep them out they at last found out this worthie pollicie They caused some chiefe men to bring them great store of straw which they fâ—…ered in diuers parts about the Church in euerie corner whereas the wind might worke the smoake anie entrance which so smothered and stifeled them in the Church that they were all of them for the libertie of a shorte time of life to submit themselues to the iudgement of succéeding death Herevpon after manie wofull plaints powred out on euerie side by William his Maudline and other malefactors they were all inforced to leaue the church and submit themselues to the hands of the Bailifes who according to the kings command picking out William with nine other his confederats committed them vnto warde for that time dismissing the rest vnder the kings generall pardon whoe certified hereof was not a little solaced For which cause he sent some of his Councel and Iudges the next day who ascending the iudgment seat called forth William with the Long beard with his confederates arraigning them of high treason against God the king and countrey Among all the rest William shewed himselfe most confident for neither did the taâ—…nts of the Iudges extennuate his courage neither could the bonds he was laden withall abash him any waies but that with a manlie looke and inticing eloquence he thus attempted the iustices You lords and Honorable Iudges though I knowe it a hard thing to striue against the obstinate or to extort pittie there where all compassion is extinguished yet will I speake vsing the officer of nature to worke you although I know I shall not win you I am here called and indighted before you for hie treason a hainous crime I confesse it and worthie punishement I denie it not but may it please you with patience to examine circumstances I haue imboldened the poorer sort to innonation to fight for libertie to impugne the rich a matter in the common weales of Greece highlie commended but héere accounted factions and whie there subiects made kings here kings maister subiectes and why not say you and whie not think I yet am I faultie vnder a good president and the ambition which hath intangled mee hath not beene without his profit To offend of obstinate will were brutish but vnder some limits of reason to defaulte can you my Lords but thinke it pardonable I haue raised one or two assemblies and what of this peace was not broken onely my safetie was assured and were it that the Law had béene iniured might not the righting of a hundred poore mens causes merit pardon for two vnlawfull assemblies But you will saie I haue animated subiects against their prince I confesse it but vnder a milder title I haue councelled them to compasse libertie which if nature might be equall iudge betwéene vs I knowe should not be so hainoustie misconstred For my last tumult I did nothing but in mine owne defence and what is lawfull if it be not permitted vs Vim vi repellere But whie pleade I excuses knowing the lawes of this Realme admit no one of my constructions If it be resolued I must die doo me this fauour my Lords to protract no time execute your iustice on my bodie and let it not pine long time in feare thorowe supposall of extreames For my soule since it is deriued from a more immortall essence I dare boast the libertie thereof knowing that eternitie is prepared for it and mercie may attend it But for these poore ones who haue defaulted thorough no malice but haue béen misled through vaine suggestions howe gratious a deede should your honnors do to exemplifie your mercie on them poore soules they haue offended in not offending and but to enthrone me haue ouerthrowne themselues for which cause if consideration of innocent guiltines guiltie innocence may any waies moue you grant them life and let me solie enact the tragedie who am confirmed against all Fortunes tyrannies These latter words were deliuered with so great vehemencie of spirit and attended with so quickening motions and actions of the bodie that euerie one pittied that so rare vertues should be rauished by vntimelie death or accustomed with so manie vngodlie practises The Iudges whoe were Socratical in all their spéeches shewing their Rhetorique in their vpright iudgements not quaint discourses after the examinations indictments verdicts of the Iurie and suche like at last gaue finall and fatall iudgement That William with the long beard with his confederates should the nexte daie be hanged drawne and quartered and so after some other worthie exhortations to the people to mainteine peace and that they should shew themselues more dutifull and after thanks to the Bailifes and good cittizen for their faithful and good seruice to his Maiestie the assemblie broke vp and the prisoners till the next daye were committed to the dungeon No sooner was the gaie mistresse of the daie break prepared in hir roseat coatch powdering the heauens with purple but the Bailifes repaired to the prison leading foorthe William and those his other confederates to their execution Then flocked about them diuers sorts of people some to sée those who were so much searched after others to lament him whom they had so loued at laste arriued at the place where they should finish their daies all stood to beholde their death William as principall in his life time of seditious practise was to enact the first and fatall part in the tragedie for which cause boldlie climing vp the ladder and hauing the rope fitlie cast about his neck after some priuate praiers he spake after this manner vnto the people My good countreymen you are repaired hither to sée a sorie spectacle to beholde the follie of life paid with the fruits of death to marke how sinister treasons ende with condigne torments if you applie what you here see and beholde to your owne profits I shall be glad whoe now euen at this my last hower desire rather you shuld reconcile your selues from all wickednes then be dismaied ormoued with my wretchednesse Oh my déere friends I now protest before God vowe before men that mine owne presumptuous climing hath béene the iust cause of my confusion I haue had more desire of glorie then respect of God more regard of dignitie then of dutie déeming it better to be a famous Traitor then a faithfull and true subiect For which my inestimable sinnes I crie God hartilie mercie I beseech his Maiestie to forgiue me and pray you all by your praiers to implore Gods grace for me Neither deserue I death only for the offence I haue made the king but my conscience accuseth me and I heere doo openlie confesse it that I was he who murthered Anthonie Browne in that he was a riuall in my most lewde loue This this if nought else my countreymen
him to bed he discouered vnto them howe the king had resolued to kill him for which cause Vnulfe winding him about the necke with the shéetes of the bedde and laieng the couerlet and a Beares skin vpon his backe leauing him without capp as if he were some rusticke or common drudging fellowe began to driue him out of the chamber dooing him manie iniuries and villannies so that he verie oftentimes fell to the ground Grimoalds guard whoe were appointed vnto the watch seeing al these outrages asked Vnulfe what he meant Why said he my maisters this rascal slauehath made me my bed in the chamber of that drunken palliard Partharithus which is so full of wine that he sléepeth as if he were dead without stirring and this is the cause whie I beat him and I praye you dooth he not deserue it They hearing these words and beléeuing them to be true did all of them laugh verie hartilie to heare the tidings and giuing both of them licence to depart Partaritus hasted to the cittie of Hasti and from thense went into France praising God for his happie deliuerie As soone as they were gotte awaie the faithfull page locked the door verie diligentlie remaining all that night alone in the chamber and when the messengers of the king came with commission to bring Partaritus to the pallace the nexte daie they knocked at the doore whome the page in humble maner saluted praieng them to haue patience for a while for saith he my Lord being wearie of his last iourney sleepeth now verie soundlie The messengers returning to Grimoald told him the pages answer who all inraged charged them presentlie to bring him to his presence who repairing againe to the chamber doore were in like sort once more solicited by the page to vse forbearance but they admitting no delaies cried out hastilie and hartilie tut tut the droonkard hath now slept enough and therevpon bearing the doore of the hinges they forceablie entered the chamber and sought Partaritus in his bed but found him not wherevpon they asked the page what was become of him who answered them that he was fled The messengers all amazed herewith furiouslie laieng hands on the childes bushie lock and buffeting him pitiouslie brought him to the pallace and conducting him to the presence of the king saide Mightie Prince Partharitus is fled and this caitife boy helpt to conuey him and for that cause meriteth death Grimoald commanded them to laie hands off him and willed him with a friendlie countenance to discouer vnto him the manner and meanes how his maister had escaped awaie The page told him euerie thing as it had past whose faithfulnes when the king had considered vpon he royallie offered him to make him one of his pages assuring the lad that if he would be as faithfull to him as he had shewed himselfe towards his old maister he should both be rewarded and regarded After this he made search for Vnulfe who being brought before his presence was pardoned by him and not only pardoned but commended But as where affection is rooted there no fauors can supplant it nor promises suppresse it so these two louing their maister Partarithus verie deerelie took no delight but onelie in desire they had to sée and serue him for which cause a few daies after they repaired to Grimoald beséeching him of license to séeke out their maister Whie my friends quoth he had you rather séeke out your necessities then liue with me héere in all pleasures By God replied Vnulfe I had rather die with Partharithus than liue in all other worldlie contents and delights What saied the king to the page wilt thou also rather séeke out a bannished man then serue a king I my Lorde saide he for they are bad seruants that will leaue their maisters in miserie Grimoald wondering at their confidence praising both their faithes dismissed both of them with all fauour giuing them both horsse and money to furnish and further them on theyr iourney The two faithfull seruants humblie thanking the kinge tooke their waie into France hoping to finde their maister in that place according as was appointed But Partaritus fearing least by reason of a peace latlie capitulated betwixt Dogobert kinge of France and Grimoald he shoulde be there surprised suddenlie by some sinister subtletie tooke shipping for England and hauing alreadie sailed from the shore the voice of a man was heard among the rocks which asked for Partaritus and whither he were in that ship Whereto when answer was made that there he was the voice replied Then will him presentlie repaire vnto his countrey for Grimoald a three daies hence is departed this life Partaritus suddenly returned backe commanding the marriners to reenter the harbour and as soon as he was landed he diligently sought out the messenger that had thus informed him but finding him by no meanes possible he supposed it to be some messuage sent from God For which cause poasting towards his countrey and arriuing amongst the confines of Italie hee found there a great number of Lombards who expected him with whom he entered Pauia and driuing out a little son of Grimoalds from the kingdome he was by generall consent created kinge of Lombardie thrée monethes after the death of Grimoald For which cause he presentlie sent vnto Beneuent for his wife Rhodolinde and his sonne Cunibert And being a godlie Catholike and iust man a liberall patron of the poore and father of the innocent as soone as he hadde quiet possession of the kingdome in that place from whence he fled which is on the other side of of Tesinus he buil ded a monasterie to the honor and glorie of God his sauiour and onelie defender wherein there were diuers Nunnes inclosed whom he alwaies enriched with manie very goodlie possessions The Quéene likewise builded a church in honour of our Ladie without the cittie wals adorning it with maruelous rich ornaments his page and trustie seruant returning to his court as soon as they had tidinges of his establishment were by him fauourablie intertained and richlie rewarded Finallie after he had reigned eighteene yeares he departed this life not without the generall lament and teares of the whole inhabitants of Lombardie The wonderfull dreame of Aspatia the daughter of Hermotimus the Phocencian a verie poore man who afterwards thorow hir wonderful vertues became the wife of Cyrus king of Percia and was afterwards married to Artaxerxes ASpatia was the daughter of Hermotimus of Phocis who after the death of hir mother was brought vp and nourished in great pouertie yet was not hir pouertie so gréeuous as her continencie was gratious in her infanâ—…ie she had vnder hir chin a great swelling which disâ—…igured hir face and was a great disgrace to hir fairenesse For which cause hir father desirous to haue hir cured carried hir to a physitian who promised to heale hir for a certeine summe of money The good olde man hauing no money tolde the Physitian of his little meanes beséeching him
Finallie Velasca hauing afflicted Bohemia for the space of seuen yeares and made them altogither tributarie was deceiued by Primislaus whoe wrote hir a letter that the Barons against his will had attempted hir with war and that he was greatlie pleased that they had â—…ceiued condigne punishment for their in solence assuring hir that he hadde alwaies held hir in place of his daughter not onlie for that she had béene secretarie to his wife and well thought of by her but for that she knew so well to gouerne so great a state as Bohemia was for the space of seuen yeares And moreouer that now since he felt himselfe olde and vnable to gouerne his subiects on the other side his sonne too yoong in yeares for so waightie a credit that his will was to render into her hands the fortresses so that by this meanes at one time he would yéeld all Bohemia into hir hands referring the estate of his sonne and heire to hir kindnesse and curtesie contenting himselfe to returne vnto his first estate and liue satisfied in the towne from whence perforce they had taken him and afterward vnwillinglie crowned him And him séemed as he wrote that it should so be that as from a ladies hands he receiued the threâ—…e so to a ladies hands he might return the title This letter written and sent vnto hir wonne such credit with hir that presentlie she sent before hir a squadron of hir best Amazons to receiue the fortresses whoe were brought into the lande with great solemnitie and entertained in the Dukes owne pallace but whilst thee were at the table they were all slaine by a troope of armed men whoe were hidden for that purpose They hauing flaine these ran to Deiuizo with a great armie Valasca hauing notice of the strange accident issued hir selfe smallie vnattended and cloased in glittering armes and mounted vppon a verie braue and lustie courser that lightened fire from his nostrils shee was followed by some few a farre off whilst hir selfe solie incountred the whole hoast that came against hir and without anie word speaking she laied about hir like a Lionesse or a Libian Tygre in his great furie Finallie failing in the midst and thickest of hir enimies she died valiantlie Hir companions a farre of as soone as they vnderstood of the death of their princesse not vnder anie hope to conquer but stimulated to worke reuenge fell to armes betwixt whom and the Bohemians was a most bloudie and desperate fight but the Ladies at last hauing the worst were inforced to flie whom the Vissegradians following entered togither with them into their Castle and hauing caused the gates to be shut and being Lordes of the fortresse they cut all the poore women to peeces And thus was Bohemia deliuered from the tyrannie and thraldome of women And Velasca being worthie to be eternized amongst the Ladies of most famous memorie laie vnburied and serued for a prey for birds and beasts to féed vpon An excellent example of continence in Frauncis Sforza AMongst all other I will not pretermit a singular example of continence in Francis Sforza whoe deserued in this action of his to be compared with Alexander the great and Scipio the noble Cassanoua a castle of Luke be ing forciblie surprised by Erle Francis There were certaine souldiours who tooke a faire and tender yoong damosell prisoner whoe whilst they forceablie drew hir from out the house wéepingly besought them to present hir to the earle Francis Sforza and to no other so that they whoe had outraged hir fearing the displeasure of the countie suddainlie presented hir vnto him At that time Francis by reason of his yoong yeares and the sound complection of his bodie was verie proane and addicted to wanton and effeminate pastimes and although hee were inueigled by the tender yeares and excéeding beautie of the maiden notwithstanding he inquired of hir whither she had rather consent vnto euerie pleasure wherin he might imploy hir or remaine in their handes whoe had first taken hir Whom she thus answered that she would be alwaies readie to obay him so that it might please him to set hir frée from the handes of base iniurie Where vpon Francis presentlie commanded that she should be conducted vnto his pauilion When night came and before he entered the bed he asked the maiden againe if she were of the same minde or whether she had changed hir purpose Who answered him that she continued resolued then he willed that she shoulde disrobe and vncloath hir bodie and so to laie hir selfe downe by him But no sooner was she entred bed but she espied the picture of our Ladie painted after the maner wheron turning towards the Earle she wept and with all reuerence shamfastnesse she saied vnto him O my Lorde I pray thee for that vnspotted virgines sake whose image is in our sight vouchsafe to be the protector of my virginitie and thorough thy clemencie grant that without stain or dishonour I may returne vnto my betrothed spouse who liueth a desperat and desolate life amongest the other captiues And whereas I promised thee to submit my selfe to thy will no other thinge moued me there vnto then the desire I hadde to deliuer my selfe from the hands of those who rauished me and not that alone but the iustice and pietie I haue heard of thee made me conceaue a great hope to submit to him who had so great vertues to command These words had so great power in the mercifull and generous mind of the Captaine that they extinguished in him all heat of vaine desires so that of his owne proper charges he rescued the husband and redéemed him from shraldome restoring the yoong virgine vnto him as soone as he came in to his presence Hir spouse knéeling vppon his knees and sighing bitterlie said My Lord thou dooest fullie answere the great expectation and fame which through euerie part is dispersed by thee so that there is no land nor no péere in the world that either may match thee for humanitie or conquer thee in clemencie Almightie God who may requite thée in our behalfe yeeld thee condigne fauours for thy vertue The Countie would haue giuen him manie thinges of that praie that he had taken but the yong maiden would accept nothing saieng that the neighbours séeing such gifts woulde thinke and imagine that it were the price of hir virginitie that she had lost and so by that meanes she shoulde fall into verie great infamie which she euer rather chose to flie than death wherevpon Frauncis Sforze dismissing them they ioy fullie returned into their countrey Of many learned men ancient and moderne who violently and infortunatelie ended their daies THemostocles the Athenian slue himselfe Lucretius the Philosopher died the selfesame death and Gallus as learned as both they was murthered by his owne handes Pliny was smothered by fire in the mountaine Aetna Besides all these manie other neuer seconded in science perished sinisterlie Thales the Milesian died for thirste Zeno