Gentle bloude of his royall nature Is euer enclyned to mercy and pite Where of custome these vyllains do their cure By their vsurped and extort false poste To be vengeable by mortall cruelte Through hasty fumes of furious courage Folowyng the tetches of their vyle lynage O mighty prynces your nobles do assure Your passions rest with tranquilitie Se how there is no meane of measure Where a tyrant catcheth the souerayntie Let Agathocles your worldly myrrour be To eschue the traces of hys froward passage As royall bloude requyreth of your lynage The .xvi. Chapiter ☞ Howe Cassander slewe the wyfe of Alexander and Hercules her sonne and how Antipater slew his mother of other murders THE greate mischiefe of Fortunes myght The wofull falles fr◠her whele in dede Of prynces pryncesses who so loke aright Ben lamentable and doleful for to rede But for all that Bochas dothe procede In his rehearsayl remēbryng thus him selue To him appeared of men and women twelue After the death of kyng Agathocles There cāe tofore him worthy quenes twain The first of them was called Bersanes And of her mischefe gan to him complayne Wife of Alexander the story lyst not fayne The mighty kyng greatest vnder sonne Whiche by conquest all this world hath won Wife to Alexander was this Barsanes By his lyue as made is mencion Whiche with her sonne named Hercules Wereby Cassander brought to destruction And of her death thys was the occasion Cassander dradde y ◠Bersanes the quene Woulde with her sonne on him auenged bene For his treasons whiche he tofore wrought On Alexander and on hys lynage And specially if that she were brought To Macedone for her auauntage Wyth her sonne that was but yonge of age Cassander thought and drede as I haue told They wold auenge his tresōs wrought of old He cast afore of malice causeles This Cassander most falsely workyng That if this knyght this yonge Hercules Son of Alexander by recorde of wrytyng In Maredone were take and crowned kyng How that he woulde of equitie and ryght His fathers death auenge lyke a knyght Whiche thing to eschue Cassāder gan prouide And by false fraude was not retchles But on a day he list not longe abide Slew first the quene this sayd Bersanes And than her sonne ycalled Hercules Thus by Cassander of murder crop and rote They murdred wer there was nonother bete This crueltie myght not suffice Vnto Alexander by recorde of scripture But lyke a tyrant in vengeable wise He did them bury by froward auenture Where no man should know their sepulture And thus alas whiche pity is to rede He murdred foure out of one kynrede To Alexander he ministred the poyson Slewe the quene called Olympiades And of hatred by full false treason As I haue tolde he slew quene Bersanes Wife to Alexander mother to Hercules Whiche in his youthe by Bochas rehearsyng In Macedoyne was like to haue be kyng After all this he could not liue in pees But euer ready some treason for to do Slewe eke the quene called Roxanes Vpon a day and her yonge sonne to And she was wyfe to Alexander also Cassander dreadyng in his opinion Lest they would venge thē vpon his treason Thus euer he liued in murder sorow strife By way of fraude came all his encrees And as I finde how he had a wife And she was called Thessalonices And this story remembreth doubtles A sonne they had borne atwene them twayne To stea his mother which after did his paine Shortly to passe mine auctor writeth nono-ther Antipater was her sonnes name And bicause that she loued his brother Better then him he to his great defame Cōpassed her death the story sayth the same Notwithstandyng to appese his crueltee She asked mercy knelyng on her knee Her breastes open white and soft as silke All bedewed with teares her vysage Requyred mekely at reuerence of the milke With whiche he was fostred in yong age For to haue mercy and to appease his rage And to accept goodly her prayere To saue the life of his mother dere But all for nought he heard her neuer adele He was to her surmountyng all measure Like his father bengeable and cruell I trowe it was youe him of nature For by recorde of kynde and eke scripture Selde or neuer no braunche that is goode Spryngeth of custome out of cruel bloude Of her death cause there was none other That Antipater slough his mother dere But for she loued Alexander his brother Better than him the cronicle doth vs lere Whiche Alexander if ye lyst to here Had in his succour I finde by writyng Demetrius that was of Asye kyng Thessalonices was in this while dead By Antipater he most infortunate Bathed in her bloud her sides wer made red Without compassion of her hye estate And her two sonnes liuyng at debate Til Lisymachus y t prefect was of Trace Them reconsyled eche to others grace Whan Demetrius knew of their accorde God wot the sothe he nothing was fayne But by his fraude the story beareth record That Alexander maliciously was slayne This while Antipater stādyng in no certayne Tyll he by sleyght of Lisymachus Was murdred after the story telleth thus To write the proces and the maner hough That Lisymachus by fraudulent workyng His sonne in lawe Antipater thus slough False couetise was cause of all this thing And Demetrius toke on him to be kyng Of Macedone remembred tyme and date Whan both brethren were passed into fate Duryng this murder all this mortal strife In this proces like as it is founde Of Antipater Erudice the wyfe Daughter of Elenchus was in chains boūde Cast in pryson darke hydous and profound And for a whyle I leaue her there soiourne And to Demetrius I wyll agayne returne Which made him selfe to be crowned kyng Of Macedone through his great puissaunce But to destroy his purpose in workyng There were thre princes notable in substaūce Confederate and of allyaunce Echone assented for short conclusion To bryng Demetrius to destruction One the first was worthy Tholome Kyng of Egypt in armes full famous Other twayne the story ye may se Called Seleuchus and next Lisymachus And of Cypre came the kyng Pyrrhus Lorde of Prouynce as it is eke founde They made thē strong Demetrius to cōfoūd Shortly to tell with their apparayls Of Macedoue they did him fyrst depryue Game vpon hym with four strong battayles That he was neuer so ouerset in his lyue Take of Lisymachus the story doth discryue Cheyned in pryson of his life in dout For I not finde that euer he issued out ☞ The .xvii. chapter ¶ Of the two prefectes Perdicas and Amintas NExt in order Perdicas did appere Whilom prefect of great Babilon And w t him came Amintas eke yfere An other prefect as made is mencion Whiche Bactry had in his subiection A great prouince youe him by iudgement Midde of Alia towarde the occident These sayd twayne for their worthines And for
fyre wasteth euery thynge And yron herd doth neshe thynges perce If ought abideth y ◠they may not transuerce Yet cōmeth time and by continuaunce It al consumeth with his sharpe launce His sharpe toth of consumpcion In stil wise doth his busy cure For to aneantise in conclusion Al thynge that is brought forth by nature By long abydyng ye may thē not assure For olde thynges deuoured men may se Ferre out of mynde as they neuer had be Who can or maye remembre in any wise The glorious prowesse of these princes olde ▪ Or the noblesse of Philosophers wyse ▪ Or of poetes their feyning to vnfolde ▪ Processe of yeres alas as I you tolde Deuoured hath their name their noblesse Derked their renoune by foryetfulnesse Thus of their names is left no memory Tyme w t his rasour hath done so greate vengeaunce Shauen away the honor glory Of many noble ful mighty of puissaunce That there is left nowe no remembraunce Of princes poetes ne Philosophers For whan y ◠deth nailed them in their cofers Cam time vpon and by processe of yeres Their memory hath dusked their minde And reuolucion of the heuenly spheres By oft turnyng their glory hath left behind Thus euery thinge whiche subget is to kind Is in this life without more auauntage wasted with time and processe of long age In the first time from Adam to Noe Prudent listers which list in bokes to rede Founde of fortune no mutabilite Neither of her chaūge they toke the no hede But from Adam there rekened ben in dede Vnto Nembroth by turnynge of the heuen A thousand yeres .vii. hundred and eleuen In which space who that considereth wel There ben no thinges writen in especial Digne of memory ne spoken of neuer a del which that ben notable ne historial But fro the time Nembroth had a fal Vnto Cadmus the yeres to conteine They were a M. iiii hundred and fourtene Touchinge this Cadmus as Bochas list endite It is rehersed b◠Rethoriens Howe one Vexores in bokes as they write was made first a kinge of the Egipciens whan Philosophers and nigromanciens Began first taboūde their renoune tauaūce Nachor y ◠time hauyng y ◠gouernaūce Of the Ebrues as made is mencion After Nembroth by true rehersayle Thre hundred yere by computacion Foure score .xii. which time it is no fayle That Vexores begā warres great bataile Of volunt ayenst straunge nacions And to conquere Cityes borowes townes By force only without title of ryght He wan al Egipt to encrease his name But for al that who lyst to haue a sight There is nowe left no reporte of his fame Saue Bochas wryteth howe he first dyd attame Hys mighty conquest of intencion That the glory and the high renoune Ascriued were vnto his worthynes And the residue and surplusage Of golde treasure of good and of richesse Turne should to common auauntage Of al hys people that euery maner age Report mighte it was to him more nerre Aboue singularite his cōmon to prefer Also Tanais of Cithie fyrst kynge Whan Sarneke was duke and souerayne Ouer the Iewes by recorde of writynge Two hundred yere .xl. also and twaine After Nēbroth this Tanais gan ordayne A mighty power a stronge battaile Them of Cithye proudly to assayle Conqueryng from thens vnto the yle Called Ponte in a ful cruel wyse And though his lordship lasted but a whyle All that he wan was for couetise And as Bochas doth of thys folke deuise Proces of yeres for al their great puissaunce Hath put their names out of remembraunce Zoroastes also for all his great myght Of Bactrians kyng and possessoure Lorde of Trace and a full myghty knyght Of all his dedes and his great laboure Of his conquest ne of his great honoure Is nothing left of writyng vs beforne Saue y t he lough the houre y t he was borne He began full sone for to be mery With sodaine laughter at his natiuitie And worthy Ninus that was kyng of Assiry Expowned his laughter to great felicitie The which Ninus wan many a fayre coūtry And day by day his power gan encrease For which he would not of his cōquest cease For this is the maner of these conquerours Whan they haue had in armes victory Do their might their paine their labours With newe emprises to be put in memory For their courage surprised w t vayne glorye Can not be styll content in their estate Till their Parady say to them checkmate Fortune of armes in bokes ye may read With a false laughter on folkes dothe smyle She frowarde euer ere they can take hede Of nature will falsely them begyle Conquest by warre lasteth but a while For who by death dothe sturdy vyolence God will by death his vengeaunce recōpence This worthy Ninus gan mightely preuayle Ayenst zoroastes of whom I spake tofore For he with hym fought last in battayle In whiche Ninus hath him so well ybore That zoroastes hath the felde ylore And he was aucthour as bokes specify Of false Magyke and Nygromancy He fonde the nature of euery element Their kindely workyng their mutacions The course of starres and of the firmamente Their influences their dispositions Their aspectes and their coniunctions Wrote in pillers deuised of metall The seuen sciences called liberall Also in pillers of Brycke full harde ybake There were vp set longe large and huge He began also write them and vndertake To make them sure as for their refuge That they shoulde by floude ne deluge Defaced ben as of their scripture But in their grauyng perpetuall endure But though zoroastes these craftes out fond Full little ornought it myght to him auayle And though he were a good knight of his hōd He was of Ninus slayne in batrayle Lost his realme and royal apparayl And Ninus dyed within a litle throw But in what wise the story is not knowe Also Moydes kyng of Sodome I fynde of him no memory by writyng Saue in a story as men may reade and se He and his people were freell in liuynge But he that was of Assiriens kyng Through false Fortune that can so oft vary To Babylon made them tributary We haue sene and redde also The vengeaunce and the pestilence Done in Egypt to kyng Pharao For that he made a maner resistence Ayenst God of wilfull insolence Therfore his people vpon a day and he Were drent echone in middes of the see The people of God ledde by Moyses Without trouble of any maner wawe Went echone in quiet and in peas And Pharao as he gan after drawe Them to pursue by a full mortall lawe In his pursuite forward was atteynt Among the waues with his host and dreynt In Exodi ben these mencions Ceriouslye put in remembraunce The. xii plages and persecutions In Egypt done by full great vengeaunce And of their treasour their great substaūce They were dispoyled by Ebrues it is tolde Of their vessels of siluer and of
a citye rayse Which the poetes greatly cōmend and praise And y ◠his buildyng myght the more auayle All the foreyns that did about him dwell Full like a knyght by force and by battayle Out of that countrey he did them expell Raysynge a citie whiche that did excell And as Ouide also recordeth the same Vnto thys day of Thebes beareth the name And he was not onely glorified For rearyng vp of this great citye But he was also magnified For his manhode his magnanimitie And most commended if ye list to se For the surmountyng famous excellence Whiche that he had in wysdome and science For as myne aucthour of him list indite Through his noble prudent puruey aunce He taught fygures letters for to write And made lawes of full great ordinaunce Among the Grekes and set a gouernaunce Thei◠vycious life by vertue to restrayne And who outraied was punished w t the pain And of entent to encrease hys lynage And his citye also for to multiply He toke a wife that was but yong of age And she was called as bokes specify Hermyone and touching her alye Though that she were borne of royall bloud She was also bothe ioly fayre and good And this was done as writeth mine auctour After the death of worthy Iosue Sothonyell beyng successour Hauyng the leadyng and the soueraintie Of Israell whan Thebes the citye Was founded first in the dayes olde By kyng Cadmus tofore as I you tolde Foure daughters he had by his lyue Full fayre echone and goodly on to se And their names to reherse blyue Semele was the eldest and next Acthonie The thirde in order was called Inoe And Agane was yongest of them all Of the whiche daughters thus it is befall They were echone of port and of manere Full well fauoured in euery mans syght Right womanly and heauenly of their chere And for their beauty their father anone right As it was sittyng wyth all his full myght Like their estates birthe and also their age Made thē be wedded and ioyned in mariage To worthy princes his linage to auaunce And they encreased by procreation Wherof the kynge had full great pleasaunce And great reioysyng in his opinion To saue his lyne by generation With his neuewes and cosyns of alye Fro day to day to waxe and multiply And this encreased his felicitie Whan he considered verely in dede The riche buildynge of his royall citye And Fortune did his brydle leade To great riches in bokes as I reade To great nobles hauyng great residence In his citye of moste magnificence His daughter Semele record of mine auctor Though she discended were of the bloud ryal To Iupiter she was paramoure And by his power supercelestiall She conceiued in especiall As poetes of her list to endite Him that is god of grapes redde and white Called Bachus whiche hath the gouernaūce Of wynes all and the regaly Wherof after was take full great vengeaūce For when Iuno did first espye Of Iupiter the great auoutrye Of great hatred and enuyous desire She made Semele to be brent w t sodayn fire By discendyng of a sodayne leuine And on Semele the vengeaunce downe wēt Fro Iuno ielous cleped quene of heauen To wreke her wrath purposely ysent And fore the flame consumed was and spent There was of her left no remembraunce But of the ende the wofull mortall chaunce Also Actheon the sonne of Acthonie To great mischefes and infortunes borne Whose father called was Criste Come of the kinred that I you tolde toforne With cruell houndes alas he was to torne For that he sawe as bokes of him tell Dyana naked bath her in a well And as Poetes remember at the lest Whan the ladyes of Thebes the citye Helde of Bachus solemnely the feaste The yonger sister called Agane Daughter to Cadmus alas it was pitie Ayenst her owne sonne deare She was so wode and mortall of her cheare Murderyng hym in full cruell wise In her rage she was so furious For he lough at the sacrifyce In Thebes done by women to Bachus The whiche sonne was called Pantheus Whom that she slewe w t a sharpe dart In her wodenes as she him founde apart These great mischeues fell in the lyue Of king Cadmus through his vnhappy chāce Fortune his noblesse gan vndermyne And thought she would his glory disauaunce All worldly gladnes is medled w t greuaunce Experience in Cadmus ye may se So importable was his aduersitie For while he sate most highest in his glory No part clipsed of his prosperitie His bryght renowne and his royall memory In realmes spredde many a farre con̄trey He moste wealfull in his high see Set w t his linage most high in noblesse Than came Fortune the false enchaunteresse Of wilfulnesse and founde occasion Ayenst Cadmus and made his renowne dul Of his kynred by false collusion She gan away the bryghtest fethers pull And whan his shining was waxt vp to y ◠full After the chaunge of fortunes lawe His glory gan discrece and withdrawe It was more greuous to his dignitie A sodayne fall from his high noblesse Than if that he had neuer be Set in the state of his great worthines For the furious mortall heauines Of his kinred without any more Would haue greued a pore man full sore And amonge his sorowes euerychone To rehearse playnly as it was I dare affirme how that there was one Most horrible dreadfull in such a caas For Cadmus sonne called Athamas His sonne in lawe through false melancoly Fell sodaynely into a frenesy Of whom the wife was called Inoe Cadmus daughter as ye haue heard expresse Which through the cōstraynt of his infirmitie In his rage and furious wodenes Thought that his wyfe was a lyonesse And in his wylde ymaginations That his two children were also two lyons And vpon them full loude he gan to crye Towarde his wife in haste he came anone And from her armes there was no remedy The childe he rent and on a craggy stone He gan to brast it and breake it euery bone The whiche childe Bochas writeth thus Full tender and yong called was Learchus And all this wofull and sodaine aduenture Of this rage whan that she toke hede As most sorowfull of any creature Her other childe she hent anone for drede For of succour she knewe no better spede So as she might gan haste out of his sight But welaway as she toke her to flyght Her husbande came after pursuyng Like a woode Lyon in his crueltie Downe from a hill whiche was dependyng She and her childe fell into the see Was it not ruthe was it not pitye A kings daughter her lord i Thebes crouned He to be woode and she for feare drowned ▪ Lo here the fine of Cadmus euery deale His children slayne and his allies all And he him selfe from fortunes whele Whan he wened leste full sodaynly is fall His little suger tempred with moche gall For among all his mortall peynes His
among with transmutations Set in Ouide by full souerayne style Whan he on them had mused a long while Sene the maner both of forowe and ioye He began to remēber of Priamus of Troy First of his byrthe and of his kynrede How among kinges he was most famous And as poetes recorde of him in dede He descended of worthye Dardanus Whiche as his line declareth vnto us From Jupiter was lynially come downe Vnto his father called Laomedoun Of olde Troy this Laomedon was kyng Destroyed by Grekes he and his countrye After whom this Priamus raynyng Made there ayen a myghty strong citye Where he full longe in full great royaltie With wife childer most worthy of renoun With scepter and crowne held the possessioun Gouerned his citye in peace and rightwisnes And Fortune was to him fauourable For of all Asie the treasour and riches He did assemble this kyng most honourable And in armes he was so commendable That through the worlde as far as mē gone Of high nobles the ronoume of him shone This Priamus had children many one Worthy princes and of full great myght But Hector was among them euerychone Called of prowes the lanterne and the lyght For there was neuer borne a better knyght Troylus in knyghthode so manly was foūd That he was named Hector the seconde But I should rehearse the manhede Of kyng Pryam and of his sonnes all And how his citye besieged was in dede And all the story to remembraunce call Betwene him and Grekes how it is befall The circumstaunces rehearsyng vp doun To set in order the first occasion Of the siege why it was first layed By Hercules and also by Iason The maner whole in Troye boke is sayde Rudely endited of my translation Folowyng vpon the destruction Called the second whych by accomptes cler◠Fully endured the space of ten yere For as me semeth the labour were in vayne Truely also I not to what entent That I should write it newe agayne For I had once in commaundement By him that was most noble and excellent Of kynges all for to vndertake It to translate and write it for his sake And if ye list to wete whom I meane Henry the fifte most myghty of puyssaunce Gaue me the charge of entent full cleane Thinge of olde time to put in remembraunce ▪ The same Henry for knyghtly suffisaunce Worthy for manhode teken kynges all With nyne worthies for to haue a stall To holy churche he was chefe defensoure In all suche causes Christes chosen knyght To destroy heritykes he set all his laboure Loued all vertues and to sustayne right Through his nobles his manhode might Was diligent and did his busy payne To haue set peace betwene realmes twayne A meane in sothe England and Fraunce His purpose was to haue had a peace finall Sought out meanes w t many a circumstan̄ce As well by treaty as actes marciall Theron ieoparded lyfe goodes and all But wo alas agaynst death is no boone This land may say he dyed all to soone For among kinges he was one of the best So all his dedes conueyed were by grace I pray to God so geue his soule good rest Wyth sayntes in heauen a dwellyng place For here with vs to little was the space That he abode of whom the remembraunce Shall neuer dye in England ne in Fraunce This worthy kyng gaue to me in charge In Englysh tonge to make a translation Out of latyn within a volume large Howe longe the grekes lay tofore the toun And how that Paris fyrst at Cytheron In Venus temple sleighly dyd his payne There to rauysh the fayre quene Heleyne In which boke the processe ye may se To hym how she was wedded in the toune And of the siege layde vnto the cyte By Menelay and kyng Agamennon And many another full worthy of renoun On eyther partie which that in battaile Fro day to day ech other dyd assayle Wherto shuld I tell or what shuld I write The deth of Hector or of Achylles Or wherto should I of newe endite How worthy Troilus was slaine in y ◠prese The ende of Paris or of Pallamides Or the slaughter of manly Deyphebus Or howe his brother called Hellenus Tolde afore howe it was great folly That Paris should wed quene Heleyne And how Cassandra in her prophecy On this wedding fore began compleyne And for the constreint of her hertely paine How she wexe madde ran about the toune Tyl she was caught shet vp into prison Al this matter ye may behold in dede Set by and by wythin Troye boke And how Creseide loued Dyomede Whan worthy Troylus she wilfully forsoke Of her nature a quarel thus she toke To assay both if nede were also to feyne To take the thirde leue thē both tweyne I passe ouer and tel of it no more Ne by what meanes the grekes wan y ◠toun How Eneas neyther how Anthenore Ayenst kyng Priam cōspired false traison Neyther howe Vlixes gate Paladion The deth of Priam ne of Eccuba the quene Ne howe Pyrrus flewe pong Pollicene Neyther here to write it is not mine entent Repeyre of grekes home in to their countre After the cyte at Iiyon was brent Neither of their mischefe they had on the see Neyther howe Vlixes founde Penolope A true wyfe though he were long her fro Through al Grece I can rede of no mo Of these matters thus I make an eude What fil of grekes after their viage To Troy boke tho folke I send Which haue desire to se the surplusage Howe grekes made fyrst their passage Towardes Troy besiegynge the cite Bede the storye ye get no more of me The .xvii. Chapter ☞ Here speketh Bochas the authour of thys boke agaynste the surquedous pryde of them that truste in rychesse sayeng these wordes vnto them ME proude folkes that set your affiaūce In strength beaute or in hye nobles If ye consider fortunes variaunce And coude a myrrour before your eyen dresse Of kyng Pryam and of his great richesse To se how he and his children all From their noblesse sodainly ben fall Hector of knighthode called sours wel Sad and demure and famous of prudence Paris also in beaute dyd excell And Helenus in perfyt prouidence Troylus in armes had great experience Also Deyphebus preued manly on his fone Yet in y ◠warre they were slaine euerychone Had not this kyng also as I can deuise By noble Heccuba whiche that was y ◠quene ▪ A doughter called Cassandra the wyse Her yong suster fayre Pollicene Alas alas what may all such pride mene For albeit their renome spronge ful far Yet are these women deuoured in the war Was he not mighty strong in all thynges And had also of his aliaunce Ryght worthy princes many rych kynges And nighe al Asie vnder his obeisaunce Holde in his tyme most famous of puissance Most renomed of richesse and tresours Tyl that fortune wyth her sharpe shoures Whan that he satte highest
their fortune complaining Among other that put them selfe in prâ—ase Of mighty Pirrus fyrst he had a tight That was the son of worthy Achilles Among Grekes the most famous knight Most commended of manhode of might Son and next heire as bokes specifye Of Pelleus kynge of Thessalie This Achilles ful manly of his herte Hurt of Hector and his wounde grene Slough Hector after or he dyd aduert The whiche Achilles for loue of Pollicene By compassing of Heccuba the quene Vnder treaty this grekes champion Was slayne of Paris within Troy toun Whose deth to auenge Pyrrus in his tene Furiously with face deed and pale Slough afterward the sayde Pollicene And dismembred her on peices smale Whiche for to heare is a piteous tale That a knight so vengeable was in dede To slee a mayde quakynge in her drede He coude for Ire on her no mercy haue But with his swerde most furious wode Merciles vpon his fathers graue Lyke a tiraunt he shed her chaste bloud The dede horrible diffaced his knighthode That to this day the sclaunder and diffame By newe report reboundeth on his name Poetes say and specially Ouide Writes whan Grekes fro Troy shuld saile Howe their shyppes by an anker dyd ryde Of their purpose which long dyd theÌ„ faile But in this whyle he maketh re hersayle Out of the erth manacynge of chere Of Achilles an ymage dyd appere To grekes sayde wyth a deedly face I fele well mine honour and my glory And my nobles ful lyghtly forth doth pace Vnkynde people out of your memory Whych by me had your conquest and vyctory Your deuoyre doth Pollicene to take And on my graue a sacrifice to make Wyth her blode loke ye spare nought To spring it about my sepulture Thus blode for blode wyth vengeance shal be bought And for my death the death she must endure And hole the maner of thys auenture And howe she dyed in her maydenhead Methamorphoseos y â— processe ye may rede In hasty vengeaunce set was al hys ioye w t thurst vnstauÌ„ched Troyan blode to shede He slough Priam the worthy kyng of Troy And into Grece wyth hym he dyd lede Andromada the story ye may rede Weded her and after in certaine By him she had worthy sonnes twayne But in repayryng home to his couÌ„tre As Eolus dyd hys shyppes dryue I fynde he was a pirat of the se And into Grece whan he dyd aryue Fortune vnwarely gan agayne him stryue Forsoke hys wyfe let her lyue alone Toke another called Hermione Which was that tyme in mariage To Horestes son of Agamemnon And he alas of loues wylful rage Toke her by force to hys possession But of auoutry foloweth this guerdoÌ„ Sodayne deth pouerte or shame Open disclauÌ„der great mischefe or diffame Eke in hys tyme thys Pirrus as I rede Fyll into mischefe and great pouerte And wyth such meyny as he dyd lede He was a rouer and robbed on the see And as poetes reherse ye may se Of such robbyng by sclauÌ„der and diffame This worde Pirate of Pirrus toke y â— name And as the storye after doth deuise The sayde Horestes gan sykerly espye Wher that Pyrrus dyd sacrifyce Tofore Appollo that god to magnify Full vnwarely Horestes of enuy Toke a sharpe sherde or Pyrrus coud aduert Wher that he stode rofe hym to the hert This was the fyne of Pyrrus in substance For al his pryde and great presumcion Of false auoutry foloweth thys vengeauÌ„ce Losse of some membre pouerte or prison Or hateful sclaundre by some occasion Or sodayne deth shortly in sentence Complete in Pyrrus by ful clere euydence The .xxiii. Chapiter ¶ Of Machayre and of hys suster Canace AFter thys Pyrrus came Canace the faire Teares dystyllynge fro her eyen twayne And her brother that called was Machaire And both they pitiously gan playne That fortune gan at them so disdayne Hyndryng their fate by woful aduenture Touchig their loue which was ayen nature He was her brother and her loue also As the storie plainely doth declare And in a bedde they laye eke bothe two Reason was none why they would spare But loue that causeth wo and eke welfare Gan agayne kynde so straungely deuyse That he her wombe made sodenly to ryse And finally myne authour beareth wytnes A childe she had by her owne brother Which excelled in fauour and fayrenes For lyke to hym of beaute was none other But of their loue so gyded was the rother That Caribdis twene windes ful contrayre Hath Canace distroied and Machayre For whan their father the maner dyd espie Of their workyng whych was so horible For yre almost he fel in frensy Whych for to appese was an impossible For the mater was frowarde and odible For whiche plainely deuoyde of al pite Vpon their trespas he would auenged be The cause knowen the father anone right Cast for their deth of rigour to prouide For whych Machaire fledde out of his sight And from his face his presence gan to hide But wo alas his suster must abide Mercilesse for their hateful trespase And suffre deth there was none other grace First her father a sharpe swerde to her sent In token of deth for a remembraunce And whan she wist plainely what he ment And conceiued his rigorous ordinaunce Whyth whole purpose to obey his plesaunce She grutched not but lowly of entent Lyke a meke doughter to his desire assent But or she dyed she cast for to write A lytell letter to her brother dere A deedly complaynt to shewe endite With pale fate and a mortal there The salt teares from her eyen clere With pitous sobbing fet fro her herts brinke Distillyng downe to teÌ„pre with her ynke ☞ The .xxv. Chapiter ¶ The letter of complaynt of Canace to her brother Machayre OVt of her sowne whan she abreyde Knowyng no meane but deth in her distres Too her brother full pytouslye she sayde Cause of my sorowe rote of my heuynesse That whiloÌ„ was chefe sours of my gladnes WhaÌ„ both our ioyes by wyl were so disposed Vnder one key our herts to be vnclosed Whilom thou were supporte and sykernes Chefe reioysyng of my worldly plesaunce But now thou art ground of my sicknes Wel of wanhope and my deedly penaunce Which haue of sorow grettest habuÌ„dauÌ„ce That euer yet had any creature Which must for loue the deth alas endure Thou were whyloÌ„ my blysse al my trust Souerayne confort my sorowes to appese Spring and wel of all my hertes lust And nowe alas chefe rote of my disease But if my deth myght do the any ease O brother myne in remembrauÌ„ce of twaine Deth shall to me be pleasure no payne My cruel father most vnmerciable Ordayned hath it nedes must be so In his rigour he is so vntretable Al mercilesse he wyll that it be do That we algate shall dye both two But I am glad sith it may be none other Thou art escaped my best beloued brother This is myne ende I
in presence To whyche she gan declare in complaynyng Her deadly sorow down frō her tower loking Farewel my frendes farewell for euermore Vnto my lord my husband I must gone To him I meane y ◠was my lorde of yore For of husbandes god wot I haue but one Praiyng you to report euerichone After my death Dydo of Cartage Joyned was but ones in maryage Say to the kyng whiche you manaced My chaste beauty that he woulde assaile Go tell him how that I am passed And of his purpose how that he shall faile His manacyng shall not him auayle And say how Dydo dyed for the nones For she not would be wedded more thē ones Leuer I haue my life now to lose Rather than soyle my wydowes chastitie Let him go further some other to chose For in such case he shall not spede of me And with the treasure of mine honesty Which I haue truely obserued all my lyue I will depart out of this worlde now blyue And into fire that brent clere and bryght She ran in haste there is no more to sayne Saue with a knyfe in euery mans sight Full sodaynly she rofe her hart in twayne Whose piteous death the city gan complayne Sore wepyng for wonder and for ruthe In a woman to finde so great a truth After her death they did their busines To holde and halowe a feast funerall Worshipped her like a chaste goddesse And her commended inespeciall To heauenly goddes and goddes infernall And wydowes all in their clothes blake At this feast wept for her sake Touching Dydo let there be no stryfe Though that she be accused of Ouide After Bochas I wrote her chaste life And the contrary I haue set aside For me thought it was better to abide On her goodnes than thing rehearse in dede Which might resowne again her womanhede To Eneas though she were fauourable To Itayle makyng his passage All that she did was commendable Him to receyue commyng by Cartage Tho some folke were large of their langage Amisse to expoune by report or to expresse Thing done to hym onely of gentlenes There shall for me be made no rehearsayle But as I finde wrytten in Bochas For to say well may much more auayle Than froward speach in many diuers case But all Cartage oft sayd alas Her death cōplaynyng throughout their citye Whiche slew her selfe to obserue her chastitye ¶ Lenuoy OF ayre Dydo most stable in thy constan̄ce Quene of Cartage myrror of hie nobles Raignyng in glory vertuous habundaūce Called in thy time chefe sours of gentilnes In whom was neuer founde doublenes Aye of one hart and so thou diddest fyne With light of trouth al wydowes to enlumin Chast and vnchaunged in thy perseueraunce And immutable founde in goodnes Whiche neuer thoughtest vpon variaunce Force prudence wardeins of thy fayrenes I haue no langage thy vertues to expresse By new report so clerely they shyne With light of trouth al widowes to enlumine O lode starre of all good gouernaunce All vycious lustes by wisdome to represse Thy grene youth flouryng with all pleasaūce Thou didst it brydle w t vertuous sobernes Dyane demeaned so chastly thy clennesse Whyle thou were sole playnely to termyne With light of truth al wydowes to enlumyne Thy famous bounty to put in remembraūce Thou slewe thy selfe of innocent purenes Lest thy surenes were hanged in balaunce Of such that cast them thi chastitie to oppres Death was inoughe to beare therof witnes Causyng thy beauty to all clennes enclyne With light of vertue al widowes to enlumine ¶ Lenuoy dyrect to wydowes of the translatoure O Noble matrons whiche haue suffisaūce Of womanhead your wittes to vpdresse How that fortune list to turne her chaunce Be not to retchlesse of sodayne hastines But ay prouide in your stablenes That no such foly enter in your courage To folow Dydo that was quene of Cartage With her maners haue none acquayntaunce Put out of minde such sottyshe wilfulnes To slea your selfe were a great penaunce God of his grace defende you and blesse And preserue your variant brotlenes That your trouth fall in none outrage To folow Dido y ◠was quene of Cartage With couert colour and sober countenaunce Of faythfull meanyng pretendeth a likenes Counterfayteth in speache and dalyaunce All thinge that sowneth into stedfastnes Of prudence by great auisenes Your selfe restrayneth yonge and olde of age To folow Dydo that was quene of Cartage Let all your port be voyde of displeasaunce To get frendes do your busines And be neuer without purueyaunce So shall ye best encrease in ryches In one alone may be no sykernes To your hart be dyuers of langage Contrary to Dydo y t was quene of Cartage Holde your seruauntes vnder obeysaunce Let them neuer haue fredome nor largenes But vnder daunger do their obseruaunce Daunt their pryde them brydle w t lownes And whan the serpent of newefanglenes Assayleth you do your aduauntage Contrary to Dydo y ◠was quene of Cartage ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter ☞ How vycious Sardanapalus kyng of Assirie brent him selfe and his treasure OF Assirie to reken kynges all Whiche had that lande vnder subiection Last of all was Sardanapall Most feminyne of condicion Wherfore fortune hath him cast downe And complaynyng most vgly of manere Next after Dydo to Bochas did appere To vycious lust his life he did enclyne Among Assyriens whan he his raigne gan Of false vsage he was so feminine That among women vpon the rocke he span In their habite disgysed from a man And of froward fleshly insolence Of all men he fledde the presence First this kyng chase to be his gyde Mother of vyces called ydlenes Whiche of custome eche vertue set asyde In eche courte where she is maistresse Of sorow and mischefe is the first foundresse Which caused onely this Sardanapall That to all goodnes his wittes did appall He founde vp first ryote and dronkennes Called a father of lust and lechery Hatefull of harte he was to sobernes Cherishyng surfetes watche and glotony Called in his time a prynce of baudry Founde reresuppers and fetherbeddes soft Drynke late and chaunge his wines oft The ayre of meates and of baudy cokes Which of custome all day rost and sede Sauoure of spittes ladels and fleshe hokes He loued well and toke of them great hede And folke that dranke more than it was nede Smellynge of wine for their great excesse With them to abide was holly his gladnes He thought also it did him good To haue about him without skyll and right Boystous bochers all bespreint with bloude And watry fishers abode aye in his syght Their coates poudred w t scales siluer bryght Dempt their odour duryng all his lyfe Was to his courage best preseruatyfe For there was no herbe spice grasse ne rote To him so lusty as was the bordelhouse Nor gardeyn none so holesome nor so sote To his pleasaunce nor so delicious As the presence of folke lecherous And euer glad to
remembraunce Writyng is cause that hereto is remembred Lyfe of Prophetes and patriarkes olde How the apostles martyrs were dismēbred For Christes fayth his banner vp to holde And writyng sheweth to fore as I you tolde Of confessours the great stedfastnes And of vyrgyns the virgynall ciennesse Like to a tre whyche euery yere beareth frute Shewyng hys beuty w t blossoms and flours Right so the fode of our inward refute By diligence of these olde doctours And dayly frute of their faythfull labours Haue our courages fostred and pastured By writyng only which hath so long endured The Epigrames whilom perished had Of prudent Prosper that was so vertuous And of Senecke the tragedies sad The stratagemes of Vegecius Rebuke in vyces of noble Percius If in olde writyng had ben founde a lacke These sayd thynges had farre be put abacke Writyng caused Poetes to recure A name eternal the laurer whan they wan In adamant graue perpetually to endure Recorde I take of Vyrgyll Mantuan That wrote y e armes prowes of the man Called Eneas whan he of hygh corage Came into Itayle from Dido of Cartage Thre famous bokes this auctor list compyle Eneidos fyrst whiche that dyd excell In rethoryke by soueraynte of style He dranke such plenty this poete as men tell Of the stremes y t ran downe from the well Wrought by tho sisters that be in nūber nyne Prowes of knighthode most clerely to termin For in that boke he cast not for to fayle With voyce melodious to discriue aryght The great conquest of Rome and of Itayle Wrought by Enee the manly troyan knyght Whose verse notable gaue so clere a lyght Through all the worlde as in Rethoryke That among poetes was none to hym lyke He wrote also this poete wyth hys hande By humble style other bokes twayne One of pasture the next of tylthe of lande The verse cōueyed w t fete of meters playne By which thre labours a palme he did attain To make hys name through dities dilectable Aboue poetes to be most commendable Writyng of poetes hath set w t in his clos Cōquest of knyghthode their triūph renoūs Reade in Ouide Metamorphoseos The great wonders the transmutacions The morall menyng y ◠vncouth conclusions His boke de Ponto and wyth great diligence Full many a pistle cōplaynyng for absence Of craft of loue a boke he hath compyled Wherof Cesar had full great disdayne Whyche was cause that he was exiled To abide in Ponto and neuer turne agayne And yet he did his labour in certayne In hope of grace his wittes to apply To write a boke of loues remedy Writyng of olde with letters aureate Labour of poetes doth hyghly magnify Recorde on Petrarke in Rome laureate Whiche of two fortunes wrote the remedy Certayne egloges and his cosmography And a great conflyct whiche men may se Of his quarelles within hym selfe secre He wrote seuen psalmes of great repentaūce And in his Affryke commended Scipion And wrote a boke of his ignoraunce By a maner of excusation And set a notable compylacion Vpon the life called solitary To which this world is froward contrary Thus by writyng he gate him selfe a name Perpetually to be in remembraunce Set and registred in the house of fame And made epistles of full high substaunce Called Sine titulo more him self to auaūce Of famous women he wrote the excellence Gresylde preferryng for her great pacience Writyng also remembred hath how Troy Destroyed was sithe gone many a yere The death of Ector chefe pyller of their ioye And for the party of Grekes wrote Omere Whiche in his writyng was particulere For to Achilles that wrought al by fraude Aboue Ector he gaue a singuler laude Writyng causeth the chapelet to be grene Bothe of Esope and of Iuuenall Dauntes labour it dothe also sustene By a report very celestiall Songe among Lumbardes in especiall Whose thre bokes the great wonders tell Of heuyn aboue of purgatory and of hell Men by writyng knowe the myracles Of blessed sayntes and of their holtnes Medicyne salue and eke obstacles Geyne mortal woundes great sickenes Recreacion and solace in distres Quiet in labour in pouerte pacience And in riches ryght trouth and conscience Shortnes of lyfe and forgetfulnes The wytte of man dull and aye slydyng Negligence and frowarde ydlenes Echone stepmother to science and cunnyng That I dare say nad be for writyng Onely ordeyned for our aduauntages Dead were memory and mind passed of ages And thus in chefe the causes afore tolde Meuyng the hart of Bochas to writyng And to remembre by many stories olde The estate of prynces in chares high sittyng And for vyces their vnware fallyng Geuyng example as I affyrme dare Of false fortune how they shall beware His first thre bokes be full clere myrrours Fully accōplished as Bochas vndertoke The cause of fallyng of many conquerours Onely for trouth and vertue they forsoke For which min auctor toward his fourth boke Gan sharpe his pen to his eternall fame Onely by writyng to get him selfe a name Myne auctour Bochas that so much coude Beginneth here to make a processe Again the outrage of princes y t were proud Which wer brought low for their frowardnes And notablye remēbreth that mekenes Whiche standeth whole in one doth cōtune Is aye franchised from daunger of fortune But he in maner doth recapitle agayne The fall of many that sate in hye stages How they for vyces stode aye in no certayne Came to mischefe for their great outrages Remembryng first of Pryam the domages How he lost sceptre and regaly For susteynyng of false auoutry The fall rehearsyng of Astyages That gaue his daughter whilom in mariage To one that was called Cambises A pore man borne of lowe lynage For he should haue none auauntage In no maner nether in right ne wrong By rebellion agayne him to be strong For me to forne had had a bysion How there should one procede of his lyne Whiche should him put out of his region And cause him in mischefe for to fyne But yet fortune could him vndermyne That all his wisdome stode in none auayle For agayne god preuayleth no counsayle It nedeth not his story to reherce Nor the maner of his vnhappy chaunce Nor the fallyng of Cyrus kyng of Perce Nor of king Tarquin for his misgouernaūce Though Bochas here put thē in remēbraūce For as me semeth it were a thing in vayne A thyng ones tolde to tell it new agayne And he list not now to be retcheles New agayne to make rehearsayle Of the kyng called Artaxerses Sithe it is tolde what should it more auayle ▪ But he proceadeth strayght vnto Itayle To their stories and beginneth here At Marchus Manlius a romayn cōsulere ☞ The ende of the Prologue Hovve Marcus Manlius wrought and dyd for Rome towne and at the last he was by the commons cast into Tybre and there drowned ¶ The fyrst Chapter WHilome in Rome there was a great
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
the people lede Of hym no more in Bochas I do rede The .xix. chapiter ⧠Of the thyrde Scipion Nasica y â— euer wrought much for the comonte WIne auctoure here maketh a dygressyon And reherseth for a memorial Of the thyrde worthy Scipion Called Nasica whych in especial By disposycion verye naturall Holde amonge Romaynes by reporte of laugage Passinge all other in wisdome and corage Olde of discrecion not but yonge of yeres For a myracle myne auctour doth expresse Whan Senatours sente messageres In to Frigia by great auysenesse For Berosynthia most famous goddesse WhaÌ„ she was brought by them y â— dyd her gide In house nor temple she would not abyde Saue in the palays of this Scipion To put his name more in remembraunce The whych also through his hie renoun Gallogrois he brought to vttraunce A people of Grece ferre out of gouernaunce But Scipion gan them so werrey Maugre their malice y â— Romains for to obey Wherby his name was put in memory And ful gret thaÌ„ke he hath in Rome deserued Bycause onely of his greate victory For which the triuÌ„phe was to him reserued But at last full falsly he was serued Of the Romains after their olde manere In this tragedy anone as ye shal here After he had augmented their treasours Conquered in Asia many regions Caused of their fone that they were victours Appeased of Graccus the false occasions Compassed of malyce by newe discencions Atwene the people and also the Senate He ofhye wysdome hath stynt al that debate Trustynge y â— Romains ScipioÌ„ was begiled Lost their fauoure offended nought By them vnwarely banished and exyled Clene forgoten put out of their thought For comon profite al that he hath wrought The guerdon lost thus prynces can not se Of al that done for any comonte Lyke a blase for a whyle lyght Whych sheweth clere is neuer after seyne Or lyke a sonne for a moment bryght Vnwarly shrouded w t a shower of rayne Ryght so the windy fauour blowynge vaine May be reseÌ„bled for mutabilite Of them that do for any comonte The people foloweth their owne opinions In their conceytes they be so wonderful Wil holdeth the brydel of their discrecions Their hasty demyng so bestiall is dull Like blynd bayarde they brayde at a pul To quite y â— guerdons of marciall bounte Of them that done for any comonte This day a price staÌ„deth in the peoples grace Lyke as they would his name deify Aboue the sterres in Jupiters place With Mars Phebus hys name to stellify But by to morow ther commeth a soden skye Shewyng there is a full faynte surete Of them that do for any comonte And for to affirme that it is trewly so Cal thre Scipions to remembraunce First of Affrike and Asie both two Note â— cronicles their knightly gouernauÌ„ce Their restlesse labours RomaiÌ„s for tauauÌ„ce Reken agaynwarde how these princes three Were full vngoodly quit by the comonte ¶ Lenuoye THis tragedy of thre Scipions So worthy in knighthode eke notable Made so many famous regions Subiecte to Rome this storye is no fable Wher the Romayns double disceiuable Shewed agaynward to these princes thre The thanke lost and guerdon couenable Of hym that doth for any comonte Reken vp in Affrike the cityes the touns Great Cartage with castels defensable Reken in Asie the great possessions Wyth reuenues very innumerable Reken their tryuÌ„phes of prise incoÌ„parable Whych considred ye may a myrrour se Howe the guerdons be false flaskysable Of them that do for any comonte They were whilom the Romayns chaÌ„pions Of Senatours to set the honoure stable To auoyde discorde and al discencions Atwene the coÌ„mons and states honorable But she that is of custome aye chauÌ„geable Fortune in whom may be no surete Sheweth in her whele the guerdoÌ„s mutable Of them y t done for any comonte Noble princes payse in your reasons All worldly thynge in erth is transmutable Faynt and vnsure your dominacions Charter is ther none to make theÌ„ perdurable Sorowe at departing your bodies coruÌ„pable A thyng resemblyng y â— neuer had be Recorde on ScipioÌ„s by guerdons semblable Of them that doue for any comonte Trust neuer in your opinions But y e your power is eche day remeuable Be not made blynde in your discrecions But considre by examples resonable The eye of fortune lyke hasarde retournable Wyth sodayne chaunge of false felicitie Vnto the guerdons dayly comparable Of them that done for any comonte The .xx. Chapiter ⧠Howe Duke Hanyball after many victorious dedes murdred him selfe wyth poison NExt to Jhon Bocas as I rede Out of Affrik Cartage therwithal Ther came a Duke y t had mooste hatrede Agayne the Romayns in especiall This famous prince called Hanyball By whose prowesse as it is well knowe The sayd Romains were brought ful low And amonge other worthy Dukes all As olde Cronicles maketh mencion Of Hanybal the fate is so befal At hys byrth by dysposicion That of hys naturall constellacion Set in the heuen that he should be Perpetually enemy to Rome the cyte As the storye of hym doth deuise While his father Duke whylom of Cartage Called Amylchar dyd ones sacrifyse To his goddes and he nyne yere of age Sworne and auowed of hert of crrage Durynge his life wythout excepcion Euer to be enemy vnto Rome toun Thys Martes childe thys lusty yong knight Was to Cartage the stronge myghty wal Whych succeded in his fathers ryght After the deth of worthy Hastruball Fyrst he made a werre ful mortall Gayne SaguÌ„tinois as it is specifyed Cause wyth Romayns y â— they were alyed A dreme he had and was thus in sentence That he shuld conquere in battaile Maugre al tho that stande at diffence Two myghty couÌ„treis fyrst Spaine than Itaile Down disceÌ„dig with gret apparaile Passing the famous ryuer Iberus And where he rode alwaie victorious With him of Affrike many chefetayns Rode through Gaule found no resistence Of Pyrenes by the hye mountayns To shewe the rigour of his magnyficence Ouer the Alpes by sturdy violence Not w tstandynge the passage was ful wycke Of slydinge frostes and of sâ—owes thicke A great party of hys people lost By the constraint of that fell passage Horse Oliphantes that many besaunt cost FouÌ„de great dauÌ„gere of theÌ„ in his cariage Assaut of brigantes whan they found auauntage And as Bochas put in remeÌ„brance Felte great losse of al hys ordinaunce The Alpes passed with trauayle great wo Thys Hanyball with al his chiualry Aproched is the riuer of the Po Came to a towne that called is Cursye Which standeth vpon the cyte of Pauye Where a Consul called Scipton Gaue hym battayle euyn afore the toun The same Consull Gneus Scipion Whych by prowes of manly Hanybal Was discomfited as made is mencion Tofore Pauye had a ryght foule fal The fyrst victory in especial That he had beyonde the mountayns Whan he pursued tassayle the
of syght This Sabath lost both happe and grace His other brother as made is mencion By stronge hande put him from his place Chased him out of that region Take by force and fetred in prison Died there no man lyst him visite Lo howe god can treason murdre quite The .xxx. chapter ¶ Howe Pope Boniface the eight was take by the lynage de Columpnes eate his handes and dyed in prison AMong these wofull princes thre Which shewed theÌ„ so vgly of their chere Pope Boniface by great aduersite The eight of that name gan to approch nere A thousande C C C. accompted was y â— yere Fro Christes byrth by computacion Whan that he made his lamentacion This same Pope caught occasion Which vnder Peter kept gouernaunce To interdicte all the region Time of king Philip reigning tho in FrauÌ„ce Dyrecte bulles downe to Constaunce To Nycholas made by Bouiface Archdeacon of the same place Of holy churche the prelates nygh ethone Byshoppes of Fraunce felly haue declared Preuing by poyntes many mo than one In a great sinne plainly and nat spared By him the church was hurt nat repayred Put on him crymes of gret misgouernaunce DenouÌ„cing enemy to al y â— land of Fraunce Put on him many a great outrage Wrongly howe he had done offence To a cardinall borne of the lynage De Columpnes a kinrede of reuerence For which cause he kept him in absence Out of the court drew where he was borne By which occasion y â— Pope his life hath lorn De Columpnes y â— lynage hath so wrought Toke Boniface for his olde cruelte w t gret force power they haue him brought Vnto a castell which stode in the cite Called Saâ—â—ri Angeli gaue auctorite To a Cardynall and by coÌ„myssion Power to do full execucion Of these maters hangyng in balaunce At wene partyes were it right or wronge Bothe of romayns prelates eke of FrauÌ„ce The pope aye kept within y â— castel stronge Of auenture abyding there nat longe Fyll in a flixe and afterwarde for nede For hunger ete his handes as I rede Houre of his dyeng it is made mencion Aboute y e castell was merueylous lightning Where the pope lay fettred in prison None suche afore was sene in their lyuing And whyle Bochas was busi in writyng To write the fall of this Bonyface The order of templers came tofore his face The .xxxi. Chapiter ☞ Howe the ordre of Templers was fouÌ„ded and Iaques with other of the order brent CRoniclers the trouth can recorde Calling to minde the first fouÌ„dacioÌ„ And old auctours therwith accorde Of these Templers how y â— religion Gan that time whan Godfray de Bullion Had won that noble knightly man Jerusalem that order first began By certaine knightes which did their payne Whan the cite was first ywonne By noble Godfray duke whilom of Loraine There crowned kyng this order they begon Olde bokes wel reherce konne Takyng a grounde of pouerte mekenes To founde this ordre dyd their busynes Their begynnyng gan of deuocion The grouÌ„de ytake of wylfull pouerte And made first their habitacion By the temple not ferre from the cite In token of clennes sworne to chastite Of the temple lyke to theyr desyres Toke their name called were Templers Pope Honorie gaue them auctorite Of holy church beyng that time hede A whyte habite they bare y t time for chastite Eugenius after gaue them a crosse of rede And to defende pylgrimes out of drede Gayne sarazins through their high renoun This was chefe point of their profession Whyle they liued in wylful pouerte These crossed knights in maÌ„tel clad of white They are spred in many a ferre countre For in perfection was set all their delyte Folke of deuocion caught an appetite Them to encrease gaue great almesse By whych they gan wexe to great richesse By processe wythin fewe yeres The nombre great of their religion And the fame of the sayde Templers Gan sprede wide in many region With the sodayne rising of their profession With tours castels they gaue the to delices Appalled in vertue y t brought in many vices It were to long to reken them all But amonge other I fynde there was one A manly knight folke Iaques dyd him call Great of auctorite among them euerychone As cronicles remembre of yore agone The whych Iaques in the realme of FrauÌ„ce Was borne of blode to great enheritaunce The same Iaques holde a manly knyghte In his gynnyng freshe lusty of corrage Had a brother by elder title of right Occupied al hole the heritage Because Iaques yonger was of age Whych might not by no condicion Nothyng clayme of that possession His elder brother occupied all Whyle thys Jaques but lowe was of degree Wonder desirous to be with hym egal Alway put backe by frowarde pouerte And to surmounte if it woulde be Founde out a meane lyke to hys desiers Was chosen mayster of the templers And was promoted by fre election By them that should chose hym of ryght Whereby he had great dominacion Ryches treasour great power and myght Of hys person was eke a manly knyghte The same tyme put in remembraunce Philip le Bele crowned kyng of Fraunce Whych had of Iaques great indignacion To al the templers and al the chiualry Cast wayes to their distruction Gate auctorite his lust to fortifye Downe fro the pope bokes specifye Clement theer concludyng if he may All the templers to distroye on a daye For certayne crimes horible to here Al at ones were set in prison By their frendes touchyng thys matere Counsailed to aske mercy and pardon That they should by plaine confession Requiring hym knelyng on a rowe And as it was their trespase ben aknowe Iaques was take with him other thre Kept in holde and to prison sent And the remnaunt for their iniquite Ordained were by open iudgement To mighty stakes to be tied and brent The kyng in maner lyke to do them grace So they would confesse their trespace But al for nought they were so indurate All of accorde and of one corrage To aske mercy were obstinate The fire redy al wyth one langage Whan the flame approched theyr vysage Full plainely spake cried pitiously Of their actes which they were not gylty From their purpose they lyst not to declyne But wyth one voice echone and one soun Fully affyrmed tyl they dyd fyne How their order and their religion I grounded was vpon perfection And theyr deth verely in dede Compassed was of malice and hatred The sayd Jaques of whom I spake to forne Brought to a place which called was Leon Tofore two legates or that his life was lorne All openlye made hys confession He was worthy for short conclusion For to be dead by rightfull iudgement This was hys ende to ashes he was brent The .xxxii. Chapter ⧠Bochas here coÌ„mendeth Theodorus wyth other two Philosophers for theyr pacience notably YEuing a prise to Phylosophers thre Bochas coÌ„meÌ„deth w t great diligeÌ„ce