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
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
after hys batayle On Perciens gan wexe gloryous Gouerned Affrike and lordshyp of Itayle Throughout the Orient he was victorious Tyll he for age gan wexe tedious His last dayes maligned as men saith Of false hatred agayne christen fayth And him to healpe in these false maters It is remembred to his confusion In his empyre he set two vicats Gaue them power in euery region The lawe of Christ to oppres and put downe To punyshe matters and put them to deathe And in this whyle ful manye one he fleeth By this sayd truell Galerius which of th empyre had al the gouernaunce Of cursed hart and corage dispiteous By his vsurped imperyal puissaunce Gaue auctorite for to do vengaunce Vnto twaine Seuerus and Maxence On al cristen by mortal vyolence A certayne space bothe of one accorde To the state of emperour chose was MaxeÌ„ce Tyl Seuerus and he fell at dyscorde And after by vengable pestylence within a city of noble preeminence Called Rauenue Seuerus ther was flayne Of whiche Galerius was nothynge faine For whyche in haste thys Galerius Him to support and stand in hys defence Chase out of Denmarke a knight Lucinius To be emperour through knightly excelleÌ„ce For to withstand and fight agayn Maxence But Maxence of romayne knightes all was chosen emperour and set vp in his stall with which election Galerius wext wode Fil in a maner of froward frensy His entraile brent corrupt was his bloude And of his froward vengable malady In euery membre gan rotte and putrifye Tyll the eyre aboute him enuiron To al that felt it was venim and poison Like a Lazar corbed backe and chine In this while on cristen most vengeable To him auailed no maner medicyne But there was in Christes faythful stable That spake vnto him w t langage ful notable In wordes fewe concludinge in substaunce The gret Jupiter hath take on y â— veÌ„gaunce And euermore for shorte conclusion with a bolde spyrite to him gan abrayde It is nat Jupiter worshipped in thys towne In the capitoyle set sothly as I sayd But Jupiter that was borne of a mayde â–ª which list not suffer of that thou dost endure That anye medecynes shulde therecure Lyke atyraunt by vengaunce furious At mischefe dieth as bokes tell Perpetually with cruell Cerberus Vpon the whele of Ixion to dwell For His demerites wyth tantalus in hell There to receiue his finall guerdon which coude on martyrs haue no compassion It was hys ioy for to shed their bloud Sent out letters to diuers regions Like a slye wolf rauynous and wode To slee martirs by diuers passyons Lyke his desert receiued his guerdons Horrible death did them first confounde with furies infernall lyeth in hell bounde The .ix. Chapiter ¶ Howe Maxence the emperour enemy to Christes faithe mischeuously ended After Galerisu cruell vyolence Gayne christen blode as Bochas hath tolde with piteous there the Emperour Maxence Came tofore Bochas of age not ful olde Famous in armes sturdy freshe and bolde Albe he entred notlike an heritoure Coke vpon him to reigne as gouernoure To Christes fayth he was also enemy After sone he lost his gouernaunce Of infortune slayne sodainly God on tyrauÌ„tes vnwarely taketh vengasice Of whose burying was made no remeÌ„brauÌ„ce For he was nat receiued of the ground But caste in Tibre like a rotten hounds The .x. Chapiter Howe Lucinius enemy to Christes faythe was slayne Next tofore Bochas came Lucynius A knighte of Denmarke borne of good lyne whiche had an ennemy the boke saith thus â–ª An hardy knighte called Maximine Chose a captaine w t the mperour CoÌ„stantyne To the faith of Christ he bare gret enmyte Slayne anone after in Trace the cyte Of whose death Lucinius was glad Gan agayne christen persecucion In his procedyng sodainly wext mad which commaunded of false presumpcyon whan he began to do execucion That nochristen nowhere him beside By no condicion shulde in his house abide This Lucinius which falsly did erre Againe our faith christen men to assasle Gaine Constantine of newe he gan warre But of his purpose in sothe he did fail For he was twise discomfited in batayle By Constantine ones in Hungrye Next in Grece besyde Eualye Thus CoÌ„stantyne through his hye renoune Gate nye Gcece and euerye great countre Alde Lucinius flode in rebellion Gayne Constantine both on land and sea But when he sawe it wolde none otherbe He might not escape in no place Put holy him selfe in Constantyns grace But Constantine for his hie rebellion Gaue iudgement in hast that he be dead Leaste in the citie were made diuision By Lucinius wherof he stode in drede This same while as Bochas toke hede There came before him w t chere ful piteous â–ª Brethern twayne Constantine and Crispus The .xi. Chapter Of Constantyne and Crispus and howe Damalcus was slayne To coÌ„stantine of whom I spake toforne They were sonnes CoÌ„stantine and Crispus The same twayne of one mother borne CaÌ„e tofore Bochas his boke reherceth thus with them came eke Lucinius Sonne of Lucinius which in Rome toun Afore was slayne for hys rebellyon Constantine his werres to gouerne Made them vicars the self same thre Echone rightwise and coude wel discerne What mighte auaile moste to their citye To encrese the profit of the commonte Their names tolde CoÌ„stantine and Crispus Tofore remembred with them Lucinius while these thre vicars vnder the emperour Gouerned Rome as Knightes most famous In Alisaundre rose vp a great errour By a false preest called Arryus To our beleue a thing contrarious And for he did again our fayth so wyrche By a decre was put out of the chyrche By assent at Bithinye full notable In Nicea a famous great citye This errour was proued ful dampnable Thre C. bishops were present there parde And eightene the cronicle who list se And all these of one sentence â—like Preued Arrius a false heretike This same time bokes doth specifye Howe Constantine of hasty crueltye The sayd vicars nigh of alye Fayned a cause to slee them all thre No cause rehersed nor told of equitye Saue only this in which he gan procede To make his cosyn Dalmacius to succede But his fauour was not fortunate Towarde Dalmacius nor gracious in sentence Among whose knightes fell a sodeyn debate Constantine there being in presence Dalmacius withoute reuerence with sharp swordes to speke in wordes fewe â–ª Vnto the death was wounded and phewe The .xii. chapter ¶ Of the brethern Constaunce Constancius and how Magnentius and Decius murdred them selfe THan came Constaunce Constancius yong brethren thus writeth min autour To Constantine in time of Arrius And eche of them by ful great labour Did his payne to reygne as emperoure Tyl at the last breuely for to say Eueryche of the in gan other to werrey This said Constaunce is entred Perce land Nyne times he fought agayne Sapore The same king as ye shal vnderstand That with romaynes had foughten afore But finally Constaunce hath
his power drewe alway bacward And his empire was after ybrought full low His riall fame fortune hath ouerthrow His name eclipsed y t sumtime shone ful clere Of great Cison besyde the ruiere Of quene Iocasta Bochas doth also endite Princesse of Thebes a mighty great citie Of her vnhappes he dolefully doth write Imagining howe he did her se To him appere in great aduersite Lyke a woman that would in teares reine For that fortune gan at her so disdeine And though she were defaced of figure There shewed in her a maner maieste Of quenely honour plainly to discure Her infortuns and her infelictte And to declare plainly how that she Of all princesses which stode in estate Was her selfe the most infortunate Which gaue to Bochas full great occasion Whan he sawe her pitous apparayle For to make a lamentacion Of vncouth sorowes whych dyd her assaile With a tragedy to wepe and to wayle Her importable and straunge dedely strife Which that she had duryng all her lyfe He wryte of her a story large and playne And of her byrth fyrst he doth diffyne And affyrmeth in hys boke certayne She was discended of a noble lyne In flouryng age also when she dyd shyne She wedded was for her great beauty Vnto the kyng of Thebes the citye Which in his tyme was called Layus And whan her wombe by processe dyd aryse The kyng was glad and also desirous The childes fate to know in some wise And thought he would go do sacrifice Vnto Appollo to haue knowlegynge toforne Touching his child whan that it was borne What should folow in conclusion He was desirous and hasty for to se Fyrst by heauenly disposicion And by the fauour if it woulde be Of Appollos myghty deite To haue aunswere among his wyttes al Of his child what fate should befall His answere though it were contrary To his desire yet was it thus in dede Appollo tolde hym and lyst no lenger tary That this childe should verily in dede Slee his father and make his sides blede And w t his hands there was none other wey But on his swerde he must nedes deye The kyng was heuy trist on this sentence Sorouful of hert god wote nothyng faine And cast afore through his prouidence That his son should in al hast be slayne And that he would not an houre delayne After his byrth but bad his men to gone Into a forest and slee the chylde anone Lyke his byddyng the ministers dyd in dede Takyng the chylde tendre yong of age And into a forest wyth them they gan it lede To be deuoured of beastes most sauage The mother alas almost fell into rage Seyng her child so inly fayre of face Shal thus be deed and dyd no trespace Lytel wondre though she felt smert To al women I report me And vnto mothers that ben tendre of hert In this mater fuges for to be Was it not ruth was it not pite That a princesse a quene alas Shuld know her child deuoured in such caas ▪ After thys byrth Layus toke good kepe Without mercy respite or delay That vnto one whych kept his shepe This yong chyld vpou a certayne day Shal be deliuered in al the hast he may To thys entent it myght not be socoured But that it should of beastes be dettoured This sayd sheperde goth forth anon ryght The chyld beholdyng benigne of loke face Thought in hert and in his inwarde light He shoulde do to god a great trespace To slee this child wherfore he did hym grace Toke fyrst a knife and dyd his busy payne Throughout his fete to make holes twayne Toke a smal rodde of a yonge osier Perced the fete alas it was pite Bonde hym fast and by good leiser The yong childe he henge vpon a tree Of entent that he ne should not be Through wylde beastes cruel and sauage All sodenly deuoured in their rage Vpon the tre whyle he henge thus bound Of auenture by some occasion A straunge sheperd hath the child yfound Whych of ruth and pyte toke hym doun Bare wyth hym home in to hys toun Made hys wyfe for to do her payne To foster the chylde wyth her brestes twaine And whan he was brought forth recured And full made hole of hys woundes sore Thys yong chyld whych al this hath endured Whan he in age began to were more And that nature began hym to restore The saide sheperde that loued hym best of all After his hurtes Edippus dyd hym cal For Edippus is no more to saine Who that conceyueth the exposicion But fete yperced throughout both twayne In that langage as made is mencion And to Meropa wife of king Polibion The shepeherde of ful humble entent Began the child ful lowly to present And for she was barreyne of nature She and the kyng of one affection Toke Edippus both in to their cure As sonne and heire by adopcion To reigne in Corinth by succession The kyng the quene of Corinth the coūtre Had the chylde in so great cheerte Let men considre in their discrecion Sodayne chaunge of euery maner thyng This childe sent out for his distruction And now prouided for to be a kynge And through fortune aye double in working He that was refuse to beastes most sauage Is now receyued to knyghtly heritage Destitute he was of his kynrede Forsake and abiect of bloud and of alie In tēdre youth his fete were made to blede Henge on a tre and began for helpe crie But god that can in mischefe magnifye And reconfort folke disconsolate Hath made thys childe nowe thus fortunate And hath prouided to be a kynges heire Him that stode of deth in auenture Fortune can shew herselfe both foule fayre Folkes brought lowe ful wel ayen recure And such as paciently can endure And lyst not grudge ayenst their chastisyng God out of myschefe can sodenly them bryng But whan Edippus was growe vp to age Lyke a yong prince encresynge in noblesse Lusty and strong and freshe of his corage Of auenture it fel so in sothnesse Outher by strife or by some frowardnes Or by sume conteke he had knowledgynge Howe he was not sonne vnto the kynge As by discēt but a ferre fortaine Whereupon full sore he began to muse And for to knowe and be put in certaine Thought he would som maner practike vse And to the kyng he gan hym selfe excuse For a tyme to wythdrawe his presence Tyil he myght knewe by some experience Or by sume signe howe the matter stode Thought he would do his diligence To knowe his father also of what bloude He was discended and haue some euidence Touching troth howe it stode in sentence And her vpon to be certified Towarde Appollo fast he hath hym hyed Whiche in Cirta worshypped was that time And gaue answere through his beite To tolke that came at euen and at prime Of euery doute and ambiguyte And there Edippus fallyng vpon his kne After hys offring had answere
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
his dethe wrote of compassyon To them that sate in royall dignitees Which had of vertue lost the libertees Princes be sechyng that were luxurous To take ensample and folow kyng Drusus The which Drusus by succession Was heir to Augustus next him emperour Set all in vertue his affection And it to cherysshe did holy his labour To lust vnlefull he neuer gaue fauoure And touching loue duryng al his lyfe He neuer had lust but onely to his wife And in his palayes amyd of his royall se Of noble princes dwellyng in Rome toun He asked was for all his dignyte What maner corage of temptacyon Or what feruence or delectacion Within hym selfe he had of loues play Sole by hys wyfe whan he a bed lay And lyke a prynce fulfylled of hye nobles Answered agayn wyth sobre countenaunce Touchyng such lust as foloweth fleshlynes Lyke as nature me put in gouernaunce In one alone is set al my plesaunce For with none other for no concupiscence Saue with my wyfe I neuer dyd offence Princes echone folowe nat the trace Of noble Drusus as ye shal vnderstand For some haue stande all in another case Such as can hold two or thre in hand Now here now there as botes come to land Not consydring their degrees nor disauayle Whan newfangylnes bloweth in their sayle Eke Bochas writeth soÌ„e prices haue be fouÌ„d which viciously haue done their busy payne Vertuous women by flatery to confound And tendre maydens to bring in a trayne Suche manaces and tormentes to ordayne TheÌ„ to transforme from their perseuerauÌ„ce And interrupt their virginal constaunce But of such folke that yeue no force of shame Nor drede God such traynes to deuyse Husbandmen forsoth are most to blame with foraine women to trespace in such wise I trow their wiues theÌ„ may inough suffise For many be feble their dettes for to quite Though they in chaâ—ige theÌ„ self falsly delite Some affyrine for them self allegyng To such outrage that they haue licence Frely of nature to vse their own thing And in such case to no wight do offence But froward is their errour in senteÌ„ce Fro bond of wedlock whan they be so vnstable And tofore God most hatefull and daÌ„pnable For she that is through her hye noblesse Named of clerkes which clerly can coÌ„cerne Doughter of God Lady and princesse Reason called to gyde folke and gouerne Atwene good and yuell iustly to discerne She hath departed playnlye to conclude The lyfe of man from lyfe of beastes rude This Lady reason sith ago full yore Gaue vnto man wyt and discrecion Taught him also by her souerain lore Twene vyce and vertue a great diuision And that he should in his eleccion Vnto all vertue naturally obey And in contrary al vicious lyfe werrey And to enprinte in his memoriall How of luxurie the great dishoneste Dissourme a man and make him bestyal And disfigure of what estate he be For whan that reason of high or lowe degre Is fled away folke may affyrme than He is lyke a beast rather than a man wherfore let princes that haue ben defectife To folowe their lustes of sensualite Shape them bi reson for to amend their life And to conserue and kepe their chastyte Both of virgins and wifely honeste And to punyshe al tho that lyst labour The honest fame of women to deuour For when a lechour by force or by maistrye Defouled hath of virgynes the clennesse Widowes oppressed and by auoutry Assayled wiues that stande in stablenesse who may thaÌ„ their sclauÌ„drous harm redres WhaÌ„ their good name is hurt by such report For fame lost ones can neuer haue his resort A thefe may robbe a man of his ryches And by some meane make restitucion And some men may disherite and oppresse A poore man froÌ„ his possession And after make satisfaccion But no man may restore in no degre A mayden robbed of her virginite A man may also beate a castell doun And build it after more freshly to the syght Exyle a man out of a regyon And him reuoke wher it be wrong or right But no man hath the power nor the might For to restore the palayes virginal Of chastyte whan broken is the wal Men may also put out of seruise And offycers remeue from their place And at a day whan fortune lyst deuyse They may agayne restored be to grace But there is nouther tyme set nor space Nor neuer in story nouther read nor seyne That maydenhed lost recured was ageyne For which men shuld haue a conscience Rewe in their hert and repent sore And haue remorse in their great offence To rauish thing which thei mai not restore For it is sayd and hath ben sayd ful yore The emeraud grene of perfyte chastyte Stolne ones away may not recured be And hard it is to rauysshe a treasour Which of nature is not recuperable Lordshyp may not of kyng nor emperour Refourme a thing which is not reformable Rust of dyffame which is not seperable And maydenhed lost of newe or yore No man alyue may it agayne restore Romayns old through their pacience Suffred tyrauntes in theyr tyrannies And in their cyties to do great vyolence The people to oppres with their robberyes But to punyshe they set strayte espyes On false auoutrours as it is wel couth Widowes to rauish maydeÌ„s in their youth Vpon this mater the story bereth witnesse Touchyng the exyle of king Tarquinius Afore rehersed by writing ful expresse The hateful death of Apius Claudius For his trespase done to Virginius The iudgementes rehersed and the payne And fro their offyce depriued bothe twayne Was nat the cytie whylom desolate Of Sychemites for the ribaudry Of one Sichem whiche gan a great debate To haue accomplyshed his foule lechery Whan yonge Dyna as bokes specifye Went rechelesly walkyng vp and downe To se the maydens of that royall towne But whan Sychem this Dyna dyd espye Sole by her selfe walke in the cytie He begane anone assayle her by maystry And for to aforce her virgynyte Bycause she had no leyser for to fle Whose great offence and transgressyon The cytie broght vnto destruccyon Her father Jacob and holy her kynrede Agayn this Sichem gan inwardly disdayne Whan the fury of Mars was most to drede To be venged they dyd theyr busy payne And specially her worthy brethern twayne Fyll on the cyte Symeon and Leuy To auenge their suster and stroy it fynally So mortally they gan with them stryue with their swordes ground sharp and kene Of male children they left none alyue They were so veÌ„geable in their furyous tene The Sychemytes might not sustene That day agaynst them to stand at defence So importable was their violence For wher that God list punish a man of right By mortall swerde farwel al resistence WhaÌ„ grace faileth force goth away myght Febleth of princes the magnifycence Chaungeth their power into impotence Reuerseth the kynges their stately regaly Example in Sichem for his false auoutry It was an hard dredfull
Loste his speche smyt with meselty Duryng his lyfe lo here a great vengeaūce Of hys crowne and hys regaly Impotent to vse the gouernaunce Peryll for pride and disobeysaunce For he lyst nat mekely the law obey For which at mischefe he dyd a leper dey The .xxiii. Chapter ¶ Howe Amonyus a prynce of Antioche delytyng in pyllage and robbry with other vicious lyuynge fled in womans clothyng after taken and slayne NExt in order complaynyng hys distresse Came Amonius a notable werriour To John Bochas to shewe hys heuynesse In Antioche prynce and gouernour Of whiche countre whyle he was possessour Had a custome and thys was hys trauayle To robbe the ryche and spoyle the porayle Spared nouther olde nor yonge of age Toke fro marchaūtes treasour and richesse And in delytes of lecherous outrage Was all his lust with watche dronkēnesse Wyll in his courte of reason was maystresse Causyng the people through all the region To ryse agayne hym by rebellion Contrary he was to all good discipline The people arose agayne hym on a day And he for feare in habite feminine Lyke a wretche fled cowardly away Take at mischefe there was made no delay Falsly confessyng hering many a man Agayne nature that he was a woman The trouth knowe and the sclaunder ryfe All of assent the people Antiochene Rose attones and so he lost hys lyfe They wer so wode agayne him in their tene Thus of fortune the chaūge is alway sene Fro better to worse she can so well transmue The state of them that wyll no vertue sue The .xxiiii. chapter ⧠How Andriscus of lowe byrth borne hauyng no tytle became kyng of Macedone and was after taken and died in pryson BVt of one thynge fortune is to blame That she is so chaungeable of corage To set a boy vnknowen of byrthe and fame By false errour vpon a royall stage For one Andriscus by surquedous outrage Without tytle by subtyll compassyng Of Macedone toke on hym to be kyng Colour was none his claime to make stable Except that he of there and of visage Was to kyng Philyp of fetures moste sēblable Whereby the people in their furious rage Caught opinion of wylfull false dotage Agayne reason Bochas dothe discriue That king Philyp was risen fro deth to liue Whylom father of Perses as I tolde And for Andriscus broughte vp in wretchednesse In presence bothe of yonge and olde Was bold to clayme by tytle of rightwisnesse Shewing no grounde but personel likenesse Mocking the people which by their fauour Of royal dignite receyued the honour Thus he that was fostred as a wretche In misery and eke in pouerte Fro poore bedde his hornes dyd vp stretche To holde a scepter of kyngly dignite And by the supporte of the commonte Gan wexe pompous and elate Broughte vp of noughte whan he stode in estate Nothing more cruell nor nothyng more vengeable Nor more hasty to do execution Nor more deynous nor more vntreatable Than whan a begger hath domination I curre more frowarde than a strong Lyon And semblably none so great cruelte As whan a wretche is set in dignite This Andriscus in all his royall chere To execute his hatefull cruelte Gathered people in countreys ferre nere In Macedone and of olde enmyte Began maligne gayne Rome the cite But to withset his frowarde false entent One Inuencius a Pretor was downe sent But because that he was negligent And of dispite toke of him no hede He was outrayed and by Andriscus shent With all the people that he dyd lede But the Romayns of hope better to spede Haue sent Metellus a full manly knyght To Macedone to mete anone ryght Thys worthy man lyst nat longe to tary Set proudly on in hope it shoulde auayle Made Macedone to Rome tributary Toke Andriscus manly in batayle Brought him to Rome w t mighty apparayle And made him lye fettred in pryson For his outragious false presumption Thus for his frowarde vsurpacion That was haute in hys prosperite Knewe nat hym selfe by false abusion Blent with a myst of blynde felicite Lyst nat remembre of hys first ponerte Whom to chastise fortune brought hym low Because he lyst nat hym selfe for to know The .xxv. Chapter ¶ Howe Alysander Ballas kyng of Surry for extorcion pryde and vnkindnesse dyed at mischefe THus can thys ladye play her pagent By a maner of deynous mockerye Her entermesse forth serued them of entent To folke that truste her onely of foly And to purpose whylom of Surry There was a kyng lyke as write Bochas Called Alisader whose surname was Ballas Of whiche Ballas to tell the processe First of his risyng and after of hys fall Antiochus the story beareth wytnesse Called Eupator whiche in especiall Claymed tytle to thestate royall After his father named Antiochus Epyphanes the story telleth thus After whose dethe the kyngdome of Surry Shoulde longe by succession To Eupator and eke for hys party Demetrius hostage in Rome toun Claymed a tytle in that region Of Surry because Epiphanes Was brought to hym the story is no les Demetrius fro Rome is come doun Into Surry to clayme hys heritage Receyued the crowne toke possession Gan wexe proude presumptuous of corage Thus Eupator that was but yonge of age Excluded was in Surry to succede Of Demetrius ferther thus I rede Outragyous he was aboue measure Ryght vengeable and full of cruelte Hatefull also to euery creature And heuy borne of worthy kynges thre Fyrst in Egypt of worthy Tholome And of Actilius in Asy tho reygnyng And Aryrarches in Capadoce kyng All of assent agayne hym haue conspyred Founde a waye Demetrius to depriue Hys vndoyng so sore they haue desyred And theyr entent to execute blyue They gan a fable of purpose to contryue As ye shall here together as they went To whiche all Surry at ones dyd assent They toke a galaunt borne of lowe lynage Called Ballas of theyr acquayntaunce And affyrmed all of one corage Howe he was sonne iust heyre in substaūce To Epiphanes and nexte heyre in aliaunce To succede by tokens affyrmyng Next in Surry to be crowned kyng Alysander of purpose they hym call Because they thought of person he was able Set hym vp in hys royall stall Maugre Demetrius cruell and vengeable And fortune was to them fauourable Made theyr purpose finally to auayle With whome Demetrius had a gret batayle This Alysander which named was Ballas By Demetrius as put is in memory Fyrst ouercome and after fyll the caas He of Demetrius had the vyctory And to encrease of hys royall glory Of fortune by sodayue auenture Ballas the felde of hym dyd recure Thus by promocion of these kynges thre When he was crowned kyng of al Surry To false extorcion and hateful cruelte Thys Alysander dyd hys wittes apply To robbyng pyllage and eke tyranny And dispysed shortly to conclude The sayde kynge of ingratitude He had forget hys estate of pouerte Knewe nat hym selfe of false ambicion Wedded the doughter of worthy Tholome
But through fortunes mutabilite That blind lady so made her power stretche As he began to ende lyke as a wretche Reken the estates of worldly regaly NoÌ„bre of meyny golde treasour richesse Stately castels paleys on eche party CoÌ„quest by fortune cumbinge to hie noblesse Cruel sworde conueyed by wyifuinesse Power extort with couetyse oppressyng Causeth destruccion of many earthly kyng But in contrary who lyst hym selfe knowe And is by grace inclined to mekenesse Though he in pouerte be brought vp lowe And is by vertue enclined to worthynesse With scepter of peace sword of rightwisnes Indifferently his domes demeanyng Suche one is able to be cleped a kyng What is chefe cause grounde and occasion That princes ofte stande in ieopardy Of worldly chaunges in suche diuision Reygnyng amonge them y t serpent of enuyâ— Symulacion faynyng flatery The south out serched who so lyst to loke By many tragedy expert in thys boke The .xxxi. Chapter ¶ Howe Bitynctus kyng of Auergnoyes by the Romains was taken and died in prison BItynctus next of Auergnoyes kyng Came tofore Bochas ginnig his coÌ„plaint Of his distresse thordre rehersyng And howe that he was made feble and faint Againe the Romains mischeuously attaint Nat withstanding to maintayne his quarel He cast of pride agayne them to rebell But it is first put in remembraunce How Auergnoyes is a nacion Hanging on Gaule longeth vnto Fraunce Of which Bityncte stode in possession Hauing dispite in his opinion To the Romains in any wise to obey But proudly cast againe them to werrey His labour was to stande in franchise And be at large from their subiection Gau of pride their lordship to dispise Gadred people of presumption Whom for to mete Fabius was sent doun A mighty consul which knightly toke on haÌ„de For theyr party Bitynctus to withstande Of whose coÌ„myng Bytictus toke dysdayne By cause the folke whyche Fabius dyd lede Were but fewe and whan he hath them seyne He sayd of scoru this people who taketh hede May not suffise my houndes for to fede WhaÌ„ they be slayne to fewe they be in noÌ„bre With multitude y t I shall them encombre An hundred thousaÌ„d in hys vaoward he had That passe shoulde of Auuergne the ryuere And fowerscore thousande beside that he lad the Consul Fabius met him with good chere Whan he was passed of Rodanus y â— daâ—gere Fought al the day tyll it drewe to night The Romayns wan their fone put to flyght At the ryuere lyke as saieth the boke There were drowned brought to mischauÌ„ce Fyfty thousande as they water toke Through fortunes frowarde variaunce And by attaynt tencrease of his greuaunce Bitiâ—â—tus take was of the Romayns Dampned to prison there to dye in chayns ☞ The .xxxii. Chap. How the tyrant Euergetes wedded quene Cleopatra slewe her eldest sonne exyled hys wyfe and wedded her doughter AFter whose deth pitously to rede sene Of Epiphanes the great Tholome Came the doughter Cleopatras the quene Gan complayne her greate aduersitie Her sorowe furious diffaced her beaute Her chekes whyte of blode teares meynt Rent w t her haÌ„des were pitously bespreint To Philometor she wedded was aforne Whylom sonne to Tholome the kynge And by her lorde in true wedlocke borne Two sonnes she had as by olde wrytyng After whose deth anone vp suynge To Euergetes a prince yonge of age She was agayne ioyned in mariage By title of her in Egipt lorde and syre Kyng of that lande cruel and dyspytous Whose story sheweth no kigdom nor Empire May of them selfe make no man vertuous For lyke a tygre this tiraunt furious Her eldest sonne day of their mariage Borne to be heire he slewe of mortal rage Not longe after this extorte cruelte Albe they had children atwene theÌ„ twaine Out of Egypt he made her for to fle And of malyce he gan at her disdaine I trowe she had matter for to plaine He toke her doughter whan y t she was gon Agayne nature and wedded her anon She called was Cleopatras also But Euergetes to she we him more veÌ„geable Againe her mother that was fro Egipt go The citie which was to her fauourable The people exyled he wode vntretable In her dispyte gaue that notable toun Of hateful malyce to a straunge nacion But whan he know through his cruel dedes And gan conceyue howe he was culpable Sawe againe hym y â— many folde hatredes And conspiracion of states honorable He at large to be more vengeable Game Cleopatras to gyn an vncouth stryfe Went in to exyle wyth hys newe wyfe Gadred people his olde wyfe to assayle On her chyldren to shewe more vengeaunce A day assigned helde with her battaile But which of them was driuen to vttraunce Myne auctour plainly put not in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce But suyng after thus of him I rede Howe of malice he wrought a cruel dede Which to reherce is nouther good ne fayre But terible and abhominable He dismembred her sonne and hys hayre On peces smal this tirauÌ„t most vengeable And whan the mother sate at her royal table With body and heed at a solempnite Let her be serued of frowarde cruelte Wherof al Egipt had indignacion And for to auenge his cruel great outrage They toke his plates basnet haberion And his cote armure wrought of gret costage Fro their temples rent out his ymage In token he was a tiraunt most attaint Eche thing diffaced y t was of him depaint Whose hateful story replete of wretchednes Full of vengeaunce fro warde mischeues Therfore I deme Bochas lyst not expresse More of his life fulfylled of al repreues Of Cleopatra wrote not the fynal greues In this chaptre what fatal way she toke Lest y â— matter shoulde difface his boke ¶ The .xxxiii. Chapter ¶ Howe Jugurtha by entrusion was kynge of Numedy slew y â— rightful heires after he hym self was drowned AFter thys woful deadly auenture Of Cleopatras whose storye is full olde Came Jugurtha the manly man to lure And to Jhon Bochas hath his tale told Of his conquestes and dedes manyfolde Subtyl of wyt as myne auctour sayeth Gaue lytel force for to breake his fayth But in ordre the story to conuay Of Jugurtha and of hys kinted Massmissa kyng of Numedy soth to say His vncle was and also as I tede The sayd kyng had a sonne in dede Called Mysipsa eldest in wrytinge After his day to reigne as kynge This Massinissa ordayned afterwarde Tofore his deth of hole entencion By cause Jugurtha was borne a bastarde To depriue him of al succession In his Testament but in conclusion His sonne Mysipsa afterwarde made kynge Was to Jugurtha frendly and louynge Mysipsa had two sonnes as I fynde The tone of them called Adherbales The seconde the story maketh mencion Was that tyme named Hyempsaies Wyth whom Jugurtha put him selfe in prees For to abyde dwell in especial Lyke as their cosyn in their corte royal Cherished full wel bycause y e he was wyse And right
Gotes was set vp for a folde Founde and rent out in his dayes olde With cordes draw no rescue might him saue Of cruell vengeaunce to Catullus graue Where Scilla made by cruell iudgement With a sharpe sworde forged forto byte After time his eyen were out rent Bothe at ones his handes of to smyte His head of smit no ran̄som might hi quyte Set on a pole it woulde be none other And of dispight sent vnto hys brother To Marius of whome I spake nowe right The great duke so mighty and so huge Which had afore take him to the flight For feare of Scilla in that mortal deluge Into a citie to finde there refuge Called Preneste ther standing in gret drede Namely when he behelde his brothers hede Forasmuch as he no succour fonde Dispayred this was hys purpose To slee him selfe with his owne honde In thilke place where he was kept close Drewe out hys sworde and vp anone he rose Cōstrained his seruaūt in that sodain affray Smit of his head the selfe same day Men say howe death is fyne of all mischefe Ende of aduersite that dothe wretches tary Fortune here maketh another prefe In Marius howe she her course gan vary By an euidence hateful and contrary To shew her malyce and vngoodlyheed Agayne this duke alas whan he was deed This froward lady of malyce most vēgeable Whan her lyst furiously to raue And shew her selfe cruell and vnstable To none estate she lyst no regarde haue Caused Marius to be take out of his graue By cruell Scilla in story it is founde His vgly carayne smyt on peeces rounde And after more to shew hys cruelte Marius shoulde haue no burying place Cast his carayne of cankred enmyte Into Tybre there was none other grace Lo thus can fortune for her folke purchace By whiche example touchyng Marius Of worldly chaunges Bochas writeth thus Maketh in this chapter a discription First what thing is very gentlenesse To set a prefe and a probacion Nothyng attayneth vnto hie noblenesse But the clere shinyng of vertuous clennesse Which may nat shew i hie nor low parage But where it groweth out of a pure corage Worldly power oppression tyranny Erthly treasure golde stones nor rychesse Be no meanes vnto gentry But if vertue rule their hye prowesse For where vyces haue entresse In hie byrthe meane or low kynrede Deme no man gentle but onely by his dede In royall places of stone metall wrought With galaryes or stately cloysters rounde Gentilnesse nor noblesse is nat sought Nor in selers nor in vautes rounde But onely there wher vertue doth habounde Curyous clothes nor great possessions Maketh nat a man gengle but condycions Phylosophers conclude in their entent And all these worthy famous olde auctours No man may que the in his testament Gentilnesse vnto his successours Of wycked wede come no holsome flours Concluding thus of good men of shrewes Call eche man gentle after his good thewes Duke Marius of whom I spake toforne Of nature the story beareth wytnesse As by discent poore and nedy borne By disposycyon of coragyous noblesse Had in his persō wyt strength hardynesse Vnder all this there dyd his herte myne A worme of auaryce his worshyp to decline What vayleth plenty y ◠neuer may suffyse Or what the flode that stauncheth no thurst Or what an appetyte which euer doth aryse Alway to eate and euer to eate hath lust Of cankred hungre so fretyng is the rust That the riuer of Tantalus in his rage Of gredy etykes the fret may nat asswage Of Marius ye haue herd the ende His woful fall and his vnhappy caas In to fate howe he dyd wende Nowe wyl I folow myne auctor Bochas Howe vnto him thre Cleopatras With loke downe cast wofull face chere All atones dyd to him appere The fyrst of them by processe of writing Had thre husbandes Bochas doth expresse Wedded in youth to Alisaundre the kyng Called zebenna a prince of great noblesse After that for her great fayrenesse She wedded was vnto Demetrius And last of all to kyng Antyochus Of her three husbandes woful auenture And of her sonnes great vnkyndnesse Bochas afore hath done his busy cure Curyously the maner to expresse Which to reherce agayne were ydelnesse Syth all the processe here tofore is founde Of the first and eke of the secounde Which wedded was to kyng Tholome Lyke as afore eke made is mencion Bothe of their ioye and their aduersyte The first slayne by drinkyng of poyson And the seconde to her confusion By Euergetes were she wo or fayne Was with her chylde serued y ◠was slayne The thyrde wedded was to kyng Crispus Slayne in a temple by full great outrage For drede and shame gan wexe furious To saue her selfe knewe none auauntage Saue she enbraced of Jupiter an ymage In the story as here tofore is founde Or she was dead suffred many a wounde ⧠The .iii. Chapter ⧠Howe king Mithridate bode .vii. yere in wyldernes had great turmentes bothe on sea and lande by his blode broughte to vttraunce slewe himselfe with a sworde I Wyll passe ouer these Cleopatras three Forth procede to the hasty fate Sone execute by Parcas cruelte Vpon the duke called Mithridate First reherce the great vnkyndlye hate Of them that were his tutours as I rede Him to destroy by assent of his kynrede Which of purpose dyd hys death prouide By many vncouth straunge occasion In his tender youth first they made him ride Vpon an horse wylder than a lyon Of purpose onely for his distruction But al be so that he was yonge of age The horse he ruled in all his most rage Nat of doctrine but euen of nature He was disposed connyngly to ryde Ouer him the maystry to recure Maugre the horse of wyt he was his gyde What way he toke forwarde or asyde He daunted him y ◠where so euer he rode Bridled him and on his backe he bode His owne kyn and his next alyes Most laboured to bryng hym to mischefe With venomous drynke set on hym espyes At good leyser as doth a couerte thefe Of their fell poyson for to make a prefe In their entent this is well couthe Him to murder in hys tender youthe But whan y t he apperceyued their treason To saue him selfe made great ordinaunce Anone as he gan haue suspection Of theyr vnkindly hatefull purueyaunce For remedies made cheuisaunce Was prouided their malyce to decline By many notable proued medicine And their malyce prudently to eschue Is remembred whyle he was yonge of age With certayne frendes which y ◠dyd hym sue He disposed of custome hys corage To hunt and chase beastes most sauage Vnder that colour he dyd it for a wyle Ferre fro his countre tabsent him for a whyle Of one corage one heart and one chere Suffred manly toke none heuynesse In desertes space of seuen yere Amonge hye hylles bode in wyldernesse Set in Asia the story beareth witnesse Founde no lodgyng trasyng the
messangere To helpe Flaccus slayne by great aduersite As he entred in to that countre After whose dethe his party to auaunce Of Flaccus meyny toke the gouernaunce Of presumption without auctorite This Fymbria by dyligent labour Full ferre aboue his state and his degree Toke vpon 〈◊〉 by fortunes false fauour To be called capitaine and Emprour Through al that countre bokes specify Of whose presumpcion Scilla had enuy Pursued him through many a greate citye To a castel made him take hys flyght Where Fymbria of great necessite Constrained was maugre all hys myght Dyspayred for sake of euery maner wyght To slee hym selfe the storye telleth thus Wythin the temple of Esculapius The .vii. chapter ¶ Of Albinius that was slayne with stones ANother Consull stoode in case semblable In his tyme called Albinius Whose hareful pride was abhominable To al folkes lothsome and odious Whiche lyke a rebel wode and furious Agayne Romayns ofter than ones Whan he lest wende slayne was w t stones The .viii. chapter How Adriane borne of lowe degre falsly vsurped to be kyng of Rome whyche w t his chorles was after brent NExt cam Adrian which rose to hie estate Fyrst in Rome borne of lowe degre Chosen sent by the whole Senate To gouerne of Affrike the countre Where of hys owne pompous auctorite Toke vpon him by subtel false workynge Maugre Romayns ther to be crowned king Whom to support shortly to conclude Was a great numbre of the cōmonte Of chorles gadred a confuse multitude Title was none nor grounde but volunte Gentlemen than beyng in that countre All of assent and one opinion Assembled them to his distruction At Vtices a large great cyte Hym and his churles beset rounde aboute Of woode and fagot with large quantite In cōpas wise closed him without Gadred with him of vylayns a great rout Layd on fyre that with flames rede Echone consumed in to ashes deade The .ix. chapter Howe Sinthonius kinge of Trace y t much coueted al forwet died in pouerte NExt Adrian came Sinthonius Tofore Bocas w t teres spreint his face As the story reherseth vnto vs In hys tyme he was kynge of Trace Fal sodainly from fortunes grace Cast downe lowe from his estate royal Which came to Bochas to complayne his fal Whose purpose was if it woulde haue be Seuen realmes to haue cōquered w t his hād That were subget to Rome the cytie And all seuen were of grekes lande Who al coueteth ye shal vnderstande He al forgothe ful wel affyrme I dare At vnset houre wherof eche man beware Long or his conquest was brought to a prefe From her whele fortune cast hym doun The pretor Sēcius brought him to mischiefe Dyed in pouerte as made is mencion And Bochas here maketh a digression Compendiously within a lytell space To discriue the region of Trace The .x. Chapter ¶ Here Bochas in partye maketh a dyscripcion of the kyngdome of Trace and passeth ouer lyghtlye vnto the accōplyshment of his boke TRace whylom a countre of greate fame And contayneth a ful large space And of Tyras it toke fyrst y ◠name Son of Japhet and so was called Trace Whyche many a daye dwelled in that place Towarde Septemtrion plenteous of good Besyde Dynoe the large famous flode Southward Trace renneth the flode Egee Macedone standeth in the Occydent And the kyngdome called Propontide Stant in Trace towarde the Oryent Where great plente of blod was shed spente Whan Sencius through his hye prowesse Kyng Adrian there manly dyd oppresse Ebrus in Trace is the chefe citie As myne auctour maketh mencion I cast not long to tary but in breuite To make of Trace a discripcion And to procede in my translacion After myne auctor which wryteth a lōg proces Of great Pompeye his worthynes The .xi Chapiter ¶ Howe after many great conquestes of Duke Pompeye great warre began bytwene hym and Julyus in whiche thre hūdred thousād were slaine at the last the head of Pōpeye smytten of THys Pompeius of whom the name is couth Wise and worthy famous of prowesse Toke vpō hym in his tendre youth After his father by fortunate duresse Called Pōpeye the story beareth wytnesse Distressed was by sodaine deth commynge As sayeth y ◠story through thūdre lyghtning His host dystroyed by the violence Of vnware tempest lyke as saith the boke Fourty thousand slayne in that pestilence For feare the remenaunt the felde forsoke Til yonge Pōpeye of corage on him toke In his beginning proudely to procede Ful lyke a knyght his fathers host to lede Rome that tyme by theyr dyscencions Among them selfe nye brought to ruyne By the frowarde false diuysions Twene Marius Silla brefely to termine Tyl that a new sonne gan to shyne Of worthynes which shad his light In manly Pompeye the famous knyght This sayde Pompeye thys knyghtly man At his begynnyng through hys chyualrye The proude captayne slough whan he began Whych of Marius helde vp the party Called Brutus which in Lombardy Was by Pōpey thrugh knightly gouernaūce With al hys host brought to mischaunce In hys begynning Pompey eke also To set Romaynes in rest quiete One that was called Gneus Carbo He slew him knyghtly whan he did him mete Whych in Cicyle proudly helde his sete And all the countres about him enuyron Pompey made thē subiect to Rome toun After al this Pompeyus on the see Wyth many a shyp stuffed with vytaile Towarde Affrike made a great armee And there in hast after his arriuaile With Domicius had a great battayle Brought the coūtre throughe his hye renoun To be to Rome vnder subiection He pursued the great myghty kynge Called Jertha to Marius honorable And had also hys royall abydynge In Numidy a countre full notable Againe Pompey hys power was not able For at a Castel as they met in fyght He slewe kynge Jertha lyke a māly knyght Thus in brefe tyme holdyng his passage For cōmon profyte as made is mencion By hys wisedome and knightly hye corage Brought al Affrike to subiection Which stode afore in rebellion To the Romayns but all their sturdines The sayd Pompey dyd in haste redresse The greatest enemy agayne Rome toun Thylke dayes was one Sertorius And of fortune whych is nowe vp now doun On Pompeye ones was victorious But after soone of hym it happed thus Among his meyny fallynge at debate He slayne was in hys most hye estate After the deth of thys Sertorius Came Porpenna Pompeye to assayle And as they mette anone Pompeius Ful lyke a knyght slewe him in battaile Which victory greatly dyd auayle To the Romains after by gouernaunce He brought Spayne to their obeysaunce By auctorite gyue by the Senate This Noble Pompeye for vayle of the cite Vpon the sea would suffer no Pyrate Where euer he came fro hym they dyd flee For wyth his shyppes he scoured so the see And bare hym there so māly with hys hande That maugre thē he brought thē to the land Al
Cesar was deified Of whō by Romains was set vp an ymage But whan he sawe he was espied He ran to Julius hie vpon a stage Gan him to enbrace in his piteous rage He rent away by sodaine violence Vnwarely slaine there gained no defence Next in order came Cesarius Of whom there fill a wondre pitous caas Whilom beget of Cesar Julius Vpon the yong fayre Cleopatras Slaine in his youth thus writeth Bochas As Octauian dyd him selfe assigne For he gaine Romains should nat maligne Folowing in order Julia began Hir greuous complaint to Bochas specify Whilom doughter to great Octauian With weping gan to houle and crie Which by her father to punish her lechery Exiled was out of her countre For lacke of socour died in pouerte Her son Agrippa yong and tendre of age Borne of hie blode Bochas doth expresse Came next in order pale of his visage Which spent his time in slombre idelnesse Froward to vertue for his wretchednesse Octauian which was great touthe Suffred him die at mischef for his slouth After Agrippa came forth anone right Cassius of Parme a famous great countre Which in Itaile was holde a māly knight With Marke Antony wele cherished secre Bode in his court and there withall parde Greatly alowed fyrst for his chiualry And for his notable famous policy And there withall he had in existence A right great name stode in great fauour For his knighthode for his hie prudence After accused vnto the Emperour Octauian for a coniuratour He should haue be of frowarde false entent To Julius death fully of assent For whiche by bidding of Octauian Take he was being but yong of age And as mine auctor well remembre can Brought tofore Julius hie vpon a stage There offred vp vnto his ymage By cruell death ▪ the storie telleth thus For the false murdre of Cesar Julius After the death of the saide Cassius Another came of Rome the cite Which as I rede called was Galbus Of a Pretour hauing the dignite And for suspection slaine eke was he His eyen fyrst out of his head were rent For Julius death than in to exile sent Toward his exile by brigantes he was slaine And After that within a litel while Of his labour nouther gladde ne faine Bochas began to dyrecte his stile To great Herodes breuely to compile His greuous fal and holy the manere To set in order next as ye shall here The .ii. Chapter ⧠How the tyraūt Herodes slough his wyfe and chyldren and after died at myschefe REmembrynge fyrste in Jurye he was kyng Antipater his father who lyst se In Arabia mightely reignyng Ouer the prouynce called Idume This same Herodes gardeyne of Galile Ordayned was fyrste for his hye prudence And for his notable knyghtly excellence Famous in manhode famous of his lyne Famous also by procreacion I rede also he had wyues nyne And amonge all as made is mencion To hys pleasaunce and his opinion Maister of stories reherseth there was one Mariannes fayrest of echone By whom he had worthy sonnes twayne Alysander and Aristobolus But for his suster dyd at her disdaine Called Saloma the storie telleth thus He vnto her wext suspicious Bycause she was accused of enuy By Saloma touchyng auoutry Agayne her of rancour sodaynly He gan of herte greuously disdayne With rigorous hert he slewe her furiously But as the storie doth vs ascertayne He for her deth after felte great paine Euer whan it came to his remembraunce Her porte her chere her womāly plesaunce Lo what it is a prince to be hasty To euery tale of rancour to assent And counsaylles to procede wilfully To execucion of frowarde false entent For Herodes so sore he dyd repent That he for thought fyl in to an noy Of hertely sorowe and malencoly Rest had he none nouther day ne nyght Troubled with fury that he wext frantyke w t dremes vexed many an vncouth syght Of chere nor colour to no man he was lyke And euery moneth ones lunatike A great whyle he had this wofull lyfe For sorowe onely he had slayne his wyfe And as the storye wel reherce can In the Capitoyle mydde Rome the cite By Antonye and by Octauian He crowned was and made kyng of Jude By the Senate made theron a decree And registred that he and his kynred Shulde in that lande lineally procede In Rome was made the confirmacion To this Herodes bokes specifye Beyng afore the translacion Was made of Juda and of Jurye Septer and crowne with all the regaly By hym vsurped as ye haue herde toforne Vpon the tyme whan Christ was borne This same Herodes by procuracion Of Antonye dyd also occupy By Augustus plener remission The great estate called Tretrarchy In two kyngdoms with al the regaly Of Traconitides Jtury eke also By the Romains made lorde of bothe two Mayster of stories reherseth of hym thus For commendacion in especiall In Aschalon he buylded a stately hous Of right great cost a palayes ful royal Was none so riche for to reken all After whych myne authoure doth so wryte He called was Herode Aschalonite This same Herodes cruell of nature Of chere and porte passyng ambicious Aye to be venged dyd his busy cure On al that were to hym contrarious Hys wyues brother Aristobolus In Jerusalem chefe byshoppe as I rede Falsely he slough of malyce and hatered Vniustly reigned borne through his realme His hert fret and cankred wyth enuy Another byshoppe in Jerusalem Called Hircanus myne authour lyst not lye This same Herodes in his malencoly Slewe hym vnwarely by rācour vengeable Setting at dyner at his owne table There was no man of corrage more cxuel Nor more desirous to be magnified To make his name also perpetual Four statelye cities he hath edified Of which the names be here specified Cesaria Sebastin citees souerayne Antipadra Cipre that other twayne He had also a false condition He trusted none that was of his kynrede His sonnes twaine he had in suspectiō Their purpose was to sley him of hatred Whan he were deade hopyng to succede And causelesse as father most vnkynde Made thē be slayne in story thus I fynde In al his workyng he was founde double A great tirant hold throgh his realme Neuer thinge so greatly dyd him trouble As whan thre kinges came to Jerusalem Jesu to seche that was borne in Bethelem Boldly affirmynge cause of their commynge Was to worshyp that blessed yonge kyng The which thynge whan he dyd aduertise Prophecies remembringe and writinges Within hym selfe a meane he gan deuise First to distroy these famous holy kynges Namely whan he knewe of their offrynges Imaginyng gan suppose blyue The child was borne that shuld him depriue Newly discended fro Dauid doun by line Cast almost Herodes in a rage Of cursed hert gan frowardly maligne Lyke a tirant of venomous outrage Slewe al the children within two yere of age About Bethelem a ful large space He spared none for fauour nor for grace One
horible dede Which Nero vsed whylom on Sporus And on an other called Ompharus Both male chyldren as bokes tel can Them to transfourme to likenes of a womaÌ„ Some bokes of hym determine Lyke a ribaude horrible and detestable He misused his mother Agripine And lyke a tiraunt cruel and vengeable Which to remember is abhominable He made her wombe be corue vpon a daye To se the place nyne monethes where he lay Of disnatural hateful cruelte To God nor vertue hauyng no regarde And of the vyce of prodigalite He was accused in knyghthod a cowarde And to al vertue contrary and frowarde Of whos wodenes good hede whan I toke I was ashamed to set hym in thys booke He hated al that were vertuous And to them had special enuy Hys brethern his wyfe this tirant dyspitous He falsly slewe in hys malencoly His mayster Senec auctours specifye Aye whan he saw him hauiÌ„g a maner drede In an hote bathe to deth he made him blede To Polifagus a wodeman most sauage Which that fed him most with fleshe of man Nero toke men olde and yonge of age To fynde him vitayle in stretes where he caÌ„e Cursed at his ende cursed whan he gan Whan he dyd offre innocentes blode To be deuoured of him that ran so wode Christes fayeth fyrst he gan werreye Of emperours in hys frowarde entent Peter and Paule in Rome he made deye Vpon a day their legende dothe assent Halfe the cite of Rome I fynde he brent And Senatours welnye euerychone This Nero slewe spared almost neuer one Made hys Mules be shod wyth siluer shone Of surquedye whan he shoulde ryde The cite brent Romayns after sone Pursued him vpon euery syde And from a subarbe where he did abyde Twene Salaria and Numentana right Ther stant a path whyder he toke hys flyght By a depe marys as Nero toke his flyght Whan he saw he myght not asterte He was so pursued by a Romayne knyght To fynde socour he myght not dyuerte Roue him selfe anone vnto the herte Wyth a sharpe dagger a cursed ende lo Of the false tiraunt that called was Nero. In stede of a Lenuoye OF this Nero to write a Lenuoye Nor of his dedes to make mencion To rede the processe no man should haue ioye For al concludeth of murdre and of treason On aduoutry excesse and poyson Riot glotony lechery vengeaunce Slaughter of him selfe ended with mischauÌ„ce If that I myght I wolde race his name Out of this boke that no man should it rede His vicious lyfe chefe myrrour of diffame Set hym asyde let no wyght take hede For to remembre so many a cruell dede Saue onely thys to thinke in substaunce Howe euery tiraunt endeth in mischaunce Of him I cast to wrytenowe no more And what I say is sayde but in reprefe Of the vyces that he wrought of yore Duryng his empyre concluding for a chefe All tyrannye shall ende wyth myschefe Recorde on Nero which for misgouernauÌ„ce As ye haue herde ended wyth mischaunce The .vi. Chapter Howe Eleazarus a Jewe borne for extorcion and robbrye was brought in prison and there ended AAter Nero came Eleazarus A Jewe of byrth a price of robbry An extorcioner cruel dispitous For his outrages don in that party To redresse his hateful tiranny A mighty pretour was sent fro Rome doun Called Felix in to that region By force of Felix take he was and bounde Maugre his myght vnto Rome sent Strongly fettred wyth massy chaynes rouÌ„d Suffred in prison many great turment At the last this was his iudgement There to abyde because he was a thefe For euermore ended in mischefe The .vii. Chapter How the heade of Galba was smytten of filled ful of golde and offred at the sepulture of Nero. TOfore Bocas next came Galba down Whych in Spayne dyd many knyghtly dede After the deth rehersed of Neroun In hope stode this Galba as I rede In th empyre iustly to succede Parcell for knightehode he hath hym so well borne And for great mariage which he had beforne I finde in Bochas rehersed in sentence He was disclaundred of hateful vices thre He was cruell contrary to clemence Straite in keping gayne liberalite Vengeable of herte gayne mercy and pitie A thynge not sitting vnto chyualry Of custome yeue to slouth and slogardy To occupye th empyre he began Among Romains toke possession Claiming a title by one Licyâ—ian That was his sonne by adopcion But anone after for his presumpcion One called Occho a full manly knyght Smyt of his head were it wronge or ryght This sayd Galba mine auctour writeth thus From his empire vn warely pulled doun Had an enemy called Patrobolus The head of Galba toke in possession Filled it with golde made an oblacion At the sepulture of Nero therewithal To all the goddes goddesses infernall The .viii. Chapter Howe Occho and Vitellius for glottony lechery ribaudry and crueltie ended in mischefe ANd after that thys offryng was full doo As ye haue herde to Bochas than To make hys complainte in order came Pyso Afore surnamed iustly Lycinian Sonne adoptyfe to tel as I began Of the sayde Galba claimyng to succede Slaine anone after by Occho as I rede Than was thempire parted in to three Occho toke Rome vnto his partye And Vitellius to reigne in the countre Ouer the boundes of all Germanye And Vaspasian reigned in Surrey But fyrst this Occho surnamed Siluius Came to complaine cruel and dispitous Of al thempire this same Siluius By slaughter rauyne and extorcion By murdre dethe and dedes outragious With mighty hande toke the possession And there began a great deuision Whiche was occasion of great sorowe woo Atwene Vitellius and this sayde Occho It is reherced that in Germanye In sondry places they had battayls three In the whych Occho wyth hys partye Venquished the felde made hys fone to flee But through fortunes mutabilite The fourth tyme playnly this is the caas Maugre hys myght discomfited ther he was Tofore Bedry a myghty stronge cite Of Germanye was this discomfiture After which of frowarde cruelte This sayde Occho seyng his auenture With wo supprised might not endure Of his constraint the unportable payne Toke a sworde and roue his herte a twayne Vitellius hauing the victory With his power as made is mencion Of surquedy and false vayne glory Came with his hoste in to Rome toun But Bochas here maketh a discripcion Rehersing shortly his byrth eke his lyne And how that he of blode was Saturnyne This to say Saturnus king of Crete Chaced by Jupiter out of his region And Ianus had in Itayle take his sete Vpon a mount called Ianiculum Where nowe of Rome is bilte the large toun Ianus receuyng of liberalite Whan Saturne fled in to his cite Tofore y â— coÌ„ming of Saturne this no fayle Rude and boystous and beastial of reason Was al the people abyding in Itayle Land was none sowe nor turned vp so doun Nor marchaundise vsed in no toun Tyll Saturne taught the