that one Reigning in Damas of his true ryght Cathabadyn there beyng eke soudan Which in tho daies was holde a good knight And right notable in euery mannes sight And for the Soudan of Babilon aferre Called Saladyn oppressed was with werre For socour sent to these princes twayne To come in hast wyth all their chiualry Him to supporte and do their busy payne Enforce their myght to sustene hys partye Whose request they lyst not deny Abode no lenger but made them selfe stronge To stande with hym were it ryght or wrong Of thys matter the substaunce to conclude These princes came Salech Cathabadyn For their guerdon they founde ingratitude In this forsayde Soudan Saladin Founde him vnkinde plainly thys is the fyne From their estates as it was after knowe Disgraded theÌ„ both broughte theÌ„ ful lowe Of him in so the they had none other mede For their labour nor for their kyndnes What fyll after in Bochas I not rede For he forthwith leaueth this processe And vnto Robert doth his style dresse Called Farentyne reigninge in Taurence Who lost his lordshyp by sodayne violence This to say he reigned but a whyle Thys sayd Robert lost his gouernaunce Next to Bochas came Guylliam of Cecile Kyng of that couÌ„tre lorde of great puâ—saunce Lost his kingdom thrugh fortunes variance His eyen twayne rent out of hys heade After died in mischefe and in drede Which Guilliam reignyng in Cecile Was by discent borne â—ye of alye â–ª To Robert Guisterde as bokes do compile That whylom was duke of Normandye Greatly deliting in chyualry With his brother ful notable of renoun Which brought Naples to subiection His brothers name was Rogere Which had a sonne to be his enheritour Called Tancret as sayth the croniclere Which toke vpon him to reigne as successour Thus in Cecile Tancret was gouernour Agayne whom by title sought a fer Of aliaunce he gan a mortall werre For a mayde that called was Constaunce That doughter was to the kyng Rogere Whych was set of spirituall pleasaunce To be religious of hole hert and entere And by recorde of the croniclere This Constaunce hath the world forsake And to religion hath her body take Of this Constaunce the selfe same yere That she was borne as made is mencion There was a clerke a great astronomere Tolde of her byrth by calculacion She shoulde cause the desolacion Of that kingdome by processe of her age By the occasion onely of mariage Some that were to Tancret great enmy By their vngoodly exhortacion Moued the Emperour y â— Called was Henry To take Constaunce from her religion And by the Popes dispensacion She wedded was to theÌ„perour by his might By tytle of her put Tancret from hys ryght Wyth a great nombre of Italiens The Emperour entred in to that region But by fauour of Ceciliens Tancret long time stode in possession But through fortunes transmutacion The same tyme to conclude in sentence The saide Tancret dyed on pestilence Hys sonne GuilliaÌ„ y â— was but yonge in dede With Ceciliens cast him not to faile To kepe hys land and his ryght possede Met the Emperour wyth stately apparayle Made him redy wyth him to haue a battayle But the Emperour to great auantage Cast otherwyse of fraude in his corage Fayningly duryng the dyscorde The Emperour cast another whyle By a fase colour to fall at accorde And yong Guilliam vngoodly to begile Vndre treaty taken in Cecile Falsly depriued of hys region Sent to Itaile and throwe in prison By wey of treaty the story who lyst see All concluded vnder false treason With Guilliam take were his susters thre His eyeu put out for more conclusion He perpetually dampned to prison Dyed in pouerte lost his enheritaunce Lo here the fyne of worldly variaunce Further to write as Jhon Bochas began After that Guilliam was put froÌ„ hys reem To hym appered Guyot Lucinian Those afore kynge of Jerusalem Whose knightly fame shone lyke the son beem Which by his noblesse he whisoÌ„ dyd attayne GodfraÌ„y present that was duke of Lorayne But by the Soudan named Saladine He was enchaced of that dignite Al worldly pompe draweth to declyne So for the constraint of his aduersite The yeres passed of his prosperite Wente in to Cipres as a fugitife What fil after I rede not in his lyfe To make hys coÌ„playnt after hym came one Which had stand in great perplexite Erle of Bryeâ—ne and was called Jhon Whych afterwarde was kynge of the cyte Called Jerusalem and had also parde A faire doughter yonge and tender of age Joyned after to Frederike in mariage Beyng that tyme lorde and Emperour Was desirous aboue al other thyng Of Jerusalem to be gouernour And of Eecyle to be crowned kyng Whiche alderlast for his subtyle workynge Constrained was downe fro that partye To be a capitaine serue iâ— Lombardye The .xxiii. Chapter ¶ Of Henry the eldest Sonne of Frederike the seconde myscheued by hys father NExt to Bochas croked halte and sycke One called Henrye caÌ„e for to plaine The eldest sonne vnto Frederike Whiche by siknesse had felt great payne Megre and pale contracte in euery vayne Of whose langour the chefe occasion Was that he lay so longe tyme in prison Al hys dysease at great aduersite Ycaused was for shorte conclusion By his fathers frowarde cruelte As Bochas after maketh mencion And thys Henry by generacion Sonne vnto Frederike lyke as it is founde I meane Frederike called the seconde This Henry by discent of lyne Of Cecyle fyrst was crowned kinge And of Jerusalem whose renome dyd shine Through many a lande at his beginnyng And fortune also in her workyng Was to this Henry passyng notable In al his workes inly fauourable Of his person he had this auantage To all the people he was right acceptable Well coÌ„mended in his flourynge age Of there face and loke ryght amyable And of his porte very demure and stable Called in his ginninge suche fauoure he hath wonne Of princes al very lyght sonne But ofte it falleth that a glad morning Whan Phebus sheweth his beames brighte The day somtyme therupon folowyng With some derke skye is clipsed of hys lighte And semblably through fortunes myght This said prince by her false variaunce Fonde in her whele full noious greuaunce Who may the furies of fortune appese Her troubly waues to make them plaine Wher meÌ„ most trust they fynde most disease Where double corages stande in no certaine A shining day is ofte meint with raine Thus of Frederike the great vnstablenes Hath brought his son in mischefe dystresse This Frederike set vp in great fauour By the Popes diligent busines Vnto the state lyft vp of Emperour But through his fatal frowarde vnkindnes Of couetyse fyl in such excesse Toke vpon him the Patrimony to gye Of Christes church that parte to occupy Fyl in the Popes indignacion Counsayle nor treaty myght none auayle But of malice and presumpcion Cast wyth the Pope to haue a great battaile The sayd
euidens playne That of elde no token shoulde be seyne In all his membres as lusty and entere As was a lambe eyned of one yere And here vpon in suche sleyghty wise She began a processe of full false treason The sisters made vpon the lambe to practise Drewe out his bloude like her enteneton And she by craft of false illusion Blent their eyen by apparaunce in vayne The olde Ram to seme a lambe agayne Thus Medea by her sleyght compassyng Of enuy and venemous hatred Excited hath the sisters in workynge Ayenst their father mortally to procede w t sharpe kniues thei made their father blede Amiddes the hart throughout euery vayne Supposyng the sely sisters twayne That Pelleus renued shoulde be To youth ayen of force and of substaunce But finally by treason of Medee He lost his life suche was his wofull chaūce She this wrought onely for vengeaunce As rote and grounde of this cruell dede Ayenst the nature of all womanhede Supposyng in her opinion That the death greatly shoulde please Of Pellius vnto her lorde Iason Through great encrease set his hart at ease But it rebounded vnto his disease That finally Iason her forsoke For her offence and he his way toke Into Corynth to the kynge Creon Whose daughter Creusa for her great beauty Was afterwarde wedded to Iason But whā this wedding was knowē to Mede Cast she woulde theron auenged be Began to conspyre of malice and enuy And through her magyke and her forcery In full great haste gan to ordayne A little coffer onely of entent And by her yonge fayre sonnes twayne With other iewels she hath it sent Vnto Creusa makyng a present Whiche of malyce she list to dispose That whan Creusa the coffer did vnclose The fyre brast out a full large space Brent Creusa by full great vyolence Set a fyre playnely all the place By enchauntment there was no resistence All went a fire that was in her presence By vengeaunce did full great domage But whan Iason this fire sawe in his rage And considered the malice of Medee Thought he woulde do execution For to punishe the great iniquitie Ayenst him compassed of treason For she of vengeaunce ayenst all reason After that Creusa consumed was and brent Her owne sounes whylom that she sent Without ruth or womanly pitye She falsly murdred the children that she bare Like a stepmother auenged for to be Cut their throtes or that they were ware Ayenst nature there was none other spare But for hatred she had vnto Iason After this murder she fled away anone So escapyng his indignation By craft of magike she went at libertie To Athens and in that region She wedded was vnto the kyng Ege Not longe after a sonne by him had she The which child mine auctour telleth thus After Medea called was Medus After whose name the famous region Ynamed was which called is Mede But folowyng euer her olde condicion This Medea voyde of shame and dread Compassed hath of wilfull false hatred That Theseus the sonne of kyng Ege With newe poyson shall deuoured be But Theseus full like a manly knyght In repayryng home to his countrey Of high prudence aspied anone ryght The mortall vengeaunce the great crueltie Of this stepmother whiche of enmitie Concluded hath in her entencion Him to destroy vnwarely with poyson Her hart of malice cruell and horrible As she that was with treason euer alied Whan that she sawe her purpose moste odible By king Egeus fully was aspied She hath her hart and wittes newe applied As in their bokes poetes haue compiled Ayen to Iason to be reconciled She fled away for feare of Theseus Lest he would done on her vengeaunce And finally as writeth Ouidius And morall Seneke concludeth in sentaunce In his tragedies makyng remembraunce Howe Medea like as poetes sayne Vnto Iason restored was agayne Touchyng the ende of their furious discorde Poetes make therof no mencion Neither tell no meane how they fyll accord But if it were by incantation Whiche so well coulde turne vp so down Sondry thinges of loue and of hatred And in Bochas of her no more I read Saue whan she had fulfilled her purpose Mine aucthour telleth that Iason Mede Restored haue ayen vnto Colchos Her father Oetes and from his pouertie Brought him ayen into his royall see And to his crowne by force they him restore Touching his ende of him find I no more Thus his fortune hath turned to and fro First like a kyng hauyng ful great riches After liuyng in pouertie and wo Sythen restored to his worthines Thus euer sorow is meint with gladnes Who can aduert in all worldly thing Record of Mynos the noble worthy kyng To whom I must now my style dresse Folowyng the traces of Bochasius The wiche Mynos as Ouid doth expresse Touchyng his byrth he writeth playnly thus That he was manly wise and vertuous Sonne by discent of Iupiter the great And of Europa borne to be heyre of Crete And of his person wonders delitable Full renowined of wisdome and science By diuers titles of laude commendable Of byrth of bloud of knighthode prudence For by his study and entyre diligence He founde first lawes grounded on reason Wherby of Crete the famous region Gouerned was and set in stablenes All iniuries and wronges to reforme Made statutes extorcions to represse Of right wisenes they toke the first forme And that eche man shoulde him conforme Like their degrees subiect and souerayne That no man had a matter to complayne He made his lieges to liue in quiete Cleare shinyng in his royall noblesse With sword and sceptre sittyng in his sete And while he floured in his worthines He toke a wife of excellent fayrenes Doughter to Phebus in Bochas ye may se And she was called faire Pasiphae And her father by record of writyng In his time was holden full famous Of the yle of Rhodes he was lorde and kyng And in his dayes of port full glorious Right proude in armes and victorious Takyng witnes of Methamorphoseos His daughter had thre children by Mynos The first a sonne called Androge And afterward full faire daughters twayne Ryght goodly and womanly on to se But like as fortune did for them ordayne They felt them selues in trouble and in payn The one called Ariadne Phedra the other Folowyng their fate it might be none other Androgeus by kyng Mynos was sent For he should profite in cleargy To Athens of vertuous entent There to study in philosophy And for he began to encrease and multiply And passe all other by study in learnyng And to excell his felowes in cunnyng They of enuy and false malice alas Made ayenst him a conspiration And from a pinacle sacred to Pallas Of ful great heigth thei made him tūble doun For which iniury Bochas maketh mencion His father Mynos auenged for to be Layed a great power about the citie He cast him fully y ◠no man shoulde him let But that he woulde do cruelly vengeaunce And
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
golde Out of Egypt full great treasure they ladde Such as theÌ„ thought might most theÌ„ auaile And Pharao I fynde that he hadde Two hundred chares enarmed for battayle Them to pursue and proudly to assayle And fifty thousande in whom was no lacke Of men of armes folowyng on horsebacke Two C. thousande of fotemen him aboute And of Egypt all his chyualrye And Pharao with all his great route Began Israel pursue of enuye But for his pryde and false surquedy He and his people were drowned euerychone Of all his number was left not one His froward hart ayenst God indurate Fulfilled of malyce and obstinacy And in his purpose proude and obstinate These foule vyces or he coulde them espye From his glory and his regally He was doun though he tofore was crouned Amidde the sea among his people drowned Of Ogiges kyng of Thebes ANother Prynce called Ogygus Kyng of Thebes as bokes determine And fouÌ„der was thus Bochas telleth vs Of a citye called Eleusyne Which stout in Grece whose power to decline There fyll a floude in that regyoun Whiche ouerflowed many a royall towne And in Cithia that did most dammage Tyme of Iacob patriarke notable And this deluge with his waues rage Slewe lordes many prynces honourable For dame Fortune is so deceiuable That she sumtime when she list disdayne Can folke assayle with a floude sodaine This floude also where it did assayle Wasted cornes bothe croppe and rote Caused also scarcitie of vytayle That many a man felt full vnsote The pore not wyst where to finde bote For their prynces supprised were with drede Through lacke of vitayle in that great nede Of a great floude in Tessaly ANother floude there was in Tessaly In the time when kyng Amphyon Helde the ceptre and the regaly Vpon Thebes the mighty stronge towne Beside the kyngdome of Babilon The same time this floude fell doubtles When Gods people was ledde by Moses With this floude the land had ben deuoured Of Tessaly and of all that region But on Pernaso the people were succored And on the Roches that stode enuyron Founde there refuge to their saluation And great succour til the floudes rage Began to decrease withdrawe and asswage In olde stories also ye may se Whan Cecrops had first possession Of Athens the myghty stronge citye An heate there fell in that region By influence that descendeth downe From the bodies aboue celestiall Whiche likely was for to deuoure all And this heate engendred with the sonne In diuers countreys both in length breade Hath his course so mightely begone That many folke fell in great dreade Ryuers welles who so list take hede Consumed were and dryed vp echone The heat called the enbracyng of Pheton The .v. Chapter ☞ Of goodly Isis wife to Apys kyng of Argyue slayne by his brother Dyffeus WE haue read in stories here toforne How that Isis to Egypt toke her flyght Out of Crete the true daughter borne Of Promotheus a full manly knyght And Isis in euery mans syght So freshe so goodly wedded by her lyue To worthy Apys that was king of Argyue The whiche Isis excellent of beauty After tyme her father was ygraue She was put for more suretye With her vncle that shoulde kepe and saue This sayd maâ—de y â— no man should her haue And her vncle in Ouide ye may se Like as he wrote â–ª was called Epymethe And flourynge vp in her tender age This sayd Isis so pleasaunt was and mete Of semelines of loke and vysage That Iupiter the mighty kynge of Crete Was enuyronned with her for to mete And she excited of feminitie Enclined her hart vnto his deitie And for she was of her entent so clene Obeiyng hun in most lowly wise Of Argiuois he made her to be quene Because that she was smit in couetise Ayenst Argus a warre she gan deuise And for he was vnweldy of his age Her to w t stand he found none aduauntage But yet Fortune gan vpon her frowne And kyng Argus through his subtiltye With his counsaile so prudently gan rowne That she was take by full great crueltie And her souldiours were also made to flye And by Argus there gayned no raunsome She fettred was and put in strong pryson But her sonne God Mercurius Right freshe ryght lusty full of hardines And of his earthly ioye so glorious Ayenst Argus gan his power dresse And so intirely did his busines That Argus was slaine in conclusion And after Isis deliuered fro pryson Of her sleyghtes afterwarde not feynt She toke a shyp and to Egypt went In which shyp there was a cowe depeynt And Theores whom Iupiter also sent Is gone with her bothe of one entent To ioyne a mariage after anone ryght Betwene her Apys a prynce full of myght She was ryght wise aboue other creatures Secrete of cunnyng well expert in science She taught first letters and fygures To Egyptians by playne experience Gaue them cunnyng and intelligence To tyll the lande taught the labourers To sowe their graine multiply by peres And in Egypt her fame and her renowne Began day by day wext her worthines Holde of cunnyng and of reputation By signe shewed not onely in princesse But she was holde among them a Goddesse And with worshyps whiche were diuyne And sacrifices to her they did enclyne But to declare playnly at a worde In middes of all her great prosperitie Mighty Apis her husband and her lorde Prince of Egypt and lorde of that country Sonne of Iupiter and of Niobe Whiche Niobe by long discendyng The daughter was of Phoroneus y â— kyng And Phoroneus first the lawe founde To whiche all Crete stande vnder obeysauÌ„ce And the statutes of that myghty londe Were ystablished by his ordinaunce But for to write the vnhappy chaunce Of kynge Apys that is remembred He slayne was and pyteously dismembred By his brother called Tyffeus Sumwhat of hatred but more for couetise For Tyffeus was onely desitous To reioyce in full mortall wise The mighty kingdom as ye haue herd deuise Of Argiuois to haue possession Preferred by murder and false succession And when that Isis fouÌ„de her lorde so deade Of entent that he were magnified First of wisdome she gan take hede Ordeyned a meane that he were deified High among Goddes to be stellified In Egypt temples made to be stalled And God Serapis after he was called The .vi. Chapter ¶ Of Grysiton that his membres eate for honger WHat shall I write of case horrible Of Grisiton w t hoÌ„ger so coÌ„strayned That his life was to him self odible In Thessaly w t indigence payned And pyteously his fame was disteyned When he solde his daughter in seruage Liriope whiche was but yong of age By exchaunge of God to puruey theÌ„ vytayle Of very nede he was so wo begon He had nothing y â— might his thirst auayle Ne stauÌ„ch his hoÌ„ger but gnawyng on a bone Wherfore he ate his membres one by one A prynce alas was it not great pitie To se him
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
enterchangiÌ„g y â— eche should reigne a yere The tother absent to play come no nere This concluded by their both assent And by accorde of that region Polynices rode forth and was absent Ethiocles toke fyrst possession But whan the ye re by reuolucion Was come about he false of his entent Vnto the accorde denied to assent Thys was a cause of theyr both striues Polynices was thus put out of his ryght Tyll Adrastus that kyng was of Argyues which thorow al Grece gretest was of might Sent vnto Thebes Tideus a knyght Hys sonne in lawe to treat of thys matter And the cause finally to lere Wher through the kyng called Ethiocles Would condiscende of truth and of reason To stynt warre and to cherishe pece After the accorde and composicion Vp to deliuer Thebes that mighty towne Vnto his brother whych abseÌ„t was without Now that his yere was fully come about But he was false and frowardly gan vary Ethiocles from hys conuenciâ—n For whych Adrastus no lenger would tary Whan Tideus had made relacion But called anone throughout his region All the worthy both nere and farre Ayenst Thebes for to begyn a warre For thys cause lyke as ye shal lere Polynices to force hys partie Ywedded had the kynges doughter dere I meane of Adrastus floure of chyualry Whan Tideus dyd him certifye Touchinge the answere of Ethiocles And of his truth how he was recheles False of hys promyse cursedly forsworne For to hys truth none aduertence had he Neyther to the accord y t was made beforne Touchyng y â— deliuerauÌ„ce of Thebes the citie But who that lyst the storye clerely se Of these two bretherne and their discencion And howe Adrastus lay to fore the toun And howe Tideus through his high prowes Fought by the way going on message And how of Grece all the worthines Wyth kyng Adrastus went in this viage And of the mischefe that fyll in that passage For lacke of water tyll that I siphile Norishe of Ligurgus so fayre vpon to se Taught Tideus to fynde out a riuer She that dyd in fayrnesse so excell Ne howe the serpent most vgly of his chere Of â—ig Ligurgus y â— childe slough at the well Neyther howe Amphiorax fyll doun to hel All to declare me semed was no nede For in the siege of Thebes ye may it rede The storye hole and made there is mencion Of either parte their puissauÌ„ce their might And how Adrastus lay tofore the toun And how they inette euery daye in fyght And howe Tideus the famous knyght So reâ—omed in actes marcial Was slayne alas as he fought on the wal And howe the bretherne met among the prese Lyke two Tigres or lions that were wode With sharpe speres this is doutlesse Eueryche of them shed others hert bloud This was the fyne thus with theÌ„ itstode Saue at their feestes called funerall There fell a marueyle which I tel shal Whan they were brent in to ashes dede Of their enuy there fyll a ful great wonder Amonge the brondes and the coles rede Hyghe in the ayre the smokes went a sunder The one to one party and that other yonder To declare the storye me list not fayne The gret hatered y â— was bitwixt hem twayn Thus for their yre and false discention All the lordes and all the chiualrye Were slayne of Grece and also of the towne And rote of all myne aucthour list not lye Was false alyaunce and fraternall enuy And chefe grounde with all the surplusage Who serche aright was vnkyndly maryage The quene Iocasta felt her part of payne To se her chylder eche of them slea other Her son her lorde blynde on his eyen twayne Which to his sons was father also brother Fortune would it shoulde be none other Also Parchas sisters which be in nuÌ„ber thre Spanne so the threde at their natiuitie Also whan Iocasta stode thus disconsolate And sawe of Thebes the subuersion The countrey destroyed and made desolate The gentle bloude shedde of that region Without comfort or consolacion Thought she myght be no more appeyred But of all hope fully loe dispayred Trist and heauy pensyfe and spake no word Her sorowes olde and newe she gan aduert Toke the sworde of hym that was her lorde w t which Edippus smot Layus to the hart She to â—inyshe all her paynes smarte And fro the body her soule to deuide Roâ—e her selfe throughout euery syde She wery was of her wofull life Seyng of Fortune the great frowardnes How her diffame and slaunder was so rife And of Edippus the great wretchednes Also of her sonnes the great vnkindnes All these thinges weyed on her so sore That for distresse she list to liue no more Bochas writeth concernyng her fayrenes Constraynt of sorow caused it to fade The famous light also of her noblesse And all the clearenes of her dayes glade With vnware harmes she was so ouer lade Of very anguyshe that she her selfe did hate So inly contrary disposed was her fate Thus death deuoureth with his bitter gall Ioye and sorow auoyde of all mercy And with his dart he maketh downe to fall Riche and pore them markyng sodaynly His vnware stroke smiteth indifferently From him refusyng fauour and all mede Of all estates he taketh so little hede Better is to dye than liue in wretchednes Better is to dye than euer lyue in payne Better is an ende than deadly heauines Better is to dye than euer in wo remayne And where y â— mischefe doth folke to coÌ„plaine By wofull coÌ„straynt of long coÌ„tinuaunce Better it is to dye thaÌ„ liue in suche greuauÌ„ce Taketh ensample hereof and a priefe Of kyng Edyppus that was so long ago Of quene Iocasta that felt so great mischiefe And of their children remember also Whiche euer liued in enuy sorow and wo. Fortune alas duryng all their dayes Was so frowarde to them at all assayes Touching Edippus processe finde I none What ende he made in conclusion Saue Bochas writ howe that kyng Creon Cosen and heyre by succession Exiled him chayned farre out of the towne Where he endured mischefe sorow and drede Tyll Attropos vntwyned his liues threde ☞ Lenuoy IN this tragedy thre thinges ye may se The pryde of Iabin false presumption Of quene Iocasta the great aduersitie Of kyng Edippus the inclinacion To vyces all and the diuision Of the two brethren playnly vs to assure Kyngdomes deuided may no while endure ☞ Omne regnum in se diuisum desolabitur For who sawe euer kyngdome or countrey Stande in quiete of possession But if there were ryght peace and equitie And iust accorde without discention Voyde of vntruth and false collusion â–ª Plainly declaryng by ensample and scripture Kingdomes deuided may no while endure Seeth here example of Thebes the citye And how that noble myghty region Through their frowarde false duplicitie With warre were brought to destruction Their promise broken their couert treason Shewed by their harmes ipossible to recure
Thus remeÌ„bryng the faythful wordes stable Of my brother shewed vnto me At our metyng the kissyng amiable The assured couenauntes of our fraternitie But oft time men may beholde and se That lilies growen amoÌ„g these nettles thicke And â—â—oure delice in mids these wedes wicke Thus while I rested in the kynges house Nothing aduertyng his deadly cruelty His old hatred was so venemous And so odible to destroy me Him selfe to auenge he toke my children thre And sikerly is it not a wonder He cut their throtes with a knife asunder For he thought that it did him good Them to dismember into peces small And in a dessell for to gather their bloude While they say still and loked on him pale This was his dede in a desert vale Within a caue that no man should espy Treason conspired of his false tyranny This was the substaunce of his sacrifice To slee my childer make their harts blede I trowe the Gods therof did agrise Of his false offrynge whan they toke hede He did their membres after rost and sede And with this vyande most abhominable He made me to be serued at the table In couert cruses also thus it stode To stauÌ„ch mi thirst through his cruel veÌ„geaÌ„ce He made me vnknowe drynke their bloud Was not this thing to goddes displeasaunce Yes I dare saye for by demonstraunce Vpon this dede without more obstacle The sunne in heauen shewed a myracle Whiche sore agrysed might not beholde With his beames theron to cast his syght For displeasauÌ„ce his clearenes gan w tholde And for vengeaunce to withdraw his lyght The day turnyng for horrour into nyght Whan he shone bryghtest in his midday spere Shrowded his face and woulde not appere But I alas vpon this case horrible That coulde not ymagyn ne thynke On any matter that was so odible Eat their fleshe their bloude also did drynke Whiche so sore dothe to mine hart synke That I may not touchyng this aduenture The circumstaunce for constraint discure It nedeth me not to make rehearsayle Touchynge mine exyle of all maner thinges Of diuers sorowes that me did assayle My wofull sighes ne my greuous wepings Ne vpon nightes my dolorous wakinges My pouert nether how I stode in drede To lese my life wherof Bochas take hede And remembre all the circumstaunces If euer thou sawest of high or low degre More contrary or more vnhappy chauntes Than thou hast heard remembred here of me Wey in balaunce my sorowes let me se If any sorowe or mischefe vnrecured May counterpayse to that I haue endured Mine infortunes I founde them aye so fell Without fauour and succoure dispurueyed My brother on me was euer so cruell That I full oft desiered to haue died For to this day my spirite hath ben conueyed With sorow and wo deuoyde of all refuge Wherfore I pray the O Bochas be my iuge And in thy writyng leaue me not behynde Nether in thy boke that thou not disdayne Among tho folke that thou haue me in mynd Which y t for sorow wepe wayle and playne And thus Thiestes rehearsyng all his paine Like as he would him selfe in pieces rende Made vnto Bochas of his tale an ende The .xi. Chapter ¶ How Atreus excuseth him selfe of murder and of his brothers aduoutry done with Europa quene ATreus came after with a full pale chere And of enuy full dead in his vysage Vnto Bochas gan to approche nere Like as he had be fallen in a rage And furiously abrayde in his langage How may this be that like a man were wode Thiestes hath his venym sow abrode And like a rybaude falsly me accused Notwithstandyng that I full clearely se Mine infortunes which may not be refused So sore alas they worke agaynst me And though Thiestes false and vntrue be And vnto the Bochas with a face pale Agaynst me hath forged here a tale Whiche in effect shal be found vntrue If I haue time my complaynt to declare For I purpose to tell a tale newe Fro poynt to poynt and for no man spare How he was ground and rote of all my care And ouer like as it is befall Reherce the beginnyng of my sorowes all Sometime whan I raigned in Missene Of age lusty flouryng in my freshenes With my wife Europa that was quene Most reuomed that time of fayrenes Thiestes than as grounde of all falsenes As a traytour his tyme did espye Through his false fraude and flattery Compassed a meane within my citye By sleighty wyles that were incomparable To corrupt my wiues chastitie My bedde defoulyng a thing intollerable And to the Gods very abhominable Vsyng the quene to his fleshely pleasaunce Tyll vnto the tyme that in continuaunce She by him had sonnes two or thre Echone brought forth in false aduoutry Demyng none other but they had be Mine owne children till that I did espye How this swyne through his false lechery This Thiestes after Europa Lay with his daughter called Pelopeia And by processe forthe a chylde she brought Called Egistus whiche whan he came to age As saith Bochas much treason wrought For by his malice and his great outrage Destroyed was all whole the lynage Of Tantalus whiche by his liuyng In Frygia raygned as lorde and kyng But this Egistus of whom I spake toforne Falsely begotten mine auctour sayth y e same Of Pelopeia anone as he was borne To hyde the slaunder and also the fame Of Thiestes and also to saue his name Whan he was but a day of age He was out cast to beastes sauage To be deuoured the story is well couthe A melche gote God lyst for him prouide To foster him in his tender youthe He nyght and day liynge by her syde Within the forest thus he did abyde Vnto the tyme he gan growe in age Than to the court he holdeth his passage Wherfore O Bochas of hart I pray the Whiche of these stories is most terrible Of Edippus Iocasta or of me â–ª Tel on anone if it be possible Whiche of these sorowes is most penible Of the Thebane brethren ful of wo and tene Or of vs twayne brethren of Missene I am aknowe as for my party Of vengeaunce I did a cruell dede I slough his children of malyce and enuy And tosted them whan they were deade Onely bicause if thou list take hede That he begate theÌ„ as rote of all this stryfe Vpon Europa which that was my wife Such hatefull thinges ech man should lothe Which apparteyneth to murder and treson Thus may I saye we be vnhappy both He first by trespace of fornication Done by the quene wythin my region And I slaundred on that other syde Of hasty vengeaunce to be an homicyde My bedde he defouled by his aduoutry To God and man a thing most detestable And I of malice and false melancholy Slough his childer serued theÌ„ at the table Thus enterchaunging if it be commendable Eche was desyrous throughe our vnhappye chaunce Vpon other to do vengeaunce Our great hatred most
my selfe dispose And my wittes specially apply Cause of my cōmyng clerely to vnclose And tell the effect of mine ambassatry And my speache so gouerne and gye After I am receyued to thy grace My selfe declaryng if I haue time and space For like thy mother if thou receiue me And me accept vnto thy presence I must therafter so gouerned be To tell my tale playnly in sentence So that thou geue me frendly audience And if I be not receiued in suche wise More strongly my tale I must deuise This noble prynce this Corolian When that he heard his mother thus cōplaine Full like a lorde and a knyghtly man Gan her embrace in his armes twayne In lowly wise there is no more to sayne Saue like a sonne of due and ryght To her he sayd full lyke a manly knyght Madame quod he be it to your pleasaunce To hear my conceyt as in this matere With faythfull hart humble attendaunce I you receyue as for my mother dere But and ye lyke benyngly to here The ingratitude done in most cruel wise To me of Romayns I purpose to chastise Ah sonne quod she touching their offence Done to thy nobles their great outrage They shal by menes their trespace recōpence And thinke thou art borne of their linage And suffer y t mercy thy rigoure may asswage And think of nature thou maist not wel w tsay Thing for the which thy mother doth pray Thou shalt not close thyne entrayles of pitie To the requestes of me and of thy wife Nor gynne a warre agayne thy countrey To stroy thy lyne by newe mortall strife Thy children and me to make vs lose our life Wey in balaunce to Romayns thy hatred Against the loue of me and of thy kynred Sende home agayn thy straunge souldiours Which ben so redy y ◠Romains bloud to shede Let stand in peace our walles our towers Suffer thy grace thy rancour to excede So that thy pity may put away all drede And condiscende to receyue for hostage Me to be pledge for their great outrage Behold the wōbe in whiche thou were borne And se also my naked sydes twayne By whiche thou were fostred here toforne If there were lack thou woldest cry plaine Remember theron and at me not disdayne But vnto mercy receyue this citee At the request here of thy wife and me Whilom my milke thy chrishing was fode To stynt thy cry whan thou diddest wepe Their sote drops full holsome were and good Thy tender youth for to preserue and kepe And like a mother to bryng the a slepe I woke full oft to the I was so kynde Wherfore dere sōne on my request haue mind If that thou lyst this city now torment Their demerites by rygour recompence Punyshe me for them and I wyll assent To beare the gylt of their great offence But dere sonne let thy magnificence Suffer of knighthode y t mercy may in dede Attemper thy rygour or thou to dome procede Suffer Romayns to liue in quiete Graunt thē peace agayne their great outrage Some drope of pity let in thyne hart flete And thinke thou art borne of their linage Loke vpon them with mercifull vysage Whiche offer them selfes as they shal fulfill Their lyfe their death all wholy at thy will Remember of nature how that the lyon Set aside his rage and his wodenes To them that mekely afore him fall doun His royall kinde will do them no duresse To exemplify to knyghtly noblesse w t rigorous swerd thou shalt no more manace Them that be lowly yelden vnto thy grace And whan this prynce this Corolian Had heard all that his mother list to sayne He goeth to her in all the haste he can Besprent w t teares y ◠on his chekes rayne And her embraced with his armes twayne And sayde mother there may be no lettyng Me hole of hart to graunt your askyng The siege he made for to auoyde away And to repayre home to their countrye And wyth his mother and wife he was y t day With great gladnes and solemnitie Anon receiued into that citye Like as fortune him neuer wold haue fayled But she fone after of newe hath him assayled The gery Romayns stormy and vnstable Whiche neuer in one styll coulde abide Against this prynce most knyghtly notable For to conspyre of new they gan prouide And banished him to Tuskan there beside Where he was slayne within a little space For he the Romayns afore toke to grace ☞ The .ix. Chapiter ¶ Howe Melciades Duke of Athens with small nombre vanquished .vi. C M. Perciēs and after by his comonte that aye of custome desyreth a chaung of princes new he was chayned in pryson and so dyed AMonge other that putte theym selfe in prees For too bewayle their greuous heauynesse Came of Athens Duke Melciades which thrugh his manhod hygh prowesse And thrugh his knightly renomed noblesse Like as auctours his triumphes lyst cōmēd Faught many a batayle his city to defend And of victories as it is compyled For comon profyt of that noble toune Faught wyth a tyraunt y t was tofore exiled Called Hippias which by false treason Had to kyng Dary made a suggestion Vpon Athens in al the hast he might To rayse al Perce agayn the town to fyght Sixe hundred M. accounted was the nōbre Of Perciens armed in plate and maile Them of Athenes by force to encombre Echone assembled them proudly to assayle But this Duke for nothyng wold fayle Melciades but knightly toke his place With ten thousande he met him in the face For both he was manly and ryght wyse And of his handes proued a ful good knight Set vpon them with so prudent auyse That they of Perce for all their great might Were four tymes put vnto the flyght By thylke Duke if I shall not fayne And by the noblesse of other knyghts twain Themystocles ycalled was the tone Which of his hand as auctours list discryue Was in a felde proued on hys fone The manlyest knight in his time alyue Whych thylke day so proudly dyd stryue Agayn thē of Perce such a slaughter make That fynally the field they haue forsake Cynegirus a knyght eke of that towne The same day through his chyualry With blody swerde as he went vp and doun without nombre in his melancoly Slough Perciens bokes specify That for the tyme they no refute can Saue to their shyppes for drede of dethe they ran And there he wrought a straunge marueyle As writeth Bochas affyrmyng it certayne The greatest shyp that bare largest sayle with his righthand he gan it so restrayne Lyke as it had be fastned wyth a chayne Maugre Perciens whiche did thē sore greue That by no craft they could it not meue But whan that they none other refute wyst Frely to escape out of his daungere Tyl they his right hand cut of by the wrist But w t his left hand he gan approche neare And helde it styll an vncouth thing to
in their library Desyre of nature to be solitary Such as mē loue such things they vndertake Fyshe or foule to hunt with their houndes Some of woul sundrye clothes make By philosophers was foūd out the grounds And of all study they set out fyrst the bounds Caused poetes playnly to conclude Out of all prease to lyue in solitude Logiciens delite in argumentes Philosophers in vertuous liuyng And legisters folowyng the ententes Greatly reioyce in lucre and winnyng Phisiciens trauayle for getting And of poetes this is the subtyll forme By new inuencion thynges to transforme Poetes should eschue all ydlenes Walke by ryuers and welles crystallyne To moūtaynes a morow their course dresse The mist diffied whā Phebus first doth shine Study in bokes of morall disciplyne Nothyng coueyte but set their entent Wyth moderate fode for to be content Their chefe labour is vyces for to fage With a maner couert similitude And none estate wyth theyr langage By no rebukyng of termes dull and rude What euer they write on vertue ey cōclude Appayre no man in no maner wyse This is the office of poetes that be wise The .xx. Chapter ¶ How Malleus duke of cartage for oppression and tyranny was hewen into pieces WHan Bochas hadde rehearsed of Poetes Their straunge studye and solayne wrytynges And theyr desires of solitary seates In pleasaunt place to make their dwellinges Besyde ryuers and holesome well sprynges Whiche accomplished he gan his pen auance Prynces of Affrike to put in remembraunce And while he dyd hys busy diligence Theyr pyteous falles to put in memory First there came twayne vnto hys presence Their olde noblesse appalled and their glory Whiche as hym sempt within a territory Of Affryke boundes longyng to Cartage Did fyrst appeare most deadly of vysage The one of them was named Malleus Duke of Cartage of Affryke lorde and syre His sonne also called Cartalus Whilom chiefe prince and bishop eke of Tyre But Malleus whych helde the great empyre Of all Affryke for his pompous outrage Exiled was for euer out of Cartage Whyche caused him in hart he was not mery But aye remēbred vpon his fell banishing Gadered his people win the lande of Surry And in the felde whyle he lay hostyng Cast him fully to make no tariyng But in all haste of knyghtly fell corage Maugre hys enemyes resort vnto Cartage To auenge his exyle hys hart was set a fyre And his entent more to fortify He sent in haste hys letters downe to Tyre To Tartalus that he should hym hye And brynge wyth hym all the chyualry Of his citye in stele armed clene His fathers party to holde vp and sustene But whā thys byshop knew holly the manere Of thys purpose which ye haue heard deuise He consydred how that tyme of the yere Ordeyned was to do sacrifyce After the rytes of their panym wyse To Hercules whiche in that citye Aboue all gods had the souerayntie Whose feast was holde space of certayn dayes Whiche for to halow he neades must entende And by the custome make no delayes But that he must therto condiscende And leauer he had hys father to offende As in such case then through negligence Vnto hys gods for to do offence Wherfore his father had indignacion The case arettyng to vnkyndnes And therof caught a great occasion Agayne his sonne of froward wilfulnes For prynces oft of furious hastines Wyll pyke a quarell causeles in sentence Agayn folke absent though ther be no offence And some tonges venemous of nature Whan they perceyue that a prince is meued To agreg hys yre do their busy cure With false langage to make him more greued But ther is no poysō so wel expert nor preued As is of tonges the hatefull vyolence Namely whan princes list yeue thē audience The feast accomplyshed of myghty Hercules All innocent of double and false menyng This sayd byshop of wyll not retcheles Came to his father without more tariyng Chaunged neither habite nor clothyng With all the ensygnes in the same wyse As he tofore had done sacrifice Anone hys father made no delay Wythout excuse it would be no bet Of hasty rancour the selfe same day Made hym be hanged vpon an hye gybet Lawe and iustice were both aside set And tyranny moste furyous and wode To do vengeaunce in trouthes place stode Who can or may tyrantes well discryue Whose swordes ben whet aye for vengeaunce Their bloudy thyrst doth theyr hartes ryue Their eares aye opē to hear of him mischaūce Their furious myrth theyr mortal pleasaūce Their pale smilyng their laughter of hatred Concludeth euer vpon some cruel dede They be ministers to Parcas sistern thre To vntwynd y ◠thredes of folkes here mortall And very cosyns through hasty cruelte Vnto the wode furyes infernall Chyldrē to Pluto of vengeaunce marciall Which for their vyces but they bere thē wele Shall turne in hell on Ixions whele Thus Malleus father most vnkynde Lyke such a tyraunt shed out his cruelte As ye haue heard and after as I fynde Of furious hart and of olde enmyty By force is entred Cartage the cite And slough all tho in hys hatefull yre That hym afore had exyled into Tyre Wrought after wyll nothing after ryght Gan robbe spoyle that noble famous town Which made him hated in the peoples syght For his outrage and great extorcion Hauyng no ioye nor consolation Within hys hart playnly nor gladnes Saue lyke a tyrant the people to oppresse The people of Cartage sore gan to complayn Vpon their mischefe and desolation As Bochas writeth rehersyng in certayne Wyll is stepmother of wyt and of reason And where that prynces haue dominacion And by false pyllage to ryches clyme vp fast Trust right well theyr lordship may not last Theyr great power of worldly excellence To their accrochyng of temporall ryches Whā they be tyrātes may stand in no defence And froward wyll ruleth theyr highnes For what is lordshyp playnly to expresse In thys worlde here if it be discerned Loue of the people whā they be well gouerned For tyranny and false oppression Causeth prynces to stand in great hatrede And what is worth their dominacion Without loue let preue it at a nede Men for a tyme may suffer them and drede But whan that drede constrayned is gone Than is a prynce a man but alone Se an example how Malleus of Cartage For all hys castels towers made of stones For hys oppression vengeaunce and outrage The people of Affryke rose on hym all atones And cut asunder his flesh and also hys bones Cast thē playnly on him they wer so wode Vnto their goddes to offer vp his bloude The people dempt of mortall crueltie There was no offring so plesaūt nor cōuenable Vnto theyr gods to please their deitie As bloud of tyrantes whiche y t be vengeable Thus cruell princes make y ◠people vnstable Of necessitie whyche ought be complayned To wreke their wronge y ◠they be cōstrayned
all Inde conquered in substaunce Atwene him and king Lisymachus Of whom tofore is made remembraunce Began a warre and a great distaunce And as they met with their apparayles In a great felde ordeyned their battayles On Lisymachus fyll the disconfiture Wherof Seleuchus glad in especiall Dempt his winnyng came not of nature But by influence very celestiall Gan waxe proude in his estate royall Not supposing in his victorious stall Of his mischeues that should after fall For as the processe declareth vnto vs How of Egypt the great Tholome Brother in lawe to Lysimachus Fyll on Seleuchus by full great cruelte Slew him at mischefe the story ye may se Loste his lyfe as made is mencion In Macedoyne the mighty region And it is know of antiquitee By rehearsayle of the olde auctours That this foresayd great Tholome Was to Alexander one of the enheritours Kyng of Egypt there raignyng in his flours After whose name descedyng downe by grees Were all the kinges called Tholomees As I fynde touchyng his lynage By procreacion he had children thre The first of them to speake in playne langage I named was Ceraunius Tholome Next Philadelphus a daughter Arcynoe That wedded was by her faders coÌ„sentyng To Lisymachus of Macedon kyng The .xx. Chapter ⧠Howe the two sonnes of Quene Arcynoe were by their mothers brother trayterouslye slayne and she exyled ANd thus remembred in bokes olde Death of Seleuchus wrought by Tholome Vnwarely slayne tofore as I haue tolde Next in order came Arcynoe To John Bochas by great aduersite All with teares bedewed her vysage And gan coÌ„playne the coÌ„straynt of her rage This mighty quene the sayd Arcynoe Had sonnes twaine full famous of renoun The tone Lisymachus excelling of beautye That other Philip as made is mencion And her ioye and dilectation In worldly blisse there is no more to sayne Was holy set vpon these children twayne For by the occasion of their great fayrenes Men delited greatly them to se Namely women the story dothe expresse And their mother this quene Arcynoe Stode in great hope that they should be Mighty kynges by iust succession In Macedony the mighty region Onely by the title of their fathers ryght Whiche to her hart gaue full great gladnes For she dempt that none other wight To succede should haue no entresse But Fortune the blynde false goddesse Disposed so for her children twayne That none of theÌ„ their purpose shold attayne For whaÌ„ their father Lisimachus was slaine The sayd quene called Arcinoe To saue her lyfe coulde none other gayne But with her sonnes fearfully to fle Into Cassander a mighty stronge citee Onely for drede of one Antigonus Whiche theÌ„ pursued the story telleth thus But the brother of quene Arcynoe Called Ceraunius rescued her party Agayne Antygonus ye may the story se Yet in his hart he had great enuy Albe that they were nere of one alye That her two sonnes should kynges â—e Of Macedoyne and raygne in that countre For he was set onely of couetise To be crowned in Macedoyne kyng And of his false treason the story doth deuise Them to disâ—â—yue this was his workyng First to the quene full humbly knelyng He made promise vnder great surete In Macedoyne she should crowned be And her children so fayre of their vysage Should be kept vnder gouernaunce Vnto time that they came to age And for to put her in more assuraunce Ceraunius swore god geue him sory chaunce He purposed for all his false workyng To crowne her quene make her soÌ„nes king Toke all the gods therunto witnes And swore agayne with a plaine vysage Vnto the quene of fraude and doublenes His purpose was to haue her in mariage Crowne her quene to her great aduauntage Thus he swore all be he was her brother Yet in hart god wot he thought another Vnder colour of this assuraunce She let him enter Cassandre the cite Came again him to do him more pleasaunce With all her lordes of hye and lowe degre Made the stretes hanged for to be With clothes of golde in solemne wise To all their goddes she did sacrifise And thus he was receyued solemnely The day was halowed and holde feastiual The quene for ioye ordeyned rychely Her two sonnes that were so faire in all To be crowned with crownes full royall Go afore her in the maister strete Gloriously their vncle for to mete With felonous hart vnder a frendly face This Ceraunius rote of all treason Gan his cosyns benâ—igly embrace Him purposyng by false collusion To procede to their destruction And fynally fyrst he did his payne The quene texyle slea her chyldren twayne But or this treason was brought to a prefe Whan the quene apperceiued his falsenes And saw her sonnes brought to mischefe She coniured him 〈◊〉 her mortall distresse To haue pitie of naturall gentilnes Spare his cosins afore him where they stode Of royall mercy so nere borne of his bloud And with a crye paâ—yng 〈…〉 She fyl afore him â—wownyng 〈◊〉 ground Like as she had be 〈◊〉 culpable Seing her sonnes bleadyng w t many wouÌ„de But all for nought there was no mercy fouÌ„d For with their bloud this story is not fayned Her garment was dolefully distayned Her face fayre was foyled with ordure Her golden heere was all to torne rent And like a thrall this wofull creature With mortall wepyng had her sight blent And after that I fynde how she was sent To bury her children for there was no space Into an yle called Samothrace Is any story whiche maketh mencion That a pryncesse of so hye degre Founde so great cause of lamentacion She beyng daughter to great Tholome Her children slayne by vengeable crueltie And to beholde the death most dolorous Of her husbande called Lisymachus â–ª She after banished in exyle made her ende w t sorowful coÌ„playnt her life thus draw aloÌ„g Tyll into fate her spirite did wende It is no drede her paynes were full stronge And if I shoulde rehearce all the wronge That she suffred it woulde greue me to sore Therfore of her now I write no more ¶ Lenuoy THis tragedy sheweth an apparence And a lykenesse of faythfull assuraunce Excyte men to yeue false credence Vnto fortunes false variaunce Which cast her baytes angles of pleasaunce An hoke hid vnder of vengeable crueltie As this chapiter put in remembraunce Of Lisymachus and of Arcynoe Is there any greater euidence Of worldly trouble or worldly constaunce Than to se prynces from their magnificence And from their mighty royall puissaunce Vnwarely brought by fortune to mischauÌ„ce And ouerwhelmed from their tranquilitie Se here a myrror full notable in substaunce Of Lisymachus and quene Arcynoe The ryng the anker of great excellence yeâ—â— to Seleuchus for marciall suffisaunce Whan Appâ—â—â— by heauenly influence Lyst with his mother make his alyaunce Sent hiÌ„ these relikes of singuler acquaintaÌ„ce To set his manhode in more surete But in al such quaueryng acquayntauÌ„ce Thinke on Lisimachus and Arcinoe The vncouth
by great falsenesse His subtell sleyghtes and hys doublenesse Them to reherce ye get no more of me For in the byble the story ye maye se. The .xxix. Chapter ⧠Howe Demetrius the seconde lost at the last his head BVt I wyll returne to Demetrius That called was Demetrius the seconde Which by discent came fro Antiochus And by his manhode as it is well founde Dyd the pride of kyng Ballas confounde Called Alysander which by great out rage Had put his father fro his herytage This Demetrius famous and notable Vpon Parthoys had many great victory Tyll kyng Arsacides double and deceyuable Him selfe delytyng greatly in vaynglory By hys sleyghty fraudes deceptory Vnder a shadow of faynyng and false chere Toke Demetrius vnwarely prisonere And to great hindring sclauÌ„der of his name Arsacides by a maner mockery Made Demetrius for dispite and shame Poorly arayed of hate and great enuy For to be led through all Jury Made hym after by great auisement To wed hys doughter agayne hys owne entent This Demetrius was kepte out of prees That but fewe had of hym syght Vnto tyme that Arsacydes Was deed and passed for all his great might Than he cast to escape away by flyght And secretly to accomplishe his entent He gate hym couÌ„sayle that was of his assent Gallymandrus a lorde of that countre Which that was of hys assent in dede In their flight to kepe them more secre Made Demetrius for to chaunge his wede And preuy wayes forth he dyd him lede But all for nought his flight was in vayne For by strong pursute he was taken agayne After by constraynt presented to the kyng That he gan wexe wery of his life Kept more straytly folke on him waytyng And maugre him presented to hys wife With her to abide full heuy and pensyfe But wheÌ„ they had childreÌ„ atwene theÌ„ twaine To go more at large losed was his chayne And thus he had space and fre lycence To go and come at his auauntage For whyle his wife helde with him resydence They dempt hys chyldren were suffisaunt hostage But he was euer vnstable of hys corage With Gallymandrus the foresayde knyght Thre times take brought agayn by flyght And for he was so dyuers many folde Kyng Fâ—ahaâ—es in token he was vnstable Sent him thre dice forged square of golde To play raket as a chylde chaungeable Hys disposition was so varyable But for to restrayne hys condicion He was est take and fettred in pryson But whan fortune had geuen hym a pull By many a diuers straunge aduer site To punish him more Phrahates wexeth dul And Demetrius of pryson was made free Full restored agayne to his countre Wext proude agayne of new it is so fall That he was hated of his lieges all Cleopatra hys mother that was quene Of all Egypt and wyfe to Tholome Was with her lorde at stryfe who lyst sene Which turned after to great aduer sue But to strength her party thus wrought she Made her sonne for to take on hande For her to fyght agayne her husbande But Tholome called Euergetes Gayne Demetrius defended hys countre Made zebenna to put hym selfe in prees Sonne of a marchaunt borne of lowe degre To make a clayme by false subtylte Of all Surry to haue possession For hym allegyng tytle of adoption He to be sonne to Antiochus Claymyng therby the kyngdome of Surry Onely texclude the sayde Demetrius And Tholomeus to sustayne the party Of zebenna with all hys châ—ualry Gathered in Egypt and countreys enuyron Agayne Demetrius proudly is come doun And fortune wyth her double face Caused the countre ryse by rebellion That Demetrius stode clene out of grace Whereby the people of that region Were whole agayne hym in their opinion That by Tholomes wonderfull workyng zebenna there receyued was as kyng Thus zebenna by false intrusion Of all Surry was made lorde and kyng Tytle was there none but collusion Texclude Demetrius by subtle compassyng Yet as I fynde hys party defendyng Howe Demetrius zebenna gan assayle Theyr quarel darreyned w t a great batayle Great people slayne vpon outher syde Demetrius put from hys region And ouercome for hys great pryde At great mischefe to hys confusion Hauyng no succour nor consolacion But with a fewe chose of hys meyne Fled by water to Tyre the cite Lyke as he woulde haue lyued there in pees By a faynt maner of perfection Within the temple of myghty Hercules Vnder a shadowe of religion But sodainly at hys commyng doun Into Tyre and at hys arriuayle His heed smit of what dyd his pride auayle ⧠The .xxx. Chapter ¶ Howe zebenna kyng of Surry by entrusion entryng had mischeuous endyng TOuchyng zebenna of whome I spake toforne Poorely brought vp and of lowe lynage And of kynred but a begger borne Came tofore Bochas trist of hys visage Soore wepyng muet of langage Gan complayne hys wofull auenture Vnware and sodayne impossible to recure Hys condicions somwhat dull and rude Fyrst in pouerte proude and presumptious Appeched after of great ingratitude Shewed in hys lyfe to kyng Autiochus Hys first furtherer the story telleth thus For whyche Antiochus greatly was anoyed Cast a meane by whyche he was distroyed There was a cosyn y t called was Grispus To Antiochus and of the same lyne Whiche by title of Demetrius Claymed as heyre by many vncouth signe To reygne in Surry proudly gan maligne Agayne zebenna whose party to supporte Stode Antiochus chefe as I can reporte This sayd Grispus yonge and tender of age By the furtheryng and supportacion Of Antiochus had in maryage His owne doughter with great possession That zebenna for shorte conclusion Compelled was for all his great myght To Antioche for to take hys flyght And there he fyll in so great pouerte Fayled money for to paye wages The soudyous whyche in that countre Abyde vpon him of all maner ages Strange folke and sundrye of langages Theues inurdres mansteers pyllours First of Jupiter assaylyng the treasours To his disclaunder perpetuall of memory The diffame arose so many folde In Jouis temple the baner of victory He toke away that was of massâ—fe golde With a great ymage that stode there of olde Of golde also with other mo treasours With which pillage he payed the soudiours Of sacrilege hauyng no conscience To escape away he entred is the see But Eolus by great violence With winde and tempest as he dyd flee Dyd vnto hym full great aduersite And all his meyny forsoke hym of entent And he was take and to Grispus sent King of Surry to whoÌ„ wheÌ„ he was brought Gaue on hym by iudgement thys sentence For sacrilege that he had wrought Spoyâ—â—g temples by great violence Doyng to goddes no maner reuerence For which Grispus coÌ„mauÌ„deth hath as iuge He to be slayne there was no better refuge Of byrthe a boy clambe vp to royall stage Brought vp of nought and set in dignite Knew nat hym selfe wext cruell of corage Arose fro pouert to great prosperite
away besyde And at the siege lyst no lenger abyde Lucullus then the myghty Consuler Pursued after slew of hys meyne Such a multitude that Asopus the ryuer Was made with blode lyke the reed se w t winde tempest fordriuen also was he And when he saw no succour in the lande To shyp he went w t strong and mighty hand He founde fortune cruell aduersary On lande and se this worthy Mithridate And Neptunus made the see contrary Agayns him his puyssaunce to abate What shall men call it influence or fate So sodaynly a prynce of hye renowne Fro hye noblesse to be plounged downe For any mischefe he kept aye one visage This Mithridate and lothe was for to plye Or for to bowe so stronge was hys corage But efte agayne goth with hys chiualry Towarde Adrastus an hyll of Armeny Where as Pompey beset hym enuyron Sent fro Rome to his distruction Mithridate makyng his lodgyng place Vnder that hyll when it drew to nyght The troubly heuen w t thuÌ„dring gan manace The firy leuyn dyrked hath hys syght The cloudy moue eclipsed of her lyght Astonied hym by vnware violence That he stode confuse of all prouydence He was by tempest and vnware derkenesse Almost made wery of hys wofull lyfe Yet I fynde of very kyndnesse Hipsicrata whiche that was hys wyfe Nouther for werre nor no mortall stryfe Left him neuer disguysed of vysage Folowed him arayed as a page Yet in hys most mortall heuynesse Whan cloudy fortune gan him most manace Of his corage the naturall quickenesse Appaled nat nor remeued from his place So hie prowesse dyd hys heart enbrace Nat dispayred for no sodayne fall Of condicion he was so marciall In token wherof he standyng at mischefe Chaunged nouther chere nor countenaunce An euidence and a full great prefe Of manly force and heartely assuraunce Defiyng fortune with all her varyaunce Whan that he founde to hys distruction Of dispayre greatest occasion With hym he had a baylife as I fynde Called Castor whiche of condicion Was to his lorde false and eke vnkynde And conspired agayne him false treason In token wherof vp to Rome toun Hys lordes children yonge tender of age â—yke a thefe he sent them in hostage One of his sonnes he murdred by treason Which Mithridate toke ful sore at herte Another sonne as made is mencion False to his father which whaÌ„ he did aduerte The vnkyndnesse made him sore smerte For of all vyces shortly to conclude â—orst of al is hatefull ingratitude This same childe of whom I make mynde Called Pharnax whych agayne nature To his father traytour and vnkynde And his purpose agayne hym to recure In al hast dyd his busy cure For to accomplyshe his purpose in party Drewe to him hole his fathers chyualry By sleight mede whaÌ„ he was made strong He besieged his father rounde aboute Vnto nature me semeth he dyd wrong To put his father in so great a dout Kyndnesse was ferre shyt wythout Whan the sonne wyth hate set a fyre Agayne his father falsly dyd conspyre Wyth multitude his father was constrayned Maugre hys myght in to a toure to flee Hys sonne vnkynde hath at him disdained And yet for al his straunge aduersite Of his corage the magnanimite In his person stode hole lyst not vary Though fortune was to hym contrary Yet myne auctour Bocas beareth recorde That Mithrydate if it would haue be Requyred his sonne to be at accord And set asyde al olde contrariouste But he vnkynde indurate was parde Euer frowarde malycious of corage So disposed from his tendre age So that the kyng Mithrydate alas Was ouercome by vnkyndenesse That neuer afore in no maner caas Stode dismayed but of hye prowesse Kept aye one face all passions to represse This vertue force by marcial doctrine For none aduersite suffred hym declyne Ende of his werres his mortall stryues Of his debates and discencions Hys concubines his daughters hys wiues By meane onely of certayne pocions Slewe them al by drinkynge of poysons For he not woulde the cause to dyscriue After his death they shoulde byde on lyue Hys owne death of mortall fell rygour Compassed afore thus he gan deuyse Made a french knyght y â— was a soudiour With a sharpe sworde in ful cruel wyse To ren him through wherby the frauÌ„chyse Conserued was his purpose to fulfyl He woulde not dye but by his owne wyll Lo here the ende of kyng Mithridate Let princes all of his deth take hede Howe rechelesly he passed in to fate And by assent made his herte blede And Bochas here who lyst hys boke to rede Playnly rehersynge but in wordes fewe To worldely princes doth his coÌ„ceyte shewe ¶ Lenuoye MYghty prynces lyfte vp your corrages Towarde heauen doo youre hertes dresse Of your memory turne vp the vysages Wher ioy is euer peace concorde gladnesse True armonye celestiall swetnes Counterpayse in your remembraunce Worldly chaunges fortunes variaunce Aduertise the mortal fell outrages Of blody werres impossible to repres Whyle false enuy wyth his furious rages In sondry realmes hath so great entres Slaughter murdre deuision falsenes Which conscience haue brought to vttrauÌ„ce Through soden chaunge of worldly variauÌ„ce Reken vp princes that sate hye on stages What was the fyne of their royall noblesse Or of tirauntes reken vp the blody wages Sodaine slaughter guerdoned their wodenes Mithridate can beare hereof wytnes By blode vnkynde brought vnto vttrauÌ„ce Through soden chauÌ„ge of worldly variaunce Prynces remembre vpon the golden age Whan Saturne ruled y â— worlde in rightwisnes Next Jupiter for peoples auauÌ„tage The silueren worlde conserued in clennes Which Mars hath nowe turned to felnes Made it steelen w t sworde dagger launce Through soden chauÌ„ge of worldly variauÌ„ce Of Mithridate regestre the vyages Conspired poysons taffray his prowesse On land and see tempestious passages By coÌ„straynt bode .vii. yere in wildernesse Of his wandrynge payse the vnsykernes Hys ende myschefe knewe no auoydaunce Gayn worldly chauÌ„ge nor fortuÌ„es variauÌ„ce If neglygeÌ„ce haue brought you in rerages Towarde God or he reken in streyghtnesse Let reason medle for you to lay hostages Compassyon mercy partynge of almesse Towarde heuen to support your feblenesse Whan your merites shal paise in balaunce Of worldly chauÌ„ges fortunes variaunce Deth spareth nother hye nor lowe lynages Haue mynde heron for any rechelesnes Transitory be here your pylgrimages Set with brigaÌ„ts vnwarely you toppresse But of prudence by great auysenesse Wyth prouydence preserue your puyssaunce Gayn worldly chauÌ„ge fortunes variaunce ☞ The .iiii. chapter ⧠Howe Eucratydes kynge of Sythie was slayne by Demetrius and after his carayne cast to houndes NExt in ordre to Bochas dyd apere A woful prince that put hym selfe in prees Reignyng in Sithia his story doth vs lere The name of whom was Eucratides But to disturbe his quiet and his pees Agayne him plainly as I fynde Came Demetryus y â— myghty kyng of Inde Of whom the power
of his chyldren beyng at nurcery As the story putteth in remembraunce Of auenture or they coude it espy His knightes slough I trowe it was vengeaūce Eche tirant gladly endeth with mischaūce And so much he that wext ayen Christ wode Which for his sake shedde innocētes blode The nōbre of childre that were slayne in dede About Bethelem and in tho parties An hundred forty and four M. as I rede Two yere of age sought out by espies Of Herodes and for the prophecies Of Christes byrth mencion did make They were echone slayne for his sake Fro that day forth as made is mencion He fyl in many vncouth malady His flesh gan tourne to corrupcion Frette wyth wormes vpon eche party Whiche him assailed by great tourmentry His legges swole corbed blacke gan shyne Where vengeaūce worketh adue al medicine Of his sickenes the stenche was so horible To awayte on him no man myght abyde Vnto him selfe his carrayne wext odible So sore he was troubled on eche syde Leches for hym did a bath prouide But al for nought in such mischefe he stode Of greuous constraynt he sodēly wext wode In token he was wery of his lyfe So importable was his mortal paine To pare an apple he asked a sharpe knyfe His malady dyd hym so constraine Fully in purpose to cut his herte in twayne The knife he raught leysar whan he founde One stode besyde bacwarde drue his hond For payne vnneth his winde he might drawe Gaue al his frendes in commaundement By a decree and a furious lawe That al the worthy of parties adiacēt Whiche y ◠were faine or glad in their entente Of his dethe he voyde of all pitee The same day they shoulde slayne be This cursed wretche this odious caytife I rede of none stode farther out of grace In sorowe mischefe ended hath his lyfe Eche man was glad whan he shoulde pace And for his storye doth this boke difface With wofull clauses of him whan I wryte Therefore I cast no more of him tendite ¶ Lenuoy OF Herodes the vnware cursed fall The lyfe vngracyous of hym and hys kinrede Euer vengeable in his estate roial Hys wyfe his childre slough of olde hatered Innocentes he made in Bethelem blede Reignyng in Juda borne of foreyne lygne The fyrst tyrant ye may the Byble rede Whych ayen Christ gan frowardly maligne Hys swerde of rigour cruel and mortal Aye redy whet to do vengeaunce in dede Hasty and fumous with furies infernall Of wylfull malice innocētes blode to shede Dyd execucion also on womanhede Slewe his alies whiche was a cursed signe For the fyrste cause he stode in drede Whiche againe Christe gan frowardly maligne He woulde that none were to hym egall That daye alyue in Israell to succede The byrthe of Christ dred in especiall Cause fro Jesse his line gan floure sede He but a forrayne came in by fraude mede Without titell to that estate vndigne The fyrst also who lyst take hede Whiche agayne Christe gan frowardely maligne Noble princes that gouerne ouer all This large world both in length and brede Whan you sitte hyest in your royall stall Do not the people oppresse nor ouerlede Vpon Herodes remembre as I rede In what mischefe that tyrant dyd fyne To shewe y ◠none shal in hys purpose spede Whyche ayen Christ doth cursedly maligne The .iii Chapiter ¶ Of Antipas exiled by Octauian and of Archelaus sonne of Herodes the seconde COmpendiouslye thus ye haue herde the fal Of Herodes remembred by Bochas Who in his testament set in especiall To succede him Herode Antipas In hast exiled of hym thys was cas By Octauian to Vien as I rede And Archelaus ordained to succede Sonne of Herodes called the seconde Which in effect toke possession In Hierusalem reigned as I rede Of whom mine aucthor for short conclusion Maketh in his boke but small mencion Hym and hys brother set sodainly asyde Of them to write no lenger lyst to abyde Saue that he writeth the forsaide Antipas At Vien a mighty great cite In his exyle soone after slayne was And Archelaus succeding in Jude With Herodias who lyst the storyse By Agrippa to Tiberye accused Of certayne crimes coude not be excused A certaine time cōmaunded to prison Of themperour coude neuer get grace Banished him fer from hys region In to Spaine for a certayne space And his worshyp breuely to deface Fortune caused to his final reprefe He died there in pouerte and mischefe The fatal ende rehersed of these twayne In what distresse that they dyd fyne Myne auctour after gan his pen ordaine To write the case by many a wofull lyne Vpon the striefe at wene Messalyne And other twayne standynge by her syde Tofore Jhon Bochas howe they dyd chyde Tofore Bochas they came all thre to playne Messalyne the wyfe vnto Claudius Againe whom there were other twayne Calligula and Tiberius In whose time was slaine Christ Jesus Touching y ◠debate that was amōg these thre Suyng the processe here folowyng ye shal se. The .iiii. chapter ¶ Of the strife bytwene Calligula Tiberius and Messalyne THys empresse named Messalyne As I haue tolde was wyfe vnto Claudius Successour as bokes determyne To Calligula called Gayus And as I fynde that Tiberius With Calligula both wode for tene Stode afore Bochas Messaline atwene Metynge al thre with furious loke chere Gayus Calligula called by his name Gan first reherce anone as ye shall here Without reuerence or any maner shame With an exordye to diffame Bochas present felly gan abrayde To Messalyne and euen thus he sayde Thou sclaundred woman noysed in lechery Thrugh the world as folke thy name atwite And reported for thine aduoutry What doest y ◠here in thy mournyng habite ▪ I trowe thou commest of purpose to visite In this place the vnhappy women fiue Touchinge disclaundre that euer were alyue The first of them called Emilia And Lepyda was named the seconde Liuia Plaucia and the fyfthe Elya Diffamed echone in dede as it was founde In token wherof the lechery to confounde Of Emilia in auoutry take Was by the lawe of her lorde forsake By the whylom was knowe that Drusus Strangled was murdred by poyson Lyke to Claudia doughter of Claudius Which by her lorde the booke maketh mēcion Was throwen out to her confusion For her defautes founde in auoutry Sclaundred for euer there was no remedy Thou coudest whylom make thy lorde slepe With certaine drinkes to cast him in a rage By which he was made his bedde to kepe To get layser in thy flouring age For to misuse of false lust thyne outrage A nightertyme toke vpon thee a wede At the bordell dyddest amysse for mede Thyne appetite was very vnstaūcheable It is a shame to write it or expresse Thyne hateful lyfe was so abhominable Tibery and I can beare hereof wytnesse And with the worde anone she gan her dresse Whan she had herde al their fel langage Gaue them this answere
laboure with many a straunge forayne soudyoure Hauynge no title nor commyssion Contynued longe in hys rebellyon Wherof astonied was Dioclisian Seyng this mischefe dredful and perillous Ordayned in haste that Maximian Was surnamed and called Herculius Made hym emperour called Agustus Whiche had a fore no more gouernaunce But Gaule whiche now is called Fraunce Also more ouer this Dioclisian Made in thys whyle gouernours twayne Constancius and one Maximian Surnamed Galerius Cōstancius i certayn In this whyle to wedde he dyd his payne Doughter of Maximian called Herculius Named the odora myn auctor writeth thus By Theodora this Constancius Had sixe children in trewe mariage Broder to Cōstātyne y ◠cronicle telleth thus Whiche afterwarde when he came to age For his manhode and marciall corage Was chose and made Lord and gouernour Of all the worlde and crowned emperoure Carausius which had ful seuen yere Lyke as I tolde rebelled in Bretayne Agaynst the romayns a great extorcionere A knighte Allectus that did at hym disdayne Murdred him and after did his payne By force only and extort tyranny Fully thre yeres his place to occupye Tyll Asclepio was sent from Rome doun Slewe Allectus maugre all his myght ▪ Brought all Bretayne to subiection Of the romayns lyke as it was ryght And in this while like a manly knight For Italiens gan romayns disobey Constancius gan proudly them werrey He first wyth them had a stronge batayle His meyay slayne and put to the flighte Trustyng on fortune he gan thē efte assayle And sixty thousand were slayne in the fight The felde was his thrugh fortunes might As she that coude dissymule for a whyle And afterwarde falsly him begyle I wyll passe ouer as brefely as I can Set a syde all forayne incidentes Resorte agayne to Dioclisian Which at Alisaūdre proudly pytched his tentes The captaine slewe gaue commaund emēts To his knightes to do their auauntage With the cite by robbynge and pyllage Can agayne christen great persecucion Vsed this tyranny in the Orient By his bydding Maximian came doun Towarde the parties of the Occident Bothe these tyrauntes wrought by assent Vnder whose sworde many martyr deyes Slayn in Octodorū the legion of Thebeies At Verolamye a famous olde cyte Saynt Albou slaine his legend doth so tell And in Rome by furious crueltye The pope slayne that called was Marcel By their statutes and by their domes fell Churches were brent in townes and cyties Lost their fraunchise and al their liberties Frowarde enemy he was to Christes lawe Made many a martyr to dye for his sake Wext feble and olde and gan him withdraw From occupacion his rest for to take His attorney Maxymyan he dothe make In his last age it is reherced thus Stode in great drede of Constantius The drede of him sate so nye his hearte And thervpon toke suche a fantasy Imagining he might not start By fraud of him but that he shuld dye Almoste for fere fyll in a frensye Of which drede the boke maketh mencion He slewe him selfe by drinkyng of poison As I tolde erst in the Occident Maximian called Herculius Reygned as Emperour euer in hys entent To pursue martyrs he was aye laborus Of whose byrth Bochas foūd no auctoures This to saye he coude neuer rede Where he was borne nor of what kynrede He findeth no more of this Maximian Of his vsurpynge in esspeciall But that he was by Dioclisian Set in dignite called imperiall Famous in armes prudent and marcial Daunted al tho that did againe him striue Slewe Gencyans called in nomber fiue Rode in Affrike lyke a conquerour Broughte to subiections the sturdy nacions Fortune that time did him such fauoure Gate Sarmatoise with other regions with other cities and many riche towns By his conquest of new that he hath won Through y ◠world his name shone like y ◠son He was cheryshed in armes from hys youth And did greate emprises for Rome the cytie Yet Dioclisian as it is well couthe Counsayled him resigne his dignitie But he was lothe to forsake hys see Syth he was Lord and gouerned al For to renounce his state imperiall But by assent of Dioclisian As he him selfe had left the gouernaunce Euen so thys Maxymyan Discharged him self of his royal puissaunce But afterwarde he fyll in repentaunce And busy was as dyuers bokes sayne The state of Emperour to recure agayne Which for to acheue he dyd his diligence He was distourbed by Galerius For his sonne that called was Maxence Put in possession myn auctour writeth thus To which thing he gan wexe enuyous And gan ordeyne meanes in hys thought To trouble him but it auailed nought Whan his purpose myght take none auayle Againe Maxence as Bochas doth discryue His daughter Fausta that knew his coūsail Discured his purpose for which he fled bliue Into Gaule and durst no lenger striue And by Constantius in Marcile the cite Slayne sodenlye lost al his dignite The .viii. Chapter Howe Galerius oppressed martyrs and Christes fayth and myscheuously ended NExt tofore Bochas came Galerius A man disposed to ryot and outrage Euel teached frowarde and vicious There is no story that speketh of hys lynage Yet was he set ful hye vpon the stage Of worldly dignyte rose vp to hye estate Yet in his ginning he was not fortunate He was sent out by Dioclisian And made emperour by hys auctorite Agayne Narseus the proud knightly man Reignyng in Perce and Lord of that coūtre Whiche helde werre with Rome the cyte For which Galerius toke on him this emprise wyth myghtye hande hys pryde to chastyse Galerius entred into Derce lande Kinge Narseus met him of auenture Had a strong batayle fought hand for hande His fortune such he might not endure On Galerius fyll the discomfyture Clad in purple as made is mencyon Of Dioclisian receyued hys guerdon At their meting anone or they were ware Dioclisian made him to abide To his confusyon sytting in his chare To walke on fote by the chares syde Wyth many a rebuke abated was his pryde Galerius for the great shame Gan seke a meane agayne to get hys name Came for to assemble hys old soudiours Made for his ordinaūce by diligent workig Chase out the best proued warryours With a great hoste to Perce he came ryding and ofte there fought with the king That the perciens maugre al theyr myght Were of Galerius that dai put to flight The felde was his he gate greate riches Robbed their tentes and wan there pillage In this resort receiued in sothnes In great nobles because of that voyage Thus can fortune chaunge her vysage Of Dioclisian where he stode in disdaine wyth newe tryumphe resorted is agayne This cloudy quene stādeth neuer in certain whose double whele quauereth euer in dout Of whyse fauour no man hath be certayne Though one haue grace another is put out Let euerye man as it cometh about Take his tourne and neuer in her assure Faylynge in armes is but auenture Thus Galerius
Take at mischefe and maugre his might In chaynes bound dampned anone ryght For to be deed his people as it is tolde Many one slayne some take and some sold. There was none prouder nor more suâ—qÌ„dus In thylke dayes plainly to discryue Then was this said king Radagasus Which toke on him with romains to stryue His â—ower short was ouerturned bliue For fortune of malice had a lust To â—â—e this tirant with hunger with thrust Among other proud princes all Reioised him selfe by a maner vainglory Because that men in countres did him cal King of Gothes short is the memorye Of him rehersed or written in history To gyue ensample in dede men maye finde The name of tyrantes is sone out of minde The .xix. Chapter ¶ Howe Ruffyn chamberlayne with Theodosy vsurped to be Emperour and therfore by Honorious dampned and his heade smyt of HIe climing vp hath oft an vnware fal And specially whan it is sodaine Fro low degre to estate imperyall Whan false ambicion the ladder doth ordain By vsurpacion presumptuously to attayne Abouâ— the skyes with his heade to perce Fro whens he come were shame to reherce I meane as thus al such hasty climbing Of them that list not them self to know And haue forget the grouÌ„d of their ginning By froward fame with worldly winds blow â–ª To reise their name aboue sagitaris bowe Recorde of Ruffin which proudly gan desire By false intrusion to occupi the â—pite Which Rufin was whilom chamberlayn With Theodosy and holde a manly knight Yet in one thing he was â—oule ouersaine By couetise blynded in his syght To speÌ„d his labour that had no title of right By the emperour Honorius he was sent For to gouerne all the Orieate By processe Ruffin was made vikeâ—e Called after the vikarimperial Toke vpon him holye and entere By authorite chefe and principall Him selfe alone for to gouerne all And most able thus he did deme Before all other to weare a diedeme Of him selfe so much he did make In porte and therto most ambicious At Constantinople he was vnwarely take First bound in chaynes after serued thus By true iudgment of Honorius His hed smot of and his righthand in dede This was his ende no more of him Irede The .xx Chapter ¶ Howe Stillyon and other of like condicon ended in mischefe AFter whose dethe to Bochas came one Such other like of condicion Afore remembred called Stillion Purposed him to haue possession Of the Empyre hole thus he thought And by what mene y â— way his fader sought Compendiously to tell of these twayne Fro diuers countrees towarde SepteÌ„trion To gather people did theyr busy payne Of many dyuers straunge nacion Againe Honorius they came togyder doun And as they met fortune made them fayle Bothe atones slaine were in batayle Their ginning cursed had a cursed fyne After whose death I rede of other twayne Of one Constance his father Constantyne Which Constantine toke on him certayne To reigne in Gaule and after dyd ordayne In that countre to be gouernour There to continue as lorde and Emperoure His sonne Constaunce caught a deuocion Of conscience and forthwith anonright Was shaue a monke made his profession His father after of very force and might Let take hiÌ„ out gaue hiÌ„ thorder of a knight Bothe of assent gan make them selfe strong Toppres the countre do the people wrong This said Constaunce as mine auctor saith Was confederate of hatefull cruelte With one HeÌ„ricius assurauÌ„ce made of faith As brethern sworne for more authorite And for to make the nombre vp of thre Constantyne was sworne with them also To be al one in what they had to do These saide thre sworne and ioyned thus Conquered in Spayne many a great cyte But in this whyle this said Henricius Traytour false and full of duplicite His felowe slought againe his othe pardye Thus was ConstauÌ„ce through false collusioÌ„ Of Henricius murdred by trayson Henricius lyued nat but a whyle By his owne knightes he slaine was also Fraude for fraude disceit is quyt with gyle It foloweth euer and gladly cometh therto Men receiue their guerdon as they do Let men alway haue this in remembraunce Murdre of custome wyll ende w t mischauÌ„ce Among suche other thus endinge in mischefe Came Attalus and one Eraclyan For no prowes but to their great reprefe Remembred here their storie tell can Agayne Romanes whan they rebell gan By Honorius afore made officers And of the Empyre called chefe vykars First Attalus for his tyranny Whan he in Gaule was made gouernour Went in to Spaine with a great company Dyd his payne and fraudulent labour By false sleight to be made Emperour Take and bounde exiled for falsnesse His hande smyt of ended in wretchednesse Of Eraclian the ende was almost lyke Yet was he promoted to great prosperite Made gouernour and lorde of Affrike Of Consulere rose to the dignite Rode through Libi and many a gret couÌ„tre With thre thousande shippes gan to sayle And with seuin hundred to ariue in Itayle So many shyppes neuer afore were seine Like as it is accompted by wryting His nauy passed the nauy in certayne Of mighty zerxses that was of Perce king Or Alisandre but yet in his coÌ„ming Toward Itaile whan he should aryue The sea fortune gan againe him stryue At his arriuaile he had a sodaine drede Cause Honorius had sent downe a capitain Constancius called gouernoure and bede Of all the Romains to mete him on y e plain For whiche Eraclian tourned is again As I fynde gan take his passage Towarde the cite that called is Cartage Thus fortune lyst her power shewe Or he came fully to that noble towne With sharpe swerdes he was all to hewe Among his knights through false collusion As they fil at a discencion Of intrucion fyrst gan the quarell Again Romains whan he gan rebell ⧠The .xxi. Chapter ¶ A goodly processe why Rome was distroied and for the same or lyke cause many other realmes OF many mischeues before rehersed Some drawe a longe and some shortly tolde And howe fortune hath her whele reuersed By tragedies remembred manyfolde Tofore by Bochas of princes yonge olde In the eight boke rehersed the processe Echone almost ended in wretchednesse Namely of them that dyd moste desyre By wrong titel them selfe to magnify To haue lordshyp and gouerne th empyre The state imperial proudly to occupy Whiche estate plainly to specifye As farre as Phebus doth in his spere shyne Among all lordships is brought to ruyne Fro mine authour I lyst nat discorde To tel y â— ground why Rome came to nought By an example I cast me to recorde What was chefe cause if it be wel out soght By a storie that came vnto my thought Of John Bochas whiche ye shal here That full notably is rehersed here Which ensample and storie rehersing Ceriously folowing myne authour Odoacer whylom a famous king A kyng by name and a great gouernour But of
tofore Gaulter his iudgemeÌ„t to shew With sharp swordes he was all to hewe The execucion done vpon these thrâ— In Tuskan borne the rancour did apease Of Florentines to staunche the cruelte Againe Gaulter to his life great ease He glad to escape out of his disease Fled away in full secrete wyse The towne restored again to their frauÌ„chyse Thus he lost by his insolence All his power and dominacion Bothe of Tuskan and also of Florence And as mine auctour maketh mencion Fro Lombardy he is discended doun Drew to king Iohn reigning tho in FrauÌ„ce And of byrth full nigh of alyaunce As I fynde he was on that partye With king Ihon this Gaulter like a knight Whan that the king with all his chiualry Was take him selfe his lordes put to flighte Into Englande lad after anone righte The said Gaulter hauing no regarde To his worshyp fled like a cowarde Met in his flyght with diuerse soudyours Of Lombardy abiding with king Iohn Which that time as brygantes pyllours Toke this Gaulter led him forthe anone His force his corage his herte was agone Of auenture a certaine Florentine Smit of his head this was his fatall fyne The .xxxv. Chapter ¶ Of Philipot Cathenoise borne of lowe birth which came vnto great estate and after she her sonne her doughter were brent BEspraynt with teares and wofull noyse Tofore Bochas quaking in sorow and drede Next in order came Philipot Cathenoyse Poore of degree borne of lowe kynrede Which rose after to great estate in dede And gan with sorow complaint ful mortal Seriously to tell her woful fall Touching her byrth derke was her linage Of poore bed borne on outher syde Bochas was lothe to spende great langage On her history longe theron to abyde Purposed him nothing for to hide Of the substaunce but tell all the great And superfluite of the remenaunt to leat Whiche was reherced by him in his youth Whan he was toward Robert of Cecyle Kyng of Ierusalem the storye is nat couth Yet in his boke he list it compyle And it reherce by full soueraine stile Lyke in that courte as it was to him tolde By one Bulgare called in slauaine olde The sayd Bulgare was a marynere With him also was a Calabrien Called Constantine which full many a yere Trauailed had and sondry thinges sene In diuers countreis there he had bene Monge other thinges sene in dayes olde This was a storie which Bulgare tolde Duke of Calabre Robert by his name By his father Charles the mighty kyng Had in coÌ„mauÌ„dement y â— storye saith the same Gayne Frederike to make a stronge ryding Which by force proudly vsurping Toke vpon him to be lorde of that yle Which called was the kingdome of Cicyle Depranne in sothe called was the towne Where duke Robert his pauyllions pight Rode armed through his hie renowne Gaine Frederike for the lande to fight And to withstande him plainly if he might And so be fyll the morowe before prime The dukes wife of childing bode her tyme. Violaunt men did that lady call In her time a famous great duchesse Destitute of other women al Whan her childe was borne in that distresse To yeue it souke the story doth expresse Saue for mischefe Philipot was fet nere Of Cathenoyse the dukes chefe laundere By a fysher which was her husbande A childe she had lyuing by theyr trauaile Which fro the sea vnto the courte by lande Day by day caried vitaile And in this case be cause it might auayle Philipot was brought in this greate straytnesse To be norice vnto the duchesse Where she was cherished after her desyres Eche thing redy whan that euer she sent With the duchesse amonge other chambrers In to Naples I fynde that she went Tyll Atropose frowarde of entent Made of this childe there is no more to say The lyues threde for to breke in tway With king Charles of whoÌ„ I spake toforne As mine auâ—tour remembreth in his boke Was one Raymond of Champayne borne Whiche w t the king was called mayster coke And on a day his iourney he toke Towarde the sea a pyrate as I finde Solde him a child which was borneiÌ„ Inde Lyke Ethiopiens was his colour For whoÌ„ this coke Raymonde hath deuysed For in his notable diligent labour Made him christen and so he was baptised Gaue him the name and also practysed Him to promote that he vpon him toke By his doctrine to be mayster coke For he sone after toke the order of a knight The Ethiopien wext a good officere Gate suche grace in the kinges sight To be about him more nere By processe he was made wardyopere And though he was blacke of his visage To Cathenoyse he was ioyned in maryage Wexte malyperte and of presumpcion To be made knight y â— king he gan requere Which of fredom and great affection Is condiscended to graunt his prayere But to declare plainly the manere In this time Violaunt the duchesse Afore remembred dyed of sicknesse After whose death bokes dothe certifye Howe duke Robert of Naples the cite Wedded a Lady that called was Sausye To whom Philipot as fyll to her degre With diligence and great humilite To please her dyd so her deuer That of counsayle there was none so nere Euer redy at her commaundement Wrought atyres plesaunt of delite With holsom waters that were redolent To make her skyn by washing sote white Made confections to serue her appetyte By her husbande the story who lyst se The same Philipot had chyldren three She was connyng of her porte prudent Chosen by fauour for to be maystresse To fayre Iane yonge and innocent Which doughter was to the great duchesse Of Calabre and furthermore to expresse Her husbande the Ethyopyen withall Of Charles houshold was made seneschall O lorde quod Bochas spake of hie disdain What meneth this fortune for to make chere With her fauour to rayse vp a forayne Vpon her whele with bright fethers clere But of custome it is aye her manere Fayrest to appere with chere countenauÌ„ce Whan she wyll bryng a maÌ„ vnto mischauÌ„ce For he that was a boy the last day An Ethiopien borne horrible of sight And afore time in the kechyn lay Amonge the pottes with baudy cote anight Nowe of newe hath take the ordre of knight With king Charles is now seneschall Such sodayne climbing asketh a sodain fal He and Philipot his wyfe fro pouerte Be enhaunced and rissen to great richesse Two of their sonnes stately maryed be And he for fauour more than worthynesse To order of knight in his most highnesse Their father died whose feast funerall Was solempnysed and holde full royall Thus can fortune chaunge as the mone Her bright face derked with a skye His eldest sonne dyed after sone The seconde left vp his clergie To be made knightlgan him selfe apply Stode of his father plainly as I rede In his office by fauour to succede Thus by processe fro Philipot anonright Deathe of