his power drewe alway bacward And his empire was after ybrought full low His riall fame fortune hath ouerthrow His name eclipsed y t sumtime shone ful clere Of great Cison besyde the ruiere Of quene Iocasta Bochas doth also endite Princesse of Thebes a mighty great citie Of her vnhappes he dolefully doth write Imagining howe he did her se To him appere in great aduersite Lyke a woman that would in teares reine For that fortune gan at her so disdeine And though she were defaced of figure There shewed in her a maner maieste Of quenely honour plainly to discure Her infortuns and her infelictte And to declare plainly how that she Of all princesses which stode in estate Was her selfe the most infortunate Which gaue to Bochas full great occasion Whan he sawe her pitous apparayle For to make a lamentacion Of vncouth sorowes whych dyd her assaile With a tragedy to wepe and to wayle Her importable and straunge dedely strife Which that she had duryng all her lyfe He wryte of her a story large and playne And of her byrth fyrst he doth diffyne And affyrmeth in hys boke certayne She was discended of a noble lyne In flouryng age also when she dyd shyne She wedded was for her great beauty Vnto the kyng of Thebes the citye Which in his tyme was called Layus And whan her wombe by processe dyd aryse The kyng was glad and also desirous The childes fate to know in some wise And thought he would go do sacrifice Vnto Appollo to haue knowlegynge toforne Touching his child whan that it was borne What should folow in conclusion He was desirous and hasty for to se Fyrst by heauenly disposicion And by the fauour if it woulde be Of Appollos myghty deite To haue aunswere among his wyttes al Of his child what fate should befall His answere though it were contrary To his desire yet was it thus in dede Appollo tolde hym and lyst no lenger tary That this childe should verily in dede Slee his father and make his sides blede And w t his hands there was none other wey But on his swerde he must nedes deye The kyng was heuy trist on this sentence Sorouful of hert god wote nothyng faine And cast afore through his prouidence That his son should in al hast be slayne And that he would not an houre delayne After his byrth but bad his men to gone Into a forest and slee the chylde anone Lyke his byddyng the ministers dyd in dede Takyng the chylde tendre yong of age And into a forest wyth them they gan it lede To be deuoured of beastes most sauage The mother alas almost fell into rage Seyng her child so inly fayre of face Shal thus be deed and dyd no trespace Lytel wondre though she felt smert To al women I report me And vnto mothers that ben tendre of hert In this mater fuges for to be Was it not ruth was it not pite That a princesse a quene alas Shuld know her child deuoured in such caas ▪ After thys byrth Layus toke good kepe Without mercy respite or delay That vnto one whych kept his shepe This yong chyld vpou a certayne day Shal be deliuered in al the hast he may To thys entent it myght not be socoured But that it should of beastes be dettoured This sayd sheperde goth forth anon ryght The chyld beholdyng benigne of loke face Thought in hert and in his inwarde light He shoulde do to god a great trespace To slee this child wherfore he did hym grace Toke fyrst a knife and dyd his busy payne Throughout his fete to make holes twayne Toke a smal rodde of a yonge osier Perced the fete alas it was pite Bonde hym fast and by good leiser The yong childe he henge vpon a tree Of entent that he ne should not be Through wylde beastes cruel and sauage All sodenly deuoured in their rage Vpon the tre whyle he henge thus bound Of auenture by some occasion A straunge sheperd hath the child yfound Whych of ruth and pyte toke hym doun Bare wyth hym home in to hys toun Made hys wyfe for to do her payne To foster the chylde wyth her brestes twaine And whan he was brought forth recured And full made hole of hys woundes sore Thys yong chyld whych al this hath endured Whan he in age began to were more And that nature began hym to restore The saide sheperde that loued hym best of all After his hurtes Edippus dyd hym cal For Edippus is no more to saine Who that conceyueth the exposicion But fete yperced throughout both twayne In that langage as made is mencion And to Meropa wife of king Polibion The shepeherde of ful humble entent Began the child ful lowly to present And for she was barreyne of nature She and the kyng of one affection Toke Edippus both in to their cure As sonne and heire by adopcion To reigne in Corinth by succession The kyng the quene of Corinth the coūtre Had the chylde in so great cheerte Let men considre in their discrecion Sodayne chaunge of euery maner thyng This childe sent out for his distruction And now prouided for to be a kynge And through fortune aye double in working He that was refuse to beastes most sauage Is now receyued to knyghtly heritage Destitute he was of his kynrede Forsake and abiect of bloud and of alie In tēdre youth his fete were made to blede Henge on a tre and began for helpe crie But god that can in mischefe magnifye And reconfort folke disconsolate Hath made thys childe nowe thus fortunate And hath prouided to be a kynges heire Him that stode of deth in auenture Fortune can shew herselfe both foule fayre Folkes brought lowe ful wel ayen recure And such as paciently can endure And lyst not grudge ayenst their chastisyng God out of myschefe can sodenly them bryng But whan Edippus was growe vp to age Lyke a yong prince encresynge in noblesse Lusty and strong and freshe of his corage Of auenture it fel so in sothnesse Outher by strife or by some frowardnes Or by sume conteke he had knowledgynge Howe he was not sonne vnto the kynge As by discēt but a ferre fortaine Whereupon full sore he began to muse And for to knowe and be put in certaine Thought he would som maner practike vse And to the kyng he gan hym selfe excuse For a tyme to wythdrawe his presence Tyil he myght knewe by some experience Or by sume signe howe the matter stode Thought he would do his diligence To knowe his father also of what bloude He was discended and haue some euidence Touching troth howe it stode in sentence And her vpon to be certified Towarde Appollo fast he hath hym hyed Whiche in Cirta worshypped was that time And gaue answere through his beite To tolke that came at euen and at prime Of euery doute and ambiguyte And there Edippus fallyng vpon his kne After hys offring had answere
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
dronke myghty wynes To fyll their paūches they were so desyrous That they forgate their marciall doctrines To ascēd y ◠moūtayne feble were their chines Their heades totter their braine gan faile The temple aloft to spoyle or to assayle In their assending by wayes that they chees Vpon the roche they were beat doune Priestes of the temple put thē selues in prees One bare a standard another a penoune Clad in chesibles for hye deuocion And with their other vncouth apparayles Bothe on the roche lowe in their battayles The people of Brennus was incomperable Spred all the felde the story beareth witnes But it is sayd of olde and is no fable That no defence is in dronkennes And wisdome fayleth where is greate excesse And in a felde playnly to conclude Victory alwayes standeth not in multitude For they were set as Bochas dothe deuise Not to knighthode but to false outrage To spoyle and robbe by gredy couetise And stuffe their somters with great pillage Furious rauine hath brought thē in a rage And farewell knighthode marciall noblesse Where couetise is lady and maistresse Two mighty dukes were with Brennus Whiche that were chefe of his counsayle Euridanus that one that other Thessalonus Which as they thought to their great auaile Began a purpose and it was disauayle To robbe the people the countrey ech toun Whiche turned after to their confusion Thus auarice w t stomake vnstaūcheable Hath strāgled y ◠power of many a worthy knight And couetise her sister vntretable Hath of high nobles full oft quaint the lyght Wher Tātalus raigneth a lion hath no might This to meane honger and couetousnes Turneth all nobles into cowardnes For by the counsayle of these dukes twayne Brennus set all his opinion To spoyle and robbe dyd his busy payne To pyll the cities of all that region But in this while as made is mencion Myd their battayles Bochas dothe me lere The God Appollo and Pallas did appere Appollo first shewed his presence Freshe yonge lusty as any sunne shene Armed all with golde with great vyolence Entred the felde as it was well sene And Diana came with her arowes kene And Mynerua in a bright haberion Which in their cōminge made a terible soun The noyse was herd of their bright armure Which made their enemyes almost to raue That they might afore them not endure Fled the felde for drede them selfe to saue And there was herde an hidous erthquaue And from heauen in this mortal batayle Of colde constreyning great stones do hayle Their aduersaries beate downe grounded And afore them durst not abide And Brennus so mortally was wounded Both brest heed hurt through eyther syde Lo here the ende of couetise and pride For Brennus for constraynt of his smert Roue with a dagger him selfe to the herte This was his ende vēgeable merueylous And his dukes slayne both twayne Called Euridanus and Thessalonus The grekish goddes gan at him so disdayne Of sacrilege se here the greuous payne For to goddes who lyst do no obseruaunce Shall vnwarly be punished wyth vēgeaūce It is not holsome with goddes to play Nor their puissaunce presūptously to attame For where as they by vengeaūce lyst werray who lyst assay shall fynde it no game For his presūpcion Brennus founde the same For Appollo Diana and Mynerue For his outrage vnwarly made hym sterue ⧠Lenuoye THis tragedy declareth who lyst here Of duke Brennus many great batayle His extorte conquest and holy the maner Howe by force he rode through al Itayle After how he the Romayns dyd assaile His fall in Grece by vengeable violence For he to goddes would do no reuerence Toke al the treasours iuels most entere Out of their temples and richest apparayle Golde and perle and al that yfere To his encrease whych that myght auayle The rich he robbed oppressed the porayle Of verye pompe and frowarde insolence And lyst to goddes do no reuerence This mighty tiraūt most surquedous of chere With couetyse brent in hys entrayle Whose gredy fret ther might no mesure stere Tyll that fortune at mischefe dyd hym fayle He lacked might her variant whele to nayle Agayne whose fall there was no resistence For he to goddes lyst do no reuerence Noble prynces conceyue and do lere The fall of Brennus for misgouernayle And prudently paysyng thys matere Vertue is strōger than outher plate or maile Afore considred what Brennus doth coūsayle Chefe preseruatyfe of your magnificence Is to god to do due reuerence The .xxiiii. Chapter ⧠Howe Pyrrus kynge of Pyrothe lyst nat lyue in peace but of pryde and presumption in warre came vnto mischaunce IN Bochas boke next folowīg on y ◠rig Came yong Pirrus sonne of Earides Borne by discent to reigne be kyng And to enherite the lande of Pyrothes Yet in his youth and his tender encrees The frowarde people dwellynge in y ◠place Without his gylte gan his dethe purchace But to preserue hym as made is mencion He was committed and take in kepyng Certayne yeres for hys sauacion To one Glaucus of Illirie king Whose wife was cosyn by record of writing To the sayde famous Earides And she in story called Beronices He nye of blode to thys noble queene Bothe twayne borne of one lynage Wonder gracious to all that did him sene And well fauoured of fetures and visage And in the whyle of his tender age One Cassander of Macedone kyng Compassed his deth by subtel false workyng And his purpose for to bryng aboute He sent for hym by false collusion Puttyng Glaucus playnlye out of doute But yf he came lyke hys entencion He wolde worke to hys destruction Gather people bothe nye and farre And on Glaucus gyn a mortall warre But kyng Glaucus toke herof no hede Hauyng to Pyrrus so great affection Of him receyued verely in dede To be his sonne by adoption Purposyng of whole entencion To make Pyrrus plainly if he may To be his heyre and raigne after his day Pyrrus alway vp growyng by encrees Full amiable bothe of there and face And in this while the people of Pyrothes Knowyng that he stode in Glaucus grace Chaunged their hartes cast thē in short space For to restore all of one courage The sayd Pyrrus to his heritage Thus by assent he was crowned kyng Yonge freshe and lusty semely ther withal Wonders well thewed in his vp growyng Like his lynage of courage wext royall The whiche was cause in especiall He was beloued offrendes about And of his enemyes greatly had in doubt The name of him gan to sprede farre Through all Grece about in eche countrey The lande of Tarent gan in his tyme warre Agayne the Romaynes as ye may se Requiryng Pyrrus that he woulde be Fauourable and helpyng of entent To the party of them of Tarent To their request he can condiscende And of purpose cast him not to fayle If that fortune woulde him grace sende With myghty hande marciall apparayle For
to be lorde and conquere all Itayle As did his vncle whilom doubtles Kyng Alexander called Epirothes First he began his conquest in Itayle Toward Heraclye a mighty great citie Where with Brennus he had a great battaile Consull of Rome and lorde of that countrye And to the encrease of his felicitie As it is remembred in his story Vpon Romayns he gate that victory The Olyphantes with castels on their backe Caused Pyrrus the yong manly knyght With his wisdome wherin there was no lack To put his enemies that day to flyght And in this while it happened forthright The Sicilians Bochas beareth recorde Amonge them selues were fall at discorde There was atwene them great diuision Eche to other contrary in workyng But to reforme their false discention They praied Pyrrus to come be their king To whose request he fully assentyng By them made stronge lyst not to deferre Against the Romayns for to gyn a warre Beside a castel called Esculus Within Poyl his banner he gan splay The same day not happy nor eurous Contrarious fortune his power gan affray Woūded to the death gan greatly him dismay By whiche occasion this Pyrrus anone right Lept on his courser and toke him to flyght A sonne he had called Helenus Borne of the daughter of kyng Agathocles Whō he ordeyned mine auctor telleth thus For to be crowned to his great encrees Of Siciliens to raygne there in pees Wenyng therby to haue had auauntage And in this while came to him a message Out of Tarent whiche stode in auenture For his absence out of that region If he not came they might not endure Againe the power of them of Rome toun Whiche of assent were discended downe Agaynst them they standyng in dispayre Saue in abydyng vpon his repayre Pyrrus this while stode in full hard poynt Waxt abashed and dull in his corage Atwene twayne hangyng in disioynte Werreyed of Romayns hated in Cartage Had a battaile to his fynall domage Within a felde called Arusius There put to flyght by one Fabricius Destitute by Fortune and appayred Voyde of succour barrayne of rychesse Like a man of hope dispayred Towarde Epyre in haste he gan him dresse Where he was first his story doth expresse As ye haue heard rehearced by writyng By succession whilom lorde and kyng But whan he came to Epyre the citie He gan of new agaynst Antigonus Kyng of Macedoyne a full stronge countrie Hym to werrey he was so desierous And by conquest the story telleth thus Within a while there was no great lettyng By helpe of Fortune he was crowned kyng Not seuen monethes raignyng in quiete By Lisymachus maugre all his might He was put downe remoued from his sete Yet of presūption though there was no right He toke on him to gyn a newe fyght Gayne Lacedemonois felly them werrey Onely because they would him not obey Whose presumption whan they behelde Bothe of prudence and policy Women were armed to make a large felde With multitude to oppresse his party For cōmon profite put them in ieoparty And fynally suche was their ordynaunce That Pyrrus was brought to mischaunce His sonne there slayne called Tholome And many other lost there their liues And for all that of pride and crueltie He gan a warre agayne the Argyues And at the ende of his mortall striues For conclusion this was his last fall Slaine w t a stone as he came to their wall His head smit of in the same place And therof made an oblacion To Antygonus for a great solace Thus lyst fortune quite his presumption After his warres with many region Lo here the ende of folkes retchles That folowed warre list not liue in pees ¶ The .xxv. Chapter ☞ How the tyrāt Aristotimus by trecherous working set aside the right line and was crowned kyng of Epirothes and after slayne FOr the proceadyng folowyng John Bochas I wil reherce in ful playne lāgage How Aristotim a tyrāt this y ◠case Cast and compassed by full great outrage Hauyng no title of right nor heritage Of Epyrothes by trecherous workyng Voydyng the line there to be crowned kyng Liuyng two children the story telleth thus Borne by discent to raygne in that citee The eldest of them called was Pyrrus And the seconde named Tholome And bothe twayne by the cruelte Of Aristotym were falsely set aside He made kyng this tyrant through his pryde And while that he thus gan occupy Lyke a tyrant cruell and vengeable Of false rancour and melancoly Slewe all the citizyns y t were most notable And exyled this story is no fable Onely of malice within his hart close All that were contrary vnto his purpose Vnto the women by fraudulent sentence He made ordayne after that anone Of fained pitie gaue to them lycence To their frendes frely for to gone With their riches but they were euerychone By his biddyng and by his false treason Take by the way and fettred in pryson Or they were ware was set on them arrest And after that of vengeable crueltie The children slayne suckyng at their brest Maydens oppressed of their virginitie But in this while at Cypre the citie There was a knyght passyng of great age Whiche cast of purpose to auenge his outrage The same knyght mine auctour telleth thus In the story playnly as I rede Was in Greke tonge called Helematus Right wise manly both in word and dede And thinges twayne put him out of drede To execute his purpose in certayne Maugre all tho that would be him againe For cōmon profite he drad not to be dead A cause was this for he was fall in age And another that put him out of drede For he no children had of his lynage His quarell rightfull gaue him aduauntage And here vpon gathered him of newe Suche as he knew y ◠manly were and true This purpose helde w t circumspect auise And theron made full prudent ordinaunce This Helematus olde hardy and right wise Afore prouided by knyghtly purueyaunce The said tyrant brought vnto mischaunce By helpe of them that were to him assented Vnwarely slain whose deth was not repēted ¶ The .xxvi. Chapter ☞ How quene Arcinoe for the aduoutry done with Demetrius husbande of her daughter Beronices ended in sorowe AFter this story Bochas gan apply To turne his pen like as ye shall here To write and tell the frowarde lechery Of Arcynoe pleasaunt of loke and chere Whiche of her port and eke of her manere Was in her dayes like as it is founde For craft beauty called Venus the seconde For her fayrenes yeuen in mariage To noble Agas of Cyrenes kyng Atwene them while they were yonge of age They had a daughter by recorde of wrytyng Called Beronices the kyng at his endyng In his testament bad that she should be Wedded to the sonne of kyng Tholome And this was done of entencion To cease the warres y ◠had endured longe Atwene Egipt as made is mencion And the Cyrenes bothe realmes stronge By this
Called Seleuchus which was a wonder Fil frō his courser brake his necke asōder The .iii. Chapter ¶ Howe the noble Queene Laodomya was in the temple slayne and vengeaunce take vpon hym that slewe her SYxe of estates prynces and pryncesses Shewed them to Bochas pitouslye playnyng To hym declarynge theyr mortall heuynesses And first of all there came to hym wepyng The noble queene her sorow rehersyng Called Laodomya which with heuy chere Complayned the mischefe of her suster dere Called Nereis yonge and tender of age That wedded was of Cycile to the kyng And on the daye of that great mariage There fyll a stryfe and a great meuyng Amonge the commons by a maner rysyng And when the quene therof had a syght To Dianes temple anone she toke her flyght The people was party rose againe y ◠kyng For whiche rumore and sodayne stryfe Laodomya full fearfully quakyng Ran to the temple for to saue her lyfe Supposyng in her ymaginatyfe That for the temples chaste reuerence Men woulde spare to do there violence But there was one by whom the strife began And was first grounde of this great motion Called Milo a false Cecylian Voyde of all reuerence and deuocion Ran to the temple feirser than a Lyon And where the queene the auter dyd enbrace With a sharpe sworde slew her in the place This sacrilege was punished by vēgeaunce Gods were wrothe through this gret offēce And Diana by full great displeasaunce Made in the courte a sodayne pestylence And Mylo was by vnware violence Tourned bestiall made wode in that affray And slewe hym selfe suyng the twelft daye The .iiii. Chapter ☞ How Cleomenes king of Macedone was slayne with his wife and children AFter this vengeaūce taken on Mylo Came Cleomenes of Macedoyne king And to Bochas gan shew his deadly wo His great iniuries of enemies assaylyng His hye emprises his kyngdome defendyng And alderlast how he in his citee Was by the sonne slayne of Tholome First in his countrey the story doth deuise Againe his enemyes he had a great battayle Of his people defendyng the fraunchyse Of knightly prowesse as he y t list not fayle For his ryght to fyght in plate and mayle His lieges echone beyng of one assente To lyue and dye with him in their entent Men women and children yonge of age Were in one hart as in that mattere Whiche made them stronge gate auaūtage That vndeuided they stode echone yfere Of one corage of one will of one chere Greatly assured in their opinion Because among them was no diuision Their cōmon profite they did more prefarre Than they did treasure lyfe or good For their fredome aye ready to the warre Not afrayed to spende their owne bloude And fynallye so together they stode That of one thought eche gan him redy make To lyue and dye for his brothers sake He had an enemy borne of that region The name of whom was Antigonus And he had wedded the boke maketh mencion The olde quene of kyng Demetrius And had her sonne the story telleth thus Called Phylyp fro youth in hys kepyng Therby pretendyng a tytle to be kyng Of Lacedemonoys claymed agayne ryght There to raigne and take possession Lyke a tiraunt vsurpyng of great myght For to be crowned in that region But for all his false presumption He was put of and yset a farre Though he with thē helde a mortal warre And Cleomenes that was rightfull kyng Was in the felde armed euery day Hardy as Lyon drede hym nothyng Gayne his enemyes he stode s◠at a bay That fro the felde he made them flye away His dredefull sworde grounde was so kene That to abyde hym they myght nat sustene And on a daye descendyng from his cite Helde in the felde a full stronge battayle With lytle people made his fone to fle Retournyng home ful wery of trauayle Thought in his heart that it should auayle To stynt the werre hangyng in no certayne Tyll y t his people refreshed were agayne Set ordinaunce through all the countre Gayne all enemyes to make resistence And into Egypt he goth to Tholome With wife children w tdrawing hys presēce There receyued with great beneuolence Lyke his estate out of care and drede And there abode tyl Thotome was dede But the sonne of kyng Tholome Whiche raygned after by succession Of false enuy and vengeable cruelte Slew Cleomenes in that region His wife his children voyde of compassion Alas it was to straunge a cruel thyng Within a kyngdome to murder so a kyng The .v. Chapter ☞ Of kynge Nero Cornely and Hanyball AFter whose deathe thus wrought by violence The story remembreth procedyng Forth came Nero and shewed hys presence Of Siracuse the myghty stronge kyng Tofore Bothas full pitously playnyng Besechynge hym with a full pitous chere Of his mischefe to wryte the manere The whiche Nero wylfull and furious Lyst to presume of false rebellion For to debate with Appius Claudius And to maligne agayne Rome toun But he anone for his presumptioun Constrayned was in all his most pride Lyke a cowarde to flye and nat abyde No more of hym myne auctour writeth here But in his boke as he dothe procede There came Cornely of Rome a consulere Hym selfe complaynyng of y ◠great falshede Whiche vnto hym accomplished was in dede By assuraunce broke of Haniball Which of Cartage was chefe admirall To thys Cornely Haniball was sworne With the Affricans by a maner flatery To succour hym as we haue tolde toforne With the Romains to holde vp his party But whan they met the boke doth specify Cornely was take and fettred in prison At mischefe dyed there gayned no raunson Than Haniball entred of entent With his knightes into a great cite Of Cicile called Agrigent Where Julius Silua of olde enmyte Layde a siege with a great meyne That he constrayned the sayde Hanyball For very hungre to leape ouer the wall By a posterne he toke hym to the fliyght Gathered shyppes and toke the large see And Julius Silua lyke a manly knyght Faught with him and made hym for to flee Vpon the water anone after he Was of his knyghtes stoned to the dethe And so constrayned he yelded vp the brethe The .vi. Chapter ⧠Of the duke zantipas cast into the see AFter that Hanyball was stayne thus And putte to flyght as made is mencion Tofore Bochas came worthy zantipus A famous duke full notable of renoun And he was lorde of the stronge region Lacedemoyne and was come a ferre Into Cartage to helpe them in the werre By whose prowesse to his encreace of glory The proude Romayns were put to flyght Cartaginences had of them victory And there was take the wyse manly knyght Marcus Regulus and brought anonryght Into Cartage and led as prysonere By zantipus as Bochas writeth here Thys noble duke for all his hye prowesse Done in Cartage and shewed to their toun And for all hys notable kyndnesse They most vnkyndly quit hym his guerdon For
there was founde great duplicite Followyng after who so can take hede Lyke as this story shall deuyse in dede For by the fraude falsenes most mortall Compassed beforne it is thus befall That by the sleight of this Hastruball As affricans be nye double all Vnder suger can hyde well their gall So Hastrubal by false decepcion Vnder fayre chere deceyued Scipion. He brought in Siphax by false subtilte And by his sleight painted fayre langage That he shoulde with him alied be By full assent to haue in mariage Sophonisba a maiden of Cartage Which was doughter yong fayre withal As sayeth Bochas to this Hastruball The whiche thynge by crafte was brought about And accoÌ„pished verily in dede And by thys meane plainly out of doute There first began rancour and hatrede Simulacion fayned and falshede That atwene Siphax Hastruball alas Scipion was desceiued in this caas And after that done was this mariage Siphax ful enemye to this Scipion With Hastruball rode in to Cartage And gan werray againe Rome toun And in this while as made is mencion Kynge Massmissa out of wildernes Toward Scipion in al hast gan him dresse With his people gan to make him stronge Through helpe of Scipion and of Belgius Went againe Siphax abode not longe His herte againe him was so enuious And on a day the story telleth thus Wyth Affricans and folke of Cartage Siphax the Romains met in the vysage Of Massinissa the people were so woode Vpon Siphax auenged for to be Through their battayls came to him there he stode And maugre him and his cruelte Of very manhode space was none to fle They brought him home throughe theyr hye renoune Into y â— haÌ„ds of worthy Scipion. Siphax was take thus or he was aware Vnder his baner maugre al his myght And in to Rome ledde afore the chare Of Scipion the noble worthy knight That wan the triuÌ„phe grauÌ„ted hym of right And Sophonisba afore to Syphax wyfe Wed to Massinyssa at th eÌ„de of all thys stryfe Lo howe fortune chaunge can her tydes To one this daye she can be fauourable Marke capitayns and these great gydes Which wende haue founde her whele stable But she is aye frowarde chauÌ„geable Frendly to daye to morowe at discorde If this be trewe Siphax can beare recorde This Siphax was sente out of the toune In chaynes bounde without more taryinge And at Tyburny lay fettred in prison Dyed at mischefe made there his endynge And for bycause that he was a kyng The Romayns made of marcial pyte Him to be buried within their citye ☞ The .xi. chapter ⧠Howe Nabyn hauynge no tytle but by ticannye toke on hym to be kyng of Macedoyne and was slayne NExte came Nabyn ful pytously wepynge Tofore Jhon Bochas whyche by tirannye Of Macedoyne toke on hym to be kynge Hauynge no tytle saue tytle of robbery Onely by force hym selfe to magnify Which with stronge hande toke ful possession For to be crowned in thylke region This Macedoyne as by olde writynges Whylome was had in ful great reuerence Bycause onely it floured in two thynges Both in knighthode souerayne Sapience Mars there by manhode Pallas by prudeÌ„ce And whyle these two had gouernaâ—ce Or al welfare they had suffisaunce And whyle noblesse of these thynges twayne That is to say the floure of hye clergy The hye renome mooste famous souerayne Of marciall prowesse and of chiualry Gouerned that land by new policy Than stode that kingdome auctours reherce koÌ„ne Amonge the Grekes lyke an heauenly sonne But at the last eclypsed was the lyght Bâ—th of knighthode and Philosophy Whan couetise gan enter agayne righte For to vsurpe vpon the regaly By intrusion of false tyranny And by extorte force made their entrynges Hauyng no title there to reygne as kynges This was chefe cause for short conclusion That the noblesse of Grece was brought baas And Macedoyne brought to confusion By couetyse that set them in such caas Thereby theyr knighthod translated was And their polycy in Cronicles ye may se Out of Grece into Rome the citye And among other by clere remembraunce Of suche tyrauntes by ordre rehersyng Nabyn was one that had gouernaunce In Macedoyne was there crowned kyng Without title there falsly reignynge And for his frowarde contagious cruelte He was behated of Rome the citye The Romayns sent a mighty Consulere Tytus FlaÌ„minius of their werres gyde To Macedoyne he gan to aproch nere Towarde Argos where Nabyn dyd abyde Of entent for to abate hys pryde But while Nabyn stode hiest in estate Of Grece hys lieges with him were at debate A Duke yealled Philopomenes With the people that dwelled in Grece lande To stryue w t Nabyn put hym selfe in prees Discomfyted him fightynge hande for hande â–ª And at great mischefe ye shall vnderstande Alexamenes a knyght of that countre Slewe thys Nabyn the Cronycleye may se. The .xii. Chapiter ¶ Here Bochas reherseth the mortal werres bytwene Romayns Affricans AFter this Nabyn Bochas dothe procede To tel the werres and the mortall striues Twene Romains and Affricans in dede Wherby ful many lost their liues Caused widowes maidens eke wiues To wepe waile in such disâ—oynte they stode On outher party to se the losse of bloode For the party of them of Rome towne Were made capitaines and diuers officers Which into affrike w t people were sent down And specially there were two Consulers Notable in armes famous in tho yeres Marcus MaÌ„lius borne of the Romain lie That other called Lucius Censorine With them was sent a tribune ful notable Of whom tofore I made mencion For the werres most worthy most able I meane of Rome proude Scipion Which of their cite was chefest champion Of entent the affricans tanoye And specially Cartage to distroye And nye by Cartage ther was a citie stronge Mightely builded and stode vpon the see The walles thicke rounde square longe Chefe diffence called of that countre To saue and kepe them from aduersite And forty cubytes with crestes marciall Lyke as I fynde of height was the wall And in the fronte raysed for the werre Of stones square was an hye dungeon Called Birsa fro which wounder ferre Men myght beholde the courtreis enuyron And ss I reade for their saluacion The Affricans of purpuse dyd ordayne For their captaines Hastrubalies twayne The sayd dungion mightyly battailed Againe al sautes to stand and endure But worthy Scipion for al y â— hath not fayled For to approche and do by buâ—y cure With his engyns mighty stronge sure So that by force this knight most marcial A great quantite brake downe of the wal And Lucius called Sensorine Departed is with Marcus Manlius And by the Counsayle of Scipion doctrine Both of assent in armes vertuous They toke their waye myne auctour telleth thus Wyth Hastrubal sothly and they myght Where as he lay that same day to fight These Consulers assayled the citye Called Ciâ—ie and beate downe the
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
countrees Saue in cauernes great holowe trees The boke remembreth how that his diet Were beastes wylde enchased w t great might Fled ydienesse eschewed all quiete And lytle slepe suâ—â—ised him at nyght By exercise his body was made â—yght There was nouther whan hym lyst pursue Harte nor hynde y â— myght his hande eschue He nouther drad tygers nor lyons He was so swifte tho they dyd hym assayle Lyke of strength to olde champions No wylde beast of great nor smale entayle Tescape his hande might not countreuayle If he were ware early outher late So great swiftnesse had this Mithridate Amonge he had in armes exercyse Amonge to tournay and ren on horsebacke All dilicate fare he dyd also dispyse Of gredy excesse in him there was no lacke A nighter tyme his slepe full oft he brake Stoundmeale the houres for to marke In the daunyng rose vp or the larke The space accomplished fully of seuen yere He is repayred home to hys countre Shewed hym selfe of manhode and of chere Full like a knight his story who lyst se Wherof his enemies astonied be Caught of hys coÌ„ming in hert a maner drede Supposyng afore that he was dede In whose absence his wyfe Leodyces Conceyued a childe as made is mencion For the diffame shoulde nat come in prees Him for to murder she sought occasion Fully in purpose to slee hym by poyson Of which defautes her lorde was nat fayne Knowing the trouth made her to be slayne Toke on him after many knightly dede First to conquere all Paflagoâ—ye By the helpe of worthy Nychomede That tyme called kyng of Bithinye Togyther assured to be of one alye In losse or lucre fortune to be theyr gyde And therto sworne neuer to deuyde To Mithridate Legates were downe sent Fro the Romains him lowly requiryng That he woulde lyke to their entent Paflagoâ—ye restore to their kyng Which he had wonne the cite assaylyng But he lyst nat aduertise their prayere Nor on no parties their requestes here He dred nat their thretes nor manaces Gate proudly after the lande of Galathye In his conquest wan many other places Capadoce toke to hys partye Slew their kyng of hatred and enuye Ariarectes a full manly man And in this wyse his conquest he began Agayn thassurauÌ„ce twene him Nichomede All sodaynly he gan fall at debate Thought he wolde warrey hym in dede Because that he pompous and elate In Capadoce toke on hym thestate To reygne as kyng agayns his entent He nouther being of counsayle nor assent Yet Nychomede or they gan debate Had longe afore to his owne encrees The suster wedded of y e Mithridate Whan they as brethren lyued in rest pees And she also was called Leodices Hauyng two sonues borne for to succede After discease of the sayde Nychomede And by processe these sayde children twayne In Capadoce by helpe of Mithridate Claymed a tytle iustly for to attayne Vnto the crowne their father died but late For which they gan felly to debate Tyll Mithridate falsly gan contriue His two neuewes vngoodly to depriue All Capadoce he toke into hys hande His owne sonne he hath crowned kyng Capadociens by assent of al the lande Gan disobey of purpose his workyng Whan the Romains considred all thys thyng Artaberzanes in hast they sent doun Gayne Mithridate to kepe that region The sonne of whoÌ„ fro theÌ„ they haue refused Out of their kyngdome gan him to enchace For they seÌ„pte their fraunchyse was abused To see a foraine occupie that place Mithridate gan newly them manace And toke with him to sustayne his partye Tygranes the kyng of Armenye Artabarzanes that was fro Rome sent To Capadoce to helpe them and counsayle Of Mithridate knowyng the entente Howe he came downe proudly hym tassayle With Tygranes set in the first batayle Of Capadoce that al the region Was brought that day to theyr subiection Thus Mithridate hauyng his entent In short time countreys conqueryng Was mightiest prince of all the orient And in tho dayes one the greatest kyng And as it is remembred by writyng He delyted most in astronomye In sortilege and in sorcerye And with all these he dyd hys busy cure For to lerne vncouth conclusyons And secretes sought out by nature Knewe the langages of diuers regions Of two and twenty sundry nacious And helde women many more than one Loued Hipsycrata aboue them euerychone To the Romains this manly Mithridate As bokes olde recorde of hym and sayne Vpon a day of very cruell hate Through all Asya he bad that eche Romayne Shoulde of his men mercilesse be slayne Twenty thousande he slewe eke on a day Of Romain marchaÌ„tes durst no maÌ„ say nay To him he drewe diuers nacions To encreace his party by puissaunce Kymbrois Gallois with other regions Bostornois toke to his aliaunce With strauÌ„ge people made his acquaintauÌ„ce Where that euer he rode nye or ferre With them of Rome for to holde werre In Grece also he gate manye an yle All Cyclades to his subiection Conquered so that within a whyle Of Athenes he gate the famous toun But when Romains knewe his entencion They sent Scilla in a furious hete With Mithridate in Grece for to mete Archelaus which that was constable Leading the host of kyng Mithridate Gan agayne Scilla trustynge he was able Maugre the Romains with him to debate As they met in their furious hate Beside Orthonia of Grece a great towne Of Archelaus y â— party was brought downe There gan Scilla to be victorious Gayne Mithridate and by great violence Gate al Ephesie a kyngdome ful famous Rode through Asye founde no resistence By his knighthode and manly prouidence Capadoce and Bithinye eke also To Romain handes he gate them bothe two When Mithridate perceyued hath this thinge How the coÌ„quest of Scilla toke encrees Anone he cast without longe tariynge For a tyme with him to haue a pees Of hie wisdome he was nat retcheles To dissimule tyll he founde time and space In double fortune to finde better grace Abode his tyme kept hym selfe close Tyll he founde layser lyke hys opinion In this while of auenture arose Within Rome a great discencion Twene two Consules being in that toun Which to appease by hys auctorite Scilla came vp agayne to the cite When Mithridate his absence dyd espy To his purpose founde oportunite Gadred people and with his chiualry A siege layde vnto Cyzite the cite Of all Asye moste of auctorite Tyll Lucullus a myghty Consulere To breke the siege approche gan full nere Mithridate had on fyue captayns Tofore the towne made a discomfiture Of hie dispyte he had to Romayns But Lucullus the damages to recure To enclose his enemies dyd hys busy cure To his mynours gaue anone in charge About the siege to make a diche full large They within had knowledgyng By certayn tokens of all theyr gouernaunce Whervpon they made no tariyng To cast a way for their delyueraunce Mithridate seyng their ordinaunce Of hie prudence to escape
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
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
liege men of Thebes citezynes Made ayenst him conspiration Put him in exile and his wife also His sons daughters brought to destruction And to the encrease of his mortall wo He and his wife compelled bothe two For very pouerte and very indigence In their last age to purchace their dispence Thus of Cadmus the sorowes to discriue And his mischiefe to put in remembraunce He banished was twise by his lyue First by his fathers cruell ordinaunce Of his sister to make enquiraunce And alder last in his vnweldy age He was compelled to holde his passage Out of Thebes his wife and he alone In sorow wepyng to accomplishe their daies Into Illery togither they be gone Their pacience put at fell assayes Whose bitternes felt none alaies Also of their ende and vnhappy fate Ne of their death I finde none other date Saue that Ouide maketh mencion And Iohn Bochas the poete excellent Say that two brethren zethus and Amphion Out of Thebes by one assent Haue this Cadmus into exile sent His wyfe also after their high noblesse To ende their life in sorow and wretchednes But the Gods of mercy and pitye WhaÌ„ they theÌ„ saw by fortune thus cast doun From their estates into great pouertie Hauyng of them full great compassion They made of them a transformacion Of bothe twayne them yeuyng a likenesse Of serpentes to liue in wyldernes ¶ Lenuoye OWhat estate may him selfe assure For to conserue his life in sikernes What worldly ioy may here long endure Or where shall men finde now stablenes Sithe kinges princes froÌ„ their high nobles Record of Cadmus ben sodeÌ„ly brought low And from the whele of fortune ouerthrow Who may susteyne the pyteous aduenture Of this tragedy by writyng to expresse It is like to the chaunte plure Beginnyng with ioy endyng in wretchednes All worldly blisse is meinte with bitternes The sodayn chauÌ„g therof may no man know For who sytteth highest is sonest ouerthrow Was in this world yet neuer creature Reken vp princes for all their hygh noblesse But fortune coulde enclyne them to her lure And them enperishe through her frowardnes Wherfore ye lordes w t all your great riches Beware afore or ye daunce in the rowe Of such as fortune hath froÌ„ her whele throw The .viii. Chapter ☞ A processe of Oetes kyng of Colchos Iason Medea Theseus Scilla Nisus and other mo WHan Iohn Bochas was most diligent To consider the successions Of lynages withall his entent In his writyng and discriptions To compyle the generations Of many noble famous of estate I meane of suche as were infortunate In his serchyng he founde not out a fewe That were vnhappy founde in their liuynge To his preseÌ„ce anone there gan hym shewe A multitude full piteously wepynge Among whiche full dolefully playnyng Came forthe Oetes hath coÌ„playnt beguÌ„ne Kyng of Colchos and sonne vnto the sunne For of Phebus which is bryght and clere Poetes write that he was sonne and heyre Because he was so myghty of power So freshe so lusty so manly and ryght fayre But of fortune he fell in great dispayre Cursyng his fate and his destayne When Iason first entred his countrey againe By Pelleus sent from Tessaly There to accomplishe by diligent labour The great emprises through his chiualry If God and fortune list do to him fauoure That they might winne the excellent treasour This is to meane that he were so bolde The ram to assail which bare y â— flece of gold This Iason through counsaile of Medee By sorcery and incantacion The bulle slough horrible for to se And vainquished the venimous dragon The kyng dispoyled of his possession Accomplished with carectis and figures Of Colchos the dreadful aduentures And afterwarde when he his purpose had He left Oetes in full great dispayre And Medea forth with him he lad And her brother which was the kyngs heyre But as I finde howe in his repayre Out of Colchos whan they gan remue Kinge Oetes after them gan sue Vpon Iason auenged for to be Without tariyng he folowed proudly The whiche thing when Iason did se This Medea gan shape a remedy She toke her brother and slewe him cruelly And him dismeÌ„bred as bokes make minde And piecemele in a felde behinde She gan him cast all bespreint with bloude Wherof his father when he had a syght Full pale of chere still in the felde he stode While she and Iason toke them vnto flyght I trowe that tyme the most wofull wyght That was on liue whan he did know His childe dismembred and abrode ysowe Whiche cause was alas and welaway That he so stout as man disconsolate While that Iason fro Colches went away And Medea most infortunate Was rote and ground of this mortall debate For who saw euer or redde of suche another To saue a straunger list to slea her brother Forsoke her father her countrey and kinred The lande emperished through her robbery Of her worshyp toke none other hede Loue hath her brought in suche a fantasy And while that she abode in Tessaly And with Iason did there soiourne She made Eson to youth returne A yarde she toke that was drie and olde And with her herbes and commiâ—tions She made it boyle in Ouide it is tolde And by charectes and incantacious And with the craft of her coniurations The yarde began to bud and blossome newe And to beare frute and leaues freshe of hew And semblably with her confections His olde humours the hath deputed cleane And with her lusty freshe pocions His empty skynne tremblyng and right leane Pale and wanne that no bloude was sene But as it were a deadly creature All this hath she transformed by nature Made him lusty and fresh of his courage Glad of hart liuely of cheare and syght Right well chered and clere of his vysage Wonders deliuer both of force and myght In all his members as weldy and as lyght As euer he was in the same estate By craft of Medee he was lo alterate After all this ayenst kyng Pelleus She began to maligne vncle vnto Iason And of enuy she proceadeth thus The kings daughters she draweth to her anoÌ„ Them counsaylyng that they should gone Vnto their father playnly vnto him sayne If he desired to be yong agayne Full restored his force to recure And therwithall in lusty age floure She behight to do her busy cure Lyke his desire to helpe and socoure And in this matter so crafty laboure Fynally stande in the same case To be made yonge as his brother was Touchyng whiche thing for more euidence This Medea hath to the daughters tolde Of entent to yeue the more credence She bade theÌ„ take a ramme y â— was right old And wyth a knyfe for to be so bolde To slea the beast before them there he stode And in a vessell drawe out the olde bloude Fullye affirmyng like as it were true That he should be a lambe agayne For she by craft would his bloude remue In such wise by
melancoly and froward pouertie Ended his life in great aduersitye For of ire and impacience Fynally thus with hym it stode Furiously in his great indigence As writeth Bochas howe he dranke the blode Of a bul sauagine and wode With loue enchaufed made no delaies Most be stially ended thus his dayes ¶ The .xxv. Chapter ¶ Of Balthasar Kynge of Babylone and howe Daniell expowned Mane Techell Phares NExt to Bocas or that he was ware As he sate wrytyng wyth full great laboure Of Babilon cam great Balthasar To declare his sorowe and his langour Whych had misused ful falsly the tresour And the vessels brought from Jerusalem Into Babilone chefe citye of his reme For at a souper with his lordes al Whan of the vessels he dranke mighty wines And solemply sate in his roial stal And rounde aboute al his concubines Phylosophers magiciens and diuynes There came an hand the byble doth assure And on the wall gan wryte this scripture Mane techel phares wrytten in hys sight Though he the mening coÌ„ceiued neuer a dele Which on the wal shewed fayre bryght For whose sentence auailed none appele But the prophet holy Daniel Fully expowned to Balthasar the kynge The mistery of this derke writyng This worde Mane playnly not to tary In latyn tonge betokeneth in sustance The dayes counted rekened the numbrarye Of thy reigning of thy great substance And Techell sowneth a wayenge in balauÌ„ce In token thy power kyngdome by meâ—ure God hath paysed they shal no whyle endure Phares also betokeneth a breakyng In romaine tong in to peces smale For thy power and frowarde rebellynge Shal from the hie be brought in to the vale This is holy writ and no fained tale For whan princes wil not their life redresse God wyl vnwarely their surquedy represse Thou wert by tokens warned longe afore By many examples the story ye maye rede By the fallyng of Nabugodonosore And thou thereof toke ful litel hede The lord to thank haue his name in drede For whych thou shalt within a litel throwe Lose scepter crowne be brought ful lowe Let princes al thys story haue in mynde And for them selfe notably prouyde And namely tho that ben to god vnkynde Their concubynes for to set a syde And make vertue for to be theyr gyde Voyde lechery and false presumpcion Which hath brought so many to distruction Nabugodonosor had repentaunce And was restored to his possessions But god of ryght toke sodaynly vengeaunce On Balthasar for his trausgressions Wherefore ye princes dispose your reasons After your merites to haue god merciable For your demerites do fynde hym veÌ„geable Agaynst holy churche take no quarels But aduertise in your inward syght For Balthasar that dranke of tho vessels Stale fro the temple of very force myght He lost lorshyp and lyfe vpon a night So that the kyngdome of Assirieus Translated was to Medes PercieÌ„s The .xxvi. Chapter ¶ Home Cresus and Balthasar were vanquyshed by Cyrus and the sonne of Cresus slayne at the huntynge of a bore NExt to Ihon Bocas within a throw Wrytyng of princes many a pitous fate He sawe king Cresus with other on the row Lowly besechyng his fallyng to translate And howe fortune agayne hym gan debate And of his mischefe doleful for to rede For to discriue anone he gan procede For as it is remembred in writyng As god and kynde lyst for hym ordayne Of Lide he was gouernour and kynge And lordshyp had the storye can not fayne Of many kingdoms more than one or twain Fame in that tyme so dyd hym magnify That he was called floure of al chiualry And he was also in hys tyme founde The most expert in werre in batayle And of richesse was the most habounde And most excellynge in conquest to preuayle Plenty of people wyth royal apparayle And with al this to his great auauntage Numbre of childre tenblysse hys lynage In the most highest of his royal see And at was well nothyng stode amis Yet to amenuse his felicite A dreme he had and truely that was thys How that his sonne which called was Athis Was take from hym by mortal outrage Slayne sodenlye in his tendre age This woful dreme dyd him great distres And put his hert in great dispayre Standyng in feare great heauines Bycause hys chylde rendre yonge fayre Which that was borne for to be hys heyre Shoulde causelesse in suche myschefe die So as his dreame afore dyd specifye Of this processe to declare more How Cresus dreme fulfylled was in dede From Olimpus there came a wylde bore Most furious and sauagine of drede Wyth fomy tuskes which fast gan him spede Downe discendyng no where lyst abyde Tyl that he came in to the laude of Lyde And gan distroy their frutes their vines Where euer he came in any maner place Brake the nettes the stronge lynes Of the hunters that dyd at hym enchace But vnder supporte of the kynges grace Hys sonne of whom I spake tofore Gate him licence to hunt at this bore Hys father Cresus demynge of this ease There was no cause of drede in no maner Though hys sonne were present at the chase With other hunters suche game for to lere But aye fortune wyth her double there Is redy euer by some fatall trayne At such disportes some mischefe to ordayne For one there was whych had gouernance Vpon this chylde to wayte and to se Chasyng y â— bore to saue hym fro myschauÌ„ce From al domage and aduersite With many lusty folke of that countre With hornes houÌ„des sharpe speres grouÌ„de Sekyng the bore tyl they had hym founde And as they gan fiersly the bore enchace He that was charged to be the chyldes gyde As with his speare he gan the bore manace The head not entred but forth gan to glyde And on the chylde whych that stode besyde The stroke a lyght and or he dyd auerte The speres heade rofe hym through the hert But of this chylde whan y â— deth was couth Tolde and reported holy the manere How he was slayne in hys tendre youth Borne to be heire vnto his father dere Cresus for sorow chaunged loke chere And for constraint of dole in his vysage He resembled a very deade ymage But euery sorowe by long continuaunce At the last it sumwhat must aswage For ther is none so furious greuance Nor so mortal importable rage But long processe yeueth him auantage I meane thus there is none so great a sorow But it mought cese outher eue or morowe Philosophers concluden and discerne And by their reasons recorden by scripture Thyng vyolent may not be eterne Not in one poynt abydeth none auenture Nor a sorowe may not alwaye endure For stouÌ„demele through fortunes variaunce There foloweth ioy after great greuaunce The sorow of Cresus tho it were intollerable And at his hert the greuaunce sate so sore Syth that his dole was irrecuperable And meane was none
For hys hatefull vsurpacions Hys frowarde lyfe and false condycions Among the people bothe styll and loude He called was Tarquinius the proude Full obstinat he was in his entent Ambicious taccroche great rychesse Tyll that fortune wexed impacient Agaynst hym in all his great noblesse Gan her snares and her crokes dresse Thought she woulde but he kept hym wele All sodaynlie cast him from her whele A sonne he had full vycious as I fynde To all vertue moste contrarious To be froward it came to hym by kynde And of nature proude and dispitous Agayne the people fell and malycious Nat loued but dred for tyrany of ryght Is thyng most hated in the peoples syght Thys proude Tarquin y â— story is well couth Agayne Lucrece dyd a great outrage Oppressed her beuty in his vnbridled youth Her trouth assaylyng in a furious rage For which hys father and hys lynage Exyled were and for this hatefull thynge Ther was neuer after in Rome crowned kig Her body corrupt she clene of hert thought By force assayled was her innocence Oppressed her beaute but her spirite nought Her chaste wyll dyd none offence But entred is in to her conscience A greate remorse for all her wyfely trouth To sle her selfe whych was to great a routh And for that Bochas remembreth pyteouslye Her deedly sorowe and lamentacion Write her complaynt in ordre ceryouslye Whyche that she made for her oppression I folowe muste and make mencion After myne auctor percell rehersyng Touchyng her wordes sayd in her dyinge Albe it so by byddyng of my lorde Reherced haue in my translacion After Pierms here and there a worde Of a full dolefull declamacion By hym remembred of entencion For her sake men myght se and rede What wyfely trouth was in her womanhed And John Bochas lyst nat set a syde But that he would reherse in sentence Her wofull complaynt and therupon abyde Of wronges done to her innocence And though I can nat folowe his eloqueÌ„ce I shall sue the trouth of rehersyng As in substaunce theffect of his writyng THe morowe next after thys foule dede Lucrece vp rose w t a full deadly chere Out of her face gone was all the rede And darked were her heauenly eyen clere All clad in blake after the maner Of thylke folke whyche in especiall Be wonte to go to feastes funerall All her frendes beyng in presence Husbande Father with other eke also By and by rehersynge in sentence The cyrcumstaunces of her hartely wo And or that I any further go Vnder hope my Lorde wyll me supporte What that she sayd I wyll to you reporte The .v. Chapiter ¶ The greuous complaynt of Lucrece vpon her oppression FOr as moche quod she as I Lucrece Am by the lawe ioyned in maryage To the mi lord whose loue shal aâ—e encrease Towardes the w t all the surplusage Of wyfely trouth to endure all myne age As humble subiect w t faythfull obeysaunce Vnder thy lordshyp thy gouernaunce O Collatyn my Lorde and true husbande Best beloued of hole affeccyon I wyll no more no quarell take on hande Nor in no wyse take none accion Without that thou lyste enclyne doune Goodly thyne eares to yeâ—e me audyence To that I shall reherce in thy presence Iniury done or any maner wronge Agayne my worshyp or myne honeste By the lawe my sentence is made stronge It toucheth you also we le as me I am so holy yolden vnto the Thou art my heed who clerly can discerne Lorde and husbande my body to gouerne Parciall causes in sothe there may none be Atwene vs twayne nor no disseueraunce For sote and bytter ioy and aduersyte We must them way both in one balaunce Counterpayse our sorowes our plesaunce Entermedle all thynge that stant in doubte Receyue our Fortune as it commeth aboute There may atwen vs be no meaning double But one herte one wyll and one corage And as a woman y â— standeth now in trouble Wythout polysshyng of any fayre langage I must disclose to you the greate outrage Done vnto me and playnly it discure Whyche to redresse lyeth holy in your cure For the mater to speake in wordes playne Aright out serched and the trouth out found As a iuste cause indifferent to twayne Towarde vs both the quarell doth rebounde And more strongly your mater for to grouÌ„de Reherse I wyll so that ye saufe it vouche A mortall wronge which ye me doth touch In a castell whiche called is Collace Of which my lorde here hath y â— gouernaunce Tarquyn the yonge came in to that place I full disware to make purueyaunce Agayne hys commynge or any ordinaunce Tofore nat warned of his offycers Sate vnpuruayed amonge my chamberers Of entent to eschewe ydelnesse We sate and span wolles softe For she of vyces is a chefe maystresse Where she is cherysshed and yset alofte But of custome as I haue done full ofte I and my women duly as we ought To auoyde slouthe full busily wrought His entryng was meke and debonayre Benygne of porte of loke and of vysage With a pretence of many wordes fayre In whose meanyng was full great outrage His chere contrary vnto his corage In thys wyse there he was receyued Wherby alas I falsly was disceyued At prime face as me thought it due I hym receiued at his in commyng Rose vp mekely and gan hym to salue As apertayned in all maner thyng Vnto the sonne of a worthy kyng And truly Tarquine for whiche I say alas Me to traysh stode in the same caas A kynges sonne shulde of duety Be to women wall and protection Preserue and kepe them in all surety That no man shulde of no presumpcion Do them no wronge nor oppression Rather dye than se them suffer vnryght Aduertysinge the offyce of a knight But contrary to knighthod he hath wrought By false outrage done agaynst me Wronge wayes and croked meanes sought Of lawes twayne to breake the liberte And to deface the auctorite Of lawe Ciuile and naturall also In my person offendyng bothe twoe First by his subtyll compassyng He gan espy thestrys of the place And whan a bed alone I lay slepyng Lyke a lyon full sterne of loke and face With his left hande my throte he dyd enbrace And in his other helde agayne all lawe Me to oppresse a naked sworde ydrawe Thus afforsyng my wifely chastyte Agayne knighthod he dyd this great offence My lyfe my worshyp put in perplexite Hauing no might to make resystence Me manasyng by deadly violence The one of twayne to dye in his entent Or to auoutry falsly to consent Thus I stode sole atwene dethe diffame My body corrupte my spyrite abode clene My spousayle broken and my good name For euer disclaundred y â— whilom shone shene Yuell fame of custom wyll alway wax grene Neuer dye the people so them disporte The worste of thynges gladly to reporte Alas alas amonge my sorowes all This one the moste y â— dothe my hert agryse I
To se a woman so sturdy of vysage Yet men expert all day may se and lere They be by nature ful cruell of corage And no cowardes found of their langage Set at assay and than it shall be sene Wher they be ferfull their quarell to sustene They mai of mekenes shew a fayre pretence Some serpent is of colour syluer shene And some floures ful fresh of apparence Growe on thystels rough sharp and kene And some that ben angelyke to sene And very heuenly with their golden tresses Ben at a prefe verye lyonesses To say the sothe a poore man may be shent I dare no more speke of this matere But kyng Xerxses for all his proud entent All his nauy and his people yfere Were put to flight outraied of their chere Their shyppes drowned amonge the waues rude That none abode of al that multitude Kyng Xerxses hurt and wounded mortally Vnnethes he might the great payne endure His quakyng hert quit him so cowardly On see and lande suche was his auenture And yet agayne his damages to recure Thre hundred M. of feyghters hee gan call Vpon grekes of newe for to fall A mighty Duke called Mardonyus Was captayne made his people for to lede But Themistocles min auctor telleth thus Knowing of Xerxses the cowardnes drede A lettre made for to be sent in dede Enfourming him by grekes greate outrage How of his bridge was broken the passage Of which maruayle when ther came tidinge To king Xerxses he after anon ryght As he that was aferde of ech thynge Full lyke a cowarde tooke him to the flyght Fled in a bote lyke a coward knyght Of al his people there were no more yseyne To awayte vpon him saue a chamberleyne All his people departed here and yonder Standyng in mischefe great indygence To many a coast they wēt and rode asonder Pyned with hunger lacked their dispence Punished also wyth vnware pestylence Feble of trauayle myght not endure For impotence to carye their armure Alas eche way lay ful of caraynes The soyle with blode stayned and the grene The ayre terrible of pathes and of plaines That no man might it endure nor sustene The sauour was so odyous and vnclene Rauenous foules ful homely in their sight Them selfe to fede vpon the corse alyght Thre hundred M. of Perciens were slayne Which Mardonyus afore full proudly lad Of which tiding king Xerxses was not fayn But for distresse and sorow gan to mad And one the last mischefe that he had Was whan Thimon a noble grekish knight Xerxes discomfited and put his men to flight This Thymon was sonne to Melciades His father whilom of Athenes kyng Which last of all outrayed hath Xerxses Saue of his ende there fyll another thyng Artabanus full sleyghty of werkyng Which to Xerxses was not suspect in dede Compassed his dethe in Bochas as I rede This Artaban was prouest of hys house And an officer most especyall With his seuen sonnes strong and dispitous Vpon a nyght furyous and fatall Fyll vpon Xerxses in his palayes royal And in his story as it is remembred On pieces small they haue him dismembred This was of Xerxses the last fynal mede Of his high pride the funerall guerdon Frō his two kingdomes of Perce and Mede Froward fortune hath hym plucked doun What may auayle the dominacion Of such princes as hold them selfe euyn For to be egall with goddes hyghe in heuyn Men list not know such chaūges for no prefe And namely princes in their puissaunces Against erthly parels all worldlye mischefe They can prouyde them set ordynaunces As they that drede fortunes varyaunces But to God ward they take ful lytel hede For the great riches which they do possede If they may heare of an erthe quaue Tofore it fall or any token se Than wyl they go anon them self to saue Out of their houses from the townes fle To put their life the more in suerte Lest their building made of so great costage Fyll vpon them in that mortall rage Or if an horse ronne oute of his stable Breke his colere thicke double and longe Men wyl ordayne a locke of yron able To kepe hym in be he neuer so stronge And thus men can redresse euery wronge Touching the body by great auysenesse Saue for the soule they wyl nothing redres Whan a ryuer passeth ferre his boundes Boyleth vpward fyndeth no resistence Wynneth land and ouerfloweth groundes Drowneth townes with his vyolence Yet men wyl trauayle to fynde a defence To turne her cours som way shal be sought But toward god mē thīke lytell or nought Agaynst sickenes men seke medicines Letwaries and dyuers pocions Serche in physike sondry disciplynes Them to dyete in their transgressions Restoratyues and eke confeccions But vnto Godward in this present lyfe Men not trauayle for no confortatyfe Men their bodies wyl put in distresse Of false desyre and couetous feruence Only cacroche and wyn great ryches Suffre colde labour and vyolence And nother spare for gold nor for dyspence To vnderfonge perylles of vaynglory Only for thynges that ben transitory They passe mountains many hidous roch In hope it shuld to their entent auayle To many mortal monstre they approche And many vncouth sea they sayle Jeopart their lyfe in warre and in batayle By many a daunger mani streyt they ride For worldly treasor which wyl not abide But toward goodes that ben perdurable Full lytle or nought their hertes they encline Nor to the heuenly company most notable They wyl not lyft vp nother heed ne eyne Toward the spheres of Phebus and Lucine Castyng their stremes to vs from ferre Which to considre all worldly men done erre What myght auayle the great couetyse Of kyng Xerxses in his estate royal Of the gret people which ye haue herd deuise Ten hundred M. the people was nat small But for all that he had an hydous fal Whan that he was as tofore is remembred On pieces smale piteously dismembred ☞ Lenuoye THis tragedi put vs in remembraūce Of y ◠vnsiker flateryng blyndnesse Both of fortune and of her vatiaūce And of her vgly froward doublenes In Xerxses shewed for all his ryches To vs declaring plainly in figure A rauynous prince may no whyle endure Kyng Xerxses had vnder his obeysaunce Al Perce and Mede the stori bereth witnes Thought all erthe to lytell in substaunce To staunche the etyke of his gredynesse A fret of hauing put him in such distresse Whose fyne declared by recorde of scripture A rauinous prince may no whyle endure He made also an odious ordynaunce Of surquedy his power for to dresse To robbe the gods maugre their puisaunce And spoyle the temples of their frowardnes Take their treasors agayn all rightwisnes But they him shewed of sodayne auenture A rauinous prince may no whyle endure Great Appollo toke on his men vengeaunce With vnware tempest for al their sturdines Leuin thunder brought them to mischaūce Guerdon most able agayn the
falsnes In princes hertes aye playnly to expres Who by rauyne riches wyl recure God wyl nat suffre him longe to endure Noble princes stable in your constaunce Ye that desyre to stand in sykernes Remembre oft vpon the fatal chaunce Of proud Xerxses and his cursednes Your life disposing in your hygh nobles If that ye lyst your states to assure Eschue rauyne and ye shal long endure The .xi. Chapter ¶ How Artabanus murdred king Xerxses and howe hym selfe was murdred after NExt these tragedies weping dolerous Whyle Bochas stint wold haue be in pees A knight appered called Artabanus Whyche had aforne murdred king Xerxses And gan his complaynt for to put in prees Full concludyng to speke in wordes playne Who vseth murdre by murdre shal be slayne This Artabanus by record of writing With Xerxses prouost whylom as I rede Falsly conspyred by sleight of his workynge For to be kynge bothe of Perce and Mede Hauing seuen sonnes which that wer in dede Worthy knyghtes manly and right stronge Albe their father was set to do great wrong For he presumed by vsurpacion In Perce and Mede to quench y ◠clere lyght And trouble the lyne of iust succession For so as he of force and nat of ryght Nothyng resemblyng to a trewe knight The murdre of Xerxses falsly did ordayne Right so he cast to murdre his sonnes twain And to conclude playnly and not tarye This sayd kyng that called was Xerxses Had two sonnes the yongest called Dary And that other colled Artaxerxses which as the story reherceth doutles Were by discent borne to succede After their father to reign in Perce Mede The murdre of Xerxses outward was vnknow Nor how Artabanus had y ◠treson wrought Tyl afterwarde within a lytel throwe He had of newe forged out and sought Fals odious trains that wer neuer thought Told Artaxerses as he gan with him rown Howe Dary cast to occupy the croun And how the dethe of Xerxses was ordained Only by Dary and by none other wight wher vpon which ought be complayned Artaxerxses prouided anon right The slaughter of Dary so agayn all ryght This younge brother in his innocence Was falsly slaine and did none offence Ye wote by whom this treson was compassed Twene brethern twain to make diuision The younger slayne and nothyng trespased Moste redy way to the distruccion Of Artaxerxses for in conclusyon Whan the bretherne murdred were in dede Artabanus thought to succede But Artaxerxses by playne instruccion Of one that was called Baccarus By tokens knewe the couert false treason Of this aforesayd double Artabanus And howe that he by traynes outragyous Had Xerxses slayne as ye haue herd toforne And Dary appeched wherby he was lorne But this vncouth straūge treason wrought Whan Artaxerxses had knowlegyng By great aduise wayes he hath sought Artabanus to bryng vnto rekenynge But specyally he dred him of one thyng He feble was to bryng this thing about Of hys seuen sonnes he had so great doute But for to accomplyshe fully his entente Ful secretly this was his ordynaunce To al the worthy he hah his letters sent Dwellyng in Perce vnder his obeysaunce Without excuse or lenger attendaunce Armed echone and in especyall To come in haste vnto his courte royall Cause of their cōming was to them not know The kynges purpose was holden secre And kept so close both from hye and lowe That to his meanyng no man was priue Except the kyng sayd he woulde se What number of men if it come to nede In his defence he myght gather and lede And among other came Artabanus Vnto the court and list not for to fayle A man that was cruell and couragious Full of sleyghtes in all his gouernayle Whiche thilke tyme armed was in mayle For he with him none other armure lad Saue on his backe an haburion he had Than Artaxerses beyng in his strength To him abrayed of false affection For that my mayle wanteth of his length I woulde with the chaunge myne haburion The tother hauyng none euyll suspection Vngyrt him selfe would no lenger abide Bothe sworde dagger cast thē farre aside And while that he threw of his haburion And with the mayle stopped was his sight He being naked for short conclusion The king out pulleth a sworde kene bryght And through the hert he roue him anon right And after that of indignacion Toke his seuen sonnes cast them in pryson Of their ende what shoulde I more endite Nor of their death make digression God may his vengeaunce a while respite But murder wyll out all suche treason And for Artabanus had a condicion Falsely to murder as ye tofore haue seyne w t vnware murder guerdoned was ageyne Thus euer murder requireth for his wages Slaunder importable odyous to heare A worde diffamous most foule in all lāgages The sounde horrible by report to appeare A clips during whose darknes may not cleare For this worde murder most vgly vnfayre By a rehearsyng infecteth all the ayre ¶ The .xii. Chapter ¶ How duke Palantes Spartenoys warred theim of Missene for rauishyng their maydens AFter the death and fatall caas And piteous murder of Artabanus Next in order appeared to Bochas A mighty duke called Palautus Sonne of a knyght named Arathus Which was exiled though he no treasonment Out of his citye that called was Tarent Vpon his exyle he sore gan complayne Besechyng Bochas to get him a space Within his boke to write his greuous payne Albe though he whilom stode in grace By glad aspectes of fortunes face For she him raysed by fauour of her might To dukes estate from a pore knyght But cereously this matter to conuey How he was made duke and gouernour Whan Sparteyns gan mortally warrey Against Missenes as sayth mine auctour With great costage and diligent labour And cause was this for they w t mighty hand Rauished by force all maydens of the lande For this people now named Spartenois As the story clerely can deuise Were called afore Lacedemonois In armes proued manly and ryght wise And while they did a solemne sacrifise Vnto their goddes the people of Messeny Rauished their maydens or they it did espy On whiche wronge for to do vengeaunce The Spartenois caught indignacion And of assent with all their whole puissaunce They layed a siege rounde about the toun And of one wyll and one affection They made a vowe y ◠siege when they begon Neuer to depart tyll the towne were won Afore the towne fully ten yere they lay And fro the siege as they had made their othe They not departed neyther night nor day But styll abode and not a sunder gothe Therof their wiues at home were wrothe To their husbande 's a messengere they sent Vnder these wordes declaryng their entent Sayd it was not accordyng with reason They like widowes to liue disconsolate Without comfort or consolation Farre frō their husbandes to stande desolate Mischeues cōsidred that fal in eche estate
puissaūt Support the simple punyshe the tyraunt The .xxvii. chapter Of the two brethren Artaxerses and Cyrus and howe Artaxerses slew his children and concubines and howe they ended AFter the fall of Aman doubtles Whē he best wēd to haue be ī his flours Tofore John Bochas came Artaxerses Most renomed in his time of conquerours Which gan declare his sodeyn sharpe shours With all the parcels of his mortal payne Which that fortune agayne him gan ordayne This Artaxerses as put is in memorye All other prynces excelled in rychesse Whiche in hys chare famous of glorye And with hys trone of worldlye hye noblesse Sate in his tyme the story beareth wytnesse Highest exalted y ◠was of any kyng That he shoulde fall was it nat an vncouth thyng Kynges he had vnder his obeysaunce An hundred prouinces twentie eke seuen Son vnto Dary prince of moste puissaunce His fame drede more than fyry leuen None so mighty vnder the starred heauen Accompted was that tyme in warre and pees As was this kyng called Artaxerses He had a brother that named was Cyrus Out of one stocke came theyr bothe lynes But Artaxerses the story telleth thus Was lorde of graynes of oyle and of wines And had also by diuers concubines An hundred children lyke as it is tolde And fiftene ouer tofore or he wexe olde Of bothe brethren the power last farre Duryng theyr tyme stode in full hye estate Yet atwene them was ful mortall warre Agayne nature an vnkyndly debate For thylke warres be most infortunate Whan blode w t blod let no man deme other Lyst warrey as brother agaynst brother And finally cause why thys warre gan Atwene these brethren as made is mencion Through whiche debate died many a man The grounde of all and first occasion Was onely thys for succession After king Dary reigning in Perce Mede Whiche of them twayne shoulde next succede But Artaxerses by a maner prouidence Put his brother priuely in prison That he ne should make no defence Nor gather people to hys destruction This yonge Cyrus as made is mention Was fast stocked and eke as it is tolde That his stockes and fetters were of golde And though it be nat remembred in Bochas Howe that Cyrus escaped fro pryson Yet also soone as he delyuered was Through Perce Mede rydyng vp doun He gadered people of entention Through olde hatred hys brother tassayle The felde assigned they mette in battayle Wher Cyrus proudly put hym selfe in prees To shewe hys manhode in speciall Sought his brother called Artaxerses And gaue to hym a wounde ful mortall Without frendshyp or fauour fraternall That Artaxerses his wounde gan so ake Constrayned was the felde to forsake And Cyrus than furious as a Lyon Hys aduersaries gan mortally to wake But false fortune full of collusion Vnder faynt smilyng a mow gan him make Whiche caused alas y ◠he that day was take Afore ywounded it woulde be none other And then presented to his vnkynde brother And though this Cyrus had afore be found Yonge freshe lusty and manly of his honde By the constraynt of his mortall wounde He dyed anone for he no succour fonde Than the two kingdomes w tin Perce londe Fyll to the handes of Artaxerses In whiche after he liued longe in pees Thus a great space like a mighty kyng All Perce he helde vnder his obeysaunce By famous nobles full gloriously shinyng Hauyng of riches most fulsom abundaunce And as it is put in remembraunce To more encrease of his prosperitie In true wedlocke he had sonnes thre The fyrst of them called Darius Arobratus named the seconde And the thirde named was Othus Manly prynces like as it is founde And of nature lyke as the kyng was bound Vnto Dary as made is mencion Aboue echone he had affection And for he dempt him able to the warre By likelyhode of yeres yong and grene He cast fully his nobles to prefarre Of hye prudence thus he dide mene His impotence to support and sustene For he was feble in Perce to raygne alone He set vp Dary with him in his trone Whiche was a thing straunge contrarious Agayne the custome of Perciens vsaunce But he supposed his sonne Darius Shoulde in suche case encrease and aduaūce His fathers party of naturall attendaunce And shew vnto him trouth and kyndnes His impotence to cheryshe of gentlenes But in estates oft it dothe thus fall Whan that prynces be runne farre in age Their childrens loue ayen thē dothe appall Shewyng no frendshyp saue for adauntage How that they may reioyce their heritage And in suche case whan they wexe stronge Thinke their fathers liue all to longe And Artaxerses stode in the same caas As in the story playnly ye shall fynde By rehearsayle and writyng of Bochas How this Dary was false and eke vnkynde Forgetfull and had nothing in mynde How his father the trouth to reherce Hath made hi equal w t him to raign in Perce And to declare the first occasion To his father how the sayd Dary By a false maner of rebellion Gan in his workyng for to be contrary Whiche to discure I wyll no lenger tary But wyth my penne in all haste procede Here to discriue how it fell in dede Artaxerses among hys concubynes It is remembred how that he had one Whiche for to reken wyues and vyrgynes Was fayrest holde of them euerychone Called Arthasia of full yore agone And was that tyme her beauty to discryue Among the Perciens the fayrest holde alyue And though she were yrun farre in age Lyke as bokes lyst of her expresse Both of colour and also of vysage She kept her beauty her natyfe freshenes Whyche was afore for her semelines To the sayd Cyrus briefly to termyne Chose long afore to be his concubyne But whan thys Cyrus was passed into fate Which for his brother might not liue in pees Anone vpon wythout lenger date She was take vp for kyng Artaxerses Because she was of beauty pearles After long tyme when he fell in age She claymed was by title of heritage Of kyng Dary by hys fathers lyue Faynyng his clayme by succession And though his father agayn it dyd stryue And thus began as made is mencion Of their debate the fyrst occasion For Dary cast all be he bare it styll Her to reioyce agayne hys fathers wyll And to accomplyshe falsely his entent Of her to haue full possession To afforce his party he made thys argument Cyrus quod he as made is mencion Raygnyng in Perce that mighty region And this story do the playnly determyne For her beuty made her hys concubyne And after time whan Cyrus was dede Artaxerses his father ye may se Next him succeadyng in Perce it is no drede Lyst her to clayme eke for her great beauty And so quod Dary she longeth now to me Because she is so pleasaunt to my syght By succession I will her clayme of ryght Thus kyng Dary to his father sayde He would haue Arthasia
Gentle bloude of his royall nature Is euer enclyned to mercy and pite Where of custome these vyllains do their cure By their vsurped and extort false poste To be vengeable by mortall cruelte Through hasty fumes of furious courage Folowyng the tetches of their vyle lynage O mighty prynces your nobles do assure Your passions rest with tranquilitie Se how there is no meane of measure Where a tyrant catcheth the souerayntie Let Agathocles your worldly myrrour be To eschue the traces of hys froward passage As royall bloude requyreth of your lynage The .xvi. Chapiter ☞ Howe Cassander slewe the wyfe of Alexander and Hercules her sonne and how Antipater slew his mother of other murders THE greate mischiefe of Fortunes myght The wofull falles fr◠her whele in dede Of prynces pryncesses who so loke aright Ben lamentable and doleful for to rede But for all that Bochas dothe procede In his rehearsayl remēbryng thus him selue To him appeared of men and women twelue After the death of kyng Agathocles There cāe tofore him worthy quenes twain The first of them was called Bersanes And of her mischefe gan to him complayne Wife of Alexander the story lyst not fayne The mighty kyng greatest vnder sonne Whiche by conquest all this world hath won Wife to Alexander was this Barsanes By his lyue as made is mencion Whiche with her sonne named Hercules Wereby Cassander brought to destruction And of her death thys was the occasion Cassander dradde y ◠Bersanes the quene Woulde with her sonne on him auenged bene For his treasons whiche he tofore wrought On Alexander and on hys lynage And specially if that she were brought To Macedone for her auauntage Wyth her sonne that was but yonge of age Cassander thought and drede as I haue told They wold auenge his tresōs wrought of old He cast afore of malice causeles This Cassander most falsely workyng That if this knyght this yonge Hercules Son of Alexander by recorde of wrytyng In Maredone were take and crowned kyng How that he woulde of equitie and ryght His fathers death auenge lyke a knyght Whiche thing to eschue Cassāder gan prouide And by false fraude was not retchles But on a day he list not longe abide Slew first the quene this sayd Bersanes And than her sonne ycalled Hercules Thus by Cassander of murder crop and rote They murdred wer there was nonother bete This crueltie myght not suffice Vnto Alexander by recorde of scripture But lyke a tyrant in vengeable wise He did them bury by froward auenture Where no man should know their sepulture And thus alas whiche pity is to rede He murdred foure out of one kynrede To Alexander he ministred the poyson Slewe the quene called Olympiades And of hatred by full false treason As I haue tolde he slew quene Bersanes Wife to Alexander mother to Hercules Whiche in his youthe by Bochas rehearsyng In Macedoyne was like to haue be kyng After all this he could not liue in pees But euer ready some treason for to do Slewe eke the quene called Roxanes Vpon a day and her yonge sonne to And she was wyfe to Alexander also Cassander dreadyng in his opinion Lest they would venge thē vpon his treason Thus euer he liued in murder sorow strife By way of fraude came all his encrees And as I finde how he had a wife And she was called Thessalonices And this story remembreth doubtles A sonne they had borne atwene them twayne To stea his mother which after did his paine Shortly to passe mine auctor writeth nono-ther Antipater was her sonnes name And bicause that she loued his brother Better then him he to his great defame Cōpassed her death the story sayth the same Notwithstandyng to appese his crueltee She asked mercy knelyng on her knee Her breastes open white and soft as silke All bedewed with teares her vysage Requyred mekely at reuerence of the milke With whiche he was fostred in yong age For to haue mercy and to appease his rage And to accept goodly her prayere To saue the life of his mother dere But all for nought he heard her neuer adele He was to her surmountyng all measure Like his father bengeable and cruell I trowe it was youe him of nature For by recorde of kynde and eke scripture Selde or neuer no braunche that is goode Spryngeth of custome out of cruel bloude Of her death cause there was none other That Antipater slough his mother dere But for she loued Alexander his brother Better than him the cronicle doth vs lere Whiche Alexander if ye lyst to here Had in his succour I finde by writyng Demetrius that was of Asye kyng Thessalonices was in this while dead By Antipater he most infortunate Bathed in her bloud her sides wer made red Without compassion of her hye estate And her two sonnes liuyng at debate Til Lisymachus y t prefect was of Trace Them reconsyled eche to others grace Whan Demetrius knew of their accorde God wot the sothe he nothing was fayne But by his fraude the story beareth record That Alexander maliciously was slayne This while Antipater stādyng in no certayne Tyll he by sleyght of Lisymachus Was murdred after the story telleth thus To write the proces and the maner hough That Lisymachus by fraudulent workyng His sonne in lawe Antipater thus slough False couetise was cause of all this thing And Demetrius toke on him to be kyng Of Macedone remembred tyme and date Whan both brethren were passed into fate Duryng this murder all this mortal strife In this proces like as it is founde Of Antipater Erudice the wyfe Daughter of Elenchus was in chains boūde Cast in pryson darke hydous and profound And for a whyle I leaue her there soiourne And to Demetrius I wyll agayne returne Which made him selfe to be crowned kyng Of Macedone through his great puissaunce But to destroy his purpose in workyng There were thre princes notable in substaūce Confederate and of allyaunce Echone assented for short conclusion To bryng Demetrius to destruction One the first was worthy Tholome Kyng of Egypt in armes full famous Other twayne the story ye may se Called Seleuchus and next Lisymachus And of Cypre came the kyng Pyrrhus Lorde of Prouynce as it is eke founde They made thē strong Demetrius to cōfoūd Shortly to tell with their apparayls Of Macedoue they did him fyrst depryue Game vpon hym with four strong battayles That he was neuer so ouerset in his lyue Take of Lisymachus the story doth discryue Cheyned in pryson of his life in dout For I not finde that euer he issued out ☞ The .xvii. chapter ¶ Of the two prefectes Perdicas and Amintas NExt in order Perdicas did appere Whilom prefect of great Babilon And w t him came Amintas eke yfere An other prefect as made is mencion Whiche Bactry had in his subiection A great prouince youe him by iudgement Midde of Alia towarde the occident These sayd twayne for their worthines And for
their manhode in actes marciall Assigned were by diligent busines To wayte and kepe in especiall Vpon the maiestye in his estate royall Of Alexander for trust as chamberlayns Agayn the assault drede of all forayns After whose death for singuler guerdone Made prefect bothe they were in dede As ye haue heard that one in Babilone The other in Bactry the story ye may rede Yet in quiete they might hem not succede For Seleuchus gan a warre ayen theÌ„ make That they wer fayn their lordships to forsake ¶ The .xviii. Chapter ⧠Howe Sandrocottus borne of lowe degre cherished robbers and theues OTher prefectes there were also I fynde Whiche held the people in ful great seruage In Macedone and in other Inde Tyll Sandrocottus a man of lowe lynage Cast he would redresse their outrage Of entent pore people to restore To their fraunchises y t playned on them sore Sandrocottus auctour of this workyng Behight the people throughout all couÌ„treys Whan he by sleight was crowned kyng Them to restore to their olde liberties But whan he had receyued these dignities All his behestes made with a fayre vysage Turned after to thraldom and seruage Thus whan a wretche is set in high estate Or a begger brought vp to dignitie There is none so proud so poÌ„pous nor elate None so vengeable nor so full of crueltie Voyde of discrecion mercy and pitie For churlyshe bloude selde dothe recure To be gentle by way of his nature He may dissimule and for a tyme fayne Counterfayte with a fayre vysage Out of one hode shew faces twayne Contrary of hart double of his langage Styll of hys porte smothe of his passage Vnder floures lyke a serpent dare Till he may stynge than will not spare And euer like of his condicions Was Sandrocottus set vp in hye estate Vexed people and troubled regions Set cities and townes at great debate Whose gouernaunce was infortunate As it was sene and founde at all preues Cherished no man but robbers theues And to declare how he caught hardines And occasion people to gouerne By a pronostike whiche I shall expresse Ryght marueylous vncouthe to discerne Whiche was this as I shall tell as yerne Right wonderful vncouth for to heare And it was this if ye lyst to lere There was a man called Procatales Borne in Inde whiche of his liuyng Was wonders pore came but selde in prees Because he had trespaced in one thing Agayne VenaÌ„drus y â— was that time king CoÌ„maundyng to slea hym anonryght But he escaped the story sayth by flyght God had geuen him of fete swyftnes By meane wherof he saued him fro daungere Through long trauayle fyll in werynes And refreshed him beside a well clere He lay slepyng that face and all his chere Dropped of swette a lyon came foreby And licked hys face as sayth the story With whiche affray the man anone awoke And sodaynly lyft vp his vysage The lyon rose softly and the way toke Towarde the forest did him no domage Forgate his felnesse and his cruell rage Of whiche pronostyke gan the occasion Wherof Sandrocottus toke an opinion Cast and thought in his fantasy Syth that the Lyon is beast most royall Whiche not disdayned him selfe to apply To licke the face of a man rurall In his nature to shewe him beastiall He dempt well that it was sittyng To take on hym the estate of a kyng His opinion of reason was right nought For where the Lyon left his crueltie He coutrary wext proud in hert and thought Voyde of mercy barrayne of pitie For whan that he was set in dignitie Brought from a wretche to domination Agayne nature he played the lyon Sum time a lyon forgetteth all felnesse Where as a woulfe wyll naturally deuour So royall bloude hath ruthe by gentlenes On pore playnufes to helpe theÌ„ succour Where as a tyrant dothe naturally labour Whan he hath power catchyng auauntage To robbe subiectes and spoyle theÌ„ by pillage Sandrocottus thus borne of lowe kynrede In hye estate by fortune whan he stode Gan make him stronge vengeable in dede With number of robbers furious and wode Cast him to destroy all the gentle bloude That was in Inde and by his ordinaunce To stea al the prefectes that had gouernauÌ„ce And w t the coÌ„mons when he was made stroÌ„g And gan the maner of their death deuise Like a false tyrant although he did wrong Agayne his lordes whan he gan aryse An Oliphant came in full vncouth wise Him obeyed which was a great wonder Whan their battayls were not farre asunder Though he was wild the story saith y e same Sandrocottus lept vpon his syde And on hys backe as on a beast tame Toward the battayle anone he gan to â—yde Was their captayne that day and their gyde With his robbers as it is made mynde Slew al the prefectes geÌ„tle bloud of Inde The .xix. Chapiter ☞ How Seleuchus the myghty prynce was slaine by the great Tholome kyng of Egypt THen came Seleuchus to Bochas complaynyng A myghtye Prynce and a manlye knyght Sonne of Antiochus the famous kyng Was most fauoured in Alexanders syght Whiche Seleuchus for wisdome for might Borne of a prynces the cronicle ye may sene Called Leodice the great famous quene The byrth of him straunge marueylons For his mother vpon the same nyght That she coÌ„ceyued drempt thought thus As it semed playnely in her sight Of great Appollo the heueÌ„ly god most bright How she the tyme of her conceyuynge Receyued that night of golde a riche ryng In whyche rynge was set a precious stone Yeue vnto her for a great guerdon Graue w t anker her coÌ„maunding anone After the byrthe without dylacion To yeue the rynge of whole affection To Seleuchus wherby in especiall He should excell in actes marciall The same morow after the childe was borne Within her bed was founde a riche ryng Wyth all the tokens rehearsed here toforne The anker graue like in euery thing Whiche that the quene toke in her kepyng And of entent for her auauntage Kept it secrete tyll he came to age Another maruayle fyll also withall This Seleuchus which was a woÌ„der thing Had enprynted eke in speciall Vpon hys thygh an anker and a ryng So had all by recorde of writyng Suche carectes the story doth determyne That after him were borne of that lyne When Seleuchus as made is mencion The tender yeres had of his age ronne And came to yeres of discrecion He by this rynge ful many land hath wonne Whose knightly fame shone shene as y â— sonne He well aduised hardy of great myght Time of Alexander hold one the best knight In warre and armes he his time hath spent Brought all Inde to subiection Gate all the kingdomes nye of the Orient Helde them longe in his possession But here alas Bochas maketh mencion All his victories that did in honour shyne With sodaine chaunge were turned to ruyne For whan Seleuchus was most vyctorious Had
wall Slewe fourtye M. the Cronycle ye maye se Of Affricans by vengeaunce full mortall And their constable called Hastruball Was slayne that day by him it is no doute That he most trusted next was him aboute And this whyle most manly of corage The worthy Tribune Publius Scipion By very force is entred in Cartage And sixe dayes as made is mencion He his knightes constrayned so the toun That dispaired with their deedly cheres They of the towne yelded them prisoneres Mekely requiryng vnto Scipion To receyue them in thys mortall rage That men women dwellyng in that toun With the cite sins yong and olde of age Myght abyde and lyue in seruage Vnder the Romains there was no better refute And yere by yere pay them a tribute And of Affrike that other Hastruball Whych among theÌ„ afore was crowned kyng Left his estate and his power royal Yelded hym prisonere humbly knelyng And his wyfe most pitiously weping Whan that she sawe her lorde taken so Ran in to fyre and brent her selfe for wo. Sixe and twenty thousande as I fynde Where led of women into captyuyte Thirty thousand of men came behinde Take prisoners in great aduersite And seuentene dayes brent that citye That in theyr walles was none so hard stone But to poudre it was brent anone And this was done breuely to conclude By the prowesse of Publyus Scipion Sold in seruage was a great multitude Their olde lordes led fettred to pryson Thys was of Cartage fynall distruccion On their coÌ„plaints Bocas abideth no whyle But into Grece turneth agayne hys style ☞ The .xiii. Chap. ⧠Howe kynge Perseus was by Romaynes outrayed and after take IN Lacedemoyne remembrynge on a kynge Called Perseus a full proude werryrour Claymyng a tytle vpon hym vsurpyng For to succede as trewe enherytour To gret AlisauÌ„dre most myghty conquerour Fully affirmyng agayne a certayne day He wyll be crowned maugre who sayth nay And his name to put in memory Cast in his persoÌ„ to renewe the prowesse Of kinge Alisaundre to encrease his glory To folowe his traces in knighthode nobles And fyrst of all of hasty wilfulnes That his conquest might sprede ferre Gan of purpose w t Romaines to haue werre But after this he was better auysed Whan he perceyued the Marcial apparayle Of the Romayns whereof he was agrised Wext aferde their noblesse to assayle Which aye were found victorious in battaile And where afore he had ben recheles Sent ambassatours w t them to treat of pees They had perceyued his presumpcion And howe he was proude and surquedous Sent a Consul with a great power doune The name of whome was Sulpicius Whych deedly hated the sayde Perseus Through rancour agayne him wext solayne Of his ambassade hauyng but disdayne And their partie for to fortify With their saide Consul Sulpicius They sent another experte in chiualry A Consul also Paulus Emylius Amonge Romains notable and famous And folowyng after the selfe same nyght The mone eclypsed fully of hir myght A clere token as made is mencion That kynge Perseus shoulde haue a sharpe shoure And that his lordship his region Shoulde be oppressed voide of al socour And that Macedons shuld haue no fauour Agayne the Romains togider whaÌ„ they met With rounde speares swordes sherpe whet â–ª The day of battaile to his encrease of glorye For the party of them of Rome toune There was a knyght that caused the victory Yonge freshe lusty that called was Caton Which brought their enemies to confusion For Macedonoys through his great might Outraied were Perseus put to flyght But Emplius the noble Consulere Sent a capitaine called Octauius To pursue after in costes ferre and nere The proude kyng the sayde Perseus And he was take for there was no rescus With his soÌ„nes that were in numbre twaine Philip Alisaundre the story is certaine Myne auctour telleth here of kinges many Thurty in numbre the first Gramaus Which haue reigned within Macedony And last of all was this Perseus The numbre of yeres Bochas wryteth thus Was nyne hundred as I remembre here Space of their reigning with .xxiiii. yere After translated was the region With al their yles vnto the obeysaunce Of them of Rome without excepcion To great lords that were of most puâ—saunce Abode there long vnder gouernaunce And Perseus discoÌ„late of chere Durynge his lyfe abode there prisoner The .xiiii. chapiter ¶ Howe the people of Achaia with their chefe citye Corinthe by Romains was distroied THus the lordeshyp weared out and spent Of Macedoyne as made is mencioÌ„ The two countreyes therto adiaceÌ„t That one Achaia a litle region And Spartonoyse goynge enuiron Myghty of people and of great substaunce In one confederate and of one alyaunce They were coÌ„ioyned both made al one By a maner faithful conuencion And whan the Romaines knew theÌ„ for their fone Hauinge their frendshyp in suspeccion They cast to make a disiunction Bytwene these laÌ„des in bread and length For thig dysceuered is weked of hys streÌ„gth Ordayned cytyes townes here yonder Wheron the Romayns gan make a decre That their lordshyppes shuld be set a sonder Whych made the people in euery great citie WhaÌ„ they knewe their subtylite To ryse at ones most cruel of their cheres And wold haue slaine y e Romayn messaÌ„gers And fynally by thys occasyon Romayns agayne them gan wexe furious Toke hardynes of their deuysion And a Consul called Meuius A manlye knyghte in armes full famous In to Achaya was from Rome sent It to distroy by great auysement They of Achaya by theyr negligence And by their frowarde wylful rechelesnes Of verye pride list make no diffence Thought them self wythout auisenesse Of power able and stronger in southnes Than were Romains verely in dede Thus were they stroyed afore or they tooke hede They stode in hope in their sturdines By that battayle to haue had greate pyllage Of the Romayns to haue won great ryches And for a pompe of wylful false dotage They toke theyr wiues womeÌ„ youÌ„g of age And set them vpon an hye mountayne That their maÌ„hode myght in the feld be seine Whan the Romains met them in battayle They dispurueyed and out of ordynaunce Slayn lyke beastes their power gan to faile Of froward pride recheles gouernaunce That Achaya was brought to mischaunce Women chyldren for sorowe almooste mad To lyue in seruage were to Rome lad Corinthe that tyme was their chefe cytye Distroyed by Romayns brought to ruyne Whych among cityes in Bocas ye may se Aboue all other dyd in honour shyne Of al Sciences there floured the doctrine And of craftes artificers most wyse Reken al the world ther was chefe marchauÌ„dise Thus vnwarly in their most noblesse Sittynge of fortune in the hygh stage They were distroied of treasour rychesse Brought to noughte by slanghter pyllage Their walles broke in that cruel rage And in that breÌ„nyng Bochas sayth the leuin Raught a great part vpwarde to the
lykely of disposicion Chosin afterwarde for a synguler prise To go to Spayne to helpe Scipion Gaine NumeÌ„taynes a famous mighty toun And there Jugurtha so knyghtly hath begon That by his nobis the town anon was won And to remembre his knyghthod of entent His worthynesse and his hye renoun To Mysipsa letters were downe sent By the forsaid worthy Scipion Which gaue so great a coÌ„mendacion To Jugurtha him callyng in that werre â–ª Of manly prowesse the yonge lode sterre Of king Mysipsa receyued notably Called hun sonne by adopcion The king dead sone Jugurtha traitourly Slewe Hiempsales heire by succession He of that realine to haue possession This was his custome how euer y â— tytle stode By slaughter and murdre for to get good He lyst to goddes do no reuerence Of his nature wylful and recheles Hauynge nouther remors nor conscience Touchyng the slaughter of Hiempsales Falsly practised for his owne encrees For which murdre Romains haue set doun A Consulere to do correccion Calphurnius he called that was sent Onely to punishe that horible dede But with treasour hys eyen were so blent Of execucion that he toke none hede The Romayns ouercome with mede Gaue to Jugurtha by collusion Of this murore a coloured false pardon By which he toke a maner hardinesse Of tyranny which he dyd exercyse Gathered people of hareful cursydnesse And in him selfe gan curledly deuyse To execute the leâ—fe same gyse Of false murdre I meane nowe none other To slee Adherbales the seconde brother That he alone by false intrusion Of Numedy might be lorde and kyng Thus of his cruelte murdre false treason The noyse was borne by laÌ„gage wrytyng Of which the graffes flasly abrode spredynge Brought forth in hyndring of his name Frute of disclaundre reporte of diffame Mortall treason was couered vnder flours To saue him selfe by some subtylte And specially with his great treasours To appease the Senat if it would haue be But theragayne al the coÌ„monte Made agayne him a coniuracion On his salse murdre to do correction Foure Mâ—men of armes were downe sent With a pretour called Actilius The which pretour set al his entent To gather treasour for he was couetous And couetyse is contrarious Vnto knighthode as auctours all expresse And stepmother vnto worthynes A siege he layde aboute a myghty tour Wherin Jugurtha put all hys rychesse The siege was layde for loue of the treasoure More than for worshyp or for worthynesse Wherby his name and his noblesse Ther discomfyted brought vnto mischaunce After for mede made hys alyaunce With Jugurtha to his encrease of shame Caused Affrike through false cheuysaunce They togyther disclaundred by diffame Them to withdrawe fro the obeysaunce Of the Romains more them selfe tauauÌ„ce To theyr purpose corrupted wyth treasour Many a Tribune and many Senatour Of newe againe al the comonte Fro Rome sent Gayus Marius For the murders and horible cruelte Wrought by Jugurtha the tiraunt furious Which to refourme the sayd Gayus A Consulere of purpose was sent doun A manly knyght and famous of renoun Full notably the werres he began Wrought euery thyng of hie prouidence And fortune whyche helpeth hardy man Gaue him great fauour by her influence And alderfirst he dyd his diligence For to auoyde al that were vicious Delicate people and folkes lecherous A day was set and taken a batayle But Jugurtha by false subtilte Profered much good which might not auaile To haue corrupt if it would haue be The sayde Marius but euer in one degre He stode aye stable vpright as a wall And toke none hede to his profer at all Than Jugurtha in party dispaired Greatly astonyed within hym selfe musynge But lyke a man hyndred and appayred He gan purpose anone a newe thynge Of Mauritaine he went to the kyng To get helpe whych called was Boccus Him to succour agayne this Gaius Twene them was made of new an alyauÌ„ce The whyche last but a lytle space For kyng Boccus gan fal in repentaunce Cast he woulde resorte to the grace Of the Romayns and nomore trespace And to perfourme his entencion He made to Gayus this mediacion There was one Scylla called a Questour Of Gayus host had gouernaunce For king Boccus he was mediatour That ther was newely accordaunce Twene him Gayus and by the purueyauÌ„ce Of thys Boccus Jugurtha anone was hent Maugre his myght and tâ— Gayus sent And al his kyngdom without resistence Gaine to Romains came vnder obeysaunce And Marius forgaue them their offence Receyued them vnder assuraunce That he shall by dome do no vengeaunce To punyshe y â— trespaces that they dyd aforne The space coÌ„pted fro tyme they were borne Jugurtha taken almost for angre mad Brought to Rome and fettered in prison To Terpeya an hye hyl he was lad Jugement yeue for his false treason bound to a stone and after throwe doun Fro the place full hye where he stode Without mercy in to Tibre flode ¶ Lenuoye THis may be wel called a tragedy By discripcion takynge auctorite For tragedy as Poetes specify Ginneth with ioye endeth with aduersyte From hye estate cast in to lowe degre Example taken this story sayth aright Of Iugurtha that was fyrst a good knyght At his ginnyng famous in chiualry Gate NumeÌ„taigne of Spaine a great citye But in repairing home to that party I meane whan he came home to his countre He chaunged knyghthode into cruelte With couetise so blinded was the syght Of Iugurtha that first was a good knighte His wyt his power he holy dyd apply To hateful murdre fraude and subtylte By extorte title him selfe to magnify Slew rightful heires reft theÌ„ their lybertie By false intrusion clambe vp to their se And gaue no force were it wrong or ryght A thyng contrary to euery worthy knight Noble princes lift vp your hertes iye Within your selfe remembre and do se Of this murdre the hateful tyrrany With oppression done to the commoÌ„te His gynnyng good a cursed ende had he Murdre axeth vengeaunce day and night A thynge contrary to euery worthy kyght ⧠Here endeth the fyfte booke and here after foloweth the sixte ¶ Here Bochas sittinge in his studie alone wryteth a greate processe howe Fortune lyke a Monstruous Image hauynge an C. handes apeared vnto hym and spake and Bochas vnto her makynge bytwene them both many great arguments and reasons of fortunes chaunces ¶ The Fyrst Chapter IN hys studye alone as Bochas stode Hys pen in hande of sodayne auenture To remeÌ„bre he thought it dyd hym good Howe that no man may him selfe assure In worldly thynges fully to recure Grace of fortune to make her to be stable Her dayly chaunges be so variable She braydeth euer on y â— chauÌ„tipleure Now songe now wepyng now wo now gladnesse Nowe in myrth nowe paine to endure Nowe lyght now heuy nowe in swetnesse Nowe in trouble nowe fre nowe in distresse Shewyng to vs a maner resemblaunce No worldly welth hath here non assurauÌ„ce Whyle
horible dede Which Nero vsed whylom on Sporus And on an other called Ompharus Both male chyldren as bokes tel can Them to transfourme to likenes of a womaÌ„ Some bokes of hym determine Lyke a ribaude horrible and detestable He misused his mother Agripine And lyke a tiraunt cruel and vengeable Which to remember is abhominable He made her wombe be corue vpon a daye To se the place nyne monethes where he lay Of disnatural hateful cruelte To God nor vertue hauyng no regarde And of the vyce of prodigalite He was accused in knyghthod a cowarde And to al vertue contrary and frowarde Of whos wodenes good hede whan I toke I was ashamed to set hym in thys booke He hated al that were vertuous And to them had special enuy Hys brethern his wyfe this tirant dyspitous He falsly slewe in hys malencoly His mayster Senec auctours specifye Aye whan he saw him hauiÌ„g a maner drede In an hote bathe to deth he made him blede To Polifagus a wodeman most sauage Which that fed him most with fleshe of man Nero toke men olde and yonge of age To fynde him vitayle in stretes where he caÌ„e Cursed at his ende cursed whan he gan Whan he dyd offre innocentes blode To be deuoured of him that ran so wode Christes fayeth fyrst he gan werreye Of emperours in hys frowarde entent Peter and Paule in Rome he made deye Vpon a day their legende dothe assent Halfe the cite of Rome I fynde he brent And Senatours welnye euerychone This Nero slewe spared almost neuer one Made hys Mules be shod wyth siluer shone Of surquedye whan he shoulde ryde The cite brent Romayns after sone Pursued him vpon euery syde And from a subarbe where he did abyde Twene Salaria and Numentana right Ther stant a path whyder he toke hys flyght By a depe marys as Nero toke his flyght Whan he saw he myght not asterte He was so pursued by a Romayne knyght To fynde socour he myght not dyuerte Roue him selfe anone vnto the herte Wyth a sharpe dagger a cursed ende lo Of the false tiraunt that called was Nero. In stede of a Lenuoye OF this Nero to write a Lenuoye Nor of his dedes to make mencion To rede the processe no man should haue ioye For al concludeth of murdre and of treason On aduoutry excesse and poyson Riot glotony lechery vengeaunce Slaughter of him selfe ended with mischauÌ„ce If that I myght I wolde race his name Out of this boke that no man should it rede His vicious lyfe chefe myrrour of diffame Set hym asyde let no wyght take hede For to remembre so many a cruell dede Saue onely thys to thinke in substaunce Howe euery tiraunt endeth in mischaunce Of him I cast to wrytenowe no more And what I say is sayde but in reprefe Of the vyces that he wrought of yore Duryng his empyre concluding for a chefe All tyrannye shall ende wyth myschefe Recorde on Nero which for misgouernauÌ„ce As ye haue herde ended wyth mischaunce The .vi. Chapter Howe Eleazarus a Jewe borne for extorcion and robbrye was brought in prison and there ended AAter Nero came Eleazarus A Jewe of byrth a price of robbry An extorcioner cruel dispitous For his outrages don in that party To redresse his hateful tiranny A mighty pretour was sent fro Rome doun Called Felix in to that region By force of Felix take he was and bounde Maugre his myght vnto Rome sent Strongly fettred wyth massy chaynes rouÌ„d Suffred in prison many great turment At the last this was his iudgement There to abyde because he was a thefe For euermore ended in mischefe The .vii. Chapter How the heade of Galba was smytten of filled ful of golde and offred at the sepulture of Nero. TOfore Bocas next came Galba down Whych in Spayne dyd many knyghtly dede After the deth rehersed of Neroun In hope stode this Galba as I rede In th empyre iustly to succede Parcell for knightehode he hath hym so well borne And for great mariage which he had beforne I finde in Bochas rehersed in sentence He was disclaundred of hateful vices thre He was cruell contrary to clemence Straite in keping gayne liberalite Vengeable of herte gayne mercy and pitie A thynge not sitting vnto chyualry Of custome yeue to slouth and slogardy To occupye th empyre he began Among Romains toke possession Claiming a title by one Licyâ—ian That was his sonne by adopcion But anone after for his presumpcion One called Occho a full manly knyght Smyt of his head were it wronge or ryght This sayd Galba mine auctour writeth thus From his empire vn warely pulled doun Had an enemy called Patrobolus The head of Galba toke in possession Filled it with golde made an oblacion At the sepulture of Nero therewithal To all the goddes goddesses infernall The .viii. Chapter Howe Occho and Vitellius for glottony lechery ribaudry and crueltie ended in mischefe ANd after that thys offryng was full doo As ye haue herde to Bochas than To make hys complainte in order came Pyso Afore surnamed iustly Lycinian Sonne adoptyfe to tel as I began Of the sayde Galba claimyng to succede Slaine anone after by Occho as I rede Than was thempire parted in to three Occho toke Rome vnto his partye And Vitellius to reigne in the countre Ouer the boundes of all Germanye And Vaspasian reigned in Surrey But fyrst this Occho surnamed Siluius Came to complaine cruel and dispitous Of al thempire this same Siluius By slaughter rauyne and extorcion By murdre dethe and dedes outragious With mighty hande toke the possession And there began a great deuision Whiche was occasion of great sorowe woo Atwene Vitellius and this sayde Occho It is reherced that in Germanye In sondry places they had battayls three In the whych Occho wyth hys partye Venquished the felde made hys fone to flee But through fortunes mutabilite The fourth tyme playnly this is the caas Maugre hys myght discomfited ther he was Tofore Bedry a myghty stronge cite Of Germanye was this discomfiture After which of frowarde cruelte This sayde Occho seyng his auenture With wo supprised might not endure Of his constraint the unportable payne Toke a sworde and roue his herte a twayne Vitellius hauing the victory With his power as made is mencion Of surquedy and false vayne glory Came with his hoste in to Rome toun But Bochas here maketh a discripcion Rehersing shortly his byrth eke his lyne And how that he of blode was Saturnyne This to say Saturnus king of Crete Chaced by Jupiter out of his region And Ianus had in Itayle take his sete Vpon a mount called Ianiculum Where nowe of Rome is bilte the large toun Ianus receuyng of liberalite Whan Saturne fled in to his cite Tofore y â— coÌ„ming of Saturne this no fayle Rude and boystous and beastial of reason Was al the people abyding in Itayle Land was none sowe nor turned vp so doun Nor marchaundise vsed in no toun Tyll Saturne taught the
it fyll set by their bothe auyse They had a batayle not far fro Parise This Gracien was there put to flight By the prowes of a proud captayne Called Merobandus an hardy knight Which with his power hath so ouerlayne That Gracian was constrained in certaine Whan his power myght not auayle Gayne Maximus to flye out of Itayle This Maximus of pride gan desire In his hert by false ambycion To reigne alone and of the hole Empyre In his handes to haue possession But in what wyse fortune threw him doune With such other as be in nombre fiue In this chapter Bochas doth discriue Against this same tyrant Maximus When that he had slain Gracian The noble Emperour Theodosius To venge his death a warre in hast he gan Because also that Valentinian was wrongly banished thrugh the cruelte Of Gracian farre from his countre with Maximus to holde vp his partie was Andragacian a ful notable knight which was made prince of his chiualrye That toke vpon him of very force and might To kepe y ◠mountains that no maner wight with Theodose armed in plate and mayle No man shuld ouer the Alpes of Itayle Theodose made a great armye By grace of God and marcial corage Layde a siege to Aygle a great cyte And wan the towne maugre his visage Toke the tyrant and for his great outrage Berafte him fyrst his royall garnement And slewe him after by rightfull iudgement whan Adragracian knewe that Maximus That was his Lord was slayne in such wise Anone for sorowe the storie telleth thus He drowned him self as Bochas doth deuise Thus can fortune make men aryse ▪ And to the estate of Emperours attaine with vnware stroke gyue him a fal agayne This Maximus of whom I spake tofore Before his dethe made an ordinaunce That his sonne which called was Victore Shuld after him gouern Gaule Fraunce whome Arbogastes had in gouernaunce A great constable with Valentinian Slewe this Victore to reigne whan he begā The .xvii. Chapter ¶ A goodlye processe howe Theodosye wyth prayer and smal nombre gate the victory VVhan Valentinian with great apparayl By Arbogastes toke possessyon Of Lombardy and of al Itayle Brought al that land to subiection Than with his power he came to Gaul doun There receyued with great solempnyte At Vienne a famous old cyte Arbogastes of whom I spake but late His chefe constable as ye haue heard deuyse Of his Lord by full cruel hate The dethe conspired of false couetise Therby supposyng that he shuld aryse Vnto thestate to be chose Emperour whan he were deed lyke a false traytour Vp in a towre he heng him traytourly To more sclandring hindring of his name Reported outward and said cursedly This Arbogastes to hide his own shame His souerayne Lord to put in more blame Stiffely affirming a thing that was false Howe he hym selfe hyng vp by the halse Thus lyke a murdrer and a false traytour And of condicions hateful and odious Labored sore to be made Emperour That he alone with Eugenius Might exclude Theodosius First to let him he shuld in no partye Passe thrugh Itayle nor thrugh Lombardy Sette spyes to bring him in a trayne which that time as they vnderstode Like a iust prince did his busye paine As he that thought nothing but gode In the hylles of Lombardy abode whom Arbogastes of furious outrage Cast him to trouble and stoppe his passage He and Eugenius beyng of assent Theodosy mortally to assayle which whan he knew their mening fradulēt Albe that he had but scarce vitaile On euerye cost he set with a batayle And of his knightes forsake in manere He left all thinge and toke him to prayer with him was lefte but a smal meyne True and faithful in their affection And first of al he fil down on his kne And to Jesu gan make his orison O Lorde quod he thine eares enclyne doun And of thy mercyful gracious goodnesse Deliuer me out of my mortal distresse Consider and se howe that I am thy knight Whiche ofte sith thrugh my fragilite With fleshly lustes blynded in my sight A thousand times haue trespased to the But gracious Jesu of mercy and pite To my request beningly take hede Me to socour in this great nede My trust is holy plainly to conclude Thou shalt forther and fortune my viage With fewe folke agayne great multitude To make me haue gracious passage After the Prouerbe of new and olde langage How that thou maist canst thy power shew Gayne multitude victory with a fewe And as thou saued whilom Israell Agayne Pharaos mighty puissaunce And from the lyon deliuered Daniell And saued Susanna in her mortal greuaūce Saue me this day fro sorow and mischaūce In this mischefe to graunt me this issue To escape from daunger by grace of y ◠Jesu This blessed name by interpretacion Is to saye most mighty Sauiour There is no drede nor dubitacion That Jesus is in al worldly labour To all that trust him victorious protectour Now blessed Jesu pauise of my defence Make me tescape mine enemyes vyolence Let myn enemies that so great bost doblow Though their power be dredful and terrible That they may by experience knowe There is nothinge to the impossible Thou two and thre and be indiuisible Though I with me haue but a few men Saueme this day Jesu fro dethe amen The day gan clere the son gan shine bryghte whan Theodosy deuoutly lay knelynge And by grace ad awne gan his syght Fro cloudy wawes of long pitous weping His chefe hope was in the heuenly kyng Jesu his captayne in whose holy name That day he escaped fro mischefe and shame The holy crosse was bette in his armure Borne as chefe standerd tofore in his bataile God made him stronge in the field to endure Hardy as lyon his enemies to assayle Jesus his champion his plate eke his mail Jesu alone set in his memory By whome that day he had the victory There was a knight prince of the chiualry Of Arbogaste and Eugenius which gouerned al hole their partie Arcibio called manly and vertuous whiche goodly came to Theodosius Did him reuerence and with glad cheare Saued him that day fro mischefe dangere whan Theodosius on his enemies gan set Lyke a knyght not tournynge his visage And bothe battailes togither when they met Of Theodosy to explete the passage Fyll a myracle to his auauntage By sodayn tempest of wynde hayle and tain Troubled all tho that sieged the mountayne Vulcanus which is chefe smyth of heuen Gayne Arbogaste gan him redy make To bend his gūns w t thūder and with leuyn And Eolus his wyndes gan awake Out of the cauernes hidous brown blacke All of assent by sturdy violence With Theodosius to stand at defence Againe Eugenius and Arbogast his brother Their people and they departed here yōder With winde and mist y ◠non of the saw other By vnware vengaunce of tēpest of thūder Their speres brast
dye in suche aduersitie â–ª We had also read full many a day tofore The great banishment and persecution Of Argiuois how kyng Gelanorâ— Was cruelly put from his region And his lieges of indignacion In his place they set one Danaus Sonne and also heyre to the God Belus The people of malyce did him so encomber To encrease his sorow and his aduersitie And fyfty daughters he had also in number And Edippus his brother also pardy Had fiftye sonnes the stories ye may se At wene the whiche in surety of hoâ—de In mariage there was made a bonde Vnder the which compassed was treason Couertly though they did it hide But if ye list haue cleare inspection Of this story vpon euery side Reade the legende of Cupide Which that Chaucer in order as they stode Compyled of women that were called good Touchyng the story of kinge Pandion And of his goodly fayre daughters twayne How Thereus false of condicion Them to deceiue did his busy payne They bothe named of beauty souerayne Goodly Progne and yonge Philomene Bothe innocâ—utes of intent full cleane Their piteous fall in open to expresse It were to me but a presumption Syth that Chaucer did his busines In his legende as made is mencion Their martyrdome and their passion For to rehearse them did his busy payne Is chiefe Poete called of Brytayne Of good women a boke he did write The number vncomplete fully of ninetene And there the story plainely he did endite Of Thereus of Progne and Philomene Where ye may se their legende thus I mene Do them worshyp forth their life shew For a clere myrror because there be but fewe I will passe ouer and speake of theÌ„ no more And vnto Cadmus forthe my style dresse In my wrytynge yet it greueth me sore Touchynge women of fayeth or stablenes Blessed be God I fynde none excesse And for there be so fewe as thinketh me The good shoulde be had in more deyntie ☞ Lenuoye THis tragedy beareth to you wytnesse How Saturnus by disposition Maliciously of his frowardnes Causeth of Iuno full great infection She of nature conueyeth the nature doun The ayre infect whiche no man may succour CoÌ„meth death anone al thing doth deuour Time froÌ„ Adam mine auctour dothe expresse Downe to Nemrothe by computation His stile conueyed by great auisenes From zoroastes to kyng Pharaon Of two deluges he maketh mencion In Tessaly the vengeaunce gan laboure And in Achaia Thebes to deuoure Ye haue of heates hearde the excesse Of princes pryncesses full great destruction Of Egistus the great wretchednes The fury of Thereus the wo of Pandion Of the two sisters the confusion And how their fate gan vpon them loure Their felicitie vnwarely to deuoure Prynces princesses your eyen do vp dresse I meane the eyen of your discresion Se of this worlde y â— chaunge the doublenes The great vnsurenes the variacion And aduert for all your great renowne Fortuns dewes whaÌ„ they most swetely shour Than is she falsest your glory to deuoure The .vii. Chapter ¶ How Iupiter rauished Europa how Cad mus was sent to seke her in diuers regions THe rehersal of many an olde poete By discent the line conueyed downe Next Saturnus the mighty kyng of Crete Ioue was crowned by succession As next his heyre by procreacion After his father the lande to enherite Raygning in Crete as poetes list to wryte One of the linage as I you tolde beforne Of the Gods most souerayne and entere And though he were of bloude so high yborne He chose Europe for to be his fere And downe discended froÌ„ his heauenly spere As he that was for all his deitie Surprysed in hart with her great beauty And she was daughter to a mighty kyng Called Agenor by line all discent Whose mighty kigdom ryal faire dwellyng Was in Phenice toward the orient And to Araby his lande was adiacent Farre by south as ye may read and se Toward the parties of the redde sea But Iupiter whan he did aduert Of Europa the great semelinesse He thought he was wounded to the hart Vnto the death beholdyng her fayrenes And for his coÌ„straynt his mortall distresse Seyng she was so fayre in his syght He rauished her of very force and might But Agenor her owne father dere Began on this case full piteously complayne When she alas most goodly and entere Was him biraft whiche doubled al his paine Recure was none though he did pleyne Tyll he remembryng on his regaly Thought he woulde sende to aspy His sonne Cadmus her to recure ayene For to searche her in many a region Where so his labour wer fructuous or vaine His father set him a fell condicion Not to returne by none occasion And therupon made him to be bounde Tyll y â— he had the kinges daughter founde He toke his shyps by great auisenes And began to sayle in many a straunge see Did his labour and his busines With many a worthy that were w t him preue But when that he of reason did se There was no meane for which that he was sent For to accoÌ„plishe the fine of his entent With glad hart deuoyde of grutchyng Seyng the case frowarde and contrary Humble of his cheare toke his exilinge And of manhode list not him selfe dispayre But with his meyne knightly gan repayre Towarde Grece piteously there to lande Of Appollo for to vnderstande To what party that he might drawe He prayed God to wyshe him or rede Some token shewe or some maner sawe Into what I le that he myght him spede Or that he woulde graciously him leade Where as he myght builde a citye That were accordyng to him to his meynie And to Appollo he did sacrifice And made to him his oblation The God requiryng goodly to deuise To what lande or to what region For his dwellyng and habitacion He should drawe withouten more obstacle For him and his to make his habitacle And Cadmus thus before Appollo stode Knelyng among with full great reuerence And in the temple of Delphos styll abode With huÌ„ble entendaunce deuout diligence Mekely besechyng by word or by sum senteÌ„ce That Appollo woulde to him vnclose To what party he should him selfe dispose This was his aunswere in conclusion As the statue to him did expresse To go and serche countreys enuyron And tyll he found do his businesse A bulle that were excellent of fayrenes Whiche by precept of Appollos lawe Had neuer aforne in yoke ydrawe And where that euer sekyng that he fonde A bull stande styll in his pasture Appollo bade vpon that same loâ—de Where as he seeth this syght of auenture That he shoulde do his busy cure To builde a citye he and his folkes all And Boecia after the Bulle it call And whaÌ„ that Cadmus y â— precept vnderstode And in searchyng did his busines He founde a place where a bulle stode Feadyng hym selfe whiche as by likenes Was a place full pleasaunt of largesse Where as he stynt he gan
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
anoue That towarde Grece he should gone Vnto a mountaine that Phocis bare y e name And there he shoulde of his kynred here Also lyke his fate the answere was the same He shoulde slee hys owne father dere And after that to Thebes drawe hym nere Wedde his mother of very ignoraunce Called Iocasta throgh hys vnhappy chanÌ„ce He list no lenger tary ne abyde Thys sayd Edippus but forth goeth he And on hys way he began anone to ryde Tyi he the mount of Phocis did se Vnder the which stode a great countre Called Cetoyens whiche that time certayne Werreyed them that were on the mouÌ„taine His father Layus through his chiualry With Citoyens is entred into battaile And Edippus came wyth the partie Of the hyll armed in plate and mayle And as they began eche other to assaile Among the prese at the encountrynge Of auenture Edippus flewe the kyng Vnknowen to hym that he his father was Hauyng thereof no suspection Passed his way platly thys is the case And also vnknowen he came to the toun Of mighty Thebes wher for his hie renoun He was receyued wyth ful great reuerence Bycause that he slough in their defence Sphinx the serpent horible for to se Sometyme ordained by incantacions For to distroy the towne and the countre By his compassed sleightly questions Sloughe man and chylde in all the regions Such as not coude by wysdome or reason Make of his probleme playne exposicion Who so passed by he coude hym not excuse But the serpent woulde hym felly assaile With a problem make hym for to muse Called of some men an vncouth deuinayle Whych for to expowne who that did assaile Ther was none helpe neither other remedy By the statute but that he must dye And for all folke haue not knowledgyng Of this demaunde what it was in dede I wyll reherce it here in my wrytyng Compendiously that men may it rede First this serpent who that list take hede Was monstruous and spake ayenst nature And if it fyll that any creature Man or woman should forth by passe Highe or lowe of all that region As I sayde erst there was none other grace But if he made an exposicion Of this serpentes frowarde question He must dye and make no defence The whych demaunde was thus in sentence The serpent asked what thyng may that be Beast or foule whan it is forth brought That hath no power to stand go nor flee And afterwarde if it be well ysought Goth fyrst on foure or els gothe he nought After by precesse on thre than on twayne And eft agayne as nature doth ordayne He goth on thre and efte on four agayne Also kyndly right nature disposeth it so And in a whyle it foloweth in certaine To the matter which that he came fro He must of kynde resort ayen therto And who can not the meanynge clerely se He of this serpent shall deuoured be Which Edippus ful sobre in his entent Not to rekell or to hasty of langage But in his hert wyth great auy sement And full demure of loke and of vysage Considred fyrst thys perilous fel passage Sawe wel tofore that it was no iape And ful prouided y â— no worde should escape At good leysar wyth hole mynde memorye Seyng the ernest of this mortal emprise Hys life depending bitwixe deth victory Thys quod he plainly to deuyse Is fyrst a child whych may not suffyce Whan it is borne the truth is al day sene Wythout helpe him selfe to sustene After on four he naturally doth crepe For impotence and grene tendernesse Norices can tell that do them kepe But afterwarde vp he doth hym dresse With his two fete the thirde to expresse Is hand or benche or support of some wal To holde hym vp lest he catche a fall And afterward encresyng of his myght To great age whan he doth attayne Of his nature than he goth vpryght Mightily vpon his legges twayne Than cometh age his power to restrayne Croked lame lyke as men may se With a staffe or potent to make vp his legges thre But whan feblenesse or syckenes do assayle On handes and fete he must bow and lout For croche or potentes may not than auayle Whan lusty youth is banished and shet out Than eft agayne hereof maye be no dout With four fete to erth he doth retourne Fro wheâ—s he came there styl to soiourne All came fro erth and all to the erth shal Agaynst nature may be no protection Worldly estates echone they be mortal There may no treasour make redempcion Who clymeth hiest his fal is lowest doun A meane estate is best who coude it knowe Betwene hye presumynge bowing to lowe For who sit hyest stand in ieopardye Vnder daunger of fortune lyke for to fall Mischefe and pouerte as for their party Ben lowest brought among these people al. Some folke tast sugre and sum tast call Salomon therfore myrrour of sapience Bytwene great riches and great indigence Asked a meane called suffysance To hold hym content of coÌ„petent dispence Not to reioyce of to great haboundaunce And euer in pouerte to send him pacience Sobre w t his plenty in scarsnesse non offence As of grutching but bitwene ioye and smart Thanke god of all and euer be glad of hert Erth is the ende of euery maner man For the rich wyth great possession Dyeth as soone as I reherce can As doth the poore in tribulacion For deth ne maketh no diuision By syngler fauour but bitwene both ylich Of the poorest of hym that is most rich This said problem concluded in this case Whych y â— serpent began sleighly to propose That whan a childe is fyrst borne alas â—ynde to his dethwarde anon doth 〈◊〉 dispose Eche day a iourney there is none other glose Experience can tech in euery age Howe thys worlde is here but a pilgrimage Thys sayde Edippus fyrste in Thebes borne Sent to a forest deuouâ—ed for to be Founde brought forth as ye haue herde toforne And after drawynge home to his countre Slough hys father so infortunate was he Of frowarde happes followynge al hys lyue As this tragedy hys fortune shal discriue But for that he through his hye prudence Vnto the serpent declared euery dele He slough hym after by knightly vyolence More by wysdome than by armure or stele Stace of Thebes can tell you thys ful wele Whych was one cause if ye list to sene Whâ—â—through Edippus wedded hath y â— quene Called Iocasta princesse of that countre Hys owne mother vnknowen to them bothe And though she were ryghte fayre vpon to se With this mariage y â— goddes wereful wroth For their aliaunce nature gan to loth That a mother as ye shal vnderstande Shoulde her son take to be her husbande There was therin no conuenience To be supported by kynde ne by reason But if it so be the heuenly influence Disposed it by the inclinacion Of some false froward constellacion Caused by Saturne or
as brethren were called Hercules To signify Poetes can well tell This name in conquest all other doth excell By olde tyme they that were pereles For their nobles in diuers regions All they for manhode were named Hercules Such as were noysed for famous champions Tygres to daunt eke boares and lyons And renoumed among them euerychone Bechas affirmeth that Theseus was one First as I sayd by his knyghtly trauayle Whan Athens stode in deuision Among them selues by warre and battayle By his wisdome and his discrecion To set accord within that noble towne Them that were exiled stode in no certeyne He of his knyghthode made theÌ„ resort ayen He gaue theÌ„ lawes wherby thei shold theÌ„ gye Noble statutes founded of reason Set amonge them so prudent policy In their liuyng that no discention Shoulde aryse by none occasion Among them selues in hye or lowe estate Prouidyng euer that there were no debate Thus began the city encrease and multiplye To waxe famous of wisdome and richesse There sprong the well fyrst of Philosophy There first of knyghthode rose the hye nobles By Theseus Bochas beareth wytnes Thus thinges two like as it is founde Cleargy and lawe did there first abounde For to set the citye in quiete He made peace through all that region And of knyghthode he manly did mete The cruell tyrant that called was Creon Maugre him made restitucion Of lordes bones that were at Thebes slayn To the ladyes wherof they were full fayne Thus through Grece his renome spradde His knyghtly fame began to multiply And long in ioye thus his life he ladde While that Fortune list him magnify But aye her ioye is meynt with some enuy For she froward list no more soiourne With Theseus but began her to face tourne Away fro him wexe peruerce and froward Of his glory vngoodly gan to doubul Downe froÌ„ her whele she made go backward Of his good name she gan the fethers pull Whan his noblesse was highest at full I meane the full of his felicitye There folowed an ebbe of great aduersitie And moreouer her frowardly to aquite His vnhaps rehearsyng one by one One the first as Bochas list to endite Was when he lay in Crete among his fone And out of pryson should into Grece gone Repayryng homeward him selfe w tdrawe The Mynotaur whan he had yslawe The first empryse that he vndertoke Was whan he escaped the importable payne Of Mynotaurs like as sayth my boke And w t him had the kings daughters twayne That he of malice falsely list disdayne Ayenst â—ryadne which did him saue From the death whan he lay in the caue Should haue ben slaine had not his socour be In his repayre he toke therof no hede He left her alone in great aduersitye Within an yle in mischefe sorowe and drede And fayre Phedra with him he did lede Wedded her like a forsworne man Thus w t vntruth his mischefe first began How Phedra quither y â— story is well know In his absence Bochas writeth thus Whan that she within a little throwe Loued agaynst kynde her sonne Ipolitus But he to her was contrarious Woulde not assent to so foule a dede For shame he fled percel also for drede To his father she him did accuse As ye toforne haue the story sene And for he did her company refuse He went away and came neuer agayne For ye haue heard how that he was slayne Within a chare through his vnhappy chauÌ„ce And how Phedra through vengeaunce Slough her selfe agaynst all womanhede Here in this boke tofore as I you tolde Of which thing whan Thesius toke hede Thought it was veÌ„geaunce for his offeÌ„ce old For he not quit him like as he was beholde To Ariadne whiche should haue be his wyfe By whose succour he scaped with his lyfe This infortune and this vnhappy chaunce Was to his nobles full contrarious The death also was to him a vengeaunce Of his sonne called Ipolitus For sorow of whom this duke Theseus With salt teares sore began to playne And helde the exequies of the ilke twayne I trowe also it did him sore greue Duke Pirotheus whan he sawe deade Slayne with a beast and myght not releue Of kig Orchus houÌ„d which had a treble head Whose teeth hortible of his bloud were redde Whiche infortune when he gan beholde Vnto the death he felt his hart colde And for to reken the great wretchednes The vnhappy chaunces y â— fell him in his lyfe Among all his other great distresses Was none so mortall and so full of strife As was whan he gaue credence to his wyfe Phedra called whiche of intencion Compassed vntruely an accusation Vpon Ipolytus of hatred and enuy Because he woulde not do so great offence As for to assent to her lechery Therfore of death he felt the vyolence And for his father to sone gaue credence Bochas forbade husbandes all their lyues Without prefe not leue to sone their wyues Neither be to hasty tales for to leue Of flaterers in chamber ne at the table Forgers of lesyngs my auctor doth wel preue To abide w t lordes that they be not able Here on he maketh a chapitle notable And of his wrytyng this was the cause why That prynces should examyne eche party Of wisdome also and of discrecion Without a prefe not be parciall For to a prynce it is confusion If betwene parties he be not found egall Caused many one for to haue a fall â–ª God suffreth such not longe to contune Withdraw their grace hindreth their fortuÌ„e Thus Theseus for his hastines His happe his grace discreased day by day The fame appalled of his worthines And frowarde fortune also in a wayte lay For his defautes to hinder him if she may Cast she woulde his nobles disauaunce And than his kyngdome by disobeysaunce From him w tdrawe honour and reuerence Full frowardlye through all his region They of Athens by cruell vyolence Fyll agaynst him in rebellion That he was fayne to flye out of that towne Thus hath fortune darked the bryghtnes Of all his nobles and cast hym in distresse Thus was the ende by great contrarioustie Of Theseus after hys dayes glade Whan the freshe floure of olde felicitie Fortune aduerse made them for to fade Eche thyng must bowe whan it is ouerlade Worshyp honour whan they brightest shine w t vnware chaunges than rathest do declyne ☞ Lenuoy THe vnsure gladnes the ioye transitory The vnstable surenes the transmutatioÌ„s The clowdy brightnes the false eclipsed glory Of earthly prynces whiche haue possessions Monarchies and dominacions Their sodayne chaunge declareth to vs all Their swete suger is meynt with bitter gall This blynde goddesse in her consistory With her pleasaunce medleth discentions After triumphes conquest and victory Reueth from kynges their scepters crowns Troubleth the people with false rebellions Se these dukes which from the whele be fall Al worldly suger is meynt with bytter gall This tragedy maketh memory Of dukes twayne and of their
thys brond among the coles reed Be ful consumed into ashes dead But whan Althea espied their entent And conceyued the fyne of their sentence She rose vp and the brond she hent Out of the fyre wyth ful great diligence Quenched anone the fyres violence The dome of Parche she gan thus disobey The brond reseruinge vnder locke key Touchyng the father of this Melliager Oeneus of hym thus I rede Howe that he sought nighe and ferre Goddes goddesses whose lyst take hede In hope onely for to haue great mede For to them al poetes thus deuyse Saue to Diana he dyd sacrifyce Wherof she caught an indignacion Cast she woulde on hym auenged be Sent a Boore in to his region Full sauage and full of cruelte Which deuoured the frute of many a tree And distroyed his cornes and his vynes That such scarsnesse of vitayles of wynes Was in his land vpon euery syde That the people of necessite Compelled were among to prouyde Some meane or way to saue their countre And at the last they condiscended be That Melliager lusty of his corage Shoulde chose w t him folkes fresh yonge of age This dredeful Boore mightely to enchace And forth they went echon deuoyde of drede With round speres they gan him to manace But Melliager made fyrst his sydes blede And wyth a swerde than smote of his hede Wherof the countre was glad and fayne And in this wyse the tuskye bore was slaine Some bokes tell of this huntyng That a lady whych was borne in Irge Called Athalanta doughter to the kyng To slee this Boore toke on her the charge And wyth an arowe made his wouÌ„des large Also in Ouide lyke as it is founde Because that she gaue the fyrst wounde Melliager anone for a memorye As he that was her owne chosen knight Gaue her the heed in token of this victory But his two vncles ayenst al skyl and tyghte Raft her the head of very force and myght Hauyng dispite that she in her auyse Of this victory shoulde beare away the price With which iniury Melliager was wroth Agaynst them proudly gan disdayne Pulled out a swerde vpon theÌ„ goeth And throughe hys manhode slewe his vncles twaine And after y t dyd his busy payne To take the heed and wyth humble entent To Athalanta agayne to be present One of his vncles was called Flexippus A manly knyght but yonge of age That other brother named Theseus But whan their suster herde of that outrage Howe they were slayne she gan in her visage Wexe deed and pale alas for her bloud Whan she espyed the cause howe it stode She had no matter god wote to be fayne Quene Althea to stand and beholde Her bretherne twayne of her son slayne At the huntyng of whych tofore I tolde Fyrst thynges twayne she gan peise vnfold Of her bretherne the loue and nigh kynted And of her sonne the hasty cruel dede And remembring she casteth in balaunce Of hertely wo that she dyd endure Thought if she dyd vpoÌ„ their deth vengeauÌ„ce To slee her son it were ayenst nature Thus in a warre longe tyme she dyd endure Her deedly sorowe peysyng euery dell Wheder she shal be tender or eruel Thus tender I meane her son for to spare Or punishe the dethe of her brether twayne Thus confortlesse al destitute and bare In languishing she endured forthe her payne And temedy can she none ordayne Saue faine she would auenge her if she may But than came forth nature and sayd nay It was her sonne agaynst all kyndly ryghte Of whom she cast auenged for to be To women al an vgly straunge syghte That a mother deuoyde of all pitie Shoulde slee her childe so merciles parde Naye not so nature wyl not assent For if she dyd full sore she should repent But O alas al fatal purueyance Kepeth his course as some clerkes sayne But the wrytyng of doctours in substaunce And these diuynes reply there agayne And affirme the opinion is in vayne Of them that trust in fate or desteny For God aboue hath the soueraintie And of fortune the power may restrayne To saue and spyl lyke as folke deserue Ayenst his wyl they may nothynge ordayne Of necessite what course that they conserue But this matter al holy I reserue Vnto diuines to determyne and conclude Whych nat partayneth vnto folkes rude But Althea of Calcidony quene Began sore muse and henge in balaunce Her bretherne deed whan she dyd them sene Than was she meued anon to do vengeanÌ„ce Vpon her son by ful great displeasance But as poetes lyst for to compile Nature her made w tdrawe her hand a while Thus betwene yre and affection She helde her long of euery partie stable Tyll that she caught in her opinion A soden rancor which made her be vengeable And hasty worth which is not coÌ„mendable Ayenst her son made her with her hande Out of her chest to take the fatall brande â—nd sodaynly she cast it in the fyre And wexed cruell agaynst all womanhede To execute her venomous desyre The fatall bronde among the coles rede Consumed was into ashes dede And furiously in her melancoly The vengeaunce done she thus gan to cry O ye Parce froward susters three Which of Joue kepe the library And of children at their natiuite Awayte the sentence whych may not vary Wherso it be wylful or contrary Vpon his domes alwaye takyng hede How that ye shall dispose the fatal threde Thou Cloto takest thy rocke on hand And Lachesis after doth begyn By great auise who so can vnderstande The threde of length to drawe and to spyn But whan the spirite shal froÌ„ the bodye twin Thou Atropos doest thy busy payne Ful frowardly to parte the thred in twayne I may wel playne in such perdicion Not for a day but wo alas for euer Ye haue vntwyned and made deuision Of my two bretherne caused theÌ„ disceuer That here on lyue I shal se them neuer And I of haste alas why dyd I so Tauenge their deth haue slayn my son also O ye doughters of Cerberus the fell Whose vgly moder was the blacke nyght Al your kyndred and linage lyue in hell And for to aueÌ„ge the wrong great vuryght Which I haue accomplished in your syght I wyl wyth you perpetually complayne Like my desert tendure sorow and payne And whyle she gan w t her selfe thus stryue Vpon her sorowes that were endlesse She made a swerde through her hert to riue Of her selfe she was here recheles And Bochas after among al the prese Sawe as hym thoughte wyth a full hidious chere Deed of visage Hercules appere Whose father was Jupiter the greate His mother doughter of Amphitrion Called Alcumena sumtyme borne in Crete And as poetes reherce one by one So excellent was there neuer none To speke of conquest of victory and fame Here in thys world that had so great a name Dredful of loke he was and ryght terible His berde also blacke which hing
as bokes specifie And poetes also of him endite He was connynge in astronomy And therin did ful greatly him delite And many a boke he made and dyd write With great labour and great diligence In hys time vpon that science The which were more precious than golde And more rich in his opinion But Hercules in soth as it is tolde Gate all the bokes through hys hie renoun Bare them by force out of that region And to Grece lyke a conquerour With him he brought theÌ„ for a great treasour Of Trace he slough the giant outragious That sumtime was called Diomede Which murdred al that came to his house And with their fleshe his horse he dyd fede And through his witte labour and manhede Of Achelous whych was a great wondre He made the stremes for to departe a sondre And by his wisdome dyd theÌ„ so deuide In two parties disceueringe his passage For afore no man myght abyde Of his course the furious fel outrage For in countreis it dyd so great domage Turning vpward there was non other bote Where euer it flowed of trees crop and rote A great emprise he did also vndertake Whan that the messe hidious and horible Ariued vp of Archadies the lake Called Lerne the beastes ful odible Which with their teeth mouthes terrible Frute grayne corne dyd mortally deuour But Hercules the countre to sucour Came lyke a knyght their malice for to let And by his prudence destroyed theÌ„ euerichon With in the lake the wormes vp he shet Saue among all behind was left one And against him this Hercules anone Of knighthod raught so great auauntage That to the couÌ„tre he dyd no more domage Thus all that euer may rehersed â—e Touching knighthode prowes or prudence Or glorious fame or long felicitie This knyghtly man had most excellence And in armes longest experience And for his triumphes and actes marciall He set vp pillers for a memoriall Whiche remembred his coÌ„quest most notable And his dedes by grauyng did expresse Beyonde whiche no lande is habitable So farre abrode spred his noblesse But as the sunne leaueth his bryghtnes Sumtime whan he is fresshest in hys sphere With vnware cloudes that sodaynly appere Semblably the nobles and the glory Of Hercules in this vnstable lyfe Eclipsed was and shadowed his memory By Dianyra that sumtyme was his wyfe For by her fraude came in the mortall stryfe As ye shal heare the maner and the caas Wherby that he lost his lyfe alas Yet for her sake this most manly man Fought as I fynde in singuler battayle With Acheloes sonne of the Occian Lyke as Poetes make rehearsayle And as eche other proudly did assayle This Hercules of knyghthode souerayne Sent from his head one of his hornes twain Of kyng Oene she was the daughter dere To Hercules ioyned by mariage And as they came to a great riuere With sturdy waues where was no passage Nessus the gyaunt vgly of vysage To Hercules profered his seruyce And full falsely against him gan deuyse Made his promise to Hercules in dede To put his life in great aduenture Ouer the streme Dianyra to lâ—de Because he was large of his stature And for she was a ryght fayre creature Whan they passed and came to londe Nessus falsely woulde vpon the strâ—nd Haue know her fleshly like as write Ouide Hercules hauyng therof a syght As he abode vpon that otherside And for to auenge him of his great vnright â—ake his howe and â—ent it aâ—one ryght â–ª And wyth an arrowe fyled sharpe and grouÌ„d Gaue to Nessus his deadly fatall â—â—unde Like a condyte gusshed out the bloude And whan he sawe that he must dye To Dianyra before him there she stode With all his hart he her gan pray That in one thing his lust she would obey To take his shert and be not retcheles With bloud distayned and sende it Hercules There through with him to be reconsiled And she to him anone the shert hath sent Through whose venim alas he was begiled For what by touching and by enchauntment His fleshe and bones were all to brent And among his deadly paynes all Into a rage he sodaynly is fall And as a beast furiously he ranne On valeys hylles among craggy stones Semblably as doth a woodeman Pulled vp trees and rotes all at ones Brake beasts hornes al to gnew her bones Was it not pitie that a knyght so good Shold amoÌ„g bestes runne sauage woode Thus ouerwhelmed was all his worthines And to deâ—iyne went his prosperitie Cause and roote of al his wretchednes Was for that he set all his felicitie To trust so much the mutabilitie Of these women whyche early and soone Of their nature brayed vpon the moone Alas alas all nobles and prudence Prowes of nature force and chyualry Forsyght of wisdome discrecion and science Vertuous study profityng in cleargy And the clere shynyng of Philosophy Hath through false lustes here be manaced By sleyght of women darked and defaced O Hercules I fele my penne quake Mine ynke full filled with bitter teares salt This piteons tragedy to write for thy sake Whom all Poetes glorifye and exalt But fraude of women made thy renome halt And froward muses thy triuÌ„phes all to â—end For to discryue alas thy fatal ende ¶ Lenuoy THe sole ve 〈…〉 sauory pâ—ysoâ— The dredfulâ— ioyâ— the dolorous pleasauÌ„ce The 〈…〉 the furious 〈◊〉 Fayth dispayâ—â—d 〈…〉 â–ª Vertue exilyng where lust hath gouernauÌ„ce Through false luxury diffasen all nobles As this tragedy can beare full well witnes Where froward Venus hath domination And blinde Cupide his subiects doth auaunce And wilfull lust through indiscrecion Is chosen iudge to holde the balaunce Their choyse vnlefull hath through yll chauÌ„ce Derked of prynces the famous nobles As this tragedy beareth full well witnes O thou Hercules for all thy high renoun For all thy conquest knyghtly suffisaunce Thou were by women brought to confusion And by their fraude thy renoumed puissauÌ„ce Disclaundred was brought to mischaunce I were ashamed to write it or expresse Except this tragedy can beare well witnesse Prynces princesses of high discretion This thing imprinte in your remembraunce Of others fallyng make your protection You to preserue through prudent purueiauÌ„ce Afore prouided that your perseueraunce Be not perturbed by no false sorceresse As this tragedy of other bereth witnesse ¶ The .xv. Chapter ☞ A processe of Narcissus Byblis Myrra and of other their infortunes to Bochas complaynyng NArcissus Byblis and Myrra all thre Tofore Bochas pyteously did appeare Their infortunes their infelicitie To him complaynyng with a deadly cheare And of their commyng to tell the manere Narcissus with sorow and dole attaynt Began first to declare his complaynt He was the sonne of Cephisus the flode And his mother called Lyriope And by discent borne of gentle blode Of creatures fayrest on to se. And as I finde at his natiuitie Tyresias by spirite of prophecy Touchyng his fate thus gan specify The goddes haue prouided
their fortune complaining Among other that put them selfe in prâ—ase Of mighty Pirrus fyrst he had a tight That was the son of worthy Achilles Among Grekes the most famous knight Most commended of manhode of might Son and next heire as bokes specifye Of Pelleus kynge of Thessalie This Achilles ful manly of his herte Hurt of Hector and his wounde grene Slough Hector after or he dyd aduert The whiche Achilles for loue of Pollicene By compassing of Heccuba the quene Vnder treaty this grekes champion Was slayne of Paris within Troy toun Whose deth to auenge Pyrrus in his tene Furiously with face deed and pale Slough afterward the sayde Pollicene And dismembred her on peices smale Whiche for to heare is a piteous tale That a knight so vengeable was in dede To slee a mayde quakynge in her drede He coude for Ire on her no mercy haue But with his swerde most furious wode Merciles vpon his fathers graue Lyke a tiraunt he shed her chaste bloud The dede horrible diffaced his knighthode That to this day the sclaunder and diffame By newe report reboundeth on his name Poetes say and specially Ouide Writes whan Grekes fro Troy shuld saile Howe their shyppes by an anker dyd ryde Of their purpose which long dyd theÌ„ faile But in this whyle he maketh re hersayle Out of the erth manacynge of chere Of Achilles an ymage dyd appere To grekes sayde wyth a deedly face I fele well mine honour and my glory And my nobles ful lyghtly forth doth pace Vnkynde people out of your memory Whych by me had your conquest and vyctory Your deuoyre doth Pollicene to take And on my graue a sacrifice to make Wyth her blode loke ye spare nought To spring it about my sepulture Thus blode for blode wyth vengeance shal be bought And for my death the death she must endure And hole the maner of thys auenture And howe she dyed in her maydenhead Methamorphoseos y â— processe ye may rede In hasty vengeaunce set was al hys ioye w t thurst vnstauÌ„ched Troyan blode to shede He slough Priam the worthy kyng of Troy And into Grece wyth hym he dyd lede Andromada the story ye may rede Weded her and after in certaine By him she had worthy sonnes twayne But in repayryng home to his couÌ„tre As Eolus dyd hys shyppes dryue I fynde he was a pirat of the se And into Grece whan he dyd aryue Fortune vnwarely gan agayne him stryue Forsoke hys wyfe let her lyue alone Toke another called Hermione Which was that tyme in mariage To Horestes son of Agamemnon And he alas of loues wylful rage Toke her by force to hys possession But of auoutry foloweth this guerdoÌ„ Sodayne deth pouerte or shame Open disclauÌ„der great mischefe or diffame Eke in hys tyme thys Pirrus as I rede Fyll into mischefe and great pouerte And wyth such meyny as he dyd lede He was a rouer and robbed on the see And as poetes reherse ye may se Of such robbyng by sclauÌ„der and diffame This worde Pirate of Pirrus toke y â— name And as the storye after doth deuise The sayde Horestes gan sykerly espye Wher that Pyrrus dyd sacrifyce Tofore Appollo that god to magnify Full vnwarely Horestes of enuy Toke a sharpe sherde or Pyrrus coud aduert Wher that he stode rofe hym to the hert This was the fyne of Pyrrus in substance For al his pryde and great presumcion Of false auoutry foloweth thys vengeauÌ„ce Losse of some membre pouerte or prison Or hateful sclaundre by some occasion Or sodayne deth shortly in sentence Complete in Pyrrus by ful clere euydence The .xxiii. Chapiter ¶ Of Machayre and of hys suster Canace AFter thys Pyrrus came Canace the faire Teares dystyllynge fro her eyen twayne And her brother that called was Machaire And both they pitiously gan playne That fortune gan at them so disdayne Hyndryng their fate by woful aduenture Touchig their loue which was ayen nature He was her brother and her loue also As the storie plainely doth declare And in a bedde they laye eke bothe two Reason was none why they would spare But loue that causeth wo and eke welfare Gan agayne kynde so straungely deuyse That he her wombe made sodenly to ryse And finally myne authour beareth wytnes A childe she had by her owne brother Which excelled in fauour and fayrenes For lyke to hym of beaute was none other But of their loue so gyded was the rother That Caribdis twene windes ful contrayre Hath Canace distroied and Machayre For whan their father the maner dyd espie Of their workyng whych was so horible For yre almost he fel in frensy Whych for to appese was an impossible For the mater was frowarde and odible For whiche plainely deuoyde of al pite Vpon their trespas he would auenged be The cause knowen the father anone right Cast for their deth of rigour to prouide For whych Machaire fledde out of his sight And from his face his presence gan to hide But wo alas his suster must abide Mercilesse for their hateful trespase And suffre deth there was none other grace First her father a sharpe swerde to her sent In token of deth for a remembraunce And whan she wist plainely what he ment And conceiued his rigorous ordinaunce Whyth whole purpose to obey his plesaunce She grutched not but lowly of entent Lyke a meke doughter to his desire assent But or she dyed she cast for to write A lytell letter to her brother dere A deedly complaynt to shewe endite With pale fate and a mortal there The salt teares from her eyen clere With pitous sobbing fet fro her herts brinke Distillyng downe to teÌ„pre with her ynke ☞ The .xxv. Chapiter ¶ The letter of complaynt of Canace to her brother Machayre OVt of her sowne whan she abreyde Knowyng no meane but deth in her distres Too her brother full pytouslye she sayde Cause of my sorowe rote of my heuynesse That whiloÌ„ was chefe sours of my gladnes WhaÌ„ both our ioyes by wyl were so disposed Vnder one key our herts to be vnclosed Whilom thou were supporte and sykernes Chefe reioysyng of my worldly plesaunce But now thou art ground of my sicknes Wel of wanhope and my deedly penaunce Which haue of sorow grettest habuÌ„dauÌ„ce That euer yet had any creature Which must for loue the deth alas endure Thou were whyloÌ„ my blysse al my trust Souerayne confort my sorowes to appese Spring and wel of all my hertes lust And nowe alas chefe rote of my disease But if my deth myght do the any ease O brother myne in remembrauÌ„ce of twaine Deth shall to me be pleasure no payne My cruel father most vnmerciable Ordayned hath it nedes must be so In his rigour he is so vntretable Al mercilesse he wyll that it be do That we algate shall dye both two But I am glad sith it may be none other Thou art escaped my best beloued brother This is myne ende I
should go to the Prophete Whiche was full famous holde in Israell Of whom the name was called Samuel Whiche made Saule in his house to dyne Receiued him of great affection And by precept and ordinaunce deuyne Samuell made no prolongation But shed the holy sacred vnction Vpon the head of Saule downe knelyng And full deuoutly of Israell made him kyng Of Gods people to haue gouernaunce With sceptre crowne and whole the regaly And his noblesse more myghty to aduaunce With mekenes to rule his monarchy God gaue to him a spirite of prophety Whiche was great glory to his magnificence Of future thinges to haue prescience And while y t he was meke humble in dede Voyde of pryde and false presumption And prudent counsayle with him did lede Hym to gouerne by good discretion He founde quiete through all his region No forayne enmy durst him to werrey While he the lorde mekely did obey No enemy myght ayen him recure Through none ēprises but sore did him drede Made many great disconfiture Through his force knyghthode and māhead On Philistynes and daunted eke in dede Two mighty kynges the one of Ammonites And another that gouerned the Moabites He was founde stronge and eke victorious The Palestines bringyng to mischaunce Agaynst Ydumeans so mighty and famous Through his myghty prudent gouernaunce That he their pride brought to mischaunce Outrayed them of wisdome and manheade Primo regum as ye may playnly reade He was the sonne called of one yere In Israell whan his raygne began Stable of hart and benygne of chere Frowarde nor sturdy to no maner man All that whyle loue of the people he wan The tyme I mene while he was iust stable And in his workes not founde variable But whā that pride gan his hart enhaūce Wilfulnes and false melancoly Outrayed reason to haue the gouernaunce Of his olde famous policy And had forgotten in his fantasy To know the lorde mekely sue his lawe God from his crowne his grace gan wdrawe The vnkynde worme of foryetfulnes In his hart had myned through the wall Whan to God for his kyndenes He gaue no laude nor no thanke at all Whiche had him raysed vnto estate royall From poredegre among all his kynne alone Of singuler fauour to set him in his trone What thig in hart may be more froward thought Than is sodayne false presumption Of a wretche that came vp of nought To yeue him lordshyp and domination ▪ And for to make a playne comparison Men should of reason dreade a lyon lasse Than the rudenes of a crowned asse What thing to god is more abhominable Than pryde vpraysed out of pouertee And nothing gladly is foūd more vengeable Than are wretches set in high degre For from his stocke kynd may not flye Eche thing resorteth howe farre euer it go To the nature whiche that it came fro Frute and apples take their tarrage Where they first grewe of the same tre And semblably eche kynred and lynage Ones a yere it will none other be By token signe at the eye as men may se Draweth communely in euery creature Sume tetche to folow after his nature I write not this in rebuke of pouert But for suche onely as that it deserue God of his might as men be well expert May them in vertue encrease and conserue From all mischefe a pore man preserue Rayse hem on heygh to dominacions Through high noblesse of their condicions By influence God may his grace shede Where he findeth cause onely by mekenes A pore man to raise him vp in dede Vnto the estate of vertuous nobles For out of vertue cometh all gentlenes In pore and ryche make none exception But them cōmende like their condicion A pore man whiche that is vertuous And dreadeth god in his pouertie Eche thing eschuyng that is vycious And to his power doth trouth and equitie I dare right well say what euer that he be Puttyng no rebuke vnto his kinrede But call him gentle verily in dede But kyng Saule was contrarious Disobeysaunte founde in his workyng Whan God made him to be vyctorious On Amalech where Agag was kyng Him commaunded to spare no maner thing Man nor woman beast nor childe succoure But y ◠his sworde should all thing deuoure But Saule wrought all in other wise Eche thing reseruyng y ◠was fayre to syght And of entent to make a sacrifice After his vyctory he shope him anone ryght Fattest beastes he chase hath them dight Toward the fyre to make his offryng And fro death he spared Agag the kyng He was reproued afterward of Samuell To gods biddyng for he was contrayre As abiect to raygne in Israell That all good hope in hym gan dispayre His grace his myght gan pale and appayre His prophecy after hath hym fayled And wyth a fiende he was also traueiled Thus frō her whele fortune cast him downe Aualed him from his royall se And God also toke away the crowne Both from him and his posteritie And set vp Dauid for his humilitie Lo how the lorde his domes can deuide To enhaunce mekenes and to abate pride Saule endured in his frensy A wicked sprite so sore him did assayle Vnto Dauid euer he had enuy That he was hardy to enter in battayle With a staffe slynge voyde of plate and mayle Slough Golyas without feare or dreade Pulled out his swerde and smot of his heade At their repayryng home out of the felde Whan Dauid had slayne this Goly Yonge maydens whan they behelde The great vyctory they in their armony In laude of Dauid thus gan synge and cry Saule hath slayne a thousād with his might Dauid ten thousand that lusty yong knyght Saule disdayned and sayd frowardly They graunted haue a thousand to my name And to the sonne here of Isai Yaue ten thousand to encrease his fame Whiche is to me a rebuke and a shame ▪ Wherupon this Saule frete with yre Of yonge Dauid gan the death conspyre In hys hert he had a fantasy Of their syngyng whan that he toke hede Dempt it was a maner prophesy That Dauid preferred should be in dede And to the crowne after him succede Thought his childer as he gan diuyne Should be depriued of the royall lyne Thus day by day Saule wayes sought To slea Dauid playnly if he myght All be it so that he no malyce thought But euer kept him lowly in his syght Therfore good euer grace on him alyght For aye the lorde of his magnificence Agayne tyrantes preserueth innocentes And as the bible playnely dothe vs lere This Dauid had in his tender age For his nobles the kynges daughters dere Called Mychol ioyned by mariage And whan that Saule fyli in any rage Dauid anone to aswage his wodenes Touched his harp brought him in gladnes Saule full oft gan Dauid to enchase And warrey throughout all his londes Through desertes him pursue manace Of entent to haue shet hym vp in bondes Or to slea him if he come
in Isidor ye may see Founde amonge Grekes craft of eloquence First in Rome by souerayne excellence Of Rethoryke Tullius founde the stoures Plea and defence of subtill oratours Callicrates a grauer most notable Of white yuore did his busines His hande his eye so iust were and so stable Of an ampt to graue out the likenes Vpon the ground as nature doth him dresse This craft he founde as Sardanapall Founde ydlenes mother of vyces all Of a scriueyn Bochas maketh mencion How in a scrowe of little quantitye Wrote of all Croy the destruction Folowyng Omerus by great subtiltye Whiche is had among grekes in great daintie Because he was founde in his writyng So compendious the story rehearsyng Archimides made a chare also And a small shyp with all the apparayle So that a Bee might close them both two Vnder his wings which is a great maruaile And nothing sene of all the whole entayle This craft he founde of vertuous busines To eschue the vyce of froward ydlenes Pan god of kynde with his pypes seuen Of recorders founde first the melodyes Of Mercury that sit so hye in heauen First in his harpe founde sugred armonies Holsom wines through fined from their lyes Bacchus founde first on vines heauy lade Licour of lycours courages for to glade Perdry by compas founde tryangle lyne And Euclyd first founde Geometrye And Phebus founde the craft of medicine Alâ—umasar founde astronomy And Mynerua gan chares first to gye Iason first sayled in story it is tolde Toward Colchos to winne the flece of gold Ceres the goddesse founde first tylth of londe Dâ—onysius triumphes transitory And Bellona by force first out fonde Conquest by knighthode in the field victory And Martis sonne as put is in memory Called Etholus founde speres sharpe kene To runne in warre in plates bryght shene Eke Aristeus founde out the vsage Of mylke and cruddes and of hony sote Piroydes for great aduauntage Fro flyntes smote fyre daryng in the rote And Pallas whiche y t may to colde do bote Founde out weauyng this is very sothe Through yet prudence of all maner clothe And fido founde first out the science Of measures and of proporcions And for marchauntes did his diligence To finde balaunces by iust diuisions To auoyde all fraude in cities and in townes On nouther party playnly to compyle Of true weyght that there were no gyle Compare in order clerely all these thinges Founde of olde tyme by diligent trauayle To the pleasaunce of prynces and kynges To shewe how much cunnyng may auayle And wey again warde y e froward aquitayle Contrariously how Sardanapall Founde ydlenes mother of vyces all Let princes all hereof take hede What auayleth vertuous busines And what damage the reuerse dothe in dede â–ª Vycious life slouthe and ydlenes And these examples let them eke empresse Amyd their harte and howe Sardanapall Founde ydlenes mother of vyces all ¶ Lenuoy NOble prynces here ye may well se As in a myrrour of full clere euidence By many examples more than two or thre What harme foloweth of slouth negligence Depe imprintyng in your aduertence How great hindring doth wilful frowardnes To your estate through vycyous ydlenes Whan reason fayleth and sensualitye Holdeth the brydle of lecherous insolence And sobernes hath lost his libertie And to false lust is done the reuerence And vyce of vertue hath an apparence Misleadeth prynces of wilfull retchlesnes To great errour of froward ydlenes ¶ The .xvi. Chapter ¶ How Amazias in Iuda king for pride and presumption was vainquished in battaile and after slayne IN his study as Bochas sate musyng With many an vncouth solemne fantasy To him appeared many a mighty kyng And tofore all came worthy Amazie His sonne also that called was Ozie Of Dauids bloud discended as I rede Eche after other in Juda to succede First Amazias complayned on fortune Causing his grcuous great aduersities The traytoresse called in commune These kinges twayne castyng froÌ„ their sees Whose ouerturnyng from their dignities Vnware fallyng dreadfull and terrible Ben ceriously remembred in the bible Their ende men may there reade and se How fortune their fates did entrete Wherfore to eschue and flye prolixitie Of tedious thing in this processe to lete And in substaunce to gleaâ—e out the grete Of their fallyng I purpose not to spare Compendiously the causes to declare This Amazias hauyng gouernaunce By â—ust tytle of succession â–ª The scepter of Iuda w t all y â— who le puissauÌ„ce Full peasably helde in his possession Tyll that pryde and false presumption Most frowardly did his hart embrace Whiche all at ones made him lose his grace In hart he had a maner vayne glory Because that god made him to preuayle In his conquest and to haue victory Amaleâ—hites to vaynquyshe in battayle Eke Gabanites as he them did assayle Purposyng after if he might With Israelites of pryde for to fight Vnto kyng Joas of Israell he sent Him coÌ„maundyng to obey his byddynge And be like subiecte as were in their entent His predecessours in all maner thing Whilom to Dauid the noble worthy kyng This was his sonde to Joas plat playne Whiche by a probleÌ„ thus wrote to him agayn THe vgly thistle of the vales lowe Proudly presumyng aboue his degre To make hys pryde openly be knowe Sent hys message to the Cedre tre That his sonne might wedded be To his daughter althoughe in substaunce Atwene them two was a great disâ—ordauuâ—e But of the forest the beastes sauagyne In their courages had therof disdeyne All of assent fyersely dyd enclyne The thystle leaues abrode vpon the pleyne That there was nether lease nor pricke seyne This was the probleÌ„ which Joas by writing Sent in a pistle to Amazie the king BVt Josephus in his origynall The sayd epistle as he doth expresse Sayth of the vale how the pouder small Of pryde sent to the hygh Cypresse That his daughter of excellent fayrenes Vnto his sonne playnely to discryue Myght be deliuered and haue her to wyue But a fel beast which beside stode Of cruell yre and indignacion With fete disdaynyng y e pouder cast abrode Hygh in the apre about him enuyron The whyche ensample conceyued of reason Who that attempteth to clymbe hygh aloft With unware chaunge his fall is full vnsoft Atwene the Cedre of trees so royal And a sharpe thystle is no conuenience Nor twene a cypresse estately founde at all And lothsome pouder is a great difference For royall bloud should haue no assistence To be ioyned nor â—â—yt in mariage With such as beÌ„ brought forth of low parage The Cedre is stronge mighty of substauÌ„ce In his vpgrowynge ryght as any lyne And tho the thystle haue spottes of pleasauÌ„ce He hath eke pryckes small as any spyne And bothe natures playnly to termine The Cedre of kynde who loketh well about To no thystle should his braunches loute â—olesome of odoure is the faire Cypresse As bokes tell and vertuous of kynde Dust and
with ful great reuerence All be the bytche made resistence Complayninge stode fully at a bay The lytel chylde whan she sawe led away Ful pitiously she gan to houle and crye At their departynge dolefully complayne And after them ful fast gan to hye The childe to let she felt so great a payne Lo howe that god of mercy can ordayne A cruel beast such sorowe for to make And so to mourne for a chyldes sake But euery thyng y â— god wyll haue preserued May not fayle to stand in siâ—ernesse His secrete domes ben to hym selfe reserued There can no man expowne theÌ„ as I gesse For he shope fyrst that this sheperdesse Of Sparagos the true pore wyfe For to be meane to saue the childes lyfe Home to her house the childe she led anone And it to fostre dyd her busines Of other salary god wote knewe she none Saue that her hert thereto dyd her dresse And more entierly y e story beareth wytnesse She tendred hâ—m wyth more busy cure Than him y â— was her chylde borne of nature And as the story plainly doth expresse This yonge chylde as he wext in age Fro day to day encreased in noblesse Lyke for to be ryght manly of corage Cyrus he was called in that langage To say in latyn playnly in substaâ—â—câ— A man yborne to great enheritaunce And whan the renowne of his excellence By longe processe of hys great encres Came by reporte vnto the audience Of his ayel the great â—stiages And how the kyng was found rechles Called Harpagus for to do vengeaunce On yong Cirus he fyll in displesaunce This is to meane Astiages was wroth That Harpagus was founde merciable Cyrus to saue and for that he was lothe Agaynst all ryght for to be vengeable To slee a chylde a thyng not commendable Demyng of trouth in his conscience God was not payed to murdre innocence Astiages cast hym to be wreke On Harpagus by false collusion Because that his bidding he did breke And was contrary to his entencion Cyrus to slee agayne all reason And for that cause Astiages I rede Of Harpagus let sley the chylde in dede This is to say by false compassyng And couert murder wrought by Astiages The sonne was slayne of Harpagus the king And after rosted alas ful causeles And syth presented amonge all the prees Tofore his father a thynge most lameÌ„table With Astiages as he sate at the table But whan this kyng called Harpagus Conceyued hath this murdre most terrible And howe his sonne heire was slaine thus In his ire most furious and odible In al the hast that it was possible He is repayred home to his housholde And al the case to Cyrus he hath tolde And how his sonne was slayne for his sake In the most hateful odious cruelte Exciting him with him to vndertake On this false murdre auenged for to be To him declaringe of trouth equite Howe he was borne by discent in dede As ryght heire to reigne in Perce Mede To him declaryng the story by and by First of the dreme of Astiages And howe that he by fraude ful falsly Made his doughter called Mundanes Porely to be wedded vnto Cambises Which was his mother how in tedre age He was out cast to beastes ful fauage â–ª By a shepherde and sheperdesse Fostred he was in great pouerte And brought from beastes out of wyldernes Bycause god woulde he saued should be For thilke lorde which euery thynge may se Whan that he hath a thyng afore disposed Nedes it must fal may not be deposed This said Cirus at his natiuite Ordeyned was by reuolucion Of the heuenly spheres in numbre thrise thre So stode that tyme his constellacion That he shoulde haue the dominacion Ouer al Asye by influence deuyne Afore fygured by spredyng of the vyne What may y â— fraude of sleyghty folke auayle Innocentes to put out of their ryght Though trouth be hyd amonges the poraile Harde brought forth dare nor shewe lyghte Yet god wyl ordayne that the beames bryght Shal some one day shewe out his clerenes Maugre al tho that wold his title oppresse For this Cirus as clerkes of him write Was by the tytle of his mothers syde Borne to be kyng al Asye to enherite Al be his ayel from him woulde it deuide But god that can for trouth best prouide Hath for Cirus by processe so ordayned That he of Asye the lordship hath attained Cirus y â— time was growen vp wel of length Wel proporcioned of membres stature Wonder deliuer passynge of great strength Straunge emprises proudly to endure And to ieoparte and put in auenture His owne person the fame was of hym so Was none more lykely where men had ado And by the counsayle of kyng Harpagus Whan this Cirus was wel woxe in age With Perciens proude and surquedous And Archanites cruel of corage For to recure his ryghtful heritage Began w t Cyrus armed wyth plate mayle Wyth Astiages to holde batayle And he agaynewarde gan to take hede And with him toke many a worthy knyght With al the puissaunce of the land of Mede Hath take the felde the same day forth righte To disherite Cyrus of his ryght But god trouth was atwene theÌ„ twayne Egal iuge their quarel to darayne The felde ordayned splaied their baneres On eyther party ful proudly on they set At thassemblyng lyke lyons of their cheres In the face as they freshly met With round speares sharpe grouÌ„de whet Tyl y â— Cirus of grace more than nombre Of his ayel the party dyd encombre This mighty Cirus this yonge champion Throughout y â— felde gan such slaughter make With his knightes as he went vp downe That as the deth his fomen hym forsake Astiages vnder his baner take The felde veÌ„quished for al his veynglorye To shewe that right hath alway the victory A man of malice may a thyng purpose By a maner frowarde prouidence But god aboue can graciously dispose Agayne such malice to make resistence Men for a while may suffer violence And wronges great where so y t they wende But trouth alway venquisheth at the ende Astiages fouÌ„de ful soth his dreame Though he agayne it made purueyaunce To haue depriued Cirus of his reame He was disceyued of his ordinaunce For where that god through his puisaunce Lyst for heires iustly to prouyde Sleyght of man in such case is set aside Maugre the myght of Astiages Cyrus on hym made a discomfiture And al Asye reioysed eke in pees Of very right as was his aduenture And by iust title he dyd also recure The land of Mede lyke as was his fate And in to Perce he dyd it hole translate Agayne his ayel he was not vengeable Which had wrought to his distruction But was to him benygne and merciable And graunted hym of hole affection The fourth part of the region Of Archany of whych afore I tolde Hym to sustayne in his dayes
his harmes to restore Bochas writeth of his wo nomore But of his fal howe he fyll in dede To tel the maner forth he doth procede And for a whyle he set his style asyde And his processe in party he forbare To speke of Cresus that was kyng of Lyde And gan resort to write of Balthasar Agayne rehersynge or that he was ware Howe myghty Cirus of woful auenture Made on hym proudly a discomfiture And as it is put in remembraunce Of Balthasar to holde vp the party Cresus wyth hym had made an aliaunce With al his puissaunce al his chyualry His lyfe his treasoure to put in ieoparty Sworne in armes as brother vnto brother By Cirus vēquyshed the one after the other Both their mischefe no lenger was delayed Al be that Cresus faught long in hys defence He finally by Cyrus was outrayed And depriued by knyghtly vyolence Take in the felde there was no resistence And rigorouslye to his confusion With myghty fetters cast in darke prison And more to encrease his gret aduersite A sonne of his tendre yong of age That was dumbe from his natiuite And neuer spake word in no maner lāgage Cyrus commaunding by furious outrage That Cresus shoulde by vengeable cruelte By a knyght of Perce in prison headed be And with his sworde as he gan manace Cresus to haue slayne wythout al reuerence The dombe chylde there present in the place Which neuer had spoken thus said in audiēce Withdrawe thy stroke do no violence Vnto my lorde thy fame so to confounde To slee a kyng that lyeth in prison bound The knight astonied hath his stroke forborne Gretly abashed in that darke habitacle Whych herde a chyld that neuer spake toforne Agaynst his swerde to make au obstacle Ran and tolde this marueylous myracle To myghty Cirus with euery circūstaūce Hopyng therby to atempre his greuaūce But where as tyrauntes be set on cruelte Their croked malice ful harde is to appese So indurate is their iniquite That al in vengeaunce is set their hertes ese Them selfe reioysinge to se folke in disease Lyke as they were in their frowarde daūger Clerely fraunchised fro god his power Thys cruel Cirus most vengeable of desire To execute his fel entent in dede Let make in haste of fagottes a gret fyre And gan thē kyndle wyth many coles rede And made Cresus quakyng in his drede For to be take where as he lay ful lowe And bad men should in to the fyre him throw But Iupiter whych hath his vengeaūce seyn Howe cruel Cirus with malice was attaynt From heauen sent a tempest and a reine That sodainely y ◠horrible fire was quaynt Woful Cresus w t dredful fyre made faynt Escaped is his furious mortall payne God and fortune for hym lyst so ordayne This aduenture in maner marueylous The hert of Cirus gan somwhat tenbrace And caused hym for to be pitous Agayne Cresus and granted him hys grate To occupye whyle he hath lyfe and space The land of Lyde except only thys thynge He shoulde not after be called kyng And thus of Lyde the kynge dyd fyne Which toke his beginyng of one Ardisius And endured the space of kynges nyne Loke who so wyl the bokes tel thus Hereof no more but forth vnto Cirus I wyl procede wyth al my busy cure For to translate hys woful auenture The .xxvii. Chapter ¶ How the cruell tyraunt Cirus delited euer in slaughter and shedynge of blode and so ended HEyre by discent to great Astiages Poorely brought forthe as is made mēcion And had al Asie to his great encres Holdyng that reigne by iust succession In longe quyete wythout rebellion Tyl tyme he thought in ful frowarde wyse The world was smal to staunch his couetise He had an etyke most contagious Fretyng vpon hym for desyre of good A dropsy hateful and furious Of froward rage that made his hert woode A woluyshe thurst to shede mānes bloud Which ouerth warted by false melancoly Hys royal corage in to tiranny But whan he presumptuously dyd entende To robbe reue folke through his pyllage God and fortune made hym to discende Ful sodaynly from hys royal stage Demyng of pryde it was a great auauntage To wyn landes of very force and myght Tho in his cōquest were no tytle of ryght To wyll he yaue holy the soueraynte And aduertised nothyng to reason But preferred his sensualite To haue lordshyp and dominacion Aboue sad trouth and discrecion Whych causeth princes frō their estate roial Or they be ware to haue a sodayne fall For the lordshyp of al Asia Might not suffise to Cirus gredinesse But thought he would conquere Cithia And there werre to encrease hys ryches Though he no tytle had of ryght wysnesse Saue false lust wherof mē shoulde haue ruth That wyl in princes shoulde oppresse truth Fyrst his Cirus al princes dyd excel Both in conquest victory batayle Of golde treasure as bokes of hym tell Kyngdoms to wyn he dyd most preuayle And yet two vyces dyd his hert assayle Fyrst couetise euer to encrease in good With a desire to shede mens bloude Wyth two vyces he brenned euer in one That neuer might from his hert twyn Made a great army towarde Septētrion And cast him proudly to set on and begyn Cithia the mighty land to wyn Quene Thomiris there reigninge as I fynde Whose kyngdom ioyneth to Ethiope in Inde Towarde the party whych is orientall The see of Surry floweth full plentuous Downe to the see called occidentall And southwarde renneth to Caucasus And folke of Cithie that ben laborious Which tyl the land hath not to their liuing But onely frutes which from therth spring The lande of Cithie is ryche for the nones For greyne fruite a land ful couenable Ryche of golde perle and precious stones Ryght comodious and wonder dilectable But a great party is not habitable The people dredful to bylde their mancions For feare of deth bycause of the gryffons The noble fame nor the high renoun Was not ferre knowe nor ysprad aboute Of Thomiris quene of that region Nor of her noblesse within nor wythout Tyl that king Cirus with a ful great route In to Cithia gan hym proudly dresse The hardy quene to spoyle of her richesse But she her fame more to magnifie Gan in great haste with ful rich apparayle Ful prudently assemble her chyualry And toke a felde if he woulde her assayle Redy with him to haue a batayle And of her meyny lyke as sayth my boke Vnto her sonne the thyrde parte she toke And yaue hym charge in the same place Hym selfe that daye to aquite lyke a knyght And for to mete Cirus in the face And nothyng drede with hym for to fyght But whan kyng Cirus of him had a syght Cast hym that day the yong prince oppresse Rather by wyles than manhod or prowesse Fyrst he let stuffe his large pauilions With great plenty of drinkes dilectable Diuers meates and confections Rounde aboute vpon
by succession Named Albanois princes of great nobles And by discent the story beareth wytnes From kyng Prochas recorde on bokes olde Came these .ii. brethren Rea their suster told Numitor slayne as made is mencion The kyngdom occupied by Amulius And Rea entred in to religion For to be wympled in that holy house Sacred to Vesta wyth virgyns glorious There for to abyde be contemplatife With other maydens duryng al her lyfe And thys was done whyle she was yonge of age By her brother of false entencion That she shoulde haue no maner heritage Nor clayme no title in that region Of her kynred by none occasion But stande professed in virginitye To fore Vesta and liue in chastitie Yet not withstanding her virginal clennesse She hath conceyued by natural myracle Gan to encrease in her holynes Whose wombe arose in kiÌ„de was no obstacle Agayne such bolnyng auayleth no triacle But the goddes for her so dyd ordayne That she at ones had sonnes twayne The temple of Vesta stode in wildernesse Where Rea had holy the gouernaunce Of priestly honour done to the goddesse Wyth many straunge vncouth obseruauÌ„ce But by her brothers mortall ordinaunce Her yong sonnes might not be socoured But cast out to beastes to be deuoured But a she wolfe whych whelped had late To yeue theÌ„ soke dyd her businesse By god ordained or by some heauenly fate TheÌ„ to conserue fro deth in their distres For holy write plainly beareth wytnes God can defende as it is well couth Children froÌ„ mischefe in their tendre youth But in this whyle this sayd Amulius That was their vncle as made is mencion Agayne his suster frowarde and furious Made her be shyt in a ful derke prison And there complaynyng the distruction Of her two children borne to her reprefe For very sorow dyed at great myschefe These sayde chyldren deuoyde of al refuse Besyde a riuer lay pitiously crying From al socoure naked and destitute Except a wolues vpon them waityng At whose wombe ful style they lay soukyng Vnto nature a thyng contrarious Children to souke on beastes rauenous But he that is lorde of euery creature Ryght as hym lyst can both saue spyl And beastes which ben rage of their nature He can aduert make them lye ful styl Tigres lions obedient at his wil The same lorde hath made a fel wâ—lâ—esse Vnto twey children her bigges for to dresse And whyle thys wolues had theÌ„ in depose Ther came an herde called Faustulus Behelde their soukyng saw theÌ„ lye ful close Whych sheperde was of kyng Amulius Caught vp these chyldreÌ„ the story telleth thus And brought theÌ„ forth with great diligence Vnto his wyfe that called was Laurence And she for loue dyd her busy payne Them to fostre tyl they came of age Gaue them souke of her brestes swayne Fro day to daye of hert and hole corage And they were called as in that langage After the storye that one of them Remus And the seconde was named Romulus Of whych brethern brefely to termyne The towne of Rome toke original Of false disclaundre fyrst began that lyne The rote out sought ful vicious fouÌ„de at all Clerely remeÌ„bred for a memorial Their begynning grewe of such incoÌ„tinence As clerkes call Incestus in sentence Incestus is a thyng not fayre nor good After that bokes wel deuise conne As trespassyng wyth kyn or wyth blode Or frowarde medlyng w t her that is a nonne And thus the line of Rome was begon For slaughter murder and false robbry Was chefe begynnynge of al their auncetry Of Couetyse they toke their auauntage Lyggers of waies and robbers openly Murdrers also of their owne linage And stronge theues gate to their company Spoiled al tho that past them forby Vnder shadowe of kepinge their beastayle Al maner people they proudly dyd assaile To â—lee marchauÌ„tes they had no conscience And for to murdre folke of euery age Women to oppresse of force and vyolence In al that countre this was their vsage Where they abode ther was no sure passage And these two brethern lyke as it is founde Fonde first y â— maner of speares sharpe groude Aspeare in greke called is quiris And for that cause the sayd Romulus As bokes say and sothely so it is He afterwarde was called Quirinus Which w t his brother y â— called was Remus Was in al thyng confederate partable That tofore god was vicious dampnable And as it was accordynge to their life For lacke of vertue they fyll in great diffame And atwene theÌ„ ther was an vncouth stryte Which of both should yeue the name Vnto the citie atwene ernest and game After theyr names Rome to be called Thus fyll the case afore or it was walled And therupon ful longe lasted their striues Which should of them haue dominacion Shewing their titles and prerogatyues Who should of them yeue name to the toun And reigne as kyng in that region There was no reason who shuld go beforne Bycause they were both at once borne But to fynishe their fraternal dyscorde They haue prouyded atwene theÌ„ anon ryght Thus condiscendyng to put theÌ„ at accorde Nouther by force oppressyon nor myght That whych of them sawe greatest flyght Of byrdes flyeng high vpon an hyl Should name the citye at his owne wyl Of this accorde for to be wytnesse They w t them lad a ful great multitude Therof to yeue a dome of rightwisnesse Both of wyse and of people rude Al at ones thys mater to conclude And to an hyl called Auentyne They ben asâ—ended this matter for to fine And byrdes syxe to Remus dyd appere By augury as they gan procede Called vultures ful fierce in their manere But in numbre the double dyd excede That Romulus sawe whan he toke hede Wherof ther fyll a great contrauersy Which of theÌ„ shoulde preuayle on his party Thus first of al Remus had a syght Of sixe birdes called Vultures And for to auaunce prefer hys right He ful proudely put him selfe in prees But Romulus was not recheles His brothers clayme playnly to entrouble Afforced hys title with the numbre double Yet of his purpose one of theÌ„ must fayle Though it so be that they euer striue But Romulus gan finally preuaile And to the citye he forth went blyue And as auctours lyst echone discryue And in their bokes as they reherce al After his name Rome he dyd it cal And al foreins to exclude out And agayne theÌ„ to make stronge defence Fyrst he began to wal it rounde aboute And made a lawe ful dredful in sentence Who clymeth the wal by any violence Outward or inwarde there is no more to sey By statute made he must nedes dey This was enacte by ful plaine ordinauÌ„ce In paine of deth which no man breke shal But so befyll Remus of ignoraunce Which of the statute knewe nothynge atal Of auenture went ouer the wal For whiche a knyght ordained in certayne The saide Remus hath with a pykeis slayn His brother
collusion Of Decemuir the frowarde disceyuyng The great outrage in their liuyng Of all echeone the odious rauine Hath by processe them brought vnto ruyne Where is become thy dominacion Thy great tributes thy treasures shynyng The worlde all whole in thy subiection Thy sword of veÌ„geaunce al people manacing Euer gready to encrese in thy gettyng Nothing by grace whiche that is diuine Which hath the brought by processe to ruyne In thy most hyghest exaltation Thy proude tyrantes prouinces conquering To god contrary by long rebellion Goddes goddesses falsely obeiyng Aboue the starres by surquedous climbyng Till vengeaunce thy nobles did vntwyne With new complaintes to shewe thy ruyne Lay downe thy pride and thy presumption Thy pompous bost thy lordships encreasing Confesse thine outrage lay thy boast adoun All false Gods playnly defiyng Lift vp thine hart vnto the heauenly kyng Whiche w t his bloude thy sorowes for to fyne Hath made thy raunsum to saue the fro ruyne From olde Saturne drawe thine affection His golden worlde fully despisyng And from Jupiter make a digression His silueren tyme hartely dispraysyng Resort agayne w t will and whole meanyng To him that is lorde of the orders nyne Whiche mekely dyed to saue the fro ruyne Though Mars be myghty in his assencion By influence victories disposyng And bright Phebus yeueth consolation To worldly princes their nobles auaunsing Forsake their rightes and thy false offryng And to that lorde bowe downe thy chyne Whiche shed his bloude to saue the fro ruyne Winged Mercury chiefe lorde and patrone Of eloquence and of fayre speakyng Forsake his seruice in thine opinion And serue the lorde that gouerneth all thyng The sterred heauen the spheres eke meuyng Whiche for thy sake was crowned w t a spine His hart eke pearced to saue the fro tuyne Cast vp of Venus the false derision Her fiery brande her flatteries renuyng Of Diana the transmutacions Nowe bryght nowe pale â–ª nowe clere nowe drepyng Of blynde Cupide the fraudulent mockyng Of Junâ— Bachus Proserpina and Lucine For none but Christ may saue the fro ruyne Voyde of Cirses the beastiall poyson Of Cyrenes the furious chauntynge Let not Medusa do the no treason And fro Gorgones turne thy lokyng And let Sinderesis haue the in kepyng That Christ Jesu may be thy medicyne Agayne suche raskayle to saue the fro ruyne Of false ydols make abiuracion To Similachres do no worshyppyng Make thy resort to Christes passion Whiche may by mercy redresse thyne erryng And by his grace repare thy fallyng So thou obey his vertuous disciplyne Trust that he shall restore thy ruyne His mercy is surmountyng of foyson Euer encreaseth without amenusyng Aye at full cche time and eche ceason And neuer waneth by none eclypsyng Whan men list make deuoutly their rekening To leaue their sinne come to his doctrine He ready is to kepe them from ruyne O Rome Rome all olde abusion Of ceremonies falsly disusyng Lay them aside and in conclusion Crye god mercy thy trespace repentyng Trust he will not refuse thy askyng The to receyue to laboure in his vine Eternally to saue the from ruyne O noble prynces of high discrecion Sithe in this worlde is none abidyng Peyse conscience against wil and reason While ye haue leasure of hart ymaginyng Ye beare not hence but your deseruyng Let this conceite aye in your thoughts mine By example of Rome how all goth to ruyne ¶ Thus endeth the seconde boke LIke a Pilgryme which y â— goeth on fote And hath no horse to releue his trauail Hote drye wery and may find no bote Of well colde whan thyrst doth him assayle Wine nor lycoure that may to him auayle Right so fare I whiche in my busines No succour finde my rudenes to redresse I meane as thus I haue no freshe lycouâ— Out of the conduites of Calliope Nor through Clyo in rethoryke no floure In my labour for to refreshe me Nor of the sisters in number thrise thre Whiche with Citherea on Pernaso dwel They neuer gaue me drinke of their well Nor of their sprynges clere and cristallyn That sprange by touchyng of the Pegase Their fauour lacketh my making to enlumin I fynde their balme of so great scarcite To tame their tunnes w t some drop of plente For Poliphemus through his blyndnes Hath in me darked of Argus the brightnes Our life here short of wyt the great dulnes The heuy soule troubled with trauayle And of memory the blasyng brotilnes Drede vncunnyng haue made a strong battayle With werines my spirite to assayle And w t their subtill crepyng in most quaynt Hath made my spirite in making for to faint And ouermore the fearfull frowardnes Of my stepmother called obliuion Hath a bastyle of foryetfulnes To stoppe the passage shadow my reason That I myght haue no clere dyrection In translatyng of newe to quycke me Stories to write of olde antiquitie Thus was I set and stode in double werre At the metyng of fearfull wayes twayne The one was this who euer list to lere Where as good will gan me constrayne Bochas to accomplyshe for to do my payne Came ignoraunce with a manace of drede My penne to rest I durst not procede Thus my selfe remembryng on this boke It to traunslate I had vndertake Full pale of chere astonied in my loke My hand gan tremble my pen I felt quake That dispayred I had almost forsake So great a labour dredefull importable It to â—erforme I founde me so vnable Twe ne the residue of this great iourney And little therof that was begonne I stode checkmate for feare whan I gan se In my way how little I had â—onne Like to a man that fayled day and sonne And had no light to accomplishe his vyage So farre I stode abacke in my passage The night came on darked with ignoraunce My wit was dull by clerenes to discerne In Rethoryke for lacke of suffisaunce The torches out quenched was the lantern And in this case my style to gouerne Me to further I founde none other muse But hard as stone Pierides and Meduse Support was none my dulnes for to gye Pouertie approched in stale croked age Mercury absent and Philologie My purse aye lyght voyde of all coynage Bachus farre of to glad my courage An ebbe of plente scarcete at full Which of an olde man maketh the spirite dull But hope and trust to put away dispayre Into my mynde of new gan them dresse And chefe of all to make wether fayre My lordes fredom bounteous largesse Into mine hart brought such gladnesse That through releuyng of his benigne grace False indigence lyst me no more manace O how it is an hartly reioysing To serue a prynce that list to aduertise Of their seruauÌ„tes y e faythful iust meanyng â–ª And list to coÌ„sider to guerdon their seruice And at a nede list them not despyse But fro al dauÌ„ger y t should them noy or greue Beth euer redy to helpe them and releue And thus releued
Like to Syrens with voyce melodious Enoynt your eares to make you lecherous ¶ The .vi. Chapter ☞ How Cambyses assentyng to the murder of his brother Mergus at the last slough him selfe AFter the death of mighty king Cirus Next came his sonne called Cambises Heyre by succession full victorious Whiche tofore Bochas put him selfe in prees And gan his complaynt this is doubtles That they of Egypt in many vncouth wyse To sundry Goddes did sacrifice First vnto Apis they dyd Sacrifice Called Serapis their greatest god of all Raygnyng in Egypt most of excellence And god of goddes foles did him call And of his nobles thus it is befall Slayne by his brother whiche is a wonder Seuered on peces and ful farre east asunder And they of Egypt made their ordinaunce Vpon payne of death in their statute olde A god to call him and do their obseruance Within his temple like as they were holde Wherof Cambises tofore as I you tolde All the temples of that region Cast him by force for to throw doun The temple of Jupiter to robbe it by rauyne Called Hammon without exception His knightes sent to bryng it to ruyne But they echoue for their presumption With sodaine leuin were smit and beat down Wherof Cambises in Jsye tho raygnyng Had this dreame as he lay slepyng He drempt his brother y t called was Mergus Should in the kingdome after him succede Wherof in hart he waxt so enuious That he purposed of rancour and hatrede By some meane to make his sides blede And that his purpose should take auayle A magicien he toke to his counsayle And he was holde a full great Phylosopher Called Comares full sleyghty and cunnyng To whoÌ„ Cambises made a full large profer Of golde treasure to make him assentyng To execute this horrible thing And that he would in most cruell wise The murder of Mergus to coÌ„pas and deuise And while Cambises ordeyned this treason To slea Mergus his owne brother dere God from aboue cast his eyen downe Hym to punishe in full cruell manere For he waxed wode who so list to lere Caught a swerde roue his thigh on twaine And sodaynly he dyed for the paine For two causes god toke on him vengeaunce As mine auctour Bochas doth expresse For his presumptuous false disobeysaunce Spoyling the gods of their great riches And for the froward great vnkyndnes To yeue assent to the contagious caas Whan y â— Mergus his brother murdred was The death of whom was chefe occasion Of full great warre striues and debate Eke fynall cause why all the region Of mighty Perce stode disconsolate For heyre was none of high nor low estate By title of right through his vnhappy chauÌ„ce To be their kyng and haue the gouernaunce For the magycien called Comares Which â—lue Mergus as ye haue herd expres Toke his brother called Dropastes And made him kyng the story bereth witnes Because that he resembled in likenes Vnto Mergus of face and of stature To crowne him kyng therfore he did his cure The deth of Mergus outward was not know Nor playnly published in that region His body buried and cast in earth lowe Of whom the murder fraudulent treason The piteous slaughter wrought by collusion And all the maner by processe was espyed So openly it myght not be denyed And in what wyse the noyse gan out sprede Touchyng this murder odyous for to here Whan that Oropastes occupted in dede The crowne of Perce the story doth vs lere There was a prynce full notable and entere Called Hostanes that gan his wytte apply Of high prudence this murder out to espy While that Oropastes vnder a false pretence Of Perciens was receiued for kyng The sayd prynce did his diligence By inquisition to haue knowlegyng By what ingyne or by what sleyghty thing The sayd Oropastes caught occasion In stede of Mergus to occupy the croun On this matter he had a coniecture That his title was neither whole ne clere The trouth to trye he did his busy cure And to serche out wholy the manere He sought so farre that he came ryght nere And in this case letted for no slouth Tyll that he had founde out the very trouth The case was thus playnly to termine He had a daughter full fayre of her vysage Whiche of the kyng was chiefest concubine By whom he thought to catche aduauntage And vnto her he hath sent his message Secretely to enquire how it stode Where y t the kyng were come of Cyrus bloud And bade that she shoulde secretly take hede While that he slept to do her busy payne With her handes for to fele his hede And to grope after both his eares twayne And if it fyll there is no more to sayne Vpon his head that she none eares founde To tel her father of trouth as she was bouÌ„d This mighty prynce Hostanes knewe wele Ryght as it is recorded by scripture Touching this case how it stode euery dele How kyng Cambyses of sodaine aduenture By his liue for a forfeyture Made of Oropastes the story sayth not nay Both his two eares to be cut away And hereupon to be certified He was desierous to haue full knowlegyng Whiche by his daughter whan it was espyed Vpon a nyght liyng by the kyng Gropyng his head as he lay slapyng Full subtilly felt and toke good hede How he none eares had vpon his heed And to her father anone she hath declared The secrenes of this auenture And for no feare ne drede he hath not spared How that it stode playnly to discure And first of all he did his busy cure All the prynces of Perce lande yfere To counsayle call to entreat of this mattere And whan they were assembled euerychone Of Oropastes he tolde them all the chaunce And how y t Mergus was murdred yore agoÌ„e As here tofore is put in remembraunce Wherupon to set an ordinaunce And to redresse these wronges done toforne Of Perce lande were seuen prynces sworne Of one assent in their intencion By bonde of othe thei made their assuraunce And a full secrete communicacion To put Oropastes froÌ„ his royall puissaunce Whiche had all Perce vnder his gouernauÌ„ce By a full false pretence of herytage For he was like to Mergus of vysage These seuen prynces of which tofore I tolde All of one hart and by their othe ybounde Prudent and manly and of yeres olde Haue sought a tyme Oropastes to confound And w t their swerdes sharpe whet ground Vnder couert in their apparayle Came of entent Oropastes to assayle And in the palays whom euer that they met Or agayne them made resistence All of accorde they fiercely on him set But the magicien y â— was there in their preseÌ„ce Came agaynst them by sturdye vyolence And at the encountregan theÌ„ so constrayne That of the prynces they haue slaine twayne But finally the other prynces fyue Whan that they sawe their two feres blede In al the palays they left none alyue And kynge
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
werre Agayne the sayd myghty Artaxerses Wenyng therby to haue had great encrees Gadred shyppes and made a great armee In his entent to haue met hym on the see To Lacedemons he was fauourable Sent them vessels stuffed with vitayle Dempt of pride that hym selfe was able With Artaxerses to holde a battayle But hasty trust doth fooles often fayle For this Theo was after anone ryght Dryuen out of Egipt and yput to flyght Artaxerses pursued hym so sore Tofore hys face he durst nat appere Fledde into Araby myne auctour saythe no more Banished from Egipt deedly of face chere And of hys fate who so lyst to lere He was depriued from kyngly dignite And by fortune cast from his royall see The .xxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe Amynta of Macedone kyng had by Erudice hys wife Alysandre Perdica and Philyppe that were slayne ANd among other their fates cōplaining Through fortunes dredefull violence There came Amynta of Macedone kyng And to John Bochas shewed hys sentence And to declare hys magnificence To Alysandre graunde father in his lyfe Hauynge four children by Erudice hys wyfe The fyrst of them was Alysandre called And Perdica named the seconde The thirde Philyppe in Macedone stalled Kyng of Grece lyke as it is founde Whiche in ryches greatly dyd habounde And was eke father thys noble warriour To Alysandre the mighty conquerour And or myne auctour further dothe procede He maketh a maner of disgression From his matter like as ye may rede And gynneth in order a discription Of Macedone the famous region Amonge Grekes writeth in especiall Of seuen prouinces it is the principall And so procedyng he sayth how that countre Stretches his boundes about hym enuyron Towarde the see which called is Egee Forthe by Achaya towarde Septentrion And to Messene westwarde it gothe doun And who that can by crafte the costes cast To Dalmacia the name therof dothe last In Macedone he dothe also vs lere Of Olympus standeth the great mountayne And in that kyngdom is many great mynere Of golde and syluer lyke as bokes sayne And on that hyll is nouther wynde ne rayne For thylke mountayne so high dothe attayne That it may nouther blow there ne rayne The kyng Amynta of whō I spake toforn Had in Grece many great battayle Olympiens in Macedone borne And Illyriens togyder he dyd assayle Through his wisdom he did alway preuayle But with his enemys whyle he stode in strife Hys dethe was shapen by Erudice hys wife Myne auctour Bochas of her doth diffine She imagined his destruction Bycause she had another concubine On whom she set all her affection Day set and tyme to hys confusion Fully ordayned at a mariage He to be slayne of one of his linage He had a suster called Vryone Whiche prudently espied the manere Of Erudice and secretly alone Goth to the kyng and tolde hym all yfere And as the story in order telleth here Though she fayled that daye of her empryse She thought to fulfyll it in another wyse Thys to meane of her iniquite Of her fraude and false ymaginyng She was in cause through her cōtrariouste Of the destruction of their myghty kyng For the conclusion of her false workyng was to haue slayne the kyng and all his lyne She to haue raygned with her concubyne But whan she saw she myght nat atcheue Her furious purpose by none auenture Her venomous malice vpon her lord to preue On other parties she dyd her busy cure Enmitees and mischeues to procure Agayne the kynge by mortall fell assayes With sorow trouble for to shorte his dayes Night and day hys lyfe stode euer in drede Hym to betraye she cast out hoke and lyne And who is he that can or may take hede Frely to escape to eschewe or decline Malice of women whan they be serpentine ▪ Se an example of thys quene Erudice Voyde of all vertue and full of euery vice Alas no prince can beware by other To bridel their nobles with reynes of reson Such as commit alas bothe shyp and rother Vnto Sirenes to row them vp and doun Throughout Caribdis to theyr destruction By craft of Cyrces alas they wer made nice Blynde to remembre vpon thys Erudice Which made Aminta to liue i sorow drede To rest in peace suffered him to haue no space In thought trouble his lyfe gan he lede Tyl by long processe deth gan hym manace Yet or he died fortune gaue hym grace His eldest sonne by wisdome to ordayne Called Alysandre hys crowne to attayne Thus Alisandre was hys successour For Cathynenses gan their rancour lete Agaynst hym for he wyth great labour By theyr sufferaunce came to hys royall sete And for to set hys realme in quiete First with Athenes the myghty strong toun Prouided a peace of hie discretion And for to auoyde all ambiguite Of olde debates and of olde outrage First he sent into that strong cite His sonne Philippe yong and tender of age On peace assured to lye there for hostage And in that citye the storie beareth witnes He gan to grow vnto full hye nobles He was committed vnto the discipline Of a great duke called Epaminondon Which to all vertue his youth made encline For of this duke Justine maketh mencion By a maner recommendacion Tofore nor after as by hys auyse Was neuer no prynce more excellent nor wise Fyrst he commendeth hys vertuous corage Hys hye noblesse hys vertuous excellence And by discent he borne was of hye linage And in two thynges concludeth his sentence Sayeth that he was of most magnificence Egall to Mars by famous chiualry And sonne to Phebus through hye philosophy And Bochas here doth hys style auaunce Ful notably with excellent langage And sayth no treasour atteyneth in substaūce To thylke richesse auoydyng all outrage As when there is by bonde of mariage Knyt vp a knot atwene excellence Of famous knighthode of dame prudence This knot auaileth more than golde in cofer And is more glorious perpetually to abyde A mighty prince ought be a Philosopher Whiche can by prudence al vices set asyde For whan to manhode prouidence is gyde And vertuous force is captayne in the werre Let men well trust that partie may not erre This Epaminonda of knighthod sustenour Carbuncle of vertue as bokes tell con Of gentel maners called the famous flour And of high noblesse a very worldly son Whose knyghtly triumphes be so high vp ron To Martes palais with the blessed souns Of famous trumpettes golden clariouns For he was called the bright myrrour Of rightfull quarelles the partie to sustene Of extort wronges most iust reformatour Aye egall iuge of entent most clene Whiche neuer coude nothing but truth meaane Wolde of custome for hate nor aliaunce On nouther partie decline the balaunce And to commende hys vertuous prowesse Hys proued triumphes hys magnanimite Hys marciall actes hys knyghtly busynesse In the gettyng of many strong cyte And all his labour was for the commonte Which to augment he woulde
the fayre And therwithall Artaxerses gan abrayde And aunswered with face debonayre My sonne quod he I will not be contrayre To thy desire but of affection Deliuer her to thy possession Of his promise he after gan repent Cast hym to make another cheuisaunce And secretely his concubine he sent Called Arthasia as made is remembraunce And through his sleyghty purueyaunce Vnto the teÌ„ple such meanes he hath sought Of great Appollo y t she in haste was brought Where she was veyled made a presteresse After the rites playnly and the gyse â–ª Of olde panyms by a maner holines And there professed for to do seruice â–ª As their statutes constrayne and deuise During her life it might none other be She bounde was to liue in chastite This thing was wrought by compassyng Of Artaxerses by frowarde ielosy Wherof Dary the yonge lusty kyng Wext almost wode whan he did it espy And gan compasse of melancholy Furious rancour and hasty cruelte Vpon his father auenged for to be And his party of force to sustene With him he had the story maketh minde His brethren in bast an huÌ„dred and fiftene Which to their father were false and vnkind Of all this number were left none be hynde That froÌ„ this purpose ones lyst dissent Hys death of one will they al assent Yet of this straunge false conspyracy Artaxerses had a knowledgyng Although the story dothe not specify How ne by whom he had therof wyttyng For whiche in haste he made no tariyng To gader meyny make him selfe stronge Him self to auenge of this disnatural wrong For Artaxerses lyke as the case tho stode Thought it sate well to his high nobles To be venged vpon vnkynde bloude For lawe nature decrees rightwisenes And all statutes dampne vnkyndnes Wherby this kyng occasion did finde Ayen his children because they were vnkynd Some men deme how great multitude Of many childre maketh a man stronge But therupon plainly to conclude Vertue is cause if she dwell them among But if their corage enclyneth vnto wronge And vycious life do their brydle lede The greater number the worse they do spede A progeny borne of a cursed lyne May through his frowarde false infection Outward of trouth though they shyne Vnder appearaunce and simulation Infect and corrupt all a region For it is sayd of full olde langage Frute of soure trees take a soure tarage This was well shewed in Artaxerses That suffred his brother dye at mischefe Bledyng his wounde left him helpeles Whyche to his name shall euer be reprefe Thus bloude vnkynde hath euer euil prefe For all the children fro his stocke discended Were cursed euerichone as here is remeÌ„bred Their stocke was fyrst contagious of nature The grefes frowarde were great in number Whiche of assent did their busy cure By false treason their father to encomber But there is no shade nor no couert vmber So closely kept namely of false gyle But the venym wyll shew out some whyle And thus the death contagiously conspyred Of Artaxerses sythe ago full yore Wheron to auenge his hart was so fyred Of furious yre and ybrent so sore That he not could defarre it now no more But with his meyny fyll on them anone Or they were ware slew theÌ„ euerychone He slough also all hys concubynes That wer their mothers of whoÌ„ I told toforn Suffred none to liue of their lynes So of y â— lynage he hath the wede vpshorne Founde among all no grayne of good corne Couyâ—t by doome whan they were presented To his death how echone they were assented His clothes sprent with the vnkynd bloude Of his chyldren whiche he dyd shede After whose death in great mischefe he stode And so in sorow his lyfe he did lede Dyed after in mischefe and in drede Death quyt w t death rage with rage Lo here the fyne of his vnweldy age ¶ Lenuoy THis tragedy afore declareth here The great outrage of vnkyndnes Betwene two brethrene raignyng both yfere In Perce lande as ye haue heard expresse Tyll deuision of all mischefe maistresse Gan enter in through fraternall hatrede Whyche agayn kynd destroyed their kinrede The warre arose contagious for to lere Throughe all Perce of mortall frowardnes Of Cyrus death rehearsyng the manere How helpelesse he dyed in distresse And how the nuÌ„ber of brethren did theÌ„ dresse To slea their father the story ye may rede Causyng an ende of all theyr whole kynrede Kyng Artaxerses with a froward chere His iniuries and wronges to redresse Slough hys childreÌ„ their mother eke yfere Spared not one of froward cursednes By whiche occasion toke a great sickenes After dyed in mischefe and in drede Causyng an ende of all his whole kynrede Lo here a sorowe not particulere For through all Perce ran the cursednes The croked fame spred bothe farre and nere Of this vengeable hasty fell woodnes The ayre enfecting w t slaunderous blacknes To shew of vengeaunce the coÌ„trarious mede Of bloud vnkynde borne of one kynrede Noble princes lift vp your eyen clere And consider by great auisenes The wofull stryues the odious fell dauÌ„gere Sowen in kinredes of wilfull straungenes Of all rancoure your courage do redresse Peysyng the mischeues folowyng in dede Of bloude vnkinde borne of one kynrede ☞ The ende of the thirde boke FRuite of writynge set in Cronicles olde Mooste delectable of freshenesse in tastynge And moste goodlye and glorious to beholde In colde and heate lengest abidyng Chaunge of seasons may do it no hyndryng And where so be that men dyne or fast The more men taste the lenger it will last It doth courages renue agayne glade Whiche may be called frute of the tree of lyfe So parmanable that it will neuer fade To the fiue wittes greatest restoratyfe And to their pleasauÌ„ce most chefe confortatife For of nature whan they be quicke goode They of this frute take their naturall foode Auctours hereon concluden and eke assent How that writyng of his kyndly right Dothe loued persons likenesses represent Of frendes absent seuered farre froÌ„ syght Darkenes of absence is clered with the light Thus frute of writyng hath his auauntages Of folkes farre of to present the ymages Lawe had perished nad be writyng Our fayth appalled nere vertue of scripture For all religion and order of good liuyng Taketh their example by doctrine of lecture For writing causeth with helpe of portrature Thinges darked of olde that were begon To be remembred with this celestiall son God set writyng and letters in sentence Agayne the dulnesse of our infirmite This world to enlumyne by craft of eloqueÌ„ce Canon Ciuyle philosophy these thre Confirmed fraunchises of many strong citee CouenauÌ„tes asseled trouthes of olde assured Nad writyng be myght not haue endured Diligence chefe tryumphatryce Of slogardy negligence and slouthe Eke of memory vpholder and nouryce And registrer to supposayle of trouthe Hath of olde labour els were great routhe Brought thinges passed notable in substauÌ„ce Onely by writyng to newe
dede But this false traytour god sende hym myschaunce Caused his woundes mortally to blede Yet or he died he sent in all his drede A Percien knyght sad and of great age To Alysander to tell hym his message To thanke that prince of his hye noblesse Which of his grace mercy most habounde Hym lyst to shew so great gentylnesse Vnto my wife and children as it is founde For which to hym I am so muche bounde That he myne enemy of hys benignite In theyr distresse lyst haue of them pite And sith I see that nedes I must dey Through blody wouÌ„des whiche I maye nat recure Say Alisander of grace that I pray For to haue ruth of myne auenture Next to ordayne for my sepulture And condiscende to graunte myne askyng For to be buryed as longeth to a kyng Praying the gods which be immortall Whan he hath done to quyte hym hys mede That of his mercy most imperyall Hym lyst of grace for to take hede To bury me kyng of Perce and Mede For yf this tauour be in his hert founde To his noblesse the fame shall aye rebounde Requyryng hym of his imperyall myght Of my foule murder to see eche circumstauÌ„ce For murder alway calleth to god of ryght Neuer cessyng but by continuaunce Vp to the heauen to crye for vengeaunce Namely on murder compassed and thought Which by auisement is execute wrought And sythe I haue layd on the thys bonde To Alysander to do my message And him coniured here with my ryght hande Tauege my deth wrought by great outrage My blode out shed with pale deed visage Here boude in stockes to gods most benigne With ryght hole hert my sprite I resygne Thus he lay starke ther was found no abode Lyke as another mortall creature When Alysander the murder vnderstode As ye haue herde remembred by scripture He dyd ordayne for his sepulture The funerall feast to holde in all thynges As by olde tyme longed vnto kynges ¶ Lenuoye THis tragedy pitous for to here Sheweth of tortune y â— chaunges lameble Of royal trones of gold stones clere Of worldly princes howe they be vnstable Their fatal whele most diuers chauÌ„geable With vnware turne lyst nat her course tary To throw theÌ„ downe recorde of king Dary Who can or may be ful assured here To make fortune to be so treatable To finde out a way or searche out the manere By obligation to fynde her immutable Her double face the worlde aye disceyuable Shew eche daye howe falsely they can vary By couert fraude recorde of kyng Dary Example how Phebus with his bemes clere Sheweth some day his lyght most agreable But long or eue darkenes dothe appere Through cloudy mystes raynes durable To vs declaryng by tokens full notable Worldly dignities now fresh now contrary Can change her tydes recorde of king Dary Through al Asye Perce and Mede yfere His lordshyp last a thing incomparable To Ethiope vnder the mydday spere Ful of treasure with golde innumerable His boundes raught fortune eke seruisable To obey hys lustes tyll she gan falsely vary By expert fraude to preue her might in Dary Noble princes with hole hert and entere Lyfte vp your corages holde thys no fable Though ye syt hye conceyue with good there No worldlye lordshyp in erth is perdurable And sith ye be of nature reasonable Among remembre as thyng most necessary All stant vpon chauÌ„ge recorde of king Dary The .xii. Chapter ¶ Here Bochas remembreth the batayles and losse of realmes of antiquitie with the fallyng of diuers nobles HEre gineth Bochas remeÌ„bre in certaine The great sorowes y â— mortal disaueyls The losse of realines y â— blod shed i vaine Begon of warres and marciall appareyls Called to mynde of olde the fell batayls Gon of antiquitie as made is mencion First atwene Grekes them of Troy â—ouâ— A pitous hert it woulde make blede To haue in memorie the great outrage As ye haue heard wrought in Perce Mede Atwene Dary and Alysandre in theyr age Eke at wene Romains them of Cartage The wofull troubles of warres firste begon Causeth all mischefes that ben vnder the son On outher partie who can remembre aryght Nowe losse nowe lucre cometh of diuision Now disencrease now heauye now lyght Now life now dethe for short conclusion For Bochas sayth suche false discention Hath many kyngdomes y â— stode in hye estate Tourned to tuyne and made them desolate RemeÌ„bre of Troy the walles broke downe In Grece distroyed manyla stronge cyte In Perce and Mede great desolation Rome dispurueyed of marciall surete Castels and tours of olde antiquite Made ruynous in Affryke and Cartage Caused by warres Martes cruel rage Who lyst consider wrought by dayes olde The course of conquest of these warriours In Alysander he clerely maye beholde By remembraunce of his progenytours And of hys blode howe all the successours Had fatally or they dyd hence wende A sodayne deth or a shamefull ende Full many reckened that wer of hys lynage For to succede in hys possessions To syxe and thirty partyng his heritage To eche assigned theyr royall portions First as he made hys diuisions He gaue of Frigie the prefecture of ryght To Leonatus that was so good a knyght But a lytle whyle last hys possession For the countrees lyst hym nat obey They of Athenes had indignation With Antipater for he dyd warrey Yet in that warre playnly for to say Leostenes theyr duke theyr gouernour Was slayne y â— day he found no better succour And Leonatus that was his aduersary Of Antipater the partye to sustene Founde fortune that daye to hym contrary For in the felde though he rode armed clene With a spere his wounde was made grene At mischefe slayne myne auctour doth coÌ„pile Thus his lordshyp last nat but a whyle Antipater another successour Of Alysander as made is mencion Was by recorde the same false traytour That for his death tempered the poyson Hys son CassaÌ„der accoÌ„plished the trayson Bare the cup which that made hym sterue With y â— strong poyson when he dyd him serue Antipater of this crime culpable Greatly desyred in his opinion Vpon all tho than to be vengeable That likely were to espye his trayson Drede hym sore hauyng suspection Lest he were accused to the estates Of crime called lese maiestatis Hys soone assented to that horrible dede Which to Alysander beyng in Babylone Most traytourly without shame or drede As ye haue heard presented the poysone And yet the kyng as made is mencion Though he to hym false was and contrary He made him prefect lord of y â— land of Cary. And among other notable warriours There were thre more ful worthy famous Set in the numbre of his enheritours Polycarpus and Neoptolonius And eche of them to other enuious Within a felde the storye dothe vs lere Eueriche slewe other as they met yfere Of Perdicas what should I write or sayne Which among all was one the best
Loste his speche smyt with meselty Duryng his lyfe lo here a great vengeaūce Of hys crowne and hys regaly Impotent to vse the gouernaunce Peryll for pride and disobeysaunce For he lyst nat mekely the law obey For which at mischefe he dyd a leper dey The .xxiii. Chapter ¶ Howe Amonyus a prynce of Antioche delytyng in pyllage and robbry with other vicious lyuynge fled in womans clothyng after taken and slayne NExt in order complaynyng hys distresse Came Amonius a notable werriour To John Bochas to shewe hys heuynesse In Antioche prynce and gouernour Of whiche countre whyle he was possessour Had a custome and thys was hys trauayle To robbe the ryche and spoyle the porayle Spared nouther olde nor yonge of age Toke fro marchaūtes treasour and richesse And in delytes of lecherous outrage Was all his lust with watche dronkēnesse Wyll in his courte of reason was maystresse Causyng the people through all the region To ryse agayne hym by rebellion Contrary he was to all good discipline The people arose agayne hym on a day And he for feare in habite feminine Lyke a wretche fled cowardly away Take at mischefe there was made no delay Falsly confessyng hering many a man Agayne nature that he was a woman The trouth knowe and the sclaunder ryfe All of assent the people Antiochene Rose attones and so he lost hys lyfe They wer so wode agayne him in their tene Thus of fortune the chaūge is alway sene Fro better to worse she can so well transmue The state of them that wyll no vertue sue The .xxiiii. chapter ⧠How Andriscus of lowe byrth borne hauyng no tytle became kyng of Macedone and was after taken and died in pryson BVt of one thynge fortune is to blame That she is so chaungeable of corage To set a boy vnknowen of byrthe and fame By false errour vpon a royall stage For one Andriscus by surquedous outrage Without tytle by subtyll compassyng Of Macedone toke on hym to be kyng Colour was none his claime to make stable Except that he of there and of visage Was to kyng Philyp of fetures moste sēblable Whereby the people in their furious rage Caught opinion of wylfull false dotage Agayne reason Bochas dothe discriue That king Philyp was risen fro deth to liue Whylom father of Perses as I tolde And for Andriscus broughte vp in wretchednesse In presence bothe of yonge and olde Was bold to clayme by tytle of rightwisnesse Shewing no grounde but personel likenesse Mocking the people which by their fauour Of royal dignite receyued the honour Thus he that was fostred as a wretche In misery and eke in pouerte Fro poore bedde his hornes dyd vp stretche To holde a scepter of kyngly dignite And by the supporte of the commonte Gan wexe pompous and elate Broughte vp of noughte whan he stode in estate Nothing more cruell nor nothyng more vengeable Nor more hasty to do execution Nor more deynous nor more vntreatable Than whan a begger hath domination I curre more frowarde than a strong Lyon And semblably none so great cruelte As whan a wretche is set in dignite This Andriscus in all his royall chere To execute his hatefull cruelte Gathered people in countreys ferre nere In Macedone and of olde enmyte Began maligne gayne Rome the cite But to withset his frowarde false entent One Inuencius a Pretor was downe sent But because that he was negligent And of dispite toke of him no hede He was outrayed and by Andriscus shent With all the people that he dyd lede But the Romayns of hope better to spede Haue sent Metellus a full manly knyght To Macedone to mete anone ryght Thys worthy man lyst nat longe to tary Set proudly on in hope it shoulde auayle Made Macedone to Rome tributary Toke Andriscus manly in batayle Brought him to Rome w t mighty apparayle And made him lye fettred in pryson For his outragious false presumption Thus for his frowarde vsurpacion That was haute in hys prosperite Knewe nat hym selfe by false abusion Blent with a myst of blynde felicite Lyst nat remembre of hys first ponerte Whom to chastise fortune brought hym low Because he lyst nat hym selfe for to know The .xxv. Chapter ¶ Howe Alysander Ballas kyng of Surry for extorcion pryde and vnkindnesse dyed at mischefe THus can thys ladye play her pagent By a maner of deynous mockerye Her entermesse forth serued them of entent To folke that truste her onely of foly And to purpose whylom of Surry There was a kyng lyke as write Bochas Called Alisader whose surname was Ballas Of whiche Ballas to tell the processe First of his risyng and after of hys fall Antiochus the story beareth wytnesse Called Eupator whiche in especiall Claymed tytle to thestate royall After his father named Antiochus Epyphanes the story telleth thus After whose dethe the kyngdome of Surry Shoulde longe by succession To Eupator and eke for hys party Demetrius hostage in Rome toun Claymed a tytle in that region Of Surry because Epiphanes Was brought to hym the story is no les Demetrius fro Rome is come doun Into Surry to clayme hys heritage Receyued the crowne toke possession Gan wexe proude presumptuous of corage Thus Eupator that was but yonge of age Excluded was in Surry to succede Of Demetrius ferther thus I rede Outragyous he was aboue measure Ryght vengeable and full of cruelte Hatefull also to euery creature And heuy borne of worthy kynges thre Fyrst in Egypt of worthy Tholome And of Actilius in Asy tho reygnyng And Aryrarches in Capadoce kyng All of assent agayne hym haue conspyred Founde a waye Demetrius to depriue Hys vndoyng so sore they haue desyred And theyr entent to execute blyue They gan a fable of purpose to contryue As ye shall here together as they went To whiche all Surry at ones dyd assent They toke a galaunt borne of lowe lynage Called Ballas of theyr acquayntaunce And affyrmed all of one corage Howe he was sonne iust heyre in substaūce To Epiphanes and nexte heyre in aliaunce To succede by tokens affyrmyng Next in Surry to be crowned kyng Alysander of purpose they hym call Because they thought of person he was able Set hym vp in hys royall stall Maugre Demetrius cruell and vengeable And fortune was to them fauourable Made theyr purpose finally to auayle With whome Demetrius had a gret batayle This Alysander which named was Ballas By Demetrius as put is in memory Fyrst ouercome and after fyll the caas He of Demetrius had the vyctory And to encrease of hys royall glory Of fortune by sodayue auenture Ballas the felde of hym dyd recure Thus by promocion of these kynges thre When he was crowned kyng of al Surry To false extorcion and hateful cruelte Thys Alysander dyd hys wittes apply To robbyng pyllage and eke tyranny And dispysed shortly to conclude The sayde kynge of ingratitude He had forget hys estate of pouerte Knewe nat hym selfe of false ambicion Wedded the doughter of worthy Tholome
tripet And fro my whele I cast him low doun In his moste hyest domynacion Toke no hede where he dyd laugh or mourne For with no man I do alway soiourne Bochas quod fortune take good hede also Howe I can bothe further and disauayle For ensample se howe Athenyo That whylom was a shepherde in Itayle A brigaunt after marchauntes to assayle Laye in wayte besyde a great mountayne Of fugitiues he was made a captayne Slewe first his lorde a ryche Senatour By violence brake many a stronge prison And for a tyme I gaue hym great fauour To gather robbours about him enuyron All the churles of that region He assembled through his iniquite To holde a werre with Rome the cite Besieged castels brake doun mighty tours Slewe and robbed about in eche countre Spoyled palayses of worthy Senatours Tytle had he none saue tytle of volunte Toke vpon hym of pride and cruelte For to be clad in purple lyke a kyng Bare a scepter amonge his men ridyng Vpon his head ordayned for the nones His golden heare tressed lyke an emperour A â—oyfe enbrouded all of ryche stones Me lyst to laughe that a false robbour By supportacion of my gery fauour Which last nat longe for after in short whyle As is my custome I dyd hym begyle I suffred hym and made hym fayned chere As I haue doen to other mo full ofte Tyll downe fro Rome was sent a Consulere Which toke him proudly henge him alofte His churles slayne some of them nat softe In cheynes bounde for shorte conclusion Were dempt by lawe to die in prison By whiche story Bochas thou mayst lere A great party of my condicion But now in hast a story thou shalt here Howe in the yere fro the foundacion More than sixty C. I meane of Rome toun Was a gatheryng a great company Together sworne by false conspyracy Them to withdraw fro the obeysance Of a Tribune called Clodoue Which for knighthode had gouernaunce And was sent downe from Rome cyte With myghty hande to rule a great countre Called Champayne and playnlye for to say The people there lyst hym nat obay Thre score and four were of them in numbre That named were chefe conspyratours Whiche y â— cast theÌ„ their captayne to encoÌ„bre w t multitude of theues robbours Whiche chase amonge theÌ„ to be their supportours Thre mighty captaynes of which there was one Called Spartharcus chefest of echone Gadred churles made them selfe stronge On an hye hyll toke their dwellyng place Hauing no regarde were it right or wronge To spoyle the countre beastes to enchace I cherished them with a benigne face For a season and gaue them liberte By false rauyne to robbe the countre What thing is more cruel in comparison And more vengeable of wyll nat of ryght Than whan a churle hath domination â–ª Lacke of discretion blyndeth so the syght Of comuners for defaute of lyght When they haue power couÌ„treis to gouerne Fare lyke a beast that can nothyng discerne Gladiators folkes dyd them call For their swordes wer with stele made fyne For to fight gayne wilde beastes all As lyons beares bores and wylde swyne And the mountayne where they dyd lyne Called Venuse and through their cruelte Slewe and robbed about in eche countre Spartharchus was their chefe captayne Brought vp of nought borne of low degre But Claudius a mighty stronge Romayne Was sent with power fro Rome the cite For to defende and saue the countre The hyll besieged before them as he lay He was rebuked beate and driuen away Many of them that kept the mountayne Were hurte that day the story telleth thus AmoÌ„ges which was slaine a great captayne That was felow vnto Spartharchus As I fynde he hight Inomaus For whose deth was take so great veÌ„geauÌ„ce That all the countre felt therof greuaunce They of the mountayne all of one assent Without mercy or remission Most vengeable haue robbed and brent All the countre about them enuyron Tyll two Consulers came fro Rome doun The first of them called Lentulus Both put to flight by y â— sayd Spartharchus Wherof the romayns greatly dismayed The Senatours of indignacion Bothe ashamed in them selfe affrayed Sent one Crassus a great lorde of the toun With the nombre of a legion And whan y t he on Spartharcus fyrste set Slewe of his men sixe M. whan they met And afterwarde besyde a great ryuer Called Salayre they had a great batayle Where Spartharcus stode in great daunger For his chere and countenaunce gan fayle Thurty thousande clad in plate mayle Were slayne y t day there gayned no raunson All their capitayns assigned to prison Without all this as made is mencion Sixty thousande in the felde lay dede And sixe thousande were sent to prison The felde with bloude stayned made rede And fourscore M. quakyng in their drede Were thylke day after the romayne gyse Take to mercy receyued to fraunchyse And Spartharcus at mischefe put to flight Whan I from him turned my visage He loste chere he lost also his might Whan I appalled the fyne of his passage And for he was a churle of his lynage Of his encrees I lyked nothyng wele Therfore vnwarly I cast him fro my whele Of my maners to make a greatter prefe There was another famous greate robbour Which through Spayne was a disclaundred thefe And for he dred of iustice the rigour Trusting he shulde fynde in me socour Called Vrinatus he Spayne anon forsoke And to Rome the right way he toke Gadred meyny of his condyrion Of euery secte to make him selfe stronge Theues and robbours of euery region Many a churle was medied them amonge His name tencreace were it right or wronge What euer he gate in cyte or village With his soudyours he parted the pyllage Thus by my helpe he came to greate richesse Which brought in pride and presumpcion He nat prouyded of my doublenesse Gan to maligne agayne Rome toun But by the prudence of last Scipion Sonne of Lepidus makyng therof no boste He slayne was by them he trusted moste By whiche ensample notable of remeÌ„brauÌ„ce Shewed heretofore John Bochas vnto the Thou mayst know in party my puysaunce My sodayne chaunges my mutabylite And for to auoyde all ambuguite To declare the summe of myne entent Great Marius to thee I do present Blacke his wede and his habyte also His heed vnkempt his lockes hore and gray His loke downe cast in token of sorow wo On his chekes the salte teares lay Whiche bare recorde of his deadly affray Wherfore Bochas do thy penne dresse To discryue his mortall heuynesse His robe stayned was with romayne blode His sworde aye redy whet to do vengeaunce Lyke a tyraunt most furyous and wode In slaughter murdre set all his plesaunce Yet nat forthy I gaue him gouernaunce Ouer the people rose on my whele vp fast But as vnwarely downe I dyd him cast Twene him Scilla y â— woful deadly stryues At large herafter Bochas thou
with wynde afore the son bright Yet in effect it leseth nat his light So Bochas dempte that his dul writing Eclypsed nat of Tullius the shining With rude langage a man may well reporte The laude of triūphs cōquestes maruelus Which thing remembring gretly gā confort The herte of Bochas to him selfe said thus Two colours sene that be contrarious As white and blacke it may be none other Eche in his kinde she weth more for other In Phebus presens starres lese their light Clere at midday appereth nat Lucine The fame of Tulli whilom shone so bright Prince of fayre speche father of y ◠doctrine Whose bright bemes vnto this houre shine Sothly quod Bochas of whō whā I endite My hande I fele quaking while I write But for to giue folke occasion Which in rethorike haue more experience Than haue I and more inspection In the colours and crafte of eloquence Them texite to do their diligence Vnto my writing whan they may attende Of compassion my rudenesse to amende Vnto him selfe hauing this langage Bochas to write gan his pen dresse Vnder supporte afforced his corage To remembee thexcellent noblesse Of this oratour which with the swetnesse Of his ditees abrode as they haue shyned Hath this worlde moste clerely enlumined This Tullius this singuler famous man Fyrste to remembre of his natiuite Borne at Arpinas a cite of Tuscan Of blode royal discended who lyst se Grekyshe bokes of olde antiquite Made of rethorike in their vulgar song He translated in to the latin tong In tendre youth his countre he forsoke And fro Tuscan his passage he gan dresse Towarde Rome the right way he toke Entring the citie the renomed noblesse Hydde in his person she wed the brightnesse Of diuers vertues time while he abode That like the son hys fame sprede abrode For his vertues made a citezaine The good reporte of him shone so clere Like as he had be borne a romaine In their fauour his name was so entere Among them chose for a Consulere Agayne the cite time of his Consulate Whan Cateline was with them at debate By the prudence of this Tullius And his manhode rekened bothe in fere Catelina most cruel and yrous Frowarde of porte frowarde of his chere Busy euer to finde out the manere Howe he might by any token or signe Agayne the citie couertly maligne Sixe hūdred yere fourscore tolde and nine Rekened of Rome fro the foundacion This cruel tyrant this proude Cateline Made with other a coniuracion Againe franchises and fredame of the toun First discured as bokes tell can In the parties and boundes of Tuscan The purpose holy of this Cateline Imagined on false couetyse Was to bryng Rome vnto ruine And therupon in many sondry wise Found out meanes and waies gan deuise To his entent by diligent labour In the cite to gette him great fauour But finally his coniuracion Discured was by one Quincius Which was afore false vnto the toun Told at the case vnto Tullius By whose prudence working marueilus By helpe of Antony that was his felawe The coniuracion was broken and w tdrawe By wytte of Tulli all the coniuratours Espied were and brought vnto mischaunce Their names red tofore the Senatours Of their falshead tolde all the gouernaunce Manly ordained through his purueiaunce With al his people as made is mencion Catelina departed from the toun With Antony the said Cateline Besyde Pistoy had a great bataile Slaine in the felde he myght nat decline For he abode whan the felde gan fayle Power of one littel may aueile Namely whan falshed of malice of pride Againe trouth dare the bront abyde There was another called Lentulus Of his felowes that named was Fabine The third of them eke called Cetegus All assented and sworne to Cateline Strangled in prison at mischefe did fyne Cause Tullius did execucion Tulliane was called the prisone Thus coude he punishe traitors of the toun Outray their enemies of manhod prudence Called of their cite gouernour patron Sent from aboue to be their defence Their champion most digne of reuerence Chose of their goddes their cite for to gye By two prerogatiues knighthode clergy Lyke the sonne he did them enlumyne By hie prowes of knightly excellence And through the world his bemes dyd shyne Of his rethorike and of his eloquence In whiche he had so great experience By circūstaunces that nothyng did lacke He transcended Plocius and Gracke Of oratours it is put in memorye This Tullius through his hie renoun Of all echone the honour and the glorie Was giue to him as made is mencion Surmounted al and in conclusion The golden trumpe of the house of Fame Through the world blew abrode his name He knewe secretes of philosophy Came to Athens to scole for doctrine Where he profited so greatly in clergy In all sciences heuenly and diuyne That he was called as aucthors determyne Amonge Romayns of very due right Of eloquence the lanterne and the light It is remembred among oratours Howe Tullius pleted causes twayne In the romaine courte afore the Senatours The cause defending by langage souerain Of two accused againe them that did playn On their defautes them sauyng fro mischefe The court escapyng fro dangere reprefe These causes twayne he pleted in latin With so excellent flouring fayre langage With such reasons concluded at the fine That he by wysedome caught thauauntage In his maters with all the surplusage That might aueile vnto his partie What he said there coud no man denie Among Grekes at Athens the cite So great he was of reputacion So famous holde of auctorite To be compared by their opinion To the Philosopher that called was Platō To whose cradell bees dyd abrayde And hony sote they on his lyppes layde Apronostike like as bokes tell Plato should by famous excellence Of rethorike be very sours and well For his langage myrrour of eloquence Yet the Grekes recorden in sentence Howe Tullius in party and in all Was vnto Plato in rethorike egall Through his langage this said Tullius Reconciled by his sote orisons To the lordshyp and grace of Julius Princes and kinges of diuers regions That suspecte stode by accusacions Bicause they did Julius disobey Wer enclined with romains to Pompey He coude appease by his prudent langage Folkes that stode in discencion By crafte he had a speciall auauntage Fauour synguler in pronunciacion In his demenyng great prudence and reasō For the pronounsing of matters in substaūce His thanke receiueth by chere countenāce To a gladde mater longeth a gladde chere Men treat of wysdom w t wordes of sadnesse Pleintes requyre after the matere Greuous or morall a chere of heuines Lyke as the cause outher the proces Gyueth occasion to hinder or to spede The doctrine in Tullius men may rede The name of Tulli was couth in many place His eloquence in euery lande was ryfe His langage made him stand in grace And be preferred
Cesar was deified Of whō by Romains was set vp an ymage But whan he sawe he was espied He ran to Julius hie vpon a stage Gan him to enbrace in his piteous rage He rent away by sodaine violence Vnwarely slaine there gained no defence Next in order came Cesarius Of whom there fill a wondre pitous caas Whilom beget of Cesar Julius Vpon the yong fayre Cleopatras Slaine in his youth thus writeth Bochas As Octauian dyd him selfe assigne For he gaine Romains should nat maligne Folowing in order Julia began Hir greuous complaint to Bochas specify Whilom doughter to great Octauian With weping gan to houle and crie Which by her father to punish her lechery Exiled was out of her countre For lacke of socour died in pouerte Her son Agrippa yong and tendre of age Borne of hie blode Bochas doth expresse Came next in order pale of his visage Which spent his time in slombre idelnesse Froward to vertue for his wretchednesse Octauian which was great touthe Suffred him die at mischef for his slouth After Agrippa came forth anone right Cassius of Parme a famous great countre Which in Itaile was holde a māly knight With Marke Antony wele cherished secre Bode in his court and there withall parde Greatly alowed fyrst for his chiualry And for his notable famous policy And there withall he had in existence A right great name stode in great fauour For his knighthode for his hie prudence After accused vnto the Emperour Octauian for a coniuratour He should haue be of frowarde false entent To Julius death fully of assent For whiche by bidding of Octauian Take he was being but yong of age And as mine auctor well remembre can Brought tofore Julius hie vpon a stage There offred vp vnto his ymage By cruell death ▪ the storie telleth thus For the false murdre of Cesar Julius After the death of the saide Cassius Another came of Rome the cite Which as I rede called was Galbus Of a Pretour hauing the dignite And for suspection slaine eke was he His eyen fyrst out of his head were rent For Julius death than in to exile sent Toward his exile by brigantes he was slaine And After that within a litel while Of his labour nouther gladde ne faine Bochas began to dyrecte his stile To great Herodes breuely to compile His greuous fal and holy the manere To set in order next as ye shall here The .ii. Chapter ⧠How the tyraūt Herodes slough his wyfe and chyldren and after died at myschefe REmembrynge fyrste in Jurye he was kyng Antipater his father who lyst se In Arabia mightely reignyng Ouer the prouynce called Idume This same Herodes gardeyne of Galile Ordayned was fyrste for his hye prudence And for his notable knyghtly excellence Famous in manhode famous of his lyne Famous also by procreacion I rede also he had wyues nyne And amonge all as made is mencion To hys pleasaunce and his opinion Maister of stories reherseth there was one Mariannes fayrest of echone By whom he had worthy sonnes twayne Alysander and Aristobolus But for his suster dyd at her disdaine Called Saloma the storie telleth thus He vnto her wext suspicious Bycause she was accused of enuy By Saloma touchyng auoutry Agayne her of rancour sodaynly He gan of herte greuously disdayne With rigorous hert he slewe her furiously But as the storie doth vs ascertayne He for her deth after felte great paine Euer whan it came to his remembraunce Her porte her chere her womāly plesaunce Lo what it is a prince to be hasty To euery tale of rancour to assent And counsaylles to procede wilfully To execucion of frowarde false entent For Herodes so sore he dyd repent That he for thought fyl in to an noy Of hertely sorowe and malencoly Rest had he none nouther day ne nyght Troubled with fury that he wext frantyke w t dremes vexed many an vncouth syght Of chere nor colour to no man he was lyke And euery moneth ones lunatike A great whyle he had this wofull lyfe For sorowe onely he had slayne his wyfe And as the storye wel reherce can In the Capitoyle mydde Rome the cite By Antonye and by Octauian He crowned was and made kyng of Jude By the Senate made theron a decree And registred that he and his kynred Shulde in that lande lineally procede In Rome was made the confirmacion To this Herodes bokes specifye Beyng afore the translacion Was made of Juda and of Jurye Septer and crowne with all the regaly By hym vsurped as ye haue herde toforne Vpon the tyme whan Christ was borne This same Herodes by procuracion Of Antonye dyd also occupy By Augustus plener remission The great estate called Tretrarchy In two kyngdoms with al the regaly Of Traconitides Jtury eke also By the Romains made lorde of bothe two Mayster of stories reherseth of hym thus For commendacion in especiall In Aschalon he buylded a stately hous Of right great cost a palayes ful royal Was none so riche for to reken all After whych myne authoure doth so wryte He called was Herode Aschalonite This same Herodes cruell of nature Of chere and porte passyng ambicious Aye to be venged dyd his busy cure On al that were to hym contrarious Hys wyues brother Aristobolus In Jerusalem chefe byshoppe as I rede Falsely he slough of malyce and hatered Vniustly reigned borne through his realme His hert fret and cankred wyth enuy Another byshoppe in Jerusalem Called Hircanus myne authour lyst not lye This same Herodes in his malencoly Slewe hym vnwarely by rācour vengeable Setting at dyner at his owne table There was no man of corrage more cxuel Nor more desirous to be magnified To make his name also perpetual Four statelye cities he hath edified Of which the names be here specified Cesaria Sebastin citees souerayne Antipadra Cipre that other twayne He had also a false condition He trusted none that was of his kynrede His sonnes twaine he had in suspectiō Their purpose was to sley him of hatred Whan he were deade hopyng to succede And causelesse as father most vnkynde Made thē be slayne in story thus I fynde In al his workyng he was founde double A great tirant hold throgh his realme Neuer thinge so greatly dyd him trouble As whan thre kinges came to Jerusalem Jesu to seche that was borne in Bethelem Boldly affirmynge cause of their commynge Was to worshyp that blessed yonge kyng The which thynge whan he dyd aduertise Prophecies remembringe and writinges Within hym selfe a meane he gan deuise First to distroy these famous holy kynges Namely whan he knewe of their offrynges Imaginyng gan suppose blyue The child was borne that shuld him depriue Newly discended fro Dauid doun by line Cast almost Herodes in a rage Of cursed hert gan frowardly maligne Lyke a tirant of venomous outrage Slewe al the children within two yere of age About Bethelem a ful large space He spared none for fauour nor for grace One
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
al the people standing enuyron Thought it so bright in their inspection Passing the sonne as it did seme But what it ment no man coude deme As the preestes dyd their busy cure To offre a calfe anone or they toke hede The same calfe a thing agayne nature Brought forth a lambe y e same time I rede An vgly token which put them in gret drede A contrary pronosticacion Shewed vnto them of their subuersion With other tokens frowarde and contrarye The same time were shewed euer amonge The brasen dores of the inwarde sentwarye With yron barres shit that wer most strong Brode of entayle rounde and wondre longe That might nat meue w t .xxx. mennes might Opened by them selfe twyse on a night There were sene also chares in the eyre Men of armes with bright swordes clere Of plate and maile the armure was so faire Bright as Phebus where it did appere â–ª And as the storie also doth vs lere With their sheltrons and their apparayle A profer made their cyte for tassayle To the Iewes it dyd sygnifye A pronostyke of theyr distruction Preestes to the temple as they dyd hie Vpon a night to do oblacion Amid the temple was herde a dredfull foun Of which noyse this was y â— dredeful ende Ryse vp echone and let vs hence wende And ful four yere tofore the siege gan One Ananias yonge and tendre of age Of his byrthe sonne of a rude man By disposicion dul of his corage Lyke as he had fall in a rage Ran in the cite by a maner frensye Spared nat with open mouthe to crye Vnto this noyse was made none obstacle But obstinat euer to his entent Day of the feest holde in the tabernacle A voice quod he out of the orient Voice fro the southe fro northe occident Voice fro y â— four wyndes y â— blow so wyde Voice again IerusaleÌ„ crieth on euery syde Voice againe the teÌ„ple agayn y â— people also Voice againe husbaÌ„des voice againe wiues Wo to Ierusalem with a treble wo Of hungre thurst lesing of their â—iues Of sworde and fyre many sodayn striues This was the wretched lamentacion Which Ananie cried through the toun Beaten he was for his affray ful ofte Whipped scourged endlonge vpright Al were it so be felte it ful vnsofte Was by â—eating made faint feble of might He stynt nat to crie so day and night A pronostike shewing to the cite Howe ryght sone it shoulde distroyed be By rehersayle also of Carnotence With that cite for sinne it stode so tho That if Romains by marciall vyolence Had nat come and done them all this wo The erthe should haue opened and vndo Deuoured the people voyde of al refuge Or drowned y e toun by some sodayne deluge Breuely to passe this vengeaÌ„ce most terryble Done vpon Iewes for their transgression For their demerites y e punishing most horryble Of Ierusalem fynall subuersion Of the temple the tabernacle and the toun In Iosephus who lyst se al the dede De Bello Iudaico y â— surplus he may rede ☞ Thus endeth the seuenth boke and here after foloweth the prologue of the eyght ¶ The Prologue of the eyght Booke BOchas maketh here an exclamacion Agayn the iewes great vnkyndnesse Brought bi the romains their cite adoun Lyke as the story dyd here tofore expresse They disparcled to liue in wretchednesse By gods hand punished for theyr outrage For euer to liue in tribute and seruage Folowyng myne auctor I cast for to touch So as I can rehersyng the manere Howe Iohn Bochas lying on his couche Spake to himselfe sayd as ye shall here Why arte thou so dul of loke and chere Lyke a man thy face beareth wytnesse That him disposeth to lyue in ydlenesse Certes quod Iohn I take right good kepe Of muche trauayle that the outrage Hath by longe slombre caste me in a slepe My lymmes feble croked and faynt for age Caste in a drede for dulnesse of corage For to presume vpon me to take Of the eyght boke an end for to make Thou wenyst perauenture in thine opinyon By this labour to get the a name For to reherce the sodain falling doun And by some newe processe for to attame Of princes sitting hie in the house of fame In diuers bokes where thou dost them fynd Perpetually to put thy name in minde Thy dayes short put the in great drede Of suche a labour to take the passage The more feble the flower is the spede Thy sight darked and thou arte fal in age Among remembring thinke on this langage Whan men be buryed low in the earth doun Saue of good liuing farewell all guerdon Worldlye goodes shall passe right sone Tresour connyng and al shal out of mynde Frendship chasigeth as doth y â— cloudy mone At a strayte nede fewe frendes men do finde But a good name whan it is left behind Passeth all ryches if it be well deserued And al golde in cofer locked and conserued Of thy labour the fame shall were derke Beware Bochas and herof take good hede Slouth snake to me and bad me leue warke For smal reward y â— shalt haue for thy mede As by ensample thou mayste of other rede This was the langage I had therof routhe Atwene Iohn Bochas this ladye Slouthe Bochas astonied gan down his heed decline Vpon his pillowe hanging in a traunce Stode in gret doute coude not determyne Lyke a man hangynge in balauuce To what partye he shulde hys pen auaunce To procede as he vndertoke Or leue the labour of his eyght boke Atwene twayne abyding thus a while What was to do in doute he gan to flete Halfe within and half ouer the stile Coude not discerne to him what was moste mete â–ª Tyll Fraunces Petrark â–ª the laureate poete Crowned wyth laurer Grace was his gide Came and set him downe by his beddes side And as Bochas out of hys slombre abrayde And gan adawen somwhat of hys chere And sawe Petrarke lowly to him he sayd Welcome mayster crowned wyth laurere whiche haue Itayle lyke a sonne clere with poetry plainly to discriue Most soueraynly enlumined by your liue I haue desyred as it is well couthe Of rightfull herte by humble attendaunce To do you worship fro my tendre youth And so shall I euer voyde of all varyaunce Duryng my lyfe for trewly in substaunce Ye haue ben lanterne lyght and dyrection Aye to support myne occupation As in wrytyng bokes to compyle Chefe ensample to my great auauntage To refourme the rudenes of my stile with aureat colours of your fresshe langage But nowe for dulled by impotence of age Of Deccepitus marked with many a signe My labour vp of writing I resigne I cast me not forthe to procede Stande at a bay fordriuen for werynes Quod Fra. Petrark lese not thus thy mede Yeue me no cause to report nor expresse In thy last age thou hast found a maistres which the bridled in soth that is routhe And holdeth
the boke maketh mencion By no title of succession But an intrusour one called Iulyan The state vsurping to reigne there began But of the noble lynage Affrican Borne in Tripolis a mighty great citye One Seuerus that was a knightly man Gadred of romayns a wondre great meyne Bothe made stronge Iulian met and he At Pont miluin a citie of Itayle And there was Iulyan slaine in batayl Seuerus after entred the empyre And toke vpon him the dominacion Vpon cristen of malice set a fyre Began againe them a persecucion Of tyrannye and false ambicion But one of Egipt called Poscennius Againe Seuerus gan to worke thus Gadred meyny Seuerus for to assaile In purpose fully and theron did hys payne First with him to haue a great batayle Next of th empyre the crowne for to attayne But ye shal heare what fel on these twayne On Poscennius fill the discomfiture And Seuerus th empyre dothe recure In his purpose or he might auaile with one Albinus that was a manly knyght He had in Gaule a full great batayle Full great bloudshed in that mortall fyght Albinus slaine of very force and myght Seuerus after entred in Bretayne Caught sicknes and died of the paine After Seuerus next came Antonine Of whom the frowarde disposicion As all auctours of him determine His busines and occupacion Set holy in fleshly dilectacion So false a lust his corage did assayle Amonge Parthois flayne in batayle Macrinus after tofore Bochas came down Whylom a prefecte in Rome the cyte Of the pretoyr and by inuasion Came to the imperiall famous dignitye Occupyed a yere sate in hys imperyal se Tyl fortune lyst hym so disgrade Amonge his knightes flayne at Archelade Next came Aurelius surnamed Antonyne A great rybaude passyng lecherous Yet was he byshop as auctoures determine In the temple of Heliogabalus And in his time was one Sabellius A false heretike of whom gan the names Of a secte called Sabellianes This said Aurelius againe all nature Of false presumpcion in bokes it is told Wolde not purge his wombe by nature But in vessels that were made of golde And in dispyte whan that he was old Slaine of his knightes and not after longe His carayne was thrown in a gonge After this proude foresayde Antonine In to th empyre by iust election Of senatours as bokes determyne Came Aurelius and for his hye renoune Surnamed Alisaunder as made is menciō Fought with Perciens like a manly knight And there king Xerxes was put vnto flyght This Aurelius this proud knyghtly man Whan he sate iudge in the consistory There sate one with him called Vlpian A great ciuilian notable of memory Of whome it is to his encreace of glory Reported thus by great auctorite He of digestes made bokes thre Full piteously this emperoure lost his lyfe Casuelly as made is mencion Among his knightes by a sodayne strife Where he was slaine in that discencion After whose ende for short conclusion Tofore Bochas the boke wel tel can Came Maximinus and with him Gordyan Maximinus the cronicle both expres Chose of his knightes and his soudiours For his victorious marcyall hye prowesse Done in Almayne and amonge Emperours Set vp in Rome maugre the senatours After strong enmy as mine autoure sayth With all his power vnto cristen fayth He was enemy his life who list to sene To cristen clerkes of auctorite And specially to olde Origene But in his moste furious cruelte In Aquyleya a mighty stronge countre Of a prefecte called Pupien he was slaine Of whose dethe cristen men were full fayne Next by the senate chosen was Gordyan First agaynste Parthois he cast hi to werrey Of Ianus temple whan the werre began He made the gates be opened wyth the keye Whiche was a token as old e bokes seye Tho gates opened to folkes nye and ferre That w t their fone y ◠romayns wold werre With Parthois first this said Gordian To holde werre fast he gan him spede And vpon them alway the felde he wan After he sped him in to Perce and Mede Alwaye victorious in batayle as I rede Vpon Eufrates slayne as I fynde By false treason y ◠cronicle maketh mynde Next in ordre came Philip by his name His sonne eke Philip came with him also Myn auctour Bochas reherceth y ◠same The father the sonne baptised bothe two Right sad and wyse in that they had to do And were the first cristen of echone Emperors rekened for ther tofore was none By Poncius the martyr as I rede In Meya a famous great cyte They were baptysed afterwarde in dede Slayne in batayle for they lyst not fle Tofore their dethe bothe of assent parde Their treasour hole that were imperiall To christes church I fynde they gaue it all The Bishop Sixtus toke possession Vertuously assigned it to Laurence Therof to make distribucion To poore folke in their indigence For whiche dede by cruell violence The tyraūt Decius agayn thē toke a stryfe Caused holy Laurēce by brēning lose his life This same Decius cursed and cruell Caused y ◠slaughter of these Philips twayn And for he was subtell false and fell By sleight falshed he dyd hys busy paine To the empyre by force for to attayne The seuenth tyraunt by persecucion which agayn christen folk toke first occasion Myne auctour writeth time of this Deciue The holy Hermyte example of perfytenesse By dayes old called Antonyus Liued in deserte ferre out in wildernes As an Hermyte dispysing al ryches Lyued by frute and rotes as men tell And of perfection dranke water of the well Vpon Decius for his cursednes Again christen which gaue so hard sentence Thrugh Rome Itayle myne auctor bereth witnesse In euery cyte was grete pestilēce That by the sodaine deadly violence The hertes of men dependinge in a traunce To saue their liues coude no cheuisaunce Of this mater write nomorc I can To this emperour I wyll resorte agayne Speke of Gallus and Volucian That busy were their laboure was in vaine Their time short as some bokes saine For Martyn writeth an olde cronyculere In th empyre they reigned but two yere But bothe were slayne by the procuring And by the purchace of one Emelyan A romayne knight whiche by slye workinge To occupye th empyre tho began By tyrannye the Lordshyp there he wan Whose lordship for hap and lacke of grace No lenger last then two monthes space This lytell chapter as tofore is sene Reherced hath and tolde in wordes playne Of emperours almost full fourtene And of all were good none but twayne whiche to reherce I haue do my paine And to procede further as I began I must wryte of one Valeryan HIs sonne and he called Galiene To all christen bare great enmyte Slew al tho their legend men mai sene That serued Christ in trouth and equytie whose persecusion and hateful crueite Abated was as I can well reherce By one Sapor that was kyng of Perce By force of armes Sapor this mighty king
down But maugre him he was take in the toun By Theodorike lette eche man take hede Odoacer he commaunded to be dede Myne authour Bochas of entencion For the time as came to remembraunce Towarde Romains maketh a digression To them recording the great variaunce The vnware chaunges the gery coūtenaūce Of Fortunes false transmutacion These same wordes rehersing to the toun REmembre o Rome call ayen to minde The daies passed of thy felicite Thy marcial cōquestes thy triūphs left behinde Thy great victories most of auctorite Thy famous lawes song in eche countre Which through y e world by report did shyne Now all atones is tourned to ruyne From Est to west thy lordshyp did attayne Aboue all powers most excellent royall But nowe from Rome into Almaine The estate translated which is imperiall Name of thy Senatours name in especiall The golden letters darked and diffaced And from remembraunce almost out raced Cyte of cities whilom most glorious That most freshly floured in chiualry To whiche the alpies mountains most famous Were subiecte of all Lombardy Til that discorde diuision and enuy Amōg your selfe hath clipsed y ◠brightnesse By a false serpēt brought in by doublenesse Kinges and princes were to the tributary Of all prosperite so fulsome was the flode Among yourselfe till ye began to vary The world throughout to you subiecte stode Tyll ye gan shew two faces in one hode What folowed after fortune hath so prouided Ye came to nought whan ye gan be deuided Vnpurueyed of prudent Senatours Thy marchandise tourned to pouerte Of knighthod naked barayne of soudiours Disconsolate stant all the cōmonte Towres and walles broke of the cite That whilom was a paradise of delyte Nowe all the worlde hath the but in dispite Cause to conclude of al thy wretchednesse Is false ambicion pride and lechery Diuision and malicious doublenesse Rancour hatred couetise and enuy Which set aside all good policie In brefe rehersed for short conclusion Haue be chefe grounde of thy distruction The .xxii. Chapter ☞ Howe the kinges Trabstila Busarus were brought vnto subiection and made tributares to Theodorike AFter these mischeues told of Rōe toun Came Trabstila king of Gepidois With other twaine as made is mēciō Busarus that was king of Bulgarois With Philitheus reigning in Ragois All these thre brefely for to saine Came all atones to Bochas to complayne Their realmes standing toward Septētriō And to remembre of the fyrst twayne Were brought atones to subiection By Theodorike that dyd his busy payne Them to conquere proudly did ordayne That they were neuer so hardy to rebell Agayne Romains to take no quarell To Theodorike they were made tributary Most wretchedly bound in seruage Neuer so hardy after for to vary In paine of death during al their age Of seruitude lo here the surplusage Of al wretches most wretched they be foūd That to thraldom constrained be bounde Tresour of tresours if it be well sought Is vertuous fredome with large lyberte With worldly goodes it may nat be bought With royal rubies gold stones nor pyrre For it transcendeth and hath the soueraynte Aboue all richesse that be in erthe found A man at large frely to stande vnbound The .xxiii. Chapiter How Philitheus lost his kingdome and of Marcian and Leo. NExt these two in ordre ye may se To John Bochas gan shew his pre sēce The third king called Philithe Which by fortunes sodaine violence Lost his kingdome by cruel sentence Of Odoacer the tyraunt mercylesse Lost his life and came no more in presse The sodaine chaūges to rede whan I begā And saw the whele so oft turne vp so downe Of fortune there came one Marcian Of whome is made none other mencion Saue only by a coniuracion He murdred was being innocent Amōg his knightes which slew him of asset Than tofore Bochas to shewe his presence There came one that called was Leon Which caught a titell by no violence But made his clayme by iust succession After his father and toke possession Which of Leon myne auctor saith the same Beyng Emperour bare the same name This yong Leon again all truth and ryght By tyranny as made is mencion Through cruell zeno y ◠was a good knyght Was put out of his possession Constrayned to liue in religion But to what order that he dyd wende I fynde nat but there he made his ende The .xxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Simacke and Boes his sonne in lawe were banished and after iudged to die AFter these mischeues Simak gan hym drawe Toward Bochas with a ful pitous face Boes came with him y ◠was his son in lawe Which among Romains gretly stodi grace But in this matere brefely for to pace The said Boes onely for his trouthe Exiled was alas it was great routhe For cōmon profite he was vnto the toun In matters that grounded were of right Very protectour and stedfast champion Againe two tirātes whiche of force might Had in the porail oppressed many a wight By exactions and pyllage gun of newe Vpon the cōmens full false and eke vntrew Theodorike of Gothes lorde and king Toke vpon him by false intrusyon To reigne in Rome the people oppressing By his prouostes two as made is mencyon Did in the citie great oppression Confederate as brother vnto brother Coniugast and Triguill was that other Compendiously this matter to declare To saue the commons stode in defence For life nor death he lyst nat for to spare To withstand of tyrantes the sentence King Theodorike of cruell violence Banished him by hatefull tyranny He and his father to abyde in Pauy Afterward Theodorike of cruell haterede Like a false tyrant of malice and enuy Gaue iudgement that both two were dede But touching Boes as bokes specify Wrote diuers bokes of Philosophy Of the Trinyte matters that were diuine Martyred for Christe and called Seuerine The .xxv. Chapter ¶ Of king Arthur his cōquestes and of the commodities of England how he was distroied by his cosin Mordrede WAs neuer prīce might him self assure Of fortune the fauour to restrayne Like his desyre his grace to recure To abide stable and stand at certaine Among all other reken Arthur of Bretaynē Which in his time was hold of euery wight The wysest prince and the best knyght To whom Bochas gan his style dresse In this chaptre to remembre bliue His great conquest and his highe noblesse With singler dedes that he wrought i his liue And first he ginneth breuely to discryue The site of Britaine and of that countre Whiche is enclosed with a large see Set farre westward as ye shal vnderstand Hauing Spayne set in the opposite Of a small Angle called Englande Fran̄ce about hi discryuing thus his sight With many a riuere plesaunt of delite Bothe bathes and welles there be founde Diuers mynes of metalles full habounde Aboute whiche ronneth the Occian Right plentuous of all maner of vitaile The name of which at Brutus fyrst began London
hath shyppes by the sea to sayle Bachus at Wynchester gretly doth auaile Worcestre with frutes haboundeth at the ful Herford with beastes Cotswolde with wul Bathe hot bathes holsome for medicine Yorke mighty timbre for great auauntage Corn wall mynes wherin to myne Salisbury beastes full sauage Whete mylke hony plente for euery age Kent and Canterbury hath great cōmodite Of sondrie fyshes there taken in the see Bochas reherseth there is eke in Bretayne Founde of Gete a full precious stone Blacke of colour and vertuous in certayne For sickenesses many mo than one The poudre of whiche wyll difcure anone If it be dronke though it be secre Of maydenhede broken chastite Ther ben of peerles founde in muskil shelles And the best that haue most whitenesse And as the boke of Brutus also telles How king Arthure to speke of worthynesse Passed all kinges in marciall prowesse Touchyng his line his royall kynrede Who that lyst se in Brutus he may rede His father called Vter Pendragon A manly knight and famous of corage Right notable in his actes euerychon Arthur but yonge and tendre of age By full assent of all his baronage By succession crowned anonright Called of Europe the moste famous knight Curteys large and manly of dispence Myrrour called of lyberalite Hardy stronge and of great prouidence And of his knightly magnanimite He droue Saxons out of his countre Conquered by prowesse of his mighty hand Orcadoys Denmarke and Holande Irland Gaule Norway Scotlād fran̄ce As Martes son to the werres mete Wrought by counsaile and by ordinaunce Of prudent Marlyn called his prophete And as I fynde he let make a sete Among his Britōs most famous notable Through all the worlde called y ◠roūde table Most worthy knightes proued of their hand Chosen out by Arthur this order was begō Their famous nobles through euery land Shone by reporte as doth the midday sonne To Fames palays the renome is vp ronne Statutes set by vertuous ordinaunce Vnder profession of marciall gouernaunce The first statute in the regestre founde Fro which they should na◠decline of right By full assuraunce of othe custome bounde Aye to be armed in plate forged bright Except a space to reste them on the night Seke auentures and their time spende Rightful quarell to sustene and defende The sebler partye if he had right By theyr power manly to supporte If that they were required of any wight Folke disconsolate to beare vp comforte At all times men may of him reporte No maner wyse they do no vtolence And again tiraūtes make knightly resistece That widowes maidens suffre no domage By false oppression and hateful cruelte Restore children to their true heritage Wrongly exiled folke to their countre And for holy churches liberte Redy euer to make them selfe stronge Rather to die than suffer them haue wronge For cōmon profyte as chosen champyons Pro Republica defending their countre Shewe aye them selfe hardy as lyons Honoure to encrece chastise dishoneste Releue al them that suffre aduersite Religious folke haue them in reuerence Pylgrimes receiue y ◠faile of their dispence Called armes seuen dedes of mercy Buryed soudiours that fayle sepulture Folke in prison deliuere them graciously Suche as poore be their raunsome to recure Wounded people that languyshe endure Which pro republica māly spent their blood By statute bounde to do suche folkes good To put them selfe neuer in auenture But for matters that were iust and trewe Afore prouided that they stode sure The ground wel know were it olde or newe And after that the matter whan they knewe To procede knightly and nat fayne As ryght required theyr quarel to darrayn A clerke there was to cronicle theyr dedes By purciuauntes made to him reporte Of their exployte and their good spedes Rad songe to folke gaue great comforte These famous knightes making their resorte At hygh feastes eueriche toke his sete Lyke to their estate as was to them mete One was voyde called the see perilous As Sanke royall doth playnly determyne None to entre but the most vertuous Of god prouided to be a pure vyrgine Borne of discente to accomplyshe to fyne He alone as chefe and souerayne All auentures of Wales and Bretayne Amonge al kynges renomed most famous As a bryght sonne set amyd the sterres So stode Arthur notable and glorious Lyke freshe Phebus cast his lyghte aferres In peace like Argus most marcial in werres As Ector hardy lyke Vlixes tretable Called amōge christen king most honorable His roial courte he dyd so ordayne Through eche coūtre so fer spred out the light Who that euer came thider to complaine By wronge oppressed required of right In his defence he shulde fynde a knyght To hym assigned finally to entende By marciall dome his quarell to defende If it fell so that any straunge knyght Sought auentures thyder came fro ferre To do armes his request made of right His chalenge sene were it of peace or werre Was accept to the courte came nerre Lyke as he came wyth many or alone They were deliuered forsake was neuer nōe There was the schole of marcial doctrine For yonge knyghtes to lerne al the gyse In tendre age to lerne ful disciplyne On horse and fote by notable exercyse Thing take in youth doth helpe in many wise And ydelnes in grene yeres gonne Of al vertues clypseth the clere sonne Wydowes maidens oppressed folke also Of extorte wronges wrought by tiranny In that countre what nacion came therto Receyued were there lyst no man denye Of their complayntes founde sone remedy Made no delay but forth anone ryght Them to defende assigned was a knyght Eke by their order they bounde were of troth By assuraunce and by othe sworne In their emprises let for no slothe Playnely to tell howe they haue them borne Their auenture of thinges done beforne Right as it fyll spare in no manere To tel eche thinge vnto theyr regystrere Thynge openly done or thinge that was secre Of auenture as bytwene twayne Or any quarel take of volunte Trewly reporte and platly not to fayne Them to be sworne the statute dyd ordayne Not conceled of worshyp nor of shame To be regestred reporte the selfe same And to conclude the statute hath vs leared Euery quarel grounded on honeste In that courte what knyght was requyred In the diffence of trouth and equyte Falshed excluded and duplicite Shall aye be redy to sustayne that party His lyfe and hys body to put in ieoparty Thus in Bretayne shone y ◠clere light Of chiualrye and of hie prowesse Which through the world shad his beames bright Wel of worshyp condite of al noblesse Imperial courte all wronges to represse Head sprīg of honor of largise chefe cesterne Myrrour of māhod of noblesse the lanterne Yet was there sene neuer so bryght a sonne The sommers day in the mydday spere So freshly shyne but some skyes donne Might percase curtaine his beames clere Oft it
in peces small _â—She came arayed nothynge lyke a quene Her heer vntressed Bochas toke good hede In al his booke he had afore not sene A more wofull creature in dede With weping eyen to torne was al her wede Rebuking Bochas cause he had left behynde Her wretchednes for to put in mynde Vnto myne auctour sodaynly she abrayde Like a woman that were with wo chekmate First of al thus to him she saide Sometyme I was a quene of great estate Crowned in Fraunce but nowe all disolate I stand forsoth BrouÌ„shilde was my name Which to reherse I haue a maner shame Thou were busy to write the wofull caas Within thy boke of Arcinoe Dyddest seruice to quene Cleopatras Of Rosamonde thou wrote also parde And amonge al thou hast forgoten me Whereby it semeth thou doest at me disdayne List no parcell to write of my paine Whan Bochas herd this of chere he wext sad Knowyng nothyng of that she dyd endure Iwysse quod he afore I haue not rad In no cronicle nor in no scripture Of your frowarde wofull auenture No quod she I pray you take good hede So as they fyll I wil reherce in dede Bochas with Brounchilde gan debate anon Sothly quod he this is the condicion Of you women almost euerychone Ye haue thys maner wythout excepcion Of your naturall inclinacion Of youre declaring thys obseruaunce to kepe Nothynge to say contrary to your worshepe Nature hath taught you all that is wroÌ„ge to excuse Vnder a curtaine al thig for to hyde With litel graine your chaffe ye can abuse On your defautes ye lyst not for to abide The gaule touched al that ye set asyde Shewe roses freshe wedes ye let passe And fairest chere there ye most trespasse And if ye shall tel your owne tale Howe ye fil fro fortunes whele Ye wyl vnclose but a litel male Shewe of your vyces but a smal percele Brotle glasse sheweth brighter than stele And though of vertue ye shew a faire preteÌ„ce He is a fole that yeueth to you credence Quod Brounchilde I do ryght well espye Thou haste of women a false opinion Howe they can flatter wele and lye And ben diuers of disposicion Thou myghtest haue made an excepcion Of hie estates and them that gentle bene Namely of me that was so great a quene Your hye estate by kynd hath no power To chaunge in nature nouther cold nor hete But let vs passe and leaue this matter Theron to abyde or any more to plete Of your complaint say to me the greate By way of seruyce to you I shall me quyte As ye declare take my penne and write Take hede quod she and with good auice Fro the trouthe beware that thou ne varye Whilom in Fraunce reigned kyng Clowise Had a sonne that named was Clothary Clothar had an heire y t named was Lotarye And this Lotary named the seconde Had sonnes four in story it is founde To the cronicle who can take hede As it is put in remembraunce Whan their father the mighty kig was dead Atwene these foure was parted all Fraunce Eche by him selfe to haue gouernaunce By one assent as brother vnto brother Wearing their crownes ech quit theÌ„ to other The same time I called Brounchylde Me lyst not varye from the olde writinge Had a father named Leuechylde Of all Spayne soueraine lorde and kynge My sayd father to ful great hyndring Of bothe realmes the fame ranne so ferre Twene Spaine FrauÌ„ce gan mortal werre The brethern four in FrauÌ„ce crowned kings Agayne my father made strong defence Of marcial pride and fortunat chaungynges Whan they met by mortall violence Of sodayne slaughter fyll such pestilence On outher partye the felde like a great flode With the tirrible effusion of blode To both realmes y â— werres were importable Causyng of deth passyng great domage Sought meanes wext by assent tretable Of blode shedyng to appease the wofull rage By one accorde I was yeue in mariage To Sigebert reignyng tho in Fraunce Twene both realmes to make aliaunce Nay quod Bochas I deme it was not so Twene you me there must begyn a strife Be aduised take good hede therto The first assuraunce of mariage in your lyfe Of Chilperik ye were the wedded wyfe Cronicles sene what euerye expresse In this matter wil beare w t me wytnes Though some bokes reherce and so sayne Lyke as ye haue made here mencion Their rehersaile stande in no certaine For by the assent of outher region Spaine and Fraunce in their conuencion Ordained so in my tendre age To Sigebert I was yeue in mariage Imeneus was not there present Whan he toke our chambre towarde nyght For Thesiphone her susterne of assent Infernall goddesses bare the torches lyght And as the torches shewed derke and brighte Thereby the people present one and al Dempt of the mariage what should befal This custome vsed of antiquite From their temples of goddes goddesse At mariage of folke of hye degree Torches were borne of whom men toke witnes As they were dercke or shewed their bryghtnes The difference sene in eche estate If it were towarde or infortunate Of this mariage short processe to make The torches brent yet they were not bright Shewed out combrous smokes blake Of consolacion lost was al the lyght Thus in derknes wasted the fyrst nyght Their verse songe of goddes and goddesses Were all togither of sorow and heuynesses These were the tokeÌ„s the night of mariage Pronostikes of great aduersyte Yet of nature I had this auauntage Of womanhead and excellent beaute And like a quene in stones and perre I was arayed clad in purple wede With a crowne of golde vpon my head Solempnely crowned quene of Fraunce Which for to se folke fast gan repayre Of all welfare I had suffysaunce Clombe on fortune full hie vpon the stayre A sonne I had called Clotayre By Sygebert by recorde of writing Thyrde of the name in FrauÌ„ce crowned kiÌ„g So wolde god that day that he was borne He had be put in his Sepulture In saluacion of blode shede here toforne Caused the death of many a creature As diuers bokes reporte in scripture Ground ginning as made is mencion Within this lande of great diuision He with his brethern of whom I spake late At him began the first occasion Nat so quod Bochas ye fayled of your date Who was chefe cause of diuision Sothly quod she in myne opinion Among them selfe I dare well specify Chefe ginnyng was fateruall enuy Kepe you more close in this matter ye do faile Folowing the traces of your condicion Ye halte foule in your rehersaile For of your owne ymaginacion Ye sewe the sede of this dissencion Amonge these kynges if ye take hede By which in Fraunce many man was deade Than Brounchilde gan to chaunge chere To Bochas sayde with face full cruel Not long agon thou knewest not the manere Of my liuing but a small parcell Me semeth nowe thou knowest euery del So that ye may
with perle legge stocked to the kne Playnynge to Bochas of their aduersite Their shone were raced freshly to the tone Richely transuersed with gold wyre And theron set many a stronge stone Gayne Phebus light shone bright and clere These lombarde kinges gan taproch nere The fyrst of al the king Lupus Vnto Bochas gan to complaine thus Bochas quod he as for my party For to reherce by short conclusion One Grymaldus a prince of Lombardy Hath me enclosed out of my region And cruelly enchayned me in prison And after that did a sergeaunt sende Smyt of myne head there I made an ende The .xi. Chapter ¶ Howe the heade of Alexius was smit of by Comperton AFter this end reherced of Lupus For to declare his mortall heuynesse Next in ordre there came Alexius A lōbard king famous of richesse Which toke on him of surquedous prowesse For to compasse the distruction Of a prince called Comperton Which ware also a crowne in Lombardye Atwyxt both was werre and great distaūce But all the people and lordes of Pauie With mighty hande marciall gouernaunce The said Alexius brought vnto mischaunce And Comperton escaped from all drede Of mortal vengeaunce let smite of his heade The xii Chapiter ⧠How Ariperton was drowned with his ryches AFter whose death pitously playning Tofore Bochas came Ariperton Of Lombardy whilom lord and king Whiche like a fole of high presumpcion All causelesse toke occasion Of volunte there is no more to say Againe the duke of Bagaroys to werrey These princes twayne taken haue the felde And of Ariperton the party gan apayre His aduersary anone as he behelde His cowarde herte gan fall in dispayre Into Pauie for feare he gan repayre Toke his treasour in purpose anonright For uery drede to take him to the flight Toke a vessell and entred is the see With sodaine tempest assailed derknesse His barge perished by great aduersite And was drowned w t al his great rychesse Lo here the fyne of worldly wretchydnesse Namely of them to get great treasours That gyn werre agayn their neighbours The xiii Chapter ¶ Howe Dediere by Pope Adrian and Charles of Fraunce was put to flight died at mischefe NExte to Bochas with heuye loke and chere King of Lombardy shewed his presēce Called in his time noble Dediere Notable in armes and of great excellence And where his father had done offence To the Pope and full great duresse This king cast the domages to redresse Agistolphe was his fathers name Whiche to the Pope did great aduersite For whiche his sonne to encreace his fame Of royall fredom and magnanimite And of benygne lyberalite Gaue to the Pope with humble reuerence A stately cite that called is Fagence Therwith he gaue treasour and great good As he that list of fredome nat to spare A mighty castell whiche on Tybrestod Within the boundes lordshyp of Ferrare Whiche is a cyte playnly to declare Of antiquite myne auctour telleth so And stant vpon the ryuer of the Poo This Dediere reigning in Lombardy Gan wexe famous at his beginning Had a great name vpon eche party But in the erthe is nothing abyding All stant on chaunge fortune in workyng Is founde vnstable double of her vysage Which of this king chaunged the corage There he was large on euery side Lyberal founde in many sondrye wyfe His goodlyhede was chaunged in to pryde And his largesse in to couetyse Of doublenesse he gan anone deuyse To clayme agayne as ye shall vnderstand His saide gyftes out of the Popes hande Whiche Dediere had made aliaunce As the cronicle maketh mencion With king Pepin reignyng tho in Fraunce After whose death to haue possession And full lordshyp of all that region He gan of newe fall at distaunce Both w t the Pope with the king of Fraūce Of presumpcion these werres he began Againe his promise of double variaunce Pope in tho daies was holy Adrian Which to stynt the troble gret mischaūce Required helpe of the king of Fraunce And great Charles in Bochas as I rede Came to the Pope to helpe him in this nede Charles that time was chefe protectoure To holy churche their pauis and defence Whiche of hole hert and dyligent labour With Dediere by manly violence He met in Tuskie of knightly excellence Had a batayle to preue their might Charles victor Dediere put to flyght As I fynde he fled in to Pauie Worthy Charles layde a siege aforne Constrayned them vpon eche partye For lacke of vitaile they were almost lorne They wanted licour grayne and corne By sodayne constraynt great aduersyte To king Charles they yelded vp the cyte Kyng Dediere was sent in to Fraunce With mighty chaynes fettred in prison Like a wretche in sorow great penaunce Died at mischefe there gayned no raunson Which had afore so great possession After whose day by olde writing Among lōbardes was neuer crowned king The .xiiii. Chapter ¶ Of Pope Johan a woman with childe and put downe AFter the Princes reherced here toforne Drowned in teares came a creature Like a byshop rounded and yshorne And as a priest he had abrode tonsure Her apparayle outwarde and vesture Being a woman wherof Bochas toke hede Lyke a prelate shape was her wede She was the same that of yore agon Vnworthely sate in Peters place Was afterwarde called Pope John Aberdlesse prelate no heare sene on her face Of her birth named was the place Maxence a cite standing in Itaile Vpon the Keen full famous of vitayle In her youth and in her tendre age Forsoke her kyn and in especiall Cast she would for her auauntage Geue her to conning body hert and all And in the sciences called lyberall In all seuin by famous excellence By great study she had experience Her name couthe in many a diuers lande To shew her cōning first whan she began Serchyng prouinces came to Englande No wight supposing but y ◠she was a man Came to Rome her story tell can Taught Grammer Sophistry and Logike Red in scholes openly rethorike In the tyme of themperour Lotarye After the death as made is mencion Fro mine auctour if I shall nat varie Of the Pope which called was Leon The said woman by election I stalled was no wight supposing than By no token but that she was a man The boke of Sortes after that anon Of auenture tourned vp so doun She was named and called Pope John Of whose naturall disposicon Fyll by processe in to temptacion Quicke w t childe the hour came on her than Was deliuered at saynt Jhon Lateran After put downe for her great outrage I wyll on her spende no more labour But passe ouer all the surplusage Of her liuing and of her great errour Turne my stile vnto the emperour Called Arnolde write his pitous chaunce Sonne to Charles y ◠great king of Fraunce To this Charles as bokes determine He was sonne nat borne in maryage But begotten on a concubine Toke
Belset Tarquiniaine Fro him by force toke many a region Mesopotamie to his possession Toke by strong hand through his chiualry Maugre Diogenes almost all Surrye Belset Tarquiniā made him selfe so stronge By manly force Diogenes to assayle And for Diogenes thought he did him wrong He gan ordaine great stuffe and apparayle A day assigned they met in batayle Diogenes of froward auenture He his knightes brought to discomfyture Take he was brought by great disdayne In whom as tho there was no resistence To kinge Belset called Tarqumiaine And whan he came to his presence Against him was yeue this sentence To lie downe plat and that king Belset Should take his fote and on his throte set This was done for an hie dispite Diogenes brought forthe on a chayne Without reuerence fauour or respyte At great feastes assigned was his payne And alder last put out his eyen twayne The whele of fortune tourneth as a ball Sodayne clymbing asketh a sodayne fall The .xix. Chapiter ¶ How Robert duke of Normandy foughte with the Turkes was named to the crowne of Jerusalem and died at mischefe AWorthye Prynce spoken of in manye reem Noble Robert duke of Normandy Chose to the crowne of Jerusaleem But for cause he did it deny Fortune vnto him had enuy The same Robert next in ordre was That came to playne his fall vnto Bochas For Christes fayth this mighty champion This duke Robert armed in plate and maile With manly Godfray Godfray de Bollion Againe turkes fought a great batayle For Christes faythe that it should auaile To sustene the lawe in their entent To all the kinges of the Occident Of Turkes Sarazins was so gret a nōbre Gaine Christes law gadred in puissaunce The fayth of Christ falsly to encombre But there were made hasty ordinaunce By kinges of England Normandy Fraūce First to socour did their busy paine Godfray de Bollion y t was duke of Loraine Which on Sarazins made a discomfyture Maugre Turkes for all their great might In which battaile Christ made him recure The felde that day to supporte his right Where Robert was found so good a knight That for his noblesse by recorde of writyng Of Jerusalem was named to be king He assented nat to the election Bycause of new that he did vnderstande His elder brother for short conclusion Y called Willyam was dead in Englande Wolde in no wyse take y ◠crowne on hande Of Jerusalem but like a manly knight Came to Englande for to clayme his right And yet or he came he had knowledging His yonger brother called Henry Had vpon him take to be crowned kyng Tolde his lordes and princes fynally He was next heyre entred rightfully As enheritour to succede in that reem His brother being king of Jherusalem God wot the cause stode all in other wyse The said Robert duke of Normandye Purposed him by marciall emprise From his brother to take the regalye Toke his princes and his chyualrye Thought he wold like a manly knighte Arryue in England and reioyse his righte Both in one felde assembled on a day The brethren twayne ech w t strong party To darraine and make no delay Eche with other to holde champarty But whan these lordes the mischefe did espy They busied them and were nat recheles Atwene the bretherne to refourme pees The said bretherne were fully condiscended Vpon this poynt for shorte conclusien As in the accorde was iustly comprehended Henry to holde and haue possession During his life of al this region And Robert should haue for his party A summe of golde with all Normandy Thre thousande poūde put in remembraunce Eche yere to Robert sent fro his region Of which payment to make full assuraunce Was layde hostages as made is mencion But yet of new fyll a discencion Atwene the bretherne of hatred and enuy For a certaine castell y ◠stode in Normandy Which castell longed of heritage Vnto the kinges iurisdiction Of which the duke toke his auauntage Maugre the king and held possession Turned after to his confusion And whan the king this thing did espye With stronge hand came to Normandy Where the duke was layde a siege about Made ordinaunce to recure his right Gate the castell toke his brother out Emprisoned him of very force and might Left him alone out of all mennes sight Fourtene yere the cronicle writeth so There he died in mischefe and in wo. Whyle Bochas was busy in his labour His boke tacomplyshe with great diligence To him appered the great emperour Called Henry shewed his presence Gan complaine vpon great offence Done to him the mischefe and distresse By his sonnes great vnkyndnesse The which sonne was called eke Henry Greatly accused of ingratytude Cause he wrought so disnaturally Toke his father with force and multitude Entreated him boysteously and rude And afterward there gayned no raunson At great mischefe he dyed in pryson The .xx. Chapiter How Joceline prince of Rages for pryde slouth and lechery dyed in pouerte NExt in ordre with trist ded visage ▪ Vnto Bochas to shew his heuines Came Jocelyne lord and prince of Rage Which is a cite famous of ryches And this prince mine auctor bereth witnesse Was greatly yeue to slouth and slogardy And all his lust he set in lechery Left his lordshyp out of gouernaunce For lacke of wisdome and discrecion In fleshly lust set all his plesaunce And of the countreis about him enuyron He was nat had in reputacion Certayne princes mine auctor doth discryue Of his lordshyp cast him to depriue Amonge whiche the prince of Alapy Called Sanguyne the story who lyst se To Joceline hauing great enuy Layde a siege to Rages the cite He beyng absent ferre from that countre And thus for slouthe wylful neglygence Rages was take by mighty violence And Joceline commaunded to prison To him fortune was so coutrarious Lost his lordshyp and dominacion Lo here the fyne of folkes vicious Slowe delicat proude and lecherous Dyed in pouerte in mischefe and in nede Of vicious princes lo here the fynall mede The .xxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe the emperour Andronicus slewe all that were of the blode royal cheryshed vicious people and after was hanged AS very heire here and trewe successour By election and also by lynage Came Andronicus lorde and emperour Of Constantinople crowned king of age Next to Bochas with trist and pale vysage Beseching him to do his busy cure To remembre his woful auenture Amonge grekes by story and scripture This Andronicus gouerned nat aright Againe lawe and eke agayne nature Founde with his suster fleshly on a night Bothe of assent toke them to the flight Agayne him his cosyn was so fell Lorde of that countre called Emanuell For a time stode as a man exiled For his discēcions many an vncouth strife By his princes after reconsiled Standing in hope he should amende his lyfe But in the tyme that he was fugitife He was made lorde stode so for a whyle Reignyng
Henry hys father gan counsayle Agayne the churche to do no violence But him submit wyth humble obedience The strife enduringe atwene these estates Frederik made his sonne to be accused To hym of crymelese magestatis Woulde not suffer he should be excused But lyke a man maliciously refused By his fathers cursed false treason He was coÌ„maunded to dye in prison Some bokes say he was taken brought To his father of dome to haue sentence But lyke a man passed sorow thought Whych to hys lyfe had none aduertence Furiously and wyth great vyolence As he was lad alas on horsbake Hys horse fyl downe so hys necke he brake Some bokes reherse of hym and sayne Hys father toke agayne hym occasion And whan he had longe in cheynes layne At great mischefe he dyed in prison And some saye that he fyl doun Of a bridge as Bochas reherseth herâ— And drowned was in a depe ryuere ☞ A commendacion of Bochas of suche as be kynde to their kynred NExte in ordre myne auctour dyd hys cure To make a speciall commendacion Of such as be disposed by nature And by their kyndly inclinacion As blode requireth and generacion To acquite theÌ„ selfe in thought wyll dede Without fayning vnto theyr kinred Specially that none vnkindnesse Be founde in them for none aduersite To consider of naturall gentylnes To them appropred is mercy and pyte And to auoyde the false duplicite That was in Frederik whyche so vnkyndly Let slee hys sonne that called was Henry Pyte is appropred to kynrede Father and mother by disposicion To cherysh theyr chyldren and eke fede Tyl seuen yere passe lawe maketh mencion And as they be bounde of naturall reason That tyme passed their tendernes tenâ—lyne Vnto fortune by vertuous dyscipline Than afterwarde in theyr adolescence Vertuously to tech them and chastise Norish them in doctrine and Science Fostre in vertue vices to dyspyse To be curteyse prudent sad and eke wyse For whan they gyn wyth vertue in that age Gladly after they do no great outrage As it longeth to euery gentle lygne And blode royall by kyndly influence To father mother shewe them selfe benigne Of humble hertes to do them reuerence Aye to remembre in their aduertence On syxe princes that wrought the contrarye For whyche fortune was their aduersarye Eueriche to other founde was vnkinde In cursed blode may be no kindnesse Of one tarage sauoureth tree and rynde The frute also beareth of the tre wytnes And semblably the fathers cursednes Wyth mortall sworde in nature reprouable Againe the childe is ofte sene vengeable Among whych Brutus is rekened one Next in order folowed Manlius Slewe their chyldren by recorde euerychone Philip Manlius and also Cassius And cruell Herode fel and malicious Frederik also most vengeably Slewe his sonne that called was Henry This Frederik aye frowarde and contrary Towarde his son not gracious nor benygne From holy churche vngoodly he gan vary And theragayne frowardly maligne And lyke a man obstinate and vndigne Dyed accursed thrugh misgouernaunce Wythout confession or repentaunce The .xxiiii. chapter ☞ Howe Manfroye kyng of Poyle was slayne NExte too Bochas of Poyle came the kynge Began hys fall and complaynte to specify Called Manfroy and for hys false workyng Put downe and slayne cause of his tiranuy Lo what auayleth septr or regaly To a tyraunt which of violence List to god warde haue none aduertence The .xxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe Ences kyng of Sardiny dyed in prison WYth loke downe cast deadly pale of chere Of Sardinya Ences nexte came doun Kyng of that lande to tell the manere Howe he werrayed agayne the myghty toun Called Bononâ—a to his confusion By them veÌ„quished wyth chaynes rouÌ„de Dyed in prison so long he lay there bounde FolowiÌ„g myne auctour called Bocas Jhon In Sardinia as he maketh mynde Serpent nor wolfe in that lande was none Hauyng a well whych of very kynde Theues eyen the water maketh blynd To true folke as he doth deuine Water thereof was helth and Medicine There groweth also an herbe as bokes sey Which that is so diuers of nature Who tasteth therof laughyng he shal dey No medicine may helpe them nor succour The touche therof stante eke in auenture If it enter his mouth on any syde He shal alyue for laughter not abyde The .xxvi. chapter ⧠Howe an other Frederyke was slayne by iudgemente of hys brother THere was another frowarde Frederike Sonne of Alphonce that was king of Castyle Of corage wode and eke franâ—yke His owne brother falsly to begyle Began a werre lastynge but a whyle Whose purpose was his brother to dysceiue And the crowne of Castile to receyue This Frederike came with a greate battaile Agayne his brother for the same entent Of his purpose yet he dyd fayle God nor fortune were not of assent Take in the felde and by iudgement Of his brother for his great trespace Slayne openly he had no better grace The .xxvii. Chapter ☞ Howe Manimettus and Argones dyed at mischefe MAnymettus of Perce lorde and kyng Came next in preace distressed in gret payne Vpon fortune pitiously playnyng His aduersite dyd him so constrayne For there was one whych at him did disdaine Called Argones voide of title or ligne Gayne Manimettus proudlye gan malinge Whych Argones for his presumpcion Take at mischete by sodayne violence His dome was giuen to dye in prison Of no power to make resistence But fortune that can no difference Of her chaunges atwene frende and fo Caused them dye at mischefe both two ⧠The .xxviii. Chapter ☞ Howe Charles Kynge of Jerusalem and of Cecile for auarice and auoutry died at mischefe AFter these forsayde rehersed in sentence As Bochas remembreth in hys style Came Noble Charles vnto presence Kyng of Jerusalem and also of Cecile Of whose coÌ„ming myn auctour a great while Astoyned was to se his knyghtly face With such chere come in to the place For by hys porte who behelde hym wele Considred fyrst his loke and hys vysage It sempt he trad vpon fortunes whele And of his noble marciall corage Had of her power gotten auauntage Shewyng him selfe on eche partye Her and her might dyd vtterly defye First to commende his royall hye lynage And of his vertuous famous alyaunce And by writing and praysing of langage The name of him specially to auaunce Sayth he was borne of the blode of FrauÌ„ce And to encreace most soueraynlye his prise Writeth he was brother vnto saynt Le wyse Gaue to Fraunce this commendacion So as Phebus passeth eche other sterre Right so that kingdom in comparison Passeth euery lande both nie and ferre In policy be it peace or werre For it transcendeth in peace by prouydence And in werre by knightly excellence These wordes be nat take of myne auctour Entytled here for a remembraunce By one Laurence whiche was translatour Of this processe to commende Fraunce To prayse that lande was all his plesaunce Sayth influence of that royall lande Made Charles so worthy of
his hande Of whose noblesse Pope Vrban had ioy Him to encrease for vertuous liuing Which that time was duke of Anioy After chosen of Cecile to be kyng Of Pope Vrban required by writyng Toward Rome that he should him dresse Of king Manfroy the tyranny to oppresse Agayne the Pope and holy churche right This said Manfroy dyd great extorcion Noble Charles as goddes owne knight Came with stronge hande vp to Rome toun Whiche in his comming gaue possession To Gyot Manfort for to haue the garde In his passage to gouerne the vowarde To Rome with great ordinaunce They passed ouer the boundes of Itayle This maÌ„ly knight Charles borne in fraunce Lad with him many a stronge batayle The Popes enemy manly to assayle But all this whyle to stande at diffence This said Charles founde no resistence Entring Rome to be their protectour Full well receyued at his first entryng Chose and preferred for chefe senatour By the pope most glad of his comming Of Cecile was after crowned king And of Jerusalem as made is mencion Graunted to him full possession Whiche in his ginning bare him so well Entring y â— land with knightly apparayle Of Cassine gate fyrst the stronge castell At Beneuent had a great batayle With kiÌ„g Manfroy whose partye did assayle To reherce shortly his auenture Charles made on him a discomfyture In which bataile king MaÌ„froy was slaine And noble Charles toke possession Wherof Romains were full glad and fayne Yet in Cecile there was rebellion But they were brought vnto subiection And Conradine recorde of al wrighting Sonne of Conrade claymed to be king Gan make him strong proudly toke his place At Alygate a famous olde cite Noble Charles with knightly chere face Fyll vpon him made him for to flye And to set rest in the countre To auoyde trouble make al thing certaine Gaue iugement Conradyne to be slayne Amonge kynges notable and glorious Charles was put as made is mencion Lyke a prince stronge and victorious In full peasyble and hole possession Of Cecile and all that regyon Agayns whom was no disobeysaunce Yelded of hole herte to his gouernaunce By tytle also of his alyaunce Fortune greatly did him magnifye For as it is put in remembraunce The noble princesse that called was Mary Doughter to Stephane reigning in Hungry Joyned was and knit in mariage To Charles son to thencrece of his lynage This same Charles by auctorite So as him selfe list to ordayne Was made king of the great cyte Called JerusaleÌ„ of townes moste soueraine By whiche title he bare crownes twayne His brother Lewes olde bokes say The same time in Egipt gan werray Gate all the countreys aboute enuyron whiche that sarazyns dyd falsly occupye Brought them agayne to subiection Of Jerusalem that iande to magnifye Cartage in Affrike with all their regalye And all the countreys beyng afore coÌ„trayre To kyng Charles became tributayre This whyle he sate highest in his glory Lyke Phebus shyning in his mydday spere with many conquest many great victory whan his noblesse shone most bright clere The same tyme with a frownyng chere Fortune gan from Charles tourne her face And him berafte her fauour and her grace This lady fortune doth selde in one coÌ„tune She is so geryshe of condicion A sorceresse a traytour in coÌ„mune Cast a false meane to his distruction One of his sonnes slayne with poyson which dyd eclypse myne auctor doth expresse A full great partye of his olde gladnesse He was disclaundred of all the vyce which appertayneth vnto tyranny I meane the vice of frowarde auaryce which is contrary vnto his chiualry Diffamed also of false auoutrye whiche was susteyned through his mayntenauÌ„ce within the lande by a knight of Fraunce The same knight abydyng in his hous All Cecile troubled with that dede The great offence was so disclaundrous Thrugh all the region it began to sprede For thylke woman plainly as I rede was wyfe to one whiche suffred this offeÌ„ce And to be venged dyd his dyligence John Prosith plainly was his name whiche cast him fully auenged for to be That kyng Charles should beare the blame Slewe al the frenchmen that bode in y â— couÌ„tre Without grace mercy or pite And for to do full execucion Required was the kyng of Aragon Lost of Cecile hole the region With obeysaunce of many countre And of Jerusalem the possession Fyll by processe in great aduersite And last constrained wyth greuous pouerte To god most mekely wyth ful heuy chere Soone to be dead was hys prayer Supprised he was w t sorowe in his corage Lost his force fyl in to malady Languished forth tyll he gan faâ—l in age Agayne fortune founde no remedy And by occasion of false auoutry Fyl to mischefe and for sorow drede This Charles died no more of him I rede ¶ Lenuoye Lyke as Phebus in some freshe morninge After Aurora the day doth clarifye Falleth oft that his bryght shining Is derked with some cloudy skye Alykenes shewed in this tragedye Expert in Charles the story doth well preue Youth and age rekened truely The fayre day men do praise at eue The noble fame of his fresh gynning To saint Lowes he was nygh of alye Ryght wyse manly vertuous of liuyng Called of knighthod flour of chiualry Tyll maintenaunce of auoutry Came in to hys courte to hurte hys name and greue His life his deth put in ieoparty The fayre day men do prayse at eue Lyke desertes meÌ„ haue theyr guerdoning Vertuous lyfe doth princes magnify The contrary to them is great hyndring Folke experte the trouth may not denye Serche out the rewarde of cursed lechery Where it is vsed the houshold may not preue In this matter to Charles haue an eye The fayre day to prayse towarde eue Noble princes al vyces eschewing Your hyghe corage let reason gye Withdraw your hand fro riotous watchyng Flye fleshly lustes and vicious companye Oppresse no man do no tiranny Socour the nedy pore folke do releue Let men report the prudent policye Of your last age whan it draweth to eue ⧠The .xxix. Chapter ¶ Of Hugoline Erle of Pise slaine in prison AFter Charles story red the woful fyne As ye haue herde the maner and y â— gyse To Jhon Bochas appered Hugolyne Called whylome the erle of Pyse Tyll they gan againe him aryse Most vengeable cruell and vnkynde Slewe him in prison no more of him I finde Saue his children of haterede and enuy Were murdred eke in a depe prison Next with his coÌ„playnt the kinge of Armeny Came tofore Bochas that called was AthoÌ„ A christen prince full famous of renoun For our fayth from which he lyst nat erre Gayne Tartaâ—ines longtime he held werre This manly king in knighthod full famous It was shewed his story who lyst rede Had a brother fell and dispytous Called Sabath desyrous to succede Sted of his brother the kingdome to possede By false treason reued of his right Kept him in holde and put him out
gret penaunce Stable of their chere visage couÌ„tenaunce Neuer to vary for none auenture Like Christes chaÌ„pions perpetually teÌ„dure Whose foundacion by notable prouidence Grounded on Christ their soules to auaunce Graue in their hertes and in theyr conscience Voiding all trouble of worldly perturbauÌ„ce Chaunges of fortune w t her double chaunce Loued god and dred aboue eche creature In hope with him perpetually to endure The .xxxiii. Chapter ¶ Howe Philip le Bele king of Fraunce was slaine with a wilde Bore and of his thre sonnes and their wedding Whan Bochas had written of pacieÌ„ce And commended the vertue of suffraunce Philip le Bele came to his presence Fift of the name crowned king of Fraunce Gan complaine his vnhappy chaunce And on fortune of custome that can vary Which was to him cruell aduersary Wounded he was with a greuous sore Gan his complaynt to Bochas determyne How he was slaine with a wilde bore In a forest which called was Compyne Tolde howe he was sclaundred al hys line Ones in FlauÌ„ders w t many a worthy knight VeÌ„quished of fleÌ„minges felly put to flight Proceding ferther gan touche of his lynage Howe in his time he had sonnes three Lewes Philip Charles yonge of age The fourth Robert also a doughter had he Called Isabell right excellent of beaute The sayde Robert the storie is well kouthe Whiche that died in his tender youthe To this story who liâ—t haue good regarde The circumstaunce wysely to discerne His doughter Isabell was wedded to Edward Carneruan the boke so doth vs lerne This yonge Philip wedded in Nauerne The kinges doughter a stately mariage Called Jane whyle she was tendre of age The same Philip after crowned king Of Nauerne his father of assent Fyue sonnes he had than liuing Of which fiue as in sentyment Thre in nombre be right pertyn ent The matter who so list to loke And the processe of the same boke The eldest sonne called was Lewise To whome his father gaue possession Of Nauerne bycause that he was wyse For to gouerne that noble region Philip his brother for his high renoun Was afterwarde by iust enheritaunce And rightful title crowned king of Fraunce The thyrde brother was by title of right Made erle of march named was Charles Eche of them in the peoples syght Were famous holde passing of great prise And for they were right manly right wyse Philip and Charles toke in tendre age The erles doughters of Burgoin in mariage But as the storye reherseth in certayne To their noblesse fortune had enuy And by a maner of malice and disdayne Brought in a processe vpon the party Of their two wyues frowarde auoutry Causing the death of these wyues thre Whan they most floured in their felicite After these three princes glorious Tofore Bochas had shew theyr entent A mighty duke notable and famous Came to complaine Charles of Tarent Which in his time to Florence went To make peace in his royall estate Twene Guerâ—te Gemellius standing at debate The said Charles borne of the blod of frauÌ„ce A manly knight the story doth deuise By whose vnhappy fatall froward chaunce In the werres twene Florence and Pyse On horsbacke sittinge in knightly wyse Hurt w t an arowful lowe down to grounde Wherby he caught his last fatal wounde A man of armes beyng a soudyour With the pisanes were it wronge or right Of false disdaine did his busy labour To treade on Charles in the peoples syght Whan he laye gruffe wherfore he was made knight By theyr captain for a maner pryde Which gouerned the Sybelines syde And in his study wyth full heuy chere While John Bochas bode styll on his sete To him appered and gan approche nere Daunt of Florence the laureate Poete With his dities and rethoriques swete Demure of loke fulfilled with pacience With a vysage notable of reuerence Whan Bochas saw him vpoÌ„ his fete he stod And to mete him he toke his pase full right with great reuerence auailed cappe and hod To him said with humble chere and sight O clerest sonne O very sothfast lyght Of our cite which called is Florence Laude be to the honour and reuerence Thou hast enlumined Itaile Lombardy With Laureate ditees in thy flouring dayes Grounde and ginning of prudent policy Monge Florentines suffred great affrayes As golde pure proued at al assayes In trouth madest mekely thy selfe stronge For commoÌ„ profite to suffre paine wronge O noble Poete touching this matter How Florentines to the were vnkynde I wyll remember write with good chere Thy pytous exile and put here in mynde Fray quod Daunt here stante one behinde Duke of Athens turne to him thy style His vncouth story breuely to compyle And if thou lyst do me this plesaunce To discryue his knightly excellence I wyll thou put his life in remembraunce How he oppressed by mighty violence This famous cite called Florence By which story plainly thou shalt se Whiche were frendes and foes to the cite And which were able to be excused If the trouth be clerely apperceyued And which were worthy to be refused By whome the cite ful falsly was disceiued The cyrcumstaunce notably conceiued To reken in order by euery syde Which shoulde be chaced and whiche shoulde abyde The .xxxiiii. Chapter ¶ How duke Gaulter of Florence for his tirannye lechery and couetyse ended in myschefe ANd whan Bochas knewe all thentencion Of the saide Daunt he caste him anone ryght To obey his mayster as it was reason Toke his penne and as he cast his sight Alite aside he sawe no maner wight Saue duke Gaulter of all the longe day For Daunt vnwarely vanished was away This said Gaulter bruely to perocede Lyke as it is put in remembraunce Touching his line and his royall kynrede He was discended of the blode of Fraunce By longe processe and knightly purueyaunce His father fyrst by diligent labour Of Athenes was lorde and gouernour Stode but a while in clere possession Grekes to him had full great enuy Cast of assent to put him doun And de priue him of his famous duchy To their entent a layser they did espy Toke him at mischefe quaking in his drede Of hie dispyte in haste smyt of his heade Vpon whose death auenged for to be This said Gaulter with mighty apparayle Cast he wolde asiege that cite But of his purpose longe he did faile And in this while w t many stronge batayle Two mighty prices were coÌ„e down of Pise Laide a siege to Luke in full knightly wyse Florentines to Luke were fauourable And to delyuer the siege from the toun With multytude almost innumerable Made ordinaunce and knightly came doun Which tourned after to their distruction For it fell so of mortall auenture On Florentines fyl the discomfiture The noyse and fame of this great batayle Gan sprede ferre by reporte of langage In Lombardy and in Itayle Monge soudiours lusty of corage And among other fayning a pylgrimage The said
tyrant in hys most crueltie To gyn a warre on Samos the citye And whan his glory was most clere of lyght And hys nobles shone hyghest at the full Fortune gan through her changeable myght Of his prosperitie the fethers for to pull And than at erst his courage gan to dull And all his pryde vnwarely for to appall Whan he was spoyled of his ryches all First whan Orontes his countrey gan assaile This Pollicrate of sodaine auenture Outrayed was and taken in battayle By a full perillous mortall disconfiture Thus fortune coulde brynge him to her lure Through her vnware vgly false disdaynes Led into pryson bouÌ„de in stronge chaynes The people dwellyng within his region Reioysed in hart to se him suffer payne His tyranny his false extorcion Caused that they did at him disdayne For of his death no man lyst complayne Men through the world haue great plesauÌ„ce To se a tyrant brought vnto mischaunce Foure thinges his tormentes did augment Sodayne departyng from his riches And that he sawe eche man in his entent Of his mischefe haue so great gladnes Hanged he was mine auctour dothe witnes And honge so long in teÌ„pest rayne thunder Till euery ioynt from other went a sunder To beastes wilde and foules rauenous Naked he henge suche was his auenture To all folkes he was so odyous Had in despite of euery creature At his departyng denyed sepulture Guerdon for tyrantes veÌ„geable retcheles That can not suffer the people to liue in pees Thus many tyrantes excede far their bouÌ„des By false outrage and well resembled be To cruel wolues or to furious houndes Frette with an etyke of gredy cruelte To staunche their honger aueyleth no piente Whiche for their surfets froward to rede w t Policrates in hell shall haue their mede ☞ The .ix. Chapter ☞ Howe the tyraunt Alexander sloughe his Philosopher Calistenes wyth other for saiynge trouth AMonge all stories to tell the pyteous caas Of wofull playntyfes that put theim selues in prees With wepyng eyen myne auctour Bochas Was moued in hart not to be retchles To write the fall of Calystenes Whiche alas as it is remembred Was for his trouth on pieces all dismeÌ„bred For whan Bochas his story gan aduert He dempt anone in his fantasy No man had so harde a stoned hart That might of ryght his eyen kepe drye To se the processe of hys tormentry Yet gan myne auctour his wofull pen prefer To write the wrong done to this philosopher This Calystenes in youth right well thewed His grene age promoted to doctrine By influence of heauenly fate endued Greatly to profite in morall disciplyne Disposed of nature by grace which is deuyne To conquere as bokes do specify The noble surname of philosophy Of his merites famous and notable Philosophy did her busy payne To geue him suâ—ke because that he was able The sote mylke of her breastes twayne most precious licour who might therto attain For baume is none the vertue well declared Of worldly riches may be therto compared This precious pyment is geue to no foles Aboue all lycours it dothe so farre excell Whose originall sprange in the holy scholes Of Athenes as famous bokes tell For of philosophy there sprange first the well Where Calystenes thexperience is couthe With fulsum plenty was fostred in his youth Though he was borne of a good lynage Vertue made him more high for to assende To be enhaunced for nobles of courage More than for bloude who can comprehend For philosophers clarkes more commende The morall vertues entresured by writings Then all the treasures of worldly kynges Of gentle stockes recken out the issues That be discended downe from a royall lyne If they be vycious voyde of all vertues And haue no tarage of vertuous disciplyne With temporall treasure though they shyne As for a tyme sittyng on hye stages Without vertue they are but dead ymages For though prynces haue coÌ„quered by battail This world in roundnes by their chyualry What may their triuÌ„phes or nobles auayle Without that vertue by ryght their titles gye To be compared vnto phylosophy â–ª For philosophers apply all their ententes To knowe heauen and cours of elementes They set no store of thinges transitory Nor of fortunes expert doublenes To heauenly thynges is set all their memory How the .vii. planets in their course theÌ„ dresse Meuing the stars sparking in their brighnes With reuolutions of the spheres nyne Mother of musyke as auctours determyne And in the noble twaye famous houses Flouryng in Grece rychest of euerychone Called by olde date the fayre true spouses Of philosophers many mo then one In Achademie and Athenes shone The bryght lanterns of most reuerences This world tenlumine by lyberall scyences And among other this Calystenes Was in his youth put for to scholey In the two scholes of prudent Socrates And of Plato whiche that bare the key Of lecre misteries and of diuine Idey In whiche two scholes of great abilitee Was noâ—e profited halfe so muche as he These old clarkes these olde philosophers Were in tho dayes for doctrine souerayne Called in this world y e riche precious coffers And treasures that kept the chestes twayne Amyd their brestes wherin god did ordayne Most clere possession put in their depose Of all sciences vnder a key close This Calistenes scholer and auditour Of Aristoteles by cunning conqueryng The noble gemine and most precious floure Of philosophy all floures surmountyng Wherthrough he was chosen in his liuyng As his master lyst for him prouide On Alexander to awayte and abide For Alexander of kynges most entere And most worthy to speake of hye prowes Did Aristoteles humble requere To prouide and do his busines By expert knowyng and auisenes To sende him one whiche of philosophy Might by good couÌ„saile his coÌ„quest magnify To write also his tryuÌ„phes digne of glory And to remember his actes marciall Put his palmes of knighthode in memory And to direct in especiall His royall nobles in vertue morall That no erroure be sene here nor there In hym that should all the worlde conquere But it fell so of knightly aduenture Whan of fortunes high promocion That he by armes proudly gan recure Of Perce Mede the mighty region Brought kyng Dary vnto subiection Gate hole his tresure y â— no man might expres To accompt the nuÌ„ber of his great riches Whiche vnsure tresure slydyng abundasice With wasting shadowes of goods traÌ„sitorye In surquedous pride gan so his hart auauÌ„ce By false ambicion outragious vaynglory That made him lese mynde and eke memory To knowe of nature he was man mortall But lyke to goddes that were celestiall Aboue the palme of olde conquerours Knightly triumphes conquestes marciall He vsurped by title of his labours To heauenly goddes for to be egall And through his merites most imperiall He gan presume by fyne he was aâ—yed With the seuen goddes for to be deified Through all his palaice and his royall hall A lawe ne set vpon
payne of lyfe That men of custome shoulde him call This worlds monarke not mortal nor passiâ—e Soune to Jupiter for a prerogatyfe Which had th earth as god most of puissaunce Conquered by swerde vnto his obeisaunce By full auyse purposed for the nones Of pompous outrage surquedous entent Full great treasure of gold precious stones Vnto the temple of Jupiter he sent That the bishops and priestes shoulde assent Hym to receyue at his home commyng Lyke as a god and no mortall thyng Thus by extort drede vsurped myght Was fyrst brought in false ydolatry Causyng prynces to receyue agayne ryght Godly reuerence of froward mawmetry But whan Calistenes this errour did espy In Alexander he busily did entende This false opinion to correct and amende Put fyue causes notable to rehearce This Calystenes in especiall Though he was king of Egipt Mede Perce He preued of reason he was a man mortall His byrthe eke earthy and not celestiall Father and mother as of theyr natures Borne for to dye like other creatures His father Philyp of Macedony kyng His mother called Olympyades Worldly folke and heauenly nothyng With kynges quenes vpset by hye encrees Yet agayne death they coulde haue no relees Lawes of nature maugre their wyll to obey Not lyke goddes but onely borne to dey Kynde made them subiect to sundry passions And many vncouthe diuers infirmities Now glad now heauy of condicions Folowyng the forme of their humanities But of their false vsurped deities I can not say saue drede and flattery Wrongly in earth dyd them deify Eke Alexander folowyng euer his lust For all his lordshyp and his great myght He suffred passions of honger and of thurst Now hole now sicke now heauy now lyght Whose enterchauÌ„gyng in euery mans syght Clearely sheweth as clarkes rehearce can He was no god but like a mortall man It fyll ones myne auctor dothe compyle In a great heate longe or he was olde He bathed him selfe in the floude of Nyle Where of fortune he sodaynely toke colde His pores opened on partes manifolde Lay long after his story beareth witnes Or he was cured of that great sickenes But at the last by craft of medicine Deliuered he was of that infirmitie Nothing amended by his power diuine By might of Juno nor Jupiters postye Nor by his owne vsurped deitie For by the passions whiche he did endure It shewed he was a deadly creature Of him also it is made mencion He had a custome to fall in dronkennes Through vynolence lost oft his reason Than of yre and furious hastines He woulde smyte and hurt in his wodenes Whyche tokens were playnly to termyne In his person not heuenly nor deuyne Whan the philosopher called Calystenes Gan fyrst consider all these condicions In Alexander he put him selfe in prees Voyde of dissimulyng and dylacions For to reforme suche false ambicions Of godly honor which men did on theÌ„ fayne And from all vyces his courage to restrayne In this purpose as any center stable He cast him fully of true entencion To correct all that was reprouable Vsed in his person or in his region Trouth gaue him hart lyke a champion To tell the kyng in his estate royall He was no god but a man mortall For whiche the kyng of indignacion Caught a quarell agayne Calystenes Put vpon hym vniustly false treason Onely to slea his master causeles And for to attaynt him afore all the prees Sayd how he had of hys iniquitie Conspyred agayne his royall maiestye And fayned also the selfe same tyme How he had made a conspyration Agayne his lorde by an horrible cryme Interrupting the religion Of his deuyne institution That in such case there was no better read But Calistenes by lawe must be dead And to prolonge of his death the payne Vpon a borde he was layed a longe Hys fete smytte of and hys handes twayne His eyen rent out wer not his paines stroÌ„g â–ª Thus can tyraÌ„tes whan they lyst do wrong Slea philosophers wythout any ruthe Whyche spared not for to say them truthe Thys cruel vengeauÌ„ce myght not suffise But Alexander more to encrease his wo Dyd cut his lyppes in full cruell wise His nose thyrles hys eares eke also And w t the body he bade men should go Tofore hys hoste as it is remembred To shewe the tronke how it was dismeÌ„bred In a caue depe and wonders lowe Solitary darked all the boundes After the paynes he made hym to be throwe The place stuffed w t wode barking houndes Of false entent to rende his bloudy woundes Tyll Lisymachus of great compassion To short his torment gaue hym poyson Who red euer of tormentes more terrible O Alexander thou oughtest be ashamed To slea thy clarke wyth paynes so horrible For thy vyces because he hath the blamed Thy royall name therby is defamed But euer tyrantes whan theÌ„ lyst be woode Of innocentes reioyce to shede the bloude Agaynst his knyght gentle Lisymachus Because he had of hym compassion Kyng Alexander was melancolious Wythout cause title or affection Let shut hym vp wyth a fierce Lyon Voyde of all helpe for to be succoured Of entencion he should be deuoured But Lisymachus quyt him lyke a knyght Agaynst thys Lyon in the same place Ran fiercely on him of hys martiall myght Out of hys head hys tonge he dyd out race Reconciled to the kynges grace Because that he so knyghtly hath him borne Better cherished than euer he was toforne Another knyght that called was Clytus â–ª Famous in armes for his chiualry One the greatest of the kynges house And most commended of prudent policy Most familier as bokes specify About the kyng as it was ofte preued To tempre his courage when he was greued The kyng and he walkyng hande in hande Within the palaice beyng in presence Princes and dukes of many diuers lande Where they began by notable eloquence RemeÌ„ber of armes the famous excellence Of conquerous and other knyghtes olde And euery man about his tale tolde Among whiche Clytus the gentle knyght Gan to coÌ„mende and greatly magnify Philyp of Macedon as him ought of right Bothe of his wisdome of his chiualry Tyll Alexander had therat enuy Gan disdayne of furtous cruelte That any should be coÌ„mended more than he Caught occasion ofyre and false hatrede Agayne his knyght y â— was to him most true With a sharpe swerd vnwarely made hi blede His hart bloude hote and redde of hue By his sides raylyng downe of newe Therby to preue this story tell can He was no god nor reasonable man Thus in prynces furious and cruell Men may clerely an euidence se How that lordshyp is not perpetuell But full of chaunge and mutabilite Of there now frendly now sodayn enmite Record on Clytus most in the kynges grace Vnwarely slayne and did no trespace Was he worthy to be deified This Alysander most double of his corage Or was he worthy to be stellified This furious prince for his fell outrage That slewe his frendes
vpon him of surquedous outrage Without title byrthe or lynage To succede by fraude and false labour Among Romains to reigne as emperour He was vngracious sitting in that estate In mischefe spent his dayes euerychoue With lyce and wormes made infortunate Through skyn and fleshe fret vnto the bone Craft of medicine nor socour was ther none So depe he was fret in his entrayle Died ▪ in distresse no leche might auayle ¶ Here Bochas counsayleth princes to remembre on Arnolde MYne auctour Bochas stynte here a while Sharped his penne of entenciō Gan for anger to transporte his style To write of tyrauntes the transgression More wode and fell than any Scorpion Them counsailing whan they be most bolde For to remembre of this proude Arnolde He ne was nat in his pride assayled With wolues Tigres nor Lions With rauynous Beares nor wilde bores trauayled Nouther with other mighty champions Which haue conquered many regions But with wormes engendred of his kynde The said Arnolde was murdred as I fynde In suche disioynt the said Arnolde stode With lice and wormes fret againe nature That was so nie borne of Charles blode Impotent the paine to endure Whiche was in sothe an vncouth auenture That a prince might nat be socoured Of smale wormes for to be deuoured A greate ensample who lyst considre and see To princes all for to abate their pride Let them consydre theyr fragylite To se an emperour to abide Thassaute of wormes and ley ▪ their boste asyde In this Arnolde wysely aduertyse How god hath power their pompe to chastise ▪ Death of Arnolde did my pen encombre For the great abhomynacion Than to Bochas came the twelft in nombre Called Pope Jhon as made is mencion Entring by fraude and false election To goddes lawe frowarde and contrary Nar like a pastour but lyke a marcenarye Called aforne he was Octauian Nothing resembling Peters gouernaunce Fro the time in Rome that he began To sit as Pope he gaue his attendaunce To folow his lust and his fleshly plesaunce In hauking and hunting stode his felicite And amonge women conuersaunt to be Vnto surfete ryot and glotony He gaue him wholy and toke of it no kepe Greatly disclaundred he was of lechery Kept in his court without shame or drede A nombre of women in cronicle as I rede Two cardinals of purpose did entende His vicious life to correckre and amend And of entent these Cardinals two The churche esclan̄dred cast them to redresse Made letters sent them to Orcho Duke of Saxon that he should him dresse Toward Rome and of hie noblesse On holy churche to haue compassion Make of this mischefe iust reformacion This Pope Jhon whan he hath perceiued Of these Cardinals the maner of writing And howe the duke y ◠letters hath receiued He to do vengeaunce made not taryeng Bode no lenger this iudgement yeuing Cut of the nose felly of that one Hand of y ◠other and both were called John The emperour did his letters sende To this Pope of hole affection Of his defautes he should him amende But there was found no correction For which he was deposed and put doun By Cardynals for his cursidnesse Me list nomore to write of his wretchidnes For his defautes his gret ontrage This John put downe as ye haue herde deuise Mine auctour after caught a great corage Seing this mischefe in many londry wyse In holy churche which that dyd aryse Among prelates cast him selfe blyue Their defautes openly to discryne Of their pride and presumpcion And while he gan studie in this matter He gan rembre anone in his reason Vpon a verse written in y t Sautere Touche nat my prophetes ne nigh thē nat to nere Nor againe thē beware in dede and thought In no wyse that ye maligne nought For this cause as ye shall vnderstande Touching this matter plainly as I rede Mine auctour gan withdraw his hande Left his purpose and forth gan procede To whose presence or that he toke hede Came a prince duke Charles of Lorayne Him besought to write his greuous payne ⧠The .xv. Chapter ☞ Of Charles of Lorayne confounded with hunger THis Duke of Lorayne as ye shall conceiue Had werre with y ◠king of Fraūce Called Hugh Capet and as I apperceyue An archebyshop to do the king plesaunce Of hatred made his ordinaunce Agayne this duke a wayte vpon him set That he him toke a bedde whan he slept The said byshop gan falsly vndermyne This worthy duke by full false treason Which as I fynde was called Anceline And he was bishop that time of Leon Which by fraude and false collusion Toke this prince y t was duke of Loraine And to the king he brought him by a traine By whome he was deliuered to prison To Orliaunce and with chaynes bounde What was his ende was made no mencion But in a pyt horryble and profounde Mischefe with hunger did him so confounde That I suppose this duke of Loraine Consumed was for constraint of his paine The xvi Chapiter ¶ Howe king Salamon whylom king of Hungery was put to flight AFter to Bochas there came doun Princes four and eche for his party Their grefes tolde and fyrst Salamon That whylom reigned in Hungry Bothe fole and cowarde bokes specify Voyde of reason noysed of ygnoraunce And at a point coude no purueiaunce Fortune also did at him disdayne For he was nouther manly nor coragious Again whom were worthy knightes twain Herta was one with Laodislaus Famous in armes notable and vertuous Bothe at ones on Salomon came doun And made him flye out of his region Through his vnhappy frowarde cowardise There was in him founde no defence Flight was his shelde list in no wyse Gaine his enemies make no resistence Fayled herte to come to presence To saue his lande he drede him selfe so sore Of whom Bochas writ in his boke no more The .xvii. Chapter ¶ Howe Petro kyng of Hungery was slayne AN other kynge put here in remembraūce Called Petro reygning in hungry For his defautes agayne the kynge of Fraunce Y called Charles of malice and foly By indignacion this was his turmentry His eyen put out ther was no better socour And after slaine by dome of the emperour The .xviii. Chapter ⧠Howe Diogenes the Emperour was taken and his eyen put out AFter to Bochas there came twain on the ryng Duke of Sweue formest as I rede Againe themperour fyrst malicyously working Henry the emperour reigning tho in dede But for his malice this was his fatal mede Banyshed to dwel amonge beastes sauage Slaine in a forest for his great outrage Whan Constantine departed from thys lyfe Whiche of all Grece was lorde gouernour By mariage of her that was his wife A knight Diogenes was made emperour Fortune to him did so great fauour Constantinople holding in his hande As souerayne prince of al grekes lande Yet ther were some that grutched theragain And had of him great indignacion The king of Perce