parcel for couetyse To haue treasour some treason to practise And for to eschewe his malice treason For her nauy she maketh ordinaunce By the auise of them in whom as by reason She should of ryght set her affiaunce And they ful redy her to do plesaunce By one assent for nothynge would fayle With fayre Dydo out of that lande to sayle In Cypres fyrst was her aryuaile And theâ—e she founde by the riuer syde Of yong maydens w t ful rych apparayle Sixty and ten in the same tyde Whiche in the temple of Venus dyd abyde After the custome as I can reporte Of Cypriens straungers to disporte And in their most faythful humble wyse After the ryghtes of Cypre the countre Vnto Venus eche day do sacrifice Them to conserue in their virginite Duryng their life to lyue in chastitye Neuer to be ioyned in mariage And w t quene Dydo they went to Cartage In their passage fyll a great myrracle As Seruius maketh mencion For Dydo toke of Juno this oracle Outher by apparyng or by aduision Of Cartage to bylde that myghty toun And at reuerence of that great goddesse She to the parties fast gan her dresse The sayd citye stately for to founde And her werkemen as they the erth sought An oxes head of auenture they founde And to quene Dido anone the head brought Meninge wherof to serche out they thought And her clerkes in their deumayle Tolde it was token of seruage trauayle For which she list not to buylde in that place But remeued as she ought of ryght And fro thence but a litel space A soyle she founde ful dylectable of sight And as her werkmen wyth their full myght The grounde gan serch or they toke hede The story telleth they found an horse head And by expownyng of her deuinours Founde this beast myght greatly auaile Vnto princes and mighty conquerours Necessary in werre and batayle And for no wight her noblesse shoulde assaile Cartage she buylded of so great excellence Againe al enemyes to stand at diffence Some bokes declare and specify Dydo dyd as much land purchace As a skyn in rounde might occupy Of an oxe theron to buyld a place The grounde coÌ„passed toke a large space Whych strongly buylded thus it is befal After the skyn men Byrsa dyd it cal And whan this citie mightily was walled After a skyn wrought by good curray The name toke Carta it was called Lether of Birsa plainly this is no nay Toke eke his name durynge many a day Carta and Birsa knit in their langage As much to say as this word Carthage And in Affryke stant this teritory Where she builded this citye dilectable Founded it in laude and memory Of mighty Juno the goddesse honorable The citye walled w t towers strong stable Time of kyng Dauid amidde the fourth age As I sayd erst called it Cartage With great worshyp she raygned in y â— towne Euer of purpose to liue in chastitie And rounde about floured her renowne Of her prudence and her honestye Tyll the report of her famous beautye Came to the eares which gladly wil not hide Of a kyng that dwelled there beside Of Musytans he was lorde and syre As poetes playnly lyst decryue Whiche in his hart greatly gan desire The quene Dido by her assent to wiue Vnto her grace if he might aryue But for she had auowed chastitie She neuer cast maried to be The kyng supprised w t loue in his courage For her wisdome and her great bountee Sent for the princes of Carthage On this matter to haue a treatee To condiscende if it might be Like his desire in all their best entent Do their deuoyre to make her consent With his request he gan them eke manace If he fayled of his entencion Like his desire to stande in her grace Sayd he would be enemy to their towne To ordayne by force for their destruction Not fully sober nor fully in a rage This was to them playnely his langage But for they knewe her great stedfastnes And her hart very immutable They were aferde any word to expresse Lest their aunswere were not acceptable To his highnes for he was not treatable Eke in their conceyt they gan also recorde To his desyre the quene would not accorde With good aduice an answere they puruey To his purpose in party fauourable Aferde he would their noble towne werrey Or of disdayne vpon them be vengeable But quene Dydo in her entent aye stable Cast she would whatsoeuer they her tolde Her chast auowe faythfully to holde She set aside of this cruell kyng His fell manaces and his words great And to her prynces for their consentyng Which stode in feare of y â— he did them threate She vnto them yaue a maner heate For they were bolde to attempt or attame To treate of matter rebounding to her shame Nay rather dye quod she than assent To his desires whiche thing god forbede Or fro the tenter of my chaste entent For to remeue other in thought or dede Whiche were disclaunder to all womanhead To condiscende for any manacyng To breake a vowe for pleasaunce of a kynge Touchyng manaces made to the citie For to destroy it with his great myght Without cause or title of equitie To ground him a quarell agayne right Onely for he is blynded of his syght With froward lust my chaste auowe to assaile Be ryght well sure how he therof shall fayle If ye were bolde and manly of courage For comon profite your citye to defende And to w tstande his vycious outrage To treate w t him ye would not condiscende But mine entent platly to comprehend Whether it be to you ioye or displeasaunce In my promise shal be no variaunce My lorde Sicheus whiche alas is deade Vnto the worlde who lyst aduert Trust verely for manacyng nor dreade That he shall neuer dye in myne hert Nor he shall neuer myne auowe peruert Thus auysed while that I stande fre Quene of Cartage to gouerne this citye Mine hasty answere I pray you not disdaine But that ye list to yeue me libertye With your support that I may attayne To haue a space graunted vnto me This is to mene the space of monethes thre My lordes will to accomplyshe of entent Whiche whilome made in his testament Vnder couloure to her aduauntage She toke this space bokes specify That she might her citye of Cartage The meane time strongly fortify Agayne her enemies that for no sluggardy Of them that would her high estate confound Vnpurueyed her city not be founde Whan thre monethes passed were and gone She after would for hartly pleasaunce With sundry ryghtes many mo than one To all her goddes do some obseruaunce For a speciall singuler remembraunce Of him that was as ye shall vnderstande Whilom her lorde and best beloued husband And more to exalt her glory and his honour Held his exequtes by due reuerence Of all Cartage in the highest tower With brenning fire fumes and incence Her princes all beyng
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
a citye rayse Which the poetes greatly cōmend and praise And y ◠his buildyng myght the more auayle All the foreyns that did about him dwell Full like a knyght by force and by battayle Out of that countrey he did them expell Raysynge a citie whiche that did excell And as Ouide also recordeth the same Vnto thys day of Thebes beareth the name And he was not onely glorified For rearyng vp of this great citye But he was also magnified For his manhode his magnanimitie And most commended if ye list to se For the surmountyng famous excellence Whiche that he had in wysdome and science For as myne aucthour of him list indite Through his noble prudent puruey aunce He taught fygures letters for to write And made lawes of full great ordinaunce Among the Grekes and set a gouernaunce Thei◠vycious life by vertue to restrayne And who outraied was punished w t the pain And of entent to encrease hys lynage And his citye also for to multiply He toke a wife that was but yong of age And she was called as bokes specify Hermyone and touching her alye Though that she were borne of royall bloud She was also bothe ioly fayre and good And this was done as writeth mine auctour After the death of worthy Iosue Sothonyell beyng successour Hauyng the leadyng and the soueraintie Of Israell whan Thebes the citye Was founded first in the dayes olde By kyng Cadmus tofore as I you tolde Foure daughters he had by his lyue Full fayre echone and goodly on to se And their names to reherse blyue Semele was the eldest and next Acthonie The thirde in order was called Inoe And Agane was yongest of them all Of the whiche daughters thus it is befall They were echone of port and of manere Full well fauoured in euery mans syght Right womanly and heauenly of their chere And for their beauty their father anone right As it was sittyng wyth all his full myght Like their estates birthe and also their age Made thē be wedded and ioyned in mariage To worthy princes his linage to auaunce And they encreased by procreation Wherof the kynge had full great pleasaunce And great reioysyng in his opinion To saue his lyne by generation With his neuewes and cosyns of alye Fro day to day to waxe and multiply And this encreased his felicitie Whan he considered verely in dede The riche buildynge of his royall citye And Fortune did his brydle leade To great riches in bokes as I reade To great nobles hauyng great residence In his citye of moste magnificence His daughter Semele record of mine auctor Though she discended were of the bloud ryal To Iupiter she was paramoure And by his power supercelestiall She conceiued in especiall As poetes of her list to endite Him that is god of grapes redde and white Called Bachus whiche hath the gouernaūce Of wynes all and the regaly Wherof after was take full great vengeaūce For when Iuno did first espye Of Iupiter the great auoutrye Of great hatred and enuyous desire She made Semele to be brent w t sodayn fire By discendyng of a sodayne leuine And on Semele the vengeaunce downe wēt Fro Iuno ielous cleped quene of heauen To wreke her wrath purposely ysent And fore the flame consumed was and spent There was of her left no remembraunce But of the ende the wofull mortall chaunce Also Actheon the sonne of Acthonie To great mischefes and infortunes borne Whose father called was Criste Come of the kinred that I you tolde toforne With cruell houndes alas he was to torne For that he sawe as bokes of him tell Dyana naked bath her in a well And as Poetes remember at the lest Whan the ladyes of Thebes the citye Helde of Bachus solemnely the feaste The yonger sister called Agane Daughter to Cadmus alas it was pitie Ayenst her owne sonne deare She was so wode and mortall of her cheare Murderyng hym in full cruell wise In her rage she was so furious For he lough at the sacrifyce In Thebes done by women to Bachus The whiche sonne was called Pantheus Whom that she slewe w t a sharpe dart In her wodenes as she him founde apart These great mischeues fell in the lyue Of king Cadmus through his vnhappy chāce Fortune his noblesse gan vndermyne And thought she would his glory disauaunce All worldly gladnes is medled w t greuaunce Experience in Cadmus ye may se So importable was his aduersitie For while he sate most highest in his glory No part clipsed of his prosperitie His bryght renowne and his royall memory In realmes spredde many a farre con̄trey He moste wealfull in his high see Set w t his linage most high in noblesse Than came Fortune the false enchaunteresse Of wilfulnesse and founde occasion Ayenst Cadmus and made his renowne dul Of his kynred by false collusion She gan away the bryghtest fethers pull And whan his shining was waxt vp to y ◠full After the chaunge of fortunes lawe His glory gan discrece and withdrawe It was more greuous to his dignitie A sodayne fall from his high noblesse Than if that he had neuer be Set in the state of his great worthines For the furious mortall heauines Of his kinred without any more Would haue greued a pore man full sore And amonge his sorowes euerychone To rehearse playnly as it was I dare affirme how that there was one Most horrible dreadfull in such a caas For Cadmus sonne called Athamas His sonne in lawe through false melancoly Fell sodaynely into a frenesy Of whom the wife was called Inoe Cadmus daughter as ye haue heard expresse Which through the cōstraynt of his infirmitie In his rage and furious wodenes Thought that his wyfe was a lyonesse And in his wylde ymaginations That his two children were also two lyons And vpon them full loude he gan to crye Towarde his wife in haste he came anone And from her armes there was no remedy The childe he rent and on a craggy stone He gan to brast it and breake it euery bone The whiche childe Bochas writeth thus Full tender and yong called was Learchus And all this wofull and sodaine aduenture Of this rage whan that she toke hede As most sorowfull of any creature Her other childe she hent anone for drede For of succour she knewe no better spede So as she might gan haste out of his sight But welaway as she toke her to flyght Her husbande came after pursuyng Like a woode Lyon in his crueltie Downe from a hill whiche was dependyng She and her childe fell into the see Was it not ruthe was it not pitye A kings daughter her lord i Thebes crouned He to be woode and she for feare drowned ▪ Lo here the fine of Cadmus euery deale His children slayne and his allies all And he him selfe from fortunes whele Whan he wened leste full sodaynly is fall His little suger tempred with moche gall For among all his mortall peynes His
Mars the frowarde star To engendre debate or some mortal war In thys matter playnly thus I deme Of no connyng but of opinion Though he were crowned w t sceptre and diademe To reigne in Thebes the stroÌ„g myghty toun That some aspect came fro heuen adoun Infortunate frowarde and full of rage Which agayne kynde ioyned the mariage He crowned was by assent of all the towne Flouryng a season by soueraynte of peece And whyle he helde the possession Sonnes and doughters he had doubtles The fyrst sonne called Ethiocles Polynices called was that other As sayth Bochas the seconde brother Also he had goodly doughters twayne The eldest called was â—ntigone The seconde named was Imeyne And both they were ryght fayre vnto se The quene Iocasta might no gladder be Than to remembre whan they wexe in age Her goddes had encresed their linage It was her ioye and her felicitie To se her children that were so inly fayre But after ioye ther cometh aduersite And hope assured wanhope doth oft appayre â–ª CoÌ„trarious trust wyll gladly their repaire Wher false wenyng in hert is coÌ„ceyued Through ignoraÌ„ce which hath many disceiued What thynge in earth is more disceyuable Than whan a man supposeth verily In prosperite for to stand stable And from his ioye is remeued sodaynly â–ª For where fortune is found to hasty To trise folke she is greuous to endure For sodayne chaunges be hatefull to nature Vnware wo that cometh on gladnes Is vnto hertes ryght passinge encombreous And who hath felt his parte of wealfulnesse Sorowe suynge on is to hym odious And worst of al and most contrarious Is whan estates highest of renoun Ben froÌ„ their noblesse sodenly brought doun There is no glory whych that shyneth here That false fortune can so magnifie But whan his laude brightest is clere She can eclips it wyth some cloudy sâ—â—e Of vnware sorowe onely of enuy Seeth of Edippus an open euidence Which by his life had experience Of highe noblesse and therwyth also Parte importable of great aduersite Hys ioye euer meynt wyth ful mortal wo. For while he reigned in Thebes the citie â–ª And Iocasta with ful great â—oâ—alte Within the countre there fyl a pestilence The people infectyng with his violence Through all the land and al the region In euery age but most greuously On them echone that were of that towne The infection spred most specially And of vengeauÌ„ce the swerd most rigorously Day by day began to byte and â—aâ—ue Of ech estate causyng folke to sterue Thus began to encrease the mortalite That euery man stode in ieopardy Of their lyues throughout the countre So importable was their malady That ye might heare the people clepe and cry Dispeyred so were they of theyr lines Voyde of all socour of their preseruatiues They sought herbes spices in their cofers And began to seke for helpe other socours The cause enquiringe of prudent philosofers And of their most experte diuinours Why that the goddes wyth so sharpe shours Of pestilence and in so cruel wyse Lyst them alas so mortally chastyse But among all in soth this is the case There was founde one ful prudent and wyse A prophet called Tiresias Of prophecy hauyng a souerayne prise Which affirmed and sayd in thys wyse As vnto him was shewed by myracle Phebus him selfe declarynge the oracle Cause of this syckenes and these maladies As the goddes plainly haue disposed And Senecke writeth also in hys tragedies Though the cause be secrete and yclosed Vnto the tyme there be a kyng deposed Which slew his father raft him his life And hath also take his mother to his wyfe Tyll thys be done and execute in dede Ther may be made no redempcion But pestilence shall multiply and sprede Euer more and more through that region Tyl vnto the tyme that he be put a doun Fro his crowne whych not long agone His father slough among his mortall fone And hath his mother wedded also Agaynst lawe and agaynst al ryght Tyll vengeaunce vpon that crime be do There shal be war pestylence and fighte Sorowe strife euery maner wight Of veugeaunce hys neighbour shal hate Brother w t brother bloud w t bloud debate This is al and some there may be no socour Whych brought the people in great heauynes For Tiresias the great diuinour By propherâ— told them thus expresse And at the last by tokens and witnes Men vnderstode by signes out shewyng This pestilence was brought in by the kyng And though the people gaue no credence To Tiresias ne to his prophecy The quene Iocasta caught au euidence And in her hert a full great fantasy Specially whan she dyde espie Of Edippus the fete that were wounded How this tumour was on trouth ygrounded Because also there was a diuinour Which tolde tofore that Edippus shoulde be To Layus of Thebes successour Wherby the kyng the quene and the ryte Fyl in great trouble and great aduersite Well more than I by writyng can report For there was nothing y t myght theÌ„ recoÌ„fort Ful oft in the day Iocasta gan to swoune And kyng Edippus to sobbe crye and wepe In salte teares as they them would drown Deth craÌ„pishing in to their hert gan crepe A day coÌ„plainyng a night they may not slepe Cursynge the houre of their natiuyte That they should lyue that day for to se. Their mortall chaunce their dedly auenture Their fortune also whych gan on theÌ„ froun Inpacient and doleful to endure Their froward fate wyth their lokes broun The kynge foryre caste away his crowne And began to â—ace for coÌ„straint of his payne Out of his heed his wofull eyen twayne Day and night he cried after deth Hatefull to come in any mannes sight Most desirous to yelde vp the breth Woful in hert to come in any light Coorbed for sorow feble to stande vpright And specially in hys deedly distres For drede and shame he dared in derkenes The cruel constrâ—int of his most grenance Was that his sonnes had hym in dispyte Which gan his sorowe greatly to auance For him to scorne was set all their delite Was neuer none that stode in worse plyte For thus lyeng and destitute of chere Vnto the goddes he made his prayere Beseching theÌ„ with a ful doleful herte Vpon his wo to haue sum compassion And that they would for to auenge his â—inert Bitwene his sonnes make a diuision Eche to brynge other to distruction Thys was his prayer in substaunce That eche on other may take vengeaunce In yeres fewe for their vnkyndnesse They herd his prayer as ye haue herd deuise The bretherne two through their cursidnes Eche gan other mortally dispise For lacke of grace and for false couetyse Eche for his partie desirous in dede Tofore other to reigne and succede And thus these bretherne most infortunate Bitwene them selfe fill at discencion And finally this vnkindly debate Brought al Thebes to distruccion Yet was there made fyrst a conuencion By
tributes in all his region From him departyng by rebellion Wherof astonied to auenge his vnryght Into Jerusalem toke anone his flyght And whan they were parted from Roboam The ten kynredes by diuision Chase them a kyng called Jeroboam And Roboam within his royall toun To be auenged of their rebellion And for to do on them cruell iustice An hundred thousande he made anone to rise With Jeroboam he cast him for to mete And all at ones set in ieopardy But Sameas the prophete bade him lete And fro the warre withdrawe his party And more the quarell for to iustifye Of his peoples frowarde departyng It was gods wyll done for a punishyng Touchyng the surplus of his gouernaunce His royall buyldyng of many a fayre city His great ryche famous suffisaunce Of wyne and oyle hauyng great plenty And how his empyre encreased yeres thre Eke how that time he ryghtfull was in dede In Josephus his story ye may rede Of his children borne in ryght lyne Eyghtene wyues as made is mencion I fynde he had and many a concubyne Sonnes and daughters by procreation And how his riches and great possession That tyme encreased as it is well knowe To god aboue while that he bare him lowe But as mine auctour maketh rehearsaile In his encrease and augmentacion Mekenes in hert in him gan waste and faile And pryde entred with false presumption Vertue despisyng and all religion After whose vyces as sayth the same boke Wicked examples of him the people toke After the maners where they be good or yll Vsed of prynces in diuers regions The people is ready to vse and fulfill Fully the traces of their condicions For lordes may in their subiections So as them list who so can take hede To vyce or vertue their subiectes lede Thus Roboam for his transgressions In Josephus as it is deuised And for his frowarde false opinions Onely for he all vertue hath despised Of God he was rightfully chastised In Jerusalem his chiefe royall towne Of his enemyes besieged enuyroun The kyng of Egypt a siege about him layed With so great people y t socour was ther none All be it so that Roboam abrayed And prayed to god to deliuer hun frō his sone To auoyde of mercy his enemyes euerichoue But god list not graunt his prayere But him chastised like as ye shall here Fyrst his citye and his royall towne Deliuered was he knewe no better succour Vnder a fayned false composicioun For at their entryng voyde of all fauoure Kepyng no couenaunt toke all the treasoure Within the temple hauyng no pitye But ladde it home to Egypt their countrey And to rehearse it is a great dole How Roboam as Josephus dothe declare Was inly proude and therwithal a foule And of all wysdome destitute and bare Vnmerciable hys people for to spare Hatyng good counsayle and so in his regaly Raygnyng a foole and so I let hym dye ¶ Lenuoy PHilosophers conclude and deuise In theyr bokes of good experience That counsaylours sadde expert and wyse True of their worde stable of their sentence Hasty nor retchles for no vyolence Kepe and preserue the trouth I dare attame Noblesse of princes fro mischefe and dyffame Hasty youth and rancour in contrarywyse Whyche haue to wyll all theyr aduertence Except them selues all other men despyse Through their vnbrydeled furious insolence Nothyng aquainted w t wisdome nor prudēce Bryng ayenward wherof they be to blame Puttyng his nobles in mischefe and diffame Kyng Roboam agaynst ryght and iustice To yonge foles yaue fayth and most credence Cruelly his subiectes to chastyce Whiche put his people from his beneuolence Threw ten kynredes from his obedience Which was to him by record full great shame Puttyng his nobles in mischefe and diffame Noble princes do wisely aduertise In perseueryng of your magnificence Of olde expert not blent with couetise Take your counsayle and do them reuerence Eyed as Argus in their high prouidence Whiche conserue by report of good name Noblesse of prynces from mischefe diffame ¶ The .iii. Chapter ☞ The office and retinue of a Kynge What erthly thing is more deceiuable Thē of prīces the pōpe vainglory ▪ Which wene to stand in their estates stable As thei the world had conquered by vyctory And sodaynly be put out of memory Their fame clouded alas and their nobles With a darke shadowe of foryetfulnes Wherof cometh the famous clere shinyng Of emperous in their consistories Or wherof cometh their laude in reportynge Saue that clarks haue writē their histories Or where be now conquestes transitories Or their triūphes where should men thē find Nad writers their prowes put in mynd Reken vp al and first the worthy nyne In high nobles whiche had neuer peers The marciall actes which clearly did shyne Their fame vp borne aboue al the nine sters With loude soundes of famous clarioners Their glorious palmes if thei be well paysed By lowe labours of cōmons was first raised Make a likenes of these great ymages Curiously corue out by entayle Head armes body and their freshe vysages Without fete or legges may not auayle To stand vpryght or nedes they must fayle And semblably subiectes in commontees Rayse vp the nobles of princes in their sees As head and membres in ymages be of stone Other on stocke by compasse vndeuided And by proporcion their fetures euerychone Set in true order as nature hath prouided So y ◠all errours through craft be circūcided The head highest by custome as men knowe The body amidde the fete beneth lowe Myghty princes for their high renoun As most worthy shall occupy the heade With wytte memory and eyen of reason To kepe their membres frō mischefe dread Like their degrees take of them good hede With clere foresyght of a prudent thought Their fete preserue that they erre nought There must be hands and armes of defence Whiche shall the ymage manly kepe and gye From all assautes of forayne vyolence Whiche shal be named noblest of chiualry Their true office iustly to magnify Sustaine the church make thē selfe stronge To se y ◠widowes maydēs haue no wronge Prudent iudges as it is skyll and ryght To punishe wronge surfets to redresse In this ymage shall occupy the syght For loue or hate by dome of rightwisenes For frende or fo his iudgementes dresse So egally the lawes to susteyne In their workes that none errour be seyne Amidde this ymage there is a body set An aggregate of people and degrees By perfite peace and vnity yknet By the estates that gouerne commonties As mayres prouostes and burgeis in cities Marchauntes also whiche seke sundry lādes With other craftes which liue by their hādes And as a body whiche stant in health Feleth no grefe of no froward humours So euery cōmonte continueth in great welth Whiche is demeaned w t prudent gouernours That can appese debates and errours The people kepe from all controuersy Causyng the welfare to encrease multiply This body must haue a
pouder playnly to expresse Troubleth the ayre and maketh folkes blynd For whiche in spousayle coÌ„uenient to fynde Let estates of their byrthe honourable Voyde al rascaly and wedde their semblable But Amazias woulde not beware For no warnyng nor for no prophecy But styll in hart great hatred bare Agayne kyng Joas of malyce and enuy Into a felde brought all his chyualry Gadred them out bothe nere and farre Ayenst gods will on him to gyn a warre And king Joas full like a worthy knyght Into the felde fast gan him spede And all the knyghtes of Juda anone ryght With stroke of vengeaunce w t a sodain drede To bid them flye god wot it was no nede And Amazias for all his great pryde Stode destitute and no man by his syde With him was none left of all his meynie So god and Joas agaynst him wrought Of Jerusalem entred the citye And Amazie of force with him he brought And in the temple the treasure out he sought Golde and siluer and wholy their riches And to Samaria home he gan him dresse And Amazias he let out of pryson After all this and suffred him go fre To his mischefe and his confusion And he was deliuered from his captiuitie For slayne he was in Lachis the citye Among his frendes by dissimulation His death conspyred vnder full false treason The .xvii. Chapter ☞ How vpon Ozias succeadyng kyng nexte in Iuda god toke vengeaunce smote him with leprie AFter in Juda the mighty region Next Amazias Ozias gan succede Wonder manlye and famous of renoun In all his workes full prouident in dede And of his knighthode vaiquished as I rede The Palestines for all their great puissauÌ„ce With all Ambie he brought vnto vttraunce Builded townes and many a strong citye And vnto Egypt he his bondes set Made castels besydes the redde see And in his conquest whom that euer he met Of manly pryde he woulde let I meane all tho that were his aduersaries To his lordshyp to make them tributaries He did his labour also to repare Jerusalem after his ruyne The walles reared which on y â— soyle lay bare Made newe towers ryght as any lyne Fanes of golde their turretes to enlumine And to force them let workmen vndertake Square bastiles and bulwarkes to make He delited to make freshe gardeynes Diuers grayne and herbes for to knowe Reioysed to plante sundrye vynes To graffe trees and sedes for to sowe And straunge fruits maketh theÌ„ grow arow And w t him had his enemyes to encumber Thre hundred thousand manly men in nuÌ„ber His noble fame gan to sprede wyde And greatly dreade for his prowes Wherthrough his hart corrupted with pride Because onely of his great riches And frowardly he did his busines For to maligne in estate royall Agaynst the lorde whiche is immortall To god aboue he gan waxe obstynate That by processe full small he did winne And sauour caught in his royall estate To folow his father in vnthrifty synne That grace vertue from him did twynne In most shinyng of his magnificence Fortune proudly assayled his excellence Cast she would within a little while His surquedy and frowarde pride assayle And full vnwarely deceyue him and begyle To make his power to appall and fayle Whan that this kyng toke on the apparayle Of a bishop of very frowardnes And to the temple proudly gan him dresse Beyng in purpose on a solemne day To take his waye vp to the hye alter Falsly vsurpyng whosoeuer sayde nay To sacrifyce holdyng the censere Tofore the alter that shone of golde so clere For whiche offence the bible sayth the same Azarias the bishop did him blame Gan withstand him in the face anone Fourscore priestes beyng in presence Of the kynred discended of Aaron Whiche forbade him and made resistence That with his hande he should put incence Vpon the aulter against gods lawe Him chargyng boldly his presence to w tdraw But of despite he made them hold their pees In payne of death began them manace And sodaynly among all the prees An earthquaue fill in the same place And therwithall in the kinges face Of the sunne there smote a beame so bryght That all his face was scorched w t the light He wared a leper foule and right horible For his offence as god list ordayne To euery man of loke he was terrible And but fewe his mischiefe gan complaine And a great hill y e same hour carft on twayne Not farre aside from the towne without Cities destroying that stode rounde about On kyng Ozie god toke this vengeaunce For all his lordship and his magnificence To punishe his pride and frowarde puissauÌ„ce And brought him lowe for his great offence For his person was put out of presence Perpetually as holy writ can tell Farre from all people w t lepers for to dwell His fleshe was troubled with diuers passioÌ„s For his sickenes auoyded the citye In crye and sorowe and lamentacions His lise he lad in great aduersitie And so he dyed in sorowe and pouertie Simply buried for all his great myght Within an ylande that stode farre out of sight ¶ The .xviii. Chapter ¶ In exhortation to Prynces to be aduised to do agaynst Goddes preceptes LEt prynces all in their prouidence Be right wel ware any thing to attame Whiche vnto God should be offence Lest that the fyne conclude to their shame Let them thinke for all their noble fame But they repent god of his iustice Their froward pryde vnwarely will chastice Let them beware of malyce to presume Againe his churche to do oâ—â—encion For god of right all tyrantes will consume In full short tyme for their presumption Whiche will not suffer theyr dominacion To enterrupt for all their great myght Nor breke the frauÌ„ches of holy churche ryght To prudent prynces whiche can discerne Let kyng Ozias considryng his offence Be in your mynde a myrrour and lanterne To holy churche to do due reuerence And conceâ—ue in their magnificence God will of ryght be they neuer so sâ—â—â—ng Chastyce theyr malyce though he â—yde long ¶ The .xix. Chapter How kyng Oseas was taken by kyng Salmanazer and dyed in pryson THere was another that called was Osce Which whilom raygned as I affirme dare In Israell whom fortune by enuy Made him be take or he was ware Besyeged about of kyng Salmanas are And into Assirie vnder his daunger The bible telleth he was a prysoner His cityes and townes brought to destruction And all his people vnder longe seruage Were take and kept in stronge Babilon Suffred there great payne and domage And in pryson by furious outrage This sayd Oseas in chaynes bounde sore For sorowe dyed of hym write I no more The .xx. Chapter ¶ Howe Senacheryb kynge of Assirie slewe him selfe WIth these forsayde wofull kynges three Senacheryb of Assirye kyng Came to Bochas most vglye to se Full piteously his fate complaynyng And specially hys vnware chaungyng He gan bewayle oppressed in his thought From hye nobles how
his dethe wrote of compassyon To them that sate in royall dignitees Which had of vertue lost the libertees Princes be sechyng that were luxurous To take ensample and folow kyng Drusus The which Drusus by succession Was heir to Augustus next him emperour Set all in vertue his affection And it to cherysshe did holy his labour To lust vnlefull he neuer gaue fauoure And touching loue duryng al his lyfe He neuer had lust but onely to his wife And in his palayes amyd of his royall se Of noble princes dwellyng in Rome toun He asked was for all his dignyte What maner corage of temptacyon Or what feruence or delectacion Within hym selfe he had of loues play Sole by hys wyfe whan he a bed lay And lyke a prynce fulfylled of hye nobles Answered agayn wyth sobre countenaunce Touchyng such lust as foloweth fleshlynes Lyke as nature me put in gouernaunce In one alone is set al my plesaunce For with none other for no concupiscence Saue with my wyfe I neuer dyd offence Princes echone folowe nat the trace Of noble Drusus as ye shal vnderstand For some haue stande all in another case Such as can hold two or thre in hand Now here now there as botes come to land Not consydring their degrees nor disauayle Whan newfangylnes bloweth in their sayle Eke Bochas writeth soÌ„e prices haue be fouÌ„d which viciously haue done their busy payne Vertuous women by flatery to confound And tendre maydens to bring in a trayne Suche manaces and tormentes to ordayne TheÌ„ to transforme from their perseuerauÌ„ce And interrupt their virginal constaunce But of such folke that yeue no force of shame Nor drede God such traynes to deuyse Husbandmen forsoth are most to blame with foraine women to trespace in such wise I trow their wiues theÌ„ may inough suffise For many be feble their dettes for to quite Though they in chaâ—ige theÌ„ self falsly delite Some affyrine for them self allegyng To such outrage that they haue licence Frely of nature to vse their own thing And in such case to no wight do offence But froward is their errour in senteÌ„ce Fro bond of wedlock whan they be so vnstable And tofore God most hatefull and daÌ„pnable For she that is through her hye noblesse Named of clerkes which clerly can coÌ„cerne Doughter of God Lady and princesse Reason called to gyde folke and gouerne Atwene good and yuell iustly to discerne She hath departed playnlye to conclude The lyfe of man from lyfe of beastes rude This Lady reason sith ago full yore Gaue vnto man wyt and discrecion Taught him also by her souerain lore Twene vyce and vertue a great diuision And that he should in his eleccion Vnto all vertue naturally obey And in contrary al vicious lyfe werrey And to enprinte in his memoriall How of luxurie the great dishoneste Dissourme a man and make him bestyal And disfigure of what estate he be For whan that reason of high or lowe degre Is fled away folke may affyrme than He is lyke a beast rather than a man wherfore let princes that haue ben defectife To folowe their lustes of sensualite Shape them bi reson for to amend their life And to conserue and kepe their chastyte Both of virgins and wifely honeste And to punyshe al tho that lyst labour The honest fame of women to deuour For when a lechour by force or by maistrye Defouled hath of virgynes the clennesse Widowes oppressed and by auoutry Assayled wiues that stande in stablenesse who may thaÌ„ their sclauÌ„drous harm redres WhaÌ„ their good name is hurt by such report For fame lost ones can neuer haue his resort A thefe may robbe a man of his ryches And by some meane make restitucion And some men may disherite and oppresse A poore man froÌ„ his possession And after make satisfaccion But no man may restore in no degre A mayden robbed of her virginite A man may also beate a castell doun And build it after more freshly to the syght Exyle a man out of a regyon And him reuoke wher it be wrong or right But no man hath the power nor the might For to restore the palayes virginal Of chastyte whan broken is the wal Men may also put out of seruise And offycers remeue from their place And at a day whan fortune lyst deuyse They may agayne restored be to grace But there is nouther tyme set nor space Nor neuer in story nouther read nor seyne That maydenhed lost recured was ageyne For which men shuld haue a conscience Rewe in their hert and repent sore And haue remorse in their great offence To rauish thing which thei mai not restore For it is sayd and hath ben sayd ful yore The emeraud grene of perfyte chastyte Stolne ones away may not recured be And hard it is to rauysshe a treasour Which of nature is not recuperable Lordshyp may not of kyng nor emperour Refourme a thing which is not reformable Rust of dyffame which is not seperable And maydenhed lost of newe or yore No man alyue may it agayne restore Romayns old through their pacience Suffred tyrauntes in theyr tyrannies And in their cyties to do great vyolence The people to oppres with their robberyes But to punyshe they set strayte espyes On false auoutrours as it is wel couth Widowes to rauish maydeÌ„s in their youth Vpon this mater the story bereth witnesse Touchyng the exyle of king Tarquinius Afore rehersed by writing ful expresse The hateful death of Apius Claudius For his trespase done to Virginius The iudgementes rehersed and the payne And fro their offyce depriued bothe twayne Was nat the cytie whylom desolate Of Sychemites for the ribaudry Of one Sichem whiche gan a great debate To haue accomplyshed his foule lechery Whan yonge Dyna as bokes specifye Went rechelesly walkyng vp and downe To se the maydens of that royall towne But whan Sychem this Dyna dyd espye Sole by her selfe walke in the cytie He begane anone assayle her by maystry And for to aforce her virgynyte Bycause she had no leyser for to fle Whose great offence and transgressyon The cytie broght vnto destruccyon Her father Jacob and holy her kynrede Agayn this Sichem gan inwardly disdayne Whan the fury of Mars was most to drede To be venged they dyd theyr busy payne And specially her worthy brethern twayne Fyll on the cyte Symeon and Leuy To auenge their suster and stroy it fynally So mortally they gan with them stryue with their swordes ground sharp and kene Of male children they left none alyue They were so veÌ„geable in their furyous tene The Sychemytes might not sustene That day agaynst them to stand at defence So importable was their violence For wher that God list punish a man of right By mortall swerde farwel al resistence WhaÌ„ grace faileth force goth away myght Febleth of princes the magnifycence Chaungeth their power into impotence Reuerseth the kynges their stately regaly Example in Sichem for his false auoutry It was an hard dredfull
Oropastes quaking in his drede Full vnwarely or that he toke hede Was slayn ther guerdoned for al his might Of pretence kinges y t reigne haue no right The .vii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Dary obteynyng the kingdom of Perce by sleyght ended with shame AFter the deth of these Magicyens Was left no king to haue y ◠gouernaūce Nor for to rule the lande of Perciens Saue fyue princes full famous of puissaunce Whyche made a statute and an ordinaunce Of one accorde by recorde of writyng Theron concluding who shuld be chose king Their sort their hap and all their auenture Was yeue to fortune of thys eleccion And thus the prince the crowne shall recure Among these fyue by theyr conuencion For to gouern the mighty regyon And in that lande to reigne and contune Lyke as the fauour lyst ordeyn of fortune Thys was the statute vpon a mornyng All atones erly for to ryde Atwene Aurora and Phebus vprisyng Vp to a hyll to houe and to abyde All rancour dyscorde set asyde Whose horse among them was first herde neying Without grutching shulde be crowned kyng Vpon this mater what shoulde I leger tary Hereon was made an othe in sykernesse Among these prīces one which was called Da Aprince of Perce excellyng of noblesse Whych had a seruaunt y ◠story bereth witnessery That kept hys horse thought in very dede Hys lorde he wolde preferre at suche a nede The sayd seruant full sleyghtly in werkyng His dilygence lyst nothyng to spare The day to fore set of their metynge At a place smothe playne and bare Hys lordes horse he made leape a mare And on the morowe when the princes met On horsbacke there hys lorde he set And whan the horse thyder came agayne Nature anone afforced his corage To neye loude vpon the same playne Where as the mare had vsed her passage Kynde in suche case had great auauntage By whiche sleyght playnly to reherse The sayd Dary was crowned kig of Perce The prynces all lyke theyr conuencion Or Phebus shewed his firy beames bryght Without stryfe or contradiccion From their horse sodaynly alyght And vnto Dary as lowly as they myght Sayd in greke or they vp rose Policromtudo Basileos Which is in latyn to spake in wordes playne And in englyshe by expowning of scripture After the Greke as moche for to sayne As longe tyme myght the kyng endure And lyue in helth with good auenture By the grace and fauour of fortune Vpon all Perce to reigne and contune Who wyll consydre euery cyrcumstaunce It is a meruayle nat grounded on prudence By such sleyght a king to haue gouernaunce Through tytle or clayme as of iust euidence So to be raysed to kyngly excellence But whan fortune fauoureth suche assay Tyll y ◠she chaunge ther can no man say nay Thus was kyng Dary borne of lowe linage Set vp by sleyght in estate honorable Thought y ◠he wolde for his auauntage To make his kyngdom his reigne stable Wed such a wyfe as to hym was most able Demyng of trouth hys clayme were well amēded Of Cirus lyne if she were discēded To wede suche one was all his couetyse Stable for to reigne vpon the Perciens And as I fynde in full cruell wyse By the counsayle of false magicyens A werre he gan vpon the Egipciens Eke folily he gan for to werrey Them of Athenes whiche lyst hym nat obey And as myne auctor maketh rehersayle He for his pride and false presumpcion Was discomfyted twyes in batayle And neuer after as made is mencyon He was nat had in reputacyon Among Perciens so gan his honoure fade Wyth sleyght he gan with shame an ende he made ¶ The .viii. Chapter ¶ How Corolian by Romaynes exiled gan warre agaynst them and how after they sent out his mother withother for peace which had they eft him exiled and after was slayne AFter this Dary as I rehearce can And mine auctour liketh to conclude To Iohn Bochas came Corolian The most wofull of that multitude Which gan complaine vpon the ingratitude Of the Romayns how they whilom in dede Exiled his person of rancour and hatrede Whiche in his time would neuer ceace Through his noblesse hys hygh renoun Their common profite to augment encrece And for to bringe to their subiection Many a citye and many a noble toun Yet they agaynward for all his chyualry Him exiled of malyce and enuy But whan this Marcus called Corolian Saw of Romayns the great vnkindnes Toward a countrey that called was Tuskan Of high disdayne anone he did him dresse And them entreated of manly fell prowes To gyn a warre sythe they so manly be Through his cōueiyng againe Rome y ◠citye And for to put them more in assuraunce To haue victory through their high renoun He tolde them playnly of a great distaunce Of a false strife and a discencion That was of newe fall in Rome towne Wherfore they should if it be prouided Cōquere thē lightly because thei wer deuided By their assent they made a great armye With stuffe for war richely apparayled Pyght his tentes tofore that great citye And in the fielde stode proudly battayled But the hartes of Romayns haue thē fayled And durst not passe the gates of their toun There was among thē so great deuision Their citye stode that time destitute With feare supprised for lacke of gouernaūce Them to defende they founde no refute So farre enfeblished was their old puissaūce For euer gladly where stryfe and variaunce In any kingdome haue an enteresse Touchyng a defence adue all hardinesse Within them selfe they stode at debate Afore their enemies ready for to assayle Comfort was none in hygh nor lowe estate For where discord is what auayleth coūsail Their fone w tout within them selfe battayle Brought in alas to their confusion By the false serpent of dissencion But at the last afforced and constrayned They were coact after peace to seke The case stode so of nede they were payned Maugre their might their harts for to meke And their mischefe more to encrese and eke In augmentyng of their cruell fates They saw their enmies armed at their gates They sent out first priestes of the toun With their enemies for to entrete of pees With humble profers lowe subiection But Corolian this is doubtles Againe the Romayns was so merciles That grace none myght in his hart myne To their request his eares to enclyne Than the Romayns the story tell can To Venturia made their prayere Whiche was the mother of Corolian And to Volumnia his faithfull wife entere That they should both go in fere Vnto that prynce besechyng at the lest Benignly to heare their request His mother first full prudently abrayde Vnto her sonne makyng this question At their metyng to hym thus she sayde Shall I quod she for short conclusion Of faythfull harte and true affection To thy presence declare finally Be now receyued as mother or enemy After thine aunswere I must
reioysed all hys life Kept what he redde in his memoriall And of wyse counsaile was none to hym egal An vncle he had ycalled Perycles Which stode in daunger of excessife spendyng Yet in hys youth thys Alcibiades Seyng hys vncle pensiefe in lokyng Cast of wisdom to remedy that thyng And for to aswage hys heartes heuynesse Gaue hym this counsail by great auisenesse Fyrst to rehearse how the matter stode And of hys vncles wofull hygh distresse Ther was to him delynered a sūme of goode To repayre the temple of a goddesse Called Minerna but for the great excesse Of hys dispences he stode somwhat in drede Touching thacoūpt y ◠he muste yelde in dede Alcibiades here vpon musyng To hys vncle gaue counsayle in sentence Vncle quod he let be your thynkyng And for your selfe shape thys diffence Nat for tacoūpt by meane of your prudence Afore prouided with face chere vnfayned To suche duresse that ye be nat constrayned And whan Pericles his coūsaile aduertiseth Fonde to his worshyp it was resonable And by good layser him selfe ful wel auiseth And by prouision prudent and notable Saued hys estate frō eche thyng reprouable So that he stode touching thys matter As for accomptes out of all daunger Alcibiades of Athens chefe capteyne From day to day waxt vp to great encres Suche another was ther no where seyne Them to gouerne bothe in werre pees And all the citye by assent hym chees Of theyr nauy in especiall Vpon the see to be theyr admyrall For his knighthod they sent hym out aferre To Cathenoys to be theyr gouernour Gayne Cyracusenes for to gin a werre First there receiued w t glory gret honoure But in the end of his great laboure Fortune that is aye varyaunt and vnstable Was to this duke nat founde fauourable He was accused to them of the toun Which in Athenes had gouernaunce That he was gilty in party of treason By thē reuoked for al his great puissaunce Of Capitaynship and by their ordinaunce And fortunes false mutabylitie Vnwarely depriued from all dignitie But for him selfe thus he gan prouide Went into exyle not fer from that countre In to a cytie that called was Elyde There for to haue fredom and lyberte And of hys lyfe to stand in suerte For in Athenes they wolde haue him deed Vnto their goddes to offre vp his heed But whan he was of their entent certayne To Lacedemone he toke the ryght way And by relacion there he herd sayne Howe Cathemenses were put to afraye In a batayle vpon a certayne daye Which that they held to their aduersytee Gayne Cathenoys as they fought on the see But the cause of this discomfyture As was tolde Alcibiades Was by thre captayns through misauenture Which in their leading were found recheles The chefe of them named Demosthenes The tother called the story telleth vs The tone Niceas the tother Eurilocus Alcibiades hauyng herof tiding To auenge his wrong put him selfe in prees Of Lacedemon he gothe fyrst to the kyng Which of trouth was called Agydes Beseching him to graunte to his encres Certayne soudyours out of hys countre For to werrey of Athenoys the cyte Thus he waxte stronge of noble prouydence Had great people vnder his gouernaunce And lyke a duke made strong in hys defence The people gadred to his obeysaunce That other princes that wer of hye puisaūce Gan haue enuy of wylful frowardnesse And to malygne agayne hys hyghe noblesse For selde or neuer in any regyon Prowesse of armes noblesse of chyualry Encrease of ryches report of high renoun Fame of connyng in craft or in clergy May no wher dwell without some enuy From whose malyce as folke expert may se Saue only wretches no man hath lyberte For which this prince as put is in memory Escaped nat for all his hygh parage But that some enuyed at his glory For in this life no man hath auauntage Agayne tonges nor odyous false langage To stop such venym this is the best obstacle That mē with suffraūce tempre their triacle The clere prowesse of Alcibiades Stayned the nobles of other prynces al His eure hym raised vp to so great encres To the highest trone of fortunes hall Such fatal grace is vnto hym fal That in tho dayes playnlye this is no fable There was no knight to him resemblable In his exyle so clere his renome shone And through Grece gaue as gret bryghtnes As doth a ruby aboue eche other stone Yet for to clips and shadow his worthynes Lacedemonois dyd their busynesse Such as nat myght to his nobles attayne By false report his renome to restraine Awayt was layd to take him at mischefe And many traynes wer serched out sought Of entent to put him at reprefe But al y ◠euer agayn him they haue wrought At the end the purpose came to nought For God prouideth of his magnificence Agayne such malice to saue innocence He was lykely to fal in great daungere Lacedemonois gan so at hym dysdayne Because his honour nobles shone so clere That to his fone it was a deedlye payne And thus his lyfe stode in no certayne For all be it he manly was and wyse He knew nothinge their purpose nor malyce Hee had almoste ywarned be to late And lyke to haue stand in great perplexitie And more his grace and fortune to abate By thoccasion of hys great beaute He wyth the quene was woxen full priue For in her grace so well stode there none Whiche gaue to him warnyng of his fone And by the counsayle onely of the queene Fro Lacedemon he wysely toke his flight Towarde Athenes thought he wolde sene His owne countre full lyke a manly knyght And though thei had nat gouerned thē a right Towardes hym beyng in distresse To auenge his wronge he dyd thē no duresse For he thought it was agaynst nature To be vengeable or shewe his cruelte By thoccasion of any auenture Or ginne a werre vpon his countre His natiue bloud meued him to pyte And of very naturall gentlynesse Was debonayre agayne their vnkindnesse The case was this for short conclusion How king Dary with great apparayle Thought to werrey of indignation Them of Athenes their towne tassayle And in purpose proudely to preuayle Thessifernes a prince of great puissaunce Of Daries power had al the gouernaunce Final cause and grounde of all this werre That Darius gan on them so hastelye And that he sent his puissaunce from so ferre For to destroy Athenes vtterly Was to holde vp and sustayne the party Of Lacedomone whiche of olde hatrede Were euer enuyous thē to oppresse in dede But by meane of Alcibiades And his treatie founded on prudence Thessifernes enclined to the pees Therby in party to appease his violence And all was done of noble prouidence And fro the place to which he was exiled He to Athenes shoulde be reconciled Vnto the citie he dyd signify How Darius had made his ordinaunce And by his letters he
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
saylyng home towarde his region In a shyp stuffed of their countre Of false enuy they cast him in the see To his noblesse and famous chiualry Whan he of knighthod sate hiest i his flours They of Cartage by hatred enuy Maligned agayne hym chefe sun of their socours Taclipsed his lyght but theragayn auctours Haue by writyng perpetually set his name And it regestred in the house of fame The .vii. Chapter ☞ How Marcus Regulus of hys freewyll dyed for the common wele WHo can tell or reherse the grounde of werres The fyrst cause of suche mortall outrage Whether it began by influence of sterres Twene man and man or of wylfull rage Atwene Romayns and folkes of Cartage To great hyndryng consydred the manere Of both parties as Bochas doth vs lere Italiens therwith were greued oft Namely whan fortune was theyr aduersary And Affricans felt full vnsoft Whan she to them lyst be contrary Whose course of custome stouÌ„dmeale doth vary By experience it hath be proued wele In y e ouerwhelmynge of her vntrusty whele The most worthy and the most famous Afore remembred vpon eche party Fortune to day made them victorious And to morow she dyd theyr myght defye Now vp nowe downe all stode in ieoperdy Lyke as she lyst them fauour nye or ferre Their losse wining called fortune of werre To some well wylled happy and eurous To some also full straunge of acquayntauÌ„ce Reken amonge other Marcus Regulus On Romayne partye a Prynce of great substaunce To be preferred and put in remembraunce One the most worthy true founde in dede Of knyghtly policy that I can of rede To common profit was aye his aduertence Twene loue and hate standyng so vpryght To nouther syde declyned the balaunce Of his domes for fauour of no wyght Tyll that the eye of hys inwarde syght Conceyued had where the trouth stode Than gaue he sentence and theron he abode In all this world ther was no better knight Better named and borne of good linage A semely person delyuer of great might Hardy as Lyon right manly of visage Wal of Romains sharpe yarde to Cartage Demure nat hasty seynge all thyng toforne And in Papinia I fynde that he was borne And for he had so great discretion This worthye knyght thys Marcus Regulus Chosen he was a Consul of the toun And had a felow called Manlius In armes manly wyse and vertuous Whiche for theyr notable hye constaunce Of Romayne werres had the gouernaunce Theyr shyppes stuffed made a great armye Full prudently with knightly apparayle These princes twayne taken haue the see First with Ciciliens had a great batayle Discomfited them at their arriuayle Outrayed Amylchar the story is no fable That was of Affrike capitayne constable Wan in that countre castels many one Toke prisoners stuffe and great rychesse And all that party to Rome he sent anone By Manlius the story beareth witnesse And the Romayns for his worthynesse All of assent because he was so wyse Prolonged haue the terme of hys offyâ—e Of knyghtly noblesse was none to hym lyke Nouther in armes nor politike ordinaunce And for the conquest of Cartage and Affrike To hym they gaue whole the gouernaunce Brought cities townes to the obeysaunce Of the Romayns thys noble worthy knyght Wher euer he rode maugre their foes myght By his faythfull laborous dilygence Gate all the countreys to Cartage toun Tyll tidynges came vnto hys presence Besyde a ryuer there was a great dragon So horrible as made is mencion That al y â— countre of him stode in such doute No man durst neygh hym ferre aboute An hundred fote twayne was hys length Lyke as writeth Tytus Liuius Was none so hardy man nor of suche strength That durste approche he was so venomous But by the manhode of Marcus Regulus Slayne was this monstrous serpent And for a maruayle the skinne to Rome sent Thus in conquest whyle he dyd his payne To get castels myghty stronge towns Agayne hym were sent Asdruballes twayne Called of Affrike the hardy champions With al the power of their regions But as the story maketh rehersayle They were discomfited in battayle Amylchar after came with speare shelde In defence of Affrike and Cartage And he was also distroyed in the felde With all his host maugre his visage Thus Marcus hadde alwaye the vauntage Making y â— Romains this knyght vertuous Through his prowesse to be victorious And where that he in hys tender age Lyst do labour and tyll his owne lande For exercise and vertuous auauntage To hold the plough lede it with his hande Auoyding slouth as ye shall vnderstande Now through Affrike w t many noble knight In stele and mayle he rydeth armed bryght Thus noble Marke what euer he had ado He was in armes souerayne singulere And in the temple at Rome of Appollo For him was kept a crowne of fresh laurere Forged of golde fret ful of stones clere And in the temple of Ioue was reserued A robe of victory which he hath deserued To these goddes who can consider well Of olde custome the ryghtes to mayntene As for a thyng beyng perpetuell Which fadeth neuer of nature thus I mene Ysacred is the freshe laurere grene For causes twayne grauÌ„ted to conquerours In marcial actes by coÌ„quest made victours For the noblesse of this tre diuine Sheweth his odour in wisdome excellence By the grenesse whiche neuer dothe declyne Longe abydyng of vertuous prudence The rounde crowne betokeneth prouidence In signe onely of knyghtly gouernaunce Taketh his guerdon of longe continuaunce Their strength grauÌ„ted them nat the crowne Nor a proude ginninge stablysheth nat theyr But perseueraÌ„ce who list muse roun Graunteth to them and putteth in memory glory The triumphe and palme of theyr victory The crowne of laurer in story it is tolde And of Jupiter the ryche crowne of golde Who can discerne of all these gyftes thre Most appertayneth vnto chyualry Manly prowesse wisdome anone let se Strength hardynesse conquest and policy For the Romans caught a fantasy For his merites notable and glorious To magnifie this Marcus Regulus For this Marcus durynge his lusty yeres Prince of y â— werres gayn Affrike Cartage Toke all their yonge knightes prisoneres Sent them to Rome for common auauÌ„tage But o alas whan he was fall in age The gery goddesse among her chaunges all Agayne thys prince her fauoure dyd appall For to withstand the prowesse of this knyght In helpe of Affrike as made is mencion Came zantipus of whom I spake now right A mighty duke the whiche was sent doun Fro Lacedemone which through his renoun Whan the power of Marchus gan to fayle His meyny slayne toke hym in battayle Into Cartage sent hym prysonere And there he lay in stronge chaynes bounde Lo how fortune chaunge gan her chere Falsest of truste whan she is most iocounde First fauourable after frowarde founde This is her maner with her double face Folke y t syt hyest to chauÌ„ge
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
messangere To helpe Flaccus slayne by great aduersite As he entred in to that countre After whose dethe his party to auaunce Of Flaccus meyny toke the gouernaunce Of presumption without auctorite This Fymbria by dyligent labour Full ferre aboue his state and his degree Toke vpon 〈◊〉 by fortunes false fauour To be called capitaine and Emprour Through al that countre bokes specify Of whose presumpcion Scilla had enuy Pursued him through many a greate citye To a castel made him take hys flyght Where Fymbria of great necessite Constrained was maugre all hys myght Dyspayred for sake of euery maner wyght To slee hym selfe the storye telleth thus Wythin the temple of Esculapius The .vii. chapter ¶ Of Albinius that was slayne with stones ANother Consull stoode in case semblable In his tyme called Albinius Whose hareful pride was abhominable To al folkes lothsome and odious Whiche lyke a rebel wode and furious Agayne Romayns ofter than ones Whan he lest wende slayne was w t stones The .viii. chapter How Adriane borne of lowe degre falsly vsurped to be kyng of Rome whyche w t his chorles was after brent NExt cam Adrian which rose to hie estate Fyrst in Rome borne of lowe degre Chosen sent by the whole Senate To gouerne of Affrike the countre Where of hys owne pompous auctorite Toke vpon him by subtel false workynge Maugre Romayns ther to be crowned king Whom to support shortly to conclude Was a great numbre of the cōmonte Of chorles gadred a confuse multitude Title was none nor grounde but volunte Gentlemen than beyng in that countre All of assent and one opinion Assembled them to his distruction At Vtices a large great cyte Hym and his churles beset rounde aboute Of woode and fagot with large quantite In cōpas wise closed him without Gadred with him of vylayns a great rout Layd on fyre that with flames rede Echone consumed in to ashes deade The .ix. chapter Howe Sinthonius kinge of Trace y t much coueted al forwet died in pouerte NExt Adrian came Sinthonius Tofore Bocas w t teres spreint his face As the story reherseth vnto vs In hys tyme he was kynge of Trace Fal sodainly from fortunes grace Cast downe lowe from his estate royal Which came to Bochas to complayne his fal Whose purpose was if it woulde haue be Seuen realmes to haue cōquered w t his hād That were subget to Rome the cytie And all seuen were of grekes lande Who al coueteth ye shal vnderstande He al forgothe ful wel affyrme I dare At vnset houre wherof eche man beware Long or his conquest was brought to a prefe From her whele fortune cast hym doun The pretor Sēcius brought him to mischiefe Dyed in pouerte as made is mencion And Bochas here maketh a digression Compendiously within a lytell space To discriue the region of Trace The .x. Chapter ¶ Here Bochas in partye maketh a dyscripcion of the kyngdome of Trace and passeth ouer lyghtlye vnto the accōplyshment of his boke TRace whylom a countre of greate fame And contayneth a ful large space And of Tyras it toke fyrst y ◠name Son of Japhet and so was called Trace Whyche many a daye dwelled in that place Towarde Septemtrion plenteous of good Besyde Dynoe the large famous flode Southward Trace renneth the flode Egee Macedone standeth in the Occydent And the kyngdome called Propontide Stant in Trace towarde the Oryent Where great plente of blod was shed spente Whan Sencius through his hye prowesse Kyng Adrian there manly dyd oppresse Ebrus in Trace is the chefe citie As myne auctour maketh mencion I cast not long to tary but in breuite To make of Trace a discripcion And to procede in my translacion After myne auctor which wryteth a lōg proces Of great Pompeye his worthynes The .xi Chapiter ¶ Howe after many great conquestes of Duke Pompeye great warre began bytwene hym and Julyus in whiche thre hūdred thousād were slaine at the last the head of Pōpeye smytten of THys Pompeius of whom the name is couth Wise and worthy famous of prowesse Toke vpō hym in his tendre youth After his father by fortunate duresse Called Pōpeye the story beareth wytnesse Distressed was by sodaine deth commynge As sayeth y ◠story through thūdre lyghtning His host dystroyed by the violence Of vnware tempest lyke as saith the boke Fourty thousand slayne in that pestilence For feare the remenaunt the felde forsoke Til yonge Pōpeye of corage on him toke In his beginning proudely to procede Ful lyke a knyght his fathers host to lede Rome that tyme by theyr dyscencions Among them selfe nye brought to ruyne By the frowarde false diuysions Twene Marius Silla brefely to termine Tyl that a new sonne gan to shyne Of worthynes which shad his light In manly Pompeye the famous knyght This sayde Pompeye thys knyghtly man At his begynnyng through hys chyualrye The proude captayne slough whan he began Whych of Marius helde vp the party Called Brutus which in Lombardy Was by Pōpey thrugh knightly gouernaūce With al hys host brought to mischaunce In hys begynning Pompey eke also To set Romaynes in rest quiete One that was called Gneus Carbo He slew him knyghtly whan he did him mete Whych in Cicyle proudly helde his sete And all the countres about him enuyron Pompey made thē subiect to Rome toun After al this Pompeyus on the see Wyth many a shyp stuffed with vytaile Towarde Affrike made a great armee And there in hast after his arriuaile With Domicius had a great battayle Brought the coūtre throughe his hye renoun To be to Rome vnder subiection He pursued the great myghty kynge Called Jertha to Marius honorable And had also hys royall abydynge In Numidy a countre full notable Againe Pompey hys power was not able For at a Castel as they met in fyght He slewe kynge Jertha lyke a māly knyght Thus in brefe tyme holdyng his passage For cōmon profyte as made is mencion By hys wisedome and knightly hye corage Brought al Affrike to subiection Which stode afore in rebellion To the Romayns but all their sturdines The sayd Pompey dyd in haste redresse The greatest enemy agayne Rome toun Thylke dayes was one Sertorius And of fortune whych is nowe vp now doun On Pompeye ones was victorious But after soone of hym it happed thus Among his meyny fallynge at debate He slayne was in hys most hye estate After the deth of thys Sertorius Came Porpenna Pompeye to assayle And as they mette anone Pompeius Ful lyke a knyght slewe him in battaile Which victory greatly dyd auayle To the Romains after by gouernaunce He brought Spayne to their obeysaunce By auctorite gyue by the Senate This Noble Pompeye for vayle of the cite Vpon the sea would suffer no Pyrate Where euer he came fro hym they dyd flee For wyth his shyppes he scoured so the see And bare hym there so māly with hys hande That maugre thē he brought thē to the land Al
maner of liuyng Of tilth labour to Ianus that was kyng Afore whose commyng tofore as I you tolde Craft was none vsed by no creature Nor no building of houses newe nor olde But liued as beastes their liuelode to recure Lyke as they were learned of nature They coude tho daies make no cloth ne shape Of frosty wethers the greuous colde tescape They were not busy by costfull apparayle Of sundry meates and confections Of diuers drinkes manifolde vitayle To be curious to their refections Marketts were none in cities nor in tounes No man wyth other bought nor solde Tyll Saturne came theÌ„ the maner tolde And whan he had taught them the manere And set an ordre of their gouernaunce There symple people as bokes do vs lere Lyke as to god did their attendaunce w t certaine rightes to do their obseruaunce Worshipped him and after did him call Saturne most myghty of their goddes al. After this Saturne was made a petegre To set an ordre conueied from his lyne Discending downe the maner who list se To one Latinus and so forth to Lauine Which was his doughter as poetes determie Thus by disceÌ„t fro Saturne Faunus Borne of their blode came Vitellius The fyrst knyght borne of that linage Bycause he was manly and ryght famous Had in armes prowesse and great corrage He called was Vitellius Publius And of him came Vitellus Lucius Father to him mine auctour doth expresse Of whom that I haue gonne this processe Diuers stories remembre plainly tell During hys youthe and stode at liberte How this for sayde that called was Vitell Was the most vicious y â— any where might be Yeue to ribaudy and al dishoneste Because of which chauÌ„ged was his name Called Spintour a name of great diffame I finde that he was an hasardour In all his workes passyng riotous For his surfetes great with the emperour That whilom was called Claudius And for his dedes and maners outragious For his great waste and prodigalite Of great dispce he fell in pouerte Amonge his riotes surfetes moe than one Whiche he did in countreis here and there I finde that he for nede solde a stone Which his mother bare whylom at her eare For by olde time was vsed who list lere Women that were that tyme of hye degre Bare at their eares stones and perre And by the sellyng of that rych stone For whych that he receyued great treasour By subtyll workyng sleightes mo than one He gate him trendes was made emperour And therewithall he dyd eke his labour To receyue another dignite To be chefe byshop in Rome the cite And in short tyme thys Vitellius Of th empyre toke on him al the state The sworde receiued of Cesar Julius Vsed a garnement that was purpurate Dempt of him selfe he was most fortunate Not w t staÌ„ding more boldely that time atleest Of Aliensoys holden was the feest Aliensoys was a solempnite Amonge Romaynes kept by dayes olde In freÌ„ch myne auctour recordeth thus parde And in that tyme of custome no man shoulde Nor by statute bounde was nor holde To do no maner occupacion That touched vnto religion Duryng this feast he should haue hys askyng By a custome vsed in that cite And Vitellius as emperour and kyng Asked that time another dignite To be chefe byshop and haue auctorite Of that estate wyth power hole playne No man so hardy to reply theragayne From al vertue Vytel dyd vary Set at nought al wysdome and science Thought vnto him was not necessary CoÌ„ning knighthode maÌ„hode nor prouideÌ„ce Gaue hym onely to slouth and negligence To glotony folowyng his desyres Watche alnyght wyth drinke â—eresoupers Beyng a byshop of their panym lawe Lyke romayne ryghtes doynge their seruise Tofore the goddes he wold him selfe w tdrawe And cast asyde senser and sacrifice And call a boy in ful vngodly wyse A kechyn boye tofore the hye auter And hym coÌ„mauÌ„ded to bryng hym hys dyner Beyng arayed in his pontificail For the maner voyde of deuocion Lyke a ribaude or lyke a wode minstral Euer dronkle we and out of all ceason Gorge vpon Gorge this excessyue gloton Most ydropike dranke oft agayne lust The more he dranke the more he was athrust Thys was a byshop sacred for Sathan And an emperour crowned wyth mischauÌ„ce More lyke in porte a beast than a man Vsed al his power in slaughter vengeauÌ„ce To shed blode was set all hys pleasaunce Takynge no hede nouther of wrong ne right And thus he wexte hatefull to euery wyght Hys soudiours forsoke hym nye echone In al parties by hym where they were sent Through al the countreis of Septemtrion And in al Surry towarde the orient Of one accorde and all of one assent Echone forsoke hym wyth him bode not a maÌ„ And became seruauntes to Vaspasian Vitellius sawe it wolde be none other And for feble of dronknenes and outrage And sawe the power gan fayle of hys brother Whan he had sent and signed the voyage Agayne Vaspasian to holde hys passage But al for nought backward went hys party Stode dyspayred of euery remedy Thus Vitellius vnhappy to the werres Lyke a fordronke vnhappy gloton Whose bost afore raught vp to the sterres Now al hys pryde in mischefe is come doun Fayne for to accord to thys conuencion For litel treasour whych men shoulde hym assygne To Vaspasian th empyre to resygne Thys was his promise but he held it nought What he sayd his worde was neuer stable Certaine flaterers chauÌ„ged had hys thoughte And certayne comoÌ„s that euer be chauÌ„geable Gaue him couÌ„saile sayd hym selfe was able To gouerne thestate imperial And none so able for to reken al. Fyrst of Almayne he sent out soudiours And of presumpcion a newe werre he gan Thought y â— he was amoÌ„ge other werriours Able to fight agayne Vaspasian And of auenture it befell so than In these werres Vaspasians brother Yslayne was it woulde be none other This froward man called Vitellius Vngracious euer founde in hys entent Smyt of the head of the sayde Fabius Brother of VaspasiaÌ„ and to Rome it sent And after that the Capitoyle he brent But suynge on within a lytel space Among Romayns he lost both hap grace Of hys riot what shoulde I more entrete For except riot nothynge of hym I rede His coke his pastelere folke were most mete To serue his lustes and appetites to fede Forsoke him not but went wyth hym in dede Toward Champayne ryght as any lyne Vp to a hyll called Auentyne Standing in hope but that was but in vayne Of Vaspasian the fauour to recure Euyn to Rome retourned is agayne The palays entred there him selfe to assure Hauyng with him none other creature The gates shyt whych was to him shame Take at the last forsoke hys owne name Halfe naked he was and halfe clad Al alone lyke as he was founde So in the citie afore the people lad Both his handes behynde hys backe bounde With mighty chaines and
thyrein and she is called slouth An euident token of frowarde slogardye Vpon thy bed thy limmes so to dresse Ryse vp for shame for I can well espy Folke that can grone and fele no sycknesse Their chamberlayne is called ydlenes which layth thy pyllow at â—ue and morrowe Voyd her from the and let her go with forow To all vertue froward and contrary Is ydlenesse here in this present life which hath the draw away fro thy lybrarye Wyll the not suffer to be contemplatyfâ— For her condycion is to holde stryfe With euery vertuous occupacion which men shuld voyde of wysdom and resoÌ„ In this mater what shuld I long tary Thyslombre leaue and vp thine eine dresse The boke I made of life solytarye Remembre theron the which in sykernes Teacheth the way of vertuous busynes By and by who list rede euery lyne Of contemplacion moral and diuyne As I sayd erst yet lyft vp thy loke Forsake thy bed ryse vp anone for shame Woldest y â— rest nowe vpon thy seuenth boke And leaue the eight in soth thou art to blame Procede forth and get thy self a name And with one thyng do thy self comforte As thou deseruest men after shal reporte Make a comparison twene derknes lyght Twene ydlenes and occupacion Twene fayre dayes and the cloudy nighte Twene a cowards prowesse and hye renoun Twene vertuous speche false detraction And to conclude all vices to represse Contrary to slouthe is vertuous busynesse Vertuous busines O Bochas take hede Reneweth all thynges of olde antiquite Maketh men to lyue after they be dead Remember the nobles of many a great citye And ne were writers al were gone parde Wherfore Bochas syth y â— art nere the lande Suffre not thy shyp to stomble on the sande I meane as thus the shyp of thy trauayle Which hath passed the se of bokes seuen Cast not ankre tyll thou haue good â—â—â—ayle Let no tempest of thundre nor of â—eum Nor no wyndes of the cloudye heuen Nor no fals â—aÌ„glers of demers the will bliue Depraue thy laboure and let thy ship to ariue Haste on thy way let grace crosse thy sayl Fall on no lande of wilful neglygence Let good wyll be chefe of thy counsayle To gye thy rother set entyre diligence If vitayle â—ayle and wine to thy dispence yet at the last thynke forth y â— socour Some royal prince shal quite the thy labour Thinke by writing auctors did theyr payne To yeue princes theyr commendations To Remuâ— Romulus called fouÌ„ders twain Of Rome towne and of two Scipions The kinghthode Prudence of two Catons Of Iulius Pompey and Hanybal eke also By ensample of whome loke that thou do so Of Prophetes they wrote the prophesies And the noblesse of olde Moyses Of poetes the laure at poesies The force of SaÌ„pson y â— strength of Hercules Of two grekes Pyrrus and Achylles By their wryting bokes say the same Vnto this day yet endureth the name And he that can and ceaseth for to wryte Notable ensamples of our predecessours Of enuye men wyll him atwite That he in gardayns let peryshe the holsome floures In sondry wyse that might do great socours Labour for other and spare not thy trauayle For vertuous labor agayn slouth doth auaile â–ª A thing remembred of antiquite Is whan there is set a fayre ymage Of a prince of hye or lowe degre Or of a person a prynte of his visage Gladdeth his frende quicketh his corage And semblably by example men may fynde Things forgotten by writing come to minde â–ª And for to make our names perdurable And our merites to put in memory Vices to eschewe in vertue to be stable That labour may of slouth haue the victorye To clayme a see in the heuenly consistory Dispyte of ydlenes and forthering of vertue Fyne of our labour be yeue to Christ Iesu. Whan Petrark had reherced this lesson In rebuking of vicious ydelnes Bochas supprised and moued of reason Rose from his couche and gan his pen dresse well ouercame the impotent feblenes Of croked age that Bochas vndertoke For to accomplyshe vp his eight boke I following after for dulled for rudenesse More than thre score yeres set my date Luste of youthe passed his freshnes Colours of rethorike to helpe me translate were faded away I was borne in Lydgate Wher Bacchus lycour doth full scarsly flete My drye foule for to dewe and weâ—e Though passed age hath fordulled me Tremblynge ioyntes let my hande to wryte And fro me take all the subtylte Of curious makyng in englyshe to endyte yet in this labour truelyme to acquite I shal procede as it is to me due In these two bokes Bochas for to sue FINIS ¶ The firste Chapter ¶ Howe the proude tiraunte Domician Emperoure of Rome and manye other Emperoures and Nobles for their outrages and wretchednes mischeuouslye ended BBrother to Titus sonne of Vaspacian Came next iordre as writeth mine autour The proude ambicious called Domician That was in Rome crowned Emperour An extorcioner and a false pillour Proudly coÌ„maunded in his estate vp stalled Of all the worlde he shulde a God be called Thrugh hye presuÌ„pcion of him it is eke tolde Nether of tymber koruin nor of stone Set vp images of syluer and of golde In token there was no God but he alone In to Pathmos he exyled eke saynt Iohn And agayne cristen the seconde next Neron That began first the persecucion This same tyraunt reignyng in his estate To all the citye was passinge odyous Best and most worthy he sâ—ewe of the senate And vnto all that were vertuous Mortall enemy and moste malicious And for slaughter of senatours in the toune Asked the triumph as made is mencyon Made amonge iewes by ful great outrage where as he had greatest suspicion To slee al tho that were of the lynage Of Dauids kinred and of kinge Salomon Least he were put out of dominacion Amonge iewes this was hys meanynge Slewe all tho that was borne to be kyng Amyd the palays as God wolde of right Punysh a tyraunt and quite him hys mede This Domician was slayne vpon a nyght His caraine after vnburyed as Irede And Comodus doth after him succede whiche was all yeue by fleshly appetite To leaue all vertue and folowe his delyte Theatre playes of custome he did vse As was the custome there and the vsage His life in vices he falslye did abuse In lecherous lustes spent al hys yonge age To the romaynes did ful great domage For of the senate that were moste vertuous were falslye slayne by this Comodus In his time by stroke of thunder dente And firye lightning y â— came down fro heuen The common lybrary was of the cyte brente Wyth royall bokes of all the craftes seuen Bokes of poetes mo then I can neuyn And Comodus breuely to termyne was slayn and strangled by hys concubyne Helinus Pertynax came nexte on the ringe Ordained after Emperour of that toun Olde and vnweldy â—lame in his ginning After whom
laboure with many a straunge forayne soudyoure Hauynge no title nor commyssion Contynued longe in hys rebellyon Wherof astonied was Dioclisian Seyng this mischefe dredful and perillous Ordayned in haste that Maximian Was surnamed and called Herculius Made hym emperour called Agustus Whiche had a fore no more gouernaunce But Gaule whiche now is called Fraunce Also more ouer this Dioclisian Made in thys whyle gouernours twayne Constancius and one Maximian Surnamed Galerius Cōstancius i certayn In this whyle to wedde he dyd his payne Doughter of Maximian called Herculius Named the odora myn auctor writeth thus By Theodora this Constancius Had sixe children in trewe mariage Broder to Cōstātyne y ◠cronicle telleth thus Whiche afterwarde when he came to age For his manhode and marciall corage Was chose and made Lord and gouernour Of all the worlde and crowned emperoure Carausius which had ful seuen yere Lyke as I tolde rebelled in Bretayne Agaynst the romayns a great extorcionere A knighte Allectus that did at hym disdayne Murdred him and after did his payne By force only and extort tyranny Fully thre yeres his place to occupye Tyll Asclepio was sent from Rome doun Slewe Allectus maugre all his myght ▪ Brought all Bretayne to subiection Of the romayns lyke as it was ryght And in this while like a manly knight For Italiens gan romayns disobey Constancius gan proudly them werrey He first wyth them had a stronge batayle His meyay slayne and put to the flighte Trustyng on fortune he gan thē efte assayle And sixty thousand were slayne in the fight The felde was his thrugh fortunes might As she that coude dissymule for a whyle And afterwarde falsly him begyle I wyll passe ouer as brefely as I can Set a syde all forayne incidentes Resorte agayne to Dioclisian Which at Alisaūdre proudly pytched his tentes The captaine slewe gaue commaund emēts To his knightes to do their auauntage With the cite by robbynge and pyllage Can agayne christen great persecucion Vsed this tyranny in the Orient By his bydding Maximian came doun Towarde the parties of the Occident Bothe these tyrauntes wrought by assent Vnder whose sworde many martyr deyes Slayn in Octodorū the legion of Thebeies At Verolamye a famous olde cyte Saynt Albou slaine his legend doth so tell And in Rome by furious crueltye The pope slayne that called was Marcel By their statutes and by their domes fell Churches were brent in townes and cyties Lost their fraunchise and al their liberties Frowarde enemy he was to Christes lawe Made many a martyr to dye for his sake Wext feble and olde and gan him withdraw From occupacion his rest for to take His attorney Maxymyan he dothe make In his last age it is reherced thus Stode in great drede of Constantius The drede of him sate so nye his hearte And thervpon toke suche a fantasy Imagining he might not start By fraud of him but that he shuld dye Almoste for fere fyll in a frensye Of which drede the boke maketh mencion He slewe him selfe by drinkyng of poison As I tolde erst in the Occident Maximian called Herculius Reygned as Emperour euer in hys entent To pursue martyrs he was aye laborus Of whose byrth Bochas foūd no auctoures This to saye he coude neuer rede Where he was borne nor of what kynrede He findeth no more of this Maximian Of his vsurpynge in esspeciall But that he was by Dioclisian Set in dignite called imperiall Famous in armes prudent and marcial Daunted al tho that did againe him striue Slewe Gencyans called in nomber fiue Rode in Affrike lyke a conquerour Broughte to subiections the sturdy nacions Fortune that time did him such fauoure Gate Sarmatoise with other regions with other cities and many riche towns By his conquest of new that he hath won Through y ◠world his name shone like y ◠son He was cheryshed in armes from hys youth And did greate emprises for Rome the cytie Yet Dioclisian as it is well couthe Counsayled him resigne his dignitie But he was lothe to forsake hys see Syth he was Lord and gouerned al For to renounce his state imperiall But by assent of Dioclisian As he him selfe had left the gouernaunce Euen so thys Maxymyan Discharged him self of his royal puissaunce But afterwarde he fyll in repentaunce And busy was as dyuers bokes sayne The state of Emperour to recure agayne Which for to acheue he dyd his diligence He was distourbed by Galerius For his sonne that called was Maxence Put in possession myn auctour writeth thus To which thing he gan wexe enuyous And gan ordeyne meanes in hys thought To trouble him but it auailed nought Whan his purpose myght take none auayle Againe Maxence as Bochas doth discryue His daughter Fausta that knew his coūsail Discured his purpose for which he fled bliue Into Gaule and durst no lenger striue And by Constantius in Marcile the cite Slayne sodenlye lost al his dignite The .viii. Chapter Howe Galerius oppressed martyrs and Christes fayth and myscheuously ended NExt tofore Bochas came Galerius A man disposed to ryot and outrage Euel teached frowarde and vicious There is no story that speketh of hys lynage Yet was he set ful hye vpon the stage Of worldly dignyte rose vp to hye estate Yet in his ginning he was not fortunate He was sent out by Dioclisian And made emperour by hys auctorite Agayne Narseus the proud knightly man Reignyng in Perce and Lord of that coūtre Whiche helde werre with Rome the cyte For which Galerius toke on him this emprise wyth myghtye hande hys pryde to chastyse Galerius entred into Derce lande Kinge Narseus met him of auenture Had a strong batayle fought hand for hande His fortune such he might not endure On Galerius fyll the discomfyture Clad in purple as made is mencyon Of Dioclisian receyued hys guerdon At their meting anone or they were ware Dioclisian made him to abide To his confusyon sytting in his chare To walke on fote by the chares syde Wyth many a rebuke abated was his pryde Galerius for the great shame Gan seke a meane agayne to get hys name Came for to assemble hys old soudiours Made for his ordinaūce by diligent workig Chase out the best proued warryours With a great hoste to Perce he came ryding and ofte there fought with the king That the perciens maugre al theyr myght Were of Galerius that dai put to flight The felde was his he gate greate riches Robbed their tentes and wan there pillage In this resort receiued in sothnes In great nobles because of that voyage Thus can fortune chaunge her vysage Of Dioclisian where he stode in disdaine wyth newe tryumphe resorted is agayne This cloudy quene stādeth neuer in certain whose double whele quauereth euer in dout Of whyse fauour no man hath be certayne Though one haue grace another is put out Let euerye man as it cometh about Take his tourne and neuer in her assure Faylynge in armes is but auenture Thus Galerius
Of surquedie that he was so contrary And for the place was wilde and solitarye Of thys Senaar and furious sauage Nembroth gan to feble fal in great age And yet some bokes of him specifye He waxte froward of hys condicion And was fyrst grounde of ydolatrie And fynder vp of false religion Causynge people to haue an opinion Goddes to worshyp in Panimes wyse Founder of rightes and of false sacrifyce Towarde Perce chese hys dwellynge place The whych countre is in the Orient That hys lordshyp shuld stretch a great space He bounded hym into the Occident For Perce lande hath hys extent Toward the parties of the Reed see And thys lande Perce who so lyst to se As bokes olde remembre put in mynde How that Perce costeth inuiron Septemtrion and the great Inde And many another myghtye region Where Nembroth had first dominacion Whyche extendeth as bokes specifye Out of Mede into Germanye But in lordeshippes as myne auctour sayeth Without that vertue be their true guyde In them there is surauÌ„ce none ne fayeth Thynge that passeth may no whyle abyde Wherefore Bochas in a spyte of pryde And in rebukynge of al folkes proude Makyng his coÌ„playnt cryeth to theÌ„ ful loude The .iii. Chapiter ¶ An exclamacioÌ„ of Bochas ayenst al proude men shewynge howe God maye them and their pryde abate whan hym best lyste by manye dyuers meanes and wayes punyshe and chaslyce ME al proud most ryal in your floures Whych that most trust to reygne long Dresseth vp youre roches and youre towres And ayenst God make youre selfe stronge And let your power proudly vnderfonge Your selfe wyth pryde for to magnifye Ayenst the heuin to holde the champartye Buyld vp your castles reyse them vp tyghte Of Adamantes wyth yron stronge ybounde With square stones large and huge of hyght Reyse vp your walles most mighty profouÌ„d And shit your duÌ„geoÌ„s w t mighty chenes rouÌ„d Lette men of armes who euer wake or slepe Nyght and daye your watche so straitly kepe As god ne man in your opinions Your fortresses myghte not assayle Your Castels ne your stronge dungeons Stuffed wyth men plenty of vytayle Lyke to stande euer and neuer for to fayle As god not might ayenst your false puissauÌ„ce WhaÌ„ euer hym lyst of right to do vengeaunce Set afore youre eyen that ben blynd The monstruous werke of greate Babilone The pride of NeÌ„broth that was put behinde Maugre his mighte his towre smyt doun For al the craft of werkemen and mason Distroied was with a sodayne leuin To auenge hys pryde sent a downe fro heuin For though your strengthes so assured be That none engyne may thereto attayne Gunne ne Bumberdes by no subtilte Shot of arowblast ne touche of dundayne Yet god that is lord and souerayne Which lyche desertes can both spyl saue May confounde it with an erth quaue Myne auctour asketh what castel or towre May be so stroÌ„ge made in any wyse But that by meane of some false traytoure Or by some way that he can deuyse It may be lost or solde for couetise And deliuered for al the stronge bondes Into the power of their enemies handes Or by some other sodayne aduenture Castels cities and many a riche towne Haue be lost they might not them assure For to resist ayenst false trayson Sume haue be lost also by rebellion And all these meanes the truth to begyn Is but punishynge whyche god sent for syn God hath a thousande handes to chastyse A thousande dartes of punicion A thousande bowes made in diuers wyse I thousande arowblastes bent in hys doÌ„geoÌ„ Ordeyned echeon for castigacion But where he findeth mekenes repentauÌ„ce Mercy is maistresse of his ordinaunce Ye that bene wyse considereth howe the rote Of vices al is pride ye may well se Pulleth him downe and putteth vnderfote And taketh your counceyl of humilitie And if ye list to stande in surete Byldeth in hert for more sekernesse A towre of vertues grounded on mekenesse Whose masonry is of no costage Of vertues grounde and soueraine Blastes of wyndes and of weders rage Neyther no tempest hasty ne sodayne Pompe ne blast though they do their payne This vertue mekenesse for to vndermyne They be to feble to make her to enclyne For where mekenesse is grounded verily Though he somtime fele aduersite He passeth ouer and suffreth paciently And venquisheth all maner enmytie The assaute also and the contrariosite Of infortune and of worldly trouble And of victory conquereth a Palme double And tho mekenes amiddes the flodes flowe Of worldly mischefe and persecucion Whyle pacience in her bote doth rowe Tho froward waues tosse her vp and downe A calme shall folowe of consolacion Whan sterne windes their blastes haue laid lowe The name of mekenesse shal shewe be well knowe She may be troubled but ouercome neuer And for a tyme she may suffre werre But at the ende she vanquisheth euer On land and see whether she be nere or ferre To the hauâ—â— of life she was the lode sterre I take recorde of the humilite Of Mary so blessed mote she be The rote of mekenes floureth vp so faire Whose beaute dredeth no tribulacions In somer ne wynter her floures not apayre And her frute lasteth in all maner seasons Pryde may assayle with his bostful sownes And finally for her encrease of glory With humblenes she wynneth the victorye ¶ Lenuoye Ofolkes al that this tragedies rede Haueth to me kenes amonge youre aduertence Of proude Nembroth also taketh hede How that he fel from his magnificence Onely for he by sturdy violence List of malice the mighty lorde assayle But in such case what myght his pride auayli Noble princes which this worlde do possede Ye that be famous of wysdome and science And haue so many subiectes that you drede In gouernaunce vnder your excellence Let your power with mekenes so dispence That false pride oppresse not the poreyle Which to your nobles so muche may auayle Pride of Nembroth dyd the brydel lede Which him conuayed with great insolence Pride apertayneth nothynge to manhede Saue in armes to shewe his presence Wherfore honour laude and reuerence Be to mekenes that hath the gouernaile Of al vertues which man may most auayle The .iiii. Chapter How many yeres was betwixt Adam and Nembroth and bitwixte Nembroth and Cadmus of other kinges THese olde poetes w t their sawes swete Ful couertly in their verses do fayne How old Saturne was suÌ„timne king of Crete And of custome dyd hys busy payne And of his goodnes list to ordayne That he shoulde as of his nature Echon deuoure as by his ingendrue In this mater shortly to soiorne To vnderstande of poetes the processe They meane plainly that this word Saturne Doth in it selfe nothinge but Time expresse And Philosophers bere also wytnes That as in tune forth euery thing is broght So time ayenward bryngeth al to nought Clerkes also recorde in their wrytinge Vnder support as I dare reherse How that
fyre wasteth euery thynge And yron herd doth neshe thynges perce If ought abideth y ◠they may not transuerce Yet cōmeth time and by continuaunce It al consumeth with his sharpe launce His sharpe toth of consumpcion In stil wise doth his busy cure For to aneantise in conclusion Al thynge that is brought forth by nature By long abydyng ye may thē not assure For olde thynges deuoured men may se Ferre out of mynde as they neuer had be Who can or maye remembre in any wise The glorious prowesse of these princes olde ▪ Or the noblesse of Philosophers wyse ▪ Or of poetes their feyning to vnfolde ▪ Processe of yeres alas as I you tolde Deuoured hath their name their noblesse Derked their renoune by foryetfulnesse Thus of their names is left no memory Tyme w t his rasour hath done so greate vengeaunce Shauen away the honor glory Of many noble ful mighty of puissaunce That there is left nowe no remembraunce Of princes poetes ne Philosophers For whan y ◠deth nailed them in their cofers Cam time vpon and by processe of yeres Their memory hath dusked their minde And reuolucion of the heuenly spheres By oft turnyng their glory hath left behind Thus euery thinge whiche subget is to kind Is in this life without more auauntage wasted with time and processe of long age In the first time from Adam to Noe Prudent listers which list in bokes to rede Founde of fortune no mutabilite Neither of her chaūge they toke the no hede But from Adam there rekened ben in dede Vnto Nembroth by turnynge of the heuen A thousand yeres .vii. hundred and eleuen In which space who that considereth wel There ben no thinges writen in especial Digne of memory ne spoken of neuer a del which that ben notable ne historial But fro the time Nembroth had a fal Vnto Cadmus the yeres to conteine They were a M. iiii hundred and fourtene Touchinge this Cadmus as Bochas list endite It is rehersed b◠Rethoriens Howe one Vexores in bokes as they write was made first a kinge of the Egipciens whan Philosophers and nigromanciens Began first taboūde their renoune tauaūce Nachor y ◠time hauyng y ◠gouernaūce Of the Ebrues as made is mencion After Nembroth by true rehersayle Thre hundred yere by computacion Foure score .xii. which time it is no fayle That Vexores begā warres great bataile Of volunt ayenst straunge nacions And to conquere Cityes borowes townes By force only without title of ryght He wan al Egipt to encrease his name But for al that who lyst to haue a sight There is nowe left no reporte of his fame Saue Bochas wryteth howe he first dyd attame Hys mighty conquest of intencion That the glory and the high renoune Ascriued were vnto his worthynes And the residue and surplusage Of golde treasure of good and of richesse Turne should to common auauntage Of al hys people that euery maner age Report mighte it was to him more nerre Aboue singularite his cōmon to prefer Also Tanais of Cithie fyrst kynge Whan Sarneke was duke and souerayne Ouer the Iewes by recorde of writynge Two hundred yere .xl. also and twaine After Nēbroth this Tanais gan ordayne A mighty power a stronge battaile Them of Cithye proudly to assayle Conqueryng from thens vnto the yle Called Ponte in a ful cruel wyse And though his lordship lasted but a whyle All that he wan was for couetise And as Bochas doth of thys folke deuise Proces of yeres for al their great puissaunce Hath put their names out of remembraunce Zoroastes also for all his great myght Of Bactrians kyng and possessoure Lorde of Trace and a full myghty knyght Of all his dedes and his great laboure Of his conquest ne of his great honoure Is nothing left of writyng vs beforne Saue y t he lough the houre y t he was borne He began full sone for to be mery With sodaine laughter at his natiuitie And worthy Ninus that was kyng of Assiry Expowned his laughter to great felicitie The which Ninus wan many a fayre coūtry And day by day his power gan encrease For which he would not of his cōquest cease For this is the maner of these conquerours Whan they haue had in armes victory Do their might their paine their labours With newe emprises to be put in memory For their courage surprised w t vayne glorye Can not be styll content in their estate Till their Parady say to them checkmate Fortune of armes in bokes ye may read With a false laughter on folkes dothe smyle She frowarde euer ere they can take hede Of nature will falsely them begyle Conquest by warre lasteth but a while For who by death dothe sturdy vyolence God will by death his vengeaunce recōpence This worthy Ninus gan mightely preuayle Ayenst zoroastes of whom I spake tofore For he with hym fought last in battayle In whiche Ninus hath him so well ybore That zoroastes hath the felde ylore And he was aucthour as bokes specify Of false Magyke and Nygromancy He fonde the nature of euery element Their kindely workyng their mutacions The course of starres and of the firmamente Their influences their dispositions Their aspectes and their coniunctions Wrote in pillers deuised of metall The seuen sciences called liberall Also in pillers of Brycke full harde ybake There were vp set longe large and huge He began also write them and vndertake To make them sure as for their refuge That they shoulde by floude ne deluge Defaced ben as of their scripture But in their grauyng perpetuall endure But though zoroastes these craftes out fond Full little ornought it myght to him auayle And though he were a good knight of his hōd He was of Ninus slayne in batrayle Lost his realme and royal apparayl And Ninus dyed within a litle throw But in what wise the story is not knowe Also Moydes kyng of Sodome I fynde of him no memory by writyng Saue in a story as men may reade and se He and his people were freell in liuynge But he that was of Assiriens kyng Through false Fortune that can so oft vary To Babylon made them tributary We haue sene and redde also The vengeaunce and the pestilence Done in Egypt to kyng Pharao For that he made a maner resistence Ayenst God of wilfull insolence Therfore his people vpon a day and he Were drent echone in middes of the see The people of God ledde by Moyses Without trouble of any maner wawe Went echone in quiet and in peas And Pharao as he gan after drawe Them to pursue by a full mortall lawe In his pursuite forward was atteynt Among the waues with his host and dreynt In Exodi ben these mencions Ceriouslye put in remembraunce The. xii plages and persecutions In Egypt done by full great vengeaunce And of their treasour their great substaūce They were dispoyled by Ebrues it is tolde Of their vessels of siluer and of
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
odious found of all Our crueil dedes wrought on eyther syde Senecke reherceth them in especiall In his tragedies and there he dothe deuide Our complayntes our malice and our pryde Our fatall ende in sorow and mischefe fyned Whan Attropos our liues threde vntwyned Whan John Bochas fully had espied Of these two brethren the accusations And how they had maliciously replyed Eche agaynst other in their discentions He began duly to heare their mocions Put vp his pen wrote not more a word Of their fury ne of their false discorde ¶ Lenuoy THis tragedy sheweth a fygure A maner of ymage and also likenes How contrary it is vnto nature Bloude vnto bloud to shew vnkyndnes This wofull story can well beare witnes All such debates ben as ye shall fynde Hatefull to God and contrary vnto kynde For there is no more dreadfull aduenture Than in kynred to fynde frowardnes Neither no domage more perilous tendure Than in frēdshyp whan there is straūgenes A maner party by example I dare expresse To se the tree debate agaynst the rynde To God right hateful and contrary to kynd Euery beast and euery creature Loueth his sēblable of kynde right I gesse And whā in one truth doth tway harts assure Vndeparted of very perfitenes It were a vycious frowarde cursednes ▪ Their loue to vnknytte to lose or vnbinde Hatefull to God and contrary vnto kynde Princes pryncesses do your busy cure Frō you to auoyd strife fraude doublenes Remember you vpon the vnhappy cure Of these two brethrē and their wretchednes And of their bothe malicious wilfulnes And of their strife haue this well in mynde To God right hatefull and contrary to kind ¶ The .xii. Chapter ☞ Of duke Thesius and Ariadne that saued his life in a caue and how he like a forsworne man forsoke her and wedded fayre Phedra which after slewe her selfe A Thenes whan it was in his floures Was called nourish of philosophers wise Princesse of poetes and expert oratours Sūme of all sciences as clarkes can deuise Whence all cunnyng most clearely did aryse Named of Grece the lanterne and the light Which through al erth shed his bemes bright With noble titles which ben out of number In euery coast his renome did shyne The fame therof was clipsed w t none vmber All other scholes it did so enlumine For in that citye plamely to determine Of the .vii. artes as frō one head did spring As out of riuers streames of all cunuyng These sciences were called liberall Onely of fredome fraunchise and libertie For of a stocke that were proued thrall There should no braunch study in that citye But the ilke bloude that were founde free Bothe by discent and liniall high noblesse There to scholey should haue entresse This citye was sacred to Mynerue For their wisdome and their sapience Of Mercury the feastes they obserue For rethorike and for eloquence And mighty Mars gaue them influence With glad aspectes their party to amende Nobles of knighthode their cleargy to defēd This toune was nobled bi title of other thinges And most glorious rekened in that age By succession of dukes and of kynges Among which duke Thesius by lynage Sonne of Egistus full freshe in his courage Excellyng all of prudence and manhede That euer did the crowne there possede For to that citye through his noblesse In their defence such trust such affiaunce He gaue to them by his expert prowes Of his triumphes so great aboundaunce And specially their renome to auaunce He made them free their truage to lete Ayenst Mynos the mighty kyng of Crete For by his force the story is well couthe Them to franchise and all that region The Mynotaur he slough in tender youth And afterwarde he of deuocion To acquite him selfe like a champion Therof made solemne sacrifice To Jupiter in most humble wise And of a Theatre called Maraton Duke Theseus had the victorye After he went to Colchos with Jason Chiefe of counsayle as made is memory And by processe to augment his glory With Hercules his brother to conucy Agaynst Amasones he went to warrey Conquered them his manhode was wel sene His force his noblesse in that mortall stryfe And after that Ipolita the quene This Theseus toke vnto his wife And for his brother he ieoparded his lyfe Duke Perithous whan he did vndertake The Centaures to outray for his sake This Centaures poetes specifye And Seruius maketh mencion How they were sumtyme engendred on a sky Whan first their father called Ixion Was enamored full many a day agone Vpon Juno because she was so fayre Gouernesse and goddesse of the ayre This Ixion was her secretary And for her fayrenes and excellent beauty Loued her hote albeit she was contrary To his desire Bochas read and ye may se Him to delude he writeth how that she Her selfe transformed as she y ◠might could Into the likenes of an heauenly cloude This Ixion playnly supposyng It was her selfe and euen thus he wrought The cloude embracyng w tout more tatiynge Of his foly the goddesse there he sought And w t their medlyng forth they brought The Centaures these beastes matuelous Whiche of nature ben founde monstruous Halfe mā halfe horse departed thus in twain And wonderfull by their discription Of false malyce did them selfe ordayne On Pirithous to make enuasion And him to put out of possession Of his wife called Ipodamen And her to rauishe maugry all his men There were of thē an hundred in number Swift as the winde in their course runnyng Whiche of malyce cast them to encumber Duke Pirithous the day of his weddyng And to rauysh his wyfe at their commyng If for his party there were no defence Agaynst their power to make resistence But Theseus lyst not to delay Pirithous his brother to defende First the Centaures knyghtly he did outray So mortally they durst not him offende After the conquest to hell they did descende Duke Pirithoe and worthy Theseus Maugry the daunger of cruell Cerberus There they rauished in their mortall tene Through their knyghthode if ye list to lere Despite of Pluto Proserpina the quene Whiche of Jupiter was the daughter dere And Pirithous founde first the manere Of wilfull force through his high renoun Realmes to conquere and hold in possession But by writyng sothly of Duyde He playnly telleth how duke Theseus Arested was in hell and must abyde By the force of cruell Cerberus And Pluto was to hym contrarious Tyll Pirithous to fynde a relees The case declared vnto Hercules Whiche of his knighthode a remedy founde To helpe his frende did his busy paine First by his prowes Cerberus he bounde At hell gates wyth a treble chayne And of his manhode he did so ordayne Duke Theseus from daunger to discharge Maugry of Pluto for to go at large They were in armes brethren bothe twayne Loued as brethren bothe in warre and pees That neither coulde vnto other frayne Their life to ieopard and put thē self in prees And both
hye renounes And of their loue write a great history And how they conquered diuers regions Gouerned cities countreyes also townes Tyll fortune their prowes did appall To shew their suger was meint w t bitter gal Prynces pryncesses se how deceptory Ben all these worldly reuolutions And how fortune in her reclinatory With her treacle tempreth false poysons So marueilous ben her confections Of frowardnes she wyll what so befall Euer with her suger of custome temper gall ¶ The .xiii. Chapter ¶ Here Bochas writeth agaynste them that geueth hastye credence to lyers and flatterers IN this chapter Bochas in sentence Repreueth blameth not onely princes But all them that lyghtly geueth credēce To euery tale and fable whiche is Reported vnto them for sothfastnesse And list nothing do as it were due To proue the truth were it false or true All though so be in euery maner age Folkes ben diuers of condicions To turne plye and chaunge in their courage To outher party with sodayne mocions And for to bowe by transmutations With euery wynde as the vnstable leaues Which hang on trees in forestes in greues But of al chaūges y ◠chaunge is most to drede And most fearfull is that variaunce Whā that princes whych may the people lede Ben founde vnstable in their gouernaunce For their nobles and their hye puissaunce Assureth them by a maner of forme What euer thē list to accomplyshe performe To cōmen profite they most may aueyle Whan they ben ruled by wisdome and reason And to the people they may most disaueyle Whan they lacke wytte and discrecion Thus betwene twayne in euery region The people draweth who that can discerne To good or badde as prynces them gouerne They may not be to hasty ne to sodayne But do all thyng by good aduisement Kepe thē fro tonges y t parted be in twayne Not be to hasty to geue no iudgement And of folkes whan they ben absent Lieue no tales ▪ neither geue no credence Tyll that the party may come to euidence Sumtime hath happed that slowe credence Hath in some be founde full noyons But hasty credence I dare say in sentence A thousande folde is more perillous For vnaduised all haste is odious For haste full oft for lacke of reason Of muche people hath ben destruction There is no domage that men can purpose More to be dradde nor more lamentable Than a prynce his eares to vnclose To euery tale and euery fable It is a token their hartes be not stable Whan they to flatterers their eares do apply Namely to suche that can well forge lye Folke ben diuers some false some true In diuers studies done their busines Some can study and finde out tales newe And some for lucre can maintayne falsenes And holde vp quarels ayenst ryght wisenes Pretendyng truth vnder a false entent To hinder folkes whiche ben innocent Men to suppose it were a great folye That folkes shoulde in their opinion Speake or pronounce all on one party Or holde one way in their intencion For semblably as there is a diuision Of courages of hye or lowe degre So is there truly a great diuersitie In rehearsall or report of a thing For to his party eche man is fauourable Some man can say well in al his rehearsyng Some man is double and some disceauable Some men say true and some be variable Wherfore a prynce of ryght as it doth seme Should well examen before that he deme For there is none more dreadfull pestilence Than a tonge that can flatter and fage For wyth his cursed crabbed vyrulence He enfecteth folke of euery age Wo to tonges froward of their langage And wo to tonges false furious and wode Which of no person neuer can say good Bochas rehearseth it is right well sittyng That euery man other do commende And say the best alway in reportyng For in well saiyng no man may offende Where men say well god will his grace send After as men be mē must their praise vpraise Like their merites alowe them or disprayse But where a thing is vtterly vnknowe Let no man there be hasty of sentence For ryghtfull iudges sittyng on a rowe Of their wisdome and of their hye prudence Will of trouth haue first some euidence I meane such as gouerned be by grace Or any dome forthe of their lippes pace A prynce should assemble thinges twayne Within him selfe full prudently Shut vp the domes betwene lockes twayne One of the soule to reason for that party Prudence chosen and right for the body And betwene them bothe or he geue sentence To counsayle call truth and good conscience First to consider wyth euery circumstaunce And diligently do theron his laboure Of discrecion to take the balaunce And first wey out who is the accusour And whether that he for falsenes or fauoure In his processe list to procede Hereof a prynce must of ryght take hede He must also consider by and by What he is that to him is accused And whether the accusour be frend or enemy Or whether he shal be accept or refused In his actes this must afore be mused And whether he be by report of his name A man well noysed or slaundred by diffame If Thesius thus had ben auysed And considered of reason the manere He had not so hastely deuised His sonnes death like as ye shall leare For if there had assembled be in fere In his person prudence and reason He shoulde haue sene in his descrecion By knowlegyng of long experience Of his wyfe the great vnstedfastnes Which through her false compassed eloquence Was ready euer to bryng folke to distresse And in his writyng Bochas beareth witnes Of their nature women can flatter and fage And be sumtyme to copious of their langage Also of wisdome duke Thesius Should haue considred afore in his entent How that his sonne called Jpolytus Of all vnclennes was founde euer innocent And how that he by custome made his went Into forestes durynge his yonge age To hunt at beastes which that were sauage Rennyng on fote as ye shall vnderstande On hilles and valeys to eschue idlenes Mother of vices with his bow in hand Diana to serue of huntyng chefe goddesse Sumtime to hauke he did his busines Also vnto fishyng greatly he was applyed So that his youth was neuer vnoccupied Thus he liued in woodes solitary And of Venus dispised the seruice Among women he would neuer tary Their felowshyp he did alway despise For he demed by sentence of the wise Who toucheth pytche by a saye men may se It fayleth not he shall defouled be Jpolitus sawe wel this thing before Kept him at large from such contagiositie His grene youth he would not haue it lore To be defouled for lacke of chastitie For he liued euer in virginitie And neuer did Bochas will not vary Nothing that was vnto God contrary Thus of entent he kept his body clene Duryng his life both in thought and dede Whose mother was Jpolita the
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
lyst not in no maner wyse Againe the lawe to be fauourable But assented parcel for couetyse Vpon Remus to be more vengeable Of thys entent to make his reigne stable That he alone myght gouerne non other By no clayme brought in by his brother And that the people shuld thē more delite There to abyde and haue possession As olde auctours of Romulus do write Within the boundes of the same toun That he deuised by great prouision In compas rounde so croniclers compyle A teritory that called was Asyle This Asylum by Romulus deuised Was a place of refuge and socours Like a theatre with liberties fraunchised For to receiue all forayne trespasours Theues murdrers wayliggers robbours By great resort within the walles wide To foster all brybers y ◠durst no where abide And with fled people fro diuers regions The citye gan to encrease and multiplye And banished folke of straunge nacions To finde refuge thither gan them hye And thus by processe gan their chiualry First through tyrantes retcheles of workyng Till all the world obeyed their biddyng Of wilfull force without title of right They brought all people vnder subiection A claime they made by violence and might And toke no hede of trouth nor reason And the first auctour of their foundation Was Romulus that gathered all this route Within the citye and walled it about And many day as made is mencion He had this citye in his gouernaunce And was the first kyng crowned in that toun And raigned there by continuaunce Full many yeres till the variaunce Of fortune through her false enuye In Campania made him for to dye Vpon a day whan it gan thunder loude His name foreuer to be more magnified Some bokes saye he was rapt in a cloude High vp in heauen to be stellified With other Gods stately deified There to be stalled by Jupiters syde Like for his knightes as Mars list prouide Lo here of panyms a false opinion To Christes lawe contrary and odious That tyrantes should by false oppression Be called goddes or named glorious Whiche by their liue were founde vycious For this playne trouth I dare it well tell They rather ben fiendes ful depe in hell For but in earth their dominacion Conueyed be by vertuous nobles And that their power and hygh renoun Be set on trouth and rightwisenes Like their estates in prince or princesse I dare affirme of them bothe twayne For vycious liuinge they must endure payne But whan they ben faythfull of entent Right and trouth iustly to maintayne And in their royall power be not blent Wronges redressyng and pore folke sustene And so contune with conscience so clene Such life more rath than pompe of warres Shal make thē raigne in heuē aboue y ◠stars For whiche let princes vnderstand atones And worldly princesses w t all their riches That their high hornes fret w t riche stoues To heauen their passage dothe not dresse But vertuous life chatitye and mekenes Whan they list pride out of their hart arace That causeth thē in heauen to winne a place There is no more straunge abusion Ne tofore god greater ydolatry Than whan princes list catche affection Creatures falsly to deifye By collusion brought in by sorcery Now god defende all princes well disposed With suche false craft neuer to be enoysed And their eyen by none illusions Be not avieugled neither with hoke nor line Nor by no boytes of false inspections Wrought by Cyrenes by drinke or medicine Whiche of their nature resemble to a shrine Through riches outward beauty soueraine And who loke inwarde be like to a caraine God of his grace amende all suche outrage In noble princes saue thē from such werre And them enlumine disposyng their courage In suche false worshyp they no more ne erre Like to Argus that they sene a ferre That no false fagyng cause thē to be blynde Gods nor goddesses to worship againe kynd And though y t Romains did worship honor To Romulus by a constraynt drede Let no man take example of their errour But to the lorde whose sides were made rede To saue mankinde and on a crosse was deed Let men to hym in chefe their loue obserue Which can thē quite better than they deferue ¶ The .xxix. Chapter ☞ Howe Mecius kyng of Albanoys beynge false of his othe and assuraunce was drawen into pieces NExt Romulus w t teares al bespraint Vnto John Bochas appered Mecius Of chere and loke of his port faynte His fall declaryng frowarde dispitous And he was called eke Sufficius Lowe of byrthe and simple in vpgrowyng Of Albanoys tyll fortune made him kyng Again whose pride the Romains gan warrey Full mightely oppressyng his countree And for kyng Mecius list them not obey They cast them fully auenged for to be Because his byrthe was but of lowe degre And was risen vp vnto estate royall They thē purpose to yeue him a sodayne fall Hasty clymbyng of pouert set on hight Whan wronge title maketh him to ascende With vnware peyse of his owne might A sodaine fall maketh him to discende Whan he list not of surquedy entende Fro whence he came nor him selfe to knowe Till god fortune his pōpe hath ouerthrow For this Mecius of presumption Thought again Romayns his pride might auaile Gan warre againe thē by rebellion Was not fearfull their nobles to assayle Till on a day was signed a battaile Bothe their hostes within a felde to mete To take their part be it soure or swete That tyme in Rome raigned Hostilius A manly man and a ful worthy knyght Twene him concluded and kyng Mecius They twayne to mete in stele armed bryght For bothe battayles to trye out the ryght By iust accorde and therin not vary The party vaynquished to be tributary And wholy put him in subiection Without entreatyng or any more delay And finally for short conclusion Kyng Hostilius the triumphe wan that day That Albanoys coulde not say nay But that Romayns as put is in memory By singuler battayle had wonne the victory Thus had Romayns first possession Of Albanoys to obey them and to drede Mecius yelded and sworne to the toun Neuer to rebell for fauoure ne for mede But for he was double founde in dede Of his assuraunce and false to their citie He was chastised anone as ye shall se. Agaynst Fidinates a countrey of Itaile King Hostilius for their rebellion Cast he woulde mete them in battayle For common profite and for diffension Bothe of his citye and of his royall toun And for to afforce his party in workynge Of Albanoys he sent vnto the kynge To come in haste with his whole chyualry And tary not in no maner wise But make him stronge to sustaine his party Like his behest as ye haue hearde deuise But kyng Mecius full falsly gan practice A sleighty treason and a couert wyle Agaynst his promise the Romayns to begyle Yet he outwarde pretendyng to be true Came to the felde with ae full
by the goodly hede And through the nobles of this most knightly man All mistes clered of dispayre and drede Trust hope and fayth into my hartran And on my laboure anone forthwyth I gan For by cleare support of my lordes grace All foraynes lettyng fro me I did enchace For folke that vse to make great vyages Whiche vnderfonge long trauell and labour WheÌ„ thei haue don gret part of their passages Of werines to asswage the rygoure Against faintyse to fynde some fauâ—â—â— Loke oft agayne parcell to be releueâ— To se how muche their iourney is acheued Cause why they so oft loke ageyne Backeward turne loke and eke vysage Is only this that it may be seyne To them how much is done of their vyage Eke wery folke that gone on pylgrimage Rest them some while a full large space Laborious sweate to wipe fro their face Their heauy fardell among they cast adoun At certaine bouÌ„des to do their backes ease At welles colde eke of entencion Drinke freshe water their greuous thurst to apease Or holesum wynes their appetite to please Rekenyng the myles by computacions Whiche they haue past of castels of townes It doth them ease the number for to know Syth they began of many great iourneys Of hye mountayns and of valeyes lowe And straunge sightes passyng by countreys The vncouth buildyng of borowes and cities Counting y e distaunce froÌ„ townes the spaces This is their talking at their restyng places The residue and the surplusage They reken also of their labour commyng Thinke it is a maner auauntage To haue and se a cleare knowlegyng Of thinges passed thinges eke folowynge For to their hartes it doth full great plesauÌ„ce Whan all suche thing is put in remeÌ„braunce And semblably Iohn Bochas as I fynde Gan turne backe his loke and countenaunce And to remember appoyntyng in his minde To the stories rehearsed in substaunce In his two bokes of sorowes displeasauÌ„ce Him selfe astonied marueilyng a great dele The fall of prynces from Fortunes whele Of their vnhap as he dothe rehearce Towarde theÌ„ selfe the cause dothe rebounde Their climbyng vp the heauens for to perce In worldly riches to encrease and abounde Their gredy etike doth them selfe confounde And their thirst of hauyng vnstauncheable Causeâ— their nobles to be so variable Hygh climbyng vp of reason who can se Dulleth of braines the memoriall Blunteth the sight of hygh and low degre Whiche from aloft maketh them to haue a fal Men saye of olde who that couet all At the vnset houre suche one shall not chese But all his gadryng at once shall he lese For worldly folke whiche so hye aryse Wyth the great peyse of worldlye abundauÌ„ce And with the weight of frowarde couetise Namely where Fortune holdeth the balauÌ„ce With vnware turne of some vnhappy chauÌ„ce This stormy quene this double Goddesse Plungeth theÌ„ downe from all their riches Wherfore Bochas hereof to make a prefe Sheweth to purpose a sentence full notable A clere example of suche vnware mischefe Writeth of an auctour by maner of a fable Albe the menyng be full commendable And well accordyng in conclusion To the clere purpose of his entencion Finis ¶ Hovve Andalus doctour of Astronomy concludeth how Prynces shoulde not atwite constellacions nor Fortune of their vnhappy fallyng but their demerites and vycious liuyng ¶ The first Chapter AT Naples whylom as he dothe specify In his youth whan he to schole went There was a doctour of Astronomye Famous of cunnyng and right excellent Of hym rehearsyng shortly in sentment His ioy was most to study and wake And he was called Andalus the blake He redde in scholes the mening of the heauen The kinde of starres and constellacions The course also of the planets seuen Their influence and their mocions And helde also in his opinions The fall of princes the cause well out sought Came of them selfe and of fortune nought Nor the starres was nothing to wite By their meuyng nor by their influence Nor y t men should of right the heauen at wite For no froward worldly vyolence For this clarke there concluded in sentence How men by vertue longe may contune From hurt of starres or of fortune Their owne desert is chefe occasion Of their vnhappe who so taketh hede And their demerites vnwarely put theÌ„ doun Whan vycious life doth their brydle lede Course of fortune nor of the starres rede Hindreth nothing agayne their felicitie Syth of free choyse they haue full libertye God punished sinne in many maner wyse Some he chastiseth for theyr owne auaile Men may of reason in suche case deuise Sinne aye requireth vengeauÌ„ce at his tayle God of fortune taketh no counsayle Nor from her meuyng no man is more fre As clarkes write than is glad pouertee And vnto purpose this auctour full notable To his scholers there beyng in presence Full demurely gan reherse a fable With many a coloure of sugred eloquence Theron concludyng the suÌ„me of his sentence Touching a strife whiche he did expresse Atwene glad pouert this blinde goddesse ☞ A disputation betwene Fortune and glad pouerte HVod Andalus whilom of fortune In straite place there sate glad pouert Whiche resembled of loke of figure A retcheles woman most vgly vnto se At a narow metyng of hye wayes thre All to torne to ragged and to rent A thousand patches vpon her garment She was hydous bothe of chere and face And in semyng voyde of sorow and drede And by that way as Fortune did pace And of glad Pouert sodaynly toke hede She gan to smile and laught at her in dede By a maner scornyng in certayne Of her aray she had so great disdaine Whose froward laughter whaÌ„ pouert did espy How she of her had indignacion She rose her vp of hygh melancholy Playnly to shewe her entencion Without good day or salutacion Doyng to Fortune no maner reuerence Vnder these wordes declaryng her sentence O thou Fortune moste fole of foles all What cause hast thou for to laugh at me Or what disdayne is in thyne hart fall Spare not a deale tell on let se For I full little haue ado with the Of olde nor new I haue none aquayntaunce Neither with the nor wyth thy gouernaunce And whan Fortune beholdeth the manere Of glad Pouert in her to torne wede And knew also by countenaunce and chere How she of her toke but little hede Like as she had to her no maner nede The whiche thinges conceyued and seyne To pouerty she answered thus ageine My scornefull laughter plainly was for the Whan I the sawe so megre pale and lene Naked and colde in great aduersitie Scabbed scoruy scalled and vnclene On backe and body as it is well sene Many a beast walke in their pasture Whiche day by day of new thou doest recure Hauyng nothing to wrap in thy head Saue a brode hatte rent out of nattes olde Full of honger for defaute of bread Slepyng on strawe in the frostes colde And where thou comest
the riches treasure and pyllage Whiche that he might fynde in the toun For vtter fyne of hys entencion Was to destroy of wilfull crueltie The famous Cartage y ◠mighty strong citye Of all the thralles in the towne dwellyng And suche as were borne of lowe lynage To strēgth his party this was his workyng He made them all by mortall fell outrage Within the mighty castell of Cartage To kepe them close of malyce and enuy Agayne the citye him selfe to fortify But all for nought the mighty Senatours Therof ware and of high prudence Gaine his malice all his false robbours They made thē strong through their prouidence In especiall to ordeyn a defence First on their party to let the commyng Of Mauritayne the stronge cruell king And of assent they lyst nat delay But rose a tones by great ordynaunce Their false duke to venquisshe and outray Him his churles they brought to vttraunce Fyll vpon him wyth a great puisaunce And fynally procedyng of reason This was his dome by auyse of all the toun First of this duke as it is remembred He was dispoyled his doublet eke vnlaced Ioynt fro ioynt hewen and dismembred And from his heed out his eyen araced And ryght as he had afore compased To haue distroyed his owne mighty toun As ye haue herd he receyued the guerdon ¶ Lenuoye THis tragedy doth pitously complayne And maketh a maner lamentacion Of these mighty ryche princes twaine Slayne in Cartage as made is mencion Causelesse the tone saue by thoccasion That pestilēce in his froward viage Slewe all his people that were borne in Cartage Fortune also gan frowardly disdayne Agayne this ryche mighty duke Haynoun Whan of malyce he gan mortally ordayne The Senatours to murdre of his toun At his feest by craft of false poyson As ye haue herde reherced his outrage He was agaynwarde dismēbred in Cartage Who doth vengeaunce vēgeaūce shall attayn In hygh estate without excepcion And who of pyte vengeaunce doth restrayne He shall of mercy receyue the guerdon For ryght requireth of trouth and reason Cruell princes shall haue for their wage Deth lyke this duke dismēbred in Cartage Noble princes do your beste payne For to preserue fro rebellyon The comon people which stand in no certain With euery wynde tournyng vpsodoun After fortune they chaunge affeccion Turning their hertes w t tryst or glad visage Lyke as y ◠people dyd whylom in Cartage ⧠The autour agayne couetous people NAture y ◠is content with lyttell thing The wise ware circūspect goddes Which vnder god in heuī aboue reignig The world to gouern is called thēpres Mother of rychesses the first founderesse Which serched out by her artyficeres The straunge treasours hyd in the my neres This noble lady this princesse most famous Knowyng of man the vncouth condicyons Sawe by experyence richesse were noyous In hym to eclypse the disposyons And conuay his inclynacions By a wronge way vertue to set asyde Howe couetouse was a full peryllous gyde For auarice is to all vertues contrayre The gredy worme y ◠serpent vnstauncheable Man to betraisshe w t promyses debonayre At prime face sote and agreable Taught him of nature by craft most deceyuable Through subtyll serching as it wer for y ◠nones First out of erth to delue precious stones Of riche myners they serche out y ◠entrayles To fynde out metals for worldly auaūtages Contryued shyppes with theyr brode sayles By diuers sees to make their passages And couetyse ordayned first vyages Caused princes to ryde in landes ferre Eche agayne other for to gyn a werre Of auarice gan first these robberyes Awayte of brigantes all extorte pyllages Murdre slaughter and couert briberyes Of olde contryued furyous fell domages Wrought and atcheued in all maner ages Nowe in these dayes let set it at a prefe False couetyse caused all suche mischefe She was first rote of false extorcion To spoyle the temple mother of rauyne And sterer vp of oppressyon To take by force this was her doctryne And as myne auctor doth plainly determyne And concludeth in full pytouse wyse Rote of all yuell is false couetyse She is eke norice of conteke and of stryfe Maystresse of murdre and wilfull vyolence Made men to ieoparte body good and lyfe Caused discencion and disobedyence Grutching of comons w tdraught of reuerēce By rigorous constraynt sodayne rebellions Rumour in realmes vnware subuercions This froward dragon full of ydropisy Whose fretyng etike there may no plēty fede To staunche his thyrst there is no remedy The more he drinketh the more he hath nede And the more tresure y ◠more he stant in drede With Tantalus though he swym in y ◠flodes In Mydas well playneth for lacke of goods This worme eke causeth y ◠men in riches Haue drede of theues a night in their waking And if they heare on cofer bedde or presse Cat rat or mouse or any worme meuyng He weneth anone within him selfe demyng That there were come w t great apparayle Some vncouth pillor his treasure to assayle The wofull soule standeth euer in drede And aye abydeth in labour and trauayle And of the goodes whiche he doth possede Falleth in dispayre lest they would him fail Twene hope drede there is suche battayle Through enterminyng eche other to cōfound To be most gredy whan they most abounde Hope vnasured with drede dispayred Metyng in hartes make a mortall warre Whā hope presumeth w t drede he is apayred And like a cowarde maketh him stand afarre Dull of his chere as is a cloudy starre Which dare not shew the light of his treasour But euer to encrease set wholy his labour He dare not touch thing that he loueth most His cofers close be shut vnder key Thoughe he haue muche he maketh therof no bost Lest for his tresure men would hym werrey Playneth for nede like as he would dey Fayneth false pouert to spare his dispence Oppressyng plenty with froward indigence And though his chestes heaped be with golde With yron barres fast shut and closed False scarcitie gouerneth his housholde That by none excesse he is not vndisposed His indigent hart so straytely is enosed To Herebus heyre yet well worse in dede In greatest ryches to cōplayne vpon nede This Herebus hath of yrou not of stone For auaryce buylt a foule citee Where as the whele turneth of Ixion Vnder the boundes of Thesephone Where zisiphus may neuer a day go free But with his stone continually trauayleth And the more busy his labour lest auayleth Thus auarice to vertue most contrary Founde among vyces full contagious Euer busy their restlesse stone to cary Now vp now downe w t wery zisiphus Whose endles labour braydeth on Theseus Whiche helde the brydle of fruteles busines Condemned in hell to liue in ydlenes Of couetise the cruell marinere Is called Charon which w t Flegetonte By many a streyght and many fell daūgere Sayleth in the floudes of furious Acheronte
Vnder that darked and cloudy Orizonte Where auarice chose whylom nygardshyp For treasorer his cofers for to kepe First to declare the labour in gatheryng Of couetous men as it is in dede And couÌ„terpayse how their streight kepyng Is euer meynt with importable drede Sorow at departyng for their mortall mede Which may be called of trouth and equitie Of Cerberus the wakers heades three The fyrst head is vnstauncheable desyre Of worldly goodes great riches to attayne The more encrece the hotter is the fyre The seconde heade is the dredefull payne Which in kepyng his hart doth constrayne Vnware departyng that sodaynely doth fall Is the third head that greueth most of all This wakyr worme y t bereth this heads thre Is called the worme of gredy couetyse Whose busy coÌ„straynt restles perplexite Troubleth the soule in full furious wise Whiche froward monster playnly to deuyse Braydeth on Hidra of whome poetes sayne One head cut of there groweth thre agayne Euer at the tayle of plenty and ryches Of custome foloweth grutchyng and enuy For he that hath of treasure great michnes Is selde glad as for his party Thus bothe twayne stande in ieopardye The ryche w t plenty holde him not appayed And the neady wyth pouert is afrayed And yet in pouert is full great sykernes Which is treasour that no man wyll assayle As myne auctour Bochas beareth witnesse Amiclates amonge the porayle Lyued in peace sure from all battayle Helde hym content w t suche as God him sent Whan riche wer armed to the werre went Vertuous pouert standeth euer in siker case To watche his house he hath full lytle nede But proude Pompey assieged in Duras For feare of Iulius stode in great drede But people rude herof take none hede Suche as reioyse them for to shede blode In straunge werres wrongly to get goode Stories olde ful well reherce conne Diuers studies of folke here mortall First how Diogenes was coÌ„tent in his tonne In which he made his lodgyng principall And saw the course aboue celestiall Lyued gladder amonge philosophers Than kyng Cresus w t all hys stuffed cofers And yf men woulde vnto mynde call The great mischeues folowyng i habuÌ„dauÌ„ce And thinke also how Sardanapall For all his treasour came vnto mischaunce And how Sophoclius poorest in substaunce Had but a gardayne full of lekes grene And right nought els hym selfe to sustene This Philosopher was euer gladde lyght There was no watche made in hys tours Full surely slepte he al the longe nyght Hauyng no drede of theues ne robbours In somer walkyng among the grene flours And in colde wynter full merely and ofte On drie strawe he lay and slept full softe Cyntinatus a poore laborere Feyed dichesse to get hys sustenaunce without grutchyng euer glad of chere Bothe in porte and in his countenaunce Dempt he had as muche suffisaunce To his pleasaunce as Cresus kyng of Lyde Content with lytle nature was hys gyde Thys poore man in hys pouert assured With lytle fode and clothes but a fewe Had heartes ease gladsome peace recured It lyked hym nat ouer his head to hewe Which thing conceyued clerly doth vs shewe That ioyous pouert conueyed w t gladnesse Grutching auoyded surmounteth al richesse And if that folke consider a ryght Their pitous sighes theyr thoughtfull busynesse Theyr great labour theyr lytle slepe a nyght Which they endure for worldly rychesse And of y â— abydyng the dredefull sykernesse Which thing peysed and called to memory All erthly power is double and transitory And by storyes whiche ben credible Topreue theyr power is nat abydyng But at a poynt slydyng and fallible Whylom Massinissa of Numidy kyng That was so mighty by recorde of writyng For feare of Siphax onely hys lyfe to saue Flede into mountaynes hid hym in a caue And there he founde ful smale vitayle Constrayned narowe of indigence and nede WhaÌ„ other deyntes in mischese gan him fayle He gadred rotes and eate them in his drede Eke proude Xerses kynge of Perce Mede DraÌ„ke blod water to stauÌ„che w t his thrust Drede and trauayle gaue hym suche lust Yet some men would saye of auenture They were compelled agayne theyr voluÌ„te These kynges twayne suche mischefe teÌ„dure Maugre theyr wyll of necessite For casuall chaunce refte them theyr liberte So that the rygour of thys sodayne rage Came in by constraynt and of no courage But for all that folke in theyr pouerte On great meates that them selfe fede Ben all strong whole and fayre to see And also lusty preued at a nede Vpright of limmes theyr iourneys to spede As long lyfed the cause to expresse Is onely thys they do not vse excesse To poore men the best medicine Is due labour with moderate abstinence Good ayre in feldes wher Phebus lust shine Voydinge darke mistes y â— causeth pestylence Of heuy stomake they fele no violence They nat enriche leches nor potyquares Them selfe to saue with vncouth lectuares But folkes ryche worken the contrary Which in them causeth maladies stronge Fro theyr diete euery day they varye With diuers meates theyr syttyng longe â–ª And with all this theyr apetites wronge Take out of time which thei mai nat endure Which by custome oppresseth nature And thus myne auctour shortly to deuyse Seeth glad pouert staÌ„deth most in sekernes And of all euyl he seeth how couetyse Is rote and ground with false extort riches Ryot annexed engendryng long sicknes Theron concludyng how moderate diete Setteth body and soule in rest and in quiete The .xxiii. Chapter ⧠Howe Euagora kynge of Cypre was by Artaxerses outrayed and put from hys kyngdome FOlowingi order y â— processe of Bochas As he remembreth next in his writyng To him appered rehersed thus y â— caas Euagora that was of Cypre kyng Hys eyen derked by manyfolde wriyng Bycause he had lost that riche lande Which he tofore had coÌ„quered w t his hande This lande of Cypre as made is mencion Of diuers metals is passyngly habounde Hath of ryches great plenty and foyson And of this citie lyke as it is founde It staÌ„deth farre south w t many hilles rounde And hath also many commodities Within the boundes of townes and cities Touchyng this Cypre I can no more say Of whiche lande Euagora was kyng Tyll he gan proudly for to warrey With Lacedemons their partie susteynyng Gayne Artaxerses and at their metyng The sayd Euagora was brought to vttrauÌ„ce Put fro his kingdome fro al gouernaunce The .xxiiii. Chapter ¶ Howe Theo kynge of Egypt by Artaxerses was driuen from hys kyngdome and fledde into Araby NExt Euagora came kyng Theo Of all Egipt longe tyme possessour And to John Bochas gaÌ„ declare his wo How fortune dyd her frowarde labour And fro hym drewe her frendshyp fauour And sodainly through her iniquite She cast this kynge downe fro his royall see She lyst her malyce from hym nat differre Ne would not suffer hym for to lyue in peâ—s But caused hym for to begynne a
in his mortall rage Thus fare tyrantes whan they lyst be wode To seke occasion for to shede blode Calystenes slayne for morall disciplyne And Lisymachus for his compassion Eke this tyrant of false gredy rauyne Slewe gentle Clytus agayne all reason As ye haue hearde for commendacion Of king Philyp the story well conceyued Who trusteth tyraÌ„tes shal sonest be deceyued ¶ Lenuoy THis tragedy of Calistenes Declareth vs by notable remembrauÌ„ce He was with Plato and olde Socrates In his youth put vnder gouernaunce Dranke of the milke of plenteous abouÌ„dauÌ„ce Of their two scholes euer deuoyde of slouth Last by Alexander dismeÌ„bred for his trouth First he was sent by Aristoteles For to awayte by prudente purueyaunce On Alexander lest he were retcheles By presumption in his royall puissaunce To take vpon him by goodly attendaunce Whiche he w tstode alas it was great ruthe To be so slayne because he sayd the truth Who w t tyrantes list put him selfe in prees To haue their fauour and acquayntaunce He must flatter and fage doubtles Be double of hart with fayned countenaunce With there contryued done his obseruaunce For faythfull meanyng slayne y â— was ruth Was Calystenes bicause he sayd truth Noble princes your subiectes kepe in pees Be not to hasâ—y for to do vengeaunce For to tyrantes that be merciles God sent short life sodayne mischaunce Who sayeth trouth haue no displeasaunce Prynt in your hart how it was great ruth That Calystenes was slayne for his truth ☞ The .x. chapter ⧠How Alexander kynge of Pyrothe auenturyng to passe the floude of AcheroÌ„t there at his backe by his moste trustye was deadly wounded AFter the complaynt of Calystenes Slayne tyrantly and did no trespas Came Alexander kyng of Pyrothes His woundes bleadyng vnto John Bochas To him declared how he drowned was In Acheronte a riuer of great fame Besyde a towne Pandosia was the name And as it is remembred and ytolde Of this notable mighty stronge cite It was in Grece buylte of dayes olde And after Pyrrus called Pyrothe Where as the kyng helde his royall se And as bokes also determyne This Alexander came of the same lyne Of whose kynred is made playne mencion Sonne to Achilles was kyng Pyrrus And next in order by succession Father to Alexander was Neoptolomus Whiche had also mine auctour telleth thus A full fayre daughter the story ye may sene Olympiades of Macedony quene And she was wedded to Philip of Macedo Whilom mother this quene of most renoun To Alexander the story telleth so Whiche all the worlde brought in subiection Whose father Philyp of great affection Let crowne the brother of Olympiades Called Alexander to raygne in Pyrothes To whom Philyp for his great beautie Because he was so fayre a creature Had suche affection and specialtie As it is remembred in scripture Of false foule luste against nature As sayth Bochas I can him not excuse Vnlefully he did his beauty vse And by meane of that horrible dede Whiche to rehearce is to foule a thing This said Philyp in Bochas thus I rede In Epirothes he made him to be kyng And of extorcion by recorde of writyng Causeles from thence he did enchace The kyng Arabba tho raignyng in y t place And it fell after the story telleth so Of this Alexander by serious rehearsayle Vpon the death of Philyp of Macedo With a great host came into Itayle Supposyng greatly for to auayle To occupy after his proude entent Wholly the boundes of all the occident And though so be y t fortune be chaungeable Double also by course of her nature At his ginnyng he founde her fauourable Made him twise proudly to recure Gayne them of Luke to their disconfiture To haue the felde maugre al their might Of very force to put them vnto flyght Agaynst Itaile when he gan this warre Fully in purpose the Romayns to assayle Of hye presumption procede he gan so farre With many a prince that was in his battayle To knowe afore by certaine diuinaile Of his conquest the boundes for to cast And of his life how longe it should last And in the temple of Jupiter the grete By diuinours that expert were and olde Seruyng this god w tin the lande of Crete This was the answere which thei to him told And it affirmed by tokens manifolde How he ne should eschue the dredefull date Ouer the day assigned to his last fate And they also assigned a place Therby to haue knowlegyng more clere Vnder a citie longe and large of space Called Pandosia and for to go more nere By Acheront a famous great riuere Tolde him playnly could no farder sey But of necessitie there he must nedes dey And though it were an earnest and no iape Of god ordeyned not to be set asyde He thought of wisdome his desteny to escape And otherwise for him selfe prouide Cast in Grece no lenger to abyde Wenyng this riuer nor that faire citye Saue in Grece should no where els haue be And for to set him selfe in assuraunce Of entent to eschue his destinie Into thre battayles departyng his puissauÌ„ce Came to Itayle tofore Luke the citie They with helpe of Samoys the countrye With a great power came out anone ryght Slew all his knyghtes put hym to flyght At the backe they pursued hym so nere That hys enemyes were almost on hym fall Vnto a brydge broke wyth the ryuere And ouerturned with hys plankes all And Acheronte men dyd that ryuer call As was tolde him by a certayn knyght Whyche rode before him the ryuer in his sight For by a rayne that fyll the same nyght The ryuer waxt to a dredefull floude And not farre thens in the kynges syght Vpon the water a little towne there stode Whiche made the kyng to chaunge his bloud And specially his pryde gan attame Whan he wyst Pandosia was the name And than he gan most dredfully remembre Callyng to mynde the priestes diuinayle Whiche made him quake in euery membre For very feare and his breathe to fayle No man coulde him wishe nor counsayle On euery party he stode so on the wracke The floude tofore hi his enemies at his backe To take the riuer he stode in mortall drede And if that he his enemies did abyde He wyst well that he was but deade Passage was none for to turne asyde Thus dissolate he stode withouten gyde Thought it better to ieoparde the ryuere Than w t his enemies y â— folowed him so nere These mortal dredes his hart gan coÌ„strayne Drede of the floude for to haue passage Behinde his enemies y â— gan at him disoaine Lest he were slayne in that mortall rage His fate approchyng he but yong of age The toun Pandosia the tokens did expresse With â—cheronte that bare therof witnesse And whan that he put in auenture To passe the floude or els to be deade One whom he most trusted of any creature Toke a spere square and sharpe the heade And at his backe he quakyng
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
repayre To a woman which had in her entrayle Spyrites closed to make his diuinayle In whose wombe barain and out of grace Of wicked spirites was the dwellyng place This sayd woman was a creature The which afore by cursed Julyan By his lyfe his purpose to recure In sacrifice was offred to Sathan And so as he with cursednes began Such was his ende as al bokes tell whose soul with Pluto is buryed depe in hel With this tyrant Bochas gan wexe wroth For his most odious fell outrage And to reherce in partie he was lothe The blasphemies of hys fell langage For nouther furye nor infernal rage May be compared with poison fret within To the false venyme of this horrible synne It is contrary to all good thewes And tofore God moste abhominable Hatefull to all saue to cursed shrewes For of all vyces very imcomparable Moste contagious and most delectable The mouth enfect of such infernal hounds Which euery day sle Christ with new wouÌ„ds For obstynate of purpose for the nones Of disposicion furyous and wode Not afraide to swere goddes bones with horrible other as body flesh and bloud The Lord dismeÌ„bring most gracius good His fete haÌ„des armes face and heed Reno him of new as they wolde haue him deed This blessed Lord which is immortall Though they be dedly they would him slee ageyn They be erthly he is celestial In froward wise they ben ouerseyne Discrecion fayleth their reason is in vayne All suche blasphemy for shorte conclusyon Procedeth of pride and false ambycion It semeth to me they haue foul fayled Of kyndnes to do him reuerence which for their loue vpon the crosse was nayled To pay the raunsome for mans offence Suffred death with humble pacyence False rebukyng spyttyng in hys vysage To bring mankynde vnto his heritage False surquedy that doth the heartes reyse Of such blasphemers as was this Julian whose great empyre might not counterpeise Again the Lord which is both God and man The original ground of pride was Sathan Prince vnder him most infortunate was this Apostata reignyng in his estate What was th ende of this tyrant horrible This cruell felon hatefull to euery wyght By sodayne myracle to al his hoste visible There dyd appere a very heuenly knyght Most freshly armed angelyke of sighte With a sharpe speere sitting on his stede Made the tyrant his hert bloude to blede His false goddes might him not auaile His frowarde off rynge done to maumetry Nor al his proude imperyall apparayle His inuocacions nor hateful sorcerye For this apostata that dyd his faythe denye Amonge his knightes slayn by death sodain His soule in hell with sathan in great payne The xv chapter ¶ Howe themperoure Valence slewe Heremites shed christen blud â–ª distroyed churches and after was brent BOchas in hast doth hys style dresse Next to the mperour y e called was ValeÌ„ce Rehersyng first the perfyte holynesse Of Heremytes that did their dilygence To lyue in penaunce and in abstynence Forsoke the worlde and for Christes sake In to desert they haue the way take â–ª In this world here they lyst no lengar tarye Dyuers and double of trust no certayne Ferre in Egypte to liue solitary Depe in desertes of folke not to be sayne The soyle was drye of vitayle ful barayne The frutelesse trees vp seared by the rote For Christes loue they thoght y e life most soâ—e This sayd Valence of malice frowardly To this Heremites y â— liued in gret penaunce Causelesse with full great enuy Troubled them and did theÌ„ great greuauÌ„ce Lyke a tyraunte set al in vengaunce Distroyd churches with people that he ladde And where he went christen bloud he shadde This mean while by robbyng and rauyne In Mauritayne which is a great countre There was a prince that called was Faryne And in Cesaria a famous great cyte For his extorcion and his cruelte He toke vpon him proudly there reignynge Maugre romayns to be crowned kinge Theodose the fyrst a manly man Was sent out his malice to withstand By the bidding of Valencian Which that time the mpyre had in hand Bothe atones but ye shal vnderstande Theodose was sent out to assayle The sayd Farine and slewe him in batayle Of whiche Faryne by full cruel hate In that countre presumptuously reignynge Smote of his heed and sate it on the gate Of Cesaria this was the endyng Which by intrusioÌ„ afore was crowned king In Mauritayne oppressing them by drede As ye haue herde for which he lost his heade In this mater Bochas doth not soiourne By no attendaunce nor long diligence But of purpose dothe agayn retourne To the mperour that called was Valence Which as I told did so great offence The holy church of froward cursednes Slewal Hermites that bode in wildernes God wolde not suffre he shuld long endure Graunteth no tyraunt here longlyfe For by some mischefe or sodaine auenture They dye by murdre with dagger swerde or knife The Gotheyes whilom gan a stryfe For his outrage and great oppressyon They agayne romains fyll in rebellion A prince of his called Maximus Distressed them by so great tyranny And was vpon them so contrarious That they gadred all the cheualry And wext so strong vpon their partie That by their manhode it fel of auenture They on Valence made a disconsiture Spared not by robbynge and pillage Slough and brent many a stately place Cyties townes and many a small village That were famous within the laÌ„d of Trace But furiously thei met him in the face Where like a coward he turned his visage To saue his life lay hyd in Cartage Thus finally this emperour Valence As ye haue heard fayled of his entent The Gothes folowed by cruel violence As wylde beastes al of one assent The house and him to ashes they haue brent Lo here the fyne ye princes take hede Of tyrantes that saintes bloud do shed The .xvi. Chapter ¶ Of kynge Amacisius and howe Gracian and Theodosy distroied temples of fals gods how GraciaÌ„ was put to flight AFter Valence to God contraryous In al his workes most froward of liueÌ„g Tofore Bochas came Amacisius Which of Gothes was whilom Lord kyng Of his great age piteously complaining Inflate and dole lyst make no delayes Slew him self to short his greuous dayes Then came downe the brother of Valence The mighty emperour called Gracian Whiche afore had had experyence First with his vncle Valentinyan In the Empyre as bokes tell can And afterward Theodosy and he Had gouernaunce of Rome the cyte Theodosy and Gracien of assent Distroyed temples as in that partie Of false goddes also they haue downe rente The great ydols and all such maumetrye And full deuoutly gan churches edifye And in this whyle as fortune dyd ordayne One Maximus was vicar in Bretayne An hardy knight albe that he did vary From his promise made by sacrament In Bretayne list no lengar tary â–ª But into Gaule of hert and hole entent Gayne Gracian he sodenly is went And as