the pyrates and these false robbours I gadred out were of the region Called Sylla whych lyke to rauinours Made agayne Rome a conspiracion Robbed and spoyled saylyng vp and doun Romayne marchātes people of ech countre That none was so hardy to passe by the see After Pompey had made the see to obey That Pyrate none durst theron abyde He by the Senate was sent out to warrey Towarde thorient his knightes by his syde And where soeuer that he dyd abyde Mine auctour writeth by influence of heauē His conquest was swifte as fyre or leuin And to the encrease of his eternal glorye Perpetually to get hym a name Hys laude and renome to put in memorye He buylded a cite in Asia of great fame Called Nichopoly Bochas sayeth the same Twene two flodes that one Araxases And that other was called Eufrates He buylded this cite onely of entent That Romayne knyghtes y t were fall in age And such as were in the warres spent Shoulde of custome haue their herbergage Thys was the custome and vsage In that cite alway and not fayle Beddyng and clothes spendyng vytayle Pompeye after rode in to Armeny Rebell to Rome where Tigranes was king Fought w t him there through his chyualry Disconfyted hym there was none abidynge Where Tigranes hym selfe submyttynge Vnto Pompeye wyth euery circumstaunce Euer to abyde vnder hys obeysaunce Than in al haste Pompey gan hym hye To ryde to Asia where lyke a manly knyght He gate the kyngdome called Albanye Whych toke his name who so loke aryght Of whytnes for euery maner wyght That there is borne by recorde of writynge White as snowe hath his heer shynyng There ben houndes marueilous of nature For tassaile bulles and lyons No wylde beast may agayne them endure So Pompeye by many regions Rode thrugh Armeny with hys champions Where growen herbes y ◠may neuer faynt What euer colour man lyst wyth thē paynt Conquered realmes aboute in euery coost Of Hiberie he gate the region And Arsaces the kynge wyth al hys host Disconfited as made is mencion With his power to Surry he came doun Than to Fenice a kyngdome of great fame Whyche of Fenix whylome toke his name Brought al these countrees to subieccion Of Sidonye the myghty strong cyte Of Iturie he toke possessyon Chrugh Araby he came downe to Jude Whyche of Jewes was sometime the coūtre Of Libanus he passed the mountaine Where Ceders growe as authours sayne Sent tofore him entring in that realme One Gabinius a myghty stronge constable Reignyng that tyme in Jerusalem Aristobolus a prince ful notable And for the temple was strong pregnable Layde a siege about in bred and length Space of thre monthes gate it so by strength Three M. Jewes vnder y e wall were founde Dead at the assaut whych made resistence The wal after beaten downe to grounde Pompey than by sturdy violence Is entred in without reuerence Sancta sanctorum men that place call Made by Hyrcanus hyest preist of all The great byshoppe Aristobolus Sent to Rome in myghty cheynes boūde Towarde Septētrion I fynde wrytten thus Gate .vii. kingdōs with citees walled roūde Rebel to Rome he dyd them confounde Wyth myghty swerde gate all the countre Fro Caucasus downe to the reed see In his conquest it sempt verily As the goddes had done theyr cure And that fortune was wyth them eke busy This mighty Pompey prince of Assure What euer hym list by conquest to recure In Spayne he gate whan they were rebels Thre C. cytees and .lx. stronge castels Harde to remembre his conquestes echone Al the prowesses of thys knyghtly man Towarde the partie of Septentrion A thousande castels I fynde that he wan Sixe hundred mo fro tyme that be began Eight and thirty citees out of dout With mighty walles closed rounde aboute Peyse his dedes his conquestes marciall Thrise Consul chose for his encrees Rede ye shall fynde howe he was egall To Alysandre or to Hercules Where that euer he put hym selfe in prees Al came to hande concludyng ye maye se To commen profite of Rome the cyte His marcial dedes to put in remembraunce One was chose to do his diligence To enacte his conquestes in substaunce And his knighthode to singuler excellence And Trifanes famous of eloquence Assigned was vnto that labour Toke his guerdon of the common treasour Pompey of Rome was chefe gouernour Cesar absente in Gaule a far countre Which time Pompey stode in great fauour Both of Fortune and Rome the citye Somwhat made blynde of hys prosperite Purposyng in his clymbing not stable He would haue none y ◠were to hym sēblable Vnto purpose was sayd ful yore agone Howe that loue nouther hye lordshyppe Prefe hath bene made in many mo than one Nouther of thē would haue no felowshyppe Eche by his own would hys partie kepe In these two cases brother vnto brother Fayleth at a poynt eche wyll put out other To Pompey resortynge nowe agayne He toke on him al the gouernaile Of y ◠Romains as ye haue herde me sayne Both of estates commons and porayle And for his parte al that myght auaile In makinge lawes statutes or decre Al vp engrosed by hys aucthoritie Folke this while which that had enuy Towarde Cesar in his long absence Let make a lawe by conspiracy And a statute concluding in sentence Without excepcion fauoure or reuerenc◠No man should by wil of the Senate In his absence be chose to none estate Nor be admitted by no procuratoure To haue aucthorite of dignite or office In court of Tribune nor of Senatoure To be promoted this was theyr aduice Wer he neuer so manly nor so wise This lawe ordained by folke enuious For hyndring onely of Cesar Julius Whan Julius knewe their false working Fro Gaule sent vp to the cite Al the Senate requiring by wrytyng To graunt him by their auctorite Of triumphe the notable dignite To haue also the offyce and estate Called in Rome the second Consulate For hym allegyng many a great vyctorye In diuers countrees done for the cite Many conquestes notable of memorye Wrought by the knyghthode of his equite Requiringe them guerdoned for to be But contrary vnto his entent They denied him al by one assent Which was chefe grounde rote occasion That brought in fyrst the controuersye Ciuil discordes and frowarde deuision Whan euery man drought to hys partie Of olde hatered to kyndel newe enuy Causing princes Julius and Pomey To theyr confucion eche other to warrey The triumphe denied to Cesar Fraude of Pōpey made him therof fayle Of whose disceite Julius was ware Made him redy wyth many a strong battaile Passed ouer the Aipes of Itayle Fully in purpose playnely if he might With the Romains and Pōpey for to fight Thus gan the warres atwene these princes twayne Pōpey chose for partie of the toun To be their duke and captayne souerayne Agayne Cesar as made is mencion And thus alas the desolacion Sued of the cite by many a strange
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
By long absence which eche man shold drede Thrugh diuers sicknes y â— fal in womanhede The tyde abydeth nat for no maner man Nor stynt her course for no creature And harde it is as we reherce can Thynge to withstand that cometh of nature Harme done by kynde is froward to recure And there is founde full lytell sykernes Where as nature afforceth brotylnesse This lytell sonde ought ynough suffyse To declare domage that may fall By longe absence folkes that ben wise Somtime departed agayn men may nat cal That seldome is sene in loue doth appall And nothing maketh more wyues erre Than disceuerauÌ„ce of folke that be in werre This was theffect plainly insubstaunce Sent to their hasbandes which at y â— sege lai Complayning they had had no plesaunce Space of ten yere as in loues play But desolate in sorowe and great affray Their lyfe they lad affyrmyng in sentence Cause of their csÌ„traiÌ„t was their loÌ„g abseÌ„ce And whan the letters were at the siege rad Tofore the cytie in all their mortal stryues They were astonied and gan to waxe sad And very wery almost of their lyues For to considre the complaint of their wiues Tyl their captayne a remedy out sought By whose counsayl euen thus they wrought First old knightes that the siege sworne It for to accomplish and cast them to be true His counsayl was as they had hight beforn To hold their promise therfor nothing rue But yonge knightes that were come of new Myght as they lyst frely at their wyll Those whether they wold go or byde styll And herupon for their most auayle In haste their captayne as made is remembrauÌ„ce Of high prudence gaue them this counsaile hat knyghtes old lyâ—h their assuraunce Shuld of the siege haue the gouernaunce And yong knightes most fresh welbeseyne Shuld from the siege home be sent ageyne They made among theÌ„ a strauÌ„ge ordinaunce At their home comyng without difference To enterchauÌ„ge their wyues for plesaunce And take her first that came to his presence This was thaccorde among them in senteÌ„ce Moste redy way to their opinion To engendrute and procreacion There was amonge theÌ„ quarel nother stryfe In this mater nor no varyaunce For eueryman misused others wyfe To their desyres as was to them pleasaunce And thus children thrugh this ordynaunce That were engendred the case is thus befal Parthenois men did them after cal Which in our tong to speke in words plain After the greke who lyst consydre and se Is no more playnly for to sayne Than thilk chyldren which engendred be In auoutry wherfore in that countre Parthenois of custome they were named Borne of wombes which that were diffamed The false occasion of thys auoutry Caused after great mischefe and domage That no man coude as for his partye By succession whan he came to age By tytle of right clayme his herytage For where a lyne falsly dothe procede Hard is to know by right who shal succede The disturbaunce of false succession And tytels claimed afforced w t great myght Where that auoutry hath domynacion And is supported of wyl and not of tyght And claym of trouth hath lost his clere light Though their parties mighti be and strong God wyll nat suffre they shall endure longe And Parthenois paysing all these thynges Howe false assuraunce was in their lynage The gentle bloud troubled first of kynges For no man knew of high nor lowe parage His owne father by lykelynesse of vysage Nor father none by his great erroure Coude yeue no tytle to his successour Whervpon folowed a great mischaunce Hateful to heare through the countre Echeman troubled in his countenaunce Who shulde clayme by any lyberte To entre his lande or to stande fre Such doute they had echeman for his party So importable was their auoutry This great mischefe who so taketh hede By longe proces made theÌ„ to know and se How they were able as by likelihede For their outrages to fall in pouertie And of assent they cast them for to flie Vnder a captain by strong and mighty hand For that countrey to wyn some other lande And as I rede they chase duke Palantus Of whom I spake to gouerne the passage Takyng no leaue the storye telleth thus At their departyng begynnyng their vyage They were so confuse of chere and of vysage For there was none of that great route To chose his father but y â— he stode in dout They helde them selues very ashamed And for shame out of the lande they went Like people disclaundered and diffamed Through the auoutry to which they did asseÌ„t And to a citye that called was Tarent Which stant in Poile a mighty stronge couÌ„try This duke Palantus came with his meyny And there he put through his great myght The citizyns out of that citye And gate Tarent full lyke a manly knyght And there abode in long prosperitie As gouernour and duke of that countrey Tyll that his people by false collusion Him to depriue sought out occasion They him exiled whan he was fall in age Lo what it is in commons to assure Stormy of hart vnsure of their courage That selde or neuer their frendshyp dothe endure â–ª Men may to day their fauour recure And to morow let set it at a prefe They rathest hinder whaÌ„ men be at mischefe ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter ☞ Of Ceson Quincius exiled and Graccus taken prysoner I Can no more rehearce of Palantes Duke and leader of Parthenois But I wyll tell how Ceson Quincius Came before Bochas w t a full piteous voyce His tale gan how Graccus prince of Equois Bothe at ones gan their songe entune Most dolefully to playne on fortune This myghty prynce Ceson Quincius Complayned first as made is mencion How they of Rome wer contrarious And felly wrought to his destruction And full vniustly banished him the toun And not withstandyng he was a dictatour Him to coÌ„founde they did their busy laboure Cause of his exyle compassed as I rede That he was slowe they sayd and negligent Him to defende touchyng appeale in dede Which again him was brought of falce entet Yet Cyncinatus his father by assent Payde for amendes as sayth cronyclers Met out of lande draught of thre arblasters Yet his enemies would not be content But procede that he was exiled Did extorcion of his iudgement As in his story full playnly is compyled He after neuer myght be reconcyled Whiche I haue pitye to put in remembrauÌ„ce So litle offeÌ„ce should haue so great veÌ„geauÌ„ce Graccus of Rome called Cloellus Prince of Equois mine auctour saith y e same Was in his time notable and glorious And a great duke full renoumed of fame But how y e people of Equois toke their name Vnder support that no man haue disdayne I will the processe here declare in certaine John Bochas sayth there is a nacion Whiche that first were called Hunoys And secondly also by succession Of full long tyme named Anathois And alderlast men
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
Lo here the ende of Malleus the tyraunt Whyche doth to prynces full well exemplify To God aboue how it is not pleasaunt Them to delyte in no suche robbery Nor pyl the people by no false tyranny Nor for no tales be hasty of vengeaunce For all suche thing to god is displeasaunce ¶ Lenuoy REade considered this sayd tragedy Sheweth to Prynces a myrroure full notable How they their rygour shall tēper modefy Or they procede for to be vengeable For in a prynce it is right commendable Rancour of hart of chere and of courage For to deferre tyll that their yre asswage Their hasty yre their sodayne melancholy Their colorike fumes y r fury vnrestraynable Their vnqueint fyres w t flame of tyranny Their fretyng etyke of hate incomparable Like beastial Tygres lyke lyons vntretable Ne will not suffer that infernall rage Defer their domes tyll their yre asswage The royall Lyon of morall gentry Among beastes of force incomperable Preueth not his power nor his regaly Gayn beasts prostrate which be not defēsable And mighty prynces should in case semblable For innocentes take mercy in morgage Respityng rygour tyll that yre asswage The sparkle of vēgeaūce is quycked in party By wyndes foure fell and abhominable Blast of detraction and blast of flattery Blast of false rowners y t forge many fable And blast of brybours vycious and culpable w t smoky slaunders and felons false vysage Causeth yre of prīces y t it may neuer asswage For whiche let prynces of noble policy Beware of tonges double and disceyuable Whiche w t their venym infect eche company Their poynaunt poyson is so penetrable To folke absent it is mischeuable So depe freteth their serpentyne langage Causig in princes their yre may not asswage Noble prynces let vertue magnify Your hygh estate to make you merciable For morall Seneke doth clerely specify The trone of prīces by clemēce is made stable Vengeaunce delayed to God is agreable And hasty rygour doth outragious damage Whē hūble requests your yre may not aswage ¶ The .xxi. Chapter ¶ How the substaunce of the host of Hymilcho duke of Cartage goyng to conquere Cecile dyed of pestilence and after he him selfe slayne AFter these myghty prynces twayne Next in order w t pale and deade vysage Tofore Bochas Hymilcho gan cōplayne The vnhappy fall of his fatall passage Whan he was sent by aucthoritie of Cartage To cōquere through his mighty puissaunce The lande of Cycile vnto their obeysaunce They of Cartage had an opinion That it was lefull after their entent Without title of ryght and of reason Their teritories and boundes to augment And for that cause Hymilcho they sente The mighty duke their nobles to aduaunce Whiche of Cartage had hole the gouernaunce And for he must passe by the see Towarde Cicyle this noble worthy knyght With him he had a full great enarmee Chose out of Cartage in stele armed bryght Their fone to cōquere of very force and might But Fortune gan at him so disdayne That to his purpose he neuer myght attaine Grounde and gynnyng of his distruction To be remembred shortly in sentence There fyll of the ayre a great corruption Whiche caused a full great pestilence Among his meyny by vnware violence And sodaine mischefe that is vpon him fall He lost almost his worthy knyghtes all Nye all hys people was slayne in y ◠morayne That but a few be left of hys meyne Infortunate he turned is agayne Home to Cartage and they of the citee All causeles of hasty cruelte Hath slayn thys duke as Bochas doth cōpyle Lo who may trust Fortune any while The .xxii. Chapter ☞ How Heynon duke of Cartage was dismembred AFter whose death a mā there gan succede A mighty duke y ◠called was Haynon Whyche purposed for to chaunge in dede His name of duke by false ambicion And to be called throughout y ◠mighty toun Kyng of Cartage and therupon of pryde To finde out wayes he felly gan prouide He was not cōtent a duke men shold him call But of Cartage for to be named kyng And like as his purpose that it should fall Fro day to day the meanes compassyng How he might fulfyll this vncouth thing For to be crowned and raigne in that londe And at the last this meane way he fonde He had a daughter yonge and tender of age Whiche of the people stode in great fauour And he him cast to yeue her in mariage To a yonge knyght sonne to a Senatour Whiche in the citye was a gouernour And that his purpose myght be attayned Day of the mariage tyme was ordeyned And in his palayce chefe and principall This sayd duke let make his ordinaunce To holde a feast full solemne and royall And with great coste made his purueyaunce Of sundry daintyes whiche y ◠in substaunce Were necessary in all maner thing Vnto the feast of a worthy kyng He gaue in charge vnto his purueiours That all were ready agayne a certayne day And to his feast came all the Senatours Dwellyng in Cartage there durst none saye nay And of his purpose to make no delay Thought his fraude was not apperceyued He cast y t day that some should be deceyued He conueyed in his inwarde entent He to be kyng and raygne in Cartage The Senatours would neuer assent To breake their custome nor their olde vsage He durst therof vtter no langage Kept him secrete without noyse or soun And fully cast him to procede by treason The next way he knew no better rede To his desire than playnely to ordayne That of Cartage the senatours were dede Than were he likely his purpose to attaine For to be crowned lorde and souerayne So to accomplishe his lust in all thing And in Cartage to raygne as lord and kyng For if the senate wer vtterly destroyed He should finde no maner resistence Wherby his purpose should be annoyed None dare say nay to his magnificence For in the porayle there was no defence And at this feast he cast him to procede All his entent to conclude in dede His officers he made to be sworne To helpe destroy falsely by poyson The senatours of whom I spake to forne And that their vitayles dainties in foyson And eke their wines for short conclusion Should with venym be intoxicate Through all the palaice spare none estate These officers had a conscience For to accomplyshe so horrible a thing And secretely vnder great prouidence To the Senate therof they gaue warning And whan they knew this mortall cōpassyng Of Duke Haynon to shew all the affray They put of prudence the weddyng in delay Wherof this duke gan haue suspection And of this matter fill in a maner drede Thought he would by some collusion Againe Cartage more mortally procede And gan call to helpe him at his nede Of Mauritayne a kyng of great renoun With him by force to fall vpon the towne Made him promise to his aduauntage For to make fre distribucion Of
chapiter The authour agaynst couitous people loke the leafe .lxxxvii. Howe Euagoras kyng of Cypre was by Artaxerses outrayed and put from his kyngdome The .xxiii. cha Howe Theon kinge of Egypte was by Artaxerses driuen frome hys kyngdome and howe he fledde in to Arabye The foure and twenty chapiter Howe Amintas of Macedone kynge had by Erudice his wyfe Alysandre â–ª Pet dica and Philyppe who were after slaine The .xxv. Chapiter Howe the proude tyraunte haman was hanged and the Innocentes preserued The .xxvi. chapiter ¶ Of the two brethern Artaxerses and Cyrus and howe Artaxerses slewe hys chyldren and Concubynes and howe they ended with a Lenuoy The .xxvii. chapit Thus endeth the Table with the chapiters of the thyrde boke and here foloweth the table of the fourth boke whiche contayneth xxvi chapiters The Table of the fourth boke THe prologue of the translatour The fyrste chapiter of the fourth boke declareth howe Marcus Manlius wroughte for Rome towne and howe at the laste for all hys laboure he was by the commons cast in to Tybre and so drowned How Bochas writeth in parte against suche as can nat be contente wyth suffysaunce but vsurpe to high dignyties with a Lenuoy The seconde chapiter Howe Nectanabus kynge of Egypte was by Xerxses constrayned to slye hys kyngdome The third chap. Howe Pausanias Duke of LacedemoÌ„ was exyled by them of Athenes The .iiii. chapiter Howe Helyarchus the tyraunt for extorcion and oppression was slayne by the knyght Leonydes The fyfth chapter Howe the vycious Dyonis kynge of Cycyle slewe his bretherne and kynrede and howe he was exiled and died at myschefe with a Lenuoy The sixt chapter The authour againe presumptuous people princes holding theÌ„ selfe as gods The seuenth chapiter Howe kynge Pollicrate for extorcion and tyranny was hanged tyll euery ioynt fyl from other The eight chapter Howe the tyraunte Alexandre slewe his Philosopher Calistenes with dyuers other for sayinge trouth with a Lenuoy The nynth chapter Howe Alexander kynge of Pyrothe aduenturynge to passe the floude of Acheronte was slayne therin by them that he trusted most The tenth chap. Howe Dary kynge of Perce and Mede was outrayed by Alexander kynge of Macedon with a Lenuoy The leuenth chapiter A chapiter of Bochas wherein he remembreth the bataylles and losses of realmes of antiquite with the fallynge of dyuers nobles The .xii. chap. Howe Eumenydes was twise outraied by Antigonus and at last dyed in pryson With a Lenuoy The .xiii. chapiter Howe Queene Olimpiades for she delyted in vyces in murdre and in vengeaunce dyed at mischefe With a Lenuoy The fourtene chapiter Howe Agathocles of low byrthe borne attaygned vnto royall dygnyte and howe he ended in pouerte and wretchednesse With a Lenuoy The fiftene chapiter Howe Cassander slewe the wyfe of Alexander and Hercules her sonne and howe Antipater slew hys mother and of dyuers other murders The sixtene chapiter Of two prefectes Perdicas and Amintas The .xvii. cha How SaÌ„drocottus borne of low degre cherished robbours theues The xviii ca. Howe Seleuchus the myghtye prynce was slayne by the great Tholome kyng of Egypte The xix chap. Howe the two sons of Queene Arcynoe wer by their mothers traitourously slaine and she exyled with a Lenuoy The .xx. Chapter Howe Ceramius of Macedoyne kynge that murdred hys cosyns was slayne in battayle by them of Fraunce The xxi cha How the prince Belgius was discoÌ„fited and brought to nought The .xxii. chap. How duke Breâ—â—us delytyng to robbe and steale mischiuouslye ended wyth a Lenuoy The xxiii chap. Howe Pyrrus kyng of Pyrothe lyst not lyue in peace but throughe pryde and presumpcion in warre came to mischaunce The xxiiii Chapter How the tyrauÌ„t Aristotimus by trecherous workynge set asyde the ryght lyne and howe he was crowned kyng of Epirothes and after slayne The .xxv. chap. Howe Queene Arcinoe for her aduoutrye done wyth Demetrius husbande of Beronices ended in sorowe The .xxvi. ca. ¶ Thus endeth the table wyth the Chapters of the fourth boke and here foloweth the table of the fifth boke whiche contayneth .xxxiii. Chapters ¶ The table of the fyfth boke IN the fyrst Chapiter of the fifth booke Bochas wryteth agaynst them that delyte in beautye and semelynesse callynge to purpose howe a man borne in Tuscan whiche excelled in beautye and fayrenesse and for he woulde nat geue occasion to other to sinne disfigured his visage and bodye with manye a greuous wounde and spotte with a Lenuoy Howe the two bretherne Seleuchus and Antiochus eche of them desirynge to excell other fyll at discorde and so ended in mischefe The seconde chap. Howe the noble Queene Laodomya was slayne in the Temple and of the vengeauÌ„ce that was take vpon hym that slew her The thyrde chapter Howe Cleomenes kynge of Macedone was slayne with his wife and chyldren The fourth chapter Of kynge Nero Cornely and Hanybal The fyfth Chapter Of the duke zantipas that was cast into the sea The sixt chapter Howe Marcus Regulus of his frewyll dyed for the common weale wyth a Lenuoy The seuenth chapter Howe Tholome kyng of Egypte called Philopater slewe hys father and mother and his wife and how he spent his tyme in lecherye and of his mischeuous ende The eyght Chapter Howe Brithomarus and Viridomarus dukes of Fraunce after great battayles were by Romaynes slayne The .ix. ca. Howe Syphax the kynge of Numedy was taken and how he died in prison The tenth Chapter Howe Nabyn hauyng no tytell of right but by tyranny toke on hym to be kyng of Macedone and howe he was slayne The eleuenth chapter Bochas reherseth the mortall warres that hathe been betwene the Romaynes and Affricans The. twelth cap. How king Perseus was by the Romaines outrayed and after take The .xiii. cap. Howe the people of Achaia wyth theyr chefe citie called Coriâ—the by Romaynes was distroyed The fourtene chapter Howe the great Antiochus vsyng riote and vicious liuynge by Marcus Actilius was outrayed and dyed sodayulye with a Lenuoy The fiftene chapter Howe Jeronimus kynge of Cyracuse was slaine and how Scipio Affrican that laboured for the common weale of Romaines was exiled by them and so died The sixtene chapter Howe Scipio Asyan lorde of Asye that laboured euer for the common weale was at last murdred The seuentene chap. Howe duke Philopomenes was take put in prison and after dranke poyson and so died The eyghtene chapter Of the thyrd Scipion Nasica that euer wrought muche for the commonty with a Lenuoy The .xix. chapter Howe duke Haâ—ball after many victorious dedes slewe hym selfe with poyson with a Lenuoy The twenty chapter Howe Prusias kynge of Bithâ—ye that betrayed Hanibal woulde haue dish erited hys sonne and heyre went a beggynge in strange landes The .xxi. chapter Howe Perses of Macedone kyng that empoysoned his brother was by Emilyus outrayed and dyed in pryson The xxii ca. Howe Amonyus a prynce of Antioche delytynge in pyllage and robberye with other vicious lyuynge sted in womans clothyng after taken slayne The xxiii cap. Howe
golde Out of Egypt full great treasure they ladde Such as theÌ„ thought might most theÌ„ auaile And Pharao I fynde that he hadde Two hundred chares enarmed for battayle Them to pursue and proudly to assayle And fifty thousande in whom was no lacke Of men of armes folowyng on horsebacke Two C. thousande of fotemen him aboute And of Egypt all his chyualrye And Pharao with all his great route Began Israel pursue of enuye But for his pryde and false surquedy He and his people were drowned euerychone Of all his number was left not one His froward hart ayenst God indurate Fulfilled of malyce and obstinacy And in his purpose proude and obstinate These foule vyces or he coulde them espye From his glory and his regally He was doun though he tofore was crouned Amidde the sea among his people drowned Of Ogiges kyng of Thebes ANother Prynce called Ogygus Kyng of Thebes as bokes determine And fouÌ„der was thus Bochas telleth vs Of a citye called Eleusyne Which stout in Grece whose power to decline There fyll a floude in that regyoun Whiche ouerflowed many a royall towne And in Cithia that did most dammage Tyme of Iacob patriarke notable And this deluge with his waues rage Slewe lordes many prynces honourable For dame Fortune is so deceiuable That she sumtime when she list disdayne Can folke assayle with a floude sodaine This floude also where it did assayle Wasted cornes bothe croppe and rote Caused also scarcitie of vytayle That many a man felt full vnsote The pore not wyst where to finde bote For their prynces supprised were with drede Through lacke of vitayle in that great nede Of a great floude in Tessaly ANother floude there was in Tessaly In the time when kyng Amphyon Helde the ceptre and the regaly Vpon Thebes the mighty stronge towne Beside the kyngdome of Babilon The same time this floude fell doubtles When Gods people was ledde by Moses With this floude the land had ben deuoured Of Tessaly and of all that region But on Pernaso the people were succored And on the Roches that stode enuyron Founde there refuge to their saluation And great succour til the floudes rage Began to decrease withdrawe and asswage In olde stories also ye may se Whan Cecrops had first possession Of Athens the myghty stronge citye An heate there fell in that region By influence that descendeth downe From the bodies aboue celestiall Whiche likely was for to deuoure all And this heate engendred with the sonne In diuers countreys both in length breade Hath his course so mightely begone That many folke fell in great dreade Ryuers welles who so list take hede Consumed were and dryed vp echone The heat called the enbracyng of Pheton The .v. Chapter ☞ Of goodly Isis wife to Apys kyng of Argyue slayne by his brother Dyffeus WE haue read in stories here toforne How that Isis to Egypt toke her flyght Out of Crete the true daughter borne Of Promotheus a full manly knyght And Isis in euery mans syght So freshe so goodly wedded by her lyue To worthy Apys that was king of Argyue The whiche Isis excellent of beauty After tyme her father was ygraue She was put for more suretye With her vncle that shoulde kepe and saue This sayd maâ—de y â— no man should her haue And her vncle in Ouide ye may se Like as he wrote â–ª was called Epymethe And flourynge vp in her tender age This sayd Isis so pleasaunt was and mete Of semelines of loke and vysage That Iupiter the mighty kynge of Crete Was enuyronned with her for to mete And she excited of feminitie Enclined her hart vnto his deitie And for she was of her entent so clene Obeiyng hun in most lowly wise Of Argiuois he made her to be quene Because that she was smit in couetise Ayenst Argus a warre she gan deuise And for he was vnweldy of his age Her to w t stand he found none aduauntage But yet Fortune gan vpon her frowne And kyng Argus through his subtiltye With his counsaile so prudently gan rowne That she was take by full great crueltie And her souldiours were also made to flye And by Argus there gayned no raunsome She fettred was and put in strong pryson But her sonne God Mercurius Right freshe ryght lusty full of hardines And of his earthly ioye so glorious Ayenst Argus gan his power dresse And so intirely did his busines That Argus was slaine in conclusion And after Isis deliuered fro pryson Of her sleyghtes afterwarde not feynt She toke a shyp and to Egypt went In which shyp there was a cowe depeynt And Theores whom Iupiter also sent Is gone with her bothe of one entent To ioyne a mariage after anone ryght Betwene her Apys a prynce full of myght She was ryght wise aboue other creatures Secrete of cunnyng well expert in science She taught first letters and fygures To Egyptians by playne experience Gaue them cunnyng and intelligence To tyll the lande taught the labourers To sowe their graine multiply by peres And in Egypt her fame and her renowne Began day by day wext her worthines Holde of cunnyng and of reputation By signe shewed not onely in princesse But she was holde among them a Goddesse And with worshyps whiche were diuyne And sacrifices to her they did enclyne But to declare playnly at a worde In middes of all her great prosperitie Mighty Apis her husband and her lorde Prince of Egypt and lorde of that country Sonne of Iupiter and of Niobe Whiche Niobe by long discendyng The daughter was of Phoroneus y â— kyng And Phoroneus first the lawe founde To whiche all Crete stande vnder obeysauÌ„ce And the statutes of that myghty londe Were ystablished by his ordinaunce But for to write the vnhappy chaunce Of kynge Apys that is remembred He slayne was and pyteously dismembred By his brother called Tyffeus Sumwhat of hatred but more for couetise For Tyffeus was onely desitous To reioyce in full mortall wise The mighty kingdom as ye haue herd deuise Of Argiuois to haue possession Preferred by murder and false succession And when that Isis fouÌ„de her lorde so deade Of entent that he were magnified First of wisdome she gan take hede Ordeyned a meane that he were deified High among Goddes to be stellified In Egypt temples made to be stalled And God Serapis after he was called The .vi. Chapter ¶ Of Grysiton that his membres eate for honger WHat shall I write of case horrible Of Grisiton w t hoÌ„ger so coÌ„strayned That his life was to him self odible In Thessaly w t indigence payned And pyteously his fame was disteyned When he solde his daughter in seruage Liriope whiche was but yong of age By exchaunge of God to puruey theÌ„ vytayle Of very nede he was so wo begon He had nothing y â— might his thirst auayle Ne stauÌ„ch his hoÌ„ger but gnawyng on a bone Wherfore he ate his membres one by one A prynce alas was it not great pitie To se him
a citye rayse Which the poetes greatly cōmend and praise And y ◠his buildyng myght the more auayle All the foreyns that did about him dwell Full like a knyght by force and by battayle Out of that countrey he did them expell Raysynge a citie whiche that did excell And as Ouide also recordeth the same Vnto thys day of Thebes beareth the name And he was not onely glorified For rearyng vp of this great citye But he was also magnified For his manhode his magnanimitie And most commended if ye list to se For the surmountyng famous excellence Whiche that he had in wysdome and science For as myne aucthour of him list indite Through his noble prudent puruey aunce He taught fygures letters for to write And made lawes of full great ordinaunce Among the Grekes and set a gouernaunce Thei◠vycious life by vertue to restrayne And who outraied was punished w t the pain And of entent to encrease hys lynage And his citye also for to multiply He toke a wife that was but yong of age And she was called as bokes specify Hermyone and touching her alye Though that she were borne of royall bloud She was also bothe ioly fayre and good And this was done as writeth mine auctour After the death of worthy Iosue Sothonyell beyng successour Hauyng the leadyng and the soueraintie Of Israell whan Thebes the citye Was founded first in the dayes olde By kyng Cadmus tofore as I you tolde Foure daughters he had by his lyue Full fayre echone and goodly on to se And their names to reherse blyue Semele was the eldest and next Acthonie The thirde in order was called Inoe And Agane was yongest of them all Of the whiche daughters thus it is befall They were echone of port and of manere Full well fauoured in euery mans syght Right womanly and heauenly of their chere And for their beauty their father anone right As it was sittyng wyth all his full myght Like their estates birthe and also their age Made thē be wedded and ioyned in mariage To worthy princes his linage to auaunce And they encreased by procreation Wherof the kynge had full great pleasaunce And great reioysyng in his opinion To saue his lyne by generation With his neuewes and cosyns of alye Fro day to day to waxe and multiply And this encreased his felicitie Whan he considered verely in dede The riche buildynge of his royall citye And Fortune did his brydle leade To great riches in bokes as I reade To great nobles hauyng great residence In his citye of moste magnificence His daughter Semele record of mine auctor Though she discended were of the bloud ryal To Iupiter she was paramoure And by his power supercelestiall She conceiued in especiall As poetes of her list to endite Him that is god of grapes redde and white Called Bachus whiche hath the gouernaūce Of wynes all and the regaly Wherof after was take full great vengeaūce For when Iuno did first espye Of Iupiter the great auoutrye Of great hatred and enuyous desire She made Semele to be brent w t sodayn fire By discendyng of a sodayne leuine And on Semele the vengeaunce downe wēt Fro Iuno ielous cleped quene of heauen To wreke her wrath purposely ysent And fore the flame consumed was and spent There was of her left no remembraunce But of the ende the wofull mortall chaunce Also Actheon the sonne of Acthonie To great mischefes and infortunes borne Whose father called was Criste Come of the kinred that I you tolde toforne With cruell houndes alas he was to torne For that he sawe as bokes of him tell Dyana naked bath her in a well And as Poetes remember at the lest Whan the ladyes of Thebes the citye Helde of Bachus solemnely the feaste The yonger sister called Agane Daughter to Cadmus alas it was pitie Ayenst her owne sonne deare She was so wode and mortall of her cheare Murderyng hym in full cruell wise In her rage she was so furious For he lough at the sacrifyce In Thebes done by women to Bachus The whiche sonne was called Pantheus Whom that she slewe w t a sharpe dart In her wodenes as she him founde apart These great mischeues fell in the lyue Of king Cadmus through his vnhappy chāce Fortune his noblesse gan vndermyne And thought she would his glory disauaunce All worldly gladnes is medled w t greuaunce Experience in Cadmus ye may se So importable was his aduersitie For while he sate most highest in his glory No part clipsed of his prosperitie His bryght renowne and his royall memory In realmes spredde many a farre con̄trey He moste wealfull in his high see Set w t his linage most high in noblesse Than came Fortune the false enchaunteresse Of wilfulnesse and founde occasion Ayenst Cadmus and made his renowne dul Of his kynred by false collusion She gan away the bryghtest fethers pull And whan his shining was waxt vp to y ◠full After the chaunge of fortunes lawe His glory gan discrece and withdrawe It was more greuous to his dignitie A sodayne fall from his high noblesse Than if that he had neuer be Set in the state of his great worthines For the furious mortall heauines Of his kinred without any more Would haue greued a pore man full sore And amonge his sorowes euerychone To rehearse playnly as it was I dare affirme how that there was one Most horrible dreadfull in such a caas For Cadmus sonne called Athamas His sonne in lawe through false melancoly Fell sodaynely into a frenesy Of whom the wife was called Inoe Cadmus daughter as ye haue heard expresse Which through the cōstraynt of his infirmitie In his rage and furious wodenes Thought that his wyfe was a lyonesse And in his wylde ymaginations That his two children were also two lyons And vpon them full loude he gan to crye Towarde his wife in haste he came anone And from her armes there was no remedy The childe he rent and on a craggy stone He gan to brast it and breake it euery bone The whiche childe Bochas writeth thus Full tender and yong called was Learchus And all this wofull and sodaine aduenture Of this rage whan that she toke hede As most sorowfull of any creature Her other childe she hent anone for drede For of succour she knewe no better spede So as she might gan haste out of his sight But welaway as she toke her to flyght Her husbande came after pursuyng Like a woode Lyon in his crueltie Downe from a hill whiche was dependyng She and her childe fell into the see Was it not ruthe was it not pitye A kings daughter her lord i Thebes crouned He to be woode and she for feare drowned ▪ Lo here the fine of Cadmus euery deale His children slayne and his allies all And he him selfe from fortunes whele Whan he wened leste full sodaynly is fall His little suger tempred with moche gall For among all his mortall peynes His
his power drewe alway bacward And his empire was after ybrought full low His riall fame fortune hath ouerthrow His name eclipsed y t sumtime shone ful clere Of great Cison besyde the ruiere Of quene Iocasta Bochas doth also endite Princesse of Thebes a mighty great citie Of her vnhappes he dolefully doth write Imagining howe he did her se To him appere in great aduersite Lyke a woman that would in teares reine For that fortune gan at her so disdeine And though she were defaced of figure There shewed in her a maner maieste Of quenely honour plainly to discure Her infortuns and her infelictte And to declare plainly how that she Of all princesses which stode in estate Was her selfe the most infortunate Which gaue to Bochas full great occasion Whan he sawe her pitous apparayle For to make a lamentacion Of vncouth sorowes whych dyd her assaile With a tragedy to wepe and to wayle Her importable and straunge dedely strife Which that she had duryng all her lyfe He wryte of her a story large and playne And of her byrth fyrst he doth diffyne And affyrmeth in hys boke certayne She was discended of a noble lyne In flouryng age also when she dyd shyne She wedded was for her great beauty Vnto the kyng of Thebes the citye Which in his tyme was called Layus And whan her wombe by processe dyd aryse The kyng was glad and also desirous The childes fate to know in some wise And thought he would go do sacrifice Vnto Appollo to haue knowlegynge toforne Touching his child whan that it was borne What should folow in conclusion He was desirous and hasty for to se Fyrst by heauenly disposicion And by the fauour if it woulde be Of Appollos myghty deite To haue aunswere among his wyttes al Of his child what fate should befall His answere though it were contrary To his desire yet was it thus in dede Appollo tolde hym and lyst no lenger tary That this childe should verily in dede Slee his father and make his sides blede And w t his hands there was none other wey But on his swerde he must nedes deye The kyng was heuy trist on this sentence Sorouful of hert god wote nothyng faine And cast afore through his prouidence That his son should in al hast be slayne And that he would not an houre delayne After his byrth but bad his men to gone Into a forest and slee the chylde anone Lyke his byddyng the ministers dyd in dede Takyng the chylde tendre yong of age And into a forest wyth them they gan it lede To be deuoured of beastes most sauage The mother alas almost fell into rage Seyng her child so inly fayre of face Shal thus be deed and dyd no trespace Lytel wondre though she felt smert To al women I report me And vnto mothers that ben tendre of hert In this mater fuges for to be Was it not ruth was it not pite That a princesse a quene alas Shuld know her child deuoured in such caas ▪ After thys byrth Layus toke good kepe Without mercy respite or delay That vnto one whych kept his shepe This yong chyld vpou a certayne day Shal be deliuered in al the hast he may To thys entent it myght not be socoured But that it should of beastes be dettoured This sayd sheperde goth forth anon ryght The chyld beholdyng benigne of loke face Thought in hert and in his inwarde light He shoulde do to god a great trespace To slee this child wherfore he did hym grace Toke fyrst a knife and dyd his busy payne Throughout his fete to make holes twayne Toke a smal rodde of a yonge osier Perced the fete alas it was pite Bonde hym fast and by good leiser The yong childe he henge vpon a tree Of entent that he ne should not be Through wylde beastes cruel and sauage All sodenly deuoured in their rage Vpon the tre whyle he henge thus bound Of auenture by some occasion A straunge sheperd hath the child yfound Whych of ruth and pyte toke hym doun Bare wyth hym home in to hys toun Made hys wyfe for to do her payne To foster the chylde wyth her brestes twaine And whan he was brought forth recured And full made hole of hys woundes sore Thys yong chyld whych al this hath endured Whan he in age began to were more And that nature began hym to restore The saide sheperde that loued hym best of all After his hurtes Edippus dyd hym cal For Edippus is no more to saine Who that conceyueth the exposicion But fete yperced throughout both twayne In that langage as made is mencion And to Meropa wife of king Polibion The shepeherde of ful humble entent Began the child ful lowly to present And for she was barreyne of nature She and the kyng of one affection Toke Edippus both in to their cure As sonne and heire by adopcion To reigne in Corinth by succession The kyng the quene of Corinth the coūtre Had the chylde in so great cheerte Let men considre in their discrecion Sodayne chaunge of euery maner thyng This childe sent out for his distruction And now prouided for to be a kynge And through fortune aye double in working He that was refuse to beastes most sauage Is now receyued to knyghtly heritage Destitute he was of his kynrede Forsake and abiect of bloud and of alie In tēdre youth his fete were made to blede Henge on a tre and began for helpe crie But god that can in mischefe magnifye And reconfort folke disconsolate Hath made thys childe nowe thus fortunate And hath prouided to be a kynges heire Him that stode of deth in auenture Fortune can shew herselfe both foule fayre Folkes brought lowe ful wel ayen recure And such as paciently can endure And lyst not grudge ayenst their chastisyng God out of myschefe can sodenly them bryng But whan Edippus was growe vp to age Lyke a yong prince encresynge in noblesse Lusty and strong and freshe of his corage Of auenture it fel so in sothnesse Outher by strife or by some frowardnes Or by sume conteke he had knowledgynge Howe he was not sonne vnto the kynge As by discēt but a ferre fortaine Whereupon full sore he began to muse And for to knowe and be put in certaine Thought he would som maner practike vse And to the kyng he gan hym selfe excuse For a tyme to wythdrawe his presence Tyil he myght knewe by some experience Or by sume signe howe the matter stode Thought he would do his diligence To knowe his father also of what bloude He was discended and haue some euidence Touching troth howe it stode in sentence And her vpon to be certified Towarde Appollo fast he hath hym hyed Whiche in Cirta worshypped was that time And gaue answere through his beite To tolke that came at euen and at prime Of euery doute and ambiguyte And there Edippus fallyng vpon his kne After hys offring had answere
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
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
Cynarus hath his daughter founde And cruelly began enhaunce his hande With his sworde to geue her a wounde But the goddes of mercy most habound Hath fro the death made her to go fre And through their power traÌ„formed to a tree Which after her beareth yet the name Called Myrra as she was in her life Out of whiche aucthours say the same Distilleth a gome a great preseruatife And of nature a full good defensife To kepe bodies from putrifaction And them franchise from all corruption By influence of the sunne beames Myrre is engendred by distyllyng of his kind With round dropes ayenst Phebus streames And doun discendeth through the hard rinde And through the riftes also I finde The sayd Myrra hath a childe forth brought In all this worlde if it were sought Was none so faire formed by nature For of his beauty he was pereles And as Poetes recorde by scripture He called was the fayre Adonydes And to his worshyp and his great encrees For he of fairenes bare away the floure Venus him chase to be her paramour The whiche Goddesse gaue to him in charge That he should in his tender age In forestes while he went at large Hunt at no beastes whiche were sauage But he contrary to his disauauntage Through wilfulnesse I can say no more Was slayne vnwarely of a Tuskye boare At the whiche he felly did enchace But of folly in vayne was his laboure For he lay slayne full pale of chere and face Whom Venus turned to a full freshe stoure Whiche was as bloude of purple the coloure A budde of golde w t goodlye leaues glade Set in y â— middes whose beauty may not fade And whan Myrra froÌ„ Bochas was w tdraw And declared her great aduersitie And of her fate tolde the mortall lawe Came Orpheus full vgly vnto se Sonne of Appollo and of Calyope And appeared with a full dolefull face Sumtime brought forthe yborne in Trace Full renoumed in armes and in science Famous in musike and melody And full notable also in eloquence And for his soote sugred armony Beastes and foules as poetes specify Wodes floudes of their course most strong Stynte of course to harken his sote song An harpe he had of Mercurius With the whiche Erudice he wanne And to Bachus as write Ouidius Sacrifices solemnely he began And vnto hell for his wife he ran Her to recure with sote touches sharpe Whiche he made vpon his heauenly harpe But whan that he this labour on him toke I lawe was made which that bouÌ„d him forâ— That if he backeward cast his loke He shold her lese and se her neuermore But it is sayd sythen gone full yore There may no lawe louers well constrayne So importable is their deadly payne If some husbands had stand in the caas To haue lost their wiues for a loke sodayne â—hey would haue suffred and not sayd alas â—ut paciently endured all their payne â—nd thanked god y â— broken was the chayne â—hich hath so long them in pryson bounde â—hat they by grace had such a way founde â—olye in pryson it is a ful great charge â—nd to be stocked vnder key and locke â—t is meryer a man to go at large â—han with yrons to be nailed to a blocke â–ª But there is a bonde that called is wedlocke â—ettryng husbandes so sore that it is wonder â—hich with a file may not be broke asunder But Orpheus father of hermony Thought Erudice y â— was his wife so fayre For her sake he felt that he must dye Because that he whan he made his repayre Of her in trouth nothing embraced but ayre Thus he lost her there is no more to sayne And for the coÌ„straynt of his greuous payne At his hart her partyng sate so sore The grene memory the tender remembrauÌ„ce That he would neuer wine no more So fayre he was escaped his penaunce For wedlocke is a life of muche pleasaunce But who hath ones infarnall paynes sene Will neuer after come in the snare I wene This Orpheus gaue counsaile full notable To husbandes that haue endured payne To such as ben prudent and tretable One hel is dredful but more dredful is twain And who is ones bounde in a chayne And may escape out of daunger blyue If he eft resort God let him neuer thriue Vpon this sentence women were vengeable And to his writyng full contrarious Sayd his counsaile was not commendable At the feast they halowed to Bachus They fill echone vpon this Orpheus And for all his rethoryke swete They slough alas this laureate poete And of his harpe if ye lyst to heare The God Appollo made a translation Among the ymages of the starres cleare Wherof men may haue cleare inspection But fortune to his confusion Denyed him frowarde of her nature Whan he was slayne fredome of sepulture Next Orpheus there did appeare also Of Amasons worthy quenes twayne Merpesia and her sister Lampedo Whiche in conquest did their busy payne And great worshyp in armes did attayne Namyng them selues by writing nere farre Doughters to Mars which is god of warre Merpesia rode out in regions And conquered full many a great citye For couetise of great possessions To encrease her lordshyp if it would be And her sister kept surely their countrye Of all enemies so that there was no doubt While Merpesia rode with her host about But while she was in conquest most famous â–ª And her enemies proudly did assayle Fortune anone wart contrarious And caused that she was slaine in battayle Lo what conquest or victory may auayle Whan that fortune doth at them disdayn Se here ensample by these quenes twayne ☞ Lenuoy THis tragedy remembreth thynges fyue Of Narcissus the excellent beauty And of Biblis dothe also discriue The great luxury and dishonestye Myrra diffamed turned to a tree To exemplify that lechery and pride Ben from all vertue set full farre aside How Orpheus endured in his liue Joye entermedled wyth aduersitye In his youth whan he did wyue He felt in wedlocke full great felicitie His worldly blisse meynt with duplicitie As fortune her chaunges can deuyde Whiche from all vertue be set full farre aside Merpesia for her list to stryue Wyth wylfull warres to encrease her couÌ„tre But her pompe was ouerturned blyue Whan in battayle vnwarely slayne was shet For of all warre death is the fyne pardee So furious Mars can for her folke prouide Whiche from all vertue ben set farre aside Ye mighty princes let witte and reason dryue Your high nobles to consider and se How fortune estates can depryue And plonge theÌ„ downe from their prosperitie Pride and luxury I counsayle that you flye Falce auarice ne let not be your gyde Whiche from all vertue is clene set asyde ¶ The .xvi. Chapter ¶ Of Priamus kyng of Troye and how the monke of Bury translatoure of this boke wrote a boke of the siege of Troy called Troy boke AFter these complayntes and lameÌ„tacions Which that Bochas did in his boke coÌ„pile Medled
among with transmutations Set in Ouide by full souerayne style Whan he on them had mused a long while Sene the maner both of forowe and ioye He began to remēber of Priamus of Troy First of his byrthe and of his kynrede How among kinges he was most famous And as poetes recorde of him in dede He descended of worthye Dardanus Whiche as his line declareth vnto us From Jupiter was lynially come downe Vnto his father called Laomedoun Of olde Troy this Laomedon was kyng Destroyed by Grekes he and his countrye After whom this Priamus raynyng Made there ayen a myghty strong citye Where he full longe in full great royaltie With wife childer most worthy of renoun With scepter and crowne held the possessioun Gouerned his citye in peace and rightwisnes And Fortune was to him fauourable For of all Asie the treasour and riches He did assemble this kyng most honourable And in armes he was so commendable That through the worlde as far as mē gone Of high nobles the ronoume of him shone This Priamus had children many one Worthy princes and of full great myght But Hector was among them euerychone Called of prowes the lanterne and the lyght For there was neuer borne a better knyght Troylus in knyghthode so manly was foūd That he was named Hector the seconde But I should rehearse the manhede Of kyng Pryam and of his sonnes all And how his citye besieged was in dede And all the story to remembraunce call Betwene him and Grekes how it is befall The circumstaunces rehearsyng vp doun To set in order the first occasion Of the siege why it was first layed By Hercules and also by Iason The maner whole in Troye boke is sayde Rudely endited of my translation Folowyng vpon the destruction Called the second whych by accomptes cler◠Fully endured the space of ten yere For as me semeth the labour were in vayne Truely also I not to what entent That I should write it newe agayne For I had once in commaundement By him that was most noble and excellent Of kynges all for to vndertake It to translate and write it for his sake And if ye list to wete whom I meane Henry the fifte most myghty of puyssaunce Gaue me the charge of entent full cleane Thinge of olde time to put in remembraunce ▪ The same Henry for knyghtly suffisaunce Worthy for manhode teken kynges all With nyne worthies for to haue a stall To holy churche he was chefe defensoure In all suche causes Christes chosen knyght To destroy heritykes he set all his laboure Loued all vertues and to sustayne right Through his nobles his manhode might Was diligent and did his busy payne To haue set peace betwene realmes twayne A meane in sothe England and Fraunce His purpose was to haue had a peace finall Sought out meanes w t many a circumstan̄ce As well by treaty as actes marciall Theron ieoparded lyfe goodes and all But wo alas agaynst death is no boone This land may say he dyed all to soone For among kinges he was one of the best So all his dedes conueyed were by grace I pray to God so geue his soule good rest Wyth sayntes in heauen a dwellyng place For here with vs to little was the space That he abode of whom the remembraunce Shall neuer dye in England ne in Fraunce This worthy kyng gaue to me in charge In Englysh tonge to make a translation Out of latyn within a volume large Howe longe the grekes lay tofore the toun And how that Paris fyrst at Cytheron In Venus temple sleighly dyd his payne There to rauysh the fayre quene Heleyne In which boke the processe ye may se To hym how she was wedded in the toune And of the siege layde vnto the cyte By Menelay and kyng Agamennon And many another full worthy of renoun On eyther partie which that in battaile Fro day to day ech other dyd assayle Wherto shuld I tell or what shuld I write The deth of Hector or of Achylles Or wherto should I of newe endite How worthy Troilus was slaine in y ◠prese The ende of Paris or of Pallamides Or the slaughter of manly Deyphebus Or howe his brother called Hellenus Tolde afore howe it was great folly That Paris should wed quene Heleyne And how Cassandra in her prophecy On this wedding fore began compleyne And for the constreint of her hertely paine How she wexe madde ran about the toune Tyl she was caught shet vp into prison Al this matter ye may behold in dede Set by and by wythin Troye boke And how Creseide loued Dyomede Whan worthy Troylus she wilfully forsoke Of her nature a quarel thus she toke To assay both if nede were also to feyne To take the thirde leue thē both tweyne I passe ouer and tel of it no more Ne by what meanes the grekes wan y ◠toun How Eneas neyther how Anthenore Ayenst kyng Priam cōspired false traison Neyther howe Vlixes gate Paladion The deth of Priam ne of Eccuba the quene Ne howe Pyrrus flewe pong Pollicene Neyther here to write it is not mine entent Repeyre of grekes home in to their countre After the cyte at Iiyon was brent Neither of their mischefe they had on the see Neyther howe Vlixes founde Penolope A true wyfe though he were long her fro Through al Grece I can rede of no mo Of these matters thus I make an eude What fil of grekes after their viage To Troy boke tho folke I send Which haue desire to se the surplusage Howe grekes made fyrst their passage Towardes Troy besiegynge the cite Bede the storye ye get no more of me The .xvii. Chapter ☞ Here speketh Bochas the authour of thys boke agaynste the surquedous pryde of them that truste in rychesse sayeng these wordes vnto them ME proude folkes that set your affiaūce In strength beaute or in hye nobles If ye consider fortunes variaunce And coude a myrrour before your eyen dresse Of kyng Pryam and of his great richesse To se how he and his children all From their noblesse sodainly ben fall Hector of knighthode called sours wel Sad and demure and famous of prudence Paris also in beaute dyd excell And Helenus in perfyt prouidence Troylus in armes had great experience Also Deyphebus preued manly on his fone Yet in y ◠warre they were slaine euerychone Had not this kyng also as I can deuise By noble Heccuba whiche that was y ◠quene ▪ A doughter called Cassandra the wyse Her yong suster fayre Pollicene Alas alas what may all such pride mene For albeit their renome spronge ful far Yet are these women deuoured in the war Was he not mighty strong in all thynges And had also of his aliaunce Ryght worthy princes many rych kynges And nighe al Asie vnder his obeisaunce Holde in his tyme most famous of puissance Most renomed of richesse and tresours Tyl that fortune wyth her sharpe shoures Whan that he satte highest
Within thy house whan I did lere By clere example of manifolde doctrine Al that pertained to vertuous discipline Which I haue lost now in my dayes olde Dispaired it to recure agayne Myne owne childre I dare not the beholde Bycause the wombe in that they haue layne Diffouled is and pollute in certaine Which was tofore in chastitie conserued Chastise the auoutrer as he hath deserued And for my part to speke in wordes fewe Lenger to liue I haue no fantasie For where should I out my face shewe Or dare appere in any company Sith a derke spot of false auoutry Shal euermore whether it be false or true In to myne hindring y ◠sclaundre to renewe Lust afforced hath a false appetite Offrelte included in nature Maugre the wyll there foloweth a delite As some folkes say in euery creature Good fame lost ful hard is to recure And sith I may my harmes not redresse To you in open my gilt I wil confesse Al be I was againe my wil oppressed There was a maner constrained lust in dede Which for no power might not be redressed For feblenesse I stand in so great drede For which offence deth shal be my mede Sith leuer I haue with some edge tole To slee my selfe than lyue in slaūder dole O father myne spare and haue pitie And dere husbande rue on myne offence Goddes goddesses called of chastitie To my trespace graunt an indulgence For of my gylt to make a recompence Where that Venus gate in me a vaūtage Deth shal redresse chastise myne outrage For if I should make a delay To perse my brest w t sharpnes of a knyfe Men would deme and say fro day to day To make my sclaūder more open more rife Howe that I was more tendre of my life Thā of my worship which is to gret a shame To loue my life more than my good name In this matter no witnes is so good To put awaye all false suspection As with a knife to shed my hert bloud I myght not make a better purgacion To al folke that haue discrecion Than finally by my deth to excuse The gylt horible of whych men me accuse Go forth my soule pure and immortal Chefe wytnes of myne innocence Tofore tho iudges which ben infernal Fyrst Mynos kyng to deme my conscience With Radamanthus to yeue a sentence Lyke my desertes that it might be sene In wyfely trouth how that I was clene Thou erthly body which through thy fairnes Were to auoutry ful great occasion Of thy bloud shede out the rednes And by thy sides let it raile doun Stere and exite the people of this toun To do their deuer within a litle whyle For loue of Tarquyn al kynges to exile And fyrst I pray my husbande most entere Of this vengeaunce to make no delay With helpe and socour of my father dere To punyshe y ◠auoutrer in al haste ye may Let him take his wages and his pay Lyke as ye se plainly nowe conceyue For his offence the death I do receiue And sodaynly or they myght aduerte She toke a knyfe and with great violence Through the brest euyn to the hert She made it glyde there was no resistence Ful pale deed fyl down in their presence And by occasion of this piteous dede Tarquyn exyled and holy his kynrede For which cause by recorde of writyng Was there neuer in Rome the cite After that day no man crowned kyng As in cronicles ye may beholde and se Thus for luxurie and their cruelte Their tiranny and false extorcion They were exiled out of Rome toun The .vi. Chapter ¶ Howe Rome was after gouerned and Virginea by her father slayne GOuerned after by other officers As is remembred in Titus Liuius Called Decemuiri of diuers croniclers Amonge whyche there was one Appius A Judge vntrue proud luxurious Which through y ◠citie the story bereth witnes Behated was for his great falsenes And ones it fyll as he cast his loke Vpon a maide most inly fayre of sight A false desire within his hert he toke Her to dysuse agayne al skyl and ryght And she was doughter to a worthy knyght Ful manly founde in his dedes al And Vyrginius y ◠Romains did him cal Whose goodly doughter y e story doth vs lere Was after hym for his noble fame Virginia called most goodly and entere And for this cause she bare the same name But Appius to greatly was to blame Which hath conspired through his great falsnes If y ◠he might her beauty to oppresse This Iuge vntrue both in thought dede Of law vnrightful sought out occasion Made a sergiaunt of his to procede Agayne this mayde to take an accion Claimed her his seruant by false collusion And this done was by Appius of entent That he on her might yeue a iudgement And by this meane in his false delite Thought he myght her beautie best disuse So to accomplishe his fleshly appetite She beyng feble the accion to refuse Wherupon her father gan to muse Fully conceiued of Appius the maner In her defence wrought as ye shal here Whan Appius had yeuen his iudgement Againe this mayde which afore him stode Her manly father most knighty of entent Toke her apart as he thought it good And wyth a knyfe shed her hert bloud Dempt it better to slee her in clennes Than the tirant her beauty should oppresse Thus hole conserued was her virginite And vndefouled was her maydenhede For Vyrgynius to kepe her honeste Spared nothyng to make her sides blede But Appius for this horrible dede And Decemuiri through his vnhappye chaūce Had in that citye neuer after gouernaūce As the story also maketh mencion Appius ashamed of this dede Slough him selfe fetred in prison Of a false iuge lo here the final mede And tho Tribuni in Rome gan succede Twene right and wronge truely to discerne And romayne lawes iustly to gouerne Men may here se as in a myrour clere Estates chaunged for their great offences And by some poore person singulere Princes put doun from their magnificences Which not cōsidred in their great excellēces How god ordeineth his yerde in sōdry wise The poore sūwhile the pompous to chastise Here on to shewe example anone ryght Marked in story for a notable thynge Pausanias of Grece a manly knight Of Macedony slough Philip the Kyng At a table where he was sitting Atwene Alexandre and Olimpiades His wrong to auenge amyddes al the prees Eke Salmator a knyght of low degree For wronges done in especial Of manly force grounded on equite Slough of Cartage the Prince Hasdrubal Which brother was vnto duke Haniball Besyde a riuer as they met in batayle Called Metaure which renneth in Itaile Wherefore ye princes if ye lyst longe endure Be right wel ware be ye neuer so stronge In your lordshyppes not to much assure Or of surquedy the porayle to do wronge In your discrecion conceyuing euer amonge Greatest drede is that
worthy reigning Parted the kyngdome yeuen it vnto the And thou vnkynde therof canst nothyng se His great goodnesse is out of remēbraunce Fully forgeten of thy frowarde pride In false goddes put thyne affiaunce God aboue falsly set asyde Wherefore from the anon he shall deuyde The kyngdome hole wythout more delay And fro thy lyne the crowne take away And for thou hast to thy confusion Thy fayth vnfaithful to false goddes take Wrongly refused thy religion Of god aboue and playnly hym forsake This is the ende whych y ◠thou shalt make Thee and thy kyn no man may socour Fleshe skyn bone houndes shal deuour And at thy entrynge home to the cite Thy sonne his thou shalt fynde him deed Of al hys kin though there were none but he Founde very good take therof good hede Of whych answere y ◠quene fil in great drede Entryng the citie in especial Her childe was dede lay colde by the wal Of thys warning the king toke none hede But made him redy w t ful great aparayle Forty thousande wyth him he dyd lede Of manly men armed in plate and maile With king Abias for to haue a batayle The whiche Abias that was of Juda kinge Vnto his people said at their metynge O noble knightes haue one thing in memory No man venquisheth platly to cōclude With great people nor getteth victory With nombres heaped nor greate multitude False ydolaters god wyl them delude Not suffre his seruaunts that ben true sad Of miscreauntes to be ouerlad Triumphe is none found of newe or olde In these Idols of stone nor siluer shene Nor in Calues of mettall made or golde Yeue to that partie which vntruly meane And sithe y ◠god knoweth our quarel clene Ther is no hope force none nor myght With them y ◠groūde their cause against right Hope of victory standeth vpō right wisnes Of them y t cast their sinful life to amende And lyst forsake wrong and al falsnes And with hole hert vnto the lorde entende Which shal this day his grace to you sende Our true cause truely to termyne And thus Abias gan his tale fyne His preestes gan their trūpes for to blowe And kyng Abias through his high renoun Gaue to his people both to high and low Ful manly comfort and consolacion And fyfty thousand by computacion Were slayne y ◠day which ful proudly came Vpon the party of kyng Jeroboam And al the partye of Jeroboam And al that were of his lyne borne After thys batayle vnto mischefe came Whan they were slayne w t hoūdes al to torne As the prophet had thē told beforne But for the kyng toke therof no hede With soden vengeaunce god quit his mede ¶ The .viii. Chapter Howe zaras king of Ethyope was slayne in batayle AFter hym to Bochas dyd appere Next in ordre playnly as I fynde One zaras wyth a soroufull chere And he was kyng of Ethyope and Jude Whose eyen were almost w t wepyng blynde Prayeng myne auctour his vnhappy chaūce With other woful to put in remembraunce And that he would recorde by scripture His sodayne fall and dolorous distresse And his diffamous hateful discomfiture With the dispoylynge of his great richesse And how king Asaph thrugh his high nobles And his people as he dyd thē assaile Hath him venquished slayne in batayle The .ix. Chapiter Howe Adab kyng of Jerusalem lost sceptre and crowne OF Israell than came the wooful◠kynge Called Adab ful pytously wepyng Vnto Bocas his cōplaint rehersing How kyng Basa by subtyll false werkyng With slaughter caused his fallyng Whan fortune gan falsely frowne And toke vniustly frō him sceptre crowne The .x. Chapiter ¶ Howe the vengeable prynce zambrias set a toure on fyre and brente hym selfe NExt came zābrias a prince vēgeable Whiche slough kinge Helam by false treason That was founde also ful vnstable For this zambrias of entencion Hath murdred him within the chefe dongeon Of his castel wyth a ful great route As he vnwarely layde a siege aboute But Amarin a prince of ful great might Came in to Tharse a famous great citye And cast him playnly lyke a worthy knight On this zambrias auenged for to be Hym to distroy without mercy or pitie But in a toure as zambrias went Set it a fyre and so hym selfe brent ☞ The .xi. Chapiter Of king Achab and Jezabel his wife WIth sighes sore wepig importable Came kyng Achab vnto Bochas Whose hertelie sorowe was incōparable And complayning ful oft sayd alas Besechyng him to write his woful case Compile his falling and the fate yfere Of Athalia his owne doughter dere To god aboue most contrarious Thys Achab was in al his gouernaunce And had a wyfe cruel and lecherous Called Jesabel whiche set al her plesaunce On goddes prophetes for to do vengeaunce In the bible their malice men may se And Idolaters they were both he and she God for their trespaces as it was well seyne Afore shewed by true prophecy Sent thre yere neither dewe ne reyne Vpon the erth their graine to multiplye Tyl eft agayne by prayer of Helye Holsome waters from heuin gan discend Which gaue thē cause their life to amend But his wyfe that cursed Jesabel To eche thing hateful which was diuine An hundred prophetes she slough in Israel Vnto Baal for they would not inclyne And she also slough Naboth for his vyne Through whose outrage false oppression Achab was brought to his confusion Of his enemyes outrayed in bataile With a sharpe arow caught his fatal woūde Tyi al his blode by bledyng dyd faile About hys chare w t many droppes rounde That the wordes were ful true founde Of Helias which told him as it stode That hungry houndes should lycke his blod In a citye than called Israel Downe from a toure ioyned to a wall The sayd quene called Jesabel Was ouer cast had a deadlye fal Touching these mischeues for she was cause of all Beware ye princes remēbring all your lyues To eschue false coūsayle yeuē by your wiues ☞ The .xii. Chapiter ¶ How quene Athalia for her tiranny was slayne NExt to Achab in ordre dyd sue Athalia w t doleful countenaunce Bocas besechyng as hym thought due Her sodayne fal to put in remembraunce Sours chefe rote of sorow mischance Is vsurpaciō and false couetise Lyke as her story herafter shal deuyse She was vpreised by fauour in thre thinges For father broder also her husbande Were in her tyme echone crowned kinges With scepter sworde as ye shal vnderstād Many emprises in their daies toke on hande And howe fortune their highnes dyd assaile I cast shortly to make rehersayle She fyl of fortune in the vnhappye boundes Fyrst whan her father was w t an arow dede His blod vplicked w t cruel hūgry houndes About his chare rennyng downe ful rede His body pale lay who that toke hede Lyke a carreyne naked and dispoyled With foule black erth amyd
the felde ysoyled Cause of another vnhappy heuynesse And of her deedly desolacion Was the people felly dyd them dresse Of Arabye in their rebellion Agayne her husband of entencion To robbe his treasour to their auauntage And take his richesse by outragious pillage Some of his meyny they put in prison There was agaynst theÌ„ made no defence Spared nother citie borough ne toun Slough man chyld through sturdy violeÌ„ce Her lorde enfect wyth sodaine pestilence Conceyued fully by his malady There was no gayne but he must nede dye After his deth most wretched odible His body corrupt his bowelles fyl doun Of his carayne the stench was so horible The ayre enfect about hym enuyron With so great horrour and putrifaction That no man myght abyde nor endure To bryng his body vnto sepulture Her third vnhap whereof she was ful fayne That fortune lyst her efte assayle Made her vncle kyng Joram to be slayne With an arow as he fled in batayle She supposyng greatly it should auayle Lyke a woman most furious wode She of king Dauid slough al y e rial blode Her purpose was to gouerne al the realme Alone her selfe to haue dominacion To reigne in Juda and Jerusalem This Athalia by vsurpacion And for that cause in her entencion With mortal sworde she made tho fyne That were disceÌ„ded froÌ„ Dauid doun by lyne Except one Joas she left not one a lyue Chyld of a yere sonne of kyng Ochâ—sy Whom Josaketh the story do the disctiue Of very pitie caught a fantasy The childe to saue that he shal not dye From the malice of Athalia And she was wyfe to byshop Joiada She this byshop with hole hert entere Kept this chylde in ful secret wyse Within the temple the space of seuen yere And in the seuenth the storye doth deuise Joiada toke on him this emprise Yonge Joas vpon a certayne day By iust title to crowne him if he may His messangers he sendeth out anone Of princes tribunes gan a counsaile cal Of preestes eke and leuites euerychone And whan he had discured to them al Hole his entent thus it is befal Sworne and assented as it was sytting That yonge Joas shal be crowned kyng For by promise which y â— is diuine Quod Joiada if ye take hede God hath behested to Dauid his lyne And assured vnto his kynred In Jerusalem how they shal succede And though Joas be yong teÌ„dre of might He to the crowne hath neuer the lasse ryghte In this matter I wyl not that ye slepe But to shewe your true diligence On four parties the temple for to kepe That no man entre by no violence And in the myddes by royal excellence Quod this byshop no man shal vs let On Joas heade a crowne for to set And whan ech thing was brought to poynt Hys hygh estate to encrease and magnify The people anone whan he was anoynt Viuat rex they began to cry And whan Athalia gan this thyng espye For very ire and the sodayne wonder Of melancoly her clothes cut asonder Ran to the temple and gan make a fray With her meyny and to crye aloude Bad them go sle make no delay The yong kyng in al the hast they coude Her venym hid vnder a couerte cloude Al at ones her purpose to recure By sodaine malice she gan y e day dyscure The temple was kept entre had she none People ordayned awaytyng for the nones And or she might any further gone Clenly armed the Centuriones The cruel quene assayled al at ones And of her malice to wryte a short tale They slough her after at Cedron in the vale Lo here the ende of murdre tiranny Lo here the ende of vsurpacion Lo here the ende of false conspiracy Lo here y â— ende of false presumcion Borne rightfull heyres wrongly to put them doun O noble princes though god make you stroÌ„g To ryghtful heyres beware ye do no wrong ¶ Lenuoye THese tragedies to estates degrees Fully declareth the decepcions Of fortunes false mutabilitees Shewed in prouinces cities and eke touns Princes vnwarely lost their possessions Which for their synnes in diuerse wyse Had of god warnyng lyst not for to ryse Mighty princes cast downe from their sees Lost their liues and their regions Vnwarely throw from their felicitees Jeroboam for his oppressions And for his frowarde false oblacions Done to Idols his story doth deuyse Had of god warning lyst not for to ryse Achab also had great aduersities Through false couÌ„saile and exhortacions Of Iezabel rote of iniquities Dyd to his people great extorcions She slough prophets goddes champions Both he and she most cursed in their gyse Had of god warnyng lyst not for to ryse Athalia with her duplicitees And conspired false intrusions Slouh Dauids sede to entre their dignitees And possede their dominacions But for her hateful false collusions Vnwarely slayne for her great couetise Had of god warnyng lyst not for to ryse Princes remembre in your prosperitees And se afore in your discrecions Wrong clyming vp of states or degrees Outher by murdre or by false treasons Asketh a fal for their final guerdons Namely of them that the lord dispise And for his warnyng lyst not for to rise The .xiii. Chapter ¶ Howe Dydo quene of Cartage slough her selfe for conseruacion of her chastitie NOwe muste I put my rude stile in prees To queene Dido makynge my passage Her Lorde Siche was priest to Hercules Her father Belus fal in great age Kyng of Tire she quene of Carthage And it is red in bokes that ben true How fyrst in Tire was found purple hewe Chadmus founde fyrst letters for to write Gaue them to Grekes as made is mencion Whose brother Fenix as clerkes eke endite Founde first the colour of vermilion And of Cartage the famous mighty toun This sayd Dido her story doth expres How she was quene and founderesse But her husband was chefe lorde fyre Called Sicheus full famous of renoun Of this noble citie called Tyre Had great treasour great possession And for enuy kyng Pigmalion Broder to Dido this Siche slough in dede Of false entent his richesse to possede Dido this slaughter toke greuously to hert Sore complayning this vnhappy chaunce Cast she would if she might asterte Flye out of Tire and her lyfe auaunce With al the treasour the haboundaunce Behynde left whan her lorde was dede Her shyppes entryng went awaye for drede She knewe and drede the gredy auarice Of her brother kyng Pigmalion And how that hateful vnstauncheable vice Was grounde and rote and chefe occasion Why y â— her lord was slayne in that toun For whome she cried ful oft wel away Whose deth was cause why she fled away She had also this opinion Which caused most her hertly heuinesse That sith her brother Pigmalion Had slayne her lorde for his great ryches If she abode that he woulde hym dresse Parcel for malice
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
in presence To whyche she gan declare in complaynyng Her deadly sorow down frō her tower loking Farewel my frendes farewell for euermore Vnto my lord my husband I must gone To him I meane y ◠was my lorde of yore For of husbandes god wot I haue but one Praiyng you to report euerichone After my death Dydo of Cartage Joyned was but ones in maryage Say to the kyng whiche you manaced My chaste beauty that he woulde assaile Go tell him how that I am passed And of his purpose how that he shall faile His manacyng shall not him auayle And say how Dydo dyed for the nones For she not would be wedded more thē ones Leuer I haue my life now to lose Rather than soyle my wydowes chastitie Let him go further some other to chose For in such case he shall not spede of me And with the treasure of mine honesty Which I haue truely obserued all my lyue I will depart out of this worlde now blyue And into fire that brent clere and bryght She ran in haste there is no more to sayne Saue with a knyfe in euery mans sight Full sodaynly she rofe her hart in twayne Whose piteous death the city gan complayne Sore wepyng for wonder and for ruthe In a woman to finde so great a truth After her death they did their busines To holde and halowe a feast funerall Worshipped her like a chaste goddesse And her commended inespeciall To heauenly goddes and goddes infernall And wydowes all in their clothes blake At this feast wept for her sake Touching Dydo let there be no stryfe Though that she be accused of Ouide After Bochas I wrote her chaste life And the contrary I haue set aside For me thought it was better to abide On her goodnes than thing rehearse in dede Which might resowne again her womanhede To Eneas though she were fauourable To Itayle makyng his passage All that she did was commendable Him to receyue commyng by Cartage Tho some folke were large of their langage Amisse to expoune by report or to expresse Thing done to hym onely of gentlenes There shall for me be made no rehearsayle But as I finde wrytten in Bochas For to say well may much more auayle Than froward speach in many diuers case But all Cartage oft sayd alas Her death cōplaynyng throughout their citye Whiche slew her selfe to obserue her chastitye ¶ Lenuoy OF ayre Dydo most stable in thy constan̄ce Quene of Cartage myrror of hie nobles Raignyng in glory vertuous habundaūce Called in thy time chefe sours of gentilnes In whom was neuer founde doublenes Aye of one hart and so thou diddest fyne With light of trouth al wydowes to enlumin Chast and vnchaunged in thy perseueraunce And immutable founde in goodnes Whiche neuer thoughtest vpon variaunce Force prudence wardeins of thy fayrenes I haue no langage thy vertues to expresse By new report so clerely they shyne With light of trouth al widowes to enlumine O lode starre of all good gouernaunce All vycious lustes by wisdome to represse Thy grene youth flouryng with all pleasaūce Thou didst it brydle w t vertuous sobernes Dyane demeaned so chastly thy clennesse Whyle thou were sole playnely to termyne With light of truth al wydowes to enlumyne Thy famous bounty to put in remembraūce Thou slewe thy selfe of innocent purenes Lest thy surenes were hanged in balaunce Of such that cast them thi chastitie to oppres Death was inoughe to beare therof witnes Causyng thy beauty to all clennes enclyne With light of vertue al widowes to enlumine ¶ Lenuoy dyrect to wydowes of the translatoure O Noble matrons whiche haue suffisaūce Of womanhead your wittes to vpdresse How that fortune list to turne her chaunce Be not to retchlesse of sodayne hastines But ay prouide in your stablenes That no such foly enter in your courage To folow Dydo that was quene of Cartage With her maners haue none acquayntaunce Put out of minde such sottyshe wilfulnes To slea your selfe were a great penaunce God of his grace defende you and blesse And preserue your variant brotlenes That your trouth fall in none outrage To folow Dido y ◠was quene of Cartage With couert colour and sober countenaunce Of faythfull meanyng pretendeth a likenes Counterfayteth in speache and dalyaunce All thinge that sowneth into stedfastnes Of prudence by great auisenes Your selfe restrayneth yonge and olde of age To folow Dydo that was quene of Cartage Let all your port be voyde of displeasaunce To get frendes do your busines And be neuer without purueyaunce So shall ye best encrease in ryches In one alone may be no sykernes To your hart be dyuers of langage Contrary to Dydo y t was quene of Cartage Holde your seruauntes vnder obeysaunce Let them neuer haue fredome nor largenes But vnder daunger do their obseruaunce Daunt their pryde them brydle w t lownes And whan the serpent of newefanglenes Assayleth you do your aduauntage Contrary to Dydo y ◠was quene of Cartage ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter ☞ How vycious Sardanapalus kyng of Assirie brent him selfe and his treasure OF Assirie to reken kynges all Whiche had that lande vnder subiection Last of all was Sardanapall Most feminyne of condicion Wherfore fortune hath him cast downe And complaynyng most vgly of manere Next after Dydo to Bochas did appere To vycious lust his life he did enclyne Among Assyriens whan he his raigne gan Of false vsage he was so feminine That among women vpon the rocke he span In their habite disgysed from a man And of froward fleshly insolence Of all men he fledde the presence First this kyng chase to be his gyde Mother of vyces called ydlenes Whiche of custome eche vertue set asyde In eche courte where she is maistresse Of sorow and mischefe is the first foundresse Which caused onely this Sardanapall That to all goodnes his wittes did appall He founde vp first ryote and dronkennes Called a father of lust and lechery Hatefull of harte he was to sobernes Cherishyng surfetes watche and glotony Called in his time a prynce of baudry Founde reresuppers and fetherbeddes soft Drynke late and chaunge his wines oft The ayre of meates and of baudy cokes Which of custome all day rost and sede Sauoure of spittes ladels and fleshe hokes He loued well and toke of them great hede And folke that dranke more than it was nede Smellynge of wine for their great excesse With them to abide was holly his gladnes He thought also it did him good To haue about him without skyll and right Boystous bochers all bespreint with bloude And watry fishers abode aye in his syght Their coates poudred w t scales siluer bryght Dempt their odour duryng all his lyfe Was to his courage best preseruatyfe For there was no herbe spice grasse ne rote To him so lusty as was the bordelhouse Nor gardeyn none so holesome nor so sote To his pleasaunce nor so delicious As the presence of folke lecherous And euer glad to
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
he came to nought His renowne sprade through many a reme And all people gan hym magnifye A siege he layed vnto Jerusalem In the tyme of kyng Sedechye But in hys most frowarde surquedy Gods aungell tofore the citye An hundred M. slough of his meyny And the more to make hym aferde Amyd of hys people the selfe same nyght Gods aungell shoue away his berde With a sharpe sworde that shone full bryght Left hys siege and toke hym vnto flyght And in a temple hys gods worshyppynge Slough him selfe as he sate knelyng ¶ The .xxi. Chapter ¶ How king Sedechy as for false for swearyng was slayne and made blinde in pryson TOuching y â— coÌ„playnt of kyng Sedechy And of his sorowes to shew y â— manere Holy write doth clerely specify Wherfore it were but vayne to tell them here For there men the processe may playnly lere How Joachim kyng of Jerusalem His owne brother was led out of his reame Wherof in hart he felt full great sore This Sedechias as it is there founde Because the kyng Nabugodonosor His brother helde strong in pryson bounde Fully in purpose the Jewes to confounde For this tyrant had in that mortall strife His bothers children in pryson and his wyfe And yet this tyrant in his tyranny This fauour did in his fell rage Vnto this most wofull Sedechy To suffer him rayne in his great age From yere to yere to pay him a truage By fayth and othe â–ª and composition Raysed of his people and brought to Babilon Yet Sedechias in especiall By a maner of false felicitie Hym selfe reioysed in his see royall To occupy that noble dignitie And so forgate the great aduersitie Of his brother and other frendes all Touching the mischefe that they were in fall Of pryde he fell into presumption Whan he remeÌ„bred his brother his lynage Considered how fro kyng Salomon He was discended by title of heritage Gan disdayne to pay his truage And to maligne in hart he was so wrothe And falsly brake his assuraunce and his othe He had a maner indignacion Whiche he caught of olde remembraunce How tyme passed to kyng Salomon By hys manly prudent gouernaunce Kinges about for a recognisaunce Payed trybute and durst it not wythsay Fro yere to yere his nobles to obay Whiche thing remembred of kyng Sedechiâ— As he wext great stronge in puissaunce Of hye disdayne his tribute gan denye Set aside his fayth and assuraunce So that his othe stode in no substaunce For he agaynst the kyng of Babilon Presumptuously fyll in rebellion And his kyngdome to strength and fortify Thought he woulde to his aduauntage The kyng of Egypt haue on his party Of pryde he fell into so great outrage That he no more woulde pay his truage But fynally suche wayes he hath sought That of his othe little he ne rought But wo alas it is a dolefull thing To be remembred in hye or lowe degre That any prynce or any worthy kyng Should false his othe or vntrue be Or that men should suche variaunce se In their courages whiche ben so hye borne For any cause falsly to be forsworne By reporte it dothe their fame trouble Infortuneth and clipseth their nobles Whan a prince is of his heste double And chargeth not of wilfull rechlesnes Al be his promisse conclude on doublenes Though god awhile suffer them and respite At vnset houre their falsenes he will quyte His warnyng oft he sent to them afore Because they lackt prudent policy Recorde I take of Nabugodonosor Whiche came vnware on kyng Sedechye For he his tribute gan falsely him denye With all his power as it did abrayed To Jerusalem a mighty siege layed They within constrayned were of nede The kyng him self there was no better defeÌ„ce With mans fleshe his people for to fede While the Caldeys by mighty vyolence Of very force without resistence On false forswearyng for to take wreke Their mighty towers their walles breke To slea and kyll they list none to spare Who soeuer they met or came in their â—ight Sedechias left the towne all bare But take he was as he him toke to flyght In chaynes bounde and fettred anone ryght In whose preseÌ„ce tencrease his paines anone His yonge children were slayne euerichone His wyues most wofull in their cheres Whiche in their tyme goodly were and fayre Deliuered were in handes of straungeres And more alas to put him in dispayre Into his kyngdome neuer to haue repayre With sharpe tonges it was to great a payne Out of his head was rent his eyen twayne Of Jerusalem his citye was brent Playne to the grounde into ashes dede His great riches his treasour wholy sent To Babilon with stones blewe and rede Vessels of golde whiche richest were in dede Without mercy or remission Caldeis toke to their possession And thus in sorowe and in wretchednes He dyed alas fettred in pryson Lo here the ende of periury and falsenes Lo how fortune can turne vp so doun Of mortall men the condicion Now richest shynyng in hye prosperitie With vnware chauÌ„ge to hatefull pouertie Now men lift vp to royall dignities Now hye aloft by fulsum aboundaunce But what auayleth to syt in royall sees To folke that haue therin none assuraunce â–ª Namely whan fortune holdeth the balaunce Whiche aye of custome vnto hye estates Hath a false ioy to shewe her checkmates Recorde I take of prynces more then one Their wofull fates hangyng in ieopardy Remembred late and amonge eche one The wofull fall of kyng Amazie His sonne eke lepre whiche called was Ozie And last of all how in Babylon Kyng Sedechias dyed in pryson ¶ Lenuoy NOble prynces consider the fallas Of fortunes frowarde flattery Sith her disceits in many diuers caas How she first mocked manly Amazy Whiche slayne was for his surquedy To yeue you warning by exaÌ„ple ye may rede WhaÌ„ ye sit hyghest your fall is most to drede And as it is remembred in Bochas Eke in the Bible of king Ozie In his time how famous that he was Bothe of ryches and of chyualry Punished with lepre bokes specify For his presuming remeÌ„bryng this in dede Whan ye syt highest your fall is most to drede All worldly glory flyeth â—ence a pas I take wytnes of kyng Sedechye For false forsweryng he slayne was alas Made blynde in pryson the story can not lye Thus sheweth fortune through her frowarde enuy To you prynces if ye list take hede WhaÌ„ ye sit hyest your fal is most to drede ¶ The .xxii. Chapter ☞ How kyng Astiages laboured to disherite Cyrus but god suffred his malice not to preuayle AFter these kinges one folowed in y â— prees And to Bochas his coÌ„platâ—t can discure He was called the great Astiages Whiche tolde in order his vncouth auenture Lorde of Asye as bokes vs assure And had of treasure duryng all his life Aboue all kynges a prerogatyfe Most fortunate in all his gouernayle Felt of fortune none aduersitie Saue an heyre male nothing did him fayle
euery table And in his meanyng passyng disceyuable Lyke as he had in maner dredful be Toke al his host and gan anone to fle This yonge prince of meanyng innocent Nothyng demyng as by supposayle But y ◠Cirus was with his meyny went And sled for feare he durst hym not assayle And whan he founde such plente of vytayle He his knightes through misgouernaūce To eate and drinke set al their plesaunce They had of knyghthode lost the disciplyne Forsoke Mars put hym out of syght And to Bachus their heades gan enclyne Gorge vpon gorge tyl it drough to nyght And proude Cirus came on thē anonryght With all hys hoost they out of their armure On beastial folke made a discomfiture Cruel Cirus left none alyue Of hygh nor lowe made none excepcion They were to feble again his might to striue For chefe cause of their distruction Was drōkennesse whych voydeth al reason And wyse men rehercen in sentence Where folke be dronken there is no resistence And whan thys slaughter by relacion Reported was brought to the presence Of Thomiris quene of that region Vnto her hert it dyd ful great offence But of ire and great impacience Seyng her sonne slayne in tendre age For sorow almost she fyll in to a rage But for al her woful deedly payne She shewed no token of feminite But of prudence her weping gan restrayne And cast her playnly auenged for to be Vpon kyng Cirus and on his cruelte Sente out meyny to espyen his passage If she hym fynde myght at auauntage And with her meyny gā feyne a maner flight Vp to the mountayns dredful terrible And Cirus after gan haste hym anon ryghte In hope to take her if it were possible Among whiche hilles more than it is credible Ben craggy roches most hideous of entayle Perilous of passage voyde of al vitayle And Cirus ther fyl in greate daunger Al vnpurueyed of drogemen or of gyde To fostre his people vitaile was none ther Erryng as beastes vpon euery syde And they of Cithie gan for hym so prouyde Wherof their quene god wote was ful fayne At great mischefe y t al his men were slaine None of al was taken to raunson Nor he hym selfe escaped not her boundes Such wayte was layde to theyr distruction And he through perced with mortal woundes On peces rent as beares ben with hoūdes The quene cōmaūding whā he lay thus torne To her presence his body to be borne Fyrst she hath charged to smyte of his heade Whan she hath thus the victory of hym won And in a bath that was all blode red She gan it throwe within a litel tonne And of dispite ryght thus she hath begonne Most tirauntly in her woful rage To dead Cirus to haue this langage O thou Cirus that whylom were so wode And so thrustlewe in thy tiranny Agayne nature so to shede mannes bloud So woluyshe was thyne hateful dropsy That mercy none myght it modefye Thine etyke ioyned gredy and vnstable With thrust of slaughter aye to be vengeable It is an horrour in maner for to thynke So great a prince rebuked for to be Of a woman mannes blode to drinke For to disclaundre his roial maieste But gladly euer vengeable cruelte Of ryght requireth wyth vnware violence Blod shede for blode iustly to recompence Of myghty Cirus the imperiall noblesse Was by a woman vēquyshed borne doune God made her chastise his furious wodnes And for toppresse his famous high renoun For where vengeaunce hath dominacion In worldly princes playnly to deuyse With vnware stroke god can thē chastise Th ende of Cirus can bere ful wel recorde How god w t standeth folke y ◠ben vengeable Lordshyp mercy whan they ben at discorde Right wyll not suffer their state to be stable And for this Cirus was so vnmerciable He with vnmercy punished was in dede Deth quyt for deth lo here his final mede In slaughter blode he dyd greately delyte For in tho twayne was his repast in dede He founde no mercy his vēgeaunce to respyte Where he founde matter any blode to shede Such ioy he had by deth to se folke blede ▪ And for the syght did him so much good His fatal ende was for to swym in blode Lo here thexequies of this mighty king Lo here the ende of his estate royal There were no flames nor brondes shinynge To bren his body with fires funeral Nor obseruaunces nor offringes marciall Nor tombe of golde with stones rych fyne Was none ordained to make with his shrine Epitaphie ther was none red nor songe By no poete wyth their poetries Nor of his triūphes there was no bell ronge Nor no wepers with sobbynge tragedies None attendaunce but of hys enemies Which of hatred in their cruell rage Cast out his carayne to beastes most sauage Lo here of Cirus the finall auenture Which of al Asie was whylom emperour Now lieth he abiect without sepulture Of high nor low he founde no better fauoure Lo here the fyne of al worldly labour Namely of tiraunts which lyst not god drede But set their lust to slaughter blodeshede Lenuoye RYghte noble prynces considre in youre syghte The fine of Cirus pitous lamētable How god punisheth of equitie ryght Tirauntes echone cruel and vengeable For in his syght it is abhominable That a prince as philosophers write In slaughter of men shoulde hym selfe delyte This saide Cirus was a full manly knight In begynning ryght famous and notable Nature yaue him semelinesse myght For in conquest was none sene more able Tyl tiranny the serpent disceyuable Merciles his corage dyd atwite In slaughter of men whan him gan delite Wherefore ye princes remēbre day nyght Tafforce your nobles make it pardurable To get you fauour loue of euery wyght Which shal your states cōserue kepe stable For there is conquest none so honourable In governaunce as vengeaunce to respite Mercy preferring in slaughter not delite The .xv. Chapiter ¶ Howe Amilius for couetyse slough his brother and Remus and Rumulus nourished by a wolfes AFter king Cirus Bochas did espy Two worthy brethern wyth faces pitous Borne by discent to reigne in Albanye Both of one father the story telleth vs The one of them called Amulius And to remembre the name of that other Numitor ycalled was his brother They had a fader whyche named was Prochas Kyng of y ◠land the story doth deuise After whose deth playnely thys is the case Amulius for false couetise His brother slough in ful cruel wyse That he vniustly by false tiranny Might haue the kingdom alone of Albany This Albany by discripcion Like as Bochas affirmeth in certeine Is a citye not ferre fro Rome toun Set on an hyl beside a large pleine The building stately rych well beseine Stronge walles with many a high toure And Ascanius was fyrste thereof foundour Which called was in his foundacion Albania for the great whytnes There kynges after
by succession Named Albanois princes of great nobles And by discent the story beareth wytnes From kyng Prochas recorde on bokes olde Came these .ii. brethren Rea their suster told Numitor slayne as made is mencion The kyngdom occupied by Amulius And Rea entred in to religion For to be wympled in that holy house Sacred to Vesta wyth virgyns glorious There for to abyde be contemplatife With other maydens duryng al her lyfe And thys was done whyle she was yonge of age By her brother of false entencion That she shoulde haue no maner heritage Nor clayme no title in that region Of her kynred by none occasion But stande professed in virginitye To fore Vesta and liue in chastitie Yet not withstanding her virginal clennesse She hath conceyued by natural myracle Gan to encrease in her holynes Whose wombe arose in kiÌ„de was no obstacle Agayne such bolnyng auayleth no triacle But the goddes for her so dyd ordayne That she at ones had sonnes twayne The temple of Vesta stode in wildernesse Where Rea had holy the gouernaunce Of priestly honour done to the goddesse Wyth many straunge vncouth obseruauÌ„ce But by her brothers mortall ordinaunce Her yong sonnes might not be socoured But cast out to beastes to be deuoured But a she wolfe whych whelped had late To yeue theÌ„ soke dyd her businesse By god ordained or by some heauenly fate TheÌ„ to conserue fro deth in their distres For holy write plainly beareth wytnes God can defende as it is well couth Children froÌ„ mischefe in their tendre youth But in this whyle this sayd Amulius That was their vncle as made is mencion Agayne his suster frowarde and furious Made her be shyt in a ful derke prison And there complaynyng the distruction Of her two children borne to her reprefe For very sorow dyed at great myschefe These sayde chyldren deuoyde of al refuse Besyde a riuer lay pitiously crying From al socoure naked and destitute Except a wolues vpon them waityng At whose wombe ful style they lay soukyng Vnto nature a thyng contrarious Children to souke on beastes rauenous But he that is lorde of euery creature Ryght as hym lyst can both saue spyl And beastes which ben rage of their nature He can aduert make them lye ful styl Tigres lions obedient at his wil The same lorde hath made a fel wâ—lâ—esse Vnto twey children her bigges for to dresse And whyle thys wolues had theÌ„ in depose Ther came an herde called Faustulus Behelde their soukyng saw theÌ„ lye ful close Whych sheperde was of kyng Amulius Caught vp these chyldreÌ„ the story telleth thus And brought theÌ„ forth with great diligence Vnto his wyfe that called was Laurence And she for loue dyd her busy payne Them to fostre tyl they came of age Gaue them souke of her brestes swayne Fro day to daye of hert and hole corage And they were called as in that langage After the storye that one of them Remus And the seconde was named Romulus Of whych brethern brefely to termyne The towne of Rome toke original Of false disclaundre fyrst began that lyne The rote out sought ful vicious fouÌ„de at all Clerely remeÌ„bred for a memorial Their begynning grewe of such incoÌ„tinence As clerkes call Incestus in sentence Incestus is a thyng not fayre nor good After that bokes wel deuise conne As trespassyng wyth kyn or wyth blode Or frowarde medlyng w t her that is a nonne And thus the line of Rome was begon For slaughter murder and false robbry Was chefe begynnynge of al their auncetry Of Couetyse they toke their auauntage Lyggers of waies and robbers openly Murdrers also of their owne linage And stronge theues gate to their company Spoiled al tho that past them forby Vnder shadowe of kepinge their beastayle Al maner people they proudly dyd assaile To â—lee marchauÌ„tes they had no conscience And for to murdre folke of euery age Women to oppresse of force and vyolence In al that countre this was their vsage Where they abode ther was no sure passage And these two brethern lyke as it is founde Fonde first y â— maner of speares sharpe groude Aspeare in greke called is quiris And for that cause the sayd Romulus As bokes say and sothely so it is He afterwarde was called Quirinus Which w t his brother y â— called was Remus Was in al thyng confederate partable That tofore god was vicious dampnable And as it was accordynge to their life For lacke of vertue they fyll in great diffame And atwene theÌ„ ther was an vncouth stryte Which of both should yeue the name Vnto the citie atwene ernest and game After theyr names Rome to be called Thus fyll the case afore or it was walled And therupon ful longe lasted their striues Which should of them haue dominacion Shewing their titles and prerogatyues Who should of them yeue name to the toun And reigne as kyng in that region There was no reason who shuld go beforne Bycause they were both at once borne But to fynishe their fraternal dyscorde They haue prouyded atwene theÌ„ anon ryght Thus condiscendyng to put theÌ„ at accorde Nouther by force oppressyon nor myght That whych of them sawe greatest flyght Of byrdes flyeng high vpon an hyl Should name the citye at his owne wyl Of this accorde for to be wytnesse They w t them lad a ful great multitude Therof to yeue a dome of rightwisnesse Both of wyse and of people rude Al at ones thys mater to conclude And to an hyl called Auentyne They ben asâ—ended this matter for to fine And byrdes syxe to Remus dyd appere By augury as they gan procede Called vultures ful fierce in their manere But in numbre the double dyd excede That Romulus sawe whan he toke hede Wherof ther fyll a great contrauersy Which of theÌ„ shoulde preuayle on his party Thus first of al Remus had a syght Of sixe birdes called Vultures And for to auaunce prefer hys right He ful proudely put him selfe in prees But Romulus was not recheles His brothers clayme playnly to entrouble Afforced hys title with the numbre double Yet of his purpose one of theÌ„ must fayle Though it so be that they euer striue But Romulus gan finally preuaile And to the citye he forth went blyue And as auctours lyst echone discryue And in their bokes as they reherce al After his name Rome he dyd it cal And al foreins to exclude out And agayne theÌ„ to make stronge defence Fyrst he began to wal it rounde aboute And made a lawe ful dredful in sentence Who clymeth the wal by any violence Outward or inwarde there is no more to sey By statute made he must nedes dey This was enacte by ful plaine ordinauÌ„ce In paine of deth which no man breke shal But so befyll Remus of ignoraunce Which of the statute knewe nothynge atal Of auenture went ouer the wal For whiche a knyght ordained in certayne The saide Remus hath with a pykeis slayn His brother
To abyde what lawe pouerte lyst ordayne And in haste after this discomfyture Fortune began to complayne sore But glad pouert which al thing might indure Charged fortune scorne her no more For it was sayd sythe go full yore He that reioyseth to scorne folke in vayne Whan he is lothest shall scorned be agayne Yet quoth pouert though thou were dispitous Wordes rehersyng whyche were nat fayre Straunge rebukes full contrarious And repreues many thousande payre Thou shalt me fynde againe warde debonaire For though a tong be slaundrous veÌ„geable To slaunder againe is nothing coÌ„mendable Thou must considre touchyng oure batayle The ordinaunce and imposycion That whiche of vs in conquest do preuayle To bringe his felowe to subiection He shall obey the statute of reason And accomplyshe of very due det What lawe the victoure lyst vpon hym set For whiche thou shalt the sayd lawe obey Wyth circumstaunces of the condicion By me ordayned and nothynge agayne say Make no grutchynge nor replycation Consydred first the false opinion Of them that sayne all worldly auenture Of good and bad abyde vnder thy cure Some poetes and phylosophers also Wold in this case make the a goddesse Which be disceiued I dare say both two And their errour and foly to redresse I shall withdrawe in very sykernesse Vnhappy auenture away fro thy power That she no more stand in thy daunger This lawe of newe vpon the I make That first thou shalt al open in some pleyne Juell auenture bynde to a stake Or to some pyller where she may be seyne To shewe example to folke in certeine That no man shal lose her ne discharge But such as lyst with her to go at large Herof to make a declaracion Touching thy might of yuell auenture Thou shalt forgo the dominacion To hyndre and harme any creature But only foles which in thy might assure They of their foly may fele great domage Nat of thy power but of their own outrage For thylke foles which that list vnbinde This wretch called vnhappy auenture Of wyt and reason they make theÌ„ self blinde Like as the world stode in fortunes cure As though she might assure them vnsure And them dispose to welthe or wretchednesse In their errour calling her a goddesse Such wilful wretches that them self betake To put their fredom in her subiection Of god aboue the power they forsake And submitte them agayne all reason Vnder fortunes transmutacion Their lyberte full falsly for to thrall Namely whan they a goddesse lyst her cal With a derke myst of variacion Fortune hath clouded their natural lyght And ouershadowed their discretion That they be blent in their inward syght For to consydre and behold a ryght Howe god aboue put vnder mannes cure Fre choyce of good his reason to assure The lord enlumined of his bouÌ„tuous larges With minde and wyt his memoryall Toward all vertue his steppes for to dresse Endued his reason for to be naturall Of frowardenesse tyll he waxe bestyall To bynde him selfe contrariously in dede To serue fortune atwene hope and drede Thus bestyall folke made her a goddesse Falsly wening she might them most auayle Wyth her plentyes of habundaunt rychesse And some deme in their supposayle w t vnware chauÌ„ge she dare the great assayle Whose trust alwaye medled is with trouble And her plesaunce includeth mening double And some affyrme that she may auaunce Conquestes great and discomfytures And howe it lyeth also in her puissaunce To forther and hynder all maner creatures And call her princesse of al aduentures The rich to enhaunce by royal apparayle And by disdayne to hinder the porayle when she maketh most fulsome her profers Her blandisshing is farced with falshede whan her riches ben stuffed vp in cofers They ben aye shet vnder a locke of drede Wherfore ye rich of one thyng take hede As your gathering came in wyth plesaunce Right so your losse departeth w t mischaunce Your gredy thurst treasour to multiply Causeth an etyke of no suffisaunce In you engendring a false dropsye With a sharp hunger of worldly abundaunce Making of you a maner resemblaunce With Tantalus whan ye do depest synke ThaÌ„ is your nature most thrustlew to drink who clymbeth highest on fortunes whele And sodainly to rychesse dothe ascende An vnware turne afore sene neuer a dele Whan he leest weneth maketh him descende Fro suche chaunges who may hym defende But they that be wyth pouerte nat dismaide And can with lytell holde them selfe apayde The firste Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Hostilius worshyppyng false goddes was consumpt with firy leuyn WHyle Bochas gan muse in thys matter Consydred fyrst all worldly thynge muste fayle Wyth wepyng eyen there dyd apere Prynces y e whylom were famous in Itayle Whiche gan their fall full pitously bewayle For more contrarye was their falling lowe That they tofore had no mischefe knowe For more vncouth is thylke aduersyte Namely to princes whan it is sodayne Which euer haue liued in prosperite Hauyng on Fortune no mater to complaine Than of a wretche that lyuith aye in payne Of custome causeth conceyued the sentence Of ioy and sorowe a full great difference Of ioy passed the newe remembraunce Whan folke ben fall from theyr felicite In treble wise it dothe them great greuauÌ„ce The vnware turne from theyr tranquilyte The vnsure trust and mutabilyte In worldly power whiche they haue founde Vnto their hertes yeueth a greuous wounde But to a wretche whiche in wretchydnesse Hath euer liued neuer was partable Of no welfare nor of wyelfulnesse Nor neuer found Fortune fauorable His sorowe his myschefe ben so costomable That of hys paynes longe continuaunce Dothe to his greues a maner allegeaunce But to Princes whiche sate so high alofte A sodayne fall is moste contraryous And their disendynge wel the more vnlofte In their tryumphes y â— they were glorious Reccorde I take of kynge Hostylius Which in Rome from his royall stall Whan he sate crowned moste sodenly is fall It is remembred of old and nat of newe Of all Rome that he was lorde and syre The firste of kynges y â— weared purple hewe And of that Citye gouerned the empyre Had of Fortune all that hym lyste desyre Tyll that he fyll in all his regaly In to a frowarde deedly malady And of his paynes to fynde alleyeaunce To the temples he went on pylgrymage His offeryng made with deuoute obeysaunce Wherby somdele his paynes dyd aswage And he was restored of corage Felt hym selfe that he dyd amend To comon profyte agayne he gan entende Vpon the Albaynes reignyng in hys glory To great anayle of Rome the cytie Throughe hys Knighthode he had a gret victory After the whiche by full great cruelte He berafâ—e them fraunchyse and lyberte And made theÌ„ after thrugh his high renoune To be to Rome vnder subiectyon After hys conquest the story doeth deuise In hys noblesse full stately and royall He gan make a ryche sacrifyse To queme and please for a memoriall After the
rightes ceremoniall To Jupiter by full great reuerence Afore his auters wyth fyres and encence But for that he in hys inward intent By cyrcumstaunces of his oblacyon Was rechelesse founde and also neglygent By some frowarde false affection The goddes caught an indignacion And sodaynly discendyng from the heauin He was consumpt with a firy leuin Hys false goddes might hym nat auayle Jupiter Saturnus Mars nor Venus Let all chrysten defye suche raskayle For to our faythe they be contrarious And among godds a thyng most outragious Is whan that prynces bleut in their foly Lyst erthly thynges falsly deify For vnto God is hatefull and odyble A withdrawyng of his reuerence To magnify thynges corruptible with vndue honour with false concupiscēce Wherfore ye prices beware of high prudēce Lest god vnwarely punyshe your noblesse Make you in erth no false God nor goddes ¶ The second Chapiter ¶ Howe Anchus kynge of Rome was murdred by Lucinyo by the assent of his wyfe THynke on Anchus kynge of Rome toune Whyche was so noble shynynge in glorye Weared a crown ful famous of renoun Next Hostilius as put is in memory Wan the palme of many a great victory But for al that with a ful sharpe knyfe He murdred was by assentyng of his wife He loued her best aboue eche creature Considred not her statery nor falsnesse Her double meaning vnder couerture Falsly blent this princes worthynesse To robbe reue him of his great richesse Was her labour with counterfete pleasaunce In her entent to bring hym to mischaunce This anchus had a great affection Vnto his goddes to make sacrifyses And to augment the religion Of paganysme made in sondry wyses Through his manhode circūspect deuyses Vpon Latines rebel to his citye For comon profyt he made a great armye One of their cities called Polotory He knightly wan maugre al their myght And whan he had of them ful victory He abode no lenger but anone forth ryght Made al the people in euery mannes syght As prisoners thys romayne champion Brought afore hym boūde in to the toun Eke as I fynde this Anchus nolde cease For cōmon profyte in his affection Their teritories to augment and encrece In al the countreis about enuyron Towarde y ◠riuer where Tiber renneth doun At the which place he let edifye A ful stronge citie which called is Ostye But not withstanding al his worthynesse He was depriued the story telleth so Of his kyngdome and his great richesse By a foraine called Lucinio His wife Tarquild assented was therto By whose outrage and gredy couetyse Anchus was murdred in full cruel wyse The .iii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Lucinio that murdred Anchus was after murdred THus fro the whele of fortune he is fall Lucinio in Rome is crowned kyng And the Romayns after dyd hym cal Tarquin the olde by recorde of writyng Which hath atayned by fraudulent workyng And by his subtyll forged eloquence Vnto the state of royall excellence He fyrst ordayned in his estate roiall Turneys iustes in Castels and cities And other playes called marcial With many famous great solempnitees Sessions for states and degrees This Tarquin eke was fyrst y ◠did his payne In open stretes tauernes to ordayne Eke to preserue his citye out of doute If their enemyes lyst them to assaile He was the fyrst that walled Rome about With mighty toures vnlykely for to fayle And had also many a strong batayle With Sabynes in their rebellion And made them subiect vnto Rome toun But for he was assented to depriue Worthy Anchus from his estate royal And after that toke Tanquylde vnto wyue Which slough her lorde by treason mortal God would of right that he should haue a fal The lord wyl not which euery thinge may se Suffre murdre long to be secre For Lucinio for his great offence Touchynge the murdre of kyng Anchus Yslayne was by sodayne vyolence Of two sheperdes the story telleth thus Which of entent were contrarious Atwene them selfe by a fayned strife To fynde a way to reue hym of hys life For while the kyng sate in iugement Vpon their quarel for to do iustise Full sodaynly they being of assent Fill vpon him in full cruell wise And with an axe the story doth deuise One of them or any man toke hede On two parties rofe the kynges heed This thing was done by the procuryng Of two chyldre sonnes to Anchus Whyche were exyled by false compassyng Of Lucinio agayne them moste yrous To hym their presence was so odyous But they shope tho they were out of syght Theyr fathers deth to auenge if they might For of nature blode wyll auenged be To recompence the wrong of his kyntede In thys chapter lyke as ye may se Blodshed for blode thus bothe dyd blede By whyche example let prynces take hede Howe murdre done for supplantacion Requireth vengeaunce for his guerdon Lenuoye THys tragedie by clere inspection Openly declareth in substaunce Howe slaughter of prices causeth subuercyon Of realmes cyties put out of ordynaunce Of mortall were longe contynuaunce Blode by supplāting shed of kinges twayne By exāple shewed false murdre to restrayne The fyne declaringe of murdre false treson The dede horryble cryeth aye vengeaunce To god aboue to caste hys eyen doune To punishe thys sinne throgh his puissaunce For i◠is mother of myschefe and mischaunce Wherfore ye prynces do some lawe ordayne Within your boundes thre vyces to restraine The vyce of sclaundre murdre and poyson Where euer these thre haue acquayntaunce They bryng in sorowe and desolacyon Put at a prefe by newe remembranuce Of falshede vsed vnder fayre countenaunce Wherfore ye prynces do your busy payne Within your boūdes these vyces to restrayne God defende thys noble regyon With these thre vyces to haue alyaunce For slaundre firste deuoureth hygh renoun And sleeth good fame thrughe false daliaunce Harme done to late foloweth repentaunce Wherfore ye princes do a lawe ordayne To punish their malice fals tōges to restrayne God hath of murdre abhominacyon And false poyson dothe to hym displesaunce There is no payne in comparyson Condygne to murdre paysed in balaunce Wherfore ye princes make an ordynaunce Within your boundes of some preuy payne By dae punishing false murdre to restrayne O noble prynces prouyde of reason Agayne these vyces to make purueyaunce Of rygour shewe due execucion With your labour and hertely instaunce Let deth be guerdon for their fynall penaūce To warne other by cōstraint of their payne Frō these .iii. vices their corages to restrayne The .iiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe for the offence done to Lucrece by Tarquyn was neuer after crowned kyng in Rome TOuching this Tarquin of whō I told As myne auctour maketh mencion He called was Tarquinius the olde Whyche longe in Rome had dominacyon Tyll hys kynrede and generacyon For the offence done vnto Lucrece Caused of kynges the names to cece For his sonne which after dyd succede For his outrages and his extorcions And for many an other cruell dede
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
punycion That one princes trespas in lecherye Caused afore God that all a regyon Distroyed was without remedy This story is told for to exemplify Whan noble princes to women them submit Grace al fauour anon doth from theÌ„ flyt Of this mater what shuld I wryte more In Genesis the resydue ye may rede The dethe of Sichem and of kyng Hemore And howe their kingdome distroyed was in dede Of Sychemites lo here y â— finall mede Of lechery of his false plesaunce Which many a realme hath broughte to myschaunce What shuld I eft reherce agayne or write The false auoutry of Paris and Helayne Their woful fate Guâ—do dyd endyte Poetes echone eke dyd their busy payne To declare howe only by these twayne The worthy blode for short conclusyon Of Troy and Grece came to distruccion â–ª But oft it falleth that muche abundaunce Of worldli good with great ease and riches In folke that set all holy their plesaunce To folow their lusts froward wylfulnes Hath caused in landes gret mischef distres Whan vicious life their corages did encoÌ„bre Distroied kingdoms people out of nombre For whan the people through fals obstinacy Is indurate to amend them and correct And wil not turne them from their lechery But aye be redy their soules to enfecte And vnto purpose my style I wyl dyrect To examplify howe Gabaa the town Was for his sinnes brought to confusion Whylom this people called Gabanytes From Beniamin discended in their line Were aye disposed to folowe their delytes And of custome their wyttes dyd enclyne In worldly plentie to flour and to shyne And dempt alway to them it was most due Of wylfulnes their lustes for to sue In lechery was set al their plesaunce And in that vice they lad moste their lyfe Wherby they were brought vnto mischauÌ„ce And many slayne by full mortal strife Whan the Leuyte came forby with his wife Full excellent of fetures and beaute And toke his lodging within the greate cyte He was ful old and she was inly fayre He impotent and she but tendre of age Through Gabaa making their repayre The cytesyns of importune rage Shewyng the fury of their great outrage So long that nyght her beauty dyd assayl Tyll lyfe and brethe atones dyd her fayle Contagious the sclaundre and the diffame In Judicum the story ye may rede Which to reherce is a maner shame To here the abusyon of that foule dede And how y e Leuite a morow gan take hede With piteous chere and saw his yong wyfe Tofore the gate depriued of her lyfe He hent her vp and layde her on his asse To noyse this cryme vpon euery side Thought in such case he myght do no lasse Toke a sharp sword lyst no lenger abyde On twelue partes he gan her to deuide And to eche tribe of Jacob he hath sent A certayne parte to se their iudgement Which thing to them was hateful terrible And in their â—ight full abomynable And in all haste lykely and possible All of one wyll and one corage stable On Gabaonytes for to be vengable They gathered haue shortly to conclude Tassayle that towne a ful great multitude whan they first met atwen theÌ„ thus it stode The twelue tribes were twise put to flyghte On either party great quantity of bloud was shed among them in that mortall fyght For sixty thousand who that coâ—pt a right Were slayne there the story wyll not lye To auenge the sclaundre of false auoutry Lo here the guerdon of the froward fyres In lecherons folke y t wyl not staunched be That brent so hote through bestiall desyres In Gabaa the mighty stronge cyte Which was distroyed for his iniquite And almoste brought of Beniamin the line Through his offence to eternall ruyne Eke for his feruent dronken lechery Holophernes by Judith lost his hede And al his hoste and al his chiualry Left the felde and fled away for drede And he lay bathed in his bloud al rede Thus through their vyce if it be wel sought Ful many a price hath be brought to nought These sayd stories ought ynough suffyse If men wold consydre and take hede The great vengaunces in many sondry wise Which God hath take for this sinne in dede As in their bokes they mai behold and rede Warnynges afore full oft put at prefe How they them self shal saue fro mischefe Lenuoye This tragedy yeueth vs gret warnig Biclere examples of manifold resoÌ„ Howe many a prince for their 〈…〉 uing And many rych royal mighty toune Many a citie and many a region Haue bene euer sith full notable infamous For synne of princes that were lecherous The chosen of god Dauid the worthyking Prophet of prophets most souerain of renoâ— On Bersabe for a sodayne lokyng To slee Vrye caught occasyon For which he suffred great punicion Chastysed of god he and all his house For cause only that he was lecherous Great repentaunce he had great sorowing And made psalmes of great contricion with woful teares and manyfolde wepyng To make a sheth for his transgression yeuing to princes full clere dyrection For to eschewe the flattery odious And the false fraude of women lecherous Where was ther euer of science or conning So renomed as was king Salomon yet women made him thrugh false flatering To foraine goddes done oblacion Which clipsed his honor brought his fame doun That was whilom moste vertuous Tyll he thrugh women fyl to be lecherous Is it not eke remembred by writing Of Israel howe the chefe champion Which goddes people had in his leadyng I mean the famous mighty strong SaÌ„pson That thrugh his force torent the lion But Dilada with teares plentuous His grace bereft him made him lecherous Sichem was slayne eke for the rauyshyng Of yonge Dyna as made is mencion His father Hemor brought to his endyng Lost his rychesse in that discencion And his kingdom brought to distruccion Lo here the end of princes vicious Which them dispose for to be lecherous It is in earth one the most perylous thinge A prince to be of his condicion Eâ—â—emynate his wyttes enclynyng By false desyres of fleshly mocion To put him self vnder subieccion And thral resoÌ„ his tresour most precious To the vnleful lustes hatefull and lecherous This is the sentence full playnly in menyng Where women haue the dominacion To holde the raine their hokes out castyng That sensualitie hath iurisdiction To enter on reason by false intrusion Warre agaynst vertue most contagious To be vaynquished of lustes lecherous It taketh fro men their clerenes of seyng Causeth great sickenes and corruption And to all vertue it is greatest hyndryng Maketh men seme olde as by inspection Appalleth their minde and disposition Shorteth their life thing dredfull piteous Whan they dispose them to be lecherous Noble prynces in your ymaginyng Conceyue of women the false deception Namely of them that loue but for winnyng And labour aye for your possession Whose sugred flattery is false collusion
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
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
called them Equois Like as I trow mine auctor saith the same Of horse most swyft they toke first the name And as it is remembred in sentence By their manhode and famous hardines Agayne Alexander they made strong defence On horsbacke through their great swiftnes Besyde the hyll playnly to expresse Whiche in cronicles is called Caucasus Thys people of Equois were vyctoryous To theyr nobles playnly as I fynde Nothyng in earth was more expedient In their coÌ„quest of Ethiope and Iude As horse most swyft seruyng their entente Therby conqueryng all the Oryent So great prowes was in their passage That Equois brought all Egypt to seruage Thus where euer Equois did abyde They gate great good to their possession And Graccus was their gouernour and gide Whiche by his strength and false suggestion Againe the Romayns fyll in great rebellion But to w t stand him they sent out anonryght Cincinatus proued a full good knyght He was well trusted and knowe in the toun And for his prudence chosen a Dictatour His lyuelode small and his possession Albe he was a worthy warriour Whiche hath vainquished by his knyghtly labour The said Graccus for all his worthy power And home to Rome brought him prysoner Cyncinatus in his chare was set Called Quincius for this great victory And most solemnely wyth Senatours met Which yaue to him for to encreace his glory Laude of tryumphe to put him in memory And Graccus after for his rebellion With chaynes bounde cast in darke pryson And there he dyed in full great mischefe After his conquestes first famous notable An euidence to vs and a great prefe How fortune is aye false and vnstable Euer double frowarde and deceyuable The fall of Graccus declare gan full wele That whylom sate so hygh vpon her whele ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter ¶ Here Bochas rehearseth the tyranny of Apyus and falsenes of iudges NOt w t standynge Bochas before hath tolde Of Apius the falsenes importable And his outrages surfetes many folde To be remembred hatefull and repreuable Yet as hym thought it was here coÌ„uenable To more rebuke and spottyng of his name New to rehearse his slaunder and defame The great offences of this Apius And oppression that he vpon him toke Made hym grow so inly couetous Through his rauyne y t all the people quoke As ye may se in the seconde boke Where myne auctour doth clerely specify His fraude in domes and his lechery Eke thys tyrant remembred ye may rede Chiefe iudge he was with other officers Called decemvir through his pryde in dede Agayn the custome of theim y â— were his feres He made be borne standerdes and baneres In otherwyse of hygh presumption Then vsed were beforne in Rome toun These iudges had a custome and manere Like their estates in theyr gouernaunce Eche after him to haue borne a bannere Where they went suche was their ordinauÌ„ce By twelue sergeauÌ„tes numbred in substauÌ„ce But Apius of pryde and great outrage Y chaunged hath that custome and vsage He fyrst ordeyned eche should in his place Of Decemvir haue a banner borne In their walkyng the people to manace An hundred men of armes them beforne And twenty ouer by a statute sworne Wherby the citye bare great coste in dede And all the people were put in feare drede To se the sargeauÌ„tes walke in plate mayle They thought it was a maueylous working Judges to go wyth suche apparayle In their proceadyng as eche had ben a kyng And whole the entent of Apius menyng Was that he should of power and myght Do what hym lyst were it wronge or ryght The ryghtfull punyshe and the gylty spare Fauour wronge for brybes and for mede The people oppressed stode in sorow and care Founde no succoure to helpe theÌ„ at their nede Lawe was there none for reasoÌ„ lay by drede Wyll was iudge and pleasaunce equitie And thus by maistry was gouerned the citye And as it is remembred by Bochas Apius was lecherous of nature And caught a quarel as ye haue herd the caas Agaynst Virginia a mayde clene and pure And for he should nothyng in her recute Touchyng his lust her father in that stryfe With a sharpe sworde made her lose her lyfe And for thys tyrant by false rybaudry Caused her death by hasty vyolence And for he should her beauty not maistry Diyng a mayde in her chaste innocence Therfore he was demed in sentence As is to fore made cleare mencion For to be chayned and dye in pryson Eke Decemvir lost their power And neuer in Rome after bare no name Nor of that sect was made none officer And among all Apius bare the blame Whose cryme rebouÌ„deth to his eternal shame As ye haue heard who that can discerne And thaÌ„ Tribunes were chose for to gouerne And in Bochas like as it is found The sayd iudges in mischefe did fyne While Apius lay in pryson bounde Exiled were all that other nyne The good the treasure of them their lyne Acheted was for short conclusion To coÌ„mon profite and encrease of the towne ¶ Lenuoy THis little tragedy dothe shortly deuyse What mischefe foloweth for the great vnright Vsed in iudges in many sundry wise For whan fauour blinded hath their syght And innocence is borne downe wyth myght In hys quarell pouerte may not procede Bicaue that trouth oppressed is with mede A iudge should of equitie despyse To take gyftes of any maner wyght And ready be all wronges to chastice From all gyftes turne away his syght His hondes close his eares stoppe aryght And be aye ware for frendshyp hate drede That trouth be not oppressed wyth mede The noble doctryne and vertuous emprise Of philosophers that had so great insyght Was to these iudges y â— prudent were wise For frende or foe their domes be so dyght Of ryght wisenes that the sunne bryght Eclypsed neuer lest men for their falsehede Report the right was put abacke for mede Noble prynces supportours of iustise Called lode starres to yeue the people lyght On Apius let iudges not practise Let trouthes laÌ„pe be clere both day nyght Your office paysed that longeth to a knyght Hold vp the balauÌ„ce of dome in your maÌ„hede That law in iudges be not corrupt with mede ¶ Bochas agaynst the vntruth of iudges SVyng vpon the death of â—pius And hys rebukes for hys greate outrage Bochas by writyng wext som â–ª what yrous Againe iudges false thought in his corage They should be sad and demure of age And their lyfe by vertue shoulde drawe To kepe the preceptes statutes of the lawe They ought of reason them selfe to habyle To haue science of phylosophy And know theyr textes of canon and ciuyle And therupon their wittes whole to apply For cunnyng iudges by prudent policy Cause ordinaunces in lawe comprehended Through rightful doom gretly to be coÌ„meÌ„ded Justice of lawe dothe realmes enlumine Susteineth trouth supporteth innocence Of rauynours boweth down the chyne Punysheth
gan them specify If they would stande at his gouernaunce To condiscende playnly in substaunce He woulde labour and no lenger tary To make accorde atwene them king Dary This was the meane that he ment Within Athenes that the senatours Shoulde of the citie after their entent Haue ful lordship be their gouernours But as cleare wedder troubled is w t shours Right so vnwarely within that royal toun Through his treaty fyll a discention The â—oÌ„meners gan sodaynly disdayne To be thralled vnder subiection And so by assent the commons dyd ordayne Onely tappease all false discention For to reuoke agayne into their toun Aicibiades as they thought it mete Through this prudence to set them in quiete First in his commyng myne auctour doth reporte He was made duke againe of y â— cite And gan the partie of coÌ„mons to supporte And them restore to theyr old liberte Where through the senate dreding y â— coÌ„monte Fled to exile full ferre out of all prees Onely for drede of Alcibiades They stode that time in so great disioynt Their towne deuided out of gouernaunce That they were brought euen to the poynt To yelde the citie vnto the obeysaunce Of Lacedemons through their vnhappy chauÌ„ce Within theÌ„ selfe when they can debate Vnder their duke the senat bare such debate But the commons chase in theyr dyffence Alcibiades to gouerne that voyage And to the see with cost and great dispence Without abode he holdeth hys passage In mighty shyppes made for auauntage Well enarmed and cast yf he myght With Lacedemonois proudly for to fyght Thre mighty captains were on the other syde The fyrst zestro Bochas telleth thus And the second that was their lorde gyde Called Mydare the thyrde Pharbanasus Oh the see lande in armes full pompous But of knighthode and magnanimite Alcibiades toke them all thre Strong was the fight or y t they were take Of all theyr meyny away there scaped none The duke y â— day gan suche a slaughter make Of high prowesse vpon hys mortall fone Cast ouer borde almost euerychone And after that when he came to lande A new battel met hym on the strande Such wayte was layde about hym enuyron Of hys enemyes by sodayne auenture But of Athenes this mighty champion Whiche might in armes moste souerainly endure Made of his fone a new discoÌ„fyture Thus in short time this prince in his estate On land and water was twyse laureate And after that he lyst nat for to cease Nor to abyde the space of halfe a day The comon profite of his towne tencrease Towarde Asye he toke the right waye Townes castles that were take away Which apperteyned to Athenes of ryght He gate agayne full lyke a manly knyght Maugre all that to hym were contrary Or wrought agayne hym by rebellyon Throughout Asye in the lande of Dary He knyghtly brought them to subiection Agayne whose sworde holpe no proteccyon And fynall labour was of his entent The comon profyte of his towne to augment And with this glory and with this noblesse He to Athenes repayred is agayne And al the city with ioy and great gladnes Came out to mete him vpon a fayre playne And that his triumphes shuld openly be sain Both old and yong with full glad vysages Of their goddes brought out the ymages This was their cry and noise of al the prees Victorious prince whose triumphes marciall Shal euer be song w t laud and new encrees To fore the goddes which ben immortall Welcome welcome our protectour and wal Shelde of our welfare agayne all violence Phebus of knighthod sword of our defeÌ„ce Thus w t their goddes they made hym egall By vncouth praising of paganismes rightes Lyke as he had been very immortall And songe refreytes to coÌ„mend his merytes And to enhauÌ„ce his glory they set al their delites And with the lyght of eternal fame Set vp torches to enlumyne with his name Thus certayne dayes they halowed of enteÌ„t Thrugh all the cyte for his hyghe prowesse Tyll fortune hath his eyen blent With new fauour of worldly false swetnes For all her suger is meynt wyth bytternesse A bayte of hony shedde out at prime face With mortall venym hyd vnder to manace For in his hyghest clymbyng vp alofte And in thascence of fortunes whele After her custome as she hath full ofte When he best wend for to stande wele She drewe her fauour from hym euery dele Made the people vnder his obeysaunce To fall in mischefe for lacke of gouernaunce Thus fro this duke fortune gan to vary And hys noblesse go backe and eke fayle Whan kyng Cirus successour to Dary Full unwarely fyll on him in batayle And gan his knyghtes proudly to assayle Whan he dispurueyed voyde of prouydence Was ouerlayde to make resystence For fynally this Alcibiades At mischefe take which he mighte nat recure Whan thrugh veynglory he was made recheles His noble estate testablysh and assure Lacke of foresight caused his dyscomfyture And to encrease of more aduersitye Banyshed agayne out of his cyte Thus diffaced and clypsed was his glory His cytie put in straunge gouernaunce By Lacedemonoys after this victory So that he knewe no maner cheuysaunce To refourme his vnhappy chaunce Saue for refute myne auctour dothe reherce How that he fled vnto the kyng of Perce From Athenes of newe he was exiled And thirty persons all furious and vengeable Chase in their cyty as Bochas hath coÌ„pyled The toun gouerned albe they were not able Vsyng a maner hatefull and repreuable Thrugh theyr tauyne tempouerish their cite A thyng moste odyous to all comonte A worme of drede was bred vp in their hert Which suffred not them to lyue in pees Amonge them selfe whan they dyd aduerte The great prudence of Alcibiades Howe in manhode he was pereles Lest he wold after for all their multitude Knightly acquyte their ingratitude And of assent to abridge his lyue dayes They agayne hym of malice haue conspyred After his exyle to make no delayes For to accomplysh that they longe haue desired With brenniÌ„ge hate their hertes falslye fyred To murdre by enuy causeles agayne ryghte Alcibiades the noble worthy knight Thus the time approched and the date Terme afore set by constellacion Of his periody and hys lyues fate Which was concluded as made is mencyon By cruell murdre to his distruccion Alas what prince with golde or soudyours May him prouide agayn fals conspiratours Fortune of newe gan at hym enchace From her traynes that he ne scape myght Daily pursued from place aye vnto place In Perce and Mede tho he wer out of sight Tyl that his enemies fyll on him by night Slepyng alas to sone they were sped WhaÌ„ they him found they breÌ„t him i his bed Thus bi murdre their purpose was atcheued Alas it was to horrible a dede So good a knight so wel in armes preued So renomed so famous in manhode For to be brent among the coles rede First vnwarely in his bedde
werre Agayne the sayd myghty Artaxerses Wenyng therby to haue had great encrees Gadred shyppes and made a great armee In his entent to haue met hym on the see To Lacedemons he was fauourable Sent them vessels stuffed with vitayle Dempt of pride that hym selfe was able With Artaxerses to holde a battayle But hasty trust doth fooles often fayle For this Theo was after anone ryght Dryuen out of Egipt and yput to flyght Artaxerses pursued hym so sore Tofore hys face he durst nat appere Fledde into Araby myne auctour saythe no more Banished from Egipt deedly of face chere And of hys fate who so lyst to lere He was depriued from kyngly dignite And by fortune cast from his royall see The .xxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe Amynta of Macedone kyng had by Erudice hys wife Alysandre Perdica and Philyppe that were slayne ANd among other their fates cōplaining Through fortunes dredefull violence There came Amynta of Macedone kyng And to John Bochas shewed hys sentence And to declare hys magnificence To Alysandre graunde father in his lyfe Hauynge four children by Erudice hys wyfe The fyrst of them was Alysandre called And Perdica named the seconde The thirde Philyppe in Macedone stalled Kyng of Grece lyke as it is founde Whiche in ryches greatly dyd habounde And was eke father thys noble warriour To Alysandre the mighty conquerour And or myne auctour further dothe procede He maketh a maner of disgression From his matter like as ye may rede And gynneth in order a discription Of Macedone the famous region Amonge Grekes writeth in especiall Of seuen prouinces it is the principall And so procedyng he sayth how that countre Stretches his boundes about hym enuyron Towarde the see which called is Egee Forthe by Achaya towarde Septentrion And to Messene westwarde it gothe doun And who that can by crafte the costes cast To Dalmacia the name therof dothe last In Macedone he dothe also vs lere Of Olympus standeth the great mountayne And in that kyngdom is many great mynere Of golde and syluer lyke as bokes sayne And on that hyll is nouther wynde ne rayne For thylke mountayne so high dothe attayne That it may nouther blow there ne rayne The kyng Amynta of whō I spake toforn Had in Grece many great battayle Olympiens in Macedone borne And Illyriens togyder he dyd assayle Through his wisdom he did alway preuayle But with his enemys whyle he stode in strife Hys dethe was shapen by Erudice hys wife Myne auctour Bochas of her doth diffine She imagined his destruction Bycause she had another concubine On whom she set all her affection Day set and tyme to hys confusion Fully ordayned at a mariage He to be slayne of one of his linage He had a suster called Vryone Whiche prudently espied the manere Of Erudice and secretly alone Goth to the kyng and tolde hym all yfere And as the story in order telleth here Though she fayled that daye of her empryse She thought to fulfyll it in another wyse Thys to meane of her iniquite Of her fraude and false ymaginyng She was in cause through her cōtrariouste Of the destruction of their myghty kyng For the conclusion of her false workyng was to haue slayne the kyng and all his lyne She to haue raygned with her concubyne But whan she saw she myght nat atcheue Her furious purpose by none auenture Her venomous malice vpon her lord to preue On other parties she dyd her busy cure Enmitees and mischeues to procure Agayne the kynge by mortall fell assayes With sorow trouble for to shorte his dayes Night and day hys lyfe stode euer in drede Hym to betraye she cast out hoke and lyne And who is he that can or may take hede Frely to escape to eschewe or decline Malice of women whan they be serpentine ▪ Se an example of thys quene Erudice Voyde of all vertue and full of euery vice Alas no prince can beware by other To bridel their nobles with reynes of reson Such as commit alas bothe shyp and rother Vnto Sirenes to row them vp and doun Throughout Caribdis to theyr destruction By craft of Cyrces alas they wer made nice Blynde to remembre vpon thys Erudice Which made Aminta to liue i sorow drede To rest in peace suffered him to haue no space In thought trouble his lyfe gan he lede Tyl by long processe deth gan hym manace Yet or he died fortune gaue hym grace His eldest sonne by wisdome to ordayne Called Alysandre hys crowne to attayne Thus Alisandre was hys successour For Cathynenses gan their rancour lete Agaynst hym for he wyth great labour By theyr sufferaunce came to hys royall sete And for to set hys realme in quiete First with Athenes the myghty strong toun Prouided a peace of hie discretion And for to auoyde all ambiguite Of olde debates and of olde outrage First he sent into that strong cite His sonne Philippe yong and tender of age On peace assured to lye there for hostage And in that citye the storie beareth witnes He gan to grow vnto full hye nobles He was committed vnto the discipline Of a great duke called Epaminondon Which to all vertue his youth made encline For of this duke Justine maketh mencion By a maner recommendacion Tofore nor after as by hys auyse Was neuer no prynce more excellent nor wise Fyrst he commendeth hys vertuous corage Hys hye noblesse hys vertuous excellence And by discent he borne was of hye linage And in two thynges concludeth his sentence Sayeth that he was of most magnificence Egall to Mars by famous chiualry And sonne to Phebus through hye philosophy And Bochas here doth hys style auaunce Ful notably with excellent langage And sayth no treasour atteyneth in substaūce To thylke richesse auoydyng all outrage As when there is by bonde of mariage Knyt vp a knot atwene excellence Of famous knighthode of dame prudence This knot auaileth more than golde in cofer And is more glorious perpetually to abyde A mighty prince ought be a Philosopher Whiche can by prudence al vices set asyde For whan to manhode prouidence is gyde And vertuous force is captayne in the werre Let men well trust that partie may not erre This Epaminonda of knighthod sustenour Carbuncle of vertue as bokes tell con Of gentel maners called the famous flour And of high noblesse a very worldly son Whose knyghtly triumphes be so high vp ron To Martes palais with the blessed souns Of famous trumpettes golden clariouns For he was called the bright myrrour Of rightfull quarelles the partie to sustene Of extort wronges most iust reformatour Aye egall iuge of entent most clene Whiche neuer coude nothing but truth meaane Wolde of custome for hate nor aliaunce On nouther partie decline the balaunce And to commende hys vertuous prowesse Hys proued triumphes hys magnanimite Hys marciall actes hys knyghtly busynesse In the gettyng of many strong cyte And all his labour was for the commonte Which to augment he woulde
neuer ceace Such ioy he had the common we le tencreace Thys was also hys vsaunce euermore What euer he gate to part it in largesse Of golde nor coyne he set but lytle store For all his heart was set on gentlenesse By manly fredome and playnly to expresse He spared no good it shewed well in dede Hys true seruauntes to helpe in theyr nede He kept nat in cofers hys treasour Of his nature he was so liberall For to releue eche manly soudiour Suche as were preued in actes marciall And for to holde hys feest funerall After his dethe his storie maketh mynde He was so fre he left nothyng behynde All his offices and famous dignities And great emprises in hys tyme wrought Encresed frāchises through Grece ī his cities With liberties by hys prudence out sought For common profit and for him selfe nought With great augmenting of strāge teritories All this came in by meane of his victories And amonge all hys knyghtly excellences By diuers auctours vnto mynde is brought How all hys lyfe he studied in sciences And vpon connyng set holy hys thought By manly prowesse of dethe he fered nought That was shewed as it is well founde The day whā he receyued his dethes woūde He was home borne vnto hys pauillion All his armour with bloude stayned reed And on a couche by his men layed downe And gan abrayde as he lay halfe deed Sirs quod he of one thyng take heed Hath any enemy thys daye in the felde When I was wounded taken vp my shelde And when hys knyghtes had tolde hym nay By a maner of knyghtly reioysyng He them commaunded without more delaye To his presence that they should it bryng And thervpon full pitously lokyng Full lyke a knyght and with mortall chere He kyssed it and sayde as ye shall here Thou were my felow in armes my brother That neuer wouldest my felowshyp forsake Sure abyding ther was nat such another In euery iourney that I dyd vndertake To me welcome an ende I must nowe make After my deth my soule shall haue plesaunce The to be kept yet for a remembraunce Afore hys deth as it is put in mynde The same hour it came to hys memorie To enquire he left it nat behynde Haue we quod he this daye had victorie Or in the felde who hath y ◠palme of glorie His knightes he prayed y ◠day he should dey The playne trueth they would to hym sey And they hym tolde playnly all the caas How his partie had wonne the feld of might And with that worde he so reioysed was That he hys spirite yelde vp anone ryght And so he died lyke a worthy knyght In whō is shewed what aueyleth in sentence Nobles of knighthode ioyned w t prudence And by the meane of hys wyse doctrine Philyppe that laye with hym in hostage Gan encreace in knyghtly discipline He wext in vertue ryght as he wext in age Whose father was by furions outrage Called Alysandre as made is mencion Slayne by hys mother by false trayson After whose dethe Perdicca in dede The yonger brother the story doth deuise To the crowne gan linially succede Slayne anone after in full cruell wyse Suche false murder euery man shuld agrise As ye haue herde first of Amynta Of Alysander and of kyng Perdicca The .xxvi. Chapter ☞ Howe the proude tiraunt Aman was hanged and the innocent preserued THe horrible fall furious for to rede That foloweth after of y ◠great Aman A ful false tyraūt foūd in word dede And was of byrth a Macedonian Which as the bible full well reherse can Was chefe maister who can well conscerne With Assuerus hys people to gouerne He was exalted hye in pryde To goddes people most contrarious Hys hatefull venym he lyst nat for to hyde But lyke a tiraunt most malicious Of wylful rancour fell and dispitous Fully disposed and coud him nat withdrawe To destroy the Jewes and theyr holy lawe To hys entent he gate auctoritie By hys subtell false compassyng Sent out letters into eche countrie Thrugh al Perce by biddyng of the kyng That hye and low within the land dwellyng No wight except that people all about Should vnto Aman obey knele and lout Thys was the byddyng of kyng Assuere Whan quene Vasty was voyded for her pride And Hester chosen a mayde most entere Was brought to court with y ◠kyng to abyde Which had in youth for to be her gyde A worthy Jewe called Mardoche Within Susis a fayre large cite By whose counsaile euery thyng she wrought Passyng fayre and of great mekenesse And when the Enukes to y ◠king her brought She was accepted for her great fayrenesse Vnto hys grace her storye beareth witnesse And there cherished in especiall Aboue all the maydens in the court royall And of all Perce she was crowned quene A pees commaunded through al tho regions Duryng the feast that men might sene The kynges nobley in cities and touns And of thys feast the ryche royall souns Came to the eares of simple Mardoche Whiche came with other the maner for to se. Tofore the palays as he dyd abyde With other Jewes in hys company Of happe as he cast hys eare asyde He of two porters the counsaile dyd espy How they them cast by false conspiracie To slee the kyng some day of the yere Like their entent whan they foūd best leisere Whan Mardocheus prudently gan fele The secrete malice of theyr compassyng Of compassion he would it nat concele But made Hester discure it to the kyng Wherof conuict they were led to hangyng As me semeth a competent guerdone For all that falsely ymagine suche treasone By which meane the sayd Mardoche Was wel accepted to the kyng Assuere Lykely also to stande at liberte Out of the malyce and fell daungere Of cursed Aman which made hym no chere But compassed in full fell manere Hym to distroy and Jewes all yfere Thys Mardocheus the Byble tell can Withdrew hym selfe to do reuerence Vnto thys tyraunt this frowarde Aman Lyke as the statute cōmaunded in sentence Whiche thing tauenge by frowarde violence This Aman made of hatrede to be set Afore the palais a myghty stronge gybet But who that cast hym to do vengeaunce And innocentes for to oppresse with myght And wylfull malice tagrege theyr greuaunce As God were blynde had of them no syght But at the last he wyll of very ryght Punysh the proude for furious violence The poore supportyng for theyr pacience As Mardocheus by innocent lyuyng By meane of Hester and her great mekenes Accepted was to Assuere the kyng The lawe of Jewes set in more surenes Frowarde Aman for hys cursednes Vengeable of pride in the bible ye maye see Was hye enhanged vpon a galowe tree Mardocheus of prudence and reason The furious daunger of Aman set asyde Preserued hys people fro destruction The tyraunt hanged for hys frowarde pride Thus can our lorde hys iudgementes deuide When he seeth tyme most mighty
brake The .iiii. Chapiter ⧠Howe Pausanias duke of Lacedemon was exyled by them of Athenes THys was his end after this Bochas Gan in hast hys style auaunce Of Pausanias to tel the pitous caas And all the maner of hys wofull chaunce Whiche was a duke had in gouernaunce Lacedemone there foundyng a cite Which of olde tyme was called Bysaunce They of Athenes that cite gate with might And it conquered by theyr chiualry And afterwarde were it wronge or ryght They exyled the same Pausany And thus fortune through her false enuy Caused that duke without more delayes In payne pouerte for to ende his dayes ☞ The .v. chapter ⧠How Heliarchus the tyrant for extorcion and oppression was slaine by the knyght Leonides AFter the fall sothly of these twayne Iohn Bochas was moued of courage For to rehearse with all his busy payne The great fury and the odious rage Of Helyarchus whiche by great outrage Though he ne were famous in chiualry He noyed all Perce with his tyranny Wherfore Bochas gan at him disdayne Cast he woulde onely for his sake Touche of tyrantes mo than one or twaine And by writyng agayn theÌ„ a warre make And in his hande he gan a penne take Tolde in order the perillous pestilence Whiche they wrought by mortall vyolence First he declareth how fortune of right Againe tyrantes furious and wode Hath full cause for to shew her myght To appal their dignities in which they stode Suche as reioyce for to shede blode Do nought els but labour and deuise To spoyle the temple in many sundry wyse And Helyarchus through hys cruelte And his contryued false extorcions Was mortall enemy to a fayre citee Called Heraclye and many other townes And by extort false oppressions As the dede concluded at a prefe All that countrey he brought to mischefe Turnyng his grace and fauour to hatrede Mercy and pitie vnto crueltie Franchise of people to seruitude and drede Oppressed their fredome and olde lybertie And all their statutes by which they wer fre He interrupted of force and not of right Whiche made him odious in all mennes sight But to restrayne his great extorcions Fortune this while was not retchles For his horrible abhominacions She gan to auale him this goddesse merciles By a good knyght called Leonides Whiche with a felow borne of that countrye Cast on this tyrant auenged for to be They dempt it was an almesse dede To set their lande in quiete and in ease Of a tyrant the furious bloude to shede His importable malyce for to appese Whyche to their citye did so great disease And of assent with their swerdes kene They slew the tyrant in their mortall tene Of whose death many a man was fayne And specially of Heraclie the cite Dempt it was medefull y t he was so slayne To set in quyete all a commonte Lo here men may the rightfull guerdon se Of tyrantes whiche by their vyolence To oppresse the people haue no conscience The .vi. Chapiter ☞ How the vycious Dyonis kyng of Cycyle slewe his brethren and kynrede and after exiled dyed at mischefe AFter this tyrant with a full heauy chere And countenaunce piteous lamentable Vnto Bochas Dionys dyd appere Whiche in tyranny most was importable Through his lande hatefull and reprouable But for all that he gan myne auctour pray Of his maners sumwhat to write and say Bochas lyst not rehearse his lynage Nor make no processe of his genealogy Because he was with all hys great outrage Full of all vyces pryde and lechery Of auarice ofyre and of enuy In Cicyle helde his royall see At Cyracusis a mighty stronge citee Thys Dyonis was cursed of nature Most malicious both of thought dede For as it is remembred in scripture He slewe his brethren his cosyns kynrede That he alone in peace might possede Wythout trouble or interruption Of all Cicyle the mighty region Among all vyces Bochas dothe specify He gan drawe vnto ydlenes Folowed his lustes of foule iechery And oft of custome he fell in dronkennes And thought it was most souerain blessednes Lyke as he had be master of fortune To solow his lustes and aye therin contune He waxt ryght fatte and right corcious And his eyen gan darke of his syght That vnneth this man most vycious Ne myght not well beholde the dayes light And of malyce thys tyrant agayne right With helpe of robbers of false foreyns Slough of his citte nye all the citâ—zeyns His vycious lyfe in order to rehearce Were contagious to the audience His extort pillages done in Grece Perce For to write or tell them in sentence Would infect the ayre with pestilence But I wyll briefelye remember and discriue The sacrileges whyche he dyd in hys lyue In Venus temple besyde Cytheron A great number of women he dyd call Fâ—ll well beâ—eue and by oppression He made his meyny vnwarely on theÌ„ fall Dispoyled them so that one and all By hys outrage and frowarde vyolence They naked stode echone in his presence And whan he sawe their shape and feytures He suche chose out as were to his pleasaunce Robbed the other and toke their vestures And let them go without ordinaunce And for this vncouth abhominable chaunce Their city Loâ—roys arose w t stronge hande For hys outrage banished hym their lande An other tyme also he dyd soiourne Wythin the temple lyke as it is tolde Of Jupiter sonne vnto Saturne There beholdyng his relykes manifolde Sawe among other a mantyll large of gold Wherupon whan he cast hys loke That ryche iewel vnto his vse he toke And thus he sayde him selfe to excuse It was to heauy and to comerous In somer season that mantyll for to vse Bicause it was to large and poâ—derous And ouermore he aledged for hym thus Sythe the garment forged was of golde For wynter season how it was to colde And whan he gan away thys mantel pulle Than ryght anone thys tyrant deceyuable Gaue hym another single made of wulle Affirmed sothely it was more conuenable To other season more meâ—e and agreable CoÌ„cludyng thus for somer it was â—yght And warme for wynter in the colde nyght An other tyme this tyrant eke also Whiche was of hart most auaricious Entred ones the temple of Appollo And of his sonne Esculapius And whan this tyrant fell and contrarious Beheide Appollo beardles that was olde And Esculapius with a long bearde of golde Quod Dionis than as semeth vnto me Here is a straunge froward coÌ„uenience That the father beardles should be The sonne bearded standyng in his presence Made anone by sturdy vyolence To take away the bearde which in his syght Of most fyne golde shone so clere and bright Through Grece Perce where he did gone In all the temples this was his vsaunce The stately relyques wyth many ryche stone And massy tables of full great substaunce To take them all that were to hys pleasauÌ„ce He spared none thus liuynge lyke a thefe Til he
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
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
treasour the gold ne the dispeÌ„ce Of them that haue this world in gouernauÌ„ce Nor al the subiectes vp rekened in sentence Nor al the regions vnder their obeysaunce Princes princesses with al their attendaunce May agayne fortune yeue them no lybertie Who not knoweth her vnsure gery chaunce Thinke on Lisimachus and Arcinoe Her chyldren she slayne by violence Of Ceramius god yeue him sory chaunce That by false coloure dyd her reuerence And pretended a maner obseruaunce The treson close of venomous purueyaunce Purposed afore to outray them all thre The chyldreÌ„ slayne which knew no cheuisaÌ„ce The mother exiled called Arcinoe Noble princes beware of hie prudence Amonge your selfe that there be no distaunce Hyde no rancoure of hateful vyolence Vnder a curtayne of double daliaunce Lyke your hert shewe out your countenauÌ„ce Voide of dissimulinge and duplicitie Wysely way this chapter in balaunce Of Lysimachus and quene Arcinoe The .xxi. chapiter ¶ How Ceramius of Macedoyne kyng that murdred his cosins was slayne in bataile by them of Fraunce THe Noble Poete Jhon Bochas in his boke Procedyng forth coÌ„plaineth of pite With quaking hande whan he his pen toke And gan to writ the woful desteny As ye haue herde of quene Arcinoe And how Ceramius the story maketh minde Was to her false traytour and vnkynde Of whose treason is made a great processe And howe he after was slayne in batayle Punished by vengeaunce for his falsenesse Lyke as his story maketh rehersayle Whych to remembre I cast me not to fayle Folowyng mine auctour procede in writing Howe Ceramius was slayne beynge kinge For whyle that he by his false workyng In Macedoyne had the gouernayle Thre huÌ„dred M. accompted by writynge Went out of Fraunce to conquere Itayle The host departed in many stronge batayle Gate by conquest through theyr hye renoune Ful many a prouince and many a region And as they rode through many a gret couÌ„tre This people of Gaule in stele armed clene They founded castels many stronge cytie Towarde Rome they bylded Mylâ—n Sene Vpon the Alpes their armour shone ful shene And some of them vp to Rome went By very force and the citye brent Some parted vp to the grekyshe see Had a custome to chese their dwellynge place By Augurie as byrdes dyd fle Folowynge their flyght they gan after trace Holdynge their way within a lytell space With myghty hand the boke doth specify They came to a countrey called Pannony This folk of Gaule whych is called FrauÌ„ce To conquere landes put them selfe in prees As most notable people of puissaunce Folowynge y â— exaÌ„ple of their knightly encrese In theyr ridynge of worthy Hercules Which was worshipped in their actes mercial Lyke as a god and called immortall Through grace of fortune in their chiualryes Conquered countreys alwaye forth rydynge Them selfe departynge in diuers companyes Who them withstode they coÌ„sumed by breÌ„nig Came to Macedone where Ceramius was king Of presuÌ„pcioÌ„ wening it shuld auayle Out of ordinaunce he met them in battayle This Ceramius of outrage and of pride Dempt him able to mete with theÌ„ of FrauÌ„ce But for he was through murdre an homicide He lacked grace and power in substaunce Yet they of Gaule by prudent gouernaunce Offred vnto hym though he was retcheles With Macedonoys for to treate of pees But for presumpcion and melancoly Agaynst his enemies he the felde hath take And discomfited anone was his party His men gan flie and haue their lord forsake Hys heed smyt of and set vpon a stake But al his mischefe was to lyte in dede To recoÌ„pence his fraude and his falshede There is no paine againe so great offence May be deuised in no boke that men rede Equiualent murder to recompence Duely to punyshe so outragious a dede Of him that made yonge children blede As did Ceramius whiche of false couetise His cosyns slough as ye haue heard deuise To thinke on murder it is to foule a thing To god and man hatefull and terible The infernal fraude the deuillyshe coÌ„passing To eche creature of nature is odible Whiche to redresse is an impossible O cursed Ceramius I leaue thy story here Thy name no more shal blot my papere The .xxii. Chapiter ⧠How the prynce Belgius was disconfited and brought to nought AFter this tyraunte as ye haue hearde the eaas Slayne in battayle this traytour odious Anone in order came to John Bochas A mighty prynce called Belgius Deadly pale with face furious Whiche coÌ„playned amonge this wofull prees His disconfiture done by quene Softenes This sodayn mischefe greued his hart sore For all the folke that were in his battayle Were put to flyght Bochas writeth no more Of his knighthode nor of his apparaile Saue onely this he maketh rehearsaile Of the Frenche host he telleth in certaine How he was chosen for a chefe captayne And how he came into the riche lande Of Macedoyne with his people of Fraunce Tyll Softenes the quene w t myghty hande Disconfited him brought to mischaunce Of whoÌ„ I finde none other remembraunce Saue whan he wende to be most glorious He was outrayed by force of Brennus ☞ The .xxiii. chapter ¶ How duke Brennus delityng to robbe and steale mischeuouslye ended THis Brennus full knyghtlye in workynge which by coÌ„quest gate many great citie And as I reade of Danes he was kyng Disployled regions many a great couÌ„trie Robbed people of hye and lowe degre Spared no goddes but by vyolence Toke their treasures did them no reuerence There was a temple great and marueylous Built on a roche and on an hyll of stone Sacred to Appollo called Delphicus In all Grece so great a god was none And oft sythe the people woulde gone Vp to a Theatre whiche that stode wythout To haue answere of y t they stode in doubt Their trust hope was to y t god applyed Hauyng to hym singuler affection As though he might haue holpe magnified And done to them great consolation For by a spiryte of false deception He gaue answere of sundry questions To folke that came from diuers regions Kyng Brennus had no fantasy In their temples after their panym gyse Neither to worship nor to magnify Their Grekysh goddes to do theÌ„ sacrifise For in his hart he gan them to despyse Caught a ioy wyth all his false robbours Them to dispoyle robbe of their treasours Behyght his men sayd in playne langage That his desyre and hys entencion Was to be boty with them of such pyllage As Goddes had in their possession And part with theÌ„ for singuler guerdon For their labour and great trauayles That they had had wyth him in battayles He gaue his people a maner hardines Made them trust in great multitude Hauyng despyte of the innocent symplenes Of his enemies because they were but rude I meane tho folke shortly to conclude Whiche had in kepyng the iewels precious Of great Appollo called Delphicus The people also whiche was with Brennus Had all the day
dronke myghty wynes To fyll their paūches they were so desyrous That they forgate their marciall doctrines To ascēd y ◠moūtayne feble were their chines Their heades totter their braine gan faile The temple aloft to spoyle or to assayle In their assending by wayes that they chees Vpon the roche they were beat doune Priestes of the temple put thē selues in prees One bare a standard another a penoune Clad in chesibles for hye deuocion And with their other vncouth apparayles Bothe on the roche lowe in their battayles The people of Brennus was incomperable Spred all the felde the story beareth witnes But it is sayd of olde and is no fable That no defence is in dronkennes And wisdome fayleth where is greate excesse And in a felde playnly to conclude Victory alwayes standeth not in multitude For they were set as Bochas dothe deuise Not to knighthode but to false outrage To spoyle and robbe by gredy couetise And stuffe their somters with great pillage Furious rauine hath brought thē in a rage And farewell knighthode marciall noblesse Where couetise is lady and maistresse Two mighty dukes were with Brennus Whiche that were chefe of his counsayle Euridanus that one that other Thessalonus Which as they thought to their great auaile Began a purpose and it was disauayle To robbe the people the countrey ech toun Whiche turned after to their confusion Thus auarice w t stomake vnstaūcheable Hath strāgled y ◠power of many a worthy knight And couetise her sister vntretable Hath of high nobles full oft quaint the lyght Wher Tātalus raigneth a lion hath no might This to meane honger and couetousnes Turneth all nobles into cowardnes For by the counsayle of these dukes twayne Brennus set all his opinion To spoyle and robbe dyd his busy payne To pyll the cities of all that region But in this while as made is mencion Myd their battayles Bochas dothe me lere The God Appollo and Pallas did appere Appollo first shewed his presence Freshe yonge lusty as any sunne shene Armed all with golde with great vyolence Entred the felde as it was well sene And Diana came with her arowes kene And Mynerua in a bright haberion Which in their cōminge made a terible soun The noyse was herd of their bright armure Which made their enemyes almost to raue That they might afore them not endure Fled the felde for drede them selfe to saue And there was herde an hidous erthquaue And from heauen in this mortal batayle Of colde constreyning great stones do hayle Their aduersaries beate downe grounded And afore them durst not abide And Brennus so mortally was wounded Both brest heed hurt through eyther syde Lo here the ende of couetise and pride For Brennus for constraynt of his smert Roue with a dagger him selfe to the herte This was his ende vēgeable merueylous And his dukes slayne both twayne Called Euridanus and Thessalonus The grekish goddes gan at him so disdayne Of sacrilege se here the greuous payne For to goddes who lyst do no obseruaunce Shall vnwarly be punished wyth vēgeaūce It is not holsome with goddes to play Nor their puissaunce presūptously to attame For where as they by vengeaūce lyst werray who lyst assay shall fynde it no game For his presūpcion Brennus founde the same For Appollo Diana and Mynerue For his outrage vnwarly made hym sterue ⧠Lenuoye THis tragedy declareth who lyst here Of duke Brennus many great batayle His extorte conquest and holy the maner Howe by force he rode through al Itayle After how he the Romayns dyd assaile His fall in Grece by vengeable violence For he to goddes would do no reuerence Toke al the treasours iuels most entere Out of their temples and richest apparayle Golde and perle and al that yfere To his encrease whych that myght auayle The rich he robbed oppressed the porayle Of verye pompe and frowarde insolence And lyst to goddes do no reuerence This mighty tiraūt most surquedous of chere With couetyse brent in hys entrayle Whose gredy fret ther might no mesure stere Tyll that fortune at mischefe dyd hym fayle He lacked might her variant whele to nayle Agayne whose fall there was no resistence For he to goddes lyst do no reuerence Noble prynces conceyue and do lere The fall of Brennus for misgouernayle And prudently paysyng thys matere Vertue is strōger than outher plate or maile Afore considred what Brennus doth coūsayle Chefe preseruatyfe of your magnificence Is to god to do due reuerence The .xxiiii. Chapter ⧠Howe Pyrrus kynge of Pyrothe lyst nat lyue in peace but of pryde and presumption in warre came vnto mischaunce IN Bochas boke next folowīg on y ◠rig Came yong Pirrus sonne of Earides Borne by discent to reigne be kyng And to enherite the lande of Pyrothes Yet in his youth and his tender encrees The frowarde people dwellynge in y ◠place Without his gylte gan his dethe purchace But to preserue hym as made is mencion He was committed and take in kepyng Certayne yeres for hys sauacion To one Glaucus of Illirie king Whose wife was cosyn by record of writing To the sayde famous Earides And she in story called Beronices He nye of blode to thys noble queene Bothe twayne borne of one lynage Wonder gracious to all that did him sene And well fauoured of fetures and visage And in the whyle of his tender age One Cassander of Macedone kyng Compassed his deth by subtel false workyng And his purpose for to bryng aboute He sent for hym by false collusion Puttyng Glaucus playnlye out of doute But yf he came lyke hys entencion He wolde worke to hys destruction Gather people bothe nye and farre And on Glaucus gyn a mortall warre But kyng Glaucus toke herof no hede Hauyng to Pyrrus so great affection Of him receyued verely in dede To be his sonne by adoption Purposyng of whole entencion To make Pyrrus plainly if he may To be his heyre and raigne after his day Pyrrus alway vp growyng by encrees Full amiable bothe of there and face And in this while the people of Pyrothes Knowyng that he stode in Glaucus grace Chaunged their hartes cast thē in short space For to restore all of one courage The sayd Pyrrus to his heritage Thus by assent he was crowned kyng Yonge freshe and lusty semely ther withal Wonders well thewed in his vp growyng Like his lynage of courage wext royall The whiche was cause in especiall He was beloued offrendes about And of his enemyes greatly had in doubt The name of him gan to sprede farre Through all Grece about in eche countrey The lande of Tarent gan in his tyme warre Agayne the Romaynes as ye may se Requiryng Pyrrus that he woulde be Fauourable and helpyng of entent To the party of them of Tarent To their request he can condiscende And of purpose cast him not to fayle If that fortune woulde him grace sende With myghty hande marciall apparayle For
to be lorde and conquere all Itayle As did his vncle whilom doubtles Kyng Alexander called Epirothes First he began his conquest in Itayle Toward Heraclye a mighty great citie Where with Brennus he had a great battaile Consull of Rome and lorde of that countrye And to the encrease of his felicitie As it is remembred in his story Vpon Romayns he gate that victory The Olyphantes with castels on their backe Caused Pyrrus the yong manly knyght With his wisdome wherin there was no lack To put his enemies that day to flyght And in this while it happened forthright The Sicilians Bochas beareth recorde Amonge them selues were fall at discorde There was atwene them great diuision Eche to other contrary in workyng But to reforme their false discention They praied Pyrrus to come be their king To whose request he fully assentyng By them made stronge lyst not to deferre Against the Romayns for to gyn a warre Beside a castel called Esculus Within Poyl his banner he gan splay The same day not happy nor eurous Contrarious fortune his power gan affray Woūded to the death gan greatly him dismay By whiche occasion this Pyrrus anone right Lept on his courser and toke him to flyght A sonne he had called Helenus Borne of the daughter of kyng Agathocles Whō he ordeyned mine auctor telleth thus For to be crowned to his great encrees Of Siciliens to raygne there in pees Wenyng therby to haue had auauntage And in this while came to him a message Out of Tarent whiche stode in auenture For his absence out of that region If he not came they might not endure Againe the power of them of Rome toun Whiche of assent were discended downe Agaynst them they standyng in dispayre Saue in abydyng vpon his repayre Pyrrus this while stode in full hard poynt Waxt abashed and dull in his corage Atwene twayne hangyng in disioynte Werreyed of Romayns hated in Cartage Had a battaile to his fynall domage Within a felde called Arusius There put to flyght by one Fabricius Destitute by Fortune and appayred Voyde of succour barrayne of rychesse Like a man of hope dispayred Towarde Epyre in haste he gan him dresse Where he was first his story doth expresse As ye haue heard rehearced by writyng By succession whilom lorde and kyng But whan he came to Epyre the citie He gan of new agaynst Antigonus Kyng of Macedoyne a full stronge countrie Hym to werrey he was so desierous And by conquest the story telleth thus Within a while there was no great lettyng By helpe of Fortune he was crowned kyng Not seuen monethes raignyng in quiete By Lisymachus maugre all his might He was put downe remoued from his sete Yet of presūption though there was no right He toke on him to gyn a newe fyght Gayne Lacedemonois felly them werrey Onely because they would him not obey Whose presumption whan they behelde Bothe of prudence and policy Women were armed to make a large felde With multitude to oppresse his party For cōmon profite put them in ieoparty And fynally suche was their ordynaunce That Pyrrus was brought to mischaunce His sonne there slayne called Tholome And many other lost there their liues And for all that of pride and crueltie He gan a warre agayne the Argyues And at the ende of his mortall striues For conclusion this was his last fall Slaine w t a stone as he came to their wall His head smit of in the same place And therof made an oblacion To Antygonus for a great solace Thus lyst fortune quite his presumption After his warres with many region Lo here the ende of folkes retchles That folowed warre list not liue in pees ¶ The .xxv. Chapter ☞ How the tyrāt Aristotimus by trecherous working set aside the right line and was crowned kyng of Epirothes and after slayne FOr the proceadyng folowyng John Bochas I wil reherce in ful playne lāgage How Aristotim a tyrāt this y ◠case Cast and compassed by full great outrage Hauyng no title of right nor heritage Of Epyrothes by trecherous workyng Voydyng the line there to be crowned kyng Liuyng two children the story telleth thus Borne by discent to raygne in that citee The eldest of them called was Pyrrus And the seconde named Tholome And bothe twayne by the cruelte Of Aristotym were falsely set aside He made kyng this tyrant through his pryde And while that he thus gan occupy Lyke a tyrant cruell and vengeable Of false rancour and melancoly Slewe all the citizyns y t were most notable And exyled this story is no fable Onely of malice within his hart close All that were contrary vnto his purpose Vnto the women by fraudulent sentence He made ordayne after that anone Of fained pitie gaue to them lycence To their frendes frely for to gone With their riches but they were euerychone By his biddyng and by his false treason Take by the way and fettred in pryson Or they were ware was set on them arrest And after that of vengeable crueltie The children slayne suckyng at their brest Maydens oppressed of their virginitie But in this while at Cypre the citie There was a knyght passyng of great age Whiche cast of purpose to auenge his outrage The same knyght mine auctour telleth thus In the story playnly as I rede Was in Greke tonge called Helematus Right wise manly both in word and dede And thinges twayne put him out of drede To execute his purpose in certayne Maugre all tho that would be him againe For cōmon profite he drad not to be dead A cause was this for he was fall in age And another that put him out of drede For he no children had of his lynage His quarell rightfull gaue him aduauntage And here vpon gathered him of newe Suche as he knew y ◠manly were and true This purpose helde w t circumspect auise And theron made full prudent ordinaunce This Helematus olde hardy and right wise Afore prouided by knyghtly purueyaunce The said tyrant brought vnto mischaunce By helpe of them that were to him assented Vnwarely slain whose deth was not repēted ¶ The .xxvi. Chapter ☞ How quene Arcinoe for the aduoutry done with Demetrius husbande of her daughter Beronices ended in sorowe AFter this story Bochas gan apply To turne his pen like as ye shall here To write and tell the frowarde lechery Of Arcynoe pleasaunt of loke and chere Whiche of her port and eke of her manere Was in her dayes like as it is founde For craft beauty called Venus the seconde For her fayrenes yeuen in mariage To noble Agas of Cyrenes kyng Atwene them while they were yonge of age They had a daughter by recorde of wrytyng Called Beronices the kyng at his endyng In his testament bad that she should be Wedded to the sonne of kyng Tholome And this was done of entencion To cease the warres y ◠had endured longe Atwene Egipt as made is mencion And the Cyrenes bothe realmes stronge By this
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
cowarde knowe in y ◠felde was he The pore toppresse a wolfe most furious And by disceite a foxe for subtilte No man more froward of hie nor low degre Nor more deliting in falshed nor flatery What was his ende◠a sodain deth parde For his outrages of pride and lechery Noble Princes of prudence full famous In al your greatest roial maieste Remembre playnly if ye be vertuous Ye shall perseuer in longe prosperite Where the contrary causeth aduersite As this story afore doth specifye Of Antiochus cast from his dignite For this great pride riot and lecherye ☞ The .xvi. Chap. How Jeronimus kig of Ciracuse was slayn how Scipio Affrican y t laboured for cōmon wele of Romains was exiled by them and so dyed After the deth of thys Antiochus Ther came a price to Bocas cōplaining Which that was called Jeronimus Of Cyracuse whylom lorde and kyng Whych of his lieges he nothing trespasing Slayne was wyth his thre susters dere Of hatred myne auctour wryteth here Ciracusanes had a condicion Through chaūges newe aye to be vnstable Of wilful malice voyde of al reason On their kinges for to be vengeable They loued not to haue them perdurable But euery yere of custome this is trewe Them to gouerne to haue a prince newe And for their chaūges their vncouth striues Wyth variaunce of their condycions Because no frute is founde in their liues Nor in their stories nor in their successions I wyl passe duer and speke of Scipions And first to write of the worthy man Called in his tyme Scipio Affrican A famous knight in al nacions For his conquest shortly to conclude Which had brought full many regions More by wysdome than by multitude To obey the Romayns but for ingratitude Whych that he fonde in them as I rede How he wrought to tel I wyll procede It is remembred of his worthynes While that he was flouring in yonge age How Rome was made lady maystresse Of many a lande to their auauntage And specially all Affrike Cartage By hys prowesse as made is mencion Were brought of Romayas vnder subiection But they againeward were to him vnkynde By accusacions fonde out by their falsenesse Sayd agayne hym as it is put in mynde By recorde of many a false wytnesse That he should haue imbezeled the rychesse Of Cartage and Affrike the countre Whych appertayned to Rome the cyte But againeward this noble Affrican Proudly gaue answere to his accusours He neuer wythhelde fro tyme y t he began Toward him selfe no parte of theyr tresours Saue as the manere is of conquerours For to conserue hys worshyp his name As most was profit to the townes fame This is to meane playnly and not tary He neuer accroched treasour nere nor ferre Towarde hym selfe but that was necessary For their worshyp to mayntayne theyr wer And yet that tyme he was their lode sterre To encrease their boūdes fully his delite Was al hole set to the cōmon profyte He toke none hede of all the surplusage Of their treasours nor their great rychesse The name reserued of Affrike Cartage To hys knyghthod and his hye noblesse But their malicious expert vnkyndnesse Was in cause breuely to compyle Hys body fro them perpetually to exyle Cast him neuer wythin Rome toun After that daye amonge them to be seyne Vnkyndenesse gaue hym occacion To absent his person of hye dysdayne To exyle hym selfe neuer to come agayne But for to abyde in a smal vyllage Called Lynterne whan he was fal in age And for men should mynde on hym haue By a maner of indignacion An Epitaphie he set vpon hys graue Which saide thus to them of Rome toun O people vnkynde vnkynde agayne reason My funeral ashes nor my bones dede In thy walles thou shalt neuer possede In thyne vnkynde frowarde teritory My bones shall not rest nor abyde But thyne vnkyndnesse to put in memory To remembraunce shal be red full wyde Of these letters graue on euery syde By report onely of this small scripture Whych here is set vpon my sepuiture Lo here the cause by brefe dyscripcion Set on my graue for a memoriall Why that my bones out of Rome toun Be buried here lowe vnder thys wall In exile holde my feast funerall Vnkyndnesse me droue out of that cyte That wrought so much for the cōmonte ¶ The .xvii. Chapter ¶ Howe Scipio Asian lorde of Asye that laboured euer for the cōmon wele was murdred AFter the ende of thys Affrican Called i his time worthy Scipion Came next his brother Scipio Asyan Which in Asie had dominacion Gayne whom was made an accusacion To al the Senate that he vntruly shold Certayne tresours towarde hym selfe w t hold Whych that he in Asie had wonne In hys conquest by many strong battayle Which accusacion falsly was begonne Of olde enuy causlesse thys is no fayle Whose worthynesse full muche dyd auayle To comon profyt by these two conquerours By great ritchesse encreasyng their tresours The tone in Affrik as ye haue hard me tell By hys wysdome and his chinalry That other in Asia whych dyd excell In hye prowesse as bokes specifye Flalsly hyndred of hatred and enuy By compassyng of one Antiochus Hym to distroy he was so desirous Not withstāding these twayne Scipions Had in their tyme by manifolde battayls Brought vnto Rome so many regions To obey their citie w t marcial apparayls And euer more to their great auails Brought in tresours to encreace w t their toun Yet haue they wrought to their distruccion The tone in exyle as made is mencion Dyed alas whan that he was olde The seconde was murdred in prison Their boeth storyes remembred here tolde To yeue example to princes manyfolde That who that laboureth for a comonte Leseth oft his thāke by Scipions ye may se. ☞ The .xviii. chapter ¶ How the Duke Philopomenes was take put in prison after dranke poison and so dyed AFter the processe of these two Scipions Twene two peoples wylfull and recheles Began in Grece newe discencions Twene Acheoys and Etholois doutles And a great Duke Philopomenes A Prince y ◠tyme of full great puissaunce Had of Messenois holy the gouernaunce This sayde Prince Philopomenes Leadyng his host vpon a ful fayre playne As he rode armed and put him selfe in prees Myd his people as gouernour wardaine Folke out of rule for to call agayne Vpon his stede as he gan them fette In due ordre his wardes for to set And this Prynce of port most marcial In the pursute which that he gan make Amonge his enemies he had a sodaine fall Voyde of al rescue vnwarely he was take Of al his frendes lyke a man forsake Amonge his enemies brought vnto prison There made an ende by drinkynge of poyson Of Philopomenes this was the fatal caas Out of gouernance his people disolate Except a captaine called Ligorias Whych in the werres was wonder fortunate Of Acheoys toke on him the state Them to gouerne and
the people lede Of hym no more in Bochas I do rede The .xix. chapiter ⧠Of the thyrde Scipion Nasica y â— euer wrought much for the comonte WIne auctoure here maketh a dygressyon And reherseth for a memorial Of the thyrde worthy Scipion Called Nasica whych in especial By disposycion verye naturall Holde amonge Romaynes by reporte of laugage Passinge all other in wisdome and corage Olde of discrecion not but yonge of yeres For a myracle myne auctour doth expresse Whan Senatours sente messageres In to Frigia by great auysenesse For Berosynthia most famous goddesse WhaÌ„ she was brought by them y â— dyd her gide In house nor temple she would not abyde Saue in the palays of this Scipion To put his name more in remembraunce The whych also through his hie renoun Gallogrois he brought to vttraunce A people of Grece ferre out of gouernaunce But Scipion gan them so werrey Maugre their malice y â— Romains for to obey Wherby his name was put in memory And ful gret thaÌ„ke he hath in Rome deserued Bycause onely of his greate victory For which the triuÌ„phe was to him reserued But at last full falsly he was serued Of the Romains after their olde manere In this tragedy anone as ye shal here After he had augmented their treasours Conquered in Asia many regions Caused of their fone that they were victours Appeased of Graccus the false occasions Compassed of malyce by newe discencions Atwene the people and also the Senate He ofhye wysdome hath stynt al that debate Trustynge y â— Romains ScipioÌ„ was begiled Lost their fauoure offended nought By them vnwarely banished and exyled Clene forgoten put out of their thought For comon profite al that he hath wrought The guerdon lost thus prynces can not se Of al that done for any comonte Lyke a blase for a whyle lyght Whych sheweth clere is neuer after seyne Or lyke a sonne for a moment bryght Vnwarly shrouded w t a shower of rayne Ryght so the windy fauour blowynge vaine May be reseÌ„bled for mutabilite Of them that do for any comonte The people foloweth their owne opinions In their conceytes they be so wonderful Wil holdeth the brydel of their discrecions Their hasty demyng so bestiall is dull Like blynd bayarde they brayde at a pul To quite y â— guerdons of marciall bounte Of them that done for any comonte This day a price staÌ„deth in the peoples grace Lyke as they would his name deify Aboue the sterres in Jupiters place With Mars Phebus hys name to stellify But by to morow ther commeth a soden skye Shewyng there is a full faynte surete Of them that do for any comonte And for to affirme that it is trewly so Cal thre Scipions to remembraunce First of Affrike and Asie both two Note â— cronicles their knightly gouernauÌ„ce Their restlesse labours RomaiÌ„s for tauauÌ„ce Reken agaynwarde how these princes three Were full vngoodly quit by the comonte ¶ Lenuoye THis tragedy of thre Scipions So worthy in knighthode eke notable Made so many famous regions Subiecte to Rome this storye is no fable Wher the Romayns double disceiuable Shewed agaynward to these princes thre The thanke lost and guerdon couenable Of hym that doth for any comonte Reken vp in Affrike the cityes the touns Great Cartage with castels defensable Reken in Asie the great possessions Wyth reuenues very innumerable Reken their tryuÌ„phes of prise incoÌ„parable Whych considred ye may a myrrour se Howe the guerdons be false flaskysable Of them that do for any comonte They were whilom the Romayns chaÌ„pions Of Senatours to set the honoure stable To auoyde discorde and al discencions Atwene the coÌ„mons and states honorable But she that is of custome aye chauÌ„geable Fortune in whom may be no surete Sheweth in her whele the guerdoÌ„s mutable Of them y t done for any comonte Noble princes payse in your reasons All worldly thynge in erth is transmutable Faynt and vnsure your dominacions Charter is ther none to make theÌ„ perdurable Sorowe at departing your bodies coruÌ„pable A thyng resemblyng y â— neuer had be Recorde on ScipioÌ„s by guerdons semblable Of them that doue for any comonte Trust neuer in your opinions But y e your power is eche day remeuable Be not made blynde in your discrecions But considre by examples resonable The eye of fortune lyke hasarde retournable Wyth sodayne chaunge of false felicitie Vnto the guerdons dayly comparable Of them that done for any comonte The .xx. Chapiter ⧠Howe Duke Hanyball after many victorious dedes murdred him selfe wyth poison NExt to Jhon Bocas as I rede Out of Affrik Cartage therwithal Ther came a Duke y t had mooste hatrede Agayne the Romayns in especiall This famous prince called Hanyball By whose prowesse as it is well knowe The sayd Romains were brought ful low And amonge other worthy Dukes all As olde Cronicles maketh mencion Of Hanybal the fate is so befal At hys byrth by dysposicion That of hys naturall constellacion Set in the heuen that he should be Perpetually enemy to Rome the cyte As the storye of hym doth deuise While his father Duke whylom of Cartage Called Amylchar dyd ones sacrifyse To his goddes and he nyne yere of age Sworne and auowed of hert of crrage Durynge his life wythout excepcion Euer to be enemy vnto Rome toun Thys Martes childe thys lusty yong knight Was to Cartage the stronge myghty wal Whych succeded in his fathers ryght After the deth of worthy Hastruball Fyrst he made a werre ful mortall Gayne SaguÌ„tinois as it is specifyed Cause wyth Romayns y â— they were alyed A dreme he had and was thus in sentence That he shuld conquere in battaile Maugre al tho that stande at diffence Two myghty couÌ„treis fyrst Spaine than Itaile Down disceÌ„dig with gret apparaile Passing the famous ryuer Iberus And where he rode alwaie victorious With him of Affrike many chefetayns Rode through Gaule found no resistence Of Pyrenes by the hye mountayns To shewe the rigour of his magnyficence Ouer the Alpes by sturdy violence Not w tstandynge the passage was ful wycke Of slydinge frostes and of sâ—owes thicke A great party of hys people lost By the constraint of that fell passage Horse Oliphantes that many besaunt cost FouÌ„de great dauÌ„gere of theÌ„ in his cariage Assaut of brigantes whan they found auauntage And as Bochas put in remeÌ„brance Felte great losse of al hys ordinaunce The Alpes passed with trauayle great wo Thys Hanyball with al his chiualry Aproched is the riuer of the Po Came to a towne that called is Cursye Which standeth vpon the cyte of Pauye Where a Consul called Scipton Gaue hym battayle euyn afore the toun The same Consull Gneus Scipion Whych by prowes of manly Hanybal Was discomfited as made is mencion Tofore Pauye had a ryght foule fal The fyrst victory in especial That he had beyonde the mountayns Whan he pursued tassayle the
Called Cleopatra as made is mencion And all his labour in conclusion Was onely this in Bochas as I rede All the kyngdomes aboute hym to possede Who all coueteth sometyme all dothe lese One agayne all selde hath soueraynte And for Ballas frowardly gan chese To holde werre with kyng Tholome And with the foresayde worthy kynges thre All of assent haue suche wayes sought That by theyr workyng he came to nought Fyrst Tholome fro hym toke hys wyfe Cleopatra and toke her in mariage To one Demetry causyng full great stryfe For he that tyme was but yonge of age But Ballas after by full great outrage With all his power gathered nye and ferre Gayne Demetry gan to holde werre Togyther they met proudlye in batayle Ballas constrayned cowardly to fle And when he sawe hys power dyd fayle In Arabye a myghty stronge countre â—abydus a prynce of great poste Toke hym by force quakyng in hys drede To kyng Tholome sent anone his hede Men may two thinges consider in this caas Pryde punyshed and vnkyndnesse And presumpcion in this man Ballas Without tytle or clayme of ryghtwysnesse Made kyng of Surry set i gret worthinesse What was his ende ye get no more of me Hys heed smyt of and sent to Tholome Lenuoye THys tragedye dothe naturally complayne Vpon thys vyce called vnkyndnesse Which to punyshe is tourment none ne payne Rygour condigne flagell nor duresse Emprisoning nor none earthly distresse That may suffise brifely to conclude Againe the vice of ingratitude All creatures on this vice complaine Lawe nature decrees rightwisnesse This monster in kinde dothe y â— light distaine Of euery vertne derketh the brightnesse Alisander can beare hereof witnesse Whiche to his furthers he of his tetches rude Shewed againe warde great ingratitude Of Cerberus th infernall treble chayne Nor of Tantalus hungre nor thrustinesse Of Ixion or Ticius bothe twayne Reken the turment remeÌ„bre the sharpnesse All to litell to chastise or redresse The hatefull vice of them that can delude Their frendes olde by false ingratitude Noble princes which in your demayne Haue gouernaunce of all worldly rychesse Gayne folke vnkynde loke that ye dudayne Suffre them nat to haue none entresse For to aproche to your hye noblesse For there is no vice more hatefull to conclude Than is the vyce of ingratitude The .xxvi Chapter ⧠Here Bochas wryteth of the rebellyons and sedicions in Rome betwene Tribunes and the commons FOlowyng myne auctour in storyes merueylous I must now write y â— stroÌ„g rebellions Of Gayus first and of Tiberius And of the great hatefull secious Meued in Rome twene tribunes coÌ„mons And by their stryues how they gan conspyre For to attayne falsly to the empyre The yere syxe hundred by computacion Gayus Graccus made tribune in that age After the cities first foundacion Which turned after to full great domage Of common profit for by their mortall rage Tumulte and noyse of commons in the toun Caused a great part of their destruction For in departyng of champayne heritage Atwene the worthy and pore of the cite By egall portions Graccus w t faire langage Had greatly meued all their commonte By whiche occasion in story men maye se Another Graccus called the seconde Was slayne in Rome low laide in grounde After the deth of Graccus as I rede Was chosen a tribune called Munycius Whiche fordyd the lawes all in dede Of olde Graccus called Gayus But he that was named Tyberius With helpe of Flaccus Tribunes of estate In the Capitoyle began a great debate They were supported by the commonte By voyce of people y â— word of no man know For Graccus party hye vpon a tre A trumpet stode and proudly gan to blowe Which slayne was fro the tre doun throw By which slawter y â— boke maketh rehersaile Flaccus wext feble his party gan to fayle For drede he fled into the teritory Of Janus temple ran vp to a tour Whan Tyberius as put is in memory Sawe in the cite he had no fauour Dispayred knewe no better succour Sworde set at brest in presence of Myncrue Fully purposed afore her for to sterue There stode one by drew his hand a backe Fro that purpose made him to declyne Thus Graccus party goth dai by dai to wrake And Flaccus toke the temple of Lucyne His son his frendes almost all his lyne Thei kept theÌ„ stroÌ„g but maugre their defeÌ„ce They were there slayne by sturdy violence While Graccus frendes fought for his party And he him selfe constrayned was of drede He gan to pray a boy of hys company To take a sword and smyte of hys hede Set on a speare with the bloude made rede Sent it his mother complayning in her tene Into her castel that called was Missene Named Cornelya his mother was in dede Whylom doughter to great Scipion Her châ—oren all slayne as I rede And Graccus goodes acheted to the toun Therof after made a diuision By iudgement thorughout the cite Where most was nede among the commonte Of Graccus syde fiue huÌ„dred slaine twaine Vpon an hyll called Auentyne And Oppinius a consull dyd his payne Of their conspiring y â— grouÌ„d to serche mine And Flaccus party to bryng to ruyne He slew two thousand by hasty iudgement Amonge which was many an innocent The .xxvii. chapter ☞ How the wyfe of Hastruball brent her selfe and her chyldren HEre John Bochas lyst in especiall To remembre howe Cartage newe agayne Distroyed was and how Hastruball Came to mischefe y â— trouth was well sayne Which to reherce of new it were but vayne Sythe here tofore is made clere mencion Bothe of their brennyng their destruccion Saue here he telleth how Hastrubals wyfe Onely to eschewe to lyue in seruage Chase with her children for to lese her lyfe And wylfully of furious corage She and her sonnes tender and yonge of age Amonge the flames and the coles reed Consumed was into ashes deed Dydo the first that bylte that cite And made tours and the stronge wall Which was betrayshed also of Ene Afore remembred the fires funerall And after longe the wyfe of Hastruball Chase rather to dye with her childreÌ„ twaine Than amonge Romayns for to liue in paine The .xxviii. chapter ☞ Of Machabeus Jonathas take by the kynge of Surry IN order suyng vnto John Bochas There appeared an heuy man of syght Machabeus y â— worthy Jonathas Whiche occupied for wisdome for myght Office of prynce priesthod and of knyght By title of Juda of werres toke thempryse By clayme of Leuy as priest dyd sacrifise The lawe of Jewes manly to defende With all the lande of promyssion This Jonathas ful knyghtly dyd entende Agayne all enemies about them enuyron Tyll of Surry the false kyng Tryphon By traynes coÌ„passed promise falsely holde Toke Jonathas of whoÌ„ right now I tolde In Machabeorum is reherced all Of his knighthode and of his worthynesse With all the treasons in especiall Wrought by Tryphon
herts bote Angust passed againe in to the rote By course of nature y â— vertue doth resorte To reuolucion of kynde I me reporte Who should than debarre me to be double Sith doublenesse longeth to me of right â–ª Nowe lyke soÌ„mer nowe with winter trouble Now blinde of loke derke as y â— cloudy nyght Nowe glad of there of herte mery lyghte They be but foles againe my myght to muse Or me atwite though I my power vse Selde or neuer I byde not in one poynt Men must at lowpes take me as they fynde And whan I stande furthest out of ioynt To set folkes backwarde farr behynde Than worldly men with their eyen blynd Sore complayne vpon my doublenesse Call me than the frowarde false goddesse Thus by your wrytig marueilous laÌ„gage I am disclaundred of mutabilite Wherof by ryght I catche great auauntage Syth doublenesse no sclaunder is to me Whiche is a percel of my liberte To be called by tytle of ryghtwysnesse Of chaunges newe lady and princesse Thus whan fortune had sayd her wyl Parcell declared of her gouernaunce Made a stint and soberly stode styll Jhon Bochas sate herde al her dalyaunce Feareful of chere pale of countenaunce In order enprinted eche thynge y t she sayde Ful demure thus he dyd abrayde He toke vpon him vertue and corage Vpon a poynte for to abyde stable Certes quod he lyke to thy vysage All worldly thiges be double chaungeable Yet for my parte by remembraunce notable I shal perfourme southly if I conne This litel boke that I haue begonne And lest my labour dye not nor appall Of this boke the tytle for to saue Among myne other lytel workes all With letters large aboue vpoÌ„ my graue This bookes name shall in stone be graue Howe I John Bochas in especial Of worldly princes written haue the fall Of whyche emprise the cause to discriue Thys was first grounde I wyl not deny To eschewe slouth and vyces all my lyue And specially the vyce of glottony Which is norice vnto lechery This was chefe cause why I vndertoke The compylacion of this lytle boke Yet by thy talkyng as I vnderstande Eche thing here of nature is chaungeable After thy sentence both on see lande Yet coude I reken thynges that be stable As vertuous lyfe abydyng vnmutable Set hole to godwarde of wyl thought Maugre thy power ne chauÌ„geth nought Thou mayst eke call vnto remembraunce Thinges made stable by grace whiche is deuyne Hast thou not herde y â— perseuerauÌ„ce Of holy martirs whych lyst not to decline Fro Chrystes fayth tyl they dyd fyne Thy whele in them had none interesse To make them vary fro their stablenesse A man that is enarmed in vertue Againe thy myght to make resistence And set his trust by grace in Christ Iesu And hath al hole his hertely aduertence Ou ryght wisnesse force and on prudence With theyr suster called Attemperaunce Hath a sauecondute againe thy variaunce They set no store by thy double whele With supportacion of other ladyes thre Their trust staÌ„d not in plate mayle or stele But in these vertues faythe hope charite Called vertues theologice Watch wyth the fowre afore here specified Thy whele and the haue vtterly defied If I with wynges might flye to heauen There shoulde I se thou hast nothyng adone With Jupiter nor the planetes seuen With Phebus Mars mercury nor the mone But worldly foles erly late and sone Such as be blent or dyrked with lewdnesse By false opinion call the a goddesse Giftes of grace nor giftes of nature Almesse dede done with humilite Loue and coÌ„passion be ferre out of thy cure Semelinesse strength bouÌ„tye or beaute Vertuously vsed in their degre Gaine non of these thy power may not stretch For who is vertuous lytel of thee doth retch Of thy condicions to set another prefe Which foles vse in their aduersite For excusacion as somtyme sayeth a thefe Whan he is hanged it was his destyne Aâ—witeth fortune of his iniquite As she had power domination To rule man by wyl againe reason For whych quod Jhon Bochas in party desolate To determin such heauenly hid fecrees To tho that be deuines of estate I remit such vncouth priuitees And w t Poetes that be of lowe degrees I esche we to climbe to hye a loft Lest for presumpcion I shuld not fal soft But if I had hyd in my corage Such misteries of diuine prouidence Without enuy I would in plaine langage Vttre them by writinge with huble reuerâ—ce Predestynacion nouther prescience Not appertaine fortune vnto the And for my part I wyl excuse me And procede lyke as I vndertoke After that I tolde my matere Of fal of princes for to wryte a boke But yet afore if thou wouldest here I desire of hole herte and entere To haue a copie of princes names al Which fro thy whele thou hast made to fal Thy secre bosome is ful of stories Of suÌ„dry princes how they their life haue lad Of their triumphes and victories Which olde Poetes and Philosophers sad In meter and prose compiled haue an rad Song their laudes their fautes eke reserued By remembraunce as they haue deserued Of which I haue put some in memory Theron set my study and laboure So as I coude to their encrease of glory Though of laÌ„gage I had but smal fauour Cause Caliope did me no socour For which thou hast duringe al this while Rebuked me of my rude style Men would accouÌ„pt it were a great dulnesse But if language conueied be by prudence Out declared by sobre auysenesse Vnder support fauoured by defence Of Tullius chefe prince of eloquence Should more profite shortly to conclude Than my style spoke in termes rude Yet ofte tyme it hath be felte and seyne Vnder huskes growyng on land erable Hath be founde and tried out good greine Vnder rude leaues shakynge vnstable Pulled fayre frute holesome delytable And semblably where rethorike hath failed In bluÌ„te termes good couÌ„saile hath auayled Phylosophers of the golden ages And Poetes that founde out freshe ditees As king Amphion w t his faire langages And w t his harpig made folke of low degrees And laborers tenhabyte firste cytees And so by musyke and Phylosophy Gan firste of commons noble policy The chefe of musike is melody accorde Well of Philosophy sprang out of prudence By whych two meanes gan vnitye acorde With politike vertue to haue their asistence Wisemen to reigne subiectes do reuerence And by this grounde in stories men may se Were bylte the walles of Thebes the citie Accorde in musyke causeth the melody Where is discorde there is diuersite And where is peace is prudent policy In eche kingdome and euery great countre Strife first induced by thy duplicite For which y u maist as clerkes thee discryues Be called lady of contekes and of striues Fyrst were founde out hateful deuysions By thy contriued false mutabilitees Slaughter debate frowarde
Gotes was set vp for a folde Founde and rent out in his dayes olde With cordes draw no rescue might him saue Of cruell vengeaunce to Catullus graue Where Scilla made by cruell iudgement With a sharpe sworde forged forto byte After time his eyen were out rent Bothe at ones his handes of to smyte His head of smit no ran̄som might hi quyte Set on a pole it woulde be none other And of dispight sent vnto hys brother To Marius of whome I spake nowe right The great duke so mighty and so huge Which had afore take him to the flight For feare of Scilla in that mortal deluge Into a citie to finde there refuge Called Preneste ther standing in gret drede Namely when he behelde his brothers hede Forasmuch as he no succour fonde Dispayred this was hys purpose To slee him selfe with his owne honde In thilke place where he was kept close Drewe out hys sworde and vp anone he rose Cōstrained his seruaūt in that sodain affray Smit of his head the selfe same day Men say howe death is fyne of all mischefe Ende of aduersite that dothe wretches tary Fortune here maketh another prefe In Marius howe she her course gan vary By an euidence hateful and contrary To shew her malyce and vngoodlyheed Agayne this duke alas whan he was deed This froward lady of malyce most vēgeable Whan her lyst furiously to raue And shew her selfe cruell and vnstable To none estate she lyst no regarde haue Caused Marius to be take out of his graue By cruell Scilla in story it is founde His vgly carayne smyt on peeces rounde And after more to shew hys cruelte Marius shoulde haue no burying place Cast his carayne of cankred enmyte Into Tybre there was none other grace Lo thus can fortune for her folke purchace By whiche example touchyng Marius Of worldly chaunges Bochas writeth thus Maketh in this chapter a discription First what thing is very gentlenesse To set a prefe and a probacion Nothyng attayneth vnto hie noblenesse But the clere shinyng of vertuous clennesse Which may nat shew i hie nor low parage But where it groweth out of a pure corage Worldly power oppression tyranny Erthly treasure golde stones nor rychesse Be no meanes vnto gentry But if vertue rule their hye prowesse For where vyces haue entresse In hie byrthe meane or low kynrede Deme no man gentle but onely by his dede In royall places of stone metall wrought With galaryes or stately cloysters rounde Gentilnesse nor noblesse is nat sought Nor in selers nor in vautes rounde But onely there wher vertue doth habounde Curyous clothes nor great possessions Maketh nat a man gengle but condycions Phylosophers conclude in their entent And all these worthy famous olde auctours No man may que the in his testament Gentilnesse vnto his successours Of wycked wede come no holsome flours Concluding thus of good men of shrewes Call eche man gentle after his good thewes Duke Marius of whom I spake toforne Of nature the story beareth wytnesse As by discent poore and nedy borne By disposycyon of coragyous noblesse Had in his persō wyt strength hardynesse Vnder all this there dyd his herte myne A worme of auaryce his worshyp to decline What vayleth plenty y ◠neuer may suffyse Or what the flode that stauncheth no thurst Or what an appetyte which euer doth aryse Alway to eate and euer to eate hath lust Of cankred hungre so fretyng is the rust That the riuer of Tantalus in his rage Of gredy etykes the fret may nat asswage Of Marius ye haue herd the ende His woful fall and his vnhappy caas In to fate howe he dyd wende Nowe wyl I folow myne auctor Bochas Howe vnto him thre Cleopatras With loke downe cast wofull face chere All atones dyd to him appere The fyrst of them by processe of writing Had thre husbandes Bochas doth expresse Wedded in youth to Alisaundre the kyng Called zebenna a prince of great noblesse After that for her great fayrenesse She wedded was vnto Demetrius And last of all to kyng Antyochus Of her three husbandes woful auenture And of her sonnes great vnkyndnesse Bochas afore hath done his busy cure Curyously the maner to expresse Which to reherce agayne were ydelnesse Syth all the processe here tofore is founde Of the first and eke of the secounde Which wedded was to kyng Tholome Lyke as afore eke made is mencion Bothe of their ioye and their aduersyte The first slayne by drinkyng of poyson And the seconde to her confusion By Euergetes were she wo or fayne Was with her chylde serued y ◠was slayne The thyrde wedded was to kyng Crispus Slayne in a temple by full great outrage For drede and shame gan wexe furious To saue her selfe knewe none auauntage Saue she enbraced of Jupiter an ymage In the story as here tofore is founde Or she was dead suffred many a wounde ⧠The .iii. Chapter ⧠Howe king Mithridate bode .vii. yere in wyldernes had great turmentes bothe on sea and lande by his blode broughte to vttraunce slewe himselfe with a sworde I Wyll passe ouer these Cleopatras three Forth procede to the hasty fate Sone execute by Parcas cruelte Vpon the duke called Mithridate First reherce the great vnkyndlye hate Of them that were his tutours as I rede Him to destroy by assent of his kynrede Which of purpose dyd hys death prouide By many vncouth straunge occasion In his tender youth first they made him ride Vpon an horse wylder than a lyon Of purpose onely for his distruction But al be so that he was yonge of age The horse he ruled in all his most rage Nat of doctrine but euen of nature He was disposed connyngly to ryde Ouer him the maystry to recure Maugre the horse of wyt he was his gyde What way he toke forwarde or asyde He daunted him y ◠where so euer he rode Bridled him and on his backe he bode His owne kyn and his next alyes Most laboured to bryng hym to mischefe With venomous drynke set on hym espyes At good leyser as doth a couerte thefe Of their fell poyson for to make a prefe In their entent this is well couthe Him to murder in hys tender youthe But whan y t he apperceyued their treason To saue him selfe made great ordinaunce Anone as he gan haue suspection Of theyr vnkindly hatefull purueyaunce For remedies made cheuisaunce Was prouided their malyce to decline By many notable proued medicine And their malyce prudently to eschue Is remembred whyle he was yonge of age With certayne frendes which y ◠dyd hym sue He disposed of custome hys corage To hunt and chase beastes most sauage Vnder that colour he dyd it for a wyle Ferre fro his countre tabsent him for a whyle Of one corage one heart and one chere Suffred manly toke none heuynesse In desertes space of seuen yere Amonge hye hylles bode in wyldernesse Set in Asia the story beareth witnesse Founde no lodgyng trasyng the
messangere To helpe Flaccus slayne by great aduersite As he entred in to that countre After whose dethe his party to auaunce Of Flaccus meyny toke the gouernaunce Of presumption without auctorite This Fymbria by dyligent labour Full ferre aboue his state and his degree Toke vpon 〈◊〉 by fortunes false fauour To be called capitaine and Emprour Through al that countre bokes specify Of whose presumpcion Scilla had enuy Pursued him through many a greate citye To a castel made him take hys flyght Where Fymbria of great necessite Constrained was maugre all hys myght Dyspayred for sake of euery maner wyght To slee hym selfe the storye telleth thus Wythin the temple of Esculapius The .vii. chapter ¶ Of Albinius that was slayne with stones ANother Consull stoode in case semblable In his tyme called Albinius Whose hareful pride was abhominable To al folkes lothsome and odious Whiche lyke a rebel wode and furious Agayne Romayns ofter than ones Whan he lest wende slayne was w t stones The .viii. chapter How Adriane borne of lowe degre falsly vsurped to be kyng of Rome whyche w t his chorles was after brent NExt cam Adrian which rose to hie estate Fyrst in Rome borne of lowe degre Chosen sent by the whole Senate To gouerne of Affrike the countre Where of hys owne pompous auctorite Toke vpon him by subtel false workynge Maugre Romayns ther to be crowned king Whom to support shortly to conclude Was a great numbre of the cōmonte Of chorles gadred a confuse multitude Title was none nor grounde but volunte Gentlemen than beyng in that countre All of assent and one opinion Assembled them to his distruction At Vtices a large great cyte Hym and his churles beset rounde aboute Of woode and fagot with large quantite In cōpas wise closed him without Gadred with him of vylayns a great rout Layd on fyre that with flames rede Echone consumed in to ashes deade The .ix. chapter Howe Sinthonius kinge of Trace y t much coueted al forwet died in pouerte NExt Adrian came Sinthonius Tofore Bocas w t teres spreint his face As the story reherseth vnto vs In hys tyme he was kynge of Trace Fal sodainly from fortunes grace Cast downe lowe from his estate royal Which came to Bochas to complayne his fal Whose purpose was if it woulde haue be Seuen realmes to haue cōquered w t his hād That were subget to Rome the cytie And all seuen were of grekes lande Who al coueteth ye shal vnderstande He al forgothe ful wel affyrme I dare At vnset houre wherof eche man beware Long or his conquest was brought to a prefe From her whele fortune cast hym doun The pretor Sēcius brought him to mischiefe Dyed in pouerte as made is mencion And Bochas here maketh a digression Compendiously within a lytell space To discriue the region of Trace The .x. Chapter ¶ Here Bochas in partye maketh a dyscripcion of the kyngdome of Trace and passeth ouer lyghtlye vnto the accōplyshment of his boke TRace whylom a countre of greate fame And contayneth a ful large space And of Tyras it toke fyrst y ◠name Son of Japhet and so was called Trace Whyche many a daye dwelled in that place Towarde Septemtrion plenteous of good Besyde Dynoe the large famous flode Southward Trace renneth the flode Egee Macedone standeth in the Occydent And the kyngdome called Propontide Stant in Trace towarde the Oryent Where great plente of blod was shed spente Whan Sencius through his hye prowesse Kyng Adrian there manly dyd oppresse Ebrus in Trace is the chefe citie As myne auctour maketh mencion I cast not long to tary but in breuite To make of Trace a discripcion And to procede in my translacion After myne auctor which wryteth a lōg proces Of great Pompeye his worthynes The .xi Chapiter ¶ Howe after many great conquestes of Duke Pompeye great warre began bytwene hym and Julyus in whiche thre hūdred thousād were slaine at the last the head of Pōpeye smytten of THys Pompeius of whom the name is couth Wise and worthy famous of prowesse Toke vpō hym in his tendre youth After his father by fortunate duresse Called Pōpeye the story beareth wytnesse Distressed was by sodaine deth commynge As sayeth y ◠story through thūdre lyghtning His host dystroyed by the violence Of vnware tempest lyke as saith the boke Fourty thousand slayne in that pestilence For feare the remenaunt the felde forsoke Til yonge Pōpeye of corage on him toke In his beginning proudely to procede Ful lyke a knyght his fathers host to lede Rome that tyme by theyr dyscencions Among them selfe nye brought to ruyne By the frowarde false diuysions Twene Marius Silla brefely to termine Tyl that a new sonne gan to shyne Of worthynes which shad his light In manly Pompeye the famous knyght This sayde Pompeye thys knyghtly man At his begynnyng through hys chyualrye The proude captayne slough whan he began Whych of Marius helde vp the party Called Brutus which in Lombardy Was by Pōpey thrugh knightly gouernaūce With al hys host brought to mischaunce In hys begynning Pompey eke also To set Romaynes in rest quiete One that was called Gneus Carbo He slew him knyghtly whan he did him mete Whych in Cicyle proudly helde his sete And all the countres about him enuyron Pompey made thē subiect to Rome toun After al this Pompeyus on the see Wyth many a shyp stuffed with vytaile Towarde Affrike made a great armee And there in hast after his arriuaile With Domicius had a great battayle Brought the coūtre throughe his hye renoun To be to Rome vnder subiection He pursued the great myghty kynge Called Jertha to Marius honorable And had also hys royall abydynge In Numidy a countre full notable Againe Pompey hys power was not able For at a Castel as they met in fyght He slewe kynge Jertha lyke a māly knyght Thus in brefe tyme holdyng his passage For cōmon profyte as made is mencion By hys wisedome and knightly hye corage Brought al Affrike to subiection Which stode afore in rebellion To the Romayns but all their sturdines The sayd Pompey dyd in haste redresse The greatest enemy agayne Rome toun Thylke dayes was one Sertorius And of fortune whych is nowe vp now doun On Pompeye ones was victorious But after soone of hym it happed thus Among his meyny fallynge at debate He slayne was in hys most hye estate After the deth of thys Sertorius Came Porpenna Pompeye to assayle And as they mette anone Pompeius Ful lyke a knyght slewe him in battaile Which victory greatly dyd auayle To the Romains after by gouernaunce He brought Spayne to their obeysaunce By auctorite gyue by the Senate This Noble Pompeye for vayle of the cite Vpon the sea would suffer no Pyrate Where euer he came fro hym they dyd flee For wyth his shyppes he scoured so the see And bare hym there so māly with hys hande That maugre thē he brought thē to the land Al
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
the boke maketh mencion By no title of succession But an intrusour one called Iulyan The state vsurping to reigne there began But of the noble lynage Affrican Borne in Tripolis a mighty great citye One Seuerus that was a knightly man Gadred of romayns a wondre great meyne Bothe made stronge Iulian met and he At Pont miluin a citie of Itayle And there was Iulyan slaine in batayl Seuerus after entred the empyre And toke vpon him the dominacion Vpon cristen of malice set a fyre Began againe them a persecucion Of tyrannye and false ambicion But one of Egipt called Poscennius Againe Seuerus gan to worke thus Gadred meyny Seuerus for to assaile In purpose fully and theron did hys payne First with him to haue a great batayle Next of th empyre the crowne for to attayne But ye shal heare what fel on these twayne On Poscennius fill the discomfiture And Seuerus th empyre dothe recure In his purpose or he might auaile with one Albinus that was a manly knyght He had in Gaule a full great batayle Full great bloudshed in that mortall fyght Albinus slaine of very force and myght Seuerus after entred in Bretayne Caught sicknes and died of the paine After Seuerus next came Antonine Of whom the frowarde disposicion As all auctours of him determine His busines and occupacion Set holy in fleshly dilectacion So false a lust his corage did assayle Amonge Parthois flayne in batayle Macrinus after tofore Bochas came down Whylom a prefecte in Rome the cyte Of the pretoyr and by inuasion Came to the imperiall famous dignitye Occupyed a yere sate in hys imperyal se Tyl fortune lyst hym so disgrade Amonge his knightes flayne at Archelade Next came Aurelius surnamed Antonyne A great rybaude passyng lecherous Yet was he byshop as auctoures determine In the temple of Heliogabalus And in his time was one Sabellius A false heretike of whom gan the names Of a secte called Sabellianes This said Aurelius againe all nature Of false presumpcion in bokes it is told Wolde not purge his wombe by nature But in vessels that were made of golde And in dispyte whan that he was old Slaine of his knightes and not after longe His carayne was thrown in a gonge After this proude foresayde Antonine In to th empyre by iust election Of senatours as bokes determyne Came Aurelius and for his hye renoune Surnamed Alisaunder as made is menciō Fought with Perciens like a manly knight And there king Xerxes was put vnto flyght This Aurelius this proud knyghtly man Whan he sate iudge in the consistory There sate one with him called Vlpian A great ciuilian notable of memory Of whome it is to his encreace of glory Reported thus by great auctorite He of digestes made bokes thre Full piteously this emperoure lost his lyfe Casuelly as made is mencion Among his knightes by a sodayne strife Where he was slaine in that discencion After whose ende for short conclusion Tofore Bochas the boke wel tel can Came Maximinus and with him Gordyan Maximinus the cronicle both expres Chose of his knightes and his soudiours For his victorious marcyall hye prowesse Done in Almayne and amonge Emperours Set vp in Rome maugre the senatours After strong enmy as mine autoure sayth With all his power vnto cristen fayth He was enemy his life who list to sene To cristen clerkes of auctorite And specially to olde Origene But in his moste furious cruelte In Aquyleya a mighty stronge countre Of a prefecte called Pupien he was slaine Of whose dethe cristen men were full fayne Next by the senate chosen was Gordyan First agaynste Parthois he cast hi to werrey Of Ianus temple whan the werre began He made the gates be opened wyth the keye Whiche was a token as old e bokes seye Tho gates opened to folkes nye and ferre That w t their fone y ◠romayns wold werre With Parthois first this said Gordian To holde werre fast he gan him spede And vpon them alway the felde he wan After he sped him in to Perce and Mede Alwaye victorious in batayle as I rede Vpon Eufrates slayne as I fynde By false treason y ◠cronicle maketh mynde Next in ordre came Philip by his name His sonne eke Philip came with him also Myn auctour Bochas reherceth y ◠same The father the sonne baptised bothe two Right sad and wyse in that they had to do And were the first cristen of echone Emperors rekened for ther tofore was none By Poncius the martyr as I rede In Meya a famous great cyte They were baptysed afterwarde in dede Slayne in batayle for they lyst not fle Tofore their dethe bothe of assent parde Their treasour hole that were imperiall To christes church I fynde they gaue it all The Bishop Sixtus toke possession Vertuously assigned it to Laurence Therof to make distribucion To poore folke in their indigence For whiche dede by cruell violence The tyraūt Decius agayn thē toke a stryfe Caused holy Laurēce by brēning lose his life This same Decius cursed and cruell Caused y ◠slaughter of these Philips twayn And for he was subtell false and fell By sleight falshed he dyd hys busy paine To the empyre by force for to attayne The seuenth tyraunt by persecucion which agayn christen folk toke first occasion Myne auctour writeth time of this Deciue The holy Hermyte example of perfytenesse By dayes old called Antonyus Liued in deserte ferre out in wildernes As an Hermyte dispysing al ryches Lyued by frute and rotes as men tell And of perfection dranke water of the well Vpon Decius for his cursednes Again christen which gaue so hard sentence Thrugh Rome Itayle myne auctor bereth witnesse In euery cyte was grete pestilēce That by the sodaine deadly violence The hertes of men dependinge in a traunce To saue their liues coude no cheuisaunce Of this mater write nomorc I can To this emperour I wyll resorte agayne Speke of Gallus and Volucian That busy were their laboure was in vaine Their time short as some bokes saine For Martyn writeth an olde cronyculere In th empyre they reigned but two yere But bothe were slayne by the procuring And by the purchace of one Emelyan A romayne knight whiche by slye workinge To occupye th empyre tho began By tyrannye the Lordshyp there he wan Whose lordship for hap and lacke of grace No lenger last then two monthes space This lytell chapter as tofore is sene Reherced hath and tolde in wordes playne Of emperours almost full fourtene And of all were good none but twayne whiche to reherce I haue do my paine And to procede further as I began I must wryte of one Valeryan HIs sonne and he called Galiene To all christen bare great enmyte Slew al tho their legend men mai sene That serued Christ in trouth and equytie whose persecusion and hateful crueite Abated was as I can well reherce By one Sapor that was kyng of Perce By force of armes Sapor this mighty king
in many stronge batayle whose noble conquest greatly dyd auayle To comon profyt for al his worke parde was to the encreace of Rome the cyte He recured all the Septemtrion And west warde had many a great victory Amonge other I fynde that he was one Asked the triumphe to be put in memorye But there was a thing eclipsed his glorye which did y â— light of his knighthoâ— withdraw For he was enemy to Christ and to hys lawe Of him Bochas lyst no more to wryte But in his boke go forthe as he began Of one remeÌ„bring that called was Tacyte whych was successour to Aurelian And after him suceeded Folorian Of which twayne no remembrauÌ„ce I fynde That is notable to put in mynde The .v. Chapter Howe Probus discomfited romayns and after was flayne Probus after raygned full seuen yere And four monthes which by his hye renoun Gain went Saturninus w t a knightli chere Brought him proudly to subiection Not withstandyng that he in Rome toun Toke vpon hym of wylfull tyranny Holy th empyre for to rule and gye Besyde the cyte called Agrypyne This sayd Probus gayne many romayne A batayle had lyst not to declyne Met Portulus a mighty stronge captayne Wyth one Bonosus both they were slaine And all their meyny of very force and might Slaynm y â— felde the remnauÌ„t put to slyghte After this batayle and this discomfyture Probus was lodgedi Smyrmie a gret cyte And there vnwarely of sodayne auenture Slayne in a tour that called was Ferre But a small season last his prosperite Siche is fortune let no man in her trust All worldly thynges chaungyng as she lust The .vi. Chapter ¶ Howe Carus and his two sonnes were mischeued TOfore Bochas Carus next came doun with his two sonnes Numeria Carine And as I find he was borne in Narbon But whan that he most clerely dyd shyne By his knighthode plainly to termine In his empyre he gate cyties twayne Chole Thessiphontin Parthia w t gret payne Besyde Tygre a famous swyfte ryuere He pight his tentes cast him there abide A sodayne lightning his face came so nere Smyt all to pouder for all his great pryde And Numerian that stode by hys syde Had a marke that was sent fro heuyn Lost bothe his eyen with the firy leuyn His other sonne Carinus a good knight In Dalmacia had all the gouernaunce And for that he gouerned not a righte He was cast downe lost all his puissaunce Vicious lyfe cometh alway to mischaunce Sepcius chose Dalmacia for to gye Amonge his knightes murdred of enuy The vii Chapter ¶ How the hardy Quene zenobia fought with Aurelian and was take MIne auctor here no leÌ„ger lyst soiourne Of these eÌ„perours y â— falles for to write But in al haste he doth his stile tourne To zenobya hir story to endyte But for Chaucer dyd him so well acquite In his tragedyes her pyteous fal to entreat I wyll passe ouer rehersyng but the great In his bokes of Caunterbury tales This souerayne poete of Brutes Albyon Thrugh pilgrimes tolde by hilles and vales where of zenobya is made mencion Of her noblesse and her hye renoun In a tragedye compendyouslye tolde al Her marcial prowesse and her pyteous fall Mine auctour first affyrmeth howe that she Discended was to tell of herlynage Borne of the stocke of worthye Tholome Kyng of Egypt full notable in that age And this zenobya experte in all langage wyse of counsayle and of great prudence Passed all other in fame of eloquence Amonge she was armed in plate mayle Of Palmyrences wedded to the kyng Called Odenatus prudent in batayle She was also by recorde of writyng Hardy and stronge her lordship defendinge Maugre al tho with her cheualry Agaynst all them that wrongly toke party By Odenatus she had sonnes twayne Heremanus called was that one And Tymolaus of beautye souerayne After whose byrthe their father gan anone To occupy the prouynces euerychone Of Perce Mede by proces made theÌ„â—â—ene Of zenobya the hardy wyse Quene whyle Odenatus wext glorious In his conquest thrughout Perce Mede Slayne he was by one Mionius Whiche to the kyng was cosyn as I rede But for bycause of this horrible dede And for the murdre of king Odenate He dyed at mischefe and passed into fate By processe after zenobya the quene Toke her two soÌ„nes proudly dyd theÌ„ lede Tofore her chare the men might them sene How they were borne as princes to succede Made them like kinges clad in purple wede Them to defende this mightye creature Hardy as Lyon toke on her armure For al her Lordes and knights she had sent Maugre the romains proudly gan herspede All the parties of the Oriente To occupye and her hoste so lede Of themperour she stode nothyng in drede Called Aurelian met him in batayle With her meyny proudly did assayle On outher syde y t day great bloud was shed The stroke of fortune withstaÌ„t no creature The quene zenobia was taken forthe led Fought first as longe as she might endure With rich stones fret was hir armure w t whom themperour so entrig Rome toun Of triumphe required the guerdon He dempt it was couenable and sittinge This Emperour this proud Aurelian To aske the triumph it was so great a thing To take zenobia that such a werre began Gayne romayns this marcial woman For I suppose of no woman borne Was neuer quene so hardy sene aforne This hardy princesse for al hir crueltye whose renome thrugh the world was know With stockes of golde was brought to y â— citi From hye estate in pouerte plunged lowe A wynde contrary fortune hath so blow That she alas hath pitoufly made fal Her in that prowesse passed wemen al. The triumphe yeuen to Aurelian For the conquest he had vpon this quene Called zenobya came Dyoclisian Borne in Dalmacia his story who lyst sene Out of his countre first he dyd flene Of garlyke lekes as saythe the cronyclerâ— â–ª Bycause that he was but a gardinere Other mencion is none of his linage Of his byrthe forsoke the region Left his craft of deluyng and cortlage Gaue him to armes and by election Chose to be emperor regne in Rome toun First into Gaule he sent a great power And Maximian he made his vicar His vicar there had many a great batayle Vpon suche people that by rebellion Gan frowardly and contrary to assaile To obey his lordship within that region Tyll Carausius by commission And an hardy knight vndre Maxymyan Them to chastise toke on him lyke a man But by processe the story doth deuise His lordshyp there dyd great domage To common profit so he by couetyse The countre robbed by full greate outrage And to him selfe he toke all the pyllage And of presumpcion ware the colour Of ryche purple like an emperoure This Carasius of Bretayns twayne Proudly vsurped to be their gouernour Lyke a rebell agayne Rome dyd his payne And busyed him by marciall
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
after hys batayle On Perciens gan wexe gloryous Gouerned Affrike and lordshyp of Itayle Throughout the Orient he was victorious Tyll he for age gan wexe tedious His last dayes maligned as men saith Of false hatred agayne christen fayth And him to healpe in these false maters It is remembred to his confusion In his empyre he set two vicats Gaue them power in euery region The lawe of Christ to oppres and put downe To punyshe matters and put them to deathe And in this whyle ful manye one he fleeth By this sayd truell Galerius which of th empyre had al the gouernaunce Of cursed hart and corage dispiteous By his vsurped imperyal puissaunce Gaue auctorite for to do vengaunce Vnto twaine Seuerus and Maxence On al cristen by mortal vyolence A certayne space bothe of one accorde To the state of emperour chose was MaxeÌ„ce Tyl Seuerus and he fell at dyscorde And after by vengable pestylence within a city of noble preeminence Called Rauenue Seuerus ther was flayne Of whiche Galerius was nothynge faine For whyche in haste thys Galerius Him to support and stand in hys defence Chase out of Denmarke a knight Lucinius To be emperour through knightly excelleÌ„ce For to withstand and fight agayn Maxence But Maxence of romayne knightes all was chosen emperour and set vp in his stall with which election Galerius wext wode Fil in a maner of froward frensy His entraile brent corrupt was his bloude And of his froward vengable malady In euery membre gan rotte and putrifye Tyll the eyre aboute him enuiron To al that felt it was venim and poison Like a Lazar corbed backe and chine In this while on cristen most vengeable To him auailed no maner medicyne But there was in Christes faythful stable That spake vnto him w t langage ful notable In wordes fewe concludinge in substaunce The gret Jupiter hath take on y â— veÌ„gaunce And euermore for shorte conclusion with a bolde spyrite to him gan abrayde It is nat Jupiter worshipped in thys towne In the capitoyle set sothly as I sayd But Jupiter that was borne of a mayde â–ª which list not suffer of that thou dost endure That anye medecynes shulde therecure Lyke atyraunt by vengaunce furious At mischefe dieth as bokes tell Perpetually with cruell Cerberus Vpon the whele of Ixion to dwell For His demerites wyth tantalus in hell There to receiue his finall guerdon which coude on martyrs haue no compassion It was hys ioy for to shed their bloud Sent out letters to diuers regions Like a slye wolf rauynous and wode To slee martirs by diuers passyons Lyke his desert receiued his guerdons Horrible death did them first confounde with furies infernall lyeth in hell bounde The .ix. Chapiter ¶ Howe Maxence the emperour enemy to Christes faithe mischeuously ended After Galerisu cruell vyolence Gayne christen blode as Bochas hath tolde with piteous there the Emperour Maxence Came tofore Bochas of age not ful olde Famous in armes sturdy freshe and bolde Albe he entred notlike an heritoure Coke vpon him to reigne as gouernoure To Christes fayth he was also enemy After sone he lost his gouernaunce Of infortune slayne sodainly God on tyrauÌ„tes vnwarely taketh vengasice Of whose burying was made no remeÌ„brauÌ„ce For he was nat receiued of the ground But caste in Tibre like a rotten hounds The .x. Chapiter Howe Lucinius enemy to Christes faythe was slayne Next tofore Bochas came Lucynius A knighte of Denmarke borne of good lyne whiche had an ennemy the boke saith thus â–ª An hardy knighte called Maximine Chose a captaine w t the mperour CoÌ„stantyne To the faith of Christ he bare gret enmyte Slayne anone after in Trace the cyte Of whose death Lucinius was glad Gan agayne christen persecucion In his procedyng sodainly wext mad which commaunded of false presumpcyon whan he began to do execucion That nochristen nowhere him beside By no condicion shulde in his house abide This Lucinius which falsly did erre Againe our faith christen men to assasle Gaine Constantine of newe he gan warre But of his purpose in sothe he did fail For he was twise discomfited in batayle By Constantine ones in Hungrye Next in Grece besyde Eualye Thus CoÌ„stantyne through his hye renoune Gate nye Gcece and euerye great countre Alde Lucinius flode in rebellion Gayne Constantine both on land and sea But when he sawe it wolde none otherbe He might not escape in no place Put holy him selfe in Constantyns grace But Constantine for his hie rebellion Gaue iudgement in hast that he be dead Leaste in the citie were made diuision By Lucinius wherof he stode in drede This same while as Bochas toke hede There came before him w t chere ful piteous â–ª Brethern twayne Constantine and Crispus The .xi. Chapter Of Constantyne and Crispus and howe Damalcus was slayne To coÌ„stantine of whom I spake toforne They were sonnes CoÌ„stantine and Crispus The same twayne of one mother borne CaÌ„e tofore Bochas his boke reherceth thus with them came eke Lucinius Sonne of Lucinius which in Rome toun Afore was slayne for hys rebellyon Constantine his werres to gouerne Made them vicars the self same thre Echone rightwise and coude wel discerne What mighte auaile moste to their citye To encrese the profit of the commonte Their names tolde CoÌ„stantine and Crispus Tofore remembred with them Lucinius while these thre vicars vnder the emperour Gouerned Rome as Knightes most famous In Alisaundre rose vp a great errour By a false preest called Arryus To our beleue a thing contrarious And for he did again our fayth so wyrche By a decre was put out of the chyrche By assent at Bithinye full notable In Nicea a famous great citye This errour was proued ful dampnable Thre C. bishops were present there parde And eightene the cronicle who list se And all these of one sentence â—like Preued Arrius a false heretike This same time bokes doth specifye Howe Constantine of hasty crueltye The sayd vicars nigh of alye Fayned a cause to slee them all thre No cause rehersed nor told of equitye Saue only this in which he gan procede To make his cosyn Dalmacius to succede But his fauour was not fortunate Towarde Dalmacius nor gracious in sentence Among whose knightes fell a sodeyn debate Constantine there being in presence Dalmacius withoute reuerence with sharp swordes to speke in wordes fewe â–ª Vnto the death was wounded and phewe The .xii. chapter ¶ Of the brethern Constaunce Constancius and how Magnentius and Decius murdred them selfe THan came Constaunce Constancius yong brethren thus writeth min autour To Constantine in time of Arrius And eche of them by ful great labour Did his payne to reygne as emperoure Tyl at the last breuely for to say Eueryche of the in gan other to werrey This said Constaunce is entred Perce land Nyne times he fought agayne Sapore The same king as ye shal vnderstand That with romaynes had foughten afore But finally Constaunce hath
down But maugre him he was take in the toun By Theodorike lette eche man take hede Odoacer he commaunded to be dede Myne authour Bochas of entencion For the time as came to remembraunce Towarde Romains maketh a digression To them recording the great variaunce The vnware chaunges the gery coūtenaūce Of Fortunes false transmutacion These same wordes rehersing to the toun REmembre o Rome call ayen to minde The daies passed of thy felicite Thy marcial cōquestes thy triūphs left behinde Thy great victories most of auctorite Thy famous lawes song in eche countre Which through y e world by report did shyne Now all atones is tourned to ruyne From Est to west thy lordshyp did attayne Aboue all powers most excellent royall But nowe from Rome into Almaine The estate translated which is imperiall Name of thy Senatours name in especiall The golden letters darked and diffaced And from remembraunce almost out raced Cyte of cities whilom most glorious That most freshly floured in chiualry To whiche the alpies mountains most famous Were subiecte of all Lombardy Til that discorde diuision and enuy Amōg your selfe hath clipsed y ◠brightnesse By a false serpēt brought in by doublenesse Kinges and princes were to the tributary Of all prosperite so fulsome was the flode Among yourselfe till ye began to vary The world throughout to you subiecte stode Tyll ye gan shew two faces in one hode What folowed after fortune hath so prouided Ye came to nought whan ye gan be deuided Vnpurueyed of prudent Senatours Thy marchandise tourned to pouerte Of knighthod naked barayne of soudiours Disconsolate stant all the cōmonte Towres and walles broke of the cite That whilom was a paradise of delyte Nowe all the worlde hath the but in dispite Cause to conclude of al thy wretchednesse Is false ambicion pride and lechery Diuision and malicious doublenesse Rancour hatred couetise and enuy Which set aside all good policie In brefe rehersed for short conclusion Haue be chefe grounde of thy distruction The .xxii. Chapter ☞ Howe the kinges Trabstila Busarus were brought vnto subiection and made tributares to Theodorike AFter these mischeues told of Rōe toun Came Trabstila king of Gepidois With other twaine as made is mēciō Busarus that was king of Bulgarois With Philitheus reigning in Ragois All these thre brefely for to saine Came all atones to Bochas to complayne Their realmes standing toward Septētriō And to remembre of the fyrst twayne Were brought atones to subiection By Theodorike that dyd his busy payne Them to conquere proudly did ordayne That they were neuer so hardy to rebell Agayne Romains to take no quarell To Theodorike they were made tributary Most wretchedly bound in seruage Neuer so hardy after for to vary In paine of death during al their age Of seruitude lo here the surplusage Of al wretches most wretched they be foūd That to thraldom constrained be bounde Tresour of tresours if it be well sought Is vertuous fredome with large lyberte With worldly goodes it may nat be bought With royal rubies gold stones nor pyrre For it transcendeth and hath the soueraynte Aboue all richesse that be in erthe found A man at large frely to stande vnbound The .xxiii. Chapiter How Philitheus lost his kingdome and of Marcian and Leo. NExt these two in ordre ye may se To John Bochas gan shew his pre sēce The third king called Philithe Which by fortunes sodaine violence Lost his kingdome by cruel sentence Of Odoacer the tyraunt mercylesse Lost his life and came no more in presse The sodaine chaūges to rede whan I begā And saw the whele so oft turne vp so downe Of fortune there came one Marcian Of whome is made none other mencion Saue only by a coniuracion He murdred was being innocent Amōg his knightes which slew him of asset Than tofore Bochas to shewe his presence There came one that called was Leon Which caught a titell by no violence But made his clayme by iust succession After his father and toke possession Which of Leon myne auctor saith the same Beyng Emperour bare the same name This yong Leon again all truth and ryght By tyranny as made is mencion Through cruell zeno y ◠was a good knyght Was put out of his possession Constrayned to liue in religion But to what order that he dyd wende I fynde nat but there he made his ende The .xxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Simacke and Boes his sonne in lawe were banished and after iudged to die AFter these mischeues Simak gan hym drawe Toward Bochas with a ful pitous face Boes came with him y ◠was his son in lawe Which among Romains gretly stodi grace But in this matere brefely for to pace The said Boes onely for his trouthe Exiled was alas it was great routhe For cōmon profite he was vnto the toun In matters that grounded were of right Very protectour and stedfast champion Againe two tirātes whiche of force might Had in the porail oppressed many a wight By exactions and pyllage gun of newe Vpon the cōmens full false and eke vntrew Theodorike of Gothes lorde and king Toke vpon him by false intrusyon To reigne in Rome the people oppressing By his prouostes two as made is mencyon Did in the citie great oppression Confederate as brother vnto brother Coniugast and Triguill was that other Compendiously this matter to declare To saue the commons stode in defence For life nor death he lyst nat for to spare To withstand of tyrantes the sentence King Theodorike of cruell violence Banished him by hatefull tyranny He and his father to abyde in Pauy Afterward Theodorike of cruell haterede Like a false tyrant of malice and enuy Gaue iudgement that both two were dede But touching Boes as bokes specify Wrote diuers bokes of Philosophy Of the Trinyte matters that were diuine Martyred for Christe and called Seuerine The .xxv. Chapter ¶ Of king Arthur his cōquestes and of the commodities of England how he was distroied by his cosin Mordrede WAs neuer prīce might him self assure Of fortune the fauour to restrayne Like his desyre his grace to recure To abide stable and stand at certaine Among all other reken Arthur of Bretaynē Which in his time was hold of euery wight The wysest prince and the best knyght To whom Bochas gan his style dresse In this chaptre to remembre bliue His great conquest and his highe noblesse With singler dedes that he wrought i his liue And first he ginneth breuely to discryue The site of Britaine and of that countre Whiche is enclosed with a large see Set farre westward as ye shal vnderstand Hauing Spayne set in the opposite Of a small Angle called Englande Fran̄ce about hi discryuing thus his sight With many a riuere plesaunt of delite Bothe bathes and welles there be founde Diuers mynes of metalles full habounde Aboute whiche ronneth the Occian Right plentuous of all maner of vitaile The name of which at Brutus fyrst began London
treasoure Badde him aske what thyng that he woulde That might him please or do to hym succour But of all that he nothinge ne tolde But prayed him ful lowly that he shoulde Not drawe frō him that thynge ayen al right Which for to giue lay not in his myght What thyng is that quod Alexander agayne I haue by cōquest al erthly tresour wun The philosopher said he spake in vayne Thou hast quod he no lordship of the sun Thy shadow letteth his bemes fro my tun And sith thou hast no power of hys lyght I pray the hertely forbarre me not his sighte Though Alexāder was myghty of puissance And all the world had in his demeyne Yet was hys reason vnder the obeysaunce Of fleshly lustes fettred in a cheine For in hys person wyl was souereyne His reason bridled by sensualite Troublyng the fredome of ryght equite For where that wyll hath dominacion In a prince which should sustayne ryght And parcial fauour oppresseth his reason And trouthes titel is bornedoun with myght And equal doome hath lost his clere light Though for a season they sit in hie cheyres Their fame shal fade within a fewe yeres In this make I comparison Bytwene Alexander and Diogenes That one endured but a short season For that he loued warre more than pees And for that other was not recheles But helde hym content wyth giftes of nature Vnto great age his pouert dyd endure Alexander was slayne wyth poysone In his triumphes whan he dyd excell But in a tunne that lay ful low downe Diogenes dranke water of the well And of their end their difference to tel Alexander wyth couetous was blent The philosopher wyth litel was content Blessed be pouert that may endure longe Maugre the fraude daunger of fortune Where as kynges and emperours strong In their estate no whyle may contune And al vertues rekened in cōmune Twene indigence and great habundaunce Is a good meane content with suffisaunce For with great plentye men be not assured After their lust alway to lyue in ease And though y ◠mē great tresure haue recured With their riches they fele many disease Lords haue not al thyng that may thē please But hertely ioy philosophers expresse Is grettest tresour twene pouert riches For this chapiter sheweth a fygure A maner lykenesse and demonstracion Howe Diogenes lenger dyd endure Than mighty Priam or kyng Laomedon So to exemplifye in conclusion There is more trust in vertuous symplesse Than in presumynge of vicious false riches For the auoutry of Paris and Heleine Brought al Troye to distruccion Pryde and luxury were also meanes tweine Why grekes layd a siege to the towne And finally cause of their confusion To eyther partie losse of many a man The groūd conceiued why fyrst that war gā Lenuoye THis tragedy piteous and lamentable Ful dolorous to write and to expresse That worthy Priam of kinges most notable Was fal in pouert for al his great richesse Fro kyngly honour in to wretchednes From sceptre croune and from his regaly To mischiefe brought through false auoutry ▪ Was not fortune froward and disceuable For to suffer by her doublenesse And by her course whych euer is variable That worthy Hector flour of al prowesse Should vnwarly most famous of noblesse Be slayne alas chefe stocke of chiualry For a quarel of false auoutry Agamemnon accompted incomparable Among grekes for trouth rightwysnesse To gouerne most glorious and able Within his paleis the storye bereth wines His wife Clitimnistra through her cursednes Assented was to murdre hym of enuy For the occasion of false auoutry Ye noble princes cōceiue howe chaungeable Is worldly honour through vnstedfastnes Sith of king Priam the glory was vnstable Fixe in your minde thys mater doth impresse And your corages knightly doth vpdresse Agayne al tytles holdeth champarty Whych appertayneth to false auoutry ¶ The .xix. Chapter Of mighty Sampson whiche tolde hys counsayle to Dalyda whereby he was disceiued WHo was more stronger thā Sampson None more deliuer y ◠byble bereth wytnesse Without weapen he slough a fierse lyon And for his enemyes to hym dyd expresse His vncouth problem anon he gan him dresse Agayne Philistines and slough of thē thirty To paye hys promyse spoyled them by by His problem was the text thus rehersyng After the letter in very sothfastnesse There came out mete of a thynge etynge And fro the strong there went out swetnes But hys wyfe of frowarde doublenes Which euer wrought to his disauayle Of worthy Sampson tolde the counsayle What is more stronge than is a lyon Or more swete than hony in tastyng But women haue thys condicion Of secrete thynges whan they haue knowleging They bolne inwarde their hertes aye freting Outher they must dye or discure So britel of custome is their nature This was the case the lyon that was deed Agayne the sonne gapynge lay vp right Aswarme of been entred in his heed Of whom there came hony anone ryght And whan Sampson therof had a syght He fautasied in hys opinion Full secretly this proposicion As ye haue herde gan it forth purpose That philistines to hym it should expowne Vnder a payne the trouth to hym vnclose But wyth hys wife they priuely gan rown And she on Sāpson gan cōpleyn and frowne And faymngly so long vpon hym wepe That he coud not his coūsayle fro her kepe Which whan she knewe made no taryeng But plaine and hole she gan it to declare Such double trust is in their wepynge To kepe their tonges women can not spare Such wepyng wyues yuell mote they fare And al husbands I pray god gyue thē sorow That tel their counsaile at euyn or morowe She told thē hole she told it thē not halfe And Sampson than gan vpon thē smyle If ye not had herde it in my calfe Ye should not haue found it a great whyle Who may be sure where women lyst begyle Though bokes Sāpson of strēgth so cōmēde Yet durst he not ayenst hys wyfe offende This mighty Sampson did also his payne Thre hundred foxes ones that he founde He toke their tailes knit thē twayn twain And amyd euerich he set a fyre bronde And as they ran in Phylistines lond So furiously vp and downe they went That they their frutes their vynes brent Eke by trayson whan he was ones bound Wyth stronge cordes as he lay a slepe There .iii. M. whych that Sampson founde To haue murdred hym or he toke kepe He brake his bondes and vp anone he lepe Of an asse he caught a chaule bone And a thousande he slough of them anone He gan to faynt and had a sodaine lust For to drinke faded face and chere And god sent hym to staūche with hys thurst From the asses to the water christal clere Which that sprāge out large lyke a ryuere Refreshed his spirite whych afore gan dul Tyl that he had of water dronke his ful After he went to Gasam the citye Amōg hys
enemys that were of great might To his plesaunce where he dyd se A full fayre woman lay wyth her al nyghte And on the morowe long or it was lyght Maugre the watch on his sholders square The gates strong vp to an hyl he bare And in a valey whych called was Soret Ful hote he loued Dalyda the fayre On whom his hert was full sure set She coude her fayne so meke debonayre Make him such chere whan hi list repeyre But I dare call her Dalida the double Chefe rote caÌ„use of al his mortal trouble He neuer dranke wynes whyte ne reed Of Nazarees such is the gouernaunce Rasour ne shere touched neuer his heed For in long growyng staÌ„deth their plesaunce And this Sampson most myghty of substaÌ„ce Had al his force by influence of heuyn By heere 's weryng y â— were in nombre seuyn It was ful secre in euery mannes syght Among people told for an vncouth thinge Wherof Sampson had so great myght Outwarde shewyng by force of hys working But Dalida wyth her false flatterynge Woulde neuer stynt enquiring euer amonge Tyl y â— â—he knewe wherby he was so strong She lyke a serpent daryng vnder flours Or lyke a worme that wroteth in a tre Or lyke an addre of many folde colours Righte true apperinge and fayre vpon to se For shrowded was her mutabilite With lowliheed and a fayre pretence Of true menynge vnder false apparence He ment troth and she was variable He was faithful and she was vntre we He was sted fast and she was vâ— stable His trust aye one she loued thinges newe She weared colours of many diuers hewe In stede of blewe which sted fast is clene She loued chaâ—nges of many diuers grene But to purpose for to condiscende Whan she of Sampson knewe al the priuite Her falsheed shortly for to comprehende She made hym slepe ful soft on her kne And a sharpe rasour after that toke she Shofe of his heere 's large of great length Whereby alas he lost all his strength Domage in erth is none so greuous As an enemy which that is secree Nor pestilence none so perilous As falsnesse wher it is priuee And specially in feminitee For if theyr wyues be founde variable Where shall husbandes fynde other stable Thus SaÌ„pson was by Dalida disceiued She coude so well flatter forge and fayne Which Philistines whan thei haue coÌ„ceyued Vnwarely bouÌ„d hym in a myghty cheyne Cast him in prison put out his eyen twayne And of dispite after as I fynde At their quernes made hym for to grynde Thei made a feast stately and solempne Whan they had al this traison wrought And to rebuke him scorne him condempne Blinde Sampson was afore them brought â–ª Which greued hym ful fore in his thought Cast he dyd priuely in his minde Cauenge hys blyndnesse some maner way to finde And whan he had thus be thought hym long He made a childe hym priuely to lede To two postes large square and stronge Enbraced them or any man toke hedet And gan to shake the without feare or dredeâ— So sturdely among hys fone al That the temple is vpon them fal Thus he was auenged on his fone Which that falsely dyd agaynt hym stryue Slough in hys dyeng god wote many one More than he dyd euer afore in hys lyue And he was also the date to discriue In Israel the Byble is myn auctour Twenty yere theyr iudge and gouernour ¶ Lenuoye â—Hys tragedy gyueth an euidence To whom meÌ„ shal theyr couÌ„seil 〈…〉 dyscure For recheles tonges for lacke of prudence Haue do great harme to many a creature Whan harme is done ful harde it is to recu 〈…〉 Beware by SaÌ„psoÌ„ your couÌ„saile wel to ke 〈…〉 Let Dalida complaine crye and wepe Whilom Sampson for manhode pruden 〈…〉 Israel had in gouernance and cure Daunted Lyons through his magnifyeence â–ª Made on a thousande a disconfiture But hys most perilous auenture Was whan he lay with Dalida to slepe Whych falsly coude complayne crye wepe Ye noble princes conceyue the sentence Of thys story remembred in scripture Howe that Sampson of wylful negligence Was shauen shorne diffaced his fygureâ— Kepe your coÌ„â—eytes vnder couerture Suffre no nightworme within your co 〈…〉 â—crâ—â— Though Dalida coÌ„playne crye and wepe ☞ The .xx. Chapiter A chapter of Bochas discriuyng the malice of women MYne aucthour Bocas reioysed in bylyue I dare not saye whether it was commendable Of these women the malice to dyscryue Generally and writ it is no fable Of theys nature how they â—en variable And howe their malice best by euidente Is knoÌ„w to them that haue experience They can aforce them al day men mayse By spâ—guler fredom and dominacion Ouâ—râ—en to haue soueraynte And kept them lowe vnder subiection And sorâ— labour in theâ— opinionâ— By subtyl â—raâ—â— that thinge to return Which is to them denied of nature Bochas affirmeth and holde it for no tale If they want freshnes of colour And haue their face Jawne swerte and pale Anone they do their diligent laboure In such anede to helpe and do socour Their riueled skyn abrode to drawe strain Forward frouÌ„ces to make theÌ„ smoth plain If no rednesse in their chekes be Nor no lilyes dilectable and white Than they take tencrease their beaute Such oyntements as may most delite Wher kynde fayleth the surplusage to aquite They can by craft so for them selfe dispose Shewe rednes though there be no rose And for to shewe their face faire and bryghte With hote spices and oyntementes sote They can by craft counterfete a ryght Take in such case many an holsome rote Where kinde faileth connynge can do bote If theyr brestes vp to hye them dresse They caÌ„ ful wel theÌ„ bossynge downe represse And if they be to soft or to tendre They haue connyng to make them harde and round Their corsnes they can eke make slendre With poynant sauces y â— ben in phisike fonÌ„de Their subtel wittes in sleightes so habound Thynge y â— is croked or wrong in maÌ„s syght To make it seme as it went vp ryght They haue strictories too make theyr skyn to shine Wrought subtilly of goÌ„mes of glaire Crafty lyes to dye their heer cytryne Distilled waters to make them seme fayre Fumigacions to rectify the ayre Stomagers and freshe confections To represse false exhalacions Of al these things Bochas hath most dispite Whan these veckes farre yron in age Within them selfe haue vaine glory delite For to be fayre and paynt their visage Lyke as a paintour on an olde ymage Layeth his collours riche freshe of hewe Worme frete storkes for to make seme newe Their slak skyn by crafte abrode is streined Lyke an orenge from the galey brought Riche relikes about their necke is cheined Golde vpoÌ„ golde w e perle stones wrought And y e their colour outward apeire nought w t winde or sun which shuld theÌ„ stein or fade For vnkinde heates
in his drede Trayterously through plate and mayle Perced his hart the bloud abrode gan rayle And as it is also of him remembred The Lucaâ—oyes by vengeable vyolence They haue his carayne on pieces dismeÌ„bred Tyll an olde lady beyng in presence Required them of humble pacience That she of grace gader myght anone His membres all and ioyne them into one And after to sende them vnto his sister dere Olympyades the stately great quene That of affection and loue most entere Whan it befell that she did them sene Should of nature as it muste nedes bene Weâ—e and prouyde in his estate royall To bury the body with feast funerall Se here example of this proude kyng Whiche would haue scaped his fatal desteny Chaunge of places auayleâ— hym nothyng Periodie of prynces may not chaunged be The terme set fro whyche they may not fle For whan heuyn of death hath set the date No mortall man may eschue hys fate The .xi. Chapter ☞ How Dary king of Perce and Mede was outrayed by Alexander kyng of Macedon IN Alexander called Epirothes Me lyst as now no lenger for to tary Slayn at mischefe for he was retchles Double of corage for he could chauÌ„ge vary For turne I will my pen to kyng Dary Whiche that whilom who so lyst take hede Most mightely raigned in Perce and Mede And among other notable warriours Like as I deme by heauenly influence Onely by title of his predecessours And through his prudent excellence To great encrease of his magnificence He had all Asie as made is mencion Vnder his lordship and dominacion And as myne auctor Bochas doth defyne He was discended from the imperiall bloude Of Artaxerses and borne eke of that lyne Passed all prynces of treasure and of goode In Perce Mede his great empyre stoode An huÌ„dred prouynces tencrease of puissaunce And seuen thirty he had in gouernaunce Ouer all Asie towarde the orient His lordshyp last bokes make mynde And he had eke toward the occident Ouer Egypt power as I fynde The redde sea was not left behynde Demyng hym selfe of all earthly treasour Was none but he lorde and gouernoure Toward SepteÌ„trion vnder y â— midday spere His power raught and hys regaly Ouer Inde in cronicles ye may lere And to the boundes of great Armenye Lorde of the kingdome y t called is Parthy Worldly folke dempt hym w t god egall â–ª Master to fortune she not but hys thrall But in his hyghest exaltacion Of worldly glory he could not preuayle For all his riches and vaine ambicion But fortune durst him wel assayle In his most royal riche apparayle Cast in her chauÌ„ges to giue hiÌ„ a sharpe shoure By Alexander of Grece enheritour Vnto purpose I will my penne dresse For to declare and make mencion How proude Dary in his most nobles Was by Fortune from his seate â—ast doun For anone after the coronacion Of Alexander in Macedone kyng This was the processe of his workyng He not delayed nor made no long date In purpose fully of yre to procede Of Perce Mede the scepters to translate All their riches to conquere and possede Perpetually for no abide in dede Vnder grekes mighty obeysaunce In Macedone to haue the gouernaunce And as mine auctour well reherce can He set in Grece the mighty stronge citye Of Corinthe the metropolitan There to establishe his imperiall see In regalibus whan he list crowned be As man whoÌ„ god liste of his might to marke The world to coÌ„quere be therof monarke At the ginnyng of his conquest famous Through out Grece in euery region First he chose out of his fathers house Knightes y t were most souerayne of renowne Notable in armes and of condicion Faithfull true which had of high prudence Foresight in armes of marciall prouidence To them he did full notably assygne As men expert in knightly apparayles To make his stuffe with many a riche signe And forge of stele his plate and his mayles Gaue them the rule to gouerne in battayles For prouidence of yore it hath be tolde Full muche auayleth of knightes wise olde All this accomplished he list no lenger tary This worthy kyng but w t his ordinaunce Purposed to begyn on kyng Dary And as it is put in remembraunce In most proude wise he gan him selfe auauÌ„ce First in his way to brenne and beate downe Of hasty yre Thebes the mighty towne After he gate two mighty regions The one of Frigie the other called Lyde Set by olde tyme were their foundaâ—ions Vpon two riuers runnyng there beside whose goldeÌ„ grauels their brightnes mai not hide Paceolus and Euxyne men them call Richest of stremes though men reken all And of his conquest farder to termyne He wan Isauria a prouince wonder stronge In Asia one chiefest of the nyne And Pamphile a kingdome large and longe He gate also were it right or wronge For where y t conquest haue any title of right My cuÌ„ning it passeth my reason my might I toke no party nor me lyst not tary In this matter but forth I will procede How Alexander hasted towarde Dary To atcheue his coÌ„queste of Perce of Mede But first he came to Frigia I rede Into a citye the name to specify Thylke dayes it named was Gordy After mine auctoure affirme well I dare There was a teÌ„ple in Frigia thus saith he Of Jupiter in whiche there stode a chare With ropes bounde of stones and pyrre Amonge whiche men might beholde and se A fatall knotte by craft made so subtile That no man could vndo it by no wyle For who that had science or cunnynge That curious knot to lose or vntwyne Ouer Asye he should be crowned kyng And Alexander as bokes determyne Seinge this chare knitte with many line And how it semed a maner impossible To seuer it whiche was indiuisible The chare w t coardes was so enterlaced That rychely stode in â—oues tabernacle Whiche by his witte coulde not be enbraced Neither by craft nor no solemne myracle Tyll Alexander by a diuyne oracle Drew out his sworde wherof meÌ„ had woÌ„der Carfe the knotte cordes all asunder Wherby he wyst that he was ordeyned Ouer all Asye to be lorde and kyng Whiche to reioyce this story is not fayned He rode like Mars his battayles coÌ„ueiyng Through Perce mede his staÌ„derds splayig Toward his coÌ„quest where I let him dwell And of his chare knottes I will you tell Prudent Justinus an olde croniclere In his cronicles rehearseth this story Nowe Gordius a pore laborer Beside the citye that called is Gordie â—ryng his lande did his oxen gye And all maner foules that hath flyght Hye in the ayre appeared in his syght Vnknowe to him the token what it meant With diuinours cast him to counsayle Called â—ugures which holy in their entent Knowen the processe of such diuinayle Where it shall profite eyther disauayle And at the gate of Gordy the citye He met a mayde excelling of beautie
Whiche from aboue by heauenly influence Had from her byrth a maner knowledgyng In suche augury great practike and science Whiche to Gordius expowned euery thyng Sayd of Asie he should be lorde and kyng And raygne there duryng all his lyfe In hope wherof she became his wyfe After his weddyng he waxt fortunate The cronicle can beare me well recorde There tyll in Frigy a sodayne great debate Among the commons a mortall discorde Knowyng no meane to bryng theÌ„ at accorde Tyll their goddes by notable prouidence Taught them a way to appease their violeÌ„ce How that debate shoulde among them last Vnto the time they had chosen a kyng And they gan cry pray their goddes fast By some signe or myracle out shewyng To geue to them a maner knowlegyng That they myght to their notable encreace Chose such one y â— should them set in peace They had aunswere to waite be wel ware To set spyes by busy attendaunce On whom they met ridyng in a chare To Joues temple to do his obseruaunce And hym receyue by goddes ordinaunce Vpon his heade withouten more tariyng To set a crowne in Frigie to raygne kyng And Gordius in his chaire ridyng Toward the temple they on the way him met And awaytyng chose him to their kyng And solemnely home they did hym fet Vpon his head a ryche crowne they set And he to them so egall was and mete That he them brought into rest and quiete Thus to the crowne Gordius did attâ—yne By tokens shewed vnto hys great auayle And their discordes and stryues to restrayne He to his lieges gaue notable counsayle That they should with royall apparayle Take his chayre as he did them deuyse And offer it vp in most lowly wise In the temple that was consecrate To Jupiter a full solempne place And more to make their offryng fortunate They should it set without lenger space Tofore the goddesse that was called Grace Whiche by myracle their hartes to appease Set all the people in quiete and in ease And whan the kyng Alexander had Losed the knot of whiche I haue you tolde And of the chaire whiche Gordius ladde The secretes seyne misteries manifolde Worldly presuÌ„ption gan make his hart bolde Without title of any ryghtwisenes The citye Gordy to spoile of his riches And all Affryke he robbed eke also Vp to the mountayne y t called was Taurus The whiche hyll hath famous names two For it is also named Caucasus Where this prynce most vyctorious Ordeyned first with speare and shelde Agaynst kyng Dary for to holde a felde Vpon a mountayne they together met The marciall plaine named Horestes And most proudly their wardes there they set All for the warre and nothing for the pees Where Alexander in knyghthode peerles All the Perciens battayled in his syght And Darius party were put vnto flight Kyng Alexander shortly to conclude In his most stately royall magnificence Set not his trust in no great multitude But in his knyghts which long in his preseÌ„ce Had had in armes longe experience Were well preued in marciall disciplyne Tenhaâ—ce his coÌ„quest by their prudeÌ„t doctrin Whiche in y â— iourney haue theÌ„ so well borne That in their nobles founde was no lacke For syxty thousande of fotemen theÌ„ beforne They slewe of Perce and men on horsbacke Other ten M so mortall was the wracke And .xl. thousande as made is mencion Were prisoners and put to theyr raunson On Grekes partie the story dothe wel shew Macedonoys on Alysanders syde In comparison were slayne but a fewe For of fote men and men that dyd ryde Through the feldes y â— were so large wyde There were that day in theyr mortal striues Nat full thre C. whiche y â— loste their lyues Dary coude none other rescue make Fled at mischefe in full great distresse His wife his doughter led awaye and take His tentes spoyled his story bereth witnesse Grekes made glad with full great rychesse His cofers spoiled he fonde no better succour And he enpouerished of hys whole treasour Whan Dary saw his deedly auenture Ful pitously in heart he dyd mourne And anone after thys disconfiture To Babylon in hast be gan retourne And while that he dyd there soiourne Knowyng no recure to hym y t might auayle With Alysandre to holde more battayle Than of purpose to set hym selfe in ease And for taleye hys deedly fell greuaunce In his entent kyng Alysander to please Cast for to sende him letters of pleasaunce Yeue hym giftes in full great abundaunce But al y â— sleight which darius hath wrought Kyng Alysander set them echone at nought This manly kyng kept his conceyte close Lyst nat shewe what he ment in dede But cast fully after hys purpose Vpon his conquest farther to procede After the gettyng of Perce and eke of Mede To wyn Surry Egypt and Libye lande Demyng fortune redy to hys hande And of hys conquest farther to endyte Whan his glory gan most freshely shyne The temple of Jupiter cast hym for to visite Whiche stode in Libye auctours determine Sayde how he was discended from the lyne Of thylke god borne to be hys heyre As lorde of heauen fire water earth ayre And that the priestes fully shoulde assent With heauenly gods to make hym egall Great richesse and treasour he them sent Thus drede and mede made hym celestiall Falsely forgâ—t that he was mortall And of ambicion by Marciall apparayle Cast with Dary agayne to haue battayle And as I fynde howe they dyd mete The two prynces with people innumerable In the confront of the lande of Crete And kyng Dary of folkes defensable Brought to the felde a people incomparable Four hundred M. of fotemen fet fro farre With Alysander for to holde warre An hundred M. there came with him also On horsbacke in stele armed bryght And all thys people whan they had a do All be that daye full longe last the fyght Were slayne and take and yput to flyght Where Alysander to hys encrease of glorye Had of kyng Dary that day the victorye And Perciens to theyr final mischefe Without mercy or paying of raunson With kynge Dary were put to great reprefe Voyde of all hope and consolacion Fâ—ed as I fynde into the region Called Parthe where as it is tolde He of that people was take and put in holde And though hys fetters were of golde ryche He had therof god wote no pleasaunce Fortunes gyftes be nat aye ylyche In her false whele there is suche variaunce Diuers of there strange of her countenauÌ„ce Made Alysander with a lytle numbre The multitude of Dary to encombre Within a towne called Tharsa he was take In a charet with cheynes strong ybonde Of all his frendes pitously forsake Ledde hurt with many a mortal wounde And this murdre contriued was and founde By one Bessus a froward recheles knyght Which stode afore most forthered in his sight And was assured by fayth of his legiaunce To kyng Dary to be true in