Belset Tarquiniaine Fro him by force toke many a region Mesopotamie to his possession Toke by strong hand through his chiualry Maugre Diogenes almost all Surrye Belset Tarquiniā made him selfe so stronge By manly force Diogenes to assayle And for Diogenes thought he did him wrong He gan ordaine great stuffe and apparayle A day assigned they met in batayle Diogenes of froward auenture He his knightes brought to discomfyture Take he was brought by great disdayne In whom as tho there was no resistence To kinge Belset called Tarqumiaine And whan he came to his presence Against him was yeue this sentence To lie downe plat and that king Belset Should take his fote and on his throte set This was done for an hie dispite Diogenes brought forthe on a chayne Without reuerence fauour or respyte At great feastes assigned was his payne And alder last put out his eyen twayne The whele of fortune tourneth as a ball Sodayne clymbing asketh a sodayne fall The .xix. Chapiter ¶ How Robert duke of Normandy foughte with the Turkes was named to the crowne of Jerusalem and died at mischefe AWorthye Prynce spoken of in manye reem Noble Robert duke of Normandy Chose to the crowne of Jerusaleem But for cause he did it deny Fortune vnto him had enuy The same Robert next in ordre was That came to playne his fall vnto Bochas For Christes fayth this mighty champion This duke Robert armed in plate and maile With manly Godfray Godfray de Bollion Againe turkes fought a great batayle For Christes faythe that it should auaile To sustene the lawe in their entent To all the kinges of the Occident Of Turkes Sarazins was so gret a nōbre Gaine Christes law gadred in puissaunce The fayth of Christ falsly to encombre But there were made hasty ordinaunce By kinges of England Normandy Fraūce First to socour did their busy paine Godfray de Bollion y t was duke of Loraine Which on Sarazins made a discomfyture Maugre Turkes for all their great might In which battaile Christ made him recure The felde that day to supporte his right Where Robert was found so good a knight That for his noblesse by recorde of writyng Of Jerusalem was named to be king He assented nat to the election Bycause of new that he did vnderstande His elder brother for short conclusion Y called Willyam was dead in Englande Wolde in no wyse take y ◠crowne on hande Of Jerusalem but like a manly knight Came to Englande for to clayme his right And yet or he came he had knowledging His yonger brother called Henry Had vpon him take to be crowned kyng Tolde his lordes and princes fynally He was next heyre entred rightfully As enheritour to succede in that reem His brother being king of Jherusalem God wot the cause stode all in other wyse The said Robert duke of Normandye Purposed him by marciall emprise From his brother to take the regalye Toke his princes and his chyualrye Thought he wold like a manly knighte Arryue in England and reioyse his righte Both in one felde assembled on a day The brethren twayne ech w t strong party To darraine and make no delay Eche with other to holde champarty But whan these lordes the mischefe did espy They busied them and were nat recheles Atwene the bretherne to refourme pees The said bretherne were fully condiscended Vpon this poynt for shorte conclusien As in the accorde was iustly comprehended Henry to holde and haue possession During his life of al this region And Robert should haue for his party A summe of golde with all Normandy Thre thousande poūde put in remembraunce Eche yere to Robert sent fro his region Of which payment to make full assuraunce Was layde hostages as made is mencion But yet of new fyll a discencion Atwene the bretherne of hatred and enuy For a certaine castell y ◠stode in Normandy Which castell longed of heritage Vnto the kinges iurisdiction Of which the duke toke his auauntage Maugre the king and held possession Turned after to his confusion And whan the king this thing did espye With stronge hand came to Normandy Where the duke was layde a siege about Made ordinaunce to recure his right Gate the castell toke his brother out Emprisoned him of very force and might Left him alone out of all mennes sight Fourtene yere the cronicle writeth so There he died in mischefe and in wo. Whyle Bochas was busy in his labour His boke tacomplyshe with great diligence To him appered the great emperour Called Henry shewed his presence Gan complaine vpon great offence Done to him the mischefe and distresse By his sonnes great vnkyndnesse The which sonne was called eke Henry Greatly accused of ingratytude Cause he wrought so disnaturally Toke his father with force and multitude Entreated him boysteously and rude And afterward there gayned no raunson At great mischefe he dyed in pryson The .xx. Chapiter How Joceline prince of Rages for pryde slouth and lechery dyed in pouerte NExt in ordre with trist ded visage ▪ Vnto Bochas to shew his heuines Came Jocelyne lord and prince of Rage Which is a cite famous of ryches And this prince mine auctor bereth witnesse Was greatly yeue to slouth and slogardy And all his lust he set in lechery Left his lordshyp out of gouernaunce For lacke of wisdome and discrecion In fleshly lust set all his plesaunce And of the countreis about him enuyron He was nat had in reputacion Certayne princes mine auctor doth discryue Of his lordshyp cast him to depriue Amonge whiche the prince of Alapy Called Sanguyne the story who lyst se To Joceline hauing great enuy Layde a siege to Rages the cite He beyng absent ferre from that countre And thus for slouthe wylful neglygence Rages was take by mighty violence And Joceline commaunded to prison To him fortune was so coutrarious Lost his lordshyp and dominacion Lo here the fyne of folkes vicious Slowe delicat proude and lecherous Dyed in pouerte in mischefe and in nede Of vicious princes lo here the fynall mede The .xxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe the emperour Andronicus slewe all that were of the blode royal cheryshed vicious people and after was hanged AS very heire here and trewe successour By election and also by lynage Came Andronicus lorde and emperour Of Constantinople crowned king of age Next to Bochas with trist and pale vysage Beseching him to do his busy cure To remembre his woful auenture Amonge grekes by story and scripture This Andronicus gouerned nat aright Againe lawe and eke agayne nature Founde with his suster fleshly on a night Bothe of assent toke them to the flight Agayne him his cosyn was so fell Lorde of that countre called Emanuell For a time stode as a man exiled For his discēcions many an vncouth strife By his princes after reconsiled Standing in hope he should amende his lyfe But in the tyme that he was fugitife He was made lorde stode so for a whyle Reignyng
But through fortunes mutabilite That blind lady so made her power stretche As he began to ende lyke as a wretche Reken the estates of worldly regaly NoÌ„bre of meyny golde treasour richesse Stately castels paleys on eche party CoÌ„quest by fortune cumbinge to hie noblesse Cruel sworde conueyed by wyifuinesse Power extort with couetyse oppressyng Causeth destruccion of many earthly kyng But in contrary who lyst hym selfe knowe And is by grace inclined to mekenesse Though he in pouerte be brought vp lowe And is by vertue enclined to worthynesse With scepter of peace sword of rightwisnes Indifferently his domes demeanyng Suche one is able to be cleped a kyng What is chefe cause grounde and occasion That princes ofte stande in ieopardy Of worldly chaunges in suche diuision Reygnyng amonge them y t serpent of enuyâ— Symulacion faynyng flatery The south out serched who so lyst to loke By many tragedy expert in thys boke The .xxxi. Chapter ¶ Howe Bitynctus kyng of Auergnoyes by the Romains was taken and died in prison BItynctus next of Auergnoyes kyng Came tofore Bochas ginnig his coÌ„plaint Of his distresse thordre rehersyng And howe that he was made feble and faint Againe the Romains mischeuously attaint Nat withstanding to maintayne his quarel He cast of pride agayne them to rebell But it is first put in remembraunce How Auergnoyes is a nacion Hanging on Gaule longeth vnto Fraunce Of which Bityncte stode in possession Hauing dispite in his opinion To the Romains in any wise to obey But proudly cast againe them to werrey His labour was to stande in franchise And be at large from their subiection Gau of pride their lordship to dispise Gadred people of presumption Whom for to mete Fabius was sent doun A mighty consul which knightly toke on haÌ„de For theyr party Bitynctus to withstande Of whose coÌ„myng Bytictus toke dysdayne By cause the folke whyche Fabius dyd lede Were but fewe and whan he hath them seyne He sayd of scoru this people who taketh hede May not suffise my houndes for to fede WhaÌ„ they be slayne to fewe they be in noÌ„bre With multitude y t I shall them encombre An hundred thousaÌ„d in hys vaoward he had That passe shoulde of Auuergne the ryuere And fowerscore thousande beside that he lad the Consul Fabius met him with good chere Whan he was passed of Rodanus y â— daâ—gere Fought al the day tyll it drewe to night The Romayns wan their fone put to flyght At the ryuere lyke as saieth the boke There were drowned brought to mischauÌ„ce Fyfty thousande as they water toke Through fortunes frowarde variaunce And by attaynt tencrease of his greuaunce Bitiâ—â—tus take was of the Romayns Dampned to prison there to dye in chayns ☞ The .xxxii. Chap. How the tyrant Euergetes wedded quene Cleopatra slewe her eldest sonne exyled hys wyfe and wedded her doughter AFter whose deth pitously to rede sene Of Epiphanes the great Tholome Came the doughter Cleopatras the quene Gan complayne her greate aduersitie Her sorowe furious diffaced her beaute Her chekes whyte of blode teares meynt Rent w t her haÌ„des were pitously bespreint To Philometor she wedded was aforne Whylom sonne to Tholome the kynge And by her lorde in true wedlocke borne Two sonnes she had as by olde wrytyng After whose deth anone vp suynge To Euergetes a prince yonge of age She was agayne ioyned in mariage By title of her in Egipt lorde and syre Kyng of that lande cruel and dyspytous Whose story sheweth no kigdom nor Empire May of them selfe make no man vertuous For lyke a tygre this tiraunt furious Her eldest sonne day of their mariage Borne to be heire he slewe of mortal rage Not longe after this extorte cruelte Albe they had children atwene theÌ„ twaine Out of Egypt he made her for to fle And of malyce he gan at her disdaine I trowe she had matter for to plaine He toke her doughter whan y t she was gon Agayne nature and wedded her anon She called was Cleopatras also But Euergetes to she we him more veÌ„geable Againe her mother that was fro Egipt go The citie which was to her fauourable The people exyled he wode vntretable In her dispyte gaue that notable toun Of hateful malyce to a straunge nacion But whan he know through his cruel dedes And gan conceyue howe he was culpable Sawe againe hym y â— many folde hatredes And conspiracion of states honorable He at large to be more vengeable Game Cleopatras to gyn an vncouth stryfe Went in to exyle wyth hys newe wyfe Gadred people his olde wyfe to assayle On her chyldren to shewe more vengeaunce A day assigned helde with her battaile But which of them was driuen to vttraunce Myne auctour plainly put not in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce But suyng after thus of him I rede Howe of malice he wrought a cruel dede Which to reherce is nouther good ne fayre But terible and abhominable He dismembred her sonne and hys hayre On peces smal this tirauÌ„t most vengeable And whan the mother sate at her royal table With body and heed at a solempnite Let her be serued of frowarde cruelte Wherof al Egipt had indignacion And for to auenge his cruel great outrage They toke his plates basnet haberion And his cote armure wrought of gret costage Fro their temples rent out his ymage In token he was a tiraunt most attaint Eche thing diffaced y t was of him depaint Whose hateful story replete of wretchednes Full of vengeaunce fro warde mischeues Therfore I deme Bochas lyst not expresse More of his life fulfylled of al repreues Of Cleopatra wrote not the fynal greues In this chaptre what fatal way she toke Lest y â— matter shoulde difface his boke ¶ The .xxxiii. Chapter ¶ Howe Jugurtha by entrusion was kynge of Numedy slew y â— rightful heires after he hym self was drowned AFter thys woful deadly auenture Of Cleopatras whose storye is full olde Came Jugurtha the manly man to lure And to Jhon Bochas hath his tale told Of his conquestes and dedes manyfolde Subtyl of wyt as myne auctour sayeth Gaue lytel force for to breake his fayth But in ordre the story to conuay Of Jugurtha and of hys kinted Massmissa kyng of Numedy soth to say His vncle was and also as I tede The sayd kyng had a sonne in dede Called Mysipsa eldest in wrytinge After his day to reigne as kynge This Massinissa ordayned afterwarde Tofore his deth of hole entencion By cause Jugurtha was borne a bastarde To depriue him of al succession In his Testament but in conclusion His sonne Mysipsa afterwarde made kynge Was to Jugurtha frendly and louynge Mysipsa had two sonnes as I fynde The tone of them called Adherbales The seconde the story maketh mencion Was that tyme named Hyempsaies Wyth whom Jugurtha put him selfe in prees For to abyde dwell in especial Lyke as their cosyn in their corte royal Cherished full wel bycause y e he was wyse And right
repayre To a woman which had in her entrayle Spyrites closed to make his diuinayle In whose wombe barain and out of grace Of wicked spirites was the dwellyng place This sayd woman was a creature The which afore by cursed Julyan By his lyfe his purpose to recure In sacrifice was offred to Sathan And so as he with cursednes began Such was his ende as al bokes tell whose soul with Pluto is buryed depe in hel With this tyrant Bochas gan wexe wroth For his most odious fell outrage And to reherce in partie he was lothe The blasphemies of hys fell langage For nouther furye nor infernal rage May be compared with poison fret within To the false venyme of this horrible synne It is contrary to all good thewes And tofore God moste abhominable Hatefull to all saue to cursed shrewes For of all vyces very imcomparable Moste contagious and most delectable The mouth enfect of such infernal hounds Which euery day sle Christ with new wouÌ„ds For obstynate of purpose for the nones Of disposicion furyous and wode Not afraide to swere goddes bones with horrible other as body flesh and bloud The Lord dismeÌ„bring most gracius good His fete haÌ„des armes face and heed Reno him of new as they wolde haue him deed This blessed Lord which is immortall Though they be dedly they would him slee ageyn They be erthly he is celestial In froward wise they ben ouerseyne Discrecion fayleth their reason is in vayne All suche blasphemy for shorte conclusyon Procedeth of pride and false ambycion It semeth to me they haue foul fayled Of kyndnes to do him reuerence which for their loue vpon the crosse was nayled To pay the raunsome for mans offence Suffred death with humble pacyence False rebukyng spyttyng in hys vysage To bring mankynde vnto his heritage False surquedy that doth the heartes reyse Of such blasphemers as was this Julian whose great empyre might not counterpeise Again the Lord which is both God and man The original ground of pride was Sathan Prince vnder him most infortunate was this Apostata reignyng in his estate What was th ende of this tyrant horrible This cruell felon hatefull to euery wyght By sodayne myracle to al his hoste visible There dyd appere a very heuenly knyght Most freshly armed angelyke of sighte With a sharpe speere sitting on his stede Made the tyrant his hert bloude to blede His false goddes might him not auaile His frowarde off rynge done to maumetry Nor al his proude imperyall apparayle His inuocacions nor hateful sorcerye For this apostata that dyd his faythe denye Amonge his knightes slayn by death sodain His soule in hell with sathan in great payne The xv chapter ¶ Howe themperoure Valence slewe Heremites shed christen blud â–ª distroyed churches and after was brent BOchas in hast doth hys style dresse Next to the mperour y e called was ValeÌ„ce Rehersyng first the perfyte holynesse Of Heremytes that did their dilygence To lyue in penaunce and in abstynence Forsoke the worlde and for Christes sake In to desert they haue the way take â–ª In this world here they lyst no lengar tarye Dyuers and double of trust no certayne Ferre in Egypte to liue solitary Depe in desertes of folke not to be sayne The soyle was drye of vitayle ful barayne The frutelesse trees vp seared by the rote For Christes loue they thoght y e life most soâ—e This sayd Valence of malice frowardly To this Heremites y â— liued in gret penaunce Causelesse with full great enuy Troubled them and did theÌ„ great greuauÌ„ce Lyke a tyraunte set al in vengaunce Distroyd churches with people that he ladde And where he went christen bloud he shadde This mean while by robbyng and rauyne In Mauritayne which is a great countre There was a prince that called was Faryne And in Cesaria a famous great cyte For his extorcion and his cruelte He toke vpon him proudly there reignynge Maugre romayns to be crowned kinge Theodose the fyrst a manly man Was sent out his malice to withstand By the bidding of Valencian Which that time the mpyre had in hand Bothe atones but ye shal vnderstande Theodose was sent out to assayle The sayd Farine and slewe him in batayle Of whiche Faryne by full cruel hate In that countre presumptuously reignynge Smote of his heed and sate it on the gate Of Cesaria this was the endyng Which by intrusioÌ„ afore was crowned king In Mauritayne oppressing them by drede As ye haue herde for which he lost his heade In this mater Bochas doth not soiourne By no attendaunce nor long diligence But of purpose dothe agayn retourne To the mperour that called was Valence Which as I told did so great offence The holy church of froward cursednes Slewal Hermites that bode in wildernes God wolde not suffre he shuld long endure Graunteth no tyraunt here longlyfe For by some mischefe or sodaine auenture They dye by murdre with dagger swerde or knife The Gotheyes whilom gan a stryfe For his outrage and great oppressyon They agayne romains fyll in rebellion A prince of his called Maximus Distressed them by so great tyranny And was vpon them so contrarious That they gadred all the cheualry And wext so strong vpon their partie That by their manhode it fel of auenture They on Valence made a disconsiture Spared not by robbynge and pillage Slough and brent many a stately place Cyties townes and many a small village That were famous within the laÌ„d of Trace But furiously thei met him in the face Where like a coward he turned his visage To saue his life lay hyd in Cartage Thus finally this emperour Valence As ye haue heard fayled of his entent The Gothes folowed by cruel violence As wylde beastes al of one assent The house and him to ashes they haue brent Lo here the fyne ye princes take hede Of tyrantes that saintes bloud do shed The .xvi. Chapter ¶ Of kynge Amacisius and howe Gracian and Theodosy distroied temples of fals gods how GraciaÌ„ was put to flight AFter Valence to God contraryous In al his workes most froward of liueÌ„g Tofore Bochas came Amacisius Which of Gothes was whilom Lord kyng Of his great age piteously complaining Inflate and dole lyst make no delayes Slew him self to short his greuous dayes Then came downe the brother of Valence The mighty emperour called Gracian Whiche afore had had experyence First with his vncle Valentinyan In the Empyre as bokes tell can And afterward Theodosy and he Had gouernaunce of Rome the cyte Theodosy and Gracien of assent Distroyed temples as in that partie Of false goddes also they haue downe rente The great ydols and all such maumetrye And full deuoutly gan churches edifye And in this whyle as fortune dyd ordayne One Maximus was vicar in Bretayne An hardy knight albe that he did vary From his promise made by sacrament In Bretayne list no lengar tary â–ª But into Gaule of hert and hole entent Gayne Gracian he sodenly is went And as
Venandre and of three other kinges and howe they were distroied AFter all these straunge vncouthe thynges Tofore Jhon Bochas as made is mencion There came foure myghtye kynges For to complayne their desolacion Fyrst Gisiuill kyng of the region Called Venandre in werres ful contraire Vnto a prince called Belisaire And to this saide noble Belisaire Full renomed that tyme in chiualry The kyng of Gothes was also aduersayre And both atones of hatred and enuy Assented fully to holde champerty Gayne Belisaire which throughe his hie renoun Toke theÌ„ both cast theÌ„ in prison There is no more of theÌ„ in Bochas founde But after them in order by writyng Came Amarales wyth many blody wound Which in his tyme was of Mawres kynge Without cause or title of any thynge Vpon Jane Sanguin gan werray agayne right Which through Affrik was one y â— best knight The sayde Jane armed in plate and mayle Met Amarales in Affrike on a sande And helde with him a mighty strong bataile And lyke a knight slewe hym wyth his hand Droue al his people proudly frâ— that lande And in my boke there is none other mynde To be remembred oâ— him that I can fynde Than Synduall of Bretaine lorde kyng Tofore Bochas put him selfe in prees Gan shewe his mischefe pitiously wepyng Whan he helde werre wylfull recheles Agayne a prince called Narsates A Romayne knight feirse hardy stronge In his defence whaÌ„ men wold do hun wroÌ„g This Narsates of case or auenture Though he in dede was a manly knyght He fayled membres in sothe of engendrure His aduersaries echon he put to flight Toke their king forthwith anone ryght As the cronicle playnly doth recorde Hye on a galowes he hinge him with a corde Of Narsates after this victory Kyng Totila had full great disdaine With a great host most poÌ„pous in his glory Came vpon him and met hym in a playne With multitude though he were ouerlayne Turnyng Totila which many man behelde Of Narsates was slayne in the felde In order next Bochas doth write Of Gepidoys howe king Trusmonde Required him that he woulde endite The gret aduersites in which he dyd habouÌ„d And of his doughter called Rosamounde The vnhappy chaunce to make discryue To whom fortune was contrary al her lyue Albuinus king of Lombardy Which many a laude helde in subiection Conquered Beme Prage and Hungery The land of Gepedois with manye a region Fought with their king as made is mencion Slewe in battaile the said Trusmonde Wedded after his doughter Rosamonde Myne auctour gretly comendeth her beaute And wryteth also she was but young of age Whose story first whan I dyd se Howe vngracious also was her mariage I gan were pale and dead in my visage Greatly astoined confuse of very shame To write the story in hindring of her name I wyll forbeare and lightly passe here The surplusage lightlye ouerpasse For by and by to tel all the manere Of felonies that dyd in hertes brace It shoulde blot this boke and eke deface For which I cast truely and not fayle Touching her story to make rehersaile The .xxvii. Chapter ☞ Howe Albuinus was murdred by hys wife and howe she moste vycious was after murdred also KInge Albuinus as ye shall vnderstande After many a conquest and victorye Whyche he hadde bothe on see and lande To put his triumphes in memory Let crye a feast to his encrese of glory At whiche feest solempne and principall So as he sate in his estate royall Parcell for pride parcel for gladnesse The quene present the sayd Rosamonde Take supprised he was wyth dronkenes Of stronge wynes whych y t day did haboâ—d Sent a Goblet of golde as it is founde Vnto the quene with licour full pleasaunt Bad to her father she shoulde drinke a taunt She dempt it was a maner mokery First her name and worshyp to confounde To byd her drinke ataunt for her party To her father this sayd Trusmounde Slaine afore wyth many blody wounde By Albuinus through his vnhappy chaunce Of whych rebuke she cast to do vengeaunce She bare the rancour ful long in her entent Whiche day by day gan renewe encrease A certayne squier she made of her assent It to accomply she she woulde neuer cease And on another squier she gan preace Called Perdius accorded all in one This false murdre to execute anone The daye was set whyle he lay a slepe Fyll vpon him w t sharpe swordes grounde Her lorde was slayne alas he toke no kepe Or he died of fortune he hath founde A speares head to a tronchon bounde Him selfe defending in that mortall strife But slaine he was by treason of his wife After this murdre to escape fro daunger This Rosamonde fled awaye by night With her went Melchis her squier Toke a shyp sayled by sterre light To Rauenne they toke the waye ryghte Led with them for refute and socour Of Albuinus al the hole treasour After she was wedded to Melchise Man of this worlde stode most in her grace Her loue appalled set of him no prise For she not coude be content in one place Her ioye was euer newe thing to purchace To assaye many neuer pleased with one Tyll by experience she preued had echone Prouost of Rauenne and chefe gouernour For the excellence of her great beaute Aboue al women loued her peramour Whan she entred fyrst that cite And through her fraude and duplicite She cast to murdre in her frowarde auyce Her newe husband that called was Melchis The hote sommer in lusty freshe May The same Melchis for hete and werines Him selfe to bathe went a certayne day Caught a great thurst of very fayntnes And Rosamonde of infernall falsnes Toke a goblet with licour great foâ—son Gaue him to drinke wine medled with poisoÌ„ He dranke vp halfe and therwithal he gan Brest and belly to swell and to aryse Intoxicate wext deadely pale and wan And whan he dyd her treason aduertise He made her drinke in the same wise Maugre her wyll she might it not restrayne Guerdon for murder they died bothe twayne In this chapter but litle fruite I fynde Saue onely thys to put in remembraunce That folke shoulde call agayne to mynde Murdre afore god requyreth aye veÌ„geaunce This funeral story wayed in balaunce Wrought by Melchis compassed and founde By false treason of cursed Rosamounde Slewe first her lorde Albuinus as I sayde Two of her squiers dyd execucion Out of his slepe whan he dyd abrayde Let counterpayse what was her guerdon Ech murdred other by drinking of poison Melchis drank first next draÌ„k RosamouÌ„de At them it gan to theÌ„ it dyd rebounde Counterpaysed one murder for an other Albuinus slayne by Rosamounde hys wyfe By assent of Melchis after eche to other The poison parted there gan a fatall strife Murder for murder they both lost their life Who vseth falsnes ful wel affirme I dare Shal with falsnes be quit or he be
with perle legge stocked to the kne Playnynge to Bochas of their aduersite Their shone were raced freshly to the tone Richely transuersed with gold wyre And theron set many a stronge stone Gayne Phebus light shone bright and clere These lombarde kinges gan taproch nere The fyrst of al the king Lupus Vnto Bochas gan to complaine thus Bochas quod he as for my party For to reherce by short conclusion One Grymaldus a prince of Lombardy Hath me enclosed out of my region And cruelly enchayned me in prison And after that did a sergeaunt sende Smyt of myne head there I made an ende The .xi. Chapter ¶ Howe the heade of Alexius was smit of by Comperton AFter this end reherced of Lupus For to declare his mortall heuynesse Next in ordre there came Alexius A lōbard king famous of richesse Which toke on him of surquedous prowesse For to compasse the distruction Of a prince called Comperton Which ware also a crowne in Lombardye Atwyxt both was werre and great distaūce But all the people and lordes of Pauie With mighty hande marciall gouernaunce The said Alexius brought vnto mischaunce And Comperton escaped from all drede Of mortal vengeaunce let smite of his heade The xii Chapiter ⧠How Ariperton was drowned with his ryches AFter whose death pitously playning Tofore Bochas came Ariperton Of Lombardy whilom lord and king Whiche like a fole of high presumpcion All causelesse toke occasion Of volunte there is no more to say Againe the duke of Bagaroys to werrey These princes twayne taken haue the felde And of Ariperton the party gan apayre His aduersary anone as he behelde His cowarde herte gan fall in dispayre Into Pauie for feare he gan repayre Toke his treasour in purpose anonright For uery drede to take him to the flight Toke a vessell and entred is the see With sodaine tempest assailed derknesse His barge perished by great aduersite And was drowned w t al his great rychesse Lo here the fyne of worldly wretchydnesse Namely of them to get great treasours That gyn werre agayn their neighbours The xiii Chapter ¶ Howe Dediere by Pope Adrian and Charles of Fraunce was put to flight died at mischefe NExte to Bochas with heuye loke and chere King of Lombardy shewed his presēce Called in his time noble Dediere Notable in armes and of great excellence And where his father had done offence To the Pope and full great duresse This king cast the domages to redresse Agistolphe was his fathers name Whiche to the Pope did great aduersite For whiche his sonne to encreace his fame Of royall fredom and magnanimite And of benygne lyberalite Gaue to the Pope with humble reuerence A stately cite that called is Fagence Therwith he gaue treasour and great good As he that list of fredome nat to spare A mighty castell whiche on Tybrestod Within the boundes lordshyp of Ferrare Whiche is a cyte playnly to declare Of antiquite myne auctour telleth so And stant vpon the ryuer of the Poo This Dediere reigning in Lombardy Gan wexe famous at his beginning Had a great name vpon eche party But in the erthe is nothing abyding All stant on chaunge fortune in workyng Is founde vnstable double of her vysage Which of this king chaunged the corage There he was large on euery side Lyberal founde in many sondrye wyfe His goodlyhede was chaunged in to pryde And his largesse in to couetyse Of doublenesse he gan anone deuyse To clayme agayne as ye shall vnderstand His saide gyftes out of the Popes hande Whiche Dediere had made aliaunce As the cronicle maketh mencion With king Pepin reignyng tho in Fraunce After whose death to haue possession And full lordshyp of all that region He gan of newe fall at distaunce Both w t the Pope with the king of Fraūce Of presumpcion these werres he began Againe his promise of double variaunce Pope in tho daies was holy Adrian Which to stynt the troble gret mischaūce Required helpe of the king of Fraunce And great Charles in Bochas as I rede Came to the Pope to helpe him in this nede Charles that time was chefe protectoure To holy churche their pauis and defence Whiche of hole hert and dyligent labour With Dediere by manly violence He met in Tuskie of knightly excellence Had a batayle to preue their might Charles victor Dediere put to flyght As I fynde he fled in to Pauie Worthy Charles layde a siege aforne Constrayned them vpon eche partye For lacke of vitaile they were almost lorne They wanted licour grayne and corne By sodayne constraynt great aduersyte To king Charles they yelded vp the cyte Kyng Dediere was sent in to Fraunce With mighty chaynes fettred in prison Like a wretche in sorow great penaunce Died at mischefe there gayned no raunson Which had afore so great possession After whose day by olde writing Among lōbardes was neuer crowned king The .xiiii. Chapter ¶ Of Pope Johan a woman with childe and put downe AFter the Princes reherced here toforne Drowned in teares came a creature Like a byshop rounded and yshorne And as a priest he had abrode tonsure Her apparayle outwarde and vesture Being a woman wherof Bochas toke hede Lyke a prelate shape was her wede She was the same that of yore agon Vnworthely sate in Peters place Was afterwarde called Pope John Aberdlesse prelate no heare sene on her face Of her birth named was the place Maxence a cite standing in Itaile Vpon the Keen full famous of vitayle In her youth and in her tendre age Forsoke her kyn and in especiall Cast she would for her auauntage Geue her to conning body hert and all And in the sciences called lyberall In all seuin by famous excellence By great study she had experience Her name couthe in many a diuers lande To shew her cōning first whan she began Serchyng prouinces came to Englande No wight supposing but y ◠she was a man Came to Rome her story tell can Taught Grammer Sophistry and Logike Red in scholes openly rethorike In the tyme of themperour Lotarye After the death as made is mencion Fro mine auctour if I shall nat varie Of the Pope which called was Leon The said woman by election I stalled was no wight supposing than By no token but that she was a man The boke of Sortes after that anon Of auenture tourned vp so doun She was named and called Pope John Of whose naturall disposicon Fyll by processe in to temptacion Quicke w t childe the hour came on her than Was deliuered at saynt Jhon Lateran After put downe for her great outrage I wyll on her spende no more labour But passe ouer all the surplusage Of her liuing and of her great errour Turne my stile vnto the emperour Called Arnolde write his pitous chaunce Sonne to Charles y ◠great king of Fraunce To this Charles as bokes determine He was sonne nat borne in maryage But begotten on a concubine Toke
stepsonn called Ipolitus But for he was to her daungerous And to her lust froward and contrary In his apport not goodly ne benigne Of her false entent anon she gan to vary Ayenst hym full felly to maligne And to her prince of many token and signe Of womanhede she gan hym accuse Her auoutry falsly to excuse Who sayth that women can not ymagyne In their deffence tales vntrue To their desire if men list not enclyne Neither on their feyned false wo to tue ▪ Anon they can compasse thynges new Fyshe and finde out of their entencion A couert cloude to shadowe their traison She hath accused yonge Ipolitus Of false auoutrye in hys tendre age Tolde and affirmed to duke Theseus With ful bolde chere and ful playne visage Howe he purposed for to do outrage Only by force her beaute to oppresse Her lorde beseching to reforme and dresse The great iniquitie done to his wife Whyle he was absēt for thing y ◠bare charge Wyues of tales somtyme ben inuentife To suffre their tonges falsly flyen at large But folkes y e list of domage thē discharge Of such accusyng ne take they none hede Tyll the truth be tried out in dede I meane nothynge of wyues that ben good Neyther of women y e flouren in innocence For god forbede and the holy roode But men should do due reuerence To their noblesse and their excellence Declare their bounte their vertue shewe And thē cherishe because there be but fewe Touching the accusing ayenst Ipolitus Though if so were that it was fals in dede Yet he for shame and fere of Theseus As in the story ye may behold and rede In his hert he caught a maner drede That he alas thys sely yonge knight Fled withdrewe hi out of hys fathers sight Hys indignacion playnly for to eschewe Though by desert in him there was no lacke Of hasty drede as he gan remewe Or in a chare or on horse backe His horse afrayde there fel a sodeine wracke Doun frō a roch pendaunt as ye shall lere He and his chare were drowned both in fere Thus vngilty in his most lusty youth He was conueied to his distruction The sclander conspired as it is wele couth By false Phedra but in conclusion The sclander turned to her confusion For whan she wyst Ipolitus was dede Through her defaut anon for shame drede She toke a swerde full sharpe ygrounde And there with all she raft her hert a tweine Lo howe y t vēgeaūce woll euer ayen reboūde On them that falsely do their busy peine To sclaunder folke for like as they ordeine With their diffames other folkes to wyte God at last their malice can aquite But some bokes of Phedra do recorde That she ashamed and confuse of this dede Hing her selfe vp full high with a corde Lo how false sclaunder can quite folkes mede Wherefore I counsayle euery man take hede In such maters as stande vncertaine From hasty langage his tonge to refraine Amonge these stories woful for to rede All besprent with teares in his face Full sodenly Jhon Bochas gan take hede In middes the prease zisara came to place And howe that fortune gan also to manace This proud duke full myghty and notable Of kyng Jabyn called the great constable Of his host leder and gouernour To Israell very mortall fo With people he rode lyke a conquerour And where that euer his meyny dyd go The earth quoke people dredde him so Fled fro hys face where as he came a ferre Nyne hundred waynes he had for the wet Strōgly inarmed w t hokes made like sithes ▪ Who y e approched to mayme to wounde For this tirant of custome oftsithes Had great delite the Jewes to confound And all tho that his swerde hath found Kynge Jabyn bad prince of Canaan In Israel to spare childe ne man This zisara was sent to be their scourge By goddes suffraunce their sinnes to chastise Their olde offences to punishe to purge As a flagell many sondry wyse But whan of reason they gan better deuise And for their trespaces to fall in repentaūce God gan w t drawe the hand of his vengeaūce For in their mischefe they gan their lorde to knowe Felynge the pricke of his punicion And mercy than hath vnbent the bowe Of hys fell yre and castigacion To God they made their inuocacion And he them herde in their mortal drede In Judicum the storye ye may rede Howe in the whyle that this zisara Shope hym of newe the Jewes to oppresse In their defence god sent them Delbora I prophetesse the story bereth witnes To yeue thē counseil their armeis to dresse And by the spirite of her prophesie For to wythstande the great tyrannye Of zisara whych was discended doun With a great host into the felde repeired But Delbora of high discrecion Whan that she sawe the Jewes dispeired And for to fight their corrages sore apeired She made them first deuoutly in that drede To crye to god to helpe them in their nede She was their iudge their gouernes Chefe of their counsaill and of custome she Causes dependinge of great auysenes That stode in dout by dome of equitie She tried them out vnder a palme tre ▪ And was not hasty no mater to determyne Tyll she the parties aforedyd examyne And whan that she herd of the cōminge Of zisara wyth full great puissaunce That was constable of that mighty king Called Jabyn wyth al his ordinaunce Vpon Jewes for to do vengeaunce This Delbora gan prudently entende The Jewes party by wysdome to defende She bad Barach her husbande anon ryght Of Nemptalym .x. M. with him take Ayenst zisara to fyght for their ryghte And that he shoulde a great enarme take But he for drede thys iourney gan forsake And durst not ayenst him tho werrey But she were present and lyst hym to conuey Wel wel quod she syth it standeth so That of wantrust ye haue a maner drede I wyl my selfe gladly wyth you go You to support in this great nede But trusteth fully as ye shall fynde in dede That a woman with laude honour glorye Shal fro you wyn the price of this victory It folowed after sothly as she sayd Auisely she made her ordinaunce And the chefe charge on her selfe she layde As princesse of Jewes gouernaunce And prudently gan her selfe auaunce With god conueyed support of his grace With zisara to mete in the face And specially touchyng this viage God toke away the spirite and the myght Fro zisara his force and his corage That he was feareful to entre into fyght Kepte his chare and toke hym to flyght Knowyng no place in suertie to abyde Tyll that Jaell a woman dyd hym hide Within her tente and al most dede for drede Vnder a mantell desirous for to drynke She gaue him mylke the slepe fyl in his heed And whyle that he for heuines gan wynke And sadly slept she gan her to
story piteous the processe lamentable Voyde of ioye all gladnes and pleasaunce A thing to greuous and to importable Where as no mirth is medled with greuauÌ„ce All vpon complaynt standeth the alyaunce Most whan fortune who y â— her course knewe Chaungeth olde ioyes into sorowes newe For vnto him that neuer wist of wo Remembraunce of his olde gladnesse Whan his welfare and pleasaunce is go And neuer afore knewe of heauines Such vnware chauÌ„g such vncouth wretchednes Causeth in prices through new dedly trouble After their falling their sorowes to be double Olde examples of prynces that haue fall Their remebraunce of new brought to minde May be a myrror to estates all How they in vertue shall remedies finde To eschue vyces of such as were made blind From sodayn fallyng the selues to preserue Long to coÌ„tune and thanke of god deserue The fal of one is a cleare lanterne To teach another what he shall eschue Peryll of one is who so can discerne Schole and doctrine from peryll to remue As men deserue suche guerdon must sue In vice nor vertue no man may God deceyue Like their desertes their mede they receyue Who foloweth vertue lengest doth perseuer Be it in riches be it in pouertye Light of trouth his clerenes kepeth euer Agayne the assautes of all aduersitie Vertue is cause of long prosperitie And whan princes froÌ„ vertue downe decline Their fame is shrouded vnder y â— cliptike line For false fortune whiche turneth as a ball Of vnware chauÌ„ges though men her atwite It is not she that yaue prynces the fall But vycious liuyng playnly to endyte Though God aboue full oft them respyte Longe abideth and dothe his grace sende To this entent they shoulde their life amende For their welfare and their abidyng longe Who aduertiseth dependeth not on chaunce Good life vertue maketh theÌ„ to be stronge And them assureth in long perseueraunce Vertue on fortune maketh a defiaunce That fortune hath no domination Wher noble princes be gouerned by reason But suche as list not corrected be By example of other for vycious gouernauÌ„ce And fro their vyces list not for to flye If they be troubled in their hygh puissaunce They arette it to fortunes variaunce Touchyng the gyltes that they did vse Their demerites full falsly excuse Vertue conserueth prynces in their glory And confirmeth their dominations And vyces put their prynce out of memory For their trespaces and their transgressions And in all suche sodayne mutacions They can no refute nor no better succoure But agayne fortune to make their clamour Make an out crye of her doublenesse As no gylt were in their owne dede Thus vntruly they call her a goddesse Which litle or nought may helpe at such a nede But if they had god in loue and drede Trusted his lordshyp in hart will thought They should fortune playnly set at nought Euidence full expert and palpable Tofore rehearsed tolde of diuers ages Worldly glory is vayne and full vnstable With disceytes double of their vysages Shewyng to prynces firme of their corages By these ensamples howe in what wyse By others fallyng they shal theÌ„ selfe chastise Sygnes shewed and tokens in heauen Diuers cometys and constellations Dreadfull thunder fearfull firy leauen Rumours in earth and great discencions Disobey saunce in sundry regyons Shewen examples full wel affirme I date To mighty princes theÌ„ biddyng to beware Their life to amend or the lorde do smite Through negligence or it be to late And or y â— swerd of vengeaunce kerue or byte Anto vertues their vycious life translate Cherishyng right agaynst all wrong debate With dreade of God make them selfe stronge Than in no doubt they shall endure longe Who is not ware by others chastisyng Other by him shal chastised be Harde is the hart whithe for no writyng For no doctrine nor none aucthoritie For none examples will from his vyces flye To indurat is his frowarde entent Whiche will not suffer his hardnes to relent The rounde droppes of the smothe rayne Whiche that discende and fall from aloft On stones harde at the eye it is seyne Perceth their hardnes with their fallyng oft All be in touchyng water is but soft The persyng caused by force nor puissaunce But of failyng by long continuaunce Semblably of ryght I dare rehearse Oft readyng in bokes fructuous The hartes should of prudent princes perce Soke in their mind make them vertuous To eschue all thyng that is vycious For what auaileth the examples y â— they rede To their readyng if contrary be the dede â–ª Cunnyng and dede who ran comprehende In clere conceites they ben thinges twayne And if cunnyng do the dede amende Than at wene theÌ„ is made a mighty chayne A noble thing and right souerayne For than of cunnyng the labour is well spent Whan dede foloweth bothe ben of assent Thus John Bochas procedyng in his boke Whiche in number is called the seconde Gan for to write and his purpose toke To set in stories such as he founde Of entent all vyces to confounde By examples whiche he did expresse And at the begynnyng of his busines Myghty Saule to him did appeare Kyng of Israell piteously wepyng Deadly of face and with an hydous cheare His voyce ybroke by manifolde sobbyng And to mine aucthout his sorow coÌ„playnyng Requiryng hym together whan they met First in his boke his wofull fate to set Anone after I of entencion With penne in hande fast gan me spede As I coulde in my translation In this labour further to procede My lorde came forth by gan to take hede This mighty prince right manly right wiâ—e Gaue me charge in his prudent auyse That I should in euery tragedy After the processe made mencion At the ende set a remedy With a Lenuoy conueyed by reason And after that with humble affection To noble prynces lowly it dyrect By others fallyng them selues to correct And I obeyed his biddyng and pleasaunce Vnder support of his magnificence As I coulde I gan my penne aduaunce All be I was barrayne of eloquence Folowing mine auctor in substauÌ„ce seÌ„tence For it suffiseth playnly vnto me So that my lord my makyng take in gre Finis ¶ Hovve Saule kyng of Israel borne of lowe degree as longe as he dradde God and was obediente to him and ruled by good counsaile made many disconfitures but at the last for his pryde presumption and great disobedience he lost his crowne and was stayne by Philistines ¶ The firste Chapter THis sayde Saule of whom I spake toforne Full well compacte and large of his stature Of the lyne of Beniamyn eke borne His father Cis was called in scripture Whose asses whilom left their pasture Space of thre dayes Saule had theÌ„ sought Lost his labour and founde them nought For they were gone out so farre on stray So disceuered he ne coude them mete Tyll that a childe him suyng all the way Yaue him counsaile his labour for to lete And that he
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
lyue in shame And lasse yl to put in ieopardy Her mortal body than her good fame Whan honor dieth farewel a mānes name Better it were out of thys life disceiuer Than slandrous fame to sley a man for euer But to that purpose her husband sayd nay Her father also was thereto contrary Makynge a promise without more delay To do vengeaunce howe they wyl not tary To her declaring with reasons debonary Vnder these wordes trouth right cōserued To slee her selfe she hath nothynge deserued For sodainly and also vnauised As a foole is trapped in the snare By vnware fraude vpon the practised Thou were disceiued plainly to declare Hauyng thys conceyte harde is to repayre The name of thē which falsly be diffamed Whan wrōg report y ◠renome hath shamed Touchyng thy person I dare affirme seyn That it were a maner impossible And lyke a thynge which neuer yet was seen That thy worshyp was found corruptyble But stedfast aye and indiuysible Vnparted vertuous and made strong And nowe desirous to auenge thy wronge On thy iniury we shal auenged be Considred first the deedly heuines Which thou suffredest by great aduersite Whan y ◠auoutrour thy beauty dyd oppres And reioysyng by a false gladnes Maugre thy wyll as a thefe by nyght The encombred of very force myght But if thou woldest leue all thy mourning And restraine thy unportable wo Soone shuldest y u se an egall punyshyng Vpon thy most frowarde mortal foe To warne all other they shal nomore do so In chastisynge of false auoutry The and thy renome of ryght to magnify What was diffasyng to thy trewe entent Though his youth vnbridled went at large So for to aforce a sely innocent Whose wyckednes oughte to bere the charge And we of ryght thy conscience dyscharge The ioye vnlefull of his false plesaunce With double palme thine honor doth auance Conceiue and se O thou myne Lucrece How that reason and good discrecion Shoulde thy trouble thy mournynge cece Of ryght restrayne thy opinion So rechelesly to do punicion With knife in hande to slee thy selfe alas For others gylt and dyddest no trespas Let be Lucrece let be all thy dole Cease thy complaynt thy wo restrayne Should I fro the lyue alone al sole And thy deth perpetually complayne ▪ To put thy father in importable payne Of our welfare be not so rechelesse To dye and leaue our childre motherlesse Of prudence eke thou oughtest for to se And aduertyse onely of reason Though of force thy body corrupt be Thy soule inwarde and thyne entencion Fraunchysed ben from al corrupcion Offence is none consider in thyne entent But wyll hert yeue therto ful consent Thou were naked in thy bed lyenge Alone vnware slepynge voide of myght Suspeciouslesse al of his comynge That tyme namely because y ◠it was nyght A fearefull woman he a manly knyght Al be it so vnknightly was his dede Wyth naked swerde to assayle thy womanhead He myght thy body by force wel oppresse By sleyghty waies that he had sought But we le wote I for al his sturdinesse He myght neuer haue mastry of thy thought The body yelded the hert yelded him nought Ye were twaine y u feble he ryght stronge Thy trouth afforced he werker of the wrong Where mightest y u haue greater price or laude All ryght considred trouth equite Fyrst coūterpeysed his force sleighty fraud Than to parseuer in feminite With thought enhaunced infragilitie Of womanheade to haue an hert stable What thige in the myght be more cōmedable It is wel knowe y u were of herte aye one To all false lustes contrary in gouernaunce More lyke an ymage kerued out of stone Than lyke a woman fleshely of plesaunce The tirant foūde thee in chere countenaūce Whych euer after by womanly victory Shal be ascriued to thine encrease of glory Thy father Brutus hath the well excused My selfe also thy blood and thy kynrede On this matter let no more be mused To sley thy selfe or do thy sides blede Certes Lucrece thou hast ful litell nede It were great wronge by all our iudgement To spare a tirant and slee an innocent Thy lyfe to murdre to some it woulde seme Thou were gylty where as thou art clene Diuers wittes diuersly wyl deme Report thyng thou none dyddest mene For which thou shalt paciently sustene Tyll thy chaste wyfely innocence May se hym punished for his violence Folke wyl not deme a person innocent Which wilfully whan he is not cuipable Yeldeth him selfe to deth by iudgement And neuer was a fore of no gyit partable His own doome vpon him selfe vengeable Causeth people tho their reporte be noughte To deme a thinge y ◠neuer was ywrought To be auenged vpon thine owne life In excusynge of thy deedly fame To shewe thou art a true wedded wyfe wenyng by deth to get the a name In this deuise thou art greatly to blame Wher y u yet knowest thy honor clerely shyne To yeue the people matter to deuyne And with that worde Lucrece dyd abrayde Full deedly both of loke and chere To them againe euyn thus she sayde Let be husbande let be my father dere Speke no more to me of this matere Lest men dempt in hindryng of my name Idred death more than false dyffame Your counsayle is I shal my lyfe conserue To sorowe and sclaunder but no gladnes But lesse yl it is at an houre to sterue Than euer languish in sorowe heuines Deth maketh an ende of al worldly distres And it was sayde syth ful yore ago Better is to die than euer to liue in wo. Whan that worship in any creature Is staine and deed by slaūdrous report Better is of death the dredful payne endure Than by false noyse aye to liue in discōfort Where newe newe diffame hath his resort Neuer dyeth but quickeneth by y ◠outrage Of hateful tonges venimous langage Do your deuer to halowe make stable The chast chambres of wyfely gouernaunce For in this case if ye be variable On false auoutry for to do vengeaunce There shal folow euerlastynge remembraūce How true spousaile as ye haue herde deuised In your citie is broke not chastifed If ye be founde in such a case negligent To punish auoutry of right as your charge Through your slouth as ye were of assent Luxurie vubridled shall ren abrode at large Who shal than your conscience discharge Or what woman stande in sickernes Of Lucrece afforced the clennes O dere husbande what ioy shulde it be To thine estate in any maner place Lyke as thy wyfe to cherishe me Or in thine armes me goodly to enbrace The gilt horrible considred trespace By Tarquyn don alas and welaway Which i my persō may neuer be wast away And father mine how shuldest thou me cal After this day thyne owne doughter dere Which alas refuse of women al That to thy plesaunce was whilom most entere
collusion Of Decemuir the frowarde disceyuyng The great outrage in their liuyng Of all echeone the odious rauine Hath by processe them brought vnto ruyne Where is become thy dominacion Thy great tributes thy treasures shynyng The worlde all whole in thy subiection Thy sword of veÌ„geaunce al people manacing Euer gready to encrese in thy gettyng Nothing by grace whiche that is diuine Which hath the brought by processe to ruyne In thy most hyghest exaltation Thy proude tyrantes prouinces conquering To god contrary by long rebellion Goddes goddesses falsely obeiyng Aboue the starres by surquedous climbyng Till vengeaunce thy nobles did vntwyne With new complaintes to shewe thy ruyne Lay downe thy pride and thy presumption Thy pompous bost thy lordships encreasing Confesse thine outrage lay thy boast adoun All false Gods playnly defiyng Lift vp thine hart vnto the heauenly kyng Whiche w t his bloude thy sorowes for to fyne Hath made thy raunsum to saue the fro ruyne From olde Saturne drawe thine affection His golden worlde fully despisyng And from Jupiter make a digression His silueren tyme hartely dispraysyng Resort agayne w t will and whole meanyng To him that is lorde of the orders nyne Whiche mekely dyed to saue the fro ruyne Though Mars be myghty in his assencion By influence victories disposyng And bright Phebus yeueth consolation To worldly princes their nobles auaunsing Forsake their rightes and thy false offryng And to that lorde bowe downe thy chyne Whiche shed his bloude to saue the fro ruyne Winged Mercury chiefe lorde and patrone Of eloquence and of fayre speakyng Forsake his seruice in thine opinion And serue the lorde that gouerneth all thyng The sterred heauen the spheres eke meuyng Whiche for thy sake was crowned w t a spine His hart eke pearced to saue the fro tuyne Cast vp of Venus the false derision Her fiery brande her flatteries renuyng Of Diana the transmutacions Nowe bryght nowe pale â–ª nowe clere nowe drepyng Of blynde Cupide the fraudulent mockyng Of Junâ— Bachus Proserpina and Lucine For none but Christ may saue the fro ruyne Voyde of Cirses the beastiall poyson Of Cyrenes the furious chauntynge Let not Medusa do the no treason And fro Gorgones turne thy lokyng And let Sinderesis haue the in kepyng That Christ Jesu may be thy medicyne Agayne suche raskayle to saue the fro ruyne Of false ydols make abiuracion To Similachres do no worshyppyng Make thy resort to Christes passion Whiche may by mercy redresse thyne erryng And by his grace repare thy fallyng So thou obey his vertuous disciplyne Trust that he shall restore thy ruyne His mercy is surmountyng of foyson Euer encreaseth without amenusyng Aye at full cche time and eche ceason And neuer waneth by none eclypsyng Whan men list make deuoutly their rekening To leaue their sinne come to his doctrine He ready is to kepe them from ruyne O Rome Rome all olde abusion Of ceremonies falsly disusyng Lay them aside and in conclusion Crye god mercy thy trespace repentyng Trust he will not refuse thy askyng The to receyue to laboure in his vine Eternally to saue the from ruyne O noble prynces of high discrecion Sithe in this worlde is none abidyng Peyse conscience against wil and reason While ye haue leasure of hart ymaginyng Ye beare not hence but your deseruyng Let this conceite aye in your thoughts mine By example of Rome how all goth to ruyne ¶ Thus endeth the seconde boke LIke a Pilgryme which y â— goeth on fote And hath no horse to releue his trauail Hote drye wery and may find no bote Of well colde whan thyrst doth him assayle Wine nor lycoure that may to him auayle Right so fare I whiche in my busines No succour finde my rudenes to redresse I meane as thus I haue no freshe lycouâ— Out of the conduites of Calliope Nor through Clyo in rethoryke no floure In my labour for to refreshe me Nor of the sisters in number thrise thre Whiche with Citherea on Pernaso dwel They neuer gaue me drinke of their well Nor of their sprynges clere and cristallyn That sprange by touchyng of the Pegase Their fauour lacketh my making to enlumin I fynde their balme of so great scarcite To tame their tunnes w t some drop of plente For Poliphemus through his blyndnes Hath in me darked of Argus the brightnes Our life here short of wyt the great dulnes The heuy soule troubled with trauayle And of memory the blasyng brotilnes Drede vncunnyng haue made a strong battayle With werines my spirite to assayle And w t their subtill crepyng in most quaynt Hath made my spirite in making for to faint And ouermore the fearfull frowardnes Of my stepmother called obliuion Hath a bastyle of foryetfulnes To stoppe the passage shadow my reason That I myght haue no clere dyrection In translatyng of newe to quycke me Stories to write of olde antiquitie Thus was I set and stode in double werre At the metyng of fearfull wayes twayne The one was this who euer list to lere Where as good will gan me constrayne Bochas to accomplyshe for to do my payne Came ignoraunce with a manace of drede My penne to rest I durst not procede Thus my selfe remembryng on this boke It to traunslate I had vndertake Full pale of chere astonied in my loke My hand gan tremble my pen I felt quake That dispayred I had almost forsake So great a labour dredefull importable It to â—erforme I founde me so vnable Twe ne the residue of this great iourney And little therof that was begonne I stode checkmate for feare whan I gan se In my way how little I had â—onne Like to a man that fayled day and sonne And had no light to accomplishe his vyage So farre I stode abacke in my passage The night came on darked with ignoraunce My wit was dull by clerenes to discerne In Rethoryke for lacke of suffisaunce The torches out quenched was the lantern And in this case my style to gouerne Me to further I founde none other muse But hard as stone Pierides and Meduse Support was none my dulnes for to gye Pouertie approched in stale croked age Mercury absent and Philologie My purse aye lyght voyde of all coynage Bachus farre of to glad my courage An ebbe of plente scarcete at full Which of an olde man maketh the spirite dull But hope and trust to put away dispayre Into my mynde of new gan them dresse And chefe of all to make wether fayre My lordes fredom bounteous largesse Into mine hart brought such gladnesse That through releuyng of his benigne grace False indigence lyst me no more manace O how it is an hartly reioysing To serue a prynce that list to aduertise Of their seruauÌ„tes y e faythful iust meanyng â–ª And list to coÌ„sider to guerdon their seruice And at a nede list them not despyse But fro al dauÌ„ger y t should them noy or greue Beth euer redy to helpe them and releue And thus releued
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
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
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
Bochas peÌ„syfe stode in hys lybrary Wyth chere oppressed pale in hys vysage Somdeale abashed alone and solitary To hym appered a monstruous ymage Parted on twayne of colour and corage Her ryght syde ful of soÌ„mer floures The tother oppressed w t winter stormy shoures Bochas astoined full feareful to abrayde Whan he behelde the wonderful fygure Of fortune thus to hym selfe he sayd What may this meane is this a creature Or a monstre transfourmed agayne nature Whose brenning eyen spercle of their light As do the sterres the frosty wynter nyght And of her chere ful good hede he toke Her face semyng cruel and terrible And by disdayne manasing of loke Her heare vntrussed harde sharpe horyble Frowarde of shape lothsome odible An hundred handes she had of eche parte In sondry wyse her gyftes to departe Some of her handes lyft vp men alofte To hye estate of worldly dignite Another hande griped full vnsofte Which cast another in great aduersite Gaue one rychesse an other pouerte Gaue some also by reporte a good name Noysed an other of sclaundre and dyffame Her habyte was of many folde colours Watchet blewe of fayned stedfastnesse Her golde allayed lyke son in watry showres Meynt w t grene for chaunge doublenesse A pretence reed drede meynt wyth hardines White for clennesse lyke sone for to faile Faint blake for mourning russet for trauayle Her colours meynt of wolles more than one Some whyle eclypsed some while bryght Dul as an asse whan men had haste to gone And as a swalowe geryshe of her flyghte Twene slowe swifte now croked nowe vpright Nowe as a creple lowe corbed doun Nowe as a dwery and nowe a chaÌ„pion Nowe a cowarde durst not come in prees Nowe somwhyle hardy as a lyon Nowe lyke Ector nowe dredful Thersites Nowe was she Cresus nowe AgameÌ„non Now Sardanapallus of condicion Nowe was she maÌ„nishe nowe was she feminyne Nowe coude she rayne nowe falsly shyne Nowe a Mermayde angelyke of face A taile behinde very serpentyne Nowe de bonaire now frowarde to do grace Nowe as a lambe tretable benigne Nowe lyke a wolfe of nature to maligne Nowe Sirenes to synge folke a slepe Tyl Caribdis drowne theÌ„ in the depe Thus Bochas considringe her figure Al her features in ordre he gan beholde Her bredth her leÌ„gthe her shape her stature An hundred handes armes there he tolde Wherof astoined his herte gan wexe colde And amonge al her membres euerychone Hym sempte she had no fete vpon to gone And whyle that he considred al thys thynge Twene them as it were in a traunce She sodainly towarde him loking He conceiued by her countenaunce Were it for yre were it for plesaunce Outher for fauour outher for disdaine By the maner she woulde somwhat sayne Loking as coye as she had had disdaine Bochas quod she I knowe all thyne entent Howe thou trauailest busiest the in vaine In thy study euer diligent Nowe in the west nowe in the orient To seche stories north and meridien Of worthy princes y t here toforne haue ben Some dwelled vnder the pole artike By my fauour vp raysed to the sterres Other vnder the pole Aâ—tartyke Which in contrary fro vs so ferre is Some encreced and set vp by the werres Lyke as me lyst their triuÌ„phes tauaunce Frownig on other I brought theÌ„ to mischaÌ„ce I se the busy remembring by Scripture Stories of princes in euery maner age As my fauour foloweth their auenture By humble style set in playne langage Not made curious by none auauntage Of rethorikes with muses for to striue But in plaine four me their dedes to discriue In which processe thou doest great dyligence As they deserue to yeue theÌ„ thanke or blame Settest vp one in roiall excellence Within my house called the house of Fame The golden trumpet w t blastes of good name Enhaunceth on to ful hie parties Wher Jupiter sytteth amoÌ„g the heueÌ„ly skies Another truÌ„pet of sownes full vengeable Which bloweth vp at feastes funerall Nothinge bright but of colour sable Ferre fro my fauour deadly and mortal To plonge princes from their estate royall Whan I am wroth to make theÌ„ lowte lowe Than of malice I do that trumpet blowe Thou hast written set togyther in grose Lyke their desertes worldly mennes dedes Nothing conceled nor vnder couert close Spared the crownes nor their purple wedes Nor goldeÌ„ septers but yaue theÌ„ their medes Crowned one w t laurer hye on hys head set Other with peruinke made for the gybet Thus diuersly my giftes I depart One accepte another is refused Lyke hasardours my dyce I do ieoparte One well furthered another is accused My play is double my trust is euer abused Though one to daye my fauour hath wonne To morow againe I can eclipse his sonne Cause of my coÌ„myng plainly to declare By good auice vnto thy presence Is to shewe my maners and not spare And my condicions breuely in sentence Preued of olde and newe experience Plainly to shewe me lyst not for to rowne To day I flater to morowe I can frowne This houre I can shewe me merciable And sodainly I can be dispitous Now wel wylled nowe hastely vengeable Nowe sobre of chere nowe hasty furious My play vncouth my maners maruaylous Brayd on y â— wynde nowe glad now murne Lyke a wedercock my face eche day I turne Wherin Bochas I tel the yet agayne Thou doest folly thy wyttes for to ply All thy labour thou spyllest in vayne Gayne my maners so fully to reply By thy writyng to fynde a remedy To interrupt in thy last dayes My statutes and my customable wayes Al the labour of Phylosophers olde Trauayle of Poetes my maners to depraue Hath ben of yore to say lyke as they woulde Ouer my fredom the souerainte to haue But of my lawes the liberte to saue Vpon my whele they shall them not defende But whan me list than they shal discende Why shoulde men put me in blame To folowe the nature of my double play With newe buddes dothe not Ver the same Whan primroses appere fresh and gay To day they shewe to morowe gon away Somer after of flours hath foyson Tyl Iune w t sythes after mowe theÌ„ doun Nowe is the see calme and blaundyshyng Nowe are the wyndes comfortable styll Nowe is Boreas sturdy in blowynge Which yonge shepe blosomes greueth yl Why also shoulde I not haue my wyl To shewe my selfe now smothe after trouble Syth to my kynde it longeth to be double No man so ferre is fall in wretchednesse But that he standeth in trust to ryse agayne Nor none so depe plonged in distresse Nor with dispaire nor waÌ„hope ouer layne But that there is some hope left certaine To yeue him comforte seruynge his entent To be releued whan me lyst assent The erth is clad in motlayes whyte rede Whan Estas entreth with vyolettes sote The greues are grene in euery mede The vawm fleteth which doth to
their shields roue a sōdre Eugenius take after and lost his hed And Arbogast slough him selfe for drede Thus gan the Lord of his eternal might Chastice tyrantes and their malice represse Saued Theodosy hys owne chosen knyght who trusteth him of parfite stablenes Gothe fre fro daunger escapeth fro duresse Bokes record howe Theodosius Was in his time called Catholicus The cace was this as I reherce can In Thessalonyca a famous great cyte Being Bishop saint Ambrose in Millan Certayne Jewes for to do equite And sytte in dome hauyng auctorite Notwithstanding their commission Were slayn by commons entryng the toun Therof the Emperour was nothynge faine But commaunded of hasty wilfulnes whan he knew the iudges so were slayn That his knightes shuld them thider dresse Entred the cyte by cruell sturdinesse With swerde pollax daggers sharpe whet Indifferently to sle al that they met By whose biddinge the cite to encombre That day was slaine many an innocent Fyue thousand deed remembring in nombre Murdred in host without iudgement By them that were in to the cite sent But whan Ambrose herd of this cruell dede Like a iust prelate thus he gan procede Ye haue herde how this vengaunce gan By Theodosy to chastice the cyte The same emperour came after to Myllan Wolde haue entred at a sole mpnite The cathedrall church in his most royalte Byshoppe Ambrose at the porche him met And of purpose manly him with set Quod the bis shop I counsayl the wythdraw In to this churche thou haue none entre Thou hast offended God and eke his law Be not so hardy nor bolde I charge the To sette thy fote nor entre in no degree Because thou art a cruel homicide That maugre thy might thou shalt abide Vnto thy palaes home agayne retourne This eyght monthes loke thou be not sein Passe not thy bonds do mekely there soiorn For trust me wel and be rightwel certayne All such murdrers god hath them in disdain Blode falsly shed haue this in remembraūce Calleth day and night to him to do vēgasice Against the for this great offence Innocentes bloude shed agayn right By iust auctorie I giue this sentence This eight monthes accompted day nyght ▪ To entre the church y ◠shalt not com in sight Reason shal hold so iust the balaunce Tyl thou haue fully accōplished thy penaūce what I haue said take therof good hede For this time thou gettest no more of me withdraw thy hād innocentes blode to shede For any rancour or hasty cruelte Than beholde the great humilitie Of the Emperour and consydre wele For it wolde haue peersed a hert of stele with heed enclyned no word he spake again Fyll in wepinge w t subbyng vnstaunehable His purple wede bedewed as with rayne Returning home with chere most lamētable So continued in his purpose stable with al the tokens of faithfull repentaunce In lowly wyse accomplished hys penaunce He gaue ensample to princes euery chone In case semblable that worke of wylfulnes To execusion to procede anon Mentain their errour froward cursednes Defēd their trespas meintein their wodnes Farre out of ioint if it shal be declared To Theodosy for to be compared To the earth he mekely did obey Goddes knight did lowly his penaunce Where there be some that wrongly it warrei Holde ther again by froward maintenance Touching this mater set here in remēbrāce As mendeserue let euery wight take hede He that seeth al quiteth them their mede Theodosius list nothyng abredge To short the yard of his correction Forsoke the platte of rigour toke the edge Mekely to suffre his castygacion To bowe his chine was no rebellion By meke confession knowing his trespace By saynt Ambrose restored agayne to grace Vertuous princes may ensample take Of Theodosy how they the lord shal queme He nat froward amendes for to make His ceptre his swerde and his diademe Subiect to Ambrose what him list deme Obeied al thing and for his great offence To holy churche to make recompence He knew that God was his souerayn Lorde To holy church how greatly he was bound ▪ Grutched neuer in wyll thought nor word Holy on Christ his empyre for to found where vertu reigneth vertu will ay rebound And for this prince obeyed to al vertue Hath now his mede aboue with Christ Jesu The .xviii. Chapter ¶ Howe knightes and gentilmen chase Alerike king and the commons chase Radagasus whyche ended in myschefe IT is remembred of antiquite In the Byble after Noes floud Howe by discent of his sonnes thre Of their linege plainly and theyr bloud All kinreddes dylated ben abrode And myne authour as it is made mynde Of Japhet seuen nacions he did finde The people fyrste of Gaule and Galathe Of Magoth Gothes and folke of Itayle Tyre Cithia with many a great countre Standing in Asia as by rehersayle But in Europe stant Trace it is no fayle Gothes Cithiens of purpose did ordaine ▪ Among them selfe gouernours twayne Knyghtes and gentelmen chase Alericus To be their prince and haue the souerayntie Where the commons chase Radagasus The Gothes fyrst for greate suerte With king Alerike entring the cyte In to Rome to finde there socour That time Honorius being their emperoure By graunt of whome al the hole countre Gaue to Alerike Gaule Spayn and Fraūce There to abide and thereto holde his see Gothes spaynolfes vnder his obeisaunce Takyng on hym al the gouernaunce Tyl Stillicon out of the Occident To mete with him was from Rome sent That time Honorius beyng Emperoure Stillicon gan Alerike enchace With many a sturdy proud soudioure For to fight they chose haue their place But Aleryke stode so in the grace Of fortune that by very might Stillicon he put vnto the flyght Radagasus and Alerike of assent Haue concluded and full accorded be Thrugh Itaile for to make their went Toward Rome and to entre that cyte Maugre romains to haue the souerainte Tofore their entring gan the town manace The name of Rome to chaunge and difface The towne for euermore to do a shame Their purpose was as ye haue heard deuise Fyrst of al to chaunge the townes name Dempt them selfe able to that emprise But for tune thought all otherwyse Like her maners to do most domage Whan she to men sheweth fresh her vysage Her condicions be not alway one Stondmele of custome she can vary For she was fyrst froward to Stilicon And to Radagasus efte agayne contrary In one poynt she list neuer tarye To Radagasus her fauoure did fayle By Stillicon he vanquished in batayle All his pride might not make him spede For fortune lyst so for him ordaine That he was fayne at so strayt a nede To fl ye for socour to an hye mountayne Of all vitaile naked and baraine Weere for hunger he felt so great greefe Nigh al his people dyed at mischefe Of all socour destitute and baraine Sawe no remedy toke him to flyght By the romayns he was so ouerlaine
Take at mischefe and maugre his might In chaynes bound dampned anone ryght For to be deed his people as it is tolde Many one slayne some take and some sold. There was none prouder nor more suâ—qÌ„dus In thylke dayes plainly to discryue Then was this said king Radagasus Which toke on him with romains to stryue His â—ower short was ouerturned bliue For fortune of malice had a lust To â—â—e this tirant with hunger with thrust Among other proud princes all Reioised him selfe by a maner vainglory Because that men in countres did him cal King of Gothes short is the memorye Of him rehersed or written in history To gyue ensample in dede men maye finde The name of tyrantes is sone out of minde The .xix. Chapter ¶ Howe Ruffyn chamberlayne with Theodosy vsurped to be Emperour and therfore by Honorious dampned and his heade smyt of HIe climing vp hath oft an vnware fal And specially whan it is sodaine Fro low degre to estate imperyall Whan false ambicion the ladder doth ordain By vsurpacion presumptuously to attayne Abouâ— the skyes with his heade to perce Fro whens he come were shame to reherce I meane as thus al such hasty climbing Of them that list not them self to know And haue forget the grouÌ„d of their ginning By froward fame with worldly winds blow â–ª To reise their name aboue sagitaris bowe Recorde of Ruffin which proudly gan desire By false intrusion to occupi the â—pite Which Rufin was whilom chamberlayn With Theodosy and holde a manly knight Yet in one thing he was â—oule ouersaine By couetise blynded in his syght To speÌ„d his labour that had no title of right By the emperour Honorius he was sent For to gouerne all the Orieate By processe Ruffin was made vikeâ—e Called after the vikarimperial Toke vpon him holye and entere By authorite chefe and principall Him selfe alone for to gouerne all And most able thus he did deme Before all other to weare a diedeme Of him selfe so much he did make In porte and therto most ambicious At Constantinople he was vnwarely take First bound in chaynes after serued thus By true iudgment of Honorius His hed smot of and his righthand in dede This was his ende no more of him Irede The .xx Chapter ¶ Howe Stillyon and other of like condicon ended in mischefe AFter whose dethe to Bochas came one Such other like of condicion Afore remembred called Stillion Purposed him to haue possession Of the Empyre hole thus he thought And by what mene y â— way his fader sought Compendiously to tell of these twayne Fro diuers countrees towarde SepteÌ„trion To gather people did theyr busy payne Of many dyuers straunge nacion Againe Honorius they came togyder doun And as they met fortune made them fayle Bothe atones slaine were in batayle Their ginning cursed had a cursed fyne After whose death I rede of other twayne Of one Constance his father Constantyne Which Constantine toke on him certayne To reigne in Gaule and after dyd ordayne In that countre to be gouernour There to continue as lorde and Emperoure His sonne Constaunce caught a deuocion Of conscience and forthwith anonright Was shaue a monke made his profession His father after of very force and might Let take hiÌ„ out gaue hiÌ„ thorder of a knight Bothe of assent gan make them selfe strong Toppres the countre do the people wrong This said Constaunce as mine auctor saith Was confederate of hatefull cruelte With one HeÌ„ricius assurauÌ„ce made of faith As brethern sworne for more authorite And for to make the nombre vp of thre Constantyne was sworne with them also To be al one in what they had to do These saide thre sworne and ioyned thus Conquered in Spayne many a great cyte But in this whyle this said Henricius Traytour false and full of duplicite His felowe slought againe his othe pardye Thus was ConstauÌ„ce through false collusioÌ„ Of Henricius murdred by trayson Henricius lyued nat but a whyle By his owne knightes he slaine was also Fraude for fraude disceit is quyt with gyle It foloweth euer and gladly cometh therto Men receiue their guerdon as they do Let men alway haue this in remembraunce Murdre of custome wyll ende w t mischauÌ„ce Among suche other thus endinge in mischefe Came Attalus and one Eraclyan For no prowes but to their great reprefe Remembred here their storie tell can Agayne Romanes whan they rebell gan By Honorius afore made officers And of the Empyre called chefe vykars First Attalus for his tyranny Whan he in Gaule was made gouernour Went in to Spaine with a great company Dyd his payne and fraudulent labour By false sleight to be made Emperour Take and bounde exiled for falsnesse His hande smyt of ended in wretchednesse Of Eraclian the ende was almost lyke Yet was he promoted to great prosperite Made gouernour and lorde of Affrike Of Consulere rose to the dignite Rode through Libi and many a gret couÌ„tre With thre thousande shippes gan to sayle And with seuin hundred to ariue in Itayle So many shyppes neuer afore were seine Like as it is accompted by wryting His nauy passed the nauy in certayne Of mighty zerxses that was of Perce king Or Alisandre but yet in his coÌ„ming Toward Itaile whan he should aryue The sea fortune gan againe him stryue At his arriuaile he had a sodaine drede Cause Honorius had sent downe a capitain Constancius called gouernoure and bede Of all the Romains to mete him on y e plain For whiche Eraclian tourned is again As I fynde gan take his passage Towarde the cite that called is Cartage Thus fortune lyst her power shewe Or he came fully to that noble towne With sharpe swerdes he was all to hewe Among his knights through false collusion As they fil at a discencion Of intrucion fyrst gan the quarell Again Romains whan he gan rebell ⧠The .xxi. Chapter ¶ A goodly processe why Rome was distroied and for the same or lyke cause many other realmes OF many mischeues before rehersed Some drawe a longe and some shortly tolde And howe fortune hath her whele reuersed By tragedies remembred manyfolde Tofore by Bochas of princes yonge olde In the eight boke rehersed the processe Echone almost ended in wretchednesse Namely of them that dyd moste desyre By wrong titel them selfe to magnify To haue lordshyp and gouerne th empyre The state imperial proudly to occupy Whiche estate plainly to specifye As farre as Phebus doth in his spere shyne Among all lordships is brought to ruyne Fro mine authour I lyst nat discorde To tel y â— ground why Rome came to nought By an example I cast me to recorde What was chefe cause if it be wel out soght By a storie that came vnto my thought Of John Bochas whiche ye shal here That full notably is rehersed here Which ensample and storie rehersing Ceriously folowing myne authour Odoacer whylom a famous king A kyng by name and a great gouernour But of
falleth whā fortune maketh best there And falsly smyleth in her double wede Folke sene expert than is she most to drede Thus whan the name of the worthy kyng Was ferthest sprade by reporte of memory In euery realme his noblesse most shinynge All his emprises concluding on victory This double goddesse enuied at his glory And cast meanes by som maner traine To clipse the light of knighthode in Britaine Thus whyle Arthure stode most honorable In his estate flouringe in his age Among his knightes of the rounde table Hyest of princes on fortunes stage The Romains sent to him for truage Gan make a claime frowarde outragious Takyng their title of Cesar Julius The same time this mighty kyng Arthur Conquered had Gaule and also Fraunce Outrayed Frolle lyke a conquerour Brought Paris vnder obeysaunce Toke them to grace with hys ordinaunce Gate al Anioue Angory and Gascoine Poitowe Nauerne Berry Burgoyne Cesed not but dyd his busy payne Most lyke a knight helde forth hys passage Gate all the lande of Poyters Tourayne Their cite yolde to hym they did homage To be rebell they founde none auanutage Soiourned in Fraunce as sayth y ◠Cronicler Helde possession the space of nyne yere Helde a feast full solempne at Paryse All the countreis whyth he gate in Fraunce Lyke a prince full prudent and rightwyse Which had of fredome full royall suffisaunce Of all his cōquest the countreis in substaunce For his princes and barons so prouided Lyke their desertes he hath them deuided To his Seneschal that called was Kay Anioue and Mayne he gaue all the party To his butler was made no delay Called Bedwere he gaue Normandye To a baron nye cosyn of alye A manly knight which named was Berell Gaue the duchy of Burgoyne euery del Thus he departed lordeshyppes of that lande There he thought was most expedient Some he reserued in hys owne hande Againe to Britayne retourned of entent Sent out letters helde a greate parliament After which he made a feast anon In the countre called Gloumorgon At a great cite called Carlion As is remembred by olde wrytinges Came many a prince many a freshe baron In nombre I fynde there were .x. kynges Redy to obey Arthur in al thynges Present also as was wele sene There was of erles rekened full thurtene Al the knightes of the rounde table Feast of Pentecost as feest principall Many estates famous and honorable Of princes barons borne of the blode royal Were present there and in especiall All that were by othe and promyse bounde To y ◠brotherhede of the table rounde And it fell so whyle that kyng Arthur As appertayned sate in hys estate There came .xii. sent downe by great laboure Of olde men chosen of the Senate Sad of their porte demure and temperate Richely clad of loke and of vysage Gray heared sempt of right great age First connyngly as they thought it due Cause of their cōmyng playnly their entent Fyrst of assent the kyng they dyd salue Next after that they tolde who them sent And their letters mekely they present Concludyng thus to speke in brefe langage Howe the Romains aske of hym truage Customed of olde syth gone many a day Whan that Cesar conquered first Britayne The kynge requiring to make thē no delay Arthur abode lyst nothinge to sayne But all the courte gan at them dysdayne The proude Britons of cruel hasty blode Wolde haue slayne thē euyn there they stode Nay quod Arthur to al his officers Within our courte they shal haue no domage They entred bene and come as messangers And men also greatly fal in age Let make them chere wyth a glad visage Toke his coūsaile with such as wer most wise With this answere sayde in curteyse wyse Your letters red and plainly vnderstande The tenure hole remembred in this place Touching y ◠charge that ye haue take on hāde To yeue answere reherced in short space By worde writyng ye greatly me manace How ye purpose wyth many strong battayle Passe the moūtains me felly for to assayle It nedeth not such conquest to alledge Agayne Britons of none olde truage Of your coming down y ◠way I shal abredge Wyth goddes grace short your passage Make you no delay but with my baronage Passe the see without long tariyng To mete Romaines at their downe cōmyng This was the answer youe to the messāgers At their departing bare w t them great riches As he bade also vnto his officers Agayne to Rome anone they gan thē dresse Plainly reporting the plentuous largesse Of worthy Arthure considred all thynges Of christendome he passed al other kinges Arthurs courte was the sours and well Of marciall prowes to Lucius they tolde And howe that he al other dyd excel In chyualry wyth whom they were w thold The chosen knyghtes both yonge olde In all Europe who can considre arighte Of all noblesse the torches be there lyghte He cast him not to paye no truage Sayde of the Romaynes he helde no londe Which to defende he wyl make his passage Of your clayme 's to breake a two the bonde And knyghtly preue with his honde Ye haue no tytle ye nor your cite Agayne Britons whych euer haue stand fre With y ◠al the kingdoms subiect to Rome toun Kynges Princes aboue the hie mountaines With Lucius they be discended downe To mete Britons vpon the large playnes Arthurs comming greatly he disdains Bycause he had plainely to dyscriue In multitude of people such fyue At Southhamptō Arthur toke the see With all his knightes of the rounde table Behinde he left to gouerne the countre His cosin Mordrede vntrusty vnstable And at a prefe false and disceyuable To whom Arthur of trust toke al his lande The crowne except whych he kept in hande Fro Southhampton Arthur gan to sayle With all his worthy lordes of Britaine At Harflue fonde good ariuaile He his princes their passage dyd ordaine Thrugh Normādy Fraūce eke Burgoine Vp to a cyte called Augustence Wher he first fonde of Lucius the presence So large a felde nor such a multitude Of men of armes assembled in a plaine Vpon a day shortly to conclude Togider assemble afore was neuer seine Lucius had on his party certaine Eastwarde the worlde all the chiualtye Brought by y ◠moūtains down to Germany Their wardes set in ech a great battaile With their capitaine to gouerne to gye Arthur w t britons the Romains did auaile Fond many Sarazins vpō that party The Briton Gaulfride doth plainly specify As he of Arthur the prowes doth discriue He flewe that day of Sarazins kynges fyue The great slaughter the effusion of bloude That was that day on outher syde Eche againe other y ◠furious were wode Lyke for the felde as fortune lyst prouide That if I shoulde longe theron abyde To write the deth the slaughter manere Touching the felde were tedious to here To conclude and leaue the surplusage In that
in Pontus of Asie a great I le In this whyle Emanuell was deade Fall in great age the story telleth thus Hauyng a child and he who list take hede Whyle he dwelled in his tathers hous Among grekes called Alexius And the tutour that he was assigned to Y called was Alexius also The same that was assigned his tutour To se vpon him al the gouernaunce Had ful power as lorde and Emperoure And al the empire vnder his obeisaunce Princes lordes gaue to him attendaunce Where that he were present or absent Eche thing was done at his cōmaundement I meane as thus he had al in hand Constantinople a cite of great substaunce But for extorcions whych he dyd in the lande On his subiectes and for misgouernaūce Among the lordes it fyll in remembraunce Al of assent in hert gan desire To Call Andronicus agayne to his empyre By assent restored and crowned Emperour Constantinople entring the cite Busied him by fraudulent labour All the bloude borne of the imperiall see For to be slayne by vengeable cruelte By iudgement of this Andronicus Except a prince called Jsacius Thus in effecte the trouth was well sene He was vengeable last in his olde age Right as he was in his yeres grene Felly gouerned ful of false outrage Last of al malicious of corage Toke to coūsel in Grece he was thus named Al such as were disclaundred or diffamed Homicides he had in his houshoulde Tirantes y ◠wrought agayne ryghtwysenes Cherished al that hardy were and bolde Widowes wiues maidens to oppresse Ribaudry was called gentilnes Spared nouther he was so lecherous Women shorne chast nor folke religious Had also no maner conscience To his subiectes falselye by rauine Toke what him list by vniuste violence To al vyces hys youth he dyd enclyne And all that were of the royall lyne Were slaine echone except Jsacius As I tolde erst by Andronicus And as I fynd for him in haste he sent For this purpose to come to his presence To murdre him this was his entent By diuers tokens and many euydence And fully knewe the fine of his sentence He lyke a prince lyst come no nere Smyt of the heade of the Messanger And After that of manly prouidence Myd the cite shewed him lyke a knyght Prayde lordes to yeue him audience Princes and iudges for to do him ryght That he might declare in their syght Great iniuries domages outragions Wrought by themperour called Andronicus O Citezins that knowe all the gise Of your Emperour called Andronicus Not emperour so as ye lyst aduertyse But a tiraunt cruel and furious A false murderer vengeable dispitous Hath of newe and froward false corage Slayne of the Empyre holy the lynage There is aliue left none of the blode Saue I alone of the royall lyne For Andronicus lyke a tiraunt wode Hath slaine echone breuely to termyne His sworde of vēgeaunce they myghte not decline Nowe purposeth he of mortall tirānye To slee me also that am of their alye Requiringe you in this consistory O citezins that here present be To remembre and call to memory Howe this famous imperiall cite Hath aye ben redy to do equite Busy also of their noblesse Wronge of tirauntes manly to oppresse Philosophers and Poetes eke deuyse In their sawes prudent and notable Blode of tirauntes is noble sacrifice To god aboue whan they be vengeable And sith ye be ryghtfull iust and stable In your workes voyde of variaūce Weye thys matter iustly in balaunce The people echone al of one assent For outrages of thys Andronicus Put him downe by ryghtfull iudgement In whose place was set vp Jsacius The sayd tiraunt frowarde and vicious Gan maligne and hym selfe dresse In his defence to make a fortresse It holpe him not to make resistence So as he stode voyde of al fauoure Seiged he was and by violence Maugre hys myhgt rent out of that tower Spoiled cruelly founde no better socour Stode all naked quakyng in his payne And fyrst rent out one of his eyen twayne And ouermore he had this rewarde Wythout help socour or respite Rode on an asse his face set backwarde The asses tayle holdyng for dispite Whom to beholde the people had delyte To pore and ryche thrugh the cite Hym to rebuke was graunted liberte After al this in a carte set And vengeably lad out of y ◠toun By dome hanged on an hye gybet The people on hym to hys confusion Made clamour and terrible soun Wolde neuer fro the galowes wende Tyll in mischefe by death he made an ende ¶ Lenuoye IN this tragedy agaynste Andronicus Bochas maketh an exclamacion Agayne al princes vicious Whyle they haue power and dominacion By tirannye vsinge extorcion Concludynge thus that theyr false liuing Of right requireth to haue an yuell ending Indifferently this tyrant lecherous Of wyues maidens made none excepcion Folowyng his lust froward disclaundrous Spared no woman of religion Made wyues breake their profession By violence peyse wel al this thing Of ryght requyreth to haue an yuell endyng Most in murdre he was contagious Of innocent blode to make effusion Vengeable also agayne al vertuous Against his kynrede sought occasion To slee them fro whych that he came doun Which considered all such false working Of right requireth to haue an yuell endynge Bochas manaceth princes outragious Whyche by their proude hateful abusion To god and man of wyll contrarious Hauyng in herte a false opinion Al tho that bene in their subiection They may deuour their power so stretchyng Which shal not faile to haue an yuell endyng Noble princes ye that bene desirous To perseuer in your deminacion And in al vertue to be victorious Cherishe trouth and put falshede doun Be merciable measured by reason Of Andronicus the surfetes eschewyng That ye by grace may haue a good endyng The .xxii. Chapter ¶ Of Jsacius made blynde and take at mischefe AS is rehersed whan Jsacius Had all the Empire in his possession To auenge the deth of Andronicus Constantinople in that royal toun A brother of his there came doun With a basin brenning bright as glede Made him blind of hym no more I rede Except Jsacius was take at mischefe Of him that wrought his distruction Liyng awayte as doth a preuy these Toke the Emperour put him in prison Vengeably dyd execusion As is remembred with a basyn bright Brennyng red hote and so he lost his sight A sonne he had called Alexius Tendre of age cast him to succede By his tutour false and contrarious Murdred he was at mischefe as I rede The same tutour purposing as in dede Of the empire by false collusion By fraude and mede to haue possession In this chapiter of him no more I fynde Reherced here in order by writynge But to mine auctour y ◠processe maketh mind There came in haste Sangot of Egipt kyng And with him came pitously wepyng Mightye princes Soundans twayne Reigning in Damas their falles to cōplayne Of Alopye Salech was
the name of king Siculus Trinacry a countre merueylous Toke first his name of famous hylles thre The chefe of them is called Peâ—orus The next Pathmus the third Lyllybe Not ferre from Ethua the sayd hilles be Beside a sea full perilous and ylle With two dangers Caribdis and Scille The sayd Lewes kyng of Jerusalem And of Cecile the boke maketh mencion Which was chased and put out of his realme By another Lewes and put down Ended in pouerte for short conclusion This last Lewes of pite dyd hym grace Tyl he died to haue a dwellyng place The .xxxviii. Chapter How king John of Fraunce at Poyters was taken prisoner by prince Edwarde and brought into Englande NExt of all and last of euerychone Cursyng Fortune with all her variaunce Makyng hys complaynt to Bochas came king John Tolde his tale how he was take in Fraunce By priÌ„ce Edward for all his great puissauÌ„ce And after with strong and mighty hand He was fro Poyters brought into England Afore distroyed his castels and his townes And ouerthrowen manly in battayle His princes slayne theyr baners penouns Nor brode standers might them not auayle The trace out sought spoiled of plate maile Maugre his might kiÌ„g John was prisoner In England after abode full many a yere Set afterwarde to full great raunson The worthy slayne on the Frenche party The same time in Brutes Albyon There floured in suche noblesse chyualry With high prudence and prudent policy Mars and Mercury aboue eche nacion Gouerned that tyme Brutus Albion Mars for knighthode theyr patron i batraile And Mynerua gaue them influence Meynt with brightnesse of plate mayle To stour in clergye and in hie prudence That prince Edward by marciall violence That day on liue one the best knight Brought home kinge John maugre all hys might Though Bochas gaue him fauour by laÌ„gage His heart enclined to that partye Which vnto him was but small auauntage Worde is but winde brought in by enuye For to hinder the famous chiualrye Of English meÌ„ ful narow he gan him thinke Left speare shelde fought with pen ynke Though the sayd Bochas floured in Poetry His parcial writyng gaue no mortal wouÌ„de Caught a quarell in his melancoly Which to his shame afterward did rebounde In conclusion lyke as it was founde Agayne king John a quarel gan to take Cause that he would of English men be take Helde them but small of reputacion In his report men may hys writyng see His fantasy nor hys opinon Stode in that case of none authorite Their kiÌ„g was take their knightes did flee Wher was Bochas to helpe theÌ„ at such nede Saue with his pen he made no man to blede Of right wisnesse euery croniculer Should in his writyng make no exception Indifferently conuey his matter Not be perciall of none affection But gyf the thanke of mortal guerdon Hys style in order so egally obserued To euery party as they haue deserued Laude of king John was that he abode In that he quit hym like a manly knight His lordes slayne some away they rode Most of his meyny toke them to the flight This iourney take for king Edwardes right The feelde y wonne haue this in memory Trouthes hold hath gladly the victory Of king John what should I write more Brought to this land with other prisoners Vpon which the realme complayned sore By rehearsayle of olde Croniclers Died in England within a fewe yeres Led home agayne after theyr writynges Lieth at S. Denys with other kinges ⧠Lenuoye OF Bochas boke the last tragedye Compendiouslye put in remembraunce How prince Edwarde w t his chiualrye Fought at Poiters w t king John of FrauÌ„ce And through his mighty Marciall puysauÌ„ce GrouÌ„ded his quarell vpon his fathers right Toke him prisoner ful like a manly knight By collusion kyng John dyd occupye Set out of order the royall aliaunce Scepter and crowne with all the regalye Was down desceÌ„ded to Edward iÌ„ substauÌ„ce CoÌ„ueyed y e brauÌ„ches by lineall concordaunce For which title grounded vpon right Prince Edward fought like a manly knight His clayme and quarel more to fortify In token y â— god his quarel would auaunce Discomfiture was made on that party Vpon kyng John by violent vtraunce An heauenly signe by influent purueyaunce Sent from aboue to shew Edwardes right For which y e priÌ„ce fought like a maÌ„ly knight Noble princes your heartes do applye Justly to way this matter in balaunce All thing paysed ye mâ— it not denye If ye consider euery circumstaunce In right Judges may be no variaunce The fielde dâ—rreyued deme who hath right For whiche y e priÌ„ce fought like a maÌ„ly knight Thing of assent put in ieopardy And committed to Gods ordinaunce There may be after no contrauersy Atwene party quarel nor distaunce Who shal reioyse in this case stode Fraunce Sith at Poyters declaring who hath right PriÌ„ce Edward fought like a manly knight ¶ Here Bochas maketh a rehearsayl how Fortune hath made highe estates vnwarely to discende LEt folke of wisdom coÌ„sider in their wit Gather vp a sum count in theyr reason To all estates how Fortune hath her quit To popes prelates gyn first in Rome town To cardinals most souerayne of renown When they sat hiest coude them not defende Agayn Fortune by no proivsion But with a turne she made them to diseend After in order call to remembraunce The state imperial of famous emperours Which as Appollo through theyr puyssaunce Theyr fame vp blow to Jupiters tours And forget not these olde conquerours Aboue Mercury cast them to ascende Tyl that fortune with her frowarde shours Most sodaynly made them to discende Kinges and princes of diuers regions In Asye Europe Affrike and Cartage Of Ethiope the marciall champions Monsters of Inde hydous of visage Athlas Hercules iÌ„ their most furious rage Against whose might no man coude hiÌ„defeÌ„de What folowed from their hyest stage Fortune vnwarely made them to discende Priestes prelates well fed fat persons And patriarkes that had great soueraynte Reken vp religioÌ„s w t al their brode crownes Byshops abbottes confyrmed in their see Beholde of fortune the mutabylite Seculere chanons w t many great prebende whan they sate hyghest in their felycite Howe sodaynly she made them to discende All y t is written is written to our doctryne One courbeth lowe another gothe vpright Some be vicious some in vertue shyne Phebus now clipsed soÌ„tyme shyneth bright Somtyme cloudy somtyme sterlight Some folke appayre some dothe amende Shew of Fortune the power the might One goth vpward another doth discende Some man holy encreaseth in vertue Another rechelesse of frowarde wilfulnesse One is perfit and stable in Christ Jesu Another braydeth vpon frowardnesse One encreaseth with treasour richesse Who list thriue to labour must attende Maugre the world Fortunes doublenesse Doth one arise another doth discende One is busy and setteth ail his labour Early to aryse his good to multiply Another spendeth and is a great wastouâ— Some tre is barayn some tre doth fructifye One can say sothe another can well lye One can gather another can dispende Vnto fortune this matter dothe applye She maketh one to arise another to disceÌ„de All these matters combined into one Of which this boke maketh mencion Voyde the wede of vertue take the corne As reason teacheth in your discrecion And for to make a short conclusion In a brefe summe this b 〈…〉 o comprehende Fortunes whele by reuolâ—â—ion Doth one clymbe vp another to discend ☞ The wordes of the translatour W 〈…〉 letters leues this lytell boke treÌ„bling Pray to the prince to haue on the pyte Vâ—â—â—e of all picture and enlumynyng Wâ—â—â—h hast of Cicero no curious dyte 〈◊〉 of his gardayne no floures of beaute 〈…〉 graunt grace thy rudenesse nat offende 〈…〉 hygh noblesse and magnanymyte 〈…〉 s presence whan thou shalt ascende And for my parte of one hert abyding 〈…〉 de of chaunge and mutabylite 〈◊〉 present this boke with hand shakyng Of hole affection knelyng on my kne Praying the lord one two and thre Whose magnificence no clerke may coÌ„preheÌ„de Sende you might grace and prosperite Euer in vertue to encreace and ascende To kisse y â— steppes of theÌ„ that were furtheriÌ„g Laureat poetes whiche had soueraynte Of eloquence to supporte thy makyng And pray all tho that shall this processe se In thyne excuse that they lyst to be And where it is amysse for to amende Set thy grounde vpon humylite Vnto their grace that thou mayst ascende In a shorte clause thy content rehersyng As one vp clymbeth to great prosperite So another by experte knowlegyng From great rychesse is brought to pouerte Alas O boke what shall I say of the Thy tragedyes thrugh all y â— worlde to sende Go forthe I pray excuse thy selfe and me Who loueth most vertue highest shal ascende Blacke be thy wede of coÌ„playnt mourniÌ„g Called fall of princes from their felycite Lyke Chaunteplure now singing nowe weping Wo after myrth next ioy aduersyte So entremedled there is no suerte Lyke as this boke doth prayse coÌ„prehende Nowe on the whele now set in lowe degre Who will encreace by vertue must ascende The ende of Bochas Volumes
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