sufficeth to condemne me for this and al I am hartilie sorie My God I repent me from my soule my God Which said lifting vp his eies to heauen he praied a long time verie vehementlie and after manie fruitfull exhortations finished his life to the comfort of those who wished his soules health The reste his confederates after their seuerall confessions were serued with the same sauce and thus ended the troubles with their tragedies Their bodies cut downe were buried by their friends and happie was he among the poorer sort that had any thing to inritch the funerall of William Long beard and notwithstanding his confession at his death and diuers other euidences at his condemnation yet were there diuers whoe after his death held him for a saint casting out slanderous libels against the Archbishop terming him the bloudsucker of good men There were manie superstitious women who in their deuotion were wont to pray to him and after his death digged vp the ground about the gallowes trée affirming that manie had beene healed of sundrie sicknesses by the touch thereof All this their idolatrous constructions at first began by reason of a priest a néere alie to William who openlie preached that by vertue of a chaine wherewith William was bound during the time of his imprisonment ther were diuers men healed of hot feauers the bloud that fell from him at such time as he was quartered they cléerelie scraped vp leauing nothing that could yéeld any memorie of him either vnsought or vngotten But at last the Archbishop of Canturburie remedied all these thinges who firste accursed the Priest that brought vp the fables and after that caused the place to be watched where through such idolatrie ceased and the people were no more seduced But for that William wrote many notable Poems and translations in the prison which if you pervse will notifie vnto you his singular wit I haue thought good to subscribe them desiring your fauourable censure of them William Long beards Epitaph VNtimely death and my found fruits of Treason My lawlesse lust my murthers long concealed Haue ship wract life amids my Aprill season Thus couerd things at last will be reuealed A shamefull death my sinfull life succeedeth And feare of heauenly iudge great terror breedeth My mangled members in this graue included Haue answered lawes extreames to my confusion Oh God let not my murthers be obtruded Against my soule wrongd through my earthes illusion And as the graue my liuelesse limmes containeth So take my soule to thee where rest remaineth Thou trauailer that treadest on my toombe Remembreth thee of my vntimely fall Preuent the time forethinke what may become See that thy wil be to thy reason thrall Scorne worlds delights esteeme vaine honor small So maist y u die with fame where men of conscience foule Perish with shame and hazard of their soule I haue here vnto annexed likewise some other of his spirituall hymnes and songs whereby the vertuous may gather how sweet the fruits be of a reconciled and penitent soule The First That pitty Lord that earst thy hart inflamed To enterteine a voluntarie death To ransome man by lothed sinnes defamed From hel and those infernal paines beneath Vouchsafe my God those snares it may vnlose Wherein this blinded world hath me intrapped That whilst I traffique in this world of woes My soule no more in lusts may be intrapped Great are my faults O me most wilfull witted But if each one were iust there were no place To shew thy power that sinnes might be remitted Let then O Lord thy mercy quite displace The lewd and endlesse sinnes I haue committed Trough thine vnspeakeable and endlesse grace The Second Such darke obscured clouds at once incombred My mind my hart my thoughts from grace retired With swarmes of sinnes that neuer may be numbred That hope of vertue quite in me expired When as the Lord of hosts my gratious father Bent on my dulled powers his beames of brightnesse And my confused spirits in one did gather Too long ensnard by vanitie and lightnesse A perfect zeale not office of my sences So seazde my iudgement smothered in his misse That heauen I wisht and loathd this earthly gaile My hart disclaimd vile thoughts and vaine pretences And my desires were shut in seemely vaile So that I said Lord what a world is this After such time as he had receiued his iudgement he grew into this meditation of the miseries of life which I dare anow is both worthie the reading and noting yea euen among the learnedst The Third A shop of shame a gaine of liue-long griefe A heauen for fooles a hel to perfect wise A theater of blames where death is chiefe A golden cup where poison hidden lies A storme of woes without one calme of quiet A hiue that yeeldeth hemlock and no hony A boothe of sinne a death to those that trie it A faire where cares are sold withouten mony A fleshlieioy a graue ofrotten bones A spring of teares a let of true delight A losse of time a laborinth of mones A pleasing paine a prison of the sprite Is this my life why cease I then resolued To pray with Paule and wish to be dissolued Thus endeth the life of William Long beard a glasse for all sorts to looke into wherein the high minded may learne to know the meane and corrupt consciences may reade the confusion of their wickednes let this example serue to with draw the bad minded from Bedlem insolence and incorage the good to followe godlinesse So haue I that fruit of my labour which I desire and God shall haue the glory to whom be all praise FINIS Of manie famous pirats who in times past were Lordes of the Sea THere were manie worthie Pirates in our forefathers daies but among all of greatest reckoning Dionides was not least who exercised his larcenies in the Leuant Seas in the time of Alexander the great and Darius disdaining either to serue the one or submit himselfe to the other yea so resolute was he in his robberies and dissolute in his life that he neither spared friend nor sauoured foe but robd all in generall Against this man Alexander leuied a great armie and by strong hand subdued him and afterward calling him into his presence he said thus vnto him Tell me Dionides whie hast thou treubled all the Seas to whome he thus replied Tell me Alexander whie hast thou ouerrun the whole worlde and robbed the whole sea Alexander answered him bicause I am a king and thou art a Pirat trulie replied Dionides D Alexander both thou and I are of one nature and the selfe same office the onelie difference is that I am called a Pyrat for that I assault other men with a little armie and thou art called a prince because thou subduest and signiorest with a mightic hoast But if the Gods would be at peace with me and Fortune should shewe her selfe peruerse towards thée in such sort as Dionides mighte he
THE Life and Death of william Long beard the most famous and witty English Traitor borne in the Citty of London Accompanied with manye other most pleasant and prettie histories By T. L. of Lincolns Inne Gent. Printed at London by Rychard Yardley and Peter Short dwelling on Breadstreat hill at the Signe of the Starre 1593. ¶ THE LIFE AND death of William Long beard Howe Willyam Long beard betraied his elder brother vnto his death of his falling in acquaintance with the Abbot of Cadonence in Normandy and how cunningly and coulourably they got authority from the Kinge to accomplish their ambitious pretences WHilst all the world was in vprore and schismes raigned in the Church when God by prodigious signes threatened pestilent plagues at suche time as two sunnes appéered in our Horizon in England and three Moones were discouered in the West in Italie William with the longe beard was borne in the famous Cittie of London of greater minde then of high parentage a graft of mightie hope at the first though as it afterwards proued his parents spent too much hope on so little vertue This frée Cittizen borne tenderlie fostered in his infancie was afterwards trained vp in good letters wherin he profited so suddenlie that most men wondered at his capacitie and the wisest were afraid of the conclusion And for that the age wherein hee was bread being the third yeare of Henrie the Second was full of troubles this yoong mans rare guifts were raked vp in the embers little regarded because not yet ripened but at last as years increased the minde ordained for mightie thinges began to mount the rather because ambition sealed his eies which made him with the Doue soare so hie till his own cunning and labour made him be ouerturned for when he perceiued his fathers foote alreadie prepared for the graue his mother seazed by age and more besotted with affection himselfe at mans estate without maintenance he thus began the first fruites of his impietie the sequell whereof exceedeth all conceit and testifieth his deuilish and damnable nature He had a brother elder than himselfe in yeares but yoonger in policie who hauing by his owne frugalitie gotten great wealth was called to be a Burgesse of the cittie a man beloued of all men for his vpright dealing and lamented of al men for his vntimelie death For William little regarding the benefites he had receiued of him in his youth the brotherlie kindnesse the bountifull curtesies sought all means possible to betray him who had trained him vp to suck his hart bloud who had sought his harts rest and to that intent séeing the opportunitie fitted him in the raigne of Richard the first that noble Prince of famous memorie he suborned certeine lewd and smister confederates of his to accuse him of Treason for which cause poore innocent man being suddenlie apprehended his goods were confiâ—…cate his body imprisoned his wife and children left succourlesse whilst wicked William being both complotter informer and witnes wrought so cunningly with the kings councell that the goods were his which his brother with his long labour had gotten and the poore innocent man brought out before the Iudges with wéeping eies beheld his yoonger brother both reuelling in his ritches and reiocing at his ruine Many were his obtestations before God and protestations to the Iudges manie his exhortations to his brother and detestations of his periurie But William whose hart was the very harbour of all impietie ceased not in his owne person to solicite and by his companions to incense the Iudges in such sort that his brother was at last by them condemned and adiudged to death as some Writers suppose for coining And being led forth to his execution like an harmelesse innocent the people mustering about the place the curssed brother the occasion and compactor of his confusion accompanie him with these or such like words he finished his life Thou God that knowest the cause of my vntimelie death canst in iuâ—…ice punish my vniust accusers meane while take mercie on my poore soule who am forsaken of my priuate friends be thou a safeguard vnto me whoe am left without succors and helpe the desolate widdow with hir distressed children This said after some priuate conference by permission betwéene his brother and him he suffered torment But William hauing gotten wealth began to take vpon him state and vnderstanding his father and mother through hartie griefe were in their extreame age committed to the graue he seazed on their goods carrieng such a countenance in London that all men wondered at him In wit he was pregnant in publike affaires pollitike in reuenges constant in speeches affable in countenance graue in apparell gorgeous yea so cunning was he to insinuate himselfe among the Commons that as the report went he had more Prentises clubs at his command then the best Courtier had seruants to attend him And as the custome is whilest thus he behaued himselfe it fortuned that hee fell in companie and conference with the Abbot of Cadonence in Normandie a man as high minded as himselfe and more subtill than Sinon by whose aduise and directions he grew so craftilie conceited that vnder a holie pretert he wrought more mischiefe than either the Councell of England could for a long time remedie or by industrie reuerse and thus it fortuned After that the noble and warlike Richard the firste of that name had to his immortall glorie recouered his rights in France established peace with the French king and by the perswasions of his mother Dame Elianor reconciled his brother Iohn who had before that time béene at deadlie â—…d with him It plesed his Maiestie partlie for his owne recreation sake partlie to remedie the discontents of his subiects to goe on Progresse in the eight yeare of his reigne and in the yeare of our Lord 1197. at which time the Abbot of Cadonence and William watching an occasion and oportunitie so cunninglie wrought she matter that they had audience at his Maiesties hands and attained vnder the broad seale the whole summe of their requests The Abbot couloured his stratagem vnder the coppie of conscience assuring the king that the corruption of his officers were the chiefest groundes of publike contention praieng him in the bounty of an heroick and princelie potentate to take some order for she correction of them least at the last it should turne to his owne confusion His maiestie that had euer regard of the poore with gratious good words thanked him for his good will giuing him warrant and authoritie to redresse those inconueniences and promising him great promotions if he tooke any profite by his pollicie William now that hath the second subtiltie to enact suted his lookes in all sobrietie and stroaking his long beard which he curiouslie fostered euen from the beginning tolde the king of the insolence and outrage of rich men who spared their owne and pilled the poore robbed Irus and clawed Midas beséeching in the commons behalfe a remedie
for the space of foure houres continued a bloudie and desperate fight But when they perceiued the Traitors were desperate and the Church was sufficientlie strong to keep them out they at last found out this worthie pollicie They caused some chiefe men to bring them great store of straw which they fâ—…ered in diuers parts about the Church in euerie corner whereas the wind might worke the smoake anie entrance which so smothered and stifeled them in the Church that they were all of them for the libertie of a shorte time of life to submit themselues to the iudgement of succéeding death Herevpon after manie wofull plaints powred out on euerie side by William his Maudline and other malefactors they were all inforced to leaue the church and submit themselues to the hands of the Bailifes who according to the kings command picking out William with nine other his confederats committed them vnto warde for that time dismissing the rest vnder the kings generall pardon whoe certified hereof was not a little solaced For which cause he sent some of his Councel and Iudges the next day who ascending the iudgment seat called forth William with the Long beard with his confederates arraigning them of high treason against God the king and countrey Among all the rest William shewed himselfe most confident for neither did the taâ—…nts of the Iudges extennuate his courage neither could the bonds he was laden withall abash him any waies but that with a manlie looke and inticing eloquence he thus attempted the iustices You lords and Honorable Iudges though I knowe it a hard thing to striue against the obstinate or to extort pittie there where all compassion is extinguished yet will I speake vsing the officer of nature to worke you although I know I shall not win you I am here called and indighted before you for hie treason a hainous crime I confesse it and worthie punishement I denie it not but may it please you with patience to examine circumstances I haue imboldened the poorer sort to innonation to fight for libertie to impugne the rich a matter in the common weales of Greece highlie commended but héere accounted factions and whie there subiects made kings here kings maister subiectes and why not say you and whie not think I yet am I faultie vnder a good president and the ambition which hath intangled mee hath not beene without his profit To offend of obstinate will were brutish but vnder some limits of reason to defaulte can you my Lords but thinke it pardonable I haue raised one or two assemblies and what of this peace was not broken onely my safetie was assured and were it that the Law had béene iniured might not the righting of a hundred poore mens causes merit pardon for two vnlawfull assemblies But you will saie I haue animated subiects against their prince I confesse it but vnder a milder title I haue councelled them to compasse libertie which if nature might be equall iudge betwéene vs I knowe should not be so hainoustie misconstred For my last tumult I did nothing but in mine owne defence and what is lawfull if it be not permitted vs Vim vi repellere But whie pleade I excuses knowing the lawes of this Realme admit no one of my constructions If it be resolued I must die doo me this fauour my Lords to protract no time execute your iustice on my bodie and let it not pine long time in feare thorowe supposall of extreames For my soule since it is deriued from a more immortall essence I dare boast the libertie thereof knowing that eternitie is prepared for it and mercie may attend it But for these poore ones who haue defaulted thorough no malice but haue béen misled through vaine suggestions howe gratious a deede should your honnors do to exemplifie your mercie on them poore soules they haue offended in not offending and but to enthrone me haue ouerthrowne themselues for which cause if consideration of innocent guiltines guiltie innocence may any waies moue you grant them life and let me solie enact the tragedie who am confirmed against all Fortunes tyrannies These latter words were deliuered with so great vehemencie of spirit and attended with so quickening motions and actions of the bodie that euerie one pittied that so rare vertues should be rauished by vntimelie death or accustomed with so manie vngodlie practises The Iudges whoe were Socratical in all their spéeches shewing their Rhetorique in their vpright iudgements not quaint discourses after the examinations indictments verdicts of the Iurie and suche like at last gaue finall and fatall iudgement That William with the long beard with his confederates should the nexte daie be hanged drawne and quartered and so after some other worthie exhortations to the people to mainteine peace and that they should shew themselues more dutifull and after thanks to the Bailifes and good cittizen for their faithful and good seruice to his Maiestie the assemblie broke vp and the prisoners till the next daye were committed to the dungeon No sooner was the gaie mistresse of the daie break prepared in hir roseat coatch powdering the heauens with purple but the Bailifes repaired to the prison leading foorthe William and those his other confederates to their execution Then flocked about them diuers sorts of people some to sée those who were so much searched after others to lament him whom they had so loued at laste arriued at the place where they should finish their daies all stood to beholde their death William as principall in his life time of seditious practise was to enact the first and fatall part in the tragedie for which cause boldlie climing vp the ladder and hauing the rope fitlie cast about his neck after some priuate praiers he spake after this manner vnto the people My good countreymen you are repaired hither to sée a sorie spectacle to beholde the follie of life paid with the fruits of death to marke how sinister treasons ende with condigne torments if you applie what you here see and beholde to your owne profits I shall be glad whoe now euen at this my last hower desire rather you shuld reconcile your selues from all wickednes then be dismaied ormoued with my wretchednesse Oh my déere friends I now protest before God vowe before men that mine owne presumptuous climing hath béene the iust cause of my confusion I haue had more desire of glorie then respect of God more regard of dignitie then of dutie déeming it better to be a famous Traitor then a faithfull and true subiect For which my inestimable sinnes I crie God hartilie mercie I beseech his Maiestie to forgiue me and pray you all by your praiers to implore Gods grace for me Neither deserue I death only for the offence I haue made the king but my conscience accuseth me and I heere doo openlie confesse it that I was he who murthered Anthonie Browne in that he was a riuall in my most lewde loue This this if nought else my countreymen
him to bed he discouered vnto them howe the king had resolued to kill him for which cause Vnulfe winding him about the necke with the shéetes of the bedde and laieng the couerlet and a Beares skin vpon his backe leauing him without capp as if he were some rusticke or common drudging fellowe began to driue him out of the chamber dooing him manie iniuries and villannies so that he verie oftentimes fell to the ground Grimoalds guard whoe were appointed vnto the watch seeing al these outrages asked Vnulfe what he meant Why said he my maisters this rascal slauehath made me my bed in the chamber of that drunken palliard Partharithus which is so full of wine that he sléepeth as if he were dead without stirring and this is the cause whie I beat him and I praye you dooth he not deserue it They hearing these words and beléeuing them to be true did all of them laugh verie hartilie to heare the tidings and giuing both of them licence to depart Partaritus hasted to the cittie of Hasti and from thense went into France praising God for his happie deliuerie As soone as they were gotte awaie the faithfull page locked the door verie diligentlie remaining all that night alone in the chamber and when the messengers of the king came with commission to bring Partaritus to the pallace the nexte daie they knocked at the doore whome the page in humble maner saluted praieng them to haue patience for a while for saith he my Lord being wearie of his last iourney sleepeth now verie soundlie The messengers returning to Grimoald told him the pages answer who all inraged charged them presentlie to bring him to his presence who repairing againe to the chamber doore were in like sort once more solicited by the page to vse forbearance but they admitting no delaies cried out hastilie and hartilie tut tut the droonkard hath now slept enough and therevpon bearing the doore of the hinges they forceablie entered the chamber and sought Partaritus in his bed but found him not wherevpon they asked the page what was become of him who answered them that he was fled The messengers all amazed herewith furiouslie laieng hands on the childes bushie lock and buffeting him pitiouslie brought him to the pallace and conducting him to the presence of the king saide Mightie Prince Partharitus is fled and this caitife boy helpt to conuey him and for that cause meriteth death Grimoald commanded them to laie hands off him and willed him with a friendlie countenance to discouer vnto him the manner and meanes how his maister had escaped awaie The page told him euerie thing as it had past whose faithfulnes when the king had considered vpon he royallie offered him to make him one of his pages assuring the lad that if he would be as faithfull to him as he had shewed himselfe towards his old maister he should both be rewarded and regarded After this he made search for Vnulfe who being brought before his presence was pardoned by him and not only pardoned but commended But as where affection is rooted there no fauors can supplant it nor promises suppresse it so these two louing their maister Partarithus verie deerelie took no delight but onelie in desire they had to sée and serue him for which cause a few daies after they repaired to Grimoald beséeching him of license to séeke out their maister Whie my friends quoth he had you rather séeke out your necessities then liue with me héere in all pleasures By God replied Vnulfe I had rather die with Partharithus than liue in all other worldlie contents and delights What saied the king to the page wilt thou also rather séeke out a bannished man then serue a king I my Lorde saide he for they are bad seruants that will leaue their maisters in miserie Grimoald wondering at their confidence praising both their faithes dismissed both of them with all fauour giuing them both horsse and money to furnish and further them on theyr iourney The two faithfull seruants humblie thanking the kinge tooke their waie into France hoping to finde their maister in that place according as was appointed But Partaritus fearing least by reason of a peace latlie capitulated betwixt Dogobert kinge of France and Grimoald he shoulde be there surprised suddenlie by some sinister subtletie tooke shipping for England and hauing alreadie sailed from the shore the voice of a man was heard among the rocks which asked for Partaritus and whither he were in that ship Whereto when answer was made that there he was the voice replied Then will him presentlie repaire vnto his countrey for Grimoald a three daies hence is departed this life Partaritus suddenly returned backe commanding the marriners to reenter the harbour and as soon as he was landed he diligently sought out the messenger that had thus informed him but finding him by no meanes possible he supposed it to be some messuage sent from God For which cause poasting towards his countrey and arriuing amongst the confines of Italie hee found there a great number of Lombards who expected him with whom he entered Pauia and driuing out a little son of Grimoalds from the kingdome he was by generall consent created kinge of Lombardie thrée monethes after the death of Grimoald For which cause he presentlie sent vnto Beneuent for his wife Rhodolinde and his sonne Cunibert And being a godlie Catholike and iust man a liberall patron of the poore and father of the innocent as soone as he hadde quiet possession of the kingdome in that place from whence he fled which is on the other side of of Tesinus he buil ded a monasterie to the honor and glorie of God his sauiour and onelie defender wherein there were diuers Nunnes inclosed whom he alwaies enriched with manie very goodlie possessions The Quéene likewise builded a church in honour of our Ladie without the cittie wals adorning it with maruelous rich ornaments his page and trustie seruant returning to his court as soon as they had tidinges of his establishment were by him fauourablie intertained and richlie rewarded Finallie after he had reigned eighteene yeares he departed this life not without the generall lament and teares of the whole inhabitants of Lombardie The wonderfull dreame of Aspatia the daughter of Hermotimus the Phocencian a verie poore man who afterwards thorow hir wonderful vertues became the wife of Cyrus king of Percia and was afterwards married to Artaxerxes ASpatia was the daughter of Hermotimus of Phocis who after the death of hir mother was brought vp and nourished in great pouertie yet was not hir pouertie so gréeuous as her continencie was gratious in her infanâ—…ie she had vnder hir chin a great swelling which disâ—…igured hir face and was a great disgrace to hir fairenesse For which cause hir father desirous to haue hir cured carried hir to a physitian who promised to heale hir for a certeine summe of money The good olde man hauing no money tolde the Physitian of his little meanes beséeching him
speeche pleased them all so that taking with them the horsie as Libussa had instructed them they let him freelie goe and followed him But scarselie had they trauelled ten miles when as the horse staied at a riuer called Bieli and arrested himselfe before a countrey fellow called Primislaus shewing manie signes of humanitie and obseruance toward him The Bohemians as well the nobles as commons behoulding this ran with all hast vnto him and after their salutations said thus vnto him Mount vppon this horsse and goe with vs Libussa hath chosen thée for his husband and the Bohemians admit thee for their prince Primislaus although he were a poore countrey clowne not incapeable of the generall desire of rule which attainteth all men gaue vnto them a homelie salutation after his manner and tolde them that he was addressed to doo whatsoeuer pleased them and vnder standing that he was to goe to Libussa as if hee had a longe voiage to make he fastened his bottle to his saddle bow and grasping his bread and chéese in his hand he rode on féeding like a rusticke king which was a verie sufficient euidence of that which Libussa before time had declared and told vnto them As soone as his guttes were full and his bottle emptied he mended his pace and they conducted him with great pomp and honnour into the cittie where he tooke Libussa to wife and during all his life time was wholie ruled and gouerned by hir counsels and perswasions But after she had submitted hir selfe to the destinies the gouernment remained wholie in Primislaus hands and the authoritie of Ladies ceased which euen vnto that hower was both maintained and augmented by Libussa After this Valasca which whilst Libussa liued was hir secretarie being a Ladie of great valour and no lesse resolution then an Amazon not induring or abiding that the authoritie of women should be thus annihilated assembling one daie in a priuie place all those that were of her faction she said thus vnto them My sisters we haue lost our good Ladie who alwaies defended vs from the outrages of men neither could she euer endure that we should be ouer borne by them so that she her selfe hâ—…ld the Emperie and we wish hir were in respect held and accounted for Queenes You see now how inforced we indure a hard and miserable seruitude liuing vnder the gouernment of our husbands after the maner of slaues except of our selues we shall gather head and courage to recouer our former liberties Wherefore if your thoughtes be as mine is let vs ioine like heroick Ladies and we will easily recouer our estates I as you know was secretarie vnto Libussa of whom I learned that which she knew I am skilfull in inchantments and the nature of hearbes is not vnknowne vntome if therfore you haue any meaning or will to followe me assure your selues that you shall be once againe lords ouer men Upon these words the whole assemblie of women condiscended to Valascas words and mutuallie conspired against men During this time Primislaus dreamed one night that a virgine gaue him bloud to drinke for which cause he being a notable soothsaier and willing to preuent a mischiefe which as he imagined might verie easilie be impugned hee conuocated all the chiefe nobles of his Prouince vnder intention to prohibit the ouer-great licence and libertie which women had in the common weale namelie the women were accustomed to ride and run the race on horssebacke to tournay shoote and followe the chace and brieflie to exercise themselues in all warlike discipline which as he thought were matters manageable by men and vnfit tasks for women But the Barons scoffed at him when he told them ther of and said that they rather deserued loue and reuerence for their agilitie and hardines then reproofe and dishonor Valasca meane while desisied not neither daie nor night to exhort hir confederates and often with drinks inchatments turned away their affections from the loue of men and daie by daie drewe more and more into this her League of conspiracie Finallie when she perceiued that she hadde gathered a sufficient power both of married wiues maids in one night she caused euerie one of hir faction to kill their fathers husbands brethren and sonnes in their beddes and afterwards taking armes with great expedition they all of them marched togither to a place appointed them by Velasca not farre distant from Prage and subduing some that had them in chace they made a roade to Vissigrade whereas Primislaus aboad intending there to surprise him but séeing they could not take the fortresse they retired themselues into a mountaine a place naturallie impregnable and there building a castle they called it Deiuizo that is the place of virgines bicause that in their toonge a virgine is called Deiuize This action of theirs seemed abhominable to all the inhabitants of the countrey as wel in respect of the great slaugh ter they had made as also because they had a great suspition of further mischéefe for which cause they generallie gaue Primislaus to vnderstand that they were addrest to bidde these new Amazons battell and that if it pleased him to marche forward with his hoast they also were in a readinesse to follow him The K. certified them that at that present he could not come by reason that the Gods had admonished him that all those who were addicted to indemnifie the virgines were to die certifieng them that it was behouefull to go another time But they who set light by his counsell leuieng by them selues a great armie marched toward Deiuizo and striking battell with Valasco were ignominiouslie ouerthrowne and put to flight with the slaughter of the greater part of the armie and whereas in this seruice Malada Nodea Suaâ—…acia Vorasta Ragda Zastana and Tristana had behaued themselues valiantlie in rewarde of their seruice they had coâ—…ars and chaines of golde giuen them and amidst that vnmeasureable pray which they had euerie one was rewarded acording to their desart Valasca slue with hir owne hand seuen of hir enimies and after that time was held and estéemed for a goddesse so that neuer aâ—…ter that time the Bohemians had the courage to troble or molest them But they euerie daie ranged about the confines spoiling robbing and burning and daie by day inforced greater dread and feare in the harts of their enimies and being now Ladies and soueraignes of the better part of Bohemia they were constrained to haue the companie of men by reason that other wise by course of time and warres they were likelie to be reduced and brought to nothing for which cause marrieng themselues they made a lawe that those maidens who were borne by them should with all dilligence bee tenderlie and carefullie brought vppe as for the males they commanded that their right eies should be pulled out and their middle fingers cut off to the ende that hauing attained Mans estate they should be disabled to shoote in the bowe or to handle warlike weapons
was slaine by the commandement of the Tyrant Phalaris Anaxarchus by the iudgement of Nicocreon finished his life with manie tortures Archimedes the Philosopher an excellent Mathematisian was slaine by Marcellus souldiers Pythagoras with his threescore schollers was put to the sworde Anacharsis died suddenlie Diodorus burst thorough harts gréefe by reason he could not answer a question which Stilbo the Philosopher had propounded him Aristotle after he had lost the fauour of Alexander being in Calcide drowned himselfe in the floud Euripus Calistines his scholler was cast hedlong out of a window Marcus Tullius had his ears and hands cut off and set vp in the publike place where the Drators declaimed Seneca was put to death by his scholler Nero whoe had first caused his vaines to be opened in a bathe of hot water Iohannes Scotus reading in England by a sudden conspiracie of his schollers was with his best fauorites put to death but if I should vndertake to repeat all the haplesse endes of these ancients whoe were excellent in learning it were too long for me to write or you to read For which cause I will begin to let you vnderstand the death of some moderne learned Petrach died suddenlie Domitius Caldarinus perished through the sicknesse of the plague Consiliator was burned aliue Angelus Politianus finished his daies by hauing his braines dasht out against a wall Peter Leo of Spoletum was drowned in a ditch the Lorde Francis Pico was slaine by his tenants Fisher and Thomas Moore were beheded Cranmer and Latimer burned the rest since fresh in memorie I néed not to trouble you with I onelie set these down for the learned to consider vppon and examine themselues by circumstances cunninglie canuase in their conscience an argument a comparatis Howe kinge Rodorigo the last of the Royall house of the Gothes lost his kingdome and life thorough his incontinence IN the yeare 712. Roderigo raigned in Spaine who earnestlie enamored of a daughter of Iulians Countie of Cantabre and desirous to gather the fruite of his loue because otherwise he might not in that the maiden was verie honest and vertuous he sent hir father embassadour into France by that oportunitie enforcing hir he satisfied his lewd and dissolute lust Iulian returning into Spaine and vnderstanding the heauie case and estate of his daughter made shew before the king that he was vtterlie ignorant thereof and after a few daies he fled into Affrica with all his familie taking vppe his house in the cittie of Lepte and seeking out Muca the gouernour of Affrica hee tolde him of the outrage doone him by the king and howe for that cause he was come vnto him First to offer him a great rich and faire empire next to profer him his seruice and moreouer said he the time is come to reuenge the Arabians which were slain a few yeares past in the hoast of king Bamba To the performance whereof I will backe you with the greater part of the Lords of Spaine whoe will be readie to assist you in this enterprise bycause the king is deadlie hated of them both for his crueltie and lawlesse corruption Muca sent him vnto king Mulit in Arabia whoe hearing Iulianos purpose dispatched him with letters to Muca wher in he wrote that he should fauour him with all reasonable helpes Muca gaue him an hundreth horsse and foure hundreth men on foote vnder the conduct of a famous captaine called Tariffe with this power they passed the Seas landed in Spaine and to the end they might the more securelie beard the enimie they builded a cittie which they called by the name of Tariffe captaine of the Barbarians And assoone as Iulio had giuen notice to his confederates for what occasion he was come what desire he had to reuenge him of the iniurie doone vnto him by the king many of them vnited themselues with the Arabians and ouerran al the contrey of Algazera which the said Iuliano had in gouernement vnder the said king The Arabians of Africa séeing the great progresse and fortune the countie had and assured of his faith sent him twelu thousand horsse and a great multitude of footmen by reason that they had intelligence that the king had sent against him his cosin Ignicus with a huge host who fighting many times vnhappilie with the Moores at the last was himselfe slaine all his followers cut in péeces wherevpon the Moores being rid of this impediment ouerran and spoiled a great parte of Spaine For which cause the king leuied a greater army than the first and comming himselfe to wage the fight with the Moores there fell a terrible and dreadfull battell betwéene both the armies which continued eight continuall daies saue onlie the intermission of night but by reason of the rebellion of the two late kings sonnes called Detifa the king had the worst and perished in the field with many other valiant persons and the Moores like couragious victors possessed the spoiles This defeat was on sunday being the xi of Septēber in the yeare 719 The Moores attaining victorie had the dominion of Spaine Of many famous men whoe leauing the gouernement of the Commonweale gaue themselues ouer to a priuate life CAto the Censor was the most vertuous and best reputed Romaine that flourished in that time for during al the daies of his life there was neuer man that saw him commit anie light action neither lose or diminishe any one inch of his seuere grauitie This man after he had liued fifty and eight yeares leauing the trauailes of the common wealth went and spent the remnant of his life in the kingdome of Naples in a village called at that daie Picenio and in this time Pozzuolo liuing vpon his owne liuelihoods and reuenews And whilest thus this good and vertuous Cato liued sequestred from all others sometimes reading his bookes some other times trimming his vines there was one of his neibours who wrote vpon his gate with a coale O fortunat Cato thou only amongst al others knowst how to liue in this world Lucullus the Consul and Romaine captaine remained in the Parthian warres and continued the same for the tearme of sixteene yeares in which he acquired much honor to Rome many laudes for the common weale much fame for himself and as great riches for his house This man after he returned from Asia to Rome and found the commonweale altogither swarming with dissentions by reason of the factions of Scilla and Marius purposed with himselfe to leaue Rome and to build him a certaine place of pleasure néere Naples vpon the riuer of the sea at this daie called Castello di Lupo in which place he reposed ten yeares entitled to all kind of pleasures and quietnesse of mind frée from all trauailes and troubles till suche time as he finished his wearied age with a contented and worthie death Dioclesian after he had gouerned Rome and the emperie for the space of eighteene yeares vtterlie refusing all the Empire departed Rome and