The tragedies, gathered by Ihon Bochas, of all such princes as fell from theyr estates throughe the mutability of fortune since the creacion of Adam, vntil his time wherin may be seen what vices bring menne to destruccion, wyth notable warninges howe the like may be auoyded. Translated into Englysh by Iohn Lidgate, monke of Burye. — De casibus virorum illustrium. English

Author: Boccaccio, Giovanni, 1313-1375.1554

‘DIEV ET MON DRIOT’‘ARISE FOR IT IS DAY.’

A memorial of suche Princes, as since the tyme of King Richard the seconde, haue been vnfortunate in the Realme of England.

¶ LONDINI In aedibus Johannis Waylandi, cum priuilegio per Septennium.

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The copy of the quenes Maiesties letters Patentes.

MAry by the grace of God, Quene of Englande Fraunce and Ireland, defendour of the faith, and in earth of the Churche of Englande, and also of Ireland, the supreme head. To y^e Prynters of bookes, and booke sellers, and to al other out Officers, Minysters, and Subiectes these our letters patentes hearing or seing, gretyng. Knowe ye that we of oure especial grace and meare mocion: haue geuen and graunted, and by these presentes doo geue and graunte full power, licence, auctoritie, and Priuilege vnto our welbeloued Subiect John Wayland, Citezeyn and Scriuenour of London. That he & his Assignes only, and none other person or persons shal from hensforth haue auctoritie, & lybertie to prynt al and euery such vsual Primers or Manual of prayers by whatsoeuer other title y^• same shal or may be called, which by vs our heyres, successours, or by our clergy by our assent shalbe auctorised, set furth, and deuysed for to be vsed of all our louing Subiectes thoroughout all our Realmes, and domynyons, duringe the full tyme and terme of seuen yeares next ensuing the date of these our letters Patentes. And farther that it shal not be lawful for any maner of other person▪ or persones of out said Subiectes, to Prynt or to procure to be imprinted, anye Prymers or Manuall of prayers by whatsoeuer title the same shall or may be called, or set furth, during the said tearme, nor any booke, or bookes, which the saide John Waylande or his Assignes at his or theyr costes and charges shall first Prynte, or set furth during the said terme of seuen yeares next ensuing the printing of the same booke or bookes, vpon payne of forfature, and confiscacion of the same Prymers, Manuall or prayers, and bookes, [...]o thuse of vs and oure successours. Wherfore we w [...]ll and commaunde all you our Printers, and other our Subiectes that ye nor any of you, do presume, procure, or attempt to print or setfurth any maner Prymers, Manuall of prayers, booke or bookes, which the said John Wayland or his assignes shal first Print during the tyme of thys our Priuilege, and licence, vpon payne of forfature and confiscacion of the same Prymers, Manual of prayers, and bookes, as aforsaide. And as ye tendre oure pleasure, and wyl auoyde the contrarie. In witnes wherof we haue caused these our letters to be made patentes. Wytnes our selfe at Westminster the foure and twentith daye of Octobre, in the fyrst yeare of our reigne.

Per brē de priuato sigillo et de data predicta.

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¶ Here foloweth the Table of thys presente Booke, called the fall of Princes, and Princesses. &c. Whiche boke is deuyded in to nyne bookes, and euerye booke contayneth dyuers chapters, as here after foloweth: And fyrst of the fyrste boke, whiche contayneth xxiiii. Chapiters

THe Prologue of John Lidgate Monke of Bury, translatoure of this boke.
The fyrst Chapter of the firste booke sheweth howe Adam and Eue for theyr inobedience, were put out of Paradyse: and howe they standinge naked before Bochas, desyred hym to put theyr wofull fall fyrste in remembraunce: And howe they and theyr ofsprynge liued in sorowe & wretchednesse: with a Lenuoye. The fyrste chapter.
Howe Nembroth buylded the towre of Babylone, to saue him selfe from Noes stode, whiche for his pryde and presumpcion, was put from his magnifycence, and his towre with sodayne leuyn smytten downe. The second chapter.
An exclamaciō of John Bochas against proude fo [...]ke, shewynge howe God maye them and theyr pryde abate, whan [...] shall please him: and by dyuers meanes & waies them punysh and chastice: With a lenuoy. The third chapter.
Howe manye yeres were betwene Adam and Nembroth, and betwene Nembroth and Cadmus, and of dyuers other kinges. The fourthe chapter.
Of Ogiges king of Thebes, leafe .vii.
Of a greate flode in Tessaly. leafe .vii.
Of goodly Jsys wyfe to Apys king of Argyue, and howe he was slayne by hys brother Diffeus. The fyft chapter.
Of Grisiton that eate hys members for hungre. With a Lenuoy. the sixt chapter.
Howe Jupiter rauyshed Europa, the doughter of kynge Agenor, and how Cadmus was sent to seke her in to diuers coū trees: With a Lenuoy of the translatour. The seuenth chapter.
A goodlye processe of Oetes kynge of Colchos, of Jason and Medea, of Theseus, Sylla, of Nisus, and of dyuers other: With a Lenuoy. The eyght Chapter,
Of mightye Jabyn kyng of Canaan, of Quene Jocasta, and how Thebes was dystroyed: With a Lenuoy. The .ix. chap.
How Atreus kyng of Messene wrought againste his brother Thiestes, and howe he stewe his children, dismembred them in pieces, and made the said Thiestes to eate of their flesh and drinke of theyr blode. The tenth chapter.
How Atreus accused him selfe of murder, and his brother of auoutry, don wyth Europa the quene: With a Lenuoy: The xi. chapter.
Of duke Theseus, and of Ariadne that saued his lyfe in a caue, and howe he lyke a forsworne man for soke her, and wedded fayre Phedra, which afterwarde slew her selfe: a Lenuoy. The .xii. chapter.
How Bochas blameth theym that gyueth hasty credence to liers and flatterers: With a Lenuoy. The .xiii. chapter.
Of quene Althea, and howe Hercules by women was broughte to confusion: With a Lenuoy. The .xiiii. chapter.
A processe of Narcissus, Byblis, Myrra and dyuers other, their infortunes to Bochas complaynyng, and howe Narcissus, Byblis, and Myrra dyed at myschefe. with a Lenuoy. The fyftene chapter.
Of Priamus kynge of Troye: and how the monke of Burye, translatoure of thys boke, wrot a boke of the siege of Troy called Troy boke. the sixtene chapter,
Here Bochas authoure of this boke, wryteth agayne the Surquedous pryde of them that trust to much in theyr riches. The seuentene chapter.
Here also John Bochas putteth a great prayse and commendacyon of suretye that standeth in pouerte: With a Lenuoy. The eyghtene chapter.
Of mighty Sampson, whiche tolde all his counsayle to Dalyda, wherby he was disceyued: With a Lenuoy. The nyntene chapter.
A chapter of Bochas dis [...]yuynge the malyce that is in Women. The twentye chapter.
Thexcuse of Bochas for hys wrytyng againste mysgouerned women, in maner of a Lenuoy. The. xxi, chapter
Of myghtye Pyrrus that slewe Pollycene, [Page] whiche for his pryde and auoutrye died in pouerte, and at the last was slayne by Horestes. The .xxiii. chapter
Of Machayre and of his suster Canace. The .xxiiii. chapter.
The letter of complaynte wrytten by Canace to her brother Machayre. With a Lenuoy. The .xxv. chapter.

¶ Thus endeth the Table with the Chapiters of the fyrste boke, and here foloweth the table of the seconde boke which containeth .xxxi. chapters.

THe Prologue of the translatour.
The fryste Chapter of the second boke declareth how Saule Kynge of Ierusalem borne of lowe degree, as longe as he loued God, and dradde him, and was obedient to his lawes, and ruled by good counsayle, had manye greate victories: But at the laste for his pride, presumpcion, and greate disobey saunce, lost his crown, and was slaine by Philistees▪ with a Lenuoy of the translatoure.
A commendacion of Bochas, vpon the vertue of Obedyence. Loke the leafe .xli.
Howe kynge Roboam, for gyuynge faythe to yonge counsayle loste the beneuolence of his people, and at the last dyed a fole: With a lenuoy. The second chapter
A chapiter discryuinge, howe Princes beyng hedes of theyr commontees, should haue noble chiualry and true Iudges to gouerne the commons. The third chap.
Howe Mucius Sceuola slewe an innocente in stede of kynge Porcenna, that layde siege to Rome. The fourthe chapter.
Howe Lucrece oppressed by Tarquine slewe her selfe. The fyfth chapter.
Howe Rome was gouerned after the deth of Lucrece, and how Virginia was by her father slayne: with a Lenuoy. The sixte chapter.
Howe Ieroboam kynge of Israell, for ydolatry and disobedience, came to a myscheuous ende. The seuenth chapter.
Howe zareas kynge of Ethyope was slayne in battayle. The eyght chapter,
Howe Nadab kynge of Ierusalem lost both sceptre and crowne. The ninth chap.
How the vengeable prince zambrias set a towre on fyre and brente him selfe. The tenth chapter,
Of kyng Achab and Iesabel his wyfe. The leuenth chapter,
Howe the quene Athalia for her tyranny was slayne. The .xii. chapter
Howe Dydo Quene of Cartage slewe her selfe for the conseruacion of her chastitie: With a Lenuoy. The .xiii. chapter
A Lenuoy dyrecte to wydowes, of the translatour. loke the leafe .l.
Howe the vycious Sardanapalus king of Assirie, brent him selfe and his tresoure. The fourtene chapter.
A commendacion of Iohn Bochas of vertuous busynesse, rehersyng the names of dyuers founders of scyences in reprefe of ydelnesse: With a Lenuoy. The fyftene Chapter.
Howe Amazias in Iuda kyng, for his pryde and presumpcion was venquis [...]hed in battayle, and after slayne. The sixtene chapter.
Howe Osias succeadynge kynge nexte in Iuda, was smytten with lepre. The seuentene chapter.
An exortacion for Princes to take hede that they do nat againe the commaundementes of God. The eyghtene chapter.
Howe kyng Ozeas was taken by king Salmanaser, and dyed in prison. The. xix chapter.
Howe Senacheryb kynge of Assyrie was slayne. The twenty chapter.
Howe kyng Sedechyas for false forswearing was made blinde, and slayne in pryson: with a Lenuoy. The .xxi. chapter
Howe kynge Astiages laboured to disheryte Cyrus, but God woulde nat suffre him in his malyce to preuayle: with a Lē uoy. The two and twenty chapter.
Howe Canda [...]us kinge of Lyde was made cockold. The thre and twenty chap.
How all thyng that king Mydas touched was tourned to golde, and yet at the last he dyed in mysery and wretchednesse. The four and twenty chapter.
Of Balthazar kynge of Babylone, and howe Daniell expowned Mane, Techell, Phares. The fiue and twenty chapter,
How Cresus and Balthasar were vē quished by Cyrus and how the son of Cresus was slayne at the huntyng of a wilde [Page] boore. The .xxvi. chapter.
Howe the cruell tyraunt Cirus delyted euer in slaughter and sheding of blode, and so ended: With a Lenuoy. The .xxvii. chapiter.
Howe Amilius for couetise slewe hys brother, and how Remus and Romulus were noryshed by a she Wolfe. The eighte and twenty chapiter.
Howe Mecius kynge of Albanoys, for bycause he was false of his othe and promyse, was drawen all in pieces. The nine and twenty chapiter.
Howe all Prynces shoulde be true of theyr othes and promyse, in auoyding all doublenesse and discepcion. The .xxx. cha.
Of kinge Hostilius the fyrst that ware purple coloure, was consumed with fyrie leuyn: with a Lenuoy. The .xxxi. chapter.

¶ Thus endeth the table with the Chapters of the second boke▪ and here foloweth the table of the third boke, which contayneth .xxvii. Chapters.

The Prologue of the translatour. The fyrste chapiter of the thyrde boke [...]reteth: how Andalus doctour of Astronomy sheweth that princes shoulde nat at wite their constella [...]ion nor fortune, of their vnhappy falling, but their owne demerites and vicious lyuyng. Loke leafe .lxv.
A disputacion bytwene Fortune and gladde pouerte. Loke leafe .lxv.
Howe kyng Hostilius for worshypping of false goddes, was consumed wyth fyrie leuyn. The fyrst chapter.
Howe Anchus kynge of Rome was murdred by Lucinyo, by the assente of hys wyfe. The .ii. chapter.
Howe Lucinio that murdred Anchus was after murdred him selfe: with a Lenuoy. The thyrde chapiter.
Howe after the offence doone to Lucrece by Tarquin, there was neuer kynge crowned in Rome. The fourth chapter.
The greuous complaynt of Lucrece for her oppressyon. The fyfth chapter
A complaynt of Bochas vpon Luxurie of Princes, as by ensample of manye dyuers mischaunces declareth: with a Lenuoy. Loke leafe .lxxi.
How Cambyses, assentyng to the murdre of his brother Mergus, at y^• last slewe him self: and how Oropastes occupied the crowne of Perce by vniust tytell, and how he was slaine. The sixte chapiter.
Howe Dary obtaynyng the kingdome of Perce by sleyghte, ended with shame. The seuenth chapter.
How Corolyan was by Romaynes exiled, and of the warre he made agaynste them, and howe whan he besieged theym they sente oute his mother and his wyfe, wyth other to treate for a peace, whiche they optayned: and howe he was after exiled agayne and slaine. The .viii. chapter.
Howe Melciades Duke of Athenes, with a smal nombre venquished sixe hundred thousand Perciens, and after by hys commens (that aye of custome desireth chaunge of Princes) was chayned in pryson, and so dyed: With a Lenuoy. The .ix. chapter.
Howe Xerxses kynge of Perce, for hys rauin and couetyse was dysmembred in smal pieces: with a Lenuoy. The .x. chap.
How Artabanus murdred kyng Xerxses, and howe he was after murdred him selfe. The leuenth chapter,
Of duke Palantes, and the Spartenoies that warred on them of Messene for [...]auyshyng of theyr maydens. The twelfth chapter.
Howe Ceson Quincius out of Rome was exyled▪ and howt Graccus Cloellyus prince of Equoyes was take prysoner. The .xiii. chapter.
Bochas reherseth the tyranny of Appyus and falsnesse of Judges: With a Lenuoy. The fourtene chapter.
Bochas againe the vntruthe of Judges. Loke the leafe .lxxxi.
An exclamacion of Bochas agaynste the extorcion of the officers of Rome. The fyftene Chapter.
Howe Alcibyades was exiled, and after brent in his bedde. The sixtene chapter
An exclamacyon of John Bochas, vpon the deathe of Alcibiades: with a Lenuoy. The seuentene chapter.
Bochas writeth agayne the desyres of worldly people. The .xviii. chapter.
Bochas spekynge againe ydelnesse, reherseth howe some men haue pleasure in one Science and some in another. The. xix chapter.
[Page]Howe Malleus Duke of Cartage, for hys oppression and tyranny was hewen to peces: with a Lenuoy. The .xx. chapiter.
☞ Howe the substaunce of the hooste of Hymilcho duke of Cartage, as they went to conquere Cecile, dyed of the Pestilence, and howe he was after slayne him selfe. The .xxi. chapiter.
Howe Heynon Duke of Cartage was dismembred: with a Lenuoy. The two & twenty chapiter.
The authour agaynst couitous people loke the leafe .lxxxvii.
Howe Euagoras kyng of Cypre was by Artaxerses outrayed and put from his kyngdome. The .xxiii. cha.
Howe Theon kinge of Egypte was by Artaxerses driuen frome hys kyngdome, and howe he fledde in to Arabye. The foure and twenty chapiter.
Howe Amintas of Macedone kynge, had by Erudice his wyfe, Alysandre▪ Pet dica, and Philyppe, who were after slaine The .xxv. Chapiter,
Howe the proude tyraunte haman was hanged, and the Innocentes preserued. The .xxvi. chapiter
¶ Of the two brethern, Artaxerses and Cyrus, and howe Artaxerses slewe hys chyldren and Concubynes, and howe they ended: with a Lenuoy. The .xxvii. chapit.

Thus endeth the Table with the chapiters of the thyrde boke, and here foloweth the table of the fourth boke whiche contayneth xxvi. chapiters.

The Table of the fourth boke.

THe prologue of the translatour. The fyrste chapiter of the fourth boke declareth: howe Marcus Manlius wroughte for Rome towne, and howe at the laste for all hys laboure he was by the commons cast in to Tybre and so drowned.
How Bochas writeth in parte against suche as can nat be contente wyth suffysaunce but vsurpe to high dignyties, with a Lenuoy. The seconde chapiter.
Howe Nectanabus kynge of Egypte, was by Xerxses constrayned to slye hys kyngdome. The third chap.
Howe Pausanias Duke of Lacedemō, was exyled by them of Athenes. The .iiii. chapiter.
Howe Helyarchus the tyraunt, for extorcion and oppression, was slayne by the knyght Leonydes. The fyfth chapter.
Howe the vycious Dyonis kynge of Cycyle slewe his bretherne and kynrede, and howe he was exiled and died at myschefe with a Lenuoy. The sixt chapter.
The authour againe presumptuous people & princes holding thē selfe as gods The seuenth chapiter.
Howe kynge Pollicrate for extorcion and tyranny was hanged, tyll euery ioynt fyl from other. The eight chapter
Howe the tyraunte Alexandre slewe his Philosopher Calistenes with dyuers other, for sayinge trouth: with a Lenuoy. The nynth chapter.
Howe Alexander kynge of Pyrothe, aduenturynge to passe the floude of Acheronte, was slayne therin, by them that he trusted most. The tenth chap.
Howe Dary kynge of Perce and Mede, was outrayed by Alexander kynge of Macedon: with a Lenuoy. The leuenth chapiter.
A chapiter of Bochas, wherein he remembreth the bataylles and losses of realmes of antiquite, with the fallynge of dyuers nobles. The .xii. chap.
Howe Eumenydes was twise outraied by Antigonus, and at last dyed in pryson, With a Lenuoy. The .xiii. chapiter.
Howe Queene Olimpiades, for she delyted in vyces, in murdre, and in vengeaunce, dyed at mischefe: With a Lenuoy. The fourtene chapiter.
Howe Agathocles of low byrthe borne attaygned vnto royall dygnyte, and howe he ended in pouerte and wretchednesse: With a Lenuoy. The fiftene chapiter.
Howe Cassander slewe the wyfe of Alexander and Hercules her sonne, and howe Antipater slew hys mother, and of dyuers other murders. The sixtene chapiter.
Of two prefectes, Perdicas and Amintas. [Page] The .xvii. cha.
How Sādrocottus borne of low degre, cherished robbours & theues. The xviii. ca.
Howe Seleuchus the myghtye prynce was slayne by the great Tholome kyng of Egypte. The xix. chap.
Howe the two sons of Queene Arcynoe wer by their mothers traitourously slaine, and she exyled, with a Lenuoy. The .xx. Chapter.
Howe Ceramius of Macedoyne kynge that murdred hys cosyns, was slayne in battayle by them of Fraunce. The xxi. cha.
How the prince Belgius was discōfited and brought to nought. The .xxii. chap.
How duke Bre [...]us delytyng to robbe and steale mischiuouslye ended: wyth a Lenuoy. The xxiii. chap.
Howe Pyrrus kyng of Pyrothe lyst not lyue in peace, but throughe pryde and presumpcion in warre, came to mischaunce. The xxiiii. Chapter.
How the tyraūt Aristotimus by trecherous workynge, set asyde the ryght lyne, and howe he was crowned kyng of Epirothes and after slayne. The .xxv. chap.
Howe Queene Arcinoe for her aduoutrye done wyth Demetrius husbande of Beronices, ended in sorowe. The .xxvi. ca.

¶ Thus endeth the table wyth the Chapters of the fourth boke, and here foloweth the table of the fifth boke, whiche contayneth .xxxiii. Chapters.

¶ The table of the fyfth boke.

IN the fyrst Chapiter of the fifth booke Bochas wryteth agaynst them that delyte in beautye and semelynesse, callynge to purpose howe a man borne in Tuscan, whiche excelled in beautye and fayrenesse: and for he woulde nat geue occasion to other to sinne, disfigured his visage and bodye, with manye a greuous wounde and spotte, with a Lenuoy.
Howe the two bretherne Seleuchus and Antiochus eche of them desirynge to excell other, fyll at discorde, and so ended in mischefe. The seconde chap.
Howe the noble Queene Laodomya was slayne in the Temple, and of the vengeaūce that was take vpon hym that slew her. The thyrde chapter.
Howe Cleomenes kynge of Macedone was slayne with his wife and chyldren. The fourth chapter.
Of kynge Nero, Cornely and Hanybal. The fyfth Chapter.
Of the duke zantipas that was cast into the sea. The sixt chapter.
Howe Marcus Regulus of his frewyll dyed for the common weale: wyth a Lenuoy. The seuenth chapter.
Howe Tholome kyng of Egypte called Philopater slewe hys father and mother, and his wife, and how he spent his tyme in lecherye, and of his mischeuous ende. The eyght Chapter.
Howe Brithomarus and Viridomarus dukes of Fraunce, after great battayles were by Romaynes slayne. The .ix. ca.
Howe Syphax the kynge of Numedy was taken and how he died in prison. The tenth Chapter.
Howe Nabyn hauyng no tytell of right but by tyranny, toke on hym to be kyng of Macedone, and howe he was slayne. The eleuenth chapter.
Bochas reherseth the mortall warres that hathe been betwene the Romaynes and Affricans. The. twelth cap.
How king Perseus was by the Romaines outrayed and after take. The .xiii. cap.
Howe the people of Achaia wyth theyr chefe citie called Cori [...]the, by Romaynes was distroyed. The fourtene chapter.
Howe the great Antiochus vsyng riote and vicious liuynge, by Marcus Actilius was outrayed and dyed sodayulye, with a Lenuoy. The fiftene chapter.
Howe Jeronimus kynge of Cyracuse was slaine, and how Scipio Affrican that laboured for the common weale of Romaines was exiled by them, and so died. The sixtene chapter.
Howe Scipio Asyan lorde of Asye, that laboured euer for the common weale was at last murdred. The seuentene chap.
Howe duke Philopomenes was take, put in prison and after dranke poyson and so died. The eyghtene chapter.
Of the thyrd Scipion Nasica that euer wrought muche for the commonty, with a Lenuoy. The .xix. chapter
Howe duke Ha [...]ball after many victorious [Page] dedes slewe hym selfe with poyson: with a Lenuoy. The twenty chapter.
Howe Prusias kynge of Bith [...]ye that betrayed Hanibal woulde haue dish erited hys sonne and heyre, went a beggynge in strange landes. The .xxi. chapter.
Howe Perses of Macedone kyng, that empoysoned his brother was by Emilyus outrayed and dyed in pryson. The xxii. ca.
Howe Amonyus a prynce of Antioche, delytynge in pyllage and robberye with other vicious lyuynge, sted in womans clothyng, after taken & slayne. The xxiii. cap.
Howe Andriscus of low byrth borne, hauyng no tytle became kinge of Macedone, was taken, & died in prison. The xxiiii. ca.
Howe Alisander Ballas kyng of Surry for extorcion, pride, & vnkyndnes, dyed at mischefe: with a Lenuoy. The xxv. chap.
Bochas agaynst the rebellions and sedicions in Rome betwene Tribunes and the commons. The .xxvi. chapter.
Howe the wyfe of [...]asdrubal brent her selfe and her children. The .xxvii. chapter.
Of Machabeus Jonathas taken by the kyng of Surry. The xxviii. ca.
How Demetrius the seconde lost at the last his head. The .xxix. cha.
Howe zebenna kyng of Surry by intrusion entrynge had a mischeuous endynge. The .xxx. Chapter.
How Bitynctus kyng of Auergnoyes, by the Romaynes was taken and died in prison. The .xxxi. chapter.
Howe the tyraunt Euergetes wedded quene Cleopatra, and howe he slewe her sonne, exiled hys wyfe, & wedded her doughter. The .xxxii. chapter.
How Jugurtha by intrusion was king of Numidy, slew the ryghtfull heires, and howe he was after drowned hym selfe: with a Lenuoy. The .xxxiii. chap.

Thus endeth the table with the chapters of the fifth boke, and here foloweth the table of the syxt boke, which contayneth seuentene chapters.

BOchas syttynge in his studye all alone wryteth a great processe, how Fortune like a monstruous ymage hauyng an C [...]hādes, appeared vnto him and spake, and Bochas vnto her: makynge betwene them manye great argumentes & reasons of Fortunes chaunces. Leaf .cxxxiiii.
In y^e first chapter of the syxt boke, Fortune rehearseth her condicions vnto Bochas, she wynge hym howe she hath many one enhaunsed for a tyme, and anone after she hath them sodaynly ouerthrowen.
Howe Gayus Marius of lowe byrthe borne, came to hie estate, which blent with couetyse, after many great batayls dyed at mischefe. The seconde chap.
Howe kynge Mithridate abode seuen yere in wyldernesse, and had great tourmentes bothe on sea and land, by hys blode brought to vttraunce, and howe he slewe hym selfe with a sworde: with a Lenuoye.
Howe Eucradites kyng of Sithie, was slayne by Demetrius, and after hys carrayne cast to houndes. The .iiii. chapter.
Howe Herodes king of Parthoys warred with the Romayns, whiche after hys sonne and heyre was slayne, made his bastarde sonne kynge, that anone after slewe hys father. The fifth chapter.
Howe Fimbria a consull of Rome slew hym selfe. The syxt chapter.
Of Albinius that was slayne with stones. The seuenth chapter.
Howe Adrian borne of lowe degre falslye vsurped to be kyng of Rome, whych w^t his churles was after brent. The eyghte chapter.
Howe Sinthonius king of Trace y^• all coueited, all forwent, and died in pouerte. The .ix. chapter.
Bochas in briefe sentence maketh a discription of the kyngdome of Trace, and pasleth ouer lyghtlye vnto the accomplishment of hys boke. The tenth chapter.
Howe after manye great conquestes of duke Pompey, there beganne great warre betwene hym and Julius, and how there were thre hundred thousande slayne, and at the laste the head of Pompey smyt of: with a Lenuoy. The .xi. chapter.
Howe the noble Julius Cesar brent the vessel of Tholome, sloughe Achyllas, that woulde haue murdred hym, and after hys great victoryes, he hym selfe was slayne wyth bodkyns by Brutus Cassius. The twelfth chapter.
Howe y^• last Scipion cōsulere of Rome, for he woulde not lyue in seruage of Julius, [Page] roue hym selfe to the hearte: wyth a Lenuoye. The thirtene chapter.
How Octauian succeded next, and how the murdrers of Julius dyed at mischefe. The fourtene chapter.
Howe Tullius was two tymes exiled, and at last slaine by Pompilius. The fyftene chapter.
A chapter agayne ianglers and diffamers of rethorike. The sixtene chap.
Howe Sextus warred agayne Triumuir, and of the death of great Anthony and Cleopatras. The seuententh chap.

Thus endeth the table wyth the Chapters of the syxte boke▪ and here foloweth the table of the seuenth boke, which contayneth xi. chapters.

OF Antony sonne & heire to the great Antony, and of Cesarius, Julia, Agrippa, Cassius, and Galbus. The fyrst chapter.
How the tyraunt Herodes slew his wyfe and children and afterwarde hym selfe died at michefe: with a Lenuoy. The ii. chap.
Of Antipas exiled by Octauian, and of Archelaus sonne of Herodes the seconde. The thyrde Chapter.
Of the strife betwene Calligula, Tiberius and Messalyne. The thirde chap.
Of the moste vicious and cruell tyrant Nero that slew Peter and Paule, and last of all hym selfe: with a Lenuoy. The fyfth Chapter.
How Eleazarus a Jewe borne, for extorcion and robbery was brought into prison and there ended. The syxe chapt.
Howe the heade of Galba was smitten of, fylled full of golde, and offred at the sepulture of Nero. The seuenth chapter.
How Occho and Vitellius for glotony, lechery, ribaudy, and tyrannye, ended mischeuously. The eyght chapter.
Bochas complayneth agayne the foule vyce of glotony. The nynth chap.
A chapter diseriuyng the golden worlde, that is to saye, whan temperaunce had the gouernaunce: with a Lenuoy. The x. chap.
How the kinred of Jacob was distroied, Christ borne & crucified, Jerusalē distroyed: and xi. hundred .M. slayne by sworde, hungre, fyre, & pestilence. The xi. chapter.

Thus endeth the table with the chapters of y^• seuenth boke, and here foloweth the table of the eyghte boke, whiche contayneth xxvii. chapters.

The table of the eyght boke.

THe Prologne of the translatour.
The first chapter of the eyght boke expoundeth howe the proude tyraunt Domician emperour of Rome, and manye other emperours & nobles for their great outrage and wretchednesse ended mischeuouslye.
Howe Gallyen sonne of Valerian was slayne. The seconde chapter.
How Quintilius was murdred by women. The thyrde chapter.
Of Aurelian in Denmarke borne. The fourth chapter.
Howe Probus discomfited the Romaynes, and after was slayne. The fyfth chap.
Howe Clarus and hys two sonnes were mischeued. The syxt chapter.
How the noble Queene zenobia fought with Aurelian, and howe she was take. The seuenth chapter.
Howe Galerius oppressed martyrs and christes fayth, and of his mischeuous end. The eyght chapter.
How Maxence the emperour enemye to Christes fayth, ended mischeuouslye. The nynth chapter.
How Lucinius enemy to Christes faith was slayne. The tenth chapter.
Of Constantine and Crispus, and how Dalmacius was slayne. The eleuenth ca.
Of the brethren Constaunce and Constancius and how Magnencius & Decius murdred them selues. The twelfth chapter
Howe Constantine baptised by Siluester, was cured of his lepry. The xiii. chap.
Howe Julian Apostata enemy to Christes fayth, by false illusion was chosen emperoure and after slayne. The fourtenth Chapter.
Howe the emperour Valence slewe holye hermites, shed thristen bloude, distoyed churches, and after was brent him selfe. The fiftene chapter.
Of kyng Amasicius and howe Gracian and Theodosy distroyed temples of false goddes, and howe Gracian was putte to [Page] flyght. The syxtene chapter.
A goodly processe howe Theodosy with prayer and small numbre gate the victorye of a great numbre. The seuentene chapter.
How knightes and gentle men chase Alerike kyng, and howe the commons chase Radagassus which had a mischeuous end. The eyghtene chapter.
Howe Ruffyn chamberlayne with Theodosy vsurped to be Emperour, & for hys presumpsion condempned by Honorius, and hys head smyt of. The xix. chapter.
Howe Stillicon and other of lyke condicion ended mischeuously. The xx. chap.
A goodly processe of y^e aucthor why Rome was destroyed, & for the same or like cause were diuers other realmes distroyed. The xxi. Chapter.
Howe the kynges Trabstila and B [...] surus wer brought vnto subiection & made tributaries to Theodorike, The xxii. cha.
Howe Philitheus loste his kingdome. The xxiii. Chapter.
Howe Symacke and Boes hys sonne in law were banished, and after iudged to die. The .xxiiii. chapter.
Of kynge Arthur and hys conquestes, and of the commodities of Englande, and how he was disceyued by his cosyn Mordrede: with a Lenuoy. The xxv. chapter.
An exclamacion of Bochas agayne folkes y^• be vnkinde to theyr kynred. Fo .xvii.
Of Gisiuill kyng of Venandre & of thre other kinges: and how they were distroyed. The xxvi. chapter.
Howe Albuinus was murdred by hys wife Rosamonde, and howe she for her abhominable dealynge and vicious lyfe was slayne also. The xxvii. chapter.

Thus endeth the table with the chapters of the eight boke, and here foloweth the table of the nynth boke, whyche contayneth .xxxviii. chapters.

¶ The table of the nynth boke.

THe first chapter of the ninth boke sheweth, howe the Emperour Mauricius his wyfe and his chyldren were slayne at Calcidony.
Of Machomet the false prophet, and howe he beynge dronke, was deuoured amonge swyne. The seconde chapter.
Howe Brounchylde a quene of Fraunce slewe her kynne, and brought the lande in deuision, & after was hanged & hewen in smal peces: with a Lenuoy. The iii. chap.
Bochas marueyleth of the great malice and cruelte of Brunchylde. Fol .xxviii.
Howe Eraclius the Emperour sustayned heresy, fyll into dropsye and sickenesse vncurable, and so died. The fourth chapter.
Howe Constantine the sonne of Eraclius for supportyng of errours and heresies was murdred in a stewe by hys owne knightes. The fyfth chapter.
Howe Gisulphus was slayne, and howe hys wife for her vicious liuyng ended mischeuously. The syxt chapter.
Of Justinian y^e false extorcioner, which was exiled by Patrician, and after that his nose cut fro his head, and both his eyen put out. The seuenth chapter.
Howe Philip the emperour dyed at mischefe. The eyght chapter.
Howe Anastase was compelled to leaue the empire and lyue in pouerte. The ix. cap.
How the head of Lupus kyng of Lombardy was smyt of by Grymbaldus. The tenth chapter.
Howe the head of Alexius was smyt of by Compe [...]on. The eleuenth chapter.
How Ariperton was drowned with his rychesse. The twelfth chapter.
Howe Dedyre by pope Andrian & Charles of Fraunce was put to flight and dyed at mischefe. The. The .xiii. chapter.
Of Pope John a woman, and howe she was put downe▪ The fourtenth Chapter.
Bochas counsayleth prynces to remembre on Arnolde. Fol .xxvi.
Of Charles of Lorayne that was confounded for hungre. The fyftene Chapter.
Howe kynge Salamon whilom kynge of Hungry was put to flyght. The .xvi. ca.
How Petro kyng of Hungry was slaine. The .xvii. chapter.
Howe Diogenes the emperour was taken, and hys eyen put out. The .xviii. chap.
How Robert duke of Normandy fought with the turkes, and shoulde haue had the crowne of Jerusalem, and how he dyed at mischefe. The .xix. Chapter.
How Joceline prince of Rages for pride, slouth, and lecherye, died in pouerte. The twenty chapter.
[Page]Howe the Emperoure Andronicus slewe all that were of the noble bloude, cheryshed vicious people, and howe he was after hanged: with a Lenuoy. The .xxi. chapter.
Of Jsacius made blynde, and take at mischefe. The .xxii. chapter.
Of Henry the eldest sonne of Frederike the second, mischeued by hys father. The. xxiii chapter.
A commendacion of Bochas to suche as be kinde to their kinsfolke. Fol .xxx.
How Manfroye kyng of Poile was slaine The .xxiiii. chapter.
Howe Ences kinge of Sardiny dyed in pryson. The .xxv. chapter.
Of a nother Frederike that was slaine by the iudgement of his brother. The .xxvi. chapter.
How Manimettus and Argones dyed at mischefe. The .xxvii. chapter.
How Charles king of Jerusalem and Cicyle for his auarice and aduoutrye dyed at mischefe: with a Lenuoy. The .xxviii. chapter
Of Hugoline Erle of Pise slayne in prison The .xxix. Chapter.
Howe Pope Boniface the eyght was take by the lynage of Columpnes, and howe he eate his handes and died in prison. The thyrty chapter.
How the order of templers was founded, and Jaques with other of the order brente. The xxxi. Chapter.
Bochas commendeth Theodorus wyth other two Philosophers for their great pacience. The .xxxii. Chapter.
Bochas here commendeth humilite. Folli .xxxiii.
Howe Philippe le Bele of Fraunce was slayne with a wilde Bore, and of his three sonnes and theyr wedding. The .xxxiii. chapt.
How duke Gaulter of Florence for his tiranny, lecherye, and couetyse, ended in mischefe. The .xxxiiii. chapter.
Of Philipot Cathenoise born of low birth which came to high estate, and after how she her sonne and her doughter were brent. The xxxv. chapter.
How kynge Sauses was slayne by hys cosyn, which was brother to the kinge of Arragon. The .xxxvi. chapter.
Howe Lewes kynge of Jerusalem [...]nd Cicyle was put downe. The .xxxvii. chapter.
Howe kynge John of Fraunce was take prysoner at Poyters by prynce Edward, and brought into England: with a Lenuoy. The xxxviii. chapter.
Bochas reherseth howe Fortune hathe made many hygh estates vnwarelye discend Fol .xxxviii.
The wordes of the translatoure wherewith he endeth hys boke.

❧Thus endeth the table with the chapters of the ninth and last boke, and here after foloweth the prologue of the translatour.

[Page]

The Prologue of John Lydgate monke of Burye, translatoure of this worke.

HE that sumtime did his diligēce,
The boke of Bochas, in Frēch to trā ­slate
Out of latin, he called was Laurēce:
The tyme remembred truely and the date
Is whē kyng John through his mortal fate
Was prisoner brought vnto this region,
Than he began first on this translation.

In his Prologue affirmyng of reason,
That artifirers hauyng exercise,
May chaunge and turne by good discresion
Shapes and formes, & newly them deuise:
Make and vnmake in many a sundry wise,
As Potters whiche to that craft entende
Breake and renue their vessels to amende.

Thus men of craft may of due right
That ben inuentife and haue experience,
Fantasien in their inwarde syght
Deuices newe through their excellence.
Expert masters haue therto licence
Fro good to better, for to chaunge a thinge:
And semblably these clarkes in writyng.

Thing that was made of auctors thē beforn
They may of newe finde and fantasy:
Out of olde chaffe trye out full fayre corne,
Make it more freshe and iusty to the eye.
Their subtile witte their labour apply,
With their colours agreable of hue,
To make olde thinges for to seme newe.

Afore prouided that no presumption
In their chaunging haue none aucthoritie,
And that mekenes haue domination
Ouer false Enuy, that she not present be:
But that their grounde wt perfite charitie
Conueyed be to their aduauntage,
Truely roted amidde their courage.

Thus Laurence from him enuy excluded,
Thoughe to forne him translated was this boke
Within him self▪ be fully hath cōcluded
Vpon that labour when he cast his loke,
He woulde amend it: but first he forsoke
Presumption, and toke him to mekenes,
In his prologue as he dothe expresse.

In whiche processe lyke as I am learned,
He in his tyme, of cunnyng did excel:
In their language he was requyred
Of estates whiche gan him compell,
(Among them holde of rethorike the well)
To vnderfong this labour: they him prey
And their request lowly he did obey.

Full well he felt the labour was notable,
The fall of nobles with euery circumstance
From their lordships dreadful and vnstable
Howe they fyll, to put in remembraunce:
Therin to shewe Fortunes variaunce,
That other might as in a myrrour se,
In worldly worship may no surety be.

By example, as there is no Rose
Sprigyng in gardē but there be sum thorne
Nether fayrer blossom thē nature list dispose
Thē mai their beuty as mē hath sene toforn
With bitter winds be frō the braūches born
Ne none so high in his estate contune
Fle frō the wayting & daunger of Fortune.

Wherfore Bochas for a memoriall,
Consideryng the great dignities
Of worldly princes and their power royall,
Great emperours, estates, and degrees,
How Fortune hath cast them frō their sees,
Namely such as coulde them self not know,
Full sodainly to make them lye full lowe.

This the sayd aucthour wise & ryght sadde,
Hath gadered out wyth Rethorykes swete,
In diuers bokes, whiche that he hath radde
Of philosophers and an olde Poete,
And busied him bothe in colde and heate
Out to compile and write as he fonde
The fall of nobles in many diuers londe.

Vpon whose boke in his translation,
The saied Laurence rehearceth in certaine:
And holdeth this in his opinion,
Suche language as open is and playne
Is more accepted (as it is often sene)
Thē straunge termes which be not vnder­stād
Namely to folkes, y• dwel vpō the lād.

He sayeth also that his entencion
Is to amende, correct, and declare,
Not to condemne of no presumption,
But to report playnely, and not to spare
Thinges touched shortly, of the story bare,
Vnder a style briefe and compendious,
[Page]Them to prolonge when they ben vertuous.

For a story whiche is not playnely tolde,
But construed vnder wordes fewe,
For lacke of truth where they be new or old
Men by report can not the matter shew.
These okes great be not downe yhewe
Fyrste at a stroke, but by long processe:
Ne long storyes a worde may not expresse.

For whiche playnly thys noble translatour
Cast of purpose these storyes for to wryte,
And for to do his diligent laboure
As they fyll in order to endite,
That men after myght them selfe delyte
The aduentures so as they fyll in dede,
Of sundry prynces to beholde and reade.

And haue a maner contemplacion
That things al where fortune may attaine,
Be transitorye of condicion:
For she of kynde is hasty and sodayne,
Contrarious her course for to restrayne,
Of wilfulnesse she is variable,
Whē men most trust, thē is she most chaūge­able.

And for her chaunge, and for her doublenes
This Bochas biddeth y• men should enclyne
To set their hartes voyde of vnstablenes,
Vpon thynges whyche that ben diuyne,
Where as ioye perpetually dothe shyne
Wythout eclipsyng, in that heauenly see
Voyde of all cloudes of mutabilitye.

Among these Bochas writeth of swetenes,
And of matters that lusty ben and glade,
And sometyme he wryteth of wretchednes,
And how fortune can floure and after fade:
Ioye vnder cloude, prosperitie in the shade,
Enterchangyng of euery maner thyng
Which y• men fele here, in this world  [...]uyng.

And in hys processe who so lyst beholde,
Of all estates of hygh and lowe degre,
And of prynces bothe yong and olde
Fro the beginning which in this world haue be
Lykyng in ioye or in aduersitye,
Fro the fyrst descended he adowne
Of theyr fortune by playne description.

Of the most noble he ne spareth none,
But setteth them in order cereously:
Begynneth at Idā, & endeth at kyng John,
Theyr auentures rehearsyng by and by.
Of this kyng John concludyng finally,
How y• he was for all his great puissaunce,
Of price Edward take prysoner in Fraūce

Thys sayd Bochas aucthour of thys boke,
Whiche of stories had great intelligence,
Some he left and some also he toke:
Suche as he left was of no negligence,
Supposyng and demyng of credence,
All the storyes whythe that commune be
Other knowe them also as well as he.

And lest that folke would haue had disdain
Thynges cōmune for to put in memory,
Therfore Bochas thought it were but vain:
And to his name more encrease of glory
To remember no cronicle ne historye,
But tho that were for their merite notable,
Aucthorised famous and commendable.

In his labour hauyng a delite
That the matter greatly myght auayle,
Do pleasaunce to the commen profite
Of noble storyes to make a rehearsail,
Shewig a myrror how al ye world shal fail
And how Fortune for all their hye renowne
Hath vpon Prynces iurisdiction.

The whiche thyng in full sober wyse
He considered in his inwarde intent:
In his reason began to aduertyse,
Seyng of Prynces the blynde entent,
With worldly worshyp how y• they be blent
As they shoulde euer their estates kepe,
And as Fortune were ylayed to slepe.

And as they had of Fortune the maistry,
Her enchaunted wyth their pocions
By some newe craft of sorcery,
Or by power of incantacions:
To make stable their dominations
Wyth yron chaynes, for to last longe,
Locked to rockes wyth adamantes strong.

Supposyng in their surquedy,
Their estates should be durable.
But Fortune can frowardly deny,
And plainly preue that they be changeable,
And fro prynces when they be most stable
Fortune full fast for all their great estate,
Vnwarely chaūgeth & saith to thē che [...]

For lordes some in their magnificence,
Of royal power, set of God tyght nought:
[Page]They not conceyue his long pacience,
Neither peyse his power in their thought:
But in their hartes if it were well sought
How he is meke, and pacient to abide,
They would of reason their pompe lay aside

But for their tariyng and their negligence,
That they to him will not returne agayne,
Yet of his mercy and his beneuolence
Without vengeaunce, rigour, or disdayne
As a meke father, in all his workes playne
Assayeth his yarde of castigation,
So for to bryng them to correction.

Some he can full fatherly chastice
Where he loueth, by punishynge of sickenes:
And of his mercy in many anotherwise,
By aduersitie of worldely distres.
And he not asketh for his kindenes
Of high ne lowe, who so can aduert,
None other treasure but a mans hart.

And as mine aucthour list to comprehende,
This John Bochas by great aucthoritie,
It is almesse to correct and amende
The vycious folke of euery comminaltie:
And by examples whiche that notable be
Of Prynces olde that sumtime did fall,
The lower people from their erroure call.

By small whelpes as sume clarkes write,
Chastised is the mighty fierce Lyon:
And whan y• swerd of vengeaunce doth bite
Vpon prynces for their transgression,
The common people in their opinion
For very dread, tremble, adowne, & quake,
And by suche meanes their vyces forsake.

And suche also as haue ben defouled
In their vyces by longe continuaunce,
Or in their synnes lye ymouled,
By good exāples may cum good repentaūce
Who so repenteth the lord will him auaūce,
And him accept in lowe and high estate,
The meke preserue, & punyshe the obstinate.

This sayd matter touchyng such thinges,
Mine aucthor Bochas herafter shal declare
By exāple of prynces and of mighty kyngs,
What was their fine, & not the truth spare.
And though my style naked  [...]e, and bare
In Rethorike, myne aucthour to ensue,
Yet fro the truth shall I not re [...]we.

But on the substaunce by good leiser abyde,
After mine aucthor lyke as I may attaine:
And for a part set eloquence aside,
And in this boke bewepen and complayne
The assault of Fortune, froward & sodayn:
How she ou princes hath kyd her vēgeaūce,
And of her malice, the deadly mortal chaūce

But O, alas, who shalbe my muse?
Or vnto whom shall I for helpe call?
Calliope my callyng wyll refuse,
And on Pernaso her worthy susters all:
They will their suger temper with no gall,
For their swetenes and lusty freshe singyng
Ful farre discordeth frō matter cōplayning.

My master Chaucer wt his fresh cōmedies
Is deade alas, chiefe Poete of Brytayne,
That sumtime made ful piteous tragedies,
The fall of Prynces he did also complayne,
As he that was of makyng souerayne:
Whō al this lande of ryght ought prefarre,
Sith of our langage he was y• lode starre.

Senec in Rome through his hye prudence,
Wrote Tragedies of great moralitie:
And Tullius chiefe well of eloquence,
Made in his tyme many a fresh ditty:
Fraunces Petra [...]eke of Florence that city [...]
Made a boke (as I can aduert)
Of two Fortunes, wilfull and peruert.

And agaynst bothe wrote the remedies:
In bokes twayne made a diuision,
Among rehearsyng many freshe stories.
The first boke is thus conueyed doun:
A dialoge betwene gladnes and reason,
The second by me well to witnes,
Made betwene reason & worldly heauines.

The matter is wondets delectable,
Though wo with ioye haue an entresse:
And John Bochas wrot maters lamētable
The fall of princes where he dothe expresse,
How for their ioye they fyl in great distresse
All these writers through their hye renown
Great worshyp did vnto their nacion.

And semblably as I haue tolde toforne,
My ma [...]et Chaucer did his busines:
And in his daies hath him so well borne,
Out of out tonge to auoyde al rudenes:
And to reforine it wt colours of swetenes.
Wherfore let vs geue him laude and glory,
And put his name wt Poetes in memory.

[Page]
Of whose labour to make mencion,
Where of right he shoulde commended be,
In youthe he made a translation
Of a boke whiche called is Trophe
In Lumbard tonge, as men may read & se:
And in our vulgare long or that he dyed,
Gaue it to name of Troylus & Creseyde.

Whiche for to reade louers them delite,
They haue therin so great deuocion:
And this Poete also him selfe to quite,
Of Boecius boke the consolation
Made in his tyme an olde translation:
And to his sonne that called was Lowys
He made a treatise ful noble & of great prise.

Vpon that labour in full notable forme,
Set them in order with their diuisions,
Mens wittes to accomply she and conforme
To vnderstande by full expert reasons,
By domifiyng of sundry mancions:
The rote out sought at the ascendent,
To forne or he gaue any iudgement.

He wrote also full many a day agone,
Dant in English, him selfe so doth expresse:
The piteous story of Ceix and Alcion:
And the death also of Blaunche the duches:
And notably did his businesse
By great auise his wittes to dispose,
To translate the Romaynt of the Rose.

Thus in vertue he set all his entent,
Idlenes and vyces for to fle:
Of fowles also he wrote the parliament,
Therin remembring of royall Eagles thre,
Howe in their choyse they felt aduersitye,
To fore nature profered the battayle,
Eche for his partye if it woulde auayle.

He did also his diligence and payne
In our vulgare to translate, and endite
Or [...]gene vpon the Maudelayn:
And of the Lyona boke he did write.
Of Annelida and of false Arcite,
He made a complaynt dolefull and piteous,
And of the broche which that Vulcanus

At Thebes wrought, full diuers of nature.
Ouide writeth: who so therof had a syght,
For high desire he shoulde not endure
But he it had, neuer be glad ne light:
And if he had it once in his myght,
Like as my master sayth & writeth in dede,
It to conserue he shoulde euer liue in dred

This poet wrote at the request of the quene
A legende of perfite holines,
Of good women to fynde out nyntene,
That did excell in bountie and fayrenesse:
But for his labour and his businesse
Was importable his wyttes to encomber,
In all this world to finde so great a nūber

He made the boke of Caunterbury tales
When the pylgryms rode on pilgrymage,
Through out Kent by hylles and by vales,
And the stories all tolde in their passage,
Endityng them full well in our language:
Some of knyghthode, & some of gentlenes,
And some of loue, and some of perfitenes,

And some also of great mortalitie,
Some of disport, cōcludyng great sentence:
In prose he wrote the tale of Mellebe,
And of his wife, that called was Prudence:
And of Grisildes perfite pacience:
And howe the monke of stories new & olde
Pyteous tragedies by the way tolde.

This sayd Poete my master in his dayes,
Made and compiled many a freshe dittie,
Complaynts, ballades, roūdels, vyrelayes
Full delectable to heare and to se:
For whiche men should of ryght and equitie
Syth he in englysh in making was the best
Pray vnto god, to geue his soule good rest.

And these Poetes that I make of mencion,
Were by olde tyme had in great deyntye:
With kynges and princes in euery regyon
Greatly preferred, after their degre.
For lordes had pleasaunce for to se,
To study among, and cast their lokes
At good leasure vpon wyse bokes.

For in the tyme of Cesar Julius,
When the triumphe he wan in Rome towne
He enter woulde the schole of Tullius,
And heare his lecture of great affection:
And notwithstāding his cōquest & renowne
Vnto bokes he gaue great attendaunce,
And in stories had great ioye & pleasaunce.

Also in this lande I dare affyrme a thinge:
There is a prynce full mighty of puissaunre,
A kynges sonne, and vncle to the kynge
Henry the syxt whiche nowe is in Fraunce,
[Page]And is lieutenaunt, & hath the gouernaunce
Of our Brytayne, through whose discrecion
He hath conserued vs in this region:

Duryng his time of full high prudence
Peace and quiet han susteined ryght:
That notwithstādyng his noble prouidēce,
He is in dede proued a good knyght,
Eyed as Argus with reason and forsight,
Of high lecture: I dare of him tell,
And truely deme that he dothe excell

In vnderstandyng, all other of his age.
And hath ioye with clarkes to commune,
And no man is more expert in langage,
Stable in study, alway he dothe contune,
Settyng aside all chaunces of fortune:
And where he loueth (if I shall not tary)
withouten cause, full lothe he is to vary.

Duke of Glocester men this prynce call.
And not withstādyng his estate & dignitie,
His courage neuer dothe appall
To study in bokes of antiquitie:
Therin he hath so great felicitie,
Vertuously him selfe to occupye,
Of vycious slouthe, he hath the maistry.

And with his prudence and his manhede
Truthe to susteyne, he fauour setteth aside:
And holy churche mainteynyng in dede,
That in this lande no herityke dare abide.
A very support, vpholde, and also gyde:
Spareth none, but maketh him selfe stronge
To punish all tho that do the church wrong.

Thus is he manly and also wise,
Chosen of God to be his owne knyght,
And of one thinge, he hath a singuler prise,
That heritike dare none come in his sight:
In Christes faith he stādeth so hole vpright
Of holy churche defence and champion,
To chastice all tho that do therto treason.

And to do pleasaunce to our Lorde Jesu,
He studieth euer to haue intelligence.
Readyng of bokes, bringeth in vertue,
Vyces excludyng, wt slouth and negligence,
Maketh a Prince to haue experience
To knowe him selfe in many soundry wise,
Where he trespaceth his erroure to chastice.

And among bokes, playnely this is the case,
This sayed prynce considered of reason
The noble boke of this John Bochas
Was accordyng in hys opinion
Of great noblesse and reputation:
And vnto princes greatly necessary
To geue exāple how this worlde doth vary.

And for these causes as in his entent
To shew the vntrust of all worldly thinge,
He gaue to me in commaundement
(As him semed it was ryght well sittyng)
That I shoulde after my small cunnyng
This boke translate, him to do pleasaunce:
To shew the chaung of worldly variaunce.

And with support of his magnificence,
Vnder the wynges of his correction,
Though that I lacke of eloquence,
I shall procede in this translation:
Fro me auoydyng all presumption,
Lowly submittyng euery houre and space,
My rude language to my lordes grace.

And as I haue one thing well in minde,
He bade I shoulde in especiall
Folow myne aucthour, written as I fynde
And for no fauoure be not partiall.
Thus I meane, to speake in generall:
And none estate singulerly depraue,
But the sentence of mine aucthour saue.

All this conceiued. I gan my style dresse,
Thought I would in my matter procede:
And for the matter obreyed heauinesse,
Of freshe colours I toke no maner hede.
But my processe playnely for to lede:
As me semed it was to me most mete,
To set apart Rethorykes swete.

Ditties of mournyng and complaynyng
Do not pertayne vnto Caliope,
Neither to the muses that on Pernaso syng,
Whiche be remēbred in numbers thrise thre:
And vnto matters of aduersitie
With their sugred aureat lycoure,
They be not willyng to do fauoure.

But of disdayne me settyng farre a backe,
To hinder me of that I woulde endite,
Hauyng no colours but only whyte & blake
To the tragedies whiche I shall write:
And for I can my selfe no better aquyte,
Vnder the support of all that shall it reade
Vpon Bochas ryght thus I will procede.

Finis.

[Page]

[Page i]

¶ Howe Adam and Eue for their Inobedience were put out of Paradise, and liued in sorowe and wo, they and their ofspringe: And howe they standynge naked before Bochas, desired hym to put their wofull fall fyrste in remembraunce.

[figure]

¶ The fyrste Chapiter.

WHan John Bocas considered had & sought
The woful fal of migh­ty conquerours,
A remembrance entred in his thought,
Rekenyng the numbre, of our predecessours:
And fyrste to mynde came the progenitours
Of all man kynde, farre yrun in age,
And toward hym holdyng their passage.

And as hym thought in his in warde syght,
In theyr cōming full pitiously tremblynge,
Quaking for age, and for lacke of myght,
Their feblenesse by signes out shewing:
And one of them first at his commyng,
Our father Adam sodenly abrayde,
And to myne auctour euen thus he saide:

Cosyn Bochas I wol well that thou lere
That art so busy to serche ouer all,
Ofinfortune the maner to enquere,
Her sodayne chaunge turning as a ball
Of  [...]thly princes from their estate rial,
It is most syttyng or we a sondre twyn,
At vs twayne the processe to begyn.

Consider first the lorde in his auyse,
Whan he vs made vnto his likenesse:
He put vs both in to paradise,
[Page]There to haue lyued in parfite stablenesse:
Till the Serpent dyd his businesse,
Of false enuy, to make vs lese our grace,
Perpetually to exyle vs fro that place.

And whā Jhon Bochas naked thē behelde,
Without the hand, fourmed of nature,
Of slime of the erth in Damascene the felde
God made them aboue eche creature.
And for they should perpetually endure,
By discrecion for a prerogatife,
He endued them wyth a soule of lyfe.

Parfite of age as men of .xxx. yere:
Put them after in possession
Of Paradise, a place most entere,
And of delites a chosen mansion:
Where Adam made an imposion
To fysh and to foule, and to these beastes al,
Of very reason what men should them call.

Out of a rybbe whyle that Adam dyd slepe,
Eue was drawe ful fayre of her visage,
Al sodenly, or that he toke kepe:
After to hym ioyned in mariage
For his disport, and his auantage,
So as the lorde first wyues dyd ordeyne
Eyther for helpe, or encrease of peyne.

God vnto them gaue the soueraintie
Of Paradyse, and dominacion,
A place fulfilled of all felicitye,
The frutes be all in their subiection,
Saue that of one was made excepcion:
Whyche god forbad (the Byble can deuyse)
That they should it touche in no wyse.

All delices in that heuenly place
God gaue to them, and put in their kepyng,
To vse them euery houre and space
To theyr most ease, as was to them lyking:
Blomes, blossomes theyr fayrnes ay keping
And the frutes alwaye of one freshnesse,
For witer stormes myght do thē no duresse.

The soyle enbrouded full of sa [...]er floures,
There wedes wycke had none interesse:
For god & kynde wyth freshnesse of colours
And wt their tapites & motles of gladnesse,
Had made yt place habūdant wt at swetnes,
And fresh Flora whych is of floures quene,
Her lyuerey made of a perpetūal grene.

The trees raught almost to the heuen,
Whyche cast about a ful pleasaunt shade,
That storme, ne rayne, thūdre, wynde, ne le­uine,
No power had their leues for to fade:
For euer they were ylyke freshe and glade:
And whan they lyst they might se
In middes of ye garden of life y• holesume tre

Whyche vertue had ayenst all malady,
Folke to preserue in youth in their freshnes:
Who eate thereof should neuer dye,
But lyue euer in ioy and gladnes:
And neyther fele trouble nor sickenesse,
But in that place haue alwaye hertes ease,
And suffisaunce of all y• myght them please.

Euer endure and neuer fal in age:
For whyche it was called the tre of lyfe.
But whan Adam was fallen in dotage,
And ayenst god began to holde stryfe,
Throuh excitynge of her that was his wyfe,
And wylfully yaue her to assent
To breke the precepte & the cōmaundement

Of god the lord, through wylful negligence
To approche the tre that bare the name
The tre of connyng and also of science:
For of the frute who that dyd attame
He sothly should (the Byble sayth the same)
Of good & euyll haue cōnyng in his thought,
wher as toforne of euyl he knew right noght

Thus had they first of euyll, experience:
Which as toforne they knew no wickednes.
Presumpcion and inobedience
Brought thē out of ioye into wretchednesse.
For afore time (mine author bereth witnes)
Helth & goodnes were called very lyfe,
Euyl named sicknes, first rote of our strife.

In Paradyse myne auctour sayth certeyne,
The tyuers were so Orient and so fyne,
Lyke quicsiluer boylyng vp they pleyen:
And in their ronnyng very chrystallyne:
Whych from a wel heauenly and deuyne
In their vpspryngyng & aueylyng downe,
Of al pleasaunce gaue so swete a sowne

That it woulde rauysh a mans corage.
Whose baumy colour endewed al the place:
And wt the freshnes & cours of hys passage,
The holesome ayre hertes dyd embrace:
There was such plēty of plesaūce & of grace,
That euery spice, herbe, grayne, and rote,
Were foāden growyng in that gardein sote,

[Page ii]
And there was a delectable soun
Of songe of brydes in their ermony:
The aire was clene from all corrupcion,
For therin ingendred was no malady.
There was all mirth, there was al melody,
Of ioy and blysse souerayne suffisaunce,
With al that may to hertes do pleasaunce.

And of clerkes lyke as it is tolde,
In their bokes as they determine,
Thoe in his sphere the sunne manifolde,
Was of more vertue & more clere dyd shyne
Than it doth nowe in his mighty lyne.
The mone whyter with her beames clere,
And euery sterre bryghter dyd appere.

Euery thynge was there more vertuous
Than they be nowe, who can behold and se,
For in yt place there was nothing noyous,
But perfit gladnes knit vnto surete,
Perpetuell peace ioy and prosperite:
And in that blisse to make more strong,
To their comfort god spake to them among

Of his goodnesse he bare them companye:
Shewed vnto them hys gracious presence,
Angels also their state to magnifye,
Amonge, to serue them, dyd their dilygence,
In diuers offices with humble reuerence:
And nature wrought for the nones
Of ryall purpill and ryche stones,

Tissues of gold and other ornamentes
For to enuiron their bodily beaute:
Shaping to them suche maner garnimētes
As angels vse in their felicite.
Naked they were fayrest on to se,
For whyle they stode in state of innocence,
They had of clothynge none experience.

And of their blysse to make mencion,
And of their ioyes that were celestiall,
There may be made no comparison
Of no ioy which is temporal,
Which should haue be lasting and immortal
Euer to haue lyued in mirth and gladnesse,
Saue ageyn reason of very wilfulnesse

They banished thē self out of that blisful life
Whan Adam gaue credence to a snake,
And wretchedly gan trust on his wife,
Whiche gan the apple of the serpent take,
And plesantly did a present make
Vnto Adam, as she that fyrst began
Deth to deuyse, and poyson vnto man.

But as their ioy was incomparable,
Greatest their lordship of all erthly thinge,
So their fall was to them importable.
For he that was all other surmountyng,
In Paradise reignynge as a kinge,
Was it not a dedelye mortall payne,
Fro thilke place to haue a fall sodayne▪

For thilke sorow surmounteth al sorowe
Which next foloweth felicite:
No wo more greuous at euen ne at morow,
As is in dede sodeyne aduersite,
Which commeth vnwarely after prosperite.
Ne nothinge may more hertes disauaunce,
Than of old ioy newe remembraunce.

Taketh ensample of Adam and of Eue,
Maketh of them a myrroure in your mynd,
Whether of reason it dyd thē greatly greue
For to be put, alas, so ferre behynde?
Out of that blysse they and all their kynde,
Chaungyng the state of immortalite
And became subget to deth and pouerte.

Their sodeyn change & vnware mischefe,
And their vnhappy transmutacion
It was to them full vncouth and vnlefe
For to depart fro thilke manlion,
That was so ful of delectacion:
Fro such delites sodenly to go
Into this worlde whych is so ful of wo.

There is delite, and here sorowe and care,
There is ioy, and here is heuinesse,
There is plenty, and here is euyll fare,
There is helth, and here is great sickenes:
Here troble ay mēged with vnsure gladnes,
There is ay blysse and eternall glory,
And here is mirth, but false and transitory.

Alas, howe they were blinded in their sight
Through vaynglory and false ambicion.
They went wronge they loked not a ryght:
False couetyse was theyr confucion,
Wherthrough they lost the dominacion
Of Paradise, and was both poore & thrall,
Their fredome lost and became mortal.

Vnto god they wold haue be semblable,
Lyke vnto hym good and yuell to know:
And in their trust for they were not stable,
Frō their estate they were brought ful low.
[Page]And thus the sede was fyrst ysowe,
The rote planted of disobeysaūce,
Which brought out linage to sorowe & mis­chaūce.

Thus came in fyrst through inobedience,
As by a gate, pouertye and nede:
And at their backe foloweth indigence,
Sorowe, sicknes, malady, and drede,
Exile, banyshynge, and seruitude in dede:
Whych caused man longe to contune
Vnder the lordshyp and daūger of fortune.

Thus came in also malady, and deth,
To dispoyle mankynde of hys beautye:
Long syckenesse, and pestilence that slethe
By soden stroke, whych ye no man may flye.
For vnto Adam and hys posteritie
Deth was annexed by successyon,
For hys offence, and so conueyed doun

For man to man in euery maner age.
For who so list know, sin brought in shame,
Man to be feble and faynt in hys passage.
And by processe to wexe halte and lame:
Vnto Adam thys was an vncouth game,
To be constrayned in sych apparayle
In bareyne erth to seke hys vitayle.

In hungre and thurst here he had hys lyfe,
Wyth swete and labour and tribulacions:
Endured also many a mortal styfe
Of hote and colde, ryght stronge passyons
Of elementes sodayne mutacions,
Wynde, hayle and rayne, fearful fallyng
And vnware strokes of thūder & lyghtning.

Thei stode also in domage and in drede
Of cruel beastes, Tygres, and lyons,
And of wylde beres who so taketh hede,
And in great feare of these fel dragons:
The assaut of dragons and of Scorpions.
For thilke beastes, that toforne were milde,
After their sinnyng ful ragy were & wylde.

And where thei stode first in sikernes
Of ioye and blisse, euer in one lastinge:
Out of their rest thei fil in vnsurenesse,
In sorowe, & sighing, & dolours cōplaining.
And fro their iyen continually weping,
The bitter teares day by day distil,
In this desert, for wanting of their wil.

And wheder were thei sorowful or faine,
Long tyme after their desolacion,
Whan they foūd Abell their own son slayne
By cruel Cayne to his confusion▪
The same Cayne as made is mencyon,
After that time wilde was & vagabound,
Til blind Lameth yafe hī his dethes woūd.

Adam nor Eue afore that ylke time
Had neuer sene no feest funeral.
It was of chaunge to them a new prime,
For to behold a thyng disnatural:
Brethern of one wombe by hatered eternal,
The one of hate so far hym selfe deuide,
Of false malice to be an homicyde.

And it was routh whan that they stode
For to behold their son al deed,
Layd on the grond, and bathed in his blod,
And al the soile where he lay was rede:
That whan Adam and Eue toke hede
It was to them ful great aduersite,
The newe slaughter to behold and se.

And euer among their sighes harde & sore,
The bitter weping and sorowes to auaūce,
Or they were ware their heeres woxe hore,
And age began theyr beautie disauaunce.
Their youth also by ful great displesaunce,
Began to appal or they it could aspye,
By cruel constreynt and force of malady.

And of youth fallen was their flour,
By the processe of many hundred yeres:
And by the duresse of great labour,
They wexe vnlusty, & vgly of their cheres.
Of age and deth these ben the daungers,
To say checkmate in nature it is couth,
Vnto beautie and grene lusty youth.

For whan the yeres fully passed be
Of flouring age, lastynge a season,
By processe (at eye men may se)
Beaute declineth, his blossoms fal adoune,
And littel and littel by succession
Cōmeth croked elde, vnwarely in crepynge,
With his potent ful porely manassing.

Thus to our father that called was Adam
Of creatures fayrest of al feire,
After great trauaile by processe in he came,
And began vnwarely ascend vpō the steyre
With his potent, and cast him to repeyre
With Atropose which afore shal gone,
For to attwin his liues threde anone.

[Page iii]
And in Ebron was made his sepulture:
Ther after was bilded a mighty great cyte,
By whose story and recorde of nature
I may conclude who list to se,
That neuer man had liberte
Sithen that Adam our lord gan disobey,
Ayenst deth, but that he must obey.

In cōplaining mine autor Jhon Bochas
Ful pitiously, in hys aduertence,
Bewepeth, wayleth, and oft sayeth alas,
In apple there was so great offence,
That for a taste of inobedience
Adam, alas, should haue so great a fal,
So sodainely to die and be mortal.

Which example ought inough suffise,
In al this world though there were no mo:
To exemplify to folkes that ben wise,
How this world is a throwfare ful of wo.
Lyke false Fortune y• turneth to and fro,
To make folkes whā they most clerely shine
In their estates, vnwarely to decline.

For though that thei their hedes lift a lofte,
Highe as Phebus shineth in his sphere,
Thinke them selfe (as it falleth oft)
Their renown recheth aboue ye starres clere
And howe they surmount euery sphere,
Their trust corrupt hath a sodayne fal,
For to declare you they ben mortal.

O worldly folke aduert and yene entent,
What vengeaūce and what punicion
God shal take in his iugement
For your trespas and your transgression,
Which breke his preceptes ayen al reason:
Ye haue forgotten how wt his precious blod
You for to saue he died vpon the Roode.

For if Adam for his disobeisaunce
Was by the lorde as him list ordaine,
Made first, & formed with euery circūstāce,
Of creatures to be most soueraine,
If that he was enbraced in the chaine
Of seruitude, with children ouersene,
what shal I than of other folkes sein [...]

That liue here in this deserte of sorowe▪
In this exise, of plesance desolate▪
And in this worlde both euin and morowe
Of hertely ioye stonte disconsolate▪
All destitute and also infortunate,
And forpossed with wo and worldly troble,
Euer variable and ful of chaunges double.

Ye not entende but to false couetise,
To fraude, berret, and extorcion:
Agayne god in many dyuers wise,
Againe your neighbour by false collusion,
To do hym wronge and oppression:
And worst of al, ye retche not by syn
To slee your soule, worldly good to wyn.

And if it fal your power to be but smal
To accomplyshe your auarice in dede,
Your sinful wyl assenteth ouer al,
Thing to desire of which ye maye not spede:
And thus false lust doth your bridel lede,
Trust in hauing so sore you doth assayle,
Falsly afered the world should you fayle.

And if god benigne and debonayre
With his yarde of castigacion
Chastiseth you but easely and faire,
Ye grudge against his correction:
Nothing auerting in your discrecion,
Howe god not bad vs (who can take hede)
For to striue ne wrastel in dede.

Neither our strength, ne our might to appli
Vpon the beast monstruous and sauage,
which called is the Chimere of Licy,
Specially whan he is in hys rage:
which monstre had to his auantage
Heed of a lion as bokes determine,
Wombe of a gote, and taile serpentyne,

Which was outrayed of Bellyferon,
As olde poetes make mencion:
Neither god bad not that men should gon
In to Colchos to conquere with Jason
The Flees of gold, which in that region
With firie bulles of mettal made of bras,
And by a dragon ful straitly kept was.

God bad vs not our contreys for to lete,
To vnderfonge things that ben impossible:
The Mynotaur for to slee in Crete,
Halfe man halfe bul if it be credible:
Which was a monster hateful and odible.
Sūtime brought forth in bokes ye may se
By Mynos wife, called Pasyphae.

Whose storie techeth, if thou list to here,
This vgly beast and monstruous
Through Ariadne the kings doughter dere
Was sumtime slayne by duke Theseus,
[Page]Within a caue made by Dedalus.
God biddeth vs plainely for his sake,
So great emprise for to vndertake.

He byddeth vs not to be so recheles
In perilous dedes that bene marciall,
Vs to ieoparde, as dyd Hercules,
Which by the bidding in especiall
Of Euristeus the mighty kyng royall:
Lordes of Athēs to make their honor shine,
Learned of armes the famous discipline.

Of these preceptes if we haue a sight,
And remembred of his highe bounte,
He vs cōmaundeth thinges that be lyght,
For to accomplishe with all humilite:
From our corage to auoyde all vanite,
And from our hertes to exclude ydelnesse
And this false chāge of al worldly gladnes.

For vnto a man that perfite is and stable
(By good reasō mine auctor doth wel preue)
There is nothing more faire ne agreable,
Than finally his vicious lyfe to leue.
On verye god rightfully to beleue:
Him loue & worship aboue al erthly thyngs
This passeth victory of Emperours & kin­ges.

The Lord biddeth also who so can discerne,
Of entere loue to do our labour
In this life here, so our life shal gouerne,
To father & mother that we do due honor,
And in their nede to do them socour:
And in all vertue our frendes to comfort,
And to our power in grace them supporte.

For in this world is nothing more perfite
Neither taccōplish thinge of more plesance,
Than a man for to haue delyte
In lytell good to haue suffisaunce:
And to be content in his gouernance,
Auoyde auarice, and thinke euer among
To his neighbour that he do no wronge.

Not to couet his goodes in no wise:
Him selfe gouerne like to his estate,
Not to excede, but flye and also dispise
All maner loue whych is disordinate:
Him selfe preserue from contecke & debate.
And specially to esche we it is good
Slaughter, & murdre, & sheding of bloude.

Flye from his syn, and hate for to lye:
O folde offences among haue repentaunce.
And to esche we all scorne and malory:
Ayenst vyces do almesse and penance.
And to haue most souerainly pleasaunce
To sewe the pathes of oure Lorde Jesu,
True examplayre of grace and vertue.

Which for our sake, and our redempcion,
And for our loue, was nayled on a tre:
Suffered payne and cruell passion,
And nothing asketh of high & lowe degre,
Recompensed ayenwarde for to be,
But that we set all holy our ententes
For to fulfil his commaundementes.

And of his grace here in this mortal lyfe,
As we precell of wysdome and reason,
And of his gift haue a prerogatife
Tofore all beastes by discrecion,
Therefore let vs of hole intencion
As we of reason, beastes ferre excede
Let vs be before thē in word, exāple, & dede.

Grounde our selfe first vpon humilite,
Our pompous eyen mekely to vnclose:
Enclyne our hartes & so conceiue and se,
All worldly welth shall fade as a rose:
And of meke hert let vs our selfe dispose
By this tragedy to haue knowledgynge
Of our mischefe howe rote and beginninge

Was the vice of inobedience,
Surquidy, and false disobeisaunce,
As myne anctour hath shewed in sentence.
Emprinteth it well in your remembraunce,
Be ware the serpent wyth disceiuance,
The flesh, the world, your enemies all thre,
Through their traynes ye nat disceiued be.

Your best shilde to make resistence
Ayenst their power, sothly is mekenes:
Your haburion most mighty of defence
The fendes power to venquish & oppresse,
It is to remembre deuoutly with lownes
Howe mekely Christe to pay our taunsum,
Suffred on crosse deth and passion.

Therby men may that prudent ben & wyse,
The ioyes clayme whych bene eternal:
And entre ayen into Paradise
Fro whens Adam by pryde had a fall.
To whych place aboue celestiall,
O Christ Jesu so brynge vs to that glory
Whyche by thy deth haddest the victory.

[Page iiii]

Lenuoye.

SOdeine departinge out of this feli­citie,
Into miserie and mortal heuinesse,
Vnware depriuynge out of prospe­ritye,
Chaunge of gladnes into wretchednes,
Longe languishynge in wo and bitternes,
Continuell sorow, dred, dole, & pestilence,
Were fyrst brought in by inobedience.

Adam and Eue lost their libertye,
Their fraunchise, and their blessednes:
Put in exyle and captiuitye
To lyue in wo, labour, and pensifnes,
Through false desire and pompous wilfulnes
To the serpent whan they gaue credence,
The lord mistrustyng through inobedience.

But O alas, wher as they were free,
Of ioy eternall stode in sekernes,
They were to blynde alas it was pitie
To leue their rest, and liue in wetines,
All their ofsprynge to brynge in dystresse,
Drawynge fro God hys due reuerence
Through false consentynge to inobedience.

Wherefore ye prynces auysely doth se
(As thys tragedye in maner bereth wytnesse)
Where as wanteth in any comonalte
Subiection, for lackynge of mekenes,
And wyth poore, pryde hath an enteresse:
There foloweth after through froward inso­lence,
Among the people false inobediēce.

And noble princes whych haue the souereinte
To gouerne the people in ryght wysenesse,
Lyke as ye cherishe them in peace & vnite,
Or frowardly distroy them or oppresse:
So ayenwarde their corages well dresse
Lowly to obeye to your magnificence,
Or disobey by inobedience.

Che .ii. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Nembroth bylt the tower of Babylon to saue him fro Noyes stode, whyche for his pryde was put fro his magnificence, and hys tower with sodayne leuyn smytten downe.

MYne auctour Bochas lightly oueryode
The vengeaunces, & myscheues huge
Which y• God toke with Noyes flode
Whan he sent an vniuersal deluge:
Ayenst whych there was no refuge,
Saue .viii. persons in that mortal wo
Whiche in a shyp were saued, and no mo.

Wherefore myn auctour lightly ouergoth,
Maketh of that age no special mencion,
But passeth ouer from Adam to Nembroth,
Consideryng howe in that deedly chaunce,
The lorde for syn toke so greate vengeaunce,
That by wryttynge of storyes, no victorye
Of highe ne lowe was left to memorye.

For there was laft cronicle none ne boke,
After, that made mencion
Of none auctour, who so lyst to loke:
For all was brought to destruction
By a deluge, wythout any excepcion.
For whych myne auctour trāsported his stile,
And of that tyme lyst nothynge compyle.

He founde no mater wheron he myght found,
Nor set his fote by none auctoritie,
Neyther no truth his purpose on to grounde,
Of olde wrytynge that he coude se:
For whych him thought of necessitie
The surplusage of all that tyme lete,
And after Adam with Nembroth for to mete.

And certes lyke as Bochas in hys boke
Remembreth first of Adam the story,
So next in order he the story toke
To speke of Nembroth, and his surquedye:
Whych here first (as bokes specifye)
After the flode his waues gan aswage,
Was made a lorde, to gouerne in that age.

For whan the flode began to decrece,
And God his vengeaunce gan to molifye,
Withdrawe his hand, the water tho gan cese [...]
Vpon the mounteynes high of Ermonye,
The shyp gan rest, the Byble can not lye.
And in that age called the seconde,
Lynage of man gan first to habounde.

To encrease ayen and to multiplye,
And by dyscent in bokes ye maye se
Specified the genelogye:
Howe that one Chus cosyn to Noe,
A man that tyme of greate auctorritie,
[Page]Vnto this Nembroth, the storye dothe assure
The father was as by ingendrure.

This Nembroth was mighty, large, & long,
Excelling other as of his stature,
Surquedous, hardy, and right stronge,
And in his time great labour might endure:
And in his force to much he dyd assure,
And yet was none on water ne on lande
Which durst his power presume to withstand.

And his noblesse more to magnify,
In worldly worship by reporte of his glorye,
He was called chefe prince of venery,
Desirous euer to haue the victorye
Of beastes wilde: to be put in memory,
And haue a price amonge these champions.
Tigres to daunt, eke boores and Lions,

There was no beast in wodes so sauage,
That durst ayenst him make resistence:
His furious yre so mortall was on rage:
The erth quoke for feare of his presence:
Tyll at the last in his aduertence,
As a prince deuoyed of all grace,
Ayenst god he began to compace.
He made a maner coniuracion
This frowarde Gyaunt, and a conspiracy,
Toke his counseyl by false collusion,
His might, his power, for to multiply:
And his estate for to glorifye,
Thought he woulde of his entent not fayle,
God, and heuen, proudly to assaile.

That namely God whiche gouerneth al,
He thought he woulde proudely take on hād,
Ayenst deluges if any come shall,
Of prouidence, plainely them withstande:
Him selfe to assure, & make a place on lande
That should him kepe, and be to a defence
Both ayenst god and waters violence.

And that they might accomplishe their intent,
Lyke their desire they did their labour:
Toke their counseil al by one assent,
Chose Nembroth their duke & gouernoure
Them to conuey, and do them socour:
To be their gyde to forne, as they were ware,
Towarde a countre called Sinear,

In compasse wise rounde about yclosed
With a great stode, named Eufrates:
Their strong foly whych they haue purposed,
For to fulfil they were not rechelesse,
This is to saye, they put them selfe in prese
So high a toure for to edifye,
whiche shoulde surmoūt aboue the sterry skie.

That they shoulde greued be nomore,
With no deluge brought to distruction:
Neither that no waters may thē greue sore,
This was the fine of their intencion.
And of that tower a mightie stronge dongion
Ayenst God and flodes themselfe to assure,
The hight and largenesse both of a measure.

Thus in Nembroth encrese began the name,
And in the peoples reputacion
Of golde, and richesse, he had so great a fame,
They called him God in their opinion:
Most eurous, most mighty of renowne.
The worlde also hole vnder his obeisaunce.
As God and lord he toke the gouernance.

Vnder whose might the people gan procede,
He as a lord hauinge inspection,
Percinge the bowelles of the earth in dede,
To make mighty their foundacion:
And of false glorye and vaine false ambicion,
This proude Nembroth in his appetite,
To se them worche hath ful great delite.

His ioy was and his inwarde gladnesse,
To beholde so great a company
Persen the erth by so great depenesse,
To make the ground stronge by masonry,
The worke vpwarde for to fortifye
With many a stone, huge & large of weight,
They haue it reysed vp into y• ayre on height.

And finally, by mediacion
Of this great werke, Nēbroth was famous,
Takinge in hert great consolacion
That by report he was so glorious:
Of so great might, and port so pompous,
That he was so myghty, ryche and stronge,
To rease a towre so high, so large, and longe.

For to this daye touchynge the great myghte
Of this towre whych Babell men it cal,
Men fro ferre may haue thereof a sight,
It surmounteth other toures all:
Of whych werke, thus it is befal,
Of serpentes and many a great dragon,
It is nowe called chefe habitacion.

That no man dare as they it se
[Page v]For wycked eyre, and for corrupcion,
By a great space and in a great countre,
Approche no nere ye meruaylous dongion:
So venemous was that mansion
And so horible, that no man dare approche,
Lyke to a mountayne builded on a roche.

And as men say that had thereto repaire,
This tower attaineth vnto the sterres clere,
And transcendeth the region of the eire,
The stones and the siment were made of such mater
And the ioyninge so stedfast & entier,
Though fyre and water both dyd it assaile,
Litle or nought their power shoulde auayle.

It was made so mighty to endure,
So well assured by disposicion,
That in this worlde no liuynge creature
Sawe neuer none like in comparison,
Whose reryng vp was chefe occasion,
And the ryches of the masonrye
Were through Nēbroth of pride & surquedy.

Demed proudely as in his auise,
He transcended all other in noblesse:
Thought him selfe most myghty and wyse,
Felowe to God as in lykenes.
But God that can all worldly pryde oppresse
And make princes eclypsen in their glory,
Suche as trust in thinges transitory,

The same lorde of his eternall myghte,
Thys tower whyche Nembroth list to edifye,
He made wyth thunder and leuyn lighte,
Thereof to fall a full greate partie:
The boystous wyndes and the ragy skye,
And goddes power on that other syde,
Began thus abate a percell of his pryde.

And in discent, and fallynge of the stones,
Of the werkemen ful many a man was deed,
And oppressed, their backe broken and bones,
The masonry wyth their bloude was reed:
Yet proude Nēbroth that of all this was hed,
With al these signes his lorde list not knowe,
For whiche his pomp was after broughte ful­lowe

But in hys errour procedeth furth of newe,
Thought he would get him selfe a name.
Of melancoly can chaunge loke and hewe,
And began also to attempte and atame
For to encrease and magnify hys fame,
A newe tower to edify ayen,
Lyke as God had ben blynde & nothing seen.

He would haue raught vp to the sterres seuen
By thassēt of them that can him first coūsail,
Robbed god, and from him raught the heuen:
But who presumeth the lorde aboue tassayle,
It were no reason that he shoulde auayle.
Prynces may well ayenst hym cry loude,
But his power may clipse wyth no cloude.

For in the myddes of his great emprises
This proude Nembroth makynge his masōs
For to compas and cast their deuises,
Geometries in their diuisions,
But God that hath his aspections
Seynge thententes of euery erthly man,
As he that is most mighty, and best can

Ayenst their malice make resistence,
Their worldly power, their dominacion,
Of his vengeable and most magnificence,
He can chastice, and ouer whelme downe
The pride of princes in euery region:
By ensample of Nembroth as ye shal here,
Whose pompe raught aboue the sterres clere.

For whan his workemen stode at auantage,
And most were busy to hys intencion,
And before that time spake al on langage,
All sodenly by transmutacion,
There was of tounges made a diuision:
That in their workynge as they can obrayde▪
No man wyst what that other sayde.

And it is lyke accordynge wyth reason,
So as chaunge was made of their langages,
So of their hertes was made diuision,
Both of their wyll, and of their corrages:
And in ascendynge of their workynge stages,
Ther was such chan̄ge of broder vnto broder
Like straungers none knew thentēt of other.

Myne auctour troweth that this aduersitie
Was for their gilt caused by vègaunce,
Or els God of tyght and equitie
Disposed hath in his ordinaunce,
To be amonge them so great a variaunce,
That through ye world they shuld thēselfe de­uide
And fro Nembroth disceuer, & not abide.

They gan anone among thēselfe disdeyne
To accept this Nembroth for their kynge,
And amonge forsoth there was not twayne,
One of another that had clere knowynge,
Ne of their speche knewe the plaine meanyng:
[Page]For whyche y• coūtre of Senaar they forsoke,
And eche of them a sondry countrey toke.

They departed and made no lenger space,
Folowyng the fortune of their diuision:
And begā to chese thē a newe dwellinge place
In the parties of many a region.
And thus Nembroth was priued & put doun,
And of Babel the mighty famous toure,
He was called no lenger possessour.

For ayenst the pryde of this Nembroth
Froward fortune gan her cours to vary,
And God also was in maner worth,
Of surquedie that he was so contrary:
And for the place was wilde and solitarye
Of thys Senaar, and furious sauage.
Nembroth gan to feble & fal in great age.

And yet some bokes of him specifye,
He waxte froward of hys condicion,
And was fyrst grounde of ydolatrie,
And fynder vp of false religion:
Causynge people to haue an opinion
Goddes to worshyp in Panimes wyse,
Founder of rightes, and of false sacrifyce.

Towarde Perce chese hys dwellynge place,
The whych countre is in the Orient,
That hys lordshyp shuld stretch a great space
He bounded hym into the Occident:
For Perce lande hath hys extent
Toward the parties of the Reed see.
And thys lande Perce who so lyst to se

As bokes olde remembre & put in mynde,
How that Perce costeth inuiron
Septemtrion, and the great Inde,
And many another myghtye region:
Where Nembroth had first dominacion.
Whyche extendeth as bokes specifye,
Out of Mede into Germanye.

But in lordeshippes as myne auctour sayeth,
Without that vertue be their true guyde,
In them there is suraūce none ne fayeth.
Thynge that passeth may no whyle abyde.
Wherefore Bochas in a spyte of pryde,
And in rebukynge of al folkes proude,
Makyng his cōplaynt cryeth to thē ful loude.

The .iii. Chapiter.

¶ An exclamaciō of Bochas ayenst al proude men, shewynge howe God maye them and their pryde abate whan hym best lyste, by manye dyuers meanes and wayes punyshe and chaslyce.

ME al proud, most ryal in your floures,
Whych that most trust to reygne long,
Dresseth vp youre roches and youre towres,
And ayenst God make youre selfe stronge:
And let your power proudly vnderfonge,
Your selfe wyth pryde for to magnifye,
Ayenst the heuin to holde the champartye:

Buyld vp your castles, reyse them vp tyghte,
Of Adamantes wyth yron stronge ybounde,
With square stones, large and huge of hyght,
Reyse vp your walles most mighty & profoūd
And shit your dūgeōs wt mighty chenes roūd,
Lette men of armes (who euer wake or slepe)
Nyght and daye your watche so straitly kepe

As god ne man in your opinions
Your fortresses myghte not assayle,
Your Castels, ne your stronge dungeons,
Stuffed wyth men & plenty of vytayle,
Lyke to stande euer and neuer for to fayle:
As god not might ayenst your false puissaūce.
Whā euer hym lyst of right to do vengeaunce.

Set afore youre eyen that ben blynd
The monstruous werke of greate Babilone:
The pride of Nēbroth that was put behinde,
Maugre his mighte, & his towre smyt doun:
For al the craft of werkemen and mason
Distroied was with a sodayne leuin,
To auenge hys pryde sent a downe fro heuin.

For though your strengthes so assured be
That none engyne may thereto attayne,
Gunne ne Bumberdes by no subtilte,
Shot of arowblast, ne touche of dundayne,
Yet god that is lord and souerayne
Which lyche desertes can both spyl & saue,
May confounde it with an erth quaue.

Myne auctour asketh what castel or towre
May be so strōge made in any wyse,
But that by meane of some false traytoure,
Or by some way that he can deuyse,
It may be lost, or solde for couetise:
And deliuered for al the stronge bondes,
[Page vi]Into the power of their enemies handes,

Or by some other sodayne aduenture.
Castels & cities and many a riche towne,
Haue be lost, they might not them assure
For to resist ayenst false trayson:
Sume haue be lost also by rebellion
And all these meanes the truth to begyn,
Is but punishynge whyche god sent for syn.

God hath a thousande handes to chastyse,
A thousande dartes of punicion,
A thousande bowes made in diuers wyse,
I thousande arowblastes bent in hys dōgeō,
Ordeyned echeon for castigacion:
But where he findeth mekenes & repentaūce,
Mercy is maistresse of his ordinaunce.

Ye that bene wyse considereth howe the rote
Of vices al is pride, ye may well se:
Pulleth him downe, and putteth vnderfote,
And taketh your counceyl of humilitie:
And if ye list to stande in surete,
Byldeth in hert for more sekernesse
A towre of vertues, grounded on mekenesse.

Whose masonry is of no costage,
Of vertues grounde and soueraine:
Blastes of wyndes and of weders rage,
Neyther no tempest hasty ne sodayne,
Pompe ne blast, though they do their payne,
This vertue mekenesse for to vndermyne,
They be to feble to make her to enclyne.

For where mekenesse is grounded verily,
Though he somtime fele aduersite,
He passeth ouer, and suffreth paciently,
And venquisheth all maner enmytie.
The assaute also and the contrariosite
Of infortune and of worldly trouble,
And of victory conquereth a Palme double.

And tho mekenes amiddes the flodes flowe
Of worldly mischefe and persecucion,
Whyle pacience in her bote doth rowe
Tho froward waues tosse her vp and downe,
A calme shall folowe of consolacion:
Whan sterne windes their blastes haue laid lowe
The name of mekenesse shal shewe & be well knowe:

She may be troubled, but ouercome neuer:
And for a tyme she may suffre werre,
But at the ende she vanquisheth euer,
On land and see whether she be nere or ferre,
To the hau [...] of life she was the lode sterre,
I take recorde of the humilite,
Of Mary so blessed mote she be.

The rote of mekenes floureth vp so faire
Whose beaute dredeth no tribulacions,
In somer ne wynter her floures not apayre,
And her frute lasteth in all maner seasons:
Pryde may assayle with his bostful sownes,
And finally for her encrease of glory,
With humblenes she wynneth the victorye.

¶ Lenuoye.

Ofolkes al that this tragedies rede,
Haueth to me kenes amonge youre ad­uertence
Of proude Nembroth also taketh hede,
How that he fel from his magnificence,
Onely for he by sturdy violence,
List of malice the mighty lorde assayle.
But in such case what myght his pride auayli

Noble princes which this worlde do possede,
Ye that be famous of wysdome and science,
And haue so many subiectes that you drede,
In gouernaunce vnder your excellence:
Let your power with mekenes so dispence,
That false pride oppresse not the poreyle,
Which to your nobles so muche may auayle.

Pride of Nembroth dyd the brydel lede,
Which him conuayed with great insolence:
Pride apertayneth nothynge to manhede,
Saue in armes to shewe his presence:
Wherfore honour, laude, and reuerence
Be to mekenes, that hath the gouernaile
Of al vertues, which man may most auayle.

The .iiii. Chapter.

How many yeres was betwixt Adam and Nembroth, and bitwixte Nembroth and Cadmus, & of other kinges.

THese olde poetes wt their sawes swete,
Ful couertly in their verses do fayne
How old Saturne was sūtimne king of Crete,
And of custome dyd hys busy payne,
And of his goodnes list to ordayne
That he shoulde as of his nature
Echon deuoure, as by his ingendrue.

In this mater shortly to soiorne,
[Page]To vnderstande of poetes the processe,
They meane plainly that this word Saturne
Doth in it selfe nothinge but Time expresse:
And Philosophers bere also wytnes,
That as in tune forth euery thing is broght,
So time ayenward bryngeth al to nought.

Clerkes also recorde in their wrytinge
Vnder support as I dare reherse,
How that fyre wasteth euery thynge:
And yron herd doth neshe thynges perce.
If ought abideth y• they may not transuerce,
Yet cōmeth time and by continuaunce,
It al consumeth with his sharpe launce.

His sharpe toth of consumpcion
In stil wise doth his busy cure
For to aneantise in conclusion
Al thynge that is brought forth by nature.
By long abydyng ye may thē not assure:
For olde thynges deuoured men may se,
Ferre out of mynde, as they neuer had be.

Who can or maye remembre in any wise,
The glorious prowesse of these princes olde▪
Or the noblesse of Philosophers wyse▪
Or of poetes their feyning to vnfolde▪
Processe of yeres, alas (as I you tolde)
Deuoured hath their name & their noblesse,
Derked their renoune by foryetfulnesse.

Thus of their names is left no memory,
Tyme wt his rasour hath done so greate ven­geaunce,
Shauen away the honor & glory
Of many noble, ful mighty of puissaunce:
That there is left nowe no remembraunce
Of princes, poetes, ne Philosophers.
For whan y• deth nailed them in their cofers

Cam time vpon, and by processe of yeres,
Their memory hath dusked & their minde:
And reuolucion of the heuenly spheres,
By oft turnyng, their glory hath left behind.
Thus euery thinge whiche subget is to kind,
Is in this life without more auauntage,
wasted with time and processe of long age.

In the first time from Adam to Noe
Prudent listers which list in bokes to rede,
Founde of fortune no mutabilite:
Neither of her chaūge they toke the no hede.
But from Adam there rekened ben in dede
Vnto Nembroth by turnynge of the heuen
A thousand yeres .vii. hundred and eleuen.

In which space who that considereth wel,
There ben no thinges writen in especial
Digne of memory, ne spoken of neuer a del,
which that ben notable ne historial:
But fro the time Nembroth had a fal,
Vnto Cadmus the yeres to conteine,
They were a .M. iiii. hundred and fourtene.

Touchinge this Cadmus as Bochas list en­dite,
It is rehersed b [...] Rethoriens
Howe one Vexores in bokes as they write,
was made first a kinge of the Egipciens,
whan Philosophers and nigromanciens
Began first taboūde their renoune tauaūce,
Nachor y• time hauyng y• gouernaūce

Of the Ebrues, as made is mencion.
After Nembroth by true rehersayle,
Thre hundred yere by computacion,
Foure score & .xii. which time it is no fayle
That Vexores begā warres & great bataile
Of volunt ayenst straunge nacions,
And to conquere Cityes, borowes, & townes

By force only, without title of ryght:
He wan al Egipt to encrease his name,
But for al that who lyst to haue a sight,
There is nowe left no reporte of his fame,
Saue Bochas wryteth howe he first dyd at­tame
Hys mighty conquest of intencion,
That the glory and the high renoune

Ascriued were vnto his worthynes:
And the residue and surplusage
Of golde & treasure of good and of richesse,
Turne should to common auauntage
Of al hys people, that euery maner age
Report mighte it was to him more nerre
Aboue singularite, his cōmon to prefer.

Also Tanais of Cithie fyrst kynge,
Whan Sarneke was duke and souerayne
Ouer the Iewes, by recorde of writynge
Two hundred yere .xl. also and twaine
After Nēbroth, this Tanais gan ordayne
A mighty power & a stronge battaile,
Them of Cithye proudly to assayle.

Conqueryng from thens vnto the yle
Called Ponte, in a ful cruel wyse:
And though his lordship lasted but a whyle
All that he wan was for couetise.
And as Bochas doth of thys folke deuise,
Proces of yeres for al their great puissaunce,
[Page vii]Hath put their names out of remembraunce.

Zoroastes also for all his great myght
Of Bactrians kyng and possessoure,
Lorde of Trace, and a full myghty knyght,
Of all his dedes and his great laboure,
Of his conquest, ne of his great honoure,
Is nothing left of writyng vs beforne,
Saue yt he lough the houre yt he was borne.

He began full sone for to be mery
With sodaine laughter at his natiuitie:
And worthy Ninus, that was kyng of Assiry
Expowned his laughter to great felicitie.
The which Ninus wan many a fayre coūtry,
And day by day his power gan encrease,
For which he would not of his cōquest cease.

For this is the maner of these conquerours,
Whan they haue had in armes victory,
Do their might, their paine, & their labours
With newe emprises to be put in memory:
For their courage surprised wt vayne glorye,
Can not be styll content in their estate,
Till their Parady say to them checkmate.

Fortune of armes (in bokes ye may read)
With a false laughter on folkes dothe smyle:
She frowarde euer ere they can take hede,
Of nature will falsely them begyle:
Conquest by warre lasteth but a while,
For who by death dothe sturdy vyolence,
God will by death his vengeaunce recōpence.

This worthy Ninus gan mightely preuayle,
Ayenst zoroastes of whom I spake tofore:
For he with hym fought last in battayle,
In whiche Ninus hath him so well ybore
That zoroastes hath the felde ylore.
And he was aucthour as bokes specify
Of false Magyke, and Nygromancy.

He fonde the nature of euery element,
Their kindely workyng, & their mutacions:
The course of starres, and of the firmamente,
Their influences, their dispositions,
Their aspectes and their coniunctions:
Wrote in pillers deuised of metall,
The seuen sciences called liberall.

Also in pillers of Brycke full harde ybake,
There were vp set, longe, large and huge,
He began also write them and vndertake,
To make them sure as for their refuge:
That they shoulde by floude, ne deluge
Defaced ben as of their scripture,
But in their grauyng perpetuall endure.

But though zoroastes these craftes out fond,
Full little ornought it myght to him auayle:
And though he were a good knight of his hōd,
He was of Ninus slayne in batrayle,
Lost his realme, and royal apparayl:
And Ninus dyed within a litle throw,
But in what wise, the story is not knowe.

Also Moydes kyng of Sodome,
I fynde of him no memory by writyng,
Saue in a story as men may reade and se,
He and his people were freell in liuynge:
But he that was of Assiriens kyng,
Through false Fortune that can so oft vary
To Babylon made them tributary.

We haue sene and redde also,
The vengeaunce and the pestilence
Done in Egypt to kyng Pharao:
For that he made a maner resistence
Ayenst God, of wilfull insolence.
Therfore his people vpon a day and he,
Were drent echone in middes of the see.

The people of God ledde by Moyses,
Without trouble of any maner wawe,
Went echone in quiet and in peas:
And Pharao as he gan after drawe
Them to pursue, by a full mortall lawe,
In his pursuite forward was atteynt,
Among the waues with his host and dreynt.

In Exodi ben these mencions,
Ceriouslye put in remembraunce.
The. xii, plages and persecutions
In Egypt done, by full great vengeaunce,
And of their treasour & their great substaūce
They were dispoyled by Ebrues (it is tolde)
Of their vessels, of siluer, and of golde.

Out of Egypt full great treasure they ladde,
Such as thē thought might most thē auaile:
And Pharao I fynde that he hadde
Two hundred chares enarmed for battayle,
Them to pursue and proudly to assayle:
And fifty thousande in whom was no lacke
Of men of armes, folowyng on horsebacke.

Two .C. thousande of fotemen him aboute,
And of Egypt all his chyualrye:
[Page]And Pharao with all his great route,
Began Israel pursue of enuye.
But for his pryde and false surquedy,
He and his people were drowned euerychone
Of all his number was left not one.

His froward hart ayenst God indurate,
Fulfilled of malyce and obstinacy,
And in his purpose proude and obstinate:
These foule vyces or he coulde them espye
From his glory and his regally,
He was doun (though he tofore was crouned)
Amidde the sea among his people drowned.

Of Ogiges kyng of Thebes.

ANother Prynce called Ogygus,
Kyng of Thebes as bokes determine:
And foūder was, thus Bochas telleth vs
Of a citye called Eleusyne.
Which stout in Grece, whose power to decline
There fyll a floude in that regyoun
Whiche ouerflowed many a royall towne.

And in Cithia that did most dammage,
Tyme of Iacob patriarke notable:
And this deluge with his waues rage
Slewe lordes many, & prynces honourable.
For dame Fortune is so deceiuable,
That she sumtime when she list disdayne,
Can folke assayle with a floude sodaine.

This floude also where it did assayle,
Wasted cornes bothe croppe and rote:
Caused also scarcitie of vytayle,
That many a man felt full vnsote.
The pore not wyst where to finde bote,
For their prynces supprised were with drede,
Through lacke of vitayle in that great nede.

Of a great floude in Tessaly.

ANother floude there was in Tessaly,
In the time when kyng Amphyon
Helde the ceptre and the regaly
Vpon Thebes, the mighty stronge towne,
Beside the kyngdome of Babilon:
The same time this floude fell doubtles,
When Gods people was ledde by Moses.

With this floude the land had ben deuoured
Of Tessaly, and of all that region,
But on Pernaso the people were succored,
And on the Roches that stode enuyron,
Founde there refuge to their saluation
And great succour, til the floudes rage
Began to decrease, withdrawe and asswage.

In olde stories also ye may se,
Whan Cecrops had first possession
Of Athens, the myghty stronge citye,
An heate there fell in that region,
By influence that descendeth downe
From the bodies aboue celestiall,
Whiche likely was for to deuoure all.

And this heate engendred with the sonne,
In diuers countreys both in length & breade
Hath his course so mightely begone,
That many folke fell in great dreade:
Ryuers, welles, who so list take hede
Consumed were and dryed vp echone,
The heat called the enbracyng of Pheton.

The .v. Chapter.

☞ Of goodly Isis wife to Apys kyng of Argyue, slayne by his brother Dyffeus.

WE haue read in stories here toforne,
How that Isis to Egypt toke her flyght
Out of Crete, the true daughter borne,
Of Promotheus, a full manly knyght:
And Isis in euery mans syght
So freshe, so goodly, wedded by her lyue,
To worthy Apys that was king of Argyue.

The whiche Isis excellent of beauty,
After tyme her father was ygraue,
She was put for more suretye
With her vncle that shoulde kepe and saue
This sayd ma [...]de y• no man should her haue:
And her vncle (in Ouide ye may se)
Like as he wrote▪ was called Epymethe.

And flourynge vp in her tender age
This sayd Isis so pleasaunt was and mete,
Of semelines, of loke, and vysage,
That Iupiter the mighty kynge of Crete,
Was enuyronned with her for to mete:
And she excited of feminitie,
Enclined her hart vnto his deitie.

[Page viii]
And for she was of her entent so clene,
Obeiyng hun in most lowly wise,
Of Argiuois he made her to be quene
Because that she was smit in couetise,
Ayenst Argus a warre she gan deuise,
And for he was vnweldy of his age,
Her to wt stand he found none aduauntage.

But yet Fortune gan vpon her frowne,
And kyng Argus through his subtiltye,
With his counsaile so prudently gan rowne,
That she was take by full great crueltie:
And her souldiours were also made to flye,
And by Argus, there gayned no raunsome,
She fettred was and put in strong pryson.

But her sonne God Mercurius,
Right freshe, ryght lusty, & full of hardines,
And of his earthly ioye so glorious,
Ayenst Argus gan his power dresse:
And so intirely did his busines,
That Argus was slaine in conclusion,
And after Isis deliuered fro pryson.

Of her sleyghtes afterwarde not feynt,
She toke a shyp and to Egypt went:
In which shyp there was a cowe depeynt.
And Theores whom Iupiter also sent,
Is gone with her bothe of one entent,
To ioyne a mariage after anone ryght
Betwene her & Apys, a prynce full of myght.

She was ryght wise aboue other creatures,
Secrete of cunnyng, well expert in science.
She taught first letters and fygures
To Egyptians, by playne experience:
Gaue them cunnyng and intelligence
To tyll the lande, taught the labourers
To sowe their graine, & multiply by peres.

And in Egypt her fame and her renowne
Began day by day, wext her worthines,
Holde of cunnyng and of reputation
By signe shewed not onely in princesse.
But she was holde among them a Goddesse:
And with worshyps whiche were diuyne,
And sacrifices to her they did enclyne.

But to declare playnly at a worde,
In middes of all her great prosperitie,
Mighty Apis her husband and her lorde,
Prince of Egypt and lorde of that country,
Sonne of Iupiter and of Niobe,
Whiche Niobe by long discendyng
The daughter was of Phoroneus y• kyng.

And Phoroneus first the lawe founde
To whiche all Crete stande vnder obeysaūce
And the statutes of that myghty londe
Were ystablished by his ordinaunce.
But for to write the vnhappy chaunce
Of kynge Apys that is remembred,
He slayne was: and pyteously dismembred.

By his brother called Tyffeus,
Sumwhat of hatred, but more for couetise:
For Tyffeus was onely desitous
To reioyce in full mortall wise,
The mighty kingdom as ye haue herd deuise,
Of Argiuois to haue possession,
Preferred by murder and false succession.

And when that Isis foūde her lorde so deade,
Of entent that he were magnified:
First of wisdome she gan take hede,
Ordeyned a meane that he were deified
High among Goddes to be stellified:
In Egypt temples made to be stalled,
And God Serapis, after he was called.

The .vi. Chapter.

¶ Of Grysiton that his membres eate for honger.

WHat shall I write of case horrible
Of Grisiton, wt hōger so cōstrayned
That his life was to him self odible
In Thessaly wt indigence payned,
And pyteously his fame was disteyned
When he solde his daughter in seruage,
Liriope whiche was but yong of age.

By exchaunge of God to puruey thē vytayle,
Of very nede, he was so wo begon:
He had nothing y• might his thirst auayle,
Ne staūch his hōger, but gnawyng on a bone
Wherfore he ate his membres one by one,
A prynce, alas, was it not great pitie,
To se him dye in suche aduersitie▪

We had also read full many a day tofore,
The great banishment and persecution
Of Argiuois: how kyng Gelanor [...]
Was cruelly put from his region,
And his lieges of indignacion
In his place they set one Danaus,
Sonne and also heyre to the God Belus.

[Page]
The people of malyce did him so encomber,
To encrease his sorow and his aduersitie:
And fyfty daughters he had also in number,
And Edippus his brother also pardy
Had fiftye sonnes (the stories ye may se)
At wene the whiche in surety of ho [...]de
In mariage there was made a bonde.

Vnder the which compassed was treason,
Couertly, though they did it hide.
But if ye list haue cleare inspection
Of this story vpon euery side,
Reade the legende of Cupide
Which that Chaucer in order as they stode,
Compyled of women that were called good.

Touchyng the story of kinge Pandion
And of his goodly fayre daughters twayne,
How Thereus false of condicion
Them to deceiue did his busy payne:
They bothe named of beauty souerayne,
Goodly Progne, and yonge Philomene,
Bothe innoc [...]utes of intent full cleane.

Their piteous fall in open to expresse,
It were to me but a presumption,
Syth that Chaucer did his busines
In his legende as made is mencion,
Their martyrdome and their passion
For to rehearse them, did his busy payne
Is chiefe Poete called of Brytayne.

Of good women a boke he did write,
The number vncomplete fully of ninetene:
And there the story plainely he did endite,
Of Thereus, of Progne, and Philomene,
Where ye may se their legende, thus I mene:
Do them worshyp & forth their life shew
For a clere myrror because there be but fewe.

I will passe ouer, and speake of thē no more,
And vnto Cadmus forthe my style dresse:
In my wrytynge, yet it greueth me sore.
Touchynge women of fayeth or stablenes
Blessed be God I fynde none excesse,
And for there be so fewe as thinketh me.
The good shoulde be had in more deyntie.

☞ Lenuoye.

THis tragedy beareth to you wytnesse,
How Saturnus by disposition
Maliciously of his frowardnes,
Causeth of Iuno full great infection:
She of nature conueyeth the nature doun:
The ayre infect whiche no man may succour
Cōmeth death anone, & al thing doth deuour

Time frō Adam mine auctour dothe expresse
Downe to Nemrothe by computation,
His stile conueyed by great auisenes,
From zoroastes to kyng Pharaon:
Of two deluges he maketh mencion.
In Tessaly the vengeaunce gan laboure,
And in Achaia Thebes to deuoure.

Ye haue of heates hearde the excesse:
Of princes, pryncesses, full great destruction,
Of Egistus the great wretchednes,
The fury of Thereus the wo of Pandion,
Of the two sisters the confusion,
And how their fate gan vpon them loure,
Their felicitie vnwarely to deuoure.

Prynces princesses your eyen do vp dresse,
I meane the eyen of your discresion,
Se of this worlde y• chaunge the doublenes,
The great vnsurenes, the variacion,
And aduert for all your great renowne
Fortuns dewes whā they most swetely shour
Than is she falsest, your glory to deuoure.

The .vii. Chapter.

¶ How Iupiter rauished Europa, & how Cad mus was sent to seke her in diuers regions.

THe rehersal of many an olde poete,
By discent the line conueyed downe:
Next Saturnus the mighty kyng of Crete,
Ioue was crowned by succession:
As next his heyre by procreacion
After his father the lande to enherite,
Raygning in Crete, as poetes list to wryte.

One of the linage as I you tolde beforne
Of the Gods, most souerayne and entere:
And though he were of bloude so high yborne
He chose Europe for to be his fere.
And downe discended frō his heauenly spere,
As he that was for all his deitie,
Surprysed in hart with her great beauty.

And she was daughter to a mighty kyng,
Called Agenor by line all discent,
Whose mighty kigdom & ryal faire dwellyng
Was in Phenice toward the orient,
And to Araby his lande was adiacent:
Farre by south as ye may read and se,
Toward the parties of the redde sea.

But Iupiter whan he did aduert
Of Europa the great semelinesse,
He thought he was wounded to the hart,
Vnto the death, beholdyng her fayrenes.
And for his cōstraynt & his mortall distresse
[Page ix]Seyng she was so fayre in his syght,
He rauished her of very force and might.

But Agenor her owne father dere,
Began on this case, full piteously complayne,
When she, alas, most goodly and entere,
Was him biraft whiche doubled al his paine.
Recure was none, though he did pleyne,
Tyll he remembryng on his regaly,
Thought he woulde sende to aspy

His sonne Cadmus her to recure ayene,
For to searche her in many a region:
Where so his labour wer fructuous or vaine,
His father set him a fell condicion,
Not to returne by none occasion,
And therupon made him to be bounde,
Tyll y• he had the kinges daughter founde.

He toke his shyps by great auisenes,
And began to sayle in many a straunge see:
Did his labour and his busines:
With many a worthy that were wt him preue:
But when that he of reason did se
There was no meane for which that he was sent
For to accōplishe the fine of his entent,

With glad hart deuoyde of grutchyng,
Seyng the case frowarde and contrary,
Humble of his cheare toke his exilinge:
And of manhode list not him selfe dispayre,
But with his meyne knightly gan repayre
Towarde Grece, & piteously there to lande,
Of Appollo for to vnderstande

To what party that he might drawe,
He prayed God to wyshe him or rede,
Some token shewe or some maner sawe,
Into what Ile that he myght him spede:
Or that he woulde graciously him leade
Where as he myght builde a citye
That were accordyng to him & to his meynie

And to Appollo he did sacrifice,
And made to him his oblation:
The God requiryng goodly to deuise,
To what lande or to what region,
For his dwellyng and habitacion
He should drawe withouten more obstacle,
For him and his to make his habitacle.

And Cadmus thus before Appollo stode,
Knelyng among with full great reuerence:
And in the temple of Delphos styll abode
With hūble entendaunce & deuout diligence,
Mekely besechyng by word or by sum sentēce
That Appollo woulde to him vnclose
To what party he should him selfe dispose.

This was his aunswere in conclusion,
As the statue to him did expresse:
To go and serche countreys enuyron,
And tyll he found, do his businesse
A bulle, that were excellent of fayrenes:
Whiche by precept of Appollos lawe,
Had neuer aforne in yoke ydrawe.

And where that euer sekyng that he fonde,
A bull stande styll in his pasture,
Appollo bade vpon that same lo [...]de
Where as he seeth this syght of auenture,
That he shoulde do his busy cure
To builde a citye, he and his folkes all,
And Boecia after the Bulle it call.

And whā that Cadmus y• precept vnderstode
And in searchyng did his busines,
He founde a place where a bulle stode
Feadyng hym selfe, whiche as by likenes
Was a place full pleasaunt of largesse:
Where as he stynt, he gan a citye rayse,
Which the poetes greatly cōmend and praise.

And y• his buildyng myght the more auayle,
All the foreyns that did about him dwell,
Full like a knyght, by force and by battayle
Out of that countrey he did them expell:
Raysynge a citie whiche that did excell.
And as Ouide also recordeth the same,
Vnto thys day of Thebes beareth the name.

And he was not onely glorified
For rearyng vp of this great citye,
But he was also magnified
For his manhode, & his magnanimitie:
And most commended if ye list to se,
For the surmountyng & famous excellence,
Whiche that he had in wysdome and science.

For as myne aucthour, of him list indite,
Through his noble prudent puruey aunce,
He taught fygures, & letters for to write:
And made lawes of full great ordinaunce,
Among the Grekes, and set a gouernaunce
Thei [...] vycious life by vertue to restrayne,
And who outraied, was punished wt the pain

And of entent to encrease hys lynage,
[Page]And his citye also for to multiply,
He toke a wife that was but yong of age,
And she was called as bokes specify,
Hermyone: and touching her alye,
Though that she were borne of royall bloud,
She was also bothe ioly, fayre, and good.

And this was done as writeth mine auctour,
After the death of worthy Iosue:
Sothonyell beyng successour,
Hauyng the leadyng and the soueraintie
Of Israell, whan Thebes the citye
Was founded first in the dayes olde,
By kyng Cadmus, tofore as I you tolde.

Foure daughters he had by his lyue,
Full fayre echone and goodly on to se:
And their names to reherse blyue,
Semele was the eldest, and next Acthonie
The thirde in order was called Inoe
And Agane was yongest of them all,
Of the whiche daughters thus it is befall.

They were echone of port and of manere,
Full well fauoured in euery mans syght,
Right womanly, and heauenly of their chere,
And for their beauty their father anone right
As it was sittyng, wyth all his full myght
Like their estates, birthe, and also their age,
Made thē be wedded, and ioyned in mariage,

To worthy princes, his linage to auaunce.
And they encreased by procreation,
Wherof the kynge had full great pleasaunce:
And great reioysyng in his opinion,
To saue his lyne by generation,
With his neuewes and cosyns of alye,
Fro day to day, to waxe and multiply.

And this encreased his felicitie,
Whan he considered verely in dede
The riche buildynge of his royall citye,
And Fortune did his brydle leade
To great riches, in bokes as I reade,
To great nobles, hauyng great residence,
In his citye of moste magnificence.

His daughter Semele record of mine auctor,
Though she discended were of the bloud ryal,
To Iupiter she was paramoure:
And by his power supercelestiall,
She conceiued in especiall
(As poetes of her list to endite)
Him that is god of grapes redde and white.
Called Bachus: whiche hath the gouernaūce
Of wynes all and the regaly:
Wherof after was take full great vengeaūce,
For when Iuno did first espye
Of Iupiter the great auoutrye,
Of great hatred and enuyous desire,
She made Semele to be brent wt sodayn fire

By discendyng of a sodayne leuine:
And on Semele the vengeaunce downe wēt,
Fro Iuno ielous, cleped quene of heauen,
To wreke her wrath purposely ysent.
And fore the flame consumed was and spent
There was of her left no remembraunce,
But of the ende the wofull mortall chaunce.

Also Actheon the sonne of Acthonie,
To great mischefes and infortunes borne
Whose father called was Criste,
Come of the kinred that I you tolde toforne
With cruell houndes alas he was to torne:
For that he sawe, as bokes of him tell
Dyana naked, bath her in a well.

And as Poetes remember at the lest,
Whan the ladyes of Thebes the citye,
Helde of Bachus solemnely the feaste,
The yonger sister called Agane,
Daughter to Cadmus, alas it was pitie
Ayenst her owne sonne deare,
She was so wode and mortall of her cheare

Murderyng hym in full cruell wise
In her rage: she was so furious
For he lough at the sacrifyce
In Thebes done by women to Bachus.
The whiche sonne was called Pantheus,
Whom that she slewe wt a sharpe dart,
In her wodenes, as she him founde apart.

These great mischeues fell in the lyue
Of king Cadmus through his vnhappy chāce
Fortune his noblesse gan vndermyne,
And thought she would his glory disauaunce
All worldly gladnes is medled wt greuaunce.
Experience in Cadmus ye may se,
So importable was his aduersitie.

For while he sate most highest in his glory,
No part clipsed of his prosperitie,
His bryght renowne and his royall memory,
In realmes spredde, & many a farre con̄trey,
He moste wealfull in his high see,
Set wt his linage most high in noblesse,
[Page x]Than came Fortune the false enchaunteresse.

Of wilfulnesse and founde occasion
Ayenst Cadmus, and made his renowne dul:
Of his kynred by false collusion,
She gan away the bryghtest fethers pull.
And whan his shining was waxt vp to y• full
After the chaunge of fortunes lawe,
His glory gan discrece and withdrawe.

It was more greuous to his dignitie.
A sodayne fall from his high noblesse,
Than if that he had neuer be
Set in the state of his great worthines:
For the furious mortall heauines
Of his kinred without any more,
Would haue greued a pore man full sore.

And amonge his sorowes euerychone,
To rehearse playnly as it was,
I dare affirme how that there was one
Most horrible & dreadfull in such a caas:
For Cadmus sonne called Athamas,
His sonne in lawe, through false melancoly,
Fell sodaynely into a frenesy.

Of whom the wife was called Inoe,
Cadmus daughter as ye haue heard expresse
Which through the cōstraynt of his infirmitie
In his rage and furious wodenes,
Thought that his wyfe was a lyonesse,
And in his wylde ymaginations
That his two children were also two lyons.

And vpon them full loude he gan to crye,
Towarde his wife in haste he came anone:
And from her armes there was no remedy,
The childe he rent, and on a craggy stone
He gan to brast it and breake it euery bone.
The whiche childe Bochas writeth thus
Full tender and yong called was Learchus.

And all this wofull and sodaine aduenture,
Of this rage whan that she toke hede,
As most sorowfull of any creature
Her other childe she hent anone for drede,
For of succour she knewe no better spede,
So as she might gan haste out of his sight.
But welaway, as she toke her to flyght

Her husbande came after pursuyng
Like a woode Lyon in his crueltie,
Downe from a hill whiche was dependyng
She and her childe fell into the see,
Was it not ruthe, was it not pitye,
A kings daughter, her lord i Thebes crouned
He to be woode, and she for feare drowned▪

Lo here the fine of Cadmus euery deale:
His children slayne, and his allies all,
And he him selfe from fortunes whele
Whan he wened leste, full sodaynly is fall.
His little suger tempred with moche gall:
For among all his mortall peynes,
His liege men of Thebes citezynes

Made ayenst him conspiration,
Put him in exile, and his wife also:
His sons & daughters brought to destruction
And to the encrease of his mortall wo,
He and his wife compelled bothe two
For very pouerte and very indigence
In their last age to purchace their dispence.

Thus of Cadmus the sorowes to discriue,
And his mischiefe to put in remembraunce:
He banished was twise by his lyue,
First by his fathers cruell ordinaunce
Of his sister to make enquiraunce:
And alder last in his vnweldy age
He was compelled to holde his passage

Out of Thebes, his wife and he alone,
In sorow wepyng to accomplishe their daies
Into Illery togither they be gone:
Their pacience put at fell assayes,
Whose bitternes felt none alaies,
Also of their ende, and vnhappy fate,
Ne of their death, I finde none other date.

Saue that Ouide maketh mencion,
And Iohn Bochas the poete excellent
Say that two brethren, zethus and Amphion
Out of Thebes by one assent,
Haue this Cadmus into exile sent,
His wyfe also: after their high noblesse,
To ende their life in sorow and wretchednes.

But the Gods of mercy and pitye,
Whā they thē saw by fortune thus cast doun,
From their estates into great pouertie,
Hauyng of them full great compassion,
They made of them a transformacion,
Of bothe twayne, them yeuyng a likenesse
Of serpentes, to liue in wyldernes.

¶ Lenuoye.

[Page]
OWhat estate may him selfe assure,
For to conserue his life in sikernes?
What worldly ioy may here long endure?
Or where shall men finde now stablenes,
Sithe kinges & princes frō their high nobles
(Record of Cadmus) ben sodēly brought low
And from the whele of fortune ouerthrow?

Who may susteyne the pyteous aduenture
Of this tragedy, by writyng to expresse?
It is like to the chaunte plure
Beginnyng with ioy, endyng in wretchednes.
All worldly blisse is meinte with bitternes.
The sodayn chaūg therof may no man know
For who sytteth highest is sonest ouerthrow.

Was in this world yet neuer creature,
(Reken vp princes for all their hygh noblesse)
But fortune coulde enclyne them to her lure:
And them enperishe through her frowardnes.
Wherfore ye lordes, wt all your great riches,
Beware afore or ye daunce in the rowe,
Of such as fortune hath frō her whele throw.

The .viii. Chapter.

☞ A processe of Oetes kyng of Colchos, Iason, Medea, Theseus, Scilla, Nisus, and other mo.

WHan Iohn Bochas was most dili­gent
To consider the successions
Of lynages, withall his entent
In his writyng and discriptions,
To compyle the generations
Of many noble famous of estate,
I meane of suche as were infortunate,

In his serchyng he founde not out a fewe
That were vnhappy founde in their liuynge:
To his presēce anone there gan hym shewe
A multitude, full piteously wepynge:
Among whiche full dolefully playnyng,
Came forthe Oetes, & hath cōplaynt begūne,
Kyng of Colchos, and sonne vnto the sunne.

For of Phebus which is bryght and clere,
Poetes write that he was sonne and heyre,
Because he was so myghty of power,
So freshe, so lusty, so manly and ryght fayre:
But of fortune he fell in great dispayre,
Cursyng his fate, and his destayne
When Iason first entred his countrey againe

By Pelleus sent from Tessaly,
There to accomplishe by diligent labour
The great emprises through his chiualry,
(If God and fortune list do to him fauoure)
That they might winne the excellent treasour
This is to meane, that he were so bolde,
The ram to assail which bare y• flece of gold.

This Iason through counsaile of Medee,
By sorcery and incantacion,
The bulle slough horrible for to se,
And vainquished the venimous dragon,
The kyng dispoyled of his possession,
Accomplished with carectis and figures
Of Colchos the dreadful aduentures.

And afterwarde when he his purpose had,
He left Oetes in full great dispayre:
And Medea forth with him he lad,
And her brother, which was the kyngs heyre.
But as I finde howe in his repayre
Out of Colchos whan they gan remue
Kinge Oetes after them gan sue,

Vpon Iason auenged for to be,
Without tariyng he folowed proudly:
The whiche thing when Iason did se,
This Medea gan shape a remedy:
She toke her brother and slewe him cruelly,
And him dismēbred as bokes make minde,
And piecemele in a felde behinde

She gan him cast all bespreint with bloude.
Wherof his father when he had a syght,
Full pale of chere still in the felde he stode,
While she and Iason toke them vnto flyght,
I trowe that tyme the most wofull wyght
That was on liue, whan he did know
His childe dismembred and abrode ysowe.

Whiche cause was, alas, and welaway
That he so stout as man disconsolate,
While that Iason fro Colches went away:
And Medea most infortunate,
Was rote and ground of this mortall debate,
For who saw euer, or redde of suche another,
To saue a straunger list to slea her brother?

Forsoke her father, her countrey and kinred,
The lande emperished through her robbery,
Of her worshyp toke none other hede,
Loue hath her brought in suche a fantasy.
And while that she abode in Tessaly,
And with Iason did there soiourne,
She made Eson to youth returne.
[Page xi]A yarde she toke that was drie and olde,
And with her herbes and commi [...]tions,
She made it boyle, in Ouide it is tolde:
And by charectes and incantacious,
And with the craft of her coniurations,
The yarde began to bud and blossome newe,
And to beare frute and leaues freshe of hew.

And semblably with her confections,
His olde humours the hath deputed cleane:
And with her lusty freshe pocions,
His empty skynne tremblyng and right leane
Pale and wanne that no bloude was sene,
But as it were a deadly creature,
All this hath she transformed by nature.

Made him lusty, and fresh of his courage,
Glad of hart, liuely of cheare and syght,
Right well chered, and clere of his vysage,
Wonders deliuer both of force and myght:
In all his members as weldy and as lyght
As euer he was, in the same estate
By craft of Medee he was lo alterate.

After all this, ayenst kyng Pelleus
She began to maligne, vncle vnto Iason,
And of enuy she proceadeth thus:
The kings daughters she draweth to her anō
Them counsaylyng that they should gone
Vnto their father, & playnly vnto him sayne,
If he desired to be yong agayne,

Full restored his force to recure,
And therwithall in lusty age floure,
She behight to do her busy cure,
Lyke his desire to helpe and socoure:
And in this matter so crafty laboure
Fynally stande in the same case,
To be made yonge as his brother was.

Touchyng whiche thing for more euidence,
This Medea hath to the daughters tolde
Of entent to yeue the more credence,
She bade thē take a ramme y• was right old
And wyth a knyfe for to be so bolde
To slea the beast before them there he stode,
And in a vessell drawe out the olde bloude.

Fullye affirmyng like as it were true,
That he should be a lambe agayne.
For she by craft would his bloude remue
In such wise by euidens playne,
That of elde no token shoulde be seyne,
In all his membres as lusty and entere
As was a lambe eyned of one yere.

And here vpon in suche sleyghty wise,
She began a processe of full false treason:
The sisters made vpon the lambe to practise,
Drewe out his bloude, like her enteneton:
And she by craft of false illusion,
Blent their eyen by apparaunce in vayne,
The olde Ram to seme a lambe agayne.

Thus Medea by her sleyght compassyng
Of enuy, and venemous hatred,
Excited hath the sisters in workynge,
Ayenst their father mortally to procede:
wt sharpe kniues thei made their father blede
Amiddes the hart, throughout euery vayne,
Supposyng the sely sisters twayne

That Pelleus renued shoulde be
To youth ayen, of force and of substaunce,
But finally by treason of Medee,
He lost his life, suche was his wofull chaūce:
She this wrought onely for vengeaunce,
As rote and grounde of this cruell dede,
Ayenst the nature of all womanhede.

Supposyng in her opinion,
That the death greatly shoulde please
Of Pellius, vnto her lorde Iason,
Through great encrease set his hart at ease:
But it rebounded vnto his disease,
That finally Iason her forsoke,
For her offence, and he his way toke

Into Corynth to the kynge Creon,
Whose daughter Creusa for her great beauty
Was afterwarde wedded to Iason:
But whā this wedding was knowē to Mede
Cast she woulde theron auenged be:
Began to conspyre of malice and enuy,
And through her magyke and her forcery

In full great haste gan to ordayne
A little coffer, onely of entent:
And by her yonge fayre sonnes twayne,
With other iewels she hath it sent
Vnto Creusa makyng a present,
Whiche of malyce she list to dispose:
That whan Creusa the coffer did vnclose

The fyre brast out a full large space,
Brent Creusa by full great vyolence:
Set a fyre playnely all the place,
By enchauntment there was no resistence.
[Page]All went a fire that was in her presence,
By vengeaunce did full great domage.
But whan Iason this fire sawe in his rage,

And considered the malice of Medee,
Thought he woulde do execution,
For to punishe the great iniquitie,
Ayenst him compassed of treason:
For she of vengeaunce ayenst all reason
After that Creusa consumed was and brent,
Her owne sounes whylom that she sent

Without ruth or womanly pitye
She falsly murdred: the children that she bare
(Like a stepmother auenged for to be)
Cut their throtes, or that they were ware,
Ayenst nature, there was none other spare:
But for hatred she had vnto Iason,
After this murder she fled away anone,

So escapyng his indignation.
By craft of magike she went at libertie
To Athens, and in that region
She wedded was vnto the kyng Ege:
Not longe after a sonne by him had she,
The which child, mine auctour telleth thus,
After Medea, called was Medus.

After whose name the famous region
Ynamed was, which called is Mede.
But folowyng euer her olde condicion,
This Medea voyde of shame and dread,
Compassed hath of wilfull false hatred
That Theseus the sonne of kyng Ege,
With newe poyson shall deuoured be.

But Theseus full like a manly knyght
In repayryng home to his countrey,
Of high prudence aspied anone ryght
The mortall vengeaunce, the great crueltie,
Of this stepmother, whiche of enmitie
Concluded hath in her entencion
Him to destroy vnwarely, with poyson.

Her hart of malice, cruell, and horrible
As she that was with treason euer alied,
Whan that she sawe her purpose moste odible,
By king Egeus fully was aspied,
She hath her hart and wittes newe applied
As in their bokes poetes haue compiled,
Ayen to Iason to be reconciled.

She fled away for feare of Theseus.
Lest he would done on her vengeaunce:
And finally as writeth Ouidius,
And morall Seneke concludeth in sentaunce
In his tragedies makyng remembraunce
Howe Medea, like as poetes sayne,
Vnto Iason restored was agayne.

Touchyng the ende of their furious discorde
Poetes make therof no mencion,
Neither tell no meane how they fyll accord,
But if it were by incantation:
Whiche so well coulde turne vp so down
Sondry thinges of loue and of hatred,
And in Bochas of her no more I read.

Saue whan she had fulfilled her purpose,
Mine aucthour telleth that Iason & Mede
Restored haue ayen vnto Colchos
Her father Oetes, and from his pouertie
Brought him ayen into his royall see:
And to his crowne by force they him restore,
Touching his ende, of him find I no more.

Thus his fortune hath turned to and fro,
First like a kyng hauyng ful great riches:
After liuyng in pouertie and wo,
Sythen restored to his worthines.
Thus euer sorow is meint with gladnes,
(Who can aduert) in all worldly thing,
Record of Mynos the noble worthy kyng,

To whom I must now my style dresse,
Folowyng the traces of Bochasius.
The wiche Mynos, as Ouid doth expresse,
Touchyng his byrth he writeth playnly thus
That he was manly, wise, and vertuous:
Sonne by discent of Iupiter the great,
And of Europa, borne to be heyre of Crete.

And of his person wonders delitable,
Full renowined of wisdome, and science,
By diuers titles of laude commendable,
Of byrth, of bloud, of knighthode & prudence,
For by his study and entyre diligence,
He founde first lawes grounded on reason,
Wherby of Crete the famous region

Gouerned was, and set in stablenes,
All iniuries and wronges to reforme
Made statutes, extorcions to represse:
Of right wisenes they toke the first forme.
And that eche man shoulde him conforme
Like their degrees, subiect and souerayne:
That no man had a matter to complayne.
[Page xii]He made his lieges to liue in quiete,
Cleare shinyng in his royall noblesse,
With sword and sceptre, sittyng in his sete:
And while he floured in his worthines,
He toke a wife of excellent fayrenes,
Doughter to Phebus, in Bochas ye may se,
And she was called faire Pasiphae.

And her father by record of writyng,
In his time was holden full famous:
Of the yle of Rhodes he was lorde and kyng,
And in his dayes of port full glorious,
Right proude in armes and victorious,
Takyng witnes of Methamorphoseos,
His daughter had thre children by Mynos.

The first a sonne called Androge,
And afterward full faire daughters twayne,
Ryght goodly and womanly on to se:
But like as fortune did for them ordayne,
They felt them selues in trouble and in payn,
The one called Ariadne, & Phedra the other,
Folowyng their fate it might be none other.

Androgeus by kyng Mynos was sent
For he should profite in cleargy,
To Athens, of vertuous entent
There to study in philosophy:
And for he began to encrease and multiply,
And passe all other by study in learnyng,
And to excell his felowes in cunnyng,

They of enuy and false malice, alas,
Made ayenst him a conspiration:
And from a pinacle sacred to Pallas.
Of ful great heigth thei made him tūble doun
For which iniury, Bochas maketh mencion,
His father Mynos auenged for to be,
Layed a great power about the citie.

He cast him fully y• no man shoulde him let,
But that he woulde do cruelly vengeaunce:
And rounde about so sore he them beset,
With men of armes and with his ordinaunce,
That finallye he brought them to vttraunce.
And them constrayned within a little space,
Their life, their death, submitten to his grace.

But while they made ayenst him resistence,
Supposyng his power to withstande,
Nisus that was kyng of Megarence,
Ayenst Mynos their party toke on hande:
And oft times as ye shall vnderstande,
Whan kyng Mynos did the citye assayle,
Nisus within with myghty apparayle

Vpon the walles stode in his defence,
Whan that Mynos full like a manly knyght,
Fought without, with sturdy vyolence:
Like Mars him selfe in stele armed bryght.
Wherof whan Scilla once had a syght,
Daughter to Nysus aduertyng his prowes,
Anone for loue she fell in great distresse.

She was supprised with his high noblesse:
His manly force expert many folde,
Set Scilla in great heauines,
For loue of Mynos in Poetes it is tolde,
Made her hart presume and be bolde,
First her life to put in ieopardy
Her fathers life, the citye, the cleargy.

From her hart loue hath set aside.
Ayenst nature, her bloude and her kynred,
And all frendshyp from her gan deuide:
And of her worshyp she toke no maner hede.
Loue made her cruell ayenst all womanhede,
First her hart so sore set a fire,
Her fathers death falsely to conspyre.

For kyng Mynos beyng a straungere
Was so emprynted in her opinion,
Of creatures there stode none so nere,
And for his sake by full false treason,
She compassed the destruction
First of her father, and than of the citye.
So straunge a thing alas how myght it be,

That a woman of yeres yong and tender,
Coulde ymagen so marueylous a thing?
But it falleth that creatures slender,
Vnder face of angelike lokynge,
Ben very wolues outwarde in workynge,
Also vnder coloure of their port feminine,
Some ben found very serpentyne.

Lambes in she wyng, shadowed wt mekenes,
Cruel as Tygres, who doth to them offence:
Of humble chere pretendyng a likenesse,
But wo, alas what harme doth apparence?
What damage doth counterfaite innocence?
Vnder a mantell shroude of womanhede,
Whan fayned falsenes doth the brydle lede?

For this Scilla the kynges daughter dere,
In whom he set his whole affection,
His hartes ioy, his pleasaunce most entere,
His worldly blisse, his consolation,
[Page]But she all turned to his confusion.
Not like a daughter, but like a sorceresse,
His death cōpassed the story beareth witnes.

Her father had a fatall heer that shone
Bryghter then golde, in which he did assure,
Manly to fight ayenst his mortall fone:
For in his head while it did endure,
He should vainquishe and recure,
And through his knighthode to his encrese of glory
In euery quarel wyn the victory.

But whā kyng Nysus her father lay a slepe,
Vpon a night parcell afore day,
Full secretely or that he toke kepe,
The heere of golde this Scilla cut away:
And vnto Mynos armed where he lay,
She him presented through her ordinaunce,
Of false entent him for to do pleasaunce.

But in this matter like as writeth Ouyde
Methamorphoseos, who so taketh hede,
Her father sleping, she knelyng by his side
Toke a sharpe knife without feare or dreade,
While he lay naked, she carft a two his head:
And stale away of full false entent,
And to kyng Mynos ye head she doth present.

And in her commyng to his presence,
Her fathers head when she afore him layed,
Nothing ashamed of her great offence,
Vnto Mynos thus she did obrayed,
And with bolde chere euen thus she saied:
My lorde (quod she) wt support of your grace,
Yeueth to my tale, leasure, time and space.

Certes my lorde, loue hath excyted me
And constrayned to this cruell dede,
To slee my father, destroye my citie,
To forget my worshyp, forsake womanhead:
And made me hardy to make my father blede
Thinges horrible thus haue I vndertake,
For to accomplyshe, onely for your sake.

My selfe disherited for loue of your persone,
Called in my countrey a false traytoresse:
Disconsolate, stale away alone,
Of new diffamed, and named a maistresse
Of false murder: I bryng a great witnes,
My fathers head and his deadly vysage,
Ayenst nature to further your voyage.

Wherfore I pray that ye list aduertise,
And consider like a gentle knyght,
How I for loue towarde your great empryse
And to great furtheryng also of your right
Haue first my father depriued of his myght,
Raft him his life, dispoyled his riches,
To do pleasaunce to your high nobles.

And nothing aske I vnto my guerden,
Neither to my rewarde that may auayle,
But that I might haue full possession
Of your person most worthy in battayle:
For there is no treasure y• might counteruayle
To my desire, as that you woulde in dede
Goodly accept me and my womanhede.

Ye may me saue and spyll with a worde,
Make most glad, and most dolorous:
I not require of you my souerayne lorde
But that ye would be to me gracious.
For bloud, and kinne, and my fathers house,
All left behinde, if ye list aduert,
And vndeparted yeue to you my hert.

Which to your highnes ought ynough suffise,
All thing considered in your royall estate:
Conceiued also how in vncouth wise
For your loue I stande desolate,
Saue of your mercy full disconsolate:
Here is all and some, your loue I bye so sore
But ye do grace, I can say you no more.

And whan she had her tale tolde knelyng,
With a maner of pretence of womanhede,
Of all her treason a poynt not cōcelyng:
The king astonied of her horrible dede,
By great aduise peysed and toke hede,
It was not sittyng to prynce nor to kyng
To do fauour to so frowarde a thing.

With troubled hart and with a face pale,
His loke vp cast, sayed: God forbede
That euer in Cronicle, in story, or in tale,
That any man should of Mynos reade
How he supported so venemous a dede:
Fauour a woman, alas, and well away,
Whiche slough her father, whan he in bed lay▪

But for your hatefull and vnkynde rage,
I praye the gods echone, and Saturne,
For to take vengeaunce on your false outrage
Euery where, whither ye do returne:
And euery place where as ye soiourne.
Lande and sea shortly to expresse,
They ben enfect with your cursednesse.
[Page xii]Your owne mouth your outrage doth accuse,
And your actes ben so abhominable
That your giftes fully I do refuse:
They ben so frowarde, and so reprouable,
That your persone disnaturell and vnstable,
Within my courte it were a thinge not faire,
That ye shoulde abyde, or haue repaire.

Ye be so hateful on euery side
And contrarious of condicion,
I praye Cellus which oferth is gide,
And to Neptunus I make this orison,
As ferre as stretcheth their dominacion,
Vnder the bound of their regaly,
A dwellinge place that they to you deny.

Whan Minos had his answere thus deuised,
On reason grounded and equite:
And Scilla sawe howe she was dispised,
Knewe no partie, passage, ne countre,
To finde socour whether she might flye.
But dispeired lyke a traitouresse,
Towarde the see anone she gan her dresse

To entre the water plainly if she mighte,
For very shame her selfe for to shroude:
And whan the goddes thereof had a sight,
They turned her, as they y• might & coude
In to a quaile, for to sing loude.
Her father Nisus they dyd also transmewe
In to a sparhauke the quaile to pursue.

This was the ende of Nisus & Scille.
And afterwarde of Athenes the toune,
Was yelded vp to stande at the will
Of kinge Minos: with this condicion
Euery yere, by reuolucion,
They of the citie should not delay
Nyne of theyr chyldren for a tribute paye.

This was by Minos the imposicion
Vpon Athenes, and of very drede
They obeyed, as made is mencion,
And their children yere by yere they lede
In to Crete, the Minotaur to fede:
Vnto this monstre ordeyned for repast,
Which at their cōming deuoured were in hast.

But or that I forther do procede
In this mater, I wyl do my cure
To declare if ye lyst to take hede,
Of this monstre to tell the engendrure,
Vncouth to heare and ayenst nature:
For by the writynge of Ouidius,
Thys vgly beaste was engendred thus.

In Methamorphoseos the maner ye may se.
Minos had a bulle of greate fayrenes,
White as milke, and the quene Pasiphae
Loued him so hote, the story bereth wytnes:
And Dedalus dyd his busines,
By subtell craft, and made his gynnes so
That ayenst kinde with her he had to do.

And conceyued a beast monstruous,
That was departed, halfe bull, halfe man:
And as the poete by writinge techeth vs,
Of al Minotaures thus the name began.
And Dedalus not longe after, whan
This mōstre was by the quene forth brought,
This subtle workmā hath an house ywroght

Called Laberinthus, diuers and vncouth,
Full of wrynkels and of straungenes,
Vgly to knowe which is north or south,
Or to what parte a man should hym dresse:
Folkes were there blent wt furious derknes.
Who that entred, his retourne was in veyn,
Wythout a clewe for to resort ageyn.

Of Minotaurus thys was the habitacle,
Lyke a prison made for turmentry:
For dampned folke a paynefull tabernacle,
For all that lay there in ieoperdy,
The monstre must deuoure them, and defy.
And specially was ordayned thys turment,
For all that were doun from Athenes sent.

But in this mater some folke vary,
And afferme how that quene Pasiphae
Of kyng Minos loued a secretarye,
Called Taurus, in Bochas ye may se:
And thus the kinge for all his ryalte
Disceiued was: for who may any whyle
Him selfe preserue, where women lyst begile [...]

For by this Taurus, Bochas bereth witnes,
Quene Pasiphae had a childe full faire.
Minos not knowing by no likenes,
But the childe was borne to be his heire.
His trust was good, he fell in no dispaire:
For some husbandes, as poetes haue cōpiled,
Whych most assure, rathest ben begiled.

Innocentes can not deme amys,
Namely of wiues that ben founde true:
Clerkes may write, but doutles thus it is,
Of their nature they loue nothynges newe,
[Page]Stedfast of hert, they chaunge not their hew.
Haukes best preued sūtime a chek can make,
Yet for a faute, the foule is not forsake.

Of this mater wryte I wyll nomore:
But aye the tribute and seruage of the toun
Procedeth forth, they cōstreyned were so sore,
Lyke as their lot turned vp and doun:
For there was made none excepcion
Of high ne lowe, neyther soure ne swete,
But as it fell, they were sent into Crete.

The statute was so inly rigorous,
They toke their sort as it came aboute:
Tyll at the last it fell on Theseus,
That he mought go forth amonge the route,
Kyng Egeus son, beynge in great dout
Touchig his life, which might not be socored,
But that he must wyth other be deuoured.

Which Theseus for hys worthynesse,
And of his knighthode for hys great encrese,
Through manly force and for his prowes,
Somtyme was called the seconde Hercules:
Among Amasones he put hym selfe in prese,
Wedded Ipolita, as bokes specifye,
The hardy quene called of Feminye.

And afterwarde to Thebes he is gone,
Holpe the ladyes in especiall,
Which that cōpleined vpon the king Creon,
Which thē distroubled, lyke their estate rial
To holde and halowe the festes funerall
Of their lordes, quenes, and princesses,
Of wifely truth to she we their kyndnesses.

For whan thys duke the maner had sene,
And of Creon the great iniquite,
To the ladyes he made deliuer ayene
The lordes bones, of ruth and of pyte:
Yet in his youth out of this cite,
He was deliuered by statute ful odible
To be deuoured of this beast horrible.

He gothe to prison for all his semelynesse,
As the statute felly dyd ordeyne:
But of ruth and tender gentylnes
Hym to preserue from that deedly payne
Of king Minos ye goodly doughters twaine
Ariadne shope a remedie,
And feire Phedra, that he shoulde not dye.

Through their helpe he hath y• mōstre slaine,
That was dredful and vgly for to se:
By them he scaped, whereof he was ful faine,
Led them wyth hym towarde his countre:
And by the waye deuoyde of all pyte,
Ariadne ful falsely he hath forsake,
Ayenst his suraunce, & Phedra he hath take.

In myddes the sea he left her in an yle,
Towardes no partye she knewe no declyne:
She wepeth, she crieth, alas the hard while,
For of her fate thys was the mortall fyne:
That for pite, Bachus the god of wyne
Toke her to wife, whose croune of stones fine
Doth nowe in heauen with .ix. sterres shyne.

Thus of Theseus ye may beholde and se
To Ariadne the great vnstedfastnes.
The great vntruth, the mutabilite,
The broke assuraunce, & the newe fanglenes:
But sely women kepe their stedfastnes.
Euer vnfouled, saue sumtyme of theyr kinde,
They must thē puruey whan men be vnkind.

Of Theseus I can no more nowe sayne,
In this matter to make of hym memory:
But to kynge Minos I wyll resort againe,
To tell howe fortune euer false & transitory,
In what poyntes defaced hath his glory,
Fyrst of eche one, Bochas doth specifye,
Of Pasiphae the foule aduoutry,

Which was his wyfe, & stode well his grace.
To his pleasaunce she was most soueraine,
But a cloude of a small trespare
Made her lorde at her disdayne:
But he of wysdome bare preuily his paine.
For in suche case, this is my sentence,
Let prudent husbandes take them to paciēce.

On other thynges Mynos gan also cōplaine,
Hauynge in hert thereof full great greuaūce:
That he so lost his fayre doughters twayne,
And Minotaurus slayne wyth mischaunce.
Also to hym it was a great greuaunce
That Theseus was gone at liberte,
And from all tribute deliuered hys cite.

It greued him also in countinaunce & there
That Theseus Ariadne forsoke:
It liked him also not the manere
Vnto his wyfe that he Phedra toke.
And yet thys Phedra, lyke as sayth my boke,
Had two sonnes by this Theseus,
First Demophoon and next Antiochus.
[Page xiii]Also Theseus after gan hym drawe,
Towarde Cecile, in stele armed clene:
With Peritheus, in armes his felawe
For to rauyshe Proserpina the quene:
But of entent Phedra ful vnclene,
Loued her 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 ye 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 ye 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 yt 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 wt hokes made like sithes▪
Who ye approched to mayme & to wounde:
For this tirant of custome oftsithes
Had great delite the Jewes to confound,
[Page]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 wt 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 bethynke:
Thought she woulde for zisara so shape,
That with his lyfe, he should not escape.

She toke a nayle that was sharpe & long,
And couertly gan her selfe auaunce:
With a myghty hamer round and stronge.
She droue y• naile, lo this was her bēgeaūce,
Through his heed: se here the soden chaunce
On tirantes that trust on Fortune,
Which wil not suffer them long to contune

In their false vsurped tiranny,
To holde people in long subieccion.
She can them blandyshe wyth her flatery,
Vnder a colour of false colluspon:
And wyth a sodaine transmutacion,
Fortune them can that poore folke trouble,
Reuerse their pride, wyth her face double.
[Page xv]What should I lengre in thys mater tary▪
Though that lordshyp be myghty & famous,
Let zisara be your examplary,
It not endureth but it be vertuous.
Conquest, victory, though they be glorious
Vnto the world, if vertue be behinde
Men not reioyse to haue theyr name in mide.

For Fortune through her frowardnes,
Hath kynges put out of their regions:
And she hath also throughe her doublenes▪
Dystroyed lynages wyth their successions▪
Made not she sometyme her translacions
Of the kyngdome called Argiuois,
To be transported to Lacidemonois▪

The same tyme whan zisara the proude
Gan goddes people to put vnder fote,
Fames trumpe blewe his name vp loude,
Wyth sacred sownes semynge wondre sote:
But al his pride was rent vp by the rote,
Whan hys glory was outward most shyning.
But who may trust in any worldly thynge▪

Folke haue afore sene the valuacion
By remembraunce of antiquitie,
Of myghty Troy, and of I lion,
After distroyed by Grekes that cyte:
To vs declarynge the mutabilite
Offalse fortune, whose fauor lasteth no while
Shewyng euer truest, whan she wol begile.

So variable she is in her delites,
Her whele vntrusty and frowardly meuyng,
Recorde I take of the Madianites,
Their vnware fal ful dolefully pleynynge.
Which shewed them selfe pitiously wepynge
To Jhon Bochas, as he in writynge sought,
How y• fortune ayenst their princes wrought,

Which that gouerned the lande of Madian▪
Trustinge of pride in their greate puissaunce,
Ayenst Jewes a warre they began,
Purposinge to bringe them to vtterance.
But god that holdeth of warre the balaunce,
And can of princes oppresse the vein glory,
Yeueth where him list conquest and victory:

Not to great nōbre, nor to great multitude,
But to that party where he seeth the right.
Hys dredful hand, shortly to conclude,
So holdeth vp by grace, and yeueth lyght
The higher hand where he cast his sight,
Lyst his power and his fauour shewe,
Be it to many, orbe it vnto fewe.

The wronge party gladly hath a fall,
Though ther be Millions, many  [...]o theran:
I take witnesse of Jerobaall,
Whych is also called Gedian,
That wyth thre .C. fought ayenst the fan
Of Israel, the Byble can deuyse,
Whan he to God had done hys sacrifice,

Shewyng to hym a thynge meruaylous:
Whan the fleece wyth siluer dewe ful shene
Was spreint and wet, the storye telleth thus,
And rounde about the soyle & all the grene
Was founde drye, and no drop sene:
In token onely, this duke, this knightly man,
Shulde haue the victory of all Madian.

This Gedeon toke with hym but a fewe,
Thre hundred chase, whych lapped the riuer.
God vnto hym such tokens dyd shewe,
And euidences afore that were full clere,
That he shoulde be of right good there:
And on no party hys aduersaries drede,
For nother prowes, neyther manhede.

Where god aboue holdeth champerty,
Their may ayenst hym be made no defence▪
Force, strength, wysdome, nor cheualry,
Ayenst hys might, are feble of resistence:
Thys was well preued in experience,
Whan thre .C. wyth Gedeon in nombre,
So many thousandes by grace dyd encōbre.

Thys sayd people deuided in to thre,
With their trumpettes vpon ye derke nyght,
By Gedeon that had the soueraynte,
Wyth voyde pottes & laumpes therin lyght,
And thus arayed they entred in to fyght:
But vnto them thys token was first knowe,
Whan Gedeon his trumpe dyd blowe.

They blewe echon and loud gan to crye:
Brake their pottes, and shewted anon ryght,
As the story doth playnly specifye,
Their laumpes shewed wt a full soden lyght:
Wherof their enemies astoinied in their sight,
Were so troubled vpon euery side,
That in the felde they durst not abyde.

The crie was this of them euerychon:
Thanke to ye lorde most noble and glorious,
Pryse to the swerde of myghty Gedeon,
Which vs hath caused to be victorious:
[Page]Made our enemyes most malicious,
Through influence onely of his grace,
For very feare to flye afore our face.

Thus can the lorde of hys magnificence,
The meke exalte, and the proude oppresse:
Lyke as he fyndeth in hertes difference
So of his power he can his domes dresse.
Mercy aye meint wyth his rightwysenes:
Hys iudgementes wyth long delay differred.
And or he punish pytie is aye preferred.

Lenuoye.

MYghty Princes, remembre that your power
Is transitory, and no while abiding:
As thys tragedy hath rehersed here,
By euidences notable ensuynge.
And by example in substaunce wytnessyng,
That all ty [...]antes (playnly to termpue)
Mo [...]e from t [...]eir state sodenly declyne.

Phebus the freshe in hys mydday sphere
His beames bryghtest & hotest out spredyng,
But cloudy skyes oft approch nere
To eclipse his lyght wt their vnware coming:
None erthly ioye is here longe abidynge,
Record of Tytā, whych stondmele doth shine,
Yet toward nyght his stremes doun decline.

Whan that fortune is fairest of her chere,
By apparence, and most blandishyng,
Than is she fallest ech season of the yere
Her soden cha [...]ge now vp, now down turnīg:
The nightīgale in May doth freshly sing,
But a backe wynter can somer vndermyne,
And all his freshnes sodenly declyne.

All erthly blisse dependeth in a were,
In a balaunce vneuynly hanging.
Of prīces & prīcesses most souerayne & entere
In this tragedy conceyueth by redynge,
Howe that estates by vnware chaunginge,
Somtime full worthy, their liues dyd fine,
Whā frō their noblesse they were made to de­clyne.

¶ Of mighty Iabyn kinge of Canaan of quene Iocasta, and how Thebes was distroyed.

The .ix. Chapter.

NOwe muste I wryte the greate so­beyn fall
Of mighty Iabyn, for his iniquite▪
Whyche vnto Iewes was enmye full mortal,
With scepter & crowne reigning in Canane,
And vpon Affrike had the souerainte,
Rebell to god, and lyst not hym obey,
But euer redy hys people to werrey,

The lord aboue seynge his tiranny,
Forbare his hand wyth full longe suffraūce:
And was not hasty of his obstinacy,
Lyke his desert for to do vengeaunce.
But euer thys Iabyn by continuance
Endured forth in his cursidnesse,
Tyll the swerde of goddes righwisenes

Was whet ayenst this tira [...]t, to chastise
And to represse his rebellion:
From his kyngdome (the story doth deuise)
In myddes of his pride he was pulled doun
To exemplify that such dominacion
As is found wilful truth to ouer cast,
God wyll not suffer in power long to last.

For this Iabyn was found alway frowarde,
Of high disdaine list not the lorde knowe:
Therfore his power drewe alway bacward,
And his empire was after ybrought full low.
His riall fame fortune hath ouerthrow,
His name eclipsed yt sumtime shone ful clere,
Of great Cison, besyde the ruiere.

Of quene Iocasta Bochas doth also endite,
Princesse of Thebes, a mighty great citie:
Of her vnhappes he dolefully doth write,
Imagining howe he did her se
To him appere in great aduersite.
Lyke a woman that would in teares reine,
For that fortune gan at her so disdeine.

And though she were defaced of figure,
There shewed in her a maner maieste
Of quenely honour, plainly to discure
Her infortuns, and her infelictte,
And to declare plainly how that she
Of all princesses which stode in estate
Was her selfe the most infortunate.

Which gaue to Bochas full great occasion
Whan he sawe her pitous apparayle,
For to make a lamentacion
Of vncouth sorowes, whych dyd her assaile
[Page xvi]With a tragedy to wepe and to wayle
Her importable and straunge dedely strife,
Which that she had duryng all her lyfe.

He wryte of her a story large and playne.
And of her byrth fyrst he doth diffyne:
And affyrmeth in hys boke certayne,
She was discended of a noble lyne.
In flouryng age also when she dyd shyne,
She wedded was for her great beauty,
Vnto the kyng of Thebes the citye,

Which in his tyme was called Layus.
And whan her wombe by processe dyd aryse,
The kyng was glad and also desirous,
The childes fate to know in some wise:
And thought he would go do sacrifice
Vnto Appollo, to haue knowlegynge toforne
Touching his child, whan that it was borne.

What should folow in conclusion
He was desirous and hasty for to se,
Fyrst by heauenly disposicion,
And by the fauour if it woulde be
Of Appollos myghty deite:
To haue aunswere among his wyttes al,
Of his child what fate should befall.

His answere though it were contrary
To his desire, yet was it thus in dede:
Appollo tolde hym, and lyst no lenger tary,
That this childe should verily in dede
Slee his father, and make his sides blede:
And wt his hands, there was none other wey
But on his swerde he must nedes deye.

The kyng was heuy & trist on this sentence,
Sorouful of hert, god wote, & nothyng faine:
And cast afore through his prouidence,
That his son should in al hast be slayne:
And that he would not an houre delayne
After his byrth, but bad his men to gone
Into a forest, and slee the chylde anone.

Lyke his byddyng the ministers dyd in dede,
Takyng the chylde, tendre, & yong of age,
And into a forest wyth them they gan it lede,
To be deuoured of beastes most sauage:
The mother, alas, almost fell into rage
Seyng her child so inly fayre of face
Shal thus be deed, and dyd no trespace.

Lytel wondre though she felt smert:
To al women I report me,
And vnto mothers that ben tendre of hert,
In this mater fuges for to be:
Was it not ruth, was it not pite,
That a princesse, a quene, alas,
Shuld know her child deuoured in such caas▪

After thys byrth Layus toke good kepe,
Without mercy, respite, or delay,
That vnto one whych kept his shepe
This yong chyld vpou a certayne day,
Shal be deliuered, in al the hast he may:
To thys entent it myght not be socoured,
But that it should of beastes be dettoured.

This sayd sheperde goth forth anon ryght,
The chyld beholdyng benigne of loke & face,
Thought in hert and in his inwarde light,
He shoulde do to god a great trespace
To slee this child, wherfore he did hym grace:
Toke fyrst a knife and dyd his busy payne,
Throughout his fete to make holes twayne.

Toke a smal rodde of a yonge osier,
Perced the fete, alas it was pite,
Bonde hym fast, and by good leiser
The yong childe he henge vpon a tree,
Of entent that he ne should not be
Through wylde beastes cruel and sauage,
All sodenly deuoured in their rage.

Vpon the tre whyle he henge thus bound,
Of auenture by some occasion,
A straunge sheperd hath the child yfound,
Whych of ruth and pyte toke hym doun:
Bare wyth hym home in to hys toun,
Made hys wyfe for to do her payne,
To foster the chylde wyth her brestes twaine.

And whan he was brought forth & recured,
And full made hole of hys woundes sore,
Thys yong chyld whych al this hath endured
Whan he in age began to were more,
And that nature began hym to restore,
The saide sheperde that loued hym best of all,
After his hurtes, Edippus dyd hym cal.

For Edippus is no more to saine,
Who that conceyueth the exposicion,
But fete yperced throughout both twayne,
In that langage, as made is mencion.
And to Meropa wife of king Polibion
The shepeherde of ful humble entent,
Began the child ful lowly to present.

[Page]
And for she was barreyne of nature,
She and the kyng of one affection,
Toke Edippus both in to their cure,
As sonne and heire by adopcion,
To reigne in Corinth by succession:
The kyng, the quene, & of Corinth the coūtre,
Had the chylde in so great cheerte.

Let men considre in their discrecion,
Sodayne chaunge of euery maner thyng.
This childe sent out for his distruction,
And now prouided for to be a kynge:
And through fortune, aye double in working,
He that was refuse to beastes most sauage,
Is now receyued to knyghtly heritage.

Destitute he was of his kynrede,
Forsake, and abiect of bloud, and of alie,
In tēdre youth his fete were made to blede,
Henge on a tre, and began for helpe crie:
But god that can in mischefe magnifye,
And reconfort folke disconsolate,
Hath made thys childe nowe thus fortunate.

And hath prouided to be a kynges heire,
Him that stode of deth in auenture.
Fortune can shew herselfe both foule & fayre,
Folkes brought lowe, ful wel ayen recure:
And such as paciently can endure,
And lyst not grudge ayenst their chastisyng,
God out of myschefe can sodenly them bryng.

But whan Edippus was growe vp to age,
Lyke a yong prince encresynge in noblesse,
Lusty and strong, and freshe of his corage,
Of auenture it fel so in sothnesse,
Outher by strife, or by some frowardnes,
Or by sume conteke he had knowledgynge,
Howe he was not sonne vnto the kynge

As by discēt, but a ferre fortaine.
Whereupon full sore he began to muse,
And for to knowe, and be put in certaine,
Thought he would som maner practike vse:
And to the kyng he gan hym selfe excuse,
For a tyme to wythdrawe his presence,
Tyil he myght knewe by some experience,

Or by sume signe howe the matter stode.
Thought he would do his diligence
To knowe his father, & also of what bloude,
He was discended, and haue some euidence
Touching troth howe it stode in sentence:
And her vpon to be certified,
Towarde Appollo fast he hath hym hyed.

Whiche in Cirta worshypped was that time,
And gaue answere through his beite,
To tolke that came at euen and at prime,
Of euery doute and ambiguyte:
And there Edippus fallyng vpon his kne,
After hys offring, had answere anoue,
That towarde Grece he should gone

Vnto a mountaine, that Phocis bare ye name:
And there he shoulde of his kynred here.
Also lyke his fate, the answere was the same,
He shoulde slee hys owne father dere,
And after that to Thebes drawe hym nere,
Wedde his mother of very ignoraunce,
Called Iocasta, throgh hys vnhappy chan̄ce.

He list no lenger tary ne abyde,
Thys sayd Edippus, but forth goeth he:
And on hys way he began anone to ryde,
Tyi he the mount of Phocis did se,
Vnder the which stode a great countre,
Called Cetoyens, whiche that time certayne
Werreyed them that were on the moūtaine.

His father Layus through his chiualry,
With Citoyens is entred into battaile.
And Edippus came wyth the partie
Of the hyll, armed in plate and mayle.
And as they began eche other to assaile,
Among the prese at the encountrynge,
Of auenture, Edippus flewe the kyng,

Vnknowen to hym that he his father was,
Hauyng thereof no suspection:
Passed his way platly thys is the case,
And also vnknowen he came to the toun
Of mighty Thebes, wher for his hie renoun,
He was receyued wyth ful great reuerence,
Bycause that he slough in their defence

Sphinx the serpent horible for to se,
Sometyme ordained by incantacions
For to distroy the towne and the countre,
By his compassed sleightly questions
Sloughe man and chylde in all the regions,
Such as not coude by wysdome or reason,
Make of his probleme playne exposicion.

Who so passed by, he coude hym not excuse,
But the serpent woulde hym felly assaile:
With a problem make hym for to muse,
Called of some men an vncouth deuinayle.
[Page xvii]Whych for to expowne who that did assaile,
Ther was none helpe neither other remedy,
By the statute, but that he must dye.

And for all folke haue not knowledgyng
Of this demaunde, what it was in dede,
I wyll reherce it here in my wrytyng
Compendiously, that men may it rede.
First this serpent (who that list take hede)
Was monstruous, and spake ayenst nature:
And if it fyll that any creature

Man or woman, should forth by passe,
Highe or lowe of all that region,
As I sayde erst there was none other grace,
But if he made an exposicion
Of this serpentes frowarde question,
He must dye, and make no defence:
The whych demaunde was thus in sentence.

The serpent asked: what thyng may that be,
Beast or foule whan it is forth brought,
That hath no power to stand, go, nor flee:
And afterwarde, if it be well ysought,
Goth fyrst on foure, or els gothe he nought,
After by precesse, on thre, & than on twayne,
And eft agayne, as nature doth ordayne,

He goth on thre, and efte on four agayne,
Also kyndly right nature disposeth it so,
And in a whyle it foloweth in certaine,
To the matter which that he came fro,
He must of kynde resort ayen therto?
And who can not the meanynge clerely se,
He of this serpent shall deuoured be.

Which Edippus ful sobre in his entent,
Not to rekell, or to hasty of langage,
But in his hert wyth great auy sement,
And full demure of loke and of vysage,
Considred fyrst thys perilous fel passage:
Sawe wel tofore that it was no iape,
And ful prouided y• no worde should escape.

At good leysar, wyth hole mynde & memorye,
Seyng the ernest of this mortal emprise,
Hys life depending bitwixe deth & victory,
Thys (quod he) plainly to deuyse,
Is fyrst a child whych may not suffyce
Whan it is borne (the truth is al day sene)
Wythout helpe him selfe to sustene.

After on four he naturally doth crepe,
For impotence and grene tendernesse,
Norices can tell that do them kepe:
But afterwarde vp he doth hym dresse,
With his two fete: the thirde to expresse,
Is hand, or benche, or support of some wal,
To holde hym vp, lest he catche a fall.

And afterward, encresyng of his myght,
To great age whan he doth attayne,
Of his nature than he goth vpryght,
Mightily vpon his legges twayne:
Than cometh age his power to restrayne,
Croked & lame lyke as men may se,
With a staffe, or potent, to make vp his legges thre,

But whan feblenesse or syckenes do assayle,
On handes and fete he must bow and lout:
For croche, or potentes, may not than auayle,
Whan lusty youth is banished and shet out.
Than eft agayne, hereof maye be no dout,
With four fete to erth he doth retourne,
Fro whe [...]s he came, there styl to soiourne.

All came fro erth, and all to the erth shal,
Agaynst nature may be no protection,
Worldly estates echone they be mortal,
There may no treasour make redempcion.
Who clymeth hiest, his fal is lowest doun.
A meane estate is best, who coude it knowe,
Betwene hye presumynge, & bowing to lowe.

For who sit hyest, stand in ieopardye,
Vnder daunger of fortune, lyke for to fall:
Mischefe and pouerte as for their party,
Ben lowest brought among these people al.
Some folke tast sugre, and sum tast call.
Salomon therfore myrrour of sapience,
Bytwene great riches and great indigence,

Asked a meane, called suffysance:
To hold hym content of cōpetent dispence,
Not to reioyce of to great haboundaunce,
And euer in pouerte to send him pacience,.
Sobre wt his plenty, in scarsnesse non offence,
As of grutching: but bitwene ioye and smart.
Thanke god of all, and euer be glad of hert.

Erth is the ende of euery maner man,
For the rich wyth great possession,
Dyeth as soone (as I reherce can)
As doth the poore in tribulacion.
For deth ne maketh no diuision,
By syngler fauour, but bitwene both ylich,
Of the poorest, & of hym that is most rich.

This said problem concluded in this case,
[Page]Whych y• serpent began sleighly to propose,
That whan a childe is fyrst borne, alas,
 [...]ynde to his dethwarde anon doth  [...] dispose.
Eche day a iourney, there is none other glose,
Experience can tech in euery age
Howe thys worlde is here but a pilgrimage.

Thys sayde Edippus fyrste in Thebes borne,
Sent to a forest deuou [...]ed for to be,
Founde & brought forth as ye haue herde to­forne,
And after drawynge home to his countre,
Slough hys father, so infortunate was he:
Of frowarde happes followynge al hys lyue,
As this tragedy hys fortune shal discriue.

But for that he through his hye prudence,
Vnto the serpent declared euery dele,
He slough hym after, by knightly vyolence,
More by wysdome, than by armure or stele:
Stace of Thebes can tell you thys ful wele.
Whych was one cause if ye list to sene,
Wh [...]through Edippus, wedded hath y• quene

Called Iocasta, princesse of that countre:
Hys owne mother, vnknowen to them bothe.
And though she were ryghte fayre vpon to se,
With this mariage y• goddes wereful wroth,
For their aliaunce nature gan to loth:
That a mother as ye shal vnderstande,
Shoulde her son take to be her husbande.

There was therin no conuenience
To be supported by kynde, ne by reason,
But if it so be the heuenly influence
Disposed it by the inclinacion
Of some false froward constellacion,
Caused by Saturne, or Mars the frowarde star,
To engendre debate, or some mortal war.

In thys matter playnly thus I deme,
Of no connyng, but of opinion:
Though he were crowned wt sceptre and dia­deme
To reigne in Thebes the strōg myghty toun,
That some aspect came fro heuen adoun,
Infortunate, frowarde, and full of rage,
Which agayne kynde ioyned the mariage.

He crowned was by assent of all the towne,
Flouryng a season by soueraynte of peece:
And whyle he helde the possession,
Sonnes and doughters he had doubtles.
The fyrst sonne called Ethiocles,
Polynices called was that other,
(As sayth Bochas) the seconde brother.

Also he had goodly doughters twayne,
The eldest called was  [...]ntigone,
The seconde named was Imeyne:
And both they were ryght fayre vnto se,
The quene Iocasta might no gladder be
Than to remembre whan they wexe in age,
Her goddes had encresed their linage.

It was her ioye and her felicitie,
To se her children, that were so inly fayre:
But after ioye ther cometh aduersite,
And hope assured wanhope doth oft appayre▪
Cōtrarious trust wyll gladly their repaire
Wher false wenyng in hert is cōceyued,
Through ignorāce, which hath many disceiued

What thynge in earth is more disceyuable,
Than whan a man supposeth verily
In prosperite for to stand stable,
And from his ioye is remeued sodaynly▪
For where fortune is found to hasty,
To trise folke, she is greuous to endure:
For sodayne chaunges be hatefull to nature.

Vnware wo that cometh on gladnes,
Is vnto hertes ryght passinge encombreous:
And who hath felt his parte of wealfulnesse
Sorowe suynge on, is to hym odious.
And worst of al, and most contrarious
Is whan estates highest of renoun,
Ben frō their noblesse, sodenly brought doun.

There is no glory whych that shyneth here,
That false fortune can so magnifie,
But whan his laude brightest is & clere,
She can eclips it wyth some cloudy s [...]e
Of vnware sorowe, onely of enuy:
Seeth of Edippus an open euidence,
Which by his life had experience

Of highe noblesse: and therwyth also,
Parte importable of great aduersite:
Hys ioye euer meynt wyth ful mortal wo.
For while he reigned in Thebes the citie▪
And Iocasta with ful great  [...]o [...]alte,
Within the countre there fyl a pestilence,
The people infectyng with his violence.

Through all the land, and al the region,
In euery age, but most greuously
On them echone that were of that towne,
The infection spred most specially:
And of vengeaūce the swerd most rigorously,
Day by day began to byte and  [...]a [...]ue,
[Page xviii]Of ech estate causyng folke to sterue.

Thus began to encrease the mortalite:
That euery man stode in ieopardy
Of their lyues throughout the countre,
So importable was their malady,
That ye might heare the people clepe and cry,
Dispeyred so were they of theyr lines,
Voyde of all socour, & of their preseruatiues.

They sought herbes, & spices in their cofers,
And began to seke for helpe & other socours:
The cause enquiringe of prudent philosofers,
And of their most experte diuinours,
Why that the goddes wyth so sharpe shours
Of pestilence, and in so cruel wyse
Lyst them, alas, so mortally chastyse.

But among all, in soth this is the case,
There was founde one ful prudent and wyse,
A prophet, called Tiresias,
Of prophecy hauyng a souerayne prise:
Which affirmed, and sayd in thys wyse,
As vnto him was shewed by myracle,
Phebus him selfe declarynge the oracle:

Cause of this syckenes and these maladies,
As the goddes plainly haue disposed,
(And Senecke writeth also in hys tragedies)
Though the cause be secrete and yclosed:
Vnto the tyme there be a kyng deposed,
Which slew his father & raft him his life,
And hath also take his mother to his wyfe,

Tyll thys be done, and execute in dede,
Ther may be made no redempcion:
But pestilence shall multiply and sprede
Euer more and more, through that region.
Tyl vnto the tyme that he be put a doun
Fro his crowne, whych not long agone
His father slough, among his mortall fone,

And hath his mother wedded also,
Agaynst lawe and agaynst al ryght:
Tyll vengeaunce vpon that crime be do,
There shalbe war, pestylence, and fighte,
Sorowe, & strife, & euery maner wight
Of veugeaunce hys neighbour shal hate,
Brother wt brother, & bloud wt bloud debate.

This is al and some, there may be no socour.
Whych brought the people in great heauynes,
For Tiresias the great diuinour,
By propher [...] told them thus expresse:
And at the last by tokens and witnes,
Men vnderstode, by signes out shewyng,
This pestilence was brought in by the kyng.

And though the people gaue no credence
To Tiresias ne to his prophecy,
The quene Iocasta caught au euidence,
And in her hert a full great fantasy,
Specially whan she dyde espie
Of Edippus the fete that were wounded,
How this tumour was on trouth ygrounded.

Because also there was a diuinour
Which tolde tofore, that Edippus shoulde be
To Layus of Thebes successour
Wherby the kyng, the quene, and the ryte,
Fyl in great trouble and great aduersite,
Well more than I by writyng can report,
For there was nothing yt myght thē recōfort.

Ful oft in the day Iocasta gan to swoune,
And kyng Edippus to sobbe, crye and wepe,
In salte teares as they them would drown:
Deth crāpishing in to their hert gan crepe,
A day cōplainyng, a night they may not slepe,
Cursynge the houre of their natiuyte,
That they should lyue that day for to se.

Their mortall chaunce, their dedly auenture,
Their fortune also whych gan on thē froun,
Inpacient, and doleful to endure,
Their froward fate, wyth their lokes broun:
The kynge foryre caste away his crowne,
And began to  [...]ace, for cōstraint of his payne,
Out of his heed his wofull eyen twayne.

Day and night he cried after deth,
Hatefull to come in any mannes sight:
Most desirous to yelde vp the breth,
Woful in hert to come in any light,
Coorbed for sorow, feble to stande vpright,
And specially in hys deedly distres,
For drede and shame he dared in derkenes.

The cruel constr [...]int of his most grenance
Was, that his sonnes had hym in dispyte:
Which gan his sorowe greatly to auance,
For him to scorne was set all their delite,
Was neuer none that stode in worse plyte,
For thus lyeng and destitute of chere,
Vnto the goddes he made his prayere:

Beseching thē with a ful doleful herte,
Vpon his wo to haue sum compassion:
And that they would for to auenge his  [...]inert,
[Page]Bitwene his sonnes make a diuision,
Eche to brynge other to distruction.
Thys was his prayer in substaunce,
That eche on other may take vengeaunce.

In yeres fewe, for their vnkyndnesse,
They herd his prayer as ye haue herd deuise:
The bretherne two through their cursidnes,
Eche gan other mortally dispise,
For lacke of grace, and for false couetyse:
Eche for his partie desirous in dede
Tofore other to reigne and succede.

And thus these bretherne most infortunate,
Bitwene them selfe fill at discencion:
And finally, this vnkindly debate
Brought al Thebes to distruccion.
Yet was there made fyrst a conuencion
By enterchangīg y• eche should reigne a yere,
The tother absent to play, & come no nere.

This concluded by their both assent
And by accorde of that region,
Polynices rode forth and was absent,
Ethiocles toke fyrst possession:
But whan the ye re by reuolucion
Was come about, he false of his entent,
Vnto the accorde denied to assent.

Thys was a cause of theyr both striues:
Polynices was thus put out of his ryght,
Tyll Adrastus that kyng was of Argyues,
which thorow al Grece gretest was of might,
Sent vnto Thebes, Tideus a knyght,
Hys sonne in lawe, to treat of thys matter,
And the cause finally to lere:

Wher through the kyng called Ethiocles,
Would condiscende of truth and of reason,
To stynt warre, and to cherishe pece:
After the accorde and composicion
Vp to deliuer Thebes that mighty towne,
Vnto his brother, whych absēt was without,
Now that his yere was fully come about.

But he was false, and frowardly gan vary,
Ethiocles from hys conuenci [...]n:
For whych Adrastus no lenger would tary
Whan Tideus had made relacion,
But called anone throughout his region
All the worthy, both nere and farre,
Ayenst Thebes for to begyn a warre.

For thys cause lyke as ye shal lere,
Polynices to force hys partie
Ywedded had the kynges doughter dere
I meane of Adrastus, floure of chyualry,
Whan Tideus dyd him certifye
Touchinge the answere of Ethiocles,
And of his truth, how he was recheles,

False of hys promyse, & cursedly forsworne.
For to hys truth none aduertence had he,
Neyther to the accord yt was made beforne
Touchyng y• deliueraūce of Thebes the citie:
But who that lyst the storye clerely se
Of these two bretherne, and their discencion,
And howe Adrastus lay to fore the toun,

And howe Tideus through his high prowes,
Fought by the way going on message:
And how of Grece all the worthines,
Wyth kyng Adrastus went in this viage,
And of the mischefe that fyll in that passage
For lacke of water, tyll that I siphile
Norishe of Ligurgus so fayre vpon to se,

Taught Tideus to fynde out a riuer,
She that dyd in fayrnesse so excell:
Ne howe the serpent most vgly of his chere,
Of  [...]ig Ligurgus y• childe slough at the well:
Neyther howe Amphiorax fyll doun to hel,
All to declare me semed was no nede,
For in the siege of Thebes ye may it rede

The storye hole: and made there is mencion
Of either parte, their puissaūce, & their might
And how Adrastus lay tofore the toun,
And how they inette euery daye in fyght.
And howe Tideus the famous knyght
So re [...]omed in actes marcial,
Was slayne, alas as he fought on the wal.

And howe the bretherne met among the prese,
Lyke two Tigres or lions that were wode,
With sharpe speres, this is doutlesse,
Eueryche of them shed others hert bloud:
This was the fyne, & thus with thē itstode,
Saue at their feestes called funerall,
There fell a marueyle which I tel shal.

Whan they were brent in to ashes dede,
Of their enuy there fyll a ful great wonder
Amonge the brondes and the coles rede,
Hyghe in the ayre the smokes went a sunder,
The one to one party, and that other yonder.
To declare the storye, me list not fayne,
The gret hatered y• was bitwixt hem twayn.

[Page xix]
Thus for their yre, and false discention,
All the lordes and all the chiualrye,
Were slayne of Grece, and also of the towne,
And rote of all (myne aucthour list not lye)
Was false alyaunce, and fraternall enuy:
And chefe grounde with all the surplusage,
Who serche aright, was vnkyndly maryage.

The quene Iocasta felt her part of payne,
To se her chylder eche of them slea other:
Her son, her lorde, blynde on his eyen twayne
Which to his sons was father & also brother,
Fortune would it shoulde be none other.
Also Parchas sisters which be in nūber thre,
Spanne so the threde at their natiuitie.

Also whan Iocasta stode thus disconsolate,
And sawe of Thebes the subuersion,
The countrey destroyed, and made desolate,
The gentle bloude shedde of that region:
Without comfort or consolacion,
Thought she myght be no more appeyred,
But of all hope fully loe dispayred.

Trist and heauy, pensyfe, and spake no word,
Her sorowes olde and newe she gan aduert,
Toke the sworde of hym that was her lorde,
wt which Edippus smot Layus to the hart:
She to  [...]inyshe all her paynes smarte
And fro the body her soule to deuide,
Ro [...]e her selfe throughout euery syde.

She wery was of her wofull life,
Seyng of Fortune the great frowardnes,
How her diffame and slaunder was so rife,
And of Edippus the great wretchednes.
Also of her sonnes the great vnkindnes,
All these thinges weyed on her so sore,
That for distresse she list to liue no more.

Bochas writeth concernyng her fayrenes,
Constraynt of sorow caused it to fade:
The famous light also of her noblesse
And all the clearenes of her dayes glade,
With vnware harmes, she was so ouer lade,
Of very anguyshe that she her selfe did hate,
So inly contrary disposed was her fate.

Thus death deuoureth with his bitter gall
Ioye and sorow, auoyde of all mercy:
And with his dart he maketh downe to fall
Riche and pore, them markyng sodaynly.
His vnware stroke smiteth indifferently,
From him refusyng fauour and all mede,
Of all estates he taketh so little hede.

Better is to dye than liue in wretchednes,
Better is to dye than euer lyue in payne,
Better is an ende than deadly heauines,
Better is to dye than euer in wo remayne:
And where y• mischefe doth folke to cōplaine
By wofull cōstraynt of long cōtinuaunce,
Better it is to dye thā liue in suche greuaūce.

Taketh ensample hereof and a priefe,
Of kyng Edyppus that was so long ago,
Of quene Iocasta that felt so great mischiefe,
And of their children remember also,
Whiche euer liued, in enuy, sorow and wo.
Fortune, alas, duryng all their dayes,
Was so frowarde to them at all assayes.

Touching Edippus processe finde I none,
What ende he made in conclusion:
Saue Bochas writ howe that kyng Creon,
Cosen and heyre by succession,
Exiled him chayned farre out of the towne.
Where he endured mischefe, sorow, and drede
Tyll Attropos vntwyned his liues threde.

☞ Lenuoy.

IN this tragedy thre thinges ye may se:
The pryde of Iabin & false presumption
Of quene Iocasta the great aduersitie,
Of kyng Edippus the inclinacion
To vyces all: and the diuision
Of the two brethren, playnly vs to assure
Kyngdomes deuided may no while endure.

☞Omne regnum in se diuisum desolabitur.

For who sawe euer kyngdome or countrey
Stande in quiete of possession,
But if there were, ryght, peace, and equitie,
And iust accorde without discention,
Voyde of vntruth and false collusion▪
Plainly declaryng by ensample and scripture
Kingdomes deuided may no while endure.

Seeth here example of Thebes the citye,
And how that noble myghty region
Through their frowarde false duplicitie,
With warre were brought to destruction,
Their promise broken, & their couert treason,
Shewed by their harmes ipossible to recure,
Kingdomes deuided may no while endure.

[Page]
Princes, princesses which haue the souerain­tie
Ouer the people, and domination,
Ifye lyst longe lyue in felicitie,
Cherishe your subiectes, do none extorcion.
And aduertise, of wysdome and reason,
As this tragedy dothe to you discure,
Kyngdomes deuided may no while endure.

The .x. Chapter.

☞ How Atreus kynge of Messene wrought ayenst his brother Thiestes, slew his thre children, dismembred them in pieces & made Thiestes to eat of their flesh, & drinke of their bloud.

BOchas the Poete auctour of this boke
Him purposyng to gather and compile
Diuers stories, anone his penne he toke:
Him remembryng within a little while,
In this chapitle began direct his style
To write the story, hye and compendious,
A forne all other, of duke Theseus

Lorde of Athens, a famous great citye,
Right strong and myghty on euery side.
But at his backe Bochas did one se,
Which cryed loude, and bade he shold abide:
Bochas (quod he) fro the me list not hide
My wofull case, ne in no wise spare,
My piteous complaynt to the to declare.

I am Thiestes besprent all with wepyng,
Drowned in teares as thou maiest well se:
Sometyme sonne of the mighty kyng
Pelops, and borne also parde
Of quene Hippodamea excellent of beautye.
And for thou art desirous to endite
Of people vnhappy and their wo to write,

My will is this anone that thou procede.
Turne thy style, and take thy penne bliue,
Leaue Theseus and take of hym none hede,
But first my tragedy that thou discryue:
For I suppose that in all thy lyue,
That thou saw neuer a thing more dolorous
More vnhappy, frowarde, ne more piteous

Than is, alas, my mortall aduenture:
Incomperable, the sorow surmounting
Of quene Iocasta, most wofull creature,
Or of Edippus his fate euer complaynyng
For my complaynt hath none endyng
But lasteth euer, and beareth me witnes,
No wo resembleth vnto my heauines.

And with y• worde John Bochas styll stode▪
Full soberly to geue him audience:
And in the place demurely abode.
To hear the substaunce of his mortal offence,
Whiche thus began to shewe the sentence.
O John (quod he) I pray the take good hede
My wo to write, that men may it reade.

Alas, my brother rote of vnkyndenes,
Atreus called of reason, sours and well,
And finder out of treason and falsenes,
(For all other in fraude he doth precell)
Whose couert hate is more than I can tell,
I supposyng of very innocence
In him no malice, disceite, nor none offence,

But as brother should a brother trust,
I trusted him, of hart, will, and, thought:
By apparence none other cause I wyst,
For in his person I supposed nought
That euer he culd so false a thig haue wroght
But who may soner another man deceyue,
Than he in whom no malice men conceyue▪

I demed of him as of my true brother,
Wenyng he had faythfull ben to me:
I sawe no signe, ne I knew none other,
In him suposynge no duplicitie.
But wo alas, how might it euer be,
Or who did euer in any story finde,
Bloude vnto bloude to be so vnkynde?

I will passe ouer to tell the worthines,
Touching the estates of our progenitours,
Of our kynred, and the great noblesse,
I tell nothing nether of our predecessours,
Ne of my youth, howe passed ben the floures:
I leaue all this, and vnto mynde call
The wretchednes that I am in fall.

My brother founde a false occasion
Ayenst me, and began a cause feyne
To banish me out of our region:
And began at me of hatred to disdayne,
Vpon me affirmyng in certayne
In our kingdome whiche called is Missene,
I should haue lien by his wyfe the quene.

This he compassed full falsely of malice,
Him selfe well knowyng that it was not so:
Euer founde vnkynde and misauise,
Not like my brother, but like my deadly  [...]o.
And to encrease great percell of my wo,
By long processe in his entencion,
[Page xx]He  [...]gined my destruction.

And his chefe cause was false couetise
Touchyng this thing which he did fame
And yet this kyngdome truely to deuise,
Should haue bē departed betwene vs twaine
But ayenst truth he did so ordayne,
Me to exyle out of that region,
Him selfe alone to haue possession.

Yet in his hart he cast an other wile,
To my vndoyng and desolation,
To the place whence he did me exile
Vnder a shadowe of false collusion,
To make a mane [...] reuocation:
Of brotherhead shewyng a pretence,
Me to restore ayen to his presence.

To be accepted as a brother shoulde:
With full accorde styll with hym to abide,
All miuries of whyche afore I tolde,
On either party forget and set asyde.
That nothing after should our loue deuide,
But of one will and one entencion,
Leade all our lyfe without deuision.

Wherof the people were full glad and lyght,
Throughout Missene that mighty region.
At my resortyng founde I euery wyght
Ready of hart and whole affection
Me to receyue into that noble towne.
And none so ready by sygnes out shewyng,
To make me chere in sothe as was the kyng.

There is no domage in comparison,
That may be lykened by no resemblaunce
To fayned truth and simulation,
Whan fraude is hyd wt a fayre countenaunce,
Pretendyng truth outward by deceyuaunce,
And vndernethe of most false entent,
Of doublenesse dareth the serpent.

As vnder flowers is shrowded the dragon,
For to betray by sodayne vyolence,
Suche folke as haue no suspection,
But truely meane in their pure innocence,
Till they be caught dispurueyed of defence:
Or as a fishe with bayte of false pleasaunce,
The hoke not sene is brought to mischaunce:

Thus semblably at my home commyng,
I was receyued with euery circumstaunce:
Lyke as halfe heyre and brother to the kynge.
And he pretendyng as by countenaunce,
That he had so inly great pleasaunce
Of my repayre, of truth he tolde so
For reioysyng that he sayed he woulde go

Vnto his gods to do some obseruaunce
For this accorde, and humble sacrifice:
Made his ministers wt faythful attendaunce
To wayte on me in all their best wise.
It nedeth not to tell ne deuise
Neither by wrytyng in bokes sor to set,
Halfe the ioye he made whan we mette.

First how frendly he did me embrace,
Of harty gladnes within his armes twaine▪
And how for ioye the teares on his face
Full entirely gan distyll and rayne:
That for my party he could not me restraine,
But that I must of frendshyp fraternall,
Wepe as did he, in his estate royall.

The wily wolfe that cast him to deuou [...]
The sely lambe whiche can no defence,
Ne none helpe him selfe to succour,
So feble he is to make resistence,
Whiche demeth truth of false apparence,
What wonder is it the fraude not conceiued
Though such lambes vnwarely be disceiued?

Though that roses at midsomer be full sote,
Yet vnderneth is hyd a full sharpe spyne:
Some freshe floures haue a full bitter rote,
And lothsom galle can suger vndermine,
In dredful stormes y• sunne amōg doth shyne
And vnder a shadow of fayned frendlyheade
There is no frendshyp so perillous to dreade.

Thus remēbryng the faythful wordes stable
Of my brother shewed vnto me
At our metyng the kissyng amiable,
The assured couenauntes of our fraternitie,
But oft time men may beholde and se
That lilies growen amōg these nettles thicke
And  [...]oure delice in mids these wedes wicke.

Thus while I rested in the kynges house,
Nothing aduertyng his deadly cruelty,
His old hatred was so venemous,
And so odible to destroy me:
Him selfe to auenge he toke my children thre,
And sikerly is it not a wonder,
He cut their throtes with a knife asunder.

For he thought that it did him good
Them to dismember into peces small:
[Page]And in a dessell for to gather their bloude
While they say still and loked on him pale.
This was his dede in a desert vale
Within a caue that no man should espy,
Treason conspired of his false tyranny.

This was the substaunce of his sacrifice,
To slee my childer, & make their harts blede.
I trowe the Gods therof did agrise,
Of his false offrynge whan they toke hede.
He did their membres after rost and sede,
And with this vyande most abhominable
He made me to be serued at the table.

In couert cruses (also thus it stode)
To staūch mi thirst through his cruel vēgeāce
He made me vnknowe drynke their bloud.
Was not this thing to goddes displeasaunce?
Yes I dare saye, for by demonstraunce,
Vpon this dede without more obstacle,
The sunne in heauen shewed a myracle:

Whiche sore agrysed might not beholde
With his beames theron to cast his syght,
For displeasaūce his clearenes gan wtholde
And for vengeaunce to withdraw his lyght,
The day turnyng for horrour into nyght,
Whan he shone bryghtest in his midday spere,
Shrowded his face and woulde not appere.

But I alas vpon this case horrible
That coulde not ymagyn ne thynke,
On any matter that was so odible,
Eat their fleshe, their bloude also did drynke:
Whiche so sore dothe to mine hart synke,
That I may not touchyng this aduenture
The circumstaunce for constraint discure.

It nedeth me not to make rehearsayle
Touchynge mine exyle, of all maner thinges,
Of diuers sorowes that me did assayle,
My wofull sighes, ne my greuous wepings:
Ne vpon nightes my dolorous wakinges.
My pouert, nether how I stode in drede,
To lese my life, wherof Bochas take hede.

And remembre all the circumstaunces,
If euer thou sawest of high or low degre,
More contrary or more vnhappy chauntes,
Than thou hast heard remembred here of me
Wey in balaunce my sorowes, let me se
If any sorowe or mischefe vnrecured,
May counterpayse to that I haue endured?

Mine infortunes I founde them aye so fell
Without fauour and succoure, dispurueyed.
My brother on me was euer so cruell,
That I full oft desiered to haue died:
For to this day my spirite hath ben conueyed
With sorow and wo deuoyde of all refuge,
Wherfore I pray the, O Bochas be my iuge.

And in thy writyng leaue me not behynde,
Nether in thy boke that thou not disdayne,
Among tho folke that thou haue me in mynd,
Which yt for sorow, wepe, wayle, and playne:
And thus Thiestes rehearsyng all his paine,
Like as he would him selfe in pieces rende,
Made vnto Bochas of his tale an ende.

The .xi. Chapter.

¶ How Atreus excuseth him selfe of murder, and of his brothers aduoutry done with Europa quene.

ATreus came after with a full pale chere
And of enuy full dead in his vysage,
Vnto Bochas gan to approche nere,
Like as he had be fallen in a rage,
And furiously abrayde in his langage,
How may this be that like a man were wode
Thiestes hath his venym sow abrode?

And like a rybaude falsly me accused?
Notwithstandyng that I full clearely se
Mine infortunes which may not be refused,
So sore alas they worke agaynst me.
And though Thiestes false and vntrue be,
And vnto the Bochas with a face pale
Agaynst me hath forged here a tale.

Whiche in effect shalbe found vntrue,
If I haue time my complaynt to declare:
For I purpose to tell a tale newe
Fro poynt to poynt, and for no man spare,
How he was ground and rote of all my care,
And ouer, like as it is befall,
Reherce the beginnyng of my sorowes all.

Sometime whan I raigned in Missene,
Of age lusty flouryng in my freshenes,
With my wife Europa that was quene,
Most reuomed that time of fayrenes,
Thiestes than as grounde of all falsenes,
As a traytour his tyme did espye,
Through his false fraude and flattery,

Compassed a meane within my citye,
[Page xxi]By sleighty wyles that were incomparable,
To corrupt my wiues chastitie,
My bedde defoulyng a thing intollerable,
And to the Gods very abhominable:
Vsyng the quene to his fleshely pleasaunce,
Tyll vnto the tyme that in continuaunce

She by him had sonnes two or thre,
Echone brought forth in false aduoutry:
Demyng none other but they had be
Mine owne children, till that I did espye
How this swyne through his false lechery
This Thiestes, after Europa
Lay with his daughter called Pelopeia.

And by processe forthe a chylde she brought
Called Egistus whiche whan he came to age
As saith Bochas much treason wrought:
For by his malice and his great outrage,
Destroyed was all whole the lynage
Of Tantalus, whiche by his liuyng
In Frygia raygned as lorde and kyng.

But this Egistus of whom I spake toforne
Falsely begotten (mine auctour sayth ye same)
Of Pelopeia, anone as he was borne,
To hyde the slaunder, and also the fame,
Of Thiestes, and also to saue his name,
Whan he was but a day of age,
He was out cast to beastes sauage

To be deuoured: the story is well couthe.
A melche gote God lyst for him prouide,
To foster him in his tender youthe.
He nyght and day liynge by her syde,
Within the forest thus he did abyde:
Vnto the tyme he gan growe in age,
Than to the court he holdeth his passage.

Wherfore (O Bochas) of hart I pray the,
Whiche of these stories is most terrible
Of Edippus, Iocasta, or of me▪
Tel on anone if it be possible,
Whiche of these sorowes is most penible?
Of the Thebane brethren ful of wo and tene,
Or of vs twayne brethren of Missene?

I am aknowe as for my party,
Of vengeaunce I did a cruell dede:
I slough his children of malyce and enuy,
And tosted them whan they were deade,
Onely bicause, if thou list take hede.
That he begate thē, as rote of all this stryfe,
Vpon Europa which that was my wife.

Such hatefull thinges ech man should lothe,
Which apparteyneth to murder and treson:
Thus may I saye we be vnhappy both.
He first by trespace of fornication,
Done by the quene wythin my region:
And I slaundred on that other syde,
Of hasty vengeaunce to be an homicyde.

My bedde he defouled by his aduoutry,
To God and man a thing most detestable:
And I of malice and false melancholy,
Slough his childer, & serued thē at the table.
Thus enterchaunging if it be commendable,
Eche was desyrous throughe our vnhappye chaunce
Vpon other to do vengeaunce.

Our great hatred most odious found of all,
Our crueil dedes wrought on eyther syde,
Senecke reherceth them in especiall
In his tragedies, and there he dothe deuide
Our complayntes, our malice, and our pryde
Our fatall ende in sorow and mischefe fyned,
Whan Attropos our liues threde vntwyned.

Whan John Bochas fully had espied
Of these two brethren the accusations,
And how they had maliciously replyed,
Eche agaynst other in their discentions,
He began duly to heare their mocions:
Put vp his pen, & wrote not more a word,
Of their fury, ne of their false discorde.

¶ Lenuoy.

THis tragedy sheweth a fygure,
A maner of ymage and also likenes.
How contrary it is vnto nature,
Bloude vnto bloud to shew vnkyndnes:
This wofull story can well beare witnes,
All such debates ben as ye shall fynde,
Hatefull to God and contrary vnto kynde.

For there is no more dreadfull aduenture
Than in kynred to fynde frowardnes,
Neither no domage more perilous tendure,
Than in frēdshyp whan there is straūgenes:
A maner party by example I dare expresse.
To se the tree debate agaynst the rynde,
To God right hateful, and contrary to kynd.

Euery beast, and euery creature
Loueth his sēblable of kynde right I gesse:
And whā in one truth doth tway harts assure
Vndeparted of very perfitenes,
[Page]It were a vycious frowarde cursednes▪
Their loue to vnknytte, to lose, or vnbinde,
Hatefull to God, and contrary vnto kynde.

Princes, pryncesses, do your busy cure,
Frō you to auoyd, strife, fraude, & doublenes:
Remember you vpon the vnhappy cure
Of these two brethrē, and their wretchednes,
And of their bothe malicious wilfulnes,
And of their strife, haue this well in mynde:
To God right hatefull, and contrary to kind.

¶ The .xii. Chapter.

☞ Of duke Thesius and Ariadne that saued his life in a caue, and how he like a forsworne man forsoke her, and wedded fayre Phedra, which after slewe her selfe.

A Thenes whan it was in his floures,
Was called nourish of philosophers wise
Princesse of poetes and expert oratours,
Sūme of all sciences as clarkes can deuise,
Whence all cunnyng most clearely did aryse:
Named of Grece the lanterne and the light,
Which through al erth shed his bemes bright

With noble titles which ben out of number
In euery coast his renome did shyne:
The fame therof was clipsed wt none vmber,
All other scholes it did so enlumine,
For in that citye plamely to determine,
Of the .vii. artes, as frō one head did spring
As out of riuers, streames of all cunuyng.

These sciences were called liberall,
Onely of fredome, fraunchise, and libertie,
For of a stocke that were proued thrall,
There should no braunch study in that citye:
But the ilke bloude that were founde free,
Bothe by discent, and liniall high noblesse,
There to scholey should haue entresse.

This citye was sacred to Mynerue,
For their wisdome and their sapience:
Of Mercury the feastes they obserue,
For rethorike and for eloquence.
And mighty Mars gaue them influence
With glad aspectes, their party to amende,
Nobles of knighthode, their cleargy to defēd

This toune was nobled bi title of other thin­ges
And most glorious rekened in that age,
By succession of dukes and of kynges,
Among which, duke Thesius by lynage
Sonne of Egistus, full freshe in his courage,
Excellyng all of prudence and manhede
That euer did the crowne there possede.

For to that citye through his noblesse.
In their defence, such trust, such affiaunce,
He gaue to them by his expert prowes,
Of his triumphes so great aboundaunce:
And specially their renome to auaunce,
He made them free their truage to lete,
Ayenst Mynos the mighty kyng of Crete.

For by his force (the story is well couthe)
Them to franchise and all that region,
The Mynotaur he slough in tender youth.
And afterwarde he of deuocion,
To acquite him selfe like a champion,
Therof made solemne sacrifice,
To Jupiter in most humble wise.

And of a Theatre called Maraton,
Duke Theseus had the victorye,
After he went to Colchos with Jason,
Chiefe of counsayle, as made is memory.
And by processe to augment his glory,
With Hercules his brother to conucy,
Agaynst Amasones he went to warrey.

Conquered them, his manhode was wel sene,
His force, his noblesse, in that mortall stryfe:
And after that Ipolita the quene
This Theseus toke vnto his wife.
And for his brother he ieoparded his lyfe,
Duke Perithous, whan he did vndertake
The Centaures to outray for his sake.

This Centaures poetes specifye,
And Seruius maketh mencion,
How they were sumtyme engendred on a sky
Whan first their father called Ixion
Was enamored full many a day agone,
Vpon Juno, because she was so fayre,
Gouernesse, and goddesse of the ayre.

This Ixion was her secretary.
And for her fayrenes and excellent beauty,
Loued her hote: albeit she was contrary
To his desire, Bochas read and ye may se:
Him to delude, he writeth how that she
Her selfe transformed, as she y• might & could,
Into the likenes of an heauenly cloude.
[Page xxii]This Ixion playnly supposyng
It was her selfe: and euen thus he wrought
The cloude embracyng wtout more tatiynge,
Of his foly the goddesse there he sought.
And wt their medlyng forth they brought
The Centaures, these beastes matuelous,
Whiche of nature ben founde monstruous.

Halfe mā, halfe horse, departed thus in twain
And wonderfull by their discription,
Of false malyce did them selfe ordayne,
On Pirithous to make enuasion:
And him to put out of possession
Of his wife called Ipodamen,
And her to rauishe maugry all his men.

There were of thē an hundred in number,
Swift as the winde in their course runnyng
Whiche of malyce cast them to encumber,
Duke Pirithous the day of his weddyng:
And to rauysh his wyfe at their commyng,
If for his party there were no defence
Agaynst their power to make resistence.

But Theseus lyst not to delay,
Pirithous his brother to defende:
First the Centaures knyghtly he did outray,
So mortally, they durst not him offende,
After the conquest to hell they did descende,
Duke Pirithoe: and worthy Theseus,
Maugry the daunger of cruell Cerberus.

There they rauished in their mortall tene
Through their knyghthode, if ye list to lere,
Despite of Pluto, Proserpina the quene
Whiche of Jupiter was the daughter dere.
And Pirithous founde first the manere
Of wilfull force through his high renoun,
Realmes to conquere, and hold in possession.

But by writyng sothly of Duyde,
He playnly telleth how duke Theseus
Arested was in hell, and must abyde,
By the force of cruell Cerberus.
And Pluto was to hym contrarious,
Tyll Pirithous to fynde a relees,
The case declared vnto Hercules.

Whiche of his knighthode a remedy founde:
To helpe his frende did his busy paine,
First by his prowes Cerberus he bounde
At hell gates wyth a treble chayne.
And of his manhode he did so ordayne,
Duke Theseus from daunger to discharge,
Maugry of Pluto for to go at large.

They were in armes brethren bothe twayne,
Loued as brethren bothe in warre and pees,
That neither coulde vnto other frayne:
Their life to ieopard, and put thē self in prees
And both as brethren were called Hercules,
To signify (Poetes can well tell)
This name in conquest all other doth excell.

By olde tyme they that were pereles
For their nobles in diuers regions,
All they for manhode were named Hercules.
Such as were noysed for famous champions
Tygres to daunt, eke boares, and lyons:
And renoumed among them euerychone,
Bechas affirmeth that Theseus was one.

First (as I sayd) by his knyghtly trauayle
Whan Athens stode in deuision,
Among them selues by warre and battayle,
By his wisdome and his discrecion,
To set accord within that noble towne
Them that were exiled & stode in no certeyne
He of his knyghthode made thē resort ayen.

He gaue thē lawes wherby thei shold thē gye
Noble statutes founded of reason:
Set amonge them so prudent policy
In their liuyng, that no discention
Shoulde aryse by none occasion,
Among them selues in hye or lowe estate,
Prouidyng euer that there were no debate.

Thus began the city encrease and multiplye,
To waxe famous of wisdome and richesse:
There sprong the well fyrst of Philosophy,
There first of knyghthode rose the hye nobles
By Theseus, Bochas beareth wytnes,
Thus thinges two like as it is founde,
Cleargy and lawe did there first abounde.

For to set the citye in quiete
He made peace through all that region:
And of knyghthode he manly did mete
The cruell tyrant that called was Creon.
Maugre him made restitucion
Of lordes bones that were at Thebes slayn,
To the ladyes, wherof they were full fayne.

Thus through Grece his renome spradde,
His knyghtly fame began to multiply:
And long in ioye thus his life he ladde,
While that Fortune list him magnify.
[Page]But aye her ioye is meynt with some enuy,
For she froward list no more soiourne
With Theseus, but began her to face tourne

Away fro him: wexe peruerce and froward,
Of his glory, vngoodly gan to doubul,
Downe frō her whele, she made go backward
Of his good name she gan the fethers pull,
Whan his noblesse was highest at full,
I meane the full of his felicitye,
There folowed an ebbe of great aduersitie.

And moreouer her frowardly to aquite,
His vnhaps rehearsyng one by one,
One the first, as Bochas list to endite,
Was when he lay in Crete among his fone:
And out of pryson should into Grece gone,
Repayryng homeward & him selfe wtdrawe,
The Mynotaur whan he had yslawe.

The first empryse that he vndertoke,
Was whan he escaped the importable payne,
Of Mynotaurs, like as sayth my boke:
And wt him had the kings daughters twayne
That he of malice falsely list disdayne:
Ayenst  [...]ryadne which did him saue
From the death, whan he lay in the caue,

Should haue ben slaine had not his socour be
In his repayre he toke therof no hede:
He left her alone in great aduersitye,
Within an yle, in mischefe, sorowe and drede.
And fayre Phedra with him he did lede,
Wedded her like a forsworne man,
Thus wt vntruth his mischefe first began.

How Phedra quither, y• story is well know:
In his absence, Bochas writeth thus,
Whan that she within a little throwe
Loued agaynst kynde, her sonne Ipolitus.
But he to her was contrarious,
Woulde not assent to so foule a dede,
For shame he fled, & percel also for drede.

To his father she him did accuse,
As ye toforne haue the story sene:
And for he did her company refuse,
He went away and came neuer agayne.
For ye haue heard how that he was slayne,
Within a chare through his vnhappy chaūce:
And how Phedra through vengeaunce,

Slough her selfe, agaynst all womanhede,
Here in this boke tofore as I you tolde.
Of which thing whan Thesius toke hede,
Thought it was vēgeaunce for his offēce old:
For he not quit him like as he was beholde,
To Ariadne whiche should haue be his wyfe,
By whose succour he scaped with his lyfe.

This infortune and this vnhappy chaunce
Was to his nobles full contrarious,
The death also was to him a vengeaunce,
Of his sonne called Ipolitus:
For sorow of whom this duke Theseus
With salt teares sore began to playne,
And helde the exequies of the ilke twayne.

I trowe also it did him sore greue,
Duke Pirotheus whan he sawe deade.
Slayne with a beast, and myght not releue,
Of kig Orchus hoūd which had a treble head
Whose teeth hortible of his bloud were redde:
Whiche infortune when he gan beholde,
Vnto the death he felt his hart colde.

And for to reken the great wretchednes,
The vnhappy chaunces y• fell him in his lyfe,
Among all his other great distresses,
Was none so mortall and so full of strife,
As was whan he gaue credence to his wyfe,
Phedra called, whiche of intencion
Compassed vntruely an accusation

Vpon Ipolytus, of hatred and enuy,
Because he woulde not do so great offence,
As for to assent to her lechery:
Therfore of death he felt the vyolence.
And for his father to sone gaue credence,
Bochas forbade husbandes all their lyues,
Without prefe, not leue to sone their wyues.

Neither be to hasty tales for to leue
Of flaterers, in chamber ne at the table:
Forgers of lesyngs my auctor doth wel preue
To abide wt lordes that they be not able,
Here on he maketh a chapitle notable,
And of his wrytyng this was the cause why,
That prynces should examyne eche party.

Of wisdome also, and of discrecion,
Without a prefe not be parciall,
For to a prynce it is confusion,
If betwene parties he be not found egall:
Caused many one for to haue a fall▪
God suffreth such not longe to contune
Withdraw their grace, & hindreth their fortūe

[Page xxiii]
Thus Theseus for his hastines
His happe, his grace, discreased day by day.
The fame appalled of his worthines,
And frowarde fortune also in a wayte lay
For his defautes, to hinder him if she may,
Cast she woulde his nobles disauaunce:
And than his kyngdome by disobeysaunce.

From him wtdrawe honour and reuerence,
Full frowardlye through all his region
They of Athens by cruell vyolence,
Fyll agaynst him in rebellion:
That he was fayne to flye out of that towne,
Thus hath fortune darked the bryghtnes
Of all his nobles, and cast hym in distresse.

Thus was the ende by great contrarioustie,
Of Theseus, after hys dayes glade,
Whan the freshe floure of olde felicitie
Fortune aduerse made them for to fade.
Eche thyng must bowe whan it is ouerlade,
Worshyp & honour whan they brightest shine
wt vnware chaunges than rathest do declyne.

☞ Lenuoy.

THe vnsure gladnes, the ioye transitory,
The vnstable surenes, the transmutatiōs,
The clowdy brightnes, the false eclipsed glory
Of earthly prynces, whiche haue possessions,
Monarchies and dominacions,
Their sodayne chaunge declareth to vs all
Their swete suger is meynt with bitter gall.

This blynde goddesse in her consistory,
With her pleasaunce medleth discentions:
After triumphes, conquest, and victory,
Reueth from kynges their scepters & crowns
Troubleth the people with false rebellions,
Se these dukes which from the whele be fall
Al worldly suger is meynt with bytter gall.

This tragedy maketh memory
Of dukes twayne, and of their hye renounes,
And of their loue write a great history,
And how they conquered diuers regions:
Gouerned cities, countreyes, & also townes,
Tyll fortune their prowes did appall,
To shew their suger was meint wt bitter gal.

Prynces, pryncesses, se how deceptory,
Ben all these worldly reuolutions:
And how fortune in her reclinatory,
With her treacle tempreth false poysons.
So marueilous ben her confections,
Of frowardnes she wyll what so befall,
Euer with her suger of custome temper gall.

¶ The .xiii. Chapter.

¶ Here Bochas writeth agaynste them that geueth hastye credence to lyers and flatterers.

IN this chapter Bochas in sentence,
Repreueth & blameth not onely princes,
But all them that lyghtly geueth credēce
To euery tale and fable whiche is
Reported vnto them for sothfastnesse:
And list nothing do as it were due,
To proue the truth were it false or true.

All though so be in euery maner age
Folkes ben diuers of condicions,
To turne, plye, and chaunge in their courage
To outher party with sodayne mocions,
And for to bowe by transmutations
With euery wynde as the vnstable leaues,
Which hang on trees, in forestes & in greues.

But of al chaūges y• chaunge is most to drede
And most fearfull is that variaunce,
Whā that princes whych may the people lede,
Ben founde vnstable in their gouernaunce:
For their nobles and their hye puissaunce
Assureth them by a maner of forme,
What euer thē list to accomplyshe & performe

To cōmen profite they most may aueyle,
Whan they ben ruled by wisdome and reason
And to the people they may most disaueyle,
Whan they lacke wytte and discrecion.
Thus betwene twayne in euery region
The people draweth, who that can discerne,
To good or badde as prynces them gouerne.

They may not be to hasty, ne to sodayne,
But do all thyng by good aduisement:
Kepe thē fro tonges yt parted be in twayne,
Not be to hasty to geue no iudgement:
And of folkes whan they ben absent,
Lieue no tales▪ neither geue no credence,
Tyll that the party may come to euidence.

Sumtime hath happed that slowe credence
Hath in some be founde full noyons,
But hasty credence I dare say in sentence,
A thousande folde is more perillous:
For vnaduised all haste is odious.
[Page]For haste full oft for lacke of reason,
Of muche people hath ben destruction.

There is no domage that men can purpose
More to be dradde nor more lamentable
Than a prynce his eares to vnclose
To euery tale and euery fable:
It is a token their hartes be not stable,
Whan they to flatterers their eares do apply
Namely to suche that can well forge & lye.

Folke ben diuers, some false, some true,
In diuers studies done their busines:
Some can study, and finde out tales newe,
And some for lucre can maintayne falsenes,
And holde vp quarels ayenst ryght wisenes.
Pretendyng truth vnder a false entent,
To hinder folkes whiche ben innocent.

Men to suppose it were a great folye
That folkes shoulde in their opinion
Speake or pronounce all on one party,
Or holde one way in their intencion:
For semblably as there is a diuision
Of courages, of hye or lowe degre,
So is there truly a great diuersitie

In rehearsall, or report of a thing.
For to his party eche man is fauourable,
Some man can say well in al his rehearsyng
Some man is double, and some disceauable:
Some men say true, and some be variable,
Wherfore a prynce of ryght as it doth seme,
Should well examen before that he deme.

For there is none more dreadfull pestilence,
Than a tonge that can flatter and fage:
For wyth his cursed crabbed vyrulence,
He enfecteth folke of euery age.
Wo to tonges froward of their langage,
And wo to tonges, false, furious, and wode,
Which of no person neuer can say good.

Bochas rehearseth, it is right well sittyng
That euery man other do commende,
And say the best alway in reportyng:
For in well saiyng no man may offende,
Where men say well god will his grace send.
After as men be, mē must their praise vpraise
Like their merites alowe them or disprayse.

But where a thing is vtterly vnknowe,
Let no man there be hasty of sentence:
For ryghtfull iudges sittyng on a rowe
Of their wisdome and of their hye prudence,
Will of trouth haue first some euidence.
(I meane such as gouerned be by grace)
Or any dome forthe of their lippes pace.

A prynce should assemble thinges twayne
Within him selfe, full prudently:
Shut vp the domes betwene lockes twayne,
One of the soule: to reason for that party
Prudence chosen, and right for the body.
And betwene them bothe or he geue sentence,
To counsayle call truth and good conscience.

First to consider wyth euery circumstaunce,
And diligently do theron his laboure,
Of discrecion to take the balaunce:
And first wey out who is the accusour,
And whether that he for falsenes or fauoure,
In his processe list to procede,
Hereof a prynce must of ryght take hede.

He must also consider by and by
What he is, that to him is accused,
And whether the accusour, be frend or enemy
Or whether he shalbe accept or refused.
In his actes this must afore be mused.
And whether he be by report of his name,
A man well noysed, or slaundred by diffame.

If Thesius thus had ben auysed,
And considered of reason the manere:
He had not so hastely deuised
His sonnes death, like as ye shall leare.
For if there had assembled be in fere,
In his person, prudence and reason,
He shoulde haue sene in his descrecion.

By knowlegyng of long experience,
Of his wyfe the great vnstedfastnes:
Which through her false compassed eloquence
Was ready euer to bryng folke to distresse.
And in his writyng Bochas beareth witnes,
Of their nature women can flatter and fage,
And be sumtyme to copious of their langage.

Also of wisdome, duke Thesius
Should haue considred afore in his entent,
How that his sonne called Jpolytus,
Of all vnclennes was founde euer innocent:
And how that he by custome made his went
Into forestes durynge his yonge age,
To hunt at beastes, which that were sauage.

Rennyng on fote, as ye shall vnderstande,
[Page xxiiii]On hilles and valeys, to eschue idlenes
Mother of vices, with his bow in hand,
Diana to serue of huntyng chefe goddesse:
Sumtime to hauke he did his busines,
Also vnto fishyng greatly he was applyed,
So that his youth was neuer vnoccupied.

Thus he liued in woodes solitary,
And of Venus dispised the seruice:
Among women he would neuer tary,
Their felowshyp he did alway despise,
For he demed by sentence of the wise,
Who toucheth pytche by a saye men may se,
It fayleth not he shall defouled be.

Jpolitus sawe wel this thing before,
Kept him at large from such contagiositie
His grene youth he would not haue it lore,
To be defouled for lacke of chastitie.
For he liued euer in virginitie,
And neuer did (Bochas will not vary)
Nothing that was vnto God contrary.

Thus of entent he kept his body clene,
Duryng his life both in thought and dede:
Whose mother was Jpolita, the quene
Of Amasones, in Ouide ye may rede.
But wo alas that Theseus toke hede,
For a tale of Phedra full of gyle,
Without gilte his sonne so to exyle.

After whose death some Poetes sayne,
Howe that Dyana for his chastitie,
Restored him vnto life agayne
By Esculapius, and gaue him lybertye
In her forestes to hunt and to go fre:
For whiche restoryng (as write Ouidius)
As twyse a man men call hym Virbius.

But Bochas here I not what he doth mene,
Maketh in his boke an exclamation,
Agaynst women, that pity is to sene:
Sayth how their life, and their generation,
Ben of their nature double of condicion.
And calleth them also, diuers and vnstable,
Beastes resemblyng, that ben insaciable.

He meaneth of women borne in Crete,
And nothyng of them y• dwell in this coūtrey.
For women here all doublenes they lete,
And haue no tatche of mutabilitie:
They loue no chaunges, ne no duplicitie.
For their husbandes in causes small or great,
Whatsoeuer they say, they can not coūterplete

Blessed be god that them hath made so meke,
So humble and fearfull of their condicions:
For though men would cause and matter seke
Against their pacience, to finde occasions,
They haue refused all contradictions.
And thē submitted through their gouernaūce,
Onely to mekenes and womanly suffraunce.

I speake not of one, I speke of euerychone
That ben professed vnto lowlines,
Thei mai haue mouthes, but lāgage haue thei none
All true husbandes can beare hereof witnesse.
For wedded men, I dare full well expresse,
That haue assayed, and had experience,
Best can recorde, of wifely pacience.

For as it longeth to men to be sturdy,
And sumwhat frowarde as of their nature:
Right so can women suffer paciently,
And all wronges womanly endure.
Men shoulde attempt no maner creature.
And namely women, their mekenes to preue,
Which may wel suffer, if no man them greue.

Euery thing resorteth to his kynde,
(As Bochas writeth) sumtyme of the yere:
And who sercheth by processe he shall fynde,
That truth & vertue may neuer fade of there:
For rightwisenes will alway shyne clere.
Truth and falsnes in what they haue to done,
They may no while assemble in one persone.

Feare and flattery they ben contrary,
They may together hold no long soiour:
Neither simplesse whiche that can not vary,
May neuer accorde with a baratour.
Neyther innorence with a lesyngour,
Neither chastite can not her selfe apply,
Her to conforme vnto no rybaudry.

Eche thing hath a proper disposition,
By the ordinaunce set in their courage:
And ech man foloweth his condicion,
As of the stocke the frute hath the tarrage.
Pilgrymes may go full farre in their passage
But I dare say how farre that euer they go,
They beare some tarrage of y• they came fro.

Bochas maketh an introduction
In this chapiter, of hygh noblesse
That prynces haue in their possession:
And by a maner laughyng doth expresse,
How for toset them in great sykernesse
They haue seruauntes vpon them abidynge,
[Page]And men of armes day and nyght awaytyng

That no man may enter but he haue lycence.
The froward porters standyng at the gate,
Put men abacke by sturdy vyolence:
It were full harde agaynst them to debate.
Their watches kept early and also late,
Them to assure on nyghtes whan they slepe,
The chāberlains their dores straightly kepe.

Men assigned their meates to assay,
To taste their wynes lest there were treason,
Such mortall drede these lordes do affray,
So is their surenes meynt with suspection:
Who feadeth him glaoly that feareth poyson▪
But pore folke franchised from such dreade,
Such as god doth sende, wt myrthe they fede.

But Poetes that write tragedies,
Their complàynyng is all of hye estates:
Rehearsyng euer their piteous ieopardyes,
Their sodayne chaūges, & their wofull fates,
Their deuisyons, and their mortall debates.
And euer cōclude, their dities who so canrede,
High estates stande aye most in drede.

Ground and rote of all this mortall trouble,
As Bochas writeth and beareth witnes,
Ben these lyers with their tonges double,
Them selfe aye forsyng truth to oppresse:
With whom flattery is a chiefe maistresse,
And worst of all, to their dreadfull sentence,
Is whan prynces be hasty of credence.

Hasty credence is roote of all erroure,
A froward stepmother of all good counsayle:
Ground of great hindring, a dredefull discey­uour,
Fayre of face with a perillous tayle.
Gladly concluding wt ful great disauayle.
Next neighbour vnto repentaunce,
To all that trust & haue in her pleasaunce.

¶ Lenuoy.

PRynces, pricesses cōsider how in euery age
Folkes ben diuers of their condicion:
To ply & turne and chaunge in their courage,
Yet is there none to mine opinion,
So dreadfull chaunge ne transmutation,
As chaunge of prynces, to geue iugement,
Or hasty credence without auisement.

It is well founde a passyng great domage,
Knowen and expert in euery region,
Though a tale haue a fayre vysage,
It may enclude full great deception,
Hide vnder suger ga [...]e and fell poyson,
With a freshe face of double entendem cut:
Yet geue no credence without auisement.

Let folkes beware of their laugage,
Kepe their tonges from oblocution:
To hynder or hurte by no maner outrage,
Preserue their lyppes from all detraction,
From champarty, and contradiction,
Lest that fraude were found in their entent,
Ne geue no credence without auisement.

Prynces princesses of noble and high parage,
Whiche haue lordshyp and do nination,
Voyde them asyde that can flatter and fage:
Fro tonges that haue a terrage of  [...]reason,
Stoppe your eares, from their bitter soun,
Be circumspect, not hastye but prudent,
And geue no credence without auisement.

¶ The .xiiii. Chapter.

¶ Of quene Althea, and how Hercules by women was brought to confusion.

WHā Bochas had shewed his sētence
And declared his opinion
Against thē y• wer hasty of credēce,
He begā anone to make a digression
Fro that matter: and of entencion
To serche out mo his purpose to contune,
That were downe cast & hyndred by fortune.

And as him thought he sawe a company
Of many worthy whiche did appeare:
And among all first he did espye,
Quene Althea, as she gan nygh him nere,
All be wept her face, and also her chere,
With salt teares that pitye was to sene,
Whiche some time was of Cale [...]dony quene.

She was the daughter of kynge Thestius,
Wedded to Oene of Calsidony kynge,
Of cheare and face appearing full piteous,
Her heere to torne, and frowardly liyng:
And in token also of complaynynge,
As writeth Bochas, wherof he toke hede,
Blacke was her habite, & torne was her wede

A sonne she had Melliager he hyght,
In earth was there none fayrer to se:
[Page xxv]Ryght wel fauoured in euery mans syght,
And as I fynde, at his natiuite
Present were the fatal susters thre,
With their rockes, and began to spyn fast,
And toke a brond, and in the fyre it cast:

And in that hour this was their langage:
Touchynge thys chylde we full accorded be,
And haue disposed also, the terme of his age
The space concluded of his destyne,
As long tyme who so lyst to se,
Tyll thys brond among the coles reed,
Be ful consumed into ashes dead.

But whan Althea espied their entent,
And conceyued the fyne of their sentence:
She rose vp, and the brond she hent
Out of the fyre wyth ful great diligence.
Quenched anone the fyres violence,
The dome of Parche she gan thus disobey,
The brond reseruinge vnder locke & key.

Touchyng the father of this Melliager,
Oeneus, of hym thus I rede,
Howe that he sought nighe and ferre
Goddes & goddesses, whose lyst take hede,
In hope onely for to haue great mede.
For to them al, poetes thus deuyse,
Saue to Diana he dyd sacrifyce.

Wherof she caught an indignacion:
Cast she woulde on hym auenged be.
Sent a Boore in to his region,
Full sauage and full of cruelte.
Which deuoured the frute of many a tree,
And distroyed his cornes and his vynes,
That such scarsnesse of vitayles & of wynes

Was in his land vpon euery syde,
That the people of necessite,
Compelled were among to prouyde
Some meane or way to saue their countre:
And at the last they condiscended be
That Melliager lusty of his corage,
Shoulde chose wt him folkes fresh & yonge of age

This dredeful Boore mightely to enchace.
And forth they went echon deuoyde of drede,
With round speres they gan him to manace
But Melliager made fyrst his sydes blede,
And wyth a swerde than smote of his hede.
Wherof the countre was glad and fayne,
And in this wyse the tuskye bore was slaine.

Some bokes tell of this huntyng,
That a lady whych was borne in Irge,
Called Athalanta doughter to the kyng,
To slee this Boore toke on her the charge.
And wyth an arowe made his woūdes large,
Also in Ouide, lyke as it is founde,
Because that she gaue the fyrst wounde,

Melliager anone for a memorye,
As he that was her owne chosen knight,
Gaue her the heed in token of this victory.
But his two vncles ayenst al skyl and tyghte,
Raft her the head of very force and myght:
Hauyng dispite that she in her auyse,
Of this victory shoulde beare away the price.

With which iniury. Melliager was wroth,
Agaynst them proudly gan disdayne:
Pulled out a swerde & vpon thē goeth,
And throughe hys manhode slewe his vncles twaine:
And after yt dyd his busy payne
To take the heed, and wyth humble entent
To Athalanta agayne to be present.

One of his vncles was called Flexippus
A manly knyght but yonge of age,
That other brother named Theseus.
But whan their suster herde of that outrage,
Howe they were slayne, she gan in her visage
Wexe deed and pale, alas, for her bloud:
Whan she espyed the cause howe it stode.

She had no matter god wote to be fayne,
Quene Althea to stand and beholde,
Her bretherne twayne of her son slayne
At the huntyng, of whych tofore I tolde.
Fyrst thynges twayne she gan peise & vnfold,
Of her bretherne the loue and nigh kynted,
And of her sonne the hasty cruel dede.

And remembring she casteth in balaunce
Of hertely wo that she dyd endure,
Thought if she dyd vpō their deth vengeaūce
To slee her son it were ayenst nature:
Thus in a warre longe tyme she dyd endure,
Her deedly sorowe peysyng euery dell,
Wheder she shalbe tender or eruel.

Thus tender I meane, her son for to spare,
Or punishe the dethe of her brether twayne.
Thus confortlesse al destitute and bare,
In languishing she endured forthe her payne:
And temedy can she none ordayne,
Saue faine she would auenge her if she may,
[Page]But than came forth nature and sayd nay.

It was her sonne, agaynst all kyndly ryghte
Of whom she cast auenged for to be:
To women al an vgly straunge syghte,
That a mother deuoyde of all pitie,
Shoulde slee her childe so merciles parde.
Naye not so, nature wyl not assent,
For if she dyd full sore she should repent.

But O, alas, al fatal purueyance
Kepeth his course, as some clerkes sayne:
But the wrytyng of doctours in substaunce,
And these diuynes reply there agayne,
And affirme the opinion is in vayne,
Of them that trust in fate or desteny,
For God aboue hath the soueraintie.

And of fortune the power may restrayne,
To saue and spyl lyke as folke deserue:
Ayenst his wyl they may nothynge ordayne,
Of necessite what course that they conserue.
But this matter al holy I reserue
Vnto diuines, to determyne and conclude,
Whych nat partayneth vnto folkes rude.

But Althea of Calcidony quene,
Began sore muse and henge in balaunce:
Her bretherne deed whan she dyd them sene,
Than was she meued anon to do vengean̄ce
Vpon her son, by ful great displeasance.
But as poetes lyst for to compile,
Nature her made wtdrawe her hand, a while.

Thus betwene yre and affection,
She helde her long of euery partie stable:
Tyll that she caught in her opinion
A soden rancor which made her be vengeable.
And hasty worth, which is not cōmendable,
Ayenst her son made her with her hande
Out of her chest to take the fatall brande,

 [...]nd sodaynly she cast it in the fyre,
And wexed cruell agaynst all womanhede,
To execute her venomous desyre.
The fatall bronde among the coles rede
Consumed was into ashes dede,
And furiously in her melancoly,
The vengeaunce done, she thus gan to cry.

O ye Parce froward susters three
Which of Joue kepe the library,
And of children at their natiuite
Awayte the sentence whych may not vary,
Wherso it be wylful or contrary,
Vpon his domes alwaye takyng hede,
How that ye shall dispose the fatal threde,

Thou Cloto takest thy rocke on hand,
And Lachesis after doth begyn,
By great auise, who so can vnderstande,
The threde of length to drawe and to spyn.
But whan the spirite shal frō the bodye twin,
Thou Atropos doest thy busy payne,
Ful frowardly to parte the thred in twayne.

I may wel playne in such perdicion,
Not for a day, but wo alas for euer:
Ye haue vntwyned and made deuision,
Of my two bretherne, & caused thē disceuer,
That here on lyue I shal se them neuer:
And I of haste, alas why dyd I so?
Tauenge their deth haue slayn my son also.

O ye doughters of Cerberus the fell,
Whose vgly moder was the blacke nyght,
Al your kyndred and linage lyue in hell,
And for to auēge the wrong & great vuryght
Which I haue accomplished in your syght,
I wyl wyth you perpetually complayne,
Like my desert, tendure sorow and payne.

And whyle she gan wt her selfe thus stryue
Vpon her sorowes that were endlesse:
She made a swerde through her hert to riue,
Of her selfe she was here recheles.
And Bochas after among al the prese,
Sawe as hym thoughte wyth a full hidious chere,
Deed of visage, Hercules appere.

Whose father was Jupiter the greate,
His mother doughter of Amphitrion,
Called Alcumena sumtyme borne in Crete.
And as poetes reherce one by one,
So excellent was there neuer none
To speke of conquest, of victory and fame,
Here in thys world that had so great a name.

Dredful of loke he was and ryght terible,
His berde also blacke which hing lowe doun:
And al his heer as bristles were horible,
Hys robe also ful maruaylous of facion,
Was of the skynne of a fierce lyon,
Whych from his backe of very force he rent:
Within a forest a lone whan he went.

In his hand he bare a mase of stele,
Whych to beholde was wonder long & huge,
[Page xxvi]By apparence as Bochas felte wele.
Demed of reason a ryghtful iuge,
That Hercules had to his refuge,
Wysedome wt force, for to encrease his fame,
As beastes wylde for to make them tame.

And vnto Bochas he gan loude crye:
Take right good hede for it is no fable,
I for my merites to speake of chiualry
And noble triumphes, am most cōmendable:
To be preferred most worthy and most able.
Which haue accomplished al that may excel,
Through hyghe prowes yt any tong can tel.

Also of my byrth in heuyn ful yore ago,
Fully conceyued my constellacion:
Myghty Jupiter sayd vnto Juno,
On such a day in such a region,
One shalbe borne most myghty of renoun,
Noblest of nobles both in warre and pees,
Of whom the name shalbe Hercules.

The whych dome whan Juno vnderstode,
Of Jupiter conceyuing the entent,
And knewe my fate should be so good,
To Lucina her messanger she sent:
But some saythe howe her selfe downe went,
To thys goddesse, goddesse of childing,
And her besought to graunt her her askynge.

That she would from Hercules translate
The influence of his natiuyte,
Helpe to rescue his name and hys fate,
And graunt it holy to yonge Euristee.
And that Lucina present would be
The same hour by Jupiter prouyded,
It to possede all hole and vndeuided.

Thus to the mother of this Euristee,
Juno the goddes graunted her fauour:
Therby disposyng that he should be,
Mighty of puissaunce lyke an emperour.
But of his nobles the conquest & labour,
And of his manhode the prowes & pursute,
By Hercules was fully execute.

This Hercules had the trauayle,
And Euristeus bare away the name.
Also Hercules fought in plate and mayle,
And highe emprises proudly dyde attame,
But the report of hys noble fame
To Euristeus fully was ascriued,
Thus of his thanke was Hercules depriued.
Full oft in armes some man doth wele,
And oft causeth that the felde is won,
And another that dyd neuer a dele,
The price out spredeth lyke as shineth y• son.
And oft it happeneth he that hath best ron,
Doth not the spere like his desert possede,
Where false fauor giueth euery mā his mede

Fame in her palice hath trūpes mo than one,
Some of golde that geueth a freshe soun:
Some man hath laude and deserueth none,
And some haue be ful worthy of renoun
Nothinge preferred by commendacion.
As by report of states hye and lowe,
So frowardly Fame her trumpe hath blowe.

Touchyng armes, the pore ne the riche
Be not of hertes echone corragious:
Neither al men may not be yliche,
Neyther of theyr name egal ne gracious.
And though the pore haue bene victorious,
Of auenture to do full wel some daye,
Other haue pinched to take his thāke away.

On sleeth the dere wyth an hoked arowe,
Whose part is none yet of the venison:
One beteth the y• bush another hath y• sparow
And all the byrdes in his possession.
One draweth his nettes in riuers vp & doun,
With sondry baytes cast out lyne and hoke,
And hath no parte of al that euer he toke.

An euidence hereof ye may se
Ful notable to be put in memorye,
Of Hercules and of Euriste:
For Hercules gate aye the victory,
And Euristeus receiued hath the glorye.
Thus the palme departed was in twayne,
That one reioysed, that other bare ye payne.

Euristeus was prince of Athene,
Sonne and heire by dyscent of lyne,
Vnto the kyng that called was Stellene
Vnder whose myght as Bochas dothe deter­mine
Hercules through knightly disciplyne,
Proued so most manly and most wyse,
That from al other he bare away the prise.

But wo alas that euer it should fall,
So manly a knyght so worthy and notable,
That any spotte should his price appall,
Or cause hys corage for to be vnstable.
Which is a thinge doleful and lamentable,
From his knighthode as a thinge straunge,
[Page]That euer a woman should his hert chaunge.

I wyll excuse them because their nature
Is to chaunge hertes and corrages:
Agaynst their nature no force maye endure,
For their flatery and sugred fayre langages,
Lyke Sirens full freshe of their visages,
For to chaunge of princes the noblesse,
Mo than Hercules can bere hereof witnesse.

Thus Hercules astonied and ashamed,
Vnto Bochas shewed his presence:
Said, alas my knighthode is diffamed
By a full false amorous pestilence.
So sore constrayned by mortal vtolence,
Whereby alas my manhode was applied,
By sleye of women oppressed & maistried

To take their habit & cloth me in their wede,
To shere my berde, and farce my vysage
With oyntmentes against al manhede,
To make it souple, & chaunge my langage:
And to complayne more of myne outrage,
Vpon my fyngers fyue twyse tolde,
I had ringes richely wrought of golde.

Thus was my corage chaunged femynine,
For loue of one called Iolee:
Of condicions though she were serpentyne,
Me thought she was fayrest vnto se,
That all my ioye was wyth her to be.
And that none should aperceiue my trespace,
I chaunged both habite loke and face,

And was a woman outwarde in apparence,
Of entent to haue more liberte
To vse my lustes, and haue experience
Of appetites, which that vnlefull be:
Wherof the sclaundre reboundeth vpon me.
That I dare say my outragious trespace
Doth al my knyghthode & prowes difface.

Wherof Bochas, I pray the take good hede,
For to discriue in termes playne & clere,
Mine infortune lyke as it was in dede:
That whan other conceyue the manere
Of myne vnhappes, contagious for to here,
They may by example of me do their paine,
From vicious life their hertes to restraine.

For these folles that al wysdome dispise,
And be contrary to bertuous discipline,
May gyue example to folkes that ben wise
And ben to them a lanterne of doctrine,
Vyces to eschewe, and prudently declyne
Fro fleshely lustes: for it is taught in scholes,
That wysemē al day ben ytaught by foles.

Whan Bochas had conceyued the pleynt
Of Hercules in his appering,
And how his nobles by women was ataint,
Through his disordinate liuing:
He thought anone hym remembringe,
It had be ruthe for to put in mynde
Hys vires all, and vertues left behinde.

Considered also it was impartinent
Eyther by lāgage to write ayenst al ryght,
Any thing that should in sentment
The fame amenuse of so noble a knyght,
Or to discrese in any mans syght
Hys glorious prowes, sith poetes for hys werres
Reise his renome, so highe aboue the sterres.

For he was both knyght and Philosopher,
And for his strength called a giant:
For commen profit he gan promptly profer.
Of manly corage gyue thereto full graunt,
To entre in to Egipt to slee the giaunt
Called Busyris, who of ful false entēt
Slewe al straūgers that through his kingdū wēt

For vnder a colour of liberalite,
Vnto his palys gladly he would cal
Straūgers echone y• came through his cūtre,
And solemly receyue thē one and al:
And lyke a kynge, both in chambre and hal
Make them such chere in all maner thynge
As apperteyned to a worthy kyng.

But whyle his gestes lay a nyght to slepe,
This false tirant in ful cruel wyse,
Murdred them ethone or they toke kepe:
And after that, thys was also his gise,
With their bloud to make a sacrifice
To Jupiter god of that countre,
Of hole entent to please his deite.

That in his kyngdome of frutes & grayne,
The land encresed by great habundaunce:
Doun from heuin he would send thē rayne,
This meane he made & this cheuisaunce.
To murdre and slee he had so great plesaūce,
For of al thing him thought it did him good
To murdre his gestes, and to shede their blod

Whā this murdre of Busiris was couth,
That no strāgers myght passe his lād i pees:
[Page xxvii]This manly knyght yet flowryng in youthe,
Thys noble, famous, thys worthy Hercules,
Among other he put hym selfe in prees:
And lyke a gest outwarde in shewyng.
Came to the palys of Busiris the kyng.

Rebuked hym of his great outrage
Done to hys gestes, by cruel violence.
And for to make pesible that passage,
And for to auenge y• his importable offence,
And of his murdre to make a recompence,
Thys Hercules slewe Busiris in dede,
And toke the bloud whych he dyd blede,

Offred it vp Jupiter to please,
For thys victory hym to magnifye.
And al Egipt thus was set in ease,
Their landes and frutes gan also multiply,
Theyr grayne encresed about on eche partye,
And to habounde by influence of rayne,
Whych afore time of vitayle was barayne.

Another giaunt called Antheus,
Kyng of Libye and gouerned al the land,
Whom Hercules most strong and coragious,
Sūtime outraid, & slewe hym with his hand.
For as they wrastled by experience he fand,
Touching the erth this giant (it is trewe)
His force, his myght, dyd alway renewe.

But whan Hercules the maner dyd espye,
Howe his strength renewed agayne so ofte:
Theragaynst he shope a remedy,
Hye in the ayre he peysed hym vp a lofte,
And with strokes harde and nothynge softe,
Backe and bone so sore he did embrace,
That he fyll deed tofore hym in the place.

But some bokes of thys giant tell,
Within his kyngdome who dyd him assaile,
He would of newe his chiualry compel
Efte agayne to mete hym in battayle:
And in this wyse full selde he dyd fayle
To aforce of newe as ye shal vnderstand,
His strength, his myght, all enemis to wt stād.

But Hercules of hye discrecion,
The felde on him manly to recure,
Had hym by sleyght out of hys region:
And as they met there of auenture,
The sayd Anthens might not endure,
But was disconfited by Hercules anone,
Maugre his myght, and his men echone.

After this conquest Hercules is gone
For exercise, his prowes for to vse
Agaynst the myghty stronge Gereon,
Kyng of Spayne, of Melleager, and Ebuse,
The whych tiraunt myght hym not excuse,
That all his labour as poetes lyst compyle,
Was from these realmes his people to exile.

Hys tiranny myght not long endure,
For Hercules that noble worthy knyght,
Made vpon hym a great disconfiture,
And slough the tyraunt as they met in fyghte:
And after that through his great myght,
Of highe prowes and magnanimyte,
Sloughe Cerberus with his heades thre.

The famous bull of the lande of Crete
Whych that distroyed all that region,
He sloughe also whan that they dyd mete:
And in Nemea he slough a feirse lyon.
And for a recorde of hys high renoun,
Of manly force his skyn away he toke,
And to his body a cote thereof he shope.

To his enemis to shewe hym more dredeful,
Therfore he ware that hidious garment.
And for he was in armes neuer founde dul,
But ylike freshe euer in his entent,
In to a mountaine anone he made hys went,
Called Erimanthus: & there in his passage,
He slewe a boar most wylde & most sauage.

Besyde a ryuer called Styphalus,
Of furious byrdes he slewe a great nombre,
Within the kyngdome of kyng Pheneus,
All the countre they dyd encombre:
For wyth their shadowe & cōtagious vmbre
On sede, on frutes, where euer they alight,
Al was deuoured in euery mannes sight.

Vpon the mountayne called Auentyne,
Which is not far from Rome the citye,
There is a wode, as cronicles determyne,
Right freshe of light and goodly on to se:
And Hercules passyng by that countre,
Fro Spaynward passyng by Itayle,
Cachus the giant dyd hym there assaile.

While Hercules among the leues grene
Layde him to slepe by sodayne auenture,
And his beastes, against the sonne shyne
While that he slepte, went in their pasture,
Came Cachus forth ful hidious of stature,
Thought he would these beastes wt him haue
[Page]Stale them echone, and hyd thē in a caue.

And lyke a thefe he made them go backward
That no man should y• traces of them know:
Neyther of their passage haue no regarde,
For by their tailes he ledde them on a rowe,
In to his caue which that stode full lowe.
And for they were of excellent fayrnes,
To kepe them close he did his businesse.

Out of his slepe whan Hercules awoke,
And parceyued his oxen were away
He rose vp and cast about his loke,
Began to aspye in all the hast he may
To what partie the traces of them lay:
And while he stode thus musyng in the shade,
He herd the lowyng that his oxen made.

And by their lowing he gan anone aproche
Toward the parte wher they were kept close,
Fonde the caue vnder a myghty roche:
And proud Cachus which had thē in depose,
Agaynst Hercules he sturdely arose,
But for al that he myghte hym selfe not saue,
For he hym sloughe at thentring of the caue.

And thus his beastes he hath ayen recured,
That sempte afore inrecuperable.
After the mountaine byforce he hath assured,
Which for brigātes afore was full doutable.
But by his knyghthod it was made habita­ble,
That men myght for drede of any foe
Whan euer they would frely come and go.

Touchyng his conquest vpon Feminye,
Agaynst Amasones with Theseus he went:
The quene Ipolyta through his chiualry,
For his praye anone to hym he hent.
And Ipolita of ful true entent
Gaue vnto hym in token of victory,
A girdel of golde to haue her in memorie.

After to Affrike he went a full great pace,
Onely of purpose the gardin for to se,
Which apperteyned to kynge Athlas
That brother was to the kynge Promothee:
In astrology full wel expert was he,
And of this gardyn of whych I haue tolde,
The riche braūches & apples were of gold,

Through magike made by great auisement,
Ful streyte kepte and closed enuyron,
And y watched with a fell serpent,
That no man entred that ryche mancion.
But Hercules most mighty of renoun,
The serpēt slough through his māly pursute,
And fro the gradeyn he bare away the frute.

This said Athlas as bokes specifie,
And poetes also of him endite,
He was connynge in astronomy,
And therin did ful greatly him delite:
And many a boke he made and dyd write
With great labour and great diligence,
In hys time vpon that science,

The which were more precious than golde,
And more rich in his opinion:
But Hercules in soth as it is tolde,
Gate all the bokes through hys hie renoun:
Bare them by force out of that region,
And to Grece lyke a conquerour,
With him he brought thē for a great treasour.

Of Trace he slough the giant outragious
That sumtime was called Diomede,
Which murdred al that came to his house,
And with their fleshe his horse he dyd fede.
And through his witte labour and manhede
Of Achelous, whych was a great wondre,
He made the stremes for to departe a sondre.

And by his wisdome dyd thē so deuide,
In two parties disceueringe his passage:
For afore no man myght abyde
Of his course the furious fel outrage.
For in countreis it dyd so great domage,
Turning vpward there was non other bote,
Where euer it flowed of trees, crop and rote.

A great emprise he did also vndertake
Whan that the messe hidious and horible
Ariued vp of Archadies the lake,
Called Lerne the beastes ful odible,
Which with their teeth & mouthes terrible
Frute, grayne, & corne dyd mortally deuour.
But Hercules the countre to sucour,

Came lyke a knyght their malice for to let,
And by his prudence destroyed thē euerichon:
With in the lake the wormes vp he shet,
Saue among all behind was left one.
And against him this Hercules anone,
Of knighthod raught so great auauntage,
That to the coūtre he dyd no more domage.

Thus all that euer may rehersed  [...]e,
Touching knighthode, prowes, or prudence,
[Page xxviii]Or glorious fame, or long felicitie,
This knyghtly man had most excellence,
And in armes longest experience:
And for his triumphes and actes marciall,
He set vp pillers for a memoriall.

Whiche remembred his cōquest most notable
And his dedes by grauyng did expresse,
Beyonde whiche no lande is habitable,
So farre abrode spred his noblesse.
But as the sunne leaueth his bryghtnes
Sumtime whan he is fresshest in hys sphere,
With vnware cloudes that sodaynly appere:

Semblably the nobles and the glory
Of Hercules in this vnstable lyfe,
Eclipsed was, and shadowed his memory
By Dianyra, that sumtyme was his wyfe:
For by her fraude came in the mortall stryfe,
As ye shal heare the maner and the caas,
Wherby that he lost his lyfe, alas.

Yet for her sake this most manly man,
Fought as I fynde in singuler battayle
With Acheloes sonne of the Occian,
Lyke as Poetes make rehearsayle:
And as eche other proudly did assayle,
This Hercules of knyghthode souerayne,
Sent from his head one of his hornes twain

Of kyng Oene she was the daughter dere,
To Hercules ioyned by mariage:
And as they came to a great riuere,
With sturdy waues where was no passage,
Nessus the gyaunt vgly of vysage,
To Hercules profered his seruyce,
And full falsely against him gan deuyse.

Made his promise to Hercules in dede
To put his life in great aduenture,
Ouer the streme Dianyra to l [...]de,
Because he was large of his stature.
And for she was a ryght fayre creature
Whan they passed and came to londe,
Nessus falsely woulde vpon the str [...]nd

Haue know her fleshly, like as write Ouide.
Hercules hauyng therof a syght,
As he abode vpon that otherside,
And for to auenge him of his great vnright,
 [...]ake his howe and  [...]ent it a [...]one ryght▪
And wyth an arrowe fyled sharpe and groūd
Gaue to Nessus his deadly fatall  [...]unde.

Like a condyte gusshed out the bloude
And whan he sawe that he must dye,
To Dianyra before him there she stode,
With all his hart he her gan pray,
That in one thing his lust she would obey:
To take his shert and be not retcheles
With bloud distayned, and sende it Hercules.

There through with him to be reconsiled:
And she to him anone the shert hath sent,
Through whose venim, alas he was begiled,
For what by touching and by enchauntment,
His fleshe and bones were all to brent,
And among his deadly paynes all,
Into a rage he sodaynly is fall.

And as a beast furiously he ranne
On valeys & hylles among craggy stones,
Semblably as doth a woodeman.
Pulled vp trees and rotes all at ones,
Brake beasts hornes, & al to gnew her bones
Was it not pitie that a knyght so good,
Shold amōg bestes runne sauage & woode?

Thus ouerwhelmed was all his worthines,
And to de [...]iyne went his prosperitie.
Cause and roote of al his wretchednes,
Was for that he set all his felicitie,
To trust so much the mutabilitie,
Of these women, whyche early and soone
Of their nature brayed vpon the moone.

Alas, alas, all nobles and prudence,
Prowes of nature, force, and chyualry,
Forsyght of wisdome, discrecion, and science,
Vertuous study profityng in cleargy,
And the clere shynyng of Philosophy,
Hath through false lustes here be manaced,
By sleyght of women, darked and defaced.

O Hercules I fele my penne quake,
Mine ynke full filled with bitter teares salt,
This piteons tragedy to write for thy sake,
Whom all Poetes glorifye and exalt:
But fraude of women made thy renome halt,
And froward muses thy triūphes all to  [...]end,
For to discryue alas thy fatal ende.

¶ Lenuoy.

THe sole ve [...] sauory p [...]yso [...],
The dredful [...] ioy [...], the dolorous pleasaūce
The  [...], the furious  [...],
Fayth dispay [...]d,  [...] ▪
[Page]Vertue exilyng where lust hath gouernaūce,
Through false luxury diffasen all nobles,
As this tragedy can beare full well witnes.

Where froward Venus hath domination
And blinde Cupide his subiects doth auaunce
And wilfull lust through indiscrecion
Is chosen iudge to holde the balaunce,
Their choyse vnlefull hath through yll chaūce
Derked of prynces the famous nobles,
As this tragedy beareth full well witnes.

O thou Hercules for all thy high renoun,
For all thy conquest, & knyghtly suffisaunce,
Thou were by women brought to confusion,
And by their fraude thy renoumed puissaūce,
Disclaundred was & brought to mischaunce
I were ashamed to write it or expresse,
Except this tragedy can beare well witnesse.

Prynces princesses, of high discretion,
This thing imprinte in your remembraunce
Of others fallyng, make your protection
You to preserue through prudent purueiaūce:
Afore prouided that your perseueraunce
Be not perturbed by no false sorceresse,
As this tragedy of other bereth witnesse.

¶ The .xv. Chapter.

☞ A processe of Narcissus, Byblis, Myrra, and of other their infortunes to Bochas complaynyng.

NArcissus, Byblis, and Myrra all thre,
Tofore Bochas pyteously did appeare
Their infortunes their infelicitie,
To him complaynyng with a deadly cheare:
And of their commyng to tell the manere,
Narcissus with sorow and dole attaynt,
Began first to declare his complaynt.

He was the sonne of Cephisus the flode,
And his mother called Lyriope:
And by discent borne of gentle blode:
Of creatures fayrest on to se.
And as I finde at his natiuitie,
Tyresias by spirite of prophecy,
Touchyng his fate thus gan specify.

The goddes haue prouided for him a space
To lyue in earth, and so long endure
Tyll that he knowe and se his owne face:
And for his sake full many a seruitu [...]e,
By ordinaunce of god and of nature,
Whan they him se shall fele full great payne,
If they in loue his grace may not attayne.

But he shalbe contrary and daungerous
And of his port full of straungenesse:
And in his hart right inly surquidous,
By the occasion of his natife fayrenes.
And presumyng of his semelinesse,
No woman so freshe ne so fayre of face
That able were to stand in his grace.

And for the excellence of his great beantye,
He purposed him in his tender age
Neuer in his lyfe wedded for to be,
He thought him selfe so fayre of vysage:
For whych he cast through his great outrage
Agaynst all lustes of loue to disdayne,
To hunt at beastes alone, and be slayne.

And in this whyle that he kept hym so,
In the forest and in wyldernes,
A water goddesse, that called was Ecco,
Loued him full hote for his fairenes:
And sikerly did her busines,
To folow his steppes ryght as any lyne,
To her desyres to make him to enclyne.

He heard her wele but he sawe her nought,
Wherof astonied anone he gan to enquere,
As he that was amarueyled in his thought,
Sayd euen thus: is any wyght now here?
And she aunswered the same in her manere.
What euer he sayd (as longeth to Ecco)
Without abode she sayd the same hym to.

Come nere (quod he) and began to call.
Come nere (quod she) my ioy & my pleasaūce.
He loked about among the rockes all,
And sawe nothyng beside ne in distaunce
But she abrayed and declared her greuaunce
And to him sayd: mine owne hart dere,
Ne be not straunge but let vs dwell in fere.

Nay nay (quod he) I will nothing obey
To your desires, for short conclusion:
Well leuer I had playnly for to dey
Than ye should haue of me possession,
We be nothing of one opinion.
I here you well though I no fygure se,
Go forth your way ye speake no more wt me.

And she ashamed fled her way anone,
As she that myght of him no socour haue:
[Page xxix]But dispayred this Ecco is forthe gone,
And hidde her selfe in an vgly caue,
Among the rockes is buried in her graue:
And though so be yt men her voyce may heare
After that time she neuer durst appeare.

Thus Narcissus through daunger & disdeine
Vpon the lady did cruell vengeaunce,
But whan the Goddes his cruelty had sei [...]e
Towardes him fyll a great greuaunce:
Of his vnmercy they had displeasaunce,
And right as he merciles was founde,
So wt vnmercy he caught his deadly wound.

For all daunger displeaseth to Venus
And all disdayne is lothsome to Cupide:
For who to loue is contrarious,
The god of loue will quite him on some syde,
His dreadfull arrowes so mortally deuyde,
To hurt and mayme all that be retchlesse,
And in her seruyce founde mercilesse.

And for Narcissus was not merciable
Towarde Ecco, for his great beautye,
But in his port was founde vntretable,
Cupyde thought he woulde auenged be,
As he that her prayer hearde of pitie:
Causyng Narcissus to fele and haue his part,
Of Venus brande and of her fiery darte.

And on a day whan he in wildernes,
Had after beastes runne in huntyng,
And for longe labour can fall in werines,
He was desirous to haue some refreshyng,
And wonders thurstlewe after traueylyng
Myght not endure lenger there to dwell,
And at the last he founde a cristall well,

Right freshe springyng & wonder agreable,
The water lusty and delectable of sight:
And for his thirst was to him importable,
Vpon the brynkes he fell downe ryght,
And by reflection in middes of ye water bright
Him thought he sawe a passyng faire ymage,
To hym appeare, most angelyke of vysage.

He was enamoured with the semelinesse,
And desierous therof to stand in grace,
And yet it was not but a lykelinesse,
And but a shadowe reflectyng of his face,
The whiche of feruence amorously tembrace
This Narcissus with a piteous complaynt,
Start into the well and so him selfe dreynt.

And thus his beauty, alas, was layed lowe,
His semelines put full farre abacke:
Thus whan he gan fyrst him selfe knowe
And sene his vysage in whiche was no lacke,
Presumptuous pryde caused all to wracke:
For who to much doth of him selfe presume
His owne vsurpyng wyll sonest him cōsume.

And finally as these olde Poetes tell,
This Narcissus without more succour,
After that he was drowned at the well,
The heuenly goddes did him so fauour,
They turned him into a full freshe floure,
A water lilly, whiche dothe remedy
In hote accesses as bokes specify.

After that Narcissus was at the well dreynt,
And to John Bochas declared had his wo,
Biblis appeared with teares all be spreint,
And toward him a great pase gan she go:
And her brother Camnus came also.
And of one wombe as gemelles twayne,
But she tofore her fate gan complayne.

She in her loue was not vertuous
For ayenst God and kyndes ordinaunce,
She loued her brother named Camnus:
And whan he sawe her froward gouernaūce
He vnto her gaue none attendaunce,
Though she of sleyght to accōplysh her entēt,
In secrete wise a pistle to him sent.

She sayd it was an impossible thing
Without his grace her selfe to saue,
And but he were to her assentyng,
She els playnly may not health haue.
But onely death and afterwarde her graue:
Thus in her writyng to him she did attame,
And to be couert she ne wrote no name.

But whan this pistle came to his presence,
Vertuously therat he gan disdayne:
And gaue therto no maner aduertence,
Neither toke no hede of her furious payne,
But suffred her eternally to playne.
Tyll that she was, as Ouid can wel tell
With oft wepyng transformed to a well.

Next came Myrra wyth face full piteous,
Whiche that sumtime loued ayenst nature
Her owne father called Cynarus,
For whose sake great payne she did endure.
For she  [...]e durst her sorowe not discure,
Tyll her noryshe by sygnes dyd espy,
[Page]The hartily constraynt of her malady.

For her nourice of whiche I haue tolde,
Conceiued hath by open euidence,
As she knoweth both of newe and olde,
In suche matters all hole the experience,
That through long labour and great diligēce
Diuers wayes and meanes out she sought,
To her fathers bed that she Myrra brought.

With whom she had her lust and pleasaunce,
For she vnknow lay with him all nyght:
He was deceaued by dronklewe ignoraunce,
And on the morow longe or any lyght
She stale away, and went out of his sight
With her noryce whiche kept her long close,
Till vnto the tyme that her wombe arose.

But her father that was of Cypre king,
Which as I tolde was called Cynarus,
Whan he the truthe espyed of this thing,
That by his daughter he was deceiued thus,
She waxt to him loth some and odious:
Fledde from his sight, so sore she was aferde,
And he pursued after with his swerde.

In Araby the hote mighty lande,
Kyng Cynarus hath his daughter founde:
And cruelly began enhaunce his hande,
With his sworde to geue her a wounde:
But the goddes of mercy most habound,
Hath fro the death made her to go fre,
And through their power trāformed to a tree.

Which after her beareth yet the name,
Called Myrra, as she was in her life.
Out of whiche, aucthours say the same,
Distilleth a gome a great preseruatife:
And of nature a full good defensife,
To kepe bodies from putrifaction,
And them franchise from all corruption.

By influence of the sunne beames
Myrre is engendred by distyllyng of his kind
With round dropes ayenst Phebus streames,
And doun discendeth through the hard rinde,
And through the riftes also I finde
The sayd Myrra hath a childe forth brought,
In all this worlde if it were sought,

Was none so faire formed by nature.
For of his beauty he was pereles
And as Poetes recorde by scripture,
He called was the fayre Adonydes.
And to his worshyp and his great encrees,
For he of fairenes bare away the floure,
Venus him chase to be her paramour.

The whiche Goddesse gaue to him in charge,
That he should in his tender age,
In forestes while he went at large,
Hunt at no beastes whiche were sauage.
But he contrary to his disauauntage,
Through wilfulnesse, I can say no more,
Was slayne vnwarely of a Tuskye boare.

At the whiche he felly did enchace,
But of folly in vayne was his laboure,
For he lay slayne full pale of chere and face:
Whom Venus turned to a full freshe stoure,
Whiche was as bloude of purple the coloure,
A budde of golde wt goodlye leaues glade
Set in y• middes whose beauty may not fade.

And whan Myrra frō Bochas was wtdraw
And declared her great aduersitie:
And of her fate tolde the mortall lawe,
Came Orpheus full vgly vnto se,
Sonne of Appollo and of Calyope,
And appeared with a full dolefull face,
Sumtime brought forthe & yborne in Trace.

Full renoumed in armes and in science,
Famous in musike and melody:
And full notable also in eloquence,
And for his soote sugred armony
Beastes and foules as poetes specify
Wodes & floudes of their course most strong,
Stynte of course, to harken his sote song.

An harpe he had of Mercurius,
With the whiche Erudice he wanne:
And to Bachus as write Ouidius,
Sacrifices solemnely he began.
And vnto hell for his wife he ran,
Her to recure with sote touches sharpe,
Whiche he made vpon his heauenly harpe.

But whan that he this labour on him toke,
I lawe was made which that boūd him for [...]
That if he backeward cast his loke,
He shold her lese and se her neuermore.
But it is sayd sythen gone full yore:
There may no lawe louers well constrayne,
So importable is their deadly payne.

If some husbands had stand in the caas
To haue lost their wiues for a loke sodayne,
[Page xxx]  [...]hey would haue suffred and not sayd alas,
 [...]ut paciently endured all their payne:
 [...]nd thanked god y• broken was the chayne,
 [...]hich hath so long them in pryson bounde,
 [...]hat they by grace had such a way founde.

 [...]olye in pryson it is a ful great charge,
 [...]nd to be stocked vnder key and locke:
 [...]t is meryer a man to go at large,
 [...]han with yrons to be nailed to a blocke▪
But there is a bonde that called is wedlocke
 [...]ettryng husbandes so sore that it is wonder
 [...]hich with a file may not be broke asunder.

But Orpheus father of hermony,
Thought Erudice y• was his wife so fayre,
For her sake he felt that he must dye,
Because that he whan he made his repayre,
Of her in trouth nothing embraced but ayre
Thus he lost her there is no more to sayne,
And for the cōstraynt of his greuous payne

At his hart her partyng sate so sore,
The grene memory the tender remembraūce,
That he would neuer wine no more,
So fayre he was escaped his penaunce.
For wedlocke is a life of muche pleasaunce,
But who hath ones infarnall paynes sene,
Will neuer after come in the snare I wene.

This Orpheus gaue counsaile full notable,
To husbandes that haue endured payne,
To such as ben prudent and tretable,
One hel is dredful, but more dredful is twain
And who is ones bounde in a chayne
And may escape out of daunger blyue,
If he eft resort God let him neuer thriue.

Vpon this sentence women were vengeable,
And to his writyng full contrarious
Sayd his counsaile was not commendable,
At the feast they halowed to Bachus,
They fill echone vpon this Orpheus:
And for all his rethoryke swete,
They slough alas this laureate poete.

And of his harpe if ye lyst to heare,
The God Appollo made a translation,
Among the ymages of the starres cleare:
Wherof men may haue cleare inspection.
But fortune to his confusion
Denyed him frowarde of her nature,
Whan he was slayne fredome of sepulture.
Next Orpheus there did appeare also
Of Amasons worthy quenes twayne:
Merpesia and her sister Lampedo,
Whiche in conquest did their busy payne,
And great worshyp in armes did attayne:
Namyng them selues by writing nere & farre
Doughters to Mars which is god of warre.

Merpesia rode out in regions,
And conquered full many a great citye,
For couetise of great possessions,
To encrease her lordshyp if it would be:
And her sister kept surely their countrye,
Of all enemies so that there was no doubt,
While Merpesia rode with her host about.

But while she was in conquest most famous▪
And her enemies proudly did assayle,
Fortune anone wart contrarious,
And caused that she was slaine in battayle.
Lo what conquest or victory may auayle,
Whan that fortune doth at them disdayn,
Se here ensample by these quenes twayne.

☞ Lenuoy.

THis tragedy remembreth thynges fyue:
Of Narcissus the excellent beauty,
And of Biblis dothe also discriue,
The great luxury and dishonestye,
Myrra diffamed, turned to a tree,
To exemplify that lechery and pride,
Ben from all vertue set full farre aside.

How Orpheus endured in his liue,
Joye entermedled wyth aduersitye:
In his youth whan he did wyue
He felt in wedlocke full great felicitie:
His worldly blisse meynt with duplicitie,
As fortune her chaunges can deuyde,
Whiche from all vertue be set full farre aside.

Merpesia for her list to stryue,
Wyth wylfull warres to encrease her coūtre,
But her pompe was ouerturned blyue,
Whan in battayle vnwarely slayne was shet
For of all warre death is the fyne pardee.
So furious Mars can for her folke prouide,
Whiche from all vertue ben set farre aside.

Ye mighty princes let witte and reason dryue
Your high nobles to consider and se,
How fortune estates can depryue,
And plonge thē downe from their prosperitie,
[Page]Pride and luxury I counsayle that you flye,
Falce auarice ne let not be your gyde:
Whiche from all vertue is clene set asyde.

¶ The .xvi. Chapter.

¶ Of Priamus kyng of Troye: and how the monke of Bury translatoure of this boke wrote a boke of the siege of Troy called Troy boke.

AFter these complayntes and lamētacions
Which that Bochas did in his boke cōpile
Medled among with transmutations
Set in Ouide by full souerayne style:
Whan he on them had mused a long while
Sene the maner both of forowe and ioye,
He began to remēber of Priamus of Troy.

First of his byrthe, and of his kynrede,
How among kinges he was most famous:
And as poetes recorde of him in dede,
He descended of worthye Dardanus,
Whiche as his line declareth vnto us,
From Jupiter was lynially come downe,
Vnto his father called Laomedoun.

Of olde Troy this Laomedon was kyng,
Destroyed by Grekes he and his countrye.
After whom this Priamus raynyng,
Made there ayen a myghty strong citye:
Where he full longe in full great royaltie
With wife & childer most worthy of renoun,
With scepter and crowne held the possessioun.

Gouerned his citye in peace and rightwisnes,
And Fortune was to him fauourable:
For of all Asie the treasour and riches,
He did assemble this kyng most honourable.
And in armes, he was so commendable,
That through the worlde as far as mē gone.
Of high nobles the ronoume of him shone.

This Priamus had children many one,
Worthy princes, and of full great myght:
But Hector was among them euerychone
Called of prowes the lanterne and the lyght.
For there was neuer borne a better knyght,
Troylus in knyghthode so manly was foūd,
That he was named Hector the seconde.

But I should rehearse the manhede
Of kyng Pryam, and of his sonnes all,
And how his citye besieged was in dede,
And all the story to remembraunce call,
Betwene him and Grekes how it is befall,
The circumstaunces rehearsyng vp & doun
To set in order the first occasion

Of the siege why it was first layed
By Hercules, and also by Iason,
The maner whole in Troye boke is sayde,
Rudely endited of my translation:
Folowyng vpon the destruction
Called the second, whych by accomptes cler [...]
Fully endured the space of ten yere.

For as me semeth the labour were in vayne,
Truely also I not to what entent
That I should write it newe agayne,
For I had once in commaundement
By him that was most noble and excellent,
Of kynges all for to vndertake,
It to translate and write it for his sake.

And if ye list to wete whom I meane
Henry the fifte most myghty of puyssaunce,
Gaue me the charge of entent full cleane,
Thinge of olde time to put in remembraunce▪
The same Henry for knyghtly suffisaunce,
Worthy for manhode, teken kynges all,
With nyne worthies for to haue a stall.

To holy churche he was chefe defensoure,
In all suche causes Christes chosen knyght:
To destroy heritykes he set all his laboure,
Loued all vertues and to sustayne right,
Through his nobles, his manhode, & might:
Was diligent and did his busy payne,
To haue set peace betwene realmes twayne.

A meane in sothe England and Fraunce,
His purpose was to haue had a peace finall:
Sought out meanes wt many a circumstan̄ce
As well by treaty, as actes marciall,
Theron ieoparded lyfe, goodes and all.
But wo, alas, agaynst death is no boone,
This land may say he dyed all to soone.

For among kinges he was one of the best,
So all his dedes conueyed were by grace:
I pray to God so geue his soule good rest,
Wyth sayntes in heauen a dwellyng place.
For here with vs to little was the space
That he abode, of whom the remembraunce,
Shall neuer dye in England ne in Fraunce.

This worthy kyng gaue to me in charge
[Page xxxi]In Englysh tonge to make a translation
Out of latyn within a volume large,
Howe longe the grekes lay tofore the toun:
And how that Paris fyrst at Cytheron,
In Venus temple sleighly dyd his payne
There to rauysh the fayre quene Heleyne

In which boke the processe ye may se,
To hym how she was wedded in the toune:
And of the siege layde vnto the cyte
By Menelay and kyng Agamennon.
And many another full worthy of renoun
On eyther partie which that in battaile
Fro day to day ech other dyd assayle.

Wherto shuld I tell or what shuld I write,
The deth of Hector or of Achylles?
Or wherto should I of newe endite
How worthy Troilus was slaine in y• prese?
The ende of Paris or of Pallamides,
Or the slaughter of manly Deyphebus,
Or howe his brother called Hellenus

Tolde afore howe it was great folly
That Paris should wed quene Heleyne.
And how Cassandra in her prophecy,
On this wedding fore began compleyne,
And for the constreint of her hertely paine,
How she wexe madde, & ran about the toune.
Tyl she was caught & shet vp into prison.

Al this matter ye may behold in dede,
Set by and by wythin Troye boke:
And how Creseide loued Dyomede,
Whan worthy Troylus she wilfully forsoke.
Of her nature a quarel thus she toke,
To assay both, if nede were also to feyne
To take the thirde, & leue thē both tweyne.

I passe ouer and tel of it no more,
Ne by what meanes the grekes wan y• toun,
How Eneas neyther how Anthenore
Ayenst kyng Priam cōspired false traison:
Neyther howe Vlixes gate Paladion.
The deth of Priam ne of Eccuba the quene,
Ne howe Pyrrus flewe pong Pollicene.

Neyther here to write it is not mine entent,
Repeyre of grekes home in to their countre,
After the cyte at Iiyon was brent:
Neither of their mischefe they had on the see.
Neyther howe Vlixes founde Penolope,
A true wyfe though he were long her fro,
Through al Grece I can rede of no mo.
Of these matters thus I make an eude,
What fil of grekes after their viage,
To Troy boke tho folke I send,
Which haue desire to se the surplusage:
Howe grekes made fyrst their passage
Towardes Troy, besiegynge the cite,
Bede the storye ye get no more of me.

The .xvii. Chapter.

☞ Here speketh Bochas the authour of thys boke, agaynste the surquedous pryde of them that truste in rychesse, sayeng these wordes vnto them.

ME proude folkes that set your affiaūce
In strength, beaute, or in hye nobles,
If ye consider fortunes variaunce,
And coude a myrrour before your eyen dresse,
Of kyng Pryam and of his great richesse,
To se how he and his children all
From their noblesse sodainly ben fall,

Hector of knighthode called sours & wel,
Sad and demure, and famous of prudence,
Paris also in beaute dyd excell,
And Helenus in perfyt prouidence.
Troylus in armes had great experience,
Also Deyphebus preued manly on his fone,
Yet in y• warre they were slaine euerychone.

Had not this kyng also as I can deuise,
By noble Heccuba whiche that was y• quene▪
A doughter called Cassandra the wyse,
Her yong suster fayre Pollicene?
Alas alas what may all such pride mene.
For albeit their renome spronge ful far,
Yet are these women deuoured in the war.

Was he not mighty & strong in all thynges,
And had also of his aliaunce,
Ryght worthy princes & many rych kynges,
And nighe al Asie vnder his obeisaunce?
Holde in his tyme most famous of puissance,
Most renomed of richesse and tresours,
Tyl that fortune wyth her sharpe shoures

Whan that he satte highest on his whele,
This blind goddes began him to assaile:
Her frowarde malice he felte it ful wele,
His golde, his treasure, fyrst it gan to fayle,
And darken gan his roial apparayle.
By whych example at proud men mayse,
[Page]The vntrue trust, the mutabilite.

Which in this world is sene & founde alday.
In myddes of states in their magnificence,
Ebbe after floude maketh no delaye:
But hait her course, there is no resistence,
The tyde abydeth not for no violence.
Eche man y• standeth of chaūges here in dout
Must take his tourne as it cōmeth about.

Let Priam be to you a clere myrrour,
Ye proude folkes that set your affiaunce,
In such glorye, whych fadeth as a flour,
And hath of beautie here none attendaunce.
The worlde to you cast a ful bitter chaunce:
For whan ye wene syt highest at full,
Than wil she sonest your bright feders pul.

Ye haue warnynges for to take hede
By ensample of other, clere & ryght visible,
How worldly blysse is medled al wyth drede,
And if your wittes and reasons be sencible,
Thynge sene at the eye is not incredible.
And al this doctrine is to you in veyne
If in your tyme ye haue no chaunges sene.

Wherefore Bochas vnto your auayle,
Full prudently put you at this issue:
Fyrst of al he giueth you this counsaile,
To leaue your byces and take you to vertue.
And sette your trust al wholy in Jesut
For he may best in mischiefe helpe at nede
Of worldly chaunges that ye thē not drede.

The .xviii. Chapiter.

¶ Here also Jhon Bochas putteth a greate praysynge and commendacion of suerty that standeth in pouertie vnder these wordes in sentence.

THese great lordshyppes, these greate dignities,
Chefe thinge annexed vnto y• regaly
Whan they sytte highest in their sees,
And rounde about stante the chiualry,
Drede entreth in with paryl and enuy
And vnware chaūge, whych none may know
Whan fortune wyl make them lout low.

They may wel kepe a stately housholde,
With a vain trust their power shuld euer last,
Clad in their mātell of purpul & of golde,
And on the whele of fortune clyme vp fast,
Lyke as she myght neuer downe them cast.
But aye the clymbinge highest at all,
Alas the sorer is their vnhappy fal.

The fal of Priam and of Agamemnon,
Ought of right more to be complayned,
Whan that fortune had pulled them doun,
And of malice hath at them disdayned,
Than if they neuer to worship had attained:
But theyr fallyng was the more greuous,
Because tofore they were so glorious.

O thou pouert, meke, humble, & debonayre,
Which that kepest the lawes of nature,
For sodayne chaunges thou wilt not dispaite
So art thou franchised from fortunes lure:
All her assautes thou lowly doest endure,
That she may haue no iurisdiction,
To enterupt thy possession.

Thou settest lytel by al worldly richesse▪
Nor by his treasours which bene transitory:
Thou scornest thē that their sheltrōs dresse
Towarde batayls, for conquest & victory:
Thou dispysest al shininge of veyne glory.
Laude of triumphes whych conquerers haue sought
wt al her pillage, yu setst thē at noght.

Thou dispreisest al superfluitee.
None infortune may chaunge thy corage:
And the shippes that saile by the see
With marchandise amonge the flodes rage,
Their auentures and perillous passage,
Lyfe, body, goodes, al put in auenture,
Onely for lucre, great richesse to recure.

Of al such thyng thou takest litle hede,
Nor of the people that maners do purchase:
Nor of pleders whych for lucre & mede,
Meyntayne quarels, and questes do enbrace.
Thou thē beholdest with a ful styl face,
Their subtill working sought out for ye nones
And sodainly depart from al atones.

Thou canst in litell also haue suffisaunce,
And art content wyth ful small dispence,
For thy richesse, and thyne haboundaunce,
Without grutchyng is humble pacience.
If any man do to the offence,
Thou forgettest, and canst forgyue,
To the suffyseth so thou mayst liue.

The starred heuin is thy couerture,
[Page xxxii]In somer season vnder the leaues grene:
Thou makest thy dwellinge & doest thy selfe assure,
Ayen great heates of the son shene:
Content wt frutes, and water christal clene:
To staunche thy hūger, and thy thurstes sore,
After the season, and carest for no more.

Pouert eke lyeth the colde wynters nyght
Wrapped in strawe, without cōpleyning:
Without drede, he goeth glad & light,
And tofore theues ful merely doth syng.
She gothe also without patisyng,
Fro lande to lande amonge poore & riche,
For frende and foe to hym be both ylich.

Moral Senecke recordeth by writing,
Richest of thynges is glad pouerte:
Euer of one chere voyde of al grutching,
Both in ioye and in aduersite:
Through al the world last her liberte,
And her franchise stant in so greate ease,
That of fredom no man wyll her displese.

She is norice of study and of doctrine,
In vertuous labour doth her diligence:
And of science whych that ben diuine,
She is called mother by clerkes in sentence:
Of philosophers most had in reuerence.
Fortune and she so farre a sonder vary,
That eche to other of custome is contrary,

Her erthly ioye is for to liue in peas.
Hateth tumulte, noyse, and disturbaunce:
For her disciple called zenocrates,
In wylful pouert set holy his plesaunce.
Sober of his porte, through whose attempe­raūce,
Ful many a man by his teching,
Were brought to vertue fro vicious lyuinge.

His diete was so mesurable,
And deuoyde of superfluite,
That his corage he kepte fyrme and stable,
Fro fleshely lustes he was so attempre:
Reason maistred his sensualite,
Desyres vnleful for to set asyde,
Duryng his lyfe pouert was his gide.

His abidyng and his conuersacion
Was in places that were solitary,
Among trees & welles he bylte him a dōgiō,
With multitude he hated for to tary:
For pouert was his secretary,
Sober of his chere and stable of his entent,
And in Athenes fyrst to schole he went.
He was so mighty of authorite,
Rightwysnesse, and iustyce to obserue,
That rightful iuges his sentēce toke at gre:
He coude his mouth and tonge so preserue,
That in the temple ones of Mi [...]erue
Without oth vnto his sentence,
To that he saide the iuges gaue credence.

He asked was among great audience,
Why he was soleine of his daliaunce:
His answere was that neuer for scylence
Through litel speking he felte no greuance.
Speche vnauysed causeth repentaunce:
And recheles tonges for lacke of refreyninge,
To many a man hath be great hinderinge.

Diogenes true heire and next alied
To wylful pouert, by iust enheritaunce,
For all richesse he plainly hath defied:
To him it was so great encomberaunce,
With worldly treasour to haue aliaunce.
Hys dwellyng made within a litell tunne,
Which turned about wt concourse of the sun.

Him selfe refreshig wt hete of Phebus bemes,
For he was content god wote with ful lite:
Kyng Alexander that cōquered al realmes
Came ridyng downe & gan him selfe delyte,
This philosopher to se and visyte.
Him selfe soquestred sole from al the prees,
And came alone to see Diogenes.

Profered vnto hym great riches & treasoure,
Badde him aske what thyng that he woulde,
That might him please or do to hym succour:
But of all that he nothinge ne tolde,
But prayed him ful lowly that he shoulde
Not drawe frō him that thynge ayen al right
Which for to giue lay not in his myght.

What thyng is that quod Alexander agayne,
I haue by cōquest al erthly tresour wun?
The philosopher said he spake in vayne,
Thou hast (quod he) no lordship of the sun,
Thy shadow letteth his bemes fro my tun:
And sith thou hast no power of hys lyght,
I pray the hertely forbarre me not his sighte.

Though Alexāder was myghty of puissance,
And all the world had in his demeyne,
Yet was hys reason vnder the obeysaunce
Of fleshly lustes, fettred in a cheine:
For in hys person wyl was souereyne,
His reason bridled by sensualite,
[Page]Troublyng the fredome of ryght & equite.

For where that wyll hath dominacion
In a prince, which should sustayne ryght,
And parcial fauour oppresseth his reason,
And trouthes titel is bornedoun with myght,
And equal doome hath lost his clere light,
Though for a season they sit in hie cheyres,
Their fame shal fade within a fewe yeres.

In this make I comparison,
Bytwene Alexander and Diogenes:
That one endured but a short season,
For that he loued warre more than pees.
And for that other was not recheles,
But helde hym content wyth giftes of nature,
Vnto great age his pouert dyd endure.

Alexander was slayne wyth poysone,
In his triumphes whan he dyd excell:
But in a tunne that lay ful low downe,
Diogenes dranke water of the well.
And of their end their difference to tel,
Alexander wyth couetous was blent,
The philosopher wyth litel was content.

Blessed be pouert that may endure longe,
Maugre the fraude & daunger of fortune:
Where as kynges and emperours strong,
In their estate no whyle may contune,
And al vertues rekened in cōmune,
Twene indigence and great habundaunce,
Is a good meane content with suffisaunce.

For with great plentye men be not assured,
After their lust alway to lyue in ease:
And though y• mē great tresure haue recured,
With their riches they fele many disease.
Lords haue not al thyng that may thē please,
But hertely ioy philosophers expresse,
Is grettest tresour twene pouert & riches.

For this chapiter sheweth a fygure,
A maner lykenesse, and demonstracion,
Howe Diogenes lenger dyd endure,
Than mighty Priam, or kyng Laomedon.
So to exemplifye in conclusion,
There is more trust in vertuous symplesse,
Than in presumynge of vicious false riches.

For the auoutry of Paris and Heleine,
Brought al Troye to distruccion:
Pryde and luxury were also meanes tweine,
Why grekes layd a siege to the towne,
And finally cause of their confusion.
To eyther partie losse of many a man,
The groūd conceiued why fyrst that war gā.

Lenuoye.

THis tragedy piteous and lamentable.
Ful dolorous to write and to expresse.
That worthy Priam of kinges most notable,
Was fal in pouert for al his great richesse:
Fro kyngly honour in to wretchednes:
From sceptre & croune, and from his regaly,
To mischiefe brought through false auoutry▪

Was not fortune froward and disceuable,
For to suffer by her doublenesse,
And by her course whych euer is variable,
That worthy Hector flour of al prowesse,
Should vnwarly most famous of noblesse,
Be slayne, alas chefe stocke of chiualry,
For a quarel of false auoutry?

Agamemnon accompted incomparable
Among grekes, for trouth & rightwysnesse,
To gouerne most glorious and able,
Within his paleis, the storye bereth wines,
His wife Clitimnistra through her cursednes,
Assented was to murdre hym of enuy,
For the occasion of false auoutry.

Ye noble princes cōceiue howe chaungeable
Is worldly honour, through vnstedfastnes,
Sith of king Priam the glory was vnstable?
Fixe in your minde thys mater doth impresse,
And your corages knightly doth vpdresse:
Agayne al tytles holdeth champarty,
Whych appertayneth to false auoutry.

¶ The .xix. Chapter.

Of mighty Sampson whiche tolde hys counsayle to Dalyda, whereby he was disceiued.

WHo was more stronger thā Samp­son?
None more deliuer, y• byble bereth wytnesse:
Without weapen he slough a fierse lyon,
And for his enemyes to hym dyd expresse
His vncouth problem anon he gan him dresse
Agayne Philistines, and slough of thē thirty,
To paye hys promyse spoyled them by & by.

[Page xxxiii]His problem was (the text thus rehersyng
After the letter) in very sothfastnesse,
There came out mete of a thynge etynge,
And fro the strong there went out swetnes.
But hys wyfe of frowarde doublenes,
Which euer wrought to his disauayle,
Of worthy Sampson tolde the counsayle.

What is more stronge than is a lyon?
Or more swete than hony in tastyng?
But women haue thys condicion,
Of secrete thynges whan they haue knowle­ging
They bolne inwarde their hertes aye freting
Outher they must dye or discure,
So britel of custome is their nature.

This was the case, the lyon that was deed,
Agayne the sonne gapynge lay vp right:
Aswarme of been entred in his heed,
Of whom there came hony anone ryght,
And whan Sampson therof had a syght,
He fautasied in hys opinion,
Full secretly this proposicion,

As ye haue herde, & gan it forth purpose,
That philistines to hym it should expowne:
Vnder a payne the trouth to hym vnclose.
But wyth hys wife they priuely gan rown,
And she on Sāpson gan cōpleyn and frowne,
And faymngly so long vpon hym wepe,
That he coud not his coūsayle fro her kepe.

Which whan she knewe made no taryeng,
But plaine and hole she gan it to declare:
Such double trust is in their wepynge,
To kepe their tonges women can not spare.
Such wepyng wyues yuell mote they fare,
And al husbands I pray god gyue thē sorow,
That tel their counsaile at euyn or morowe.

She told thē hole she told it thē not halfe,
And Sampson than gan vpon thē smyle:
If ye not had herde it in my calfe,
Ye should not haue found it a great whyle.
Who may be sure where women lyst begyle?
Though bokes Sāpson of strēgth so cōmēde,
Yet durst he not ayenst hys wyfe offende.

This mighty Sampson did also his payne
Thre hundred foxes ones that he founde,
He toke their tailes, knit thē twayn & twain,
And amyd euerich he set a fyre bronde.
And as they ran in Phylistines lond,
So furiously vp and downe they went,
That they their frutes & their vynes brent.

Eke by trayson whan he was ones bound,
Wyth stronge cordes (as he lay a slepe)
There .iii. M. whych that Sampson founde,
To haue murdred hym or he toke kepe,
He brake his bondes and vp anone he lepe:
Of an asse he caught a chaule bone,
And a thousande he slough of them anone.

He gan to faynt, and had a sodaine lust
For to drinke, faded face and chere:
And god sent hym to staūche with hys thurst,
From the asses to the water christal clere,
Which that sprāge out large lyke a ryuere:
Refreshed his spirite whych afore gan dul,
Tyl that he had of water dronke his ful.

After he went to Gasam the citye,
Amōg hys enemys that were of great might
To his plesaunce where he dyd se,
A full fayre woman, lay wyth her al nyghte,
And on the morowe long or it was lyght,
Maugre the watch on his sholders square,
The gates strong vp to an hyl he bare.

And in a valey whych called was Soret,
Ful hote he loued Dalyda the fayre:
On whom his hert was full sure set,
She coude her fayne so meke & debonayre.
Make him such chere whan hi list repeyre,
But I dare call her Dalida the double,
Chefe rote & cāuse of al his mortal trouble.

He neuer dranke wynes whyte ne reed,
Of Nazarees such is the gouernaunce:
Rasour, ne shere, touched neuer his heed,
For in long growyng stādeth their plesaunce.
And this Sampson most myghty of substāce,
Had al his force by influence of heuyn,
By heeres weryng y• were in nombre seuyn.

It was ful secre in euery mannes syght,
Among people told for an vncouth thinge,
Wherof Sampson had so great myght,
Outwarde shewyng by force of hys working:
But Dalida wyth her false flatterynge,
Woulde neuer stynt enquiring euer amonge,
Tyl y•  [...]he knewe wherby he was so strong.

She lyke a serpent daryng vnder flours,
Or lyke a worme that wroteth in a tre,
Or lyke an addre of many folde colours,
Righte true apperinge and fayre vpon to se,
[Page]For shrowded was her mutabilite,
With lowliheed and a fayre pretence,
Of true menynge vnder false apparence.

He ment troth and she was variable,
He was faithful and she was vntre we:
He was sted fast and she was v [...] stable,
His trust aye one, she loued thinges newe,
She weared colours of many diuers hewe.
In stede of blewe which sted fast is & clene,
She loued cha [...]nges of many diuers grene.

But to purpose for to condiscende,
Whan she of Sampson knewe al the priuite,
Her falsheed shortly for to comprehende,
She made hym slepe ful soft on her kne,
And a sharpe rasour after that toke she,
Shofe of his heeres large & of great length
Whereby alas he lost all his strength.

Domage in erth is none so greuous,
As an enemy which that is secree:
Nor pestilence none so perilous,
As falsnesse wher it is priuee,
And specially in feminitee.
For if theyr wyues be founde variable,
Where shall husbandes fynde other stable?

Thus Sāpson was by Dalida disceiued,
She coude so well flatter, forge, and fayne:
Which Philistines whan thei haue cōceyued,
Vnwarely boūd hym in a myghty cheyne,
Cast him in prison, put out his eyen twayne,
And of dispite after as I fynde,
At their quernes made hym for to grynde.

Thei made a feast stately and solempne,
Whan they had al this traison wrought:
And to rebuke him, scorne him, & condempne,
Blinde Sampson was afore them brought▪
Which greued hym ful fore in his thought,
Cast he dyd priuely in his minde,
Cauenge hys blyndnesse some maner way to finde.

And whan he had thus be thought hym long,
He made a childe hym priuely to lede,
To two postes, large, square, and stronge,
Enbraced them, or any man toke hedet
And gan to shake the without feare or drede [...]
So sturdely among hys fone al,
That the temple is vpon them fal.

Thus he was auenged on his fone,
Which that falsely dyd agaynt hym stryue:
Slough in hys dyeng, god wote many one,
More than he dyd euer afore in hys lyue.
And he was also, the date to discriue
In Israel (the Byble is myn auctour)
Twenty yere theyr iudge and gouernour.

¶ Lenuoye.

 [...]Hys tragedy gyueth an euidence,
To whom mē shal theyr coūseil  [...] dyscure:
For recheles tonges for lacke of prudence,
Haue do great harme to many a creature,
Whan harme is done ful harde it is to recu [...]
Beware by Sāpsō your coūsaile wel to ke [...]
Let Dalida complaine, crye and wepe.

Whilom Sampson for manhode & pruden [...]
Israel had in gouernance and cure,
Daunted Lyons through his magnifyeence▪
Made on a thousande a disconfiture:
But hys most perilous auenture,
Was whan he lay with Dalida to slepe,
Whych falsly coude complayne, crye & wepe.

Ye noble princes conceyue the sentence
Of thys story remembred in scripture,
Howe that Sampson of wylful negligence
Was shauen & shorne, diffaced his fygure [...]
Kepe your cō  [...]eytes vnder couerture,
Suffre no nightworme within your co [...]  [...]cr [...]
Though Dalida cōplayne, crye and wepe.

☞ The .xx. Chapiter.

A chapter of Bochas discriuyng the malice of women.

MYne aucthour Bocas reioysed in bylyue,
I dare not saye whether it was com­mendable,
Of these women the malice to dyscryue,
Generally, and writ (it is no fable)
Of theys nature how they  [...]en variable,
And howe their malice best by euidente
Is knōw to them that haue experience.

They can aforce them al day men mayse,
By sp [...]guler fredom and dominacion,
Ou [...]r [...]en to haue soueraynte,
And kept them lowe vnder subiection:
And sor [...] labour in the [...] opinion [...]
By subtyl  [...]ra [...] that thinge to return.
[Page xxxiiii]Which is to them denied of nature.

Bochas affirmeth and holde it for no tale.
If they want freshnes of colour,
And haue their face Jawne, swerte, and pale,
Anone they do their diligent laboure
In such anede to helpe and do socour,
Their riueled skyn abrode to drawe & strain,
Forward froūces to make thē smoth & plain.

If no rednesse in their chekes be,
Nor no lilyes dilectable and white,
Than they take tencrease their beaute,
Such oyntements as may most delite.
Wher kynde fayleth the surplusage to aquite
They can by craft so for them selfe dispose,
Shewe rednes, though there be no rose.

And for to shewe their face faire and bryghte,
With hote spices and oyntementes sote,
They can by craft counterfete a ryght:
Take in such case many an holsome rote.
Where kinde faileth connynge can do bote.
If theyr brestes vp to hye them dresse,
They cā ful wel thē bossynge downe represse.

And if they be to soft or to tendre,
They haue connyng to make them harde and round:
Their corsnes they can eke make slendre,
With poynant sauces y• ben in phisike fon̄de,
Their subtel wittes in sleightes so habound,
Thynge y• is croked or wrong in mās syght,
To make it seme as it went vp ryght.

They haue strictories too make theyr skyn to shine
Wrought subtilly of gōmes & of glaire,
Crafty lyes to dye their heer cytryne,
Distilled waters to make them seme fayre.
Fumigacions to rectify the ayre,
Stomagers and freshe confections,
To represse false exhalacions.

Of al these things Bochas hath most dispite,
Whan these veckes farre yron in age,
Within them selfe haue vaine glory & delite,
For to be fayre and paynt their visage:
Lyke as a paintour on an olde ymage
Layeth his collours riche & freshe of hewe,
Worme frete storkes for to make seme newe.

Their slak skyn by crafte abrode is streined,
Lyke an orenge from the galey brought:
Riche relikes about their necke is cheined,
Golde vpō golde we perle & stones wrought.
And ye their colour outward apeire nought
wt winde or sun which shuld thē stein or fade,
For vnkinde heates they vsen Citrinade.

What should I write their vncouth desiers,
Sumtyme frowarde sūtyme debonayre?
Imageninge sondry freshe attiers,
Contriued of newe many thousand payre.
Diuers deuiles to make them seme fayre:
In their apport by counterfayte lykenes
For to resemble Venus the goddesse.

Of one deuise they holde them not apayde,
They must eche day haue a straunge wede:
If any be better than other arayed,
Of frowarde grutchynge they fele their herte blede.
For eueryche thynketh verely in dede
A morow prieng in a myrrour bryght,
For to be fairest in her owne sight.

They can their eyen and their lokes dresse
To drawe folkes by sleightes to their lure,
And some whyle by their frowardnes
And fayned daunger they can of men recure
What euer they lyst, such is their auenture:
Agaynst whose sleightes force nor prudence
May not auayle to make resistence.

With constraint wepyng, & forged flatery,
Subtyll speche, ferced with plesaunce,
And many false dissimuled malady
Though ī their hertes they fele no greuaūce,
And with their couert sobre daliaunce,
Though vnderneth the double serpent dare,
Ful many one they haue broght ī their snare.

O swetnes ful of mortalitie,
Serpentyne wyth a plesant visage,
Vnstable ioy ful of aduersite,
O most chaungeable of hert and of corage,
In thy desires hauyng thys auauntage,
What euer thou lyst to daunt and oppresse,
Such is thy fraūches, Bocas bereth witnes.

Of nature they can in many wyse,
Of mighty gyantes the power wel aslake▪
What wyt of man can compas or deuise,
Their sleighty wyles dare well vndertake,
And if them lyst theron an ende make:
Fro this conceite who so that discord [...]
A thousande stories the reders can accorde.

Remembring first how Hercules stronge▪
[Page]Was brought by women to his destruction:
The quene Clitimnistra dyd also great wrōg
To murder her lorde kynge Agamemnon.
Dalyda also betrayed Sampson,
Amphiorax sanke depe downe in to hell,
Bicause his wife his counsaile did out tell.

It nedeth not make mencion
Though Phillis died through impacience,
Of longe abidinge of her Demophoon,
Nor howe that Nisus kyng of Magarence
Was by his doughters cursed violence
Vnwarely murdred, in Ouide it is told,
Whā frō his head she stale y• heare of golde.

Bochas reherseth of wyues many one,
Which in their werkinge were ful cōtrarius:
But among all he writeth there was one.
Quene of Assirye & wyfe to kyng Ninus,
And by discent doughter to Neptunus,
Semitamis called in her dayes,
Which of all men woulde make assa [...]s.

She nouther spared straunger ne kynred,
Her owne son was not set asyde:
But wyth him had knowledgyng in dede,
Of whych the sclaūder went about ful wyde,
For wyth one man she could not abyde,
Such a false lust was vpon her fall,
In her corage to haue a do wythal.

And truely it doth my wyt appal,
Of thys matter to make rehersaile:
It is no reason to atwyte women al
Though one or two whylom dyd fayle,
It sitteth not nor it may not auaile
Them to rebuke that perfit ben and gode,
Ferre out of ioynt though some other stode.

The rich Rubye nor the Saphire Inde
Be not appayred of their freshe beautie,
Though among stones mē coūterfetes fynd:
And semblably though some women be
Not wel gouerned after their degre,
It not diffa [...]eth nor doth no violence,
To them that neuer dyd in their life offence.

The whyte lillye nor the holsome rose
Nor violettes sprede on bankes thicke,
Their swetnes whych outwarde they vnclose
Is not appeyred with no weedes wycke.
And though y• breres & many a croked sticke
Growe in gardens among the floures fayre,
They may the vertue of herbes not apayre.

And (I dare say) that women vertuous
Ben in the vertue (of price) more cōmendable
Than there be some rekened vicious,
And of their liuinge founde also stable.
Good women ought not be partable
Of their trespasse, nor their wycked dede,
But more cōmended for their womanhed.

What is appayred of Hester the mekenes,
Though y• Scilla was sturdy & vengeable?
Nor of Alceste the perfite stedfastnes
Is not eclipsed, but more acceptable,
Though Clitimnistra was founde variable:
Lyke as whā clouds their blaknes do decline
Phebus wt his beames doth more clere shine.

Ful many one haue clene ben al their lyue,
Vndefouled kept their virginitie:
And some coude against al vices striue,
Them to conserue in perfit chastitie,
Deuoyde of chaung and mutabilitie.
Thogh sūe other haue ther againe trespased▪
The laude of them is not therwith diffased.

And who euer of malice lyst accuse
These sely women touchynge variaunce,
Let them remembre & in their wyttes muse
Men be not ay stable in their constaunce:
In this worlde there is no perseueraunce,
Chaunge is ay founde in men & women both
On outher party be they neuer so wroth.

No man should the vertuous at wite
In stede of him that did the trespace,
Nor for a thefe a trewe man iudite,
Nor for the gylty an Innocent manace:
Good and wycked abyde in euery place,
Their price, their lacke, let them be reserued,
To outher party as they haue deserued.

Though Jhon Bochas in his opinion
Agaynst women lyst a processe make,
They that ben good of condicion
Shoulde ayenst it no maner quarel take
But lightly, passe and their sleues shake:
For againe good he nothinge made
Who can conceyue theffect of this balade.

¶ The .xxi. Chapter.

The excuse of Bochas for his writing ayenst misgouerned women, in sted of a Lenuoy.

[Page xxxv]
YE women all that shall beholde and see,
This chapiter, and the proces rede,
Ye that ben good founde in youre de­gree,
And vertuous both in thought and dede,
What Bochas sayeth take ye no hede:
For his writinge if it be discerned,
Is not agayne them that be well gouerned.

For though it fall that one two or thre
Haue done amisse, as therof god forbed,
That other womē whych stable & faithful be,
Should be atwited of their vngoodlyhede:
But more cōmended for their womanhed.
For this scripture if it be concerned,
Is agayne them that be not well gouerned.

A galled horse (the soth if ye list se)
Who toucheth hi boweth his backe for drede,
And who is knowe vntrue in his countre,
Shrinketh his hornes whā mē speke of fals­hede,
But good women haue ful litel nede
To grutch or frowne whan ye truth is lerned,
Thoughe there be sōe yt be not wel gouerned.

Of Dalida and quene Pasiphae
Though doublenes dyd their bridell lede,
Yet of Lucrece and Penolope,
The noble fame abrode doth shyne & sprede:
Out of good corne mē may the darnel wede,
Women rebuke in their defautes querned,
And not touch them that be wel gouerned.

The .xxii. Chapter.

¶ Of myghty Pyrrus that sloughe Pollicene, whyche for hys pryde and auoutry dyed in pouerte, slayne at the last by Horestes.

BOchas musynge in hys remem­braunce,
And considerynge in his fantasy,
The vnsure truste of worldely va­riaunce,
Of men & women the chaunge and the foly:
The same tyme he sawe a company
Of myghty princes ful pitously wepynge,
To hym appere their fortune complaining.

Among other that put them selfe in pr [...]ase,
Of mighty Pirrus fyrst he had a tight:
That was the son of worthy Achilles,
Among Grekes the most famous knight,
Most commended of manhode & of might.
Son and next heire as bokes specifye,
Of Pelleus kynge of Thessalie.

This Achilles ful manly of his herte
Hurt of Hector and his wounde grene,
Slough Hector after or he dyd aduert:
The whiche Achilles for loue of Pollicene,
By compassing of Heccuba the quene,
Vnder treaty this grekes champion,
Was slayne of Paris within Troy toun.

Whose deth to auenge, Pyrrus in his tene
Furiously with face deed and pale,
Slough afterward the sayde Pollicene,
And dismembred her on peices smale:
Whiche for to heare is a piteous tale,
That a knight so vengeable was in dede,
To slee a mayde quakynge in her drede.

He coude for Ire on her no mercy haue,
But with his swerde most furious & wode,
Merciles vpon his fathers graue,
Lyke a tiraunt he shed her chaste bloud:
The dede horrible diffaced his knighthode,
That to this day the sclaunder and diffame,
By newe report reboundeth on his name.

Poetes say, and specially Ouide
Writes whan Grekes fro Troy shuld saile.
Howe their shyppes by an anker dyd ryde,
Of their purpose which long dyd thē faile:
But in this whyle he maketh re hersayle,
Out of the erth manacynge of chere,
Of Achilles an ymage dyd appere.

To grekes sayde wyth a deedly face:
I fele well mine honour and my glory,
And my nobles ful lyghtly forth doth pace
Vnkynde people, out of your memory.
Whych by me had your conquest and vyctory,
Your deuoyre doth Pollicene to take,
And on my graue a sacrifice to make.

Wyth her blode, loke ye spare nought
To spring it about my sepulture:
Thus blode for blode wyth vengeance shalbe bought,
And for my death the death she must endure.
[Page]And hole the maner of thys auenture,
And howe she dyed, in her maydenhead,
Methamorphoseos y• processe ye may rede.

In hasty vengeaunce set was al hys ioye,
wt thurst vnstaūched Troyan blode to shede,
He slough Priam the worthy kyng of Troy:
And into Grece wyth hym he dyd lede
Andromada, the story ye may rede,
Weded her, and after in certaine,
By him she had worthy sonnes twayne.

But in repayryng home to his coūtre,
As Eolus dyd hys shyppes dryue,
I fynde he was a pirat of the se:
And into Grece whan he dyd aryue,
Fortune vnwarely gan agayne him stryue,
Forsoke hys wyfe let her lyue alone,
Toke another called Hermione

Which was that tyme in mariage
To Horestes son of Agamemnon:
And he alas of loues wylful rage,
Toke her by force to hys possession.
But of auoutry foloweth this guerdō,
Sodayne deth, pouerte, or shame,
Open disclaūder, great mischefe or diffame.

Eke in hys tyme thys Pirrus as I rede,
Fyll into mischefe and great pouerte:
And wyth such meyny as he dyd lede,
He was a rouer, and robbed on the see.
And as poetes reherse, ye may se,
Of such robbyng by sclaūder and diffame,
This worde Pirate of Pirrus toke y• name.

And as the storye after doth deuise,
The sayde Horestes gan sykerly espye,
Wher that Pyrrus dyd sacrifyce
Tofore Appollo, that god to magnify:
Full vnwarely Horestes of enuy,
Toke a sharpe sherde or Pyrrus coud aduert
Wher that he stode & rofe hym to the hert.

This was the fyne of Pyrrus in substance,
For al his pryde and great presumcion:
Of false auoutry foloweth thys vengeaūce,
Losse of some membre, pouerte, or prison.
Or hateful sclaundre by some occasion,
Or sodayne deth, shortly in sentence,
Complete in Pyrrus, by ful clere euydence.

The .xxiii. Chapiter.

¶ Of Machayre and of hys suster Canace.

AFter thys Pyrrus came Canace the faire,
Teares dystyllynge fro her eyen twayne:
And her brother that called was
Machaire.
And both they pitiously gan playne
That fortune gan at them so disdayne,
Hyndryng their fate by woful aduenture,
Touchig their loue which was ayen nature.

He was her brother and her loue also,
As the storie plainely doth declare:
And in a bedde they laye eke bothe two,
Reason was none why they would spare.
But loue that causeth wo and eke welfare,
Gan agayne kynde so straungely deuyse,
That he her wombe made sodenly to ryse.

And finally myne authour beareth wytnes,
A childe she had by her owne brother,
Which excelled in fauour and fayrenes,
For lyke to hym of beaute was none other,
But of their loue so gyded was the rother,
That Caribdis twene windes ful contrayre,
Hath Canace distroied, and Machayre.

For whan their father the maner dyd espie,
Of their workyng whych was so horible,
For yre almost he fel in frensy,
Whych for to appese was an impossible:
For the mater was frowarde and odible,
For whiche plainely deuoyde of al pite,
Vpon their trespas he would auenged be.

The cause knowen the father anone right,
Cast for their deth of rigour to prouide:
For whych Machaire fledde out of his sight
And from his face his presence gan to hide.
But wo alas his suster must abide,
Mercilesse for their hateful trespase,
And suffre deth there was none other grace.

First her father a sharpe swerde to her sent,
In token of deth for a remembraunce,
And whan she wist plainely what he ment,
And conceiued his rigorous ordinaunce:
Whyth whole purpose to obey his plesaunce,
[Page xxxvi]She grutched not, but lowly of entent,
Lyke a meke doughter to his desire assent.

But or she dyed she cast for to write
A lytell letter to her brother dere,
A deedly complaynt to shewe & endite,
With pale fate and a mortal there.
The salt teares from her eyen clere,
With pitous sobbing fet fro her herts brinke,
Distillyng downe to tēpre with her ynke.

☞ The .xxv. Chapiter.

¶ The letter of complaynt of Canace, to her brother Machayre.

OVt of her sowne whan she abreyde,
Knowyng no meane but deth in her distres,
Too her brother full pytouslye she sayde
Cause of my sorowe, rote of my heuynesse,
That whilō was chefe sours of my gladnes,
Whā both our ioyes by wyl were so disposed,
Vnder one key our herts to be vnclosed.

Whilom thou were supporte and sykernes,
Chefe reioysyng of my worldly plesaunce:
But now thou art ground of my sicknes,
Wel of wanhope, and my deedly penaunce:
Which haue of sorow grettest habūdaūce
That euer yet had any creature,
Which must for loue the deth, alas, endure,

Thou were whylō my blysse & al my trust,
Souerayne confort, my sorowes to appese:
Spring and wel of all my hertes lust,
And nowe alas chefe rote of my disease.
But if my deth myght do the any ease,
O brother myne in remembraūce of twaine,
Deth shall to me be pleasure & no payne.

My cruel father most vnmerciable,
Ordayned hath (it nedes must be so)
In his rigour he is so vntretable,
Al mercilesse he wyll that it be do,
That we algate shall dye both two:
But I am glad sith it may be none other,
Thou art escaped my best beloued brother.

This is myne ende I may it not astert,
O brother myne there is no more to say,
Lowly besechinge the with al my hole hert,
For to remembre specially I prey,
If it befall my litel sonne to dey,
That y• maist after some mynde on vs haue,
Suffre vs both to be buried in one graue.

I holde hi streitly atwene my armes twaine,
Thou & nature layde on me this charge:
He gyltlesse wyth me mast suffre payne,
And sith thou art at fredom and at large,
Let kyndnes our loue not so discharge,
But haue a mynde where euer that thou be
Ones a day vpon my chylde and me.

On the and me dependeth the trespare,
Touchyng our gylt and our great offence:
But welawaye most angelyke of face,
Our chylde yong in his pure innocence,
Shal agaynst right suffre dethes violence.
Tender of lymmes, god wote full giltlesse,
The goodly fayre y• lieth here spechlesse.

A mouth he hath, but wordes hath he none,
Can not cōplaine, alas, for none outrage,
Nor grutcheth not, but lyeth here alone
Styll as a lambe most meke of his visage:
What hert of stele coude do to hym domage,
Or suffre hym dye beholdyng the mauere,
And loke benigne of his two eyne clere?

O thou my father to cruell is thy wreche,
Harder of hert, than any tigre or lyon:
To slee a chylde that lyeth wythout speche,
Voyde of all mercy and remission,
And on his mother haste no compassion.
His youth cōsidered wt lyppes soft as silke
Whych at my brest lyeth & souketh mylke.

Is any sorow remēbred by wryting
Vnto my sorouful sighes comparable?
Or was there euer creature lyuyng
That felt of dole a thinge more lamentable?
For confortlesse and vnrecurable
Are thilke heaped sorowes full of rage,
Which haue with wo oppressed my corrage.

Reken all my mischeues, in especial
And on my mischefe remembre & haue mynd:
My lord my father is my enemy mortal,
Experience yn [...]ugh thereof I finde.
For in his pursute he hath left behinde,
In distruccion of the my chyld and me,
Al ruth, al mercy, and fatherly pite.

[Page]
And the my brother auoyded from his sight,
Whiche in no wyse his grace mayst attayne:
Alas that rigour, vēgeaunce & cruel right,
Shoulde aboue mercy be lady souerayne.
But crueltie doth at me so disdayne,
That thou my brother my childe & also I
Shall dye exyled, alas from all mercy.

My father whylom by many a sondry signe
Was my socour and supportacion,
To the and me most gracious and benigne,
Our worldly gladnes oure consolacion:
But loue & fortune hath tourned vpsodoun
Our grace, alas, our welfare & our fame,
Hard to recure so sclaundred is our name.

Spot of diffaming is harde to washe away,
Whan noyse abrode do folke manace:
To hynder a man theyr may be no delay,
For hateful fame flyeth far in short space?
But of vs twayne there is none other grace,
Saue onely deth, and after deth, alas,
Eternal sclaunder, of vs thus stant the caas.

Whō shal we blame or whō shal we atwite,
Our greate offence sith we maye it not hyde?
For our excuse reportes to respyte
Meane is there none except the God Cupide:
And though he woulde for vs prouyde,
In thys mater to be our chefe refuge,
Poetes say he is blynde to be a iudge.

He is depaynt lyke a blynde archere,
To marke aryght fayling discrecion:
Holdynge no measure nouther fer nor nere,
But lyke fortunes disposicion,
Al vpon hap voyde of al reason.
As a blynd archer wt arrowes sharp ygroūd,
Of auenture yeueth many a mortal wounde.

At the and me he wrongly dyd marke,
Felly to hynder our fatal auentures.
As farre as Phebus shyneth in hys arke,
To make vs refuse to al creatures,
Called vs twayne vnto the wofull lures
Of diffame, whych wyll depart neuer,
By newe reporte the noyse encresyng euer.

Odious fame with swift wynges flyeth,
But al good fame enuy doth restrayne:
Eche man of other the defautes seeth,
Yet on his owne no man wyl complayne.
But al the worlde out cryeth on vs twayne.
Whose hateful ire by vs may not be quemed.
For I must dye my father hath so demed.

Now farwel brother, to me it doth suffice
To dye alone for our both sake:
And in my most faithful humbly wyse,
Vnto my dethward thogh I trimble & quake,
Of the for euer now my leaue I take.
And ones a yere forget not but take hede,
My fatal day this letter for to rede.

So shalt yu haue of me some remēbraunce,
My name emprinted in thy kalendere,
By rehersayle of my deedly greuance:
Weare black that day & make a doleful chere.
And whan thou comest & shalt aproch nere
My sepulture, I pray the not disdaine
Vpon my graue some teares for to rayne.

Writyng her letter wrapped all in drede,
In her ryght hande her pen gan to quake:
And a sharpe swerde to make her hert blede,
In her lift hand her father hath her take.
And her most sorow was for her childes sake
Vpon whose face in her barme slepyng,
Ful many a teare she wepte in complayning.

After al thys, so as she stode and quoke,
Her chylde beholdig amyd her paynes smert:
Without abode the sharpe swerde she toke,
And roue her selfe euyn to the hert.
Her chyld fil downe which myght not astert,
Hauyng no helpe to soccour hym nor saue,
But in her bloud him selfe began to bathe.

And than her father most cruel of entent,
Badde that the childe shoulde anone be take,
Of cruel houndes in haste for to be rent,
And be deuoured for hys mothers sake:
Of thys tragedy thus an ende I make,
The processe of whych men may rede & se
Concludeth on mischefe & furious crueltie.

Remembrynge fyrst as made is mencion,
Howe that Pyrrus delited hym in dede
Whan Troye was brought to distruction,
With cruel swerde Troyan blode to shede.
But of such slaughter se here the cruel mede.
As ryght requyreth by vnware violence,
Blode shedde for blode is finall recōpence.

[Page xxxvii]

¶ Lenuoye.

WHan surquedy oppressed hath pitie,
And mekenes is wt tyranny bore doun
Agayne all ryght, then hasty crueltie
To be vengeable maketh no delation,
What foloweth therof by good aspection,
Se an example how Pyrrus in his tene
Of hatefull yre slough yonge Pollicene.

Kynge Eolus to outragious was parde,
And to vengeable in his entencion:
Agaynst his children, Machaire, & Canace,
So importable was his punicion,
Of haste proceadyng to their destruction.
Worse in his yre as it was well sene,
Than cruell Pyrrus whiche slewe Policene.

Noble princes, prudent and attempre,
Deferre vengeaunce of high discrecion:
Tyll your yre sum what as waged be,
Do neuer of doome none execusion.
For hate and rancour perturben the reason
Of hasty iudges, more of entent vnclene,
Than cruell Pyrrus whych slewe Policene.

¶ Thus endeth the firste Booke.

[Page]

[Page xxxviii]

TO some folke, parcase it would seme
Touchig y• chaūges & mutabilities,
By me rehearsed yt thei might deme
Of fortunes straunge aduersities,
To princes shewed, doun pulled frō their sees
These tragedies ought inough suffise,
In complaynyng which ye haue heard deuise

The 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 greuaūce:
All vpon complaynt standeth the alyaunce,
Most whan fortune, who y• 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 chaūg 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 cōtune 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 frō vertue downe decline,
Their fame is shrouded vnder y• cliptike line

For false fortune whiche turneth as a ball,
Of vnware chaūges 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 thē 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 gouernaūce:
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 thē 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 thē biddyng to beware

Their life to amend or the lorde do smite,
Through negligence or it be to late.
And or y• swerd of vengeaunce kerue or byte
Anto vertues their vycious life translate:
[Page]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• they rede,
To their readyng if contrary be the dede▪

Cunnyng and dede who ran comprehende,
In clere conceites they ben thinges twayne,
And if cunnyng do the dede amende,
Than at wene thē 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 cōplaynyng,
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 wi [...]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 substaūce & sētence.
For it suffiseth playnly vnto me
So that my lord my makyng take in gre.

Finis.

[Page xxxix]

¶ 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 thē 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 should go to the Prophete,
Whiche was full famous holde in Israell,
Of whom the name was called Samuel.

Whiche made Saule in his house to dyne,
Receiued him of great affection:
And by precept and ordinaunce deuyne,
Samuell made no prolongation,
But shed the holy sacred vnction,
Vpon the head of Saule downe knelyng,
And full deuoutly of Israell made him kyng

Of Gods people to haue gouernaunce,
With sceptre & crowne and whole the regaly.
And his noblesse more myghty to aduaunce,
With mekenes to rule his monarchy,
God gaue to him a spirite of prophety,
Whiche was great glory to his magnificence
Of future thinges to haue prescience.

And while yt he was meke & humble in dede,
Voyde of pryde, and false presumption,
And prudent counsayle with him did lede,
Hym to gouerne by good discretion,
He founde quiete through all his region:
No forayne enmy durst him to werrey,
While he the lorde mekely did obey.

No enemy myght ayen him recure,
Through none ēprises, but sore did him drede:
Made many great disconfiture
Through his force, knyghthode, and māhead
On Philistynes, and daunted eke in dede
Two mighty kynges, the one of Ammonites,
And another that gouerned the Moabites.

He was founde stronge and eke victorious,
The Palestines bringyng to mischaunce,
Agaynst Ydumeans so mighty and famous,
Through his myghty prudent gouernaunce,
That he their pride brought to mischaunce,
Outrayed them of wisdome and manheade,
Primo regum as ye may playnly reade.

He was the sonne called of one yere,
In Israell whan his raygne began:
Stable of hart, and benygne of chere,
Frowarde nor sturdy to no maner man.
All that whyle loue of the people he wan,
The tyme I mene while he was iust & stable
And in his workes not founde variable.

But whā that pride gan his hart enhaūce
Wilfulnes and false melancoly
Outrayed reason, to haue the gouernaunce
Of his olde famous policy:
And had forgotten in his fantasy
To know the lorde & mekely sue his lawe,
God from his crowne his grace gan wdrawe

The vnkynde worme of foryetfulnes,
In his hart had myned through the wall:
Whan to God for his kyndenes,
He gaue no laude nor no thanke at all,
Whiche had him raysed vnto estate royall
From poredegre, among all his kynne alone,
Of singuler fauour to set him in his trone.

What thig in hart may be more froward thought
Than is sodayne false presumption,
Of a wretche that came vp of nought,
To yeue him lordshyp and domination▪
[Page]And for to make a playne comparison,
Men should of reason dreade a lyon lasse,
Than the rudenes of a crowned asse.

What thing to god is more abhominable,
Than pryde vpraysed out of pouertee?
And nothing gladly is foūd more vengeable,
Than are wretches set in high degre:
For from his stocke kynd may not flye,
Eche thing resorteth howe farre euer it go,
To the nature whiche that it came fro.

Frute and apples take their tarrage
Where they first grewe, of the same tre,
And semblably eche kynred and lynage,
Ones a yere it will none other be,
By token & signe at the eye as men may se,
Draweth communely in euery creature,
Sume tetche to folow after his nature.

I write not this in rebuke of pouert,
But for suche onely as that it deserue.
God of his might as men be well expert,
May them in vertue encrease and conserue,
From all mischefe a pore man preserue,
Rayse hem on heygh to dominacions,
Through high noblesse of their condicions.

By influence God may his grace shede,
Where he findeth cause: onely by mekenes
A pore man to raise him vp in dede,
Vnto the estate of vertuous nobles,
For out of vertue cometh all gentlenes.
In pore and ryche make none exception,
But them cōmende like their condicion.

A pore man whiche that is vertuous,
And dreadeth god in his pouertie,
Eche thing eschuyng that is vycious,
And to his power doth trouth and equitie,
I dare right well say what euer that he be,
Puttyng no rebuke vnto his kinrede,
But call him gentle verily in dede.

But kyng Saule was contrarious,
Disobeysaunte founde in his workyng:
Whan God made him to be vyctorious
On Amalech, where Agag was kyng,
Him commaunded to spare no maner thing,
Man nor woman beast nor childe succoure,
But y• his sworde should all thing deuoure.

But Saule wrought all in other wise,
Eche thing reseruyng y• was fayre to syght,
And of entent to make a sacrifice,
After his vyctory he shope him anone ryght:
Fattest beastes he chase & hath them dight,
Toward the fyre to make his offryng,
And fro death he spared Agag the kyng.

He was reproued afterward of Samuell,
To gods biddyng for he was contrayre,
As abiect to raygne in Israell,
That all good hope in hym gan dispayre.
His grace, his myght, gan pale and appayre,
His prophecy after hath hym fayled,
And wyth a fiende he was also traueiled.

Thus frō her whele fortune cast him downe,
Aualed him from his royall se:
And God also toke away the crowne,
Both from him and his posteritie,
And set vp Dauid for his humilitie.
Lo how the lorde his domes can deuide,
To enhaunce mekenes and to abate pride.

Saule endured in his frensy,
A wicked sprite so sore him did assayle.
Vnto Dauid euer he had enuy,
That he was hardy to enter in battayle,
With a staffe slynge, voyde of plate and mayle
Slough Golyas without feare or dreade,
Pulled out his swerde and smot of his heade.

At their repayryng home out of the felde,
Whan Dauid had slayne this Goly,
Yonge maydens whan they behelde,
The great vyctory, they in their armony,
In laude of Dauid thus gan synge and cry:
Saule hath slayne a thousād with his might
Dauid ten thousand, that lusty yong knyght.

Saule disdayned and sayd frowardly,
They graunted haue a thousand to my name
And to the sonne here of Isai,
Yaue ten thousand to encrease his fame,
Whiche is to me a rebuke and a shame▪
Wherupon this Saule frete with yre,
Of yonge Dauid gan the death conspyre.

In hys hert he had a fantasy,
Of their syngyng whan that he toke hede,
Dempt it was a maner prophesy,
That Dauid preferred should be in dede,
And to the crowne after him succede:
Thought his childer as he gan diuyne,
Should be depriued of the royall lyne.

[Page xl]
Thus day by day Saule wayes sought,
To slea Dauid playnly if he myght:
All be it so that he no malyce thought,
But euer kept him lowly in his syght.
Therfore good euer & grace on him alyght,
For aye the lorde of his magnificence,
Agayne tyrantes preserueth innocentes.

And as the bible playnely dothe vs lere,
This Dauid had in his tender age,
For his nobles the kynges daughters dere,
Called Mychol ioyned by mariage:
And whan that Saule fyli in any rage,
Dauid anone to aswage his wodenes,
Touched his harp & brought him in gladnes

Saule full oft gan Dauid to enchase,
And warrey throughout all his londes:
Through desertes him pursue & manace,
Of entent to haue shet hym vp in bondes,
Or to slea him if he come in his hondes,
But finally god through his ordinaunce,
Preserued his knyght frō al maner mischāce

Saule full oft was brought to mischefe,
Yet aye from death Dauid did him saue:
And hereof this was a speciall prefe,
Whan Dauid cut his garment in the caue,
And mo tokens if ye list to haue,
Another time Dauid also kept,
The life of Saule whan he lay and slept.

The case was this, as they were hosteyng,
Not farre a sunder Saule lay on slepe,
All his people about him sleapyng,
And vnpurueyed lyke a stocke of shepe:
Of whiche thyng Dauid toke good kepe,
Downe descended, and made no delay,
Came to the tent where kyng Saule lay.

The spete of Saule standynge at his heed,
Dauid toke it, and went his was anone:
Of his cōmyng there was no man toke hede,
For Saule slept and his men echone.
And whan that he vp to the hyll was gone,
Toward Saule agayne he cast his loke,
Made a noyse that all his knyghtes woke.

Fyrst to Abner prynce of his chyualry,
Dauid sayd these wordes in sentence▪
Abner (quod he) thou hast done great foly,
This day shewed a great negligence,
To suffer of Saule the magnificence
In peryll stande, and none hede take,
About his person to make his knights wa [...].

Thou art to blame for thy retchelesue [...]e,
To leaue the king stande in so great a drede,
In slepe to haue more sauour and swetenesse,
Than of his lyfe to take hede.
Such negligence requireth for his mede,
Death and turment by rightfull iudgement,
About a prynce whan folke be negligent.

And thou lyst to se an euidence,
How that hys lyfe stode in ieopardy:
Se here his spere & yeue thereto credence
How vnprouided ye were on your party,
Saule nor thou ye may it not denye
Your life, your deth, your power, your puissāce
This day god put whole in my gouernaunce.

But me to acquite of pure innocence,
As euery man should vnto his kyng,
And to declare in me was none offence,
Agaynst his nobles in will nor in workyng,
As God wot that knoweth euery thyng,
That I neuer by no conspiracy,
Wrought nor compassed agayne his regaly.

LO here example of perfite pacience,
Agayne malyce to shewe kyndenes:
Where Sauie shewed his mortall vyolence
Dauid acquite hym wt suffraunce & goodnes,
The tyrāt vainquished bi his prudēt mekenes
Men agayne trouth may well a warregyn,
But at thende the palme he doth aye wynne.

For of this story if that ye take hede,
Saule is fall for hys frowardnes,
Into mischefe, and into sodayne drede,
For Philistynes the byble beareth witnes,
With a great power gan thiderwards dresse,
Vpon kyng Saule auenged for to be,
Their tentes pight besyde Gelboe.

Wherof kyng Saule astonied in his hert,
Had lost his spryte of knyghtly hardines:
And specially whan he dyd aduert,
Prophete was none his harmes to redresse,
Of future thinges trouth to expresse
In Israell, whiche cast hym in great drede,
Because that tyme Samuel was deed.

For Saule had cast out all diuynes,
From Israell, and eche diuineresse:
Notwithstandyng the palestynes
[Page]Were risse agayne his power to oppresse:
And he ne knewe no maner sorceresse,
Of whom he might any counsayle take,
And he of god that time was forsake.

In this wise he stode disconsolate,
Coūsayle of God nor prophete knewe he none
But as a man most infortunate,
Vngraciously he sped him forth anone,
And secretelye this Saule is forth gone,
To a woman that should him rede and wisse,
In Israell called a phytonesse.

Whiche is a name as clarkes writen all,
And office who that taketh hede,
Soules of men agayne to clepe and call,
I mene suche that tofore were deade,
Whiche is a thing straunge for to reade,
That women should, who so list to lere,
Make soules of dead men to appere.

Vnkouth and straunge is their opinion,
And to my witte a maner impossible:
Not accordyng me semeth to reason,
Nor like a thing whiche that is credible,
That a soule of nature inuisible,
Myght appeare or shewe visibly,
Vnto the eyen which that ben bodely.

But or that I any further flyt,
Lest I were holde to presumptuous,
To diuines this matter I commit,
And wise clarkes that ben vertuous,
In their wittes subtyll and curious,
To conclude as it dothe them seme,
In this matter a trouth for to deme.

Whether it was the soule of Samuell
Or other spirite that she did call,
Whiche that tolde the kyng of Israell,
Of the battayle that shoulde after fall,
His aduenture and his mischefes all:
And of his death he tolde also in dede,
And how Dauid should after him succede.

Because onely of his disobeysaunce,
As it is written, and for his retchlesnes,
On Amalech for he toke not vengeaunce,
Thus the spirite bare to him wytnes.
Wherof Saule fyll in great heauines,
Knowing no mene to escape out of this dout,
But take his fortune as it cometh about.

Tolde him also his enemies were so wrothe,
The Philistines beside Gelboe,
In that battayle he and his children bothe,
Shoulde dye that daye of necessitie:
His chyualry shall discomfited be,
Of his raygne there is no lenger date,
For god from him his kingdom wil translate

And thus Saule returned is agayne,
His meyny after brought to disconfiture,
And whan he sawe all hys people slayne▪
And how there was no meane to recure:
In that deadly wofull aduenture,
He bad his squier take his swerde as blyue,
And through the hart that he shold him ryue.

That his enemies which were vncircumcised
Should haue no power, in story it is founde,
To haue vpon him as they haue deuised,
To yeue hym hys last fatall wounde,
His high noblesse at mischefe to confounde.
But his squyre for feare of god and drede,
Woulde not assent to do so foule a dede.

To slea his lorde he greatly was aferde,
A thing hatefull in euery mannes syght.
But Saule toke the pomell of his swerde,
And in the grounde full depe anone it pyght,
And in all haste possible that he myght,
Made the poynt in his furious payne,
To perce his hart and part it euen in twayne.

The Philistynes anone as he was dead,
Spoyled hym of his royall armure:
Dismembred him, and smote of his heade,
And in token of their disconfiture,
Toke the spoyles wyth all their busy cure,
And therof made in all their best entent,
To Astaroth of pryde a great present.

Thus was Saule slayne in sentence,
Of Philistynes vpon Gelboe,
Forsake of God for inobedience,
Abiect also from his royall see:
And thus for lackynge of humilitye,
Of god he was foreuer set asyde,
Lo here the ende of surquedy and pryde.

¶ Lenuoy.

HAue mind of Saule which to estate ryal
Frō low degre was called for mekenes,
But presūption made hym haue a fall,
Of God abiect for his frowardnes,
Lost his  [...]rowne the bible beareth wytnes,
[Page xli]And cause was for his disobeysaunce,
To gods biddyng he yaue none attendaunce.

God not asketh no more of man at all
But whole hart without doublenes,
For all the gyftes whiche in especiall,
He yaue to man of his goodnes:
But he chastiseth all vnkindnes,
Suche as ben rebell for to do pleasaunce,
And to his biddyng yeue none attendaunce.

Noble prynces vertue most pryncipall
You to conserue in your high noblesse,
Is to imprynt in your memoriall,
Fayth, and equitie, all wronges to redresse:
To sustayne trouth and ryghtwysnesse,
And tofore God holde euenly the balaunce,
And to his biddyng yeue al your attendaūce.

¶ Acommendation of Obedience.

VErtue of vertues most of excellence,
Which y• haue most souerain suffisaūce,
Is the vertue of true obedience,
Whiche set all thyng in ryghtfull gouernaūce,
For ne were not this prudent ordinaunce,
Some to obey and aboue to gye,
Destroyed were all worldly policy.

Where that vertue and hygh discrecion
Auoyded haue from them all wylfulnes,
By titles onely of dominacion
Truely lenyng vpon rightwisnes,
Wrong and errours iustly to redresse,
Of trouth I may right well affirme and say,
The people mekely their biddyng shold obey.

This noble vertue of faythfull obeysaunce,
Established vpon humilitie,
Whiche includeth no double variaunce,
In ail regions and in eche countrey,
Causeth welfare, ioye, and prosperitie:
And as vertue chefe and souerayne,
All vycious ryote it playnly doth restrayne,

Obedience eke as men may se
Falsenes exileth and all rebellion,
For by temperaunce, ryght, and equitye,
Stant the welfare of euery region,
For the mekenes and lowe subiection,
Of comonties, holde vp the regalies,
Of lordshyppes and of all monarchyes.

And no doubt whan lorshyps of entent,
Busy ben the souerayne lorde to queme,
To their subiectes do right iudgement,
In conscience as ryght and reason deme,
Than shall their crowne and dyademe,
Vpon their heade perseuer and freshly shyne,
And make subiectes to their biddyng encline.

Thus obeysaunce playnly at a worde,
In such as haue lordshyp and souerayntie,
Done of entent to their souerayne lorde,
Shall cause them raygne in long prosperitie,
And their subiectes of humilitie,
For their noble famous gouernaunce,
Aye to be ready vnder their obeysaunce.

For who y• serueth the lorde of lordes all,
And hath the people in his subiection,
God wyll kepe him that he shall not fall,
Longe preserue his domination,
But agaynwarde whan wisdome and reason
Ben ouermastred with sensualitie,
Farewell the floures of their felicitye.

Obedience blunteth the sharpenes,
Of cruell swordes in tyrantes handes,
And mekenes appeaseth the felnes,
Of hasty vēgeaunce, breketh on two y• bōds:
Eke pacience set quiete in londes,
And where these thre contune in comonties,
Longe peace perseuereth  [...] kyngdoms & cities

Obedience dothe also restrayne,
Conspyrations and false collusions,
Whan she stant vnparted, not at wayne,
There is no dreade of no discencions:
For she combineth the true opinions,
In the harts of people, ful wel afore prouided
Vnder prynces to stand whole vndeuided.

Where princes be meke, hūble, and debonayre
Toward God of whole affection,
Theyr subiectes be gladly not contrayre,
In their seruice, by no rebellion:
For there is founde no deuision,
But head & membres eche for his partye,
Be so gouerned by prudent policy.

Contrariously Saule was put downe,
Abiect of God for his obstinacy,
Put from his scepter, his crowne, his region,
Of Israell lost all the monarchy,
For he lyst not make his alye,
Of frowardnes and wylfull negligence.
[Page]This noble vertue called obedience.

For as it longeth in kingdomes and cityes,
Vnder a keye of true beneuolence
Princes and kynges to gouerne their sees:
So apperteyneth due reuerence
To their subiectes, by obedience
To obey their lordes as they be of degre
By title of right in euery comontee.

For obeysaunce if it be discerned,
(With Argus eyen, who that taketh hede)
As ryght requyreth is not well gouerned
Whan the membres presume agayn the head:
Of gouernaunce there is no perfite spede,
From vnitie they go a froward wey,
Whan subiectes their princes disobey.

The .ii. Chapter.

☞ How kyng Roboam for geuyng fayeth to yonge counsayle, lost the beneuolence of his people, and died a foole.

VNto Bochas in order next there came
With full great dole and lamentacion,
The yonge kyng called Roboam,
Sonne and next heyre to Salomon,
Entryng by title of iust succession:
Besought mine aucthour to make of his foly,
And of his fallyng a piteous tragedy.

First whan he entred into his region,
Twelue tribes gouernyng in dede,
Ruled him selfe by will and no reason,
Kept his subiectes plainly as I rede,
Not vnder loue, but vnder froward drede:
Of olde wise (to his great disauaile)
He despised the doctrine and counsayle.

He demeaned (as it was well couth)
His scepter, his crowne and his regaly,
By such folke as floured in their youth,
Could of custome their wittes well apply
To blynde him falsely with their flattery:
Whiche is a stepmother called in substaunce,
To all vertue and all good gouernaunce.

Alas, it is great dole and great pitie
That flattery should haue so great fauour:
Whych blindeth princes that they may not se,
Misteth the eyen of euery gouernour,
That they can not knowe their owne errour.
False hony shed aye on their sentence,
A fole is he that yeueth to them credence.

They may be called the deuyls tabourers,
With frowarde sownes eares to fulfyll:
Or of Sireues the perillous bo [...]elers,
Whiche gall and hony downe distyll.
Whose drinkes ben bothe amerous and yll,
And as clarkes well deuise cunne,
Worse than the drynkes of Sirenes tuune.

Eares of prynces full well they can enoynt
With the soft oyle of adulation,
And their termes most subtylly appoynt,
Eche thing concludyng with false deception:
Aye blandishyng with amerous poyson,
And finally as the Poete sayth,
Their faith of custome conciudeth wt vnfayth.

Flouryng in words though there be no scute,
Double of hart, pleasaunt of langage,
Of true meanyng voyde and destitute,
In mustring outward preted a fayre vysage:
Who trusteth them findeth smal aduaūtage
By apparaunce and glorious freshe shewyng
Princes deceauing and many a worthy kyng

Roboam can beare full well witnes,
From him auoydyng folkes that were true,
How he was hindred by flattery and falsenes
By them that coulde forge out tales newe:
Whose counsaile after sore did him rue,
And with their fayned false suggestion,
Greatly abridged his domination.

He dempt him selfe of more aucthoritye,
Of folly, youth, and of presumption,
Than was his father in great royaltie,
And this pompous false opinion
Came into his concept by adulation:
For flatterers bare to him witnes,
How he excelled his fathers hygh nobles.

He did great rigour and oppression
Vpon his people as it was wel preued:
And to finde some mitigation,
They in matters which yt haue them greued,
Of their tributes for to be releued,
Besought he would relese thē in their nede,
But all for nought he toke therof no hede.

All olde counsayle from him he set aside,
And refused their doctrine and their lore:
And by false counsayle of folkes full of pryde▪
[Page xlii]His pore lieges he oppressed sore.
And ten kynredes anone without more,
For tyranny and misgouernaunce,
From him withdrough the trouth & lygeaūce

Thus of the kyng conceiued the rygour,
The people anone of indignacion
Stoned Adoram, whiche was collectour
Of the 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 yt 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 wt wisdome nor prudēce,
[Page]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 shalbe 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 wt 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 soule of lyfe,
To quicke the mēbres with gostlye mocions:
Whiche shalbe made of folke cōtemplatyfe,
[Page xliii]The church cōmitted to their possessions.
Which by their holy conuersacions,
And good example should as sterres shyne,
By grace and vertue the people tenlumyne.

Vpon the lyght of their condicions,
Of this body dependeth the welfare:
For in their teaching and predicacions
They should trouth to hygh & low declare.
And in their office for no drede ne spare
Vices correcte lyke as they are holde,
Syth they ben heerdes of Christes folde.

Folowyng vpon, of entent full clene
Labourers as ye haue herde deuysed,
Shal this body beare vp and sustene,
As fete & legges whych may not be dispised:
For true labour is iustly auctorised.
And ne were the plough vpholdē by trauaile.
Of kings, & princes, farewel all gouernayle.

Thus fyrst, if princes gouerned be by ryght,
And knights suffre ye people to haue no wrōg,
And trouth in iudges shew out his lighte,
And forth in cities wt loue he drawe a long,
And holy church in vertue be made stronge,
And in his labour ye plough ne fayle nought,
Than by proporciō this ymage is wrought.

This matter hole for to exemplyfy,
Kyng Roboam for a false oppression,
And for his wilful frowarde tiranny,
Lost a great party of hys region:
Wherfore let princes considre of reason,
God set the people for lordes auantage,
And not to be oppressed wyth seruage.

Vpon some princes Bochas doth complaine,
Such as haue a custome and manere
Agayne their subiectes vngoodly to disdaine,
And of pride to shewe them frowarde chere,
Counsayleth them to remembre and lere,
As this chapitre doth finally deuise,
Fyrst out of labour al lorshyp dyd aryse.

The .iiii. Chapiter.

Howe Mucius Sceuola sloughe an innocent in stede of kynge Porcenna, that layde siege to Rome.

WHan kynge Porcenna wyth hys chi­ualrye
Agayne Romains a werre fyrst began,
The towne besiegynge on eche party
With great puyssaunce brought out of Tus­  [...]an,
In the citie there was a knightly mā,
Mucius Sceuola, which cast in their distres,
To breke y• sege thorough his high prowes.

Let arme hym selfe clene in plate & mayle,
For comune profite to auaunce his corrage,
Kynge Porcenna proudly to assaile:
A tyme prouyded to his auauntage,
Through the siege to make hys passage,
And finally at his in comynge,
Jeoparte his person for to slee the kynge.

But lyke as telleth vs Tytus Liuius,
Wher Porcenna satte in his royal see,
This senatoure, this manly Mucius
Sawe a prince of great auctoritee,
The kyng resemblynge, clad in one liueree:
Atwene dece [...]nyng no maner variaunce,
Slough that prince of very ignoraunce.

But whan he knewe that he dyd faile
To slee Procenna enemy to the toun,
And sawe he had lost al hys trauayle,
He made a pitouse lamentacion,
Bycause he dyd execucion
Of ignoraunce agayne his owne entent,
To spare a tirant, and slee an innocent.

For which he was with him selfe full worth,
That he was founde so negligent in dede:
And with his hand vnto a fyre he goth,
Made it brenne bryght as any glede,
Both nerfe & bone and his fleshe to shede,
His hand cōsuming on pieces, here & yondre,
And from his arme made it parte a sondre.

And as the storye declareth vnto vs,
This manly man this noble senatour,
Afore tyme was called Mucius,
Which for y• comon profite did great labour:
And for the vncouth hasty fell rigour,
Done to hym selfe, the Romaines al
Sceuola they dyd hym after call.

As moch to say by langage of that lande,
Who take a ryght the exposicion,
As a man which is without an hande:
And after hym by succession,
All his ofsprynge borne in the toun,
In remembraunce for to encrese his fame,
Of Sceuola bare after hym the name.

[Page]
By this example and many other mo,
If men list her corrages to awake,
They shoulde se what perill & what wo
For comon profit men haue vndertake:
And whylom Brutus for Lucrecis sake
Tarquin chaced for his transgression,
And kynges all out of Rome toun.

Touching Lucrece example of wifely trouth,
How yong Tarquin her falsly did oppresse,
And after y• whych was to great a routh,
Howe she her selfe slough for heuynesse,
It nedeth not reherse the processe:
Sith y• Chaucer chefe poete of Bretaine,
Wrote of her lyfe a legende soueraine.

Rehersynge there amonge other thynges
Eche circumstaunce and eche occasion,
Why Romains exiled fyrst their kynges,
Neuer to reigne after in their toun.
As olde cronicles make mencion:
Remēbring also the vnkinde great outrage,
By Eneas done to Dido of Cartage.

Eke other stories whiche he wrote in his lyue
Ful notably wt euery cyrcūstaunce:
And their fates pitiously dyd discriue,
Lyke as they fyll, put them in remembraūce.
Wherfore if I shulde my penne auance,
After his making to put them in memory,
Men would deme it presūpcion & veine glory.

For as a sterre in presence of the sunne,
Lesyth his freshnes & hys clere lyght:
So my rudenesse vnder skyes dunne,
Dareth ful lowe and hath lost his sight,
To be compared agayne y• beames bryght
Of this poete, wherefore it were but vayne,
Thinge sayd by hym to wryte it new againe.

☞ The .v. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Lucrece oppressed by Tarquin slough her selfe.

BVT at Lucrece stynte I wyll a whyle,
It were pytie her storye for to hide,
Or slouthe the penne of my rude style,
But for her sake al matters set a side:
Also my lorde bad I should abyde,
By good auice at layser to translate,
The doleful processe of her pitouse fate.

Folowynge the traces of Collucius,
Which wrote of her a declamacion,
Most lamētable, most doleful, & most pitous,
Wher he discriueth the dolorouse treason,
Of her constrained false oppression:
Wrought & compassed, by vnware vyolence,
The lyght vntroubled of her clere conscience.

Her father whilom called Spurius
Her worthy husbande named Collatyn,
Which by the luxurie & treason odious
And viciouse outrage of Sextus proude Tar­quin,
Oppressed was & brought to her fyne,
Whose deedly sorowe in englishe for to make,
Of pitouse ruth my penne I fele quake.

This said Tarquin this yuel auised knyght,
This slaūdred man most hateful for his dede,
Came lyke a thefe alas vpon a nyght,
With naked sworde whan no man toke hede,
Vpon Lucrece she quakyng in her drede,
Lyeng a bed ferre from her folkes al,
And knewe no refuge, for helpe for to call.

He manasyng in his froward entent,
On her beholdyng with a furiouse chere,
That with his sworde but she would assente,
Her and a boy he would preint yfere.
Such one as was most vgly of manere
Most vnlykely of persone and of fame,
Thus he her thrat for to slaunder her name.

But his entent whan she dyd fele,
And sawe no meane of her woful chaunce,
The morowe after she list nothynge concele,
Told her husbande holy the gouernaunce,
Hym requirynge for to do vengeaunce
Vpon this cryme, sayde lyke a true wyfe,
She would her hert perce wyth knyfe.

In this matter this was her fantasy,
Better was to dye than to 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,
[Page xliiii]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 yu 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 wele 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, yu feble & he ryght stronge,
Thy trouth afforced, he werker of the wrong.

Where mightest yu 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 yu 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,
Shalbe 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:
[Page]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 yu 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,
Within thy house whan I did lere,
By clere example of manifolde doctrine,
Al that pertained to vertuous discipline,

Which I haue lost now in my dayes olde,
Dispaired it to recure agayne.
Myne owne childre I dare not the beholde,
Bycause the wombe in that they haue layne,
Diffouled is, and pollute in certaine:
Which was tofore in chastitie conserued,
Chastise the auoutrer as he hath deserued.

And for my part, to speke in wordes fewe,
Lenger to liue I haue no fantasie,
For where should I out my face shewe,
Or dare appere in any company,
Sith a derke spot of false auoutry,
Shal euermore whether it be false or true,
In to myne hindring y• sclaundre to renewe:

Lust afforced hath a false appetite
Offrelte, included in nature:
Maugre the wyll there foloweth a delite
As some folkes say, in euery creature,
Good fame lost ful hard is to recure.
And sith I may my harmes not redresse,
To you in open my gilt I wil confesse.

Al be I was againe my wil oppressed,
There was a maner constrained lust in dede,
Which for no power might not be redressed,
For feblenesse I stand in so great drede,
For which offence deth shalbe my mede:
Sith leuer I haue with some edge tole
[Page xlv]To slee my selfe, than lyue in slaūder & dole.

O father myne spare and haue pitie,
And dere husbande rue on myne offence,
Goddes & goddesses called of chastitie,
To my trespace graunt an indulgence:
For of my gylt to make a recompence,
Where that Venus gate in me a vaūtage,
Deth shal redresse & chastise myne outrage.

For if I should make a delay
To perse my brest wt sharpnes of a knyfe,
Men would deme and say fro day to day,
To make my sclaūder more open & more rife,
Howe that I was more tendre of my life,
Thā of my worship, which is to gret a shame,
To loue my life more than my good name.

In this matter no witnes is so good,
To put awaye all false suspection,
As with a knife to shed my hert bloud,
I myght not make a better purgacion,
To al folke that haue discrecion,
Than finally by my deth to excuse,
The gylt horible of whych men me accuse.

Go forth my soule pure and immortal,
Chefe wytnes of myne innocence,
Tofore tho iudges which ben infernal
Fyrst Mynos kyng to deme my conscience,
With Radamanthus to yeue a sentence
Lyke my desertes that it might be sene,
In wyfely trouth how that I was clene.

Thou erthly body which through thy fairnes
Were to auoutry ful great occasion,
Of thy bloud shede out the rednes,
And by thy sides let it raile doun:
Stere and exite the people of this toun,
To do their deuer within a litle whyle,
For loue of Tarquyn al kynges to exile.

And fyrst I pray my husbande most entere,
Of this vengeaunce to make no delay:
With helpe and socour of my father dere,
To punyshe y• auoutrer in al haste ye may.
Let him take his wages and his pay
Lyke as ye se, & plainly nowe conceyue,
For his offence the death I do receiue.

And sodaynly or they myght aduerte
She toke a knyfe, and with great violence
Through the brest euyn to the hert
She made it glyde, there was no resistence:
Ful pale & deed fyl down in their presence,
And by occasion of this piteous dede,
Tarquyn exyled and holy his kynrede.

For which cause by recorde of writyng,
Was there neuer in Rome the cite
After that day no man crowned kyng,
As in cronicles ye may beholde and se:
Thus for luxurie, and their cruelte,
Their tiranny, and false extorcion,
They were exiled out of Rome toun.

The .vi. Chapter.

¶ Howe Rome was after gouerned, and Virginea by her father slayne.

GOuerned after by other officers
As is remembred in Titus Liuius,
Called Decemuiri of diuers croni­clers:
Amonge whyche there was one Appius
A Judge vntrue, proud, & luxurious,
Which through y• citie the story bereth witnes,
Behated was for his great falsenes.

And ones it fyll as he cast his loke
Vpon a maide most inly fayre of sight,
A false desire within his hert he toke
Her to dysuse, agayne al skyl and ryght:
And she was doughter to a worthy knyght,
Ful manly founde in his dedes al,
And Vyrginius y• Romains did him cal.

Whose goodly doughter ye story doth vs lere,
Was after hym for his noble fame,
Virginia called most goodly and entere,
And for this cause she bare the same name.
But Appius to greatly was to blame,
Which hath conspired through his great fals­nes
If y• he might, her beauty to oppresse.

This Iuge vntrue both in thought & dede,
Of law vnrightful, sought out occasion,
Made a sergiaunt of his to procede
Agayne this mayde to take an accion,
Claimed her his seruant by false collusion:
And this done was by Appius, of entent,
That he on her might yeue a iudgement.

And by this meane in his false delite,
Thought he myght her beautie best disuse,
So to accomplishe his fleshly appetite,
[Page]She beyng feble the accion to refuse:
Wherupon her father gan to muse,
Fully conceiued of Appius the maner,
In her defence wrought as ye shal here.

Whan Appius had yeuen his iudgement
Againe this mayde which afore him stode,
Her manly father most knighty of entent
Toke her apart as he thought it good,
And wyth a knyfe shed her hert bloud:
Dempt it better to slee her in clennes,
Than the tirant her beauty should oppresse.

Thus hole conserued was her virginite,
And vndefouled was her maydenhede:
For Vyrgynius to kepe her honeste,
Spared nothyng to make her sides blede.
But Appius for this horrible dede,
And Decemuiri through his vnhappye chaūce
Had in that citye neuer after gouernaūce.

As the story also maketh mencion,
Appius ashamed of this dede,
Slough him selfe fetred in prison,
Of a false iuge lo here the final mede.
And tho Tribuni in Rome gan succede,
Twene right and wronge truely to discerne,
And romayne lawes iustly to gouerne.

Men may here se as in a myrour clere,
Estates chaunged for their great offences:
And by some poore person singulere
Princes put doun from their magnificences,
Which not cōsidred in their great excellēces,
How god ordeineth his yerde in sōdry wise,
The poore sūwhile the pompous to chastise.

Here on to shewe example anone ryght,
Marked in story for a notable thynge,
Pausanias of Grece a manly knight,
Of Macedony slough Philip the Kyng:
At a table where he was sitting
Atwene Alexandre and Olimpiades,
His wrong to auenge amyddes al the prees.

Eke Salmator a knyght of low degree
For wronges done in especial
Of manly force grounded on equite
Slough of Cartage the Prince Hasdrubal
Which brother was vnto duke Haniball,
Besyde a riuer as they met in batayle,
Called Metaure which renneth in Itaile.

Wherefore ye princes if ye lyst longe endure
Be right wel ware be ye neuer so stronge,
In your lordshyppes not to much assure,
Or of surquedy the porayle to do wronge.
In your discrecion conceyuing euer amonge,
Greatest drede is that may your state assay [...],
Whan subiection doth the people fayle.

¶ Lenuoye.

THis tragedy declareth in partye
What myschefe foloweth of extorcion,
Eke of spousbrech and of auoutry,
By Tarquyn doue through false extorcion,
Vnto Lucrece wythin Rome toun:
Kynges exyled for such misgouernayle,
And false outrages done to the porayle.

Eke Appius of wylful tiranny
Agayne Virginia toke an accion,
Through a false lust of frowarde lechery,
Blent and fer derked his memory & reason:
Which was chefe cause and occasion
Why the estate of dizhom dyd fayle,
Through false outrage done to the porayle.

Kyng Philyp lost sceptre and regally,
Of Macedone the famous regyon:
Vnwarely slayne amyd his chiualry,
Sittyng at the table wt in his chefe dongeon.
And greatest cause of his fallyng doun,
Was whan fortune his pride dyd assaile,
For false outrages done to the porayle.

Duke Hasdrubal whome bokes magnify
Vp to the heuyn for hys hygh renoun,
Whose triumphes raught vp to the sky,
And had al Cartage in his subiection:
Yet was he slayne vnwarely by treason,
By a seruant, lo what it doth auayle
Treason purposed afore in the porayle.

Noble princes your reason do applye
Whych ouer the people haue dominacion,
So prudently to gouerne them and gye,
That loue and drede by true affectyon,
Preserue their hartes from false rebellion [...]
Syth to you nothynge may more preuayle,
Than true subiection expert in porayle.

The .vii. Chapiter.

❧ How Jeroboham kyng of Israel for Idolatry & disobedience came to a myscheuous ende.

[Page xlvi]
NExte these storyes in Bochas as I fynde,
There dyd appere vnto his presēce,
Kynges syxe, hym praying to haue mynd
Vpon their fal by vnware violence,
From theyr estates of royal excellence.
And to fore al I fynde that there came,
Of al Israel kyng Jeroboam.

Vnto myne aucthour he gan to declare,
His deedly complaynt with a pale face:
His great mischeues and his yuel fare,
And howe he fyl downe frō his kyngly place,
Through vnhappes which dyd him enbrace,
And as this story plainly hath deuysed,
For his offences howe he was chastised.

An Idolater he was as it is tolde,
Reysed vp auters of very force & myght,
Set therupon two calfes of pure golde,
Dyd them worshyp agayne al skyl & ryght:
Gaue euel example in the peoples syght,
Whan he dyd wyth fumes and ensence,
To false ydols vndue reuerence.

Fro the temple he made the people gone,
Priestes ordained after his owne gise,
Forsoke the trybe of Leuy and Aaron,
And vpon Bethel his offryng gan deuyse:
And whyle he dyd vnleful sacrifice,
God that well knewe of hym the false entent,
From Jerusalem a prophet to hym sent.

Whych him rebuked of his misgouernaūce,
And gan the parels to hym specifye:
Told him afore for to do vengeaunce,
Of Dauid kyng there should come one Josye,
Which should his priestes that falsly coud lye,
Manly distroy & slee them al at ones,
And into asshes bren them fleshe & bones.

And in token of their distruction,
The prophet tolde among them al,
How his auters shoulde bowe doun,
And his ydols from their stage fal.
Whom that foles their goddes falsly cal
Which haue no power to helpe in no maner,
For they may neyther se, fele, nor here.

After thys prophet Jadan had tolde
These sayde signes playnly to the kyng,
His auter fyl on peces many folde:
And ouerturned backewarde his offring:
For whych the kyng furiously loking,
Put forth his hand the story maketh mynde
Bad his men the prophet take and bynde.

And as he his arme raught out on length
Had no power it to wythdrawe ageyne,
Wext vnweldy, contract, & lost his strength,
And whan the kyng these tokens hath seyne▪
And how ye prophet spake no word in veyne
Greatly astoyned coude say no more,
But praied Jadan his arme to restore.

And by his prayer and mediacion
Of his arme, after this vengeaunce,
There was anone made restitucion,
And of his payne feleth aleyaunce.
For which the kyng wt ful great instaūt
Required hym to be so graciouse,
That day to abyde and dyne in his house.

But the prophet would not assent
Nouther wyth hym to eate nor to drynke:
Toke his asse and forth anone he went,
On whose departyng y• kyng gan sore thynke
And fantasies gan in his hert synke,
Specially whan he toke hede,
Of all these tokens howe they were true in dede.

God  [...]ad Jadan in this great emprise
To Jeroboham fyrste whan he was sent,
Eate nor drinke in no maner wyse,
In that citie, whyle he was present:
But a nother prophet of entent
Ful olde and slygh on that other syde,
Compelled hath this Jadan to abyde.

Hym aforsyng by false collusion
To resorte agayne vnto the citye:
And to make no contradiction
With hym to dyne of fraternitye,
To hym affyrmynge it may none other be,
For god sent him as to his frende & brother,
To abyde with him & plainly with none other.

Of frendlyhede and true affection
Within his house to shewe his presence,
For a repast and refection
This is goddes wyl and fully his sentence,
To whose wordes y• prophet yaue credence,
And as they sate at dyner both in fere,
God vnto Jadan sayd in thys maner.

For the brekyng of my comaundement,
Thy great offence & thy transgression,
[Page]That thou hast be so wylfull negligent,
Thou shalt endure this punicion:
Be al to torne and rent of a lyon,
And in thy countrey thou shalt not recure,
With prophetes to haue thy sepulture.

Of which thing this Jadan nothynge fayne,
Gan to departe with ful heuy thought:
Of a lion amyd of the way slayne,
But his asse harmed was right nought.
A full great maruaile if it be wel sought,
The lyon syttyng as in their diffence,
And kept them both from al violence.

Al these tokens myght not conuert
Jeroboam fro his iniquitie,
Goddes warnyng hym lyst not to aduerte,
Nor by hys prophete corrected for to be.
Wherefore god would that he should se
Vengeaunce folowe as it dyd in dede,
Both vpon hym and his kynred.

A sonne he had which fyl in great sickenes,
Called Abia the boke doth specify,
For whych the king bad the quene her dresse,
To go disgised without company,
Vnto a prophet which called was Achy.
Hym to require truely for to sey
Whether the chyld should lyue or dey.

And in his inward syght cōtemplatife,
God shewed hym by clere inspection,
Of Jeroboam how she was the wyfe,
For al her sleyghty transformacion:
For nouther fallas nor false decepcion
May be of god but it be parceyued,
For he  [...]e his prophets may not be deceyued.

She came to him in straunge wede,
At the entryng he called her by her name:
Come forth (quod he) for it is no nede
To hide thy selfe as it were for shame.
For the trouth truely to attame,
God hath yeuen me fully knowledging,
What thou shalt answere & say to the kyng.

Say plainly to him, & marke in thy thought,
In thy repayre these wordes rehersyng:
Syth god hath made thee & raysed vp of nou­ght
From a seruant to reigne as a kynge,
Fro Dauids kyn most worthy reigning,
Parted the kyngdome & yeuen it vnto the,
And thou vnkynde therof canst nothyng se,

His great goodnesse is out of remēbraunce,
Fully forgeten of thy frowarde pride,
In false goddes put thyne affiaunce
God aboue falsly set asyde,
Wherefore from the anon he shall deuyde,
The kyngdome hole wythout more delay,
And fro thy lyne the crowne take away.

And for thou hast to thy confusion
Thy fayth vnfaithful to false goddes take,
Wrongly refused thy religion
Of god aboue, and playnly hym forsake,
This is the ende whych y• thou shalt make:
Thee and thy kyn no man may socour,
Fleshe, skyn, & bone, houndes shal deuour.

And at thy entrynge home to the cite,
Thy sonne & his thou shalt fynde him deed:
Of al hys kin though there were none but he
Founde very good, take therof good hede.
Of whych answere y• quene fil in great drede
Entryng the citie in especial,
Her childe was dede & lay colde by the wal.

Of thys warning the king toke none hede,
But made him redy wt ful great aparayle,
Forty thousande wyth him he dyd lede,
Of manly men armed in plate and maile,
With king Abias for to haue a batayle.
The whiche Abias that was of Juda kinge,
Vnto his people said at their metynge:

O noble knightes haue one thing in memory,
No man venquisheth platly to cōclude
With great people, nor getteth victory
With nombres heaped nor greate multitude:
False ydolaters god wyl them delude.
Not suffre his seruaunts that ben true & sad,
Of miscreauntes to be ouerlad.

Triumphe is none found of newe or olde,
In these Idols of stone nor siluer shene,
Nor in Calues of mettall made, or golde,
Yeue to that partie which vntruly meane.
And sithe y• god knoweth our quarel clene,
Ther is no hope, force none nor myght,
With them y• groūde their cause against right

Hope of victory standeth vpō right wisnes,
Of them yt cast their sinful life to amende:
And lyst forsake wrong and al falsnes,
And with hole hert vnto the lorde entende,
Which shal this day his grace to you sende,
Our true cause truely to termyne.
[Page xlvii]And thus Abias gan his tale fyne.

His preestes gan their trūpes for to blowe,
And kyng Abias through his high renoun,
Gaue to his people both to high and low
Ful manly comfort and consolacion,
And fyfty thousand by computacion
Were slayne y• day which ful proudly came,
Vpon the party of kyng Jeroboam.

And al the partye of Jeroboam,
And al that were of his lyne borne,
After thys batayle vnto mischefe came,
Whan they were slayne wt hoūdes al to torne
As the prophet had thē told beforne:
But for the kyng toke therof no hede,
With soden vengeaunce god quit his mede.

¶ The .viii. Chapter.

Howe zaras king of Ethyope was slayne in batayle.

AFter hym to Bochas dyd appere
Next in ordre playnly as I fynde,
One zaras wyth a soroufull chere,
And he was kyng of Ethyope and Jude:
Whose eyen were almost wt wepyng blynde,
Prayeng myne auctour his vnhappy chaūce,
With other woful to put in remembraunce.

And that he would recorde by scripture
His sodayne fall and dolorous distresse,
And his diffamous hateful discomfiture,
With the dispoylynge of his great richesse:
And how king Asaph thrugh his high nobles,
And his people as he dyd thē assaile,
Hath him venquished & slayne in batayle.

The .ix. Chapiter.

Howe Adab kyng of Jerusalem lost sceptre and crowne.

OF Israell than came the wooful [...] kynge,
Called Adab ful pytously wepyng,
Vnto Bocas his cōplaint rehersing:
How kyng Basa by subtyll false werkyng,
With slaughter caused his fallyng,
Whan fortune gan falsely frowne,
And toke vniustly frō him sceptre & crowne.

The .x. Chapiter.

¶ Howe the vengeable prynce zambrias set a toure on fyre and brente hym selfe.

NExt came zābrias a prince vēgeable,
Whiche slough kinge Helam by false treason,
That was founde also ful vnstable:
For this zambrias of entencion,
Hath murdred him within the chefe dongeon,
Of his castel wyth a ful great route,
As he vnwarely layde a siege aboute.

But Amarin a prince of ful great might,
Came in to Tharse a famous great citye,
And cast him playnly lyke a worthy knight,
On this zambrias auenged for to be,
Hym to distroy without mercy or pitie:
But in a toure as zambrias went,
Set it a fyre and so hym selfe brent.

☞ The .xi. Chapiter.

Of king Achab and Jezabel his wife.

WIth sighes sore & wepig importable
Came kyng Achab vnto Bochas,
Whose hertelie sorowe was incōpa­rable,
And complayning ful oft sayd alas:
Besechyng him to write his woful case,
Compile his falling and the fate yfere,
Of Athalia his owne doughter dere.

To god aboue most contrarious
Thys Achab was in al his gouernaunce,
And had a wyfe cruel and lecherous,
Called Jesabel, whiche set al her plesaunce
On goddes prophetes for to do vengeaunce.
In the bible their malice men may se,
And Idolaters they were both he and she.

God for their trespaces as it was well seyne,
Afore shewed by true prophecy,
Sent thre yere neither dewe ne reyne
Vpon the erth their graine to multiplye:
Tyl eft agayne by prayer of Helye,
Holsome waters from heuin gan discend,
Which gaue thē cause their life to amend.

But his wyfe that cursed Jesabel,
To eche thing hateful which was diuine,
An hundred prophetes she slough in Israel,
Vnto Baal for they would not inclyne:
And she also slough Naboth for his vyne,
Through whose outrage & false oppression,
Achab was brought to his confusion.

[Page]
Of his enemyes outrayed in bataile,
With a sharpe arow caught his fatal woūde,
Tyi al his blode by bledyng dyd faile,
About hys chare wt many droppes rounde:
That the wordes were ful true founde
Of Helias, which told him as it stode,
That hungry houndes should lycke his blod.

In a citye than called Israel
Downe from a toure ioyned to a wall,
The sayd quene called Jesabel,
Was ouer cast & had a deadlye fal:
Touching these mischeues for she was cause of all,
Beware ye princes remēbring all your lyues,
To eschue false coūsayle yeuē by your wiues.

☞ The .xii. Chapiter.

¶ How quene Athalia for her tiranny was slayne.

NExt to Achab in ordre dyd sue,
Athalia wt doleful countenaunce
Bocas besechyng, as hym thought due
Her sodayne fal to put in remembraunce.
Sours & chefe rote of sorow & mischance.
Is vsurpaciō and false couetise,
Lyke as her story herafter shal deuyse.

She was vpreised by fauour in thre thinges,
For father, broder, & also her husbande
Were in her tyme echone crowned kinges,
With scepter & sworde as ye shal vnderstād.
Many emprises in their daies toke on hande,
And howe fortune their highnes dyd assaile,
I cast shortly to make rehersayle.

She fyl of fortune in the vnhappye boundes,
Fyrst whan her father was wt an arow dede,
His blod vplicked wt cruel hūgry houndes,
About his chare rennyng downe ful rede:
His body pale lay who that toke hede,
Lyke a carreyne naked and dispoyled,
With foule black erth amyd the felde ysoyled.

Cause of another vnhappy heuynesse
And of her deedly desolacion,
Was the people felly dyd them dresse
Of Arabye in their rebellion,
Agayne her husband, of entencion
To robbe his treasour to their auauntage,
And take his richesse by outragious pillage.

Some of his meyny they put in prison,
There was agaynst thē made no defence:
Spared nother citie, borough, ne toun,
Slough man & chyld through sturdy violēce:
Her lorde enfect wyth sodaine pestilence,
Conceyued fully by his malady,
There was no gayne but he must nede dye.

After his deth most wretched & odible,
His body corrupt, his bowelles fyl doun:
Of his carayne the stench was so horible
The ayre enfect about hym enuyron,
With so great horrour and putrifaction,
That no man myght abyde nor endure,
To bryng his body vnto sepulture.

Her third vnhap whereof she was ful fayne,
That fortune lyst her efte assayle,
Made her vncle kyng Joram to be slayne
With an arow, as he fled in batayle:
She supposyng greatly it should auayle,
Lyke a woman most furious & wode,
She of king Dauid slough al ye rial blode.

Her purpose was to gouerne al the realme
Alone her selfe to haue dominacion,
To reigne in Juda and Jerusalem
This Athalia by vsurpacion:
And for that cause in her entencion,
With mortal sworde she made tho fyne
That were discēded frō Dauid doun by lyne.

Except one Joas she left not one a lyue.
Chyld of a yere, sonne of kyng Och [...]sy,
Whom Josaketh the story do the disctiue
Of very pitie caught a fantasy
The childe to saue that he shal not dye,
From the malice of Athalia
And she was wyfe to byshop Joiada.

She & this byshop with hole hert & entere,
Kept this chylde in ful secret wyse,
Within the temple the space of seuen yere:
And in the seuenth the storye doth deuise,
Joiada toke on him this emprise,
Yonge Joas vpon a certayne day,
By iust title to crowne him if he may.

His messangers he sendeth out anone,
Of princes, tribunes, gan a counsaile cal,
Of preestes eke and leuites euerychone:
And whan he had discured to them al
Hole his entent, thus it is befal
Sworne and assented as it was sytting,
That yonge Joas shalbe crowned kyng.

[Page xlviii]
For by promise which y• is diuine
(Quod Joiada) if ye take hede,
God hath behested to Dauid & his lyne,
And assured vnto his kynred
In Jerusalem how they shal succede:
And though Joas be yong & tēdre of might,
He to the crowne hath neuer the lasse ryghte.

In this matter I wyl not that ye slepe,
But to shewe your true diligence,
On four parties the temple for to kepe,
That no man entre by no violence:
And in the myddes by royal excellence,
(Quod this byshop) no man shal vs let,
On Joas heade a crowne for to set.

And whan ech thing was brought to poynt
Hys hygh estate to encrease and magnify,
The people anone whan he was anoynt,
Viuat rex they began to cry.
And whan Athalia gan this thyng espye,
For very ire and the sodayne wonder,
Of melancoly her clothes cut asonder,

Ran to the temple, and gan make a fray,
With her meyny and to crye aloude,
Bad them go sle & make no delay
The yong kyng, in al the hast they coude.
Her venym hid vnder a couerte cloude,
Al at ones her purpose to recure,
By sodaine malice she gan ye day dyscure.

The temple was kept, entre had she none,
People ordayned awaytyng for the nones:
And or she might any further gone,
Clenly armed the Centuriones
The cruel quene assayled al at ones.
And of her malice to wryte a short tale,
They slough her after at Cedron in the vale.

Lo here the ende of murdre & tiranny,
Lo here the ende of vsurpacion,
Lo here the ende of false conspiracy,
Lo here y• ende of false presumcion:
Borne rightfull heyres wrongly to put them doun,
O noble princes though god make you strōg,
To ryghtful heyres beware ye do no wrong,

¶ Lenuoye.

THese tragedies to estates & degrees,
Fully declareth the decepcions
Of fortunes false mutabilitees,
Shewed in prouinces cities and eke touns:
Princes vnwarely lost their possessions,
Which for their synnes in diuerse wyse,
Had of god warnyng, & lyst not for to ryse.

Mighty princes cast downe from their sees,
Lost their liues and their regions,
Vnwarely throw from their felicitees:
Jeroboam for his oppressions,
And for his frowarde false oblacions
Done to Idols, his story doth deuyse,
Had of god warning, & lyst not for to ryse.

Achab also had great aduersities,
Through false coūsaile and exhortacions
Of Iezabel rote of iniquities,
Dyd to his people great extorcions:
She slough prophets, goddes champions,
Both he and she most cursed in their gyse,
Had of god warnyng, & lyst not for to ryse.

Athalia with her duplicitees,
And conspired false intrusions,
Slouh Dauids sede to entre their dignitees,
And possede their dominacions:
But for her hateful false collusions,
Vnwarely slayne for her great couetise,
Had of god warnyng, & lyst not for to ryse.

Princes remembre in your prosperitees,
And se afore in your discrecions:
Wrong clyming vp of states or degrees,
Outher by murdre or by false treasons,
Asketh a fal for their final guerdons.
Namely of them that the lord dispise,
And for his warnyng lyst not for to rise.

The .xiii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Dydo quene of Cartage slough her selfe for conseruacion of her chastitie.

NOwe muste I put my rude stile in prees,
To queene Dido makynge my pas­sage:
Her Lorde Siche was priest to Hercules,
Her father Belus fal in great age,
Kyng of Tire & she quene of Carthage:
And it is red in bokes that ben true,
How fyrst in Tire was found purple hewe.

Chadmus founde fyrst letters for to write,
[Page]Gaue them to Grekes, as made is mencion,
Whose brother Fenix as clerkes eke endite,
Founde first the colour of vermilion:
And of Cartage the famous mighty toun,
This sayd Dido, her story doth expres,
How she was quene and founderesse.

But her husband was chefe lorde & fyre,
Called Sicheus full famous of renoun,
Of this noble citie called Tyre,
Had great treasour & great possession:
And for enuy kyng Pigmalion
Broder to Dido this Siche slough in dede,
Of false entent his richesse to possede.

Dido this slaughter toke greuously to hert,
Sore complayning this vnhappy chaunce:
Cast she would if she might asterte,
Flye out of Tire and her lyfe auaunce,
With al the treasour & the haboundaunce,
Behynde left, whan her lorde was dede,
Her shyppes entryng went awaye for drede.

She knewe and drede the gredy auarice
Of her brother kyng Pigmalion,
And how that hateful vnstauncheable vice
Was grounde, and rote, and chefe occasion,
Why y• her lord was slayne in that toun:
For whome she cried ful oft wel away,
Whose deth was cause why she fled away.

She had also this opinion,
Which caused most her hertly heuinesse:
That sith her brother Pigmalion
Had slayne her lorde for his great ryches,
If she abode that he woulde hym dresse,
Parcel for malice, parcel for couetyse,
To haue treasour some treason to practise.

And for to eschewe his malice & treason,
For her nauy she maketh ordinaunce,
By the auise of them in whom as by reason,
She should of ryght set her affiaunce:
And they ful redy her to do plesaunce,
By one assent for nothynge would fayle,
With fayre Dydo out of that lande to sayle.

In Cypres fyrst was her aryuaile:
And the [...]e she founde by the riuer syde,
Of yong maydens wt ful rych apparayle,
Sixty and ten in the same tyde,
Whiche in the temple of Venus dyd abyde,
After the custome as I can reporte,
Of Cypriens, straungers to disporte.

And in their most faythful humble wyse
After the ryghtes of Cypre the countre,
Vnto Venus eche day do sacrifice,
Them to conserue in their virginite:
Duryng their life to lyue in chastitye,
Neuer to be ioyned in mariage,
And wt quene Dydo they went to Cartage.

In their passage fyll a great myrracle
As Seruius maketh mencion,
For Dydo toke of Juno this oracle,
Outher by apparyng or by aduision,
Of Cartage to bylde that myghty toun:
And at reuerence of that great goddesse,
She to the parties fast gan her dresse

The sayd citye stately for to founde.
And her werkemen as they the erth sought
An oxes head of auenture they founde,
And to quene Dido anone the head brought,
Meninge wherof to serche out they thought:
And her clerkes in their deumayle,
Tolde it was token of seruage & trauayle.

For which she list not to buylde in that place,
But remeued as she ought of ryght,
And fro thence but a litel space,
A soyle she founde ful dylectable of sight:
And as her werkmen wyth their full myght,
The grounde gan serch or they toke hede,
The story telleth they found an horse head.

And by expownyng of her deuinours,
Founde this beast myght greatly auaile
Vnto princes and mighty conquerours,
Necessary in werre and batayle:
And for no wight her noblesse shoulde assaile,
Cartage she buylded of so great excellence,
Againe al enemyes to stand at diffence.

Some bokes declare and specify,
Dydo dyd as much land purchace,
As a skyn in rounde might occupy
Of an oxe, theron to buyld a place:
The grounde cōpassed toke a large space,
Whych strongly buylded thus it is befal,
After the skyn men Byrsa dyd it cal.

And whan this citie mightily was walled,
After a skyn wrought by good curray,
The name toke, Carta it was called:
Lether of Birsa plainly this is no nay.
Toke eke his name durynge many a day,
Carta and Birsa knit in their langage,
[Page xlix]As much to say, as this word Carthage.

And in Affryke stant this teritory,
Where she builded this citye dilectable:
Founded it in laude and memory
Of mighty Juno, the goddesse honorable.
The citye walled wt towers strong & stable,
Time of kyng Dauid, amidde the fourth age,
As I sayd erst, called it Cartage.

With great worshyp she raygned in y• towne
Euer of purpose to liue in chastitie,
And rounde about floured her renowne,
Of her prudence and her honestye:
Tyll the report of her famous beautye,
Came to the eares, which gladly wil not hide
Of a kyng that dwelled there beside.

Of Musytans he was lorde and syre,
As poetes playnly lyst decryue,
Whiche in his hart greatly gan desire,
The quene Dido by her assent to wiue,
Vnto her grace if he might aryue:
But for she had auowed chastitie,
She neuer cast maried to be.

The kyng supprised wt loue in his courage.
For her wisdome, and her great bountee,
Sent for the princes of Carthage,
On this matter to haue a treatee:
To condiscende if it might be,
Like his desire in all their best entent,
Do their deuoyre to make her consent.

With his request he gan them eke manace,
If he fayled of his entencion,
Like his desire to stande in her grace,
Sayd he would be enemy to their towne:
To ordayne by force for their destruction,
Not fully sober, nor fully in a rage,
This was to them playnely his langage.

But for they knewe her great stedfastnes
And her hart very immutable,
They were aferde any word to expresse,
Lest their aunswere were not acceptable,
To his highnes, for he was not treatable,
Eke in their conceyt they gan also recorde,
To his desyre the quene would not accorde.

With good aduice an answere they puruey,
To his purpose in party fauourable,
Aferde he would their noble towne werrey,
Or of disdayne vpon them be vengeable:
But quene Dydo in her entent aye stable,
Cast she would whatsoeuer they her tolde,
Her chast auowe faythfully to holde.

She set aside of this cruell kyng
His fell manaces, and his words great,
And to her prynces for their consentyng,
Which stode in feare of y• he did them threate,
She vnto them yaue a maner heate:
For they were bolde to attempt or attame,
To treate of matter rebounding to her shame

Nay rather dye (quod she) than assent
To his desires, whiche thing god forbede:
Or fro the tenter of my chaste entent
For to remeue other in thought or dede,
Whiche were disclaunder to all womanhead,
To condiscende for any manacyng,
To breake a vowe for pleasaunce of a kynge

Touchyng manaces made to the citie
For to destroy it with his great myght,
Without cause or title of equitie
To ground him a quarell agayne right,
Onely for he is blynded of his syght,
With froward lust my chaste auowe to assaile
Be ryght well sure how he therof shall fayle.

If ye were bolde and manly of courage,
For comon profite your citye to defende,
And to wtstande his vycious outrage,
To treate wt him ye would not condiscende:
But mine entent platly to comprehend,
Whether it be to you ioye or displeasaunce,
In my promise shalbe no variaunce.

My lorde Sicheus whiche, alas, is deade
Vnto the worlde, who lyst aduert,
Trust verely for manacyng nor dreade
That he shall neuer dye in myne hert:
Nor he shall neuer myne auowe peruert,
Thus auysed while that I stande fre,
Quene of Cartage to gouerne this citye.

Mine hasty answere I pray you not disdaine
But that ye list to yeue me libertye,
With your support that I may attayne,
To haue a space graunted vnto me:
This is to mene, the space of monethes thre,
My lordes will to accomplyshe of entent,
Whiche whilome made in his testament.

Vnder couloure to her aduauntage,
She toke this space, bokes specify:
[Page]That she might her citye of Cartage,
The meane time strongly fortify,
Agayne her enemies, that for no sluggardy
Of them that would her high estate confound
Vnpurueyed her city not be founde.

Whan thre monethes passed were and gone,
She after would for hartly pleasaunce,
With sundry ryghtes many mo than one,
To all her goddes do some obseruaunce:
For a speciall singuler remembraunce
Of him that was (as ye shall vnderstande)
Whilom her lorde and best beloued husband.

And more to exalt her glory and his honour,
Held his exequtes by due reuerence
Of all Cartage in the highest tower,
With brenning fire, fumes, and incence,
Her princes all beyng in presence,
To whyche she gan declare in complaynyng,
Her deadly sorow, down frō her tower loking

Farewel my frendes, farewell for euermore,
Vnto my lord my husband I must gone,
To him I meane y• was my lorde of yore,
For of husbandes god wot I haue but one:
Praiyng you to report euerichone,
After my death Dydo of Cartage
Joyned was but ones in maryage.

Say to the kyng whiche you manaced,
My chaste beauty that he woulde assaile,
Go tell him how that I am passed,
And of his purpose how that he shall faile.
His manacyng shall not him auayle,
And say how Dydo dyed for the nones,
For she not would be wedded more thē ones.

Leuer I haue my life now to lose,
Rather than soyle my wydowes chastitie:
Let him go further some other to chose,
For in such case he shall not spede of me.
And with the treasure of mine honesty,
Which I haue truely obserued all my lyue,
I will depart out of this worlde now blyue.

And into fire that brent clere and bryght,
She ran in haste, there is no more to sayne:
Saue with a knyfe in euery mans sight,
Full sodaynly she rofe her hart in twayne,
Whose piteous death the city gan complayne,
Sore wepyng for wonder and for ruthe,
In a woman to finde so great a truth.

After her death they did their busines,
To holde and halowe a feast funerall:
Worshipped her like a chaste goddesse,
And her commended inespeciall
To heauenly goddes, and goddes infernall,
And wydowes all in their clothes blake,
At this feast wept for her sake.

Touching Dydo let there be no stryfe,
Though that she be accused of Ouide:
After Bochas I wrote her chaste life,
And the contrary I haue set aside.
For me thought it was better to abide
On her goodnes, than thing rehearse in dede
Which might resowne again her womanhede

To Eneas though she were fauourable,
To Itayle makyng his passage,
All that she did was commendable,
Him to receyue commyng by Cartage:
Tho some folke were large of their langage,
Amisse to expoune, by report, or to expresse,
Thing done to hym onely of gentlenes.

There shall for me be made no rehearsayle,
But as I finde wrytten in Bochas:
For to say well may much more auayle
Than froward speach in many diuers case.
But all Cartage oft sayd, alas,
Her death cōplaynyng throughout their citye
Whiche slew her selfe to obserue her chastitye.

¶ Lenuoy.

OF ayre Dydo most stable in thy constan̄ce
Quene of Cartage myrror of hie nobles
Raignyng in glory & vertuous habundaūce,
Called in thy time chefe sours of gentilnes,
In whom was neuer founde doublenes,
Aye of one hart, and so thou diddest fyne,
With light of trouth al wydowes to enlumin

Chast and vnchaunged in thy perseueraunce,
And immutable founde in goodnes,
Whiche neuer thoughtest vpon variaunce,
Force & prudence wardeins of thy fayrenes,
I haue no langage thy vertues to expresse:
By new report so clerely they shyne,
With light of trouth al widowes to enlumine.

O lode starre of all good gouernaunce,
All vycious lustes by wisdome to represse,
Thy grene youth flouryng with all pleasaūce
Thou didst it brydle wt vertuous sobernes:
[Page l]Dyane demeaned so chastly thy clennesse,
Whyle thou were sole playnely to termyne,
With light of truth al wydowes to enlumyne

Thy famous bounty to put in remembraūce,
Thou slewe thy selfe of innocent purenes,
Lest thy surenes were hanged in balaunce,
Of such that cast them thi chastitie to oppres:
Death was inoughe to beare therof witnes,
Causyng thy beauty to all clennes enclyne,
With light of vertue al widowes to enlumine

¶ Lenuoy, dyrect to wydowes of the translatoure.

O Noble matrons whiche haue suffisaūce,
Of womanhead your wittes to vpdresse
How that fortune list to turne her chaunce,
Be not to retchlesse of sodayne hastines:
But ay prouide in your stablenes,
That no such foly enter in your courage,
To folow Dydo that was quene of Cartage

With her maners haue none acquayntaunce,
Put out of minde such sottyshe wilfulnes,
To slea your selfe were a great penaunce,
God of his grace defende you and blesse,
And preserue your variant brotlenes,
That your trouth fall in none outrage,
To folow Dido y• was quene of Cartage.

With couert colour and sober countenaunce,
Of faythfull meanyng pretendeth a likenes,
Counterfayteth in speache and dalyaunce,
All thinge that sowneth into stedfastnes,
Of prudence by great auisenes,
Your selfe restrayneth yonge and olde of age,
To folow Dydo that was quene of Cartage.

Let all your port be voyde of displeasaunce,
To get frendes do your busines,
And be neuer without purueyaunce,
So shall ye best encrease in ryches:
In one alone may be no sykernes,
To your hart be dyuers of langage,
Contrary to Dydo yt was quene of Cartage.

Holde your seruauntes vnder obeysaunce,
Let them neuer haue fredome nor largenes,
But vnder daunger do their obseruaunce:
Daunt their pryde, them brydle wt lownes,
And whan the serpent of newefanglenes,
Assayleth you, do your aduauntage,
Contrary to Dydo y• was quene of Cartage.

¶ The .xiiii. Chapter.

☞How vycious Sardanapalus kyng of Assirie brent him selfe and his treasure.

OF Assirie to reken kynges all,
Whiche had that lande vnder sub­iection,
Last of all was Sardanapall,
Most feminyne of condicion:
Wherfore fortune hath him cast downe
And complaynyng most vgly of manere,
Next after Dydo to Bochas did appere.

To vycious lust his life he did enclyne,
Among Assyriens whan he his raigne gan:
Of false vsage he was so feminine,
That among women vpon the rocke he span,
In their habite disgysed from a man,
And of froward fleshly insolence,
Of all men he fledde the presence.

First this kyng chase to be his gyde
Mother of vyces called ydlenes,
Whiche of custome eche vertue set asyde,
In eche courte where she is maistresse,
Of sorow and mischefe is the first foundresse,
Which caused onely this Sardanapall
That to all goodnes his wittes did appall.

He founde vp first ryote and dronkennes,
Called a father of lust and lechery:
Hatefull of harte he was to sobernes,
Cherishyng surfetes, watche, and glotony:
Called in his time a prynce of baudry,
Founde reresuppers and fetherbeddes soft,
Drynke late, and chaunge his wines oft.

The ayre of meates and of baudy cokes,
Which of custome all day rost and sede,
Sauoure of spittes, ladels, and fleshe hokes
He loued well, and toke of them great hede:
And folke that dranke more than it was nede
Smellynge of wine for their great excesse,
With them to abide was holly his gladnes.

He thought also it did him good
To haue about him without skyll and right
Boystous bochers all bespreint with bloude,
And watry fishers abode aye in his syght:
Their coates poudred wt scales siluer bryght,
Dempt their odour duryng all his lyfe,
Was to his courage best preseruatyfe.

[Page]
For there was no herbe, spice, grasse, ne rote,
To him so lusty as was the bordelhouse:
Nor gardeyn none so holesome nor so sote,
To his pleasaunce, nor so delicious,
As the presence of folke lecherous:
And euer glad to speake of rybaudry,
And folke cheryshe that coulde flatter & lye.

Tyll at the last God of very right
Displeased was with his condicions,
Because he was in euery mannes sight
So feminyne in his affections,
And wholy yaue his inclinations
Duryng his life to euery vycious thing,
Terrible to heare and namely of a kyng.

But as Bochas list to put in minde,
Whan Arbactus a prince of great renowne,
Sawe of this kyng the fleshely lust blynde,
Made with the people of that region
Agaynst him a coniuration,
And to him sent for his misgouernaunce,
Of high disdayne a full playne defyaunce.

Bade him beware, & proudly to him tolde
That he him cast his vicious life to assaile,
And in all haste also that he woulde
Within a fielde mete him in battayle:
Wherof astonied his hart gan to fayle,
Where among womē he sate makyng gaudes
No wight about but flatterers and baudes.

And vp he rose and gan him selfe auaunce,
No company wt him but seruauntes ryotous,
Toke the felde without gouernaunce,
No men of armes but folkes vycious:
Whose aduersary called Arbactus,
Made him proudly the felde to forsake,
And like a cowarde his castell to take.

And for his hart frowardly gan fayle
Not like a knyght, but like a loseniour,
His riche pierrey, his royal apparayle,
His golde, his iewels, his vessell, & treasure,
Was brought afore him downe fro a toure
And of his palace, & yaue his men in charge
Of cole and fagot to make a fyre large:

In whiche he cast his treasoure and iewels,
More like a beast than a manly man,
And amyd his riches, stones, and vessels,
Into the fire furiously he ranne:
This triumphe Sardanapalus wanne,
Whiche fyre consumed for his finall mede,
Brent to ashes among the coles rede.

Tofore his death bade men should write
Vpon his graue, the boke dothe specify,
With letters large this reason for to endite:
My cursed life, my froward glotony,
Mine ydlenes, myne hatefull lechery
Hath caused me with many false desire,
My last dayes to be consumpt with fyre.

This epitaphe on his graue he set,
To shew how he in all his liue
Busyed euer to hinder and to let
All maner vertue, and theragayne to striue,
Who foloweth his trace is not like to thriue:
For whiche ye prynces se for your auayle,
Vengeaunce aye foloweth vyces at the tayle.

The .xv. Chapter.

¶ A commendation of Bochas, rehersing the vertuous names of foūders of diuers sciences and cunnynges in reprefe of ydlenes.

THere were other that list to prouide,
False fleshly lustes, and dissolutions,
Ryote, outrage, froward disdaine and pride
Vyces to enhaunce in their affections
With many vnlefull croked condicions,
Reason auoyding as I rehearse shall,
Them selues delityng for to be bestiall.

Two maner folkes to put in remembraunce,
Of vyce and vertue to put in a difference:
The good alway hath set their pleasaunce,
In vertuous labour to do their diligence,
And vycious people in slouth and negligence,
And the report of bothe is reserued,
With laude or lacke as they haue deserued.

Men must of ryght the vertuous preferre,
And truely prayse laboure and busines:
And agayn warde disprayse folke that erre,
Whiche haue no ioye but in ydlenes.
And to compate by maner of witnes▪
Vertuous folke, I will to mynde call,
In rebukyng of kyng Sardanapall.

THe olde wise called Pitagoras,
By soūd of hāmers, auctours certifye,
Example toke, and chefe master was
That founde out musyke and melody:
[Page li]Yet of Tuball some bokes specify,
That he bi stroke of smyths where thei stode
Founde first out musyke tofore Noes floude.

And Josephus remembreth by scripture,
That this Tuball could forge wele,
First ymagined makyng of armure,
With instrumentes of yron and of stele,
And their temprures he found out euery dele
Lucius Tarquyn in story as I finde,
Founde chaynes fyrst folke to fetter & binde.

The children of Seth, in story ye may se,
Flouryng in vertue by longe successions,
For to do profite to their posteritie,
And first the craft of heauenly mocions,
Founde of sundry starres the reuolucions,
Bequeth their cunnyng of great aduauntage,
To them that after came of their linage.

For their vertue god gaue them great cūnyng
Touching natures both of earth and heauen:
And it remembred sothly by writyng,
To lasten aye for water or for leuen.
Generations there were of them seuen,
Whiche for vertue wtout warre or strife,
Traueyled in cūnyng, durynge all their life.

And for that Adam did prophecy,
Twise the world destroyed should be,
With water ones, and stande in ieopardy,
Next with fire, whiche no man might flee:
But Seths children that all this did see,
Made two pyllers where men might graue,
From fire and water the charects for to saue.

That one was made of tyles harde ybake,
Fro touche of fire to saue the scripture:
Of harde marble they did another make,
Against water strongly to endure,
To saue of letters the prynt and the figure.
For their cunnyng afore gan so prouide,
Agayne fire & water perpetually to abyde.

They dempt their cunnyng had ben in veyne,
But folke with them had ben partable,
And for their laboure should after be seyne,
They it remembred by wrytyng full notable,
And tofore god a thing full commendable,
To them that folow by scripture and writyng
Or that men dye depart their cunnyng.

For by olde time folke diuers craftes founde,
In sundry wise for occupacion,
Vertue to cherishe, vyces to confounde,
Their witte they set and their entencien,
To put their laboure in execution,
And to outrage, this is very trouth,
Fro mannes life negligence and slouth.

Olde Enoke full famous of vertue
Duryng the age, founde first of euerich one
Through his prudence, letters of Hebrue,
And in a piller they were kept of stone,
Till that the floude of Noe was gone:
And after him Cam was the seconde,
By whom mo of Hebrue letters was founde.

And Cathacrismus the first was that fande,
Letters also, as of that langage,
But letters written by Gods owne hande,
Moses first toke, moste bright of his vysage,
Vpon Syna as he helde his passage.
Whiche of carectes and names in sentence,
From other writyng had a difference.

Eke afterward as other bokes tell,
And saint Hierome rehearseth in his style,
Vnder the empyre of zorobabell,
Esdras of Hebrue gan letters first compyle:
And Abraham long erst a great while
The first was in bokes men may se,
That found letters of Ciria and Calde.

Isys in Egypt founde diuersitie
Of sundry letters parted into twaine,
First for priestes and for the comontie,
Vulgar letters she did also ordayne,
And Fenices did their busy payne
Letters of Greke to finde in their entent,
Whiche that Cadmus first into Grece sent.

Whiche in number fully were seuentene.
Whan of Troy ended was the battayle,
Pallamides their langage to sustene,
Put thre therto whiche greatly did auayle.
Pitagoras for prudent gouernaile,
Founde first out y, a figure to discerne,
The life here short & the life that is eterne.

First latin letters of our a. b .c.
Carmentes founde of full high prudence,
Great Omerus in Isidor ye may see,
Founde amonge Grekes craft of eloquence:
First in Rome by souerayne excellence,
Of Rethoryke Tullius founde the stoures,
Plea and defence of subtill oratours.

[Page]
Callicrates a grauer most notable,
Of white yuore did his busines,
His hande, his eye, so iust were and so stable,
Of an ampt to graue out the likenes,
Vpon the ground as nature doth him dresse.
This craft he founde, as Sardanapall
Founde ydlenes mother of vyces all.

Of a scriueyn Bochas maketh mencion,
How in a scrowe of little quantitye,
Wrote of all Croy the destruction,
Folowyng Omerus by great subtiltye.
Whiche is had among grekes in great daintie
Because he was founde in his writyng,
So compendious the story rehearsyng.

Archimides made a chare also,
And a small shyp with all the apparayle,
So that a Bee might close them both two
Vnder his wings, which is a great maruaile
And nothing sene of all the whole entayle.
This craft he founde of vertuous busines,
To eschue the vyce of froward ydlenes.

Pan god of kynde with his pypes seuen
Of recorders, founde first the melodyes
Of Mercury that sit so hye in heauen,
First in his harpe founde sugred armonies.
Holsom wines through fined from their lyes
Bacchus founde first on vines heauy lade,
Licour of lycours, courages for to glade.

Perdry by compas founde tryangle & lyne,
And Euclyd first founde Geometrye:
And Phebus founde the craft of medicine,
Al [...]umasar founde astronomy,
And Mynerua gan chares first to gye.
Iason first sayled, in story it is tolde,
Toward Colchos to winne the flece of gold.

Ceres the goddesse founde first tylth of londe,
D [...]onysius triumphes transitory:
And Bellona by force first out fonde,
Conquest by knighthode, & in the field victory
And Martis sonne as put is in memory,
Called Etholus founde speres sharpe & kene,
To runne in warre in plates bryght & shene.

Eke Aristeus founde out the vsage
Of mylke and cruddes, and of hony sote,
Piroydes for great aduauntage
Fro flyntes smote fyre daryng in the rote.
And Pallas whiche yt may to colde do bote
Founde out weauyng this is very sothe,
Through yet prudence of all maner clothe.

And fido founde first out the science
Of measures and of proporcions,
And for marchauntes did his diligence
To finde balaunces by iust diuisions,
To auoyde all fraude in cities and in townes,
On nouther party, playnly to compyle,
Of true weyght that there were no gyle.

Compare in order clerely all these thinges,
Founde of olde tyme by diligent trauayle,
To the pleasaunce of prynces and kynges,
To shewe how much cunnyng may auayle:
And wey again warde ye froward aquitayle,
Contrariously how Sardanapall,
Founde ydlenes mother of vyces all.

Let princes all hereof take hede,
What auayleth vertuous busines:
And what damage the reuerse dothe in dede▪
Vycious life, slouthe, and ydlenes.
And these examples let them eke empresse
Amyd their harte, and howe Sardanapall,
Founde ydlenes, mother of vyces all.

¶ Lenuoy.

NOble prynces here ye may well se,
As in a myrrour of full clere euidence,
By many examples more than two or thre,
What harme foloweth of slouth & negligence
Depe imprintyng in your aduertence,
How great hindring doth wilful frowardnes
To your estate through vycyous ydlenes.

Whan reason fayleth, and sensualitye
Holdeth the brydle of lecherous insolence,
And sobernes hath lost his libertie,
And to false lust is done the reuerence:
And vyce of vertue hath an apparence,
Misleadeth prynces of wilfull retchlesnes,
To great errour of froward ydlenes.

¶ The .xvi. Chapter.

¶ How Amazias in Iuda king, for pride and presumption was vainquished in battaile, and after slayne.

IN his study as Bochas sate musyng,
With many an vncouth solemne fantasy,
To him appeared many a mighty kyng,
[Page lii]And tofore all came worthy Amazie:
His sonne also that called was Ozie,
Of Dauids bloud discended as I rede,
Eche after other in Juda to succede.

First Amazias complayned on fortune
Causing his grcuous great aduersities,
The traytoresse called in commune,
These kinges twayne castyng frō their sees:
Whose ouerturnyng from their dignities,
Vnware fallyng, dreadfull and terrible,
Ben ceriously remembred in the bible.

Their ende men may there reade and se,
How fortune their fates did entrete:
Wherfore to eschue and flye prolixitie
Of tedious thing, in this processe to lete,
And in substaunce to glea [...]e out the grete
Of their fallyng, I purpose not to spare,
Compendiously the causes to declare.

This Amazias hauyng gouernaunce
By  [...]ust tytle of succession▪
The scepter of Iuda wt all y• whole puissaūce
Full peasably helde in his possession:
Tyll that pryde and false presumption,
Most frowardly did his hart embrace,
Whiche all at ones made him lose his grace.

In hart he had a maner vayne glory,
Because that god made him to preuayle
In his conquest, and to haue victory
Amale [...]hites to vaynquyshe in battayle,
Eke Gabanites as he them did assayle:
Purposyng after if he might,
With Israelites of pryde for to fight.

Vnto kyng Joas of Israell he sent
Him cōmaundyng to obey his byddynge,
And be like subiecte as were in their entent
His predecessours in all maner thing,
Whilom to Dauid the noble worthy kyng,
This was his sonde to Joas plat & playne,
Whiche by a problē thus wrote to him agayn.

THe vgly thistle of the vales lowe,
Proudly presumyng aboue his degre,
To make hys pryde openly be knowe,
Sent hys message to the Cedre tre,
That his sonne might wedded be
To his daughter, althoughe in substaunce
Atwene them two was a great dis [...]ordauu [...]e

But of the forest the beastes sauagyne
In their courages had therof disdeyne,
All of assent fyersely dyd enclyne,
The thystle leaues abrode vpon the pleyne:
That there was nether lease nor pricke seyne
This was the problē which Joas by writing
Sent in a pistle to Amazie the king.

BVt Josephus in his origynall,
The sayd epistle as he doth expresse
Sayth of the vale how the pouder small
Of pryde sent to the hygh Cypresse,
That his daughter of excellent fayrenes,
Vnto his sonne playnely to discryue,
Myght be deliuered and haue her to wyue.

But a fel beast which beside stode,
Of cruell yre and indignacion,
With fete disdaynyng ye pouder cast abrode,
Hygh in the apre about him enuyron:
The whyche ensample conceyued of reason
Who that attempteth to clymbe hygh aloft,
With unware chaunge his fall is full vnsoft.

Atwene the Cedre of trees so royal,
And a sharpe thystle is no conuenience:
Nor twene a cypresse estately founde at all,
And lothsome pouder is a great difference.
For royall bloud should haue no assistence
To be ioyned nor  [...]yt in mariage,
With such as bē brought forth of low parage

The Cedre is stronge & mighty of substaūce,
In his vpgrowynge ryght as any lyne:
And tho the thystle haue spottes of pleasaūce,
He hath eke pryckes small as any spyne.
And bothe natures playnly to termine,
The Cedre of kynde who loketh well about,
To no thystle should his braunches loute.

 [...]olesome of odoure is the faire Cypresse,
As bokes tell and vertuous of kynde:
Dust and pouder playnly to expresse,
Troubleth the ayre and maketh folkes blynd
For whiche in spousayle cōuenient to fynde,
Let estates of their byrthe honourable,
Voyde al rascaly and wedde their semblable

But Amazias woulde not beware
For no warnyng nor for no prophecy,
But styll in hart great hatred bare
Agayne kyng Joas, of malyce and enuy.
Into a felde brought all his chyualry,
[Page]Gadred them out bothe nere and farre,
Ayenst gods will on him to gyn a warre.

And king Joas full like a worthy knyght,
Into the felde fast gan him spede:
And all the knyghtes of Juda anone ryght,
With stroke of vengeaunce wt a sodain drede,
To bid them flye god wot it was no nede:
And Amazias for all his great pryde,
Stode destitute, and no man by his syde.

With him was none left of all his meynie,
So god and Joas agaynst him wrought:
Of Jerusalem entred the citye,
And Amazie of force with him he brought.
And in the temple the treasure out he sought,
Golde and siluer and wholy their riches,
And to Samaria home he gan him dresse.

And Amazias he let out of pryson
After all this, and suffred him go fre,
To his mischefe and his confusion,
And he was deliuered from his captiuitie:
For slayne he was in Lachis the citye,
Among his frendes by dissimulation,
His death conspyred vnder full false treason,

The .xvii. Chapter.

☞ How vpon Ozias succeadyng kyng nexte in Iuda god toke vengeaunce & smote him with leprie.

AFter in Juda the mighty region,
Next Amazias Ozias gan succede,
Wonder manlye and famous of renoun,
In all his workes full prouident in dede:
And of his knighthode vaiquished as I rede
The Palestines, for all their great puissaūce,
With all Ambie he brought vnto vttraunce.

Builded townes and many a strong citye,
And vnto Egypt he his bondes set,
Made castels besydes the redde see,
And in his conquest whom that euer he met,
Of manly pryde he woulde let:
I meane all tho that were his aduersaries,
To his lordshyp to make them tributaries.

He did his labour also to repare,
Jerusalem after his ruyne,
The walles reared which on y• soyle lay bare
Made newe towers ryght as any lyne,
Fanes of golde their turretes to enlumine,
And to force them, let workmen vndertake,
Square bastiles and bulwarkes to make.

He delited to make freshe gardeynes,
Diuers grayne and herbes for to knowe:
Reioysed to plante sundrye vynes,
To graffe trees and sedes for to sowe.
And straunge fruits maketh thē grow arow
And wt him had his enemyes to encumber,
Thre hundred thousand manly men in nūber.

His noble fame gan to sprede wyde,
And greatly dreade for his prowes:
Wherthrough his hart corrupted with pride,
Because onely of his great riches,
And frowardly he did his busines
For to maligne in estate royall,
Agaynst the lorde whiche is immortall.

To god aboue he gan waxe obstynate,
That by processe full small he did winne:
And sauour caught in his royall estate,
To folow his father in vnthrifty synne,
That grace & vertue from him did twynne,
In most shinyng of his magnificence,
Fortune proudly assayled his excellence.

Cast she would within a little while,
His surquedy and frowarde pride assayle:
And full vnwarely deceyue him and begyle,
To make his power to appall and fayle:
Whan that this kyng toke on the apparayle
Of a bishop of very frowardnes,
And to the temple proudly gan him dresse,

Beyng in purpose on a solemne day,
To take his waye vp to the hye alter,
Falsly vsurpyng whosoeuer sayde nay,
To sacrifyce holdyng the censere,
Tofore the alter that shone of golde so clere,
For whiche offence (the bible sayth the same)
Azarias the bishop did him blame.

Gan withstand him in the face anone,
Fourscore priestes beyng in presence
Of the kynred discended of Aaron,
Whiche forbade him and made resistence,
That with his hande he should put incence
Vpon the aulter against gods lawe,
Him chargyng boldly his presence to wtdraw

But of despite he made them hold their pees,
In payne of death began them manace:
And sodaynly among all the prees,
[Page liii]An earthquaue fill in the same place,
And therwithall in the kinges face,
Of the sunne there smote a beame so bryght,
That all his face was scorched wt the light.

He wared a leper foule and right horible,
For his offence as god list ordayne:
To euery man of loke he was terrible,
And but fewe his mischiefe gan complaine.
And a great hill ye same hour carft on twayne
Not farre aside from the towne without,
Cities destroying that stode rounde about.

On kyng Ozie god toke this vengeaunce,
For all his lordship and his magnificence,
To punishe his pride and frowarde puissaūce
And brought him lowe for his great offence,
For his person was put out of presence,
Perpetually as holy writ can tell,
Farre from all people wt lepers for to dwell.

His fleshe was troubled with diuers passiōs,
For his sickenes auoyded the citye,
In crye and sorowe and lamentacions,
His lise he lad in great aduersitie:
And so he dyed in sorowe and pouertie.
Simply buried for all his great myght,
Within an ylande that stode farre out of sight

¶ The .xviii. Chapter.

¶ In exhortation to Prynces to be aduised to do agaynst Goddes preceptes.

LEt prynces all in their prouidence,
Be right wel ware any thing to attame
Whiche vnto God should be offence,
Lest that the fyne conclude to their shame.
Let them thinke for all their noble fame,
But they repent god of his iustice,
Their froward pryde vnwarely will chastice

Let them beware of malyce to presume
Againe his churche to do o [...]encion,
For god of right all tyrantes will consume,
In full short tyme for their presumption:
Whiche will not suffer theyr dominacion
To enterrupt for all their great myght,
Nor breke the fraūches of holy churche ryght.

To prudent prynces whiche can discerne,
Let kyng Ozias considryng his offence,
Be in your mynde a myrrour and lanterne,
To holy churche to do due reuerence,
And conce [...]ue in their magnificence,
God will of ryght be they neuer so s [...]ng,
Chastyce theyr malyce though he  [...]yde long.

¶ The .xix. Chapter.

How kyng Oseas was taken by kyng Salmanazer and dyed in pryson.

THere was another that called was Osce,
Which whilom raygned as I affirme dare
In Israell, whom fortune by enuy,
Made him be take or he was ware,
Besyeged about of kyng Salmanas are:
And into Assirie vnder his daunger,
The bible telleth he was a prysoner.

His cityes and townes brought to destruction
And all his people vnder longe seruage,
Were take and kept in stronge Babilon,
Suffred there great payne and domage:
And in pryson by furious outrage
This sayd Oseas in chaynes bounde sore,
For sorowe dyed of hym write I no more.

The .xx. Chapter.

¶ Howe Senacheryb kynge of Assirie slewe him selfe.

WIth these forsayde wofull kynges three,
Senacheryb of Assirye kyng,
Came to Bochas most vglye to se,
Full piteously his fate complaynyng:
And specially hys vnware chaungyng
He gan bewayle oppressed in his thought,
From hye nobles how he came to nought.

His renowne sprade through many a reme,
And all people gan hym magnifye:
A siege he layed vnto Jerusalem,
In the tyme of kyng Sedechye.
But in hys most frowarde surquedy,
Gods aungell tofore the citye,
An hundred .M. slough of his meyny.

And the more to make hym aferde,
Amyd of hys people the selfe same nyght
Gods aungell shoue away his berde
With a sharpe sworde that shone full bryght:
Left hys siege and toke hym vnto flyght,
And in a temple hys gods worshyppynge,
Slough him selfe as he sate knelyng.

[Page]

¶ The .xxi. Chapter.

¶ How king Sedechy as for false for swearyng was slayne, and made blinde in pryson.

TOuching y• cōplaynt of kyng Sedechy
And of his sorowes to shew y• manere,
Holy write doth clerely specify:
Wherfore it were but vayne to tell them here,
For there men the processe may playnly lere,
How Joachim kyng of Jerusalem,
His owne brother was led out of his reame.

Wherof in hart he felt full great sore
This Sedechias as it is there founde,
Because the kyng Nabugodonosor
His brother helde strong in pryson bounde,
Fully in purpose the Jewes to confounde:
For this tyrant had in that mortall strife,
His bothers children in pryson and his wyfe.

And yet this tyrant in his tyranny,
This fauour did in his fell rage
Vnto this most wofull Sedechy,
To suffer him rayne in his great age:
From yere to yere to pay him a truage
By fayth and othe▪ and composition,
Raysed of his people and brought to Babilon

Yet Sedechias in especiall
By a maner of false felicitie,
Hym selfe reioysed in his see royall
To occupy that noble dignitie:
And so forgate the great aduersitie
Of his brother, and other frendes all,
Touching the mischefe that they were in fall.

Of pryde he fell into presumption,
Whan he remēbred his brother & his lynage,
Considered how fro kyng Salomon
He was discended by title of heritage,
Gan disdayne to pay his truage,
And to maligne in hart he was so wrothe,
And falsly brake his assuraunce and his othe.

He had a maner indignacion,
Whiche he caught of olde remembraunce
How tyme passed to kyng Salomon
By hys manly prudent gouernaunce,
Kinges about for a recognisaunce
Payed trybute, and durst it not wythsay,
Fro yere to yere his nobles to obay.

Whiche thing remembred of kyng Sedechi [...],
As he wext great & stronge in puissaunce,
Of hye disdayne his tribute gan denye,
Set aside his fayth and assuraunce,
So that his othe stode in no substaunce:
For he agaynst the kyng of Babilon,
Presumptuously fyll in rebellion.

And his kyngdome to strength and fortify,
Thought he woulde to his aduauntage
The kyng of Egypt haue on his party:
Of pryde he fell into so great outrage
That he no more woulde pay his truage,
But fynally suche wayes he hath sought,
That of his othe little he ne rought.

But wo alas it is a dolefull thing
To be remembred in hye or lowe degre,
That any prynce or any worthy kyng
Should false his othe or vntrue be,
Or that men should suche variaunce se
In their courages whiche ben so hye borne,
For any cause falsly to be forsworne.

By reporte it dothe their fame trouble,
Infortuneth and clipseth their nobles,
Whan a prince is of his heste double,
And chargeth not of wilfull rechlesnes,
Al be his promisse conclude on doublenes,
Though god awhile suffer them and respite.
At vnset houre their falsenes he will quyte.

His warnyng oft he sent to them afore
Because they lackt prudent policy,
Recorde I take of Nabugodonosor,
Whiche came vnware on kyng Sedechye,
For he his tribute gan falsely him denye:
With all his power as it did abrayed,
To Jerusalem a mighty siege layed.

They within constrayned were of nede
The kyng him self, there was no better defēce
With mans fleshe his people for to fede,
While the Caldeys by mighty vyolence
Of very force without resistence,
On false forswearyng for to take wreke,
Their mighty towers & their walles breke.

To slea and kyll they list none to spare,
Who soeuer they met or came in their  [...]ight:
Sedechias left the towne all bare,
But take he was as he him toke to flyght,
In chaynes bounde and fettred anone ryght,
In whose presēce tencrease his paines anone
[Page liiii]His yonge children were slayne euerichone.

His wyues most wofull in their cheres,
Whiche in their tyme goodly were and fayre,
Deliuered were in handes of straungeres,
And more, alas, to put him in dispayre,
Into his kyngdome neuer to haue repayre,
With sharpe tonges it was to great a payne
Out of his head was rent his eyen twayne.

Of Jerusalem his citye was brent,
Playne to the grounde into ashes dede.
His great riches his treasour wholy sent
To Babilon, with stones blewe and rede,
Vessels of golde whiche richest were in dede,
Without mercy or remission,
Caldeis toke to their possession.

And thus in sorowe and in wretchednes
He dyed alas fettred in pryson,
Lo here the ende of periury and falsenes,
Lo how fortune can turne vp so doun
Of mortall men the condicion:
Now richest shynyng in hye prosperitie,
With vnware chaūge to hatefull pouertie.

Now men lift vp to royall dignities,
Now hye aloft by fulsum aboundaunce,
But what auayleth to syt in royall sees,
To folke that haue therin none assuraunce▪
Namely whan fortune holdeth the balaunce,
Whiche aye of custome vnto hye estates,
Hath a false ioy to shewe her checkmates.

Recorde I take of prynces more then one,
Their wofull fates hangyng in ieopardy,
Remembred late, and amonge eche one
The wofull fall of kyng Amazie:
His sonne eke lepre whiche called was Ozie,
And last of all how in Babylon,
Kyng Sedechias dyed in pryson.

¶ Lenuoy.

NOble prynces consider the fallas
Of fortunes frowarde flattery,
Sith her disceits in many diuers caas
How she first mocked manly Amazy,
Whiche slayne was for his surquedy,
To yeue you warning by exāple ye may rede
Whā ye sit hyghest your fall is most to drede.

And as it is remembred in Bochas,
Eke in the Bible, of king Ozie,
In his time how famous that he was
Bothe of ryches and of chyualry,
Punished with lepre bokes specify,
For his presuming, remēbryng this in dede
Whan ye syt highest your fall is most to drede

All worldly glory flyeth  [...]ence a pas
I take wytnes of kyng Sedechye,
For false forsweryng he slayne was, alas,
Made blynde in pryson the story can not lye:
Thus sheweth fortune through her frowarde enuy
To you prynces if ye list take hede,
Whā ye sit hyest your fal is most to drede.

¶ The .xxii. Chapter.

☞ How kyng Astiages laboured to disherite Cyrus, but god suffred his malice not to preuayle.

AFter these kinges one folowed in y• prees
And to Bochas his cōplat [...]t can discure,
He was called the great Astiages,
Whiche tolde in order his vncouth auenture:
Lorde of Asye, as bokes vs assure,
And had of treasure duryng all his life,
Aboue all kynges a prerogatyfe.

Most fortunate in all his gouernayle,
Felt of fortune none aduersitie,
Saue an heyre male nothing did him fayle:
For he most gloriously sate in his se,
Of worldly wealth he lacked no plente,
Except onely as clarkes on him wryte,
He had no sonne his kyngdome to enherite.

Whiche to his wealthe was great distres,
Least succession fayled in his lyne:
A daughter had he called Mundanes,
Out of whose wombe as bokes determyne,
He dreampt on a nyght howe he sawe a vyne,
In his auysyon with him so it stode,
Ouer all Asye his braunches spred abrode.

He had also a reuelation
Slepyng a nyght after his soupere,
Though he not knewe the exposicion,
He thought he sawe a cristallyn ryuere,
With lustye waters as any Beryll clere,
Out of her wombe with his stremes fresh,
The soyle of Asye make tender and neshe.

Touchyng this riuer and this lusty vyne,
To hym shewed in his auysion,
Within him selfe he coulde not termyne
[Page]Therof to finde no clere cōclusion:
Without some maner exposicion,
To him declared by folkes in sentence,
Whiche of suche dreames had experience.

To him he called his astronomers,
His phylosophers, and his deuynours,
That knew the meanyng of the nine spheres,
Images of stars, their houses & their towers
And such as were expert expositours:
And they were assembled euerychone,
Touching his dreme they corded all in one.

To tell him trouth they were not retchles,
Said his daughter frō whō there came a vine
She that by name was called Mundanes,
Should haue discendyng from her lyne,
Whose noble fame through Asia should shine:
Whiche should put through his renoun,
Him by force of armes out of his region.

This was his fate he might it not refuse,
The heauenly cours but it did fayle:
Wherupon he sore gan to muse,
Suche fantasies did his hart assayle.
Fill in great doubt of their diuy [...]ayle,
Thought he woulde make purueyaunce,
For to withstande gods ordinaunce.

Full harde it is to make resistence
Again thīg ordeined whē god will that it be,
And namely there where as influence,
Of heauen aboue hath shape a destiny.
Some men record that no man may it fle,
The dome of this where it holde or flyt,
To astronomers all wholy I commit.

This sayde kynge of whom I spake but late,
Cast he woulde for his aduauntage
The ordinaunce reuerse, and the fate,
Of the heauen with all the surplusage:
And yeue his daughter as in mariage,
To sum vnworthy pore infortunate,
That neuer were likely to rise to hie estate.

And in this wise kyng Astyages
Maried his daughter as in his entent,
To one vnworthy called Cambyses:
Demyng therby by short auisement,
Within him selfe that he was ryght prudent:
Wening y• nobles came by discent of bloude,
And not by grace, nor as the heauen stode.

In his reason was not comprehended,
How Socrates master of Platon,
Of full low bed by birthe was discended,
And not to enherite kingdome nor regyon:
But for to haue fully possession
Of morall vertue and philosophy,
Duryng his life his witte he did apply.

He sought countreys for wisdome and science
And secrete cūnyng to serche he did his payne:
And he founde out through his diligence,
This philosopher as bokes assertayne,
To ioye reserued outher to payne,
By grace of god whiche is eternal,
How mens soules be founde aye immortall.

The great Appollo in bokes it is founde,
Gaue iudgement of equitie and ryght
That Socrates in vertue most habounde,
And most preferred in euery mans sight,
Was called of wisdome the lanterne and light
And wisest named at euen and at prime,
Of philosophers that were in his tyme.

The poete also called Euripedes,
Most honourable named in that age,
All be his mother of lyfe was retchles,
And contagious through vycious outrage,
Yet was this poete for all his vyle lynage,
Most vertuous founde at all assayes,
Of all poetes that were in his dayes.

Called in his tyme a great tragician,
Bicause he wrote many tragedyes:
And woulde of trouth spare no maner man,
But them rebuke in his poetries.
Touching the vices of fleshly fantasies,
Cōplayn in princes theyr dedes most horrible
A [...]d eche thyng punyshe that was odible.

Another called clarke Domosthenes,
The most subtyll rethorician,
And most inuentyfe among all the prees,
That euer was sythe the worlde began:
Al be of byrth he was a pore man,
Yet had he most souerayne excellence,
Among philosophers of speach and eloquence

By whiche example me semeth doubtles,
That royall bloude nor hye lynage
To mens byrthe yeueth but small encres,
Nor vnto vertue but little auauntage:
For hye nobles taketh not his courage
Of riche, nor pore, nor states souerayne,
But of his grace as god list ordayne.

[Page lv]
Wherefore of foly kynge Astiages
Contrariously agayne al gentry,
Bad that his doughter called Mundanes,
Fyrst whan folke wyth chylde her dyd espy,
For to accomplyshe his froward fantasy,
Whan it was borne charging aboue althing,
Of Ar [...]anie to beare it to the ky [...]e

Whych in that tyme was called Harpagus,
And as I fynd he dyd in vertue floure:
And spyte had, the story telleth thus,
That beastes shoulde the litel childe deuou [...]:
But god that may in mischefe best socoure,
To kepe the chyld was not recheles,
Agaynst the malice of kynge Astyages,

Which had commaūded of malice & hatred,
Howe that this chylde grene & tendre of age,
By Harpagus shoulde be cast in dede,
To be deuoured of beastes most sauage:
But for he drede to do so great outrage,
To his shepeherde, himselfe to stand at large,
The chylde to slee he fully yaue the charge.

This heerdman al be that he was loth
To execute this woful auenture,
In to a forest forth wyth the chylde he goeth,
And gaue to beastes that litle creature:
Whom to foster by grace agaynst nature,
A wylde bytche her whelpes there forsoke,
And to her pappes the litel childe she toke.

And wt her mylke she made hym sup and dine,
And busy was for hym to enchace
Wyld foules, and beastes sauagyne,
That none ne durst nyghe to that place:
Lo, how that god dispose can his grace,
Innocentes fro mischefe to preserue,
Agayne false enuy whych would make them sterue.

O blode vnkynde founde in kynred,
For couetise O blode disnatural,
Of false malyce O blode ful of hatred,
To murdre a chyld borne of the stocke royal:
Where mannes reason is turned beastiall,
Falsy transfourmed vnto cruelte,
To slee a chylde, where beastes haue pyte.

The sely herde hath tolde his wyfe the case,
And she anone of pitye dyd aryse:
With her husbande went a ful great pase,
In to the forest, beholdyng al the gyse,
As here to fore ye haue herde deuyse.
Seyng the chylde with lippes tendre & softe,
The bytches pappes how he sokte ful ofte.

The sayd heerde called Sparagos,
His wyfe also of whom tofore I tolde,
This yong childe toke in their depose:
And in her armes  [...]he softly gan it folde,
And he ful goodly her face gan beholde.
And on his maner the same whyle,
In chyldly wyse on her gan to smyte.

The childes laughter whan she dyd aduert,
With al her hole faythful diligence
She gan to cherishe it, & wyth al her herte
She yaue it soke with ful great reuerence,
All be the bytche made resistence,
Complayninge stode fully at a bay,
The lytel chylde whan she sawe led away.

Ful pitiously she gan to houle and crye,
At their departynge, dolefully complayne:
And after them ful fast gan to hye,
The childe to let she felt so great a payne.
Lo, howe that god of mercy can ordayne,
A cruel beast such sorowe for to make,
And so to mourne for a chyldes sake.

But euery thyng y• god wyll haue preserued,
May not fayle to stand in si [...]ernesse,
His secrete domes ben to hym selfe reserued
There can no man expowne thē as I gesse:
For he shope fyrst that this sheperdesse
Of Sparagos the true pore wyfe,
For to be meane to saue the childes lyfe.

Home to her house the childe she led anone,
And it to fostre dyd her busines:
Of other salary god wote knewe she none,
Saue that her hert thereto dyd her dresse.
And more entierly ye story beareth wytnesse
She tendred h [...]m, & wyth more busy cure,
Than him y• was her chylde borne of nature.

And as the story plainly doth expresse,
This yonge chylde as he wext in age,
Fro day to day encreased in noblesse,
Lyke for to be ryght manly of corage:
Cyrus he was called in that langage,
To say in latyn playnly in substa [...]c [...],
A man yborne to great enheritaunce.

And whan the renowne of his excellence,
By longe processe & of hys great encres,
Came by reporte vnto the audience
Of his ayel the great  [...]stiages,
[Page]And how the kyng was found rechles
Called Harpagus, for to do vengeaunce
On yong Cirus, he fyll in displesaunce.

This is to meane Astiages was wroth
That Harpagus was founde merciable
Cyrus to saue, and for that he was lothe
Agaynst all ryght for to be vengeable:
To slee a chylde a thyng not commendable,
Demyng of trouth in his conscience,
God was not payed to murdre innocence.

Astiages cast hym to be wreke
On Harpagus by false collusion,
Because that his bidding he did breke,
And was contrary to his entencion
Cyrus to slee agayne all reason:
And for that cause Astiages I rede,
Of Harpagus let sley the chylde in dede.

This is to say by false compassyng,
And couert murder wrought by Astiages,
The sonne was slayne of Harpagus the king
And after rosted, alas, ful causeles,
And syth presented amonge all the prees
Tofore his father, a thynge most lamētable,
With Astiages as he sate at the table.

But whan this kyng called Harpagus,
Conceyued hath this murdre most terrible,
And howe his sonne & heire was slaine thus,
In his ire most furious and odible
In al the hast that it was possible
He is repayred home to his housholde,
And al the case to Cyrus he hath tolde.

And how his sonne was slayne for his sake,
In the most hateful odious cruelte.
Exciting him with him to vndertake
On this false murdre auenged for to be,
To him declaringe of trouth & equite,
Howe he was borne by discent in dede,
As ryght heire to reigne in Perce & Mede.

To him declaryng the story by and by
First of the dreme of Astiages,
And howe that he by fraude ful falsly
Made his doughter called Mundanes,
Porely to be wedded vnto Cambises,
Which was his mother, & how in tedre age
He was out cast to beastes ful fauage▪

By a shepherde and sheperdesse
Fostred he was in great pouerte,
And brought from beastes out of wyldernes,
Bycause god woulde he saued should be:
For thilke lorde which euery thynge may se,
Whan that he hath a thyng afore disposed
Nedes it must fal & may not be deposed.

This said Cirus at his natiuite,
Ordeyned was by reuolucion
Of the heuenly spheres in numbre thrise thre,
So stode that tyme his constellacion,
That he shoulde haue the dominacion,
Ouer al Asye by influence deuyne,
Afore fygured by spredyng of the vyne.

What may y• fraude of sleyghty folke auayle,
Innocentes to put out of their ryght?
Though trouth be hyd amonges the poraile
Harde brought forth & dare nor shewe lyghte,
Yet god wyl ordayne that the beames bryght
Shal some one day shewe out his clerenes,
Maugre al tho that wold his title oppresse.

For this Cirus as clerkes of him write,
Was by the tytle of his mothers syde,
Borne to be kyng al Asye to enherite,
Al be his ayel from him woulde it deuide:
But god that can for trouth best prouide,
Hath for Cirus by processe so ordayned,
That he of Asye the lordship hath attained.

Cirus y• time was growen vp wel of length,
Wel proporcioned of membres & stature,
Wonder deliuer & passynge of great strength,
Straunge emprises proudly to endure,
And to ieoparte and put in auenture
His owne person, the fame was of hym so,
Was none more lykely where men had ado.

And by the counsayle of kyng Harpagus,
Whan this Cirus was wel woxe in age,
With Perciens proude and surquedous,
And Archanites cruel of corage,
For to recure his ryghtful heritage,
Began wt Cyrus armed wyth plate & mayle
Wyth Astiages to holde batayle.

And he agaynewarde gan to take hede,
And with him toke many a worthy knyght,
With al the puissaunce of the land of Mede,
Hath take the felde the same day forth righte,
To disherite Cyrus of his ryght:
But god & trouth was atwene thē twayne
Egal iuge, their quarel to darayne.

[Page lvi]
The felde ordayned & splaied their baneres,
On eyther party ful proudly on they set:
At thassemblyng lyke lyons of their cheres,
In the face as they freshly met
With round speares sharpe groūde & whet
Tyl y• Cirus of grace more than nombre.
Of his ayel the party dyd encombre.

This mighty Cirus this yonge champion,
Throughout y• felde gan such slaughter make
With his knightes as he went vp & downe,
That as the deth, his fomen hym forsake:
Astiages vnder his baner take,
The felde vēquished for al his veynglorye,
To shewe that right hath alway the victory.

A man of malice may a thyng purpose
By a maner frowarde prouidence,
But god aboue can graciously dispose
Agayne such malice, to make resistence.
Men for a while may suffer violence,
And wronges great, where so yt they wende,
But trouth alway venquisheth at the ende.

Astiages foūde ful soth his dreame,
Though he agayne it made purueyaunce,
To haue depriued Cirus of his reame,
He was disceyued of his ordinaunce:
For where that god through his puisaunce
Lyst for heires iustly to prouyde,
Sleyght of man in such case is set aside.

Maugre the myght of Astiages,
Cyrus on hym made a discomfiture,
And al Asye reioysed eke in pees,
Of very right as was his aduenture:
And by iust title he dyd also recure
The land of Mede, lyke as was his fate,
And in to Perce he dyd it hole translate.

Agayne his ayel he was not vengeable,
Which had wrought to his distruction:
But was to him benygne and merciable,
And graunted hym of hole affection
The fourth part of the region
Of Archany, of whych afore I tolde,
Hym to sustayne in his dayes olde.

For kyng Cyrus would not in his lyue
Suffre his ayel, of very gentylnes,
That men should him finally depriue
Of kingly honour, for none vnkindnes:
To yeue ensample to princes in sothnes,
Though god in erth haue yeuen thē myght,
They shoulde aye mercy medle wt the righte.

¶ Lenuoye.

NOble princes your eares do encline
And considre in your discrecions,
Howe dreames shewed by influence deuyne,
Be not lyke sweuenes, but lyke auysions,
Or resemble to reuelacions:
Which though mē wold disturbe & make faile
God wyl not suffer their malice to preuayle,

Astiages dempt he sawe a vyne
Shewed of trouth and none illusions,
From his doughters wombe ryght as lyne
Spred in Asye ouer the regions,
But to dish exite by false collusyons
Yong Cirus the kynge dyd his trauaile,
But god not suffred his malice to preuayle.

Princes remembre that in honour shine
Vpon this story in your entencions,
And be well willed where god lyst forther a line
Outher to riches or dominacions:
To fauer them to their promocions,
Be not contrary in your acquitaile
Syth god wyll suffre no malice to preuaile.

The .xxiii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Candalus kynge of Lyde was made cokolde and after slayne.

WHile Jhon Bochas cast hys loke a­side,
In hys study as he sate writinge,
To hys presence came the kynge of Lyde
Called Candalus, ful pitiously playninge:
With slate teares ful lowly besechinge,
That he woulde to swage his greuaunce,
His deedly sorowe put in remembraunce.

Hys complaint was most of vnkyndnes,
For false deceite against al skil & right,
That where his trust was most of gētilnes
He mocked was, for al his great might:
For of his house there was a certaine knight
Gyges called, thinge shameful to be tolde,
To speke plaine englishe, made him cokolde.

Alas I was not auised wel beforne,
[Page]Vnkonnyngly to speake such langage,
I should haue sayde how y• he had a [...] horne,
Or sought some terme wyth a fayre vysage,
To excuse my rudenesse of thys gret outrage:
And in some land Cornodo men do thē cal,
And some affirme y• such folke haue no gal.

Thus was y• case, whan phebus shone shene
The somer season in hys assencion,
Whan sote braūches were clad in new grene,
Heate importable had dominacion:
Whan that the quene for recreacion
Vnprouided that no man dyd her kepe,
Vpon her bed lay naked for to slepe.

And as clerkes of her beauty wryte,
There was on lyue no fayrer creature,
Nor more excellyng lyke as they endite,
Of semelynes her story doth assure,
Called for beauty cosyn to nature:
And worthy eke, if I shal not fayne,
To be compared to Grisilde or Elayne.

Kynde in her forge lyst nothyng to erre,
Whan she her wrought by greate auysenesse,
To make of beauty the very lode sterre,
And yeue her beauty, fauour & semelinesse:
But for nature had so great businesse,
To fourme a woman yt was so fresh of hue,
She had forget for to make her true.

Her eyen were very celestial,
Her heer vntressed like phebus in hys sphere,
A thyng resemblynge that were immortal,
So augelyke she was of loke and chere,
An examplary of porte, & maner,
There was no lacke saue nature through her slouth,
Had left behynde to yeue her fayth & trouth.

And on a daye as she lay sleping
Naked on bed most goodly to syght,
Ful vnwarely came Candalus the kyng
In to the cambre, wher Titan shone bryght,
And shewed her beauty to hys owne knyght:
Of entent he should beare wytnes,
Howe she excelled al other in fayrenes.

And whan Giges gan in ordre se
Of this quene the great excellence,
He was enamoured vpon her beaute:
Al the whyle he stode there in presence,
Gan ymagyn a treason in sylence,
To slee his lorde wythout longe tariyng,
Wyn the quene, and after reigne as kyng.

Thys was the ende doleful and pytous,
To be remembred hateful and terrible,
Of this noble worthy Candalus,
For of his trust to much he was credible
Vnto Gyges, that traitour was odible,
And yet more folysh wherby he lost his lyfe,
Outwarde to shewe the beauty of hys wyfe.

Though she were faire & goodly on to se
There was no trust nor no syckernes,
For other had as good parte as he,
Gyges coude beare therof wytnes:
Alas a quene or any great princesse
Assent should her fame for to trouble,
But if nature excuse them to be double.

The .xxiii. Chapiter.

How what thyng kynge Mydas touched was golde, yet died he in mysery and wretchednesse.

BVt whosoeuer was therwith loth or fayne,
Giges was after crouned kīg of Lide
Whan that hys Lorde was by trea­son slayne
Of him, the surplus Bochas set a syde:
And in hys study as he dyd abyde,
There came of Frigie Mydas the rich kyng,
Tolde myne auctour his complaynt weping.

For there was neuer by cōquest nor laboure
No kyng afore that had more rychesse,
Nor more plenty of golde nor of treasour:
At whose byrth poetes thus expresse,
About his cradel amptes gan hem dresse
While he slept, and gan about hym layne,
A ful great numbre of pured whete grayne.

Wherupon most expert diuinours
As they toke hede in their attendaunce,
Such as were best expositours
Sayd it was a token of haboundaunce,
To haue of ryches al maner suffisaunce:
And concludyng playnly gan to tell,
Howe he al other in treasour should excel.

Poetes of him wrote that were full olde,
Bachus gaue hym, the mighty god of wyne,
What he touched shal tourne in to golde
As good as that which came out of the myne,
At al assayes to be as pure and fyne:
[Page lvii]This request, as writeth Ouidius,
Was vnto Midas graunted of Bachus.

He thought golde might him most auaile,
What he handled was golde wyth touchyng:
But whan hunger his stomake gan assayle,
His bread, his mete, was golde in shewyng,
And whan he gan to fayle of his fedynge,
And founde of golde no recure to escape,
Besought Bachus some remedy to shape.

Bachus bad him go bathe in a riuere,
To wash away the colour aureate,
Wher yet is shewed the goldy grauel clere.
Whych example declareth to eche estate
That golde alone maketh men not fortunate,
For what may golde or treasour ther auayle,
Where men in hungre finde no vytaile?

Or what is worth golde, perle or stones red, bred
Grene Emeraudes, or sapirs Inde,
Whan men enfamyned haue no greyne, nor
Nor in such mischefe vitayle may none finde,
For to foster their nature & their kinde?
A barly lofe in such a distresse
More myght auayle, than al worldly riches.

This knewe Mydas & was experte in dede,
Though he of gold had so great plentie
That with metal he might him self not fede:
Which caused him of necessitie
To considre and clerely for to se,
That bread more vaileth for fostrīg of nature,
Than al riches that men may here recure.

For which this king gan hate al richesse,
Golde and treasour he had eke in disdayne:
Left his crowne and his royal noblesse,
And chase to kepe shepe vpon a playne:
All worldly worship was to him but vayne
Of melancoly, and froward pouertie
Ended his life in great aduersitye.

For of ire and impacience,
Fynally thus with hym it stode,
Furiously in his great indigence,
As writeth Bochas howe he dranke the blode
Of a bul sauagine and wode,
With loue enchaufed: made no delaies
Most be stially ended thus his dayes.

¶ The .xxv. Chapter.

¶ Of Balthasar Kynge of Babylone, and howe Daniell expowned Mane Techell Phares.

NExt to Bocas or that he was ware,
As he sate wrytyng wyth full great laboure,
Of Babilon cam great Balthasar,
To declare his sorowe and his langour,
Whych had misused ful falsly the tresour
And the vessels brought from Jerusalem,
Into Babilone, chefe citye of his reme.

For at a souper with his lordes al,
Whan of the vessels he dranke mighty wines,
And solemply sate in his roial stal,
And rounde aboute al his concubines,
Phylosophers, magiciens, and diuynes,
There came an hand, the byble doth assure,
And on the wall gan wryte this scripture.

Mane, techel, phares, wrytten in hys sight,
Though he the mening cōceiued neuer a dele:
Which on the wal shewed fayre & bryght,
For whose sentence auailed none appele:
But the prophet holy Daniel
Fully expowned to Balthasar the kynge,
The mistery of this derke writyng.

This worde Mane playnly & not to tary
In latyn tonge betokeneth in sustance,
The dayes counted & rekened, the numbrarye
Of thy reigning & of thy great substance.
And Techell sowneth a wayenge in balaūce,
In token thy power & kyngdome by me [...]ure,
God hath paysed, they shal no whyle endure.

Phares also betokeneth a breakyng,
In romaine tong, in to peces smale:
For thy power and frowarde rebellynge,
Shal from the hie be brought in to the vale.
This is holy writ and no fained tale,
For whan princes wil not their life redresse,
God wyl vnwarely their surquedy represse.

Thou wert by tokens warned longe afore,
By many examples, the story ye maye rede,
By the fallyng of Nabugodonosore,
And thou thereof toke ful litel hede
The lord to thank, & haue his name in drede:
For whych thou shalt within a litel throwe,
Lose scepter & crowne & be brought ful lowe.

[Page]
Let princes al thys story haue in mynde,
And for them selfe notably prouyde,
And namely tho that ben to god vnkynde,
Their concubynes for to set a syde:
And make vertue for to be theyr gyde.
Voyde lechery and false presumpcion,
Which hath brought so many to distruction,

Nabugodonosor had repentaunce,
And was restored to his possessions,
But god of ryght toke sodaynly vengeaunce.
On Balthasar, for his trausgressions:
Wherefore ye princes dispose your reasons
After your merites, to haue god merciable,
For your demerites do fynde hym vēgeable.

Agaynst holy churche take no quarels,
But aduertise in your inward syght:
For Balthasar that dranke of tho vessels,
Stale fro the temple of very force & myght,
He lost lorshyp and lyfe vpon a night,
So that the kyngdome of Assirieus
Translated was to Medes & Perciēs.

The .xxvi. Chapter.

¶ Home Cresus and Balthasar were vanquyshed by Cyrus, and the sonne of Cresus slayne at the huntynge of a bore.

NExt to Ihon Bocas within a throw,
Wrytyng of princes many a pitous fate,
He sawe king Cresus with other on the row,
Lowly besechyng his fallyng to translate:
And howe fortune agayne hym gan debate,
And of his mischefe doleful for to rede,
For to discriue, anone he gan procede.

For as it is remembred in writyng,
As god and kynde lyst for hym ordayne,
Of Lide he was gouernour and kynge,
And lordshyp had (the storye can not fayne)
Of many kingdoms more than one or twain:
Fame in that tyme so dyd hym magnify,
That he was called floure of al chiualry.

And he was also in hys tyme founde
The most expert in werre & in batayle,
And of richesse was the most habounde
And most excellynge in conquest to preuayle:
Plenty of people, wyth royal apparayle,
And with al this to his great auauntage,
Numbre of childre tenblysse hys lynage.

In the most highest of his royal see,
And at was well & nothyng stode amis,
Yet to amenuse his felicite,
A dreme he had, and truely that was thys:
How that his sonne which called was Athis
Was take from hym, & by mortal outrage
Slayne sodenlye in his tendre age.

This woful dreme dyd him great distres,
And put his hert in great dispayre,
Standyng in feare & great heauines,
Bycause hys chylde, rendre, yonge, & fayre
Which that was borne for to be hys heyre
Shoulde causelesse in suche myschefe die,
So as his dreame afore dyd specifye.

Of this processe to declare more
How Cresus dreme fulfylled was in dede,
From Olimpus there came a wylde bore,
Most furious and sauagine of drede,
Wyth fomy tuskes which fast gan him spede,
Downe discendyng & no where lyst abyde,
Tyl that he came in to the laude of Lyde.

And gan distroy their frutes & their vines,
Where euer he came in any maner place,
Brake the nettes & the stronge lynes
Of the hunters that dyd at hym enchace:
But vnder supporte of the kynges grace
Hys sonne of whom I spake tofore,
Gate him licence to hunt at this bore.

Hys father Cresus demynge of this ease,
There was no cause of drede in no maner,
Though hys sonne were present at the chase
With other hunters suche game for to lere,
But aye fortune wyth her double there,
Is redy euer by some fatall trayne,
At such disportes some mischefe to ordayne.

For one there was whych had gouernance
Vpon this chylde to wayte and to se,
Chasyng y• bore to saue hym fro myschaūce
From al domage and aduersite,
With many lusty folke of that countre,
With hornes, hoūdes, & sharpe speres groūde,
Sekyng the bore tyl they had hym founde.

And as they gan fiersly the bore enchace,
He that was charged to be the chyldes gyde
As with his speare he gan the bore manace,
The head not entred but forth gan to glyde,
[Page lviii]And on the chylde whych that stode besyde
The stroke a lyght, and or he dyd auerte
The speres heade rofe hym through the hert.

But of this chylde whan y• deth was couth,
Tolde and reported holy the manere,
How he was slayne in hys tendre youth,
Borne to be heire vnto his father dere,
Cresus for sorow chaunged loke & chere:
And for constraint of dole in his vysage,
He resembled a very deade ymage.

But euery sorowe by long continuaunce
At the last it sumwhat must aswage,
For ther is none so furious greuance
Nor so mortal importable rage,
But long processe yeueth him auantage:
I meane thus, there is none so great a sorow,
But it mought cese outher eue or morowe.

Philosophers concluden and discerne
And by their reasons recorden by scripture,
Thyng vyolent may not be eterne,
Not in one poynt abydeth none auenture,
Nor a sorowe may not alwaye endure:
For stoūdemele through fortunes variaunce,
There foloweth ioy after great greuaunce.

The sorow of Cresus tho it were intollerable
And at his hert the greuaunce sate so sore,
Syth that his dole was irrecuperable,
And meane was none his harmes to restore,
Bochas writeth of his wo nomore:
But of his fal howe he fyll in dede,
To tel the maner forth he doth procede.

And for a whyle he set his style asyde,
And his processe in party he forbare,
To speke of Cresus that was kyng of Lyde
And gan resort to write of Balthasar:
Agayne rehersynge or that he was ware,
Howe myghty Cirus of woful auenture
Made on hym proudly a discomfiture,

And as it is put in remembraunce
Of Balthasar to holde vp the party,
Cresus wyth hym had made an aliaunce,
With al his puissaunce & al his chyualry:
His lyfe, his treasoure, to put in ieoparty,
Sworne in armes as brother vnto brother,
By Cirus vēquyshed the one after the other

Both their mischefe no lenger was delayed,
Al be that Cresus faught long in hys defence,
He finally by Cyrus was outrayed,
And depriued by knyghtly vyolence,
Take in the felde there was no resistence,
And rigorouslye to his confusion,
With myghty fetters cast in darke prison.

And more to encrease his gret aduersite,
A sonne of his tendre & yong of age,
That was dumbe from his natiuite,
And neuer spake word in no maner lāgage,
Cyrus commaunding by furious outrage
That Cresus shoulde by vengeable cruelte,
By a knyght of Perce in prison headed be,

And with his sworde as he gan manace,
Cresus to haue slayne wythout al reuerence,
The dombe chylde there present in the place
Which neuer had spoken, thus said in audiēce:
Withdrawe thy stroke, & do no violence,
Vnto my lorde thy fame so to confounde,
To slee a kyng that lyeth in prison bound.

The knight astonied hath his stroke forborne
Gretly abashed in that darke habitacle,
Whych herde a chyld that neuer spake toforne
Agaynst his swerde to make au obstacle,
Ran and tolde this marueylous myracle
To myghty Cirus, with euery circūstaūce,
Hopyng therby to atempre his greuaūce.

But where as tyrauntes be set on cruelte,
Their croked malice ful harde is to appese:
So indurate is their iniquite
That al in vengeaunce is set their hertes ese,
Them selfe reioysinge to se folke in disease,
Lyke as they were in their frowarde daūger,
Clerely fraunchised fro god & his power.

Thys cruel Cirus most vengeable of desire,
To execute his fel entent in dede,
Let make in haste of fagottes a gret fyre,
And gan thē kyndle wyth many coles rede,
And made Cresus quakyng in his drede,
For to be take where as he lay ful lowe,
And bad men should in to the fyre him throw.

But Iupiter whych hath his vengeaūce seyn,
Howe cruel Cirus with malice was attaynt,
From heauen sent a tempest and a reine,
That sodainely y• horrible fire was quaynt:
Woful Cresus wt dredful fyre made faynt,
Escaped is his furious mortall payne,
God and fortune for hym lyst so ordayne.

[Page]
This aduenture in maner marueylous,
The hert of Cirus gan somwhat tenbrace,
And caused hym for to be pitous
Agayne Cresus, and granted him hys grate,
To occupye whyle he hath lyfe and space,
The land of Lyde, except only thys thynge
He shoulde not after be called kyng.

And thus of Lyde the kynge dyd fyne,
Which toke his beginyng of one Ardisius,
And endured the space of kynges nyne,
Loke who so wyl the bokes tel thus:
Hereof no more but forth vnto Cirus,
I wyl procede wyth al my busy cure,
For to translate hys woful auenture.

The .xxvii. Chapter.

¶ How the cruell tyraunt Cirus delited euer in slaughter and shedynge of blode, and so ended.

HEyre by discent to great Astiages,
Poorely brought forthe as is made mēcion,
And had al Asie to his great encres,
Holdyng that reigne by iust succession,
In longe quyete wythout rebellion,
Tyl tyme he thought in ful frowarde wyse,
The world was smal to staunch his couetise.

He had an etyke most contagious,
Fretyng vpon hym for desyre of good,
A dropsy hateful and furious,
Of froward rage that made his hert woode,
A woluyshe thurst to shede mānes bloud,
Which ouerth warted by false melancoly,
Hys royal corage, in to tiranny.

But whan he presumptuously dyd entende
To robbe & reue folke through his pyllage,
God and fortune made hym to discende
Ful sodaynly from hys royal stage,
Demyng of pryde it was a great auauntage,
To wyn landes of very force and myght,
Tho in his cōquest were no tytle of ryght.

To wyll he yaue holy the soueraynte,
And aduertised nothyng to reason:
But preferred his sensualite
To haue lordshyp and dominacion
Aboue sad trouth and discrecion,
Whych causeth princes frō their estate roial,
Or they be ware to haue a sodayne fall.

For the lordshyp of al Asia
Might not suffise to Cirus gredinesse,
But thought he would conquere Cithia,
And there werre to encrease hys ryches,
Though he no tytle had of ryght wysnesse,
Saue false lust wherof mē shoulde haue ruth.
That wyl in princes shoulde oppresse truth.

Fyrst his Cirus al princes dyd excel
Both in conquest, victory, & batayle,
Of golde & treasure, as bokes of hym tell,
Kyngdoms to wyn he dyd most preuayle:
And yet two vyces dyd his hert assayle,
Fyrst couetise euer to encrease in good,
With a desire to shede mens bloude.

Wyth two vyces he brenned euer in one
That neuer might from his hert twyn,
Made a great army towarde Septētrion,
And cast him proudly to set on and begyn
Cithia the mighty land to wyn:
Quene Thomiris there reigninge as I fynde
Whose kyngdom ioyneth to Ethiope in Inde.

Towarde the party whych is orientall,
The see of Surry floweth full plentuous,
Downe to the see called occidentall,
And southwarde renneth to Caucasus:
And folke of Cithie that ben laborious
Which tyl the land hath not to their liuing,
But onely frutes which from therth spring.

The lande of Cithie is ryche for the nones,
For greyne & fruite a land ful couenable,
Ryche of golde perle and precious stones,
Ryght comodious and wonder dilectable:
But a great party is not habitable,
The people dredful to bylde their mancions,
For feare of deth bycause of the gryffons.

The noble fame nor the high renoun
Was not ferre knowe nor ysprad aboute
Of Thomiris quene of that region,
Nor of her noblesse within nor wythout,
Tyl that king Cirus with a ful great route,
In to Cithia gan hym proudly dresse,
The hardy quene to spoyle of her richesse.

But she her fame more to magnifie,
Gan in great haste with ful rich apparayle
Ful prudently assemble her chyualry:
And toke a felde, if he woulde her assayle
[Page lix]Redy with him to haue a batayle,
And of her meyny lyke as sayth my boke,
Vnto her sonne the thyrde parte she toke.

And yaue hym charge in the same place,
Hym selfe that daye to aquite lyke a knyght,
And for to mete Cirus in the face
And nothyng drede with hym for to fyght:
But whan kyng Cirus of him had a syght,
Cast hym that day the yong prince oppresse,
Rather by wyles than manhod or prowesse.

Fyrst he let stuffe his large pauilions
With great plenty of drinkes dilectable,
Diuers meates and confections,
Rounde aboute vpon euery table,
And in his meanyng passyng disceyuable,
Lyke as he had in maner dredful be,
Toke al his host and gan anone to fle.

This yonge prince of meanyng innocent,
Nothyng demyng, as by supposayle,
But y• Cirus was with his meyny went,
And sled for feare he durst hym not assayle:
And whan he founde such plente of vytayle,
He & his knightes through misgouernaūce,
To eate and drinke set al their plesaunce.

They had of knyghthode lost the disciplyne,
Forsoke Mars & put hym out of syght,
And to Bachus their heades gan enclyne:
Gorge vpon gorge tyl it drough to nyght,
And proude Cirus came on thē anonryght,
With all hys hoost they out of their armure,
On beastial folke made a discomfiture.

Cruel Cirus left none alyue,
Of hygh nor lowe made none excepcion:
They were to feble again his might to striue,
For chefe cause of their distruction
Was drōkennesse, whych voydeth al reason,
And wyse men rehercen in sentence,
Where folke be dronken there is no resistence.

And whan thys slaughter by relacion
Reported was, & brought to the presence
Of Thomiris quene of that region,
Vnto her hert it dyd ful great offence:
But of ire and great impacience
Seyng her sonne slayne in tendre age,
For sorow almost she fyll in to a rage.

But for al her woful deedly payne,
She shewed no token of feminite:
But of prudence her weping gan restrayne,
And cast her playnly auenged for to be
Vpon kyng Cirus, and on his cruelte,
Sente out meyny to espyen his passage,
If she hym fynde myght at auauntage.

And with her meyny gā feyne a maner flight,
Vp to the mountayns dredful & terrible,
And Cirus after gan haste hym anon ryghte,
In hope to take her if it were possible:
Among whiche hilles more than it is credible
Ben craggy roches most hideous of entayle,
Perilous of passage, & voyde of al vitayle.

And Cirus ther fyl in greate daunger,
Al vnpurueyed of drogemen or of gyde:
To fostre his people vitaile was none ther,
Erryng as beastes vpon euery syde.
And they of Cithie gan for hym so prouyde,
Wherof their quene god wote was ful fayne,
At great mischefe yt al his men were slaine.

None of al was taken to raunson,
Nor he hym selfe escaped not her boundes,
Such wayte was layde to theyr distruction,
And he through perced with mortal woundes,
On peces rent as beares ben with hoūdes,
The quene cōmaūding whā he lay thus torne
To her presence his body to be borne.

Fyrst she hath charged to smyte of his heade,
Whan she hath thus the victory of hym won:
And in a bath that was all blode red,
She gan it throwe within a litel tonne:
And of dispite ryght thus she hath begonne
Most tirauntly in her woful rage,
To dead Cirus to haue this langage:

O thou Cirus that whylom were so wode,
And so thrustlewe in thy tiranny,
Agayne nature so to shede mannes bloud,
So woluyshe was thyne hateful dropsy,
That mercy none myght it modefye,
Thine etyke ioyned gredy and vnstable,
With thrust of slaughter aye to be vengeable.

It is an horrour in maner for to thynke,
So great a prince rebuked for to be
Of a woman, mannes blode to drinke,
For to disclaundre his roial maieste,
But gladly euer vengeable cruelte
Of ryght requireth wyth vnware violence,
Blod shede for blode iustly to recompence.

[Page]
Of myghty Cirus the imperiall noblesse
Was by a woman vēquyshed & borne doune,
God made her chastise his furious wodnes,
And for toppresse his famous high renoun:
For where vengeaunce hath dominacion,
In worldly princes, playnly to deuyse
With vnware stroke god can thē chastise.

Thende of Cirus can bere ful wel recorde,
How god wt standeth folke y• ben vengeable,
Lordshyp & mercy whan they ben at discorde,
Right wyll not suffer their state to be stable:
And for this Cirus was so vnmerciable,
He with vnmercy punished was in dede,
Deth quyt for deth, lo here his final mede.

In slaughter & blode he dyd greately delyte
For in tho twayne was his repast in dede,
He founde no mercy his vēgeaunce to respyte
Where he founde matter any blode to shede,
Such ioy he had by deth to se folke blede▪
And for the syght did him so much good,
His fatal ende was for to swym in blode.

Lo here thexequies of this mighty king,
Lo here the ende of his estate royal,
There were no flames nor brondes shinynge
To bren his body with fires funeral,
Nor obseruaunces nor offringes marciall,
Nor tombe of golde with stones rych & fyne,
Was none ordained to make with his shrine.

Epitaphie ther was none red nor songe
By no poete wyth their poetries,
Nor of his triūphes there was no bell ronge,
Nor no wepers with sobbynge tragedies:
None attendaunce but of hys enemies,
Which of hatred in their cruell rage,
Cast out his carayne to beastes most sauage.

Lo here of Cirus the finall auenture,
Which of al Asie was whylom emperour,
Now lieth he abiect without sepulture,
Of high nor low he founde no better fauoure:
Lo here the fyne of al worldly labour,
Namely of tiraunts which lyst not god drede,
But set their lust to slaughter & blodeshede.

Lenuoye.

RYghte noble prynces considre in youre syghte
The fine of Cirus pitous & lamētable
How god punisheth of equitie & ryght
Tirauntes echone cruel and vengeable:
For in his syght it is abhominable
That a prince, as philosophers write,
In slaughter of men shoulde hym selfe delyte.

This saide Cirus was a full manly knight
In begynning ryght famous and notable,
Nature yaue him semelinesse & myght,
For in conquest was none sene more able,
Tyl tiranny the serpent disceyuable
Merciles his corage dyd atwite,
In slaughter of men whan him gan delite.

Wherefore ye princes remēbre day & nyght,
Tafforce your nobles & make it pardurable,
To get you fauour & loue of euery wyght,
Which shal your states cōserue & kepe stable:
For there is conquest none so honourable
In governaunce, as vengeaunce to respite,
Mercy preferring in slaughter not delite.

The .xv. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Amilius for couetyse slough his brother, and Remus and Rumulus nourished by a wolfes.

AFter king Cirus Bochas did espy
Two worthy brethern wyth faces pi­tous,
Borne by discent to reigne in Albanye,
Both of one father the story telleth vs:
The one of them called Amulius
And to remembre the name of that other,
Numitor ycalled was his brother

They had a fader whyche named was Pro­chas,
Kyng of y• land the story doth deuise,
After whose deth playnely thys is the case,
Amulius for false couetise,
His brother slough in ful cruel wyse,
That he vniustly by false tiranny
Might haue the kingdom alone of Albany.

This Albany by discripcion
Like as Bochas affirmeth in certeine,
Is a citye not ferre fro Rome toun,
Set on an hyl beside a large pleine:
The building stately, rych & well beseine,
Stronge walles with many a high toure,
And Ascanius was fyrste thereof foundour.

Which called was in his foundacion,
[Page liiii]Albania for the great whytnes,
There kynges after by succession
Named Albanois princes of great nobles,
And by discent the story beareth wytnes
From kyng Prochas recorde on bokes olde,
Came these .ii. brethren Rea their suster told.

Numitor slayne as made is mencion
The kyngdom occupied by Amulius,
And Rea entred in to religion,
For to be wympled in that holy house,
Sacred to Vesta wyth virgyns glorious,
There for to abyde & be contemplatife,
With other maydens duryng al her lyfe.

And thys was done whyle she was yonge of age,
By her brother, of false entencion,
That she shoulde haue no maner heritage
Nor clayme no title in that region,
Of her kynred by none occasion:
But stande professed in virginitye
To fore Vesta, and liue in chastitie.

Yet not withstanding her virginal clennesse,
She hath conceyued by natural myracle:
Gan to encrease in her holynes,
Whose wombe arose, in kīde was no obstacle,
Agayne such bolnyng auayleth no triacle:
But the goddes for her so dyd ordayne,
That she at ones had sonnes twayne.

The temple of Vesta stode in wildernesse,
Where Rea had holy the gouernaunce
Of priestly honour done to the goddesse,
Wyth many straunge vncouth obseruaūce:
But by her brothers mortall ordinaunce,
Her yong sonnes might not be socoured,
But cast out to beastes to be deuoured.

But a she wolfe whych whelped had late,
To yeue thē soke dyd her businesse,
By god ordained or by some heauenly fate,
Thē to conserue fro deth in their distres:
For holy write plainly beareth wytnes,
God can defende as it is well couth,
Children frō mischefe in their tendre youth.

But in this whyle this sayd Amulius,
That was their vncle, as made is mencion,
Agayne his suster frowarde and furious,
Made her be shyt in a ful derke prison:
And there complaynyng the distruction
Of her two children borne to her reprefe,
For very sorow dyed at great myschefe.

These sayde chyldren deuoyde of al refuse
Besyde a riuer lay pitiously crying,
From al socoure naked and destitute,
Except a wolues vpon them waityng
At whose wombe ful style they lay soukyng,
Vnto nature a thyng contrarious,
Children to souke on beastes rauenous.

But he that is lorde of euery creature
Ryght as hym lyst can both saue & spyl,
And beastes which ben rage of their nature
He can aduert, & make them lye ful styl,
Tigres & lions obedient at his wil:
The same lorde hath made a fel w [...]l [...]esse
Vnto twey children her bigges for to dresse.

And whyle thys wolues had thē in depose,
Ther came an herde called Faustulus,
Behelde their soukyng & saw thē lye ful close,
Whych sheperde was of kyng Amulius:
Caught vp these chyldrē the story telleth thus
And brought thē forth with great diligence,
Vnto his wyfe that called was Laurence.

And she for loue dyd her busy payne,
Them to fostre, tyl they came of age,
Gaue them souke of her brestes swayne,
Fro day to daye of hert and hole corage:
And they were called as in that langage,
After the storye that one of them Remus,
And the seconde was named Romulus.

Of whych brethern brefely to termyne,
The towne of Rome toke original:
Of false disclaundre fyrst began that lyne,
The rote out sought ful vicious foūde at all,
Clerely remēbred for a memorial
Their begynning grewe of such incōtinence,
As clerkes call Incestus in sentence.

Incestus is a thyng not fayre nor good
After that bokes wel deuise conne,
As trespassyng wyth kyn or wyth blode
Or frowarde medlyng wt her that is a nonne:
And thus the line of Rome was begon,
For slaughter, murder, and false robbry
Was chefe begynnynge of al their auncetry.

Of Couetyse they toke their auauntage,
Lyggers of waies and robbers openly,
Murdrers also of their owne linage,
And stronge theues gate to their company,
Spoiled al tho that past them forby,
Vnder shadowe of kepinge their beastayle,
[Page]Al maner people they proudly dyd assaile.

To  [...]lee marchaūtes they had no conscience,
And for to murdre folke of euery age,
Women to oppresse of force and vyolence,
In al that countre this was their vsage:
Where they abode ther was no sure passage.
And these two brethern lyke as it is founde,
Fonde first y• maner of speares sharpe groude.

Aspeare in greke called is quiris,
And for that cause the sayd Romulus,
As bokes say, and sothely so it is
He afterwarde was called Quirinus.
Which wt his brother y• called was Remus,
Was in al thyng confederate & partable,
That tofore god was vicious & dampnable.

And as it was accordynge to their life,
For lacke of vertue they fyll in great diffame,
And atwene thē ther was an vncouth stryte,
Which of both should yeue the name
Vnto the citie, atwene ernest and game,
After theyr names Rome to be called,
Thus fyll the case afore or it was walled.

And therupon ful longe lasted their striues,
Which should of them haue dominacion,
Shewing their titles and prerogatyues,
Who should of them yeue name to the toun,
And reigne as kyng in that region:
There was no reason who shuld go beforne,
Bycause they were both at once borne.

But to fynishe their fraternal dyscorde,
They haue prouyded atwene thē anon ryght,
Thus condiscendyng to put thē at accorde,
Nouther by force, oppressyon, nor myght,
That whych of them sawe greatest flyght
Of byrdes flyeng high vpon an hyl,
Should name the citye at his owne wyl.

Of this accorde for to be wytnesse,
They wt them lad a ful great multitude,
Therof to yeue a dome of rightwisnesse,
Both of wyse and of people rude,
Al at ones thys mater to conclude:
And to an hyl called Auentyne,
They ben as [...]ended this matter for to fine.

And byrdes syxe to Remus dyd appere,
By augury as they gan procede,
Called vultures ful fierce in their manere,
But in numbre the double dyd excede
That Romulus sawe whan he toke hede:
Wherof ther fyll a great contrauersy,
Which of thē shoulde preuayle on his party.

Thus first of al Remus had a syght
Of sixe birdes called Vultures,
And for to auaunce & prefer hys right,
He ful proudely put him selfe in prees:
But Romulus was not recheles
His brothers clayme playnly to entrouble,
Afforced hys title with the numbre double.

Yet of his purpose one of thē must fayle,
Though it so be that they euer striue:
But Romulus gan finally preuaile,
And to the citye he forth went blyue,
And as auctours lyst echone discryue,
And in their bokes as they reherce al,
After his name Rome he dyd it cal,

And al foreins to exclude out
And agayne thē to make stronge defence,
Fyrst he began to wal it rounde aboute,
And made a lawe ful dredful in sentence,
Who clymeth the wal by any violence,
Outward or inwarde there is no more to sey
By statute made he must nedes dey.

This was enacte by ful plaine ordinaūce
In paine of deth which no man breke shal,
But so befyll Remus of ignoraunce,
Which of the statute knewe nothynge atal,
Of auenture went ouer the wal,
For whiche a knyght ordained in certayne
The saide Remus hath with a pykeis slayn.

His brother lyst not in no maner wyse
Againe the lawe to be fauourable,
But assented parcel for couetyse,
Vpon Remus to be more vengeable:
Of thys entent to make his reigne stable,
That he alone myght gouerne & non other
By no clayme brought in by his brother.

And that the people shuld thē more delite
There to abyde and haue possession,
As olde auctours of Romulus do write,
Within the boundes of the same toun,
That he deuised by great prouision,
In compas rounde so croniclers compyle,
A teritory that called was Asyle.

[Page lxi]
This Asylum by Romulus deuised,
Was a place of refuge and socours,
Like a theatre with liberties fraunchised,
For to receiue all forayne trespasours,
Theues, murdrers, wayliggers, & robbours
By great resort within the walles wide,
To foster all brybers y• durst no where abide.

And with fled people fro diuers regions,
The citye gan to encrease and multiplye:
And banished folke of straunge nacions,
To finde refuge thither gan them hye.
And thus by processe gan their chiualry,
First through tyrantes retcheles of workyng
Till all the world obeyed their biddyng.

Of wilfull force without title of right
They brought all people vnder subiection,
A claime they made by violence and might,
And toke no hede of trouth nor reason,
And the first auctour of their foundation,
Was Romulus, that gathered all this route
Within the citye and walled it about.

And many day as made is mencion
He had this citye in his gouernaunce,
And was the first kyng crowned in that toun,
And raigned there by continuaunce,
Full many yeres, till the variaunce
Of fortune through her false enuye,
In Campania made him for to dye.

Vpon a day whan it gan thunder loude,
His name foreuer to be more magnified,
Some bokes saye he was rapt in a cloude,
High vp in heauen to be stellified,
With other Gods stately deified,
There to be stalled by Jupiters syde,
Like for his knightes as Mars list prouide.

Lo here of panyms a false opinion,
To Christes lawe contrary and odious,
That tyrantes should by false oppression
Be called goddes or named glorious,
Whiche by their liue were founde vycious:
For this playne trouth I dare it well tell,
They rather ben fiendes ful depe in hell.

For but in earth their dominacion
Conueyed be by vertuous nobles,
And that their power and hygh renoun
Be set on trouth and rightwisenes,
Like their estates in prince or princesse,
I dare affirme of them bothe twayne,
For vycious liuinge they must endure payne.

But whan they ben faythfull of entent,
Right and trouth iustly to maintayne,
And in their royall power be not blent,
Wronges redressyng and pore folke sustene,
And so contune with conscience so clene:
Such life more rath than pompe of warres,
Shal make thē raigne in heuē aboue y• stars.

For whiche let princes vnderstand atones,
And worldly princesses wt all their riches,
That their high hornes fret wt riche stoues,
To heauen their passage dothe not dresse,
But vertuous life, chatitye, and mekenes:
Whan they list pride out of their hart arace,
That causeth thē in heauen to winne a place.

There is no more straunge abusion,
Ne tofore god greater ydolatry,
Than whan princes list catche affection
Creatures falsly to deifye,
By collusion brought in by sorcery,
Now god defende all princes well disposed,
With suche false craft neuer to be enoysed.

And their eyen by none illusions
Be not avieugled neither with hoke nor line,
Nor by no boytes of false inspections
Wrought by Cyrenes by drinke or medicine,
Whiche of their nature resemble to a shrine,
Through riches outward & beauty soueraine
And who loke inwarde be like to a caraine.

God of his grace amende all suche outrage,
In noble princes, & saue thē from such werre
And them enlumine disposyng their courage
In suche false worshyp they no more ne erre:
Like to Argus that they sene a ferre,
That no false fagyng cause thē to be blynde,
Gods nor goddesses to worship againe kynd.

And though yt Romains did worship & honor
To Romulus by a constraynt drede,
Let no man take example of their errour,
But to the lorde whose sides were made rede,
To saue mankinde and on a crosse was deed.
Let men to hym in chefe their loue obserue,
Which can thē quite better than they deferue

[Page]

¶ The .xxix. Chapter.

☞ Howe Mecius kyng of Albanoys beynge false of his othe and assuraunce, was drawen into pieces.

NExt Romulus wt teares al bespraint,
Vnto John Bochas appered Mecius,
Of chere and loke & of his port faynte,
His fall declaryng frowarde & dispitous,
And he was called eke Sufficius,
Lowe of byrthe and simple in vpgrowyng,
Of Albanoys tyll fortune made him kyng.

Again whose pride the Romains gan warrey
Full mightely oppressyng his countree:
And for kyng Mecius list them not obey,
They cast them fully auenged for to be,
Because his byrthe was but of lowe degre,
And was risen vp vnto estate royall,
They thē purpose to yeue him a sodayne fall.

Hasty clymbyng of pouert set on hight
Whan wronge title maketh him to ascende,
With vnware peyse of his owne might
A sodaine fall maketh him to discende,
Whan he list not of surquedy entende
Fro whence he came, nor him selfe to knowe,
Till god & fortune his pōpe hath ouerthrow.

For this Mecius of presumption,
Thought again Romayns his pride might a­uaile,
Gan warre againe thē by rebellion,
Was not fearfull their nobles to assayle,
Till on a day was signed a battaile:
Bothe their hostes within a felde to mete,
To take their part be it soure or swete.

That tyme in Rome raigned Hostilius,
A manly man and a ful worthy knyght,
Twene him concluded and kyng Mecius
They twayne to mete in stele armed bryght,
For bothe battayles to trye out the ryght,
By iust accorde and therin not vary,
The party vaynquished to be tributary.

And wholy put him in subiection
Without entreatyng or any more delay,
And finally for short conclusion
Kyng Hostilius the triumphe wan that day,
That Albanoys coulde not say nay,
But that Romayns as put is in memory,
By singuler battayle had wonne the victory.

Thus had Romayns first possession
Of Albanoys, to obey them and to drede,
Mecius yelded and sworne to the toun
Neuer to rebell for fauoure ne for mede,
But for he was double founde in dede
Of his assuraunce, and false to their citie,
He was chastised anone as ye shall se.

Agaynst Fidinates a countrey of Itaile,
King Hostilius for their rebellion,
Cast he woulde mete them in battayle,
For common profite and for diffension
Bothe of his citye and of his royall toun:
And for to afforce his party in workynge,
Of Albanoys he sent vnto the kynge

To come in haste with his whole chyualry,
And tary not in no maner wise,
But make him stronge to sustaine his party,
Like his behest as ye haue hearde deuise.
But kyng Mecius full falsly gan practice,
A sleighty treason and a couert wyle,
Agaynst his promise the Romayns to begyle.

Yet he outwarde pretendyng to be true,
Came to the felde with ae full great meyny,
Liuyng in hope to se some chaunges newe
That he on Rome might auenged be:
And specially that he myght se
Kyng Hostilius of frowarde enuy,
That day outrayed with all his chyualry.

First when he saw the Romayns enbattailed
And Fydinates on that other side,
Their wardes ready for to haue assayled,
He couertly did on an hyll abyde,
And to nor fro lyst not go nor ryde,
Nor his person put in ieopardy:
But who was strongest to holde on y• partye.

Wherof the Romayns fyll in suspection
Of kyng Mecius whan they toke hede,
Tyll Hostilius of hygh discrecion
Through his knighthode put thē out of drede▪
And gan dissunule of Mecius the falsehede,
And to comfort his knyghtes of entent,
Sayd what he did, was done by his assent.

He was full lothe that his chyualry
Should know the effect of Mecius treason,
Whiche cause myght in all or in party,
Full great hindryng by some occasion,
[Page lxii]To deme in him falsenes or treason:
Yet of trouth the story beareth witnes,
All that he ment was vntrouth and falsenes.

Thus of manhode and of high prudence
He to his knyghtes yaue hart & hardines,
Made them set on by so great vyolence
That he the felde gate of high prowes
On Fidinates, brought in so great distresse
And so outrayed of force on euery side,
Tofore Romayns that they ne durst abide.

And whan Mecius saw them thus outrayed
By a maner of fayned false gladnes,
Like as he had in hart be well apayed,
To Hostilius anone he gan him dresse,
Him selfe reioysyng by counterfayte likenes:
And for his meanyng playnly was conceiued
So as he came, ryght so was he receyued.

Thus whan Mecius stode in his presence
With a pretence of faithfull stablenes,
And all the apport of trouth in apparence
He shadowed hath his expert doublenes,
Vnder sote hony couert bitternes:
Frendly vysage wt wordes smothe & playne,
Tho mouth & hart departed were in twaine.

But Hostilius hath all his fraude espied,
And his compassed falsenes and treason,
And therupon hath iustly fantasied
A paine accordyng ypeysed of reason,
Him to punishe by a double passion:
This to mean, like as he was deuided,
A double torment for him he hath prouided.

This was his dome and his fatall payne
By Hostilius contriued of iustice,
His fete, his armes, atwene charets twayne
Naked and bare the story dothe deuise
To be bounde and knit in trauers wise,
Contrariously the horse to drawe and hale,
Tyll all his body were rent on pieces small.

And right as he was cause of great trouble,
Founde aye in dede most full of variaunce,
Therfore his payne was in maner double,
Right as him self was double in gouernaūce
False of his othe, of hest, and assuraunce,
And double in menyng as he hath perseuered
So in his ende his mēbres were disceuered.

His fete were drawe from the head asunder,
There was no ioynt with other for to abide:
Here was a legge and an arme lay yonder,
Thus eche member frō other gan deuide
And for he coulde holde in outher syde,
By false pretence to outher party true,
Him to chastice was founde a payne newe.

The .xxx. Chapter.

☞ A Chapiter howe prynces shoulde of their othes and promises be true, auoydyng all doublenes and deception.

SO here the ende of double false meanyng
Whā worde & hart be contrarious:
Othe and behest false founde in a kyng,
Of Albanoys as was this Mecius,
O noble prynces prudent and vertuous,
Let neuer story after more recorde
That worde & dede shoulde in you discorde.

For kyng Mecius variaunt of courage,
Whose inward menig was euer on treasō set,
Traynes contriuyng with a fayre vysage,
His thought, his harte, wt double cordes fret,
By Bochas called disceyte & false baret:
Whiche vyce discriuyng concludeth of reason,
Fraude of all fraudes is false deception.

For with a face flatteryng and peacible,
Pretendyng trouth vnder false pleasaunce,
With his panteris perillous and terrible
Trappeth innocentes wt gryns of mischaūce:
I meane disceite, that wt her countenaunce,
Folkes englueth simple and retcheles,
And than warreth vnder a face of pees.

Puissaūce of prynces famous & honourable,
Hath ben disceaued by this traytouresse,
And folke most prudēt in their estate notable
Hath be distroubled by suche doublenes:
And many a knyght victorious of prowes,
Hath ben entryked for all his hygh renoun,
By traynes founde of disceyte & treason.

Disceyte deceyueth & shalbe deceyued,
For by disceyte who is disceyuable,
Though his disceyte be not out perceyued,
To a disceyuoure disceyte is retournable:
Fraude quit wt fraude is guerdon couenable
For who with fraude fraudulent is found,
To a defrauder fraude wyll aye rebounde.

¶ The .xxxi. Chapter.

[Page] ☞ Of kyng Hostilius that first weared purple hewe, consumpt with fiery leuin.

WHat shoulde I more of disceite endite,
Touching the fraude of kyng Mecius,
For I me cast now finally to write
The fatall ende of kyng Hostilius:
Whiche was the first as sayth Valerius,
In Rome citye that auctours knew,
Among kynges that weared purple hewe.

But after all his tryumphall noblesse,
And many vncouth knightly high emprise,
Fortune to appall the pryse of his prowesse,
Made him to be in full frowarde wise,
Retcheles and slowe to do sacrifice,
To Jupiter, for whiche sent from heuin,
He was consumpt with sodaine firy leuin.

Here men may se the reuolutions
Of fortunes double purueyaunce,
How ye most mighty of Romayne champions
Haue sodainly be brought vnto mischaunce:
And their outrages to put in remembraunce,
Great conquest turned to wo frō ioye,
For a rebuke I sende them this lenuoye.

¶ Lenuoy.

ROme remember of thy foundacion,
And of what people thou toke thy be­ginnynge:
Thy buildyng gan of false dissencion,
Of slaughter, murdre, & outragious robbing
Yeuyng to vs a maner knowlegyng
A false beginnyng auctours determine,
Shall by processe come vnto ruyne.

Where be thy ēperors most souerain of renoun
Kinges exiled for outragious liuyng?
Thy Senatours with worthy Scipton,
Poetes olde thy tryumphes rehearsyng?
Thy laureat knightes most stately ridyng
In high honour▪ for al their noble line,
Is by longprocesse brought to ruyne.

Where is now Cesar that toke possession
First of the empyre the tryumphe vsurpynge?
Or where is Lucan that maketh mencion,
Of all his conquest, by serious writyng?
Octauian most solemnely raignyng?
Where is become their lordshypor their lyne,
Processe of yeres hath brought it to ruyne.

Where is Tullius chefe lanterne of thy toun,
In rethorike all other surmountyng?
Morall Senec or prudent sadde Caton
Thy common profite alwaye preferryng?
Or rightful Traian most iustly in his deining
Whiche on no party list not to declyne,
But long processe hath brought all to ruyne.

Where is the temple of thy protection
Made by Virgill, most curious of buyldyng?
Ymages erect of euery region
Whan any lande was founde rebellyng
Toward that part a smal bell heard ringing,
To that prouynce the ymage did enclyne,
Which by long processe was brought to ruyne

Where is also the great extorcion
Of consules and prefectes oppressyng?
Of Dictatours the false 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 vēgeaunce 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 wt 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 wt will and whole meanyng,
To him that is lorde of the orders nyne,
[Page lxiii]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 wt 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▪ nowe clere, nowe drepyng
Of blynde Cupide the fraudulent mockyng
Of Jun [...], 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.

[Page]

[Page lxiiii]

LIke a Pilgryme which y• 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 lycou [...]
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 wt 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 wt 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  [...]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  [...]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 seruaūtes ye faythful iust meanyng▪
And list to cōsider to guerdon their seruice,
And at a nede list them not despyse:
But fro al daūger yt should them noy or greue,
Beth euer redy to helpe them and releue.

And thus releued by the goodly hede,
And through the nobles of this most knightly man
All mistes clered of dispayre and drede
Trust, hope, and fayth, into my hartran:
And on my laboure anone forthwyth I gan,
For by cleare support of my lordes grace,
All foraynes lettyng fro me I did enchace.

For folke that vse to make great vyages,
Whiche vnderfonge long trauell and labour,
Whē thei haue don gret part of their passages
Of werines to asswage the rygoure,
[Page]Against faintyse to fynde some fau [...],
Loke oft agayne parcell to be releue [...],
To se how muche their iourney is acheued.

Cause why they so oft loke ageyne
Backeward turne loke, and eke vysage
Is only this, that it may be seyne
To them how much is done of their vyage:
Eke wery folke that gone on pylgrimage,
Rest them some while a full large space,
Laborious sweate to wipe fro their face.

Their heauy fardell among they cast adoun,
At certaine boūdes to do their backes ease:
At welles colde eke of entencion
Drinke freshe water their greuous thurst to apease
Or holesum wynes their appetite to please,
Rekenyng the myles by computacions,
Whiche they haue past of castels & of townes

It doth them ease the number for to know
Syth they began, of many great iourneys,
Of hye mountayns, and of valeyes lowe,
And straunge sightes passyng by countreys,
The vncouth buildyng of borowes and cities
Counting ye distaunce frō townes & the spaces
This is their talking at their restyng places.

The residue and the surplusage
They reken also of their labour commyng,
Thinke it is a maner auauntage
To haue and se a cleare knowlegyng
Of thinges passed, & thinges eke folowynge:
For to their hartes it doth full great plesaūce
Whan all suche thing is put in remēbraunce.

And semblably Iohn Bochas as I fynde,
Gan turne backe his loke and countenaunce,
And to remember appoyntyng in his minde
To the stories rehearsed in substaunce,
In his two bokes of sorowes & displeasaūce,
Him selfe astonied marueilyng a great dele
The fall of prynces from Fortunes whele.

Of their vnhap as he dothe rehearce,
Towarde thē selfe the cause dothe rebounde,
Their climbyng vp the heauens for to perce,
In worldly riches to encrease and abounde,
Their gredy etike doth them selfe confounde:
And their thirst of hauyng vnstauncheable,
Cause [...] their nobles to be so variable.

Hygh climbyng vp of reason who can se,
Dulleth of braines the memoriall,
Blunteth the sight of hygh and low degre,
Whiche from aloft maketh them to haue a fal:
Men saye of olde, who that couet all
At the vnset houre suche one shall not chese,
But all his gadryng at once shall he lese.

For worldly folke whiche so hye aryse
Wyth the great peyse of worldlye abundaūce,
And with the weight of frowarde couetise,
Namely where Fortune holdeth the balaūce,
With vnware turne of some vnhappy chaūce,
This stormy quene, this double Goddesse,
Plungeth thē downe from all their riches.

Wherfore Bochas hereof to make a prefe,
Sheweth to purpose a sentence full notable:
A clere example of suche vnware mischefe,
Writeth of an auctour by maner of a fable,
Albe the menyng be full commendable,
And well accordyng in conclusion,
To the clere purpose of his entencion.

Finis.

[Page lxv]

¶ Hovve Andalus doctour of Astronomy concludeth how Prynces shoulde not atwite constellacions nor Fortune of their vnhappy fallyng, but their demerites and vycious liuyng.

¶ The first Chapter.

AT Naples whylom as he dothe specify
In his youth whan he to schole went,
There was a doctour of Astro­nomye,
Famous of cunnyng and right excellent,
Of hym rehearsyng shortly in sentment,
His ioy was most to study and wake,
And he was called Andalus the blake.

He redde in scholes the mening of the heauen,
The kinde of starres and constellacions,
The course also of the planets seuen,
Their influence and their mocions:
And helde also in his opinions,
The fall of princes the cause well out sought,
Came of them selfe and of fortune nought.

Nor the starres was nothing to wite
By their meuyng, nor by their influence
Nor yt men should of right the heauen at wite,
For no froward worldly vyolence:
For this clarke there concluded in sentence,
How men by vertue longe may contune,
From hurt of starres or of fortune.

Their owne desert is chefe occasion
Of their vnhappe who so taketh hede,
And their demerites vnwarely put thē doun,
Whan vycious life doth their brydle lede:
Course of fortune nor of the starres rede,
Hindreth nothing agayne their felicitie,
Syth of free choyse they haue full libertye.

God punished sinne in many maner wyse,
Some he chastiseth for theyr owne auaile,
Men may of reason in suche case deuise,
Sinne aye requireth vengeaūce at his tayle:
God of fortune taketh no counsayle,
Nor from her meuyng no man is more fre,
As clarkes write, than is glad pouertee.

And vnto purpose this auctour full notable,
To his scholers there beyng in presence,
Full demurely gan reherse a fable,
With many a coloure of sugred eloquence,
Theron concludyng the sūme of his sentence,
Touching a strife whiche he did expresse,
Atwene glad pouert, & this blinde goddesse.

☞ A disputation betwene Fortune and glad pouerte.

HVod Andalus whilom of fortune
In straite place there sate glad pouert
Whiche resembled of loke & of figure
A retcheles woman most vgly vnto se,
At a narow metyng of hye wayes thre,
All to torne, to ragged, and to rent,
A thousand patches vpon her garment.

She was hydous bothe of chere and face,
And in semyng voyde of sorow and drede:
And by that way as Fortune did pace,
And of glad Pouert sodaynly toke hede,
She gan to smile and laught at her in dede,
By a maner scornyng in certayne,
Of her aray she had so great disdaine.

Whose froward laughter whā pouert did espy
How she of her had indignacion,
She rose her vp of hygh melancholy
Playnly to shewe her entencion,
Without good day or salutacion,
Doyng to Fortune no maner reuerence,
Vnder these wordes, declaryng her sentence.

O thou Fortune moste fole of foles all,
What cause hast thou for to laugh at me,
Or what disdayne is in thyne hart fall:
Spare not a deale tell on let se,
For I full little haue ado with the,
Of olde nor new I haue none aquayntaunce
Neither with the nor wyth thy gouernaunce.

[Page]
And whan Fortune beholdeth the manere
Of glad Pouert, in her to torne wede,
And knew also by countenaunce and chere,
How she of her toke but little hede,
Like as she had to her no maner nede,
The whiche thinges conceyued and seyne,
To pouerty she answered thus ageine:

My scornefull laughter plainly was for the,
Whan I the sawe so megre, pale, and lene,
Naked and colde, in great aduersitie,
Scabbed, scoruy, scalled, and vnclene,
On backe and body as it is well sene,
Many a beast walke in their pasture,
Whiche day by day of new thou doest recure.

Hauyng nothing to wrap in thy head,
Saue a brode hatte rent out of nattes olde,
Full of honger for defaute of bread,
Slepyng on strawe in the frostes colde:
And where thou comest as men may behold,
For fear of the, children them withdrawe,
And many a dogge hath on thy staffe ygnaw.

To all estates thou art most odious,
Men with the will haue no daliaunce,
Thy felowship is so contracious,
Where thou abidest may be no pleasaunce:
Folke hate so deedly thi froward acquaitaūce
That finally I dare conclude of the,
Where euer thou comest thy felowshyp mē fle.

Whan glad pouert gan plainly vnderstand
The rebukes rehearced of Fortune,
The rude reasons that she toke on hande
Whiche frowardly to her she did entune,
As Pouert were a refuse in commuue,
By the repreues that Fortune on her layde,
For whiche pouerte, replyed agayne & saide.

Fortune (quod she) touching this debate
Whiche of malice thou doest againe me take,
Be well certaine touching my pore estate,
I of frewyll thy fauour haue forsake,
And though folke saye thou maiest men ryche make
Yet had I leuer be pore wt gladnes,
Than with trouble posse de great riches

For though thou seme benigne & debonayre
By a maner counterfaite apparence,
Fatte and well fedde wt rounde chekes fayre,
With many colours of trouth as in pretence,
As therof fayth were very existence,
But vnder all thy floures of freshenes,
The serpent glydeth of chaunge & doublenes

And though thy clothing be of purple hewe,
With great awaytyng of many chamberers,
Of golde and perle eche day chaunged newe,
Clothe of golde and sundry fresh attires,
And in thine housholde full many officers,
Yet I dare well put in ieoparty
With the to pleate and holde champarty.

Thus glad pouert gan waxe importune,
Of there contrary of loke and of langage,
Agayne this ladye whiche called is Fortune:
That of disdayne she fill into a rage,
Beholde quod she of pouerte the courage
In wretchednes standyng disconsolate,
How agayne me she is now obstinate?

She can not se how she stant outrayed
Farre from the fauour of my felicitie,
Yet of pride she is not dismayed
Nor list not bowe for to obey me,
Though she be cast in mendicite:
Farthest abacke I do you well assure,
In mischefe set of any creature.

But truely pouerte for all thi truaundise
Maugry thy pride and thine outrage
I shall the punishe in full cruell wise,
To make the loute vnder my seruage,
Whiche resemblest a deadly ymage
That were newe risen out of his graue,
And yet of pryde darest ayenst me raue.

But whan fortune had these wordes sayde,
Glad pouerte gan fall in great gladnes,
And agayne Fortune with a sodayne brayde,
She gan her conceit out shewe and expresse:
Fortune (quod she) though thou be a goddesse
Called of foles yet learne this of me,
From thy seruage I stande at libertie.

But if I shall algates haue ado
With the in armes moste cruell & vengeable,
Touching the quarell yt is atwene vs two,
There is one thinge to me right comfortable,
That thy courage is flikeryng and vnstable,
And where an harte is in him selfe deuided,
Victory in armes for him is not prouided.

Me list nether flatter the nor fage,
Nor the to anoynt by adulacion,
Though flattery and fayned false langage
Appropred be to thy condicion:
[Page lxvi]And in dispite of thy presumption,
I haue forsake of my fre voluntie
All the treasures of worldly vanitie.

Whylom I was as thou hast deuised
Seruaunt to the, and vnto thy treasours,
But frō thy daunger now yt I am fraūchised
Seking of the nether for helpe nor succours,
Manace kynges and mighty emperours,
For glad pouerte late neither sone
With thy riches hath nothing to done.

For though thou haue embraced in thy cheine
Worldly princes and goodes transitorye,
And ryche marchauntes vnder thy demeyne,
Yeuest to knighthode conquest and victory,
The fadyng palme of laude and vaynglory:
But whan echone thy fauour haue recured,
Thā is glad pouerte fre fro thy lure assured.

All thy seruauntes stande vnder drede,
Quakyng for feare of thy doublenes,
For neither wisdome, force, nor manhede,
Fredome, bountie, loue, nor gentilnes,
May in thy fauour haue no sykernesse,
They be so possed wt windes in thy barge:
Where as glad pouert goth fre at his large.

Thy manacyng dothe me no duresse,
Whiche worldly princes dreden euerychone,
They may well quake for losse of riches,
But I glad pouerte therof desire none:
As flow & ebbe all worldly things must gone,
For after floudes of Fortunes tide,
The ebbe foloweth and will no man abide.

Flowe and ebbe to me both aliche,
I drede nothing thy mutabilitee:
Make whō thou list either pore or ryche,
For I nothing will require of the,
Nether lordship nor great prosperitie,
For with thy gyftes who that hath to done,
Of chaunges braydeth ofter then the Mone.

Out of pouerte came first these emperours
That were in Rome crowned with laurere,
Fredom and larges made them first victours
Causyng their fame to shine bright and clere,
Till couetise brought them in daungere:
Whan they of foly in their most excellence
To thy doublenes did reuerence.

For whan fredome a prynce dothe forsake,
And couetise put awaye largesse,
And straytnes into honsholde take,
And nygardshyp exileth gentilues,
Than is withdrawe from their hye noblesse
The peoples hart, and playnely to deuise
Of their seruantes farewel al good seruice.

All suche sodayne chaunges in commune,
In this worlde vsed now fro day to daye,
Echone they come by fraude of false fortune,
Experience hath put at assay:
Loue, trouth, and fayth, be gone farre away,
And if that trust with prynces will not tary,
Little maruayle though the people vary.

For through thy chaūges of fraudulēt faire­nes
There is now vsed in euery region
Glad chere outshewed wt couert doublenes,
Vnder the curtayne of simulation:
So secrete is now adulation,
That in this worlde may be no surete,
But if it rest in glad pouerte.

Yet of thy perillous frowarde variaunce
I set no store truely as for me,
For all thy frendshyp cōcludeth wt mischaūce,
With sodayne mischefe of mutabilitie:
Which yeueth me hart to haue ado with the,
For suffisaunce in my pore estate,
Shal to thy chaūges say sodainly chekmate.

Fortune with anger almost dispayred,
Of these wordes toke full great greuaunce:
Pouert (quod she) which maist not be apayred
But I now shew agayne the my puissaunce
Men would little accompt my substaunce,
O mighty pouerte, O stronge Hercules,
Which against me puttest thy selfe in prees.

Supposest thou it should the auayle,
Other by force or by hardines
To haue ado wyth me in battayle,
Whiche am of conquest & of hygh prowes,
In armes called lady and prynces?
For there is none so myghty conqueroure
That may preuayle without my fauour.

Of these wordes pouerte nothyng aferde,
Answerde agayne thus playnly in sentence:
Though I ne haue spere, shelde, nor swerde,
Nor chosen armure to stande at defence,
Pollar, nor dagger, to make resistence,
But bare and naked, anone it shalbe seyne
If thou wt me darest wrastle on the pleyne.

[Page]
Whiche shal be done vnder condicion
That none of vs shall him selfe withdrawe,
But styll abide of entencion
Till he that vaiquisheth ordeined hath a law
Such as him liketh against his felawe:
The whiche lawe shall not be delayed
To be accomplished on him that is outrayed.

Of whose wordes Fortune again gan smile,
That pouert profered so proudly to assayle,
And vpon this she stynt a little whyle,
And to pouert she put this opposayle.
Who shall (quod she) be iudge of this battaile,
Or yeue doine iustly atwene vs twayne,
Of this quarell that we shall darayne?

I aske also another question,
Touchyng thy profer of furious outrage:
Where as thou puttest a condicion
And a lawe with full proude langage,
Where shalt thou fynde pledges or hostage,
To kepe the promise which thou doest ordain
Therof to abide the guerdon or the payne?

I meane as thus if there be set a lawe
Atwene vs two, or a condicion
By surety whiche may not be withdrawe,
As vnder bonde or obligation:
But there is neither lawe nor reason
May bynde a begger if it be well sought,
Whan it is proued yt he hath right nought.

The secte of pouerte hath a protection
From all statutes to go at libertie,
And from all lawe a playne exception:
Than foloweth it if thou bynde the
To any lawe that may contriued be,
It were fraude playnely to endite,
Which hast right nought thy party to acquite

Thou art so feble if I came therto
That thou were brought vnto vtteraunce,
For no power whan that all were do
Thou shoulde fayle to make thy finaunce,
Bothe destitute of good and of substaunce:
And sithe no lawe now thy person may coart,
It were foly with suche one to ieoparte.

If I woulde compulse the to wracke,
To aske of the treasure of kyng Dary,
On that party thou standest farre abacke,
My payment so longe shoulde tarye
Indigence would the to vary:
And if I woulde thy person eke compare
To Alysaunder, thy sydes ben full bare.

And finally thou standest in suche caas
Of misery, wretchednes, and nede,
That thou mightest of reason synge alas,
Bothe forsake of frendshyp and kynrede,
And there is none dare pledge the for drede:
Yet like a fole supprised with vaynglory,
Hopest of me to wynne the vyctory.

Quod glad pouerte I doubt neuer adele
That the vyctory shall passe on my side,
Pledge and hostages let them go, farewele,
I aske no more of all thy great pryde,
But to thende that thou wylt abyde,
Pledge thy fayth, albe that some men sayth,
To trust in fortune there is full little fayth.

And for my part in this hye emprise
Sith I haue pledges nether one nor twayne
More sure hostage can I not deuise:
But if so be the victory thou attayne,
Than yelde I my body bound in a chayne,
Perpetually, like the condicion
With the to abyde fettred in pryson.

Than Fortune laught more thē she did afore
Whan she saw Pouerte so presumptuous,
In his aray all to ragged and to tore,
And had neither rent, lande, ne house:
It is (quod she) a thing contraryous
Vnto nature, who that can aduert,
To a begger to haue a sturdy hart.

And if I the vainquished in battayle,
It were to me no worshyp nor aduauntage,
What should thy body vnto me auayle
The to enpryson straytly in a cage?
It should be a charge and a costage
Thine empty wombe eche day to fyll,
If thou mightest haue vytayle at thy wyll.

And if I would my selfe to magnify,
Token of tryumphe after my chare the lede,
Men would deme it a maner mockery,
And say in scorne take of that fole good hede,
How she a begger hath ouercome in dede,
Fought with her for to encrease her name,
Which cōquest turneth to disclaūder & shame.

Yet whan I haue brought the to vttraunce,
My power shadowed and my great might.
And thine outrage oppressed by vengeaunce,
After all this as it is skyll and ryght,
[Page lxvi]It shalbe couthe in euery mans syght,
Out declared the great difference,
Atwene thy feblenes & my great excellence.

Than to represse thy surquedy at ones,
Cruel Orchus the tydogye infernall,
Shall rende thy skinne asunder frō the bones
To shew my power whiche is imperiall:
And to declare in especiall
Pouerte reclaymed vnto prydes lure,
With me to plete may no whyle endure.

And sodenly or glad pouerte toke hede,
Fortune proudly first began tassayle,
And vnwarely hent her by the hede,
Demyng of pride yt she may nat fayle,
Thrugh her power to vēquish this bataile:
But it may fall, a dwerye in his right,
To outray a gyaunt for all his gret might.

God taketh none hede to power nor strēgth,
To highe estate, nor to high noblesse,
To square limes forged on brede or length,
But to quarels groūded on right wisnesse:
For out of wronge may growd no prowesse,
For where that trouth holdeth champarty,
God wyll his cause by grace magnify.

Wherfore pouerte stronge in her entent,
Light, and delyuer, voyde of all fatnesse,
Right well brethed, & nothing corpulent,
Small of dyette, surfettes to represse,
Agayne fortune proudly gan her dresse:
And with an vgly sterne cruell face,
Gan in armes her proudly to enbrace.

Pouert was slender & might well endure,
Fortune was roūde, short of wynde, & breth:
And wombes great oppressed with armure,
For lacke of wynde the great stuffe thē sleth,
And many a man bringeth to his dethe:
For ouermoche of any maner thing,
Hath many one brought to his vndoyng.

A meane is best with good gouernaūce,
To moche is nought, nor ouer great plente,
Gretter rychesse is founde in suffysaunce,
Than in the flodes of superfluyte:
And who is content in his pouerte,
And grutcheth nat for bytter nor for sote,
What euer he be hath fortune vnder fote,

Couetyse put hym in no dispayre,
Wherfore pouerte in herte glad and lyght,
Lyft fortune full hygh vp in the eyre,
And her constrayned of very force & myght:
For glad pouerte of custome and of right,
Whan any trouble agayne her dothe begyn,
Aye of Fortune the laurer she dothe wyn.

Maugre Fortune in the eyre a lofte,
Constrayned she was by wylfull pouerte,
That to the earthe her fall was full vnsofte:
For of pouert the bony sharpe kne,
Slendre, and longe, & leane vpon to se
Hyt fortune with so great a myght,
Agayne ye hert, she myght nat stand vpryght.

To signify that pouerte with gladnesse,
Which is content with small possession,
And geuyth no force of treasour nor richesse,
Hath ouer fortune the dominacion,
And kepeth her euer vnder subiection:
Where worldly folke wt their rych aparaile,
Lyue euer in dred lest fortune wolde fayle.

The poore man afore the thefe dothe synge,
Vnder ye wodes with fresh notes shryll,
The ryche man full fearfull of robbyng
Quakyng for drede rydeth forthe full styll:
The poore at large goth wher he list at wyll,
Strongly fraūchysed frō all debate & stryfe,
The ryche aferde alway to lose his lyfe.

Thus glad pouerte hath the palme ywonne,
Fortune outrayed for all her doublenesse,
Vpon whome pouerte in haste is ronne,
And strayned her wyth so great duresse,
Tyll she confessed & playnly dyd expresse,
with faythe & hande in all her great payne,
To abyde what lawe pouerte lyst ordayne.

And in haste after this discomfyture,
Fortune began to complayne sore,
But glad pouert which al thing might indure
Charged fortune scorne her no more:
For it was sayd sythe go full yore,
He that reioyseth to scorne folke in vayne,
Whan he is lothest, shall scorned be agayne.

Yet quoth pouert though thou were dispitous
Wordes rehersyng whyche were nat fayre,
Straunge rebukes full contrarious,
And repreues many thousande payre,
Thou shalt me fynde againe warde debonaire:
For though a tong be slaundrous & vēgeable,
To slaunder againe, is nothing cōmendable.

[Page]
Thou must considre touchyng oure batayle,
The ordinaunce and imposycion
That whiche of vs in conquest do preuayle,
To bringe his felowe to subiection:
He shall obey the statute of reason,
And accomplyshe of very due det,
What lawe the victoure lyst vpon hym set.

For whiche thou shalt the sayd lawe obey,
Wyth circumstaunces of the condicion,
By me ordayned, and nothynge agayne say:
Make no grutchynge nor replycation,
Consydred first the false opinion
Of them that sayne all worldly auenture
Of good and bad, abyde vnder thy cure,

Some poetes and phylosophers also,
Wold in this case make the a goddesse:
Which be disceiued I dare say both two,
And their errour and foly to redresse,
I shall withdrawe in very sykernesse,
Vnhappy auenture away fro thy power,
That she no more stand in thy daunger.

This lawe of newe vpon the I make,
That first thou shalt al open in some pleyne,
Juell auenture bynde to a stake,
Or to some pyller where she may be seyne:
To shewe example to folke in certeine
That no man shal lose her ne discharge,
But such as lyst with her to go at large.

Herof to make a declaracion,
Touching thy might of yuell auenture,
Thou shalt forgo the dominacion,
To hyndre and harme any creature,
But only foles which in thy might assure:
They of their foly may fele great domage,
Nat of thy power, but of their own outrage.

For thylke foles which that list vnbinde
This wretch called vnhappy auenture,
Of wyt and reason they make thē self blinde,
Like as the world stode in fortunes cure,
As though she might assure them & vnsure:
And them dispose to welthe or wretchednesse,
In their errour calling her a goddesse.

Such wilful wretches that them self betake,
To put their fredom in her subiection,
Of god aboue the power they forsake,
And submitte them agayne all reason,
Vnder fortunes transmutacion:
Their lyberte full falsly for to thrall,
Namely whan they a goddesse lyst her cal.

With a derke myst of variacion,
Fortune hath clouded their natural lyght,
And ouershadowed their discretion,
That they be blent in their inward syght,
For to consydre and behold a ryght,
Howe god aboue put vnder mannes cure,
Fre choyce of good his reason to assure.

The lord enlumined of his boūtuous larges,
With minde and wyt his memoryall,
Toward all vertue his steppes for to dresse:
Endued his reason for to be naturall,
Of frowardenesse tyll he waxe bestyall:
To bynde him selfe contrariously in dede,
To serue fortune, atwene hope and drede.

Thus bestyall folke made her a goddesse,
Falsly wening she might them most auayle,
Wyth her plentyes of habundaunt rychesse:
And some deme in their supposayle,
wt vnware chaūge she dare the great assayle,
Whose trust alwaye medled is with trouble,
And her plesaunce includeth mening double.

And some affyrme that she may auaunce
Conquestes great and discomfytures,
And howe it lyeth also in her puissaunce
To forther and hynder all maner creatures,
And call her princesse of al aduentures,
The rich to enhaunce by royal apparayle,
And by disdayne to hinder the porayle.

when she maketh most fulsome her profers,
Her blandisshing is farced with falshede:
whan her riches ben stuffed vp in cofers,
They ben aye shet vnder a locke of drede.
Wherfore ye rich of one thyng take hede,
As your gathering came in wyth plesaunce,
Right so your losse departeth wt mischaunce.

Your gredy thurst treasour to multiply
Causeth an etyke of no suffisaunce:
In you engendring a false dropsye,
With a sharp hunger of worldly abundaunce
Making of you a maner resemblaunce
With Tantalus, whan ye do depest synke,
Thā is your nature most thrustlew to drink

who clymbeth highest on fortunes whele,
And sodainly to rychesse dothe ascende,
An vnware turne afore sene neuer a dele,
Whan he leest weneth maketh him descende:
[Page lxviii]Fro suche chaunges who may hym defende,
But they that be wyth pouerte nat dismaide,
And can with lytell holde them selfe apayde.

The firste Chapiter.

¶ Howe kyng Hostilius worshyppyng false goddes was consumpt with firy leuyn.

WHyle Bochas gan muse in thys matter.
Consydred fyrst all worldly thynge muste fayle,
Wyth wepyng eyen there dyd apere
Prynces ye whylom were famous in Itayle,
Whiche gan their fall full pitously bewayle:
For more contrarye was their falling lowe,
That they tofore had no mischefe knowe.

For more vncouth is thylke aduersyte
Namely to princes whan it is sodayne,
Which euer haue liued in prosperite,
Hauyng on Fortune no mater to complaine,
Than of a wretche that lyuith aye in payne:
Of custome causeth conceyued the sentence,
Of ioy and sorowe a full great difference.

Of ioy passed the newe remembraunce
Whan folke ben fall from theyr felicite,
In treble wise it dothe them great greuaūce:
The vnware turne from theyr tranquilyte,
The vnsure trust and mutabilyte
In worldly power whiche they haue founde,
Vnto their hertes yeueth a greuous wounde.

But to a wretche whiche in wretchydnesse
Hath euer liued, & neuer was partable
Of no welfare nor of wyelfulnesse,
Nor neuer found Fortune fauorable,
His sorowe his myschefe ben so costomable,
That of hys paynes longe continuaunce
Dothe to his greues a maner allegeaunce.

But to Princes whiche sate so high alofte,
A sodayne fall is moste contraryous,
And their disendynge wel the more vnlofte,
In their tryumphes y• they were glorious,
Reccorde I take of kynge Hostylius,
Which in Rome from his royall stall,
Whan he sate crowned, moste sodenly is fall.

It is remembred of old and nat of newe,
Of all Rome that he was lorde and syre,
The firste of kynges y• weared purple hewe,
And of that Citye gouerned the empyre:
Had of Fortune all that hym lyste desyre,
Tyll that he fyll in all his regaly,
In to a frowarde deedly malady.

And of his paynes to fynde alleyeaunce,
To the temples he went on pylgrymage:
His offeryng made with deuoute obeysaunce,
Wherby somdele his paynes dyd aswage,
And he was restored of corage,
Felt hym selfe that he dyd amend,
To comon profyte agayne he gan entende.

Vpon the Albaynes reignyng in hys glory,
To great anayle of Rome the cytie,
Throughe hys Knighthode he had a gret vic­tory:
After the whiche by full great cruelte,
He beraf [...]e them fraunchyse and lyberte,
And made thē after thrugh his high renoune,
To be to Rome vnder subiectyon.

After hys conquest the story doeth deuise,
In hys noblesse full stately and royall,
He gan make a ryche sacrifyse
To queme and please for a memoriall,
After the rightes ceremoniall,
To Jupiter, by full great reuerence,
Afore his auters wyth fyres and encence.

But for that he in hys inward intent
By cyrcumstaunces of his oblacyon
Was rechelesse founde, and also neglygent,
By some frowarde false affection,
The goddes caught an indignacion:
And sodaynly discendyng from the heauin,
He was consumpt with a firy leuin.

Hys false goddes might hym nat auayle,
Jupiter, Saturnus, Mars, nor Venus,
Let all chrysten defye suche raskayle,
For to our faythe they be contrarious:
And among godds a thyng most outragious
Is whan that prynces bleut in their foly,
Lyst erthly thynges falsly deify.

For vnto God is hatefull and odyble
A withdrawyng of his reuerence,
To magnify thynges corruptible
with vndue honour, with false concupiscēce:
Wherfore ye prices beware, of high prudēce,
Lest god vnwarely punyshe your noblesse,
Make you in erth no false God nor goddes.

¶ The second Chapiter.

¶ Howe Anchus kynge of Rome was murdred by Lucinyo by the assent of his wyfe.

[Page]
THynke on Anchus kynge of Rome toune,
Whyche was so noble shynynge in glorye,
Weared a crown, ful famous of renoun,
Next Hostilius as put is in memory,
Wan the palme of many a great victory:
But for al that with a ful sharpe knyfe,
He murdred was by assentyng of his wife.

He loued her best aboue eche creature,
Considred not her statery nor falsnesse,
Her double meaning vnder couerture,
Falsly blent this princes worthynesse,
To robbe & reue him of his great richesse
Was her labour, with counterfete pleasaunce,
In her entent to bring hym to mischaunce.

This anchus had a great affection
Vnto his goddes to make sacrifyses,
And to augment the religion
Of paganysme, made in sondry wyses,
Through his manhode & circūspect deuyses,
Vpon Latines rebel to his citye,
For comon profyt he made a great armye.

One of their cities called Polotory,
He knightly wan maugre al their myght:
And whan he had of them ful victory,
He abode no lenger, but anone forth ryght
Made al the people in euery mannes syght,
As prisoners, thys romayne champion,
Brought afore hym boūde in to the toun.

Eke as I fynde this Anchus nolde cease
For cōmon profyte in his affection,
Their teritories to augment and encrece,
In al the countreis about enuyron,
Towarde y• riuer where Tiber renneth doun
At the which place he let edifye
A ful stronge citie, which called is Ostye.

But not withstanding al his worthynesse,
He was depriued, the story telleth so,
Of his kyngdome and his great richesse,
By a foraine, called Lucinio:
His wife Tarquild assented was therto,
By whose outrage and gredy couetyse,
Anchus was murdred in full cruel wyse.

The .iii. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Lucinio that murdred Anchus was after murdred.

THus fro the whele of fortune he is fall,
Lucinio in Rome is crowned kyng:
And the Romayns after dyd hym cal
Tarquin the olde, by recorde of writyng.
Which hath atayned by fraudulent workyng,
And by his subtyll forged eloquence,
Vnto the state of royall excellence.

He fyrst ordayned in his estate roiall,
Turneys, iustes, in Castels and cities,
And other playes called marcial,
With many famous great solempnitees,
Sessions for states and degrees:
This Tarquin eke was fyrst y• did his payne
In open stretes, tauernes to ordayne.

Eke to preserue his citye out of doute
If their enemyes lyst them to assaile,
He was the fyrst that walled Rome about,
With mighty toures vnlykely for to fayle:
And had also many a strong batayle
With Sabynes, in their rebellion,
And made them subiect vnto Rome toun.

But for he was assented to depriue
Worthy Anchus from his estate royal,
And after that toke Tanquylde vnto wyue,
Which slough her lorde by treason mortal,
God would of right that he should haue a fal
The lord wyl not, which euery thinge may se,
Suffre murdre long to be secre.

For Lucinio for his great offence
Touchynge the murdre of kyng Anchus,
Yslayne was by sodayne vyolence,
Of two sheperdes, the story telleth thus,
Which of entent were contrarious
Atwene them selfe by a fayned strife,
To fynde a way to reue hym of hys life.

For while the kyng sate in iugement
Vpon their quarel for to do iustise,
Full sodaynly they being of assent,
Fill vpon him in full cruell wise.
And with an axe the story doth deuise,
One of them or any man toke hede,
On two parties rofe the kynges heed.

This thing was done by the procuryng
[Page lxi]Of two chyldre, sonnes to Anchus,
Whyche were exyled by false compassyng
Of Lucinio, agayne them moste yrous,
To hym their presence was so odyous:
But they shope tho they were out of syght,
Theyr fathers deth to auenge if they might

For of nature blode wyll auenged be,
To recompence the wrong of his kyntede:
In thys chapter lyke as ye may se,
Blodshed for blode thus bothe dyd blede,
By whyche example let prynces take hede
Howe murdre done for supplantacion,
Requireth vengeaunce for his guerdon.

Lenuoye.

THys tragedie by clere inspection
Openly declareth in substaunce,
Howe slaughter of prices causeth sub­uercyon
Of realmes, cyties put out of ordynaunce,
Of mortall were longe contynuaunce,
Blode by supplāting shed of kinges twayne,
By exāple shewed false murdre to restrayne.

The fyne declaringe of murdre & false treson,
The dede horryble cryeth aye vengeaunce,
To god aboue to caste hys eyen doune,
To punishe thys sinne throgh his puissaunce:
For i [...] is mother of myschefe and mischaunce,
Wherfore ye prynces do some lawe ordayne
Within your boundes thre vyces to restraine.

The vyce of sclaundre, murdre, and poyson,
Where euer these thre haue acquayntaunce,
They bryng in sorowe and desolacyon:
Put at a prefe by newe remembranuce,
Of falshede vsed vnder fayre countenaunce,
Wherfore ye prynces do your busy payne,
Within your boūdes these vyces to restrayne.

God defende thys noble regyon,
With these thre vyces to haue alyaunce,
For slaundre firste deuoureth hygh renoun,
And sleeth good fame thrughe false daliaunce,
Harme done, to late foloweth repentaunce,
Wherfore ye princes do a lawe ordayne,
To punish their malice fals tōges to restray­ne

God hath of murdre abhominacyon,
And false poyson dothe to hym displesaunce,
There is no payne in comparyson
Condygne to murdre, paysed in balaunce:
Wherfore ye princes make an ordynaunce
Within your boundes of some preuy payne,
By dae punishing false murdre to restrayne.

O noble prynces prouyde of reason
Agayne these vyces to make purueyaunce,
Of rygour shewe due execucion,
With your labour and hertely instaunce,
Let deth be guerdon for their fynall penaūce:
To warne other by cōstraint of their payne,
Frō these .iii. vices their corages to restrayne.

The .iiii. Chapiter.

¶ Howe for the offence done to Lucrece by Tarquyn, was neuer after crowned kyng in Rome.

TOuching this Tarquin of whō I told
As myne auctour maketh mencion,
He called was Tarquinius the olde,
Whyche longe in Rome had dominacyon:
Tyll hys kynrede and generacyon
For the offence done vnto Lucrece,
Caused of kynges the names to cece.

For his sonne which after dyd succede,
For his outrages and his extorcions,
And for many an other cruell dede,
For hys hatefull vsurpacions,
Hys frowarde lyfe and false condycions,
Among the people bothe styll and loude,
He called was Tarquinius the proude.

Full obstinat he was in his entent,
Ambicious taccroche great rychesse:
Tyll that fortune wexed impacient
Agaynst hym, in all his great noblesse,
Gan her snares and her crokes dresse,
Thought she woulde but he kept hym wele,
All sodaynlie cast him from her whele.

A sonne he had full vycious as I fynde,
To all vertue moste contrarious:
To be froward it came to hym by kynde,
And of nature proude and dispitous,
Agayne the people fell and malycious,
Nat loued but dred, for tyrany of ryght
Is thyng most hated in the peoples syght.

Thys proude Tarquin y• story is well couth,
Agayne Lucrece dyd a great outrage:
Oppressed her beuty in his vnbridled youth,
Her trouth assaylyng in a furious rage.
For which hys father and hys lynage
[Page]Exyled were, and for this hatefull thynge
Ther was neuer after in Rome crowned kig.

Her body corrupt she clene of hert & thought,
By force assayled was her innocence:
Oppressed her beaute, but her spirite nought,
Her chaste wyll dyd none offence,
But entred is in to her conscience
A greate remorse, for all her wyfely trouth,
To sle her selfe, whych was to great a routh.

And for that Bochas remembreth pyteouslye
Her deedly sorowe and lamentacion,
Write her complaynt in ordre ceryouslye,
Whyche that she made for her oppression:
I folowe muste and make mencion,
After myne auctor percell rehersyng,
Touchyng her wordes sayd in her dyinge,

Albe it so by byddyng of my lorde,
Reherced haue in my translacion
After Pierms here and there a worde,
Of a full dolefull declamacion,
By hym remembred of entencion,
For her sake men myght se and rede
What wyfely trouth was in her womanhed.

And John Bochas lyst nat set a syde
But that he would reherse in sentence,
Her wofull complaynt, and therupon abyde,
Of wronges done to her innocence:
And though I can nat folowe his eloquēce,
I shall sue the trouth of rehersyng,
As in substaunce theffect of his writyng.

THe morowe next after thys foule dede,
Lucrece vp rose wt a full deadly chere,
Out of her face gone was all the rede,
And darked were her heauenly eyen clere:
All clad in blake after the maner,
Of thylke folke whyche in especiall,
Be wonte to go to feastes funerall.

All her frendes beyng in presence
Husbande, Father, with other eke also,
By and by rehersynge in sentence
The cyrcumstaunces of her hartely wo,
And or that I any further go
Vnder hope my Lorde wyll me supporte,
What that she sayd I wyll to you reporte.

The .v. Chapiter.

¶ The greuous complaynt of Lucrece vpon her oppression.

FOr as moche (quod she) as I Lucrece
Am by the lawe ioyned in maryage,
To the mi lord whose loue shal a [...]e en­crease
Towardes the, wt all the surplusage
Of wyfely trouth, to endure all myne age
As humble subiect wt faythfull obeysaunce,
Vnder thy lordshyp & thy gouernaunce.

O Collatyn my Lorde and true husbande,
Best beloued, of hole affeccyon,
I wyll no more no quarell take on hande
Nor in no wyse take none accion,
Without that thou lyste enclyne doune
Goodly thyne eares to ye [...]e me audyence,
To that I shall reherce in thy presence.

Iniury done or any maner wronge
Agayne my worshyp or myne honeste,
By the lawe my sentence is made stronge,
It toucheth you also wele as me,
I am so holy yolden vnto the,
Thou art my heed who clerly can discerne,
Lorde and husbande my body to gouerne.

Parciall causes in sothe there may none be
Atwene vs twayne nor no disseueraunce,
For sote and bytter, ioy and aduersyte,
We must them way both in one balaunce:
Counterpayse our sorowes, & our plesaunce,
Entermedle all thynge that stant in doubte,
Receyue our Fortune as it commeth aboute.

There may atwen vs be no meaning double,
But one herte, one wyll, and one corage,
And as a woman y• standeth now in trouble,
Wythout polysshyng of any fayre langage,
I must disclose to you the greate outrage,
Done vnto me, and playnly it discure,
Whyche to redresse lyeth holy in your cure.

For the mater to speake in wordes playne,
Aright out serched and the trouth out found,
As a iuste cause indifferent to twayne,
Towarde vs both the quarell doth rebounde:
And more strongly your mater for to groūde,
Reherse I wyll so that ye saufe it vouche,
A mortall wronge which ye & me doth touch.

In a castell whiche called is Collace,
Of which my lorde here hath y• gouernaunce,
Tarquyn the yonge came in to that place,
I full disware to make purueyaunce,
Agayne hys commynge, or any ordinaunce,
Tofore nat warned of his offycers,
[Page lxx]Sate vnpuruayed amonge my chamberers.

Of entent to eschewe ydelnesse,
We sate and span wolles softe:
For she of vyces is a chefe maystresse,
Where she is cherysshed and yset alofte.
But of custome as I haue done full ofte,
I and my women duly as we ought,
To auoyde slouthe full busily wrought.

His entryng was meke and debonayre,
Benygne of porte, of loke and of vysage,
With a pretence of many wordes fayre,
In whose meanyng was full great outrage,
His chere contrary vnto his corage:
In thys wyse there he was receyued,
Wherby alas I falsly was disceyued.

At prime face, as me thought it due
I hym receiued at his in commyng,
Rose vp mekely, and gan hym to salue,
As apertayned in all maner thyng,
Vnto the sonne of a worthy kyng:
And truly Tarquine, for whiche I say, alas,
Me to traysh stode in the same caas.

A kynges sonne shulde of duety,
Be to women wall and protection,
Preserue and kepe them in all surety,
That no man shulde of no presumpcion
Do them no wronge nor oppression:
Rather dye than se them suffer vnryght,
Aduertysinge the offyce of a knight.

But contrary to knighthod he hath wrought,
By false outrage done agaynst me,
Wronge wayes and croked meanes sought,
Of lawes twayne to breake the liberte:
And to deface the auctorite
Of lawe Ciuile and naturall also,
In my person offendyng bothe twoe.

First by his subtyll compassyng
He gan espy thestrys of the place,
And whan a bed alone I lay slepyng,
Lyke a lyon, full sterne of loke and face,
With his left hande my throte he dyd enbrace:
And in his other helde agayne all lawe,
Me to oppresse, a naked sworde ydrawe.

Thus afforsyng my wifely chastyte,
Agayne knighthod he dyd this great offence,
My lyfe, my worshyp, put in perplexite,
Hauing no might to make resystence,
Me manasyng by deadly violence,
The one of twayne, to dye in his entent,
Or to auoutry falsly to consent.

Thus I stode sole atwene dethe & diffame,
My body corrupte, my spyrite abode clene,
My spousayle broken, and my good name
For euer disclaundred, y• whilom shone shene:
Yuell fame of custom wyll alway wax grene,
Neuer dye, the people so them disporte.
The worste of thynges gladly to reporte.

Alas, alas, amonge my sorowes all
This one the moste y• dothe my hert agryse,
I am nat worthy that men me shoulde call
Or haue the name in no maner wise,
For the offence whiche ye haue herde deuyse,
To be called in this wretched lyfe,
Of Collatyn from henseforthe the wyfe.

Myne eyne also be blynded with derknesse,
Only for shame to lyfte vp their syght,
Outher their stremes or beame vp dresse,
Of the clere heuen to loke vpon the lyght:
Nor I may neuer be of the nombre of ryght
Of true matrons, amonge them ferre ornere
For to be rekened in their kalendere.

Let myne iniury, and this mortall cryme
Be so punysshed of ryght and equyte,
Without delay of any lenger tyme,
That euer after it may example be
Through all the worlde, and eke in this cyte,
With suche a payne therupon deuysed,
That all auoutrors may be therby chastysed.

And if it seme in your opinyon
In this case I shulde be vnpure,
I wyll receyue iuste punycion,
And the payne paciently endure:
If it so stande that perauenture,
Ye deme of reason, that am so iust and stable,
In this mater that I be culpable.

Her tale tolde whan they longe had mused,
On this complaint in their inward sight,
Of trouth echone they helde her full excused,
Made all behest, with all their full myght
To auēge her wrong, and Lucrece anonright
Toke a sharpe knyfe or they might aduert,
And roue her selfe euyn through the hert.

[Page]

☞ The complaynt of Bochas vpon the luxury of princes, as by examples of many dyuers myschaunces.

BOchas in hert brennyng hote as fyre,
Of very ire and indignacion,
Agayne tho princes which in their desire
Haue fully set their delectacion,
Their felycite, and their affection,
To folowe their lustes of false lechery,
Froward spousebreche, and of auoutry,

He writeth again them that seketh occasiōs,
Places of lustes, to haue their libertees,
For to fulfyl their delectacions,
And for taccōplysh their great dishonestees,
Deuyse out tauernes in borowes and citees
And sitting there among their company,
After the dede, they boste of their foly.

If any man pyntche at their outrage,
Or them rebuke for their transgressions,
They wyl answer wt froward false langage,
And for their party alledge great reasons
First how it longeth to their condicions
By right of nature, as it is well couth,
Frely to vse lechery in youthe.

Affyrme also howe lawe of kinde is fre,
And so afforce them to sustain their party,
By exāple of Dauid which y• toke Bersabe,
And for her sake how he slough Vrie:
Dyd manslaughter, and false auoutry,
For them allegyng, agayne right and res [...],
For Dalida the luxurye of Sampson.

The story also they frowardly apply,
How for a woman prudent Salomon
The lord offendyng did ydolatry:
And in diffence of their opinion,
Reherse these stories for their excusacion
Of their errour, therby a price to wynne,
As tofore God lechery were no sinne.

They not consydre in their entencion,
Of these stories of euery cyrcumstaunce,
First of kyng Dauid the great contricion:
Nor vpon Samson how god toke vēgeaūce,
First how he lost his force & his puissaūce,
For his offence: they haue not this in minde,
Nor how both his eyen were made blynde.

Nor their reasons they lyst not to enclyne
For to conceyue in their discrecion,
The spyrite of wysdome heuenly and diuine,
Was take away fro prudent Salamon,
In chastising for his transgression:
And some doctours affyrme ouermore,
How Salomon repented hym ful sore.

The play of youth folke calleth lechery,
Say it is a game of nature,
And to sustayne and beare vp their party,
Howe it sit well, by recorde of scripture,
Vnto euery lyuely creature
That stant in helth, and is coragious,
Of very kynde to be lecherous.

Vicious report they haue in remembraunce,
But vertuous thynge is ferre out of mynde:
Fleshly lustes and lecherous plesaunce
In their desires be not lefte behynde,
Auauntyng, lying, they can of new out fynd,
And nowe a dayes they hold it curtesy,
Othes horrible, flateryng, and ribaudy.

In their auice they take lytel hede
Vnto the doctryne of noble Scipion,
Which commaunded in story as I rede,
To Massinissa full famous of renoun,
Not to touche by no condicion
Sophonisba fayrest of vysage,
But it were by way of maryage.

Though she were borne of the blod royal,
Her youth was set to all honeste,
Doughter and heire to noble Hasdruball
Duke of Cartage, the story ye may se:
And for her vertues of feminyte,
She wedded was of byrth as she was lyke,
To king Siphax, which reigned in Affrike.

And for to preue the great lyberte,
Which is in vertue conueyed by reson,
And the false thraldom of dyshoneste,
Of bothe to make a playne comparison,
After the doctryne of Censorin Caton,
Shewed by him to folkes commune,
That vertue neuer is subiect to fortune.

Vertue conserueth measure and reson,
Consydereth thinges afore or they befal,
Taketh none emprises but of discrecion,
And on prudence foundeth her werkes al,
Aye to her counsayle attēperaūce she doth cal
Warely prouiding in her selfe within
The end of thynges, to fore or she begyn.

[Page lxxi]
This was the doctrine taught forth of Catō
Lecherous lustes to put them vnder fote,
Grauntyng to vertue the domynacyon,
Plucke vp vyces braunche, crop, and rote:
Frute of goodnes groweth vp so sote
Whan it is planted of youth in corage,
It neuer appalleth in eld of his tarage.

Caton of vertue was a chefe offyter,
Preferryng euer common commoditees
Tofore profites that wer synguler:
To enhaūce the comon in kingdōs and citees,
Their wyttes peysed and their habylytees,
Persons promoting in whō it was supposed,
That they in vertue were naturalli disposed.

Manlye in hert he was aye to sustene,
Indifferent trouth, and all iustyce:
Fleshly delytes of folke that were vncleane,
He was aye redy by rygour to chastyce.
And set lawes in full prudent wyse
For to punysh flaterours and lechours,
And such as were open auoutrours.

He had of women none opinion
With them to deale, for luste nor for beaute,
But if it were for procreacion,
So stable he was found in his degre:
The boke redyng of immortalyte
Which Plato made, the trouth well sought,
Therin concludyng how soules dye noughte,

But lyueth euer in ioy or in payne,
Thus wrote Plato in his originall.
Men may the body bi deth ful wel constrain,
But the soule aye abydeth immortal,
For which this Caton stedfast as a wal,
For comon profyte to dye was not aferd,
Whan he him self slew with a naked swerde.

But to fortune afore his dethe he saide:
O thou princes of worldly goodes vayne,
To thy flateries I neuer did abrayde,
Thy fauour is so false and vncertayn,
That neuer I faught no fraunchise to atain,
As for my selfe no perciall syngulerte,
But all for profyte touching the comonte.

Agayne Cesar I made resystence,
To conquere fredome to me, and to the toun,
Frely to eschewe his mortal vyolence,
This world dispising in mine opinion,
Our fraunchise thralled vnder subiection
Iustly forsakyng the varyaunce of this life,
My soule conueyed to be contemplatyse.

This philosopher this prudent old Caton
Tendring in hert common comodytees,
Tofore his dethe wrote of compassyon
To them that sate in royall dignitees,
Which had of vertue lost the libertees,
Princes be sechyng that were luxurous,
To take ensample, and folow kyng Drusus.

The which Drusus by succession,
Was heir to Augustus & next him emperour
Set all in vertue his affection,
And it to cherysshe did holy his labour:
To lust vnlefull he neuer gaue fauoure,
And touching loue, duryng al his lyfe,
He neuer had lust, but onely to his wife.

And in his palayes amyd of his royall se,
Of noble princes dwellyng in Rome toun,
He asked was for all his dignyte,
What maner corage of temptacyon,
Or what feruence or delectacion
Within hym selfe he had of loues play,
Sole by hys wyfe whan he a bed lay.

And lyke a prynce fulfylled of hye nobles,
Answered agayn wyth sobre countenaunce,
Touchyng such lust as foloweth fleshlynes,
Lyke as nature me put in gouernaunce,
In one alone is set al my plesaunce:
For with none other for no concupiscence,
Saue with my wyfe I neuer dyd offence.

Princes echone folowe nat the trace
Of noble Drusus, as ye shal vnderstand.
For some haue stande all in another case,
Such as can hold two or thre in hand,
Now here, now there, as botes come to land:
Not consydring their degrees nor disauayle,
Whan newfangylnes bloweth in their sayle.

Eke Bochas writeth, sōe prices haue be foūd
which viciously haue done their busy payne
Vertuous women by flatery to confound,
And tendre maydens to bring in a trayne,
Suche manaces and tormentes to ordayne,
Thē to transforme from their perseueraūce
And interrupt their virginal constaunce.

But of such folke that yeue no force of shame,
Nor drede God, such traynes to deuyse,
Husbandmen forsoth are most to blame,
with foraine women to trespace in such wise:
[Page]I trow their wiues thē may inough suffise,
For many be feble their dettes for to quite,
Though they in cha [...]ige thē self falsly delite.

Some affyrine for them self allegyng,
To such outrage that they haue licence
Frely of nature to vse their own thing,
And in such case to no wight do offence:
But froward is their errour in sentēce,
Fro bond of wedlock whan they be so vnsta­ble,
And tofore God most hatefull and dāpnable.

For she that is through her hye noblesse,
Named of clerkes which clerly can cōcerne,
Doughter of God, Lady and princesse,
Reason called to gyde folke and gouerne,
Atwene good and yuell iustly to discerne,
She hath departed playnlye to conclude,
The lyfe of man from lyfe of beastes rude.

This Lady reason sith ago full yore
Gaue vnto man wyt and discrecion,
Taught him also by her souerain lore,
Twene vyce and vertue a great diuision:
And that he should in his eleccion
Vnto all vertue, naturally obey,
And in contrary al vicious lyfe werrey.

And to enprinte in his memoriall,
How of luxurie the great dishoneste
Dissourme a man, and make him bestyal,
And disfigure, of what estate he be:
For whan that reason of high or lowe degre
Is fled away, folke may affyrme than
He is lyke a beast, rather than a man.

wherfore let princes that haue ben defectife,
To folowe their lustes of sensualite,
Shape them bi reson for to amend their life,
And to conserue and kepe their chastyte,
Both of virgins and wifely honeste:
And to punyshe al tho that lyst labour,
The honest fame of women to deuour.

For when a lechour by force, or by maistrye,
Defouled hath of virgynes the clennesse,
Widowes oppressed, and by auoutry
Assayled wiues that stande in stablenesse,
who may thā their sclaūdrous harm redres,
Whā their good name is hurt by such report?
For fame lost ones can neuer haue his resort

A thefe may robbe a man of his ryches,
And by some meane make restitucion:
And some men may disherite and oppresse
A poore man frō his possession,
And after make satisfaccion:
But no man may restore in no degre,
A mayden robbed of her virginite.

A man may also beate a castell doun,
And build it after more freshly to the syght,
Exyle a man out of a regyon,
And him reuoke wher it be wrong or right:
But no man hath the power nor the might,
For to restore the palayes virginal
Of chastyte, whan broken is the wal.

Men may also put out of seruise
And offycers remeue from their place,
And at a day whan fortune lyst deuyse,
They may agayne restored be to grace:
But there is nouther tyme set nor space.
Nor neuer in story nouther read nor seyne,
That maydenhed lost recured was ageyne.

For which men shuld haue a conscience,
Rewe in their hert and repent sore,
And haue remorse in their great offence
To rauish thing, which thei mai not restore:
For it is sayd, and hath ben sayd ful yore,
The emeraud grene of perfyte chastyte,
Stolne ones away may not recured be.

And hard it is to rauysshe a treasour
Which of nature is not recuperable,
Lordshyp may not of kyng nor emperour
Refourme a thing which is not reformable,
Rust of dyffame which is not seperable,
And maydenhed lost of newe or yore,
No man alyue may it agayne restore.

Romayns old through their pacience,
Suffred tyrauntes in theyr tyrannies
And in their cyties to do great vyolence,
The people to oppres with their robberyes:
But to punyshe they set strayte espyes,
On false auoutrours, as it is wel couth,
Widowes to rauish & maydēs in their youth.

Vpon this mater the story bereth witnesse,
Touchyng the exyle of king Tarquinius,
Afore rehersed by writing ful expresse:
The hateful death of Apius Claudius,
For his trespase done to Virginius,
The iudgementes rehersed and the payne,
And fro their offyce depriued bothe twayne.

[Page lxxii]
Was nat the cytie whylom desolate
Of Sychemites for the ribaudry
Of one Sichem whiche gan a great debate,
To haue accomplyshed his foule lechery,
Whan yonge Dyna as bokes specifye,
Went rechelesly walkyng vp and downe,
To se the maydens of that royall towne?

But whan Sychem this Dyna dyd espye,
Sole by her selfe, walke in the cytie,
He begane anone assayle her by maystry,
And for to aforce her virgynyte,
Bycause she had no leyser for to fle:
Whose great offence and transgressyon,
The cytie broght vnto destruccyon.

Her father Jacob and holy her kynrede,
Agayn this Sichem gan inwardly disdayne:
Whan the fury of Mars was most to drede,
To be venged they dyd theyr busy payne:
And specially her worthy brethern twayne,
Fyll on the cyte, Symeon, and Leuy,
To auenge their suster, and stroy it fynally.

So mortally they gan with them stryue
with their swordes, ground sharp, and kene,
Of male children they left none alyue,
They were so vēgeable in their furyous tene:
The Sychemytes might not sustene
That day agaynst them to stand at defence,
So importable was their violence.

For wher that God list punish a man of right
By mortall swerde, farwel al resistence:
Whā grace faileth force goth away & myght,
Febleth of princes the magnifycence,
Chaungeth their power into impotence,
Reuerseth the kynges their stately regaly,
Example in Sichem for his false auoutry.

It was an hard dredfull punycion
That one princes trespas in lecherye,
Caused afore God that all a regyon
Distroyed was without remedy:
This story is told for to exemplify
Whan noble princes to women them submit,
Grace & al fauour anon doth from thē flyt.

Of this mater what shuld I wryte more
In Genesis the resydue ye may rede,
The dethe of Sichem and of kyng Hemore,
And howe their kingdome distroyed was in dede
Of Sychemites, lo here y• finall mede
Of lechery & of his false plesaunce,
Which many a realme hath broughte to mys­chaunce.

What shuld I eft reherce agayne or write
The false auoutry of Paris and Helayne?
Their woful fate Gu [...]do dyd endyte,
Poetes echone eke dyd their busy payne,
To declare howe only by these twayne
The worthy blode, for short conclusyon,
Of Troy and Grece came to distruccion▪

But oft it falleth that muche abundaunce
Of worldli good, with great ease and riches,
In folke that set all holy their plesaunce
To folow their lusts, & froward wylfulnes,
Hath caused in landes gret mischef & distres:
Whan vicious life their corages did encōbre,
Distroied kingdoms, & people out of nombre

For whan the people through fals obstinacy
Is indurate to amend them and correct,
And wil not turne them from their lechery,
But aye be redy their soules to enfecte:
And vnto purpose my style I wyl dyrect,
To examplify howe Gabaa the town,
Was for his sinnes brought to confusion.

Whylom this people called Gabanytes
From Beniamin discended in their line,
Were aye disposed to folowe their delytes:
And of custome their wyttes dyd enclyne
In worldly plentie to flour and to shyne,
And dempt alway to them it was most due,
Of wylfulnes their lustes for to sue.

In lechery was set al their plesaunce,
And in that vice they lad moste their lyfe:
Wherby they were brought vnto mischaūce,
And many slayne by full mortal strife,
Whan the Leuyte came forby with his wife,
Full excellent of fetures and beaute,
And toke his lodging within the greate cyte.

He was ful old, and she was inly fayre,
He impotent, and she but tendre of age,
Through Gabaa making their repayre,
The cytesyns of importune rage,
Shewyng the fury of their great outrage,
So long that nyght her beauty dyd assayl,
Tyll lyfe and brethe atones dyd her fayle.

Contagious the sclaundre and the diffame,
In Judicum the story ye may rede:
Which to reherce is a maner shame,
To here the abusyon of that foule dede,
[Page]And how ye Leuite a morow gan take hede,
With piteous chere, and saw his yong wyfe,
Tofore the gate depriued of her lyfe.

He hent her vp and layde her on his asse,
To noyse this cryme vpon euery side,
Thought in such case he myght do no lasse,
Toke a sharp sword, & lyst no lenger abyde,
On twelue partes he gan her to deuide:
And to eche tribe of Jacob he hath sent,
A certayne parte, to se their iudgement.

Which thing to them was hateful & terrible,
And in their  [...]ight full abomynable,
And in all haste lykely and possible,
All of one wyll and one corage stable,
On Gabaonytes for to be vengable,
They gathered haue shortly to conclude,
Tassayle that towne, a ful great multitude.

whan they first met atwen thē thus it stode,
The twelue tribes were twise put to flyghte
On either party great quantity of bloud
was shed among them in that mortall fyght:
For sixty thousand (who that co [...]pt a right)
Were slayne there, the story wyll not lye,
To auenge the sclaundre of false auoutry.

Lo here the guerdon of the froward fyres
In lecherons folke, yt wyl not staunched be,
That brent so hote through bestiall desyres,
In Gabaa the mighty stronge cyte:
Which was distroyed for his iniquite,
And almoste brought of Beniamin the line,
Through his offence to eternall ruyne.

Eke for his feruent dronken lechery,
Holophernes by Judith lost his hede:
And al his hoste and al his chiualry
Left the felde, and fled away for drede,
And he lay bathed in his bloud al rede,
Thus through their vyce if it be wel sought,
Ful many a price hath be brought to nought.

These sayd stories ought ynough suffyse,
If men wold consydre and take hede,
The great vengaunces in many sondry wise
Which God hath take for this sinne in dede,
As in their bokes they mai behold and rede:
Warnynges afore full oft put at prefe,
How they them self shal saue fro mischefe.

Lenuoye.

This tragedy yeueth vs gret warnig
Biclere examples of manifold resō,
Howe many a prince for their  [...] ­uing
And many rych royal mighty toune,
Many a citie and many a region,
Haue bene euer sith full notable infamous,
For synne of princes that were lecherous.

The chosen of god Dauid the worthyking,
Prophet of prophets most souerain of reno [...],
On Bersabe for a sodayne lokyng,
To slee Vrye caught occasyon,
For which he suffred great punicion:
Chastysed of god, he and all his house:
For cause only that he was lecherous.

Great repentaunce he had & great sorowing,
And made psalmes of great contricion,
with woful teares and manyfolde wepyng,
To make a sheth for his transgression:
yeuing to princes full clere dyrection,
For to eschewe the flattery odious
And the false fraude of women lecherous.

Where was ther euer of science or conning
So renomed as was king Salomon?
yet women made him thrugh false flatering
To foraine goddes done oblacion,
Which clipsed his honor & brought his fame doun,
That was whilom moste vertuous,
Tyll he thrugh women fyl to be lecherous.

Is it not eke remembred by writing
Of Israel howe the chefe champion
Which goddes people had in his leadyng,
I mean the famous mighty strong Sāpson,
That thrugh his force torent the lion?
But Dilada with teares plentuous,
His grace bereft him, & made him lecherous

Sichem was slayne eke for the rauyshyng
Of yonge Dyna, as made is mencion:
His father Hemor brought to his endyng,
Lost his rychesse in that discencion,
And his kingdom brought to distruccion:
Lo here the end of princes vicious,
Which them dispose for to be lecherous.

It is in earth one the most perylous thinge,
A prince to be of his condicion
E [...]emynate, his wyttes enclynyng
By false desyres of fleshly mocion
To put him self vnder subieccion,
And thral resō, his tresour most precious
[Page lxxiii]To the vnleful lustes hatefull and lecherous.

This is the sentence full playnly in menyng,
Where women haue the dominacion
To holde the raine, their hokes out castyng,
That sensualitie hath iurisdiction,
To enter on reason by false intrusion,
Warre agaynst vertue most contagious,
To be vaynquished, of lustes lecherous.

It taketh fro men their clerenes of seyng,
Causeth great sickenes and corruption:
And to all vertue it is greatest hyndryng,
Maketh men seme olde as by inspection,
Appalleth their minde and disposition,
Shorteth their life, thing dredfull & piteous,
Whan they dispose them to be lecherous.

Noble prynces in your ymaginyng
Conceyue of women the false deception,
Namely of them that loue but for winnyng,
And labour aye for your possession:
Whose sugred flattery is false collusion,
Like to Syrens, with voyce melodious
Enoynt your eares to make you lecherous.

¶ The .vi. Chapter.

☞How Cambyses assentyng to the murder of his brother Mergus, at the last slough him selfe.

AFter the death of mighty king Cirus,
Next came his sonne called Cambises,
Heyre by succession, full victorious,
Whiche tofore Bochas put him selfe in prees,
And gan his complaynt, this is doubtles,
That they of Egypt in many vncouth wyse,
To sundry Goddes did sacrifice.

First vnto Apis they dyd Sacrifice,
Called Serapis their greatest god of all,
Raygnyng in Egypt most of excellence,
And god of goddes foles did him call:
And of his nobles thus it is befall,
Slayne by his brother, whiche is a wonder,
Seuered on peces, and ful farre east asunder.

And they of Egypt made their ordinaunce,
Vpon payne of death in their statute olde,
A god to call him, and do their obseruance
Within his temple, like as they were holde:
Wherof Cambises tofore as I you tolde,
All the temples of that region
Cast him by force for to throw doun.

The temple of Jupiter to robbe it by rauyne,
Called Hammon, without exception
His knightes sent to bryng it to ruyne,
But they echoue for their presumption,
With sodaine leuin were smit and beat down:
Wherof Cambises in Jsye tho raygnyng,
Had this dreame as he lay slepyng.

He drempt his brother yt called was Mergus
Should in the kingdome after him succede,
Wherof in hart he waxt so enuious,
That he purposed of rancour and hatrede
By some meane to make his sides blede:
And that his purpose should take auayle,
A magicien he toke to his counsayle.

And he was holde a full great Phylosopher,
Called Comares, full sleyghty and cunnyng:
To whō Cambises made a full large profer,
Of golde & treasure, to make him assentyng
To execute this horrible thing,
And that he would in most cruell wise,
The murder of Mergus to cōpas and deuise.

And while Cambises ordeyned this treason
To slea Mergus his owne brother dere,
God from aboue cast his eyen downe
Hym to punishe in full cruell manere:
For he waxed wode who so list to lere,
Caught a swerde, & roue his thigh on twaine
And sodaynly he dyed for the paine.

For two causes god toke on him vengeaunce,
As mine auctour Bochas doth expresse,
For his presumptuous & false disobeysaunce,
Spoyling the gods of their great riches:
And for the froward great vnkyndnes
To yeue assent to the contagious caas,
Whan y• Mergus his brother murdred was.

The death of whom was chefe occasion
Of full great warre, striues, and debate,
Eke fynall cause why all the region
Of mighty Perce, stode disconsolate:
For heyre was none of high nor low estate,
By title of right, through his vnhappy chaūce
To be their kyng and haue the gouernaunce.

For the magycien called Comares,
Which  [...]lue Mergus as ye haue herd expres,
Toke his brother called Dropastes,
And made him kyng, the story bereth witnes:
[Page]Because that he resembled in likenes
Vnto Mergus, of face and of stature,
To crowne him kyng therfore he did his cure

The deth of Mergus outward was not know
Nor playnly published in that region,
His body buried, and cast in earth lowe,
Of whom the murder, & fraudulent treason,
The piteous slaughter wrought by collusion,
And all the maner by processe was espyed,
So openly, it myght not be denyed.

And in what wyse the noyse gan out sprede
Touchyng this murder, odyous for to here,
Whan that Oropastes occupted in dede
The crowne of Perce, the story doth vs lere,
There was a prynce full notable and entere,
Called Hostanes that gan his wytte apply,
Of high prudence this murder out to espy.

While that Oropastes vnder a false pretence
Of Perciens was receiued for kyng,
The sayd prynce did his diligence
By inquisition to haue knowlegyng,
By what ingyne, or by what sleyghty thing,
The sayd Oropastes caught occasion,
In stede of Mergus, to occupy the croun.

On this matter he had a coniecture,
That his title was neither whole ne clere:
The trouth to trye he did his busy cure,
And to serche out wholy the manere,
He sought so farre, that he came ryght nere,
And in this case letted for no slouth,
Tyll that he had founde out the very trouth.

The case was thus playnly to termine,
He had a daughter full fayre of her vysage,
Whiche of the kyng was chiefest concubine,
By whom he thought to catche aduauntage,
And vnto her he hath sent his message,
Secretely to enquire how it stode,
Where yt the kyng were come of Cyrus bloud.

And bade that she shoulde secretly take hede,
While that he slept to do her busy payne,
With her handes for to fele his hede,
And to grope after both his eares twayne:
And if it fyll, there is no more to sayne,
Vpon his head that she none eares founde,
To tel her father of trouth as she was boūd.

This mighty prynce Hostanes knewe wele,
Ryght as it is recorded by scripture,
Touching this case how it stode euery dele,
How kyng Cambyses of sodaine aduenture,
By his liue for a forfeyture
Made of Oropastes, the story sayth not nay,
Both his two eares to be cut away.

And hereupon to be certified,
He was desierous to haue full knowlegyng,
Whiche by his daughter whan it was espyed,
Vpon a nyght liyng by the kyng,
Gropyng his head as he lay slapyng:
Full subtilly felt and toke good hede,
How he none eares had vpon his heed.

And to her father anone she hath declared
The secrenes of this auenture,
And for no feare ne drede he hath not spared,
How that it stode playnly to discure:
And first of all he did his busy cure,
All the prynces of Perce lande yfere,
To counsayle call to entreat of this mattere.

And whan they were assembled euerychone,
Of Oropastes he tolde them all the chaunce:
And how yt Mergus was murdred yore agōe
As here tofore is put in remembraunce:
Wherupon to set an ordinaunce,
And to redresse these wronges done toforne,
Of Perce lande were seuen prynces sworne.

Of one assent in their intencion,
By bonde of othe thei made their assuraunce,
And a full secrete communicacion,
To put Oropastes frō his royall puissaunce,
Whiche had all Perce vnder his gouernaūce
By a full false pretence of herytage,
For he was like to Mergus of vysage.

These seuen prynces of which tofore I tolde,
All of one hart, and by their othe ybounde,
Prudent, and manly, and of yeres olde,
Haue sought a tyme Oropastes to confound:
And wt their swerdes sharpe whet & ground,
Vnder couert in their apparayle,
Came of entent Oropastes to assayle.

And in the palays whom euer that they met,
Or agayne them made resistence,
All of accorde they fiercely on him set
But the magicien y• was there in their presēce
Came agaynst them by sturdye vyolence,
And at the encountregan thē so constrayne,
That of the prynces they haue slaine twayne.

[Page lxxiiii]
But finally the other prynces fyue,
Whan that they sawe their two feres blede,
In al the palays they left none alyue,
And kynge Oropastes quaking in his drede,
Full vnwarely or that he toke hede,
Was slayn, ther guerdoned for al his might,
Of pretence kinges yt reigne & haue no right.

The .vii. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Dary obteynyng the kingdom of Perce by sleyght, ended with shame.

AFter the deth of these Magicyens,
Was left no king to haue y• gouernaūce,
Nor for to rule the lande of Perciens,
Saue fyue princes full famous of puissaunce:
Whyche made a statute and an ordinaunce,
Of one accorde by recorde of writyng,
Theron concluding who shuld be chose king.

Their sort, their hap, and all their auenture
Was yeue to fortune of thys eleccion,
And thus the prince the crowne shall recure
Among these fyue, by theyr conuencion,
For to gouern the mighty regyon,
And in that lande to reigne and contune,
Lyke as the fauour lyst ordeyn of fortune.

Thys was the statute, vpon a mornyng
All atones erly for to ryde
Atwene Aurora and Phebus vprisyng,
Vp to a hyll to houe and to abyde,
All rancour & dyscorde set asyde,
Whose horse among them was first herde neying,
Without grutching, shulde be crowned kyng.

Vpon this mater what shoulde I leger tary?
Hereon was made an othe in sykernesse,
Among these prīces one which was called Da
Aprince of Perce excellyng of noblesse,
Whych had a seruaunt y• story bereth witnessery
That kept hys horse, & thought in very dede
Hys lorde he wolde preferre at suche a nede.

The sayd seruant full sleyghtly in werkyng,
His dilygence lyst nothyng to spare,
The day to fore set of their metynge,
At a place, smothe, playne, and bare,
Hys lordes horse, he made leape a mare:
And on the morowe when the princes met,
On horsbacke there hys lorde he set.

And whan the horse thyder came agayne,
Nature anone afforced his corage,
To neye loude vpon the same playne
Where as the mare had vsed her passage:
Kynde in suche case had great auauntage,
By whiche sleyght playnly to reherse,
The sayd Dary was crowned kig of Perce.

The prynces all lyke theyr conuencion,
Or Phebus shewed his firy beames bryght,
Without stryfe or contradiccion
From their horse sodaynly alyght:
And vnto Dary as lowly as they myght,
Sayd in greke or they vp rose,
Policromtudo Basileos

Which is in latyn to spake in wordes playne,
And in englyshe by expowning of scripture
After the Greke, as moche for to sayne,
As longe tyme myght the kyng endure
And lyue in helth with good auenture,
By the grace and fauour of fortune,
Vpon all Perce to reigne and contune.

Who wyll consydre euery cyrcumstaunce,
It is a meruayle nat grounded on prudence,
By such sleyght a king to haue gouernaunce,
Through tytle or clayme as of iust euidence,
So to be raysed to kyngly excellence:
But whan fortune fauoureth suche assay,
Tyll y• she chaunge ther can no man say nay.

Thus was kyng Dary borne of lowe linage,
Set vp by sleyght in estate honorable,
Thought y• he wolde for his auauntage,
To make his kyngdom & his reigne stable,
Wed such a wyfe as to hym was most able:
Demyng of trouth hys clayme were well a­mēded,
Of Cirus lyne if she were discēded.

To wede suche one was all his couetyse,
Stable for to reigne vpon the Perciens,
And as I fynde, in full cruell wyse
By the counsayle of false magicyens,
A werre he gan vpon the Egipciens,
Eke folily he gan for to werrey
Them of Athenes, whiche lyst hym nat obey.

And as myne auctor maketh rehersayle,
He for his pride and false presumpcion,
Was discomfyted twyes in batayle:
And neuer after, as made is mencyon,
He was nat had in reputacyon
Among Perciens, so gan his honoure fade,
Wyth sleyght he gan, with shame an ende he made.

[Page]

¶ The .viii. Chapter.

¶ How Corolian by Romaynes exiled gan warre agaynst them, and how after they sent out his mother withother for peace: which had, they eft him exiled, and after was slayne.

AFter this Dary, as I rehearce can,
And mine auctour liketh to conclude,
To Iohn Bochas came Corolian,
The most wofull of that multitude:
Which gan complaine vpon the ingratitude
Of the Romayns, how they whilom in dede
Exiled his person of rancour and hatrede.

Whiche in his time would neuer ceace
Through his noblesse & hys hygh renoun,
Their common profite to augment & encrece,
And for to bringe to their subiection
Many a citye, and many a noble toun,
Yet they agaynward for all his chyualry,
Him exiled of malyce and enuy.

But whan this Marcus called Corolian,
Saw of Romayns the great vnkindnes,
Toward a countrey that called was Tuskan
Of high disdayne anone he did him dresse:
And them entreated of manly fell prowes,
To gyn a warre sythe they so manly be,
Through his cōueiyng, againe Rome y• citye.

And for to put them more in assuraunce
To haue victory through their high renoun,
He tolde them playnly of a great distaunce
Of a false strife, and a discencion
That was of newe fall in Rome towne:
Wherfore they should (if it be prouided)
Cōquere thē lightly because thei wer deuided

By their assent they made a great armye,
With stuffe for war richely apparayled,
Pyght his tentes tofore that great citye,
And in the fielde stode proudly battayled:
But the hartes of Romayns haue thē fayled,
And durst not passe the gates of their toun,
There was among thē so great deuision.

Their citye stode that time destitute,
With feare supprised for lacke of gouernaūce,
Them to defende they founde no refute,
So farre enfeblished was their old puissaūce
For euer gladly where stryfe and variaunce
In any kingdome haue an enteresse,
Touchyng a defence, adue all hardinesse.

Within them selfe they stode at debate,
Afore their enemies ready for to assayle,
Comfort was none in hygh nor lowe estate,
For where discord is what auayleth coūsail?
Their fone wtout, within them selfe battayle
Brought in alas, to their confusion,
By the false serpent of dissencion.

But at the last afforced and constrayned,
They were coact after peace to seke,
The case stode so, of nede they were payned
Maugre their might their harts for to meke:
And their mischefe more to encrese and eke,
In augmentyng of their cruell fates,
They saw their enmies armed at their gates

They sent out first priestes of the toun,
With their enemies for to entrete of pees,
With humble profers, & lowe subiection:
But Corolian this is doubtles,
Againe the Romayns was so merciles
That grace none myght in his hart myne,
To their request his eares to enclyne.

Than the Romayns, the story tell can,
To Venturia made their prayere
Whiche was the mother of Corolian,
And to Volumnia his faithfull wife entere,
That they should both go in fere
Vnto that prynce, besechyng at the lest
Benignly to heare their request.

His mother first full prudently abrayde,
Vnto her sonne makyng this question,
At their metyng to hym thus she sayde:
Shall I (quod she) for short conclusion,
Of faythfull harte and true affection,
To thy presence, declare finally,
Be now receyued as mother or enemy?

After thine aunswere I must my selfe dispose
And my wittes specially apply
Cause of my cōmyng clerely to vnclose,
And tell the effect of mine ambassatry:
And my speache so gouerne and gye,
After I am receyued to thy grace,
My selfe declaryng if I haue time and space.

For like thy mother if thou receiue me,
And me accept vnto thy presence,
I must therafter so gouerned be
To tell my tale playnly in sentence,
[Page lxxv]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 yt mercy thy rigoure may asswage:
And think of nature thou maist not wel wtsay
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 yt 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,
wt 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 wt 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 yt 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.

[Page]

☞ 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 yt 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 wt his left hand he gan approche neare,
And helde it styll, an vncouth thing to heare,
That he had force so great a ship to let,
But than alas his left hand of they smet.

Yet maugre thē whan he their malice seeth,
All were it so that he had lost eche hande,
The ship he styll helde with his teeth
That they ne myght departe from the lande,
Lyke as their vessell had fal vpon sand:
Caused that day, mine auctour doth reherce,
Two hundred .M. were slain of thē of perce.

And whan this singuler mighty champion
Cinegirus most vncouth of corage
Had done this maruaile, as made is mēcion,
Of very anguish he fill into a rage,
Lyke a beest furious and sauage
Ran about, alas for lacke of mynde,
In Bochas boke no more of him I finde.

But in this proces after I beheld
Aye howe that fortune can her frends fayle,
For Melciades leder of that fielde
And gouernour of al that great batayle,
Causing victory as made is rehersayl,
yet his people of malice and of yre
Again his nobles, falsly gan conspire.

They of Athenes set him in prison,
And in chaynes mightily him bounde:
Vnkindly they yaue him this guerdon
For al the knighthod they in him found,
Yet had he suffred many a mortal wound
In their diffence, and for their libertees,
To saue their liues, their toun, & countrees.

[Page lxxvi]
This was the ende of duke Melciades,
Through y• constreynt of his stronge bondes,
Eke they exyled the knyght Themystocles
Out of their towne to lyue in straunge lōdes,
That was so worthy proued of his hondes,
To shewe the chaunge and mutabylite
Founde in fortune, and euery comonte.

¶ Lenuoye.

THe stormy trust of euery comonte
Their gery corages and trobled cōstaunce,
In this tragedy men may behold & se:
Now vp, now doun, as fortune cast her chaū ­ce
For they of custome haue ioy & most plesaūce,
In their desyres vnstedfast and vntrewe,
To se ech day a chaunge of princes newe.

Corolyan of Rome, a chefe cytye,
Was there protectour thrugh his mighty pu­saūce,
Venquisshed their enemies, set thē in suerte,
Brought in rebelles to their obeysaunce:
But they agaynwarde of wylfull variaunce
Banysshed hym twyse, and no cause knewe
Saue for to se a chaunge of princes newe.

The knyghtly noblesse, the magnanymyte,
The polyce, the prudent gouernance
Of Melciades duke of the countre
Where yt Athens is chefe towne in substaūce,
Whan he their comon gan most to auaunce,
The more vnkyndly in honor yt they grewe,
Most they wer busy to chaūge him for a new.

Themystocles hauyng the soueraynte
Of knyghtes all that bare speare or launce,
Duryng his tyme, I take no more on me,
For cōparisons do oft tyme great greuaunce:
Sixe hundred thousande he put to vttraunce,
Vnto Athens neuer founde vntrewe,
Yet they conspyred his exyle for a newe.

What thyng may here flour in felycite
Or stande stable by longe contynuaunce?
In hyghe estates outher in lowe degre,
Nowe flowe, now ebbe, nowe ioy nowe mis­chaūce,
After as fortune holdeth the balance,
And specially false feyning and vntrewe,
Comons desyre a chaunge of princes newe.

Noble princes in your prosperite
On sodayne chaunges set your remēbraunce,
Fresshnesse of floures, of braunches y• beaute,
Haue aye on chaūge a trēblyng attendaunce:
In trust of comons is no perseueraunce,
As wynter & somer be dyuers of their hewe,
So be they dyuers in chaūge of princes n [...]w.

The .x. Chapiter.

☞ Howe Xerxses kyng of Perce for his rauyne and couetyse was dismembred in to small pieces.

ANd tofore Bochas pitously wepynge
For to declare his deedly heuynesse,
Came Xerxses nexte of Perce kynge,
And gan cōplayne his dole and his distresse:
Which in thre thinges, y• story bereth witnes
And as the cronycle clerly can vs tell,
All other princes in erthe he dyd excell.

In high estate was none so greate as he,
Neyther in ryches, nor worldly habundaūce,
Nor none that tyme of so great dygnite,
For as it is put in remembraunce
He had all Perce vnder his obeysaunce:
Nor neuer prince as auctours do conclude,
Hosteyed attones with suche a multitude.

Space of fyue yere he had his ordynaunce,
Seuē hundred thousāde people he dyd rayse:
Dempt of pride agayn his gret puissaunce
None erthly power myght counterpayse:
But some auctors alowe him nat nor prayse,
Bycause that he people to encombre,
Set all his trust to cōquere wt gret nombre.

But manly princes haue this opynion,
In multytude standeth nat victory,
For knightly prowesse of euery champion
Which manly cast thē in armes to haue victo­ry,
Enprynted hath fixe in his memory,
Marciall tryumphes god ne doth nat shewe,
In nombre great, no rather than in fewe.

This sayd Xerxses by recorde of auctours,
Had also, in cronycles as I rede,
Thre hūdred thousande straunge soudeours,
Without other that were of Perce & Mede:
Whiche gan the erthe for to cure and sprede,
Dried ryuers that they dyd attayne,
Karfe downe hylles, & made valeys playne.

This was chefe conceyte of his fantasies,
To haue all erthe vnder subieccion:
Thought his power raught aboue the skyes,
Of surquedy and false presumpcion:
[Page]For as he demeth in his opynion
Howe in his power playnly that it lay,
Fro god of heuin the heuyn to take away.

But thylke lorde yt can the meke enhaunce,
And from their sees the proude put doune,
And namely them yt haue no remembraunce
To aduertyse of wysdome and of reason,
To knowe the lorde most mighty of renoune,
The lorde of lords which plainly to compyle,
Wyll suffre tyrauntes to reigne but a whyle.

And one the maruayle that euer I dyd rede
Greatest, and vncouth playnly vnto me
Is howe Xerxses kynge of Perce & Mecde
For to shewe a specyall syngulerte,
Out of Asie ouer the great se
As sayth myn autour, whō I dare alledge,
In to Europe made a myghty bridge.

Some men perauēture will ther at disdayne,
And say it is a maruayle nat credyble,
Yet craft in case to suche thing may attayne,
Whych by nature semeth an impossyble:
And as to me, it is a thing odyble
Thynges to inpugne autentyke and olde,
Whiche notable clerkes in their dayes tolde.

These newe men that haue but lytell seyne
Nouther expert in crafte nor in nature,
For lacke of reason holde all such thing veyne
Though that it be remembred in scripture:
For euery maruayle and euery auenture
Is straunge to hym, as I reherce can
That lacketh ye cause wherof ye groūd began.

This sayd Xerxses had eke possession
By the tytle of his father Darye
Of all Egypt, as made is mencyon:
But they of Grece were to hym contrary,
Wherfore he cast no lenger for to tarye
This proude prince, but mightely werrey
Lacedemonoys, which wolde him nat obey.

But one that was called Demaratus
Whych of that country had afore be kyng,
And was exyled the story telleth vs,
That tyme wt Xerxses in housholde abyding,
Whyche loued that land for all his exyling,
Gaue thē warning to saue thē fro mischaūce,
Of Xerxses power and all his ordynaunce.

He wrote them letters grauen in a table,
All themprises of Xerxses out of doute,
Of all his stuffe, and people incomperable,
And of his nombre and his great rout:
The whiche table couered was without,
Full subtelly withe wexe yplaned playne,
That of his sonde there was no letter seyne.

Thus was thentent of Xerxses first discured
Vnto the grekes, and all his false workyng:
But in one thinge they greatly were assured,
Of trust they had by expert knowlegyng
In Leonidas their noble famous kyng,
Whych amōg grekes of prowes & foresight,
Was in tho dayes holde for the best knyght.

Of chyualry called the lode sterre,
The sonne of knighthod yt shone so bryghte & shene,
The bearer vp both in peace and warre
And strongest pyller, his party to mayntene:
The grekes ryght hande their noblesse to su­stene,
Carboncle of armes, myrror of policie,
And surest capitayne a felde to rule and gye.

And as myne auctour remēbreth in his boke
Howe in this case he was nat recheles,
But in all haste four thousand men he toke
To let the wayes and comyng of Xerxses:
And by an hyll called Thermophiles,
Where Perciens began first their voyage,
He knyghtly cast to stoppe their passage.

And secretly espyeng the comyng
Of kyng Xerxses with stronge apparayle,
He lyke a knyght made no tarying
Chase out .vi. hūdred armed in plate & maile,
Whiche in suche case might moste auayle,
And in defence and helpe of their countre,
Wolde rather dye, than from the felde to fle.

And couertly they toke their lodgyng,
And kept them close tyll it drough to nyght,
And at their dyner them selfe refresshyng
So as they sate in steele armed bright,
The kyng abrayde lyke a manly knyght,
In to the felde afore they shulde gone,
Ryght thus he sayd amonge them euerychon:

Syrs (quod he) nowe dyne merely,
And with good wyne afforce your corage:
Lyke good knyghtes in porpose fynally,
For lyfe nor dethe nat turning your vysage,
But of assent caste in your passage,
As ye here dyne nowe in especiall,
To suppe at night with goddes infernall.

[Page lxxvii]
This to meane ye shal your selfe ieoparte
As hardy knightes proudly to prouide,
Within the felde asondre nat departe,
But kepe close and for no drede deuide,
Desyre of worshyp make to be your gyde,
Your expert noblesse eternally to auaunce,
By quicke reporte of newe remembraunce.

And haue thys day nothyng in memory
Nother your ryches, blode, ne your kinrede,
Saue only hope and good trust of victory,
And hardi prowesse you to conducte and lede:
And thinke knightli what shalbe your mede
With marcial palmes your renome & name,
In the highest place set in the house of fame.

And though ye be but a fewe in nombre
Let in your hertes one thyng be fantasyed,
While diuision do the you nat encombre
Victory in armes may you nat be denied:
For nothyng is to conquest more applied,
Than true accord amōg your self to shew,
Though you in nombre be but verey few.

But by this counsayle syngulerly notable,
And by this knightes kingly good langage,
They recomforted held them selfe able
Agayne their fomen to hold their passage:
And fyrst of al of hertelye proude corage,
The Perciens more mortally to greue,
Within their tentes, they fyll on them at eue.

They of Perce ydrowned were with wyne,
This to say, through their great excesse,
They lay and slept lyke as dronkenswyne,
Their watche nat kept: lo how y• drōkēnesse
Causeth oft of very rechelesnesse,
Ful many a man that wyl nat take kepe,
For to be murdred a nightes whan thei slepe

And as this kyng dyd his knyghtes lede,
The Perciens tentes assayling sodaynlye,
Or they were ware or toke any hede
Them for to affray they made an hidous cri:
Defence was none vpon their party,
For men may knowe by olde experyence,
In folkes dronke may be no resistence.

Out of nombre they slough of their fone,
And ceased nat of all the longe nyght,
Tyll on the morowe that the sonne shone,
That to beholde it was an vgly syght:
And proude Xerxses put anone to flyght,
Euer the last that wold his fone assayle,
And aye the first that fledde in batayle.

In his flight so fast away he ran,
For therin was holy all his trust,
And of great trauayle anon this Xerxes gan
Of coward drede, to haue so great a thurste,
So dry he was of salte, sond, and dust,
And by the way serching ferre and nere,
He nother founde wel ne riuere.

Of auenture amyery ground he fand,
The water troubled, and blody of colour,
And Xerxses there drāke water wt his hande
Him to refresh in his deedly labour:
And as he thought he neuer dranke lycour
To him more holsom, so strayt stode the case,
Confecte with spices, pyment, nor ypocras.

This was the first mischefe and the drede
In which Xerxes the mighti prince stode,
Here men may se such as lyst take hede
Howe gery fortune furyous and wode,
Wil not spare for riches nor for goode,
Mighty princes which lyst not God to know,
From their estates to bring them ful lowe,

O hatefull serpent of hygh presumpcion,
Aye vnstable with gredy vsurpyng,
By newe trouble of false sedicion,
Which lyst of pryde receiue no warnyng,
For nowe Xerxses of Perce & Mede kyng,
Purposed hath with odyous apparaile,
The temple of gods contagiously tassayle.

For as him thought it myght nat suffise
To great example of his contrarious pryde,
Howe here toforne god did him chastyse
By mannes hande, to set his pompe asyde:
But nowe of newe he gan agayne prouyde
By sacrylege his mighty hand to dresse,
To spoyle Appollo, & reue hym his richesse.

There was in Delos a temple thylke day,
Moste stately builded and set vp by masons
Great ymages, relyques, and ryche aray,
Of golde and stones in sondry mansyons:
And there Appollo to sondry questyous
Yaue redy answere, the story telleth thus,
And he was called Appollo Delphicus.

Four thousand men Xerxses thyder sent
By his auice chose out for the nones,
Ful clenly armed, and as they thether went
To spoyle the temple of gold and rich stones,
[Page]with sodain leuin thei wer brēt flesh & bones,
With tempest, thundre, hayl, & hydous rein,
Consumpt echone, and neuer after seyne.

The great Apollo whiche shineth bryghte in heuin
Had of this Xerxes great indignaciō,
Which made his people be consūpt wt leuin
In cruel punishing of his presumpcion:
Yet he purposed to his confusion,
Syth on the land he nothyng myght wyn,
Vpon the see a new werre to begin.

Gan to make so great an ordynaunce,
That his nauy couered all the see:
Yet Neptunus thought him not to enhaunce
Within her boundes to haue no lyberte.
For Themystocles with a small meyny
Besyde a cytie called Salamine,
Him and his shyppes brought vnto ruyne.

Yet as I fynde this proud kyng Xerxses
Had on his party Themydora, the quene
Of Halcarnois which put her self in prees
Armed in plates that shone ful bright & shene,
And thenarme of Xerxses to sustene,
This woman faught lyke a fell woluesse,
And many a greke that day she did oppresse.

It was a straunge meruayle for to here:
To se a woman so sturdy of vysage,
Yet men expert all day may se and lere,
They be by nature ful cruell of corage,
And no cowardes found of their langage:
Set at assay and than it shall be sene
Wher they be ferfull their quarell to sustene.

They mai of mekenes shew a fayre pretence,
Some serpent is of colour syluer shene:
And some floures ful fresh of apparence
Growe on thystels rough, sharp, and kene.
And some that ben angelyke to sene,
And very heuenly with their golden tresses,
Ben at a prefe verye lyonesses.

To say the sothe a poore man may be shent,
I dare no more speke of this matere,
But kyng Xerxses for all his proud entent,
All his nauy and his people yfere
Were put to flight, & outraied of their chere:
Their shyppes drowned amonge the waues rude
That none abode of al that multitude.

Kyng Xerxses hurt and wounded mortally,
Vnnethes he might the great payne endure.
His quakyng hert quit him so cowardly:
On see and lande suche was his auenture.
And yet agayne his damages to recure,
Thre hundred .M. of feyghters hee gan call,
Vpon grekes of newe for to fall.

A mighty Duke called Mardonyus,
Was captayne made his people for to lede,
But Themistocles (min auctor telleth thus)
Knowing of Xerxses the cowardnes & drede,
A lettre made for to be sent in dede:
Enfourming him by grekes greate outrage,
How of his bridge was broken the passage.

Of which maruayle when ther came tidinge
To king Xerxses, he after anon ryght
As he that was aferde of ech thynge,
Full lyke a cowarde tooke him to the flyght:
Fled in a bote lyke a coward knyght,
Of al his people there were no more yseyne,
To awayte vpon him saue a chamberleyne.

All his people departed here and yonder
Standyng in mischefe & great indygence,
To many a coast they wēt and rode asonder,
Pyned with hunger, lacked their dispence:
Punished also wyth vnware pestylence,
Feble of trauayle, myght not endure
For impotence to carye their armure.

Alas eche way lay ful of caraynes,
The soyle with blode stayned, and the grene,
The ayre terrible of pathes and of plaines,
That no man might it endure nor sustene,
The sauour was so odyous and vnclene:
Rauenous foules ful homely in their sight,
Them selfe to fede vpon the corse alyght.

Thre hundred .M. of Perciens were slayne,
Which Mardonyus afore full proudly lad,
Of which tiding king Xerxses was not fayn,
But for distresse and sorow gan to mad:
And one the last mischefe that he had
Was whan Thimon, a noble grekish knight,
Xerxes discomfited, and put his men to flight

This Thymon was sonne to Melciades,
His father whilom of Athenes kyng,
Which last of all outrayed hath Xerxses,
Saue of his ende there fyll another thyng:
Artabanus full sleyghty of werkyng
Which to Xerxses was not suspect in dede,
Compassed his dethe, in Bochas as I rede.

[Page lxxviii]
This Artaban was prouest of hys house,
And an officer most especyall:
With his seuen sonnes, strong, and dispitous,
Vpon a nyght furyous and fatall,
Fyll vpon Xerxses in his palayes royal:
And in his story as it is remembred,
On pieces small they haue him dismembred.

This was of Xerxses the last fynal mede,
Of his high pride the funerall guerdon:
Frō his two kingdomes of Perce and Mede
Froward fortune hath hym plucked doun:
What may auayle the dominacion
Of such princes as hold them selfe euyn
For to be egall with goddes hyghe in heuyn?

Men list not know such chaūges for no prefe,
And namely princes in their puissaunces,
Against erthly parels & all worldlye mischefe
They can prouyde them, & set ordynaunces,
As they that drede fortunes varyaunces:
But to God ward they take ful lytel hede,
For the great riches which they do possede.

If they may heare of an erthe quaue
Tofore it fall, or any token se,
Than wyl they go anon them self to saue
Out of their houses, & from the townes fle
To put their life the more in suerte,
Lest their building made of so great costage,
Fyll vpon them in that mortall rage.

Or if an horse ronne oute of his stable,
Breke his colere, thicke, double, and longe,
Men wyl ordayne a locke of yron able
To kepe hym in, be he neuer so stronge:
And thus men can redresse euery wronge
Touching the body by great auysenesse,
Saue for the soule they wyl nothing redres.

Whan a ryuer passeth ferre his boundes,
Boyleth vpward, fyndeth no resistence,
Wynneth land, and ouerfloweth groundes,
Drowneth townes with his vyolence,
Yet men wyl trauayle to fynde a defence:
To turne her cours som way shal be sought,
But toward god mē thīke lytell or nought.

Agaynst sickenes men seke medicines,
Letwaries, and dyuers pocions,
Serche in physike sondry disciplynes,
Them to dyete in their transgressions,
Restoratyues, and eke confeccions,
But vnto Godward in this present lyfe,
Men not trauayle for no confortatyfe.

Men their bodies wyl put in distresse
Of false desyre, and couetous feruence,
Only cacroche and wyn great ryches,
Suffre colde, labour, and vyolence,
And nother spare for gold, nor for dyspence,
To vnderfonge perylles, of vaynglory
Only for thynges that ben transitory.

They passe mountains, & many hidous roch,
In hope it shuld to their entent auayle,
To many mortal monstre they approche,
And many vncouth sea they sayle,
Jeopart their lyfe in warre and in batayle,
By many a daunger, & mani streyt they ride,
For worldly treasor which wyl not abide.

But toward goodes that ben perdurable,
Full lytle or nought their hertes they encline:
Nor to the heuenly company most notable,
They wyl not lyft vp nother heed ne eyne,
Toward the spheres of Phebus and Lucine,
Castyng their stremes to vs from ferre,
Which to considre all worldly men done erre.

What myght auayle the great couetyse
Of kyng Xerxses, in his estate royal?
Of the gret people which ye haue herd deuise
Ten hundred .M. the people was nat small,
But for all that he had an hydous fal,
Whan that he was (as tofore is remembred)
On pieces smale piteously dismembred.

☞ Lenuoye.

THis tragedi put vs in remembraūce
Of y• vnsiker flateryng & blyndnesse
Both of fortune, and of her vatiaūce,
And of her vgly froward doublenes,
In Xerxses shewed for all his ryches:
To vs declaring plainly in figure,
A rauynous prince may no whyle endure.

Kyng Xerxses had vnder his obeysaunce
Al Perce and Mede (the stori bereth witnes)
Thought all erthe to lytell in substaunce
To staunche the etyke of his gredynesse:
A fret of hauing put him in such distresse,
Whose fyne declared by recorde of scripture,
A rauinous prince may no whyle endure.

He made also an odious ordynaunce,
Of surquedy his power for to dresse,
[Page]To robbe the gods, maugre their puisaunce,
And spoyle the temples, of their frowardnes
Take their treasors agayn all rightwisnes:
But they him shewed, of sodayne auenture,
A rauinous prince may no whyle endure.

Great Appollo toke on his men vengeaunce,
With vnware tempest for al their sturdines,
Leuin & thunder brought them to mischaūce:
Guerdon most able agayn the falsnes
In princes hertes, aye playnly to expres
Who by rauyne riches wyl recure,
God wyl nat suffre him longe to endure.

Noble princes stable in your constaunce,
Ye that desyre to stand in sykernes,
Remembre oft vpon the fatal chaunce
Of proud Xerxses, and his cursednes,
Your life disposing in your hygh nobles:
If that ye lyst your states to assure,
Eschue rauyne, and ye shal long endure.

The .xi. Chapter.

¶ How Artabanus murdred king Xerxses, and howe hym selfe was murdred after.

NExt these tragedies weping & dolerous
Whyle Bochas stint & wold haue be in pees,
A knight appered called Artabanus.
Whyche had aforne murdred king Xerxses,
And gan his complaynt for to put in prees:
Full concludyng, to speke in wordes playne,
Who vseth murdre by murdre shal be slayne.

This Artabanus by record of writing,
With Xerxses prouost whylom as I rede,
Falsly conspyred by sleight of his workynge,
For to be kynge bothe of Perce and Mede:
Hauing seuen sonnes which that wer in dede
Worthy knyghtes, manly, and right stronge,
Albe their father was set to do great wrong.

For he presumed by vsurpacion,
In Perce and Mede to quench y• clere lyght:
And trouble the lyne of iust succession.
For so as he of force, and nat of ryght
Nothyng resemblyng to a trewe knight,
The murdre of Xerxses falsly did ordayne,
Right so he cast to murdre his sonnes twain.

And to conclude playnly, and not tarye,
This sayd kyng that called was Xerxses,
Had two sonnes, the yongest called Dary,
And that other colled Artaxerxses:
which as the story reherceth, doutles
Were by discent borne to succede
After their father, to reign in Perce & Mede.

The murdre of Xerxses outward was vn­know
Nor how Artabanus had y• treson wrought,
Tyl afterwarde within a lytel throwe,
He had of newe forged out and sought
Fals odious trains, that wer neuer thought,
Told Artaxerses as he gan with him rown,
Howe Dary cast to occupy the croun.

And how the dethe of Xerxses was ordained
Only by Dary, and by none other wight.
wher vpon, which ought be complayned,
Artaxerxses prouided anon right
The slaughter of Dary, & so agayn all ryght
This younge brother in his innocence,
Was falsly slaine and did none offence.

Ye wote by whom this treson was compassed,
Twene brethern twain to make diuision,
The younger slayne and nothyng trespased,
Moste redy way to the distruccion
Of Artaxerxses, for in conclusyon,
Whan the bretherne murdred were in dede,
Artabanus thought to succede.

But Artaxerxses by playne instruccion
Of one that was called Baccarus,
By tokens knewe the couert false treason
Of this aforesayd double Artabanus:
And howe that he by traynes outragyous,
Had Xerxses slayne (as ye haue herd toforne)
And Dary appeched, wherby he was lorne.

But this vncouth straūge treason wrought
Whan Artaxerxses had knowlegyng,
By great aduise wayes he hath sought,
Artabanus to bryng vnto rekenynge:
But specyally he dred him of one thyng,
He feble was to bryng this thing about,
Of hys seuen sonnes he had so great doute.

But for to accomplyshe fully his entente
Ful secretly this was his ordynaunce,
To al the worthy he hah his letters sent
Dwellyng in Perce, vnder his obeysaunce,
Without excuse or lenger attendaunce
Armed echone, and in especyall
To come in haste, vnto his courte royall.

[Page lxxix]
Cause of their cōming was to them not know
The kynges purpose was holden secre,
And kept so close both from hye and lowe,
That to his meanyng no man was priue:
Except the kyng sayd he woulde se
What number of men, if it come to nede,
In his defence he myght gather and lede.

And among other came Artabanus
Vnto the court, and list not for to fayle,
A man that was cruell and couragious,
Full of sleyghtes in all his gouernayle,
Whiche thilke tyme armed was in mayle,
For he with him none other armure lad,
Saue on his backe an haburion he had.

Than Artaxerses beyng in his strength,
To him abrayed of false affection,
For that my mayle wanteth of his length,
I woulde with the chaunge myne haburion:
The tother hauyng none euyll suspection,
Vngyrt him selfe would no lenger abide,
Bothe sworde & dagger cast thē farre aside.

And while that he threw of his haburion
And with the mayle stopped was his sight,
He being naked, for short conclusion
The king out pulleth a sworde kene & bryght
And through the hert he roue him anon right:
And after that of indignacion,
Toke his seuen sonnes, & cast them in pryson.

Of their ende what shoulde I more endite,
Nor of their death make digression?
God may his vengeaunce a while respite,
But murder wyll out & all suche treason:
And for Artabanus had a condicion
Falsely to murder (as ye tofore haue seyne)
wt vnware murder guerdoned was ageyne.

Thus euer murder requireth for his wages,
Slaunder importable odyous to heare,
A worde diffamous most foule in all lāgages
The sounde horrible by report to appeare,
A clips during whose darknes may not cleare
For this worde murder most vgly & vnfayre
By a rehearsyng infecteth all the ayre.

¶ The .xii. Chapter.

¶ How duke Palantes & Spartenoys warred theim of Missene for rauishyng their maydens.

AFter the death and fatall caas,
And piteous murder of Artabanus,
Next in order appeared to Bochas
A mighty duke called Palautus,
Sonne of a knyght named Arathus,
Which was exiled, though he no treasonment
Out of his citye that called was Tarent.

Vpon his exyle he sore gan complayne,
Besechyng Bochas to get him a space
Within his boke to write his greuous payne,
Albe though he whilom stode in grace,
By glad aspectes of fortunes face:
For she him raysed by fauour of her might,
To dukes estate from a pore knyght.

But cereously this matter to conuey,
How he was made duke and gouernour,
Whan Sparteyns gan mortally warrey
Against Missenes, as sayth mine auctour,
With great costage and diligent labour,
And cause was this, for they wt mighty hand
Rauished by force all maydens of the lande.

For this people now named Spartenois,
As the story clerely can deuise,
Were called afore Lacedemonois,
In armes proued manly and ryght wise:
And while they did a solemne sacrifise
Vnto their goddes, the people of Messeny.
Rauished their maydens or they it did espy.

On whiche wronge for to do vengeaunce,
The Spartenois caught indignacion,
And of assent with all their whole puissaunce,
They layed a siege rounde about the toun:
And of one wyll and one affection
They made a vowe y• siege when they begon,
Neuer to depart tyll the towne were won.

Afore the towne fully ten yere they lay,
And fro the siege as they had made their othe,
They not departed neyther night nor day,
But styll abode and not a sunder gothe:
Therof their wiues at home were wrothe,
To their husbandes a messengere they sent,
Vnder these wordes, declaryng their entent.

Sayd it was not accordyng with reason
They like widowes to liue disconsolate,
Without comfort or consolation,
Farre frō their husbandes to stande desolate,
Mischeues cōsidred that fal in eche estate,
By long absence (which eche man shold drede)
[Page]Thrugh diuers sicknes y• fal in womanhede.

The tyde abydeth nat for no maner man,
Nor stynt her course for no creature:
And harde it is as we reherce can,
Thynge to withstand that cometh of nature:
Harme done by kynde is froward to recure,
And there is founde full lytell sykernes,
Where as nature afforceth brotylnesse.

This lytell sonde ought ynough suffyse,
To declare domage that may fall
By longe absence, folkes that ben wise
Somtime departed agayn men may nat cal.
That seldome is sene in loue doth appall.
And nothing maketh more wyues erre
Than disceueraūce of folke that be in werre.

This was theffect plainly insubstaunce,
Sent to their hasbandes which at y• sege lai,
Complayning they had had no plesaunce
Space of ten yere, as in loues play:
But desolate, in sorowe, and great affray,
Their lyfe they lad, affyrmyng in sentence,
Cause of their cs̄traīt, was their lōg absēce.

And whan the letters were at the siege rad
Tofore the cytie in all their mortal stryues,
They were astonied and gan to waxe sad,
And very wery almost of their lyues,
For to considre the complaint of their wiues:
Tyl their captayne a remedy out sought,
By whose counsayl euen thus they wrought.

First old knightes that the siege sworne
It for to accomplish, and cast them to be true
His counsayl was as they had hight beforn
To hold their promise, & therfor nothing rue:
But yonge knightes that were come of new,
Myght as they lyst frely at their wyll
Those whether they wold go or byde styll.

And herupon for their most auayle
In haste their captayne as made is remem­braūce
Of high prudence gaue them this counsaile,
hat knyghtes old, ly [...]h their assuraunce,
Shuld of the siege haue the gouernaunce:
And yong knightes most fresh & welbeseyne,
Shuld from the siege home be sent ageyne.

They made among thē a straūge ordinaunce,
At their home comyng, without difference
To enterchaūge their wyues for plesaunce:
And take her first that came to his presence,
This was thaccorde among them in sentēce,
Moste redy way to their opinion
To engendrute and procreacion.

There was amonge thē quarel nother stryfe
In this mater, nor no varyaunce,
For eueryman misused others wyfe,
To their desyres as was to them pleasaunce:
And thus children thrugh this ordynaunce
That were engendred, the case is thus befal,
Parthenois men did them after cal.

Which in our tong to speke in words plain,
After the greke who lyst consydre and se,
Is no more playnly for to sayne,
Than thilk chyldren which engendred be
In auoutry: wherfore in that countre
Parthenois of custome they were named,
Borne of wombes which that were diffamed

The false occasion of thys auoutry
Caused after great mischefe and domage,
That no man coude as for his partye,
By succession whan he came to age,
By tytle of right clayme his herytage:
For where a lyne falsly dothe procede,
Hard is to know by right who shal succede.

The disturbaunce of false succession,
And tytels claimed afforced wt great myght,
Where that auoutry hath domynacion
And is supported of wyl and not of tyght,
And claym of trouth hath lost his clere light:
Though their parties mighti be and strong,
God wyll nat suffre they shall endure longe.

And Parthenois paysing all these thynges
Howe false assuraunce was in their lynage,
The gentle bloud troubled first of kynges,
For no man knew of high nor lowe parage
His owne father, by lykelynesse of vysage:
Nor father none by his great erroure,
Coude yeue no tytle to his successour.

Whervpon folowed a great mischaunce,
Hateful to heare, through the countre:
Echeman troubled in his countenaunce
Who shulde clayme by any lyberte
To entre his lande, or to stande fre:
Such doute they had echeman for his party,
So importable was their auoutry.

This great mischefe, who so taketh hede,
By longe proces made thē to know and se
[Page lxxx]How they were able, as by likelihede,
For their outrages to fall in pouertie:
And of assent they cast them for to flie
Vnder a captain by strong and mighty hand
For that countrey to wyn some other lande.

And as I rede, they chase duke Palantus
Of whom I spake, to gouerne the passage,
Takyng no leaue the storye telleth thus:
At their departyng begynnyng their vyage,
They were so confuse of chere and of vysage,
For there was none of that great route,
To chose his father but y• he stode in dout.

They helde them selues very ashamed,
And for shame out of the lande they went,
Like people disclaundered and diffamed,
Through the auoutry to which they did assēt:
And to a citye that called was Tarent,
Which stant in Poile a mighty stronge coūtry
This duke Palantus came with his meyny.

And there he put through his great myght,
The citizyns out of that citye,
And gate Tarent full lyke a manly knyght,
And there abode in long prosperitie,
As gouernour and duke of that countrey,
Tyll that his people by false collusion,
Him to depriue sought out occasion.

They him exiled whan he was fall in age,
Lo what it is in commons to assure,
Stormy of hart, vnsure of their courage,
That selde or neuer their frendshyp dothe en­dure▪
Men may to day their fauour recure,
And to morow (let set it at a prefe)
They rathest hinder whā men be at mischefe.

¶ The .xiiii. Chapter.

☞ Of Ceson Quincius exiled, and Graccus taken prysoner.

I Can no more rehearce of Palantes
Duke and leader of Parthenois,
But I wyll tell how Ceson Quincius
Came before Bochas wt a full piteous voyce,
His tale gan how Graccus prince of Equois,
Bothe at ones gan their songe entune,
Most dolefully to playne on fortune.

This myghty prynce Ceson Quincius
Complayned first as made is mencion,
How they of Rome wer contrarious
And felly wrought to his destruction,
And full vniustly banished him the toun:
And not withstandyng he was a dictatour,
Him to cōfounde they did their busy laboure.

Cause of his exyle compassed as I rede,
That he was slowe they sayd and negligent,
Him to defende, touchyng appeale in dede
Which again him was brought of falce entet:
Yet Cyncinatus his father, by assent
Payde for amendes as sayth cronyclers,
Met out of lande draught of thre arblasters.

Yet his enemies would not be content,
But procede that he was exiled,
Did extorcion of his iudgement,
As in his story full playnly is compyled:
He after neuer myght be reconcyled,
Whiche I haue pitye to put in remembraūce,
So litle offēce should haue so great vēgeaūce

Graccus of Rome called Cloellus
Prince of Equois mine auctour saith ye same,
Was in his time notable and glorious,
And a great duke full renoumed of fame:
But how ye people of Equois toke their name
Vnder support that no man haue disdayne,
I will the processe here declare in certaine.

John Bochas sayth there is a nacion
Whiche that first were called Hunoys,
And secondly also by succession
Of full long tyme named Anathois:
And alderlast men called them Equois,
Like as I trow (mine auctor saith the same)
Of horse most swyft, they toke first the name.

And as it is remembred in sentence,
By their manhode, and famous hardines
Agayne Alexander they made strong defence
On horsbacke through their great swiftnes:
Besyde the hyll (playnly to expresse)
Whiche in cronicles is called Caucasus,
Thys people of Equois were vyctoryous.

To theyr nobles playnly as I fynde,
Nothyng in earth was more expedient
In their cōquest of Ethiope and Iude,
As horse most swyft, seruyng their entente:
Therby conqueryng all the Oryent,
So great prowes was in their passage,
That Equois brought all Egypt to seruage.

[Page]
Thus where euer Equois did abyde,
They gate great good to their possession:
And Graccus was their gouernour and gide
Whiche by his strength and false suggestion,
Againe the Romayns fyll in great rebellion,
But to wt stand him they sent out anonryght,
Cincinatus proued a full good knyght.

He was well trusted and knowe in the toun,
And for his prudence chosen a Dictatour,
His lyuelode small and his possession,
Albe he was a worthy warriour:
Whiche hath vainquished by his knyghtly la­bour,
The said Graccus, for all his worthy power,
And home to Rome brought him prysoner.

Cyncinatus in his chare was set,
Called Quincius for this great victory,
And most solemnely wyth Senatours met,
Which yaue to him for to encreace his glory,
Laude of tryumphe, to put him in memory:
And Graccus after for his rebellion,
With chaynes bounde, cast in darke pryson.

And there he dyed in full great mischefe,
After his conquestes, first famous & notable,
An euidence to vs and a great prefe
How fortune is aye false and vnstable,
Euer double, frowarde, and deceyuable,
The fall of Graccus declare gan full wele,
That whylom sate so hygh vpon her whele.

¶ The .xiiii. Chapter.

¶ Here Bochas rehearseth the tyranny of Apyus, and falsenes of iudges.

NOt wt standynge Bochas before hath tolde,
Of Apius the falsenes importable,
And his outrages & surfetes many folde,
To be remembred hatefull and repreuable,
Yet as hym thought it was here cōuenable,
To more rebuke and spottyng of his name
New to rehearse his slaunder and defame.

The great offences of this Apius,
And oppression that he vpon him toke,
Made hym grow so inly couetous,
Through his rauyne yt all the people quoke:
As ye may se in the seconde boke,
Where myne auctour doth clerely specify
His fraude in domes, and his lechery.

Eke thys tyrant remembred ye may rede,
Chiefe iudge he was with other officers,
Called decemvir, & through his pryde in dede
Agayn the custome of theim y• were his feres,
He made be borne standerdes and baneres,
In otherwyse, of hygh presumption,
Then vsed were beforne in Rome toun.

These iudges had a custome and manere
Like their estates, in theyr gouernaunce,
Eche after him to haue borne a bannere,
Where they went, suche was their ordinaūce
By twelue sergeaūtes numbred in substaūce:
But Apius of pryde and great outrage,
Y chaunged hath that custome and vsage.

He fyrst ordeyned eche should in his place
Of Decemvir, haue a banner borne
In their walkyng the people to manace,
An hundred men of armes them beforne,
And twenty ouer (by a statute sworne)
Wherby the citye bare great coste in dede,
And all the people were put in feare & drede.

To se the sargeaūtes walke in plate & mayle
They thought it was a maueylous working
Judges to go wyth suche apparayle
In their proceadyng as eche had ben a kyng:
And whole the entent of Apius menyng
Was that he should of power and myght,
Do what hym lyst were it wronge or ryght.

The ryghtfull punyshe, and the gylty spare,
Fauour wronge for brybes and for mede,
The people oppressed stode in sorow and care,
Founde no succoure to helpe thē at their nede:
Lawe was there none, for reasō lay by drede,
Wyll was iudge, and pleasaunce equitie,
And thus by maistry was gouerned the citye.

And as it is remembred by Bochas,
Apius was lecherous of nature,
And caught a quarel as ye haue herd the caas
Agaynst Virginia, a mayde clene and pure:
And for he should nothyng in her recute
Touchyng his lust, her father in that stryfe
With a sharpe sworde made her lose her lyfe.

And for thys tyrant by false rybaudry
Caused her death by hasty vyolence,
And for he should her beauty not maistry
Diyng a mayde in her chaste innocence,
Therfore he was demed in sentence
As is to fore made cleare mencion,
[Page lxxxi]For to be chayned and dye in pryson.

Eke Decemvir lost their power,
And neuer in Rome after bare no name,
Nor of that sect was made none officer:
And among all Apius bare the blame,
Whose cryme reboūdeth to his eternal shame
As ye haue heard, who that can discerne,
And thā Tribunes were chose for to gouerne.

And in Bochas like as it is found,
The sayd iudges in mischefe did fyne,
While Apius lay in pryson bounde
Exiled were all that other nyne,
The good, the treasure of them & their lyne,
Acheted was for short conclusion,
To cōmon profite and encrease of the towne.

¶ Lenuoy.

THis little tragedy dothe shortly deuyse
What mischefe foloweth for the great vn­right
Vsed in iudges, in many sundry wise:
For whan fauour blinded hath their syght,
And innocence is borne downe wyth myght,
In hys quarell pouerte may not procede,
Bicaue that trouth oppressed is with mede.

A iudge should of equitie despyse
To take gyftes of any maner wyght,
And ready be all wronges to chastice,
From all gyftes turne away his syght,
His hondes close, his eares stoppe aryght,
And be aye ware for frendshyp, hate & drede,
That trouth be not oppressed wyth mede,

The noble doctryne and vertuous emprise
Of philosophers that had so great insyght,
Was to these iudges y• prudent were & wise
For frende or foe their domes be so dyght
Of ryght wisenes that the sunne bryght
Eclypsed neuer, lest men for their falsehede,
Report the right was put abacke for mede.

Noble prynces supportours of iustise,
Called lode starres to yeue the people lyght,
On Apius let iudges not practise,
Let trouthes lāpe be clere both day & nyght,
Your office paysed that longeth to a knyght,
Hold vp the balaūce of dome in your māhede,
That law in iudges be not corrupt with mede

¶ Bochas agaynst the vntruth of iudges.

SVyng vpon the death of  [...]pius,
And hys rebukes for hys greate ou­trage,
Bochas by writyng wext som▪what yrous,
Againe iudges false, & thought in his corage,
They should be sad and demure of age,
And their lyfe by vertue shoulde drawe
To kepe the preceptes & statutes of the lawe.

They ought of reason them selfe to habyle
To haue science of phylosophy,
And know theyr textes of canon and ciuyle,
And therupon their wittes whole to apply:
For cunnyng iudges by prudent policy
Cause ordinaunces in lawe comprehended,
Through rightful doom gretly to be cōmēded

Justice of lawe dothe realmes enlumine,
Susteineth trouth, supporteth innocence,
Of rauynours boweth down the chyne,
Punysheth robbers for their great offence:
Sluggy truauntes for theyr negligence,
And fayned beggers that greatly disauayle,
Constrayneth them to labour and trauayle.

Founders of lawe by antiquitie,
Caused in landes was suffred none erroute,
And made of prynces the royall magestie
To shyne in worshyp, by diligent labour:
Wrested courages of many conquerour,
That their tryūphes no further shuld attaine
Than lawe of god and nature dyd ordaine.

Wyll was that tyme vnder subiection
Of ryght wisnes, by trouth full wel cōceiued:
Sensualitye was seruaunt to reason,
And froward lust was vnder locke ykeyed,
Sentence of statutes was not disobeyed:
The ryche did ryght through euery lande,
Pore folke lyued by labour of their hande.

Lordshyp y• tyme anoyded mayntenaunce,
Holy churche lyued in perfitnesse,
Knighthode tho dayes for trouth whette his laūce
And false extorcion had none entresse,
Marchaūtes winning came al of rightwisnes
Artificers the worke day were not ydell,
And busines of labour helde the brydell.

Women that age farced were nor horned,
Nor theyr tayles were not serpentyne,
Wise men of foly, nor clarkes wer not scorned
Whyche in scyence most freshely dyd shyne,
Lawe disherited none heyres from theyr lyne:
[Page]Lesyngmongers found y• time no socours,
And flaterers were made thā no cōfessours.

This golden world flouryng in vertue,
Borne vp by loue, grounded on stablenes,
Of auoutry sprange out none issue:
Prices wt doctrine established their nobles,
Preesthod in praier, knighthod in worthines
Ech thing by law stode vnder gouernaunce,
Marchaūts by mesure & iust peis of balaūce.

First Phoroneus by dyligent laboure
Fonde out lawes, y• kyng was of Argyues,
The grekes study he giit wt great honoure,
This politick prīce auoided thē from striues,
His statutes kept duryng all their lyues,
Found first the maner (Bochas doth deuyse)
Howe to Jupyter was made sacrifyse.

Eke mighty Minos whilom kinge of Crete,
Ordayned lawes agayne transgressions,
To feare by rygour foles that were vnmete,
And staunche of surfetes all occasyons,
Made for robbers mightye stronge prisons:
And Dedalus his chefe artificere,
Made laborinthes by diligence entere.

And Mercurie borne by the stode of Nyle
As writeth Lactance, was of Egipt kynge,
Vnto marchauntes dyd lawe firste compyle
Of weight and mesure, to vse in chaffaryng:
And for his wisdome and excellent connyng,
Of olde poetes that whilom were so wyse,
He called was God of marchaundyse.

Solon also the best lawes made
As Valery writeth, him self to magnify:
Athenienses therof were full glad
His great wysdome whan they did espy,
They fonde therin so muche policy,
And euer he was redy for to debate
Agayne tyrauntes, so sore he dyd them hate.

Kyng Lygurgus yet whilom dyd his cure
To make lawes to comon auauntage,
And that they shuld perpetually endure
He made his people be sworne of euery age,
While that he went out on pilgrimage
Fro point to point to kepe them in certaine,
Vnto time that he came home agayne.

And for his lawes wer of great substaunce,
And profitable to euery comonte,
He chase to liue in exile and penaunce,
Neuer to resort againe to his cite:
That his statutes by eternite
Shuld nat be broke, as ye haue herd toforne,
By the cōuencion to which they were sworn.

To comon profite had he such tendernesse,
That he forsoke his kingdome and kinrede
To liue in exile, his story beareth witnes:
But or he dyed, as he lay bedrede,
He bad his bones shuld be cast in lede
Amid the see, fer out from the strande,
That his statutes might in their strēgth stād.

He eschued eueryche occasyon
As a thyng hatefull, which was not fayre,
That his forsayd royall mighty toun
Shuld breke their oth, because of his repair:
But touching that he put them in dispayre,
Cast him neuer resort in their dayes
Lest they wold breke the sētēce of his lawes.

The .xv. chapter.

¶ Here Bochas maketh an exclamacion of the extorcion of the officers of Rome.

JOhn Bochas here maketh a digressiō,
And by rebuking cast him to assayle
Thylke officers ye wer in Rome toun,
Which by extorcion oppressed the porayle,
And agayne iudges also of Itayle,
And namely them that for lucre or mede
Set trouth asyde and toke of it none hede.

He maketh agayne them an exclamacion,
Such as to vertue were contrarious:
And vnder colour and occasyon
Of their offyce lyst to be lecherous,
Like condicioned vnto Apius,
And fynally as it was after sene,
False in their domes, & of their life vnclene.

O (quod Bochas) O trouth, o thou iustise,
Whych in your nobles whilom dyd excel,
Where in effect is now your exercyse,
Wher is your wonning alas wher do ye dwel,
Of your practike ful few men can tel,
So fer put backe is nowe your disciplyne,
Your kyn exyled, and your noble lyne.

Aduocates that nowe done occupye
Your olde sees, and places full royall,
All to falshede their wyttes they apply,
[Page lxxxii]Suche couetyse now reigneth ouer all:
Causes of ciuile, and causes crymynall
Their domes take, wher they be fals or true,
All after wyll, by statutes chaunged newe.

There ben eke other called accessours,
Syttyng by iudges, to yeue them counsayle,
Which may full well be called rauenours,
For they nat labour but for theyr auayle:
A nombre of robbers folow at theyr tayle,
To pylle the people, as ye haue hard to forne,
Bare as a shepe, that is but newe shorne.

There is no more in this matter to sayne
Saue onely this, trouth stant desolate,
And rightwisnes dare to no wight cōplayne,
With wrong oppressed, weping & desolate,
Wherfore ye prynces that syt in high estate,
Such thing to mēde, but ye better hede take,
God shal wt you a full harde rekenyng make.

Your office is in your magnificence
Twene man & man all wronges to redresse,
And wher a matter is agayne conscience
It to refourme onely of ryghtwysenesse,
To stāde by trueth, mayntayne no falsenesse,
And let wise counsayl such matters examine
Or ye of haste theron determine.

Haue suche thynges in your mynde amonge
Thynke god wyll quyte lyke as ye deserue,
Ye spot your noblesse yf that ye do wrong
His sworde of punishyng drede or it kerue:
Let your reason and conscience conserue
Your noble estates, & thinke like your werkīg
The lord of you wyl aske a rekenyng.

The .xvi. Chapiter.

❧Of Alcibiades exyled, and after brent in hys bedde.

AFter other that put them selfe in prees
Tofore Bochas their cōplayntes to dis­cure,
Came of Athenes Alcibiades,
That time alyue the fayrest creature:
And as it is remembred by scripture,
He was discrete, and was at all assayes
One the strongest and manly in hys dayes.

He was first borne of full high linage,
Aboue all other of most semelynesse,
Well proporcioned and hardy of corage,
Loued and fauoured for his great fayrenesse:
Famouse in knyghthode for hys worthinesse
Subtyll witted, and coude by cloquen [...],
Boche comprehende vnder shorte sentence.

His wyt enclined to manyfolde sciences,
Had of conyng a passyng retentife,
Loued clerkes, & fond them theyr dispences,
Suche as in practife he saw most inuentife,
To rede in bokes reioysed all hys life,
Kept what he redde in his memoriall,
And of wyse counsaile was none to hym egal.

An vncle he had ycalled Perycles
Which stode in daunger of excessife spendyng,
Yet in hys youth thys Alcibiades
Seyng hys vncle pensiefe in lokyng,
Cast of wisdom to remedy that thyng,
And for to aswage hys heartes heuynesse,
Gaue hym this counsail by great auisenesse.

Fyrst to rehearse how the matter stode
And of hys vncles wofull hygh distresse
Ther was to him delynered a sūme of goode
To repayre the temple of a goddesse
Called Minerna, but for the great excesse
Of hys dispences he stode somwhat in drede,
Touching thacoūpt, y• he muste yelde in dede.

Alcibiades here vpon musyng,
To hys vncle gaue counsayle in sentence:
Vncle (quod he) let be your thynkyng,
And for your selfe shape thys diffence,
Nat for tacoūpt by meane of your prudence:
Afore prouided, with face & chere vnfayned,
To suche duresse, that ye be nat constrayned.

And whan Pericles his coūsaile aduertiseth
Fonde to his worshyp it was resonable,
And by good layser, him selfe ful wel auiseth,
And by prouision prudent and notable
Saued hys estate frō eche thyng reprouable:
So that he stode, touching thys matter,
As for accomptes out of all daunger.

Alcibiades of Athens chefe capteyne
From day to day waxt vp to great encres,
Suche another was ther no where seyne,
Them to gouerne, bothe in werre & pees:
And all the citye by assent hym chees
Of theyr nauy in especiall
Vpon the see, to be theyr admyrall.

For his knighthod they sent hym out aferre
To Cathenoys to be theyr gouernour,
[Page]Gayne Cyracusenes for to gin a werre:
First there receiued wt glory & gret honoure,
But in the end of his great laboure,
Fortune that is aye varyaunt and vnstable,
Was to this duke nat founde fauourable.

He was accused to them of the toun,
Which in Athenes had gouernaunce,
That he was gilty in party of treason,
By thē reuoked for al his great puissaunce
Of Capitaynship, and by their ordinaunce
And fortunes false mutabylitie
Vnwarely depriued from all dignitie.

But for him selfe thus he gan prouide,
Went into exyle not fer from that countre,
In to a cytie that called was Elyde,
There for to haue fredom and lyberte,
And of hys lyfe, to stand in suerte:
For in Athenes they wolde haue him deed,
Vnto their goddes to offre vp his heed.

But whan he was of their entent certayne,
To Lacedemone he toke the ryght way,
And by relacion there he herd sayne
Howe Cathemenses were put to afraye
In a batayle vpon a certayne daye,
Which that they held to their aduersytee
Gayne Cathenoys, as they fought on the see.

But the cause of this discomfyture
As was tolde Alcibiades,
Was by thre captayns through misauenture,
Which in their leading were found recheles,
The chefe of them named Demosthenes
The tother called the story telleth vs,
The tone Niceas, the tother Eurilocus.

Alcibiades hauyng herof tiding
To auenge his wrong put him selfe in prees,
Of Lacedemon he gothe fyrst to the kyng
Which of trouth was called Agydes,
Beseching him to graunte to his encres
Certayne soudyours out of hys countre.
For to werrey of Athenoys the cyte.

Thus he waxte stronge of noble prouydence,
Had great people vnder his gouernaunce,
And lyke a duke made strong in hys defence,
The people gadred to his obeysaunce,
That other princes that wer of hye puisaūce
Gan haue enuy of wylful frowardnesse,
And to malygne agayne hys hyghe noblesse.

For selde or neuer in any regyon
Prowesse of armes, noblesse of chyualry,
Encrease of ryches, report of high renoun,
Fame of connyng in craft or in clergy,
May no wher dwell without some enuy:
From whose malyce as folke expert may se,
Saue only wretches no man hath lyberte.

For which this prince as put is in memory,
Escaped nat for all his hygh parage,
But that some enuyed at his glory:
For in this life no man hath auauntage
Agayne tonges, nor odyous false langage,
To stop such venym this is the best obstacle
That mē with suffraūce tempre their triacle,

The clere prowesse of Alcibiades
Stayned the nobles of other prynces al,
His eure hym raised vp to so great encres,
To the highest trone of fortunes hall:
Such fatal grace is vnto hym fal
That in tho dayes playnlye this is no fable,
There was no knight to him resemblable.

In his exyle so clere his renome shone,
And through Grece gaue as gret bryghtnes,
As doth a ruby aboue eche other stone:
Yet for to clips and shadow his worthynes
Lacedemonois dyd their busynesse,
Such as nat myght to his nobles attayne,
By false report his renome to restraine.

Awayt was layd to take him at mischefe,
And many traynes wer serched out & sought
Of entent to put him at reprefe,
But al y• euer agayn him they haue wrought
At the end the purpose came to nought:
For God prouideth of his magnificence,
Agayne such malice to saue innocence.

He was lykely to fal in great daungere
Lacedemonois gan so at hym dysdayne,
Because his honour & nobles shone so clere,
That to his fone it was a deedlye payne:
And thus his lyfe stode in no certayne
For all be it he manly was and wyse,
He knew nothinge their purpose nor malyce.

Hee had almoste ywarned be to late,
And lyke to haue stand in great perplexitie,
And more his grace and fortune to abate
By thoccasion of hys great beaute,
He wyth the quene was woxen full priue:
For in her grace so well stode there none,
[Page lxxxiii]Whiche gaue to him warnyng of his fone.

And by the counsayle onely of the queene
Fro Lacedemon he wysely toke his flight
Towarde Athenes, & thought he wolde sene
His owne countre, full lyke a manly knyght,
And though thei had nat gouerned thē a right
Towardes hym, beyng in distresse,
To auenge his wronge, he dyd thē no duresse.

For he thought it was agaynst nature
To be vengeable, or shewe his cruelte
By thoccasion of any auenture,
Or ginne a werre vpon his countre:
His natiue bloud meued him to pyte,
And of very naturall gentlynesse
Was debonayre, agayne their vnkindnesse.

The case was this, for short conclusion,
How king Dary with great apparayle
Thought to werrey, of indignation
Them of Athenes, & their towne tassayle,
And in purpose proudely to preuayle:
Thessifernes, a prince of great puissaunce
Of Daries power had al the gouernaunce.

Final cause and grounde of all this werre
That Darius gan on them so hastelye,
And that he sent his puissaunce from so ferre
For to destroy Athenes vtterly,
Was to holde vp and sustayne the party
Of Lacedomone, whiche of olde hatrede
Were euer enuyous thē to oppresse in dede.

But by meane of Alcibiades
And his treatie founded on prudence,
Thessifernes, enclined to the pees,
Therby in party to appease his violence:
And all was done of noble prouidence,
And fro the place, to which he was exiled,
He to Athenes shoulde be reconciled.

Vnto the citie he dyd signify
How Darius, had made his ordinaunce,
And by his letters he gan them specify
If they would stande at his gouernaunce,
To condiscende playnly in substaunce:
He woulde labour, and no lenger tary,
To make accorde atwene them & king Dary.

This was the meane that he ment:
Within Athenes that the senatours
Shoulde of the citie, after their entent
Haue ful lordship, & be their gouernours:
But as cleare wedder troubled is wt shours,
Right so vnwarely, within that royal toun
Through his treaty fyll a discention.

The  [...]ōmeners gan sodaynly disdayne
To be thralled vnder subiection,
And so by assent the commons dyd ordayne
Onely tappease all false discention,
For to reuoke agayne into their toun
Aicibiades, as they thought it mete,
Through this prudence to set them in quiete.

First in his commyng myne auctour doth re­porte
He was made duke againe of y• cite,
And gan the partie of cōmons to supporte,
And them restore to theyr old liberte:
Where through the senate dreding y• cōmonte
Fled to exile, full ferre out of all prees,
Onely for drede of Alcibiades.

They stode that time in so great disioynt
Their towne deuided, & out of gouernaunce,
That they were brought euen to the poynt
To yelde the citie vnto the obeysaunce
Of Lacedemons, through their vnhappy chaū ce,
Within thē selfe, when they can debate
Vnder their duke, the senat bare such debate.

But the commons chase in theyr dyffence
Alcibiades, to gouerne that voyage,
And to the see with cost and great dispence
Without abode he holdeth hys passage,
In mighty shyppes, made for auauntage:
Well enarmed, and cast yf he myght
With Lacedemonois proudly for to fyght.

Thre mighty captains were on the other syde
The fyrst zestro, Bochas telleth thus,
And the second that was their lorde & gyde,
Called Mydare, the thyrde Pharbanasus
Oh the see & lande, in armes full pompous:
But of knighthode and magnanimite
Alcibiades toke them all thre.

Strong was the fight or yt they were take,
Of all theyr meyny away there scaped none,
The duke y• day, gan suche a slaughter make
Of high prowesse vpon hys mortall fone,
Cast ouer borde almost euerychone:
And after that, when he came to lande,
A new battel met hym on the strande.

Such wayte was layde about hym enuyron
Of hys enemyes, by sodayne auenture,
[Page]But of Athenes this mighty champion
Whiche might in armes moste souerainly en­dure
Made of his fone a new discōfyture:
Thus in short time this prince in his estate,
On land and water was twyse laureate.

And after that he lyst nat for to cease
Nor to abyde the space of halfe a day
The comon profite of his towne tencrease,
Towarde Asye he toke the right waye
Townes & castles that were take away
Which apperteyned to Athenes of ryght,
He gate agayne full lyke a manly knyght.

Maugre all that to hym were contrary
Or wrought agayne hym by rebellyon,
Throughout Asye in the lande of Dary
He knyghtly brought them to subiection:
Agayne whose sworde holpe no proteccyon,
And fynall labour was of his entent,
The comon profyte of his towne to augment.

And with this glory and with this noblesse
He to Athenes repayred is agayne,
And al the city with ioy and great gladnes
Came out to mete him vpon a fayre playne:
And that his triumphes shuld openly be sain,
Both old and yong with full glad vysages,
Of their goddes brought out the ymages.

This was their cry and noise of al the prees,
Victorious prince whose triumphes marciall
Shal euer be song wt laud and new encrees,
To fore the goddes which ben immortall,
Welcome, welcome, our protectour and wal,
Shelde of our welfare, agayne all violence,
Phebus of knighthod, & sword of our defēce.

Thus wt their goddes they made hym egall,
By vncouth praising of paganismes rightes,
Lyke as he had been very immortall
And songe refreytes to cōmend his merytes:
And to enhaūce his glory they set al their de­lites,
And with the lyght of eternal fame,
Set vp torches to enlumyne with his name.

Thus certayne dayes they halowed of entēt
Thrugh all the cyte, for his hyghe prowesse,
Tyll fortune hath his eyen blent
With new fauour of worldly false swetnes,
For all her suger is meynt wyth bytternesse:
A bayte of hony shedde out at prime face
With mortall venym hyd vnder to manace.

For in his hyghest clymbyng vp alofte
And in thascence of fortunes whele,
After her custome, as she hath full ofte,
When he best wend for to stande wele,
She drewe her fauour from hym euery dele:
Made the people vnder his obeysaunce,
To fall in mischefe for lacke of gouernaunce.

Thus fro this duke fortune gan to vary
And hys noblesse go backe and eke fayle,
Whan kyng Cirus successour to Dary
Full unwarely fyll on him in batayle,
And gan his knyghtes proudly to assayle:
Whan he dispurueyed voyde of prouydence,
Was ouerlayde to make resystence.

For fynally this Alcibiades
At mischefe take which he mighte nat recure,
Whan thrugh veynglory he was made recheles
His noble estate testablysh and assure,
Lacke of foresight caused his dyscomfyture:
And to encrease of more aduersitye,
Banyshed agayne out of his cyte.

Thus diffaced and clypsed was his glory,
His cytie put in straunge gouernaunce
By Lacedemonoys, after this victory,
So that he knewe no maner cheuysaunce
To refourme his vnhappy chaunce,
Saue for refute myne auctour dothe reherce,
How that he fled vnto the kyng of Perce.

From Athenes of newe he was exiled,
And thirty persons all furious and vengeable
Chase in their cyty, as Bochas hath cōpyled,
The toun gouerned albe they were not able:
Vsyng a maner hatefull and repreuable,
Thrugh theyr tauyne tempouerish their cite,
A thyng moste odyous to all comonte.

A worme of drede was bred vp in their hert
Which suffred not them to lyue in pees,
Amonge them selfe whan they dyd aduerte
The great prudence of Alcibiades,
Howe in manhode he was pereles,
Lest he wold after for all their multitude,
Knightly acquyte their ingratitude.

And of assent to abridge his lyue dayes,
They agayne hym of malice haue conspyred,
After his exyle to make no delayes,
For to accomplysh that they longe haue desi­red
With brennīge hate their hertes falslye fyred
To murdre by enuy causeles agayne ryghte.
[Page lxxxiiii]Alcibiades the noble worthy knight.

Thus the time approched, and the date
Terme afore set by constellacion
Of his periody, and hys lyues fate,
Which was concluded (as made is mencyon)
By cruell murdre to his distruccion:
Alas what prince with golde or soudyours
May him prouide agayn fals conspiratours?

Fortune of newe gan at hym enchace
From her traynes that he ne scape myght,
Daily pursued from place aye vnto place
In Perce and Mede, tho he wer out of sight
Tyl that his enemies fyll on him by night,
Slepyng, alas, to sone they were sped
Whā they him found they brēt him i his bed.

Thus bi murdre their purpose was atcheued
Alas it was to horrible a dede,
So good a knight so wel in armes preued,
So renomed, so famous in manhode,
For to be brent among the coles rede,
First vnwarely in his bedde ytake,
And so consumed amonge the coles blake.

This was the ende of Alcibiades,
Which in knighthod was most souerayne:
In werre a lyon, and a lambe in pees:
As Mars victorius, his fate so dyd ordayne,
To fames palaies he flieth wt wyngs twain,
Son to Mynerua to speke of hygh prudēce,
And lyke Mercury by notable eloquence.

The .xvii. chapter.

Here Bochas maketh an exclamation vpon the dethe of Alcibiades.

OFatal sustren which span y• lyues thred,
So short a term, why did ye determin▪
To suffre him brenne among the coles rede?
Ye were to hasty to breke and vntwyne
His web of knighthod yt so clere dyd shyne,
And cast of noblesse his beames out so cleare,
Alas that euer he fyll in your daungere,

Out on Stix and on Attropose,
That haue of malyce slayn so good a knyght
Out on you thre that kepe your selfe so close
Doughters ycalled of the derke night:
And thou Letū that queyntest eke the lyght,
Of Alcibiades, myrrour & l [...]tern,
To speke in knighthod, how men shuld them gouerne.

Yeslee the worthy, and wretches ye do spare,
Thercites lyueth Hector is slayne in dede,
Your funeral smokes maketh relmes so bare
To race vp Cedris their braunches may nat sprede
Ye pul the laurer, ye make y• firs sede,
Ful lytel thanke in kyngdoms ye deserue,
Caytiues to fostre and do the worthy sterue.

Alcibiades is passed into fate,
Light of knighthod lyeth clipsed in the shade
The Parcas susterne to soone set hys date,
Of his high noblesse to make the laurer fade:
Lacedemonois of his dethe wer glad,
Funerall fyre his body hath dyffied,
For hygh prowesse his soule stellifyed.

¶ Lenuoye

ALas this tragedy doth my hert to blede
My pen quaketh of ruth and of pyte,
In my writyng, whan that I take hede
To se the straunge fearfull dyuersyte
Of all worldly vusure felycite:
Howe from their sees shortli to comprehend,
Froward fortune doth princes down discend

Alcibiades of corage and of manhed
As is rehersed (in bokes ye may se)
Of genltylnes, and of goodly heed,
Of semelynes, of fredom, and of bounte
Of hygh prudence, and magnanymite,
Was most famous as auctours him cōmed,
yet from hys seate fortune made him discend.

All the people both of Perce and Mede,
Whyle he gouerned Athenes the cyte
Stode in his daūger and gan his sworde to drede
And al that were rebel to his countre
He chastised them in their most cruelte:
But whan his fame gan hyghest vp tascend,
From her whele fortune made him discend.

Murdre & treson, with prudent frendlihede,
Outward fayre chere, couert iniquite,
Plesaunt in speche, and vnder that falshede
Houyshed out sharpe tayled lyke a bee,
Songe of Sirenes to drown men in the see,
In one combyned their malyce can extend,
To cause princes from their sees discend.

Noble princes that se so much and rede,
Remembring storyes of antiquite,
Afore prouidyng that treason not procede:
Be aye moste dredfull in hygh prosperyte,
[Page]Let others fallyng a myrrour to you be.
The turne of fortune al auctors reprehend,
That who syt hyghest is red [...]est to discende.

The .xviii. Chapter.

☞Here Bochas writeth agaynest the desyres of people.

AFter this proces, if ye list to lere,
Lyke as Bochas maketh mencion,
That worldly folk moste souerainlye desier
To haue in lordship great exaltacion,
And vp to climbe in their entencion
Of worldly worshyp to the hyghest place,
All erthly treasours atones to enbrace.

The feruent flame of their gredy desyres
In muche gatheryng findeth no suffisaunce,
Their hungry etyke kyndleth so the fyres
Of auarice, by longe continuaunce,
That theyr thyrst with worldly habundaūce
On Tantalus ryuer abraydeth euer in one:
Drowned ī drīking, & deme their parts none.

There may no tresour their dropsy staunch,
The more they drīke ye more they lyst in dede:
In Tagus flodes the deper that thei launche
The gretter drinesse doth  [...] their brests brede.
The higher water an ebbe moste they drede:
False indygence their hert hath so cōfounded,
At the full sees seme their barge is groūded.

Thus euery man wold to ryches attayne,
With suffisaunce but few hold them contēt,
Who most haboūdeth rathest will complaine
For lacke of good, alas howe they be blent:
Wher shal their gadrīg & their good be spent?
Some one percase shall thē therof discharge,
whom they most hate, & spēd it out at large.

Within a body full lytell of stature
Corages growe vp to their magnificence,
Which vp tascend do their busy cure,
And in their clymbing & transitorye ascence,
Hauyng an hope of worldly apparence,
Like as nothig their puisaūce might trouble,
Nothing aduerting how fortune is double.

Some set their ioy in cōquest & in werres
To enbrace all erthe vnder their puissaunce,
Lyke as they might  [...]eche aboue the sterres,
To bring down heuen vnto their obeisaunce:
But if their power were wayed in balaunce,
And counterwayd aright in their memory,
They shuld fynde that all is but veynglory.

What may auail them their fetherbeds softe,
Shetes of reynes, longe, large, and wyde,
Dyuers deuyses or clothes chaunged oft,
Or vicious meyny walkyng by their syde,
Voyde of vertue, ambicious in their pride▪
Which causeth prīces by report of such fame,
For their mis [...]uing to haue an euell name.

And thus for lacke of vertuous dilygence,
Through false luxury and ydelnesse
And vpon flaterers the outragious expence
Support of wronge, oppressing right wisnes
Where lesyngemongers haue an entresse:
Whom to sustayn whan prīces do their cure,
God wyl nat suffre that they shal lōg endure.

Office of princes is to support right,
His sworde of knighthode fro wronge to re­dresse,
The pore releuing nat toppres thē wt myght,
His old seruauntes well preued nat disdayn:
His hasty rigour, & his vengaunce sodayne
Let mercy tempere, to dome or he procede,
And God shal quite him at his most nede.

The .xix. Chapiter.

Here John Bochas speaketh agaynst idelnesse, rehersing howe some men haue ioy in one scyence, and some in another.

MIn auctor Bochas maketh a reher­sayle
In eschewing of froward ydlenes,
That vnto vertue may moste auayle
Good diligent laboure, and honest busynesse:
And so concluding full plainlye doth expresse,
Euery mā reioiseth (this sētēce is nat glosed)
To do such thing to which he is disposed.

Some haue ioy by heuenlye influence
To knowe the course aboue celestial,
And some of knighthod do their diligence
To preue them selfe in actes marciall,
And some reioyse in their entent fynal
In eloquence, some in philosophy,
Some aboue all to study in poetry.

The hardy knight is seruaunt to faint George
Mening of planets sercheth thastronomere,
Martes smyth laboureth in his forge,
Harneys of stele maketh tharmourere,
[Page lxxxv]But the deuisour by diligence entere
By freshe contriuyng out of the olde entayle,
Fyndeth newe deuises of plate and of mayle.

The labourer setteth wholy his pleasaunce
To tylth of land, in time to sowe his grayne:
To encrease his sede by yerely habundaunce,
And that his plough labour not in vayne,
Castyng his seasons of drouth & eke of rayne
And poetes to sit in their library,
Desyre of nature to be solitary.

Such as mē loue such things they vndertake
Fyshe or foule to hunt with their houndes,
Some of woul sundrye clothes make,
By philosophers was foūd out the grounds,
And of all study they set out fyrst the bounds:
Caused poetes playnly to conclude,
Out of all prease to lyue in solitude.

Logiciens delite in argumentes,
Philosophers in vertuous liuyng,
And legisters folowyng the ententes,
Greatly reioyce in lucre and winnyng:
Phisiciens trauayle for getting,
And of poetes this is the subtyll forme
By new inuencion thynges to transforme.

Poetes should eschue all ydlenes,
Walke by ryuers and welles crystallyne,
To moūtaynes a morow their course dresse,
The mist diffied whā Phebus first doth shine,
Study in bokes of morall disciplyne:
Nothyng coueyte but set their entent,
Wyth moderate fode for to be content.

Their chefe labour is vyces for to fage
With a maner couert similitude,
And none estate wyth theyr langage
By no rebukyng of termes dull and rude:
What euer they write on vertue ey cōclude,
Appayre no man in no maner wyse,
This is the office of poetes that be wise.

The .xx. Chapter.

¶ How Malleus duke of cartage for oppression and tyranny was hewen into pieces.

WHan Bochas hadde rehearsed of Poetes
Their straunge studye, and solayne wrytynges,
And theyr desires of solitary seates,
In pleasaunt place to make their dwellinges
Besyde ryuers and holesome well sprynges,
Whiche accomplished, he gan his pen auance,
Prynces of Affrike to put in remembraunce.

And while he dyd hys busy diligence
Theyr pyteous falles to put in memory,
First there came twayne vnto hys presence,
Their olde noblesse appalled, and their glory:
Whiche as hym sempt within a territory,
Of Affryke boundes longyng to Cartage,
Did fyrst appeare, most deadly of vysage.

The one of them was named Malleus,
Duke of Cartage, of Affryke lorde and syre,
His sonne also called Cartalus,
Whilom chiefe prince and bishop eke of Tyre:
But Malleus whych helde the great empyre
Of all Affryke, for his pompous outrage
Exiled was for euer out of Cartage.

Whyche caused him in hart he was not mery.
But aye remēbred vpon his fell banishing,
Gadered his people win the lande of Surry,
And in the felde whyle he lay hostyng
Cast him fully to make no tariyng,
But in all haste of knyghtly fell corage,
Maugre hys enemyes resort vnto Cartage.

To auenge his exyle hys hart was set a fyre,
And his entent more to fortify,
He sent in haste hys letters downe to Tyre
To Tartalus, that he should hym hye
And brynge wyth hym all the chyualry
Of his citye, in stele armed clene,
His fathers party to holde vp and sustene.

But whā thys byshop knew holly the manere
Of thys purpose which ye haue heard deuise,
He consydred how that tyme of the yere
Ordeyned was to do sacrifyce
After the rytes of their panym wyse
To Hercules, whiche in that citye
Aboue all gods had the souerayntie.

Whose feast was holde space of certayn dayes
Whiche for to halow he neades must entende,
And by the custome make no delayes
But that he must therto condiscende,
And leauer he had hys father to offende
As in such case then through negligence
Vnto hys gods for to do offence.

Wherfore his father had indignacion
[Page]The case arettyng to vnkyndnes,
And therof caught a great occasion
Agayne his sonne, of froward wilfulnes:
For prynces oft of furious hastines,
Wyll pyke a quarell causeles in sentence,
Agayn folke absent, though ther be no offence.

And some tonges venemous of nature,
Whan they perceyue that a prince is meued,
To agreg hys yre do their busy cure,
With false langage to make him more greued
But ther is no poysō so wel expert nor preued
As is of tonges the hatefull vyolence,
Namely whan princes list yeue thē audience.

The feast accomplyshed of myghty Hercules
All innocent of double and false menyng,
This sayd byshop of wyll not retcheles,
Came to his father without more tariyng,
Chaunged neither habite nor clothyng,
With all the ensygnes, & in the same wyse
As he tofore had done sacrifice.

Anone hys father made no delay
Wythout excuse it would be no bet,
Of hasty rancour the selfe same day
Made hym be hanged vpon an hye gybet:
Lawe and iustice were both aside set,
And tyranny moste furyous and wode,
To do vengeaunce in trouthes place stode.

Who can or may tyrantes well discryue
Whose swordes ben whet aye for vengeaunce
Their bloudy thyrst doth theyr hartes ryue,
Their eares aye opē to hear of him mischaūce
Their furious myrth, theyr mortal pleasaūce
Their pale smilyng, their laughter of hatred,
Concludeth euer vpon some cruel dede.

They be ministers to Parcas sistern thre,
To vntwynd y• thredes of folkes here mortall
And very cosyns through hasty cruelte,
Vnto the wode furyes infernall,
Chyldrē to Pluto of vengeaunce marciall:
Which for their vyces but they bere thē wele,
Shall turne in hell on Ixions whele.

Thus Malleus father most vnkynde
Lyke such a tyraunt, shed out his cruelte
As ye haue heard, and after as I fynde
Of furious hart and of olde enmyty:
By force is entred Cartage the cite,
And slough all tho in hys hatefull yre,
That hym afore had exyled into Tyre.

Wrought after wyll & nothing after ryght,
Gan robbe & spoyle that noble famous town,
Which made him hated in the peoples syght
For his outrage and great extorcion:
Hauyng no ioye nor consolation
Within hys hart, playnly nor gladnes,
Saue lyke a tyrant the people to oppresse.

The people of Cartage sore gan to complayn
Vpon their mischefe and desolation:
As Bochas writeth, rehersyng in certayne,
Wyll is stepmother of wyt and of reason,
And where that prynces haue dominacion,
And by false pyllage to ryches clyme vp fast,
Trust right well theyr lordship may not last.

Theyr great power of worldly excellence,
To their accrochyng of temporall ryches,
Whā they be tyrātes, may stand in no defence:
And froward wyll ruleth theyr highnes,
For what is lordshyp playnly to expresse
In thys worlde here if it be discerned?
Loue of the people whā they be well gouerned

For tyranny and false oppression
Causeth prynces to stand in great hatrede,
And what is worth their dominacion
Without loue? let preue it at a nede,
Men for a tyme may suffer them and drede,
But whan that drede constrayned is & gone,
Than is a prynce a man but alone.

Se an example how Malleus of Cartage
For all hys castels & towers made of stones,
For hys oppression, vengeaunce, and outrage
The people of Affryke rose on hym all atones,
And cut asunder his flesh and also hys bones
Cast thē playnly (on him they wer so wode)
Vnto their goddes to offer vp his bloude.

The people dempt, of mortall crueltie,
There was no offring so plesaūt nor cōuena­ble
Vnto theyr gods to please their deitie,
As bloud of tyrantes whiche yt be vengeable:
Thus cruell princes make y• people vnstable,
Of necessitie whyche ought be complayned,
To wreke their wronge y• they be cōstrayned

Lo here the ende of Malleus the tyraunt,
Whyche doth to prynces full well exemplify
To God aboue how it is not pleasaunt
Them to delyte in no suche robbery,
Nor pyl the people by no false tyranny,
Nor for no tales be hasty of vengeaunce,
[Page lxxxvi]For all suche thing to god is displeasaunce.

¶ Lenuoy.

REade & considered, this sayd tragedy
Sheweth to Prynces a myrroure full notable,
How they their rygour shall tēper & modefy,
Or they procede for to be vengeable:
For in a prynce it is right commendable,
Rancour of hart, of chere, and of courage,
For to deferre tyll that their yre asswage.

Their hasty yre, their sodayne melancholy,
Their colorike fumes, yr fury vnrestraynable
Their vnqueint fyres wt flame of tyranny,
Their fretyng etyke of hate incomparable,
Like beastial Tygres, lyke lyons vntretable
Ne will not suffer that infernall rage,
Defer their domes tyll their yre asswage.

The royall Lyon of morall gentry
Among beastes of force incomperable,
Preueth not his power nor his regaly
Gayn beasts prostrate, which be not defēsable
And mighty prynces should in case semblable
For innocentes take mercy in morgage,
Respityng rygour tyll that yre asswage,

The sparkle of vēgeaūce is quycked in party
By wyndes foure, fell and abhominable,
Blast of detraction, and blast of flattery,
Blast of false rowners yt forge many fable,
And blast of brybours vycious and culpable:
wt smoky slaunders, and felons false vysage,
Causeth yre of prīces yt it may neuer asswage

For whiche let prynces of noble policy
Beware of tonges double and disceyuable,
Whiche wt their venym infect eche company,
Their poynaunt poyson is so penetrable:
To folke absent it is mischeuable,
So depe freteth their serpentyne langage,
Causig in princes their yre may not asswage

Noble prynces let vertue magnify
Your hygh estate, to make you merciable,
For morall Seneke doth clerely specify,
The trone of prīces by clemēce is made stable
Vengeaunce delayed to God is agreable,
And hasty rygour doth outragious damage,
Whē hūble requests your yre may not aswage

¶ The .xxi. Chapter.

¶ How the substaunce of the host of Hymilcho duke of Cartage goyng to conquere Cecile dyed of pestilence, and after he him selfe slayne.

AFter these myghty prynces twayne
Next in order wt pale and deade vysage,
Tofore Bochas Hymilcho gan cōplayne
The vnhappy fall of his fatall passage,
Whan he was sent by aucthoritie of Cartage
To cōquere through his mighty puissaunce,
The lande of Cycile, vnto their obeysaunce.

They of Cartage had an opinion,
That it was lefull (after their entent)
Without title of ryght and of reason
Their teritories and boundes to augment:
And for that cause Hymilcho they sente
The mighty duke their nobles to aduaunce,
Whiche of Cartage had hole the gouernaunce

And for he must passe by the see
Towarde Cicyle, this noble worthy knyght,
With him he had a full great enarmee,
Chose out of Cartage in stele armed bryght:
Their fone to cōquere of very force and might
But Fortune gan at him so disdayne,
That to his purpose he neuer myght attaine.

Grounde and gynnyng of his distruction
To be remembred shortly in sentence,
There fyll of the ayre a great corruption,
Whiche caused a full great pestilence
Among his meyny, by vnware violence
And sodaine mischefe that is vpon him fall,
He lost almost his worthy knyghtes all.

Nye all hys people was slayne in y• morayne,
That but a few be left of hys meyne:
Infortunate he turned is agayne
Home to Cartage, and they of the citee
All causeles of hasty cruelte,
Hath slayn thys duke as Bochas doth cōpyle
Lo who may trust Fortune any while?

The .xxii. Chapter.

☞ How Heynon duke of Cartage was dismembred.

AFter whose death a mā there gan succede
A mighty duke y• called was Haynon,
Whyche purposed for to chaunge in dede
[Page]His name of duke by false ambicion,
And to be called throughout y• mighty toun,
Kyng of Cartage, and therupon of pryde
To finde out wayes he felly gan prouide.

He was not cōtent a duke men shold him call,
But of Cartage for to be named kyng,
And like as his purpose that it should fall,
Fro day to day the meanes compassyng
How he might fulfyll this vncouth thing,
For to be crowned and raigne in that londe,
And at the last this meane way he fonde.

He had a daughter yonge and tender of age,
Whiche of the people stode in great fauour,
And he him cast to yeue her in mariage
To a yonge knyght sonne to a Senatour,
Whiche in the citye was a gouernour:
And that his purpose myght be attayned,
Day of the mariage & tyme was ordeyned.

And in his palayce chefe and principall
This sayd duke let make his ordinaunce,
To holde a feast full solemne and royall,
And with great coste made his purueyaunce,
Of sundry daintyes, whiche y• in substaunce
Were necessary in all maner thing,
Vnto the feast of a worthy kyng.

He gaue in charge vnto his purueiours,
That all were ready agayne a certayne day,
And to his feast came all the Senatours,
Dwellyng in Cartage there durst none saye nay
And of his purpose to make no delay,
Thought his fraude was not apperceyued,
He cast yt day that some should be deceyued.

He conueyed in his inwarde entent
He to be kyng and raygne in Cartage,
The Senatours would neuer assent
To breake their custome nor their olde vsage
He durst therof vtter no langage,
Kept him secrete without noyse or soun,
And fully cast him to procede by treason.

The next way, he knew no better rede
To his desire than playnely to ordayne
That of Cartage the senatours were dede,
Than were he likely his purpose to attaine,
For to be crowned lorde and souerayne:
So to accomplishe his lust in all thing,
And in Cartage to raygne as lord and kyng.

For if the senate wer vtterly destroyed
He should finde no maner resistence,
Wherby his purpose should be annoyed
None dare say nay to his magnificence:
For in the porayle there was no defence,
And at this feast he cast him to procede,
All his entent to conclude in dede.

His officers he made to be sworne
To helpe destroy falsely by poyson
The senatours of whom I spake to forne,
And that their vitayles & dainties in foyson
And eke their wines for short conclusion,
Should with venym be intoxicate,
Through all the palaice, & spare none estate.

These officers had a conscience
For to accomplyshe so horrible a thing,
And secretely vnder great prouidence
To the Senate therof they gaue warning:
And whan they knew this mortall cōpassyng
Of Duke Haynon to shew all the affray,
They put of prudence the weddyng in delay.

Wherof this duke gan haue suspection,
And of this matter fill in a maner drede,
Thought he would by some collusion
Againe Cartage more mortally procede:
And gan call to helpe him at his nede
Of Mauritayne, a kyng of great renoun,
With him by force to fall vpon the towne.

Made him promise, to his aduauntage
For to make fre distribucion
Of the riches, treasure, and pyllage,
Whiche that he might fynde in the toun,
For vtter fyne of hys entencion
Was to destroy of wilfull crueltie,
The famous Cartage y• mighty strong citye.

Of all the thralles in the towne dwellyng
And suche as were borne of lowe lynage,
To strēgth his party this was his workyng:
He made them all by mortall fell outrage,
Within the mighty castell of Cartage
To kepe them close of malyce and enuy,
Agayne the citye him selfe to fortify.

But all for nought, the mighty Senatours,
Therof ware, and of high prudence
Gaine his malice & all his false robbours
They made thē strong, & through their proui­dence
In especiall to ordeyn a defence
First on their party to let the commyng,
Of Mauritayne, the stronge cruell king.

[Page lxxxvii]
And of assent they lyst nat delay,
But rose a tones by great ordynaunce
Their false duke to venquisshe and outray:
Him & his churles they brought to vttraunce,
Fyll vpon him wyth a great puisaunce,
And fynally procedyng of reason,
This was his dome, by auyse of all the toun.

First of this duke, as it is remembred,
He was dispoyled, his doublet eke vnlaced,
Ioynt fro ioynt hewen and dismembred,
And from his heed out his eyen araced:
And ryght as he had afore compased
To haue distroyed his owne mighty toun,
As ye haue herd, he receyued the guerdon.

¶ Lenuoye.

THis tragedy doth pitously complayne,
And maketh a maner lamentacion
Of these mighty ryche princes twaine,
Slayne in Cartage as made is mencion:
Causelesse the tone, saue by thoccasion
That pestilēce in his froward viage,
Slewe all his people that were borne in Cartage.

Fortune also gan frowardly disdayne
Agayne this ryche mighty duke Haynoun,
Whan of malyce he gan mortally ordayne
The Senatours to murdre of his toun:
At his feest by craft of false poyson,
As ye haue herde reherced his outrage,
He was agaynwarde dismēbred in Cartage.

Who doth vengeaunce vēgeaūce shall attayn,
In hygh estate without excepcion:
And who of pyte vengeaunce doth restrayne,
He shall of mercy receyue the guerdon.
For ryght requireth of trouth and reason,
Cruell princes shall haue for their wage,
Deth lyke this duke dismēbred in Cartage.

Noble princes do your beste payne,
For to preserue fro rebellyon
The comon people which stand in no certain,
With euery wynde tournyng vpsodoun,
After fortune they chaunge affeccion,
Turning their hertes wt tryst or glad visage,
Lyke as y• people dyd whylom in Cartage.

❧ The autour agayne couetous people.

NAture y• is content with lyttell thing
The wise, ware, circūspect goddes
Which vnder god in heuī aboue reignig
The world to gouern, is called thēpres:
Mother of rychesses, the first founderesse
Which serched out by her artyficeres,
The straunge treasours hyd in the my neres.

This noble lady, this princesse most famous,
Knowyng of man the vncouth condicyons,
Sawe by experyence richesse were noyous,
In hym to eclypse the disposyons,
And conuay his inclynacions
By a wronge way vertue to set asyde,
Howe couetouse was a full peryllous gyde.

For auarice is to all vertues contrayre,
The gredy worme, y• serpent vnstauncheable
Man to betraisshe wt promyses debonayre,
At prime face sote and agreable,
Taught him of nature by craft most deceyua­ble
Through subtyll serching as it wer for y• no­nes
First out of erth to delue precious stones.

Of riche myners they serche out y• entrayles,
To fynde out metals for worldly auaūtages,
Contryued shyppes with theyr brode sayles,
By diuers sees to make their passages:
And couetyse ordayned first vyages,
Caused princes to ryde in landes ferre,
Eche agayne other for to gyn a werre.

Of auarice gan first these robberyes,
Awayte of brigantes, & all extorte pyllages,
Murdre, slaughter, and couert briberyes,
Of olde contryued furyous fell domages,
Wrought and atcheued in all maner ages:
Nowe in these dayes let set it at a prefe,
False couetyse caused all suche mischefe.

She was first rote of false extorcion,
To spoyle the temple mother of rauyne,
And sterer vp of oppressyon,
To take by force this was her doctryne:
And as myne auctor doth plainly determyne,
And concludeth in full pytouse wyse,
Rote of all yuell is false couetyse.

She is eke norice of conteke and of stryfe,
Maystresse of murdre and wilfull vyolence,
Made men to ieoparte body, good, and lyfe,
Caused discencion and disobedyence:
Grutching of comons wtdraught of reuerēce,
[Page]By rigorous constraynt sodayne rebellions,
Rumour in realmes, vnware subuercions.

This froward dragon full of ydropisy
Whose fretyng etike there may no plēty fede,
To staunche his thyrst there is no remedy,
The more he drinketh the more he hath nede:
And the more tresure y• more he stant in drede
With Tantalus though he swym in y• flodes
In Mydas well playneth for lacke of goods

This worme eke causeth y• men in riches
Haue drede of theues a night in their waking
And if they heare on cofer, bedde, or presse,
Cat, rat, or mouse, or any worme meuyng,
He weneth anone within him selfe demyng
That there were come wt great apparayle,
Some vncouth pillor, his treasure to assayle.

The wofull soule standeth euer in drede,
And aye abydeth in labour and trauayle:
And of the goodes whiche he doth possede,
Falleth in dispayre lest they would him fail,
Twene hope & drede there is suche battayle,
Through enterminyng eche other to cōfound
To be most gredy whan they most abounde.

Hope vnasured with drede dispayred
Metyng in hartes make a mortall warre,
Whā hope presumeth, wt drede he is apayred,
And like a cowarde maketh him stand afarre
Dull of his chere as is a cloudy starre:
Which dare not shew the light of his treasour
But euer to encrease set wholy his labour.

He dare not touch thing that he loueth most,
His cofers close be shut vnder key,
Thoughe he haue muche he maketh therof no bost
Lest for his tresure men would hym werrey:
Playneth for nede like as he would dey,
Fayneth false pouert to spare his dispence,
Oppressyng plenty with froward indigence.

And though his chestes heaped be with golde
With yron barres fast shut and closed,
False scarcitie gouerneth his housholde,
That by none excesse he is not vndisposed:
His indigent hart so straytely is enosed,
To Herebus heyre & yet well worse in dede,
In greatest ryches to cōplayne vpon nede.

This Herebus hath of yrou & not of stone,
For auaryce buylt a foule citee,
Where as the whele turneth of Ixion
Vnder the boundes of Thesephone,
Where zisiphus may neuer a day go free
But with his stone continually trauayleth,
And the more busy his labour lest auayleth.

Thus auarice to vertue most contrary,
Founde among vyces full contagious,
Euer busy their restlesse stone to cary,
Now vp now downe wt wery zisiphus:
Whose endles labour braydeth on Theseus,
Whiche helde the brydle of fruteles busines,
Condemned in hell to liue in ydlenes.

Of couetise the cruell marinere
Is called Charon, which wt Flegetonte
By many a streyght and many fell daūgere,
Sayleth in the floudes of furious Acheronte,
Vnder that darked and cloudy Orizonte:
Where auarice chose whylom nygardshyp,
For treasorer, his cofers for to kepe.

First to declare the labour in gatheryng
Of couetous men, as it is in dede,
And coūterpayse how their streight kepyng
Is euer meynt with importable drede,
Sorow at departyng for their mortall mede,
Which may be called of trouth and equitie,
Of Cerberus the wakers heades three.

The fyrst head is vnstauncheable desyre
Of worldly goodes, great riches to attayne,
The more encrece the hotter is the fyre:
The seconde heade is the dredefull payne
Which in kepyng his hart doth constrayne,
Vnware departyng, that sodaynely doth fall,
Is the third head, that greueth most of all.

This wakyr worme yt bereth this heads thre
Is called the worme of gredy couetyse,
Whose busy cōstraynt, restles perplexite
Troubleth the soule in full furious wise,
Whiche froward monster playnly to deuyse,
Braydeth on Hidra (of whome poetes sayne)
One head cut of, there groweth thre agayne.

Euer at the tayle of plenty and ryches
Of custome foloweth grutchyng and enuy,
For he that hath of treasure great michnes,
Is selde glad, as for his party,
Thus bothe twayne stande in ieopardye,
The ryche wt plenty holde him not appayed,
And the neady wyth pouert is afrayed.

And yet in pouert is full great sykernes,
[Page lxxxviii]Which is treasour that no man wyll assayle,
As myne auctour Bochas beareth witnesse:
Amiclates amonge the porayle
Lyued in peace sure from all battayle,
Helde hym content wt suche as God him sent,
Whan riche wer armed & to the werre went.

Vertuous pouert standeth euer in siker case,
To watche his house he hath full lytle nede,
But proude Pompey assieged in Duras
For feare of Iulius stode in great drede:
But people rude herof take none hede,
Suche as reioyse them for to shede blode,
In straunge werres wrongly to get goode.

Stories olde ful well reherce conne
Diuers studies of folke here mortall,
First how Diogenes was cōtent in his tonne
In which he made his lodgyng principall,
And saw the course aboue celestiall,
Lyued gladder amonge philosophers,
Than kyng Cresus wt all hys stuffed cofers.

And yf men woulde vnto mynde call
The great mischeues folowyng i habūdaūce,
And thinke also how Sardanapall
For all his treasour came vnto mischaunce,
And how Sophoclius poorest in substaunce,
Had but a gardayne full of lekes grene,
And right nought els hym selfe to sustene.

This Philosopher was euer gladde & lyght,
There was no watche made in hys tours,
Full surely slepte he al the longe nyght
Hauyng no drede of theues ne robbours,
In somer walkyng among the grene flours,
And in colde wynter full merely and ofte,
On drie strawe he lay and slept full softe.

Cyntinatus a poore laborere,
Feyed dichesse to get hys sustenaunce,
without grutchyng euer glad of chere
Bothe in porte and in his countenaunce,
Dempt he had as muche suffisaunce
To his pleasaunce as Cresus kyng of Lyde,
Content with lytle nature was hys gyde.

Thys poore man in hys pouert assured,
With lytle fode and clothes but a fewe
Had heartes ease, & gladsome peace recured:
It lyked hym nat ouer his head to hewe,
Which thing conceyued clerly doth vs shewe,
That ioyous pouert conueyed wt gladnesse,
Grutching auoyded, surmounteth al richesse.

And if that folke consider a ryght
Their pitous sighes, theyr thoughtfull bu­synesse,
Theyr great labour, theyr lytle slepe a nyght,
Which they endure for worldly rychesse,
And of y• abydyng the dredefull sykernesse,
Which thing peysed and called to memory,
All erthly power is double and transitory.

And by storyes whiche ben credible
Topreue theyr power is nat abydyng
But at a poynt slydyng and fallible,
Whylom Massinissa of Numidy kyng,
That was so mighty by recorde of writyng,
For feare of Siphax onely hys lyfe to saue,
Flede into mountaynes & hid hym in a caue.

And there he founde ful smale vitayle,
Constrayned narowe of indigence and nede
Whā other deyntes in mischese gan him fayle
He gadred rotes, and eate them in his drede:
Eke proude Xerses kynge of Perce & Mede,
Drāke blod & water, to staūche wt his thrust,
Drede and trauayle gaue hym suche lust.

Yet some men would saye of auenture,
They were compelled agayne theyr volūte,
These kynges twayne suche mischefe tēdure,
Maugre theyr wyll, of necessite,
For casuall chaunce refte them theyr liberte,
So that the rygour of thys sodayne rage,
Came in by constraynt and of no courage.

But for all that folke in theyr pouerte
On great meates that them selfe fede,
Ben all strong, whole, and fayre to see,
And also lusty preued at a nede,
Vpright of limmes theyr iourneys to spede,
As long lyfed, the cause to expresse,
Is onely thys they do not vse excesse.

To poore men the best medicine
Is due labour, with moderate abstinence,
Good ayre in feldes wher Phebus lust shine,
Voydinge darke mistes y• causeth pestylence:
Of heuy stomake they fele no violence,
They nat enriche leches nor potyquares,
Them selfe to saue with vncouth lectuares,

But folkes ryche worken the contrary
Which in them causeth maladies stronge,
Fro theyr diete euery day they varye
With diuers meates, & theyr syttyng longe▪
And with all this theyr apetites wronge,
Take out of time, which thei mai nat endure,
[Page]Which by custome oppresseth nature.

And thus myne auctour, shortly to deuyse,
Seeth glad pouert stādeth most in sekernes,
And of all euyl he seeth how couetyse
Is rote and ground, with false extort riches,
Ryot annexed, engendryng long sicknes:
Theron concludyng how moderate diete,
Setteth body and soule in rest and in quiete.

The .xxiii. Chapter.

❧ Howe Euagora kynge of Cypre, was by Artaxerses outrayed and put from hys kyngdome.

FOlowingi order y• processe of Bochas,
As he remembreth next in his writyng
To him appered rehersed thus y• caas,
Euagora that was of Cypre kyng,
Hys eyen derked by manyfolde wriyng:
Bycause he had lost that riche lande,
Which he tofore had cōquered wt his hande.

This lande of Cypre as made is mencion
Of diuers metals is passyngly habounde,
Hath of ryches great plenty and foyson,
And of this citie lyke as it is founde,
It stādeth farre south wt many hilles rounde,
And hath also many commodities,
Within the boundes of townes and cities.

Touchyng this Cypre I can no more say,
Of whiche lande Euagora was kyng,
Tyll he gan proudly for to warrey
With Lacedemons their partie susteynyng,
Gayne Artaxerses, and at their metyng
The sayd Euagora was brought to vttraūce
Put fro his kingdome & fro al gouernaunce.

The .xxiiii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Theo kynge of Egypt, by Artaxerses was driuen from hys kyngdome and fledde into Araby.

NExt Euagora came kyng Theo
Of all Egipt longe tyme possessour,
And to John Bochas gā declare his wo,
How fortune dyd her frowarde labour,
And fro hym drewe her frendshyp & fauour:
And sodainly through her iniquite,
She cast this kynge downe fro his royall see.

She lyst her malyce from hym nat differre,
Ne would not suffer hym for to lyue in pe [...]s,
But caused hym for to begynne a werre
Agayne the sayd myghty Artaxerses:
Wenyng therby to haue had great encrees,
Gadred shyppes and made a great armee,
In his entent to haue met hym on the see.

To Lacedemons he was fauourable,
Sent them vessels stuffed with vitayle,
Dempt of pride that hym selfe was able
With Artaxerses to holde a battayle:
But hasty trust doth fooles often fayle,
For this Theo was after anone ryght
Dryuen out of Egipt and yput to flyght.

Artaxerses pursued hym so sore
Tofore hys face he durst nat appere,
Fledde into Araby, myne auctour saythe no more,
Banished from Egipt, deedly of face & chere:
And of hys fate who so lyst to lere,
He was depriued from kyngly dignite,
And by fortune cast from his royall see.

The .xxv. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Amynta of Macedone kyng, had by Erudice hys wife, Alysandre, Perdica, and Philyppe, that were slayne.

ANd among other their fates cōplaining
Through fortunes dredefull violence,
There came Amynta, of Macedone kyng,
And to John Bochas shewed hys sentence,
And to declare hys magnificence
To Alysandre, graunde father in his lyfe,
Hauynge four children by Erudice hys wyfe.

The fyrst of them was Alysandre called,
And Perdica named the seconde,
The thirde Philyppe in Macedone stalled,
Kyng of Grece lyke as it is founde,
Whiche in ryches greatly dyd habounde,
And was eke father thys noble warriour,
To Alysandre the mighty conquerour.

And or myne auctour further dothe procede,
He maketh a maner of disgression
From his matter, like as ye may rede,
And gynneth in order a discription
Of Macedone, the famous region,
Amonge Grekes writeth in especiall,
Of seuen prouinces, it is the principall.

[Page lxxxix]
And so procedyng he sayth how that countre
Stretches his boundes about hym enuyron
Towarde the see, which called is Egee,
Forthe by Achaya towarde Septentrion,
And to Messene, westwarde it gothe doun:
And who that can by crafte the costes cast,
To Dalmacia the name therof dothe last.

In Macedone he dothe also vs lere
Of Olympus standeth the great mountayne,
And in that kyngdom is many great mynere
Of golde and syluer, lyke as bokes sayne:
And on that hyll is nouther wynde ne rayne,
For thylke mountayne so high dothe attayne,
That it may nouther blow there ne rayne.

The kyng Amynta of whō I spake toforn,
Had in Grece many great battayle
Olympiens in Macedone borne
And Illyriens togyder he dyd assayle,
Through his wisdom he did alway preuayle
But with his enemys whyle he stode in strife
Hys dethe was shapen by Erudice hys wife.

Myne auctour Bochas of her doth diffine,
She imagined his destruction
Bycause she had another concubine,
On whom she set all her affection:
Day set and tyme to hys confusion
Fully ordayned at a mariage,
He to be slayne of one of his linage.

He had a suster called Vryone
Whiche prudently espied the manere
Of Erudice, and secretly alone
Goth to the kyng and tolde hym all yfere:
And as the story in order telleth here,
Though she fayled that daye of her empryse,
She thought to fulfyll it in another wyse.

Thys to meane, of her iniquite
Of her fraude, and false ymaginyng
She was in cause through her cōtrariouste,
Of the destruction of their myghty kyng:
For the conclusion of her false workyng
was to haue slayne the kyng and all his lyne,
She to haue raygned with her concubyne.

But whan she saw she myght nat atcheue
Her furious purpose by none auenture,
Her venomous malice vpon her lord to preue
On other parties she dyd her busy cure,
Enmitees and mischeues to procure
Agayne the kynge by mortall fell assayes,
With sorow & trouble for to shorte his dayes.

Night and day hys lyfe stode euer in drede,
Hym to betraye she cast out hoke and lyne,
And who is he that can or may take hede,
Frely to escape, to eschewe, or decline
Malice of women, whan they be serpentine▪
Se an example of thys quene Erudice,
Voyde of all vertue, and full of euery vice.

Alas no prince can beware by other,
To bridel their nobles with reynes of reson:
Such as commit, alas bothe shyp and rother
Vnto Sirenes to row them vp and doun
Throughout Caribdis to theyr destruction,
By craft of Cyrces alas they wer made nice
Blynde to remembre vpon thys Erudice.

Which made Aminta to liue i sorow & drede,
To rest in peace suffered him to haue no space
In thought & trouble his lyfe gan he lede,
Tyl by long processe deth gan hym manace,
Yet or he died fortune gaue hym grace,
His eldest sonne by wisdome to ordayne,
Called Alysandre hys crowne to attayne.

Thus Alisandre was hys successour,
For Cathynenses gan their rancour lete
Agaynst hym, for he wyth great labour
By theyr sufferaunce came to hys royall sete:
And for to set hys realme in quiete
First with Athenes the myghty strong toun,
Prouided a peace, of hie discretion.

And for to auoyde all ambiguite
Of olde debates, and of olde outrage,
First he sent into that strong cite
His sonne Philippe, yong and tender of age,
On peace assured to lye there for hostage,
And in that citye, the storie beareth witnes,
He gan to grow vnto full hye nobles:

He was committed vnto the discipline
Of a great duke called Epaminondon,
Which to all vertue his youth made encline:
For of this duke Justine maketh mencion,
By a maner recommendacion
Tofore nor after as by hys auyse,
Was neuer no prynce more excellent nor wise

Fyrst he commendeth hys vertuous corage,
Hys hye noblesse, hys vertuous excellence,
And by discent he borne was of hye linage,
And in two thynges concludeth his sentence:
[Page]Sayeth that he was of most magnificence,
Egall to Mars by famous chiualry,
And sonne to Phebus through hye philosophy

And Bochas here doth hys style auaunce
Ful notably, with excellent langage,
And sayth no treasour atteyneth in substaūce
To thylke richesse, auoydyng all outrage:
As when there is by bonde of mariage
Knyt vp a knot atwene excellence
Of famous knighthode, & of dame prudence.

This knot auaileth more than golde in cofer,
And is more glorious perpetually to abyde:
A mighty prince ought be a Philosopher
Whiche can by prudence al vices set asyde,
For whan to manhode prouidence is gyde,
And vertuous force is captayne in the werre,
Let men well trust that partie may not erre.

This Epaminonda of knighthod sustenour,
Carbuncle of vertue as bokes tell con,
Of gentel maners called the famous flour,
And of high noblesse a very worldly son,
Whose knyghtly triumphes be so high vp ron
To Martes palais, with the blessed souns
Of famous trumpettes & golden clariouns.

For he was called the bright myrrour
Of rightfull quarelles the partie to sustene,
Of extort wronges most iust reformatour,
Aye egall iuge of entent most clene:
Whiche neuer coude nothing but truth mea­ane,
Wolde of custome for hate nor aliaunce,
On nouther partie decline the balaunce.

And to commende hys vertuous prowesse,
Hys proued triumphes, hys magnanimite,
Hys marciall actes, hys knyghtly busynesse,
In the gettyng of many strong cyte,
And all his labour was for the commonte:
Which to augment he woulde neuer ceace,
Such ioy he had the common wele tencreace.

Thys was also hys vsaunce euermore,
What euer he gate to part it in largesse:
Of golde nor coyne he set but lytle store,
For all his heart was set on gentlenesse,
By manly fredome, and playnly to expresse,
He spared no good, it shewed well in dede,
Hys true seruauntes to helpe in theyr nede.

He kept nat in cofers hys treasour,
Of his nature he was so liberall
For to releue eche manly soudiour,
Suche as were preued in actes marciall,
And for to holde hys feest funerall,
After his dethe, his storie maketh mynde
He was so fre, he left nothyng behynde.

All his offices and famous dignities
And great emprises in hys tyme wrought,
Encresed frāchises through Grece ī his cities
With liberties by hys prudence out sought
For common profit, and for him selfe nought:
With great augmenting of strāge teritories,
All this came in by meane of his victories.

And amonge all hys knyghtly excellences,
By diuers auctours vnto mynde is brought
How all hys lyfe he studied in sciences,
And vpon connyng set holy hys thought:
By manly prowesse of dethe he fered nought,
That was shewed as it is well founde,
The day whā he receyued his dethes woūde.

He was home borne vnto hys pauillion,
All his armour with bloude stayned reed,
And on a couche by his men layed downe,
And gan abrayde as he lay halfe deed:
Sirs (quod he) of one thyng take heed,
Hath any enemy thys daye in the felde
When I was wounded, taken vp my shelde?

And when hys knyghtes had tolde hym nay,
By a maner of knyghtly reioysyng
He them commaunded without more delaye
To his presence that they should it bryng,
And thervpon full pitously lokyng,
Full lyke a knyght and with mortall chere,
He kyssed it, and sayde as ye shall here.

Thou were my felow in armes & my brother
That neuer wouldest my felowshyp forsake,
Sure & abyding, ther was nat such another,
In euery iourney that I dyd vndertake:
To me welcome an ende I must nowe make,
After my deth my soule shall haue plesaunce,
The to be kept yet for a remembraunce.

Afore hys deth (as it is put in mynde)
The same hour it came to hys memorie,
To enquire he left it nat behynde,
Haue we (quod he) this daye had victorie?
Or in the felde who hath y• palme of glorie?
His knightes he prayed y• day he should dey,
The playne trueth they would to hym sey.

[Page xc]
And they hym tolde playnly all the caas,
How his partie had wonne the feld of might,
And with that worde he so reioysed was
That he hys spirite yelde vp anone ryght,
And so he died lyke a worthy knyght:
In whō is shewed what aueyleth in sentence
Nobles of knighthode, ioyned wt prudence.

And by the meane of hys wyse doctrine
Philyppe that laye with hym in hostage,
Gan encreace in knyghtly discipline,
He wext in vertue ryght as he wext in age,
Whose father was by furions outrage,
(Called Alysandre) as made is mencion,
Slayne by hys mother by false trayson.

After whose dethe Perdicca in dede
The yonger brother, the story doth deuise,
To the crowne gan linially succede,
Slayne anone after in full cruell wyse:
Suche false murder euery man shuld agrise,
As ye haue herde first of Amynta,
Of Alysander, and of kyng Perdicca.

The .xxvi. Chapter.

☞ Howe the proude tiraunt Aman was hanged, and the innocent preserued.

THe horrible fall furious for to rede,
That foloweth after of y• great Aman,
A ful false tyraūt foūd in word & dede,
And was of byrth a Macedonian,
Which as the bible full well reherse can
Was chefe maister (who can well conscerne)
With Assuerus hys people to gouerne.

He was exalted hye in pryde
To goddes people most contrarious,
Hys hatefull venym he lyst nat for to hyde,
But lyke a tiraunt most malicious
Of wylful rancour fell and dispitous,
Fully disposed, and coud him nat withdrawe
To destroy the Jewes and theyr holy lawe.

To hys entent he gate auctoritie
By hys subtell false compassyng,
Sent out letters into eche countrie
Thrugh al Perce by biddyng of the kyng
That hye and low within the land dwellyng
No wight except, that people all about
Should vnto Aman obey, knele, and lout.

Thys was the byddyng of kyng Assuere
Whan quene Vasty was voyded for her pride
And Hester chosen a mayde most entere,
Was brought to court with y• kyng to abyde
Which had in youth for to be her gyde
A worthy Jewe, called Mardoche
Within Susis a fayre large cite.

By whose counsaile euery thyng she wrought
Passyng fayre, and of great mekenesse,
And when the Enukes to y• king her brought
She was accepted for her great fayrenesse
Vnto hys grace, her storye beareth witnesse:
And there cherished in especiall,
Aboue all the maydens in the court royall.

And of all Perce she was crowned quene,
A pees commaunded through al tho regions,
Duryng the feast that men might sene
The kynges nobley in cities and touns,
And of thys feast the ryche royall souns
Came to the eares of simple Mardoche,
Whiche came with other the maner for to se.

Tofore the palays as he dyd abyde
With other Jewes in hys company,
Of happe as he cast hys eare asyde,
He of two porters the counsaile dyd espy,
How they them cast by false conspiracie
To slee the kyng, some day of the yere,
Like their entent whan they foūd best leisere.

Whan Mardocheus prudently gan fele
The secrete malice of theyr compassyng,
Of compassion he would it nat concele,
But made Hester discure it to the kyng:
Wherof conuict they were led to hangyng,
As me semeth a competent guerdone
For all that falsely ymagine suche treasone.

By which meane the sayd Mardoche
Was wel accepted to the kyng Assuere,
Lykely also to stande at liberte
Out of the malyce and fell daungere
Of cursed Aman, which made hym no chere:
But compassed in full fell manere,
Hym to distroy and Jewes all yfere.

Thys Mardocheus the Byble tell can,
Withdrew hym selfe to do reuerence
Vnto thys tyraunt this frowarde Aman,
Lyke as the statute cōmaunded in sentence:
Whiche thing tauenge by frowarde violence,
This Aman made of hatrede to be set
[Page]Afore the palais, a myghty stronge gybet.

But who that cast hym to do vengeaunce,
And innocentes for to oppresse with myght,
And wylfull malice, tagrege theyr greuaunce
As God were blynde & had of them no syght,
But at the last he wyll of very ryght
Punysh the proude for furious violence,
The poore supportyng for theyr pacience.

As Mardocheus by innocent lyuyng
By meane of Hester, and her great mekenes,
Accepted was to Assuere the kyng,
The lawe of Jewes set in more surenes:
Frowarde Aman for hys cursednes
Vengeable of pride (in the bible ye maye see)
Was hye enhanged vpon a galowe tree.

Mardocheus of prudence and reason
The furious daunger of Aman set asyde,
Preserued hys people fro destruction
The tyraunt hanged for hys frowarde pride:
Thus can our lorde hys iudgementes deuide
When he seeth tyme, most mighty & puissaūt,
Support the simple & punyshe the tyraunt.

The .xxvii. chapter.

Of the two brethren Artaxerses and Cyrus, and howe Artaxerses slew his children and concubines, and howe they ended.

AFter the fall of Aman doubtles,
Whē he best wēd to haue be ī his flours,
Tofore John Bochas came Artaxerses,
Most renomed in his time of conquerours:
Which gan declare his sodeyn sharpe shours,
With all the parcels of his mortal payne,
Which that fortune agayne him gan ordayne

This Artaxerses, as put is in memorye,
All other prynces excelled in rychesse,
Whiche in hys chare famous of glorye,
And with hys trone of worldlye hye noblesse,
Sate in his tyme (the story beareth wytnesse)
Highest exalted y• was of any kyng,
That he shoulde fall was it nat an vncouth thyng?

Kynges he had vnder his obeysaunce,
An hundred, prouinces, twentie & eke seuen,
Son vnto Dary, prince of moste puissaunce,
His fame drede more than fyry leuen:
None so mighty vnder the starred heauen
Accompted was that tyme in warre and pees
As was this kyng called Artaxerses.

He had a brother that named was Cyrus,
Out of one stocke came theyr bothe lynes,
But Artaxerses (the story telleth thus)
Was lorde of graynes, of oyle, and of wines
And had also by diuers concubines
An hundred children, lyke as it is tolde,
And fiftene ouer, tofore or he wexe olde.

Of bothe brethren the power last farre,
Duryng theyr tyme stode in full hye estate,
Yet atwene them was ful mortall warre,
Agayne nature, an vnkyndly debate:
For thylke warres be most infortunate
Whan blode wt blod (let no man deme other)
Lyst warrey, as brother agaynst brother.

And finally cause why thys warre gan
Atwene these brethren as made is mencion,
Through whiche debate died many a man,
The grounde of all and first occasion
Was onely thys, for succession:
After king Dary reigning in Perce & Mede
Whiche of them twayne shoulde next succede.

But Artaxerses by a maner prouidence
Put his brother priuely in prison,
That he ne should make no defence
Nor gather people to hys destruction:
This yonge Cyrus, as made is mention,
Was fast stocked and eke as it is tolde,
That his stockes and fetters were of golde.

And though it be nat remembred in Bochas
Howe that Cyrus escaped fro pryson,
Yet also soone as he delyuered was
Through Perce & Mede rydyng vp & doun,
He gadered people, of entention
Through olde hatred hys brother tassayle,
The felde assigned, they mette in battayle.

Wher Cyrus proudly put hym selfe in prees
To shewe hys manhode in speciall,
Sought his brother called Artaxerses,
And gaue to hym a wounde ful mortall,
Without frendshyp or fauour fraternall:
That Artaxerses his wounde gan so ake,
Constrayned was the felde to forsake.

And Cyrus than furious as a Lyon
Hys aduersaries gan mortally to wake,
But false fortune full of collusion
[Page xci]Vnder faynt smilyng a mow gan him make,
Whiche caused, alas, y• he that day was take,
Afore ywounded it woulde be none other,
And then presented to his vnkynde brother.

And though this Cyrus had afore be found
Yonge, freshe, lusty, and manly of his honde,
By the constraynt of his mortall wounde,
He dyed anone for he no succour fonde:
Than the two kingdomes wtin Perce londe
Fyll to the handes of Artaxerses,
In whiche after he liued longe in pees.

Thus a great space like a mighty kyng
All Perce he helde vnder his obeysaunce,
By famous nobles full gloriously shinyng,
Hauyng of riches most fulsom abundaunce:
And as it is put in remembraunce,
To more encrease of his prosperitie,
In true wedlocke he had sonnes thre.

The fyrst of them called Darius,
Arobratus named the seconde,
And the thirde named was Othus,
Manly prynces, like as it is founde:
And of nature lyke as the kyng was bound,
Vnto Dary, as made is mencion,
Aboue echone he had affection.

And for he dempt him able to the warre
By likelyhode, of yeres yong and grene,
He cast fully his nobles to prefarre
Of hye prudence, thus he dide mene,
His impotence to support and sustene:
For he was feble in Perce to raygne alone,
He set vp Dary with him in his trone.

Whiche was a thing straunge & contrarious
Agayne the custome of Perciens vsaunce,
But he supposed his sonne Darius
Shoulde in suche case encrease and aduaūce
His fathers party, of naturall attendaunce,
And shew vnto him trouth and kyndnes,
His impotence to cheryshe of gentlenes.

But in estates oft it dothe thus fall,
Whan that prynces be runne farre in age,
Their childrens loue ayen thē dothe appall,
Shewyng no frendshyp saue for adauntage,
How that they may reioyce their heritage:
And in suche case whan they wexe stronge,
Thinke their fathers liue all to longe.

And Artaxerses stode in the same caas,
As in the story playnly ye shall fynde,
By rehearsayle and writyng of Bochas,
How this Dary was false and eke vnkynde,
Forgetfull, and had nothing in mynde
How his father, the trouth to reherce,
Hath made hi equal wt him to raign in Perce

And to declare the first occasion,
To his father how the sayd Dary
By a false maner of rebellion,
Gan in his workyng for to be contrary,
Whiche to discure I wyll no lenger tary:
But wyth my penne in all haste procede,
Here to discriue how it fell in dede.

Artaxerses among hys concubynes
It is remembred how that he had one,
Whiche for to reken wyues and vyrgynes,
Was fayrest holde of them euerychone,
Called Arthasia of full yore agone:
And was that tyme, her beauty to discryue,
Among the Perciens the fayrest holde alyue.

And though she were yrun farre in age
Lyke as bokes lyst of her expresse,
Both of colour and also of vysage
She kept her beauty, & her natyfe freshenes,
Whyche was afore for her semelines
To the sayd Cyrus briefly to termyne,
Chose long afore to be his concubyne.

But whan thys Cyrus was passed into fate
Which for his brother might not liue in pees,
Anone vpon wythout lenger date
She was take vp for kyng Artaxerses,
Because she was of beauty pearles,
After long tyme when he fell in age,
She claymed was by title of heritage

Of kyng Dary by hys fathers lyue,
Faynyng his clayme by succession,
And though his father agayn it dyd stryue:
And thus began, as made is mencion,
Of their debate the fyrst occasion:
For Dary cast all be he bare it styll,
Her to reioyce agayne hys fathers wyll.

And to accomplyshe falsely his entent
Of her to haue full possession,
To afforce his party he made thys argument
Cyrus (quod he) as made is mencion
Raygnyng in Perce that mighty region,
And this story do the playnly determyne,
For her beuty made her hys concubyne.

[Page]
And after time whan Cyrus was dede
Artaxerses his father ye may se,
Next him succeadyng in Perce it is no drede,
Lyst her to clayme eke for her great beauty:
And so (quod Dary) she longeth now to me
Because she is so pleasaunt to my syght,
By succession I will her clayme of ryght.

Thus kyng Dary to his father sayde
He would haue Arthasia the fayre,
And therwithall Artaxerses gan abrayde
And aunswered with face debonayre:
My sonne (quod he) I will not be contrayre
To thy desire, but of affection,
Deliuer her to thy possession.

Of his promise he after gan repent
Cast hym to make another cheuisaunce,
And secretely his concubine he sent
Called Arthasia (as made is remembraunce)
And through his sleyghty purueyaunce,
Vnto the tēple, such meanes he hath sought,
Of great Appollo yt she in haste was brought

Where she was veyled & made a presteresse
After the rites, playnly and the gyse▪
Of olde panyms, by a maner holines,
And there professed for to do seruice▪
As their statutes constrayne and deuise:
During her life it might none other be,
She bounde was to liue in chastite.

This thing was wrought by compassyng
Of Artaxerses by frowarde ielosy,
Wherof Dary the yonge lusty kyng
Wext almost wode whan he did it espy,
And gan compasse of melancholy
Furious rancour, and hasty cruelte,
Vpon his father auenged for to be.

And his party of force to sustene
With him he had (the story maketh minde)
His brethren in bast an hūdred and fiftene,
Which to their father were false and vnkind:
Of all this number were left none be hynde
That frō this purpose ones lyst dissent,
Hys death of one will they al assent.

Yet of this straunge false conspyracy
Artaxerses had a knowledgyng,
Although the story dothe not specify
How, ne by whom he had therof wyttyng:
For whiche in haste he made no tariyng,
To gader meyny & make him selfe stronge,
Him self to auenge of this disnatural wrong.

For Artaxerses lyke as the case tho stode,
Thought it sate well to his high nobles
To be venged vpon vnkynde bloude,
For lawe, nature, decrees, rightwisenes,
And all statutes dampne vnkyndnes:
Wherby this kyng occasion did finde
Ayen his children, because they were vnkynd.

Some men deme how great multitude
Of many childre maketh a man stronge,
But therupon plainly to conclude,
Vertue is cause if she dwell them among:
But if their corage enclyneth vnto wronge,
And vycious life do their brydle lede,
The greater number the worse they do spede

A progeny borne of a cursed lyne,
May through his frowarde false infection,
Outward of trouth though they shyne
Vnder appearaunce and simulation,
Infect and corrupt all a region:
For it is sayd of full olde langage,
Frute of soure trees take a soure tarage.

This was well shewed in Artaxerses,
That suffred his brother dye at mischefe:
Bledyng his wounde left him helpeles,
Whyche to his name shall euer be reprefe,
Thus bloude vnkynde hath euer euil prefe,
For all the children fro his stocke discended
Were cursed euerichone as here is remēbred.

Their stocke was fyrst contagious of nature,
The grefes frowarde were great in number,
Whiche of assent did their busy cure
By false treason their father to encomber:
But there is no shade nor no couert vmber
So closely kept namely of false gyle,
But the venym wyll shew out some whyle.

And thus the death contagiously conspyred
Of Artaxerses sythe ago full yore,
Wheron to auenge his hart was so fyred
Of furious yre and ybrent so sore,
That he not could defarre it now no more:
But with his meyny fyll on them anone,
Or they were ware, & slew thē euerychone.

He slough also all hys concubynes,
That wer their mothers of whō I told toforn
Suffred none to liue of their lynes,
So of y• lynage he hath the wede vpshorne:
[Page xcii]Founde among all no grayne of good corne,
Couy [...]t by doome whan they were presented,
To his death how echone they were assented.

His clothes sprent with the vnkynd bloude
Of his chyldren whiche he dyd shede,
After whose death in great mischefe he stode,
And so in sorow his lyfe he did lede,
Dyed after in mischefe and in drede:
Death quyt wt death, & rage with rage,
Lo here the fyne of his vnweldy age.

¶ Lenuoy.

THis tragedy afore declareth here
The great outrage of vnkyndnes,
Betwene two brethrene raignyng both yfere,
In Perce lande, as ye haue heard expresse:
Tyll deuision of all mischefe maistresse,
Gan enter in through fraternall hatrede,
Whyche agayn kynd destroyed their kinrede.

The warre arose contagious for to lere,
Throughe all Perce of mortall frowardnes,
Of Cyrus death rehearsyng the manere,
How helpelesse he dyed in distresse:
And how the nūber of brethren did thē dresse,
To slea their father, the story ye may rede,
Causyng an ende of all theyr whole kynrede.

Kyng Artaxerses with a froward chere
His iniuries and wronges to redresse,
Slough hys childrē, their mother eke yfere,
Spared not one of froward cursednes:
By whiche occasion toke a great sickenes,
After dyed in mischefe and in drede,
Causyng an ende of all his whole kynrede.

Lo here a sorowe not particulere,
For through all Perce ran the cursednes,
The croked fame spred bothe farre and nere
Of this vengeable hasty fell woodnes:
The ayre enfecting wt slaunderous blacknes,
To shew of vengeaunce the cōtrarious mede
Of bloud vnkynde borne of one kynrede.

Noble princes lift vp your eyen clere,
And consider by great auisenes
The wofull stryues, the odious fell daūgere,
Sowen in kinredes of wilfull straungenes:
Of all rancoure your courage do redresse,
Peysyng the mischeues folowyng in dede,
Of bloude vnkinde borne of one kynrede.

☞ The ende of the thirde boke.

[Page]

FRuite of writynge set in Cronicles olde,
Mooste delectable of freshenesse in tastynge,
And moste goodlye and glorious to beholde,
In colde and heate lengest abidyng
Chaunge of seasons may do it no hyndryng:
And where so be that men dyne or fast,
The more men taste the lenger it will last.

It doth courages renue agayne & glade,
Whiche may be called frute of the tree of lyfe,
So parmanable that it will neuer fade,
To the fiue wittes greatest restoratyfe:
And to their pleasaūce most chefe confortatife
For of nature whan they be quicke & goode
They of this frute take their naturall foode.

Auctours hereon concluden and eke assent
How that writyng of his kyndly right
Dothe loued persons & likenesses represent
Of frendes absent seuered farre frō syght,
Darkenes of absence is clered with the light
Thus frute of writyng hath his auauntages,
Of folkes farre of to present the ymages.

Lawe had perished nad be writyng,
Our fayth appalled nere vertue of scripture,
For all religion and order of good liuyng
Taketh their example by doctrine of lecture:
For writing causeth with helpe of portrature
Thinges darked of olde that were begon,
To be remembred with this celestiall son.

God set writyng and letters in sentence
Agayne the dulnesse of our infirmite,
This world to enlumyne by craft of eloquēce
Canon, Ciuyle, philosophy: these thre
Confirmed fraunchises of many strong citee:
Couenaūtes asseled, trouthes of olde assured,
Nad writyng be myght not haue endured.

Diligence chefe tryumphatryce
Of slogardy, negligence, and slouthe,
Eke of memory vpholder and nouryce,
And registrer to supposayle of trouthe
Hath of olde labour & els were great routhe
Brought thinges passed notable in substaūce,
Onely by writyng to newe remembraunce.

Writyng is cause that hereto is remembred
Lyfe of Prophetes and patriarkes olde,
How the apostles & martyrs were dismēbred
For Christes fayth his banner vp to holde:
And writyng sheweth to fore as I you tolde,
Of confessours the great stedfastnes,
And of vyrgyns the virgynall ciennesse.

Like to a tre whyche euery yere beareth frute
Shewyng hys beuty wt blossoms and flours,
Right so the fode of our inward refute
By diligence of these olde doctours,
And dayly frute of their faythfull labours,
Haue our courages fostred and pastured,
By writyng only which hath so long endured

The Epigrames whilom perished had
Of prudent Prosper that was so vertuous,
And of Senecke the tragedies sad
The stratagemes of Vegecius
Rebuke in vyces of noble Percius
If in olde writyng had ben founde a lacke,
These sayd thynges had farre be put abacke.

Writyng caused Poetes to recure
A name eternal, the laurer whan they wan,
In adamant graue perpetually to endure:
Recorde I take of Vyrgyll Mantuan,
That wrote ye armes & prowes of the man
Called Eneas whan he of hygh corage,
Came into Itayle from Dido of Cartage.

Thre famous bokes this auctor list compyle,
Eneidos fyrst, whiche that dyd excell
In rethoryke by soueraynte of style:
He dranke such plenty, this poete as men tell,
Of the stremes yt ran downe from the well
Wrought by tho sisters that be in nūber nyne,
Prowes of knighthode most clerely to termin

For in that boke he cast not for to fayle
With voyce melodious to discriue aryght,
The great conquest of Rome and of Itayle
Wrought by Enee the manly troyan knyght,
Whose verse notable gaue so clere a lyght
Through all the worlde as in Rethoryke
That among poetes was none to hym lyke.

He wrote also this poete wyth hys hande
By humble style other bokes twayne,
One of pasture, the next of tylthe of lande,
The verse cōueyed wt fete of meters playne:
By which thre labours a palme he did attain
To make hys name through dities dilectable
Aboue poetes to be most commendable.

Writyng of poetes hath set wt in his clos
Cōquest of knyghthode, their triūph & renoūs
[Page xciii]Reade in Ouide Metamorphoseos
The great wonders, the transmutacions,
The morall menyng, y• vncouth conclusions
His boke de Ponto, and wyth great diligence
Full many a pistle cōplaynyng for absence.

Of craft of loue a boke he hath compyled
Wherof Cesar had full great disdayne,
Whyche was cause that he was exiled
To abide in Ponto and neuer turne agayne:
And yet he did his labour in certayne
In hope of grace his wittes to apply,
To write a boke of loues remedy.

Writyng of olde with letters aureate,
Labour of poetes doth hyghly magnify,
Recorde on Petrarke in Rome laureate
Whiche of two fortunes wrote the remedy:
Certayne egloges and his cosmography,
And a great conflyct whiche men may se,
Of his quarelles within hym selfe secre.

He wrote seuen psalmes of great repentaūce,
And in his Affryke commended Scipion,
And wrote a boke of his ignoraunce
By a maner of excusation:
And set a notable compylacion
Vpon the life called solitary,
To which this world is froward & contrary.

Thus by writyng he gate him selfe a name
Perpetually to be in remembraunce,
Set and registred in the house of fame,
And made epistles of full high substaunce,
Called Sine titulo: & more him self to auaūce
Of famous women he wrote the excellence
Gresylde preferryng for her great pacience.

Writyng also remembred hath how Troy
Destroyed was sithe gone many a yere
The death of Ector chefe pyller of their ioye
And for the party of Grekes wrote Omere,
Whiche in his writyng was particulere:
For to Achilles that wrought al by fraude
Aboue Ector he gaue a singuler laude.

Writyng causeth the chapelet to be grene
Bothe of Esope and of Iuuenall,
Dauntes labour it dothe also sustene
By a report very celestiall,
Songe among Lumbardes in especiall,
Whose thre bokes the great wonders tell,
Of heuyn aboue, of purgatory, and of hell.

Men by writyng knowe the myracles
Of blessed sayntes and of their holtnes,
Medicyne, salue, and eke obstacles
Geyne mortal woundes & great sickenes
Recreacion and solace in distres
Quiet in labour, in pouerte pacience,
And in riches ryght, trouth, and conscience.

Shortnes of lyfe and forgetfulnes,
The wytte of man dull and aye slydyng,
Negligence and frowarde ydlenes,
Echone stepmother to science and cunnyng,
That I dare say nad be for writyng
Onely ordeyned for our aduauntages
Dead were memory and mind passed of ages

And thus in chefe the causes afore tolde
Meuyng the hart of Bochas to writyng,
And to remembre by many stories olde
The estate of prynces in chares high sittyng,
And for vyces their vnware fallyng:
Geuyng example as I affyrme dare,
Of false fortune how they shall beware.

His first thre bokes be full clere myrrours
Fully accōplished as Bochas vndertoke,
The cause of fallyng of many conquerours
Onely, for trouth and vertue they forsoke:
For which min auctor toward his fourth boke
Gan sharpe his pen to his eternall fame,
Onely by writyng to get him selfe a name.

Myne auctour Bochas that so much coude,
Beginneth here to make a processe
Again the outrage of princes yt were proud,
Which wer brought low for their frowardnes
And notablye remēbreth that mekenes
Whiche standeth whole in one & doth cōtune,
Is aye franchised from daunger of fortune.

But he in maner doth recapitle agayne
The fall of many that sate in hye stages,
How they for vyces stode aye in no certayne:
Came to mischefe for their great outrages
Remembryng first of Pryam the domages
How he lost sceptre and regaly
For susteynyng of false auoutry.

The fall rehearsyng of Astyages
That gaue his daughter whilom in mariage
To one that was called Cambises,
A pore man borne of lowe lynage:
For he should haue none auauntage
[Page]In no maner nether in right ne wrong
By rebellion agayne him to be strong.

For me to forne had had a bysion
How there should one procede of his lyne,
Whiche should him put out of his region
And cause him in mischefe for to fyne:
But yet fortune could him vndermyne
That all his wisdome stode in none auayle,
For agayne god preuayleth no counsayle.

It nedeth not his story to reherce,
Nor the maner of his vnhappy chaunce,
Nor the fallyng of Cyrus kyng of Perce,
Nor of king Tarquin for his misgouernaūce:
Though Bochas here put thē in remēbraūce,
For as me semeth it were a thing in vayne
A thyng ones tolde to tell it new agayne.

And he list not now to be retcheles
New agayne to make rehearsayle
Of the kyng called Artaxerses,
Sithe it is tolde what should it more auayle▪
But he proceadeth strayght vnto Itayle,
To their stories and beginneth here,
At Marchus Manlius a romayn cōsulere

☞The ende of the Prologue.

[Page xciiii]

Hovve Marcus Manlius wrought and dyd for Rome towne, and at the last he was by the commons cast into Tybre, and there drowned.

¶ The fyrst Chapter.

WHilome in Rome there was a great lynage
Called Manloyes of reno­med noblesse,
And of that stocke, ryght fayre in his yonge age,
Came this Marcus, the story doth wytnesse:
Which by proces for his worthynesse
Was thre tymes by iust election,
Made Consuler of that worthy toun.

Which to the commons greatly dyd auayle:
He diuers tymes for the townes ryght
Faught in his dayes many stronge battayle,
And aye preuayled through his great might:
And in the felde by a synguler fyght
Outrayed hys enemye, lyke as it is tolde,
And toke from hym a tyche bye of golde.

Torques in Latyn in Englyshe is a bye
Acercle of golde which that Marcus wan,
Brought it home through his chiualrye:
And of Torques he was called than
Marcus Torquatus, & thus the name gan
He to be called the story telleth vs,
Amonge Romayns Torquatus Manlius.

And he woulde ofte ieopart good and lyfe,
For the citie, entre the felde alone,
And there conquered for a prerogatife
Sondrie crownes with many a ryche stone:
Wan tunicles of golde many one,
For thylke tyme for dyuers hyghe emprises
Were crownes made, in many sondry wises.

For as Aul. Gellius maketh mencion,
Ther wer in Rome deuised strange crowns
For suche as had foughten for the toun,
 [...]y for their labour receyued theyr guerdons:
By a prerogatiue called champions,
Which sondry tymes of manhode & of might,
Ieoparded theyr lyues for the townes ryght.

Like theyr desertes y• crownes toke theyr na­mes,
For some of thēwer called Triumphal,
Youe vnto knyghtes for theyr noble fames:
Other also called Obsidionall
In Romayne tonge, & some ther were Mu­ral,
Eke other twayne Nauall and Castrence,
And all they were of great excelence.

The triumphall made were of golde
Offred in triumphes to worthy emperours,
Set with saphyrs and rubies manyfolde,
Vpon the hedes of myghty conquerours:
And whan Rome was shynyng in his flours
That crowne called wt brāches burned fayre
In theyr vulgar the Aureate coronayre.

The Obsidionall of whiche I spake toforne,
Deuised wete as bokes specifye,
Crownes notable wroughte lyke greyne or corne
Youe vnto prīces which through their chiual­rye
Rescued sieges, and saued the partye:
Of them that were closed streyte within,
Through their prowes a crowne for to win.

Another crowne that called was Murall,
Was geuen and graunted by the emperour
To hym that first wan vpon the wall
At any siege, and there abode the shour
Fightyng alone in hope of some succour:
And he that might suche a brunt sustene,
Shuld of Laurer weare a crowne of grene.

Nauall crownes whilom were ordayned
For them that fought manly on the see,
When their shyppes were togeder cheyned:
He that of manhode and marciall surete
Vpon his enemyes made first entre
Receyue shoulde in all the peoples syght,
Korue lyke a rother, a crowne clere & bryght.

The crowne next which called is Castrence,
Was geuen of custome to y• manly knyght
That list auaūce hī through his magnificēce,
Hostes assembled ieopart woulde of myght
[Page]Toforne all other entre into fyght:
Shoulde eke receyue his nobles for to queme
A starred crowne made lyke a diademe.

The crowne also whiche called was Ouall
Toke first name of ioye and gladnesse,
Whiche kynges & princes in actes marciall
Vsed sometyme in thyr ioyous noblesse,
At sodayne scrimishes of casuall hastinesse:
As when they venquished proudly ī battaile,
Suche as their highnes vnwarly wolde as­sayle.

And for they were of power inuincible,
Their noble crownes wer seriously wrought
Of myrte braunches whiche ben imputrible,
Enduryng euer and corrupt nought:
For this worde Ouall, yf it be well sought
Is sayde of gladnes as put is in memorie,
Ordayned for princes after their victorie.

Another crowne called Cy [...]ica
Of oken bowes was made rounde & pleyne,
Ordayned for them whiche pro re publica
Coude in battayle rescue a citezeyn,
And sle hys enemy that was a foreyn:
Of mighty oke he should for manhede
Clayme to weare a crowne vpon his hede.

And lyke as knightes in marciall delytes
For common profite dyd hem selfe auaunce,
So for theyr noble victorious merites
The Romayne people had a great pleasaūce,
With sondrye crownes mercial in substaunce,
For to guerdon their knightes most famous,
Myne auctour recorde called Aul. Gellius.

Amonge other that dyd his busy payne
Suche crownes manly to recure,
Marcus Manlius in manhod souerayne
Put oft his lyfe in mortal auenture:
For in hys force so muche he dyd assure,
That he deserued ful yore agone
Of these sayde crownes many mo than one.

And to thencreace of his noble fame,
He dyd a thyng bothe manly and deuine,
Wherby that he gate hym a surname
To be called Marcus Capitolyne:
Whiche aboue all his names dyd shyne,
Whan he alone, wherby he is commended,
The Capitole from enemies hath defended.

Whan they of Fraunce had take the cite,
Put all Rome at mischefe vnto flyght,
And layde awayte with a great meyne
The Capitole for to take at nyght,
By a passage that laye fatte out of  [...]yght,
Vnder a roche called Carmenton,
Theyr caue entred into the chefe dongeon.

They were shrouded vnder a darke vale
With ordinaunce, and myghty violence,
Towarde mydnight the wall for to scale,
Most couertly them kepyng in silence,
Dempt playnly for  [...]ackyng of resistence,
That they shoulde maugre tho within
Their hour assigned the Capitole to wyn.

But the gees that were within close,
The waker foules by noyse of theyr cōmynge
Gan beate theyr wynges, & vp anone arose,
Wherby this Marcus in hys bed liyng
Gan tabrayde and made no tariyng,
Toke his harnesse most furious and wrothe,
And to the walles in all hast he gothe.

And he that came first vpon the wall
Of very force without more tariyng
Downe into Tybre he made hym to fall,
And all hys felowes busy in scalyng
With shelde or pauis or ladders vp reysyng,
Thys manly Marke shortly to cōprehende,
Into the flode made them to discende.

Vnto the dethe of hym they were abaued,
For by his knighthode and his hie renoun
Maugre all them the Capitole he saued,
And afterward rescued all the toun:
For the fortune in conclusioun
Which that tyme dyd vnto hym fall,
Capitolinus men dyd hym after call.

And for he was so victorious,
Hym selfe alone by thys hye victorye,
Thys name he gate to hym and al hys house,
Perpetually to be in memorye:
And registred in the consistorye,
In theyr cronicles hys name determined,
With golden letters to be enlumined.

And the gees of whome I spake also,
That so well kept watche vpon the nyght,
ytake were and offered vnto  [...]uno
Solempnely with great torches lyght:
To whome also it graunted was of ryght
Whan a famine made theyr store to fayle,
They spared were and take for no vitayle.

[Page xcv]
And thus was Marke a myghtye cōquerour
Worshypped in Rome, all beyng of assent,
But whan some folke be set in great honour
Sōtime it happeth they hold thē nat content,
With couetyse their hertes be so blent:
Fro suffisaunce aboue theyr degrees
To surmonte to higher dignities.

This Manlius was fret in his corage
To greater worshyp sodaynly to assende,
Deminge so to haue had auauntage
And in him selfe gan frowardly pretende
In that cite all other to transcende,
Beside triūphes which wer to him reserued,
Higher to climbe than he hath deserued.

But there was one as made is mencion
Called Camillus alord of great substaunce,
Which in the cite and in that mighty toun
Aboue all other had the gouernaunce:
And as it is put in remembraunce,
To his greatnesse no man might attayne,
Aye whose nobles Marcus gan disdayne.

In his hert he had a great enuy,
Whiche caused hym by outrage for to erre
Agaynst Camyllus, which for hys chiualry
The towne gouerned both in peace & werre:
And for Marcus would hym selfe preferre
Aboue that prince in worshyppe and honour,
First of the people he gate hym great fauour.

And by a maner of conspyracye,
He gadered hertes of the commonte,
And drewe also vnto his partye
Great multitude throughout the citye:
And thus arose first the dredfull enmite
Within Rome, the story telleth thus
Atwene these princes Camyll and Manlius.

Thus fyrst the venym atwene hem was sow
Of hasty hatred by false occasions,
Which in the citie at wene hye and lowe
Caused of newe diuers discencions:
After the vncouth strange opinions,
For euery wight drew to hys partye,
As they were meued in theyr fantasye.

But for to stynt this outragious errour
And these hasty stryues furious,
Agayne fro Tuscan came a dictatour
That tyme called Cornelius Cassus
Which of wisdome blamed Manlius,
For he caused such rancour in the toune,
And for his gylt cōmaunded hym to prisone,

Which was in maner hyndryng to hys name
And appaled in partie hys noblesse,
For a tyme gan to eclipse hys fame,
But afterward the cloude of that derkenesse
By cōmon fauour was turned into ciernesse
For as it had be ryght for the nones
In his defence the commons rose atones.

Fyrst whan they had among their rumours,
Amyd of theyr fell hatefull contencion
Shortly rebuked the worthy senatours,
Because Marcus was set in pryson▪
Which had bene ay so helpefull to the toun,
Whome to delyuer they many wayes sought
And as I fynd euen thus they wrought.

Fyrst they clad them in clothes blacke,
Pale of theyr faces pitously wepyng
Theyr berdes vnshaue & theyr heades slacke,
Lyke furyous men vp and downe runnyng,
Tofore the prison all the nyght wakyng:
And on hys harmes playnly to be wreke,
They gan manace the pryson for to breke.

And for to stynt theyr outragious clamour,
The senatours made anone ordayne
To delyuer hym out of hys soiour,
Lose his fetters and to breake hys chayne,
And when he was delyuered out of payne,
He lyst nat stynt of hasty cruelte,
Of proude courage auenged for to be.

And in his furious fel presumpcion,
Maugre the Senate and trybunes echone,
Sayde he woulde gouerne Rome toune:
At whose outrage they gan disdayne anone,
The peoples hertes from hym were agone,
And for his pride they by auysement,
Assigued hym to come to iudgement.

Forsake he was throughout the cite,
Ther came nat one with hym of hys kynred,
He founde no helpe in hys aduersite,
Saue a fewe came with him in dede
Of the commons, ful feble at suche a nede:
And thus (alas) he founde no resistence,
That was veylable to hym in hys defence.

But for succour constrayned, and in drede
Away he put hys clothyng and vesture,
And naked stode verely in dede,
Shewing his woūdes which he dyd endure
[Page]At many a scrimyshe and disconfiture,
And for rescuse to speke in wordes fewe,
The capytole to them he dyd shewe.

And in supportyng eke of hys quarele
Meuyng the people to rue on hys complaint
Fyrst to his goddes loude he dyd appele
Topreserue hym of that he was attaynt:
The people about him wt teres al bespraynt,
That the Judges astoned were in dede,
Where as they sate agayne hym to procede.

But secretly he was ledde out of the prees
To a place called Froumentyne,
And there, alas, they were mercylees
His dome by rigour fully to termyne:
Spared nouther nobles nor lyue,
Fro the capitole out of the chefe dongeon,
Low into Tybre for to be cast adowne.

Thys was hys ende voyde of all fauour,
Whiche no man woulde redresse nor amende,
By cruelte caste out of that hye towre
Whiche he whilome most knightly gan defēd:
But what man can by writyng comprehende
The vnsure succour, founde in necessite,
To them that labour for any commonte?

Let men beholde ye trust in worldly thinges,
And namelye they yt be proude and hauteyne
Open theyr eyen, cast vp theyr lokynges
To consider and se well in certayne,
Who trusteth fortune his trust is in vayne:
And yfhe lyst a clere ensample fynde,
Among remēbre on Marcus in your mynde.

What might auayle his nobles in battayle?
Byes of golde▪ crownes of laurere,
Hys ryche plates or his vncouth mayle,
Hys myghty sheldes that shone so clere,
Or his triumphes songe farre and nere,
Or hys victories for the citye wrought,
In hys mischefe auayled him ryght nought.

The .ii. Chapter.

Here Bochas writeth in parte agaynst suche as can nat be content with suffisaunce, but vsurpe to high dignities.

HEre Iohn Bochas calleth to memory
The strāge salayre, ye famous guerdō
Of them yt gate by conquest & victory
Honour and triumphe within Rome toun,
How it was vsed he maketh mencion:
Seriously reherseth the manere
Which I shall write yf you lyst to here.

Aduyse was take first of estates thre,
Of men of armes whiche that were present
That sawe in dede the magnanimite
Of hym that shall haue it by iudgement,
Of the clergy they must haue eke assent,
And of the senate the people most notable,
By preue sought out that he were found able.

This prince also outher the capteyne
Which that the triūphe receyue of very right,
Within a chare full rychely be [...]eyne
He shalbe set of golde burned bryght,
Fret with stones, which shall geue a lyght
As Phebus doeth in hys mydoaye sphere,
That no derkenes about hym shall appere.

Thys heuenly chare shall for more delyte
To shewe thencrease of hys knightly glorie,
Be led and draw with four stedes whyte
Through the citie, in token of his victorie,
And he shall haue for a singuler memorie,
In hys ryght hand a palme of gold ful shene,
And on his head a crowne of laurer grene.

He shal eke haue aboue all hys armure,
Poudred with palmes a cote of purple reed,
In hys left hand hys quarell for tassure
A standerde rounde, declaryng his manheed:
And all about set vpon the beed,
The princes armes full ryche of apparayle,
In whose quarel he accōplished the battaile.

And of custome the sayde standerde shall
Be richely depeynt with reed colour,
And so this knight this man most marciall
Shalbe conueyed lyke a conquerour:
And yet for more encreace of his honour,
Vpon theyr fete his prisoners echone
Take by hys manhode aboute his chare shall gone,

The most worthy fast by hys syde,
All the remnaunt after, on him lokyng,
Echone of the poetes which in y• toun abide
Shal on hym wayte at his home commyng,
Ditees deuise and of his conquest syng,
And strange minstrelles, to be also recorde
Thier instrumentes shal touche at accorde.

All of entent to geue hym more courage
To the Capitole so he shalbe brought,
[Page xcvi]And lest of pryde he fall in none outrage
Nor surquedy within hys owne thought,
The most wretch shal of the town be sought,
Which of custome shal haue a staffe in hande
And in the chare behinde his backe vp stande.

Gnotos Eolytos, in Greke he shoulde seyne,
Whiche in our tonge playnly dothe expresse
Know thy selfe, remembryng in certayne
Vpon fortunes frowarde doublenesse,
On whom thou trust may be sykernesse:
And who that douteth where that it be thus,
Let hym remembre the ende of Manlius.

What auayled his triumphes or hys byes,
Crownes of golde, & perled freshe tunicles,
His hygh prowes or all hys chiualryes,
Singler fyghtyng or marciall particles
Newlye remembred or fed in olde cronicles:
Peyse his merites, and see now at the last
How into Tybre theyr champion they cast.

To his excuse auayled neuer a dele
Fauour of cōmons, carectes of his woundes,
Nor to the goddes his lamentable appele,
Nor remebraūce of theyr fraūchised boudes,
Teritories nor wynnyng of the groundes
Which that he wan wt spendyng of his blode,
All knitte in one to hym no stede they stode.

Here ye maye se how fortune sodaynly
Clerenesse of fame can chaūge to derkenesse,
Glory to reprothe, worshyp to vilany,
And ioye passed to mortall heuynesse,
Swytnesse of fauour into bytternesse,
And sobernesse into furious rage,
And old franchise to thraldome and seruage.

For there was neyther request nor prayere
That auayled to hys delyueraunce,
In cheynes fettred dedlye of loke and there,
Abode the sentence of his finall gouernaūce,
Pale of face with trimblynge countenaunce,
Whan he alas gan mortal approche
Of Terpeya to the hydous roche.

Of Terpeya thys roche bare the name
After a lady, as made is mencion
Called Terpeya, whiche fell in great defame
Because she was assented to trayson
To haue brought enemies into Rome toun:
Wherof conuict her story is wel knowe
Vnder that roche she was ydolue ful lowe.

Thys roche also was called Carmentoun
After a woman of great aucthorite,
Called Carmentes which through her hie re­no [...]
The Capitole made in that cite,
And she found letters first of our a b c,
And connyng had among her workes all,
Declare afore thyng that shoulde befall.

And on thys harde sturdy roche of stone,
Fro the Capitole Marcus was cast downe,
Other fauour nor frendshyp founde he none,
For all his battayles fought for the toune:
The cōmons hertes were turned vpsodoune,
Whose loue is lyke preued at assay,
A blase of fire now bryght and now away.

The common people may hote and crye fast
As theyr heartes stedfast were and stable,
But at a nede theyr promyse wyl nat last
Of theyr corages they be so remouable,
To folow reason gerysh and vntreatable,
Lyghtly declinynge & that is ful great ruthe
After opinions and nothyng after truthe.

This Manlius was of hys truste disceyued,
Whose lust vnleful was departed in twayne,
Whan he of pride woulde haue be receyued
To hygh estate which he myght nat attayne,
Wher through ye senate gan at him disdayne,
And the commons aye false at suche a nede,
Lefte hym in mischefe, & toke of hym no hede.

¶ Lenuoye

IN this tragedy mē may beholde & se
The perilous domages of false ambi­ciō
Of thē yt be nat cōtēt wt their degre
But would vp climbe (lyke theyr opinion)
To hye estate, by vsurpation:
Which nat consydre the sentence of scripture.
In a good meane men longest may endure.

Who that vsurpeth to higher dignite
Than appertayneth to hys condition,
In royall chares for to make hys se,
And hath no tytle of lyne nor of reason,
Through frowarde pride full ofte he is putte doun,
For lacke he seeth nat euery creature
In a good meane lengest may endure.

Whan Dedalus taught his sonne to flee
He bad hym first of hye discretion,
Fro Phebus hete kepe his wynges fre,
And fro Neptunus colde congelacion:
[Page]Meanyng hereby, for short conclusion,
That who that lyst with ioy his state assure,
In a good meane he longest shall endure.

Remembre the manhode and magnanimite
Of Marcus Manlyus, which by presūption
Wolde haue gouerned Rome the cite,
Maugre the senate, ruled that mighty toun,
Whiche tourned after to hys confusion:
For he saw nat, such was hys auenture,
In a good meane men longest maye endure.

Some in theyr greatest hygh prosperite,
Of frowarde corage and furious mocion,
In theyr great weale by false duplicite
Haue a maner straunge condition,
Nat to be content with plentie nor foyson:
By a false etyke whiche of theyr nature
In a good meane can nat longe endure.

But in this earth is greatest felicite
In heartes ease, rychest possession
With suffisaunce content for to be,
Of worldly trouble teschewe thoccasion,
Meuyng no quarelles, causyng no discēcion:
Nor cleyme nothyng which hard is to recure,
Sith in a good meane mē longest do endure.

Princes remembre in your most maieste
Enuy of clymbyng causeth deuision,
Be of accord, trust in no commonte,
Whiche at a poynt is but disception:
And specially flee simulation,
Ye maye in Marchus se a playne fygure,
Which for ambicion might no whyle endure.

The .iii. Chapter.

☞ How Nectanabus kyng of Egypt, was by Xerxses constrayned to flye hys kyngdome.

AFter the fal of Marchus Manlius
Bochas anone gan hys style dresse
Brefely to tell of Nectanabus,
Kyng of Egypt and of hys great rychesse,
Seyng afore in all hys noblesse
By vncouth crafte, how he ne myght chese,
That in all hast his crowne he should lese.

For he was connyng in especiall
And ryght expert as made is mencion,
In all the sciences called liberall,
And knew afore by calculation
How God wolde make a transmigracion
Of hys kyngdome, and playnly to reporte,
The lande of Perce to Grekes ful trāsport.

For by kyng Xerxses out of hys countre
Maugre hys treasour hys connyng & myght
This Nectanabus constrayned was to flye,
Durst nat abyde to haue of hym a syght,
But into Grece he drew hym anone ryght:
Nat lyke a kyng, but after olde writynges
Lyke a magicien he wrought wōdre thinges

Vpon fortune further to procede,
By hys conning he greatly furthered was,
And by hys sleighty workyng eke in dede
He was acquaynted with quene Olimpyas:
And so secre, playnely thys is the caas,
That openly her men sayd by demyng,
He gate Alysandre the great myghtye kyng.

But how he fled out of hys region,
Of hys ymages nor of hys illusions
Bochas maketh no maner mention,
Nor how he wrought by incantacions,
Nor of hys subtel operations:
Nor how that he lyke a man by nyght,
Whilom apeared in the quenes syght.

Saue of hys deth Bochas writeth nought,
Remembring no tyme nor date
How he and Alisander, togeder haue sought
The course of starres towarde euen late,
Nor how hys sonne, like as was hys fate,
Downe from a brydge by full mortal wrake
Cast hym backward, and so his necke brake.

The .iiii. Chapiter.

❧ Howe Pausanias duke of Lacedemon was exyled by them of Athenes.

THys was his end, & after this Bochas
Gan in hast hys style auaunce
Of Pausanias to tel the pitous caas,
And all the maner of hys wofull chaunce:
Whiche was a duke, & had in gouernaunce
Lacedemone there foundyng a cite,
Which of olde tyme was called Bysaunce.

They of Athenes that cite gate with might
And it conquered by theyr chiualry,
And afterwarde were it wronge or ryght
They exyled the same Pausany
[Page xcvii]And thus fortune through her false enuy
Caused that duke without more delayes
In payne & pouerte for to ende his dayes.

☞ The .v. chapter.

❧ How Heliarchus the tyrant for extorcion and oppression was slaine by the knyght Leonides.

AFter the fall sothly of these twayne,
Iohn Bochas was moued of courage
For to rehearse with all his busy payne,
The great fury and the odious rage
Of Helyarchus, whiche by great outrage
Though he ne were famous in chiualry,
He noyed all Perce with his tyranny.

Wherfore Bochas gan at him disdayne,
Cast he woulde onely for his sake
Touche of tyrantes mo than one or twaine,
And by writyng agayn thē a warre make:
And in his hande he gan a penne take,
Tolde in order the perillous pestilence,
Whiche they wrought by mortall vyolence.

First he declareth how fortune of right
Againe tyrantes furious and wode,
Hath full cause for to shew her myght,
To appal their dignities in which they stode:
Suche as reioyce for to shede blode,
Do nought els but labour and deuise,
To spoyle the temple in many sundry wyse.

And Helyarchus through hys cruelte
And his contryued false extorcions,
Was mortall enemy to a fayre citee
Called Heraclye, and many other townes:
And by extort false oppressions
As the dede concluded at a prefe,
All that countrey he brought to mischefe.

Turnyng his grace and fauour to hatrede
Mercy, and pitie, vnto crueltie,
Franchise of people to seruitude and drede,
Oppressed their fredome and olde lybertie:
And all their statutes by which they wer fre,
He interrupted of force and not of right,
Whiche made him odious in all mennes sight.

But to restrayne his great extorcions,
Fortune this while was not retchles,
For his horrible abhominacions
She gan to auale him, this goddesse merciles
By a good knyght called Leonides,
Whiche with a felow borne of that countrye
Cast on this tyrant auenged for to be.

They dempt it was an almesse dede
To set their lande in quiete and in ease,
Of a tyrant the furious bloude to shede,
His importable malyce for to appese,
Whyche to their citye did so great disease:
And of assent with their swerdes kene,
They slew the tyrant in their mortall tene.

Of whose death many a man was fayne,
And specially of Heraclie the cite,
Dempt it was medefull yt he was so slayne,
To set in quyete all a commonte:
Lo here, men may the rightfull guerdon se
Of tyrantes, whiche by their vyolence,
To oppresse the people haue no conscience.

The .vi. Chapiter.

☞ How the vycious Dyonis kyng of Cycyle slewe his brethren and kynrede, and after exiled dyed at mischefe.

AFter this tyrant, with a full heauy chere
And countenaunce piteous & lamentable
Vnto Bochas Dionys dyd appere,
Whiche in tyranny most was importable,
Through his lande hatefull and reprouable:
But for all that he gan myne auctour pray
Of his maners sumwhat to write and say.

Bochas lyst not rehearse his lynage,
Nor make no processe of his genealogy,
Because he was with all hys great outrage
Full of all vyces pryde, and lechery,
Of auarice, ofyre, and of enuy:
In Cicyle helde his royall see,
At Cyracusis a mighty stronge citee.

Thys Dyonis was cursed of nature,
Most malicious both of thought & dede:
For as it is remembred in scripture,
He slewe his brethren, his cosyns, & kynrede
That he alone in peace might possede
Wythout trouble or interruption,
Of all Cicyle the mighty region.

Among all vyces, Bochas dothe specify,
He gan drawe vnto ydlenes,
Folowed his lustes of foule iechery,
[Page]And oft of custome he fell in dronkennes,
And thought it was most souerain blessednes
Lyke as he had be master of fortune,
To solow his lustes and aye therin contune.

He waxt ryght fatte and right corcious,
And his eyen gan darke of his syght,
That vnneth this man most vycious
Ne myght not well beholde the dayes light,
And of malyce thys tyrant agayne right
With helpe of robbers & of false foreyns,
Slough of his citte nye all the cit [...]zeyns.

His vycious lyfe in order to rehearce
Were contagious to the audience,
His extort pillages done in Grece & Perce
For to write or tell them in sentence,
Would infect the ayre with pestilence:
But I wyll briefelye remember and discriue,
The sacrileges whyche he dyd in hys lyue.

In Venus temple besyde Cytheron,
A great number of women he dyd call,
F [...]ll well be [...]eue, and by oppression
He made his meyny vnwarely on thē fall,
Dispoyled them, so that one and all
By hys outrage and frowarde vyolence,
They naked stode echone in his presence.

And whan he sawe their shape and feytures,
He suche chose out as were to his pleasaunce,
Robbed the other and toke their vestures,
And let them go without ordinaunce:
And for this vncouth abhominable chaunce,
Their city Lo [...]roys arose wt stronge hande,
For hys outrage banished hym their lande.

An other tyme also he dyd soiourne
Wythin the temple, lyke as it is tolde,
Of Jupiter sonne vnto Saturne,
There beholdyng his relykes manifolde:
Sawe among other a mantyll large of gold,
Wherupon whan he cast hys loke,
That ryche iewel vnto his vse he toke.

And thus he sayde him selfe to excuse,
It was to heauy and to comerous
In somer season that mantyll for to vse,
Bicause it was to large and po [...]derous:
And ouermore he aledged for hym thus,
Sythe the garment forged was of golde,
For wynter season how it was to colde.

And whan he gan away thys mantel pulle
Than ryght anone thys tyrant deceyuable,
Gaue hym another single made of wulle,
Affirmed sothely it was more conuenable
To other season more me [...]e and agreable:
Cōcludyng thus for somer it was  [...]yght,
And warme for wynter in the colde nyght.

An other tyme this tyrant eke also
Whiche was of hart most auaricious,
Entred ones the temple of Appollo,
And of his sonne Esculapius,
And whan this tyrant fell and contrarious,
Beheide Appollo, beardles that was olde,
And Esculapius with a long bearde of golde,

Quod Dionis than, as semeth vnto me,
Here is a straunge froward cōuenience,
That the father beardles should be,
The sonne bearded standyng in his presence.
Made anone by sturdy vyolence
To take away the bearde which in his syght
Of most fyne golde shone so clere and bright.

Through Grece & Perce where he did gone
In all the temples this was his vsaunce,
The stately relyques wyth many ryche stone
And massy tables of full great substaunce,
To take them all that were to hys pleasaūce:
He spared none, thus liuynge lyke a thefe,
Til he by vēgeaūce was brought to mischefe.

Ciracusanes where he was crowned kyng
All of assent, there is no more to sayne,
For his outragious and vycious liuyng
They banished hym, neuer to come agayne:
And so this tyrant vacant went in vaine
About the worlde, lyke a false fugytyfe,
And so at mischefe this Dionys lost his lyfe.

¶ Lenuoy.

THis tragedy geueth a warnyng
To all tho that haue domination,
Ouer the people, prince, duke or kyng,
To eschue rauyn and false extorcion:
Let them consider how by the occasion
Of foule pillage, and frowarde tyranny,
This sayd Dionys at mischefe must dye.

First he compassed, falsely ymaginyng
To slea the citizyns of his royall towne,
His brethren, his cosens, his kyn not sparing
Brought all his bloude to destruction:
In slaughter he had suche dilectation,
[Page xcviii]Reioysyng euer in murder and robberye,
Whiche caused him at mischefe for to dye.

To spoyle temples was his reioysyng
Toke all their treasures to his possession,
Tables of golde wt stones freshe shinyng,
Eke fro other gods the relikes he toke doun,
Where euer he rode in any region:
Whose sacrilege and compassed felony,
Caused him vnwarely at mischefe to dye.

In Venus temple, by recorde of wrytyng,
He did a foule frowarde abusion,
All gentilwomen that came there to offryng
Them he dispoyled as made is mencion,
Let them be naked without exception,
For whiche diffame and great vngentry
He banished was, and did at mischefe dye.

Noble princes remember on this thing,
Compassed malyce and false collus [...]on
Must haue euyl endyng, & come to rekenyng
Fraude aye wt fraude receiueth his guerdon:
Haue this in minde concludyng in reason
That all tyrantes playnly to specify
Hath short lyfe or dothe at mischefe dye.

The .vii. Chapter.

¶ The auctoure agayne presumptuous people and prynces holdyng them selues as Goddes.

YE folkes that bene astonyed in your aduyce,
To se Tyrantes that be incorrigible,
Lift from their sees, that thē helde so wise,
Thoughe their power was very inuincible,
Yet to fore god nothyng is impossible,
Wherfore remember & do nothyng maruayle
With vnware falles tho fortune thē assayle.

For whan tyrantes be set in hye stages
Of dignities, raygnyng lyke wode lyons,
Full harde it is to wrast their courages,
Other to tempt their disposicions:
Worldly felicitie so blyndeth their reasons,
As they to god were egall of power,
And had fortune vnder their daunger.

Recorde of Dionys that oft was afrayed
By assaut of fortune, lyke as was his fate:
For vycious liuyng thre tymes dismayde,
As hys story remembreth of olde date,
Next on the ryng now cometh Pollicrate,
With one Viturbius tyrantes of I tayle,
Raignyng like wolues to oppresse y• porayle.

For whan tyrantes in diuers regions
Of surquedy catche an opinion,
That their estates and dominacions
Shoulde euer endure by longe succession,
As god nor fortune myght put them downe:
But as they were in her estate royall,
Thys worlde to rule to bothe two egall.

Toward god they haue lost shame and drede
Touchyng his guerdōs, other of ioy or payn:
Indifferent atwene trouth or falshede,
Their lust iserued noforce who laugh or plain
God is forgotten, and they disdayne
As bothe were recleymed to their lure,
Falsely tra [...]scendyng the boūdes of measure.

For whiche sumtyme (as bokes specify)
God lyst suffer as made is mencion,
That fortune by a maner mockery
Fauoureth some folke, like their opinion
To enhaunce their power by false deception,
As she were set playnely for to sey,
To serue their lust, and durst not disobey.

¶ The .viii. Chapter.

¶ Howe kynge Pollicrate for extorcion and tyranny was hanged tyll euerye ioynte fyll from other.

REcorde I take on proude Pollycrate,
Tyraunt of Samos beside the sea Egee
Whiche sore laboured early and eke late,
Agayne conscience, of furious crueltee,
To abound in ryches, and for to haue plentie
Of worldly treasures: demyng y• fortune aye,
To his desyres ne durst not say nay.

Fortune to hym by many a diuers signe,
Shewed outward great tokens of pleasaūce,
Was to him eke fauourable and benygne
In all her port, by a maner attendaunce,
As she had ben vnder his obeysaunce
To stuffe his coffers wt treasure locked fast,
Of false entent to mocke him at the last.

All worldly riches hys lustes dyd obey,
And whan he founde she was so fauourable
For a season as she lyst to play,
[Page]This blinde goddes vnsure and vnstable
Set him so hye vp at Fames table,
Of false entent in his estate royall,
Whan he sate highest, she made him to fall.

For in him selfe of pride he gan to deme
How that he stode most in prosperitie,
Of them that weared crowne or diademe,
Aboue all other in most felicitie:
And thus enhaunced in his royall see,
Thought him egall wt goddes in cōmune,
Farre from all daunger of fate or fortune.

And for to attempt of goddes the powere,
And of fortune the variant doublenes,
He toke a ryng of golde full bryght and clere,
Therin a rubye of excellent reednesse,
Sekyng an occasion of newe heauines:
Whiche neuer afore had know of suche thing,
Into the sea anone he cast his ryng

Dispayred agayn it for to recure,
For he dempt it was an impossible,
But right anone fyshers of aduenture,
Like a maruayle very incredible,
Among the wawes hydous and horrible
Cast in their nettes, if it would auayle,
Takyng a fyshe the ryng in his entrayle.

Whiche was presented at a solemnitie
To Pollicrate with great reuerence,
Whan he sate crowned in his most dignitie
At a feast of famous excellence:
The fy [...]e vndone, anone in hys presence
Amidde the entrails his keruer found y• ryng
Of aduenture, and toke it to the kyng.

Whyche dempt of pryde & hygh presumption,
That Neptunus god of the salt see
Had of his ryng made restitution,
And durst not offende his maiestee:
Wherupon a fantasy caught he
Nether heuēly gods, nor fortune blid of sight
Were both vnhardy, to attēpt ayen his might

His great outrage to god was not vnknow,
And his presumption fortune hath wel spyed:
For which she made aduersitie be her bowe
And of her whele the spokes she hath so gyed,
Wheron he sate most richely magnified,
That he vnwarely from his hye nobles,
Was brought full lowe into great heauines.

In worldly ioye is nothyng more to drede
Than whan fortune is most blandishyng,
And yt her flattery is fret with worldly mede,
Hygh on her whele to make foles syng,
Than of her nature sorow she dothe bryng:
Wytnes of prynces of olde or new date,
And recorde also of proude Pollicrate.

Sometyme he sate hye on fortunes whele
Of prosperitie with beames clere shynyng:
Whose temple is made of glasse & not of stele,
His castel ise, vnwarely dissoluyng:
Though it be freshe outwarde in shewyng
Vnsure to stande on, and bryttel for to abyde,
Who trusteth most most lykely is to slyde.

The geryshe quene of chere & face double,
Wythdrewe her fauour and began to vary
Fro Pollicrates, & set hym in great trouble,
Wext agayne hym maliciously contrarye,
Causyng Orontes cunstable wt kyng Dary,
Maugry this tyrant, in hys most crueltie,
To gyn a warre on Samos the citye.

And whan his glory was most clere of lyght,
And hys nobles shone hyghest at the full,
Fortune gan through her changeable myght,
Of his prosperitie the fethers for to pull:
And than at erst his courage gan to dull,
And all his pryde vnwarely for to appall,
Whan he was spoyled of his ryches all.

First whan Orontes his countrey gan assaile
This Pollicrate of sodaine auenture
Outrayed was, and taken in battayle
By a full perillous mortall disconfiture:
Thus fortune coulde brynge him to her lure
Through her vnware vgly false disdaynes,
Led into pryson & boūde in stronge chaynes.

The people dwellyng within his region
Reioysed in hart to se him suffer payne,
His tyranny his false extorcion
Caused that they did at him disdayne,
For of his death no man lyst complayne:
Men through the world haue great plesaūce,
To se a tyrant brought vnto mischaunce.

Foure thinges his tormentes did augment,
Sodayne departyng from his riches,
And that he sawe eche man in his entent
Of his mischefe haue so great gladnes,
Hanged he was, mine auctour dothe witnes,
And honge so long in tēpest, rayne, & thunder,
Till euery ioynt from other went a sunder.

[Page xcix]
To beastes wilde and foules rauenous
Naked he henge, suche was his auenture
To all folkes he was so odyous,
Had in despite of euery creature,
At his departyng denyed sepulture,
Guerdon for tyrantes, vēgeable & retcheles,
That can not suffer the people to liue in pees.

Thus many tyrantes excede far their boūdes
By false outrage, and well resembled be
To cruel wolues or to furious houndes,
Frette with an etyke of gredy cruelte,
To staunche their honger aueyleth no piente:
Whiche for their surfets froward to rede,
wt Policrates in hell shall haue their mede.

☞ The .ix. Chapter.

☞ Howe the tyraunt Alexander sloughe his Philosopher Calistenes wyth other, for saiynge trouth.

AMonge all stories to tell the pyteous caas,
Of wofull playntyfes that put theim selues in prees,
With wepyng eyen, myne auctour Bochas
Was moued in hart not to be retchles
To write the fall of Calystenes,
Whiche, alas, as it is remembred,
Was for his trouth on pieces all dismēbred.

For whan Bochas his story gan aduert,
He dempt anone in his fantasy
No man had so harde a stoned hart,
That might of ryght his eyen kepe drye
To se the processe of hys tormentry:
Yet gan myne auctour his wofull pen prefer,
To write the wrong done to this philosopher.

This Calystenes in youth right well thewed
His grene age promoted to doctrine,
By influence of heauenly fate endued
Greatly to profite in morall disciplyne:
Disposed of nature by grace which is deuyne,
To conquere, as bokes do specify,
The noble surname of philosophy.

Of his merites famous and notable,
Philosophy did her busy payne
To geue him su [...]ke, because that he was able
The sote mylke of her breastes twayne
most precious licour who might therto attain
For baume is none, the vertue well declared,
Of worldly riches may be therto compared.

This precious pyment is geue to no foles,
Aboue all lycours it dothe so farre excell,
Whose originall sprange in the holy scholes
Of Athenes, as famous bokes tell:
For of philosophy there sprange first the well
Where Calystenes (thexperience is couthe)
With fulsum plenty was fostred in his youth.

Though he was borne of a good lynage
Vertue made him more high for to assende,
To be enhaunced for nobles of courage
More than for bloude, who can comprehend:
For philosophers & clarkes more commende
The morall vertues entresured by writings,
Then all the treasures of worldly kynges.

Of gentle stockes recken out the issues,
That be discended downe from a royall lyne,
If they be vycious & voyde of all vertues,
And haue no tarage of vertuous disciplyne,
With temporall treasure though they shyne,
As for a tyme sittyng on hye stages,
Without vertue they are but dead ymages.

For though prynces haue cōquered by battail
This world in roundnes by their chyualry,
What may their triūphes or nobles auayle
Without that vertue by ryght their titles gye
To be compared vnto phylosophy▪
For philosophers apply all their ententes,
To knowe heauen and cours of elementes.

They set no store of thinges transitory,
Nor of fortunes expert doublenes,
To heauenly thynges is set all their memory
How the .vii. planets in their course thē dresse
Meuing the stars sparking in their brighnes
With reuolutions of the spheres nyne,
Mother of musyke, as auctours determyne.

And in the noble twaye famous houses
Flouryng in Grece, rychest of euerychone
Called by olde date the fayre true spouses
Of philosophers many mo then one,
In Achademie and Athenes shone
The bryght lanterns of most reuerences,
This world tenlumine by lyberall scyences.

And among other this Calystenes
Was in his youth put for to scholey
In the two scholes of prudent Socrates,
[Page]And of Plato whiche that bare the key
Of lecre misteries, and of diuine Idey:
In whiche two scholes of great abilitee,
Was no [...]e profited halfe so muche as he.

These old clarkes these olde philosophers,
Were in tho dayes for doctrine souerayne
Called in this world ye riche precious coffers
And treasures, that kept the chestes twayne,
Amyd their brestes wherin god did ordayne
Most clere possession put in their depose,
Of all sciences vnder a key close.

This Calistenes scholer and auditour
Of Aristoteles, by cunning conqueryng
The noble gemine and most precious floure
Of philosophy, all floures surmountyng,
Wherthrough he was chosen in his liuyng,
As his master lyst for him prouide,
On Alexander to awayte and abide.

For Alexander of kynges most entere,
And most worthy to speake of hye prowes,
Did Aristoteles humble requere
To prouide and do his busines
By expert knowyng and auisenes,
To sende him one whiche of philosophy,
Might by good coūsaile his cōquest magnify.

To write also his tryūphes digne of glory,
And to remember his actes marciall,
Put his palmes of knighthode in memory,
And to direct in especiall
His royall nobles in vertue morall,
That no erroure be sene here nor there,
In hym that should all the worlde conquere.

But it fell so of knightly aduenture,
Whan of fortunes high promocion
That he by armes proudly gan recure,
Of Perce & Mede the mighty region,
Brought kyng Dary vnto subiection,
Gate hole his tresure y• no man might expres
To accompt the nūber of his great riches.

Whiche vnsure tresure & slydyng abundasice,
With wasting shadowes of goods trāsitorye,
In surquedous pride gan so his hart auaūce,
By false ambicion & outragious vaynglory,
That made him lese mynde and eke memory,
To knowe of nature he was man mortall,
But lyke to goddes that were celestiall.

Aboue the palme of olde conquerours,
Knightly triumphes & conquestes marciall
He vsurped by title of his labours,
To heauenly goddes for to be egall,
And through his merites most imperiall
He gan presume, by fyne he was a [...]yed,
With the seuen goddes for to be deified.

Through all his palaice and his royall hall,
A lawe ne set, vpon payne of lyfe
That men of custome shoulde him call
This worlds monarke, not mortal nor passi [...]e
Soune to Jupiter for a prerogatyfe,
Which had thearth as god most of puissaunce,
Conquered by swerde vnto his obeisaunce.

By full auyse purposed for the nones
Of pompous outrage & surquedous entent,
Full great treasure of gold & precious stones,
Vnto the temple of Jupiter he sent,
That the bishops and priestes shoulde assent,
Hym to receyue at his home commyng,
Lyke as a god and no mortall thyng.

Thus by extort drede & vsurped myght
Was fyrst brought in false ydolatry:
Causyng prynces to receyue agayne ryght
Godly reuerence of froward mawmetry.
But whan Calistenes this errour did espy
In Alexander, he busily did entende,
This false opinion to correct and amende.

Put fyue causes notable to rehearce
This Calystenes in especiall:
Though he was king of Egipt Mede & Perce
He preued of reason he was a man mortall,
His byrthe eke earthy and not celestiall,
Father and mother, as of theyr natures
Borne for to dye like other creatures.

His father Philyp of Macedony kyng,
His mother called Olympyades
Worldly folke, and heauenly nothyng:
With kynges, quenes, vpset by hye encrees,
Yet agayne death they coulde haue no relees,
Lawes of nature maugre their wyll to obey,
Not lyke goddes but onely borne to dey.

Kynde made them subiect to sundry passions,
And many vncouthe diuers infirmities,
Now glad, now heauy of condicions,
Folowyng the forme of their humanities:
But of their false vsurped deities
I can not say saue drede and flattery,
Wrongly in earth dyd them deify.

[Page c]
Eke Alexander folowyng euer his lust,
For all his lordshyp and his great myght
He suffred passions of honger and of thurst:
Now hole, now sicke, now heauy, now lyght
Whose enterchaūgyng in euery mans syght
Clearely sheweth, as clarkes rehearce can
He was no god but like a mortall man.

It fyll ones myne auctor dothe compyle
In a great heate (longe or he was olde)
He bathed him selfe in the floude of Nyle,
Where of fortune he sodaynely toke colde,
His pores opened on partes manifolde:
Lay long after, his story beareth witnes,
Or he was cured of that great sickenes.

But at the last by craft of medicine
Deliuered he was of that infirmitie,
Nothing amended by his power diuine
By might of Juno nor Jupiters postye,
Nor by his owne vsurped deitie:
For by the passions whiche he did endure,
It shewed he was a deadly creature.

Of him also it is made mencion,
He had a custome to fall in dronkennes,
Through vynolence lost oft his reason,
Than of yre and furious hastines
He woulde smyte and hurt in his wodenes:
Whyche tokens were, playnly to termyne,
In his person not heuenly nor deuyne.

Whan the philosopher called Calystenes
Gan fyrst consider all these condicions
In Alexander, he put him selfe in prees
Voyde of dissimulyng and dylacions,
For to reforme suche false ambicions
Of godly honor, which men did on thē fayne,
And from all vyces his courage to restrayne.

In this purpose as any center stable,
He cast him fully of true entencion
To correct all that was reprouable
Vsed in his person or in his region,
Trouth gaue him hart lyke a champion,
To tell the kyng in his estate royall,
He was no god but a man mortall.

For whiche the kyng of indignacion
Caught a quarell agayne Calystenes,
Put vpon hym vniustly false treason,
Onely to slea his master causeles:
And for to attaynt him afore all the prees
Sayd how he had of hys iniquitie,
Conspyred agayne his royall maiestye.

And fayned also the selfe same tyme,
How he had made a conspyration
Agayne his lorde, by an horrible cryme,
Interrupting the religion
Of his deuyne institution:
That in such case there was no better read,
But Calistenes by lawe must be dead.

And to prolonge of his death the payne
Vpon a borde he was layed a longe,
Hys fete smytte of and hys handes twayne,
His eyen rent out, wer not his paines strōg▪
Thus can tyrātes whan they lyst do wrong
Slea philosophers wythout any ruthe,
Whyche spared not for to say them truthe.

Thys cruel vengeaūce myght not suffise,
But Alexander more to encrease his wo,
Dyd cut his lyppes in full cruell wise,
His nose thyrles, hys eares eke also,
And wt the body he bade men should go
Tofore hys hoste, as it is remembred,
To shewe the tronke how it was dismēbred.

In a caue depe and wonders lowe,
Solitary darked all the boundes,
After the paynes he made hym to be throwe
The place stuffed wt wode barking houndes,
Of false entent to rende his bloudy woundes.
Tyll Lisymachus of great compassion
To short his torment gaue hym poyson.

Who red euer of tormentes more terrible?
O Alexander thou oughtest be ashamed
To slea thy clarke wyth paynes so horrible,
For thy vyces because he hath the blamed,
Thy royall name therby is defamed:
But euer tyrantes whan thē lyst be woode,
Of innocentes reioyce to shede the bloude.

Agaynst his knyght gentle Lisymachus
Because he had of hym compassion,
Kyng Alexander was melancolious
Wythout cause, title, or affection:
Let shut hym vp wyth a fierce Lyon,
Voyde of all helpe for to be succoured,
Of entencion he should be deuoured.

But Lisymachus quyt him lyke a knyght
Agaynst thys Lyon in the same place,
Ran fiercely on him, & of hys martiall myght
Out of hys head hys tonge he dyd out race:
[Page]Reconciled to the kynges grace,
Because that he so knyghtly hath him borne,
Better cherished than euer he was toforne.

Another knyght that called was Clytus▪
Famous in armes for his chiualry,
One the greatest of the kynges house,
And most commended of prudent policy:
Most familier as bokes specify
About the kyng, as it was ofte preued,
To tempre his courage when he was greued

The kyng and he walkyng hande in hande
Within the palaice, beyng in presence
Princes and dukes of many diuers lande,
Where they began by notable eloquence
Remēber of armes the famous excellence
Of conquerous, and other knyghtes olde
And euery man about his tale tolde.

Among whiche Clytus the gentle knyght
Gan to cōmende and greatly magnify
Philyp of Macedon, as him ought of right:
Bothe of his wisdome & of his chiualry,
Tyll Alexander had therat enuy,
Gan disdayne of furtous cruelte,
That any should be cōmended more than he.

Caught occasion ofyre and false hatrede
Agayne his knyght, y• was to him most true,
With a sharpe swerd vnwarely made hi blede
His hart bloude hote and redde of hue
By his sides raylyng downe of newe,
Therby to preue this story tell can,
He was no god nor reasonable man.

Thus in prynces furious and cruell,
Men may clerely an euidence se
How that lordshyp is not perpetuell,
But full of chaunge and mutabilite:
Of there now frendly, now sodayn enmite,
Record on Clytus most in the kynges grace,
Vnwarely slayne, and did no trespace.

Was he worthy to be deified
This Alysander, most double of his corage?
Or was he worthy to be stellified
This furious prince, for his fell outrage
That slewe his frendes in his mortall rage?
Thus fare tyrantes whan they lyst be wode,
To seke occasion for to shede blode.

Calystenes slayne for morall disciplyne,
And Lisymachus for his compassion:
Eke this tyrant of false gredy rauyne
Slewe gentle Clytus agayne all reason,
As ye haue hearde for commendacion
Of king Philyp, the story well conceyued,
Who trusteth tyrātes shal sonest be deceyued.

¶ Lenuoy.

THis tragedy of Calistenes,
Declareth vs by notable remembraūce
He was with Plato and olde Socrates
In his youth put vnder gouernaunce,
Dranke of the milke of plenteous aboūdaūce,
Of their two scholes, euer deuoyde of slouth,
Last by Alexander dismēbred for his trouth

First he was sent by Aristoteles,
For to awayte by prudente purueyaunce
On Alexander, lest he were retcheles
By presumption in his royall puissaunce,
To take vpon him by goodly attendaunce:
Whiche he wtstode alas it was great ruthe,
To be so slayne because he sayd the truth.

Who wt tyrantes list put him selfe in prees
To haue their fauour and acquayntaunce,
He must flatter and fage doubtles,
Be double of hart with fayned countenaunce,
With there contryued done his obseruaunce,
For faythfull meanyng slayne, & y• was ruth,
Was Calystenes bicause he sayd truth.

Noble princes your subiectes kepe in pees,
Be not to has [...]y for to do vengeaunce,
For to tyrantes that be merciles
God sent short life, & sodayne mischaunce:
Who sayeth trouth haue no displeasaunce,
Prynt in your hart how it was great ruth,
That Calystenes was slayne for his truth.

☞ The .x. chapter.

❧ How Alexander kynge of Pyrothe auenturyng to passe the floude of Acherōt, there at his backe by his moste trustye was deadly wounded.

AFter the complaynt of Calystenes
Slayne tyrantly, and did no trespas,
Came Alexander kyng of Pyrothes
His woundes bleadyng vnto John Bochas:
To him declared how he drowned was
In Acheronte, a riuer of great fame,
Besyde a towne Pandosia was the name.

[Page ci]
And (as it is remembred) and ytolde
Of this notable mighty stronge cite,
It was in Grece buylte of dayes olde,
And after Pyrrus called Pyrothe:
Where as the kyng helde his royall se,
And as bokes also determyne,
This Alexander came of the same lyne.

Of whose kynred is made playne mencion,
Sonne to Achilles was kyng Pyrrus,
And next in order by succession
Father to Alexander was Neoptolomus,
Whiche had also mine auctour telleth thus,
A full fayre daughter, the story ye may sene,
Olympiades, of Macedony quene.

And she was wedded to Philip of Macedo,
Whilom mother this quene of most renoun
To Alexander, the story telleth so,
Whiche all the worlde brought in subiection:
Whose father Philyp of great affection
Let crowne the brother of Olympiades,
Called Alexander to raygne in Pyrothes.

To whom Philyp for his great beautie,
Because he was so fayre a creature
Had suche affection and specialtie
As it is remembred in scripture,
Of false foule luste against nature
As sayth Bochas, I can him not excuse,
Vnlefully he did his beauty vse.

And by meane of that horrible dede,
Whiche to rehearce is to foule a thing,
This said Philyp (in Bochas thus I rede)
In Epirothes he made him to be kyng:
And of extorcion by recorde of writyng,
Causeles from thence he did enchace,
The kyng Arabba tho raignyng in yt place.

And it fell after the story telleth so
Of this Alexander by serious rehearsayle,
Vpon the death of Philyp of Macedo
With a great host came into Itayle,
Supposyng greatly for to auayle,
To occupy after his proude entent
Wholly the boundes of all the occident.

And though so be yt fortune be chaungeable,
Double also by course of her nature,
At his ginnyng he founde her fauourable:
Made him twise proudly to recure
Gayne them of Luke, to their disconfiture
To haue the felde, & maugre al their might,
Of very force to put them vnto flyght.

Agaynst Itaile when he gan this warre
Fully in purpose the Romayns to assayle,
Of hye presumption procede he gan so farre
With many a prince that was in his battayle,
To knowe afore by certaine diuinaile
Of his conquest, the boundes for to cast,
And of his life how longe it should last.

And in the temple of Jupiter the grete
By diuinours that expert were and olde,
Seruyng this god wtin the lande of Crete,
This was the answere which thei to him told
And it affirmed by tokens manifolde:
How he ne should eschue the dredefull date,
Ouer the day assigned to his last fate.

And they also assigned a place
Therby to haue knowlegyng more clere,
Vnder a citie longe and large of space
Called Pandosia, and for to go more nere,
By Acheront a famous great riuere,
Tolde him playnly & could no farder sey
But of necessitie there he must nedes dey.

And though it were an earnest and no iape
Of god ordeyned not to be set asyde,
He thought of wisdome his desteny to escape
And otherwise for him selfe prouide:
Cast in Grece no lenger to abyde,
Wenyng this riuer nor that faire citye
Saue in Grece should no where els haue be.

And for to set him selfe in assuraunce
Of entent to eschue his destinie,
Into thre battayles departyng his puissaūce,
Came to Itayle tofore Luke the citie,
They with helpe of Samoys the countrye,
With a great power came out anone ryght
Slew all his knyghtes & put hym to flyght.

At the backe they pursued hym so nere
That hys enemyes were almost on hym fall,
Vnto a brydge broke wyth the ryuere,
And ouerturned with hys plankes all:
And Acheronte men dyd that ryuer call,
As was tolde him by a certayn knyght,
Whyche rode before him the ryuer in his sight

For by a rayne that fyll the same nyght
The ryuer waxt to a dredefull floude,
And not farre thens in the kynges syght
Vpon the water a little towne there stode,
[Page]Whiche made the kyng to chaunge his bloud,
And specially his pryde gan attame,
Whan he wyst Pandosia was the name.

And than he gan most dredfully remembre,
Callyng to mynde the priestes diuinayle,
Whiche made him quake in euery membre
For very feare, and his breathe to fayle:
No man coulde him wishe nor counsayle,
On euery party he stode so on the wracke,
The floude tofore hi his enemies at his backe

To take the riuer he stode in mortall drede,
And if that he his enemies did abyde
He wyst well that he was but deade,
Passage was none for to turne asyde:
Thus dissolate he stode withouten gyde,
Thought it better to ieoparde the ryuere,
Than wt his enemies y• folowed him so nere.

These mortal dredes his hart gan cōstrayne
Drede of the floude for to haue passage,
Behinde his enemies y• gan at him disoaine,
Lest he were slayne in that mortall rage,
His fate approchyng he but yong of age,
The toun Pandosia the tokens did expresse,
With  [...]cheronte that bare therof witnesse.

And whan that he put in auenture
To passe the floude, or els to be deade,
One whom he most trusted of any creature
Toke a spere square and sharpe the heade,
And at his backe he quakyng in his drede
Trayterously through plate and mayle,
Perced his hart, the bloud abrode gan rayle.

And as it is also of him remembred,
The Luca [...]oyes by vengeable vyolence
They haue his carayne on pieces dismēbred,
Tyll an olde lady beyng in presence,
Required them of humble pacience
That she of grace gader myght anone,
His membres all, and ioyne them into one.

And after to sende them vnto his sister dere,
Olympyades, the stately great quene,
That of affection and loue most entere
Whan it befell that she did them sene,
Should of nature as it muste nedes bene
We [...]e and prouyde in his estate royall,
To bury the body with feast funerall.

Se here example of this proude kyng,
Whiche would haue scaped his fatal desteny,
Chaunge of places auayle [...] hym nothyng,
Periodie of prynces may not chaunged be,
The terme set fro whyche they may not fle:
For whan heuyn of death hath set the date,
No mortall man may eschue hys fate.

The .xi. Chapter.

☞ How Dary king of Perce and Mede was outrayed by Alexander kyng of Macedon.

IN Alexander called Epirothes
Me lyst as now no lenger for to tary,
Slayn at mischefe for he was retchles
Double of corage for he could chaūge & vary,
For turne I will my pen to kyng Dary
Whiche that whilom who so lyst take hede,
Most mightely raigned in Perce and Mede.

And among other notable warriours
Like as I deme by heauenly influence,
Onely by title of his predecessours,
And through his prudent excellence,
To great encrease of his magnificence,
He had all Asie, as made is mencion,
Vnder his lordship and dominacion.

And as myne auctor Bochas doth defyne,
He was discended from the imperiall bloude,
Of Artaxerses, and borne eke of that lyne:
Passed all prynces of treasure and of goode,
In Perce & Mede his great empyre stoode,
An hūdred prouynces tencrease of puissaunce,
And seuen & thirty he had in gouernaunce.

Ouer all Asie towarde the orient
His lordshyp last, bokes make mynde,
And he had eke toward the occident
Ouer Egypt power (as I fynde)
The redde sea was not left behynde,
Demyng hym selfe of all earthly treasour,
Was none but he lorde and gouernoure.

Toward Septētrion vnder y• midday spere,
His power raught and hys regaly,
Ouer Inde, in cronicles ye may lere,
And to the boundes of great Armenye,
Lorde of the kingdome yt called is Parthy:
Worldly folke dempt hym wt god egall▪
Master to fortune, & she not but hys thrall.

But in his hyghest exaltacion
Of worldly glory, he could not preuayle
[Page cii]For all his riches and vaine ambicion,
But fortune durst him wel assayle:
In his most royal riche apparayle,
Cast in her chaūges to giue hī a sharpe shoure
By Alexander of Grece enheritour.

Vnto purpose I will my penne dresse,
For to declare and make mencion
How proude Dary in his most nobles,
Was by Fortune from his seate  [...]ast doun:
For anone after the coronacion
Of Alexander, in Macedone kyng,
This was the processe of his workyng.

He not delayed nor made no long date,
In purpose fully of yre to procede,
Of Perce & Mede the scepters to translate,
All their riches to conquere and possede,
Perpetually for no abide in dede,
Vnder grekes mighty obeysaunce,
In Macedone, to haue the gouernaunce.

And (as mine auctour) well reherce can,
He set in Grece the mighty stronge citye
Of Corinthe, the metropolitan
There to establishe his imperiall see:
In regalibus whan he list crowned be,
As man whō god liste of his might to marke,
The world to cōquere, & be therof monarke.

At the ginnyng of his conquest famous,
Through out Grece in euery region,
First he chose out of his fathers house
Knightes yt were most souerayne of renowne,
Notable in armes, and of condicion
Faithfull & true, which had of high prudence
Foresight in armes, of marciall prouidence.

To them he did full notably assygne
As men expert in knightly apparayles,
To make his stuffe with many a riche signe,
And forge of stele his plate and his mayles:
Gaue them the rule to gouerne in battayles,
For prouidence (of yore it hath be tolde)
Full muche auayleth of knightes wise & olde.

All this accomplished he list no lenger tary,
This worthy kyng, but wt his ordinaunce
Purposed to begyn on kyng Dary,
And (as it is put in remembraunce)
In most proude wise he gan him selfe auaūce,
First in his way to brenne and beate downe,
Of hasty yre, Thebes the mighty towne.

After he gate two mighty regions
The one of Frigie, the other called Lyde
Set by olde tyme were their founda [...]ions
Vpon two riuers, runnyng there beside,
whose goldē grauels their brightnes mai not hide
Paceolus, and Euxyne men them call
Richest of stremes though men reken all.

And of his conquest farder to termyne,
He wan Isauria a prouince wonder stronge
In Asia one chiefest of the nyne,
And Pamphile a kingdome large and longe,
He gate also were it right or wronge:
For where yt conquest haue any title of right,
My cūning it passeth my reason & my might.

I toke no party nor me lyst not tary
In this matter, but forth I will procede,
How Alexander hasted towarde Dary
To atcheue his cōqueste of Perce & of Mede:
But first he came to Frigia I rede,
Into a citye the name to specify,
Thylke dayes it named was Gordy.

After mine auctoure affirme well I dare,
There was a tēple in Frigia (thus saith he)
Of Jupiter, in whiche there stode a chare
With ropes bounde of stones and pyrre,
Amonge whiche men might beholde and se
A fatall knotte, by craft made so subtile,
That no man could vndo it by no wyle.

For who that had science or cunnynge
That curious knot to lose or vntwyne,
Ouer Asye he should be crowned kyng:
And Alexander as bokes determyne,
Seinge this chare, knitte with many line,
And how it semed a maner impossible
To seuer it, whiche was indiuisible.

The chare wt coardes was so enterlaced
That rychely stode in  [...]oues tabernacle,
Whiche by his witte coulde not be enbraced,
Neither by craft nor no solemne myracle:
Tyll Alexander by a diuyne oracle
Drew out his sworde, wherof mē had wōder,
Carfe the knotte & cordes all asunder.

Wherby he wyst that he was ordeyned
Ouer all Asye to be lorde and kyng,
Whiche to reioyce this story is not fayned
He rode like Mars, his battayles cōueiyng,
Through Perce & mede, his stāderds splayig
Toward his cōquest, where I let him dwell,
[Page]And of his chare & knottes I will you tell.

Prudent Justinus an olde croniclere,
In his cronicles rehearseth this story,
Nowe Gordius a pore laborer
Beside the citye that called is Gordie,
 [...]ryng his lande did his oxen gye:
And all maner foules that hath flyght
Hye in the ayre appeared in his syght.

Vnknowe to him the token what it meant,
With diuinours cast him to counsayle,
Called  [...]ugures, which holy in their entent,
Knowen the processe of such diuinayle
Where it shall profite eyther disauayle:
And at the gate of Gordy the citye,
He met a mayde excelling of beautie

Whiche from aboue by heauenly influence
Had from her byrth a maner knowledgyng,
In suche augury, great practike and science,
Whiche to Gordius expowned euery thyng:
Sayd of Asie he should be lorde and kyng,
And raygne there duryng all his lyfe,
In hope wherof, she became his wyfe.

After his weddyng he waxt fortunate,
The cronicle can beare me well recorde,
There tyll in Frigy a sodayne great debate
Among the commons a mortall discorde,
Knowyng no meane to bryng thē at accorde,
Tyll their goddes by notable prouidence,
Taught them a way to appease their violēce.

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• 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 att [...]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 presūption 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 yt 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 presēce
Had had in armes longe experience:
Were well preued in marciall disciplyne,
Tenha [...]ce his cōquest by their prudēt doctrin

Whiche in y• iourney haue thē so well borne,
That in their nobles founde was no lacke,
[Page ciii]For syxty thousande of fotemen thē 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• were so large & wyde,
There were that day in theyr mortal striues,
Nat full thre .C. whiche y• 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 yt 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• 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 forg [...]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,
F [...]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 countenaūce,
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 dede,
But this false traytour god sende hym mys­chaunce,
Caused his woundes mortally to blede:
Yet or he died, he sent in all his drede
[Page]A Percien knyght sad and of great age,
To Alysander, to tell hym his message.

To thanke that prince of his hye noblesse,
Which of his grace & mercy most habounde
Hym lyst to shew so great gentylnesse
Vnto my wife, and children as it is founde,
For which to hym I am so muche bounde,
That he myne enemy of hys benignite
In theyr distresse lyst haue of them pite.

And sith I see that nedes I must dey
Through blody woūdes, whiche I maye nat recure,
Say Alisander of grace that I pray
For to haue ruth of myne auenture,
Next to ordayne for my sepulture:
And condiscende to graunte myne askyng,
For to be buryed as longeth to a kyng.

Praying the gods which be immortall
Whan he hath done to quyte hym hys mede,
That of his mercy most imperyall
Hym lyst of grace for to take hede
To bury me kyng of Perce and Mede:
For yf this tauour be in his hert founde,
To his noblesse the fame shall aye rebounde.

Requyryng hym of his imperyall myght,
Of my foule murder to see eche circumstaūce:
For murder alway calleth to god of ryght,
Neuer cessyng but by continuaunce
Vp to the heauen to crye for vengeaunce,
Namely on murder compassed and thought
Which by auisement is execute & wrought.

And sythe I haue layd on the thys bonde
To Alysander to do my message,
And him coniured here with my ryght hande
Tauege my deth wrought by great outrage,
My blode out shed with pale & deed visage,
Here boude in stockes to gods most benigne,
With ryght hole hert my sprite I resygne.

Thus he lay starke, ther was found no abode
Lyke as another mortall creature,
When Alysander the murder vnderstode
As ye haue herde remembred by scripture,
He dyd ordayne for his sepulture
The funerall feast to holde in all thynges
As by olde tyme longed vnto kynges.

¶ Lenuoye

THis tragedy pitous for to here,
Sheweth of tortune y• chaunges lameble,
Of royal trones, of gold & stones clere
Of worldly princes howe they be vnstable:
Their fatal whele most diuers & chaūgeable,
With vnware turne lyst nat her course tary
To throw thē downe, recorde of king Dary.

Who can or may be ful assured here
To make fortune to be so treatable,
To finde out a way or searche out the manere
By obligation to fynde her immutable?
Her double face, the worlde aye disceyuable,
Shew eche daye howe falsely they can vary,
By couert fraude, recorde of kyng Dary.

Example how Phebus with his bemes clere
Sheweth some day his lyght most agreable,
But long or eue darkenes dothe appere
Through cloudy mystes, & raynes durable:
To vs declaryng by tokens full notable,
Worldly dignities now fresh now contrary,
Can change her tydes, recorde of king Dary.

Through al Asye, Perce, and Mede yfere,
His lordshyp last, a thing incomparable,
To Ethiope vnder the mydday spere,
Ful of treasure with golde innumerable
His boundes raught, fortune eke seruisable
To obey hys lustes tyll she gan falsely vary,
By expert fraude to preue her might in Dary

Noble princes with hole hert and entere
Lyfte vp your corages, holde thys no fable,
Though ye syt hye conceyue with good there
No worldlye lordshyp in erth is perdurable:
And sith ye be of nature reasonable,
Among remembre as thyng most necessary
All stant vpon chaūge, recorde of king Dary.

The .xii. Chapter.

¶ Here Bochas remembreth the batayles and losse of realmes of antiquitie, with the fallyng of diuers nobles.

HEre gineth Bochas remēbre in certaine
The great sorowes, y• mortal disaueyls
The losse of realines, y• blod shed i vaine
Begon of warres and marciall appareyls,
Called to mynde of olde the fell batayls
Gon of antiquitie, as made is mencion,
First atwene Grekes & them of Troy  [...]ou [...].

[Page ciiii]
A pitous hert it woulde make blede,
To haue in memorie the great outrage
As ye haue heard wrought in Perce & Mede
Atwene Dary and Alysandre in theyr age,
Eke at wene Romains & them of Cartage,
The wofull troubles of warres firste begon,
Causeth all mischefes that ben vnder the son.

On outher partie who can remembre aryght
Nowe losse, nowe lucre, cometh of diuision:
Now disencrease, now heauye & now lyght,
Now life now dethe, for short conclusion,
For Bochas sayth suche false discention
Hath many kyngdomes y• stode in hye estate,
Tourned to tuyne, and made them desolate.

Remēbre of Troy the walles broke downe,
In Grece distroyed manyla stronge cyte,
In Perce and Mede great desolation,
Rome dispurueyed of marciall surete,
Castels and tours of olde antiquite
Made ruynous, in Affryke and Cartage,
Caused by warres & Martes cruel rage.

Who lyst consider wrought by dayes olde
The course of conquest of these warriours,
In Alysander he clerely maye beholde,
By remembraunce of his progenytours,
And of hys blode, howe all the successours
Had fatally or they dyd hence wende,
A sodayne deth or a shamefull ende.

Full many reckened that wer of hys lynage
For to succede in hys possessions,
To syxe and thirty partyng his heritage
To eche assigned theyr royall portions,
First as he made hys diuisions
He gaue of Frigie the prefecture of ryght
To Leonatus that was so good a knyght.

But a lytle whyle last hys possession,
For the countrees lyst hym nat obey,
They of Athenes had indignation
With Antipater for he dyd warrey:
Yet in that warre, playnly for to say,
Leostenes theyr duke, theyr gouernour,
Was slayne y• day he found no better succour.

And Leonatus that was his aduersary,
Of Antipater the partye to sustene,
Founde fortune that daye to hym contrary:
For in the felde though he rode armed clene,
With a spere his wounde was made grene
At mischefe slayne, myne auctour doth cōpile
Thus his lordshyp last nat but a whyle.

Antipater another successour
Of Alysander as made is mencion,
Was by recorde the same false traytour
That for his death tempered the poyson,
Hys son Cassāder accōplished the trayson,
Bare the cup which that made hym sterue,
With y• strong poyson when he dyd him serue.

Antipater of this crime culpable,
Greatly desyred in his opinion
Vpon all tho than to be vengeable,
That likely were to espye his trayson:
Drede hym sore hauyng suspection
Lest he were accused to the estates,
Of crime called lese maiestatis.

Hys soone assented to that horrible dede,
Which to Alysander beyng in Babylone,
Most traytourly without shame or drede
As ye haue heard, presented the poysone:
And yet the kyng as made is mencion,
Though he to hym false was and contrary,
He made him prefect, lord of y• land of Cary.

And among other notable warriours,
There were thre more ful worthy & famous,
Set in the numbre of his enheritours,
Polycarpus, and Neoptolonius
And eche of them to other enuious:
Within a felde the storye dothe vs lere,
Eueriche slewe other as they met yfere.

Of Perdicas what should I write or sayne,
Which among all was one the best knyght▪
That whan Alysander laye diyng certayne
And gan to feble of hys force & myght,
Dempt afore that it sat ful well of ryght,
How thys Perdicas for wisdom & manhede,
In Macedone shoulde after hym succede.

And vnto hym with loke & chere benigne
Vpon his heed for sickenesse complaynyng,
With full whole hert, for a notable signe
Of succession he gaue to hym a ryng,
After his day to be crowned kyng
Of Macedone, sith he most might auayle
Through al his empyre to haue y• gouernaile

And yet sayth Bochas playnly in sentence,
Though he of knyghthode and hie prowesse,
Of manly force, and also of prudence,
Passed all other, the storye beareth witnesse:
[Page]By vicious pride & frowarde boystousnesse,
He was more hyndred through his outrage,
Than all his enemyes myght do hī domage.

For throughe his pride and great extorcions,
Fro Macedone the people of that countre
Fledde into other strange regions,
And of presumption the story sayth howe he
Began a warre agayne kyng Tholome:
Where he was slayne in all mens syghtes,
Nat of his enemies but of his own knightes.

Eke of Anaxarchus of Capadoce kyng
Whiche prouince ioyneth vnto Surry,
Touchyng the boūdes by recorde of writyng
Towarde the Orient, the lande of Armeny,
Hauyng two coūtryes Scilice and Isaury,
Towarde Cypre & a great ryuere
Rennyng amiddes with stremes freshe and clere.

This Anaxarchus were he lothe or fayne,
In dayes fewe hath hys kyngdome lorne,
For by Perdicas proudly he was slayne,
Of whom that I haue you tolde beforne:
Thus worldly prices tho they had it sworne,
For all theyr lordshyp and domination,
By fraude of fortune vnwarly be put doune.

And amonge other prynces of that age,
Vpon Alysander duly abydyng,
Bochas reherseth Amylchar of Cartage,
Duke of that cite by recorde of writyng,
After the death of that worthy kyng,
As ye haue herde ymurdred by poyson,
This sayd Amylchar repeyringe to his toun

Was slayne in Cartage, shortly to conclude,
Of cruel malice and conspiracion,
Within that cite of false ingratitude,
Whan he of knighthode frāchised had yt tow­ne,
And nat withstandyng all his hye renoune,
Whan he stode hyest in hys felicite,
He by the commons was slayne of that cite.

The .xiii. Chapter.

❧ Howe Eumenydes was twyse outrayed by Antigonus and at the last dyed in pryson.

WHā Alisader in his roial estate
Had all conquered tofore as ye haue herd
He like a god most pompous & elate,
As souerayne prince of all myddleerde,
To take vpon hym was nothyng aferde,
To clayme in countrees a thynge y• was nat fayre,
Of Jupiter to be both sonne & heyre.

One of the principles, who so taketh hede
That first brought in false ydolatry,
Was thylke tyme yt priestes for false drede
Hys name with goddes gan to magnify,
And so to call hym of fayned flattery:
And mydde their tēples in Liby on a stage,
Of hys lykenes they set vp an ymage.

But lytle or nought to hym it myght auayle
Agayne his deth for to do succour,
When the fell poyson hys hert dyd assayle
Whiche made him fade as doth a flour,
Of whose empyre was none enheritour,
Saue in his deth thus stode the woful case,
Twene sixe & thirty hys land deuyded was

And in his story full playnly it is tolde,
This departicion to make it ferme & stable
He was laide forth vpon a couche of golde,
To reherse by tokens full notable
Whome he dempt of very sothe most able
Of all his princes playnly to discerne,
When he was deed, his kingdom to gouerne.

First there was one amonge all that prees
Next Alysander the knightlyest man,
The worthy knyght called Eumenides,
Whose high renoun ful well rehearse can
Prudent Justinus, the great historian,
Ordayned afore to gouerne realmes two,
All Capadoce and Pafflagony also.

His hie nobles as made is mention
In especiall more to magnify,
Hym lacked nought of commendacion
That apparteyned vnto chiualry,
To hie prudence, or noble policy:
Except thre thinges myn auctor sayth y• same
A crowne, a scepter, and a kynges name.

But for that he all other dyd excell
Bothe of prudence and famous chiualry,
It is remembred as some bokes tell,
That there were some had therat enuy:
For when fortune lyst to set vp an hye
Any person aloft vpon her whele,
Some are besyde that like it neuer a dele.

Who holdeth him euer vpon hie mountaynes
[Page cv]Fyndeth great experiece of blastes & shours,
Oft is troubled with storme wind & raines,
So of Alysander the proude successours
Whan they sat freshest in theyr flours,
Winde of enuy, fortune helde so the rother,
That eche was busy to destroy other.

On hylles hye it is an impossible
A man to abyde without winde or reyne,
A thyng expert and very visible,
Hye climbyng vp is medled with disdeyne:
Preace hath enuy as it is oft seyne,
And through preferryng of fortune  [...] estates,
Is euer cause of great warre and debates.

This same thinge was well expert & preued
Among these sayd royall enherytours
Of Alysander, for eche of them was greued
To see hys felow raygne in his flours:
And thus atwene these myghty successours
Of false enuy there gan so great a stryfe,
That eche made other for to lose hys lyfe.

And as it is afore made mencion,
Pollicarpus and Neptolonyus
By a maner false conspiracion
Agayne Eumenides were onely enuious,
Of whose falsenesse he was suspicious,
Tyll on a day there is no more to sayne,
Metyng in battayle slew them both twayne

For which slaughter proude Antigonus,
Of Macedone prefect and gouernour,
Wext in his heart so fell and dispitous,
And was withal a noble warriour,
With his knightes dyd wholly his labour
Agayne Eumenides by marciall apparayle,
A felde assigned to holde great battayle.

Made vpon him a great discomfiture,
As they mette armed bryght in stele:
And thus Eumenides of mortall auenture
Fledde at mischefe into a strong castell,
Wherof his knightes lyked neuer a dole:
For as the story playnly maketh mynde,
That day he fled and left his men behynde.

In which castell for he stode destitute,
Fro thencehe cast in all hast to flye,
In his great mischefe to fynde some refute
That time he drew him to a strāge countrye,
Some succour to get auenged for to be,
Called Argyre, by Grekes of entent,
The Latyn corrupt of this worde argent.

Of Argiraspedes a people that there dwell
The name they toke after that region,
The whiche lande as olde bokes tell
Hath of syluer plente and foyson:
For which cause by olde discription,
It toke the name of nature and of ryght,
Because the soyle like syluer shyneth bryght.

And of thys yle which hath so great a pryse
As myne authour maketh rehersayle,
How the people be prouident and wyse,
Prudent in armes, and manly in batayle,
Bothe to defende and proudlye to assayle:
Whiche by theyr wisdome & good counsayle,
To kyng Alysander stode in great auayle.

And Eumenides one of his successours,
As ye haue herde drewe to that countre,
There to fynde some refute and succours
In his mischefe and great aduersite:
And for his wordes of great authorite,
His noble langage and his fayre eloquence,
The people had him in ful great reuerence.

And for they were manly and coragious,
Able to assemble bothe plate and mayle,
He made them rise agaynst Antigonus,
By theyr prowes with hym to haue batayle:
But of fortune hys party gan to fayle,
Wher thilke people, the story telleth thus,
Had afore ben full victorious.

Antigonus hath the felde recured,
That day his knightes fought lyke wodely­ons
In furious tene of hys corage assured,
Brake theyr tentes and pauilions,
Spoiled their castels robbed their d [...]geons,
Where that countre vnwarely thus affrayed
Had neuer afore in batayle ben outrayed.

And of dispite this people recheles,
Caught in their hert great indignation
Agayne their prynce, this sayd Eumenides,
Which had thē brought to their destruction:
And all the people of one opinion
Presented him it was nat after longe,
To Antigonus bounde in chaynes strong.

In this proces brefely to procede,
At great mischefehe dyed in prysone:
He found no mercy playnly as I rede,
For all his noblesse nor hys hye renoune,
Yet of hys manhode made is mencion,
Who that story lyst to loke aryght,
[Page]With Alysander there was no better knight.

In hys conquest euery hour and space
He was most cheryshed for hys hye noblesse,
Aboue all other stode most in his grace,
To helpe and releue folke in their distresse:
All be that he dyed in wretchednesse,
To vs declaryng the great variaunces,
That all daye fall in fortunes chaunces.

¶ Lenuoye.

THys tragedy of duke Eumenides
She weth of fortune ye great doublenes,
How worldly princes that ben recheles
With vnware chaunges fall into distresse:
And there may be no greater heuynesse
After prosperite, nor greater payne
Than aduersite which that is sodayne.

Greatest enuy where is greatest preace,
Greatest awayte where is most rychesse,
And greatest ease where is rest and peace,
Where most discorde most is heuynesse:
And of all sorow sorow fullest excesse,
Is thylke sorow y• dothe a man constrayne,
After prosperite with aduersite sodayne.

Princes in erthe of power peerles
Which excelled all other in noblesse,
Had in this worlde by cōquest most encrees,
As Alysander the story bereth wytnesse:
Remēbre the fyne of all theyr hye prowesse,
And the triūphes to which they dyd attayne,
After prosperite aduersite sodayne.

The strong enheritours which yt he out chees
Sixe & thirty, the nombre to expresse,
Whiche hadde possession of kyngdoms dout­les,
Eche thyng obeying to their worthynesse,
Tyl fortune through her wunted doublenesse
Shewed her myght vnwarely to ordayne,
After prosperite aduersite sodayne.

Noble prynces to auoyde all disencrees
Amonge your selues discordes to represse,
Be nat enuyous, nor yrous causeles,
Worke nothyng of hasty wylfulnesse:
Let discretion be your gouerneresse,
For there must folow yf ye parte on twayne,
After prosperite aduersite sodayne.

The .xiiii. Chapiter.

❧ Howe Queene Olympiades, for she delyted in vyces, murdre, and vengeaunce, dyed at mischefe.

NExt in order to Bochas dyd appere
After the mischefe of Eumenides,
The great quene wt a full pitous chere
Mother of Alysander, Olympiades,
Borne of the lyne of Gaades
Amonge quenes (her story bereth wytnesse)
Excelled all other in beauty and rychesse.

She was doughter to Neoptolomus
The mighty kyng of Epirothes,
And had suspecte how Neptanabus
By enchauntment put hym selfe in prees
Of wifely trouth to make her recheles:
But Bochas here for to saue her name,
Writeth but lytle of her disclaunderous fame.

This sayd quene right fayre of her visage,
Was first brought forth in thylke regions
Where all the worthy of blode and of lynage,
Helde theyr scepters, and their ryche crouns,
Through all Grece with full possessions:
So that this quene that tyme nere and farre
Was of beaute, called the lode starre.

But among al her great prosperitees,
Her youth flowig in most souerayne noblesse
Her ioye was meddled wt great aduersitees,
Whan Philip Maredo in her great heuinesse
Was mortally wounded in distresse,
In Cythia by a certayne nation
Called Triboloys, as made is mencion.

For in that countre vpon a certayne day,
Where as he faught and dyd hys best payne,
To gette a cite, and at a siege lay,
And for thassaute dyd his stuffe ordayne,
He lost vnwarely one of his eyen twayne:
That whan the quene behelde hys wounde,
For sorow she fell platte vnto the grounde.

Another thyng, bokes specifye
Troubled her fame by great heuynesse,
The suspecte sclaunder of aduoutry
Wrought by Neptauabus, enchauntyng her fayrenes,
The light eciipsyng of hie nobles,
By swifte report for to hynder her name,
What flieth more swifte then wicked fame?

In womanhede (as authours all wryte)
Most thing cōmended is theyr chast honeste,
[Page cvi]Thyng moste sclaundrous their nobles to a­twite
Is whan princesses of hasty freeite,
Excede the boundes of wifely chastyte:
For what auayleth linage or royall bloode,
Whan of theyr liuyng ye reporte is nat goode?

The holy bedde defoyled of maryage
Or ones soyled may nat recured be,
The voyce goth forth & the froward langage
By many realmes and many a great cite,
Sclaunder hath a custome (and that is pite)
Crew outher false by contagious sowne
Ones reysed it goth nat lyghtly downe.

And to more hindryng of Olympiades,
Philippe away dyd from her deciyne,
And of the kyng of Epyrothes
The wyfe he toke to hys concubine
Called Cleopatra playnely to termine,
And thus in myschefe tencrease of her trou­ble
Their false aduoutrie gan to wexe double.

Of this proces write wyll I no more
Cause the matter is abhominable,
For kyng Philip the bargayne bought sore
As is remembred by cronicles ful notable,
Slayne on a day syttyng at hys table
Full sodaynly or he toke any hede,
Pausanias dyd that cruell dede.

Of which slaughter folowed a strange case
As ye haue herde by Pausanias wrought,
Olympiades full glad and mery was,
Heuy outwarde her heart voyde of thought:
Yet faynyngly she hath wayes out sought
For hym to holde solempne and royall,
Lyke Grekes rightes, a feast funerall.

After whose dethe wrought of great cruelte,
Kyng Alysander made no lenger let
Made Pansonias taken for to be,
And to be hanged vpon an hye gybet:
Vpon whose head there was a crowneset
Of golde and peerle, and riche stones Inde,
By Olympiades in story as I fynde.

For he stode greatly in the quenes grace,
And as folke dempt of suspection,
They met together in many priuy place,
Which greatly tourned to her confusion:
For noyse arose through all that region
That by thoccasion of theyr mislyuyng,
How Pausanias slough Philyp the kyng.

But she anone in her malice feruent,
Fro the gybet made hym to be take doun:
Made his body solempnely to be brent
Kept his exequies with great oblat [...]on,
After the ryghtes of that region:
Nat left behinde in partie nor in all
That appertayned to feastes funerall.

Vpon kynge Philyp as it were for the nones
To do her lorde a shame or a despyte,
Solempnely she made brenne the bones,
Of Pausanias, for a false appetite:
Vnto no man she had so great delite,
For which this feast was like in all thinges,
To thexequies of prynces and of kynges.

She made his swerde also to be take
With whiche he slough Philyp the kyng,
Offred it vp onely for hys sake
Tofore Appollo, by recorde of writyng:
Which to her was sclaundre & hyndryng,
Caused folke deme in their entent
To slee kyng Philyp, how she was of assent.

To be cruel was set all her pleasaunce,
For mercylesse voyde of all pyte,
On Cleopatra causynge thys vengeaunce,
That she her selfe henge vpon a tree:
Murdred her doughter the storye ye may se,
What malyce may, yf it be declared,
Vnto the malyce of women be compared.

Speke of them that be malycious
And lyst of custome for to be vengeable,
Amonge a thousande one may be vertuous
And in two thousand some one is merciable,
But when they be of rancour vntretable,
There is no Tygre more cruel doutles,
Recorde I take, of Olympiades.

And she of malice was more set of fyre
To execute boldly her vengeaunce,
By the occasion of the great empyre
Of Perce & Mede, ful famous in substa [...]ce,
Which stode by cōquest vnder y• gouernaunce
Of Alysander, wherby she thought her strōg
Ta [...]heue eche thyng were it right or wrong.

Dempte her power should aye contune
By the meane of hys hygh maieste,
God is stronger than the quene fortune
Which suffred her son in her most dignite
In Babylone, poysoned for to be:
As is remembred in many olde storyes,
[Page]After his triumphes and his victoryes.

But for to passe brefely to the wrytyng
Touchyng the quene as made is mention,
Whan deed was Philyp the famous kyng
She had of Macedone full possession:
And gouerned that myghty region
Wher like a wolues as auctours of her write
To shede blode she gan her selfe delyte.

In her tyranny most feruent and yrous
Reioysed in slaughter and to see men blede,
For serpent none was more malicious
Then was this quene, in bokes ye may rede:
Yet after all this she receyued her mede,
For though fortune fauoured her a whyle,
Yet with her trains she coude her wel begile.

Thende of tyrantes and eke of tyrannesses,
And of murdrers be they neuer so woode,
Of poysonmongers, and enchauntresses,
Of false supplantours contrary to all goode,
And of conspirers, & them that thryst bloode:
All these must haue by goddes purueyaunce,
Here short lyfe or sodayne vengeaunce.

In Macedone this quene was most behated
For her vengeable mortall oppression,
And Cassander against her hath debated,
And gun a warre vpon her region,
Which to Alysander ministred the poyson,
As ye haue herd tofore of hym deuysed,
By Antipater most mortally practysed.

She founde no refute but toke her to flyght
This cruell quene, this Olympiades,
Into a moūtaine that stode ferre out of sight,
And of her kyn there folowed great prees,
Supposyng to haue lyued there in pees,
For on that hyll stode a great dongeon,
Strongly walled about enuyron.

Whiche that marched to a great cite
Called Epidua, standyng in great dout,
Because Cassander of olde enmyte
Had for her layde a siege about,
And none so hardy for to issue out,
Tyll Cassander of false compassed trayson,
Made with them a composicion.

Hys faythe was layde that tyme for hostage,
By othe assured to Olympiades,
By couert fraude vnder fayre langage
To suffer her with him to lyue in pees:
But of his promyse he false was & recheles,
For vnder treatie as made is mencion,
The quene he toke, and cast her pryson.

But wyll ye se a royall hye corage,
Howe boldly delyuered fro pryson
She discended, imperial of visage,
With all her maydens about her enuyron:
Her enemyes present, woder than Lyon
Seyng her stande so stately of her face,
When they were proudest to arest her & ma­nace

She was of purpose arayed for the nones
(As sayth Bochas) in most stately wyse,
In ryche purple golde and precious stones,
Lyke an empresse in the Grekyshe gyse:
Herlyst nat flye, the storye doth deuyse,
With crye nor noyse passed nat her boūdes,
Whan the blodye rayled from her woundes.

She nat afrayed in all her mortall shours,
Voyde of all feare lyst nat bowe her chyne,
Make no prayer to her tourmentours,
Nor no token of corage feminine:
Vpryght she stode lyst nat downe declyne,
Gaue euidence as it is comprehended,
Of what lyne and blode she was discended.

For vnto the tyme she gaue vp the brethe,
Was neuer seyne prince nor pryncesse
That more proudly toke their fatal dethe,
For as I deme her marciall hardynesse
Came frō Bellona, of armes chefe goddesse,
Or she had it by influence of corage,
Youe by the goddes to her and her lynage.

Force is a vertue, as bokes specify,
Agayne all vices to make resystence,
But frowarde rancour, and proude melācoly
Gaue her a spirite of fayned pacience,
A false pretence of her magnificence,
As scaunce she had ben in vertue strong,
For trouth to haue endured euery wrong.

Contrarious force made her dispitous,
Stronge in her errour to endure payne,
Of obstinat heart she was fell and yrous,
In dethes constraynt lyst nat to complayne:
Counterfayte suffraunce made her to fayne,
Nothyng of vertue playnely to termine,
Nor of no maners that be feminine.

In her entrayles all malyce was enclosed,
And all contagious venym serpentyne,
[Page cvii]Nat lyke a woman but as a fende disposed,
Able to distroy all vertuous discipline:
Thus she began thus she dyd also fine,
In vicious murdre she dyd her aye delyte,
Wherfore of her me lyst no more tendyte.

¶ Lenuoye.

ALye that shall thys tragedy se,
Of ruth & mercy haue compassion,
To see a princes from her imperiall see
So vnwarely by fortune throwen doun:
Of whose mischese this was thoccasion,
In thre thinges was set most her pleasaunce
In vicious life, in murder, & in vengeaunce.

Alas that euer the mortall cruelte
Of blody swerde, by execucion
Shoulde be appropried to feminite,
Agayne the nature of theyr condition,
Causyng the finall sclaunderous confusion
Of Olympiades, here put in remembraunce,
For vicious lyfe, murdre, & false vengeaunce.

Vnder freshe floures sote and fayre to se,
The serpent dareth with his couert poyson,
In christ all waters that calme and sote be
Are peryllous pittes full of deception,
Men se all day by clere inspection,
In faynyng faces angelyke suffisaunce,
Hyd vnderneth rancour & great vengeaunce.

Though she excelled of her natife beaute
All other pryncesses of that region.
Yet was neuer none feller sene than she,
To execute lyke her opinion
The perylous traynes contriued of trayson:
And specially in her pompous greuaunce,
Where she hated, for to do vengeaunce.

Noble prynces set hye in dignite,
Do aduertise of discretion,
In your most power and largest liberte
Be merciable, and do remission:
Suger with pite your indignation,
Let grace & mercy tempre your puyssaunce,
Of Olympiades eschewing the vengeaunce.

Exyle rygour farre out of your countre,
Gyue hym with you no iurisdiction,
To womanheed longeth not parde
Of cancred rancour new execucion:
Wher mercy reigneth of grace ther is foyson,
Haue this in mynde by longe continua [...]ce,
Of Olympiades forgettynge the vengeaūce.

Let pacience by vertuous plente
Within your heartes purchase a mancion,
Let your compassion attempre equite
That ryght excede nat the boundes of reason
So that your feminine humble entencion
Be alway bridled by prouident suffraunce,
Voyding al excesse of rygour and vengeaūce.

For it is sayde of olde aucthorite
To women longeth by disposition
Mekenesse in langage, in porte humilite,
In all vertue humble subiection,
Voyde of manaces stryfe and contencion:
So that no man in your attendaunce
Espye no token of rancour nor vengeaunce:

The speciall meane, the parcialite
Shulde of all mercy by discription
Rebounde to women, for of antiquite
The lambe nat vsed to play the Lyon:
Nor no meke doue enuyed the faucon,
Nor to your degre by naturall accordaunce,
Syt nouther rygour nor hasty vengeaunce.

This simple lenuoy receyue it at gre,
And haue therof no indignation,
Lowly dyrect to your benignite,
Onely of mekenesse, and no presumption,
Knowyng of kynde your inclination
Disposed is by naturall purueyaunce
To all mercye, and nothyng to vengeaunce.

The .xv. Chapter.

¶ How Agathocles of lowe byrthe borne, attayned vnto royall dignite, ended in pouerte and wretchednesse.

I Haue herde sayd full yore agone
A whirle winde blowing nothing soft,
Was in olde englishe called a rodyon,
That reyseth dust and straw ful hye a lofte,
And in thassendyng it falleth so full ofte
Though it be borne almost to the skye,
Where it becommeth there can no man espye.

Out of forges by fyre that smythes make,
By clere experience it is full oft yseyne
That these infernall vgly smokes blake
[Page]Transcende ye top of many great mountayne,
But oft sithe by a full sodayne rayne
Al such ascencions by rage of wind vp blow,
With vnware turne be reuersed full lowe.

And semblably to put it at a prefe,
And execute it by clere experience,
One the most contraryous mischefe
Founde in this erthe by notable euidence,
Is onely this, by fortunate violence
Whan that wretches churlishe of nature
The estate of prynces vnwarely doth recure.

A crowne of golde is nothyng accordyng
For to be set vpon a knaues heed,
A foltyshe clerke for to weare a ryng
Accordeth nat who that can take hede:
And in this worlde there is no greater drede
Than power geue (yf it be well sought)
Vnto such one that first rose vp of nought.

There is no maner iuste conuenience
A royall carbuncle, rubye, or garnet,
Nor a chast emeraude of vertuous exelence,
Nor Inde saphyrs, in copper to be set:
Their kyndly power in foule metall is let,
And so the state of politike puy saunce,
Is euer lost wher knaues haue gouernaūce.

For a time they may well vp ascende
Like windy smokes theyr fumes sprede,
A crowned asse playnly to comprehende,
Voyde of discretion is more for to drede
Than is a lyon, for that one in dede
Of his nature is myghty and royall,
Voyde of discretion that other beastiall.

The gentle nature of a stronge lyon
To prostrate people of kynde is merciable,
For vnto all that fall afore hym doun
Hys royall puisaunce can nat be vengeable:
But churlish wolues by rigour vntreatable,
And foltyshe asses eke of bestialyte,
Faylyng reason brayde euer on cruelte.

None is so proude as he that can no good,
The leuder head the more presumption,
Most cruelte and vengeaunce in lowe blode,
With malapertnesse and indiscretion:
Of churle and gentle make this diuision,
Of outher of thē I dare right wel reporte,
Fro thens thei came therto they wyl resorte.

The Rose is knowe by colour and swetnesse,
And violettes for their freshe tarage,
The nettle rough for his fell sharpnesse,
Thistles, breres prickyng by great outrage▪
And thus considred the rote of eche lynage,
Frowarde tetches be euer in churles founde,
Wher vnto gentyls aye vertue doth reboūde.

Let men beware in especiall of one thyng,
How great deception is in false coynage,
The plate may be bryght in his shewyng
The metall false and shew a fayre visage:
All is nat golde to speake in playne langage,
That shineth bright, concluding on reason
Vnder fayre there is ofte hyd false poyson.

For as a skye or an vgly cloude
Which that ascendeth low out of the see,
With his blacknesse doth the sunne shroude,
That men may nat his great bryghtnes see,
Nor haue no comforte of hys clere beaute:
So vicious tetches I do you well assure
Difface full ofte the gyftes of nature.

God vnto some hath geuen by nature
For to excell another in fayrnesse,
Yet in vices by recorde of scripture
Thei wer disclaūdred Bochas doth witnesse:
Outwarde suger in warde bytternesse,
By which ensample to purpose I may call
Agathocles fulfylled with vices all.

In this story he commeth now on the ryng
Which of beaute had great excellence,
But to declare the vicious lyuyng,
And to discriue hys outragious offence,
If I shoulde write fully in sentence
Lyke his demerites wholly the maner,
It woulde through perce & blot my paper.

Touchyng his byrthe of lowe bed descended,
Sonne of a porter, the story ye may se,
In no vertue I fynde hym nat commended,
Except nature gaue hym great beaute:
Fostred in mischefe and great pouerte,
Had eke disdayne I can hym nat excuse,
Of hatefull pride his fathers craft to vse.

By the meane of his great fayrenesse
To hye estate he came from low degre,
Yet in a vice whiche I wyll nat expresse
He disused cursedly hys beaute
Agayne nature, that yuell mote he thee:
And soyled he was shortly to specifye,
[Page cviii]With all the spices of pride and lechery.

Yet nat withstandyng his false condicions
God suffred hym to come to hie estate,
And to gouerne diuers nacions,
I fynde a whyle howe he was fortunate,
In his lechery aye pompous and elate:
And in a cite called Cyracuse,
The sayde vices he frowardly gan vse.

And for he had beaute and great myght,
To all vices hys youth he dyd enclyne,
And coude also forther hym selfe aryght
Of eloquence expert in the doctrine:
And as it is sayde tho he came of low lyne,
Yet as it is put in remembraunce
An hundred knightes he had in gouernaunce.

Of Centuryen he purchased an offyce,
And that tyme he toke the order of a knyght,
After chosen a tribune of great pryce,
And gate great fauour in the peoples syght:
And this while it fell so anone ryght
Of Cyracuses he was made duke & head
By election, because theyr lorde was dead.

Which with Ciciliens helde a mortall strife,
But Agathocles made hym victorious,
Toke their duchesse after to hys wyfe:
By meane wherof he wext full glorious,
And in his glorye he grewe right dispitous,
Forgate him selfe thus growyng in estate,
Wherthrough his cite and he were at debate.

His condicions whan they gan espy
And saw him worke all of presumption,
The people anone knowyng hys tiranny,
Exiled hym out of their region:
In his exyle, as made is mencion,
He coude nat fynde no better cheuisaunce
But came to a cite y• called was Murgaūce.

Wher by his sleighty subtel false auyse
He so demeaned hym in the peoples syght,
That of a Pretor they gaue hym an offyce,
He meuyng them in all that euer he myght
Gaine Cyracuses to make thē strōg to fight,
Of entent of them auenged to be,
Cause, for his exyle out of that cite.

But in his exyle (the story saythe none other)
It was so wrought by mediacion
Of duke Hamilchar yt was hys sworne bro­ther,
Cyracusans of one entention
Called him home agayne into their toun
And there was restored to hys place,
And reconciled to the kynges grace.

And vnto hym they gaue by great auice,
By assent of lordes and all the commonte,
Of a Pretour newly an offyce:
For Pretors of custome called be
Offycers that dwell in the cite,
And haue full charge by dome & iudgementes
To put all gylty to payne and turmentes.

Than of new thys Agathocles
Bycause he had more aucthorite
Cast for to trouble the quiete and the pees
Of Cyracuses, and out of that cite
All the senatours greatest of dignite
Of mortal vēgeaunce this titant made anon
Without exception, to be slayne euerichon.

This hasty slaughter wrought by tiranny,
Might nat asswage nor stāche his fel corage,
Tyll he their treasour toke by robbery
And all Cicile he spoyled by pyllage,
Cast of pride vpon an hye stage
For to ascende by sleyghty false workyng,
Of all that region to be crowned kyng.

Made his subiectes maugre hym dredyng
To cal hym kyng, and in especiall
One the most worthy prynce tho lyuyng,
That sat in chayre of maiestye royall:
Tyll fortune shope he must haue a fall,
For of Cartage the duke a worthy knyght
Fought with him twyse, & put him to flyght.

Wherthrough he stode in mischefe dispeyred,
And of al people he was had in disdayne:
To Cyracuse in hast he is repayred,
And to his cite retourned home agayne,
There abydyng in drede and vncertayne:
For whan fortune gan agayne hym take,
His frendes olde of new haue him forsake.

In that mischefe he bode nat long
As the processe maketh rehearsayle,
Gadred people and made him selfe strong
Onely in purpose all Affryke to assayle,
With them of Cartage had a great battayle,
Th [...]n discomfited as fortune lyst ordayne,
By hye prowesse of his sonnes twayne.

Archagatus ycalled was that one,
Wonder delyuer, a man of great myght,
[Page]The seconde brother moste worthy of echone
Called Heraclydes, whiche in yt mortal fight
Preued him selfe that daye a manly knyght:
For by theyr māhode in which was no lacke,
They of Cartage, were fellye put a backe.

For though so wer by fortune of the warre
Agathocles had that day the victorie,
False couetyse made hym for to erre
And eclipsed the light of hys glorie:
For as it is remembred in hys storie,
Lyke as in his byrthe it is determined,
To all falsenes his corage was enclyned.

Cruell of custome, of hert mercyles,
His wyll was law were it wronge or ryght,
Contrary to accorde, frowarde vnto pees,
Proude and surquedous in hys owne syght:
Where his power stretched & hys myght
Lyke a tyraunt, naturally disposed
To execute vengeaunce afore purposed,

He thought he had power for to bynde
Fortunes whele for to abyde stable,
Which is a thing contrary to her kynde,
Whose propertie is to be variable:
Hys pryde alas was to abhominable
For mortall Prince is none yt may restrayne,
Her vnware tourne nor her course sodayne.

By influence of the heauenly starres
The vncouth course aboue celestiall,
By fortune and fauour of the warres
This Agathocles of byrth full rurall
Promoted was vnto estate royall,
Tyll pride, outrage, & froward engendrure,
Caused in his lordshyp he myght nat endure.

Fortune of kynde is so flaskysable,
A monstruous beast departed manyfolde,
A slydyng serpent tournyng and vnstable,
Slipper to gripe on whom there is no holde,
As in this boke declared is and tolde:
Her power preued on princes recheles,
Recorde with other on Agathocles.

As ye haue herde rehersed in sentence
Symple and bare was hys natiuite,
Brought vp and fostred in great indigence
Out of a stocke springyng of pouerte,
Rose to the estate of royall dignite:
The rysyng vncouth marueylous tattayne,
The fal more greuous because it was sodayn

From Cyracuse he was exyled twyse,
Vengeable of heart where he had myght,
Of Affricans disconfited thryse,
Euer in batayle of custome put to flyght,
Had an vsaunce to robbe day and nyght:
And lyke a tiraunte agayn conscience
To spoyle his subiectes by great violence.

Hindred by fortune wherof he was nat fayne
Her stroke agayn him sodayne and violent,
His sonnes two in Affrike were first slayne,
He of his lymmes wext feble and impotent,
With a consumption his entrayles brent:
And by an ague continuall of feruence,
He was suppressed by stroke of pestilence

All his treasour hath from hym take
His proude port, and his worldly glory,
His wife, kyn, and frēdes hath him forsake,
His conquest derke and put out of memory,
His name yclipsed of hys olde victory:
And as he gan in pouerte and distresse,
So he made an ende in wretchednesse.

Hasty rysyng and thri [...]te that is sodayne,
And surmountyng by violent rauyne,
And extort power may for a whyle attayne,
In ryche chayre of lordshyp for to shyne:
Sodayne ascending dothe sodenly declyne,
And by vntruth whereuer there be encrees,
Men wayt of custome a sodayne disencrees.

Of Agathocles men may ensample take
What is thende of euery false tiraunt,
Wrōge climbing vp dothe a foule ende make
For a season though tirauntes be puysaunt,
Fortune to them yeueth no lenger graunt:
But whan they syt on her whele most royal,
By vnware chaunge to haue a sodayne fal.

Agathocles was first a sympleman
Brought forth in mischefe and in pouerte,
Sonne of a porter, the story tell can,
By vicious liuyng came to great dignite,
Of all folke hated for his cruelte,
Clambe fro pouert vp to great rychesse.
Made pore agayne died in wretchednesse.

¶ Lenuoye.

THis tragedy sheweth a figure
Bothe by story and by aucthorite,
How man, and beast, & euery creature
[Page cix]Tarageth the stocke of his natiuitie,
Herbe of the rote, and eche frute of his tre:
For bothe of vertue and also of outrage,
Foloweth some tetche or taste of the lynage.

Agathocles by recorde of scripture
Borne of lowe bed, brought forth in pouerte,
Yet Fortune made him to recure
Vp to hye estate from full lowe degre,
His reason blent with sensualitie,
Forgate him selfe, to speake in playne lāgage
Through a false tetche yt came fro his lynage.

There is a difference of colours in pycture
On table or wall, as men all day may se,
Twene golde & golde, atwene byse & asure,
All is not golde that shyneth bryght parde:
Some noble is false yt hath great beaute,
Let men beware of counterfayte coynage,
Tetches eschuyng of churlyshe lynage.

Some man is furthered of sodain auenture,
Set in a chayre of royall dignitie,
Wenyng his empyre shoulde euer endure
And neuer to be troubled with no aduersitie,
With royall Eagles a kyte may not flye:
A Jaye may chatter in a golden cage,
Yet euer some tetch must folow of his lynage.

Gentle bloude of his royall nature
Is euer enclyned to mercy and pite,
Where of custome these vyllains do their cure
By their vsurped and extort false poste,
To be vengeable by mortall cruelte,
Through hasty fumes of furious courage,
Folowyng the tetches of their vyle lynage.

O mighty prynces your nobles do assure,
Your passions rest with tranquilitie,
Se how there is no meane of measure
Where a tyrant catcheth the souerayntie:
Let Agathocles your worldly myrrour be
To eschue the traces of hys froward passage,
As royall bloude requyreth of your lynage.

The .xvi. Chapiter.

☞ Howe Cassander slewe the wyfe of Alexander and Hercules her sonne, and how Antipater slew his mother, & of other murders.

THE greate mischiefe of Fortunes myght,
The wofull falles fr [...] her whele in dede,
Of prynces, & pryncesses, who so loke aright,
Ben lamentable and doleful for to rede:
But for all that Bochas dothe procede
In his rehearsayl, remēbryng thus him selue
To him appeared of men and women twelue.

After the death of kyng Agathocles
There cāe tofore him worthy quenes twain,
The first of them was called Bersanes,
And of her mischefe gan to him complayne,
Wife of Alexander (the story lyst not fayne)
The mighty kyng greatest vnder sonne,
Whiche by conquest all this world hath won.

Wife to Alexander was this Barsanes
By his lyue, as made is mencion,
Whiche with her sonne named Hercules,
Wereby Cassander brought to destruction:
And of her death thys was the occasion,
Cassander dradde y• Bersanes the quene,
Woulde with her sonne on him auenged bene

For his treasons whiche he tofore wrought
On Alexander and on hys lynage:
And specially if that she were brought
To Macedone for her auauntage,
Wyth her sonne that was but yonge of age,
Cassander thought and drede as I haue told
They wold auenge his tresōs wrought of old

He cast afore of malice causeles
This Cassander most falsely workyng,
That if this knyght, this yonge Hercules
Son of Alexander by recorde of wrytyng,
In Maredone were take and crowned kyng,
How that he woulde of equitie and ryght
His fathers death auenge lyke a knyght.

Whiche thing to eschue Cassāder gan prouide
And by false fraude was not retchles,
But on a day he list not longe abide,
Slew first the quene this sayd Bersanes,
And than her sonne ycalled Hercules:
Thus by Cassander of murder crop and rote.
They murdred wer there was nonother bete

This crueltie myght not suffice
Vnto Alexander by recorde of scripture,
But lyke a tyrant in vengeable wise
He did them bury by froward auenture,
Where no man should know their sepulture:
And thus alas, whiche pity is to rede,
He murdred foure out of one kynrede.

[Page]
To Alexander he ministred the poyson,
Slewe the quene called Olympiades,
And of hatred by full false treason
As I haue tolde, he slew quene Bersanes,
Wife to Alexander, mother to Hercules:
Whiche in his youthe by Bochas rehearsyng,
In Macedoyne was like to haue be kyng.

After all this he could not liue in pees,
But euer ready some treason for to do
Slewe eke the quene called Roxanes,
Vpon a day, and her yonge sonne to:
And she was wyfe to Alexander also,
Cassander dreadyng in his opinion
Lest they would venge thē vpon his treason.

Thus euer he liued in murder, sorow, & strife
By way of fraude came all his encrees,
And as I finde how he had a wife
And she was called Thessalonices:
And this story remembreth doubtles
A sonne they had borne atwene them twayne
To stea his mother which after did his paine.

Shortly to passe (mine auctor writeth nono-ther)
Antipater was her sonnes name,
And bicause that she loued his brother
Better then him, he to his great defame
Cōpassed her death, the story sayth the same:
Notwithstandyng to appese his crueltee,
She asked mercy knelyng on her knee.

Her breastes open white and soft as silke,
All bedewed with teares her vysage,
Requyred mekely at reuerence of the milke
With whiche he was fostred in yong age,
For to haue mercy and to appease his rage,
And to accept goodly her prayere,
To saue the life of his mother dere.

But all for nought he heard her neuer adele,
He was to her surmountyng all measure
Like his father, bengeable, and cruell:
I trowe it was youe him of nature,
For by recorde of kynde, and eke scripture,
Selde or neuer no braunche that is goode,
Spryngeth of custome, out of cruel bloude.

Of her death cause there was none other
That Antipater slough his mother dere,
But for she loued Alexander his brother
Better than him, the cronicle doth vs lere:
Whiche Alexander, if ye lyst to here,
Had in his succour I finde by writyng
Demetrius, that was of Asye kyng.

Thessalonices was in this while dead
By Antipater, he most infortunate
Bathed in her bloud, her sides wer made red
Without compassion of her hye estate:
And her two sonnes liuyng at debate,
Til Lisymachus yt prefect was of Trace
Them reconsyled, eche to others grace.

Whan Demetrius knew of their accorde,
God wot the sothe, he nothing was fayne,
But by his fraude the story beareth record
That Alexander maliciously was slayne:
This while Antipater stādyng in no certayne
Tyll he by sleyght of Lisymachus,
Was murdred after, the story telleth thus

To write the proces and the maner hough
That Lisymachus by fraudulent workyng
His sonne in lawe Antipater thus slough,
False couetise was cause of all this thing:
And Demetrius toke on him to be kyng
Of Macedone, remembred tyme and date
Whan both brethren were passed into fate.

Duryng this murder & all this mortal strife,
In this proces like as it is founde,
Of Antipater Erudice the wyfe
Daughter of Elenchus was in chains boūde.
Cast in pryson, darke, hydous, and profound:
And for a whyle I leaue her there soiourne,
And to Demetrius I wyll agayne returne.

Which made him selfe to be crowned kyng,
Of Macedone, through his great puissaunce,
But to destroy his purpose in workyng
There were thre princes notable in substaūce
Confederate and of allyaunce,
Echone assented for short conclusion,
To bryng Demetrius to destruction.

One the first was worthy Tholome
Kyng of Egypt, in armes full famous,
Other twayne, the story ye may se
Called Seleuchus, and next Lisymachus,
And of Cypre came the kyng Pyrrhus,
Lorde of Prouynce as it is eke founde,
They made thē strong Demetrius to cōfoūd.

Shortly to tell with their apparayls
Of Macedoue they did him fyrst depryue,
Game vpon hym with four strong battayles,
That he was neuer so ouerset in his lyue,
[Page cx]Take of Lisymachus, the story doth discryue:
Cheyned in pryson, of his life in dout,
For I not finde that euer he issued out.

☞ The .xvii. chapter.

¶Of the two prefectes Perdicas and Amintas.

NExt in order Perdicas did appere
Whilom prefect of great Babilon,
And wt him came Amintas eke yfere
An other prefect as made is mencion,
Whiche Bactry had in his subiection:
A great prouince youe him by iudgement,
Midde of Alia towarde the occident.

These sayd twayne for their worthines
And for their manhode in actes marciall,
Assigned were by diligent busines,
To wayte and kepe in especiall
Vpon the maiestye in his estate royall
Of Alexander, for trust as chamberlayns,
Agayn the assault & drede of all forayns.

After whose death for singuler guerdone
Made prefect bothe they were in dede,
As ye haue heard that one in Babilone
The other in Bactry the story ye may rede,
Yet in quiete they might hem not succede,
For Seleuchus gan a warre ayen thē make,
That they wer fayn their lordships to forsake

¶ The .xviii. Chapter.

❧ Howe Sandrocottus borne of lowe degre, cherished robbers and theues.

OTher prefectes there were also I fynde,
Whiche held the people in ful great seruage,
In Macedone, and in other Inde,
Tyll Sandrocottus a man of lowe lynage
Cast he would redresse their outrage,
Of entent pore people to restore
To their fraunchises yt playned on them sore.

Sandrocottus auctour of this workyng,
Behight the people throughout all coūtreys,
Whan he by sleight was crowned kyng,
Them to restore to their olde liberties:
But whan he had receyued these dignities,
All his behestes made with a fayre vysage,
Turned after to thraldom and seruage.

Thus whan a wretche is set in high estate,
Or a begger brought vp to dignitie,
There is none so proud, so pōpous, nor elate,
None so vengeable, nor so full of crueltie,
Voyde of discrecion, mercy, and pitie:
For churlyshe bloude selde dothe recure,
To be gentle, by way of his nature.

He may dissimule and for a tyme fayne,
Counterfayte with a fayre vysage,
Out of one hode shew faces twayne,
Contrary of hart, double of his langage,
Styll of hys porte, smothe of his passage:
Vnder floures lyke a serpent dare,
Till he may stynge, & than will not spare.

And euer like of his condicions
Was Sandrocottus set vp in hye estate,
Vexed people, and troubled regions,
Set cities and townes at great debate:
Whose gouernaunce was infortunate,
As it was sene and founde at all preues,
Cherished no man, but robbers & theues.

And to declare how he caught hardines:
And occasion people to gouerne,
By a pronostike whiche I shall expresse,
Ryght marueylous & vncouthe to discerne,
Whiche was this, as I shall tell as yerne:
Right wonderful & vncouth for to heare,
And it was this, if ye lyst to lere.

There was a man called Procatales
Borne in Inde, whiche of his liuyng
Was wonders pore, came but selde in prees,
Because he had trespaced in one thing
Agayne Venādrus, y• was that time king:
Cōmaundyng to slea hym anonryght,
But he escaped (the story sayth) by flyght.

God had geuen him of fete swyftnes,
By meane wherof he saued him fro daungere,
Through long trauayle fyll in werynes,
And refreshed him beside a well clere,
He lay slepyng that face and all his chere
Dropped of swette, a lyon came foreby,
And licked hys face as sayth the story.

With whiche affray the man anone awoke,
And sodaynly lyft vp his vysage,
The lyon rose softly and the way toke
[Page]Towarde the forest, & did him no domage,
Forgate his felnesse and his cruell rage:
Of whiche pronostyke gan the occasion,
Wherof Sandrocottus toke an opinion

Cast and thought in his fantasy,
Syth that the Lyon is beast most royall
Whiche not disdayned him selfe to apply
To licke the face of a man rurall,
In his nature to shewe him beastiall,
He dempt well that it was sittyng
To take on hym the estate of a kyng.

His opinion of reason was right nought,
For where the Lyon left his crueltie,
He coutrary wext proud in hert and thought,
Voyde of mercy, barrayne of pitie,
For whan that he was set in dignitie,
Brought from a wretche to domination,
Agayne nature he played the lyon.

Sum time a lyon forgetteth all felnesse,
Where as a woulfe wyll naturally deuour,
So royall bloude hath ruthe by gentlenes,
On pore playnufes, to helpe thē & succour,
Where as a tyrant dothe naturally labour
Whan he hath power catchyng auauntage,
To robbe subiectes and spoyle thē by pillage.

Sandrocottus thus borne of lowe kynrede
In hye estate by fortune whan he stode,
Gan make him stronge & vengeable in dede,
With number of robbers, furious, and wode,
Cast him to destroy all the gentle bloude
That was in Inde, and by his ordinaunce,
To stea al the prefectes that had gouernaūce.

And wt the cōmons when he was made strōg
And gan the maner of their death deuise,
Like a false tyrant although he did wrong
Agayne his lordes whan he gan aryse,
An Oliphant came in full vncouth wise,
Him obeyed which was a great wonder,
Whan their battayls were not farre asunder.

Though he was wild (the story saith ye same)
Sandrocottus lept vpon his syde,
And on hys backe as on a beast tame
Toward the battayle anone he gan to  [...]yde,
Was their captayne that day and their gyde
With his robbers, as it is made mynde,
Slew al the prefectes & gētle bloud of Inde.

The .xix. Chapiter.

☞ How Seleuchus the myghty prynce was slaine by the great Tholome kyng of Egypt.

THen came Seleuchus to Bochas complaynyng,
A myghtye Prynce and a manlye knyght
Sonne of Antiochus the famous kyng,
Was most fauoured in Alexanders syght,
Whiche Seleuchus for wisdome & for might,
Borne of a prynces the cronicle ye may sene,
Called Leodice the great famous quene.

The byrth of him straunge & marueylons,
For his mother vpon the same nyght
That she cōceyued, drempt, & thought thus
As it semed playnely in her sight,
Of great Appollo the heuēly god most bright
How she the tyme of her conceyuynge
Receyued that night, of golde a riche ryng.

In whyche rynge was set a precious stone
Yeue vnto her for a great guerdon,
Graue wt anker, her cōmaunding anone
After the byrthe without dylacion,
To yeue the rynge of whole affection
To Seleuchus, wherby in especiall,
He should excell in actes marciall.

The same morow after the childe was borne,
Within her bed was founde a riche ryng
Wyth all the tokens rehearsed here toforne,
The anker graue like in euery thing
Whiche that the quene toke in her kepyng:
And of entent for her auauntage,
Kept it secrete tyll he came to age.

Another maruayle fyll also withall,
This Seleuchus, which was a wōder thing
Had enprynted eke in speciall
Vpon hys thygh, an anker and a ryng:
So had all by recorde of writyng,
Suche carectes the story doth determyne,
That after him were borne of that lyne.

When Seleuchus as made is mencion,
The tender yeres had of his age ronne,
And came to yeres of discrecion,
He by this rynge ful many land hath wonne:
Whose knightly fame shone shene as y• sonne,
He well aduised, hardy, of great myght,
Time of Alexander hold one the best knight.

[Page cxi]
In warre and armes he his time hath spent,
Brought all Inde to subiection,
Gate all the kingdomes nye of the Orient,
Helde them longe in his possession:
But here alas Bochas maketh mencion
All his victories that did in honour shyne,
With sodaine chaunge were turned to ruyne.

For whan Seleuchus was most vyctorious,
Had all Inde conquered in substaunce,
Atwene him and king Lisymachus
Of whom tofore is made remembraunce,
Began a warre and a great distaunce:
And as they met with their apparayles,
In a great felde ordeyned their battayles.

On Lisymachus fyll the disconfiture,
Wherof Seleuchus glad in especiall
Dempt his winnyng came not of nature,
But by influence very celestiall:
Gan waxe proude in his estate royall,
Not supposing in his victorious stall,
Of his mischeues that should after fall.

For as the processe declareth vnto vs,
How of Egypt the great Tholome
Brother in lawe to Lysimachus,
Fyll on Seleuchus by full great cruelte,
Slew him at mischefe the story ye may se,
Loste his lyfe as made is mencion,
In Macedoyne, the mighty region.

And it is know of antiquitee
By rehearsayle of the olde auctours,
That this foresayd great Tholome
Was to Alexander one of the enheritours,
Kyng of Egypt there raignyng in his flours,
After whose name descedyng downe by grees
Were all the kinges called Tholomees.

As I fynde touchyng his lynage,
By procreacion he had children thre,
The first of them to speake in playne langage
I named was Ceraunius Tholome,
Next Philadelphus, a daughter Arcynoe
That wedded was by her faders cōsentyng
To Lisymachus of Macedon kyng.

The .xx. Chapter.

❧ Howe the two sonnes of Quene Arcynoe were by their mothers brother trayterouslye slayne, and she exyled.

ANd thus remembred in bokes olde
Death of Seleuchus wrought by Tho­lome,
Vnwarely slayne tofore as I haue tolde,
Next in order came Arcynoe
To John Bochas, by great aduersite,
All with teares bedewed her vysage,
And gan cōplayne the cōstraynt of her rage.

This mighty quene the sayd Arcynoe
Had sonnes twaine, full famous of renoun,
The tone Lisymachus excelling of beautye,
That other Philip, as made is mencion:
And her ioye and dilectation
In worldly blisse there is no more to sayne
Was holy set vpon these children twayne.

For by the occasion of their great fayrenes
Men delited greatly them to se,
Namely women the story dothe expresse,
And their mother this quene Arcynoe
Stode in great hope that they should be
Mighty kynges by iust succession,
In Macedony the mighty region

Onely by the title of their fathers ryght:
Whiche to her hart gaue full great gladnes,
For she dempt that none other wight
To succede should haue no entresse.
But Fortune the blynde false goddesse
Disposed so for her children twayne,
That none of thē their purpose shold attayne.

For whā their father Lisimachus was slaine
The sayd quene called Arcinoe
To saue her lyfe coulde none other gayne
But with her sonnes fearfully to fle
Into Cassander a mighty stronge citee:
Onely for drede of one Antigonus,
Whiche thē pursued, the story telleth thus.

But the brother of quene Arcynoe
Called Ceraunius rescued her party
Agayne Antygonus, ye may the story se,
Yet in his hart he had great enuy
Albe that they were nere of one alye,
That her two sonnes should kynges  [...]e
Of Macedoyne, and raygne in that countre.

For he was set onely of couetise
To be crowned in Macedoyne kyng,
And of his false treason, the story doth deuise,
Them to dis [...]yue this was his workyng:
First to the quene full humbly knelyng,
[Page]He made promise vnder great surete,
In Macedoyne she should crowned be.

And her children so fayre of their vysage
Should be kept vnder gouernaunce,
Vnto time that they came to age:
And for to put her in more assuraunce
Ceraunius swore, god geue him sory chaunce
He purposed for all his false workyng,
To crowne her quene & make her sōnes king.

Toke all the gods therunto witnes
And swore agayne with a plaine vysage
Vnto the quene, of fraude and doublenes,
His purpose was to haue her in mariage,
Crowne her quene to her great aduauntage,
Thus he swore all be he was her brother,
Yet in hart god wot he thought another.

Vnder colour of this assuraunce
She let him enter Cassandre the cite,
Came again him to do him more pleasaunce
With all her lordes of hye and lowe degre:
Made the stretes hanged for to be
With clothes of golde, & in solemne wise
To all their goddes she did sacrifise.

And thus he was receyued solemnely,
The day was halowed and holde feastiual,
The quene for ioye ordeyned rychely
Her two sonnes that were so faire in all
To be crowned with crownes full royall,
Go afore her in the maister strete,
Gloriously their vncle for to mete.

With felonous hart vnder a frendly face,
This Ceraunius rote of all treason
Gan his cosyns ben [...]igly embrace,
Him purposyng by false collusion
To procede to their destruction:
And fynally fyrst he did his payne,
The quene texyle, & slea her chyldren twayne.

But or this treason was brought to a prefe,
Whan the quene apperceiued his falsenes
And saw her sonnes brought to mischefe,
She coniured him  [...] her mortall distresse
To haue pitie, of naturall gentilnes
Spare his cosins afore him where they stode
Of royall mercy so nere borne of his bloud.

And with a crye pa [...]yng  [...]
She fyl afore him,  [...]wownyng  [...] ground,
Like as she had be  [...] culpable,
Seing her sonnes bleadyng wt many woūde:
But all for nought there was no mercy foūd,
For with their bloud, this story is not fayned
Her garment was dolefully distayned.

Her face fayre was foyled with ordure,
Her golden heere was all to torne & rent,
And like a thrall this wofull creature
With mortall wepyng had her sight blent:
And after that I fynde how she was sent
To bury her children, for there was no space,
Into an yle called Samothrace.

Is any story whiche maketh mencion
That a pryncesse of so hye degre
Founde so great cause of lamentacion,
She beyng daughter to great Tholome,
Her children slayne by vengeable crueltie,
And to beholde the death most dolorous,
Of her husbande called Lisymachus▪

She after banished in exyle made her ende,
wt sorowful cōplaynt her life thus draw alōg,
Tyll into fate her spirite did wende:
It is no drede her paynes were full stronge,
And if I shoulde rehearce all the wronge
That she suffred it woulde greue me to sore,
Therfore of her now I write no more.

¶ Lenuoy.

THis tragedy sheweth an apparence,
And a lykenesse of faythfull assuraunce
Excyte men to yeue false credence
Vnto fortunes false variaunce,
Which cast her baytes & angles of pleasaunce
An hoke hid vnder of vengeable crueltie,
As this chapiter put in remembraunce,
Of Lisymachus and of Arcynoe.

Is there any greater euidence
Of worldly trouble or worldly constaunce,
Than to se prynces from their magnificence
And from their mighty royall puissaunce
Vnwarely brought by fortune to mischaūce,
And ouerwhelmed from their tranquilitie?
Se here a myrror full notable in substaunce,
Of Lisymachus and quene Arcynoe.

The ryng, the anker of great excellence
ye [...] to Seleuchus for marciall suffisaunce,
Whan App [...] by heauenly influence
Lyst with his mother make his alyaunce:
Sent hī these relikes of singuler acquaintāce
[Page cxii]To set his manhode in more surete,
But in al such quaueryng acquayntaūce
Thinke on Lisimachus and Arcinoe.

The vncouth treasour, the gold, ne the dispēce
Of them that haue this world in gouernaūce,
Nor al the subiectes vp rekened in sentence,
Nor al the regions vnder their obeysaunce,
Princes princesses with al their attendaunce
May agayne fortune yeue them no lybertie,
Who not knoweth her vnsure gery chaunce
Thinke on Lisimachus and Arcinoe.

Her chyldren & she slayne by violence
Of Ceramius, god yeue him sory chaunce,
That by false coloure dyd her reuerence
And pretended a maner obseruaunce,
The treson close of venomous purueyaunce,
Purposed afore to outray them all thre:
The chyldrē slayne which knew no cheuisāce,
The mother exiled called Arcinoe.

Noble princes beware, of hie prudence
Amonge your selfe that there be no distaunce,
Hyde no rancoure of hateful vyolence
Vnder a curtayne of double daliaunce,
Lyke your hert shewe out your countenaūce,
Voide of dissimulinge and duplicitie:
Wysely way this chapter in balaunce,
Of Lysimachus and quene Arcinoe.

The .xxi. chapiter.

¶ How Ceramius of Macedoyne kyng that murdred his cosins, was slayne in bataile by them of Fraunce.

THe Noble Poete Jhon Bochas, in his boke
Procedyng forth cōplaineth of pite,
With quaking hande whan he his pen toke,
And gan to writ the woful desteny
As ye haue herde of quene Arcinoe,
And how Ceramius the story maketh minde,
Was to her false, traytour, and vnkynde.

Of whose treason is made a great processe,
And howe he after was slayne in batayle,
Punished by vengeaunce for his falsenesse,
Lyke as his story maketh rehersayle:
Whych to remembre I cast me not to fayle,
Folowyng mine auctour & procede in writing
Howe Ceramius was slayne, beynge kinge.

For whyle that he by his false workyng,
In Macedoyne had the gouernayle,
Thre hūdred .M. accompted by writynge
Went out of Fraunce to conquere Itayle,
The host departed in many stronge batayle,
Gate by conquest through theyr hye renoune
Ful many a prouince, and many a region.

And as they rode through many a gret coūtre
This people of Gaule in stele armed clene,
They founded castels & many stronge cytie,
Towarde Rome they bylded Myl [...]n & Sene
Vpon the Alpes their armour shone ful shene
And some of them vp to Rome went
By very force, and the citye brent.

Some parted vp to the grekyshe see,
Had a custome to chese their dwellynge place
By Augurie, as byrdes dyd fle,
Folowynge their flyght they gan after trace,
Holdynge their way within a lytell space
With myghty hand, the boke doth specify,
They came to a countrey called Pannony.

This folk of Gaule, whych is called Fraūce,
To conquere landes put them selfe in prees,
As most notable people of puissaunce,
Folowynge y• exāple of their knightly encrese
In theyr ridynge, of worthy Hercules,
Which was worshipped in their actes mercial
Lyke as a god, and called immortall.

Through grace of fortune in their chiualryes
Conquered countreys alwaye forth rydynge
Them selfe departynge in diuers companyes
Who them withstode they cōsumed by brēnig:
Came to Macedone where Ceramius was king
Of presūpciō wening it shuld auayle,
Out of ordinaunce he met them in battayle,

This Ceramius of outrage and of pride
Dempt him able to mete with thē of Fraūce,
But for he was through murdre an homicide
He lacked grace, and power in substaunce:
Yet they of Gaule by prudent gouernaunce
Offred vnto hym, though he was retcheles,
With Macedonoys for to treate of pees.

But for presumpcion and melancoly
Agaynst his enemies he the felde hath take,
And discomfited anone was his party,
His men gan flie, and haue their lord forsake,
Hys heed smyt of and set vpon a stake:
But al his mischefe was to lyte in dede
[Page]To recōpence his fraude and his falshede.

There is no paine againe so great offence
May be deuised in no boke that men rede,
Equiualent murder to recompence,
Duely to punyshe so outragious a dede,
Of him that made yonge children blede:
As did Ceramius, whiche of false couetise
His cosyns slough as ye haue heard deuise.

To thinke on murder it is to foule a thing,
To god and man hatefull and terible,
The infernal fraude, the deuillyshe cōpassing
To eche creature of nature is odible:
Whiche to redresse is an impossible,
O cursed Ceramius I leaue thy story here,
Thy name no more shal blot my papere.

The .xxii. Chapiter

❧ How the prynce Belgius was disconfited, and brought to nought.

AFter this tyraunte as ye haue hearde the eaas
Slayne in battayle, this traytour odious,
Anone in order came to John Bochas
A mighty prynce, called Belgius,
Deadly, pale, with face furious:
Whiche cōplayned amonge this wofull prees
His disconfiture done by quene Softenes.

This sodayn mischefe greued his hart sore,
For all the folke that were in his battayle
Were put to flyght, Bochas writeth no more
Of his knighthode nor of his apparaile,
Saue onely this, he maketh rehearsaile
Of the Frenche host he telleth in certaine,
How he was chosen for a chefe captayne.

And how he came into the riche lande
Of Macedoyne with his people of Fraunce,
Tyll Softenes the quene wt myghty hande
Disconfited him, & brought to mischaunce:
Of whō I finde none other remembraunce
Saue whan he wende to be most glorious,
He was outrayed by force of Brennus.

☞ The .xxiii. chapter.

¶ How duke Brennus delityng to robbe and steale mischeuouslye ended.

THis Brennus full knyghtlye in wor­kynge,
which by cōquest gate many great citie
And as I reade of Danes he was kyng,
Disployled regions, & many a great coūtrie,
Robbed people of hye and lowe degre,
Spared no goddes, but by vyolence
Toke their treasures, did them no reuerence.

There was a temple great and marueylous,
Built on a roche and on an hyll of stone,
Sacred to Appollo, called Delphicus
In all Grece so great a god was none:
And oft sythe the people woulde gone
Vp to a Theatre, whiche that stode wythout,
To haue answere of yt they stode in doubt.

Their trust & hope was to yt god applyed,
Hauyng to hym singuler affection,
As though he might haue holpe & magnified,
And done to them great consolation:
For by a spiryte of false deception
He gaue answere of sundry questions,
To folke that came from diuers regions.

Kyng Brennus had no fantasy
In their temples after their panym gyse,
Neither to worship nor to magnify
Their Grekysh goddes, to do thē sacrifise:
For in his hart he gan them to despyse,
Caught a ioy wyth all his false robbours,
Them to dispoyle & robbe of their treasours.

Behyght his men & sayd in playne langage
That his desyre and hys entencion
Was, to be boty with them of such pyllage,
As Goddes had in their possession:
And part with thē for singuler guerdon,
For their labour and great trauayles,
That they had had wyth him in battayles.

He gaue his people a maner hardines,
Made them trust in great multitude,
Hauyng despyte of the innocent symplenes
Of his enemies, because they were but rude,
I meane tho folke shortly to conclude,
Whiche had in kepyng the iewels precious
Of great Appollo, called Delphicus.

The people also whiche was with Brennus
Had all the day dronke myghty wynes,
To fyll their paūches they were so desyrous
That they forgate their marciall doctrines:
To ascēd y• moūtayne feble were their chines
[Page cxiii]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 wt 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.

[Page]
This mighty tiraūt most surquedous of chere
With couetyse brent in hys entrayle
Whose gredy fret ther might no mesure stere,
Tyll that fortune at mischefe dyd hym fayle:
He lacked might her variant whele to nayle,
Agayne whose fall there was no resistence,
For he to goddes lyst do no reuerence.

Noble prynces conceyue and do lere
The fall of Brennus for misgouernayle,
And prudently paysyng thys matere
Vertue is strōger than outher plate or maile,
Afore considred what Brennus doth coūsayle
Chefe preseruatyfe of your magnificence,
Is to god to do due reuerence.

The .xxiiii. Chapter.

❧ Howe Pyrrus kynge of Pyrothe lyst nat lyue in peace, but of pryde and presumption in warre, came vnto mischaunce.

IN Bochas boke next folowīg on y• rig
Came yong Pirrus sonne of Earides
Borne by discent to reigne & be kyng,
And to enherite the lande of Pyrothes:
Yet in his youth and his tender encrees
The frowarde people dwellynge in y• place,
Without his gylte gan his dethe purchace.

But to preserue hym as made is mencion
He was committed and take in kepyng
Certayne yeres for hys sauacion
To one Glaucus, of Illirie king:
Whose wife was cosyn, by record of writing,
To the sayde famous Earides,
And she in story called Beronices.

He nye of blode to thys noble queene,
Bothe twayne borne of one lynage,
Wonder gracious to all that did him sene,
And well fauoured of fetures and visage:
And in the whyle of his tender age,
One Cassander of Macedone kyng,
Compassed his deth by subtel false workyng.

And his purpose for to bryng aboute
He sent for hym by false collusion,
Puttyng Glaucus playnlye out of doute
But yf he came lyke hys entencion,
He wolde worke to hys destruction:
Gather people bothe nye and farre
And on Glaucus, gyn a mortall warre.

But kyng Glaucus toke herof no hede,
Hauyng to Pyrrus so great affection
Of him receyued verely in dede
To be his sonne by adoption,
Purposyng of whole entencion
To make Pyrrus plainly if he may,
To be his heyre and raigne after his day,

Pyrrus alway vp growyng by encrees
Full amiable bothe of there and face,
And in this while the people of Pyrothes
Knowyng that he stode in Glaucus grace
Chaunged their hartes, cast thē in short space
For to restore all of one courage,
The sayd Pyrrus to his heritage.

Thus by assent he was crowned kyng,
Yonge, freshe, and lusty, & semely ther withal,
Wonders well thewed in his vp growyng,
Like his lynage of courage wext royall:
The whiche was cause in especiall,
He was beloued offrendes about,
And of his enemyes greatly had in doubt.

The name of him gan to sprede farre
Through all Grece about in eche countrey,
The lande of Tarent gan in his tyme warre
Agayne the Romaynes as ye may se,
Requiryng Pyrrus that he woulde be
Fauourable and helpyng of entent,
To the party of them of Tarent.

To their request he can condiscende,
And of purpose cast him not to fayle,
If that fortune woulde him grace sende
With myghty hande, & marciall apparayle,
For to be lorde and conquere all Itayle,
As did his vncle whilom doubtles,
Kyng Alexander, called Epirothes.

First he began his conquest in Itayle
Toward Heraclye a mighty great citie,
Where with Brennus he had a great battaile
Consull of Rome and lorde of that countrye:
And to the encrease of his felicitie,
As it is remembred in his story,
Vpon Romayns he gate that victory.

The Olyphantes with castels on their backe
Caused Pyrrus the yong manly knyght
With his wisdome wherin there was no lack
To put his enemies that day to flyght:
[Page cxiiii]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 wt 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,
[Page]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 yt 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 wt 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 mariage yt he myght vnderfonge
In his diyng to set a fynall peace
Twene these .ii. realmes, for their both ēcrece

After whose death thus the matter stode,
Quene Arcynoe most subtyll in workyng,
Agayne this matter so cruell was and wode,
Maryed her daughter wt out more lettyng
Called Beronices, agaynst the biddyng
Of her father that called was Agas,
As heretofore, rehearsed is the caas.

She maried her to one Demetrius,
That brother was, by Bochas rehearsynge,
Vnto the mighty great Antygonus,
Beyng in Grece of Macedoyne kyng:
But infortunate was she after her weddyng,
As in this story suyng ye shall se,
By the false workyng of quene Arcynoe.

And to conclude shortly this mattere,
Whan thys quene this double Arcynoe
Sawe of Demetrius the vysage & the there
His loke, his coloure, his langage, & beautie,
His manly port, and his liberalitie,
She was enamored of fleshly pleasaunce,
[Page cxv]Lyke her desyre, to haue his acquayntaūce.

Of her nature she was most lecherous,
And of her frowarde inclination
She brought about that Demetrius
Assented was, by her suggestion,
For to accomplish lyke her opinion,
All her desyres of fleashly appetite,
Thus of accorde there folowed their delite.

Lefte his wyfe called Beronices
The quenes doughter, & agayne all ryght
In a place secret out of prees
They lay together almost euery nyght,
Takyng no hede of god nor of no wyght:
Tyll of fortune the case is so befall,
That he was hated of hys knyghtes all.

Dispyte they had of Arcynoe,
The dede horrible whan they dede espy,
Hys wyfe Beronices eke whan she dyd se
Holy the maner of theyr ribaudry,
In heart she caught a great melancoly,
Ordayned knightes in stele armed bryght
In their aduoutry to take them on a nyght.

Lying a bedde slept and toke no kepe,
After false lustes whiche they had vsed,
They fel vp on them whyle they dyd slepe,
The dede open myght nat be excused,
To all the worlde thus they were accused:
With swordes draw y• knyghtes thilke night
To slee thē both were purposed anone right.

Out on Beronices (cryeth John Bochas)
Because she badde spare Arcynoe
Grounde & gynnyng of this horrible caas,
Sayth her mercy was very cruelte,
To saue suche one it was a false pite:
As sayth myne auctour, a thyng cōtrarious
Her to preserue and slee Demetrius.

O Beronices small is thy discretion
To saue the quene y• hath the treason founde,
First to Demetrius she gaue occasion
For which she shuld haue had the first woūde
Take for them bothe and in cheynes bounde,
And after that thys false Arcynoe,
To example of other shuld haue punished be.

And whyle they were taken thus in close,
The sayd Arcynoe made no delay
But fro her bedde anone she vp rose,
Without clothes, naked as she lay,
Ran to their swordes in all theyr gret affray,
Went atwene them, dyd her busy payne
To beare of strokes with her armes twayne.

To saue Demetrius naked as she stode
Voyde of all drede dyd her busy cure
Her whyte body all bespreynt with blode
Gan to cry out on euery creature:
Alas (quod she) let me alone endure
Deth by my selfe, ye be to dispitous
To saue my lyfe and slee Demetrius.

To the erthe anone she fyll adowne
To stande vpryght she might nat sustene,
Deed, pale, & wan, with many pitous sowne
Dethe of Demetrius gan wofullye bemene:
Embrasyng him with all his woūdes grene,
And in her armes albe that he laye deed,
She kyssed his mouth, blew & nothyng reed.

In sorow & cōplaynt thus she made an ende,
I write no more of thys Arcynoe
But to Beronices agayne I wyl now wēde,
For Bochas sayeth in the story ye maye se
She after wedded was to worthy Tholome
Like as it was her fathers first entent,
When y• he dyed, and made his testament.

☞ Thus endeth the fourth boke, and hereafter foloweth the fyfte.

[Page]

Here Bochas vvryteth agaynste them that delyte in beaute and semelynesse, callyng to purpose howe a man borne in Tuscan, whiche excelled in beaute and fayrnesse, and for hys beaute should nat geue other occasion to synne, he disfigured hys visage and body, wyth manye a great wounde and spotte.

The first Chapter.

HEre Bochas scorneth & hath disdayne
Of thre maner of folke he dyd se,
In this worlde whiche that in certayne
Set at theyr ioy and all their felicite
For to excell in fayrenesse and beaute:
Nat withstandyng as ye well tell can,
It hath vndone full many a worthy man.

Recorde he taketh of Demetrius,
Which in his tyme was fayrest in certeyne,
Which caused hym to be contrarious
To al vertue, his story ye haue seyne:
But of tho folke Bochas hath most disdeyne
That busy ben to conquere and recure
Beaute by craft, which cometh nat of nature.

The thirde is he yt grutcheth agayne kynde
For lacke of stature and of semelynesse:
And all these thre ben ignoraunt and blynde,
And agayne reason their corages they dresse,
Yet aboue beaute vertue is maystresse,
And lytle worthe is fayrnesse in certeyne
In a person where no vertue is seyne.

Vnto purpose he telleth of a man
That excelled all other in fayrenesse,
Called Spurnia & borne was in Tuscan,
And folke had ioye and great gladnesse
To beholde hym for his semelynesse
Whose beaute brought women in dotage,
When they cast her loke on hys vysage.

Wyues & maydens dwellyng in that countre
Presed fast on hym to beholde,
By theccasion of hys great beaute
Nat onelye yonge but some that were olde
Wyth loues axcesse nowe were they hote nowe colde,
Thus was hys beaute to many a creature,
Founde in effecte a perylous lure.

Husbandes olde caught a fantasy
And had a maner suspection,
Styred by the serpent of false Jelosye
Towarde Spurnia, as made is mencion:
But for to auoyde all cruell occasion,
Of any people that suche malyce thought,
Ye shall here howe wysely that he wrought.

To put awaye false dylectacion,
And all occasions of Cupides rage,
He of prudence and discretion
With many wounde diffaced hys vysage:
For he dempt it was great domage
That by thenchesen of excellent beaute,
Any creature hyndred shoulde be.

Philosophers and poetes that were wyse,
Gaue vnto hym a great commendation,
That he coude so notably deuyse
To fynde a waye within hys reason
To set asyde all occasion
Of suche vnlefull fleshlye fantasye,
That might styre women vnto lecherye.

He knewe afore and saw by experience
That all beaute shall waste away and fade,
Lyke somer flours in theyr moste excellence,
That growe on hylles or belowe in shade:
The rose, the lyllye, whan they be most glade
Vpon theyr stalkes, theyr prefe is dayly seyne
Been beten downe with a stormye reyne.

[Page cxvi]
And semblably in euery creature
Of lowe degre or of hye estate,
Beauty abideth nat nor lenger doth endure
Than youthes ceson, wt age is ful checkmate:
Who thinketh hereon I holde hym fortunate,
And can afore in his reason caste
No worldly beauty, in erth mai alway laste.

¶ Lenuoye.

YE worldlye folke that reioyse in beaute,
Se with the eyen of your aduertence
Howe with a smale sodayne infirmite
When deth & age lyst she we theyr presence,
Disdayne al freshnes with vnware violence
Agayne whose might there is no other grace
Processe of yeres all beaute doth deface.

Though Demetrius was fayre vpon to se
As ye haue herde rehearsed in sentence,
Gayne law and ryght he loued Arcynoe
Thoccasion founde by her false insolence,
Bycause reason made no resistence,
Nat aduertyng how euery hour and space
Processe of yeres, all beaute doth difface.

Full horrible was their iniquite,
And tofore god hatefull their offence,
For through false lust and sensualite
Lost was the bridell of inwarde prouidence,
Sharpe mortal sworde made ye recompence,
Drowned in teres whan she dyd hi embrace,
With blody woundes disfigured all hys face.

O noble prynces let thys story be
A clere myrrour to your magnificence,
Therein considred the false fragilite
Of worldly fayrnes which is but apparence,
And transitory, but so be that prudence
Gouerne the passage vicious lust to enchace,
Processe of yeres, all beaute dothe difface.

The .ii. Chapter.

¶ Howe the two brethren, Seleuchus and Autiochus, eche desyrous to excell other, fyll at discorde and ended in mischefe.

THere is no man that can in story rede
Of more mischefe nor of more debate,
Than of debate that is atwene kinrede,
Twene blode & blod, gayne kide infortunate,
Namely in persons whiche ben of hye estate,
As it fyll ones, the story beareth recorde,
Atwene two brethren that were at discorde.

That one Seleuchus, Antiochus the other,
As the story hereafter shall deuy se,
Eche desyrous for to excell other
In worldly worshyp, & wonderly they were wyse,
And both blent by worldly couetyse
For to clymbe vp to hye estate
Whiche caused them to be at debate.

Both mighty kinges Bochas maketh m [...]ciō,
And of one wombe sothlye they were borne
Vnder a cursed fell constellacion,
Of frowarde sede may grow no good corne:
And through couetyse bothe they were lorne,
And distroyed by the mortall werre
That was atwene them, in Asie nye & ferre.

It is to me verye contagyous
To rede the batayles and discencions,
The false promyses of Antiochus,
With the disceytes and conspirations:
Bretherne of byrth, and of condicions
Contrarious wayes euer they dyd wende,
Frowardly they began, & so made an ende.

Their mother was called Leodices,
And in Asya Seleuchus was reignyng,
Euer in werre, coude nat lyue in pees:
And in Surry Antiochus was kyng,
And among robbers they made theyr ending,
Where euer they fought in wronge or ryght,
Neuer they bode but toke them to flyght.

Though Seleuchus was at his gynnyng
Shynyng in glory and in hye prowesse,
And of Asya he was lorde and kyng,
With great diffame was derked his noblesse:
Bycause that he of great vnkyndnesse
Ful falsely slewe without iudgement,
Hys yonger brother that was innocent.

And by the byddyng of Leodices
Which was his mother of hatefull cruelte
Falsely to murdre the quene Beronices,
Wife to the kyng called Tholome,
Reygnyng in Egipt, but it stode so that he
For all his power fayled of hys pray,
Bycause that she was ware, & fled away.

Yet afterwarde of olde hate and enuy
[Page]This Seleuchus by full false treason,
Murdred Beronices by conspiracy,
Her sonne also, as made is mencion:
The sclaundre arose through many a region,
And was reported vnto hys diffame,
Wherthrough he lost his worship & his name.

And on thys murder auenged for to be
For the horrible great abusion,
The kyng of Egypt the sayde Tholome
Gan make him strong, & came wt people doun
But for there was so great discention
Through al his land, the story saith certayne,
He was constrained to returne home agayne.

Seleuchus than made a stronge armee
Gathered shyppes, stuffed them wt vytayle,
Towarde Asye he taken hath the see,
But suche tempest gan hys people assayle,
That hertes and power of them gan fayle,
wt thundring & lightning vēgeably distrained
To take the land of nede he was constrained.

The people of Asye seyng thys mischefe
Had of Seleuchus great compassion,
And their succour to set at a prefe
They hym receyued into that region,
Though it stode (as made is mencion)
That aforetyme for hys cruell dede
They had his person in full great hatrede.

And for he fonde fortune fauourable
Nat considryng her mutabilite,
He cast of rancour for to be vengeable
And gyn a werre agayne Tholome:
His men outrayed he was constrayned to fle,
Knewe no refute nor succour of none other,
But for great mischefe sent to hys brother.

I meane hys brother called Antiochus,
Behestyng him for to crowne hym kyng
Of all Asye, hys story telleth thus,
Toke truse thys whyle by subtyll false wor­kyng
With Tholome, for ten yere enduryng:
And when his brother came with his powere
Falsed his promise, double of hert and chere.

Thus of newe they fyll at debate
Eche gan other myghtely werray,
False couetise to encreace theyr estate
Caused that nouther lyst other to obay,
Met in a felde there is no more to say:
Fought hāde for hande, their hostes both two
Seleuchus fled as he was wente to do.

Thus a false werre of hatred fraternall,
Agayne nature set them at discorde,
Eche busy was in especiall
As their story remembreth by recorde,
Neuer their lyfe to be at one accorde:
But whā Seleuchus was put thus to flight,
The people of Surry gan deme anonryght

That he that day was outher take or dede,
And Gallougreis a people of great poste,
Of Couetyse gan hast them in great spede
To entre Asye and spoyle all that countre:
To Antiochus they had eke enmyte,
That he was fayne for hys fauacion,
To pay to them a full great raunsom.

Their heart was yeue onely to pyllage,
Takyng of hym of golde a great quantite,
And he seyng of robbyng the outrage
Drew to the pyllours, & one of them was he:
And through al Asye they robbed eche coūtre,
For Seleuchus they gan so purchace,
That he nat durst abide in no place.

Than Antiochus drewe to Tholome,
Voyde of saueconduyte or any assuraunce,
Though yt atwene them was great enmyte
For a season as made is remembraunce,
To haue founde succour in his gret greuaūce:
But all for nought, for in conclusion
Tholome hym toke and cast in derke prison.

There constrayned of necessite
Knowyng no meane to make his raunson,
By a woman that lyued in pouerte
He was holpe out of that derke prison:
Lo here of fortune a false condicion,
That coude make a kyng without pere,
Of a woman to stande in daungere.

To proude folke this maye be a myrour,
To se a prynce thus sodaynly brought lowe,
That shone in ryches lyke an emperour,
Which of disdayne lyst no man to knowe,
Now is he cast, nowe is he ouerthrowe:
Now hath he cause to plain, wepe, & mourne,
Knowyng no frende for succour him to turne.

He was aferde to holde hys passage
By hye wayes, or for to come in syght,
Fyll amonge theues & they by great outrage
All mercylesse, slew hym anone ryght,
And his brother for all his great myght
Called Seleuchus, which was a wonder,
[Page cxvii]Fil frō his courser, & brake his necke asōder.

The .iii. Chapter.

¶ Howe the noble Queene Laodomya, was in the temple slayne, and vengeaunce take vpon hym that slewe her.

SYxe of estates prynces and pryncesses
Shewed them to Bochas pi­touslye playnyng,
To hym declarynge theyr mortall heuynesses,
And first of all there came to hym wepyng
The noble queene her sorow rehersyng,
Called Laodomya which with heuy chere
Complayned the mischefe of her suster dere.

Called Nereis, yonge and tender of age
That wedded was of Cycile to the kyng,
And on the daye of that great mariage
There fyll a stryfe and a great meuyng
Amonge the commons, by a maner rysyng:
And when the quene therof had a syght,
To Dianes temple anone she toke her flyght.

The people was party & rose againe y• kyng,
For whiche rumore and sodayne stryfe
Laodomya full fearfully quakyng,
Ran to the temple for to saue her lyfe,
Supposyng in her ymaginatyfe
That for the temples chaste reuerence,
Men woulde spare to do there violence,

But there was one by whom the strife began
And was first grounde of this great motion,
Called Milo, a false Cecylian
Voyde of all reuerence and deuocion,
Ran to the temple feirser than a Lyon,
And where the queene the auter dyd enbrace,
With a sharpe sworde slew her in the place.

This sacrilege was punished by vēgeaunce,
Gods were wrothe through this gret offēce,
And Diana by full great displeasaunce
Made in the courte a sodayne pestylence,
And Mylo was by vnware violence
Tourned bestiall, made wode in that affray,
And slewe hym selfe suyng the twelft daye.

The .iiii. Chapter.

☞ How Cleomenes king of Macedone was slayne with his wife and children.

AFter this vengeaūce taken on Mylo,
Came Cleomenes of Macedoyne king,
And to Bochas gan shew his deadly wo
His great iniuries of enemies assaylyng,
His hye emprises, his kyngdome defendyng,
And alderlast how he in his citee,
Was by the sonne slayne of Tholome.

First in his countrey, the story doth deuise,
Againe his enemyes he had a great battayle,
Of his people defendyng the fraunchyse,
Of knightly prowesse as he yt list not fayle
For his ryght to fyght in plate and mayle:
His lieges echone beyng of one assente,
To lyue and dye with him in their entent.

Men, women, and children yonge of age,
Were in one hart as in that mattere,
Whiche made them stronge & gate auaūtage
That vndeuided they stode echone yfere,
Of one corage, of one will, & of one chere,
Greatly assured in their opinion,
Because among them was no diuision.

Their cōmon profite they did more prefarre,
Than they did treasure, lyfe, or good,
For their fredome aye ready to the warre
Not afrayed to spende their owne bloude:
And fynallye so together they stode
That of one thought eche gan him redy make
To lyue and dye for his brothers sake.

He had an enemy borne of that region
The name of whom was Antigonus,
And he had wedded the boke maketh mencion
The olde quene of kyng Demetrius:
And had her sonne the story telleth thus,
Called Phylyp, fro youth in hys kepyng,
Therby pretendyng a tytle to be kyng.

Of Lacedemonoys claymed agayne ryght
There to raigne and take possession,
Lyke a tiraunt vsurpyng of great myght
For to be crowned in that region:
But for all his false presumption
He was put of and yset a farre,
Though he with thē helde a mortal warre.

And Cleomenes that was rightfull kyng
Was in the felde armed euery day,
[Page]Hardy as Lyon, drede hym nothyng,
Gayne his enemyes he stode s [...] at a bay
That fro the felde he made them flye away:
His dredefull sworde grounde was so kene,
That to abyde hym they myght nat sustene.

And on a daye descendyng from his cite
Helde in the felde a full stronge battayle,
With lytle people made his fone to fle:
Retournyng home ful wery of trauayle
Thought in his heart that it should auayle
To stynt the werre, hangyng in no certayne
Tyll yt his people refreshed were agayne.

Set ordinaunce through all the countre
Gayne all enemyes to make resistence,
And into Egypt he goth to Tholome
With wife & children wtdrawing hys presēce,
There receyued with great beneuolence,
Lyke his estate out of care and drede,
And there abode tyl Thotome was dede.

But the sonne of kyng Tholome
Whiche raygned after by succession,
Of false enuy and vengeable cruelte
Slew Cleomenes in that region,
His wife, his children, voyde of compassion,
Alas it was to straunge a cruel thyng,
Within a kyngdome to murder so a kyng.

The .v. Chapter.

☞ Of kynge Nero, Cornely, and Hanyball.

AFter whose deathe thus wrought by violence,
The story remembreth procedyng
Forth came Nero and shewed hys presence,
Of Siracuse the myghty stronge kyng,
Tofore Bothas full pitously playnyng:
Besechynge hym with a full pitous chere
Of his mischefe to wryte the manere.

The whiche Nero, wylfull and furious
Lyst to presume of false rebellion,
For to debate with Appius Claudius
And to maligne agayne Rome toun:
But he anone for his presumptioun
Constrayned was in all his most pride,
Lyke a cowarde to flye and nat abyde.

No more of hym myne auctour writeth here,
But in his boke as he dothe procede,
There came Cornely, of Rome a consulere
Hym selfe complaynyng of y• great falshede,
Whiche vnto hym accomplished was in dede,
By assuraunce broke of Haniball,
Which of Cartage was chefe admirall.

To thys Cornely Haniball was sworne,
With the Affricans by a maner flatery,
To succour hym as we haue tolde toforne,
With the Romains to holde vp his party:
But whan they met, the boke doth specify,
Cornely was take and fettred in prison
At mischefe dyed, there gayned no raunson.

Than Haniball entred of entent
With his knightes into a great cite
Of Cicile called Agrigent,
Where Julius Silua of olde enmyte
Layde a siege with a great meyne,
That he constrayned the sayde Hanyball
For very hungre to leape ouer the wall.

By a posterne he toke hym to the fliyght
Gathered shyppes, and toke the large see,
And Julius Silua lyke a manly knyght
Faught with him, and made hym for to flee
Vpon the water, anone after he
Was of his knyghtes stoned to the dethe,
And so constrayned he yelded vp the brethe.

The .vi. Chapter.

❧ Of the duke zantipas cast into the see.

AFter that Hanyball was stayne thus
And putte to flyght as made is mencion,
Tofore Bochas came worthy zantipus
A famous duke full notable of renoun,
And he was lorde of the stronge region
Lacedemoyne, and was come a ferre
Into Cartage, to helpe them in the werre.

By whose prowesse to his encreace of glory
The proude Romayns were put to flyght,
Cartaginences had of them victory,
And there was take the wyse manly knyght
Marcus Regulus, and brought anonryght
Into Cartage, and led as prysonere
By zantipus, as Bochas writeth here.

Thys noble duke for all his hye prowesse
Done in Cartage, and shewed to their toun,
[Page cxviii]And for all hys notable kyndnesse
They most vnkyndly quit hym his guerdon:
For saylyng home towarde his region,
In a shyp stuffed of their countre,
Of false enuy they cast him in the see.

To his noblesse and famous chiualry
Whan he of knighthod sate hiest i his flours,
They of Cartage by hatred & enuy
Maligned agayne hym, chefe sun of their so­cours,
Taclipsed his lyght, but theragayn auctours
Haue by writyng perpetually set his name
And it regestred in the house of fame.

The .vii. Chapter.

☞ How Marcus Regulus of hys freewyll, dyed for the common wele.

WHo can tell or reherse the grounde of werres
The fyrst cause of suche mor­tall outrage
Whether it began by influence of sterres
Twene man and man, or of wylfull rage
Atwene Romayns and folkes of Cartage,
To great hyndryng, consydred the manere
Of both parties, as Bochas doth vs lere.

Italiens therwith were greued oft,
Namely whan fortune was theyr aduersary
And Affricans felt full vnsoft
Whan she to them lyst be contrary:
Whose course of custome stoūdmeale doth va­ry,
By experience it hath be proued wele,
In ye ouerwhelmynge of her vntrusty whele.

The most worthy and the most famous
Afore remembred vpon eche party,
Fortune to day made them victorious,
And to morow she dyd theyr myght defye:
Now vp, nowe downe, all stode in ieoperdy,
Lyke as she lyst them fauour nye or ferre,
Their losse & wining called fortune of werre.

To some well wylled, happy, and eurous,
To some also full straunge of acquayntaūce,
Reken amonge other Marcus Regulus,
On Romayne partye a Prynce of great substaunce:
To be preferred and put in remembraunce,
One the most worthy & true founde in dede,
Of knyghtly policy that I can of rede.

To common profit was aye his aduertence,
Twene loue and hate standyng so vpryght
To nouther syde declyned the balaunce,
Of his domes, for fauour of no wyght:
Tyll that the eye of hys inwarde syght,
Conceyued had where the trouth stode,
Than gaue he sentence, and theron he abode.

In all this world ther was no better knight
Better named, and borne of good linage,
A semely person delyuer & of great might,
Hardy as Lyon, right manly of visage,
Wal of Romains, sharpe yarde to Cartage:
Demure nat hasty seynge all thyng toforne,
And in Papinia I fynde that he was borne.

And for he had so great discretion
This worthye knyght, thys Marcus Regu­lus,
Chosen he was a Consul of the toun
And had a felow called Manlius,
In armes manly wyse and vertuous,
Whiche for theyr notable hye constaunce
Of Romayne werres had the gouernaunce.

Theyr shyppes stuffed made a great armye
Full prudently with knightly apparayle,
These princes twayne taken haue the see
First with Ciciliens had a great batayle,
Discomfited them at their arriuayle,
Outrayed Amylchar, the story is no fable,
That was of Affrike capitayne & constable.

Wan in that countre castels many one
Toke prisoners, stuffe, and great rychesse,
And all that party to Rome he sent anone
By Manlius the story beareth witnesse:
And the Romayns for his worthynesse
All of assent because he was so wyse,
Prolonged haue the terme of hys offy [...]e.

Of knyghtly noblesse was none to hym lyke,
Nouther in armes, nor politike ordinaunce,
And for the conquest of Cartage and Affrike
To hym they gaue whole the gouernaunce:
Brought cities & townes to the obeysaunce
Of the Romayns, thys noble worthy knyght
Wher euer he rode maugre their foes myght.

By his faythfull laborous dilygence
Gate all the countreys to Cartage toun,
Tyll tidynges came vnto hys presence
Besyde a ryuer there was a great dragon
So horrible (as made is mencion)
That al y• countre of him stode in such doute,
[Page]No man durst neygh hym ferre aboute.

An hundred fote & twayne was hys length,
Lyke as writeth Tytus Liuius,
Was none so hardy man nor of suche strength
That durste approche he was so venomous:
But by the manhode of Marcus Regulus,
Slayne was this monstrous serpent,
And for a maruayle the skinne to Rome sent.

Thus in conquest whyle he dyd his payne
To get castels & myghty stronge towns,
Agayne hym were sent Asdruballes twayne,
Called of Affrike the hardy champions,
With al the power of their regions:
But as the story maketh rehersayle,
They were discomfited in battayle.

Amylchar after came with speare & shelde
In defence of Affrike and Cartage,
And he was also distroyed in the felde
With all his host maugre his visage:
Thus Marcus hadde alwaye the vauntage
Making y• Romains this knyght vertuous,
Through his prowesse to be victorious.

And where that he in hys tender age
Lyst do labour and tyll his owne lande,
For exercise, and vertuous auauntage
To hold the plough & lede it with his hande,
Auoyding slouth as ye shall vnderstande:
Now through Affrike wt many noble knight
In stele and mayle he rydeth armed bryght.

Thus noble Marke what euer he had ado,
He was in armes souerayne singulere,
And in the temple at Rome of Appollo,
For him was kept a crowne of fresh laurere:
Forged of golde, fret ful of stones clere,
And in the temple of Ioue was reserued,
A robe of victory, which he hath deserued.

To these goddes who can consider well
Of olde custome the ryghtes to mayntene,
As for a thyng beyng perpetuell
Which fadeth neuer, of nature, thus I mene,
Ysacred is the freshe laurere grene
For causes twayne, graūted to conquerours,
In marcial actes by cōquest made victours.

For the noblesse of this tre diuine,
Sheweth his odour in wisdome & excellence,
By the grenesse whiche neuer dothe declyne,
Longe abydyng of vertuous prudence:
The rounde crowne betokeneth prouidence,
In signe onely of knyghtly gouernaunce,
Taketh his guerdon of longe continuaunce.

Their strength graūted them nat the crowne,
Nor a proude ginninge stablysheth nat theyr
But perseuerāce who list muse & roun
Graunteth to them and putteth in memory glory,
The triumphe, and palme of theyr victory:
The crowne of laurer in story it is tolde,
And of Jupiter the ryche crowne of golde.

Who can discerne, of all these gyftes thre,
Most appertayneth vnto chyualry,
Manly prowesse & wisdome, anone let se,
Strength, hardynesse, conquest, and policy,
For the Romans caught a fantasy,
For his merites notable and glorious,
To magnifie this Marcus Regulus.

For this Marcus durynge his lusty yeres
Prince of y• werres gayn Affrike & Cartage,
Toke all their yonge knightes prisoneres,
Sent them to Rome for common auaūtage:
But o alas whan he was fall in age,
The gery goddesse among her chaunges all,
Agayne thys prince her fauoure dyd appall.

For to withstand the prowesse of this knyght
In helpe of Affrike as made is mencion,
Came zantipus of whom I spake now right
A mighty duke the whiche was sent doun
Fro Lacedemone, which through his renoun
Whan the power of Marchus gan to fayle,
His meyny slayne, toke hym in battayle.

Into Cartage sent hym prysonere,
And there he lay in stronge chaynes bounde,
Lo how fortune chaunge gan her chere
Falsest of truste, whan she is most iocounde:
First fauourable after frowarde founde,
This is her maner with her double face
Folke yt syt hyest to chaūge thē fro their place.

For he that whylom had in subiection
Almost all Affrike, and Cartage the cite,
Now lyeth he bounde and fettred in pryson:
Whylom in glory, now in aduersite,
Cast in misery from hye prosperite,
Fortunes be made who so loketh wele
Of brotyll glasse rather than of stele.

Thys manly knight albe y• he laye chayned
Whiche had brought Rome to so hye encrees
[Page cxix]That they of Affrike & Cartage wer cōstrai­ned
Vnto Romains to pursue for a pees,
And for to accomplishe this matter doutles,
Vnder assuraunce made in Cartage toun
They toke Marcus anone out of prison.

Bound by his othe there is no more to sayne,
He to be chaunged for Affrike prisoneres,
There for to abyde & they to come agayne,
The yong knightes fresh & lusty of their che­res:
So that Marcus feble & olde of yeres,
By Affricans were to Rome sent,
Bothe assured to accomplishe their entent.

For the Romains had in suche deynte
This noble Marke for manhode & prudence,
And for the furtheryng of theyr commonte,
They had his person for wisdom i reuerence,
Called in y• toun their wall & theyr defence:
Had in more cheerte for knighthode in yt age,
Thā all their prisoners of Affrike & Cartage.

Romayns greatly reioysed of his commyng
And specially for his delyueraunce,
All at ones of hert and true meanyng
Said welcome home our ioye and suffisaūce,
Welcome myrrour of knightly gouernaūce:
This was their voyce, & this was their lan­gage,
At his repayre fro Affrike & Cartage.

And thus was he receyued lyke to his estate,
And conueyed through all the cite,
Nobly presented vnto the Senate,
Began his tale anone as ye shall se,
As he that had more in cheerte
The common profite, than his deliueraunce,
Said vnto them these wordes in substaunce.

Syrs by the auyce of you echone present
First by the estates, next by the commonte,
As prince & Consul to Affrike I was sent,
And as ye know seuen yere there I haue be,
To chastyse rebelles of that countre,
And by the fauour and helpe of gods myght,
To your citie haue quit me lyke a knyght.

In this matter it nedeth nat to tary
Ye knowe your selfe I am now wexen olde,
And fortune is to me right contrary
Whereby youre enemies in Affrike be made bolde,
And they desire me for to be solde
In erchaunge by short conclusion,
For prisoners which they haue in the toun.

And by the fauour of goddes hye in heauen
And by my felowes wyse mediacion,
Countreys & prouynces more than syxe or se­uen
I haue in Affrike made subiect to this toun,
Maugre their myght and their rebellion:
And them constrayned lyke as ye desyre,
For to obay vnto your empyre.

To make your empyre more glorious
And to encrease the boundes of your cite,
Whylom by grace I was victorious,
Vēquished your enemies wher I dyd thēse,
Nowe through fortunes mutabilite,
Made vnhappy, and desolate of chere,
Somtime a prynce, & nowe a prysonere.

Afore my power by fortune was fraūchised,
Now am I thrall and fettred in pryson,
Myne olde triūphes be newly now disgysed,
And victories oppressed and borne doun:
With this considred the transmutacion
Of youth passed, and myne vnweldy age
Lytle wonder though dull be my corage.

Yet ther is a thing yt draweth a lēgth my life,
Whiche in my hert hath set great gladnesse,
To your encreace howe this mortall stryfe
By my labour and knightly busynesse
The marciall prynces famous in worthynesse
wt all the knightes most souerayn of renoun,
Sought through Affrike be in your pryson.

By whose absence febled is Cartage,
The coūtre pouerished, brought to disencrea­ce,
Seynge yt I am dull and fall in age
Gayne Affricans to put my selfe in preace,
Causyng your enemies to pursue for peace,
By exchaunge of me y• may but small auayle,
For affrike knightes most expert in batayle.

They stande in hope of theyr delyueraunce,
By exchaunge of me now sent out of pryson,
Of entent to encrease theyr puysaunce,
Of new to gynne a werre vpon your toun:
Now take good hede in your discretion,
Payse of prudence this thing yt I haue tolde,
Theyr youth considred and howe I am olde.

I am consumed and weared in the werres,
Fortune contrary, I febled to beare armour,
They lusty, freshe, their name spred farre is,
And in the felde they able to endure:
I vnweldy, and lyke a creature
More semely to draw home to my graue,
[Page]Than be armed this cite for to saue.

And in effecte I haue more cheerte
Of very faythe without variaunce,
Vnto the profyte of your commonte
Than to the matter of my delyueraunce:
Two thinges paysed and wayed in balaūce
Of Affrike knyghtes expert worthynesse,
In me the constraynt of ages feblenesse.

And to conclude vpon thys matere
I myght neuer as semeth vnto me
As of knyghthode deserue the laurere,
Nor the triumphe in this famous cite,
Better than dye to encreace the commonte:
And thus auysed of heart and hole corage
Yelde vp the spirite of my vnweldy age.

In this purpose he stedfast as a wall,
Of one wyll and one perseueraunce,
Him selfe commendyng to goddes immortal,
Chase for to dye of polytike constaunce,
And to preferre by notable purueyaunce
The common profite, this was his motyfe,
Set asyde his good, his treasour, & his lyfe.

Right wel chered, stable of his visage,
Of perfite loue he had vnto the toun,
He is repayred agayne vnto Cartage,
The articles kept and the condicion
At the departyng from Affrike region:
This to say, texplete their lust certayne,
Or prisoner he for to resorte agayne.

At his departyng the Romayne senatours
Gan wexe pale of compassion,
To se the pauis of all theyr olde soccours,
As prisoner departe out of the toun:
Princesses and ladyes fyll in a sowne doun,
Children wept, and cryed for pite,
Farwel upholder, chefe wall of their cite.

Was euer founde any trewer knyght
Whiche of his owne faythful mocion,
Where he was free & had power and might
To haue stande at large, by hys election
To kepe his promyse repayred to prison▪
What shall I write of his noblesse or shewe,
To fynde one lyke hym I rede but of a fewe.

And when he came agayn with his message,
Knowyng thentent of this worthy knyght
Most furiously the people of Cartage
In the presence of euery maner wyght
Ordayned haue to tourment anonryght,
First the lyddes of his eyen twayne
They cut of, to encreace his payne.

That he nat should slepe in pryson,
But euer watche with payne intollerable,
And for the constraynt of hys passion
Crye and complayne with sighes lamētable:
And after this toke a playne table
Fret full of nayles, sharpe whet & grounde
And thervpon naked they hym bounde.

Another table they layde on hym aloft
Nayled also, and atwene these twayne
They couched hym, this bed was ful vnsoft,
Moste importable so hidous was ye payne,
The blod ran out of euery senow and vayne:
This was his turment, alas a cruell dethe,
Of worthy Marcus tyl he yelde vp y• brethe.

Who redde in bokes or euer dyd se,
Of any princes so stedfast and so stable
As whylom were in Rome the cite?
Or in theyr conquest so longe perdurable
Of vertue founde, of corage vnstauncheable?
Reken vp all that euer were in that toun,
And to this Marcus make no comparison.

Reken Camillus, Papyrius, Scipions,
Notable & worthy for many great victory,
Reken vp all the worthy champions,
Cursius, Fabricius, famous of memory,
But this Regulus eclipseth all theyr glory,
And surmounteth by reporte of renoun
All these for sayde in comparison.

Reken vp y• four that whylom were so rych [...]
The first of them called Lucius,
Other twayne of condicion lyche,
As was Scaurus, and Gayus Delius,
And forget nat the great Emilius,
But for all theyr great possession,
Make to Marcus no comparison.

Remembre of Crassus of whome it is tolde
The Assiriens to staunche his couetyse
Powred in his throte strāgled him wt golde,
So he dyed the story dothe deuyse:
And though these foure wende haue be wyse,
Greatlye commended through false opinion,
Of them to Marcus make no comparison.

Touchyng this Marke let men beholde & se
He left his treasour, fredome and rychesse
[Page cxx]And for the profite of the commonte
Forsoke hys frēdes, Bochas bereth witnesse,
To further his towne dyed in distresse,
To kepe hys fayth resorted to pryson,
Make of none other to hym comparison.

Myne auctour here putteth in remembraūce
Some that had golde, stones, and pierre,
Some that had of rychesse habundaunce
And of other that stode in dignite,
And some that had worldly prosperite,
Set all asyde and conclude of reason,
Twene them and Marcus is no comparison.

Prynces may lyue after theyr ententes,
After theyr power frowardly in vices,
Of gold and purpure wear riche garmentes,
After theyr lustes and theyr delyces,
Graunt theyr ministers great offyces:
Twene all their pompe and vayne ambicion
And atwene Marke make no comparison.

All these thynges remembred in certeyne,
Wel considred and yput in mynde,
There was in Rome but fewe suche seyne
To common profit that found was so kynde:
And tyll I may suche another fynde
In all thys boke turnynge vp so doun,
I wyll to hym make no comparison.

¶ Lenuoye.

THys tragedye who that can take hede
Is entermedled wyth wo and gladnesse,
Joye for worshyp and singuler manhede
That was in Marke by excellent noblesse,
To rede his fall it is great heuynesse:
Whiche chase to dye where as he stode fre,
Onely for profite of the commonte.

To kepe hys othe playnely as I rede,
Made in Cartage, there beyng in distresse
Thys noble prynce constrayned of no nede
But of frewyll, myne auctour doth expresse,
Fro Rome agayne thyther gan hym dresse,
To suffer tourment of hys fre volunte,
Onely for the profyt of the commonte.

Thys story shoulde crowned be in dede
With golden letters, for to beare wytnesse
Howe the sayde Marke, hauynge of death no drede,
To set Rome fro werre in sykernesse:
Whose hie renome most soue rayn of prowesse
May neuer eclypse by none antiquite,
Which chase to dye to forther the commonte.

He deserued for to haue the mede
Of triumphe, and marciall worthynesse,
And of Jupiter to weare the purple wede
Fret full of stones, most heuēly of brightnesse,
The laureat crowne cōseruyng hys grenesse:
Graunted to victours who lyst consider & se,
Which chase to dye for the commonte.

Noble princes whiche that gouerne & lede
All wordly people, take hede in your hynesse
To this story trew as is the crede,
Takyng example to do your busynesse,
Aye to support & mayntayn ryght wysnesse:
And let Marcus to you a myrrour be
Whiche chase to dye to forther the commonte.

The .viii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Tholome kynge of Egypte, called Philopater slewe father and mother and hys wyfe, in lecherye spent hys lyfe, and mischeuouslye ended.

NExt in order to Bochas com­playnyng,
Vicious of lyfe there came Tho­lome
Called Philopater, & was of Egypt kyng,
In tender age by horrible cruelte
Slewe father, mother, & suster ye maye se:
He to be crowned, as it is made mencion,
To reygne alone in that region.

He was disposed vnto euery vyce,
Frowarde to vertue and to all doctryne,
Slewe hys wyfe called Erudice,
Left hys spouse and toke a concubyne,
Wasted hys lyfe and gan hym selfe enclyne
To all ryote, surfet and outrage,
And in this wyse he spent hys yonge age.

Thus was disclaundred hys royall maieste,
In lecherous lustes watched all nyght,
In bed tyll noone agayne all honeste,
Of false excesse shope hym anonryght
When he arose to drynke agayne myght,
Gorge vpon gorge, to afforce hys lechery,
The longe daye he spent in glotony.

[Page]
I wexe wery the processe for to write
Of this tyraunt vicious and wode,
It is contagious the processe to endite
Because the example doth harme & no goode:
And of vengeaunce thus with him it stoode,
Of sodayne mischefe I rede he dyd fyne
Enbraced in armes of hys concubyne.

Agathoclia playnly was her name,
And had a sonne called Agathocles
Vicious bothe and sclaundred by diffame
Noysed by report they were so recheles,
Bothe at ones take in a sodayne prees,
With their alies all at ones fet,
And by iust dome led to the gybet.

The .ix. Chapter.

¶ How Brythomarus and Viridomarus dukes of Fraunce after great batayls were by Romayns slayne.

NExte Philopater called Tholome,
Ther came in order a worthy duke of Frau [...]ce,
Brythomarus, & out of that coūtre
Rode into Grece with a great puysaunce,
And first he gan to make hys ordinaunce
Agayne Romayns albe they were ferre
Proudly with them for gynne a werre.

But they of Rome to theyr confusion,
By theyr bys [...] oppes and priestes gan deuise
To vse a cursed false supersticion,
Vnto their goddes, in full cruell wyse
To offer vp men by a newe sacrifice,
To burye thē quike, in Bochas thus I rede,
By a false hope the better for to spede.

Of fraūce & Grece they toke ten in nombre
Halfe men & womē togider twayn & twaine,
And by false murder they dyd thē encombre,
Buried thē quike their dethe was sodayne:
At this sacrifice the goddes gan disdayne
And to the Romayns wexte contrarious
For theyr false ryghtes supersticious.

And by recorde of olde Croniculers
The yere fyue hundred fro their foundacion
And one and twenty, tho beyng consulers
Thre in numbre as made is mencion,
Whiche gouerned and ruled all the toun
The first called Lucius Emilius,
And the seconde Catullus Gaius,

Actilius Regulus the thyrde consulere,
By al the senate ordayned were these thre
As I haue tolde the selfe same yere,
For to gouerne and rule the cyte:
And to preserue them from all aduersite
Agayne two peoples of Gaule & Lumber [...]y
Which them werred of malyce and enuy.

Of whiche werre ye Romayns stode in doute,
The Senatours & all the citisayns,
Because agaynste them there came so great a route
Of Lumbardes, by this halfe the moūtay [...]s,
Joyned together with many fell forayns,
Which stode departed as made is remēbraūce
Fro them of Rome and theyr obeysaunce.

The people rude bestiall and vnstable
Together assembled wode and furious
Of multitude very innumerable
Vengeable of heart of corage dispitous,
Voyde of all reason sodaynly furious,
As saythe Bochas I can no further gone
Their soudiers bare gisarmes euerychone,

And gisarmes of gisarmes they were called,
Towarde Rome them hastyng day by day,
Of great labour the fotemen sore appalled
But aye theyr trust on muintude laye,
Of whose commyng Rome stode in afray,
And specially the Consulers thre
That out were sent to fight for the cite.

Four score thousand as write the croniclere
Myghty and stronge to stande at defence
In his felowshyp had eche Consulere,
And of the gisarmes numbre in sentence
Thre hundred thousande by sturdy violence
Goyng on fote, I fynde that they had,
Eyght thousande ouer, yt all the felde sprad.

I reken nat them that rode on horsbacke,
Which sixe & thirty thousand wer in numbre,
Sixe hundred ouer purposed for the wracke
Finally the Romayns to encombre:
The shadow of them gaue so great an vmbre
That on the soyle whiche tofore was grene
There was vnneth any sunne shene.

Their captaine was Brythomarus,
A manly man and a ful worthy knyght,
[Page cxxi]And with them went Viridomarus
Another captayne in stele armed bright,
Twene them & Romaynes long last the fight
But on the party of Rome the citye
Was slayne a Consull one of the thre.

After whose deth of fortune, anonright
On the partie of them of Rome toun
Eight hundred thousand toke them to flight,
And thus began the fame and the renoun
Of Brithomarus, as made is mencion:
Of whiche victory his hert was made fayne,
And on his partie were thre thousand slayne.

But the Romayns resorted be ageyne
And after that had a stronge battayle,
And in the felde so manly they were seyne
And so proudly their enemyes dyd assayle,
That as myne auctour maketh rehersayle
Of the Gisarmes longe or it were night,
Fourty thousande were slayne in that fight.

The thyrde tyme wt helpe of them of Fraunce
Joyned to Lumbardes & folk of Gaule also,
They fought agayne all out of ordinaunce,
Besyde the ryuer that called is the Po,
Where bothe battayles together had ado:
And as I fynd Consulers twaine
Two Romaine sheltrōs knightly dyd ordain

Manlius Torquat called was that one,
Flaminius Flaccus was wyth him yfere,
And with the Romains forth togider thei gon
Toward that ryuer with a full manly chere:
In whyche battayle the story doeth vs lere,
Nyne & fourty thousande slayne on that daye
Of their enemies, that none ne went awaye.

Brithomarus was taken prisonere,
In token of triumphe brought to Rome toun
To the capitoyle, wyth a full pale chere
Bounde in chaynes, there gayned no raūson:
Thus hath fortune appalled his hie renoun,
And in token of his discomfiture,
Offred to the goddes was his cote armure.

Thus Lachesis his lyues threde gan draw
Tyll Attropos it brake with ful great paine,
Viridomarus that was his felawe
Slayne in the felde by Romains in certaine,
And of these worthy princes twayne
This was the ende, and the mortal fall,
The feest accomplished called funerall

And in the tyme of these mortall wertes
Atwene these dukes & them of Rome toun,
Many tokens were shewed in the sterres,
Meruaylous lyghtnīges fro the heauē doun,
And many an vncouth constellacion:
Sondry cometes dyd in the welken appere
Who seeth the storyes may the trouth lere.

The water Pytene that renneth in Itayle
Whiche in that countre is a famous flode
The same houre & tyme of their battayle
Is sayeth the storye, was turned in to bloud:
Fyres in the eyre moost furious and woode,
That mighty  [...]owrs were wt the flames brēt,
Thre mones apperynge in the Orient.

The people for feare fled in to lowe caues,
For drede wext pale & deedly of their chere,
And in thre dayes were thre erthe quaues
Durynge this werres, and in the same yere
Of greate Appollo fyll downe the pyllere
Of marbyl whyte, large & of great strength,
That syxty cubytes accoūte was the length.

And in that tyme, the story sayeth not nay,
Of Rome a Consul wyth a great puissaunce
Called Claudius slewe vpon a day
Thyrty thousande, & broughte to mischaunce
Of the soudiers that came out of Fraunce:
And ther was slayne wt many a captain lorn [...]
Viridomarus, of whome I spake to forne.

To his greate shame and confusion
As it is remembred by scripture,
The Romains made a great oblacion
Vp to Jupiter, of his cote armure:
And in token of his discomfiture
Within that temple of golde beaten clere,
To his dispite they hynge vp his banere.

¶ The .x. Chapter.

¶ Howe Siphax kynge of Numedy was take, and dyed in prison.

HEre Bothas breuelye for a remem­braunce,
Writeth werres, debates, and bat­tayls
That were that tyme in Itayle & Fraūce
In Spayne, Chāpayne, with marcial appa­rails
And among other in his rehersayles
He telleth in Affrike the great discencion
[Page]Atwene Hanyball, and worthy Scipion.

He toucheth their names & abydeth not long,
Vpon their stories he byde not but a while,
Here not rehersyng their werres stronge
Nor of their striues he doth not here compile,
But downe discēdyng directeth forth hys stile
For to reherce and tell by wrytynge
The fal of Siphax, in Numedy kyng.

This sayd Siphax, battailes had twayne,
One with king Galba, he of very might
Had eke an other in whych he dyd his payne
To mete Massinissa after anonright,
And both kinges he put to the flyght:
And of Messulie I fynde by wrytynge
Howe Massinissa was gouernour & kynge.

This sayd Siphax through his chiualry
Made Massinissa to flye his region,
Constrayned hym to lyue by robbry,
To walke in forestes with beestes vp & doun,
And for diffaute as made is mencion,
To saue his life he found no better refute.
But fedde him selfe on rotes and on frute.

Out of his realme Massinissa was enchased
And constrained to  [...]e fro his countre,
Fro minde of folke his name was out raced,
For no man wist where he shulde be:
His liegemen and folke of his cytie
Through al Affrike knewe no better reed
Of his persone, but dempt that he was deed.

Thus of kyng Siphax encrece gan the glory
Which by force two kinges hath outraied,
And vpon them wonne the victory,
Put them to flight & the people affrayed,
That Rome & Cartage were of him dismaied
And eche of them dyd their busye laboure,
Of their werres to make hym gouernour.

Vnto Siphax out of Rome town
As it is written for a memoryal,
To Numedy was sent Scipion
For this matter in especial:
Out of Cartage was sente Hastrubal,
And at the Castell where Siphax lay,
Both twayne arriued at one day.

And by playne writinge as I haue conceiued
And as the story remembreth in sentence,
At their cōmyng both were receyued
Of kinge Siphax with greate reuerence:
And through his notable manly diligence,
As it is wrytten by good recorde,
He made these Capitaines hertly of acorde.

That they togither lay the same nyght,
They had of Siphax so great surete
By promyse made, as he was true knyght,
That nouther of them should disceyued be:
But there was founde great duplicite
Followyng after, who so can take hede,
Lyke as this story shall deuyse in dede.

For by the fraude & falsenes most mortall
Compassed beforne, it is thus befall
That by the sleight of this Hastruball
As affricans be nye double all,
Vnder suger can hyde well their gall,
So Hastrubal by false decepcion,
Vnder fayre chere deceyued Scipion.

He brought in Siphax by false subtilte,
And by his sleight painted fayre langage,
That he shoulde with him alied be,
By full assent to haue in mariage
Sophonisba a maiden of Cartage,
Which was doughter yong & fayre withal
As sayeth Bochas, to this Hastruball.

The whiche thynge by crafte was brought a­bout,
And accōpished verily in dede,
And by thys meane plainly out of doute
There first began rancour and hatrede,
Simulacion fayned, and falshede
That atwene Siphax & Hastruball alas,
Scipion was desceiued in this caas.

And after that done was this mariage,
Siphax ful enemye to this Scipion,
With Hastruball rode in to Cartage,
And gan werray againe Rome toun:
And in this while, as made is mencion,
Kynge Massmissa out of wildernes
Toward Scipion in al hast gan him dresse.

With his people gan to make him stronge,
Through helpe of Scipion and of Belgius,
Went againe Siphax, & abode not longe
His herte againe him was so enuious:
And on a day the story telleth thus,
Wyth Affricans and folke of Cartage,
Siphax the Romains met in the vysage.

Of Massinissa the people were so woode
Vpon Siphax auenged for to be,
[Page cxxii]Through their battayls came to him there he stode,
And maugre him and his cruelte,
Of very manhode, space was none to fle,
They brought him home throughe theyr hye renoune,
Into y• hāds of worthy Scipion.

Siphax was take thus or he was aware
Vnder his baner, maugre al his myght,
And in to Rome ledde afore the chare
Of Scipion the noble worthy knight,
That wan the triūphe graūted hym of right:
And Sophonisba afore to Syphax wyfe,
Wed to Massinyssa at thēde of all thys stryfe.

Lo howe fortune chaunge can her tydes,
To one this daye she can be fauourable,
Marke capitayns and these great gydes
Which wende haue founde her whele stable:
But she is aye frowarde & chaūgeable,
Frendly to daye to morowe at discorde,
If this be trewe Siphax can beare recorde.

This Siphax was sente out of the toune,
In chaynes bounde without more taryinge,
And at Tyburny lay fettred in prison,
Dyed at mischefe made there his endynge:
And for bycause that he was a kyng,
The Romayns made of marcial pyte
Him to be buried, within their citye.

☞ The .xi. chapter.

❧ Howe Nabyn hauynge no tytle but by ticannye, toke on hym to be kyng of Macedoyne and was slayne.

NExte came Nabyn ful pytously we­pynge
Tofore Jhon Bochas, whyche by tirannye
Of Macedoyne toke on hym to be kynge,
Hauynge no tytle saue tytle of robbery,
Onely by force hym selfe to magnify:
Which with stronge hande toke ful possession
For to be crowned in thylke region.

This Macedoyne as by olde writynges
Whylome was had in ful great reuerence,
Bycause onely it floured in two thynges,
Both in knighthode & souerayne Sapience,
Mars there by manhode Pallas by prudēce:
And whyle these two had gouerna [...]ce,
Or al welfare they had suffisaunce.

And whyle noblesse of these thynges twayne
That is to say the floure of hye clergy
The hye renome mooste famous & souerayne
Of marciall prowesse and of chiualry
Gouerned that land by new policy,
Than stode that kingdome auctours reherce kōne,
Amonge the Grekes lyke an heauenly sonne.

But at the last eclypsed was the lyght
B [...]th of knighthode and Philosophy,
Whan couetise gan enter agayne righte
For to vsurpe vpon the regaly
By intrusion of false tyranny,
And by extorte force made their entrynges
Hauyng no title there to reygne as kynges.

This was chefe cause for short conclusion
That the noblesse of Grece was brought baas,
And Macedoyne brought to confusion
By couetyse that set them in such caas:
Thereby theyr knighthod translated was
And their polycy, in Cronicles ye may se
Out of Grece into Rome the citye.

And among other by clere remembraunce
Of suche tyrauntes by ordre rehersyng,
Nabyn was one that had gouernaunce
In Macedoyne, & was there crowned kyng,
Without title there falsly reignynge:
And for his frowarde contagious cruelte
He was behated of Rome the citye.

The Romayns sent a mighty Consulere
Tytus Flāminius of their werres gyde,
To Macedoyne, he gan to aproch nere
Towarde Argos where Nabyn dyd abyde,
Of entent for to abate hys pryde:
But while Nabyn stode hiest in estate,
Of Grece hys lieges with him were at debate

A Duke yealled Philopomenes
With the people that dwelled in Grece lande,
To stryue wt Nabyn put hym selfe in prees.
Discomfyted him fightynge hande for hande▪
And at great mischefe ye shall vnderstande,
Alexamenes a knyght of that countre,
Slewe thys Nabyn the Cronycleye may se.

The .xii. Chapiter

¶ Here Bochas reherseth the mortal werres bytwene Romayns & Affricans.

[Page]
AFter this Nabyn Bochas dothe procede
To tel the werres and the mortall stri­ues
Twene Romains and Affricans in dede,
Wherby ful many lost their liues,
Caused widowes, maidens, & eke wiues
To wepe & waile, in such dis [...]oynte they stode
On outher party to se the losse of bloode.

For the party of them of Rome towne
Were made capitaines and diuers officers,
Which into affrike wt people were sent down,
And specially there were two Consulers
Notable in armes, & famous in tho yeres,
Marcus Mālius borne of the Romain lie,
That other called Lucius Censorine.

With them was sent a tribune ful notable
Of whom tofore I made mencion
For the werres most worthy & most able,
I meane of Rome proude Scipion,
Which of their cite was chefest champion:
Of entent the affricans tanoye
And specially Cartage to distroye.

And nye by Cartage ther was a citie stronge
Mightely builded, and stode vpon the see,
The walles thicke, rounde, square, & longe,
Chefe diffence called of that countre
To saue and kepe them from aduersite,
And forty cubytes with crestes marciall,
Lyke as I fynde, of height was the wall.

And in the fronte raysed for the werre,
Of stones square was an hye dungeon
Called Birsa, fro which wounder ferre
Men myght beholde the courtreis enuyron:
And ss I reade for their saluacion
The Affricans of purpuse dyd ordayne
For their captaines Hastrubalies twayne.

The sayd dungion mightyly battailed
Againe al sautes to stand and endure,
But worthy Scipion for al y• hath not fayled
For to approche and do by bu [...]y cure
With his engyns mighty stronge & sure,
So that by force this knight most marcial
A great quantite brake downe of the wal.

And Lucius called Sensorine
Departed is with Marcus Manlius,
And by the Counsayle of Scipion & doctrine
Both of assent in armes vertuous
They toke their waye, myne auctour telleth thus,
Wyth Hastrubal sothly and they myght
Where as he lay that same day to fight.

These Consulers assayled the citye
Called Ci [...]ie, and beate downe the wall,
Slewe fourtye .M. the Cronycle ye maye se,
Of Affricans by vengeaunce full mortall:
And their constable called Hastruball
Was slayne that day, by him it is no doute
That he most trusted & next was him aboute.

And this whyle most manly of corage
The worthy Tribune Publius Scipion
By very force is entred in Cartage,
And sixe dayes, as made is mencion
He & his knightes constrayned so the toun
That dispaired with their deedly cheres
They of the towne yelded them prisoneres

Mekely requiryng vnto Scipion
To receyue them in thys mortall rage,
That men & women dwellyng in that toun,
With the cite sins yong and olde of age
Myght abyde and lyue in seruage
Vnder the Romains, there was no better re­fute
And yere by yere pay them a tribute.

And of Affrike that other Hastruball
Whych among thē afore was crowned kyng,
Left his estate and his power royal,
Yelded hym prisonere humbly knelyng,
And his wyfe most pitiously weping,
Whan that she sawe her lorde taken so,
Ran in to fyre and brent her selfe for wo.

Sixe and twenty thousande as I fynde
Where led of women into captyuyte,
Thirty thousand of men came behinde
Take prisoners in great aduersite,
And seuentene dayes brent that citye:
That in theyr walles was none so hard stone
But to poudre it was brent anone.

And this was done breuely to conclude
By the prowesse of Publyus Scipion,
Sold in seruage was a great multitude,
Their olde lordes led fettred to pryson,
Thys was of Cartage fynall distruccion:
On their cōplaints Bocas abideth no whyle
But into Grece turneth agayne hys style.

[Page cxxiii]

☞ The .xiii. Chap.

❧ Howe kynge Perseus was by Romaynes outrayed and after take.

IN Lacedemoyne remembrynge on a kynge
Called Perseus, a full proude wer­ryrour
Claymyng a tytle vpon hym vsurpyng
For to succede as trewe enherytour
To gret Alisaūdre most myghty conquerour,
Fully affirmyng agayne a certayne day
He wyll be crowned maugre who sayth nay.

And his name to put in memory,
Cast in his persō to renewe the prowesse
Of kinge Alisaundre, & to encrease his glory,
To folowe his traces in knighthode & nobles
And fyrst of all of hasty wilfulnes
That his conquest might sprede ferre,
Gan of purpose wt Romaines to haue werre.

But after this he was better auysed
Whan he perceyued the Marcial apparayle
Of the Romayns, whereof he was agrised,
Wext aferde their noblesse to assayle,
Which aye were found victorious in battaile:
And where afore he had ben recheles,
Sent ambassatours wt them to treat of pees.

They had perceyued his presumpcion
And howe he was proude and surquedous,
Sent a Consul with a great power doune
The name of whome was Sulpicius,
Whych deedly hated the sayde Perseus,
Through rancour agayne him wext solayne
Of his ambassade hauyng but disdayne.

And their partie for to fortify,
With their saide Consul Sulpicius
They sent another experte in chiualry,
A Consul also Paulus Emylius
Amonge Romains notable and famous:
And folowyng after the selfe same nyght
The mone eclypsed fully of hir myght.

A clere token as made is mencion
That kynge Perseus shoulde haue a sharpe shoure
And that his lordship & his region
Shoulde be oppressed voide of al socour,
And that Macedons shuld haue no fauour
Agayne the Romains, togider whā they met
With rounde speares & swordes sherpe whet▪

The day of battaile to his encrease of glorye
For the party of them of Rome toune,
There was a knyght that caused the victory,
Yonge freshe & lusty that called was Caton,
Which brought their enemies to confusion:
For Macedonoys through his great might
Outraied were, & Perseus put to flyght.

But Emplius the noble Consulere
Sent a capitaine called Octauius,
To pursue after in costes ferre and nere
The proude kyng the sayde Perseus,
And he was take for there was no rescus
With his sōnes, that were in numbre twaine,
Philip & Alisaundre the story is certaine.

Myne auctour telleth here of kinges many
Thurty in numbre, the first Gramaus,
Which haue reigned within Macedony,
And last of all was this Perseus:
The numbre of yeres, Bochas wryteth thus
Was nyne hundred as I remembre here,
Space of their reigning with .xxiiii. yere.

After translated was the region
With al their yles vnto the obeysaunce
Of them of Rome without excepcion:
To great lords that were of most pu [...]saunce
Abode there long vnder gouernaunce.
And Perseus discōlate of chere
Durynge his lyfe abode there prisoner.

The .xiiii. chapiter.

¶ Howe the people of Achaia with their chefe citye Corinthe by Romains was distroied.

THus the lordeshyp weared out and spent
Of Macedoyne, as made is menciō
The two countreyes therto adiacēt
That one Achaia a litle region,
And Spartonoyse goynge enuiron,
Myghty of people, and of great substaunce,
In one confederate, and of one alyaunce,

They were cōioyned, & both made al one
By a maner faithful conuencion.
And whan the Romaines knew thē for their fone
Hauinge their frendshyp in suspeccion
They cast to make a disiunction
[Page]Bytwene these lādes in bread and length,
For thig dysceuered is weked of hys strēgth.

Ordayned cytyes & townes here & yonder,
Wheron the Romayns gan make a decre
That their lordshyppes shuld be set a sonder,
Whych made the people in euery great citie
Whā they knewe their subtylite
To ryse at ones, most cruel of their cheres
And wold haue slaine ye Romayn messāgers.

And fynally by thys occasyon
Romayns agayne them gan wexe furious,
Toke hardynes of their deuysion:
And a Consul called Meuius
A manlye knyghte in armes full famous,
In to Achaya was from Rome sent,
It to distroy by great auysement.

They of Achaya by theyr negligence
And by their frowarde wylful rechelesnes,
Of verye pride list make no diffence,
Thought them self, wythout auisenesse
Of power able and stronger in southnes
Than were Romains verely in dede,
Thus were they stroyed afore or they tooke hede.

They stode in hope in their sturdines
By that battayle to haue had greate pyllage,
Of the Romayns to haue won great ryches,
And for a pompe of wylful false dotage
They toke theyr wiues & womē yoūg of age
And set them vpon an hye mountayne,
That their māhode myght in the feld be seine.

Whan the Romains met them in battayle,
They dispurueyed and out of ordynaunce
Slayn lyke beastes, their power gan to faile
Of froward pride & recheles gouernaunce,
That Achaya was brought to mischaunce:
Women & chyldren for sorowe almooste mad,
To lyue in seruage were to Rome lad.

Corinthe that tyme was their chefe cytye
Distroyed by Romayns & brought to ruyne,
Whych among cityes (in Bocas ye may se)
Aboue all other dyd in honour shyne:
Of al Sciences there floured the doctrine,
And of craftes artificers most wyse,
Reken al the world ther was chefe marchaū ­dise.

Thus vnwarly in their most noblesse
Sittynge of fortune in the hygh stage,
They were distroied of treasour & rychesse
Brought to noughte by slanghter & pyllage,
Their walles broke in that cruel rage:
And in that brēnyng Bochas sayth the leuin
Raught a great part vpwarde to the heuen.

Playne with the erth the walles broke doun,
The people slayne mercilesse yonge and olde,
And there was made a great diuysion,
Some led in seruage & some of thē were solde:
Ymages of coper, of syluer, and of golde
Where sodaynely in all that violence
Togyther molte, so hote was the feruence.

Of whych metall thus after it is fal,
Golde syluer and coper medled in to one,
Coper of Corinthe men dyd it call
Through al the world of custome euerychon▪
Fame of whych metal is so ferre gone,
That the vessels forged of the same,
Corinthoyse called is the name.

After Corinth was thus brent to nought,
A prince called Philyp Phylermene,
To Bochas hath his cōplaynte brought,
In whose face and chere it was well sene
The wofull constraynt of his mortall tene:
And he was whylome (Bochas doth specify)
Lorde of a citye called Vallaquy.

Marcus Actilius toke hym prisonere,
Brought him to Rome, lyst hym not respite,
Next to Bochas with an heuy chere
Appered a knyght called Democrite,
Of Etholys myne auctour doth so wryte
He was chefe lorde, but he and his countre
Translated were vnto Rome the citye.

Thys Duke was cast & chayned in prison,
Escaped ones in story as I fynde,
Take agayne, throwe in a derke dungeon,
There for soro we went out of hys mynde,
Slewe him selfe at mischefe agayne kynde:
Lo howe these princes proude & recheles,
Haue shameful ende that can not liue in pees.

The .xv. Chapiter

❧ Nowe greate Antiochus vsynge ryot and vycious lyuynge by Marcus Actilius was outrayed and dyed sodaynly.

[Page cxxiiii]
TOuchynge the storye in order here folo­wynge
Of Seleuchus & great Antiochus,
Of his mother Leodices and the kyng,
With other tokens & sygnes merueylous,
And how also the same Seleuchus
Had in his thygh as wryten is toforne,
Prynt of an anker y• day whā he was borne,

And al the chyldren by succession
Had by dyscent borne of his linage,
Print of an anker, as made is mencion,
In the fourth booke with al the surplusage
Of other tokens ther tolde in plaine lāgage,
And of the sayde same Seleuchus
Came by discent the sayde Antiochus.

Whose herte was set of hye couetise
To folow his lustes and dilectacions,
And specially he cast gan and deuise
To wynne in Grece diuers regions:
And of the people he caught occasions
By their fauour to conquere their countre,
And rebel agayne Rome the cite.

With multitude and great apparaile
He gate in Grece castels and eke touns,
Longing to Rome, conquered by battayle,
Toke vpon hym in his presumpcions
Falsly to folowe the inclynacions
Of hys birthe, while he dyd abyde
In a citie that called was Talcide

For cause of slouth he lefte his chyualry,
Forsoke Mars and toke hym to Cupyde,
Restyng the wynter he spent in lechery,
In watche, & ryot, chase Venus to his gyde:
Sensualitie made reason stande asyde,
And by these meanes for shorte conclusion,
He was conueyed to his dystruction.

And whan y• winter with his frostes colde
Passed was and al his stormes kene,
In ryote spent and wasted as I tolde,
And Veer came in wyth his newe grene,
And freshe Flora which is of flours quene
Of custome gynneth her motles out dresse,
In whych season as auctours all expresse

Kinges & princes with marcial apparayle
Time whan Phebus in the ram doth shyne,
They them dispose to go out to battayle,
For exercyse of marciall disciplyne:
And downe from Rome expert in y• doctryne
Dyscended is Marcus Actylius
Agayne thys vicious proude Antiochus.

This noble Marke proued in armes wele,
Which in his tyme was so good a knight,
With al his host armed in bryght stele
Agayne Antiochus came to the felde right:
Vpon a morowe whan Phebus shone bryght
Set his wardes by captaines y• he chees,
Vpon a hil Called Thermophyles.

Antiochus vpon that other syde
Whom glotony and ryot dyd oppresse,
And dronken Bachus wyth hym dyd abyde
wt Morpheus wyfe of slōber chefe goddesse,
Which caused him thorugh slouthe & ydelnesse
That prouidence out of his court was gone,
Causyng y• day the slaughter of many one.

Whā the Consul Marcus y• worthy knyghte
His aduersaries proudly gan assaile,
They vnpuruayed toke thē to the flyght,
Disarayed, they might not auayle:
Thus Antiochus fled out of battayle,
For againe Romaynes he myght not endure,
Therfore on hym fyl the discomfiture.

Thus rebuked fled to Ephesie
Ferre in Grece, & there to dwell he chees,
Sent to Romains a great ambassadrye
With the saide Marcus for to treat of pees:
But in this ambassed this is very doutles
Whan they attained of Marcus the presēce
They were refused, and had no audience.

Of which Antiochus greatly was ashamed,
Cast againe Rome of hate and enmyte
To rayse a power, & hath of newe attamed
To gather shyppes & make a great arme,
Gynne a werre agayne them on the see,
Hauynge an hope vnder a cowardedrede
Better on the water thā on the lande to spede.

Made hys shyppes be stuffed wyth vytayle,
And hys captaynes hath the lande forsake,
But whan y• Romayns of newe gan hi assaile
Hys shippes brent, & al hys stuffe was take,
And as mine auctor cōpēdiously doth make,
Thus on the see the Romains werraying
He was outraied, the storye wytnessyng.

Yet efte agayne to hys confusyon
Vpon the lande he gan make hym stronge,
[Page]Met wyth Cornely called Scipion
With waynes & cartes made for y• wer strōg,
Shod wyth yron, sharpe sithes set amonge
In trauers wise by great ordinaunce,
But for all y• he was brought to mischaunce.

With Oliphaūtes & Castels on their backe
That daye was slaine many worthy knyght,
Vpon his host so cruel was the wracke
That he constrayned toke hym to the flyghte,
Forsoke the coūtre fled out of mennes syght:
To the Romayns, he coude it not delaye
Eche yere constrayned a tribute for to pay.

But he of fraude because of his tribute,
For couetyse fained sore pouerte.
Gathered robbours, and by false pursute
Oppressed Marchauntes, spoyled the coūtre
Robbed temples of hateful cruelte,
And fro Jupiter called Dodanon
Toke al the relikes the story telleth con

Dyd sacrileg [...], and entred in that close
Without reuerence or any obseruaunce,
For whych the temple agayne him rose,
And as it is put in remembraunce
By the goddes there fil a great vengean̄ce
Vpon this tyraunt, quakyng in his drede
All sodenly he fyl to ground dede.

¶ Lenuoye.

THis tragedy of Antiochus
Who lyst in ordre his froward story se,
First to all vertue he was contrarious,
And rebell euer to Rome the cite:
Justly accused of vicious thinges thre,
Of pride, slouth, and of glotony,
And of disordinate superfluyte,
Of nyght excesse, ryot, and lechery.

On him the Romains were victorious
Twyse on the land, ones on the see,
He was not hardy, but malicious,
In euery battayle his custome was to flee:
Ther vices reigne there may no grace be,
To al surfettes his lust he dyd apply,
Noysed & disclaūdred through his coūtre
Of nyght excesse, ryot, and lechery.

Amonge his lieges wode and dispytous,
And for a cowarde knowe in y• felde was he,
The pore toppresse a wolfe most furious,
And by disceite a foxe for subtilte:
No man more froward of hie nor low degre,
Nor more deliting in falshed nor flatery,
What was his ende [...] a sodain deth parde,
For his outrages of pride, and lechery.

Noble Princes of prudence full famous
In al your greatest roial maieste,
Remembre playnly if ye be vertuous
Ye shall perseuer in longe prosperite:
Where the contrary causeth aduersite,
As this story afore doth specifye,
Of Antiochus cast from his dignite
For this great pride, riot, and lecherye.

☞ The .xvi. Chap.

How Jeronimus kig of Ciracuse was slayn, & how Scipio Affrican y^t laboured for cō mon wele of Romains was exiled by them, and so dyed.

After the deth of thys Antiochus,
Ther came a price to Bocas cōplaining,
Which that was called Jeronimus
Of Cyracuse whylom lorde and kyng:
Whych of his lieges he nothing trespasing
Slayne was, wyth his thre susters dere
Of hatred, myne auctour wryteth here.

Ciracusanes had a condicion
Through chaūges newe aye to be vnstable,
Of wilful malice voyde of al reason
On their kinges for to be vengeable:
They loued not to haue them perdurable,
But euery yere of custome, this is trewe,
Them to gouerne to haue a prince newe.

And for their chaūges & their vncouth striues
Wyth variaunce of their condycions,
Because no frute is founde in their liues
Nor in their stories nor in their successions,
I wyl passe duer and speke of Scipions,
And first to write of the worthy man
Called in his tyme Scipio Affrican.

A famous knight in al nacions
For his conquest shortly to conclude,
Which had brought full many regions
More by wysdome than by multitude
To obey the Romayns: but for ingratitude
Whych that he fonde in them (as I rede)
How he wrought, to tel I wyll procede.

It is remembred of his worthynes
While that he was flouring in yonge age,
How Rome was made lady & maystresse
Of many a lande, to their auauntage:
And specially all Affrike & Cartage
[Page cxxv]By hys prowesse as made is mencion,
Were brought of Romayas vnder subiection.

But they againeward were to him vnkynde,
By accusacions fonde out by their falsenesse
Sayd agayne hym (as it is put in mynde)
By recorde of many a false wytnesse,
That he should haue imbezeled the rychesse
Of Cartage and Affrike the countre,
Whych appertayned to Rome the cyte.

But againeward this noble Affrican
Proudly gaue answere to his accusours,
He neuer wythhelde fro tyme yt he began
Toward him selfe, no parte of theyr tresours:
Saue as the manere is of conquerours
For to conserue hys worshyp & his name,
As most was profit to the townes fame.

This is to meane playnly and not tary,
He neuer accroched treasour nere nor ferre
Towarde hym selfe, but that was necessary
For their worshyp to mayntayne theyr wer:
And yet that tyme he was their lode sterre,
To encrease their boūdes & fully his delite
Was al hole set to the cōmon profyte.

He toke none hede of all the surplusage
Of their treasours nor their great rychesse,
The name reserued of Affrike & Cartage
To hys knyghthod and his hye noblesse:
But their malicious expert vnkyndnesse,
Was in cause breuely to compyle,
Hys body fro them perpetually to exyle.

Cast him neuer wythin Rome toun
After that daye amonge them to be seyne,
Vnkyndenesse gaue hym occacion
To absent his person, & of hye dysdayne
To exyle hym selfe & neuer to come agayne:
But for to abyde in a smal vyllage
Called Lynterne, whan he was fal in age.

And for men should mynde on hym haue,
By a maner of indignacion
An Epitaphie he set vpon hys graue,
Which saide thus to them of Rome toun:
O people vnkynde, vnkynde agayne reason,
My funeral ashes nor my bones dede
In thy walles thou shalt neuer possede.

In thyne vnkynde frowarde teritory
My bones shall not rest nor abyde,
But thyne vnkyndnesse to put in memory
To remembraunce shal be red full wyde:
Of these letters graue on euery syde
By report onely of this small scripture,
Whych here is set vpon my sepuiture.

Lo here the cause by brefe dyscripcion
Set on my graue, for a memoriall
Why that my bones out of Rome toun
Be buried here lowe vnder thys wall,
In exile holde my feast funerall:
Vnkyndnesse me droue out of that cyte,
That wrought so much for the cōmonte:

¶ The .xvii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Scipio Asian lorde of Asye that laboured euer for the cōmon wele was murdred.

AFter the ende of thys Affrican
Called i his time worthy Scipion,
Came next his brother Scipio Asyan,
Which in Asie had dominacion:
Gayne whom was made an accusacion
To al the Senate, that he vntruly shold
Certayne tresours towarde hym selfe wt hold

Whych that he in Asie had wonne
In hys conquest, by many strong battayle:
Which accusacion falsly was begonne
Of olde enuy causlesse, thys is no fayle,
Whose worthynesse, full muche dyd auayle
To comon profyt, by these two conquerours
By great ritchesse encreasyng their tresours.

The tone in Affrik as ye haue hard me tell
By hys wysdome and his chinalry,
That other in Asia whych dyd excell
In hye prowesse, as bokes specifye:
Flalsly hyndred of hatred and enuy,
By compassyng of one Antiochus,
Hym to distroy he was so desirous.

Not withstāding these twayne Scipions
Had in their tyme, by manifolde battayls
Brought vnto Rome so many regions
To obey their citie wt marcial apparayls:
And euer more to their great auails,
Brought in tresours to encreace wt their toun
Yet haue they wrought to their distruccion.

[Page]
The tone in exyle as made is mencion
Dyed alas, whan that he was olde:
The seconde was murdred in prison,
Their boeth storyes remembred here & tolde,
To yeue example to princes manyfolde,
That who that laboureth for a comonte,
Leseth oft his thāke, by Scipions ye may se.

☞ The .xviii. chapter.

¶ How the Duke Philopomenes was take, put in prison, after dranke poison, and so dyed.

AFter the processe of these two Scipions
Twene two peoples wylfull and reche­les
Began in Grece newe discencions,
Twene Acheoys and Etholois doutles,
And a great Duke Philopomenes,
A Prince y• tyme of full great puissaunce,
Had of Messenois holy the gouernaunce.

This sayde Prince Philopomenes
Leadyng his host vpon a ful fayre playne,
As he rode armed and put him selfe in prees,
Myd his people as gouernour & wardaine,
Folke out of rule for to call agayne,
Vpon his stede as he gan them fette
In due ordre, his wardes for to set,

And this Prynce of port most marcial
In the pursute which that he gan make,
Amonge his enemies he had a sodaine fall,
Voyde of al rescue vnwarely he was take:
Of al his frendes lyke a man forsake,
Amonge his enemies brought vnto prison,
There made an ende by drinkynge of poyson.

Of Philopomenes this was the fatal caas,
Out of gouernance his people disolate,
Except a captaine called Ligorias,
Whych in the werres was wonder fortunate
Of Acheoys toke on him the state
Them to gouerne and the people lede,
Of hym no more in Bochas I do rede.

The .xix. chapiter.

❧ Of the thyrde Scipion Nasica y^• euer wrought much for the comonte.

WIne auctoure here maketh a dygres­syon,
And reherseth for a memorial
Of the thyrde worthy Scipion
Called Nasica, whych in especial
By disposycion verye naturall
Holde amonge Romaynes by reporte of lau­gage,
Passinge all other in wisdome and corage.

Olde of discrecion & not but yonge of yeres,
For a myracle myne auctour doth expresse
Whan Senatours sente messageres
In to Frigia by great auysenesse,
For Berosynthia most famous goddesse,
Whā she was brought by them y• dyd her gide
In house nor temple she would not abyde

Saue in the palays of this Scipion,
To put his name more in remembraunce.
The whych also through his hie renoun
Gallogrois he brought to vttraunce,
A people of Grece ferre out of gouernaunce:
But Scipion gan them so werrey
Maugre their malice y• Romains for to obey.

Wherby his name was put in memory,
And ful gret thāke he hath in Rome deserued,
Bycause onely of his greate victory
For which the triūphe was to him reserued:
But at last full falsly he was serued,
Of the Romains, after their olde manere
In this tragedy anone as ye shal here.

After he had augmented their treasours,
Conquered in Asia many regions,
Caused of their fone that they were victours
Appeased of Graccus the false occasions
Compassed of malyce by newe discencions,
Atwene the people and also the Senate
He ofhye wysdome hath stynt al that debate,

Trustynge y• Romains Scipiō was begiled,
Lost their fauoure & offended nought:
By them vnwarely banished and exyled,
Clene forgoten, put out of their thought.
For comon profite al that he hath wrought
The guerdon lost, thus prynces can not se,
Of al that done for any comonte.

Lyke a blase for a whyle lyght
Whych sheweth clere & is neuer after seyne,
Or lyke a sonne for a moment bryght
Vnwarly shrouded wt a shower of rayne
Ryght so the windy fauour blowynge vaine
[Page cxxvi]May be resēbled for mutabilite,
Of them that do for any comonte.

The people foloweth their owne opinions,
In their conceytes they be so wonderful,
Wil holdeth the brydel of their discrecions,
Their hasty demyng so bestiall is & dull:
Like blynd bayarde they brayde at a pul,
To quite y• guerdons of marciall bounte
Of them that done for any comonte.

This day a price stādeth in the peoples grace
Lyke as they would his name deify,
Aboue the sterres in Jupiters place
With Mars & Phebus hys name to stellify
But by to morow ther commeth a soden skye
Shewyng there is a full faynte surete
Of them that do for any comonte.

And for to affirme that it is trewly so,
Cal thre Scipions to remembraunce,
First of Affrike and Asie both two
Note  [...] cronicles their knightly gouernaūce,
Their restlesse labours Romaīs for tauaūce:
Reken agaynwarde how these princes three,
Were full vngoodly quit by the comonte.

¶ Lenuoye.

THis tragedy of thre Scipions,
So worthy in knighthode & eke notable
Made so many famous regions
Subiecte to Rome (this storye is no fable)
Wher the Romayns double & disceiuable
Shewed agaynward to these princes thre,
The thanke lost and guerdon couenable
Of hym that doth for any comonte.

Reken vp in Affrike the cityes & the touns,
Great Cartage with castels defensable,
Reken in Asie the great possessions
Wyth reuenues very innumerable,
Reken their tryūphes of prise incōparable,
Whych considred ye may a myrrour se
Howe the guerdons be false & flaskysable,
Of them that do for any comonte.

They were whilom the Romayns chāpions
Of Senatours to set the honoure stable,
To auoyde discorde and al discencions
Atwene the cōmons and states honorable:
But she that is of custome aye chaūgeable,
Fortune, in whom may be no surete,
Sheweth in her whele the guerdōs mutable
Of them yt done for any comonte.

Noble princes payse in your reasons
All worldly thynge in erth is transmutable,
Faynt and vnsure your dominacions,
Charter is ther none to make thē perdurable
Sorowe at departing your bodies corūpable
A thyng resemblyng y• neuer had be,
Recorde on Scipiōs by guerdons semblable
Of them that doue for any comonte.

Trust neuer in your opinions
But ye your power is eche day remeuable,
Be not made blynde in your discrecions
But considre by examples resonable
The eye of fortune lyke hasarde, retournable:
Wyth sodayne chaunge of false felicitie
Vnto the guerdons dayly comparable,
Of them that done for any comonte.

The .xx. Chapiter

❧ Howe Duke Hanyball after many victorious dedes murdred him selfe wyth poison.

NExt, to Jhon Bocas as I rede
Out of Affrik & Cartage therwithal
Ther came a Duke yt had mooste ha­trede
Agayne the Romayns in especiall,
This famous prince called Hanyball,
By whose prowesse as it is well knowe
The sayd Romains were brought ful low.

And amonge other worthy Dukes all
As olde Cronicles maketh mencion,
Of Hanybal the fate is so befal
At hys byrth by dysposicion
That of hys naturall constellacion,
Set in the heuen that he should be
Perpetually enemy to Rome the cyte.

As the storye of hym doth deuise,
While his father Duke whylom of Cartage
Called Amylchar, dyd ones sacrifyse
To his goddes, and he nyne yere of age
Sworne and auowed of hert & of crrage
Durynge his life wythout excepcion,
Euer to be enemy vnto Rome toun.

Thys Martes childe thys lusty yong knight
Was to Cartage the stronge myghty wal,
Whych succeded in his fathers ryght
After the deth of worthy Hastruball:
Fyrst he made a werre ful mortall
Gayne Sagūtinois, as it is specifyed,
Cause wyth Romayns y• they were alyed.

[Page]
A dreme he had and was thus in sentence,
That he shuld conquere in battaile
Maugre al tho that stande at diffence
Two myghty coūtreis, fyrst Spaine & than Itaile,
Down discēdig with gret apparaile
Passing the famous ryuer Iberus
And where he rode alwaie victorious.

With him, of Affrike many chefetayns
Rode through Gaule, found no resistence,
Of Pyrenes by the hye mountayns
To shewe the rigour of his magnyficence,
Ouer the Alpes by sturdy violence,
Not wtstandynge the passage was ful wycke
Of slydinge frostes, and of s [...]owes thicke.

A great party of hys people lost
By the constraint of that fell passage,
Horse & Oliphantes that many besaunt cost,
Foūde great daūgere of thē in his cariage:
Assaut of brigantes whan they found auaun­tage
And as Bochas put in remēbrance,
Felte great losse of al hys ordinaunce.

The Alpes passed with trauayle & great wo,
Thys Hanyball with al his chiualry
Aproched is the riuer of the Po,
Came to a towne that called is Cursye
Which standeth vpon the cyte of Pauye,
Where a Consul called Scipton
Gaue hym battayle euyn afore the toun.

The same Consull Gneus Scipion
Whych by prowes of manly Hanybal
Was discomfited, as made is mencion
Tofore Pauye had a ryght foule fal:
The fyrst victory in especial
That he had beyonde the mountayns,
Whan he pursued tassayle the Romayns.

Sempronius another Consulere
That was felowe to the sayde Scipion,
Sent  [...]ke fro Rome wt a full proude chere
Gayne Hanyball: but in his cōmyng doun
Tofore Tresbie a large myghty towne
Outrayed was by fatal auenture,
And after neuer his fal myght recure.

Of two Consulers this was the woful fyne,
Sempronius and Gneus Scipion:
Ouer the mountayne called Appenyne:
Went Hanibal through his great renoun,
To great domage and great confusion
Of his people that passed the mountaines,
Distroyed wt colde, snowe, & hydeous rayns.

Lost his knightes, hys tresour & his goodes,
There myght as tho be made no defence,
His gret stedes drowned in the floodes
By the waters mighty vyolence,
Fonde for the time no better resistence,
Saue he escaped fro that sodayne wracke
On an Oliphaūte, he rydyng on the backe.

So importable was his greuous payne
Onely borne vp of marcial corage,
Yet there he lost one of his eyen twayne
Kept of knighthode one chere & one vysage:
Through Itayle helde alway his passage,
Slewe a Consull called Flaminius,
Thus in thre battayls he was victorious.

But in thys whyle as saythe myne auctoure
Quintus Fabius subtyl and disceyuable,
Whiche was in Rome a famous dictatour
And he apperceyued by tokens ful notable
No Romayne captaine was in tho dayes able
As it was shewed by experience
Gayne Hanyball to make resistence.

Yet in his conceyte he subtillye gan serche
To fynde a waye he dyd his busy paine,
Day by day gan fully theron werche
Outher by fraude or some cōpassed trayne
To lye in wayte, and secretely ordayne
Embusshmentes to his auauntage,
Of Hanyball to stop the passage.

But al his traynes serued him of nought,
For Hanybal this worthy Affrican
In his conquest so proudly hath wrought,
So lyke a prince and a knightly man
For thilke tyme that he werres gan
Agayne the Romayns both on see & lande,
That they were feble his power to withstād.

This Quītus fabius kept him alway close,
Lyinge a wayte to fal on Hanihal,
And of assent eke to his purpose
There was one Varo manly & wyse wythal:
And these twayne in especiall
Within Poyle a large great countre
Fought wyth Hanybal at Cannas the cytie.

As the story maketh rehersayle
The Romayne party of worthy werriours
Where forty thousand slayne in battaile,
Emilius Paulus & thurty senatours,
[Page cxxvii]Twenty in numbre yt had ben Pretours,
And thre hundred captaynes of estate
Slayne by Haniball, in that mortal debate.

And by the slaughter of Emilius
The noble consul, Romains dispayred,
And Hanybal that day victorious
To his lodgyng is agayne repayred:
His fone outrayed and mortally appayred
Knewe no refute agayne this manly knyght,
But at mischefe toke them to the flyght.

The which day yf that Hanyball
Had them folowed proudly to the towne,
By the counsayle of one Marthaball,
A manly knyght a prince of hye renowne,
He shoulde haue had full possession
That day of Rome lyke to hys entent,
But I suppose fortune lyst nat assent.

In thys processe playnlye as I rede
This Hanyball wexte proude & ryght pom­pous,
Of four victories dempt hym selfe in dede
Aboue all other to be most glorious,
Of his corage most inly surquedous:
But o alas alytle slouth and pryde
For lacke of pursute his conquest set asyde.

Yet in hys conquest of knightes y• laye dede
Of Consulers olde and yonge of age,
With Senatours the processe who lyst rede
Slayne in the felde in that mortall rage,
Duke Hanyball sent vnto Cartage
Of clene golde by recorde of writynges,
Out of the felde thre bushell full of rynges.

After four victories here remembred,
By and by the processe who lyst se,
In which many worthy were dismembred
Bothe of Affrike and Rome the cite,
Abate gan the great prosperite
Of Hanybal by froward auenture
Set ones backe fortune is harde to recure.

After the flours of hys felicite
His noblesse drewe to declination
To Capne he went a myghty stronge cite,
There to soiourne as made is mencion,
All the tyme of wynter colde season:
Where to his lust and bodily pleasaunce,
Of all vitayle founde great haboundaunce.

Whiche made his knightes slowe to y• werre,
For wine, women, and plenty of vitayle
Full oft sythe cause men to erre,
Make them feble their enemyes tassayle:
Gorges agroteied enbossed their entrayle,
Disposeth men rather to rest and slepe,
Then of their enemyes for to take kepe.

But whan wynter with his frostes colde
Was ouergone in thylke region,
Hanyball gan his purpose holde
To laye a siege vnto Rome towne,
But so great raynes fyll fro heauen downe,
So great tempest vpon euery syde,
For the constraynt he myght nat abyde.

To fortifye the sayde Hanyball
Agayne his enemies where he had ado,
Sent letters vnto Hastruball
In right great haste for to come hym to:
But fortune her whele hath tourned so
That Hastruball wer he lothe or fayne,
By Salmator venquished was and slayne.

Of whiche mischefe and discomfiture
Hanybal gan dull in hys corage,
Complayned sore of hys misauenture,
Knewe no refute agayne thys mortall rage:
Herde eke say that Affrike and Cartage
Were of newe to hys confusion,
Strongly werryed by worthy Scipion.

Siphax also of Numedy kyng
Which agayne Romayns gan a werre make,
Maugre his might and all his fell workyng
Was by force of Scipion ytake,
Wherthrough his corage greatly gan aslake:
And how Cartage chefe of that region
Besieged was also by Scipion.

Thus Hanyball constrayned was of nede
Home to repayre for rescue of Cartage,
And was also in bokes as I rede
The same tyme fall farre in age:
And at mischefe and great disauauntage
Agayne Scipion full lytle might auayle,
By whom he was discomfited in batayle.

Cartage constrayned of necessite
Them to submit vnto Rome toun,
And for their more aduersite
Gneus Gernilius was fro Rome sent doun
Onely of purpose for this conclusion,
For to procure in especiall
Final distruction and death of Hanyball.

[Page]
After all his marciall labours
His olde felicite wext frowarde & vnmete,
In holow ymages put all hys treasours,
Toke his passage into the lande of Crete,
And fortune contrarye and vnswere
Made officers kepe hys rychesse,
In the temple of Diane the goddesse.

Som what for trust and percell eke for drede
To fynde succour, he went to the kyng
Of Bithinye, to helpe hym in hys nede,
Called Prusias, but of hys commyng
The sleyghty Romayns had knowledgyng,
To Bithinye downe theyr letters sent
If Hanybal escaped they shoulde repent.

The letters redde the kyng the same daye
Made his people besiege the dongeon
Where duke Haniball of trust alone lay
All destitute, when he knew this treason
Tescape hys enemyes drāke wylfully poysō:
Chase rather so (other escape was none)
Then in the handes to fall of hys fone.

Tofore his dethe sayde this oryson
To all y• goddes deuoutly downe knelyng,
That they woulde of this false treason
Take vengeaunce of Prusias the kyng:
Whiche was cause by hys false workyng
Of the destruction and dethe finall
Of this famous worthy Hanyball.

¶ Lenuoye.

THis tragedy frowarde to wryte or rede
Of this forsayde manly Hanyball,
My penne quoke my herte I felt blede
For to beholde the wofull pytous fall
Of hym that was the defensable wall
Of Cartage, the myghty strong toun
Which slewe him selfe by drinkyng of poyson.

It was to him he thought more manhede
To sle him selfe by vengeaunce most mortal,
Than his enemies by constraynt should hym lede
In chaynes bounde, he to be thrall:
So great dispite he had of them at all
That leuer he had than byde in theyr pryson,
To murder him selfe by drynkyng of poyson.

As me semeth in thys horrible dede
He resembled the furies infernall,
Of cruel Pluto I trowe he toke his mede,
Voyde of all reason became bestiall,
It whose terrible feast funerall
Goddesse Proserpina came wt Manes doun,
The same tyme whan he dranke poyson.

Noble prynces consider and take hede,
Leauyng the surplus hys dedes marcyall,
Knyghtly remembre, & haue in herte hatrede
Of his enpoysonyng in especiall,
Abhominable to god and man withall:
That a prynce so famous of renoun
Shoulde murder him selfe by drinking of poy­son.

The .xxi. Chapter.

☞ Howe Prusias kyng of Bithinye, that betrayed Hanybal woulde haue disherited his sonne and heyre, went a beggyng in straunge landes.

FOlowyng in order there came to Bochas
Of Bithinye the great myghty kyng,
Whiche in his tyme was called Prusias
Greatly sclaundred and noysed of one thyng,
That he was false and double in workyng
Agayne the noblesse of his estate royall,
Because that he betrayshed Hanyball.

This diffaute derked the bryghtnesse
Of hys fame and his knyghtly renoun,
And eclipsed hys passed olde prowesse
By reporte in many a region:
Alas that euer the condition
Of doublenesse by falsenesse or faynyng,
Shoulde be founde and namely in a kyng.

Of this Prusias further to procede
Which agayne Hanyball wrought thys trea­son,
A sonne he had called Nychomede
Borne to be heyre by iust succession:
But hys father by false collusion,
Purposed hym, for he was yonge of age,
To put hym out of hys heritage.

In this matter ther grewe vp a great stryfe
By Prusias agayne thys Nychomede,
Cause that he by hys seconde wyfe
Had a yonge sonne in bokes thus I rede,
Whome he purposed to preferre in dede:
For whyche he caste by shorte conclusion
[Page cxxviii]Of Nychomede the destruction.

And for tacomplyshe this frowarde falsema­tere
By full great delyberation,
Kyng Prusyas gan shew heuy chere
Gayne Nychomede sekyng occasion
To depriue hym of possession:
After hys dayes by subtell false workyng
In Betheny he shal nat reygne as kyng.

The people seynge thys great iniquite
Wrought by the king gayne good conscience,
Through all the lande of hye and lowe degre
To Nychomede all of one sentence
Gaue theyr good wyll & theyr beneuolence:
For euery lorde and euery great baron
Stode whole wt him through all the region.

Thus by iust tytle he was crowned kyng,
Prusias for shame and heuynesse,
In straunge countreys lyued by beggyng,
All desolate cryed for almesse:
Loe here the ende of treason and falsnesse,
Left at mischefe, myne auctour sayth y• same,
Of pouerte forsoke hys owne name.

Se here two thynges & take ryght good hede
Of Prusias the vnware sodain mischaunce,
The disherytyng done to Nychomede,
After folowyng on him the great vengeaūce,
As the story putteth in remembraunce:
For treason done odyble and mortall
Agayne the foresayde famous Hanyball.

The .xxii. Chapter.

❧ Howe Perses of Macedone kynge, that enpoisoned his brother, was by Emilyus outrayed and died in pryson.

BEspreynt with teares pitouslye wepyng
As Bochas sate in hys studye alone,
Next came Perses of Macedone kyng,
And mortally he gan sygh and grone,
And furiously for to make hys mone,
That he was whylom of so great renoun
Constrayned after to dye in pryson.

This sayd Perses of nature was frowarde,
Yuyll disposed eke of hys condicion,
Though he of byrth was but a bastarde
He compassed by false collusion,
After hys father to haue possession
(As myne auctour remembreth by writyng)
Of Macedone to be crowned kyng.

His father Philip the story telleth thus,
Had a sonne whiche was yonge of age,
Wyse and redy called Demetrius,
Borne and begot trewly in mariage:
But Perses cast by furious outrage
Hym to destroy and murdre by poyson,
He of that kyngdome to haue possession.

Falsely compassed to hys auauntage,
In his entent Demetrius to depriue
Of Macedone whiche was his heritage:
And thervpon he letters gan contriue
To preue him traytour while he was alyue,
Wherof kyng Philip greatly was anoyed,
That he and Perses should be distroyed

By Demetrius, that thought no domage,
Ment no harme in hys opinion:
Yet his father suspicious of corage
(For Perses gaue hym false information)
Made him be slayne by drinkyng of poyson,
Vpon a daye, a thyng abhominable,
Sittyng at meate at his fathers table.

King Philip after when he knew the trouth,
Had of his dethe great compassion,
But all to late and that was great routh:
Whiche caused after hys owne destruction,
For sorowe dyed, and of presumption
Perses after falsly vsurpyng,
In Macedone was crowned for the kyng.

With diuers countreys made his alyaunce,
In Grece & Trace gate frendes nere & ferre,
And of pride and wylfull gouernaunce
Cast with Romayns for to holde werre:
Vngrace and youth made him for to erre,
Tyll a Consul sent fro Rome toun
Brought thys Perses vnto distruction.

Called Emilius was thys Consulere
Sent again Perses to haue a great batayle,
Seynge his doughter heuy of her chere
When he went out hys enemies to assayle,
Made vnto her this vncouth apposayle:
Why wepe ye so what thyng doth you agreue
At my departyng, takynge of meleue?

Father (quod she) and ye take good hede
[Page]A whelpe I had that dyd great pleasaunce
Called Perses, the which right now is dede,
And this chefe cause is only of my greuaūce:
Her father than gan chaunge countenaunce,
This is a token to myne encreace of glory
That I of Perses shall haue the victory.

In Macedone he and Perses mette,
And quit hym there lyke a manly knyght,
Cōquered the lande none might him withlet,
And manly put Perses to the flyght:
After to Trace he toke the way ryght,
Of whiche conquest short processe to make,
With his two sonnes Perses was ther take.

Emilius after thys victory
Asketh the triumphe to hys guerdon,
And as it is remembred in hys story
Perses foloweth his chayre throughe Rome toun,
Condempned after to dye in pryson:
The whiche dethe he dyd well deserue
For he by poyson made hys brother sterue.

Thus can fortune erly and eke late,
Downe from her whele and hye stage
Of proude prynces the surquedy abate:
Whan to her lust she seeth moste auauntage
She frowardly gan tourne her vysage,
And sodaynly the estate of them consume
Aboue their office that wrongly lyst presume.

Amonges whiche a kyng of Israell
Agayne the precept and lawe of Moyses,
Called Ozias, the byble can well tell,
Of presumption wylfull and recheles
To sacrifice put hym selfe in prees,
Lyke a byshop in the temple arayed,
But or he passed greatly he was affrayed.

Loste his speche, smyt with meselty
Duryng his lyfe, lo here a great vengeaūce:
Of hys crowne and hys regaly
Impotent to vse the gouernaunce,
Peryll for pride and disobeysaunce:
For he lyst nat mekely the law obey,
For which at mischefe he dyd a leper dey.

The .xxiii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Amonyus a prynce of Antioche, delytyng in pyllage and robbry with other vicious lyuynge, fled in womans clothyng, after taken and slayne.

NExt in order complaynyng hys distresse
Came Amonius, a notable werriour,
To John Bochas to shewe hys heuynesse
In Antioche prynce and gouernour:
Of whiche countre whyle he was possessour,
Had a custome and thys was hys trauayle
To robbe the ryche and spoyle the porayle.

Spared nouther olde nor yonge of age,
Toke fro marchaūtes treasour and richesse,
And in delytes of lecherous outrage
Was all his lust with watche & dronkēnesse:
Wyll in his courte of reason was maystresse,
Causyng the people through all the region
To ryse agayne hym by rebellion.

Contrary he was to all good discipline,
The people arose agayne hym on a day,
And he for feare in habite feminine
Lyke a wretche fled cowardly away,
Take at mischefe there was made no delay:
Falsly confessyng, hering many a man,
Agayne nature that he was a woman.

The trouth knowe and the sclaunder ryfe
All of assent the people Antiochene
Rose attones, and so he lost hys lyfe,
They wer so wode agayne him in their tene:
Thus of fortune the chaūge is alway sene,
Fro better to worse she can so well transmue
The state of them that wyll no vertue sue.

The .xxiiii. chapter.

❧ How Andriscus of lowe byrth borne, hauyng no tytle became kyng of Macedone, and was after taken, and died in pryson.

BVt of one thynge fortune is to blame,
That she is so chaungeable of corage
To set a boy vnknowen of byrthe and fame,
By false errour vpon a royall stage:
For one Andriscus by surquedous outrage,
Without tytle, by subtyll compassyng
Of Macedone toke on hym to be kyng.

Colour was none his claime to make stable,
Except that he of there and of visage
Was to kyng Philyp of fetures moste sēbla­ble,
[Page cxxix]Whereby the people in their furious rage
Caught opinion of wylfull false dotage,
Agayne reason Bochas dothe discriue,
That king Philyp was risen fro deth to liue.

Whylom father of Perses as I tolde:
And for Andriscus broughte vp in wretched­nesse,
In presence bothe of yonge and olde
Was bold to clayme by tytle of rightwisnesse
Shewing no grounde but personel likenesse,
Mocking the people which by their fauour
Of royal dignite receyued the honour.

Thus he that was fostred as a wretche
In misery and eke in pouerte,
Fro poore bedde his hornes dyd vp stretche
To holde a scepter of kyngly dignite:
And by the supporte of the commonte
Gan wexe pompous and elate
Broughte vp of noughte whan he stode in e­state,

Nothing more cruell nor nothyng more ven­geable
Nor more hasty to do execution,
Nor more deynous nor more vntreatable
Than whan a begger hath domination:
I curre more frowarde than a strong Lyon,
And semblably none so great cruelte,
As whan a wretche is set in dignite.

This Andriscus in all his royall chere
To execute his hatefull cruelte,
Gathered people in countreys ferre & nere,
In Macedone, and of olde enmyte,
Began maligne gayne Rome the cite:
But to withset his frowarde false entent,
One Inuencius a Pretor was downe sent.

But because that he was negligent,
And of dispite toke of him no hede,
He was outrayed and by Andriscus shent,
With all the people that he dyd lede:
But the Romayns of hope better to spede
Haue sent Metellus a full manly knyght,
To Macedone, to mete anone ryght

Thys worthy man lyst nat longe to tary,
Set proudly on in hope it shoulde auayle,
Made Macedone to Rome tributary,
Toke Andriscus manly in batayle,
Brought him to Rome wt mighty apparayle,
And made him lye fettred in pryson,
For his outragious false presumption.

Thus for his frowarde vsurpacion
That was haute in hys prosperite,
Knewe nat hym selfe by false abusion
Blent with a myst of blynde felicite,
Lyst nat remembre of hys first ponerte:
Whom to chastise fortune brought hym low
Because he lyst nat hym selfe for to know.

The .xxv. Chapter.

¶ Howe Alysander Ballas kyng of Surry, for extorcion, pryde, and vnkindnesse dyed at mischefe.

THus can thys ladye play her pagent
By a maner of deynous moc­kerye,
Her entermesse forth serued them of entent
To folke that truste her onely of foly:
And to purpose whylom of Surry
There was a kyng lyke as write Bochas,
Called Alisader whose surname was Ballas

Of whiche Ballas to tell the processe
First of his risyng and after of hys fall,
Antiochus the story beareth wytnesse
Called Eupator whiche in especiall
Claymed tytle to thestate royall
After his father named Antiochus
Epyphanes, the story telleth thus.

After whose dethe the kyngdome of Surry
Shoulde longe by succession
To Eupator, and eke for hys party
Demetrius hostage in Rome toun
Claymed a tytle in that region
Of Surry, because Epiphanes
Was brought to hym the story is no les,

Demetrius fro Rome is come doun
Into Surry to clayme hys heritage,
Receyued the crowne, toke possession,
Gan wexe proude presumptuous of corage:
Thus Eupator that was but yonge of age
Excluded was in Surry to succede,
Of Demetrius ferther thus I rede.

Outragyous he was aboue measure,
Ryght vengeable and full of cruelte:
Hatefull also to euery creature,
And heuy borne of worthy kynges thre,
Fyrst in Egypt of worthy Tholome,
And of Actilius in Asy tho reygnyng,
And Aryrarches in Capadoce kyng.

[Page]
All of assent agayne hym haue conspyred,
Founde a waye Demetrius to depriue,
Hys vndoyng so sore they haue desyred:
And theyr entent to execute blyue
They gan a fable of purpose to contryue,
As ye shall here, together as they went,
To whiche all Surry at ones dyd assent.

They toke a galaunt borne of lowe lynage,
Called Ballas, of theyr acquayntaunce,
And affyrmed all of one corage
Howe he was sonne & iust heyre in substaūce
To Epiphanes, and nexte heyre in aliaunce,
To succede by tokens affyrmyng
Next in Surry to be crowned kyng.

Alysander of purpose they hym call,
Because they thought of person he was able,
Set hym vp in hys royall stall
Maugre Demetrius, cruell and vengeable:
And fortune was to them fauourable,
Made theyr purpose finally to auayle,
With whome Demetrius had a gret batayle.

This Alysander which named was Ballas,
By Demetrius as put is in memory,
Fyrst ouercome, and after fyll the caas
He of Demetrius had the vyctory:
And to encrease of hys royall glory,
Of fortune by sodayue auenture
Ballas the felde of hym dyd recure.

Thus by promocion of these kynges thre,
When he was crowned kyng of al Surry,
To false extorcion and hateful cruelte
Thys Alysander dyd hys wittes apply
To robbyng, pyllage, and eke tyranny:
And dispysed shortly to conclude,
The sayde kynge of ingratitude.

He had forget hys estate of pouerte
Knewe nat hym selfe of false ambicion,
Wedded the doughter of worthy Tholome
Called Cleopatra as made is mencion:
And all his labour in conclusion
Was onely this, in Bochas as I rede,
All the kyngdomes aboute hym to possede.

Who all coueteth sometyme all dothe lese,
One agayne all selde hath soueraynte:
And for Ballas frowardly gan chese
To holde werre with kyng Tholome,
And with the foresayde worthy kynges thre,
All of assent haue suche wayes sought
That by theyr workyng he came to nought.

Fyrst Tholome fro hym toke hys wyfe
Cleopatra, and toke her in mariage
To one Demetry, causyng full great stryfe
For he that tyme was but yonge of age:
But Ballas after by full great outrage
With all his power gathered nye and ferre,
Gayne Demetry gan to holde werre.

Togyther they met proudlye in batayle,
Ballas constrayned cowardly to fle,
And when he sawe hys power dyd fayle
In Arabye a myghty stronge countre
 [...]abydus, a prynce of great poste
Toke hym by force quakyng in hys drede,
To kyng Tholome sent anone his hede.

Men may two thinges consider in this caas
Pryde punyshed and vnkyndnesse,
And presumpcion in this man Ballas
Without tytle or clayme of ryghtwysnesse
Made kyng of Surry, set i gret worthinesse:
What was his ende ye get no more of me,
Hys heed smyt of and sent to Tholome.

Lenuoye.

THys tragedye dothe naturally complayne
Vpon thys vyce called vn­kyndnesse,
Which to punyshe is tourment none ne payne
Rygour condigne, flagell nor duresse,
Emprisoning nor none earthly distresse
That may suffise brifely to conclude,
Againe the vice of ingratitude.

All creatures on this vice complaine,
Lawe, nature, decrees, rightwisnesse,
This monster in kinde dothe y• light distaine
Of euery vertne derketh the brightnesse,
Alisander can beare hereof witnesse,
Whiche to his furthers he of his tetches rude,
Shewed againe warde great ingratitude.

Of Cerberus thinfernall treble chayne
Nor of Tantalus hungre nor thrustinesse,
Of Ixion or Ticius bothe twayne
Reken the turment remēbre the sharpnesse,
All to litell to chastise or redresse
The hatefull vice of them that can delude
Their frendes olde, by false ingratitude.

[Page cxxx]
Noble princes which in your demayne
Haue gouernaunce of all worldly rychesse,
Gayne folke vnkynde loke that ye dudayne,
Suffre them nat to haue none entresse
For to aproche to your hye noblesse:
For there is no vice more hatefull to conclude
Than is the vyce of ingratitude.

The .xxvi Chapter.

❧ Here Bochas wryteth of the rebellyons and sedicions in Rome betwene Tribunes and the commons.

FOlowyng myne auctour in storyes merueylous,
I must now write y• strōg rebellions
Of Gayus first, and of Tiberius,
And of the great hatefull secious
Meued in Rome twene tribunes & cōmons,
And by their stryues how they gan conspyre:
For to attayne falsly to the empyre.

The yere syxe hundred by computacion
Gayus Graccus made tribune in that age
After the cities first foundacion,
Which turned after to full great domage
Of common profit, for by their mortall rage
Tumulte and noyse of commons in the toun,
Caused a great part of their destruction.

For in departyng of champayne heritage,
Atwene the worthy and pore of the cite
By egall portions Graccus wt faire langage
Had greatly meued all their commonte:
By whiche occasion in story men maye se,
Another Graccus called the seconde
Was slayne in Rome, & low laide in grounde.

After the deth of Graccus as I rede
Was chosen a tribune called Munycius,
Whiche fordyd the lawes all in dede
Of olde Graccus called Gayus:
But he that was named Tyberius
With helpe of Flaccus Tribunes of estate,
In the Capitoyle began a great debate.

They were supported by the commonte
By voyce of people y• word of no man know,
For Graccus party hye vpon a tre
A trumpet stode and proudly gan to blowe,
Which slayne was & fro the tre doun throw:
By which slawter y• boke maketh rehersaile,
Flaccus wext feble his party gan to fayle.

For drede he fled into the teritory
Of Janus temple ran vp to a tour,
Whan Tyberius as put is in memory
Sawe in the cite he had no fauour,
Dispayred, knewe no better succour:
Sworde set at brest in presence of Myncrue
Fully purposed afore her for to sterue.

There stode one by & drew his hand a backe,
Fro that purpose made him to declyne,
Thus Graccus party goth dai by dai to wrake
And Flaccus toke the temple of Lucyne:
His son, his frendes, almost all his lyne
Thei kept thē strōg, but maugre their defēce
They were there slayne by sturdy violence.

While Graccus frendes fought for his party,
And he him selfe constrayned was of drede
He gan to pray a boy of hys company
To take a sword and smyte of hys hede,
Set on a speare with the bloude made rede,
Sent it his mother complayning in her tene,
Into her castel that called was Missene.

Named Cornelya his mother was in dede,
Whylom doughter to great Scipion,
Her ch [...]oren all slayne as I rede,
And Graccus goodes acheted to the toun:
Therof after made a diuision
By iudgement, thorughout the cite,
Where most was nede among the commonte.

Of Graccus syde fiue hūdred slaine & twaine
Vpon an hyll called Auentyne,
And Oppinius a consull dyd his payne
Of their conspiring y• groūd to serche & mine:
And Flaccus party to bryng to ruyne,
He slew two thousand by hasty iudgement,
Amonge which was many an innocent.

The .xxvii. chapter.

☞ How the wyfe of Hastruball brent her selfe and her chyldren.

HEre John Bochas lyst in es­peciall
To remembre howe Cartage newe agayne
Distroyed was, and how Hastruball
Came to mischefe, y• trouth was well sayne:
Which to reherce of new it were but vayne,
[Page]Sythe here tofore is made clere mencion
Bothe of their brennyng & their destruccion.

Saue here he telleth how Hastrubals wyfe
Onely to eschewe to lyue in seruage,
Chase with her children for to lese her lyfe,
And wylfully of furious corage
She and her sonnes tender and yonge of age
Amonge the flames and the coles reed,
Consumed was into ashes deed.

Dydo the first that bylte that cite
And made tours and the stronge wall,
Which was betrayshed also of Ene,
Afore remembred the fires funerall,
And after longe the wyfe of Hastruball
Chase rather to dye with her childrē twaine,
Than amonge Romayns for to liue in paine.

The .xxviii. chapter.

☞ Of Machabeus Jonathas take by the kynge of Surry.

IN order suyng, vnto John Bochas
There appeared an heuy man of syght
Machabeus, y• worthy Jonathas,
Whiche occupied for wisdome & for myght
Office of prynce, priesthod, and of knyght
By title of Juda of werres toke thempryse,
By clayme of Leuy as priest dyd sacrifise.

The lawe of Jewes manly to defende
With all the lande of promyssion,
This Jonathas ful knyghtly dyd entende
Agayne all enemies about them enuyron,
Tyll of Surry the false kyng Tryphon
By traynes cōpassed & promise falsely holde,
Toke Jonathas of whō right now I tolde.

In Machabeorum is reherced all
Of his knighthode, and of his worthynesse,
With all the treasons in especiall
Wrought by Tryphon by great falsenesse,
His subtell sleyghtes and hys doublenesse,
Them to reherce ye get no more of me,
For in the byble the story ye maye se.

The .xxix. Chapter.

❧ Howe Demetrius the seconde lost at the last his head.

BVt I wyll returne to De­metrius
That called was Demetrius the seconde,
Which by discent came fro Antiochus,
And by his manhode as it is well founde
Dyd the pride of kyng Ballas confounde
Called Alysander which by great out rage,
Had put his father fro his herytage.

This Demetrius famous and notable
Vpon Parthoys had many great victory,
Tyll kyng Arsacides double and deceyuable
Him selfe delytyng greatly in vaynglory,
By hys sleyghty fraudes deceptory
Vnder a shadow of faynyng and false chere,
Toke Demetrius vnwarely prisonere.

And to great hindring & sclaūder of his name
Arsacides by a maner mockery,
Made Demetrius for dispite and shame
Poorly arayed of hate and great enuy
For to be led through all Jury:
Made hym after by great auisement,
To wed hys doughter agayne hys owne en­tent,

This Demetrius was kepte out of prees
That but fewe had of hym syght,
Vnto tyme that Arsacydes
Was deed and passed for all his great might,
Than he cast to escape away by flyght,
And secretly to accomplishe his entent
He gate hym coūsayle that was of his assent.

Gallymandrus a lorde of that countre
Which that was of hys assent in dede,
In their flight to kepe them more secre
Made Demetrius for to chaunge his wede,
And preuy wayes forth he dyd him lede:
But all for nought his flight was in vayne,
For by strong pursute he was taken agayne.

After by constraynt presented to the kyng,
That he gan wexe wery of his life,
Kept more straytly folke on him waytyng,
And maugre him presented to hys wife
With her to abide full heuy and pensyfe:
But whē they had childrē atwene thē twaine
To go more at large losed was his chayne.

And thus he had space and fre lycence
To go and come at his auauntage,
For whyle his wife helde with him resydence
[Page cxxxi]They dempt hys chyldren were suffisaunt hostage,
But he was euer vnstable of hys corage
With Gallymandrus the foresayde knyght,
Thre times take & brought agayn by flyght.

And for he was so dyuers many folde
Kyng F [...]aha [...]es in token he was vnstable,
Sent him thre dice forged square of golde
To play raket as a chylde chaungeable,
Hys disposition was so varyable
But for to restrayne hys condicion
He was est take and fettred in pryson.

But whan fortune had geuen hym a pull
By many a diuers straunge aduer site,
To punish him more Phrahates wexeth dul
And Demetrius of pryson was made free,
Full restored agayne to his countre,
Wext proude agayne of new it is so fall,
That he was hated of his lieges all.

Cleopatra hys mother that was quene
Of all Egypt and wyfe to Tholome
Was with her lorde at stryfe, who lyst sene,
Which turned after to great aduer sue:
But to strength her party thus wrought she,
Made her sonne for to take on hande
For her to fyght agayne her husbande.

But Tholome called Euergetes,
Gayne Demetrius defended hys countre,
Made zebenna to put hym selfe in prees
Sonne of a marchaunt borne of lowe degre,
To make a clayme by false subtylte
Of all Surry to haue possession,
For hym allegyng tytle of adoption

He to be sonne to Antiochus
Claymyng therby the kyngdome of Surry,
Onely texclude the sayde Demetrius:
And Tholomeus to sustayne the party
Of zebenna, with all hys ch [...]ualry
Gathered in Egypt and countreys enuyron
Agayne Demetrius, proudly is come doun.

And fortune wyth her double face
Caused the countre ryse by rebellion
That Demetrius stode clene out of grace,
Whereby the people of that region
Were whole agayne hym in their opinion:
That by Tholomes wonderfull workyng
zebenna there receyued was as kyng.

Thus zebenna by false intrusion
Of all Surry was made lorde and kyng,
Tytle was there none but collusion
Texclude Demetrius by subtle compassyng,
Yet as I fynde hys party defendyng
Howe Demetrius zebenna gan assayle,
Theyr quarel darreyned wt a great batayle.

Great people slayne vpon outher syde,
Demetrius put from hys region,
And ouercome for hys great pryde
At great mischefe, to hys confusion:
Hauyng no succour nor consolacion,
But with a fewe chose of hys meyne
Fled by water to Tyre the cite.

Lyke as he woulde haue lyued there in pees
By a faynt maner of perfection,
Within the temple of myghty Hercules
Vnder a shadowe of religion:
But sodainly at hys commyng doun
Into Tyre, and at hys arriuayle
His heed smit of, what dyd his pride auayle?

❧ The .xxx. Chapter.

¶ Howe zebenna kyng of Surry, by entrusion entryng, had mischeuous endyng.

TOuchyng zebenna of whome I spake toforne,
Poorely brought vp and of lowe lynage,
And of kynred but a beg­ger borne,
Came tofore Bochas trist of hys visage,
Soore wepyng, muet of langage,
Gan complayne hys wofull auenture
Vnware and sodayne, impossible to recure.

Hys condicions somwhat dull and rude,
Fyrst in pouerte proude and presumptious,
Appeched after of great ingratitude
Shewed in hys lyfe to kyng Autiochus,
Hys first furtherer the story telleth thus:
For whyche Antiochus greatly was anoyed
Cast a meane by whyche he was distroyed.

[Page]
There was a cosyn yt called was Grispus
To Antiochus and of the same lyne,
Whiche by title of Demetrius
Claymed as heyre by many vncouth signe
To reygne in Surry, & proudly gan maligne
Agayne zebenna, whose party to supporte
Stode Antiochus chefe as I can reporte.

This sayd Grispus yonge and tender of age
By the furtheryng and supportacion
Of Antiochus, had in maryage
His owne doughter with great possession:
That zebenna for shorte conclusion
Compelled was for all his great myght,
To Antioche for to take hys flyght.

And there he fyll in so great pouerte,
Fayled money for to paye wages,
The soudyous whyche in that countre
Abyde vpon him of all maner ages
Strange folke and sundrye of langages,
Theues, inurdres, mansteers, & pyllours
First of Jupiter assaylyng the treasours.

To his disclaunder perpetuall of memory
The diffame arose so many folde,
In Jouis temple the baner of victory
He toke away that was of mass [...]fe golde,
With a great ymage that stode there of olde
Of golde also, with other mo treasours,
With which pillage he payed the soudiours.

Of sacrilege hauyng no conscience
To escape away he entred is the see,
But Eolus by great violence,
With winde and tempest as he dyd flee
Dyd vnto hym full great aduersite:
And all his meyny forsoke hym of entent,
And he was take, and to Grispus sent

King of Surry, to whō whē he was brought
Gaue on hym by iudgement thys sentence,
For sacrilege that he had wrought
Spoy [...]g temples by great violence,
Doyng to goddes no maner reuerence
For which Grispus cōmaūdeth hath as iuge,
He to be slayne there was no better refuge.

Of byrthe a boy clambe vp to royall stage,
Brought vp of nought and set in dignite
Knew nat hym selfe, wext cruell of corage,
Arose fro pouert to great prosperite:
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,
Nōbre of meyny, golde, treasour, & richesse,
Stately castels paleys on eche party,
Cōquest 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 yt serpent of enuy [...]
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 cōplaint,
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 hāde
For theyr party Bitynctus to withstande.

[Page cxxxii]
Of whose cōmyng 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
Whā they be slayne, to fewe they be in nōbre
With multitude yt I shall them encombre.

An hundred thousād 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• da [...]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 mischaūce
Fyfty thousande, as they water toke,
Through fortunes frowarde variaunce:
And by attaynt tencrease of his greuaunce,
Biti [...]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 wt her hādes 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 thē 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 yt she was gon
Agayne nature and wedded her anon.

She called was Cleopatras also,
But Euergetes to she we him more vēgeable
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• 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 remēbraūce
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 tiraūt 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, yt 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,
[Page]Lest y• matter shoulde difface his boke.

¶ The .xxxiii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Jugurtha by entrusion was kynge of Numedy, slew y^• 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 ye he was wyse
And right lykely of disposicion,
Chosin afterwarde for a synguler prise
To go to Spayne to helpe Scipion
Gaine Numētaynes, a famous mighty toun
And there Jugurtha so knyghtly hath begon
That by his nobis the town anon was won:

And to remembre his knyghthod of entent,
His worthynesse and his hye renoun,
To Mysipsa letters were downe sent
By the forsaid worthy Scipion,
Which gaue so great a cōmendacion
To Jugurtha, him callyng in that werre▪
Of manly prowesse the yonge lode sterre.

Of king Mysipsa receyued notably,
Called hun sonne by adopcion,
The king dead, sone Jugurtha traitourly
Slewe Hiempsales heire by succession,
He of that realine to haue possession:
This was his custome how euer y• tytle stode
By slaughter and murdre for to get good.

He lyst to goddes do no reuerence.
Of his nature wylful and recheles,
Hauynge nouther remors nor conscience
Touchyng the slaughter of Hiempsales,
Falsly practised for his owne encrees:
For which murdre Romains haue set doun
A Consulere to do correccion.

Calphurnius he called that was sent
Onely to punishe that horible dede,
But with treasour hys eyen were so blent
Of execucion that he toke none hede,
The Romayns ouercome with mede
Gaue to Jugurtha by collusion
Of this murore a coloured false pardon.

By which he toke a maner hardinesse
Of tyranny which he dyd exercyse,
Gathered people of hareful cursydnesse
And in him selfe gan curledly deuyse
To execute the le [...]fe same gyse
Of false murdre (I meane nowe none other)
To slee Adherbales the seconde brother.

That he alone by false intrusion
Of Numedy might be lorde and kyng,
Thus of his cruelte, murdre, & false treason
The noyse was borne by lāgage & wrytyng:
Of which the graffes flasly abrode spredynge
Brought forth in hyndring of his name
Frute of disclaundre, & reporte of diffame.

Mortall treason was couered vnder flours,
To saue him selfe by some subtylte,
And specially with his great treasours
To appease the Senat if it would haue be:
But theragayne al the cōmonte
Made agayne him a coniuracion,
On his salse murdre to do correction.

Foure. M [...]men of armes were downe sent
With a pretour called Actilius,
The which pretour set al his entent
To gather treasour, for he was couetous:
And couetyse is contrarious
Vnto knighthode, as auctours all expresse,
[Page cxxxiii]And stepmother vnto worthynes.

A siege he layde aboute a myghty tour
Wherin Jugurtha put all hys rychesse,
The siege was layde for loue of the treasoure
More than for worshyp, or for worthynesse,
Wherby his name and his noblesse
Ther discomfyted, brought vnto mischaunce:
After for mede made hys alyaunce

With Jugurtha, to his encrease of shame,
Caused Affrike through false cheuysaunce
(They togyther disclaundred by diffame,)
Them to withdrawe fro the obeysaunce
Of the Romains: & more them selfe tauaūce,
To theyr purpose corrupted wyth treasour
Many a Tribune and many Senatour.

Of newe againe al the comonte
Fro Rome sent Gayus Marius,
For the murders and horible cruelte
Wrought by Jugurtha the tiraunt furious:
Which to refourme the sayd Gayus
A Consulere of purpose was sent doun,
A manly knyght, and famous of renoun.

Full notably the werres he began,
Wrought euery thyng of hie prouidence,
And fortune whyche helpeth hardy man
Gaue him great fauour by her influence:
And alderfirst he dyd his diligence
For to auoyde al that were vicious,
Delicate people, and folkes lecherous.

A day was set and taken a batayle,
But Jugurtha by false subtilte,
Profered much good which might not auaile
To haue corrupt, if it would haue be,
The sayde Marius but euer in one degre
He stode aye stable vpright as a wall,
And toke none hede to his profer at all.

Than Jugurtha in party dispaired
Greatly astonyed within hym selfe musynge,
But lyke a man hyndred and appayred
He gan purpose anone a newe thynge,
Of Mauritaine he went to the kyng
To get helpe whych called was Boccus,
Him to succour agayne this Gaius.

Twene them was made of new an alyaūce
The whyche last but a lytle space,
For kyng Boccus gan fal in repentaunce
Cast he woulde resorte to the grace
Of the Romayns, and nomore trespace:
And to perfourme his entencion
He made to Gayus this mediacion.

There was one Scylla called a Questour
Of Gayus host had gouernaunce,
For king Boccus he was mediatour
That ther was newely accordaunce
Twene him & Gayus: and by the purueyaūce
Of thys Boccus, Jugurtha anone was hent
Maugre his myght, and t [...] Gayus sent.

And al his kyngdom without resistence,
Gaine to Romains came vnder obeysaunce,
And Marius forgaue them their offence,
Receyued them vnder assuraunce,
That he shall by dome do no vengeaunce,
To punyshe y• trespaces that they dyd aforne
The space cōpted fro tyme they were borne.

Jugurtha taken almost for angre mad
Brought to Rome and fettered in prison,
To Terpeya an hye hyl he was lad
Jugement yeue for his false treason,
Bound to a stone and after throwe doun
Fro the place full hye where he stode,
Without mercy in to Tibre flode.

[Page]

¶ Lenuoye.

THis may be wel called a tragedy,
By discripcion takynge auctorite,
For tragedy, as Poetes specify,
Ginneth with ioye endeth with aduersyte,
From hye estate cast in to lowe degre:
Example taken this story sayth aright
Of Iugurtha that was fyrst a good knyght

At his ginnyng famous in chiualry,
Gate Numētaigne, of Spaine a great citye,
But in repairing home to that party
I meane whan he came home to his countre
He chaunged knyghthode into cruelte,
With couetise so blinded was the syght,
Of Iugurtha that first was a good knighte.

His wyt, his power he holy dyd apply
To hateful murdre, fraude, and subtylte,
By extorte title him selfe to magnify
Slew rightful heires, reft thē their lybertie,
By false intrusion clambe vp to their se,
And gaue no force were it wrong or ryght
A thyng contrary to euery worthy knight.

Noble princes lift vp your hertes iye.
Within your selfe remembre and do se
Of this murdre the hateful tyrrany,
With oppression done to the commōte,
His gynnyng good a cursed ende had he:
Murdre axeth vengeaunce day and night,
A thynge contrary to euery worthy kyght.

❧ Here endeth the fyfte booke and here after foloweth the sixte.

[Page cxxxiiii]

¶ Here Bochas sittinge in his studie alone wryteth a greate processe howe Fortune lyke a Monstruous Image hauynge an .C. handes, apeared vnto hym and spake, and Bochas vnto her: makynge bytwene them both many great arguments and reasons of fortunes chaunces.

¶ The Fyrst Chapter.

IN hys studye alone as Bochas stode
Hys pen in hande, of so­dayne auenture
To remēbre he thought it dyd hym good
Howe that no man may him selfe assure
In worldly thynges fully to recure
Grace of fortune to make her to be stable
Her dayly chaunges be so variable.

She braydeth euer on y• chaūtipleure
Now songe now wepyng, now wo now glad­nesse,
Nowe in myrth nowe paine to endure,
Nowe lyght now heuy, nowe in swetnesse
Nowe in trouble, nowe fre nowe in distresse,
Shewyng to vs a maner resemblaunce
No worldly welth hath here non assuraūce.

Whyle Bochas pēsyfe 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 sōmer floures,
The tother oppressed wt 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 wt 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 chāpion.

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 Agamēnon,
Now Sardanapallus of condicion,
Nowe was she mānishe, nowe was she femi­nyne,
Nowe coude she rayne & nowe falsly shyne.

[Page]
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 thē in the depe.

Thus Bochas considringe her figure,
Al her features in ordre he gan beholde,
Her bredth her lēgthe, 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 yt here toforne haue ben.

Some dwelled vnder the pole artike
By my fauour vp raysed to the sterres,
Other vnder the pole A [...]tartyke
Which in contrary fro vs so ferre is,
Some encreced and set vp by the werres:
Lyke as me lyst their triūphes tauaunce
Frownig on other I brought thē to mischāce.

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 thē thanke or blame,
Settest vp one in roiall excellence
Within my house called the house of Fame,
The golden trumpet wt blastes of good name
Enhaunceth on to ful hie parties,
Wher Jupiter sytteth amōg the heuēly skies.

Another trūpet 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 thē 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 goldē septers, but yaue thē their medes:
Crowned one wt 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 cōmyng 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• 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:
[Page cxxxv]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 wt sythes after mowe thē 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 wāhope 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 herts bote:
Angust passed, againe in to the rote
By course of nature y• vertue doth resorte,
To reuolucion of kynde I me reporte.

Who should than debarre me to be double,
Sith doublenesse longeth to me of right▪
Nowe lyke sōmer nowe with winter trouble,
Now blinde of loke derke as y• cloudy nyght,
Nowe glad of there of herte mery & lyghte:
They be but foles againe my myght to muse
Or me atwite though I my power vse.

Selde or neuer I byde not in one poynt,
Men must at lowpes take me as they fynde,
And whan I stande furthest out of ioynt
To set folkes backwarde farr behynde
Than worldly men with their eyen blynd
Sore complayne vpon my doublenesse,
Call me than the frowarde false goddesse.

Thus by your wrytig & marueilous lāgage
I am disclaundred of mutabilite,
Wherof by ryght I catche great auauntage
Syth doublenesse no sclaunder is to me,
Whiche is a percel of my liberte:
To be called by tytle of ryghtwysnesse
Of chaunges newe lady and princesse.

Thus whan fortune had sayd her wyl
Parcell declared of her gouernaunce,
Made a stint and soberly stode styll,
Jhon Bochas sate & herde al her dalyaunce,
Feareful of chere, pale of countenaunce
In order enprinted eche thynge yt she sayde,
Ful demure thus he dyd abrayde.

He toke vpon him vertue and corage
Vpon a poynte for to abyde stable,
Certes (quod he) lyke to thy vysage
All worldly thiges be double & chaungeable,
Yet for my parte by remembraunce notable,
I shal perfourme southly if I conne,
This litel boke that I haue begonne.

And lest my labour dye not nor appall
Of this boke the tytle for to saue,
Among myne other lytel workes all
With letters large aboue vpō my graue
This bookes name shall in stone be graue:
Howe I John Bochas in especial
Of worldly princes written haue the fall.

Of whyche emprise the cause to discriue
Thys was first grounde, I wyl not deny,
To eschewe slouth and vyces all my lyue,
And specially the vyce of glottony,
Which is norice vnto lechery:
This was chefe cause why I vndertoke
The compylacion of this lytle boke.

Yet by thy talkyng as I vnderstande
Eche thing here of nature is chaungeable,
After thy sentence both on see & lande,
Yet coude I reken thynges that be stable
As vertuous lyfe abydyng vnmutable,
Set hole to godwarde of wyl & thought,
Maugre thy power, & ne chaūgeth nought.

Thou mayst eke call vnto remembraunce
Thinges made stable by grace whiche is de­uyne
Hast thou not herde y• perseueraūce
Of holy martirs whych lyst not to decline
Fro Chrystes fayth tyl they dyd fyne?
Thy whele in them had none interesse
To make them vary fro their stablenesse.

A man that is enarmed in vertue
[Page]Againe thy myght to make resistence,
And set his trust by grace in Christ Iesu
And hath al hole his hertely aduertence
Ou ryght wisnesse, force, and on prudence,
With theyr suster called Attemperaunce,
Hath a sauecondute againe thy variaunce.

They set no store by thy double whele,
With supportacion of other ladyes thre
Their trust stād not in plate, mayle, or stele,
But in these vertues faythe hope & charite,
Called vertues theologice:
Watch wyth the fowre afore here specified
Thy whele and the haue vtterly defied.

If I with wynges might flye to heauen,
There shoulde I se thou hast nothyng adone
With Jupiter, nor the planetes seuen,
With Phebus, Mars, mercury, nor the mone
But worldly foles erly late and sone
Such as be blent or dyrked with lewdnesse,
By false opinion call the a goddesse.

Giftes of grace, nor giftes of nature,
Almesse dede done with humilite,
Loue and cōpassion be ferre out of thy cure
Semelinesse strength boūtye or beaute
Vertuously vsed in their degre,
Gaine non of these thy power may not stretch
For who is vertuous lytel of thee doth retch.

Of thy condicions to set another prefe,
Which foles vse in their aduersite
For excusacion, as somtyme sayeth a thefe
Whan he is hanged it was his destyne,
A [...]witeth fortune of his iniquite,
As she had power & domination
To rule man by wyl againe reason.

For whych quod Jhon Bochas in party deso­late
To determin such heauenly hid fecrees,
To tho that be deuines of estate
I remit such vncouth priuitees:
And wt Poetes that be of lowe degrees
I esche we to climbe to hye a loft
Lest for presumpcion I shuld not fal soft.

But if I had hyd in my corage
Such misteries of diuine prouidence,
Without enuy I would in plaine langage
Vttre them by writinge with huble reuer [...]ce:
Predestynacion nouther prescience
Not appertaine fortune vnto the
And for my part I wyl excuse me.

And procede lyke as I vndertoke
After that I tolde my matere
Of fal of princes for to wryte a boke,
But yet afore if thou wouldest here
I desire of hole herte and entere
To haue a copie of princes names al,
Which fro thy whele thou hast made to fal.

Thy secre bosome is ful of stories
Of sūdry princes how they their life haue lad
Of their triumphes and victories
Which olde Poetes and Philosophers sad
In meter and prose compiled haue an rad,
Song their laudes their fautes eke reserued,
By remembraunce as they haue deserued,

Of which I haue put some in memory,
Theron set my study and laboure
So as I coude to their encrease of glory,
Though of lāgage I had but smal fauour,
Cause Caliope did me no socour,
For which thou hast duringe al this while
Rebuked me of my rude style.

Men would accoūpt it were a great dulnesse
But if language conueied be by prudence,
Out declared by sobre auysenesse,
Vnder support fauoured by defence
Of Tullius chefe prince of eloquence,
Should more profite shortly to conclude,
Than my style spoke in termes rude.

Yet ofte tyme it hath be felte and seyne
Vnder huskes growyng on land erable
Hath be founde and tried out good greine,
Vnder rude leaues shakynge & vnstable
Pulled fayre frute holesome & delytable:
And semblably where rethorike hath failed,
In blūte termes good coūsaile hath auayled.

Phylosophers of the golden ages,
And Poetes that founde out freshe ditees,
As king Amphion wt his faire langages
And wt his harpig made folke of low degrees
And laborers tenhabyte firste cytees:
And so by musyke and Phylosophy
Gan firste of commons noble policy.

The chefe of musike is melody & accorde,
Well of Philosophy sprang out of prudence,
By whych two meanes gan vnitye & acorde
With politike vertue to haue their asistence,
Wisemen to reigne, subiectes do reuerence:
And by this grounde in stories men may se,
[Page cxxxvi]Were bylte the walles of Thebes the citie.

Accorde in musyke causeth the melody
Where is discorde there is diuersite,
And where is peace is prudent policy,
In eche kingdome and euery great countre
Strife first induced by thy duplicite:
For which yu maist as clerkes thee discryues,
Be called lady of contekes and of striues.

Fyrst were founde out hateful deuysions
By thy contriued false mutabilitees,
Slaughter, debate, frowarde dyscencions,
In regions, prouinces, and citees:
Desolacions of townes and of countrees,
Where of men had firste experience
By thy chaungeable gery violence.

Thus by the opinion of thy whele double
As fayre by nature as it was possible,
Ouerthwertly thou broughtest mē in troble,
Madest eche to other froward and odible,
By thy traines vncouth and terrible,
Lyke as a corser maketh coltes yt be wylde,
With spurre & whyp to be tame and mylde.

Thus by the tempest of thine aduersitees,
To make men more tame of their corages,
In their discordes twene kyngdoms & citees
After the sharpenes of thy cruel rages,
Onely by speche & meane of faire langages,
Folke by thy fraude fro grace ferre exyled
Were by faire speche to vnyte reconsiled.

People of Grece, of Rome, & of Cartage,
Nexte in Itayle with many a region
Were indused by swetnesse of faire langage
To haue togither their conuersacion,
To buylde castels and many a royal toun:
What caused this to tell in briefe the fourme,
But eloquence rude people to enfourine▪

Afore tyme they were but beastial
Tyl they to reason by lawes were cōstrained,
Vnder discrecion by statutes natural
Fro wilful lustes by prudēce were restrained,
By assent made one & togider enchayned
In golden chaines of peace and vnite
Thus gan the buylding of euery great cite.

But whan thou medlest to haue an entresse,
They that were one to bring them at discorde
To interrupt with thy doublenesse
Citees & regions that were of one accorde:
Lyke as thys boke can beare me wel recorde
Fro the tyme that thou first began,
Thy mutabilite hath stroyed many a man.

Thou causedst men to be obstynate
In their corages, and incorrigible,
Wilful, & froward, causeles at debate,
Eche to other contrarious and odible,
Them to refourme almost impossible,
Tyl faire speche voidinge diuision
Peace reconciled twene many a region.

For there is none so furious outrage
Nor no matter so fer out of the way,
But that by meane of gracious langage
And faire speche, may a man conuay
To al reason mekely for to obey:
By an example whyche I reherce shal,
Wele to purpose and historial.

The hardy knight the cruell Achylles
Whan hateful ire assailed his corage,
There was no meane wt him to treat of pees,
To styl the tempest of his dolefull rage,
Saue onely this which dyd his ire aswage,
By attemperaunce to obey to reason
Whan of an harpe he heard the swete soun.

Which instrument by hys great swetnesse
Put al rancour out of hys remembraunce,
Wrested him againe to al gladnesse
From him auoiding al rācoure & greuaunce:
Semblably fayre speche and daliaunce
Set men in rest in realmes here & yonder,
By good langage that were ferre asonder.

With these wordes Bochas wext debonaire
Towarde fortune as he cast his loke,
Withdrewe his rancour and to speke faire
Touching his labour yt he vpon him toke
Beseching her for to forther his boke,
That his name which was but little knowe,
By good report might be further blowe.

That his name might ferther sprede
Which stode as yet shrouded in derknesse,
By her fauour his name forth to lede
His boke to forther do her businesse,
By good reporte to yeue it a bryghtnesse,
with laureate stremes shad forth to people al
By foryetfulnesse that it neuer appall.

This was the hyl whych yt Jhon Bochas
Made vnto fortune with ful humble style,
Whan fortune had conteiued al his caas
[Page]Soberly stoode and gan stynt a while,
And glad of chere after she gan smyle
On myne auctour, and with a freshe visage
In sentence spake to him this langage.

Sothly (quod she) I se the busines
Of mortall men, howe curious yt they be,
Howe they study by greate auysenesse
Of my secretes for to be priue:
To knowe the conceites hyd within me,
And my counsails, ye men do al your payne
Albe that lightly ye may not therto attayne.

In this matter your wyt doth neuer faynt
Ymaginyng my lykenesse in your mynde,
Lyke your conceytes ye forge me & painte
Somtyme a woman wt winges set behinde,
And portrayen me with eyen yt ben blynde:
Cause of al this brefely to expresse,
Is your owne couetous blyndnesse.

Your appetites most straunge & dyuers
And euer full of chaunge and doublenesse,
Frowarde also malicious and peruers,
By hastye clymbing to worship & riches,
Alway voyde of trouth and stablenesse:
Most presūptuous, serche out in al degrees,
Falsly to attayne to worldly dignitees.

Bochas Bochas I perceiue euery thyng,
And knowe full wele the great difference
Hyd in thy selfe of wordes and thynkyng,
Atwene them both the disconuenience:
Hast thou not writen many great sentence
In thy boke to sclaundre wyth my name,
Of hole entent my maners to defame▪

Thou callest me stepmother most vnkynde,
And somtyme a false enchauntresse,
A mermaide with a taile behind,
Of scorne somwhyle me namyng a goddesse,
Somtyme a witch, somtyme a sorceresse,
Fynder of murdre and of disceites al,
Thus of malice mortal men me call.

Al this is done in dyspite of me
By accusacion in many sondry wyse,
Ye oft appeche my mutabilite
Namely whā I your requestes do dispyse,
For to accomplyshe your gredy couetise:
Whan ye fayle ye lay on me the wyte
Of your aduersitees, me falsly to atwite.

And thou of purpose for teslaundre me
Hast writen vngoodly a cōtrarious fable,
Howe I wrestled wyth glad pouerte,
To whose party thou were fauourable,
Settest me a backe, gayne me yu were vengea­ble
Nowe of newe requirest my fauour
The for to helpe and forther thy labour.

Ascaunce I am of maners most chaungeable,
Of condicions very femynine,
Now here now ther as ye wynde vnstable,
By thy discripcion and by thy doctrine,
To euery chaunge redy to enclyne:
As women ben yong and tēdre of age,
Which of nature be diuers of corage.

But for to further in party thyne entent
That of thy boke the processe may procede,
By my fauour to the accomplishment
I am wel wylled to helpe the in thy nede,
Like thy desire the better thou shalt spede,
Whan I am towarde with a benigne face
To spede thy ioruey by support of my grace.

That thy name and also thy surname
With Poetes and many an olde auctour,
May be regestred in the house of Fame,
By supportacion of my sodaine fauour,
By assistence also of my socour
Thy worke texplete the laurer for to wyn
At Saturninus I wyl that thou begin.

The fyrst Chapiter.

¶ Here reherseth Fortune her condicions vnto Bochas, shewyng how many one she enhaunceth for a time, and anone after them sodainly ouerthroweth.

AMonge Romayns this said Sa­turnyne
Was outragious of condiciōs,
Caused in Rome whā he gan ma­lygne
Great debates and great sedicions:
And by hys frowarde conspiracions
He was sharpe enemy agayne the prudēt iuge
Called Metellus, deuoide of al refuge.

Fro the Capitole set with mighty hande
Founde no socour Metellus in the toun,
The same tyme thou shalt vnderstande
Howe by my helpe and supportacion
[Page cxxxvii]One that was smal of reputacion
Called Glaucus, in pouert brought lowe
Made Consulere, the story is well knowe.

A seruaunt first and almost set at nought,
And afterwarde I made him fortunate,
Left neuer tyll I had hym brought
By a prerogatife chose of the Senate,
To be a pretour an office of estate,
Which also wrought by conspiration
To bryng Metellus to destruction.

Of whose assent there was also another
Called Marius beyng the same yere
Texplete this treason their sworne brother,
which was also that tyme a Consulere:
I fortune made them full good chere
Lyke their desyres gaue them liberte,
To banyshe Metellus out of their cite.

Of these thre Romains the first Saturnine,
And Glaucus was called the seconde,
And Marius layde out hoke and lyne
As I haue tolde Metellus to confounde,
To their purpose I was also founde
Fauourable, to bryng them to mischefe
As their story sheweth an open prefe.

They banyshed hym out of Rome toun,
And Saturninus by hys subtell workyng
Clambe vp fast of presumpcion
To be called of Rome lorde and kyng,
I gaue hym fauour by a maner false smiling
Tyll at the last playnly to declare
Of his distruction I brought him in y• snare.

The Senatours knowyng the malyce
Of Saturne which made a great gadryng
Of sundry folke, castyng in his auyce
By theyr fauour he might be called kyng,
All this while of his vpclymbyng
I shewed hym duryng a longe space,
Him to disceyue a full benigne face.

Tyll Marius a mighty Consulere
To withstande his presumption
Rose with stronge hande, & with a knyghtly chere
Beset hys palays about enuyron,
Brake hys gates amyd of the toun:
And Saturninus voyde of all fauour
To the Capitoyle fled for succour.

He was forbarred by Marius of vitayle,
The Capitoyle besieged rounde aboute,
At the entryng was a stronge batayle
On outher party slayne a great route:
Thus of my fauour he gan stande in doute,
Thus Saturninus brought in gret distresse
His good acheted lost all his rychesse.

Experience full openly men leareth
Suche as hyest thervpon ascende
Lyke as the turne of my whele requireth
Whan they lest wene, doun they shall discēde:
They haue no power them selfe to defende
Agayne my might, when they be ouerthrow
What do I than but laughe & make amow.

Drusus also borne of great lynage
And discended of full hye noblesse
Vnto vertue contrary of his corage,
Frowarde founde to all gentlenesse,
Yet chose he was the story doth expresse
Questour of Asye an offyce of hye degre,
For his byrthe to gouerne that countre.

But oft tyme vertue nor gentlenesse
Come nat to heires by succession,
Exāple in Drusus the story bereth witnesse,
Which bothe of corage and disposicion
Was euer frowarde of condicion:
For which let men deme as they must nedes,
Nat after byrthe but after the dedes.

Vertues all in hym were set asyde,
Slowe to be armed, hated chiualry,
Most couetous, deynous, full of pryde,
His dedes frowarde, full of trechery,
To hie estate I dyd hym magnify:
Yet al my giftes in hym ne might stretche,
For here tofore thee he cōmeth like a wretche.

He dare for shame nat shewe his visage
So farre disclaundred is his wretchednesse,
His couetyse, and vicious outrage,
Falsely caused by hys doublenesse:
Maguldusa a prynce of great noblesse,
Betrayshed was for mede to the kyng
Called Boccus by Drusus false workyng.

What maner turmēt or what greuous payne
Were cōpetent couenable or condigne
To him that can outwarde flatter & fayne,
And in his hert couertly mal [...]e▪
As Drusus dyd which shewed many signe
To Maguldusa of loue and frendlyhede,
Vnderneth false treason hydde in dede.

[Page]
But Maguldusa lyke a manly knyght
Gayne king Boccus hath hiselfe soccoured,
Whan he by dome was iudged agayne ryght
Of an olyphaunt for to be deuoured:
Scaped frely, and after that laboured
To acquite hym selfe through his hie renoun
Slew false Drusus myd of Rome toun.

Bochas also men put the lacke in me
That I was cause of the destruction
By my contrarious mutabilyte
Of the notable famous Scipion,
Which in the tyme of Sensoryn Caton
Gate the triumphe for many great victory,
To put his name perpetually in memory.

For his merites chose a Consulere
And chefe byshop to gouerne their cite,
To all the Senate patron most entere,
Most famous of name and dignite,
Saued Romayns from all aduersite:
Tyme whan the werre dredefull & dispytous
Gan atwene Pompey and Cesar Julius.

Thus whan the sayde famous Scipion
Was through my fauor acōpted most notable
He fro my whele sodenly was throwe doun
Which neuer in word nor dede was culpable:
But the Romains malicious and vnstable,
By theyr hangman first chayned in pryson,
After racked, there gayned no raunson.

Thus he that had auayled them so ofte,
To saue hym selfe founde succour on no syde:
His dead body they henge it hye alofte
For a spectacle longe there to abyde,
Thus geryshly my gyftes I denyde
Stoūdmeale nowe frende nowe aduersary,
Rewarde good with guerdons ful contrary.

This was experte full well in Scipion,
Gan with loye and ended in wretchednesse:
Bochas remembre make hereof mencion
And of Fanaticus how I of gentlenesse
Made him ascende to notable hye prowesse,
Yet bokes saye touchyng his kynrede
Manly of person, a chorle borne in dede.

For my disporte with a glad vysage
I set hym vp  [...] hye vpon my whele,
Gaue hym lordshyp out of low seruage,
To do him fauour it ly kedine full wele:
Wherfore Bochas his story euery dele
Note it well, and in especiall
How he by sleyght came to estate royall.

By sleyghty fainyng to dyuers folke he tolde
How that he spake wt Scirra the goddesse,
At euery houre playnly whan he wolde,
Of presumption discriued her lykenesse:
Sayde also how she of her goodnesse
Had graunted him (hys stare to magnyfy)
Duryng his life a spirite of prophesy.

And furthermore the people for to blynde
He fantasied by a crafte vncouth
Within a shale the story maketh mynde
Of a nut to haue fyre in hys mouthe,
Blew it sparkling north and southe:
Affyrmed (wherwith folke were blent)
It was a spirite to hym from heuen sent.

By which he wrought many great vertue,
Gadred people tyll he had in dede
Two thousande churles at hys retinue,
Whiche afterwarde his purpose for to spede
To syxty thousande encreaced as I rede:
I suffred all, serued hym at the tyde
Tyll all the courte grutched at hys pryde:

Though of byrthe he was but a vileyne
Rose vp of nought by sodeyne auenture,
My gery fauour made hym to be seyne
Royal of porte, dyd hys busy cure
To rayse hys baner ware a cote armure:
And by gracious supportation,
Brought great people to his subiection.

At the last my lust gan appall
Towarde him not beynge fauourable,
Down fro my whele anone I made him fal:
For by Romains was sent a great constable
Called Porpenna a prince full notable,
Whiche fyll on him, venquisshed him anone,
Slewe & outrayed his churles euerychone.

Him selfe was hanged vpon an hye gybet,
Some of his meyny was cast in pryson,
Thus to his pryde I gaue a great tripet,
And fro my whele I cast him low doun
In his moste hyest domynacion:
Toke no hede, where he dyd laugh or mour­ne
For with no man, I do alway soiourne.

Bochas quod fortune, take good hede also
Howe I can bothe further and disauayle,
For ensample se howe Athenyo,
That whylom was a shepherde in Itayle
[Page cxxxviii]A brigaunt after marchauntes to assayle
Laye in wayte besyde a great mountayne,
Of fugitiues he was made a captayne.

Slewe first his lorde a ryche Senatour,
By violence brake many a stronge prison,
And for a tyme I gaue hym great fauour
To gather robbours about him enuyron:
All the churles of that region
He assembled through his iniquite,
To holde a werre with Rome the cite.

Besieged castels brake doun mighty tours,
Slewe and robbed about in eche countre,
Spoyled palayses of worthy Senatours,
Tytle had he none saue tytle of volunte:
Toke vpon hym of pride and cruelte
For to be clad in purple lyke a kyng,
Bare a scepter amonge his men ridyng.

Vpon his head ordayned for the nones
His golden heare tressed lyke an emperour,
A  [...]oyfe enbrouded all of ryche stones,
Me lyst to laughe that a false robbour
By supportacion of my gery fauour
Which last nat longe, for after in short whyle
As is my custome I dyd hym begyle.

I suffred hym and made hym fayned chere
As I haue doen to other mo full ofte,
Tyll downe fro Rome was sent a Consulere
Which toke him proudly, & henge him alofte,
His churles slayne, & some of them nat softe
In cheynes bounde, for shorte conclusion
Were dempt by lawe to die in prison.

By whiche story Bochas thou mayst lere
A great party of my condicion,
But now in hast a story thou shalt here
Howe in the yere fro the foundacion
More than sixty .C. I meane of Rome toun,
Was a gatheryng a great company
Together sworne, by false conspyracy.

Them to withdraw fro the obeysance
Of a Tribune called Clodoue,
Which for knighthode had gouernaunce
And was sent downe from Rome cyte
With myghty hande to rule a great countre
Called Champayne, and playnlye for to say
The people there lyst hym nat obay.

Thre score and four were of them in numbre
That named were chefe conspyratours,
Whiche y• cast thē their captayne to encōbre
wt multitude of theues & robbours:
Whiche chase amonge thē to be their suppor­tours
Thre mighty captaynes, of which there was one
Called Spartharcus chefest of echone.

Gadred churles made them selfe stronge,
On an hye hyll toke their dwellyng place,
Hauing no regarde were it right or wronge
To spoyle the countre, beastes to enchace:
I cherished them with a benigne face
For a season, and gaue them liberte
By false rauyne to robbe the countre.

What thing is more cruel in comparison,
And more vengeable of wyll & nat of ryght
Than whan a churle hath domination▪
Lacke of discretion blyndeth so the syght
Of comuners for defaute of lyght,
When they haue power coūtreis to gouerne,
Fare lyke a beast that can nothyng discerne.

Gladiators folkes dyd them call,
For their swordes wer with stele made fyne
For to fight gayne wilde beastes all,
As lyons, beares, bores, and wylde swyne:
And the mountayne where they dyd lyne
Called Venuse, and through their cruelte
Slewe and robbed about in eche countre.

Spartharchus was their chefe captayne
Brought vp of nought & borne of low degre,
But Claudius a mighty stronge Romayne
Was sent with power fro Rome the cite
For to defende and saue the countre:
The hyll besieged before them as he lay
He was rebuked, beate, and driuen away.

Many of them that kept the mountayne
Were hurte that day, the story telleth thus,
Amōges which was slaine a great captayne
That was felow vnto Spartharchus,
As I fynde he hight Inomaus:
For whose deth was take so great vēgeaūce,
That all the countre felt therof greuaunce.

They of the mountayne all of one assent
Without mercy or remission,
Most vengeable haue robbed and brent
All the countre about them enuyron,
Tyll two Consulers came fro Rome doun:
The first of them called Lentulus,
Both put to flight by y• sayd Spartharchus.

[Page]
Wherof the romayns greatly dismayed,
The Senatours of indignacion
Bothe ashamed & in them selfe affrayed
Sent one Crassus a great lorde of the toun,
With the nombre of a legion:
And whan yt he on Spartharcus fyrste set
Slewe of his men, sixe .M. whan they met.

And afterwarde besyde a great ryuer
Called Salayre they had a great batayle,
Where Spartharcus stode in great daunger
For his chere and countenaunce gan fayle:
Thurty thousande clad in plate & mayle
Were slayne yt day, there gayned no raunson
All their capitayns assigned to prison.

Without all this as made is mencion
Sixty thousande in the felde lay dede,
And sixe thousande were sent to prison:
The felde with bloude stayned & made rede,
And fourscore .M. quakyng in their drede
Were thylke day after the romayne gyse
Take to mercy, receyued to fraunchyse.

And Spartharcus at mischefe put to flight,
Whan I from him turned my visage
He loste chere, he lost also his might
Whan I appalled the fyne of his passage:
And for he was a churle of his lynage,
Of his encrees I lyked nothyng wele,
Therfore vnwarly I cast him fro my whele.

Of my maners to make a greatter prefe
There was another famous greate robbour
Which through Spayne, was a disclaundred thefe
And for he dred of iustice the rigour,
Trusting he shulde fynde in me socour
Called Vrinatus he Spayne anon forsoke,
And to Rome the right way he toke.

Gadred meyny of his condyrion
Of euery secte to make him selfe stronge,
Theues and robbours of euery region,
Many a churle was medied them amonge:
His name tencreace were it right or wronge
What euer he gate in cyte or village,
With his soudyours he parted the pyllage.

Thus by my helpe he came to greate richesse,
Which brought in pride and presumpcion,
He nat prouyded of my doublenesse
Gan to maligne agayne Rome toun:
But by the prudence of last Scipion
Sonne of Lepidus, makyng therof no boste,
He slayne was by them he trusted moste.

By whiche ensample notable of remēbraūce
Shewed heretofore John Bochas vnto the,
Thou mayst know in party my puysaunce,
My sodayne chaunges, my mutabylite:
And for to auoyde all ambuguite
To declare the summe of myne entent,
Great Marius to thee I do present.

Blacke his wede and his habyte also
His heed vnkempt, his lockes hore and gray,
His loke downe cast in token of sorow & wo
On his chekes the salte teares lay,
Whiche bare recorde of his deadly affray:
Wherfore Bochas do thy penne dresse
To discryue his mortall heuynesse.

His robe stayned was with romayne blode,
His sworde aye redy whet to do vengeaunce
Lyke a tyraunt most furyous and wode,
In slaughter & murdre set all his plesaunce:
Yet nat forthy I gaue him gouernaunce,
Ouer the people, rose on my whele vp fast
But as vnwarely downe I dyd him cast.

Twene him & Scilla y• woful deadly stryues
At large herafter Bochas thou shalt wryte,
How many romaynes lost by thē their liues
I wyll also in ordre that thou endyte,
And if I shall rebuke them and atwyte
As I fro nought made them in honour shine,
So I again warde made thē in mischef fine.

Forget nat also, the deadly pytous fate
Of him that was so notable in his lyfe,
I meane the great famous Mithridate
Whose name is yet full couthe and ryfe,
To whom I gaue a great prerogatyfe,
Fourty wynter, the dede was well sene,
Agayne Romayns the werre to sustene.

For whiche herafter I gyue it the in charge
Of Mithridate, the story set alonge
Whan thou haste leyser & a space large,
Remember his conquest & his dedes stronge:
And howe that I medled me amonge
For al his noblesse and his felicite,
To yeue him parte of great aduersite.

Next in ordre after her owne choys
Fortune vntrusty vpon eche party,
To John Bochas bothe conuayed fro Par­thoys
Stronge Herodes, reignyng in Parthy,
[Page cxxxix]Lo John (quod she) take hede of this story:
All his kinred yf it be well out sought
Wer by Scithiēs chased & brought to nought

And yet for al my mutabylite
Some of them whyle they stode dispayred
I restored vnto their dignite:
Vnto which whan they were repayred,
This Herodes was hindred and apayred
By chaunges, for his hatefull pride,
Whan he lest wende vn warely set asyde.

Suyng after within a lytle whyle
This geryshe lady of condicion,
Gan an yll laughing falsely for to smyle
Lokyng on Bochas brought with her doun
A mighty prince which in Rome toun
Had in his dayes notable price and fame,
All be that she expressed nat his name.

Bochas than his head gan downe declyne
Seyng that prynce of face disfigured,
Of suspection gan to ymagyne:
Whan he his mynde fully hath recured
By certayne tokens & sygnes well assured,
It was Pompey surquedous of estate
Which with Cesar so longe was at debate.

Disconsolate through his vnhappye caas,
His face soyled with water of the see,
Tyme whan Fotynus and cruel Achyllas
Drowned hys body of furyous enmyte,
His face disfigured at the solempnyte
With smokes blake deadly and mortall,
Called of clerkes the feast funerall.

Codrus caused the corps was brent
And consumed into ashes deed,
To Cesar after his head was borne and sent
Vpon a pole, hys story who lyst rede:
After all this Bochas toke good hede
How fortune by a maner mockery
In scorne of hym, gan thus to specify.

Vp to the heauen after his deuyse
I gan enhaunce and encrease hys glory,
By my fauour I gaue hym many a pryse
Conquest of kynges wt many great victory,
And more to put his noblesse in memory,
By my support through his chiualry
With Cesar Julius to holde champarty.

And while that I my fauour dyd applye
Towarde him his victories to assure,
His fame arose tyll that in Thessalye
I gan withdraw his party to succoure,
Sufferyng his enemies make discomfiture
Vpon this Pompey, hyndred in my syght
When to Lesbos at mischefe toke hys flyght.

By the seruauntes of yonge Tholome
Reygning in Egypt, Pompey in his drede
Was take & slayne, he founde no helpe in me,
I gaue him vp and so he lost his hede:
Yet of my chaunges no man taketh hede,
Nor how vnsurely I cast my dredefull loke,
Saue thou art busy to set them in thy boke.

Bochas astonied parcell of her presence,
Bothe of chere, face, and countenaunce,
And this whyle hauyng his aduertence
Thought he sawe a maner resemblaunce
Of a person which stode in great greuaunce:
Tyll at last fortune cast her syght
Towarde Bochas, and tolde what he hyght.

This is (quod she) playnly to termine
The famous man prynce of eloquence
That gaue to Latynes y• scole & the doctrine
Of Rethorike, as well of that science:
For whiche I wyll thou doe thy diligence
To write with other of thys Tullius,
All the case, and gyn at Marius.

These wordes sayde fortune made an ende,
She bete her  [...]ynges and toke her to flyght,
I can nat se what way she dyd wende
Saue Bochas telleth like an angell bryght
At her departyng she shewed a great lyght:
But assone as she gan disapere,
He toke his penne and wrote as ye shal here.

The .ii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Gayus Marius of lowe byrth borne, came to hie estate, whiche blent with couetise, after many great batayls dyed at myschefe.

HEre Bochas gynneth to tell of the man
Called in hys tyme Gayus Marius,
Borne at Aprina a castell of Tuscan,
Sonne of a carpenter the storye telleth thus
Pursued armes manly and vertuous:
Through all Rome nor in that countre,
[Page]Was there no man holde so stronge as he.

Discyplyne and great subtylite
He had also as bokes specify,
Prudence, manhode, and habylite
Bothe in armes and in chyualry,
Moste famous holde towarde the party
wtin a while, myne auctour saythe certayne,
Chose a Tribune, and a great capitayne.

But fro the gynnyng of his tendre age
As histories put in remembraunce,
He was pricked so sore in his corage
By a gredy fret, of longe contynuaunce,
Neuer to staunche with none habundaunce:
The worlde, nor fortune wt all their richesse,
Suffyled nat to appease his gredynesse.

Entring a temple he founde a diuynour,
Counsayled him there by his diuynayle
To entre Rome, and holde there soiour,
By good auice, and knightly apparayle:
Made him promyse that he shoulde nat fayle
To attayne by fauour of the commonte,
To great office and state in the cyte.

Fauour of commons brought hi to hie estate,
By them receyued vnto dignyte
Of Consulere, albe that the Senate
Had disdayne of his felicite,
Bycause he was borne of lowe degre:
Graunted to him after by the toun
To conquere realmes by a commissyon.

He gate the prouince, through his hie renoun
Of Numedy, as he dyd them assayle,
And toke the kyng of that region
Called Jugurtha, proudly in batayle:
For whiche emprise by marcial apparayle
He gate ye triumphe, through y• town ryding,
Bycause onely for taking of that king.

And for he was a person so notable
For many a famous sodayne victory,
Namely in conquest preued profitable
To all the cōmons, as put is in memory,
And for thencreace of his renome & glory
By the opinyon hole of the cyte
In his hande lay all their prosperite.

Agayne a people y• called was Cymbroys
Thē to conquere frō Rome he was sent doun
Also agaynst the boystous Tigurnoys
Gadred together of many nacion,
All them he brought to subiection,
Like as Romains had afore desyred,
Because thei had againe their town cōspired.

They toke vpon them of false presumption
To passe all the mountaines of Itayle,
First discomfited as made is mencion
Thre Romayne dukes felly in batayle,
Fourscore thousand clad in plate and mayle
Slayne of Romayns y• story is well knowe,
Vnder the Alpes at mischefe ouerthrowe.

This Marius of marciall auenture
In Germany had a great batayle,
With Tewtobochus a gyaunt of stature,
Put first to flyght with al his apparayle:
For Marius dyd hym so sore assayle
At the chace proudly borne to grounde,
Maugre his might take & in chaynes boūde.

Marius after with his hoste hym drewe
Towarde ye people of Cimbroys for to fight,
Two hundred people I fynde of thē he slewe,
Eight thousand take, thre .M. put to flight:
Kyng Bolerus a full famous knight.
Slayne in the felde for all his great pryde,
Agayne Marius lyke as he dyd ryde.

That day of Cibroyes was al ye people slaine,
The women after he lyst nat to reserue,
Yet they profered & wolde haue ben ful faine
Their chastite deuoutly to obserue,
In the temple of Vesta for to serue:
But their request for he lyst nat here,
With him they fought echone slayne yfere.

Except some whan they sawe none other
Remedy, of purpose they were set
Eueriche of them to slee & murder other:
And some thought also it was bet
To hange them selfe vpon an hye gybet,
Than to abyde of Marius the outrage
Perpetually to lyue in seruage.

Thus Marius of thre nacions
Through hys conquest accōplyshed y• victory,
With prisoners of sundry regions
Entred Rome to his encreace of glory,
With speciall laudes notable of memory:
First the triumphe, a guerdon singulere,
He tymes syxe was chosen a Consulere.

Thus fortune was to him fauourable
To set him vp in worldly dignities
[Page cxl]For a season, but for she was chaungeable
Amonge her gyftes, and great prosperitees,
She gaue him parte of great aduersytees:
And specially the tyme accompted, than
Twene him & Scilla whan the werre gan.

Lucius Scilla abyding in Champayne
Marius at Rome tho present,
Whan the deuysion gan atwene thē twayne
Eche to other contrary of entent,
Melancolous and impacient,
Whiche of both (the story wel conceyued)
To gouerne, should sonest be receyued.

All sodaynly were it right or wronge
Toward Rome takinge his passage,
Agayne Marius to make him selfe stronge
Gan slee and burne, and of great outrage
Wylfull, and hasty, furyous of corage
For sodaine comming and vnware violence,
Agayne him found no resystence.

Two mighty batayls he dyd with him lede,
Entryng the cite gan through y• wal myne,
Wyth one bataile fast gan him spede
To passe the gate called Aquylyne,
That other gate named was Colyne:
At whose entring by recorde of the boke,
Scilla by strength the capitoyle toke:

But whan Marius had knowlegyng
That Scilla had so great power & might,
Without arest or lenger abydyng
In to a maryshe, Gayus anonright
With all his people toke sodainly his flyght:
Fet out by strength, coude hym nat defende,
Scilla after to prison dyd him sende.

Thus the prowesse for a whyle slept
Of Marius lying in pryson,
Scilla that tyme the capitoyle kept
Wherby all Rome stode in subiection:
And of hatred in haste he sent down
A sturdy chorle to Marius in his drede
Whyle he lay bounde to smyte of his heade.

This chorle wel compacte of braune & bones
Set of purpose Marius for to oppresse,
For his strength ordayned for the nones:
To the prison the chorle gan him fast dresse
Where Marius was fettred in distresse,
Fully in purpose without more delay
To behead him in prison there he lay.

Losing hym first lying on his couche
And Marius rose vp lyke a man,
The chorle fearfull to  [...]inite him or to touche,
And Marius full proudly tho began
To entre a place beside of a woman,
Founde an asse there of auenture
Vpon whose backe the see he gan recure.

Towarde Affrike there he fonde passage,
By enprisoning though he were wext faynt
Yet there abode styl in his corage
Hye worthynesse, with prudence meynt:
Which in his person were nat queynt
Agayne the malyce to make a countertayle
Of proude Scilla, the malyce efte tassayle.

Of Itayle rode through the countre,
Toke his voyage through Rome tou, n
Wyth four batayls entred the cyte,
Sixe hundred knightes by computacion
Slaine in the felde as made is mencion:
Where men may se, who lyste loke aferre
What domage diuysion dothe in werre.

First by the manhode of this Marius
In this diuysion the story who lyst rede,
The great Consull called Octauius
Loste his head and his lyfe in dede,
Vpon a pole while it dyd blede:
Was cruelly presented of entent
Before the iudges, sytting in iugement.

Of whose death some of them were fayne,
Some sory of loue as they were bounde,
And in this werre Merula was slayne
Priest in the temple, lyke as it is founde,
Of Jupiter, with many mortal wounde:
The romayne slayne y• called was Crassus,
With fyre consumed was proude Catullus.

All his enemyes Marius dydencombre
Which agayne him by conspyracion
Were assented with a ful great nombre
In their auise for to haue put him doun,
Take from him his dominacion:
But he abode the turment and the shoures,
Strong to cōdempne al his cōspyratours

Sixe times aforne rehersed here
Of condicion though he were dispytous,
He was chosen so oft consulere
Tyll fortune gan wexe enuyous,
Agayne this sayd cruell Marius
Which made the Senate wt al the chyualry
[Page]To grutche agayne his hatefull tyranny.

In this time the story maketh mynde
Damasippus a Pretor of the toun
Frendly to Marius & helpyng as I fynde,
Vnder a shadowe of deception
Vnto their cite for to do treason,
Causyng four Romayns come in fere
Tofore Marius a certayne day tapere.

And their names to put in memory
Sceuola, Carto, and Domicius,
The fourth of them as sayth the story
Called in Rome the wyse Antistius,
Together assembled tofore Marius:
He of rancour agayne iudgement or lawe,
Made thē be slayn, & through the cite drawe.

Their bodies after were in Tybre cast
By cruelte of the sayde Marius,
All this while the cruell werre last
Twene him and Scilla, tyl duke Cōpaneus
Came to the party hardy and dispitous
To helpe Scilla their baners first displayed,
Wherof all Rome was sodaynly affrayed.

At the gate that called was Collatyne
Marius and Scilla had a great batayle,
Four score thousand the numbre to termyne
On Marius side slayne, it is no fayle:
Scilla victorious with marcial apparayle
Entring the towne agayne his othe parde,
Thre thousand citezius slew of that cite.

Of folke disarmed and naked in the towne
They nouther spared olde nor yonge of age,
The cruell murdrers walkynge vp & downe
By Scilla sent in that mortall rage:
Tyll Catullus a prynce fall in age
Sayde vnto Scilla we can no difference
Twene rebellion nor atwene innocence.

We murder and slee without exception
Bothe hie and low holdyng no manere,
Againe all knighthode to myne opinion
We do procede in our conquest here,
Our title is lost the triumphe to requere
Of hie prowesse, whan we can nat obserue
No difference to slee nor to reserue.

And in this while of hatefull cruelte
Scilla contriued letters diffamable,
Wherby fiue hundred out of that cite
Were falsly banished citezins notable,
Agayns them he was so vntreatable
All their goodes atche [...]ed in that rage,
Of auaryce and of false pyllage.

Another romayne named Marius
Brother to Marius of whō tofore I tolde,
For drede of Scilla fled and toke an hous
Which vnto Gotes was set vp for a folde,
Founde and rent out in his dayes olde,
With cordes draw no rescue might him saue,
Of cruell vengeaunce to Catullus graue.

Where Scilla made by cruell iudgement
With a sharpe sworde forged forto byte,
After time his eyen were out rent
Bothe at ones his handes of to smyte:
His head of smit, no ran̄som might hi quyte,
Set on a pole it woulde be none other,
And of dispight sent vnto hys brother

To Marius of whome I spake nowe right,
The great duke so mighty and so huge:
Which had afore take him to the flight
For feare of Scilla in that mortal deluge,
Into a citie to finde there refuge,
Called Preneste ther standing in gret drede,
Namely when he behelde his brothers hede.

Forasmuch as he no succour fonde
Dispayred this was hys purpose,
To slee him selfe with his owne honde
In thilke place where he was kept close,
Drewe out hys sworde and vp anone he rose
Cōstrained his seruaūt in that sodain affray,
Smit of his head the selfe same day.

Men say howe death is fyne of all mischefe,
Ende of aduersite that dothe wretches tary,
Fortune here maketh another prefe
In Marius howe she her course gan vary,
By an euidence hateful and contrary,
To shew her malyce and vngoodlyheed
Agayne this duke, alas, whan he was deed.

This froward lady of malyce most vēgeable
Whan her lyst furiously to raue,
And shew her selfe cruell and vnstable,
To none estate she lyst no regarde haue:
Caused Marius to be take out of his graue
By cruell Scilla, in story it is founde,
His vgly carayne smyt on peeces rounde.

And after more to shew hys cruelte
Marius shoulde haue no burying place,
[Page cxli]Cast his carayne of cankred enmyte
Into Tybre there was none other grace:
Lo thus can fortune for her folke purchace,
By whiche example touchyng Marius,
Of worldly chaunges Bochas writeth thus.

Maketh in this chapter a discription
First what thing is very gentlenesse,
To set a prefe and a probacion
Nothyng attayneth vnto hie noblenesse
But the clere shinyng of vertuous clennesse:
Which may nat shew i hie nor low parage,
But where it groweth out of a pure corage.

Worldly power, oppression, tyranny,
Erthly treasure, golde, stones nor rychesse.
Be no meanes vnto gentry
But if vertue rule their hye prowesse:
For where vyces haue entresse
In hie byrthe, meane, or low kynrede,
Deme no man gentle but onely by his dede.

In royall places of stone & metall wrought
With galaryes or stately cloysters rounde,
Gentilnesse nor noblesse is nat sought,
Nor in selers nor in vautes rounde,
But onely there wher vertue doth habounde:
Curyous clothes nor great possessions
Maketh nat a man gengle, but condycions.

Phylosophers conclude in their entent
And all these worthy famous olde auctours
No man may que the in his testament
Gentilnesse vnto his successours,
Of wycked wede come no holsome flours:
Concluding thus of good men & of shrewes,
Call eche man gentle after his good thewes.

Duke Marius of whom I spake toforne
Of nature (the story beareth wytnesse)
As by discent poore and nedy borne,
By disposycyon of coragyous noblesse
Had in his persō wyt, strength, & hardynesse:
Vnder all this there dyd his herte myne
A worme of auaryce his worshyp to decline.

What vayleth plenty, y• neuer may suffyse:
Or what the flode that stauncheth no thurst:
Or what an appetyte which euer doth aryse
Alway to eate, and euer to eate hath lust:
Of cankred hungre so fretyng is the rust
That the riuer of Tantalus in his rage
Of gredy etykes the fret may nat asswage.

Of Marius ye haue herd the ende
His woful fall and his vnhappy caas,
In to fate, howe he dyd wende:
Nowe wyl I folow myne auctor Bochas,
Howe vnto him thre Cleopatras
With loke downe cast, wofull face & chere,
All atones dyd to him appere.

The fyrst of them by processe of writing
Had thre husbandes, Bochas doth expresse,
Wedded in youth to Alisaundre the kyng,
Called zebenna a prince of great noblesse:
After that for her great fayrenesse,
She wedded was vnto Demetrius,
And last of all to kyng Antyochus.

Of her three husbandes woful auenture,
And of her sonnes great vnkyndnesse
Bochas afore hath done his busy cure
Curyously the maner to expresse,
Which to reherce agayne were ydelnesse,
Syth all the processe here tofore is founde,
Of the first, and eke of the secounde

Which wedded was to kyng Tholome
Lyke as afore eke made is mencion,
Bothe of their ioye and their aduersyte,
The first slayne by drinkyng of poyson,
And the seconde to her confusion
By Euergetes were she wo or fayne,
Was with her chylde serued y• was slayne.

The thyrde wedded was to kyng Crispus
Slayne in a temple by full great outrage,
For drede and shame gan wexe furious
To saue her selfe knewe none auauntage,
Saue she enbraced of Jupiter an ymage:
In the story as here tofore is founde,
Or she was dead suffred many a wounde

❧ The .iii. Chapter.

❧ Howe king Mithridate bode .vii. yere in wyldernes, had great turmentes bothe on sea and lande, by his blode broughte to vttraunce, slewe himselfe with a sworde.

I Wyll passe ouer these Cleopatras three,
Forth procede to the hasty fate
Sone execute by Parcas cruelte
[Page]Vpon the duke called Mithridate,
First reherce the great vnkyndlye hate
Of them that were his tutours as I rede,
Him to destroy by assent of his kynrede.

Which of purpose dyd hys death prouide
By many vncouth straunge occasion,
In his tender youth first they made him ride
Vpon an horse wylder than a lyon,
Of purpose onely for his distruction:
But al be so that he was yonge of age,
The horse he ruled in all his most rage.

Nat of doctrine but euen of nature
He was disposed connyngly to ryde,
Ouer him the maystry to recure
Maugre the horse of wyt he was his gyde:
What way he toke forwarde or asyde
He daunted him, y• where so euer he rode
Bridled him and on his backe he bode.

His owne kyn and his next alyes
Most laboured to bryng hym to mischefe
With venomous drynke, set on hym espyes
At good leyser as doth a couerte thefe,
Of their fell poyson for to make a prefe,
In their entent this is well couthe,
Him to murder in hys tender youthe.

But whan yt he apperceyued their treason,
To saue him selfe made great ordinaunce,
Anone as he gan haue suspection
Of theyr vnkindly hatefull purueyaunce,
For remedies made cheuisaunce:
Was prouided their malyce to decline
By many notable proued medicine.

And their malyce prudently to eschue
Is remembred whyle he was yonge of age,
With certayne frendes which y• dyd hym sue
He disposed of custome hys corage
To hunt and chase beastes most sauage:
Vnder that colour he dyd it for a wyle,
Ferre fro his countre tabsent him for a whyle

Of one corage, one heart and one chere
Suffred manly, toke none heuynesse,
In desertes space of seuen yere
Amonge hye hylles bode in wyldernesse,
Set in Asia, the story beareth witnesse:
Founde no lodgyng trasyng the countrees,
Saue in cauernes, & great holowe trees.

The boke remembreth how that his diet
Were beastes wylde enchased wt great might
Fled ydienesse eschewed all quiete,
And lytle slepe su [...]ised him at nyght:
By exercise his body was made  [...]yght
There was nouther, whan hym lyst pursue,
Harte nor hynde y• myght his hande eschue.

He nouther drad tygers nor lyons,
He was so swifte, tho they dyd hym assayle:
Lyke of strength to olde champions
No wylde beast of great nor smale entayle
Tescape his hande might not countreuayle:
If he were ware, early outher late,
So great swiftnesse had this Mithridate.

Amonge he had in armes exercyse,
Amonge to tournay and ren on horsebacke,
All dilicate fare he dyd also dispyse
Of gredy excesse in him there was no lacke:
A nighter tyme his slepe full oft he brake
Stoundmeale the houres for to marke,
In the daunyng rose vp or the larke.

The space accomplished fully of seuen yere
He is repayred home to hys countre,
Shewed hym selfe of manhode and of chere
Full like a knight, his story who lyst se:
Wherof his enemies astonied be,
Caught of hys cōming in hert a maner drede
Supposyng afore that he was dede.

In whose absence his wyfe Leodyces
Conceyued a childe (as made is mencion)
For the diffame shoulde nat come in prees
Him for to murder she sought occasion,
Fully in purpose to slee hym by poyson:
Of which defautes her lorde was nat fayne,
Knowing the trouth made her to be slayne.

Toke on him after many knightly dede
First to conquere all Paflago [...]ye
By the helpe of worthy Nychomede
That tyme called kyng of Bithinye,
Togyther assured to be of one alye:
In losse or lucre fortune to be theyr gyde
And therto sworne neuer to deuyde.

To Mithridate Legates were downe sent
Fro the Romains, him lowly requiryng
That he woulde lyke to their entent,
Paflago [...]ye restore to their kyng,
Which he had wonne the cite assaylyng:
But he lyst nat aduertise their prayere,
[Page cxlii]Nor on no parties their requestes here.

He dred nat their thretes nor manaces,
Gate proudly after the lande of Galathye
In his conquest wan many other places,
Capadoce toke to hys partye,
Slew their kyng of hatred and enuye,
Ariarectes a full manly man,
And in this wyse his conquest he began.

Agayn thassuraūce twene him & Nichomede
All sodaynly he gan fall at debate,
Thought he wolde warrey hym in dede
Because that he pompous and elate,
In Capadoce toke on hym thestate
To reygne as kyng agayns his entent,
He nouther being of counsayle nor assent.

Yet Nychomede or they gan debate
Had longe afore to his owne encrees
The suster wedded of ye Mithridate,
Whan they as brethren lyued in rest & pees:
And she also was called Leodices,
Hauyng two sonues borne for to succede
After discease of the sayde Nychomede.

And by processe these sayde children twayne
In Capadoce by helpe of Mithridate,
Claymed a tytle iustly for to attayne
Vnto the crowne, their father died but late:
For which they gan felly to debate,
Tyll Mithridate falsly gan contriue
His two neuewes vngoodly to depriue.

All Capadoce he toke into hys hande,
His owne sonne he hath crowned kyng,
Capadociens by assent of al the lande
Gan disobey of purpose his workyng:
Whan the Romains considred all thys thyng
Artaberzanes in hast they sent doun
Gayne Mithridate to kepe that region.

The sonne of whō fro thē they haue refused,
Out of their kyngdome gan him to enchace,
For they sēpte their fraunchyse was abused
To see a foraine occupie that place:
Mithridate gan newly them manace,
And toke with him to sustayne his partye
Tygranes the kyng of Armenye.

Artabarzanes that was fro Rome sent
To Capadoce, to helpe them and counsayle,
Of Mithridate knowyng the entente
Howe he came downe proudly hym tassayle,
With Tygranes, set in the first batayle:
Of Capadoce that al the region
Was brought that day to theyr subiection.

Thus Mithridate hauyng his entent
In short time countreys conqueryng,
Was mightiest prince of all the orient,
And in tho dayes one the greatest kyng:
And as it is remembred by writyng
He delyted most in astronomye,
In sortilege, and in sorcerye.

And with all these he dyd hys busy cure
For to lerne vncouth conclusyons,
And secretes sought out by nature,
Knewe the langages of diuers regions,
Of two and twenty sundry nacious:
And helde women many more than one,
Loued Hipsycrata aboue them euerychone.

To the Romains this manly Mithridate
As bokes olde recorde of hym and sayne,
Vpon a day of very cruell hate
Through all Asya he bad that eche Romayne
Shoulde of his men mercilesse be slayne:
Twenty thousande he slewe eke on a day
Of Romain marchātes, durst no mā say nay.

To him he drewe diuers nacions
To encreace his party by puissaunce,
Kymbrois, Gallois, with other regions,
Bostornois toke to his aliaunce,
With straūge people made his acquaintaūce:
Where that euer he rode nye or ferre
With them of Rome for to holde werre.

In Grece also he gate manye an yle,
All Cyclades to his subiection,
Conquered so that within a whyle
Of Athenes he gate the famous toun:
But when Romains knewe his entencion
They sent Scilla in a furious hete
With Mithridate in Grece for to mete.

Archelaus which that was constable
Leading the host of kyng Mithridate,
Gan agayne Scilla trustynge he was able,
Maugre the Romains with him to debate:
As they met in their furious hate,
Beside Orthonia of Grece a great towne,
Of Archelaus y• party was brought downe.

There gan Scilla to be victorious
Gayne Mithridate, and by great violence
[Page]Gate al Ephesie a kyngdome ful famous,
Rode through Asye, founde no resistence:
By his knighthode and manly prouidence
Capadoce, and Bithinye eke also
To Romain handes he gate them bothe two.

When Mithridate perceyued hath this thinge
How the cōquest of Scilla toke encrees,
Anone he cast without longe tariynge
For a tyme with him to haue a pees,
Of hie wisdome he was nat retcheles
To dissimule tyll he founde time and space
In double fortune to finde better grace.

Abode his tyme, kept hym selfe close,
Tyll he founde layser lyke hys opinion,
In this while of auenture arose
Within Rome a great discencion,
Twene two Consules being in that toun:
Which to appease by hys auctorite,
Scilla came vp agayne to the cite.

When Mithridate his absence dyd espy,
To his purpose founde oportunite,
Gadred people and with his chiualry
A siege layde vnto Cyzite the cite
Of all Asye moste of auctorite:
Tyll Lucullus a myghty Consulere
To breke the siege approche gan full nere.

Mithridate had on fyue captayns
Tofore the towne made a discomfiture,
Of hie dispyte he had to Romayns:
But Lucullus the damages to recure,
To enclose his enemies dyd hys busy cure,
To his mynours gaue anone in charge
About the siege to make a diche full large.

They within had knowledgyng
By certayn tokens of all theyr gouernaunce,
Whervpon they made no tariyng
To cast a way for their delyueraunce:
Mithridate seyng their ordinaunce
Of hie prudence to escape away besyde,
And at the siege lyst no lenger abyde.

Lucullus then the myghty Consuler
Pursued after, slew of hys meyne
Such a multitude that Asopus the ryuer
Was made with blode lyke the reed se,
wt winde & tempest fordriuen also was he:
And when he saw no succour in the lande,
To shyp he went wt strong and mighty hand.

He founde fortune cruell aduersary
On lande and se this worthy Mithridate,
And Neptunus made the see contrary
Agayns him his puyssaunce to abate:
What shall men call it, influence or fate:
So sodaynly a prynce of hye renowne
Fro hye noblesse to be plounged downe.

For any mischefe he kept aye one visage
This Mithridate, and lothe was for to plye,
Or for to bowe, so stronge was hys corage:
But efte agayne goth with hys chiualry
Towarde Adrastus an hyll of Armeny,
Where as Pompey beset hym enuyron,
Sent fro Rome to his distruction.

Mithridate makyng his lodgyng place
Vnder that hyll, when it drew to nyght
The troubly heuen wt thūdring gan manace,
The firy leuyn dyrked hath hys syght,
The cloudy moue eclipsed of her lyght
Astonied hym by vnware violence,
That he stode confuse of all prouydence.

He was by tempest and vnware derkenesse
Almost made wery of hys wofull lyfe,
Yet I fynde of very kyndnesse
Hipsicrata whiche that was hys wyfe,
Nouther for werre nor no mortall stryfe
Left him neuer, disguysed of vysage
Folowed him arayed as a page.

Yet in hys most mortall heuynesse
Whan cloudy fortune gan him most manace,
Of his corage the naturall quickenesse
Appaled nat, nor remeued from his place,
So hie prowesse dyd hys heart enbrace:
Nat dispayred for no sodayne fall,
Of condicion he was so marciall.

In token wherof he standyng at mischefe
Chaunged nouther chere nor countenaunce,
An euidence and a full great prefe
Of manly force and heartely assuraunce,
Defiyng fortune with all her varyaunce,
Whan that he founde to hys distruction
Of dispayre greatest occasion.

With hym he had a baylife as I fynde
Called Castor, whiche of condicion
Was to his lorde false and eke vnkynde,
And conspired agayne him false treason:
In token wherof vp to Rome toun
Hys lordes children yonge & tender of age
[Page cxliii]  [...]yke a thefe, he sent them in hostage.

One of his sonnes he murdred by treason,
Which Mithridate toke ful sore at herte,
Another sonne as made is mencion
False to his father, which whā he did aduerte
The vnkyndnesse made him sore smerte:
For of all vyces shortly to conclude,
 [...]orst of al is hatefull ingratitude.

This same childe of whom I make mynde
Called Pharnax, whych agayne nature
To his father traytour and vnkynde,
And his purpose agayne hym to recure,
In al hast dyd his busy cure
For to accomplyshe his purpose in party,
Drewe to him hole his fathers chyualry.

By sleight & mede whā he was made strong,
He besieged his father rounde aboute,
Vnto nature me semeth he dyd wrong
To put his father in so great a dout:
Kyndnesse was ferre shyt wythout,
Whan the sonne wyth hate set a fyre,
Agayne his father falsly dyd conspyre.

Wyth multitude his father was constrayned
Maugre hys myght in to a toure to flee,
Hys sonne vnkynde hath at him disdained,
And yet for al his straunge aduersite
Of his corage the magnanimite
In his person stode hole, lyst not vary
Though fortune was to hym contrary.

Yet myne auctour Bocas beareth recorde
That Mithrydate if it would haue be,
Requyred his sonne to be at accord,
And set asyde al olde contrariouste:
But he vnkynde indurate was parde,
Euer frowarde, malycious of corage,
So disposed from his tendre age.

So that the kyng Mithrydate alas,
Was ouercome by vnkyndenesse,
That neuer afore in no maner caas
Stode dismayed: but of hye prowesse
Kept aye one face all passions to represse,
This vertue force by marcial doctrine
For none aduersite suffred hym declyne.

Ende of his werres & his mortall stryues
Of his debates and discencions,
Hys concubines, his daughters, & hys wiues
By meane onely of certayne pocions
Slewe them al, by drinkynge of poysons:
For he not woulde, the cause to dyscriue,
After his death they shoulde byde on lyue.

Hys owne death of mortall fell rygour
Compassed afore thus he gan deuyse,
Made a french knyght y• was a soudiour
With a sharpe sworde in ful cruel wyse
To ren him through, wherby the fraūchyse
Conserued was, his purpose to fulfyl
He woulde not dye but by his owne wyll.

Lo here the ende of kyng Mithridate,
Let princes all of his deth take hede
Howe rechelesly he passed in to fate,
And by assent made his herte blede:
And Bochas here who lyst hys boke to rede
Playnly rehersynge but in wordes fewe,
To worldely princes doth his cōceyte shewe.

¶ Lenuoye.

MYghty prynces lyfte vp your corrages
Towarde heauen doo youre hertes dresse,
Of your memory turne vp the vysages
Wher ioy is euer, peace, concorde, & gladnesse,
True armonye, & celestiall swetnes:
Counterpayse in your remembraunce
Worldly chaunges, fortunes variaunce.

Aduertise the mortal fell outrages
Of blody werres impossible to repres,
Whyle false enuy wyth his furious rages
In sondry realmes hath so great entres,
Slaughter, murdre, deuision, falsenes
Which conscience haue brought to vttraūce
Through soden chaunge of worldly variaūce

Reken vp princes that sate hye on stages
What was the fyne of their royall noblesse:
Or of tirauntes reken vp the blody wages:
Sodaine slaughter guerdoned their wode­nes:
Mithridate can beare hereof wytnes,
By blode vnkynde brought vnto vttraūce,
Through soden chaūge of worldly variaunce.

Prynces remembre vpon the golden age
Whan Saturne ruled y• worlde in rightwis­nes,
Next Jupiter for peoples auaūtage
The silueren worlde conserued in clennes,
Which Mars hath nowe turned to felnes,
Made it steelen wt sworde dagger & launce,
[Page]Through soden chaūge of worldly variaūce.

Of Mithridate regestre the vyages,
Conspired poysons taffray his prowesse,
On land and see tempestious passages,
By cōstraynt bode .vii. yere in wildernesse,
Of his wandrynge payse the vnsykernes,
Hys ende myschefe, knewe no auoydaunce
Gayn worldly chaūge nor fortūes variaūce.

If neglygēce haue brought you in rerages
Towarde God, or he reken in streyghtnesse
Let reason medle for you to lay hostages
Compassyon, mercy, partynge of almesse,
Towarde heuen to support your feblenesse,
Whan your merites shal paise in balaunce
Of worldly chaūges & fortunes variaunce.

Deth spareth nother hye nor lowe lynages,
Haue mynde heron for any rechelesnes,
Transitory be here your pylgrimages
Set with brigāts vnwarely you toppresse:
But of prudence by great auysenesse,
Wyth prouydence preserue your puyssaunce,
Gayn worldly chaūge & fortunes variaunce.

☞ The .iiii. chapter.

❧ Howe Eucratydes kynge of Sythie was slayne by Demetrius, and after his carayne cast to houndes.

NExt in ordre to Bochas dyd apere
A woful prince that put hym selfe in prees,
Reignyng in Sithia, his story doth vs lere,
The name of whom was Eucratides:
But to disturbe his quiet and his pees
Agayne him plainly as I fynde
Came Demetryus, y• myghty kyng of Inde.

Of whom the power and the vyolence
To Eucratides was very importable,
Besieged first, and for lacke of defence
Take at mischefe, his fone not mercyable
For Demetrius was on hym so vengeable,
Whan he was slayne wtin his owne boūdes,
Made the carayne be cast out to y• houndes.

Not wythstandinge he was a worthy kynge
Borne of hye blode such was his auenture,
Demetrius sonne aboue al erthly thynge
Hated hym, by recorde of Scripture,
Of rancoure denyed hys sepulture:
And for the matter is hateful and contrary,
On his story I wyll no lenger tary.

The .v. Chapter.

¶ Howe Herodes kyng of Parthoys werred wyth Romains, whych after his sonne and heyre was slayne, made hys bastarde sonne kynge y^t anon after slewe his father.

TO Arthabanus whilō of Parthois kynge
I purpose my style to transporte,
A full olde prince, had in his liuing
Sonnes twayne bokes so reporte,
Which in his age dyd him most comforte:
Mithridate was the eldest brother,
And herodes called was that other.

Mithridate by reason of hys age,
Hys father dead dyd after him succede,
Which banished was for tiranny & outrage,
Afterwarde for mischefe and for nede
In to Babylon he toke his flyght for drede:
The people anone after his partyng
Of Indignacion made hys brother kynge.

Thus came Herodes to estate royal,
Pursued hys brother in to Babilon,
Layde a siege rounde aboute the wall,
They to him yelded vp the toun:
Thus was hys brother brought to cōfusion
Afore the castell wythout lenger date,
Made smyte of the head of Mithridate,

In Parthois after he toke possession.
Thus yong Herodes of voiūte and pride
Gan a werre agayne them of Rome toun,
Whom to wtstande they lyst not longe abyde
The cōsull Crassus cam down to theyr syde,
Cōmaūded was short processe for to make
Toward Parthois hys voiage for to take.

Crassus lyst not to entre in that reme
Left Parthois the story dothe deuyse,
Toke his waye towarde Jerusalem
To take there a solempne empryse,
In the temple, onely of couetise,
Toke there agayne the tytle of ryghtwysnes
Vp al their treasour & their great ryches.

By which he gate in diuers regions
Great multitude to hold vp his party,
Led wyth hym eleuen legyons:
[Page cxliiii]Towarde Parthois fast gan him hye:
By hys letters proudly gan defy
The sayd Herodes, & wyth great apparayle.
Myd his countre profred him battayle.

The next morowe whā Crassus toke y• felde,
To him was brought of blacke a cote armure
Which whan his knightes auisedly beheld
Dempt it a token of discomfiture,
For in contrary Romayns do their cure
Whan their capitaine shal fighte or be hed,
His cote armur is outher white or red.

Another token frowarde to beholde,
The fyrst Egle beate in his banere
Also soone as men dyd it vnfold,
Contrariously he tourned loke and chere,
The back to Crassus folke sawe yt stode nere:
A pronostyke to Romayns ful certaine
Howe fortune to them was that daye againe.

By the flud passinge of Eufrates,
wt vnware tempestes hys standerdes echone
In to the ryuer were cast amonge the prees,
To reken them all vpryght stode not one:
Wherof astoyned they wold no further gone,
These pronostykes made them so afrayed
Lyke men in hert dispaired and dismaied.

Of these tokens Crassus was recheles
The pronostykes also he dyd dyspyse,
Toke vpon him to passe Eufrates
To entre Parthoys onely for couetise:
To whom Herodes sendeth in thys wyse
That hys commynge was more for pyllage
Than for knyghthode, manhode, or corage.

Al the power of Parthoys tho came downe
With many Prefecte & men of great courage,
Agayne Crassus & them of Rome towne,
Which as I tolde abode on their pyllage,
That turned after to their great domage:
The sonne of Crassus slayne in that fray,
His father take, and al vpon a daye.

His head smyt of, in whom was no defence,
But disconfyted wyth many a legion,
The heade of Crassus brought to the presence
Of Herodes within his royal toun,
Whych hath comaunded golde to be broughte doune
To be molte there as he lay dead,
And to powre thereof full hys head.

This thinge was done for a mockery,
In signe onely (the storye doth deuyse)
That golde nor treasour vpon no party
Staunche myght his thrust of couetyse:
Suche gredines eche man should dispyse,
For auaryce of custome in eche place
Of hye prowes doth the prise difface.

Herodes after dyd serche all the wardes
Through al the felde vpon Crassus syde,
Toke the penons, baners, & standardes,
And in his tempels large, longe, and wyde
Let hange them vp of surquedy and pride,
In signe onely and eke for a memory
He of Romains hath get the victory.

With whiche he lyst not onely be content
Wenyng his fortune shoulde abyde stable,
In to Surry he hath hys sonne sēt
Called Pachorus, made him a constable
Of that region, with him to be partable
Of al treasours and mouables y• he founde
Whereuer he rode throughout al lond.

This Pachorus by hys chyualry
Encrease gan in his tendre age,
Wherof Herodes his father had enuy
Fearful it shoulde tourne to his domage,
Lest he would by tytle of heritage
Maugre him at hys agayne commynge,
Take vpon him of Parthoys to be king.

Than Pachorus was called home agayne
Out of Surrye, where in conclusion
Al that he had wrought was in vayne,
Bycause one Cassius fro Rome was come
Slewe al the people in the region
Whych appertayued to Pachorus, as I find, doun,
Without capitaine for they were left behynde.

To withstande this Romayne Cassius
Herodes hath his sonne sent agayne,
Whych anone after, the story telleth thus,
Amyd the felde vnhappely was slayne:
To trust fortune it is a thynge but vayne,
Whiche of custome to day is fauourable
And to morowe geryshly chaungeable.

Of Pachorus dethe whan the noise arose
And the distressynge of his chyualry,
And to Herodes abydyng in Parthois
Tyding was brought, farde as he would die,
Of hertely sorow fyl in to a frensy:
Heyre was none left of the royall lynes
[Page]Saue thurty bastardes borne of concubines.

Thus Herodes was cast in great sickenes,
Hys sonnes deth was to hym importable,
Hys worldly ioy was gon & his gladnes:
Fortune cōtrary which neuer can be stable,
Age fylon, hys lyfe was not durable,
And of one thyng most he dyd hym drede
Cause he had none heire to succede.

Whyche woulde not suffre him lyue in pees,
Tyll at the last he caught a fantasy
Chase a bastarde called Pharactes,
Bycause he was famous in chyualry,
Gaue him the crowne and the regaly,
Which anone after breuely to conclude
Slewe Herodes of ingratitude.

The .vi Chapiter.

☞ Howe Fimbria a Consull of Rome slewe him selfe

AFter to Bochas by processe of this boke
Foure myghty princes notable of estate
Towarde him thei cast chere & loke
Lyke vnto folke that were infortunate,
With whom fortune had ben at debate:
For by their maner, as it sempt wele,
They were at mischiefe fall fro her whele.

First Fymbria a romayne consulere
Sent by the romayns to a great cite
Called Nichomede, came as a messangere
To helpe Flaccus slayne by great aduersite,
As he entred in to that countre:
After whose dethe his party to auaunce
Of Flaccus meyny toke the gouernaunce

Of presumption without auctorite
This Fymbria by dyligent labour
Full ferre aboue his state and his degree
Toke vpon  [...] by fortunes false fauour
To be called capitaine and Emprour,
Through al that countre bokes specify:
Of whose presumpcion Scilla had enuy.

Pursued him through many a greate citye,
To a castel made him take hys flyght,
Where Fymbria of great necessite
Constrained was maugre all hys myght,
Dyspayred, for sake of euery maner wyght,
To slee hym selfe, the storye telleth thus,
Wythin the temple of Esculapius.

The .vii. chapter.

¶ Of Albinius that was slayne with stones.

ANother Consull stoode in case sembla­ble
In his tyme called Albinius,
Whose hareful pride was abhominable
To al folkes lothsome and odious,
Whiche lyke a rebel wode and furious
Agayne Romayns ofter than ones
Whan he lest wende, slayne was wt stones.

The .viii. chapter.

How Adriane borne of lowe degre falsly vsurped to be kyng of Rome, whyche w^t his chorles was after brent.

NExt cam Adrian which rose to hie e­state
Fyrst in Rome, borne of lowe degre
Chosen & sent by the whole Senate
To gouerne of Affrike the countre:
Where of hys owne pompous auctorite.
Toke vpon him by subtel false workynge,
Maugre Romayns ther to be crowned king

Whom to support, shortly to conclude,
Was a great numbre of the cōmonte
Of chorles gadred, a confuse multitude,
Title was none nor grounde but volunte:
Gentlemen than beyng in that countre
All of assent and one opinion,
Assembled them to his distruction.

At Vtices a large great cyte,
Hym and his churles beset rounde aboute,
Of woode and fagot with large quantite
In cōpas wise closed him without:
Gadred with him of vylayns a great rout,
Layd on fyre that with flames rede
Echone consumed in to ashes deade.

The .ix. chapter.

Howe Sinthonius kinge of Trace y^t much coueted, al forwet, & died in pouerte.

NExt Adrian came Sinthonius
Tofore Bocas wt teres spreint his face
[Page cxlv]As the story reherseth vnto vs
In hys tyme he was kynge of Trace,
Fal sodainly from fortunes grace
Cast downe lowe from his estate royal,
Which came to Bochas to complayne his fal.

Whose purpose was, if it woulde haue be,
Seuen realmes to haue cōquered wt his hād,
That were subget to Rome the cytie,
And all seuen were of grekes lande:
Who al coueteth ye shal vnderstande
He al forgothe, ful wel affyrme I dare,
At vnset houre wherof eche man beware.

Long or his conquest was brought to a prefe
From her whele fortune cast hym doun,
The pretor Sēcius brought him to mischiefe,
Dyed in pouerte as made is mencion:
And Bochas here maketh a digression
Compendiously within a lytell space,
To discriue the region of Trace.

The .x. Chapter.

¶ Here Bochas in partye maketh a dyscripcion of the kyngdome of Trace, and passeth ouer lyghtlye vnto the accōplyshment of his boke.

TRace whylom a countre of greate fame
And contayneth a ful large space,
And of Tyras it toke fyrst y• name,
Son of Japhet, and so was called Trace
Whyche many a daye dwelled in that place
Towarde Septemtrion, plenteous of good
Besyde Dynoe the large famous flode.

Southward Trace renneth the flode Egee,
Macedone standeth in the Occydent,
And the kyngdome called Propontide
Stant in Trace towarde the Oryent,
Where great plente of blod was shed & spente
Whan Sencius through his hye prowesse
Kyng Adrian there manly dyd oppresse.

Ebrus in Trace is the chefe citie
As myne auctour maketh mencion,
I cast not long to tary, but in breuite
To make of Trace a discripcion,
And to procede in my translacion
After myne auctor, which wryteth a lōg pro­ces
Of great Pompeye & his worthynes.

The .xi Chapiter.

¶ Howe after many great conquestes of Duke Pompeye great warre began bytwene hym and Julyus, in whiche thre hūdred thousād were slaine, & at the last the head of Pōpeye smytten of.

THys Pompeius of whom the name is couth,
Wise and worthy & famous of pro­wesse,
Toke vpō hym in his tendre youth
After his father by fortunate duresse,
Called Pōpeye, the story beareth wytnesse,
Distressed was by sodaine deth, commynge
As sayeth y• story through thūdre & lyghtning.

His host dystroyed by the violence
Of vnware tempest, lyke as saith the boke,
Fourty thousand slayne in that pestilence,
For feare the remenaunt the felde forsoke,
Til yonge Pōpeye of corage on him toke
In his beginning proudely to procede,
Ful lyke a knyght his fathers host to lede.

Rome that tyme by theyr dyscencions
Among them selfe, nye brought to ruyne,
By the frowarde false diuysions
Twene Marius & Silla brefely to termine,
Tyl that a new sonne gan to shyne
Of worthynes, which shad his light
In manly Pompeye the famous knyght.

This sayde Pompeye thys knyghtly man
At his begynnyng through hys chyualrye
The proude captayne slough whan he began
Whych of Marius helde vp the party,
Called Brutus, which in Lombardy
Was by Pōpey thrugh knightly gouernaūce,
With al hys host brought to mischaunce.

In hys begynning Pompey eke also
To set Romaynes in rest & quiete,
One that was called Gneus Carbo
He slew him knyghtly whan he did him mete,
Whych in Cicyle proudly helde his sete:
And all the countres about him enuyron
Pompey made thē subiect to Rome toun.

After al this Pompeyus on the see
Wyth many a shyp stuffed with vytaile
Towarde Affrike made a great armee,
[Page]And there in hast after his arriuaile
With Domicius had a great battayle:
Brought the coūtre throughe his hye renoun
To be to Rome vnder subiection.

He pursued the great myghty kynge
Called Jertha, to Marius honorable,
And had also hys royall abydynge
In Numidy a countre full notable:
Againe Pompey hys power was not able,
For at a Castel as they met in fyght
He slewe kynge Jertha lyke a māly knyght.

Thus in brefe tyme holdyng his passage,
For cōmon profyte, as made is mencion,
By hys wisedome and knightly hye corage
Brought al Affrike to subiection,
Which stode afore in rebellion
To the Romayns: but all their sturdines
The sayd Pompey dyd in haste redresse.

The greatest enemy agayne Rome toun
Thylke dayes was one Sertorius,
And of fortune, whych is nowe vp now doun
On Pompeye ones was victorious:
But after soone of hym it happed thus,
Among his meyny fallynge at debate
He slayne was in hys most hye estate.

After the deth of thys Sertorius
Came Porpenna Pompeye to assayle,
And as they mette anone Pompeius
Ful lyke a knyght slewe him in battaile:
Which victory greatly dyd auayle
To the Romains, after by gouernaunce
He brought Spayne to their obeysaunce.

By auctorite gyue by the Senate
This Noble Pompeye for vayle of the cite
Vpon the sea would suffer no Pyrate,
Where euer he came fro hym they dyd flee:
For wyth his shyppes he scoured so the see
And bare hym there so māly with hys hande,
That maugre thē he brought thē to the land.

Al the pyrates and these false robbours
I gadred out were of the region.
Called Sylla, whych lyke to rauinours
Made agayne Rome a conspiracion,
Robbed and spoyled saylyng vp and doun
Romayne marchātes, & people of ech countre,
That none was so hardy to passe by the see.

After Pompey had made the see to obey
That Pyrate none durst theron abyde,
He by the Senate was sent out to warrey
Towarde thorient, his knightes by his syde:
And where soeuer that he dyd abyde
Mine auctour writeth by influence of heauē,
His conquest was swifte as fyre or leuin.

And to the encrease of his eternal glorye
Perpetually to get hym a name,
Hys laude and renome to put in memorye,
He buylded a cite in Asia of great fame,
Called Nichopoly, Bochas sayeth the same:
Twene two flodes, that one Araxases
And that other was called Eufrates.

He buylded this cite onely of entent
That Romayne knyghtes yt were fall in age,
And such as were in the warres spent
Shoulde of custome haue their herbergage
(Thys was the custome and vsage
In that cite alway, and not fayle)
Beddyng and clothes spendyng & vytayle.

Pompeye after rode in to Armeny
Rebell to Rome, where Tigranes was king,
Fought wt him there, & through his chyualry
Disconfyted hym, there was none abidynge:
Where Tigranes hym selfe submyttynge
Vnto Pompeye, wyth euery circumstaunce
Euer to abyde vnder hys obeysaunce.

Than in al haste Pompey gan hym hye
To ryde to Asia, where lyke a manly knyght
He gate the kyngdome called Albanye,
Whych toke his name who so loke aryght
Of whytnes, for euery maner wyght
That there is borne by recorde of writynge,
White as snowe hath his heer shynyng.

There ben houndes marueilous of nature
For tassaile bulles and lyons,
No wylde beast may agayne them endure
So Pompeye by many regions
Rode thrugh Armeny with hys champions:
Where growen herbes y• may neuer faynt
What euer colour man lyst wyth thē paynt.

Conquered realmes aboute in euery coost,
Of Hiberie he gate the region,
And Arsaces the kynge wyth al hys host
Disconfited, as made is mencion,
With his power to Surry he came doun:
Than to Fenice a kyngdome of great fame,
Whyche of Fenix whylome toke his name.

[Page cxlvi]
Brought al these countrees to subieccion,
Of Sidonye, the myghty strong cyte
Of Iturie, he toke possessyon,
Chrugh Araby, he came downe to Jude,
Whyche of Jewes was sometime the coūtre:
Of Libanus he passed the mountaine
Where Ceders growe as authours sayne.

Sent tofore him entring in that realme
One Gabinius a myghty stronge constable,
Reignyng that tyme in Jerusalem
Aristobolus a prince ful notable:
And for the temple was strong & pregnable.
Layde a siege about in bred and length
Space of thre monthes, gate it so by strength

Three .M. Jewes vnder ye wall were founde
Dead at the assaut, whych made resistence,
The wal after beaten downe to grounde:
Pompey than by sturdy violence
Is entred in, without reuerence
Sancta sanctorum men that place call
Made by Hyrcanus hyest preist of all.

The great byshoppe Aristobolus
Sent to Rome in myghty cheynes boūde,
Towarde Septētrion I fynde wrytten thus
Gate .vii. kingdōs with citees walled roūde,
Rebel to Rome, he dyd them confounde
Wyth myghty swerde, gate all the countre
Fro Caucasus downe to the reed see.

In his conquest it sempt verily
As the goddes had done theyr cure,
And that fortune was wyth them eke busy:
This mighty Pompey prince of Assure
What euer hym list by conquest to recure,
In Spayne he gate whan they were rebels
Thre .C. cytees and .lx. stronge castels.

Harde to remembre his conquestes echone,
Al the prowesses of thys knyghtly man,
Towarde the partie of Septentrion
A thousande castels I fynde that he wan,
Sixe hundred mo fro tyme that be began
Eight and thirty citees out of dout
With mighty walles closed rounde aboute.

Peyse his dedes his conquestes marciall,
Thrise Consul chose for his encrees,
Rede ye shall fynde howe he was egall
To Alysandre, or to Hercules,
Where that euer he put hym selfe in prees
Al came to hande, concludyng (ye maye se)
To commen profite of Rome the cyte.

His marcial dedes to put in remembraunce
One was chose to do his diligence,
To enacte his conquestes in substaunce,
And his knighthode to singuler excellence,
And Trifanes famous of eloquence
Assigned was vnto that labour,
Toke his guerdon of the common treasour.

Pompey of Rome was chefe gouernour,
Cesar absente in Gaule a far countre,
Which time Pompey stode in great fauour
Both of Fortune and Rome the citye,
Somwhat made blynde of hys prosperite:
Purposyng in his clymbing not stable
He would haue none y• were to hym sēblable.

Vnto purpose was sayd ful yore agone,
Howe that loue, nouther hye lordshyppe,
(Prefe hath bene made in many mo than one)
Nouther of thē would haue no felowshyppe,
Eche by his own would hys partie kepe
In these two cases brother vnto brother
Fayleth at a poynt eche wyll put out other.

To Pompey resortynge nowe agayne
He toke on him al the gouernaile
Of y• Romains, as ye haue herde me sayne,
Both of estates, commons, and porayle:
And for his parte al that myght auaile
In makinge lawes, statutes, or decre
Al vp engrosed by hys aucthoritie.

Folke this while which that had enuy
Towarde Cesar in his long absence,
Let make a lawe by conspiracy
And a statute concluding in sentence
Without excepcion fauoure or reuerenc [...]
No man should by wil of the Senate,
In his absence be chose to none estate.

Nor be admitted by no procuratoure
To haue aucthorite of dignite or office,
In court of Tribune nor of Senatoure
To be promoted, this was theyr aduice
Wer he neuer so manly nor so wise,
This lawe ordained by folke enuious
For hyndring onely of Cesar Julius.

Whan Julius knewe their false working,
Fro Gaule sent vp to the cite
Al the Senate requiring by wrytyng,
To graunt him by their auctorite
[Page]Of triumphe the notable dignite,
To haue also the offyce and estate
Called in Rome the second Consulate.

For hym allegyng many a great vyctorye
In diuers countrees done for the cite,
Many conquestes notable of memorye
Wrought by the knyghthode of his equite:
Requiringe them guerdoned for to be.
But contrary vnto his entent
They denied him al by one assent.

Which was chefe grounde rote & occasion
That brought in fyrst the controuersye,
Ciuil discordes, and frowarde deuision,
Whan euery man drought to hys partie
Of olde hatered to kyndel newe enuy,
Causing princes Julius and Pomey
To theyr confucion eche other to warrey.

The triumphe denied to Cesar
Fraude of Pōpey made him therof fayle,
Of whose disceite Julius was ware,
Made him redy wyth many a strong battaile,
Passed ouer the Aipes of Itayle,
Fully in purpose playnely if he might
With the Romains and Pōpey for to fight.

Thus gan the warres atwene these princes twayne,
Pōpey chose for partie of the toun
To be their duke and captayne souerayne
Agayne Cesar as made is mencion:
And thus alas the desolacion
Sued of the cite by many a strange signe,
With vncouth tokēs whan they gan maligne.

At the ginnyng of these woful warres
In the heuyn were sene dredful sightes,
Sparclyng brōdes, comets vncouth starres,
Flame of fyre, wt many fearfull lyghtes,
Lyke lampes brēning al the longe nightes:
Castynge of speres and dartes in the aire,
Wherby Romayns fylin great dispayre.

From the partye of Septentrion
Towarde Rome came full great lyghtninge.
At noone sene starres, lyke blode the son shon,
The Mone eclypsed terrible in shewyng,
The mount Ethna fearfully brennyng
From hys cauernes cast vp flames rede
Toward Itaile, whych set thē in great drede

But of Caribdes a danger in the see
Wawes terrible boyled vp lyke blode,
From the rockes that in Cicile be
Was herd hou [...]ng of hoūdes that were wode:
Vesta the goddesse in Rome where she stode
Myd her tēple, was al wyth teares spreynt,
Whā the heuēly fyres were afore her queint.

Afore the goddesse at the auter principle
Was fire perpetuall brennyng day & nyght,
Tyl warres ciuyle hateful and terrible
Gan amōg Romayns in the cōtagious fight:
Than of vengeaūce anon was queit y• lyght
Tofore Vesta, the fyre partynge on twayne
Of diuision a token ful certayne.

Erthe quaues sodayne and terrible
Ouertourned castels vp so doune,
Wyth flodes rage, hydous and horrible
Neptunus dyd great distruction,
Drowned vyllagest and many a mansion,
Reuersed in temples of golde al their vessels,
Threwe doun baners, stāderdes, and pensels

Gayne these sygnes was founde none arest,
The vnware mischefe coude no mā declyne,
Lyons & wolues came doun fro the forest
Wyth many other beastes sauagyne:
Wylde beastes, and serpentes of rauyne
Came to the cite, and some agayne kynde
Spake as do men in Bochas as I fynde.

Dyuers foules which of their nature
Haue in custome to flye but a nyght,
Afore these warres dyd hem selfe assure
At midday, whan Phebus is most bryght,
Through their cite for to take their flyght:
Women with chylde (the story lyst not fayn)
Brought forth some that had heades twaine.

Tofore these warres that called were ciuyle,
Senatours beyng in Rome town
Came to the woman that called was Sibile,
Vnto her made thys question.
To declare by short conclusion
Among their other questions al,
Of their cite what fortune shoulde be fall.

To whom she gaue an answere full obscure
Wherupon she made them sore muse,
Toke them sixe letters set in playne scripture,
Which in no wyse they myght not refuse:
For false rightes that they dyd vse
Lyke the thre letters twyse set in numbre
Who Vnderstādeth they shall y• toun encōbre.

[Page cxlvii]
Thre R R R fyrst she set on a rowe
And thre F F F in order fast by,
Long tyme after or they coude knowe
The exposicion thereof openly,
Tyl their diuinours gan serche subtelly
To fynde out lyke to their entent,
By the sixe letters what Sibylement.

Of this worde regnum the fyrst letter is R
So is the capitall of Rome the citye,
Who loketh a ryght the thirde is not ferre,
This worde ruet gynneth wyth R parde,
Of whiche wordes whan they ioyned be
The sentence concludeth in meanyng
Of their cite the ruinous fallynge

Touchyng thre F F F who can aduertise,
Of this worde Ferro F goth toforne,
And the chefe letter of Fame to deuyse
Is F also, the processe wel forthe borne
The same of Flāma by whyche ye towne was lorne:
Of which reasons make a coniūction,
Causyng of Rome finall distruction.

Fyre, swerd, & hunger caused by the warres,
Desyre of clymbyng, frowarde ambicion
Sheweyng of cometes, & vncouth sterres
With pronostikes of their descrecion,
Worst of al wilful deuision,
Among them selfe by vnware vyolence,
Of letters syxe accomplished the sentence.

The swerde of Cesar werres of Pompey,
Twene these twayne lastyng a great whyle,
Made many a Romayne and Italien to dey
By the battayls that called were Ciuyle:
With prophecies remembred of Sibile
As the writyng ful wel reherce can,
Of the olde Poete that called was Lucan.

In Martes temple on heith where he stode
And Bellona the goddes dispitous,
The preestes cried & offred vp their blode,
With lamentacion lyke folke furious,
Cause of tokens fel and contrarious
Whych that were shewed in that sentuary,
How their gods to Romains were cōtrarye.

Among deade bones that lay in their graues
Were voyces herd lyke woodmen in their ra­ges,
Crye of gostes in cauernes & in caues
Herde in feldes, pathes and passages,
Laborers fled home to their vyllages:
Serpentes and adders scaled syluer bryghte
Were ouer Rome sene flying al the nyght.

Another token pitous for to here
Which astonied many a proude Romayne,
Dead bodies dyd in the feldes appere
Whiche in battayle had afore be slayne,
Fro their tombes risyng where they layne:
Whiche in the warres wofull and dispitous
Were slayne by Sylla & proude Marius.

It was eke tolde by their diuinours
Howe Pompeyus was lyke to haue a fall,
And howe thestate of Romayne Emperours
With theyr triumphes that be imperiall
At Julius fyrst nowe begyn shall,
And after him thestate shal forth procede
By election or in Linial kinrede.

To withstande the power of Cesar
Which towarde Rome toke hys waye ryght
Pōpey was sent, wise, manly & ryghte ware,
But whan he herde tel of the myght
Of Julius, he toke hym to flyght:
Eke all the Senatours wyth hym dyd flee,
Towarde Epyre, in Grece a stronge cite.

Pompey was holde famous in chiualry,
Cesar but yong and hardy for tassayle,
Vpon the plaines of Grece and Thessaly
Pompey and he had a great battaile,
Gayne Julius swerde no Romaine might a­uaile,
Cōstrained of force y• felde to forsake
Toward Egipt they haue the way take.

Pōpey thorugh Cipre came to Tholome,
By a great water at Paphus dyd ariue,
On the stronde there he dyd se
A stately place, and vp he went bliue,
The name of which plainly to discriue
Cacobasyle the countre dyd it cal,
Of whych name the fortune is thus fal.

The name tokeneth of frowarde ariuaile,
Sownyng in great, vnhappy auenture,
By which the trust of Pompey dyd fayle,
Fyl in dispeyre and myght it not recure:
Forsoke that yle & dyd hys busye cure,
To take a shyppe so by the see sayling
Towarde Egipt, where Tholome was king.

Of trust he fledde to this Tholome
In hope he shoulde fynde in hym socour,
Fayre chere shewed vnder duplicite
Fayled at the poynt, gaue him faint fauour,
[Page]Albe Pompey by his frendly labour
Crowned hym kyng in Egipt as I fynde,
To whome agayne he was false & vnkynde.

To mete Pompey he let stuffe a barge
By a maner pretence of frendlyhede,
Gaue his meyny that were there in charge
To murdre Pōpey, behight thē gret mede,
Tweyne there were y• bare to him haterede,
And in the vessel with sharpe swerdes whet,
Or he was ware of his head they smet.

That one of them was called Achylas
And his felowe named was Fotyne
Toke vp the head of that prince alas,
Famous in knighthode borne of gentell line:
Among Romains, as authours determine,
Holde in hys tyme, if men do hym ryght,
Through al the worlde one the best knyght.

Thus erthly princes wt at their pōpus fame
Which ouer the world yeueth so gret a soun,
Of slauter and murdre they toke firste their name,
By false rauyn and extorcion:
Clambe so vp fyrst to dominacion,
Brēnyng of countreis conquest by vyolence,
Set them in chaires of worldly excellence

In this batayle that called was ciuile,
Holde atwene Pompey & Cesar Julius,
Thre hundred .M. slayne within a whyle,
Thre thousande take the story telleth thus:
Without princes not able and glorious
As kynges and pretours reckned al atones,
Tribunes, Consuls, and Centuriones.

Phebus on y• soil might not his bemes spred,
Nor on the groūde shewe out his clere lyght,
Men that were slayne laye so thicke on brede
That of the earth no man had a syght,
Wolues, beares, & rauinous foules of flight
Came great plente to fede there eche day
Besyde the ryuer of Nile where they lay.

Gobbets of fleshe whych foules dyd arace
Fro dead bodies borne vp in the ayre,
Fyl fro the clawes vpon Julius face
Amydde the felde, where he had repaire,
Made his visage blody and not fayre:
Albe that he to his encrees of glorye,
Had thylke day of Romayns the vyctory:

The head of Pōpey brought wt his stately rig
Off [...]d vp to Julyus hye presence
He by compassyon the murdre aduertisyng
Of his innate imperyal excellence
Brast out to wepe, and in his aduertence
Thought it pyte a price of so great myght,
Shuld so be slayn, y• was so good a knight.

The corse abode without a sepulture
Tyll one Codrus of compassyon
After the batayle and disconfyture,
Besought hym of great affection
To hyde the trunke lowe in the sādes doun,
Sought tymbre & there he fonde but small,
To do exequies with fyres funerall.

Nowe sith thys prince came to suche mischefe
Murdred & slayne by Tholome the kyng,
Here of her power fortune hath made a prefe
What trust there is in any worldly thynge:
After his deth wanted he not buryeng?
This proude Pōpey so famus of his hande,
Of fyshe deuoured as he lay on quicsande.

What shall men set by power or noblesse?
Of slyding goodes, or any worldly glory?
Which to restrayne may be no syckernes,
Fortune and the worlde is so transitory,
Though Mars to day gyue a man victorye
Parcase to morowe vnwarely he shal dey,
I take recorde of Cesar and Pompey.

Sith al stant vnder daunger of Fortune
Ye worldly men do your loke vp dresse
To thilke place where ioy doth aye cōtune,
The blynde lady hath there none entresse:
Set pride asyde take you to mekenesse,
To sue vertue do truely your labour
Gaine al pompe make Pōpey your myrrour.

¶ Lenuoy.

THys tragedy of Duke Pompey
Declareth in grosse the chefe occasion
Why he and Cesar gan fyrst warrey,
Eche againe other, through vayne ambicion
To haue lordshyppe and dominacion
Ouer ye Romains, by fauer, fraude, or mighte
Possession take, no force of wrong nor ryght.

To trouthes partie pride is loth to obey,
Extort power doth great distruction
Wyse policye al out of the waye,
[Page cxlviii]Prudent counsaile age with discrecion
Lost their liberte of free eleccion,
Who was most stronge with him helde euery wyght,
Possession take no force of wronge nor right.

Such deuision made many man to dey,
Brought the cyte to desolacion,
With two princes fortune lyst to pley,
Till from her whele she cast thē both doun:
Subtel disceit, fraude, and collusion
By ambicious climbinge blent their syght,
Possession take, no force of wronge nor right.

Noble princes remembre what I saye,
Peyse this story wythin youre reason,
Of false surmoūting auarice beareth the key,
Recorde of Cesar & Pompey of Rome toun:
Whose wylfull warres & hateful discencion
Geueth clere warning to you & euery wyght,
No claime is worth without title of ryght.

The .xii. chapter.

¶ Howe victorious Julius Cesar brente the vessels of Tholome, slough Achilas that woulde haue murdred hym: and after great victories was murdred with him selfe bodkins by Brutus Cassius.

AFter the woful complaynte lamentable
Of Pompeyes deth, pitous for to here,
Warres remēbred wt tresōs importable,
Compassed fraudes faced with fayre chere,
Conspired murdre, rehersed the manere
How kinge Tholome fraudulent of courage,
The dethe conspired of Pompey fall in age.

The processe tolde I holde it were but vayne
Thereof to wryte a newe tragedy,
Thing ones sayde to reherce agayne
It were but ydel as for that partie,
But howe Cesar went out of Thessaly
Came to Alisandre to lodge him in that place,
I will remēber with supporte of youre grace.

He lodged was in the paleys royall,
Where he was busy by diligent labour
Through that region in temples royal
To spoile goddes, and haue al their treasour,
Where he was mocked and founde no fauour:
For Achilas whych that slewe Pompey,
Cast him with Cesar proudly to warrey.

His purpose was to fall vpon Cesar
(As of nature was hys condicion
Falsely to murdre men or they were ware)
By some sleight to fynde occasion
To distroy Julius by treason,
And to accomplyshe hys purpose in party
Had twenty thousande in hys company.

This Achilas false, cruel, and disceyuable,
Cast him disceyue Cesar if he myght▪
Of the Egipciens leader and constable
With the Romayns purposeth for to fyghte:
But whan Cesar therof had a fyghte,
He is discended▪ and fast by the see
Brent al the nauy of kynge Tholome.

All the vessels were driuen vp wyth a flode
To great domage of the sayd Tholome,
Julius brent them euyn there he stode
And a great parte besyde of the cite,
And there was brent, which was great pite,
The famous lybrary in Egipt of the kyng
Full .xl. thousande volumes there lying.

In which thing Bochas reherseth in sentence
Howe Tholome was greatly commendable
That through his busy royall prouidence
Made him selfe a librarye so notable:
For to al clerkes in study that were able
Of seuen sciences, the story bereth mynde,
Lyke their desire myght bokes fynde.

After this fyre in Farus the countre
The Egipciens had a great battaile,
Wher Cesar was of great necessite
That day constrained whan ye felde can fayle
Toke a barge from Egypt for to saile:
But so great prees folowed at his backe,
Almost the vessel was lyke to go to wracke.

Cesar armed with letters in his hande,
Put his person that daye in a venture,
Two hundred paas he manly swam to lande,
And cōnyngly to lande he doth recure,
Notwithstandyng his heuy great armure:
But yet tofore or Cesar toke the see
He in the felde had take Tholome.

And Achilas the murdrer of Pompey,
With al his felowes that were of assent,
Were slayne that daye there went non away:
[Page]Many Egipcien the same tyme brent,
Cesar of mercy for Tholome hath sent
To Alysandre, sent hym home of newe
Charging he should to Romaynes be trew.

But whan he was deliuered from prison
Of Egipciens in Alysandre the cite
From euery coast gadred great foyson,
Againe Julius came downe with his meyne:
But yet for all hys hasty cruelte
Such resistence Cesar gan to make
That .xx. M. that day were slayne & take.

Sixtie galeys not farre fro the lande
Twelue .M. men comynge to Tholome
Echone were yelded, and brought to hande
Of Julius hys prisoners to be:
Than Tholomeus busied hym to flee
To the water, where maugre al hys myght
He drowned was in his hasty flyght.

He knowen was by his rich haburion
Of golde and stele it was entremayled,
By Cesar sent vnto the royall toun,
Which for dyffence was strongly enbattailed
Buccles of golde richely enamayled,
Which tokens anone as they haue seyne
Despeired to Cesar sent ageyne.

Of thē to Cesar was made fayth & homage,
The reaim of Egipt brought to subiection,
Tyl he of grace and merciful corage
To Cleopatra gaue all that region
Longyng to her by succession,
By tytel of ryght that tyme & none other
Because onely Tholome was her brother.

Kyng Lagus whylom in his testament
Father to Cleopatra and to Tholome,
Tofore his deth by great auisement
Clerely euacted his last volunte
That hys kingdome departed should be,
Halfe to Tholome as his bequeth was,
That other halfe to quene Cleopatras.

She by her brother was holde in prison
To kepe her wrongly from her heritage,
Whereof Cesar had compassion
Purposed him to reforme her domage,
And whyle that he helde there his hostage
Of equite, of lawe, and of reason
Of al Egipt gaue her possession.

Than came Juba of Libye lorde & kynge
Sower of stryues and discencion,
Proude, hye of porte, & cruell in workinge,
Whiche in especial had indignacion
Vnto the worthy last Scipion,
Cause he was chose lyke as bokes sey,
To succede next Consul to Pompey.

Thys Juba bare to hym great hatrede,
Sought a quarel againe hym for a thyng
Cause that he was cladde in purple wede,
For him allegyng howe onely y• clothynge
No maner estate shoulde vse but a kynge:
Ment for hym selfe syttyng in royall trone
He wold as kyng that colour weare alone.

Here myne authour maketh a digression
Puttynge ensample of Almayne the countre,
Sayth that there is none other nacion
Touchyng array that is so dysguyse
In waste of cloth and superfluyte,
Rehersyng here in full playne langage
In many wise such wast doth great damage.

It causeth pride and ambicion
Agayne the vertue of humilite,
To Lechery it gyueth occasion
Which is contrary vnto chastite,
Wast of array sette folke in pouerte,
Causeth also such costage spent in vayne,
Of other poore to haue ful great disdayne.

Where superfluite is vsed of array
Ryote foloweth, proude port and ydelnes,
With wast of tyme driue forth the day:
Late drinkyng, watch, surfet, & dronkenes,
Engendreth feuers and many greate excesse:
Thus euery surfet englued is to other,
And one mysrule bryngeth in another.

God suffreth wele there be a difference
Touchynge aray as men ben of degre,
Hye estates that stande in excellence
Must be preferred of reason men maye se,
As cloth of golde stones of pyrre
Was for prīces with other fresh clothinges,
But specially purple was for kynges.

Thus was there set of hye discrecion
Aray accordyng to prynces hie nobles,
And for other estates lower downe
Lyke their degrees, twene pouert & riches
An order kept from scarsyte and exces:
A meane prouided atwene hie and lowe
Lyke to him selfe eche man may be knowe.

[Page cxlix]
But kyng Juba insolent and madde
Of surquedy caught an opinion
That none but he in purple should be clad,
Causyng debate twene hym and Scipion:
Yet were they partie bothe with Rome toun
Agayne Cesar, and drewe towarde Pompey
For which at myschefe bothe they dyd dey.

Whan Juba felte him selfe of no powere
Agayne Cesar to holde champarty,
For sorow he lost countenaunce and chere
Of his disdaine and melancoly,
Called one Peitrin a knight of his aly:
Made thē by assent y• they were bothe faine
Felly to fight tyll one of them was slayne.

Againe nature was this straunge fight,
Eche to slee other and knewe no cause why,
But for king Juba was an hardy knight
He slewe his felowe and abode proudly,
And rather chase to die wylfully
Of hie dispyte and of proude corage,
Than vnder Cesar to liue in seruage.

Made call a man whome he loued wele
Gaue vnto him golde and great guerdon
To take a swerde forged of fyne stele
And make therof no lengar delacion,
But he should for short conclusion
Take vpon him, & haue no feare nor drede,
Without tarying to smite of his heade.

Thus king Juba rather chase to dey
Than lenger liue in subiection
Vnder Cesar, he loued so well Pompey.
Than next to Bochas as made is mencyon
Came Aristobolus wt face & loke cast doun,
Which was to Rome afore as I haue tolde
Sent by Pompey to be kept in holde.

Which after was delyuered from prison
By helpe of Cesar in full hasty wyse,
Standing in hope of his region
To be restored vnto the fraunchyse,
Where Hyrcanus as ye haue herde the gyse
Preferred was to his great hindring,
By Pompey of Jewes crowned king.

Whiche Aristobolus hopeth to recure
Cast meanes there to reigne againe,
Wrought thereon, dyd his busy cure,
Whose hasty laboure was but spent ī vaine,
Fyll in the handes of a proude capteine
Which that whilom was lōginge to Pōpey,
And he with poison vnwarely made him dey.

The .xiii. Chapter.

¶ How the last Scipiō Consulere of Rome, for he lyst nat to liue in seruage of Julius, rofe hym selfe to the hearte.

NExt came the last worthy Scipion
Whiche after Pompey was made Consulere,
With whome Juba was at dis­cension
For wearing purple as was tolde well ere:
And afterwarde fyl in great feare
whan Cesar had within Libye lande
Outrayed thē with strong & mighty hande.

Wherby Scipion gan fall in dispeyre,
Lost his chere as man disconsolate,
With thre romains gan make his repeyre
Dansippus, Plectorie and Torquate,
Goyng to shyppe the time infortunate:
Towarde Spayne, the tēpest gan thē driue,
That they in Affrike vnwarely dyd ariue.

Scipion seing this wofull case sodayne
Howe he was brought vnwarly to mischefe▪
For Scicius a mighty stronge captaine
Being a Pyrate and of the sea a thefe
Whiche is a name of full great reprefe,
The same Pyrate longyng to Cesare
Fyll on Scipion or that he was ware.

Beyng in purpose toke him prisonere,
Within his shyppe tofore his ariuaile,
For which alas dul gan his chere
His countenaunce appall, and eke fayle,
To fynd comfort no man coude him coūsaile:
Pulled out a swerd whan he might nat stert,
And rofe him selfe euyn to the hert.

This was thende at last of Scipion,
Leauer he had at mischefe so to dey
Than vnder Cesar lye fettred in prison,
Or to his lordshippe in any wyse obey:
To Bochas next him came Pompey
Sonne and heyre to great Pompeyus,
Contrary also to Cesar Julius.

Had bretherne and susterne mo than one
And many another of their aliaunce,
And of assent they cast them euerichone
[Page]Their fathers deth hauing in remembraūce,
Vpon Celar to take therof vengeaunce:
Eke vpon Tholome which by collusyon
Slough their father by full false trayson.

The eldest brother called eke Pompey
Being in Spaine with ful great apparayle,
Cast him of newe Cesar to warrey,
And his people proudly to assayle:
And as I fynde there was a great batayle,
In which Pompey the eldest son of thre
By Julius men constrained was to flee.

He fonde no socour nor receit him to saue
Of his life he standing in great drede
Knowyng no refute fled in to a caue,
Tescape away knew no better rede,
Where he was slaine to Cesar brought hyshede:
Sent forth in scorne anon to Hispalee,
Which in Spayne is a full great cyte.

Thus by processe al holy the kinrede
Of Pompeius for short conclusion,
By Cesar was and by his men in dede
Without mercy brought to distruction:
Thus gan en [...]reas the fame and renoun
Of Julius conquestes, on sea & eke on land,
Whose mortal swerd might no man wt stand.

First in Libie, Spaine, and eke Itayle
Thexperience of his royal puissaunce,
In Germany by many strong bataile,
His power preued ofte times in Fraunce,
Brought all these kingdoms to ye obeisaunce
Of the romains, peised al this thing and sein
Touching his guerdō his labor was in vein.

Toward Rome making his repeyre
By him appeaced ciuil discencions,
Of Throne imperial climbing in the eyre
For the conquest of. xiii, regions
Of the triumphe required the guerdons:
Which to recure his force hath applied,
Albe the Senate his request hath denied.

And his name more to magnifye,
To shewe the glory of his hie noblesse
To the Capitole fast he gan him hie,
As Emperour his domes there to dresse:
That day began with ioy and gladnesse
The eue nothing according wt the morowe,
Thentring gladde thende care & sorowe.

Calphurnia whiche that was his wy [...]e
Had a dreme the same night beforne,
Tokyns shewed of the same funerall strife
Howe that her lorde was like to be lorne
By conspiracy compassed and sworne,
If he that day without auisement
In the Capitole satte in iugement.

She dremed alas as she laye and slept
That her lorde through girt wt many a woūde
Lay in her lappe, and she the body kept
Of womanhede like as she was bounde:
But wo alas to true her dreme was founde,
The next morowe no lenger made delay
Of his periody was hys fatall day.

A poore man called Tongilius
Whiche secretly the traison did espy,
Let write a letter, toke it to Julius,
The case declaring of their conspiracy,
Which to rede Cesar lyst nat apply:
But wo alas ambicious negligence
Caused his murdre by vnware violence.

Cesar sitting amydde the consystorie
In his estate most imperiall,
After many conquestes and victorie
Fortune awayting to giue hym a fall,
With bodkyns persinge as a nall,
He murdred was wt many a mortal woūd,
Lo how false trust in worldly pōpe is found.

¶ Lenuoye.

THroughe all this booke rede eche tragedy
Afore rehersed and put in remem­braunce,
Is none more wofull to my fantasy
Than is the fall of Cesar in substaunce:
Which in his hyest imperiall puissaunce
Whan he wende haue be most glorious,
Was murdred at Rome, by Brutus Cassius.

This marcial prince ridig through Lōbardy
Eche countre yelded & brought to obeisaūce,
Passyng the Alpes rode through Germany,
To subiection brought the realme of Frāce,
Gate Brutes Albion by long continuaūce,
Two lustres passed, this manly Julius
[Page cl]And murdred at Rome by Brutus Cassius.

Among the Senat was the conspiracy
All of assent and of one accordaunce,
Whose triumphe they proudely gan deny
But maugre them was kept thobseruaunce,
His chare of golde with stedes of plesaunce
Conueied through Rome this prince most pōpus
The murdre folowig by Brutus Cassius

Reken his conquestes reken his chiualry,
With a counterpeis of worldly variaunce,
Fortunes chaunges for his purparty
Way all togyder cast them in balaunce
Set to of Cesar the mischeuable chaunce:
With his periody sodayne and enuious,
Murdred at Rome by Brutus Cassius.

Bokes all and Cronicles specifye
By influence of heuinly purueiaunce,
Mars and Jupiter their fauour did apply
With gladaspectes his noblesse to enhaunce,
Mars gaue him man, Jupiter gouernaunce,
Among princes holde one the most famous
And murdred at Rome by Brutus Cassius.

Beholde of Alysandre the great monarchy
Which all the world had vnder obeysaunce,
The prowesse of Hector medled with gentry,
Of Achilles the melancolike vengeaunce,
Reken of echone the quauering assuraunce:
Among remembring the fyne of Julius,
Murdred at Rome by Brutus Cassius:

Princes consydre in marciall policy
Is nouther trust, faithe, nor affiaunce,
All stande in chaunge wt twicling of an eye,
Vp towarde heuin set your attendaunce:
The worlde vnsure & all worldly plesaunce,
Lordship abydeth nat recorde on Julius,
Murdred at Rome by Brutus Cassius.

❧ The .xiiii. Chapter.

❧ Howe Octauian succeded next, and howe the murdrers of Julius died at myschefe.

AFter the dethe of this manly man,
This noble Prince, this famous Em­peroure,
His worthy neuewe called Octanian
To reigne in Rome was next his successour,
Which did his deuoyre by diligent labour
To punysh all tho of nature as he ought,
By rightfull dome y• the murdre wrought.

Chefe conspiratour was Brutus Cassius
Which of this murdre made all thordinaunce,
Another Brute surnamed Decius
Was one also conspyryng the vengeaunce
Wrought on Cesar, he after slaine in France:
Here mē may se what coastes y• men wende,
How murdre alway requyreth an yll ende.

Within the space almost of thre yere
Distroied were all the conspiratours
By sodaine dethe, & some stode in daungere
To be banished or exyled as traitours:
And as it is cronicled by aucthours,
Space of thre yere tekened one by one
Dyed at myschefe the murdrers echone.

To murdre a prince it is a pitious thing,
God of his right will take therof vēgeaunce,
Namely an Emperour so famous in ech thig
Which all the world had in gouernaunce:
Reken his cōquestes digne of remembraunce
All peysed in one Bochas beareth wytnesse
In hie estate is littell sykernesse.

☞ The .xv. Chapter.

¶Howe Tullius was two tymes exyled and at the last slayne by Pompilius.

MYne auctoure here writeth no longe processe
Of Julius death complaining but a whyle,
To write of Tully in hast he gan him dresse
Compendiously his life for to compile,
Complaining, fyrst saith his barayne style
Is insufficient to write as men may sene
Of so notable a rethoriciene.

Lampe and lanterne of Romayne oratours
Among them called prince of eloquence,
On Pernaso he gathered vp the flours
This rethoricien most of excellence,
Whose merytes truely to recompence
The muses nyne me thought as I toke hede,
A crowne oflaurer set vpon his head.

[Page]
Bochas astonied gan in him selfe conclude
His boke, abashed, dull of his corage,
Thought his termes & reasons were to rude
And that he lacked conning and langage
Wherby he should to his auauntage
Though he labored wryting all his liue,
Of Tullius the merites to discriue.

Wherof supprised he caught a fantasy
Within him selfe remembring anonright
Though it so fall somtime a cloudye skye
Be chased with wynde afore the son bright,
Yet in effect it leseth nat his light:
So Bochas dempte that his dul writing
Eclypsed nat of Tullius the shining,

With rude langage a man may well reporte
The laude of triūphs & cōquestes maruelus,
Which thing remembring gretly gā confort
The herte of Bochas, & to him selfe said thus
Two colours sene that be contrarious
As white and blacke it may be none other,
Eche in his kinde she weth more for other.

In Phebus presens starres lese their light,
Clere at midday appereth nat Lucine,
The fame of Tulli whilom shone so bright
Prince of fayre speche father of y• doctrine,
Whose bright bemes vnto this houre shine:
Sothly quod Bochas of whō whā I endite
My hande I fele quaking while I write.

But for to giue folke occasion
Which in rethorike haue more experience
Than haue I, and more inspection
In the colours and crafte of eloquence
Them texite to do their diligence,
Vnto my writing whan they may attende
Of compassion my rudenesse to amende.

Vnto him selfe hauing this langage
Bochas to write gan his pen dresse,
Vnder supporte afforced his corage
To remembee thexcellent noblesse
Of this oratour, which with the swetnesse
Of his ditees abrode as they haue shyned,
Hath this worlde moste clerely enlumined.

This Tullius this singuler famous man
Fyrste to remembre of his natiuite
Borne at Arpinas, a cite of Tuscan
Of blode royal discended who lyst se:
Grekyshe bokes of olde antiquite
Made of rethorike, & in their vulgar song
He translated in to the latin tong.

In tendre youth his countre he forsoke
And fro Tuscan his passage he gan dresse,
Towarde Rome the right way he toke
Entring the citie the renomed noblesse
Hydde in his person she wed the brightnesse
Of diuers vertues, time while he abode,
That like the son hys fame sprede abrode.

For his vertues made a citezaine
The good reporte of him shone so clere,
Like as he had be borne a romaine
In their fauour his name was so entere:
Among them chose for a Consulere,
Agayne the cite time of his Consulate
Whan Cateline was with them at debate.

By the prudence of this Tullius
And his manhode rekened bothe in fere,
Catelina most cruel and yrous
Frowarde of porte, & frowarde of his chere,
Busy euer to finde out the manere
Howe he might by any token or signe
Agayne the citie couertly maligne.

Sixe hūdred yere fourscore tolde and nine
Rekened of Rome fro the foundacion
This cruel tyrant this proude Cateline
Made with other a coniuracion,
Againe franchises and fredame of the toun,
First discured as bokes tell can
In the parties and boundes of Tuscan

The purpose holy of this Cateline
Imagined on false couetyse,
Was to bryng Rome vnto ruine,
And therupon in many sondry wise
Found out meanes, and waies gan deuise
To his entent by diligent labour,
In the cite to gette him great fauour.

But finally his coniuracion
Discured was by one Quincius,
Which was afore false vnto the toun
Told at the case vnto Tullius,
By whose prudence & working marueilus
By helpe of Antony that was his felawe
The coniuracion was broken and wtdrawe.

By wytte of Tulli all the coniuratours
Espied were and brought vnto mischaunce,
Their names red tofore the Senatours.
Of their falshead tolde all the gouernaunce,
[Page cli]Manly ordained through his purueiaunce
With al his people as made is mencion,
Catelina departed from the toun

With Antony the said Cateline
Besyde Pistoy had a great bataile,
Slaine in the felde he myght nat decline
For he abode whan the felde gan fayle:
Power of one littel may aueile,
Namely whan falshed of malice & of pride
Againe trouth dare the bront abyde.

There was another called Lentulus
Of his felowes that named was Fabine,
The third of them eke called Cetegus
All assented and sworne to Cateline
Strangled in prison, at mischefe did fyne:
Cause Tullius did execucion
Tulliane was called the prisone.

Thus coude he punishe traitors of the toun,
Outray their enemies of manhod & prudence,
Called of their cite gouernour & patron
Sent from aboue to be their defence,
Their champion most digne of reuerence,
Chose of their goddes their cite for to gye
By two prerogatiues knighthode, & clergy.

Lyke the sonne he did them enlumyne
By hie prowes of knightly excellence,
And through the world his bemes dyd shyne
Of his rethorike and of his eloquence:
In whiche he had so great experience
By circūstaunces that nothyng did lacke,
He transcended Plocius and Gracke.

Of oratours it is put in memorye
This Tullius through his hie renoun
Of all echone the honour and the glorie
Was giue to him, as made is mencion:
Surmounted al and in conclusion
The golden trumpe of the house of Fame
Through the world blew abrode his name.

He knewe secretes of philosophy,
Came to Athens to scole for doctrine,
Where he profited so greatly in clergy
In all sciences heuenly and diuyne
That he was called as aucthors determyne,
Amonge Romayns of very due right,
Of eloquence the lanterne and the light.

It is remembred among oratours
Howe Tullius pleted causes twayne
In the romaine courte afore the Senatours
The cause defending by langage souerain
Of two accused againe them that did playn
On their defautes, them sauyng fro mischefe
The court escapyng fro dangere & reprefe.

These causes twayne he pleted in latin
With so excellent flouring fayre langage,
With such reasons concluded at the fine
That he by wysedome caught thauauntage
In his maters, with all the surplusage
That might aueile vnto his partie
What he said there coud no man denie.

Among Grekes at Athens the cite
So great he was of reputacion,
So famous holde of auctorite
To be compared by their opinion
To the Philosopher that called was Platō,
To whose cradell bees dyd abrayde
And hony sote they on his lyppes layde.

Apronostike like as bokes tell
Plato should by famous excellence
Of rethorike be very sours and well,
For his langage myrrour of eloquence:
Yet the Grekes recorden in sentence
Howe Tullius in party and in all,
Was vnto Plato in rethorike egall.

Through his langage this said Tullius
Reconciled by his sote orisons
To the lordshyp and grace of Julius
Princes and kinges of diuers regions,
That suspecte stode by accusacions:
Bicause they did Julius disobey
Wer enclined with romains to Pompey.

He coude appease by his prudent langage
Folkes that stode in discencion,
By crafte he had a speciall auauntage
Fauour synguler in pronunciacion:
In his demenyng great prudence and reasō,
For the pronounsing of matters in substaūce
His thanke receiueth by chere & countenāce.

To a gladde mater longeth a gladde chere,
Men treat of wysdom wt wordes of sadnesse
Pleintes requyre after the matere
Greuous or morall, a chere of heuines,
Lyke as the cause outher the proces
Gyueth occasion to hinder or to spede,
The doctrine in Tullius men may rede.

[Page]
The name of Tulli was couth in many pla­ce,
His eloquence in euery lande was ryfe,
His langage made him stand in grace
And be preferred during al his life,
Maried he was & had a right fayre wyfe,
Children many, seruauntes yong and olde
And as I finde he helde a good houshoulde.

De Officiis he wrote bokes thre,
De Amicitia I fynde how he wrote one,
Of age another notable for to se,
Of morall vertue they treated euerychone:
And as Vyncent wrote full yore agone
In his myrrour called Hystoriall,
Nombre of his bokes be there remēbred all.

He wrote also the dreme of Scipion,
Of rethorike compiled bokes twayne
And twayne he wrote of diuinacion,
Of titell of land to write he did his paine,
A large boke of glorie that is vaine,
Dere Publica and he saith him selue
Of his oracions he wrote bokes twelue.

And of his dities that called be morall
Is remembred notably in dede
In the said myrrour Historiall,
And yet this said Tullius as I rede
Myd his worshyps stode alway in drede
Of fortune, for in conclusion
He by enuy was banished Rome toun.

Beyng in exile this famous Tullius
At Campania in Atiue the cite,
Receiued he was of one Plaucius
A man that time of great authorite,
And while that he abode in that countre
Sleping a night the boke maketh mencion,
How that he had a wonders vision.

He thought thus as he laie sleping
In a desert and great wildernesse,
Finding no pathe but to and fro romyng
Howe he mette cladde in great richesse
Gaius Marius, a prince of great noblesse,
Askyng Tulli with a sadde countenaunce
What was chefe and cause of his greuaunce.

Whan Tullius had him the cause tolde
Of his disease and his mortal wo,
Marius with his hande set on him holde
To a  [...]ergiaunt assigned him right tho:
And in all hast bad him he should go
To conuey him do his bu sy cure
In all hast possyble to his sepulture.

Where he should haue tidinges of plesaunce
Of his repeyre in to Rome towne,
Be alleyed of his olde greuaunce
This was thende of his auision
The next morow as made is mencion
There was hold to Tullius great aueile
Tofore Jupiter in Rome a great counsayle.

Within the temple buylded by Marius,
The Senatours accorded were certaine
To reconsile this prudent Tullius
Out of his exile to call him home againe:
After receiued as lord and soueraine
Of eloquence, by assent of the Senate,
Fully restored vnto his fyrst estate.

This thinge was don whan y• Rome toun
Was at grettest strife twene Cesar & Pōpey,
And for Tullius drue him to Caton
With Pompeius, Cesar to warrey,
And of Julius the partie disobey,
Out of Rome Tullius dyde him hie
Fledde with Pompey in to Thessalie.

Cesar after of his free mocion
Whan he stode hiest in his glorie,
Hym reconsyled againe to Rome town,
Vpon Pompey accomplished the victorie:
But Julius slaine in the consistorie
By sixty Senatours being of assent
Tullius againe was in to exile sent.

And in a cite called Fariman
Tullius his exile dyd endure,
For Antonius was to him enemy than
Bycause that he percase of auenture
Compiled had an inuectife scripture
Agayne Antony rehersing all the caas
Of his defautes, and of Cleopatras.

Thus of enuy and of mortall haterede
His deth compassed by Antonius,
And afterward execute in dede
By procuring of one Pompilius,
Gate a cōmission, the storie telleth thus
Of false malice and forthe anone went he
In to Gayre of Compayne the cite.

And by the vertue of his commission
Taking of Antony licence and liberte,
Chefe rethorician that euer was in the toun
Among Romains to worshyp the cite,
[Page clii]Was slaine, alas, of hate and enmyte
By Pompilius rote of all falshead,
Profering him selfe to smite of his head.

Tullius afore had be his defence
Fro the galowes and his dethe eke let
Which had deserued for his great offence
To haue ben banged vpon an hie gybet:
Who saueth a thefe whan the rope is knet
About his necke, as olde clerkes write
With some false turne ye bribour wil hi quite.

Lo here the vice of ingratitude
By experience brought fully to a prefe,
Who in his hert treason doth enclude
Cast for good wyl to do a man reprefe,
What is the guerdon for to saue a thefe [...]
Whan he is escaped loke and ye shall fynde,
Of his nature euer to be vnkinde.

This Pompilius traitour most odible
To shewe him selfe false, cruell & vēgeable,
Toward Tully did a thing horrible,
Whan he was dead this br [...]bour most culpable
Smit of his right hād, to heare abominable,
With which hande he lerning on him toke
To write of vertues many a famous boke.

The hande, the head, of noble Tullius
Which euery man of right ought complaine,
Were take and brought by Pompilius
Vpon a stake set vp both twayne,
There to abide where it did shyne or rayne
With wynde & weder tyll they were defyed,
In token al fauour was to him denied.

❧ The .xvi. Chapter

* A chapiter againe ianglers and dyffamers of rethorike.

BOchas complaining in hys studye alone
The death of Tulli and the wofull fall,
Grudging in hert made a pitous mone
The folke rebuking in especiall
Which of nature be boystous and rurall,
And hardy ben for they no conning haue
Craft of rethorike to hindre and depraue.

Clerkes olde did greatly magnifie
This noble science that were expert & wyse
Called it parte of philosophy,
And said also in their prudent auise
There be thre partes as tresours of gret prise
Compiled in bokes and of olde prouided,
In to which Philosophie is deuided.

The first of them called is Morall
Which directeth a man to good thewes,
And the second called Natural
Telleth the kinde of goodmen and shrewes,
And the thirde racionall well shewes
What men shal voide and what thing vnder­fong,
And to that partie Rethorike doth belong.

By Tullius, as authours determine,
Of his person rehersing in substaunce
Traunslated was fro Greke into Latine
Craft of rethorike, and for the abundance
Of eloquence stuffed with plesaunce,
All oratours remembred him toforne
Was there none like nor after him yet borne.

Bochas also saithe in his writinges
And preueth wele by reason and sentence,
To an oratour longeth four thinges,
First natural wyt, practike, with science,
Vertuous life, chefe grounde of eloquence:
Of porte a [...]d maner that he be tretable,
These meanes had, mine auctor hold hi able.

In his writing and in his scriptures
Bochas wele parceiueth it must nedes ben
Howe y• of right there long fiue armures
To euery notable rethoricien,
Sette here in order who list them sene
Whiche he calleth rehersing in sentence,
The fiue baners longing to eloquence.

The fyrst of them called Inuencion
By whiche a man dothe in his hert finde
A secrete grounde founded on reason
With circc̄staunces yt nought be left behinde,
Fro poynt to poynte imprinted in his minde,
Touching y• matter ye substaunce & the great
Of whiche he cast notably tentreat.

Another armure in order the seconde
Of right is called Disposicion,
As of a matter whan the grounde is founde
That euery thing by iust deuision
Be voide of al foreine digression:
So disposed touching time and space
Fro superfluite kepe his due place.

The third armure named in sentence
Is Elocucion with wordes many or fewe,
Matters conueyed by iust conuenience
[Page]Diposed in order cōuenably to shewe:
Like a caruer that fyrst doth tymbre hewe
Sqware and compasse cast fetures & vysage,
With caruing tole maketh vp a fayre ymage.

Pronunciacion is the fourth armure
Necessary to euery oratour,
In such case whan craft vnto nature
Joyned is by diligent labour,
With elocucion, and that there be fauour
In declaring with euery circumstaunce,
Folowing the mater in chere & countenaunce

An heuy mater requireth an heuy chere,
To a gladde matter longeth well gladnesse,
Man in pronounsing must folow the matere
Olde oratours can beare herof wytnesse:
A furious complaint vttred in distresse
This was ye maner as poetes do discriue,
In his tragedies whan Senec was a liue.

The fifte armure called Remembraunce
With quicke memorie by prouidence to se
So auisely to groce vp in substaunce
Holy his maters that nought forgoten be,
Lest forgetfulnesse derke nat the liberte
Of clere report, eche thing to haue in mynde,
That in pronounsing nothing be left behind.

Afore prouided so that forgetfulnesse
Be no hindrer to inuencion,
And in proceding no foreyne rechelesnesse
Trouble nat the order of disposicion:
And for taccomplishe all vp with reason
That pronounsing by clere remembraunce
Be well fauoured with chere & countenaūce.

These said thinges be inly necessary
To euery prudent notable oratour,
Nat to hasty nor ouerlong to tary
But to conuey his processe by measure:
In chere according stant all the fauor,
For in pronounsing who lacketh chere or face
Of Tullius schole standeth far out of grace.

All erthely bestes be muet of nature
Saue onely man, which hath auauntage
By a prerogatiue aboue eche creature,
To vtter his conceite onely by langage:
The soule by grace represseth all outrage,
Namely whan reason hath the soueraynte
To bridel passions of sensualite.

Kinde vnto man hath giuen eloquence
A thing conuenable en especial,
Whan that it is conueied by prudence
To talke of matters that be natural.
And secretes hyd aboue celestiall
Doth entreat of sonne, mone & starres,
Thin [...]uent power sent of pees and warres.

God of all this hath graunted knowleging
Onely to man by wysedom and reason,
And through langage giue to him shewyng
Outwarde to make declaracion
Of the heuenly course and sondrie mocion:
Diuers chaunges and plainly to diffine
The reuolucion of the spheres nyne.

Men by langage shewe out their ententes,
The naturall meuing and mutacions,
Accorde and discorde of the four elamentes,
Kyndly variaunce of four complexions,
The generacion and the corrupcions
Of erthely thinges, contrary eche to other,
Corrupcion of one engendring of another.

This is the power and the precellence
Which is giue to man reasonable,
That by langage and by eloquence
A man is taught in vertue to be stable:
Of soule eternall of body corrumpable,
Taught with his tong while he is aline
Of his defautes howe he shall him shryue.

Bochas eke telleth touching rethorike
There be two maners, one is of nature
Lerned in youth which doth one speke lyke
As he hereth or lerneth by scripture:
Craft of rethorike is giue to no creature
Saue to man which by great diligence,
By study cometh to craft of eloquence.

Crafte of langage and of prudent speche
Causeth prechours by spyrituall doctrine
Vertuously the people for to teche
Howe they shall liue by moral discipline,
Langage techeth men to plant wine
Enformeth folke to worshyp holy churche,
The artificer truely for to wurche.

Yet there be some y• plainly teche and pr [...]che
Haue of langage this opinion
God hath nat most regard vnto speche
But to the heart and to the affection
Best gan guerdon the inwarde intencion
Of euery man, nat after the visage
But like the meuing of their inward corage.

[Page cliii]
To our langage is great diuersite
Whan men shew theffect of their mening
Beit of ioye or of aduersite
Chere for taccorde therwith in vttring,
Nowe debonayre som while rebuking,
And in rehersing like chere alway tapply
Be it of rudenesse be it of curtesy.

Of discrecion sette a difference
In his pronounsinge to perce or vndermine,
To drawe the iudge vnto his sentence
Or to his purpose to make him to encline:
Se wheder he be melancolike or benigne,
Or his matere be vttred or vnclosed
Consider afore howe that he is disposed.

Peised all this thing by a rethoricien
With other thiges which apperteine of right
To craft of speche, he must conceiue and sene
Maters of substaunce & matters y• be light,
Dispose him selfe tentreate euery wight,
Like to purpose and fine of his matiere,
As for the time rethorike dothe require.

As by ensample myne auctor dothe recorde
Men set at warre in hert farre a sonder
The rethoricien to make them for taccorde
Must seche wayes & meanes here & yonder,
Of olde rancour tappeise ye boystous thunder
By wise examples & prouerbes pertinent
Tenduce the parties to be of one assent.

A man also that stant in heuinesse
Dispeired and disconsolate,
The rethoricien must do his busynesse
The grounde considred & felt of his estate,
The cause serched why he stant dissolate,
Which to reforme by diligent labour
Is the true office of euery oratour.

Of rethoriciens whilom that were olde
The sugred langage & vertuous daliaūce
By good ensample & prouerbes y• they tolde
Wordes pesible enbelished with plesaunce
Appesed of tyrantes the great vēgeaunce,
Sette aside their furious sentence
By vertue onely of prudent eloquence.

And contrary plainly to conclude
Men se all day by clere experience
Folke vnauised, and hasty foles rude
And braynlesse people of wylfull negligence,
Bycause they were barraine of eloquence
Vttryng their speche, as naked men & bare
For lacke of rethorike their matter to declare.

By clere exāple, as purple (who taketh hede)
Lōgeth to kinges in storie ye may finde,
With clothes of golde and riche veluet wede
Fret with Rubies and other stones Inde,
Saphirs, emeraudes, peerles of their kynde
As all these thinges appropred be of right
Plesaunt obiectes to a mannes sight:

So the langage of rethoriciens
Is a gladde obiecte to mannes audience,
With song melodious of musiciens
Whiche doth great cōfort to euery presence:
As by example Amphion wt song & eloquence
Buylded the walles of Thebes the cite,
He had of rethorike so great subtilite.

In his langage there was so gret plesaunce
Finding therby so inly great profite,
That all the countre came to his obeysaunce
To here him speke they had so great delite:
The people enuyron had such an appetite
In his person in peace and in bataile,
Here me may se what rethorike doth aueile.

☞ The .xvii. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Sextus warreied againe Triumuir, and of the death of great Antonie and Cleopatras.

FOlowing thorder of Bochas in his boke
Wyth penne in hande as he caste vp his eie,
Tofore him came pale of chere & loke
A mighty prince sonne vnto Pompeye
Called Sextus, whiche as bokes saye
Delyted hym wyth a greate nauee:
Lyke a Pyrate to robbe on the see.

To his father contrary in suche caas,
For euery Pyrate of custome he dyd hate:
Vpon the sea whose vsage was
Against theim proudelye to debate,
Pursued them early and eke late,
[Page]Where this Sextus to his great reprie [...]e
Was on the sea a robbour and a thefe.

The sclaundre of him gan to sprede farre,
Reported was in many a farre countre,
With Triumuir this Sextus gan a war,
Which is an office and a dignite
By the Romains cōmytted vnto thre,
Notable estates, those for chiualry
Thempire all hole to gouerne and to gye.

The fyrst of them named Lepidus,
And the seconde called Octauian
The third in nombre was Antonius,
Again which thre Sextus this proud man
Of surquedy a newe warre began,
Afore by Julius for his rebellion
Banished for euer out of Rome toun.

Triumuir of politike gouernaunce
Well auised afore in their reasons,
Treating for peace by notable purueiaunce
With proude Sextus vnder condicions,
Write and enacte in their conuencious,
But anone after list no while tary,
He to his promise was froward & contrary.

For his conuycte outragious falsnesse,
And on the sea for his robbery
Bochas of him writeth no long processe,
Hauing disdaine his name to magnify
For he to vertue list nothing apply:
The different cause which is in the state
Atwene knighthode and life of a pyrate.

With fugitiue theues and robbours
And men exiled out of Rome toun,
Banished people, false conspyratours,
With other conuicte of murdre and trayson,
He toke all such vnder protection:
And one Moena a churle of his certaine
Of fourty shyppes he made him capitain.

The said churle vnwarely tho began
To folow the nature of his condicion,
Alied him selfe with Octauian
Againe his lorde, of full false traison
With all his nauy & shyppes he came doun,
Spared nat to mete of very pride
With Menecratus yt was on Sextus side.

But al so soone as the bataile began
And the parties togider shoulde gone,
All the vesselles of Octauian
With sodaine tēpest were drowned echone,
Beside a castell buylt of lime and stone
Called Nauleton, where yet to gret reprefe
Sextus fled & was brought to mischefe.

Went in to Grece to make him strong agein
To holde a batayle with Antonius
Take in his cōming by strength of a capitcin
Longing to Antonie called Phurnius
Whilom nephue to Cesar Julius,
And or duke Sextus might farther wende
He slaine was and made there his ende.

Of Triumuir in thempyre as I tolde
There was a capitaine called Lepidus,
Whiche by his office like as he was holde
Right busy was, the boke reherseth thus,
To reconsile the proude Antonius
To the grace of great Octauian,
Eche thing forgiue wherof the war began.

And to conclude shortly who list se
Fortune a whyle was to him gracious,
Thempyre all whole gouerned by these three
Lordshyp of Affrike had Lepidus,
By which he wext proude and contrarius,
To him assigned vnder commissions
Fully the nombre of twenty legions.

Wherof in herthe caught such a pride
Causing by processe his distruction,
Surquedy a while was his gide
Fro his estate till he was fall doun,
Namely whan he of false presumpcion
Toke vpon him of malice to warrey
The said Octauian, and gan him disobey.

Whan Octauian his malice dyd se
That he gan waxe sodainly contrary,
He threw him downe from his dignite
Cast him in exile, list no lengar tary:
Lo how Fortune gan sodainly vary
To make him that had gouernaunce
Of all Affryke, to come to mischaunce.

Another prince Cesar Lucius
Exiled was from Rome the cite
By his vncle the said Antonius,
Of wylfulnesse and hasty cruelte:
For in that time, as men may rede and se,
Contriued causes were founde vp of malice
Texile princes notable holde and wyse.

Some bycause they helde with Cesar,
[Page cliiii]Other for Pompey y• helde on that partie,
Some for their good afore or they wer ware
Some for suspection, some for enuy,
Some for they coude nat flatter nor lie:
Some for vertues which was great routhe
Bycause they were so stable in their trouthe.

In this trouble dredefull and odious
As is rehersed, in order ye may rede,
The noble knight Paulus Lucius
Exiled was of malice and hatered
Folowing vpon the great horrible dede
The pitous death and the hatefull caas
Of great Antonie and Cleopatras.

The tragedy of these ylke twaine
For me as nowe shalbe set asyde,
Cause Chaucer chefe poete of Britaine
Seing their hertes coude nat deuide
In his boke the legende of Cupide
Remembring there, as one they did endure,
So were they buryed in one sepulture.

Thing ones said by labour of Chaucer
Were presumpcion me to make againe,
Whose making was so notable and enteer
Right compendious & notable in certayne,
Which to reherce the labour were in vayne▪
Bochas remembring how Cleopatras
Caused Antonie howe he distroied was.

Her Auarice was so importable,
He supprised with her great fayrnesse
Folowing her lustes foule & abhominable,
She desyring to haue be empresse
And he alas of frowarde wylfulnesse
To please her, vnhappely began
To warrey the great Octauian

Frowarde ambicion set his hert on fyre
To climbe vp to the imperiall sea,
To haue possession of the hole empyre,
Toke vpon him if it wolde haue be
To reigne alone in Rome the cite,
Cleopatras to foster her in pride
Tytell of Octauian for to set asyde.

With multytude of many legions
As I haue tolde, againe Octauian
To him accroched of diuers regions
Great multytude of many manly man,
First on the sea to warre he began
Where he was maugre all his might
To his confusion vnwarely put to flight.

Dispeyred fled home to his countre,
Knowing no helpe nor meane to recure
But to thencreas of his aduersite,
Whan that he sawe his woful auenture
Gaine Octauian he might nat endure,
With a sharpe swerde his danger to diuert
Him selfe he rofe vnwarely to the hert.

Of whose dethe the quene Cleopatras
Toke a sorow very importable,
Bicause there was no recure in the caas
Thought of his wo she would be partable,
Whose fatall ende piteous and lamentable
Slough eke her selfe loue so did her raue,
After they both were buried in one graue

❧ Thus endeth the sixt boke and here after foloweth the seuenth.

[Page]

¶ Of Antony son and heire to the greate Antonie: and of Cesarius, Julia, Agrippa, Cassius, and Galbus.

¶ The Fyrst Chapter.

THis storie ended, last of the sixte boke,
Bochas wery thought for the best
Of gret traueile oppressed in his loke
Fil in a slombre leanīg on his chest,
Fully in purpose to ha­ue take his rest:
But euin as he rest should haue take
Came a great prees, and made him tawake.

First of that felowship came the son & heyre
Of Antonie, wt blode spreint all his wede,
Called Antonie fall in great dispeyre,
Cause Octauian bare to him haterede,
Whose swerde he fled quaking in his drede
To an olde temple socour for to haue,
Trusting fro death the place should h [...] saue.

In that temple Cesar was deified,
Of whō by Romains was set vp an ymage,
But whan he sawe he was espied
He ran to Julius hie vpon a stage,
Gan him to enbrace in his piteous rage,
He rent away by sodaine violence
Vnwarely slaine there gained no defence.

Next in order came Cesarius
Of whom there fill a wondre pitous caas,
Whilom beget of Cesar Julius
Vpon the yong fayre Cleopatras,
Slaine in his youth, thus writeth Bochas:
As Octauian dyd him selfe assigne,
For he gaine Romains should nat maligne.

Folowing in order Julia began
Hir greuous complaint to Bochas specify,
Whilom doughter to great Octauian,
With weping gan to houle and crie,
Which by her father to punish her lechery
Exiled was out of her countre,
For lacke of socour died in pouerte.

Her son Agrippa yong and tendre of age
Borne of hie blode, Bochas doth expresse,
Came next in order pale of his visage,
Which spent his time in slombre & idelnesse,
Froward to vertue, & for his wretchednesse
Octauian which was great touthe,
Suffred him die at mischef for his slouth.

After Agrippa came forth anone right
Cassius, of Parme a famous great countre,
Which in Itaile was holde a māly knight,
With Marke Antony wele cherished & secre
Bode in his court and there withall parde
Greatly alowed, fyrst for his chiualry,
And for his notable famous policy.

And there withall he had in existence
A right great name, & stode in great fauour
For his knighthode & for his hie prudence,
After accused vnto the Emperour
Octauian for a coniuratour,
He should haue be of frowarde false entent
To Julius death fully of assent.

For whiche by bidding of Octauian
Take he was being but yong of age,
And as mine auctor well remembre can
Brought tofore Julius hie vpon a stage,
There offred vp vnto his ymage
By cruell death▪ the storie telleth thus,
For the false murdre of Cesar Julius.

After the death of the saide Cassius
Another came of Rome the cite,
Which as I rede called was Galbus
Of a Pretour hauing the dignite,
And for suspection slaine eke was he,
His eyen fyrst out of his head were rent
For Julius death, than in to exile sent.

Toward his exile by brigantes he was slai­ne,
And After that within a litel while
Of his labour nouther gladde ne faine
Bochas began to dyrecte his stile
[Page clv]To great Herodes, breuely to compile
His greuous fal and holy the manere
To set in order next as ye shall here.

The .ii. Chapter.

❧ How the tyraūt Herodes slough his wyfe and chyldren, and after died at myschefe.

REmembrynge fyrste in Jurye he was kyng,
Antipater his father, who lyst se,
In Arabia mightely reignyng:
Ouer the prouynce called Idume,
This same Herodes gardeyne of Galile,
Ordayned was fyrste for his hye prudence
And for his notable knyghtly excellence.

Famous in manhode, famous of his lyne,
Famous also by procreacion,
I rede also he had wyues nyne,
And amonge all as made is mencion
To hys pleasaunce and his opinion,
Maister of stories reherseth there was one
Mariannes fayrest of echone,

By whom he had worthy sonnes twayne,
Alysander, and Aristobolus,
But for his suster dyd at her disdaine
Called Saloma, the storie telleth thus,
He vnto her wext suspicious,
Bycause she was accused of enuy
By Saloma touchyng auoutry.

Agayne her of rancour sodaynly
He gan of herte greuously disdayne,
With rigorous hert he slewe her furiously,
But as the storie doth vs ascertayne
He for her deth after felte great paine,
Euer whan it came to his remembraunce
Her porte, her chere, her womāly plesaunce.

Lo what it is a prince to be hasty
To euery tale of rancour to assent,
And counsaylles to procede wilfully
To execucion of frowarde false entent,
For Herodes so sore he dyd repent
That he for thought fyl in to an noy,
Of hertely sorowe and malencoly.

Rest had he none nouther day ne nyght,
Troubled with fury that he wext frantyke,
wt dremes vexed & many an vncouth syght,
Of chere nor colour to no man he was lyke:
And euery moneth ones lunatike,
A great whyle he had this wofull lyfe
For sorowe onely he had slayne his wyfe.

And as the storye wel reherce can,
In the Capitoyle mydde Rome the cite
By Antonye and by Octauian
He crowned was, and made kyng of Jude:
By the Senate made theron a decree
And registred, that he and his kynred
Shulde in that lande lineally procede.

In Rome was made the confirmacion
To this Herodes, bokes specifye,
Beyng afore the translacion
Was made of Juda and of Jurye,
Septer and crowne with all the regaly
By hym vsurped as ye haue herde toforne
Vpon the tyme whan Christ was borne.

This same Herodes by procuracion
Of Antonye, dyd also occupy
By Augustus plener remission,
The great estate called Tretrarchy
In two kyngdoms, with al the regaly
Of Traconitides, Jtury eke also,
By the Romains made lorde of bothe two.

Mayster of stories reherseth of hym thus
For commendacion in especiall,
In Aschalon he buylded a stately hous
Of right great cost, a palayes ful royal,
Was none so riche for to reken all:
After whych myne authoure doth so wryte
He called was Herode Aschalonite.

This same Herodes cruell of nature
Of chere and porte passyng ambicious,
Aye to be venged dyd his busy cure
On al that were to hym contrarious,
Hys wyues brother Aristobolus
In Jerusalem chefe byshoppe as I rede,
Falsely he slough of malyce and hatered.

Vniustly reigned & borne through his realme
His hert fret and cankred wyth enuy,
Another byshoppe in Jerusalem
Called Hircanus, myne authour lyst not lye,
This same Herodes in his malencoly
Slewe hym vnwarely by rācour vengeable,
Setting at dyner at his owne table.

There was no man of corrage more cxuel
[Page]Nor more desirous to be magnified,
To make his name also perpetual
Four statelye cities he hath edified,
Of which the names be here specified,
Cesaria, Sebastin, citees souerayne,
Antipadra, Cipre, that other twayne.

He had also a false condition,
He trusted none that was of his kynrede,
His sonnes twaine he had in suspectiō,
Their purpose was to sley him of hatred,
Whan he were deade hopyng to succede:
And causelesse as father most vnkynde
Made thē be slayne, in story thus I fynde.

In al his workyng he was founde double,
A great tirant hold throgh his realme,
Neuer thinge so greatly dyd him trouble
As whan thre kinges came to Jerusalem
Jesu to seche, that was borne in Bethelem,
Boldly affirmynge cause of their commynge
Was to worshyp that blessed yonge kyng.

The which thynge whan he dyd aduertise
Prophecies remembringe and writinges,
Within hym selfe a meane he gan deuise
First to distroy these famous holy kynges,
Namely whan he knewe of their offrynges:
Imaginyng gan suppose blyue,
The child was borne that shuld him depriue

Newly discended fro Dauid doun by line
Cast almost Herodes in a rage,
Of cursed hert gan frowardly maligne
Lyke a tirant of venomous outrage
Slewe al the children within two yere of age
About Bethelem a ful large space,
He spared none for fauour nor for grace.

One of his chyldren beyng at nurcery
As the story putteth in remembraunce
Of auenture, or they coude it espy
His knightes slough, I trowe it was venge­aūce:
Eche tirant gladly endeth with mischaūce,
And so much he that wext ayen Christ wode,
Which for his sake shedde innocētes blode.

The nōbre of childre that were slayne in dede
About Bethelem and in tho parties,
An hundred forty and four .M. as I rede,
Two yere of age sought out by espies
Of Herodes, and for the prophecies
Of Christes byrth mencion did make
They were echone slayne for his sake.

Fro that day forth as made is mencion,
He fyl in many vncouth malady,
His flesh gan tourne to corrupcion,
Frette wyth wormes vpon eche party:
Whiche him assailed by great tourmentry,
His legges swole corbed blacke gan shyne,
Where vengeaūce worketh adue al medicine.

Of his sickenes the stenche was so horible
To awayte on him no man myght abyde,
Vnto him selfe his carrayne wext odible
So sore he was troubled on eche syde,
Leches for hym did a bath prouide,
But al for nought, in such mischefe he stode
Of greuous constraynt he sodēly wext wode.

In token he was wery of his lyfe
So importable was his mortal paine,
To pare an apple he asked a sharpe knyfe,
His malady dyd hym so constraine
Fully in purpose to cut his herte in twayne:
The knife he raught leysar whan he founde
One stode besyde & bacwarde drue his hond.

For payne vnneth his winde he might drawe
Gaue al his frendes in commaundement
By a decree and a furious lawe,
That al the worthy of parties adiacēt
Whiche y• were faine or glad in their entente
Of his dethe, he voyde of all pitee
The same day they shoulde slayne be.

This cursed wretche this odious caytife
I rede of none stode farther out of grace,
In sorowe & mischefe ended hath his lyfe,
Eche man was glad whan he shoulde pace:
And for his storye doth this boke difface,
With wofull clauses of him whan I wryte
Therefore I cast no more of him tendite.

[Page clvi]

¶ Lenuoy.

OF Herodes the vnware cursed fall,
The lyfe vngracyous of hym and hys kinrede,
Euer vengeable in his estate roial,
Hys wyfe, his childre, slough of olde hatered:
Innocentes he made in Bethelem blede,
Reignyng in Juda, borne of foreyne lygne,
The fyrst tyrant, ye may the Byble rede,
Whych ayen Christ gan frowardly maligne.

Hys swerde of rigour cruel and mortal
Aye redy whet to do vengeaunce in dede,
Hasty and fumous with furies infernall,
Of wylfull malice innocētes blode to shede:
Dyd execucion also on womanhede,
Slewe his alies, whiche was a cursed signe,
For the fyrste cause he stode in drede
Whiche againe Christe gan frowardly ma­ligne.

He woulde that none were to hym egall
That daye alyue in Israell to succede,
The byrthe of Christ dred in especiall
Cause fro Jesse his line gan floure & sede,
He but a forrayne came in by fraude & mede,
Without titell to that estate vndigne,
The fyrst also who lyst take hede
Whiche agayne Christe gan frowardely ma­ligne.

Noble princes that gouerne ouer all
This large world, both in length and brede,
Whan you sitte hyest in your royall stall
Do not the people oppresse nor ouerlede,
Vpon Herodes remembre as I rede,
In what mischefe that tyrant dyd fyne,
To shewe y• none shal in hys purpose spede
Whyche ayen Christ doth cursedly maligne.

The .iii Chapiter.

¶ Of Antipas exiled by Octauian, and of Archelaus sonne of Herodes the seconde.

COmpendiouslye thus ye haue herde the fal
Of Herodes remembred by Bo­chas,
Who in his testament set in especiall
To succede him Herode Antipas,
In hast exiled (of hym thys was cas)
By Octauian to Vien as I rede,
And Archelaus ordained to succede,

Sonne of Herodes called the seconde,
Which in effect toke possession,
In Hierusalem reigned as I rede:
Of whom mine aucthor for short conclusion
Maketh in his boke but small mencion,
Hym and hys brother set sodainly asyde
Of them to write no lenger lyst to abyde.

Saue that he writeth the forsaide Antipas
At Vien a mighty great cite,
In his exyle soone after slayne was:
And Archelaus succeding in Jude
With Herodias who lyst the storyse,
By Agrippa to Tiberye accused
Of certayne crimes, coude not be excused.

A certaine time cōmaunded to prison,
Of themperour coude neuer get grace,
Banished him fer from hys region
In to Spaine, for a certayne space,
And his worshyp breuely to deface
Fortune caused to his final reprefe,
He died there in pouerte and mischefe.

The fatal ende rehersed of these twayne
In what distresse that they dyd fyne,
Myne auctour after gan his pen ordaine
To write the case by many a wofull lyne,
Vpon the striefe at wene Messalyne
And other twayne, standynge by her syde
Tofore Jhon Bochas howe they dyd chyde

Tofore Bochas they came all thre to playne,
Messalyne the wyfe vnto Claudius,
Againe whom there were other twayne
Calligula and Tiberius
In whose time was slaine Christ Jesus:
Touching y• debate that was amōg these thre
Suyng the processe here folowyng ye shal se.

The .iiii. chapter.

¶ Of the strife bytwene Calligula Tiberius and Messalyne.

THys empresse named Messalyne
As I haue tolde was wyfe vnto Claudius,
Successour as bokes determyne
To Calligula called Gayus:
And as I fynde, that Tiberius
With Calligula both wode for tene,
Stode afore Bochas & Messaline atwene.

Metynge al thre with furious loke & chere,
[Page]Gayus Calligula called by his name
Gan first reherce anone as ye shall here
Without reuerence or any maner shame,
With an exordye to diffame:
Bochas present felly gan abrayde
To Messalyne and euen thus he sayde.

Thou sclaundred woman, noysed in lechery
Thrugh the world, as folke thy name atwite,
And reported for thine aduoutry,
What doest y• here in thy mournyng habite▪
I trowe thou commest of purpose to visite
In this place the vnhappy women fiue,
Touchinge disclaundre that euer were alyue.

The first of them called Emilia,
And Lepyda was named the seconde,
Liuia, & Plaucia and the fyfthe Elya,
Diffamed echone in dede as it was founde:
In token wherof the lechery to confounde
Of Emilia in auoutry take
Was by the lawe of her lorde forsake.

By the whylom was knowe that Drusus
Strangled was & murdred by poyson,
Lyke to Claudia doughter of Claudius,
Which by her lorde the booke maketh mēcion
Was throwen out to her confusion,
For her defautes founde in auoutry
Sclaundred for euer there was no remedy.

Thou coudest whylom make thy lorde slepe
With certaine drinkes to cast him in a rage,
By which he was made his bedde to kepe
To get layser in thy flouring age
For to misuse of false lust thyne outrage,
A nightertyme toke vpon thee a wede
At the bordell dyddest amysse for mede.

Thyne appetite was very vnstaūcheable,
It is a shame to write it or expresse
Thyne hateful lyfe was so abhominable,
Tibery and I can beare hereof wytnesse:
And with the worde anone she gan her dresse
Whan she had herde al their fel langage,
Gaue them this answere wyth a sad visage.

Certes (quod she) I coude neuer kepe
To saue my selfe a woful creature,
I haue great cause to complayne, cry, & wepe
My sclaūdrous lyfe which I may not recure:
But I suppose I had it of nature
To be such one, for by dayes olde
An astronomer so my father tolde:

At my byrthe takyng the ascendent,
Tolde longe afore of my misgouernaunce.
The sonne, the mone, towarde the orient
Were in the signe that beareth the balaūce,
And sayde also more for assuraunce,
The same signe had by discripcion
His fote in Virgyn, armes in Scorpion.

Amid the heuen was Venus exaltate,
wt Mars cōioyned, the boke maketh mēcion:
And Jupiter was also infortunate
To my sayd disposicion,
Within the fyshe helde tho his mancion:
Thus by the lordshyp plainely of Venus
I was disposed for to be lecherous.

In her excuse the sayde Messalyne
Gan alledge her constellacion,
But prudent clerkes plainly determine
Of heuenly course the disposicion
Is obeysaunt and subiecte to reason:
That euery man which well gouerned is
Is not constrayned of force to do amys.

Nor byndeth no man of necessitie
Vicious lustes frowardly to sue,
A vertuous man stante at liberte
False inclinacions by prudence to remewe,
Euery man by grace may eschewe
Al thynge to vertue that founde is contrary,
For there is no synne but it be voluntarye.

Yet for all this the sayde Messalyne
In her excuse woulde not be in pees,
The heuyn (quod she) as Poetes determyne
Was borne vp whylom by myghty Hercules:
Yet coude he neuer of nature haue relees
For al his knighthod and his chiualry,
To ouercome the vyce of lechery.

But thou Calligula and thou Tiberius
What euer ye say I take thereof none hede,
For thou Calligula called eke Gaius
Thy selfe diffouled with lechery in dede,
To rebuke other y• shouldest stande in drede:
But thy rebukes in party for to quyte
Who is defouled none other shoulde atwyte.

By fames trūpe thy sclaūdre is out blowe
Through all the worlde reported shamefully,
Thy thre susters fleshely thou dydest knowe,
Wexe rede for shame, and for thy party
For the vice of hateful lecherye
[Page clvii]Durynge thy life putme no more in blame,
Whiche art thy selfe defouled in the same.

It sitteth not in no maner wyse
A thefe for theft to syt in iudgement,
A lecherous man a lechour to chastise,
Nor he that hath al his lyfe spent
In waste & riote forfeted and miswent,
To be a iudge other to redresse,
Nor leprous leches to cure men of sickenes.

I woulde haue suffred & take in pacience
If of Affricke the chaste Scipion
Had me rebuked for my great offence,
I would haue suffred his worde of iust reson:
Or if the famous prudent olde Caton
Had agayne me in such case made abrayde,
I would haue suffred what euer hehad saide.

Or if Lucrece for my correction
Had layd to me, by vertuous doctrine,
All my forfetes myd of Rome toun,
I would haue bowed both backe & chine
To haue obeyed vnto her discipline:
Shame for a creple to stād y• hath no mighte.
To rebuke other for they go not vpright.

Agaynst the also I may reply
Many an other false conspiracion
Touchyng maters of nygromancy
And many an other contriued false poyson,
Foūde in two bokes Bochas maketh menciō:
One called Pugio most supersticious,
And the seconde named Gladius,

Able all this worlde tenuenyme & encloy.
Againe thre states dwelling in Rome toun
Their names write of them thou cast distroy.
Which to remembre is a great abuston:
A chest also fulfilled of poyson
After thy dethe cast in thee see I rede,
By which an hundred .M. fishes were deade.

On this mater is tedious for to abyde,
Namely to princes, princesses, borne of hie e­state,
It sitteth not gentle bloud to chide
By furious rancour to stande at debate,
And for these maters ben infortunate
I wyl passe ouer and no more of them write,
Saue of their ende cōpendiously to endite.

To the Tiberye I haue somwhat to sayne
Knowe and reported by many a creature
How in Chāpaine folke had of the dysdayne
For thy most hateful lecherous ordure,
In thilke vice whych is agayne nature:
Whiche taccōplish voyde of al hap and grace.
Thine abydyng was in a suspicious place.

To such false lustes duringe all thy lyfe
Lyst not forbeare, in thy latter age
Thou vsidst many rich restoratife
In such vnthrift to encreace thy corrage,
Of ribaudy thou fyll in suche dotage,
Howe mayst thou than rebuke me for shame
Which in such case art blotted with diffame?

I dyd amysse but it was in my youth,
Horrible thinges which Gaius hath tolde,
But thine outrage the reporte is yet couthe
Thou dydest them vse both yonge and olde,
And for tafforce your vices manifolde
Thou & Caligula in all such ribaudy
Dyd greatest surfet in frowarde glotony.

Also Tiberye thou beyng Emperour
Cruel, causelesse, and most malicious
Diddest murdre in Rome the famous orator
Called in his tyme prudent Asinius,
Which thrugh thempire Romains tolde thus
Was light & lanterne founde at all assayes
Of rethorike called in his dayes.

Thou were eke cause that werthy Nonomus
Kyng of Parthois through thy cruelte
Exyled was, thou were so couetous
To haue possession of his treasour parde,
Died in mischefe and in pouerte:
Be shamefast any wyght to accuse
Which in such case thy selfe can not excuse.

To Agripyne thou dyddest great outrage,
As Romayne stories well reherce can,
Whan she for socour to the great ymage
Ran to be saued of Octauian,
Myd the temple a place called than
Whiche halpe her not, y• she lyst thyder wende
Put out by force, for hunger made an ende.

Thyne owne brother called Germanicus
Which in his tyme was so good a knyght,
Thy brother also called eke Drusus,
Both were poysoned & slayne agaynst ryght,
By false cōspiring of thine imperial might:
Texcuse the murdre thy selfe at the leest
Were clad in blacke at their funerall feest.

I haue no connyng spech nor langage
[Page]To reherce nor make mencion
Specially of ye great outrage
And sacrilege thou dyddest in Rome toun,
By violence whan thou drewe doun
The ymage of Janus, & after in all hast
In to Tibre thou madest him to be cast.

And thou Caligula among thy vices all,
Of surquedye and false presumpcion
Wouldest that men a god the shoulde call,
Twen Pollux & Castor to haue thy manciō,
Fro which place thou art nowe throwe doun:
Whych helde thy selfe amōg the goddes seuen
Egall to Jupiter for to syt in heauen.

Answere to me here beyng in presence
Which of these four Mars, Janus, Minerue
Or Mercurie god of eloquence
Hath rent the downe as thou dydest deserue,
Fro Jupiter in mischefe for to sterue,
That thou herafter wher so y• laugh or froune
Shalt haue no fauour more wt him to rown?

With these defautes and many other
Afore reherced in hindring of thy name,
Howe thou ordaynest fyrst to sle thy brother
wt mē of armes which was to thi gret shame:
To Tholome thou didest also the same,
Sonne and heire to kyng Jubatoun
And many a senator thou slew in Rome toun

Shittest vp myd Rome the cite
Their garners which neuer afore was seine,
Wherby enfamyned was the commonte
Pite to here, this plat and playne,
Of necessite constrayned in certayne
(Shame to reherce or put in scripture)
Ete their membres a thyng againe nature.

Jupiter nor Juno the goddesse
Gaue no suche counsayle I suppose vnto the,
But it was Venus to flater thy hyghnes
And furious Mars by frowarde cruelte,
To slee senatours greatest of that cite,
Thy self after (wherof the towne was faine)
By thy seruauntes murdred werte & slayne.

And for tabate thyne outrage & thy pryde
Which thou hast vsed all thy lyfe,
Lyfte vp thyne head loke on thy left syde
Thou finder vp of murdre and of strife
Slew▪ thou not Cesonia thy wyfe?
Thy doughter after that called was Drusil,
Of cursed entent thy malyce to fulfyl?

I haue meruayle howe any of you twayne
Thou Calligula or thou Tiberius
Be not ashamed any thyng to sayne
Agayne me with vysage dispitous,
Me for to atwite that I was lecherous:
Of a small mote ye can abrayde me,
But in your eye a beame ye can not se.

Where haue your soules take herbergage
That be contrayre with me for to striue?
I trowe that Caron hath made your passage
Vp at the stronde in Hell for to aryue,
There ye abyde thus I descryue,
Where dredful Stix called infernall flode
Of custome rēneth wt furious wawes wode.

Radamantus one of the iudges twayne
With kyng Mynos hath youe a iudgemente
Perpetually ye shall byde in payne,
And Eacus hath ordained your turmente
In Flegeton the floode most violent:
Ye shall be drowned and an ende make
Euer for to abyde amonge ye stremes blake.

I may you cal of Emperours the refuse,
Ye should be shamefast to shew your visages,
Very astonyed dredful and confuse
To haue to me so vncurtoys langages:
Thus Messalyne daunted their corrages
With her feminine crabbed eloquence,
They durst no lenger abyde in her presence.

The .v. Chapter.

¶ Of the most vicious tiraunt Nero that slewe Peter & Paule & at the last him selfe.

THys hateful story with many a wo­ful lyne
Of Calligula & Tiberius,
Touchynge the strife atwene them and Messalyne,
Shamful rebukes, frowarde and odious,
By them rehersed with chere most furious,
As ye haue herde here ended their chiding
Nero the tyrant cōmeth next vpon the ringe.

One most cursed in comparison
That euer was of hye or lowe degre,
Most disnaturall of condicion
By great outrages of cursed cruelte,
That euer reigned in Rome the cite,
His father called (bokes determyne)
[Page clviii]Domicius, his mother Agripine.

This Agripina by her subtilte
And blinde fortune being fauourable,
That set vp tirauntes of froward volunte
(By their demerites though they be not able)
To estate imperial and notable,
What thinge more dredefull who can vnder­stande
Than cruel tirauntes wt blody sword in hāde▪

Whan this Nero of age was twelue yere,
He was ordeyned in especial
After he had lerned his gramere
And the seuin artes called liberall,
Vnto a mayster in al vertues morall,
Called morall Senec which dyd his payne
From al vices hys youthe to restraine.

He kept him euer thys Senec, as I rede,
Maugre his fatall disposicion
By a constraint and a maner drede
From al outrage, & by inclinacion,
Conceyued wel hys dysposicion
To be vicious of his nature,
Which to restrayne he dyd his busy cure.

At one and twenty wynter of his age
Croniculers of him written thus,
Howe he that tyme toke in mariage
Octauia doughter to Claudius,
Al this whyle beyng vertuous,
Whyle Senec had him vnder discipline
His mother in lawe called Messaline.

The saide Senec made him to desire
To pursue connyng by diligent labour,
At entring in fyrst of his empyre
I meane whan he was crowned emperour,
Of al the Senate had great fauour:
And by report as clerkes of him wryte,
In prose & meter he coude ryght wel endite.

In Jhon Bochas as it is made mynde
He dyd excell greatly in poetry,
Made in tho dayes also as I fynde
A boke notable of straunge poesy,
Lyke as myne auctour of him doth specify:
The title thereof called Lusce
Agayne a pretour Claudius Polle.

Excelled in musike and in armony,
Crowned with laurer for ye best harpour
That was that tyme, and he did edify
In Rome a palays wyth manye a ryche tour
Whych in buylding cost great treasour,
The circuite beyng thre thousande paas
And Transitory that palays called was.

For thys cause as put is in memory
The sayde palays afterwarde was brent
Therefore it was called Transitory,
But after that Nero in his entent
Let buylde a house by great auysement
To recompence that other that was olde,
And called it the ryche house of golde.

In all thys worlde was none to it lyche
Where that euer men dyd ryde or gone,
Tables of yuorye fret wyth perry ryche,
Pyllers of cristal garnished with many stone
Saphyrs, Rubyes, and Topasion,
Crisolytes, and Emeraudes grene
Wyth plate of golde siled that shone ful shene.

To bodily lust and dilectacion
This sayde Nero set al hys desyres▪
Gardayns & condyttes for recreacion
He dyd ordayne to endure many yeres,
With nettes of golde fyshed in hys ryuers,
His garnementes of golde & Inde stones
And neuer he woulde haue them on but ones

In hys begynning the story doth deuyse,
Lorde and Emperour in the cyte
To Senatours he gaue full great fraūchyse,
Graunted cōmons many a great liberte,
But in his most imperial dignite
Of frowarde wyl left all good policy,
And al atones gaue him to ribaudry.

Of Grece & Egypt wyth diuers iogelours
And amonge villayns him selfe dysportinge,
Left the presence of olde Senatours
And amōg ribaudes he woulde harpe & sing,
Made comodies dishonestly sowning,
At the bordel dyd him selfe auaunce
With common women openly to daūce.

Thus by processe to al vertue contrary,
By great excesse he fyll in glotony,
And after that lyst no lenger tary
As euery vice to other doth apply,
Surfet and riot brought in lechery
And ground of al as chefe porteresse
To exyle vertue was frowarde ydlenes.

About the cite called Hostience,
Besyde Tibre and other freshe riuers
[Page]Dyd ordaine by excessife expence
Tentes for riot, cokes, and tauerners,
And al the nyght reuel aboute the fiers:
Ladies be came that were afore well named
By such false riot afterwarde defamed.

The same Nero by false abusion
It is reported, hys story who lyst se,
By violence from their religion
Such as had auowed chastite
And were professed to virginite
In the temple of Vesta the goddesse,
Of froward lust he dyd them oppres.

Amonge whych Rubria was one
Maugre her wyll she durst it not denye,
From the temple buylded of lime and stone
Sacred to Vesta myne auctour lyst not lye,
He rent her out to vse his lecherye,
Not withstandyng she was religious
Made her to abyde at the borde [...] hous.

By my wryting men shall neuer rede
The matter is so foule and outragious
To be reherced, and the horible dede
Which Nero vsed whylom on Sporus,
And on an other called Ompharus,
Both male chyldren as bokes tel can
Them to transfourme to likenes of a womā.

Some bokes of hym determine
Lyke a ribaude horrible and detestable
He misused his mother Agripine,
And lyke a tiraunt cruel and vengeable
Which to remember is abhominable,
He made her wombe be corue vpon a daye
To se the place nyne monethes where he lay.

Of disnatural hateful cruelte
To God nor vertue hauyng no regarde,
And of the vyce of prodigalite
He was accused, in knyghthod a cowarde,
And to al vertue contrary and frowarde:
Of whos wodenes good hede whan I toke,
I was ashamed to set hym in thys booke.

He hated al that were vertuous
And to them had special enuy
Hys brethern, his wyfe, this tirant dyspitous
He falsly slewe in hys malencoly,
His mayster Senec (auctours specifye)
Aye whan he saw him hauīg a maner drede,
In an hote bathe to deth he made him blede.

To Polifagus a wodeman most sauage
Which that fed him most with fleshe of man,
Nero toke men olde and yonge of age
To fynde him vitayle in stretes where he cāe,
Cursed at his ende, cursed whan he gan,
Whan he dyd offre innocentes blode
To be deuoured of him that ran so wode.

Christes fayeth fyrst he gan werreye
Of emperours in hys frowarde entent,
Peter and Paule in Rome he made deye
Vpon a day their legende dothe assent:
Halfe the cite of Rome I fynde he brent,
And Senatours welnye euerychone,
This Nero slewe spared almost neuer one.

Made hys Mules be shod wyth siluer shone
Of surquedye whan he shoulde ryde,
The cite brent Romayns after sone
Pursued him vpon euery syde,
And from a subarbe where he did abyde
Twene Salaria and Numentana right,
Ther stant a path whyder he toke hys flyght.

By a depe marys as Nero toke his flyght
Whan he saw he myght not asterte,
He was so pursued by a Romayne knyght
To fynde socour he myght not dyuerte:
Roue him selfe anone vnto the herte,
Wyth a sharpe dagger a cursed ende lo,
Of the false tiraunt that called was Nero.

In stede of a Lenuoye.

OF this Nero to write a Lenuoye
Nor of his dedes to make mencion
To rede the processe no man should haue ioye,
For al concludeth of murdre and of treason,
On aduoutry excesse and poyson,
Riot, glotony, lechery, vengeaunce,
Slaughter of him selfe ended with mischaūce

If that I myght I wolde race his name
Out of this boke that no man should it rede,
His vicious lyfe chefe myrrour of diffame,
Set hym asyde let no wyght take hede
For to remembre so many a cruell dede,
Saue onely thys to thinke in substaunce
Howe euery tiraunt endeth in mischaunce.

Of him I cast to wrytenowe no more
And what I say is sayde but in reprefe
[Page clix]Of the vyces that he wrought of yore,
Duryng his empyre, concluding for a chefe
All tyrannye shall ende wyth myschefe:
Recorde on Nero which for misgouernaūce.
As ye haue herde ended wyth mischaunce.

The .vi. Chapter.

Howe Eleazarus a Jewe borne for extorcion and robbrye was brought in prison and there ended.

AAter Nero came Eleazarus
A Jewe of byrth, a price of robbry
An extorcioner, cruel, & dispitous,
For his outrages don in that par­ty
To redresse his hateful tiranny
A mighty pretour was sent fro Rome doun,
Called Felix, in to that region.

By force of Felix take he was and bounde,
Maugre his myght vnto Rome sent
Strongly fettred, wyth massy chaynes roūd,
Suffred in prison many great turment,
At the last this was his iudgement,
There to abyde because he was a thefe,
For euermore, ended in mischefe.

The .vii. Chapter.

How the heade of Galba was smytten of, filled ful of golde, and offred at the sepulture of Nero.

TOfore Bocas next came Galba down,
Whych in Spayne dyd many knyght­ly dede,
After the deth rehersed of Neroun,
In hope stode this Galba as I rede
In thempyre iustly to succede,
Parcell for knightehode he hath hym so well borne,
And for great mariage which he had beforne.

I finde in Bochas rehersed in sentence
He was disclaundred of hateful vices thre,
He was cruell contrary to clemence,
Straite in keping, gayne liberalite,
Vengeable of herte gayne mercy and pitie,
A thynge not sitting vnto chyualry,
Of custome yeue to slouth and slogardy.

To occupye thempyre he began,
Among Romains toke possession,
Claiming a title by one Licy [...]ian
That was his sonne by adopcion:
But anone after for his presumpcion
One called Occho a full manly knyght,
Smyt of his head were it wronge or ryght.

This sayd Galba mine auctour writeth thus
From his empire vn warely pulled doun
Had an enemy called Patrobolus,
The head of Galba toke in possession,
Filled it with golde, made an oblacion
At the sepulture of Nero therewithal,
To all the goddes & goddesses infernall.

The .viii. Chapter.

Howe Occho and Vitellius for glottony, lechery, ribaudry, and crueltie, ended in mischefe.

ANd after that thys offryng was full doo
As ye haue herde, to Bochas than
To make hys complainte in order came Pyso,
Afore surnamed iustly Lycinian,
Sonne adoptyfe to tel as I began
Of the sayde Galba, claimyng to succede,
Slaine anone after by Occho as I rede.

Than was thempire parted in to three,
Occho toke Rome vnto his partye,
And Vitellius to reigne in the countre
Ouer the boundes of all Germanye,
And Vaspasian reigned in Surrey,
But fyrst this Occho surnamed Siluius
Came to complaine cruel and dispitous.

Of al thempire this same Siluius
By slaughter, rauyne, and extorcion,
By murdre, dethe, and dedes outragious,
With mighty hande toke the possession:
And there began a great deuision
Whiche was occasion of great sorowe & woo
Atwene Vitellius and this sayde Occho.

It is reherced that in Germanye
In sondry places they had battayls three,
In the whych Occho wyth hys partye
Venquished the felde, made hys fone to flee,
But through fortunes mutabilite
The fourth tyme playnly this is the caas,
Maugre hys myght discomfited ther he was.

Tofore Bedry a myghty stronge cite.
[Page]Of Germanye was this discomfiture
After which of frowarde cruelte
This sayde Occho seyng his auenture,
With wo supprised might not endure
Of his constraint the unportable payne,
Toke a sworde and roue his herte a twayne.

Vitellius hauing the victory
With his power as made is mencion,
Of surquedy and false vayne glory
Came with his hoste in to Rome toun:
But Bochas here maketh a discripcion
Rehersing shortly his byrth & eke his lyne,
And how that he of blode was Saturnyne.

This to say, Saturnus king of Crete
Chaced by Jupiter out of his region,
And Ianus had in Itayle take his sete
Vpon a mount called Ianiculum,
Where nowe of Rome is bilte the large toun,
Ianus receuyng of liberalite
Whan Saturne fled in to his cite.

Tofore y• cōming of Saturne this no fayle
Rude and boystous and beastial of reason
Was al the people abyding in Itayle,
Land was none sowe nor turned vp so doun,
Nor marchaundise vsed in no toun
Tyll Saturne taught the maner of liuyng
Of tilth & labour to Ianus that was kyng.

Afore whose commyng tofore as I you tolde
Craft was none vsed by no creature,
Nor no building of houses newe nor olde,
But liued as beastes their liuelode to recure,
Lyke as they were learned of nature:
They coude tho daies make no cloth ne shape
Of frosty wethers the greuous colde tescape.

They were not busy by costfull apparayle,
Of sundry meates and confections
Of diuers drinkes & manifolde vitayle
To be curious to their refections,
Marketts were none in cities nor in tounes,
No man wyth other bought nor solde
Tyll Saturne came & thē the maner tolde.

And whan he had taught them the manere
And set an ordre of their gouernaunce,
There symple people as bokes do vs lere
Lyke as to god did their attendaunce,
wt certaine rightes to do their obseruaunce,
Worshipped him and after did him call
Saturne most myghty of their goddes al.

After this Saturne was made a petegre
To set an ordre conueied from his lyne,
Discending downe the maner who list se
To one Latinus, and so forth to Lauine,
Which was his doughter as poetes determie,
Thus by discēt fro Saturne & Faunus
Borne of their blode came Vitellius.

The fyrst knyght borne of that linage,
Bycause he was manly and ryght famous
Had in armes prowesse and great corrage
He called was Vitellius Publius,
And of him came Vitellus Lucius,
Father to him mine auctour doth expresse
Of whom that I haue gonne this processe.

Diuers stories remembre & plainly tell
During hys youthe and stode at liberte,
How this for sayde that called was Vitell
Was the most vicious y• any where might be,
Yeue to ribaudy and al dishoneste:
Because of which chaūged was his name
Called Spintour a name of great diffame.

I finde that he was an hasardour
In all his workes passyng riotous,
For his surfetes great with the emperour
That whilom was called Claudius,
And for his dedes and maners outragious
For his great waste and prodigalite
Of great dispce, he fell in pouerte.

Amonge his riotes & surfetes moe than one
Whiche he did in countreis here and there,
I finde that he for nede solde a stone
Which his mother bare whylom at her eare:
For by olde time was vsed who list lere
Women that were that tyme of hye degre
Bare at their eares stones and perre.

And by the sellyng of that rych stone
For whych that he receyued great treasour,
By subtyll workyng & sleightes mo than one
He gate him trendes & was made emperour:
And therewithall he dyd eke his labour
To receyue another dignite,
To be chefe byshop in Rome the cite.

And in short tyme thys Vitellius
Of thempyre toke on him al the state,
The sworde receiued of Cesar Julius,
Vsed a garnement that was purpurate:
Dempt of him selfe he was most fortunate
Not wt stāding more boldely that time atleest
[Page clx]Of Aliensoys holden was the feest.

Aliensoys was a solempnite
Amonge Romaynes kept by dayes olde,
In frēch myne auctour recordeth thus parde:
And in that tyme of custome no man shoulde
Nor by statute bounde was nor holde
To do no maner occupacion
That touched vnto religion.

Duryng this feast he should haue hys askyng
By a custome vsed in that cite,
And Vitellius as emperour and kyng
Asked that time another dignite,
To be chefe byshop and haue auctorite
Of that estate wyth power hole & playne,
No man so hardy to reply theragayne.

From al vertue Vytel dyd vary,
Set at nought al wysdome and science,
Thought vnto him was not necessary
Cōning, knighthode, māhode, nor prouidēce,
Gaue hym onely to slouth and negligence,
To glotony, folowyng his desyres,
Watche alnyght wyth drinke &  [...]eresoupers.

Beyng a byshop of their panym lawe
Lyke romayne ryghtes doynge their seruise,
Tofore the goddes he wold him selfe wtdrawe
And cast asyde senser and sacrifice,
And call a boy in ful vngodly wyse
A kechyn boye tofore the hye auter,
And hym cōmaūded to bryng hym hys dyner.

Beyng arayed in his pontificail
For the maner voyde of deuocion,
Lyke a ribaude or lyke a wode minstral
Euer dronkle we and out of all ceason,
Gorge vpon Gorge this excessyue gloton
Most ydropike dranke oft agayne lust,
The more he dranke the more he was athrust

Thys was a byshop sacred for Sathan,
And an emperour crowned wyth mischaūce,
More lyke in porte a beast than a man
Vsed al his power in slaughter & vengeaūce,
To shed blode was set all hys pleasaunce,
Takynge no hede nouther of wrong ne right
And thus he wexte hatefull to euery wyght.

Hys soudiours forsoke hym nye echone
In al parties, by hym where they were sent,
Through al the countreis of Septemtrion
And in al Surry towarde the orient,
Of one accorde and all of one assent
Echone forsoke hym, wyth him bode not a mā
And became seruauntes to Vaspasian.

Vitellius sawe it wolde be none other,
And for feble of dronknenes and outrage,
And sawe the power gan fayle of hys brother
Whan he had sent and signed the voyage
Agayne Vaspasian to holde hys passage,
But al for nought backward went hys party
Stode dyspayred of euery remedy.

Thus Vitellius vnhappy to the werres,
Lyke a fordronke vnhappy gloton,
Whose bost afore raught vp to the sterres,
Now al hys pryde in mischefe is come doun,
Fayne for to accord to thys conuencion:
For litel treasour whych men shoulde hym as­sygne
To Vaspasian thempyre to resygne.

Thys was his promise but he held it nought,
What he sayd his worde was neuer stable,
Certaine flaterers chaūged had hys thoughte
And certayne comōs that euer be chaūgeable
Gaue him coūsaile, sayd hym selfe was able
To gouerne thestate imperial
And none so able for to reken al.

Fyrst of Almayne he sent out soudiours
And of presumpcion a newe werre he gan,
Thought y• he was amōge other werriours
Able to fight agayne Vaspasian,
And of auenture it befell so than
In these werres Vaspasians brother
Yslayne was it woulde be none other

This froward man called Vitellius
Vngracious euer founde in hys entent,
Smyt of the head of the sayde Fabius
Brother of Vaspasiā and to Rome it sent,
And after that the Capitoyle he brent,
But suynge on within a lytel space
Among Romayns he lost both hap & grace.

Of hys riot what shoulde I more entrete
For except riot nothynge of hym I rede,
His coke, his pastelere, folke were most mete
To serue his lustes and appetites to fede,
Forsoke him not but went wyth hym in dede
Toward Champayne, ryght as any lyne
Vp to a hyll called Auentyne.

Standing in hope but that was but in vayne
Of Vaspasian the fauour to recure,
[Page]Euyn to Rome retourned is agayne,
The palays entred, & there him selfe to assure
Hauyng with him none other creature
The gates shyt whych was to him shame
Take at the last, forsoke hys owne name.

Halfe naked he was and halfe clad
Al alone lyke as he was founde,
So in the citie afore the people lad
Both his handes behynde hys backe bounde
With mighty chaines and ropes rounde:
Lyke a woodeman of loke and of visage,
The people to him hauing this langage.

O thou olde lecherous foule gloton,
A very cowarde, to al vertue contraire,
Cruel, vengeable of thy condicion,
To euery good man cruell aduersayre,
To all cursed benygne and debonayre,
Rote of al surfetes, hauyng aye delyte
To sue and folowe thy lecherous appetite.

With such rebukes & castyng of ordure
With donge & clay blotted was his vysage,
In the presence of many a creature
With cordes drawe he was by great outrage
Vnto a place called in their langage
Their chefe rackes, or galowes of the toun,
Where is of custome done execucion.

Some men remēbre he slayne was in haste
wt sharpe swordes dismēbred on y• grounde,
His carayne after into Tybre caste
With a large hoke of yron sharpe & rounde,
No more reuerence than a stinking hounde:
Remembring here myne auctour saith also
Of this Vitellius Galba and Occho,

Affyrmyng thus as for their partie
They be named among the emperours,
For a time the state did occupie:
And first this Galba by record of auctours
Died at mischefe voide of all socours,
Eyght monethes reigned as lorde & syre,
And after that cast out of his empyre.

The thyrde moneth as made is mencion
Occho died, proude and ambicious,
And as I fynde the dominacion
Last eight monethes of Vitellius,
And for they were proude and lecherous,
Cruel, vengeable, & borne of cursed lyue,
In wretchydnesse echone they did fyne.

The .ix. chapter.

☞ Here Bochas against glottonye complayneth saying as it followeth.

HEre Bochas seing the great offence
Of this foresaid froward company,
Toke his penne of entere diligence
And in his studie gan him selfe apply
To dampne the vice of hatefull glotony,
For which sinne recorde of Adame
All our mischeues and sorowes came.

By the outrage of disobeysaunce
Our said father being in Paradise
Twene him & vertu ther rose a gret distaūce,
Clerely conceiued he that was so wyse
Aboue creatures by reason bare the prise,
Tyll he of foly wrongly gan assent
To be gouerned by a false serpent.

His innate vertues did him anone forsake
For his assenting, & did in haste retourne
Again to heuin whan the infernall snake
In stede of vertue did with man soiourne:
For whiche we haue great matter to mourne
Sithe that we be disfourmed in certaine
By vicious liuing of vertue made barayne.

And thus came in the dominacion
Of vices al, and helde a great battaile,
The retinue sent from the infernall dongeon
Vs woful wretches in erthe for to assaile,
Stretching their power and proudly gan pre­uayle
Through the world & possession toke
For out demerites whan vertue vs forsoke.

These saide vertues comprised in the nombre
Of foure, rekened prudēce, attemperaunce,
From vicious life, tadawed vs fro y• slombre,
Rightwisnesse to haue holde the balaunce,
And fortitude of their aliaunce,
Whan they forsoke mankinde to gouerne
Than of all vertue was clipsed the lanterne.

Thus through derknesse vices were bolde
The multitude almost innumerable,
Among all rekened of newe or olde
There be foure perillous and repreuable,
Slouth, lechery, and most abhomynable
False aurice, by a gredy desyre
With glotony, chefe kyndler of their fyre.

[Page clxi]
Nature in sothe with littel is content,
And as mine auctour abideth here a whyle
And to remembre was somwhat diligent
To write whan Saturne reigned in the yle
Called Crete, the prophetesse Sibyle
In her time by great auctorite
The world deuided prudently in thre.

The .x. Chapiter.

A chapiter discriuinge the golden worlde, that is to saye whan attemperaunce had holy the gouernaunce.

THe world whā Saturne was first kinge
Reigninge in Crete in his Royall estate,
Noe & Abraham by vertuous liuing
Caused erthly folke to be most fortunate,
The world tho daies was called aureate,
For sobrenesse and attempraunce
Had in that worlde holy the gouernaunce.

There was y• time no wronge nor violence
Enuie exiled from euery creature,
Dissolucion and dronken insolence
Rybaudy and al suche foule ordure,
Frowarde surfetes contrary to nature,
Banyshed were bycause attemperaunce
Had in that world holy the gouernaunce.

Youth was bridled vnder discipline,
Vertuous study floured in myddle age,
Drede helde the yarde of norture & doctrine,
Riot restrained from surquedous outrage,
Hatefull detraction repressed his langage,
Kouth was charite bycause attemperaunce
Had in that world holy the gouernaunce.

Fortitude stode tho in his might,
Defended wydowes & cherished chastyte,
Knighthod in prowesse gaue so clere a light
Gyrte with his sworde of trouthe and equire,
Helde vp the church in spiritual dignite,
Punished heritikes, bicause attemperaunce
Had in that worlde holy the gouernaunce.

Rightwisnesse chastised all robbours
By egall balaunce of execucion,
Fraude, false mede, put backwarde fro iu­rours
Trewe promise holde made no delacion.
For swering shamed durst entre in no toun,
Nor lesingmongers, bycause attemperaunce
Had in that worlde holy the gouernaunce,

That golden worlde coude loue god & drede,
All the seuyn dedes of mercy for to vse,
The riche was redy to do almesdede
Who asked harbour men did him nat refuse,
No man of malice would other tho accuse,
Diffame no neighbour bicause attēperaunce
Had in that world holy the gouernaunce.

The true marchaūt by mesure bought & sold
Disceite was none in the artifycer,
Makīg no balkes y• plough was truly hold,
Abacke stode ydelnesse fer fro the laborer,
Discrecion marciall at dyner and souper,
Content with measure, bycause attēperaūce
Had in that worlde holy the gouernaunce.

Of waste in clothing was yt time no excesse,
Men might ye lorde frō his subiectes know,
A difference made twene pouerte & rychesse,
Twene a princesse and other states lowe,
Of horned beastes no boste was tho blowe:
Nor countrefte faining, bicause attēperaūce
Had in that worlde holy the gouernaunce.

This golden worlde long while did endure,
Was none alay in that metal sene,
Tyll Saturne cesed by recorde of scripture
Jupiter reigned, put out his father clene,
Chaunged Obrison in to siluer shene,
All vp so downe bycause attemperaunce
Was set aside and lost her gouernaunce.

Of Martes mineral the metal is so stronge
Inflexible and nat malliable,
By sturdinesse to do the people wronge
With rigorous sword, furious & vengeable,
The merciful golde of Phebus, nat plicable
To haue compassion, bicause attemperaunce
Was set asyde and lost her gouernaunce:

Leed of Philosophers is called gold leprus,
Tyn of Jupiter, crasshing & dull of soun,
False and fugitife is Mercurius,
The mone is mutable of her condicion,
The golden worlde is tourned vp so doun,
In eche estate sithe attemperaunce
Was set aside and lost her gouernaunce.

By Sibyles exposicion
Take of this metall the moralite,
The golden world was gouerned by reson,
The world of yron was furious cruelte
[Page]The mone is mutable full of duplicite,
Lyke to this worlde bicause attemperaunce,
Is set asyde and hath no gouernaunce.

Venus of louers empresse and Quene
Of vicious lustes lady and maystres,
Her mettal coper that wyll ternyshe grene,
A chaungeable colour contrary to sadnesse:
A notable figure of worldly brotylnesse,
Like gery Venus bycause attemperaunce,
Was set aside and lost her gouernaunce.

Myne auctour Bochas gan pitously cōplain
Of the disordynate Cormetous glotony,
Of Vittellius and his felowes twayne
All thre diffouled with horrible lechery
Diffamed by sclaundre for their rybaudry,
Contraryous enemyes echone to atēperaūce,
Banished al thre might haue no gouernance

Of glotonye and ryotous excesse,
Watche and reuell, & drinking all y• night,
Come vncouth feuers & many great accesse,
Mēbres podagre maketh mē go nat right,
Goutes, mormalles, horrible to the sight,
Many infirmitees, bycause attemperaunce
Was nat of coūsel toward their gouernaunce.

Out of their courte banished was prudence,
Fortitude had none enteresse
Gayne vicious liuing to make resystence,
Cried woiues, hid was vertuous sobernes
Trouth durst nat medle backe stod rightwisnesse,
Put out of houshold was attēpraunce
And with these emprours had no gouernaūce.

Sonne of the prophete called zacharye
The patriarke the holy man saynt Ihon
Victorious champion of gredy glotonye,
Lyued in deserte daynties he had none,
Eat mel Siluestre, lay on the colde stone
Locustas gadred, his coke was temperaunce
And of his houshold had al the gouernaunce.

Of camel heares was wouyn his clothyng,
Recorde the gospell that can the trouth tell,
Honysocles his moderate fedyng
Monge wilde beastes whan he did dwell,
To staūche his thurst dranke water of y• wel,
This blessed Baptist rote of attempraunce,
Set for chefe myrrour of good gouernaunce.

Of his diete catour was scarsite,
His costful fode was vertuous abstynence,
Rotes of deserte his delicate plente,
His riche pymentes his ypocras of dispence
Hinge nat in costretes nor botels in the spēce,
Nat excessiue bycause attemperaunce
Had of his housholde holy the gouernaunce.

This Baptist Ihon by his moderate foode
The chefe triūphe of abstinence hath begon,
This patriarke rekened on the goode
Content with littel al suffisaunce hath won,
As Dyogenes in his littell ton
Helde him apayed, bycause attemperaunce
Had of his housholde al the gouernaunce.

His tonne to him was receite & housholde,
And if I should boste of his celere
There were no cuppes of siluer nor golde,
His costful vintage came from the riuere,
Wel timed mesure was for his mouth but­lere,
And his tastour was attemperaunce
Which of his houshold had al ye gouernaūce.

His conquest was more soueraine of degre
Than Alysaunders for al his hie renoune,
For he conquered his sensualite,
Made him subiecte and seruaunte to reason,
Daunted of prudence eche forayne passion,
His clerke of kitchin called attemperaunce
Whiche of his dyete had al the gouernaunce.

Of superfluite, of slouthe, and of slepe
This Diogenes stode euer amonge in drede,
Of worldly fauour he toke no maner kepe,
Straw was his litter, a simple russet wede,
Turned his ton againe the winde in dede:
Twene hote and colde, that attemperaunce
In somer & winter had hole the gouernaūce.

¶ Lenuoy.

NOble princes of prudence take hede
This litell chaptre breuely to com­prehende,
The golden worlde is turned into lede,
Pray to god his grace downe to sende
Of his hie mercy that it may sone amende,
And that this princesse called attēperaunce
May of your houshold haue the gouernaūce.

Chefely for loue and parcel eke for drede
In your estate whan ye be most shynende,
For your encrees & your most gracious spede
To his preceptes do diligently attende,
Of olde emperours rede the legende
Whyle they were ruled by attemperaunce
In longe prosperite stode their gouernaunce.

[Page clxii]
Of worthy kingdoms Rome is called hede
Whose royal boūdes farthest out extende,
In marcyall actes bothe in length & brede
Rem publicam by prowesse to diffende,
No forayne enemy hardy to offende
Their hye noblesse whyle attemperaunce
With her thre susters had the gouernaunce.

The .xi. Chapter.

❧ How the kinrede of Iacob was distroyd, Christe borne and died, Ierusalem distroyed: and .xi. hundred .M. slain by sworde hungre fyre and pestilence.

THe story ended of Vitellius
Of his two feres Galba & Ocho,
How his caraine horrible and hidious
Drowned in Tybre was possed to and fro:
After their story accomplished was and do
Came a great nombre to Bochas as I rede
Echone discended of Iacobes kynrede.

In token of complaint and heuynesse
Like folke dismayed clad in mournīg wede,
For the constraynt of their wretchydnesse
Bespreynt wt teares quaking in their drede,
Knowing no recure in so streight a nede
Resembling folke by tokens full mortall,
That were toward some feast funerall.

Their vgly cheres pytous to beholde
As they gan aproche the presence
Of Ihon Bochas to tell their sorowes olde,
Their woundes bleding by marcial violēce:
Oppressed with hūger thurst & sodē pestilēce,
By forayne sworde their liues manasyng
Vpon the deathe as beastes abyding

That were enclosed narowe in a folde
Dispayred socour to recure,
To passe the boundes for dred they were nat bolde
Within enfamyned, barayne of all pasture,
This wofull storie remembred in scripture
Howe that of Iacob the generacion
Was vengeably brought to distruction.

This patriarke called whilome Israell
Most renomed amonge all nacions,
And most famous the Byble can well tell
Their lyne out rekened through all regions,
By goddes behest toke their possessions,
Maugre Egypciens and Pharaos pride,
Whan Moises by god was made their gide.

With drie fete they passed the Reed see,
Conueyed by Moyses and also by Aaron,
Their lawe was written ye Bible who list se
Vpon Syna in tables of harde stone,
And through deserte as they did gone
With aungels meate called m [...]na as I rede,
Forty wynter there he dyd them fede.

After Moyses led by Josue
In to the lande of Promission,
Twelue lynages of Iacob there parde
He let make a distribucion,
And to eche lyne he gaue his porcion:
By promyse made afore to Abraham
To Isaac & Iacob, whan they thyder came.

By patriarkes and prophetes ye were sad,
Maugre their enemies & their mortall fone,
By mighty dukes and iudges they were lad,
Gate all the regions where they did gone,
Tyll at the last of pride they echone
Lyke other nacions wolde haue a kyng,
Saul was chose god graunted their asking.

Thus by patryarkes and by theyr alyes,
From Abraham the genelogie
Tolde by prophetes & by their prophesies,
Conueyed to Dauid, whiche in his regalye,
Helde of Iewes all hole the monarchye:
Of whose kynrede by processe thus it stode
Was Christ Iesu borne of that roial blode.

Sent frō his father as prophetes determine
Toke fleshe and blode for our saluacion,
By the holy goost borne of a pure virgyne,
Had amonge Iewes great tribulacion,
Vnder Herodes suffred passion,
And as the gospell truely doth discriue,
The third day he rose from death to liue.

This blessed lorde, this lorde of most vertue,
Ende of Decembre borne in Betheleem,
And by the aungell named was Iesu,
Shewed to thre kinges by a sterre beem,
This same Iesus in Ierusalem
By conspyracion of Iewes through enuy,
By Pylate dempt to dye on Caluary.

Thus vnto Iesu, Iewes were vnkynde
For whiche they were distroyed nye echone,
[Page]Christ prophesied the gospel maketh mynde
How of their cite there sholud nat lye a stone
Vpon another for their mortal fone
Should thē besiege he told them so certaine,
And make Ierusalem with ye soile al plaine.

With weping eyen Christ told thē so beforne
Of their ruine and their distruction,
Synne was cause that they were lorue
For they nat knewe to their confusion
Time of their notable vysitacion
Whan Christ came down borne here in erthelowe
For their saluaciō they lyst him nat to know.

Thyrty yeres fully cronyculers write
And somwhat more, after his passion
Amonge the Iewes playnly to endyte,
Within them selfe fyll a diuision,
Murdrers to se vp within their own toun
So great a nombre with many an homicide
That in the cite no man durst well abyde.

Their presidentes reigning in Iude
Seing this horrible foule rebellion,
And of murderers the mortall cruelte
That longe endured in that region,
Which for to appese romains sent doun
Vaspacian, with many a manly knight
Whiche in to Galylee, toke his way right.

And to chastyse tho murderers & robbours
Brent their coūtrey as he rode vp and doun,
So continued with his soudyours
Tyll vnto time the countreys enuyron
Of Ierusalem entred be the toun,
With their oblacions, in many sondry wyse
As Pask [...] required to do their sacrifyse.

Tofore tho dayes was Ierusalem
Had in great worshyp of all nacions,
Called princesse of euery other reem,
Whose fame stretchyd through al regyons,
Their treasour great and their possessions:
Double walled of buylding most notable,
Dreding no enemy for it was impregnable.

Among romayns was many a manly man
Willing echone of one affection,
Through the knighthode of Vaspasian
Echone to labour to the distruction
Of Ierusalem, for great diuision
Amonge them selfe was gon in the cite,
By certaine captains yt were in nombre thre.

Simon Iohn and Eleazarus
Horrible tyrauntes oppressing the porayle,
Of gouernaunce frowarde and outragious
Falsly deuided eche other dyd assayle,
Amonge them selfe had many gret batayle,
Werre without and werre was within
Thus of vengeaunce mischefe dyd begyn.

Vaspasian nat beyng rechelees
For his party lyke a prudent knight
By notable meanes exited them to pees,
But all for nought blent their owne sight,
To chese the best they coude nat se a right:
And in this while this noble werryour
Vaspasian was chosen emperour.

By Alexsaundrie, to Rome he went againe,
Receiued there themperiall dignite,
His son Titus he made his chefe capitaine
His procuratour to gouerne in Iude,
Beset enuyron Ierusalem the cyte,
With men of armes sieged it so about,
That none might entre nor none issue out.

Stopped their cōdutes & their waters clere,
Enfamined them for lacking of vitayle,
A certain woman thus saith the croniculere
Rosted her childe whan vitaile did fayle,
She had of store none other apparayle:
Theron by layser her selfe she dyd fede
Which in a woman was to horryble a dede.

Their mighty walles with gons cast downe
Two stronge towres take of their cite,
Resistence gan fayle in the towne,
They stode of hungre in such perplexyte:
Tytus of knighthode and magnanimite
Throughout the toure called Antonian
Is entred in like a knightly man.

The people in streates lay for hunger dead
To bye nor sel no lyfelode in the town,
There was no succour of drinke nor breed
In paine of death borne nouther vp ne doun,
Vomyte of one was the refection
Vnto another, there was such scarcite
Who redeth Iosephus the trouth he may se.

Brent was the temple made by Salomon,
Which had endured (thus writ ye crōyculere)
That was so royal buylt of ryche stone
Fully a thousande & two hundred yere,
Romains entred maugre their portere,
With speare, pollax, & sworde sharpe whet,
Lyke wode lions slewe whom they met.

[Page clxiii]
Their riche gates couered with plate of gold
Were brent and molten without excepciou,
The siluet ymages y• forged were o [...] gold,
The vyolent fyre made them renne  [...]oun:
Noble Tytus had compassiou,
His marciall dukes spated nothing certain,
Lest of presumpcion they wolde rebel again.

A leuen hūdred thousande were there staine,
By sworde, by hungre, by fyre, & pestilence,
Stynke of carayns y• in the str [...]s layne
Caused of deathe most sodayne vyolence,
And Titus gaue among them this sentence:
I meane of them that dyd aliue dwell,
For a penny men shoulde thurty sell.

So as Iudas solde Christ for thurty pence,
Titus againe thought of equyce
Of marchaundyse to make recompence,
Thurty Iewes founde in the cyte
For a penny and for nomore parde
They to be solde, for theyr great outrage
Euer amonge Sarazyns to liue in seruage.

Of the temple a priest that was full olde
Two stately lantarnes y• were bright & shene
Tables, basyns, violes of bright golde
He presented, and thus he dyd mene,
That their treasure should wele be sene
Of the temple, and shewed to Titus
In token it was whilom so glorious.

To shewe eke there he did his busy cure
Silke, sinamone, & frankencens withall,
For sacrifise, the purpurate vesture,
With Vrimthumun, the ryche pectorall,
Whiche ordained were in especiall
For the solempne place of places all
Sancta sanctorum, and so men dyd it call

Of the cite a prince called Ihon
To Titus came and shewed his presence,
Pale for hunger there came also Symon,
Brought by a duke yt named was Terence,
Clad in purple brought by violence:
Receiued of Titus whan this noble town
Castels towres & walles were smyt downe.

In to a castell called Mazadan
Eleazarus had take his flight,
Belieged of Scilla, or he the castell wan
This Eleazar like a furious knight
Within the castel the selfe same nyght
Styred euery man, father, childe, & brother
With sharpe swordes erche man to sle other.

Thus was this cite most stately of bilding
That whilom was of this worlde chefe toun
Where Melch y [...]der reigned preest & kyng,
By dayes olde as made is mencion,
Restored by Dauid, builded newe of Salo­mon
Princesse of proninces, was no wher such a­nother
Now is it ahiect & refuse of al other.

Vnto the Iewes Christ Iesu ga [...]e respite
Full thurty yere, or he toke veingeaunce,
In token the lord hath ioye & great delite
Whan that sinners dispose them to penaūce,
By contricion and vertely repentaunce,
This blessed lorde this king most merciable
Lengest abideth or he lyst be vengeable.

He was to them so gracious and benygne.
Bade that they shoulde to him conuert sone,
Shewed vnto them many an vncouth signe
During twelue daies eclipsed was y• mosis:
The people atones knew nat what to done,
But indurate in their froward entent
Like folke abashed wyst nat what it ment.

Afore the siege or Titus gan the werre
Ouer the cite (wherof they wext aferde)
There appered a comete and a sterre,
The sterre was shape like a sharpe swerde,
Touching the comet there was neuer herde
Of such another so firy bright and clere,
Which endured the space of al th [...] yere.

Their festiual day halowed in Apryl,
Their priestes busy to make oblacion,
So great a light in the temple fyll
That al the people standing enuyron,
Thought it so bright in their inspection
Passing the sonne as it did seme,
But what it ment no man coude deme.

As the preestes dyd their busy cure
To offre a calfe anone or they toke hede,
The same calfe a thing agayne nature
Brought forth a lambe ye same time I rede:
An vgly token which put them in gret drede,
A contrary pronosticacion
Shewed vnto them of their subuersion.

With other tokens frowarde and contrarye
The same time were shewed euer amonge,
The brasen dores of the inwarde sentwarye
With yron barres shit that wer most strong,
[Page]Brode of entayle rounde and wondre longe,
That might nat meue wt .xxx. mennes might,
Opened by them selfe twyse on a night.

There were sene also chares in the eyre,
Men of armes with bright swordes clere,
Of plate and maile the armure was so faire
Bright as Phebus where it did appere▪
And as the storie also doth vs lere
With their sheltrons and their apparayle,
A profer made their cyte for tassayle.

To the Iewes it dyd sygnifye
A pronostyke of theyr distruction,
Preestes to the temple as they dyd hie
Vpon a night to do oblacion
Amid the temple was herde a dredfull foun,
Of which noyse this was y• dredeful ende,
Ryse vp echone and let vs hence wende.

And ful four yere tofore the siege gan
One Ananias yonge and tendre of age
Of his byrthe, sonne of a rude man,
By disposicion dul of his corage,
Lyke as he had fall in a rage
Ran in the cite by a maner frensye,
Spared nat with open mouthe to crye.

Vnto this noyse was made none obstacle
But obstinat euer to his entent,
Day of the feest holde in the tabernacle
A voice (quod he) out of the orient
Voice fro the southe, fro northe, & occident,
Voice fro y• four wyndes y• blow so wyde
Voice again Ierusalē crieth on euery syde.

Voice againe the tēple agayn y• people also,
Voice againe husbādes, voice againe wiues,
Wo to Ierusalem, with a treble wo,
Of hungre, thurst, & lesing of their  [...]iues,
Of sworde and fyre & many sodayn striues:
This was the wretched lamentacion
Which Ananie cried through the toun.

Beaten he was for his affray ful ofte,
Whipped, scourged, endlonge & vpright,
Al were it so be felte it ful vnsofte
Was by  [...]eating made faint & feble of might,
He stynt nat to crie so day and night:
A pronostike shewing to the cite,
Howe ryght sone it shoulde distroyed be.

By rehersayle also of Carnotence
With that cite for sinne it stode so tho,
That if Romains by marciall vyolence
Had nat come and done them all this wo,
The erthe should haue opened and vndo:
Deuoured the people voyde of al refuge,
Or drowned ye toun by some sodayne deluge.

Breuely to passe this vengeāce most terryble
Done vpon Iewes for their transgression,
For their demerites ye punishing most horry­ble
Of Ierusalem fynall subuersion,
Of the temple, the tabernacle, and the toun,
In Iosephus who lyst se al the dede,
De Bello Iudaico y• surplus he may rede.

☞ Thus endeth the seuenth boke and here after foloweth the prologue of the eyght.

[Page i]

¶ The Prologue of the eyght Booke.

BOchas maketh here an exclamacion
Agayn the iewes great vnkyndnesse,
Brought bi the romains, their cite adoun
Lyke as the story dyd here tofore expresse,
They disparcled to liue in wretchednesse,
By gods hand punished for theyr outrage,
For euer to liue in tribute and seruage.

Folowyng myne auctor, I cast for to touch
So as I can rehersyng the manere,
Howe Iohn Bochas lying on his couche,
Spake to himselfe, sayd as ye shall here:
Why arte thou so dul of loke and chere?
Lyke a man thy face beareth wytnesse,
That him disposeth to lyue in ydlenesse.

Certes quod Iohn I take right good kepe,
Of muche trauayle that the outrage
Hath by longe slombre caste me in a slepe:
My lymmes feble, croked, and faynt for age,
Caste in a drede for dulnesse of corage:
For to presume vpon me to take,
Of the eyght boke an end for to make.

Thou wenyst perauenture in thine opinyon
By this labour to get the a name,
For to reherce the sodain falling doun,
And by some newe processe for to attame,
Of princes sitting hie in the house of fame,
In diuers bokes where thou dost them fynd,
Perpetually to put thy name in minde.

Thy dayes short put the in great drede,
Of suche a labour to take the passage:
The more feble the flower is the spede
Thy sight darked, and thou arte fal in age.
Among remembring thinke on this langage
Whan men be buryed low in the earth doun,
Saue of good liuing, farewell all guerdon.

Worldlye goodes shall passe right sone,
Tresour, connyng, and al shal out of mynde:
Frendship chasigeth, as doth y• cloudy mone,
At a strayte nede fewe frendes men do finde.
But a good name, whan it is left behind,
Passeth all ryches, if it be well deserued,
And al golde, in cofer locked and conserued.

Of thy labour the fame shall were derke,
Beware Bochas, and herof take good hede:
Slouth snake to me, and bad me leue warke,
For smal reward y• shalt haue for thy mede.
As by ensample, thou mayste of other rede,
This was the langage, I had therof routhe,
Atwene Iohn Bochas & this ladye Slouthe.

Bochas astonied gan down his heed decline,
Vpon his pillowe hanging in a traunce,
Stode in gret doute, coude not determyne
Lyke a man hangynge in balauuce,
To what partye he shulde hys pen auaunce:
To procede as he vndertoke,
Or leue the labour of his eyght boke.

Atwene twayne abyding thus a while,
What was to do in doute he gan to flete:
Halfe within and half ouer the stile,
Coude not discerne to him what was moste mete▪
Tyll Fraunces Petrark▪ the laureate poete,
Crowned wyth laurer, Grace was his gide,
Came and set him downe by his beddes side.

And as Bochas out of hys slombre abrayde,
And gan adawen somwhat of hys chere,
And sawe Petrarke, lowly to him he sayd:
Welcome mayster crowned wyth laurere,
whiche haue Itayle, lyke a sonne clere,
with poetry plainly to discriue,
Most soueraynly enlumined by your liue.

I haue desyred as it is well couthe,
Of rightfull herte by humble attendaunce,
To do you worship fro my tendre youth,
And so shall I euer voyde of all varyaunce,
Duryng my lyfe: for trewly in substaunce,
Ye haue ben lanterne lyght and dyrection,
Aye to support myne occupation.

As in wrytyng bokes to compyle,
Chefe ensample to my great auauntage:
To refourme the rudenes of my stile,
with aureat colours of your fresshe langage.
But nowe for dulled by impotence of age,
Of Deccepitus marked with many a signe,
My labour vp of writing I resigne.

I cast me not forthe to procede,
Stande at a bay fordriuen for werynes,
Quod Fra. Petrark lese not thus thy mede,
Yeue me no cause to report nor expresse,
In thy last age, thou hast found a maistres,
which the bridled in soth & that is routhe,
And holdeth thyrein and she is called slouth.

An euident token of frowarde slogardye,
Vpon thy bed thy limmes so to dresse,
Ryse vp for shame, for I can well espy,
Folke that can grone and fele no sycknesse,
Their chamberlayne is called ydlenes:
which layth thy pyllow at  [...]ue and morrowe,
Voyd her from the and let her go with forow.

To all vertue froward and contrary
Is ydlenesse, here in this present life:
which hath the draw away fro thy lybrarye,
[Page]Wyll the not suffer to be contemplatyf [...].
For her condycion is to holde stryfe,
With euery vertuous occupacion,
which men shuld voyde of wysdom and resō.

In this mater what shuld I long tary?
Thyslombre leaue and vp thine eine dresse,
The boke I made of life solytarye,
Remembre theron, the which in sykernes,
Teacheth the way of vertuous busynes:
By and by, who list rede euery lyne
Of contemplacion moral and diuyne.

As I sayd erst yet lyft vp thy loke,
Forsake thy bed, ryse vp anone for shame,
Woldest y• rest nowe vpon thy seuenth boke?
And leaue the eight, in soth thou art to blame:
Procede forth and get thy self a name.
And with one thyng do thy self comforte,
As thou deseruest, men after shal reporte,

Make a comparison twene derknes & lyght,
Twene ydlenes and occupacion,
Twene fayre dayes and the cloudy nighte:
Twene a cowards prowesse and hye renoun,
Twene vertuous speche & false detraction,
And to conclude all vices to represse,
Contrary to slouthe, is vertuous busynesse.

Vertuous busines (O Bochas take hede,
Reneweth all thynges of olde antiquite:
Maketh men to lyue after they be dead,
Remember the nobles of many a great citye:
And ne were writers al were gone parde,
Wherfore Bochas syth y• art nere the lande,
Suffre not thy shyp to stomble on the sande.

I meane as thus the shyp of thy trauayle,
Which hath passed the se of bokes seuen,
Cast not ankre tyll thou haue good  [...]ayle,
Let no tempest of thundre nor of  [...]eum
Nor no wyndes of the cloudye heuen
Nor no fals  [...]āglers of demers the will bliue,
Depraue thy laboure and let thy ship to ariue.

Haste on thy way let grace crosse thy sayl,
Fall on no lande of wilful neglygence:
Let good wyll be chefe of thy counsayle,
To gye thy rother set entyre diligence.
If vitayle  [...]ayle and wine to thy dispence,
yet at the last thynke forth y• socour
Some royal prince shal quite the thy labour.

Thinke by writing auctors did theyr payne
To yeue princes theyr commendations,
To Remu [...] & Romulus called foūders twain
Of Rome towne, and of two Scipions,
The kinghthode, Prudence of two Catons,
Of Iulius, Pompey, and Hanybal eke also,
By ensample of whome, loke that thou do so.

Of Prophetes they wrote the prophesies,
And the noblesse of olde Moyses:
Of poetes the laure at poesies,
The force of Sāpson, y• strength of Hercules
Of two grekes Pyrrus and Achylles,
By their wryting bokes say the same,
Vnto this day, yet endureth the name.

And he that can, and ceaseth for to wryte
Notable ensamples of our predecessours,
Of enuye men wyll him atwite,
That he in gardayns let peryshe the holsome floures.
In sondry wyse that might do great socours,
Labour for other and spare not thy trauayle,
For vertuous labor agayn slouth doth auaile▪

A thing remembred of antiquite,
Is whan there is set a fayre ymage
Of a prince, of hye or lowe degre,
Or of a person a prynte of his visage,
Gladdeth his frende quicketh his corage,
And semblably by example men may fynde,
Things forgotten by writing come to minde▪

And for to make our names perdurable,
And our merites to put in memory,
Vices to eschewe in vertue to be stable,
That labour may of slouth haue the victorye,
To clayme a see in the heuenly consistory,
Dispyte of ydlenes and forthering of vertue,
Fyne of our labour be yeue to Christ Iesu.

Whan Petrark had reherced this lesson.
In rebuking of vicious ydelnes,
Bochas supprised and moued of reason,
Rose from his couche, and gan his pen dresse:
well ouercame the impotent feblenes
Of croked age, that Bochas vndertoke
For to accomplyshe vp his eight boke.

I following after for dulled for rudenesse,
More than thre score yeres set my date:
Luste of youthe passed his freshnes,
Colours of rethorike to helpe me translate,
were faded away, I was borne in Lydgate,
Wher Bacchus lycour doth full scarsly flete,
My drye foule for to dewe and we [...]e.

Though passed age hath fordulled me,
Tremblynge ioyntes let my hande to wryte.
And fro me take all the subtylte
Of curious makyng, in englyshe to endyte,
yet in this labour truelyme to acquite,
I shal procede as it is to me due,
In these two bokes Bochas for to sue.

FINIS.

[Page ii]

¶ The firste Chapter.

¶ Howe the proude tiraunte Domician Emperoure of Rome, and manye other Emperoures and Nobles, for their outrages and wretchednes, mischeuouslye ended.

BBrother to Titus sonne of Vaspacian,
Came next iordre as writeth mine autour
The proude ambicious called Domician,
That was in Rome crowned Emperour:
An extorcioner, and a false pillour,
Proudly cōmaunded (in his estate vp stalled)
Of all the worlde he shulde a God be called.

Thrugh hye presūpcion of him it is eke tolde,
Nether of tymber koruin, nor of stone,
Set vp images of syluer and of golde,
In token there was no God but he alone:
In to Pathmos he exyled eke saynt Iohn,
And agayne cristen the seconde next Neron,
That began first the persecucion.

This same tyraunt, reignyng in his estate,
To all the citye was passinge odyous:
Best and most worthy he s [...]ewe of the senate,
And vnto all that were vertuous
Mortall enemy, and moste malicious.
And for slaughter of senatours in the toune,
Asked the triumph as made is mencyon.

Made amonge iewes, by ful great outrage,
where as he had greatest suspicion
To slee al tho that were of the lynage,
Of Dauids kinred, and of kinge Salomon,
Least he were put out of dominacion:
Amonge iewes this was hys meanynge,
Slewe all tho that was borne to be kyng.

Amyd the palays as God wolde of right
Punysh a tyraunt and quite him hys mede,
This Domician was slayne vpon a nyght:
His caraine after vnburyed as Irede.
And Comodus doth after him succede,
whiche was all yeue by fleshly appetite,
To leaue all vertue, and folowe his delyte.

Theatre playes of custome he did vse
As was the custome there and the vsage,
His life in vices he falslye did abuse,
In lecherous lustes spent al hys yonge age:
To the romaynes did ful great domage,
For of the senate that were moste vertuous,
were falslye slayne by this Comodus.

In his time by stroke of thunder dente,
And firye lightning y• came down fro heuen,
The common lybrary was of the cyte brente,
Wyth royall bokes of all the craftes seuen,
Bokes of poetes mo then I can neuyn:
And Comodus breuely to termyne,
was slayn and strangled by hys concubyne.

Helinus Pertynax came nexte on the ringe,
Ordained after Emperour of that toun,
Olde, and vnweldy,  [...]lame in his ginning:
After whom the boke maketh mencion
By no title of succession
But an intrusour one called Iulyan,
The state vsurping to reigne there began.

But of the noble lynage Affrican,
Borne in Tripolis a mighty great citye,
One Seuerus that was a knightly man,
Gadred of romayns a wondre great meyne:
Bothe made stronge, Iulian met and he
At Pont miluin a citie of Itayle,
And there was Iulyan slaine in batayl:

Seuerus after entred the empyre,
And toke vpon him the dominacion:
Vpon cristen of malice set a fyre,
Began againe them a persecucion,
Of tyrannye and false ambicion.
But one of Egipt called Poscennius
Againe Seuerus gan to worke thus.

Gadred meyny Seuerus for to assaile,
In purpose fully and theron did hys payne,
First with him to haue a great batayle,
Next of thempyre the crowne for to attayne:
But ye shal heare what fel on these twayne:
On Poscennius fill the discomfiture,
And Seuerus thempyre dothe recure.

In his purpose or he might auaile,
with one Albinus that was a manly knyght,
He had in Gaule a full great batayle,
Full great bloudshed in that mortall fyght:
Albinus slaine of very force and myght,
Seuerus after entred in Bretayne,
Caught sicknes and died of the paine.

After Seuerus next came Antonine,
Of whom the frowarde disposicion
As all auctours of him determine
His busines and occupacion
Set holy in fleshly dilectacion
So false a lust his corage did assayle
[Page]Amonge Parthois flayne in batayle

Macrinus after tofore Bochas came down,
Whylom a prefecte in Rome the cyte
Of the pretoyr, and by inuasion
Came to the imperiall famous dignitye,
Occupyed a yere sate in hys imperyal se,
Tyl fortune lyst hym so disgrade,
Amonge his knightes flayne at Archelade.

Next came Aurelius surnamed Antonyne,
A great rybaude passyng lecherous.
Yet was he byshop as auctoures determine,
In the temple of Heliogabalus:
And in his time was one Sabellius
A false heretike, of whom gan the names,
Of a secte called Sabellianes.

This said Aurelius againe all nature,
Of false presumpcion in bokes it is told,
Wolde not purge his wombe by nature,
But in vessels that were made of golde:
And in dispyte, whan that he was old.
Slaine of his knightes and not after longe,
His carayne was thrown in a gonge.

After this proude foresayde Antonine
In to thempyre by iust election,
Of senatours as bokes determyne,
Came Aurelius and for his hye renoune
Surnamed Alisaunder, as made is menciō:
Fought with Perciens like a manly knight,
And there king Xerxes was put vnto flyght.

This Aurelius this proud knyghtly man,
Whan he sate iudge in the consistory.
There sate one with him called Vlpian,
A great ciuilian, notable of memory:
Of whome it is to his encreace of glory,
Reported thus by great auctorite,
He of digestes made bokes thre.

Full piteously this emperoure lost his lyfe,
Casuelly as made is mencion,
Among his knightes by a sodayne strife,
Where he was slaine in that discencion:
After whose ende for short conclusion
Tofore Bochas the boke wel tel can
Came Maximinus and with him Gordyan

Maximinus the cronicle both expres,
Chose of his knightes and his soudiours,
For his victorious marcyall hye prowesse,
Done in Almayne, and amonge Emperours
Set vp in Rome maugre the senatours:
After strong enmy as mine autoure sayth
With all his power vnto cristen fayth

He was enemy his life who list to sene
To cristen clerkes of auctorite,
And specially to olde Origene
But in his moste furious cruelte,
In Aquyleya a mighty stronge countre,
Of a prefecte called Pupien he was slaine
Of whose dethe cristen men were full fayne.

Next by the senate chosen was Gordyan,
First agaynste Parthois he cast hi to werrey,
Of Ianus temple (whan the werre began)
He made the gates be opened wyth the keye:
Whiche was a token as old e bokes seye,
Tho gates opened to folkes nye and ferre,
That wt their fone y• romayns wold werre.

With Parthois first this said Gordian
To holde werre fast he gan him spede,
And vpon them alway the felde he wan:
After he sped him in to Perce and Mede,
Alwaye victorious in batayle as I rede,
Vpon Eufrates slayne as I fynde,
By false treason y• cronicle maketh mynde.

Next in ordre came Philip by his name,
His sonne eke Philip came with him also,
Myn auctour Bochas reherceth y• same:
The father, the sonne, baptised bothe two.
Right sad and wyse in that they had to do,
And were the first cristen of echone,
Emperors rekened, for ther tofore was none

By Poncius the martyr as I rede,
In Meya a famous great cyte,
They were baptysed, & afterwarde in dede
Slayne in batayle for they lyst not fle:
Tofore their dethe bothe of assent parde,
Their treasour hole that were imperiall,
To christes church I fynde they gaue it all

The Bishop Sixtus toke possession,
Vertuously assigned it to Laurence,
Therof to make distribucion
To poore folke in their indigence:
For whiche dede by cruell violence,
The tyraūt Decius agayn thē toke a stryfe,
Caused holy Laurēce by brēning lose his life

This same Decius cursed and cruell,
Caused y• slaughter of these Philips twayn:
And for he was subtell, false, and fell,
[Page iii]By sleight & falshed he dyd hys busy paine,
To the empyre by force for to attayne:
The seuenth tyraunt, by persecucion
which agayn christen folk toke first occasion.

Myne auctour writeth time of this Deciue,
The holy Hermyte example of perfytenesse,
By dayes old called Antonyus,
Liued in deserte ferre out in wildernes:
As an Hermyte dispysing al ryches,
Lyued by frute and rotes as men tell,
And of perfection dranke water of the well.

Vpon Decius for his cursednes
Again christen which gaue so hard sentence,
Thrugh Rome & Itayle myne auctor bereth witnesse,
In euery cyte was grete pestilēce:
That by the sodaine deadly violence
The hertes of men dependinge in a traunce,
To saue their liues coude no cheuisaunce.

Of this mater write nomorc I can,
To this emperour I wyll resorte agayne,
Speke of Gallus and Volucian,
That busy were their laboure was in vaine,
Their time short as some bokes saine,
For Martyn writeth an olde cronyculere,
In thempyre they reigned but two yere.

But bothe were slayne by the procuring,
And by the purchace of one Emelyan,
A romayne knight whiche by slye workinge,
To occupye thempyre tho began:
By tyrannye the Lordshyp there he wan.
Whose lordship for hap and lacke of grace,
No lenger last then two monthes space.

This lytell chapter as tofore is sene,
Reherced hath and tolde in wordes playne,
Of emperours almost full fourtene,
And of all were good none but twayne:
whiche to reherce I haue do my paine,
And to procede further as I began,
I must wryte of one Valeryan.

HIs sonne and he called Galiene
To all christen bare great enmyte.
Slew al tho their legend men mai sene,
That serued Christ in trouth and equytie:
whose persecusion and hateful crueite
Abated was, as I can well reherce,
By one Sapor that was kyng of Perce.

By force of armes Sapor this mighty king,
Gan in Asia and with his host came doun,
By tygre, Eufrates, & knightly so rydyng
Towarde the partyes of Septemtryo [...] ▪
To Caucasus not ferre fro Babylon
And all Surrye he proudlye dyd assayle,
And Capadoce he wan eke by batayle.

Whom for to mete came Vale rian,
To Mesopotayme with many legions:
The werre was strōg, but this knightly man
This hardy Sapor with his champions
The felde hath wonne with all the legions
Afore reherced, and through Perce he lad
Valerian boūde with chaynes roūd and sad.

He was by Sapor maugre hys vysage▪
This Valeriā so straytly brought to wrake,
Lyke a prisoner bounde to seruage,
By obeysaunce that founde were no lacke,
To knele on foure and profre his backe,
Vnto Sapor whan hym list to ride,
Therby to mounte for al his great pryde

This was the offyce of Valerian
By seruitude duryng many a yere,
Wherfore he was called of many a man,
The assendyng stocke in to the sadyll nere:
Whiche is in frenche called a mountuere,
This was his office to bowe doun his corse,
Whan y• king Sapor shulde light on horse.

This is the guerdon & fauour of fortune,
Her olde maner to princes and to kynges,
Her double custome vsed in commune,
By sodayne chaunge of all worldly thynges:
After triumphes and their vprisinges,
What foloweth after here well tell I can,
I take recorde of Valeryan.

Thys Lady fortune the blynde fell goddes
To Valerian shewed herselfe vnstable,
Taught him a lesson of the doublenes,
To kyng Sapor she was fauourable,
But yet he was to cruell and vengeable.
Wyth his fete deuoyde of all fauoure,
To foyle the backe of an emperour.

Of olde it hathe be songe and cried loude,
Recorde on Cyrus, and many other mo,
Kinges of Perce of custome haue be proude,
After punyshed and chastised eke also,
Princes of mercy shulde take hede therto.
After victory in their estate notable,
To their prisoners for to be merciable,

[Page]
Myne autor Bochas in this mater tel can,
Rebuke tyrauntes that were by dayes old,
Turneth his side speketh to Valerian,
Where be thy rubies & saphires set in golde?
Theryche peerles and rynges manifolde?
That y• were wont to weare vpon thy hōds?
Now as a wretch art boūd in forayn bondes.

where thou were wonte of furyous crueltie,
Clad in purple within Rome toune,
To Christ contrary in thyne imperyall se,
Gaue dome on martyrs to suffre passion:
Nowe lyest thou bound fettred in preson,
To kyng Sapor constrayned to enclyne,
whan he lyst ryde bothe necke and chine.

Thus art thou fall in thine imperial stage,
Thinke on fortune & haue her in memory,
She hath the cast in thraldom and seruage:
And eclypsed all thine olde glory.
where thou sate whilom in the consistorye
As an emperour and a mighty iudge,
Lyest bound in chayns & knowest no refuge.

It is fall ferre out of thy mynde
The knightly dede of worthy  [...]ublyus,
Of Rome a captayne ordayned as I finde,
To fyght agayne Aristomachus,
Kyng of Asye, of fortune it fell thus:
whan the romayns dyd the felde forsake,
This Publius amonge his fone was take.

This noble prince standing in dredeful cace,
His lyfe & worshyp dependyng atwen twayn,
In his hande holding a sturdy mace,
Smyt out one of his eyen twayne,
Of him that led him, that other for the payne
That he felte and the great smerte,
Toke a dagger & roue Publyus to the herte.

which loued more his worship thā his lyfe,
Chase rather to dye than liue in seruage,
This conceite he had in his imaginatife,
And considred sythe he was in age,
To saue his honoure it was more auaūtage,
So to be slayne his worshyp to conserue,
Than lyke a beast in prison for to sterue.

Fortune his chaptre of him it was not rad,
As Valerius maketh mencion,
After whose conceyte no man in vertue sad
Shulde not longe languy she in prison:
But rather chose lyke his opinion
Of manly force and knightly excellence,
The dethe endure of longe abstynence.

As whylom dyd the princesse Agripine,
whan she in prison lay fettred and bound,
Of her fre choyce she felt great pyne,
Of hungre and thurst in story it is found:
That she lay pale & grofe vpon the grounde.
Maugre Tibery and let her gost so wende,
Out of her bodye this was her fatall ende.

Thou stode ferre of all suche fantasy,
I speke of the (O thou Valerian)
Thy cruell herte of false malencolye,
Made whylom dye many a christen man
And martyr, syth Christes faythe began:
Which for mankynde dyed vpon the Rode
There for tacquyte hym lyste shed hys blode.

Agayne his lawe thou were impacient,
And importune by persecucion,
Thou dydest fauour & suffre in thine entent▪
That Egipciens dyd their oblacion,
Their sacryfices and ryte vp so doun,
Vnto ydols of frowarde wylfulnesse,
That was of Egipt called chefe goddesse.

Fauourable thou were in thy desire,
To suffre Iewes their sabote to obserue:
And Caldeis to worshyp the fyre,
And folke of Crete Saturne to serue,
And cristen men thou madest falsly sterue
Of whose lawe for thou dyd not retche,
Thou died in presō at mischefe like a wretch.

The .ii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Gallyen sonne of Valerian was slayne.

NExt in ordre to Bochas tho cāe doun,
Sonne of Valerian one called Gallien
But for great horrible effusion
Of christen bloud that men might sene,
Shed by Valerian, God wold it shulde bene
Shewed openly to romains by vengaunce,
Of manye a countre sodaine dis obeysaunce.

They of Almayne the Alpes dyd pace,
Vnto Rauenne a cite of Itaile,
Gothes also proude of chere and face,
Had agayne grekes many a great batayle:
And they of Hūgry armed in plate & mayle,
wyth them of Denmarke furious and cruell,
Agayne romayns wexte of assent rebell.

[Page iiii]
To whose domage in this meane whyle,
Amonge romayns, it is befall thus:
wofull werres whiche called bene ciuile,
Gan in the cyte cruell and dispiteous.
First whan they met was slayne Gemyus
which first toke on him in bokes as I rede
Of hye corage to we are purple wede.

One Posthumus a mighty strong romayne,
Kept all Gaule vnder subiection
To their auayle, after vnwarly slaine,
Among his knightes for al his hye renoun,
By a sodayne vncouthe discencion:
Next Victoryne hauing the gouernaunce,
Of al Gaule was first slayne in Fraunce.

But Gallien of whom I spake toforne,
Sonne and heyre to Valerian,
His Domination of purpose he hath lorne
In Republica whan he began,
Lyke a contrarious and a frowarde man,
wext lecherous and obstinate of liuinge,
At mischefe slayne▪ this was hys endynge.

The .iii. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Quintilius was murdred by women.

NExt Gallien came one Quintilius,
A man remembred of great attēperaūce
Brother of byrth to great Glaudius,
wise and discrete in al hys gouernaunce.
who may of fortune eschue the chaunce?
To wryte his ende shortlye in a clause
Of women murdred I can not say the cause.

The .iiii. Chapiter.

Of Aurielan in Denmarke borne.

OF Denmarke born next came Aurelian,
A worthy knight his enemies to assaile:
Again Gothes a great warre he began,
Gate victory in many stronge batayle.
whose noble conquest greatly dyd auayle
To comon profyt, for al his worke parde,
was to the encreace of Rome the cyte.

He recured all the Septemtrion,
And west warde had many a great victory:
Amonge other I fynde that he was one,
Asked the triumphe to be put in memorye.
But there was a thing eclipsed his glorye.
which did y• light of his knightho [...] withdraw,
For he was enemy to Christ and to hys lawe,
Of him Bochas lyst no more to wryte,
But in his boke go forthe as he began,
Of one remēbring that called was Tacyte
whych was successour to Aurelian,
And after him suceeded Folorian
Of which twayne no remembraūce I fynde
That is notable to put in mynde.

The .v. Chapter.

Howe Probus discomfited romayns and after was flayne.

Probus after raygned full seuen yere
And four monthes, which by his hye renoun,
Gain went Saturninus wt a knightli chere,
Brought him proudly to subiection,
Not withstandyng that he in Rome toun
Toke vpon hym of wylfull tyranny,
Holy thempyre for to rule and gye.

Besyde the cyte called Agrypyne.
This sayd Probus gayne many romayne,
A batayle had, lyst not to declyne:
Met Portulus a mighty stronge captayne
Wyth one Bonosus & both they were slaine,
And all their meyny of very force and might,
Slaynm y• felde the remnaūt put to slyghte.

After this batayle and this discomfyture,
Probus was lodgedi Smyrmie a gret cyte,
And there vnwarely of sodayne auenture,
Slayne in a tour that called was Ferre,
But a small season last his prosperite.
Siche is fortune let no man in her trust;
All worldly thynges chaungyng as she lust.

The .vi. Chapter.

¶ Howe Carus and his two sonnes were mischeued.

TOfore Bochas Carus next came doun,
with his two sonnes Numeria & Carine
And as I find he was borne in Narbon:
But whan that he most clerely dyd shyne,
By his knighthode, plainly to termine,
In his empyre he gate cyties twayne,
Chole & Thessiphontin Parthia wt gret pay­ne

Besyde Tygre a famous swyfte ryuere
He pight his tentes, cast him there abide:
A sodayne lightning his face came so nere,
Smyt all to pouder for all his great pryde,
And Numerian that stode by hys syde,
Had a marke that was sent fro heuyn,
Lost bothe his eyen, with the firy leuyn.

[Page]
His other sonne Carinus a good knight,
In Dalmacia had all the gouernaunce:
And for that he gouerned not a righte,
He was cast downe & lost all his puissaunce,
Vicious lyfe cometh alway to mischaunce.
Sepcius chose Dalmacia for to gye,
Amonge his knightes murdred of enuy.

The vii. Chapter.

¶ How the hardy Quene zenobia fought with Aurelian, and was take

MIne auctor here no lēger lyst soiourne,
Of these ēperours y• falles for to write,
But in al haste he doth his stile tourne,
To zenobya hir story to endyte:
But for Chaucer dyd him so well acquite
In his tragedyes her pyteous fal to entreat,
I wyll passe ouer rehersyng but the great.

In his bokes of Caunterbury tales
This souerayne poete of Brutes Albyon,
Thrugh pilgrimes tolde by hilles and vales,
where, of zenobya is made mencion,
Of her noblesse and her hye renoun,
In a tragedye compendyouslye tolde al,
Her marcial prowesse, and her pyteous fall.

Mine auctour first affyrmeth howe that she,
Discended was to tell of herlynage,
Borne of the stocke of worthye Tholome,
Kyng of Egypt, full notable in that age:
And this zenobya experte in all langage,
wyse of counsayle and of great prudence,
Passed all other in fame of eloquence.

Amonge she was armed in plate & mayle,
Of Palmyrences wedded to the kyng,
Called Odenatus prudent in batayle
She was also by recorde of writyng.
Hardy and stronge her lordship defendinge,
Maugre al tho with her cheualry,
Agaynst all them that wrongly toke party.

By Odenatus she had sonnes twayne
Heremanus called was that one,
And Tymolaus of beautye souerayne,
After whose byrthe their father gan anone
To occupy the prouynces euerychone
Of Perce & Mede, by proces made thē  [...]ene.
Of zenobya the hardy wyse Quene

whyle Odenatus wext glorious
In his conquest thrughout Perce & Mede,
Slayne he was by one Mionius,
Whiche to the kyng was cosyn as I rede:
But for bycause of this horrible dede,
And for the murdre of king Odenate,
He dyed at mischefe, and passed into fate.

By processe after zenobya the quene,
Toke her two sōnes & proudly dyd thē lede,
Tofore her chare, the men might them sene,
How they were borne as princes to succede:
Made them like kinges clad in purple wede,
Them to defende this mightye creature,
Hardy as Lyon toke on her armure.

For al her Lordes and knights she had sent
Maugre the romains proudly gan herspede
All the parties of the Oriente
To occupye, and her hoste so lede:
Of themperour she stode nothyng in drede
Called Aurelian met him in batayle,
With her meyny proudly did assayle.

On outher syde yt day great bloud was shed:
The stroke of fortune withstāt no creature,
The quene zenobia was taken & forthe led,
Fought first as longe as she might endure,
With rich stones fret was hir armure,
wt whom themperour so entrig Rome toun,
Of triumphe required the guerdon.

He dempt it was couenable and sittinge,
This Emperour this proud Aurelian,
To aske the triumph it was so great a thing,
To take zenobia that such a werre began,
Gayne romayns, this marcial woman
For I suppose of no woman borne,
Was neuer quene so hardy sene aforne.

This hardy princesse for al hir crueltye,
whose renome thrugh the world was know,
With stockes of golde was brought to y• citi,
From hye estate in pouerte plunged lowe.
A wynde contrary fortune hath so blow,
That she, alas, hath pitoufly made fal,
Her in that prowesse passed wemen al.

The triumphe yeuen to Aurelian,
For the conquest he had vpon this quene,
Called zenobya, came Dyoclisian,
Borne in Dalmacia his story who lyst sene:
Out of his countre first he dyd flene,
Of garlyke & lekes as saythe the cronycler [...] ▪
Bycause that he was but a gardinere.

[Page v]
Other mencion is none of his linage,
Of his byrthe forsoke the region,
Left his craft of deluyng and cortlage,
Gaue him to armes and by election,
Chose to be emperor & regne in Rome toun,
First into Gaule he sent a great power,
And Maximian he made his vicar.

His vicar there had many a great batayle,
Vpon suche people that by rebellion,
Gan frowardly and contrary to assaile,
To obey his lordship within that region.
Tyll Carausius by commission
And an hardy knight vndre Maxymyan,
Them to chastise toke on him lyke a man.

But by processe the story doth deuise
His lordshyp there dyd great domage,
To common profit, so he by couetyse
The countre robbed by full greate outrage:
And to him selfe he toke all the pyllage,
And of presumpcion ware the colour
Of ryche purple like an emperoure.

This Carasius of Bretayns twayne
Proudly vsurped to be their gouernour,
Lyke a rebell agayne Rome dyd his payne,
And busyed him by marciall laboure,
with many a straunge forayne soudyoure:
Hauynge no title nor commyssion,
Contynued longe in hys rebellyon.

Wherof astonied was Dioclisian,
Seyng this mischefe dredful and perillous:
Ordayned in haste that Maximian,
Was surnamed and called Herculius,
Made hym emperour called Agustus,
Whiche had a fore no more gouernaunce,
But Gaule whiche now is called Fraunce.

Also more ouer this Dioclisian
Made in thys whyle gouernours twayne,
Constancius and one Maximian,
Surnamed Galerius Cōstancius i certayn:
In this whyle to wedde he dyd his payne,
Doughter of Maximian called Herculius,
Named the odora myn auctor writeth thus.

By Theodora this Constancius
Had sixe children in trewe mariage,
Broder to Cōstātyne y• cronicle telleth thus,
Whiche afterwarde when he came to age,
For his manhode and marciall corage,
Was chose and made Lord and gouernour,
Of all the worlde, and crowned emperoure.

Carausius which had ful seuen yere
Lyke as I tolde rebelled in Bretayne,
Agaynst the romayns, a great extorcionere:
A knighte Allectus that did at hym disdayne
Murdred him, and after did his payne,
By force only and extort tyranny,
Fully thre yeres his place to occupye.

Tyll Asclepio was sent from Rome doun,
Slewe Allectus maugre all his myght▪
Brought all Bretayne to subiection,
Of the romayns, lyke as it was ryght.
And in this while like a manly knight.
For Italiens gan romayns disobey,
Constancius gan proudly them werrey.

He first wyth them had a stronge batayle,
His meyay slayne and put to the flighte:
Trustyng on fortune he gan thē efte assayle,
And sixty thousand were slayne in the fight,
The felde was his thrugh fortunes might,
As she that coude dissymule for a whyle,
And afterwarde falsly him begyle.

I wyll passe ouer as brefely as I can,
Set a syde all forayne incidentes:
Resorte agayne to Dioclisian,
Which at Alisaūdre proudly pytched his ten­tes.
The captaine slewe, gaue commaund emēts
To his knightes to do their auauntage,
With the cite by robbynge and pyllage.

Can agayne christen great persecucion,
Vsed this tyranny in the Orient,
By his bydding Maximian came doun,
Towarde the parties of the Occident:
Bothe these tyrauntes wrought by assent,
Vnder whose sworde many martyr deyes,
Slayn in Octodorū the legion of Thebeies

At Verolamye a famous olde cyte
Saynt Albou slaine, his legend doth so tell:
And in Rome by furious crueltye,
The pope slayne that called was Marcel,
By their statutes and by their domes fell
Churches were brent, in townes and cyties,
Lost their fraunchise and al their liberties.

Frowarde enemy he was to Christes lawe,
Made many a martyr to dye for his sake:
Wext feble and olde, and gan him withdraw,
From occupacion his rest for to take,
[Page]His attorney Maxymyan he dothe make,
In his last age it is reherced thus,
Stode in great drede of Constantius.

The drede of him sate so nye his hearte,
And thervpon toke suche a fantasy,
Imagining he might not start,
By fraud of him but that he shuld dye,
Almoste for fere fyll in a frensye:
Of which drede the boke maketh mencion
He slewe him selfe by drinkyng of poison.

As I tolde erst in the Occident,
Maximian called Herculius,
Reygned as Emperour, & euer in hys entent
To pursue martyrs he was aye laborus:
Of whose byrth Bochas foūd no auctoures.
This to saye he coude neuer rede,
Where he was borne nor of what kynrede.

He findeth no more of this Maximian
Of his vsurpynge in esspeciall,
But that he was by Dioclisian
Set in dignite called imperiall:
Famous in armes prudent and marcial,
Daunted al tho that did againe him striue,
Slewe Gencyans called in nomber fiue

Rode in Affrike lyke a conquerour,
Broughte to subiections the sturdy nacions,
Fortune that time did him such fauoure:
Gate Sarmatoise with other regions,
with other cities and many riche towns,
By his conquest of new that he hath won,
Through y• world his name shone like y• son.

He was cheryshed in armes from hys youth,
And did greate emprises for Rome the cytie:
Yet Dioclisian as it is well couthe,
Counsayled him resigne his dignitie,
But he was lothe to forsake hys see,
Syth he was Lord and gouerned al,
For to renounce his state imperiall.

But by assent of Dioclisian,
As he him selfe had left the gouernaunce,
Euen so thys Maxymyan,
Discharged him self of his royal puissaunce.
But afterwarde he fyll in repentaunce,
And busy was as dyuers bokes sayne,
The state of Emperour to recure agayne.

Which for to acheue he dyd his diligence,
He was distourbed by Galerius:
For his sonne that called was Maxence
Put in possession, myn auctour writeth thus,
To which thing he gan wexe enuyous,
And gan ordeyne meanes in hys thought,
To trouble him but it auailed nought.

Whan his purpose myght take none auayle,
Againe Maxence as Bochas doth discryue,
His daughter Fausta that knew his coūsail,
Discured his purpose, for which he fled bliue
Into Gaule, and durst no lenger striue:
And by Constantius in Marcile the cite,
Slayne sodenlye, lost al his dignite.

The .viii. Chapter.

Howe Galerius oppressed martyrs and Christes fayth, and myscheuously ended.

NExt tofore Bochas came Galerius,
A man disposed to ryot and outrage,
Euel teached, frowarde, and vicious,
There is no story that speketh of hys lynage:
Yet was he set ful hye vpon the stage,
Of worldly dignyte, rose vp to hye estate,
Yet in his ginning he was not fortunate,

He was sent out by Dioclisian,
And made emperour by hys auctorite:
Agayne Narseus the proud knightly man,
Reignyng in Perce and Lord of that coūtre,
Whiche helde werre with Rome the cyte.
For which Galerius toke on him this emprise
wyth myghtye hande hys pryde to chastyse.

Galerius entred into Derce lande,
Kinge Narseus met him of auenture,
Had a strong batayle, fought hand for hande,
His fortune such he might not endure.
On Galerius fyll the discomfyture,
Clad in purple as made is mencyon,
Of Dioclisian receyued hys guerdon.

At their meting anone or they were ware,
Dioclisian made him to abide,
To his confusyon, sytting in his chare
To walke on fote by the chares syde,
Wyth many a rebuke abated was his pryde:
Galerius for the great shame,
Gan seke a meane agayne to get hys name.

Came for to assemble hys old soudiours,
Made for his ordinaūce by diligent workig:
Chase out the best proued warryours,
With a great hoste to Perce he came ryding:
[Page vi]and ofte there fought with the king,
That the perciens maugre al theyr myght,
Were of Galerius that dai put to flight.

The felde was his, he gate greate riches,
Robbed their tentes, and wan there pillage,
In this resort receiued in sothnes,
In great nobles because of that voyage:
Thus can fortune chaunge her vysage,
Of Dioclisian where he stode in disdaine,
wyth newe tryumphe resorted is agayne.

This cloudy quene stādeth neuer in certain,
whose double whele quauereth euer in dout:
Of whyse fauour no man hath be certayne,
Though one haue grace another is put out.
Let euerye man as it cometh about,
Take his tourne, and neuer in her assure
Faylynge in armes is but auenture.

Thus Galerius after hys batayle,
On Perciens gan wexe gloryous,
Gouerned Affrike and lordshyp of Itayle,
Throughout the Orient he was victorious,
Tyll he for age gan wexe tedious,
His last dayes maligned as men saith,
Of false hatred agayne christen fayth.

And him to healpe in these false maters,
It is remembred, to his confusion
In his empyre he set two vicats,
Gaue them power in euery region,
The lawe of Christ to oppres and put downe,
To punyshe matters, and put them to deathe.
And in this whyle ful manye one he fleeth.

By this sayd truell Galerius,
which of thempyre had al the gouernaunce,
Of cursed hart and corage dispiteous,
By his vsurped imperyal puissaunce,
Gaue auctorite for to do vengaunce,
Vnto twaine Seuerus and Maxence.
On al cristen by mortal vyolence.

A certayne space bothe of one accorde
To the state of emperour chose was Maxēce,
Tyl Seuerus and he fell at dyscorde,
And after by vengable pestylence,
within a city of noble preeminence,
Called Rauenue, Seuerus ther was flayne.
Of whiche Galerius was nothynge faine.

For whyche in haste thys Galerius
Him to support, and stand in hys defence,
Chase out of Denmarke a knight Lucinius
To be emperour through knightly excellēce.
For to withstand and fight agayn Maxence.
But Maxence of romayne knightes all,
was chosen emperour and set vp in his stall.

with which election Galerius wext wode,
Fil in a maner of froward frensy:
His entraile brent corrupt was his bloude,
And of his froward vengable malady,
In euery membre gan rotte and putrifye,
Tyll the eyre aboute him enuiron,
To al that felt it was venim and poison.

Like a Lazar corbed backe and chine,
In this while on cristen most vengeable,
To him auailed no maner medicyne
But there was in Christes faythful stable,
That spake vnto him wt langage ful notable
In wordes fewe concludinge in substaunce,
The gret Jupiter, hath take on y• vēgaunce.

And euermore for shorte conclusion,
with a bolde spyrite to him gan abrayde:
It is nat Jupiter worshipped in thys towne,
In the capitoyle set, sothly as I sayd,
But Jupiter that was borne of a mayde▪
which list not suffer of that thou dost endure,
That anye medecynes shulde therecure.

Lyke atyraunt by vengaunce furious,
At mischefe dieth as bokes tell,
Perpetually with cruell Cerberus
Vpon the whele of Ixion to dwell,
For His demerites wyth tantalus in hell,
There to receiue his finall guerdon,
which coude on martyrs haue no compassion

It was hys ioy for to shed their bloud,
Sent out letters to diuers regions,
Like a slye wolf rauynous and wode,
To slee martirs by diuers passyons:
Lyke his desert receiued his guerdons,
Horrible death did them first confounde,
with furies infernall lyeth in hell bounde.

The .ix. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Maxence the emperour enemy to Christes faithe mischeuously ended.

After Galerisu cruell vyolence,
Gayne christen blode as Bochas hath tolde,
with piteous there the Emperour Maxence,
Came tofore Bochas of age not ful olde,
[Page]Famous in armes, sturdy, freshe, and bolde.
Albe he entred notlike an heritoure,
Coke vpon him to reigne as gouernoure.

To Christes fayth he was also enemy.
After sone he lost his gouernaunce.
Of infortune slayne sodainly:
God on tyraūtes vnwarely taketh vengasice,
Of whose burying was made no remēbraūce
For he was nat receiued of the ground
But caste in Tibre like a rotten hounds.

The .x. Chapiter.

Howe Lucinius enemy to Christes faythe was slayne.

Next tofore Bochas came Lucynius,
A knighte of Denmarke borne of good lyne:
whiche had an ennemy the boke saith thus▪
An hardy knighte called Maximine,
Chose a captaine wt the mperour Cōstantyne.
To the faith of Christ he bare gret enmyte.
Slayne anone after in Trace the cyte.

Of whose death Lucinius was glad,
Gan agayne christen persecucion,
In his procedyng sodainly wext mad,
which commaunded of false presumpcyon,
whan he began to do execucion,
That nochristen nowhere him beside,
By no condicion shulde in his house abide.

This Lucinius which falsly did erre
Againe our faith christen men to assasle,
Gaine Constantine of newe he gan warre:
But of his purpose in sothe he did fail,
For he was twise discomfited in batayle,
By Constantine ones in Hungrye,
Next in Grece besyde Eualye.

Thus Cōstantyne through his hye renoune,
Gate nye Gcece and euerye great countre
Alde Lucinius flode in rebellion
Gayne Constantine, both on land and sea:
But when he sawe it wolde none otherbe,
He might not escape in no place,
Put holy him selfe in Constantyns grace.

But Constantine for his hie rebellion,
Gaue iudgement in hast that he be dead:
Leaste in the citie were made diuision
By Lucinius, wherof he stode in drede.
This same while as Bochas toke hede,
There came before him wt chere ful piteous▪
Brethern twayne Constantine and Crispus.

The .xi. Chapter.

Of Constantyne and Crispus: and howe Damalcus was slayne.

To cōstantine of whom I spake toforne,
They were sonnes Cōstantine and Crispus:
The same twayne of one mother borne,
Cāe tofore Bochas his boke reherceth thus.
with them came eke Lucinius
Sonne of Lucinius, which in Rome toun,
Afore was slayne for hys rebellyon.

Constantine his werres to gouerne,
Made them vicars the self same thre:
Echone rightwise and coude wel discerne
What mighte auaile moste to their citye,
To encrese the profit of the commonte.
Their names tolde Cōstantine and Crispus.
Tofore remembred, with them Lucinius.

while these thre vicars vnder the emperour.
Gouerned Rome as Knightes most famous,
In Alisaundre rose vp a great errour,
By a false preest called Arryus;
To our beleue a thing contrarious:
And for he did again our fayth so wyrche.
By a decre was put out of the chyrche.

By assent at Bithinye, full notable
In Nicea a famous great citye,
This errour was proued ful dampnable,
Thre .C. bishops were present there parde,
And eightene the cronicle who list se,
And all these of one sentence  [...]like,
Preued Arrius a false heretike.

This same time bokes doth specifye,
Howe Constantine of hasty crueltye,
The sayd vicars nigh of alye,
Fayned a cause to slee them all thre,
No cause rehersed nor told of equitye:
Saue only this, in which he gan procede.
To make his cosyn Dalmacius to succede.

But his fauour was not fortunate
Towarde Dalmacius, nor gracious in sen­tence
Among whose knightes fell a sodeyn debate,
Constantine there being in presence,
Dalmacius withoute reuerence,
with sharp swordes, to speke in wordes fewe▪
Vnto the death was wounded and phewe.

[Page vii]

The .xii. chapter.

¶ Of the brethern Constaunce & Constancius and how Magnentius and Decius murdred them selfe.

THan came Constaunce & Constancius
yong brethren, thus writeth min autour.
To Constantine in time of Arrius,
And eche of them by ful great labour,
Did his payne to reygne as emperoure:
Tyl at the last breuely for to say,
Eueryche of the in gan other to werrey.

This said Constaunce is entred Perce land
Nyne times he fought agayne Sapore,
The same king as ye shal vnderstand
That with romaynes had foughten afore
But finally Constaunce hath him so bore
To holde the felde he might not endure,
For vppon him fyll the discomfiture.

His fortune gan chaunge anonryght
Whan that he left to be vertuous,
He was in Spain slain like a knighte,
In a castel strong called Maxencius,
Than was none left but Constancius,
The romaine knights destitute euerichone
Chase them an emperoure one Vetramone.

This Vetramone was ferre ronne in age,
Barraine of wit and coud no letture,
Nor in knighthode had no great corage,
Nor was not able to study in scripture:
Nor like anemperour no while to endure,
For which Cōstācius of whom I spake now late
With this Vetramone cast hi to debate

This Vetramone hath left his estate,
List not werrey againe Constancius,
Forsoke the felde loued no debate,
But of Spaine, min auctour writeth thus,
As I wrote late, how that Magnencius,
Gayne Cōstācius wt sword spere and shielde
Presumed proudly for to holde a field.

To great domage and hindring of the toun.
For many romayns thilke day was dede,
Besyde a cite which called was Leon.
Tyl at the last of very coward drede,
Magnencius which captain was and head,
Agayne Constantius hath the felde forsake,
Lo howe fortune can her chaunges make.

Magnencius for very sorow and shame,
Bode no lenger but gate him a sharp knyfe,
Sole b [...] him selfe wherein he was to blame,
Roue thrugh his herte and so lost his life:
His brother Decius partable of the strife
About his necke cast a mighty corde,
And hynge him self bokes so record.

Constancius thase after him, Gallus
His vncles brother to gouerne Fraunce,
Was a false tyraunt cruell and outragious,
Sone after slayne for his misgouernaunce.
Another vicar for his disobeysaunce,
Called Syluanus by iudgment was slayne.
For which in Fraūce many a man was fayn.

The .xiii. chapter.

Howe Constantine baptised by Siluester was recured of his lepre.

OF this mater stynt I will a while
And folowing min own straūg opinion,
Fro Constancius turn away my style,
And to his father make a digression,
Cause Bochas maketh short mencion,
Of Cōstantine which by record of clerkes,
Was so notable found in al his werkes.

This mightyprince was borne in Bretayne,
So as the Brute plainly doth vs lere:
His holy mother was called Helayn,
He in his dayes most knightly and entere.
Of mercial actes he knew al the manere,
Chosen emperour for his hye nobles,
Fyl in to lepre cronicles doth expresse.

His sore so greuous that no medicine
Might auayle his sicknesse to recure,
He was coūsayled to make a great pyscyne
With innocentblud of children y• wer pure,
Make him cleane of that he did endure:
Thrugh Itayle children anon were sought,
And to the palais by their mothers broughte.

It was great routhe to beholde and se,
Of tender mothers to here the sobbing,
By furious constraint of their aduersiti,
Their clothes to rent be dewed with weping:
The straunge noise of their hidous cryinge,
Assended vp in their piteous clamour,
Came to the eares of the emperour.

Of which noise themperour was agrysed,
Whan he knewe grounde and occasion
Of this mater, afore tolde and deuysed,
This noble prince gan haue compassion:
[Page]And for to stynt the lamentacion
Of all the women there beyng in presence
Of mercifull pity hath graūted his sentēce.

This glorious, this gracious emperour,
Is clombe of mercy so hye vpon the stayre,
Spared nouther vitayle nor his treasour,
Nor his langour that did him so appayre,
with full glad there made them to repayre,
where they came sory to Rome the cyte,
They haue retourned glad to their countrie

Royall compassion did in his herte mine,
Chase to be sicke rather then bloud to shede:
His brest enlumined by grace that is deuine,
Which fro the heauen did vpon him sprede;
He wold not suffre innocentes to blede.
Preseruing pity and mercy more than right,
He was visited vpon the next night,

Peter and Paule to him did appere,
Sent from the Lord as heuenly messāgers,
Bad Constantine be of good chere,
For he that sitteth aboue the nine speres,
The Lord of Lords, the lord of lengest yeres
Wyll that thou haue it wel in minde,
In mount Sarapty y• shalt thy leche fynde.

God of his grace list the to visite.
To shed bloud, because that thou dost spare,
He hath vs sent thy labour for to quite,
Tidinges brought of helth and thy welfare,
Pope Siluester to the shal declare,
As we haue told, be ryghtwel assured,
Of thy sicknes how thou shalt be recured.

To mount Sarapty in al hast that thousēd,
Suffre Siluestre to come to thy presence:
Sought and found breuely to make an end,
Receiued after due reuerence,
Did his deuoyre of entyre diligence,
Like as the life of Siluester hathe deuysed,
By grace made hole whan he was baptysed.

His flesh, his synewes made sodenly white,
By thrise washynge in that pystyne,
Of holy baptym, welle of most delyte,
where the holy gost did him enlumine,
Enfourming after by teching of doctryne
Of Siluestre like as myne auctour saithe,
Of all artycles that longe vnto our faythe.

The font was made of Porphyrie stone,
which was after by cost of Constantine
with a round bye that did aboute gone,
Of golde and perre & stones that were fyne,
Myd of the font right vp as alyne,
Vpon a piller of golde a lampe bright,
Full of fyne bawme that brent all the nighte,

A lambe of golde he did also prouide,
Set vpon this fonte vpon a smal pyllere:
which like a condyte vpon eueryside,
Shad out water as any cristal clere:
On whose right side an ymage moste entere
was richly forged of our sauyour,
All of pure gold that cost great treasour.

And on this lambe on the otherside
An ymage set longe to endure,
Of Baptist John with letters for to abide,
Graue curiously and this was the scripture:
Ecce agnus dei that did for man endure
On good friday offred vp his blode,
To saue mankynde died vpon the rode.

He let also make a great censere
All of golde, fret with perles fine:
which by night as Phebus in his spere.
Thrugh al y• church most freshly did shine▪
There fourty stones Jacinctine.
Appollos tēple, min auctor writeth the same,
was hallowed newe in saynt Peters name.

The romayn tēples that werbuilded of olde,
He hath fordone withal their maumetry:
Their false goddes of syluer and of gold.
He hath to broke in eche partye.
This goodly prince of gostly policy,
Set newe statutes of great vertue,
To be obserued in the name of Christ Jesu.

The first lawe as I reherse can
In ordre set with ful great reuerence,
That Christ Jesu was sothfast god and m [...]
Lord of Lordes, lord of most excellence,
which hath this daye of his beniuolence,
Cured my lepre as ye haue herde deuised,
By blessed Siluestre whan I was baptysed,

This gracious Lord my souerain lord Jesu,
From bence forthe for shorte conclusion,
I wyl that he as Lord most of vertue,
Of faythfull herte and hole affection,
Be worshipped in euery region:
No man so hardy my byddyng to disdayne,
Least he suffre death or els greuous paine.

Folowing the day called the secound,
[Page viii]This Constantine hath ordayned a decre,
That who that euer in towne were founde
Or els where aboute in the countre,
What euer he were of hye or lowe degre,
That blasphemed the name of Jesu,
By dome shuld haue of dethe a plain issue.

The thyrd day in euery mannes sight
By a decre, confyrmed and made stronge
To euery christen, who that did vnright,
By oppression to collaterall wronge,
It shuld notbe taryed ouer longe:
Who were conuicte or gilty shal not these,
By lawe ordained halfe his good to lese.

The fourthe day amonge romayns al,
This priueledge pronounced in the toun:
Yeue to the pope sytting in Peters stall,
As souerayne head in euery region
To haue the rule and iurisdiccion,
Of preestes all alone in al thyng,
Of temporal Lordes like as hath the kynge.

To the church he graunted great fraunchyse
The fyfth day, and specially lyberte:
If a felon in any maner wise,
To finde socoure thider did fle,
within the bounds of danger to go fre,
To be assured and haue therof full refuge
From execucion of any temporall iudge.

No man presume within no cytye,
The sixt day, he gaue this sentence.
No man so hardy of hye or lowe degre
To buylde no church but he haue licence
Of the Bishop beyng in presence:
This to say that he in his estate,
By the pope afore be approbate.

The seuenth day this law he did eke make
Of all possessions which be royall,
The tenth parte yerely shall be take,
By iudges handes in party and in all.
Which treasour they deliuer shall
As the statute doth plainly specify,
Hole and entere churches to edify,

The eight day mekely he did him quite
with great reuerence and humble affection,
Whan he did of al his clothes white,
And came him selfe on pilgrimage doune:
Tofore saint Peter of great deuocion,
Notwithstanding his roial excellence,
Made his confession in open audience.

His crowne toke and knelyng thus he sayde,
With weping eyen and voyce lamentable,
And for sobbyng as he might abrayde,
O blessed Jesu, O Lord most merciable,
Let my teares to the be acceptable,
Receiue my prayer my request not refuse,
As man most synfull I may me not excuse.

I occupied the state of the emperour,
Of thy martyrs I shed the holy bloud,
Spared no sayntes in my cruel erroure,
Them to pursue moste furious and wode:
Now blessed Jesu moste gratious and good,
Peysed and consydred myn immortal offēce,
I am not worthy to come in thy presence.

Nor for to entre in to this holy place,
Vpon this ground vnable for to dwell,
To open mine eyen or to lyft vp my face,
But of thy mercy so thou me not repell
As man most sinful I come vnto the well:
Thy well of grace, of mercy and pite,
For to be washen of mine iniquity.

This example openly he hath shewed,
His state imperiall of mekeneslaid aside:
His purpyl garment with teares al be dewed,
Swerd or septer ne horse vpon to ride,
There was none nor baners splayde wyde,
Of marcial triumphes was no token found,
But crying mercy, the inperor layon ground.

The peoples gladnes was medled wt wepig,
And their weping was medled with gladnes:
To se an emperour and so noble a kyng,
Of his fre choyse to shew so great mekenes,
Thus entremedled was ioy and heuines,
Heuynes ferre passed old vengaunce,
With new reioising of ghostly repentaunce▪

This soy was lake a feast funeral,
In folke of custome that do their busy cure,
To bring a corse which of custome shal
Haue al the rightes of his sepulture:
And in this time of sodayne auenture
To life againe restored be his bones,
Causing his frendes to laugh & wepe atones

Semblably dependyng atwene twayne,
The people wept, and ther with reioising,
To se the emperour so pitously complayne,
For his trespace mercy requiring:
Of ioy and sorow a gracious medlyng,
That day was sene gladnes meynt wt mone,
[Page]with wepyng, laughter, & all in one persone,

After all this he digged vp him selue,
Stones twelue where he was knelyng:
And put them in coffins twelue,
On the .xii. Apostles deuoutly remembrynge,
Compassed a ground large for buildinge,
Besyde his palays cast theron to wyrche,
In Christes name to set vp there a chirch.

The place of olde called Lateranence,
Buylded and edifyed in the apostels name:
Constantinus bare al the dispence,
Ordained a law, mine autour saith the same
If any poore, naked, blynde or lame,
Receiue wold the faith of Christ Jesu,
He shuld bi statute be take to this issue

In his promyse if he were found true,
were not fayned nor no faytoure,
He shuld first be spoyled and clad new,
By the costage of the emperour:
Twenty shillings receyue to his socour,
Of which receyte nothyng was withdrawe,
By statute kept, and holde as for a lawe.

It were to longe to put in memory
His hye prowesse and his notable dedes:
And to reherce euery great victory,
which that he had with hostes that he ledes.
And to remembre al his gracious spedes,
The surplusage who lyst comprehend,
Let them of Syluestre rede the legend.

Amonge other touching his vision,
which he had, in cronicles men may lere.
whan he slept in his royall dongeon,
How Christ to him graciously did appere,
Shewed him a crosse, & sayd as ye shal here:
Be not aferde vpon thy fone to fall,
For in this signe, thou shalt ouercome thē al.

By which visiō he was made fullight,
Thrugh gods grace and heuenly influence:
First in his baner y• shone so clere & bryghte,
The crosse was betē chefe tokē of his defēce
Slew the tyran̄t that called was Maxence.
After whose death thrugh his hye renoun,
Of all the mpyre he toke possession.

In whiche estate he mayntayned the ryghte,
Vpon al poore hauyng compassion:
During his time hold the best knyght,
That any where was in any region.
Of Christes faythe the imperyal champion,
Through his noble knightly magnificence,
To all christen protector and diffence.

After his name which neuer shal appal
Chaunged in Grece the name of Bisance▪
Constantinople he did it after call:
And on a stede of brasse (as men may se)
Manacyng the turkes of the countre,
He sytteth armed a great sweard in his hād,
Them to chastise that rebel in that land.

Reioyse ye folkes that borne be in Bretayne▪
Called otherwise Brutus Albion,
That had a prince so notable a souerayne,
Brought forth and fostred in your region:
That whylom had the domynacion,
As chefe monarche, prince and president,
Ouer all the world, from Est to occident.

Tyme of his dethe that moneth of the yere,
Phebus not sene, withdrew hys feruēt hete:
Was eclipsed, and might not appere.
And longe before shewed a great Comete,
Alway encreasyng drewe towarde the cete,
Of Nychomede, shone early and eke late,
Where in his palayes he passed into fate.

The .xiiii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Julyan Apostata enemy to Christes fayth by false illusions was chosen emperour, and after slaine.

AFfter the dethe of this marciall man,
I meane this worthy noble Constātine,
Commeth the Apostata cursed Julian,
which by discent to Constantyne was cosyn:
Hys gynnyng cursed had a cursed fyne,
Entred relygion as bokes specify,
Vndre a colour of false ypocrisy

It hath ben sayd of antiquitie,
where there is a dissimuled holinesse,
It is called double iniquitie,
Fye on all such fayned perfitenesse,
For simulacion couered with doublenes,
And false semblaunt with a sour face,
Of all sectes, furthest stant out of grace.

A certayne space as made is mencion▪
To al perfection he did him self apply:
Tyll he wext wery of his profession,
Forsoke his ordre by apostasye,
And first he gaue him to nygromancy,
[Page ix]Double apostata as mine autour sayth,
First to his ordre, and after to our faithe.

By ordinaunce of Constancius,
This sayd Julyan rote of ypocrisye,
Of gouernaunce froward and vicious,
was sent to Gaule with great cheualrye,
As vicar chosen the countre for to gye:
Gate him fauour, and falsly gan conspire,
To haue possession of the hole empyre.

And for he was not likely to attayne
To that estate he did his heart apply
Another meane plainlye to ordayne,
wicked spyrites to make of his alye:
Became aprentis to learne sorcerie,
To haue experience by inuocacions,
To cal spyrites with his coniuracions.

By false illusyons in the peoples syght,
wicked spyrites had so great fauour,
A crown of laurer vpon his heed a light:
Made folke to deme by full false errour,
It came by myracle to chose him emperoure.
whiche in trouthe as in existence,
was but iutrusion and fayned apparence.

with them he had his conuersacion,
Spared not to do them sacrifice,
with eyremonyes and false oblacion,
And to be emperour he rose in this wyse.
The state receiued firste he gan deuise
Agayne grekes out of his countre ferre,
To make him strong, wt them to haue werre.

The fiende a whyle was to him fauourable,
Gaue him entrye and possession,
And made him promise for to abide stable,
In his Lordship and dominacion:
To haue this world vnder subiection,
Of which be hest he stode in perilous caas,
Folowyng the opinion of Pictagoras.

Pyctagoras had this opinion,
whan men dyed anone after than,
There was made a translacion
Of his spyrite into another man:
A maner likenes the Byble tell can,
The double spyrite of grace and prophecy,
To Helisius graunted by Hely.

Hereon concluding like his opinion,
As Pyctagoras affyrmed in sentence,
He that had ful possession
Of such a sprite in very existence,
Shuld haue the same wisdom and science,
The disposicion after him as blyue,
Which had the spirite that was here aliue.

Of gouernaunce, and also of nature,
Resemble him of maners and liuing:
And thus by fraude Pluto did his cure,
To make Julyan trust in euery thynge.
He had by byrthe the spyrite of the kyng,
Called Alysandre, by whych he shuld wyn
This world by conquest, when he lyst begyn.

Thus gan he fo [...]e and fail in fantasy,
To trust on Pluto and goddes infernal,
They shuld enhaunce him by his cheualry,
For to possede and reioice al
Sworde, seipter, crowne, and state imperial:
Passe Alysandre in honour and in glory,
And him excel in triumphal victorie.

He trusted Sathan bi whō he was disceiued
To Christes faith became mortall enemy:
Where that euer he hathe perceyued
Crosse or crucifixe, he brake them vengably.
By false langage he caused traitourly
Christ Jesu be called Galilee,
And of dispyte somtime of Nazaree.

Agayne our faithe this tyrant wext so wode.
Againe Christ had so great hatred,
Slew many a martyr & fasly shed their blud,
An ydolater, and regenate in dede:
Held mortall war with thē of Perce & Mede,
Comyng to Perce first he gan debate
Gayne Sapor, of whom I spake but late.

Of Parthois also he entred thrugh the reem
Where he fonde no maner resistence,
And as he came by Jerusalem,
The Jewes anone he gaue licence
To buylde the temple with great diligence,
In dispyte of purpose to do shame
To Christes church bilt a new in his name.

In this while he caught a great corage
In a Theatre made brode in the toun,
To wylde beastes cruell and sauage
Of sayntes bloud to make oblacion,
They to deuoure men of religion:
And al christen of purpose to distroy
His lust was set, and al his worldly ioye.

By an heraude that did his host conuey.
[Page]Of very purpose to bring them in a trayne,
By strāge deserts found out a froward way,
The heate importable dyd him so constrayne
Brent thrugh the harneyse, felt so great pain,
The drye sandes, the ayre infect with hete,
Made many a man in hast their lyfe to lete.

This froward tyrant knowing no remedy,
Of cursed heart gan Christ Jesu blaspheme,
And of malycious hatred and enuy,
Wode and furious, as it did seme,
Gan curse the lord that al ye world shal deme,
Christ Jesu, which of longe pacience
List not by vengaunce his malice recōpence.

And more cruell was there neuer none,
Nor more vengable not Cerberus in hel,
Mortal enemy to good men euerychone,
Whose blasphemies and rebukes fell
Byrehersayle if I shulde them tel▪
I am afrayd the venomous violence,
Shuld enfect the ayre wyth the pestylence.

He cast out dartes more bytter then is gall,
Of blasphemy, and infernal langage,
And in this whyle among his princes all,
A knight vnknowe angelyke of vysage,
Freshly armed to punyshe his outrage,
With a sharp spere thrugh euery vayne,
Of thys tyrant roue the hart on twayne.

Bathed in his bloud this tyrant fyll lowe,
To God and man frowarde and odious,
Thoughe y• time the knight was not know,
Yet some men sayne it was Marcurius,
Which by the praier of Basilius
This tirant slewe as cronicles doth vs lere,
By a myracle of Christes mother dere.

This Mercurius as bokes determyne,
In Cesaria a mighty stronge citie
Within the countre called Palestine,
Buryed afore, rose vp at this iournee
Out of his graue, a strange thinge to se,
An horse brought to hi arayed in his armure,
Whiche hyng tofore beside his sepulture.

The same armure was not sene that nyght,
Nor on the morowe at his graue founde,
Tyl midday that Phebus shone fulbryghte
whan Mercurius gaue him his fatal wound
His blasphemy for euer to confound: preue,
whiche thinge accomplyshed thys myracle to
He and his armure were there againe at eue.

Of his blasphemy this was the soden wrake
 [...]hiche the tyrant receyued for his mede,
The last worde, I fynde that he spake,
Was: thou Galylee hast ouercome in dede,
Toke the bloude that he did blede
This deuyllyshe man dying in dispayre,
Dispyte of Jesu cast it in the ayre.

His body slayne and his skyn was take,
Tawed▪ after the precept and bidding,
Souple and tendre as they coude it make,
Saporbadde so that was of Perce king,
That men therof might haue knowlegyng:
Early on the morowe and at eue late,
He did it nayle vpon his palays gate.

And to a cyte that called was Kayre,
As cronycles make rehersayle,
This Apostata wolde ofte a day 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 woūds.

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 dismēbring most gracius & good.
His fete, hādes, armes, face and heed,
[Page x]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 thende 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▪ distroyed churches, and after was brent.

BOchas in hast doth hys style dresse
Next, to the mperour ye called was Valēce,
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▪

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 ye life most so [...]e

This sayd Valence of malice frowardly,
To this Heremites y• liued in gret penaunce,
Causelesse with full great enuy
Troubled them, and did thē great greuaūce,
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 intrusiō 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,
[Page]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 lād 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 Graciā was put to flight

AFter Valence to God contraryous,
In al his workes most froward of liuēg,
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▪
But into Gaule of hert and hole entent
Gayne Gracian he sodenly is went
And as it fyll set by their bothe auyse,
They had a batayle not far fro Parise.

This Gracien was there put to flight
By the prowes of a proud captayne,
Called Merobandus an hardy knight,
Which with his power hath so ouerlayne,
That Gracian was constrained in certaine
Whan his power myght not auayle:
Gayne Maximus, to flye out of Itayle.

This Maximus of pride gan desire
In his hert by false ambycion,
To reigne alone, and of the hole Empyre
In his handes to haue possession:
But in what wyse fortune threw him doune
With such other as be in nombre fiue,
In this chapter, Bochas doth discriue.

Against this same tyrant Maximus
When that he had slain Gracian,
The noble Emperour Theodosius
To venge his death, a warre in hast he gan:
Because also that Valentinian
was wrongly banished thrugh the cruelte
Of Gracian, farre from his countre.

with Maximus to holde vp his partie
was Andragacian a ful notable knight,
which was made prince of his chiualrye,
That toke vpon him of very force and might
To kepe y• mountains that no maner wight
with Theodose armed in plate and mayle,
No man shuld ouer the Alpes of Itayle.

Theodose made a great armye,
By grace of God, and marcial corage,
Layde a siege to Aygle a great cyte,
And wan the towne maugre his visage:
Toke the tyrant, and for his great outrage
Berafte him fyrst his royall garnement,
And slewe him after by rightfull iudgement.

whan Adragracian knewe that Maximus
That was his Lord was slayne in such wise,
Anone for sorowe the storie telleth thus,
He drowned him self, as Bochas doth deuise
Thus can fortune make men aryse▪
And to the estate of Emperours attaine,
[Page xi]with vnware stroke gyue him a fal agayne.

This Maximus of whom I spake tofore,
Before his dethe made an ordinaunce
That his sonne which called was Victore,
Shuld after him gouern Gaule & Fraunce:
whome Arbogastes had in gouernaunce,
A great constable with Valentinian,
Slewe this Victore to reigne whan he begā.

The .xvii. Chapter.

¶ A goodlye processe howe Theodosye wyth prayer and smal nombre, gate the victory,

VVhan Valentinian with great apparayl,
By Arbogastes toke possessyon
Of Lombardy, and of al Itayle,
Brought al that land to subiection,
Than with his power he came to Gaul doun:
There receyued with great solempnyte,
At Vienne, a famous old cyte.

Arbogastes of whom I spake but late,
His chefe constable as ye haue heard deuyse,
Of his Lord by full cruel hate
The dethe conspired, of false couetise:
Therby supposyng that he shuld aryse
Vnto thestate to be chose Emperour,
whan he were deed, lyke a false traytour.

Vp in a towre he heng him traytourly,
To more sclandring & hindring of his name,
Reported outward, and said cursedly
This Arbogastes to hide his own shame
His souerayne Lord to put in more blame,
Stiffely affirming a thing that was false,
Howe he hym selfe hyng vp by the halse.

Thus lyke a murdrer and a false traytour,
And of condicions hateful and odious,
Labored sore to be made Emperour:
That he alone with Eugenius,
Might exclude Theodosius.
First to let him he shuld in no partye
Passe thrugh Itayle, nor thrugh Lombardy.

Sette spyes to bring him in a trayne,
which that time as they vnderstode,
Like a iust prince did his busye paine
As he that thought nothing but gode,
In the hylles of Lombardy abode:
whom Arbogastes of furious outrage;
Cast him to trouble and stoppe his passage.

He and Eugenius beyng of assent
Theodosy mortally to assayle,
which whan he knew their mening fradulēt,
Albe that he had but scarce vitaile,
On euerye cost he set with a batayle:
And of his knightes forsake in manere,
He left all thinge, and toke him to prayer.

with him was lefte but a smal meyne
True and faithful in their affection,
And first of al he fil down on his kne,
And to Jesu gan make his orison:
O Lorde (quod he) thine eares enclyne doun,
And of thy mercyful gracious goodnesse,
Deliuer me out of my mortal distresse.

Consider and se howe that I am thy knight,
Whiche ofte sith thrugh my fragilite,
With fleshly lustes blynded in my sight,
A thousand times haue trespased to the:
But gracious Jesu of mercy and pite,
To my request beningly take hede,
Me to socour in this great nede.

My trust is holy plainly to conclude,
Thou shalt forther and fortune my viage,
With fewe folke agayne great multitude:
To make me haue gracious passage,
After the Prouerbe of new and olde langage
How that thou maist & canst thy power shew.
Gayne multitude, victory with a fewe.

And as thou saued whilom Israell
Agayne Pharaos mighty puissaunce,
And from the lyon deliuered Daniell,
And saued Susanna in her mortal greuaūce
Saue me this day fro sorow and mischaūce:
In this mischefe to graunt me this issue,
To escape from daunger by grace of y• Jesu.

This blessed name by interpretacion
Is to saye, most mighty Sauiour,
There is no drede nor dubitacion,
That Jesus is in al worldly labour,
To all that trust him victorious protectour:
Now blessed Jesu pauise of my defence,
Make me tescape mine enemyes vyolence.

Let myn enemies that so great bost doblow,
Though their power be dredful and terrible,
That they may by experience knowe
There is nothinge to the impossible,
Thou two and thre and be indiuisible,
Though I with me haue but a few men,
Saueme this day Jesu fro dethe, amen,

[Page]
The day gan clere the son gan shine bryghte,
whan Theodosy deuoutly lay knelynge,
And by grace ad awne gan his syght,
Fro cloudy wawes of long pitous weping:
His chefe hope was in the heuenly kyng
Jesu his captayne, in whose holy name,
That day he escaped fro mischefe and shame

The holy crosse was bette in his armure,
Borne as chefe standerd tofore in his bataile,
God made him stronge in the field to endure,
Hardy as lyon his enemies to assayle:
Jesus his champion, his plate & eke his mail,
Jesu alone set in his memory,
By whome that day he had the victory.

There was a knight prince of the chiualry
Of Arbogaste and Eugenius,
which gouerned al hole their partie
Arcibio called manly and vertuous,
whiche goodly came to Theodosius,
Did him reuerence and with glad cheare
Saued him that day fro mischefe & dangere.

whan Theodosius on his enemies gan set,
Lyke a knyght not tournynge his visage,
And bothe battailes togither when they met,
Of Theodosy to explete the passage,
Fyll a myracle to his auauntage:
By sodayn tempest of wynde hayle and tain,
Troubled all tho that sieged the mountayne.

Vulcanus which is chefe smyth of heuen,
Gayne Arbogaste gan him redy make,
To bend his gūns wt thūder and with leuyn,
And Eolus his wyndes gan awake,
Out of the cauernes hidous brown & blacke,
All of assent by sturdy violence,
With Theodosius to stand at defence,

Againe Eugenius and Arbogast his brother,
Their people and they departed here & yōder
With winde and mist y• non of the saw other,
By vnware vengaunce of tēpest & of thūder:
Their speres brast, 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▪
[Page xii]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, wt 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 shalbe 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
[Page]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 su [...]q̄dus
In thylke dayes plainly to discryue,
Then was this said king Radagasus,
Which toke on him with romains to stryue:
His  [...]ower short was ouerturned bliue.
For fortune of malice had a lust,
To  [...]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,
Abou [...] 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 groūd of their ginning,
By froward fame with worldly winds blow▪
To reise their name aboue sagitaris bowe:
Recorde of Ruffin which proudly gan desire
By false intrusion to occupi the  [...]pite.

Which Rufin was whilom chamberlayn
With Theodosy, and holde a manly knight,
Yet in one thing he was  [...]oule ouersaine,
By couetise blynded in his syght,
To spēd 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 vike [...]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,
[Page xii]And by what mene, y• way his fader sought.

Compendiously to tell of these twayne,
Fro diuers countrees towarde Septētrion
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 hī out, gaue hī 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 Hēricius, assuraūce 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 Constaūce through false collusiō,
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 wt mischaūce.

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 coūtre,
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 cōming
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 ye 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,
[Page]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 thempyre,
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• 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 his condicions a rauinous robbour,
Out of that countre were mercy and pite
Banished for euer with trouth & equite.

In that region where mercy is nat vsed,
And trouthe oppressed is with tyranny,
And right wysenesse by power is refused,
False extorcion subporteth robbrye,
And sensualyte may haue the maistry
All of reason, be tokens at a prefe,
Which many lande haue brought to mischef.

There is no realme that may stāde in surete
Ferme nor stable in very existence.
Nor continue in long prosperyte,
But if the trone of knightly excellence,
Be supported with iustice and prudence,
In him that shall as egal iudge stand,
Twene riche & poore with sceptre in hand.

A clere ensample this matter for to grounde:
So as a father that is naturall
Or like a mother which kindly is bounde,
To foster her children in especiall:
Right so a king in his estate royall,
Should of his office diligently entende,
His true lieges to cheryshe and defende.

By good ensāple his subiectes tenlumine,
Tēporal realmes should (as saith scripture)
Resemble the kingdome which is diuine,
By lawe of god and lawe eke of nature,
That Res publica long time may endure,
Voide of discorde and false duplicite,
Of one body in longe prosperite.

Nouther their reigne nor dominacion
Haue of them selfe none other assuraunce,
The estate of kinges gan by permission
Of goddes grace, and of his purueyaunce,
By vertuous life and moral gouernaunce
Long to continue bothe in peace & warre,
Like their desertes to punish whā they erre.

They should be the myrrour and the lyght,
Transcēde all other by vertuous excellence,
As examplers of equite and right,
So by discrecion of natural prouidence,
To tempre their rigour wt mercy & clemence▪
What shal fal afore cast al thinges,
As appertaineth to princes and to kinges.

Thinges passed to haue in remembraunce,
Conserue wisely thinges in presence,
For thinges to come afore make ordinaunce,
Folowe the traces of vertuous continence,
Againe all vices to make resistence,
By the vertue of magnanimite,
Whiche is appropred to imperial maieste.

Brother to force authors say echone,
Which conserueth the royal dignite,
In suche a meane stable as any stone,
Nat ouerglad for no prosperite,
Nor ouer sad for none aduersite,
For life nor death hygh corage to remue,
To god and man to yelde thē that is due.

Gayne fleshly lustes arme thē in sobrenesse,
Voyde all surfettes and froward glotony,
Gredy appetites by measure to represse,
Out of his house auoide all ribaudy,
Rowners, flattrers, and such as can lie:
Ware in his domes he be nat perciall,
To poore do almesse, to vertuous be liberal.

In his array shewe him like a king,
From other princes by a maner apparence:
So that men prayse hys vertuous lyuing,
More than his clothing, far frō his presence.
And let him thinke in his aduertence,
Trust theron verely certayne,
As he gouerneth men wyl reporte & sayne.

Let him also for his great aueile.
[Page xiii]Haue such about him to be in presence,
As notable princes to be of his counsayle,
Suche as to fore haue had experience
Twene good & euill, to know the difference:
And sixe thinges hatefull of newe and olde,
To banish them out in hast frō his houshold.

Fyrst them that loue to liue in ydelnesse,
All suche as loue nouther god ne drede,
Couetous people that poore folke oppresse,
And them also that do all for mede,
And simulacion cladde in double wede:
And such as can for their auauntages,
Out of one hode shewe two visages.

Let him also voyde out at his gate
Ryotous people, y• loue to watche al night:
And them also that vse to drinke late,
And lie a bedde till their diner be dight,
And suche as lyst nat of god to haue a syght,
And recheles folke that list nat here masse,
T [...]uoyde his court & let thē lightly passe.

For which defautes rehersed here toforne,
Nat onely Rome but many a great countre
Haue be distroied, & many a kingdom lorne,
In olde cronicles as ye may rede and se:
False ambicion and froward duplicite,
Hath many a realme & many a lād encloied,
And ben cause why they haue be distroied.

Jerusalem was whilom transmygrate,
Their true prophetes for they had in dispite:
And Balthasar was eke infortunate
For he in Babilone folowed al his delyte:
Dary in Perce had but small respyte,
Sodainly slaine and murdred by treason,
The same of Alysādre whan he drāke poison.

Discorde in Troy grounded in couetyse
Whan by false traison solde was Palladion,
Rome and Cartage in the same wyse
Distroied were, for shorte conclusion,
Among them selfe for their deuisyon:
Reken other realmes that be of later date,
And of deuisions in Fraūce y• was but late.

Al these defautes rehersed here breuely
Out sought the rote, and weied in balaunce,
Chefe occasion to tell by and by
Hath ben ī princes, y• haue had gouernaunce:
And specially to put in remembraunce,
For an example telleth as cometh to mynde,
Of Odoacer the storie as I fynde.

Borne in Pruce and hardy of corage,
At his beginning him selfe to magnify
Though no mencion be made of his  [...]mage,
Hauing no titell, but thefte and robbery,
His cōquest gan nought of blode & aūcetry,
But gadred people of sondry regions,
Entred Itayle with many nacions.

With his soudiours fyrst he gan assayle,
With a multitude entryng anon right,
Kingdoms of Hūgry, & countreis of Itayle,
Met in his passage a Romayne knight
Called Horestes, in stele armed bright:
The felde was take and put in ieoparty,
Horestes fledde for socour to Pauy.

Straitly besieged and the towne won,
Founde for the time none other cheuesaunce,
The next morow at rising of the son,
Bounde in cheynes, tencrees his greuaunce,
Sent to a cite that called was Plesaunce:
Againe whom Odoacer was so fel,
Let him be slayne by iudgement full cruell.

After whose death by sodayne violence,
Odoacer is passed through Itaile,
Entred Rome found no resistence,
Zeno the Emperour durst him nat assayle,
For there was none to giue him batayle:
So that by force and rauinous working
Of all Itaile he was crowned king.

Had all Rome vnder subiection,
Fortune a while lyst him nat fayle:
Zeno therof had indygnacion,
Gan worke againe him in hope it shoulde a­uayle
And therupon the lordshyppe of Itaile,
He gaue of purpose, his power committing
To Theodorike, that was of Gothes kyng.

So y• Theodorike in hope to haue vyctorie
Againe Odoacer, gan make resistence,
Of his name to put in memorie
Toke vpon him by knightly excellence
For the Romains to stand in diffence:
Met him proudly with his chiualry,
Beside a riuer that called was Soury.

With their batails togider whan they met,
Beside Leglere that standeth in Lōbardy,
With rounde speres & sharpe swerdes whet,
Odoacer for al his tyranny
Was put to flight, disconfyted his party:
And fortune that best can chaunge and vary,
[Page]At vnset hour was to him contrary.

Him & his power the Romains haue defied,
He brent their vines and toures enuy ron,
Bycause thentre was to him denied,
And to Rauenne he is discended down:
But maugre him he was take in the toun,
By Theodorike, lette eche man take hede,
Odoacer he commaunded to be dede.

Myne authour Bochas of entencion,
For the time as came to remembraunce,
Towarde Romains maketh a digression
To them recording the great variaunce
The vnware chaunges, the gery coūtenaūce
Of Fortunes false transmutacion,
These same wordes rehersing to the toun:

REmembre o Rome & call ayen to minde
The daies passed of thy felicite,
Thy marcial cōquestes, thy triūphs left behinde,
Thy great victories most of auctorite:
Thy famous lawes song in eche countre,
Which through ye world by report did shyne,
Now all atones is tourned to ruyne.

From Est to west thy lordshyp did attayne,
Aboue all powers most excellent & royall,
But nowe from Rome into Almaine
The estate translated which is imperiall,
Name of thy Senatours, name in especiall,
The golden letters darked and diffaced,
And from remembraunce almost out raced.

Cyte of cities whilom most glorious,
That most freshly floured in chiualry,
To whiche the alpies & mountains most fa­mous
Were subiecte of all Lombardy
Til that discorde, diuision, and enuy
Amōg your selfe hath clipsed y• brightnesse
By a false serpēt, brought in by doublenesse.

Kinges and princes were to the tributary,
Of all prosperite so fulsome was the flode:
Among yourselfe till ye began to vary,
The world throughout to you subiecte stode,
Tyll ye gan shew two faces in one hode:
What folowed after, fortune hath so prouided
Ye came to nought whan ye gan be deuided.

Vnpurueyed of prudent Senatours,
Thy marchandise tourned to pouerte,
Of knighthod naked, barayne of soudiours,
Disconsolate stant all the cōmonte:
Towres and walles broke of the cite,
That whilom was a paradise of delyte,
Nowe all the worlde hath the but in dispite.

Cause to conclude of al thy wretchednesse
Is false ambicion, pride, and lechery,
Diuision, and malicious doublenesse:
Rancour, hatred, couetise, and enuy,
Which set aside all good policie,
In brefe rehersed for short conclusion
Haue be chefe grounde of thy distruction.

The .xxii. Chapter.

☞ Howe the kinges Trabstila & Busarus were brought vnto subiection and made tributares to Theodorike.

AFter these mischeues told of Rōe toun
Came Trabstila king of Gepidois,
With other twaine as made is mēciō
Busarus, that was king of Bulgarois,
With Philitheus reigning in Ragois:
All these thre brefely for to saine,
Came all atones to Bochas to complayne.

Their realmes standing toward Septētriō,
And to remembre of the fyrst twayne,
Were brought atones to subiection
By Theodorike, that dyd his busy payne
Them to conquere & proudly did ordayne
That they were neuer so hardy to rebell,
Agayne Romains to take no quarell.

To Theodorike they were made tributary,
Most wretchedly bound in seruage:
Neuer so hardy after for to vary,
In paine of death during al their age,
Of seruitude lo here the surplusage,
Of al wretches most wretched they be foūd,
That to thraldom constrained be & bounde.

Tresour of tresours if it be well sought
Is vertuous fredome with large lyberte,
With worldly goodes it may nat be bought,
With royal rubies, gold, stones, nor pyrre,
For it transcendeth, and hath the soueraynte
Aboue all richesse that be in erthe found,
A man at large frely to stande vnbound.

The .xxiii. Chapiter.

How Philitheus lost his kingdome and of Marcian and Leo.

NExt these two in ordre ye may se,
To John Bochas gan shew his pre sēce
The third king, called Philithe
[Page xiiii]Which by fortunes sodaine violence,
Lost his kingdome by cruel sentence
Of Odoacer, the tyraunt mercylesse,
Lost his life, and came no more in presse.

The sodaine chaūges to rede whan I begā,
And saw the whele so oft turne vp so downe,
Of fortune there came one Marcian,
Of whome is made none other mencion
Saue only by a coniuracion
He murdred was, being innocent,
Amōg his knightes which slew him of asset.

Than tofore Bochas to shewe his presence,
There came one that called was Leon,
Which caught a titell by no violence,
But made his clayme by iust succession:
After his father and toke possession,
Which of Leon myne auctor saith the same,
Beyng Emperour, bare the same name.

This yong Leon again all truth and ryght,
By tyranny as made is mencion,
Through cruell zeno y• was a good knyght,
Was put out of his possession:
Constrayned to liue in religion,
But to what order that he dyd wende
I fynde nat, but there he made his ende.

The .xxiiii. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Simacke and Boes his sonne in lawe were banished, and after iudged to die.

AFter these mischeues Simak gan hym drawe
Toward Bochas, with a ful pitous face
Boes came with him, y• was his son in lawe,
Which among Romains gretly stodi grace:
But in this matere brefely for to pace,
The said Boes onely for his trouthe,
Exiled was, alas it was great routhe.

For cōmon profite, he was vnto the toun
In matters that grounded were of right,
Very protectour, and stedfast champion
Againe two tirātes, whiche of force & might
Had in the porail oppressed many a wight,
By exactions and pyllage gun of newe,
Vpon the cōmens, full false and eke vntrew.

Theodorike of Gothes lorde and king,
Toke vpon him by false intrusyon
To reigne in Rome, the people oppressing
By his prouostes two, as made is mencyon,
Did in the citie great oppression,
Confederate as brother vnto brother,
Coniugast, and Triguill was that other.

Compendiously this matter to declare,
To saue the commons stode in defence
For life nor death he lyst nat for to spare,
To withstand of tyrantes the sentence:
King Theodorike of cruell violence,
Banished him by hatefull tyranny,
He and his father to abyde in Pauy.

Afterward Theodorike of cruell haterede,
Like a false tyrant, of malice and enuy
Gaue iudgement that both two were dede:
But touching Boes as bokes specify,
Wrote diuers bokes of Philosophy,
Of the Trinyte matters that were diuine,
Martyred for Christe, and called Seuerine.

The .xxv. Chapter.

¶ Of king Arthur & his cōquestes, and of the commodities of England, & how he was distroied by his cosin Mordrede.

WAs neuer prīce might him self assure
Of fortune the fauour to restrayne?
Like his desyre his grace to recure
To abide stable, and stand at certaine?
Among all other reken Arthur of Bretaynē
Which in his time was hold of euery wight,
The wysest prince and the best knyght.

To whom Bochas gan his style dresse
In this chaptre, to remembre bliue
His great conquest and his highe noblesse,
With singler dedes that he wrought i his liue
And first he ginneth breuely to discryue
The site of Britaine, and of that countre,
Whiche is enclosed with a large see.

Set farre westward as ye shal vnderstand,
Hauing Spayne set in the opposite
Of a small Angle called Englande:
Fran̄ce about hi discryuing thus his sight,
With many a riuere plesaunt of delite,
Bothe bathes and welles there be founde,
Diuers mynes of metalles full habounde.

Aboute whiche ronneth the Occian
Right plentuous of all maner of vitaile,
[Page]The name of which at Brutus fyrst began,
London hath shyppes by the sea to sayle:
Bachus at Wynchester gretly doth auaile,
Worcestre with frutes haboundeth at the ful,
Herford with beastes, Cotswolde with wul.

Bathe hot bathes holsome for medicine,
Yorke mighty timbre for great auauntage,
Corn wall mynes wherin to myne,
Salisbury beastes full sauage:
Whete, mylke, & hony, plente for euery age,
Kent and Canterbury hath great cōmodite
Of sondrie fyshes, there taken in the see.

Bochas reherseth there is eke in Bretayne
Founde of Gete a full precious stone
Blacke of colour, and vertuous in certayne
For sickenesses many mo than one:
The poudre of whiche wyll difcure anone,
If it be dronke (though it be secre)
Of maydenhede broken chastite.

Ther ben of peerles founde in muskil shelles,
And the best that haue most whitenesse:
And as the boke of Brutus also telles,
How king Arthure to speke of worthynesse,
Passed all kinges in marciall prowesse:
Touchyng his line, his royall kynrede
Who that lyst se in Brutus he may rede.

His father called Vter Pendragon
A manly knight and famous of corage,
Right notable in his actes euerychon:
Arthur but yonge and tendre of age,
By full assent of all his baronage,
By succession crowned anonright,
Called of Europe the moste famous knight.

Curteys, large, and manly of dispence,
Myrrour called of lyberalite,
Hardy, stronge, and of great prouidence,
And of his knightly magnanimite
He droue Saxons out of his countre:
Conquered by prowesse of his mighty hand,
Orcadoys, Denmarke, and Holande.

Irland, Gaule, Norway, Scotlād, & fran̄ce,
As Martes son to the werres mete:
Wrought by counsaile and by ordinaunce
Of prudent Marlyn, called his prophete:
And as I fynde, he let make a sete
Among his Britōs, most famous & notable,
Through all the worlde called y• roūde table.

Most worthy knightes proued of their hand
Chosen out by Arthur, this order was begō,
Their famous nobles through euery land
Shone by reporte, as doth the midday sonne,
To Fames palays the renome is vp ronne,
Statutes set, by vertuous ordinaunce
Vnder profession of marciall gouernaunce.

The first statute in the regestre founde,
Fro which they should na [...] decline of right,
By full assuraunce of othe & custome bounde
Aye to be armed in plate forged bright,
Except a space to reste them on the night,
Seke auentures, and their time spende,
Rightful quarell to sustene and defende.

The sebler partye, if he had right,
By theyr power manly to supporte
If that they were required of any wight,
Folke disconsolate to beare vp & comforte:
At all times men may of him reporte
No maner wyse they do no vtolence,
And again tiraūtes make knightly resistece.

That widowes & maidens suffre no domage
By false oppression, and hateful cruelte,
Restore children to their true heritage,
Wrongly exiled folke to their countre:
And for holy churches liberte
Redy euer to make them selfe stronge,
Rather to die than suffer them haue wronge.

For cōmon profyte as chosen champyons,
Pro Republica defending their countre,
Shewe aye them selfe hardy as lyons
Honoure to encrece, chastise dishoneste,
Releue al them that suffre aduersite:
Religious folke haue them in reuerence,
Pylgrimes receiue y• faile of their dispence.

Called armes seuen dedes of mercy,
Buryed soudiours that fayle sepulture,
Folke in prison deliuere them graciously,
Suche as poore be their raunsome to recure,
Wounded people that languyshe & endure
Which pro republica māly spent their blood,
By statute bounde to do suche folkes good.

To put them selfe neuer in auenture
But for matters that were iust and trewe,
Afore prouided that they stode sure
The ground wel know, were it olde or newe:
And after that the matter whan they knewe,
To procede knightly and nat fayne,
[Page xv]As ryght required theyr quarel to darrayn.

A clerke there was to cronicle theyr dedes
By purciuauntes made to him reporte,
Of their exployte and their good spedes,
Rad & songe to folke gaue great comforte:
These famous knightes making their resorte
At hygh feastes, eueriche toke his sete,
Lyke to their estate, as was to them mete.

One was voyde called the see perilous,
As Sanke royall doth playnly determyne,
None to entre but the most vertuous
Of god prouided to be a pure vyrgine,
Borne of discente to accomplyshe & to fyne
He alone, as chefe and souerayne
All auentures of Wales and Bretayne.

Amonge al kynges renomed most famous,
As a bryght sonne set amyd the sterres:
So stode Arthur notable and glorious,
Lyke freshe Phebus cast his lyghte aferres,
In peace like Argus most marcial in werres
As Ector hardy, lyke Vlixes tretable,
Called amōge christen, king most honorable.

His roial courte he dyd so ordayne
Through eche coūtre so fer spred out the light
Who that euer came thider to complaine
By wronge oppressed, & required of right,
In his defence he shulde fynde a knyght
To hym assigned, finally to entende,
By marciall dome his quarell to defende.

If it fell so that any straunge knyght
Sought auentures, & thyder came fro ferre,
To do armes his request made of right,
His chalenge sene were it of peace or werre
Was accept, to the courte came nerre:
Lyke as he came wyth many or alone,
They were deliuered, forsake was neuer nōe.

There was the schole of marcial doctrine,
For yonge knyghtes to lerne al the gyse,
In tendre age to lerne ful disciplyne,
On horse and fote, by notable exercyse:
Thing take in youth doth helpe in many wise
And ydelnes in grene yeres gonne,
Of al vertues clypseth the clere sonne.

Wydowes & maidens oppressed folke also,
Of extorte wronges wrought by tiranny,
In that countre what nacion came therto,
Receyued were, there lyst no man denye,
Of their complayntes founde sone remedy:
Made no delay but forth anone ryght,
Them to defende assigned was a knyght.

Eke by their order they bounde were of troth
By assuraunce and by othe sworne,
In their emprises let for no slothe
Playnely to tell howe they haue them borne:
Their auenture of thinges done beforne,
Right as it fyll, & spare in no manere
To tel eche thinge vnto theyr regystrere.

Thynge openly done or thinge that was secre
Of auenture as bytwene twayne,
Or any quarel take of volunte
Trewly reporte, and platly not to fayne:
Them to be sworne the statute dyd ordayne,
Not conceled of worshyp nor of shame
To be regestred, reporte the selfe same.

And to conclude the statute hath vs leared
Euery quarel grounded on honeste,
In that courte what knyght was requyred
In the diffence of trouth and equyte,
Falshed excluded and duplicite,
Shall aye be redy to sustayne that party,
His lyfe and hys body to put in ieoparty.

Thus in Bretayne shone y• clere light
Of chiualrye and of hie prowesse,
Which through the world shad his beames bright,
Wel of worshyp, condite of al noblesse,
Imperial courte all wronges to represse,
Head sprīg of honor, of largise chefe cesterne,
Myrrour of māhod, of noblesse the lanterne.

Yet was there sene neuer so bryght a sonne
The sommers day in the mydday spere,
So freshly shyne, but some skyes donne
Might percase curtaine his beames clere:
Oft it 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,
[Page]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,
[Page xvi]To mete Romaines at their downe cōmyng.

This was the answer youe to the messāgers,
At their departing bare wt 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 wthold:
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 claymes 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 wt 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 battayle dead was manye a knight,
The Cōsul Lucius slaine in that rage,
The proude Romains by force put to flighte,
Of gentilnes Arthur anone ryght
Let the body of Lucius be caried,
Againe to Rome, it was no lenger taried.

The worthy princes & lords that were dead,
And manly knightes abidynge wyth Arthur
Like a king solempnly toke hede
That they were buried by diligēt labour:
And in this whyle lyke a false traitour,
His cosyn Mordrede dyd his busy paine,
To take from him the kyngdom of Britayne.

So as the story plainly maketh minde,
Mordrede falsly to his auauntage
Entreted them that were left behynde
Vnder colour of fraudulent langage,
Gaue thē gret fredōe, & they did him homage:
That by his false conspiracion,
Brought al Britaine in to rebellion.

By faire behestes and many frendly signe
Drewe the people to hym in sondry wyse,
Shewed him outwarde goodly & benygne,
Gaue lybertees and many great fraunchyse,
To make Britōs their soueraine lord dispise:
And purueiaunce he gan make blyue
To kepe the portes, he shoulde not ariue.

Whan king Arthur had knowledgyng
Of this false treason, and al the purueyaūce:
[Page]That Mordrede made, he lyke a manly king
Left Burgoyne and al the lande of Fraunce,
Cast on Mordrede for to do vengeaunce:
Toke the see wyth great apparayle,
Cast at Sandwiche to make his ariuaile.

Mordred was redy wt knightes a gret nōbre,
Made a strōg felde to mete him on the plaine,
In purpose fully Arthur to encombre:
At which arriuayle slayne was Gawayne,
Cosyn to Arthur, a noble knight certaine:
Eke Aguisel was slayne on the stronde,
Kyng of Scottes or he came to londe.

Maugre Mordrede Arthur dyd arryue,
The grounde recured lyke a manly knighte,
For feare of whom anone after blyue
The sayde Mordred toke hym to the flyghte,
And towarde London toke hys way ryghte,
The gates shyt and kept was the cite
Againe Mordred, he myght haue none entre.

In al haste to Cornwayle he fled,
The sworde of Arthur he durst not abyde,
Lest he shoulde lay his life to wed:
Yet for him selfe thus he gan prouide,
With multitude gathered on his syde
Put life and dethe that day in auenture,
There to dye, or the felde recure.

In fortune there may be no certayne,
Vpon whose whele al brotilnesse is founded,
Mordred tharday in the felde was slayne,
And noble Arthur to the deth was wounded:
By which the felde of britons was confo [...]ded
Of so great slaughter & good knightes lorne,
Vpon a day men haue not sene beforne.

After the battaile Arthur for a whyle
To staunche his woūdes & hurtes to recure,
Borne in a lytter came to an yle
Called Aualon, & there of auenture
As the sayd Gaulfride recordeth by scripture,
How kyng Arthur flour of chiualrye,
Was fet wt his knightes & liueth yet in fairy.

Thus of Britayne translated was that sonne
Vp to the ryche sterry bryghte dongeon,
Astronomers wel reherce konne.
Called Arthurs constellacion,
Wher he sit crowned in the heuenly mancion,
Amyd the palaies of stones cristalline,
Tolde among christen of the worthies nyne.

This errour abideth yet among Brytons,
Which founded is vpon the prophesye
Of olde Marlyn, lyke their opinion,
He as a kyng is crowned in fairye,
With sceptre & sworde and with his regalye,
Shal resort as lorde and soueraine,
Out of fairy and reigne in Britayne.

And repaire againe the rounde table,
By prophesy of Merlyn set the date
Among princes kyng incomparable,
His sete agayne to Carlion to translate:
The parchas susterne spon so hys fate,
His Epitaphe recordeth so certayne,
Here lieth king Arthur yt shal raigne agayne.

Vnto Bocas I wyl agayne retourne,
Afore rehersed parcel of hys prowesse,
Theron to abyde me lyst no more soiourne,
But to remembre the great vnkyndnesse,
The conspiracion, the treason, and falsnes,
Done to king Arthur, by his cosyn Mordred,
Make a Lenuoy that al men may it rede.

¶ Lenuoye.

THis tragedy of Arthur here folowing,
Byddeth Prynces all beware of false treason:
For in erth is none so perillous thynge
As trust of fayeth where is decepcion,
Hyd vnder curtayne of false collusion,
For which mē shuld I holde the coūcel good,
Beware afore euer of vnkinde blode.

The world diuers, fortune aye chaungeable,
In euery countre and euery region
In a straite nede fewe frendes abyde stable,
Long absence causeth discencion:
And if princes by false diuision,
Nygh of alye shewe two faces in one hode,
Let men beware euer of vnkynde blode.

Who was more hardy of princes here reignig
Or more famous of marciall renoun,
Thā whilom was his enemies outrainge,
Arthur, chefe sonne of Brutus albion?
But for al that the disposicion
Of fate and fortune most furious & wode,
Caused his distruccion by vnkynde blode.

What more cōtrarious to nature in shewinge
Than fayre pretence double of entencion,
[Page xvii]Great aliaunces frowardly workyng
Hid vnder floures a serpent cast poison,
Bryght siluer scaled domageth the dragon,
Eche worme sōe party tarageth of his brode,
And what more perilous than vnkinde blod?

Noble princes on Arthur remembringe,
Deme the day of Phebus going doun,
Al is not golde that is clere shininge,
Afore prouided of your inwarde reason,
False vndermining and supplantacion:
Remembring aye with Arthur how it stode,
By conspiracion of vnkynde blode.

☞ An exclamacion of Bochas agayne kynredes vnkynde.

AGayne kynredes and vnkynde alyaun­ces,
Bochas maketh here an exclamacion,
Vpon Mordrede whyche wyth hys or­dinaunces
Caused of Arthur finall distruccion,
The fame eclypsinge of Brutus albyon:
Not wyth standyng plainly to discriue,
He trusted him aboue al men alyue.

It is a meruayle and vncouth to deuyse
By what occasion, or by what corrage
That a man shoulde in any maner wyse,
Be founde vnkinde vnto his linage,
Hateful to god, that in any age
Blode agayne blode borne of one kynred,
Conspire should of malice and hatrede.

In this matter it were but vayne to tary,
The story knowe of Arthur and Mordrede
By blode alied in workyng most contrary
Which made many a Briton knyght to blede:
For by vsurpyng conspiracion & falshede
Of the sayd Mordrede most infortunate,
Caused al Britayne to stande desolate.

Fyrst desolate by absence of their kynge,
Called in his tyme of kynges most notable,
The desolacion of knyghtes abydynge
Whilome in Britaine, famous & honorable,
Brethern echone of the rounde table:
Which by Mordred y• false for sworn knight,
Stode longe eclipsed & dyrked of his lyghte.

The light of noblesse y• shone in Britaine
By false Mordred was dirked of his bemes,
The monarchye departed was on twayne
That stode first one with his marcial strems:
But afterward the brightnes of hys beames
Drough to decline, by false diuision
Which hath distroied ful many a region.

Al the processe vpon a duplicite
Plainely concludeth, & that is blode vnkynd,
Adue welfare and all prosperite
Where peace and concorde is left behynde,
Trees may not thriue departed fro the rinde,
A plaine example in Arthur & Mordrede
Who can conceyue and list the story rede.

The .xxvi. Chapter.

¶ Of Gisiuill kynge of 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 thē both & cast thē in prison.

There is no more of thē 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• 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 fr [...] that lande,

[Page]

[...]

[Page xvii]

[...]

[Page]And in my boke there is none other mynde,

To be remembred o [...] 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 whā men wold do hun wrōg.

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 pōpous 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 haboūd,
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 yt day did habo [...]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 wt 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,
[Page xix]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 fo [...]son,
Gaue him to drinke wine medled with poisō.

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 vēgeaunce:
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 drāk Rosamoūde,
At them it gan & to thē 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 ware.

As they departed, such part againe they toke,
As men deserue suche shall be their mede,
This frowarde storye ende of the eight boke,
Of Rosamonde & Melchis wrought in dede,
For short conclusion byddeth men take hede:
They shall agayne receiue such measour,
As they measure vnto their neighbour.

☞ Thus endeth the eyght boke and herafter foloweth the nynthe.

[Page]

[Page xx]

¶ Hovve the Emperoure Mauricius hys wyfe and hys children were slayne at Calcidony.

¶ The Fyrst Chapter.

TO Frances Petrark as Bochas vndertoke,
In eschewyng of slouthful ydelnes,
As he began taccōplysh vp his boke
Assuraūce made hym do his busines:
Which thinge remēbred gan his pen dresse
The nynth boke, so god wold gyue him grace
It to performe if he had lyfe and space.

At the beginnyng sothly of his labour,
In his study there dyd to hym appeare
Mauricius, the myghty Emperour,
Which complayned rehersynge the manere
Howe he by Phocas cruell of loke & chere,
Distroied was, wyfe, childrē, and kinrede,
The slaughter couth, who lyst the storie rede.

The sayd Maurice as write Bochas Jhon,
Was by Phocas brought to distruccion:
His wyfe and children were slaine echone,
At Calcidony, as made is mencion.
After whose deth he toke possession
The sayd Phocas, as put is in memory,
Gaue Pantheon to saynt Gregorye.

Whyche was a temple of olde foundacion
Ful of ydols, vp set on hye stages,
There, throughe the worlde of euery nacion
Were of theyr goddes set vp great ymages:
To euery kingdom direct were their visages,
As Poetes and Fuigens by hys liue
In bokes olde plainely doth dyscriue.

Euery ymage had in his hande a bell,
As apparteyneth to euery nacion,
Which by craft some token shoulde tel
Whan any kingdome fil in rebellion,
Or gan maligne agayne Rome toun:
Which to redresse wt strong & myghty hande,
Sent a prince to chastice al that lande.

The saide temple builded of lime and stone,
Pope Boniface as bookes specify,
Wher it was first called Pantheon,
Set vp crosses vpon eche partye,
Halowed it to martirs and to Mary:
Yere by yere gynnyng of Nouembre
The feast hold the martiloge doth remembre.

In Asia this Emperour Maurice was slain,
In the cite that called is Calcidony,
Al his housholde and many good Romaine
By Phocas & perciēs (as had is in memorye)
And Phocas after for his vaynglory
Slaine by Heraclius, he thā was Emperour
Four & twenty wynter he was gouernour.

The .ii. Chapter

¶ Of Machomet the false prophet, and how he beyng dronke was deuoured amonge swine.

AFter the deth of Phocas as I tolde,
Whā Heraclius to raine first began,
Came Mahomet, in his time yhold
A false prophet and a magician,
As bokes olde well reherce can
Borne in Arabia, but of low kynred
All his life worshipped ydols in dede.

And whan that he grewe in to great age,
Disceyuable in many sondrie wyses,
with Camels vsed fyrst his cariage
False and double, and subtle in his diuises
He went to Egipt and fette marchandīses,
To Jewes & christen he sondrie times sent,
Learned the olde and the newe testament.

As bokes olde recorde in that partie,
Thys Mahomet, this cursed false man
Out of Egipte fast gan hym hye
Towarde a countre called Corosan,
With a lady that hight Cordian:
[Page]Through his subtill false daliaunce
By crafte he fyll in to her acquaintaunce.

He wrought by his enchauntementes
And by false meanes of nygromancy,
Her enclyning towarde his ententes,
For both he coude flatter wel and lye:
Sayd openly that he was Messy,
Jewes abiding vpon his cōmyng,
As greattest prophet & their souerayne kyng.

Thus the people he brought in great errour
By his techyng and his false doctryne,
He wext among them a great gouernour:
The saide lady also dyd to him enclyne,
As to a prophet whych that was diuine,
Sent from aboue as she dyd vnderstande,
For whyche she toke him to her husbande.

His lynage gan at Hismaell,
Had a syckenesse, full ofte sithe fyll doun,
In his excuse saied that Gabriell
Was sent to him fro the heauenly mancion,
By the holy gost, to his instruction:
And for the Angell shewed him selfe so shene,
To stande vpright he myght not sustene.

On his shoulder were oft tymes seyne
Whan he to folke shewed his presence,
Milke white doues which that piked greine
Out of his eares, affirmyng in sentence
They came by grace of gostly influence
Him to visite, to shewe and specifye
He was the prophet that called was Messy.

Newe lawes also he dyd ordaine,
Shewed signes by false apparence,
Lyke Moises him selfe he dyd feyne
A prophet of most excellence,
And thervpon to shewe an euidence
Smal portes wyth mylke and hony borne
On a great bull were hanged on eche horne.

He made the people gyue credulite
To his doctrine and froward teachyng,
By mylke and hony figured was plente,
By the merite of his gostly workyng:
And thus he was at his beginnyng
Take of Sarasis, as they gan to him draw,
Whych by false errour bounde thē to his law.

A clerke of his called Sergius
Wrote his lawes, and these miracles thre:
First of the doues howe they came to hī thus
As here tofore rehersed was by me:
Howe mylke & hony were tokens of plente,
And of the Bull afore by craft made tame,
By false disceytes to gete hym a name.

Of Arabiens and Sarasins as I rede,
And of Turkes made prince & gouernour,
With Hysmae [...]ytes & folke of Perce & mede
He gadered people gan wexe a warriour
Agayne Eraclius the myghty emperour:
And vsurped to ride in the contrees▪
Gate Alisandry wyth many mo citees,

Of tho parties desirous to be kynge.
Of that purpose whan he was set asyde,
The people falsly dyssimulynge
Tolde he was sent prophetes to prouyde
For tho coūtrees, for to be their gyde:
And for he was lecherous of corage,
He made of Venus to set vp an ymage.

Made Sarazins to worship the friday,
Semblably hys story dothe expresse,
So as the Jewes halowed the saturday:
All his workes concluding in falsnes.
Whan he dranke wyne fyl in dronkēnes,
Taught the people like a false prophet,
To drinke water and good wyne to lete.

As I sayd the heretyke Sergius
With him of counsaile, frowarde & contrary,
Fone to our fayeth he and Nestorius
From holy churche greatly they gan vary:
On whose errours Bochas list not tary,
More to write of this Machomete,
Any gromancian and a false prophete.

Who list to se his lawes euerychon
Yeue to Sarazins, his boke cā bere wytnes,
As they be set in his Alkeron,
Echone in ordre grounded on falsnesse:
Lyke a glotton dyed in dronkennesse,
By excesse of drinkynge moch wyne,
Fyll in a podell, & deuoured among swyne.

Thys was the ende of false Machomete,
For all his craftes of nigromancy,
The funerall fine of this saide prophete
Dronklewe of kynde, called him selfe Messie,
Whom Sarazins so gretly magnifye,
Jhon Bochas let be for a quene of Fraunce
More of his errour to put in remembraunce.

The .iii. Chapter.

☞ Howe Brounchylde a quene of Fraunce slewe her kin, brought the land in diuision, and after was hanged & hewen in peces small.

[Page xxi]
 [...]She came arayed nothynge lyke a quene,
Her heer vntressed, Bochas toke good hede,
In al his booke he had afore not sene
A more wofull creature in dede,
With weping eyen, to torne was al her wede,
Rebuking Bochas cause he had left behynde
Her wretchednes for to put in mynde.

Vnto myne auctour sodaynly she abrayde
Like a woman that were with wo chekmate
First of al thus to him she saide:
Sometyme I was a quene of great estate
Crowned in Fraunce, but nowe all disolate
I stand forsoth, Broūshilde was my name
Which to reherse I haue a maner shame.

Thou were busy to write the wofull caas
Within thy boke of Arcinoe,
Dyddest seruice to quene Cleopatras,
Of Rosamonde thou wrote also parde,
And amonge al thou hast forgoten me
Whereby it semeth thou doest at me disdayne
List no parcell to write of my paine.

Whan Bochas herd this of chere he wext sad,
Knowyng nothyng of that she dyd endure,
Iwysse (quod he) afore I haue not rad
In no cronicle nor in no scripture
Of your frowarde wofull auenture,
No (quod she) I pray you take good hede
So as they fyll I wil reherce in dede.

Bochas with Brounchilde gan debate anon
Sothly (quod he) this is the condicion
Of you women almost euerychone
Ye haue thys maner wythout excepcion,
Of your naturall inclinacion,
Of youre declaring thys obseruaunce to kepe
Nothynge to say contrary to your worshepe.

Nature hath taught you all that is wrōge to excuse,
Vnder a curtaine al thig for to hyde,
With litel graine your chaffe ye can abuse,
On your defautes ye lyst not for to abide,
The gaule touched al that ye set asyde
Shewe roses freshe wedes ye let passe,
And fairest chere there ye most trespasse.

And if ye shall tel your owne tale
Howe ye fil fro fortunes whele,
Ye wyl vnclose but a litel male,
Shewe of your vyces but a smal percele:
Brotle glasse sheweth brighter than stele,
And though of vertue ye shew a faire pretēce,
He is a fole that yeueth to you credence.

Quod Brounchilde I do ryght well espye
Thou haste of women a false opinion,
Howe they can flatter wele and lye,
And ben diuers of disposicion,
Thou myghtest haue made an excepcion
Of hie estates and them that gentle bene,
Namely of me that was so great a quene.

Your hye estate by kynd hath no power
To chaunge in nature nouther cold nor hete,
But let vs passe and leaue this matter
Theron to abyde or any more to plete,
Of your complaint say to me the greate:
By way of seruyce to you I shall me quyte
As ye declare take my penne and write.

Take hede (quod she) and with good auice
Fro the trouthe beware that thou ne varye,
Whilom in Fraunce reigned kyng Clowise
Had a sonne that named was Clothary,
Clothar had an heire yt named was Lotarye,
And this Lotary named the seconde,
Had sonnes four in story it is founde:

To the cronicle who can take hede
As it is put in remembraunce,
Whan their father the mighty kig was dead,
Atwene these foure was parted all Fraunce:
Eche by him selfe to haue gouernaunce
By one assent as brother vnto brother,
Wearing their crownes ech quit thē to other.

The same time I called Brounchylde
Me lyst not varye from the olde writinge,
Had a father named Leuechylde,
Of all Spayne soueraine lorde and kynge:
My sayd father to ful great hyndring
Of bothe realmes, the fame ranne so ferre
Twene Spaine & Fraūce gan mortal werre.

[Page]
The brethern four in Fraūce crowned kings
Agayne my father made strong defence,
Of marcial pride and fortunat chaungynges
Whan they met by mortall violence
Of sodayne slaughter fyll such pestilence
On outher partye, the felde like a great flode
With the tirrible effusion of blode.

To both realmes y• werres were importable
Causyng of deth passyng great domage,
Sought meanes, wext by assent tretable,
Of blode shedyng to appease the wofull rage,
By one accorde I was yeue in mariage
To Sigebert reignyng tho in Fraunce,
Twene both realmes to make aliaunce.

Nay (quod Bochas) I deme it was not so,
Twene you & me there must begyn a strife,
Be aduised take good hede therto
The first assuraunce of mariage in your lyfe,
Of Chilperik ye were the wedded wyfe,
Cronicles sene what euerye expresse,
In this matter wil beare wt me wytnes.

Though some bokes reherce and so sayne
Lyke as ye haue made here mencion,
Their rehersaile stande in no certaine
For by the assent of outher region
Spaine and Fraunce in their conuencion,
Ordained so, in my tendre age
To Sigebert I was yeue in mariage.

Imeneus was not there present
Whan he toke our chambre towarde nyght,
For Thesiphone her susterne of assent
Infernall goddesses bare the torches lyght,
And as the torches shewed derke and brighte
Thereby the people present one and al
Dempt of the mariage what should befal.

This custome vsed of antiquite
From their temples of goddes & goddesse,
At mariage of folke of hye degree
Torches were borne, of whom men toke wit­nes
As they were dercke or shewed their bryght­nes
The difference sene in eche estate,
If it were towarde or infortunate.

Of this mariage short processe to make
The torches brent, & yet they were not bright
Shewed out combrous smokes blake,
Of consolacion lost was al the lyght:
Thus in derknes wasted the fyrst nyght,
Their verse songe of goddes, and goddesses,
Were all togither of sorow and heuynesses

These were the tokēs the night of mariage,
Pronostikes of great aduersyte,
Yet of nature I had this auauntage
Of womanhead and excellent beaute,
And like a quene in stones and perre
I was arayed, clad in purple wede,
With a crowne of golde vpon my head.

Solempnely crowned quene of Fraunce,
Which for to se folke fast gan repayre,
Of all welfare I had suffysaunce,
Clombe on fortune full hie vpon the stayre,
A sonne I had called Clotayre,
By Sygebert by recorde of writing
Thyrde of the name in Fraūce crowned kīg.

So wolde god that day that he was borne
He had be put in his Sepulture,
In saluacion of blode shede here toforne,
Caused the death of many a creature
As diuers bokes reporte in scripture:
Ground & ginning as made is mencion,
Within this lande of great diuision.

He with his brethern of whom I spake late,
At him began the first occasion.
Nat so (quod Bochas) ye fayled of your date
Who was chefe cause of diuision?
Sothly (quod she) in myne opinion
Among them selfe I dare well specify
Chefe ginnyng was fateruall enuy.

Kepe you more close in this matter ye do faile
Folowing the traces of your condicion,
Ye halte foule in your rehersaile:
For of your owne ymaginacion
Ye sewe the sede of this dissencion,
Amonge these kynges if ye take hede,
By which in Fraunce many man was deade.

Than Brounchilde gan to chaunge chere
To Bochas sayde with face full cruel:
Not long agon thou knewest not the manere
Of my liuing but a small parcell,
Me semeth nowe thou knowest euery del,
So that ye may wythout lenger strife
Syt as a iudge that knoweth so wel my life.

Whan these bretherne stode at discorde
Eche agayne other by mortall violence,
Vnder a colour to treate of accorde
With many a maner fayned diligence,
[Page]Chilperik there beyng in presence
Whylom brother to Sigebert the king,
Was slaine among thē by false conspiring.

On whose death auenged for to be
As Sygebert did him selfe auaunce,
Among the preace he slaine was parde:
Nat so (qd Bochas) but of false gouernaūce
Of your misliuing fyl this vnhappy chaunce,
That Sygebert was murdred in sothnesse
Onely by occasion of your doublenesse.

Folowing the traces of newe fangylnesse
Gaine Sygebert ye wrought full falsly,
Whan ye loued of frowarde doublenesse
Landrike the erle of Champayne & of Bry,
For by your outrage and your greyt foly
The king was slayne, and ye dyd assent
In a forest an hunting whan he went,

Which called was the forest of Compyne,
Alas (quod she) & brake out complaining
Bochas, Bochas, thou doest sore vndermyne
All the surfetes done in my liuing,
Thou knowest the death of Sigebert y• kīg,
Whiche y• was wrought alas by mine assent,
Howe knowest thou & were nat there preset?

Of these debates and of all the werre
With rebukes reherced here in vayne,
In rehersaile greatly thou doest ecre,
For I caste be right wele certayne
In my defence to reply agayne
It was nat I she that thou doest mene,
It was Fregundis  [...]he lusty yonge quene.

This Fregundis thou shalt vnderstande
Right womanly and fayre of her visage,
Chilperik was whylom her hrsbande,
For her beauty toke her in mariage
By her traines and her great outrage
He was after (the story who list rede)
At mischefe slaine, thou shalt so finde in dede.

Though ye by langage make strong defence
In these matters, which cause me to muse
I haue againe you lost my pacience,
That so subtelly wolde your selfe excuse
Coutrariously your traynes ye abuse:
For Clo [...]ayre I haue so red parde
Was not engendred of Sigebert, nor of the.

I remembre full wele that I haue rad
That Chilperyk though ye therat disdain,
Recorde of auctours that prudent be & sad
He in trouth was gendred of you twayne:
Which in his dying me list nat for to fayne
Left sonnes two, the story ye may rede,
Theobarte and Theoderyke to succede.

Bochas (qd she) though thou turne vp so do [...]
The said stories reherced here in dede,
Folowing the malice of thyne opinion
Maugre thy wil forthe I wyll procede
As I began, take therto good hede:
The fyrst Theoderik thou shalt vnderstande
Cosin Germaine was to my husbande.

King of Burgoine that time, and another,
He of hatred and indignacion
Slewe Theobart, whiche was his brother,
His wyfe and children, for short conclusion
Which in the mighty famous region
Of Antras [...]e reigned as lorde and kyng,
What euer thou saiest this is trouth & no lea­singe.

Nay nay (qd Bochas) it was all otherwyse,
I may nat suffre howe ye go there amonge,
All this langage of newe that ye deuise
Brought to a prefe concludeth vpon wronge:
What shold we lenger this mater draw alōg
Your self were cause wher ye be loth or faine
By Theodorik ye Theoberte was slaine,

The grounde herof gan percell of enuye
By your froward breunyng couetise,
Which ye had onely to occupie
To rule the lande after your owne gyse:
And if I shall plainly here deuise
Of these mischeues reherced god do bote
Ye were your selfe ground, chefe crop, & rote.

Quod Brounchylde I conceiue wel and se
Ye of your partie haue lost all reuerence,
Your selfe enarmed to shewe your cruelte
Against me, touching the violence
Of two slaughters reherced in sentence:
First how Theodrik his brother slew ī dede,
Called Theobarte a pitous thing to rede.

Him selfe after strangled with poyson,
His wife, his children, hewe in peces smale.
As ye (quod Bochas) make here mencion
Some parte is trewe but nat al your tale:
For I suppose ye should wexe pale
For shame of thing which ye can nat excuse,
Whan Theoderik beginneth you to accuse

He put on you the crime of false treason,
[Page]Ye slewe his wife and children also,
Him selfe also ye murdred by poison:
I would wete what ye coude say hereto?
Alas (qd she) what should I do,
Was neuer woman in hie nor lowe estate
All thing considred more infortunate.

Fortune of me set now but lyttell price
By her frowarde furious violence
Turnyng her whele and visage of malice,
Causeth to me that no man yeueth credence:
Had in dispite, voide of reuerence,
And by fortunes mutabilite
Sole, abiecte, and fall in pouerte.

O Bochas John for shorte conclusion
Thou mayest againe me thy style auaunce,
I haue deserued to haue punicion:
And al the princes & barons now in Fraūce
Crie out on me and aske auengeaunce,
Refuge is none nor recure in this thing
Tho wt Clotarie my selfe be crowned king.

For my defautes foule and abhominable
Tofore the iudges of all the parliament,
I was foriudged & founde also culpable,
Of euery crime conuicte by iudgement:
Myne accusours there beyng present
Of one and other standing a great route,
Marked wt fingers of folke y• stode aboute.

For very shame I did mine eyen close
For thē that gaured & cast on me their sight,
But as folke may by tokens wele suppose
Mine eares were nat stopped halfe a ryght,
Taken by force lad forth by might
By the hangman drawe ouer hill and vale
Dismembred after, & hewe on peces smale.

With my blode the pament al bespraynt
Thāked by fortune, such was mine auēture,
The soule parted the body was so faynt:
Who red euer of any creature
That muche more turment did endure?
Prayde Bochas to haue al thing in mynde,
Write her life and leaue nothing behynde.

¶ Lenuoy.

THis tragedy of Broūchild y• quene,
Loke her story who list yeue atten­daunce
Froward to red, cōtagious to sene,
And contrary to all good gouernaunce,
Borne in Spaine, crowned quene of Fraūce
Double of tonge, vpfynder of treason,
Caused al that lande stande at deuision.

From tho traines there coude no man flene,
Sourse & headspring of sorow & mischaūce,
Shed hony first, stange after as do been,
Her myrremedled wt sugred false plesaunce:
What she said encluded in variaunce,
Maystresse of murdre and of discencion
Caused all that lande stande at deuision.

Princes of Gaule might nat sustene
Great outrages, nor the great greuaunce,
Nor the surfetes done in their yeres grene,
Brought y• kingdome almost to vttraunce:
All of assent cried on her vengeaunce,
The fame arose howe all that region
In her falsnesse stode at deuision.

The knyfe of murdre grounde was so kene
By her malice of longe continuaunce,
Her corage fret with infernall tene
Spared nouther kyn nor alyaunce,
Paysed her forfetes and wayed in balaunce,
As Bochas writeth she was the occasion
Which made al Fraunce to stand at deuision.

¶ Bochas marueyling of the malice and cruelte of Brounchylde writeth thus.

BOchas astonied gā inwardly mar-uayle,
Fyll in a maner ambyguyte
Of Brounchyldes marueylous re­hersayle.
Howe any woman of reason should be
So ful of malice and of cruelte
To slee her kyn, and set at distaunce
By deuision all the realme of Fraunce.

Bochas dempt it was nat credible
That a woman shuld be so vengeable,
In her malice so venymous and terryble
Of slaughter and murdre to be culpable,
The story susperte helde it but a fable:
Onely excepte that she dyd him exite
With great instaunce her story for to write.

Her crie on Bochas was very importune
To set in ordre her felicitees,
[Page xxiii]With her vnhappy chaunges of fortune
Her disclaundred great aduersitees,
With her diffame reported by countrees,
No very grounde found in bokes olde
But of confession that she her self tolde.

That mine auctour reherced wt solēpne style
Reherce shoulde her wordes disclaundrous,
Her flouring yeres, also for to compyle.
Medled with her daies y• were contrarious:
Her fatall ende froward and furious,
Wherof encombred of very werynesse
Towarde Eraclius he gan his pen dresse.

The .iiii. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Eraclius the Emperour sustayned heresy, fyll in to dropsye and sicknes vncurable, & so died.

AFter Phocas with great honoure and glory
Crowned emperour of Rome the cyte,
In whose time as saith the story
The Romains stode in great perplexite,
By them of Perce, that rose with Cosdroye,
Whiche toke vpon him to be lord and syre
As a tyraunt to trouble the empyre.

Gate many a prouince & many a famous Reiem
Through all Asie, as the cronicle saythe,
Gan approche toward Jerusalem,
Afore the towne proudly a siege he laythe,
As a tyraunt frowarde to Christes faythe,
But Eraclius maugre all his might
Smyt of his head, slewe him like a knight.

And by grace, whiche that is deuine,
This famous prince this Eraclius
In his beginning slew many a Sarazyne,
Holde in tho daies notable and glorius:
And in his conquest passing famous,
Dyuers relykes of the crosse he sought
And frō tho coūtreis many of thē he brought

Was none so famous holde in his dayes
As Eraclius the empyre for to gye,
Nor more manly found at all assayes
Of hie prowesse nor in chyualrye:
But whan he gan sustaine heresye
God toke from him within a littel space
His hap & welfare his fortune & his grace.

He gan sustene and folowe certaine rites
Of wylfulnesse and frowarde fantasy,
Of a secte called Monacholites
Which was a sect of frowarde heresy,
And sith that he drewe to that party
The story telleth for all his hygh estate
This Eraclius was neuer fortunate.

Where he was first drad on the see and land,
Namely of Sarazins, for al his chyualry,
Grace & fortune from him wtdrew her hand:
For whan he fyll in to heresy
He was trauailed with such a dropsy
That therwithal he had a frowarde lust,
Euer to drinke and euer he was a thurst.

In tho dayes founde was no leche
Albe that they were sought on eche partye,
The sayd prince that coude wyshe or teach
Him to releue of his dropsye,
Made faint & feble wyth a great paulsye:
Thus in sickenes he hath hys dayes spent,
By vengeaūce slayne wt infernall turment.

Of Eraclyus this was the wofull ende
As is reherced, slayne with sicknes,
Out of this worlde whan he should wende
Al hole the empyre stode in great dystres:
Force of Sarazins dyd them so oppresse,
And day by day drewe to decline
By his sonne called Constantine.

The .v. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Constantine the sonne of Eraclius supporting errours and heresy was murdred in a stewe.

WHiche was his successoure as made is mencion,
In whose time throughe his greate foly
Sarasins did great oppression
Spoyling the countreis of all Lumbardy:
And Constantine of wilfull slogardy
Wasted his daies, till he hath brought
All the Empyre almost to nought.

Gaine Christes faythe in especiall
He gan of malice his wyttes to applye,
And was therto enemy full mortall
And chefe supportour of false heresie:
And towarde Rome fast he gan him hie,
Spoyled temples of many ryche ymage,
And by water after toke his passage.

To Constantinople fast he gan him hie,
By Sc [...]il the way was al moste mete,
[Page]At Syracuse I fynde that he did ariue,
And for the season was excessite of hete
Which in his labour made him for to swete,
And secretly he gan him selfe remue
To be bathed in a preuy stue.

Of euny ther he was espyed,
His owne knightes like as it is founde
By conspyracion certayne of them alyed
Fil vpon him with sharpe swordes grounde
And mercilesse with many mortal wounde
They stewe him there on him they were so wode,
Amid the stewe naked as he stode.

After whose death they dyd thē selfe auaūce
To chose a knight borne in Armenye,
Of the empyre toke the gouernaunce
And to supporte falsly their partie:
But Constantine succeding of alie
Beyng next heyre the trouthe for to sue,
To him that was murdred in the stewe.

Called Constantine as his father was,
Right notable in actes marciall:
More wysely gouerned stode in other cas,
Lyke a prince by iugement royall,
Of manly herte and corage naturall
The conspyratours first of all he slethe,
That were assented to his fathers deathe.

To great encreace of his famous renoun
Grace of god did him enlumine
Constantinople in that royall town
Olde heresie to cease and to fyne
Two hundred bishoppes & eke also nyne
He made assemble to stande at defence
Of Christes faythe, of manly prouidence.

He was eke busy churches to restore
All heretikes manly to withstande,
Their opinions examined well before:
And whan the trouth was well vnderstonde
Like Christes knight list for no man wonde
To punish them iustly by rigour
Without excepcion of person or fauour.

Of him in Bochas litel more I rede
Nor of his empire I fynde none other date,
Spared no heretikes for golde nor mede,
At Constantinople he passed in to fate
Whan Bulgarence gan with him debate,
A frowarde people wilfull and recheles
Gaue them a tribute for to lyue in pees.

The .vi. Chapter.

☞Howe Gisulphus was slaine & his wyfe ended mischeuously in lecherye.

NExt came Gisulphus to Bochas on the ring,
A famous duke and notable in hys lyfe.
With weping eyen pitously plaining
With whome also came Rimulde his wyfe,
Which that liued euer in sorow & strife:
Yet was she both of byrthe and of lynage
Right excellent, and fayre of her visage.

Sixe children had this famous quene
By Gisulphus gotten in mariage,
Wonder semely and goodly vnto sene,
And fortunate by processe of their age,
Albe theyr father felt great domage
By the werres he had in his liuing
With Cathamus, that was of Narces king.

This Cathamus with many strong batayle
Is discended, and take the way right
Of duke Gisulphus the landes to assayle,
Togither met in stele armed bright:
Gisulphus slaine, his people put to flyght,
And Cathamus wt stronge & mighty hande,
Toke possession & conquered all his lande.

After whose death Rimulde the duchesse
Greatly astonied, pale of her visage
To the castell of Forgoile gan her dresse,
With her knightes of stronge & fel corage:
Cathamus made after his passage,
Layde a siege, cast him to ieoparte,
His lyfe and body rather than departe.

About the castell armed as he stode
Like a prince sate knightly on his stede,
Vpon the walles as Rimuldis abode
Freshly besene in her purple wede,
And of the siege gan to take hede:
Her loke vnwarely as she cast asyde
She sawe the king afore the castel ryde,

So like a prince and a manly knight,
She gan on him loke wonder narowe,
The god of loue perced through her sight
Vnto her hearte marked with his arowe:
That of the siege she toke but litell sorowe,
Made the soyle so plyaunt of her thought,
And of her castell she set almost right nought.

[Page xxiiii]
And for to accomplishe the hole entencion
Of her false lust in any maner thing,
She is agreed by composicion
To yelde the castell in haste vnto the kyng,
She for to come without more tarying
Lyke a duchesse her selfe to present
Where as the king sate armed in his tent.

The people within prisoners take,
Her four sonnes toke them to the flight,
Loue caused that she hath forsake
Her blode, her kyn, where it were wronge or right,
And Rimulde the space of al a nyght
With Cathamus had all her delite,
And euer after he had her in dispyte.

And by the kyng whan she was refused,
Twelue in nombre y• dwelled in his house
Most frowardly her beauty hath abused,
Of her nature she was so lecherous,
And to reherce it is contagious
Howe she wext after so abhomynable
To be aquainted with gromes of y• stable.

It were but vayne to tary on this mattere
Or any longe processe for to make,
Her story is contagious for to here
But fynally at myschefe she was take,
For a spectacle fetched on a stake:
Set vp alofte myne auctour telleth so,
Died in distresse for constraynt of her wo.

The .vii. Chapiter.

¶ Of Justinian the false extorcioner exyled by Patrician, after both nose and eyen cut from his head.

BY example so as freshe armure
Through longe restinge leseth hys brightnesse,
Fret with olde rust gadreth greate ordure,
Is diffaced of his fresh clerenesse:
Semblably the Romains hie prowesse
Gan for to appal (alas and that was routh)
Whan they gaue them to negligence & slouth.

Who in knighthode lyst haue experience
Must eschewe ryotous ydelnesse,
By prudent and entyre diligence
Large with discrecion, manly wt gentilnesse,
To hygh emprises his corage dresse,
And be well ware on eche party
Him to preserue from all slogardye.

The which greatly hath appayred
As it is remembred of olde antiquite,
Caused Romaynes to be dispayred
By froward lustes hindring their cyte,
And appalled their old prosperite,
Of whiche defautes came to playne blyue
To John Bochas emperours fyue.

As many kinges of the same nombre,
Which by slouth were afore oppressed,
Whom that slouth whylom did encombre:
Their names by and by here expressed
To mine auctor they haue their cours dressed
Like their degrees to speke in wordes fewe,
Justinian first gan his face shewe.

Nat Justinian whylom so vertuous
And of prudent gouernaunce so notable,
But Justinian Temerarius
Double of his dedes, false and disceiuable,
Of his promyse diuers and vnstable,
Whylom exiled by Patrician
For extorcions that he in Rome began.

His nose & eyen Patrician gaue in charge
To be cut of by furious cruelte,
And of the empyre that was so wyde & large
Leoncius next gouerned the cite,
And through fortunes mutabilite
The same Leonce by Tibery was cast doun,
His eyen put out, and died in prison.

Tiberius after serued of the same,
His nose cut of, from his see put doun,
For a rebuke and a perpetuall shame
To a cite that called was Cerson,
Without mercy fauour or raunson
Exiled he was, prisoned as a thefe
By longe turment dyed at mischefe.

The .viii. Chapter.

☞Howe Philippe the Emperour died at mischefe.

NExt to Bochas came Philip on the rynge
Whose Empyreno whyle dyd en­dure,
Lyke an heretyke cursed of liuynge,
[Page]And odious to euery creature
Bete down ymages, and many fresh picture
Of holy sayntes, which in their tēples stode
Wherby Romains dempt y• he was wod.

Pursued he was by a manly knight
Called Anastase, and put out of his place:
And in Cecile of very force and might
He did his eyen out of his head arace,
By iudgement his vysage to difface,
Semblably as he by great outrages
Of Christes faythe diffaced the ymages.

Died at mischefe dyrked with blindnesse,
Than Anastase toke possession,
In whose time bokes beare witnesse
And cronicles also make mencion,
Of the empyre was made deuision,
That first was one parted in to twayne
Wherof mine auctor in maner doth cōplaine.

❧ The .ix. Chapter.

¶ Howe Anastase was compelled to leaue the empyre to be a preest and liue in pouerte.

AS he reherceth in his opinion
And therupon doth a grounde deuise,
Cause and rote of their deuision
Toke originall of false couetise,
And ceriously he telleth here the gise
In to y• church whā riches brought in pride,
All perfeccion anone was set asyde.

The pore staffe, and potent of doctryne
Whan it was chaunged and list natabyde
In wylfull pouerte, but gan anone decline
On stately palfrays and hie horses to ryde,
Shortes of heer were also layde asyde,
Turned to copes of purple and sanguine,
Gownes of scarlet furred with hermine,

Slendre fare of wyne and water clere
With abstinence of breade made of whete,
Chaunged tho dayes to many fat dinere
With confect drinke and ypocras swete,
All sobernes did his boundes lete,
Scarsnesse of fode left his olde estate,
With newe excesse gan wexe delicate,

Gostly liuing in the churche appalled,
Caused Grekes withdraw them in sentence
From the pope, in Peters place stalled,
And list to him do none obedience:
False auarice caused this offence
That the Grekes did them selfe deuide,
Fro the Romains for their great pride.

Thus couetise and false ambicion
Did first great harme in the spirituall,
Brought in discorde and diuision
Amonge princes in their estate royall:
Who clibeth highest most perilous is his fall.
Recorde I take of the foresaid Anastace
By Theodosie put out of his place.

This Theodosie dyd his busy paine
On Anastase such werre for to make
That maugre him he did him so constrayne
That he was fayne the empyre to forsake:
For feare and drede he dyd vpon him take
The order of priesthod from y• imperial se,
Content with littel liued in pouerte.

The .x. Chapiter.

❧Howe the head of Lupus king of Lombardy was smyt of by Grimaldus.

AFter these chaunges remēbred by wri­tinges
Like as I haue tolde here in partye,
Came to Bochas four mighty kinges
Reigning echone of olde in Lombardie,
After the maner and gyse in Barbarye:
They were arayed in their passage
With hear frogrowen body and visage.

Their berdes raught to their nauil doun,
Their garnementes of colours manyfolde
With brod baudrikes enbraced enuyron
Large buckles & pendauntes of fyne golde,
Theyr brech enbroudred after y• gyse of olde
Fret 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
[Page xxv]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 wt 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
[Page]He gan of newe fall at distaunce,
Both wt 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 wt 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 vpon him of surquedous outrage
Without title, byrthe, or lynage
To succede by fraude and false labour
Among Romains to reigne as emperour.

He was vngracious sitting in that estate,
[Page xxvi]In mischefe spent his dayes euerychoue,
With lyce and wormes made infortunate,
Through skyn and fleshe fret vnto the bone:
Craft of medicine nor socour was ther none,
So depe he was fret in his entrayle,
Died▪ in distresse no leche might auayle.

¶ Here Bochas counsayleth princes to remembre on Arnolde.

MYne auctour Bochas stynte here a while,
Sharped his penne of entenciō,
Gan for anger to transporte his style
To write of tyrauntes the transgression,
More wode and fell than any Scorpion:
Them counsailing whan they be most bolde
For to remembre of this proude Arnolde.

He ne was nat in his pride assayled
With wolues, Tigres, nor Lions
With rauynous Beares nor wilde bores trauayled
Nouther with other mighty champions
Which haue conquered many regions,
But with wormes engendred of his kynde
The said Arnolde was murdred as I fynde:

In suche disioynt the said Arnolde stode
With lice and wormes fret againe nature,
That was so nie borne of Charles blode
Impotent the paine to endure,
Whiche was in sothe an vncouth auenture
That a prince might nat be socoured
Of smale wormes for to be deuoured.

A greate ensample who lyst considre and see
To princes all, for to abate their pride
Let them consydre theyr fragylite
To se an emperour to abide
Thassaute of wormes, and ley▪ their boste a­syde:
In this Arnolde wysely aduertyse
How god hath power their pompe to chastise▪

Death of Arnolde did my pen encombre
For the great abhomynacion,
Than to Bochas came the twelft in nombre
Called Pope Jhon as made is mencion,
Entring by fraude and false election
To goddes lawe frowarde and contrary,
Nar like a pastour but lyke a marcenarye.

Called aforne he was Octauian,
Nothing resembling Peters gouernaunce,
Fro the time in Rome that he began
To sit as Pope, he gaue his attendaunce,
To folow his lust and his fleshly plesaunce,
In hauking and hunting stode his felicite
And amonge women conuersaunt to be.

Vnto surfete, ryot, and glotony,
He gaue him wholy and toke of it no kepe,
Greatly disclaundred he was of lechery,
Kept in his court without shame or drede
A nombre of women, in cronicle as I rede:
Two cardinals of purpose did entende
His vicious life to correckre and amend.

And of entent these Cardinals two
The churche esclan̄dred cast them to redresse,
Made letters, sent them to Orcho
Duke of Saxon, that he should him dresse
Toward Rome, and of hie noblesse
On holy churche to haue compassion,
Make of this mischefe iust reformacion.

This Pope Jhon whan he hath perceiued
Of these Cardinals the maner of writing,
And howe the duke y• letters hath receiued,
He to do vengeaunce made not taryeng.
Bode no lenger this iudgement yeuing,
Cut of the nose felly of that one,
Hand of y• other, and both were called John.

The emperour did his letters sende
To this Pope of hole affection,
Of his defautes he should him amende:
But there was found no correction,
For which he was deposed and put doun
By Cardynals for his cursidnesse,
Me list nomore to write of his wretchidnes.

For his defautes & his gret ontrage
This John put downe as ye haue herde de­uise
Mine auctour after caught a great corage
Seing this mischefe in many londry wyse
In holy churche which that dyd aryse,
Among prelates cast him selfe blyue
Their defautes openly to discryne.

Of their pride and presumpcion,
And while he gan studie in this matter
He gan rembre anone in his reason
Vpon a verse written in yt Sautere
Touche nat my prophetes ne nigh thē nat to nere,
[Page]
Nor againe thē beware in dede and thought
In no wyse that ye maligne nought.

For this cause as ye shall vnderstande
Touching this matter (plainly as I rede)
Mine auctour gan withdraw his hande,
Left his purpose and forth gan procede:
To whose presence or that he toke hede
Came a prince duke Charles of Lorayne,
Him besought to write his greuous payne.

❧ The .xv. Chapter.

☞ Of Charles of Lorayne confounded with hunger.

THis Duke of Lorayne as ye shall conceiue
Had werre with y• king of Fraūce
Called Hugh Capet, and as I ap­perceyue
An archebyshop to do the king plesaunce
Of hatred made his ordinaunce
Agayne this duke, & a wayte vpon him set
That he him toke a bedde whan he slept.

The said byshop gan falsly vndermyne
This worthy duke by full false treason,
Which as I fynde was called Anceline,
And he was bishop that time of Leon,
Which by fraude and false collusion
Toke this prince yt was duke of Loraine,
And to the king he brought him by a traine.

By whome he was deliuered to prison
To Orliaunce, and with chaynes bounde:
What was his ende was made no mencion
But in a pyt horryble and profounde
Mischefe with hunger did him so confounde,
That I suppose this duke of Loraine
Consumed was for constraint of his paine.

The xvi. Chapiter.

¶ Howe king Salamon whylom king of Hungery was put to flight.

AFter to Bochas there came doun
Princes four, and eche for his party
Their grefes tolde, and fyrst Sala­mon
That whylom reigned in Hungry
Bothe fole and cowarde bokes specify,
Voyde of reason, noysed of ygnoraunce
And at a point coude no purueiaunce.

Fortune also did at him disdayne
For he was nouther manly nor coragious,
Again whom were worthy knightes twain
Herta was one with Laodislaus
Famous in armes notable and vertuous,
Bothe at ones on Salomon came doun
And made him flye out of his region.

Through his vnhappy frowarde cowardise
There was in him founde no defence,
Flight was his shelde, list in no wyse
Gaine his enemies make no resistence,
Fayled herte to come to presence
To saue his lande, he drede him selfe so sore,
Of whom Bochas writ in his boke no more.

The .xvii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Petro kyng of Hungery was slayne.

AN other kynge put here in remembraūce
Called Petro reygning in hungry,
For his defautes agayne the kynge of Fraunce
Y called Charles of malice and foly
By indignacion this was his turmentry,
His eyen put out ther was no better socour,
And after slaine by dome of the emperour.

The .xviii. Chapter

❧ Howe Diogenes the Emperour was taken, and his eyen put out.

AFter to Bochas there came twain on the ryng
Duke of Sweue formest as I rede,
Againe themperour fyrst malicy­ously working,
Henry the emperour reigning tho in dede:
But for his malice this was his fatal mede,
Banyshed to dwel amonge beastes sauage
Slaine in a forest for his great outrage.

Whan Constantine departed from thys lyfe
Whiche of all Grece was lorde & gouernour,
By mariage of her that was his wife,
[Page xxvii]A knight Diogenes was made emperour:
Fortune to him did so great fauour
Constantinople holding in his hande,
As souerayne prince of al grekes lande.

Yet ther were some that grutched theragain
And had of him great indignacion,
The king of Perce 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, yt 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 wt 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
[Page]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:
[Page xxviii]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 in Pontus, of Asie a great Ile.

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
[Page]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
[Page xxix]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 that one,
Reigning in Damas of his true ryght,
Cathabadyn there beyng eke soudan
Which in tho daies was holde a good knight
And right notable in euery mannes sight:
And for the Soudan of Babilon aferre
Called Saladyn oppressed was with werre,

For socour sent to these princes twayne
To come in hast wyth all their chiualry,
Him to supporte and do their busy payne,
Enforce their myght to sustene hys partye:
Whose request they lyst not deny
Abode no lenger but made them selfe stronge
To stande with hym were it ryght or wrong.

Of thys matter the substaunce to conclude
These princes came Salech & Cathabadyn,
For their guerdon they founde ingratitude
In this forsayde Soudan Saladin,
Founde him vnkinde, plainly thys is the fyne
From their estates as it was after knowe
Disgraded thē both, & broughte thē ful lowe.

Of him in so the they had none other mede
For their labour, nor for their kyndnes,
What fyll after in Bochas I not rede
For he forthwith leaueth this processe
And vnto Robert doth his style dresse
Called Farentyne reigninge in Taurence,
Who lost his lordshyp by sodayne violence.

This to say he reigned but a whyle,
Thys sayd Robert lost his gouernaunce.
Next to Bochas came Guylliam of Cecile
Kyng of that coūtre lorde of great pu [...]saunce,
Lost his kingdom thrugh fortunes variance,
His eyen twayne rent out of hys heade
After died in mischefe and in drede.

Which Guilliam reignyng in Cecile
Was by discent borne  [...]ye of alye▪
To Robert Guisterde, as bokes do compile,
That whylom was duke of Normandye,
Greatly deliting in chyualry
With his brother ful notable of renoun
Which brought Naples to subiection.

His brothers name was Rogere,
Which had a sonne to be his enheritour
Called Tancret as sayth the croniclere
Which toke vpon him to reigne as successour:
Thus in Cecile Tancret was gouernour,
Agayne whom by title sought a fer
Of aliaunce he gan a mortall werre.

For a mayde that called was Constaunce
That doughter was to the kyng Rogere,
Whych was set of spirituall pleasaunce
To be religious of hole hert and entere,
And by recorde of the croniclere
This Constaunce hath the world forsake,
And to religion hath her body take.

Of this Constaunce the selfe same yere
That she was borne as made is mencion
There was a clerke a great astronomere,
Tolde of her byrth by calculacion
She shoulde cause the desolacion
Of that kingdome, by processe of her age
By the occasion onely of mariage.

Some that were to Tancret great enmy
By their vngoodly exhortacion,
Moued the Emperour y• Called was Henry
To take Constaunce from her religion,
And by the Popes dispensacion
She wedded was to thēperour by his might,
By tytle of her put Tancret from hys ryght.

Wyth a great nombre of Italiens
The Emperour entred in to that region,
But by fauour of Ceciliens
Tancret long time stode in possession:
But through fortunes transmutacion
The same tyme to conclude in sentence
The saide Tancret dyed on pestilence.

Hys sonne Guilliā y• was but yonge in dede
With Ceciliens cast him not to faile
To kepe hys land and his ryght possede,
Met the Emperour wyth stately apparayle
Made him redy wyth him to haue a battayle:
But the Emperour to great auantage
Cast otherwyse of fraude in his corage.

Fayningly duryng the dyscorde
[Page]The Emperour cast another whyle,
By a fase colour to fall at accorde
And yong Guilliam vngoodly to begile:
Vndre treaty taken in Cecile
Falsly depriued of hys region
Sent to Itaile, and throwe in prison.

By wey of treaty the story who lyst see
All concluded vnder false treason,
With Guilliam take were his susters thre
His eyeu put out for more conclusion,
He perpetually dampned to prison:
Dyed in pouerte lost his enheritaunce,
Lo here the fyne of worldly variaunce.

Further to write as Jhon Bochas began
After that Guilliam was put frō hys reem,
To hym appered Guyot Lucinian
Those afore kynge of Jerusalem,
Whose knightly fame shone lyke the son beem
Which by his noblesse he whisō dyd attayne
Godfrāy present that was duke of Lorayne.

But by the Soudan named Saladine
He was enchaced of that dignite,
Al worldly pompe draweth to declyne:
So for the constraint of his aduersite
The yeres, passed of his prosperite
Wente in to Cipres as a fugitife,
What fil after I rede not in his lyfe.

To make hys cōplaynt after hym came one
Which had stand in great perplexite,
Erle of Brye [...]ne and was called Jhon,
Whych afterwarde was kynge of the cyte
Called Jerusalem, and had also parde
A faire doughter yonge and tender of age,
Joyned after to Frederike in mariage.

Beyng that tyme lorde and Emperour
Was desirous aboue al other thyng
Of Jerusalem to be gouernour,
And of Eecyle to be crowned kyng:
Whiche alderlast for his subtyle workynge
Constrained was downe fro that partye
To be a capitaine & serue i [...] Lombardye.

The .xxiii. Chapter.

¶ Of Henry the eldest Sonne of Frederike the seconde myscheued by hys father.

NExt to Bochas, croked, halte, and sycke
One called Henrye cāe for to plaine
The eldest sonne vnto Frederike
Whiche by siknesse had felt great payne,
Megre and pale contracte in euery vayne,
Of whose langour the chefe occasion
Was that he lay so longe tyme in prison.

Al hys dysease at great aduersite
Ycaused was for shorte conclusion
By his fathers frowarde cruelte,
As Bochas after maketh mencion:
And thys Henry by generacion
Sonne vnto Frederike lyke as it is founde
I meane Frederike called the seconde.

This Henry by discent of lyne
Of Cecyle fyrst was crowned kinge,
And of Jerusalem whose renome dyd shine
Through many a lande at his beginnyng:
And fortune also in her workyng
Was to this Henry passyng notable,
In al his workes inly fauourable.

Of his person he had this auantage,
To all the people he was right acceptable,
Well cōmended in his flourynge age
Of there face and loke ryght amyable,
And of his porte very demure and stable,
Called in his ginninge suche fauoure he hath wonne
Of princes al very lyght & sonne.

But ofte it falleth that a glad morning
Whan Phebus sheweth his beames brighte
The day somtyme therupon folowyng
With some derke skye is clipsed of hys lighte:
And semblably through fortunes myght
This said prince by her false variaunce
Fonde in her whele full noious greuaunce.

Who may the furies of fortune appese,
Her troubly waues to make them plaine?
Wher mē most trust they fynde most disease,
Where double corages stande in no certaine,
A shining day is ofte meint with raine,
Thus of Frederike the great vnstablenes
Hath brought his son in mischefe & dystresse.

This Frederike set vp in great fauour
By the Popes diligent busines
Vnto the state lyft vp of Emperour,
But through his fatal frowarde vnkindnes
[Page xxx]Of couetyse fyl in such excesse,
Toke vpon him the Patrimony to gye
Of Christes church, that parte to occupy.

Fyl in the Popes indignacion,
Counsayle nor treaty myght none auayle,
But of malice and presumpcion
Cast wyth the Pope to haue a great battaile:
The sayd Henry hys father gan counsayle
Agayne the churche to do no violence,
But him submit wyth humble obedience.

The strife enduringe atwene these estates
Frederik made his sonne to be accused,
To hym of crymelese magestatis,
Woulde not suffer he should be excused:
But lyke a man maliciously refused,
By his fathers cursed false treason
He was cōmaunded to dye in prison.

Some bokes say he was taken & brought
To his father of dome to haue sentence,
But lyke a man passed sorow & thought
Whych to hys lyfe had none aduertence,
Furiously and wyth great vyolence
As he was lad alas on horsbake,
Hys horse fyl downe & so hys necke he brake

Some bokes reherse of hym and sayne
Hys father toke agayne hym occasion:
And whan he had longe in cheynes layne
At great mischefe he dyed in prison.
And some saye that he fyl doun
Of a bridge as Bochas reherseth her [...]
And drowned was in a depe ryuere.

☞ A commendacion of Bochas of suche as be kynde to their kynred.

NExte in ordre myne auctour dyd hys cure
To make a speciall commendacion
Of such as be disposed by nature
And by their kyndly inclinacion
As blode requireth and generacion,
To acquite thē selfe in thought wyll & dede
Without fayning vnto theyr kinred.

Specially that none vnkindnesse.
Be founde in them for none aduersite,
To consider of naturall gentylnes
To them appropred is mercy and pyte
And to auoyde the false duplicite.
That was in Frederik, whyche so vnkyndly
Let slee hys sonne that called was Henry.

Pyte is appropred to kynrede,
Father and mother by disposicion
To cherysh theyr chyldren and eke fede
Tyl seuen yere passe, lawe maketh mencion:
And as they be bounde of naturall reason
That tyme passed their tendernes ten [...]lyne,
Vnto fortune by vertuous dyscipline,

Than afterwarde in theyr adolescence
Vertuously to tech them and chastise,
Norish them in doctrine and Science,
Fostre in vertue vices to dyspyse:
To be curteyse prudent sad and eke wyse:
For whan they gyn wyth vertue in that age
Gladly after they do no great outrage.

As it longeth to euery gentle lygne
And blode royall by kyndly influence,
To father & mother shewe them selfe benigne
Of humble hertes to do them reuerence:
Aye to remembre in their aduertence
On syxe princes that wrought the contrarye,
For whyche fortune was their aduersarye.

Eueriche to other founde was vnkinde,
In cursed blode may be no kindnesse,
Of one tarage sauoureth tree and rynde,
The frute also beareth of the tre wytnes:
And semblably the fathers cursednes
Wyth mortall sworde in nature reprouable,
Againe the childe is ofte sene vengeable.

Among whych Brutus is rekened one,
Next in order folowed Manlius,
Slewe their chyldren by recorde euerychone,
Philip Manlius and also Cassius,
And cruell Herode fel and malicious,
Frederik also most vengeably,
Slewe his sonne that called was Henry.

This Frederik aye frowarde and contrary
Towarde his son not gracious nor benygne,
From holy churche vngoodly he gan vary,
And theragayne frowardly maligne:
And lyke a man obstinate and vndigne
Dyed accursed thrugh misgouernaunce
Wythout confession or repentaunce.

The .xxiiii. chapter.

[Page] ☞ Howe Manfroye kyng of Poyle was slayne.

NExte too Bochas of Poyle came the kynge,
Began hys fall and complaynte to specify,
Called Manfroy, and for hys false workyng
Put downe and slayne cause of his tiranuy:
Lo what auayleth septr or regaly,
To a tyraunt which of violence,
List to god warde haue none aduertence?

The .xxv. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Ences kyng of Sardiny dyed in prison.

WYth loke downe cast, deadly, pale of chere
Of Sardinya Ences nexte came doun,
Kyng of that lande to tell the manere
Howe he werrayed agayne the myghty toun
Called Bonon [...]a to his confusion
By them vēquished & wyth chaynes roūde
Dyed in prison so long he lay there bounde.

Folowīg myne auctour called Bocas Jhon,
In Sardinia, as he maketh mynde,
Serpent nor wolfe in that lande was none,
Hauyng a well whych of very kynde
Theues eyen the water maketh blynd:
To true folke as he doth deuine
Water thereof was helth and Medicine.

There groweth also an herbe as bokes sey
Which that is so diuers of nature
Who tasteth therof laughyng he shal dey,
No medicine may helpe them nor succour:
The touche therof stante eke in auenture,
If it enter his mouth on any syde,
He shal alyue for laughter not abyde.

The .xxvi. chapter.

❧ Howe an other Frederyke was slayne by iudgemente of hys brother.

THere was another frowarde Fre­derike
Sonne of Alphonce that was king of Castyle,
Of corage wode and eke fran [...]yke,
His owne brother falsly to begyle
Began a werre lastynge but a whyle:
Whose purpose was his brother to dysceiue
And the crowne of Castile to receyue.

This Frederike came with a greate battaile
Agayne his brother for the same entent,
Of his purpose yet he dyd fayle,
God nor fortune were not of assent:
Take in the felde, and by iudgement
Of his brother for his great trespace,
Slayne openly he had no better grace.

The .xxvii. Chapter.

☞ Howe Manimettus and Argones dyed at mischefe.

MAnymettus of Perce lorde and kyng
Came next in preace distressed in gret payne,
Vpon fortune pitiously playnyng
His aduersite dyd him so constrayne:
For there was one whych at him did disdaine
Called Argones, voide of title or ligne
Gayne Manimettus proudlye gan malinge.

Whych Argones for his presumpcion
Take at mischete by sodayne violence,
His dome was giuen to dye in prison,
Of no power to make resistence:
But fortune that can no difference
Of her chaunges atwene frende and fo,
Caused them dye at mischefe both two.

❧ The .xxviii. Chapter.

☞ Howe Charles Kynge of Jerusalem and of Cecile for auarice and auoutry died at mischefe

AFter these forsayde rehersed in sentence
As Bochas remembreth in hys style,
Came Noble Charles vnto presence
Kyng of Jerusalem and also of Cecile,
Of whose cōming myn auctour a great while
Astoyned was, to se his knyghtly face
With such chere come in to the place.

For by hys porte who behelde hym wele
Considred fyrst his loke and hys vysage,
It sempt he trad vpon fortunes whele,
And of his noble marciall corage
[Page xxxi]Had of her power gotten auauntage:
Shewyng him selfe on eche partye
Her and her might dyd vtterly defye.

First to commende his royall hye lynage
And of his vertuous famous alyaunce,
And by writing and praysing of langage
The name of him specially to auaunce,
Sayth he was borne of the blode of Fraūce,
And to encreace most soueraynlye his prise
Writeth he was brother vnto saynt Le wyse.

Gaue to Fraunce this commendacion,
So as Phebus passeth eche other sterre,
Right so that kingdom in comparison
Passeth euery lande both nie and ferre:
In policy, be it peace or werre,
For it transcendeth in peace by prouydence,
And in werre by knightly excellence.

These wordes be nat take of myne auctour,
Entytled here for a remembraunce
By one Laurence whiche was translatour
Of this processe, to commende Fraunce,
To prayse that lande was all his plesaunce:
Sayth influence of that royall lande
Made Charles so worthy of his hande.

Of whose noblesse Pope Vrban had ioy,
Him to encrease for vertuous liuing,
Which that time was duke of Anioy
After chosen of Cecile to be kyng,
Of Pope Vrban required by writyng,
Toward Rome that he should him dresse,
Of king Manfroy the tyranny to oppresse.

Agayne the Pope and holy churche right
This said Manfroy dyd great extorcion,
Noble Charles as goddes owne knight
Came with stronge hande vp to Rome toun,
Whiche in his comming gaue possession
To Gyot Manfort for to haue the garde,
In his passage to gouerne the vowarde.

To Rome with great ordinaunce
They passed ouer the boundes of Itayle,
This māly knight Charles borne in fraunce
Lad with him many a stronge batayle
The Popes enemy manly to assayle:
But all this whyle to stande at diffence
This said Charles founde no resistence.

Entring Rome to be their protectour
Full well receyued at his first entryng,
Chose and preferred for chefe senatour
By the pope, most glad of his comming,
Of Cecile was after crowned king:
And of Jerusalem as made is mencion
Graunted to him full possession

Whiche in his ginning bare him so well,
Entring y• land with knightly apparayle
Of Cassine gate fyrst the stronge castell,
At Beneuent had a great batayle,
With kīg Manfroy, whose partye did assayle
To reherce shortly his auenture,
Charles made on him a discomfyture.

In which bataile king Māfroy was slaine,
And noble Charles toke possession,
Wherof Romains were full glad and fayne
Yet in Cecile there was rebellion,
But they were brought vnto subiection,
And Conradine recorde of al wrighting,
Sonne of Conrade claymed to be king

Gan make him strong, proudly toke his place
At Alygate a famous olde cite,
Noble Charles with knightly chere & face
Fyll vpon him, made him for to flye:
And to set rest in the countre
To auoyde trouble & make al thing certaine,
Gaue iugement Conradyne to be slayne.

Amonge kynges notable and glorious
Charles was put as made is mencion,
Lyke a prince stronge and victorious
In full peasyble and hole possession
Of Cecile and all that regyon,
Agayns whom was no disobeysaunce
Yelded of hole herte to his gouernaunce.

By tytle also of his alyaunce
Fortune greatly did him magnifye,
For as it is put in remembraunce
The noble princesse that called was Mary
Doughter to Stephane reigning in Hungry
Joyned was and knit in mariage
To Charles son, to thencrece of his lynage.

This same Charles by auctorite
So as him selfe list to ordayne,
Was made king of the great cyte
Called Jerusalē, of townes moste soueraine.
By whiche title he bare crownes twayne,
His brother Lewes olde bokes say
The same time in Egipt gan werray.

[Page]
Gate all the countreys aboute enuyron
whiche that sarazyns dyd falsly occupye,
Brought them agayne to subiection
Of Jerusalem that iande to magnifye:
Cartage in Affrike with all their regalye
And all the countreys beyng afore cōtrayre,
To kyng Charles became tributayre.

This whyle he sate highest in his glory
Lyke Phebus shyning in his mydday spere,
with many conquest & many great victory:
whan his noblesse shone most bright & clere
The same tyme with a frownyng chere
Fortune gan from Charles tourne her face,
And him berafte her fauour and her grace.

This lady fortune doth selde in one cōtune
She is so geryshe of condicion,
A sorceresse, a traytour in cōmune
Cast a false meane to his distruction
One of his sonnes slayne with poyson,
which dyd eclypse myne auctor doth expresse,
A full great partye of his olde gladnesse.

He was disclaundred of all the vyce
which appertayneth vnto tyranny,
I meane the vice of frowarde auaryce
which is contrary vnto his chiualry:
Diffamed also of false auoutrye:
whiche was susteyned through his maynte­naūce
within the lande by a knight of Fraunce.

The same knight abydyng in his hous
All Cecile troubled with that dede,
The great offence was so disclaundrous
Thrugh all the region it began to sprede,
For thylke woman plainly as I rede
was wyfe to one whiche suffred this offēce,
And to be venged dyd his dyligence.

John Prosith plainly was his name,
whiche cast him fully auenged for to be
That kyng Charles should beare the blame,
Slewe al the frenchmen that bode in y• coūtre
Without grace, mercy, or pite,
And for to do full execucion
Required was the kyng of Aragon.

Lost of Cecile hole the region,
With obeysaunce of many countre,
And of Jerusalem the possession
Fyll by processe in great aduersite:
And last constrained wyth greuous pouerte
To god most mekely wyth ful heuy chere,
Soone to be dead was hys prayer.

Supprised he was wt sorowe in his corage,
Lost his force, fyl in to malady,
Languished forth tyll he gan fa [...]l in age,
Agayne fortune founde no remedy:
And by occasion of false auoutry
Fyl to mischefe and for sorow & drede,
This Charles died, no more of him I rede.

¶ Lenuoye.

Lyke as Phebus in some freshe morninge
After Aurora the day doth clarifye,
Falleth oft that his bryght shining
Is derked with some cloudy skye,
Alykenes shewed in this tragedye:
Expert in Charles the story doth well preue
Youth and age rekened truely
The fayre day men do praise at eue.

The noble fame of his fresh gynning
To saint Lowes he was nygh of alye,
Ryght wyse, manly, & vertuous of liuyng,
Called of knighthod flour of chiualry,
Tyll maintenaunce of auoutry
Came in to hys courte to hurte hys name and greue,
His life, his deth, put in ieoparty
The fayre day men do prayse at eue.

Lyke desertes mē haue theyr guerdoning,
Vertuous lyfe doth princes magnify,
The contrary to them is great hyndring
Folke experte the trouth may not denye,
Serche out the rewarde of cursed lechery
Where it is vsed the houshold may not preue,
In this matter to Charles haue an eye
The fayre day to prayse towarde eue.

Noble princes al vyces eschewing
Your hyghe corage let reason gye,
Withdraw your hand fro riotous watchyng,
Flye fleshly lustes and vicious companye:
Oppresse no man, do no tiranny
Socour the nedy, pore folke do releue,
Let men report the prudent policye
Of your last age whan it draweth to eue.

❧ The .xxix. Chapter.

¶ Of Hugoline Erle of Pise slaine in prison.

[Page xxxii]
AFter Charles story red the woful fyne
As ye haue herde the maner and y• gyse,
To Jhon Bochas appered Hugo­lyne
Called whylome the erle of Pyse,
Tyll they gan againe him aryse
Most vengeable, cruell and vnkynde,
Slewe him in prison no more of him I finde.

Saue his children of haterede and enuy
Were murdred eke in a depe prison
Next with his cōplaynt the kinge of Armeny
Came tofore Bochas that called was Athō,
A christen prince full famous of renoun,
For our fayth from which he lyst nat erre
Gayne Tarta [...]ines longtime he held werre.

This manly king in knighthod full famous
It was shewed, his story who lyst rede,
Had a brother fell and dispytous
Called Sabath desyrous to succede,
Sted of his brother the kingdome to possede
By false treason, reued of his right,
Kept him in holde and put him out of syght.

This Sabath lost both happe and grace,
His other brother as made is mencion
By stronge hande put him from his place,
Chased him out of that region:
Take by force, and fetred in prison
Died there, no man lyst him visite
Lo howe god can treason & murdre quite.

The .xxx. chapter.

¶ Howe Pope Boniface the eight was take by the lynage de Columpnes, eate his handes, and dyed in prison.

AMong these wofull princes thre
Which shewed thē so vgly of their chere,
Pope Boniface by great aduersite
The eight of that name gan to approch nere,
A thousande. C C C. accompted was y• yere
Fro Christes byrth, by computacion:
Whan that he made his lamentacion

This same Pope caught occasion
Which vnder Peter kept gouernaunce
To interdicte all the region
Time of king Philip reigning tho in Fraūce,
Dyrecte bulles downe to Constaunce
To Nycholas, made by Bouiface
Archdeacon of the same place.

Of holy churche the prelates nygh ethone
Byshoppes of Fraunce felly haue declared,
Preuing by poyntes many mo than one,
In a great sinne plainly and nat spared
By him the church was hurt & nat repayred,
Put on him crymes of gret misgouernaunce
Denoūcing enemy to al y• land of Fraunce.

Put on him many a great outrage
Wrongly howe he had done offence
To a cardinall borne of the lynage
De Columpnes, a kinrede of reuerence:
For which cause he kept him in absence,
Out of the court drew where he was borne
By which occasion y• Pope his life hath lorn.

De Columpnes y• lynage hath so wrought
Toke Boniface for his olde cruelte,
wt gret force & power they haue him brought
Vnto a castell which stode in the cite
Called Sa [...]ri Angeli, gaue auctorite
To a Cardynall and by cōmyssion
Power to do full execucion.

Of these maters hangyng in balaunce
At wene partyes were it right or wronge,
Bothe of romayns & prelates eke of Fraūce
The pope aye kept within y• castel stronge,
Of auenture abyding there nat longe
Fyll in a flixe and afterwarde for nede,
For hunger ete his handes as I rede.

Houre of his dyeng it is made mencion
Aboute ye castell was merueylous lightning,
Where the pope lay fettred in prison:
None suche afore was sene in their lyuing.
And whyle Bochas was busi in writyng
To write the fall of this Bonyface,
The order of templers came tofore his face.

The .xxxi. Chapiter.

☞ Howe the ordre of Templers was foūded and Iaques with other of the order brent.

CRoniclers the trouth can recorde
Calling to minde the first foūdaciō
And old auctours therwith accorde
Of these Templers how y• religion
[Page]Gan that time whan Godfray de Bullion
Had won, that noble knightly man,
Jerusalem, that order first began.

By certaine knightes which did their payne:
Whan the cite was first ywonne,
By noble Godfray duke whilom of Loraine
There crowned kyng this order they begon,
Olde bokes wel reherce konne
Takyng a grounde of pouerte & mekenes
To founde this ordre dyd their busynes.

Their begynnyng gan of deuocion,
The groūde ytake of wylfull pouerte,
And made first their habitacion
By the temple not ferre from the cite:
In token of clennes sworne to chastite,
Of the temple lyke to theyr desyres
Toke their name, & called were Templers.

Pope Honorie gaue them auctorite
Of holy church beyng that time hede,
A whyte habite they bare yt time for chastite,
Eugenius after gaue them a crosse of rede:
And to defende pylgrimes out of drede
Gayne sarazins through their high renoun,
This was chefe point of their profession.

Whyle they liued in wylful pouerte
These crossed knights in mātel clad of white,
They are spred in many a ferre countre,
For in perfection was set all their delyte:
Folke of deuocion caught an appetite
Them to encrease gaue great almesse,
By whych they gan wexe to great richesse.

By processe wythin fewe yeres
The nombre great of their religion,
And the fame of the sayde Templers
Gan sprede wide in many region:
With the sodayne rising of their profession,
With tours, castels, they gaue the to delices,
Appalled in vertue yt brought in many vices.

It were to long to reken them all,
But amonge other I fynde there was one
A manly knight, folke Iaques dyd him call,
Great of auctorite among them euerychone,
As cronicles remembre of yore agone
The whych Iaques in the realme of Fraūce
Was borne of blode to great enheritaunce.

The same Iaques holde a manly knyghte
In his gynnyng freshe, lusty of corrage,
Had a brother by elder title of right
Occupied al hole the heritage:
Because Iaques yonger was of age
Whych might not by no condicion
Nothyng clayme of that possession.

His elder brother occupied all
Whyle thys Jaques but lowe was of degree,
Wonder desirous to be with hym egal,
Alway put backe by frowarde pouerte:
And to surmounte if it woulde be
Founde out a meane lyke to hys desiers,
Was chosen mayster of the templers.

And was promoted by fre election
By them that should chose hym of ryght,
Whereby he had great dominacion
Ryches, treasour, great power and myght,
Of hys person was eke a manly knyghte,
The same tyme put in remembraunce
Philip le Bele crowned kyng of Fraunce.

Whych had of Iaques great indignacion,
To al the templers and al the chiualry
Cast wayes to their distruction,
Gate auctorite his lust to fortifye
Downe fro the pope bokes specifye
Clement theer concludyng if he may,
All the templers to distroye on a daye.

For certayne crimes horible to here
Al at ones were set in prison,
By their frendes touchyng thys matere
Counsailed to aske mercy and pardon:
That they should by plaine confession
Requiring hym knelyng on a rowe,
And as it was their trespase ben aknowe.

Iaques was take & with him other thre
Kept in holde and to prison sent,
And the remnaunt for their iniquite
Ordained were by open iudgement
To mighty stakes to be tied and brent:
The kyng in maner lyke to do them grace
So they would confesse their trespace.

But al for nought they were so indurate
All of accorde and of one corrage
To aske mercy were obstinate,
The fire redy al wyth one langage
Whan the flame approched theyr vysage
Full plainely spake cried pitiously,
Of their actes which they were not gylty.

From their purpose they lyst not to declyne
[Page xxxiii]But wyth one voice echone and one soun
Fully affyrmed tyl they dyd fyne,
How their order and their religion
I grounded was vpon perfection:
And theyr deth verely in dede
Compassed was of malice and hatred.

The sayd Jaques of whom I spake to forne
Brought to a place which called was Leon
Tofore two legates or that his life was lorne
All openlye made hys confession,
He was worthy for short conclusion
For to be dead by rightfull iudgement,
This was hys ende to ashes he was brent.

The .xxxii. Chapter.

❧ Bochas here cōmendeth Theodorus wyth other two Philosophers for theyr pacience notably.

YEuing a prise to Phylosophers thre,
Bochas cōmēdeth wt great diligēce
Howe ech of them was in his co [...]tre
Soueraynly by vertuous excellēce
Of olde commended for their pacience:
Which may be set and crowned in hir stall
As Emperesse among vertues al.

Among Ceciliens fyrst Theodorus
For pacience had in great reuerence,
Amonge Grekes the story telleth thus
Anaxerses for his magnificence,
By force of vertue grounded on pacience
Because he was vertuous and wyse
For sufferaunce gate him a souerayne prise.

Among Romains put in remembraunce
Sceuola, both philosopher and knyght,
For his marciall stronge constaunce
Whan that he helde amyd the flame lyght
Hande & fingers among the coles bryght,
Tyl the ioyntes falling here and yonder
From the wrest departed were a sonder.

Fyrst Theodorus borne in the famous yle
By pacience great paines enduringe,
Chefe philosopher called of Cecile
With chaynes boūde vpon the ground lying,
On his body layde gaddes reed brennyng:
Suffring his paine list it not refuse
By kynge Jerome the tiraunte of Siracuse.

For common profit suffred all his payne
Long tyme afore liyng in prison,
Whych by assent of mo than one or twayne
Was the most chefe by conspiracion
To bring the tiraunt to his distruccion:
For no paine that he might endure
The coniuracion he would not discure.

Rather he chase in mischefe for to dey
Than by name openly declare
Of him that slewe the tiraunt sothly to sey,
Thought of ryght no man should spa [...]e
For common profit helth and welfare:
To slee a tiraunt demyng for the best
Al a region for to set at rest.

For which title he list suffre deth,
All his turment toke most paciently,
Theodorus tyl he yelded vp the breth
Grutched not with noise nor loude cry:
Amyd wose hert roted was faythfully
Common profit, Bochas wryteth the same,
Among Ceciliens to get hym a name

Grekes also cōmende aboue the sterres
Anaxerses and greatly magnifye,
Cause that he to stint mortall werres
Lyst not spare to acquite hys partye,
In rebukyng manly the tirannye
Of Nico [...]reon, a tiraunt full mortall
Reignyng in Cipre in his estate royall.

Spared nouther for deth ne drede
Him to rebuke by vertuous langage,
The tiraunt bad cut out of his heade
Hys tonge in haste, but he wt strong corage
Sayde he shoulde haue none auauntage
Of that membre, whych wyth al his myghte
Had tolde him trough in the peoples sight.

Of his manace set but litell tale
Bytte of his tonge of stronge corage,
Chewed it al on peces smale
Of manly herte thought it no domage
Spyt it out in the visage
Of the tiraunt, gate so the vyctory
To put his name euermore in memory.

And Sceuola equal to these twayne
For common profit by iust comparison,
Put him in preace, dyd his busye payne
To slee Porcenna enemy to Rome toun,
For to accomplysh his entention
Toke a stronge darte passingly trenchaunte,
With al his mighte cast it at the tiraunte.

[Page]
Of his marke cause he dyd faile
To slee his enemye after his entent,
Whych in Tuskan by many stronge battayle
Gayns Romains wyth his knightes went,
This Sceuola his owne hand brent:
Cause that he failed of hys arte
To slee Proceuna with casting of his darte.

To declare the force of his manhode
Put him selfe auenged for to be,
As I haue tolde in coles rede
His hande he brent for loue of his cite:
Onely to aquite his magnanimite
Of feruent loue his cite to auayle
To slee the tiraunt cause that he dyd fayle.

Thus for to put the marcial suffraunce
Of these noble philosophers thre
In perpetuall mynde and remembraunce
Howe they them quit eche lyke his degre,
For their pure partye vnto the commonte,
Cause al their ioy and inward delite.
Was for auaile to the cōmon profit.

Fyrst Theodorus put him selfe in prees
For Ceciliens to dye in prison,
And for Grekes noble Anaxerses
His tonge torne felte great passion,
And Sceuola for Romayns and their toun
Suffred his hande by shorte auisement,
Of verye trouth in coles to be brent.

A martirdom it was in their manere
Of their corage to haue so great constaunce,
Were so stable of herte body and chese
For cōmon profite, of face and countenaunce
Vnto the deth without variaunce:
Gate the triumphe by souerayne excellence
With laurer crowned for their pacience.

Lyke as Phebus passeth the litel sterre
Hyest vpraised in hys mydday spere,
So this vertue in trouble peace & werre
Called pacience, most freshely doth appere,
Among vertues to shewe hys beames clere:
For pacience knyt wyth humilite
Where they abyde maye none errour be.

T [...]rauntes hertes this vertue doth appease,
Modifyeth their cruell fel wodenesse,
Rage of Lions who lyst lyue in ease
Of folke prostrat his malice doth represse,
Al our ioy gan first wyth mekenes,
For of Juda the hardy stronge lion
A maidēs mekenes fro heauen brought doun.

In battaile and mighty stronge sheltrons
Aduice with sufferaunce winneth the victory,
Pacience venquisheth champions
Lownesse in vertue by many olde hystory,
And mekenes perpetuall of memory
Al to conclude groūded on reason
A maidens mekenes wrought our redēpcion.

¶ Bochas here commendeth humilite.

VErtue of vertues O noble pacience,
Wyth Laurer crowned O vertu­ous constaūce,
Laude honour prayse and reuerēce
Be yeue to thee prices of most pleasaūce,
Most renomed by olde remembraunce:
Of whom the myghty marciall armure
Gayne all vyces lengest may endure.

Grounde and gynnyng to stande at defence
Agayne Sathans infernall puissaunce,
Laureat quene where thou art in presence
From outrages haue no gouernaunce,
Condite, head spring of plētuous habūdaūce,
Cristall well celestial of figure
Gayne al vices which lengest may endure.

Chefe founderes by soueraine excellence
Of gostly building & spiritual substaunce,
Empresse of most magnificence
With heuenly spirites next of aliaunce,
With life euerlasting thy triūphes tauaunce:
And ioy eternal thy noblesse lo assure
In the aureat throne perpetually to endure.

Three Jerarchies there liuing in preīence,
With whō humilite hath souerayne acquain­taūce
Where Osanna wt deuout diligence
Is songe of aungels by long continuaūce,
Tofore the throne keping their obseruaunce
Syng Sanctus sāctus recorde of scripture,
Wyth voice memorial perpetually tendure.

The brēning loue of Cherubin, by feruence
Perfit in charite diligent obeysaunce,
And Seraphin wyth humble obedience
And orders nyne by heuenly concordaunce
Dominacion with vertuous attendaunce,
Afore the trinite synge freshly by measure,
Wyth voice memoriall perpetually tendure.

[Page xxxiiii]
Suffraunce of panims hath but apparence
Done for vainglory, hangyng in balaunce,
But Christes martyrs in very existence
Lyst againe tyraūtes make no repugnaūce:
Rather die than shew god displeasaunce,
Shewed in no myrrour likenesse nor picture
Take full possession wt Christ euer tendure.

Suffraunce for vertue hath y• preemynence
Of them that set in god their affyaunce,
Recorde of Stephyn Vincent & Laurence
Blessed Edmonde by longe perseueraunce,
Suffred for our fayth victorious greuaūce:
Kyng made & martyr a palme to recure
In the heuenly courte perpetually to endure.

And for to set a maner difference
In Bochas boke tolde euery circumstaunce,
Howe for our fayth by full great violence
Dyuers sayntes haue suffred gret penaunce,
Stable of their chere visage & coūtenaunce:
Neuer to vary for none auenture
Like Christes chāpions perpetually tēdure.

Whose foundacion by notable prouidence
Grounded on Christ their soules to auaunce,
Graue in their hertes and in theyr conscience
Voiding all trouble of worldly perturbaūce,
Chaunges of fortune wt her double chaunce:
Loued god and dred aboue eche creature
In hope with him perpetually to endure.

The .xxxiii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Philip le Bele king of Fraunce was slaine with a wilde Bore, and of his thre sonnes and their wedding.

Whan Bochas had written of paciēce
And commended the vertue of suf­fraunce,
Philip le Bele came to his presence
Fift of the name crowned king of Fraunce:
Gan complaine his vnhappy chaunce,
And on fortune of custome that can vary
Which was to him cruell aduersary.

Wounded he was with a greuous sore,
Gan his complaynt to Bochas determyne,
How he was slaine with a wilde bore,
In a forest which called was Compyne,
Tolde howe he was sclaundred & al hys line
Ones in Flaūders wt many a worthy knight
Vēquished of flēminges, & felly put to flight.

Proceding ferther gan touche of his lynage
Howe in his time he had sonnes three,
Lewes Philip & Charles yonge of age,
The fourth Robert: also a doughter had he
Called Isabell, right excellent of beaute:
The sayde Robert the storie is well kouthe
Whiche that died in his tender youthe.

To this story who li [...]t haue good regarde
The circumstaunce wysely to discerne,
His doughter Isabell was wedded to Ed­ward
Carneruan, the boke so doth vs lerne:
This yonge Philip wedded in Nauerne
The kinges doughter, a stately mariage,
Called Jane, whyle she was tendre of age.

The same Philip after crowned king
Of Nauerne, his father of assent
Fyue sonnes he had than liuing,
Of which fiue as in sentyment
Thre in nombre be right pertyn ent
The matter who so list to loke,
And the processe of the same boke.

The eldest sonne called was Lewise
To whome his father gaue possession
Of Nauerne, bycause that he was wyse
For to gouerne that noble region:
Philip his brother for his high renoun
Was afterwarde by iust enheritaunce
And rightful title crowned king of Fraunce.

The thyrde brother was by title of right
Made erle of march & named was Charles,
Eche of them in the peoples syght
Were famous holde & passing of great prise,
And for they were right manly & right wyse
Philip and Charles toke in tendre age,
The erles doughters of Burgoin in mariage

But as the storye reherseth in certayne
To their noblesse fortune had enuy,
And by a maner of malice and disdayne
Brought in a processe vpon the party
Of their two wyues frowarde auoutry,
Causing the death of these wyues thre
Whan they most floured in their felicite.

After these three princes glorious,
Tofore Bochas had shew theyr entent
A mighty duke notable and famous
Came to complaine Charles of Tarent,
[Page]Which in his time to Florence went
To make peace in his royall estate
Twene Guer [...]te & Gemellius standing at debate

The said Charles borne of the blod of fraūce
A manly knight the story doth deuise,
By whose vnhappy fatall froward chaunce
In the werres twene Florence and Pyse
On horsbacke sittinge in knightly wyse,
Hurt wt an arowful lowe down to grounde,
Wherby he caught his last fatal wounde.

A man of armes beyng a soudyour
With the pisanes were it wronge or right
Of false disdaine did his busy labour
To treade on Charles in the peoples syght,
Whan he laye gruffe wherfore he was made knight
By theyr captain, for a maner pryde
Which gouerned the Sybelines syde.

And in his study wyth full heuy chere
While John Bochas bode styll on his sete,
To him appered and gan approche nere
Daunt of Florence the laureate Poete,
With his dities and rethoriques swete,
Demure of loke fulfilled with pacience,
With a vysage notable of reuerence.

Whan Bochas saw him vpō his fete he stod,
And to mete him he toke his pase full right,
with great reuerence auailed cappe and hod,
To him said with humble chere and sight,
O clerest sonne, O very sothfast lyght
Of our cite, which called is Florence,
Laude be to the honour and reuerence.

Thou hast enlumined Itaile & Lombardy
With Laureate ditees in thy flouring dayes,
Grounde and ginning of prudent policy
Monge Florentines suffred great affrayes:
As golde pure proued at al assayes
In trouth madest mekely thy selfe stronge,
For commō profite to suffre paine & wronge.

O noble Poete touching this matter
How Florentines to the were vnkynde,
I wyll remember & write with good chere
Thy pytous exile and put here in mynde:
Fray (quod Daunt) here stante one behinde
Duke of Athens turne to him thy style,
His vncouth story breuely to compyle.

And if thou lyst do me this plesaunce
To discryue his knightly excellence,
I wyll thou put his life in remembraunce
How he oppressed by mighty violence
This famous cite called Florence.
By which story plainly thou shalt se
Whiche were frendes and foes to the cite.

And which were able to be excused
If the trouth be clerely apperceyued,
And which were worthy to be refused
By whome the cite ful falsly was disceiued:
The cyrcumstaunce notably conceiued
To reken in order by euery syde
Which shoulde be chaced and whiche shoulde abyde

The .xxxiiii. Chapter.

¶ How duke Gaulter of Florence for his tirannye lechery and couetyse ended in myschefe.

ANd whan Bochas knewe all thenten­cion
Of the saide Daunt, he caste him anone ryght
To obey his mayster as it was reason,
Toke his penne and as he cast his sight
Alite aside he sawe no maner wight
Saue duke Gaulter of all the longe day,
For Daunt vnwarely vanished was away.

This said Gaulter bruely to perocede
Lyke as it is put in remembraunce,
Touching his line and his royall kynrede
He was discended of the blode of Fraunce,
By longe processe and knightly purueyaunce
His father fyrst by diligent labour
Of Athenes was lorde and gouernour.

Stode but a while in clere possession,
Grekes to him had full great enuy,
Cast of assent to put him doun
And de priue him of his famous duchy,
To their entent a layser they did espy:
Toke him at mischefe, quaking in his drede
Of hie dispyte in haste smyt of his heade.

Vpon whose death auenged for to be
This said Gaulter with mighty apparayle
Cast he wolde asiege that cite,
But of his purpose longe he did faile:
And in this while wt many stronge batayle
Two mighty prices were cōe down of Pise,
Laide a siege to Luke in full knightly wyse.

[Page xxxv]
Florentines to Luke were fauourable,
And to delyuer the siege from the toun
With multytude almost innumerable
Made ordinaunce, and knightly came doun,
Which tourned after to their distruction:
For it fell so of mortall auenture
On Florentines fyl the discomfiture.

The noyse and fame of this great batayle
Gan sprede ferre by reporte of langage
In Lombardy and in Itayle,
Monge soudiours lusty of corage,
And among other fayning a pylgrimage
The said Gaulter by vnware violence,
Came fro Naples downe in to Florence.

The Florentines helde fyrst a parliament
For the saluacion and garde of their cyte,
By great prudence and great auisement
Of suche as were highest of degre,
By one assent they gaue the soueraynte
Them to gouerne hopyng to theyr increace,
With statutes made both for werre & peace.

The greatest states rulers of the toun
Called Magnates tho daies in sothnes
To Gaulter gaue this dominacion,
Of entent the commons to oppres:
And marchauntes to spoile, theyr of ryches,
Streyne men of craft by froward violence
Again theyr lybertees vsed in Florence.

The people alway in awayte lying
To be restored vnto theyr lyberte,
Gan grutche sore among themselfe plaining
For great extorcion done to their cyte:
The greatest also of most auctorite
Had leuer to suffre Gaulter reigne,
Than their actions to modify or restraine.

The said Gaulter in full subtil wyse
By a false maner of symulacion
Enemye in herte vnto their fraunchyse,
All that he wrought for short conclusion
Was done onely to theyr distruction,
With a pretence fayned of frendlyhede
To his promise contrary aye was the dede.

Clambe vp by proces to full hie estate
By fayned speche and subtil flattery,
In his herte wext pompous and elate
His working outwarde no man coude espy:
Lyte and littel drough to his party,
That to conclude shortly for to sey
All Florence his lustes dyd obey.

Gan subtelly please the commonte
For to accomplysh falsly his desyers,
Made promise to encreace their liberte:
To suche as were frowarde of maners
Made an othe to distroy their officers
But they wolde of their fre volunte
Graunt vnto him larger lyberte,

Gretter power and dominacion.
To encreace his might on euery syde
Gan manace the grettest of the toun,
And day by daye encreace in his pride:
Felly he gan felly he dyd abyde
Therupon, kept close in their entrayle
The Florentines greatly gan meruayle.

In this while there was one Reymere
Of great auctorite and of great reuerence,
A mighty sergeant and a great officere,
To whose bidding obeyed all Florence,
Which with Gaulter accorded in sentence
With soudiours had stuffed eche hostry,
For to sustene of Gaulter the party.

And traytourly for to fortifye
The entent of Gaulter fell and ambycious,
To haue the state onely by tyrannye
As their chefe lorde froward & surquedous.
To reigne in Florence the case peryllous:
Whan two tyrauntes bothe of one assent
With multytude to accomplishe their entent.

Which thinge considred by theyr gouernours
And Magnates called in the cyte,
Whan they found among them no socours
To remedy their great aduersite,
Fyll to accord of necessite:
Gaue their assent without variaunce
That Gaulter should haue al y• gouernaūce.

And condiscended they were to this issue
That Gaulter should in all his best wyse
Vpon the body be sworne of Christ Jhesu
Them to restore vnto their fraunchyse
Vsed of olde, and for no couetyse
From their promise for lyfe ne deth decline,
As the conuencion lyst to termine.

Herupon was blowe a trompet
For to assemble the states of the toun,
[Page]A parlyament was holden Gaulter first set
Holy to pronounce the conuencion,
With euery percell entytled by reason
Like their accorde declaring anonright
Stode vp a vocate in the peoples sight.

With men of Armes in stele armed bright
Vnto their palayes chefe and principall
The said Gaulter conueyed anonright,
Set in a seate moste stately and royal:
And the people with voice memorial
Gan crye loude concluding in sentence
Gaulter for euer chefe lorde of Florence.

Who to perseuer during all his lyfe
Toke in the palayes full possession,
There durst none agayne it make strife
Graunted to him the domina [...]
Of all the castels aboute enuyron:
Tuscan, Areth, and castell Florentine,
With all lordshippes to mount Appenyne.

As ye haue herde Gaulter thus began
By his owne furious diuinayle,
Sayd he was borne to be lorde of Tuskan
And a great party also of Itayle,
Tolde he was lad & conuayed by a quaile:
Said euermore were it right or wronge
That was the sentence of the birdes songe.

The same birde brought him first to Florence
All the way afore him toke his flight,
With sote synging dyd him reuerence
Hye in the ayre of corage glad and light,
wolde neuer parte out of his sight:
Gaue him tokens to set his herte afyre,
That of Florence he shulde be lorde & syre.

The same birde he bare in his diuyses
Full rychely enbrauded with pyrre,
Toke vpon him many great emprises
As chefe lorde of Florence the cite:
Sate in iugement gouerned the countre,
Drewe to him flaterers & folke y• coude lye
Baudes & ribaudes where he might thē spy.

Of that cyte toke meruaylous truages,
Croched to him richesse of the toun,
Of lechery vsed great outrages,
Of maydens & wyues made none excepcion:
Voyde of mercy grace and remissyon
Founde quarell for to be vengeable,
That to reherce it is abhomynable.

Where he hated mercylesse he slee the,
Brake fraunchyses and olde lybertees,
The people plained, desyred sore his dethe,
Cried vengeaunce about their citees,
For tyranny done in their countrees:
Which was cause of great discencion
And of their citee almost subuercion.

Thus they were among thē selfe deuided
For theyr greuous sodaine oppression,
Lacke of foresight y• they were nat prouided
To se mischeues that should fal in the toun:
This is very sothe where is diuysion
By wytnes and recorde of Scripture,
May no kingdom nor cite longe endure.

For which they gan complaine one and all
Bothe of the greate and comonte,
And of accord amonge them selfe they fal
To refourme the hurte of their cyte,
And fynally they condiscended be
By a maner fell coniuracion
To procede to his distruction.

Vpon a day they armed in stele bright
Magnates first with commons of the town
All to assent rose vp anone right,
Gan to make an hidous sowne,
Let slee this tyraunt, let vs pull him downe:
Layde a siege by mighty violence,
Aforne his palays, where he lay in Florence.

Suche as were enclyned to Gaulter
Amyd the palais the story doth vs lerne,
To eschue the siege with full heuy chere
Ordained them selfe to flye away full yerne:
Out of the towne by a smal posterne,
Whan Florentines dyd their labour
To vndermyne round about the tour.

Of which thing whan Gaulter toke hede
This message sent vnto the toun,
Nat of trouth but fayningly for drede
Made promyse by false collusion
For to make full restitucion
Of their fredoms, as they lyst deuyse
Sent them out Guyllamine Dassyse.

Which to the cite was proued vtter foe
Had aforne done them great domage,
With Guyllamyne, he sent to them also
His sonne and he yre to stint al their rage,
Worse than his father of wyll and of corage
Bothe at ones were hanged anon right
[Page xxxvi]Tofore the palays in Gaulters sight.

Another also that called was Henry
Which had afore yeere instruction
Vnto Gaulter, and was eke enemy
To stire him agayne that noble toun,
Gynner and grounde of their diuysion
Which tofore Gaulter his iudgemēt to shew,
With sharp swordes he was all to hewe.

The execucion done vpon these thr [...]
In Tuskan borne, the rancour did apease
Of Florentines, to staunche the cruelte
Againe Gaulter, & to his life great ease:
He glad to escape out of his disease
Fled away in full secrete wyse,
The towne restored again to their fraūchyse.

Thus he lost by his insolence
All his power and dominacion
Bothe of Tuskan and also of Florence,
And as mine auctour maketh mencion
Fro Lombardy he is discended doun:
Drew to king Iohn reigning tho in Fraūce,
And of byrth full nigh of alyaunce.

As I fynde he was on that partye
With king Ihon this Gaulter like a knight,
Whan that the king with all his chiualry
Was take him selfe his lordes put to flighte,
Into Englande lad after anone righte:
The said Gaulter hauing no regarde
To his worshyp fled like a cowarde.

Met in his flyght with diuerse soudyours
Of Lombardy abiding with king Iohn,
Which that time as brygantes & pyllours
Toke this Gaulter led him forthe anone,
His force his corage his herte was agone,
Of auenture a certaine Florentine
Smit of his head this was his fatall fyne.

The .xxxv. Chapter.

¶ Of Philipot Cathenoise borne of lowe birth, which came vnto great estate, and after she, her sonne & her doughter were brent.

BEspraynt with teares and wofull noyse
Tofore Bochas quaking in sorow and drede,
Next in order came Philipot Cathenoyse,
Poore of degree borne of lowe kynrede,
Which rose after to great estate in dede:
And gan with sorow & complaint ful mortal
Seriously to tell her woful fall.

Touching her byrth derke was her linage,
Of poore bed borne on outher syde,
Bochas was lothe to spende great langage
On her history longe theron to abyde,
Purposed him nothing for to hide
Of the substaunce, but tell all the great
And superfluite of the remenaunt to leat:

Whiche was reherced by him in his youth
Whan he was toward Robert of Cecyle
Kyng of Ierusalem the storye is nat couth,
Yet in his boke he list it compyle,
And it reherce by full soueraine stile
Lyke in that courte as it was to him tolde
By one Bulgare called in slauaine olde.

The sayd Bulgare was a marynere
With him also was a Calabrien
Called Constantine, which full many a yere
Trauailed had and sondry thinges sene
In diuers countreis there he had bene,
Monge other thinges sene in dayes olde
This was a storie which Bulgare tolde.

Duke of Calabre Robert by his name
By his father Charles the mighty kyng
Had in cōmaūdement, y• storye saith the same
Gayne Frederike to make a stronge ryding:
Which by force proudly vsurping
Toke vpon him to be lorde of that yle
Which called was the kingdome of Cicyle.

Depranne in sothe called was the towne
Where duke Robert his pauyllions pight,
Rode armed through his hie renowne
Gaine Frederike for the lande to fight,
And to withstande him plainly if he might,
And so be fyll the morowe before prime,
The dukes wife of childing bode her tyme.

Violaunt men did that lady call
In her time a famous great duchesse,
Destitute of other women al
Whan her childe was borne in that distresse,
To yeue it souke the story doth expresse:
Saue for mischefe Philipot was fet nere
Of Cathenoyse the dukes chefe laundere.

By a fysher which was her husbande
[Page]A childe she had lyuing by theyr trauaile,
Which fro the sea vnto the courte by lande
Day by day caried vitaile,
And in this case be cause it might auayle
Philipot was brought in this greate strayt­nesse
To be norice vnto the duchesse.

Where she was cherished after her desyres,
Eche thing redy whan that euer she sent,
With the duchesse amonge other chambrers
In to Naples I fynde that she went,
Tyll Atropose frowarde of entent
Made of this childe there is no more to say,
The lyues threde for to breke in tway.

With king Charles of whō I spake toforne
As mine au [...]tour remembreth in his boke,
Was one Raymond of Champayne borne,
Whiche wt the king was called mayster coke
And on a day his iourney he toke
Towarde the sea, a pyrate as I finde,
Solde him a child which was borneī Inde.

Lyke Ethiopiens was his colour,
For whō this coke Raymonde hath deuysed
For in his notable diligent labour
Made him christen and so he was baptised,
Gaue him the name and also practysed
Him to promote, that he vpon him toke
By his doctrine to be mayster coke.

For he sone after toke the order of a knight,
The Ethiopien wext a good officere
Gate suche grace in the kinges sight
To be about him more nere
By processe he was made wardyopere,
And though he was blacke of his visage
To Cathenoyse he was ioyned in maryage.

Wexte malyperte and of presumpcion
To be made knight y• king he gan requere,
Which of fredom and great affection
Is condiscended to graunt his prayere,
But to declare plainly the manere
In this time Violaunt the duchesse,
Afore remembred dyed of sicknesse.

After whose death bokes dothe certifye
Howe duke Robert of Naples the cite
Wedded a Lady that called was Sausye,
To whom Philipot as fyll to her degre
With diligence and great humilite
To please her dyd so her deuer,
That of counsayle there was none so nere.

Euer redy at her commaundement
Wrought atyres plesaunt of delite,
With holsom waters that were redolent
To make her skyn by washing sote & white:
Made confections to serue her appetyte:
By her husbande, the story who lyst se,
The same Philipot had chyldren three.

She was connyng & of her porte prudent,
Chosen by fauour for to be maystresse
To fayre Iane yonge and innocent
Which doughter was to the great duchesse
Of Calabre, and furthermore to expresse
Her husbande the Ethyopyen withall
Of Charles houshold was made seneschall.

O lorde (quod Bochas) spake of hie disdain
What meneth this fortune for to make chere
With her fauour to rayse vp a forayne
Vpon her whele with bright fethers clere,
But of custome it is aye her manere
Fayrest to appere with chere & countenaūce
Whan she wyll bryng a mā vnto mischaūce.

For he that was a boy the last day,
An Ethiopien borne, & horrible of sight
And afore time in the kechyn lay
Amonge the pottes, with baudy cote anight,
Nowe of newe hath take the ordre of knight
With king Charles is now seneschall,
Such sodayne climbing asketh a sodain fal.

He and Philipot his wyfe fro pouerte
Be enhaunced and rissen to great richesse,
Two of their sonnes stately maryed be,
And he for fauour more than worthynesse
To order of knight, & in his most highnesse
Their father died whose feast funerall
Was solempnysed and holde full royall.

Thus can fortune chaunge as the mone,
Her bright face derked with a skye:
His eldest sonne dyed after sone
The seconde left vp his clergie.
To be made knightlgan him selfe apply,
Stode of his father plainly as I rede
In his office, by fauour to succede.

Thus by processe fro Philipot anonright
Deathe of her husbande & her sonnes twaine
Fortune in party eclypsed hath the light,
Of her welfare, and gan at her disdayne:
Yet euen like as whan it doth rayne
Phebus after sheweth more clerenesse,
[Page xxxv]So she fro trouble, rose to more nobles.

I meane as thus, rehersyng no vertue
In her person that men coude espye,
But onely this by tytle of this issue
Whan Charles doughter on that partye
Was to the king wedded of Hungrye
Called Andree, a man of great corage
He sayed his wyfe but right tendre of age.

The same Iane nat without vice
As is rehersed somwhat by myne auctour,
To whome Phylipot whylom was norice
As ye haue herde and by full great labour
Of the said Iane Robert made gouernour
Sonne of Phylipot for a great rewarde,
Made of Cecyle and of that lande stewarde.

This fauour done to Philipot Cathenoyse
Caused in that lande great indignacion,
Whose doughters weddīg caused gret noyse
Maryed to charles the gret erle of Marchon
whiche gaue to folke greate occasion
To deme amysse aboute in eche countre
That all y• lande was gouerned by tho thre

By quene Iane and Phylipot Cathenoyes
And the said Robert stewarde of Cecyle
Son to Philipot, this was the common vois,
The Quene and Robert by their subtil wyle
Had of assent vsed a longe while
The hateful synne of aduoutry,
Rose in Cecyle and went vp to Hungry.

For Quene Iane began no maner thing
But Cathenoyse assented were therto,
The execucion and fully the working
Brought to conclucion by Robert al was do:
And in this time rose a great stryfe also
Disclaunderous and a froward discorde,
Atwene the quene & him that was her lorde.

Harde to procede vpon suspection,
Sclaunder is swift lightly taketh his flight,
For which men shoulde eschue the occasion
Of fame and noyse of euery maner wight,
By prouidence, remembred in his sight
Whan the report is through a lande ronne
Harde it is to stint it whan it is begonne.

Withstand principles occasions to decline,
Lest vnwarely ther folow great domage,
To late commeth the salue of medicine
To festred sores whan they be vncurable▪
And in case very resemblable
To eschew sclaūder who list nat for to spare,
Maye nat fayle to fal into the snare.

Thus for a time the slaunder was kept close
Albeit so it did for a while abyde,
Another mischiefe ful pitously arose
Which afterward spred abrode ful wyde,
Aduoutry to murder is a very gyde:
Set at a priefe mine auctour doth recorde
The king Andre was strangled with a corde.

Out of his chambre raysed a great heyght
By a coniected false conspiracion,
He was entreated, brought downe by sleyght
After strangled as made is mencion,
Whose death to punish by commission
Hugh erle of Anelyne by a patent large
To be iudge toke vpon him the charge.

Of this murder rose vp a great noyse
By euidence full abhominable,
Philipot called Cathenoyse
Her sonne & doughter that they were culpa­ble:
Dome was yeue by Iudges ful notable,
And to conclude shortly their iudgement,
With chaines boūd at stakes they wer brent.

¶ Lenuoy▪

THys Tragedy afore rehersed here
Telleth the domage of presumption,
By experience rehersyng the manere
Whan beggers rise to dominacion
Is none so dredeful execucion
Of cruelte, yf it be wel out sought,
Than of such one as came vp of nought.

Recorde on Philipot that with hūble chere
By sodayne fauour and supportacion,
Which was to fore a simple smal landere
Of no value nor reputacion,
By fortunes gery trāsmutacion
Shed out her malyce testate whan she was brought,
List not consider how she came vp of nought.

Where is more disdayne or more daungere
Or more frowarde communicacion,
More vengeable venim doth appere,
Nor more sleyghty false supplantacion
Nor more conspired vnware collusion,
[Page]Nor vndermining done couertly & wrought,
Than of such folke as come vp of nought.

Fortunes chaunges & meuinges circulere
With her most stormy transmutacion,
Now one set vp ful hie in the sphere,
Enhaunceth vices and vertues put down:
Record on Philipot whose venemous treasō
Compassed aforne in her secret thought
The dede sheweth yt she came vp of nought.

Noble princes with your bright eyen clere
Aduertise in your discretion
That no flaterer come in your court so nere,
By no fraude of false disception,
Alway remembring afore in your reason
On this tragedy & on this treason wrought,
By a false flatter that came vp of nought.

The .xxxvi. Chapter.

Howe kyng Sauses was slayne by his cosin which was brother vnto the king of Aragon.

THe that time came of this trauayle
Bochas dempt holding for the best
This noble Poete of Florente and Itayle
To make his penne a while for to rest,
Closed his boke and shut it in his chest,
But or he might sparre it with the key
Came thre princes & mekely gan him prey

Amonges other remembred in his boke
Theyr greuaunces briefly to declare,
Wherwith Bochas gan cast vp his loke
And of cōpassion behelde theyr pitous fare:
Thought he would for no slouthe spare
To theyr requestes goodly condiscende
And of his boke so for to make an ende.

Here gan first reherse by writyng
In his complaynt ful pitously he made
Touching the fall of the great king
Called Sauses, which his soiour had
The place named was Astrociade
And as he writ, a lytle there beside
Was alytle Ile called Emaside.

Bothe these Iles together knit in one
Wher Sauses had his dominacion,
Liuing in peace enemy had he none
In longe quyet had possession:
Whose kyngdom hole, as made is mencion
In the vulgar myne auctour write the same
Of Malliogres plainly bare the name.

There is also another smaller yle
Called Maylorge, and of both twayn
The said king was lord a great while,
Kepyng his estate notable and souerayne:
Hauyng a cosyn gan at him disdayne,
Which was brother as made is mencion
Vnto the king that tyme of Aragon.

In the yles remembred by wryghtinges
Whan the people went in to batayle,
Was the vsage founde vp first of stinges
With cast of stones their enemies to assayle:
They had of shot none other apparayle
In that tyme, arblast nouther bowe,
Perauenture was tho but lytell knowe.

All these countreis were called but one lande
Where Sawses helde possession,
Till his cosyn with strong and mighty hande
With great power sodaynly came doun,
Brought people out of Arragon,
Fyll on kyng Sawses feble of diffence
Gate that kingdome by knightly violence,

The balaunce was nat of euyn peys
Atwene these cosyns, who lyst take hede,
For in hys conquest the Arragoneys
Of cruelte hath smytten of the hede
Of kyng Sawses quakinge in his drede,
Though it stode so they were nygh of alye
There was that day shewed no curtesy.

The .xxxvii. chapter.

☞Howe Lewes king of Jerusalem and Cecile was put downe.

AFter thys Story tolde in wordes fewe
And kyng Sawses slayne by ty­ranny,
There came a prince and gan his face shewe
Called Lewes lorde of Trynacry,
The same yle in that party
Called Cythane the story telleth thus,
After the name of king Siculus.

[Page xxxvi]
Trinacry a countre merueylous
Toke first his name of famous hylles thre,
The chefe of them is called Pe [...]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 prīce Edward for all his great puissaūce,
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 kīg 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 lāgage
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 mē, 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 woūde,
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 kīg was take, their knightes did flee,
Wher was Bochas to helpe thē 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.

[Page]
OF Bochas boke the last tragedye
Compendiouslye put in remembraunce
How prince Edwarde wt his chiualrye
Fought at Poiters wt king John of Fraūce,
And through his mighty Marciall puysaūce
Groūded 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 descēded to Edward ī substaūce,
Cōueyed ye braūches 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• 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 ye prīce fought like a māly knight.

Noble princes your heartes do applye
Justly to way this matter in balaunce,
All thing paysed ye m [...] it not denye
If ye consider euery circumstaunce
In right Judges may be no variaunce:
The fielde d [...]rreyued deme who hath right
For whiche ye prīce fought like a māly 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
Prīce Edward fought like a manly knight.

¶ Here Bochas maketh a rehearsayl how Fortune hath made highe estates vnwarely to discende.

LEt folke of wisdom cōsider 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, ī their most furious rage,
Against whose might no man coude hīdefēde
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 religiōs wt al their brode crownes
Byshops, abbottes, confyrmed in their see,
Beholde of fortune the mutabylite
Seculere chanons wt many great prebende,
whan they sate hyghest in their felycite
Howe sodaynly she made them to discende.

All yt is written is written to our doctryne,
One courbeth lowe another gothe vpright,
Some be vicious some in vertue shyne,
Phebus now clipsed sōtyme 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 wastou [...]
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 discēde

All these matters combined into one
[Page xxxvii]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 reuol [...]ion
Doth one clymbe vp, another to discend.

☞The wordes of the translatour.

W [...] letters & leues this lytell boke trēbling
Pray to the prince, to haue on the pyte,
V [...]e of all picture and enlumynyng
W [...]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 cōprehēde
Sende you might grace and prosperite
Euer in vertue to encreace and ascende.
To kisse y• steppes of thē that were furtherīg
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• worlde to sende.
Go forthe I pray excuse thy selfe and me,
Who loueth most vertue highest shal ascende.

Blacke be thy wede of cōplaynt & mournīg,
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 & cōprehende,
Nowe on the whele now set in lowe degre,
Who will encreace by vertue must ascende.

The ende of Bochas Volumes.

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Author: Boccaccio, Giovanni, 1313-1375.1554

The Table of the fourth boke.

¶ The table of the fyfth boke.

The table of the eyght boke.

¶ The table of the nynth boke.

The Prologue of John Lydgate monke of Burye, translatoure of this worke.

¶ The fyrste Chapiter.

Lenuoye.

Che .ii. Chapiter.

The .iii. Chapiter.

¶ Lenuoye.

The .iiii. Chapter.

Of Ogiges kyng of Thebes.

Of a great floude in Tessaly.

The .v. Chapter.

The .vi. Chapter.

☞ Lenuoye.

The .vii. Chapter.

¶ Lenuoye.

The .viii. Chapter.

Lenuoye.

The .ix. Chapter.

☞ Lenuoy.

☞Omne regnum in se diuisum desolabitur.

The .x. Chapter.

The .xi. Chapter.

¶ Lenuoy.

¶ The .xii. Chapter.

☞ Lenuoy.

¶ The .xiii. Chapter.

¶ Lenuoy.

¶ The .xiiii. Chapter.

¶ Lenuoy.

¶ The .xv. Chapter.

☞ Lenuoy.

¶ The .xvi. Chapter.

The .xvii. Chapter.

The .xviii. Chapiter.

Lenuoye.

¶ The .xix. Chapter.

¶ Lenuoye.

☞ The .xx. Chapiter.

¶ The .xxi. Chapter.

The .xxii. Chapter.

The .xxiii. Chapiter.

☞ The .xxv. Chapiter.

¶ Lenuoye.

¶ The firste Chapter.

¶ Lenuoy.

¶ Acommendation of Obe­dience.

The .ii. Chapter.

¶ Lenuoy.

¶ The .iii. Chapter.

The .iiii. Chapiter.

☞ The .v. Chapiter.

The .vi. Chapter.

¶ Lenuoye.

The .vii. Chapiter.

¶ The .viii. Chapter.

The .ix. Chapiter.

The .x. Chapiter.

☞ The .xi. Chapiter.

☞ The .xii. Chapiter.

¶ Lenuoye.

The .xiii. Chapter.

¶ Lenuoy.

¶ Lenuoy, dyrect to wydowes of the translatoure.

¶ The .xiiii. Chapter.

The .xv. Chapter.

¶ Lenuoy.

¶ The .xvi. Chapter.

The .xvii. Chapter.

¶ The .xviii. Chapter.

¶ The .xix. Chapter.

The .xx. Chapter.

¶ The .xxi. Chapter.

¶ Lenuoy.

¶ The .xxii. Chapter.

¶ Lenuoye.

The .xxiii. Chapter.

¶ Acommendation of Obedience.

☞ The complaynt of Bochas vpon the luxury of princes, as by examples of many dyuers myschaunces.