Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum tricesimum primum.

AMAZIAS the son of Ioas reignede on Iuda xxix. yere, [Amazie.] after whom the realme of Iuda was with owte a kynge by

[Alnazie.] xiij. yere. Petrus. Perauenture hit is seide that realme to haue bene with owte a kynge, for Amazias in his life lefte that realme, and Ozias his son, of iij. yere in age, myȝhte not reigne. Whiche thynge may be schewede þat Amazias dedde, Ozias his son, of xvj. yere in age, began to reigne. ℞. Mony writers of storyes do not annumerate those xiij. yere in whom the realme of Iuda was with owte a kynge, other elles thei comprehende theym vnder the xxix. yere of Amazias. But withowte dowte the story of the Romanes constreynethe vs to nowmbre þose xiij. yere for the nowmbre of the yeres scholde not be founde elles whom Eutropius dothe annu|merate from the xxv. yere of kynge Latinus, in whom Troye was taken, vn to the edifienge of the cite of Rome vnder Romulus, whiche be in nowmbre cccc.xxxij. yere. Iheroboam the son of Ioas reignede on Israel xlj. yere. Auentinus Siluius, the xiij^the kynge of Latynes, reignede xxxiij. yere. Ozias other Azarias, son of Amazias, reignede on Iuda lij. yere. This kynge was luffere of tillenge of londes, whiche vsurpenge the office of preste of Azarias, was

smyten with the lepre, and the myddelle parte of the hille was diuidede, and oppressede the gardynes of the kynge. Arbases other Arbactus, firste kynge of men of Media, sleenge Sardanapallus, the laste kynge of men of Assiria, [folio 116b] reignede amonge theyme xxix. [yere], and then the monarchye off men of Assiria, whiche contynuede from Belus other Ninus to the laste tymes of Sardanapallus, as by m^l cccc. yere failede. Neuerthelesse there were myȝhty kynges in Assiria, after þe dethe of Sardanapallus, vn to the subuersion of the cite off Niniven, thauȝhe thei occupiede not the holle monarchye. Trogus, libro primo. This Sardanapallus, a man hauenge grete delectacion of women, and a violator of þeim, was founde of Arbases his stywarde amonge ylle dis|posede women drawenge purpulle of a rocke in the habite of a woman. Wherefore Arbases, hauenge indignacion, excitede hys felawes ageyne the kynge. Neuerthelesse, Sardanapallus ouercommon, goenge in to his regalle place, takenge fire with hym, brente hym selfe with grete richesse.

℞. The commentator on the firste boke of the Etkyes, in the xlj. commente, seythe that a man did write in his beryalle in this wyse, Y Sardanapallus haue so moche good as y did eite other drynke. Procas Siluius, the xiiij^the kynge of Latynes, reignede xxij. yere. In whiche tyme the Argyues hade weiȝhtes and measures by Sydon. Trogus, libro tertio. The nowble man Ligurgus ȝafe lawes to the men off Lacedemonia, movenge peple to the obsequy of princes, and theyme to exercise iustice to theire subiectes, movenge that parcimony scholde be hade of alle men, leste the labore of cheuallry scholde faile thro plente. Also he commaundede thynges to be bouȝhte with owte money, but the byer scholde recompense theyme in oþer merchandise, accomptenge the vse of moneye as matere of vices. Whiche diuidede also the amministraciones of the commune vtilite

by ordre. To kynges powere in batelles, to the maistres iuggements, to the senate kepenge of the lawes. Also he diuided londe egally to alle men, soe that eny man scholde not be more myȝhty þen an other, and yonge men to be [folio 117a] contente with oon clothe by the yere. Also he ordeynede that oo man scholde not goe more ryally then an other, or to haue more delicious meytes, commaundenge yonge childer to exercise labore in feldes vn til that they attenede the age of a man. Whiche commaundede also virgynes to be mariede with owte eny dowery, ordeynenge not eny thynge to the peple, but he obseruede hit firste in his awne person. That nowble man Ligurgus feynede Apollo Delphicus to

be auctor of þose lawes, that theke cite dissolute scholde admitte theym rather; constreynenge the peple by an othe to the obseruaunce of those lawes, that þei myȝhte be kepede continually, and that thei scholde not chaunge eny thynge in theyme vn til that he returnede to theyme. Wherefore he feynede hym to goe to Apollo Delphicus, as to aske cownselle if eny thynge were to be added to those lawes, other elles to be diminischede in theyme. Whiche wente to the yle of Creta, chosenge þer exile perpetualle; whiche commaundede in the time of his dethe his boones to be caste in the see, leste that he scholde be brouȝhte to Lace|demonia, and then they scholde be dischargede of theire othe. Cranaus, the firste kinge of Lacedemonia, reignede on theyme xxviij^ti yere. Gaufridus. Cordeilla the doȝter of kynge Leir, reignede on the Britones after here fader v. yere, whom Morganus and Cunedagius prisonede at the laste, the childer of here susters. Cunedagius reignede on the Britones after Cordeilla xxxiij. yere, whiche did sle

Morgan his broþer rebellous ageynes hym at Glomorgan in Wales, wherefore that cuntre is callede to this tyme þe londe of Morgan. Riuallo reignede after Cunedagius, after whom Gurgustius, whom Siluius succedede, after whom Iago, whom Kymnarchus succedede, after hym Gorbodio whiche hade ij. sonnes, Ferrex and Porrex, whiche movede thro the luste of dominacion did sle his brother. The moder of whom hauenge indignacion, commenge to the bedde of Porrex with other women, fyndenge him in slepe, terede hym in to peaces. For whiche thynge batelle was continuede by the tymes of v. kynges, vn to the tymes off Molimicius duke of Wallo. Amulius Siluius, the son of Procas, reignede xliij^ti yere, but his yeres be annumerate w^t the yeres of Numetor, [folio 117b] his elder brother. Numetor, the elder son of Procas, was expulsede from hys realme by Amulius, and lyvede in his felde; Rea other Etilia the doȝhter of whom getten with childe, seide that hit was doen by the God Mars; wherefore sche was beryede in the erthe beenge in lyfe. Whose childer

putte furthe in to the woode, þat were Remus and Romulus, a wulfe norischede with here mylke diligentely, whiche wontede here whelpes. Faustulus, the kynges scheparde, perceyvenge that, toke the ij. childer awey from that beste, noryschenge theyme in his flocke of bestes with herbes, gresse, and suche other þinges. Whiche childer, encreasenge in age and stature, removede oftetymes thefes from the flocke, but Remus was taken in a season and brouȝhte to Numetor by thefes, whiche seide that he wolde haue doen hurte to the flocke. When Numetor did beholde the beawte of the childe, remembrenge the tyme of the settenge furthe of ij. infantes, Faustulus his scheparde entrede in to the place with Romulus his other brother. Then the originalle of theyme yknowen, how thei were of his awne bloode, bothe Numetor and the ij. breþer

were prouokede in to the dethe off Amulius. Eutropius. Faustulus the scheparde fyndenge those childer sette on the side of the water of Tiber brouȝhte theyme to his wife, whiche was callede Lupa, what for here beawte and what for here crudelite. Wherefore vn to this tyme the places of ylle disposede women be callede Lupanaria. And when these childer were of a competente age, gedrenge a grete multitude of thefes and of schepardes, did slee Amulius at the water of Tiber, and restorede Numetor in his realme. Martinus. Neuerthelesse, wheder that woman was callede Lupa or nay, olde scripture in stones of marbole at Rome, expressethe that those ij. childer were noryschede of a wulfe. Zacharias the son of Ieroboam reignede on Israel iij. monethes, whom Sellum the son of Iabes did smyte, whiche reignede by oon monethe. Petrus. Other the realme of Israel was withowte a kynge after the dethe of Ihero|boam [folio 118a] xxiij. yere after the trewe computacion, other elles this Zacharias began to reigne in the xv^the yere off Ozias,

and soe he reignede by xxiij. yere. Whiche yeres were not attribute to hym, for cause he was of wickede disposicion, but vj. monethes oonly be annumerate to hym, in whom he was correcte, in the xxxviij. yere of Ozias. Manaen the son of Gaddi reignede on Israel x. yere. Bocorus ȝafe lawes to men of Egipte, in the tyme of whom a lambe spake. Men of Lacedemonia provide for a batelle ageyne men of Micena, whiche fatigate and wery thro the compleyntes of theire wifes beenge at home, made a decre and ordi|naunce that thei scholde occupye mony men, thenkenge the nowmbre of men to be encreasede by that. ℞. Beholde more of this mater, libro primo, capitulo 22, Lacedemon. Iuges were made yerely at Corinthus in the stedde of theire kynge. The actes Olimpicalle other Olimpias began this tyme after Eusebius in his cronicle. Phaceas the son of Manaen began to reigne ouer Israel, reignenge ij. yere.