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

Capitulum quadragesimum secundum.

IULIUS CESAR goenge to the Capitoly receyvede letters ex|pressenge his dethe, the brynger of the letters seyenge that he scholde dye if that he entrede the cownselle howse. To whom Iulius seide: "Y schalle speke with an astronomyer, and then y schalle rede the letters after that y comme from the Capitoly." This astronomyer brouȝhte to the presence of Iulius themperour, whiche hade schewede to hym that he scholde suffre dethe in the kalendes of the monethe of Ianuary, Iulius seide "The kalendes of Ianuar be þis day, and ȝitte y lyffe." To whom the astronomyer seide: "The kalendes be now, but thei be not passede: y wolde that y scholde be pro|vede a lyer." Iulius departenge from hym in to the Capitoly was sleyne anoon with the senatours in the kalendes of [folio 188b] Marche, and after his dethe no wounde apperede in his body.

The liȝhtenge descendede in the c. day afore his dethe afore an ymage of Iulius in the myddes of the cite, and toke awey this letter c from his name Cesar. Also in the nyȝhte afore his dethe the wyndowes of his chambre were openede with so grete a noyce that Iulius Cesar did arise from his bedde, supposenge his chambre to haue fallen downe. Also in the day afore his dethe thre sonnes apperede in the este, whiche come to gedre in oon body of the sonne, signifienge þerby the lorde of the threfolde worlde to haue comme in to oon mo|narchye, but raþer to the knowlege of thre persones and oon God to be knowen to alle þe worlde. Also an ox did speke to a man beenge at the plowe in the subarbes of Rome, seyenge that he was constreynede in veyne, for men schalle fayle in the

cite raþer then oxen or whete. ℞. Mony men did wryte mony thynges in the lawde of Iulius Cesar: for after Eutropius, libro sexto, noo man was punischede in that day in whom Iulius Cesar entrede in to the cite of Rome; whiche made his knyȝhtes to make to theim armoure of grete coste, that thei scholde fiȝhte more boldely for losenge of so grete goodes and richesse. This Iulius was a noble man in batelle and in armes, whiche did sle his enemys xj.^c. and xcij. m^l, excepte men that were sleyne in ciuile batelles, þe nowmbre of whom he wolde not attende; whiche fauȝhte l^ti tymes in sore batelles. And ȝitte for alle these labours he ȝafe hym selfe to grete writenge; whiche wolde rede and endite epistoles at oon tyme; and so

þer was noo day that scholde passe for his batelles, but he was ȝiffen to enditenge other to other makenge. This Iulius was a man of grete pacience, in so moche that he wolde suffre his knyȝhtes to say in his presence: "The Cesar or emperour hathe a glory of victory that hathe subduede men of Fraunce; Then wherefore hathe not Nichomedes, kynge of Bithinia, a triumphe of victory, whiche subduede to hym Cesar;" with whom Iulius Cesar hade grete familiarite. Wherefore hit is seide Tully to haue seide to Iulius Cesar in þis wise, "Hayle kynge and qwene;" and after that, "Hayle qwene off Bithinia: [folio 189a] thow was the woman of alle men, and now thow arte the man of alle women." Polichronicon, libro tertio. Iulius Cesar

come in a tyme in to the scole of Tullius, whiche rysenge to do reuerence to hym, Iulius seide in this wise: "Rise not to me, for wisedome is more noble then power." To whom Tullius seide: "Schalle y not arise to the lorde of the worlde?" Then Iulius Cesar seide: "Thow hase geten more lawde then to passe by or to go thro mony londes of the worlde." Wherefore a lawe was made that a maister beenge at lecture scholde not aryse to eny man. Valerius. Actius the poete

did not arise to Iulius Cesar commenge to his scole, whiche inquirede the cause þerof seide: "Þe inferior awe to do reuerence to the superior, an egal man to a man egalle to hym; but wisedome precellethe all other thynges:" the seyenge of whom Iulius did approbate and commendede gretely. ℞. Also there were ij. childer, þe male and female, brouȝte afore Iulius Cesar like to other, that a man cowthe not welle discerne the male from the female, as vn to þe sighte; whom Iulius beholdenge sende the childer home ageyne, ȝiffenge to theyme riche ȝiftes. Apuleius. The coniuracion of Catilene was schewed and expressede to the senate and condempnede; where the nobilite of blode neiþer the nobilite of the man pletenge

for hym, Iulius Cesar, myȝhte haue eny fauor, Marcus Cato laborenge and movenge the sentence to procede ageyne hym. Salustius. Marcus Cato and Iulius Cesar were ij. noble men, the bloode, age, and eloquence of whom were allemoste egalle, and like of audacite; but thei were diuersificate in glory, for Cato was grete in vertuous lyfe, and Iulius in magnificence and mansuetude, exercisenge cruellenesse or cruelte, and Cato liberalite, thro whom he hade glory. Iulius Cesar was com|mendede in ȝiffenge, and Marcus Cato was commended ȝiffenge noo thynge, in that he was the luffer off vertu, of trawthe, of ryȝhteuousenesse, causenge iuste sentence and iuggemente to procede ageyne wickede men and oppressores of the poore peple, whiche desirenge litel glory hade moche. Gaufridus [folio 189b]

et Alfridus. Cassibelanus dedde at Briteyn, and beriede at Yorke, Tenuantius, son of kynge Lud and duke of Cornewaile, was made kynge, for Androgius, his elder broþer, wente to Rome with Iulius Cesar.