Here begynneth a shorte and abreue table on the Cronycles ...

¶Hic incipit Fructus tempo{rum}. (Book 1)

BYcause of this bokes made / to tel what tyme of ony thynge notable was. Ther¦fore the begynnyge of all tymes shortely shall be touched. For the whiche after doctours it is to be knowen / that .iiii. thynges were made fyrste / & in one tyme: & of one aege. That is to wyte / the heuen Imperyall / aūgels nature: y^e matere of y^e foure elemētes: & tyme. And that doctours calle: the werke of the creacyon: the whiche was made afore ony daye or nyght of the myghty power of god. And was made of nothynge. ¶Thenne after foloweth the wer¦ke of the dyuysyon: the whiche was made in thre of the fyrst dayes in whiche is shewed the hyghe wysdome of the maker. ¶Thenne af∣ter foloweth the arayenge of this werke in the whiche is shewed the goodnes of the creature the whiche was made .iii. of the nexte dayes fo¦lowynge (Vt patʐ clare in te••••u gen̄. primo) ¶The fyrst day god made / & deuyded y^e lyght from the darkenesse. ¶The seconde daye god made: & ordeyned the fyrmament: & deuyded the water from the water. ¶The thyrde daye god made in the•• whiche he gadered y^e waters in to one place: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 erthe then appered. ¶The fourth daye god made: in the whiche he ordey¦ned the sonne: y^e mone & the sterres & put them in the fyrmament. ¶The fyfth daye god ma¦de: in the whiche he ordeyned fysshes and fou∣les: and grete whales in y^e water. ¶The sixte daye god ordeyned: in the whiche he made be∣est and man. ¶The seuenth daye god made:

and in that daye he rested of al werkes that he hadde ordeyned / not as in werkynge beynge wery. But he ••eased to make mo newe creatu¦res (Vide plura gen̄ .i.)

BE it knowē / that Adam y^e fyrst man / of whom it is wryten ī this fyrst age next lowynge / lyued .ix.C. yere & .xxx. And he gate .xxxii. son̄es / & as many doughters.

¶Anno mundi .i. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatem v.M.C.lxxxxix· ¶Here begynneth the fyrste aege durynge vnto the floode of Noy

[illustration]

Adam Eua

[illustration] depiction of Adam and Eve, the Tree, and the Serpent

IN the fyrst yere of the worlde the syxte day / god made A∣dam in the felde. Damasc••n̄ & eua of one of his ryb∣bes / puttyng thē in paradyse. And bad them to kepe his cōmaūdemēt y^t they sholde not ete of y^e fruyte of lyfe vnder y^e pay∣ne of deth. And y^e same day that they had syn∣ned: anone he caste them out of paradyse in to y^e londe of cursydnes that they sholde lyue the¦re with swetynge & sorowe tyl they dyed (Vide plura gen̄ .i.) ¶This Adam was an holy mā all the dayes of his lyfe / & grete penaūce dayly he dyd. And he cōmaūded his chyldren to lyue ryghtwysly. And namely that they shold auoy¦de in all wyse from the company of Cayn and his chyldren. Nor that they sholde not marye with none of thē. ¶This mā Adā was oure fyrst fader. And for one syn̄e he put vs oute of paradys. But thrugh his holy cōuersacyon & penaūce / he gaue vs ensample to come to the kyngdome of heuen. And he that wyl not folo¦we his holy cōuersacyō & exāple / for one syn̄e ryghtwysly / he can not cōplayne on hym / as we do many. ¶Seth sone to Adam was bor∣ne after the begynnynge of y^e worlde .C. & .xxx. yeres / & lyued .ix.C. & .xii. But Moyses ouer∣skypped an hundreth of those / in the whiche A¦bell wept in y^e vale of Ploracyon nyghe Ebrō Thys Seth for the oyle of mercy to be go••en / wēte to paradys. Delbora was syster to Abell Abell was slayn of cayn his brod. This Abell the fyrst martyr began y^e chyrche of god. This man after Austyn made the cytee of god / & he was y^e fyrst cytezyn of that cyte. And bycause that he was ryghtwyse our lorde receyued his offeryng. ¶Calmana was syster & wyf to Ca¦yn. This Cayn was a cursed man / & he made y^e fyrst erthely cyte that euer ī this world was in the whiche he put his people for drede in so moche as he vsyd caryn & vyolēce. For he tru¦steth suche thyng to be done to hym as he dyd to other / therfore he put hym & hys ī to a syker place. Thys man slewe his brother Abell for enuye / & he was punysshed of god / and wan∣dred aboute in a dyspayre. And after was slay¦ne of Lamath a blynde man.

¶Anno mundi .iiii.C.xxxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .iiii.M.ix.C.lxxiiii.

ENos of the lyne of cryst lyued .ix.C. ye∣re & .v. This Enos began to call the na¦me of our lorde. It myght happe be foūde some wordes of prayer / or made some ymages for god to be worshypped / as now is in y^e chyrche ¶Chanam lyued after .ix.C. yere and .x.

¶Anno mundi .vii.C.lxxxxv. Et ante natiuitatem .iiii.M.iiii.C.iiii.

MAlaleel of the lyne of cryste lyued .viii.C.lxxxxv. yere ¶••areth of the same ly¦ne lyued .ix.C.lxii. ¶Enoch of the same lyne lyued .iiii.C. yere .lxv. This Enoch was a ry∣ghtwys man / & pleased god. And for his grete holynesse our lorde translated hym in to para¦dyse where he lyueth with Hely / in grete reste of body and soule / tyll y^e comynge of Antecryst Then they shall go forthe for y^e comfortacyon of good men. And they shall be crowned with the crowne of martyrdome.

MAtusalē of Crystys lyne: lyued .ix.C. lxix. yeres. This matusale was the ol∣dest mā that euer ony scrypturs hath mynde of For whā he had lyued nyghe fyue hondred ye∣re: our lord sayd to hym Buylde the an hous & thou wyle: for yet thou shalt lyue .v. hondred yere. And he answered & sayd. For so lytel a ty¦me as .v. hondred yere. I wyll buylde no hous But rested vnder trees and hegges: and there slept / as he was wonte to do for a tyme.

¶Anno mundi .M.iiii.C.liiii. Et an∣te xp̄i natiuitatē .iii.M.vii.C.xlv.

LAmeth was of aege vii. hōdred .lxxvii. This Lameth the fyrst agaynst natu∣re & good maneres ordeyned that a mā myghte haue two wyues / in doyng his auowtry. And he was sore punysshed of them / for they gaue hym many a grype For it is so that bi what thī¦ge a man sen̄eth / by the same he is punysshed. This Lameth slewe Cayn wylfully not. But whan he was olde & blynde / he was ladde of a childe y^e whiche trowed that he had seē a wylde beste & sayd to his mayster that he sholde shote & so he slewe Cayn. wherfore he bete the childe so sore that the childe also was deed ¶And it is to be knowē that al craftes / or scyēces lyberal or hande craftes / or of physyke seruyng to the curyosyte of man are redde that they were fost¦den of y^e childern of Lameth and for they drad¦de the perylle to come of the flood & of the fyre therfore Tuball graued y^e same craftes ī two pylers. The one was of Marbyll / the other of ••yle or brycke. ¶Tuball foūde fyrst the crafte to werke golde & syluer / & yren. And was y^e fyr¦ste grauer that euer was ¶Iabe foūde first Tē¦••oria for shepherdes / and pauelyons for other men. ¶Iuball founde fyrste the crafte to pla¦ye vpon an harpe and organs and other musy¦call Instrumentes he vsid. ¶Nocma founde fyrst y^e crafte for to weue lynnen & wollen clo∣the / and to drawathredes of wulle and flexe. And afore that tyme / the people vsed the skyn¦nes of bestes for ther clothes.

¶Anno mundi .M.vi.C.xlii. Et an∣te xp̄i natiuitatē .iii.M.v.C.lvii.

THe shyppe of Noe hadde in length .iii. hondred cubytes / in brede .l. in altytue¦••. (Vide plura genesis .vi. ¶Knowe ye af∣ter ••uctours that a cōuenyent payne this ty∣me was ordeyned to the worlde. For thenne le¦chery habūded the whyche defouled mannes body. And there by water y^e erth was wasshed & clēsed in sygne of the promyse that god made to mā that there sholde neuer be suche a flood a¦gayne ¶And the Raynebowe hath two pryn¦cypall coloures the whiche represente the two Iugement{is} The water colour represēteth the flood that is passyd the fyre colour betokeneth the Iugement to come / & fyre / by that whyche we certēly aby••e ī the ende of th{is} world by cause couetyse shal haboūde by fyre it shal be brente Golde & syluer by y^e fyre is wonte to be clēsyd.

¶Here begynneth the seconde aege of the worlde durynge to Abram

[ Noe]

[illustration]

[illustration] depiction of Noah's ark

THis Noe was a ryghtwys mā & foūde grace ayēst god whā Noe was fyue hō¦dred yere of aege he had gotē Chā. Sem. & Ia¦pheth that tyme bi y^e cōmaūdemēt of god he be¦gan to make a shyppe. & he made it parfyte in

an .C. yere. And the .C. yere complete / our lord god appered agayne to hym / & cōmaūded him that he with his wyf & his childern & y^e wyues of them shold entre the shyppe with all maner of bestes / & all maner of foules also. &c̄. ¶And anone the flood came / & stode aboue all hylles xv. cubyte (Vide plura gen̄ .vii^o) ¶After the flood a greate dronkenesse betyde vnto Noe. & through occasyō of that drōkesse he blessyd his two sones. Sem & Iaphet / for the faders ho∣nour that they had to hym & for y^e honest shame that they couered mekely ther fader membres whan he was slepynge. & his sone Cham / for his scornynge & his vnreuerence / he cursyd. ¶And here after saynt Austyn is made / y^e fyr¦ste mencyon of boūdage / & of noblynesse con∣trary to it· For Noe sayd that Chā shold be ser¦uaūt in bondage to Sem & Iaphet / for his vn¦reuerēce. Neuertheles ye shall not trowe / that all that descēded of Cham were vnnoble mē & of no power. For they began fyrst to be mygh∣ty men of y^e erthe. As it is open of Nemroth & the kyng of Canaan & Asco{rum}. Nor all of Sem & Iaphet were vertuous & noble & myghty mē whan almost euerche one fell in to the cryme of ydolatry / and were ofte tymes oppressed of other men. But this blessynge & this cursyng hath a respect to vertue & vyce / for y^e whiche a man is called truly a noble mā or an vnnoble man. For he that is vertuo{us} is a noble mā & he that is vnuertuous is not noble. the same ma¦ner of wise tho that foloweth y^e faith of abrahā rathar were called his childern than y^e Iewes the whiche carnally descēded frō hym. Neuer¦theles they had a spyrytuall preuelege of god / for the faders meryt{is} & his blessyng. & these .iii sones oe Noe he beynge alyue after thy story of Phil••īs were born .xxiiii.M. & .vii.C. mē wy¦thout wym̄en & childern. And they had on thē thre prynces Nemroth. Iactan. & Suphen.

¶Anno mundi .ii.M.ii.C.xlii. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .ii.M.vi.C.lvii.

SEm sone to Noe / the seconde yere after the flood gate Arpharat / & other whyle he is called Melchisedeth The whiche fyrst af¦ter the flood made the cyte of Salem / & now it is caled Ierusalem ¶Cham his broder optey¦ned Affricam / & gate sones tweyne. Chus and Mesrayam. And the two gate sones & dough¦ters / & many a regyon was of them & many of them to vs ben vnknowen. For they enhaby∣te & haue theyr mansyons in y^e occydentall yn∣de. ¶Iaphet was broder vnto Cham / & was blessyd of his fader / & this Iaphet had .vii. so∣nes. as Gomor. magog. Maday. Ianam· Tu¦ball. Masog. & Iras. And these .vii. gate sones & doughters / & of them came many a regyon (Vide p••••a Gen̄ .xv.) ¶Arpharat sone to s••m lyued .CCCC. & .xxx. yere. And gate Elam. As∣sure. Ludde / & Aram / & they gate many a sone & doughter (vt pʐ gen̄) ¶This Assur / by cau∣se he wolde not rebell ayenst god. in the edefy∣enge & buyldynge of y^e toure of Babylon / as Nemroth dyd therfore he was dryuen vnto y^e londe of Sennaars londe / whyche was ryght straunge to hym & was not afore enhabyted / The whiche was called after his name Assuri¦a. And there he edefyed & buylded a cyte after∣warde named Niniue / y^e whiche was Metro¦polon of all the kyngdom of Assuriū. ¶Chus sone to Cham was fader to Nemroth. Thys Nemroth was a gyaunt of .x. cubytes longe. & he began to be myghty in y^e worlde & he is cal¦led a boystous hunter afore god This man be¦gā that wretched vyce of coueytousnesse by h{is} tyranny / with the whiche vyce euermore after this worlde is fulfyled. And the pryncypalest kyngdom that he had was Babylon. & he had Archade. Edissa. Selencia / & the londe of Sen¦naar. ¶Sale sone to Arpharat lyued .cccc. & .xxxiii. yeres. & of hym in scrypture is no thyn∣ge wrytē but that Moyses nombred hym ī the lyne that cometh of cryste. Th{is} Sale gate a so¦ne that was named Heber The whiche after y^e Hebrewes had the spyryte of prophecye. And of this Heber y^e Hebrewes ben named. For the Hebrewes tonge bode alone in his hous in the confusyon of the lāgage And that lāgage was called mānes langage / the whiche euery man vsed afore the toure of Babyloa was buylded ¶This Heber hadde two sones / and one was called Iectan thrughe ensample of Nemroth decensendynge from Cham toke the Prynce∣hode vpon the childern of Sem. And he hadde .xiii. sones. But these people after Ierom are not knowen of vs / for fernesse of the coūtree / or muta••yon & chaungynge of the people / or elles of some other manere cause.

¶Anno mūdi .ii.M.vi·C.xliii Et ante xp̄i natiuitatem .ii.M.v.C.lvi.

[illustration]

¶Turris Babylonis.

PHaleg ly∣ued two .C. & .xxxix. yeres this phaleg was the yonger sone of Heber / & ī his dayes was made the confusyon of langages For in his hows abode the olde tonge al oule / & y^t was He¦brewe. wherfore after Saynt Au∣styn / in hym ape¦red a greate sted∣fastnesse of right wysnes For this hous was free of that payne / As not cōsētynge to the buyldynge of the toure. (••t se∣cundū Aug) there was .lxxii. generacōns / & so there were .lxxii. langage. ¶Iacta•• oder to Phaleg Sem Nemroth prynce of Cham Sul¦phen of Iaphet / these thre prynces with there peple gadred thē to gyder in y^e felde of Senna¦ar / dredynge y^e ••••ood to come ayen sayd. Lette vs buylde a toure / of the which: y^e hyght shall reche to heuen &c. Gen̄. xii. Our lord sawe the folysshnes of the people. Maruayllously for y^e payne of ther synne / he confoūded the tonge of thē. ī so moche that none vnderstode what an other sayd. And so they were disperpled & ason¦dred by all y^e worlde. ¶Of the malyce of thys Nemroth bokes ben wryten full ¶And after the cōfusyon of y^e langage he went to the londe of Pertees / & there he enstrocte & taught them to doure & worshyp y^e fyre as god. And he left his sone Belus in Babylon / the whyche Be∣lus su••ceded hym. And so from thens his pro∣genye opteyned y^e kyngdom / vnto the tyme of many a yere after. ¶In this tyme began ma∣ny kyngdoms. & the most of those kyngdoms was the kyngdome of Scitarum. But there were soo many rude & boystous people in it / that cyte was neuer hadde in worshyp. And it was a stronge and a myghty regyon of dystaū¦ce. ¶And about this tyme began the kyngdo∣me of Egept / the whiche with dyuers and ma¦ny alteracyons often tymes was chaunged· also it is spoken of many tymes in scrypture ¶Noblynesse or gentylmen about this sayd tyme beganne. And this noblynesse or gentyl∣men was ordeyned for many causes. ¶The fyrst cause was necessyte. For whan makend drewe sore & men were prompte & redy to doo euyll. it was very necessary / to withstande the greate malyce of the cursyd people / agaynste good men Ther of a man is called a gentylmā or a nobleman / as before other in vertues no∣table. ¶wher of Ierom sayth. I see no thynge elles in noblesse or ī gentylmen bute that they are bounden in a creteyn necessyte / that they shall not recede fro the vertue / and the gentyl∣nesse of ther noble auncetours. ¶The secon∣de was the dyuers worshyppynge of the peo∣ple. For no man worshypt thenne / but as hys naturall reason gaaf. And they knewe not ry∣ghtwysly what they sholde worshyp / all thou∣ghe they lyued peasyble amonge themself For they were so dull of wytte / that they coude pon¦dre no grete thynge / but y^e was publysshed by the comyn people. wherfore it was expedyent for ther peas be kept that they sholde haue prin¦ces of noble byrth. ¶The thyrde cause proce∣deth of some synguler strength. Many tymes the comynalte were greued thrugh enmyes co¦mynge vpon them. And then they sayd y^e who someuer wolde deffende & kepe them from the¦se peryles / he shold haue the ryght of noblenes¦se for hym & his heyers for euer more & in thys maner of wyse many are radde to be noble mē ¶The fourth cause of noblynesse / was grete haboundaunce of goodes. Somtyme the peo∣ple we holdē with grete penury of mete & dryn¦ke. And then they toke them and theyrs to so∣me ryche man / that thrugh that couenaunte / they s••old tempre the grete straytnesse of ther hungre / and after that they shold knowe hym as theyr lorde and a noble man. ¶Also there be founde certen noble men by the prouysyon of god / thoughe they were but fewe of the why¦che some abode in vertue / as Dauyd: and so∣me fayled anone: as Saull and Ieroboam. Also it is radde: that many were noble men by tyranny and vyolence. Of the whyche some

were destroyed anone. And some abode in sta∣blenesse / as Paynymes myght.

¶Anno mundi .ii.M.ix.C. & .v. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .ii.M.ii.C.lxxxiiii.

SAruk lynelly descended from our forn fader Adam to Abraham And Nachor was sone / & he lyued an houndred and .xlviii. yere. ¶And aboute this tyme ydolatry began to encreace myghtely. And yf ye reuolue & loke the hystoryes / ye shall fynde that thre thynges pryncypally brought men to the synne of ydo∣ly. That is to vnderstonde. the affeccyon why¦che theg had to deed men. Dredde & flaterynge agaynst ther prynces. And the dylygence of ar¦tyfycers & crafty men about scultures or gra∣uynges. wycked fendes thenne entred in to y^e ydollis / and gaue answeres to the people And these wycked spyrytes confermed the erroure of the peple myghtely. In so moche / that what some euer manere of persone / wolde not con∣forme hym to the reason / he sholde greuously suffre the payne of deth. Also there was added and put to these thynges the dysceyuynge lau¦de and praysynge of Poetes / the whiche wret∣ches and also dampned men in to heuen with alle theyr gaye aourned wrytynges exalted / And that same tyme / whanne deuylles began¦ne for to speke / so fayrly and so mekely to man The good lorde of his greate and abundaunt mery / sente his aungelles / That they sholde speke to hys elected men in vysybly / leest that all man kynde sholde perysshe wyth thys mys¦cheuous errour.

BElus sone to Nemroth this tyme was kynge of Babylon. And he was y^e fyrst kyng of this world / & this man was he whom the errour of the people fyrst trowed / shold be a god / wherfore dyuers people named hym dy¦uersly. And some called hym Bell / some Baal some Baalim / some Beelphagor / & some Bel¦sabub And this vnhappy errour stode in man kynde more than two .M. yeres. ¶Ninus so¦ne to Belus the seconde kynge of Babylon of assuriorū / regned .liiii. yeres. And thys Ninus desyred for to haue lordshyp & worshype and to that entēt that he myght be lorde of all y^e coūtre about hym / he gaue batayll to all that dwelled nyghe about hym. And by cause that tyme the people were rude and had not the comynge of yght ynge nor armour / anone he subdued vn¦to hym all Asiam. And there was made the fyr¦ste Monarche in the eest party. And whan his herte was sory for the deth of his fader Belus / he made to be made to hym for his cōforte an ymage of his fader. to whom he gaf so myghty reuerēce that what someuer gylty mā had fled¦de to that ymage ther shold no mā do vnto hym no hurte / and he pardonned hym of all his tres¦passe· And thrugh his ensample many a man began to worshyp the deed ymage / of theyr de¦re frendes. Thenne these malycyous spyrites seynge the curyosyte of the peple / hydde them within them / and gaaf answeres vnto the pe∣ple / and sayd they were goddes. And cōmaun¦ded them to doo reuerence vnto them as god∣des Th{us} that vnhappy synne of ydolatry was brought in / the whiche repugned myghtely to goddes mageste. And in so moche this madnes¦se grewe. that he shold suffre the payne of deth that sayd / they were men but goddes.

¶Anno mūdi .iii.M.C.xiiii. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatem ii.M.lxxv.

THare sone to Nachor lyued .ii.C. & .v. yere. this Thare after y^e deth of Aram went frome Vr of Calde / & passed in to Char∣tam with his childern & his neuewes And it is sayd / by cause he wolde not worshyp the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as Nemroth had taught he was banysshe•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 coūtre. And the comyn opynyon of the Hebre∣wes is Nemroth regned there the whiche was called an other name Amraphel the kynge of Sennar / whom longe tyme after this Abra∣ham ouercame Vt dicitur Gen̄. xiiii.

¶Anno mūdi .iii.M.C.lxx••••iii. Et an∣te xp̄i natiuitatem .ii.M.xv. ¶Here begynneth the thyrde arge of the wrolde durynge to Dauyd.

[illustration]

[ Abraham.] HEre begyneth the deuoute & holy storye of holy patryarkes y^e whiche worshype the very god / & in ther worshyppyng they cau¦ghte it (vide pla gen̄. xii. vs{que} ad finē•• ¶This Abraham a faythfull louer of god was born y^e xliii. yere of Nin{us} kyng of Babylon. & knowe ye that y^e .lxxiv. yere of Abrahā thorugh y^e my∣ghty glorye of y^e hye god. The worde of mercy descēded vpon mākynd / for then he gan appe¦re the oraculus of y^e promyse of god ••vide Au. xvi. de ci. dei. Itm̄ gen̄. xv. For this tyme holy aūgels appered to vs in forme of mankynde. ¶This Abraham had two brethern. Aram & Nachor. and Aram gate Loth a ryghtwys mā & an holy. & he deserued to be vysyted with aū∣gles

[illustration] depiction of Abraham

as his vncle Abraham was· And for this Loth abraham smote .iiii. kyng{is} / for they toke Loth (gen̄. xiiii. Of whom one was sayd to be Nemroth but he is called here amraphel. And Abrahā had many wyues / as Sara & Agar. & his childern & his brethern had many childern But for vs that write cronycles it is not neces¦sary / to speke of all men / but of y^e noble faders (sed vide pla ••ine gen̄) ¶Melchisedech this ty¦me was kyng of Salē. This man was called a ryght wys kyng / for his excedynge holynesse And he offred bred & wyne to Abrahā in sygne of a gret mystery. He was also the preest of the hye god. ¶Semiramis y^e thyrde kyng of Ba¦bylon / he ordeyned an army / & went into ynde & opteyned that coūtre. And so by all Asyā / the kyngdom of Assurio{rum} was dilated. & he multi¦plyed y^e cyte of Babylon myghtly. & made wal¦les about it. This Semiramis had a wyf & he forsoke her & it is wrytē that she was slayne of her sone Nin{us} / by cause she prouoked hym to the vnlefull cōcupyscēce (sic di. Au. viii.dcci. dei.) & y^e mayster ī h{is} storyes sayth that she wed¦ded hir owne sone & he gate a childe on her / the whiche ordened babylon / to be y^e heed of al his reame. ¶Ninus the fourth kyng of Babylon was sone to grete Ninus. Of this man lytell is wryten but that he slewe his owne moder as is sayd afore ¶Arrius was the fyfth kyng of Babylon. And vnder hym was borne ysaac.

[illustration]

ALso ysaac sone of Abraham / of y^e lyne of Cryst / lyued .C.lxxx. yere. this ysaac had a wyf called Rebecca & on her he gate two sones Esau & Iacob. This Esau solde his he rytaūce to his broder Iacob. & he was y^e fader of Idumeo{rum} / & he had in possessyon y^e hylle of Seyr / & put fyrst marys to asses wher of was engēdred mules. ¶About this tyme .xxx. lord shyps & Gomorra for ther horryble syn̄e were ouerthrowen. the wyf of Loth / lokynge back∣warde torned in to a salt stone / sheweth y^e noo man in the waye of delyberacyon shold desyre thynge past (hec Aug{us} de ciuitate dei)

¶Anno mundi .iii.M.iii C.xliiii. Et an∣te xp̄inatiuitatē .M.viii.C.lvi.

IAcob lyued .C.xlvii. yere. This Iacob had four wyues or some cōcubines that is to wyte. Lyam Balam▪ zelphā & Rachel Ly¦am was y^e fyrst wyf / & she was bler••eyed. And she bare hym .vi. sones Iudas. Ruben. Syme¦••n. Leuy· ysachar. zabulon / & a doughter y^e hy¦ght dyna. Bala seruaūt to Lya & cōcubyne to Iacob / bare hym two sones. Dan & neptalim ¶Rachel y^e seconde wyf to Iacob was baray¦ne longe tyme / & at y^e last she bare hym two so∣nes. Ioseph & Beniamyn zelpha seruaūt to ra¦chel bare Iacob two sones. Gad & Aser / & eue∣ryche of these made a trybe / of whō in this pla¦ce it is not necessary to speke (vide plura gen̄) ¶Ioseph sone to Iacob was borne lxxxx. yere of his fads aege / & he lyued .C.i. yere. ¶zerses this tyme was kyng of babylon vnder whom was borne Iacob / & was y^e .vii. kyng of Babi¦lon. ¶Armauirre was kyng after him. & after saynt austyn ī that mānes daies our lord appe¦red to ysaac / promysynge hym those thynges the whiche he promysed to his fader. ¶Beloc{us} the .xi. kyng of Babylon was after this man. And vnder Belocus / or in this tyme our lorde

spake wyth Iacob / promysynge hym / that he hadde promysed to his fader / the whiche were two. The possessyon of the londe of promyssy∣on & Canaan / & the benedyccyon of all y^e peo∣ple in his seed / y^e whiche is our lorde Ihesu cry¦ste. Abraham about this tyme decessyd / & was buryed in hebron. ¶Inachus the fyrst kynge that euer was in Grece was this tyme: for thē y^e kyngdom begā. ¶Phoromius was y^e kyng after hym / & he ordeyned lawes to y^e grekis. &c̄

¶Anno mundi .iii.M.iii.C.iiii. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .M.vii.C.lxxxxix.

IVdas son̄e of Iacob descēded of hym / & of this trybe of Iudas came the kynges progeny / & at last Cryst our lorde. Iudas gate Phares / & Phares Esron / & of these men lytel is had inscrypture / but Math reherseth them. ¶Beleus in this Pares dayes was kynge of Assurio{rum} / or of Babylon & he was the .x. kyng vnder whom ysaac decessed. ¶Athlas the gre¦te astronymyer was also the whiche is sayd to bere vp heuen on his sholdre / for y^e very know¦ledge of the sterres. ¶Sarapis was y^e thyrde kyng of Arguio{rum} or of Greco{rum} & this Sarap{is} was called otherwyse Apis / & he came in to E¦gypte with a myghty nauy / & there decessed & was made of y^e blynde gentyles y^e egypcyens the gretest god amonge them. Aand that tyme began a meruaylous superstycyon in ydolatry of a calfe of two coloure whiche they called A∣pē / & that calfe dyed / y^e deuylles procured a ly¦ke calfe to that / for to be made / that they myʒt deceyue the rude peple / & aft{er} that it came that the chyldrē of Israel dyd on the same wyse (vt pʐ) And what thynge coude be more wretched or folysshe ī mā hauyng reasō. ¶Argus was the fourthe kynge of Grekis / after whom the noble cyte of Argus toke his name. Cyeropis edefyed Athenes ī Grecia / & this ••••te was the nou••yssher of lyberal scyēce •• & of many phylo¦sophers / yet they were deceyued by deuylles / & grete superstycyosyte in the cyte was made (vi¦de aug{us} et mirabilē fabulā reperies (¶Omo∣gires the fyrste man put oxen to the ploughe. ¶Belus this tyme was kyng of Babylon / & he was the .x. kynge of the regyon / & vnd hym deyed ysaac: ¶Pharao was kynge of Egypt whiche receyued Ioseph / & exalted hym for the interpretacyon of his dremes (vide scientiam palcherrimā{que} historiam. gen̄. xlii. &c. ¶Ami¦thus was the .xii. kynge of Babylon / vnder whom dyed Ioseph a blessyd man in chastyte. ¶Pharao Emonophis aboute Esdroms day¦es was kynge of Egypt / & this Pharao know not Ioseph ne none of his lygnage & he cōmaū¦ded y^e chyldn of Israel to be drowned / as it is had (Exodi .i.) ye clerkes may loke that booke and we laye wyl loke to cronycles / but aboute this tyme the story of Exodi began.

¶Anno mundi .iii.M.v.C.xliiii. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatem .M.vC.lx.

ARam son̄e to Esrom of the lyne of crist was about this tyme & he gate Amina¦dab. Naason / of these men letell is wryten in scrypture & therfore I procede to other maters ¶Iob that holy man & of al pacyēce ensāple about this tyme was borne / of the lyne of Na¦chor the broder of Abraham / & he lyued many yeres: & after that god had visyted hym: & had assayed his pacyēs / he lyued an .C. & .xl. yere {per} ang. greg. & .lix) ¶Moyses aboute this tyme was borne / & the chyldrē of Israel were ī gre∣te trybulacyō & bondage. & Moyses was put in the water to be drowned. ¶Aron aboute this tyme was borne. ¶Dafrus was kyng of Babylon & was the .xiiii. kynge / and Moyses was borne vnder hym in Egypt. ¶Cycrops was the fyrst kynge of Athenes. And after sa∣ynt austyn / that tyme many lesyng•• were wry¦ten / in the hystoryes of the Grekis the whiche comynly were lesse than the comyn fame fa••∣the / of a lytell thynge they wrote a grete ma••e∣re / bycause to shewe theyr connynge for there was the vnyuersyte of Grekys.

¶Anno mūdi .iii.M.vi.C.lxxviii. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē M.v.C.xi.

AMynadab son̄e to Aron / of crystes ly∣ne was this tyme. Thys Amynadab fyrst after moyses with a full fayth / entred in to the reed see / & dredde not whan many a hon¦dreth were ferde leste they sholde be drowned / and therfore he deserued to brynge forthe the kynges lygnage / of whome descended our lor¦de Ihesu Cryst. Moyses was the fyrst of Isra¦el that euer was / & he was Iuge .xl. yere. This Moyses was the most excellent prophete that euer god made / and the moost notable wryter of storyes / & of his louynge heuen & erthe spe∣kethe. For he sawe almyghty god clerely face to face whiche in this frayl lyf was neuer foū¦den

in scrypture but of hym & Poul thapostle ¶Aron y^e fyrst bysshop lyued a .C.xxiii. yere / this Aron was called of god in to y^e dignyte of the hye preest or of a bysshop & was ordened y^e eternal testamēt to himself & to al that come af¦ter hym for the gret power of presthode. whā he was a .C.xxiii. yere of aege / he decessed and was buryed in the hylle of Hor. And his sone Heleazarus succeded hym in y^e bysshopryche. ¶Pharao Boccaris this tyme was kynge of Egypt / & this Pharao wolde not here the cō∣maūdement of god / ne delyuer the childern of Israel / wherfore he was punysshed with ten plages (Vt patʐ exo) And after he with all his hoost were drowned ī y^e red see. Nason sone to Amynadab was prynce of the trybe of Iudas in the deserte / and about this tyme the lawe of god was gyuen in the hylle of Synay / & the bo¦ke of Leuicici was wryte / and another booke was called Numerū / & the tabernacle was or¦deyned. The boke of Deuteromanū was ma∣de. Balaam was prophete and was slayne.

¶Anno mundi .iii M.vii.C.xxxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .M.iiii.C.lxxiiii.

SAlmen of the lyne of cryst was aboute th{is} tyme / & had a wyfe that hyght Reab Moyses about thys tyme decessed / the water of frome Iordan was drye. Ierico was take / the son̄e stode in the fyrmament Inmeuable (Historia li. Iosue incipit. et Iudicū) Iosue se∣conde Iuge of Israel was a myghty mā in ba¦tayll / & the fyrst in deserte he ouercame Ama∣lech / & after Moyses of god he was ordened iu¦ge of Israel / of whom y^e bataylles the werkes & the relygyous lyf / ye may see in y^e boke of Io¦sue wryten. ¶Eleazar was y^e secōde bysshop And he & Iosue deuyded the londe of promyssy on to the childern of Israel. And of hym descē¦ded the bysshops vnto cryst / a fewe excepted. ¶Othonyell of y^e trybe of Iuda / was y^e thyr∣de Iuge. And thys man delyuered y^e chyldern of Israel from y^e oppressyō of the reame of me¦sopotamie / the whiche he ouercame in batayl This man toke Axam to his wyf / y^e whiche as¦ked the vale londes aboue & beneth of her fad Calepth (vt pʐ Iudicū .i.) ¶Aoth was y^e four the iuge of Israel· This man subdued Eglon the kyng of Moab & delyuered the childern of Israel. This was a myghty man in batayl: & he vsed the one as wel as thother for his ryght honde. ¶About this tyme y^e kyng of ytaly be∣gan. And many tymes theyr names ben chaū¦ged: of the whiche progenyte of the Romayns more clerely is shewed. ¶Ian••s was y^e fyrst kyng of ytaly: & after warde of y^e rude gētyles he was worshyped as god: & they feyned hym to haue two faces. for they worshypped his fe¦est in y^e begynnyng of the yere: as he were the ende of y^e last yere. And the begynninge of the fyrst. And of hym y^e moueth of Ianuary hath his name. ¶Amictus was the .viii· kynge of Babylon vnder whom Iosue decessed.

¶Anno mūdi .iii.M.vii.C.lxxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē. M.iiii.xxiiii

BOos sone to Salmon of y^e lyne of cryst was this tyme: but of hym is lytel wry∣ten / but that Ma••he. nombred hym in y^e Geno¦logy. As doctours saye / there was made skyp¦pynge of names bytwyxt Boos & Obeth. For at the lest betwyxt them were .ii.C.lxxii. yere / y^e whiche tyme to one mā may not be referred and therfore here many thynges is spoken of or I come to y^e lyne of cryst agayne) Nichola{us} de lyra dicit qd sūc .iii. boos vn{us} post alium) ¶Sāgar was y^e .v. Iuge of Israel / but he ly∣ued no yeres. ¶Dolbara was y^e .vi. Iuge / th{is} Dolbora was a womā / & for y^e grace of her {pro}∣phecy / was gyuē to her honour that she Iuged Israel. She by the cōmaūdemēt of god called Baruch that he shold go fyght with y^e enemy∣es of Israel / & y^e chyldren of Israel gate y^e vyc¦tory agaynst Iabyn y^e kyng of Chanaan & Ci¦zaram y^e prynce of his chyualry & he destroyed them (vt ptʐ iudicū .iiii) ¶Phenies was bys∣shop / & this Phenies yet a yonge man for god¦des sake slewe many lecherous men / & therfo∣re our lorde was pleased with hym. ¶Satur¦nus this tyme was kynge of yealy & he was y^e secōde kyng there / this Saturn{us} is sayd / to co¦me fro y^e londe of cretens in to ytaly / who by ydolatry & thrughe a maruaylous blyndenes they sayd he was no man but a god. & yet they sayd that he regned vpon them as theyr kyng And he taught men to dounge theyr feldes. And of Saturn{us} y^e Romayns were called Sa¦turniani. Pic{us} was son to saturn{us} & or he was kyng ī ytaly he was kyng ī larētin / & after his dethe / he was worshyped of y^e gētyls for a god

Anno mundi .iii.M.viii.C.lxxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē. M.iii.xliiii.

GEdeon y^e .vii. Iuge of Israel was thys tyme / this Gedeon subdued .iiii. kyn∣ges. Oreb. zebe••. zeb. and Salmana. And he subdued Madean to Israel. (Vide plura Iu∣dicum .vi.vii. et .viii.

BOcci was bysshop in Israell then. ¶Abimalech the .viii. Iuge in Israell was natural son̄e to gedeon. & he was not cal¦led of god / but malycyously tooke on hym the pryncehode of Israel. And he slewe lxx of hys brethern / wherfore he ended hys lyfe mysche∣uously (Vt pʐ iudicū) ¶Tola was y^e .ix. Iuge in Israel. And this man guyded hym after the olde gouernaūce of Iuges / by the maner of dy¦reccyon & coūsell / more than by domynacyon ¶Bocci was bysshop aboute this tyme / but of hym lytell is wryten. ¶Iayr the .x. Iuge of Israel had .xxx. son̄es whom he made prynces of .xxx. Cytees. And by cause they were goode men and ruled to the pleasure of god. Therfo∣re in the dayes of these two men. Israel drewe to our lorde. And therfore al thynge came and was in prosperyte and welthe.

FAnus was the .iiii. kynge in ytaly & he was kynge of larentin both. ¶Latin{us} was kynge in ytaly after Fanus / & of this La¦tin{us} was called y^e kyngdome of Latino{rum}. And Carment{is} doughter of Euandri foūde fyrste latyn letters. Tauran{us} about this tyme was kynge of Babylon or of Assirio{rum} / & vnder this man Troy was dystroyed fyrst. The occasyō of the batayl of Troy began for a lytell thyng In so moche as Lamydon kynge of Troy re∣ceyued not Hercules & Iason with due honou¦re / as they sholde haue receyued / & of so lytell a trespaas / how many harmes & hurtes grewe. ¶Sibilla delphica afore the batayll of Troy prophe••yed / how a chylde sholde be borne of a vyrgyn without mānes seed. ¶Lamydō kyn¦ge of Troy was slayne / & his doughter Roxo∣ma was taken in to Grekys londe. For y^e whi¦che foloweth myghty batayll & moost ferdfull myscheues (vide hystoria troianam) Hercules with Iason destroyed Iliū or Troy y^e whiche anone after was buylded of Pryamus son̄e to Lamydon. This Hercules dyd many meruey¦lous thyng{is} & many mighty bataylles. And in¦fynyte lesynges ben fayned on hym. At y^e last whan he had ouercome moche people / he was sore hurte in warre. And whan he myght not suffre the payne of his sore with the whiche he was greued. Hymselfe he ranne in to the fyre / and whan he was deed / he was worshypped amonge the goodes of y^e Gentyles myghtely.

¶Circa annū mūdi .iii.M.ix.C.lxxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatē .M.ii.C.xxiiii.

AFter the dethe of Iayr Iuge of Israell the people of Israel added newe syn̄es to theyr olde. And our lorde toke them in to the power of Philistiens & to the chyldren of Amō xviii. yere. And they were gretely oppressed / & thenne they cryed to oure lorde. Then̄e Repte was espyed with almyghty god / and faught a¦gaynst Amon & sedycyous peple of the hylle of Effraym. And for an vnprudent voys he s••e∣we his owne doughter folysshly / & dyd sacrefy¦se to god with her (Iudicū .xi. et .xii. ¶Ozy this tyme was bysshop in Israel / & he was of the seed of Aron / by y^e lyn•• of Eleazari y^e whi¦che deyed / thrugh the prouysyon of god y^e bys∣shopryche torned to the lyne of ythamar an .C & .xx. yere / in the whiche lyne He y was y^e fyrst hyghe bysshop. And Ab••achar was the laste. ¶Ebassam was Iuge in Israel .vii. yere & he was the .xii. Iuge / & he was named other wyse Boos y^e whiche wedded Ruth. ¶Abialon the xii••. Iuge of Israel was Iuge .x. yere. And vn∣der these tymes y^e chyldren of Israel were quy¦ete. And therfore none notable thynges were done in these dayes. ¶Abdon y^e .xiiii. Iuge go¦uerned in Israell .viii. yeres. And aboute this tyme the hystorye of Ruth was wryten. ¶Au¦thamanis this tyme was kynge of Asseri•• & Priam{us} kyng of troy son̄e to Lamido•• y^e buyl¦ded his cyte agayne merueylously strōge. And began batayl with the Grekes vnto his owne hurte. And he had a son̄e was called Hector a leyffull gentyl son̄e by his wyfe Eccuba. This man was faythfull & wyse & Incōparable of strēgth & noblenes. This Priamus had an o∣ther son̄e that was called parys y^e whiche to∣ke away fro y^e lōde of grekes helena wyf to me nelai{us} y^e kyng. ¶Agamenon y^e kyng brother to Menelaius the leder of al the Grekes hoste faught agaynst Troy / and at the laste he wan¦ne the Cyte falsly / and to the Grekes mooste shame and sclaunder that myght be. For cer∣taynly that myght be called an vnhappy ba∣tayll where no man gyueth louynge to y^e Gre¦kes / but euery man reporteth shame.

¶Eneas was kynge of ytaly thre yere. And this Eneas after Troye was destroyed of the Grekes / that came īto ytaly with .xx. shyppes & dyde myghty batayles there. And this man had wedded Priamus doughter Elinsaram. And he was made a god thrughe the errour of the comyn people / & of this man came Iulius cezar & Octauian{us} august{us}. ¶Vlixes an elo∣quent man amonge all y^e Grekes / after many perylles on the see wente home to hys Penelo¦pem. the mooste faythfull & the mooste chaste woman that is radde of. And the Grekes pe∣rysshed wretchedly after that they had destroy¦ed Troy / bothe on the water & on the londe as they wēte home warde ayen. ¶And that was y^e pryncypal date of theyr wrytynge after that victory. For they wrote theyr hystoryes and o¦ther wrytynges (sic āno primo. vel secūdo. &c̄. post Troiam captam) And that was the thyr∣de yere of abdon Iuge of Israell.

¶Circa annū mundi .iiii.M.xxv. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatem .M.C.lxxiiii.

OBeth of crystes lyne sone to Boosis re∣herced in Ma. ¶Sampson the .xv. Iu¦ge regned .xx. yere / this sampson was y^e moost strongest man that euer was / & he delyuered Israell from y^e Philistiens / & fro his meruay∣lous strengthe men trowed he had ben Hercu∣les (et rius mirabilia o{per}a vide Iudicū .xiii.)

¶Anno mundi ·iiii.M.lx••v. Et ante xp̄i natiuitatem .M.C.xiiii.

IEsse sone to Obeth of the lyne of cryste otherwyse called ysay fad to dauyd this tyme lyued a notable man ī honeste. No kyng ••egrete gouernour. But of hym many times is made mēcyon ī holy scrypture. For of hym descēded cryst our sauyour. ¶This tyme Ely was Iuge & bysshop of Israel the whiche had two sones Ophni & Phinees. & for he correc∣ted thē not suffycyently / he & they were punys∣shed both of our lorde. For they were slayne of the Philistiens. And Ely felle of his sete & bra¦ke his necke. This Ely was Iuge nexte after sampson & not of y^e lygnage of Aran: that was fyrst bysshop of god electe / but of ythamar / y^e lygnage dured an hundred & .xx. yere. In the whiche lygnage Ely was fyrste bysshop / and Abiathar the last (Vide plura primo regum)

THys tyme Saul was kynge in Israell after y^e mayster in his hystoryes / & Io∣seph{us} in his ·viii. boke. This Saul was fyrste kynge in Israel / & regned .xx. yere / the whiche or he was kyng was a good mā & electe of god but after warde wretchedly he fayled: & he was slayne & his thre sones in the hylles of Gylboy ¶In the tyme of Saull Samuel was Iuge & prophete in Israel / an holy man / & borne of a barayne moder many a daye. And he mynys∣tred afore our lorde from a chylde to his aege. And was not hyghe bysshop / but he Iuged Is∣rael al the dayes of his lyfe. And was the very prophete of god. Two kynges he anoynted. Saul fyrst / & after Dauyd. This samuel alo∣ne / & Moyses are radde. that they prayed for theyr enemyes in al y^e olde testamēt. Of this sa¦muel & Saul be dyuers oppynyons. ¶Isyder sayth / that Samuel & Saul ruled Israel .xl. ye¦re. ¶And Iosepus in his .viii boke / & y^e may∣ster in his storyes sayth. Samuel to be Iuge .xii. yere alone. And after hym Saul to regne .xx. yere (Plura vide primo regū)

AScanius the .vii. kynge of ytaly was sonne to Eneas / & buylded the cyte of Alby••n. And he was called y^e kynge of Albano rū. This ascanius gate Siluius the .viii. kyn¦ge of ytaly / the whiche Siluius was fader vn¦to Brute kynge of brytayne / nowe called En∣glōde. And I leue of y^e kynges of ytaly: for they dyd but lytell noble thynges / tyll it be comen to Romulus & Remus y^t buylded Rome. And then shall those kynges come agayne / & nowe to procede to y^e cronycles of Englonde / for the whiche namely this boke is made. ¶And Ve¦nes & Padua were buylded aboute this tyme / of the resydue of the Troyans. ¶Homere the grete poete aboute this tyme was / the whiche wrote & fayned gloryously many a lesynge.

¶Incipit regnū Britanie. nūc dicit{ur} Anglia. ¶Here may ye se how London fyrste began at Albyon

[illustration]

Albyon

¶Afore that I wyll speke of Brute / it shall be shewed howe the londe of Eng∣londe was fyrst named Albyon / and by what encheson it was so named.

OF the noble londe of Sirrie / there was a ryal kynge & myghty & a man of grete renowne / that was called Dyoclesyā that wel & worthely hym gouerned & ruled thrugh hys noble cheualry. Soo that he conquered all the londes aboute hym / so that almoost al the kyn¦ges of y^e worlde to hym were attendaūt. ¶It befell thus that this Dyoclesyā spowsed a gen¦tyl damoysell that was wōder fayre / that was his vncles doughter Labana. & she loued hym as reason wolde / so that he gate vpō her .xxxiii daughters / of the whiche y^e eldest was called. A bine. And these damoyselles whā they came vnto aege became so fayre that it was wonder wherof Dyoclesyan anone lete make a somo∣nynge / & cōmaunded by his letters that all y^e kynges that helde of hym sholde come at a cer¦tayne daye / as in his letters were conteyned to make a feest ryall. At whiche daye thyther they came / & brought with theym Admyralles prynces and dukes / and noble chyualry. The feest was ryally arayed / and there they lyued in Ioye & myrth ynough / that it was wonder to wyte. And it befell thus / that Dyoclesyan thought to mary his doughters amonge al tho kynges that were at that solempnyte. ¶And so they spake & dyd / that Albine his eldest dou¦ghter & al her systers rychely were maryed vn¦to xxxiii. kynges / that were lordes of grete ho¦nour & of power at this solempnyte. And whā the solempnyte was doone / euery kynge toke his wyfe & ladde them in to theyr owne coūtre & there made them quenes. And it befell thus afterwarde that this dame Albine became so stoute & so sterne / that she tolde lytell pryce of her lorde / and of hym had scorne & dyspyte & wolde not do his wyll / but she wolde haue her owne wyl in dyuers maters. And al her other systers euery chone bare them so euyl agaynst theyr lordes that it was wonder to wyte. And for as moche that thē thought that theyr hus∣bondes were not of so hyghe parentage come as theyr fad But those kyng{is} that were theyr lordes / wolde haue chastysen them with fayre manere vpō al loue & frendshyp that they shol¦de amende theyr selfwylled condycyons. But all was for noughte / for they dyd theyr owne wyl in al thynge that thē lyked. & had of pow∣er. wherfore those .xxxiii. kynges vpon a tyme and ofte tymes bete theyr wyues. For they wē¦de that they wolde amende theyr tatches. And theyr wyckednesse. But of suche condycyons they were / that for fayre speche & warnynge / they dyd all y^e wors / & for betynges ofte tymes moche the wors. Wherfore the kynge that had wedded Albine wrote the tatches and condy∣cyons of his wyfe Albine / and sente the lettre to Dyoclesyan his fader. And whan the other kynges herde that Albines lorde hadde sente a lettre to Dyoclesyan. anone they sente letters sealed with theyr seales the condycyons & tat∣ches of theyr wyues. whan the kynge Dyocle∣syan sawe & herde so many playntes of his dou¦ghters. He was sore ashamed •• & became won∣der angry and wrothe towarde his doughters and thought. howe he then̄e myght amende it that they so mysdyde. And anone sente his let∣ters vnto the .xxxiii. kynges that they sholde co¦me to hym: & brynge with theym theyr wyues euerychone at a certayne daye. For he wolde there chastyse theym of theyr wyckednesse / yf he myght in ony maner wyse. So the kynges came all at that tyme & day that then was set∣te bytwene hym and the kynges. Dyoclesyan receyued them with moche honoure / and ma∣de a solempne feest to all that were vnderneth his lordshyp. And the thyrde day after that so¦lempnyte / the kynge Dyoclesyan sente after his .xxxiii. doughters that they sholde come & speke with hym in his chābre. And whan they were come / he spake to them of theyr wycked∣nes & of theyr cruelte and spytefully them re∣preued & blamed / & to them he sayde. That yf they wolde not be chastysed / they sholde his lo¦ue lose for euermore. And whan the ladyes her¦de al this / they became abasshed & gretly asha¦med. And to theyr fader they sayde / that they wolde make al amendes and so they departed out of theyr faders chābre. And dame Albine that was the eldest syster ladde theym alto her chambre / & then made to voyde all that were therin so that no persone was amonge theym but she and her systers togyder. ¶Then sayd Albine. My fayre systers wel we know that y^e kynge our fader vs hath reproued shame and dyspysed / for bycause to make vs obedyen••

vnto our husbondes. But certes that shall I neuer whyles that I lyue / sythe that I am co∣me of a more hygher kyng{is} bloode than myn husbonde. And whan she had thus sayde / alle her systers sayd the same. And thē sayd Albine well I wote fayre systers that our husbondes haue cōplayned vnto our fader vpō vs wher¦fore he hath vs thus foule reproued & dispised wherfore syster my counsell is / that this ny∣ghte whan our husbondes ben a bede / all we with one assente for to kytte theyr throtes and thenne we may be in peas of them And beter we now do this thynge vnder our faders po∣wer than other where elles. And anone all the ladyes consented and graunted to this coun∣sell. And whan nyght was comen / the lordes and ladyes went to bedde / And anone as theyr lordes were a slepe / they kette all theyr husbō∣des throtes / and so they slewe them all. whan that Dyoclesyan theyr fader herd of this thin∣ge / he became furyously wrothe agaynste hys doughters / And anone wolde them alle haue brente. But all the barons and lordes of Sir∣rie coūseyled not so for to do suche streytnesse to his owne doughters / but only sholde voyde the londe of them for euer more so that they ne¦uer sholde come ayen / and so he dyde. And Dy¦oclesyan that was theyr fader anone cōmaun¦ded them to go in to a shyppe / & deliuered to thē vytaylles for half a yere· And whan this was done / all the systers went in to the shyppe and saylled forthe in the see / & betoke all theyr fren¦des to Apolin that was theyr god. And so long they saylled in the see / tyll at the last they came and arryued in an yle / that was all wyldernes¦se. And whan dame Albion was come to that londe & all her systers. This Albyne went fyr∣ste forth out of the shyppe / & sayd to her other systers. For as moche sayde she as I am the el¦dest syster of all this company / & fyrst this lon¦de hathe taken / and for as moche as myn na∣me is Albine. I wyll that thys londe be called Albion / after myn owne name. And anone al her systers graunted to her wyth a good wyll Tho wente oute all the systers of the shyppe & toke the londe Albyon as ther syster called it. And there they wente vp & downe / and foūde neyther manne woman / ne childe / but wylde beestes of dyuerse kyndes. And whan the vy∣taylle were dyspended & they fayled / they fed¦de them with herbes and fruites in the season of the yere / and so they lyued as they best my∣ghte. And after that they toke flesshe of dyuer¦se beestes & became wonder fatte. And so they desyred mannes company / and mannes kyn∣de that thē fayled. And for hete they waxed wō¦der courageous of kynde / so that they desyred more mānes company than ony other solace and myrthe whā the deuyll that perceyued wē¦te by dyuerse countrees and toke a body of y^e ayre & lykynge natures shed of men / & cam in to the londe of Albyon / & laye by tho wym̄en & shadde tho natures vpon them & they concey∣ued / & after brought forth gyaūtes. Of y^e whi¦che one was called Gogmagog / and an other Longherigam And so they were named by dy¦uers names / & in this maner they came forth and were borne horryble gyaūtes in Albyon And they dwelled in caues and in hylles atte ther wylle And hadde the londe of Albyon as them lykyd / vnto y^e tyme that Brute arryued and came to Tornes that was in the yle of Al¦byon. And there this Brute cōquered and dy∣scomfyted the gyauntes abouesayde.

¶Explicit prima pars.