¶Incipit monarchia Persarum.
DArius vncle to Ciro. felowe in ye kyngdom with Ciro trā¦slated the kyngdomes of Ba∣bylon Caldees in to the kyng∣dom of Persa{rum} & Medo{rum} Ci∣rus was emperour .xxx. yere This Cyrus helde the monarche hole at Per¦ses. Of this man prophecyed ysayas / & he de∣stroyed Babylon: & slewe Balthasar kyng of Babylon / & he worshyped gretly danyel ye Ie∣wes he sende home ayen that they sholde buylde the Temple of god (Vt pʐ Esdre prio) ¶Ba∣bylō that strōge castel was destroyed & h{is} pow¦er was take from hym as it was prophecyed. This was the fyrst cyte & the gretest of all the worlde / of ye whyche Incredyble thynges are wryten / & this that was so stronge ī one nyght was destroyed / that it might be showed to ye po¦wer of god / to the whiche power all other ben but a sperke & duste. For it is sayd forsoth: that it was Incredyble to be made with mannes hō¦de or to be destroyed with mānes strēgth wher¦of al the world myght take an ensāple & it wol¦de or myght be enfourmed. ¶Tarquin{us} Su∣perbus was the .vii. kynge of Rome / & he reg∣ned .xxxv. yere. Thys man concyued fyrst all the tormentes whiche are ordryned for male∣factours. As exile / pryson / welles / & galowes feters and manacles / chaynes & colous and suche other▪ And for his grete pryde and cruel¦nes god suffred hym to myschyef and in what maner of wyse it shall be shewed. He had a so∣ne of the same name / ye whiche defoyled a wor¦thy mannes wyfe / they called hym Collatin & his wyf was called Lucres. Thys Tarquin{us} that was this .vii. kynges sone aforesayde ca∣me vnto the ladyes hous absente her husbon∣de to supper and to lodgyng And whan all we¦re a slepe he a rose with a swerde in hys honde and with strengthe and fere he rauysshed the woman. And whan he was gone ye nere daye after / she sende vnto her fader and to her hus∣bonde / for she was of greate kynne / and thus she sayde to them. The kynges sone came hy∣ther & as frende / of whome▪ I had no mystrust and thus he hath defoylled my chastyce & loste my name for euermore. Thenne her frendes sawe her wepe and pytously complayned and they comforted her as well as they coude and sayd it was noo vylany vnto her for it was a∣yenst her wyll. She answered & sayd yet shall ther neuer woman excuse her by Lucres / For though she cōsented not to thys dyde yet shall she not dye without payne for that dede. And with that worde she had a knyf redy vnder her mantell / with the whiche she smote herself to the here & for this cruelnes & this pyteous deth the peple of rome arose & exiled ye king for euer more & all his progenye. And thus seased the∣se kynges of Rome & neuer was none after.