The conspiracie of Catiline, written by Constancius, Felicius, Durantinus, and translated bi Thomas Paynell: with the historye of Iugurth, writen by the famous Romaine Salust, and translated into Englyshe by Alexander Barcklaye

¶ Howe Bomylchar conspyred treason agaynste Iugurth, and by what meanes thys treason was discouered, and Bomylchar wyth certayn other put to death for the same. The .xlii. Chapyter.

AT the same tyme Bomilchar (by whose coū¦sell and mocyon Iugurth before hadde be∣gon the composicion with Metellus, whi••h he omitted and brake agayn for feare) was cōuersant with Iugurthe, whiche a lytell suspected this Bomilchar of treason. Wherfore he sus∣pectynge him agayne ymagyned newe policy agaynste 〈1 page missing〉〈1 page missing〉

deuyses entred his mind & much cure he had in musyng what was moost expedient to be done in the cause. But whyle he was in this study: sodenly he fell in a slombre and his wery membres desyring rest moued him to fall in slepe. This Nabdalsa had a seruant longyng to him whome he muche loued and trusted, in somuche that no busynesse nor counsel he hidde nor kept secret from him, this counsell of betraynge of Iugurthe onely excepte. Whan this seruant vnderstod that the sayd letters were brought to his lorde he thought that he had nede of his counsell as he was wont & acustomed to haue in other maters: anone entred in to the tent where his maister lay. And seing him fast in slepe he toke the letters which Nabdalsa had vnwysely layd aboue his heed vpon the pyllowe: and seyng by the superscripcion that the letter came from Bomilchar he redde it to thende. But whan he vnderstode the treason: in all hast he addressed with the same letter to Iugurth. Nabdalsa not longe after awaked and missed the letter, wherfore anone he enquy¦red who had ben there in his tent. But in short season came dyuers of his louers from Iugurth, whiche certi¦fyed him of al the mater as it was done. Nabdalsa first of al entended to pursue his accuser: but whan he percey¦ued that it was but in vayne so to do, consyderinge that he was all redy in the company of Iugurthe: he went vnto Iugurth himselfe to thintent to pacify & mitigate his displeasure & wrath. And sayd vnto hym that whan the sayd letters wer first deliuerd vnto him he had fully purposed not to kepe them secret: but hymselfe to haue disclosed them to Iugurth. But whyle he was sleping his false seruant (in hope to be aduansed therby had pre¦uented him his purpose and done the same thing which

he himselfe had fully purposed to do. Farthermore we∣pyng he besought and required hym for all amyte and loue whiche had ben bytwene them and for all the faith¦full seruice whiche he had done to hym in foretyme not to haue him suspected in so cruell a dede. Iugurth an∣swered to these requestes of Nabdalsa myldly and so∣berly lest any gretter variance myght ryse therof: but muche contrary to the disposicion of his mynde. For he thought otherwyse than he answered: howe beit he had well refrayned and alayed his wrath before with the deth of Bomilchar, and of many other whome he knew first deuisours and partynge felowes of that treason whome he had caused to be put to death before the com∣ming of Nabdalsa: lest some batayle or other insur∣rection shuld haue porceded of that businesse if they had lyued and leuger.

¶ From this day forwarde Iugurth was neuer quiet day nor night: so that he trusted neyther place, neither man, nor time: but suspected and mistrusted euery thing His ennemies and his owne subiectes he dreeded and suspected both in lyke and after one maner. He searched and espyed euery place for drede of treason douting and suspectyng euery sound or noise that he herde. He rested and lay some night in one place some night in an other, and that in abiect and secrete places against the honour of his estate roiall. Somtyme he rose from his bed in his slepe in myddes of the night & armed himselfe cring enraging, and violently smiting agaynst the walles of the chambre: as if he had ben in bataile. So that for the great drede of treason whiche he had, he toke no rest nother slepynge nor wakyng: but was violently vexed and fered like a mad man without reason or discression.