The second tome of the Palace of pleasure conteyning store of goodly histories, tragicall matters, and other morall argument, very requisite for delighte and profit. Chosen and selected out of diuers good and commendable authors: by William Painter, clerke of the ordinance and armarie. Anno. 1567.

Aristotimus the Tyrant.

¶ LVCIVS one of the Garde to ARISTOTIMVS the Tirant of the Citie of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, fell in loue with a faire mai∣den called MICCA, the daughter of one 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and his crueltie done vpon hir. The stoutnesse also of a noble Matrone named MEGISTONA in defence of hir husbande and the common wealth from the tyrannie of the sayd ARISTOTIMVS: and of other actes done by the subiects vpon that Tyrant.

The fifth Nouell.

YOu haue heard, or as it were in a manner, you haue beholden the right images & curteous con∣ditions of two well con∣ditioned persons mutu∣ally eche towards other obserued. In the one a Princely mind towards a noble Gentleman his subiecte: In the other a dutiefull obedience of a louing vassall to his so∣ueraigne Lorde and Maister. In both of them the true figure of Liberalitie in liuely orient colours described. Now a contrary plotte, yll grounded vpon extreme ty∣rannie, is offred to the viewe, done by one Aristotimus and his clawbacks, against his humble subiects of the ci∣tie of Elis, standyng in Peloponessus, a countrey of Achaia (which at this day we call Morea.) This Ari∣stotimus

of nature was fierce and passing cruell, who by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of king Antigonus was made Tyran of that Citie. And like a Tyran gouerned his Countrie by a∣buse of his authoritie with newe wrongs and straunge cruelties, vering and afflicting the poore Citizens and all his people. Which chaunced not so much for that of him∣self he was cruel and tyrannous, as for that his Counsel∣lours and chief about him were barbarous and vicious men, to whom he committed the charge of his kingdom & the guarde of his person. But amongs al his mischiefes wrongfully done by him, which were innumerable, one committed against Philodemus, (the same which after∣wardes was the cause, of the depriuation of his life and kingdom) is speciallie remembred. This Philodemus had a daughter called Micca that not onelie for hir right chast and honest qualities and condicions which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 florished in hir, but for hir extreame & goodlie beau∣tie, was in that Citie of passing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and admiration. With this fair maiden one of the Tyrants guard called Lucius fell in loue, if it deserue to be called loue, and not rather, as the end full well declared, a most filthie and heastlie lust. This Lucius was derelie beloued of Aristo∣timus, for the flendish resemblāce and wicked 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of his vile & abhominable condicions: and therefore fea∣red and obeyed as the Tyrants owne person. For which cause this Lucius sent one of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the kings chambre, to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Philodemus at an appointed houre al excuses set apart, to bring his daughter vnto him. The parents of the maiden hearing this sodain and fearefull message, constrained by Tyrants force and fatall necessi∣tie, after many teares and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sighes, began to per∣suade their daughter to be contented to goe with hym, declaring vnto hir the rigour of the magistrate that had sent for hir, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that would be executed, & that

there was no other remedie: but to obey. Alas, how sore against their willes, with what trembling gessure, with what 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the good parents of this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were affected, to consider the purpose of that dreadfull message, all dere fathers, and naturall mothers can tell. But this gētle maiden 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which was of nature stout, & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lessoned with sundrie right good and holsome in∣structions from hir infantes age, was determined rather to die than to suffer hir self to be defloured. This 〈◊〉〈◊〉 maiden fell downe prostrate at hir fathers féete, and clasping him fast about the knées, louingly did pray him, and pitifully besought him, not to suffer hir to be haled to so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and vile an office, but rather with the piercing blade of a two edged sword to kill hir, that thereby she might be rid from the violation of those fleshlie and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 varlets, saying, that if hir virginitie were taken from hir, she should liue in eternall reproche and shame. As the father and daughter were in these termes, Lucius for the long tariance and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, dronke with the wine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lechery, made impacient and furious, with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 spéede posted to the house of Philodemus, and finding the mai∣den prostrate at hir fathers féete, wéeping, hir head in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, with taunting voice and threatning woordes com∣maunded presentlie without longer delaie she should rise and goe with him. She refusing his hastie request, and crying out for fathers help, who (God wot) durst not re∣sist, stoode still and would not goe Lucius séeing hir 〈◊〉〈◊〉, full of furie and proud disdnine, began furiously to hale hir by the garments, vpon whose struggling he fare hir 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and furnitures off hir head and shoulders, that hir alablaster necke and bosome appeared naked, & with∣out compassion tare and whipt hir flesh on euery side, as the bloud ranne downe, beating that tendre flesh of hirs with manifold and grenous blowes. O 〈◊〉〈◊〉 tirant, more

〈◊〉〈◊〉 and sauage than the desert beast or mountaine 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Could crueltie be so déepelie rooted in the hart of man which by nature is affected with reasons instinct, as with out pitie to lay handes, and violontly to hurt the tendre bodie of a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Maiden? Can such inhumanitie harbor in any that beareth about him the shape of man? But what did this martyred maidē for al this force? Did 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yeld to violence, or rendre hir self to the disposition of this mercilesse man? No surelie. But with so great stout∣nesse of minde, she suffred those impressed woundes, that no one worde sounding of sorrow, or womanly shrieche was heard to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from hir delicate mouth. Howbeit the poore father and miserable mother at that ruefull and la∣mentable sight, moued with inward 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and naturall pitie, cried out aloude. But when they saw that neither plaint nor faire spéeche could deliuer their daughter out of the hands of that cruel monster, they began with open cries and horrible exclamation to implore helpe and suc∣cour at the hands of the immortall Gods, thinking that they were vnworthely plaged and tormented. Then the proud and most barbarous wretch, moued and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by cholers rage and fume of chasing wine, sodainely cat∣ched the most constant virgin by the haire of the hed, and in hir fathers lappe did cut hir white and tender throte. O 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fact right worthie of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reuenge. But what did this vnfaithful and cruell Tyrant Aristotimus when by the blustering bruite of peoples rage he hearde of this vengeable murder, not only he shewed himself contented with the fact, but had him in greater regard than before, and towards them which made complaint hereof, greater crueltie and mischief was done and executed. For in open streat, like beastes in the shambles they were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and hewed in pieces, which séemed to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and vnlawfull acte: the rest were banished and expelled

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the Citie. Eight hundred of these exiled persons 〈◊〉〈◊〉 into Etolia. (a prouince adioyning to Epirus, which nowe is called Albania.) Those people so banished out of they: countrie, made instant sute to Aristotimus to suffer their wiues & children to repaire to them: but theyr sute was in vaine, their peticions and supplications séemed to be made to the deafe, and dispersed into the windes. Not∣withstanding, within few dayes after, he caused by sound of trumpet to be openly proclaimed, that it should be law∣full for the wiues & children of the banished to passe with their baggage and furniture to their husbands in Etolia. This Proclamation was exceding ioyfull to all the wo∣men whose husbands were exiled, which at the leaste by common report were the numbre of. vj. hundreds. And for more credite of that Proclamation, the wicked tyrant did ordaine, that all the companie should depart vpon a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 daie. In the meane time, the ioyfull wiues glad to visite their poore husbands, prepared horse and wagon, to carie their prouisions. The appointed day of their depar∣ture out of the Citie being come, all of them assembled at a certaine gate assigned for their repaire, who that time togither resorted with their little children in their hands, bearing vpon their heads their garmēts and furnitures, some on horsebacke, and some bestowed in the wagons, according as eche of their states required: when al things were in readinesse to depart, and the gate of the Citie o∣pened, they begā to issue forth. They were no 〈◊〉〈◊〉 gone out of the Citie walles, and had left behind them the soile of their natiuitie, but the Tyrants gard and Sergeants brake vpon them, and before they were approched, they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 out to stay and goe no further vpon paine of their liues. So the poore amazed women, contrarie to the pro∣mise of the Tyrant, were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to retire. Which sodaine countremaund was sorrowfull and wofull vnto that 〈◊〉〈◊〉

flocke. But there was no remedie, for procéede they could not. Then those Termagants and villains caught their horse by the bridles, and droue backe againe their wagons, pricking the poore oxen and beastes with their speares and Iauelyns, that horrible it is to report the ty∣rannie vsed towards man and beast, in such wise as the poore miserable women (God wot) contrarie to their de∣sires, were forced in dispite of their téeth to retourne. Some (alacke) fell off their horse with their little babes in their lappes, and were miserablie troden vnder horse féete, and ouerrunne with the whéeles of the wagons, their braines and guts gushing out through the weight and comberance of the cariage, and (which was most pi∣tiful) one of them not able to helpe an other, and muche lesse to rescue their yong and tendre sucking babes, the vile sergeāts forcing eche wight with their staues & we∣pons maugre their desirous mindes to réentre the Citie. Many died by that cōstrained meanes out of hand, many were troden vnder the horseféete, and many gasping be∣twéene life and death: but the greatest part of the little infants were slain out of hand, and crusht in pieces: those which remained aliue, were committed to prison, & the goods which they caried with them altogether seased upō by the Tyrant. This most wicked and cruell fact was most intollerable and greuous vnto the Citizens of Elis, Whervpon the holy dames consecrated to the God Bac∣chus, adorned & garnished with their priestly garments, and bearing in their handes the sacred mysteries of their God, as Aristotimus was passing through the strete gar∣ded with his Souldiers and men of warre, went in pro∣cession to finde him out. The sergeants for the reuerence of those religious women disclosed themselues, and gaue them place to enter in before the Tyrant. He séeing those women apparelled in that guise, and bearing in their

hands the sacred Bachanal mysteries, stoode stil, and with silence heard what they could say. But when he knew the cause of their approch, & that they wer come to make sute for the poore imprisoned women, sodainly possessed with a diuelish rage, with horible hurly burly, bitterly repre∣hended his garrison for suffering of those women to come so neare him. Then hée commaunded that they should be expelled from that place without respect, and condemned euery of them (for their presuming to intreat for such cai∣tiue prisoners) in. y. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a piece. After these mischiefs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by the tyrāt, Hellanicus one of the principal & best estéemed persōs of the Citie, although that he was decrepite, and for age very weake and féeble, cared not yet to aduenture any attempt, what soeuer, so it might extend to the deliuerie of his countrey from the vnspea∣kable tyrannie of most cruell Aristotimus. To this gray haired person, bicause he was of aged yeares, voide of children which were dead, this tyrant gaue no great hede ne yet employed any care, thinking that he was not able to raise any mutine or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the Citie. In the mean space, the Citizens, which as I haue sayd before, were banished into Etolia, practised amongs them selues to proue their Fortune, and to séeke all meanes for recoue∣rie of their countrey, and the death of Aristotimus.

Wherfore hauing leuied and assembled certain bands of Souldiers, they marched forth from their banished seat, and neuer rested till they had gotten a place hard adioy∣ning to their Citie, where they might safely lodge, and with great 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and aduantage besiege the same, and erpel the tyrant Aristotimus. As the banished were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in that place, many citizens of Elis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fled forth, and ioyned with them, by reason of which aurili∣aries and dayly assemblies, they grew to the full numbre of an armie. Aristotimus certified hereof by his espials

was brought into a great chafe and furie, and euen now began to presage his fall and ruine. But yet meaning to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his best aduantage, went vnto the prison, where the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the banished were fast inclosed, and bicause he was of a troublesome and tyrannicall nature, he con∣cluded with him self rather to vse & intreate those wiues with hun and threates, than with humanitie and fayre wordes. Being entred the prison, he sharpely and with great fiercenesse commaunded them to write vnto their husbandes that besieged him without, earnestly to per∣suade them to giue ouer their attempted warres:

other∣wise (said he) if ye do not folow the effect of my commaū∣dement, in your owne presence I will first cause cruelly to be slaine al your little children, tearing them by piece meale in pieces, and afterwardes I will cause you to bée whipped and scoutged, and so to die a most cruel & sham∣full death.

At which fierce and tyrannicall newes, there was no one womā amōgs them that opened their mou∣thes to answer him. The most wicked & vile tyrant seing thē to be in such silence, charged them vpon their liues to answere what they were disposed to doe. But although they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not speake a word, yet with silence one behol∣ding eche other in y^t face, fared as though they cared not for his threates, more readie rather to die thā to obey his commaundement. Megistona then (which was the wife of Timolion, a matrone as well for hir husbands 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as hir owne vertue, in great regard and estimatiō, and the chiefe amongs all the women, who at his com∣ming in would not rise, but kept hir place, nor vouchsa∣sing to do any reuerence or honor vnto him, and the like she bad the rest: In this wise sitting vpon the ground w^e vnlosed tongue and libertie of spéeche, stoutly she answe∣red the tyrants demaunde in this maner:

If there were in thée Aristotimus, any manly prudence, wisedome, or

good discretion, truly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 woldest not cōmande vs poore imprisoned women to write vnto our husbands, but ra∣ther suffer vs to goe vnto them, and vse more 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wordes and mylde behauiour, than wherewith of late thou diddest entertaine vs, by scoffing, mocking, & cruel∣ly dealing with vs, and oure poore children: and if nowe thou béeing voide of all hope, dcest séeke to persuade by oure meanes likewise to deceyue oure husbandes that bée come hither to put their liues in perill for our deliue∣rāce, I assure thée thou vainely 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thy self, for wée henceforth do purpose neuer to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of thée: we require thée also to thinke and stedfastly beléeue, that our husbands heads be not so much bewitched with follie, as despising their wiues and children, neglecting their due∣ties towards them, will béeing in this forwardnesse, a∣bandon their preseruation and gyue ouer the libertie of their cositrey. Think also that they litle esteme or wey y^t regard of vs, & their childrē, in respect of the great cōten∣tation they shal attaine by vnyoking the libertie of their countrey from thy pride & intollerable bondage, & which is worst of all, from that tyrannie whiche neuer people felt the like. For if thou were a King as thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a ty∣rant, if thou were a Gentleman borne of noble kinde as∣thou art a slaue, proceding from the deuil, thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 neuer execute thy curssed crueltie against a féeble kinde, such as women be, & werest thou alone ioyned in singu∣lar cōbat with my baliant & dere beloued husbande, thou durst not hande to hande to shew thy face: for cōmonly it is séene, that the Courtely 〈◊〉〈◊〉 backed on wyth such mates as he is him selfe, careth not what attempt he ta∣keth in hande, and stareth with haire vpright, looking as though he would kill the deuill, but when he is preast to seruice of the sielde, and in order to encountre with his Princes foe, vpon the small sway by shocke or push that

thaunceth in the fight, he is the first that taketh flight, & last that standeth to the face of his ennimie. Such kinde off man art thou, for so long as our husbands were farre of, absent from their Countrie, not able to ridde vs from thy thrall, thou wroughtest thy malice then against their wiues at home, doing the greatest crueltie towardes thē and their sucking babes, that euer deuill could doe vpon the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sorte, and now thou séest them arriued here vnder our countrie walles, thou fliest, and séekest helpe at womens hands, whose power if it serued them according to their willes, would make thée tast the fruit of thy com∣mitted smart.

And as she would haue proceded further in hir liberall talke, the Caitife tyrant not able to abide a∣nie further speache, troubled beyond measure, presently commaunded the little childe of hir to be brought before him, as though immediatly he woulde haue killed him, & as his seruaunts sought him out, the mother espied him playing amōgs other children, not knowing for his small stature and lesse yeres, where he was become, and calling him by his name said vnto him:

My boy come hither, that first of all thou maist loose thy life, to féele the proufe and haue experience of the cruell tyrannie wherin we be, for more grieuous it is to me to sée thée serue against the no∣bilitie of thy bloud, than dismembred and torne in pieces before my face.

As Megistona stoutly and vnfearfully had spoken those woordes, the furious and angrie tyrant drew forth his glistering blade out of his sheathe, purpo∣sing to haue slaine the gentlewoman, had not one Cilon the familiar friend of Aristotimus staid his hand, forbid∣ding him to commit an acte so cruell. This Cilon was a fained and counterfeit frend of the Tyrant, very conuer∣sant with other his familiar friendes, but hated him with deadly hatred, & was one of them y^t with Hellanicus had conspired against the tirant. This Gentleman then seing

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Aristotimus with so greate furie to ware wood against Megistona, imbraced him, and said, that it was not the parte of a gentleman procéeding from a race right hono∣ble, by any meanes to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his handes in womans bloud, but rather the signe & token of a cowardly knight, wherefore he besought him to stay his hands. Aristoti∣mus persuaded by Cilon, appeased his rage, and forsoke the companie of the women. Not long after, a great pro∣dige and wonder appeared in this sort: before supper the tyrant and his wife withdrue themselues into their chā∣ber, and being there, an Egle was séene to soare ouer the tyrants palace, and being aloft, by little and little to des∣cend, and letting fall from hir tallands a huge and great stone vppon the toppe of that chamber, wyth clapping wings and flying noyse soared vp againe, so farre as she was cleane out of sight from them that did behold hir.

With the rumor and shouts of those that saw this sight, Aristotimus was appalled, and vnderstanding the cir∣cumstance of the chaūce, he sent for his diuine to declare the signification of this Augurie, which greatly troubled his minde. The Southsayer bad him to be of good chere, for that it did portend the great fauor and loue which Iu∣piter bare vnto him. But the prophet of the Citie whom the Citizens had wel tried and proued to be faithfull and trustie, manifested vnto them the great daūger that hong ouer the tyrants head, such as the like neuer before. The confederats which had conspired with Hellanicus, made great spéede to prosecute their enterprise, and the nexte night to kill the tyrant. The very same night Hellanicus dreamed that he sawe his dead sonne to speake vnto him these woords: What meane you father this long time to slepe, I am one of your sonnes whom Aristotimus hath slaine, know you not that the same day you attempt your enterprise, you shalbe captaine & prince of your coūtrie?

By this vision Hellanicus confirmed, he rose bytimes in the morning, and exhorted the conspirators that day to execute the benefit of their Countrie. That time Aristo∣timus was certified how Craterus the tyran of another Citie, with a great armie, was comming to his aide a∣gainst the banished people of Elis, and that he was arri∣ued at Olympia a Citie betwéene the Mounte Ossa and the mountaine Olympus. With which newes Aristoti∣mus being incouraged, thought alreadie that he had put to flight and takē the banished persons, which made him to aduenture himself abrode without guard or garrison, accompanied only with Cilon and one or two of his fa∣miliar frends, the very same time that the conspiratours were assembled to doe the facte. Hellanicus seing the time so cōuenient to deliuer his beloued Countrie by the death of the traiterous Tyrant, not attending any signe to be giuen to his companions (although the same was con∣cluded vpon) the lusty old man lifting vp his handes and eies vnto the heauens, with cleare and open voice cried out to his companions and said:

Whie stay ye, O my Citizens and louing country men in the face of your Ci∣tie to finishe this good and commendable acte?

At which woords, Cilon was the first which with his brandishing blade killed one of those that waited vpon the Tyrant. Thrasibulus thē and Lampidus assayled Aristotimus, vpon whose sodaine approch, he fled into the Temple of Iupiter, where he was murdred with a thousand woun∣des vpon his body, accordingly as he deserued. He being thus deseruedly slain, his body was drawen vp & downe the stréetes, and proclamation of libertie sounded vnto the people: Where vnto eche wight assembled, amongs whome the imprisoned women also brake forth, and re∣ioysed with their countrey deliuerers of that egregious enterprise, by fires and bankettes outwardly disclosing

their excéeding great ioye within, and in midde of their mirth the people in great throngs and companies ranne to the Tyrants palace, whose wife hearyng the peoples noyse, and certified of hir husbands death, inclosed hir selfe in a chamber with hir two daughters, and knowing how hatefull she was vnto the Citizens, with a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 corde vpon a beame she hong hir selfe. The chamber do∣res being broke opē, the people viewed the horrible sight of the strangled ladie, wherwithall not moued, they toke the two trembling daughters of the tyrant, and caried them away, purposing to rauish & violate the same, firste to saciate their lust with the spoile of their virginitie, and afterwards to kill them (those Gentlewomen were ve∣ry beautifull and mariageable) and as they were about to do that shamefull déede, Magistona was tolde therof, who accompanied with other Matrons, sharply rebuked their furie, saying, that vncomely it were for them which sought to establish a ciuile state, to doe such a shamelesse act as tirants rage wold scarce permit. Upon that noble matrons authoritie and interception, they ceassed from their filthie fact, and then the woman tooke the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 oute of the peoples handes, and brought them into the chambre where their strangled mother was. And vnder∣standyng that it was decréed that none of the Tyrants bloud shoulde rest on liue, she turned hir face to the two yong Gentlewomen, and sayde:

The chiefest pleasure which I can doe to you, resteth in this choise, that it shall be lawfull for either of you to choose what kinde of death you list, by knife or halter, if you will to dispatche your liues from the hedlesse peoples greater furie, vpon whose two white and tender bodies if they doe seaze, the Gods doe know and we doe feare the crueltie and great abuse which they doe meane to vse, I thinke not for despite of you, but for the iust reuenge of your most cruell fathers

actes, for the tyrannous life of whom, the Gods do thun∣der downe the boltes of their displeasure, afflicting his nearest bloud and beste beloued wife and children, wyth vengeance poured from heauens.

Upon the sentence of this their fatall ende, the elder maiden of the twaine vn∣losed a girdle from hir middle, and began to tie the same to hang hir selfe, exhortyng hir yonger sister to doe the like: and in any wise to beware by sparing of hir life, to incurre the beastly rage of the monstrous people, which cared not to do eche vile and filthie acte, vnworthie theyr estate. The yonger sister at those wordes, layed handes vpon the fastened corde, and besought hir right earnestly first of all to suffer hir to die. Wherevnto the elder aun∣swered:

So long as it was lawfull for me to liue, and whiles we led our princely time in our fathers courte, & both were frée from enimies danger, all things betwene vs two were common and indifferente: wherefore the Gods forbidth at now the gates of death be opened for vs to enter, when with the Ghostes of our dere parents our soules amids the infernall fieldes be predestined to raunge and wander) that I shoulde make deniall of thy request. Therfore go to good sister mine, and shrink not, when thou séest the vgly face of hir, that must consume vs all. But yet (déere sister) the deadly sight of thée before my selfe, will bréede to me the woe and smart of double death.

When she had so sayd, she yelded the coller to hir sister, & counselled hir to place the same so néere the neck bone as she could, that the sooner the halters force might stop hir breath. When the vnfearefull yonger sister was dead, the trēbling hands of y^t dredlesse elder maid vntied the girdle from hir neck, couering in comly wise hir sens∣lesse corps. Then turning hir self to Megistona, she hū∣bly prayed hir not to suffer their two bodies to bée séene naked, but so sone as she could, to bury them both in one

earthly graue, referring the frutes of their virginitie to the mould wherof they came. When she had spokē those wordes, without any staye or feare at all, with the selfe same corde the strangled hir self, and so finished hir fatall dayes. The guiltlesse death of which two tender maids, there was none of the citizens of Elis (as I suppose) so stonie hearted & voide of Natures force, ne yet so wroth against the tyrant father, but did lament, as well for the constant stoutnesse and maner of their death, as for their maydenlyke behauioure and right honest petitions made to that sobre matrone Megisthona, who afterwardes caused the other dames, to bury those two bodies in one graue. O how happy & famous had these two sisters ben, if they had not bene the daugh∣ters of so wic∣ked and cruell a father? But parentes offence on Childrens trespasse, oughte not to deface the vertuous déedes of their po∣steritie.