Here begynnethe the glorious lyfe and passion of seint Albon prothomartyr of Englande, and also the lyfe and passion of saint Amphabel whicheconuerted saint Albon to the fayth of Christe.

TO call Clio my dulnesse to redresse with all systers dwellyng at Elicon what myght auayle to wryte the perfytenes Of the holy martyr slayne full yore agone For Christis fayth / the holy man Albon Called of ryght through euery regyon Prothomartyr of Brutis Albion

I not acqueynted with muses of Maro Nor with metris of Lucan / nor Virgile Nor sugred deties of Tullius Cicero Nor of Homerus to folowe the ••••esshe style Croked to clymbe ouer so high a style Or for to folowe the steppes aureate Of Fraunces Petrake the poete laureate

The golden trompet•••• the house of fame with full swyfte wynges of the pegasee Hath full farre the knyghtly mannes name Borne in Verolame a famous olde citie Knyghthode in Rome the cronycle who lyst se Aand as I fynde this yonge lusty man Toke fyrst order by Dyoclesyan

whose lyfe to wryte / of wyt I am barayne His high perfection curyously to tell Dredyng my labour shulde be in vayne That neuer dranke of Pegaseus well But for his goodnes so hyghly doth excell I stande in hope his influence shall shyne My tremblyng penne by grace to enlumyne

In tender age this goodly yonge Albon Borne as is sayde in Brutis Albion A lordes sonne more lykely was there none To marciall prowes by disposition whiche for his persone as made is mention For conditions and hygh byrthe of blode In great fauour of all the lande he stode

And for that he in vertue dyd excell Beloued and cherysshed of euery maner man By kynge Seuerus myn auctor can well tell Sent vnto Rome to Dioclesyan with a yonge prince called Bassian They bothe tweyne as the statute bonde To be made knyghtis of his owne honde

with them also went Amphybalus There baptised by pope zepheryne Lefte all the worlde and becam vertuous Of wylfull power folowed the doctryne By whose reachyng and vertuous discipline Blessed Albon as myn auctor sayth was afterwarde conuerted to our fayth

All his processe in order for to sette My purpose is / if I haue tyme and space If ignorance not my style let By influence only of goddes grace The troubly mystes from me to enchace Of rude langage / so that I may in dede To write his lyfe and ceryously procede

Vnder supporte of this martyr benygne My penne directe by meane of his prayer The gracious stremes sent downe for a signe Of his celestyall goodly eien clere To forther my labour and teache me the maner Of his name to write and specifie So as I can the ethymologie

This name Albanus by enterpretation Compowned is of plente and of whytnes Plente he had in great perfection Made whyte also with lylyes of clennesse with whyte roses ment stable in theyr rudenesse It was well sene that he stable stode For Christis fayth / whan paynyms shed his blode

whiche two colours dyd neuer fade Of these lylyes nor of these roses rede In blessed Albon but euer ylyche glad within his bapteme the lylyes dyd sprede The roses splayed whan he dyd shede His purpurate bloude spared for no deth The storme abydyng tyll he yafe vp the breth

Thus was the chapelet made of red and whyte whyte for his clennes I haue so tolde aforne To chese the red he dyd also delyte whan from the chaffe was tryed whete corne In the holy martyr that hath the bront borne Grayne of this frument was this man Albon In the gospell remembred of seynt Iohn

This chose greyne for Christ was mortified To get encrease of his eternall glorye The frute grewe vp by fayth multipliplied Through meke sufferance he gate the victorie A palure of conquest to be put in memorie A lauret crowne by tryumphes many folde For his merites set on his hede of golde

Nowe to this martyr crowned hygh in heuen Deuoutly knelyng with humble and meke visage whiche syt so high aboue the sterres seuen O blessed Albon / fro that celestiall stage Cast downe thy lyght to enlumyne my langage whiche of my selfe am naked and bateyne In this great nede thy fauour may be seyne

I haue no colours / but only blacke and whyte Of longe or shorte wantyng proporcion where ought doth fayle / I must beare the wyte Golde nor asure / nor fresshe vermylyon But with thy gracious supportation In hope thou shalte conueye my penne and lede To wryte thy lyfe / thus I wyll procede.

Explicit prologus.

Tyme remembred of olde antiquite The same tyme whan Cesar Iulius was was passed out of Rome the cite Ouer the Alpeys in knyghthode famous By assent of fortune notable and glorious This marciall man armed with plate and mayle Had ouer ryden the boundes of Itayle

Brought the countres through his hygh renowne Magre theyr myght to stande in obeysance And ben subiectes to them of Rome towne All Germany conquered in substance Downe descendyng in to the realme of Fraunce Daunted theyr pryde / and after dyd ordeyne with a great armye to aryne vp in Briteyne

Twyes put of by recorde of Lucane At his arryuayle / of very force and myght By the prowesse of Cassybylan Touchyng the title were it wronge or ryght Of the sayd Cesar deme euery maner wyght what that hym lust / for inconclusyon Cause of his entre / was false deuisyon

Amonge them selfe / wherby he gat that londe Made the Britons to be tributarie To the Romayns by statute and by bonde None so hardy / to be therto contrarye Cause of this conquest / to wryte and not tarye was deuision / the cronycle ye may se Betwene Cassybylan / and duke Audrogee

Ouermaistred was Brutus Albion By Iulyus sworde remembred in scripture Recorde the gospell where is deuision Frowarde discention of case or auenture That region may no whyle endure In prosperite / for by discorde and tweyne To subiection was brought all Bryteyne

whan Cesar was put in possessyon Rather by force than by tytell or ryght Ordent statutes in that regyon And this was one / that no maner wyght Sulde in that londe receyue thorder of knyght For worthynes / for mede / nor fauour But by the handes of the emperour

And this was done / lest parauenture Sondry persones enclothed with rudenes Not disposed of blode nor of nature Shulde not presume of rurall boystousnes Though he had strength and hardynes To take vpon hym / what euer that he be The sacrament of knyghtly dignite

An other cause in order to deuise was / none suche shulde haue gouernance wherby he myght in many sondry wyse Catche occasyon to make purueyance By force of kynred / or strength of allyance Through newe rebellyon in token worde or signe Agaynst the Romayns proudely to malinge

And in suche case / occasions to eschew The prudent Romains / castyng all thyng toforne For comun profite / thought it was moost dew Of high estate / nor low degree borne No man shulde / but if he were sworne To the Romains / with hert body / and might Ay to be trew / that shulde be made a knight.

By a decree / concludyng in sentence with faith assured / as she statute bonde First they shulde appere in the presence Of themperour / sent thither of eche londe Than take theyr othe / next by touche of honde Toforne the goddes / assuraunce made of new For life or dethe / to themperour to be trew.

This statute kept in euery region Beynge subiect to Rome the citie / Stretchynge theyr lordshyp and dominion with theyr Imperiall marciall dignitie Ouer the boundes of many countree So prouided by prudent policy To them was subiect all worldly chiualry.

Hauynge all kyngdomes redy to theyr honde Voide of rebellion / whan they had ought a do A prince of knighthood they set in euery londe For gouernaunce. A stewarde eke also Euery region to be ruled by hem two In rightwisnes / lawes they dyd ordaine From wilfull surfettes / the comons to restraine.

First prouided of high discretion (As Argus iyed in theyr inwarde intent) To se there were no werre nor conspiration Against the Emperour / neither thought nor ment. To redresse all thyng by iugement These two estates / of prudence to attende At prime face all outrages to amende.

It hath ben sayn and writen here beforne By olde expert Poesy / called doctrine without principles: Leest aboue the corne The wede wex / ayenst good graine to maligne To late amonge is made a medicine whan that a sore wexith ded and corrumpable For lacke of surgiens is waxen incurable.

Semblably / in kyngdomes and cities Stormy troubles for to set aside Meued sodeinly amonge the comenties At the begynnyng / in all haste to prouide Them to reforme / no lenger to abide For first meuers / as law and right obserued Punysshe them duely / as they haue deserued.

Like theyr desertes / receiue theyr rewarde Cherisshe the trew / robbers to redresse The prince of knightes / and also the stewarde Ordeined were / by law of rightwisnesse As the statute plainly dyd expresse / Like true Iuges / and kepers of the law Of high prudence / all riot to withdraw.

And the reporte of Cronicles that ben olde Auctorised by great aduisement As a Diademe / or a crowne of golde Is of a kynge called the ornament: So to a prince doth long a garment Frengid with golde / that people high and lowe By that difference theyr stewarde might knowe.

The prince of knightes vsed a pallion For a prerogatife in especiall / He and the Stewarde by election Of themperour in party and in all Toke theyr charge / priuate and generall / No man so hardy paine of dethe rebell Against theyr power to vsurpe no quarell.

That same tyme was reignyng in Britaine Kyng Seuerus / a famouse knightly man who cast hym fully to do his busy paine To please the Emperour Dioclesian Sent his sonne / named Bassian with a thousande and fiue hondred yonge of age Lordes sonnes / fresshe / and lusty of courage.

Som of this nombre were borne in Britaine Some in wales / & some in Cornewaile / And amonge all / if I shall nat fame There was one / of stature and entaile / As ferre as kinde coulde her crafte preuaile By her fauour / gaue to his person A prerogatife to be set asoon.

A goodly man / and but yonge of age / A princes sonne of wales / as I fynde Called Amphiball / gracious of visage In whom there was non errour founde in kynde By disposition / nought was left behynde / In myn Author / as it is compiled To all languages his tongue was filed.

And for he was borne of high kynred He was sent furth with notable apparaile Like his estate / with many a riche wede Not forgettyng harnesse of plate and maile Curiously forged / after moost fresshe entaile As was moost likely in euery mannes sight To them that shulde receiue the order of knight.

And while they were assembled euerichone It was a paradise / vpon hem to se / Lyke as I fynde / amonge hem there was one A lordes sonne / excellyng in beautie Borne in the citie of Verolamy Called Albanus / right semely of stature To all vertue disposed by nature.

The said Albon / by discent of lyne Borne to be gentill of condition By aspectes of grace / whiche is diuine Predestinate by election For to be called of his region Prothomartyr / whan he the faith hath take And shed his blood for Iesu Christes sake.

Gracious he was in euery mannes sight well beloued / and a likely man / with his felowship toke the way aright Towarde Rome / rode with Bassian Come to the presence of Dioclecian / And for they weren so likely in shewynge He passingly was glad of theyr cummynge.

A chosen people / out piked for the nones Right well besene / and manly of theyr chere Arayed in golde / perle / and precious stones As princes children / souereigne and intere Them demeanynge in porte and in maner That if it shall shortly be comprehended In them was nothynge for to be amended.

This Briton people / likely for the werres Stode in comparison amyd all nacions As dothe the sonne amonge heuenly sterres Alike to theyr birthe weren theyr condicions High blood requireth thrugh all nacions To resemble in high or low parage Fully accordynge / like to theyr lignage.

To high kynred longeth high noblesse On high mountaines stande Cedrysse grene To princes children perteineth high prowesse As amonge stones the Ruby is moost shene The tarage of trees by the frute is sene: Semblably / nature dyd so ordeine There to make knowen the blood of Britaine.

Vpon the Emperour this people (as I tolde) were a waityng / as they were of degree / Beynge pope in those dayes olde zepherinus / whiche kept in Rome his see / And whan that he behelde the great beaute Of thls people that comen were of newe within hym selfe / sore he gan to rew.

Musynge in his hert / thus he gan complaine Full secretly with sighes lamentable / Halas (quod he) this people here of Britaine In all theyr port and maners moost notable So fresshe / so semely / and so honourable / Halas full ofte vpon the day he saith why stant this people in errour from our faith?

The Pope / of ruthe and compassion Considerynge with mercifull pitie: Ganseke wayes / fyndynge occasion To get leyser and oportunitie How this people / excellyng in beautie Might by his labour / thrugh spirituall vertue Receiue baptisme by grace of Christe Ihesu.

The lorde aboue consideryng thentent Of zepheryn in especiall Suche a grace to hym he hath sent By influence very celestiall To further his purpose / that he hath Amphiball In Christes faith / grounded by his saw And conuerted vnto Christes law.

Amphibalus. as ye haue herde the case A semely man / god beyng then his guide First by the pope / when he baptised was Lefte his treasure / his pompe / and his pride For Christes sake / with pouertie chose to abide Forsoke the worlde kept hym selfe secree Of great perfection / lyued in pouerte

Other there weren that made no delayes Of zepheryn / herynge his preachynge To be baptised deuoutly in thoo dayes But whan the rumour and the knowlegyng Cam to the Emperour / without more tarienge Thrugh all the citie commaunded them be sought To his presence / by force to be brought.

By londe and see / his ministers left nought To serche hem out / but in no manere They were nat caught: but than cam to y^e thought Of Dioclecian / to worke as ye shall here Them of Britaine / to make them to appere / Vpon a morow / when Phebus shone full bright They of his hande to take order of knight

Of antiquitie / as put is in memory: when themperour shulde knightes make They dyd assemble beside an oratory That reised was / and bylt for martis sake / In whose worshyp all night they shulde wake. The next morow / after the maner At Phebus vprist / they shulde appere

The oratory in compas rounde and large Beside a temple of Bellona the goddesse where Dioclecian shulde giue first the charge Of hole assuraunce to auoide all doublenes First to kepe theyr bodies in clennesse For life or death / bothe in peace and werre The comon profite of thempire to preferre

Next this charge / themperour anon right In all his moost imperiall maiestie Like theyr rightes girt them with swordes bright So as they weren of state and of degree Obseruaunces kept of authoritie First chargynge them that they shulde entende Chiefly theyr goddes to worship and defende.

Of theyr temples to saue the liberties Prestes of that law in right to make stronge wydowes / maidens / pore folke in cities Suffre in no wise no man to do them wronge Appease debates that haue endured longe For comun profite / as moost soueraine good In theyr defence / redy to spende theyr blood.

withdraw theyr hande from lucre and couetise Specially to eschewen idlenes Pursue armes for knightly excercise In causes knowen / grounded on rightwisnes Gyue theyr Eaptaines suche trouthe and stablenes And in suche case / rather knightly dye Than theyr statutes to breke or disobey.

Of comon profite deuised an ymage Called Knighthood / an arme of theyr defence To holde vp trouthe / suffre non outrage Cherishe the pore / do no violence / After theyr wages / gouerne theyr expence Full assuraunce / made with mouth and hande Susteine trouthe / bothe on see and lande.

Make prouidence that no derision Fall vnwarely on high or low estate / whiche caused hath / great dissolution Made many a region to be infortunate / For where as a strife continueth / or debate By experience of many great citie The light is eclipsed of theyr felicitie.

Of olde custome / knighthood toke non hede Vnto theyr owne singuler auaile withdrew theyr hande from guerdon and fro mede wrought nothyng but by wyse counsaile The hed of maters peysed with the taile This is to saine / there shulde no Romaine knight Begyn no quarell / nor ende against right.

For the Romaines in theyr election. Chose to that order / folke iust and stable Manly of hert and of condition Sober / nat hasty / feithfull / honourable For comon profite preued profitable Benigne of porte / not proude / but debonaire That worde and worke for nothynge be contratre

Take no quarell grounded on falshed Specially the pore not to oppresse Flee Tiranny / eschew blood to shed Of innocentes by wilfull sturdynesse Blood cryeth vengeaunce to god of rightwisnesse Fals homicides / contrary to nature God suffreth them no while for to endure

All thyng odible to euery gentill knight Hatefull murder not support nor mainteine Theyr office is / as they are bounde of right Maidens / widowes / and pore folke to susteine Fraude and extorcion anon while it it is grene In knightly wise to serche out the offence And chastice it by marciall violence.

Then tonge and hert by one accorde shall draw On theyr promesse stedfastly to abide Of antiquitie / Romains set a law To punisshe periury / spare non homicide Represse of Tirauntes the vengeable pride If nede fall / theyr life and blood to spende The right of goddes and temples to defende

In token wherof / who toke thorder of knight This was the vsage of olde antiquitie He shulde first be shaue of very right Token to auoide all superfluitie Of vicious lyuynge / & all dishonestie Shauen away by vertuous diligence All olde outrages out of theyr consciences.

They had of custome also this maner Romaine knightes of yeres yonge and grene To entre a bath of water cristall clere Frō all ordures to wasshe theyr bodies clene whiche bath / plainly it dyd mene / As bokes olde / notably don expresse Vnto knighthode longeth all clennesse

First / specially by attemperaunce Voide all surfettes / lyue in sobernesse By prudence and vertuouse gouernaunce / Mainteine trouthe / chastise all falsnesse Restreine theyr courage from riotous excesse Dishonest speche / and ribaudry to flee Eschew auoutry / liue chaste like theyr degree.

Clennesse longeth to euery gentill knight As theyr bathyng dothe plainly specifie Thrugh theyr {per}fectiō / was made to Mars aright whilom Romains by prudent policie Had in custome theyr bodies to applie To serue Diana / that was the cast goddesse That Venus had with them non intraunce.

Venus / to vertues contrarious Causeth in youth flesshely insolence Giueth great occasion to folkes couragious Of theyr nature loueth riot and exspence withdraweth in knighthode marciall diligence For whiche the bathe was made for a figure To wasshe away of Venus all ordure.

If they be wedded / holde them to theyr wyues / If they be syngle / no woman to opresse For in suche case began the blody striues Betwene Troy & Grekes / the story berith witnesse Caused many a knight to dye in distresse For by thauoutry of Paris and Eleine Grekes & Troyans theyr mischiefes dyd cōplaine

After this bath / tokened by chastite Fully made faire / and voide of vnclennesse with a white shirte he shulde clothed be To signifie the chefe founderesse Of all vertues / that called is mekenes Clene of entent / without whom certaine All other vertues stande but bareine

For who so lyst in bokes for to rede Chaste in vertue / expert for to be Moost redy way is / his purpose for to spede Set his foundacion vpon humilitie She berith vp all / and hath the souereynte whose buildyng euer / the grounde if it be sought Goeth euer vpwarde / and descendeth nought.

As a shirt the body next doeth touche with whose touche the body is nat offended So mekenes (on authors I me auouche) Among vertues is souereinly commended She and pacience of one stocke be discendyd yet in som case / reken nigh & ferre Peace hath conqueryd more than hath the werre.

By prudent writyng & humble pacience Kynge Dindinus was nat recheles To notifie the surquidrous science Of Alisaunder / thrugh mekenes doubtles To Brigmannus / mekenes brought in peas Meke language appeasyd the rygour Of this forsayd famous conquerour.

whiche considered / the Romains vnderstode This noble vertue of humilitie was in some case nedefull to knighthode Moost expedient to euery comontie Them to preserue longe in prosperitie Very mekenes vsed in prudent wyse Is nat atwited with no cowardise

As to knighthode longeth gentilnes Thyng appropried to his religion Voide of surfettes / founded on mekenes As a lambe in chambre in bataile a lion where place and tyme gaue iust occasion By manly suffraunce / benigne of face & chere And play the lyon when tyme dothe require.

By the processe of theyr obseruaunces Next the shirt of mekenes for more spede They had a custome / with sundry circumstaunces Of high prowesse from hem to auoide drede In a mantell / for to be clad of rede To recompence the white shirt of mekenesse with Martis colour / by knightly high prowesse.

This rede mantell / so as the mater stode Touchyng the colour / dyd plaiinly specifie They shulde nat drede for to spende theyr blode For comon profite vpon any partie By profession of theyr chiualrie For this cause to auoide all drede They vsyd of custome a mantell of fyne rede

This colour rede / token of high prowesse To susteine and holde vp trouthe and right Nor entremete of wronges nor falsnesse For loue nor hate of no maner wight To no party / for fauour cast theyr sight Indifferent / stande egall as a lyne By non occasion to wronge to decline

A thyng ferre of / fro knightly desires Straunge and forein to theyr professions For to appere at cessions or at shires By maintenaunce of fals extorcions Or to supporte by theyr protections Causes vnlefull / by brocage surmitted beforne To make Iurrours falsly to be forsworne.

A thynge (god wote) this day to moche abused Experience in dede as it is saine They haue no colour of right to be excused Saue to theyr client / the partie to susteine But if they had before ben wasshen clene Bathyd as I said / in vertues also made faire To suche places they shulde haue no repaire.

It is a maner of apostasie A knight in peace to play the lion Nat accordynge vnto chiualrie To draw his sworde / vsynge extorcion The pore compleine for opression A thyng contrary by signes manifolde To them that were spores of golde

Sporis of golde / rounde and sharpe to ride So as golde is metall moost souereigne Right so worshyp to knighthode is chief guide To high noblesse / by manhode to attaine A sworde also Romains dyd ordeyne In foure causes plainly to be draw After the rightes of the paynym law.

As I tolde erste / the first for defence Of theyr goddes / and next for the fraunchise Of theyr temples / that no violence Be done to them in no maner wise As ferre as theyr power and might may suffise And the seconde / neuer to be present where dome shall passe of fals iugement

The thirde point / toforne as I haue tolde widowes / maidens / to helpe them in theyr might Punysshe robbers / and tirauntes that ben bolde To spoile the people by theyr frowarde might This was vsed / when Albon was made knight The last charge for a conclusion Neuer to bere armes against Rome towne.

Other articles / mo than I can tell Tolde and remembryd by Dioclecian Notable in knighthode / by them that dyd excell when themperour to dubbe hem first began Among other / the Briton Bassian Son of Seuerus / in Britaine kynge Gan thus abraide his conceite declarynge.

My lorde (quod he) with supporte of your grace Sithe it is pleasure to your magnificence As ye haue shewed / here present in this place Of your imperiall famous excellence Singuler fauour / royall diligence As greatest lorde / called on see and lande To make vs knightes with your owne hande

Lowly besechynge to condescende and se Of your notable prudent policie Graunt vs goodly of your high maieste The first fruites of your chiualry Mars our patron / knightly to magnifie In your presence / with Iustes or tournay Or som other famous marciall play

To haue in armes knightly excercise Our grene youthe and courages to amende To lerne the maner and the Romain guise In palestre / day by day to entende So that ye lyst of grace to condiscende Graunt vs fredom / and a place to assigne Of your imperiall support moost benigne.

The Emperour considerynge first theyr cheres Conde them great thāke for theyr knightly request And commended greatly theyr desires Set a day / and helde a royall feest All nacions to come at the leest As themperour freely dyd ordeine To haue adoo with knightes of Britaine.

with Romaine knightes / first they had ado By cōmaundement of Dioclecian Durynge the vtas / the story telleth so Amonge all Albon that knightly man with his Cosyn called Bassian Gree of the felde gyuen to them twaine Among Romains and knightes of Britaine.

Of Ficulnius cam many a worthy knight Of Spaigne / of Cipre and also of Sardine And of Almaine / in stele armed bright Mars was present / the felde to enlumine But among all / to the Briton line The souerein price aboue euerichone was by heraldes giuen to Albon.

His name worthy to be put in memory He quit hym selfe so like a manly knight Graunted to hym the price and the victory Thrugh his desert / of very trouthe and right Called in Rome the lanterne and the light Of knightly prowes / and Phebus soueraine Thrugh all Italie / and day sterre of Britaine.

Of blessed Albon / the armes in his shelde Square on his shulders by antiquitie Of fyne asure sothely was the felde Therin of golde depicte was a sautree In whose story / at Leicester who list se After his passion / as I affirme dare In his cote armour / kyng Offa sothely bare.

Of whose mynster he after was founder As the Cronicle maketh mencion A manly knight / a noble gouernour In his dayes / thrugh many a region His name sprad / and his high renowne Vnder these armes / as put is in memory In euery felde had alway the victory.

Aforne prouided (I trow of yore agoon) By grace of god and heuenly influence And by the merite of the glorious saint Albon Had in knighthood marciall excellence And for to acquite hym by vertuouse prouidence To this martir / called saint Albon Of that minster laid the first stoon.

After whose hande / masons dyd wyrche He bare the cost / of great deuocion The said armes he left vnto the chirche This kyng Offa / as made is mencion And finally / by myne opinion By these armes / againe all that dothe them wrong with helpe of Albon they shall be made stronge.

The felde of Asure betokeneth stedfastnes The Sautree / lyke a crosse of saint Andrue The colour heuenly shall giue them perfitnes By the holy crosse / force in our lorde Iesu From day to day / to encreas all in vertue The Prothomartir / theyr patron saint Albon Shall them defende fro theyr mortall foon.

After these iustes and famous tournement Fully accomplisshed / tolde here in sentence Bassian / disposed in his entent To awaite a tyme of intiere diligence Of the Emperour to aske goodly licence with the Barons / beyng in Rome towne Home to retourne to Brutes Albiowne.

His request was graunted anon By Dioclecian / made non exception Saue onely thus / he sayd that Albon Shall not departe by no condicion / To hym he had so great affection For high noblesse and semelynes alone He shulde abyde / and awaite on his persone.

To Albon / egall in fayrnes with Dioclecian / non so great as he / Of manly force and hardynes Famouse in knighthode / like Iudas Machabe As Scipion / of prudent aduyse was he Of chere benigne / discrete and vertuous Gyuyng councell right sad and compendious.

Mars in armes / with Mercury eloquent Amonge Romaine knightes / rekened yonge & olde For whiche the Emperour by great aduisement Of prouidence (toforne as I haue tolde) Before all other / Albon he hath withholde On hym to awaite and abide day and night Of his empire / as for moost worthy knight.

whan Bassian had his leue take Of Dioclecian / with knightes of Britaine The Emperour for Albons sake At theyr departynge list nat for to faine To make hem chere / and after in certaine For his pleasaunce / as saith the croniclere Fully complete / Albon abode seuen yere.

This mean while (myne author writeth thus) when this prince was come home in dede Into his contree: A knight Carauseus Greatly disposed to kyll and blood to shede Of the Romains gate licence (as I rede) And of the Cenate by great auctorite To be made keper of the Brittisshe see

Bassianus by iust succession At his comyng home to Britaine / anon right was crowned kynge of that region His father dede / a full notable knight Called Seuerus / whiche in the peoples sightes Great fauour had / but Bassian in that Ile (The story saith) reigned but a while.

By Carauseus (of whome I tolde beforne) This Bassian was slaine traitrously Ceptre and crowne this yonge prince hath borne Car••useus vsurpyng moost falsly To be crowned kynge of that party Hauyng no title to the regally But a fals traine of murder and tiranny

On Bassian thus when he was awroke By intrusion the kyngdom vsurpynge To the Romains had his othe broke And in Britaine toke vpon hym to be kynge The Romaine tribute the whiche was hangynge To themperour / he falsly can deny Graunted also within Albany.

To the pietes for to haue a dwellynge place The whiche now is called Scotlonde And from Rome they bode no longer space A Cenatour cam downe with mighty honde Called Allectus / the malice to withstande Of Carauseus with Romaine champions Brought in nombre fully thre legions

This Carauseus in story as I fynde whiche traitrously had murdred Bassian Slaine by Allectus / his name put out of mynde Romaine knightes / with many a manly man For to accomplisshe theyr purpose they began Brought Britons thrugh theyr renowne Almoost by force vnto subiection.

To theyr socour / hopynge it shulde auaile Against Romaines to make resistence / Asclepeodot / duke of Cornewaile They chose of new / to stande at defence whiche thrugh his manly knightly excellence Slew Allectus of very force and might And put his felow Galles to the flight.

The proude Romains he dyd so encombre They might afore hym abyde in no maner He slew of them at London so great a nombre Thrugh his knighthode / beside a ryuer / After whose name / as saith the Cronicler Is called there as Romains did blede Vnto this day / walbroke as I rede.

In memory of that discomfiture The noble Britons / after that bataile Of one assent / did theyr busy cure The same day / armed in plate and maile Proudly to chose the duke of Cornewaile Asclepeodot / theyr purpose to attaine To crowne hym kynge / and lorde of all Britaine.

This mighty duke / knowynge theyr intent Agreed well vnto theyr election / To be crowned / that wolde he nat assent But auctoritie from Rome were sent downe By themperour to Brutes Albion / For whiche / caused Dioclecian To Britaine to sende Maximian.

The chefe cause in sothe of his cūmynge (with other maters that were collaterall) Into that londe / was for to crowne hym kynge There for to reigne in his estate royall And Dioclecian in especiall / Hath a conceite in the meane while with hym to sende Albon into that Ile.

Bothe for trust / plainly to deuise And to gouerne notably that londe Parcell also to guerdon his seruise For trouth in knighthod in Albon that he fonde Ordeined hym / and made hym suraunce in honde Prince of knightes / and stewarde soueraine Vnder Romains / thrugh all Britaine.

He sent hym thither also for that entent For his wysdom and high discrecion with Maximian for to be present At this solempne coronacion Of Asclepeodot / lorde of that region Albon as stewarde in that solempnitie And prince of knightes receiue his dignitie.

By the byddyng of Dioclecian Like custome vsed of antiquitie Make his othe to Maximian As prince and stewarde of moost auctoritie To themperour in his imperiall see As he was bounde by statutes olde and new For life or dethe / euer to be trew.

All thinges accomplished like as I haue tolde Maximian retourned is againe with a tribute thre thousande pounde in golde Beh••nde of olde / denied of disdaine whiche was withdraw / the story saith certaine To the Romains the tyme of Carauseus A fals tiraunt / cruell and furious

Come into Rome when Maximian Returned was with all his chiualry That tyme the pope named Poncian That busy was on that other party In Cecile and in Lombardy By deuout teachynge / as myne author saith To turne people vnto christes faith

In that time / made was non obstacle That yere in dede there was (as it was sene) Thrugh christes law / turned by miracle To the nombre of thousandes fally sixtene The chirche of christe / tender & very grene when themperour hath the wonders same was greatly meued of malice and disdaine

To christes faith had so great enuie when that he saw to his confusion The nomber of christen encreace and multiplie Let call in haste by fals collusion All the lordes of that region And all the Cenates afore hym to apere At a certaine day to treat of this matere.

Echone assemblyd in his high presence Byd cast theyr wyttes togyther / and take hede And faithfully do theyr diligence In this mater theyr purpose for to spede what was to done in so strait a nede For thynges that toucheth the welthe of the citie Must of wyse councell take first authoritie.

For this mater / touched one and all A thynge expedient for to be amended whiche to amende / first they dyd call The pope in hast / that hath theyr lawe offendyd And to this pointe they be all condescended To dampne hym by hasty iugement And all christens that were of his assent.

Banyssshe all christens out of Rome towne And punysshe them by mortall crueltie Not onely there / but in eche region with diuerse tourmentes / serched euery contree This statute made in Rome the citie Thrugh all the worlde a decree forthe sent They to be slaine / and theyr bodies brent.

Spare no place / where men dyd them know But them pursue vpon eche partie All theyr chirches cast downe and ouerthrowe Plaine w^t the groūde / where men coude them espie Thus stode our faith in mortall ieopardie Of miscreauntes / foes to Christes law For drede of dethe that they haue them withdraw.

Against them the painems were so stronge Droue them for feare eche man fro his contree And Amphiball that bare non armes of longe Saue in knighthod of wilfull pouertie Constrained was with other for to flee Paciently / with trauayle and with paine Passynge the see / came into Britaine.

Conueyed he was by grace and vertue In his repaire homewarde (as I rede) His safeconduite stronge in our lorde Ihesu who so trusteth hym / amys he may nat spede The holy goost dyd his brydell lede To Verolamy / whiche of antiquitie was in Britaine a great famous citie.

Verbi autores.

OF this place here nowe I am aduerted Of this matter for to stynte a whyle And to procede howe Albon was conuerted To christen fayth the processe to compyle The holy martyr directe shall my style To whose worshyp first I vndertoke The translation of this lyttell boke

At the request and vertuous byddyng Of my father thabbot of that place A clerke noble perfyte of lyuyng Hauyng in custome euery houre and space To auoyde slouth and vertue to purchace Lyke any Ampte all seasons of the yere To gader grayne and stuffen his garner

By whose notable compylations Illumyned is not only his gaye library By also full diligent occupations Agaynst ydlenes to all vertue contrary Hat set in order in his famous grauery A boke compyled rycher than golde in coffers Lyues of poetes and prudent philosophers

Of his name the Ethymologie Is sayd of am Home or stede of whete Of god prouyded doth clerely signifie whete gleues of the mouthe of tholde poete Greyne / frute / and floure with rhetoriques swete Of philosophers callyng to memory Of his labour the laureat reportory

And as I sayde by his cōmaundement I toke vpon me this translation First to compyle it in all my best entent His famous knyghthode and renowne And nowe to tell of his conuersation To Christis lawe I cast me for to wryte Folowynge the storye his passyon to endite

To procede lyke as I am bounde For to accomplysshe brefly in substance This lyttell boke and call it the seconde Of his martyrdome and meke suffraunce And put aforne clerely in remembraunce Howe Amphiball as the cronycle sayth Tourned Albon vnto Christis fayth

Eche of them (by recorde of writynge) was plainely without others remembraunce For Albon had lost the knowlegynge Of Amphabell / and all olde acqueintaunce But by the meane of goddes ordynaunce I wyll declare / as I am bounde of det In Verolamy / to tell how they met.

Plainly procede / as I vndertoke The residue to accomplysshe for his sake Make here an ende of the first boke / But now forsothe my penne I fele quake Voide of all colour / saue of letters blake In this processe my dulnesse to acquite The martirdome of Albon to endite.

Finis.

¶Here endeth the first boke / whiche tre∣ateth of the lyfe of Albon before he was conuerted to the faythe.