Here begynnethe the boke calledde Iohn bochas descriuinge the falle of princis princessis [and] other nobles tra[n]slated i[n]to englissh by Iohn ludgate mo[n]ke of the monastery of seint edmu[n]des Bury ...

[illustration]

Incipit Liber Nonus Howe the emperour Mauricius / his wif and his children were slayne at Calcedonie (Book 9)

tO frauncis petrak as bochas vndretoke In eschewynge of slouth and Idlenesse As he began accomplissh vpon his boke Assuraunce made to do his besynesse Which thinge remembryd gan his penne dresse The nynth boke so god wold sende him grace It to perfourme if he had lyf and space

At the gynnynge sothly of his laboure In his stody to him there dyd appere Mauricius the mighty emperoure Which complayned rehersynge the manere Howe he by phocas cruell of loke and chere Distroyed was wyf children and kinrede The slaughtre couthe who list the story rede

The seyde mauryce as wryte bochas Iohn Was by Phocas brought to destruction His wif his children slayne euerichon At calcedonye as made is mencion After whoos deth he toke possession The sayde phocas as put is in memorye Gaue panteon to seint gregorie

Which was a temple of olde fundacion Full of Idols vp set on hye stages There thrugh the worlde of euery nacion Were of their goddes set vp great Images To euery kyngdon dyrect were their visages As poetis and fulgeus by his lyue In bokes olde pleynly doth descryue

Euerich Image had in his honde a bell As perteyneth to euery nacion Which by craft some tokyn shuld telle Whan any kingdom fyll in rebellyon Or gan malygne ageyn rome toun Which to redresse with stronge and mighty honde Sent a prince to chastise all that londe

The sayde temple bylded of lyme and stone 〈…〉〈…〉 my face as bokes specefye 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it was first called pantyon Set vp crosses vpon eche partye Halowyd it to marters and to marye Yere by yere gynnynge of nouembre The feste holde the martylege doth remembre

In asia this emperoure mauryce was slayn In the cyte that callyd is calcydonye All his housholde and many good romayn By phocas and perciens as had is in memorie And phocas after for his vaynglorie Slayn by Eraclyus he than was emperoure Foure and twenty wynter and cheef gouernoure

Of machomete the fals prophete and howe he beynge dronke was deuoured amonge swyne.

AFter the deth of phocas as I tolde That Eraclyus to regne first began Cam machomet in his tyme I holde A fals prophete and a magician 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 Born in Arabya but of lowe kinrede All his lyue worshypped Idols in dede

And whan that he grue in to great age Dysceyuable in many sondry wyses With camels vsed first cariage Fals and double subtyll in his dyuyses Went to egypt fet myrchaundyses To Iewes and cristen sundry tymes sent Lerned the olde and the newe testament

As bokes olde recorde in that partye This machomet this cu••syd f••ls man Out of Egipt fast gan him hye Towarde a cuntre called Corezan With a lady that hight cardycan Thrugh his subtyll fals dalyaunce By craft he fyll into hir acqueyntaunce

He wrought by his enchauntementys And by fals menys of nygromancys Hir enclynynge towarde his en••entes For both he coude flater wele and lye Sayde opynly that he was messie Iewys abydynge vpon his comynge As gre••test prophe••e and their souereyn kynge

Thus the peple he brought in greate erroure By his techynge and his fals doctryne He wexe amonge them a great gouernoure The seyd lady also he dyd enclyne As to a prephete which that was dyuyne Sent from aboue as sh•• dyd vnderstonde For which she toke him to hir husbonde

His lynage gan at Hysmaell Had a sekenesse full oft sith fyll doun In his excuse sayde that gabryell Was sent to him fro the heuynly mancion By the holy goost to his Instruction And for the aungell shewyd him silf so shene To stonde vpright he might nat sustene

On his shuldre were oft tymes seyn Whan he to folke shewyd his presence Mylke white doues which that pickyd greyn Out of his erys affermynge in sentence They cam by grace of gostly influence Him to visite to shewe and specefye He was the prophete that callyd was messye

Newe lawes also he dyd ordeyne Shewyd signes by fals apparence Iike moyses him silf he dyd feyne A prophete of moost excellence And therupon to shewe an euydence Smale pottes with milke and hony borne On a great Bole were hangyd on eche horne

He made the temple yeue credulyte To his doctryne and frowarde techynge By mylke and hony fygured was plente By the meryte of his goostly werkynge And thus he was at his begynnynge Take of sarazyns as they gan to him drawe Which by fals erroure bounde them to his lawe

A Clerke of his callyd Sergius Wrote his lawes and these myracles thre First of these doues howe they cam to him thus As here toforne reherced was by me Howe mylke and hony were tokne of great plente And of the bole afore by craft made tame By fals disceytes to gete him a name

Of Arabyens and sarazyns I as rede And of Turkes made prince and gouernour With Hismaelitis and folke of perce and mede He gadred peple gan wex a werrour Ageyn Eraclius the mighty emperour And vsurped to ryde in the cuntrees Gate alisaundre with many mo citees

Of tho partyes desirous to be kinge Of that purpose whan he was set asyde The peple falsly dissimulynge Tolde he was sent prophetes to prouyde For tho cuntres for to be their gyde And for he was lecherous of corage He made of venus to set vp an Image

Made sarazyns to worship the fryday Semblably his story doth expresse So as the Iewes halowed the saturday All his werkes concludynge in falsnes Whan he dranke wyne fyll in dronknesse To the people lyke a fals prophete To drynke water and gode wyne to lete

As I sayde the heretyk Sergyus With him of counsayle frowarde and contrarye Fone to cure feith he and Nostoryus From holy church greatly they gan varye On whos errours bochas list nat tarye More to write of this machomete A nygromancian and a fals prophete

Who list to se his lawes euerichon Youe to sarazyns his boke can bere witnes As they be set in his Alkeron Echon in ordre groundyd on falsnes Lyke a gloton dyed on dronkenes By exces of drynkynge moch wyne Fyll in a podell deuoured amonge swyne

This was the ende of fals machomete For all his craftes of nygromancy The funerall fyne of this sayd prophete Dronlewe of kinde callyd him silf Messie Whom sarazyns so greatly magnefye Iohn bochas lete be for a quene of fraunce More of his errour to put in remembraunce

Howe Brounchilde quene of fraunce slough hir kyn / brought the Londe in dyuysyon / and after was hangyd / and hewen in pecys smale

sHe cam arayed nothinge lyke a quene Hir here vntressyd bochas toke gode hede In all his boke he had afore nat sene Amore wofull creature in dede With wepynge iyen to torne was all hir wede Rebukyng bochas he had left behynde Hir wretchidnesse for to put in mynde

Vnto myn auctoure sodeynly she abrayde Lyke a woman that were with wo chekmate First of all thus to him she sayde Sumtyme I was a quene of great estate Crowned in Fraunce but nowe all disolate I stode for soth brounchyld was my name Which to reherce I haue a maner shame

Thou were besy to wryte the wofull cas Within thy boke of arcynoe Dydest seruyce to quene cleopatras Of Rosamunde thou wrote also parde And amonge all thou hast forgoten me Wherby it semeth thou doest at me disdeyne List no parcell to wryte of my peyne

Whan bochas herde this of chere he wex sa•• Knowynge no thinge of that she dyd endure I wisse quod he afore I haue nat rad In no cronycle nor in no scripture Of youre frowarde wofull auenture No quod she I pray you take good hede So as they fyll I wyll reherce in dede

Bochas with brounchylde gan debate anon Sothly quod he this is the condicyon Of you wymen almoost euerychon Ye haue this maner without excepcion Of youre naturall inclynacion Of youre declarynge this obseruaunce to kepe No thinge to say contrarye to youre worship

Nature hath taught you al that is wronge ••excuse Vndre a curtayne al thynge for to hyde With lytyll grayne youre chaf ye can abuse On youre defautys ye list nat for to abyde The gaule touchid all that ye set asyde Shewe ro••ys fressh wedys ye let pas And fayrest chere there ye ••oste trespas

And if ye shall tell youre owne tale Howe ye fall fro fortunes whele Ye wyll vnclose but a lytyll male Shewe of youre vices but a small parcele Bro••le glasse sheweth brighter than stele And though of vertue ye shewe a faire pretence He is a fole that yeueth to you credence

Quod brounchy•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 do right well espye Thou hast of w•• a fals opynyon Howe they can fla•• ••le and lye And ben dyuers of disposycion Thou mightest haue made an excepcion Of hye estatys and theym that gentyll been Namely of me that was so great a quene

¶Your hye estate by kynde hath no power To chaunge in nature nouther colde nor hete But late vs passe and leue this mater Theron to abyde or any more to plete Of your complaynt say to me the grete By way of seruyce to you I shall me quyte As ye declare take my penne and wryte

Take hede quod she and with good auyce Fro the trouth bewar that thou ne varye Whilom in fraunce regnyd kynge Clowyce Had a son that named was Clotarye Clothar an he••••e that name•• was Lotar•• And this lotarie named the seconde Had sonnys foure in storye it is founde

To the cronycle who can take hede As it is put in remembraunce Whan their fadre the mighty kynge was dede Atwene these foure was partyd all fraunce Ech by him silf to haue gouernaunce By one assent as brother vnto brother Weringe their crownes ech quyt theym vnto other

The same tyme I callyd brounchilde Me lyst nat varye from the olde writynge Had a fadre named leuechylde Of all spayne souereyne lorde and kynge My sayd fader to full great hindrynge Of both realmys the fame ranne so ferre Twene spayne and fraunce gan a mortall werre

The brethern foure in fraunce crowned kinges Ageyne my fadre made stronge diffence Of marciall pryde and fortunat chaunges Whan they met by mortall violence Of sodeyne sl••ughter fyll such p••••••••lence On outher partye the felde lyke a great flode With the terryble effusion of blode

To both realmes the werres were importable Causinge of deth passynge greate damage Sought menys wex by assent tretable Of blode shedynge to appese the wofull rage By oon accorde I was youe in mariage To Sigebert regnynge tho in fraunce Twene both realmes to make allyaunce

Nay quod bochas I deme it was nat so Twene you and me there muste begyn a stryf Be aduysed take gode hede therto The first assuraunce of mariage in youre lif Of chylperyk ye w••re the weddyd wyf Cronycles seyn what euer ye expresse In this mater wyll bere with me witnesse

Though sūme bokes reherce and so seyn Lyke as ye haue made here mencion Their rehesayle stande in no certeyn For by the assent of outher region Spayne and fraunce in their conuencion Ordeyned so in my tendre age To sygebert I was yeue in mariage

Imeneus was nat there present Whan we ••••er oure chaumbre toward night For thesyphone hir sustren of assent Infernall goddesses bare the torchys light And as the torches shewyd derke and bright Therby the peple presentyd one and all Dempt of the mariage what shuld befall

This custom vs••d of antyquyte From their temples of goddys and goddesses At mariages of folke of hye degre Torches were borne of whom men toke wytnes As they were derke or shewyd their brightnes The difference seen in ech estate If it were towarde or Infortunate

Of this mariage shorte proces to make The torches brente and yit they were nat bright Shewed oute combrous smokes blake Of consolacion lost was all the light Thus in derknes wasted the first night Their vers their songe of goddys and goddesses Were all togedre of sorowe and heuynesse

These were the toknes the night of maryage Pronostykes of greate aduersite Yit of nature I had this auauntage Of womanhede and excellente beute And lyke a quene in stones and perre I was arayed clad in purple wede With a crowne of golde vpon my hede

Selempnely crownyd quene of fraunce Which for to se folke fast gan repayre Of all welfare I had suffisaunce Clombe vpon fortune full hye vpon the stayre A sonne I had called clotayre By Sygebert by recorde of writynge Third of that name in fraunce crowned kinge

So wolde god that day that he was borne He had be put in his sepulture In saluacion of blode shed here toforne Caused the deth of many creature As dyuers bokes reporte in scrypture Grounde and gynnynge as made is mencion Within this londe of great dyuision

He with his brethern of whom I spake late At him began the first occasion Nat so quod bochas ye fayled of your date Who was cheef cause of dyuysion Sothly quod she in myn opynyon Amonge them silf I dare well specefye Cheef gynnynge was fraternall enuye

Kepe you more cloos in this mater ye do fayle Folowynge the traces of youre condicion Ye hal•• foule in your rehersayle For of your owne ymagynacion Ye ••ewe the sede of this dissencion Amonge these kinges if ye take hede By which in fraunce many man was dede

Than brounchyld gan to chaunge chere To bochas saide with face full cruell Nat longe agon thou knewest nat the manere Of my lyuynge but a small parcell Me semeth nowe thou knowest euerydell So that ye may without lenger stryf Syt as Iuge that knoweth so wyll my lyf

Whan these brethern stode at discorde Ech ageyn other by mortall violence Vndre a coloure to trete of accorde With many a maner feyned diligence Chilperyk there beynge in presence Whilom brother to Sygebert the kynge Was slayn amonge them by fals conspiringe

On whoos deth auengyd for to be As Sigebert dyd him silf auaunce Amonge the prees he slayne was parde Nat so quod bochas but of fals gouernaunce Of your misliuynge fyll this vnhappy chaunce That sygebert was murdryd in sothnes Only by occasion of your doublenes

Folowynge the traces of newe fangylnes Geyn Sygebert he wrought full falsly Whan ye loued of froward doublenes Laudryk the Erle of chaumpayn and of bry For by your outrage and your great foly The kinge was slayne and ye dyd assent In a forest an huntynge whan he went

Which called was the forest of compyne Alas quod she and brake out in compleynynge Bochas bochas thou doest sore vndermyne All the surfetys done in my lyuynge Thou knowest the slaughtre of sygebert the kynge Which that was wrought alas by myn assent Howe knowist thou and were nat there present

Of these debates and of all the werre With rebukes rehercyd here in vayn In rehersayle greatly thou doyst erre For I cast be right wele certeyne In my diffence to replye ageyn It was nat I she that thou doest mene It was Fregundys the lusty yonge quene

This Fregundis thou shalt vnderstond Right womanly and fayre of hir visage Chilperyk was whylon hir husbond For hir beutye toke hir in mariage By hir treynys and hir great outrage He was after the story who list rede At mischeef slayne thou shalte so fynde in dede

Though ye by langage make stronge diffence In these maters which cause me to muse I haue ageyn you loste my pacience That so subtylly wolde your silf excuse Contrariously your treynes ye abuse For Colotayre I haue so rad parde Was nat engendred of Sigebert nor of the

I Remembre full wele that I haue rad That Chilperyk though ye therat disdeyne Recorde of auctours that prudent be and sad He in trouth was gendryd of you tweyne Which in his dyenge me list nat for to seyne Left sonnes two the story ye may rede Theobart and Thederyk to succede

Bochas quod she though thou turne vpsodoun The sayde storyes reherced here in dede Folowynge the malyce of thyn opynyon Maugre thy wyll furth I wyll procede As I began take therto gode hede The first Thederyk thou shalt vnderstande Cosyn Germayn was to my husbonde

Kynge of burgoyn that tyme and another He of hatrede and indignacion Slough Theobart which that was his brother His wyf his children for short conclusion Which in the mighty famous region Of Antrasie regned as lorde and kynge What euer thou sayst this trouth and no lesinge

Nay nay quod bochas it was all otherwyse I may nat suffre howe ye go there amonge All this langage of newe that ye dyuyse Brought to a preef concludeth vpon wronge What shulde we ••eng••e this ma••e•• ••••awe alonge Youre silf were cause where ye be loth or fayne By theodoryk the theobarte was slayne

The grounde herof gan {per}cell of enuye By youre frowarde brennynge couetyse Which had only to occupye To rule the londe after youre owne guyse And if I shall pleynly here deuyse Of these myscheues reherced god do bote Ye were youre silf grounde cheef croppe and rote

Quod brounchylde I conceyue well and se Ye for youre {per}tye haue lost all reuerence Youre silf enarmed to shewe your cruelte Ageyns me touchynge the violence Of two slaughtres rehercyd in sentence First howe thederyk his brother slough in dede Callyd Theobart a pitous thinge to rede

Him silf after stranglyd with poyson His wyf his chyldren hewe in pesys smale As ye quod bochas make here mencion Some parte is true but nat all youre tale For I suppose ye shuld wax pale For shame of thinge which ye can nat excuse Whan Thedoryk begynneth you to accuse

He put on you the cryme of fals treson Ye slough his wyf and children also Him silf also ye murdred by poyson I wolde wete what ye coude say herto Alas quod she what shulde I do Was neuer woman in hye nor lowe estate All thinge consydred more infortunate

Fortune of me set nowe but lytyll prys By hir frowarde furious violence Turnynge hir whele and visage of malyce Causeth to me that noman yeueth credence Had in despite voyde of reuerence And fortunes mutabilite Sool adiect and fall in pouerte

O Bochas Iohn for short conclusion Thou mayst ageyne me thy stile nowe auaunce I haue deserued to haue punycion And all the princes and barons nowe in fraunce Crye out on me and aske auengeaunce Refuge is none nor recure in this thinge Though y^t with Clotaire my soule be crowned kinge

For my diffautes foule and abhomyneble Tofore the iuges of all the perlement I was forniggyd and founde also coupable Of euery cryme conuyct by Iugement Myn accusours there beynge presente Of one and other stondynge a great route Markyd with fingers of folke that stode aboute

For very shame I dyd myn ien close For them that gaured and cast on me theyr sight But as folke may by toknes wele suppose Myn eres were nat stopped half aright Taken by force lad forth by might By the hangman drawe ouer hill and vale Dismembryd after and hewe on pesys small

With my blode the pament all bespreynte Thanked be fortune which was myn auenture The soule partyd the body was so feynt Who rad euer of any creature That moch more torment dyd endure Prayde bochas to haue all thinge in mynde Write hir lyf and leue no thinge behinde

Lenuoye.

THys tragedye of brounchilde the quene Loke hir story who list yeue attendaunce Frowarde to rede contageous to sene And contrarye to all gode gouernaunce Born in spayne crownyd quene of fraunce Double of tonge vp sin der of treson Caused all that londe stande at dyuision

From hir traynes there coude noman fleen Sours and hede springe of sorowe and myschaunce. Shed hony first stange after as do been Hir myrre medlyd with sugred fals plesaunce What she sayde encluded in variaunce Maistresse of murdre and of dissencion Caused all that loude stonde at diuisyon

Pryncys of gaule might nat sustene Great outrages nor the great greuaunce Nor the surfetys done in their yerys grene Brought that kingdom almoost to vttraunce All of assente cryed on hir vengeaunce The same aros howe all that region In hir falsnesse stode at dyuysion

The knif of murdre grounde was so kene By hir malyce of longe contynuaunce Hir corage fret with infernall tene Sparyd nouther 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no•• allyaunce Peys••d hir su••fetys and weyed in balaunce As bochas wryte she was the occasion Which made all fraunce to stonde at dyuision

Bochas marueyleth of the malice and cruelte of ••rounchilde writeth thus

BOchas astonyed gan inwardly maruayle Fyll in a maner ambyguyte Of brounchildes merueylous rehersayle Howe any woman of reson shulde be So full of malyce and of cruelte To sle hir kyn and set at distaunce By diuision all the realme of fraunce

Bochas dempt it was nat credyble That a woman shulde be so vengeable In hir malice so venymous and terrible Of slaughter and murdre to be coupable The storye suspecte helde it but a fable Only exepte that she dyd him exite With great instaunce hir story for to write

Hir crye on bochas was very importune To set in ordre hir felicitees With hir vnhappy chaunges of fortune Hir disclaundres great aduersytees With hir diffame reportyd by cuntrees No very grounde founde in bokes olde But of confession that she hir silf tolde

That myn auctoure rehereyd with solempne style Reherce shulde hir wordes disclaundrous Hir flourynge yeres also for to compyle Medlyd with hir daies that were contrarious Hir fatall ende frowarde and furious Wherof encoumbryd of very werinesse Towarde Eraclius he gan his penne dresse

Howe Eraclius the Emperoure susteyned here∣sye / fyll in to dropsye / and sekenesse vncurable / and so dyed.

aFter Phoras with gret honour and glo••ye Crowned emperour of rome the cite In whos tyme as seith the storye The Romayns stode in greate {per}plexite By theym of perce that roos with Cosdr••ye Which toke vpon him to be lorde and syre As a tyraunte to trouble the empyre

Gate many prouynce and many famous reem Thrugh all asye as the cronicle seith Gan approch towarde Ierusaleem Afore the towne proudly a syege he leithe As a tyraunt frowarde to cristys feith But eraclyus maugre all his might Smet of his hede and slough him lyke a knight

And by grace which that is dyuyne This famous prince this Eraclyus In his begynnynge slough many proude sersyn•• Holde in tho dayes notable and glorious And in his conquest passynge famous Dyuers relykes of the crosse he sought And from tho cuntrees many of them he brought

Was none so f•• holde in his dyees As Eraclyus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Empire for to guye Nor more manly founde at all assayes Of hye prowes ••or in chiualrye But whan he gan susteyne heresye God toke from him within a lytyll space His hap and welfare his fortune and his grace

He gan sustene and folowe certeyn rytes Of wylfulnesse and frowarde fantasye Of a secte callyd Monachelitys Which as a s••••te of frowarde heresye And sith that he drough to that partye The story telleth for all his hygh estate This Eraclyus was neuer fortunate

Where he was first drad on se and londe Namely of sarasyns for all his chiualrys Grace and fortune from him withdroughe hir honde For whan he fyll into heresye He was trauayled with such a dropsye That ••herwithall he had a frowarde luste Euer to drinke and euer he was a thurst

In tho dayes founde was no leche Albe that they were sought on ech partye The sayde prince that coude wyssh or teche Him to releue of his dropsye Made feynt and feble with a greate palesye Thus in sekenes he hath his dayes spent By vengeaunce slayne with infernall torment

Of Eraclyus this was the wofull ende As is rehercyd slayn with sekenesse Oute of this worlde whan he shulde wende All hole the empyre stode in great distresse Fors of sarasyns dyd theym so oppresse And day by day drough to declyne By his son called constantyne

Howe Constantyne the son of Eraclyus sup¦portynge errour / and heresye / was murdred in a stewe

wHich was his successo^r as made is mēcion In whos tyme thrugh his great folye Sarazyns dyd great oppression Spoylynge the cuntres of all lumbardye And Constantyne of wylfull slogardye Wastyd his dayes tyll he hath brought All the Empyre almost to nought

Geyn cristes feith in especiall He gan of malyce his wyttys to applye And was therto enmy full mortall And cheef supportoure of fals heresye And towarde rome fast he gan him hye Spoyled temples of many rich ymage And by water after toke his passage

To constantynople fast he gan him hye By cesyle the way was almoste mete At Syracuse I fynde that he dyd aryue And for the ceson was excessyf of hete Which in his laboure made him for to swete And secretly he gan him silf remue To be bathed in a preuy stue

Of enuye there he was espyed His owne knightes lyke as it is founde By conspyracion certeyn of them allied Fyll vpon him with sharpe swerdys grounde And mercyles with many mortall wounde They slough him there on him they were so wode Amyd the stewe naked as he stode

After whoos deth they dyd theym silf audunce To chese a knight born in armenye Of the empyre toke the gouernaunce And to supporte falsly their empyre But Constantyne succedinge of allye Beynge next heyre the trouth for to sue To him that was murdryd in the stewe

CAllyd Constantyne as his fader was Right notable in actys marcyall More wysely gouerned stode in other caas Lyke a prince by iugement royall Of manly herte and corage naturall The conspiratours first of all he sleth That were assentyd to his fadres deth

To great encrees of his famous renoun Grace of god dyd him enlumyne Constantynoble in that royall toun Olde heresye to cese and to fyne Two hundred busshoppes eke also nyne He made assemble to stonde at diffence Of cristys feyth of manly prouydence

He was eke besy churches to restore All heretikes manly to withstonde Their opynyons examyned well before And whan the trouth was well vndrestonde Lyke cristys knyght list for no man wond•• To punyssh theym iustly by rigoure Without excepcion of person or fauoure

Of him in bochas lytyll more I rede Nor of his empyre I fynde non other date Spared none heretikes nouther for golde nor mede At constantynople he passed in to fate Whan bulgarence gan with him debate A frowarde peple wylfull and recheles Gaue theym a tribute for to lyue in pees

Howe Gisulphus was slayn and his wyf endyd mischeuously in lecherye.

NExt cam Gysulphus to bochas on the ringe A famous duke and notable in his lif With wepynge iyen pytously playnynge With whom also cam rymulde his wif Which that lyued euer in sorowe and stryf Yit was she both of birth and of lynage Right excellent and fayre of hir visage

Syxe chyldren had this famous quene By Gysulphus goten in mariage Wonder semely and goodly vnto seen And fortunat by processe of their age Albe their fadre felt great damage By the werres he had in his lyuynge With Gathamus that was of Narcys kinge

This cathamus with many stronge batayle Is descendyd and take the way right Of Duke Gysulphus the londes ta assayle Togedre met in stele armyd bright Gysulphus slayn his peple put to flight And cathamus with stronge and mighty honde Toke possession conquered all his londe

After whoos deth Rymulde the duches Greatly astonyed pale of hir visage To the castell of Forgoyll gan hir dresse With hir knightes of stronge and fell corage Cathamus made after his passage Layde a syege cast him to Iupart His lyf / his body rather than depart

Aboute the castell armyd as he stode Lyke a prince sat knightly on his stede Vpon the walles as rimuldus abode Fresshly beseen in hir purple wede And of the syege gan to take hede Hir loke vnwarly as she cast asyde And sawe the kynge afore the castell ryde

So lyke a prince and a manly knyght She gan on him loke wonder narowe The god of loue perced thrugh hir sight Vnto hir herte merkyd with his arowe Made the soyle so plyaunt of hir thought That of hir castell she set almoost rightnought

And for to accomplissh the hole entencion Of hir fals lust in any maner thynge She is agreed by disposion To yelde the castell in hast vnto the kynge She for to come without more taryenge Lyke a duke / a duchesse hir silf to present Where as the kynge sat armed in his tent

The peple within prysoners take Hir foure sonnes toke theym to the flight Loue caused that she hath forsake Hir blode hir kyn where it were wronge or right And rymulde the space of all a night With Cathamus had all hir delite And euer after he had hir in despyte

And by the kynge whan she was refused Twelue in nombre that dwellyd in his hous Moost frowardly hir beutye hath abused Of hir nature she was so lecherous And to reherce it is contageous Howe she wexe after so abhomynable To be aqueyntyd with gromes of the stable

It were but vayn to tary on this matere Or any longe processe for to make Hir storye is contageous for to here But fynally at myscheef she was take For a spectacle fetchyd on a stake Set vp aloft myn auctour telleth so Dyed in distres for constraynt of hir wo

Of Iustynyan the fals extorcyoner / exyled by patricyan / after both nose and iyen but from his hede.

By exaumple so as fressh armure Thrugh longe restynge leseth his brightnesse Fret with olde rust gadreth greate ordure Is diffaced of his fressh clerenesse Semblably the romayns hye prowesse Gan for to appall alas and that was routh Whan they gaue to neglygence and slouth

Who in kinghode list haue experience Muste eschewe riotous Idlenesse By prudent and enteer dyligence Large with discrecion manly with gentylnesse To high empryses his corage dresse And he well ware on ech partye Him to preserue from all slogardye

The which greatly hath appeyred As it is remembred of olde antiquyte Caused romayns to be despeyred By frowarde lustes hyndred their cite And appalled their olde pros{per}ite Of which defautys cam to pleyn blyue To Iohn bochas emperours fyue

As many kynges of the same noumbre Which by slouth were afore oppressed Whom that slouth whilom dyd encombre Their names by and by here expressed To myn auctour they haue their cours dressyd Lyke their degrees to speke in wordys fewe Iustynyan first gan his face shewe

Nat Iustynyan whilom so vertuous And of prudent gouernaunce so notable But Iustynyan Temerarius Double of his dedys fals and desceyuable Of his promys dyuers and vnstable Whilom exiled by patrician For extorcions that he in rome began

His nose his iyen patricyan gaue in charge To be cut of by furious cruelte And of the empyre that was so wyde and large Leoncyus next gouerned the cyte And thrugh fortunes mutabilyte The same leonce by tybery was cast doun His iyen put out dyed in prison

Tyberyus after seruyd of the same His nose cut of from his se put doun For a rebuke and a perpetuall shame To a cite that called was cerson Without mercy fauour or raunson Exyled he was prisoned as a theef By longe torment dyed at mischeef

Howe Philyp the empeorour dyed at myscheef.

NExt to bochas cam philip on the ringe Whos empyre no while dyd endure Lyke an heretyke cursyd of lyuynge And odious to euery creature Bete doun ymages and many fressh pycture Of holy saintes which in their temples stode Wherby romayns dempt that he was wode

Pursued he was by a manly knight Called Anastayse and put out of his place And in cecyle of very force and might He dyd his iyen out of his hede arace By iugement his visage to difface Semblably as he by great outrages Of cristys feith diffaced the Images

Dyed at mischeef dyrkyd with blyndnesse Than Anastayse toke possession In whoos tyme bokes bere witnesse And cronycles also make mencion Of the empyre was made dyuysion That first was one / partyd into tweyne Wherof myn auctoure in maner doth compleyne

Howe Anastace was compelled to leue the Empyre to be a preste and lyue in pouerte.

AS he reherceth in his opynyon And therupon doth a grounde deuyse Cause and rote of their diuysion Toke originall of fals couetyse And ceriously he telleth here the guyse Into the church whan richesse broughtin pryde All perfeccion anone was set asyde

The poce staffe and potent of doctryne Whan it was chaungyd and list nat abyde In wylfull pouerte but gan anon declyne On stately pastures and hye hors to ryde Short heires were also layde asyde Turned to copes of purpyl and sanguyne Gownes of scarlet furryd with hermyn

Slendre fare of wyne and watre clere With abstynence of brede made of whete Chaungyd tho dayes to many fat dynere With confect drinke and ypoctas swete All sobrenesse dyd his boundes lete S••a••snesse of fode left his old estate With newe excesse gan wex delycat

Goos••ly lyuynge in the church appalled Caused grekes withdrawe them in sentence From the pope in petyrs place stallyd And list to him do none obedyence Fals auarice causyd this offence That the grekes dyd them silf dyuyde Fro the romayns for hir great pride

Thus couetyse and fals ambucion Dyd first greate harme in the spirituall Brought in discorde and dyuysion Amonge princes in their estate royall Who clymbeth highest moost {per}ilous is his fall Recorde I take of the forsayde Anastace By theodosie put out of his place

This theodosie dyd his besy payne On ••nastace such werre for to make That maugre him he dyd him so constreyne That he was fayne the empyre to forsake For fere and drede he dyd vpon him take The ordre of preest from the Imperiall see Content with lytyll lyued in pouerte

Howe the hede of Lupus kynge of lumbardye was smet of by Grymaldus.

aFter these chaunges remēbryd by writīges Lyke as I haue tolde here in partye Cam to bochas foure mighty kynges Regnynge echon of olde in lumbardye After the maner and guyse in Barbarye They were arayed in their passage With here forgrowen body and visage

Their berdys raught ouer their nauyll doun Their garnementys of colours manyfolde With brode baudrykes enbraced enuyron Large buckles and pendauntes of fyne golde Their brech enbroudryd after the guyse of olde Fret with peerle legge stuckyd to the kne Pleynynge to bochas of their aduersite

Their shoon were raced fresshly to the toon Richely transuersed with golde wyre And theron set many a stronge stone Geyn phebus light shone full bright and clere These lumbarde kynges gan to approche nere The first of all the kynge lupus Vnto Bochas gan to compleyne thus

Bochas quod he as for my partye For to reherce by shorte conclusion One grymaldus a prince of lumbardye Hath me enclosyd out of my region And cruelly encheyned me in pryson And after that dyd a sargeaunt sende Smet of myn hede and there I made an ende

Howe the hede of Alexyus was smet of by com∣perton

AFter this ende reherced of Lupus For to declare his mortall heuynesse Next in ordre ther cam Alexius A lumbarde kynge famous of richesse Which toke on him of surquedous prowesse For to compace the destruction Of a prince called comperton

Which ware also a crowne in lumbardye Atwyx both was werre and great distaunce But all the peple and lordys of pauye With mighty honde and marciall gouernaunce The sayd alexius brought vnto mischaunce And Comperton escaped from all drede Of mortall vengeaunce lete smyte of his hede

Howe Aryperton was drowned with his richesse.

aFter whoos deth pitously pleynynge Tofore Iohn bochas cam ariperton Of Lumbardye whilom lorde and kynge Which lyke a fole of high presumpcion All causeles toke occasion Of volunte there is nomore to say Ageyn the duke of Bagaroys to werreye

These princys tweyne taken haue the feelde And of aryperton the partye gan apeyre His aduersarye anon as he behelde His cowarde hert gan disespeyre Into Pauye for fere he gan repeire Toke his tresour in purpoos anon right For very drede to take him to the flight

Toke a vessell and entred is the se With sodeyn tempest assayled and derkenesse His barge perisshed by greate aduersite And was drowned with all his great richesse Lo here the fyne of wordly wretchydnesse Namely of theym to gete great tresours That gynne werre ageyn their neighbours

Howe dediere by pope adrian and Charles of fraū∣ce was put to flight and dyed at mischeef.

NExt to Bochas with heuy loke and chere Kynge of Lumbardye shewed his presence Called in his tyme noble Dediere Notable in armes and of great excellence And where his fader had done offence To the pope and full great duresse This kynge cast the damages to redresse

Agistolphe was his fadres name Which to the pope dyd great aduersite For which his son to encres his fame Of royall fredom and magnanymyte And of benygne lyberalite Gaue to the pope with humble reuerence A statly cyte that callyd is faience

Therwith he gaue great tresoure and great gode As he that lyst of fredom for to spare A mighty castell which on Tybre stode Within the boundye and lordship of ferrare Which is a cite pleynly to declare Of antiquite myn auctour telleth so And stant vpon the ryu••re of the poo

This Dediere regnynge in Lumbardye Gan wex famous at his begynnynge Had great name vpon eche partye But in this erth is no thinge abidinge All stant on chaunge and fortune in werkinge Is founde wastable and double of hir visage Which of this kynge chaungyd the corage

There he was large on euery syde Lyberall founde in many sundry wyse His goodlyhede was chaungyd in to pryde And his larges in to couetyse Of doublenesse he gan anone dyuyse To cleyme ageyn as ye shall vnderstonde His sayde gyftes out of the popes honde

Which dediere had made alyaunce As the cronycle maketh mencyon With kinge pepyne regnynge tho in fraunce After whoos deth to haue possession And full lordshyp of all that region He gan of newe fall at distaunce Both with the pope and with the kinge of fraunce

Of presumpsion these werres he began Ageyn his promys of double variaunce Pope in tho dayes was holy adryan Which to stynt the trouble and greate myschaunce Requyred help of the kynge of fraunce And great Charles in bochas as I rede Cam to the pope to helpe in this nede

Charles that tyme was cheef protectoure To holy church their pauys and diffence Which of hole herte and dyligent laboure With Dediere by manly violence He met in Tuskye of knightly excellence Had a batayle to preue their both might Charles victor dediere put to flight

As I fynde he fled into pauye Worthy charles layde a syege aforne Constreyned them vpon ech partye For lacke of vitayle they were almoste lorne They wantyd lycoure greyn and corn By sodeyn constreynt and great aduersite To kynge Charles they yelded vp the cite

Kynge Dedyere was sent into Fraunce With mighty cheynes fetred in pryson Lyke a wretch in sorowe and great penounce Dyed at mischeef there gayned no rounson Which had afore so greate possession After whoos day by olde writinge Amonge lumbardes was neuer crowned kynge

Of pope Iohn a woman with childe and put doun.

AFter the princis reherced here toforn Drownyd in terys cam a creature Lyke a busshop rounded and shorne And as a preest he had a brode tonsure Hir apparayle outwarde and vesture Beynge a woman wherof bochas toke hede Lyke a prelate shape was hir wede

She was the same that of yore agon Vnworthely sate in petyrs place Was afterwarde callyd pope Ihon A berdles prelate none here seen on hir face Of hir byrth named was the place Ma••ence a cite stondynge in Itayle Vpon the Reen full famous of vitayle

In hir youth and in hir tendre age Forsoke hir kynne and in especiall Cast she wolde for hir auauntage Gaue hir to cūnynge body herte and all And in the sciences called lyberall In all seuyn by famous excellence By great study she had experyence

Hir name couth in many diuers londe To shewe hir cūnynge first whan she began Serchynge prouynces cam to Inglonde No wight supposynge but that she was a man Cam to rome hir story tell can Taught gramer sophistry and logyk Rad in scoles openly rethoryk

In the tyme of emperoure Lotarye After the deth as made is mencyon Fro myn auctour if I shall nat varye That the pope which called was leon The sayde woman by election I stallyd was no wight supposinge than By no tokne but that she was a man

The boke of Fortys after that anon Of auenture turnyd vpso doun She was named and callyd pope Iohn Of whos naturall disposicion Fyll by processe in to temptacion Quyk with childe the houre cam on hir than Was delyuered at saynt Iohn Lateran

After put doun for hir great outrage I wyll on hir spende nomore laboure But passe ouer all the surplusage Of hir lyuynge and of hir great erroure Turne my style vnto the emperoure Called arnolde and wryte his pytous chaunce Son to charles the greate kinge of fraunce

To this Charlys as bokys determyne He was sonne nat borne in mariage But begoten of a concubyne Toke vpon him of surquedous outrage Without title birth or lynage To succede by fraude and fals laboure Amonge romeyns to regne as emperoure

He was vngracious sittinge in that estate In mischeef spent his dayes euerychon With lys and wormes made infortunate Thrugh skyn and flessh fret vnto the bone Craft of medecyne nor socoure was there none So depe was fret in his entrayle Dyed in distresse no leche might auayle

Bochas counseyleth pryncys to remembre on Arnolde.

Myn auctour bochas stynte here for a whyle Sharped his penne of entencion Gan to angre to transporte his style To write of tyrauntys the transgression More wode and fell than any scorpion Theym counceylinge whan they be moost bolde For to remembre of this proude Arnolde

He ne was nat in his pride assayled Nat with w••lues tygres nor lyons With rauynous berys nor wilde bores trauayled Nouther with other mighty chaumpions Which haue conquered many regions But with wormes engendryd of his kynde The seyd ••rnolde was murdryd as I fynde

In such disioynt the seyde arnold stode With lys and wormys fret ageyn nature That was so nye borne of charles blode Impotent the peyne to endure Which was in soth an vncouth auenture That a prince might nat be socoured Of smale wormes for to be dououred

A greate exaumple who list considre To princys all for to abate their pryde Late theym considre their fragylite To se an emperour to abyde Thassaute of wormes and lay their boost asyde In this arnolde wysely aduertyse Howe god hath power their pompe to chastyse

Deth of arnolde dyd my penne encoumbre For the greate abhomynacion Than to bochas cam the twelue in noumbre Callyd pope Iohn as made is mencion Entrynge by fraude and fals eleccion To goddys lawe frowarde and contrarye Nat lyke a pastor but like a marcenarye

Called aforne he was octauian Nothinge resemblynge petyrs gouernaunce Fro the tyme in rome that he began To sit as pope he yaue his attendaunce To folowe his luste and his flesshly plesaunce In hawkynge and huntinge stode his felicite And amonge wymen conuersaunt for to be

Vnto surfete Ryot and glotonye He gaue him holy toke of god no kepe Greatly disclaundryd he was of lecherye Kept in his courte without shame or drede A noumbre of wymen in cronycle as I rede Two cardynalles of purpose dyd entende His vicious lyf to correcke and amende

And of entente these cardynalles two The church esclaundred cast theym to redresse Made lettres sent them to o••cho Duke of Saxon that he shulde him dresse Towarde rome and of hye noblesse On holy church to haue compassion Make of this mischeef iust reformacion

This pope Iohn whan he hath perceyued Of these cardynalles the maner of weytynge And howe the duke the lettres hath receyued He to do vengeaunce made no taryenge Bode no lengre this Iugement yeuynge Cut of the nose felly of that one Hand of that other and ech was callyd Iohn

The emperour dyd his letters sende To this pope of hole affeccion Of his defautys he shulde him amende But there was founde no correction For which he was deposyd and put doun By cardynalles for his cursydnesse Me list nomore to write of his wretchidnesse

For his defautys and his greate outrage This Iohn put doun as ye haue herde deuyse Myn auctoure after caught a great corage Seynge this myscheef in many sondry wyse In holy church which that dyd arise Amonge prelates cast them silf blyue Their diffautes openly to descryue

Of their pryde and presumpcion And while he gan studye in this matere He gan remembre anone in his reson Vpon a vere wreten in the sautere Touch nat my prophetys ne nigh them nat to nere Nor ageyn them beware in dede and thought In no wyse that ye malygne nought

For this cause as ye shall vnderstonde Touchynge this matere pleynly as I rede Myn auctoure gan withdrawe his honde Left his purpose and furth gan procede To whoos presence or that he toke hede Cam a prince Duke Charles of Loreyn Him besought to wryte his greuous peyne

Of Charles of Loreyn confoūdyd with hungre.

THis duke of loreyne as ye shall conceyue Had werre with the kynge of fraunce Callyd Hugh Capet and I apperceyue An archbusshop to do the kinge plesaunce Of hatrede made his ordynaunce Ageyn this duke awayte vpon him set That he him toke abed whan he slept

The sayde busshop gan falsly vndremyne This worthy duke by full fals treson Which as I fynde was called ancelyne And he was busshop that tyme of leon Which by fraude and fals collusion Toke this prince that was duke of loreyne And to the kynge he brought him by a treyne

By whom he was delyuered to prison To Orliaunce and with cheynes bounde What was his ende was made no mencion But in a pytte horryble and profounde Myscheef with hunger dyd him so confounde That I suppose this Duke of Loreyne Consumed was for constreynt of his peyne

Howe kinge Salamon whilom Kynge of Hun∣gery was put to flight

aFter to bochas there cam doun Princys foure and ech for his partye Their greues tolde and first Salamon That whilom regnyd in hungerye Both fole and cowarde bokes specefye Voyde of reson noysed of ignoraunce And at a poynt coude no purueaunce

Fortune also dyd at him dysdeyne For he was nouther manly nor corageous Ageyn whom were worthy knightes tweyne He••••a was one with Laudisalus Famous in armes notable and vertuous Both at onys on salamon cam doun And made him fle out of his region

Thrugh his vnhappy froward cowardise There was in him founde no defence Flight was his shelde lyst in no wyse Geyn his enmyes make resistence Fayled herte to come to presence To saue his londe he dred him silf so sore Of whom bochas wryte in his boke nomore

Howe Petro kinge of hūgery was slayne

ANother kynge put here in remembraunce Called petro regnynge in hungerye For his defautys ageyn the kinge of Fraūce I called Charles of malice and folye By indignacion that was his tormentrye His iyen put out there was no better socoure And after slayne by dome of the Emperoure

Howe Dyogenes the Emperoure was taken / and his iyen put oute.

aFter to bochas there cā tweyn on the ringe Duke of Swene formest as I rede Ageyn thēperour first maliciously werkīge Henry the Emperoure regnynge tho in dede But for his malice this was his fatall mede Banysshed to dwell amonge bestys sauage Slayn in a forest for his great outrage

Whan Constantyne departyd from this life Which of all grece was lorde and gouernoure By mariage of hir that was his wyf A knight Dyogenes was made emperoure Fortune to him dyd so great fauoure Constantinople holdynge in his honde As souereyne prince of all grekys londe

¶Yit there was sūme that grutchid therageyn And had of him greate indignacion The kynge of perce Belset Tarque nyayne Fro him by force toke many a region Mesopotanye to his possession Toke by stronge hande thrugh his chyualrye Maugre diogenes and almoost all surrye

Belset tarquenyan made him silf so stronge By manly force Dyogenes to assayle And for Dyogenes thought he dyd him wronge He gan ordeyne great stuf and apareyle A day assigned they met in batayle Dyogenes of frowarde auenture He and his knightes brought to disconfiture

Take he was and brought by great disdeyne In whom as tho there was no resistence To kynge belset called tar uynyan And whan he cam to his p^rsence Ageyns him was youe this sentence To lye doun plat and that kinge belset Shulde take his fote and on his throte set

This was done for an hye despyte Dyogenes brought forth on a cheyne Withoute reuerence fauoure or respite At great festys assigned was his payne And aldrelaste put out his iyen tweyne The whele of fortune tourneth as a ball Sodeyn clymbynge axeth a sodeyn fall

Howe Robert Duke of Normandye faught with the Turkes / was named to the crowne of Ieru∣salem / and dyed at myscheef.

A worthy prince spoken of in many realme Noble Robert duke of Normandy Chose to the crowne of Ierusaleem But for cause he dyd it denye Fortune vnto him had enuye The same Robert next in ordre was Than cam to pleyne his fatall vnto bochas

For cristys feyth this mighty champion This duke Robert armed in plate and mayle With manly Godfray Godfray Bollion Ageyn turkes faught a great batayle For cristys feyth that it shulde auayle To sustene the lawe in their entent To all the kynges of the occident

Of turkes and sarasyns was so great a noumbre Geyn cristys lawe gadred in puissaunce The feith of crist falsly to encombre But there were made hasty ordynaunce By kynges of Englonde normandye and fraunce First to socoure dyd his besy peyne Godfrey Bollyon that was duke of Loreyn

Which on sarasyns made a disconfyture Maugre turkes for all their great might In which batayle crist made him recure The feelde that day to supporte his right Where the seide robert was founde so gode a knighte That for his nobles by recorde of writynge Of Ierusalem was named tobe kinge

Assentyd nat to the eleccion By cause of newe that he dyd vndrestonde His eldre brother for short conclusion I callyd wyllyam was ded in Inglonde Wolde in no wyse take the crowne on honde Of Ierusalem but lyke a manly knight Cam to Englonde for to clayme his right

And yit or he cam he had knowlegynge His yonger brother callyd herry Had vpon him take to be crowned kynge Tolde his lordes and princys fynally He was next heire entryd rightfully As enheritoure to succede in that realme His brother beynge kynge of Ierusaleem

God wote the cause stode all in other wyse The sayde Robert duke of Normandye Purposyd him by marcyall empryse From his brother to take the regalye Toke his princys and his chiualrye Thought he wolde lyke a manly knight Arryue in Inglonde and reioyse his right

Both in one felde assemblyd on a day The brethren tweyne eche with stronge partye To darreyne and make no delay Eche with other to holde champartye But whan these lordes the mischeef dyd espye They besyed them and were nat recheles Atwene the brethern to refourme pees

The seyde brethern were fully condescendyd Vpon this poynt for shorte conclusion As in the acorde was iustly comprehendyd Henry to holde and haue possession Durynge his lyf of all this region And Roberte shulde haue for his partye A sōme of golde with all Normandy

Thre thousande pounde put in remembraunce Ech yere to Robert sent fro this region Of which payment to make full assuraunce Was layde hostages as made is mencyon But yit of newe fyll a dissencion Atwene the brethren of hatrede and enuye For a certeyn castell that stode in normandye

Which castell longed of heritage Vnto the kynges Iurisdiction Of which the duke toke his auauntage Maugre the kynge and helde possession Turned after to his confusion And whan the kinge this thinge dyd espye With stronge honde cam to normandye

Where the duke was layde a sege aboute Made ordenaunce to recure his right Gate the Castell toke his brother oute Emprisoned him of very force and might Left him alone out of mennys sight Fourtene yere the cronycle wryteth so There he dyed in myscheef and in woo

While Bochas was besy in his laboure His boke tacomplyssh with great diligence To him apperyd the great emperoure Called henrye shewyd his presence Gan compleyne vpon the great offence Done to him the myscheef and distresse By his sonnes great vnkyndnesse

The which sonne was called eke henry Greatly accused of ingratitude Cause he wrought so disnaturally Toke his fadre with force and multytude Entretyd him boysteously and rude And afterwarde there geyned no raunson At great myscheef dyed in pryson

Howe Iocelyne prince of Rage for pryde slouthe and lecherye dyed in pouerte.

NExt in ordre with trist and dede visage Vnto Bochas to shewe his heuynesse Cam Iocelyne lorde and prince of rage Which is a cite famous of richesse And this prince myn auctoure bereth witnesse Wos greatly youe to slouth and slogardye And all his luste he set in lecherye

Lefte his lordshyp out of gouernaunce For lak of wysdom and discrecion In flesshly lust set all his plesaunce And to the cuntrees aboute him enuyron He was nat had in reputation Certeyne princys myn auctoure doth descryue Of his lordship cast him to depryue

Amonge which the prince of alapye Called sanguyne the story who liste se To Iocilyne hauynge great enuye Layde a siege to Rages the cyte He beynge absent ferre from that cuntre And thus for slouth and wylfull neclygence Rages was take by mighty violence

And Iocelyne cōmaunded to pryson To him fortune was so contrarious Loste his lordshyp and domynacion Loo here the fyne of folkes vicious Slowe delicat proude and lecherous Dyed in pouerte in myscheef and in nede Of vicious princys lo here the fynall mede

Howe the emperoure Androuycus slough all that were of the blode royall cherisshed vicio{us} peple and after was hanged.

AS very heire here and true successoure By election and also by lynage Cam andronycus lorde and emperoure Of constantynople crowned kynge of age Next to bochas with trift and pale visage Besechinge him to doo his besy cure To remembre his wofull aventure

Amonge grekys by storye and scripture This andronicus gouernyd nat aright Ageyne lawe and eke ageyne nature Founde with his sustre flesshly on a night Both of assent toke them to the flight Ageyn him his cosyn was so fell Lorde of that cuntre callyd Emanuell

For a tyme stode as a man exiled For his dissencions and many an vncouth stryf By his princes after reconcyled Stondynge in hope he shulde amende his lif But in the tyme that he was fugityf He was made lorde and stode so for a whyle Regnynge in pontus of Asie a greate Ile

In this while Emanuell was dede Fall in great age the storye telleth thus Hauynge a chylde and he who list take hede Whyle he dwellyd in his faders hous Amonge Grekes called Alexius And the tutour he was assygned to I called Alixius was also

The same that was assygned his tutoure To se vpon him all the gouernaunce And full power as lorde and emperoure Had all the empyre vndre the obeysaunce Princys lordes gaue to him attendaunce Where that he were present or absent Ech thynge was done at his commaundement

I mene as thus he had all in honde Constantynople a cyte of great substaunce But for extorcyons which he dyd in the londe On his subgettes and for misgouernaunce Amonge the lordes it fyll in remembraunce All of assent in herte gan desire Call Andronycus ageyn to his empyre

By assent restored and crownyd emperoure Constantynople entrynge the cyte Bysyed him by fraudolent laboure All the blode born of the Imperiall se For to be slayne by vengeable cruelte By Iugement of this Andronycus Exepte a prince called Isacyus

Thus in effect the trouth was well seyn He was vengeable last in his oldeage Right as he was in his yerys grene Felly gouerned full of fals outrage Laste of all malicious of corage Toke to counceile in Grece he was thus named All such as were disclaundryd or diffamed

Homecydes he had in his housholde Tyrauntes that wrought ageyn rightwysnesse Cherisshed all that hardy were and bolde Wydowes wyues maydens to oppresse Ribaudye was called gentylnesse Spared nouther he was so lecherous Wymen sworne chast nor folke religious

Had also no maner conscience To his subgettes falsly by rauyne Toke what him liste by vniuste violence To all vices his youth he dyd enclyne And all that were of the royall lyne Were slayn echon except Isacyus As I tolde erst by andronycus

And as I fynde for him in hast he sent For this purpos to come to his presence To murdre him this was his entente By dyuers toknes and many euydence And fully knewe the fyne of his sentence He lyke a prince lyst come nonere Smet of the hede of the messangere

And after that of manly prouydence Myd the cyte shewyd him lyke a knight Prayde lordes to yeue him audyence Princys iuges for to do him right That he might declare in that sight Great Iniuryes damages outragyous Wrought by the emperoure callyd Andronycus

O citezyns that knowe all the guyse Of your Emperour called andronycus Nat Emperoure so as ye lyst aduertise But a tyraunt cruell and furrous A fals mordrere vengeable dispytous Hath of newe and frowarde fals corage Slayn of the empyre holy the lynage

There is a lyue left none of the blode Saue I alone of the royall lyne For andronycus lyke a tyraunt wode Hath slayn echon brefly to termyne His swerde of vengeaunce they might nat declyne Nowe purposeth of mortall tyrannye Sle me also that am of their alye

Requirynge you in this consistorye O Cytezyns that here present be To remembre and call to memorye Howe this famous Imperiall cite Hath ay ben redy to do equite Besy also of their noblesse Wronge of tyrauntes manly to oppresse

Philosophers and poetys eke deuyse In their sawes prudent and notable Blode of tyrauntes is noble sacrifyse To god aboue whan they be vengeable And sith ye be rightfull iust and stable In youre werkys voyde of varyaunce Weye this matere iustly on balaunce

The peple echon all of one assent For outrages of thys andronycus Put him doun by rightfull Iugement In whoos place set vp Isacius The sayde tyraunte frowarde and vicious Gan maligne and theym silf dresse In his diffence to make a forteresse

It holpe him nat to make resistence So as he stode voyde of all fauoure Syeged he was and by violence Maugre his might rent oute of that toure Spoyled cruelly felt no better socoure Sode all naked quakynge in his peyne And first rent oute one of his iyen tweyne

And ouermore he had this rewarde Without helpe socoure or respyte Rode on an asse his face set bakwarde The assys tayle holdynge for despyte Whom to beholde the people hath delyte To pore and rich thrugh the cite Him to rebuke was grauntyd lyberte

After all this in a carte set And vengeably lad out of toun By dome hanged on an hye gybet The peple on him to his confusion Made clamoure and terryble soun Wolde neuer fro the galowes wende Tyll in mischeef by deth made an ende

Lenuoye.

IN this tragedye ageyn Audronytus Bochas maketh an exclamacion Ageyn all princys vicious While they haue power and domynacion By tyrannye vse extorcion Concludynge thus that their fals lyuynge Of right requyreth to haue an euyll endynge

Indifferently this tyraunt Lecherous Of wyues maydyns made none excepcion Folowynge his luste frowarde and disclaundrous Spared no woman of religion Made wyues breke their profession By violence peyse well all this thinge Of right requireth to haue an euyll endynge

Moost in murdre he was contagious Of Innocent blode to make effusion Vengeable also ageyn all vertuous Ageyns his kinrede sought occasion To sle them fro which that he cam doun Which consydryd all such fals werkynge Of right requyreth to haue an euyll endynge

Bochas manaceth princys outrageous Which by their proude hatefull abusion To god and man of wyll contrarious Hauynge in herte a fals opynyon All tho that been in their subiection They may deuoure their power so serchynge Which shall nat fayle to haue an euyll endynge

Noble princes ye that been desirous To {per}seuere in youre domynacion And in all vertue to be victorious Cherissh trouth put falshede doun Be mercyable mesured by reson Of Andronytus the surfetys shewynge That ye by grace may haue a gode endynge

Of Isacyus made blynde and taken at myscheef

AS is reherced whan Isacyus Had all the empyre in his possession To auenge the deth of andronytus Constantinople in that royall toun A brother of his there cam doun With a bacyn brennynge bright as glede Made him blynde of him nomore I rede

Except Isacyus was take at mischeef Of him that wrought to his destruction Lyenge awayte as doth a preuy theef Toke the emperoure put him in prison Vengeably dyd execucion As is remembryd with a bacyn bright Brennynge rede hote and so he lost his sight

A sonne he had called alexius Tendre of age caste him to succede By his tutour fals and contrarious Murdred he was at myscheef as I rede The same tutor purposynge as in dede Of the empyre by fals collusion By fraude and mede to haue possession

In this chaptre of him nomore I fynde Reherced here in ordre by writynge But to myn auctour the processe maketh mynde There cam in hast Sangot of Egypt kinge And with him cam pitously wepinge Mighty princis soudanys tweyne Regnynge in damas their falles to compleyne

Of Alopye Salech was that one Kegnynge in Damas of his true right Cathabadyn there beynge eke soudan Which in tho dayes was holde a mighty knight And right notable in euery mannys sight And for the Soudan of Babilon a ferre Called saladyn oppressyd was with werre

For socoure sent thyse princys tweyne To come in hast with all their chiualrye Hym to support and do their besy peyne Enforce their might to sustene their partye Whoos request they lift nat denye Abode no lengre but made theym silf stronge To stonde with him were it right or wronge

Of this mater the substaunce to conclude These princys cam Salech and Cathabadyn For their guyrdon they founde ingratitude In this for the sayde Soudan saladyn Founde him vnkinde pleynly this the fyne From their estate as it was after knowe Disgraded them brought them doun full lowe

Of him in sothe they had none other mede For their laboure nor for their kindnesse What fyll after in Bochas I nat rede For he furthwith leueth this processe And vnto robert doth his style dresse Callyd Farentyne regnynge in Tarence Lost his lordship by sodeyne violence

This to say he regned but awhile This sayde robert loste his gouernaunce Next to Bochas cam Quyllyam of cecile Kynge of that cuntre lorde of great puissaunce Lost his kyngdom thrugh fortunes variaunce His iyen tweyne rent out of his hede After dyed in myscheef and drede

Which Quyllyam regnynge in cecile Was by discente borne nye of allye To robart quisterde as bokes do compyle That whilom was duke of Normandye Greatly delytinge in chyualrye With his brother full notable of renoun Brought naples to subiection

Hys brothers name callyd was Rogere Which had a son callyd enheritoure Called Tancret as seith the cronyculere Which toke vpon him to regne as successour Thus in Cecile Tancret was gouernoure Ageyn whom by title sought a ferre Of alyaunce he gan a mortall werre

For a mayde that called was constaunce That doughter was to the kinge Rogere Which was set of spirituall plesaunce To be religious of hole herte and entere And by recorde of the cronyculere This Constaunce hath the worlde forsake And to religion hath hir body take

Of this constaunce the silf same yere That she was borne as made is mencion There was a clerke a great astronomere Tolde of hir byrth by calculacion She shulde cause the desolacion Of that kingdom by processe of hir age By the occasion only of mariage

Sūme that were to tancret great enmy By their vngoodly exortacion Moued the emperour that called was herry To take constaunce from hir religion And by the popys dispensacion She weddyd was the emperour by his might By ty••le of hir put tancret from his right

With a greate nounbre of Italyens The Emperoure entryd into that regyon But by fauour of ceciliens Tancret longe tyme stode in possessyon But thrugh fortunes transmutacion The same tyme to conclude in sentence The seyd Tancret dyed on pestylence

His sonne Quylliam that was but yonge in dede With Ceciliens cast him nat to faile To kepe his londe and his right possede Mete the emperoure with statly apparayle Made him redy with him to haue a batayle But the emperoure to greate auauntage Cast otherwise of fraude in his corage

Feynyngly durynge the discorde The Emperoure cast another wyle By a fals coloure to fall at acorde And yonge Quyllyam vngoodly to begyle Vndre tretye takyn in cecile Falsly depryued of his region Sent to Itayle and throwe in prison

By weye of trety the story who lyst se All concluded vndre fals treson With Quylliam take were his susters thre His iyen put out for more conclusion He perpetually dampnyd to prison Dyed in pouerte loste his enherytaunce Loo here the fyne of worldly variaunce

Ferther to write as Iohn bochas began After that Quyllyam was put from his realm•• To him apperyd Quyot lucynyan Chose afore kynge of Ierusaleem Whoos knightly fame shoon like the sonne beme Which by his noblesse he whilom dyd atteyne Godfrey present that was duke of Loreyne

But by the Soudon namyd Saladyne He was enchaced of that dignyte All worldly pompe draweth to declyne So for the constreynt of his aduersyte The yerys passyd of his pros{per}yte Went into Cypre as a fugitif What fyll after I rede nat in his lyf

To make his compleynt after him cam one Which had stonde in great perplexite E••le of bryenne and was called Iohn Which afterwarde was kinge of the cyte Callyd Ierusalem and also parde A fayre doughtre yonge and tendre of age Ioyned after to fredryk in mariage

Beynge that tyme lorde and emperoure Was desirous aboue all other thinge Of Ierusalem to be gouernoure And of cecyle to be crowned kynge Which altherlast for his subtyll werkynge Constreyned was doun fro that partye To be a capteyn for sonde in lumbardye

Of herry the eldest sonne of Fredryk the seconde mischeuyd by his fadre.

nExt to bochas crokyd halt and seke One callyd herry cam for to pleyne The eldest sonne vnto fredryk Which by sekenesse had felt great peyne M••gre and pale contract in euery veyne Of whoos langoure the cheef accasion Was that he lay so longe tyme in prison

All his disese at great aduersyte I caused was for short conclusion By his faders frowarde cruelte As bochas after maketh mencion And this herry by generacion Sonne vnto fredryk like as it is founde I mene fredryk called the seconde

This herry by dissent of lyne Of Cecile first was crowned kynge And of Ierusalem whos renoun dyd shyne Thrugh many a londe at his begynnynge And fortune also in hir werkinge Was to this herry passyngly notable In all his werkes Iuly fauorable

Of his persone he had this auauntage To all the peple he was right acceptable Well cōmendyd in his flouringe age Of chere and face and loke right ameable And of his porte very demure and stable Callyd in his gynnynge such fauoure he hath wōne Of princys all very light and sonne

But oft it falleth that a glad mornynge Whan phebus sheweth hir bemys fayre and bright The day sūtyme therupon folowynge With some derke skye is clipsyd of his light And semblably thrugh fortunes might This sayde prince by hir fals variaunce Fonde in hir whele full noyous fell greuaunce

Who may the furyes of fortune appese Hir troubly wawes to make them calme and pleyn Where men most truste they fynde moost disease Where double corages stonde in no certeyn A shynynge day is oft meynt with reyne Thus of fredryk the great vnstablenesse Hath brought his sonne in mischeef and distresse

This Frederyk set vp in a greate fauoure By the popys diligent besynesse Vnto the state lift vp of emperoure But thrugh his fatall frowarde vnkyndnesse Of couetise fyll in such excesse Toke vpon him patrymony to guye Of cristys church that parte to occupye

Fyll in the popes indignacion Counseyle nor trety might none auayle But of malyce and presumpcion Caste with the pope to haue a great batayle The sayde herry his fadre gan counsayle Ageyn the church to do no violence But him submytte with humble obedience

This stryf endurynge atwene these great estates Fredryk made his sonne to be accused To him of crymelese magestatys Wolde nat suffre he shulde be accused But lyke a man maliciously refused By his fadres cursed fals treson He was cōmaundyd to dye in pryson

Sūme bokes sey he was takyn and brought To his fader of dome to haue sentence But lyke a man passed sorowe and thought Which to his lyf had none aduertence Furiously and with great violence As he was lad alas on horsbak His hors fyll doun and so his necke he brake

Some bokes reherce of him and seyn His fader toke ageyn him occasion And whan he had longe in cheynes leyne At great mischeef he dyed in prison And some say that he fyll doun Of a bridge bochas rherceth here And drowned was in a depe Ryuere

A comendacion of bochas of such as be kynde to their kynrede.

nExt in ordre myn auctour dyd his cure To make a specyall cōmendacion Of such as be disposyd by nature And by their kyndly inclynacion As blode requyreth and generacion To aquyte theym silf in thought wyll and dede Without feynynge vnto their kynrede

Specially that none vnkyndnesse Be founde in theym for none aduersite To considre of naturall gentilnesse To them appropryd is mercy and pyte And to auoyde the fals duplicite That was in Frederyk which so vnkindly Lete sle his sonne that callyd was herry

Pyte is appropryd to kynrede Fadre and modre by disposycion To cherissh their children and eke fede Tyll seuene yerepasse lawe maketh mencion And as they be bounde of naturall reson That tyme passed their tendrenes to enclyne Vnto fortune by vertuous disciplyne

Than afterwarde in their adolescence Vertuously to teche them and chastyse Norissh them in doctryne and science Fostre in vertue vicys to despyse To be curteys prudent sad and wyse For whan they gynne with vertue in that age Gladly after they do great outrage

As it longeth to euery gentyll lyne And blode royall by kindly Influence To fader and moder shewe theym silf benygne Of humble hertes do the in reuerence Ay to remembre in their aduertence On syx princys that wrought the contrary For which fortune was their aduersarye

Euerich to other founde was vnkynde In cursyd blode may be no kyndnesse Of one tarage sauoureth tre and rynde The frute also bereth of the tre wytnesse And semblably the fadres cursydnesse With mortall swerde in nature reprouable Ageyne the childe is oft seen vengeable

Amonge which Brutus is rekned one Next in ordre foloweth maulius Slough their children by recorde euerichon Philip maulyus and also Cassyus And cruell herode fell and malycious Fredryk also moost vengeably Slough his sonne that called was herry

Thys fredryk ay benigne and contrarye Towarde his son nat gracious nor benygne From holy church vngoodly he gan varie And therageyn frowardly maligne And lyke a man obstynat and vndigne Dyed a cursyd thrugh misgouernaunce Without confession or repentaunce

Howe Manfroye kynge of poyle was slayn.

Next to bochas of poyle cam the kynge Began his fall and compleynt specefye Callyd manfroy and for his fals werkinge Put doun and slayne cause of his tyrannye Loo what auayleth sceptre or rigalye To a tyraunte which of violence Lyst to godwarde haue none aduertence

Howe Encys kinge of Sardany died in pryson.

With loke doun cast dedly pale of there Of Sardanya Eneys next cam doun Kynge of that londe to tell the manere Howe he we••••ayed ageyn the mighty toun Called Bonya to his confusion By theym venquesshed and with cheynes rounde Dyed in prison so longe he lay there bounde

Folowynge myn auctoure called bochas Iohn In Sardanya as he maketh mynde Serpent nor wulf in that londe was none Hauynge a well which of very kynde Theuys iyen the water maketh blynde To true folke as he doth dyuyne Water therof was helth and medecyne

There groweth also an herbe as bokes saye Which that is so dyuers of nature Who tasteth therof laughynge he shall dye No medecyne may helpe theym nor socoure The touch therof stante eke in auenture If it entre his mouth on any syde He shall alyue for laughter nat abyde

Another Frederyk was slayne by iugement of hys brother.

There was another frowarde frederyk Sonne of alphonce that was kynge of castyle Of corage wode and eke frentyke His own brother falsly to begyle Began a werre lastynge but awhile Whoos purpos was his brother to desceyue And the crown of Castyle to receyue

This frederyk cam with a great batayle Ageyn his brother for the same entente Of his purpose yit he dyd fayle God nor fortune were nat of assent Take in the fe••ld and by Iugement Of his brother for his great trespace Slayne openly had no better grace

How manymettus and Argones dyed at myscheef

Manymettus of perce lorde and kinge Cam next in prees destressyd in great peyne Vpon fortune pitously playnynge His aduersite dyd him so constreyne For there was one which at him dyd dysdeyn Called argones voyde of tytle or ligne Geyn manymettus proudly gan maligne

Which Ergones for his presumpcion Take at myscheef by sodeyn violence His dome was gyuene to dye in prison Of no power to make resistence But fortune that can no difference On his chaungys atwene frende and foo Caused them dye at mischeef both two

Howe Charles kynge of Ierusalem / and of Cecile for auaryce and auoutrye died at myscheef.

aFter these forsayde reherced in sentence As bochas rehercith in his style Cam noble Charles vnto presence Kynge of Ierusalem and also of Cecile Of whoos comynge myn auctour a great while Astonyed was to se his knightly face With such chere come into place

For by his port who behelde him wele Consydryd first his loke and his visage It sempte he trade vpon fortunes whele And of his noble marcyall corage Had of hir power goten auauntage Shewynge him silf on ech partye Hir and hir might dyd vtterly dyffye

First to comende his royall hye lynage And of his vertuous famous aliyaunce And by writynge and praysynge of langage The name of him specially to auaunce Seyth he was born of the blode of fraunce And to encres moost souereynly his prys Writeth he was brother vnto seint lowys

Gaue to fraunce this comendacion So as phebus passeth eche other sterre Right so that kingdom in comparison Passeth euery londe both nye and ferre In polycye be it pees or werre For it transcendeth in pees by prouydence And in werre by knightly excellence

These wordes be nat take of myn auctoure Entitled here for a remembraunce By one Laurence which was translatour Of this processe to commende fraunce To preyse that londe was all his plesaunce Seith Influence of that royall londe Made charles so worthy of his honde

Of whoos noblesse pope vrban had Ioye Him to encres for vertuous lyuynge Which that tyme was duke of Angeoy After chosen of cecile to be kynge Of pope vrban required by wrytynge Towarde rome that he shulde him dresse Of kinge manfroy the tyrannye to oppresse

Ageyn the pope and holy church right This sayde manfroye dyd great extorcion Noble Charles as goddys owne knight Cam with stronge hand vp to rome toun Which in his cūmynge gaue possession To Gyot manfort for to haue the garde In his passage and gouerne the vauwarde

To rome with greate ordenaunce They passed ouer the boundes of Itayle This manly knight this charles born in fraunce Lad with him many stronge batayle The popes enmy manly to assayle But all this while to stonde at diffence This sayde Charles founde no resistence

Entringe rome to be their protectoure Full well receyued at his first entrynge Chose and preferred for cheef senatoure By the pope moste glad of his cūmynge Of Cecyle was after crowned kinge And of Ierusalem as made is mencion Graunted to him full possession

Which in his gynnynge bare him so wele Entringe that londe with knightly apparaile Of Cassyne gate first the stronge castele At Boneament had a great batayle With kynge manfroye whoos partye dyd assayle To reherce shortly his auenture Charles made on him a disconfiture

In which batayle kynge manfroye was slayn And noble charles toke possession Wherof romayns were full glad and fayne Yit in Cecile there was rebellyon But they were brought vnto subiection Yit Corandyne recorde of all writynge Son of Conrade claymed to be kinge

Gan make him stronge proudly toke his place At alygate a famous olde cite Noble charles with knightly chere and face Fyll vpon him made him for to flee And to set rest in the cuntre To auoyde trouble and make all thynge certayn Gaue Iugemente Corandyne to be slayn

Amonge kinges notable and glorious Charles was put as made is mencyon Lyke a prince stronge and victorious In full pesyble and hole possession Of Cecile and all that regyon Ageyns whom was no disobeysaunce Yeldyd of hole herte to his gouernaunce

By tytle also of his alyaunce Fortune greatly dyd him magnefye For as it is put in remembraunce The noble princes that called was marie Doughtre to Stephene regnynge in hungerie Ioyned was and knyt in mariage To charles son to encres of his lynage

This same charles by auctorite So as him lyst to ordeyne Was made kinge of the great cyte Called Ierusalem of townes moost souereyne By which tytle he bare crownes tweyne His brothre lowys olde bokes saye The same tyme in Egypt gan werreye

Gate all the cuntres aboute enuyron Which that sarasyns dyd falsly occupye Brought them ageyn to subiection Of Ierusalem that londe to magnefye Cartage in Affryk with all their Rygalye And all the cuntrees beynge aforne contraire To kynge charles becam tributayre

This while he sat highest in his glorye Lyke phebus shynynge in his myddaye spere With many conqueste and many great victorye Whan his nobles shone moost bright and clere The same tyme with a frownynge chere Fortune gan from Charles turne hir face And him beraft hir fauoure and hir grace

This lady fortune doth seeld in one ••ontune She is so gerissh of condicion A sorceresse a traytoure in cōmune Cast a fals mene to his destruction One of his sonnes slayne with poyson Which dyd eclipse myn auctour doth expresse A full great partye of his olde gladnesse

He was desclaundred of all the vice Which aperteyneth vnto tyrannye I mene the vice of frowarde auaryce Which is contrarye greatly vnto his chiualrye Diffamed also of fals auoutrye Which was susteyned thrugh his mayntenaunce Within the londe by a knight of fraunce

The same knight abidinge in his hous All cec••le troubled with that dede The greate offence was so disclaunderous Thrugh all the region it began to sprede For thilke woman playnly as I rede Was wyf to one which suffred this offence And to be vengyd dyd his diligence

Iohn Prosith pleynly was his name Which cast him fully auengyd for to be That kynge Charles shulde bere the blame Sleen all the french men that bode in that cuntre Without grace mercy and pyte And for to do full execucion Requyred was the kinge of Arogon

Lost of Cecile hole the region With obeysaunce of many cuntre And of Ierusalem the possession Fyll by processe in great aduersite And last constrayned with greuous pouerte To god moost mekely with full heuy chere Sone to be dede was his prayere

Supprised he was with sorowe in his ••orage Loste his force fyll in to maladye Langwysshed forth tyll he gan fall in age Ageyn fortune founde no remedye And by occasion of fals auoutrye Fyll to mischeef and for sorowe and drede This charles dyed nomore of him I rede

Lenuoye.

lyke as phebus in some fressh mornynge After aurora the day doth clarefye Falleth oft that his bright shynynge Is derkyd with some cloudy skye A liknesse shewyd in this tragedye Expert in charles the story dth o well preue Youth and age rekned truely The fayre day men do prayse at eue

The noble fame of his fressh gynnynge To saynt lowes he was nigh of allye Right wise•• right manly / right vertuous of lyuinge Callyd of knighthode floure of chyualrye Tyll mayntenaunce of auoutrye Cam into his courte to hurte his name and greue His lyf his deth put in iupartye The fayre day men do prayse at eue

Lyke desertys men haue their guerdonynge Vertuous lyf doth princes magnefye The contrarye to them is great hindrynge Folke experte the trouth may nat denye Serch oute the rewarde of cursyd lecherye Where it is vsed the housholde may nat preue In this matere to charles haue an iye The fayre duy to prayse towarde eue

Noble princes all vices eschuynge Youre high corage late reson guye Withdrawe youre honde fro ryotous watchinge Fle flesshly lustys and vicious companye Oppresse no man do no tyrannye Socoure the nedy pore folke do releue Late men reporte the prudent policie Of youre last age whan it draweth to eue

Of Hugolyne Erle of Pyse / slayne in pryson.

AFter charles storye rad the wofull fyne As ye haue herde the manere and the gyse To Iohn Bochas apperyd Hugolyne Callyd whilom the Erle of pyse Tyll they gan ageyn him aryse Moost vengeable cruell and vnkynde Slough him in pr••son nomore of him I finde

Saue his children of hatrede and enuye Were murdred eke in a depe prison Next wth his compleynt the kynge of armonye Cam tofore Bochas that callyd was athon A cristen prince full famous of renoun For oure feith from which he list nat erre Geyn tertarius longe tyme he helde great werre

This manly kinge in knighthode full famous It was shewyd his story who list se Had a brother fell and despytous Called Sabath desyrous to succede Stede of his brother the kingdom to possede By fals treson reuyd of his right Kept him in holde and put out of his sight

This sabath loste both happe and grace His other brother as made is mencion By stronge hande put him from his place Chaced him out of that region Take by force and fetryd in prison Dyed there noman list him visite Lo howe god can treson and murdre quyte

Howe p••pe Boneface the viii was take by the lyna¦ge de Columpnys / ete his hondys and dyde in prison

AMonge these wofull princys thre Which shewyd theym so vggly of their chere Pope boneface by great aduersite The viii of that name gan to approch nere A thousande iii C accompted was the yere Fro cristys birth by computacion Whan that he made his lamentacion

This same pope caught occasion Which vndre petre kept gouernaunce To Interdirte all the region Tyme of kinge philip regnynge tho in fraunce Dirrct bulles doun into constaunce To Nycolas made by boneface Archid••acon of the same place

Of holy church the prelates nygh echon Busshoppys of fraunce felly haue declared Preuynge by poyntes many mo than one In a great synne pleynly and nat spared By him the church was hurte and nat repared Put on him crymes of great mysgouernaunce Denouncynge enmye to all the londe of fraunce

Put on him many great outrage Wrongly howe he had done offence To a Cardynall born of the lynage De Columpny•• a kynrede of reuerence For which cause he kept him absence Out of the court drough where he was born By which occasion the pope his lyf hath lorn

De Columpnys the lynage hath so wrought Toke Bonyface for his olde cruelte With great force and power they haue him brought Vnto a castell which stode in the cite Called sancti angeli gaue auctorite To a Cardynall and by commyssion Power to do full execucion

Of these maters hangynge in balaunce Atwene partyes were it right or wronge Both of romayns and prelates eke of fraunce The pope ay kept within the castell stronge Of auenture abydynge there nat longe Fyll in a flixe and afterwarde for nede For hunger ete his handys as I rede

Houre of his dyenge it is made mencion Aboute the castell was merueylous lightnynge Where the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lay fettred in prison None such aforn was ••eyn in their lyuynge And while Bochas was besy in writinge To write the fall of this bonyface The ordre of templers cam tofore his face

Howe the ordre of Templers was foundyd / and with other of the ordre brent.

CRonyculers the trouth can recorde Callynge to mynde the first fundacion Of olde auctours therwith accorde Of these Templers howe the religion Gan that tyme whan Godfray Bullion Had wonne that noble knightly man Ierusalem that ordre first began

By certeyne knightes which dyd their besy peyn Whan the cite was first I wonne By noble Godfray duke whilom of loreyn There crownyd kinge this ordre they begonne Olde bokes well reherce konne Takynge a grounde of pouerte and mekenesse To founde this ordre dyd their besynesse

Their begynnynge gan of deuocion She grounde Itake of wylfull pouerte And made first their habytacion By the temple nat ferre from the cite In tokne of clēnesse sworne to chastyte Of the temple lyke to their desires Toke that name and called were Templeres

〈◊〉〈◊〉 Honorye gaue theym auctoryte Of holy church beynge that tyme hede A white habyte they bare that tyme for chastyte Eugenyus after gaue them a crosse of r••de And to defende pylgrymes out of drede Geyne sarazyns thrugh their high renoun This was cheef poynt of their profession

Whyle they lyued in wylfull pouerte These crossed knightes in mantell clad of white They are spred in many ferre cuntre For in perfeccion was set all their delyte F••lke of deuocion caught an appetyte Them for to encres gaue great almesse By which they gan encres in great richesse

By processe within fewe yerys The noumbre great of their religion And the fame of the saide Templers ••an sprede wyde in many region With their sodeyn rysinge of their profession With toures castellys they gaue them to delices Appalled in vertue which brought in many vices

It were to longe to rekne them all But amonge other I fynde there was one A manly knight folke Iaques dyd him call Great of auctorite amonge them euerichon As cronycles remembre of yore agon The which Iaques in the realme of fraunce Was borne of blode to great enheritaunce

The same Iaques holde a manly knight In his gynnynge fressh lusty of corage Had a brother by elder title of right Occupyed all hole the heritage Bycause Iaques yonger was of age Which might nat by no condicion No thinge cleyme of that possession

Hys elder brother occupyed all While this Iaques but lowe was of degre Wondre desyrous to be with him egall Alway put backe by frowarde pouerte And to surmounte if it wolde be Fonde oute a mene lyke to his desires Was chosyn mayster of the templers

Was promotyd by fre election By them that shulde chese him of right Wherby he had great domynacion Rychesse / tresoure / great power and might Of his persone was eke a manly knight The same tyme put in remembraunce Philyp la Bele crowned kynge of fraunce

Which had of Iaques greate indignacion To all the templers and all the chyualrye Caste wayes to their destruccion Gaue auctorite his luste to fortefye Doun fro the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bokes specefye Clement the concludinge if ye may All the templers destroyed them on a day

For certeyn crymes horryble to here All atones were set in pryson By their frendes touchinge thys manere Counceyled to axe mercy and perdon That they shulde by playne confession Requerynge him knelinge on arowe And as it was their trespas been aknowe

Iaques was take and with him other thre Kept in holde and to prison sent And the remenaunt of their Iniquyte Ordeyned were by open Iugement To mighty stakes to be tyed and brent The kynge in manere lyke to do them grace So they wolde confesse their trespace

But all for nought they were so indurate All of accorde and of one corage To axe mercy were obstynate The fyre redy all with one langage Whan the flame approched their visage Full pleynly spake cryed pytously Of their actes which they were nat gylty

Fro their purpos they lyftnat to declyne But with one voys echon and one soun Fully affermed tyll they dyd fyne Howe their ordre and their religion Igroundyd was vpon perfection And their deth verely in dede Compassed was of malyce and hatrede

The sayde Iaques of whom I spake toforne Brought to a place which called was leon Tofore two legates or that his lif was lorn All openly made his confession He was worthy for short conclusion For to be dede by rightfull Iugement This was his ende to asshes he was brent

Bochas here cōmendeth Theodorus with other two philosophers for their pacience notably·

••Euynge a prys to philosophers thre Bochas cōmendeth with great diligence Howe eche of theym was in his cuntre Souereynly by vertuous excellence Of olde commendyd for their pacyence Which may be set and crowned in his stall As Emperesse amonge vertues all

Monge ceciliens first theodorus For pacience had in great reuerence Amonge grekes the storye telleth thus Artaxerses for his magnyficence By force of vertue grounded in pacience Bycause he was vertuous and wys For sufferaunce gate him a souerein prys

Amonge romayns put in remembraunce Sceuola both philosopher and knight For his marcyall harde stronge constaunce Whan that he helde amyd the flame light Hande and fynges amonge the colys bright Tyll the Ioyntes fallynge here and yondre From the wrest departyd were asondre

First theodorus borne in the famous Ile By pacyens great peynes endurynge Cheef philosophere called of cecile With cheynes bounde vpon the grounde lyenge On his bodye layde gaddes rede brennynge Suffringe his peyne list it nat refuse By kynge Ierome the tyraunte ciracuse

For comon profyte suffred all his peyne Longe tyme afore lyinge in prison Which by assent of mo than one or tweyne Was the moste cheef by cōspyracion To bringe the tyraunt to his destruction For no peyn that he might endure The coniuracion he wold nat discure

Rather he chase in mischeef for to dye Than by name openly declare Of him that slough the tyraunt sothly to seye Thought of right no man shulde spare For comon profyte helth and welfare To sle a tyraunt demynge for the best All a region for to set at reste

For which tytle he list suffre deth All his torment toke moost paciently Theodorus tyll he yeldyd vp the breth Grutchyd nat with noyse nor loude crye Amyd whose herte rotyd was feythfully Comon profyte bochas write the same Amonge Ceciliens to gete him a name

Grekes also commende aboue the sterres Anexerses and greatly magnefye Cause that he to stynte mortall werres Lyst nat spare to acquyte his partye In rebukynge manly the tyrannye Of N••cocreon tyraunt full mortall Regnynge in Cypre in his estate royall

Spared nouther for deth ne drede Him to rebuke by vertuous langage The tyraunt had cut of his hede His tunge in hast but he with stronge corage Sayde he shulde haue none auauntage Of that membre which with all his might Had tolde him trouth in the peples sight

Of his manace set but lytyll tale But of his tunge of stronge corage Chewyd it all on peces smale Of manly hert thought it no damage Spitte it oute into the visage Of the tyraunte gate so the victorye To put his name euermore in memorie

And Sceuola egall to these tweyne For comon profite by iust comparison Put him in prees dyd his besy peyne To sle procemia enmye to rome toun For to accomplissh his entencion Toke a stronge darte right passyngly tenhaunte With all his might cast at the tyraunte

Of his me••ke cause he dyd fayle To sle his enmye after his entente Which in Tuskan by many stronge batayle Geyns romayns with his knightys went This Sceuola his owne hande brente Cause that he fayled of his arte To sle porcenna with castynge of his darte

To declare the force of his manhede Put him silf auenged for to be As I haue tolde in cooles rede His hande he brent for loue of his cyte Only to aquyte his magnanymyte Of feruente loue his cite to auayle To sle the tyraunte cause that he dyd fayle

Thus for to put the marcyall suffraunce Of these noble philosophers thre Imperpetuall mynde and remembraunce Howe they them quyt ech lyke his degre For then pure partye vnto the comonte Cause all their ioy and inwarde delite Was for auayle to the comon profyte

First theodorus put him silf in prees For Ceciliens to dye in prison And for grekes noble artaxerses His tonge torne felt great passion And Sceuola for Romayns and their toun Suffred his hande by short auysement Of very trouth in coles to be brent

A martyrdom it was in their manere Of their corage to haue so great constaunce Were so stable of herte body and chere For comon profyte of face and countenaunce Vnto the deth without variaunce Gate the tryumphe by souereyn excellence With laurer crownyd for their pacience

Lyke as phebus passeth the lytell sterre Hyest vp raysed in his mydday spere So this vertue in trouble pees and werre Called pacience moost fresshly doth appere Amonge vertues to shewe his bemys clere For pacience knyt with humylyte Where they abyde may none erroure be

Tyrauntys hertis thys vertue doth appese Modefyeth their cruell fell wodenesse Rage of lyons who list lyue in ease Of folke prostrat his malice doth represse All oure Ioye gan firste with mekenesse For of Iuda the hardy stronge lyon A maydens mekenes fro heuene brought do••n

In batayle and mighty stronge sheltrons A vyce with sufferaunce wynneth the victorye Pacience venquisshith chaumpions Lownesse in vertue by many olde historye And mekenesse {per}petuell of memorye All to conclude grounde on reson A maydyns mekenesse wrought oure redempcion

Bochas here commendeth humylite

VErtue of vertues o noble pacience w^t laurer crowned o vtuo{us} {con}staūce Laude hono^r price and reuerence Be you•• to y^e prīces most plesaūce Most renomed by olde remēbraūce Of whom the mighty marcyall armure Geyn all vices lengest may endure

Grounde and gynnynge to stonde at diffence Ageyn Sathans infernall puissaunce Laureat quene where thou arte in presence From outrages haue no gouernaunce Condute hede sprynge of plenteous habundaunce Cristall well celestyall of fygure Geyne all vices which lengest may endure

Cheef founderesse by souereyne excellence Of gostly byldynge and spirituall substaunce Emperesse of moost magnyfycence With heuenly spirites next of allyaunce With lyf euerlastynge thy tryumphes to auaunce And Ioye eternall thy noblesse to assure In the aureat throne perpetually to endure

Thre Iererchyes there lyuynge in presence With whom humylyte hath souereyne acqueyntaūce Where osanna with deuoute diligence Is songe of aungels by longe continuaunce Tofore the throne kepynge their obseruaunce Synge Sanctus sanctus recorde of scripture With voys memoryall {per}petually to endure

The brennynge loue of cherubyn by feruence Parfite in charite diligent obeysaunce And Ser••••phyn with humble obedyence And orders nyne by heuenly concordaunce Domynacions with vertuos attendaunce Afore the trynyte singe fresshly by mesure With wys memoryall {per}petually to endure

Suffraunce of paynemes hath but an apparence Done for veynglorye hangynge in balaunce But cristys martirs in very existence List ageyne tyrauntys make no repugnaunce Rather dye than shewe god displesaunce Shewyd in no myrrour lyknesse nor pycture Take full possession for euer with criste to endure

••••ffraunce for vertue hath the premynence Of theym that set in god their affiaunce Recorde of Stephene vyncent and Laurence Blyssed Edmonde by longe perseueraunce Suffred for oure feith victorious greuaunce Kynge / mayde / and marter / a palme to recure In the heuenly courte perpetually to endure

And for to set a maner difference In bochas boke tolde euery circumstaunce Howe for oure feyth by full greate violence Dyuers sayntes haue suffred great penaunce Stable of their chere visage and countenaunce Neuer to vary for none auenture Lyke cristys champyons {per}petually to endure

Whoos fundacion by notable prouydence Grounded on criste their soules to auaunce Graue in their hertes and in their conscience Voydynge all trouble of worldly perturbaunce Chaunges of fortune with hir double chaunce Loued god and dred aboue eche creature In hope with him {per}petually to endure

Howe philyp la Bele kynge of fraunce was slayn with a wyld bore and of his thre sonnes and their weddynge.

wHan bochas had wretyn of pacyence And cōmended the vertue of suffraunce Philyp la Bele cam to his presence Fift of y^e name crowned kynge of fraūce Gan compleyn his vnhappy chaunce And on fortune of custome that can vary Which was to him cruell aduersarye

Wounded he was with a greuous sore Gan his compleynt to bochas determyne Howe he was slayne with a wylde bore In a foreste which called was compyne Tolde howe he was sclaundred and all his lyue. Ones in Flaundres with many a worthy knight Venquesshyd of flemmynges and felly put to flight

Procedynge ferther gan touch of his lynage Howe in his tyme he had sonnes thre Lowes philip and Charles yonge of age The fourth Robert also a doughter had he Called Isabell right excellente of beute The seide roberte the storye is well kougth Which that dyed in his tendre youth

To this story who lyst haue good rewarde The circumstaunce wysely to descerne His doughter Isabell was wedded to Edwarde Carneruan the boke so doth vs lerne This yonge philyp weddyd in Nauerne The kinges doughter a statly maryage Callyd Iane while she was tendre of age

The same philyp after crowned kynge Of Nauerne his fadre of assente Fyue sonnes he had lyuynge Of which fyue as in sentement Thre in noumbre be right pertynente The matere who so list to loke And the processe of the same boke

The eldest sonne callyd was lowys To whom his fadre gaue possession Of Nauerne by cause that he was wys For to gouerne that noble region Philip his brother for his high renoun Was afterwarde by iuste enheritaunce And rightfull tytle crowned kynge of Fraunce

The thryd brother was by title of right Made Erle of march and named was Charles Eche of them in the pepleys sight Were famous holde and passynge of great prys And for they were right manly and right wys Philip and Charles toke in tendre age The Erles doughter of burgoyne in mariage

But as the story reherceth in certeyn To their noblesse fortune had enuye And by a manere of malyce and disdeyn Brought in processe vpon the partye Of their two wyues frowarde auoutrye Causynge the deth of these wyues thre Whan they moost floured in their felicite

After these thre princys glorious Tofore bochas to shewe their entente A mighty duke notable and famous Cam to compleyn Charles of Tarent Which in his tyme to florence went To make pees in his royall estate Twene G••erffe and Gemellyus stondinge at debate

The sayde Charles borne of the blode of fraunce A manly knight the story doth dyuyse By whoos vnhappy fatall frowarde chaunce In the werres twene florence and pyse On horsbak sittinge on knightly wyse Hurt with an arowe full lowe doun to grounde Wherby he caught his laste fatall wounde

A man of armes beynge a soudyoure With the Pysanes were it wronge or right Of fals dysdeyne that day dyd his besy laboure To trede on charles in the peples sight Whan he lay gruffe wherfore he was made knight By their capteyn for a manere pride Which gouerned the Sybelynes side

And in his stody with full heuy chere Whyle Iohn bochas bode styll on his sete To him apperyd and gan approch nere Daunte of florence the laureat peote With his dytes and rethoryques swete Demure of loke fulfylled with pacience With a visage notable of reuerence

Whan Bochas sawe him vpon his fete he stode And to mete him he toke his pas full right With great reuerence aualed cappe and hode To him seyde with humble chere and sight O clerest sonne / o very sothfast light Of oure cyte which callyd is florence Laude vnto the honoure and reuerence

Thou haste enlumyned Itayle and Lumbardys With laureat ditees in thy flourynge dayes Grounde and gynnynge of prudent polecye Monge florentynes suffredest great affrayes As golde pured prouyd at all assayes In trouth madyst mekely thy silf stronge For comon profyte to suffre peyn and wron••e

O noble poete touchinge this matere Howe florentynes to the were vnkynde I wyll remembre and wryte with gode chere Thy pytous exile and put here in mynde Nay quod Daunt here stante one behynde Duke of Athenys turne towarde him thy style His vncouth story breuy to compyle

And if thou list do me this plesaunce To descryue his knightly excellence I wyll thou put his lyf in remembraunce Howe he oppressyd by myghty violence This famous cyte callyd florence By which storye pleynly thou shalt se Which were frendes and foos to the cite

And which were able to be excused If the trouth be clerly apperceyued And which were worthy to be refused By whom the cite full falsly was desceyued The circumstaunce notably conceyued To rekne in ordre by euery syde Which shulde be chaced and which shulde abyde

Howe duke Gaulter of Florence for his tyrannye / Lecherye and couetyse endyd in mischeef

ANd whan bochas knewe all the entencion Of the sayde daunt he cast him anon right To obey his maystre as it was reson Toke his penne and he caste his sight Alyte asyde and he sawe nomaner wight Saue duke Gaulter of all the longe day For Daunt vnwarly vanisshed was awaye

This seide Gaulter breuely to procede Lyke as it is put in remembraunce Touchinge his lyne and his royall kynrede He was destendyd of the blode of fraunce By longe processe and knightly purueyaunce His fader first by diligent laboure Of athenys was lorde and gouernoure

Stode but a while in clere possession Grekes to him had full great enuye Cast of a••••••nt to put him doun And depryue him of his famous duchie To their entent a leyser they dyd espye Toke him at myscheef quakinge in his drede Of hye despyte in haste smet of his hede

Vpon whoos deth auenged for to be This sayde Gaulter with myghty apparayle Cast he wolde asyege that cyte But of his purpose longe he dyd fayle And in thys while with many storonge batayle Two mighty princes were come doun of pyse Leyde a syege to Luke in knightly wyse

••••rentynes to Luke were fauourable And to delyuer the syege from the toun With multytude almost Innumerable Made ordynaunce and knightly cam doun Which turned after to their destruccion For it fell so of mortall auenture On florentynes fyll the disconfiture

The noyse and fame of this great batayle Gan sprede ferre by reporte of langage In Lumbardye and in Itayle Monge soudyours lusty of corage And amonge other feynynge a pylgrymage The sayde Gaulter by vnware violence Cam fro Naples doun into florence

The florentynes helde first a parlement For the saluacion and garde of their cite By great prudence and great auysement Of such as were hyghst of degre By one assent they gaue the souereynte Them to gouerne hopynge to theire encres With statutes made both for werre and pees

The gretest states rulers of the toun Called magnates tho dayes in sothenesse To gaulter gaue this domynacion Of entent the comons to oppresse And marchauntes to spoyle of their richesse Streyne men of craft by frowarde violence Ageyn their lybertees vsed in Florence

The temple alway in awayte lyinge To be restored vnto their lyberte Gan grutch sore amonge them silf pleynynge For great extorcion done to their cite The great also of most auctoryte Had leuer to suffre Gaulter regne Than their actions to modefye or restreyne

The sayde Gaulter in full subtyll wyse By a fals maner of Symulacyon Enmye in herte vnto their Fraunchise All that he wrought for shorte conclusion Was done only to their destruccion With a pretence feyned of frendlyhede To his promys contrary ay was the dede

Clambe vp by processe to full hye estate By fayned spech and subtyll flaterye In his herte wex pompous and clate His werkynge outwarde no man coude espye Lite and lytyll drough to his partye That to conclude shortly for to seye All florence his lustys dyd obeye

Gan subtilly please the comonte For to accomplissh falsly his desyres Made promyse to encres their liberte To such as were frowarde of maners Made an othe to destroye their officers But they wolde of their fre volunte Graunte vnto him larger lyberte

Gretter power and domynacyon To encres his might on euery side Gan manace the grettest of the toun And day by day encres in his pryde Felly he gan felly he dyd abyde Therupon kept clos in their entrayle The florentynes greatly gan meruayle

In this while there was one Reymere Of greate auctoryte and of great reuerence A myghty sargeant and a great offycere To whoos byddynge obeyed all Florence Which with Gauletr accordyd in sentence With soudyours had stuffed eche hos••rye For to sustene of Gaulter the partye

And treytourly for to fortefye The entent of Gaulter fell and ambicious To haue thestate only by tyrannye As their cheef lorde frowarde and surquedous To regne in Florence the cas perylous Whan two tyrauntys both of one assent With multitude to accomplissh their entent

Which thinge considred by their gouernou•••• And magnates callyd in the cyte Whan they founde amonge them no socour•• To remedye their great aduersite Fyll to accorde of necessite Gaue their assent without variaunce That Gaulter shulde haue all the gouernaunce

And condescendyd they were to this issu That gaulter shulde in all his best wise Vpon the body be sworne of crist Ihesu Them to restore vnto their fraunchyse Vsed of olde and for no couetyse From their promys for lyf nedeth declyne As the conuencion list to termyne

Herupon was blowe a trumpet For to assemble the states of the toun A parlment was holden gaulter first set Holy to pronounce the conuencyon With euery percell entytled by reson Lyke their accorde declarynge anon right Stode vp a voket in the peplys sight

With men of armes in stele armyd bright Vnto their pal••is cheef and principall The seid Gaulter conueyed anon right Set in a sete moost statly and royall And the peple with voys memoryall Gan crye loude cōcludynge in sentence Gaulter for euer cheef lorde of florence

Wo to perseuer duringe all his lyf Toke in the paleys full possessyon There durste none ageyn it make stryf Graunted to him the dominacion Of all the castell aboute enuyron Tuskan areth and castell Florentyne With all lordshyppes to Mounte Appeny••e

As ye haue herde gaulter thus began By his owne furious dyuynayle Seyde he was borne to be lorde of Tuskan And a great partye also of Itayle Tolde he was lad and conueyed by a quayle Seyde euermore were it right or wronge That was the sentence of the birdes songe

Thesame byrde brought him first to florence All the way afore him toke his flight With soote syngynge dyd him reuerence Hye in the ••yer of corage glad and light Wolde neuer part oute of his sight Gaue him toknes to set his Ferte afyre That of florence he shulde be lorde and sy••

The ••••••e byrde he bare in his dyuyses Full ••••hely enbrauded with perre Toke vpon him many great emprises As cheef lorde of Florence the cyte Sate in Iugement gouerned the cuntre Drough to him flaterers and folke that coude lye Baudes Ribaudes where he might them spye

Of that cyte toke meruelous truages Crocheth to him richessys of the toun Of lecherye vsed great outrages Of maydyns wyues made none excepcion Voyde of mercy grace and remissyon Fonde quarell for to be vengeable That to reherce it is abhomynable

Where he hateth / mercyles he sleeth Brake fraunchises and olde lybertees The peple playned desyred sore his deth Cryed vengeaunce aboute their citees For tyrannye done in their cunt••••••s Which was cause of g••eate diff••••••••on And of their cite almoost sub••••••cion

Thus they were amonge them silf deuyded For their greuous sodeyne oppression Lak of forsight that they were nat prouyded To se mischeues that shulde fall in the toun This is very soth where is dyuysion By witnesse and recorde of scripture May no kingdom nor cyte longe endure

For which they gan compleyn one and all Both of the great and of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••mo ••••e And of accorde amonge theymsilf they fall To refourme the hurte of that cyte And fynally they condessended be By a manere fell coniu••••••••on To procede to his destruccion

Vpon a day they armyd in 〈…〉〈…〉 Magnates first with comons of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 All of assent roos vp anon right Gan to make an hydo••s soun L••te sle this tyraunt late v•• pull 〈…〉〈…〉 Leyde a syege by mighty violence Aforn his paleys where he lay in 〈◊〉〈◊〉