Of kinge mysipsa receyuyd notably
Callyd him sonne by adopcion
The kynge dyd sone Iugurta traytourly
Slough hiempsales heire by succession
He of that realme to haue possession
This was his custum howe euer the title stode
By slaughter and murdre for to gete gode
He liste to goddys do no reuerence
Of his nature wylfull and recheles
Hauynge nouther remors nor conscience
Touchinge the slaughter of hi••msales
Falsly practysed for his owne encres
For which murdre romayns haue sent doun
A consulere to do correction
Calipurnius called that was sente
Only to punissh that horrible dede
But with tresoure his iyen were so blent
Of execucion that he toke none hede
The romayns ouercome with mede
Gaue to Iugurta by collusion
Of this murdre a coloured fals pardon
By which he toke a maner hardynesse
Of tyrannye in him well excercised
Gadred peple of hatefull cursydnesse
And in him silf gan cursedly deuyse
Texecute the silf same guyse
Of fals murdre I mene nowe none other
To slee herbales the seconde brother
That he alone by fals intrusion
Of Numedye might be lorde and kinge
Thus of his cruelte murdre and fals treson
The noyse was borne by langage and by writynge
Of which the griffis falsly a brode spredinge
Brought forth in hindringe of his name
Frute of disclaundre and reporte of diffame
Mortall treson was cured vndre floures
To saue him silf by some subtylte
And specially with his greate tresoures
Tappese the senat if it wolde haue be
But therageyn all the comonte
Made ageyne him a ••••iuracion
On his fals murdre to do correction
Foure thousande men of armes were doun sen••
With a pre••to•••• called ••••ilius
The which pre••our set all his entent
To gadre tresour for he was couetous
And couetyse is contrarious
Vnto knighthode as auctours all expresse
And stepmoder vnto worthynesse
Asiege he layde aboute a mighty toure
Wherin Iugurta put all his richesse
The siege was layde for loue of that tresour
More than for worship or for worthynesse
Wherby his name and his noblesse
There disconfyted brought vnto mischaunce
After for meede made his alyaunce
With Iugurta to his encres of shame
Caused affryk through fals cheuisaunce
They togydre disclaundred by diffame
Them to withdrawe fro thobeysaunce
Of the romayns and more them silf tauaunce
To their purpos corrupted with tresour
Many tribune and many senatour
Of newe ageyn all the comonte
Fro rome sent Gayus marrius
For the murdres and horrible cruelte
Wrought by Iugurta the tyraunt furious
Which to refourme the seyd gayus
A consulere of purpos was sent doun
A manly knight and famous of renoun
Full notably the werres he began
Wrought euery thinge of hye prouidence
And fortune which helpeth hardy man
Gaue him greate fauoure by hir influence
And aldre first he dyd his diligence
For to auoyde all that werre vicious
Delicate peple and folkys lecherous
A day was set and takyn a bataile
By Iugurta by fals subtylte
Proferyd moch gode which might nat auayle
To haue corrupt if it wolde haue be
The seyde marryus but euer in one degre
He stode ay stable vpright as a wall
And toke none hede to his profre at all
Than Iugurta in party despeyred
Greatly astonyed within him silf musinge
But lyke ••••nan hyndred and appeyred
He gan purpose anon a newe thinge
Of maurytayne he went to the kinge
To gete helpe which callyd was boccus
Him to socour ageyn the gayus