Nero.
ALthough that Nero were as vicious,
As any fende, that lieth full low adown:
Yet he, as telleth vs Suetonius
All this world had in subiectioun,
Both East and West, and Septentrioun.
Of Rubies, Saphires, and of Perles white
Were all his clothes broudred vp and down,
For he in gemmes greatly gan delite.
More delicate, more pompous of aray,
More proude, was neuer Emperour than he:
That like cloth that he had weared o day,
After that time, he nold it neuer see:
Nettes of golde threde had he great plente,
To fish in Tiber, when him list to play,
His lusts were as law, in his degre,
For fortune as his friend would him obay.
He Rome brent for his dilicacie,
The Senatours he slue vpon a day,
To heare how her wiues would weepe & crie:
And slow his brother, and by his sister lay.
His mother made he in a pitous aray,
For he her wombe let slit, to behold
Where he conceiued was, so welaway,
That he so little of his mother told.
No teares out of his eyen, for that sight
He came, but saied, a faire woman was she:
Great wonder is, that he coud or might
Be Domisman of her dead beaute:
The wine to bring him commaunded he,
And dranke anon, none other wo he made.
* When might is joined vnto cruelte,
Alas, too deepe will the venume wade.
In youth a maister had this Emperour
To teach him lettrure, and courtesie,
For of moralite he was the flour.
And in his time, but if his bookes lie,
And whiles his maister had of him maistrie,
He made him so cunning and so souple,
That long time it was or tyrannie,
Or any vice durst in him encouple.
Senek his maister was, of which I deuise,
Because Nero had of him such drede,
For he for his vices would him chastise
Discreetly as by word, and not by dede,
Sir he would say, an Emperour mote nede
Be vertuous, and hate tyrannie.