The works of our ancient, learned, & excellent English poet, Jeffrey Chaucer as they have lately been compar'd with the best manuscripts, and several things added, never before in print : to which is adjoyn'd The story of the siege of Thebes, by John Lidgate ... : together with The life of Chaucer, shewing his countrey, parentage, education, marriage, children, revenues, service, reward, friends, books, death : also a table, wherein the old and obscure words in Chaucer are explained, and such words ... that either are, by nature or derivation, Arabick, Greek, Latine, Italian, French, Dutch, or Saxon, mark'd with particular notes for the better understanding of their original.

The Nine Ladies worthy.

Queene Sinope.

PRofulgent in preciousnesse, O Sinope queen, Of all feminine bearing the scepter and re∣galy, Subduing the large country of Armenia as it was sene, Maugre their mights thou brought them to apply, Thine honour to encrease, thy power to magnify, O renomed Hercules with all thy pompous boste, This Princes tooke the prisoner and put to flight thine hoste.

Lady Ipolite.

Yet Hercules wexed red for shame, when I spake of Ipolite, Chief patrons & captain of y^e people of sinope, Which with amorous ther & coragious miʒt, Smote thee to ground for all thy cruelty, Wherfore y^e dukeship of Diomedes & dignity, Vnto her great land and glory perpetuall, Attributed is with triumph Laureall.

Lady Deifile.

The noble triumphe of this Lady Deifile, In releue & succor of y^e great duke of Athenes, She chastised & brought into perpetual exile, The aureat citezeins of mighty Thebes, The strong brasen pillers there had no reles, But she with her sister Argia them did doun cast, And with furious fire y^• citee brent at last

Lady Teuca.

O pulchrior sole in beauty full lucident, Of all femine most formous flour, In Italy reigning with great cheualry right feruent, Chastised y^e Romains as maieres & conqueror O lady Teuca moch was thy glory & honor, Yet moch more was to comend thy benignite In thy parfite liuing and virginall chastitie.

Queene Pantasile.

Oye Trogeans for this noblequene Pantasile Sorow her mortality with dolorous compassi∣on Her loue was to you so pregnant & fertile, That against y^e proud Grekes made defension With her victorious handwas al her affection To lash y^• Greks to ground was her herts joy, To reuenge y^• coward death of Hector of Troy

Queene Thamiris.

O thou rigorous quene Thamiris inuincible, Vpon y^• strong & hideous people of citees rei∣ning, Which by thy power & wits sensible Thou tokest in battail Cyrus the great king Of Perce & Mede, his head of in blood lying, Thou badest him drink y^• blood had thursted, And xxii. M. of his host there were distressed.

Lady Lampedo.

The famous trump of gold forged so bright, Hath blowen so vp the fame & glory enuiron, Of this lady Lampedo with her sister Marthesi That al y^e land of Feminie, Europe, & Epheson Be yelden & applied lowly to her subjection, Many an high toure she raised, & built toures long perpetuelly to last with huge wals strong.

Queene Semiramys.

Lo here Semiramys quene of great Babilon, Most generous gem & floure of louely fauor, Whose excellent power fro Mede vnto sep∣tentrion Florished in her regallyas a mighty conqueror Subdued al Barbary: & zorast y^• king of honor she slue in Ethiop, & conquerd Armony in Inde In which non entred but Alexander & she as I finde.

Lady Menalip.

Also the lady Menalip thy sister dere, Whose marcial power no man coud with∣stand, Through the worlde was not found her pere, The famous duke Thesus she had in hand, She chastised him and all his land, The proude Greekes mightely she did assaile, Ouer came and vanquished them in battaile.

Explicit the Ballades of the nine Worthies of Ladies.