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¶ Lenuoy.
OF Herodes the vnware cursed fall,
The lyfe vngracyous of hym and hys kinrede,
Euer vengeable in his estate roial,
Hys wyfe, his childre, slough of olde hatered:
Innocentes he made in Bethelem blede,
Reignyng in Juda, borne of foreyne lygne,
The fyrst tyrant, ye may the Byble rede,
Whych ayen Christ gan frowardly maligne.
Hys swerde of rigour cruel and mortal
Aye redy whet to do vengeaunce in dede,
Hasty and fumous with furies infernall,
Of wylfull malice innocētes blode to shede:
Dyd execucion also on womanhede,
Slewe his alies, whiche was a cursed signe,
For the fyrste cause he stode in drede
Whiche againe Christe gan frowardly ma∣ligne.
He woulde that none were to hym egall
That daye alyue in Israell to succede,
The byrthe of Christ dred in especiall
Cause fro Jesse his line gan floure & sede,
He but a forrayne came in by fraude & mede,
Without titell to that estate vndigne,
The fyrst also who lyst take hede
Whiche agayne Christe gan frowardely ma∣ligne.
Noble princes that gouerne ouer all
This large world, both in length and brede,
Whan you sitte hyest in your royall stall
Do not the people oppresse nor ouerlede,
Vpon Herodes remembre as I rede,
In what mischefe that tyrant dyd fyne,
To shewe y• none shal in hys purpose spede
Whyche ayen Christ doth cursedly maligne.