The tragedies, gathered by Ihon Bochas, of all such princes as fell from theyr estates throughe the mutability of fortune since the creacion of Adam, vntil his time wherin may be seen what vices bring menne to destruccion, wyth notable warninges howe the like may be auoyded. Translated into Englysh by Iohn Lidgate, monke of Burye.

The .iii. Chapter.

☞ Howe Brounchylde a quene of Fraunce slewe her kin, brought the land in diui∣sion, and after was hanged & hewen in peces small.

••She came arayed nothynge lyke a quene, Her heer vntressed, Bochas toke good hede, In al his booke he had afore not sene A more wofull creature in dede, With weping eyen, to torne was al her wede, Rebuking Bochas cause he had left behynde Her wretchednes for to put in mynde.

Vnto myne auctour sodaynly she abrayde Like a woman that were with wo chekmate First of al thus to him she saide: Sometyme I was a quene of great estate Crowned in Fraunce, but nowe all disolate I stand forsoth, Broūshilde was my name Which to reherse I haue a maner shame.

Thou were busy to write the wofull caas Within thy boke of Arcinoe, Dyddest seruice to quene Cleopatras, Of Rosamonde thou wrote also parde, And amonge al thou hast forgoten me Whereby it semeth thou doest at me disdayne List no parcell to write of my paine.

Whan Bochas herd this of chere he wext sad, Knowyng nothyng of that she dyd endure, Iwysse (quod he) afore I haue not rad In no cronicle nor in no scripture Of your frowarde wofull auenture, No (quod she) I pray you take good hede So as they fyll I wil reherce in dede.

Bochas with Brounchilde gan debate anon Sothly (quod he) this is the condicion Of you women almost euerychone Ye haue thys maner wythout excepcion, Of your naturall inclinacion, Of youre declaring thys obseruaunce to kepe Nothynge to say contrary to your worshepe.

Nature hath taught you all that is wrōge to excuse, Vnder a curtaine al thig for to hyde, With litel graine your chaffe ye can abuse, On your defautes ye lyst not for to abide, The gaule touched al that ye set asyde Shewe roses freshe wedes ye let passe, And fairest chere there ye most trespasse.

And if ye shall tel your owne tale Howe ye fil fro fortunes whele, Ye wyl vnclose but a litel male, Shewe of your vyces but a smal percele: Brotle glasse sheweth brighter than stele, And though of vertue ye shew a faire pretēce, He is a fole that yeueth to you credence.

Quod Brounchilde I do ryght well espye Thou haste of women a false opinion, Howe they can flatter wele and lye, And ben diuers of disposicion, Thou myghtest haue made an excepcion Of hie estates and them that gentle bene, Namely of me that was so great a quene.

Your hye estate by kynd hath no power To chaunge in nature nouther cold nor hete, But let vs passe and leaue this matter Theron to abyde or any more to plete, Of your complaint say to me the greate: By way of seruyce to you I shall me quyte As ye declare take my penne and write.

Take hede (quod she) and with good auice Fro the trouthe beware that thou ne varye, Whilom in Fraunce reigned kyng Clowise Had a sonne that named was Clothary, Clothar had an heire y^t named was Lotarye, And this Lotary named the seconde, Had sonnes four in story it is founde:

To the cronicle who can take hede As it is put in remembraunce, Whan their father the mighty kig was dead, Atwene these foure was parted all Fraunce: Eche by him selfe to haue gouernaunce By one assent as brother vnto brother, Wearing their crownes ech quit thē to other.

The same time I called Brounchylde Me lyst not varye from the olde writinge, Had a father named Leuechylde, Of all Spayne soueraine lorde and kynge: My sayd father to ful great hyndring Of bothe realmes, the fame ranne so ferre Twene Spaine & Fraūce gan mortal werre.

The brethern four in Fraūce crowned kings Agayne my father made strong defence, Of marcial pride and fortunat chaungynges Whan they met by mortall violence Of sodayne slaughter fyll such pestilence On outher partye, the felde like a great flode With the tirrible effusion of blode.

To both realmes y^• werres were importable Causyng of deth passyng great domage, Sought meanes, wext by assent tretable, Of blode shedyng to appease the wofull rage, By one accorde I was yeue in mariage To Sigebert reignyng tho in Fraunce, Twene both realmes to make aliaunce.

Nay (quod Bochas) I deme it was not so, Twene you & me there must begyn a strife, Be aduised take good hede therto The first assuraunce of mariage in your lyfe, Of Chilperik ye were the wedded wyfe, Cronicles sene what euerye expresse, In this matter wil beare w^t me wytnes.

Though some bokes reherce and so sayne Lyke as ye haue made here mencion, Their rehersaile stande in no certaine For by the assent of outher region Spaine and Fraunce in their conuencion, Ordained so, in my tendre age To Sigebert I was yeue in mariage.

Imeneus was not there present Whan he toke our chambre towarde nyght, For Thesiphone her susterne of assent Infernall goddesses bare the torches lyght, And as the torches shewed derke and brighte Thereby the people present one and al Dempt of the mariage what should befal.

This custome vsed of antiquite From their temples of goddes & goddesse, At mariage of folke of hye degree Torches were borne, of whom men toke wit∣nes As they were dercke or shewed their bryght∣nes The difference sene in eche estate, If it were towarde or infortunate.

Of this mariage short processe to make The torches brent, & yet they were not bright Shewed out combrous smokes blake, Of consolacion lost was al the lyght: Thus in derknes wasted the fyrst nyght, Their verse songe of goddes, and goddesses, Were all togither of sorow and heuynesses

These were the tokēs the night of mariage, Pronostikes of great aduersyte, Yet of nature I had this auauntage Of womanhead and excellent beaute, And like a quene in stones and perre I was arayed, clad in purple wede, With a crowne of golde vpon my head.

Solempnely crowned quene of Fraunce, Which for to se folke fast gan repayre, Of all welfare I had suffysaunce, Clombe on fortune full hie vpon the stayre, A sonne I had called Clotayre, By Sygebert by recorde of writing Thyrde of the name in Fraūce crowned kīg.

So wolde god that day that he was borne He had be put in his Sepulture, In saluacion of blode shede here toforne, Caused the death of many a creature As diuers bokes reporte in scripture: Ground & ginning as made is mencion, Within this lande of great diuision.

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 chefe cause of diuision? Sothly (quod she) in myne opinion Among them selfe I dare well specify Chefe ginnyng was fateruall enuy.

Kepe you more close in this matter ye do faile Folowing the traces of your condicion, Ye halte foule in your rehersaile: For of your owne ymaginacion Ye sewe the sede of this dissencion, Amonge these kynges if ye take hede, By which in Fraunce many man was deade.

Than Brounchilde gan to chaunge chere To Bochas sayde with face full cruel: Not long agon thou knewest not the manere Of my liuing but a small parcell, Me semeth nowe thou knowest euery del, So that ye may wythout lenger strife Syt as a iudge that knoweth so wel my life.

Whan these bretherne stode at discorde Eche agayne other by mortall violence, Vnder a colour to treate of accorde With many a maner fayned diligence,

Chilperik there beyng in presence Whylom brother to Sigebert the king, Was slaine among thē by false conspiring.

On whose death auenged for to be As Sygebert did him selfe auaunce, Among the preace he slaine was parde: Nat so (qd Bochas) but of false gouernaūce Of your misliuing fyl this vnhappy chaunce, That Sygebert was murdred in sothnesse Onely by occasion of your doublenesse.

Folowing the traces of newe fangylnesse Gaine Sygebert ye wrought full falsly, Whan ye loued of frowarde doublenesse Landrike the erle of Champayne & of Bry, For by your outrage and your greyt foly The king was slayne, and ye dyd assent In a forest an hunting whan he went,

Which called was the forest of Compyne, Alas (quod she) & brake out complaining Bochas, Bochas, thou doest sore vndermyne All the surfetes done in my liuing, Thou knowest the death of Sigebert y^• kīg, Whiche y^• was wrought alas by mine assent, Howe knowest thou & were nat there preset?

Of these debates and of all the werre With rebukes reherced here in vayne, In rehersaile greatly thou doest ecre, For I caste be right wele certayne In my defence to reply agayne It was nat I she that thou doest mene, It was Fregundis ••he lusty yonge quene.

This Fregundis thou shalt vnderstande Right womanly and fayre of her visage, Chilperik was whylom her hrsbande, For her beauty toke her in mariage By her traines and her great outrage He was after (the story who list rede) At mischefe slaine, thou shalt so finde in dede.

Though ye by langage make strong defence In these matters, which cause me to muse I haue againe you lost my pacience, That so subtelly wolde your selfe excuse Coutrariously your traynes ye abuse: For Clo••ayre I haue so red parde Was not engendred of Sigebert, nor of the.

I remembre full wele that I haue rad That Chilperyk though ye therat disdain, Recorde of auctours that prudent be & sad He in trouth was gendred of you twayne: Which in his dying me list nat for to fayne Left sonnes two, the story ye may rede, Theobarte and Theoderyke to succede.

Bochas (qd she) though thou turne vp so do•• The said stories reherced here in dede, Folowing the malice of thyne opinion Maugre thy wil forthe I wyll procede As I began, take therto good hede: The fyrst Theoderik thou shalt vnderstande Cosin Germaine was to my husbande.

King of Burgoine that time, and another, He of hatred and indignacion Slewe Theobart, whiche was his brother, His wyfe and children, for short conclusion Which in the mighty famous region Of Antras••e reigned as lorde and kyng, What euer thou saiest this is trouth & no lea∣singe.

Nay nay (qd Bochas) it was all otherwyse, I may nat suffre howe ye go there amonge, All this langage of newe that ye deuise Brought to a prefe concludeth vpon wronge: What shold we lenger this mater draw alōg Your self were cause wher ye be loth or faine By Theodorik y^e Theoberte was slaine,

The grounde herof gan percell of enuye By your froward breunyng couetise, Which ye had onely to occupie To rule the lande after your owne gyse: And if I shall plainly here deuise Of these mischeues reherced god do bote Ye were your selfe ground, chefe crop, & rote.

Quod Brounchylde I conceiue wel and se Ye of your partie haue lost all reuerence, Your selfe enarmed to shewe your cruelte Against me, touching the violence Of two slaughters reherced in sentence: First how Theodrik his brother slew ī dede, Called Theobarte a pitous thing to rede.

Him selfe after strangled with poyson, His wife, his children, hewe in peces smale. As ye (quod Bochas) make here mencion Some parte is trewe but nat al your tale: For I suppose ye should wexe pale For shame of thing which ye can nat excuse, Whan Theoderik beginneth you to accuse

He put on you the crime of false treason,

Ye slewe his wife and children also, Him selfe also ye murdred by poison: I would wete what ye coude say hereto? Alas (qd she) what should I do, Was neuer woman in hie nor lowe estate All thing considred more infortunate.

Fortune of me set now but lyttell price By her frowarde furious violence Turnyng her whele and visage of malice, Causeth to me that no man yeueth credence: Had in dispite, voide of reuerence, And by fortunes mutabilite Sole, abiecte, and fall in pouerte.

O Bochas John for shorte conclusion Thou mayest againe me thy style auaunce, I haue deserued to haue punicion: And al the princes & barons now in Fraūce Crie out on me and aske auengeaunce, Refuge is none nor recure in this thing Tho w^t Clotarie my selfe be crowned king.

For my defautes foule and abhominable Tofore the iudges of all the parliament, I was foriudged & founde also culpable, Of euery crime conuicte by iudgement: Myne accusours there beyng present Of one and other standing a great route, Marked w^t fingers of folke y^• stode aboute.

For very shame I did mine eyen close For thē that gaured & cast on me their sight, But as folke may by tokens wele suppose Mine eares were nat stopped halfe a ryght, Taken by force lad forth by might By the hangman drawe ouer hill and vale Dismembred after, & hewe on peces smale.

With my blode the pament al bespraynt Thāked by fortune, such was mine auēture, The soule parted the body was so faynt: Who red euer of any creature That muche more turment did endure? Prayde Bochas to haue al thing in mynde, Write her life and leaue nothing behynde.

¶ Lenuoy.

THis tragedy of Broūchild y^• quene, Loke her story who list yeue atten∣daunce Froward to red, cōtagious to sene, And contrary to all good gouernaunce, Borne in Spaine, crowned quene of Fraūce Double of tonge, vpfynder of treason, Caused al that lande stande at deuision.

From tho traines there coude no man flene, Sourse & headspring of sorow & mischaūce, Shed hony first, stange after as do been, Her myrremedled w^t sugred false plesaunce: What she said encluded in variaunce, Maystresse of murdre and of discencion Caused all that lande stande at deuision.

Princes of Gaule might nat sustene Great outrages, nor the great greuaunce, Nor the surfetes done in their yeres grene, Brought y^• kingdome almost to vttraunce: All of assent cried on her vengeaunce, The fame arose howe all that region In her falsnesse stode at deuision.

The knyfe of murdre grounde was so kene By her malice of longe continuaunce, Her corage fret with infernall tene Spared nouther kyn nor alyaunce, Paysed her forfetes and wayed in balaunce, As Bochas writeth she was the occasion Which made al Fraunce to stand at deuision.

¶ Bochas marueyling of the malice and cruelte of Brounchylde writeth thus.

BOchas astonied gā inwardly mar-uayle, Fyll in a maner ambyguyte Of Brounchyldes marueylous re∣hersayle. Howe any woman of reason should be So ful of malice and of cruelte To slee her kyn, and set at distaunce By deuision all the realme of Fraunce.

Bochas dempt it was nat credible That a woman shuld be so vengeable, In her malice so venymous and terryble Of slaughter and murdre to be culpable, The story susperte helde it but a fable: Onely excepte that she dyd him exite With great instaunce her story for to write.

Her crie on Bochas was very importune To set in ordre her felicitees,

With her vnhappy chaunges of fortune Her disclaundred great aduersitees, With her diffame reported by countrees, No very grounde found in bokes olde But of confession that she her self tolde.

That mine auctour reherced w^t solēpne style Reherce shoulde her wordes disclaundrous, Her flouring yeres, also for to compyle. Medled with her daies y^• were contrarious: Her fatall ende froward and furious, Wherof encombred of very werynesse Towarde Eraclius he gan his pen dresse.