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.

TO some folke, parcase it would seme Touchig y^• chaūges & mutabilities, By me rehearsed y^t thei might deme Of fortunes straunge aduersities, To princes shewed, doun pulled frō their sees These tragedies ought inough suffise, In complaynyng which ye haue heard deuise

The story piteous, the processe lamentable, Voyde of ioye, all gladnes and pleasaunce, A thing to greuous and to importable, Where as no mirth is medled with greuaūce: All vpon complaynt standeth the alyaunce, Most whan fortune, who y^• her course knewe Chaungeth olde ioyes into sorowes newe.

For vnto him that neuer wist of wo, Remembraunce of his olde gladnesse Whan his welfare and pleasaunce is go, And neuer afore knewe of heauines, Such vnware chaūg such vncouth wretchednes Causeth in prices through new dedly trouble After their falling their sorowes to be double.

Olde examples of prynces that haue fall, Their remebraunce of new brought to minde May be a myrror to estates all, How they in vertue shall remedies finde, To eschue vyces of such as were made blind: From sodayn fallyng the selues to preserue, Long to cōtune and thanke of god deserue.

The fal of one is a cleare lanterne To teach another what he shall eschue: Peryll of one, is (who so can discerne) Schole and doctrine from peryll to remue. As men deserue suche guerdon must sue: In vice nor vertue no man may God deceyue Like their desertes their mede they receyue.

Who foloweth vertue lengest doth perseuer, Be it in riches, be it in pouertye: Light of trouth his clerenes kepeth euer, Agayne the assautes of all aduersitie. Vertue is cause of long prosperitie. And whan princes frō vertue downe decline, Their fame is shrouded vnder y^• cliptike line

For false fortune whiche turneth as a ball, Of vnware chaūges though men her atwite It is not she that yaue prynces the fall, But vycious liuyng playnly to endyte: Though God aboue full oft them respyte, Longe abideth and dothe his grace sende, To this entent they shoulde their life amende.

For their welfare and their abidyng longe, Who aduertiseth, dependeth not on chaunce: Good life & vertue maketh thē to be stronge, And them assureth in long perseueraunce. Vertue on fortune maketh a defiaunce, That fortune hath no domination, Wher noble princes be gouerned by reason.

But suche as list not corrected be, By example of other for vycious gouernaūce: And fro their vyces list not for to flye, If they be troubled in their hygh puissaunce, They arette it to fortunes variaunce, Touchyng the gyltes that they did vse Their demerites full falsly excuse.

Vertue conserueth prynces in their glory, And confirmeth their dominations: And vyces put their prynce out of memory, For their trespaces and their transgressions And in all suche sodayne mutacions They can no refute nor no better succoure, But agayne fortune to make their clamour.

Make an out crye of her doublenesse, As no gylt were in their owne dede: Thus vntruly they call her a goddesse, Which litle or nought may helpe at such a nede But if they had god in loue and drede, Trusted his lordshyp, in hart, will, & thought They should fortune playnly set at nought.

Euidence full expert and palpable, Tofore rehearsed tolde of diuers ages: Worldly glory is vayne and full vnstable, With disceytes double of their vysages, Shewyng to prynces firme of their corages, By these ensamples howe & in what wyse, By others fallyng they shal thē selfe chastise.

Sygnes shewed and tokens in heauen, Diuers cometys, and constellations, Dreadfull thunder fearfull firy leauen, Rumours in earth, and great discencions, Disobey saunce in sundry regyons, Shewen examples (full wel affirme I date) To mighty princes thē biddyng to beware

Their life to amend or the lorde do smite, Through negligence or it be to late. And or y^• swerd of vengeaunce kerue or byte Anto vertues their vycious life translate:

Cherishyng right agaynst all wrong debate, With dreade of God make them selfe stronge, Than in no doubt they shall endure longe.

Who is not ware by others chastisyng, Other by him shal chastised be: Harde is the hart whithe for no writyng, For no doctrine, nor none aucthoritie, For none examples, will from his vyces flye. To indurat is his frowarde entent, Whiche will not suffer his hardnes to relent.

The rounde droppes of the smothe rayne, Whiche that discende and fall from aloft, On stones harde (at the eye it is seyne) Perceth their hardnes, with their fallyng oft All be in touchyng water is but soft, The persyng caused by force nor puissaunce, But of failyng by long continuaunce.

Semblably of ryght I dare rehearse, Oft readyng in bokes fructuous, The hartes should of prudent princes perce, Soke in their mind & make them vertuous, To eschue all thyng that is vycious. For what auaileth the examples y^• they rede, To their readyng if contrary be the dede▪

Cunnyng and dede who ran comprehende, In clere conceites they ben thinges twayne, And if cunnyng do the dede amende, Than at wene thē is made a mighty chayne, A noble thing and right souerayne. For than of cunnyng the labour is well spent Whan dede foloweth, & bothe ben of assent.

Thus John Bochas procedyng in his boke, Whiche in number is called the seconde: Gan for to write and his purpose toke, To set in stories such as he founde, Of entent all vyces to confounde By examples whiche he did expresse. And at the begynnyng of his busines

Myghty Saule to him did appeare, Kyng of Israell piteously wepyng. Deadly of face and with an hydous cheare, His voyce ybroke by manifolde sobbyng: And to mine aucthout his sorow cōplaynyng, Requiryng hym together whan they met, First in his boke his wofull fate to set.

Anone after I of entencion, With penne in hande fast gan me spede As I coulde in my translation, In this labour further to procede: My lorde came forth by & gan to take hede This mighty prince right manly & right wi••e Gaue me charge in his prudent auyse,

That I should in euery tragedy After the processe made mencion: At the ende set a remedy, With a Lenuoy, conueyed by reason: And after that with humble affection To noble prynces lowly it dyrect, By others fallyng them selues to correct.

And I obeyed his biddyng and pleasaunce, Vnder support of his magnificence, As I coulde, I gan my penne aduaunce, All be I was barrayne of eloquence, Folowing mine auctor in substaūce & sētence. For it suffiseth playnly vnto me So that my lord my makyng take in gre.

Finis.

¶ Hovve Saule kyng of Israel borne of lowe degree as longe as he dradde God and was obediente to him, and ruled by good counsaile, made many disconfitures: but at the last for his pryde, presumption, and great disobedience, he lost his crowne, and was stayne by Philistines.

¶ The firste Chapter.

THis sayde Saule of whom I spake toforne, Full well compacte, and large of his stature, Of the lyne of Beniamyn eke borne, His father Cis was called in scripture: Whose asses whilom left their pasture, Space of thre dayes Saule had thē sought, Lost his labour, and founde them nought.

For they were gone out so farre on stray, So disceuered, he ne coude them mete: Tyll that a childe him suyng all the way, Yaue him counsaile his labour for to lete, And that he should go to the Prophete, Whiche was full famous holde in Israell, Of whom the name was called Samuel.

Whiche made Saule in his house to dyne, Receiued him of great affection: And by precept and ordinaunce deuyne, Samuell made no prolongation, But shed the holy sacred vnction, Vpon the head of Saule downe knelyng, And full deuoutly of Israell made him kyng

Of Gods people to haue gouernaunce, With sceptre & crowne and whole the regaly. And his noblesse more myghty to aduaunce, With mekenes to rule his monarchy, God gaue to him a spirite of prophety, Whiche was great glory to his magnificence Of future thinges to haue prescience.

And while y^t he was meke & humble in dede, Voyde of pryde, and false presumption, And prudent counsayle with him did lede, Hym to gouerne by good discretion, He founde quiete through all his region: No forayne enmy durst him to werrey, While he the lorde mekely did obey.

No enemy myght ayen him recure, Through none ēprises, but sore did him drede: Made many great disconfiture Through his force, knyghthode, and māhead On Philistynes, and daunted eke in dede Two mighty kynges, the one of Ammonites, And another that gouerned the Moabites.

He was founde stronge and eke victorious, The Palestines bringyng to mischaunce, Agaynst Ydumeans so mighty and famous, Through his myghty prudent gouernaunce, That he their pride brought to mischaunce, Outrayed them of wisdome and manheade, Primo regum as ye may playnly reade.

He was the sonne called of one yere, In Israell whan his raygne began: Stable of hart, and benygne of chere, Frowarde nor sturdy to no maner man. All that whyle loue of the people he wan, The tyme I mene while he was iust & stable And in his workes not founde variable.

But whā that pride gan his hart enhaūce Wilfulnes and false melancoly Outrayed reason, to haue the gouernaunce Of his olde famous policy: And had forgotten in his fantasy To know the lorde & mekely sue his lawe, God from his crowne his grace gan wdrawe

The vnkynde worme of foryetfulnes, In his hart had myned through the wall: Whan to God for his kyndenes, He gaue no laude nor no thanke at all, Whiche had him raysed vnto estate royall From poredegre, among all his kynne alone, Of singuler fauour to set him in his trone.

What thig in hart may be more froward thought Than is sodayne false presumption, Of a wretche that came vp of nought, To yeue him lordshyp and domination▪

And for to make a playne comparison, Men should of reason dreade a lyon lasse, Than the rudenes of a crowned asse.

What thing to god is more abhominable, Than pryde vpraysed out of pouertee? And nothing gladly is foūd more vengeable, Than are wretches set in high degre: For from his stocke kynd may not flye, Eche thing resorteth howe farre euer it go, To the nature whiche that it came fro.

Frute and apples take their tarrage Where they first grewe, of the same tre, And semblably eche kynred and lynage, Ones a yere it will none other be, By token & signe at the eye as men may se, Draweth communely in euery creature, Sume tetche to folow after his nature.

I write not this in rebuke of pouert, But for suche onely as that it deserue. God of his might as men be well expert, May them in vertue encrease and conserue, From all mischefe a pore man preserue, Rayse hem on heygh to dominacions, Through high noblesse of their condicions.

By influence God may his grace shede, Where he findeth cause: onely by mekenes A pore man to raise him vp in dede, Vnto the estate of vertuous nobles, For out of vertue cometh all gentlenes. In pore and ryche make none exception, But them cōmende like their condicion.

A pore man whiche that is vertuous, And dreadeth god in his pouertie, Eche thing eschuyng that is vycious, And to his power doth trouth and equitie, I dare right well say what euer that he be, Puttyng no rebuke vnto his kinrede, But call him gentle verily in dede.

But kyng Saule was contrarious, Disobeysaunte founde in his workyng: Whan God made him to be vyctorious On Amalech, where Agag was kyng, Him commaunded to spare no maner thing, Man nor woman beast nor childe succoure, But y^• his sworde should all thing deuoure.

But Saule wrought all in other wise, Eche thing reseruyng y^• was fayre to syght, And of entent to make a sacrifice, After his vyctory he shope him anone ryght: Fattest beastes he chase & hath them dight, Toward the fyre to make his offryng, And fro death he spared Agag the kyng.

He was reproued afterward of Samuell, To gods biddyng for he was contrayre, As abiect to raygne in Israell, That all good hope in hym gan dispayre. His grace, his myght, gan pale and appayre, His prophecy after hath hym fayled, And wyth a fiende he was also traueiled.

Thus frō her whele fortune cast him downe, Aualed him from his royall se: And God also toke away the crowne, Both from him and his posteritie, And set vp Dauid for his humilitie. Lo how the lorde his domes can deuide, To enhaunce mekenes and to abate pride.

Saule endured in his frensy, A wicked sprite so sore him did assayle. Vnto Dauid euer he had enuy, That he was hardy to enter in battayle, With a staffe slynge, voyde of plate and mayle Slough Golyas without feare or dreade, Pulled out his swerde and smot of his heade.

At their repayryng home out of the felde, Whan Dauid had slayne this Goly, Yonge maydens whan they behelde, The great vyctory, they in their armony, In laude of Dauid thus gan synge and cry: Saule hath slayne a thousād with his might Dauid ten thousand, that lusty yong knyght.

Saule disdayned and sayd frowardly, They graunted haue a thousand to my name And to the sonne here of Isai, Yaue ten thousand to encrease his fame, Whiche is to me a rebuke and a shame▪ Wherupon this Saule frete with yre, Of yonge Dauid gan the death conspyre.

In hys hert he had a fantasy, Of their syngyng whan that he toke hede, Dempt it was a maner prophesy, That Dauid preferred should be in dede, And to the crowne after him succede: Thought his childer as he gan diuyne, Should be depriued of the royall lyne.

Thus day by day Saule wayes sought, To slea Dauid playnly if he myght: All be it so that he no malyce thought, But euer kept him lowly in his syght. Therfore good euer & grace on him alyght, For aye the lorde of his magnificence, Agayne tyrantes preserueth innocentes.

And as the bible playnely dothe vs lere, This Dauid had in his tender age, For his nobles the kynges daughters dere, Called Mychol ioyned by mariage: And whan that Saule fyli in any rage, Dauid anone to aswage his wodenes, Touched his harp & brought him in gladnes

Saule full oft gan Dauid to enchase, And warrey throughout all his londes: Through desertes him pursue & manace, Of entent to haue shet hym vp in bondes, Or to slea him if he come in his hondes, But finally god through his ordinaunce, Preserued his knyght frō al maner mischāce

Saule full oft was brought to mischefe, Yet aye from death Dauid did him saue: And hereof this was a speciall prefe, Whan Dauid cut his garment in the caue, And mo tokens if ye list to haue, Another time Dauid also kept, The life of Saule whan he lay and slept.

The case was this, as they were hosteyng, Not farre a sunder Saule lay on slepe, All his people about him sleapyng, And vnpurueyed lyke a stocke of shepe: Of whiche thyng Dauid toke good kepe, Downe descended, and made no delay, Came to the tent where kyng Saule lay.

The spete of Saule standynge at his heed, Dauid toke it, and went his was anone: Of his cōmyng there was no man toke hede, For Saule slept and his men echone. And whan that he vp to the hyll was gone, Toward Saule agayne he cast his loke, Made a noyse that all his knyghtes woke.

Fyrst to Abner prynce of his chyualry, Dauid sayd these wordes in sentence▪ Abner (quod he) thou hast done great foly, This day shewed a great negligence, To suffer of Saule the magnificence In peryll stande, and none hede take, About his person to make his knights wa••••.

Thou art to blame for thy retchelesue••••e, To leaue the king stande in so great a drede, In slepe to haue more sauour and swetenesse, Than of his lyfe to take hede. Such negligence requireth for his mede, Death and turment by rightfull iudgement, About a prynce whan folke be negligent.

And thou lyst to se an euidence, How that hys lyfe stode in ieopardy: Se here his spere & yeue thereto credence How vnprouided ye were on your party, Saule nor thou ye may it not denye Your life, your deth, your power, your puissāce This day god put whole in my gouernaunce.

But me to acquite of pure innocence, As euery man should vnto his kyng, And to declare in me was none offence, Agaynst his nobles in will nor in workyng, As God wot that knoweth euery thyng, That I neuer by no conspiracy, Wrought nor compassed agayne his regaly.

LO here example of perfite pacience, Agayne malyce to shewe kyndenes: Where Sauie shewed his mortall vyolence Dauid acquite hym w^t suffraunce & goodnes, The tyrāt vainquished bi his prudēt mekenes Men agayne trouth may well a warregyn, But at thende the palme he doth aye wynne.

For of this story if that ye take hede, Saule is fall for hys frowardnes, Into mischefe, and into sodayne drede, For Philistynes the byble beareth witnes, With a great power gan thiderwards dresse, Vpon kyng Saule auenged for to be, Their tentes pight besyde Gelboe.

Wherof kyng Saule astonied in his hert, Had lost his spryte of knyghtly hardines: And specially whan he dyd aduert, Prophete was none his harmes to redresse, Of future thinges trouth to expresse In Israell, whiche cast hym in great drede, Because that tyme Samuel was deed.

For Saule had cast out all diuynes, From Israell, and eche diuineresse: Notwithstandyng the palestynes

Were risse agayne his power to oppresse: And he ne knewe no maner sorceresse, Of whom he might any counsayle take, And he of god that time was forsake.

In this wise he stode disconsolate, Coūsayle of God nor prophete knewe he none But as a man most infortunate, Vngraciously he sped him forth anone, And secretelye this Saule is forth gone, To a woman that should him rede and wisse, In Israell called a phytonesse.

Whiche is a name as clarkes writen all, And office who that taketh hede, Soules of men agayne to clepe and call, I mene suche that tofore were deade, Whiche is a thing straunge for to reade, That women should, who so list to lere, Make soules of dead men to appere.

Vnkouth and straunge is their opinion, And to my witte a maner impossible: Not accordyng me semeth to reason, Nor like a thing whiche that is credible, That a soule of nature inuisible, Myght appeare or shewe visibly, Vnto the eyen which that ben bodely.

But or that I any further flyt, Lest I were holde to presumptuous, To diuines this matter I commit, And wise clarkes that ben vertuous, In their wittes subtyll and curious, To conclude as it dothe them seme, In this matter a trouth for to deme.

Whether it was the soule of Samuell Or other spirite that she did call, Whiche that tolde the kyng of Israell, Of the battayle that shoulde after fall, His aduenture and his mischefes all: And of his death he tolde also in dede, And how Dauid should after him succede.

Because onely of his disobeysaunce, As it is written, and for his retchlesnes, On Amalech for he toke not vengeaunce, Thus the spirite bare to him wytnes. Wherof Saule fyll in great heauines, Knowing no mene to escape out of this dout, But take his fortune as it cometh about.

Tolde him also his enemies were so wrothe, The Philistines beside Gelboe, In that battayle he and his children bothe, Shoulde dye that daye of necessitie: His chyualry shall discomfited be, Of his raygne there is no lenger date, For god from him his kingdom wil translate

And thus Saule returned is agayne, His meyny after brought to disconfiture, And whan he sawe all hys people slayne▪ And how there was no meane to recure: In that deadly wofull aduenture, He bad his squier take his swerde as blyue, And through the hart that he shold him ryue.

That his enemies which were vncircumcised Should haue no power, in story it is founde, To haue vpon him as they haue deuised, To yeue hym hys last fatall wounde, His high noblesse at mischefe to confounde. But his squyre for feare of god and drede, Woulde not assent to do so foule a dede.

To slea his lorde he greatly was aferde, A thing hatefull in euery mannes syght. But Saule toke the pomell of his swerde, And in the grounde full depe anone it pyght, And in all haste possible that he myght, Made the poynt in his furious payne, To perce his hart and part it euen in twayne.

The Philistynes anone as he was dead, Spoyled hym of his royall armure: Dismembred him, and smote of his heade, And in token of their disconfiture, Toke the spoyles wyth all their busy cure, And therof made in all their best entent, To Astaroth of pryde a great present.

Thus was Saule slayne in sentence, Of Philistynes vpon Gelboe, Forsake of God for inobedience, Abiect also from his royall see: And thus for lackynge of humilitye, Of god he was foreuer set asyde, Lo here the ende of surquedy and pryde.

¶ Lenuoy.

HAue mind of Saule which to estate ryal Frō low degre was called for mekenes, But presūption made hym haue a fall, Of God abiect for his frowardnes, Lost his ••rowne the bible beareth wytnes,

And cause was for his disobeysaunce, To gods biddyng he yaue none attendaunce.

God not asketh no more of man at all But whole hart without doublenes, For all the gyftes whiche in especiall, He yaue to man of his goodnes: But he chastiseth all vnkindnes, Suche as ben rebell for to do pleasaunce, And to his biddyng yeue none attendaunce.

Noble prynces vertue most pryncipall You to conserue in your high noblesse, Is to imprynt in your memoriall, Fayth, and equitie, all wronges to redresse: To sustayne trouth and ryghtwysnesse, And tofore God holde euenly the balaunce, And to his biddyng yeue al your attendaūce.

¶ Acommendation of Obe∣dience.

VErtue of vertues most of excellence, Which y^• haue most souerain suffisaūce, Is the vertue of true obedience, Whiche set all thyng in ryghtfull gouernaūce, For ne were not this prudent ordinaunce, Some to obey and aboue to gye, Destroyed were all worldly policy.

Where that vertue and hygh discrecion Auoyded haue from them all wylfulnes, By titles onely of dominacion Truely lenyng vpon rightwisnes, Wrong and errours iustly to redresse, Of trouth I may right well affirme and say, The people mekely their biddyng shold obey.

This noble vertue of faythfull obeysaunce, Established vpon humilitie, Whiche includeth no double variaunce, In ail regions and in eche countrey, Causeth welfare, ioye, and prosperitie: And as vertue chefe and souerayne, All vycious ryote it playnly doth restrayne,

Obedience eke as men may se Falsenes exileth and all rebellion, For by temperaunce, ryght, and equitye, Stant the welfare of euery region, For the mekenes and lowe subiection, Of comonties, holde vp the regalies, Of lordshyppes and of all monarchyes.

And no doubt whan lorshyps of entent, Busy ben the souerayne lorde to queme, To their subiectes do right iudgement, In conscience as ryght and reason deme, Than shall their crowne and dyademe, Vpon their heade perseuer and freshly shyne, And make subiectes to their biddyng encline.

Thus obeysaunce playnly at a worde, In such as haue lordshyp and souerayntie, Done of entent to their souerayne lorde, Shall cause them raygne in long prosperitie, And their subiectes of humilitie, For their noble famous gouernaunce, Aye to be ready vnder their obeysaunce.

For who y^• serueth the lorde of lordes all, And hath the people in his subiection, God wyll kepe him that he shall not fall, Longe preserue his domination, But agaynwarde whan wisdome and reason Ben ouermastred with sensualitie, Farewell the floures of their felicitye.

Obedience blunteth the sharpenes, Of cruell swordes in tyrantes handes, And mekenes appeaseth the felnes, Of hasty vēgeaunce, breketh on two y^• bōds: Eke pacience set quiete in londes, And where these thre contune in comonties, Longe peace perseuereth •• kyngdoms & cities

Obedience dothe also restrayne, Conspyrations and false collusions, Whan she stant vnparted, not at wayne, There is no dreade of no discencions: For she combineth the true opinions, In the harts of people, ful wel afore prouided Vnder prynces to stand whole vndeuided.

Where princes be meke, hūble, and debonayre Toward God of whole affection, Theyr subiectes be gladly not contrayre, In their seruice, by no rebellion: For there is founde no deuision, But head & membres eche for his partye, Be so gouerned by prudent policy.

Contrariously Saule was put downe, Abiect of God for his obstinacy, Put from his scepter, his crowne, his region, Of Israell lost all the monarchy, For he lyst not make his alye, Of frowardnes and wylfull negligence.

This noble vertue called obedience.

For as it longeth in kingdomes and cityes, Vnder a keye of true beneuolence Princes and kynges to gouerne their sees: So apperteyneth due reuerence To their subiectes, by obedience To obey their lordes as they be of degre By title of right in euery comontee.

For obeysaunce if it be discerned, (With Argus eyen, who that taketh hede) As ryght requyreth is not well gouerned Whan the membres presume agayn the head: Of gouernaunce there is no perfite spede, From vnitie they go a froward wey, Whan subiectes their princes disobey.

The .ii. Chapter.

☞ How kyng Roboam for geuyng fayeth to yonge counsayle, lost the beneuolence of his people, and died a foole.

VNto Bochas in order next there came With full great dole and lamentacion, The yonge kyng called Roboam, Sonne and next heyre to Salomon, Entryng by title of iust succession: Besought mine aucthour to make of his foly, And of his fallyng a piteous tragedy.

First whan he entred into his region, Twelue tribes gouernyng in dede, Ruled him selfe by will and no reason, Kept his subiectes plainly as I rede, Not vnder loue, but vnder froward drede: Of olde wise (to his great disauaile) He despised the doctrine and counsayle.

He demeaned (as it was well couth) His scepter, his crowne and his regaly, By such folke as floured in their youth, Could of custome their wittes well apply To blynde him falsely with their flattery: Whiche is a stepmother called in substaunce, To all vertue and all good gouernaunce.

Alas, it is great dole and great pitie That flattery should haue so great fauour: Whych blindeth princes that they may not se, Misteth the eyen of euery gouernour, That they can not knowe their owne errour. False hony shed aye on their sentence, A fole is he that yeueth to them credence.

They may be called the deuyls tabourers, With frowarde sownes eares to fulfyll: Or of Sireues the perillous bo••elers, Whiche gall and hony downe distyll. Whose drinkes ben bothe amerous and yll, And as clarkes well deuise cunne, Worse than the drynkes of Sirenes tuune.

Eares of prynces full well they can enoynt With the soft oyle of adulation, And their termes most subtylly appoynt, Eche thing concludyng with false deception: Aye blandishyng with amerous poyson, And finally as the Poete sayth, Their faith of custome conciudeth w^t vnfayth.

Flouryng in words though there be no scute, Double of hart, pleasaunt of langage, Of true meanyng voyde and destitute, In mustring outward preted a fayre vysage: Who trusteth them findeth smal aduaūtage By apparaunce and glorious freshe shewyng Princes deceauing and many a worthy kyng

Roboam can beare full well witnes, From him auoydyng folkes that were true, How he was hindred by flattery and falsenes By them that coulde forge out tales newe: Whose counsaile after sore did him rue, And with their fayned false suggestion, Greatly abridged his domination.

He dempt him selfe of more aucthoritye, Of folly, youth, and of presumption, Than was his father in great royaltie, And this pompous false opinion Came into his concept by adulation: For flatterers bare to him witnes, How he excelled his fathers hygh nobles.

He did great rigour and oppression Vpon his people as it was wel preued: And to finde some mitigation, They in matters which y^t haue them greued, Of their tributes for to be releued, Besought he would relese thē in their nede, But all for nought he toke therof no hede.

All olde counsayle from him he set aside, And refused their doctrine and their lore: And by false counsayle of folkes full of pryde▪

His pore lieges he oppressed sore. And ten kynredes anone without more, For tyranny and misgouernaunce, From him withdrough the trouth & lygeaūce

Thus of the kyng conceiued the rygour, The people anone of indignacion Stoned Adoram, whiche was collectour Of the tributes in all his region, From him departyng by rebellion: Wherof astonied, to auenge his vnryght, Into Jerusalem toke anone his flyght.

And whan they were parted from Roboam, The ten kynredes by diuision, Chase them a kyng called Jeroboam: And Roboam within his royall toun, To be auenged of their rebellion, And for to do on them cruell iustice, An hundred thousande he made anone to rise.

With Jeroboam he cast him for to mete, And all at ones set in ieopardy: But Sameas the prophete bade him lete, And fro the warre withdrawe his party. And more the quarell for to iustifye, Of his peoples frowarde departyng, It was gods wyll done for a punishyng.

Touchyng the surplus of his gouernaunce, His royall buyldyng of many a fayre city, His great ryche famous suffisaunce, Of wyne and oyle hauyng great plenty, And how his empyre encreased yeres thre, Eke how that time he ryghtfull was in dede, In Josephus his story ye may rede.

Of his children borne in ryght lyne, Eyghtene wyues (as made is mencion) I fynde he had, and many a concubyne: Sonnes and daughters by procreation, And how his riches and great possession, That tyme encreased as it is well knowe, To god aboue while that he bare him lowe.

But as mine auctour maketh rehearsaile, In his encrease and augmentacion, Mekenes in hert in him gan waste and faile, And pryde entred with false presumption, Vertue despisyng and all religion, After whose vyces as sayth the same boke, Wicked examples of him the people toke.

After the maners where they be good or yll, Vsed of prynces in diuers regions, The people is ready to vse and fulfill, Fully the traces of their condicions: For lordes may in their subiections, So as them list who so can take hede, To vyce or vertue their subiectes lede.

Thus Roboam for his transgressions In Josephus as it is deuised, And for his frowarde false opinions, Onely for he all vertue hath despised, Of God he was rightfully chastised, In Jerusalem his chiefe royall towne, Of his enemyes besieged enuyroun.

The kyng of Egypt a siege about him layed, With so great people y^t socour was ther none: All be it so that Roboam abrayed, And prayed to god to deliuer hun frō his sone To auoyde of mercy his enemyes euerichoue But god list not graunt his prayere, But him chastised like as ye shall here.

Fyrst his citye and his royall towne Deliuered was, he knewe no better succour, Vnder a fayned false composicioun: For at their entryng voyde of all fauoure, Kepyng no couenaunt toke all the treasoure Within the temple, hauyng no pitye, But ladde it home to Egypt their countrey.

And to rehearse it is a great dole, How Roboam as Josephus dothe declare, Was inly proude and therwithal a foule, And of all wysdome destitute and bare, Vnmerciable hys people for to spare, Hatyng good counsayle, and so in his regaly, Raygnyng a foole, and so I let hym dye.

¶ Lenuoy.

PHilosophers conclude and deuise, In theyr bokes of good experience, That counsaylours, sadde, expert, and wyse, True of their worde, stable of their sentence, Hasty nor retchles for no vyolence, Kepe and preserue (the trouth I dare attame) Noblesse of princes fro mischefe and dyffame.

Hasty youth and rancour in contrarywyse, Whyche haue to wyll all theyr aduertence, Except them selues all other men despyse Through their vnbrydeled furious insolence, Nothyng aquainted w^t wisdome nor prudēce,

Bryng ayenward wherof they be to blame, Puttyng his nobles in mischefe and diffame.

Kyng Roboam agaynst ryght and iustice, To yonge foles yaue fayth and most credence Cruelly his subiectes to chastyce: Whiche put his people from his beneuolence, Threw ten kynredes from his obedience, Which was to him by record full great shame Puttyng his nobles in mischefe and diffame.

Noble princes do wisely aduertise In perseueryng of your magnificence, Of olde expert, not blent with couetise, Take your counsayle and do them reuerence, Eyed as Argus in their high prouidence, Whiche conserue by report of good name, Noblesse of prynces from mischefe & diffame.

¶ The .iii. Chapter.

☞ The office and retinue of a Kynge.

What erthly thing is more deceiuable Thē of prīces the pōpe & vainglory▪ Which wene to stand in their estates stable, As thei the world had conquered by vyctory, And sodaynly be put out of memory, Their fame clouded, alas, and their nobles With a darke shadowe of foryetfulnes.

Wherof cometh the famous clere shinyng Of emperous in their consistories? Or wherof cometh their laude in reportynge, Saue that clarks haue writē their histories. Or where be now conquestes transitories, Or their triūphes where should men thē find Nad writers their prowes put in mynd.

Reken vp al, and first the worthy nyne, In high nobles whiche had neuer peers, The marciall actes which clearly did shyne, Their fame vp borne, aboue al the nine sters With loude soundes of famous clarioners, Their glorious palmes if thei be well paysed, By lowe labours of cōmons was first raised

Make a likenes of these great ymages, Curiously corue out by entayle, Head, armes, body, and their freshe vysages, Without fete or legges may not auayle, To stand vpryght, or nedes they must fayle: And semblably, subiectes in commontees, Rayse vp the nobles of princes in their sees.

As head and membres in ymages be of stone, Other on stocke by compasse vndeuided, And by proporcion their fetures euerychone, Set in true order as nature hath prouided: So y^• all errours through craft be circūcided The head highest by custome as men knowe, The body amidde, the fete beneth lowe.

Myghty princes for their high renoun, As most worthy shall occupy the heade, With wytte, memory, and eyen of reason, To kepe their membres frō mischefe & dread, Like their degrees take of them good hede, With clere foresyght of a prudent thought, Their fete preserue that they erre nought.

There must be hands and armes of defence, Whiche shall the ymage manly kepe and gye From all assautes of forayne vyolence, Whiche shalbe named noblest of chiualry: Their true office iustly to magnify, Sustaine the church, & make thē selfe stronge To se y^• widowes & maydēs haue no wronge.

Prudent iudges as it is skyll and ryght, To punishe wronge & surfets to redresse In this ymage shall occupy the syght: For loue or hate by dome of rightwisenes, For frende or fo, his iudgementes dresse, So egally the lawes to susteyne, In their workes that none errour be seyne.

Amidde this ymage there is a body set, An aggregate of people and degrees, By perfite peace and vnity yknet, By the estates that gouerne commonties: As mayres, prouostes, and burgeis in cities, Marchauntes also whiche seke sundry lādes With other craftes which liue by their hādes.

And as a body whiche stant in health, Feleth no grefe of no froward humours, So euery cōmonte continueth in great welth Whiche is demeaned w^t prudent gouernours That can appese debates and errours, The people kepe from all controuersy, Causyng the welfare to encrease & multiply.

This body must haue a soule of lyfe, To quicke the mēbres with gostlye mocions: Whiche shalbe made of folke cōtemplatyfe,

The church cōmitted to their possessions. Which by their holy conuersacions, And good example should as sterres shyne, By grace and vertue the people tenlumyne.

Vpon the lyght of their condicions, Of this body dependeth the welfare: For in their teaching and predicacions They should trouth to hygh & low declare. And in their office for no drede ne spare Vices correcte lyke as they are holde, Syth they ben heerdes of Christes folde.

Folowyng vpon, of entent full clene Labourers as ye haue herde deuysed, Shal this body beare vp and sustene, As fete & legges whych may not be dispised: For true labour is iustly auctorised. And ne were the plough vpholdē by trauaile. Of kings, & princes, farewel all gouernayle.

Thus fyrst, if princes gouerned be by ryght, And knights suffre y^e people to haue no wrōg, And trouth in iudges shew out his lighte, And forth in cities w^t loue he drawe a long, And holy church in vertue be made stronge, And in his labour y^e plough ne fayle nought, Than by proporciō this ymage is wrought.

This matter hole for to exemplyfy, Kyng Roboam for a false oppression, And for his wilful frowarde tiranny, Lost a great party of hys region: Wherfore let princes considre of reason, God set the people for lordes auantage, And not to be oppressed wyth seruage.

Vpon some princes Bochas doth complaine, Such as haue a custome and manere Agayne their subiectes vngoodly to disdaine, And of pride to shewe them frowarde chere, Counsayleth them to remembre and lere, As this chapitre doth finally deuise, Fyrst out of labour al lorshyp dyd aryse.

The .iiii. Chapiter.

Howe Mucius Sceuola sloughe an innocent in stede of kynge Por∣cenna, that layde siege to Rome.

WHan kynge Porcenna wyth hys chi∣ualrye Agayne Romains a werre fyrst began, The towne besiegynge on eche party With great puyssaunce brought out of Tus∣••an, In the citie there was a knightly mā, Mucius Sceuola, which cast in their distres, To breke y^• sege thorough his high prowes.

Let arme hym selfe clene in plate & mayle, For comune profite to auaunce his corrage, Kynge Porcenna proudly to assaile: A tyme prouyded to his auauntage, Through the siege to make hys passage, And finally at his in comynge, Jeoparte his person for to slee the kynge.

But lyke as telleth vs Tytus Liuius, Wher Porcenna satte in his royal see, This senatoure, this manly Mucius Sawe a prince of great auctoritee, The kyng resemblynge, clad in one liueree: Atwene dece••nyng no maner variaunce, Slough that prince of very ignoraunce.

But whan he knewe that he dyd faile To slee Procenna enemy to the toun, And sawe he had lost al hys trauayle, He made a pitouse lamentacion, Bycause he dyd execucion Of ignoraunce agayne his owne entent, To spare a tirant, and slee an innocent.

For which he was with him selfe full worth, That he was founde so negligent in dede: And with his hand vnto a fyre he goth, Made it brenne bryght as any glede, Both nerfe & bone and his fleshe to shede, His hand cōsuming on pieces, here & yondre, And from his arme made it parte a sondre.

And as the storye declareth vnto vs, This manly man this noble senatour, Afore tyme was called Mucius, Which for y^• comon profite did great labour: And for the vncouth hasty fell rigour, Done to hym selfe, the Romaines al Sceuola they dyd hym after call.

As moch to say by langage of that lande, Who take a ryght the exposicion, As a man which is without an hande: And after hym by succession, All his ofsprynge borne in the toun, In remembraunce for to encrese his fame, Of Sceuola bare after hym the name.

By this example and many other mo, If men list her corrages to awake, They shoulde se what perill & what wo For comon profit men haue vndertake: And whylom Brutus for Lucrecis sake Tarquin chaced for his transgression, And kynges all out of Rome toun.

Touching Lucrece example of wifely trouth, How yong Tarquin her falsly did oppresse, And after y^• whych was to great a routh, Howe she her selfe slough for heuynesse, It nedeth not reherse the processe: Sith y^• Chaucer chefe poete of Bretaine, Wrote of her lyfe a legende soueraine.

Rehersynge there amonge other thynges Eche circumstaunce and eche occasion, Why Romains exiled fyrst their kynges, Neuer to reigne after in their toun. As olde cronicles make mencion: Remēbring also the vnkinde great outrage, By Eneas done to Dido of Cartage.

Eke other stories whiche he wrote in his lyue Ful notably w^t euery cyrcūstaunce: And their fates pitiously dyd discriue, Lyke as they fyll, put them in remembraūce. Wherfore if I shulde my penne auance, After his making to put them in memory, Men would deme it presūpcion & veine glory.

For as a sterre in presence of the sunne, Lesyth his freshnes & hys clere lyght: So my rudenesse vnder skyes dunne, Dareth ful lowe and hath lost his sight, To be compared agayne y^• beames bryght Of this poete, wherefore it were but vayne, Thinge sayd by hym to wryte it new againe.

☞ The .v. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Lucrece oppressed by Tar∣quin slough her selfe.

BVT at Lucrece stynte I wyll a whyle, It were pytie her storye for to hide, Or slouthe the penne of my rude style, But for her sake al matters set a side: Also my lorde bad I should abyde, By good auice at layser to translate, The doleful processe of her pitouse fate.

Folowynge the traces of Collucius, Which wrote of her a declamacion, Most lamētable, most doleful, & most pitous, Wher he discriueth the dolorouse treason, Of her constrained false oppression: Wrought & compassed, by vnware vyolence, The lyght vntroubled of her clere conscience.

Her father whilom called Spurius Her worthy husbande named Collatyn, Which by the luxurie & treason odious And viciouse outrage of Sextus proude Tar∣quin, Oppressed was & brought to her fyne, Whose deedly sorowe in englishe for to make, Of pitouse ruth my penne I fele quake.

This said Tarquin this yuel auised knyght, This slaūdred man most hateful for his dede, Came lyke a thefe alas vpon a nyght, With naked sworde whan no man toke hede, Vpon Lucrece she quakyng in her drede, Lyeng a bed ferre from her folkes al, And knewe no refuge, for helpe for to call.

He manasyng in his froward entent, On her beholdyng with a furiouse chere, That with his sworde but she would assente, Her and a boy he would preint yfere. Such one as was most vgly of manere Most vnlykely of persone and of fame, Thus he her thrat for to slaunder her name.

But his entent whan she dyd fele, And sawe no meane of her woful chaunce, The morowe after she list nothynge concele, Told her husbande holy the gouernaunce, Hym requirynge for to do vengeaunce Vpon this cryme, sayde lyke a true wyfe, She would her hert perce wyth knyfe.

In this matter this was her fantasy, Better was to dye than to lyue in shame: And lasse yl to put in ieopardy Her mortal body, than her good fame. Whan honor dieth farewel a mānes name. Better it were out of thys life disceiuer, Than slandrous fame to sley a man for euer.

But to that purpose her husband sayd nay, Her father also was thereto contrary: Makynge a promise without more delay, To do vengeaunce howe they wyl not tary. To her declaring with reasons debonary, Vnder these wordes trouth & right cōserued,

To slee her selfe she hath nothynge deserued.

For sodainly and also vnauised As a foole is trapped in the snare, By vnware fraude vpon the practised, Thou were disceiued plainly to declare: Hauyng thys conceyte, harde is to repayre The name of thē which falsly be diffamed, Whan wrōg report y^• renome hath shamed.

Touchyng thy person I dare affirme & seyn, That it were a maner impossible, And lyke a thynge which neuer yet was seen, That thy worshyp was found corruptyble. But stedfast aye and indiuysible, Vnparted, vertuous, and made strong, And nowe desirous to auenge thy wronge.

On thy iniury we shal auenged be, Considred first the deedly heuines, Which thou suffredest by great aduersite, Whan y^• auoutrour thy beauty dyd oppres: And reioysyng by a false gladnes, Maugre thy wyll as a thefe by nyght, The encombred of very force & myght.

But if thou woldest leue all thy mourning, And restraine thy unportable wo, Soone shuldest y^u se an egall punyshyng Vpon thy most frowarde mortal foe: To warne all other they shal nomore do so, In chastisynge of false auoutry, The and thy renome of ryght to magnify.

What was diffasyng to thy trewe entent, Though his youth vnbridled went at large? So for to aforce a sely innocent, Whose wyckednes oughte to bere the charge. And we of ryght thy conscience dyscharge The ioye vnlefull of his false plesaunce, With double palme thine honor doth auance.

Conceiue and se, O thou myne Lucrece, How that reason and good discrecion, Shoulde thy trouble & thy mournynge cece Of ryght, restrayne thy opinion, So rechelesly to do punicion With knife in hande, to slee thy selfe, alas For others gylt and dyddest no trespas.

Let be Lucrece, let be all thy dole, Cease thy complaynt & thy wo restrayne, Should I fro the lyue alone al sole, And thy deth perpetually complayne▪ To put thy father in importable payne: Of our welfare be not so rechelesse, To dye and leaue our childre motherlesse.

Of prudence eke thou oughtest for to se And aduertyse onely of reason, Though of force thy body corrupt be, Thy soule inwarde and thyne entencion Fraunchysed ben from al corrupcion: Offence is none, consider in thyne entent, But wyll & hert yeue therto ful consent.

Thou were naked in thy bed, lyenge Alone, vnware, slepynge & voide of myght, Suspeciouslesse al of his comynge, That tyme namely because y^• it was nyght: A fearefull woman, & he a manly knyght, Al be it so vnknightly was his dede, Wyth naked swerde to assayle thy woman∣head.

He myght thy body by force wel oppresse, By sleyghty waies that he had sought: But wele wote I for al his sturdinesse, He myght neuer haue mastry of thy thought. The body yelded the hert yelded him nought. Ye were twaine, y^u feble & he ryght stronge, Thy trouth afforced, he werker of the wrong.

Where mightest y^u haue greater price or laude All ryght considred, trouth & equite? Fyrst coūterpeysed his force & sleighty fraud, Than to parseuer in feminite, With thought enhaunced & infragilitie Of womanheade, to haue an hert stable, What thige in the myght be more cōmedable:

It is wel knowe y^u were of herte aye one, To all false lustes contrary in gouernaunce: More lyke an ymage kerued out of stone, Than lyke a woman fleshely of plesaunce The tirant foūde thee in chere & countenaūce. Whych euer after by womanly victory, Shalbe ascriued to thine encrease of glory.

Thy father Brutus hath the well excused, My selfe also, thy blood and thy kynrede: On this matter let no more be mused, To sley thy selfe or do thy sides blede. Certes Lucrece thou hast ful litell nede, It were great wronge by all our iudgement, To spare a tirant and slee an innocent.

Thy lyfe to murdre to some it woulde seme Thou were gylty, where as thou art clene:

Diuers wittes diuersly wyl deme, Report thyng thou none dyddest mene. For which thou shalt paciently sustene, Tyll thy chaste wyfely innocence May se hym punished for his violence.

Folke wyl not deme a person innocent, Which wilfully whan he is not cuipable, Yeldeth him selfe to deth by iudgement, And neuer was a fore of no gyit partable: His own doome vpon him selfe vengeable, Causeth people, tho their reporte be noughte, To deme a thinge y^• neuer was ywrought.

To be auenged vpon thine owne life In excusynge of thy deedly fame, To shewe thou art a true wedded wyfe, wenyng by deth to get the a name, In this deuise thou art greatly to blame: Wher y^u yet knowest thy honor clerely shyne, To yeue the people matter to deuyne.

And with that worde Lucrece dyd abrayde, Full deedly both of loke and chere, To them againe euyn thus she sayde: Let be husbande, let be my father dere, Speke no more to me of this matere, Lest men dempt in hindryng of my name, Idred death more than false dyffame,

Your counsayle is I shal my lyfe conserue, To sorowe and sclaunder, but no gladnes: But lesse yl it is at an houre to sterue, Than euer languish in sorowe & heuines. Deth maketh an ende of al worldly distres, And it was sayde syth ful yore ago, Better is to die than euer to liue in wo.

Whan that worship in any creature Is staine and deed by slaūdrous report, Better is of death the dredful payne endure, Than by false noyse aye to liue in discōfort: Where newe & newe diffame hath his resort, Neuer dyeth but quickeneth by y^• outrage, Of hateful tonges & venimous langage.

Do your deuer to halowe & make stable, The chast chambres of wyfely gouernaunce: For in this case if ye be variable, On false auoutry for to do vengeaunce, There shal folow euerlastynge remembraūce How true spousaile as ye haue herde deuised In your citie is broke & not chastifed.

If ye be founde in such a case negligent To punish auoutry of right as your charge: Through your slouth as ye were of assent, Luxurie vubridled shall ren abrode at large, Who shal than your conscience discharge, Or what woman stande in sickernes, Of Lucrece afforced the clennes?

O dere husbande what ioy shulde it be To thine estate in any maner place, Lyke as thy wyfe to cherishe me Or in thine armes me goodly to enbrace? The gilt horrible considred & trespace, By Tarquyn don alas, and welaway, Which i my persō may neuer be wast away.

And father mine how shuldest thou me cal After this day thyne owne doughter dere; Which alas refuse of women al That to thy plesaunce was whilom most en∣tere, Within thy house whan I did lere, By clere example of manifolde doctrine, Al that pertained to vertuous discipline,

Which I haue lost now in my dayes olde, Dispaired it to recure agayne. Myne owne childre I dare not the beholde, Bycause the wombe in that they haue layne, Diffouled is, and pollute in certaine: Which was tofore in chastitie conserued, Chastise the auoutrer as he hath deserued.

And for my part, to speke in wordes fewe, Lenger to liue I haue no fantasie, For where should I out my face shewe, Or dare appere in any company, Sith a derke spot of false auoutry, Shal euermore whether it be false or true, In to myne hindring y^• sclaundre to renewe:

Lust afforced hath a false appetite Offrelte, included in nature: Maugre the wyll there foloweth a delite As some folkes say, in euery creature, Good fame lost ful hard is to recure. And sith I may my harmes not redresse, To you in open my gilt I wil confesse.

Al be I was againe my wil oppressed, There was a maner constrained lust in dede, Which for no power might not be redressed, For feblenesse I stand in so great drede, For which offence deth shalbe my mede: Sith leuer I haue with some edge tole

To slee my selfe, than lyue in slaūder & dole.

O father myne spare and haue pitie, And dere husbande rue on myne offence, Goddes & goddesses called of chastitie, To my trespace graunt an indulgence: For of my gylt to make a recompence, Where that Venus gate in me a vaūtage, Deth shal redresse & chastise myne outrage.

For if I should make a delay To perse my brest w^t sharpnes of a knyfe, Men would deme and say fro day to day, To make my sclaūder more open & more rife, Howe that I was more tendre of my life, Thā of my worship, which is to gret a shame, To loue my life more than my good name.

In this matter no witnes is so good, To put awaye all false suspection, As with a knife to shed my hert bloud, I myght not make a better purgacion, To al folke that haue discrecion, Than finally by my deth to excuse, The gylt horible of whych men me accuse.

Go forth my soule pure and immortal, Chefe wytnes of myne innocence, Tofore tho iudges which ben infernal Fyrst Mynos kyng to deme my conscience, With Radamanthus to yeue a sentence Lyke my desertes that it might be sene, In wyfely trouth how that I was clene.

Thou erthly body which through thy fairnes Were to auoutry ful great occasion, Of thy bloud shede out the rednes, And by thy sides let it raile doun: Stere and exite the people of this toun, To do their deuer within a litle whyle, For loue of Tarquyn al kynges to exile.

And fyrst I pray my husbande most entere, Of this vengeaunce to make no delay: With helpe and socour of my father dere, To punyshe y^• auoutrer in al haste ye may. Let him take his wages and his pay Lyke as ye se, & plainly nowe conceyue, For his offence the death I do receiue.

And sodaynly or they myght aduerte She toke a knyfe, and with great violence Through the brest euyn to the hert She made it glyde, there was no resistence: Ful pale & deed fyl down in their presence, And by occasion of this piteous dede, Tarquyn exyled and holy his kynrede.

For which cause by recorde of writyng, Was there neuer in Rome the cite After that day no man crowned kyng, As in cronicles ye may beholde and se: Thus for luxurie, and their cruelte, Their tiranny, and false extorcion, They were exiled out of Rome toun.

The .vi. Chapter.

¶ Howe Rome was after gouerned, and Virginea by her father slayne.

GOuerned after by other officers As is remembred in Titus Liuius, Called Decemuiri of diuers croni∣clers: Amonge whyche there was one Appius A Judge vntrue, proud, & luxurious, Which through y^• citie the story bereth witnes, Behated was for his great falsenes.

And ones it fyll as he cast his loke Vpon a maide most inly fayre of sight, A false desire within his hert he toke Her to dysuse, agayne al skyl and ryght: And she was doughter to a worthy knyght, Ful manly founde in his dedes al, And Vyrginius y^• Romains did him cal.

Whose goodly doughter y^e story doth vs lere, Was after hym for his noble fame, Virginia called most goodly and entere, And for this cause she bare the same name. But Appius to greatly was to blame, Which hath conspired through his great fals∣nes If y^• he might, her beauty to oppresse.

This Iuge vntrue both in thought & dede, Of law vnrightful, sought out occasion, Made a sergiaunt of his to procede Agayne this mayde to take an accion, Claimed her his seruant by false collusion: And this done was by Appius, of entent, That he on her might yeue a iudgement.

And by this meane in his false delite, Thought he myght her beautie best disuse, So to accomplishe his fleshly appetite,

She beyng feble the accion to refuse: Wherupon her father gan to muse, Fully conceiued of Appius the maner, In her defence wrought as ye shal here.

Whan Appius had yeuen his iudgement Againe this mayde which afore him stode, Her manly father most knighty of entent Toke her apart as he thought it good, And wyth a knyfe shed her hert bloud: Dempt it better to slee her in clennes, Than the tirant her beauty should oppresse.

Thus hole conserued was her virginite, And vndefouled was her maydenhede: For Vyrgynius to kepe her honeste, Spared nothyng to make her sides blede. But Appius for this horrible dede, And Decemuiri through his vnhappye chaūce Had in that citye neuer after gouernaūce.

As the story also maketh mencion, Appius ashamed of this dede, Slough him selfe fetred in prison, Of a false iuge lo here the final mede. And tho Tribuni in Rome gan succede, Twene right and wronge truely to discerne, And romayne lawes iustly to gouerne.

Men may here se as in a myrour clere, Estates chaunged for their great offences: And by some poore person singulere Princes put doun from their magnificences, Which not cōsidred in their great excellēces, How god ordeineth his yerde in sōdry wise, The poore sūwhile the pompous to chastise.

Here on to shewe example anone ryght, Marked in story for a notable thynge, Pausanias of Grece a manly knight, Of Macedony slough Philip the Kyng: At a table where he was sitting Atwene Alexandre and Olimpiades, His wrong to auenge amyddes al the prees.

Eke Salmator a knyght of low degree For wronges done in especial Of manly force grounded on equite Slough of Cartage the Prince Hasdrubal Which brother was vnto duke Haniball, Besyde a riuer as they met in batayle, Called Metaure which renneth in Itaile.

Wherefore ye princes if ye lyst longe endure Be right wel ware be ye neuer so stronge, In your lordshyppes not to much assure, Or of surquedy the porayle to do wronge. In your discrecion conceyuing euer amonge, Greatest drede is that may your state assay••, Whan subiection doth the people fayle.

¶ Lenuoye.

THis tragedy declareth in partye What myschefe foloweth of extorcion, Eke of spousbrech and of auoutry, By Tarquyn doue through false extorcion, Vnto Lucrece wythin Rome toun: Kynges exyled for such misgouernayle, And false outrages done to the porayle.

Eke Appius of wylful tiranny Agayne Virginia toke an accion, Through a false lust of frowarde lechery, Blent and fer derked his memory & reason: Which was chefe cause and occasion Why the estate of dizhom dyd fayle, Through false outrage done to the porayle.

Kyng Philyp lost sceptre and regally, Of Macedone the famous regyon: Vnwarely slayne amyd his chiualry, Sittyng at the table w^t in his chefe dongeon. And greatest cause of his fallyng doun, Was whan fortune his pride dyd assaile, For false outrages done to the porayle.

Duke Hasdrubal whome bokes magnify Vp to the heuyn for hys hygh renoun, Whose triumphes raught vp to the sky, And had al Cartage in his subiection: Yet was he slayne vnwarely by treason, By a seruant, lo what it doth auayle Treason purposed afore in the porayle.

Noble princes your reason do applye Whych ouer the people haue dominacion, So prudently to gouerne them and gye, That loue and drede by true affectyon, Preserue their hartes from false rebellion•• Syth to you nothynge may more preuayle, Than true subiection expert in porayle.

The .vii. Chapiter.

❧ How Jeroboham kyng of Israel for Idolatry & disobedience came to a myscheuous ende.

NExte these storyes in Bochas as I fynde, There dyd appere vnto his presēce, Kynges syxe, hym praying to haue mynd Vpon their fal by vnware violence, From theyr estates of royal excellence. And to fore al I fynde that there came, Of al Israel kyng Jeroboam.

Vnto myne aucthour he gan to declare, His deedly complaynt with a pale face: His great mischeues and his yuel fare, And howe he fyl downe frō his kyngly place, Through vnhappes which dyd him enbrace, And as this story plainly hath deuysed, For his offences howe he was chastised.

An Idolater he was as it is tolde, Reysed vp auters of very force & myght, Set therupon two calfes of pure golde, Dyd them worshyp agayne al skyl & ryght: Gaue euel example in the peoples syght, Whan he dyd wyth fumes and ensence, To false ydols vndue reuerence.

Fro the temple he made the people gone, Priestes ordained after his owne gise, Forsoke the trybe of Leuy and Aaron, And vpon Bethel his offryng gan deuyse: And whyle he dyd vnleful sacrifice, God that well knewe of hym the false entent, From Jerusalem a prophet to hym sent.

Whych him rebuked of his misgouernaūce, And gan the parels to hym specifye: Told him afore for to do vengeaunce, Of Dauid kyng there should come one Josye, Which should his priestes that falsly coud lye, Manly distroy & slee them al at ones, And into asshes bren them fleshe & bones.

And in token of their distruction, The prophet tolde among them al, How his auters shoulde bowe doun, And his ydols from their stage fal. Whom that foles their goddes falsly cal Which haue no power to helpe in no maner, For they may neyther se, fele, nor here.

After thys prophet Jadan had tolde These sayde signes playnly to the kyng, His auter fyl on peces many folde: And ouerturned backewarde his offring: For whych the kyng furiously loking, Put forth his hand the story maketh mynde Bad his men the prophet take and bynde.

And as he his arme raught out on length Had no power it to wythdrawe ageyne, Wext vnweldy, contract, & lost his strength, And whan the kyng these tokens hath seyne▪ And how y^e prophet spake no word in veyne Greatly astoyned coude say no more, But praied Jadan his arme to restore.

And by his prayer and mediacion Of his arme, after this vengeaunce, There was anone made restitucion, And of his payne feleth aleyaunce. For which the kyng w^t ful great instaūt Required hym to be so graciouse, That day to abyde and dyne in his house.

But the prophet would not assent Nouther wyth hym to eate nor to drynke: Toke his asse and forth anone he went, On whose departyng y^• kyng gan sore thynke And fantasies gan in his hert synke, Specially whan he toke hede, Of all these tokens howe they were true in dede.

God ••ad Jadan in this great emprise To Jeroboham fyrste whan he was sent, Eate nor drinke in no maner wyse, In that citie, whyle he was present: But a nother prophet of entent Ful olde and slygh on that other syde, Compelled hath this Jadan to abyde.

Hym aforsyng by false collusion To resorte agayne vnto the citye: And to make no contradiction With hym to dyne of fraternitye, To hym affyrmynge it may none other be, For god sent him as to his frende & brother, To abyde with him & plainly with none other.

Of frendlyhede and true affection Within his house to shewe his presence, For a repast and refection This is goddes wyl and fully his sentence, To whose wordes y^• prophet yaue credence, And as they sate at dyner both in fere, God vnto Jadan sayd in thys maner.

For the brekyng of my comaundement, Thy great offence & thy transgression,

That thou hast be so wylfull negligent, Thou shalt endure this punicion: Be al to torne and rent of a lyon, And in thy countrey thou shalt not recure, With prophetes to haue thy sepulture.

Of which thing this Jadan nothynge fayne, Gan to departe with ful heuy thought: Of a lion amyd of the way slayne, But his asse harmed was right nought. A full great maruaile if it be wel sought, The lyon syttyng as in their diffence, And kept them both from al violence.

Al these tokens myght not conuert Jeroboam fro his iniquitie, Goddes warnyng hym lyst not to aduerte, Nor by hys prophete corrected for to be. Wherefore god would that he should se Vengeaunce folowe as it dyd in dede, Both vpon hym and his kynred.

A sonne he had which fyl in great sickenes, Called Abia the boke doth specify, For whych the king bad the quene her dresse, To go disgised without company, Vnto a prophet which called was Achy. Hym to require truely for to sey Whether the chyld should lyue or dey.

And in his inward syght cōtemplatife, God shewed hym by clere inspection, Of Jeroboam how she was the wyfe, For al her sleyghty transformacion: For nouther fallas nor false decepcion May be of god but it be parceyued, For he ••e his prophets may not be deceyued.

She came to him in straunge wede, At the entryng he called her by her name: Come forth (quod he) for it is no nede To hide thy selfe as it were for shame. For the trouth truely to attame, God hath yeuen me fully knowledging, What thou shalt answere & say to the kyng.

Say plainly to him, & marke in thy thought, In thy repayre these wordes rehersyng: Syth god hath made thee & raysed vp of nou∣ght From a seruant to reigne as a kynge, Fro Dauids kyn most worthy reigning, Parted the kyngdome & yeuen it vnto the, And thou vnkynde therof canst nothyng se,

His great goodnesse is out of remēbraunce, Fully forgeten of thy frowarde pride, In false goddes put thyne affiaunce God aboue falsly set asyde, Wherefore from the anon he shall deuyde, The kyngdome hole wythout more delay, And fro thy lyne the crowne take away.

And for thou hast to thy confusion Thy fayth vnfaithful to false goddes take, Wrongly refused thy religion Of god aboue, and playnly hym forsake, This is the ende whych y^• thou shalt make: Thee and thy kyn no man may socour, Fleshe, skyn, & bone, houndes shal deuour.

And at thy entrynge home to the cite, Thy sonne & his thou shalt fynde him deed: Of al hys kin though there were none but he Founde very good, take therof good hede. Of whych answere y^• quene fil in great drede Entryng the citie in especial, Her childe was dede & lay colde by the wal.

Of thys warning the king toke none hede, But made him redy w^t ful great aparayle, Forty thousande wyth him he dyd lede, Of manly men armed in plate and maile, With king Abias for to haue a batayle. The whiche Abias that was of Juda kinge, Vnto his people said at their metynge:

O noble knightes haue one thing in memory, No man venquisheth platly to cōclude With great people, nor getteth victory With nombres heaped nor greate multitude: False ydolaters god wyl them delude. Not suffre his seruaunts that ben true & sad, Of miscreauntes to be ouerlad.

Triumphe is none found of newe or olde, In these Idols of stone nor siluer shene, Nor in Calues of mettall made, or golde, Yeue to that partie which vntruly meane. And sithe y^• god knoweth our quarel clene, Ther is no hope, force none nor myght, With them y^• groūde their cause against right

Hope of victory standeth vpō right wisnes, Of them y^t cast their sinful life to amende: And lyst forsake wrong and al falsnes, And with hole hert vnto the lorde entende, Which shal this day his grace to you sende, Our true cause truely to termyne.

And thus Abias gan his tale fyne.

His preestes gan their trūpes for to blowe, And kyng Abias through his high renoun, Gaue to his people both to high and low Ful manly comfort and consolacion, And fyfty thousand by computacion Were slayne y^• day which ful proudly came, Vpon the party of kyng Jeroboam.

And al the partye of Jeroboam, And al that were of his lyne borne, After thys batayle vnto mischefe came, Whan they were slayne w^t hoūdes al to torne As the prophet had thē told beforne: But for the kyng toke therof no hede, With soden vengeaunce god quit his mede.

¶ The .viii. Chapter.

Howe zaras king of Ethyope was slayne in batayle.

AFter hym to Bochas dyd appere Next in ordre playnly as I fynde, One zaras wyth a soroufull chere, And he was kyng of Ethyope and Jude: Whose eyen were almost w^t wepyng blynde, Prayeng myne auctour his vnhappy chaūce, With other woful to put in remembraunce.

And that he would recorde by scripture His sodayne fall and dolorous distresse, And his diffamous hateful discomfiture, With the dispoylynge of his great richesse: And how king Asaph thrugh his high nobles, And his people as he dyd thē assaile, Hath him venquished & slayne in batayle.

The .ix. Chapiter.

Howe Adab kyng of Jerusalem lost sceptre and crowne.

OF Israell than came the wooful•• kynge, Called Adab ful pytously wepyng, Vnto Bocas his cōplaint rehersing: How kyng Basa by subtyll false werkyng, With slaughter caused his fallyng, Whan fortune gan falsely frowne, And toke vniustly frō him sceptre & crowne.

The .x. Chapiter.

¶ Howe the vengeable prynce zambrias set a toure on fyre and brente hym selfe.

NExt came zābrias a prince vēgeable, Whiche slough kinge Helam by false treason, That was founde also ful vnstable: For this zambrias of entencion, Hath murdred him within the chefe dongeon, Of his castel wyth a ful great route, As he vnwarely layde a siege aboute.

But Amarin a prince of ful great might, Came in to Tharse a famous great citye, And cast him playnly lyke a worthy knight, On this zambrias auenged for to be, Hym to distroy without mercy or pitie: But in a toure as zambrias went, Set it a fyre and so hym selfe brent.

☞ The .xi. Chapiter.

Of king Achab and Jezabel his wife.

WIth sighes sore & wepig importable Came kyng Achab vnto Bochas, Whose hertelie sorowe was incōpa∣rable, And complayning ful oft sayd alas: Besechyng him to write his woful case, Compile his falling and the fate yfere, Of Athalia his owne doughter dere.

To god aboue most contrarious Thys Achab was in al his gouernaunce, And had a wyfe cruel and lecherous, Called Jesabel, whiche set al her plesaunce On goddes prophetes for to do vengeaunce. In the bible their malice men may se, And Idolaters they were both he and she.

God for their trespaces as it was well seyne, Afore shewed by true prophecy, Sent thre yere neither dewe ne reyne Vpon the erth their graine to multiplye: Tyl eft agayne by prayer of Helye, Holsome waters from heuin gan discend, Which gaue thē cause their life to amend.

But his wyfe that cursed Jesabel, To eche thing hateful which was diuine, An hundred prophetes she slough in Israel, Vnto Baal for they would not inclyne: And she also slough Naboth for his vyne, Through whose outrage & false oppression, Achab was brought to his confusion.

Of his enemyes outrayed in bataile, With a sharpe arow caught his fatal woūde, Tyi al his blode by bledyng dyd faile, About hys chare w^t many droppes rounde: That the wordes were ful true founde Of Helias, which told him as it stode, That hungry houndes should lycke his blod.

In a citye than called Israel Downe from a toure ioyned to a wall, The sayd quene called Jesabel, Was ouer cast & had a deadlye fal: Touching these mischeues for she was cause of all, Beware ye princes remēbring all your lyues, To eschue false coūsayle yeuē by your wiues.

☞ The .xii. Chapiter.

¶ How quene Athalia for her tiran∣ny was slayne.

NExt to Achab in ordre dyd sue, Athalia w^t doleful countenaunce Bocas besechyng, as hym thought due Her sodayne fal to put in remembraunce. Sours & chefe rote of sorow & mischance. Is vsurpaciō and false couetise, Lyke as her story herafter shal deuyse.

She was vpreised by fauour in thre thinges, For father, broder, & also her husbande Were in her tyme echone crowned kinges, With scepter & sworde as ye shal vnderstād. Many emprises in their daies toke on hande, And howe fortune their highnes dyd assaile, I cast shortly to make rehersayle.

She fyl of fortune in the vnhappye boundes, Fyrst whan her father was w^t an arow dede, His blod vplicked w^t cruel hūgry houndes, About his chare rennyng downe ful rede: His body pale lay who that toke hede, Lyke a carreyne naked and dispoyled, With foule black erth amyd the felde ysoyled.

Cause of another vnhappy heuynesse And of her deedly desolacion, Was the people felly dyd them dresse Of Arabye in their rebellion, Agayne her husband, of entencion To robbe his treasour to their auauntage, And take his richesse by outragious pillage.

Some of his meyny they put in prison, There was agaynst thē made no defence: Spared nother citie, borough, ne toun, Slough man & chyld through sturdy violēce: Her lorde enfect wyth sodaine pestilence, Conceyued fully by his malady, There was no gayne but he must nede dye.

After his deth most wretched & odible, His body corrupt, his bowelles fyl doun: Of his carayne the stench was so horible The ayre enfect about hym enuyron, With so great horrour and putrifaction, That no man myght abyde nor endure, To bryng his body vnto sepulture.

Her third vnhap whereof she was ful fayne, That fortune lyst her efte assayle, Made her vncle kyng Joram to be slayne With an arow, as he fled in batayle: She supposyng greatly it should auayle, Lyke a woman most furious & wode, She of king Dauid slough al y^e rial blode.

Her purpose was to gouerne al the realme Alone her selfe to haue dominacion, To reigne in Juda and Jerusalem This Athalia by vsurpacion: And for that cause in her entencion, With mortal sworde she made tho fyne That were discēded frō Dauid doun by lyne.

Except one Joas she left not one a lyue. Chyld of a yere, sonne of kyng Och••sy, Whom Josaketh the story do the disctiue Of very pitie caught a fantasy The childe to saue that he shal not dye, From the malice of Athalia And she was wyfe to byshop Joiada.

She & this byshop with hole hert & entere, Kept this chylde in ful secret wyse, Within the temple the space of seuen yere: And in the seuenth the storye doth deuise, Joiada toke on him this emprise, Yonge Joas vpon a certayne day, By iust title to crowne him if he may.

His messangers he sendeth out anone, Of princes, tribunes, gan a counsaile cal, Of preestes eke and leuites euerychone: And whan he had discured to them al Hole his entent, thus it is befal Sworne and assented as it was sytting, That yonge Joas shalbe crowned kyng.

For by promise which y^• is diuine (Quod Joiada) if ye take hede, God hath behested to Dauid & his lyne, And assured vnto his kynred In Jerusalem how they shal succede: And though Joas be yong & tēdre of might, He to the crowne hath neuer the lasse ryghte.

In this matter I wyl not that ye slepe, But to shewe your true diligence, On four parties the temple for to kepe, That no man entre by no violence: And in the myddes by royal excellence, (Quod this byshop) no man shal vs let, On Joas heade a crowne for to set.

And whan ech thing was brought to poynt Hys hygh estate to encrease and magnify, The people anone whan he was anoynt, Viuat rex they began to cry. And whan Athalia gan this thyng espye, For very ire and the sodayne wonder, Of melancoly her clothes cut asonder,

Ran to the temple, and gan make a fray, With her meyny and to crye aloude, Bad them go sle & make no delay The yong kyng, in al the hast they coude. Her venym hid vnder a couerte cloude, Al at ones her purpose to recure, By sodaine malice she gan y^e day dyscure.

The temple was kept, entre had she none, People ordayned awaytyng for the nones: And or she might any further gone, Clenly armed the Centuriones The cruel quene assayled al at ones. And of her malice to wryte a short tale, They slough her after at Cedron in the vale.

Lo here the ende of murdre & tiranny, Lo here the ende of vsurpacion, Lo here the ende of false conspiracy, Lo here y^• ende of false presumcion: Borne rightfull heyres wrongly to put them doun, O noble princes though god make you strōg, To ryghtful heyres beware ye do no wrong,

¶ Lenuoye.

THese tragedies to estates & degrees, Fully declareth the decepcions Of fortunes false mutabilitees, Shewed in prouinces cities and eke touns: Princes vnwarely lost their possessions, Which for their synnes in diuerse wyse, Had of god warnyng, & lyst not for to ryse.

Mighty princes cast downe from their sees, Lost their liues and their regions, Vnwarely throw from their felicitees: Jeroboam for his oppressions, And for his frowarde false oblacions Done to Idols, his story doth deuyse, Had of god warning, & lyst not for to ryse.

Achab also had great aduersities, Through false coūsaile and exhortacions Of Iezabel rote of iniquities, Dyd to his people great extorcions: She slough prophets, goddes champions, Both he and she most cursed in their gyse, Had of god warnyng, & lyst not for to ryse.

Athalia with her duplicitees, And conspired false intrusions, Slouh Dauids sede to entre their dignitees, And possede their dominacions: But for her hateful false collusions, Vnwarely slayne for her great couetise, Had of god warnyng, & lyst not for to ryse.

Princes remembre in your prosperitees, And se afore in your discrecions: Wrong clyming vp of states or degrees, Outher by murdre or by false treasons, Asketh a fal for their final guerdons. Namely of them that the lord dispise, And for his warnyng lyst not for to rise.

The .xiii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Dydo quene of Cartage slough her selfe for conseruacion of her chastitie.

NOwe muste I put my rude stile in prees, To queene Dido makynge my pas∣sage: Her Lorde Siche was priest to Hercules, Her father Belus fal in great age, Kyng of Tire & she quene of Carthage: And it is red in bokes that ben true, How fyrst in Tire was found purple hewe.

Chadmus founde fyrst letters for to write,

Gaue them to Grekes, as made is mencion, Whose brother Fenix as clerkes eke endite, Founde first the colour of vermilion: And of Cartage the famous mighty toun, This sayd Dido, her story doth expres, How she was quene and founderesse.

But her husband was chefe lorde & fyre, Called Sicheus full famous of renoun, Of this noble citie called Tyre, Had great treasour & great possession: And for enuy kyng Pigmalion Broder to Dido this Siche slough in dede, Of false entent his richesse to possede.

Dido this slaughter toke greuously to hert, Sore complayning this vnhappy chaunce: Cast she would if she might asterte, Flye out of Tire and her lyfe auaunce, With al the treasour & the haboundaunce, Behynde left, whan her lorde was dede, Her shyppes entryng went awaye for drede.

She knewe and drede the gredy auarice Of her brother kyng Pigmalion, And how that hateful vnstauncheable vice Was grounde, and rote, and chefe occasion, Why y^• her lord was slayne in that toun: For whome she cried ful oft wel away, Whose deth was cause why she fled away.

She had also this opinion, Which caused most her hertly heuinesse: That sith her brother Pigmalion Had slayne her lorde for his great ryches, If she abode that he woulde hym dresse, Parcel for malice, parcel for couetyse, To haue treasour some treason to practise.

And for to eschewe his malice & treason, For her nauy she maketh ordinaunce, By the auise of them in whom as by reason, She should of ryght set her affiaunce: And they ful redy her to do plesaunce, By one assent for nothynge would fayle, With fayre Dydo out of that lande to sayle.

In Cypres fyrst was her aryuaile: And the••e she founde by the riuer syde, Of yong maydens w^t ful rych apparayle, Sixty and ten in the same tyde, Whiche in the temple of Venus dyd abyde, After the custome as I can reporte, Of Cypriens, straungers to disporte.

And in their most faythful humble wyse After the ryghtes of Cypre the countre, Vnto Venus eche day do sacrifice, Them to conserue in their virginite: Duryng their life to lyue in chastitye, Neuer to be ioyned in mariage, And w^t quene Dydo they went to Cartage.

In their passage fyll a great myrracle As Seruius maketh mencion, For Dydo toke of Juno this oracle, Outher by apparyng or by aduision, Of Cartage to bylde that myghty toun: And at reuerence of that great goddesse, She to the parties fast gan her dresse

The sayd citye stately for to founde. And her werkemen as they the erth sought An oxes head of auenture they founde, And to quene Dido anone the head brought, Meninge wherof to serche out they thought: And her clerkes in their deumayle, Tolde it was token of seruage & trauayle.

For which she list not to buylde in that place, But remeued as she ought of ryght, And fro thence but a litel space, A soyle she founde ful dylectable of sight: And as her werkmen wyth their full myght, The grounde gan serch or they toke hede, The story telleth they found an horse head.

And by expownyng of her deuinours, Founde this beast myght greatly auaile Vnto princes and mighty conquerours, Necessary in werre and batayle: And for no wight her noblesse shoulde assaile, Cartage she buylded of so great excellence, Againe al enemyes to stand at diffence.

Some bokes declare and specify, Dydo dyd as much land purchace, As a skyn in rounde might occupy Of an oxe, theron to buyld a place: The grounde cōpassed toke a large space, Whych strongly buylded thus it is befal, After the skyn men Byrsa dyd it cal.

And whan this citie mightily was walled, After a skyn wrought by good curray, The name toke, Carta it was called: Lether of Birsa plainly this is no nay. Toke eke his name durynge many a day, Carta and Birsa knit in their langage,

As much to say, as this word Carthage.

And in Affryke stant this teritory, Where she builded this citye dilectable: Founded it in laude and memory Of mighty Juno, the goddesse honorable. The citye walled w^t towers strong & stable, Time of kyng Dauid, amidde the fourth age, As I sayd erst, called it Cartage.

With great worshyp she raygned in y^• towne Euer of purpose to liue in chastitie, And rounde about floured her renowne, Of her prudence and her honestye: Tyll the report of her famous beautye, Came to the eares, which gladly wil not hide Of a kyng that dwelled there beside.

Of Musytans he was lorde and syre, As poetes playnly lyst decryue, Whiche in his hart greatly gan desire, The quene Dido by her assent to wiue, Vnto her grace if he might aryue: But for she had auowed chastitie, She neuer cast maried to be.

The kyng supprised w^t loue in his courage. For her wisdome, and her great bountee, Sent for the princes of Carthage, On this matter to haue a treatee: To condiscende if it might be, Like his desire in all their best entent, Do their deuoyre to make her consent.

With his request he gan them eke manace, If he fayled of his entencion, Like his desire to stande in her grace, Sayd he would be enemy to their towne: To ordayne by force for their destruction, Not fully sober, nor fully in a rage, This was to them playnely his langage.

But for they knewe her great stedfastnes And her hart very immutable, They were aferde any word to expresse, Lest their aunswere were not acceptable, To his highnes, for he was not treatable, Eke in their conceyt they gan also recorde, To his desyre the quene would not accorde.

With good aduice an answere they puruey, To his purpose in party fauourable, Aferde he would their noble towne werrey, Or of disdayne vpon them be vengeable: But quene Dydo in her entent aye stable, Cast she would whatsoeuer they her tolde, Her chast auowe faythfully to holde.

She set aside of this cruell kyng His fell manaces, and his words great, And to her prynces for their consentyng, Which stode in feare of y^• he did them threate, She vnto them yaue a maner heate: For they were bolde to attempt or attame, To treate of matter rebounding to her shame

Nay rather dye (quod she) than assent To his desires, whiche thing god forbede: Or fro the tenter of my chaste entent For to remeue other in thought or dede, Whiche were disclaunder to all womanhead, To condiscende for any manacyng, To breake a vowe for pleasaunce of a kynge

Touchyng manaces made to the citie For to destroy it with his great myght, Without cause or title of equitie To ground him a quarell agayne right, Onely for he is blynded of his syght, With froward lust my chaste auowe to assaile Be ryght well sure how he therof shall fayle.

If ye were bolde and manly of courage, For comon profite your citye to defende, And to w^tstande his vycious outrage, To treate w^t him ye would not condiscende: But mine entent platly to comprehend, Whether it be to you ioye or displeasaunce, In my promise shalbe no variaunce.

My lorde Sicheus whiche, alas, is deade Vnto the worlde, who lyst aduert, Trust verely for manacyng nor dreade That he shall neuer dye in myne hert: Nor he shall neuer myne auowe peruert, Thus auysed while that I stande fre, Quene of Cartage to gouerne this citye.

Mine hasty answere I pray you not disdaine But that ye list to yeue me libertye, With your support that I may attayne, To haue a space graunted vnto me: This is to mene, the space of monethes thre, My lordes will to accomplyshe of entent, Whiche whilome made in his testament.

Vnder couloure to her aduauntage, She toke this space, bokes specify:

That she might her citye of Cartage, The meane time strongly fortify, Agayne her enemies, that for no sluggardy Of them that would her high estate confound Vnpurueyed her city not be founde.

Whan thre monethes passed were and gone, She after would for hartly pleasaunce, With sundry ryghtes many mo than one, To all her goddes do some obseruaunce: For a speciall singuler remembraunce Of him that was (as ye shall vnderstande) Whilom her lorde and best beloued husband.

And more to exalt her glory and his honour, Held his exequtes by due reuerence Of all Cartage in the highest tower, With brenning fire, fumes, and incence, Her princes all beyng in presence, To whyche she gan declare in complaynyng, Her deadly sorow, down frō her tower loking

Farewel my frendes, farewell for euermore, Vnto my lord my husband I must gone, To him I meane y^• was my lorde of yore, For of husbandes god wot I haue but one: Praiyng you to report euerichone, After my death Dydo of Cartage Joyned was but ones in maryage.

Say to the kyng whiche you manaced, My chaste beauty that he woulde assaile, Go tell him how that I am passed, And of his purpose how that he shall faile. His manacyng shall not him auayle, And say how Dydo dyed for the nones, For she not would be wedded more thē ones.

Leuer I haue my life now to lose, Rather than soyle my wydowes chastitie: Let him go further some other to chose, For in such case he shall not spede of me. And with the treasure of mine honesty, Which I haue truely obserued all my lyue, I will depart out of this worlde now blyue.

And into fire that brent clere and bryght, She ran in haste, there is no more to sayne: Saue with a knyfe in euery mans sight, Full sodaynly she rofe her hart in twayne, Whose piteous death the city gan complayne, Sore wepyng for wonder and for ruthe, In a woman to finde so great a truth.

After her death they did their busines, To holde and halowe a feast funerall: Worshipped her like a chaste goddesse, And her commended inespeciall To heauenly goddes, and goddes infernall, And wydowes all in their clothes blake, At this feast wept for her sake.

Touching Dydo let there be no stryfe, Though that she be accused of Ouide: After Bochas I wrote her chaste life, And the contrary I haue set aside. For me thought it was better to abide On her goodnes, than thing rehearse in dede Which might resowne again her womanhede

To Eneas though she were fauourable, To Itayle makyng his passage, All that she did was commendable, Him to receyue commyng by Cartage: Tho some folke were large of their langage, Amisse to expoune, by report, or to expresse, Thing done to hym onely of gentlenes.

There shall for me be made no rehearsayle, But as I finde wrytten in Bochas: For to say well may much more auayle Than froward speach in many diuers case. But all Cartage oft sayd, alas, Her death cōplaynyng throughout their citye Whiche slew her selfe to obserue her chastitye.

¶ Lenuoy.

OF ayre Dydo most stable in thy constan̄ce Quene of Cartage myrror of hie nobles Raignyng in glory & vertuous habundaūce, Called in thy time chefe sours of gentilnes, In whom was neuer founde doublenes, Aye of one hart, and so thou diddest fyne, With light of trouth al wydowes to enlumin

Chast and vnchaunged in thy perseueraunce, And immutable founde in goodnes, Whiche neuer thoughtest vpon variaunce, Force & prudence wardeins of thy fayrenes, I haue no langage thy vertues to expresse: By new report so clerely they shyne, With light of trouth al widowes to enlumine.

O lode starre of all good gouernaunce, All vycious lustes by wisdome to represse, Thy grene youth flouryng with all pleasaūce Thou didst it brydle w^t vertuous sobernes:

Dyane demeaned so chastly thy clennesse, Whyle thou were sole playnely to termyne, With light of truth al wydowes to enlumyne

Thy famous bounty to put in remembraūce, Thou slewe thy selfe of innocent purenes, Lest thy surenes were hanged in balaunce, Of such that cast them thi chastitie to oppres: Death was inoughe to beare therof witnes, Causyng thy beauty to all clennes enclyne, With light of vertue al widowes to enlumine

¶ Lenuoy, dyrect to wydowes of the translatoure.

O Noble matrons whiche haue suffisaūce, Of womanhead your wittes to vpdresse How that fortune list to turne her chaunce, Be not to retchlesse of sodayne hastines: But ay prouide in your stablenes, That no such foly enter in your courage, To folow Dydo that was quene of Cartage

With her maners haue none acquayntaunce, Put out of minde such sottyshe wilfulnes, To slea your selfe were a great penaunce, God of his grace defende you and blesse, And preserue your variant brotlenes, That your trouth fall in none outrage, To folow Dido y^• was quene of Cartage.

With couert colour and sober countenaunce, Of faythfull meanyng pretendeth a likenes, Counterfayteth in speache and dalyaunce, All thinge that sowneth into stedfastnes, Of prudence by great auisenes, Your selfe restrayneth yonge and olde of age, To folow Dydo that was quene of Cartage.

Let all your port be voyde of displeasaunce, To get frendes do your busines, And be neuer without purueyaunce, So shall ye best encrease in ryches: In one alone may be no sykernes, To your hart be dyuers of langage, Contrary to Dydo y^t was quene of Cartage.

Holde your seruauntes vnder obeysaunce, Let them neuer haue fredome nor largenes, But vnder daunger do their obseruaunce: Daunt their pryde, them brydle w^t lownes, And whan the serpent of newefanglenes, Assayleth you, do your aduauntage, Contrary to Dydo y^• was quene of Cartage.

¶ The .xiiii. Chapter.

☞How vycious Sardanapalus kyng of Assirie brent him selfe and his treasure.

OF Assirie to reken kynges all, Whiche had that lande vnder sub∣iection, Last of all was Sardanapall, Most feminyne of condicion: Wherfore fortune hath him cast downe And complaynyng most vgly of manere, Next after Dydo to Bochas did appere.

To vycious lust his life he did enclyne, Among Assyriens whan he his raigne gan: Of false vsage he was so feminine, That among women vpon the rocke he span, In their habite disgysed from a man, And of froward fleshly insolence, Of all men he fledde the presence.

First this kyng chase to be his gyde Mother of vyces called ydlenes, Whiche of custome eche vertue set asyde, In eche courte where she is maistresse, Of sorow and mischefe is the first foundresse, Which caused onely this Sardanapall That to all goodnes his wittes did appall.

He founde vp first ryote and dronkennes, Called a father of lust and lechery: Hatefull of harte he was to sobernes, Cherishyng surfetes, watche, and glotony: Called in his time a prynce of baudry, Founde reresuppers and fetherbeddes soft, Drynke late, and chaunge his wines oft.

The ayre of meates and of baudy cokes, Which of custome all day rost and sede, Sauoure of spittes, ladels, and fleshe hokes He loued well, and toke of them great hede: And folke that dranke more than it was nede Smellynge of wine for their great excesse, With them to abide was holly his gladnes.

He thought also it did him good To haue about him without skyll and right Boystous bochers all bespreint with bloude, And watry fishers abode aye in his syght: Their coates poudred w^t scales siluer bryght, Dempt their odour duryng all his lyfe, Was to his courage best preseruatyfe.

For there was no herbe, spice, grasse, ne rote, To him so lusty as was the bordelhouse: Nor gardeyn none so holesome nor so sote, To his pleasaunce, nor so delicious, As the presence of folke lecherous: And euer glad to speake of rybaudry, And folke cheryshe that coulde flatter & lye.

Tyll at the last God of very right Displeased was with his condicions, Because he was in euery mannes sight So feminyne in his affections, And wholy yaue his inclinations Duryng his life to euery vycious thing, Terrible to heare and namely of a kyng.

But as Bochas list to put in minde, Whan Arbactus a prince of great renowne, Sawe of this kyng the fleshely lust blynde, Made with the people of that region Agaynst him a coniuration, And to him sent for his misgouernaunce, Of high disdayne a full playne defyaunce.

Bade him beware, & proudly to him tolde That he him cast his vicious life to assaile, And in all haste also that he woulde Within a fielde mete him in battayle: Wherof astonied his hart gan to fayle, Where among womē he sate makyng gaudes No wight about but flatterers and baudes.

And vp he rose and gan him selfe auaunce, No company w^t him but seruauntes ryotous, Toke the felde without gouernaunce, No men of armes but folkes vycious: Whose aduersary called Arbactus, Made him proudly the felde to forsake, And like a cowarde his castell to take.

And for his hart frowardly gan fayle Not like a knyght, but like a loseniour, His riche pierrey, his royal apparayle, His golde, his iewels, his vessell, & treasure, Was brought afore him downe fro a toure And of his palace, & yaue his men in charge Of cole and fagot to make a fyre large:

In whiche he cast his treasoure and iewels, More like a beast than a manly man, And amyd his riches, stones, and vessels, Into the fire furiously he ranne: This triumphe Sardanapalus wanne, Whiche fyre consumed for his finall mede, Brent to ashes among the coles rede.

Tofore his death bade men should write Vpon his graue, the boke dothe specify, With letters large this reason for to endite: My cursed life, my froward glotony, Mine ydlenes, myne hatefull lechery Hath caused me with many false desire, My last dayes to be consumpt with fyre.

This epitaphe on his graue he set, To shew how he in all his liue Busyed euer to hinder and to let All maner vertue, and theragayne to striue, Who foloweth his trace is not like to thriue: For whiche ye prynces se for your auayle, Vengeaunce aye foloweth vyces at the tayle.

The .xv. Chapter.

¶ A commendation of Bochas, rehersing the vertuous names of foūders of diuers scien∣ces and cunnynges in reprefe of ydlenes.

THere were other that list to prouide, False fleshly lustes, and dissolutions, Ryote, outrage, froward disdaine and pride Vyces to enhaunce in their affections With many vnlefull croked condicions, Reason auoyding as I rehearse shall, Them selues delityng for to be bestiall.

Two maner folkes to put in remembraunce, Of vyce and vertue to put in a difference: The good alway hath set their pleasaunce, In vertuous labour to do their diligence, And vycious people in slouth and negligence, And the report of bothe is reserued, With laude or lacke as they haue deserued.

Men must of ryght the vertuous preferre, And truely prayse laboure and busines: And agayn warde disprayse folke that erre, Whiche haue no ioye but in ydlenes. And to compate by maner of witnes▪ Vertuous folke, I will to mynde call, In rebukyng of kyng Sardanapall.

THe olde wise called Pitagoras, By soūd of hāmers, auctours certifye, Example toke, and chefe master was That founde out musyke and melody:

Yet of Tuball some bokes specify, That he bi stroke of smyths where thei stode Founde first out musyke tofore Noes floude.

And Josephus remembreth by scripture, That this Tuball could forge wele, First ymagined makyng of armure, With instrumentes of yron and of stele, And their temprures he found out euery dele Lucius Tarquyn in story as I finde, Founde chaynes fyrst folke to fetter & binde.

The children of Seth, in story ye may se, Flouryng in vertue by longe successions, For to do profite to their posteritie, And first the craft of heauenly mocions, Founde of sundry starres the reuolucions, Bequeth their cunnyng of great aduauntage, To them that after came of their linage.

For their vertue god gaue them great cūnyng Touching natures both of earth and heauen: And it remembred sothly by writyng, To lasten aye for water or for leuen. Generations there were of them seuen, Whiche for vertue w^tout warre or strife, Traueyled in cūnyng, durynge all their life.

And for that Adam did prophecy, Twise the world destroyed should be, With water ones, and stande in ieopardy, Next with fire, whiche no man might flee: But Seths children that all this did see, Made two pyllers where men might graue, From fire and water the charects for to saue.

That one was made of tyles harde ybake, Fro touche of fire to saue the scripture: Of harde marble they did another make, Against water strongly to endure, To saue of letters the prynt and the figure. For their cunnyng afore gan so prouide, Agayne fire & water perpetually to abyde.

They dempt their cunnyng had ben in veyne, But folke with them had ben partable, And for their laboure should after be seyne, They it remembred by wrytyng full notable, And tofore god a thing full commendable, To them that folow by scripture and writyng Or that men dye depart their cunnyng.

For by olde time folke diuers craftes founde, In sundry wise for occupacion, Vertue to cherishe, vyces to confounde, Their witte they set and their entencien, To put their laboure in execution, And to outrage, this is very trouth, Fro mannes life negligence and slouth.

Olde Enoke full famous of vertue Duryng the age, founde first of euerich one Through his prudence, letters of Hebrue, And in a piller they were kept of stone, Till that the floude of Noe was gone: And after him Cam was the seconde, By whom mo of Hebrue letters was founde.

And Cathacrismus the first was that fande, Letters also, as of that langage, But letters written by Gods owne hande, Moses first toke, moste bright of his vysage, Vpon Syna as he helde his passage. Whiche of carectes and names in sentence, From other writyng had a difference.

Eke afterward as other bokes tell, And saint Hierome rehearseth in his style, Vnder the empyre of zorobabell, Esdras of Hebrue gan letters first compyle: And Abraham long erst a great while The first was in bokes men may se, That found letters of Ciria and Calde.

Isys in Egypt founde diuersitie Of sundry letters parted into twaine, First for priestes and for the comontie, Vulgar letters she did also ordayne, And Fenices did their busy payne Letters of Greke to finde in their entent, Whiche that Cadmus first into Grece sent.

Whiche in number fully were seuentene. Whan of Troy ended was the battayle, Pallamides their langage to sustene, Put thre therto whiche greatly did auayle. Pitagoras for prudent gouernaile, Founde first out y, a figure to discerne, The life here short & the life that is eterne.

First latin letters of our a. b .c. Carmentes founde of full high prudence, Great Omerus in Isidor ye may see, Founde amonge Grekes craft of eloquence: First in Rome by souerayne excellence, Of Rethoryke Tullius founde the stoures, Plea and defence of subtill oratours.

Callicrates a grauer most notable, Of white yuore did his busines, His hande, his eye, so iust were and so stable, Of an ampt to graue out the likenes, Vpon the ground as nature doth him dresse. This craft he founde, as Sardanapall Founde ydlenes mother of vyces all.

Of a scriueyn Bochas maketh mencion, How in a scrowe of little quantitye, Wrote of all Croy the destruction, Folowyng Omerus by great subtiltye. Whiche is had among grekes in great daintie Because he was founde in his writyng, So compendious the story rehearsyng.

Archimides made a chare also, And a small shyp with all the apparayle, So that a Bee might close them both two Vnder his wings, which is a great maruaile And nothing sene of all the whole entayle. This craft he founde of vertuous busines, To eschue the vyce of froward ydlenes.

Pan god of kynde with his pypes seuen Of recorders, founde first the melodyes Of Mercury that sit so hye in heauen, First in his harpe founde sugred armonies. Holsom wines through fined from their lyes Bacchus founde first on vines heauy lade, Licour of lycours, courages for to glade.

Perdry by compas founde tryangle & lyne, And Euclyd first founde Geometrye: And Phebus founde the craft of medicine, Al••umasar founde astronomy, And Mynerua gan chares first to gye. Iason first sayled, in story it is tolde, Toward Colchos to winne the flece of gold.

Ceres the goddesse founde first tylth of londe, D••onysius triumphes transitory: And Bellona by force first out fonde, Conquest by knighthode, & in the field victory And Martis sonne as put is in memory, Called Etholus founde speres sharpe & kene, To runne in warre in plates bryght & shene.

Eke Aristeus founde out the vsage Of mylke and cruddes, and of hony sote, Piroydes for great aduauntage Fro flyntes smote fyre daryng in the rote. And Pallas whiche y^t may to colde do bote Founde out weauyng this is very sothe, Through yet prudence of all maner clothe.

And fido founde first out the science Of measures and of proporcions, And for marchauntes did his diligence To finde balaunces by iust diuisions, To auoyde all fraude in cities and in townes, On nouther party, playnly to compyle, Of true weyght that there were no gyle.

Compare in order clerely all these thinges, Founde of olde tyme by diligent trauayle, To the pleasaunce of prynces and kynges, To shewe how much cunnyng may auayle: And wey again warde y^e froward aquitayle, Contrariously how Sardanapall, Founde ydlenes mother of vyces all.

Let princes all hereof take hede, What auayleth vertuous busines: And what damage the reuerse dothe in dede▪ Vycious life, slouthe, and ydlenes. And these examples let them eke empresse Amyd their harte, and howe Sardanapall, Founde ydlenes, mother of vyces all.

¶ Lenuoy.

NOble prynces here ye may well se, As in a myrrour of full clere euidence, By many examples more than two or thre, What harme foloweth of slouth & negligence Depe imprintyng in your aduertence, How great hindring doth wilful frowardnes To your estate through vycyous ydlenes.

Whan reason fayleth, and sensualitye Holdeth the brydle of lecherous insolence, And sobernes hath lost his libertie, And to false lust is done the reuerence: And vyce of vertue hath an apparence, Misleadeth prynces of wilfull retchlesnes, To great errour of froward ydlenes.

¶ The .xvi. Chapter.

¶ How Amazias in Iuda king, for pride and presumption was vainquished in battaile, and after slayne.

IN his study as Bochas sate musyng, With many an vncouth solemne fantasy, To him appeared many a mighty kyng,

And tofore all came worthy Amazie: His sonne also that called was Ozie, Of Dauids bloud discended as I rede, Eche after other in Juda to succede.

First Amazias complayned on fortune Causing his grcuous great aduersities, The traytoresse called in commune, These kinges twayne castyng frō their sees: Whose ouerturnyng from their dignities, Vnware fallyng, dreadfull and terrible, Ben ceriously remembred in the bible.

Their ende men may there reade and se, How fortune their fates did entrete: Wherfore to eschue and flye prolixitie Of tedious thing, in this processe to lete, And in substaunce to glea••e out the grete Of their fallyng, I purpose not to spare, Compendiously the causes to declare.

This Amazias hauyng gouernaunce By ••ust tytle of succession▪ The scepter of Iuda w^t all y^• whole puissaūce Full peasably helde in his possession: Tyll that pryde and false presumption, Most frowardly did his hart embrace, Whiche all at ones made him lose his grace.

In hart he had a maner vayne glory, Because that god made him to preuayle In his conquest, and to haue victory Amale••hites to vaynquyshe in battayle, Eke Gabanites as he them did assayle: Purposyng after if he might, With Israelites of pryde for to fight.

Vnto kyng Joas of Israell he sent Him cōmaundyng to obey his byddynge, And be like subiecte as were in their entent His predecessours in all maner thing, Whilom to Dauid the noble worthy kyng, This was his sonde to Joas plat & playne, Whiche by a problē thus wrote to him agayn.

THe vgly thistle of the vales lowe, Proudly presumyng aboue his degre, To make hys pryde openly be knowe, Sent hys message to the Cedre tre, That his sonne might wedded be To his daughter, althoughe in substaunce Atwene them two was a great dis••ordauu••e

But of the forest the beastes sauagyne In their courages had therof disdeyne, All of assent fyersely dyd enclyne, The thystle leaues abrode vpon the pleyne: That there was nether lease nor pricke seyne This was the problē which Joas by writing Sent in a pistle to Amazie the king.

BVt Josephus in his origynall, The sayd epistle as he doth expresse Sayth of the vale how the pouder small Of pryde sent to the hygh Cypresse, That his daughter of excellent fayrenes, Vnto his sonne playnely to discryue, Myght be deliuered and haue her to wyue.

But a fel beast which beside stode, Of cruell yre and indignacion, With fete disdaynyng y^e pouder cast abrode, Hygh in the apre about him enuyron: The whyche ensample conceyued of reason Who that attempteth to clymbe hygh aloft, With unware chaunge his fall is full vnsoft.

Atwene the Cedre of trees so royal, And a sharpe thystle is no conuenience: Nor twene a cypresse estately founde at all, And lothsome pouder is a great difference. For royall bloud should haue no assistence To be ioyned nor ••••yt in mariage, With such as bē brought forth of low parage

The Cedre is stronge & mighty of substaūce, In his vpgrowynge ryght as any lyne: And tho the thystle haue spottes of pleasaūce, He hath eke pryckes small as any spyne. And bothe natures playnly to termine, The Cedre of kynde who loketh well about, To no thystle should his braunches loute.

••olesome of odoure is the faire Cypresse, As bokes tell and vertuous of kynde: Dust and pouder playnly to expresse, Troubleth the ayre and maketh folkes blynd For whiche in spousayle cōuenient to fynde, Let estates of their byrthe honourable, Voyde al rascaly and wedde their semblable

But Amazias woulde not beware For no warnyng nor for no prophecy, But styll in hart great hatred bare Agayne kyng Joas, of malyce and enuy. Into a felde brought all his chyualry,

Gadred them out bothe nere and farre, Ayenst gods will on him to gyn a warre.

And king Joas full like a worthy knyght, Into the felde fast gan him spede: And all the knyghtes of Juda anone ryght, With stroke of vengeaunce w^t a sodain drede, To bid them flye god wot it was no nede: And Amazias for all his great pryde, Stode destitute, and no man by his syde.

With him was none left of all his meynie, So god and Joas agaynst him wrought: Of Jerusalem entred the citye, And Amazie of force with him he brought. And in the temple the treasure out he sought, Golde and siluer and wholy their riches, And to Samaria home he gan him dresse.

And Amazias he let out of pryson After all this, and suffred him go fre, To his mischefe and his confusion, And he was deliuered from his captiuitie: For slayne he was in Lachis the citye, Among his frendes by dissimulation, His death conspyred vnder full false treason,

The .xvii. Chapter.

☞ How vpon Ozias succeadyng kyng nexte in Iuda god toke vengeaunce & smote him with leprie.

AFter in Juda the mighty region, Next Amazias Ozias gan succede, Wonder manlye and famous of renoun, In all his workes full prouident in dede: And of his knighthode vaiquished as I rede The Palestines, for all their great puissaūce, With all Ambie he brought vnto vttraunce.

Builded townes and many a strong citye, And vnto Egypt he his bondes set, Made castels besydes the redde see, And in his conquest whom that euer he met, Of manly pryde he woulde let: I meane all tho that were his aduersaries, To his lordshyp to make them tributaries.

He did his labour also to repare, Jerusalem after his ruyne, The walles reared which on y^• soyle lay bare Made newe towers ryght as any lyne, Fanes of golde their turretes to enlumine, And to force them, let workmen vndertake, Square bastiles and bulwarkes to make.

He delited to make freshe gardeynes, Diuers grayne and herbes for to knowe: Reioysed to plante sundrye vynes, To graffe trees and sedes for to sowe. And straunge fruits maketh thē grow arow And w^t him had his enemyes to encumber, Thre hundred thousand manly men in nūber.

His noble fame gan to sprede wyde, And greatly dreade for his prowes: Wherthrough his hart corrupted with pride, Because onely of his great riches, And frowardly he did his busines For to maligne in estate royall, Agaynst the lorde whiche is immortall.

To god aboue he gan waxe obstynate, That by processe full small he did winne: And sauour caught in his royall estate, To folow his father in vnthrifty synne, That grace & vertue from him did twynne, In most shinyng of his magnificence, Fortune proudly assayled his excellence.

Cast she would within a little while, His surquedy and frowarde pride assayle: And full vnwarely deceyue him and begyle, To make his power to appall and fayle: Whan that this kyng toke on the apparayle Of a bishop of very frowardnes, And to the temple proudly gan him dresse,

Beyng in purpose on a solemne day, To take his waye vp to the hye alter, Falsly vsurpyng whosoeuer sayde nay, To sacrifyce holdyng the censere, Tofore the alter that shone of golde so clere, For whiche offence (the bible sayth the same) Azarias the bishop did him blame.

Gan withstand him in the face anone, Fourscore priestes beyng in presence Of the kynred discended of Aaron, Whiche forbade him and made resistence, That with his hande he should put incence Vpon the aulter against gods lawe, Him chargyng boldly his presence to w^tdraw

But of despite he made them hold their pees, In payne of death began them manace: And sodaynly among all the prees,

An earthquaue fill in the same place, And therwithall in the kinges face, Of the sunne there smote a beame so bryght, That all his face was scorched w^t the light.

He wared a leper foule and right horible, For his offence as god list ordayne: To euery man of loke he was terrible, And but fewe his mischiefe gan complaine. And a great hill y^e same hour carft on twayne Not farre aside from the towne without, Cities destroying that stode rounde about.

On kyng Ozie god toke this vengeaunce, For all his lordship and his magnificence, To punishe his pride and frowarde puissaūce And brought him lowe for his great offence, For his person was put out of presence, Perpetually as holy writ can tell, Farre from all people w^t lepers for to dwell.

His fleshe was troubled with diuers passiōs, For his sickenes auoyded the citye, In crye and sorowe and lamentacions, His lise he lad in great aduersitie: And so he dyed in sorowe and pouertie. Simply buried for all his great myght, Within an ylande that stode farre out of sight

¶ The .xviii. Chapter.

¶ In exhortation to Prynces to be aduised to do agaynst Goddes preceptes.

LEt prynces all in their prouidence, Be right wel ware any thing to attame Whiche vnto God should be offence, Lest that the fyne conclude to their shame. Let them thinke for all their noble fame, But they repent god of his iustice, Their froward pryde vnwarely will chastice

Let them beware of malyce to presume Againe his churche to do o••••encion, For god of right all tyrantes will consume, In full short tyme for their presumption: Whiche will not suffer theyr dominacion To enterrupt for all their great myght, Nor breke the fraūches of holy churche ryght.

To prudent prynces whiche can discerne, Let kyng Ozias considryng his offence, Be in your mynde a myrrour and lanterne, To holy churche to do due reuerence, And conce••ue in their magnificence, God will of ryght be they neuer so s••••••ng, Chastyce theyr malyce though he ••yde long.

¶ The .xix. Chapter.

How kyng Oseas was taken by kyng Salmanazer and dyed in pryson.

THere was another that called was Osce, Which whilom raygned as I affirme dare In Israell, whom fortune by enuy, Made him be take or he was ware, Besyeged about of kyng Salmanas are: And into Assirie vnder his daunger, The bible telleth he was a prysoner.

His cityes and townes brought to destruction And all his people vnder longe seruage, Were take and kept in stronge Babilon, Suffred there great payne and domage: And in pryson by furious outrage This sayd Oseas in chaynes bounde sore, For sorowe dyed of hym write I no more.

The .xx. Chapter.

¶ Howe Senacheryb kynge of Assirie slewe him selfe.

WIth these forsayde wofull kynges three, Senacheryb of Assirye kyng, Came to Bochas most vglye to se, Full piteously his fate complaynyng: And specially hys vnware chaungyng He gan bewayle oppressed in his thought, From hye nobles how he came to nought.

His renowne sprade through many a reme, And all people gan hym magnifye: A siege he layed vnto Jerusalem, In the tyme of kyng Sedechye. But in hys most frowarde surquedy, Gods aungell tofore the citye, An hundred .M. slough of his meyny.

And the more to make hym aferde, Amyd of hys people the selfe same nyght Gods aungell shoue away his berde With a sharpe sworde that shone full bryght: Left hys siege and toke hym vnto flyght, And in a temple hys gods worshyppynge, Slough him selfe as he sate knelyng.

¶ The .xxi. Chapter.

¶ How king Sedechy as for false for swea∣ryng was slayne, and made blinde in pryson.

TOuching y^• cōplaynt of kyng Sedechy And of his sorowes to shew y^• manere, Holy write doth clerely specify: Wherfore it were but vayne to tell them here, For there men the processe may playnly lere, How Joachim kyng of Jerusalem, His owne brother was led out of his reame.

Wherof in hart he felt full great sore This Sedechias as it is there founde, Because the kyng Nabugodonosor His brother helde strong in pryson bounde, Fully in purpose the Jewes to confounde: For this tyrant had in that mortall strife, His bothers children in pryson and his wyfe.

And yet this tyrant in his tyranny, This fauour did in his fell rage Vnto this most wofull Sedechy, To suffer him rayne in his great age: From yere to yere to pay him a truage By fayth and othe▪ and composition, Raysed of his people and brought to Babilon

Yet Sedechias in especiall By a maner of false felicitie, Hym selfe reioysed in his see royall To occupy that noble dignitie: And so forgate the great aduersitie Of his brother, and other frendes all, Touching the mischefe that they were in fall.

Of pryde he fell into presumption, Whan he remēbred his brother & his lynage, Considered how fro kyng Salomon He was discended by title of heritage, Gan disdayne to pay his truage, And to maligne in hart he was so wrothe, And falsly brake his assuraunce and his othe.

He had a maner indignacion, Whiche he caught of olde remembraunce How tyme passed to kyng Salomon By hys manly prudent gouernaunce, Kinges about for a recognisaunce Payed trybute, and durst it not wythsay, Fro yere to yere his nobles to obay.

Whiche thing remembred of kyng Sedechi••, As he wext great & stronge in puissaunce, Of hye disdayne his tribute gan denye, Set aside his fayth and assuraunce, So that his othe stode in no substaunce: For he agaynst the kyng of Babilon, Presumptuously fyll in rebellion.

And his kyngdome to strength and fortify, Thought he woulde to his aduauntage The kyng of Egypt haue on his party: Of pryde he fell into so great outrage That he no more woulde pay his truage, But fynally suche wayes he hath sought, That of his othe little he ne rought.

But wo alas it is a dolefull thing To be remembred in hye or lowe degre, That any prynce or any worthy kyng Should false his othe or vntrue be, Or that men should suche variaunce se In their courages whiche ben so hye borne, For any cause falsly to be forsworne.

By reporte it dothe their fame trouble, Infortuneth and clipseth their nobles, Whan a prince is of his heste double, And chargeth not of wilfull rechlesnes, Al be his promisse conclude on doublenes, Though god awhile suffer them and respite. At vnset houre their falsenes he will quyte.

His warnyng oft he sent to them afore Because they lackt prudent policy, Recorde I take of Nabugodonosor, Whiche came vnware on kyng Sedechye, For he his tribute gan falsely him denye: With all his power as it did abrayed, To Jerusalem a mighty siege layed.

They within constrayned were of nede The kyng him self, there was no better defēce With mans fleshe his people for to fede, While the Caldeys by mighty vyolence Of very force without resistence, On false forswearyng for to take wreke, Their mighty towers & their walles breke.

To slea and kyll they list none to spare, Who soeuer they met or came in their ••ight: Sedechias left the towne all bare, But take he was as he him toke to flyght, In chaynes bounde and fettred anone ryght, In whose presēce tencrease his paines anone

His yonge children were slayne euerichone.

His wyues most wofull in their cheres, Whiche in their tyme goodly were and fayre, Deliuered were in handes of straungeres, And more, alas, to put him in dispayre, Into his kyngdome neuer to haue repayre, With sharpe tonges it was to great a payne Out of his head was rent his eyen twayne.

Of Jerusalem his citye was brent, Playne to the grounde into ashes dede. His great riches his treasour wholy sent To Babilon, with stones blewe and rede, Vessels of golde whiche richest were in dede, Without mercy or remission, Caldeis toke to their possession.

And thus in sorowe and in wretchednes He dyed alas fettred in pryson, Lo here the ende of periury and falsenes, Lo how fortune can turne vp so doun Of mortall men the condicion: Now richest shynyng in hye prosperitie, With vnware chaūge to hatefull pouertie.

Now men lift vp to royall dignities, Now hye aloft by fulsum aboundaunce, But what auayleth to syt in royall sees, To folke that haue therin none assuraunce▪ Namely whan fortune holdeth the balaunce, Whiche aye of custome vnto hye estates, Hath a false ioy to shewe her checkmates.

Recorde I take of prynces more then one, Their wofull fates hangyng in ieopardy, Remembred late, and amonge eche one The wofull fall of kyng Amazie: His sonne eke lepre whiche called was Ozie, And last of all how in Babylon, Kyng Sedechias dyed in pryson.

¶ Lenuoy.

NOble prynces consider the fallas Of fortunes frowarde flattery, Sith her disceits in many diuers caas How she first mocked manly Amazy, Whiche slayne was for his surquedy, To yeue you warning by exāple ye may rede Whā ye sit hyghest your fall is most to drede.

And as it is remembred in Bochas, Eke in the Bible, of king Ozie, In his time how famous that he was Bothe of ryches and of chyualry, Punished with lepre bokes specify, For his presuming, remēbryng this in dede Whan ye syt highest your fall is most to drede

All worldly glory flyeth ••ence a pas I take wytnes of kyng Sedechye, For false forsweryng he slayne was, alas, Made blynde in pryson the story can not lye: Thus sheweth fortune through her frowarde enuy To you prynces if ye list take hede, Whā ye sit hyest your fal is most to drede.

¶ The .xxii. Chapter.

☞ How kyng Astiages laboured to disherite Cyrus, but god suffred his malice not to preuayle.

AFter these kinges one folowed in y^• prees And to Bochas his cōplat••t can discure, He was called the great Astiages, Whiche tolde in order his vncouth auenture: Lorde of Asye, as bokes vs assure, And had of treasure duryng all his life, Aboue all kynges a prerogatyfe.

Most fortunate in all his gouernayle, Felt of fortune none aduersitie, Saue an heyre male nothing did him fayle: For he most gloriously sate in his se, Of worldly wealth he lacked no plente, Except onely as clarkes on him wryte, He had no sonne his kyngdome to enherite.

Whiche to his wealthe was great distres, Least succession fayled in his lyne: A daughter had he called Mundanes, Out of whose wombe as bokes determyne, He dreampt on a nyght howe he sawe a vyne, In his auysyon with him so it stode, Ouer all Asye his braunches spred abrode.

He had also a reuelation Slepyng a nyght after his soupere, Though he not knewe the exposicion, He thought he sawe a cristallyn ryuere, With lustye waters as any Beryll clere, Out of her wombe with his stremes fresh, The soyle of Asye make tender and neshe.

Touchyng this riuer and this lusty vyne, To hym shewed in his auysion, Within him selfe he coulde not termyne

Therof to finde no clere cōclusion: Without some maner exposicion, To him declared by folkes in sentence, Whiche of suche dreames had experience.

To him he called his astronomers, His phylosophers, and his deuynours, That knew the meanyng of the nine spheres, Images of stars, their houses & their towers And such as were expert expositours: And they were assembled euerychone, Touching his dreme they corded all in one.

To tell him trouth they were not retchles, Said his daughter frō whō there came a vine She that by name was called Mundanes, Should haue discendyng from her lyne, Whose noble fame through Asia should shine: Whiche should put through his renoun, Him by force of armes out of his region.

This was his fate he might it not refuse, The heauenly cours but it did fayle: Wherupon he sore gan to muse, Suche fantasies did his hart assayle. Fill in great doubt of their diuy••ayle, Thought he woulde make purueyaunce, For to withstande gods ordinaunce.

Full harde it is to make resistence Again thīg ordeined whē god will that it be, And namely there where as influence, Of heauen aboue hath shape a destiny. Some men record that no man may it fle, The dome of this where it holde or flyt, To astronomers all wholy I commit.

This sayde kynge of whom I spake but late, Cast he woulde for his aduauntage The ordinaunce reuerse, and the fate, Of the heauen with all the surplusage: And yeue his daughter as in mariage, To sum vnworthy pore infortunate, That neuer were likely to rise to hie estate.

And in this wise kyng Astyages Maried his daughter as in his entent, To one vnworthy called Cambyses: Demyng therby by short auisement, Within him selfe that he was ryght prudent: Wening y^• nobles came by discent of bloude, And not by grace, nor as the heauen stode.

In his reason was not comprehended, How Socrates master of Platon, Of full low bed by birthe was discended, And not to enherite kingdome nor regyon: But for to haue fully possession Of morall vertue and philosophy, Duryng his life his witte he did apply.

He sought countreys for wisdome and science And secrete cūnyng to serche he did his payne: And he founde out through his diligence, This philosopher as bokes assertayne, To ioye reserued outher to payne, By grace of god whiche is eternal, How mens soules be founde aye immortall.

The great Appollo in bokes it is founde, Gaue iudgement of equitie and ryght That Socrates in vertue most habounde, And most preferred in euery mans sight, Was called of wisdome the lanterne and light And wisest named at euen and at prime, Of philosophers that were in his tyme.

The poete also called Euripedes, Most honourable named in that age, All be his mother of lyfe was retchles, And contagious through vycious outrage, Yet was this poete for all his vyle lynage, Most vertuous founde at all assayes, Of all poetes that were in his dayes.

Called in his tyme a great tragician, Bicause he wrote many tragedyes: And woulde of trouth spare no maner man, But them rebuke in his poetries. Touching the vices of fleshly fantasies, Cōplayn in princes theyr dedes most horrible A••d eche thyng punyshe that was odible.

Another called clarke Domosthenes, The most subtyll rethorician, And most inuentyfe among all the prees, That euer was sythe the worlde began: Al be of byrth he was a pore man, Yet had he most souerayne excellence, Among philosophers of speach and eloquence

By whiche example me semeth doubtles, That royall bloude nor hye lynage To mens byrthe yeueth but small encres, Nor vnto vertue but little auauntage: For hye nobles taketh not his courage Of riche, nor pore, nor states souerayne, But of his grace as god list ordayne.

Wherefore of foly kynge Astiages Contrariously agayne al gentry, Bad that his doughter called Mundanes, Fyrst whan folke wyth chylde her dyd espy, For to accomplyshe his froward fantasy, Whan it was borne charging aboue althing, Of Ar••••anie to beare it to the ky••••e

Whych in that tyme was called Harpagus, And as I fynd he dyd in vertue floure: And spyte had, the story telleth thus, That beastes shoulde the litel childe deuou••: But god that may in mischefe best socoure, To kepe the chyld was not recheles, Agaynst the malice of kynge Astyages,

Which had commaūded of malice & hatred, Howe that this chylde grene & tendre of age, By Harpagus shoulde be cast in dede, To be deuoured of beastes most sauage: But for he drede to do so great outrage, To his shepeherde, himselfe to stand at large, The chylde to slee he fully yaue the charge.

This heerdman al be that he was loth To execute this woful auenture, In to a forest forth wyth the chylde he goeth, And gaue to beastes that litle creature: Whom to foster by grace agaynst nature, A wylde bytche her whelpes there forsoke, And to her pappes the litel childe she toke.

And w^t her mylke she made hym sup and dine, And busy was for hym to enchace Wyld foules, and beastes sauagyne, That none ne durst nyghe to that place: Lo, how that god dispose can his grace, Innocentes fro mischefe to preserue, Agayne false enuy whych would make them sterue.

O blode vnkynde founde in kynred, For couetise O blode disnatural, Of false malyce O blode ful of hatred, To murdre a chyld borne of the stocke royal: Where mannes reason is turned beastiall, Falsy transfourmed vnto cruelte, To slee a chylde, where beastes haue pyte.

The sely herde hath tolde his wyfe the case, And she anone of pitye dyd aryse: With her husbande went a ful great pase, In to the forest, beholdyng al the gyse, As here to fore ye haue herde deuyse. Seyng the chylde with lippes tendre & softe, The bytches pappes how he sokte ful ofte.

The sayd heerde called Sparagos, His wyfe also of whom tofore I tolde, This yong childe toke in their depose: And in her armes ••he softly gan it folde, And he ful goodly her face gan beholde. And on his maner the same whyle, In chyldly wyse on her gan to smyte.

The childes laughter whan she dyd aduert, With al her hole faythful diligence She gan to cherishe it, & wyth al her herte She yaue it soke with ful great reuerence, All be the bytche made resistence, Complayninge stode fully at a bay, The lytel chylde whan she sawe led away.

Ful pitiously she gan to houle and crye, At their departynge, dolefully complayne: And after them ful fast gan to hye, The childe to let she felt so great a payne. Lo, howe that god of mercy can ordayne, A cruel beast such sorowe for to make, And so to mourne for a chyldes sake.

But euery thyng y^• god wyll haue preserued, May not fayle to stand in si••ernesse, His secrete domes ben to hym selfe reserued There can no man expowne thē as I gesse: For he shope fyrst that this sheperdesse Of Sparagos the true pore wyfe, For to be meane to saue the childes lyfe.

Home to her house the childe she led anone, And it to fostre dyd her busines: Of other salary god wote knewe she none, Saue that her hert thereto dyd her dresse. And more entierly y^e story beareth wytnesse She tendred h••m, & wyth more busy cure, Than him y^• was her chylde borne of nature.

And as the story plainly doth expresse, This yonge chylde as he wext in age, Fro day to day encreased in noblesse, Lyke for to be ryght manly of corage: Cyrus he was called in that langage, To say in latyn playnly in substa••••c••, A man yborne to great enheritaunce.

And whan the renowne of his excellence, By longe processe & of hys great encres, Came by reporte vnto the audience Of his ayel the great ••stiages,

And how the kyng was found rechles Called Harpagus, for to do vengeaunce On yong Cirus, he fyll in displesaunce.

This is to meane Astiages was wroth That Harpagus was founde merciable Cyrus to saue, and for that he was lothe Agaynst all ryght for to be vengeable: To slee a chylde a thyng not commendable, Demyng of trouth in his conscience, God was not payed to murdre innocence.

Astiages cast hym to be wreke On Harpagus by false collusion, Because that his bidding he did breke, And was contrary to his entencion Cyrus to slee agayne all reason: And for that cause Astiages I rede, Of Harpagus let sley the chylde in dede.

This is to say by false compassyng, And couert murder wrought by Astiages, The sonne was slayne of Harpagus the king And after rosted, alas, ful causeles, And syth presented amonge all the prees Tofore his father, a thynge most lamētable, With Astiages as he sate at the table.

But whan this kyng called Harpagus, Conceyued hath this murdre most terrible, And howe his sonne & heire was slaine thus, In his ire most furious and odible In al the hast that it was possible He is repayred home to his housholde, And al the case to Cyrus he hath tolde.

And how his sonne was slayne for his sake, In the most hateful odious cruelte. Exciting him with him to vndertake On this false murdre auenged for to be, To him declaringe of trouth & equite, Howe he was borne by discent in dede, As ryght heire to reigne in Perce & Mede.

To him declaryng the story by and by First of the dreme of Astiages, And howe that he by fraude ful falsly Made his doughter called Mundanes, Porely to be wedded vnto Cambises, Which was his mother, & how in tedre age He was out cast to beastes ful fauage▪

By a shepherde and sheperdesse Fostred he was in great pouerte, And brought from beastes out of wyldernes, Bycause god woulde he saued should be: For thilke lorde which euery thynge may se, Whan that he hath a thyng afore disposed Nedes it must fal & may not be deposed.

This said Cirus at his natiuite, Ordeyned was by reuolucion Of the heuenly spheres in numbre thrise thre, So stode that tyme his constellacion, That he shoulde haue the dominacion, Ouer al Asye by influence deuyne, Afore fygured by spredyng of the vyne.

What may y^• fraude of sleyghty folke auayle, Innocentes to put out of their ryght? Though trouth be hyd amonges the poraile Harde brought forth & dare nor shewe lyghte, Yet god wyl ordayne that the beames bryght Shal some one day shewe out his clerenes, Maugre al tho that wold his title oppresse.

For this Cirus as clerkes of him write, Was by the tytle of his mothers syde, Borne to be kyng al Asye to enherite, Al be his ayel from him woulde it deuide: But god that can for trouth best prouide, Hath for Cirus by processe so ordayned, That he of Asye the lordship hath attained.

Cirus y^• time was growen vp wel of length, Wel proporcioned of membres & stature, Wonder deliuer & passynge of great strength, Straunge emprises proudly to endure, And to ieoparte and put in auenture His owne person, the fame was of hym so, Was none more lykely where men had ado.

And by the counsayle of kyng Harpagus, Whan this Cirus was wel woxe in age, With Perciens proude and surquedous, And Archanites cruel of corage, For to recure his ryghtful heritage, Began w^t Cyrus armed wyth plate & mayle Wyth Astiages to holde batayle.

And he agaynewarde gan to take hede, And with him toke many a worthy knyght, With al the puissaunce of the land of Mede, Hath take the felde the same day forth righte, To disherite Cyrus of his ryght: But god & trouth was atwene thē twayne Egal iuge, their quarel to darayne.

The felde ordayned & splaied their baneres, On eyther party ful proudly on they set: At thassemblyng lyke lyons of their cheres, In the face as they freshly met With round speares sharpe groūde & whet Tyl y^• Cirus of grace more than nombre. Of his ayel the party dyd encombre.

This mighty Cirus this yonge champion, Throughout y^• felde gan such slaughter make With his knightes as he went vp & downe, That as the deth, his fomen hym forsake: Astiages vnder his baner take, The felde vēquished for al his veynglorye, To shewe that right hath alway the victory.

A man of malice may a thyng purpose By a maner frowarde prouidence, But god aboue can graciously dispose Agayne such malice, to make resistence. Men for a while may suffer violence, And wronges great, where so y^t they wende, But trouth alway venquisheth at the ende.

Astiages foūde ful soth his dreame, Though he agayne it made purueyaunce, To haue depriued Cirus of his reame, He was disceyued of his ordinaunce: For where that god through his puisaunce Lyst for heires iustly to prouyde, Sleyght of man in such case is set aside.

Maugre the myght of Astiages, Cyrus on hym made a discomfiture, And al Asye reioysed eke in pees, Of very right as was his aduenture: And by iust title he dyd also recure The land of Mede, lyke as was his fate, And in to Perce he dyd it hole translate.

Agayne his ayel he was not vengeable, Which had wrought to his distruction: But was to him benygne and merciable, And graunted hym of hole affection The fourth part of the region Of Archany, of whych afore I tolde, Hym to sustayne in his dayes olde.

For kyng Cyrus would not in his lyue Suffre his ayel, of very gentylnes, That men should him finally depriue Of kingly honour, for none vnkindnes: To yeue ensample to princes in sothnes, Though god in erth haue yeuen thē myght, They shoulde aye mercy medle w^t the righte.

¶ Lenuoye.

NOble princes your eares do encline And considre in your discrecions, Howe dreames shewed by influence deuyne, Be not lyke sweuenes, but lyke auysions, Or resemble to reuelacions: Which though mē wold disturbe & make faile God wyl not suffer their malice to preuayle,

Astiages dempt he sawe a vyne Shewed of trouth and none illusions, From his doughters wombe ryght as lyne Spred in Asye ouer the regions, But to dish exite by false collusyons Yong Cirus the kynge dyd his trauaile, But god not suffred his malice to preuayle.

Princes remembre that in honour shine Vpon this story in your entencions, And be well willed where god lyst forther a line Outher to riches or dominacions: To fauer them to their promocions, Be not contrary in your acquitaile Syth god wyll suffre no malice to preuaile.

The .xxiii. Chapter.

¶ Howe Candalus kynge of Lyde was made cokolde and after slayne.

WHile Jhon Bochas cast hys loke a∣side, In hys study as he sate writinge, To hys presence came the kynge of Lyde Called Candalus, ful pitiously playninge: With slate teares ful lowly besechinge, That he woulde to swage his greuaunce, His deedly sorowe put in remembraunce.

Hys complaint was most of vnkyndnes, For false deceite against al skil & right, That where his trust was most of gētilnes He mocked was, for al his great might: For of his house there was a certaine knight Gyges called, thinge shameful to be tolde, To speke plaine englishe, made him cokolde.

Alas I was not auised wel beforne,

Vnkonnyngly to speake such langage, I should haue sayde how y^• he had a•• horne, Or sought some terme wyth a fayre vysage, To excuse my rudenesse of thys gret outrage: And in some land Cornodo men do thē cal, And some affirme y^• such folke haue no gal.

Thus was y^• case, whan phebus shone shene The somer season in hys assencion, Whan sote braūches were clad in new grene, Heate importable had dominacion: Whan that the quene for recreacion Vnprouided that no man dyd her kepe, Vpon her bed lay naked for to slepe.

And as clerkes of her beauty wryte, There was on lyue no fayrer creature, Nor more excellyng lyke as they endite, Of semelynes her story doth assure, Called for beauty cosyn to nature: And worthy eke, if I shal not fayne, To be compared to Grisilde or Elayne.

Kynde in her forge lyst nothyng to erre, Whan she her wrought by greate auysenesse, To make of beauty the very lode sterre, And yeue her beauty, fauour & semelinesse: But for nature had so great businesse, To fourme a woman y^t was so fresh of hue, She had forget for to make her true.

Her eyen were very celestial, Her heer vntressed like phebus in hys sphere, A thyng resemblynge that were immortal, So augelyke she was of loke and chere, An examplary of porte, & maner, There was no lacke saue nature through her slouth, Had left behynde to yeue her fayth & trouth.

And on a daye as she lay sleping Naked on bed most goodly to syght, Ful vnwarely came Candalus the kyng In to the cambre, wher Titan shone bryght, And shewed her beauty to hys owne knyght: Of entent he should beare wytnes, Howe she excelled al other in fayrenes.

And whan Giges gan in ordre se Of this quene the great excellence, He was enamoured vpon her beaute: Al the whyle he stode there in presence, Gan ymagyn a treason in sylence, To slee his lorde wythout longe tariyng, Wyn the quene, and after reigne as kyng.

Thys was the ende doleful and pytous, To be remembred hateful and terrible, Of this noble worthy Candalus, For of his trust to much he was credible Vnto Gyges, that traitour was odible, And yet more folysh wherby he lost his lyfe, Outwarde to shewe the beauty of hys wyfe.

Though she were faire & goodly on to se There was no trust nor no syckernes, For other had as good parte as he, Gyges coude beare therof wytnes: Alas a quene or any great princesse Assent should her fame for to trouble, But if nature excuse them to be double.

The .xxiii. Chapiter.

How what thyng kynge Mydas tou∣ched was golde, yet died he in mysery and wret∣chednesse.

BVt whosoeuer was therwith loth or fayne, Giges was after crouned kīg of Lide Whan that hys Lorde was by trea∣son slayne Of him, the surplus Bochas set a syde: And in hys study as he dyd abyde, There came of Frigie Mydas the rich kyng, Tolde myne auctour his complaynt weping.

For there was neuer by cōquest nor laboure No kyng afore that had more rychesse, Nor more plenty of golde nor of treasour: At whose byrth poetes thus expresse, About his cradel amptes gan hem dresse While he slept, and gan about hym layne, A ful great numbre of pured whete grayne.

Wherupon most expert diuinours As they toke hede in their attendaunce, Such as were best expositours Sayd it was a token of haboundaunce, To haue of ryches al maner suffisaunce: And concludyng playnly gan to tell, Howe he al other in treasour should excel.

Poetes of him wrote that were full olde, Bachus gaue hym, the mighty god of wyne, What he touched shal tourne in to golde As good as that which came out of the myne, At al assayes to be as pure and fyne:

This request, as writeth Ouidius, Was vnto Midas graunted of Bachus.

He thought golde might him most auaile, What he handled was golde wyth touchyng: But whan hunger his stomake gan assayle, His bread, his mete, was golde in shewyng, And whan he gan to fayle of his fedynge, And founde of golde no recure to escape, Besought Bachus some remedy to shape.

Bachus bad him go bathe in a riuere, To wash away the colour aureate, Wher yet is shewed the goldy grauel clere. Whych example declareth to eche estate That golde alone maketh men not fortunate, For what may golde or treasour ther auayle, Where men in hungre finde no vytaile?

Or what is worth golde, perle or stones red, bred Grene Emeraudes, or sapirs Inde, Whan men enfamyned haue no greyne, nor Nor in such mischefe vitayle may none finde, For to foster their nature & their kinde? A barly lofe in such a distresse More myght auayle, than al worldly riches.

This knewe Mydas & was experte in dede, Though he of gold had so great plentie That with metal he might him self not fede: Which caused him of necessitie To considre and clerely for to se, That bread more vaileth for fostrīg of nature, Than al riches that men may here recure.

For which this king gan hate al richesse, Golde and treasour he had eke in disdayne: Left his crowne and his royal noblesse, And chase to kepe shepe vpon a playne: All worldly worship was to him but vayne Of melancoly, and froward pouertie Ended his life in great aduersitye.

For of ire and impacience, Fynally thus with hym it stode, Furiously in his great indigence, As writeth Bochas howe he dranke the blode Of a bul sauagine and wode, With loue enchaufed: made no delaies Most be stially ended thus his dayes.

¶ The .xxv. Chapter.

¶ Of Balthasar Kynge of Babylone, and howe Daniell expowned Mane Techell Pha∣res.

NExt to Bocas or that he was ware, As he sate wrytyng wyth full great laboure, Of Babilon cam great Balthasar, To declare his sorowe and his langour, Whych had misused ful falsly the tresour And the vessels brought from Jerusalem, Into Babilone, chefe citye of his reme.

For at a souper with his lordes al, Whan of the vessels he dranke mighty wines, And solemply sate in his roial stal, And rounde aboute al his concubines, Phylosophers, magiciens, and diuynes, There came an hand, the byble doth assure, And on the wall gan wryte this scripture.

Mane, techel, phares, wrytten in hys sight, Though he the mening cōceiued neuer a dele: Which on the wal shewed fayre & bryght, For whose sentence auailed none appele: But the prophet holy Daniel Fully expowned to Balthasar the kynge, The mistery of this derke writyng.

This worde Mane playnly & not to tary In latyn tonge betokeneth in sustance, The dayes counted & rekened, the numbrarye Of thy reigning & of thy great substance. And Techell sowneth a wayenge in balaūce, In token thy power & kyngdome by me••ure, God hath paysed, they shal no whyle endure.

Phares also betokeneth a breakyng, In romaine tong, in to peces smale: For thy power and frowarde rebellynge, Shal from the hie be brought in to the vale. This is holy writ and no fained tale, For whan princes wil not their life redresse, God wyl vnwarely their surquedy represse.

Thou wert by tokens warned longe afore, By many examples, the story ye maye rede, By the fallyng of Nabugodonosore, And thou thereof toke ful litel hede The lord to thank, & haue his name in drede: For whych thou shalt within a litel throwe, Lose scepter & crowne & be brought ful lowe.

Let princes al thys story haue in mynde, And for them selfe notably prouyde, And namely tho that ben to god vnkynde, Their concubynes for to set a syde: And make vertue for to be theyr gyde. Voyde lechery and false presumpcion, Which hath brought so many to distruction,

Nabugodonosor had repentaunce, And was restored to his possessions, But god of ryght toke sodaynly vengeaunce. On Balthasar, for his trausgressions: Wherefore ye princes dispose your reasons After your merites, to haue god merciable, For your demerites do fynde hym vēgeable.

Agaynst holy churche take no quarels, But aduertise in your inward syght: For Balthasar that dranke of tho vessels, Stale fro the temple of very force & myght, He lost lorshyp and lyfe vpon a night, So that the kyngdome of Assirieus Translated was to Medes & Perciēs.

The .xxvi. Chapter.

¶ Home Cresus and Balthasar were van∣quyshed by Cyrus, and the sonne of Cresus slayne at the hun∣tynge of a bore.

NExt to Ihon Bocas within a throw, Wrytyng of princes many a pitous fate, He sawe king Cresus with other on the row, Lowly besechyng his fallyng to translate: And howe fortune agayne hym gan debate, And of his mischefe doleful for to rede, For to discriue, anone he gan procede.

For as it is remembred in writyng, As god and kynde lyst for hym ordayne, Of Lide he was gouernour and kynge, And lordshyp had (the storye can not fayne) Of many kingdoms more than one or twain: Fame in that tyme so dyd hym magnify, That he was called floure of al chiualry.

And he was also in hys tyme founde The most expert in werre & in batayle, And of richesse was the most habounde And most excellynge in conquest to preuayle: Plenty of people, wyth royal apparayle, And with al this to his great auauntage, Numbre of childre tenblysse hys lynage.

In the most highest of his royal see, And at was well & nothyng stode amis, Yet to amenuse his felicite, A dreme he had, and truely that was thys: How that his sonne which called was Athis Was take from hym, & by mortal outrage Slayne sodenlye in his tendre age.

This woful dreme dyd him great distres, And put his hert in great dispayre, Standyng in feare & great heauines, Bycause hys chylde, rendre, yonge, & fayre Which that was borne for to be hys heyre Shoulde causelesse in suche myschefe die, So as his dreame afore dyd specifye.

Of this processe to declare more How Cresus dreme fulfylled was in dede, From Olimpus there came a wylde bore, Most furious and sauagine of drede, Wyth fomy tuskes which fast gan him spede, Downe discendyng & no where lyst abyde, Tyl that he came in to the laude of Lyde.

And gan distroy their frutes & their vines, Where euer he came in any maner place, Brake the nettes & the stronge lynes Of the hunters that dyd at hym enchace: But vnder supporte of the kynges grace Hys sonne of whom I spake tofore, Gate him licence to hunt at this bore.

Hys father Cresus demynge of this ease, There was no cause of drede in no maner, Though hys sonne were present at the chase With other hunters suche game for to lere, But aye fortune wyth her double there, Is redy euer by some fatall trayne, At such disportes some mischefe to ordayne.

For one there was whych had gouernance Vpon this chylde to wayte and to se, Chasyng y^• bore to saue hym fro myschaūce From al domage and aduersite, With many lusty folke of that countre, With hornes, hoūdes, & sharpe speres groūde, Sekyng the bore tyl they had hym founde.

And as they gan fiersly the bore enchace, He that was charged to be the chyldes gyde As with his speare he gan the bore manace, The head not entred but forth gan to glyde,

And on the chylde whych that stode besyde The stroke a lyght, and or he dyd auerte The speres heade rofe hym through the hert.

But of this chylde whan y^• deth was couth, Tolde and reported holy the manere, How he was slayne in hys tendre youth, Borne to be heire vnto his father dere, Cresus for sorow chaunged loke & chere: And for constraint of dole in his vysage, He resembled a very deade ymage.

But euery sorowe by long continuaunce At the last it sumwhat must aswage, For ther is none so furious greuance Nor so mortal importable rage, But long processe yeueth him auantage: I meane thus, there is none so great a sorow, But it mought cese outher eue or morowe.

Philosophers concluden and discerne And by their reasons recorden by scripture, Thyng vyolent may not be eterne, Not in one poynt abydeth none auenture, Nor a sorowe may not alwaye endure: For stoūdemele through fortunes variaunce, There foloweth ioy after great greuaunce.

The sorow of Cresus tho it were intollerable And at his hert the greuaunce sate so sore, Syth that his dole was irrecuperable, And meane was none his harmes to restore, Bochas writeth of his wo nomore: But of his fal howe he fyll in dede, To tel the maner forth he doth procede.

And for a whyle he set his style asyde, And his processe in party he forbare, To speke of Cresus that was kyng of Lyde And gan resort to write of Balthasar: Agayne rehersynge or that he was ware, Howe myghty Cirus of woful auenture Made on hym proudly a discomfiture,

And as it is put in remembraunce Of Balthasar to holde vp the party, Cresus wyth hym had made an aliaunce, With al his puissaunce & al his chyualry: His lyfe, his treasoure, to put in ieoparty, Sworne in armes as brother vnto brother, By Cirus vēquyshed the one after the other

Both their mischefe no lenger was delayed, Al be that Cresus faught long in hys defence, He finally by Cyrus was outrayed, And depriued by knyghtly vyolence, Take in the felde there was no resistence, And rigorouslye to his confusion, With myghty fetters cast in darke prison.

And more to encrease his gret aduersite, A sonne of his tendre & yong of age, That was dumbe from his natiuite, And neuer spake word in no maner lāgage, Cyrus commaunding by furious outrage That Cresus shoulde by vengeable cruelte, By a knyght of Perce in prison headed be,

And with his sworde as he gan manace, Cresus to haue slayne wythout al reuerence, The dombe chylde there present in the place Which neuer had spoken, thus said in audiēce: Withdrawe thy stroke, & do no violence, Vnto my lorde thy fame so to confounde, To slee a kyng that lyeth in prison bound.

The knight astonied hath his stroke forborne Gretly abashed in that darke habitacle, Whych herde a chyld that neuer spake toforne Agaynst his swerde to make au obstacle, Ran and tolde this marueylous myracle To myghty Cirus, with euery circūstaūce, Hopyng therby to atempre his greuaūce.

But where as tyrauntes be set on cruelte, Their croked malice ful harde is to appese: So indurate is their iniquite That al in vengeaunce is set their hertes ese, Them selfe reioysinge to se folke in disease, Lyke as they were in their frowarde daūger, Clerely fraunchised fro god & his power.

Thys cruel Cirus most vengeable of desire, To execute his fel entent in dede, Let make in haste of fagottes a gret fyre, And gan thē kyndle wyth many coles rede, And made Cresus quakyng in his drede, For to be take where as he lay ful lowe, And bad men should in to the fyre him throw.

But Iupiter whych hath his vengeaūce seyn, Howe cruel Cirus with malice was attaynt, From heauen sent a tempest and a reine, That sodainely y^• horrible fire was quaynt: Woful Cresus w^t dredful fyre made faynt, Escaped is his furious mortall payne, God and fortune for hym lyst so ordayne.

This aduenture in maner marueylous, The hert of Cirus gan somwhat tenbrace, And caused hym for to be pitous Agayne Cresus, and granted him hys grate, To occupye whyle he hath lyfe and space, The land of Lyde, except only thys thynge He shoulde not after be called kyng.

And thus of Lyde the kynge dyd fyne, Which toke his beginyng of one Ardisius, And endured the space of kynges nyne, Loke who so wyl the bokes tel thus: Hereof no more but forth vnto Cirus, I wyl procede wyth al my busy cure, For to translate hys woful auenture.

The .xxvii. Chapter.

¶ How the cruell tyraunt Cirus delited euer in slaughter and shedynge of blode, and so ended.

HEyre by discent to great Astiages, Poorely brought forthe as is made mēcion, And had al Asie to his great encres, Holdyng that reigne by iust succession, In longe quyete wythout rebellion, Tyl tyme he thought in ful frowarde wyse, The world was smal to staunch his couetise.

He had an etyke most contagious, Fretyng vpon hym for desyre of good, A dropsy hateful and furious, Of froward rage that made his hert woode, A woluyshe thurst to shede mānes bloud, Which ouerth warted by false melancoly, Hys royal corage, in to tiranny.

But whan he presumptuously dyd entende To robbe & reue folke through his pyllage, God and fortune made hym to discende Ful sodaynly from hys royal stage, Demyng of pryde it was a great auauntage, To wyn landes of very force and myght, Tho in his cōquest were no tytle of ryght.

To wyll he yaue holy the soueraynte, And aduertised nothyng to reason: But preferred his sensualite To haue lordshyp and dominacion Aboue sad trouth and discrecion, Whych causeth princes frō their estate roial, Or they be ware to haue a sodayne fall.

For the lordshyp of al Asia Might not suffise to Cirus gredinesse, But thought he would conquere Cithia, And there werre to encrease hys ryches, Though he no tytle had of ryght wysnesse, Saue false lust wherof mē shoulde haue ruth. That wyl in princes shoulde oppresse truth.

Fyrst his Cirus al princes dyd excel Both in conquest, victory, & batayle, Of golde & treasure, as bokes of hym tell, Kyngdoms to wyn he dyd most preuayle: And yet two vyces dyd his hert assayle, Fyrst couetise euer to encrease in good, With a desire to shede mens bloude.

Wyth two vyces he brenned euer in one That neuer might from his hert twyn, Made a great army towarde Septētrion, And cast him proudly to set on and begyn Cithia the mighty land to wyn: Quene Thomiris there reigninge as I fynde Whose kyngdom ioyneth to Ethiope in Inde.

Towarde the party whych is orientall, The see of Surry floweth full plentuous, Downe to the see called occidentall, And southwarde renneth to Caucasus: And folke of Cithie that ben laborious Which tyl the land hath not to their liuing, But onely frutes which from therth spring.

The lande of Cithie is ryche for the nones, For greyne & fruite a land ful couenable, Ryche of golde perle and precious stones, Ryght comodious and wonder dilectable: But a great party is not habitable, The people dredful to bylde their mancions, For feare of deth bycause of the gryffons.

The noble fame nor the high renoun Was not ferre knowe nor ysprad aboute Of Thomiris quene of that region, Nor of her noblesse within nor wythout, Tyl that king Cirus with a ful great route, In to Cithia gan hym proudly dresse, The hardy quene to spoyle of her richesse.

But she her fame more to magnifie, Gan in great haste with ful rich apparayle Ful prudently assemble her chyualry: And toke a felde, if he woulde her assayle

Redy with him to haue a batayle, And of her meyny lyke as sayth my boke, Vnto her sonne the thyrde parte she toke.

And yaue hym charge in the same place, Hym selfe that daye to aquite lyke a knyght, And for to mete Cirus in the face And nothyng drede with hym for to fyght: But whan kyng Cirus of him had a syght, Cast hym that day the yong prince oppresse, Rather by wyles than manhod or prowesse.

Fyrst he let stuffe his large pauilions With great plenty of drinkes dilectable, Diuers meates and confections, Rounde aboute vpon euery table, And in his meanyng passyng disceyuable, Lyke as he had in maner dredful be, Toke al his host and gan anone to fle.

This yonge prince of meanyng innocent, Nothyng demyng, as by supposayle, But y^• Cirus was with his meyny went, And sled for feare he durst hym not assayle: And whan he founde such plente of vytayle, He & his knightes through misgouernaūce, To eate and drinke set al their plesaunce.

They had of knyghthode lost the disciplyne, Forsoke Mars & put hym out of syght, And to Bachus their heades gan enclyne: Gorge vpon gorge tyl it drough to nyght, And proude Cirus came on thē anonryght, With all hys hoost they out of their armure, On beastial folke made a discomfiture.

Cruel Cirus left none alyue, Of hygh nor lowe made none excepcion: They were to feble again his might to striue, For chefe cause of their distruction Was drōkennesse, whych voydeth al reason, And wyse men rehercen in sentence, Where folke be dronken there is no resistence.

And whan thys slaughter by relacion Reported was, & brought to the presence Of Thomiris quene of that region, Vnto her hert it dyd ful great offence: But of ire and great impacience Seyng her sonne slayne in tendre age, For sorow almost she fyll in to a rage.

But for al her woful deedly payne, She shewed no token of feminite: But of prudence her weping gan restrayne, And cast her playnly auenged for to be Vpon kyng Cirus, and on his cruelte, Sente out meyny to espyen his passage, If she hym fynde myght at auauntage.

And with her meyny gā feyne a maner flight, Vp to the mountayns dredful & terrible, And Cirus after gan haste hym anon ryghte, In hope to take her if it were possible: Among whiche hilles more than it is credible Ben craggy roches most hideous of entayle, Perilous of passage, & voyde of al vitayle.

And Cirus ther fyl in greate daunger, Al vnpurueyed of drogemen or of gyde: To fostre his people vitaile was none ther, Erryng as beastes vpon euery syde. And they of Cithie gan for hym so prouyde, Wherof their quene god wote was ful fayne, At great mischefe y^t al his men were slaine.

None of al was taken to raunson, Nor he hym selfe escaped not her boundes, Such wayte was layde to theyr distruction, And he through perced with mortal woundes, On peces rent as beares ben with hoūdes, The quene cōmaūding whā he lay thus torne To her presence his body to be borne.

Fyrst she hath charged to smyte of his heade, Whan she hath thus the victory of hym won: And in a bath that was all blode red, She gan it throwe within a litel tonne: And of dispite ryght thus she hath begonne Most tirauntly in her woful rage, To dead Cirus to haue this langage:

O thou Cirus that whylom were so wode, And so thrustlewe in thy tiranny, Agayne nature so to shede mannes bloud, So woluyshe was thyne hateful dropsy, That mercy none myght it modefye, Thine etyke ioyned gredy and vnstable, With thrust of slaughter aye to be vengeable.

It is an horrour in maner for to thynke, So great a prince rebuked for to be Of a woman, mannes blode to drinke, For to disclaundre his roial maieste, But gladly euer vengeable cruelte Of ryght requireth wyth vnware violence, Blod shede for blode iustly to recompence.

Of myghty Cirus the imperiall noblesse Was by a woman vēquyshed & borne doune, God made her chastise his furious wodnes, And for toppresse his famous high renoun: For where vengeaunce hath dominacion, In worldly princes, playnly to deuyse With vnware stroke god can thē chastise.

Thende of Cirus can bere ful wel recorde, How god w^t standeth folke y^• ben vengeable, Lordshyp & mercy whan they ben at discorde, Right wyll not suffer their state to be stable: And for this Cirus was so vnmerciable, He with vnmercy punished was in dede, Deth quyt for deth, lo here his final mede.

In slaughter & blode he dyd greately delyte For in tho twayne was his repast in dede, He founde no mercy his vēgeaunce to respyte Where he founde matter any blode to shede, Such ioy he had by deth to se folke blede▪ And for the syght did him so much good, His fatal ende was for to swym in blode.

Lo here thexequies of this mighty king, Lo here the ende of his estate royal, There were no flames nor brondes shinynge To bren his body with fires funeral, Nor obseruaunces nor offringes marciall, Nor tombe of golde with stones rych & fyne, Was none ordained to make with his shrine.

Epitaphie ther was none red nor songe By no poete wyth their poetries, Nor of his triūphes there was no bell ronge, Nor no wepers with sobbynge tragedies: None attendaunce but of hys enemies, Which of hatred in their cruell rage, Cast out his carayne to beastes most sauage.

Lo here of Cirus the finall auenture, Which of al Asie was whylom emperour, Now lieth he abiect without sepulture, Of high nor low he founde no better fauoure: Lo here the fyne of al worldly labour, Namely of tiraunts which lyst not god drede, But set their lust to slaughter & blodeshede.

Lenuoye.

RYghte noble prynces considre in youre syghte The fine of Cirus pitous & lamētable How god punisheth of equitie & ryght Tirauntes echone cruel and vengeable: For in his syght it is abhominable That a prince, as philosophers write, In slaughter of men shoulde hym selfe delyte.

This saide Cirus was a full manly knight In begynning ryght famous and notable, Nature yaue him semelinesse & myght, For in conquest was none sene more able, Tyl tiranny the serpent disceyuable Merciles his corage dyd atwite, In slaughter of men whan him gan delite.

Wherefore ye princes remēbre day & nyght, Tafforce your nobles & make it pardurable, To get you fauour & loue of euery wyght, Which shal your states cōserue & kepe stable: For there is conquest none so honourable In governaunce, as vengeaunce to respite, Mercy preferring in slaughter not delite.

The .xv. Chapiter.

¶ Howe Amilius for couetyse slough his bro∣ther, and Remus and Rumulus nouri∣shed by a wolfes.

AFter king Cirus Bochas did espy Two worthy brethern wyth faces pi∣tous, Borne by discent to reigne in Albanye, Both of one father the story telleth vs: The one of them called Amulius And to remembre the name of that other, Numitor ycalled was his brother

They had a fader whyche named was Pro∣chas, Kyng of y^• land the story doth deuise, After whose deth playnely thys is the case, Amulius for false couetise, His brother slough in ful cruel wyse, That he vniustly by false tiranny Might haue the kingdom alone of Albany.

This Albany by discripcion Like as Bochas affirmeth in certeine, Is a citye not ferre fro Rome toun, Set on an hyl beside a large pleine: The building stately, rych & well beseine, Stronge walles with many a high toure, And Ascanius was fyrste thereof foundour.

Which called was in his foundacion,

Albania for the great whytnes, There kynges after by succession Named Albanois princes of great nobles, And by discent the story beareth wytnes From kyng Prochas recorde on bokes olde, Came these .ii. brethren Rea their suster told.

Numitor slayne as made is mencion The kyngdom occupied by Amulius, And Rea entred in to religion, For to be wympled in that holy house, Sacred to Vesta wyth virgyns glorious, There for to abyde & be contemplatife, With other maydens duryng al her lyfe.

And thys was done whyle she was yonge of age, By her brother, of false entencion, That she shoulde haue no maner heritage Nor clayme no title in that region, Of her kynred by none occasion: But stande professed in virginitye To fore Vesta, and liue in chastitie.

Yet not withstanding her virginal clennesse, She hath conceyued by natural myracle: Gan to encrease in her holynes, Whose wombe arose, in kīde was no obstacle, Agayne such bolnyng auayleth no triacle: But the goddes for her so dyd ordayne, That she at ones had sonnes twayne.

The temple of Vesta stode in wildernesse, Where Rea had holy the gouernaunce Of priestly honour done to the goddesse, Wyth many straunge vncouth obseruaūce: But by her brothers mortall ordinaunce, Her yong sonnes might not be socoured, But cast out to beastes to be deuoured.

But a she wolfe whych whelped had late, To yeue thē soke dyd her businesse, By god ordained or by some heauenly fate, Thē to conserue fro deth in their distres: For holy write plainly beareth wytnes, God can defende as it is well couth, Children frō mischefe in their tendre youth.

But in this whyle this sayd Amulius, That was their vncle, as made is mencion, Agayne his suster frowarde and furious, Made her be shyt in a ful derke prison: And there complaynyng the distruction Of her two children borne to her reprefe, For very sorow dyed at great myschefe.

These sayde chyldren deuoyde of al refuse Besyde a riuer lay pitiously crying, From al socoure naked and destitute, Except a wolues vpon them waityng At whose wombe ful style they lay soukyng, Vnto nature a thyng contrarious, Children to souke on beastes rauenous.

But he that is lorde of euery creature Ryght as hym lyst can both saue & spyl, And beastes which ben rage of their nature He can aduert, & make them lye ful styl, Tigres & lions obedient at his wil: The same lorde hath made a fel w••l••esse Vnto twey children her bigges for to dresse.

And whyle thys wolues had thē in depose, Ther came an herde called Faustulus, Behelde their soukyng & saw thē lye ful close, Whych sheperde was of kyng Amulius: Caught vp these chyldrē the story telleth thus And brought thē forth with great diligence, Vnto his wyfe that called was Laurence.

And she for loue dyd her busy payne, Them to fostre, tyl they came of age, Gaue them souke of her brestes swayne, Fro day to daye of hert and hole corage: And they were called as in that langage, After the storye that one of them Remus, And the seconde was named Romulus.

Of whych brethern brefely to termyne, The towne of Rome toke original: Of false disclaundre fyrst began that lyne, The rote out sought ful vicious foūde at all, Clerely remēbred for a memorial Their begynning grewe of such incōtinence, As clerkes call Incestus in sentence.

Incestus is a thyng not fayre nor good After that bokes wel deuise conne, As trespassyng wyth kyn or wyth blode Or frowarde medlyng w^t her that is a nonne: And thus the line of Rome was begon, For slaughter, murder, and false robbry Was chefe begynnynge of al their auncetry.

Of Couetyse they toke their auauntage, Lyggers of waies and robbers openly, Murdrers also of their owne linage, And stronge theues gate to their company, Spoiled al tho that past them forby, Vnder shadowe of kepinge their beastayle,

Al maner people they proudly dyd assaile.

To ••lee marchaūtes they had no conscience, And for to murdre folke of euery age, Women to oppresse of force and vyolence, In al that countre this was their vsage: Where they abode ther was no sure passage. And these two brethern lyke as it is founde, Fonde first y^• maner of speares sharpe groude.

Aspeare in greke called is quiris, And for that cause the sayd Romulus, As bokes say, and sothely so it is He afterwarde was called Quirinus. Which w^t his brother y^• called was Remus, Was in al thyng confederate & partable, That tofore god was vicious & dampnable.

And as it was accordynge to their life, For lacke of vertue they fyll in great diffame, And atwene thē ther was an vncouth stryte, Which of both should yeue the name Vnto the citie, atwene ernest and game, After theyr names Rome to be called, Thus fyll the case afore or it was walled.

And therupon ful longe lasted their striues, Which should of them haue dominacion, Shewing their titles and prerogatyues, Who should of them yeue name to the toun, And reigne as kyng in that region: There was no reason who shuld go beforne, Bycause they were both at once borne.

But to fynishe their fraternal dyscorde, They haue prouyded atwene thē anon ryght, Thus condiscendyng to put thē at accorde, Nouther by force, oppressyon, nor myght, That whych of them sawe greatest flyght Of byrdes flyeng high vpon an hyl, Should name the citye at his owne wyl.

Of this accorde for to be wytnesse, They w^t them lad a ful great multitude, Therof to yeue a dome of rightwisnesse, Both of wyse and of people rude, Al at ones thys mater to conclude: And to an hyl called Auentyne, They ben as••ended this matter for to fine.

And byrdes syxe to Remus dyd appere, By augury as they gan procede, Called vultures ful fierce in their manere, But in numbre the double dyd excede That Romulus sawe whan he toke hede: Wherof ther fyll a great contrauersy, Which of thē shoulde preuayle on his party.

Thus first of al Remus had a syght Of sixe birdes called Vultures, And for to auaunce & prefer hys right, He ful proudely put him selfe in prees: But Romulus was not recheles His brothers clayme playnly to entrouble, Afforced hys title with the numbre double.

Yet of his purpose one of thē must fayle, Though it so be that they euer striue: But Romulus gan finally preuaile, And to the citye he forth went blyue, And as auctours lyst echone discryue, And in their bokes as they reherce al, After his name Rome he dyd it cal,

And al foreins to exclude out And agayne thē to make stronge defence, Fyrst he began to wal it rounde aboute, And made a lawe ful dredful in sentence, Who clymeth the wal by any violence, Outward or inwarde there is no more to sey By statute made he must nedes dey.

This was enacte by ful plaine ordinaūce In paine of deth which no man breke shal, But so befyll Remus of ignoraunce, Which of the statute knewe nothynge atal, Of auenture went ouer the wal, For whiche a knyght ordained in certayne The saide Remus hath with a pykeis slayn.

His brother lyst not in no maner wyse Againe the lawe to be fauourable, But assented parcel for couetyse, Vpon Remus to be more vengeable: Of thys entent to make his reigne stable, That he alone myght gouerne & non other By no clayme brought in by his brother.

And that the people shuld thē more delite There to abyde and haue possession, As olde auctours of Romulus do write, Within the boundes of the same toun, That he deuised by great prouision, In compas rounde so croniclers compyle, A teritory that called was Asyle.

This Asylum by Romulus deuised, Was a place of refuge and socours, Like a theatre with liberties fraunchised, For to receiue all forayne trespasours, Theues, murdrers, wayliggers, & robbours By great resort within the walles wide, To foster all brybers y^• durst no where abide.

And with fled people fro diuers regions, The citye gan to encrease and multiplye: And banished folke of straunge nacions, To finde refuge thither gan them hye. And thus by processe gan their chiualry, First through tyrantes retcheles of workyng Till all the world obeyed their biddyng.

Of wilfull force without title of right They brought all people vnder subiection, A claime they made by violence and might, And toke no hede of trouth nor reason, And the first auctour of their foundation, Was Romulus, that gathered all this route Within the citye and walled it about.

And many day as made is mencion He had this citye in his gouernaunce, And was the first kyng crowned in that toun, And raigned there by continuaunce, Full many yeres, till the variaunce Of fortune through her false enuye, In Campania made him for to dye.

Vpon a day whan it gan thunder loude, His name foreuer to be more magnified, Some bokes saye he was rapt in a cloude, High vp in heauen to be stellified, With other Gods stately deified, There to be stalled by Jupiters syde, Like for his knightes as Mars list prouide.

Lo here of panyms a false opinion, To Christes lawe contrary and odious, That tyrantes should by false oppression Be called goddes or named glorious, Whiche by their liue were founde vycious: For this playne trouth I dare it well tell, They rather ben fiendes ful depe in hell.

For but in earth their dominacion Conueyed be by vertuous nobles, And that their power and hygh renoun Be set on trouth and rightwisenes, Like their estates in prince or princesse, I dare affirme of them bothe twayne, For vycious liuinge they must endure payne.

But whan they ben faythfull of entent, Right and trouth iustly to maintayne, And in their royall power be not blent, Wronges redressyng and pore folke sustene, And so contune with conscience so clene: Such life more rath than pompe of warres, Shal make thē raigne in heuē aboue y^• stars.

For whiche let princes vnderstand atones, And worldly princesses w^t all their riches, That their high hornes fret w^t riche stoues, To heauen their passage dothe not dresse, But vertuous life, chatitye, and mekenes: Whan they list pride out of their hart arace, That causeth thē in heauen to winne a place.

There is no more straunge abusion, Ne tofore god greater ydolatry, Than whan princes list catche affection Creatures falsly to deifye, By collusion brought in by sorcery, Now god defende all princes well disposed, With suche false craft neuer to be enoysed.

And their eyen by none illusions Be not avieugled neither with hoke nor line, Nor by no boytes of false inspections Wrought by Cyrenes by drinke or medicine, Whiche of their nature resemble to a shrine, Through riches outward & beauty soueraine And who loke inwarde be like to a caraine.

God of his grace amende all suche outrage, In noble princes, & saue thē from such werre And them enlumine disposyng their courage In suche false worshyp they no more ne erre: Like to Argus that they sene a ferre, That no false fagyng cause thē to be blynde, Gods nor goddesses to worship againe kynd.

And though y^t Romains did worship & honor To Romulus by a constraynt drede, Let no man take example of their errour, But to the lorde whose sides were made rede, To saue mankinde and on a crosse was deed. Let men to hym in chefe their loue obserue, Which can thē quite better than they deferue

¶ The .xxix. Chapter.

☞ Howe Mecius kyng of Albanoys beynge false of his othe and assuraunce, was drawen into pieces.

NExt Romulus w^t teares al bespraint, Vnto John Bochas appered Mecius, Of chere and loke & of his port faynte, His fall declaryng frowarde & dispitous, And he was called eke Sufficius, Lowe of byrthe and simple in vpgrowyng, Of Albanoys tyll fortune made him kyng.

Again whose pride the Romains gan warrey Full mightely oppressyng his countree: And for kyng Mecius list them not obey, They cast them fully auenged for to be, Because his byrthe was but of lowe degre, And was risen vp vnto estate royall, They thē purpose to yeue him a sodayne fall.

Hasty clymbyng of pouert set on hight Whan wronge title maketh him to ascende, With vnware peyse of his owne might A sodaine fall maketh him to discende, Whan he list not of surquedy entende Fro whence he came, nor him selfe to knowe, Till god & fortune his pōpe hath ouerthrow.

For this Mecius of presumption, Thought again Romayns his pride might a∣uaile, Gan warre againe thē by rebellion, Was not fearfull their nobles to assayle, Till on a day was signed a battaile: Bothe their hostes within a felde to mete, To take their part be it soure or swete.

That tyme in Rome raigned Hostilius, A manly man and a ful worthy knyght, Twene him concluded and kyng Mecius They twayne to mete in stele armed bryght, For bothe battayles to trye out the ryght, By iust accorde and therin not vary, The party vaynquished to be tributary.

And wholy put him in subiection Without entreatyng or any more delay, And finally for short conclusion Kyng Hostilius the triumphe wan that day, That Albanoys coulde not say nay, But that Romayns as put is in memory, By singuler battayle had wonne the victory.

Thus had Romayns first possession Of Albanoys, to obey them and to drede, Mecius yelded and sworne to the toun Neuer to rebell for fauoure ne for mede, But for he was double founde in dede Of his assuraunce, and false to their citie, He was chastised anone as ye shall se.

Agaynst Fidinates a countrey of Itaile, King Hostilius for their rebellion, Cast he woulde mete them in battayle, For common profite and for diffension Bothe of his citye and of his royall toun: And for to afforce his party in workynge, Of Albanoys he sent vnto the kynge

To come in haste with his whole chyualry, And tary not in no maner wise, But make him stronge to sustaine his party, Like his behest as ye haue hearde deuise. But kyng Mecius full falsly gan practice, A sleighty treason and a couert wyle, Agaynst his promise the Romayns to begyle.

Yet he outwarde pretendyng to be true, Came to the felde with ae full great meyny, Liuyng in hope to se some chaunges newe That he on Rome might auenged be: And specially that he myght se Kyng Hostilius of frowarde enuy, That day outrayed with all his chyualry.

First when he saw the Romayns enbattailed And Fydinates on that other side, Their wardes ready for to haue assayled, He couertly did on an hyll abyde, And to nor fro lyst not go nor ryde, Nor his person put in ieopardy: But who was strongest to holde on y^• partye.

Wherof the Romayns fyll in suspection Of kyng Mecius whan they toke hede, Tyll Hostilius of hygh discrecion Through his knighthode put thē out of drede▪ And gan dissunule of Mecius the falsehede, And to comfort his knyghtes of entent, Sayd what he did, was done by his assent.

He was full lothe that his chyualry Should know the effect of Mecius treason, Whiche cause myght in all or in party, Full great hindryng by some occasion,

To deme in him falsenes or treason: Yet of trouth the story beareth witnes, All that he ment was vntrouth and falsenes.

Thus of manhode and of high prudence He to his knyghtes yaue hart & hardines, Made them set on by so great vyolence That he the felde gate of high prowes On Fidinates, brought in so great distresse And so outrayed of force on euery side, Tofore Romayns that they ne durst abide.

And whan Mecius saw them thus outrayed By a maner of fayned false gladnes, Like as he had in hart be well apayed, To Hostilius anone he gan him dresse, Him selfe reioysyng by counterfayte likenes: And for his meanyng playnly was conceiued So as he came, ryght so was he receyued.

Thus whan Mecius stode in his presence With a pretence of faithfull stablenes, And all the apport of trouth in apparence He shadowed hath his expert doublenes, Vnder sote hony couert bitternes: Frendly vysage w^t wordes smothe & playne, Tho mouth & hart departed were in twaine.

But Hostilius hath all his fraude espied, And his compassed falsenes and treason, And therupon hath iustly fantasied A paine accordyng ypeysed of reason, Him to punishe by a double passion: This to mean, like as he was deuided, A double torment for him he hath prouided.

This was his dome and his fatall payne By Hostilius contriued of iustice, His fete, his armes, atwene charets twayne Naked and bare the story dothe deuise To be bounde and knit in trauers wise, Contrariously the horse to drawe and hale, Tyll all his body were rent on pieces small.

And right as he was cause of great trouble, Founde aye in dede most full of variaunce, Therfore his payne was in maner double, Right as him self was double in gouernaūce False of his othe, of hest, and assuraunce, And double in menyng as he hath perseuered So in his ende his mēbres were disceuered.

His fete were drawe from the head asunder, There was no ioynt with other for to abide: Here was a legge and an arme lay yonder, Thus eche member frō other gan deuide And for he coulde holde in outher syde, By false pretence to outher party true, Him to chastice was founde a payne newe.

The .xxx. Chapter.

☞ A Chapiter howe prynces shoulde of their othes and promises be true, auoydyng all doublenes and de∣ception.

SO here the ende of double false meanyng Whā worde & hart be contrarious: Othe and behest false founde in a kyng, Of Albanoys as was this Mecius, O noble prynces prudent and vertuous, Let neuer story after more recorde That worde & dede shoulde in you discorde.

For kyng Mecius variaunt of courage, Whose inward menig was euer on treasō set, Traynes contriuyng with a fayre vysage, His thought, his harte, w^t double cordes fret, By Bochas called disceyte & false baret: Whiche vyce discriuyng concludeth of reason, Fraude of all fraudes is false deception.

For with a face flatteryng and peacible, Pretendyng trouth vnder false pleasaunce, With his panteris perillous and terrible Trappeth innocentes w^t gryns of mischaūce: I meane disceite, that w^t her countenaunce, Folkes englueth simple and retcheles, And than warreth vnder a face of pees.

Puissaūce of prynces famous & honourable, Hath ben disceaued by this traytouresse, And folke most prudēt in their estate notable Hath be distroubled by suche doublenes: And many a knyght victorious of prowes, Hath ben entryked for all his hygh renoun, By traynes founde of disceyte & treason.

Disceyte deceyueth & shalbe deceyued, For by disceyte who is disceyuable, Though his disceyte be not out perceyued, To a disceyuoure disceyte is retournable: Fraude quit w^t fraude is guerdon couenable For who with fraude fraudulent is found, To a defrauder fraude wyll aye rebounde.

¶ The .xxxi. Chapter.

☞ Of kyng Hostilius that first weared pur∣ple hewe, consumpt with fiery leuin.

WHat shoulde I more of disceite endite, Touching the fraude of kyng Mecius, For I me cast now finally to write The fatall ende of kyng Hostilius: Whiche was the first as sayth Valerius, In Rome citye that auctours knew, Among kynges that weared purple hewe.

But after all his tryumphall noblesse, And many vncouth knightly high emprise, Fortune to appall the pryse of his prowesse, Made him to be in full frowarde wise, Retcheles and slowe to do sacrifice, To Jupiter, for whiche sent from heuin, He was consumpt with sodaine firy leuin.

Here men may se the reuolutions Of fortunes double purueyaunce, How y^e most mighty of Romayne champions Haue sodainly be brought vnto mischaunce: And their outrages to put in remembraunce, Great conquest turned to wo frō ioye, For a rebuke I sende them this lenuoye.

¶ Lenuoy.

ROme remember of thy foundacion, And of what people thou toke thy be∣ginnynge: Thy buildyng gan of false dissencion, Of slaughter, murdre, & outragious robbing Yeuyng to vs a maner knowlegyng A false beginnyng auctours determine, Shall by processe come vnto ruyne.

Where be thy ēperors most souerain of renoun Kinges exiled for outragious liuyng? Thy Senatours with worthy Scipton, Poetes olde thy tryumphes rehearsyng? Thy laureat knightes most stately ridyng In high honour▪ for al their noble line, Is by longprocesse brought to ruyne.

Where is now Cesar that toke possession First of the empyre the tryumphe vsurpynge? Or where is Lucan that maketh mencion, Of all his conquest, by serious writyng? Octauian most solemnely raignyng? Where is become their lordshypor their lyne, Processe of yeres hath brought it to ruyne.

Where is Tullius chefe lanterne of thy toun, In rethorike all other surmountyng? Morall Senec or prudent sadde Caton Thy common profite alwaye preferryng? Or rightful Traian most iustly in his deining Whiche on no party list not to declyne, But long processe hath brought all to ruyne.

Where is the temple of thy protection Made by Virgill, most curious of buyldyng? Ymages erect of euery region Whan any lande was founde rebellyng Toward that part a smal bell heard ringing, To that prouynce the ymage did enclyne, Which by long processe was brought to ruyne

Where is also the great extorcion Of consules and prefectes oppressyng? Of Dictatours the false collusion? Of Decemuir the frowarde disceyuyng? The great outrage in their liuyng? Of all echeone the odious rauine, Hath by processe them brought vnto ruyne.

Where is become thy dominacion, Thy great tributes, thy treasures shynyng, The worlde all whole in thy subiection, Thy sword of vēgeaunce al people manacing Euer gready to encrese in thy gettyng Nothing by grace whiche that is diuine, Which hath the brought by processe to ruyne.

In thy most hyghest exaltation, Thy proude tyrantes prouinces conquering, To god contrary by long rebellion, Goddes, goddesses, falsely obeiyng, Aboue the starres by surquedous climbyng: Till vengeaunce thy nobles did vntwyne, With new complaintes to shewe thy ruyne.

Lay downe thy pride and thy presumption, Thy pompous bost, thy lordships encreasing, Confesse thine outrage & lay thy boast adoun, All false Gods playnly defiyng, Lift vp thine hart vnto the heauenly kyng, Whiche w^t his bloude thy sorowes for to fyne, Hath made thy raunsum to saue the fro ruyne

From olde Saturne drawe thine affection, His golden worlde fully despisyng, And from Jupiter make a digression, His silueren tyme hartely dispraysyng: Resort agayne w^t will and whole meanyng, To him that is lorde of the orders nyne,

Whiche mekely dyed to saue the fro ruyne.

Though Mars be myghty in his assencion, By influence victories disposyng, And bright Phebus yeueth consolation To worldly princes their nobles auaunsing: Forsake their rightes and thy false offryng: And to that lorde bowe downe thy chyne, Whiche shed his bloude to saue the fro ruyne.

Winged Mercury chiefe lorde and patrone Of eloquence and of fayre speakyng, Forsake his seruice in thine opinion, And serue the lorde that gouerneth all thyng, The sterred heauen the spheres eke meuyng, Whiche for thy sake was crowned w^t a spine, His hart eke pearced to saue the fro tuyne.

Cast vp of Venus the false derision Her fiery brande her flatteries renuyng, Of Diana the transmutacions, Nowe bryght, nowe pale▪ nowe clere, nowe drepyng Of blynde Cupide the fraudulent mockyng Of Jun••, Bachus, Proserpina, and Lucine, For none but Christ may saue the fro ruyne.

Voyde of Cirses the beastiall poyson, Of Cyrenes the furious chauntynge: Let not Medusa do the no treason And fro Gorgones turne thy lokyng. And let Sinderesis haue the in kepyng, That Christ Jesu may be thy medicyne, Agayne suche raskayle to saue the fro ruyne.

Of false ydols make abiuracion, To Similachres do no worshyppyng: Make thy resort to Christes passion, Whiche may by mercy redresse thyne erryng, And by his grace repare thy fallyng: So thou obey his vertuous disciplyne Trust that he shall restore thy ruyne.

His mercy is surmountyng of foyson, Euer encreaseth without amenusyng, Aye at full cche time and eche ceason, And neuer waneth by none eclypsyng: Whan men list make deuoutly their rekening To leaue their sinne & come to his doctrine, He ready is to kepe them from ruyne.

O Rome, Rome, all olde abusion Of ceremonies falsly disusyng, Lay them aside, and in conclusion Crye god mercy thy trespace repentyng, Trust he will not refuse thy askyng, The to receyue to laboure in his vine, Eternally to saue the from ruyne.

O noble prynces of high discrecion, Sithe in this worlde is none abidyng, Peyse conscience against wil and reason, While ye haue leasure of hart ymaginyng, Ye beare not hence but your deseruyng: Let this conceite aye in your thoughts mine, By example of Rome, how all goth to ruyne.

¶ Thus endeth the seconde boke.