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

The .xx. Chapter.

❧ Howe the two sonnes of Quene Arcynoe were by their mothers brother tray∣terouslye slayne, and she exyled.

ANd thus remembred in bokes olde Death of Seleuchus wrought by Tho∣lome, Vnwarely slayne tofore as I haue tolde, Next in order came Arcynoe To John Bochas, by great aduersite, All with teares bedewed her vysage, And gan cōplayne the cōstraynt of her rage.

This mighty quene the sayd Arcynoe Had sonnes twaine, full famous of renoun, The tone Lisymachus excelling of beautye, That other Philip, as made is mencion: And her ioye and dilectation In worldly blisse there is no more to sayne Was holy set vpon these children twayne.

For by the occasion of their great fayrenes Men delited greatly them to se, Namely women the story dothe expresse, And their mother this quene Arcynoe Stode in great hope that they should be Mighty kynges by iust succession, In Macedony the mighty region

Onely by the title of their fathers ryght: Whiche to her hart gaue full great gladnes, For she dempt that none other wight To succede should haue no entresse. But Fortune the blynde false goddesse Disposed so for her children twayne, That none of thē their purpose shold attayne.

For whā their father Lisimachus was slaine The sayd quene called Arcinoe To saue her lyfe coulde none other gayne But with her sonnes fearfully to fle Into Cassander a mighty stronge citee: Onely for drede of one Antigonus, Whiche thē pursued, the story telleth thus.

But the brother of quene Arcynoe Called Ceraunius rescued her party Agayne Antygonus, ye may the story se, Yet in his hart he had great enuy Albe that they were nere of one alye, That her two sonnes should kynges ••e Of Macedoyne, and raygne in that countre.

For he was set onely of couetise To be crowned in Macedoyne kyng, And of his false treason, the story doth deuise, Them to dis••••yue this was his workyng: First to the quene full humbly knelyng,

He made promise vnder great surete, In Macedoyne she should crowned be.

And her children so fayre of their vysage Should be kept vnder gouernaunce, Vnto time that they came to age: And for to put her in more assuraunce Ceraunius swore, god geue him sory chaunce He purposed for all his false workyng, To crowne her quene & make her sōnes king.

Toke all the gods therunto witnes And swore agayne with a plaine vysage Vnto the quene, of fraude and doublenes, His purpose was to haue her in mariage, Crowne her quene to her great aduauntage, Thus he swore all be he was her brother, Yet in hart god wot he thought another.

Vnder colour of this assuraunce She let him enter Cassandre the cite, Came again him to do him more pleasaunce With all her lordes of hye and lowe degre: Made the stretes hanged for to be With clothes of golde, & in solemne wise To all their goddes she did sacrifise.

And thus he was receyued solemnely, The day was halowed and holde feastiual, The quene for ioye ordeyned rychely Her two sonnes that were so faire in all To be crowned with crownes full royall, Go afore her in the maister strete, Gloriously their vncle for to mete.

With felonous hart vnder a frendly face, This Ceraunius rote of all treason Gan his cosyns ben••igly embrace, Him purposyng by false collusion To procede to their destruction: And fynally fyrst he did his payne, The quene texyle, & slea her chyldren twayne.

But or this treason was brought to a prefe, Whan the quene apperceiued his falsenes And saw her sonnes brought to mischefe, She coniured him 〈◊〉〈◊〉 her mortall distresse To haue pitie, of naturall gentilnes Spare his cosins afore him where they stode Of royall mercy so nere borne of his bloud.

And with a crye pa••yng 〈…〉〈…〉 She fyl afore him, ••wownyng 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ground, Like as she had be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 culpable, Seing her sonnes bleadyng w^t many woūde: But all for nought there was no mercy foūd, For with their bloud, this story is not fayned Her garment was dolefully distayned.

Her face fayre was foyled with ordure, Her golden heere was all to torne & rent, And like a thrall this wofull creature With mortall wepyng had her sight blent: And after that I fynde how she was sent To bury her children, for there was no space, Into an yle called Samothrace.

Is any story whiche maketh mencion That a pryncesse of so hye degre Founde so great cause of lamentacion, She beyng daughter to great Tholome, Her children slayne by vengeable crueltie, And to beholde the death most dolorous, Of her husbande called Lisymachus▪

She after banished in exyle made her ende, w^t sorowful cōplaynt her life thus draw alōg, Tyll into fate her spirite did wende: It is no drede her paynes were full stronge, And if I shoulde rehearce all the wronge That she suffred it woulde greue me to sore, Therfore of her now I write no more.

¶ Lenuoy.

THis tragedy sheweth an apparence, And a lykenesse of faythfull assuraunce Excyte men to yeue false credence Vnto fortunes false variaunce, Which cast her baytes & angles of pleasaunce An hoke hid vnder of vengeable crueltie, As this chapiter put in remembraunce, Of Lisymachus and of Arcynoe.

Is there any greater euidence Of worldly trouble or worldly constaunce, Than to se prynces from their magnificence And from their mighty royall puissaunce Vnwarely brought by fortune to mischaūce, And ouerwhelmed from their tranquilitie? Se here a myrror full notable in substaunce, Of Lisymachus and quene Arcynoe.

The ryng, the anker of great excellence ye•••• to Seleuchus for marciall suffisaunce, Whan App•••••• by heauenly influence Lyst with his mother make his alyaunce: Sent hī these relikes of singuler acquaintāce

To set his manhode in more surete, But in al such quaueryng acquayntaūce Thinke on Lisimachus and Arcinoe.

The vncouth treasour, the gold, ne the dispēce Of them that haue this world in gouernaūce, Nor al the subiectes vp rekened in sentence, Nor al the regions vnder their obeysaunce, Princes princesses with al their attendaunce May agayne fortune yeue them no lybertie, Who not knoweth her vnsure gery chaunce Thinke on Lisimachus and Arcinoe.

Her chyldren & she slayne by violence Of Ceramius, god yeue him sory chaunce, That by false coloure dyd her reuerence And pretended a maner obseruaunce, The treson close of venomous purueyaunce, Purposed afore to outray them all thre: The chyldrē slayne which knew no cheuisāce, The mother exiled called Arcinoe.

Noble princes beware, of hie prudence Amonge your selfe that there be no distaunce, Hyde no rancoure of hateful vyolence Vnder a curtayne of double daliaunce, Lyke your hert shewe out your countenaūce, Voide of dissimulinge and duplicitie: Wysely way this chapter in balaunce, Of Lysimachus and quene Arcinoe.