The .iii. Chapter.
¶ Howe the noble Queene Laodomya, was in the temple slayne, and ven∣geaunce take vpon hym that slewe her.
SYxe of estates prynces and pryncesses
Shewed them to Bochas pi∣touslye playnyng,
To hym declarynge theyr mortall heuynesses,
And first of all there came to hym wepyng
The noble queene her sorow rehersyng,
Called Laodomya which with heuy chere
Complayned the mischefe of her suster dere.
Called Nereis, yonge and tender of age
That wedded was of Cycile to the kyng,
And on the daye of that great mariage
There fyll a stryfe and a great meuyng
Amonge the commons, by a maner rysyng:
And when the quene therof had a syght,
To Dianes temple anone she toke her flyght.
The people was party & rose againe y• kyng,
For whiche rumore and sodayne stryfe
Laodomya full fearfully quakyng,
Ran to the temple for to saue her lyfe,
Supposyng in her ymaginatyfe
That for the temples chaste reuerence,
Men woulde spare to do there violence,
But there was one by whom the strife began
And was first grounde of this great motion,
Called Milo, a false Cecylian
Voyde of all reuerence and deuocion,
Ran to the temple feirser than a Lyon,
And where the queene the auter dyd enbrace,
With a sharpe sworde slew her in the place.
This sacrilege was punished by vēgeaunce,
Gods were wrothe through this gret offēce,
And Diana by full great displeasaunce
Made in the courte a sodayne pestylence,
And Mylo was by vnware violence
Tourned bestiall, made wode in that affray,
And slewe hym selfe suyng the twelft daye.