Where this Sextus to his great reprie••e
Was on the sea a robbour and a thefe.
The sclaundre of him gan to sprede farre,
Reported was in many a farre countre,
With Triumuir this Sextus gan a war,
Which is an office and a dignite
By the Romains cōmytted vnto thre,
Notable estates, those for chiualry
Thempire all hole to gouerne and to gye.
The fyrst of them named Lepidus,
And the seconde called Octauian
The third in nombre was Antonius,
Again which thre Sextus this proud man
Of surquedy a newe warre began,
Afore by Julius for his rebellion
Banished for euer out of Rome toun.
Triumuir of politike gouernaunce
Well auised afore in their reasons,
Treating for peace by notable purueiaunce
With proude Sextus vnder condicions,
Write and enacte in their conuencious,
But anone after list no while tary,
He to his promise was froward & contrary.
For his conuycte outragious falsnesse,
And on the sea for his robbery
Bochas of him writeth no long processe,
Hauing disdaine his name to magnify
For he to vertue list nothing apply:
The different cause which is in the state
Atwene knighthode and life of a pyrate.
With fugitiue theues and robbours
And men exiled out of Rome toun,
Banished people, false conspyratours,
With other conuicte of murdre and trayson,
He toke all such vnder protection:
And one Moena a churle of his certaine
Of fourty shyppes he made him capitain.
The said churle vnwarely tho began
To folow the nature of his condicion,
Alied him selfe with Octauian
Againe his lorde, of full false traison
With all his nauy & shyppes he came doun,
Spared nat to mete of very pride
With Menecratus yt was on Sextus side.
But al so soone as the bataile began
And the parties togider shoulde gone,
All the vesselles of Octauian
With sodaine tēpest were drowned echone,
Beside a castell buylt of lime and stone
Called Nauleton, where yet to gret reprefe
Sextus fled & was brought to mischefe.
Went in to Grece to make him strong agein
To holde a batayle with Antonius
Take in his cōming by strength of a capitcin
Longing to Antonie called Phurnius
Whilom nephue to Cesar Julius,
And or duke Sextus might farther wende
He slaine was and made there his ende.
Of Triumuir in thempyre as I tolde
There was a capitaine called Lepidus,
Whiche by his office like as he was holde
Right busy was, the boke reherseth thus,
To reconsile the proude Antonius
To the grace of great Octauian,
Eche thing forgiue wherof the war began.
And to conclude shortly who list se
Fortune a whyle was to him gracious,
Thempyre all whole gouerned by these three
Lordshyp of Affrike had Lepidus,
By which he wext proude and contrarius,
To him assigned vnder commissions
Fully the nombre of twenty legions.
Wherof in herthe caught such a pride
Causing by processe his distruction,
Surquedy a while was his gide
Fro his estate till he was fall doun,
Namely whan he of false presumpcion
Toke vpon him of malice to warrey
The said Octauian, and gan him disobey.
Whan Octauian his malice dyd se
That he gan waxe sodainly contrary,
He threw him downe from his dignite
Cast him in exile, list no lengar tary:
Lo how Fortune gan sodainly vary
To make him that had gouernaunce
Of all Affryke, to come to mischaunce.
Another prince Cesar Lucius
Exiled was from Rome the cite
By his vncle the said Antonius,
Of wylfulnesse and hasty cruelte:
For in that time, as men may rede and se,
Contriued causes were founde vp of malice
Texile princes notable holde and wyse.
Some bycause they helde with Cesar,