¶An exclamacion of bochas ayen all proude men ſhewynge howe god may theym and their pride whā him beſt lift by many diuers meanes and wayes punyſſhe and chaſtiſe yE all proude mooſt ryall in your floures Which that mooſt truſt to reigne longe Dreſſith vp your roches and your toures And ayenſt god make your ſelfe ſtronge And lete your power proudly vnderfonge Your ſelf with pride for to magnifye Ayēſt the heuyn to holde the champartye Bildyth vp your caſtelles reyſe theym vp on hight Of ademantys with yron ſtronge ybounde With ſquare ſtonys large and huge of hight Reyſe vp youre walles mooſt myghty and profound And ſhyt your dungeons with myghty cheynes roūd Lete men of armes who euir wake or ſlepe Nyght and day your watch ſo ſtraytly kepe As god ne man in your opinions Your fortreſſes myght nat aſſayle Your caſtelles ne your ſtronge dungeons Stuffyd with men and plenty of vitayle Like to ſtonde euir and neuir for to fa • le As god nat myght ayenſſ youre falſe puiſſaunce Whanne euir him liſt of right to do vengeaunce Set afore youre iyen that ben blynde The monſt ••• ous werke of great babilone The pryde of Nembrothe there was put behynde Maugre his might and his towre ſmy • e downe For all the crafte of werkemen and maſon Diſtroyed was with a ſoden leuene To auenge his pryde ſent adowne fro heuyn For though youre ſtrengthis ſo aſſuryd be That non engyne may therto attayne Gunne ne br • mberd by no ſubtyltie Shot of arowblaſt ne touche of dundayne Yit god that is lorde and ſouerayne Whiche liche deſertys can bothe ſpyll and ſaue May confunde with an erth quaue Myne auctoure aſkyth what caſtell or what toure May be ſo ſtronge made in any wyſe But that by meane of ſum falſe traitoure Or by ſum way that he can deuiſe It may be loſte or ſolde for couetyſe And delyueryd for all the ſtronge bondes Into the power of enmyes hondes Or by ſum other ſoden auenture Caſtellys and cities and many aryche towne Haue be loſt they might not theim aſſure For to reciſte ayenſt falſe treſon Sūme haue be loſte alſo by rebellion And all theſe meanes the truthe to begynne Is but puniſſhynge which god ſent for ſynne God hath a thouſand handes to chaſtyſe A thouſand dartes of punicion A thouſand bowes made in dyuerſe wyſe A thouſand arowblaſtes bent in his doungeon Ordeyned echon for caſtigacion But where he fyndeth mekeneſſe and repentaunce Mercy is maiſtreſſe of his ordinaunce Ye that ben wiſe conſidereth howe the rote Of vicis all is pryde ye may well ſe Pullith him downe and puttith vnderfote And takyth your counſell of humilite And if ye lyſt to ſtonde in ſuretie Byldeth in herte for more ſekerneſſe A toure of vertues groundyd on mekeneſſe Whoſe maſonrie is of no coſtage Of vertues grounde and ſouerayne • laſtys of wyndes and of wedres rage Neither no tempeſt haſty ne ſodeyne Pompe ne blaſt though they do their peyne This vertue mekenes for to vndermyne They be to feble to make her to inclyne For where mekeneſſe is groundyd verely Though he ſumtyme fele aduerſite He • ſſith ouir and ſuffrith pacientely And venquiſſhith all maner enmite The aſſaute alſo and the contrarioſite Of infortune and of worldly trouble And of victory conquerith a palme double And though mekenes amyddys the flodys flowe Of worldely myſcheef and perſecution Whyle paciens in her boat doth rowe Though froward wawespoſſe her vp and downe A calme ſhall folowe of conſolacion Whan ſterne wyndes their blaſtys haue layde lowe The name of mekeneſſe ſhall ſhewe & be wel knowe She may be trowblyd but ouircōme neuir And for a tyme ſhe may ſuffre wer • e But at the ende ſhe venquiſſhith euir On londe and ſee whedre ſhe be nere or fe • re To the hauyn of lyf ſhe was the lode ſterre I take recorde of the humilite Of mary ſo blyſſyd moot ſhe be The roote of mekenes flourith vp ſo faire Whoſe bewte dredith no tribulacions In ſomer wynter hir flowres nat apeyre And her frute laſtyth in all manere ſcaſons Pryde may aſſeyle with his boſtful ſownes And fynally for her encreaſe of glory With humbleneſſe ſhe wynnith the victory

Lenuoye O Folkes all that this tragedies rede Haueth to mekenes amonge your aduertence Of proude Nembroth alſo taketh hede Howe that he fyll from his magnificence Only for he by ſturdy violence Lyſt of malyce the mighty lorde aſſayle But in ſuch caſe what might his pryde aueyle Noble princes which this worlde do poſſede Ye that be famous of wiſdome and ſcience And haue ſo many ſubiettis that you drede In gouernaunce vndre your excellence Let your power with mekenes ſo diſpence That falſe pryde oppres nat the poreyle Which to your nobles ſo moch may auayel Pryde of Nembroth dyd the brydel lede Which him cōuayed with great inſolence Pryde aperteyneth nothynge to manhode Saue in armys to ſhewe his preſence Wherfore honoure laude and reuerence Be to mekenes that hath the gouernaile Of all vertues which man may mooſt auayle

¶Howe many yeres was bitwixte Adam and Nembroth and bitwixte Nembroth and Cadmus and of other kynges THeſe olde poetis with their ſawes ſwere Full couertly in their verſe do feyne How olde ſaturne was ſūmetyme kynge of Crete And of cuſtome dyd his beſy peyne And of his goodneſſe lyft to ordayne That he ſhulde as of his nature E • h • on deuoure as by his engendrure In this mater ſhortly to ſoiorne To vnderſtonde of poetys the proceſſe They mene playnely at this worde ſaturne Doth in it ſelf nothynge but tyme expreſſe And philoſophers bere alſo witneſſe That as in tyme furthe euery thynge is brought So tyme ayenwarde brīgyth euery thyng to nought Clerkys alſo recorde in their writynge Vndre ſupporte as I dare reherſe Howe that fyre waſtyth euery thinge And yron herde doth neſſhe thynges perce If ought abydith that they may not tranſuerce Yit comith tyme and by continuaunce And all conſumith with his ſherpe launce His ſharpe toth of conſumpcion In ſ • yll wyſe doth his beſy cure For to auentiſſh in concluſion All thynge that is brought forthe by nature By longe abydynge ye may them nat aſure For olde thyngys deuouryd men may ſe Ferre out of mynde as they neuir had be Who can or may remembre in any wyſe The glorious proweſſe of theſe prynces olde Or the nobleſſe of philoſophers wyſe Or of poetis their feynynge to vnfolde Proceſſe of yerys alas as I you tolde Deuouryd hath their name and their nobleſſe Derkyd their renoune by foryetfulneſſe Thus of their names is left no memorye Tyme with his raſoure hath done ſo grete vengeaūce Shauen awaye the honoure and the glorye Of many noble full myghty of puiſſaunce That there is lefte nowe no remembraunce Of princes / poetys / ne philoſopheres For whan that deth nayled theym in their cofres Cam tyme vpon and by proceſſe of yeres Their memory hath duſkyd and their mynde And reuolucion of the heuenly ſperys By oft turnynge their glorie hath left behynde Thus euery thynge which ſubget is to kynde Is in this lyfe withoute more auauntage Waſtyd with tyme and proceſſe of langage In the firſt tyme from adam to Noe Prudente Liſtirs which liſt in bokys to rede Fonde of fortune no mutabilite Neyther of her chaunge they toke tho none hede But from adam there rekened been in dede Vnto Nembroth by turnynge of the heuene A thouſand yerys vii hundryd and eleuene In which ſpace who that conſiderith well There ben no thinges writen in eſpeciall Digne of memorye ne ſpeken of neuer adell Which that been notable ne hiſtoriall But for the tyme Nembroth had a fall Vnto cadmus the yeres to contene They were a thouſande / iiii hundryd / and xiiii Touchynge this Cadmus as bochas liſt endite It is rehercid by rethoriens Howe one vixoſes in bokes as they wryte Was made firſt a kynge of the egipciens Whan philoſophers and nigromanciens Byganne firſt to abounde their renoune to auaunce Nachor that tyme hauynge the gouernaunce Of the ebrewes as made is mencion After nembroth by true reherſaile Thre hundryd yere by computacion Foure ſcore and xii which tyme it is no fayle That vixoſes beganne werres and greate bateyle Of volunte ayenſt ſtraunge nacions And to conquere cites borowes and townes By force only withoute title of right He wanne all egypte to encreaſe his nane But for al that who liſt to haue a ſight There is nowe left no reporte of his fame Saue bochas writith howe he firſt dyd attaine His mighty conqueſte of intencion That the glory and the high renoune Aſcryued were vnto his worthineſſe And the reſidue and ſurpluſage Of golde and treſoure of good and of riches Turne ſhulde to cōmon auauntage Of all his people that euery maner age Reporte might it was to him more nerre Aboue ſingularite his comon to preferre Alſo thomas of cithi • firſt kynge Whan ſarnek was duke and ſouerayne Ouir the iewes by recorde of wrytinge Two hondrithe yere lx alſo and tweyne After Nembroth this thomas gan ordeyne A mighty power and a ſtronge batayle Theym of cithie proudly to aſſayle Conqueringe from thens vnto the ile Callyd Ponte in ful cruell wyſe And thought his lordſhyp laſt nat but a whyle All that he wan was for couetyſe And as bochas doth of this folke deuiſe Proces of yeris for all their great puyſſaunce Hath put their namys out of rememberaunce. zoraſtres alſo for all his great might Of bactrians kynge and poſſeſſour Lorde of trace and a ful mighty knyght Of all his dedis and his great laboure Of his conqueſt ne of great honoure Is nothynge lefte of writynge vs biforne Saue that he louhg the houre that he was borne He began ful ſone for to be merye With ſoden laughter at his natiuite And worthy Ninus that was kynge of Aſſirie Expownyd his laughter to great felicite The which Ninus wan many a faire cuntre And day by day his power gan encreas For which he wolde nat of his conqueſte ceas For this is the maner of theſe conquerours Whan they haue had in armys victorie They do their might their payne and their laboures With newe empriſys to be put in memorie For their corage ſuppriſyd with veyne glorye Can not be ſtyll contente in their eſtate Tyll their paradie ſay to theim chek mate Fortune of armys in bokes ye nay rede With a fals laughter on folkes though ſhe ſhyne She frowerd euir or they can take hede Of nature woll falſly theym begyle Conqueſt by werre laſtyth but a whyle For who by deth doth ſturdy violence God woll by deth his vengeaunce recombence This worthy ninus gan mightely preuayle Ayenſt zoraſtres of whome I ſpake tofore For he with him faught laſt in batayel In which ninus hath him ſo well y bore That zoraſtres hath the felde y lore And he was auctour as bokes ſpecefy Of fals magik and nigromancy He fonde the nature of euery element Their kyndly worchynge and their mutacions The cours of ſterrys and of the firmament Their influences their diſpoſicions Their aſpertes and their coniunctions Wrote in pylers diuiſed of metall The ſeuyn ſciences callyd liberall Alſo in pylers of breke full herd ybake Where were vp ſet longe large and huge He began alſo write theym and vnder take To make theim ſure as for their refuge That they ſhulde by flode ne diluge Diffacyd been as of their ſcripture But in their grauynge perpetuall endure But though zoraſtres theſe craftys out fonde Full lytyll or nought it might to him auayle And though he were a good knyght of his hōde He was of ninus ſlayne in batayle Loſt his realme and riall appareyle And ninus dyed within a lytyll throwe But in what wyſe the ſtory is not knowe Alſo moydes kynge of ſodomee I fynde of him no memory by wrytynge Saue in a ſtory as men may rede and ſee He and his people were freell in lyuinge But he that was of aſſiriens kynge Through falſe fortune that can ſo oft varie To babilonye made theim tributarie We haue ſeen and redde alſo The vengeaunce and the peſtilence Doon in egypt to kynge pharo For that he made a maner reſiſtence Ayenſt god of wilful negligence Therfore his people vpon a day and he Were dreynt echon in myddes of the ſe The people of god ledde by moyſes Without trouble of any maner wawe Went echon in quyete and in peas And phaaro as he gan after drawe Theym to purſue by a full mortall lawe In his pu • ſuyte frowarde and ateynt Amonge the wawes with his oft was dreynt In •• ody ben the mencions L •• iouſly put in remembraunce • he • nplages and ꝑſecutions In Egypt done by full greate vengeaunce And of their treſoure and their greate ſubſtaunce They were diſpoyled / by ebrewys it is tolde Of their veſſelles of ſiluer and of golde And oute of egypte full greate treſoure they ladde Such as theym thought myght mooſt theym auayle And pharo I fynde that he hadde Two hundryd charys enarmyd for batayle Theym to purſue and proudly to aſſayle And fifty thouſand in whom was no lacke Of men of armes folowynge on horſe backe Two hund • ryd thouſande of fotmen him about And of egipt all his cheualrye And pharo with all his greate route • egan iſrael purſue of enuye But for his pride and falſe ſurquedye He and his people were drownyd euerychon Of all his noumbre was left nat one His frowarde herte ayenſt god indurate Fulfilled of malice and obſtinacye And in his purpos proude and obſtynate Theſe foule vices or he coude theym aſpye From his glorye and his regaile He was downe though he tofore was crownyd Amydde the ſe amonge his people drownyd

¶Of Oggigus kynge of Thebes ANother Prince callyd Oggygus Kynge of Thebes as bokes determyne And founder was thus Bochas tellith vs Of a cite callyd Eleuſyne Which ſtant in grece whoos power to declyne There fyll a flode in that region Which ouer flowyd many a ryall towne And in athia that dyde mooſt dammage Tyme of Iacob patriarke notable And this deluge with his wawes rage Slewe lordes many and princes honorable For dame fortune is ſo diſceyuable That ſhe ſumtyme whan ſhe liſt diſdeyne Can folke aſſayle with a flode ſodeyne This flode alſo where it dyd aſſayle Waſtyd cornys both crop and rote Cauſyd alſo ſcarcete of vitaile That many a man felt full vnſote The pore nat wiſt where to fynde boote For their princes ſuppriſed were with drede Thurgh lacke of vitayle in that greate nede

¶Of a greate flode in Teſſalie ANother flode there was in Teſſalie In the tyme whanne kyng amphion Helde the ceptre and the regalye Vpon thebes the myghty ſtronge towne Beſide the kyngdome of babiloun The ſame tyme this flode fyll doutles Whanne goddes people was ledde by moyſes With this flode the londe hadde ben deuoured Of teſſaylie and of all that region But on pernaſo the people was ſocoured And on the roches that ſtode enuyron Founde there refute to their ſaluacion And greate ſocoure tyll the flode rage Began diſcrece withdrawe and a ſwage In olde ſtories alſo ye may ſe Whanne Cicraps hadde firſt poſſeſſion Of athenys the myghty ſtronge cyte An hete there fyll in that region By influence that deſcendith doun From the bodyes aboue celeſtiall Which likely was for to deuoure all And this hete engendryd with the ſunne In diuers countrees both in length and brede Hath his cours ſo myghtely begunne That many folkes fell in greate drede Ryuers welles who ſo lyſt take hede Conſumyd were and dryed vp echon The herte callyd the enbraſynge of pheton

¶Of goodly Iſis wife to Apys kynge of argyne ſlayne by his brother Dyffeus. wE haue redde in ſtories here toforne Howe that Iſis to egipt toke her flyght Oute of Crece the true doughter borne Of Prometheus a full manly knyght And Iſis in euery mannys ſight So freſſhe / ſo goodly weddyd by hir lyue To worthy Apys that was kynge of argyue The which Iſis excellent of bewtye After tyme her fader was ygraue She was put for more ſuretye With her vncle that ſhulde kepe and ſaue This ſayde mayde that no man ſhulde her haue And her vncle in Ouyde ye may ſe Lyke as he wrote was callyd Epymethe And flowynge vp in her tendre age This ſayde Iſis ſo pleſaunt was and mete Of ſemelyneſſe of look / and viſage That Iupiter the myghty kynge of Crete Was enuyroned with her for to mete And ſhe excyted of femynyte Enclynyd her hert vnto his deite And for ſhe was of her entent ſo clene Obeynge him in mooſt lowly wiſe Of argmois ſhe made her to be quene Bicauſe that ſhe was ſmyt in couetiſe Ayenſt argus a werre ſhe ganne deuyſe And for he was vnweldy of his age Her to withſtonde he founde none auauntage But yit fortune ganne vpon her froune And kynge argus thurgh his ſubtylite With his counſeyll ſo prudently ganne rowne That ſhe was take by full greate cruelte And her ſoudeours were alſo made to flee And by argus there gayned no raūſon She fettryd was and put in ſtronge priſon But her ſonne good mercurius Right freſſhe / ryght luſty / and full of hardyneſſe And of his erthely ioye Ayenſt argus gan his power dreſſe And ſo entierly dyd his beſineſſe And was ſlayne in concluſion And Iſis after deliueryd fro pryſon Of her ſleightes afterwarde nat feynt She toke a ſhip and to egipt went In which ſhip there was a cowe depeyn • And thoures whom Iupiter alſo ſent Is goon with her both of one entent To a mariage after anone right Betwene her and apys a prynce full of myght She was right wiſe aboue other creatures Secrete of cunynge wele experte in ſcience She taught firſt letters and figures To egipciens by pleyn experience Yaue theym cūnynge and intelligence To tile the londe taught the labourerys To ſowe their greyne / and multiplie by yeres And in egipt her fame and her renoun Began day by day wext her worthyneſſe Holde of cunnynge and of reputacion By ſignes ſhewyd nat only in princeſſe But ſhe was holde amonge theym a goddeſſe And with worſhipes which were deuyne And ſacrificis to her they dyde enclyne But to declare playnly at a worde In myddes of all her greate proſperite Mighty apes her huſbonde and her lorde Prince of egipt and lorde of that cuntre Sonne of Iupiter and of Neobe Which Niobe by longe deſcendynge The doughter was of prothemeus the kynge And phoroneus firſt the lawes fonde To which all crete ſtōde vnder obeyſaunce And the ſtatutes of that myghty londe Were vnſtablyſſhyd by his ordynaunce But for to wryte the vnhappy chaunce Of kynge Apys that is remembryd He ſlayne was and pitouſly diſmembryd By his brother callyd Tyffeus Sumwhat of hatred but more for couetyſe For Tiffeus was only deſirous To reioiſe in full mortall wiſe The myghty kyngdome as ye haue herde deuyſe Of Argiuois to haue poſſeſſion Preferryd by murdre and falſe ſucceſſion And whanne that Iſis founde her lorde ſo dede Of entent that he was magnifyed Firſt of wiſdome ſhe gan take hede Ordeyned a mene that he were deified High amonge goddes to be ſtellifyed In egipt temples made to be ſtallyd And god Sirapis after he was callyd

¶Of Gryſiton that his membres cete for hungre wHat ſhall I wryte of caas horryble Of griſiton with hungre ſo conſtreyned That his life was to him ſelf odible In Teſſalie with indigence peynyd And p • touſly his fame was diſteyned Whan he ſolde his doughter in ſeruage Li •• ope which was but yonge of age • y enchaunge of god to puruey theym vytayle Of ver • y nede he was ſo woo bigon He hadde no thynge that myght his thirſt auayle Neyther ſtaū • he his hūgre with gnawyng on a bone Wherfore he •• te his membres one by one A pri •• e alas was it nat grete pyte To ſe hym dye in ſuch aduerſite We hadde alſo radde full many a day to fore The greate banyſſhynge and ꝑſecucion Of Arguiois howe kynge Gela • or Was cruelly put from his region And his lieges of indignacion In his place they ſet one Danaus Sōne and alſo heire to the god belus The people of malyce dyd him ſo encombre To encreſe his ſorowe and his aduerſite And fifty doughters he hadde alſo in noumbre And edippus his broder alſo parde Hadde fyfty ſonnes the ſtory ye may ſe Atwene the which in ſuretye of honde In mariage there was made a bonde Vndre the which compaſſyd was treaſon Couertly though they dyd it hyde But if ye lift haue clere inſpection Of this ſtory vpon euery ſyde Rede the legende of Cupide Which that Chancer in ordre as they ſtode Compyled of wymen that were called good Touchinge the ſtory of kynge pandion And of his goodly faire doughters tweyne Howe therens falſe of condicion Theym to diſſeyue dyd his beſy peyne They both namyd of bewte ſouereyne Goodly progne and yonge philomene Both innocentys of intent full clene Their pitous fate in open to expreſſe It were to me but a preſumption Sith that chancer dyde his beſynes In his legende as made is mencion Their martirdome and their paſſion For to reherce theym dyde his beſy peyne As cheif poete callyd of bretaigne Of good wymen a boke he dyd wryte The noumbre vncomplete fully of nyntene And there the ſtory playnly he dyd endyte Of theſeus / of prongne and philomene Where ye may ſe their legende thus I mene Do theym worſhip and forth their life do ſhewe For a clere myrrour bycauſe there be but fewe I woll paſſe ouer and ſpeke of theym nomore And vnto cadmus forth my ſtyle dreſſe In my wrytynge yit it greuyth me ſore Touchynge of wymen of feith or ſtableneſſe Bleſſyd be god I fynde none exceſſe And for there been ſo fewe as thinkyth me The good ſhulde be had in more deynte

¶Howe Iupiter rauyſſhyd Europe and howe Cadmus was ſent to ſeke hir in diuers regions tHe reherſayle of many an olde poete By diſcent the lyne conueyed downe Next ſaturnus the myghty kynge of crete Ioue was crownyd by ſucceſſion As next his heire by procreacion After his fadre the londe to enherite Regnynge in crete as poetes liſt to wryte One of the lynage as I you tolde aforne Of the goddes mooſt ſouereyne and entere And though he was of blode ſo high y borne He chees Europe for to be his fere And downe deſcendyd from his heuenly ſpere And he that w • for all his deite Suppoſynge in herte with her greate bewtie And ſhe was doughter to myghty kynge Callyd Agenor by lynall diſcent Whoſe myghty kyngdome and ryall faire dwellynge Was in phenyce towarde the orient And to arabic his londe was adiacent Ferre by ſouth as ye may rede and ſe Towarde the ptyes of the rede ſe But Iupiter whan he dyd aduer • Of Europa the greate ſemelyneſſe He thought he was woundyd to the hert Vnto the deth biholdynge her faireneſſe And for his conſtrent and his mortall diſtreſſe Seynge ſhe was ſo faire in his ſight He rauyſſhyd her of very force and myght But Agenor his owne fadre dere Bigan on this caas ful pitouſly compleyne Whanne ſhe alas mooſt goodly and entere Was him bicaught which doubled all his peyne Recure was none though he dyd pleyne Tyll he remembrynge on his regalie Thought he wolde ſende to aſpye His ſonne cadmus her to recure ayen For to ſerch her in many a region Whereſo his laboure were fructuous or in veyne His fader ſet him a fell condicion Not to retourne by none occaſion And therupon made him to be bounde Tyll that he hadde the kynges doughter founde He toke his ſhyppes by greate auyſeneſſe And biganne to ſaile in many a ſtraunge ſe Dyd his laboure and his beſyneſſe With many a worthy that were with him preue But whan that he of reaſon dyd ſe There was no mene for which that he was ſent For to accompleſſh the fyne of his entent Which glad hert deuoyde of gruchynge Seynge the caas frowarde and contrarye Humble of his chere tooke his excellynge And of manhode liſt nat him ſelf diſpayre But his meyne knyghly gan repayre Towarde grece and pitouſly there to londe Of appollo for to vnderſtonde To what partye that he myght drawe He prayed god to wyſſe him or rede Sūme token ſhewe or ſūme maner lawe Into what Ile that he myght him ſpede Or that he wolde graciouſly him lede Where as he myght bylde a cite That were accordynge to him and to his meyne And to appollo he dyde ſacrifice And made to him his oblacion The god requyrynge goodly to deuyſe To what londe or to what region For this dwellyng and habitacion He ſhulde drawe withouten more obſtacle For him and his to make his habitacle And cadmus thus before appollo ſtode Knelynge emonge with full greate reuerence And in the temple of delpho ſtyll abode With humble entendaunce and deuout diligence Mekely beſekynge by worde or by ſome ſentence That appollo wolde to him vncloſe To what partye he ſhulde him ſelf diſpoſe This was his anſwere in concluſion As the ſtatue to him dyd expreſſe To go and ſerch cuntrees enuyron And tyll he fonde do his beſynes A • ole that were excellent of fairenes Whiche by precept of appolles lawe Hadde neuyr aforne in yoke ydrawe And where that euer ſekynge that he fonde A bole ſtonde ſtyll in his paſture Appollo bad vpon that ſame londe Where as he ſeeth this ſight of auenture That he ſhulde do his beſy cure To bylde a cite he and his folkes all And bo • cia after the bole it calle And whanne that cadmus the precept vnderſtode And in ſerchynge dyd his beſyneſſe He fonde a place where a bole ſtode Fedynge him ſelf whiche as by lykeneſſe Was a place full pleſaunt of largeſſe Where as he ſtynt he ganne a cite reyſe Which that poetes greatly cōmende and preyſe And that his byldynge myght the more auayle All the foreyns that dyd aboute him dwelle Full lyke a knyght by force and by batayle Out of that cuntre he dyd them expelle Reiſynge a cyte which that dyde excelle And as Ouyde alſo recordeth the ſame Vnto this day of thebes berith the name And he was nat only glorified For rerynge vp of this greate cite But he was alſo magnifyed For his manhode and his magnanymyte And mooſt cūmendyd if ye liſt to ſee For the ſurmountynge and famouſe excellence Which that he hadde in wiſdome and ſcience For as myn auctour of him liſt endite Thurgh his noble prudent purueaunce He taught figures and litters for to wryte And made lawes of full greate ordenaunce Amonge the greges and ſet gouernaunce Their vicious life by vertue to reſtreyne And who outrayed was punyſſhyd with the peyne And of entent to encreaſe his lynage And his cite alſo for to multiplie He toke a wife that was but yonge of age And ſhe was callyd as bokes ſpecifie Hermyone and touchynge her allye Though that ſhe were borne of riall blode She was alſo both Ioly faire and gode And this was done as writith myn auctour After the deth of worthy Ioſue Sothonyel beynge ſucceſſour Hauynge the ledynge and the ſouereynte Of iſra • ll whanne thebes the cyte Was foundyd firſt in the dayes olde By kynge cadmus tofore as I you tolde Foure doughters he had by his lyue Full faire echon and goodly vnto ſe And their names to reherce blyue Semely was the eldeſt and next to anthonoe The thrid in ordre was callyd ynoe And Agaue was yongeſt of theym all Of the whiche doughters thus it is byfalle They were echon of port and of manere Full wele fauouryd in euery mannys ſight Right womanly and heuenly of their chere And for their bewte their fader anone right As it was ſittynge with all his full myght Like their eſtates their byrth and alſo their age Made theym be weddyd and ioynyd in mariage To worthy prynces his lynage to auaunce And they encreſyd by procreacion Whereof the kynge had full greate pleſaunce And greate reioyſynge in his oppynyon To ſaue his line by generation With his neuewys and coſyns of allye Fro to day to day to wexe and multiplye▪ And this encreaſyd his felicite Whanne he coſideryd verely in dede The riche byldynge of his ryall cite And fortune dyd his bridell lede To greate riches in bokes as I rede To greate nobles hauynge greate reſidence In his cite of mooſt magnificence His doughter Semel recorde of myn auctour Though ſhe deſcendyd were of the blode riall To Iubiter ſhe was ꝑamour And by his power ſuꝑceleſtiall She conceyuyd in eſpeciall As poetis of hir liſt to endite Him that is god of grapes rede and white Callyd Bachus which hath the gouernaunce Of wynes all and the regalie Wherof after was take full greate vengeaunce For whanne Iuno dyd firſt aſpye Of Iupiter the greate auoutrie Of greate hatred and enuyous deſire She made ſemel to be brent with ſodeyn fyre By deſcendynge of a ſodeyn leuene And on ſemel the vengeaunce is downe went And for the flawme conſumyd was and ſpent There was of hir left no remembraunce But of the ende the wofull mortall chaunce Alſo actheon the ſonne of Acthonie The greate myſcheuys and infortunys borne Whoſe fader was callyd Eriſtee Come of the kynred that I you tolde to forne With cruel houndes allas he was to torne For that he ſawe as bokes of him tell Diane nakyd bath hir in a well And as poetys remembre at the leſt Whan the ladyes of thebes the cyte Heelde of Bachus ſolemly the feeſt The yongeſt ſuſter callyd agane Doughter to cadmus allas it was pite Ayenſt hir owne ſonne dere She was ſo wode and mortall of hir chere Murtherynge him in ful cruell wyſe In hir rage ſhe was ſo furious For he lough at the ſacirfiſe In Thebes doon by wymen to Bachus The which ſōne was callyd Pantheus Whom that ſhe ſlewe with a ſharpe darte In hir woodneſſe as ſhe him foūde aparte Theſe greate myſcheuys fyll in the lyne Of kynge cadmus thurgh his vnhappy chaunce Fortune his nobleſſe ganne vndermyne And thought ſhe wolde his glorie diſauaunce All worldly gladneſſe is medlyd with greuaunce Experiens in Cadmus ye may ſe So importable was his aduerſite For while he ſat mooſt higheſt in his glorie No parte clipſyd of his proſperite His bright renowne and his riall memorye In realmes ſpredde and many a faire cuntre He mooſt wilfull in his high ſee Sat with his lynage mooſt high in nobleſſe Than cam fortune the falſe enchauntereſſe Of wilfulneſſe and fonde occaſion Ayenſt cadmus and made his renoun dulle Of his kynred by falſe culluſion She ganne away the brighteſt fethers pulle And whan his ſhynynge was wex vp to the fulle After the chaunge of fortunes lawe His glorye gan diſcrece and withdrawe It was more greuous to his dignynyte A ſodeyn falle from his high nobleſſe Than if that he had neuir be Set in the ſtate of ſo greate worthyneſſe For the furious mortall heuyneſſe Of his kynrede withoute any more Wolde haue greuyd a pore man full ſore And amonge his ſorowes euerychon To reherce playnly as it was I dare afferme howe that there was one Mooſt horrible and dredefull in ſuch a caas For Cadmus ſonne callyd adamas His ſonne in lawe thurgh fals maloncolye Fell ſodenly into a fren • ſye Of whome the wife was callyd Inoe Cadmus doughter as ye haue herde expreſſe Which through the conſtreynt of his infirmyte In his rage and furious wodeneſſe Thought that his wife was a lioneſſe And in his wilde ymaginacions That his ij children was alſo ij lions And vpon theym full loude he ganne to crye Towarde his wife in haſt he gan anone And from hir armys there was no remedye The childe he rent and on a cragge ſtone He gan to birſt it and breke it euery bone The which childe bochas writith thus Full tendre and yonge called was learchu • And all this woful and ſodeyne auenture Of this rage whanne that ſhe toke hede As mooſt ſorouful of any creature Hir other childe ſhe hent anone for drede For of ſocoure ſhe knewe no better ſpede So as ſhe myght gan haſt oute of his ſight But willaway as ſhe toke hir to flight And hir huſbonde cam after purſuynge Like a wode lyon in his cruelte Dou • from a mounteyn which was dependynge She and hir childe fill into the ſe Was it nat reuth / was it nat pite A kynges doughter hir lorde in thebes crownyd He to be wode and ſhe for fere to be drownyd Lo here the ſyne of Cadmus eueridele • is 〈◊〉 ſlayne and his allies all And he him ſelf from fortunes whele Whanne he wenyd leeſt ful ſodenly is fall Hi • l ••• ll ſugre tempred with moch gall For amonge all his mortall peynes Hi • l • ge men of thebes Citeſynes 〈◊〉 ayenſt him conſpiracion 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 e • il and his wife alſo 〈◊〉 ſonnes his doughters brought to deſtruction 〈…〉 the encreaſynge of his mortall woo 〈…〉 his wife compellyd both two For ve ••• y pouert and verrey indigence In 〈◊〉 laſt age to purchace their diſpence 〈…〉 of cadmus the ſorowes to deſcryue And his miſcheif to put in remembraunce He banyſſhyd was twyes by his lyue Firſt by his faders cruell ordinaunce Of his ſuſter to make enquyraunce And of there laſt in his weldy age He was compellyd to holde his paſſage Out of thebes his wife and he allone In ſorowe and wepynge to accompliſſhe their dayes Into Ill • rie togedre they be gone Ther paciens put at fell aſſayes Whoos bitterneſſe felt none alaies Alſo of their ende and vnhappy fate Neither of their deth I finde none other date Saue that Ouide makith mencion And Iohn Bochas the poete excellent Saye that two bretherne zeto and amphion Oute of thebes both by one aſſent Haue this cadmus into ixil ſent His wife alſo after their high nobleſſe To ende their life in ſorowe and wretchidneſſe But the goddes of mercy and pyte Whan they theym ſawe by fortune thus caſt doun From their eſtates into greate pouertye Hauynge of theym full greate paſſion They made of theym a tranſformacion Of both tweyne theym yeuynge a lykeneſſe Of ſerpentys to lyue in wylderneſſe

¶A proceſſe of Oetes kynge of Colchos / Iaſon / Medee. Theſeus Scilla Niſus and other mo wHan Iohn bochas was mooſt indigent To conſidre the ſucceſſions Of lynagys with all his entent In his writynge and deſcripcion To compile the generacions Of many noble famous of eſtate I mene of ſuch as were infortunate In his ſerchinge he fonde nat out a fewe Were vnhappy founde in their lyuynge To his preſence anone there gan him ſhewe A multitude full pitouſly wepynge Amongys whiche full doolfully pleynynge Cam forth Oetes and hath compleynt begūne Kynge of Colchos and ſone vnto the ſūne For of Phebus which is bright and clere Poetis write that he was ſonne and heire Bycauſe he was ſo myghty of power So freſſhe / ſo luſty / manly / and right feyre But of fortune he fyll in greate deſpayre Curſynge his fate and his deſtayne Whan Iaſon firſt entryd his cuntre agayne By Pelleus ſent from Teſſalye Therfore to accompliſſh by diligent laboure The greate empriſes thorugh his chyualrye If god and fortune liſt do to him fauour They myght wynne the treſoure This is to mene that he were ſo bolde The ram to aſſaile which bare the flees of golde This Iaſon thorugh counſeil of Medee By ſorcerye and incantacion The bole ſlough horrible for to ſe And venqueſſhed the venymous dragon The kynge deſpoilyd of his poſſeſſion Acompliſſhed with carectis and figuris Of Colchos the dredefull auenturis And afterwarde whanne he his purpoſe had He lefte Oetes in full greate deſpeire And Medea forth with him he ladde And hir brother which was the kynges heire But as I fynde howe in his repeire Oute of Colchos whanne they ganne remewe Kynge Oetes after theym ganne ſue Vpon Iaſon auengyd for to be Without tariynge he folowed proudly The which thynge whanne Iaſon dyde ſe This medea ganne ſhape a remedye She toke his brother and ſlewe him cruelly And him diſmembryd as bokys make mynde And pecemeel in a feeld bihinde He ganne him caſt all beſpreynt with blode Wherof his fader whanne he had a ſight Ful pale of chere ſtill in the felde he ſtode While ſhe and Iaſon toke theym vnto flight I trowe that tyme the mooſt wofull wyght That was on lyue whanne he dide knowe His childe diſmembryd and a brode Iſowe Which cauſe was alas and welawaye That he ſo ſtynt as man diſconſolate While that Iaſon fro Colchos went awaye And Medea mooſt infortunate Was rote and grounde of this mortal debate For who ſawe euer or redde of ſuch another To ſaue a ſtraunger liſt to ſle hir brother Forſoke hir fader / hir cuntre and kynrede The londe enperiſſhid through hir robberye Of hir worſhip toke none other hede Loue hath hir brouht in ſuch a fantaſye And while that ſhe abode in Teſſalie And with Iaſon dyde there ſoiourne She made Eſon to youth retourne A yerde ſhe toke that was drye and olde And with hir herbes and cōmixtions She made it boile / in Ouide it is tolde And by car •• tys and incantacions And with the craft of hir coniuracions The yerde bygan to bud and bloſme newe And to bere frute and leuys freſſhe of hewe And ſemblably with hir confe • tio • s His olde humours ſhe hath depuryd clene And with hir luſty freſſh pocions His empty ſkyn tremlyng and right lene Pale and wanne that no blode was ſene But as it were a dedely creature Al this hath ſhe tranſfourmyd by nature Made him luſty and freſſh of his corage Glad of herte / lifly of • here and ſight Right wele cheryd and clere of his viſage Wonder deliuer both of force and of myght In all his membres as weeldy and as lyght As • uir he was in the ſame eſtate By craft of Medee he was ſo alterat After all this ayenſt kynge pelleus She beganne to maligne vncle vnto Iaſon And of enuye ſhe procedith thus The kynges doughters ſhe drawith vnto hir anone Theym counſeylinge that they ſhulde goon Vnto their fader and playnly vnto him ſ • ien If he deſ •• ed to be yonge ayen Ful reſtoryd his force to recure And therwithall in luſty age floure She behight to do hir beſy cure Like his deſire to helpe and ſocoure And in this mater ſo craftly laboure Fynally ſtonde in the ſame caas To be made yonge as his broder was Touchinge which thinge for more euidence T •• s Medea hath to the doughters tolde • f •• tent to yeue the more credence S • e • ad them take a ram that was right olde And with a knyfe for to be ſo bolde • o •• e the beſt afore theym there he ſtode And in a veſſell drawe oute in olde blode F • lly • ffermynge like as it were trewe That 〈◊〉 ſhuld be a lombe agayne For ye by •• afte wolde his blode remewe 〈…〉 wiſe by euydence pleyn Therof •• lde no token ſhulde be ſeyn 〈…〉 his membrys as luſty and enteer As was a l • mbe • yned of one yere 〈◊〉 hereupon in ſuch ſleyghty wyſe She •• ganne a proceſſe of full falſe treaſon 〈◊〉 •• ſ •• r made vpon that lombe to practyſe 〈…〉 • ute his blode like hir entencion 〈…〉 by crafte of falſe illuſion 〈…〉 by apparence in veyn The olde ram to feme a lambe ageyn 〈…〉 Medea by hir ſleyght cumpaſſynge Of •• uye and venymous hatrede 〈◊〉 hath the ſuſters in werkynge 〈…〉 fader mortally to procede 〈◊〉 ſharpe knyues they made hir fader blede A • yddes the herte thrugh oute euery veyne Suppoſyng the ſely ſuſters tweyne That P • lleus renewyd ſhulde be To youth ayen of force and of ſubſtaunce But fynally by treaſon and Medee He lo • te his life ſuch was his woful chaunce She this wrought only for vengeaunce. As • ote and grounde of this cruell dede Ayenſt the nature of all womanhede Suppoſynge in hir opinion The deth greatly ſhuld pleaſe Of pelleus vnto hir lorde Iaſon Thorugh greate enceraſe ſet his herte at eſe But it reboundyd into his diſſeſe That finally Iaſon hir forſoke For his offence and he his wey toke In to Corynth to the kynge of Creon Whoos doughter Crewſo for hir greate beutye Was aftirwarde weddyd to Iaſon But whan this weddynge was knowen to Medee Caſt ſhe wolde theron auengyd be Beganne to conſpyre of malice and enuye And thorugh hir magik and hir ſorcery In ful greate haſt ganne to ordeyne A lityll coffre only of entent And by hir yonge faire ſonnes tweyne With other Iewels ſhe hath it ſent Vnto Crewſo makynge a preſente Which of malice ſhe liſte to diſpoſe That whanne crewſo the coffre dyde vncloſe The fire braſt oute a full large ſpace •• ent crewſo by full greate violence Set a fyre playnly all the place By enchauntement there was no reſiſtence All went a fyre that was in hir preſence By vengeaunce dyde full greate damage But whan Iaſon this fire ſawe in his rage And conſiderid the malice of Medee Thought he wolde do execucion For to punyſſhe the greate inequyte Ayenſt him compaſſyd of treaſon For ſhe of vengeaunce ayenſt all reaſon After that Crewſo conſumyd was and brent Hir owne ſonne • with that ſhe had ſent Withoute routh or womanly pyte She faſly murdryd the children that ſhe bare Lyke a ſtepmoder auengyd for to be Cutte their throtys or that they were ware Ayenſt nature there was none other ſpare But for hatred ſhe hadde vnto Iaſon After this murdre ſhe fled awaye anon So eſcapynge his indignacion By craft of magyk ſhe went at liberte To Athenys and in that regyon She weddyd was vnto the kynge Egee Nat longe after a ſonne by him had ſhe The which childe my • auctour tellith th • s After Medea callyd was Medus Aftir wh ••• name the famous region I namyd 〈◊〉 •• ich callyd is mede But folowynge euir hir olde condicion This Medea voide of ſhame and drede Compaſſyd hath of wilfull fals hatrede That theſeus the ſonne of kynge Egee With newe poiſon ſhall deuouryd be But theſeus ful lyke a manly knyght In repayringe home to his cuntre Of high prudence aſpyed anone right The mortall vengeaunce the greate cruelte Of this ſtepmoder which of enmyte Concludyd hath in hir entencion Him to deſtroye vnwarly with poiſon Hir herte of malice cruell and horrible As ſhe that was with treaſon euer alied Whanne that ſhe ſawe hir purpoſe mooſt odible By kynge Egeus fully was aſpyed She hath hir herte and wyttys newe applied As in their bokys poetis haue compylyd Ayen to Iaſon to be reconciled She fledde away for fere of theſeus Leſt he had doon hir vengeaunce And fynally as writt ovidius And morall ſenek concludith in ſentence In his tragedies makynge rememberaunce Howe medea like as poetis ſe • en Vnto Iaſon reſtoryd was agayn Touchynge the ende of their furious diſcorde Poetys make therof no mencion Neither telle no meene howe they fyll acorde But if it were by incantacion Which ſo well coude turne vpſo doun Sundry thynges of loue and of hatred And in bochas of her no more I rede Saue whanne ſhe hadde fulfylyllyd hir purpos Myn auctour tellith that Iaſon and mede Reuokyd haue ayen vnto Calchos Hir fadre Oetis and from hir pouerte Brought him ayen into his riall ſe And to his crowne by force they him reſtore Touchinge his ende of him fynde I nomore Thus his fortune hath turnyd to and fro Firſt like a kynge hauynge full greate richeſſhe After lyuynge in pouerte and in woo Sithen reſtoryd to his worthyneſſe Thus euir ſorowe meynt with gladneſſe Who can aduert in all worldly thynge Recorde of Mynos the noble worthy kynge To whome I muſt newe my ſtyle dreſſe Folowe the tracis of bochaſius The which Minos as ouyde doth expreſſe Touchinge his birth he writith playnly thus That he was manly wiſe and vertuous Sone by diſcent of iubiter the grete And of Europa born to be eire of crete And of his perſone wonder delitable Ful renomyd of wiſdome and of ſcience By diuers titles of laude commendable Of birth / of blode / of kynghode & / prudence For by his ſtudye and enteer diligence He foonde firſt lawes groundyd on reaſon Wherby of Crete the famous region Gouerned was and ſet in ſtableneſſe All iniuries and wronges to refourme Made ſtatu • ys extorcions to repreſſe Of rightwiſneſſe they toke the firſt fourme And that eche man ſhulde him confourme Like their degrees ſuget and ſouereyne That no man had a mater to compleyne He made his liegis to lyue in quyete Cl • re ſhinynge in his riall nobleſſe With ſwerde and ceptre ſyttynge in his ſete And while he floured in his worthyneſſe He toke a wife of excelent faireneſſe Doughter to phebus in bochas ye may ſe And ſhe was callyd faire poſiphe And hir fader by recorde of wrytynge In his tyme was holden ful famous Of the Ile of roodes he was lorde and kynge And in his dayes of port ful gloriouſe Right proude in armys and victorious Takynge witneſſe Methamorphoſeos His doughter had thre children by Mynos The firſt a ſonne callyd Androgee And afterwarde ful faire doughters tweyne Right goodly and womanly vnto ſe But like as fortune dide for theym ordeyne They felt their ſelf greate trouble and greate peyne The one callyd Adryana and phedra that other Folowynge their fate it myght be none other Androgeus by kynge Mynos was ſent For he ſhulde profyte in clergye To athenes of vertuouſe entent There to ſtudye in philoſophie And for he beganne to encrece and multiplie And paſſe all other by ſtudye in lernynge And to ex • elle his felowes in cūnynge They of enuye and falſe malice alas Made ayenſt him a conſpiracion And from a pynacle ſacryd to pallas Of ful greate heith they made him tumble downe For which iniurye bochas makyth mencion •• s fader Minos a vengyd for to be Leide a greate power aboute the cite He caſt him fully that no man ſhulde him let But that he wolde do cruelly vengeaunce And rounde aboute ſo ſore he theym beſet With men of armes and with his ordenaunce That fynally he brought theym to outraunce And theym conſtreynyd within a lytell ſpace Their life their deth ſubmyttynge to his grace But while they made ayenſt him reſiſtence Suppoſinge his power to withſtonde Niſus that was kynge of Magarence Ayenſt Minos their ꝑtye toke an honde And oft tymes as ye ſhall vnderſtonde Whan kynge Minos dide the cyte aſſayle Niſus withinne with myghty apparayle Vpon the wallys ſtode in his defence Whanne that Minos ful lyke a manly knyght Faught withoute with ſturdy violence Like mars himſilfe in ſtele armyd bright Wherof whanne Scilla oonys had a ſigh • Doughtir to Niſus aduertynge his prowes Anone for loue ſhe fyll in greate diſtreſſe She was ſuppriſyd with his high nobleſſe His manly force expert many folde Set ſcilla in greate heuyneſſe For loue of Minos in poetis it is tolde Make her herte preſume and be bolde Firſt hir life to put in iuꝑdye Hir faders life the cite the clergie From hir herte loue hath ſette a ſide Ayenſt nature hir blode and hir kynrede And all frendſhip from her ganne diuyde And of her worſhip ſhe toke no maner hede Loue made hir cruell ayenſt all womanhede Firſt hir herte ſo ſore ſet a fyre Hir faders deth falſly to conſpyre For kynge Mynos beynge a ſtraungere Was ſo enpryntyd in hir oppynyon Of creatures there ſtode none ſo nere And for his ſake by ful falſe treaſon She compaſſyd the diſtruction Firſt of hir fader and the cite So ſtraunge a thinge alas howe myght it be That a woman of yeres yonge and tendre Coude ymagyne ſo merueilous a thinge But it fallith that creatoures ſlendre Vnder face of angelik lokynge Been verrey wolues outewarde in werkynge Alſo vndre coloure of their port femynyne Sūme been founde verrey ſerpentyne Lambys in ſhewynge ſhadowyd with mekeneſſe Cruell as tigris who doth to theym offence Of hunmble chere pretendynge a lykeneſſe But wo alas what harme doth apparence What damage dothe counterfete innocence Vnder amantyll ſhrowdyd of womanhede Whanne feynyd falſneſſe doth the brydell lede For this Scilla the kynges doughter dere In whome he ſet his hole affection His hertis ioye his pleſaunce mooſt enteer His worldly bliſſe his conſolacion But ſhe all turnyd to his confuſion Not like a doughter but lyke a ſorcereſſe His deth compaſſyd the ſtory berith witneſſe Hir fader had a fatell heer that ſhone Brighter than golde in which dyde aſſure Manly to fight ayenſt his mortall foon For in his hede while it dyde endure He ſhulde venqueſſh and recure And thorugh his knghthode to his encreas of glorye In euery quarell wynne the victorie But whanne kynge Nyſus hir fader laye and ſlepe Vpon a nyght ••• ell afore day Full ſecretly or that he toke kepe The heer of golde this ſcilla cut away And vnto Mynos armyd where he lay She him preſentyd thorugh hir ordynaunce Of fals entent him for to do pleſaunce But in this mater like as writith ouyde Methamorphoſeos who ſo takith hede Her fader ſlepynge ſhe knelynge by his ſyde Toke a ſharpe knyfe without feere or drede While he lay nakyd ſhe carf atwo his hede Stale away of full fals entent And to kynge Mynos the hede ſhe doth preſent And in hir comynge to his preſence Hir faders hede whan ſhe afore him layde Nothinge aſhamyd of hir great offence Vnto Mynos thus ſhe dyde obrayde And with bolde chere euyn thus ſhe ſayde My lorde qd ſhe with ſupport of your grace Yeueth to my tale leyſer tyme and ſpace Certys my lorde loue hath excityd me And conſtreyned to this cruell dede To ſle my fader diſtroye my cyte For to gete me worſhip forſake womanhede And made me hardy to make my fader blede Thinges horrible thus haue I vndertake For to accompliſſh only for youre ſake My ſelf diſherityd for loue of your perſone Called in my cuntre a fals traitoureſſe Diſconſolate ſtale awaye alone Of newe diffamed and namyd a maiſtreſſe Of fals murdre I bringe a grete witneſſe My faders hede and his dedly viſage Ayenſt nature to forther your viage Wherfore I pray that ye lyſt aduertyſe And conſidre lyke a gentyll knyght Howe I for loue towarde your greate empriſe And to greate fortherynge alſo of your right Haue firſt my fader depriued of his myght R • ft him his life deſpoilyd his riches To do pleſaunce to your high nobleſſe And no thynge axe vnto my guerdon Neyther to my rewarde that me auaile But that I myght haue full poſſeſſion Of your perſone mooſt worthy in batayle For there is no treſour that myght countiruayle To my deſire as that ye wolde in dede Goodly accept me and my manhede Ye may me ſaue and ſpyll with a worde Make mooſt glad and mooſt dolerous I nat requyre of you my ſouereyn lorde But that ye wolde be to me gracious For blode and kyn and my faders hou • All lefte behynde if ye liſt aduerte And vndepartyd yeue to you myn her • Which to your highneſſe ought Inough ſuffiſe All thynge conſideryd in your riall aſtate Conceyued alſo howe in vncouth wyſe For your loue I ſtonde deſolate Saue of your mercy full diſconſolate Here is al and ſum your loue I bye ſo ſore But ye do grace I can ſay you no more And whan ſhe had her tale tolde knelynge With amaner of pretenſe of womanhede Of all her treſon a poynt nat concelynge The kynge yſtonyed of her horrible dede By greate auys peiſed and toke hede It was nat ſittynge to prince or to kynge To do fauour to ſoo frowarde a thynge With troublyd herte and with a face pale His look vpcaſt ſaide god forbede That euer in cronycle in ſtorye or in tale That any man ſhulde of Mynos rede Howe he ſupportyd ſo venymous a dede Fauour a woman alas and welawey Which ſlough her fader whan he abed lay But for your hatefull and vnkynde rage I pray the goddes echon and ſaturne For to take vengeaunce on your fals outrage For euery where wheder ye do retourne And euery place where as ye ſoiourne Londe and ſe ſhortly to expreſſe They been enfecte with your curſydneſſe Youre owne mouth your outrage doth accuſe And your actes ben ſo abhomynable That your giftes fully I do refuſe They been ſo frowarde and ſo reprouable That your perſone diſnaturell and vnſtable Within my court it were a thynge nat faire That ye ſhulde abyde or haue repaire Ye be ſo hatefull on euery ſide And contrarious of condiſion I pray Tellius which of the erth is guyde And to Nemtunus I make this oryſon As ferre as ſtretchith their damynacion Vnder the bonde of their regaile A dwellynge place that they to you denye Whanne Mynos his anſwere thus deuyſe • On reaſon groundyd and equyte And ſcilla ſawe howe ſhe was deſpyſyd Knewe no partie paſſage ne cuntre To fynde ſocour wheder ſhe myght fle But deſpired lyke a traitoureſſe Towarde the ſe anone ſhe gan hir dreſſe To entre the watir playnly if ſhe myght For verrey ſhame hir ſelf for to ſhroude And whan the goddes therof had a ſight They turned her as they that myght and coude Into a quaile for to ſynge loude Her fader Nyſus they dyde alſo tranſmewe Into a ſparow • the quayle to purſue This was the ende of Niſus Scille And afterwarde of athenes the toun Was yeldyd vp to ſtonde at the will Of kynge Mynos withoute condicion Euery yere by reuolucion They of the cite ſhulde nat delay Nyne of their children for a tribute paye This was by Mynos the empoſicion Vpon athenes and of verry drede They obeyed as made is mencion And their children yere by yere they lede In to crete the Minataur to fede Vnto this monſtre ordeyned for repaſt Which at their comynge deuoured were in haſt But or that I forther do procede In this mater I woll do my cure To declare if ye lyſt to take hede Of this monſtre to tell the engend • ure Vncouth to here and ayenſt nature For by the writynge of Oiudius This ougly beeſt was engendryd thus Methamorphoſeos the maner ye may ſe Mynos had a bole of greate faireneſſe White as mylke and the quene poſiphe Louyd him ſo hoot the ſtory berith witneſſe And dedalus dyd his beſineſſe By ſubtyll craft and made his gynnes ſo That ayenſt kynde with her he had to do And conceyuyd a beeſt monſtruous That was departyd half bole half man And as the poete by wrytynge techith vs Of all Minataurus thus the name bygan And dedalus nat longe after whan That this monſtre was by the quene forth brought This ſubtyll werkman hath an hous I wrought Callyd Roboryntus dyuers and vncouth Full of wrynkellys and of ſtraungeneſſe Ougly to knowe which is north or ſouth Or to what part a man ſhulde him dreſſe Folkes were there blent with furious derkenes Who that entrid his retourne was in veyn Without aclewe for to reſort ageyn Of Mynotaurus this was the habitacle Like a preſone made for turmentric For dampnyd folke a peynefull tabernacle For all that lay there in iupardie The monſtre muſt deuoure theym and diffie And ſpecially was ordeynyd this turment For all that were doun from athenes ſent But in this mater ſome folke varie And afferme howe that quene Poſiphe Of kynge Mynos louyd a ſecretarye Callyd taurus in bochas ye may ſe And thus the kynge for all his rialte Diſceyued was for who may any while Him ſelf preſerue where wymen liſt begyle For by this taurus bochas berith witneſſe Quene poſiphe had a childe full faire Mynos nat knowynge by no lykeneſſe But that the childe was borne to be his heire His truſt was good he fyll in no diſpayre For ſūme huſbondes as poetis haue compilyd Which mooſt aſſure ratheſt been begylyd Innocentys can nat deme amys Namely of wyues that been founde true Clerkys may write but doutles thus it is Of their nature they loue no thinges newe Stedfaſt of hert they chaunge nat their hewe Haukys beſt preuyd ſumtyme a chek can make Yit for afaute the foule is not forſake Of this mater wryte I woll nomore But aye the tribute and ſeruage of the toun Procedith forth they conſtreyned were ſo ſore Like as their lot turnyd vp and doun For there was made none excepcion Of high ne lowe neyther for ſoure ne ſwete But as it fyll they were ſent into crete The ſtatute was ſo ynly rigerous They to • e their ſorte as it came aboute Tyll at the laſt it fyll on theſeus That he myght goo forth amonge the route Kynge Eges ſon beynge in greate doute Touchynge his life which myght nat be ſocouryd But that he muſt with other be deuouryd Which theſeus for his worthyneſſe And of his knyghthode for the great encrees Thurgh manly force and for his prowes Sumtyme was callyd the ſecunde hercules Amonge amazones he put him ſelf in prees Weddyd Ipolito as bokes ſpecifie The hardy quene callyd of femynye And afterwarde to thebes he is gone Halpe there the ladyes in eſpeciall Which that compleyned vpon the kynge Creon Which theym diſtroublyd lyke their aſtate riall To holde and halowe the feſtys funerall Of their lordes and quenes and princeſſis Of wifly trouth to ſhewe their kyndneſſis For whanne this duke the maner had ſeen And of Creon the greate iniquite To the ladyes he made deliuer ageyn The lordes boones of ruth and of pyte Yit in his youth oute of his cite He was deliueryd by ſtatute full odible To be deuouryd of this beeſt horryble He gothe to priſon for all his ſemelyneſſe As the ſtatute felly dyd ordeyne But of ruthe and gentylneſſe Him to preſerue from that dedely peyne Of kynge minos the goodly doughtres tweyne Adriane ſhope a remedie And feir phedra that he ſhulde not dye Thrugh her help he hath the monſtre ſlayne That was dredefull and vgly for to ſe By theim he ſcapyd wherof he was full faine Ledde them with him toward his contre And by the waye deuoide of all pite Adriane full falſly he hath forſake A yenſt his ſuraunce and phedra he hath take In myddys the ſee he left her in an yle Towardes no ꝑtye ſhe knewe no declyne She wepyth ſhe cryeth alas the herd while For of hir fate this was the mortall fyne That for pyte bachus the god of wyne Toke her to wyf whoo • crowne of ſtones fyne Doth nowe in heuyn with ix ſterres ſhyne Thus of theſeus ye may behold and ſe To adriane the great vnſtedfaſtneſſe The great vntreuth the mutabilite The broke aſſuraunce and the newefangleneſſe But ſely wemen kepe their ſtedfaſtneſſe Euyr vndefoulyd ſaue ſūtyme of their kynde They muſt them puruay whan mē be foūd vnkynde Of theſeus I can nomore nowe ſeyn In this mater to make of him memorie But to kynge minos I woll reſorte ageyn To tel howe fortune euyr fals and tranſitorie In what poyntys diffacid hath his glorye Firſt of echoon bochas doth ſpecifie Of poſiphe the foule aduoutrye Which was his wife and ſtode wele in his grace To his plaſaunce ſhe was mooſt ſouereyne But a cloude of a ſmall treſpace Made her lorde at her diſdeyne But he of wiſdome bare pryuely his peyne For ſuch caas this is my ſentence Lete prudent huſbondes take theym to pacience On other thinges Mynos gan alſo compleyne Hauynge in herte therof full greate greuaunce That he ſo loſt his faire doughters tweyne And Mynotaurus ſlayne with myſchaunce Alſo to him it was a greate peyne That theſeus was goon at liberte And from all tribute delyueryd his cyte It greuyd him alſo in countenaunce and chere That theſeus Adriane forſoke It likyd him alſo nat the manere Vnto his wife that ſhe phedra toke And yit this phedra like as ſcith my boke Hadde two ſonnes by this theſeus Firſt demophan and next antiochus Alſo theſeus after gan him drawe Towarde cecile in ſtele armyd clene With Pirotheus in armys his felawe For to rauyſſh proſerpyna the quene But of entent phedra full vnclene Louyd her ſtepſone callyd ypolitus But for he was to her daungerous And to her luſt frowarde and contrarye In his apporte not goodly ne benygne Of his fals entent anon ſhe gan to varye Ayenſt hir full felly to malygne With a prince of many token and ſigne Of womanhede ſhe gan him accuſe Her a • outrye falſly to excuſe Who ſayth that wymen can nat ymagyne In their diffence tales vntrue To their deſire if men liſt nat enclyne Neither on their feynyd fals woo to rue Anone they can cumpaſſe thinges newe Fyſſhe and fynde oute of their entencion A couert • loude to ſhadowe their treaſon She hath accuſyd yonge ypolitus Of fals auoutrye in his tendre age Tolde and affermyd to duke theſeus With full boolde chere and full pleyne viſage Howe he purpoſyd for to doo outrage Only by force her bewte to preſſe Her lorde beſechynge to rofourme and dreſſe The greate iniquite doon to his wife While he was abſent for thinge that bare charge Wyues of tales ſumtyme been inuentif To ſuffre their tunges falſly flyen at large But felkys that liſt of damage them diſcharge Of ſuch accuſynge ne take they none hede • yll the trueth be tryed oute in dede I mene no thinge of wyues that been good Neither of wymen that flouren in Innocence For god forbede and the holy rode But men ſhulde do due reuerence To their nobleſſe and their excellence Declare their bounte and their vertue ſhewe And more theym cheriſſhe by cauſe there ben but fewe Touchynge the accuſynge ayenſt ypolitus Though it ſo were that it was fals in dede zit he for ſhame and feer of theſeus As in the ſtory ye may beholde and rede In his hert he caught a maner drede That he alas this ſely yonge knyght Fledde and withdrowe him out of his faders ſight • is indignacion playnly for to eſchewe Though by deſert in him there was no lacke Of haſty drede as gan remewe Or in a chare or • on hors backe His hors afrayed there fyll a ſodeyn wracke Doun from a roche pendaunt as ye ſhall lere He and his chare were drownyd both in fere Thus vngilty in his mooſt luſty youth He was conueyed to his diſtruction The ſclaunder conſpired as it is wele I couth By fals phedra but in concluſion The ſclaundre turnyd to her confuſion For whanne ſhe wyſt Ipolitus was dede Thurgh her defaute anone for ſhame and drede She toke a ſwerde full ſharpe I whet and grounde And therwithall ſhe raft her hert atweyne Lo howe that vengeaunce woll euer ayen rebounde On theym that falſely do their beſy peyne Lo ſclaundre folke for like as they ordeyne With their diffamys other folkys tawyte God at laſte their malice can aquyte But ſome bokes of phedra do recorde That ſhe aſhamed and confus of this dede Hinge hir ſelf vp full high with a corde Lo howe fals ſclaundre can folk quyte for ther mede Wherfore I counſeil euery man take hede In ſuch maters as ſtonde in vncerteyn From his haſty langage his tonge to refreyne Amonge theſe ſtories wofull for to rede All beſpreynt with terys in his face Full ſodenly iohn bochas gan take hede In myddys the prees ziſam cam to place And howe that fortune gan alſo the manace This proude duke full myghty and notable Of kynge Iabyn callyd the greate conſtable Of his ooſte leder and gouernoure To Iſraell verrey mortall foo With people he rode like conquerour And where that euer his meyne dyde goo The erth quoke people dredde him ſoo Fledde fro his face where as he cā a ferre Nyne hundred waynes he hadde for the werre Strongly in armyd with hokys made like ſithis Who that approchyd to mayme and to wounde For this tiraunt of cuſtum oft ſithis Hadde greate delite the Iewes to confounde And all tho that his ſwerde hath founde Kynge Iabyn bad prince Canaan In iſrael to ſpare childe ne man This ziſara was ſent to be their ſcourge By goddes ſuffraunſe their ſynnes to chaſtiſe Their olde offencis to punyſſh and to purge As a flagell many ſundry wiſe But whan of reſon they gan theym better deuyſe And for their treſpaſſys to fall in repentaunce God gan withdrawe the hande of his vengeaunce For in their myſcheef they gan the lorde to knowe Felynge the pricke of his punycion And mercy thanne hath vnbent the bowe Of his fell yre and caſtigacion To god they made their inuocacion And he theym herde in their mortall drede In iudicum the ſtory ye may rede Howe in the while that this ziſara Shope him of new the iewes to oppreſſe In their diffence god ſent theym Delbora A propheteſſe the ſtory berith witneſſe To yeue theym counſeyl their armes to redreſſe And by the ſpyrite of her propheſie For to withſtonde the greate tyrannye Of ziſara which was deſcendyd doun With a grete ooſt into the felde repeired But deſbora of high diſcrecion Whanne that ſhe ſawe the iewes diſpeyryd And for to fight their corages ſore apeyred She made him firſt deuoutly in that drede To crye to god to helpe theym in their nede She was their Iuge and their gouernereſſe Cheef of their counſeyll and of cuſtum ſhe Cauſis dependynge of greate auyſeneſſe That ſtode in doute by dome of equyte She tryed theym oute vndre a palme tre And was nat haſty no mater to determyne Tyll ſhe the parties afore dyde examyne And whan ſhe herde and knewe of cōmynge Of ziſara with full greate puiſſaunce That was conſtable of that myghty kynge Callyd Ia • yn with all his ordenaunce Vpon iewys for to do vengeaunce This delbora gan prudently entende The iewys ꝑtie by wiſdome to diffende She had barach hir huſbonde anone right Of Neptalym ten thouſande with him take Ayenſt ziſara to fight for their right And that he ſhulde a greate enarme take But he for drede this iourne gan forſake And durſt nat ayenſt him tho verreye But ſhe were preſent and liſt him to conueye Wele wele qd ſhe ſyth it ſtondith ſoo That of wantruſt ye haue a maner drede I woll my ſelf gladly with you goo You to ſupporte in this greate nede But truſtith fully as ye ſhall fynde in dede That a woman with laude honoure and glorye Shall fro you wynne the price of this victorye It folowyd after ſothely as ſhe ſayde Auyſely ſhe made hir ordenaunce And the cheef charge on her ſelf ſhe layde As princeſſe of iewes gouernaunce And prudently gan her ſelf auaunce With god conueyed and ſupporte of his grace With zyſara to mete in the face And ſpecially touchinge this viage God toke aweye the ſpirite and the myght Fro ziſara his force and his corage That he was ferdfull to entre into fight Kepte his chare and toke him to flight Knowynge no place in ſurely to abyde Till that Iael a woman dyde him hide Within her tent and almooſt dede for drede Vnder amantell deſirous for to drynke She yaue him mylke the ſlepe fyll on his hede And while that he for heuyneſſe gan wynke And ſadly ſlepte ſhe gan her to bethynke Thought ſhe wolde for ziſara ſo ſhape That with the lyfe he ſhulde nat aſcape She toke auaile that was ſharpe and longe And couertly gan her ſelf auaunce With an hamer myghty rounde and ſtronge She droue the naile lo this was hir vengeaunce Through oute his hede ſe here the ſodeyn chaunce On tyrantys that truſt on fortune Which woll nat ſuffre theym longe to contune In their fals vſurpyd tirannye To holde people in longe ſubietion She can theym blaundiſſhe with hir flaterye Vnder a colour of fals colluſion And with a ſodeyn tranſmutacion Fortune theym can that pore folke trouble Reuerſe their pride with their face double And though ſhe were defacid of figure There ſhewyd in her a maner maieſte Of qu • enly honoure pleynly to diſcure Her infortunys and hir infelicite And to declare playnly / howe that ſhe Of all princeſſis / which ſtode in eſtate She was her ſelf the mooſt infortunate Which yaue to Bochas full greate occaſion Whan he ſawe her pitous apparaile For to make a lamentacion Of vncouth ſorowes / which dyd her aſſaile With a tragedye to wepe and to waile Her importable / and ſtraunge dedly ſtrife Which that ſhe hadde durynge all her life • e wryte of her a ſtory large and playne And of her birth / firſt he doth diffyne And affermeth in his boke certeyne She was diſcendyd of a noble lyne In flourynge age / alſo whan ſhe dyde ſhyne She weddyd was for her greate bewte Vnto the kynge of thebes the cyte Which in his tyme was callyd ſayus And whan hir wombe by proceſſe dyd aryſe The kynge was glad / and alſo deſirous The childys ſtate to knowe in ſum wiſe And thought he wolde go do ſacrifiſe Vnto appollo to haue knowlechynge to forne Touchinge this childe whan that it was borne What ſhulde folowe in concluſion He was deſirous / and haſty for to ſe Firſt by the heuenly diſpoſicion And by the fauoure if it wolde be Of appollos myghty deite To haue anſwere amonge his wittys all Of his childe / what fate ſhulde bifalle His anſwere thought it were contrarye To his deſire / yit was it thus in dede Appollo tolde him / and liſt no lengre tar • That this childe ſhulde verrely in dede Sle his fadre / and make his ſides blede And with his handes there was none other weye But on his ſwerde he muſt nedis deye The kynge was heuy / and truſt on this ſentence Sorowfull of herte / god wote and no thynge fayne And keſt afore through his prouydence That his ſonne ſhulde in all haſt be ſlayne And that he wolde nat an houre delayne After his birth but bad his men to goon Into a foreſt and ſle the childe anone Lyke his byddynge the mynyſtres wrought in dede Takynge the childe tendre and yonge of age And into a foreſt with theym they gan it lede To be deuouryd of beſtes mooſt ſauage The moder alas almoſt fyll into a rage Seynge her childe ſo inly fayre of face Shall thus be dede and dyde no treſpace Lytell wondre though ſhe felt ſm • rte To all wymen I reporte me And vnto moders that been tendre of hert In this mater Iugis for to be Was it nat ruth was it nat pite That a princeſſe a quene allas Shulde knowe hir childe deuouryd in ſuch caas After his birth Layus toke good kepe Without mercy reſpite or delaye That vnto one which kept his ſhepe This yonge childe vpon a certeyn daye Shall be deliuered in all the haſte he may To this entent it myght nat be ſocouryd But that it ſhulde of beſtys be deuouryd This ſaide ſhepeherde goth forth anone right The childe benygne beholdynge of loke and face Thought in herte and in his inwarde ſight He ſhulde doo to god a greate traſpace To ſle this childe wherfore he dyd him grace Toke firſt a knyfe and dyd his beſy peyne Through oute his fete to make holes tweyne Toke a ſmall rod of ayonge oſ • e • Percyd the fete alas it was pite Bonde him faſt and by good leiſer The yonge childe he henge vp on a tre Of entent that he ne ſhulde be Through wilde beſtes cruell and ſauage Be ſodenly deuouryd in their rage Vpon the tre while he henge thus bounde Of auenture by ſum occaſion A ſtraunge ſheepherde hath the childe I founde Which of ruth and of pite toke him doun Bare with him home in to his toun Made his wife for to do hir peyne To foſtre the childe with hir breſtys tweyne And whan he was brought forth and recuryd And full made hole of his woundes ſore This yonge childe which all this hath enduryd Whan he in age began to wexe more And that nature began him to roſtore The ſeide ſheepherde that louyd him beſt of all After his hurtys Edippus dyd him calle For edippus is more to ſeyne Who that conceyueth the expoſicion But fete I ꝑcyd throughout both tweyne In that langage as made is mencion And Meropa wife of kynge Polibo • The ſheepherde of full humble entent Began the childe full lowly to preſent And for ſhe was bareyne of nature She and the kynge of one affection Toke edippus both into their • ure As ſon and heire by adopcion To reyne in corynth by ſucceſſion The kynge the quene of corinthe the cuntre Hadde the childe in ſo greate cheerte Let men conſidre in their diſcrecion Sodeyne chaunge of euery maner thynge This childe ſent oute for his diſtruction And nowe prouydyd for to be a kynge And through fortune ay double in werkynge He that was refuſe to beſtys mooſt ſauage Is nowe receyued to knyghtly herytage Deſtitute he was of his kynrede Forſake and abiect of blode and of allie In tendre youth his fete were made to blede Henge on a tree and began for helpe crye But god that can in myſcheef magnefie And reconfort lolke diſconſolate Hathe made this childe nowe thus fortunate And prouydyd to be a kynges heire Of him that ſtode of deth in auenture Fortune can ſhewe hir ſelf both foule and faire Folkys brought lowe full well ayen recure And ſuch as paciently can endure And liſt nat grutch ayenſt their chaſtiſynge God oute of myſcheef can ſodenly thē brynge But whan Edippus was growe vp to age Lyke a yonge prince encreaſynge in nobleſſe Luſty and ſtronge and freſſh of his corage Of auenture it fell ſo in ſotheneſſe •• ther by ſtrife or by ſu • frowardneſſe Or by 〈◊〉 con • e • he had knowlechynge Howe he was nat ſon vnto the kynge As by diſcent b • t a fer foreyne Wherupon full ſore he bygan to muſe And for to knowe and be put in certeyne Thought he wolde ſum maner practik vſe And to the kynge he gan him ſelf excuſe For a tyme withdrawe his preſence Tyll that he knewe by ſum experience Or by ſum ſigne howe the mater ſtode Thought he wolde do his diligence To knowe his fader and alſo of what blode He was deſcendyd and haue ſum euydence Touchynge trouth howe it ſtode in ſentence And herupon to be certified Towarde appollo faſt he hath him hyed Which in Cyrra worſhiped was that tyme And yaue anſwere through his deite To folke that cam at euyn and at prime Of euery doute and ambiguyte And there Edippus fallynge vpon his kne After his offrynge had anſwere anone Towarde Grece he ſhulde gone Vnto a mounteyne that focis bare the name And there he ſhulde of his kynrede here Alſo like his faat the anſwere was the ſame He ſhulde ſle his owne fader dere And after that to thebes drawe him nere Wedde his moder of verrey ignorance Callyd Iocaſta through his vnhappy chaunce He liſt no lenger tary ne abyde This ſayde edippus but forth in haſt goth he And on his weye he began anone to ryde Tyll he the mounteyne of Pho • is dyd ſe Vnder the which ſtode a greate cuntre Callyd Citoyens / which that tyme certeyne Werr • ide theym that were on the mounteyne His fader layus through his chyualrye With Citoicus is entryd into batayle And edippus cam with the ꝑtye Of the hille armed in plate and mayle And as they began eche other to aſſayle Amonge the prees at the entrecountrynge Of auenture Edippus ſlowe the kynge Vnknowen to him that he his fader was Hauynge therof no ſuſpection Paſſyd his way platly this is the caas And alſo vnknowe he cam to the toun Of myghty thebes where for his high renoun He was reſceyuyd with full greate reuerence Bycauſe that he ſlough in their diffence Spynx the ſerpent horrible for to ſee Sumtyme ordeyned by incantacions For to diſtroy the toun and the cuntre By his compaſſyd ſleighty queſicions Slough man and childe in all the regions Such as not coude by wiſdome or by reſon Make of his problem playn expoſicion Who ſo paſſyd by he coude him nat excuſe But the ſerpent wolde him felly aſſayle w • th a problem make him for to muſe Callyd of ſum men an vncouth deuynaile Which for to expowne who that dyde aſſaile There was none helpe neither other remedye By the ſtatute but that he muſt dye And for all folke haue nat knowlegynge Of this demaund what it was in dede I well reherce it here in my wrytynge Compendiouſly that men may it rede Firſt this ſ • rpent who that liſt take hede Was monſtruous and ſpake ayenſt nature And if it fill that any creature Man or woman ſhulde forth by paſſe High or lowe of all that region As I ſaide erſt there was none other grace But if he made an expoſicion Of this ſerpentys frowarde queſtion He muſt dye and make no diffence The which demaunde was this in ſentence The ſerpent axyd what thinge may that be Beeſt or foule whan it is forth brought That hath no power ſtonde go nor fle And afterwarde if it be well I ſought Gothe firſt on foure or elles goth he nought After by proceſſe on thre and than on tweyne And eft ayen as nature doth ordeyne He goth on thre and efte on foure ageyn Alſo kyndly right nature diſpoſith it ſo And in a while it foloweth in certeyn To the mater which that he cam fro He muſt of kynde reſorte ayen therto And howe can nat the menynge clerly ſe He of this ſerpent ſhall deuouryd be Which edippus full ſobre in his entent Nat to rakel or to haſty of langage But in his hert with greate • uyſement And full demure of loke and of viſage Conſideryd firſt this perilous fell paſſage Sawe well to fore that it was no iape And full prouyded that no worde aſcape At good leyſer with hole mynde and memorie Seynge the erneſt of this mortall empriſe His life dependynge betwyxt deth and victorie This quod he pleynly to deuyſe Is firſt a childe which may nat ſuffiſe Whan it is borne the truth is alday ſene Withoute helpe him ſelf to ſuſtene After on foure he naturelly doth crepe For impotence and grene tendreneſſe Noricis can tell that do theym kepe But afterwarde vp he doth him dreſſe With his two fete the third to expreſſe Is hande or benche or ſopport of ſum wall To holde him vp leſt he catch a fall And afterwarde encreſynge of his myght To greate age whan he dothe atteyne Of his nature than he goth vp right Myghtely vpon his legges tweyne Than comyth age his power to reſtreyne Crokyd and lame like as men may ſe With a ſtaffe or potent to make vp leggys thre But whan febleneſſe or ſekeneſſe do aſſaile On hondes and fete he muſt bowe and lowte For croſſys potentis may nat thanne auayle Whan luſty age is banyſſhyd and ſhet oute Than eft ayen herof may be no doute With foure fete to erth he doth retourne Fro whens he came there ſtyll to ſoiourne All cam from erth and all to the erth ſhall Ayenſt nature may no protection Worldly eſtatis echon they be mortall There may no treaſon make redempcion Who clymeth higheſt his fall is loweſt doun A mene eſtate is beſt who coude it knowe Betwene high preſumynge & bowynge doun to lowe For who ſit higheſt ſtande in Iuꝑdye Vnder daunger of fortune lyke for to fall Miſcheef and pouertye as for their ꝑtye Been loweſt broght amonge theſe people all Sūme folke haue ſugre and ſūme taſt gall Salamon therfore myrrour of ſapience Betwene greate richeſſis and betwene indigence Axyd a meane callyd ſuffiſaunce To holde him content of compitent diſpence Not to reioiſe of to greate habundaunce And euer in pouert to ſende him pacience Sobre with his plentye in ſcarſneſſe none offence As of grutchynge but betwene ioye and ſmert Thanke god of all and euer be glad of herte Erth is the ende of euery maner man For the rich with greate poſſeſſion Deth as ſone as I reherce can As doth the pore in tribulacion For deth ne makith no deuiſion By ſinguler fauour but betwene both I lech Of the poreſt • nd of him that is mooſt riche This ſaide problem concludyd in this caas Which the ſerpent began ſleightly to purpoſe That whan a childe is firſt borne alas Kynde to his dethwarde anone doth him diſpoſe Eche day a iourney there is none other gloſe Experience can tech in euery age Howe this worlde is here but a pilgrymage This ſaide Edippus firſt in thebes borne Sent to a foreſt deuouryd for to be Founde and brought forth as ye haue herde to forne And after drawynge home to his cuntre Slough his fader ſo infortunate was he Of frowarde happys folowynge all his lyue As this tragedye his fortune ſhall diſcriue But for that he through his high prudence Vnto the ſerpent declaryd euerydele He ſlough him after by knyghtly violence More by wiſdome than of armure and of ſtele Stace of thebes can tell you full wele Which was one cauſe if yeliſt to ſeen Wherthrough Edippus weddyd hath the quene Callyd Iocaſta princeſſe of that cuntre His owne modre vnknowen to him both And though ſhe were right faire vpon to ſe With this mariage the goddes were full wrothe For their aliaunce nature gan to loth That a moder as ye ſhall vnderſtonde Shulde her ſonne take to be her huſbonde There was therein none conuenience To be ſupportyd by kynde ne by reaſon But if it ſo be the heuenly influence Diſpoſid it by the inclinacion Of ſum fals frowarde conſtellacion Cauſyd by ſaturne or mars the frowarde ſterre To engendre debate or ſome mortall werre In this mater pleyn thus I deme Of no cunnynge but of opinion Though he were crownyd with ceptre and diademe To regne in thebes the ſtronge myghty toun That ſome aſpecte cam from heuyn a doun Infortunate frowarde and full of rage Which ayenſt kynde denyed the mariage He crownyd was by aſſent of all the toun Flourynge a ceſon by ſouereynte of pees And while he helde the poſſeſſion Sonnes and doughters he had doutles The firſt ſonne callyd Ethiocles Polly • enes callyd was that other As ſaith bochas the ſecunde brother Alſo he had goodly doughters tweyne The eldeſt callyd was antigone The ſecunde namyd was ymeyne And both they were right faire vnto ſee The quene Iocaſta myght no gladder be Than to remembre whan they wexe in age Her goddes had encreaſyd their linage It was hir ioye and her felicite To ſe her children that were ſo inly faire But oft of ioye there comyth aduerſite And hope vnſured whan hope oft apaire Contrarious truſt woll gladly their repayre Where fals wenynge in herte is conceyued Through ignorance which many folk haue diſſeyued What thinge in erth is more diſceyuable That whan a man ſuppoſith verrely In proſꝑite for to ſtonde ſtable And from his ioye is remeuyd ſodenly For where fortune is founde to haſty To triſe folke is greuous to endure For ſodeyn chaungis been hatefull to nature Vnware wo that cometh on gladneſſe Is vnto hertis right paſſynge encumberous And who hath felt his part of wilfulneſſe Sorowe ſuynge on is to him odious And worſt of all and mooſt contrarious Is whan eſtatys higheſt of renoun Been from their nobleſſe ſodenly brought doun There is no glorie which that ſhyneth here That fals fortune can ſo magnyfie But whan his lande brighteſt is and clere She can eclipſe it with ſome cloudy ſkye Of vnware ſorowe only of enuye Seeth of Edippus an open euydence Which by his life hadde experience Of high nobleſſe and therwith alſo Part importable of greate aduerſite His ioye euer meynt with full mortall woo For while he regnyd in thebes the cite And Iocaſta with full greate rialtye Within the cuntre there fyll a peſtilence The people enfectynge with his violence Through all the londe and all the region In euery age but mooſt greuouſly On theym echon that were of that toun The infection ſpred mooſt ſpecially And of vengeaunce the ſwerde mooſt rigerouſly Day by day began to byte and karue Of eche eſtate cauſynge folke to ſterue Thus began to encrece the mortalite That euery man ſtode in Iupardye Of their lyues through oute the cuntre So importable was their maladye That myght here the people clepe and crie Deſpe • ed ſo were they of their lyues Wide of all ſocour and of their preſeruatyues They ſought oute herbes and ſpices in their coffres And began to ſeke for helpe and other ſocouris The cauſe enquerynge of prudent philoſopheris And of their mooſt expert deuynourys Why that the goddes with ſo ſharpe ſhourys Of peſtilence and ſo cruell wiſe Lyſt theym alas ſo mortally chaſtyſe But amonge all in ſoth this is the caas There was founde one full prudent and full wyſe A prophete callyd Tireſias Of propheſie hauynge a ſouereigne price Whiche affermyd and ſaide in his a viis As vnto him was ſhewed by myracle Phebus him ſelf declarynge the oracle Cauſe of this ſikenes and theſe maladies As the goddes playnly haue diſpoſyd And ſenec writeth alſo in his tragedies Though the cauſe be ſecret and I cloſyd Vnto the tyme there be a kynge diſpoſyd Which ſlough his fader and raft him of his life And hath alſo take his moder to his wife Tyll this be done and execute in dede There may be made no redempcion But peſtilence ſhall multiplie and ſprede Euer more and more through oute that region Tyll vnto the tyme that he be put a doun Fro his crowne which was nat longe agone His fader ſlough amonge his mortall foon And hath his modre weddyd alſo Ayenſt lawe and ayenſt all right Tyll that vengeaunce vpon that cryme be do There ſhall be werre peſtilence and fiyht Sorowe and greate ſtrife and euery maner wight Of vengeaunce his neyghbour ſhall hate Brother with brother and blode with blode debate This all and ſum there may be no ſocoure Which brought the people in greate heuyneſſe For Tireſia the greate dyuynour By propheſie tolde theym thus expreſſe And at the laſt by tokenes and witneſſe Men vnderſtode and ſignes oute ſhewynge This peſtilence was brought in by the kynge And though the people ne gaf no credence To tireſia ne to his propheſie The quene iocaſta caught an euydence And in her hert a full great fantaſie Specially whan ſhe dyd aſpie Of kynge edippus the fete whan ſhe ſe woundyd Howe this romour was vpon trouth ygroundyd Bycauſe alſo ther was a diuinour Which tolde to forne that edippus ſhulde be To layus in thebes ſucceſſoure Wherby the kynge the quene and the cite Fyll in great trouble and grete aduerſite Well more than I by writynge can reporte For there was no thinge that might theim recoūforte Full oft in the day Iocaſta gan to ſowne Kynge Edippus ſobbe crye and wepe In ſalt terys as they thē wolde drowne Deth crampiſſhynge into theyr herte gan crepe A day compleynynge a nyght they may nat ſlepe Curſynge the houre of their natyuyte That they ſhulde lyue that day for to ſee Their mortall chaunce their dedly auenture Their fortune alſo which gan on theym frowne Impatient and doolfull to endure Their frowarde fate with their lokes browne The kynge for yre caſt away his crowne And bigan to race for conſtreynt of his peyne Out of his hede his wofull iyen tweyne Day and nyght he cryed after deth Hatefull to come in any mannys ſight Mooſt deſirous to yelde vp the breth Woofull in herte to come in any lyght Coorbyd for ſorowe feble to ſtonde vp right And ſpecially in his dedely diſtreſſe For drede and ſhame he daryd in derkeneſſe The cruell conſtrent of his mooſt greuaunce Was that his ſones had him in deſpite Which gan his ſorowe greatly to auaunce For him to ſcorne was ſet all her delite Was neuer none that ſtode in wors plyte For thus liynge and deſtitute of chere Vnto the goddes he made this prayer Beſechynge theym with a full doolfull chere Vpon his woo to haue ſum compaſſion And that they wolde for to auenge his ſmerte Betwene his ſones make a diuiſion Eche to brynge other to deſtruction This was his prayer in ſubſtaunce That eche on other may take vengeaunce In yeres fewe for their vnkyndneſſe They herd his prayer as ye haue herde diuiſe The brethern two thurgh their curſydneſſe Eche gan other mortally diſpiſe For lacke of grace and for fals couetiſe Eche for his ꝑtye deſirous in dede To fore other to reigne and to ſuccede And thus theſe bretherne mooſt infortunat Betwene theym ſelf fill at diſcenceon And finally this vnkyndly debate Brought all thebes to diſtruction zit was there made firſt a conuencion By enterchaungynge that eche ſhulde reigne a yere The tother abſent to play and come no nere This was concludyd by their both aſſent And by acorde of that region Pollicenes rood forth and was abſſent Ethiocles toke firſt poſſeſſion But whan the yere by reuolacion Was come aboute he fals of his entent Vnto the accord denyed to aſſent This was a cauſe of their both ſtriues Pollicenes thus put oute of his right Tyll adraſtus kynge was of argyues Which thurgh all grece greteſt was of myght Sent vnto Thebes tedeus a knyght His ſone in lawe to trete of this matere And the cauſe fynally to lere Wherethrugh the kynge callyd Ethiocles Wolde condeſcende of truth and of reaſn To ſtynt werre and to cheriſſhe pees Aftyr the accorde and compaſ • cion Vp to delyuer thebes that mighty towne Vnto his brother which abſent was without Nowe that his yere was fully comme about But he was falſe and frowerdly gan varye Ethiocles from his conuencion For which adraſtus no lenger wolde tarye Whan tedeus hadde made relacion But callyd anon throughoute his region All the worthy bothe nere and ferre • Ayenſt thebes forto begynne a werre For this cauſe like as ye ſhal lere Pollicenes to force his partye I weddyd had the kynges doughter dere I mene adraſtus floure of cheualrie Whanne tedeus dyd him certefie Touchinge the anſwere of Ethiocles And of his truth howe he was recheles Falſe of his promyſe and curſedly forſworne For to his truth none aduertence had he Neither to the accorde that was made beforne Touchinge the delyueraunce of thebes the cyte But who that liſt the ſtory cleerly ſe Of theſe two brethern and their diſcencion And adraſtus lay tofore the toun And tideus through his high prowes Fought by the way goinge on meſſage And howe of grece all the worthineſſe With kynge adraſtus went in this viage And of the miſcheef that fyll in that paſſage For lacke of water tyll that yſiphile Noriſſh of ligurgus ſo faire vpon to ſe Thought Tideus to fynde out a ryuer She that dyde in faireneſſe ſo excelle Neyther howe the ſerpent mooſt ougly of his chere Of kynge Ligurgus the childe ſlough at the well Neither howe amphiorax fyll adoun to hell All to declare me ſemyd it was no nede For in the ſyege of thebes ye may it rede The ſtory hole and made there is mencion Of either ꝑtye their puiſſaunce and their myght And howe adraſtus laye to fore the toun And howe they mette euery day in fight And Tideus theus the noble famous knygght So renomyd in actys morciall Was ſlayne alas as he faught on the wall And howe the brethern met among the prees Lyke two tigrys or lions that were wode With ſharpe ſperys this it is doutles Euerich of theym ſhed others hert blode This was their fyne and thus with theym it ſtode Saue at their feſtys callyd funerall There fyll a marueyle which I tell ſhall Whan they were brent into aſſhes dede Of their enuye there fyll a full greate wondre Amonge the brondes and the coles rede High in the eire the ſmokes wente a ſondre The one to one partye and that other yonder To declare the ſtory me lyſt nat feyne The grete hatred that was betwene theym tweyne Thus for their Ire and falſe diſcencion All the lordes and all the chiualrie Were ſlayne of grece and alſo of the toun And rote of all myn • uctour liſt nat lye Was fals aliaunce and fraternall enuye And cheef grounde with all the ſurpluſage Who ſerch aright was vnkyndly mariage The quene Iocaſta felt her ꝑt of peyne To ſe her childre eche of theym ſle other Her ſonne her lorde blynde on his iyen tweyne Which to his ſonys was fadre and alſo broder Fortune wolde it ſhulde be none other Alſo parca • ſuſters which been in noumbre thre Span ſo the thride at her natyuyte Alſo whan Iocaſta ſtode thus diſconſolate And ſawe of Thebes the ſubuerſion The cuntre diſtroyed was and diſolate The gentyll blode ſhed of that region Without comfort or conſolacion Thought ſhe myght be nomore appeired But of all hope fully diſpeyred Triſt and heuy penſif and ſpake no worde Her ſorowes olde and newe ſhe gan aduert Toke the ſwerde of him that was hir lorde With which Edippus ſmote Layus to the herte She to fenyſſhe all her peynes ſmerte And fro the body her ſoule to deuyde Roof her ſelf thurghoute euery ſyde She wery was of her wolull life Seynge of fortune the greate froowardneſſe Howe her diffame and ſlaunder was ſo rife And of Edippus the greate wretchidneſſe Alſo of her ſones the greate vnkyndneſſe All theſe thinges weyed on her ſo ſore For diſtreſſe ſhe that liſte to lyue nomnre Bouchas writeth the faireneſſe Conſtreynt of ſorowe cauſyd it to fade The famous light alſo of her nobleſſe And all the clereneſſe of her dayes glade With vnware armys ſhe was ſo ouer lade Of verrey anguyſſh that her ſelf dyd hate So inly contrarie diſpoſid was her fate Thus deth deuourith with his bitter gall Ioye and ſorowe auoyde of all mercy And with his dart he makyth doun to fall Riche and pore theym markynge ſodenly His vnware ſtroke ſmyteth vndifferently From him refuſynge fauour and all mede Of all eſtates he taketh ſo lytell hede Better is to dye than lyue in wretchidneſſe Better is to dye than euer lyue in peyne Better is an ende than dedely heuyneſſe Better is to dye than euer in wo compleyne And where as myſcheef doth at folke compleyne By wofull conſtreynt of longe contynuaunce Better it is to dye than lyue in ſuch greuaunce Takith enſample herof and a preef Of kynge Edippus that was ſo longe agoo Of quene Iocaſta that felt ſo greate myſcheef And of their children remembre alſo Which euer lyuyd in enuye ſorowe and wo Fortune alas durynge al their dayes Was ſo frowarde to theym at all aſſaies Touchynge Edippus proceſſe fynde I none What ende he made in concluſion Saue Bochas write howe the kynge Creon Coſyn and heir by ſucceſſion Exilyd him cheyned ferre out of the toune Where he induryd miſcheef ſorowe and drede Tyll antropos vntwinyd his liues threde

Omne regnum in ſe • diuiſum deſolabitur For who ſawe euer kyngdome or cuntre Stonde in quiete of poſſeſſion But if there were right peas and equyte And Iuſt accord without diſſencion Voide of vntreuth and fals colluſion Playnly declarynge by enſample and by ſcripture Kyngdomes deuidyd may no while endure Seeth here enſaumple of thebes the cyte And howe that noble myghty region Thurgh their frowarde fals duplicite With werre were brought to their diſtruccion Their promiſe broken and their couert treſon Shewyd by her armys impoſſible to recure Kyngedomes diuidyd may no whyle endure Pryncis princeſſys which haue the ſouereynte Ouer the people and dominacion If ye lyſt longe lyue in felicite Cheryſſh your ſubgettis doo noon extorcion And aduertyſe of wiſdome and of reaſon As this tragedie doth to you diſcure Kyngdomes diuidyd may no whyle endure

Howe Atreus kynge of meſſene wrought ayenſt his brother Thieſtes ſlewe his thre chyldren diſmēbryd them pecys made Thieftes to ete of their fleſſh and drynke of their blode bOchas the poete auctour of this boke Him purpoſynge to gydre and compyle Dyuers ſtories anon his pen he toke Him remembrynge within a lytyll whyle In this chapitle began direct his ſtyle To wryte the ſtorye and hye compendious A forne all other of duke theſeus Lorde of athenys a famous great cite Right ſtronge and mighty on euery ſyde But at his backe bochas dyd one ſe Which cryed loude and bad he ſhulde abyde Bochas quod he fro the me lyſt not hyde My wofull caſe ne in no wiſe ſpare My pitous compleynt to the to declare I am thieſtes beſprent all with wepynge Drounyd in teers as thou maiſt well ſee Sometyme ſonne of the mighty kynge Philiſtines and born alſo parde Of quene pellop • a excellent of beute And for thou art deſirous to endite Of people vnhappy and their wo to wryte My wyll is this anon that thou procede Turne thy ſtyle and take thy pen blyue Leue theſeus and take of him non hede But firſt my tragedie that thou diſcryue For I ſuppoſe that in all thy lyue That thou ſawe neuir a thinge more dolorous More vnhappy more frowerde ne pitous Than is alas my mortall auenture Incomperable the ſorowe ſurmountynge Of quene iocaſta moſte wofull criature Or of edippus his faat euyr complaynynge For my complaynt hath none endynge But laſtith euer and berith me witneſſe No wo reſemblyth vnto my heuineſſe And with that worde iohn bochas ſtyll ſtode Full ſoberly to yeue him audience And in the place demurely abood To here the ſubſtaunce of his mortall offence Which thus bigan to ſhewe the ſentence O iohn qd he I pray the take gode hede My wo to wryte that men may it rede Alas my brother rote of vnkyndneſſe Attreus callyd of reaſon ſours and well And fynder oute of treaſon and falſeneſſe And all other in fraude he doth precelle Whos couert hate is more than I can tell I ſuppoſynge of verry innocence In him no malice diſceit nor none offence But as brother ſhulde a brother truſt I truſtyd him of hert wil and thought By apparen • e none other cauſe I wiſte For in his perſone I ſuppoſyd nought That euer he coude ſo falſe a thinge haue wrought But who may ſūner another man diſceyue Than he in whome no malice men conceyue I demyd of him as of my true brother w •• ynge he had feythfull ben to me I ſawe no ſigne ne I knewe none other In him ſuppoſynge no duplicite But wo alas who myght it euer be Or who dyd euer in any ſtory fynde Blood vnto blode to be ſo vnkynde I woll paſſe ouer to tell the worthyneſſe Touchinge the eſtatys of oure progenytours Of oure kynred & the greate nobl • ſſe I tell no thinge neyther of our predeceſſours Neither of my youth howe paſſyd ben the floures I l • ue all this and vnto mynde call The wretchidneſſe that I am in fall My brother fonde a fals occaſion Ayenſt me and bigan a cauſe feyne To banyſſhe me oute of oure region And bigan at me of hatred ſo diſdeyne Vpon me affermynge in certeyne In oure kyngdome which callyd is myſſene I ſhulde haue leyen by his wife the quene This he compaſſyd full falſly of malice Him ſelf wele knowynge that it was nat ſo Euer founde vnkynde and his auyſe Nat lyke my brother but like my dedely foo And to encreſe greate percell of my woo By longe proceſſe in his entencion He ymagenyd my diſtruction Wherof the people were full glad and light Thurghout myſſene that myghty region At my reſortynge fyndynge euery wyght Nedy of hert and hole affection Me to reſort into that noble toun And none ſo redy by ſignes oute ſhewynge To make me chere in ſoth as was the kynge There is no damage in comꝑyſon That may be lykenyd by no reſemblaunce To feyned truth and ſimulacion Whan fraude is hyd with a faire countenaunce Pretendynge truth outwarde by diſſeyuaunce And vnderneth of mooſt falſe entent Of doubleneſſe darith the ſerpent As vnder floures is ſhrowdyd the dragon For to betraiſſhe by ſodeyne violence Such folke as haue no ſuſpeccion But truly mene in their pure innocence Tyll they be caught diſpurueyed of diffence As a fiſſhe with bayte of fals pleſaunce The hoke nat ſeen to brynge him to myſchaunce Thus ſemblably at my home comynge I was reſceyuyd with euery circumſtaunce Lyke as half heire and brother to the kynge And he pretendynge as by coūtenaunce That he had ſo inly gretly pleſaunce Of my repaire of truth he tolde ſo For reioyſinge ſaide he wolde go And his cheif cauſe was fals couetiſe Touchyng this thinge which he dyd on me feyne And yit this kyngdome truly to deuyſe Shuld haue be deꝑtyd of right betwene vs tweyne But ayenſt truth he dyd ſo ordeyne Me to beſile out of that region Him ſelf alone to haue poſſeſſion Yit in his hert he caſt another wyle To my vndoynge and diſolacion To the place where he dyde me exile Vnder a ſhadowe of fals colluſion To make a maner reuocacion Of bretherhede ſhewynge a pretence Me to reſorte ayen to his preſence To be acceptyd as a brother ſhulde With full accoorde ſtyll with him forto abyde All iniures of which afore I tolde On either ꝑtye foryete and ſet a ſyde That no thinge after ſhulde oure loue deuyde But of one wyll and one entencion Lede all oure life withoute diuiſion Vnto his goddes to do ſum obſeruaunce For this accord and humble ſacrifiſe Made his miniſtres with feithfull attendaunce To waite on me in all their beſt wiſe It nedith nat to tell ne diuyſe Neither by writynge in bokes for to ſet Halfe the ioye he made whan we met Firſt howe frendly he dyd me enbrace Of hertely gladneſſe within his armes tweyne And howe for ioye the terys on his face Full enteerly gan diſtyll and reyne That for my ꝑtye he • oude nat me reſtreyne But that I muſt of frendſhip fraternall Wepe as dyd he in his eſtate riall The wily wolfe that caſt him to deuoure The ſely lambe which can no diffence Ne none helpe him ſelf to ſocoure So feble he is to make reſiſtence Which demyth truth of fals apparence What wondre is it the fraude nat conceyuyd Though ſuch lambys vnwarely be diſceyuyd Though that roſes at mydſomer be full ſote Yit vnderneth is hyd a full ſharpe ſpyne Sum freſſh floures haue a full bytter rote And lothſum gall can alſo ſugre vndermyne In dredfull ſtormes the ſūne amonge doth ſhyne And wnder a ſhadowe of feyned frenlihede There is no frendſhip ſo perilous to drede Thus remembrynge the feithfull wordes ſtable Of my brother ſhewyd vnto me At oure metynge the kyſſynge amyable The aſſuryd couenauntes at oure fraternyte But oft tyme men may beholde and ſe That lilyes growen amonge theſe netles thicke And floure delice in myddes theſe wedys wicke Thus while I reſtyd in the kynges hous No thinge aduertynge his dedely crueltie His olde hatred was ſo venymous And ſo odyble to diſtroye me Him ſelf to auenge he toke my children • hree And ſikerly is it nat a wonder He cut their throtes with a knyfe a ſundre For he thought that it dyd him good Theym to diſmembre into pecis ſmale And in a veſſell for to gadre their blode While they lay ſtyll and lokyd on him pale This was his dede in a deſert vale Withinne a caue that no man ſhulde aſpye Treaſon conſpired of his fals tirannye This was the ſubſtaunce of his ſacrifiſe • o ſle my children and make their hertis blede I trowe the goddes therof dyde agriſe Of his fals offringe whan they toke hede He dyd their membres after roſte and ſede And with this viande mooſt abhominable He made me to be ſeruyd at the table In couert cruſes alſo thus it ſtode To ſtaunche my thruſt thrugh his cruel vēgeaūce He made me vnknowe drynke their blode Was nat this thinge to goddes diſpleſaunce Yis I dare ſay for by demonſtraunce Vpon this dede withoute more obſtacle The ſonne in heuyn ſhewyd a myracle Which ſore agryſyd myght nat beholde With his bemys theron to caſt his ſight For diſpleſaunce his cleernes began witholde And for vengeaunce to withdrawe his light The day tournynge for horrour into nyght Whan he ſhone brighteſt in his mydday ſpere Shroudyd his face and wold nat appere But I alas vpon this caas horrible That coude nat ymagyne neyther thynke On any mater that was ſo odible Get their fleſſh th •• r blode alſo dyde I drynke Which ſo ſore doth to myn herte ſynke That I may nat touchinge this auenture The circumſtaunce for conſtreynt diſcure It nedith nat me to make reherſaile Touchynge myn exyll of all maner thynges Of diuers ſorowes that me dyde aſſayle My wofull ſighes ne my greuous wepynges Neyther vpon nyghtes my dolorous wakinges My pouert neyther howe I ſtode in drede To leſe my lyfe wherof bochas take hede And remembre all the cyrcumſtaunce If euer thou ſawe of highe or lowe degre More contrarie / or more vnhappy chauncis Than thou herde remembred here of me Weye in balauncis / my ſorowes let ſe If any ſorowe or myſcheef vnrecuryd May countirpeyce to that I haue enduryd Myn enfortunes I fonde theym ay ſo fell Without fauour and ſocour diſpurueyed My brother on me euer ſo cruell That I full oft deſired to haue dyed For to this day my ſprite hath be conueyed With ſorowe and woo deuoide of all refuge Wherfore I praye / o bochas be my iuge And in thy wrytynge leue nat me behynde Neyther in thy book / that thou nat diſdeyne Amonge the folke / that thou haue me in mynde Which that for ſorowe wepe / weyle / and pleyn And thus T • eſtes reherſynge all his peyne Like as he wolde him ſelf on pecis rende Made vnto bochas of his tale an ende

Howe Atreus accuſyd him ſelf of murdre and his brother vpon auoutrye doon with Europa the quene aTreus after with a full pale chere And of enuye full dede in his viſage And vnto Iohn bochas began aproche nere Lyke as he had be fallen in a rage And furiouſly abreyde in his langage Howe may this be / that like a man were wode •• ſtes hath his venym ſowe abrood And like a ribaude falſly me accuſyd Nat withſtondynge that I full cleerly ſe Myn infortunys / which may nat be refuſyd So ſore alas / they werke ayenſt me And though T • eſtes / fals and vntrue be And vnto the bochas with a face pale Ayenſt me hath forgyd here a tale Which in effect ſhall be founde vntrue If I haue my compleynt to declare For I purpoſe to tell a tale newe Fro poynt to poynt / and for no man to ſpare Howe he was grounde and roote of all my care And euer like as it is befall Reherce the begynnynge of my ſorowes all Sumtyme whan I regnyd in myſſene Of age luſty flourynge in my freſſheneſſe With my wife Europa that was quene Mooſt renomyd that tyme of faireneſſe Tieſtes than as grounde of all falſneſſe As a traitour his tyme dyd aſpye Through his fals fraude and flaterye Cumpaſſyd a mene within my cyte By ſleighty wyles that were incomꝑable To corrupt my wyues chaſtite My bedde defowlynge a thynge intollerable And to the goddes verry abhominable Vſynge the quene to his fleſſhly pleſaunce Tyll vnto tyme that contynuaunce She by him had ſonnes two or thre Echon brought forth in fals anoutrye Demynge that they had be Myn owne children • yll that I dyd aſpye Howe that this ſwyne through his fals lecherye This Tieſtes / after Europa Laye by his doughter called Pellopia And by proceſſe forth a childe ſhe brought • allyd Egiſtus / which whan he cam to age As ſeyth bochas / full moch treaſon he wrought For by his malice and his greate outrage Deſtroyed was all hoole the lynage Of Tantalus which by his lyuynge In frigia regned as lorde and kynge But this Egiſtus of whom I ſpake to forne Falſly bygoten myn auctour ſayth the ſame Of Pellopia anone as he was borne To hyde the ſclaunder / and alſo the defame Of Tieſtes / and alſo for to ſaue his name Whan he was but a daye of age He was outcaſt to beſtys full ſauage To be deuouryd the ſtory is well couth A mylche goot / god lyſt for him purueye To foſtre him in his tendre youth He nyght and day lyenge by hir ſyde Within the foreſt thus he dyd abyde Vnto the tyme he gan growe in age Than to the court he holdeth his paſſage Wherfore o bochas of herte I praye the Which of theſe ſtories is mooſt terrible Of Edippus • Iocaſta / or of me Tel • on anone if it be poſſible Which of their ſorowes is mooſt penyble Of theban brethern mooſt full of woo and tene Or of vs tweyne bretherne of myſſene I am a knowe as for my partye Of vengeaunce I dyd a cruell dede I ſlough his children of malice and enuye And roſtyd theym whan that they were dede Only bycauſe if thou liſt take hede That he bygate theym / as rote of all this ſtrife Vpon Europa / which that was my wife Such hatefull thinges eche man ſhulde loth Which aparteyneth to murdre and treaſon Thus may I ſay we been vnhappy both He firſt by treſpas of fornycacion Doon by the quene within my region And I deſclaundryd on that other ſyde Of haſty vengeaunce to be an homycide My bedde he defoulyd by his auoutrye To god and man a thynge mooſt deteſtable And I of malice and fals malencolie Slough his childre and ſeruyd theym at the table Thus enterchaungynge if it be comendable Eche was deſirous through oure vnhappy chaunce Vpon other for to do vengeaunce Oure greate hatred mooſt odious founde at all Oure cruell dedys wrought on outher ſide Senec reherſyth theym in eſpeciall In his tragedies / and there he doth deuyde Our complayntys / oure malice / and oure pride Oure fatall ende in ſorowe and myſcheef fyned Whan antrapos oure lyues threde hath twyned Whan Iohn bochas fully had aſpyed Of theſe two bretherne the accuſacions And howe they had maliciouſly replyed Eche ayenſt other in their diſcencions He beganne dully to here their mocions Put vp his pen and wrote not more a worde Of their furye neyther of their fals diſcorde

Of duke Theſeus and Adryane that ſaued his life in the Caue / and howe he like a forſworne man forſoke hir & weddyd faire phedra which afterward ſlough hir ſilfe aThenes ſūtyme whā it was in his floures Was callyd norice of philoſopheris wiſe Princeſſe of poetes and expert oratoures Sūme of all ſciencis as clerkis can deuiſe Whens all cūnynge mooſt cleerly dyd ariſe Named of Grece the lanterne and the light Which through all erthe ſhed his bemys bright With noble titles which been oute of noumbre In euery cooſt his renoun dyd ſhyne The fame therof was clipſid with none vmbre All other ſcolys it did ſo enlumyne For in that cite pleynly to determyne Of the vn artys / as doū from one hede ſprynge There ran out ryuers and ſtremys of all cūnynge Theſe ſciencis were callyd liberall Only of fredam fraunchiſe and liberte For of a ſtorke that were prouyd thrall There ſhulde no braunch ſtudye in that cyte • ut the ylke blode that were founde fre Both by diſcent and ſyneall high nobleſſe There to •• oleye ſhulde haue intereſſe This cyte was ſacryd to myne •• e For their wiſdome and their ſapience Of mercurie the feſtys they obſerue For rethoryk and for eloquence And myghty mars yaue theym enfluence With glad aſpe • tys their ꝑtye to amende Nobleſſe of knyghthode the clergie to defende This toun was nobled by title of other thynges And mooſt glorious / rekened in that age By ſucceſſion of Dukes and of kynges Amonge which duke theſeus by lynage Sonne of Egiſtus full freſſh in his corage E • cellynge all / of prudence and manhede That euer dyd the crowne there poſſede For to that cite through his high nobleſſe In their defencis / ſuch truſt / ſuch affiaunce He yaue to theym by his expert proweſſe Of his tryumphes ſo greate habundaunce And ſpecially their renoun to auaunce He made theym free their trewage to lete Ayenſt Mynos the mighty kynge of Crete For by his force the ſtorie is well couth Theym to fraunchiſe and all that regyon The mynataur he ſlough in tendre youth And afterwarde he of deuocion To aquite him ſelf lyke a chaumpion Therof made ſolemp • e ſacrifiſe To Iupiter in mooſt humble wiſe And a Theatre called Maraton Duke theſeus had the victorye After he went to Colchos with Iaſon Cheef of counſeyle as made is memorye And by proceſſe to augment his glorye With hercules his brother to conueye Ayenſt amazones he went to werreye Conqueryd theym his manhode was wele ſene His force / his nobleſſe in that mortall ſtrife And after that Ipolita the quene This theſeus toke vnto his wife And for his brother he layde in iuꝑde his life Duke Pirotheus whan he dyd vndertake The Centaures to outraye for his ſake This centaures poetys ſpecifie And ſ • ruyus makyth mencion Howe they were ſumtyme engendryd on aſkye Whan firſt their fader callyd yrion Was enammored full many a day goon Vpon Iuno bycauſe ſhe was ſo faire Gouerneſſe and goddes of the aire This yrion was hir ſecretarie And for hir faireneſſe and excellent bewtye Louyd her full hote al be it ſhe was contrarye To his deſire / bochas rede and ye may ſe Him to delude he writeth howe that ſhe Hir ſelfe tranſformed / as ſhe that myght and coude Into the likeneſſe of an heuenly cloude This yrion playnly ſuppoſynge It was hir ſelf and euene thus ſhe wrought The • loude enbraſynge without more taryenge Of his foly the goddes there he ſought And wttheir medlīg betwene them forth they brough The Centaures thiſe beſtys meruelous Which of nature been founde monſtruous Halfe man / half hors deꝑtyd thus in tweyne And wonderfull by their diſcripcion Of fals malyce dyd theym ſelf ordeyne On Pirotheus to make inuacion And him to put oute of poſſeſſion Of his wife callyd ypodamen And hir to rauyſſhe maugre all his men There were of theym an hundrith as in noumbre Swift as the wynde in their cours renynnge Which of malice caſt them to encoumbre Duke perotheus the day of his weddynge And to rauiſſh his wyf at their cummynge If for his partie there were no defence Ayenſt their power to make reciſtence But theſeus lyſt nat to delay Pirotheus his brother to defende Firſt the centaures knightly he dyd outraie So mortally they durſt not him offende After the conqueſt to hell they deſcende Duke pirothe and worthy th •••• s Maugre the daungere of 〈◊〉 cerberus There they rauiſſhyd in their mortall tene Through their knyghthode if ye lift to lere Diſpyte of pluto / proſerpina the quene Which of iupiter was the doughter dere And pirotheus fonde firſt the manere Of wilfull force through his high renoune Realmes to conquere and holde poſſeſſioun But by writynge ſothely of ouyde He playnly tellith howe duke theſeus Areſtyd was in hell and muſt abyde By the force of cruell cerberus And pluto was to him contrarius Tyll pirotheus to fynde a relees The caſe declaryd vnto hercules Which of his knyghthode a remedye fonde To helpe his frende dyd his beſy peyne Firſt by his proweſſe cerberus he bonde At hell gatis with a treble cheyne And of his manhode he dyd ſo ordeyne Duke theſeus from daunger to diſcharge Maugry pluto for to goo at large They were in armys brethern both tweyne Louyd as brethern both in werre and pees That neither coude vnto other feyne Their lif to iupardye and put theim ſelf in prees And bothe as brethern were callyd hercules To ſignifye / poetes can well tell This name in conqueſt all other doth excell By olde tyme they that were peerles For their nobles in diuers regions All they for manhode were namyd hercules Such as were noiſyd for fa • ous champions Tigres to daunt borys and lions And renomyd amonge theim euerichon Bochas affermith that theſeus was oon Firſt as I ſaid by his knyghtly traueyle Whan athenes ſtode in diuiſion Amonge theim ſelf by werre and bataile By his wiſdome and his diſcrecion To ſet accorde within that noble toune Theim that were exilyd and ſtode in no certeine He of his knyghthode made them reſorte ageyne He yaf theim lawes wherby they ſhulde theim gye Noble ſtatutes foundyd of reaſon Set amonge theim ſo prudent policie In their lyuynge that no diſſencion Shuld ariſe by none occaſion Amonge them ſelf in high or lowe eſtate Prouidynge euer that there were no debate Thus bigan the cite encreas and multiplie To wex famous of wiſdome and riches There ſpronge the well firſt of philoſophie There firſt of knyghthode roſe the high nobles By theſeus bochas berith witnes Thus thinges two lyke as it is founde Clergye and lawe dyd there habounde For to ſet the cite in quiete He made peas through all that region And of knyghthode he manly dyd mete The cruell tiraunt that callyd was creon Maugre him / made reſtitucion Of lordes bones that were at thebes ſlayne To the ladies / wherof they were full fayne Thus through grece anon his renoune ſpradde His knightly fame bigan gretly multiplye And longe in ioye thus his lyf he ladde While that fortune liſt him magnifye But ay hir gladnes is meynte with ſum enuye For ſhe frowarde liſt no more ſoiourne With theſeus but bygan her face tourne Awey fro him wexe ꝑuerce and frowarde Of his glorye vngoodly gan to double Doun from her whele ſhe made go bakwarde Of his gode name ſhe gan the feders pulle Whan his nobles was higheſt at fulle I mene the full of his felicite There folowyd an ebbe of great aduercite And more euer her frowardly to aquyte His vnhappis reherſynge one by one One the firſt as bochas liſt to endyte Was whan he lay in crete amonge his fone And out of pryſon ſhulde in to grece gone Repeirynge homewarde and him ſelf withdrawe The minataure whan he had ſlawe The firſt empriſe that he vndertoke Was whan he aſcapyd the importable payne Of mynatoures lyke as ſeith my boke And with him had the kynges doughters tweyne That he of malyce falſly lyſt diſdeyne Ayenſt adriane which that dyd him ſaue From the deth whan he lay in the caue Shulde haue be ſlayne had nat her ſocour be In his repeire he toke therof non hede He left her alone in great aduerſite Within an yle in miſcheef ſorowe and drede And faier phedra with him he dyd lede Weddyd her lyke a forſworne man Thus with vntruthe his miſcheef firſt began Howe phedra qu • t her the ſtory is well knowe In his abſence bochas wrytith thus Whan that ſhe within a lytill throwe Louyd ayenſt kynde her ſon ypolitus But he to hir was contrarious Wolde not aſſente to ſo foule a dede For ſhame he fled and ꝑeell alſo for drede To his fader for him dyd accuſe •• ye to forne haue the ſtory ſeyne And for he dyd her company refuſe He went away and cam neuer agayne For ye haue herde howe that he was ſlayne Within acha • through his vnhappy chaunce And howe phedra through miſcheef and vengeaunce Slough her ſelf ayenſt all womanhede Here in this boke to fore as I you tolde Of which thinge whan theſeus toke hede Thought it was vengeaunce for his offence olde For he not quit him lyke as he was beholde To adriane which ſhulde haue be his wyf By whoſe ſocoure he ſcapyd with his lyf This infortune and this vnhappy chaunce Was to his nobles full contrarious The deth alſo was to him a vengeaunce Of his ſon callyd ipolitus For ſorowe of whome this duke theſeus With ſalte teres ſore bygan to playne And the exequies of the ilke tweyne I trowe alſo it dyd him ſore greue Duke pirotheus whan he ſawe dede Slayne with a beſt and might not releue Kynge orchus hounde which had a treble hede Whoos teeth orrible of his blode were rede Which infortune whan he gan beholde Vnto the day he felt his herte colde And for to reken the great wretchydneſſes The vnhappy chauncis that fyll him in his lyf Amonge all his other great diſtreſſes Was none ſo mortall and ſo full of ſtryf As was whan he yaf credence to his wyf Phedra callyd which an entencion Cumpaſſyd vntruly an accuſacion Vpon Ipolitus of hatred and enuye Bycauſe he wolde not do ſo great offence As for to aſſente to her lecherye Therfore of deth he felt the violence▪ And for his fadre to ſone yaf credence Bochas forbad huſbendes all their lyues Without preef not leue to ſone their wyues Neither be to haſty tales for to here Of flaterers in chaumbre ne at the table Forgers of leſyngess myn auctour doth well preue To abyde with lordes that they be nat able Hereon he makyth a chapytle full natable And of his wrytynge this was the cauſe why That prynces ſhulde examyne eche party Of wiſdome alſo and of diſcrecion Without a preef not be perciall For to a prynce it is confuſion If bitwene partyes he be not founde egall Cauſyd many one for to haue a fall God ſuffrid ſuch not longe to continue Withdrawith their grace and hyndreth their fortune Thus theſeus for his haſtynes His hap his grace diſtreſſyd day by day The fame appallyd of his worthines And frowarde fortune alſo in a waite lay For his defautes to hyndre him if ſhe may Caſte ſhe wolde his nobles diaſuaunce And than his kyngedome by diſobeiſaunce From him withdrawth honoure and reuerence Full frowardly through all his region They of athenes by cruell violence Fyll ayenſt him in rebellion That he was fayne to fle oute of that toun Thus hath fortune derkyd the brightneſſe Of all his nobleſſe and caſt him in deſtreſſe This was the ende by greate cantrariouſte Of Theſeus after his daies glade Whan the freſſh floure of old felicite Fortune aduerſe / made theym for to fade Eche thinge muſt bowe whan it is ouerlade Worſhippes and honoures whan the brighteſt ſhyne With vnware chaunges than ratheſt do declyne

¶Here bochas writeth ayenſt theym that yeuethe haſty credence to liers and flaterers IN this Chaptre Bochas in ſentence Repreueth and blameth nat only princes But all theym that ouerlightly yeueth credence To euery tale and fable which is R • po • tyd vnto theym for ſothfaſtnyſſe And liſt no thynge do / as it were dewe To proue the trouth where it be fals or trwe All though ſo be in euery maner age Folkys been diuers of condicions To tourne plie and chaunge in their corage To outher partie with ſodeyn mocions And for to bowe by tranſmutacions With euery wynde as done the vnſtable leuys Which hange / in trees / in foreſtes and in greues But of all chaungis that chaunge is mooſt to drede And mooſt feerfull is that variaunce Whan that princis which may the people lede Been founde vnſtable in their gouernaunce For their nobleſſe and their high puniſſaunce Aſſureth theym by a maner of fourme What euer theym liſt to acōpliſſh and to ꝑfourme To comon profite they mooſt may auayle Whan they been rulyd by wiſdome and reaſon And to the people they may mooſt diſauayle Whan they lacke wit and diſcrecion Thus bitwene tweyne in euery region The people draweth who that can diſcerne To good or badde as princis theym gouerne They may nat be to haſty ne to ſodeyn But doo all thynge by good auyſement Kepe theym from tunges that ꝑtyd been on tweyne Nat be to haſty to yeue no iugement And of folkes whan they been abſent Leue no tales / neither yeue no credence Tyll that the ꝑtye may come to euidence Sumtyme hath hapnyd howe that ſlaw credence Hath in ſūme be founde full noyous But haſty credence I dare ſay in ſentence A thouſande foolde is more ꝑilous For vnauyſyd / all haſt is odious For haſt full oft / for lacke of reaſon Of moch people hath been deſtruction There is no damage that men can purpoſe More to be dred nor more lamentable Than a prince his eeris to vncloſe To euery tale and euery fable It is a token their hertes be nat ſtable Whan they to flaterers their eers don applye Namely to ſuch that can well forge and lye Folkes be dyuers ſum fals ſum trewe In diuers ſtudies done their beſyneſſe Sum can ſtudye and fynde out tales newe And ſum for lucre can maintene well falſneſſe And holde vp quarels ayenſt rightwyſneſſe Pretendynge truthe vnder a fals entente To hyndre folkes which that ben innocente 〈◊〉 to ſuppoſe it were a great folye 〈◊〉 folkes ſhulde in their opynion Speke or pronounce all on one partye Or holde one way in their entencion For ſemblably as there is a diuiſion Of • oragis of high or lowe degre So is there truly a great diuerſite In reherſaile or reporte of a thinge For to his partye eche man is fauorable S • man can ſaye well in all his reherſynge S • man is double and ſum man diſſayuable S • men ſay trewe and ſum be variable •••• fore a prynce of right as it doth ſeme Shulde wele examyne byfore or that he deme For there is noon more dredfull peſtilence Than a tunge that can flatere a fage For with his curſyd crabbyd violence He enf •••• th folke of euery age Woo to tunges frowarde of their langage And woo to tunges fals furious and wode Which of no perſone neuer can ſaye good Bochas reherſith it is right wele ſittynge Than euery man other do comende And ſay the beſt alwey in reportynge For in wele ſayenge no man may offende Where men ſay wele god woll his grace ſende After men be / men muſt this pris vpreyſe Lyke their meritis alowe theym or deſpreiſe But where a thynge is vtterly vnknowe Let no man there be haſty of ſentence For rightfull iuges ſittynge on arowe Of their wiſdome and of their high prudence Will of truth haue firſt ſūme euidence I mene ſuch as gouernyd be by grace Or any dome forth by their lippis pace A prince ſhulde aſſemble thinges tweyne Within him ſelfe afore full prudently Shet vp his domes bitwyxe lockes tweyne One of the ſoule / reaſon for that partye Prudence choſen / and right for the body And bytwene theym both or he yaue a ſentence To counſeyll call / truth and good conſcience Firſt to conſidre with euery circumſtaunce And diligently doo their on his laboure Of diſcrecion to take the balaunce And firſt weye oute who is the accuſoure And whether that he for falneſſe or fauoure In his proceſſe liſt to procede Herof a prynce muſt of right take hede He muſt alſo conſidre by and by What that he is which to him is accuſyd And whether the accuſour be frende or enmy Or whether he ſhall be accept or refuſyd In his actis thus muſt afore be muſyd And whether he be by report of his name A man well norſyd or ſclaundred by diffame If theſeus thus had been auyſyd And conſideryd of reaſon the meanere He had nat ſo haſtely deuyſyd His ſonnes deth like as ye ſhall lere For if there had aſſembled be in fere In his ꝑſone prudence and reaſon He ſhulde haue ſeen in his diſcrecion By knowelegynge of longe experience Of his wife the greate vnſtedfaſtneſſe Which through hir froward compaſſynge eloquence. Was redy euer to bringe folke to diſtreſſe And in his writinge bochas berith witneſſe Of their nature wymen can flater and fage And be ſumtyme to copious of their langage Alſo of wiſdome duke theſeus Shulde haue conſideryd afore in his entent Howe that his ſonne callyd Ipolitus Of all vnclenneſſe was founde euer Innocent And howe that he cuſtum / made his went Into foreſtys durynge his yonge age To hunte at beeſtys which that were ſauage Rennynge on fote as ye ſhall vnderſtonde On hillis valeys to eſchewe idelneſſe Modre of vicis with his bowe on honde Dyane to ſerue of huntynge cheef goddeſſe Sumtyme to hauke he dyd his beſyneſſe Alſo vnto fiſſhynge greatly he was applyed So that his youth was neuer vnoccupyed Thus he lyuyd in wodys ſolitarye And of venus deſpiſyd the ſeruyſe Amonge wymen he wolde neuer tarye Their felawſhip he dyd alwey deſpiſe For he demyd by ſentence of the wyſe Who ſo touchith pytch by aſſay men may ſe It fayleth nat he ſhall defoulyd be

Qui tangit picem et c̄. Ipolitus ſawe well this thinge afore Kept him at large from ſuch contrariouſte His grene youth he wolde nat haue it lore To be defoulyd for lacke of chaſtite For he lyued euer in virginyte And neuer dyde Bochas wyll nat varye No thinge that was vnto god contrarie Thus of entent he kept his body clene Durynge his lyf both in thought and dede Whoſe moder was ypolita the quene Of amazones in ouide ye may rede But wo alas that theſeus toke hede For a tale of phedra full of gyle Without gylte / his to exile After whos deth / ſūme poetis ſeyn Howe that Dyana for his chaſtite Reſtoryd him vnto life ageyne By Eſculapius / and yaue him libertye In hir foreſtes to hunte and to goo free For which reſtorynge / as write Ouideus As twyes a man / men call him verbius

¶M. de tranſformatis .i. bis vir But bochas here I not what he doth mene Makith in his boke an exclamacion Ayenſt wymen that pite is to ſene Seith howe their life their generacion Been of nature double of condicion And callyth theym alſo dyuers and vnſtable Beeſtys reſemblynge that been inſaciable He meneth of wymen been borne in Crete And no thinge of theym that dwell in this cuntre For wymen here all doubleneſſe they lete And haue no tatch of mutabilite They loue • o chaungis ne no duplicite For their huſbondes in cauſes ſmale or grete What ſo euer they ſaye they cānot counterplete Bleſſyd be god that theym hath made ſo meke So humble / and feerfull of their condicions For though men wolde cauſe and mater ſeke Ayens their paciens to fynde occaſions They haue refuſyd all contradiccions And theym ſubmyttyd through their gouernaunce Oonly to mekeneſſe and womanly ſuffraunce I ſpeke nat of one I ſpeke of all That been profeſſyd vnto lowlyneſſe They may haue mouthes but langege haue they non All true huſbondes can bere herof witneſſe For weddyd men I dare full well expreſſe That haue aſſayed and had experience Beſt can recorde of wifly pacience For as longith to men to be ſturdy And ſumwhat froward as of their nature Right ſo can wymen ſuffre paciently And all wronges womanly endure Men ſhulde attempte no maner creature And namely wymen their mekeneſſe for to preue Which may wele ſuffre while no man do theym greu • Euery thynge reſortith to his kynde As bochas writith ſumtyme of the yere And yit who ſerchith by proceſſe he ſhall fynde That truth and vertue may neuer fade of chere For rightwyſneſſe woll alwey ſhyne clere Truth falſneſſe in what they haue to done They may no while aſſemble in one ꝑſone Feer and flaterie they been contrarie They may togydre holde ſoiour Neyther ſympleſſe which that can nat varye May neuer accorde. with a baratoure Neyther Innocence with a loſemour Neyther chaſtice cannot hir ſelf applie Hir to confourme vnto no rebaudie

¶Ar • mutat naturam By the ordynaunce ſet in their corage And ech man foloweth his condicion As of the ſtocke the frute hath the tariage Pylgrymes may go full ferm their paſſage But I dare ſaye howe ferre that euer they goo There but ſūme tarrage of that they cam fro Bochas maketh an introduccion In this chaptre of high nobleſſe That princis haue in their poſſeſſion And by a maner laughynge doth expreſſe Howe for to ſet theym in greate ſekerneſſe They haue ſeruauntis vpon theym abidynge And men of armes day and nyght awaytinge That no man may entre but if he haue licence The frowarde portes ſtondinge at the gate Put men abak by ſturdy violence It were full harde ayenſt theym to debate Their wat • his kept erly and alſo late And theym to aſſure on nyghtes whan they ſlepe The chaumberleyns their doris ſtreitly kepe Men aſſignyd their metis to aſſaye To taſt their wynes leſt there were treaſon Such mortall drede theſe lordes do affraye Soo is there ſureneſſe meynt with ſuſpecion Who fedyth him gladly that ferith him of poiſon But pore folke fraunchiſyd from ſuch drede Such as god theym ſent with myrth they theym fede But poetis that write tragedies Their compleynynge is all of high eſtatis Reherſinge euer the pitous Iuꝑdus Their ſodeyn chaungys and their wofull fatis Their diuiſions and theyr mortall debatis And euer conclude their dytees who ſo can rede High eſtatis ſtonde ay mooſt in drede And grounde and rote of all this mortal trouble As Bochas writeth and berith witneſſe Been theſe liers with their tunges double Theym ſelf ay forſinge truthe to oppreſſe With whom flaterie is a cheef mayſtreſſe And worſt of all to their dredfull ſentence Is whan princis been haſty of credence Haſty credence is rote of all errour A froward ſtepmoder of all good counſeyll Grounde of greate hindringe a dredefull diſſeiuour Faire of face with a ꝑlous taile Gladly concludynge with full greate diſauaile Neyt neighboure vnto repentaunce To all that truſt and haue in hir pleſaunce

¶Of quene Althea / and howe Hercules by wymē was brought to confuſion wHan bochas had ſhewed his ſentence And declaryd his opinion Ayenſt theym that were haſty of credence He began anone to make a digreſſion Fro that mater and of entencion To ſerch out mo / his purpos to contune That were doun caſt and hintryd by fortune And as him thought he ſawe a company Of many worthy which dyd apere And amonge all firſt he dyd aſpye Quene althea as ſhe gan nigh him nere All bywepte her face and alſo her chere With ſalt teerys that pyte was to ſene Which ſūtyme was of calſidonye the quene She was the doughter of kynge teſtius Weddyd to Oene of calcidonye kynge Of chere and face apperynge full pitous Her here to torne and frowardly lyenge And in token alſo of compleynynge As writith bochas wherof he toke gode hede Blacke was her habyte and torne was her wede A ſonne ſhe had melliager he hight In erth was there none feirer to ſe Right well fauouryd in euery mens ſight And as I fynde at his natiuite Preſent were the fatall ſuſtres thre With their rockes and bigan forto ſpynne faſte And toke a bronde and in to fyre it caſte And in that houre this was their langage Touchynge this chylde we full accordyd be And haue diſpoſyd alſo the terme of his age The ſpace concludyd of his deſtyne As longe tyme who ſo lift to ſe Tyll this bronde amonge the coles rede Be full conſumyd in to aſſhes dede But whanne althea aſpyed their entente And conceyuyd the fyne of their ſentence She roos vp and the bronde ſhe hente Out of the fyre with full great deligence Quenchyd anon the firys violence The dome of parchas ſhe gan thus diſobeye The bronde reſeruynge vnder locke and keye Touchinge the fader of this meliager Orneus of him thus I rede Howe that he ſought nygh and ferre Goddes and goddeſſes who ſo lyſt take hede In hope onely for to haue grete mede For to theim all poetes thus diuiſe Saue to diane he dyd ſacrifiſe Wherof ſhe caught an indignacion Caſt ſhe wolde on him auengyd be Sent a bore into his region Full ſauage and full of cruelle Whiche deuouryd the frute of many tree And deſtroyed his cornys and his vynes That ſuch ſcarſneſſe of vitailes and of wynes Was in his londe vpon euery ſyde That the people of neceſſite Compellyd were amonge to prouyde Sōme meane weye / to ſaue their cuntre And at the laſt they condeſcendyd be That melliager luſty of his corage Shuld chefe with him folkes freſſh & yonge of age This dredfull boor mightely to enchace And furth they went echon deuoide of drede With rounde ſperes they gan him to manace But meliager made firſt his ſydes rede And with a ſwerde than ſmote of his hede Wherof the cuntrye was both glad and fayne And in this wyſe the tuſky bore was ſlayne Sūme bokes tell of this huntynge That a lady which was borne in arge Callyd atthalonta doughter to the kynge To ſle this bore toke on her the charge And with an arowe made his woundes large Alſo in Ouide like as it is founde Bycauſe that ſhe yaue the firſt wounde Melliager anone for a memorye As he that was her owne choſyn knyght Yaue hir the hede in tokene of this victorye But his tw •• ne vncles ayenſt all ſkyll and right Raft hir the hede of very force land myght Hauynge deſpite that ſhe in hir auyce Of this victorye ſhulde bere awaye the price With which Iniurie melliager was wroth Ayenſt theym proudly gan diſdeyne Pullyd oute a ſwerde and vpon theym goth And through his manhode ſlough his vncles tweyne And after that dyd his beſy peyne To take the hede and with humble entent To athalente ayen to be preſent One of his vncles was callyd Flexippus A manly knight / but yonge of age That other brother namyd theſeus But whan ther ſuſter herde of that outrage Howe they were ſlayne / ſhe gan in hir viſage Wexe dede and pale alas for hir blode Whan ſhe aſpyed the cauſe howe it ſtode She had no mater god wote to be ſayn Quene althea to ſtande and beholde Her brethern tweyne of her ſonne ſlayne At the huntynge of which tofore I tolde Firſt thinges twayn ſhe gan peiſe and vnfolde Of her brethern the loue / and nigh kynrede And of her ſon the haſty cruell dede And remembrynge ſhe caſtyth in balaunce Of hertly woo that ſhe dide endure Thought if ſhe did vpon their deth vengeaunce To ſle her ſon it were ayenſt nature Thus in a werre longe tyme ſhe dyd endure Her dedely ſorowe peiſynge euery dell Whedre ſhe ſhall be tendre or cruell Thus tendre I mene her ſon for to ſpare Or puniſſh the deth of her brethern tweyne Thus confortles all diſtitute and bare In languiſſhinge ſhe enduryd forth her payne And remedye can ſhe non ordeyne Saue fayne ſhe wolde euenge her if ſhe may But than furth came nature and ſaid nay It was her ſon ayenſt all kyndly right Of whom ſhe caſt auengyd for to be To wymen all / an ougly ſtraunge ſight That a mother deuoide of all pyte Shulde ſle her chylde ſo mercyles parde Nay not ſo nature woll not aſſente For if ſhe dyd full ſore ſhe ſhulde repente But o alas all fatall purueaunce Kepyth his cours as ſum clerkys ſayne But the wrytynge of doctoures in ſubſtaunce And theſe deuines reply there agayne And afferme the opinion is in vayne Of theym that truſt in fate or deſtyne For god aboue hath the ſoueraynte And of fortune the power may reſtrayne To ſaue and ſpyll lyke as folke deſerue Ayenſt his wyll they may no thynge ordeyne Of neceſſite what cours that they conſerue But this mater all hooly I reſerue Vnto diuynes to determyne and conclude Which not ꝑteynyth vnto folkes rude But althea of calcidonye quene Began ſore muſe and henge in balaunce Her brethern dede whan ſhe dyd theym ſeen Than was ſhe meuyd anon to doo vengeaūce Vpon her ſon by full great diſpleſaunce But as poetes lyſt for to compyle Nature made hir withdrawe her hande a whyle Thus bitwene ire and affection She helde her longe of euery ꝑtye ſtable Tyll that ſhe caught in her opinion A ſodeyn rancoure which made her be vengeable And haſty wrath which is nat commendable Ayenſt her ſone made her with her honde Out of her chyſt to take the fatell bronde And ſodenly ſhe caſt it in the fyre And wexyd cruell ayenſt all womanhede To execute hir venymous deſyre The fatall bronde amonge the coles rede Conſumyd was in to aſſhis dede And furiouſly in her malencoly The vengeaunce done ſhe thus gan to cry O ye parcas frowarde ſuſters thre Whiche of ioue kepe the lybrarye And of chyldren at their natiuite Awayte the ſentence which may not varye Wherſo it be wilfull or contrarye Vpon his domes takyng alway hede Howe that ye ſhall diſpoſe the fatall threde Thou cloto takyſt thy rocke on hande And latheſys after doth bygynne By great auiſe who ſo can vnderſtande The threde of lengthe to drawe and to ſpyrine But whan the ſpirite ſhall from the body twynne Thou antropos doeſt thy cruell peyne Full frowardly to parte the threde in tweyne I may well playne in ſuch deperticion Not for a day but woo alas for euer Ye haue vntwynyd and made diuiſion Of my two brethern and cauſyd theym diſſeuer That here on lyue I ſhall ſe them neuer And I of haſt alas why dyd I ſo To auenge their deth haue ſlayne my ſon alſo O ye doughters of arberus the felle Whoos ougly modre was the blacke night And all your kynred and lynage lyue in hell And for to auenge the wronge and great vnright Which I haue accompliſſhid in your ſight I woll with you perpetually complayne Lyke my deſert endure ſorowe and payne And while began with hir ſelf thus ſtryue Vpon hir ſorowes that were endles She made a ſwerde through her hert to ryue Of hir ſelf here ſhe was recheles And bochas after amonge all the prees Sawe as him thought with a full hidious chere Dede of viſage hercules appere Whoos fadre was Iupiter the greete His moder doughter of amphitrion Callyd Alcumena ſumtyme borne in crete And as poetis reherce one by oon So excellent was there neuer none To ſpeke of conqueſt of victorie and of fame Here in this worlde that had ſo greate a name Dredfull of loke he was and right terrible His beerd alſo blacke which henge full lowe doun And all his heer as breſtles were horrible His robe alſo full merueylous of facion Was of the ſkynne of a feers lyon Which from his backe of verrey force he rent Within a foreſt alone whan he went In his hande he bare a maas of ſteell Which to beholde was wonder longe and huge By apparence as bochas felt wele Demyd of reaſon a rightfull Iuge That hercules had to his refuge Wiſdome with force for to encrece his fame As beeſtys wylde for to make theym tame And vnto bochas he gan loude crye Take right good hede for it is no fable I for my merites to ſpeke of cheualrye And noble triumphes am mooſt commendable To be preferryd mooſt worthy and mooſt able Which haue acōpliſſhed al that may excelle Through high proweſſe that any tonge can telle Alſo of my byrth in heuen full thore ago Fully conceyued my conſtellacion Mighty Iuno ſaide vnto Inno On ſuch a da • in ſuch a regeon One ſhall be ••• ne moſt mighty of renoun Nobleſt of nobl • s both in werre and pees Of whome the name ſhall be Hercules The which dome whan Inno vnderſtode Of Iupiter conceyuinge the entente And knewe my fate ſhulde be ſo good To lucynya her meſſaunger ſhe ſente But ſum ſeith howe downe hir ſelf ſhe wente To this goddeſſe / goddeſſe of chyldynge And her biſought to graunt her / her aſkynge That ſhe wolde from hercules tranſlate The influence of his natiuite Helpe to reſerue his name and his fate And graunte it hooly to yonge Euriſtee And that lucynya preſent wolde be The ſame houre by iupiter prouidyd It to poſſede all hool and vndyuidyd Thus to the moder of this euriſtee Iuno the goddeſſe grauntyd her fauoure Therby diſpoſynge that he ſhulde be Mighty of puyſſaunce lyke an emperoure But of his nobleſſe the conqueſt and laboure And of his manhode the proweſſe and purſute By hercules was fully execute This hercules had the traueyle And • uriſteus bare away the name Alſo hercules faught in plate and maile And high empriſes proudely dyd attame But the reporte of his noble fame To curiſtius fully was aſcriued Thus of his thanke was hercules depriued Full oft in armys ſ •• n man doth full wele And oft cauſith that the felde is wonne And of a nother that dyd neuer adele The pryce out ſpredith like as ſhineth the ſonne And oft it hapneth that he that hath beſt ronne Doth not the ſpere lyke his deſert poſſede Where fals fauoure yeueth euery man his mede Fame in her palice hath trumpes mo than oon Sum of golde that yeuith a full freſſh ſoun Sum man hath lande and deſeruith noon And ſum heue be full worthy of renoun No thinge preferryd by commendacion As by reporte of ſtatys high and lowe So frowardly fame his trumpe hath blowe Touchynge armys the poure ne the riche Ben not of hertes echon coragious Neither all men may not be eliche Neither of their name egal ne gracious And though the poure haue ben victorious Of a venture to doo full well ſum day Other haue pynchyd to take his thanke away One ſleeth the dere with an hokyd arawe Whoos part is none yit of the venyſon One betith the buſſhe another hath the ſparowe And all the bryddes in his poſſeſſion One draweth his nettes in ryuers vp and doun With ſundry baitys caſt out lyne and hoke And hath no part of all that euer he toke An euydence herof ye may ſe Full notale to be put in memorye Of Hercules and of Euriſtye For hercules gate ay the victorye And euriſteus recyued hath the glorye Thus their palme departyd was in tweyne That one reioyſed that other bare the peyne Euriſteus was prince of Athene Sonne and heire by diſcent of lyne Vnto the kynge that callyd was ſcellene Vnder whoos myght as bochas dothe determyne Hercules through knightly diſciplyne Prouidyd ſo mooſt manly and mooſt wiſe That from all other he bare away the priſe • ut wo alas that euer it ſhulde fall So manly a knight ſo noble and notable That any ſpot ſhulde his price appalle Or cauſe his corage for to be vnſtable Which is a thinge dolefull and lamentable From his knyghthode which a thinge to ſtraunge That euer a woman ſhulde his hert chaunge I woll excuſe theym by cauſe their nature Is to chaunge hertys and coragys Ayenſt their nature no force may endure For their • laterie and ſugryd faire langage Lyke Serenes freſſhe of their viſagis For to enchaunge of princis the nobleſſe More than hercules can bere herof wytneſſe Thus hercules aſtonyed and aſſhamyd Vnto bochas ſhewed his preſence Sayde alas my knyghthode is diffamyd By a full fals amerous peſtilence So ſore conſtreyned by mortall violence Wherby alas my manhode was applyed To ſleyth of wymen oppreſſyd and maiſtryed To toke their habyte and cloth me in their wede To ſhere my berde and force me viſage With oyntementis ayenſt all manhede To make it ſouple and chaunge my langage And to compleyne more of myn outrage Vpon my fyngers vtwies tolde I had rynges richely wrought of golde Thus was my corage chaungyd feminine For loue of one callyd yolee Of condicions though ſhe were ſerpentyne Me thought ſhe was faireſt vpon to ſe That all my ioye was with hir to be And that none ſhulde aꝑceyue my treſpas I chaungyd both habyte loke and face And was a woman outwarde in apparence Of entent to haue more libertye To vſe my luſtys and haue experience Of appetitis which that vnlefull be Wherof the ſclaundre reboundyth vpon me That I dare ſaye my outragious treſpace Doth all my knyghthode and prowes difface Wherof o bochas I praye the take good hede For to diſcryue in termes playn and clere Myn infortune lyke as it was in dede That whan other conceyue the manere Of myn vnhappis contagious for to here They may by example / of me do their peyne From vicious life their hertys to reſtreyne For theſe folys that all wiſdome deſpiſe And been contrarie to vortuouſe diſciplyne May yeue example to folkys that been wyſe And been to theym a lanterne of doctryne Vicis to eſchewe and prudently declyne Fro fleſſhly luſtys for it is taught in ſcolys That wiſe men all day been taught by foolys Whan bochas had conceyuyd the pleynt Of hercules in his apperynge And howe his nobles by wymen was atteynt Through his diſordynate lyuynge He thought anone him remembrynge It had be ruth for to put in mynde His vicis all / and vertues left behynde Conſidre alſo it was inꝑtynent Outher by langage to write ayenſt all right Any thynge that ſhulde in ſentinent The fame amenuſe of ſo noble a knyght Or to diſcrees in any ma •• ys ſight His glorious proweſſe / •• th poetis for his werri • Reiſe his renoun ſo high aboue the ſterrys For he was both knyght and philoſophere And for his ſtrength callyd a geaunt For comon profite he gan all pro •• ly profre Of manly corage • eue therto full graunt To entre into Egipt to ſle the geaunt Callyd Buſiris of full fals entent Slough all ſtraūgers ye through his kyngdom went For vnder a colour of lyberalite Vnto his palys gladly he wolde call Straungers echon that cam through his cuntre And ſolemply receue theym one and all And lyke a kynge bothe in chambre and hall Make theym ſuch chere in all maner thynge As aperteynyd to a worthy kynge But while his geſtys lay a nyght and ſlepe This fals tyraunt in full cru • l wiſe Murdryd theym echon or they toke kepe And after that / this was alſo his gyſe With their blode to make a ſacrifiſe To Iupiter god of that cuntre Of hole entent to pleſe his deite That in his kyngdome of frutes and greyn The londe encreaſyd by greate habundau ••• Doun from heuyn he wolde ſende they •• reyne This meane he made and this cheuyſſ ••• ce To murdre and ſle he had ſo greate pl • ſau • ce For all thynge him thought it dyd him good To murdre his geſtys and ſhede their blood But whan this murdre of Buſiris was couth That no ſtraunger myght paſſe his londe in pees This manly knyght yit flowynge in youth This noble famous this worthy hercules Amongys other he put him ſelf in ••• es And lyke a geſt outwarde in ſhewy • ge Cam to the palys of Euſiris the kynge Rebukid him of his greate outrage Done to his geſtys by cruell violence And for to make peſible that paſſage And for to auenge that his importable offence And of his murdre to make a recompence This hercules ſlough buſiris in dede And toke the blode which he dyd blede Offryd it vp Iupiter to pleſe For this vectorye him to magnifye And all egipt thus was ſet in eſe Their londes their frutes gan alſo multiplye Their greyn encreſyd aboute on eche • tye And to habounde by influence of • ey • Which afore tyme of vitaile was bareyn Another geaunt callyd antheus Kynge of Libie and gouerned all that londe Whom hercules mooſt ſtronge and mooſt coragious Sumtyme out • aide and ſloughe him with his honde For as they wraſ • lyd by experience he fonde Touchinge the erth this Geaunt it is true His force his myght dyd alw • y renewe But whan hercules the maner dyd aſpye Howe his ſtrength renewed ayen ſo oft Therayenſt he ſhope a remedye Hye in the eyre he ꝑcyd him vp a loft And withis harde and no thynge ſofte Backe and bone ſo ſore he dyd enbrace That he fyll dede to fore him in that place But ſūme bokys of this Geaunt tell Within his kyngdome who dyd him aſſaile He wolde of newe his chiualrie compelle Eft ayen to mete him in bataile And in this wiſe full feelde he dyd faile To aforce of newe as folke ſhall vnderſtonde His ſtrength his myght all ennemy • s to withſtonde But hercules of high diſcrecion The feelde on him manly to recure Had him by ſleight out of his region And as they met there of auenture The ſayde Antheus might nat endure But was diſcomfited by hercules anone Maugre his myght and his men echone After this conqueſt hercules is goon For excerciſe his prowes for to vſe Ayenſt the myghty ſtronge Gercon Kynge of ſpayne / of melleager / and Ebuſe The which tyraunt myght him nat excuſe That all his laboure as poetis ly • t compile Was from theſe realmes his people to exile His tyrannye myght nat longe endure For hercules that noble worthy knyght Made vpon him a greate diſcounfiture And ſlough the tyraunt as they met in fight And after that through his greate myght Of high prowes and magnanymyte Slough Cerberus with his hedys thre The famous bole of the londe of crete Wich that diſtroied all that region He ſlough alſo whan that they dyd mete And in Nemea he ſlough a feers lyon And for a recorde of his high renoun Of manly force his ſkyn awaye he toke And to his body a coot therof he ſhope To all his ennemyes to ſhewe him more dredfull Therfore he ware that hidious garnement And for he was in armys neuer founde dull But • lyke f • eſſh euer in his entent Into a mouteyne anone he made his went Callyd ••• nantus and there in his paſſage He ſlough Ab • or mooſt wilde and mooſt ſauage Beſyde a ryuer callyd ſtiphalus Of furious briddes he ſlough a greate noumbre Within the kyngedome of kynge pheneus All the • untre they dyde encumbre For which their ſhadowe and contagious vmbre On ſede on frutes where euer they alyght All was deuou • yd in euery mannys ſight Vpon the mounteyne callyd auentyne Which is nat f • r fro rome the cite There is a wode as cronycles determyne Right freſſhe of ſight and goodly on to ſe And hercules paſſynge by that cuntre Fro Spaynewarde paſſynge by ytaile Ca • hus the geaunt dyde him there aſſayle While Ercules amonge the leuys grene Layde him to ſlepe by ſodeyne auenture And his beeſtes ayenſt the ſonne ſhene While that he ſlept went in their paſture Cam Cachus forth full hidious of ſtature Thought he wolde theſe beeſtys with him haue Stall theym echon and hide theym in a caue And like a thefe he made theym go bacwarde That no man ſhulde the tracis of theym knowe Neyther of their paſſage haue no rewarde For by their tayles he ledde theym on a rowe Into his caue which that ſtode full lowe And for they were of excellent faireneſſe To kepe theym cloos he dyd his beſyneſſe Oute of his ſlepe whan hercules awoke And perceyued his oxen were away He roos vp and • eſt aboute his loke Began to aſſpye in all the haſt he may To what ꝑtye the tracis of theym lay And while he ſtode thus muſynge in the ſhade He herde lowynge that his oxen made And by their lowynge he gan anone aproch Towarde the ꝑtye where they were kept full cloos Fonde the caue vnder a myghty roche And proude Cachus which had theym in depoos Ayenſt Hercules he ſ •• rdely aroos But for all that he myght him ſelf nat ſaue For he him ſlough at the entrynge of the caue And thus his beeſtys he hath ayen recuryd That ſempt afore inrecuꝑable After the mounteyn by force he hath aſſuryd Which for brigantys afore was full doutable But by his knighthode it was made habytable That men myght for drede of any foo Whan euer they wolde frely come and goo Tou • hinge his conqueſt vpon femyne Ayenſt amazones with theſeus he went The quene ypolita through his chiualrye For his praye anone to him he hent And ypolita of full true entent Yaue vnto him in tokene of victorye Of golde a gyrdell to haue him in memorye After to affryk he went a full greate paas Only of purpos the gardeyn for to ſe Which aparteyned to kynge Athlas That brother was to the kynge Promothe In aſtrologie full well expert was he And of this gardeyn of which I haue you tolde The rich braunches and apples were of golde Through magik made by greate auyſement Full ſtreite kept and cloſyd enuyron And I watchyd with a fell ſerpent That no man entryd that rich mancion But Hercules mooſt myghty of renoun The ſerpent ſlought through his manly purſute And fro the gardeyne he bare away the f •• te This ſayde Athlas as bokes ſpecifie And poetys alſo of him endyte He was cūnynge in aſtronomye And therin dyd full greatly him delite And many a boke he made and dyd wry • e With greate laboure and greate diligence In his tyme vpon that ſcience The which were more precious than golde And more riche in his opinion But hercules in ſoth as it is tolde Gate all the bokes through his high renoun Bare theym by force oute of that region And to Grece like a conquerour With him he brought for a greate treſoure Of trace he ſlough the gea • nt outragious That ſumtyme was callyd Diomede Which that murdryd all that cam to his houſe And with their fleſſhe his hors he dyd fede And through his wit / laboure / and manhede Of Achelaus which was a greate wonder He made the ſtremes for to deꝑte aſundre And by his wiſdome dyd theym ſo deuide In two ꝑties diſſeueringe his paſſage For afore no man myght abyde Of his cours the furious fell outrage For in cuntrees it dyd ſo greate damage Turnynge vpwarde there was none other bote Where euer it flowed / of trees crop and rote A greate empriſe he dyd alſo vndertake Whan that the mes hidious and horreble Arriuyd vp of Archadies the lake Which with their teeth and mowthes terrible Callyd lerne the beſtes full odible Frute / greyn / and corne dyd mortaly deuoure But Hercules the cuntre to ſocoure Cam like a knight their malice for to let And by his prudence deſtroyed theym euerychon With in the lake the wormys vp he ſhet Saue amonge all behinde was left one And ayenſt him / this hercules anone Of knyghthode caught ſo greate auantage That to the cuntre he dyd nomore damage Thus all that euer may rehercyd be Touchinge knyghthode / proweſſe / or prudence Or glorious fame / or longe felicite This knightly man had mooſt excellence And in armys longeſt experience And for his triumphes and actis marciall He ſet vp pilers for a memoriall Which remembryd his conqueſtys mooſt notable And his dedys by grauynge dyd expreſſe Beyonde which no londe is habitable So ferre a brode ſprad his nobleſſe But as the ſonne leueth his brightneſſe Sumtyme whan he is freſſhe • t in his ſpere With vnware cloudes that ſodenly appere Semblably the nobleſſe and the glorie Of hercules in this vnſtable life Eclipſyd was / and ſhadowyd his memorye By Deianira that ſumtyme was his wife For by hir fraude cam in the mortall ſtrife As ye ſhall here the maner and the caas Wherby that he loſt his life alas Yit for hir ſake this mooſt manly man Faught as I finde in ſinguler bataile With Achelous ſonne of the Occian Like as poetis make reherſaile And as eche proudly dyd aſſayle This hercules of knighthode ſouereyne Sent from his hede one of his armys tweyne Of kynge Deme ſhe was the doughter dere To hercules ioyned by mariage And as they cam to grete a ryuere With ſturdy wawes where was no paſſage Neſſus the geaunt ougly of viſage To hercules profryd his ſeruyſe And full falſly ayenſt him bygan deuyſe Made his promys to hercules in dede To put his life in greate auenture Ouer the ſtreme deianire to lede By cauſe he was large of his ſtature And for ſhe was a right faire creature Whan they paſſyd and I come to londe Neſſus falſy wolde vpon the ſtronde Haue knowe hir fleſſhly / like as write ouyde Hercules hauynge therof a ſight As he abode vpon that other ſide And for to auenge him of his greate vnright Toke his bowe and bent it anone right And with an arowe filyd ſharpe and grounde Yaue to Neſſus his dedly fatell wounde Like a conduyt guſſhyd out the blode And whan he ſawe that he muſt dye To Deianire tofore him there ſhe ſtode With all his hert hir he bigan praye That in one thinge his luſt ſhe wolde obeye To take his ſhert and be nat recheles With blode deſteyned and ſende it hercules Therwith him to be reconciled And ſhe to him anone the ſherte hath ſent Through whoos venym alas he was begilyd For what by touchinge and what by enchauntment His fleſſhe his bonys were all brent And amonge his dedely peynes all In to a rage he ſodenly is fall And as a beeſt furiouſly he ran On v • l • es hilles amonge the craggy ſtones Semblably as doth a wood man Pullyd vp trees and rotes all at ones Brake beeſtys hornes and all to knewe hir bonys Was it • at pyte that a knight ſo good Shulde amonge beeſtis rēne ſauage and wood Thus ouerwhelmyd was all his worthyneſſe And to declyne went his proſperitye And cauſe and roote of his wretchydneſſe Was for that he ſet all his felicite To truſt ſo moch the mutabilite Of theſe wymen which erly and ſoone Of their nature braide vpon the mone Alas alas all nobleſſe and prudence Proweſſe of nature force and chyualrye For ſight of wiſdome diſcrecion and ſcience Vertuous ſtudy profitynge in clergie And the cleer ſhynynge of philoſophie Hath thrugh fals luſtys here be manacyd By ſleight of wymen derkyd and diffacyd O hercules I fele my penne quake Myn ynke fulfullyd with bytter teerys ſalt This pitous tragedye to write for thy ſake Whom all poetys glorifie and exalte But fraude of wymen made thy renoun halt And frowarde muſes thy triumphes all to rende For to deſcryue alas thy fatall ende

A proceſſe of Narciſus. Bible. Mirra. and of other their infortunes to bochas compleynynge nArciſus / biblis / and mirra all th •• Tofore bochas pitouſly dyd appere Their infortunes their infelicite To him compleynynge with a dedly chere And of theyr comynge to tell the manere Naraſus firſt with ſorowe and dooll atteynt Bygan firſt all declare his compleynt He was the ſone of Cephiſus the flode And his moder callyd • rope And by diſtent borne of gentyll blode Of creatures faireſt on to ſe And as I fynde at his natiuite Tireſias by ſprit of propheſie Touchinge his fate thus gan ſpecifie

Ouidius xo. et xio. de tranſformatis And of his harpe if ye lift to here The god of appollo made a tranſlacion Amonge the ymagis of the ſterris clere Wherof men may haue clere inſpection But fortune to his confuſion Denyed him frowarde of hir nature Whan he was ſlay •• fredom of ſepulture Next Orpheus there dyd appere alſo Of amazones worthy queenes tweyne Merpeſia and her ſuſter Lampedo Which in conqueſt dyd their beſy peyne And greate worſhyp in armys dyd atteyne Namynge him ſelf by writynge nere and ferre Doughters to mars which is god of werre Merpeſia rood oute in regions And conqueryd full many a greate Cite For couetiſe of greate poſſeſſions To encreace hir lordſhip if it wolde be And hir ſuſter kepte ſuerly their cuntre Of all ennemyes ſo there was no doute While merpeſia roode with hir ooſt aboute But while ſhe was in conqueſt mooſt famous And hir ennemyes proudly dyd aſſaile Fortune anone wex contrarious And cauſed ſhe was ſlayne in batayle Lo what conqueſt or victorie may auayle Whan that fortune doo at theym diſdeyne See here example by theſe quenes tweyne

• owe Narciſus / Biblis / and mirra dyed at the • yſcheef ANd thus Narciſꝰ through daūgere & diſdeyn Vpon the lady dyd crull vengeau •• But whan the goddis his cruelte ha • •• yn Towardys him they fyll a greate greuaunce Of his vnmercy they had diſpleſaunce And right as he merciles was founde So with vnmercy he caught his dedely wounde For all daunger diſpleſith to venus And all diſdeyne is lothſum to cupide For who to loue is contracious The god of loue wyll quite him on ſūme ſide His dredfull arowes ſo mortaly deuide To hurt and mayme all that been recheles And in his ſeruiſe founde merciles And for Narciſus was nat merciable Towarde Eccho for his greate bewtye But in his port was founde vntretable Cupide thought he wolde auengyd be As he that her praier herde of pite Cauſynge narciſus to fele and to haue his ꝑt Of venus bronde and of hir firy darte And on a day whanne he in wilderneſſe Had after beſtes rūne in huntynge And for longe laboure gan fall in werineſſe He was deſirous to haue ſōme refreſſhinge And wonder thurſtlewe after trauaylynge Myght nat endure lengre there to dwell And at the laſt he fonde a c •• ſtall well Right freſſh ſpryngynge and wondre agreable The water luſty and delitable of ſight And for his thurſt was vnto him importable Vpon the brinkes • e fyll doun right And by reflexion in myddes of the water bright Him thought he ſawe a paſſynge faire ymage To him appere mooſt angelyk of viſage He was anameryd with the ſemelyneſſe And deſirous therof to ſtonde in grace And yit it was nat but a likeneſſe And but a ſhadowe reflectynge of his face The which of fruence amerouſly to enbrace This Narciſu • with a pitous compleynt Ste •• e into the well and ſo him ſelf dreynt And thus his bewte alas was layde full low • His ſemelyneſſe put full ferre abak Thus whan that he gan firſt him ſilf to knowe And ſeen his viſage in which there was no la • Preſumptuous pride cauſyd all to wrak For who to moch doth of him ſelf preſume His owne vſurpynge woll ſoneſt him conſu •• And fynally as theſe olde poetes tell This Narciſus without more ſecou • r After that he was drownyd at the well The heuenly goddys dyd him this fauoure They tournyd him into a full freſſh floure A water lilly which doth remedye In hote acceſſys as bokys ſpecifie After that Narciſus was at the well dreyn • And to Iohn bochas de • larid had his woo • iblis apperyd with teeris all be ſpreynt And toward • him a greate paas gan ſhe go • And hir broder Cānus cam alſo And of one wombe as gemelles tweyne But ſhe tofore hir fate gan compleyne She in her loue was nat vertuous For ayenſt god and kyndes ordynaunce She louyd hir brother that cānus And whan ſhe ſawe hir froward gouernaunce He vnto hir yaue none attendaunce Though ſhe of ſleight to compliſſh her entent In ſecrete wiſe a piſ • le to him ſent She ſaide it was an impoſſible thynge Without hir grace hir ſelf to ſaue And but he were to her aſſentynge She elles playnly may nat helth haue But only deth and afterwarde hir graue Thus in hir writynge to him ſhe dyd attaine And to be couert ſhe • e wrote no name But whan this piſtle came to his preſence Vertuouſly therat he gan diſdeyne And yaue therto no maner aduertence Neither toke none hede of hir furious peyne But ſuffryd hir eternally to pleyne Tyll that ſhe was as Ouide can wele tell With ofte wepynge tranſfourmyd to a well Next cam mirra with face full pitous Which that ſumtyme louyd ayenſt nature Hir owne fadre callyd Cinarus For whoos ſake greate peyne ſhe dyd endure For ſhe ne durſt her ſorowe nat diſcure Tyll hir norice by ſignes dyd aſpie The hertly conſtreynt of hir maladye For hir norice of which that I haue tolde Conceyued hath by open euidence As ſhe knoweth both of newe and olde In ſuch maters all hole the experience That through longe laboure and ſleyghty diligence Diuers weies and meanes out ſhe ſought To hir faders bed that ſhe mirra brought With whome ſhe had hir luſt and hir pleſaunce For ſhe vnknowe lay with him all nyght He was diſceyuyd by dronklewe ignoraūce And on the morowe longe or any lyght She ſtale away and went out of his ſight With hir uorice kept her longe cloos Till vnto the tyme hir wombe roſe But hir fader that was of Cipre kynge Which as I tolde was called Cinarus Whan he the truth aſpied of this thinge That by his doughter he was diſceyued thus She wexe to him loth ſum and odious Fledde from his face ſo ſore ſhe was aferde And he purſued after with his ſwerde In arabye the hote myghty londe Kynge Cinarus hath his doughter founde And cruelly beganne enhaunce his honde With his ſwerde to yeue her a wounde But the goddys of mercy mooſt habounde Haue fro the deth made hir goo fre And through their power tranſfourmyd to a tre Which after hir berith yit the name Callyd Mirra as ſhe was in hir life Oute of which auctours ſay the ſame Diſtillith a gūme a greate preſeruatif And of nature a full good defenſife To kepe bodyes from putrifaccion And theym fraunchiſe from all corrupcion By influence of the ſōne bemys Mirre is engendryd by diſtillinge of his kynde With rounde droppis ayenſt phebus ſtremys And doun deſcendith through the harde rinde And through the •• ftys alſo I fynde The ſeyde Mirra hath a childe forth brought In all this worlde that it be well ſought Was none ſo faire fourmyd by nature For of his bewtie he was peerles And as poetis recorde by ſcripture He callyd was the faire adonydes And to his worſhip and his greate encrees For he of faireneſſe bare away the floure Venus him chaſe to be hir ꝑamoure The which goddes yaue to him in charge That he ſhulde in his tendre age In foreſtys while he went at large Hunte at no beeſtys which that were ſauage But he contrarie to his diſauantage Through wilfulneſſe I can ſay you no more Was ſlayne vnwarly of a tuſky boore At the which he felly dyd enchace But of foly in veyn was his laboure For he laye ſlayne full pale of chere and face Whom venus tournyd to a full freſſh floure Which was as blood of purple the coloure Abud of goolde with goodly leuys glade Set in the myddes whos bewtye may nat fade And whan that Mirra fro bochas was withdrawe And declaryd hir great aduerſite And of his fate tolde the motall lawe Cam Orpheus full ougly vnto ſe Sonne of appollo and of caliope And apperyd with a full doolfull face Sumtyme brought forth and yborne in trace Full renomed in armes and in ſcience Famous in muſyk and melodye And full notable alſo in eloquence And for his ſote ſugred armonye Beeſtys foules poetys ſpecifie Wodys flodys of their cours mooſt ſtronge Stynt of cours to herken his ſote ſonge An harpe he had of Mercurious With the which Erudice he wan And to bachus as writ ouidius Sacrifiſis ſolempne he began And vnto hell for his wife he ran Hir to recure with • oot touchis ſharpe Which that he made vpon his heuenly harpe But whan that he this laboure on him toke A lawe was made which that bonde him ſore That if that he bakwarde caſt his loke He ſhulde hir leſe and ſe his wife no more But it is ſaide ſithen goon full yore There may no lawe louers wele conſtreyne So importable is their dedly peyne If ſūme huſbondes had ſtonde in the caas To haue loſt their wyues for a loke ſoden They wolde haue ſuffryd and nat ſaide alas But paciently enduryd all their payne And thankyd god that broken was the cheyne Which hath ſo longe theym in priſonbounde That they by grace hath ſuch a fredom founde To lye in priſon it is a full greate charge And to be ſtokked vnder key and lok It well mery a man to goo at large Than with yrons to be nailed to a blok But there is a bonde which callyd is wedlok Fetterynge huſbondes ſo ſore that is wondre Which with a file may nat be broke aſundre But Orpheus fader of armonye Thought Erudice which was his wife ſo faire For hir ſake he felt that he muſt dye Bycauſe that he whan he made his repaire Of hir in trouth no thinge enbracyd but aire Thus he loſt hir there is no more to ſeyne And for the conſtreynt of his greuous peyne Al his herte hir partynge ſate ſo ſore The grene memorie the tendre remembraunce That he wolde neuer wyue more So faire he was eſcapyd his penaunce For wedlok is a life of moch pleſaunce But who hath ones infernall peyne ſeyn Woll neuer his thankes come in the ſnare ageyn

Ob quam cām ſecundas ſpreuit nupcias This Orpheus yaue counſeyll full notable To huſbondys that haue enduryd peyne To ſuch as been prudent and tretable One hell is dredfull / and more ꝑilous been tweyne. And who is ones bounde in a cheyne And may eſcape oute of daungere blyue If he reſorte god lete him neuer thryue Vpon this ſentence wymen were vengeable And to his writynge full contrarious Saide his counſeyll was nat comendable At the feeſt they halued to bachus They fill echon vpon this orpheus And for all his rethorik ſwete They ſlough alas this laureat poete The goddis haue prouyded for him a ſpace To lyue in erth and ſo longe endure Till 〈◊〉 at he knowe and ſe his owne face And for his ſake full many a ceruature By ordynaunce of god and of nature Whan they him ſee ſhall fele full greate peyne If they in loue his grace may nat atteyne • ut he ſhall be contrarye and daungerous And of his port ſul • of ſtraungeneſſe And his herte right •• ly ſurquydous By the occaſion of his natif faireneſſe And preſumynge of his ſemelyneſſe No woman ſo freſſh ne faire of face That able were to ſtonde in his grace And for the excellence of his greate bewte He purpoſyd him in his tendre age Neuir in his life weddyd for to be He thought him ſo faire of viſage For which he caſt him through his greate outrage Ayenſt all luſtes of loue to diſdeyne To hunte at beſtes alone and be ſlayne And in this while that he kept him ſo In foreſt and in wylderneſſe A water goddes that callyd was Eccho Louyd him full hote for his greate faireneſſe And ſekirly dyd her beſineſſe To folowe his ſteppes right as any lyne To hir deſires to make him to inclyne He herde hir wele but he ſawe hir nat Wherof aſtonyed anone he began to enquere As he that was amerueylyd in his thought Seyde euene thus / Is any wight nowe here And ſhe anſweryd the ſame in hir manere What euer he ſaide as longith to Eccho Without a bode ſhe ſaide the ſame him to Come nere quod ſhe and began to call Come nere quod ſhe my ioye and my pleſaunce He lokyd aboute amonge the rokkes all And ſawe no thynge beſide ne in diſtaunce But ſhe abraide and declarynge hir greuaunce And to him ſaide myn owne herte dere Ne be nat ſtraunge but lete vs dwell in fere Nay nay quod he I woll no thinge obey To youre deſires for ſhort concluſion Well leuer I had pleynly for to dye Than ye ſhulde haue of me poſſeſſion We be no thynge of one opinion I here you well though I no figure ſe Go forth your wey ye ſpeke no more with me And ſhe aſhamyd fled hir weye anone As ſhe that myght of him no ſocoure haue But diſpeyred this eccho is forth gone And hyd hir ſefl in an ougly caue Amonge the rokkes is buried in hir graue And though ſo be that men her voice may here After that tyme ſhe neuer durſt apere

Of Priamus kynge of Troye / And howe the Monke of Bury tranſlatoure of this boke wrote a boke of the ſiege of troye callyd troye boke AFter theſe compleyntes and lamentacions Which that bochas dyd in his boke compile Medlyd amonge with tranſmutacions Set in ouide by full ſouereyne ſtile Whan he on theym had inuſyd a longe while Se the maner both of ſorowe and ioye He began to remembre of Priamus of Troye Firſt of his birth and of his kynrede Howe amonge kynges he was mooſt famous And as poetys recorde of him in dede He deſcended of worthy darnamus Which as his lyne declareth vnto vs From Iupiter was finally come doun Vnto his fader callyd kinge Lamedoun Of olde troye this Lamedoun was kinge Deſtroied by Grekys he and his cuntre After whom this Priamus reignynge Made therayen a myghty ſtronge cite Where he full longe in full greate rialtie With wife and children mooſt worthy of renoun With ceptre and crowne helde the poſſeſſion Gouernyd his cite in pees and rightwiſneſſe And fortune was to him fauourable For of all aſie the treſoure and richeſſe He dyd aſſemble this kynge mooſt honorable And in armys he was ſo cōmendable That through the worlde as ferre as men may goon Of high nobleſſe the renoun of him ſhone This priamus had children many one Worthy princes and of full greate might But Ector was amonge theym euerichon Callyd of proweſſe the lanterne and the light For there was neuer borne a better knight Troylus in knighthode ſo manly was founde That he was namyd Ector the ſecounde But if I ſhulde reherce the manhede Of kinge priam and of his ſonnes all And howe his cite beſiegyd was in dede And all the ſtory to remembraunce call Betwene him and grekys howe it is befall The circumſtauncis reherſynge vp and doun To ſet in ordre the firſt occaſion Of the ſiege why it was firſt leyde By hercules and alſo by Iaſon The manere hole in troye boke is ſaide Rudly endited of my tranſlacion Folowynge vpon the diſtruction Callyd the ſecounde which by a coūtis clere Fully enduryd the ſpace of ten yere For as me ſemeth the laboure were in veyne Truly alſo I nat to what entent That I ſhulde write it newe ageyn For I had onys in commaundement By him that was mooſt noble and excellent Of kinges all for to vndertake It to tranſlate and write it for his ſake And if ye lyſt to wete whom I mene Henry the fift mooſt mighty of puiſſaunce Yaue me the charge of entent full clene Thinge of olde tyme to put in remembraunce The ſame henry for knightly ſuffiſaunce Worthy for manhode rekene kinges all With nyne worthy for to haue a ſtall To holy church he was cheef diffenſoure In all ſuch cauſis criſtys choſen knight To deſtroy heretikes he ſet all his laboure Louyd all vertues and to ſuſteyne right Through his nobleſſe his manhode and his myht Was diligent and dyd his beſy peyne To haue ſet pees betwyxe realmes tweyne I mene in ſoth betwene Inglonde and fraunce His purpoſe was to haue had a pees fynall Sought out meanys with many circumſtaunce As well by trete as actis marciall Theron Iuꝑtied life godes and all But wo alas ayenſt deth is no bone This londe may ſay he dyed all to ſone For amonge kynges he was one of the beſt So all his dedys conueyed were by grace I pray to god ſo yeue his ſoule good reſt With holy ſeyntis in heuyn a dwellynge place For here with vs to lytell was the ſpace That he abode of whom the remembraunce Shall neuer dye in ynglande ne in Fraunce This worthy kynge yaue to me in charge In yngliſſhe tunge to make a tranſlacion Oute of latyn within a volym large Howe longe the gregys lay to fore the toun And howe that Parys firſt at Citheroun In venus temple ſlighly dyd his peyne There to reioyſe the faire quene heleyne In which boke the proceſſe ye may ſe To him howe ſhe was weddyd in the toun And of the ſiege laide vnto the cite By meneldy and kynge lamedoun And many an other full worthy of renoun On either ꝑtye which that in bataile Fro day to day eche other dyd aſſaile Wherto ſhulde I tell or what ſhulde I wryte The deth of Ector or of achilles Or wherto ſhulde I of newe endyte Howe worthy troylus was ſlayne amonge the prees The ende of parts or of pallamydes Or the ſlaughter of manly deyphebus Or howe his brother callyd helenus Tolde afore howe it was greate folie That parts ſhulde wedde this quene helyne And howe Caſſandra in hir propheſie On this weddynge ſore began compleyne And for the conſtreynt of hir hertely peyne How • ſhe way mad and ran aboute the toun Till ſhe was caught and ſhet vp in priſon All this mater ye may beholde in dede Set by and by within troy boke And howe creſeyde louyd dyamede Whan worthy troylus ſhe wilfully forſoke Of hir nature a quarell thus ſhe toke To aſſaye both / if nede were alſo to feyne To take the thirde and leue theym both tweyne I paſſe ouer and tell of it nomore Neyther by what meanys grekys wan the toun Howe Eneas neither howe anthenore Ayenſt kynge priam conſpired fals treaſon Neither howe vliyes gate Paladion The deth of priam neither of Heccuba the quene Neither howe yonge pirrus ſlough yonge pollicene Neither here to write it is nat myn entent Repaire of grekys hom into their cuntre After the cite at Ilyon was brent Neither of their myſcheef they had in the ſe Neither howe vliyes fonde penolope A true wife thoughe he were longe hir fro Throughoute all grece I can rede of nomo Of theiſe maters thus I make an ende What fyll of grekes after their viage To troye boke tho folke I ſende Which haue deſire to ſe the ſurpluſage Howe grekys made firſt their paſſage Towardys troye beſegynge the cite Rede the ſtory ye gete nomore of me

Here ſpekith bochas the auctour of this boke ayenſt the ſurquedous pride of theym that truſte in richeſſe ſaynge theſe wordes vnto theym yE proude folkes that ſet youre affiaunce In ſtrength / bewtye / or in high nōbleſſe If ye conſidre fortunys variaunce And coud a myrrour afore your • yen dreſſe Of kinge priam and of his greate richeſſe To ſe howe he and his children all From their nobleſſe ſodenly been fall Ector of knighthode callyd ſours and well Sad and demure and famous of prudence Paris alſo in bewtye dyd excelle And helenus alſo in ꝑfight prouidence Troylus in armys had greate experience Alſo deyphebus preuyd manly in his fone Yit in the werre they were ſlayne euerychone Had nat this kynge alſo as I can deuyſe Noble Eccuba which that was the quene A doughter callyd Caſſandra the wiſe Hir yonge ſuſtre faire pollicene Alas alas what may all ſuch pride mene For all be it their renoun ſpronge full ferre Yit are theſe wymen deuouryd in werre Was he nat myghty and ſtronge in al thinges And had alſo of his aliaunce Right worthy princes and many riche kynges And nygh all aſie vnder his obeiſaunce Holde in his tyme mooſt famous of puiſſaunce Mooſt renomed of richeſſe and treſoures Till that fortune with hir ſharpe ſhoures Whan that he ſat higheſt on his whele This blynde goddeſſe began him to aſſaile Hir frowarde malice he felt it full wele His golde his treſoure firſt it gan to faile And darken gan his riall appariale By which exaumple all proude men may ſe The vnſure truſt the mutabylite Which in this worlde is ſeen and founde all day In myddes of ſtatys in their magnyficence Ebbe after flowe maketh no delay But halt hir cours there is no reſiſtence The tyde abyde nat for no violence Eche man that ſtandith of chaungis here in doute Muſt take his tourne as it cometh aboute Lete priam be to you a clere myrroure Ye proude folkes that ſet your affiaunce In ſuche veynglorye which fadeth as a floure And hath of bewtye here none attendaunce The worlde to you caſt a full bittre chaunce For whanne ye wene ſit higheſt at full Than woll ſhe ratheſt your bright fethers pull Ye haue warnyngys for to take hede By enſaumple of other clere and right viſible Howe worldly blis is medlyd all with drede And of your wittes and reſons be ſenſible Thinge ſeen at the • ye is nat incredible And all this doctrine is to you in veyne If in your tyme ye haue no chaungis ſeyne Wherfore bochas vnto youre auayle Full prudently put you at this iſſue Firſt of all he yeueth you this counſaile To leue your vices and take you to vertue And ſet your truſt all hooly in Iheſu For he may beſt i • myſcheef helpe at nede Of worldly chaungis that ye thir nat drede

Here alſo Iohn Bochos put a greate preiſinge and a commendacion of ſuertie that ſtondith in pouertye vnder theſe wordes in ſentence THeſe greate lordſhippis theſe high dignytees Cheef thinge annexyd vnto the regalye Whan they ſyt higheſt in their ſees And roundaboute ſtant the chyualrye Drede entrith in • yll and enuye And vnware chaunge which no man may knowe The houre whan fortune wol make them loute lowe They may wele holde a ſtatly greate houſholde With a veyne truſt their power ſhulde euer laſt Clad in their mantell of purpyll peerl and golde And on the whele of fortune clymbe vp faſt Lyke as ſhe might neuyr doun theym caſt But ay the clymbynge highe is at all Alas the ſorer is their vnhappy fall The fal of priam and of agamenoun Out of right more to be compleynyd Whan fortune had pullyd theym doun And of malice hath at theym diſdeyned Than if they neuer to worſhip had atteyned But their fallinge was the more greuous Bycauſe tofore they were ſo glorious O thou pouert meke humble and debonaire Which that kepeſt the lawes of nature For ſodeyn chaungys thou wilt nat deſpaire So art thou fraunchiſed from fort •• es lure All hir aſſautis thou lowly doeſt endure That ſhe may haue no iuriſdiccion To enterupte thy poſſeſſion Thou ſetteſt litell by all worldly richeſſe Nor by his treſours which been tranſitory Thou ſcorneſt theym that their ſheltrons dreſſe Towarde batailes for conqueſt and victorye Thou deſpiſeſt all ſhynynge of veynglorye Laude of triumphes which cōquerours haue ſought With all hir pillages thou ſettiſt theym at nought Thou deſpreyſeſt all ſuꝑfluyte None infortune may chaunge thy corage And the ſhippis that ſaile by the ſee With marchaundiſe amonge the flodys rage Their auentures and their pilous paſſage Life / body / good / all put in a • venture Oonly for lucre greate richeſſe to recure Of all ſuch thinge thou takyſt litell hede Nor of that people that maners do purchaſe Nor of pleters which for lucre and mede Maynteyne quarels and queſtis do enbrace Thou theym beholdeſt with a ful ſtyll face Their ſubtyll werkynge ſought oute for the nonys And ſodeynly depart from all atonys And your coragis knightly doth vpdreſſe Agayn all titles holdith chaumꝑtie Which apperteyne to fals auoutrye

Of mighty ſampſon which tolde his counſeill to Dalida wherby he was deceyued. wHo was more myghty or ſtrong than ſāpſō None more deliuer the bible bereth witneſſe Without wepen he ſlough a feers lion And for his ennemyes to him dyd expreſſe His vn • outh problem anone he gan him dreſſe Ageyn philiſtes and ſlough of theym thretty To pay his promys ſpoiled theym by and by • is problem was the text thus reherſynge After the lettre in very ſothefaſtneſſe There cam out mete of a thinge etynge And fro the ſtronge there went out ſwetneſſe But his wife of frowarde doubleneſſe Which euer wrouht to his diſauaile Of worthy ſampſon tolde the counſayle What is more ſtronge than is a lyon Or more ſote than hony in taſtynge But wymen haue this condicion Of ſecrete thinges whan they haue knowlegynge ••• y bolne inwarde their hertys ay fretynge O •• her they muſt dye or diſcure So b ••• le of cuſtum is their nature This was the caas the lion that was dede Agayn the ſonne gopynge lay vpryght Aſwarme of been entryd in his hede Of whome there cam hony anone right And whan ſompſon therof had a ſight He fantaſied in his opinion Full ſecrely this propoſicion As ye haue herde and gan it forth purpoſe That philiſtes to him it ſhulde expowne Vnder a peyne the trouth to him vncloſe But with his wife he pryuely gan rowne And ſhe on ſampſon gan compleyne and frowne And feynyngly ſo longe vpon him wepe That he nat coude his counſeil from hir kepe Which whan ſhe knewe ſhe made no taryenge But playn and hole ſhe gan it to declare Such double truſt is in their wepynge To kepe their tunges wymen cannat ſpare Such wepynge wyues euill mot theym fare And all huſbondes I pray god yeue theym ſorowe That to theym tell their counſeyll eue or morowe She tolde theym hole ſhe tolde it theym nat half And ſampſon than gan vopn theym ſmyle If ye nat had herde it in my calf Ye ſhulde nat a founde it a grete while Who may be ſure where wymen liſt begyle Though bookys ſampſon of ſtrongth ſo cōmende Yit durſt he nat ayenſt his wife offende This mi ••• y ſampſon dyd alſo his peyne Thre hundred foxis ones that he fonde He toke their tailes knyt theym tweyne and tweyne And amyd euery eche he ſet a fire bronde And as they ran in philiſtes londe So furiouſly vp and doun they went That they their frutes and their wynes brent Eke by treaſon whan he was ones bounde With newe cordys as he lay and ſlepe There thre thouſande which that ſampſon founde To haue murdred him or that he toke kepe He brake his bondes and vp anone he lepe Of an aſſe he caught a chaule bone And a thouſand he ſlough of theym anone He gan to feynt and had a ſodeyn luſt For to drinke fadyd face and chere And god ſent him to ſtaunch with his thruſte From the aſſys toth water criſtall clere Which that ſprange ou • e large like a ryuere Kefreſſhyd his ſpirite which afore gan dull Tyll that he had of water drunke his full After he went to Gazam the cyte Amonge all his ennemyes that were of greate might To his pleſaunce where he dyd ſe A full faire woman lay with hir all night And on the morowe longe or it was light Maugre the watch vpon his ſhulders ſquare The gatys ſtronge vp to an hill he bare And in a valey which called was Sore • Full hote he louyd dalida the faire On whome his hert was full hote ſet She coude her feyne ſo meke and debonayre Make him ſuch chere whan that him liſt repaire But I dare call hir dalida the double Cheef roote and cauſe of all his mortall trouble He neuer dranke wynes white ne rede Of Nazarees ſuch is the gouernaunce Raſoure ne ſhere touchyd neuer his hede For in longe growynge ſtondith hir pleſaunce And this ſampſon mooſt myghty of ſubſtaunce Had all his force by influence of heuene By heris weringe that were in noumbre ſeuene It was full ſecre in euery mannys ſight Amonge people tolde for an vnkouth thinge Wherof ſampſon had ſo greate might Outwarde ſhewyd by force of his werkynge But dalida with hir flaterynge Wolde neuer ſtynt enquerynge euer amonge Till that ſhe knewe wherby he was ſo ſtronge She like a ſerpent daringe vndre floures Or like a worme that wrotith in a tre Or like an addre of many folde coloures Right apperinge and faire vpon to ſe For ſhrowdyd was hir mutabilite With lowlihede and a faire pretenſe Of true menynge vnder fals apparence He ment trouth and ſhe was variable He was feithfull and ſhe was viltrewe He was ſtedfaſt and ſhe vnſtabele His truſt ay one ſhe louyd thinge newe She weryd coloures of many diuers hewe In ſtede of blewe which ſtedfaſt is and clene She louyd chaungys of many diuers grene But to the purpoſe for to condeſcende Whan ſhe of ſampſon knewe all the priuete Hir falſhede ſhortly for to comprehende She made him ſlepe full ſoftly on her kne And a ſharpe raſoure after that toke ſhe Shoof of his here large and of greate lengyth Wherby alas he loſt all his ſtrength Damage in erth is none ſo grecious As an ennemy which that is ſecre Nor peſtilence none ſo ꝑilous As falſneſſe where he is preue And ſpecially in femynyte For if wyues be founde variable Where ſhall huſbondes fynde other ſtable Thus ſampſon was by dalida deceyued She coude ſo wele flatere forge and feyne Which philiſtes whan they haue conceyued Vnwarly bonde him in a mighty cheyne Caſt him in priſon put out his iyen tweyne And of deſpite after as I fynde At their quernes made hym for to grinde They made a feeſt ſtatly and ſolempne Whan they had all this treaſon wrought And to rebuke him ſcorne him and condempne Blynde ſampſon was afore theym brought Which thinge full ſore greuyd him in his thought Caſt he wolde in his preuy mynde To auenge his blyndneſſe ſūme maner wey fynde And whan he had thus bethought him longe He made a childe him pryuely to lede To tweyne poſtes large ſquare and ſtronge Enbracyd theym or any man toke hede And gan to ſhake theym withoute fere or drede So ſturdely amonge his fone all That the temple is vpon theym fall Thus he was auengyd on his fone Which that falſly dyd ageyne him ſtryue Slough in his dyenge god wote many one More than he dyd euer afore his lyue And he was alſo the date to deſcriue In iſrael the bible is myn auctour Twenty yere there iuge and gouernoure

The excuſe of bochas for his writynge ayenſt myſgouernyd wymen in ſtede of lenuoye yE wymen all that ye ſhall beholde & ſe This chaptre and the proceſſe rede Ye that been good founde in your degre And uertuous both in thought and dede What bochas ſeith take ye none hede For his writinge if it be decerned Is nat ageyn theym that be well gouerned For though it fall that one two or thre Haue done amyſſe as therfore god forbede That other wymen which ſtable and feythfull be Shulde be atwytyd of their vngoodlihede But moor commendyd for their womanhede For this ſcripture if it be concernyd Is ageyn theym that be nat wele gouernyd A gallyd hor • the ſoth if ye liſt ſe Who touchith him boweth his backe for drede And who is knowe vntrewe in his cuntre Shrinkith his hornes whan men ſpeke of falſhede But good wymen haue full lytell nede To grutch or frowne whan the truth is lernyd Though there be ſūme which be nat well gouernyd Of Dalida / and quene Paſiphe Though doubleneſſe dyd their brydell lede Yit of lucrece / and penolope The noble fame abrood doth ſhyne and ſprede Out of good corne men may the darnell wede Wymen rebuke in their diffautys quernyd And nat touch theym that be well gouernyd

Of myghty pirrus that ſlough pollicene which for his pride and auoutrye dyed in pouertie / ſlayne at the laſt by horeſtes BOchas muſynge in his remembraunce And conſideryd in his fantaſie The vnſure truſt of worldly variaunce Of men and wymen the chaunge and the folye The ſame tyme he ſawe a cōpanye Of myghty princes full pitouſly wepynge To him appere their fortune compleynynge Amonge other that put theym ſelf in p ••• es Of myghty pirrus firſt he had a ſight That was the ſonne of worthy achilles Amonge Grekes the mooſt famous knight Mooſt commended of manhode and of might Sonne and next heire as bokes ſpecifie Of Pelleus kynge of Theſal •• This Achilles full manly of his herte Hurte of Ector and his wounde grene Slough ector after or he dyd aduerte The which achilles for loue of pollicene By compaſſynge or Eccuba the quene Vndere Trety this grekis chaumpion Was ſlayne of paris within troye toun Who • s deth to auenge pirrus in his tene Furiouſly with face dede and pale Slough afterwarde the ſaide pollicene And diſmembryd all on pecis ſmale Which for to here is a pitous tale That a knight ſo vengeable was in dede To ſle a maide quakynge in hir drede He coude for Ire on hir no mercy haue But with his ſwerde mooſt furious and wode Merciles vpon his faders graue Like a tiraunt he ſhed hir chaſte blode The dede horrible diffaced his knighthode That to this the ſclaundre and diffame By newe report reboundeth on his name Po • tes ſaye and ſpecially onide Write whan grekis fro Troye ſhulde ſaile Howe their ſhippis by an anker dyd ride Of th •• r purpoſe which longe dyd theym faile But in this while he makith reherſaile Oute of the erth manacinge of chere Of achilles an ymage dyd appere To grekis ſaide with a dedely face I felt wele myn honour and my glorie And my nobleſſe full lightly forth doth pace Vnkynde people oute of your memore Which by me had youre conqueſt and victorie Your deuire doth pollicene to take And on my graue a ſacrifiſe to make With hir blode loke ye ſpare nought To ſpringe it • ounde aboute my ſepulture Thus blode for blode with vengeaūce ſhalbe bought And for my deth / the deth ſhe muſt endure And hole the maner of this auenture And howe ſhe died in her maidenhede Methamorphoſe • s the proceſſe ye may rede In haſty vengeaunce ſet was all his ioye With thurſte vnſtaunchid / troian blode to ſhede He ſlo • gh priam the worthy kinge of troye And into grece with him he dyd lede Adromada the ſtory ye may rede Weddyd hir and after in certeyn By him ſhe had worthy ſonnes tweyne But in repairynge home to his cuntre As Eolus dyd his ſhippes dryue I finde he was a pirat of the ſe And into Grece whan he dyd aryue Fortune vnwarly gan ageyn him ſtryue Forſoke his wife lete hir lyue alone Toke another called hermyone Which was that tyme in mariage To horiſtes ſon of agamenon And he alas of louys wilfull rage Toke hir by force to his poſſeſſion But of auoutrye folowith this guerdon Sodeyn deth / pouert / or ſhame Open diſclaundre / greate myſcheef / or diffame Eke in his tyme thus pirrus as I rede Fyll into myſcheef and greate pouerte And with ſuch meyne as he dyd lede He was a rouer and robbyd on the ſee And as poetes reherce ye may ſee Of ſuch robbynge by ſclaundre and diffame This worde pirate of pirrus toke the name And as the ſtory after doth deuiſe The ſaide horiſtes gan ſekerly eſpie Where that pirrus dyd ſacrifiſe Tofore appollo that god to magnyfie Full vnwarly horiſtes of enuye Toke a ſharpe ſwerde or pirrus coude aduert Where that he ſtode and roof him to the herte This was the fyne of pirrus in ſubſtaunce For all his pride and greate preſumpcion Of fals auoutrye foloweth this vengeaunce Loſſe of ſūme membre pouert or priſon Or hatfull ſclaundre by ſūme occaſion Or ſodeyn deth ſhortly in ſentence Complete in pirrus by ful clere euidence

Of Machaire and his ſuſter Canace AFtir this Pirrus cam canace the faire Te • ys diſtyllynge from hir iyen tweyne And hir brother that callyd was machaire And both they pitousſly gan pleyne That fortune gan at theym ſo diſdeyne Hyndrynge their fate by wofull auenture Touchinge their loue which was ageyne nature He was hi • brother and hir loue alſo As the ſtory plenly doth declare And in a bed they lay eke both two Reſon was none why they ſhulde ſpare But loue that cauſeth wo and eke welfare Gan ageyn kinde ſo ſtraungely deuyſe That he hir wombe made ſodenly to ariſe And fynally myn auctoure berith witneſſe A childe ſhe had by hir owne brother Which excelled in fauoure and faireneſſe For like to him of bewtie was none other But of their loue ſo guyed was the rother That Caribdis twene wyndis full contraire Hath Canace deſtroied and machaire For whan their fader the maner dyd eſpie Of their werkynge which was ſo horrible For Ire almooſt he fyll in frenſ • e Which for to appeſe was an impoſſible For the mater was frowarde and odible For which playnly deuoyde of all pite Vpon their treſpas he wolde auengyd be The cauſe knowen the fader anone right Laſt for their deth of rigour to prouide For which machaire fled oute of his ſight And from his face his preſence gan to hide But woo alas his ſuſter muſte abyde Merciles for their hatefull treſpace Suffre deth there was none other grace Firſt hir fadre a ſharpe ſwerde to hir ſent In token of deth for a remembraunce And whan ſhe wiſt playnly what he ment And conceyued his rigorous ordenaunce With hole purpos to obey his pleſaunce She grutchith nat but lowly of entent Lyke a meke doughter to his deſire aſſent But or ſhe dyed ſhe caſt for to write A litell lettre to hir brother dere A dedly compleynt compleyne and endite With pale face and a mortall chere The ſalt terys from hir iyen clere With pitous ſobbynge ſet from hir hertis bringe Diſtyllynge downe to tempre with hir ynke

The lettre of compleynt of Canace to hir broder Machaire. OVte of hir ſwoune whan ſhe dyd abraide Knowynge no meane but deth in hir diſtreſſe To hir brother full pitouſly ſhe ſayde Cauſe of my ſorowe rote of my heuyneſſe That whilom were cheef ſours of my gladneſſe Whan both oure ioyes by will were ſo diſpoſyd Vnder one key oure hertis to be vncloſyd Whilom thou were ſupport and ſekirneſſe Cheef reioiſynge of my worldly ioye But nowe thou art the grounde of my ſikeneſſe Well of wanhope of my dedely penaunce Which haue of ſorowe greteſt habundaunce That euer yit had any creature Which muſt for loue the deth alas endure Thou were whilom my bliſſe and all my truſt Souereyn confort my ſorowes to appeſe Springe and well of all my hertys luſt And nowe alas cheef rote of my diſſeſe But if my deth might do the any eaſe O brother myn / in remembraunce of tweyne Deth ſhall to me be pleſaunce and no peyne My cruell fader mooſt vnmerciable Ordeyned hath it nedys muſt be ſo In his rigoure he is ſo vntretable All merciles he will that it be do That we algate ſhall dye both two But I am glad ſith it may be none other Thou art eſcapyd my beſtbelouyd brother This is myn ende I may it nat aſterte O brother myn there is no more to ſaye Lowly beſechinge with all myn hole herte For to remembre ſpecially I praye If it befall my litell ſonne to dye That thou mayſt after ſum mynde vpon vs ha • e Suffre vs both to be buried in a graue I holde him ſtreitly atwene my armys tweyne Thou and nature leyde on me this charge He giltles with me muſt ſuffre peyne And ſith thou arte at fredam and at large Late kyndneſſe oure loue nat ſo diſcharge But haue a mynde where euer that thou be Onys a day vpon my childe and me On the and me dependeth the treſpace Touchinge oure gyle and oure greate offence But wela way mooſt angelik of face Oure childe yonge in his pure innocence Shal ageyn right ſuffre dethis violence Tendre of lymmys god wote full giltles The goodly faire that lieth here ſpecheles A mouth he hath but wordes hath he none Can nat compleyne alas for none outrage Nor grutcheth nat but lieth here all alone Stille as a lambe mooſt meke of his viſage What herte of ſtele coude do to him damage Or ſuffre him dye beholdinge the manere And loke benygne of his tweyne iyen clere O thou my fadre to cruell is thy wreche Harder of herte than any tygre or lion To ſle a childe that lieth withoute ſpeche Voide of all mercy and remyſſion And on his moder haſt no compaſſion His youth conſideryd with lippes ſoft as ſilke Which at my breſt lieth ſtyll and ſouketh mylke Is any ſorowe remembryd by writynge Vnto my ſorowfull ſighes incomparable Or was there euer creature lyuinge That felt of dole a thinge more lamentable For canfortles and vnrecuparable Are thilke hepyd ſorowes full of rage Which haue with woo oppreſſed my corage Rekyn all my myſcheuys in eſpeciall And on my myſcheef remembre and haue gode mynd My lorde my fader is myn enmy mortall Experience ynough therof I fynde For in his purſute he hath left behinde In deſtruction of the my childe and me Ruth all mercy and faderly pyte And the my brother auoyded from his ſight Which in no wyſe his grace mayſt atteyne Alas that rigoure vengeaunce and cruell right Shulde aboue mercy be lady ſouereyne But cruelte doth at me ſo diſdeyne That thou my brother my childe and alſo I Shall dye exiled alas from all mercy My fader whilom by many ſundry ſigne Was my ſocour and my ſupportacion To the and me mooſt gracious and benygne Oure worldly gladneſſe our conſolacion But loue and fortune hath tournyd vp ſo doun Oure grace alas / oure welfare / and oure fame Harde to recure ſo ſclaundred is oure name Spot of diffamynge is harde to waſſhe away Whan noyſe and rumoure abrode do folke manace To hindre a man there may be no delaye For hatefull fame flieth ferre in ſhort ſpace But of vs tweyne there is none other grace Saue only deth / and after deth alas Eternall ſclaundre of vs thus ſtant the caas Whom ſhall we blame or whom ſhall we atwyte Oure greate offence ſith we may it nat hide For oure excus reportis to reſpite Meane is there none except the god cupide And though that he wolde for vs prouide In this matere to be oure cheef refuge Poetis ſay he is blynde to a iuge He is depaynt like a blynde archere To make a right failynge diſcrecion Holdynge no meſure nouther ferre nor nere But lyke fortunys diſpoſicion All vpon happe voide of all reaſon As a blynde archere with arowes ſharpe grounde Of auenture yeueth many a mortall waunde At the and me he wrongly dyd marke Felly to hindre oure fatall auentures As ferre as phebus ſhyneth in his arke To make vs refuſe to all creatures Callyd vs tweyne vnto the wofull lure • Of diffame which wyll depte neuer By newe reporte the noyſe encreſynge euer Odious fame with ſwift wynges flieth But all good fame enuye doth reſtreyne Eche man of other the defautys ſeeth Yit on his owne no man wyll compleyne But all the worlde outcrieth of vs tweyne Whos hatful ire by vs may nat be quemyd For I muſt dye my fader hath ſo demyd Their life to amende or the lorde do ſmyte Through negligence or it be to late And or the ſwerde of vengeaunce ker • e or bite Into vertues their vicious life tranſlate Cheriſſhe rightwiſneſſe ageyn all wronge debate With drede of god make theym ſelf ſtronge Than is no doute they ſhall endure longe Who is nat ware by others chaſtiſynge Other by him ſhall chaſtiſed be Harde is that herte which for no writynge For noo doctryne nor none auctorite For none exaumples will from his vices flee To indurat is his frowarde entent Which will nat ſuffre his hardneſſe to relent The rounde droppis of the ſmoth rayne Which that diſcende and fall from aloft On ſtonys harde at the iye as it is ſeyne Perceth their hardneſſe with their fallinge ofte All be in touchenge water is but ſofte The perſynge cauſed by force nor puiſſaunce But of fallynge by longe contynuaunce Semblably of right I dare reherce Oft redynge on bokys fructuous The hertys ſhulde of prudent princes ꝑ • e Synke in their mynde and make theym vertuous To eſchewe all thinge that is vicious For what auaileth the exaumples that they rede To their redynge if contrarie be the dede Cūnynge and dede who can comprehende In ••• re conceytis they been thynges tweyne And if cūnynge do the dede amende Than atwene theym is made a myghty cheyne Anoble thynge and right ſouereyne For than of cūnynge the laboure is well ſpent Whan dede foloweth and both been of aſſent Thus Iohn bochas procedynge in his boke Which in noumbre is callyd the ſecounde Gan for to wryte and his purpoſe toke To ſet in ſtories ſuch as he had founde Of entent all vices to confounde By enſaumples which he dyd expreſſe And at the begynnynge of his beſyneſſe Myghty Saul to him dyd appere Kynge of iſraell pitouſly wepynge Dedely of face and with an hidous chere His voice Ibroke by manyfolde ſobbynge And to myn auctoure his ſorowe compleynynge Requerynge him to gydre whan they mette Firſt in his boke his wofull fate to ſette Anone after I of entencion With penne in hande faſt gan me ſpede As I coude in my tranſlacion In this laboure further to procede My lorde cam forth by and gan to take hede This myghty prince right manly and right wiſe Gaue me charge in his prudent auyſe That I ſhulde in euery tragedie After the proceſſe made mencion At the ende ſet a remedye With a lenuoye conueyed by reaſon And after that with humble affeccion To noble princes lowly it directe By others fallynge theym ſelf to correcte And I obeied his byddynge and pleſaunce Vndre ſupport of his magnificence As I coude I gan my penne auaunce Al be I was baren of eloquence Folowynge myn auctour in ſubſtaunce and ſentēce For it ſuffiſed pleynly vnto me So that my lorde my makynge toke agre