WHylome as olde bokꝭ maketh mencion: whan the noble and famous Cite of Rome: was moste shynynge in hys felicite and flouring ī his glory / lyke as it is remembred in the bokes of olde antiquite: in the pryme tēps of his foundacion whan the walles were reised on hyght by the manly and prudent dili­gence of Remus and Romulus: the Ci­te stode vnder gouernaūce of kynges tyll vnto the tyme that Tarquine: sonne of Tarquine the proude: dyd the great out­rageous offence vnto Lucres / wyfe of the worthy Senatoure Collatine. In pu­nysshyng of whiche trespasse by the māly pursuyte of Collatynes kynred and full assente of all the Senate: the name of kyngꝭ ceased ī the Cite of Rome for euer more / & all the royall stocke of the foresaid Tarquyne was proscripte & put in exyle. ❧ And after by the prudent aduyse of the Senate: the Cite was gouerned bytwene Counseylers / and so contynued vnto the tyme that Pompey the proude was re­payred home agayne from the conqueste of Tyre / whiche by force he had made subiecte vnto the empyre of Rome: where [Page] as with great worthines of fame he was receyued. So that for his great noblesse he was chosen one of the thre for to go­uerne the Cite: assygned to hym other two full renomed of knyghthode: Iulius Cezar / and Marcus Crassus / and thus was the name of Counseylers tourned in to the name of Dictatours / whiche was that tyme an offyce partinent to prynces to gouerne other. And for a speciall cause this offyce and this occupacion of a Dic­tatoure: by assente of all the hole Senate was cōmytted vnto thre / that if one offended: the other twayne shulde be myghty and stronge to correcte the thyrde. ❧ And an other cause was this. ❧ whyle that twaine were occupied in warre outwarde the thyrde shulde gouerne at home. And thus all the whyle they were of one harte of one assent / and voyde of variaunce a­monge them selfe: the noblesse of Rome floured in prosperite. But as sone as false couetyse brought in pryde and vayne am­bicion: The cōtageous Serpēte of Diui­sion clypsed and appalled her worthynes / cōcludyng so [...]hly as in sentence that eue­ry kingdome ꝓued by diuision is cōueyed to his distruction. And so for the surque­dous pryde on the partye of Iulius: and [Page] after of the sayd Cite of Rome: the con­tageous couetyse entremedled with enuy on the partye of Pompey: made the fa­mous Cite of Rome fully wast and wylde nat onely of theyr iunumerable treasure: but caused thē also to be full bareyne and desolate of theyr men / where tofore of worthynes / of knyghthode / and of chyualry: they were incomparable. ❧ And finally the false diuision amonge them selfe: was more importable vnto them: and caused more the ruyne of the Cite / thā whā they had warre with all the worlde / lyke as this lytell storye compendiously shall de­uyse. ¶And to conuey brefly the processe of this mater: ye shall fyrste vnderstande that Marcus Crassus was senre to the parties of the Northe with syxe legions of knyghtes agaynste the kynge of Par­thes. ¶And the manly man Iulius Cezar with other syxte legions of people was sent downe passing the great bondes of Lombardy / discending downe by hygh Alpyes / & auaylyng downe by the large plage of Germany and of Almaygne / tyl by conqueste: by his manly force and his mortall swerde he brought all France in to subiection / & all the lande of Burgoyne Brabant / Flaunders / and Holande. In [Page] whiche cōquest he cōtynued tyll almoste the space of his Lustre was wasted out. That is to say: that was the space limy­ted of the Romanes: the whiche was called a Lustre / which is accōpted the space of .v. yere / & who so euer passed that space by accasion of any cōquest & nat repaired agayne at his tyme set & lymyted of fyue yere: He was foriuged anone & dēpt asenemy & rebell vnto the noble Cite of Rome ¶But this famous & manly mā Iulius prudently demynge in his opyuyon that tyme loste whyle that fortune is blandes­shīg & fauourable: through the cōtageoꝰ occasyon of negligēce & of slouth: is afterward ful harde for to be recouered. Wherfore of knyghthode & manly prowesse he dyd set the Romanes statutꝭ asyde: & ful­ly purposed in his noble & knyghtlyherte for to passe the bondes & the space of his Lustre / and to enforce hym selfe with his chyualry to wynne the bondꝭ of Bretain and ouersayle by force the weste party of our Occean. But for all his surquedous pryde he was twyes beten of at his ary­uale by the worthynes of the Bretō king called Cassybelan. And playnly without fauour to de [...]iare & specify the trouth he migh neuer attayne to aryue at his luste [Page] and pleasure: tyll this manly kyng Cas­sybelan and Androgenes duke of Corne­wayle: fell at debate amonge them selfe / wherby I may cōclude that whyles vny­te and accorde stode vndefoyled & vndeuyded in the bondꝭ of Bretaine: the mighty conquerour Iulius was vnable and im­potent to vaynquisshe thē. ¶By whiche ensample ye may euydently cōsyder and se: that diuisiō lyke as is specified toforne is originall cause in prouynces and regi­ons of all destruction: For whan Iulius by fauoure of Androgenes recouered aryuale into Bretayne: shortly after Cassy­belane the manly kynge: proudely and knyghtly met with hym / betwene whōe there was a mortall warre. But lyke as it is especially remembred and recorded by the wrytynge of the moste worthye and graduate clerke Eusebius that same daye whan Iulius and Cassybelan met in the folde: this foresayd Cassybelane had a famous and a passyng manly man to his Brother: the whiche with his blody mortall swerde neuer ceased to sle and oppresse the proude Romane knyghtes / so farforth that they fledde and eschewed his swerde as the deth. ❧ For as he wente there was no resystence. And [Page] this contynued so longe that the Roma­nes were impotent to resyste. ❧ But Oh alas whan he was weried of fyght: it be­fell casually of Fortune whiche is ay contrary and peruerse: that he of aduenture met with this manly man Iulius / and both two lyke as made is mencion: fared as Tygres and Lyons / eueryche woun­dyng other full mortally / tyll sodeynly by disposiciō of fate: Iulius with an vnware stroke of his dredfull swerde rofe hym a­twene. ❧ And by cause the story maketh no mencyon what this worthye knyght hyght: I fynde none other name of hym but that he was brother vnto the noble Breton kyng Cassybelan. ❧ The deth of whome Bretons ought full well to com­playne / by whose deth Iulius was made victorious / and Cassybelane brought to subiection vnto the Empyre of Rome / & constreyned by Cezar to paye for his tru­age / thre thousande pounde euery yere. ❧ ¶And in the sygne of this conqueste and victory Iulius Cezar edified in this lāde for a perpetuall memory to put his name in remēbraūce: the castell of Douer / and Caunterbury / Rochester / and the towre of London / the castell & the towne of Cezarisbury / whiche nowe is called Salesbury [Page] And more ouer as saythe myne auctoure he edifyed Cezaris Chester / that nowe is called Chychester / & the castell of Exceter ¶And in the meane whyle that Cezar thus proudely had holy & entyerly the go­uernaūce of Brutes Albyon: his felowe Marcus Crassus of whōe tofore is made mencion: was slayne in the Est partye of the worlde / whyle he made moste cruell warre agaynste the fyers people of Par­thes. ❧ And for his gredy vnstaunchea­ble thurste of couetyse / his enemyes slewe hym in this wyse. ❧ They made melte golde & poured it in to his mouthe / sayng to hym in this wyse. ☞ Aurum sitisti: aurū bibe. Thou hast thursted golde all thy lyfe: nowe drynke thy fyll. ¶Lo here ye may cōsyder and se the shorte and the moment any tyme transytory and nat abydyng of all the warriours. And as the story reherseth also: as for lamētable ka­lende of more infortune that after shulde folowe: Iulta the noble wyfe of Pompey and doughter to Cezar dyed of a chylde. For whiche cause Pompeyus pretended to fynde a cause to reuoke Cezar agayne to Rome by assēte of all the Cenate to the intent that he shulde come in his owne per­sone to reuenge in all haste the deth of his [Page] felowe Marcus Crassus: as before is sayd so vengeably slayne in his cōquest ¶This same Pompey hauyng a secrete drede in his conceyt lest that Iulius Ce­zar shulde waxe so myghty in his cōquest that he shulde nat be egall of power / nor able to resyste hym in his repayre / and dredynge also in his ymaginacion leste that▪ Iulius wolde of presūptuous pryde vsurpe by tyranny to take vpon hym the lordeshype and the dominacion of Rome But this manly man Cezar aduertynge full prudently and perceyuyng the frau­dulent meanyng of Pompey on that one syde: and the compassed steyght of the Cenate of that other syde: full aduysedly gaue answere agayne that he wolde ac­complysshe and perfourme his conqueste whiche he had begon / and than mekely and humbly at theyr requeste repayre home agayne. ❧ And in this wyse entred in the snake of wanhope and of discorde: whiche caused eueryche to suspecte other and thus began to kyndle the fyre of en­uy / enducing successyuely warre & debate among thē selfe / & here vpon without delay to execute theyr purpose: & euydently to shewe the ende of theyr intent: Pom­pey & the Cenate of one assent without [Page] respite or deliberacion foriuged Cezar gylty / disobey sante / rebell / and traytoure to Rome / and gaue vpō hym a sentēce dif­finityue of exyle & proscripcion for euer­more. ¶But Iulius nat cōsyderyng nor hauyng no maner euydence ne suspecion of that malicious cōspiracy that Pompey and the Cenate wrought agaynste hym. But all īnocent and vnknowlegynge [...] of theyr enuyous malyce by good and dili­gent deliberacion of intent dyd sende his Imbassatoures: nat vnto his sonne in lawe Pompey: but also vnto all the worthy courte of the Cenate / and to all other of the Citezens of the Cite / requirynge and prayng thē of equite / that for his meritory deserte: they shulde nat be cōtrary agaynste hym / nor for none occasyon of wylfulnes: to deny vnto hym his custu­mable guerdon the whiche is due of olde antiquite to be gyuē to cōquerours: but that they wolde frely & wylfully (vncom­pelled) graūt him & put him ī possessiō of the Palme & the triūph whiche so lōg by knyghtly labour & māly diligence he had for the encreace & the augmētacion of the comon profite of all the empire of Rome trauayled for. ¶Thā for to specifye and declare the honour & Triūphe whylome [Page] vsed in Rome: Fyrste ye shall vnderstāde that Triumphus by discripcion: is as moche to saye in Englysshe as a treble gladnes / or els a synguler excellency of ioye / in thre maner of wyse ordeyned for victours: whiche through theyr hygh renowme and māly prowesse had brought regions and cities by way of knyghly cō queste to be subiecte & trybutary vnto the Empyre of Rome. ¶The fyrste of the thre worshipes done to a cōquerour: was this. ¶Fyrste at his repayre vnto the Cite: all the people of hye estate and of lowe: shulde with great ioye & reuerence in theyr best & richest aray: mete hym on the way. And this was the fyrste. ¶The seconde was this / that all the prysoners and they that were in captiuite: shulde fetred & manacled go roūde aboute enui­ron his charet: sōe before & some behynde ¶And the thyrde worshype done vnto hym this was. That he shulde be clad ī a purpurate mātell of Iupiter as god / and syt with a crowne of Laurer vpō his heed in a charet of golde / & about his necke a maner of a cercle enuyron made of golde: in symylitude & lykenes of a Palme. And it so that his cōqueste were perfourmed & accōplysshed withoutē sworde or shedynge [Page] of blode: thā shuld the cercle of the Palme be forged without pryckꝭ or pynnes. And if so were that his victory was fynysshed by the cruell fate of warre: thā of custūe his sercle or his pectorall was forged all full of sharpe pryckīg thornes / to declare and specify that there is no cōqueste accō plysshed fully to the ende by mediacion of warre: without that there be felte and foūde therin the sharpe thornes of aduersue / & that outher by deth or els by pouerte. And this royall victorious Charet to foresayd was drawen with foure whyte stedes through the most royall stretes of the cite to the Capitoly / he hauyng a ceptre in his hande full rychely deuysed: and thervpon in sygne of victory an Egle of golde. And to shewe clerely that al worldly glory is transitory & nat abydyng: and euydently to declare that in hyghe estate is no assuraūce: there was set at the back of the cōquerour / behynde in the charet / the most vnlykely persone / and the moste wretche: that in any countrey myght be founde / disfygured & clad in the most vglywyse that any man coulde deuyse. ❧ And amyd all the clamour & noyse of the peo­ple / to exclude the false surquedy / vayne glory / and ydle laude: this forsayd foule [Page] and vgly wretche shulde of custome and of cōsuetude smyre the conquerour in the necke euer and vpō the heed / & standmele saynge to hym in Greke: this worde (Norys yolytos) whiche is to say in our englysshe tong as (Knowe thy selfe) whiche declareth vnto him that he nor none other shuld for no suche worldly glory be surquedous ne waxe proude. And that day it was lefull without punysshyng to euery man of hye estate or of lowe to say to hym that was victoure / what that he wolde whether it were of honour or worshype / of reprefe or of shame. And this was admytted for this cause / that he shulde truely consyder and aduerte that there is none erthly glory that fully may be assured without daunger of fortune. And shortly to declare the difference be­twene Triūphus & Tropheū. Triūph is a full & a cōplener ouercomyng of ene­myes by batayle. And Trophe is whan a man putteth his enemyes to flyght with out stroke of swerde. ¶But touchyng this honour aforsayd whiche Iulius re­quyred & asked of ryght as for a guerdon whiche him thought was meritory & due vnto him. Anon this forsaid Pōpey with full assēt of all the cenate denied all with [Page] one voyce his request: and of one accorde answered agayne & sayd hym platly he shuld nat be accepted there vnto no suche honour / but planly they bad hym knowe that he hade rather deserued to be deed thā to attayne to any suche worshipe / allegyng agaynst hym that he was both re­bell & traytour to the statutes of Rome. ¶And whā Iulius clerely cōceyued the shorte answere of the cenate & of this Pō pey tofore said / there kindeled a ful great hote brēuyng fyre of enuy in his harte of the fretyng hate specially that he bare in his breste for to be reuenged of Pompey. ¶And as Lucau reherceth ī his poetical boke: the deneyng of this worshipe to Iulius: was the chefe groūde & occasion of all the warre that began in Rome / rote & begynning also of all the cōtageous diuision among thē selfe. ¶But so as Lucan lyketh to reherce & specify in his boke a­foresayd among other causes that he put Lye in especiall wryteth of thre whiche were chefe begynnyng and rote of diui­sion among thē selfe / prouyng by reason in those thre: that it must nedes be: that the felicite & the prosperite of Rome must abate & drawe to decline / the whiche thre: First he saith it was necessary that suche [Page] aduersyte shulde fall to Rome. Seconda­rely he sayth it was cōsuet adynary. And thyrdly he saith it was volūtary. ¶First that it was necessary: he proueth by ex­ample of nature in this wyse. That lyke as Phebus the sonne: whan he aryseth ī the Orient: and by successyue course ascē ­deth into the hyghest poynte of the Mydday spere: and of his kynde and naturall course must discende: and hath his goldē tressed hornes in the westren wawes: and than dymmeth & darkneth our emespery by absence of his lyght: & also eke whan the same goldē wayne of Tytan: fro the Ariet is whyrled vp to the hyghest towre of his ascention in the celestyall sygne of the crabbe: and thā by the myghry com­pellyng of natures ryght: he is constreyned to discende downe & auale his charet. Ryght so semblably there is no worldly worshype so bryght nor clere shynyng in erth: but that it must enclyne and auale downe as sone as he hathe artayned to the hyghest & the most famous poynte of his ascencion. For lyke as the rage & the haboundaūt flowe: whan it hath raught his stourdy wawes to the hyest: sodeynly foloweth an ebbe & maketh him to resorte agayne. In the same wyse whā any tem­porall [Page] prosperite is most flowyng in feli­cite: than is a sodeyne ebbe of aduersyte moste to be adrad. ¶Also in the same wyse as ye may clerely discerne and con­syder at the eye: In trees and herbes / that whan the vegetatyfe vertue by the confortable influence of the sonne: is af­ter the colde wynter: In Ver by lytell and lytell ascended into braunches and bowes: and causeth them for to budde & to blossome newe: and also in herbes maketh a lusty and a fresshe coloure newly to appere: And more ouer by processe of tyme with her holsome bawme apara­leth thē with many folde sondry coloure: of red / whyte / and grene: and thā anon after in discence of Appollo the sonne: the same vertue fro the crop aualeth a­gayne in to the rote: ryght so there is no felicite so flouryng / nor none so apparayled with blossomes and blomes of tran­sytory rychesse: but as sone as the shy­nyng sonne of her glory shedeth his bea­mes most clere: full vnwarely ere they can aduerte or take hede: ben robbed and reued of theyr lordeshype and plonged a downe dy occasyon of some aduersyte / brought and enduced into aduersyte: ou­ther by seckenes or by deth. ¶And thus [Page] that the fyrste cause is naturall and ne­cessary: and that all worldly pompe and pryde shall passe: myne auctour Lucan hath proued by reason. Than touchyng the seconde cause whiche is called custom able and consuctudinary: ye may consyder that euer of custome it falleth that whan the blynde goddesse of varyaunce Dame Fortune hathe enhaunced a man hyghest vpon her whyle: with a sodeyne syghe she plongeth hym downe agayne. ¶Euidēt example ye may take of kyngꝭ and prynces that haue ben tofore. And thā touchyng the thyrde cause of distruc­cion of the Cite: Lucan lyketh to call [...] in his poeticall muses: voluntary. ❧ Whiche is as moche to say: as a cause ro­ted vpon wylfulnes without any ground founded vpon reason. For onely of wyl­fulnes they were so blynde: that thē lyste nat to knowe thē selfe: but thought them selfe so assured in theyr felicite: that they myght nat by no collaterall occasyon of aduersite be perturbed ne put out therof. ¶And thus through false surquedraūce they were made so wylfull that none lyst to obeye other. And so was brought in obstynacye: eueryche of them demynge hym selfe egall to other. And thus of cō trarious discorde amonge thē selfe: onely [Page] of volunty: they stode disscuered and de­uyded / whiche was one of the chefe occa­syons of theyr destruction. And for this skyll toforne declared. Lucan calleth the thyrde cause voluntary: in as moche as it was falsly founded vpon wyll. ¶And thus fyrste by a cause necessary: and by the seconde cause called consuetudynary shewed tofore by example of custume: and by this laste thyrde cause called volūtary roted onely vpon wyll: The Romanes amonge them selfe: stode in suche contrauersye: That they douted to whiche party they shulde enclyne. ❧ And compen­diously to declare howe all these causes of diuision. Howe the warre whiche of clerkes is called Bellum Ciuile: whiche is as moche to saye in englysshe: As a warre among them selfe. ❧ For the clere compendious proces of whiche: fyrste ye shall consider that Iulius playnly enfor­med of the malicious cōspiracy cōpassed and wrought agaynste hym. Anon as he in his repayre out of Albyon was passed the bondes of Almaygne & had attayned to high Alpies / whiche of auctours ben called the colde frosty hylles / and the bondes of Lombardy / & so holdyng his pas­sage by the flode of the sturdy riuer called [Page] of Lucan (Rubicanis) there appered to hym an olde aunciēt lady heuy and drery in a mantell of blacke / her face wympled tofore in full dolorous wyse: the tresles of her hede for age full hore and whyte. And for constreynt of her hartely wo: euē vpon the tyme whan the blacke darke nyght had ouer spredde theyr emyspery with the bordure of her vgly and her cloudy cope. This wofull lady tofore sayd began her lament able complaynt to Iu­lius in this wyse. ¶Oh ye noble worthy knyghtes moste renomed of fame: Alas / whether purpose ye with so myghty ap­parayll of Mars to procede / or where caste ye to fytche your stourdy standerdes or to displaye your ferefull pynons and baners. Oh alas agaynste whome haue ye caste fynally to execute the mortall hate that brenneth in your harte / or a­gaynst wheme purpose ye in suche cruell wyse to proue your myght. Remember in your thought that ye be vpholden by the Senate of Rome? and your selfe ac­compred as for noble and full worthye knyghtꝭ of the Cite / and shewe nat your selfe nowe enemyes to the Empyre / by whose worthynes afore tyme it hath ben susteyned & mightely supported agaynste [Page] the assaute of all her fone. ❧ And Oh alas aduerte and consyder in your harte the noble and the prudent statutes of the polecy of Rome / the whiche full playnly doth crpresse that it is lefull vnto no mā for to passe the bondes of this streme: but if he be mortall enemye and tebell vnto Rome. ❧ Nowe ye therfore that haue so longe bemn frendꝭ / and so many mayn­teyned the honour of the cite: withdrawe your fote and haste nat to faste: but let good deliberacion restrayne your reynes that hasty wylfulnes lede you nat to confusion / nat onely of your selfe: but vnto the originall ruyne of the Cite: by the haboundant shedyng of blode that is lykely to ensue. ¶And sodeynly whan this la­dy had brefly expressed the sūme of her sētēce without more she disapered. ¶This māly man and fortunate knyght Iulius in party dismayed of this vncouth appa­rence: restreyned his hoste: and made them to fetche theyr tentes endelong the stronde vpon the hynder parties of the ryuer. ❧ And in his vncouthe affray: he sodeynly abrayd: sayd in this wyse.

¶Oh thou mighty Iupiter vnder whose demayne Vulcanus forgeth the dredfull sownes of the thonder: and causeth hertꝭ [Page] to aryse with the fyre leuen: And oh ye goddꝭ and goddesses that whylome hade the gouernaūce of our aūceters in Troy: and oh ye noble goddes Remus and Romulus the famous founders & migh­ly protectours and patrones of the Cite of Rome? I as humble subiecte vnto your deite full lowly beseche and requyre you of equyte and ryght to be well wylly and fauourable to promote my true qua­tell and cause / and benyngly of your boū teous goodnes to fauoure and fortune the hygh enterpryse whiche of iuste tytle I purpose for lyfe of deth through your fauoure to execute / and nat as enemye nor rebell to Rome: but as a true Citezē and a preued knyght cast me fully to perseuer. With cōdicion that lyke as I haue manly deserued: I may be receyued / makyng a protestacion that nat as enemye but as full frende and subiecte to Rome I wyll be sounde stedfaste and true. ❧ ¶Wherefore ye mighty and noble Sena­tours of Rome I requyre you of ryght that ye nothing arecte nor ascryue to my gylte that I come with stronge & mighty hande: that I entre the boundes of the emperiall fraunchyse. Makyng a full pro­testacion that only with a clene cōscience [Page] nat entryked with none entente of euyll meanyng: that I come to you of full purpose to be receyued as for your frēde and nat as your foo. Requiryng also to holde hym (what so euer he be) for full enemye to your noble cite: that of wyll and entēt laboureth to make discorde atwene vs twayne. For so that my meritory gwer­don whiche that I haue in my conqueste iustely deserued be nat denyed me: I am and euer wyll be: for lyfe or deth? a true knyght to the Cite: to my lyues ende. ¶And forthwith makyng no delay: lyke a Lyon nat dismayed nor afraied: Fyrste of all in his owne persone he passed the Ryuer / the whiche ryuer lyke as Lucan remembreth: the same tyme at the co­myng of Lezar: agaynst his custumable course: was reysed on heygh into a great flode / & all the whyte Snowes of Alpies were resolued with the beames of Phebꝰ where through the ryuers in the valyes were reysed so hygh that vnnethes any mā might passe. But Iuliꝰ of no vncouth aduētures afraied / but like a māly mā fulwell assured in him selfe; ī the p̄sence of al his worthy knyghtes: said in this wyse. ¶Here I leue behynd all the olde cōfederacies made betwyxte Rome & me / & here [Page] I leue all the frendshipe of olde antiquite and onely folowe the traces of fortune: and of hole intente begynne a ryghtfull warre: for cause onely that by mediacion of peace profered in my syde: I may nat atteyne my tytle of ryght. ¶And anon without more delacyon euen vpon the spryng of the daye: whiche of clerkes is called Aurora: he vnwarely with all worthy multytude of his knyghtes entred in to the cite (called of Lucan) Arimye / a ci­te partment to Rome / and there he toke fyrste possessyon of the Empyre: none so hardy to resyste nor to withstande the fu­ry of his swerde / and all this whyle the Romanes standyng in doute to whiche partye they shulde enclyne / whether to Cezar or to Pompey. For of charite that they had ot theyr wyues and theyr chyl­dren and to the olde statutes of the Cite / they were fauourable to Pompey / and of drede that they had of Cezares swerde: they stode in so greate ambiguite: that they coulde nat deme what was beste to do. ❧ To howe the mortall enuye of twayne was cause and occasyon that / that noble cite whiche had all the worlde in subiection / and was called Lady and Empresse of all regions was brought in [Page] to destruccion. ❧ For in these two: firste beganne the diuision whiche nuer after myght parfytely be restored nor reconsi­led to vnyte / wherby as semeth vnto mē: that all prudent Prynces whiche haue the gouernaunce in prouinces and Re­gions shulde take example what harme and damage it is / and howe fynall a des­truction it is to be deuyded among them selfe. ❧ And for to ratify by more Auctē ­tyke example howe moche that vnyte more auayleth thā diuision I wyll shortly reherce and example the whiche Vale­rie putteth / and it is this. ¶This auc­tour reherceth that whylome whan the Cite of Rome stode lykely to haue ben deuyded of a debate that was newly be­gonne amonge them selfe: there was a wyse Phylosopher among them: whiche of hygh diseressyon consydered the great peryll that was lykely to fall and folowe and though he wolde of wysdome voyde that myght ensue. And in presence of all the senate and lordes of the cite: he made bryng forth an horse whiche had a longe and a thycke tayle growē behynde. And than he cōmaunded the myghtyest champion of the towne to set on both his han­des and ssaye if he myght by force pull [Page] of the horse tayle at a plucke. And albeit that he plucked to the vttermoste of his myght: it wolde nat auayle. ¶And thā anon this Philosopher made call to the presence of the Senate: the most impo­tent man of the Cite? a man vnweldy and croked of age. And this Philiopher made this olde man to plucke the one heare after a nother of the horse tayle / tyll by lytell and lytell: by ꝓces the taile was wasted cleneaway / and the horse naked and bare behynde. ¶Beholde said the Philosopher? That whyle the tayle of the horse was hole and one in it selfe: and euer the heare with other (vndeuy­ded) the myghtyest champyon of your Cite myght do therto no damage. But as sone as euery heare was deuyded and disseuered fro other: he that was leste of power among ye all: lefte neuer tyll the tayle was cōsumed & brought to nought ¶By whiche example sayd the Philosopher? Prudently aducrte and wysely caste tofore: that as longe as ye be oue in your selfe and of one harte: there is none so stronge nor so myghty that may auayle by force to attempte your worthynes. But as sone as amonge your selfe one is deuyded from a nother: your ene­myes: [Page] thoughe they be full impotente of power: they shall by proces of tyme pluck away the most fayrest and the most shene fethers of your worthynes. ¶And by this example the Philosopher: [...]oforesaid reconsyled the Romanes agayne to vni­te: and voyded away diuision among thē selfe. ¶Howe compendiously to re­sorte agayne to my mater lyke as the story maketh mencion: the Romanes stan­dyng in great contrauersy among them selfe: to whiche party thgey shulde drawe The goddes by many sygnes and pronosticacions declared vnto them the greate myschefe that was lykely and very sem­blable to folowe. ❧ For there appered vnto thē many vncouth ymages of ster­res / some in brennyng haberions of fyre. ¶And some with bryght brondꝭ in their handes castynge flame enuyron. ¶And some with fyry dartes and sharpe hoked arowes shotynge in the ayre. ¶And in especiall there appered a large Comete of stremes the whiche raught theyr braū ches on the foure plages of the fyrma­ment. ¶And the sonne also whan he hone moste bryghte in the meredionall plage: the day vnwarlytourned to night. ¶And the pale mone against the comon [Page] course of her kynde: sodeinly she was clip sed of her lyght. And forther the dredfull Karibe [...]s of the see Cycyle was tourned in to blode. All the houndes also: beyng in the boundes of Rome: lefte the noyse of theyr barkyng / and in sygne of pronosti­cacion of great sorowe that was to come they howled and weymented that it was pyte to here / and the supersticious fyre: whiche cōtynually tofore was wonte to bren in the chast temple of the goddes called Vesta: the flambe of the same fyre e­uer beyng bryght vpon her aulters. Of the whiche fyre: by olde tyme was pro­phecied / that as sone as it deuyded and departed atwene (as it dyd than) that the feastes and the solēpnytes of Rome shulde ceace. And lyke as the smokes of the funerall fyre of the Theban brethern departed at Thebes: Ryght so the de­partng of fyre vpon theyr aulters: was a true sygne and a pronostyke of diuision that shulde fal among thē selfe fynally to declare to euery region that where as the fyre of loue and parfyte charite stand departed and deuyded among them selfe it is a very euydence / that without reme­dy it draweth to his destruction. Also an euydent token that sodeyne myschefe of [Page] diuision shulde folowe: the fomyng wa­was of the see surmounted the heyght of Athlantys hylles. ¶ Also all the tythe ymages in the Tēples of Rome: whiche were made of golde / syluer / and dyuers other sondry metalles: so as they stode in theyr ryche & costly tabernacles: they were sene thylke tyme of diuision woful­ly cōplaynyng and wepyng / so ferforth: that the teares of theyr eyen distylled a downe into the earth / to compleyne the desolacion of theyr Cite onely caused by occasion of theyr cōtageous diuision amōg thē selfe. ¶Byrdes also agaynst the cui­tome of theyr nature: were sene fleynge vpō nyghtes. And bestes also were herde spekyng / and womē brought forth mon­struous chyldren. And all these vncouth wonders befell but a lytell tofore this foresaid diuision ī the noble cite of Rome for the dredfull tyme approched full nere of the whiche Cybyll so long had prophecied afore: whan she sent the shorte sūme of her sentēec to the Senatours of Rome cōpendiously in the nombre of .vi. letters Thre. R. R. R. and thre. F. F. F. whiche were fully the pronosticacion of .vi. mys­chefes that shulde of necessyre fall vnto the cite of Rome: comprehended and in­cluded [Page] in the .vi. letters specifyed in this wyse. ❧ Regna / Rome / Ruent. Fero / Flāme / Fame. The Region of Rome by thre thyngꝭ shall drawe to ruyne. Fyrste by the swerde of warre amonge thē selfe. And nexte by fyre. And than by hunger. The whiche thre mysthefes so contage­ously shall assayle the Cite: that it shalbe veryvnport able vnto thē. And the groūd and ro [...]e of all this confusyon shalbe a­monge them selfe discorde and diuision.

¶Forthermore to declare sondry pronosticacions that fell in theyr Cite Whā the precstes made sacrefyce to theyr goddes: theyr fyres sodeynly quenched. ¶In the graues and sepulcres of deed men: there were herde wofull and lamētable noyses and sownes whiche dyd put the people in very great drede. ¶And in this wyse the myschefe and the ruyne was shewed and declared. ¶Fyrste by dyuers fygu­res and sondry lykenesses of sterres she­wed in the heuen. And nexte by wonder­full monstres in the erth. ¶Also the byrdes and the foules of the ayre came homly and nat afrayde fleynge in to the Cite / by the whiche sygne theyr Clerkes that be called Angures expounden it to theyr confusyon. ¶And they by many [Page] folde mo sygnes than I may or can de­clare: the subuercion of the Cite full long was shewed toforne / onely bygon of this contageous diuision. ¶But shortly to entreat the substaunce of the story whan that Cezar with strong hande aproched the bondes of Rome: after whan he had wonne the Cite of Arimye: and had also cōquered Rauenne: and Pompey for fere was fled towarde the parties of Grece to make him selfe stronge. They of Rome had shortely determyned in sentence that Cezar nat entre the cite: but so were that his hole retynue were lefte behynde. But whā they knewe & sawe him so passyngly myghty & strong / they began to quakē in theyr hertes / and namely whā they were destytute of an hede. Of whiche and for that: some Dukes of Pompey drewe thē to the parties of Italye into a Cite whi­che whylome was called Dirachiū. And euer this worthye knyght Iulius with his chiualry pursued after / and all that withstode he slewe. And the remenaūte he put manly to flyght. And day by day the power of Cezar gan multyply and encrease. ¶And maugre all hys ene­myes: of very force he entred the Cite. And as some auctours expresse: whā the [Page] Romanes (for drede) were redy to receiue hym by theyr gates: he of indygnacion and disdayne: made breke the walles and proudely entred as a conqueroure / and iustefied the Romances as his. And holly toke on hym the gouernaunce / nat onely of the Cite: but of all the hole Empyre. ¶And maugre the Senate he brake the brason dore of theyr treasure / and by vyolence toke and taught it away / and plen­teously departed it among his knightes. ¶And in this meane whyle: full many kynges of the Eest party of the worlde came and assembled before the foresayd Cite called Dirachium. Of entent to su­steyne the partye of Pompey agaynste Iulius. And as sone as there was made relacion to Iulius Cezar of this greate assemble: He made no delay: but with all his power passed by a coūtrey whiche of myne auctour is called Epirum. And so he entred in to the costes of Thessalye / where as he founde Pompey: batayled agaynste hym with foure score Cohortes and eyght / departed in to thre wardes. ¶Nowe to declare the nombre and the multytude of a Cohorte: ye shall vnder­stande that there ben two maner of Co­hortes / the more: and the lesse. And the [Page] more by discripcion of Auctours / contey­neth fyue hundreth / and the lesse: foure hundreth. There were also on the party of Pompey: fourty thousāde of fote mē. And ī the lefte wynge / there were besyde all this / syxe hundred knyghtes on horsebacke. And in the ryght wynge: there were .v. C. Amonge whiche as Vnicent in his myrrour hystoriall maketh mynde there were many kynges and prynces / and many other worthy senatours and knyghtes of Rome whiche came in de­fence of Pompey. ¶And as it is remē ­bred also: Cezar had .lxxx. Cohortes / de­uyded and departed in thre wardes. And with this he had .xxx.M. of fote men / without passyng great nōbre of knyghtꝭ on horsbacke. And i this mortall batayle all the party of Pōpey were put to fleght and there were slaine on his syde .xii.M. and of worthyleders whiche be called Lē turians: were slayne .xxxiii. And Pom­pey fled out of the flede / and for refuge toke a Shype and passed by the bondes of Asye through Thyrye / and aryued in Egypte. And there anon at his ariuayle by the cōmaundement of Tholome king of Egypte: he was beheded only for loue and fauoure of Cezar. ¶And fro this [Page] victory this forsayd Cezar hasted to the partyes of Syrye / towarde the myghty Cite of Alysaundre. And there Tholome kynge of Alysaūdre helde a batayle with Cezar / both on lande and on water. In whiche warre were slaine .xxii. M.in the felde. And .xii. hundreth Shypes discom fyted and drowned. ❧ And Tholome the kyng: as he wolde haue fled out of a shyp (for haste) he fell in to the see & was drowned. And as his body was caste to lande: he was knowē and discouered by a gylte Haberion / the whiche Haberion Iulius Cezar made to be sent vnto the Cite of Alysaundre / for drede of whiche: they of Alysaundre yelded the Cite vnto hym. ¶Thā he repaired agayne in to Egypte and by occasy on of the deth of Tholome: he gaue the Septre and the Realme and the hole gouernaunce of Egyte vnto the quene Cleopatra. ¶And so after the Cō queste of many other Prouynces / Regi­ons / and Landes: he made his repayre agayne the seconde tyme vnto the Cite of Rome. And there he dyd take vpō him two offyces / both of Counseyle & of Dic­tatour. ¶And frō thense he wente vnto the Conqueste of Affryke. And there be­gan a newe warre. In especiall agaynste [Page] all the Alyaunce and the blode of Pom­pey. And slewe all the Dukes that were enclyned to be fauourable to the partye of Pompey / among whiche were slayne thre myghty Prynces / Faustus / Cilla / & Postumus. And Pompeya the dough­ter of Pompey: iuged to be deed. ¶And frō those parties he entred with a mygh­ty and strong hande into Spayne. And there (so as Suetonius wryteth) he toke vpon hym power to receyue the trybute / whiche on the party of Spayne was due vnto Rome. ¶And so as this story ma­keth mencion he proceded so farre in his conquest / so that he came to the Pyllers of Gades. And there he entred in to the temple of the strong myghty Champion called Hercules. And whan he behelde in the same tēple a ryche ymage of golde set vp for a memory of kyng Alysaundre. ¶Anon this Cezar gan to sygh and cō ­playne in hym selfe: that he neuer might attayne in his conquest to deserue so vic­torious a Palme of worthynes: as in theyr tyme dyd Alysaunder and Hercu­cules. ❧ And thus pensyble and heuy (he yssuyng out of the Temple of Hercules) fully purposed him i his courage: knyghtly to take vpon hym of manly courage: [Page] some newe enterpryses of hygh prowesse And whyles that he was thus supprised in his best thought: The nexte nyght en­suyng / he had a wonderful vision: whiche was this. ☞ It semed vnto hym in his slepe / that he medled with his owne mo­ther. Of the whiche dreme he full greatly afrayd and horribly agrised: made call to his presence / his wyse Philosophers and piuinours / to gyue a playne and a clere interpretacion vpon his dreme. ❧ And they anon cōcluded in shorte sentēce that it was an euydent sygne that he shuld be fully put in possessyon to haue the Impe­riall dominacion ouer all the worlde. For these prudent Philosophers vnderstode nothyng by the flesshely cōiunction that he had with his mother: but a knotte of alyaunce / perfourmed vp betwene the erth and hym. Vnderstandyng in theyr exposicion: that the erth is primordiall mother of all thyng / concludyng therby that he shulde attayne to be lorde & Em­perour ouer all the partyes of the erth. ¶And thus in all hast after the myghty cōquest of Affryke / he repayred the thirde tyme to Rome. And was made Empe­roure ouer all the worlde. And was so farforth enhaunced on heyght: that the [Page] Sonne of his worthynes was ronne so farre vpon his spere that it attayned to the hyghest prycke of his exultacion. So that of necessyte he must discende. ¶For as the story maketh mencion: he perseue red nat in his Empyre fully the space of fyue yere. ¶And for to reherce compeu­diously the prodigies and the wonderful sygnes that befell afore his deth. ¶It is remembred that the same yere of Iu­lius deth: In the yle of Capwey: there was founde by Quarreours of the Countrey a Riche Tombe of Stone. And ther in was founde a lytell tablet of golde grauen with letters of Greke / sayng in this wyse. ¶: Whan euer it shall befall that the Tombe of Capys shalbe opened: and that his bonesshable vnclosed / that same yere shall the noble and worthy Conque­tour Iulius Cezar be murdred in the Capytoly at Rome by the false conspiracye and ymaginacion of them that he hath trusted most. ¶Nowe was this forsayd Capys a worthy man and of great auc­torite: and the fyrste founder and begyn­nynger of the countrey of Capwey / and named after him. And lyke as the letters in Greke specified it befell. ¶And the seconde prodigy that befel tofore the deth [Page] of Cezar: was this. ❧ Vpon the same nyght tofore: that he was slayne on the morowe: This noble Conquerour Iu­lius had a reuelacion. ❧ Semyng vnto hym in his slepe: that he was wynged lyke an Egle. And howe he toke his fleght so hygh / that he sored aboue the skyes / and aproched to the Celestiall see of Iupiter: And fell downe vpō the right hande of his god. ¶Another maruey­lous sygne or prodigy there fell. ❧ Also his wyfe named Caliphurna: a lytell to fore the deth of her lorde Iulius: had a wonderfull dreme or vision / semyng vn­to her whan she was a slepe: That the most hyghest Pynacle of the Imperiall palays: sodeinly and vnwarely fel downe and thervpon incontynently all the wyndowes of the Chambre where she slepte: without hande of any man / sodeynly brake a two theyr barres of yron and opened. ❧ Of whiche noyse she beynge sore afrayde ī her slepe / and of feminine drede full sore syghed in her herte: as she that coulde nat conceyue in mynde what it ment. ¶Also as Vnycent in his hysto­riall bokes maketh mēcion: An hundred dayes before his pyteous murder: in the large market place of Rome / where as [Page] the stature and the great ymage of Cezar stode vpon an hyghe pyller of stone: the name of Cezar grauē with letters of gold aboue his heed: whan the wether and the attempre ayre was most clere and styll / with a sodeyne stroke of the fyry leuen / the fyrste lettre of his name .C. was smyten away. Declaryng by this pronostical sygne that lyke as this lettre .C. in nom­bre betokeneth an hundreth: and was also most craftely wroght and grauen as for the chefe capitall letter of his name / to shewe openly that the rasyng away of this letter by vyolence of the fyry leuen: that he that was heed of all the erthe / within the space of a hūdreth dayes next ensuynge: shulde be vengeably murdred in Rome. ¶Also the same day of his murder: as he wente moste ryally in his Imperiall araye towarde the Consysto­ry: a poore man named Tongilius toke hym lettres of all the purposed cōspiracy by the Senate vpon his deth. But for he was neglygent to rede the lettres and to vnclose them: the vengeable murder was execute vpon hym. ¶By whiche exam­ple: let no man be slowe nor neglygente to rede his letters / lest after for his necli­gēce it may tourne him to great damage [Page] whiche after may nat lyghtly be recoue­red. ☞ And the chefe cause and worker of this murder: was Brutus Crassus / associed vnto him two hundred and sixty of the Senate: all hauyng Bodkyns in theyr sleues. ❧ And as it is in story re­mēbred: He had foure and twenty deedly woundes as he sat in the Capytoly. And as sayeth myne auctoure / he neuer in all his smarte: made nouther crye nor no noyse / excepte onely a lamētable and a dolorous syghe lyke a man that with sodeyne sorowe were afrayed. ¶So that touchynge the vengeable maner of his pyteous murder: I may conclude with hym that was Floure of Poetes in our Englysshe tonge / and the fyrste that euer enlumyned our language with flou­res of Rethoryque and of Eloquence. ❧ I mene my Maister Chaucer / whiche cōpendiously wrote the deth of this myghty Emperoure / Sayng in this wyse: as foloweth. (⸬)⸫(/):❧

[Page] THus by wrytynge of my wyse pru­dent maister tofore sayd: The fro­warde and the contraryous Lady Dame Fortune: spareth neyther Emperoure nor Kyng / to plonge hym downe sodeynly fro the hyghest prycke of her vnstable whele. ☞ Alas that neuer man lyste to lyfte vp his hertes eye / and prudently to aduerte the mutabilite and the sodeyne chaunge of this false worlde. ❧ And let the wyse gouernours of euery lande and region make a myrroure in theyr mynde of this manly man Iulius / and consyder in theyr hertes the contageous damages and the importable harmes of diuision / and let them se aduysedly / and take ex­ample howe the ambicious pryde of Iu­lius / the freting enuy of Pompeyus / and the vnstauncheable gredy Couetyse of Marcus Crassus: were chefe & primor­diall cause of theyr destruction. Executed and accomplysshed by cruell deth. ❧ And nat onely that these aforsayd thre abho­mynable vyces were cause of theyr owne deth onely: but occasyon of many a thou­sande other / many more than I can tell. ¶ ⸫ Thus the Cite of Rome nat onely made bare and barayne of theyr olde ry­ches / and spoyled of theyr treasure on the [Page] [...]one syde: but destytute and besolate by deth of theyr knyghthode on the other syde. ❧ Me semeth ought ynough suffice to exemplify what it is to begyn a warre: And specially to consyder the trrecuperable harmes of diuision. And for this skyll (moste especially by cōmaundemēt of my maister) I toke vpon me this lytell translacion / and after my lytell cōnynge: haue put it in remembraunce. ❧

❧ ❧ ❧ ❧ ❧ ❧

¶: Thus endeth this lytell treatyse entytuled the Damage and destruction in Realmes.

Newly and of late Im­printed by me Roberte Redman.

Dwellynge at London in Flete Strete at the sygne of the George.