WHylome as olde bokis maketh mencion : whan the noble and famous Cite of Rome : was moste shynynge in hys felicite and flouring in his glory / lyke as it is remembred in the bokes of olde antiquite : in the pryme temps of his foundacion whan the walles were reised on hyght by the manly and prudent diligence of Remus and Romulus : the Cite stode vnder gouernaunce 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 manly pursuyte of Collatynes kynred and full assente of all the Senate : the name of kyngis ceased in 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 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 commytted 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 contageous Serpente of Diuision clypsed and appalled her worthynes / concludyng so●hly as in sentence that euery kingdome ꝓued by diuision is conueyed to his distruction . And so for the surquedous pryde on the partye of Iulius : and 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 them 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 / than whan 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 whiche conquest he contynued 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 accompted the space of .v. yere / & who so euer passed that space by accasion of any conquest & nat repaired agayne at his tyme set & lymyted of fyue yere : He was foriuged anone & dempt asenemy & rebell vnto the noble Cite of Rome ¶ But this famous & manly man Iulius prudently demynge in his opyuyon that tyme loste whyle that fortune is blandesshīg & fauourable : through the contageous occasyon of negligence & of slouth : is afterward ful harde for to be recouered . Wherfore of knyghthode & manly prowesse he dyd set the Romanes statutis 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 bondis 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 Breton king called Cassybelan . And playnly without fauour to de●iare & specify the trouth he migh neuer attayne to aryue at his luste and pleasure : tyll this manly kyng Cassybelan and Androgenes duke of Cornewayle : fell at debate amonge them selfe / wherby I may conclude that whyles vnyte and accorde stode vndefoyled & vndeuyded in the bondis of Bretaine : the mighty conquerour Iulius was vnable and impotent to vaynquisshe them . ¶ By whiche ensample ye may euydently consyder and se : that diuision 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 whome 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 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 disposicion 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 lande for a perpetuall memory to put his name in remembraunce : the castell of Douer / and Caunterbury / Rochester / and the towre of London / the castell & the towne of Cezarisbury / whiche nowe is called Salesbury 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 gouernaunce of Brutes Albyon : his felowe Marcus Crassus of whome 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 : aurum bibe . Thou hast thursted golde all thy lyfe : nowe drynke thy fyll . ¶ Lo here ye may consyder 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 lamentable 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 assente of all the Cenate to the intent that he shulde come in his owne persone to reuenge in all haste the deth of his felowe Marcus Crassus : as before is sayd so vengeably slayne in his conquest ¶ This same Pompey hauyng a secrete drede in his conceyt lest that Iulius Cezar shulde waxe so myghty in his conquest 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 presumptuous 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 them selfe / & here vpon without delay to execute theyr purpose : & euydently to shewe the ende of theyr intent : Pompey & the Cenate of one assent without respite or deliberacion foriuged Cezar gylty / disobey sante / rebell / and traytoure to Rome / and gaue vpon hym a sentence diffinityue of exyle & proscripcion for euermore . ¶ But Iulius nat consyderyng nor hauyng no maner euydence ne suspecion of that malicious conspiracy that Pompey and the Cenate wrought agaynste hym . But all innocent 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 them of equite / that for his meritory deserte : they shulde nat be contrary agaynste hym / nor for none occasyon of wylfulnes : to deny vnto hym his custumable guerdon the whiche is due of olde antiquite to be gyuen to conquerours : but that they wolde frely & wylfully ( vncompelled ) graunt him & put him in possession of the Palme & the triumph whiche so long by knyghtly labour & manly diligence he had for the encreace & the augmentacion of the comon profite of all the empire of Rome trauayled for . ¶ Than for to specifye and declare the honour & Triumphe whylome vsed in Rome : Fyrste ye shall vnderstande 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 manly prowesse had brought regions and cities by way of knyghly conqueste to be subiecte & trybutary vnto the Empyre of Rome . ¶ The fyrste of the thre worshipes done to a conquerour : 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 rounde aboute enuiron his charet : some before & some behynde ¶ And the thyrde worshype done vnto hym this was . That he shulde be clad in a purpurate mantell of Iupiter as god / and syt with a crowne of Laurer vpon 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 conqueste were perfourmed & accomplysshed withouten sworde or shedynge of blode : than 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 : than of custūe his sercle or his pectorall was forged all full of sharpe prycking thornes / to declare and specify that there is no conqueste accomplysshed fully to the ende by mediacion of warre : without that there be felte and founde 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 assuraunce : there was set at the back of the conquerour / 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 and vgly wretche shulde of custome and of consuetude smyre the conquerour in the necke euer and vpon 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 Triumphus & Tropheum . Triumph is a full & a complener 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 Pompey with full assent of all the cenate denied all with 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 than to attayne to any suche worshipe / allegyng agaynst hym that he was both rebell & traytour to the statutes of Rome . ¶ And whan Iulius clerely conceyued the shorte answere of the cenate & of this Pompey 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 in his poetical boke : the deneyng of this worshipe to Iulius : was the chefe grounde & occasion of all the warre that began in Rome / rote & begynning also of all the contageous diuision among them 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 them 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 aduersyte shulde fall to Rome . Secondarely he sayth it was consuet adynary . And thyrdly he saith it was voluntary . ¶ First that it was necessary : he proueth by example of nature in this wyse . That lyke as Phebus the sonne : whan he aryseth in the Orient : and by successyue course ascendeth into the hyghest poynte of the Mydday spere : and of his kynde and naturall course must discende : and hath his golden tressed hornes in the westren wawes : and than dymmeth & darkneth our emespery by absence of his lyght : & also eke whan the same golden wayne of Tytan : fro the Ariet is whyrled vp to the hyghest towre of his ascention in the celestyall sygne of the crabbe : and than 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 haboundaunt flowe : whan it hath raught his stourdy wawes to the hyest : sodeynly foloweth an ebbe & maketh him to resorte agayne . In the same wyse whan any temporall 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 them with many folde sondry coloure : of red / whyte / and grene : and than 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 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 . ¶ Euident example ye may take of kyngis and prynces that haue ben tofore . And than 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 then lyste nat to knowe them 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 surquedraunce 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 contrarious discorde amonge them selfe : onely 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 voluntary 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 conspiracy compassed 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 of Lucan ( Rubicanis ) there appered to hym an olde auncient 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 : euen 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 knyghtis 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 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 man 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 frendis / 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 summe of her sentence without more she disapered . ¶ This manly 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 hertis to aryse with the fyre leuen : And oh ye goddis and goddesses that whylome hade the gouernaunce of our aunceters 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 bounteous 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 Citezen and a preued knyght cast me fully to perseuer . With condicion 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 conscience nat entryked with none entente of euyll meanyng : that I come to you of full purpose to be receyued as for your frende 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 entent 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 Phebus where through the ryuers in the valyes were reysed so hygh that vnnethes any man might passe . But Iulius of no vncouth aduentures afraied / but like a manly man fulwell assured in him selfe ; in the presence of al his worthy knyghtes : said in this wyse . ¶ Here I leue behynd all the olde confederacies made betwyxte Rome & me / & here 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 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 men : 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 Auctentyke example howe moche that vnyte more auayleth than 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 growen behynde . And than he commaunded the myghtyest champion of the towne to set on both his handes and ssaye if he myght by force pull of the horse tayle at a plucke . And albeit that he plucked to the vttermoste of his myght : it wolde nat auayle . ¶ And than 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 consumed & 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 : 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 them 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 them 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 braunches 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 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 contynually 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 solempnytes 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 them 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 diuision shulde folowe : the fomyng wa-was of the see surmounted the heyght of Athlantys hylles . ¶ Also all the tythe ymages in the Temples 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 complaynyng 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 contageous diuision among them selfe . ¶ Byrdes also agaynst the cuitome of theyr nature : were sene fleynge vpon nyghtes . And bestes also were herde spekyng / and women brought forth monstruous chyldren . And all these vncouth wonders befell but a lytell tofore this foresaid diuision in 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 summe of her sentēec to the Senatours of Rome compendiously 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 in the .vi. letters specifyed in this wyse . ❧ Regna / Rome / Ruent . Fero / Flame / Fame . The Region of Rome by thre thyngꝭ shall drawe to ruyne . Fyrste by the swerde of warre amonge them selfe . And nexte by fyre . And than by hunger . The whiche thre mysthefes so contageously shall assayle the Cite : that it shal be veryvnport able vnto them . And the ground and ro●e of all this confusyon shal be amonge them selfe discorde and diuision .

¶ Forthermore to declare sondry pronosticacions that fell in theyr Cite Whan the precstes made sacrefyce to theyr goddes : theyr fyres sodeynly quenched . ¶ In the graues and sepulcres of deed men : there were herde wofull and lamentable 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 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 conquered 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 whan they knewe & sawe him so passyngly myghty & strong / they began to quaken in theyr hertes / and namely whan they were destytute of an hede . Of whiche and for that : some Dukes of Pompey drewe them to the parties of Italye into a Cite whiche whylome was called Dirachium . And euer this worthye knyght Iulius with his chiualry pursued after / and all that withstode he slewe . And the remenaunte 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 : whan the 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 countrey 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 more by discripcion of Auctours / conteyneth fyue hundreth / and the lesse : foure hundreth . There were also on the party of Pompey : fourty thousande of fote men . And in 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 remembred also : Cezar had .lxxx. Cohortes / deuyded and departed in thre wardes . And with this he had .xxx. M. of fote men / without passyng great nombre of knyghtis on horsbacke . And i this mortall batayle all the party of Pompey were put to fleght and there were slaine on his syde .xii. M. and of worthyleders whiche be called Lēturians : 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 commaundement of Tholome king of Egypte : he was beheded only for loue and fauoure of Cezar . ¶ And fro this victory this forsayd Cezar hasted to the partyes of Syrye / towarde the myghty Cite of Alysaundre . And there Tholome kynge of Alysaundre 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 knowen 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 . ¶ Than 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 Conqueste 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 vpon him two offyces / both of Counseyle & of Dictatour . ¶ And from thense he wente vnto the Conqueste of Affryke . And there began a newe warre . In especiall agaynste 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 from 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 temple a ryche ymage of golde set vp for a memory of kyng Alysaundre . ¶ Anon this Cezar gan to sygh and complayne 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 : 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 concluded in shorte sentence 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 coniunction 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 conquest 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 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 shal be 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 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 vpon 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 in 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 mencion : An hundred dayes before his pyteous murder : in the large market place of Rome / where as the stature and the great ymage of Cezar stode vpon an hyghe pyller of stone : the name of Cezar grauen 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 hundreth 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 conspiracy 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 necligence it may tourne him to great damage 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 remembred : 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 lamentable 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 compendiously wrote the deth of this myghty Emperoure / Sayng in this wyse : as foloweth . ( ⸬ ) ⸫ ( / ) : ❧