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<f 89r>
Quhou the actor declaris
that conspiratours ar ay punest to the detht be the princis that gat
profeit of there conspiratione.
Chap. XIIII.
THER is ane exempil quhou
that eftir the dolorus
battel of cannes quhilk i hef oft rehersit of befoir
quhar that the nobil counsul emilius paulus
vas slane vitht xiiii thousand of the maist nobillis of
italie, quhen that annibal send to cartage thre muis of
gold ryngis, quhilkis he hed gottin on the fingaris of
the maist nobil romans that var slane, for ane testimonial
of his grit victorie. and eftir this dolorus battel
diuerse citeis and castellis of Italie randrit them to annibal,
sum be compulsion and sum be fre vil be cause
that thai var disparit that the romans culd euer hef
pouer to resist the cartagiens, & sum of them randrit
them be trason for monye that thai resauit fra annibal
as did the nobil cite of capee, zit noctheles inconstant
foirton alterit the prosperite of the cartagiens quhilk
vas occasione that the romans be grit vailzeantnes recouerit
& conquest diuerse
<f 89v>of ther auen tounis and
castellis fra annibal quhilk vas grit blythnes to sa mony
tounis and castellis that vas onconquest be annibal.
And als it vas as ongrit blythnes to sa mony castellis
and tounis quhilkis hed randrit them be trason to annibal.
than thir nobil romans heffand grit affectione to be
reuengit on annibal for the grit slauchtir committit at
cannes, past vitht ane armye of xxxiii legions befor the
toune of cape and be grit industre thai maid tua lang
depe fosses about al the toune in sic ane sort that nane
of the men of veyr of cape culd ische furtht bot gif thai
cam vitht in the romans camp. at that tyme fuluius
flaccus vas captan and duc of the romans armye, the
romans hed nocht monye hors to ryde in forrais and in
prikkyng contrar ther enemes bot the men of veir of
capes as numydiens quhilk annibal left in garnison
var veil furnest vitht grit nummir of hors the quhilkis
ischit furtht daly fra capes and did grit domage contrar
the romans. ther vas at that tyme ane roman callit
auius ane centurion quha diuysit that the romans suld
tak sa mony hors men as thai mytht furneis and to gar
tua men ryde on euerye hors, and euerye ane to hef ane
<f 90r>lycht scheild and vij dartis in ther handis. than quhen
the hors men of capes ischit to mak ane scarmouche on
the romans the hors men of the romans tua on ilk
hors met and recontrit the cartagiens and at ther meting
tha that reid behynd on the hors discendit on ther
fute vitht ther dartis. of this sort the romans on hors
and on fute disconfeist the cartagiens of capes be cause
thai of capes kneu nocht of the subtilite that the romans
hed ordand contrar them, the remanent of the cartgiens
that var nocht slane fled vithtin the toune to saif
them bot al the romans armye follouit sa haistylye
quhil thai gat entres vitht in the toune and pat it to
sac and ther eftir the nobil consul fuluius flaccus past
to the tribunal & gart al the principal lordis of capes
compeir, and than he gart bynd ther handis in iryn
chenzeis be cause of the trason that thai committit
contrar ther natiue cuntre. and syne he send ane certan
of them to be put in preson in the toune of theane, and
ane vthyr certan to the toune of calles, than eftir that
he hed put ordour to the maist vrgent byssenes of
capes, he departit and past to theane and to calles to
gar exsecut iustice on the conspiratours of capes, quhar
he gart strik the
<f 90v>heydis fra them of capes that var in
preson in theane and syne past to calles to gar exsecut
iustice on the remanent, he beand ther aryuit he gart
bryng furtht the presoners to be iustifiet, at that samyn
instant hour the senat ande faders conscript of rome
send ane post in message vitht ane closit vryting to
fuluius flaccus chargeand hym to be mercyful and
nocht ouer rigorus in exsecutione of his iustice. he hefand
suspitione of the contineu of ther vrytingis and als
heffand ane feruent affectione to puneis tratours, he resauit
the vryting in his kar hand, and vald nocht apin
it nor reid it quhil the boreau hed strikyn the heydis
fra the presoneris of calles quhilkis hed conspyrit contrar
capes, this exsecutione of iustice beand endit, he
apnit the vrytingis and eftir that he hed red the contineu
of it, he said to the post, my frend this vryting
is cum ouer lait and behynd the hand, of this sort the
traturs of capes var punest. for this nobil consul fuluius
flaccus gart sla 25 of the maist nobillis of capes.
Siklik gif ther be ony of the tounis villagis or castellis
of scotland that hes randrit them to be subiectis til
ingland be trason i vald god that fuluius flaccus var
diligat iuge to puneis
<f 91r>them as he punest the conspiratours
of capes, for the forsaid fuluius flaccus gat as
grit commendatione for the extreme iustice that he gart
exsecut on tresonabil tratours, as he gat for his vailzeantnes
quhen he conquest the toune of capes fra
annibal.
There is ane vdir
exempil of the punitione of
traturs as thucidides the historien greik rehersis in the
xv cheptor of his fyrst beuk, quhen pausanias quha
hed commissione of the armye of the lacedomoniens
quhen he past to defend hellespont he vas depriuit of
that dignite be cause he hed intelligens vitht the
enemeis of greice than he beand depriuit he of ane
profond maleis departit fra lacedemonia and gart the
pepil beleif at his departing that his purpos vas to pas
to hellespont to be ane sodiour for the deffens of that
cuntre be rason it vas ane of the subiectis of rome.
bot notheles his purpos vas to pas to the kyng of meid
quha vas mortal eneme to al greice in hope to conueen
and accord vitht the said kyng of meid contrar the
greikis. than to mak his traison mair patent, he send
ane certan of presoners of meid to the kyng and he
gart the bruit gang that thai presoneris hed
<f 91v>eschaipit
& brokyn the preson contrar his vil, the quhilk presoneirs
he had conquest of befor furtht of the cite of bizante
quhen the kyng of meid hed left them in garnison to
kep the said cite fra the grekis & also he vreit ane
lettir to the kyng of meid as eftir follouis.
Pausanias duc of spart,
to the kyng xerxes salut,
i hef send to the thir presoners the quhilk i hef conquest
in fair and honest veyris, contrar the quhilk present
i hef send to the, to that effect that i maye conques
thy loue & thy fauoir, and als i am of ane intentione
to spouse thy dochtir gif it be thy pleseir therefor
gif thou vil consent to this mariage i sal put al greice
in thy subiectione the quhilk i can do rytht eysylie
sa that i can hef intelligence & familiarite vitht the.
quhar for gif thou be content of my desyre, thou sal
send ane of thy maist familiaris to communicat mair
ample of this byssynes. Quhen exerxes hed red this
vryting of pausanias he send ane ansuer in vreit vitht
ane of his familiar frendis callit artabasus to quhome
he gef commissione til accord vitht pausanias. this vas
the tenor of exerxces vryting . kyng exerxes of meid
to pausanias salut, i thank the of the pleseir and benefice
<f 92r>that thou hes dune to me in the sendyng hame
the presoners quhilk thou conquest in my cite of bezance,
the quhilk i nor myne sal neuer forzet quhil ve
dee. i exort the that thou be solist nytht and daye til
exsecut and to fulfil thy promes and i sal nocht spair
gold syluyr nor men of veir to be at thy command,
and as to my dochtyr i assure the that sche sal be thy
spousit vyf, thou sal gif credence to this berar artabasus,
quha is my secretar and my speciale frend.
Quhen pausanias hed resauit this vryting fra exerxces
kyng of meid he began euere day to prattik his intent
contrar the grekis and als he be cam familiar vitht the
barbariens the quhilk familiarite vas occasione that the
grekis tuke ane real suspetione and ane vehement imaginatione
of his coniuratione and conspiratione. quharfor
til eschaip the danger and domage that mytht succede
fra his trason, the ephores of lacedemonia send
ther sergent to summond hym to compeir in the toune
of spart vndir the pane to be reput rebel and enemye
to grece. than he beleuand to keip hym fra ane gritar
suspetione and als hefand hope to purge hym of al
crymes throcht giftis and moneye that
<f 92v>he thocht to
distribut amang the senaturis of lacedemonia, he past
forduart vitht the sergent to the toune of spart. than
incontenent the ephores constitut hym presoneir for
the ephores of lacedemonia var of sa grit authorite
that thai mycht constitut and compel ther kyng or ther
duc to be presoneir. the senaturs & inhabitaris of spart,
hed nocht sufficient probatione to condamp hym, therfor
thai dred to exsecut vengeance on hym be cause he
vas discendit of hie geneologie and of the blude ryal of
lacedemonia, and als he vas of hie dignite. at that instant
tyme he hed ane domestik seruitour quhilk he
hed abusit carnalye lang of befoir in his zoutheid
quhilk seruitur hed borne the last vrytingis that he
hed vrytin to artabasus the secretar of kyng exerxes
than this seruituir persauand that nane of the messengeris
that hed past of befoir vitht vrytingis to artabasus
returnit agane vitht ansuer he heffand dreddor of his
auen lyif, he apnit the vrytingis to red the tenor of
them. quhar he gat the samyn thing in them quhilk he
suspekit & doubtit of befor, that is to say quhou that
pausanias vrit to artabasus to resaif his vrytingis & ther
eftir to sla the messengeir, this said seruitur
<f 93r>brocht
the vrytingis to the ephores of lacedemonia the quhilk
vryting maid the traison of pausanias manifest, zit
nochtheles thai vald nocht exsecut punitione quhil that
the verite of his cryme var mair manifest, than be ane
subtile cauteil thai gart pausanias seruitur pas to the
tempil to tak gyrtht and protectione as dois ane tresgressor
that hed committit cryme in ald tymes, it vas
vsit in greice that ane seruand that offensit his maister
vas punest be the iugis as ane trespassar that hed
committit cryme. and syne thai gart ane of ther familiaris
aduerteis pausanias quhou that his seruitur hed tane
gyrtht in the tempil for sum cryme that he hed committit,
and als thai hed gifin sufficient informatione to
the seruituir of pausanias quhou he suld vse hym
touart his maister. than the ephores past to the samyn
tempil and hid them in ane secret place be hynd the
curtingis of the tempil to that effect that thai mytht
heir the vordis and communicationis that vas to be
spokyn betuix pausanias and his seruituir. Pausanias
beand aduertest of the presonyng of his seruand past
incontenent to the tempil to inquyre his seruituir of
the cause of his cummyng to gyrtht in that
<f 93v>said
tempil. his seruituir ansuert, schyr i hed suspitione
and dred my lyif be cause that the messengeris that ze
send of befoir to xerxes returnit nocht agane, therfor i
apnit zour vritingis quhair that i hef fundyn the thyng
that i doubtit, quharfor i meruel that ze haif vrytin to
gar sla me, considerand that i hef been ane faithtful
seruituir, and ze vait veil that i hef kepit zour consel
in secret of al zour byssines that ze hef vrocht vitht
kyng exerxces contrar the grekis ther for ze hef committit
ane onhumain act in sa far as ze vald gar
sla me for my guide seruice. pausanias ansuert sayand,
my frend it is of verite that thou says, sic thing i
did throcht ane suspetione that i tuik of the, quharfor
i pray the to perdone me and heir i sal mak ane
promes that i sal euer be ane faithtful maister to the,
and i sal recompens the for thy grit faithful labouris
therfor i pray the to depart incontenent and pas to
artabasus and to declair til hym be tong quhou that i
am rytht solist to fulfil the promes that i maid til his
maister xerxes, the quhilk i beleif sal cum til ane gude
fyne rytht haistylie. the ephores that stude be hynd
the curtynis knauand and herand the manifest trason
of pausanias thai
<f 94r>gart hym dee in presone & ther
eftir thai gart cast his body in ane cauerne quhar that
the vse vas to cast the carions of comdampnit transgressouris
and sa pausanias vas recompensit & reuardit
for his trason that he committit contrar his natiue
cuntre.
Ther is ane vthir
exempil of the punitione of
trason in the fyrst cheptor of the second beuk of
samuel quhen the philistiens faucht in ane battel contrar
the childir of israel quhar that kyng saul vas slane
on the montan of gelboye. at that tyme ther departit
ane zong man of the amalekytes blude fra the camp of
saul quha presentit hym on his kneis befoir dauid.
than dauid said til hym. quhar fra ar thou cum presentlye,
the zoung man ansuert, i am cum fra the camp
of Israel, dauid said til hym: i pray the that thou declair
to me al the nouelles of the battel, the zong man
ansuert, the pepil ar fled fra the battel and ther is ane
grit nummer of the pepil deid, & als saul and his sone
iehonathan ar dede. dauid said to the zoung man that
brocht the nouuelles, quhou knauis thou that saul and
ieonathan his sone ar dede the zoing man ansuert,
quod he be chance i arryuit on the montan of gelboye
quhar i beheld
<f 94v> saul leynand on his speyr than he
lukit be hynd hym sayand to me, quhat art thou, to
quhome i ansuert, i am ane amalaket. than he said, i
pray the to sla me for mellancolye hes assailzet me, bot
nochtheles my lyif is zit in my body, than i past and i
sleu hym be cause that i kneu that he culd nocht eschaip
vitht his lyif, and i tuke his croune fra his
hede and his brascheletis fra his armis the quhilkis i
haif brocht heir to the. than dauid lamentit hauylye
the dede of saul and of his sone iehonatan & the
slauchtyr of the grit numer of pepil that var slane. than
eftir his dolorus lamentatione he said to the zoung man
that hed brocht hym the nouuellis. quhy dred thou
nocht to put thy handis in the vnctit kyng of the lord.
than dauid callit on ane of his sodiours and gart gym
sla that zong man in his presens, sayand thy blude sal
be on thy hede for thy moutht hes testifet contrar thy
self quhen that thou confessit that thou sleu the vnctit
kyng of the lord, of this sort this zoung man vas punest
for the slauchtyr of kyng saul. Ther is ane vthir exempil
of the punitione of trason as is vrytin in the fyft
cheptor of the second beuk of samuel quhen that
rechab and banach his
<f 95r> brudir entrit in the house of
isbosetht the sone of kyng saul & thair thi strak hym
trocht the fyft ryb of his syde vitht ane dagar, quhen
he vas slepand in his bed, and ther eftir thai cuttit his
hede fra his body & brocht it to dauid til ebron sayand
behald heir the hede of isbosetht the sone of kyng
saul thy mortal enemye, the lord hes tane vengeance
on kyng saul and on his seid, dauid ansuert to rechab
and baanach and said, syklik as the lord quhilk delyuerit
me fra tribulatione is lyuand, and als sykilik
as i gart sla hym that brocht me the nouuelles of the
dede of kyng saul, be mair rytht i suld gar sla them
that hes slane the iust isbosetht quhen he vas lyand
slepand in his bede. than kyng dauid gef command til
his sodiours to sla rechab and baanatht, than the
soudiours at dauid command fyrst cuttit the feit and
the handis fra the tua tratours that sleu isboseth in his
bed and syne hangit them baytht on ebron hil of
this sort traturs suld be ay reuardit quhen thai commit
trason contrar ther prince. Ther is ane vther exempil
of the punitione of tratouris that betrasis ther natyf
prince quhen the cruel veyris var betuix. darius kyng of
perse and grit alexander of macedon, ther vas ane
captan
<f 95v> of kyng darius quha vas verra familiar & in
grit fauoir vitht darius callit bessus quha sleu his
maister kyng darius in hope to get ane grit reuard fra
kyng alexander kyng alexander cam at that instant
tyme quhen darius vas in the agonya and deitht thrau
troch the mortal vondis that he hed resauit fra bessus
his seruituir than alexander maid ther ane solempnit
vou to reuenge the trason committit be the said bessus
than he gart his sodiours serche & seike bessus quha
vas gottyn in the forest and vas brocht and led bundyn
in ane chenze befor kyng alexender this nobil alexander
gart his sodiours pul doune the crops of the green
treis and ther eftir tha band his tua armis vitht cordis
to the crops of ane of the treis and he gart bynd his
feit to the crops of the tothir tre & than gart lat louse
the crops of the tua treis and tha sprang vp rytht of
ther ald fasson & in the rysing vp thai dreu the body
of bessus in peces of this sort bessus vas reuardit for
his trason committit contrar his rythteous prince Ther
is ane exempil of the trason that ane blac iacopyne
frere committit contrar henry the seuynt of that name
the toune of florens vald nocht obeye to the empir.
quhar for the said
<f 96r> Empriour , Henry brotht ane grit
armye to seige the toune of florens than ane blac
iacopyne frere gat ane grit some of moneye fra the
florentynis to tak on hand to sla the empriour be cause
this said frew vas familiar vitht the said empriour. than
he trocht auereis he poysont the host of the sacrament
vitht poyson ther eftir that nobil empriour past
to resaif the body of god under the forme of brede and
as soune as he hed resauit it in his moutht his body
began to suel and sa he decessit. The verite of this
trason vas persauit be the phicisians and medicinaris
quhar for the men of veyr of this nobil empriour gart
quartyr that fals frere betuix iiij hors and sa he vas
reuardit for hit trason. There is diuerse vthirs exemplis
of the myscheif that god sendis on conspiratours
there for i exort zou my thre sonnis that gyf ony of
zou hes faltit contrar zour comont veil throucht ignorance
or abusione that ze correct zour selfis than god
sal be zour frend. |
