_Lvcivs one of the garde to Aristotimvs the Tyrant of the cittye of
Elis, fell in loue with a fayre mayden called Micca, the daughter of
one Philodemvs, and his cruelty done vpon her. The stoutnesse also
of a noble matron named Megistona in defence of hir husbande and the
common wealth from the tyranny of the said Aristotimvs: and of other
actes done by the subiectes vppon that Tyrant._
You haue heard, or as it were in a manner, you haue beeholden
the right images and courteous conditions of two well
conditioned persons mutually ech towards other obserued: in the
one a Princely mind towards a Noble Gentleman his subiecte: in
the other a duetieful obedience of a louing vassal to his
soueraigne Lord and Maister: in both of them the true figure of
Liberality in liuely orient colours described. Now a contrary
plotte, grounded vpon extreame tiranny, is offred to the viewe,
done by one Aristotimus and his clawbacks againste his humble
subiects of the City of Elis, standyng in Peloponessus,
a country of Achaia (which at this tyme we cal Morea.) This
Aristotimus of nature was fierce and passing cruell, who by
fauour of king Antigonus was made Tyran of that City: and like a
Tyran gouerned his countrye by abuse of his aucthority with newe
wronges, and straunge crueltyes vexing and afflicting the poore
Cityzens and all hys people: which chaunced not so much for that
of himself he was cruel and tyrannous, as for that his
counsellours and chiefe aboute him were barbarous and vicious
men, to whom he committed the charge of his kyngdome and the
guarde of his person: but amonges all his mischiefes wrongfully
done by him which were innumerable, one committed agaynst
Philodemus (the same which afterwarde was the cause of the
depriuation of his lyfe and kingdome) is specially remembred.
This Philodemus had a daughter called Micca, that not onely for
hir chast qualityes and good condicions whiche vertuously
flourished in hir but for her extreame and goodly beautye, was
in that citty of passing fame and admiration. With this fayre
maiden one of the Tyrant's guarde called Lucius fel in loue, if
it deserue to be called loue, and not the rather, as the end ful
wel declared, a most filthy and beastly lust: this Lucius was
deerly beloued of Aristotemus, for the fiendish resemblance and
wicked nerenesse of his vile and abhominable condicions: and
therfore feared and obeied as the Tyrante's owne person: for
which cause this Lucius sent one of the yeomen of the kinge's
chamber to commaunde Philodemus at an appoynted hour, al excuses
set apart, to bring his daughter vnto him. The parentes of the
mayden hearing this sodayne and fearful mesuage, constrayned by
Tyrante's forse and fatal necessity, after many tears and
pittious sighes, began to perswade their daughter to be
contented to goe with him, declaringe vnto her the rigour of the
magistrate that had sente for hir the extremety that would be
executed, and that ther was no other remedy but to obay. Alas,
how sore agaynst their willes, with what trembling gesture, with
what horror the good parentes of this tender pusill were
affected, to consider the purpose of that dreadefull message,
all dere fathers and naturall mothers can tell. But this gentle
mayden Micca which was of nature stoute, and yet vertuously
lessoned with sundry good and holsome instructions from hir
Infante's Age was Determined rather to Dye, then to suffer her
selfe to be Defloured. This vertuous Mayden fell downe Prostrate
at her Father's Feet, and clasping him fast about the Knees,
louingly did pray him, and Pitifully besought him, not to suffer
hir to bee haled to so filthy and vile an office, but rather
with the piercing blade of a two edged sword to kill her, that
therby she might be rid from the violation of those fleshly and
libidinous varlets, saying, that if her virginity were taken
from hir, she should liue in eternal reproch and shame. As the
father and daughter were in these termes, Lucius for the long
tariance and delaye, dronke with the Wine of lechery, made
impacient and furious, with cursed speede posted to the house of
Philodemus, and finding the maiden prostrate at her father's
feete weeping, her head in his lappe with taunting voice and
threatning woordes commaunded presently without longer delay she
should ryse and go with him: She refusing his hasty request, and
crying out for Father's help, who (God wot) durst not resist,
stoode still and would not goe: Lucius seeing hir refusal ful of
furie and proude disdaine, began furiously to hale hir by the
garments, vpon whose struggling he tare hir kirtle and
furnitures of hir head and shoulders, that hir alablaster necke
and bosome appeared naked, and without compassion tare and
whipte hir flesh on euery side, as the bloud ranne downe,
beating that tendre flesh of hirs with manifold and greuous
blowes. O vile tirant, more wood and sauage than the desert
beast or mountaine Tigre: could cruelty be so deepely rooted in
the hart of man which by nature is affected with reason's
instinct, as without pity to lay handes, and violently to hurt
the tendre body of a harmlesse Maidee? Can such inhumanity
harbor in any that beareth aboute him the shape of man? But what
did this martyred maiden for all this force? Did she yeld to
violence, or rendre hir self to the disposition of this
mercilesse man? No surely. But with so great stoutnesse of mind,
she suffred those impressed wounds, that no one word sounding of
sorrow, or womanly shriech was heard to sound from hir delicate
mouth: howbeit the pore father and miserable mother at that
rueful and lamentable sight, moued with inward grief and natural
pity, cried out aloude. But when they sawe that neyther playnt
nor fayre speech coulde deliuer their Daughter out of the hands
of that cruell monster, they began with open cryes and horrible
exclamation to implore helpe and succour at the handes of the
immortall Gods, thinking that they were vnworthely plaged and
tormented. Then the proud and most barbarous wretch, moued and
disquieted by cholers rage and fume of chafinge Wyne, sodaynly
catched the most constant virgin by the hayre of the head, and
in her father's Lap did cut her white and tender throte.
O detestable fact, right worthy iust reuenge. But what did this
vnfaythfull and cruell Tyrant Aristotimus, when by the
blustering bruit of people's rage he heard of this vengeable
murder, not only he shewed himselfe contented wyth the fact, but
had him in greater regard than before, and towards them which
made complaint hereof, greater cruelty and mischyefe was done
and executed. For in open streat, lyke beastes in the Shambles,
they were cut and hewed in peeces, which seemed to murmur at
thys bloudy and vnlawfull act: the rest were banished and
expelled the cytty. Eight hundred of these exiled persons fled
into Etolia (a prouince adioyninge to Epirus, which now is
called Albania.) Those people so banished out of theyr country,
made instant sute to Aristotimus to suffer Wyues and chyldren to
repayre to them: but theyr suite was in vayne, their peticions
and supplycations seemed to be made to the deafe, and dispersed
into the wyndes: notwithstandinge, within few dayes after, he
caused by sound of trumpet to be openly proclaymed, that it
should be lawful for the wyues and chyldren of the banished to
passe wyth their baggage and furniture to theyr husbands in
Ætolia. This Proclamation was exceeding ioyfull to al the women
whose husbands were exiled, which at the least by common report
were the numbre of 6 hundreds: and for more credite of that
Proclamation, the wicked Tyrant did ordayne, that al the company
should depart vpon a prefixed day. In the meane time, the ioyful
Wyues glad to visit their poore husbands, prepared horse and
wagon, to cary theyr prouisions. The appoynted day of their
departure out of that City being come, all of them assembled at
a certayne gate assygned for their repayre, who that time
together resorted with their little children in their hands
bearing vpon theyr heads theyr garments and furnitures, some on
horseback, and some bestowed in the wagons according as ech of
theyr states required: when al things wer in a readinesse to
depart, and the gate of the City opened, they began to issue
forth. They wer no soner gone out of the City walles, and had
left behind them the soile of theyr natiuity, but the Tyrants
guard and Sergeants brake vpon them, and before they were
approched they cried out to stay and go no further vpon pain of
theyr liues. So the pore amazed women, contrarry to the promise
of the Tyrant, wer forced to retire. Which sodain countremaund
was sorowful and woful vnto the afflicted flock: but there was
no remedy, for procede they could not. Then those Termagants and
villains caught theyr horse by the bridles, and droue back again
theyr wagons, pricking the pore oxen and beasts with theyr
speares and Iauelins, that horrible it is to report the tyrany
vsed towards man and best, in such wyse as the pore miserable
women (God wot) contrary to their desyres, were forced in
dispyte of theyr teeth to retourn. Som alack fell of theyr horse
wyth theyr little babes in theyr lappes, and were miserably
troden vnder the horsefeete, and ouerrun with the wheles of the
wagons theyr brains and guts gushing out through the weight and
comberance of the cariage, and (which was most pitiful) one of
them not able to help an other, and much lesse to rescue theyr
yong and tendre sucking babes, the vyle sergeants forcing ech
wight with theyr staues and weapons maugre theyr desirous mindes
to reenter the City. Many died by the constrained meanes out of
hand, many were troden vnder the horsefeete, and many gasping
betwene life and death: but the greatest soart of the litle
infants were slaine out of hand, and crusht in pyeces: those
whych remayned alyue, were commytted to Pryson, and the goods
which they caryed wyth them altogyther seased vpon by the
tyrant. Thys wycked and cruell facte was most intollerable and
greeuous vnto the Cytyzens of Elis, wherevppon the holy dames
consecrated to the God Bacchus, adorned and garnyshed wyth theyr
pryestly Garments, and bearyng in theyr Handes the sacred
mysteryes of theyr God, as Aristotimus was passyng through the
Streete garded with hys Souldyers and Men of Warre, wente in
processyon to fynde hym oute. The Sergeauntes for the reuerence
of those religious women disclosed, and gaue them place to enter
in before the Tyrant. He seing those Women apparelled in that
guise, and bearing in their hands the sacred Bachanal mysteries,
stoode stil, and with silence heard what they could say: but
when he knew the cause of their approch, and that they wer come
to make sute for the poore imprisoned women, sodainly possessed
with a diuelish rage, with horrible hurly burly, bitterly
reprehended his garrison for suffering those women to come so
neare him. Then hee commaunded that they should be expelled from
that place without respect, and condemned euery of them (for
their presuming to intreat for such caitiue prisoners{)} in II.
Talents a piece. After these mischiefs committed by the tyrant,
Hellanicus one of the pryncipal and best esteemed persons of the
City, although that he was decrepite, and for age very weake and
feeble, cared not yet to aduenture any attempt what soeuer, so
it might extend to the deliuery of his countrey from the
vnspeakable tyranny of most cruel Aristotimus. To this gray
haired person, bicause he was of aged yeares, void of children
which were dead, this Tyrant gaue no great hede ne yet emploied
any care, thinking that he was not able to raise any mutine or
tumult in the City. In the mean space, the Citizens, which as I
haue sayd before, were banished into Etolia, practysed amongs
them selves to proue their Fortune, and to seeke al meanes for
recouery of their countrey, and the death of Aristotimus:
wherfore hauing leuied and assembled certaine bands of
Souldiers, they marched forth from their bannished seat, and
neuer rested till they had gotten a place hard adioyning to
their City, where they might safely lodge, and with great
commodity and aduantage besige the same, and expel the tyrant
Aristotimus. As the bannished were incamped in that place, many
citizens of Elis daily fled forth, and ioyned with them, by
reason of which auxiliaries and daily assemblies they grew to
the ful numbre of an army: Aristotimus certified hereof by his
espials was brought into a great chafe and fury, and euen now
began to presage his fall and ruine: but yet meaning to foresee
hys best aduantage, went vnto the pryson where the Wyues of the
banished were fast inclosed, and bicause he was of a troublesome
and tyrannical nature, he concluded with him self rather to vse
and intreat those wiues with feare and threates, than with
humanity and fayre wordes: being entred the pryson, hee sharpely
and wyth great fiercenesse commaunded them to write vnto their
husbands that besieged him without, earnestly to persuade them
to giue ouer theyr attempted warres: "Otherwyse (sayd he) if ye
do not follow the effect of my commaundement, in your own
presence I wil first cause cruelly to be slayne al your little
Children, tearyng them by piece meale in pieces, and afterwardes
I wyll cause you to be whipped and scourged, and so to dye a
most cruel and shamefull death." At which fierce and tyrannycal
newes, there was no one woman amongs them that opened theyr
mouthes to answer him: the most wycked and vile tyrant seing
them to be in such silence, charged them vpon theyr liues to
answer what they were disposed to doe: but although they durst
not speake a word, yet with silence one beholding eche other in
the face, fared as though they cared not for hys threats, more
ready rather to dye than to obey his comaundement. Megistona
then, which was the wife of Timolion, a matrone aswell for hir
husband's nobility as hir owne vertue, in great regard and
estimation, and the chief amongs all the Women, who at his
comming in would not rise, but kept her place, nor vouchsafing
to doe any reuerence or honor vnto hym, and the like she bad the
rest: in this wyse sitting vpon the ground with vnlosed tongue
and liberty of speach, stoutly she answered the tyrant's demaund
in this manner: "If there were in thee, Aristotimus, any manly
prudence, wisedome, or good discretion, truly thou wouldest not
commaund vs poore imprisoned women to write vnto our husbands,
but rather suffer vs to goe vnto them, and vse more moderate
wordes and myld behauiour, than wherewith of late thou diddest
entertaine vs, by scoffing, mocking, and cruelly dealyng with
vs, and oure pore children: and if now thou being voyd of all
hope, doest seeke to persuade by our meanes likewise to deceiue
our husbands, that be come hither to put theyr Lyues in Peryll
for our deliveraunce, I assure the thou vainly begilest thy
selfe, for wee henceforth do purpose neuer to bee deceyued of
the: wee require thee also to thinke and stedfastly beleeue,
that our husbands heades bee not so mutch bewitched with Folly,
as despysing their Wyves and Chyldren, Neglecting their duetyes
towards them, wyll, being in this forwardnesse, abandon their
preseruation and geeve ouer the Liberty of theyr countrey: think
also that they little esteme or wey the regard of vs, and theyr
children, in respect of the great contentation they shal attaine
by vnyoking the liberty of theyr countrey from thy pride and
intollerable bondage, and which is worst of al, from that
tyranny which neuer people felt the like: for if thou were a
king as thou art a tyrant, if thou were a Gentleman borne of
noble kind as thou arte a slaue, proceding from the deuil, thou
wouldest neuer execute thy cursed cruelty against a feble kind,
such as women be, and werest thou alone ioyned in singular
combat with my valyant and dere beloued husband, thou durst not
hand to hand to shew thy face: for commonly it is seene, that
the Courtly Ruffyan backed on wyth such mates as he is himself,
careth not what attempt he taketh in hand, and stares with hayre
vpright, loking as though he would kil the deuyll, but when he
is preast to seruyce of the field, and in order to encountre
with his Prynce's foe, vpon the small sway by shocke or push
that chaunceth in the fight, he is the first that taketh flyght,
and laste that standeth to the face of hys ennimy. Such kind of
man art thou, for so long as our husbands wer farre of, absent
fro theyr Country, not able to rid vs from thy thral, thou
wroughtest thy malyce then against theyr wyues at home, doyng
the greatest cruelty towardes them and theyr suckyng babes, that
euer deuyl could do vpon the damned sort, and now thou seest
them arriued here vnder our country walles, thou flyest and
seekest help at women's hands, whose power if it serued them
according to their willes, would make thee tast the fruit of thy
commytted smart." And as she would haue proceded further in hir
liberal talk, the Caytife tyrant not able to abyde any further
speach, troubled beyond measure, presently commaunded the litle
child of hir to be brought before him, as though immediatly he
would haue killed him, and as his seruants sought him out, the
mother espied him playing amongs other children, not knowinge
for his small stature and lesse yeres, wher he was becom, and
calling him by his name, said vnto him: "My boy, come hither,
that first of al thou mayst lose thy life, to feele the proufe
and haue experience of the cruel tyranny wherin we be, for more
grieuous it is to me to see the serue against the nobility of
thy bloud, than dismembred and torn in pieces before my face."
As Megistona stoutly and vnfearfully had spoken those words, the
furious and angry tyrant drew forth his glistring blade out of
the sheath, purposing to have slaine the gentlewoman, had not
one Cilon the familiar freend of Aristimus stayd his hand,
forbidding him to commit an act so cruel. This Cilon was a
fayned and counterfayt frend of the tyrant, very conuersant with
other his familiar frends, but hated him with deadly hatred, and
was one of them that with Hellanicus had conspired against the
tyrant. This gentleman then seeinge Aristotimus wyth so great
fury to waxe wood agaynst Megistona, imbraced him, and sayd,
that it was not the part of a gentleman proceeding from a Race
righte honourable, by any meanes to imbrue hys Handes in Woman's
bloud, but rather the signe and token of a cowardly knyght,
wherfore he besought him to stay his hands. Aristotimus
persuaded by Cilon, appeased his rage, and departed from the
imprisoned women. Not long after, a great prodige and wonder
appeared in this sort: before supper the tyrant and his wyfe
withdrue themselues into their chamber, and being there, an Egle
was seene to soare ouer the tyrante's palace, and being aloft,
by little and little to descend, and letting fal from her
tallands a huge and great stone vpon the top of that chamber,
with clapping wings and flying noyse soared vp againe, so far as
she was cleane out of sight from them that did behold hir. With
the rumor and shouts of those that saw this sight, Aristotimus
was appalled, and vnderstanding the circumstance of the chaunce,
hee sent for his diuine to declare the signification of this
Augurye, which greatly troubled his minde. The Southsayer bad
him to be of good chere, for that it did portend the great
fauour and loue which Iupiter bare vnto him. But the prophet of
the City whom the Cytizens had wel tryed and proued to be
faithfull and trusty, manifested vnto them the great daunger
that hong ouer the tyrant's head, sutch as the lyke neuer
before. The confederats which had conspired wyth Hellanicus,
made great speede to prosecute theyr enterprise, and the next
night to kil the tyrant. The very same night Hellanicus dreamed
that he saw his dead sonne to speak vnto him these woords: "What
meane you father this long tyme to sleepe, I am one of your
sonnes whom Aristotimus hath slayne, know you not that the same
day you attempt your enterpryse, you shalbe captaine and prince
of your country?" By this vision Hellanicus confirmed, he rose
bytimes in the morninge, and exhorted the conspirators that day
to execute the benefit of their country. That time Aristotimus
was certified how Craterus the Tyrant of another Citty, with a
great army, was comming to his ayde agaynst the Banished people
of Elis, and that hee was arriued at Olympia, a Citty betweene
the mount Ossa, and the mountayne Olympus. With whych newes
Aristotimus beinge incouraged, thought already that he had put
to flight and taken the banished persons, which made him to
aduenture hymselfe abroade wythout Guard or garrison,
accompanied only wyth Cilon and one or two of his familiar
frendes, the very same time that the conspiratours were
assembled to do the facte. Hellanicus seeing the time so
conuenient to deliuer his beloued countrey by the death of the
traiterous tirant, not attending any signe to be geuen to his
companions (although the same was concluded vpon) the lusty old
man liftinge vp his handes and eyes vnto the heauens, with
cleare and open voyce cried out to his companions and sayd: "Why
stay yee, O my Cityzens and louinge countrymen, in the face of
your Citty to finish this good and commendable act?" At whych
words, Cilon was the first which with his brandishing blade
killed one of those that wayted vpon the Tirant. Thrasibulus
then and Lampidus assayled Aristotimus, vpon whose sodayne
approche, he fled into the Temple of Iupiter, where hee was
murdred with a thousand wounds vpon his body, accordingly as he
deserued. He beinge thus deseruedly slayne, his body was drawen
vp and down the streetes, and proclamation of liberty sounded
vnto the people: whereunto ech Wyght assembled, amonges whom the
imprisoned Women also brake forth, and reioysed with their
countrey deliuerers of that egregious enterprise, by fires and
bankets outwardly disclosinge their exceedinge great ioy wythin,
and in mid of their mirth the people in great thronges and
companies ranne to the Tyrant's Palace, whose Wyfe hearinge the
people's noyse, and certified of her husband's death, inclosed
her selfe in a chamber with her two daughters, and knowinge how
hatefull she was vnto the Citizens, with a fastned cord vpon a
beame she hong hir selfe. The chamber dores being broke open,
the people viewed the horrible sight of the strangled Lady,
wherewithall not mooued they tooke the two tremblinge Daughters
of the Tyrant, and caryed them away, purposinge to Rauish and
Violate the same, firste to saciate their lust with the spoyle
of theire virginitye, and afterwardes to kyll them (those
gentlewomen were very beautiful and mariageable) and as they
were about to do that shamefull deede, Megistona was told
thereof, who accompanied with other Matrons sharpelye rebuked
theire furye sayinge: that vncomely it were for them which
sought to establishe a ciuill state, to do such a shameles act
as tyrant's rage would scarce permit. Vpon that noble matron's
auctoritye and interception, they ceassed from their filthy
fact: and then the woman tooke the virgins out of the people's
handes, and brought them into the chamber where there strangled
mother was. And vnder standing howe it was decreede that none of
the tyrante's bloude should rest a liue: shee turned her face to
the two yonge gentlewomen and sayde: "The chiefest pleasure
which I can do vnto you, resteth in this choyse, that it shall
be lauful for eyther of you to chose what kind of death you
list, by knyfe or halter, if you wil to dispatch your liues from
the headles peoples greatter fury, vppon whose two whyte and
tender bodyes if they do seaze the goddes do knowe and we do
feare the cruelty and great abuse which they do mean to vse,
I thinke not for despyte of you, but for the iust reuenge of
your most cruell father's actes, for the tyrannous life of whom
the goddes do thunder downe the boltes of their displeasure,
afflicting his nearest blood and bestbeloued wyfe and children,
with vengeance poured from heauens." Vppon the sentence of this
the fatall ende, the elder mayden of the twayne vnlosed a gyrdle
from her middle, and began to tye the same to hang hir selfe,
exhorting her yonger sister to do the lyke: and in any wise to
beware by sparing of her life, to incur the beastly rage of the
monstruous people, which cared not to do ech vile and filthy
act, vnworthy theyr estate. The yonger sister at those wordes,
layd handes vpon the fastened corde, and besought hir right
earnestly first of al to suffer hir to die. Wherevnto the elder
aunswered: "So long as it was lawfull for me to liue, and whiles
we led our princely time in our father's courte, and both were
free from enimie's danger, all things betwene vs two were common
and indifferent, wherefore the gods forbid (that now the gates
of death be opened for vs to enter, when with the Ghostes of our
deere Parentes our soules amids the infernall fieldes be
predestined to raunge and wander) that I shoulde make denyall of
thy request. Therfore goe to good sister mine, and shrink not
when thou seest the vgly face of her, that must consume vs all:
but yet (dere sister) the deadly sight of thee before my selfe,
will breede to me the woe and smart of double death." When she
had so sayd, she yelded the coller to her sister, and counselled
hir to place the same so neere the necke bone as shee could,
that the sooner the halter's force might stop her breath. When
the vnfearefull yonger sister was dead, the trembling hands of
the dredlesse elder maid vntied the girdle from her neck,
couering in comely wise her senselesse corps. Then turning hir
self to Megistona, she humbly prayd hir not to suffer their two
bodies to be seene naked, but so sone as she could, to bury them
both in one Earthly graue, referring the frutes of their
virginity to the mould wherof they came. When she had spoken
these wordes, without any stay or feare at all, with the selfe
same corde she strangled herselfe and so finished her fatal
dayes. The guiltlesse death of which two tender maydes there was
none of the citizens of Elis (as I suppose) so stonye hearted
and voyde of Nature's force, ne yette so wrothe agaynst the
tyrant father, but did lament, as wel for the constant stoutenes
and manner of their death, as for their maydenlyke behauiour and
right honest petitions made to that noble matrone Megisthona,
who afterwardes caused the other dames to bury those two bodyes
in one graue. O how happy and famous had these two sisters bene,
if they had not bene the daughters of so wicked and cruell a
father? But parentes offence or childrens trespas ought not to
deface the vertuous dedes of their posterity.