_Of the bookes of Sybilla._
In auncient Chronicles, these things appere in memorie, touchinge the
bookes of Sybilla. A straunge and vnknowen old woman, repaired to the
Romaine kyng Tarquinius Superbus, bearing in her armes nine bookes,
which she sayde were deuine Oracles, and offered them to be solde.
Tarquinius demaunded the price. The woman asked a wonderfull somme. The
king making semblaunce as though the olde woman doted, began to laughe.
Then shee gotte fyre in a chafing dishe, and burned three bookes of the
nyne. She asked the kyng again, if he would haue the sixe for that
prise, wherat the king laughed in more ample sorte, saying: “that the
olde woman no doubt did dote in deede.” By and by she burned other
three, humbly demaunding the king the like question, if he would buye
the reste for that price. Wherevpon the kyng more earnestlye gaue hede
to her requeste, thinking the constante demaundes of the woman not to be
in vain, bought the three bookes that remained for no lesse price, then
was required for the whole. Therewithall the woman departed from
Tarquinius, and was neuer seene after. These bookes were kept in the
Capitole at Rome, whereunto the Romaines resorted, when they purposed to
aske counsayle of the Goddes. A good example for wyse men to beware,
howe they despyse or neglecte auncient bookes and monumentes. Many the
like in this Realme haue bene defaced, founde in Religious houses,
whiche no doubte woulde haue conduced great vtilitie and profite both to
the common wealth and countrie, if they had bene reserued and kepte,
whiche bookes by the ignoraunt, haue ben torne and raised, to the great
griefe of those that be learned, and of them that aspire to learning and
vertue.