shewed hym of this before sayd knyght; he hadde many tymes suppressed,, and done wronge to his moder, sythen the deth of his fader; than whan Robert herde and understode this, he sente lyghtely men of armes to take the sayd knyght the whiche dyde so moche that they toke hym and brought hym to Robert whiche made hym to be hanged, wherfore the duches was ryght glad, but she was moche more gladder that Robert her sone was come home, for she wende he hadde ben deed; and whan Robert and his moder were thus togyder, he recounted unto her how the emperour had gyuen hym his doughter in maryage, and how he had done his penaunce, the duchesse herynge her sones wordes, she began to wepe very sore, for bycause he had suffred so grete pouerte and penaunce thrughe his defaute.

How, the Emperour sent a messanger unto the Duke Robert, that he sholde come and rescue hym ayenst the Senesshall.

In the meane season, whyles Robert was thus at Rowane with his moder and his lady in grete joye and solace, there came a messanger fro the emperour unto Robert whiche dyde hym reuerence, and saynge thus unto hym :

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My lorde duke, the emperour hathe sente me hyther to you, and he prayeth you for to come and rescue hym ayenst the false traytoure the senesshall with the Sarasyns, which haue layde syege to Rome." Whan Robert herde these wordes, he was sorye in his mynde for themperour, and shortly assembled as many men of armes as

he coude get in his lande of Normandye, and forth withall rode with them towarde Rome, to helpe and socoure the emperour; but before he coude come thyder the false traytour the senesshall had slayne the emperour, which was grete pyte; but Robert wente streyght into Rome, and lyghtly with all his power and myght went ayenst the senesshall. And whan Robert aspyed the false traytoure, he descryed hym, saynge thus:

Abyde, thou false traytour, now thou shalte neuer escape my handes yf thou abyde me in the felde, for thou art now nygh thy lyve's ende; thou dydest putte ones a spere-heed in thy thygh for to haue deceyued the Romayns, defende now thy lyue ayenst me, for thou shalte neuer escape myn handes, and thou hast also slayne my lorde themperoure, wherfore thou shalt be well rewarded after that thou hast deserued." And with these wordes Robert, with a grete desyre and myghty courage, rode unto the senesshall and gaue hym suche stroke on the helmette, that he clove helmet and heed unto the teeth, and in contynente the traytour fell downe deed unto the erth, and Robert made hym to be brought in to Rome, to the entente that he sholde there be slayne to reuenge the Romayns, the whiche was done in the presence of all the people that were in Rome; and in this wyse fenysshed that traytour the senesshall his lyfe, and had a shameful death, wherby men may make and take hede that it is grete folye to coveyte or desyre thynges passynge theyr degre; for and the senesshall had not desyred the

emperour's doughter, the whiche passed and exceded ferre aboue his degree, he had not dyed this shameful deth, but myght haue lyued and the emperour also, and haue dyed good frendes.

How that the Duke Robert tourned agayne to Rowayne after he had made the Senesshall to be slayne. ROBERT the duke defended the cyte from theyr enemyes, and than he retourned agayne with all his companye unto Rowane to his wyfe, whiche was passynge sorrowfull and pensyfe; but whan she herde that the traytour the senesshall had slayne her fader, she was almoost out of her mynde; but Robert's moder comforted her in the best maner that she coude or myght. And for to make shortely an ende of our mater, and so to fenysshe this boke we wyll lette passe to wryte of the grete dole and sorowe of the yonge duchesse, and speke of the duke Robert, whiche in his youth was about to all myschefe and vyce, and all ungracyousnes, without ony measure or reason, for he was a greter devourer, and a more vengeable, than any lyon, nothynge sparynge, nor on no man hauynge mercy nor pyte. And after this he lyued xii yere in grete penaunce, lyke a wylde man, without ony speche, and lyke a dumbe beest etynge and drynkynge with dogges, and there after was he exalted and honoured of them, whiche before dyde holde hym for a fole or an innocente, and mocked with hym. This Robert lyued longe in vertue and honoure with that noble ladye his wyfe, and he was beloued and dradde of hyghe and lowe degre, for he dyde ryght

and justyce, as well ouer the ryche as ouer the poore, kepynge his lande in reste and in pease, and begote a chylde with her, and whiche he called Rycharde, whiche dyde afterwarde many noble actes and dedes of armes with grete Charlemayne kynge of Fraunce, for he dyde helpe hym for to gere and fortefye the Crysten fayth, and he made alwayes grete warre upon the Sarasyns. And he lyued in his lande in rest and pease, and was beloued of poore and ryche, and all his comente loued hym in lykewyse as Robert his fader was loued, for they lyued bothe deuoutly and in vertue, wherfore I praye God that we may so lyue in this lyfe we may optayne and come to euerlastynge lyfe. To the whiche brynge us he that boughtus and al mankynde with his preecyous blode and bytter passyon. Amen.

Thus endeth the lyfe of Robert the Deuyll,
That was the seruaunt of our Lorde,
And of his condycyons that was full euyll,
Emprynted in London by Wynkyn de Worde.

Here endeth the lyfe of the most feerfullest and unmercyfullest and myscheuous Robert the Deuyll, whiche was afterwarde called the Seruaunt of our Lorde Jhesu Cryste. Emprynted in Flete-strete in the sygne of the sonne, by WYNKYN DE WORDE.

OF

THOMAS OF READING;

OR THE

SIX WORTHY YEOMEN

OF THE WEST.

BY THOMAS DELONEY.

LONDON:

WILLIAM PICKERING, CHANCERY LANE.

MDCCCXXVII.