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1577

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Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 6 The beginning of Culenes reigne begonne with rightuous execution of iuſtice,King Culene did not conti|newe, as his beginning was. promiſed a fyrme hope of an other maner of prince, than by the ad|miniſtration whiche followed he declared him|ſelf to be: for ſhortly after lewſing the reyne of laſciuious wãtonneſſe to the youth of his realme through giuing of lewde enſample by his owne diſordered doings,He folowes hi [...] ſenſuall luſtes. all ſuche as were enclined vn|to licentious liuing followed theyr ſenſuall luſtes, and vnbrydeled libertie abandoning all feare of correction more than euer had bene ſeene or hearde of in any other age. For ſuche was the negligence of the king, or rather mayntenaunce of miſordered perſons, that what ſo euer any of the nobilitie did eyther againſt Merchauntes,Euill doers were not pu|niſhed. Prieſtes, or any of the commons, though the ſame were neuer ſo greate an iniurie, there was no puniſhment vſed agaynſt them: ſo that all men looked for ſome commotion in the common wealth therevpon to enſue, if there were not o|ther order prouided therefore in time.Good counſell was not heard. The aun|cient peeres of the realme alſo beyng greeued thereat, ſpared not to admoniſhe the king of his dutie, declaring vnto him into what daunger the realme was likely to fall through his negli|gent behauiour. Culene aunſwered them,The kings an|ſwere vnto his graue peeres. that he wiſle well inough howe yonge menne were not at the firſte, borne graue and ſage perſona|ges lyke to them with hoary heades: wherefore theyr firſte youthfull yeares coulde not be ſo ſta|ble as they mighte be hereafter by olde age and continuaunce of time: but as for ſuche rigorous extremitie as diuers of his elders had vſed to|wards theyr ſubiects, he minded not as he ſaid to folow, being taught by their enſample (as by the kings, Indulph, Duffe & ſuche other) into what daunger he might incurre by ſuch ſharpe ſeueri|tie ſhewed in the gouernment of the aſtate. Wherevpon he was determined ſo to rule as he might giue cauſe rather to be beloued than fea|red,He would no [...] diſpleaſe. which was the onely meane (as he thought) to retayne his ſubiectes in dewe and moſt faith|full obedience. This anſweare was ſuch, that although it ſeemed nothyng agreeable for the EEBO page image 211 preſeruation of the publike ſtate in quiet [...]i [...]e and ſafetie, yet was there no man by reaſon of his regall authoritie that durſt reproue the ſame, but diuers there were that prayſed him therein, as thoſe that hated all ſuche as loued the vpright adminiſtration of iuſtice. But ſuche auncient counſellours as had truely ſerued in rule of the cõmon wealth in the dayes of the former kings Indulph and Duffe, miſliking the ſtate of that preſent world (wherein the youth of the realme,Auncient coũ|ſaylours leaue the court. namely al ſuch as were deſcẽded of noble paren|tage, & vſed to be about the king, followed their wilfull and ſenſuall luſtes, growing euery day through want of correction to be worſe & worſe) departed from the court, and withdrew to theyr homes without medling any further with the publike adminiſtration.The youthfull court follow|eth their ſen|ſuall luſtes. In whoſe place there crept in other, that with their flatterie corrupted the reſidue of ſuche ſparkes of good inclination as yet remained in the king, if any were at all, in ſo muche that in the ende he meaſured ſupreme fe|licitie by the plentifull enioying of voluptuous pleaſures and bodily luſtes.A wicked time of volup|tuouſneſſe. He fancied onely ſuche as coulde deuiſe prouocations therevnto, & in filling the belly with exceſſe of coſtly meates and drinkes, thoſe that coulde excell other were chiefly cheriſhed & moſt highly of him eſteemed. Herewithall he was giuen vnto leachery beyond all the termes of reaſon,A lecherous king. ſparing neyther mayde, widowe, nor wife, profane nor religious, ſiſter nor daughter (for all was one with him) that to heare of ſuche vilanie and violent forcings as were practiſed by him and his familiers,Forcing of women kinde exceeded. it would lothe any honeſt harte to vnderſtande or remember. He was ſo farre paſte all ſhame in this behalfe, that when his lecherous luſte by to muche copulation was ſo tyred that he might no more exerciſe his former lewdeneſſe, he tooke ſpeciall pleaſure yet to behold other to do it in his preſence,O beaſtly be|hauiour. that his decayed luſt might be the more ſtyred vp with ſight of ſuch filthineſſe. This ab|hominable trade of life he practiſed for the ſpace of .iij. yeares togither, giuing occaſion of muche ſpoile, raume, manſlaughter, forcings, and ra|uiſhments of women with all ſuch kinde of wic|ked & diueliſh trãſgreſſiõs:All honeſty exiled. no execution of lawes (inſtituted by authoritie of the former kings, for reſtraint of ſuch flagitious offences) being put in vre, through negligẽce of this monſtruous crea|ture.Robberie, theft, &c. were maintayned. So farre foorth alſo encreaſed the libertie of theeues, robbers and other offendours, main|teyned by ſuche of the nobilitie as conſented to theyr vnlawfull doings, & were partakers with them in the ſame, that if any man went aboute to withſtand them, or refuſed to accompliſh their requeſtes and demaundes, he ſhoulde be ſpoyled of all that hee had, and happely haue his houſe brente ouer his head, or otherwiſe be miſuſed in ſuch outragious & violent ſorte, that it would greeue all thoſe that had any zele to iuſtice, to heare of ſuche enormities as were dayly practi|ſed in that countrey.Death made an end of all. Howbeit at length yet the death of king Culene, brought an end to all ſuch wicked dealings: for falling into a filthy diſeaſe (through abuſe of exce [...] or drinking and leache|rie,) called the waſting of nature, [...]. he conſumed a way in ſuch wiſe by [...]otting of his fleſhe, that he appeared more like vnto [...] dead carcaſſe, than vnto a liuely creature, in ſomuch that his owne ſeruaunts began to abhorre him. Wherevpon the Lordes and other Honorable perſonages of the realme vnderſtanding his caſe, cauſed a par|liament to be ſummoned at Scone,A parliament. where they determined to depoſe king Culene, and appoynt ſome other (whom they ſhould iudge moſt me [...]|teſt) to reygne in his place. Culene alſo not knowing wherfore this councell was called, as he was going thitherwardes, at Meffen caſtell being almoſte in the midde way of his iourney,King Culene was murdered was murthered by one Cadhard the Thane of [figure appears here on page 211] yt place, whoſe daughter he had rauiſhed before time amõgſt diuers other. This end had Culene togither with all his filthy ſenſualitie: but the re|prochfull infamie thereof remaineth in memorie with his poſteritie, & is not like to be forgotten whileſt the world goeth about. He was thus di|ſpatched in the fifth yeare of his reigne, & after the birth of Sauiour .976. the nobles & great peares of the realme reioycing at his death,976. though they allowed not of the maner thereof.

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