fe example and sithe
king Harry the .v^{te}. in oure daies, and also his noble brothir Johan
duke of Bedford after hym; whiche allies be almost werid out and foryete to
oure grete desolacion, whiche and they were renewed by meane of mariages of
gret birthe, by cherisshing of lordis, nobles, and marchauntes of the
regions that we have been allied unto, or desire to be gyvyng renomme and
honoure in armes to the princes that we desire alliaunce, or[145] sending
at suche tymes as the cas shalle require to the princes ambassiatours that
be halden worshipfulle men of astate and degree that have sene worship in
divers contreis, whiche prudently can purpose and declare the urgent cause
and necessite of this royaume, it wolde be to think verralie than that tho
yowre[146] people true subgettis of Fraunce were mynusshed or abated as it
is, but oure saide allies wolde enforce hem withe alle hir power and might
to the {50} reformacion of the saide intrusions, and under colour of trewes
wrought ayenst us. In example of this matier, it bathe bene specified
herebefore, and how it hathe be rad among the Romayne stories that, whan
Haniballe, prince of Cartage, had so gret a descomfiture ayenst Camos,
governour of the Romayne ooste, that the men of Cartage gaderid of the
fingers of the ded Romayns three muys fulle of golde ringis. So it shewed
that the power of Rome was gretly mynusshed and febled. Than, whan this
tidingis come to Cartage, one Hamon, a wise man, a senatoure, demaunded if
it so were that for alle so gret a discomfiture is

[At this place a leaf of the MS., or more, has been lost.]

[Sidenote: Tullius Cicero.]

[Sidenote: Boecius.]

[Sidenote: Constellacio non necessitat sed forte disponit mores hominum
altor' bene vel contra, ac impressiones aeris et causa mere naturalia
concernencia.]

[Sidenote: Contra fiduciam adhibendam in prophesiis. Nota conclusionem.
Nisi fuerit sanctissimis viris.]

[Sidenote: Josephus. Orosius. Titus Livius.]

[Sidenote: Gyldas.]

[Sidenote: Deexpulsione Britonum in Walliam et Cornewaylle propter peccata.
Destruccio regnorum.]

[Sidenote: Nynyve. Babylon. Troye. Thebes. Athenes.]

[Sidenote: Rome.]

[Sidenote: Jerusalem.]

[Sidenote: Picti gentes.]

[Sidenote: Saxones.]

[Sidenote: Danii. Normanni. Andegavenses.]

[Sidenote: Galfridus Plantagenest.]

[Sidenote: Lucius Valerius.]

[Sidenote: Boicius.]

[Sidenote: De republica custodienda.]

[Sidenote: De justicia.]