he ordayned, that if (perhaps) his wyfe
should be found with chylde, and brought to Bed of a Sonne hee
should be his vniuersall heyre: but if a Woman chylde, to haue
the dowry that his other daughters had. The rest of his goods
and cattel he gaue indifferently to al III. equally to be
deuided. He prouided also, that all his seruantes accordinge to
their degree, should be rewarded. The day before he should be
put to death (according to the custome of Persia) his prayses
and valiaunt factes, as wel by Epitaphes fixed vpon poasts, as
by proclamation, were generally sounded throughout the Realme,
in such wise as ech wight iudged him to be the most liberall and
noble personage that was in all the Countrey, and in the borders
confininge vpon the same. And if there had not bene some enuious
persons nere the kyng, which studied and practised his
ouerthrow, al other would haue deemed him vnworthy of death.
Sutch is enuy of the maliciously disposed, that rather than they
would see their equals to be in better estimation with the
prynce than themselues, study and deuise all pollicy eyther by
flattery or false surmise to bringe them in discredite, or to
practise by false accusation, their vtter subuersion by Death or
Banishement. But whiles Ariobarzanes was disposinge his thinges
in order, his Wyfe and Daughters with his Friends and Cousins,
were affected with great sorrow day and night, complayning for
the heauy state of that noble Gentleman. The eight day being
come (for the lawe allowed that space to the condemned, for
disposition of their thynges) a Skaffolde was made by
commaundement of the king, in the middest of the Market place,
al couered with black cloth, and an other right ouer against the
same with Purple and Silk, where the kyng (if he list) in the
mids of the Iudges should sit and the inditement redde,
iudgement (by the kynge's owne mouth declared) should be
executed, or if it pleased him, discharge and assoyle the
condemned. And the kynge vnwillinge to be present, gaue to one
of the eldest iudges hys full power and authority. But yet
sorrowful that a Gentleman so noble and valiaunt, his father and
sonne in lawe, should finish his life with a death so horrible,
would needes that morninge be present himselfe at that
execution, as wel to see the continent and stoute ende of
Ariobarzanes, as also to take order for his deliuery. When the
time was come, Ariobarzanes by the Sergeante and Garde was
brought vnto the Skaffo