toutenes
and manner of their death, as for their maydenlyke behauiour and
right honest petitions made to that noble matrone Megisthona,
who afterwardes caused the other dames to bury those two bodyes
in one graue. O how happy and famous had these two sisters bene,
if they had not bene the daughters of so wicked and cruell a
father? But parentes offence or childrens trespas ought not to
deface the vertuous dedes of their posterity.

THE SIXTH NOUELL.

_The maruaylous courage and ambition of a gentlewoman called
Tanaqvil, the Queene and wife of Tarqvinivs Priscvs the fift Roman
king, with his persuasions and pollicy to hir husbande for his
aduauncement to the kingdom, her lyke encouragement of Servivs
Tvllivs, wherein also is described the ambition of one of the
II. daughters of Servivs Tvllivs the sixt Roman king, and
her cruelty towards her owne natural father: with other accidents
chaunced in the new erected common welth of Rome, specially of the
last Romane king Tarqvinivs Svperbvs, who with murder atteined the
kingdome, with murder maynteined it, and by the murder and insolent
lyfe of his sonne was with al his progeny banished._

Ancus Marcius beynge the fourthe king (after Romulus the first
builder of that Cittye) there came to dwell in Rome one Lucumo,
a lusty gentleman, ryche and desirous of honour, who determined
to continue his habitation there. The same Lucumo was the son of
one Demaratus, a Corinthian, that for sedition fled his owne
countrye, and dwelt in Hetruria amonge the stocke of the
Tarquines: and after he was maried he begat II. sons, one of
them was this Lucumo, and the other was called Aruns. Lucumo was
heire to his father, for that Aruns died before leauing his wife
gret with child, the father not knowing that his daughter in law
was with child, gaue nothing in his wil to his nephew: for which
cause the child was called Aruns Egerius{.} Lucumo being the
sole heire of his father, maried a noble woman named Tanaquil,
and bicause the Thuscans could not abide to see a straunger grow
to abundance of welth and authoritie, shee despised hir owne
countrey rather than she would suffer her husband in any wise to
be dishonoured. Wherfore she deuysed to forsake the Tarquinians
and to dwel at Rome, where she thoughte among that honourable
sorte and new erected state that her husband beyng stout and
valiant should attayne some place of resiaunce. For she shall be
called to reme