OF ATHALIA, QUENE OF JHERUSALEM.
I WYLL telle yow another ensample of a quene of Jerusalem whiche was of euyll condycions, diuerse and withoute pyte. For whanne Ozias her sone was deed, she made al the children of her sone to be slayne, and alle his heyres also, sauf only one, that a good man named Zoadis made to be nouysshed secretely. This quene toke the possession of all the reame and goodes, and made vnto the peple grete dyuersytees and sore trauaylled them, and she taxed them so hyghe that they became poure. And as she had so trauaylled the reame, as she that was withoute reason and pyte, the child whiche hadde be secretely nourisshed and brought vp, cam to his enherytaunce, and toke the quene Athalia and made her to deye of an euyl and shameful dethe. And soo she hadde at the laste the reward and guerdon of her meryte. For god gyueth to every one the deserte of his meryte in his lyf or after his dethe. For none euylle is done, but hit shalle be punysshed soone or in tyme to come. I wold, fayre doughters, that ye knewe thensample and the tale of a quene of Fraunce, whiche had to name Brunehault. She was the quene of whome Sybile prophesyed, sayenge thus: "Brunehault shal come fro black Spayne in to the Reame of Gaule Fraunce, whiche shal do many euylle dedes, and afterwarde she shal be destroyed." And so it befelle, for she made somme of her children to be slayne, and also the sones of her children, & other grete crueltees she procured and dyde, whiche were to long to be reherced. But at the laste as hit pleasyd god, she was payd, for a child that scaaped her cruelte, which was sone to her son, and the whiche knewe the grete crueltees and abhoomynaltees that she had done and procured and maade to be done, accused her. And thenne al her fayttes 108
