The xiiijth Chapitre.
NYOBE WELLNERE EMONGSTE all the vulgar people is knowne a notable woman, for asmuche as she was the doughter of the myghty and famouse Tantalus, Kynge of the Frygyens, and suster to Pelopis. She was maryede to Amphyon, that tyme Kynge of Thebes, of grete fame, as well because he was the sonne of Jupiter, as also because he was a man of synglar eloquens.
And beynge accompanede with hyr, in tyme he had of hys wyfe Nyobe seuen sonnes and as many doughters. And that whiche shulde haue bene to a wyse womane cause to haue laudyde God was to hyr by pryde a destractione, for as well elatyde for hauynge of so many children, as by the greate stock she was descendyd of, she was not aferde to speke against goddes. It so chauncyde by the commaundement of Mantona, the prophet of Teresia, that hyr children wer busyde in doynge sacrifyce aboute the ceremonyes of Apollo and the superstitiones of Diana. Which Nyobe perceyuynge, as it were all in a rage, with a greate company of seruaunttes aboute hyr and hire children after a pryncelyke facyon, she approchyd to the place, saynge vnto theym: ‘What madnes haue the Thebans to goo aboute suche ioly sacryfyce with a woman of a straynge countrie, and to suffre hyr twane children, the basterds of Tytan, beynge no more in numbre, that they shulde do to the goddes sacryfyce, when I, beynge a quene and doughter to Tantalus, hauywge so many fayre children as fourtene in numbre, shulde haue doone myself the ceremonyes.’ By thies proude wordes, how it was that not longe after she sawe it with hyr oune eyes, hyr children with a strange pestilence were deuourede all. And Amphion, hyr husbonde, beynge orbate or voyde of so many swete children, for pure sorowe with his oune swerde slewe hymself, the Thebans thynkynge noone other but thys chaunce came to theym oonely by the dyuyne hande and strooke of Gode. Thus Nyobe, viduate, and heuy of the lostes of hyr husbounde and of so many fayre children, became at the laste so muete, and spake so fewe wordes that it semyde hyr to be more a stoone that cannot be remouede then a woman. For whiche cause the poetes feyne that at Siphilum, where hyr children were buryede, that ther she was conuertyde into a stoone. It is a harde thynge to beere those proude folkes and be in company with theym. But a womans pryde to susteyne is intollerable, for asmuche as of theyr oune nature they be inclynede to pryde, and those that be otherwyse, allways ar more apte to vertue then to rule. It is therfore noo memeu tnoughe the strooke ol uode light vppon suche prowde women, when they cannot keepe theym withyn the terme of humylyte, as this folishe Nyobe dyd — scornyd with the vnstedfaste gyftes of fortune ande, wenynge that it came of the gyftes of nature and not of Gode, the fayre fructe of children, she loste theym all. It hade been mete for hyr to haue geuyn laude for suche thynges to the geuer of all goode. And because she neclecte it, she not onely in hyr tyme bewayled it, but nowe after many worldes hyr foly is spoken and comonde of.