The xvth Chapitre.
YSIPHILE WAS A right honorable woman, aswell for the pyte she shewde to hyr father, as also for hyr infortunate exyle and the deathe of Arthemor, to whome she was guydowr and rular. Thys sayde lady was doughter of Thoantes, Kynge of Leumi, reignynge in those days when that the vngraciouse woodenes was in the myndes of the women to withdrawe theym frome the obeysance that women shulde haue to theyr husbondes, for, despysynge the alegaunse that they oughte to theyr olde Kynge, Isyphile beynge emonge the other women one of the conspiracy, with a mutuall consent they concludyde that, the next nyght after, euery wyfe shulde murdre theyr husbondes. Now the reste agreynge lyke ragyde beastes ther vnto, onely Isyphile was mouede to a moore meeke waye, for, remembreynge that it was against nature to fyle hyr handes with hyr fathers bloode, declarynge to hyre father the counsell of the other women, she wyllyde hym in all haste to take a shyppe and flie a way to an ile callyde Chyum, thereby to advoyde the comune furye of the reste. And to clooke the matere the better, she causide to be made a comune funerall, as thoughe it hade bene in verey deede for the buryinge of hyr father. Whiche beleuyde of all the women as it had bene a thynge of truthe, she anone was sett in hyre fathers throone and takyne emonge the vngraciouse women verey quene in deede. It is a moste holy thynge, the pyte that children haue towardes their parenttes. For what thynge is more syttynge, what more ryghtuouse, what more prayse-wowrthely then to quyte with all humanyte and honour theim that, when we were not able to helpe ourselfe, kept vs and with feruent loue noryshede vs, tyll we came in poynte and state to helpe ourselffes, made vs to be taught goode maners, goode instructione and lernyng, and studyd as well to gyue vs worldly goodes as knowlege of vertuouse thynges? Which say de Isyphyle hauynge doone so well to hyr father, not withoute goode, iuste cause she is well worthy to be emongste the numbre of noble women. She, than, thus reignyng, were it by chaunce or by forse of contrary wyndes, Jasone, goyng into Colcos, all thoughe the women wolde haue withstonde hym, he toke londe in hyr countrie, where at the laste he was well receyuyde of the Quene, aswell at bedde as at borde. And when he wente hys waye after he had had by hyr too children, by the lawe that was made emonge the women, wylde she, nylde she, she was compellyde to sende theym oute of hyr londe, as sum say to Chyum, to hyr vnkles, to norishe. And at the last, when it was knowne that agaynst the lawe she had sauyde hyr fathers lyfe, the women sett vppon hyr all in a rage, in somuche she had muche wowke to do to entre a shyppe and saue hyrself. And as she saylyde in sekynge hyr father and chyldren, sodeynly by pyrates of the see she was taken and trobled, and tost here ande ther, and at the last delyueryde to Lygurgus, the Kynge of Nemeus, for a greate gyfte, by whom she receyuyde the custody of the Kynges sonne, called Opheltis. And as she was attendynge of hym and had desyre to drynke, leuynge the litle chylde playnge emonge the flowres, it hapnede by hyr passyde Adrastius, goynge towards Thebes, and he questionde with hyr of hyr fortune. She declaryde and tolde hym all and the Kynge so confortyd hyr, saynge that she shulde shortly tocum to better chaunce. But when she was retumyde to hir yong chylde, in hyr absence a serpent had slayne hym, for whiche she made suche sorowe and lamentatione that well nere she troblede all Adrascus hoste. And at the last the thynge knowne to Lygurgus, she half madde and more was resemyde to a straynge deathe. But what deathe I cannot tell.