The xxxixth Chapitre.
LAUINA, THE QUENE of Laurentum, descendyd of Saturne, Kynge of Crete, and she was onely doughter to Kynge Latyne by Annata, hys wyfe, and at the laste geuyne to wyfe to Eneas, the vallyaunte Troyane knyghte. Thys woman is more spoken of for the greate battells that ensuede for hyr betwyxte the sayde Eneas and Tornus then for any other thynge ells that she dyd. She was of exellent beautie, and for because she was also an heredytour to the Kynge hyr father, Tomus, then a yonge prynce of a greate towardnes, often demaundyd hyr of hym. But Latinus, that knewe thyriges to cum, wolde neuer graunte to it, for asmuche as that he knewe a straynger of a nother countrye and regyone shulde marye hyr. Now Eneas cumynge frome Troy, and he also askynge Lauina to wyfe, the father, aswell for the greate bloode he was of, as also for that it was the goddes pleasure it shulde so be, grauntyde gladly to it, wherfore betwyxt Tornus and Eneas beganne mortall warr. And soo, after muche bloode shedynge and deathe of many noble men on bothe parties, Eneas obteynede the victorye at the laste and maryede Lauina, and for that Annata, Latinus wife, hangede hyrself. And sum say that thies batells beganne after Eneas had maryede hyr. But whether it be the tone or the tother, it is euident that Lauina conceyuyde by the noble Eneas a sonne, and that or hys wyfe were delyuerede, he dyede at a ryuer called Numacum, and she, ferynge Ascanyus, hyr sonnes halfe brother, hydde hyr emongst the woddes and ther was delyuerede of a sonne, and, as many wryte, namede hym Julius Siluyus. Nowe Ascanyus, beynge of a gentle nature, after that he hade buyldyte Alban the cytie, restorede Lauyna and hyr son to theyr paternall kyngdome, whiche Lauina, receyuynge it of Ascanius and well callynge to mynde hys gentylnes, all hyr lyfe tyme not onely wysely maynteyned it, but further, lyuede chastely, withoute to take a nother husbonde, tyll she dyede, and in hyr tyme, when hyr son came to age, resygnyde the reaime to Siluyus. And sum say that Ascanyus noryshede hym and maryede hym to Melapondy by hys gentlenes and fraternall loue.