lty and mischyefe was done
and executed. For in open streat, lyke beastes in the Shambles,
they were cut and hewed in peeces, which seemed to murmur at
thys bloudy and vnlawfull act: the rest were banished and
expelled the cytty. Eight hundred of these exiled persons fled
into Etolia (a prouince adioyninge to Epirus, which now is
called Albania.) Those people so banished out of theyr country,
made instant sute to Aristotimus to suffer Wyues and chyldren to
repayre to them: but theyr suite was in vayne, their peticions
and supplycations seemed to be made to the deafe, and dispersed
into the wyndes: notwithstandinge, within few dayes after, he
caused by sound of trumpet to be openly proclaymed, that it
should be lawful for the wyues and chyldren of the banished to
passe wyth their baggage and furniture to theyr husbands in
Aetolia. This Proclamation was exceeding ioyfull to al the women
whose husbands were exiled, which at the least by common report
were the numbre of 6 hundreds: and for more credite of that
Proclamation, the wicked Tyrant did ordayne, that al the company
should depart vpon a prefixed day. In the meane time, the ioyful
Wyues glad to visit their poore husbands, prepared horse and
wagon, to cary theyr prouisions. The appoynted day of their
departure out of that City being come, all of them assembled at
a certayne gate assygned for their repayre, who that time
together resorted with their little children in their hands
bearing vpon theyr heads theyr garments and furnitures, some on
horseback, and some bestowed in the wagons according as ech of
theyr states required: when al things wer in a readinesse to
depart, and the gate of the City opened, they began to issue
forth. They wer no soner gone out of the City walles, and had
left behind them the soile of theyr natiuity, but the Tyrants
guard and Sergeants brake vpon them, and before they were
approched they cried out to stay and go no further vpon pain of
theyr liues. So the pore amazed women, contrarry to the promise
of the Tyrant, wer forced to retire. Which sodain countremaund
was sorowful and woful vnto the afflicted flock: but there was
no remedy, for procede they could not. Then those Termagants and
villains caught theyr horse by the bridles, and droue back again
theyr wagons, pricking the pore oxen and beasts with theyr
speares and Iauelins, that horrible it is to report the tyrany
vsed towards man and best, in such wyse as the pore miserable
women