mbrance that Tatius the Sabine, Numa borne of the
stocke of Curetes and Ancus, broughte forthe by a Sabine woman
all straungers, did rayne and became noble and mightye. Thus
ambicion and desire of honoure easily doth perswade any deuyse:
wherfore carying with them all their substance they repaired to
Rome. It chaunced when they came to Ianiculum, as he and his
wife were sitting in a Wagon, an Eagle hooueringe hir wings ouer
Lucumo, sodenly toke away his Cappe, which don she soared ouer
the Wagon with great force, then she retourned againe, as though
he had bene commaunded by some Celestyall prouidence, and aptly
placed his cappe againe vpon his head, and then soared away vp
into the element. Tanaquil conceiuing this act to be some
Augurie or Prophecie, being cunning in that knowledg
(as commonly all the people of Hetruria be) imbraced hir husband
and willed him to be of good cheere and to expect great honour.
And as they were ymagining and consulting vpon these euentes,
they entred the City, and when they had gotten a house for him
and his family, he was called Tarquinius Priscus. His riches and
great welth made him a noble man amonges the Romanes, and
through his gentle entertainment and curteous behauioure, he
wanne the good willes of many, in so much as his fame and good
reporte was bruted through out the pallace. At length he grew in
acquaintance with the king him selfe, who seeing his liberall
demeanor and duetifull seruice, esteemed him as one of his
familiar and nere frends, and both in his warres and also at
home he imparted to him the secrets of his counsell, and hauing
good experience of his wisedom, by his laste will and testament
appointed him to be tutor of his children. Ancus raigned XXIIII.
yeres, a man in peace and Warre, in pollicy and valiance with
any of his predecessours comparable: his children were very
yong, and for that cause Tarquinius was more instant to summon a
parliament for creation of a kyng. When the day was come he
sente the young children abroade a huntyng, and then ambiciously
presumed to demaunde the kyngdome, beinge the first that euer
attempted the like. For the better conciliation and obteynyng of
the peoples good will, hee vttered his oration: "I do not
presume to require a straunge or newe thynge: that was neuer
before put in practyse, nor yet am the first, but the third
stranger and foraine borne that affected and aspired this
gouernment: for which consideration there is no ca