is
father, which was more mete for a king's sonne and heyre, than
for suche a bondeman as hee was, and that hee had long enough
abused his lordes and maisters." Wherwithal a great hurly burly
and tumult began to rise by the fautors of both parts, so that
he was like to attaine the Garland, which best could daunce for
it. Tarquinius forced to giue the laste aduenture, beynge more
lusty and stronger than the other, tooke Seruius by the myddle,
and caryinge hym oute of the Courte, threwe hym downe the
Staires, whyche done, hee caused the Senate to retourne into the
Palace. Then the kynge wyth all hys trayne of Offycers, and
other hys seruaunts ranne away, and as they were flying, hee was
slayne by those that Tarquinius sent after to pursue hym, in the
streete called Cyprius. Tullia vnderstandyng that Seruius hyr
father was slayne, she bashed not in hir Wagon to come into the
market place before all the assemblye there, called hir husband
out of the Court, and boldly was the first that called him king.
But being rebuked and commaunded by him to auoid out of that
greate throng of people, she retired home agayn, and when she
was paste the vpper ende of the said strete called Cyprius, the
wagoner dryuing toward the right hand to the Hill called
Exquiliae, hee stayed the Wagon, and shewed his Ladye the bodye
of hyr Father, lyinge starke dead in the streete. In memory of
which shamefull and vnnatural fact, long tyme after ther
contynued a Monument: for the same strete was called Vicus
Sceleratus. Some report that she caused the wagon to be dryuen
ouer the dead corps of hir father, wyth the bloud of whom and
hir husband, hir wagon being contaminated, she presented the
same to hir Gods: after which abhominable beginnings, like end
ensued. This Seruius Tullius raigned XLIIII. yeres. Then
Tarquinius began to raigne, vnto whom Superbus was added for his
surname: this wicked sonne in law would not suffer the dead body
of Seruius to be buried. His conscience being pricked with the
abhominable gaine of hys kyngdom, fearying also least other
might conceiue like example, he guarded his person with a band
of armed men, executing all thinges wyth force and tyranny,
contrary to the aduyse and consents of the Senate and people. He
caused the fautors and frendes of Seruius to be put to death,
whereby the numbre of the Fathers was diminished, whose places
he suffred none other to supply, of purpose to bring that
honourable order to contempt.