d him. The
next day in the presence of al the army hee highly commended
him, and rewarded him wyth the kyngdome of Numidia, geuing hym
many rych Iewels and treasures, and brought hym in great
Estimation amonges the Romaynes: whych the Senate and people of
Rome very well approued and confirmed with most ample
Priuileges, attributinge vnto hym the title of kynge of Numidia,
and freende of the Romaynes. Sutch was the ende of the vnhappy
loue of kynge Massinissa, and of the fayre and lucklesse Queene
Sophonisba.

THE EIGHTH NOUELL.

_The cruelty of a Kynge of Macedone who forced a gentlewoman called
Theoxena, to persuade hir children to kill and poison themselves:
after which fact, she and hir husband Poris ended their lyfe by
drowninge._

Bvt now we haue beegon to treate of the stoutnesse of certayne
noble Queenes, I wyll not let also to recite the Hystory of a
lyke vnfearfull dame of Thessalian land, called Theoxena, of
right noble Race, the Daughter of Herodicus Prynce of that
Countrey in the tyme that Phillip the Sonne of Demetrius was
kynge of Macedone, tolde also by Titus Liuius, as two of the
former be. Thys Lady Theoxena, first was a notable example of
piety and vertue and afterwardes of rigorous cruelty: for the
sayd kyng Philip, hauinge through his wickednesse first murdred
Herodicus, and by succession of time cruelly done to death also
the husbands of Theoxena and of Archo hir naturall sister, vnto
eyther of them being Wydowes remayninge a Sonne: afterwardes
Archo being maryed agayne to one of the principall of their
Countrey named Poris, of him she had many children. But when she
was dead, the sayd Lady Theoxena hir sister, who was of heart
more constant and stout than the other, still refused the second
mariage, although sued vnto by many great Lordes and Princes: at
length pityinge her nephewes state, for fere they should fall
into the handes of some cruell Stepdame, or that theyr father
would not bryng them vp with sutch diligence, as tyll that tyme
they were, was contented to bee espoused agayne to Poris,
(no lawe that time knowen to defend the same) to the intente she
might trayne vp hir sister's children as her owne. That done she
began (as if they were hir owne) to intreate and vse them
louingly, with great care and industrie: wherby it manifestly
appeared that she was not maried againe to Poris for hir owne
commodity and pleasure, but rather for the wealth and
gouernement of those