14. To th’ accusers of them threaten[922] death I did, Although _Seianus_ from my party fell The _Senate_ which the Christians sought to rid, By me were after seru’d in order well: For as Christ’s Godhead they would _Rome_ expell, And would not serue the God of meekenesse sent, To pot apace their hawty heads were pent. 15. I banisht some, and some to death I put, And foure and twenty fathers graue I chose, From shoulders eke most of their heades I cut, And left likewise aliue but twaine of those: _Seianus_ I did slay, of _Drusus_ deadly foes: I _Germanique_ adopted late, with poyson slewe,[923] His sonnes likewise my poysons force well knewe. 16. The men that did _Iehouae’s_ sonne refuse, The King of _Iewes_, the Lorde of life and health, Were gouern’de thus: _Tiberius_ thus did vse The men that were the Gods in common wealth, Forsaking so their heauenly sauing health: The Emprour I, which shoulde their liues defende, Sought all the meanes to bring their liues to ende. 17. Yet to religion I was nothing bent, Dissembled things that least I fauour’d still, I neuer vsde to speake the thinges I meant, But bare in minde the wayes to worke men ill: I seem’de to some to beare them great good will, And those I tooke away as time did serue, Inconstant vnto each yet seeming seeld to swerue. 18. To dronkennesse and ryote, sports and ease, And pleasure all I gaue my studie then, Nought more then subtile shiftings did me please, With bloudshed, craftie, vndermining men: My Courte was like a Lyon’s lurking den, The Iesters namde mee _Caldius Biberius Mero_, In stead of this my name, _Claudius Tiberius Nero_. 19. I will no more my life describe this time, For why, my factes at last deserude defame, Infected with so many a fulsome crime, As may not here repeated be for shame: I haue no cause the Lady blinde to blame, But blame my selfe I must, abusing place,[924] Which might full well haue vsde the giftes of grace. 20. Three things in fine I tell that wrought my fall, First vile dissembling both with God and man, For bloudshed then, which hauocke made of all, Bloud cryes to him that well reuenge it can, For filthie life I much offended than, Wherefore aliue thus poysoned with these three, _Caligula_ did find the fourth to bane vp mee.[925] 21.