To Princes this I say, and worthie Peeres, I wish them wisely wey that heare me shall, And poyse my first exploytes with later yeeres, And well consider one thing in my fall, Abuse of power abaseth Princes all: In throne on earth, [as _Ioue_, the Prince he sits, As _Ioue_ to iudge aright, he plyes his wits. If not, then _Ioue_ whose Justice he omits, With thunderbolt from sacred seate him hits.][926] How Caivs Caesar Caligula Emperour of Rome was slayne by Cherea and others, The yeare of Christ, 42. 1. Vnhappy Princes haue in wealth no grace, To see how soone their vices ping them vnder, But run vnruly, reckelesse of their race, Till at the length they make themselues a wonder: When from aloft theyr traces fall asonder, There is no hope to hold aright the trace, [_Fortuna_ once when shee beginnes to thunder.] They cannot keepe aloft th’ Emperiall place: [The Lady blynde, so blindly makes them blunder.] 2. Behold my hap, on whom the _Romayne_ rout With ioy did gaze, when bloudy slayne I lay, Here lyes (quoth they), thrust thirty times throughout, The monster vile, that beast _Caligula_, Which did so many giltlesse _Romaynes_ slay: The nobles now the matrones neede not doubt, [The virgins now retayne theyr vertues may:] The worthy writers may their workes set out, [They neede no longer feare theyr foule decay.] 3. I was (I graunt) full lewdely led by lust, I forced nought of vertue, faith, nor lawe, In powre I put my confidence and trust, Regarding right nor Justice strickte a strawe: My facts infarst my life with many a flawe, [So Venus vile by dealings moste vniust,] Did mee to deedes of deadly inceste[927] drawe: [My sisters three accuse my rudenesse must,] Which had of God nor nature’s hestes the awe. 4. To make my selfe a God I did deuise, That _Iupiter_ to name my selfe did dare, For incestes vile, which all good wights despise, Nam’d _Bacchus_ eke a dronken shrine I bare; To call mee God some flatterers did not spare. By message I commaunded then likewise, [_Petronius_ at _Ierusalem_ prepare] By statue in the Temple to comprise, [Of honours so, to haue an heauenly share.] 5.