To get the souldiers fauour I tooke payne, For in the Emprour’s choise they gaue the stroke; I therefore sought some spoyles for them to gayne, Though thereby oft the lawes of armes I broke, But who may wordes or actions donne reuoke? The stayne abides, where staylesse[1025] strikes the good, And vengeaunce wreckes the waste of giltlesse bloud. 4. In _Lusitania_ while that time I lay, I causde the people there assemble shoulde, Reporting I had somwhat for to say, Which in effect procure them profite would; To which they came as many nere as could, Full thirty thousand, thinking naught of ill, All which I causde the souldiers there to kill. 5. I sought some meanes that _Nero_ might abye,[1026] Not for his vicious life, but for his place; Although pretence were made his vice, perdy,[1027] Whom all good men accounted voyde of grace: But yet I could not stay so long a space, I causde in _Spayne_ the souldiers mee proclame, Which strayght they did, and gaue mee _Cæsar’s_ name. 6. To _Rome_ I hyde, and _Nero_ gate him thence, Hee stale away for feare of sentence past, A publique foe proclaymde for negligence, For slaughters donne, for fire of _Rome_ the wast: Eke for because hee was of mee agast, Hee slewe him selfe before my man could comme, Which slaughter else my seruaunts there had donne. 7. When I my maister thus subuerted had, The _Romaynes_ eke began mislike with mee: They sayd I was ambitious, nygh so bad And cruell, giuen to pride and glotony; Now I was ruled all by _Romaynes_ three, _Cornelius_, _Iulius_, _Celius_, for the state My schoolmaisters, for which they did mee hate. 8. And _Siluius Otho_ sought the Empire then, That vicious beast, and coward verlet vile, Hee delte by gyftes so with mine armed men, That factious rose in campe within a while; Which when I came them for to reconcile, To _Curtius_ lake, nere which the armie lay, Of _Siluius_ friendes the souldiers did me slay. 9. Strooke of my head, and bare it to my foe, Who causde it should bee set vpon a speare; So through the campe they bare it to and froe, Saluting it, now dead, a sorte there were, Which late thereof, aliue, did doubt and feare; O _Galba_, ioyfull dayes the Gods thee giue, God send thee _Galba_ well long time to liue. 10.