[Such is the holde whereby false traytours stay.
A miroure here of mee behold you may,
Which for my pride, a purple price did pay:
By bloud who rose, by treason caught decay.]
How Avlvs Vitellius Emperour of Rome came to an infortunate end, The yeare of Christ, 71.
1.
To treade the staire to state, who takes in hand,
And thereon enters first by bribes or bloud;
On slippery ground hee cannot firmely stand,
Ne fixte is hee, his hold is nothing good,