Loves martyr or, Rosalins complaint. Allegorically shadowing the truth of Loue, in the constant Fate of the Phoenix and Turtle. A Poeme enterlaced with much varietie and raritie; now first translated out of the uenerable Italian Torquato Caeliano, by Robert Chester. With the true legend of famous King Arthur, the last of the nine Worthies, being the first Essay of a new British Poet: collected out of diuerse Authenticall Records. To these are added some new compositions, of seuerall moderne Writers whose names are subscribed to their seuerall workes, upon the first Subiect: viz. the Phoenix and Turtle |
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The Oration of King Arthur to his Lordes and Followers.
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The Oration of King Arthur to his Lordes and Followers.
My Fellowes and my deare Companions,Both in the aduerse chances of our age,
And prosperous successefull happinesse,
Whose true vnspeakable fidelities,
In giuing counsell touching warres abroad,
And home-bred mutinies amongst our selues,
With good successefulnesse haue I perceau'd,
In your deepe wisedomes and your grauitie.
Affoord me now your honorable aides,
Wisely foreseeing what you thinke conuenient,
Touching the proud command'ment sent from Rome,
A thing at first carefully deliberated,
Is in the end most easily tollerated:
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The hawtie message of Tiberius Lucius,
If mongst our selues in wisedome we conferre,
How and which way to answer his demaund,
And surely (noble Followers) I suppose,
We haue no cause to feare their forreine braues,
For that vpon a most vniust request,
He seekes to haue a tribute paid from Britaine,
Because forsooth in Iulius Cæsars time,
Through iarres and discords of the ancient Brytains,
The tribute hath beene due and payable:
For when our countrie was at full possest,
With ciuill garboiles and domesticke brawles,
Their Cæsar did ariue wihin this land,
And with this armed souldiers full of force,
Brought in subiection that vnquiet Nation,
By this alleadgance they vniustly craue,
Tribute and satisfaction at our hands,
For nothing that is got by violence,
May iustly be possest by violence.
Sith therefore he presumeth to demaund,
A thing being most vnlawfull at our hands,
By the same reason let vs demaund of him,
Tribute at Rome mauger their Romish power,
And he that is the mightier in force,
Let him possesse the honor of the tribute,
For if his allegations and demaunds,
Be forcible and worthie to be kept,
Because their Cæsar and some Romane Princes,
Haue sometimes conquered Brytania,
By the like reason I do thinke that Rome,
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Because my Predecessors conquered it:
Bellin the noble King of Brytanie,
With his braue brother Brennus warlike ayde,
Being then accounted Sauoies noble Duke,
Razed the wals of Rome, and set his Standard
With victorie vpon the Citie gates,
And in the middle of their Market place,
Hung vp twentie of their chiefest Noblemen.
And Constantine the sonne of Helena,
And Maximinianus my neere Cousins,
Were both inthroniz'd in the Imperiall seate,
And gouernment of Romes great Emperie.
As touching Fraunce and other Ilands there,
We neede not answer their out-brauing termes:
For they refused to defend their owne,
When we by force redeem'd them from their hands,
Then counsell me thrise-worthy Brytaine Peeres,
Abandoning base cowardize and feares.
K. Arthur.
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