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102
[SABRINE]
Sabrine the base childe of Locrinus, telles howe she was pitifully drowned by his wyfe Guendoline, in reuenge of hir fathers adulterye. The yeare before Christe. 1064.
Beholde me Sabrine orphane erste berefte,
Of all my frendes by cruell case of warre:
When as not one to treate for me was lefte,
But Ielosie did all their powres debarre,
When as my father eke was slayne in warre:
And when my mother euen before my sighte,
Was drounde to death, O wretche in wofull plighte!
Of all my frendes by cruell case of warre:
When as not one to treate for me was lefte,
But Ielosie did all their powres debarre,
When as my father eke was slayne in warre:
And when my mother euen before my sighte,
Was drounde to death, O wretche in wofull plighte!
Truste who so will the staffe of hie estate,
And bring me worde what stay therby you haue,
For why if Fortune once displeasure take:
She giues the foyle, though lookes be nere so braue.
Tis wisedome rather then to winne to saue,
For ofte who trustes to get a prince his trayne:
Would at the lengthe, of beggers life be fayne.
And bring me worde what stay therby you haue,
For why if Fortune once displeasure take:
She giues the foyle, though lookes be nere so braue.
Tis wisedome rather then to winne to saue,
For ofte who trustes to get a prince his trayne:
Would at the lengthe, of beggers life be fayne.
103
This might the Hunne erste Humber well haue sayde,
And this my mother Elstride proufde to true,
When as his life by striuing streames was stayde:
And when the tyrauntes hir in waters threwe.
What I may saye, my selfe reportes to you:
Which had more terrour shewde, then twyce such twayne:
Giue care, and iudge if I abode no payne.
And this my mother Elstride proufde to true,
When as his life by striuing streames was stayde:
And when the tyrauntes hir in waters threwe.
What I may saye, my selfe reportes to you:
Which had more terrour shewde, then twyce such twayne:
Giue care, and iudge if I abode no payne.
First when my fathers corps was stroken downe,
With deadly shafte, I came to mourne and see:
And as he laye with bleding breste in sowne,
He caste asyde his watring eyes on mee.
“Flye flye (he said) thy stepdame seekes for thee,
“My wofull childe: what flight maiste thou to take,
“My Sabrine poore, I must the nedes forsake.
With deadly shafte, I came to mourne and see:
And as he laye with bleding breste in sowne,
He caste asyde his watring eyes on mee.
“Flye flye (he said) thy stepdame seekes for thee,
“My wofull childe: what flight maiste thou to take,
“My Sabrine poore, I must the nedes forsake.
“See here myne ende, beholde thy fathers fall,
“Flye, flye, thy gelous stepdame seekes thy lyfe,
“Thy mother eke or this is wrapte in thrall:
“Farewell in woe you cannot scape hir knyfe:
“Farewell my childe, mine Elstride and my wyfe,
“Adew (quoth he) I may no longer byde,
“And euen with that, he gaspid thrise and dyede.
“Flye, flye, thy gelous stepdame seekes thy lyfe,
“Thy mother eke or this is wrapte in thrall:
“Farewell in woe you cannot scape hir knyfe:
“Farewell my childe, mine Elstride and my wyfe,
“Adew (quoth he) I may no longer byde,
“And euen with that, he gaspid thrise and dyede.
What birde can flye and sore, if stormes do rage?
What ship can sayle, if once the wyndes resiste?
What wight is that, can force of warres aswage?
Or else what warre can bridle Fortunes liste?
What man is he, that dare an hoaste resiste?
What woman only dare withstande a fielde?
If not? what childe but must to enemies yelde?
What ship can sayle, if once the wyndes resiste?
What wight is that, can force of warres aswage?
Or else what warre can bridle Fortunes liste?
What man is he, that dare an hoaste resiste?
What woman only dare withstande a fielde?
If not? what childe but must to enemies yelde?
104
My fathers souldiers fled, away for feare:
As soone as once their Captaines death they scande:
The Queene proclaimde a pardon euery where:
To those would yelde, and craue it at hir hande,
Excepting such, as did her ay withstande:
For so the course alwayes of pardons goes,
As saues the souldiers, and entrapps the foes.
As soone as once their Captaines death they scande:
The Queene proclaimde a pardon euery where:
To those would yelde, and craue it at hir hande,
Excepting such, as did her ay withstande:
For so the course alwayes of pardons goes,
As saues the souldiers, and entrapps the foes.
Then wiste I flight could nothing me preuaile,
I feard her pardon would not saue my lyfe:
The storme was such, I durst not beare a saile:
I durst not go t'intreate my fathers wyfe,
Althoughe I neuer was the cause of strife.
For gelozye, deuoyde of reasons raine:
With frensies fume, enragde her restles braine.
I feard her pardon would not saue my lyfe:
The storme was such, I durst not beare a saile:
I durst not go t'intreate my fathers wyfe,
Althoughe I neuer was the cause of strife.
For gelozye, deuoyde of reasons raine:
With frensies fume, enragde her restles braine.
But see the chaunce, thus compast rounde with feare
In broyles of bloud, as in the field I stande.
I wishte to God my corps were any where,
As out of life, or of this hatefull lande:
No sooner wisht, but there was euen at hande,
“A person vile, in hast (quoth he) come on,
“Queene Elstride wil before thou come be gon.
In broyles of bloud, as in the field I stande.
I wishte to God my corps were any where,
As out of life, or of this hatefull lande:
No sooner wisht, but there was euen at hande,
“A person vile, in hast (quoth he) come on,
“Queene Elstride wil before thou come be gon.
The rascall rude, the rooge, the clubfist gript
My litle arme, and plucte me on in haste:
And with my robes, the bloudy ground he sweept,
As I drue backe: he halde me on full fast,
Vnder his arme my sclender corps he cast:
Sith that (quoth he) thou putst me to this paine,
Thou shalt thereby at length but litle gaine.
My litle arme, and plucte me on in haste:
And with my robes, the bloudy ground he sweept,
As I drue backe: he halde me on full fast,
Vnder his arme my sclender corps he cast:
Sith that (quoth he) thou putst me to this paine,
Thou shalt thereby at length but litle gaine.
105
Thus through the hoste he bare me to my bane,
And shewde the souldiers what a spoile he had.
“Loke here (quoth he) the litle Princes tane,
And laught, and ran as brutish butcher mad.
But my lamenting made the souldiers sad,
Yet nought preuailde, the caytife as his pray:
Without all pity bare me still away.
And shewde the souldiers what a spoile he had.
“Loke here (quoth he) the litle Princes tane,
And laught, and ran as brutish butcher mad.
But my lamenting made the souldiers sad,
Yet nought preuailde, the caytife as his pray:
Without all pity bare me still away.
Till at the length we came where we descride,
A nomber huge, of folkes about the Queene:
As when you see some wonder great betide,
Or els the place wher some straung sight hath beene:
So might you there the people standing seene,
And gazed all when as they see mee brought:
Then sure I demde, I was not come for nought.
A nomber huge, of folkes about the Queene:
As when you see some wonder great betide,
Or els the place wher some straung sight hath beene:
So might you there the people standing seene,
And gazed all when as they see mee brought:
Then sure I demde, I was not come for nought.
And in the prease, some praisde my comlye face,
Some said lo Elstride she resembleth right:
Some said I loked like my fathers grace,
Some other said it was a piteous sight
I should so dye: the Queene mee pardon might,
Some said the thiefe mee bore did mee abuse,
And not so rudely ought a Princes vse.
Some said lo Elstride she resembleth right:
Some said I loked like my fathers grace,
Some other said it was a piteous sight
I should so dye: the Queene mee pardon might,
Some said the thiefe mee bore did mee abuse,
And not so rudely ought a Princes vse.
But what did this redresse my wofull care,
You wot the Commons vse such prouerbs still:
And yet the captiues poore no better are,
It rather helpes their pained harts to kill:
To pity one in griefe doth worke him ill,
Bemone his woe: and cannot ease his thrall:
It kills his hart, but comforts nought at all.
You wot the Commons vse such prouerbs still:
And yet the captiues poore no better are,
It rather helpes their pained harts to kill:
106
Bemone his woe: and cannot ease his thrall:
It kills his hart, but comforts nought at all.
Thus past we throw the prease, at length we came,
Into the presence of the gelous Queene,
Who nought at all the rascall rude did blame
That bare me so: but askte if I had seene
My father slaine, that cause thereof had beene,
O Queene (quoth I) God knowes mee innocent:
To worke my fathers death, I neuer ment.
Into the presence of the gelous Queene,
Who nought at all the rascall rude did blame
That bare me so: but askte if I had seene
My father slaine, that cause thereof had beene,
O Queene (quoth I) God knowes mee innocent:
To worke my fathers death, I neuer ment.
With that I sawe the people looke asyde,
To vewe a mourning voyce I heard thereby,
It was my wofull mother by that cryde.
“Lo Sabrine bounde, at brinke of death I lye.
What pen or tongue, or teares with weeping eye,
Could tell my woes, that sawe my mother bounde,
On waters shore, wherein she should be drounde.
To vewe a mourning voyce I heard thereby,
It was my wofull mother by that cryde.
“Lo Sabrine bounde, at brinke of death I lye.
What pen or tongue, or teares with weeping eye,
Could tell my woes, that sawe my mother bounde,
On waters shore, wherein she should be drounde.
With that I fell before the Queene and praide
For mercy, but with fiery eyes she bent
Hir browes on mee: out bastarde vile (she said)
“Thou wotst not yet, wherefore for thee I sent,
“O Queene (quoth I) haue pity be content,
And if thou minde, of mercy ought to show:
Drowne mee, and let my mother harmelesse go.
For mercy, but with fiery eyes she bent
Hir browes on mee: out bastarde vile (she said)
“Thou wotst not yet, wherefore for thee I sent,
“O Queene (quoth I) haue pity be content,
And if thou minde, of mercy ought to show:
Drowne mee, and let my mother harmelesse go.
For why she was a Prince his daughter borne
In Germany, and thence was brought away
Perforce by Humber, who by warres forlorne:
Thy king as captiue toke hir for his pray,
Thou maiste full well her case with reason weye:
What coulde she do, what more then she or I,
Thy captiues now, thine owne to liue or dye?
In Germany, and thence was brought away
Perforce by Humber, who by warres forlorne:
Thy king as captiue toke hir for his pray,
107
What coulde she do, what more then she or I,
Thy captiues now, thine owne to liue or dye?
Take pity then, on Princely race O Queene:
Take pity, if remorce may ought require:
Take pity, on a captiue thrice hath beene:
Let pity pearce the rage of all thine ire:
But if thy breast burne with reuenging fire:
Then let my death quenche oute that fuming flame,
Sith of thy husbands bloud, and hirs I came.
Take pity, if remorce may ought require:
Take pity, on a captiue thrice hath beene:
Let pity pearce the rage of all thine ire:
But if thy breast burne with reuenging fire:
Then let my death quenche oute that fuming flame,
Sith of thy husbands bloud, and hirs I came.
Much more I saide, while teares out streaming went,
But nought of ease at all thereby I gainde,
My mother eke, did as she lay lamente:
Wherewith my hart a Thousand folde she painde,
And though the Queene my plaints to fauour fainde:
Yet at the last she bade she should prepare,
Her selfe to dye, and ende her course of care.
But nought of ease at all thereby I gainde,
My mother eke, did as she lay lamente:
Wherewith my hart a Thousand folde she painde,
And though the Queene my plaints to fauour fainde:
Yet at the last she bade she should prepare,
Her selfe to dye, and ende her course of care.
Than all her frends my mother Elstride namde,
And pleasures paste, and bade them all adue:
Eke as she thus her last farewell had framde,
With losse of him, from whom her sorowes grue:
At length to mee (which made my hart to rue)
“She said farewell my childe I feare thy fall:
“Ten thousand times, adewe my Sabrine small.
And pleasures paste, and bade them all adue:
Eke as she thus her last farewell had framde,
With losse of him, from whom her sorowes grue:
At length to mee (which made my hart to rue)
“She said farewell my childe I feare thy fall:
“Ten thousand times, adewe my Sabrine small.
And as the cruel caytiues came to take
Her vp, to caste and drowne her in the floud:
I fast mine armes about her clipt did make,
And cryde, O Queene let mercy meeke thy moode:
Do rather reaue my hart of vitall bloude,
Then thus I liue: with that they slackte my holde,
And drensht my mother, in the waters colde.
Her vp, to caste and drowne her in the floud:
I fast mine armes about her clipt did make,
And cryde, O Queene let mercy meeke thy moode:
Do rather reaue my hart of vitall bloude,
Then thus I liue: with that they slackte my holde,
And drensht my mother, in the waters colde.
108
For loue to ayde her, venter in would I,
That sawe my mother striue aloft for winde,
“To lande she lookte and saide farewell I dye.
O let me go (quoth I) like fate to finde,
“Said Guendoline come on likewise and binde
“This Sabrine hand and foote: at once let see
“Her here receiue, her whole request of mee.
That sawe my mother striue aloft for winde,
“To lande she lookte and saide farewell I dye.
O let me go (quoth I) like fate to finde,
“Said Guendoline come on likewise and binde
“This Sabrine hand and foote: at once let see
“Her here receiue, her whole request of mee.
“Eke as I wishe to haue in minde her fame,
“As Humbers is, which should her father beene:
“So shall this floud of Sabrine haue the name,
“That men thereby may say a righteous Queene,
“Here drownde her husbands childe of concubine.
“Therefore leaue Sabrine here thy name and life,
“Let Sabrine waters ende our mortall strife.
“As Humbers is, which should her father beene:
“So shall this floud of Sabrine haue the name,
“That men thereby may say a righteous Queene,
“Here drownde her husbands childe of concubine.
“Therefore leaue Sabrine here thy name and life,
“Let Sabrine waters ende our mortall strife.
“Dispatch (quoth she) with that they bound me fast,
My slender armes and feete which litle neede:
And sans all mercye me in waters caste,
Which drewe me downe, & cast me vp with speede,
And downe me drensht the Sabrine fishe to feede,
Where I abode till now: from whence I came,
And there the waters holde as yet my name.
My slender armes and feete which litle neede:
And sans all mercye me in waters caste,
Which drewe me downe, & cast me vp with speede,
And downe me drensht the Sabrine fishe to feede,
Where I abode till now: from whence I came,
And there the waters holde as yet my name.
Lo thus this gelous Queene, in raging sort,
With bloudy hate bereft her husbands health:
And eke my mother Elstrids life God wot,
Which neuer ment to hurt this common wealth:
And mee Locrinus child begot by stealth:
Against all reason was it for to kill,
The childe, for that her parents erst did ill.
With bloudy hate bereft her husbands health:
And eke my mother Elstrids life God wot,
Which neuer ment to hurt this common wealth:
And mee Locrinus child begot by stealth:
Against all reason was it for to kill,
The childe, for that her parents erst did ill.
109
By this you see, what time our pompe doth bide:
Hereby you see th'unstedy trust in warre:
Hereby you see, the stay of states etryde:
Hereby you see, our hope to make doth marre:
Hereby you see, we fall from benche to barre:
From bench (quoth I?) nay from the Princely seate,
You see how soone vs Fortune downe doth beate.
Hereby you see th'unstedy trust in warre:
Hereby you see, the stay of states etryde:
Hereby you see, our hope to make doth marre:
Hereby you see, we fall from benche to barre:
From bench (quoth I?) nay from the Princely seate,
You see how soone vs Fortune downe doth beate.
And here you see, how lawlesse loue doth thriue:
Hereby you see, how gelous folkes do fare:
Here may you see, with wisedome they that wiue,
Neede neuer recke Cupidoes cursed snare:
Here may you see, deuorcemente breedeth care:
Here may you see, the children seldome thee,
Which in vnlawfull wedlocke goten bee.
Hereby you see, how gelous folkes do fare:
Here may you see, with wisedome they that wiue,
Neede neuer recke Cupidoes cursed snare:
Here may you see, deuorcemente breedeth care:
Here may you see, the children seldome thee,
Which in vnlawfull wedlocke goten bee.
Declare thou then our fall, and great mishap:
Declare the hap, and glory we were in:
Declare how soone we taken were in trap,
When we supposde we had most safest bin:
Declare what losse they haue that hope to win:
Farewell, and tell when Fortune most doth smile:
Then will she frowne: she laughes but euen a while.
Declare the hap, and glory we were in:
Declare how soone we taken were in trap,
When we supposde we had most safest bin:
Declare what losse they haue that hope to win:
Farewell, and tell when Fortune most doth smile:
Then will she frowne: she laughes but euen a while.
FINIS.
110
The Authour.
With that the Lady Sabrine slinckt from sight,I lookt about, and then me thought againe
Approched straight an other wofull wight:
It seemde as thoughe with doggs he had bin slaine,
The bloud from all his members torne amaine
Ran downe: his clothes were also torne and rente,
And from his bloudy throte these plaints he sente.
LENUOY.
A woefull thing mee thought this tale to heare,
That pittie could not moue Queene Guendoline,
When Locrine both and Elstride ended were,
Which had committed facts adulterine,
Th'adulter slayne and eke his concubine,
Not so her cruell minde could bee content,
But in reuenge to slay the Innocent.
That pittie could not moue Queene Guendoline,
When Locrine both and Elstride ended were,
Which had committed facts adulterine,
Th'adulter slayne and eke his concubine,
Not so her cruell minde could bee content,
But in reuenge to slay the Innocent.
What maruayle though shee were of such a minde,
So cruell not to spare her husbands bastard small:
Sith that of gelosie wee often finde
Examples passing reason naturall.
Of Porrex mother, reade the life who shall,
Which slew her only sonne, eke Progne was content,
To sley her sonne an harmelesse Innocent.
So cruell not to spare her husbands bastard small:
Sith that of gelosie wee often finde
Examples passing reason naturall.
Of Porrex mother, reade the life who shall,
Which slew her only sonne, eke Progne was content,
To sley her sonne an harmelesse Innocent.
Medaa eke when Iason her forsooke,
And children twayne, which yong by him shee had,
Full cruelly a sword in hand shee tooke,
Reft both their liues, as cruell monster mad.
Was not Agaues cruelty so bad,
Which Pentheus her sonne to sley could bee content,
Because hee nilde to Bacchanalls assent?
And children twayne, which yong by him shee had,
Full cruelly a sword in hand shee tooke,
Reft both their liues, as cruell monster mad.
Was not Agaues cruelty so bad,
Which Pentheus her sonne to sley could bee content,
Because hee nilde to Bacchanalls assent?
I will no more of these as now recite,
Whose cruelty deserued all disgrace:
Nor yet in generall thus wise I write,
The worthy sexe of women to deface.
Tis gelosie reproued here in place.
But now I turne to Madan all to rent,
Which next on stage thus wise to talke him bent.
Whose cruelty deserued all disgrace:
Nor yet in generall thus wise I write,
The worthy sexe of women to deface.
Tis gelosie reproued here in place.
But now I turne to Madan all to rent,
Which next on stage thus wise to talke him bent.
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