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[MANLIUS]
Manlius declares how he minding to kill his brother for the kingdome was by him slayne. The yeare before Christe. 1008.
Yf Fortune were so firme as she is frayle,
Or glosing glorie, were still permanent:
If no mishap our doings did assaile,
Or that our actes & factes were innocent,
If we in hope no hurte nor hatred ment:
Or dealing ay were don with dutie dewe,
We neuer coulde, our great misfortunes rewe.
Or glosing glorie, were still permanent:
If no mishap our doings did assaile,
Or that our actes & factes were innocent,
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Or dealing ay were don with dutie dewe,
We neuer coulde, our great misfortunes rewe.
If pompe were payne, and pride were not in price,
Or hawty seate had not the highest place,
If we could lerne by others to be wise,
Or else eschew the daungers of our race:
If once we coulde the golden meane embrace,
Or banishe quite ambition from our breste:
We neuer nede to recke, or reape vnreste.
Or hawty seate had not the highest place,
If we could lerne by others to be wise,
Or else eschew the daungers of our race:
If once we coulde the golden meane embrace,
Or banishe quite ambition from our breste:
We neuer nede to recke, or reape vnreste.
But O we thinke, such sweetenes in renowne,
We deme on earth, is all the greatest hap:
We nothing feare, the hurte of falling downe:
Or litle rome, in lady Fortunes lap,
We giue no hede, before we get the clap:
And then to late, we wishe we had bene wise:
When from the fall, we would and cannot rise.
We deme on earth, is all the greatest hap:
We nothing feare, the hurte of falling downe:
Or litle rome, in lady Fortunes lap,
We giue no hede, before we get the clap:
And then to late, we wishe we had bene wise:
When from the fall, we would and cannot rise.
As if two twinnes, or children at the teate
Of nurce, or mother both at once might be:
And both did striue, the better dugge to geate
Till one were downe, and slipte beside hir knee:
Euen so it fares, by others and by me
In fortunes lap: we haue so litle holde,
She cannot staye, both striuing if she would.
Of nurce, or mother both at once might be:
And both did striue, the better dugge to geate
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Euen so it fares, by others and by me
In fortunes lap: we haue so litle holde,
She cannot staye, both striuing if she would.
I am that Manlius, one of Madans sonnes,
Which thought to raigne and rule this noble Ile,
And would so don: but see what chaunce ther comes,
When brethren loue, and frendship quite exile.
Who thinkes another of his right beguyle,
Him selfe is soonest cleane bereaude of all:
Insteade of rule, we reape the crop of thrall.
Which thought to raigne and rule this noble Ile,
And would so don: but see what chaunce ther comes,
When brethren loue, and frendship quite exile.
Who thinkes another of his right beguyle,
Him selfe is soonest cleane bereaude of all:
Insteade of rule, we reape the crop of thrall.
My elder brother then Mempricius hight,
Whose hauty minde, and mine did euer square:
We euermore as foes hight other spite,
And deadly Ire in hatefull hartes we bare.
He sought alwayes he might to worke me care,
And eache regarded others enuy so:
As after turnid both to painfull wo.
Whose hauty minde, and mine did euer square:
We euermore as foes hight other spite,
And deadly Ire in hatefull hartes we bare.
He sought alwayes he might to worke me care,
And eache regarded others enuy so:
As after turnid both to painfull wo.
Because my father loude me well therfore,
My brother feared I should haue his right:
Likewise on fauour boldned I me bore,
And nether had in vertues wayes delite:
What nede I here our inwarde griefes recyte?
We not as brethren liude in hatrid still,
And sought occasion other eache to kill.
My brother feared I should haue his right:
Likewise on fauour boldned I me bore,
And nether had in vertues wayes delite:
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We not as brethren liude in hatrid still,
And sought occasion other eache to kill.
I for because I might obtaine the crowne:
And he for that he fearde my fauoure bred,
Such frendship, as might alwayes kepe him downe,
And both depriue him of his crowne and head.
But when it chaunste, our father once was dead,
Then straight appeared all our enuy playne:
And I could not from mine attempt refrayne.
And he for that he fearde my fauoure bred,
Such frendship, as might alwayes kepe him downe,
And both depriue him of his crowne and head.
But when it chaunste, our father once was dead,
Then straight appeared all our enuy playne:
And I could not from mine attempt refrayne.
See here, th'occasion of my haplesse happe,
See here, his chaunce that might haue liude ful well:
So baited swete is euery deadly trappe:
In brauiste bowres, doth deepest daunger dwell,
I thought mine elder from his right t'expell,
Though he both age, and custome forth did bring,
For title right: I sayd I would be king.
See here, his chaunce that might haue liude ful well:
So baited swete is euery deadly trappe:
In brauiste bowres, doth deepest daunger dwell,
I thought mine elder from his right t'expell,
Though he both age, and custome forth did bring,
For title right: I sayd I would be king.
Some wishte we should, departe the realme in two,
And sayde my father eke was of that mynde:
But nether of vs both, that so would do,
We were not eche to other halfe so kinde,
And vile ambition made vs both so blynde:
We thought our raigne, coulde not be sure & good,
Except the ground therof were laide with bloud.
And sayde my father eke was of that mynde:
But nether of vs both, that so would do,
We were not eche to other halfe so kinde,
And vile ambition made vs both so blynde:
We thought our raigne, coulde not be sure & good,
Except the ground therof were laide with bloud.
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Wherfore as eache did watche conuenient time,
For to commit this haynous bloudy facte:
My selfe was taken not accusde of crime,
As if I had offendid any acte.
But he as one that witte and reason lacte,
Saide traitour vile thou arte to me vntrue:
And therewithall his bloudy blade he drewe.
For to commit this haynous bloudy facte:
My selfe was taken not accusde of crime,
As if I had offendid any acte.
But he as one that witte and reason lacte,
Saide traitour vile thou arte to me vntrue:
And therewithall his bloudy blade he drewe.
Not like a king, but like a cutthrote fell:
Not like a brother, like a butcher brute:
Though twere no worse, then I deserued well:
He gaue no time, to reason or dispute.
To late it was, to make for life my suite:
Take traytour here (quoth he) thy whole deserte,
And therwithall he thrust me to the harte.
Not like a brother, like a butcher brute:
Though twere no worse, then I deserued well:
He gaue no time, to reason or dispute.
To late it was, to make for life my suite:
Take traytour here (quoth he) thy whole deserte,
And therwithall he thrust me to the harte.
Thus was I by my brutishe brother slayne:
Which likewyse mente my brother for to kill,
This oftentimes, they vse to get and gaine,
Which do inuente anothers bloud to spill.
Was neuer man pretendid such an ill,
But God to him like measure shortly sente:
As he to others erste before had mente.
Which likewyse mente my brother for to kill,
This oftentimes, they vse to get and gaine,
Which do inuente anothers bloud to spill.
Was neuer man pretendid such an ill,
But God to him like measure shortly sente:
As he to others erste before had mente.
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Vniustice euer thriues, as theues doe thie:
And bloudthirste cries for vengeaunce at his hande,
Which all our right and wronges doth daily see:
The good to ayde, and gracelesse to withstande:
If ether vice or vertue we abande:
We ether are rewarded, as we serue:
Or else are plaged, as our deedes deserue.
And bloudthirste cries for vengeaunce at his hande,
Which all our right and wronges doth daily see:
The good to ayde, and gracelesse to withstande:
If ether vice or vertue we abande:
We ether are rewarded, as we serue:
Or else are plaged, as our deedes deserue.
Let this my warning then suffise eche sorte,
Bid them beware, example here they see:
It passeth playe, tis tragicall disporte,
To clime a step aboue their owne degree,
For though they thinke good fortune serude not me,
Yet did she vse me, as she vsde the reste:
And so I thinke, she seruith euen the beste.
Bid them beware, example here they see:
It passeth playe, tis tragicall disporte,
To clime a step aboue their owne degree,
For though they thinke good fortune serude not me,
Yet did she vse me, as she vsde the reste:
And so I thinke, she seruith euen the beste.
FINIS.
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The Authour.
When Manlius had thus endid quite his tale,
He vanishte out of sight as did the reste:
And I perceiued straight a persone pale,
Whose throte was torne and blodied all his breste,
“Shall I (quoth he) for audience make requeste,
“No sure it nedes not, straunge it semes to thee:
“What he that beares this rentid corps should bee.
He vanishte out of sight as did the reste:
And I perceiued straight a persone pale,
Whose throte was torne and blodied all his breste,
“Shall I (quoth he) for audience make requeste,
“No sure it nedes not, straunge it semes to thee:
“What he that beares this rentid corps should bee.
“Wherefore I deeme thou canst not chuse but byde,
“And here my tale as others erste before:
“Sythe by so straunge a meanes thou seest I dyde,
“With rentid throte and breste, thou musiste more:
“Marke well (quoth he) my ratling voyce therfore,
And therwithall, this tale he gan to tell,
Which I recyte, though nothing nere so well.
“And here my tale as others erste before:
“Sythe by so straunge a meanes thou seest I dyde,
“With rentid throte and breste, thou musiste more:
“Marke well (quoth he) my ratling voyce therfore,
And therwithall, this tale he gan to tell,
Which I recyte, though nothing nere so well.
LENUOY.
This was mee thought that time the ruefull tale,
That Maline drewe from out his wounded breast.
A woefull thing to heare the Princes bale
Should by his brother boldly bee addrest.
But yet wee see such rage in tyraunts rest,
If they may beare alofte alone the sway,
For Kingdomes sake they care not whom they slay.
That Maline drewe from out his wounded breast.
A woefull thing to heare the Princes bale
Should by his brother boldly bee addrest.
But yet wee see such rage in tyraunts rest,
If they may beare alofte alone the sway,
For Kingdomes sake they care not whom they slay.
Examples are King Porrex of this thing,
The Romish Antonine did euen the same:
But what neede I of these examples bring:
Such tyraunts euer yet deserued blame,
And haue procur'd them selues, beside defame,
Not only after shorter time of sway,
But most they were by others made away.
The Romish Antonine did euen the same:
But what neede I of these examples bring:
Such tyraunts euer yet deserued blame,
And haue procur'd them selues, beside defame,
Not only after shorter time of sway,
But most they were by others made away.
Now here Mempricius which his brother slew
Was after King, as plainely stories tell:
Whose filthy facts all princes ought eschew,
And subiects eke, that hope to prosper well.
Hee next appear'd declaring how hee fell,
Eke how his brother deare hee made away,
And how the Wolues in hunting did them slay.
Was after King, as plainely stories tell:
Whose filthy facts all princes ought eschew,
And subiects eke, that hope to prosper well.
Hee next appear'd declaring how hee fell,
Eke how his brother deare hee made away,
And how the Wolues in hunting did them slay.
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