University of Virginia Library


123

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.
“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.

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.
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.
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.