Parts added to The mirror for magistrates

Higgins, John (fl. 1570-1602)

[THE FIRST PART OF THE MIRROR for MAGISTRATES]

THE 1574 EDITION

The Authours induction.

ADDITIONS MADE IN 1575

ADDITIONS MADE IN 1587

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1. [THE FIRST PART OF THE MIRROR for MAGISTRATES]

[by JOHN HIGGINS]

THE 1574 EDITION

Quisquis se opponit potestati, Dei ordinationi resistit. Ad Romanos. 13.2.

The Authours induction.

As Somer sweete with all hir pleasures paste,
And leaues began, to leaue both braunche and tree,
While winter colde approatched nere full fast
Mee thought the time, to sadnes moued mee
On drouping daies, not halfe such mirth haue wee:
As when the time of yeare and wether-s fayre,
So moue our mindes, as mocions moue the ayre.

The wery nightes, approatched on apace
With darkesom shades, which somewhat breedeth care,
The Sun had take more nere the earth his race,
In Libra than, his greatest swinge hee bare,
For pardy then, the dayes more colder are,
Then fades the greene, fruite timely, herbes are don,
And wynter gines to waste that sommer won.

I deemde some booke, of mourning theame was beste
To reade, were with instructions mingled so,
As might againe, refreshe my wittes oppreste
With tediousnes not driue mee quyte therfro:
Wherfore I went the Printers straight vnto,
To seeke some worke of price I surely mente,
That might herein my carefull mynde contente.

At length by hap, I found a booke so sad,
As time of yeare or wynter could require,
The Mirroure namde, for Magistrates he had
So finely pende, as harte could well desire,
Which when I read, so set my heart on fire:
Eftsones it mee constraind to take the payne
Not leaue with once, to reade it once againe.

And as againe, I vewde this worke with heede:
And marked playne eache party tell his fall
Mee thought in mynde, I sawe those men in deede:
Eke howe they came, in order pleading all,
Declaring well, this life is but a thrall:
Sithe those on whom, for Fortunes giftes we stare,
Ofte sooniste sinke in greatest seas of care.

For some of these were kinges of highe estate:
And some were Dukes, and came of Regall race:
Some Princes, Lordes and Iudges great that sate
In councell still, decreing euery case:
Some other Knightes, that vices did imbrace:
Some Gentlemen: some poore that looked hie,
Yet euery one had playde his tragoedye.

A Mirroure well it may be calde a glasse,
More cleare then any crystall vnder Sun,
In eache respecte, the Tragoedies so passe,
Their names shall lyue, that such a worke begun:
For why with such Decorum is it don:
That Momus spight, which more then Argus eyes
Can neuer watche to kepe it from the wise.

Examples there for all estates you finde,
For iudge (I say) what iustice he should vse:
The noble man to beare a noble mynde,
And not him selfe ambiciously abuse:
The Gentleman vngentlenes refuse:
The ryche, and poore: and euery one may see,
Which way to loue and lyue in his degree.

Me thinkes they might beware by others harme,
And eke eschue to clamer vp so hye:
Yet cursed pride doth all their wittes becharme,

They thinke of naught, but prouerbes true do trie:
Who hewes aloft the chips may hurte his eye:
Who climes the tops of trees, wher bowes ar smal,
Or hawty towres, may quickly catch a fall.

This thing full well doth Phaëtons fall declare,
And Icarus aloft would flie and soare:
Eke Bladud once of Britayne rule that bare,
Would clyme and flye, but eache did fal therfore.
For Phaëton was with lightning all to tore:
And Icarus the meane that did not recke
Was drownde, by fal did Bladud breake his neck.

The scriptures eake, of such beare witnes can:
As Babilon for high presumption fell.
But let mee ende my tale that I began
When I had red these Tragoedies full well
And paste the night with labours long to tell:
One night at laste I thought to leaue my vse,
And take some ease before I chaungde my muse.

Wherfore a way from reading I me gate:
My heauy head waxte dull for want of reste.
I layde me downe the night was waxed late,
For lacke of slepe myne eyes were sore oppreste,
Yet fansy still of all their deathes increaste:
Me thoughte nothing my minde from them could take
So long as Somnus suffered me to wake.

Then straight appeard in purple colour blacke,
Sweete Somnus reste, which comfortes eche aliue,
By ease of mynde that weares away all wracke,
That noysome night from wery wittes doth driue,
Of labours long the pleasures wee atchiue,
Wherat I ioyde sithe after paynes were past,
I might receiue by Somnus ease at last.

But hee by whom I thought my selfe at rest,
Reuiued all my fancies fonde before,
I more desirous humbly did request:
Him shewe th'vnhappy princes were of yore,
For well I wiste that hee could tell mee more,
Sythe vnto diuers Somnus erste had tolde,
What things were done in elder times of olde.

At length he foorth his seruaunt Morpheus calde,
And bad him shewe mee from the first to th'ende,
Such persons as in Britayne Fortune thralde.
Which straight vpon his calling did attende,
And thus he spake with countenaunce of frende,
“Come on thy wayes and thou shalt see and here,
“The Britaynes and their doings what they were.

And as he led me through the darkes a whyle,
At length we came into a goodly hall,

At th'ende wherof there seemde a duskish Ile:
Out of the which he gan the Britaynes call,
Such only as from Fortunes hap did fall:
Which when he called thryce, me seemde to heare,
The doores to cracke from whence they should apeare.

And thryce I shrinkte a syde, and shunde the sight:
And three times thrice I wishte my selfe away:
Eke thrise from thence there flew a flashe of light:
Three times I sawe them comming make their stay:
At laste they all approtchte in such aray:
With sundry shewes, appearing vnto mee,
A straunger sighte then erste with eyes I see.

Men mighty bigge, in playne and straunge atyre:
But some with woundes and bloud were so disguisde,
You scarcely could with reasons ayde aspyre,
To knowe what warre such cruell death deuysde.
But sithe I haue their formes beneath comprisde,
Wheras their stories seuerally I showe:
Your selfe therby their cause of death may knowe.

And eke their faces all and bodies were
Destainde with woade, and turkish berds they had,
On th'ouer lippes moutchatoes long of heyre:
And wylde they seemde as men dispeyring mad.
Their lookes did make my fearfull harte full sad,

And yet I could not for my life eschewe
Their presence: or their myndes I likewyse knewe.

For Morpheus wylde me byde, and bad them tell
Their names, and lyues: their haps, and haples days:
And by what meanes from Fortunes globe they fel,
Which did them erste vnto such honours rayse.
Wherwith the first not making moe delayes,
A persone tall wyde woundes in breste that bare:
Drewe nere to tell the cause of all his care.

And as to speake he wiste he might be bolde,
Depe from his breste, he threwe an vnked sounde:
I was amasde his gestures to beholde:
And bloud that freshly trickled from his wounde:
With Ecco so did halfe his wordes rebounde,
That scarce at first the sence might well appeare:
But thus me thought he spake as you shall heare.

[ALBANACT]

Albanacte the yongest sonne of Brutus, telles of the finding of this lande, his fathers life, and his owne infortunate fall. He liued about the yeare before Christe. 1074.

Sithe the flattering Fortune slyely could beguyle
Me first, of all the Princes of this lande:
And yet at firste on me did sweetely smyle:
Do marke me here that firste in presence stande,
And when thou wel my wounded corps hast scande
Then shalt thou see, what tale I mynde to frame,
In stories called Albanacte by name.

So if thou liste to heare what I resite,
If thou intende to showe my fatall fall:
I praye thee take the paynes my tale to wryte,
As I in order here repeate it shall,
What nedste thou muse? thou nedst not feare at al:
Sythe those that later liude their tales haue tolde,
Our elder liues to wryte thou mayst be bolde.

Lay dreade aside, let nothing thee amase:
Ne haue dispaire of so vncoutched ryme.
Leaue of on mee with fearfull lookes to gase:

Thy pen may serue for such a tale as myne.
First will I tell thee all my fathers Lyne:
Then hitherwarde why he with Troianes mande
His voyadge made and founde this noble lande.

And last I minde to tell the of my selfe,
My life and death, a Tragedye so true,
As may approue your world is all but pelfe,
And pleasures sweete whom sorrowes aye ensue:
Hereafter eke in order coms a crue,
Which can declare, of worldly pleasures vaine,
The price we all haue bought, with greeuous paine.

Well now I see thou putst apart thy fright,
(And giuste an eare to heare not heard before)
I will declare the storye all so right,
Thou shalt no whit haue neede t'inquyre no more.
Do marke me well what I resite therefore,
And after write it and therewith my name:
Let hardly mee receyue if ought be blame.

When Troy was sackt, and brent & could not stand,
AEneas fled from thence Anchises sonne,
And came at length to king Latinus lande,
He Turnus slewe, Lauinia eke he wonne,
And reignde 3. yeares, Ascanius then his sonne
Reignde next to him, eke Siluius was his heyre,
Begate my father of a Ladye fayre.

But when as Brutus fiftene yeares was olde,
(For so they calde my father by his name)
With Siluius then an hunting goe he would,
And thinking for to strike in chace the game,
His father that by chaunce beyonde it came
Receiude the glaunce, and through his tender syde
With deadly dint, the shaft did swiftly slyde.

So thoughe by chaunce, my father Brutus slewe
My graundsyre Siluius, sore against his will:
Which came by chaunce as he his arow drewe,
That thought the fearefull Harte, not him to kill:
Yet was he banisht from Italia still:
Commaunded neuer to retourne no more,
Excepte he would his life to leese therefore.

On this to Greece, from thence he toke his waye:
Where Troians were by Grecians captiues kept.
Helenus was by Pirrhus brought awaye,
From death of those, whose fall their frends bewept.
My father all this while no busines slepte:
But by his facts, and feats obtainde such fame:
Seuen Thousande captiue Troians to him came.

Asaracus a noble Greecian eke,
Who by his mother came of Troiane race:
Because he sawe my fathers powre not weke,
Came vnto him to ayde him in this case:
For that his brother thought him to deface,
Which was a Greeke by both his parents sydes,
His Castels three my father Brutus guides.

Thus hee, to be their captaine was content:
And all the Troians gathered to his bande,
His post vnto the Greecian kinge he sent,
For to entreat he might depart his lande.
Which when King Pandrasus did vnderstande,
An armye straight he did therefore addresse,
On purpose all the Troians to suppresse.

Then whyle king Pandrasus at Spartine towne,
Thought them in desertes by, to circumuente:
My father with three thousande beate them downe:
Such fauoure loe him lady Fortune lente.
By Mars his force, their rayes & ranckes he rente:
And tooke Antigonus the brother of their king,
With others mo, as captiues home to bring.

The taken towne, from which the king was fled
My father with sixe hundreth men did man:
Eache prisner was vnto his keper led,

To kepe in towne, the noble Troianes wan:
My father vnto woodes conueyde him than
Againe with his, and kepte him there by nighte,
To quayle the Greecians if they came to fighte.

And when the king had calde to mynde his foyle:
His flighte, and brother by the Troianes take:
The towne he loste, and Brutus had the spoyle:
He thought not so, the field and fight forsake,
But of his men a muster newe to make:
And so agayne for to besiege the towne,
In hope reuenge, or winne his loste renowne.

By night my father that his purpose knewe,
Came forth from woodes wheras he wayted by:
The Troianes all th'vnarmid Greecians slewe,
Went through their campe, could non their force deny,
Vnto the tente where Pandrasus did lye:
Wheras my father, tooke their king that night,
And saude his life as seemde a worthy wight.

Which victory when he had wisely won
The Troiane victoure did a counsayle call,
To knowe what beste were with the king be don:

Now tell (quoth he) what ransom aske we shall?
On which when none agreed scarce of all,
At lengthe Mempricius vp from seate did rise,
And silence made, gaue thus his counsayle wyse.

“I cannot Troianes but commend the facte,
“Of this our noble captaine worthy praise:
“Which thought, as t'was a wicked heynous acte
“T'abridge the Grecian king of vitall dayes.
“Wee rather ought by clemency to rayse
“Our fame to sky, then by a sauage guyse,
“Sithe Gods and men, both cruelty despise.

“The cause we fought: was for the freedome all
“Of Troianes taken, we haue freedome won.
“Wee haue our purpose, and their king withall,
“To whom of rygour nothing ought be don:
“Though he the quarell with vs first begon:
“And though we owe the fall of Troies requite:
“Yet let reuenge therof from Gods to light.

“His subiectes all, do wayle their ill pretence,
“And weapons layde asyde for mercy crye:
“They all confesse their plagues to come from thence,
“Where first from faith of Gods they seemde to flye,
“Their nobles dare not come the case to trye:
“But euen for peace with all their hartes they sue,
“And meekly graunte whence all their mischiefes grewe.

“The lady faire his daughter who surmountes,
“For vertues rare: for bewty braue, and grace:
“Both Heline fine, of whom they made accountes,
“And all the reste that come of Grecian race.
“She for hir father sues bewayles his case,
“And by hir wisdome, chere and parentes loue:
“Doth vs, and Brutus both to pity moue.

“Yet some will saye, he should depriued bee
“Of kingdome quite, and worthy Brutus should
“Receiue the scepter, this misliketh mee.
“To this vniustice Brutus if we could
“Consent (I deme) agree he neuer would,
“So much him selfe ambitiously t'abuse:
“Or else a king vnkindly so to vse.

“For kingdomes sake a king at home to kill
“Were farre to bad, within his natiue lande:
“Though he by right or wrong directed still,
“His force gainste vs, that did him so withstande:

“The king hath therfore ay the sworde in hand,
“If any kicke against his poyntes of lawe:
“To cut them of, or kepe them vnder awe.

“Tis best O Brutus if thou like her take
“His daughter Innogen, vnto thy wyfe:
“And let the king a dowry large hir make:
“Golde, syluer, shippes, and corne for our reliefe:
“With other things wherof this lande is ryfe:
“That wee so fraughte may seeke some deserte shore,
“Where we and ours, may raigne for euer more.

This pleasde both Brutus and the Troianes all
Who wild foorthwith that Pandrasus the kyng,
Should reuerently be brought into the hall,
And present, when they tolde him of this thing,
Great griefe and sorowe did his harte so sting,
He could not shewe by countenaunce or cheere,
That he it lykte, but spake as you shall heare.

“Sithe that the hatefull Gods haue yelded mee
“And eke my brother captiues to your handes,
“I am contente to doe as pleseth yee,
“For feare I leese both life and goodes and landes,
“I muste be nedes content as fortune standes
“I giue my daughter, golde and syluer fyne
“With what for dowry else you craue is myne.

To make my tale the shorter if I maye,
My father then was maried by and by,
And all thinges else performed by a daye:
The king restorde that did in pryson lye:
The Troianes parted from the shores pardy
Did hoyse vp sayles: in two dayes and a night
Vpon the Isle of Leogece they light.

And leauing of their shippes at roade, to lande
They wandering went the countrey for to vewe,
Lo there a deserte citie olde they fande:
And eke a temple (if reporte be true)
Wherin Diana to suche credit grewe:
That sacrifice the Troianes counsayle gaue
My father make, an aunswere for to haue.

And he no whit mislyking their aduice
Went foorth: and did before the alter holde
In his right hand, a cup to sacrifice
Efylde with wyne, and whyte Hyndes bloud scarce colde:
And then before hir stature straight he tolde
Deuoutly all his whole peticion there,
In better sorte then I repeate it here.

“O Goddesse great in groaues that putst, wylde boares in feareful feare:
“And mayste go all the compas pathes, of euery ayrie sphere.
“Eke of th'infernall houses to, resolue the earthly rightes:

“And tell what countrey in to dwell thou gyuste vs Troiane wightes.
“Assigne a certayne seate where I, shall worship thee for aye:
“And where repleate with virgins, I erecte thy temples may.

When nyne tymes he had spoken this, and went
Fowre tymes the alter rounde and stayde agen:
He powrde the wyne and bloud in hande he hente
Into the fyre, O witlesse cares of men!
Suche foly mere, and blindnes great was then:
But if religion nowe biddes toyes farewell:
Embrace thats good, the vice of time I tell.

Hee layde him then downe by the alters syde
Vpon the whyte Hindes skin espred therfore:
It was the third howre of the night a tyde
Of sweetest sleepe: he gaue him selfe the more
To reste and sleepe: then seemed him before
Diana chaste the Goddesse to appeare,
And spake to him these wordes that you shall heare.

“O Brute farre vnder Phoebus fall, beyonde of Fraunce that raigne:
“An Ilande in the Ocean is, with sea tis compaste mayne.
“An Ilande in the Ocean is, where Giantes once did dwell:
“But now a deserte place thats fit, will serue thy people well.
“To this direct thy race, for there shalbe thy seate for aye:
“And to thy sonnes there shalbe builte, an other stately Troye.
“Here of thy progenye and stocke, shall mighty kinges descende:
“And vnto them as subiecte, all the worlde shall bowe and bende.

On this he woke, with ioyfull chere and tolde
The vision all: and aunswer that it gaue.
So it reioyste their hartes a thousande folde
To shippes they gotte, away the shores they draue:
And hoysing sayles, for happy wyndes they craue:
In thirty dayes their voyage so they dight:
That on the coaste of Affrica they light.

Then to Philaenes alters they ataynde,
For so men call two hilles erectid ar
In Tunise lande, two bretherne ground that gainde
For Carthage once, and wente tis sayde to far
On Cyren grounde for boundes, there buried wer:
Because they would not turne againe but striue
With Cyren men, they buried them alyue.

From thence they sayled vnto Saliues lake:
Twene Azarae hilles, and Ruscitadam
They paste, from thence to Maluae floud they gate:
To Hercules his pillers sight they came:
And then to Tuscan seas wheras by fame
Not far from shore, like minded mates they finde,
Foure banishte races of the Troian kinde.

Companions of Antenor in his flighte,
But Corinaeus was their captayne than,
For counsayle calde a wyse and worthy wighte:

In warres the prayse for valiauntnes he wan.
My father did so frendely vse this man,
He was content and all his men besyde:
To try aduentures by my fathers guyde.

Then vnto Guyne in Fraunce they sayled thence,
And at the hauen of Loire they did ariue:
To vewe the countrey was their whole pretence,
And vitayles for their men and them atchiue,
Eke Corinaeus leste the Galles should striue,
Led foorth twoo hundreth of his warlike bande,
To get prouision to the shippes from lande.

But when the king Gofarius herde of this,
That Troianes were ariued on his shore:
With Frenchemen & with Guines, their power & his
He came to take the pray they gat before,
And when they met they fought it both full sore:
Till Corinaeus rushte into their bande,
And causde them flye, they durst no longer stande.

First might you there seen harts of Frenchmen broke,
Two hundreth Troianes gaue them all the foyle:
At home with oddes they durste not byde the stroke,
Fewe Troianes beate them in their natiue soyle.
Eke Corinaeus folowed in this broyle
So faste vpon his foes before his men:
That they retournde and thought to spoyle him then.

There he alone against them all, and they
Against him one, with all their force did fight,
At last by chaunce his sword was flowne away
By Fortune on an halberde then he light,
Which he did driue about him with such might,
That some their hands, & some their arms did leese,
Some legges, of some the head from shoulders flees.

As thus amongst them all he fought with force,
And Fortune great in daunger of his life,
My father had on him therewith remorce:
Came with a troupe of men to ende the strife,
When Frenchmen sawe the Troians force so rife,
They fled awaye, vnto their losse and paine,
In fight and flight nighe all their host was slaine.

And in that broyle saue Corinaeus none
Did fight so fearcely, as did Turnus then,
My fathers cosin with his sworde alone,
Did sley that time welnighe sixe hundreth men:
They found him dead as they retournd agen,
Amongst the Frenchmen, wounded voide of breath.
Which pincht my fathers hart as pangs of death.

On this they bode a whyle reuenge to yeilde
And to interre the dead, and Turnus slaine,
They tooke a towne not farre from place of fielde,
And built it strong to vexe the Galles againe:
The name they gaue it still doth yet remayne,
Syth there they buried Turnus yet men call
It Tours, and name the folke Turones all.

Which towne they left at last with Troianes mande
When as their ships were storde with what they nede:
Aborde, they hoyste vp sayles and left the lande,
By ayding windes they cut the seas with spede.
At lengthe the shining Albion clyues did feede,
Their gasing eyes, by meanes wherof they fande,
Out Totnes hauen, and tooke this promiste lande.

The countrie semed pleasaunt at the vewe,
And was by none inhabited as yet:
But certaine Giauntes whom they did pursue,
Which straight to caues in mountaines did them get,
So fine were woodes, & floudes, and fountaines set
My father had no cause but like it well,
And gaue his souldiers places in to dwell.

And then this Ile that Albion had to name,
My father caused Britayne called bee:
And eke the people Britaynes of the same:
As yet in auncient recordes is to see.
To Corinaeus gaue he franke and free,
The lande of Cornwall, for his seruice don,
And for because, from Giauntes he it won.

Then sith our Troiane stocke came first from Troy,
My father thought that dutie did him bynde,
Sithe fortune thus had saude him from anoye,
The auncient towne againe to call to minde.
He builte new Troye, and Troian lawes assignde,
Wherby his stocke to his eternall fame:
Might kepe of Troye the euerlasting name.

And setled there, in perfecte peace and reste,
Deuoyde of warre, of labours, strife or payne:
Then eke my mother, all his ioyes encreaste,
A prince she bare and after other twayne:
Was neuer king, of children erste so fayne,
Three sonnes because of Innogen he gate:
Locrinus, Camber, last me Albanacte.

Thus hauing welthe, and eke the worlde at will,
Nor wanting ought that might his mynde content:
T'increase his power with wightes of warlike skill,
Was all his minde his purpose and intent.
Wherby if foes, inuasion after ment,
The Britaynes might not feare of foraine landes:
But kepe by fight, possessions in their handes.

Then when his people once perceaude his mynde,
(As what the prince doth often moste embrace,
To that the subiectes all are straight inclinde:

And reuerence still, in eache respecte his grace)
They gat in warre such knowledge in short space,
That after they their force to try begon:
They carde for nought by wyt or wight not won.

They got of Giantes mountaines whence they came,
And woodes from whence they oft made wise they wold
Destroye and kill, when voyage out they framde
Or shewde themselues, in banding ouer bold:
Then straight the Britaynes, gladder then of gold
Were redy still, to fight at euery call:
Till time they had extincte, the monsters all.

Whereby the king had cause to take delight,
And might be bolde the lesse to feare his foes:
Perdye eche Prince may recke his enmyes spite,
Thereafter as his force in fight he knoes:
A Princely hart the liberall gifts disclose.
He gaue to eche such guerdons for their facts,
As might them onely moue to noble actes.

No labours great his subiects then refusde,
Nor trauailes that might like his regall minde,
But eche of them such exercise well vsde,
Wherein was praise or glorye greate to finde:
And to their leidge bare faithful harts so kinde,
That what he wild they all obeyde his heste,
Nought els was currant, but the kings request.

What Prince aliue might more reioyce then hee?
Had faithfull men so valiaunt bolde and stout,
What pleasure more on earth could lightly bee?

Then winne an Isle and liue deuoyde of doubt:
An Isle saide I? naye namde the world throughout
An other world, sith Sea doth it deuide
From th'earth, that wants not all the world beside.

What subiects eke more happye were then these?
Had such a king of such a noble hart,
And such a lande enioyde and liude at ease,
Whereof eche man almost might chose his part:
No feare of foes, vnknowen was treasons arte,
No fayning frends, no fawning Gnatoes skill:
No Thrasoes brags, but bearing ech good will.

But as eache Sommer once receaues an ende,
And as no state, can stable stande for aye:
As course of tyme doth cause thinges bowe & bende,
As euery pleasure, hath hir ending daye:
As will, can neuer passe the power of maye:
Euen so my father happy dayes that spente,
Perceaude he must by sickenesse laste relente.

As doth the shipman well forsee the storme,
And knowes what daunger lyes in syrtes of sande:
Eke as the husband man prouides beforne,
When he perceaues the wynter colde at hande:
Euen so the wise that course of thinges haue scande,
Can well the ende of sicknes great presage,
When it is ioynde with yeares of stooping age.

His counsayle all and we assembled were,
To byd vs hie, or haste there was no nede:
We went with them, this newes vs caused feare

Sithe so he sent, he was not well in dede,
And when we all approtchte to him with spede:
To soone alasse, his grace right sicke we founde,
And him saluted as our duty bounde.

And casting of his doulfull eyes aside,
Not able well to moue his painefull head:
As silent we with teares his minde abyde,
He wild him selfe be rearid in his bed:
Which done with sight of vs his eyes he fed,
Eke pawsing so a whyle for breathe he stayde:
At lengthe to them, and vs thus wyse he sayde.

“No marueyle sure though you, herewith be sad,
“You noble Britaynes, for your Brutus sake:
“Sithe whilome me your captaine stout you had,
“That nowe my leaue and last farewell must take:
“Thus nature willes me once an ende to make:
“And leaue you here behinde, which after mee:
“Shall come as I departe before you see.

“You wot wherfore I with the Grecians foughte,
“With dinte of sworde I made their force to flye:
“Antenors frendes on Tuscane shores I soughte,
“And did you not my promiste lande denye.
“By Martiall powre I made the Frenchemen flye,
“Where you to saue I loste my faithfull frende:
“For you, at Tours my Turnus tooke his ende.

“I nede not now, resite what loue I bare,
“My frendship you I truste haue founde so well:
“That none emongste you all which present are,
“With teares doth not recorde the tale I tell.
“Eke whom I founde for vertues to excell,
“To them I gaue the price therof as dewe:
“As they deserude, whose factes I founde so true.

“Nowe must I proue, if paynes were well bestowde,
“Or if I spente my gratefull giftes in vayne:
“Or if these great good turnes to you I owde,
“And might not aske your loyall loues agayne.
“Which if I wist what tonge could tell my payne,
“I meane if you vngratefull mindes do beare:
“What meaneth death, to let me linger here.

“For if you shall abuse your prince in this,
“The Goddes on you for such an heynous facte:
“To take reuenge be sure will neuer misse:
“And then to late you will repente the acte,
“When all my realme and all your welthes are sacte,
“But if you shall as you begon procede:
“Of kingdomes fall or foes there is no dreede.

“And to auoyde contention that may fall,
“Because I wishe this realme the Britaynes still:
“Therfore I will declare before you all,
“Sithe you are come, my whole intent and will.
“Which if you kepe, and wreste it not to ill,
“There is no doubte, but euermore with fame:
“You shall enioye the Britaynes realme and name.

“You see my sonnes, that after me must raigne,
“Whom you or this haue liekte and counsaylde well:
“You know what erst you wisht they should refraine,
“Which way they might all vices vile expell:
“Which way they might in vertues great excell:
“Thus if you shall, when I am gone insue,
“You shall discharge the truste reposde in you.

“Be you their fathers, with your counsayle wise,
“And you my children take them euen as mee.
“Be you their guydes, in what you can deuise:
“And let their good instructions teache you three,
“Be faithfull all, as brethren ought agree:
“For concorde kepes a realme, in stable staye:
“But discorde bringes all kingdomes to decaye.

“Recorde to this mine eldest sonne I giue,
“This midle parte of realme to holde his owne:
“And to his heyres that after him shall lyue,
“Also to Camber that his parte be knowne,
“I giue that lande that lies welnighe oregrowne:
“With woodes Norwest & mountaynes mighty hie,
“Twene this and that, the Stutiae streame doth lye.

“And vnto the my yongest sonne that arte,
“Myne Albanacte I giue to thee likewise:
“As muche to be for thee and thine a parte,
“As Northe beyonde the arme of sea there lyes.
“Of which loe here, a map before your eyes,
“Lo here my sonnes my kingdome all you haue:
“For which I nought, but this remember craue.

“Firste that you take these fathers graue for mee,
“Imbrace their counsaile euen as it were myne:
“Next that betwene your selues you will agree,
“And neuer one at others welthe repine:
“See that ye byde still bounde with frendly lyne,
“And laste my subiectes, with such loue retayne:
“As long they may your subiectes eke remayne.

“Lo nowe I fele my breath beginnes to fayle,
“My time is come, giue eche to me your hande,
“Farewell, farewell, to mourne will not preuayle:
“I see with knife where Atropos doth stande,
“Farewell my frendes, my children and my lande,
“And farewell all my subiectes, farewell breathe,
“Farewell ten thousand tymes, and welcome deathe.

And euen with that he turnde, himselfe a syde,
And gasped thryse, and gaue away the ghost:
Then all at once with mourning voyce they cryde.
And all his subiects eke, from lest to most
Lamenting fild with wayling teares ech coast:
Perdy the Britaynes all, with one assent:
Did for their king, full doulfully lament.

But what auayles, to striue against the tyde?
Or els to sayle, against the streame and winde:
What booteth it against the clyues to ryde:
Or els to worke against the course of kinde?

Sith nature hath the ende of thinges assinde,
There is no nay, we must perforce departe:
Gainst dint of death, there is no ease by arte.

As custome wild wee funerals preparde,
And al with mourning cloathes, and chere did come:
To laye this king on Beere we had regarde,
In Royal sort, as did his corps become,
His Herce prepard, we brought him to his tombe,
At Troynouant, he built where he did dye,
Was he entombde: his Royal corps doth lye.

Thus raignd the worthy king, that found this land
My father Brutus, of the Troian blood:
And thus he dyed when he fulwell had mande,
This noble Realme with Britaynes fearce and good:
And so a while in stable state it stoode,
Till wee deuided had, this realme in three,
And I to soone, receiude my part to mee.

Then straight through all the world gan fame to flye,
A monster swifter none is vnder son:
Encreasing, as in waters wee descrye,
The cyrcles small, of nothing that begon.
Which at the length, vnto such breadth do come,
That of a drop which from the skyes doth fall:
The cyrcles spread, and hide the waters all.

So Fame in flight increaseth more and more,
For at the first she is not scarcely knowne:
But by, and by, she flits from shore to shore:
To cloudes from th'earth her stature straight is growne,

There what soeuer by her trompe is blowne:
The sound that both by sea, and land out flyes,
Reboundes againe, and verberats the skyes.

They say the earth, that first the giaunts bred,
For anger that the Gods did them dispatche,
Brought forth this sister, of those monsters dead:
Full light of foote swift winges the winds to catch:
Such monster erst did Nature neuer hatche:
As manye plumes she hath from top to toe,
So many eyes them vnder watche or moe.

And tongues do speake, so many eares do harke,
By night twene heauen, she flyes and earthly shade:
And shreaking takes no quiet sleepe by darke.
On houses rowfes, or towres as keeper made
She sittes by day, and Cities threats t'inuade.
And as she telles, what thinges she sees by vewe:
She rather shewes thats fained false, then true.

This Fame declarde, that euen a people small,
Had landed here: and found this pleasaunt Ile,
And how that now it was deuided all
Into three parts, and might within a while
Be won, by force, by treason, fraude or guile:
Wherefore she moues her frends, to make assay,
To win the price, and beare our pompe away.

A thousand thinges beside, she bruites and telles,
And makes the most of euery thing she heares:
Long time of vs she talkes and nothinge els,
Eke what shee seeth, abroade in hast she beares.

With tatling toyes and tickleth so their eares,
That needes they must to flattering Fame assent:
Though afterwards they do therefore lament.

By East from hence, a countrey large doth lye,
Vngaria eke of Hunnes it hath to name,
And hath Danubius floud on South it by,
Deuiding quite from Austria the same:
From thence a king was named Humber came:
On coastes of Albanie did he ariue,
In hope this lande of Britaine to achiue.

Which when by postes of subiects I did heare,
How enmies were ariued on my shore:
I gathered all my souldiers voyde of feare,
And backe the Hunnes by force and might I bore.
But in this battaile was I hurt so sore,
That in the field of wounds I had I dyde.
And left my men as flockes without a guide.

Such was my fate, to venture on so bolde,
My rashnes was the cause of all my woe:
Such is of all our glorye vaine the hope,
So soone we pompe and pleasures all forgoe:
So quickly are we reft our kingdomes froe:
And such is all the caste of Fortunes playe,
When lest we thincke, to cut vs quite awaye.

I demde my selfe an heauenly happie wight,
When once I had my part to raigne within,
But see the chaunce what hap did after light:

Or I could scace t'enioy my glee begin:
A Hunne did seeke, from me my realme to win:
And had his will O flatering Fortune fye,
What meanst thou thus to worke with Princes slye.

You worthy wariours, learne by mee beware,
Let wisedome worke, lay rashnes al apart:
When as with enmyes you encountred are,
You must endeuour, all your skilfull art:
By witty wyles, with force to make your mart:
Wit nought auailes, late bought with care and cost,
If you repent when life and labours lost.

FINIS.

The Authour.

Wyth that the wounded Prince departed quite,
From sight he slinckte, I saw his shade no more,
But Morpheus bade remember this to write,
And therewithall presented mee before,
A wight wet dropping from the waters shore
In Princely weede, but like a warlike man,
And thus mee thought his story he began.

LENUOYE.

Mvsing on these thinges I cal'd to my minde
In historyes what I of Troia read,
And what of Brutus I in bookes did finde
Likewise I cast, and counted in my head.
I found that Albanact stoode mee in stead.
For why, Sicilians right this noble man
Calles Lestrygons, as they were named than.

Lestrygo was, perdy, Neptunus sonne,
To whom his father gaue that noble Ile:
And of his name the people there did wonne.
The writers false abus'd vs then long while,
Which set vs downe of Leogece an Ile,
So neere Italia strandes was placed than,
To which Lord Brutus came, that noble man.

Of Lestrygon that Ilande first tooke name,
As Albanact hath well recited heere.
But of king Humber see what nowe became,
Which after him next haplesse did appeare
With Armoure wet, as drencht hee lately were,
So downe his greaues the water tricklinges ran,
While hee this wise his woefull tale began.

[HUMBER]

Humber the king of Hunnes shewes how he minding to conquere this land was drowned. &c. He liued about the yeare before Christ. 1074.

Though yet no forraine Princes in this place,
Haue come to tell their haplesse great mishap:
Yet giue me leaue a while to pleade my case,
And shewe howe I slipt out of Fortunes lap:
Perchaunce some others will eschewe the trap
Wherein I fell, and both themselues beware,
And also seeke the lesse thy countreys care.

I am that Humber kinge of Hunnes that came
To win this Islande, from the Britaynes fell:
Was drownde in Humber where I left my name.
A iust reward for him that liude so well
At home, and yet thought others to expell,
Both from their Realme and right: O filthy fye
On such ambition earst as vsed I.

But I must blame report, the chiefest cause
Of my decaye: beware of rashe report:

Tis wisedome first to take a while some pause,
Before to dint of daungers you resort:
Least when you come in hast to scale the fort:
By rashe assault some engin, shaft, or fyre
Dispatcht you quite, or make you soone retyre.

For vnto mee the rumors daily flewe,
That here a noble Ilande might be won:
The king was dead: no warres the people knewe,
And eke themselues to striue at home begon.
It were (quoth I) a noble acte well don,
To win it then: and there withall did make
Prouision good, this famous Ile to take.

A war like regall campe prouided was,
And shipps, and vitaile for my Hunnes and mee:
By sea to Britaine conquest for to passe,
If Gods thereto and heauenly starres agree:
At length wee came to shores of Albanie,
And there to fight with Britaynes pitcht our field:
In hope to make them flinche, flye, fall or yeelde.

They met vs, longe we fearcely faught it out,
And doubtful was the victours part of twaine,
Till with my Hunnes I rusht amonge the route,
And faught, till that king Albanact was slaine.
Then they to yeeld and pardon craue were faine,
And I with triumphes great receiude the pray:
And marched forward, flesht with such a fray.

I past an arme of Sea, that would to God
I neuer had bin halfe so bold at furst:
I made to beate my selfe withall a rod,
When so within their Realme I venture durst:
But marke my tale thou hearst not yet the worst.
As sure I thought the rest to circumuent:
By spyes before, they knew my whole intent.

And or I wiste, when I was come to lande:
Not farre from shore, two Princes were preparde,
Their scoutes conueyde away my shipps they fand,
And of my shipmens fleshe they nothing sparde,
To rescue which, as backe againe I farde:
The armyes twaine were at my heeles behinde
So closde me in, I wist no waye to winde.

On th'east Locrinus with an armye great:
By West was Camber with an other bande:
By North an arme of Sea the shoores did beate,
Which compast mee and mine within their lande:
No way to scape was there, but water fande,
Which I must taste or els the swords of those,
Which were to mee and mine full deadly foes.

So when I sawe the best of all mine hoste,
Beate downe with bats, shot, slaine or forst to swim:
My selfe was faine likewise to flye the coast,
And with the rest the waters entred in.
A simple shift for Princes to begin:
Yet far I demde it better so to dye,
Then at mine enmyes foote an abiecte lye.

But when I thus had swam with hope to scape,
If I might wend the water waues to passe:
The Britaynes that before my ships had gate,
Gan watche mee, where amidst the surge I was:
Than with my boates they rowde to me alas,
And all they cryde kepe Humber kepe their king:
That to our Prince we may the traytour bring.

So with my boates beset poore Humber I
Wiste no refuge: my werye armes did ake:
My breath was short: I had no powre to crye,
Or place to stand while I my plaint might make:
The water cold made all my ioyntes to shake:
My hart did beate with sorrow, griefe and paine:
And downe my cheekes, salt teares they gusht amaine.

O must thou yelde, and shall thy boates betraye
Thy selfe (quoth I) no mercy Britaynes haue:
O would to God I might escape awaye:
I wot not yet if pardon I may craue:
Although my deedes deserue no life to haue,
I will: I nill: death: bondage beast am I
In waters thus, in foraine soyle to dye.

With that I clapt my quauering hands abrode,
And held them vp to heauen, and thus I saide:
O Gods that know the paines that I haue bode,
And iust reuengment of my rashnes paide,
And of the death of Albanacte betraide
By mee and mine: I yelde my life therefore,
Content to dye, and neuer greeue yee more.

Then straight not opening of my handes, I bowde
My selfe, and set my head my armes betweene:
And downe I sprang, with all the force I cowde:
So duckte, that neither head nor foote were seene:

And neuer sawe my foes againe I weene,
There was I drounde the Britaynes to my fame:
Yet call that arme of Sea by Humbers name.

Take heede by mee, let my presumption serue:
And let my folly, fall, and rashnes bee:
A glasse wherein to see if thou do swerue,
Thou mayste thy selfe perceiue somewhat by mee.
Let neither trust, nor treason traine forth thee:
But be content with thine estate, so shall
No wrath of God, procure thy haplesse fall.

If thou be forrayne bide within thy soyle:
That God hath giuen to thee and thine to holde,
If thou oppression meane beware the foyle:
Beare not thy selfe, of thee or thine to bolde:
Or of the feates thy elders did of olde,
For God is iust, iniustice will not thriue:
He plagues the prowde, preserues the good aliue.

FINIS.

The Authoure.

Then vanishte Humber, and no sooner gon
Was he but straight in place before me came.
A princely wight, had complet harnes on,
Though not so complet as they now do frame:
He seemde sometime t'aue bene of worthy fame:
In breste a shafte with bleeding wounde he bare,
And thus he tolde the cause of all his care.

LENVOY.

Was not this drenched king well servde thinke you
That could not byde at home content with his?
Now by his fall and his ambition vewe,
What good they get which gaze on Fortunes blisse,
How soone their haps and hoped Ioyes they misse,
Wherefore the setled minde surmountes the rest,
The meane contented state of all is best.

The conquest wonne, and kingdome got, you see
The Albaynes all subdude to Humbers crowne:
Yet straight againe the straunger drownde to bee,
To leese his conquest, kingdomes, and renowme.
Sith Fortune so sets vp and thirleth downe,
The setled minde content I counte is blest,
Reporting true the golden meane is best.

Loe how vaine glory causde him venter life,
By seas to sayle, by land in fielde to fighte,
In peace at home abroade to fish for strife,
And here confesse how Sors had sowst him right.
But king Locrinus next apearde in sight.
A shaft hee bare in wounded bleeding brest,
And thus (mee thought) his fatall fall exprest.

[LOCRINUS]

Locrinus the eldest sonne of Brutus, declareth his slaughter to haue happened for his euill life. He died the yeare before Christe. 1064.

Yf euer any noble prince might rewe,
His factes are paste, long since the same may I:
That would to God it were not farre to true,
Or that I iustly could my faultes denye:
The truthe of thinges the ende or tyme doth trie,
As well by me is seen: my haplesse fall,
Declares whence came my greate misfortunes all.

I am Locrinus, seconde Britayne king:
The eldiste sonne of him that founde this lande:
Whose death to me my mischiefes all did bring,
And causde why first I tooke my death in hande.
He chiefly wylde me when he gaue this lande,
I should be rulde, by all his counsayles will:
And vse their iudgmentes in my dealings still.

But what do I accuse my fathers heste,
What meane I here th'unfauty for to blame?
All he commaunded euen was for the beste:
Though in effecte of beste the worste became.
So thinges ofte times well mente vnfitly frame:
So often times the counsayle of your frende:
Apparent good, fawles faulty in the ende.

For as he wisht I vsde his counsayles ayde,
In eache thing that I deemde was good for mee:
I neuer ought that they desirde denayde:
But did to all their mindes and hestes agree.
And Corinaeus sawe my harte so free,
By diuers meanes, he sought this match to make:
That to my wife, I might his daughter take.

But I that wiste not then what mariage ment,
Did straight agree his Guendoline to haue:
Yet afterwarde suspecting his intent,
My frendes to me this pointe of counsaile gaue:
That who so doth of Prince aliaunce craue,
He meanes thereby to worke some point of ill,
Or else to frame the prince vnto his will.

It may well be he mente no euill at all,
But wise men alwayes vse to dreade the worste:
And sithe it was, the fountaine of my fall:
From whence the springe of all my sorowes burste,
I may well thinke was some of vs accurste,
For why the ende, doth alwayes proue the facte:
By ende we iudge the meaning of the acte.

I made no haste, to wed my spoused wyfe:
I wiste I could as yet without hir byde:
I had not tasted toyes of trayned life:
I deemde them fooles by Cupides darte that died:
I Venus vile and all hir force defide:
And liude at reste, and rulde my land so well,
That men delighted of my factes to tell.

My brethren eke long weldid well their partes:
We feard no foes, we thought our state would stand.
We gaue our selues to learned skilfull artes:
Wherin we other fruite, or pleasur fand:
And we enioyde so fine a fruitfull land,
That fewe in earth, might with our states compare,
We lyude so voyde of noysome carke, and care.

But see the chaunce when least we thought of ill,
When we esteamde our state to be moste sure:
Than came a flawe to bridle all our will,
For straungers far, gan vs to warre procure:
And euen when first, they put their pranke in vre,
On Albane shores my brother there they slewe:
Whose death we after made the Hunnes to rue.

When he was dead they hopte to winne the reste,
And ouer Abi streame with haste did hie:
But I and eke my brother Camber dreste,
Our armies straight, and came their force to trie:
We brake their rayes, and forste their king to flie,
Into the arme of Sea they ouer came:
Where Humber drounde the waters tooke his name.

We ether slewe or tooke them captiues all,
Emongst the which O mischiefe great to tell!
The Gods to worke mine ouerthrow and fall
Sent ladies three, whose beauties did excell:
Of which because I liked one so well,
I tooke hir straight, nor she did ought denie:
But eche thing graunted so she might not dye.

Thus Humber we this hatefull hungery king,
In Humber drenshte: and him depriude of pride:
And of his loftie ladies he did bring,
He loste the praye: and all his men beside.
And we the spoiles of all his hoaste deuide,
But I that thought, I had the greatest share:
Had caught the cause of all my wofull care.

They calde this lady Elstride whome I tooke,
Whose bewty braue did so my wittes confounde:
That for hir sake my promise I forsooke,
Wherby I was to Gwendoline first bounde.
Me thought no lady went on earthely grounde
That might alure me, euer chaunge my minde:
So was I caught by snares of Cupide blynde.

Was neuer none before so likte mine eye,
I loude hir more then I coulde loue my life:
Hir absence still me thought did cause me die.
I surely mente to take hir to my wife.
But see howe beauty breadeth deadly strife,
Lo here began my whole confusion here:
Sprang out the shaft from which this wounde I beare.

For Corinaeus had no soner hearde,
That I did meane his daughter to forsake:
But straight as one, that did nought else regarde,
In haste his voyage towardes me did take:
And come, declarde what promise I did make,
From whiche he saide if once I sought to slide:
It should by dinte of sworde, and bloud be tride.

But if I would hir take, as erste I sayde,
And not this straunger choose against his minde:
His helpe he promiste at eache time, and ayde
To be so redy, as I wishte to finde:
He furder sayde my contrey did me bynde,
To take such one as all my subiectes knewe:
Sithe straungers to their foes are neuer true.

I wayde his wordes, and thought he wishte me wel:
But yet because his stocke should gaine therby,
I reckte them lesse: and yet the truthe to tell,
I durste not dare my promise made denye:
For well I wiste, if once it came to trye:
It would both weaken all this noble lande,
And doubtfull be, who should ha th'upper hande.

Thus nedes perforce I must his daughter take,
And must leaue of, to loue where I delighte:
I was constrainde contentid to forsake:
The forme that moste did captiuate my sighte,
What lucke had I on such a lote to lighte:
What ment you Goddes that me such fortune gaue,
To caste my minde on hir I might not haue.

To shorte my tale, his Guendoline I tooke,
I was contente against my will: what then?
Nore quite for this, myne Elstride I forsoke:
For why, I wrought by skill of cunning men,
A vaulte along vnder the grounde a denne:
Hir companie wherin I vsed still,
There we accomplishte, our vnhappy will.

There I begat my Sabrine sely childe,
That virgine small, myne Elstride bare to mee:
Thus I my wife full often did beguilde,
Which afterwarde did beare a sonne to mee,
Namde Madan: yet we neuer could agree,
And he that was the cause, she was my bryde:
This whyle hir father Corinaeus dyde.

Which when I hearde, I had my hartes desire:
I craude no more, there was my ende of griefe.
At leste I thought to quenche Cupidoes fire,
And eke to worke my lusting loues reliefe:
I mente no more to steale it like a thiefe:
But maried Elstride, whom I loude as lyfe,
And for hir sake, I put away my wyfe.

Likewise I causde was Elstride queene proclaimde:
And tooke hir as my lawfull wyfe by right,
But Gwendoline that sawe hir selfe disdainde,
Straight fled, and moude the Cornishe men to fight,
To them, when she declarde hir pitious plighte:
In haste they dreste an army for to bee,
Reuengers of my newe made queene and mee.

And I likewise an armie did prepare,
I thoughte to quaile, their courage all by force:
But to my coste I founde to late beware,
There is no strengthe in armoure, man or horse,

Can vayle, if Ioue on wronged take remorce:
For he on whom the deadly darte doth lighte,
Can neuer scape: by ransome, frende or flighte.

So when our armies met nighe Stura streame,
The trompettes blewe and I denide the peace:
I minded to expell them all the realme,
Or else to make them euer after cease:
And they except I Elstride would releace,
(They sayde) and take my Gwendoline againe:
They would reuenge the wrong, or else be slayne.

On this we met, and valiauntly we fought,
On eather side, and nether parte did yelde:
So equaly they fell, it was great doubte,
Which part should haue the better of the fielde:
But I to bolde, rushte in with sworde and sheelde
To breake their rayes, so hasty men get smarte:
An arrowe came, and stroke me to the harte.

Then was I brought to Troynouant and there,
My body was enterrid as you reade:
When I had raigned all out twenty yere,
Lo thus I liude, and thus became I deade:
Thus was my crowne depriued from my heade,
And all my pompe, my princely troupe and trayne,
And I to earth, and duste resolude agayne.

Now warne estates, let this for wedlocke serue,
Beware of chaunge it will not holde out longe,
For who so mindeth from his make to swerue:
Shal sure at lengthe, receiue reuenge for wrong:
Tis foly fight with God, h'is farre to stronge:
For though ye colour all, with coate of right:
Yet can no fained farde, deceiue his sight.

FINIS.

The Authour.

With that this king, was vanisht quite and gone:
And as a miste, dissolued into ayre:
And I was left, with Morpheus all alone:
Who represented straigt a Lady fayre:
Of frendes depriude, and left in deepe dispaire,
As eke she spake, all wet in cordes fast bounde:
Thus tolde she how, she was in waters drounde.

LENVOY.

This is the iustice great of mighty Ioue aboue,
To plague the men whose fayth vnfirme hee findes,
The promisse plight in sponsales sacred loue,
Which both alike the Prince and simple subiect bindes,
Who recklesse breaks that same nor faithed promise mindes,
If hee ensue the vice, wherein his sence is drounde,
No doubt Iehouah iust will therefore him confounde.

If hee for wedlocke breatch in Pagan Princes then
So greate displeasure tooke, and did them sharply whip,
Will hee not rather nowe afflict such christen men,
As dare the sacred band of holy wedlocke rip?
Hee will not let the twifold faythed christian slip,
Which by so vayne delight in fleshly lustes is droun'd.
He cuts him of, and doth his queanes and him confound.

Examples are in all the ages seene before,
And also daily proofe, declareth well the same.
Wherefore I will of this as nowe resite no more.
Perchaunce I may Incurre, some vnderserued blame.
But next beholde on stage apear'd a noble dame,
(Whose beauty braue Locrinus senses did confound)
Declaring how therfore Queene Guendoline her dround.

[ELSTRIDE]

Elstride the concubine of Locrinus myserably drowned by Gwendoline his wyfe, declares her presumption, lewde life and infortunate fall. She suffered before Christe. 1064.

And must I needes my selfe resite my fall
Poore woman I? must I declare my fate?
Must I the first saue three amongste vs all,
Shew how I thrise, fell from my Princely state?
And from the loftye seate on which I sate?
If needes I must, then well content I will:
Lest here my place in vaine I seeme to fill.

I am that Elstride; whom Locrinus loude,
A Prince his daughter came from Germaines land:
My fame of beauty many Princes moude,
To sue for grace, and fauour at my hand.
Which bruite once blowne abroad in euery land,
One Humber king of Hunnes with al his traine:
To come to mee, a suiter was full faine.

What neede I tell, the giftes to mee he gaue,
Or shew his suite or promise he me plight,
Sith wel you know a Prince nede nothing craue:
May nigh commaund ech thing as twere his right.

For as the fowle before the Eagles sight
Euen so we fall, submit and yeld vs still,
At Prince his call, obeysaunt to his will.

And for that time the Hunnes full mighty were,
And did increase, by martiall feates of warre:
Therefore our Germaine kings agaste did beare,
Them greater fauour then was neede by farre.
My father durst not Humbers hest debarre,
Nor I my selfe, I rather was content:
In hope of crowne with Humber to consent.

Two Princely Dames with me came then away,
He bragde to winne these country partes all three,
We Ladies rather was this Prince his pray:
Because he promist that we Queenes should bee.
We came to coste these country coasts to see,
Sith he on whom our hope did wholy stande:
Was drownd, namde Humber waters, lost the lande.

For as you heard before when he supposde,
He had wonne all because he won a part:
Straight way he was againe thereof deposde,
Constrainde to flye, and swim for life poore hart:
Loe here the cause, of all my douleful smarte,
This noble king with whom I came to raigne:
Was drensht, & drownde vnto my greuous paine.

Then were his souldiers taken, slaine or spoilde,
And wel were they, that could make suite for life:
Was neuer such an armye sooner foilde:
O wofull warre, that flowste in floudes of strife!

And carst not whom thou cutste with cruell knife!
Or had not Venus fraught my face with hewe,
I had no longer liude, my forme to rewe.

For as I came a captiue with the reste,
My countenaunce did shewe as braue as Sunne:
Ech one that sawe my natiue hewe were preste,
To yelde themselues by beames of beauty won:
My fame straight blowne to gaze on mee they ron,
And said I paste eche worldly wight as farre:
As Phoebus bright excelles the morning starre.

Like as you see in darkes if light appeare,
Straight way to that ech man directes his eye:
Euen so amongst my captiue mates that were:
When I did speake, or make my plaints with cry,
Then all on mee they stared by and by:
Bemoning of my fates, and Fortune soe.
As they had bin partakers of my woe.

My fourme did praise my plea, my sighes they suide,
My teares entiste their hartes some ruth to take:
My sobbes in sight, a seemely hewe reneude:
My wringing hands, wan suiters shift to make:
My sober southes did cause them for my sake:
Mee to commende, vnto their noble kinge,
Who wilde they should me into presence bringe.

Which when I came in cordes as captiue bounde,
O King (quoth I) whose power we feele to strong:
O worthy wighte, whose Fame to skyes doth sounde:
Do pitie me, that neuer wishte the wronge:

Release mee one thy captiues all amonge:
Which from my frends, by fraude am brought away,
A Prince his daughter, drounde in deepe decaye.

Now as thou art a Prince thy selfe of might,
And maist do more then I do dare desire:
Let me (O Kinge) finde fauour in thy sight,
Asswage somewhat thy deadly wrath and ire:
No part of manhode tis for to require:
A Ladyes death thee neuer did offende,
Sith that thy foe, hath brought her to this ende.

But let me rather safely be conuaide,
O gracious king, once home before I dye:
Or let me on thy Queene, be wayting maide,
If it may please thy royal maiestye:
Or let me raunsome paye, for libertye:
But if thou minde reuenge of vnwrought ill,
Why spare you Britaynes this my corps to kill?

With that the king: good Lady fayre what iste
Thou canst desire or aske, but must obtaine?
Eke would to God with all my hart I wiste,
Best waye to ease thee of thy wofull paine:
But if thou wilt do here with mee remaine,
If not content, conductours shalt thou haue,
To bring thee home, and what thou els wilt craue.

As for my Queene, as yet I none possesse,
Therefore thou rather maiste voutchsafe to take
That place thy selfe: then waite on her I gesse,
Whose beautye with thy face no match can make:

The Gods denye that I thy heste forsake,
I saue thy life, eke God forbid that I,
Should euer cause so fayre a Ladye dye.

O King (quoth I) the Gods preserue thy grace,
The heauens requite thy mercy shewde to mee,
And all the starres, direct thy regall race
In happye course, long length of yeares to see:
The earth with fertile fruites inriche so thee:
That thou maist still like Iustice her dispose,
And euer more treade downe thy deadly foes.

The noble king commaunded to vnbinde,
Mine armes, and let mee lewce, and free at will,
And afterward such fauour did I finde
That as his Queene I was at elbow still:
And I enioyde all pleasures at my fill:
So that they quite had quenched out my thrall,
And I forgate my former Fortunes all.

Thus lo by fauoure I obtainde my suite,
So had my beauty set his brest on fire,
That I could make Locrinus euen as muite,
Or pleasaunt as my causes did require:
And when I knewe he could no way retyre:
I praide he would his fauour so extende,
As I might not be blamed in the ende.

For if (quoth I) you take me as your owne,
And eke my loue to you haue constant beene:
Then let your loue likewise againe be showne,
And wed me as you said your spouse and Queene:

If since in mee misliking you haue seene:
Then best depart betime before defame,
Begin to take from Elstride her good name.

No wauering hart (said he) Locrinus beares,
No fayned flatery shall thy fayth deface:
Thy beauty, birth, fame, vertue, age and yeares
Constraine mee both, thee and thy hestes imbrace:
I must of force, giue thy requestes a place,
For as they do with reason good consent,
Euen so I graunt thee all thy whole intent.

Then was the time appointed and the day,
In which I should be wedded to this kinge,
But in this case, his counsaile causde a staye,
And sought out meanes at discord vs to bringe:
Eke Corinaeus claimde a former thing,
A precontract was made and full accorde,
Betweene his daughter, and my soueraigne Lorde.

And yet the King did giue me comfort still,
He said he could not so forsake my loue,
Yet euermore would beare me all good will:
As both my beauty and desertes did moue:
But still the ende doth who is fauty proue,
His counsaile at the last did him constraine
To marry her, vnto my greeuous paine.

At which I coulde not but with hate repine,
It vexed mee, his mate that should haue beene,
To liue in hate, a prince his concubine
That euer had such hope to be his Queene.

The steppes of state are full of wo and teene,
For when wee thincke we haue atainde the throne:
Then straight our pompe & pride is quite orethrone.

Lo twise I fell from hope of Princely crowne,
First when vnhappy Humber lost his life,
And next I laide my peacockes pride adowne,
When as I could not be Locrinus wife:
But oft they say the thirde doth ende the strife,
Which I haue proude: therefore the sequel vewe
The thirde payes home, this prouerbe is to true.

This kinge could not refraine his former minde,
But vsde me still, and I my doubtfull yeares
Did linger on, I knew no shift to finde,
But past the time full oft with mourning teares.
A concubine is neuer voyde of feares,
For if the wyfe her at aduauntage take:
In radge reuenge with death she seekes to make.

Likewise I wiste if once I sought to flye,
Or to entreate the kinge depart I might,
Then would he straight be discontent with mee,
Yea if I were pursued vpon the flight,
Or came deflourde into my parents sighte:
I should be taken, kept perforce, or slaine:
Or in my country liue in great disdaine.

In such a plight, what might a woman doe,
Was euer Lady fayre, in such a case?

O wretched wight bewrapt in webbes of woe!
That still in dread wast tost from place to place,
And neuer foundest meane to ende thy race:
But still in doubt of death, in carking care,
Didst liue a life deuoyde of all welfare.

The king perceiuing well my chaunged cheare,
To ease my hart withall deuisde deceats,
By secrete wayes I came deuoyde of feare,
In vaultes, by cunning Masons crafty feats:
Whereas wee safely from the Queene her threats,
Perdy the King and I so vsde our arte,
As after turnde vs both to paine and smarte.

By him I had my Sabrine small my childe,
And after that his wife her father loste,
I meane he dyed and she was straight exilde,
And I made Queene vnto my care and coste:
For she went downe to Cornewal straight in poste,
And caused all her fathers men to ryse,
With all the force, and strengthe they might deuyse.

My king and hirs, with me, gainst hir preparde
An army strong: but when they came to fighte,
Dame Guendoline did wax at length to harde:
And of our king vs both deposed quite,
For from hir campe an arrowe sharpe did lighte
Vpon his breste, and made him leaue his breath:
Lo thus this king came by vntimely death.

Then I to late, began in vayne to flye,
And taken was presented to the queene,
Who me behelde with cruell tigres eye,
“O queene (quoth she) that cause of warres haste bene

“And deadly hate, the like was neuer seene:
“Come on for these my handes shall ridde thy life,
“And take reuengement of our mortall strife.

“I longed long to bring thee to this baye,
“And thou likewyse hast sought to sucke my bloud.
“Nowe arte thou taken, in my spoyles a praye,
“That causde my life full long in daunger stoode:
“I wyll both teache thy selfe, and others good
“To breake the bandes of faithfull wedlocke plight,
“And giue thee that which thou deseruidste right.

“O harlote whore, why should I stay my handes?
“O painted picture, shall thy lookes thee saue?
“Nay bynde hir faste both hande and foote in bandes,
“And let hir some straunge kinde of tormentes haue.
“What strompet stues, thinkste for thou seemist braue?
“Or for thy teares, or sighes, to scape my sight?
“My selfe will rather vanquishe thee by fight.

“Thou rather shouldste my vitall breath depriue,
“Then euer scape if none were here but wee,
“But now I will not file my handes to striue,
“Or else to touche so vile a drabe as shee.
“Come on at once, and bring hir after mee,
“With hande and feete as I commaunded bounde:
“And let me see, hir here as Humber drounde.

A thousand things beside, she spake in rage,
While that a caytife did with cordes me binde,
No teares, nor sobbes, nor sighes might ought aswage
The gelous queene, or molifie hir mynde.
Occasions still hir franticke head did finde,
And when shee spake, hir eyes did leame as fire:
Shee lookte as pale as chalke with wrathfull Ire.

Ne stoode she still but with hir handes on syde,
Walkte vp and down, & ofte hir palmes she stroke.
“My husbande nowe (quoth she) had not thus dyde:
“If such an harlote, whore he had not tooke,
And there withall shee gaue me such a looke,
“As made me quake, what lettes (quoth she) my knife,
“To ridde this whore my husbandes second wife:
“H'is dead, I liue, and shall I saue hir life?

O queene (quoth I) if pitie none remayne,
But I be slayne or drounde as Humber was:
Then take thy pleasure by my pinching paine,
And let me hence as thou appointiste passe:
But take some pity on my childe alasse,
Thou knowste the infante made no faulte but hee,
Thats dead and I therfore reuenge on mee.

“No bastardes here shall liue to dispossesse
“My sonne (she said) but sithe thou soughtiste fame:
“I will prouide for hir a kingdome lesse,
“Whiche shall hereafter euer haue hir name.
“Thou knowste wherof the name of Humber came,
“Euen so Sabrina, shall this streame be calde:
“Sithe Sabrine me, as Humber Locrine thralde.

With that my childe was Sabrine brought in sight,
And when she see me take in bandes to lie,
Alasse (she cryde) what meanes this pitious plight,
And downe she fell before the queene with crye,

“O queene (quoth she) let me more rather dye,
“Then she thats giltlesse should, for why thy king
“Did as his captiue, hir to lewdnes bring.

Which when I sawe the kindnes of the childe,
It burst my harte much more then dome of deathe:
Poore little lambe with countinance how milde
She pleaded still, and I for wante of breathe,
With wofull teares, that laye hir feete beneathe
Could not put forth a worde, our liues to saue,
Or if therfore I might a kingdome haue.

Hir pitious plaintes, did somwhat death withdrawe
For as she long behelde the queene with teares:
“(quoth she) let me haue rigoure voyde of lawe,
“In whome the signe of all thy wrath appeares,
“And let me die my fathers face that beares:
“Sithe he is dead, and we are voyde of staye,
“Why should I thee, for life or mercy praye.

“My mother may to Germanye retourne,
“Where she was borne, and if it please thy grace,
“And I may well lye in my fathers tombe,
“If thou wilt graunt his childe so good a place.
“But if thou thinke my bloude is farre to bace,
“Although I came by both of princly line:
“Then let me haue what shroude thou wilt asigne.

With that the queene replide with milder chere,
And saide the childe was wonders wise and wittie:
But yet shee would not hir reuenge forbeare,
“For why (quoth she) the prouerbe sayes that pitie,

“Hath leudly loste full many a noble citie.
“Then Elstride now prepare thy selfe therfore
“To die, take leaue, but talke to me no more.

On this my leaue I tooke, and thus I sayde,
Farewell my countrey, Germanye farewell,
Adewe the place from whence I was conueyde,
Farewell my father, and my frendes there dwell:
My Humber drounde, as I shalbe farewell:
Adew Locrinus dead, for thee I die,
Would God my corps might by thy coffine lie.

Adew my pleasures paste, farewell, adew,
Adew the cares, and sorowes I haue had,
Farewell my frendes that earst for me did sue.
Adew that were, to saue my life full glad:
Farewell the fauning frendes, I lately had,
And thou my beauty cause of death farewell,
As ofte, as harte can thinke, or tonge can tell.

Adewe you heauens, my mortall eyes shall see
No more your lightes, and Planetes all farewell,
And chiefly Venus faire that paintedste mee,
When Mercurie his tale to me did tell:
Eke afterwardes when Mars with vs did dwell,
And nowe at laste thou cruell Mars adewe,
Whose darte my life, and loue Locrinus slewe.

And must I nedes departe from thee my childe,
If nedes I muste ten thousand times farewell,
Poore little lambe, thy frendes are quite exilde:
And much I feare thou shalt not long do well,

But if they so with boyling rancoure swell:
As thee to slea, which neuer wroughtiste ill,
How can they staye, my staynid corps to kill.

With that my Sabrines slender armes imbraiste
Me rounde, and would not let me so departe,
“Let me (quoth she) for hir the waters taste,
“Or let vs both together ende our smarte:
“Yea rather rippe you foorth my tender harte,
“What should I liue? but they the childe withdrew,
And mee, into the raging streame they threw.

So in the waters as I striude to swimme,
And kepte my head aboue the waues for breathe,
Me thought I sawe my childe, would venter in.
“Which cride a mayne, O let me take like deathe,
The waters straight had drawne me vndernethe,
Where striuing vp at lengthe againe came I,
And sawe my childe, and cryde farewell I die.

Then as my strength was wasted, down I went,
Eke so I plunged twice or thrice yet more:
My breath departed nedes I must relent,
The waters perst my mouth and eares so sore,
And to the botome with such force me bore,
That life, and breath, & minde, and sence was gone:
And I as dead, and colde as marble stone.

Lo thus you here the race of all my life,
And how I paste the pikes of paynefull wo,
Howe twise I thought to be a prince his wife:
And twise was quite depriude mine honour fro:

100

The third time queene, and felt foule ouerthro:
Then warne all ladies, that how much more hie,
Then their degrees they clime: mo daungers nye.

Bid them beware, leste bewty them abuse,
Beware of pride, for haue a fall it muste:
And will them Fortunes flattery to refuse:
Hir turning whele, is voyde of stedy truste:
Who reckes no meane, but leanith all to luste,
Shall finde my wordes, as true as I them tell:
Then bid beware, in time I wishe them well.

FINIS.

101

The Authoure.

With that she flitted in the ayre abrode,
As twere a miste or smoke dissolued quite,
And or I long on this had made abode,
A virgine smale, appearde before my sight,
For colde and wet eke scarsly moue she might,
As from the waters drownde she didering came:
Thus wise, hir tale in order did she frame.

LENUOYE.

Who here considers Elstrides beauty braue was seene,
Her noble birth, the sundry haps shee had:
How many erst the like infortunate haue beene,
Whose forme haue made right noble hearts full sad:
Hee neede not now in loue bee halfe so mad,
Sith beauty is the baite enbaneth many a bower,
A meate two sweete in taste, that sauced is two sower.

It caused Hercules to slay th'OEchalian King,
And Deianire her worthy fere to bane:
It caus'd the Greekes their armies forth to bring,
And Troia faire to fall, by Graecians tane.
It setled here in Britayne first the Dane,
For it of Kingdomes great the warres did oft deuoure:
The prouerbe sayth, sweete meate will haue of sauces sowre.

Wherefore let noble men beware of beauties grace,
Lest so inflam'd they chaunce to fall thereby.
If they allur'd, the Sirens sweete embrace,
And ships forsake, the waues are wilde perdy.
The monsters diue, the seas do swell to skye,
The toyling tempests tosse to reaue the vitall power,
While rockes, shelues, sands, and seas, the woefull wights deuoure.

They may hereby beholde the woefull childrens fall,
Of those which led their liues in lawelesse lust:
And learne to loue their Ladyes best of all,
Which are to them so faithfull, true, and iust.
Wherefore recyte the death of Sabrine here I must
The Lady young, mee thought, from waters droun'd that came:
Which might thus wise her tale haue seem'd to frame.

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!

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

106

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.

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.

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.

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 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,

107

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?

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

“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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

111

[MADAN]

Madan shewes how for his euill life he was slaine of Wolues, the yeare before Christe. 1009.

Amongste the rest, that sate in hauty seate,
And felt the fall I pray the pen for mee:
A Tragedy maye some such wisedome geate,
As they may learne, and somewhat wiser bee.
For in my glasse when as themselues they see,
They may beware my fall from Fortunes lap,
Shal teach them how, t'eschew the like mishap.

I am that Madan once that Britaine kinge,
Was thirde that euer raigned in this lande,
Marke well therefore my death: as straunge a thinge
As some would deeme, could scarce with reason stande:
Yet when thou hast my life well throughly scande:
Thou shalt perceiue, not halfe so straunge as true:
Ill life: worse death, doth after still insue.

For when my mother Guendoline had raignde
In my nonage, full xv yeares she dyed:
And I but yonge not well in vertues trainde,
Was left this Realme of Britaynes for to guide:

112

Whereby when once, my minde was puft with pride:
I past for nought, I vsde my lust for lawe:
Of right, or iustice reckte I not a strawe.

No meane I kept, but ruled all by rage:
No boundes of measure, could me compasse in:
Durst none aduenture anger mine t'aswage,
If once to freate and fume I did begin:
And I excelde in nothing els but sinne:
So that welnighe all men did wishe my ende,
Saue such to whom for vice I was a frende.

In pleasures pleasaunt was my whole repaste.
My youth me led deuoyde of compasse quite,
And vices were so rooted in at last:
That to recure the euill it past my might.
For who so doth with will and pleasure fight,
Though all his force do striue them to withstande,
Without good grace they haue the vpper hande.

What licoure first, the earthen pot doth take:
It keepeth still the sauour of that same.
Full hard it is a cramocke straight to make:
Or crooked logges, with wainscot fine to frame:
Tis hard to make the cruel Tiger tame:
And so it fares with those haue vices caught,
Naught once (they saye) and euer after naught.

I speake not this as though it past all cure,
From vices vile, to vertue to retire:
But this I saye if vice be once in vre,
The more you shall, to quite your selfe requyre,

113

The more you plunge your selfe in fulsome myre.
As he that striues in soakte quicke sirtes of sande,
Still sinkes, scarse neuer comes againe to lande.

The giftes of grace may nature ouercome,
And God may graunt both time and leaue repente:
Yet I did more in laps of lewdnes run,
And last my time in tyrauntes trade I spente.
But who so doth, with bloudy actes contente
His minde, shall sure at laste finde like againe:
And feele for pleasures, thousand panges of paine.

For in the midste of those vntrusty toyles,
When as I nothing fearde, but all was sure:
With all my trayne, I hunting rode for spoyles
Of them, who after did my death procure:
Those lewde delightes did boldly me alure,
To folow still and to pursue the chase:
At laste I came into a deserte place.

Besette with hilles, and monstrous rockes of stone,
My company behinde, me lost, or stayde:
The place was eke with hauty trees oregrowne
So wiste, and wylde it made me half afrayde,
And straight I was with rauening wolues betrayd:
Came out of caues, and dennes, and rockes a maine,
There was I rent in pieces, kilde and slaine.

114

Alasse that youth (in vayne) so vyly spente,
Should euer cause a king to haue such ende:
Alasse that euer I should here lament,
Or else should teache vnto my cost my frende:
Alasse that fortune such mishap should sende:
But sithe it is to late for me to crie,
I wishe that others may take hede me by.

I might full well by wisdome shund this snare,
Tis sayde a wiseman all mishap withstandes.
For though by starres we borne to mischieues are:
Yet prudence bayles vs quite from careful bandes,
Eche man (they say) his fate hath in his handes,
And what he makes, or marres to lese, or saue
Of good, or euill, is euen selfe do, selfe haue.

As here thou seest by me, that led my dayes
In vicious sorte, for greedy wolues a praye:
Warne others wysely, than to guide their wayes
By myne example, well eschue they may,

115

Suche vices as may worke their owne decay:
Which if they do, full well is spent the time
To warne, to wryte, and eke to reade this rime.

FINIS.

116

The Authoure.

When this was said, no more was Madan sene,
(If it were he) but sure I halfe suspecte
It was some other else, so serude had bene,
For that all stories do not so detecte
His death, or else I dide perhaps neglecte
His tale, because that diuers stories broughte,
Suche fancies of his death into my thoughte.

Therefore although it be not as some write
Here pende by me, and yet as others haue:
Let it not griue thee reade that I recite,
And take what counsaile of good life he gaue:
I trust I may (that dreame) some pardon craue,
For if the reste, no dreames but stories pen:
Can I for that they write be blamed then?

117

No sure, I thinke the readers will not giue
Such captious dome, as Momus erste did vse,
Though Zoilus impes as yet do carping liue:
And all good willing writers much misuse.
Occasion biddes me some such beastes accuse,
Yet for their bawling hurtes me not I nill:
But with my purpose, on procede I will.

Next after that, came one in princely raye
A worthy wight but yonge, yet felt the fall:
It seemde he had bene at some warlike fraye,
His breste was woundid wyde and bloudy all:
And as to mynde he musde his factes to call,
Depe sighes he fet, made all his limmes to shake:
At length these wordes, or like to me he spake.

LENUOY.

Thus haue you here the end of Madan seene,
(If it were hee) and yet I may suspect
It was some other Prince so seru'd had beene,
For that all stories doe not so detect
His death that Princely vertues did neglect.
But if hee died by wolues, as here I write,
His vice the cause mine author doth resite.

Wherefore although that authors heere dissent,
And I haue pend as praysed stories haue:
To reade his warnings thou maist bee content,
And take what counsaile of good life hee gaue.
I trust, I (dreaming) may some pardon craue,
For if the rest no dreames but stories pen,
Can I for that they write bee blamed then?

But what neede I on this to longer stay,
Sith many moe remayne which felt the fall.
Of Britayne Princes heathen reade you may,
As Maline one appearing next of all:
Whose tale in order now resite I shall.
Then here conceiue this wounded Prince you see,
Thus wise, of Fortune, speaking vnto mee.

[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,

118

If we in hope no hurte nor hatred ment:
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.

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.

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

119

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.

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.

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.

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:

120

What nede I here our inwarde griefes recyte?
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.

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.

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.

121

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.

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.

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.

122

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.

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.

FINIS.

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.

124

[MEMPRICIUS]

Mempricius giuen all to luste, pleasure and the sinne of Sodomye: telles how he was deuoured of wolues. The yeares before Christ. 989.

Tis often sayd a man should do likewyse
To other, as he would to him they did:
Do as thou wouldste be don to saith the wyse,
And do as conscience, and as iustice byd.
But he that myndes for rule another ryd,
Must not his handes with cruell bloud distayne:
For bloud doth alwayes cry for bloud agayne.

Eke lustfull life that sleepes in sinkes of sinne
Procures a plague, fy fy on Venus vyle.
We litle wot the mischiefe is therein,
When we with poisons sweete our selues beguile:
The pleasures passe, the ioyes indure but while,
And nought thereby at all we get or gaine:
But dreadfull death, and euerlasting paine.

125

Mee thincks thou lookist for to haue my name,
And musist what I am that thus do com:
I would or this haue tolde it but for shame,
Wherefore to giue example yet to som:
I will no longer faine my selfe so dom,
But sith I must as others tell their fall:
Take here my name, my life, my death and all.

I am Mempricius, Madans eldest sonne,
Once king of Britaine that my brother slewe:
Whereby the crowne, and kingdome all I won,
And after norisht vices moe that grewe.
Not natures lawes, nor Gods, nor mans I knew,
But liude in lust not recking any thing:
I demde was nought vnlawfull for a king.

For when I had my brother brought on beare,
I thought in rest to keepe this kingdome longe
And I was voyde of doubt, I had no feare:
Was none durst checke me, did I right or wrong:
I liude at large, and thought my powre so stronge:
There could no man preuaile against my will,
In steede of lawe that vsed rigor still.

So after that I fell to slouthfull ease,
A vice that breedes a nomber more besyde:
I waxt so testie none durst me displease

126

And eke so puft with glory vaine and pride.
My sencelesse sence as ship without a guide,
Was tost with euery fancye of my braine:
Like Phoebus chariote, vnder Phaetons raine.

I deemde them foes that me good counsaile gaue,
And those my chiefest frends could glose and lye:
I hated them that were so sage and graue,
And those I loude were lustye, lewde and slye:
I did the wisest wittes as fooles defye:
Such sots, knaues, ruffians, roisters I embrast:
As were vnwise, vnhonest, rude, vnchast.

I lusted eke as lothsome lechers vse,
My subiects wiues and daughters at my will
I did so often as me pleasde abuse,
Perforce I kept them at my pleasure still.
Thus gat I queanes, and concubines at fill:
And for their sakes I put away my wyfe:
Such was my lewdnes, lust, and lawlesse lyfe

But shame forbids mee for to tell the rest,
It mee abhorres to shew what did insue:
And yet because it moueth in my brest,
Compunction still and was God wot to true:
I will declare whence my destruction grue:
To Sodomes sinne alas I fell and than,
I was despised, both of God and man.

Could I long prosper thus, do you suppose?
Might ought of euill exceede these vices told?
Thincke you thers any wight on ground that goes,

127

Might scape reuenge, of vice so manifolde?
No sure, who is in sinnefulnes so bolde,
His vices fare like weedes, they sproute so fast:
They kill the corps, as weedes the corne at last.

My great outrage, my heedelesse heade, the life
I beastly led, could not continue soe,
My brothers bloud, my leauing of my wife:
And working of my frendes and subiects woe,
Cride still to God for my fowle ouerthroe:
Which heares the wrongd, he heedes their careful case,
And at the length doth all their foes deface.

Yet I mistrusting no mishaps at hande,
(Though I were worthy twenty times to dye)
I lewdly liude, and did my wealth withstande:
I neuer thought my ende was halfe so nye.
For my disport I rode on hunting I,
In woodes the fearefull hart I chased fast:
Till quite I lost my company at last.

And or I wist, to cost I found my foes,
By chaunce I came, wher as the wolues they bred.
Which in a moment did me rounde inclose:
And mounted at my horse his throte, and head.
Some on his hinder parts their paunches fed,
Yet fought I still to scape, if it might bee:
Till they my fainted horse, pulde downe with mee.

Then was I hopelesse to escape their iawes,
They fastned all their holders fast on mee:
And on my royall robes they set their clawes,
My Princely presence, nor my highe degree,

128

Moude them no more obeysaunt for to bee,
Nor of my corps, to take no more remorce:
Then did the greeuous groning of my horse.

But rauenously they rent, my breast and throte,
Forsoke my steede, came all at once and tare
My tender corps, from which they fleyde my coate.
And of my fleshe they made at all no spare:
They neuer left mee till my bones were bare.
Lo thus I slewe my brother, left my wife,
Liude vilely, and as vilely ended life.

Beware of bloudy broyles, beware of wronge:
Embrace the counsaile of the wise and sage.
Trust not to powre, though it be nere so stronge:
Beware of rashnes rude and roisters rage.
Eschew vile Venus toyes, she cuttes of age,
And learne this lesson of (and teach) thy frende:
By pocks, death sodaine, begging, harlots ende.

FINIS.

129

The Authour.
[_]

[The rewritten lenvoy of 1587 introducing the new tragedy of Bladud is printed on p. 227 with the tragedies added in 1587.]

On this mee thought he vanishte quite away,
And I was left with Morpheus all alone:
Whom I desyrde these gryzely ghostes to stay,
Till I had space to heare them one by one.
And euen with that was Somnus seruaunt gone,
Whereby I slept and toke mine ease that night,
And in the morninge rose their tales to write.

Nowe (Reader) if you thincke I miste my marke,
In any thinge whilere but stories tolde:
You must consider that a simple clarke,
Hath not such skill theffect of things t'unfolde,
But may with ease of wiser be controlde:
Eke who so writes as much the like as this,
May hap be demde likewise as much to misse.

Wherefore if these may not content your minde,
As eche man cannot fauour all mens vaines:
I pray you yet let me this frendship finde,
Giue your good will, I craue nought els for paines,
Which if you grutch mee, as to great a gaines:
Then is my loue to you, and labour lost,
And you may learne take heede, with greater cost.

But now me thinckes I heare the carpers tell,
Saith one, the writer wanted wordes to fill:
The next reproued the verse not couched well:
The thirde declares, where lackte a point of skill:

130

Some others say they like the myter ill.
But what of this? shall these dismay mee quite?
No sure, I will not cease for such to write.

For with more ease, in other workes they finde
A fault, then take vpon themselues to pen
So much, and eke content eche readers minde:
How should my verse craue all their likings then?
Sith sondry are the sects of diuers men,
I must endeuoure only those to please:
Which like that comes, so it be for their ease.

The rest I recke as they blame worthy bee,
For if the words I wrote for good intent:
Take other sence then they receiude of mee,
Be turnde to worse, torne, reached, rackt or rent
Or hackt and hewde, not constred as I ment:
The blame is theirs, which with my workes so mell:
Lesse faulty he that wisht his country well.

If some be pleasde and easde, I lease no toyle,
At carpers gyrdle hanges not all the keyes:
What price gaines he, that giues him fall or foyle,
Which neuer wan by wrastling any prayse,
I haue not spent in poetrye my dayes,
Some other workes in proase I printed haue:
And more I write for which I leysure saue.

And for mine age not thirty yeares hath past,
No style so rype can yonger yeares ataine.
For of them all, but onlye ten the last,
To learne the tongues, and write I toke the paine,
If I thereby receyued any gaine,
By Frenche or Latine chiefely which I chose,
These fiue yeares past by writing I disclose.

131

Of which, the first two yeares I Grammer taught:
The other twaine, I Huloets worke enlargde:
The last translated Aldus phrases fraught
With eloquence, and toke of Terence charge
At Printers hand, to adde the flowers at large
Which wanted there, in Vdalles worke before:
And wrote this booke with other diuers more.

Then pardon whats amisse, a while giue eare,
So shall you heare the rest that I recite,
Describing next what Princes did apeare:
When I had ended these are past to write.
In slomber as I chaunst to lye one night,
Was Somnus prest, whom I desyrde to sende
His Morpheus ayde, these Tragedies to ende.

Wherewith he graunted my request and calde
For Morpheus straight: which knew wherto he came.
“I will (quoth he) the rest, whom Fortune thralde.
“Of Britaynes shewe: thy selfe to heare them frame.
And therewithall he fet forth one like Fame,
In fethers all with winges so finely dight:
As twere a birde, in humane shape of flight.

Yet twas not Fame that femme of painted plume,
He rather seemed Icarus deceaude,
With winges to flye nighe Phoebus did presume.
At length in deede I plainly well perceaude,
It was some kinge of vitall breath bereaude,
From flight he fell presuming farre to hye:
Giue eare, take heede and learne not so to flye.

132

[BLADUD]

Bladud recyteth howe he practizinge by curious arts to flye, fell, and brake his necke. The yeare before Christe. 844:

[_]

[The Tragedy of Bladud was rewritten in the prevailing seven-line stanza for the edition of 1587. The later version is printed with the tragedies added in 1587, pp. 228–34.]

Shall I rehearse, likewise my name?
And eke a place amongste them fill,
Which at their endes to mischiefe came?
Sith Morpheus bids mee so I will.

And that because I see the minde,
To write my storye fate and fall,
Such curious heads it reade and finde:
May fly, to flee, and shunne my thrall.

If daunger teach them liue take heede:
If leesers harme, make lookers wyse:
If warines, do safetye breede,
Or wracke make sailers shelues dispise.

Then may my hurt, giue sample sure:
My losse of life may lokers learne:
My warning may beware procure,
To such as daunger scarce discerne.

I am that Bladud Britaine kinge,
Rudhudebras his eldest sonne,
Did learning first to England bring:
And other wonders more were done.

133

Nowe giue me eare, and after wryte:
Marke well my life example take:
Eschue the euill that I recyte,
And of my death a myrrour make.

In youth I gaue my mynde to lore,
For I in learning tooke repaste:
No earthly pleasure likte me more,
I went to Athens at the laste.

A towne in Greece, whose fame went foorth
Through all the world hir name was spred:
I counted knowledge so much woorth,
Hir only loue to Greece me led.

There first of all the artes of seuen,
Wherein before I had small skill:
I Grammer gate declares the steuen,
By rule to speake, and wryte at will.

Next after that in Rhetoricke fine,
Which teacheth how the talke to fyle:
I gate some knoweledge in short tyme,
And could perswade within a whyle.

I thirdly learned Logicke well,
An arte that teacheth to dispute:
To aunswere wisely or refell,
Distinguishe, proue, disproue, confute.

Then after that of nomber, I
The skilfull arte likwyse attainde:
Wherin of Mathematickes lye,
Full many pointes I after gainde.

134

And Musicke milde I lernde that telles,
Tune, tyme, and measure of the song:
A science swete the reste excelles,
For melody hir notes among.

But sixtly I the dame of artes,
Geometrie of great engine
Employde, with all hir skilfull partes:
Therby some greater giftes to winne.

So laste I lernde Astronomie,
A lofty arte that paste them all:
To know by motions of the skye,
And fixed starres, what chaunce might fall.

This pleasaunt arte alured me,
To many fonde inuentions then:
For iudgementes of Astrologie,
Delites the mindes of wisest men.

So doth the arte Phisiognomie,
Dependes on iudgment of the face:
And that of Metoposcopie,
Which of the forehead telles the grace.

And Chiromancie by the hande,
Coniectures of the inwarde minde:
Eke Geomancie by the lande,
Doth diuers many farlies finde.

Augurium eke was vsde of olde
By byrdes of future thinges presagde:
And many thinges therby they tolde,
Were skilfull, learned, wise and agde.

135

But Magicke for it, seemid sweete,
And full of wonders made me muse:
For many feates I thought it meete,
And pleasaunt for a prince to vse.

Three kindes there are, for natures skill,
The first they Naturall do name:
In which by herbes and stones they will,
Worke wonders thinges, are worthy fame.

The next is Mathematicall,
Where Magicke workes by nature so:
That brasen heades make speake it shall,
Of woode birdes, bodies flye, and go.

The thirde Veneficall by right,
Is named for by it they make:
The shapes of bodies chaunge in sight,
And other formes on them to take.

What nede I tell what Theurgie is,
Or Necromancie you despise:
A diuelishe arte, the feenes by this,
Seme calde, and coniurde to arise.

Of these too much I lerned then,
By those such secrete artes profeste:
For of the wise and skilfull men,
Whome Fame had praisde I gate the beste.

They promiste for to teache me so,
The secretes of dame natures skill:
That I nede neuer taste of woe,
But alwayes might forsee it still.

136

Wherefore enflamed with their loue,
I brought away the beste I coulde:
From Greece to Britayne lande to proue,
What feates for me deuise they woulde.

Of which were foure Philosophers,
For passing skill excelde the reste:
Phisitians and Astronomers,
In Athens all they were the beste.

My father harde of my retourne,
Of my successe in learning there:
And how the Greecians did adourne,
My wittes with artes that worthy were.

He herde likewise what store I brought,
Of learned Greekes from Aticke soyle:
And of my laboure learning sought,
With study, trauayle, paine and toyle.

I likewyse herde he builded here,
Three townes while absente thence was I:
By Southe he foundid Winchester,
By East he built Cantorbury.

By Weste full highe he builte the laste,
On hill from waters depe belowe:
Calde Shaftesbury on rockes full faste,
It standes and giues to Seas a showe.

These causde we both might well reioyce
He for because I gate such fame:
And I, for that by all mennes voyce,
His factes deserude immortall name.

137

What nedes much talke the peres, and all
The commons eke with one assente:
Extolde my name especiall,
Which had my youthe in learning spent.

I was receaude with triumphes great,
With pageauntes in eache towne I paste:
And at the courte my princly seate,
Was by my fathers ioyned faste.

The nobles then desirde to haue,
On me their children wayte and tende:
And royall giftes with them me gaue,
As might their powres therto extende.

But here began my cause of care,
As all delightes at length haue ende:
Bemixte with woes our pleasures are,
Amidste my ioyes, I loste a frende.

My father, nyne and twenty yeares,
This tyme had raignde and helde the crowne:
As by your cronicles appeares,
Whan fates, on vs began to frowne.

For euen amidste his moste of ioye,
As youth, and strengthe and honours fade:
Sore sicknes did him long anoye,
At laste, of life an ende it made.

Then was I chose king of this lande,
And had the crowne as had the reste:
I bare the scepter in my hande,
And sworde that all our foes oppreste.

138

Eke for because the Greekes did vse,
Me well in Greece at Athens late:
I bad those foure I brought to chuse,
A place that I might dedicate.

To all the Muses and their artes,
To learnings vse for euermore:
Which when they sought in diuers partes,
At last they found a place therfore.

Amidst the realme it lies welnighe,
As they by arte and skill did proue:
An healthfull place not lowe nor highe,
An holsome soyle for their behoue.

With water streames, and springes for welles:
And medowes sweete, and valeyes grene:
And woodes, groaues, quaries, all thinge else
For studentes weale, or pleasure bene.

When they reported this to me,
They prayde my grace that I would builde,
Them there an vniuersitie,
The fruites of learning for to yelde.

I buylte the scholes, like Atikes then,
And gaue them landes to maintayne those:
Which were accounted learned men,
And could the groundes of artes disclose.

The towne is called Stamforde yet,
There stande the walles vntill this daye:
Foundations eke of scholes I set,
Bide yet not maintainde in decaye.

139

Wherby the lande receauid store,
Of learned clarkes long after that:
But nowe giue eare I tell the more,
And then my fall, and great mishap.

Because that time Apollo was,
Surmisde the God that gaue vs wit:
I builte his temple braue did passe,
At Troynouant the place is yet.

Some saye I made the batthes at Bathe:
And made therfore two tunnes of brasse:
And other twayne seuen saltes that haue
In them, but these be made of glasse

With sulpher fylde, and other things,
Wylde fire, saltgem, salte peter eke:
Salte armoniake, salte Alchime,
Salte comune, and salte Arabecke.

Salte niter mixid with the rest,
In these fowre tunnes by portions right:
Fowre welles to laye them in were dreste,
Wherin they boyle, both daye and night.

The water springes them rounde about,
Doth ryse for ay and boyleth still:
The tunnes within and eke without,
Do all the welles with vapoures fill.

So that the heate and clensing powre,
Of Sulpher and of salts and fyre:
Doth make the bathes eche pointed houre,
To helpe the sickly health desyre.

140

These bathes to soften sinewes haue,
Great vertue and to scoure the skin:
From morphew white, and blacke to saue,
The bodies faint, are bathde therein.

For leprye, scabs, and sores are olde,
For scurfes, and botche, and humors fall:
The bathes haue vertues many folde,
If God giue grace to cure them all.

The ioyntes are swelde, and hardned milte:
And hardned liuer palseis paine,
The poxe and itche, if worke thou wilt,
By helpe of God it heales againe.

Shall I renege I made them then?
Shall I denye my cunning founde?
By helpe I had of learned men,
Those worthy welles in gratefull grounde?

I will do so: for God gaue grace,
Whereby I knewe what nature wrought:
And lent me lore to finde the place,
By wisedome where those welles I sought.

Which once confest lo here my harme,
Eschewe the like if thou be wise:
Let neuer will thy wits becharme,
Or make the chaunge of kinde deuise.

For if the fishe would learne to goe,
And leaue to swim against his vre:
When he were quite the waters froe,
He could not swim you may be sure.

141

Or if the beast would learne to flye,
That had no plumes by nature lent:
And get him winges as earst did I,
Would not thincke you it him repent?

Though Magicke Mathematicall,
Make wooden birdes to flye and sore:
Eke brasen heads that speake they shall,
And promise many marueiles more,

Yet sith it swarues from Natures will,
As much as these that I recite:
Refuse the fondnes of such skill,
Doth ay with death the proufe requite.

I deemde I could more soner frame,
My selfe to flye then birdes of woode:
And ment to get eternall fame,
Which I esteemde the greatest good.

I deckt my selfe with plumes and winges,
As here thou seest in skilfull wise:
And many equall poysing thinges,
To ayde my flight, to fall or rise.

Thou thinckste an art that seldome vsde,
In hand I toke, and so it was:
But we no daunger then refusde,
So we might bring our feates to passe.

By practise at the length I could,
Gainst store of winde with ease arise:
And then which way to light I should,
And mount, and turne I did deuise.

142

Which learned but not perfectly,
Before I had there of the sleight:
I flew aloft but downe fell I,
For want of skill againe to light.

Vpon the temple earst I built,
To God Apollo, downe I fell:
In fiters broisde for such a guilt,
A iust reuenge requited well.

For what should I presume so highe,
Against the course of nature quite:
To take me winges and saye to flye,
A foole no fowle in fethers dight.

As learning sounds and cunning finds,
To such haue wit the same to vse:
So she confounds, and marres the mindes,
Of those her secrets seeme t'abuse.

Well then deserts requirde my fall,
Presumption proude, depriude my breath:
Renowne bereft my life and all,
Desire of praise, procurde my death:

Do let alureing arts alone,
They pleasaunt seeme yet are they vaine:
Amongst an hundreth scarce is one,
Doth ought thereby but labour gaine.

Their cunning castes are crafty cares,
Deuices vaine deuisde by men:
Such witched wiles are Sathans snares,
To traine in fooles, dispise them then.

143

Their wisedome is but wily wit,
Their sagenes is but subtilty:
Darke dreames deuisde for fooles are fit,
And such as practise pampestry.

Thou seest my fall and eke the cause,
Vnwisely I good giftes abusde:
Lo here the hurt of learned sawes,
If they be wrested or misusde.

Then write my story with the rest,
May pleasure when it comes to vewe:
Take heede of counsailes all is best,
Beware, take heede farewell adieu.

Farewell, will students keepe in minde,
ουκ αρετα κακα εργα:
Els May they chaunce like fate to finde,
For why, τοις κακοις τρις κακα.

τελος.

144

The Authour.

When Bladud thus had ended quite his tale,
And tolde his life as you haue hearde before:
He toke his flight and then a Lady pale,
Apearde in sight, beraide with bloudy gore:
In hande a knife of sanguine dye she bore:
And in her breast a wounde was pearced wyde,
So freshly bledde, as if but than she dyde.

She staide a while, her colour came and went,
And doubtfull was that would haue tolde hir paine:
In wofull sort she seemed to lament,
And could not well her tongue from talke refraine.
For why her griefes vnfolde she would right faine,
Yet bashfull was: at length an ende to make,
Hir Morpheus wild, and then thus wise she spake.

LENUOY.

Who so that takes in hand the aire to scale,
As Bladud here did take on him to flie:
Or Dedals sonne (as Poets tell the tale)
Yong Icarus, that flew (they say) so hie:
Or else as Simon Magus flew perdy:
Though nere so well his plumes and winges hee decke,
By sea h'is dround, by land hee breakes his necke.

On ground is surest place for men to goe,
But yet take heede and let your ground bee good:
The surest footing is perdy beloe,
Who flyes the aire I count his dealing wood.
The slender buildings hauty, feoble stoode,
On high the tempests haue much powre to wrecke:
Then best to hide beneath, and surest for the necke.

King Bladud yet might here commended bee,
For that hee loued learning all his daies:
Eke for hee built an Vniuersity
At Staneford first, hee well deserued praise,
But now his nice Cordila here assaies,
From bleeding breast, to tell her woefull wrecke,
With knife in hand her desperate death to decke.

145

[CORDILA]

Cordila shewes how by despaire when she was in prison she slue herselfe. the yeare before Christe. 800.

Yf any wofull wight haue cause, to waile her woe:
Or griefes are past do pricke vs Princes tel our fal:
My selfe likewise must needes constrained eke do so,
And shew my like misfortunes and mishaps withal.
Should I keepe close my heauy haps and thral?
Then did I wronge: I wrongde my selfe and thee,
Which of my facts, a witnes true maist bee.

A woman yet must blushe when bashfull is the case,
Though truth bid tell the tale and story as it fell:
But sith that I mislike not audience time nor place
Therefore, I cannot still keepe in my counsaile well:
No greater ease of hart then griefes to tell,
It daunteth all the dolours of our minde,
Our carefull harts thereby great comfort finde.

For why to tell that may recounted be againe,
And tell it as oure cares may compasse ease:
That is the salue and medcine of our paine,
Which cureth corsyes all and sores of our disease:

146

It doth our pinching panges, and paines apease:
It pleades the part of an assured frende,
And telles the trade, like vices to amende.

Therefore if I more willing be to tell my fall,
And shew mishaps to ease my burdened brest and minde:
That others haply may auoide and shunne like thrall,
And thereby in distresse more ayde and comfort finde.
They maye keepe measure where as I declinde,
And willing be to flye like bruite and blame:
As I to tell, or thou to write the same.

For sith I see the prest to heare that wilt recorde,
What I Cordila tell to ease my inward smart:
I will resite my storye tragicall ech worde,
To the that giust an eare to heare and ready art,
And lest I set the horse behinde the cart,
I minde to tell ech thinge in order so,
As thou maiste see and shewe whence sprang my wo.

My grandsyre Bladud hight that found the Bathes by skill,
A fethered king that practisde for to flye and soare:
Whereby he felt the fall God wot against his will,
And neuer went, roode, raignde nor spake, nor flew no more.

147

Who dead his sonne my father Leire therefore,
Was chosen kinge, by right apparent heyre,
Which after built the towne of Leircestere.

He had three daughters, first and eldest hight Gonerell:
Next after hir, my sister Ragan was begote:
The thirde and last was, I the yongest namde Cordell,
And of vs all, our father Leire in age did dote.
So minding hir that loude him best to note,
Because he had no sonne t'enioye his lande:
He thought to giue, where fauoure most he fande.

What though I yongest were, yet men me iudgde more wise
Then either Gonorell, or Ragan had more age,
And fayrer farre: wherefore my sisters did despise
My grace, and giftes, and sought my praise t'swage:
But yet though vice gainst vertue die with rage,
It cannot keepe her vnderneth to drowne,
But still she flittes aboue, and reapes renowne.

Yet nathelesse, my father did me not mislike:
But age so simple is, and easye to subdue:
As childhode weake, thats voide of wit and reason quite:
They thincke thers nought, you flater fainde, but all is true:
Once olde and twice a childe, tis said with you,
Which I affirme by proofe, that was definde:
In age my father had a childishe minde.

148

He thought to wed vs vnto nobles three, or Peres:
And vnto them and theirs, deuide and part the lande:
For both my sisters first he sent as first their yeares
Requirde their mindes, and loue, and fauour t'understand.
(Quod he) all doubtes of duty to abande,
I must assaye and eke your frendships proue:
Now tell me eche how much you do me loue.

Which when they aunswered, they loude him wel and more
Then they themselues did loue, or any worldly wight:
He praised them and said he would againe therefore,
The louing kindnes they deserude in fine requite:
So found my sisters fauour in his sight,
By flatery fayre they won their fathers hart:
Which after turned, him and mee to smart.

But not content with this he minded me to proue,
For why he wonted was to loue me wonders well:
How much dost thou (quoth he) Cordile thy father loue?
I will (said I) at once my loue declare and tell:
I loude you euer as my father well,
No otherwise, if more to know you craue:
We loue you chiefly for the goodes you haue.

149

Thus much I said, the more their flattery to detect,
But he me answerd therunto again with Ire,
Because thou dost thy fathers aged yeares neglect,
That loude the more of late then thy desertes require,
Thou neuer shalt, to any part aspire
Of this my realme, emong thy sisters twayne,
But euer shalt vndotid ay remayne.

Then to the king of Albany for wife he gaue
My sister Gonerell, the eldest of vs all:
And eke my sister Ragan for Hinnine to haue,
Which then was Prince of Camber and Cornwall:
These after him should haue his kingdome all
Betwene them both, he gaue it franke and free:
But nought at all, he gaue of dowry mee.

At last it chaunst the king of Fraunce to here my fame,
My beutie braue, was blazed all abrode eche where:
And eke my vertues praisde me to my fathers blame
Did for my sisters flattery me lesse fauoure beare.
Which when this worthy king my wrongs did heare,
He sent ambassage likte me more then life,
T'intreate he might me haue to be his wife.

150

My father was content withall his harte, and sayde,
He gladly should obtaine his whole request at will
Concerning me, if nothing I herin denayde:
But yet he kept by their intisment hatred still,
(quoth he) your prince his pleasure to fulfill,
I graunt and giue my daughter as you craue:
But nought of me for dowry can she haue.

King Aganippus well agreed to take me so,
He deemde that vertue was of dowries all the best:
And I contentid was to Fraunce my father fro
For to depart, & hoapte t'enioye some greater rest.
I maried was, and then my ioyes encreaste,
I gate more fauoure in this prince his sight,
Then euer princesse of a princely wight.

But while that I these ioyes enioyd, at home in Fraunce
My father Leire in Britayne waxed aged olde,
My sisters yet them selues the more aloft t'aduaunce,
Thought well they might, be by his leaue, or sans so bolde:
To take the realme & rule it as they wold.
They rose as rebels voyde of reason quite,
And they depriude him of his crowne and right.

151

Then they agreed, it should be into partes equall
Deuided: and my father threscore knightes & squires
Should alwayes haue, attending on him still at cal.
But in six monthes so much encreasid hateful Ires,
That Gonerell denyde all his desires,
So halfe his garde she and her husband refte:
And scarce alowde the other halfe they lefte.

Eke as in Scotlande thus he lay lamenting fates,
When as his daughter so, sought all his vtter spoyle:
The meaner vpstarte gentiles, thought themselues his mates
And betters eke, see here an aged prince his foyle.
Then was he faine for succoure his, to toyle.
With all his knightes, to Cornewall there to lye:
In greatest nede, his Raganes loue to trye.

And when he came to Cornwall, Ragan then with ioye,
Receiued him and eke hir husbande did the lyke:
There he abode a yeare and liude without a noy,
But then they tooke, all his retinue from him quite
Saue only ten, and shewde him dayly spite,
Which he bewailde complayning durst not striue,
Though in disdayne they laste alowde but fiue.

152

On this he deemde him, selfe was far that tyme vnwyse,
When from his doughter Gonerell to Ragan hee:
Departed erste yet eache did him poore king despise,
Wherfore to Scotlande once againe with hir to bee
And bide he went: but beastly cruell shee,
Bereaude him of his seruauntes all saue one,
Bad him content him self with that or none.

Eke at what time he askte of eache to haue his garde,
To garde his grace where so he walkte or wente:
They calde him doting foole and all his hestes debarde,
Demaunded if with life he could not be contente.
Then he to late his rigour did repente,
Gainst me and sayde, Cordila now adieu:
I finde the wordes thou toldste mee to to true.

And to be short, to Fraunce he came alone to mee,
And tolde me how my sisters him our father vsde:
Then I besought my king with teares vpon my knee,
That he would aide my father thus by them misusde

153

Who nought at all my humble heste refusde:
But sent to euery coste of Fraunce for ayde,
Wherwith my father home might be conueide.

The soldiers gathered from eche quarter of the land,
Came at the length to know the king his mind & will:
Who did commit them to my fathers aged hand,
And I likewise of loue and reuerent mere goodwill
Desirde my king, he would not take it ill,
If I departed for a space withall:
To take a parte, or ease my fathers thrall.

This had: I partid with my father from my fere,
We came to Britayne with our royall campe to fight:
And manly fought so long our enmies vanquisht were
By martiall feates, and force by subiectes sword and might.
The Britishe kinges were fayne to yelde our right,
And so my father well this realme did guide,
Three yeares in peace and after that he dide.

Then I at Leircester in Ianus temple made,
His tombe and buried there his kingly regall corse,
As sondry tymes in life before he often bade:
For of our fathers will we then did greatly force,
We had of conscience eke so much remorce,
That we supposde those childrens liues to ill:
Which brake their fathers testament, and will.

154

And I was queene the kingdome after still to holde,
Till fiue yeares paste I did this Iland guyde:
I had the Britaynes at what becke & bay I wolde,
Till that my louing king myne Aganippus dyde.
But then my seate it faltered on eache side,
Two churlishe Impes began with me to Iarre,
And for my crowne wadgde with me mortal warre.

The one hight Morgan th'elder sonne of Gonerell
My sister, and that other Conidagus hight
My sister Ragans sonne, that loude me neuer well:
Both nephewes mine, yet wolde against me Cordel fight,
Because I loude always that semed right:
Therfore they hated me, and did pursue,
Their aunte and queene as she had bene a Iewe.

This Morgane was that time the prince of Albany,
And Conidagus king of Cornewale and of Wales:
Both which, at once prouided their artillery,
To worke me wofull wo, & mine adherentes bales:
What nede I fill thyne eares with longer tales?
They did preuaile by might and powre so faste
That I was taken prisoner at laste.

In spitefull sorte, they vsed then my captiue corse,
No fauoure shewde to me, extincte was mine estate.
Of kinred, princesse bloud, or pere was no remorce,
But as an abiecte vile and worse they did me hate,
To lie in darksome dongeon was my fate:
As twere a thiefe mine aunswers to abyde,
Gainst right and iustice, vnder Iaylours guyde.

155

For libertie at lengthe I suid, to subiectes were:
But they kepte me in pryson close deuoyde of truste,
If I might once escape, they were in dreade and feare,
Their fawning frendes with me would proue vntrue and iust.
They tolde me take it paciently I muste,
And be contented that I had my life:
Sithe with their mothers I began the strife.

Whereby I sawe might nothing me preuayle to pray,
Or pleade, or proue, defende, excuse or pardon craue.
They herde me not, despisde my plaintes, sought my decay,
I might no lawe, nor loue, nor right, nor iustice haue:
No frendes, no faith, nor pitie could me saue:
But I was from all hope of licence barde,
Condemde my cause like neuer to be herde.

Was euer lady in such wofull wreckfull wo:
Depriude of princely powre, berefte of libertie,
Depriud in all these worldly pompes, hir pleasures fro,
And brought from welthe, to nede distresse, and misery?
From palace proude, in prison poore to lye:
From kingdomes twayne, to dungion one no more:
From Ladies wayting, vnto vermine store.

From light to darke, from holsom ayre to lothsom smell:
From odewr swete, to sweate: from ease, to grieuous payne:
From sight of princely wights, to place where theues do dwel:
From deinty beddes of downe, to be of strawe full fayne:
From bowres of heauenly hewe, to dennes of dayne:
From greatest haps, that worldly wightes atchieue:
To more distresse then any wretche aliue.

156

When firste I lefte the crowne of Fraunce, did me exalte,
And eke my noble king, myne Aganippus true:
And came to Englande for their heynous factes, and faulte:
Which from his right and kingdom quite our father threw,
To take this realme, to raigne and treason knew:
I thinke of all misfortunes was the worste,
Or else I deeme, was some of vs accurste.

For marke my haplesse fall that drawes at length to ende,
As in this pryson vile, on lyue I lingering laye:
When I had mourned long, but founde no faithfull frende
That could me helpe, or ayde, or comforte any way,
Was serude at meate, as those their kinges betraye,
With fare God wot was simple, bare and thinne,
Could not sustayne the corps it entred in.

And when the sighes, & teares, & plaintes nigh burst my hart,
And place, and stenche and fare nighe poysond euery pore:
For lacke of frendes to tell my seas of giltlesse smarte,
And that mine eyes had sworne to take swete slepe no more,
I was content sithe cares oppreste me sore,
To leaue my foode, take mourning plaintes and crie,
And lay me downe, let griefe and nature trie.

Thus as I pyning lay my carkas on couch of strawe,
And felte that payne erste neuer creature earthly knewe:
Me thought by night a gryzely ghost in darkes I sawe,
Eke nerer still to me with stealing steps she drewe.

157

She was of coloure pale, a deadly hewe:
Hir clothes resembled thousand kindes of thrall,
And pictures playne, of hastened deathes withall.

I musing lay in paynes and wondred what she was,
Mine eyne stode still, mine haire rose vp for feare an ende.
My fleshe it shoke and trembled: yet I cryde alasse,
What wight art thou, a foe or else what fawning frende?
If death thou arte, I praye thee make an ende?
But th'arte not death: arte thou some fury sente?
My wofull corps with paynes to more tormente?

With that she spake I am (quoth she) thy frend Despaire
Which in distresse eache worldly wight with spede do ayde:
I rid them from their foes, if I to them repayre,
To long from thee by other caytiues was I stayde.
Now if thou arte to die no whit affrayde,
Here shalt thou choose of instrumentes, beholde?
Shall ridde thy restlesse life, of this be bolde.

And therwithall she spred her garmentes lap asyde,
Vnder the which a thousand thinges I sawe with eyes:
Both knyues, sharpe swordes, poynadoes all bedyde
With bloud, and poysons prest which she could well deuise.
There is no hope (quoth she) for thee to ryse,
And get thy crowne or libertie agayne:
But for to liue, long lasting pining payne.

158

Loe here (quoth she) the blade that Did' of Carthage highte,
Whereby she was from thousande panges of payne let passe:
With this she slewe hir selfe, after Aeneas flighte:
When he to sea from Tyrian shores departed was,
Do chouse of these thou seest from woes to passe,
Or bid the ende prolonge thy paynefull dayes,
And I am pleasde from thee to get my wayes.

With that was I (poore wretche) content to take the knife,
But doubtfull yet to dye, and fearefull faine would bide:
So still I lay in study with my selfe at bate and strife,
What thing were best of both these deepe extreames vntride.
My hope all reasons of dispayre denide,
And she againe replide to proue it best
To dye, for still in life my woes increast.

She calde to minde, the ioyes in Fraunce I whilom had:
She tolde me what a troupe of Ladies was my traine,
And howe the Lords of Fraunce and Britaynes both were glad,
Of late to waite on mee and subiects all were faine.
She tould I had bin bind Queene of kingdomes twaine,
And how my nephewes had my seate and crowne:
I could not rise, for euer fallen downe.

A thousand thinges, beside resited then dispaire:
She tould the woes in warres, that I had heapt of late:
Rehearst the prison vile, in steede of Pallas faire:
My lodging lowe and mouldy meates my mouth did hate,
She shewde mee all the dongeon where I sate,
The dankeishe walles, the darkes and bad me smell:
And bide the sauour if I likt it well.

159

Whereby I wretch deuoide of comfort quite and hope,
And pleasures past comparde with present paines I had:
For fatall knife slipt forth my fearefull hand did grope,
Dispaire in this to ayde my sencelesse limmes was glad,
And gaue the blade to ende my woes she bad.
I will (quoth I) but first with all my hart:
Ile pray the Gods, reuenge my wofull smart.

If any wronge deserue the wrecke I pray you skyes,
And starres of light, if you my wofull plight do rue:
O Phoebus cleare I thee beseech and pray likewise,
Beare witnes of my plaints well knowne to Gods are true.
You see from whence these iniuries they grue,
Then let like vengeaunce hap and light on those:
Which vndeserued were my deadly foes.

God graunt a mortall strife betwene them both may fall,
That one the other may without remorse distroye:
That Conidagus may, his cosin Morgan thrall,
Because he first decreast my wealth, bereft my ioye.
I pray you Gods he neuer be a Roy.
But caitife may be payde with such a frende:
As shortly may him bring, to sodaine ende.

Farewell my Realme of Fraunce, farewell Adieu:
Adieu mes nobles tous, and England now farewell:
Farewell Madames my Ladyes, car ie suis pardu:
Il me fault aler, desespoir m'a donne conseil

160

De me tuer, no more your Queene farewell.
My nephewes mee oppresse with maine and might,
A captiue poore, gainst iustice all and right.

And therewithall the sight did faile my dazeling eyne,
I nothing sawe saue sole Dispayre bad mee dispatch,
Whom I behelde, she caught the knife from mee I weene,
And by hir elbowe carian death for mee did watch.
Come on (quoth I) thou hast a goodly catch,
And therewithal Dispayre the stroke did strike:
Whereby I dyde, a damned creature like.

Which I alasse lament, bid those aliue beware,
Let not the losse of goodes or honour them constraine:
To play the fooles, and take such carefull carke and care,
Or to dispaire for any prison pine or paine.
If they be giltlesse let them so remaine,
Farre greater follye is it for to kill,
Themselues dispayring, then is any ill.

Sith first thereby their enmyes haue, that they desyre:
By which they proue to deadly foes vnwares a frende:
And next they cannot liue, to former blisse t'aspyre
If God do bring their foes in time to sodaine ende:
They lastly as the damned wretches sende,
Their soules to hell, when as they vndertake
To kill a corps: which God did liuely make.

FINIS.

161

The Authour.

Now when this desperate Queene had ended thus
Hir tale, and told what haplesse grace she had:
As of her talke some pointes I did discusse,
In slomber fallen I waxed wondrous sad.
Hir nephewes dealings were me thought to bad:
Which greude mee much, but Morpheus bad let bee,
And therewithal presented one to mee.

Of stature tall a worthy princely wight,
In countenaunce he seemde yet mourning still:
His complet harnesse not so braue in sight,
Nor sure as ours, made now adayes by skill:
But clampt together, ioynts but ioyned ill:
Vnfit, vnhandsome, heauy, houge and plaine,
Vnweldy wearing, ratling like a chaine.

162

Wherethroughe he had receiude a deadly stroake,
By sworde, or other instrument of warre,
And downe his thighes the bloud by sithes did soake
Which I perceiued as he came a farre.
“Now sith (quoth he) to heare you present are:
“I will declare my name, life, factes and fall.
And therewith thus he gan to tell it all,

LENUOY.

When as this desperate Queene had ended thus
Her tale, and tolde the haplesse grace she had:
As of her playnte som poyntes I did discusse,
Her sisters dealings were (mee thought) to bad.
Her cosens cruell both, for Kindomes mad.
Her owne estate most pityfull to see,
A Queene by kinred captiue kepte to bee.

So wise a Queene, so fayre a Princesse wrongde,
So dutifull in parents plight of yore:
By rebells vile hir cousens to bee throngde,
Such hatred hir ambitiously that bore.
Who euer saw such cruelty before?
Cordilaes state most pitifull to see,
By kinred cloce in prison kepte to bee.

But next from Wales in warlike armoure came
With wounded corps Morganus th'Albane king,
In woefull wise his doubtfull tale to frame,
And of his auntes distresse reports each thing.
Hee from Glamorgan this for truth doth bring,
That who by slaughter seekes a prince to bee,
As traytoure falles beneath his first degree.

[MORGAN]

Morgan telles how he wadgeing warre with his cosin Conidagus was slaine at the place yet called Glamorgan, the yeare before Christe. 766.

I wot not well what reasons I may vse,
To quite my selfe from blame, blameworthy I:
Wherefore I must perforce my selfe accuse,
I am in fault I can it not denye.
Remorse of conscience, prickes my hart so nye,
And me torments with panges of pinching paine:
I can no longer, me from speach refraine.

163

I am that Morgan sonne of Gonerell,
Th'ungrateful daughter, of her father Leire:
Which from his kingdome did him once expell,
As by the Brytishe stories may appeare.
Ragan, and shee conspirde both sisters were,
But were subdude againe, and causde to yeld
Their fathers crowne, Cordila wan the field.

I neede not here the storyes all recyte,
It were to longe but yet I briefely shall,
The cause Cordila ought hir sisters spite,
Was they procurde hir, and their fathers thrall:
Yet twas hir chaunce at length t'out liue them al,
Both sisters elder, and hir father graue:
And eke at length the kingdome all to haue.

That time was I of Albany the kinge,
Calde Scotland now and eke my cosin then
Of Cornewall and of Wales, whom I did bringe
To warre against Cordila and her men.
Wee said we would our title winne agen:
And that because our mothers had it yore,
Wee ment to get it ours againe therefore.

I must confesse I was the cause of warre,
I was not pleasde with that was looted mee:
Euen so our mindes Ambitious often ar,
And blinded that we cannot reason see.
Wee thincke no men, but Gods on earth we bee,
Yet worse are we then beasts, which know their kinde:
For we haue nought but mischiefe oft in minde.

We thincke if so we may our willes attaine:
By right, or wrong, by might or malice wee
Could neuer liue, like Fortune for to gaine.

164

Or if on foes, we once reuenged bee:
If that our ennemies fall, we chaunce to see,
O then we ioy we lift our selues to skye,
And on the poore, we crucifige crye.

I deemde if once, I might put her adowne:
The kingdomes all, were Conidags and mine,
And I could easly after winne the crowne:
If also I, his state might vndermine.
I thought in deede to haue it all in fine,
By force, or fraude I ment my purpose bring
To passe, I might be after Britaine king.

To speake in fewe, we waged warre so longe,
Gainst hir, at last we put hir vnto flight,
Wee nephewes for our aunt were farre to stronge,
Pursude and toke, depriude her of hir right.
Wee thought it ours what so we wanne by might,
Eke so play tyraunts, traytours all do watch,
To get by spoile, and count their owne they catch.

Not so contented were we with the pray,
But fearing lest she should recouer ayde:
I sent in hast to prison her away,
And all recourse of messengers denayde.
Thus when she sawe hir Maiesty decaide,
And that hir griefes and sorrowes daily grue:
In prison at the length hir selfe she slue.

O caytife vile should I constrainde a Queene
That Iustice ment, hir kingdome to forsake,
Nay traytour I, as now by proofe is seene

165

That would my selfe by bloudshed ruler make.
How could reuenge on me but vengeaunce take,
Before the seate of God, hir bloud did call:
For vengeaunce, and at length procurde my fall.

Lo here Gods iustice, see my treason see:
Beholde, and see to raigne was my delight,
And marke, and make a myrrour here of mee,
Which afterward was serude by iustice right.
Wee wan the crowne, betweene vs both in fight:
And then because I was the elder sonne,
Of th'elder Queene I claimed all we wonne.

So were my dealings nought, in peace and warre.
But for my force, and fortunes vsde in fight:
I past that time the Britaynes all by farre.
I was of person fortitude and might,
Both comely, tall, stronge, seemely eke in sight,
Whereby I wonne mens fauour, glory, wealth:
And puft with pride, at length forgate my selfe.

I said it was my right, the crowne to haue,
But Conidagus stoutly it denide:
Wherefore I went to Wales my right to craue.
With all mine army and to haue it tryde.
Where long we fought it stoutly on eche syde,
Till at the last vnto my wofull paine:
I was depriude of kingdome quite, and slaine.

And for to keepe in memorye for aye,
That there vnfaithfull Morgan lost his life,
The place is cald Glamorgan to this daye.

166

There was I perst to death with fatall knife,
There was the ende of all my hatefull strife:
So Morgan where he thought to win the crowne,
Was at Glamorgan traytour stricken downe.

Thus maist thou tell, how proude ambition proues,
What hap haue tyraunts, what we traitours haue:
What ende he hath, that cruel dealing loues:
What subiects get the Diademe do craue,
Tis better then to winne: thine owne to saue,
For so orethwartly trade of Fortune goes:
When win thou wouldst, then art thou sure to lose.

FINIS.

167

The Authoure.
[_]

[In the 1587 edition a body of new work is introduced at this point: (1) a new tragedy of Iago; (2) the tragedy of Forrex rewritten in the usual seven-line stanza; (3) the tragedy of Porrex rewritten in the six-line stanza used by Shakespeare in his Venus and Adonis; (4) four new tragedies, told by Pinnar, Stater, Rudacke, and Brennus; and (5) a corresponding set of new lenvoys. This new material will be found printed below, pp. 236–79. Lenvoy 11, written to serve as a link between the tragedies of Morgan and Iago, will be found on p. 235.]

With that Morganus quickly past away,
The night me thought likewise was far epast
Wherby it weried me so long to staye,
But Morpheus bad me byde and see the last,
“(quoth he) the storyes passe awaye as fast,
“As doth the time, and sithe th'art nigh th'ende:
“Thou nedste not grutche, so short a space to spend.

And turning then, him selfe from me asyde:
He calde the next which therwithall in sight,
Appearde and all his breste with bloud bedide,
What chaunce (quoth I) hath so thy corps bedight,
Thou worthy prince, or what mishaps of fight?
“I will (quoth he) with all my hart vnfolde
“My fatall fall, and therwithall he tolde.

168

[FORREX]

Forrex declares howe hee mynding to kill his brother whiche ruled with him (that he might therby raigne alone) was by him slayne. About the yeare before Christe. 491.

[_]

[This tragedy, rewritten for the 1587 edition, will be found on pp. 240–44.

Pride moues the mindes, of stately wightes
Such hauty hartes to haue,
And causeth vs for glory vayne,
That is not ours to craue.

Pryde pluckes out reason forth hir place,
And planteth will in stede:
She puffes our mindes with vayne desires,
Our fancies fonde to feede.

Wherby we growe so obstinate,
And so ambitious ill:
That vs at length our brauery bids,
In all thinges vse our will.

Ambition thinkes that lawefull is,
Which likes hir fancie beste:
And demes she ought to haue hir forthe,
And swinge before the reste.

She loues no mates, controlement shee
And warning doth despise:
She demes her selfe in all hir deedes,
And actions wonders wise.

169

She hath desire of this and that,
To get by crouche or clawe:
By right or wronge she forceth not,
She vseth will for lawe.

No kinde, or countrey she regardes,
No mother, father shee:
Nor wyfe, or husbande, kithe or kin:
But enuies eache degree.

For if thy hart Ambition haue,
Thy greedy mynde to fill:
Thou wilt not sticke thy dearest frende,
or nerest kin to kill.

But as the prouerbe sayes that Pryde,
Must needes at lengthe haue fall:
Though we suppose of strengthe and powre,
We haue the deuill and all.

Euen so I saye Ambition makes,
Vs often clyme so hie:
At length we fall, we come to nought,
And drownde in darkenes lye.

This may I Forrex well auouche,
By proufe to true I finde:
Wherfore I praye the with the reste,
Do put my faultes in mynde.

My father olde hight Gorboduge,
Raignde three score yeares and three:
And at his death gaue all his lande,
Twene Porrex proude and mee.

170

Fyue yeares we helde, it so in peace,
In reste we ruled well:
But at the last by pryde and wrathe,
Wee foule at discorde fell.

We eache encrotchte on others partes,
For rule we liude at strife:
And eache did seeke occasion aye,
To reaue the others life.

I made this counte I elder was,
By birthe the realme was myne:
By warre, or wrong, or bloud I mente,
To haue it all in fine.

And he although he yonger were,
Esteemde his state so sure
As mine: and thought it his, if hee
My death might once procure,

My mother eke, that loude me more,
Although he yonger was:
By diuers meanes did helpe me still,
To bring my feates to passe.

Wherby I thought my selfe so sure,
To haue my purpose sped:
As I requirde if once I might,
Get of his crafty head.

See here what faith what frendship is,
What loue what fauoure wee:
Do shewe to any wight aliue,
If once alofte we bee

171

To fathers, we are faithlesse ofte:
To brothers, butchers vile:
Of sisters smale accounte we make,
And wedded wyues exile.

If any kithe, or kin, we haue,
By whom we vantage may:
We care not by what cruell meanes,
Their liues we take away.

But for to get the seate alone,
And for to wynne the crowne:
We care not whom, nor when, nor howe:
So we may get them downe.

O brutishe beastes! nay worse then those,
For they are still contente:
With that they haue what euer them,
Hath God or Nature sente.

But we do gape, and gaze for glore:
We prowle, and powle, and pill,
And sweare, and stare, and striue, & fighte,
And one an other kill.

And all for pompe, and glorie great,
For name, renowne, estate:
Not caring of the commons crye,
Or Godes eternall hate.

If I had had, the giftes of grace,
I neuer would haue sought:
By any meanes such worldly trashe,
With brothers bloud to boughte.

172

But as I ment euen so I sped,
So bloudy butchers thye:
When moste I deemde my purpose sure,
He was to good for me.

For as I thought his bloud to shed,
I compaste was about,
So that for thousand kingdomes, I
Could not with life scape out.

He perste my hart, what skilles it sithe,
My minde was euen as bad:
For why what measure I him mente,
My selfe like measure had.

And so all such, as murder meane,
Intende, or treason vse:
Shall at the lengthe, like ende attayne,
Or worse they cannot chuse.

FINIS.

173

The Authour.

When as king Forrex thus had tolde his tale,
Me thought he stayde no whit but went his way.
Then came a mangled corps as full of bale,
And or he nerer came made halfe a stay.
“(quoth Morpheus) come for shame thou nedste not stay,
“As bad as thou haue tolde their tales before,
“And so must thou and diuers other more.

[PORREX]

Porrex recites howe for the slaughter of his brother, he was slayne by his owne mother and hir maydens, as he laye sleeping. About the yeare before Christe. 491.

[_]

[The 1587 version of this lenvoy is printed on p. 245.]

[_]

[This tragedy, rewritten for the 1587 edition, will be found on pp. 246–48.

Genes. 4.

From darkesome dennes, where cruell Cayne,
And others like do lye:
Whose bloudie blades were bathde in bloud,
Poore caytiue thence come I.

Annius.

Where Typhon is his brother slewe,
Osiris in despite:
And where their sister Isis is,
Did him againe requite.

174

Virgil.

Wher Dardanus to rule alone,
His brother made away:

In culi.

Etheoclus, Polinicus,
At once did others sley.

Seruius. 3.

Where Helenus king Priams son:

Aeneid.

His brother Theon kilde.

Ouid in Iben.

Medea eke in bloudy wyse:
Hir brothers bloud that spilde.

Statius

Where Tydeus is in hunting shote
His brother through the side
Polytes eke his brothers harte
With sworde that opened wyde.

Herodotus.

And where as that Cambyses is,
His syster once that slewe.

Gel. lib. 4. Cap. 3.

And Polipontes king that made,
His brother treason rewe.

And cruell where Odores is,
Which mercy did deny:
To Mithridate his brother deare,
That did for pardon crie.

Herodotus.

Eke where Learchus is that did,
His brother sicke destroy:
With poyson deadly hoping so,
To make him selfe a Roy.

Ouid in Iben.

And where that wretche Mamertes lyes.
His brothers sonnes that spilte.
And Sisapho tormenting him,
For such an heynous gilte.

175

Plutarch.

Where Rhesus and Caduidus are,

Laert.

with shaftes their brethren slewe,

Volater.

And Philadelphus Ptolomae,
his brothers death did brewe.

Volater.

Where Philopater Ptolomae,
his father made away:
And after that his brother with
his dearist frendes did slay.

Plato 10. de rep.

And where Ardieus tyraunt vile,
his aged father stroyde.
And after that his elder bro-
ther kingdomes to enioyde.

Caelius.

Where Mithridatus beastly king,
of Pontus feeles anoye:
Which mother his and brother eke,
sixe children did destroye.

Volat.

Where is Antiochus the great,
His brother brought to graue:
That he might onely raigne alone,
and all the kingdome haue.

Liuius.

Where Romulus that Remus slew,

Lucan.

of Romaines first had fall:

Ouid.

Though louing brother first he were,
presumde to scale the wall.

Flores Hist.

And where Mempricius lewde doth lye,
a Britaine Prince that slue,
His brother Manlius fearing lest,
he were to him vntrue.

176

Salust.

Where Iugurth eke that basterde is,
his brethren brought to graue:
That after them Numidia,
he might for kingdome haue.

And where a Thousande are beside,
which were to longe to tell:
Their parents deare and brethren slue,
and now in darkenes dwell.

From thence I came a Britaine yore,
namde Porrex once a kinge
Againe: to shewe what vices mee,
To sodaine death did bringe.

Now list a while and then do write,
what I thee tell: that others may,
Themselues in such attempts as these,
from bloudy acts, as brethren stay.

My brother Forrex fiue yeares space,
and I this kingdome helde:
Betweene vs both the common weale,
wee scace did wisely welde.

At length we fondly fell at strife,
so Princes bide no mate,
Nor make, nor partners, with to raigne
but beare their equals hate.

The heire because I yongest was,
thought his by right the crowne:
But I esteemde the halfe was mine,
and all if he were downe.

177

Whereby O brothell, butcher eke,
not brother I did slay:
My brother for to haue it all,
and get his right away.

Such are the acts of heedelesse youthes,
Such are their studies still:
Which care not what offence they make,
So they their fancies fill.

But as it is vniustice, and
an haynous acte to vse:
Such murder, slaughter, paricide
and Iustice all refuse.

So Ioue the iust at length requites,
our deedes: and makes vs rewe,
Wee euer were, to God, or man
or natures hestes vntrue.

For when I deemde the crowne was mine:
which had my brother slaine.
O griefe to tell my mother, and
hir maydens wrought my paine.

Both for my fault, and for she loude,
my brother Forrex still:
With all hir maides she came by night,
my sleeping corps to kill.

And I that slombring sleeping lay,
though many dreames fortolde,
My haplesse fall: could neuer wake,
the meaning to vnfolde.

178

But last supposing with my selfe,
I cruel Tigres sawe,
With rauening fearcenes, rent theyr yong:
against dame Natures lawe.

She came on mee to fill my dreame,
before my eyes could wake,
And with a dagger reft my life:
for Forrex slaughters sake.

Virgil in Culice.

Much like Agaue and hir mates,
shee and hir maidens got:
Them tooles therefore, and hewde my corse,
as small as fleshe to pot.

Ouid. 6. metamor.

Or Progne Queene hir children slue,
and hewde their membres small:
In wrathfull ire made Tereus feede,
and fill himselfe withall.

Virgil. 8. Aegl.

Or like Medea monster Queene,
hir Iasons sonnes that kilde:
Because she was forsaken when,
his purpose was fulfilde.

Like these was shee nay worse for why,
this ended Brutus line:
Brought mee to ende and hir to shame,
Though first the fault were mine.

Bid those beware that weene to winne,
by bloudy acts the crowne:
Lest from the height they feele the fall,
of topsy turuye downe.

179

For if when they suppose themselues,
aloft to touche the skye,
There chaunce a storme there is no holde,
to staye themselues so hye.

But faster farre, more swiftly they,
and with more swinge descende:
Then euer erst they could with all,
their force to clime contende:
Do bid them then in all their deedes,
marke well the fineall ende.

FINIS.

180

The Authour.

Next after Porrex came another such,
Had all his body quite in peeces rent:
A desperate man, his life bewayling much.
Which for he seemed sorely to lament,
I was the rather him to heare content:
That I might also note his story here,
From like attempts of vices you to feare.

[KIMARUS]

Kimarus shewes howe for his euill life he was deuoured by wilde beastes, the yeare before Christ 321.

[_]

[See p. 249 for this lenvoy as rewritten in 1587 to serve as a link between the tragedies of Porrex and Pinnar.]

No place commends the man, vnworthy prayse:
No title of estate, doth stay vp vices fall:
No wicked wight, to woe can make delayes:
No loftye lookes preserues the proude at all:
No bragges or boaste, no stature high and tall:
No lofty youth, no swearing, staringe stoute:
No brauery, banding, cogging, cutting out.

181

Then what auayles, to haue a princely place:
A name of honour, or an highe degree:
To come by kinred, of a noble race:
Except wee princely, worthy, noble bee:
The fruite declares the goodnes of the tree.
Do bragge no more, of birth or linage than:
Sith vertue, grace, and maners make the man.

My selfe might bragge and first of all begin,
Mulmutius made and constituted lawes:
And Belinus and Brenne his sonnes did win,
Such praise their names to bee immortall cause.
Gurgunstus Redbearde with his sober sawes,
The sonne of Beline and my grandsyre grande:
Was fortunate what ere he toke in hande.

His sonne my grandsyre Guintheline did passe,
For virtues praise, and Martia was his wyfe,
A noble Queene that wise and learned was,
And gaue hir selfe to studye all hir life,
Deuising lawes, discust the endes of strife,
Amonge the Britaynes, to hir endlesse Fame:
Hir statutes had of Martian lawes the name.

My father eke was sober, sage and wise,
Cicilius hight king Guintheline his sonne,
Of noble Princes then my stocke did rise:
And of a Prince of Cornewall first begonne,
But what thereby of glory haue I wonne?
Can this suffice to aunsweare eke for mee,
I came by parents of an highe degree?

182

Or shall I saye Kimarus I was king?
Then might I liue as lewdely as I lust?
No sure I cannot so auoyde the stinge,
Of shame that prickes such Princes are vniust:
We rather should vnto our vertues trust,
For vertue of the auncient bloud and kin,
Doth onely praise the parties shees within.

And nobles onely borne, of this be sure,
Without the vertues of their noble race:
Do quite and cleane themselues thereby obscure,
And their renowne and dignities deface:
They do their birth, and linage all abace:
For why in deede they euer ought so well,
In vertues graue: as titles braue excell.

But oft (God wot) they fare as erst did I,
They thincke if once they come of Princelye stocke:
Then are they placed safe, and sure so hye
Aboue the rest as founded on a rocke.
Of wise mens warnings all they make a mocke:
Theyr counsayles graue, as abiect reedes despise:
And count the braue, men gracious, worthy wise.

This kingdome came to mee by due discent,
For why my father was before mee kinge:
But I to pleasure all and lust was bent,
I neuer reckt of Iustice any thinge:
What purpose I did meane to passe to bringe,
That same t'accomplishe I withall my might
Endeuorde euer, were it wronge or right,

183

I deemde the greatest ioyes, in earthly hap:
I thought my pleasures euer would abide:
I seemde to sit, in Ladye Fortunes lap:
I reckt not all the world, me thought beside:
I did by lust my selfe, and others guide:
Whereby the fates to worke my bane withall,
And cut me of, thus wise procurde my fall.

As I was alwayes bent to hunting still,
(Yet hunting was no vice to those I had)
When I three yeares had rulde this realme at wil,
In chace a chaunce did make my harte full sad:
Wilde cruell beastes as desperate and mad,
Turnde back on me, as I them brought to baye:
And in their rage, my sinfull corps did sley.

A iuste rewarde, for so vniust a life,
No worse a death, then I deserued yore.
Such wreckes in th'ende to wretches all are rife:
Who may and will not call for grace before.
My wilful deedes wer nought, what wilt thou more:
My wanton wildnesse, witlesse, heedelesse toyes:
By brutishe beastes bereaud me of my ioyes.

FINIS.

184

The Authour.

On this Kimarus lefte me all alone,
And so did Morpheus, then I thought to reste:
But yet againe he came presenting one,
For audience likewyse making his requeste,
A worthy prince, he ware a warlike creste:
A blade in hande, he bloudy rusty bore,
Was all his harnesse from his shoulders tore.

His armes, and handes were all embrued in bloud,
So was his breste, but all the reste beside,
Seemde rayde with matter vyle, or slimy mud,
With red and yelow as it were bedide:
You scarcely could the sight therof abide:
Yet sithe he seemde some worthy wight to be,
It brought by farre lesse squemishnes to me.

LENUOY.

By this appeares that time in Britayne were
Aboundant store of wolues, and vices rife:
Mempricius tale the like doth witnesse beare,
And so doth Madans mangled end of life.
These though they scaped stout Bellonaes knife,
Yet in the end for vices foule they fell
By Wolues deuourde, mine Author so doth tell.

The glory vaine that fades and flits away,
Makes men so blinde, they looke not on the end:
Allurde to losse, on earthly pompe they stay,
But fewe to scale the vertue towres contend.
Fewe seeke, by Christ, the heauenly way to wend:
The onely causes why these Princes fell,
Are vices vile, as auncient authors tell.

Next after this, on stage a Prince appearde,
With slimye glere, and bloud beraide that came:
In hand a dagger drawne his foe that dearde
Hee bare perdy, and showde mee eke the same.
And thus his tale in order hee did frame
As shall ensue, so hee mee thought did tell
How hee was slaine, and slewe a monster fell.

185

[MORINDUS]

Morindus a bastarde, declares how hee was exalted to the kingdome, waxed cruell, and at laste was deuoured by a monster, the yeare before Christe. 303.

Let me likewyse declare my factes and fall:
And eke recite what meanes this slimye glere:
You nede not fayne so quaynte a looke at all,
Although I seeme so fulsome euery where.
This blade in bloudy hande perdy I beare,
And all this gore bemingled with this glue:
In wytnes I my deadly enmy slewe.

Then marke my tale beware of rashnes vile,
I am Morindus once was Britayne king:
On whome did swetely lady Fortune smyle,
Till she me to hir top of towres did bring.
My fame both farre and nere she made to ringe,
And eke my prayse exalted so to skye:
In all my time, more famous none then I.

186

Some saye I was by birthe, a bastarde bace:
Begotten of the prince his concubine.
But what I was, declared well my grace:
My fortitude, and stature princely mine:
My father eke that came of princely line,
King Danius gaue not so bace degree,
Nor yet the noble Britaynes vnto mee.

For feates of armes, and warlike pointes I paste:
In courage stoute, ther lyude not then my pere:
I made them all, that knewe my name agaste,
And heard how great my enterprises were,
To shrinke, and slynke, and shifte aside for feare:
All which at length, did me such glory bring,
My father dead, the Britaynes made me king.

But see how blinde we are, when Fortune smyles,
How senceles we, when dignities increase:
We euer vse our selues discretely whyles
We little haue, and loue to liue in peace.
Smale fauters factes, with mercy we release:
We vse no rigoure, rancoure, rapine such:
As after, when we haue our willes to much.

For while that I, a subiecte was no king,
While I had nothing, but my factes alone:
I studied still, in euery kinde of thing
To serue my prince and vnderfange his fone:
To vse his subiectes frendly, euerichone:
And for them all, aduentures such to take,
As might them all my persone fauoure make.

But when I once, attained had the crowne,
I waxed cruell, tyranous and fell:
I had no longer mynde of my renowne:
I vsde my selfe to ill, the truthe to tell:

187

O bace degree in happy case full well
Which art not pufte with pryde, vainglory hate:
But art beneath, content to byde thy fate.

For I aloft, when once my heate was in:
Not raignd by reason, ruled all by might:
Ne prudence rekte, right, strength, or meane a pyn:
But with my frendes, in anger all would fight:
I stroke, kilde, slewe who euer were in sight:
Without respect, remorce, reproufe, regarde,
And like a mad man, in my fury farde.

I deemde my might, and fortitude was suche:
That I was able therby conquire all.
Highe kingdomes seate, encreaste my pompe so much:
My pryde me thought, impossible to fall.
But God confoundes our proude deuices all,
And bringes that thing wherein we moste do truste:
To our destruction, by his iudgement iuste.

For when three yeares I ruled had this Isle,
Without all rule, as was my rulesse lyfe:
The rumour ran abroade within a whyle,
And chiefly in the Norweste country ryfe:
A monster came from Th'irish seas, brought griefe,
To all my subiectes in those coastes did dwell,
Deuouring man, and beaste a monster fell.

Which when I knew for trought I straight preparde
In warlike wyse my selfe to try the case:
My haste therto a courage bolde declarde,
For I alone would enter in the place.
At whom with speare on horse I fetchte my race.
But on his scales it enter could no more:
Then might a bulrushe on a brasen dore.

188

Againe I proufde, yet nought at all preuailde,
To breake my speare, and not to pearce his side:
With that the roaring monster me assailde,
So terrifide my horse, I could not ride.
Wherwith I lighted and with sworde I tryde,
By strokes and thrustes to finde some open in:
But of my fight he neuer past a pin.

And when I weried was, and spent with fighte:
That kept my selfe with heede his daunger fro,
At laste almoste ashamde I wanted mighte,
And skill to worke the beastly monster wo.
I gate me nerer with my sworde him to,
And thought his flanckes or vnderpartes to wounde:
If there from scales, might any place be founde.

But frustrate of my purpose, finding none,
And eke within his daunger entred quite:
The grizely beaste, straight seasoned me vpon,
And let his talentes, on my corps to light,
He gripte my shoulders, not resiste I might:
And roaring with a greedy rauening looke,
At once in iawes, my body whole he tooke.

The way was large, and downe he drew me in:
A monstrous paunche for rowmthe & wondrous wide,
But for I felte more softer there the skinne,
At once I drewe, a dagger by my side:
I knew my life, no longer could abide:
For rammishe stenche, bloud, poyson, slymy glere:
That in his body, so aboundaunt were.

189

Wherefore I labouring to procure his death,
While first my dagger digde about his harte:
His force to caste me, welnie drew my brethe,
But as he felt within, his woundes to smarte:
I ioyde to feele the mighty monster starte,
That roarde, & belcht, & groande, & plungde & cride,
And toste me vp and downe, from side to side.

Long so in panges he plundgde, and panting lay
And drewe his wynde, so faste with such a powre:
That quite and cleane he drew my breath away,
We both were dead well nighe within an howre.
Lo thus one beastly monster did deuoure,
An other monster moodelesse to his payne:
At once the realme was rid, of monsters twayne.

Here maist thou see of fortitude the hap,
Where prudence, Iustice, Temperaunce hath no place:
How sodainly we taken are in trap,
When we despise good vertues to embrace.
Intemperaunce doth all our deedes deface,
And lettes vs heedlesse headlong run so faste,
Wee seeke our owne destruction at the laste.

For he that hath of fortitude and might,
And therto hath a kingdome ioynde withall:
Except he also guyde him selfe aright,
His powre and strength preuaileth him but small.
He cannot scape at length an haplesse fall,
Or Gods reuenge, example take by mee:
And let my death sufficient warning bee.

FINIS.

190

The Authour.
[_]

[In the 1587 edition this lenvoy is rewritten and a body of new work, consisting of the tragedies of Emerianus, Chirinnus, and Varianus, and three new lenvoys, is introduced. These additions are printed below, on pp. 281-88.]

I could not thus departe to take my reste,
For Morpheus bad me byde and heare the laste.
“(quoth he) behinde as yet, is one the beste:
“Do stay a whyle, giue eare till he be paste.
And therewithall approtched one full faste,
The worthiest wight I euer erste did see:
These woordes he spake, or like it seemed mee.

191

[NENNIUS]

Nennius a worthy Britayne, the very paterne of a valiaunt, noble, and faithful subiecte encountring with Iulius Caesar at his firste comming into this Islande, was by him death wounded, yet nathelesse he gate Caesars swoorde: put him to flighte: slewe therewith Labienus a Tribune of the Romaynes, endured fight till his countrey men wan the battayle, died fiftene dayes after. And nowe encourageth all good subiectes to defende their countrey from the powre of foraine and vsurping enemies. About the yeare before Christe. 50.

I may by right some later wryters blame,
Of stories olde, as rude or negligente:
Or else I may them well vnlearned name,
Or heedelesse, in those thinges about they wente:
Some tyme on mee, as well they might haue spente:
As on suche traytours, tyrauntes harlottes those,
Which to their countreyes, were the deadliest foes.

192

Ne for my selfe, I would not this resite,
Although I haue occasion good therto,
But sure me thinkes, it is to greate dispite,
These men to others and their countries do.
For there are Britaynes nether one nor two,
Whose names in stories scarcely once appeare:
And yet their liues, examples worthy were.

Tis worthy praise (I graunt) to write the endes
Of vicious men, and teach the like beware:
For what hath of virtue that commends,
Such persones lewde, as nought of vertues care:
But for to leaue out those praiseworthy are:
Is like, as if a man had not the skill,
To praise the good but discommend the ill.

I craue no praise, although my selfe deserude,
As great a laude as any Britaine yore:
But I would haue it tolde how well I serude,
My Prince and countrey, faith to both I bore:
All noble hartes, hereby with couradge more:
May both their forraine, foes in fight withstande,
And of their enmyes haue the vpper hande.

Againe to shewe how valiaunt then we were,
(You Britaynes good) to moue your harts therby,
All other Nations lesse in fight to feare,
And for your country rather so to dye
With valiaunt hauty couradge as did I:
Then liue in bondage, seruice, slauery, thrall
Of foraine powres, which hate your manhode all.

193

Do giue mee leaue to speake but euen a while:
And marke, and write this story I the tell.
By North from London, more then fiftye myle:
There lyes the Isle, of Ely knowne full well:
Wherein my father built a place to dwell,
And for because he liked well the same:
He gaue the place he Ely hight, his name.

Tis namde the Isle of Ely yet perdy,
My father namde it so, yet writers misse.
Or if I may be bolde to saye: they lye
Of him, which tell that farre vntruthlike is.

Lanquet.

What truth (I pray you) seemes to bee in this?

Stowe.

“Hee Ely loude, a goodly place built there:

Grafton.

“Most it delited, raignde not full a yere.

He raigned fourtye yeares as other tell,

Flores Hist.

Which seemes as tis a tale more true by farre:
By iustice guided he his subiects well,
And liude in peace without the broyles of warre.
His childrens noble actes in storyes ar.
In vulgare tongue: but nought is said of mee,
And yet I worthy was, the yongste of three.

His eldest sonne and heire was after king,
A noble Prince and he was named Lud:
Full polliticke and wise in euery thing,
And one that wild his country alwayes good.
Such vses, customes, statutes he withstoode,
As seemde to bring the publique weales decaye:
And them abolisht, brake, repealde awaye.

194

So he the walles of Troy the new renewde;
Enlargde them made, with fourty towres about,
And at the West side of the wall he vewde
A place, for gates to keepe the enmyes out:
There made he prisons for the poore bankrout,
Namde Ludgate yet for free men debters, free
From hurt, till with their creditours they gree.

Some say the Citye also toke the name
Of Lud my brother: for he it reparde,
And I must needes as true confesse the same:
For why that time no cost on it he sparde.
He still encreast and peopled euery warde:
And bad them aye Kaer lud the city call,
Or Ludstone, now you name it London all.

At length he dyed, his children vnder age.
The elder named was Androgeus,
Committing both vnto my brothers charge:
The yonger of them hight Tennancius.
The Britaynes wanting aged rulers thus,
Chose for that time Cassibellane their kinge,
My brother Iustice ment in euery thinge.

The Romaine then the mighty Caesar fought,
Against the Galles and conquerde them by might,
Which don: he stode on shores wher see he mought
The Ocean seas, and Britayne clieues full bright.
“(Quoth hee) what Region lyes there in my sight,
“Mee thinckes some Ilande in the seas I see:
“Not yet subdued, nor vanquisht yet by mee?

195

With that they told him, wee the Britaynes were:
A people stoute, and fearce in feates of warre.
“(Quoth he) the Romaynes neuer yet with feare,
“Of Nation rude, was daunted of so farre:
“Wee therefore minde, to proue them what they are.
And therewithall, the letters hither sent,
By those Embassage brought, and thus they went.

C. Iulius Caesar Dict. of Rome to Cassibellane kinge of Britaine sendeth greetinge.

“Sith that the Gods haue giuen vs all the West,
“As subiects to our Romaine Empire hie:
“By warre, or as it seemed Ioue the best,
“Of whom we Romaynes came and chiefely I.

“Therefore to you which in the Ocean dwell,
“As yet not vnderneth subiection due:
“Wee sende our letters greeting, wete ye well,
“In warlike cases, thus we deale with you.

“First that you as the other Regions paye,
“Vs tribute yearely, Romaynes we require:
“Then that you will with all the force you may,
“Withstand our foes, as yors with sword and fire.

196

“And thirdly that by these, you pledges sende,
“T'assure the couenaunts once agreed by you.
“So with your daunger lesse, our warres may ende:
“Els bid we warre, Cassibellane Adieu.

Caesar.

No sooner were these Caesars letters seene,
But straight the king for all his nobles sent:
He shewd them what their auncestours had bene.
And praide them tell in this their whole intent.
He tould them where about the Romaynes went,
And what subiection was, how seruile they
Should bee, if Caesar bare their pompe away.

And all the Britaynes euen as set on fyre,
(My selfe not least enflamed was to fight)
Did humblye him in ioyfull wise require:
That he his letters would to Caesar write,
And tell him plaine wee paste not of his spite.
Wee past as litle, of the Romaynes wee,
And lesse: then they of vs, if lesse might bee.

Wherefore the ioyfull kinge againe replide,
Through counsaile wise of all the nobles had,
By letters hee the Romaynes hestes denyde:
Which made the Britayns hauty harts full glad,
No doubt the Romaynes more then halfe were mad,
To here his letters written, thus they went:
Which he againe to mighty Caesar sent.

197

Cassibellane kinge of Brit. to C. Iulius Caesar Dictat. sendeth aunswere.

“As thou O Caesar writste, the Gods haue giuen to thee,
“The West: so I reply, they gaue this Islande mee.
“Thou sayst you Romaynes, and thy selfe of Gods discende:
“And darst thou then, to spoile our Troian bloud pretende?
“Againe, though Gods haue giune, thee all the world as thine:
“Thats parted from the world, thou getst no lande of mine.
“And sith likewise of Gods we came, a Nation free:
“Wee owe no tribute, ayde, or pledge to Rome or thee.

“Retract thy will, or wadge thy warre, as likes thee best:
“Wee are to fight, and rather then to frendship prest.
“To saue our country, from the force of forraine strife:
“Eche Britaine here, is well content to venter life.
“Wee feare not of the ende, or daungers thou dost tell:
“But vse thy pleasure if thou mayste, thus fare thou well.

Cassib.

When Caesar had receaude his aunswere soe,
It vext him much: he fully straight decreed,
To wadge vs warre, and worke vs Britaines woe:
Therefore he hasted hitherwarde with speede.
Wee Britaynes eke, prepard our selues with heede,
To meete the Romaynes all in warlike wise:
With all the force, and speede we might deuise.

198

Wee Britaynes then farre deemde it meeter much,
To meete him first at th'entry on this lande:
Then for to giue an entrye here to suche,
Might with our victuals here our selues withstand.
Tis better far thy enemye to abande,
Quite from thy borders to a straunger soyle:
Then he at home, thee and thy country spoyle.

Wherefore we met him, at his entry in,
And pitche our campes directly in his way:
Wee minded sure to leese or els to winne
The praise, before wee paste from thence away.
So when that both the armies were in ray,
And trumpets blaste on euery side was blowne:
Our mindes to either eche, were quickely knowne.

Wee ioyned battaile, fercely both we fought:
The Romaynes to enlarge their Empires fame,
And wee with all the force and might wee mought,
To saue our country, and to keepe our name.
O worthy Britaynes learne to do the same,
Wee brake the rayes of all the Romaine host:
And made the mighty Caesar leaue his boast.

Yet he the worthiest Captaine euer was,
Brought all in ray, and fought againe a newe:
His skilfull souldiers he could bring to passe,
At once for why his traynings all they knewe.
No soner I his noble corps did vewe,
But in I brake amongst the Captaines bande,
And there I fought with Caesar hand to hande.

199

O God thou mightst haue giuen a Britaine grace,
T'haue slaine the Romaine Caesar noble then:
Which sought his bloud the Britaynes to deface,
And bring in bondage, valiaunt worthy men.
He neuer should haue gone to Rome agen,
To fight with Pompey, or his Peres to slaye,
Or els to bring his countrye in decaye.

It ioyde my hart to strike on Caesars crest,
O Caesar that there had bin none but wee:
I often made my sworde to trye thy brest,
But Lady Fortune did not looke on mee.
I able was mee thought with Caesars three,
To trye the case: I made thy hart to quake,
When on thy crest with mighty strokes I strake.

The strokes thou strokst mee, hurt me nought at all:
For why thy strength was nothing in respect,
But thou hadste bathde thy sword in poyson all:
Which did my wounde, not deadly els infect.
Yet was I or I parted thence bewrekte,
I gate thy sworde from thee for all thy fame:
And made thee flye, for feare to eate the same.

For when thy sword was in my Target fast,
I made the flye, and quickly leaue thy holde:
Thou neuer wast in all thy life so gast,
Nor durst againe be euer halfe so bolde.
I made a nomber Romaynes harts full colde,
Fight, fight, you noble Britaynes now (quoth I)
Wee neuer all will vnreuenged dye.

200

What Caesar though thy praise and mine be od?
Perdy the stories scarce remember mee:
Though Poets all of the do make a God,
Such simple fooles in making Gods they bee.
Yet if I might my case haue tride wyth thee,
Thou neuer hadst retournde to Rome againe:
Nor of thy faithfull frendes, bin beastly slaine.

A nomber Britaynes mightst thou ther haue seene,
Death wounded fight, & spoile their spiteful foes:
My selfe maynde, slewe and mangled mo I weene,
When I was hurt then twenty more of those.
I made the Romaynes harts to take their hose:
In all the campe no Romaine scarce I spyde,
Durst halfe a combat gainst a Britaine byde.

At lengthe I met a noble man they calde
Him Labienus, one of Caesars frendes,
A Tribune erste had many Britaynes thralde:
Was one of Caesars legates forth he sendes.
Well met (quoth I) I mynde to make the mendes,
For all thy frendship to our contrey crewe:
And so with Caesars sworde, his frende I slewe.

What nede I name you euery Britayne here,
As firste the king the nobles all beside:
Full stoute and worthy wightes in warre that were,
As euer erste the stately Romaines tryde.
We fought so long they durst no longer byde,
Proude Caesar he for all his bragges and boste:
Flew backe to shippes, with half his scattered hoste.

201

If he had bene a God as sottes him namde,
He coulde not of vs Britaynes taken foyle:
The Monarche Caesar might haue bene ashamde,
From such an Islande with his shippes recoyle,
Or else to flie and leaue behinde the spoyle:
But life is swete, he thought it better flye,
Then byde amongst vs Britaynes for to die.

I had his sworde, was namde Crocea mors,
With which he gaue me in the head a stroke,
The venime of the which had such a force,
It able was to perce the harte of oke:
No medcines might the poyson out reuoke,
Wherfore though scarce he perced had the skin:
In fiftene dayes my braynes it ranckled in.

And then to soone (alas therfore) I dyde,
I would to God he had retournde againe:
So that I might but once the dastard spyde,
Before he went I had the serpent slaine.
He playde the cowarde cutthrote all to playne,
A beastly serpentes harte that beaste detectes:
Which or he fighte, his sworde with bane infectes.

Well then my death, brought Caesar no renowne:
For both I gate therby, eternall fame,
And eke his sworde to strike his frendes a downe:
I slewe therewith his Labiene by name,
With prince, against my countrey foes I came:
Was wounded, yet did neuer fainte nor yelde:
Till Caesar with his souldiours fled the fielde.

202

Who would not venter life in such a case?
Who would not fight, at countreis whole requeste?
Who would not, meeting Caesar in the place,
Fight for life, prince and countrey with the beste?
The greatest courage is by factes expreste.
Then for thy prince with fortitude as I,
And realmes behofe: is prayse, to liue or dy.

Nowe wryte my life when thou haste leisure and,
Will all thy countrey men to learne by mee,
Both for their prince and for their natiue lande:
As valiaunte, bolde and fearelesse for to bee.
A paterne playne of fortitude they see,
To which directly if them selues they frame:
They shall preserue, their countrey, faith and fame.

203

The Authour.

When noble Nennius thus had ended talke,
He vanisht with so sweete an heauenly smell:
Mee seemde the graces all with him did walke,
And what I heard of Musicke did excell.
Like notes of Instruments no tongue can tell,
With harmonye, of such an heauenly noyes:
Mee seemde they passed all our earthly ioyes.

Their tunes declarde the battaile all so right,
As if the Britaynes and the Romaynes than,
Had presently in hearing and in sight:
A freshe the bloudy battaile all began.
Mee thought I heard the vertues of the man,
By notes declarde, and Caesars daungers tolde:
More plainely, then with eyes I might beholde.

But when they came to tell of Caesars flight,
I sawe the Romaines fall me thought full fast,
And all the Britaines, chace them euen till night:
Where with the sounde of Britishe trompets blast.
Made mee so madde and mazed at the last:
I lookt about for sword or weapon I,
To runne with Britaynes, cryde they flie they flie.

204

Their flight to shipps, and foyle the trompets sound,
And blewe the victours triumphes at retourne:
The noyse welnighe my sences did confound,
And made my hart with all their loues to borne.
But when they gan the wounded Britaynes mourne.
With doubled wayling shriekes, such cryes they sent:
And sobbes and sighes, welnighe my hart they rent.

Eke chieflye they at noble Nennius stayde,
They seemde with doulefull tunes their notes to riue,
And sodainly his praise againe they playde:
O worthye Nennius for thy facts aliue,
The trumpe of Fame was straightly chargde reuiue,
And keepe, maintaine and celebrate his praise:
Which graunted, all they vanisht quite their wayes.

[_]

[The text of the 1574 edition ends at this point in the Huntington Library copy, on folio 74, sig. Kii, verso. As Professor Trench was the first to point out (pp. 102–3), the British Museum copy of the 1574 text includes additional pages of text which are found in the Huntington Library copies of the 1575 edition. I find that the K gathering was cancelled and a new K gathering substituted in the British Museum copy. Since I am following the Huntington Library copies, I am printing the additions as made in the 1575 text. The signature of Higgins is omitted, eleven stanzas are added to Lenvoy 16, and a new tragedy of Irenglas and a new lenvoy are added. The last two lines, of valediction, are, of course, omitted when the new stanzas are added. For the continuation of the lenvoy, see p. 207.]

Viuit post funera virtus.

Finis quoth Iohn Higgins.

205

ADDITIONS MADE IN 1575

207

[Lenvoy 16 continued]

On this in traunce I lay me thought a while,
And musde reioysing what a wight he was:
A worthy knight that for this noble Isle,
So fought it forth, a Mirroire playne, a glasse
(For those aliue) whose vertues so did passe:
As for his factes, fight, fortitude, and fame:
Hee well deseru'de, an euerlasting name.

At such a time and place is vertue tryde,
When manhode may, both prince and country please:
By such a brunt, the valiaunt will abide,
And bend their force to worke their countries ease.
They thinke no trauayle loste, by lande, or sease:
But venture fortune, goodes, life, landes and heale:
To fight it out, for Prince, and publique weale.

You that haue herd, or read the worthy factes,
Of Nennius here (so rudely pende by mee)
Learne so to fight, and let your noble actes
By those that after come, recounted bee.
I may full well reioyce, he spake to mee:
For if I had not stayde, to heare him then:
I thinke he scarce had come, to speake agen.

208

But let me nowe, retourne againe to tell:
What after this, me chaunst to see and heare.
I trust yee Readers like my dealing well:
In promise that I made, this later yeare.
For sure I thinke, a man farre better were
Not speake at all: to promese hilles of gold,
And in performance, waxe as key full colde.

I saide (if God sent time, and space therfore)
Ye should receaue from mee (as leysure came)
Of these my simple toyles, a greater store.
And partly you perceaue, how I performe the same.
Such workes, as this my simple muse can frame,
(With all my harte and minde) you freely haue:
As free, as God these giftes, me frely gaue.

Wherefore giue eare, now harken well to this:
As to these tunes, I gaue me thought some heede:
In doubte if sences, led my mynde amisse,
Or whether ωαθος me with toyes did feede.
What doth (said Morpheus) now this musing nede?
Art thou so farre orewatcht, thy wittes the fayle?
Or els do fancies, more then wit preuayle?

Not so (quoth I) though far the night be past,
And yet me thinkes, I could be well content
To leaue them so (if this were now the last)
So thou therto and Somnus sweete consent:

209

This noble Nennius well the time hath spent.
I would haue staide, if he had spoken more:
Twas his departure, troubled me so sore.

(Quoth he) thou must a whyle yet longer byde:
In fewe he shall declare, how he hath sped
That commes. And euen with that I lookt aside,
And sawe a coarse approache without a head.
What now (quoth I) though erste (by thee) the dead
Were causde to speake, declaring all their will?
Yet speach of headlesse men, doth passe my skill.

With that gan Morpheus touch him with his mace,
And sodainly an head, on shoulders pight.
For lacke of vse, he could not turne his face,
Or else had Morpheus scarcely set it right.
He had forgotten eke, to turne his sight:
But still he stode his face to set awrye,
And wappering turnid vp his white of eye.

As t'were a dead man, reared vp an end
Deuoyde of life, and yet a feeling had:
His lippes lay open, grimly ofte, hee grend:
With hollowe eyes, full oft he frowned sad,
And bent his browes, and lookte as he were mad,
I sawe not in my life, I thinke his pere:
Nor shall not, if I liue this hundred yeare.

At length he tryde, which way to tell his mynde:
Yet how to speake, his tonge had quite forgotte:
Each instrument forgotten had his kinde:
That erste could run at randon and by roate
But then me thought, with fist his brest hee smote
The other hande, his musing browes did holde:
And as awakte (at laste) this tale he tolde.

210

[IRENGLAS]

Irenglas Nephewe to Cassibellan king of Britayne, recountes how he was slayne by Elenine cosen to Androgeus Earle of London, about the yeare before Christ. 51.

Amongst the rest, that whilome sate aloft:
Amongst the rest, that once had happy chaunce:
Amongst the rest, that had good fortune oft:
Amongst the rest, that could them selues aduaunce:
Amongst the rest, that led in warres the staunce,
And wan the palme, the prayse, renowne and fame,
(Yet after fell in proufe to trie the same)
Leaue in thy booke, a place to put my name.

Which (Higgins) if thou shalt, and wryte therin
This tale I tell: no doubte thou shalt me please,
Thy selfe likewyse therby, mayste profit wyn:
For why who wrytes such histories as these,
Doth often bring the Readers hartes such ease:
As when they sit, and see what he doth note,
And lessons learne, to saue their armour coate:
Well fare his harte (say they) this worke that wrote.

Perhaps thou aunswere wilt, and eke confesse,
They may in deede giue thankes and that is all:
They can (sayst thou) I thinke giue scarcely lesse:
For such a gift, a guerdon far to small:
Well yet do write, content thy selfe withall.

211

Thou must the ende that God appointes abyde:
Though they ingratefull be, of reason wyde:
Thou must not therfore, this thy talent hyde.

This I obiecte not that I thinke it so,
But if it erst, haue chaunced so to hit:
Thou shouldst not therefore let these stories goe,
Which may perhaps so exercise thy wit,
And may so frame thy phrases fine and fit:
Though now no other gift, then thankes thou haue:
Yet shall thy verses liue, thy name to saue,
And spread thy prayse, when thou art layde in graue.

But sure I thinke, among so great a sorte,
As shall thy workes and writinges chaunce to see:
Of courtzy all, thou canst not finde them short:
But som must needes consider well of thee.
Though some do pinche, and saue: to thriue, and thie,
And some do poll and pill to get the pelfe:
And some haue layde vp all on lesing shelfe:
Yet some will, well consider of thy selfe.

I had almost stept in, with thee so far:
To byd the wryte, and register my name:
(Because I feard, of late the Romaine warre
Thou wrotst: had ended all thy former frame,
And I had bene, excluded from the same)
That nowe I feare, I weary thee with talke,
While from my purpose, far aloofe I stalke:
In steede of cheese, to fill thy chaps with chalke.

212

Wherfore I will be briefe, and tell thee all
My minde: the cause why I do now appeare.
I will recite to thee my sodaine fall,
And what in life mine exercises were.
To which since I do see thee set thine eare,
Marke now my tale, and beare it well away:
Marke what me brought, so sodayne in decay:
And marke of lusty life, th'vnstable staye.

Let who so standes trust to a stedfast holde,
(If he suppose, he may a steedy finde)
And then he neede not stagger when he nolde:
As I and others calde againe to minde
But trust not Fortune, she is counted blinde
To prayse hir prankes, occasion giues no cause,
Do wysely or you prayse hir, take the pause:
Else may you proue, your selues at length but dawes.

Som loue to boaste what Fortune they haue had:
Som other blame, misfortune thers as fast:
Som tell of Fortunes, there be good and bad:
Som fooles of Fortune make them selues agast:
Some shewe of Fortunes comming, present, past:
And say there is a fate that ruleth all.
But sure it seemes their wisdome is but small:
To talke so much, of lady Fortunes ball.

No Fortune is so bad, our selues ne frame:
There is no chaunce at all hath vs preseru'de:
There is no fate, whom we haue nede to blame:
There is no destinie, but is deseru'de:

213

No lucke that leaues vs safe, or vnpreseru'de:
Let vs not then complayne of Fortunes skill:
For all our good, descendes from goddes good will,
And of our lewdnes, springeth all our ill.

If so a man might stay on Fortunes holde,
Or else on Prince, as piller of defence:
Then might my self to done the same be bolde
In euery perill, purpose or pretence.
Cassibelan as much as any Prince
Lou'de me his nephewe Irenglas by name,
Both for my feates in armes, and fauour, fame:
And for because I of his linage came.

I came (by parentes) of his regall race
Liu'de happy dayes (if happy mortall bee)
Had (as I sayd) his fauoure, bare the grace:
I was his loyall nephew franke and free:
But what of this at all preuayled mee?
Yet furdermore the feates of armes I knewe:
I faught in fielde, when mighty Caesar flewe,
And of the Romaynes came, my part I slewe.

Shall I for this, prayse Fortune, ought at all?
Did Fortune ought in this? no no be sure:
Or shall I blame hir after for my fall?
That neuer could, me any hurt procure:
T'was glory vayne, did sweetely me alure,
Wherfore giue eare, and then with penne disclose,
A tale which (though but rudely I dispose)
Who reades and heares it, both may pleasure those.

214

Full happy were, our countrey men that dyde,
And noble Nennius in the field we faught:
When first both Britaynes and the Romaynes tride,
With dint of sworde if title theyrs were ought,
They died, in their defence: no pompe they sought,
They liu'de to see, their countrey conquere still:
They died before, they felt of priuate ill:
And bare each other, all their liues goodwill.

When Caesar so, with shamefull flight recoylde,
And left our Britayne land vnconquerde first
(Which only thought, our realme & vs, t'aue spoild)
We came to see (of all our fielde the worste)
Our souldiers slayne. O cruell Caesar curste
(Quoth we) should all these giltles Britaynes dye,
For thine ambicion, fye O Caesar fye.
Yet darst not byde, but like a dastard flye.

But then too see them in aray to lye,
And for to see them wounded all before:
Not one but in his place his life did trie.
To see the Romaynes bloudy backes that bore:
In field, flight, dead and scatered on the shore:
What thousand tonges (thinke you) could tel our ioy?
This made our hartes reuiue, this pleasde our Roy:
And we lesse fearde, our enmies all anoye.

With trompets mourning tune, and wayling cryes,
And drummes, & fluites, & shawmes: we sound Adieu,
And for our frendes we watred al our weeping eyes,
As loth to leese the liues of such a noble crue.

215

To th'earth we bare them all in order due:
According vnto each mans noble fame,
And as their birth requirde and worthy name:
Euen so to honour them, with herce we came.

Of noble triumphes after was no spare,
We Britaynes erst, were neuer halfe so glad:
That so we made, the Romaynes hence to fare:
No tonge can tell the harty ioyes we had.
We were therewith so merry moodid mad:
Our fingers tickled still, that came from fight:
We had before our eyes, our enmies flighte,
And nought was seemely there, but swordes in sight.

So fares it when the meaner giue the spoyle,
And make the mighty all their force reuoke:
So fares it when great victours fele the foyle,
And meaner sortes of counte, do giue the stroke
That pearceth euen the hardest harte of oke:
For where the weaker wyn the wadge of fame,
And stronger leese, their wonted noble name:
The victours hartes, a thousand ioyes enflame.

A Iusting then proclaimed was for those,
(And turneys) would approach them selues to trie:
Amongst vs Britayns (not against our foes)
Twene th'Earle of Londons cosen stoute and I,

216

And both the partes, we both could make perdy:
To win the price, the prayse the pompe consent,
And eke the fame of former warres we ment:
But foolishe was the end of our intent.

For why, when glory vayne, stirres men to strife:
When hope of prayse, prouokes them once to Ire:
Then they at all regarde no goodes nor life,
From faithfull frendship, rudely they retyre:
They are so set, with glories gloze on fyre:
That quite, they rule and reason wrest awrye,
They turne away, their frendly fawting eye:
And others each, as fixed foes defie.

O God that workest all the wonders wrought,
(And hast the powre to turne the hartes aliue)
Graunt grace to those, that labour so for nought,
But flitting fame, and titles hauty stryue.
Let not ambition, so the earth depriue
Of worthy wightes: giue them som better grace,
That they may run, for contryes weale their race,
And not their bloud, with brainsicke brawles debace.

Let them not breake the bond of frendly loue
In broyles of bate: but frendly, faultes redresse:
Let not them so their manhod seeke to proue,
By priuate hate, to worke their owne distresse:
So shall they nede their enemies feare the lesse.
Perdy foule forayne foes, them selues they make:
That in their country, for vayne quarels sake:
Do dare in hande, reuenging weapons take.

217

But what nede I on those aliue to staye,
They haue examples good, before their eyes:
By which (if they haue grace) beware they may.
The happiest men, by others harmes are wyse:
Let them not then, our warning wordes despise,
Do will them wysely, of these thinges debate:
For why the foolishe, ay that warning hate
Are neuer wyse, before it be to late.

Perhaps thou thinkst, to long a time I staye:
(And from that I proposed erst digresse)
Because that here (as it were by the way)
For warnings sake, my conscience I professe.
Yet for my breatch of compasse, blame me lesse
In talke: sith that thou come to heare mee art,
Which seeme (as wemen vse) to reame my harte:
Before I come, to open all my smarte.

Wee spent the daye in iusting (as I sayde)
Appoynted erst, among our selues before,
And all the feates of armes (in fielde) we playde,
AEnaeas taught our auncestours of yore.
What nede I fill thine eares with talking more?
My men, and I had put those feates in vre:
And he likewyse: but nothing yet so sure,
Which did (at length) my haplesse ende procure.

For as with fortune still I gaue the foyle
To him (that thought the glory all to haue)
When he perceau'de he could not keepe the coyle,
Nor yet with equall match him selfe to saue.

218

Occasion of discension great he gaue,
In steede of iest, he offred earnest playe:
In lieu of sport, he spite did foule displaye:
In steed of mirth, both malice and decaye.

The traytour vile, the tyraunt (so he prou'de)
With cowardes, cankarde, hatefull, hasty, Ire:
And caytifes dealing, shewde how he me lou'de,
When as he could not to his hope aspyre:
To wyn the prayse of triumphe his desire,
He callengde me, and here began the broyle:
He thought with banding braue, to keepe the coyle:
Or else with flattes, and facinges me to foyle.

And that because the iudgment fauourd me,
Perdy report almost of all the route,
Ran still that I, was worthy praysde to be,
And often times they gaue me all a shoute:
This made myne enmies stare and looke aboute,
And often wyshe them euill aloude that cryde:
Such is the nature still of naughty pryde,
Can nothing lesse, than others prayse abyde.

Wee twayne (quoth he) betweene our selues will trye
Alone our manhodes both if thou consent.
We ought not breake the prince his peace (quoth I)
His grace would not be well therwith content.
And sith no hurt, was here nor malice mente:
You ought not so, on choler take it ill,
Though I to wyn the price put forth my skill:
But rather therfore, beare me more good will.

219

To which he aunswerd as despite had spoke,
With hasty wordes and tauntes of hygher peres.
I list not any iote (quoth he) reuoke,
Of that is sayd, ne darste thou for thine eares
(What euer lookes in place thy fauters beares)
Alone to mete me in the field to fraye.
But I may hap (by chaunce) to finde the day,
Wherein thou shalt, not beare the price away.

As for the king we doubte if he be heyre,
The kingdome is the Earle of Londons right.
And though that he the prince his person beare
(In his nonage) he ought not reue it quyte,
Ne shall he stay mee if I mynde to fighte.
Then where thou speakst (quoth he) of princes peace,
And wouldst me warne, from furder dealing seace:
Thou better were (perhaps) to holde thy peace.

On which I playnly sayde, highe treason t'was:
So much to speake, against our soueraigne Lorde,
Quoth I, the boundes of modestie you passe:
That dare your case with prince his right accorde:
Your betters would far better wordes auorde,
And you perhaps your selfe so stoute that showe
Which make as though you sought his ouerthrowe,
Shall shortly more his grace his pleasure knowe.

With that (quoth Elenine) for so hee hight,
That was the Erle his cosine and my foe:
Thy selfe a traytour rather semest right,
That darste presume amongst thy betters so,

220

And euen with that I raught to him a bloe:
My frendes likewyse, could not this wrong abyde,
They drew, and so did those on th'other syde:
We freshly fought, and other each defyde.

But I was all the marke, wherat they shotte,
The malice still, was ment to none but mee:
At mee they cast, and drewe mee for the lotte,
Which should of all reuenge the ransom bee:
Wherfore they layde about them francke and free,
Till mee they tooke, so compast round about:
As I could not scape from amongst them out:
Was neuer knight, betrayde with such a route.

To make it short I singled was therfore,
Euen as the deare to finde his fatall stroke:
I could not scape, away from them no more:
My pageaunt was in presence there bespoke:
A pillowe they prepared mee of oke:
My handes they bounde, along my corps they led,
From of my shoulders, quite they strooke my head,
And with my death, their cruell eyes they fed.

If euer man that seru'de his Prince with payne,
And well deserued of his publique weale:
If euer knight esteemde it greatest gayne:
For Prince, and countrey in the warres to deale,

221

My selfe was such, which ventred life and heale
At all assayes, to saue my natiue soyle:
(With all my labour, trauayle, payne and toyle)
Both from the force of foes, and forayne spoyle.

Yet here you see, at home I had my fall,
Not by my fearcest foes, that came in warre:
But by my frende, I gate this griping thrall,
When foly framde, vs both at home to iarre.
Oh that my countrey man, should raunge so farre,
From wisdomes way, to wed hym self to will:
From reasons rule, to wreste his wittes to ill:
From frendship fast, his dearest frend to kill.

Well bid the rest, beware of triumphes such:
Bid them beware for titles vayne to striue:
Bid them not trust such sullayne frendes to much:
Bid them not so, their honours high atchieue:
For if they will, preserue their names aliue:
There is no better way, to worke the same:
Then to eschue, of tyrannie the blame:
Meke clemency, deserues a noble name.

FINIS.

222

The Authour.
[_]

[The lenvoy substituted for Lenvoy 17 in the 1587 edition is printed on p. 289, where it serves to link the tragedy of Irenglas to that of Caius Julius Caesar.]

With that (me thought) he vanisht quite away:
And I was come to end my worke at last:
Not minding longer on the which to staye,
My penne did trudge to wryte these verses fast.
I trust sith once, they haue the Printer past
That went before: these fragmentes come behinde,
Shall of the Readers, likewyse fauour finde.

So of my first part here I make an ende,
The Seconde parte which I haue now to fyle
Doth call me hence, from these to those to wende:
In which if God send grace to guyde my style,
I shall (I trust) and that in shorter whyle,
Againe retourne, to Printers presse with those:
Which shal likewise, their fight and falles disclose.

Till then farewell a thousand times to thee,
Which takst in hand this booke to shun the ill,
That was the fall of these describde by mee,
And haste to mende their faultes a firme good will,
I wishe thy health, increase of vertu still,
Adieu farewell, I haue but this to say,
God send vs both his heauenly grace for aye.

I. Higgins.

223

ADDITIONS MADE IN 1587

225

Thomas Newton to the Reader, in the behalfe of this booke.

[_]

[This address, added in the 1587 edition, followed the index, which was placed after the prose prefaces. Newton's address thus immediately preceded the author's poetic induction.]

As when an arming sword of proofe is made,
Both steele and yron must be tempred well:
(For yron giues the strength vnto the blade,
And steele, in edge doth cause it to excell)
As ech good Bladesmith by his Arte can tell:
For, without yron, brittle will it breake,
And, without steele, it will bee blunt and weake:

So bookes, that now theyr faces dare to show,
Must mettald bee with Nature and with Skill:
For Nature causeth stuffe enough to flow,
And Arte the same contriues by learned quill
In order good, and currant methode still.
So that, if Nature frowne, the case is hard:
And if Arte want, the matter all is marde.

The worke, which here is offred to thy vewe,
With both these poynts is full and fitly fraught;
Set foorth by sundry of the learned Crewe:
Whose stately styles haue Phoebus garland caught,
And Parnasse mount theyr worthy works haue raught:
Theyr wordes are thundred with such maiestie,
As fitteth right ech matter in degree.

Reade it therefore, but reade attentiuely,
Consider well the drift whereto it tendes:
Confer the times, perpend the history,
The parties states, and eke theyr dolefull endes,

226

With odde euentes, that divine iustice sendes.
For, thinges forepast are presidents to vs,
Whereby wee may thinges present now discusse.

Certes this worlde a Stage may well bee calde,
Whereon is playde the parte of eu'ry wight:
Some, now aloft, anon with malice galde
Are from high state brought into dismall plight.
Like counters are they, which stand now in sight
For thousand or ten thousand, and anone
Remooued, stande perhaps for lesse then one.

1587. Thomas Newtonus, Cestreshyrius.

227

Lenuoy.

[_]

[For the original version of Lenvoy 8, see p. 129. It was rewritten for the 1587 edition, to introduce the rewritten tragedy of Bladud.]

Marke but the end of brother quellers all,
And you shall see what woefull ends they had:
For so Iehouah suffers them to fall,
As were their risinges murderous and bad.
The life of wicked Cayne was sorowfull and sad.
Of Ioram the King what neede I to discriue,
So infamous and violent both dead and eke aliue.

What auayl'd it Memprice this Kingdome to obtayne,
That shamefully his Princely brother so did slay:
Sith that almighty Ioue so punisht him agayne,
For scepters sake that tooke his noble Prince away.
His wretched cruell corps became for Wolues a pray.
What neede I more the caytiues beastly facts descriue
So infamous and violent, both dead and eke aliue.

Now when as hee was gone, there presently, mee thought,
A King full Angell like in feathers did appeare:
With flying winges and plumes by cunning finely wrought,
As hee aloft like fame to flie prepared were.
To harken well his tale I gaue an heedy eare,
Which hee in order thus mee thought did then contriue,
Desiring mee to write it so, to warne the rest aliue.

228

[BLADUD]

How King Bladud, taking on him to fly, fell vpon the Temple of Apollo, and brake his necke, the yeare before Christ, 844.

[_]

[For the original tragedy of Bladud for which this new tragedy was substituted in the 1587 edition, see pp. 132–43.]

I pray thee Higgins take in hand thy pen,
And write my life and fall among'st the rest:
A warning set mee downe for curious men,
Whose wittes the worke of nature seeke to wrest.
I was Prince Bladud pregnant as the best.
Of wisedome, and of wealth, and learning I had store,
Of regall race I came: what neede I craued more?

But this in all the sortes of men wee see,
An vncontented minde, when much they haue:
The learned yet would more profounder bee,
The richest most t'encrease their wealth do craue.
The finest Dames doe slike their faces braue.
The noblest yet would higher clime, and all to skies
Immortall they to make their names on earth deuise.

In Britayne though I learned had full well
The artes, and could emong'st the wise conferre:
Yet when of Athens I the fame heard tell,
(Though it in Greece so far hence distant were)
I trauayl'd thither, writers witnesse are,
I studied there, and thence of learned men I brought,
That learning might from Britayne land no more so far bee sought.

229

But after hee was dead that was my stay,
My father graue, I meane the worthy King:
Then all the Britaynes shortly by a day,
To royall seat elected mee did bring.
Where I to place in order euery thing,
Did both receiue the crowne and scepter in my hand,
With glory and renowned fame to gouerne all the land.

Then, for because the sway of all the Ile
Depended on my gouernement to rest:
I did consult with all the peeres a while,
And of my fathers counsaylers the best.
I order tooke for matters vnredrest,
Appoynting vnto each such place of iustice fit,
As serued to their birth, their persons, wealth and wit.

The learned Greekes, whom I from Athens brought,
Conferring with the British learned men:
A place, as I commaunded them, had sought
Amid'st the Realme, and brought mee word agen.
At Staneford there I built a colledge then,
And made prouision for the same perdy,
To maynetayne them a famous Vniuersity.

By this, of skilfull men the land had store,
And all the arts were read in Britayne well:
No countrey was for learning praysed more.
Abroad, the world began of vs tell.
From other nations hither came to dwell
The wisest wits, commending vs, extolling vs to skies:
They sayd wee were a people stout, and learned, graue, and wise.

230

And for that time, of Gods wee honourd all,
Apollo high for wisedome, arte, and skill:
At Troynouant a Temple speciall
I built to him, for sacrifices still.
Whereon I fell, as after speake I will.
Such was our vse and superstition wholy then,
To deeme as Gods the statures tall of noble worthy men.

Some saye I made the holesome Baths at Bathe,
And made therefore two Tunnes of burning brasse:
And other twayne seauen kindes of salts that haue
In them inclos'd, but these bee made of glasse,
With sulphur fild, wilde fire emixt there was,
And in foure welles these Tunnes so placed heate for aye
The water springing vp, before it passe away.

Which waters heate and clensing perfect powre,
With vapours of the sulphur, salts, and fire,
Hath vertue great, to heale, and washe, and scowre
The bathed sores therein that health desire.
If of the vertues, moe thou dost require
To knowe, I will resite what old experience tells
In causes cold the noble vertues of these welles.

The bathes to soften sinewes vertue haue,
And also for to clense and scowre the skin
From Morphewes white and blacke, to heale and saue
The bodyes freckled, faynt, are bathed therein:
Scabs, lepry, sores are old and festered in,
The scurfe, botch itche, goute, poxe, sweld ioynts and humores fell,
The milt and liuer hard it heales, and palsey well.

231

I must confesse by learned skill I found
Those natiue welles whence springs that helpe for men.
But well thou know'st there runnes from vnder ground
Springes sweete, salt, cold, and hote euen now as then,
From rocke, salt petre, alume, grauell, fen,
From sulphur, iron, leade, gold, siluer, brasse and tinne:
Ech fountayne takes the force of vayne it coucheth in.

Then who so knowes by natures worke in these,
Of metalles or of mynes the force to heale,
May sooner giue his iudgement in disease,
For curing by the bath, and surer deale
With sickly people of the publique weale,
And also finde of fountaynes salt, or hote, or cold,
And for to heale by them the sicke with honour bee bold.

The Citie eke of Bathe, I founded there,
Renouned far by reason of the welles:
And many monuments that auncient were
I placed there, thou know'st the story tells.
I sought renowne and fame and nothing elze.
But when our actes extoll our prayse aboue the skie,
W'are blinded so, wee looke not downe from whence wee flye.

There are but fewe, whom Fortune bathes in blesse,
But blinded are, and dazelingly they looke:
They see nought else but wordly happinesse,
At that they only fish with Fortunes hooke.
Beneath on earth pompe, pelfe, and prayse they pooke,
On that depending frayle, that fayles, and flits, and flyes,
Forsaking vertue sole, that bides for aye aboue the skies.

232

Mens vayne delightes are wondrous to behold,
For that that reason nills, nor nature sowes
They take in hand, on science far to bold,
Deceiu'd by suttle snares of diuelish showes.
From which attemptes a floud of mischiefe flowes,
An heape of hurtes, a swarme of smartes, a fry of foule decayes,
A flocke of feares, a droue of deathes, and thrales a thousand wayes.

If that the water fish forsake the streame
Agaynst his kinde, feeles hee no hurt ensues?
Or if the brocke would learne to play the breame,
And leaue the lambes at land, were this no newes?
A fethered fowle in th'earth a den to chuse,
Or flounder say to flye and soare aloft the larke to catch,
Would not you maruell then, what monsters now doth nature hatch?

But sith wee see that nature hath assign'd
The fowle to fly, the ayre, as seemeth well,
The fish to swim, the sea, as fits his kinde,
The earth for men and beastes to breede and dwell:
Of right a man, which doth the rest excell,
Should euen so far surpasse the rest in ech degree,
As all the rest to him in wit and reason weaker bee.

All this I speake to warne the rest that heare,
And eke to shew the blindnesse of delites.
Herein my foly vayne may playne appeare,
What hap they heape which try out cunning slightes,
What hurt there hits, at such vayne shewes and sightes,
Where men for pleasure only take much toyle and payne,
To alter natures gifts for pompe, and pride, and pleasure vayne.

233

Were not it straunge, thinke you, a King to fly,
To play the tombler, or some iugling cast?
To dresse him selfe in plumes, as erst did I,
And vnder armes to knit on winges full fast?
A sport you thinke that might the wise agaste.
But Magicke Mathematicall had taught mee poynts of scill,
Whereby when first I practis'd then, I lern'd my selfe to kill.

I deckte my corps with plumes (I say) and winges,
And had them set, thou seest, in scilfull wise
With many feats, fine poyseing equall thinges,
To ayde my selfe in flight to fall or rise,
An arte men seldome vse, mine enterprise.
Somwhat gaynst store of winde, by practise rise I could,
And try'd which way to turne, and mount, and lyght I should.

But er the perfect scill I learned had,
(And yet mee thought I could doe passing well)
My subiects hearts with pleasaunt toyes to glad,
From Temples top, where did Apollo dwell,
I sayd to flye, but on the Church I fell,
And broysed all to peeces lost my life withall.
This was my race, mine exercise and fatall fall.

What vayner thing could any Prince deuise,
Than so him selfe a foolish fowle to showe:
Learne you by mee, that count your selues so wise,
The worst to doubt of thinges, what ere you know,
Fly not so high for feare you fall so lowe.
The massy wight is far to great for fethery downe to beare.
Below the happy man knowes when tis well, & can content hym there.

234

These curious artes alurementes haue alone,
They profer much in recompence of payne:
But yet among'st a thousand scarce is one
In practise, ought by them can saue or gayne.
You see perdy they are but false and vayne,
Sophisticall, deceiptfull, endlesse and vntrue,
That nothing haue them selues, and promise all to you.

I speake not of the rest that are in vse
Amongst the wiser sort, Philosophy,
Nor of the partes thereof, but of th'abuse
That comes by magicke arts of Imagery,
By vile inchauntments, charmes, and pampestry,
All which I deeme (and they shall finde in proofe) as euill
That practise them, as is (by whom they deale) the diuell.

To make an end: you noble Kinges content
Your selues with studies seruing for the state:
You Lordes also with all your wits inuent
What way t'eschewe the Prynce and peoples hate.
Yee Subiects loue your Prynce, eschewe debate.
I wish you all beware to clime, or flee, or soare to hie,
For feare you tomble downe, or slip, or fall, as erst did I.

235

Lenuoy.
[_]

[For the original version of Lenvoy 11, see p. 167. The 1587 edition introduced a new tragedy, that of Iago, after the tragedy of Morgan (11). The lenvoy (11) was rewritten to introduce it. After the tragedy of Iago, the 1587 edition printed newly written tragedies of Forrex and Porrex (12 and 13) and their lenvoys.]

How restlesse are the peeres aloft would ryse?
How vncontented are theyr hauty myndes?
How quiet is the simple setled wise,
Whom no desire of proud ambition blyndes?
I see no ease the seeke throne thirsty findes.
Hee seekes all meanes to clime to catch the crowne,
Till for his haste Ioue hurle him headlong downe.

The royall borne by birth, the time should stay
Till iust Iehoua gaue to him the place:
And not the Lordes anoynted seeke to slay,
But as his Soueraigne serue him well the space.
If hee with bloud his noble birth abace,
I meane if hee by slaughter catch the crowne,
With foote Iehoua castes him headlong downe.

If Morgan had not wrought his aunts distresse
By dint of sword, by sword hee had not fell.
But who so shall by sword a Prince oppresse,
Shall of the sword therefore and slaughter smell.
Lo here the next that came his tale to tell
Was gieuen to vice when once hee ware the crowne,
Till slouth and sleepy sickenes cast hym downe.

236

[IAGO]

How King Iago Dyed of the Lethargy, about the yeare before Christ, 612.

Haue I oreslept my selfe, or am I wake?
Or hadst thou late oreslept thy selfe that wrote?
Could'st thou not for the Letharge paynes to take:
And with the rest his sleepy life to note?
Was I amongst the wicked wights forgote?
Well then, awaked sith wee are both twayne,
To write my sleepy sinfull life, take payne.

I am that Iago, once of Britayne King,
That ruled all this noble Britishe Ile:
No fame of mee the writers old doe bring,
Because my life and gouernement was vile.
Yet, Higgins, heere take paynes for mee a while,
Enregester my mirour to remaine,
That Princes may my vices vile refrayne.

At first, a while, I ruled well the land,
I vsed Iustice, right tooke regall place:
No wight but found iust iudgement at my hand,
And truth durst shew, without rebuke, her face.
I gaue my selfe to all good giftes of grace,
My subiects liu'd in rest within my raygne:
No cause of Prince compeld them to complaine.

But as in calme a storme wee nothing feare,
When as the Seas are milde and smoth as glasse:
And as in peace no thought of warres wee beare,
Which least suppose of mischeeues come to passe:
Euen so my still and rightfull raygning was.
The calme, a tempest boads: the shine, a raine:
Long peace, a warre: and pleasure, pinching paine.

237

For rest and peace and wealth abounding thoe,
Made mee forget my Iustice late well vsde:
Forsaking vertues, vices gan to floe,
And former noble acts I quite refusde.
My giftes, my treasures, wealth and will misusde,
Began all goodnes quite at length disdayn,
And did my facts with filthy vices staine.

Misgouern'd both my Kingdome and my life,
I gaue my selfe to ease, to sleepe, and sinne:
And I had clawbackes euen in Court full rife,
Which sought by mine outrages gaines to winne.
For Kinges no sooner well or worse beginne,
But euen at hand the good or bad take payn,
For vertues sake, or meede, the Prince to trayne.

As vices grew encreasing more and more,
So vertues fled and bade their friends adieu:
Deseases bad likewise, and sicknesse sore
Began to wexe, and griefes about mee grew.
I may fullwell my naughty surfets rue,
Which pesterd so at length my drousy brayne,
I could not scarse from sleeping ought refrayne.

A sleepie sickenesse nam'd the Lethargye,
Opprest me sore, and feauers fearce withall:
This was the guerdon of my glottonie,
Iehoua sent my sleepie life this dwall.
So who so sleeping let sleepe Iustice shall,
Although he feele no whit such slumbring payne,
Yet may he write he hath not long to raygne.

238

Physicions wise may take on them the cure,
But if Iehoua smite the Prince for sinne,
As earst of me, then is the helpe vnsure,
That's not the way for health to enter in.
No potions then, nor pouders worth a pin:
But euen as we, they must to die be fayne.
Bid them in time from vices now refrayne.
Who gouern's well, deserues with mighty Ioue to raygne.

239

Lenuoy.

Remembring with my selfe this story past,
When I agayne had tooke this worke in hand,
I tooke my pen and wrote the same at last,
Thereby to cause all Princes sloth aband.
When they his fall set downe so vnderstand,
They may beware: a warning this may be,
Against the slothfull sweames of sluggardye.

The stories tell of Comodus the raygne,
A wise and noble Emperour at first:
He diligent to gouerne well tooke payne,
Till at the length him sloth in vice had nurst.
But see at last, see whereunto it burst:
He strangled was by wicked treacherie,
That gaue himselfe to sluggish libertie.

I may no longer on this sleeper byde,
Which for his slouthfull sinne was serued right:
Because himselfe to sluggishnes he plyde,
That plague of sickenesse dead on him did light.
But now beholde, next Forrex came to sight,
Which in this sort beganne his life t'unfold:
Eftsoones thus wise, his slaughter there he tolde.

240

[FORREX]

How King Forrex was slayne by his brother King Porrex, about the yeere before Christ. 491.

[_]

[For the original tragedy of Forrex, see pp. 168–72.]

Complayne I may with tragiques on the stage,
Compeld I am amongst the rest that fell:
I may complayne that felt of warres the wage,
Vntimely death I drewe, doth mee compell.
If I had not bin crowned king I had bene well:
There had no enuie vndermind my state,
Nor fortune foild the seate whereon I sate.

What blisse enioyd I while my father raynd!
I had no care, in honour I did liue:
Would God I had in that estate remaynd,
But what vs fortune wonted is to giue,
Good happe that holds as water in a siue:
Shee showes a glimpse of thousand ioyes, and moe,
Which hides in it tenne thousand seas of woe.

That hatefull hellish hagge of vgly hue,
With rustie teeth and meygre corps misshape,
I meane that monster vile, the worst in viewe,
Whome some call Discorde, enuie, ire and hate:
She set my brother first with me at bate:
When we fiue yeeres had raygned ioyntly well,
By her intisements, foule at strife we fell.

We liu'd that space well in this noble Ile,
Deuyded well wee ioyntly did inioye
The princely seate, while Fortune fayre did smile,
Without disdayne, hate, discorde or anoye:

241

Euen as our father raignd the noble Roy
In wealth, peace, prayse, purporte, renowne and fame,
Without the blots of euerlasting blame.

But when ambition bleared both our eyes,
And hasty hate had brother-hoode bereft:
Wee frendship fayre and concorde did dispise,
And far a part from vs wee wisedome left:
Forsooke each other at the greatest heft.
To rule the kingdome both wee left, and fell
To warring, iarring like two hounds of hell.

For bounds we banded first on either syde,
And did incroach eachone on others right.
T'inlarge the limetes of our kingdome wide,
We would not sticke full oft to fray and fight.
The wretched ground had so bewicht our sight.
For why, the earth that once shall eate vs all,
Is th'only cause of many Princes fall.

On th'earth wee greeue the grounde for filthy gayne,
On th'earth wee close the earth t'inlarge our land,
In th'earth wee moyle with honger, care, and payne,
Wee cut, wee dig thence Siluer, Gold, and Sand.
The bowels of the earth wee moyle with might of hand,
With Steele and Iron tearing vnder ground,
And rigging all the earth to make our ioyes abound.

For th'earth forget wee God, (vnfaythfull fooles)
For grounde forsake wee fayth and all our frends:
For th'earth wee set our selues to subtile schooles,
Of grounde lyke swine wee seeke the farthest ends.
Wee spoyle the grounde that all our liuing lends,
Of grounde to winne a plat a while to dwell
Wee venter liues, and send our soules to hell.

242

If wee consider could the substance of a man,
How hee composed is of Elements by kinde,
Of earth, of water, ayre, and fire: than
Wee would full often call vnto our minde,
That all our earthly ioyes wee leaue behinde:
And when wee passe to th'earth wee turne to rot:
Our pompe, our pride, and glory is forgot.

The fire first receaues his heate againe,
The ayre the breath bereaues away by right:
The watry and the earthly parts remaine,
Of Elements composed scarce so light.
And in the ground a place is for them dight.
The moistures dry, the bones consume to dust,
The wormes with fleshe suffice their greedy lust.

But wee forget our composition olde,
Both whence wee came, and whereunto wee shall:
Wee scarce remember wee bee made of mould,
And how the earth agayn consumeth all.
This great forgetfulnesse breedes Princes thrall.
While present ioyes wee gaze vppon, meane while
A fadeing blisse doth all our wits beguile.

All this I speake to th'end it may aduise
All Princes great, and noble peeres that ar,
To learne by mee the rather to bee wise,
And to abandon hate and malice far.
To banishe all ambitious bloudy warre:
To liue content in peace, with their estate:
For mischiefe flowes from discord and debate.

And now Ile tell what discord vile hath done
To mee King Forrex. Thus the case it stood.
I thought in deede to haue some castels wonne
And holds, which were my brothers, strong and good.

243

So might I intercept his vitayles, forrage, food,
Abate his pride, obtaine the Kingdome all:
Mee thought the halfe a portion was to small.

Ther's no man takes an enterprise in hand,
But hee perswades him selfe it is not ill:
Hee hath of reasons eke in steede to stand
As hee supposeth framed wise by skill.
So I was led by reason rude, to kill
My brother, if I caught him at the nicke,
Because the quarell first hee gan to picke.

And for because I was the elder Prince,
The elder sonne, and heyre vnto the crowne:
Me thought no lawe, nor reason could conuince
Mee from the fact, though I did beate him downe.
This was my way to winne and reape renowne.
I did prouide an army strong, encampte a fielde,
Not far from where I hoapte to cause him yeelde.

And sundry sharpe assautes on each wee gaue,
On purpose both enflamed for to fight:
Wee had in parle receaued counsayle graue
Of wise and worthy men, perswading right.
It pitie was (they sayd) so fowle a sight
That brethren twayne, both Princes of a land,
Should take at home such woefull warres in hand.

But where ambition dwelles is no remorce,
No countreys loue, no kinred holden kinde,
No feare of God, no sentence wise of force
To turne the harte, or mollify the minde.
Good words are counted wasting of your wynde.
The gayne proposde, the crowne and scepter hye,
Are th'only thinges whereat men gaze and prye.

244

At length my brother for to ende the strife,
Thought best to worke the surest way to winne:
He founde the meanes to take away my life,
Before which time the warres could neuer linne.
How much might better both contented binne!
For hope is sloape, and hold is hard to snatche,
Where bloud embrues the hands that come to catch.

Thus our ambition brewde our subiecs smart,
Our broyles pourde out their guiltlesse bloud on ground:
Which vile deuise of mine ambitious heart
Procured Ioue my purpose to confound.
Therefore beware yee wights whose wealths abound,
Content your selues in peace to spend your dayes,
By vertues good aloft in earth your names to rayse:
So shall you liue in Heauen with mighty Ioue alwayes.

245

Lenuoy.
[_]

[For the original version of Lenvoy 12, see p. 173.]

What cruell heartes had both these Princes then
To raigne alone, which sought their brothers life:
These tyrants were no perfect noble men,
But buchers rather raignyng all by knife.
A woefull thing to heare such brother strife,
Where loue aye lasting loyall should endure,
That crowne or Kingdome bloudshed should procure.

And here you one thing chiefely haue to note,
That his pretence was punisht as the fact:
For hee no bloudshed wrought (as well you wote)
But purposde was to worke a bloudy act,
And that both time and place therefore hee lact.
Let such then know, as haue such thoughts in vre:
No murder, stable Kingdome can procure.

For if Iehoua did his purpose dint,
How much will hee the factours punish more:
Let noble men from such endeuours stint,
And loue embrace, where hatred was before.
Iehouaes ioyfull impes embrace this lore.
For Porrex here can tell, they may bee sure:
No murder, stable kingdome can procure.

246

[PORREX]

How King Porrex which slewe his brother was slayne by his owne mother and hir maydens, about the yeare before Christ, 491.

[_]

[For the original Tragedy of Porrex, see pp. 173–79.]

Can cursed Cayne that caytiue scuse him selfe,
That slew his brother Abel innocent:
Or Typhon tell a reason for himselfe,
Why hee Osiris downe to Lymbo pent?
King Dardan then may doe the lyke perdy,
They slewe their brethren each: and so did I.

The wicked witch Medaea rent in peeces smalle
Absirtus limmes her brother, did not shee?
Shee threw him in the way dismembred all,
That so hir fathers iourney stayde might bee.
Orodes eke did sley his brother Mithridate:
And so did I my brother Forrex in debate.

Learchus slewe his brother for the Crowne,
So dyd Cambyses fearing much the dreame:
Antiochus the great of infamous renowne
His brother slewe, to rule alone the realme.
Ardieus dyd the lyke for kingdomes sake:
So dyd my selfe like wise away my brother rake.

Mempricius lewde of lyfe likewise did kill
His brother Manlius, for the same intent:
These Princes vile were brother sleyers ill,
For kingdomes sake vnnaturally bent.
But reade the storyes, thou shalt finde it playne
The bloudy wretches all were after slayne.

247

Euen so I Porrex eke, which slewe my brother,
And ruled once the Britayne land with him,
Vnkindly kilde was by my cruell mother,
Which with hir maydens chopt mee euery limme.
As I lay sleeping on my bed at rest,
Into my chamber full and whole they prest.

Apoynted well they were with weapons sharpe,
And boldly layde on me with all their might:
Oft quite and cleane they thrust me through the heart,
And on my corps each where theyr weapons light.
They chopt me small (I say) as flesh to pot,
And threwe mee out my limes yet trembling hot.

Can I complayne of this reuenge shee raught,
Sith I procurde hir wrath by slaughter of hir sonne?
Can I excuse my selfe deuoyde of faut,
Which my deare Prince and brother had fordonne?
No; tis to true that who so slayes a King
Incurrs reproch, and slaughter bloud doth bring.

The traytours to their Prince haue alwayes binne
As sleyers of their parents, vipers broode:
The killers of their brothers, frends, and kinne,
In like degree well nigh of treason stoode.
But what by this winne they, saue death, defame,
Distayne theyr bloud, and shroude themselues with shame.

Example take you Princes of the land,
Beware of discord, shun ambitious pride:
By right take yee the scepter in your hand,
Let not your sword with soueraignes bloud be dide.
The mighty Joue, that raignes eternall ay,
Cuts of the Kings that enter in that waye.

248

Vsurpers may perswade themselues a while
There is no God, no lawes of sacred crowne:
No wrong they doe, no murther seemeth vile,
Nor no respect of princely high renowne.
But if they could consider well the case,
They nild exalt themselues to Princes place.

They would example take by Lucifer,
That was cast downe, the father first of pride:
And al his impes how high so ere they were,
Vsurping Realmes and Kingdomes farre and wide.
From light to darke, from throne to thrall they fell:
From hap to hate, from life to death, from heauen to hell.

Sufficient here is sayd to warne the wise,
For he by prudence oft forecasts the doubt:
The foole is bent all warnings to despise,
He runneth headlong with the rascall rout.
Then if thou cast to liue at rest a subiect good,
Touch not the Princes fame, crowne, scepter, nor his blood.

249

Lenuoy.
[_]

[For the original version of Lenvoy 13, see p. 180. As rewritten for the 1587 edition, it serves to introduce the tragedy of Pinnar, the first of four tragedies (19–22) introduced between the rewritten tragedy of Porrex and the tragedy of Kimarus (14). The four are those of Pinnar, Stater, Rudacke, and Brennus.]

It lothed me a L'enuoy here to write
Of such a cruell, proude, ambitious beast:
But yet sith now his faultes he doth recite,
And warnes for murthers venge aliue the rest,
Which had therefore againe his death addrest,
I will (though he deseru'd no tale to tell)
Set downe his fall, for sample seruing well.

The good deserue to haue their praises wrote
To spread their fames, t'incourage those aliue:
Of wicked Princes wee the falls doe note
A Caueat, for kingdomes where they striue:
To show that who so slaughters doth contriue,
(Though hee deserue agayne no tale to tell)
His tragique fall may serue ensample well.

These brethren quellers Brutus bloud bereft,
Which were last Kings that sate of all his line.
Six hundreth yeares and sixteene or they lefte
They raygnde, and thus they spoilde themselues in fine.
The ciuill warres insued hereof long time.
About the crowne I list not here define,
But of intrudrs three that after fell,
As came to fight in order next I tell.

250

[PINNAR]

How King Pinnar was slain in battayle by Mulmucius Donwallo, about the yeare before Christ, 441.

Might often times ouer runnes right to fast,
Right commeth after and hopes to haue his owne:
And when agayne hee ouertakes might at the last,
Then is the truth of all the quarell knowne.
Men neuer reape no other then was sowne:
If good were the gayne, the better commes the crop:
On vine growes the grape, and not the biter hop.

Of this that I haue sayd I would this inferre:
A man by might a while, may perforce withholde
A kingdome not his owne: but hee farre better were
To yeeld vnto the right, and then hee may bee bolde.
Good metall bides the touch that trieth out the gold,
When copper playne appeares the counterfaite in cast,
Is counted but as drosse, and called in at last.

I am that Pinnar once a Britayne King,
No pinner by my science for to make pinnes:
And yet I could well cast of thousands in a ring,
To catch the common wealth I made many ginnes.
Let him that learnes my science tell mee what he winnes.
For tirrany, and robery, conspiracy, and wrong
Prognosticats of rebells raigne, they cannot prosper long.

When I to mee had gote a rascall rable rude
Of roisters, ruffians, ronagats, and knaues:
I did my selfe at last into the throne intrude,
And was susteynd therein by billes, swords, and staues:

251

I made of them officers that were before but slaues:
Oppressing of the good and polleing of them still,
For to inriche the bad and mayntayne all their ill.

Duke Cloten of Cornwall was heire to the crowne.
But I, with other rebells, kept him from his right.
Though wee were conspiratours voide of all renowne,
Yet did wee raigne, and keepe him out by might.
But when his sonne Donwallo came for to fight,
Mulmucius that was in armes a worthy man,
With me and them to try the quarell hee began.

Hee brought of Cornishmen a royall army good,
With other subiects late by me before opprest:
And made mee pay the price of pillage with my bloud,
As traitour slayn in field, example for the rest.
Euen so who euer shall, from Prince the scepter wrest,
Vsurpe from him the crowne, or scale the throne of state,
Shall shortely feele the rod of Gods immortall hate.

252

Lenuoye.

Thus though vnorderly his tale hee tell,
As was his raygne: yet orderly it standes.
Euen such decorum deckes the person well,
Who in his life decorum due abandes.
No fyner fyled phrase could scape my handes,
When I began for him to pen the same:
Let Pinnar then receiue thereof the blame.

And now you must suppose did next appeare
Another Prince, in warlike armour clad,
With bleeding woundes, as if newe slaine hee were:
Reciting first the hauty haps hee had,
And then his fall in fight, his Fortune bad.
If hee vnstatelike stammer out the same,
With staylesse staggering footed verse, by ame,
Let hardly him receiue thereof the blame:
Or geue the faute toth countrey whence hee came.

[STATER]

How King Stater of Scotland was slayne by Mulmucius Donwallo, about the yeare before Christ, 441.

Stint not in stories truely for to tell
The fall of vsurpers, the presidents of pryde.
Recite of our treasons, and how that wee fell,
Intruders vntrusty the Realme for to guide:

253

Of wit and of reason recklesse and wide,
That tooke so vppon vs to rule all the land,
No Princes presumde yet with scepter in hand.

How stately I Stater of Scotland the King,
Did beare mee full stoutely when I had the crowne:
And what a great army of Scots I did bring,
Against Lord Donwallo, of noble renowne.
A deemed dame Fortune would neuer so frowne,
Who made me a Prince, that Kingdome my pray,
Of late but a subiect and simple of sway.

But here now behold how steady the state
Of climbers aloft is aboue their degree,
And how they doe fall from fortune to fate,
Example are such as my fellow and me.
The fruite giues a taste of the sappe of the tree,
The seede of the herbe, the grape of the vine:
The worke wrayes the man, seeme he neuer so fine.

For when I had leuyed an armie to fight,
I ioyned with Pinnar, my power to preuayle:
And Rudacke of Wales came eke with his might,
Mulmucius Donwallo the King to assayle.
Our purpose the Prince by prowes did quaile
Which came out of Cornwall, vs vanquisht in fielde,
Our souldiers slayne, skard, taken, forced to yeelde.

O fortune I blame thee, my selfe more vnwise:
Thou gau'st me a kingdome, and with life I it lost.
My souldiers were slayne fast before mine owne eyes,
Or forced to flie, yeelde, and smell of the rost.
I neede not of honour or dignitie boast,
Or tell of my triumphes, or crake of my crowne:
The vaunt of vsurpers is voyde of renowne.

254

Lenuoy.

A worlde it is to see the meaner sort
Enhaunce themselues aboue their due degree:
To sit aloft they deeme a noble sport,
From whence they may the worlde and people see.
But so they speede as their deseruings bee.
Still triall telles, Iehoua tumbles downe
Such subiectes false as dare assume the crowne.

For if these Pagans proud so plagued were,
Which tooke on them ambitiously the sway,
Wil not th'almighties Iustice soone appeare,
When Christian men their Christian Kinges betray?
Yes: he (by whome all Princes raigne for aye)
Such subiectes smites, as dare assume the crowne,
And from the throne intruders tumbles downe.

But now beholde and marke this story well,
Which next in order seemes his tale to frame,
With bleeding woundes in fielde likewise that fell,
For so me thought in warlike sort he came,
The last of these that Rudacke had to name,
Declaring how Bellona strooke him downe,
Because he had vniustly caught the crowne.

255

[RUDACKE]

Howe King Rudacke of Wales was slayne by Mulmucius Donwallo about the yeere before Christ, 441.

Rude are the reuelles royaltie that rape,
Restlesse the raygnes of rebels in the robe,
Reckles the rage where cruelty doth scrape,
Roundnesse regarded but little of the globe,
No man ambitious prudent with the probe,
Crownerape accounted but cunning and skill,
Bloudshead a blockehouse to beate away ill.

The rudenesse of rebels reaching the crowne,
May be compared to Bladhuds deuice:
But better sit still then fall so farre downe,
If Lordes coulde by others hurt learne to be wise.
Myselfe of high climbing haue payde well the price,
That rudely in throne my selfe did install
Aloft, not regarding how low I might fall.

When Britayne was restlesse, wanting a Kyng,
(For Forrex and Porrex the Princes were slayne)
The land many peeres ambitious did wring,
Endeuouring each the kingdome to gayne.
The heires good apparent forsake it were fayne,
The subiects were armed, wee nobles did striue,
At length we amongst vs deuision contriue.

Then recklesse wee were when all was at rest,
And each had a kingdome aloted his part:
The vice of the subiects dayly increast,
And Iustice and right were layd quite apart.
The lawes ouerlashed by couine and craft,
And wee that did gouerne did winke at this geare:
The worser, perdy, our faythed frends were.

256

The ball that dame Fortune emparteth of blisse
Is golden to gaze on, but voluble round:
If once of your handfast in holding you misse,
Away then it roleth, and you are on grounde.
Of watchers thereon so many abounde,
And catchers thereat, with snatching therefore,
That if once you leese it, you catch it no more.

A Chirurgian that taketh a wounde for to cure,
If skilfull and carefull hee sercheth it furst:
The sea man doth sounde to take the deepth sure,
By wisedome well taught for feare of the worst.
But our vile ambition, blinde, blockish, accurst,
Not prouing the sore, nor reckoning the sounde,
Our shippes and our science we sinke and confounde.

Ambition out sercheth to glory the greece,
The staire to estate, the graple of grace:
But in her is hidde of perill a peece,
Which all our attempts doth dimme and deface.
Perdy shee gets vs vaine ioyes but a space,
Short, britle as glasse: false fayre giueing light:
Not golden, though glitteing braue in the sight.

For when she hath brought vs vnto the throne,
And Fortune hath fraught vs with honour at fill:
Then thereto sit stedy and rule all alone
Wee racke our deuices, and scud with our scill.
Wee cutt off occursions, wee prole, pole, and pill:
Wee bolster, wee band out, to brybe, banish, sley
The pillers of prudence that prop in our wey.

Our race is then restles, our sleeping vnsounde:
Our wakeing is warfare, our walkeing hath woe:
Our talkeing is trustles, our cares doe abound:
Our fauners deemde faythfull, and frendshippe a foe.

257

Which troubles our fancies so tosse to and froe,
That scarcely wee neuer inioy any rest
Tormented, whome Fortune exalted and blest.

This thing can I witnesse what troubles ensue,
What cares doe vs compas enhaunced aloft:
I therefore wish rebells to take better vewe
Of the falles of intruders, recorded so oft.
Who climeth so highe his fall is not soft.
If once hee doe stagger or falter aside,
Hee cannot recouer the rest for to guide.

When I with my felowes (our selues which thought sure)
Here ruled the realme, there fell out a flawe:
Donwallo did seeke the Crowne to procure,
Alleadging a title thereto by the lawe.
He when him resistng in armes bright vs sawe,
Came strayght with an hoaste prepared to fight,
With sworde for to trye out whose title was right.

Our numbre was great, our title vniust:
Our consciences guilty, our souldiers agast:
Our enmy with honour had souldiers of trust:
And Fortune was frendly to them as they past.
They slewe of our men by manhoode full fast,
Or forst them to flye: In the feelde wee were fayne
To resist them (poore Prynces) and so wee were slayne.

First Pinnar, then Stater, I Rudacke likewise
At last was with number oppressed dispatcht.
Let Lordings beware how aloft they doe rise,
For by Princes and commons theyr climing is watcht.
No sooner they haue at the scepter once snatch,
But guilty themselues they deeme worthy to die,
And Gods iustice such sentence t'accomplish doth hie.

258

Lenuoy.

You see the end of rebelles here descride,
Entruders see whereto they haue to truste:
Their seat vnsure and slippery downe doth slide,
Their names are eaten out with cankerd ruste.
Theyr honours soone lay toumbling in the duste.
Wherefore I count them triple thrise and foure times blest,
Which prudently to serue their God and Prince are prest.

Sith stories all doe tell in euery age
How these crowne croachers come to shamefull ends,
And how they shortely winne the woefull wage,
Which for vniustice Ioua iustely sends:
Let hauty headstrong heede what hee pretends,
Sith hee aliue, in death, and after's only blest
Which prudently to serue his God and Prince is prest.

But now behold, from Delphos next in place
A noble valiaunt Britayne there I vewde,
Of stature tall, well sett, of comely grace,
With body broysde, and armoure all embrewde.
His wounded breast my woefull hart berewde:
Whose life and death may proue contented wights are blest,
Which prudently to serue their God and Prince are prest.

259

[BRENNUS]

How the noble King Brennus, after many triumphant victories, at the seege of Delphos in Greece slew him selfe, about the yeare before Christ, 375.

Amongste the noble martiall worthy men,
Renowned farre, victorious great of fame,
Though Autors sound my praise: eftsoones agen
Emongst the Britayne Princes write the same.
I am that Britayne once that Brennus had to name:
My facts, exployts in warre, my conquests life & end
Doe write as I recite, when time doth leasure lend.

The mighty Monarche of this noble Ile
Mulmucius (conquerde tyranne Princes three
They by intrusion rayning here long while)
Was father both to Belinus and mee.
His noble acts and lawes commended bee.
This Belinus (mine elder brother) was his heire,
And Queene Cornwenna was our mother wise and fayre.

When after him my brother had the crowne,
Hee was content to make mee eke a king:
Hee gaue mee Albany, where with renowne
I rulde a while by Iustice euery thing.
But at the last ambition made me bring
An army thence, agaynst my brother for to fight:
Which rather ought t'aue honorde him with homage right.

260

When Belinus perceiued mee approach
Vnto his Realme, an army hee addrest:
Hee warned me I should not seeke t'incroatch
That was not mine, for hee was ready prest
Mee to repell: hee wilde mee bee at rest.
I marched one, the armies met, wee fearcely fought:
My souldiers slayne, to saue my selfe by flight I sought.

To Norwaye then, I fledde for succour hence,
Where good Elsingus reignde the gentle King:
I tolde him what I was, and eke of whence,
Desirde his ayde, me home agayne to bring.
And he not only graunted me this thing,
But eke his daughter Samye fayre to be my wife,
With me to passe in Albany for aye a Princely life.

But while we were prouiding ships and men,
The fame abroad of my returne was spread:
And Guthlake that was King of Denmarke then,
Prouided with a nauie mee forlead.
The loue of Samye so enragde his riuall head,
That for her sake he must perforce my ships and me forlay,
To win by fight, or take by might the Lady faire away.

And when our nauies mette, he wilde me yeelde
This Lady straight, or else defend the cause:
A thing (quoth I) requested erst but seelde,
Against of Gods and men the sacred lawes.
It hath not erst bene harde amongst the wise mens sawes,
That any King should clayme the like with sword of stormie strife,
Or make assaulte in warlike sorte to winne a Princes wife.

261

From wordes to fight we fell on eyther side,
But in the ende I was discomfit there:
And yeelded her that listed scarce abide,
For she to him before did fauour beare.
By tempest then our nauies seuered were,
And he perforce by storme on shores of Britayne cast,
Was fayne for tribute hostage giue to Beline or he past.

At Seas turmoylde fiue dayes with raging winde,
Sore wearied with the fight, the foyle, and losse:
And casting with my selfe in woefull minde,
The cause why so God Neptune did me tosse:
Why boyling Seas with surges so me sosse:
I made a vowe to kill the man that causde me flye,
Or with my bloud, the kingdome all from him to buy.

The Seas alayde, at last my ships I found,
And rigde againe, at seas met of our foes
Some wandring Danes, where we beset them round
In warlike sorte, we did them all inclose.
Euen so the wheele of Lady Fortune goes,
Abiects, castes downe, turnes topsie toruie quight,
The men of late extold with all her mayne and might.

These ships my wants in some respect supplyde
With tacle, armour, vitayles and the rest:
And so to Britayne land apace I hyde,
For kingdome lost to make againe request:
Or else by might and force away to wrest
The scepter from my brother Beline, and the crowne,
Which lay that time by North at Euerwyke the towne.

To lande I came, and did menace my brother sore,
But he an armie did with speede addresse:
Which mette me straight at th'entry on the shore,
Our battayles ioynd and fought with valiantnesse.

262

But I was put in th'end to such distresse
To ships I flewe, and tooke a fewe with me beside,
And hoysing sayles, for hap to Gallia strands I hyde.

Ariued there, I trauayld long to see
The nature of the Countrey and the men:
And for my purpose I disposed mee,
To please the Princes and the people then,
In hope to see my countrey once agen,
To winne my noble kingdome, or to wreacke the wrong
That I sustaynd exilde from natiue soyle so long.

When I had tolde the great mishaps I had
Vnto the Peeres of Fraunce, some ayde to craue:
I could obtaine no succour me to glad,
Nor men, munition, ships, ne vitayles haue.
I gate me thence to Duke Seginus graue
Of Prouence then the Prince, renowmed noble farre,
For prudence prompt in peace, and wisdom great in warre.

This worthie Duke receiued me with ioy,
(For of afflicted wights he had remorce)
He hearde me oft declare the great anoy
That I had felte, and of my brothers force.
Howe Guthlacke did my wife and me diuorce:
The broyles at Sea, the toyles I taken had at land:
Which neuer coulde the face of Fortunes foyle withstand.

Thou Britayne tall (quod he) I rue thy fate
Thou noble Prince (for so thou art in showe)
If I could now restore thee thine estate,
Thou shouldst perceyue what fauour I thee owe.
T'is Fortunes vse t'exalte and ouerthrowe.
My counsayle then is this, expect her grace a while,
Till where she frownes she turne her frendly face & smile.

263

So in his court he did me intertayne,
Where long I liu'd and bare my selfe full well:
Some times to play the captaine I was fayne,
To winne some praise, as causes did compell.
For when his subiects eyther did rebell,
Or confines made inroads to spoyle or pray his land,
Then I was one that had the charge to take the warres in hand.

In armour fearce, and stout, and strong was I,
God Mars me gaue a stearne and stormie looke:
With feates of armes by land or seas to trye,
Experience taught me what I vndertooke.
No payne, no toyle, nor daunger I forsooke,
That might content the noble Duke of Sauoys minde,
Whose bountie me to honour him and serue his grace did bind.

In peace full milde I was, of comely grace,
And wise in talke, as time occasion gaue:
And (though I say't) I had a Princely face,
I coulde both hunt and hawke, and court it braue.
Eke Fortunes past had made me sage and graue,
More heedy all attemptes to prosecute with skill:
Rash, hastie men (by proofe I found) incurre the greatest ill.

When Duke Seginus sawe my humble harte,
A regall Britayne Prince, of royall bloude,
How I employde my selfe and all my arte,
Mine actiue feates with grace and prowes good
To serue, and quayle his foes that him withstoode:
He gaue his daughter rich to me, a peerles princely dame
His only heyre, and Dukedome after him to guide the same.

By her (when hee was deade) I Sauoye had,
A countrey fertile, famous for the soyle.
With liberall giftes the souldiers hartes I glad.
To winne the restes good will I tooke some toyle,

264

By banquets, iewels, giftes, or warlike broyle:
Stil vsing all the meanes t'obeysaunce them to moue,
Eke all the wayes that might allure them me to loue.

And setled so in honour greate at rest,
Without the feare of forayne foes, or nye:
I mused what for Britayne warres was best,
Which way I might agayne my quarell trye.
Such restles heades haue they that sitte on hye!
O poore estate, how blest were thou that sitste below,
How happy, safe, and sure, if thou thy state couldst know?

A councill called for the same intent,
I told the Lordes my purpose for the warre:
How I to haue my kingdome here was bent.
They all agreed to levy nere and farre,
Such souldiers good and captaynes stoute that were.
They offered seruice eke themselues to fare with mee,
To winne the crowne by sworde, or els reuenged bee.

Concluding thus, a powre prouided was,
Munition good, and vitayles, shipping strong:
On voyage so with hoysed sayles wee passe,
Wee cut the seas, and came apace along
To Britayne shores: In hope to wrecke the wrong
That oft before was done, or winne the land agayne
Whence whilome twice I was to fly with daunger fayne.

When wee were landed here, I herolds sent
To claime my Kingdome at his hands, my right:
I bad them, if hee were not so content,
To sound defiaunce, fyre, and sword, and fight.
But of my message hee esteemed light.
Hee brought an army strong, apointed was the day
Of battayle, then to try who beares the Crowne away.

265

This when our mother sawe Corwenna wise,
That mortall warres wee wadge for Kingdome sake:
Shee with her selfe did many wayes deuise,
A peace betweene her Martiall sonnes to make.
And with the Lords full oft did counsaile take.
Yet all in vaine: there could no parle of peace preuaile,
But on wee marcht agreed each other to assayle.

The feeldes once pight, and time of battaile comme,
In place where should bee tryde this quarell sad,
In armour eke the souldiers all and somme,
With all the force that might so soone bee had,
Wee captaynes vsing speach our men to glad,
T'incourage them with promise proud of lasting fame:
Tweene th'armies both Corwenna stood that noble dame.
And thus shee spake:

“O out ahlas my sonnes what meanes this broyle?
“Will you in feelde my tender bowels harme?
“What furies force you thus t'unkindly toile?
“What meane your men for slaughter here to swarme?
“Did not this wombe once both inclose you warme?
“And cannot now all Britayne hold you brethren twaine:
“But needes by one of you his brother must bee slaine?

“Cannot the feare of Ioues immortall hate,
“Your mothers teares, nor woefull wailings moue?
“Nor naked brests you suckte your malice slacke?
“Nor cause t'imbrace the sacred lore of loue?
“O euerlasting Ioue that liu'st aboue!
“Then I protest ere you doe fight the feelde this day:
“You shall in field (ungratefull sonnes) your woefull mother slay.

266

“Betweene you both you shall bereaue my life.
“What woes (my sonnes) aliue shall I sustaine,
“When I shall after this ambitious strife,
“So many see of both your subiecs slaine?
“And you with brothers bloud your swords distayne.
“I shall (I say) in th'end of fight take woefull vewe,
“Of that my sonne, which this my sonne his noble brother slewe.

“O rather now, my sonnes, leaue of to iar,
“Lay weapons both aside, take truce a while:
“If you doe loue to spend your time in war,
“Destroy not here at home your natiue Ile.
“The present cause and quarell is to vile.
“Joyne friendly both your armies fayth, and firme the same,
“To take some conquest great in hand of euerlasting fame.

“Therein you may with greater honour deale,
“By this defame you shall your selfes for aye.
“Thereby you may enlarge your puplique weale,
“By this your selues and it shall quite decay.
“Thereby you shall mine age with honour stay.
“Thereby you shall in warres most like your noble father bee:
“Which ere he wan the crowne did conquere Kings & kingdoms three.

“Once for my sake then ioyne yet handes agayne,
“Let mee enioy once both before I die.
“I would to see you friends my sonnes bee faine,
“And hope I haue you will not this denie.
“I aske a thing shall neuer hurte perdy.
“For if you now surcease, embrace, and loue as brethren well,
“Then all the world of this your peace and concord aye shall tell.

267

And turneing then to mee thus wise shee sayd:
“Thou knowst, my sonne, how twice thou hast bene foylde:
“Thou twice to scape with life wast well apayde,
“And since full farre to countryes straunge hast toyld.
“If now thou shouldst of life and all bee spoilde,
“(When liue thou maiste in Princely sort with peerelesse ioy)
“What tong can tell thy mothers griefe and great anoy.

“I heare thou hast in Fraunce a Dukedome good,
“Of subiects good thou hast an armie here:
“Thou hast a wife that came of noble blood,
“Thou needst at home no foes at all to feare.
“What mean'st thou then such mortall hate to beare,
“Against my sonne thy brother here, which gaue to thee
“His kingdome halfe, the noble land of Albany?

“Sith thine ambition first procur'd the strife,
“Which didst in armour rise against thy King,
“Against thy brother lou'd thee more then life,
“Thou didst thy subiects his against him bring,
“Thinkst thou it was a wise or worthie thing?
“If not: thou hast good cause thy treason all confesse:
“And though he draue thee out therefore, to loue him ne're the lesse.

“Thou shalt therefore submitte thy selfe to mee,
“And take a truce, a peace I will conclude:
“Thy brother eke shall so contented bee,
“No quarels olde shall be againe renewde.
“These broiles haue oft my cheeks with teares bedewde,
“My heart is rent, my hope bereau'd, my ioyes are gone,
“My life is lost, if you conioyne not frendships both in one.

268

“Then turning vnto Belinus she spake:
“My noble sonne (quod shee) thou twice hast quaylde
“Thy brothers power, and mad'st him twice forsake
“His natiue land, which I haue oft bewaylde.
“What though thou haue so oft before preuaylde,
“Think'st thou againe the thirde time eke to winne the feelde?
“Or art thou sure to slay my sonne, or force thy foes to yeelde?

“What glory canst thou get thereby in th'end?
“Will not the worlde of your foule slaughters tell?
“Will not they all that liue, still discommend
“The man that did his owne deare brother quell?
“Mempricius shamefull actes are knowne too well,
“And Porrex Britayns both, their noble brethren slew,
“Confounded shortly after both, examples good for you.

“Nowe further this againe to both I say:
“Doe not you rue these noble souldiers good?
“Doe not you see how many you shall slay?
“Haue you no care to shed their guiltlesse blood?
“The state of tyraunts neuer stable stoode,
“By bloudshed they doe founde, bace, builde, and prop their state,
“Raigne, liue and dye despisde, and heape themselues eternall hate.

“You noble men, in briefe I speake to you,
“And vnto all the Captains of your bands:
“And eke to all you souldiers good and true,
“Which haue the sway of bloudshed in your hands.
“Consider well the state of both our lands:
“You shall decrease your force, by ciuile discord, warres and strife,
“Distaine your blods, defame your selues, & reaue Cornwennas life.

269

“Then if that eyther Ioues immortall ire,
“(Which euer hated slaughters such as these)
“Or feare of Plutoes euerlasting fire,
“Or daungers threatned both by land and seas,
“Or mothers minde (which both you ought to please)
“Or countries loue, or sacred peace (which al are bound t'imbrace)
“May ought perswade, let my requests among you all haue place.

“If not, loe here my naked breast (quod shee)
“Which once you both did sucke in tender age.
“Let both your swords in these first bathed bee,
“Perhaps this slaughter shall your thirsts aswage.
“It shall be counted euen as small outrage
“To slay your mother pleading for your peace,
“As wadge the wars which gods and men & nature wils to cease.

Much more she sayde which were too long to tell:
And proffered foorth to swordes her naked brest.
But when we both considered had full well
Her woefull teares, her wise and graue request,
They so to peace our hautie hearts addrest,
We layde our weapons downe: we met, imbrac'st & kist.
More ioy in both the armies was then erst in wars I wist.

We ioyned hands, our captaynes did the like,
And eke the souldiers linked all in loue:
There was not one that did our truce mislike,
Our peace did all to ioy and maruaile moue.
With many triumphes feates of armes we proue,
Our subiects all reioyce, in songs we sound Cornewennas prayse,
Her fame to skies, aloft with many showtes and cryes they rayse.

270

The Galles and Senons then supposing me
In Britayne from my Dukedome hard at fight,
Thought great occasion offred them to be,
And set themselues in armes and order right.
My subiects eke of Sauoy day and night
They did entice, perswade, solicite and constrayne,
Tu chuse another Duke at home with them to raigne.

Whereof when I heard tell in Britayne Isle,
Eke when my brother Beline thereof knewe,
We layde aside our sports and playes a while,
And of our souldiers tooke a muster newe.
Of both our hoasts we chose a noble crewe.
We past the seas, as brethren ought, in concord knit:
And both our force in one to conquere Fraunce we fit.

Without resistance much we spoild the land
At th'entry in, and after many fights
We conquerd all the Realme, my foes we fand,
Which were in armes stout, valiant, noble wights.
By sword they fell, or flewe before our sights.
The Germains force, likewise that did them succour send,
We made to fall therefore, and to our scepters bend.

Three hundred thousand we in armour had,
An armie great renownde Europa through:
The Kings and Princes of our peace were glad,
We were in fight so puissant fearce and rough.
Munition, vitayles, money eke enough,
We had of tributes store, of dueties in that came:
Through all the world of Brenne and Beline flew the fame.

To vs came souldiers out of many parts,
And captaynes worthy for the fame of warre,
Of fearce Bellona braue wee had the arts,
Whereof wee wanne the praise both neare and farre.

271

But not with this wee so contented arr.
As Hercules to scale the Alpes did first contend:
So wee agayne (a worke of toyle) the cloudy Alpes ascend.

Great mountaynes, craggy, high, that touch the skies,
Full steepe to climbe vnto, and penshot all,
The Seas allow doe rore, and foggy vapours rise,
And from the hills great streames of waters fall.
The pathes so strickte to passe the speede is small.
The ise, snowe, cold, clouds, rombling stormes, and sights aboue,
Are able constant harts with doubtfull feare to moue.

For as you goe, sometimes y'ar fayne to reatch
And hang by handes, to wend aloft the way:
And then on buttockes downe an other breatch,
With elbowes and with heeles your selfe to stay.
Downe vnder well behold the streames you may,
And waters wilde which from the mountaynes faling flow:
Ore head the rockes hang down whence riuers rore of melting snow.

When wee these Alpes had past with daungers greate,
To Clusium towne in Tuscane land wee came:
They, as wee did prouide our forage vitayles meate,
Did issue out in armes to intercept the same.
Ambassage to the Romaines eke they frame,
Desiring aide against the Galles (so vs they counted theere)
Because I was of Fraunce and Frenchmen in our armies were.

The Romaines then, because that our successe
Reported was to them in warres before,
Euen for their owne safegard could doe no lesse,
But aide their neighbours now at neede the more.

272

To parle they sent for peace ambassadours therefore.
Wee aunswerde wee desirde but space wherein to bide and dwell,
Because our peopled Countrye could not now contayne vs well.

But they forgetting quite of armes the lawe
Did arme them selues, ambassadours full stoute:
With Clusians came to bring vs all in awe,
Without respect of any further doute.
Whereon, the seige from Clusium walles aboute
Wee raysed strayght, in speede alarme at Rome wee cry,
There to reuenge th'ambassadours outrage and iniury.

Yet first wee thought it best ambassage send,
To haue truce breakers such deliuered vs
By lawe of armes as ought no weapons wend,
And yet against the lawes came armed thus.
They sayd wee were a people barbarous,
They neither punishe would nor yeeld those Romaines good,
But honour them: they came of Fabius noble bloud.

Full swiftely on wee marched then in haste,
And towardes Rome with all our powre wee hyde:
At Alia floud gan forty thousand taste
Of Romaines that vs met what might betyde.
Wee slewe them fast, the rest durst not abide.
Wee had the spoyle, to Rome wee came, the Citye wee possesse:
A thousand wight of gold wee make the Romaines pay for peace.

Pannonia eke with broiles of warres wee tame,
And many yeares wee kept them vnder yoke:
The Princes all about that herde our noble fame
Desired peace with vs, before wee came to stroke.
Wee Britaynes made Europa all to smoke.
To part our armies then in twayne wee tooke at all no doubte,
And seuerall conquests tooke in hand, as valiaunt captaines stoute.

273

To Macedony Beline tooke the way,
Where raigned Ptolome the tyraunt fell,
Which did his sisters sonnes vniustly slay
Before their mothers face, and her expell,
Arsinoe that vsde him earst so well:
Yea, though before the Gods hee sware to take her to his wife,
And loue her sonnes, hee her expeld, and them bereft of life.

Euen so that wicked king at first refusde
To purchase peace with price, or hostage sende,
That had before the fayth of Gods abusde,
Was destinate to haue a naughty ende.
Let Princes well beware what they pretende.
For who for kingdomes sake breakes fayth, and murders foule commits,
Let him bee sure to haue a fall, on slipery throne hee sits.

Our custome was that time to send each where
Our Herouldes offering peace for tribute, golde:
But Ptolome to Beline bad him message beare,
Conditions take of peace, ne tribute pay hee woulde,
Ne frendship would admit (as hee the Herouldes tolde)
Except the enmies layde downe weapons, them submit,
No truce with them, no peace there were, nor no agreement fit.

King Beline smilde to heare the heedelesse King
Rash witted, so selfe wild, and after this
The Dardanes offered twenty thousand bring
Of souldiers armde for ayde, to ioyne with his.
Quoth Ptolome, now lost all Macedony is.
Yf we once conquerde all the East by Alexanders hande,
Neede we the Dardanes ayde, these straungers to withstande?

274

Wee haue (quoth hee) some souldiers sonnes of those
Which serude in pay with them that vanquisht all:
And for our selues wee nothing feare our foes,
Although our army seeme to Dardane smalle.
This when th'ambassadours related all
To good king Dardane, Then this noble realme (quod hee)
By this yong princox pryde, will all be lost and conquerde bee.

With that alarme they crye, and armies ioyne,
Where Britaynes sley the Macedonian crewe:
And haue for spoyle theyr vitayles, armour, coyne,
Tooke Ptolomey theyr king, and him they slewe.
His heade aboue the campe they beare for vewe
On speare, to make the rest of Greekes in doubt to stand,
Before they enterprice to take such woefull wars in hand.

One this the fame of Britaynes far was spred,
All Macedony held theyr countrey spoylde:
To Alexander (erst theyr armies led)
And vnto Philip, Princes neuer foylde,
As vnto Gods they cry in warres tormoylde.
O helpe (quod they) our countrey falls, & we are all vndonne,
With out your aydes: whose noble actes erst all the world haue won.

But Sosthenes a worthy Macedonian stoute,
When as the Britaynes bathed in theyr blisse,
Gate vnto him a warlike worthy route,
And set agayne on Beline there and his,
Put him to foyle for all his worthynes.
Wheron when as the souldiers would haue made him all theyr roye:
By captaynes name hee tooke theyr oth theyr enmies to distroye.

275

When this in Greece I herde, and theyr successe
First of the feelde they wonne, and folly then
Enrichte with spoyles, giuen all to idlenes
Which were before approued valiaunt men:
I sounde retracte, and backwardes gate agen,
With seuen score and ten thousand footemen for the fight,
And fifteene thousand horsemen good of manhoode and of might.

With these apoynted well my frends to ayde
The Britaynes good, and Beline in that case,
To Macedone I marcht, with souldiers well apayde,
Both for my brothers sake and riches of the place.
Whereto when as wee came, in litle space
We wan the feelde, we tooke the spoyles of all the land at will,
In pleasures plungde we had of wealth, renowne, and fame, our fill.

So I that had all Macedoyne in awe,
With spoyle of mortall men was not content:
I past not of these conquests all a strawe,
The temples of the gods to spoile I ment,
And towards Delphos with mine army went.
Whereas on hyghe the temple stoode most glorious to beholde,
And god Apollos shrine enrichte with mighty masse of gold.

The riche and welthy gods (quoth I) may lende
To mortall men some of theyr treasures great:
They haue no neede thereof for to dispende
For clothing, vitayles, armour, drinke or meate.
But yet wee must therefore theyr priests intreate.
There is enough for them, and vs, and many moe beside,
Of offerings greate, from Princes brought of all the world so wide.

276

This Delphos is on mount Parnasus fayre
In Greece, wel fenst with rising rockes about,
By nature plaest aloft in pleasaunt ayre,
So high to scale they neede no enmies doubt.
No watch, no warde they keepe the walles about.
So strong steepe pendent are the rockes whereon it stately stands:
As not the like could euer yet be made with mortall hands.

When in this city shoutes aloude they make,
Or when the trompets sounde therein is herde,
The Ecchoes shrill so cause the skies to shake,
That straungers staring stand and muse afferde.
The wordes and tunes resounde agayne so harde,
So often times aboute from euery rocke so playne,
As if to one that cryde a thousand cryde to him agayne.

This made the men that came from farre to maze,
To maruayle much, to feare and wonder still:
And at the syte thereof to stare and gaze,
Deuising ofte the stately high and mighty hill.
A building founded first by heauenly skill
In citye fayrely builte, and costly graude with worke of hande,
Apolloes temple highe to heauen aboue the rest doth stande.

Tis rownde theater wise so braue within
And large aloft, without pendant vpright,
So high it seemes impossible to winne,
With comely forme the gazers to delight.
The maiesty whereof (I weene) did them inuite
That chose that seate, to dedicate a temple in the same,
Whereof for Oracles was spred through all the world the fame.

277

Amidste the height of this Parnasus mount
A turning wey there is, and in the playne
A denne through rockes for deepenesse doth surmount,
And turning vaults far in, whence aunsweres vayne
The priests receiue from sprits to tell agayne.
When any come for counsayle there, of things to come to knowe.
Th'insensate priests the aunsweres of deluding sprits doe showe.

Wherefore the Kings and peoples offerings brought,
From all the world and coasts of nations far:
With many gifts of gold and siluer wrought,
The statures of the Gods and iewells rich there wer.
To Delphos all they runne in any doubte which ar.
This was the madnesse tho that mortall men bewicht:
Whereby Apolloes temple was and Delphos so inricht.

Low nowe in fewe, I tell at Delphos what I did,
For towardes it as with my mates I went,
Them bee of courage good and nothing feare I bid,
I told them, with the spoile, them to reward I ment.
But now I askte how they would giue consent
The captaynes Euridane and Thessalone companions in the pray,
Where it were good straight now to scale, or else a while to stay.

The Captaynes counsaile was alarme at once to call,
Before the Graecians were prouided for defence:
And straight to scale with skill the mighty wall,
Before the city knewe of our pretence.
The souldiers stout abroad encamped thence,
And sayd they must refreshe their weried limmes a space,
Vnable else to scale, or meete their enmyes in the face.

278

The Graecians them commaunde that dwelt by hip
In villages, to make no spare of wine:
The Britayne souldiers fell thereon to sip,
Forgate their feats of warre and playd the swine.
Against their captaynes eke they gan repine.
So that full long it was or wee could them perswade
To flye from Bacchus bouthes, and fall agayne to blade.

Of souldiers thousands sixty fiue I had,
But of our enmies fourteene thousand were:
The stately towne they see, their harts to glad,
I bad them not at all to stand in doubt or feare.
Behold (quoth I) what doth in sight aloft appeare,
Those charets glittering braue, and statures stout in founded gold
Of sollid masse, more weighty riche then glorious to behold.

For on the Temple stoode a sorte of golden shapes,
And in the walles thereof their pictures shone:
Not one of these (quoth I) the Britaynes scapes,
Wee souldiers shall possesse them euery one.
Let vs therefore not linger here vpon,
But geue th'assaulte: for here in hand wee haue for spoiles a peece,
In price of gold, of perle & gemmes, surmounts the wealth of Greece.

Wee haue or this the wealth of men possest
(Yet worthy Princes all) of mortall men:
But here the treasures of the Gods are prest
To looke for vs: shall wee refuse them then?
Wee shall not so bee profered ofte agen.
Within the walles hereof are greater offerings farre by odds:
Th'attyre, crownes, scepters, statures, plate and garnish of the Gods.

279

Wee sound Alarme, th'assaute the rockes assayes,
Our souldiers brainesicke, heedelesse vp ascend:
The Delphos men had fenste the easiest wayes,
So that against the rockes our force wee bend.
With stones the scaleing Britaynes downe they hend.
An earthquake eke by vowes and cries the sacrificers reare,
Which on my souldiers downe to fall a mighty rocke did teare.

The ground did shake, and rent, and tempests rise,
The haylestones mighty fall, the thunders rore:
The lightnings flasheing dazled all our eyes,
The Britaynes from th'assaute were ouer bore.
My souldiers slayne discomfit mee before,
And I sore wounded, foule amazde, orecome with toile and smart,
T'escape the Greekishe sword & shame did perce my selfe to th'harte.

You noble captaynes now that know my facts,
Learne valiauntly in warres the sword to wend:
Let fame extoll your wise and warlike acts,
And let report your fortitude commend.
But let your warfares haue a wiser end,
And let what Bochas writes and Higgins here doth pen,
As myrours shew what good wee gate, to warre with Delphos men.

280

Lenuoy.
[_]

[In the 1587 edition this lenvoy introduces the tragedy of Kimarus (14).]

Great ruth that such a noble conqueroure,
Should haue so hard and infamous an end:
Which of the worlde might haue bene Emperour,
If all be true that storyes him commend.
But where is Fortune permanent a frend?
Shee blyndely baytes and bathes her Impes in blisse:
Who trustes her still, I count ill fortune his.

Galerius and Florianus stoute,
And Iulian of Rome the Emperours,
And Diocesiane of Constantine in doubte,
Though in their times full worthy warriours,
So counted often noble conquerours,
They slewe themselues, abated from their blisse:
Which who so doth, I count ill fortune his.

Cordila slewe her selfe in prison pent,
And Dido for AEneas flight away:
That Iudas which betrayde the innocent,
And Pontius Pilate wrought their owne decay.
What neede I here on desperate captiues staye?
Sith who so bathes in flickering Fortunes blisse,
Without Gods grace, I count ill fortune his.

The warres haue prosperde well with Princes oft,
Yet best with such, who vertue sought alone:
The rest, which onely werde to wende aloft,
Were euer foylde, confounded by their fone.
But here I cease, the next full woe begone,
With rented corps appeard, deuoyde of blisse:
Recounting thus that haplesse ende of his.

281

Lenuoy.
[_]

[For the earlier version of this lenvoy, see p. 190. The 1587 edition introduced between the tragedies of Morindus and Nennius (15 and 16) three new tragedies— those of Emerianus, Chirinnus, and Varianus (23–25), with appropriate lenvoys. Lenvoy 15 was rewritten to introduce the first of these new tragedies.]

Wee reade the valiaunt actes of Hercules,
His mighty labours all, and woefull end:
But Samsons conquests of his enemies,
The holy histories to vs commend.
Yet who so shal on fortitude depend,
Still trusting to obtayne the victory,
Let him beholde Morindus history.

Or of the death of Theseus they tell,
The fall of Brennus, and his woefull end:
Though hee in force and powre bee nere so fell,
Hee cannot still on fortitude depend.
Tis vertue sole that all the wise commend:
Shee still obtaynes for aye the victory,
By true reporte of euery history.

Strength, beauty, wealth, facts, fauoure, fearcenesse fell,
All earthly pleasures feele a paynefull end:
Then happy thrice is hee, (the truth to tell)
That onely can on heauenly powre depend.
But now I must to you the next commend,
In blacke, mee thought, appearing mournefully,
Declaring thus his woefull misery.

282

[EMERIANUS]

How King Emerianus for his tirany was deposed, about the yeare before Christ, 225.

The wofull wight that fell from throne to thrall,
The wretch that woue the web wherein hee goes:
A dolefull blacke bad weede still weare hee shall
In woefull sorte, and nothing blame his foes.
What neede such one at all his name disclose?
Except the haplesse rest of Britaynes should,
Not here for shame resite his name hee would.

I am Emeriane King that raignde a space,
Scarce all one yeare, in Britayne Isle long sence.
But for I was in maners voide of grace,
Ferce, tyranous, and full of negligence,
Bloud thirsty, cruell, vaine, deuoide of sence.
The Britaynes mee desposde, from seat and crowne,
And reaude mee quite, of riches and renowne.

I was despisde and banisht from my blisse,
Discountnaunste, fayne to hide my selfe for shame:
What neede I longer stand to tell thee this?
My selfe was for my woefull fall to blame.
My raygne was short, in fewe my fall I frame.
My life was lothsome, soone like death that found.
Let this suffice a warning blaste to sound.

283

Lenuoy.

The cause why here this Prince is briefe in talke
Is, for the stories scarce remembre such:
What neede I then with them more farder walke?
Sith this perhaps, may seeme, is sayd to much.
I must but briefly these vnworthy tutch.
The next approaching pufte with dropsie wanne,
Thus wise, mee thought, his yexeing tale beganne.

[CHIRINNUS]

How King Chirinnus giuen to dronkennesse raygned but one yeare. Hee died about the yeare before Christ, 137.

Though I my surfets haue not yet out slept,
Nor scarce with quiet browes begin my tale,
Let not my drousy talke bee ouer leapt.
For though my belching sent of wine or ale,
Although my face bee falloe, puft, and pale,
And legges with dropsy swell, & panche resound:
Yet let mee tell what vice did mee confound.

Perhaps thou thinkste so groase a blockhead blunt,
A sleepy swinishe head can nothing say:
The greatest heads and smalest eke were wont
To beare in them the finest wits away.
This thing is true, thou canst it not denay,
And Bacchus eke ensharps the wits of some,
Foecundi calices quem non fecere disertum?

Yet sith long since both braynes and all were spent,
And this in place amongste my mates I speake:
I trust thou wilt bee here withall content,
Although in deede my wits of talke are weake.
So old a vessayle cannot chuse but leake.

284

A drousy nole that lyes on drinke a sleepe so long
May pardon craue, although his tongue trip twifold wrong.

Chirinnus was my name a Britayne King,
But rulde short time: Sir Bacchus was my let:
Erinnys eke my sences so did swing,
That reason could no seat amongst them get.
Wherefore the truth I pray thee playnly set.
I gaue my selfe to surfets swilling wine,
And led my life much like a dronken swine.

Deseases grewe, distempraunce made mee swell,
My parched liuer lusted still for baste:
My tympane sounded like a taber well,
And nought but wine did like my greedy taste.
This vice and moe my life and mee defaste,
My face was blowne and blubd with dropsy wanne,
And legges more like a monster then a man.

So not in shape and shewe I onely altered was,
My dispositions chaunged mee likewise:
For vices make a man a bull, a goate, an asse,
A swine or horse, (as Poets can comprise)
Transforming into beasts by sundry wise
Such men as keepe not onely shape of men,
But them mishapeth also now and then.

Wherefore let who so loues to liue long dayes
Without deseases, strong, in youthfull state,
Beware of Bacchus booth which all betrayes,
The vayle of vices vayne, the hauen of hate,
The well of weake delightes, the brande of bate,
By which I loste my health, life, Realme and fame,
My wealth, my crowne, my scepter, sheelde and name:
And only wan the shrowding sheete of shame.

285

Lenuoy.

Of this bad vice who shall embrace the loue,
And not refraine him selfe there from by grace:
Let him bee sure it shall his sence remoue,
His beauty reaue, his facts and fame deface:
His wealth, strength, health, shall waste and were apace,
Hee cannot liue in health till hee bee olde,
Nor purchase health, and sober fame againe, with sowes of golde.

The Poets painted Bacchus naked, bare,
Because hee doth all secrets deepe disclose:
In woemens weede, because men feebled are,
Effeminate, them selues to wine dispose.
Like wanton childe likewise they faine hee goes,
As dronkerds wanton were though nere so olde,
Not wonne to sage and sober life with sowes of golde.

But naked therefore I suppose hee's faynde,
Because hee makes men naked, poore, and bare:
By him they waste away the wealth they gaynde,
And plunge them selues in seas of woefull care:
Or naked then of vertues all they are,
When they to Bacchus bend, both yong and olde,
Not wonne to sage and sober life, with sowes of gold.

Who loues to liue a wise and godly life,
Let him refuse such naked gods to serue:
So shall he saue his fame auoyding strife,
And right report of all good men deserue.
But from my purpose lest I seeme to swerue:
There next me thought a Prince I did behold
Of vicious life, and thus his fates he did vnfold.

286

[VARIANUS]

How King Varianus gaue himselfe to the lustes of the flesh, and dyed about the yeare before Christ. 136.

Where no good giftes haue place, nor beare the sway,
What are the men, but wilful castaway?
Where gifts of grace doe garnish well the King,
There is no want, the land can lacke no thing.
The Court is stil well stor'd with noble prudent men,
In Townes and Cities Gouernours are graue:
The lands are tild, the common wealth doth prosper then,
And wealth at will the Prince and people haue.

Perhaps you aske, what Prince is this appeares?
What meanes his talke in these our golden yeares?
A Britayne Prince that Varianus hight,
I helde some time the crowne and scepter here by right.
And though no neede there be in these your golden dayes
Of states to tell, or vertues good discriue,
Good counsayle yet may after stand in stead alwayes,
When time agayne may vices olde reuiue.

If not: yet giue me leaue amongst the rest
Which felt the fall, or had their deaths addrest:
My cause of fall let me likewise declare,
For falles the deathes of vicious Princes are.
They fal, when all good men reioyce to heare or see
That they short time enioyde their places hie.
For Princes which for princely vertues praysed bee,
By death arise, extold they scale the skie.

I will be short, because it may suffice
That soone is sayde, to warne the sage and wise.
Or if that they no warning neede to haue,
This may perchaunce somewhat their labour saue

287

With yonger heads, that will not heare their faultes them tolde,
By such as would admonish them for loue:
When they my words and warnings here of vice beholde,
They may regarde and see their owne behoue.

About my time the Princes liu'de not long,
For all were giuen almost to vice and wrong:
My selfe voluptuous was abandond quite,
To take in fleshly lust my whole delite:
A pleasure vile, that drawes a man from all good thrifte & grace,
Doth iust desires, and heauenly thoughtes expell:
Decayes the corps, defiles the soule, the factes and fame deface,
And pinges him downe to Plutoes paynes of hell.

For this my sinne my subiectes hated mee,
Repining still my stayned life to see.
As when the Prince is wholy giuen to vice,
And holdes the lewder sort in greatest price,
The land decayes, disorder sprouts and springes abroade,
The worser sort do robbe, pille, polle, and spoyle,
The weaker are constraynd to beare the greatest loade,
And leese the goodes for which full sore they erst did toyle.

How can Iehoua iust abide the wrong:
He will not suffer such haue scepter long.
As he did strike for sinfull life my seate,
And did me downe from royall kingdome beate:
So hath he done for aye, examples are in stories rife,
No wicked wight can gouerne long in rest:
For eyther some the like bereaues him of his life,
Or downe his throne and kingdome is deprest.
Bid Princes then and noble Peeres the like delights detest.
There is no way the iudgement high and wrath of Ioue to wrest.

288

Lenuoy.

What should I longer on such Princes stay,
Whose factes vnworthie were to be enrolde:
The cause why thence I make more speede away,
Is for his sake, whose fame hath farre bene tolde,
That noble Nennius Duke, a captaine bolde,
Of royall bloud, to Prince and countrey kinde,
Whose fame a place aboue the skies shall finde.

When he the feates of armes had learned well,
And coulde encounter with the best aliue:
Hee not to treason nor to falshode fell,
Nor with his ciuill friendes at home to striue:
But hence the landed Romaynes out to driue.
Which sith he did, to Prince and countrey kinde,
His fame a place aboue the skies shall finde.

Eke sith the rest, as were their liues obscure,
Haue tolde their tales, but simply as you see:
To helpe my style, the Muses most demure,
For Nennius sake, gaue greater grace to mee.
Or else I thinke, frend Reader t'was for thee,
That when thou readst of Nennius noble minde,
Thou maist be so to Prince and countrey kinde.

I will no longer thee from reading stay,
But wish thee marke howe he exhorteth all:
Do learne by him for countreyes sake to fray,
In peace no broyles of warres at home to brall.
And thinke thou seest that noble captayne tall
Thus wise display his warlike noble minde,
Duke Nennius, so to Prince and countrey kinde.

289

Lenuoy.

[What griefe is this, that such a worthy wight]

[_]

[For the original version of Lenvoy 17, see p. 222. It was rewritten for the 1587 edition, to introduce the first of the fifteen new Roman tragedies (26–40). The tragedies have no lenvoys.]

What griefe is this, that such a worthy wight
(Which meant to Prince & Countrey both so wel)
Should haue his death amongst his friendes adight,
Though he in noble feates did so excell.
But so full oft it falles (the trueth to tell)
Who best doth meane the publike weales defence,
By some mishap is soonest reaued thence.

Such Nennius was (of whome I spake before)
Such diuers haue in ages all bene seene,
Such therefore still were enuide much the more,
Both of the proude, and such as hatefull beene.
For when they seeke the publique weales defence,
By some mishap th'are soonest reaued thence.

But what ensues such members reaft away?
The rest begin within themselues to striue,
Which when they doe, the body feeles decay,
It cannot long preserue it selfe aliue:
For when diseases bad, good health depriue,
If once they reaue the vitall strength from thence,
Too late is sought for sicknesse sure defence.

Now next appeard on stage the Romayne stoute,
Which made vs tribute first to Rome to pay:
The Monarch Iulius Caesar, halfe in doubte
In the'nglish tongue what he were best to say.
At length me thought, not making more delay,
His life, warres, death, to shewe he did commence,
Which first with hostage bare the conquest hence.

290

[CAIUS IULIUS CAESAR]

How Caius Iulius Cesar which first made this Realme tributary to the Romaynes, was slayne in the Senate house, about the yeare before Christ, 42.

Although by Bocas I haue whilom told my mind,
And Lydgate haue likewise translated wel the same:
Yet sith my place in order here againe I find,
And that my factes deseru'd in Britayne worthy fame:
Let me againe renue to memory my name.
Recite my mind, which if thou graunt to mee,
Thou shalt therefore receiue a friendly fee,
And for my tale, perhaps commended thou shalt bee.

But least thou seeme to doubt what Prince thou seest appeare,
And worst not well which way to winde or wrest his talke,
As may both sound to like a perfect English eare,
And eke direct thy dreadfull pen which way to walke:
Lest thou on this shouldst long diuine, or muse, or calke,
I will thee tell: but take in hand thy pen,
First set thy selfe to write my wordes, and then
A mirrour make yet more for Magistrates agen.

If euer erst the fame of auncient Romayne facts
Haue come to pearce thine eares before this present time,
I thinke amongst the rest, likewise my noble actes
Haue shewde them selues in sight, as Phoebus fayre in prime.
When first the Romayne state began aloft to clime,
And wanne the wealth of all the worlde beside,
When first their force in warlike feates were tryde,
My selfe was victour hee that did the Romaynes guyde.

291

I Caius Iulius Caesar Consull had to name,
That worthie Romayne borne, renownde with noble deeds:
What neede I here recyte the linage whence I came,
Or else my great exploytes? perdy t's more then needes:
But onely this to tell, of purpose now proceedes:
Why I a Romayne Prince, no Britayne, here
Amongst these Britayne Princes now appeere,
As if amongst the rest a Britayne Prince I were.

And yet because thou maist perceyue the story all
Of all my life, and so deeme better of the end:
I will againe the same to mind yet briefly call,
To tell thee how thou maist me prayse or discommend.
Which when thou hast, perdy, as I recyte it, pend,
Thou shalt confesse that I deserued well,
Amongst them here my tragedie to tell,
By conquest sith I wanne this Ile before I fell.

What neede I first recite my petegrue well knowne?
No noble authour writes that can forget the same:
My prayse I know in print through all the worlde is blowne,
Ther's no man scarce that writes, but he recytes my fame.
My worthie Father Lucius Caesar had to name,
Aurelia eke my mother also hight,
Of Caius Cotta daughter borne by right,
As fayre and wise a dame as euer saw the light.

How I was trayned vp in youth what neede I tell?
Sith that my noble Aunt (that Iulia hight) me taught,
Who could with morall doctrine good instruct me well,
And sawe the frame in me that natures skill had wrought,
By her instructions aye I wit and fauour sought.
I was accounted comely of my grace,
I had by natures gift a Princely face,
And wisedome high to wey and deeme of euery case.

292

Of stature high and tall, of colour fayre and white,
Of body spare and leane, yet comely made to see:
What neede I more of these impertinent recyte,
Sith Plutarch hath at large describde it all to thee,
And eke thy selfe that thinkst thou seest and hearest me,
Maist well suppose the rest, or take the viewe
Thou maist by talke of those which erst me knewe,
And by my statures tell of my proportion true.

In iourney swift I was, and prompte and quicke of witte,
My eloquence was likte of all that hearde me pleade,
I had the grace to vse my tearmes, and place them fitte,
My roling Rhetoricke stoode my Clients oft in steade:
No fine conueyance past the compasse of my heade.
I wan the spurres, I had the laud and prayse,
I past them all that pleaded in those dayes,
I had of warlike knowledge, Keasar, all the keyes.

At seuenteene yeeres of age, a Flamin was I chose,
An office great in Rome of priesthoode Princely hie,
I married eke Cossutia whereof much mischiefe rose,
Because I was diuorc'st from her so speedily.
Diuorcement breeds despite, defame is got thereby.
For such as fancies fond by chaunge fulfil,
Although they thinke it cannot come to ill,
The wrong they shew doth cry to God for vengeance still.

Of these the stories tell, what neede I more recyte,
Or of the warres I waged Consul with the Galles?
The worthiest writers had desire of me to write,
They plac'st my life amongst the worthies and their falles.
So Fame me thinks likewise amids the Britaynes calles
For Caesar with his sword, that bare with them the sway,
And for the cause that brought him into such decay,
Which by his noble acts did beare their freedome first away.

293

When I in Fraunce had brought the Galles to bende,
And made them subiect all obaysant vnto mee:
Mee thought I had vnto the worlde his ende
By west subdued the Nations whilome free.
There of my warres I wrot an historye
By nights, at leisure times so from my Countrey far,
I did describe the places and the sequelles of my war
The Commentaryes calde of Caesars acts that ar.

At length I did perceaue there was an Island yet
By west of Fraunce, which in the Ocean sea did lye:
And that there was likewise no cause or time to let,
But that I might with them the chance of Fortune trye.
I sent to them for hostage of assuraunce, I,
And wild them tribute pay vnto the Romayne stoute,
Or else I woulde both put theyr liues & goods in doubte,
And also reaue away the best of all theyr route.

But they a people fearce and recklesse of my powres,
Abused those which brought th'ambassage that I sent:
Now sith (quod they) the land and region here is oures,
Wee will not Caesar to thy rightlesse hestes assent.
By dome of frendly Goddes first this Ile wee hent,
Of Priames bloud wee ar, from Greece we Troianes came.
As Brutus brought vs thence, & gaue this land his name,
So for our fredome we will freely fight to keepe the same.

This lande reported was full fertile for the soyle,
The wealthie warlike sorte of Britaynes stout within,
Were rather able well to giue, then take the foyle,
To those which came by warres, their freedom for to win.
My selfe made first assault, with them I did begin,
Of all the Romaynes first I waged with them warre:
And this I can report, they valiant people are,
They feare no foes, they recke no fame, of people nere or farre.

294

It was reported eke that in my warres in Fraunce
Some Britaynes thether came amongst the Galles to fight,
And that for pleasure sake, to try of Mars the chaunce,
And for to haue of Romayne warres the sight:
That they no labour sparde by day nor yet by night,
In campe, in scoute, for hunger, heate, or colde:
But were in all attemptes of armes so stout and bolde,
As erst I neuer hearde of any nation tolde.

This fame enflamed me, displeasure eke I tooke,
That glory hopt to get so doughtie heartes to daunt:
On which, with winds at wil, I Gallia shoares forsooke,
Full minded for to make the Britaynes tribute graunt,
Sith at my message sent, they seemed so to taunt.
With armour, souldiers good, and of munition store,
To strands and hauens and coastes of Britayne shore
I came appointed wel, with fiftie sayles or more.

But so the noble Britaynes playde the valiaunt men,
By pollicies, and force to hurt my shippes and mee,
That I was forced after my returne agen,
To rigge my shippes: a wonders thing to see:
For in the strands and in the seas, where landing places be,
Sharpe postes they pight, whereon our shippes wee ron:
And at our enemies shoares, that woulde haue glory won,
In daunger both by land and sea were almost all vndone.

And hardly come to land, at length we met the hoast,
And sharpely fought with them, whose praises earst we herd:
I haue no cause of Britayne conquest for to boast,
Of all the Regions first and last with whome I werd.
A people stout and strong, enduring chaunces herd,
And desperate, wilde and fearce, and recklesse found I then,
Not soone agast with dinte, or fright with fall of men,
Nor brought to yeelde with blowes, but bent for life to strike agen.

295

For whan our armies mette, no daungers they forsooke,
But so behau'de themselues in euery place of fight,
As though to Martiall feates they onely had betooke
Themselues, and for the palme did all their dealinges dight.
Though with my Romaynes I wagde all my warlike might,
I was not able there, to cause them yeelde or flee,
Or for a space to take a time of truce with mee:
Thou shalt (quod they) perceiue our equall Mars with thee.

The toyles wee tooke to enter at the first on land,
And for to saue our shattered ships and armour brought,
To wey them out that else had bulgd themselues in sand,
Hereon before the fielde with might and mayne we wrought,
Beside at skirmish oft, vpon the shoare we fought.
These labours tyred so my men and me that tyde,
That we could not endure the battayles brunt t'abyde,
But sound retrayte, till better Fortune might vs guyde.

They followed harde the chace, with scath and losse we scapt,
And shipt, we hoysed sayles, to Fraunce we made retyre:
Where for an armie newe, another roade we shapt,
If winterr colde were past, to come agayne another yeere:
And so we did in deede, and bought our comming deere.
For they prouided had so well to fight, that I
With all mine armies stoute could finde no victorye,
But fayne eftsoones with losse of men for life was forc'st to flye.

Againe to shippe my mates I bad my Captaines sturre,
Eke from this people fearce with speede to shift away:
The chaunce of warre is hard and doubtfull for t'assure,
Where th'enemies neyther dint of death nor dangers fray.
They reckt not of their wealth, nor losse of goods decay,
But for their freedom fought, on Princes case they stood,
With ioyfull heartes they waged warlike life and blood:
They counted rule at home, and rest, and ease, the greatest good.

296

Almost I had no hope at all to make retourne,
The people were so fearce, so recklesse, stout, and bold:
No time of rest I wrought amongst them to soiourne,
They could not by the Romayne peeres bee ruled nor controld.
They sayde they would vs pay no siluer, brasse, nor golde,
To our indictions sent, they would not set their hand,
But for to trye the case, with all their power to stand,
And for to keepe by fight and force the freedome of their land.

When to the coastes of Gallia land againe with losse wee come,
That neuer erst with such repulse to foes did turne the backe,
The Britaynes they reioyce with triumphes all and some,
And Fame doth flye to sound report, they make the Romaynes packe:
Where we no men, no coyne, nor no munition lacke,
No captaines good, no arte, no vitayle, hearte to fight,
A goodly spoyle, the land a pray before our sight:
We wanted wonted hap, we could not cut them out aright.

Now marke the hap wee had while I in Gallia lay,
The Britaynes past the time in triumphes and in feastes,
And for their second victory with sports they spend the day,
Accounting vs in their respect but dastard coward beastes.
Amongst their other sport of Iusts and pleasant iestes,
A ciuill discorde fell betweene two worthie noble peeres,
Of courage both so good, that neyther boasting feares,
And either bad the other come, and darde him for his ears.

The one hight Irenglas, of kinred to the king,
A worthie wight in warre, and prudent, wise, and sage:
The other Elenine, whose prayse no stories bring
But stoutnesse in his fight, as ruled all by rage.
Yet both against the Romaynes with the king did wadge
The British warre full well, and serued as they ought,
Till time at home the prayse of triumphes vaine they sought,
Which in the end brought all the former friendly fight to nought.

297

This Elenine did beare him high, for he was neere of kin
Vnto Androgeus which was the Earle of London then,
And claimed eke the palme (they say) that he did win
In triumphes at the iustes amongst the noble men.
But as they went about to trye the line agen,
They fell from wordes to sharpe, and layde on loade amayne,
And many blowes were tryde alone betweene them twayne:
Till at the length, I wote not how, this Irenglas was slayne.

The King did send for Elenine in haste, but he was fled
Vnto the Earle his cosin, whence he would not come:
He feared least he should haue lost his hated head.
The guilty heart conceau's before, the iustice of his dome.
He wiste if once he went, there needed him no toome.
Wherefore he it refusde, and Th'earle was discontent:
Who message sharpe againe vnto the King had sent,
That he his cosin for to saue, and beare him out was bent.

Cassibellane displeased much that subiectes shoulde
Both slay his friend, and eke refuse to bide the lawe,
And also in rebellious wise, endeuour what they coulde
To cut themselues vniustly from the Princes awe,
Though it him greeu'd to see at home so foule a flawe,
He could not yet abide the iniuries were showne,
But armde himselfe and his, gainst subiects once his owne,
In hope to take the Rebelles so, or haue them ouerthrowne.

When Th'earle Androgeus sawe that hee was farre too weake,
Against his Prince to wage rebellious warres begon,
He sent to me, desiring helpe to wreake
The iniuries and wrong Cassibellane had don.
He Sceua sent in hostage eke, for pledge, his onely sonne,
And thirtie youthes beside, of honour great well borne:
I would not trust his talke, nor message sent beforne,
For feare I might (if fayne he did) by treason be forlorne.

298

On this I expedition made the thirde and laste,
(For hee did warrant mee my pourpose to obtayne)
I shipt my men, and hyed mee thetherward full fast,
Had wind at will, & came to see the shining shoares agayne:
And of my comming so the Earle was glad and fayne.
Wee ioyned hands and leage and armyes for the fight.
I was conducted well by day and darkesome night,
And faught, and put Cassibellane the noble King to flight.

Yet hee repayrde his hoste agayne, that fearcely faught,
And oft assayde to sley or take the Earle or mee:
And when hee sawe at length his labour vayled naught,
And Britaynes with the Romaynes lynked so to bee,
Great griefe hee had in them such treason for to see.
His losse perdy in war not greude him halfe so sore,
As for to see his people liege erst subiects euermore,
To fight agaynst the royall king, which lou'd them so before.

To make it short: the King was faine at length to yeelde,
The tribute graunted was three thousand pound a yere:
Wee bare away the price, wee wan the worthy feelde,
And made them frends agayne that bought our fauour dere.
I neede no longer staye to tell the story here,
Nor yet to gieue my friend the Earle of London blame,
Sith by his meanes I wanne to Rome eternall fame,
Though he in Britayne beare for aye a shrowding sheete of shame.

From Fraunce I sent to Rome, reporting how
Amongst the Galles and Britaynes I had sped:
I made request, by frends, I might be Consull now
On my returne agayne: but Pompeyes hauty hed
Did ioyne him selfe with Peeres & armies which he led,
Alleadging playne I meant the publique weale t'nuade:
They would represse my pryde with might & dint of blade:
And for to meete mee at retourne prouision greate they made.

299

With speede I came and force, which made them all to flye
To Greece from Rome in haste, where they prepared war:
For in Epyrus then with souldiers they did lye.
This Pompey proude that made the Romaynes with mee iar,
Hee at Dyrrachium stayde, to which (though it were far)
I led mine hoste: I skirmisht often there:
But hee so valiauntly in armes himselfe did beare,
That from the fight to flye wee soone contented were.

On this hee followed fast, in hope to winne the feelde,
To Thessaly hee came, where I did stay therefore:
Our armies met and fearcely faught, not bent to yeelde,
Till fifteene hundred men were slayne, or more.
But in the end they fled, wee tooke of prisoners store,
They durst not dare t'abide the chaunce of Mars to trye,
But as they fell before the sworde, and flye,
O souldier holde thy hande, and saue theyr liues (quod I.)

Thence Pompey fled the fielde, and into AEgipt came
To Ptolemy the king as then but yong of age,
Where of his slaughter foule Septimius hath the blame,
Hee was his end that did these warres against mee wage.
Euen so by course wee come to play vpon the stage,
Our trauayles haue an end when wee doe feele the fall:
For sith our life is but a race of misery and thrall,
Death taketh at the length an order for vs all.

But Pompeyes friendes and sonnes did oft assaye
When hee was deade, to take reuenge on mee,
And I by dint of sworde repelde theyr force awaye,
Gate offices of rule, and gouernde eche degree:
At Caesars beck and call obeysaunt all they bee:
Enacted lawes, derected ech estate,
Emperially the first aloft I sate,
That had not then in all the worlde a mate.

300

But glory won, the way to holde and keepe the same,
To holde good Fortune fast, a worke of skill:
Who so with prudent arte can stay that stately dame
Which sets vs vp so high vpon her hauty hill,
And constant aye can keepe her loue and fauour still,
Hee winnes immortall fame and high renowne:
But thrise vnhappy hee that weres the stately crowne,
Yf once misfortune kicke and cast his scepter downe.

For when in Rome I was Dictator chose,
And Emperour or Captayne sole for aye:
My glory did procure mee secret foes,
Because aboue the rest I bare the sway.
By sundry meanes they sought my deepe decaye.
For why, there coulde no Consuls chosen bee,
No Pretor take the place, no sentence haue decree,
Vnlesse it likte mee first, and were approude by mee.

This they enuide that sude aloft to clime,
As Cassius, which the Pretorship did craue,
And Brutus eke his friende which bare the crime
Of my dispatch, for they did first depraue
My life, mine actes, and sought my bloud to haue,
Full secretly amongst them selues conspirde, decreede
To bee attemptors of that cruell bloudy deede,
When Caesar in the Senate house from noble hart should bleede.

But I forewarned was by Capis tombe,
His Epitaph my death did long before forshowe:
Cornelius Balbus sawe mine horses headlesse ronne
Without a guide, forsakeing foode for woe.
Spurina warned mee that sooth of thinges did knowe,
A wrenne in beake with Laurell greene that flewe
From woods to Pompeys Court, whom birdes there slew,
Forshowde my dolefull death, as after all men knew.

301

The night before my slaughter, I did dreame
I caried was, and flewe the clouds aboue:
And sometime hand in hand with Ioue supreame
I walkte mee thought, which might suspitions moue.
My wife Calphurnia, Caesars only loue,
Did dreame shee sawe her crest of house to fall,
Her husband thrust through breast a sword withall,
Eke that same night her chamber dores themselues flewe open all.

These thinges did make mee doubte that morning much,
And I accrazed was and thought at home to stay:
But who is hee can voyde of destnyes such,
Where so great number seekes hym to betray.
The traytour Brutus bad mee not delay,
Nor yet to frustrate there so great assembly sate:
On which to heare the publique pleas I gate,
Mistrusting naught mine end and fatall fate.

There met mee by the way a Romayne good,
Presenting mee a scrole of euery name:
And all their whole deuise that sought my bloud,
That presently would execute the same.
But I supposde that for some suit hee came,
I heedelesse bare this scrole in my left hand,
And others more, till leasure, left vnscand,
Which in my pocket afterwards they fand.

Spurina as I came at sacrifizes was,
Nere to the place where I was after slayne:
Of whose diuinings I did litle passe,
Though hee to warne mee oft before was fayne.
My hauty hart these warnings all disdayne.
(Quod I) the Ides of Marche bee come, yet harme is none.
(Quod hee) the Ides of Marche be come, yet th'ar not gone.
And reckelesse so to Court I went, and tooke my throne.

302

Assoone as I was set, the traytors all arose,
And one approached nere, as to demaund some thing:
To whom as I layd eare, at once my foes
Mee compast round, their weapons hid they bring.
Then I to late perceiu'd the fatall sting.
O this (quoth I) is violence: then Cassius pearst my breast:
And Brutus thou my sonne (quoth I) whom erst I loued best?
Hee stabde mee in, and so with daggers did the rest.

You Princes all, and noble men beware of pride,
And carefull will to warre for Kingdomes sake:
By mee, that set my selfe aloft the world to guide,
Beware what bloudsheds you doe vndertake.
Ere three & twenty wounds had made my hart to quake,
What thousands fell for Pompeys pride and mine?
Of Pompeys life that cut the vitall line,
My selfe haue told what fate I found in fine.

Full many noble men, to rule alone, I slewe,
And some themselues for griefe of hart did slay:
For they ne would mine Empyre stay to vewe.
Some I did force to yeelde, some fled away
As loth to see theyr Countryes quite decay.
The world in Aphrike, Asia, distant far,
And Europe knew my bloudsheds great in war,
Recounted yet through all the world that ar.

But sith my whole pretence was glory vayne,
To haue renowne and rule aboue the rest,
Without remorce of many thousands slayne,
Which, for their owne defence, their warres addrest:
I deeme therefore my stony harte and brest
Receiu'd so many wounds for iust reuenge, they stood
By iustice right of Ioue, the sacred sentence good,
That who so slayes, hee payes the price, is bloud for bloud.

303

[CLAUDIUS TIBERIUS NERO]

How Claudius Tiberius Nero Emperour of Rome was poysoned by Caius Caligula, The yeare of Christ, 39.

What bootes it hawty hartes depend so muche
On high estate: auayles it ought thinke yee?
The gold is tryde when it is brought to tuche:
So tryall telles what wordly tryomphes bee.
When glory shines, no daungers deepe wee see,
Till wee at last finde true the prouerbe olde:
Not all that shynes is pure and perfect golde.

While valiaunt men so burne with hoat desire
Of royall rule, and thyrst so sore for seate,
No springes of Pernasse mount can quench the fire,
Nor Boreas blaste alay the hawty heate.
On high renowne so much theyr braynes they beate,
And toyle so much for fading flickering fame,
On earth for ay to leaue behinde a name.

But if they would marke Fortunes double face,
And how shee turnes about the totering wheele:
How shee doth chaunge her minde and turne her grace,
How blinde of sight shee is, how light of heele:
They would now rew the fatall falles they feele,
They would not after blame her blindnesse so,
But looke before, and leape her lightnesse froe.

Euen all well neare doe proake for price and proy,
And prayse Dame Fortune first if they speede well:
But if thereby fall after some anoy,
They curse her then, as hatefull hagge of hell:

304

If Fortune firme had stoode, they had not fell.
They banne her then, and yet themselues were curst,
Which tooke her bayte so freely at the furst.

For while her idle impes doe bath in blisse,
They count her giftes and pleasures all good hap:
But if at last shee frowne (as custome is)
And let them slip agayne beside her lap,
They then confesse her baytes did boad some trap.
As I haue prou'd, what Fortune giues to men,
For pleasure eache, shee bringes displeasures ten.

Augustus great that good Octauius hight,
The Emprour which in peace did rule so long,
In whose good raigne was borne the Lord of light
Nam'd Iesus Christ, in powre and workes so strong,
Whom in my dayes the Iewes opprest with wrong,
Of which good Christ anone I haue to tell:
But of Augustus first, and after how I fell.

This noble Emprour did my mother wed
Which Liuia hight, a fayre and noble dame:
His daughter Iulia I likewise did bed,
And put away my wife of better fame
Agrippa great with child, the more my blame:
I was through this and th'Emprisse Liuias skill,
Adopted Emprour by Augustus will.

When hee was dead, then I Tiberius raynde
Adopted thus, and for my noble acts,
I was (perdy) to warre and peace well traynde,
Th'Illyrians must confesse my famous facts:
In three yeares space my powre their pride subacts.
On them and Germaynes triompht neare and farre,
Saue Punike fight the greatest Romayne warre.

305

Now (for it was my hap a victour soe
To Rome returne a yeare before his end)
Throughout the world the fame of mee did goe,
The Romaynes all to fauour mee did bend.
To them Augustus did my warres commend,
Adopted mee, and (as I sayd) for this
The Romaynes bold and hee, enbraued mee with blisse.

So when I had obtayned my desire,
Who then but Caesar: I did rule alone:
By nature proude, presuming to aspire,
Desembling that which afterwarde was knowne.
For when the fathers minde to me was showne,
Of their electing mine Emperiall place,
I seemde to stay, refusing it a space.

And thus to proue my friendes before I did,
And eke to heare what euery one would say,
Which was the cause why some I after rid,
The best perdy I made as foes away.
By slaughter so I thought my throne to stay,
But farre besides that I purposde it fell,
As time doth trye the fruite of thinges full well.

An other griefe conceau'd I will recyte,
Which made me with the Senate discontent:
From Iudaea did Pontius Pilate write
His letters how the Iewes, to malice bent,
Had put to death one Christ full innocent,
The sonne of God, of might, of power no lesse,
Which rose from death, as Christians all confesse.
Thus wise he wrote:

306

Pontius Pilate to his Lorde Claudius wisheth health.

This letter in Flores historiarum, is but you may not thinke that I doe set it downe thereby to affirme that he wrate it. For I am perswaded he would not write so well, and yet it appears by Orosius and others that Claudius would haue made Christ to haue bene taken in Rome for a God, and that the Senate and he fell so at variance about the same matter.

Of late it chaunst, which I haue proued well,
The Iewes through wrath by cruell doome haue lost
Themselues, and all their ofspring that ensue.
For when their fathers promise had that God
Would send to them from heauen his holy one,
That might deseruingly be namde their King,
And promist by a virgine him to th'earth to sende,
The same (I pronoste here) when th'Hebrewes God was come,
And they him saw restore the blind to sight,
To cleanse the leapers, cure the palsies eke,
To cast diuelles out of men, and rayse the dead,
Commaund the windes, on sea with dry feete walke,
And many maruayles great beside to doe,
When all the Iewish people called him the sonne of God,
The Chiefe Priestes enuying him deliuered him to mee,
And bringing many forged fained faultes
Namde him a wisarde, and against their lawes to doe:
And I beleeud it so to be, and whipt him for the cause,
Deliuering him to them to vse as they thought best.
They crucifide him, buried him, set keepers at his tombe,
Yet he, while as my souldiers kept his graue,
The third day rose againe, and came to life.
But so their hatreds bent, they bribde the souldiers all,
And bad them say, that his disciples stale his corps away.
The souldiers yet, when they the money taken had,
Could not the trueth keepe silent of the facte:
For both they witnessed that he was risen againe,
And of the Iewes, that they so taken money had.
I therefore here so write to you, lest any otherwise
Some lye do bring, or thinke we should beleeue of Iewes the lyes.

307

These letters read, I did thereon conferre,
Both with the fathers graue in high degree,
And with the nobles of the Senate were
That Christ in Rome as God might counted bee,
To which they onely did not disagree,
(Because the letters came not first to them)
But by edicte from Rome did banish Christen men.

To th'accusers of them threaten death I did,
Although Seianus from my party fell:
The Senate which the Christians sought to rid,
By me were after seru'd in order well.
For as Christs Godhead they would Rome expell,
And would not serue the God of meekenesse sent,
To pot apace their hawty heads were pent.

I banisht some, and some to death I put,
And foure and twenty fathers graue I chose:
From shoulders eke most of their heades I cut,
And left likewise aliue but twaine of those.
Seianus I did slay, of Drusus deadly foes.
I Germanique, adopted late, with poyson slewe,
His sonnes likewise, my poysons force well knewe.

The men that did Iehouaes sonne refuse,
The King of Iewes, the Lorde of life and health,
Were gouernde thus: Tiberius thus did vse
The men that were the Gods in common wealth,
Forsaking so their heauenly sauing health.
The Emprour I which shoulde their liues defende,
Sought all the meanes to bring their liues to ende.

Yet to religion I was nothing bent,
Dissembled things that least I fauourd still:
I neuer vsde to speake the thinges I meant,
But bare in minde the wayes to worke men ill.

308

I seemde to some to beare them great good will,
And those I tooke away as time did serue,
Inconstant vnto each, yet seeming seeld to swerue.

To dronkennesse and ryote, sports and ease,
And pleasure all I gaue my studie then:
Nought more then subtile shiftings did me please,
With bloudshed, craftie, vndermining men.
My Courte was like a Lyons lurking den.
The Iesters namde mee Caldius Biberius Mero,
In stead of this my name, Claudius Tiberius Nero.

I will no more my life describe this time,
For why, my factes at last deserude defame,
Infected with so many a fulsome crime,
As may not here repeated be for shame.
I haue no cause the Lady blinde to blame,
But blame my selfe I must, abusing place,
Which might full well haue vsde the giftes of grace.

Three things in fine I tell, that wrought my fall,
First vile dissembling both with God and man:
For bloudshed then, which hauocke made of all,
Bloud cryes to him that well reuenge it can.
For filthie life I much offended than:
Wherefore aliue thus poysoned with these three,
Caligula did find the fourth to bane vp mee.

To Princes this I say, and worthie Peeres,
I wish them wisely wey that heare me shall,
And poyse my first exploytes with later yeeres,
And well consider one thing in my fall:
Abuse of power abaseth Princes all.
In throne on earth, as Ioue, the Prince he sits,
As Ioue to iudge aright, he plyes his wits.
If not, then Ioue whose Iustice he omits,
With thunderbolt from sacred seate him hits.

309

[CAIUS CAESAR CALIGULA]

How Caius Caesar Caligula Emperour of Rome was slayne by Cherea and others, The yeare of Christ, 42.

Vnhappy Princes haue in wealth no grace,
To see how soone there vices ping them vnder,
But run vnruly, reckelesse of their race,
Till at the length they make themselues a wonder.
When from aloft theyr traces fall a sonder,
There is no hope to hold aright the trace:
Fortuna once when shee beginnes to thunder,
They cannot keepe aloft th' Emperiall place:
The Lady blynde, so blindly makes them blunder.

Behold my hap, on whom the Romayne rout
With ioy did gaze, when bloudy slayne I lay.
Here lyes (quoth they) thrust thirty times throughout:
The monster vile, that beast Caligula,
Which did so many giltlesse Romaynes slay.
The nobles now the matrones neede not doubt,
The virgins now retayne theyr vertues may:
The worthy writers may their workes set out,
They neede no longer feare theyr foule decay.

I was (I graunt) full lewdely led by lust,
I forced nought of vertue, faith, nor lawe:
In powre I put my confidence and trust,
Regarding right nor Iustice strickte a strawe.
My facts infarst my life with many a flawe,
So Venus vile by dealings moste vniust,
Did mee to deedes of deadly inceste drawe:
My sisters three accuse my rudenesse must,
Which had of God nor natures hestes the awe.

310

To make my selfe a God I did deuise,
That Iupiter to name my selfe did dare
For incestes vile, which all good wights despise,
Nam'd Bacchus eke a dronken shrine I bare.
To call mee God some flatterers did not spare.
By message I commaunded then likewise,
Petronius at Ierusalem prepare
My stature in the Temple to comprise,
Of honours so, to haue an heauenly share.

I would not haue my slaughters here enrolde,
And murders mischieues mingled with the rest,
Without regard of sexe, of yong or olde,
For which the Romaynes did my life detest.
To vices vile my deedes were all addrest:
Vnfit they should bee here reherst or tolde.
Wherefore to rid mee Cheria thought it best,
Some others eke t'accomplishe it were bolde,
In thirty steedes they stabde me through the brest.

My life was naught, and thus at last I dyde,
My life procurde both Gods and men my foes:
Let Princes then beware of pompe and pride,
And not themselues to vices such dispose.
The throne will soone a Princely minde disclose,
The tyraunts hart at once in throne is tryde:
Iehoua iust beholds both these and those,
T'abace the bad, the godly well to guide,
The good to gard, and godlesse downe depose.

311

[GUIDERIUS]

How Guiderius King of Britayne and the elder sonne of Cimbaline was slayne in battayle by a Romayne, The yeare of Christ, 44. Or as some write, 46.

Take, Higins, now in hand thy pen for mee,
Let not my death and story lye forgote:
Good cause there is I should remembred bee,
If thou the falles of Britayne Princes note.
Aloft I sate in Princely place a flote,
I had the sword, I bare the scepter right:
I was accounted aye a worthy wight,
And with the Romaynes proud I waeged warlike fight.

Guiderius was my name, of Britayne yore,
The sonne of Cimbaline, and after King:
I tribute nild to Romaynes payd before,
Mee thought it was to bace a seruile thing.
No Romayne should mee in subiection bring,
I sayd I would not pay them tribute, I,
They did extort the same by force, perdy,
Agaynst all right, a charge without occasion why.

When Claudius Caesar sent this tribute for to haue,
I sent him word agayn I would not pay:
I would not graunt, vniustly hee did craue,
That might in time procure my Realmes decay:
Hee should not beare our freedome so away.
For as by treason Caesar gate the fame,
And tribute, when to winne this Realme hee came:
So now I iustly might deny to pay the same.

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On this addreste him selfe in warlike sorte,
The noble Claudius Caesar came to trye the case:
Which had perdy before receaued high reporte,
Both of my wealth, my force, and noble grace.
So thinking well hee might my fame and mee deface,
From Rome hee came to Britayne with his host,
And landed here vppon my Southerne cost,
By Martiall feates to try whom Fortune fauourde most.

Now marke my tale, and hereby shalt thou knowe
The subtil slights of Romaynes in their war:
The slye deceats of such doe make a showe,
Whereby to try the people what they ar.
Note well such foes in dealing neare and far,
Amidst the field, in scout, or fight alone:
Of all the rest example take by one,
For vnder Sunne of more despite a nation is there none.

Amongst his armies stout a Captayne fearce hee had,
With whom encountring oft I made my party good:
Hamonius men hym cald, and hee was more then mad,
Because his might so often fearcely I withstood.
At last hee wrought a wyle which way to shed my bloud,
Hee clad him selfe as hee a Britayne souldier weare,
Like armour, sword, and target did hee beare,
And bad the Romaynes of the field to take no feare.

Amongst the rest hee road, perceauing nothing wee,
And made abought as t'were some Britayne lost his place,
Or broken out of ray, hee spyde an oape at mee,
Which done, his men retyrde, and wee pursude the chace.
Come on my mates (quoth hee) the Romaynes flye apace,
In Britishe tongue hee spake, and sayd, they flye, they flye,
Our hostages him taught that time at Rome did lye,
Whereby they deemde him all a Britayne, as did I.

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As wee pursude, in mee hee thrust the fatall blade,
Betweene my armour splints hee gaue the wound:
And fast away for life to shift hee made,
Which did by this disceate my life and mee confound.
This was my fate, of my distresse the ground.
And so recite my last adieu, declare this fall of mee:
That men may shun the slights, and subtile wyles of foes may see.
Who well takes heede of such may liue, and long the wiser bee.

314

[LAELIUS HAMO]

How Laelius Hamo the Romayne Captayne was slayne after the slaughter of Guiderius, about the yeare of Christ, 46.

A Romayne Captayne I in Britayne armoure clad,
Disguis'd therfore, in field did sley their noble King.
I ventred in their host, and I my purpose had:
To venture so for Countryes sake a worthy thing.
But who so wenes to win by slaughter high renowne,
Hath often times the fate, to fall by slaughter downe.

Euen so my selfe that slewe, short time my ioyes did last,
In flight I taken was, and hewde in pieces small:
Which downe the cleeues they did into the waters cast,
And by my name as yet the hauen and harbor call.
Who thinkes by slaughters prayse, to winne immortall fame
By treason vile, perchaunce encurres a shrouding sheete of shame.

FINIS.

315

[CLAUDIUS TIBERIUS DRUSUS]

How Claudius Tiberius Drusus Emperour of Rome was poysoned by his wife Agrippina, the yeere of Christ. 56.

Say not the people well, that Fortune fauours fooles?
So well they say which name her beetle blinde.
I neede not tell what I haue learnde at schooles,
But may by proofe expresse my foolish minde.
My mother by her prouerbs me a foole defynde,
Which often sayd when any foolishly had done:
In faith you are as wise as Claudius my sonne.

It pleased her not onely so to name me sot,
But also me a monster oft she namde,
Vnperfect all, begun by nature, but begot
Not absolute, not well, nor fully framde.
Sith thus my mother often me defamde,
What meant the men of Rome, which so elected me,
A foole, a monster foule, their gouernour to be?

Th'Emperiall bloud perdy was partely cause,
That I (vnfit therefore) attaynde the throne:
And yet the Senate tooke a while the pause,
Determinde to abolish euery one
Of Caesars linage, as their mortall fone.
For why they could receiue no quiet reste,
But still by vs were cruelly oppreste.

The souldiers which me founde where I me hid
In place obscure, vnfit for Caesars grace,
They brought me forth, there me proclayme they did,
Because I seemde much meekenesse to embrace,

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And could dissemble eke to serue the place,
Whereby the warriours were to me enclinde,
Supposing I was meeke, of gentle minde:
But they herein and Fortune both were blinde.

The wilely Foxe that seekes to sley the sheepe,
Doth fayne himselfe to beare a simple eye:
The rauening Wolfe would take of Lambes the keepe,
If he condemne the Mastiues might to dye:
The Crocadile will fayne to weepe and crye:
But if the sheepe, her young, or wandring man be caught:
The Foxe, the Wolfe, & Crocadile, haue euen the pray they sought.

So I could fayne, as though I did refuse
To take the Empires sway, a charge too greate,
But well I wiste, if th'armie did me chuse,
The Senate could not thereof me defeate:
They could not stay me from the hautie seate.
Thus though I seemd at first so simple, meeke and plaine:
Yet was I subtile, slye, and glad of glory vaine.

But after this, I gaue my selfe to ease,
To wyne, to woemen eke, and belly chere,
And fearefull was, my wife for to displease
Messalina, whose maners homely were.
She made not onely me the horne to beare,
But also did allure good matrones vnto vice,
And virgines chaste to sinne, or made them pay the price.

For if that eyther they abhord the facte,
Or men detested present for to bee,
Some crime was faynde or else some haynous acte,
Not they nor theirs from slaughter could be free.

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My seruants were preferde in place of mee,
Their wealth was more then mine: the prouerbe went as then,
I neede no treasure want, If I would please my men.

On this I caused her be made away,
And made a vowe no more for aye to wedde,
Because my wiues sought eyther me to slay,
Or else with whoredome to defile my bedde.
But at the length, s'enraged was my head,
Agrippina my brothers daughter braue
Incestuously I chose, for spoused wife to haue.

So leading then my life in slouth and sinne,
I gaue my selfe to ryote, cardes and dice:
And I so skilfull was at length therein,
I wrote of dicing arte a worke of price.
This may declare if I were graue and wise.
Suspicious, doubtfull, fearefull so was I,
To euery corner sent some secret spie.

So cruell, credulous, eache light offence
Was cause to take away th'offenders life:
And so forgetfull, such my negligence,
I would eftsoones enquire for those full rife,
As for Messalina of late my wanton wife:
Eke for such others I enquirde agayne,
As I before commaunded shoulde be slayne.

And I extolde the meaner sort of men,
Adorning them with titles of estate,
Euen such perdy as seru'd my dyet then,
Amongst the auncient fathers often sate.
For this the noble Romaynes did me hate.
And for the cruell beastly life I lead,
Full often times they wisht that I were dead.

318

Agrippina perswaded me t'adopt her sonne,
That after me the Empire he might haue:
Which when at length I had vnwisely donne
At her request, as she the same did craue:
In recompence to me she poyson gaue,
Whereof I dyed: this was my life and ende:
Let so my factes and fatall fall be pende.

319

[DOMITIUS NERO]

How the Emperour Domitius Nero liued wickedly and tyrannously, and in the ende miserably slewe himselfe, the yeere of Christ, 70.

Must I that lead so loose a life speake here,
Amongst the wreckes whom Fortunes tempestes tore?
Wel then I see I must, the case is clere,
But blame I must my onely selfe therefore.
I am that Nero rule in Rome that bore,
Agrippina my mother wrought that feate for mee,
Her husband poisned, I might Emprour bee.

A while I gaue my selfe to gouerne well,
As Senecke graue instructed me thereto:
But after, I to shamelesse dealings fell,
At randome liu'de in lust as Lechers doe,
To slaughters fell, of friendes and kinred to,
Not sparing those in fleshly lustes desire,
Whome natures impes dombe beastes will not require

A shame it were to tell my hatefull life:
But he that wanted shame, whose face was brasse,
That spared neyther men, mayde, virgine, wife,
Not mother, sister, kinde, nor kin that was:
Whose factes both care and shame did alwayes passe:
What shoulde he shame to doe, speake, thinke or say?
Which all his life cast bashfull shame away.

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For wantonnesse, I past the filthy stues:
For glutony, I had no where my peere:
No kinde of crueltie but I did vse,
No wickednesse from which my life was cleere.
My pride did passe them all, both farre and neere.
Against the trade of kind in shamelesse life,
One man for bride me had; another for bridewife.

With golden nets in ryot I would fishe,
And purple lines to drawe my nets I had:
I vsed eke for pleasures many a dishe,
And was with naught but lust and mischiefe glad.
Though these thinges made the Romaynes hartes full sad,
They durst not speake: for whoso did complayne,
Without respect or sentence more, was slayne.

For pleasures sake to see the flames arise,
I causde that Rome should then on fire bee set:
And for to feede therewith my gazing eyes,
On high Moecenas Towre to stand I get.
So, sixe dayes fire and seauen nights waste I let,
And sang there while, beholding it with ioy,
The Iliades sweete of Graecians burning Troy.

Then I restraynd that no man should resort
To'th ruines great, when as the fire was past:
Nor should therefrom the reliques left transport,
But to my selfe reserude them all at last.
The Marchaunts causelesse from their goods I cast,
And Senatours depriude of all that ere they had,
Some slaine, the rest with life alone to scape were glad.

Still out the sword to slay all sortes I drewe,
My mother could not scape amongst them free:
My brother deare, and sisters eke I slewe,

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And of my wiues likewise a two or three.
My kinsemen eke I kild of each degree,
Reioysing in so heynous bloudshed still,
Nought else with Nero then but kill, them kill.

And for that Seneca mee counsayle gaue
(My tutour good in youth) to leaue my vice,
I bad him choose what death him likte to haue,
Which now should pay, for then, my stripes the price.
In water warme to stand was his deuice,
And there to bleede: a milde and gentle death:
Euen so I causde them reaue his vitall breath.

So with almighty Ioue I gan to warre,
The Christians good I did torment and sley:
Commaunding all my subiecs neare and farre,
Their liues and goods to spoyle and take away.
Which they accomplisht strayght without delay:
Both Paul and Peter Christes disciples twayne,
Th'Apostles, both by mine edict were slayne.

But what endureth long that's violent?
The thunder seemes some time to teare the skies,
At seas full oft the stormes are vehement,
To cloudes alofte the wales and waters rise,
Soone ofter th'ayre is cleare, and calme the water lyes:
Experience eke the same and prouerbes old doe showe,
Eache storme will haue his calme, and spring tide, ebbe full lowe.

For when I went about to stroy the state,
And all the Romaynes noble fame t'obscure:
The Senate all, and people did mee hate,
And sought which way they might my death procure.

322

I could no longer mine outrage endure:
They mee proclaymde a foe to publique weale,
By night forsooke of all, was forst away to steale.

The iudgement was, such foes should pillered bee
By necke, in forke made fast full sure to byde:
And should with rods so long there beaten bee,
Vntill therewith the woefull caytiues dyde:
From this correction therefore fast I hyde,
And eke from Galba then proclaymed Emprour newe,
For feare of doomed death, by deedes deserued due.

By night (I say) forsaken quite, I fled,
And Sporus th'Eunuche moste impure likewise,
With others three, like filthy life that led.
To slay my selfe I desperate then deuise,
Whom all the world did so for sinne despise:
And thristing sore in flight, full fayne I sweetely dranke
The waters foule, which standing long in diches stanke.

My seruaunts would not mee requested kill:
Haue I (quoth I) no foe, nor yet no frend,
To reaue mee from this feare of conscience ill?
Will no man make of Nero naught an end?
With that my brest to poynt of sword I bend,
With trembling hand which Sporus holpe to stay,
And on the same my selfe assayde to slay.

With that, of Galbaes seruaunts one drewe nie
With fayned cheere, as though hee helpe mee would:
To late you come, call you this helpe (quoth I)?
Is this the friendshippe firme and fayth you holde?
My life was filthy, vile for to beholde,
My death more vile shall bee, more filthy I departe:
With that I fell on sword, which ran me through the harte.

323

[SERGIUS GALBA]

How Sergius Galba the Emperour of Rome (gieuen to slaughter, ambition, and glotony) was slayne by the souldiers, The yeare of Christ, 71.

Amongst the hawty Emprours downe that fell,
I Sergius Galba may bee placed here:
Where who so sees & markes my dealings well,
To him may soone the fruites of fraude appeare.
All murders great are bought with price full deare.
Foule slaughters donne, procure as fowle a fall,
As hee deserues that workes the woefull thrall.

In Rome some time I Praetour chosen was,
And then obtaynde of Spayne the prouince fayre:
To gouerne there, I brought by friends to passe,
In hope to be the Emprour Neroes heyre.
For when the Romaynes did of him dispaire,
So bent at home to slaughter, lust and vice,
By warres abroad I wan the prayse and price.

To get the souldiers fauour I tooke payne,
For in the Emprours choise they gaue the stroke:
I therefore sought some spoyles for them to gayne,
Though thereby oft the lawes of armes I broke.
But who may wordes or actions donne reuoke?
The stayne abides, where staylesse strikes the good,
And vengeaunce wreckes the waste of giltlesse bloud.

324

In Lusitania while that time I lay,
I causde the people there assemble shoulde,
Reporting I had somwhat for to say,
Which in effect procure them profite would:
To which they came as many nere as could,
Full thirty thousand, thinking naught of ill:
All which I causde the souldiers there to kill.

I sought some meanes that Nero might abye,
Not for his vicious life, but for his place:
Although pretence were made his vice, perdy,
Whom all good men accounted voyde of grace.
But yet I could not stay so long a space:
I causde in Spayne the souldiers mee proclame,
Which strayght they did, and gaue mee Caesars name.

To Rome I hyde, and Nero gate him thence,
Hee stale away for feare of sentence past,
A publique foe proclaymde for negligence,
For slaughters donne, for fire of Rome the wast:
Eke for because hee was of mee agast
Hee slewe him selfe, before my man could comme,
Which slaughter else my seruaunts there had donne.

When I my maister thus subuerted had,
The Romaynes eke began mislike with mee:
They sayd I was ambitious, nygh so bad
And cruell, giuen to pride and glotony.
How I was ruled all by Romaynes three
Cornelius, Iulius, Celius, for the state
My schoolmaisters, for which they did mee hate.

And Siluius Otho sought the Empire then,
That vicious beast, and coward verlet vile:
Hee delte by gyftes so with mine armed men,

325

That factions rose in campe within a while.
Which when I came them for to reconcile,
To Curtius lake, nere which the armie lay,
Of Siluius friendes the souldiers did mee slay,

Strooke of my head, and bare it to my foe,
Who causde it should bee set vpon a speare:
So through the campe they bare it to and froe,
Saluting it, now dead, a sorte there were,
Which late thereof, aliue, did doubt and feare:
O Galba, ioyfull dayes the Gods thee giue,
God send thee Galba well long time to liue.

This was the guerdon of my hawty pryde,
To haue mine head thus wise extold aloft:
Thus I the gaynes of hasty climing tride,
To leese mine head, and after haue it scoft:
A thing perdy that chaunceth wonders oft.
Who thinkes the gayne is sweete he gets by sheeding bloud,
In purple yeeldes like gaine, to doe like people good.

FINIS.

326

[SILUIUS OTHO]

How the Vicious Siluius Otho Emperour of Rome slew hym selfe, The yeare of Christ, 71.

Like will to like (for so the Prouerbe sayes)
Such are the men, as those with whom they vse:
The Goate with the Goate togeather is alwayes,
The Wolfe not of Wolfe doth fellowship refuse:
The crafty Foxe of Foxe the company doth chuse:
And euery liuing creature loues of his kinde,
As well as in shape, in qualityes of minde.

And yet all men that come in company,
Are not embued with qualities alike:
One loues song ma chaunce and melody,
Another is perhaps Melancholike,
Another fumishe is and Cholerike,
Another dull and sottishe in his sence,
And all (in some what) full of negligence.

Now then Complexion is somewhat in the case,
Concerning cheefe the disposition:
But yet the learned writers haue a place,
That maners alter our Complexion.
So some say also of correction.
And sure I thinke if that they say bee true,
I after was the worse for Nero and his crue.

His Courtisane brought mee in fauour furst,
Into his Court and fellowship I came:
To mee recount his vilanyes hee durst,

327

Not fit to tell, hee thought which had no shame.
I will no more recite of his defame:
The day was curst to mee which brought mee in,
At Neroes house, such infamy to winne.

But yet another did mee more infect,
Seleucus seene in Mathematiques well:
Hee of my birth a figure did erect,
Of many haps and chaunces hee did tell:
Incyted mee gaynst Galba to rebell,
Which warraunt if I would enuade the throne,
I might aloft with scepter sit alone.

Reuenge eke of Neroes death likewise,
Incyted mee his enemy to kill:
Then with my souldiers I did deuise,
The way t'accomplishe mine endeuour still,
Whom well I might perswade almost to any ill.
Eke so in deede the souldiers did him slay,
And brought to mee his head with them away.

I caused them to set it on a speare,
About the Campe to beare it as a show,
To put the rest mine enemies in feare:
So they before their punishment might know.
Great giftes amongste the souldiers I bestow,
Wherewith they all in Campe, with one assent,
To choose mee for their Caesar, were content.

But now to hold it fast a worke of skill,
The scepter caught, the same to hold, perdy,
Doth aske much arte, and labour aske it will,
Non minor est virtus, quàm quaerere, parta tueri.

328

The hawty seate hath many a greedy eye.
The election was mislikte, and in short space,
Vitellius sought to vndermine my grace.

In armes wee were, and hee mee batayle gaue,
First at Placentia, where I had the foyle:
Fro Bebriaque by force hee nexte mee draue,
And did mine army vanquishe quite, and spoyle.
There I not able farder to recoyle,
Dispayring quite, I wist to flye no way,
As Nero erst, with sword my selfe I slay:
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.

FINIS.

329

[AULUS VITELLIUS]

How Aulus Vitellius Emperour of Rome came to an infortunate end, The yeare of Christ, 71.

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.
Though he knew erst, how firme on ground he stood,
And thinke to fixe his seat with better hold:
Hee cannot scape yet schotfree vncontrold.

To see before his face, the fall of such
As climbe vp so, and cannot yet take heede,
But must of force th'imperiall title tuch,
Wherein so many doubts of daunger breede:
A poynt of peeuishe pride, a rage in deede
By blindnesse blunt, a sottishe sweame hee feeles:
With ioyes bereapte, when death is hard at heeles.

Hence Fortune well tooke name, accounted blind,
Because men fortunate, vnfitly see:
To pleasures sweete, and honoures all enclynde,
Without respect the most addicted bee,
Regarding nought but titles of degree,
Whereby mishaps, infortunes of their race,
In high prospects, of vew can take no place.

This blindnesse is not of the eyes alone,
But of the minde, a dimnesse and a mist:
For when they shift to sit in hawty throne
With hope to rule the scepter as they list,

330

Ther's no regard nor feare of had-I-wist.
The present pleasure, glory, wealth, and ioy
Bereaues their gaze, the feare of all anoy.

The trade of men is such, too late th'are wise,
Too late they knowe which way mischaunces fell.
At first the Phrygians counsayle did despise,
At last they knewe the way t'haue holpe it well.
When Graecians did their noble Princes quell,
Had fierde and sackt their Towne of worthie fame,
Then they too late knewe howe t'haue saude the same.

Our Caesar sawe too late his cause of fall,
And Drusus poisned, had as fortune ill:
Domitius Nero hated most of all,
Eke Galba, which his master sought to kill.
So Siluius Otho whose bloud I did spill,
And I Vitellius may affirme with these,
Illud verum, Serò sapiunt Phryges.

We all assaylde, and gate the throne by sworde,
So each we sawe howe they before vs spead:
The onely fruite which treason hath t'afforde,
Is losse of pleasures, goods, lands, life or head.
The gayne we get, stands vs small time in stead:
The Fame we craue, becomes defame and shame,
And rusts for aye, deuouring our good name.

Of slaughters mine what neede I here discry,
Or how the Romaynes reft away my life:
When I seuen monthes had raygned wickedly,
Which entred in by bloud and ciuill strife.
But this I finde too late a sequell rife,
Who takes by sworde from Prince the scepters guide,
By sworde from him the scepter so shall slide,
He cannot long himselfe from Iouaes Iustice hide
Then loyall loue thy Prince, let treason trudge defide.

331

[LONDRICUS]

Londricus the Picte slayne by King Marius of Britayne, about the 80. yeere of Christ, giues his verdit of Fortune.

Fortune erst was wont to lifte aloft her children high,
And giue them kingdoms great, and conquests at her will,
And place them, as they thought, aboue the gods welnigh.
She blindly leades them forth, as is her custome still,
With pleasurs all a while, she doth their fancies fill,
And at the last doth let them fall in foule despite againe.
Shee sets aloft and pulles them downe with might and maine:
Such is of Fortune blind the vse to plague her impes with pinching paine.

When wee the glory see of those that come to great renowne,
We are enflamed straight, the like attempts to make:
But when we see mischaunce againe to driue them downe,
We are not able yet example there to take.
The stormes of enuie blacke the hawtiest housen shake,
The basest sort contend, with all their force t'aspire:
The meaner persons eke, the loftie roomes require,
And equalles heartes doe burne with hatefull brands of burning ire.

Then is the meane estate commended well, for meaner sorte
And golden meane is best in euery trade of life.
For though a countrey Clowne doe keepe a stately porte,
And in expenses great, and idle charge is rife:
Although he brauely builde his house, and proudly paint his wife,
Yet is he but a Clowne, and makes (in deede) himselfe a scorne:
Full hard it is to make such one a gentill borne,
Except some noble gifts of grace his gentill minde adorne.

332

So though a noble borne could get an higher seate
By conquest, or by weale, by fauour, or by fight,
And would from mighty Ioue his petegrue repeate,
Yet ought hee not aduaunce him selfe aboue his height,
Hee ought not make a clayme to that hee hath no right,
Or trust to Fortune so (although shee seeme to smyle)
As though shee did not turne her selfe within a while:
For whom shee fauours most of all, shee soonest doth beguyle.

When with my Picts I came first to the Scotish shore,
I bare my selfe in hand that I could Brytayne win,
Because that Scithes of whome I came, by conquests wan before
Right many noble Realmes, which they had entred in:
Yet I no sooner could my conquest here begin,
But strayght King Marius came with all his bande,
And met with mee and mine in Westmerlande,
Where both our armies met, and fought it hand to hande

I trusted sure that Fortune woulde mee guide so well
As erste shee had, in batayles whilome faught:
But proofe doth teache mee nowe the trueth to tell
What I by Fortunes flattery fayre haue caught.
Whom shee setts vp, shee bringeth soone to naught.
As when I had the Britaynes in disdayne,
And thought by batayle all theyr lande to gayne:
In fielde both I and mine were vanquisht, taken, slayne.

T'is foly or the ende, for men to prayse theyr chaunce,
Or brag what luck they haue, or tell theyr fate,
Or boaste how Lady Fortune doth theyr deedes aduaunce:
For Fortune at the last doth vse to gieue the mate.
Whom first shee loues, shee afterwarde doth hate,
She flings them headlong downe, whom erste shee made excell,
Shee makes them bare and poore, whom erste shee placed well,
And those which thinke to scale the skies, she hurleth downe to hell.

333

[SEVERUS]

How Seuerus the Emperour of Rome and Gouernour of Britayne was slaine at Yorke Fighting against the Pictes, about the yeere after Christ, 206. after others. 213.

The stay of stately throne is nothing sure,
Where great estates on brybes or blodshed build:
As Didius Iulian put for proofe in vre,
Th'Emperiall seate he bought, and soone was kild.
So Niger after him by armes assayde the same,
Albinus then, from Britayne armed came,
For Empire sake they lost their heades and fame.

These three stoode in my way to high estate,
Which I sore thirsted for, but yet at last
I made thereto, by bloudshed bold, a gate,
And letlesse so vnto the throne I past.
The souldiers Iulian slewe, for insufficient pay:
My seruants eke at Antioch Niger slay:
At Lyons siege they tooke Albinus head away.

Then was my seate, methought, assurde to bide,
There could no tempest teare my sayles adowne:
No showre could cause my fixed foote to slide,
Nor vndercreeper crooke from me the Crowne
Which had the guyde of all Europaes wealth and might,
He, needed not to feare the force of fight,
Nor yet the ire of any worldly wight.

334

Encouraged with loue of lasting fame,
I entred with an armie into th'East,
Armenia can full well reporte the same,
Whereas my warlike glory first increast.
Angarus I subdude by fight the noble King,
And did his sonnes to Rome for hostage bring,
For which my fame through all the worlde did ring.

Arabia foelix felt my force likewise,
Although those warres had not so good successe:
Yet made I them with bowes (good archers) rise,
Or else they had bene driue to great distresse.
Their fethered shaftes from Arras shot, made vs to smarte,
They poysoned of my men by policy and arte,
And forced mee afflicted sore, with souldiers to departe.

To Parthia thence, agaynst of armes the lawe,
Wee gate, forgot the truce before was plight:
And when occasion fit to serue therefore wee sawe,
King Artabane w'assaylde, and put him thence to flight.
With fire and sword wee brent, turmoylde, and spoylde his land,
Tooke captiues, slewe the men that did vs ought with-stand,
Enritcht with boetyes thence retournde, whereof great store we fand.

To Rome I came, and caused chartes bee drawne
Of iourneys mine, by land and seas the plats:
Not erst before such expedition sawne,
Nor of those Countryes seene so perfect mapps.
The worlde did wonder at my heaps of haps,
The Romaynes honourde mee with triomphes when I came,
They vnto mee of Parthique gaue to name,
And Poets pennes perpetuate my prowes, facts, and fame.

335

But when can Princes best assure themselues?
What state without the stormes of strife doth stand?
What barke beares sayle in tempeste on the shelues?
What blisse abides and lasts, by sea or land?
Who takes to raygne the scepter in his hand,
Is like to him, in sterne to stirre that sits,
Commaunding all the rest, theyr race hee fits,
Mishandling there the helme, with losse of all on rockes hee hits.

For while that I abroade for glory hunt,
My sonnes at home in pleasures spent the time:
And as their father erst before was wont,
Endeuourde howe aloft they both might clime.
The elder fearce and cruell Antonine,
The yonger Geta gentle more and milde then hee,
Could not at any time in peace agree,
Desiring both t'inioy the Empire after mee.

So I endeuourde to appeaze the strife,
But nought at all I could therein preuaile:
This made mee woe and wery of my life,
Which erst so many Kingdomes did assaile.
I had the hap mine enmyes force to quaile,
To rule the Romaynes well, and all the rest:
But for to rule my sonnes, which should bee best,
I could no counsayle finde, nor haue the hurte redrest.

Perceiuing then some persons lewde there were,
Which counsailde ofte my sonnes embracing vice,
(As still is seene in Court enueaglers are,
Procurers of despite, contemners of the wise,
That flatery hold for gayne a gift of price)
I causde them put to death those Thrasoes vile,
And some were sent or banishte to exile:
But yet the griefe encreased all this while.

336

Mine elder sonne did thinke my life to long,
The yonger lou'd the elders life as ill:
They studied both to make their parties strong,
Which griefe my griped harte well nere did kill.
Such are the mischieues of the stately still.
In Britayne eke the Pictes rebelling rose,
Some Britaynes there became our secret foes,
Wherfore in age my selfe againe to warres I did despose.

First to bee absent from the force at home,
And partly greater glory to attayne,
My children sought, perdy, my death in Rome,
Without of lawes or Senate house the dome.
But chiefly Antonine tooke herein payne,
I should by gard or Phisicke drugges bee slayne,
That so the Empire might to hym remayne.

Yet no man would accomplishe his intent,
For my Phisitions bare mee loyall hartes:
My seruaunts eke full true no treason ment,
But playde in eache respect their faithfull partes.
They knewe themselues so bound by due desertes,
They ought not, seruaunts, such a Lord betray,
That gaue so great rewardes and giftes alway;
To pleasure him, that sought his fathers owne decay.

To Britayne I addrest an army great, perdy,
To quaile the Pictes that rufled in that Ile:
And for to cops the Britaynes tributes that deny,
Which were withheld from Romaynes there a while,
And to bee absent from my sonnes so vile.
But see what haps befall vs in the end,
Which so to clime aloft, to raygne alone contend:
Marke whereunto our laboures great & bloudsheds bend.

337

For when I was to Britayne come that famous land,
Where people stout, vntamde, vnuanquisht dwelt:
Although once Caesar Fortunes fauour fand,
That erst before their valiaunt valure felt:
I found the people nothing prest to pelt,
To yeeld, or hostage geue, or tributes due to pay,
Or couenaunts to accept, or fearefully to fray:
But bade by war to win the price, & beare the palme away.

They sayde that we did tributes sore exacte,
Whereby their Isle empouerisht greately was:
The Pictes likewise them robde, and spoyle, and sackte,
Whereof the Romaynes seemed naught to pas.
Wee ought (they sayd) to tame the Galloglasse,
The roaging Scythian Picte that them did spoyle,
Empouerishing their people, them to foyle:
If wee would reape a taxe or tribute of their toyle.

On which at length, I did conclude a peace,
And ioynde with them in league agaynst the Picte:
But yet the wilfull people did not cease,
My Britaynes good and mee by inroades to afflicte:
Whereon to wall them out I did my force addicte.
Long sixe score miles & twelue, the Scotishe banke I made
From sea to sea, that Pictes should not them so inuade:
Till yet the signes thereof are seene, for neuer thence to vade.

By helpe of this, I chaste the Pictes away,
And draue them into Albany to dwell:
Whereon Fulgentius Scythian sans delay
To Scythia sayld, an army new to tell:
Which gathered great of Pictes apoynted well,
Hee did retourne with speede to Britayne strand:
(That time I lay by North to guide the land,
Which holpe the Britaynes erst the Scythians to withstand.)

338

At length to Yorke with all his host hee came,
Beseegeing it full sharpe assaultes hee gaue:
Where I likewise for to defend the same,
And from our foes the castell good to saue
Came with my powre, as destnyes on mee draue:
But in that fielde it was my chaunce to fall,
I tooke my deadly wound, there ended all
Renowned lyfe, my warres, my tryomphes, and my thrall.

The Scythian eke receiude a deadly wounde,
Which came to conquere vs, and lost his feelde:
Thus Fortune fares her children to confounde,
Which on her wheele their bastiles brauely beelde.
Let noble Princes then to reason yeelde,
The daynefull Ladie daintie and demure,
Dame Fortunes fauour fickle is vnsure,
Her ioyes and triomphes tickle, timelesse to endure.

Some say that I retournde to Rome agayne
Sore troubled with the gowte, desiring death:
And that I would haue taken poyson fayne,
Which me denyde, to reaue my vitall breath
I tooke a surfet great, which wrought my death.
The Britaynes say, at Yorke my bones doe lye,
The Romaynes say at Rome in Italy:
But where so ere they be, I nothing recke them, I.

But this I wish, all noble wights to viewe
Howe I by slaughter gate the throne at furst,
My souldiers noble men for Empire slewe,
This way to rise, of all I proued wurst:
For why, his hand of gods and men is curst,
To rise aloft that layes the ground with bloud:
The states of such vnstable still haue stood,
Despisde of mighty Ioue, that loues the gentle, meeke, and good.

339

[FULGENTIUS]

How Fulgentius a Scythian, or Picte, was slayne at the seege of Yorke, about the yeare of Christ, 206. or 213.

[_]

[This title is twice printed: at the close of Tragedy 37, and on the next page, as here, to introduce the tragedy to which it belongs.]

I am that valiaunt Scythian Prince the Picte,
That vanquisht oft the Britaynes in this Ile:
Against the noble Romaynes powre I kikte,
And kept them play in Britayne both long while,
I forst them make a wall aboue an hundreth mile,
From sea to sea, with towres to watch & keepe me out,
Which of vs Pictes in prowesse proud, did daily stand in doubt.

Our auncient race (although th'ambitious Romaynes nill)
Had right by due discent to clayme this noble land:
Of which repeate some proofe therefore I will,
That so thou maist our title vnderstand.
When all mankinde felt Iehoues almighty hand,
That drensht all nations quite, for their rebellious sinne,
Then strayght eftsoones in Scythia did the world by Noah beginne.

Th'AEgyptians hold forsooth that they restord
The world agayne, but, how vnlikely, see:
For Scythiaes site is high as all accord,
From vs the fountaynes greatste deriued bee.
The auncient writers all likewise agree,
That on Armenia mount the Arke of Noah did rest,
Till heauenly Ioue againe the earth with drowth addrest.

340

But they alleage agayne their Zone is milde,
And fertile, temperate, meete to foster men:
Our Scythian hilles (they say) are frosty, wilde,
Which cannot breede but ruder people then.
To which I may well aunswere make agen,
That as Iehoua made the Zones both hot, and milde, & cold,
Euen so to them hee fitly made like men the same to hold.

They say wee are nigh neighbours to the Pole,
Or frozen poynt: more nere the fire are they:
What poysons breede with them, and Libians sole
In parcheing sands the writers wise display.
Can nature frame mankinde more deepe decay?
Perdy where parching heat, where serpents vgly breede,
A Clyme most fit from whence mankinde should first proceede.

But now ile tell why Scythians should possesse
This noble Isle: first, Lord Neptunus gaue
The Islandes to his sonnes, both more and lesse,
Eke Albion first of all this Isle should haue:
Hee not with this content, the Firme did craue.
Wherefore in Fraunce him Hercules dispacht,
When as hee would a Kingdome there haue catcht.

Now as from Noah first (of Scythia) by descent,
Downe vnto Albions time they held the land:
From Scythe to Scythian as of right it went,
And after him no Scythian Prince it fand,
When as vsurpers tooke the raygne in hand,
Was it not right and reason wee should vndertake,
This noble Realme our owne agayne to Scythia subiect make?

The Romaynes this deny, but euen themselues likewise
(If they from vertue stray as reckelesse vse,
And doe Iehouaes lawes and hestes despise,

341

And right, and trueth, and iustice so refuse)
Shall finde how much their Scepture they misuse.
The Scythian shall likewise their lofty seat assaile,
The barbarous Prince of Pictes against them shall preuaile.

But softe lay here a strawe, Seuerus now I tell,
When hee the wall had made and pingde mee out,
To Scythia hence I saylde, and stoarde mee well
With men, munition good, a warlike route,
Of youthfull Pictes full strong in armour stoute
A Nauy good I brought, and entred on the land,
A wighty worke, of stately Yorke I tooke the seege in hand.

The Emprour great Seuerus Parthique proude,
With Romaynes, Galles, and Britayne souldiers came:
To make me rayse the siege of Yorke he vowde,
And I likewise to winne and raze the same.
To winne the price we both our armies frame:
But he was olde and slie, his souldiers skilfull traynde,
My men to flie by ambush, scoute, and skirmish he constraynde.

Agayne to fight wee fell afresh, the battayle grewe,
Aboute I brought my winges, and now they sounde
Tantara teares alarme, the fluits fight-fight anewe,
And there awhile the Romaynes fell to grounde.
The trompet blasts, cryes, stroakes and shoutes to skyes resounde,
They fall, fall, fly, the fluits; downe downe the drommes doe cry:
Where on the Romaynes sounde retrayte, & fayne themselues to fly.

342

My souldiers all to rashe had broake araye,
The Romayne reare warde cast aboute with speede,
And both theyr winges enclosed vs eache waye,
Theyr mayne likewise to keepe aray gaue heede.
Which when I sawe, it made my hearte to bleede,
And to Seuerus selfe I wounded made at length a wey,
Where or retourne wee Scythian Pictes the Romayne Parthique sley.

So when the Emprour fell, a showte arose,
The Romaynes blancke, amazed, woefull were:
Fulgentius fast recoylde, death wounded goes,
And of my crewe a troupe to ayde mee there.
I bought my Britishe conqueste all to deare,
No conqueste yet: for as my sworde the kingdome sought,
My vitall bloude Seuerus death at Yorke to dearly bought.

You noble men, yee see what truste there is
In Fortunes feages, how mischiefe makes the martes,
And howe our hoped haps in warres doe misse,
When backe the braue and blinded Lady starts.
High reaching heades swimme ofte in seas of smartes.
The setled man reposde, content, is bleste and beast at ease,
Which hath decreede in meane estate both God and man to please.

343

[GETA]

How Geta the Yonger sonne of th'Emperour Seuerus once gouernour of Britayne, was slayne in his mothers armes by his brother Antonine Emperour of Rome, about the yeare of Christ, 214.

If euer Prince opprest had cause his state to rue,
Or by his ruful end might moue men mone his chaunce,
My woefull tale may shewe the like to you,
Whom Fortune erst, and birth did highe aduaunce.
In Rome perdy, in Britayne, Spayne, and Fraunce
I fauour had, I honourde was, I bare the sway,
I Emprour was with Antonine: what neede I more to say.

In Britayne while my father waeged fight
By North agaynst the Pictes, I rulde the South:
Seuerus so apoynted mee to iudge them right,
And Britayne Iustice well receaude from Getaes mouth.
I gaue not then my selfe to giftes, nor idle slouth,
But mildly made an end in causes great of strife,
With dome so right and iust, that men reioyste my life.

The Senate honourde mee at home for vertues sake,
Abroade the Britaynes blest mee for their blisse,
The souldiers stout in armes of mee account did make.
Let stories truely tell where I doe halte in this:
Lest some suspect, that I reporte amisse.
For what is hee, which is not counted partiall vayne,
When for himselfe hee speakes, though plea bee nere so playne?

344

In peace I wise and prudent was, and graue of grace,
In warres of courage good, but not so fearce withall:
Not forste with feare to turne from foes my face,
Nor bought with bribes to let Dame Iustice fall,
I lou'de not, I, to throng the weaker sort with thrall,
But sought to pleasure eache at neede, both neare & farre:
More proane to sacred peace I was, then bent to broyles of warre.

What hearte is then so harde but will for pity bleede,
To heare a giltlesse Prince which meant to each so well,
Should haue such cause to liue in feare and dreede
Of sworde, of bane, of force, or poyson fell,
Not daring Emprour nere his brother dwell,
Whom both the Romaynes lou'd, and straungers honourde still,
In peace moe bruntes abydes at home, then erste abroade of ill.

But Antonine, I hate his hatefull name and factes,
Sith hee my bucher was, my brother though hee were:
The worlde detestes his vile and viprous actes,
And subtile shiftes to bane his father deare:
So voyde of grace, so voyde of honeste dreede or feare,
Hee durst attempte the nerest gardes to bribe and fee,
By them theyr Lord his Father might the Emprour poysoned bee.

This when Seuerus wiste our aged syre, and saw
How Antonine that beaste was tiranously bent,
Agaynst the order quite of Natures noble law,
Eke, how to take the Empire whole hee ment;
For both of vs at Yorke hee often sent,
Perswading vs to peace, to loue, and concorde holde,
And of the fruites of Discorde foule, and ciuill warres hee tolde.

Yet Antonine regarded naught his Fathers heste,
Ne yet the charge of British warres hee had in hande:
Hee to enlarge his powre for th'Empire him addrest.

345

Which when Seuerus olde did vnderstand,
All pleasures quite and ioyes hee did aband,
And to the warres him gate: nere Yorke he tooke his ende
By sworde of Pictes, or by some traytour fauning frende.

Then Antonine made spoyle of all his Fathers men,
Phisitions nilde before at his requeste
Dispatch theyr Lorde, to death hee put them then,
And so hee serude of faythfull garde the reste.
What vilany was in this monstrous vipers breaste?
Was not content with death and goodes of those hee sought,
But after them bringes all theyr friendes likewise to nought.

I warned was by diuers eke my life hee thirsted sore,
And that the Empire sole alone hee sought to haue,
Whereon as wee to Rome did passe I feared more,
I from his courtes and diets did mee saue:
I knew my life and th'Empire he did croach and craue,
Wherefore in Rome my court I kepte alone likewise
From his aparte, that did ful ofte to murder mee deuise.

My Cookes and Butlers were allurde by sundry giftes
To poyson mee, and some for mee in ambush lurking lay:
Hee tryde to cut mee off a thousand shiftes,
What maruayle, since hee sought his syre to slay?
Hee made his Fathers dearest friendes for spite away.
Because they nilde consent to his vile treasons wrought,
Hee slewe the men, to saue his Fathers life that sought.

But all his sleights for mee coulde take no sure successe,
For still his traynes and treasons were descride:
And I in daunger greate was forste to seeke redresse
By like attemptes at laste, but that likewise was spyde.
Pretended murder no man close can keepe or hyde,
But out it flyes abroade, the rumor runnes apace,
The only spot thereof doth all the vertues else deface.

346

When this was knowne to him, that I likewise assayde
His life to reaue (though twere my only life to saue)
No longer time to wrecke the same the bucher stayde,
Hee had the thing so long before hee sought to haue,
Such cause of iust reuenge the rumor small him gaue,
That in the euening hee came on mee or I knewe,
In cruell sorte to reaue my life before our mothers vewe.

There she perceiuing him with naked sworde approache,
In armes mee caught to saue my life and bloud,
But hee deseruing all the worldes reproache,
No whit in doubte to end my slaughter stoode.
My mother him besought (as seemde an Empresse good)
While he in rage without remorce or ruth of her request,
Betwene her armes that bare vs both did run me through the breste.

These were the cruell actes of that vile monster then
For Empire sake, to raigne alone aloft:
Despisde that was, contemnde, abhord of Gods and men,
And curst to hell by all good men so oft,
You see the fall of Geta, gentle, milde, and soft,
Whose line of life no longer Lachesis could stretch,
Cut off by sworde of Antonine, th'unkindely caytiue wretch.

Let now the world both deeme of my desertes and his,
For to his father he was most, of sonnes, vnkinde:
His mothers ioyes he reaude away her blisse,
That noble Dame which bare to both so mylde a minde:
And let my dealings aye due doome and fauour finde,
Whose murder may giue playne prospect and show
What monster gaue his faythfull friends such ouerthrow.

FINIS.

347

[AURELIUS ANTONIUS BASSIANUS CARACALLA]

How Aurelius Antonius Bassianus Caracalla Emperour of Rome was slayne by one of his owne seruaunts, about the yeere of Christ, 209.

Who thirstes to thring vnto the highest throne,
Ne wisely windes Dame Fortunes subtile snare:
Or who in Courte would rule the rost alone,
And sees not what he heapes himselfe of care,
Let him well wey my case, and then beware:
Whome foorth the stately seate did first allure,
Which after did my hastie death procure.

And, Higins, here in purpose sith thou hast
The haplesse hauen where Fortunes impes ariue,
A mirour make likewise of me thou mayst,
If thou my life and dealings wilt discriue.
It may perhaps much profit some aliue:
Which when themselues playne paynted forth they see,
They may presage their fatall falles in mee.

I am that Antonine, Seuerus sonne
That once of mighty Rome did beare the swaye,
Which in my fathers life a stryfe begone
With Geta, thyrsting often him to slay.
I sought to haue my father made away,
To raigne alone so great desire I had,
Naught but theyr deathes indueste my hart to glad.

My father oft exhorted both to peace,
Declarde by stories olde what came by strife,
Dehorted both from ciuill discord cease,

348

But I sought meanes to rid him of his life.
I banisht to Sycilia Isle my wife,
Encreast mine hoste, reckt not my British charge,
But how I might enioy the Empire large.

And first when as my father once was dead,
I gaue my selfe to all reuenge of foes,
The seruants late which stoode me not in stead,
And some Physicions which my treasons did disclose,
Or such to saue their Prince themselues dispose,
Or reconcile vs brethren tooke sore payne,
I causde them all without respect be slayne.

The Captaines all likewise I brybed well,
In Britayne then desiring them to chuse
Mee Emprour sole, and Geta to repell:
Which they to doe for dueties sake refuse.
Our mother eke all meanes with vs did vse,
Perswading vs to loue and concorde bende,
To which dissemblingly I graunted in the ende.

Wee both in Empire like from Britayne passe,
A truce concluded there, and hostage take:
His reliques shrinde (as then the custome was)
To Rome therewith our voyage fast we make.
And yet the malice could not so aslake:
For in our iourneyes wee durst neyther trust,
But seuerall Courts and dyets keepe we must.

Both fearing poyson, force or treason wrought,
Both crauing all the Empire to enioy,
Both working all the wayes that might be sought,
To worke to each some secret great anoy,
Both seeking how his partner to destroy.
The brother which to brother should be stay,
Endeuours how to make him quite away.

349

And those that bare of dignities degree,
The officers, were diuersly distracte:
Some fauourde Geta, some did fauour mee,
In him no poynt of courtesie there lackte.
He was of maners milde, of doome exact,
To studies good addict, of comely grace,
In warres and peace discharging well the place.

But I was rough, and violent, and fearce,
Of fiery Mars affected all to bloud:
What neede I more my qualities rehearce,
Which were so farre vnlike my brothers good.
On threatnings, force, and feare, my Empire stood,
Whereby in deede of fauning friends I had,
For feare or gayne were of my fauour glad.

Our mother long perswading vs to peace,
And both perceiuing our attempts but vaine,
Did both agree our discordes to surcease,
And for to part the Empire into twaine:
My selfe should holde of Europe all the maine
With th'Isles thereof, and Geta all the East,
Of Asia all the Realmes and Islands most and least.

As thus we parle amongst the counsayle all,
And so decree, full purposed thereto,
The Senate, which foresawe mishaps might fall,
Still sadly sate, durst nothing say nor doe:
But Iulia then the mother of vs two,
When she perceiude the Senate pause for feare,
Arose to speake, and sayd as you shall heare.

“The sea and land (quod shee) my sonnes you get,
“You finde a way how you may them deuide:
“The Pontique floud betweene you both is set

350

“For boundes of both, it buts on eyther side:
“But how will you your mother now deuide?
“How shall my haplesse corps be parted, put
“Betweene you both, shall I likewise be cut?

“If needes in twayne you part this Empire must,
“I see what discorde after may betyde:
“How Empire makes men guiltlesse bloud to thrust,
“What noble Peeres for this betrayde, haue dyde.
“T'were better both the Romaynes well to guyde,
“Then separate farre, without so firme a stay,
“Your seuered force some treason should decay.

“One man himselfe may much by wit foresee,
“But twaine may more perceiue perdy then one:
“One friendly man by fauour much may bee,
“But two in friendship knit, neede feare no fone.
“Two brethren then to rule the world alone
“As brethren shoulde, and liue in faithfull sorte,
“The worlde their loue and honours will reporte.

“But if deuide the Empire all you will,
“First ere you goe for to enioy your raigne,
“My woefull corps I pray you here to kill,
“And it deuide betweene you both in twaine,
“That I may eke with both of you remayne.
“Doe burie each a parte so distant farre,
“Deuided as your seates, selues, kingdomes are.

So when she spoken had, with teares shee came,
And sobbes, beseeching both, embracing vs,
And wild we should our selues to friendship frame,
Not bearing hate in hart, and enuie thus:
On which the Senate nothing durst discusse,
But all arose, departing did lament,
Which vewde our thirsting sore, to bloudshed bent.

351

Our hatred still encreased more and more,
For when that Captaines newe elected were,
Or officers in place we did restore,
In these, our mindes to all men playne appeare,
We diuersly affected fauour beare:
Of right in sentence eke, of diuers mindes,
As hate full oft the eyes of Iustice blindes.

Our owne we sought, and not the publique weale,
Yet both the publique wealth alone to haue:
We nothing reckt to hap the publique heale,
But to enioy the publique wealth we straue.
To Cookes and Butlers giftes of price we gaue,
To poyson each: when yet not these proceede,
I hired some by force to doe the deede.

When this likewise had not successe aright,
My selfe, to slay my brother, I addrest:
I rusht into his chamber euen or night,
While of my force I thinke he feared lest:
There with my sworde I strake him through the brest.
Eke while our mothers lap his woundes embrewe,
Her Geta deare betweene her armes I slewe.

Which done, I flew the palace straight, and cald the garde,
Cryde treason, told I scarce escapte vnslayne,
Commaunding souldiers well to watch and warde,
And me conuey vnto the campe amayne,
Where I might safe from violence remayne:
I sayd I should be made away, perdie,
If in the Court I longer time did lye.

So they supposing all was trueth I tolde,
(Not weeting what was done to Geta than)
Made speede to runne with me vnto the holde:

352

The people hearing this, to flocke began,
Enquiring why the Prince and souldiers ran:
In tent I kneeld encampt, the gods to prayse
With promist vowes, which had prolongde my dayes.

The souldiers all amazde resorted to the tent,
Where I the Gods with honour serued thoe:
On which I forth amongste them boldly went,
Told them great daungers I had scaped fro,
And of mine enmyes fall and ouerthroe.
By Fortunes gifte (quoth I) the enmye's slayne,
And th'Empyre wholy doth to mee remayne.

I promist then the souldiers if they would
My Empire stablishe sure, and safty see,
Eache fiue & twenty hundred Attique grotes haue should,
More corne then earst by halfe alowde shoulde bee,
The temples welth and treasures shoulde bee free
For them to vse at large, whereby that onely day
Seuerus pile of eighteene yeare I spoylde away.

The souldiers so allurde, perceiuing all my minde,
(And slaughter blazde by those in house that fled)
I was by them proclaymde and th'Emprour sole assinde,
And hee an enmy namde that now was deade.
All night in temple forth with vowes I led,
Next day to Senate house with th'armed hoste I gate,
And seruice done, thus wise in th'Empire throne I spake:

“I know right well (quod I) domestique slaughters hatefull seeme,
“And euen the name thereof makes men full euill of parties deeme:
“For why, th'vnhappy slayne moues milder men to mercy still,
“And noble Peeres are enuide when compelde theyr foes they kill,
“The vanquisht iniurde seeme, and victours deemde vniustly ill.

353

“But who so euer shall this case it selfe with trueth perpende
“Not partially that deemes, ensearching what hee did pretend:
“Hee shall perceiue and finde it better farre and needefull more
“To wrecke the wrong, then wincke thereat, & after smarte therfore.
“For, to the slayne beside his woe, there comes a dastardes name,
“The victour hath beside his health, of fortitude the fame.
“But certis how by poysons hee, and all meanes sought my spoile,
“You may right soone by tortures try without of farder toyle.
“And therefore I commaunded all his seruaunts present bee,
“That you the trueth may know, when their confessions plain you see:
“While I was at my mothers house, he brought with swords his traine,
“Forwarnd, so armde, by fight my foe, I haue mine enmy slain.
“Sith hee about a mischiefe went, no brothers harte that bore,
“To take reuenge on such, is due: as custome telles of yore.
“The founder right of Rome, not with his brother flouting bare:
“I leaue to speake what Germanique and Titus erst did dare,
“And Marcus wise and milde his daughters husband did not spare.
“But I, for mee when poysons were and swords to slay mee drest,
“Reuengde my foe, (of foe the name his workes assignde him best)
“Therefore thanke you the Gods, that they one Prince preserued you,
“Beholde the same, him loyall loue, to him bee iust and true:
“For euen as Ioue aboue, amongst the Gods doth rule alone,
“So hee in earth the Empire all, alottes and giues to one.

354

Thus hauing sayde alowde, with irefull moode,
And bloudy countnaunce cast about the place,
Th'assembly pale and trembling, fearefull stoode,
And I retournde to'th Pallace thence a space.
My brothers householde then I made a way a pace,
His friends, his seruaunts all, young, olde, and new,
And th'infantes eke, without respect I slewe:

The Wrastlers and the Waggeners likewise,
Musitians, players, which did please his minde:
Of th'order of the Senatours full wise,
In whome was noble bloud or wealth to finde.
Not one of Getaes friends I left behinde:
Also my wife whome I exilde away
To Sicile Ile, I caused them to slay.

Lucilla eke that auncient noble Dame
To Marcus wise the daughter sage and graue,
Of Commodus that sister great of fame,
Which honour much in Rome deserude to haue,
I say, shee did my deedes therein depraue,
Because to Getaes mother shee wept sore,
For Getaes death: I causde her die therefore.

Her sonne likewise, I caused should bee slayne,
And of th'imperiall bloud (to make all sure)
I left not one aliue, that might remayne,
Or vnto whom they might my place procure.
By night likewise I put like acts in vre:
For day and night I ceased not to slay,
Of Getaes friendes to roote the rest away.

I Vestall virgins buried eke aliue,
And made the souldiers multitudes to kill,
Because I deemde they were in wordes to blyue.

355

Against my couche wherein I trauailde still,
The souldiers slewe the men that thought no ill,
Or made them buy their liues with all they had,
Which were, to scape with life alone, full glad.

This donne, for feare from Rome with speede I gate,
The townelike life at home misliked mee:
For why the Citty did my murders hate,
Where souldiers held their slaughters franke and free,
And were enricht by spoile of each degree.
I gate therefore with all my Martiall crewe
From Itayle land, Danubian shoares to vewe.

Where, vnto hunting I applyde my selfe,
To ride abroade in couche, and giue them lawes:
In fewe dispacht their pleas about but pelfe,
Not gieuen to heare long pleading playnts for strawes.
I counted such but cafling caytiue dawes
As spent their substaunce, time, and goods in suite,
About such things as could not yeelde them fruite.

I clad myselfe much like the Germanes then,
So trimde my haire, chose them my garde to serue:
So framde my selfe to please these ruder men,
As might them cause of mee full well deserue,
From labour none with them I seemde to swerue:
To digge, lifte, beare, to grinde, moulde, knead or bake
In painfull sort, and simple fare to take.

The Germanes much reioyste my kinde of life,
My sufferaunce great in during labours long:
The name of mate with vs was holden rife,
I seemde a fellowe souldier them among:
Of stature small, yet was I wondrous strong,
So that the stoutest men which in mine armies were,
Durst not with mee great burdens dare to beare.

356

When at Danubius I had placed strength,
To Thracia thence with speede apace I went:
There Monuments agayne I made at length
To Alexanders fame: to Rome I sent
Likewise of statures for the same intent,
In Capitole and Temples them to place,
For honour great of Alexanders grace.

I made mee garments eke of Thracian guise,
And Captaynes mee to Alexander call:
To Pergame thence in Asia great that lies
I gate, Achilles tombe with honours all
To vewe perdy, as stories witnesse shall:
Whence (order set) to Antioche I farde,
Where my receyte with honour was preparde.

To Alexandria then I fared faste,
For they had scofte full oft before at mee:
My mother they had named Queene Iocaste,
Achilles great and Alexander mee.
They smilde my folly great herein to see,
Which though I were a dwarfe of stature small,
Durst take the name of Captaynes great and tall.

Ne Getaes murder spared oft to spread,
As is their nature gieuen to taunt and iest:
Wherefore as though Religion had mee lead,
I offred sacrifice with solemne feast
At Alexanders tombe, where most and least
Of all the youth were present to behold
The offerings great I brought, and giftes of gold.

This donne, I wild the youth should all prepare
To showe themselues in field: for I would choose
A band by Alexanders name to fare,

357

As erst in Thrace and Sparta I did vse.
They came reioysing all, to heare the newes:
Where I with souldiers come to take the vewe,
Them compast in, and all the people slewe.

The valley all did swimme with streames of bloud,
So great that time a slaughter was there made:
It staynde the mighty mouthes of Nilus floud,
And on the shoares you might bloud wetshod wade:
My piners eke were prest with showle and spade
T'interre the dead, a monstrous trench that fill,
And on them scarce all dead, they rearde a mighty hill.

But then desiring glory more to get
By Parthian name, which erst my father had,
I sent to Artabane, without of let,
Ambassage great, with giftes his minde to glad:
And for his daughter them perswade I bad,
Desiring him to giue the Princesse mee to wife,
The cause of lasting loue, an end of mortall strife.

By this both ioynde in one, wee might for ay
Of all the world the Diademe possesse:
And might to each in all attempts be stay,
In fight our foes by firmer force suppresse.
When they my message thus did there expresse,
At first hee fearde deceyte: agayne I sent:
Wherewith hee was at last full well content.

By giftes I wrought, and plight my fayth withall
For truth to him, and for his daughters loue,
And hee began mee sonne in lawe to call.
Which new reporte, did all the Parthians moue
Vs to receiue, our frendships firme t'approue,
Reioysing now such league at last to see,
Whereby they might from Romayne warres bee free.

358

And so I entred Parthia as mine owne,
The Parthians mee receiude with triomphes great:
When mine approache to Artabane was knowne,
In playne before the City of his seat
Hee came to meete mee, with a nomber great
Ware garlands gay, in golden vestures clad,
With all the ioy, and triomphes might bee had.

So when great multitudes assembled were,
Their horses lefte behinde and bowes layd downe,
Amongst their cups deuoyde of force the feare,
By nombers great the chiefe of all the towne,
Which came to see the bridemans highe renowne,
Disorderly vnarmde as so they gazing stand,
I gaue my souldiers signe, to take the blade in hand.

And downe by sword they fell, they could not flye,
The King escaped scarce, conueyde by horse away:
Their solemne garments long, theire flight did tye,
A slaughter great of Parthians was that day,
Wee sackte their Townes, and noble men did slay.
From thence I past t'Azamia after this
To hunt, and gaue my selfe a while to bath in blisse.

Thus hauing runne my reckelesse race vnkinde,
And doubting both of treason and my thrall,
I sought by curious artes of sprites to finde
Who should procure in th'end my fatall fall:
Materniane at Rome should search for all,
Hee should enquire my fate, of all the skillfull men,
And write hereof with speede, what was their mindes agen.

What hee rewrate agayne, I wote not I,
From Carras I to Lunaes Temple went:
And for because it neare the Campe did lye,

359

To sacrifice with fewe was mine intent:
For why to towne from thence retourne I ment,
And so from thence toth Campe likewise agayne
I might mee thought retyre, without a greater trayne.

Amongst the which, one Martiall of my garde,
Whose brother (not conuinste, accusde) I slewe,
Thus wise my caytiue corps did watch to warde,
(For when therefore conuenient time hee knewe,
While I aparte me gate for natures due,
And bade the rest aside a space departe)
Hee came and stabde mee stifly through the harte.

Seuerus seruaunts I corrupted ofte,
Them feeid to make their Lorde my syre away:
With Getaes men the like attempts I wrought,
To bane their Lord, and brother mine to slay.
How I the Alexandrians did betray.
And Parthians eke, before to you I tolde,
Deseruing death for those a thousand folde.

But sith those faithfull seruaunts I did kill,
Which would not sley their noble Lordes for golde,
I worthy was to haue a gard so ill,
As shoulde to perce my hatefull harte bee bolde.
The Iustice great of Ioua here beholde:
Vniustly who so seekes to slay the iust and good,
The sword at length shall take his false & traytours bloud.

FINIS.

University of Virginia Library

1. [THE FIRST PART OF THE MIRROR for MAGISTRATES]

[by JOHN HIGGINS]

THE 1574 EDITION

The Authours induction.

[ALBANACT]

The Authour.

LENUOYE.

[HUMBER]

The Authoure.

LENVOY.

[LOCRINUS]

The Authour.

LENVOY.

[ELSTRIDE]

The Authoure.

LENUOYE.

[SABRINE]

The Authour.

LENUOY.

[MADAN]

The Authoure.

LENUOY.

[MANLIUS]

The Authour.

LENUOY.

[MEMPRICIUS]

The Authour.[_] [The rewritten lenvoy of 1587 introducing the new tragedy of Bladud is printed on p. 227 with the tragedies added in 1587.]

[BLADUD]

The Authour.

LENUOY.

[CORDILA]

The Authour.

LENUOY.

[MORGAN]

[FORREX]

The Authour.

[PORREX]

The Authour.

[KIMARUS]

The Authour.

LENUOY.

[MORINDUS]

The Authour.[_] [In the 1587 edition this lenvoy is rewritten and a body of new work, consisting of the tragedies of Emerianus, Chirinnus, and Varianus, and three new lenvoys, is introduced. These additions are printed below, on pp. 281-88.]

[NENNIUS]

C. Iulius Caesar Dict. of Rome to Cassibellane kinge of Britaine sendeth greetinge.

Cassibellane kinge of Brit. to C. Iulius Caesar Dictat. sendeth aunswere.

The Authour.

ADDITIONS MADE IN 1575

[Lenvoy 16 continued]

[IRENGLAS]

The Authour.[_] [The lenvoy substituted for Lenvoy 17 in the 1587 edition is printed on p. 289, where it serves to link the tragedy of Irenglas to that of Caius Julius Caesar.]

ADDITIONS MADE IN 1587

Thomas Newton to the Reader, in the behalfe of this booke.

Lenuoy.

[BLADUD]

[IAGO]

Lenuoy.

[FORREX]

Lenuoy.[_] [For the original version of Lenvoy 12, see p. 173.]

[PORREX]

[PINNAR]

Lenuoye.

[STATER]

Lenuoy.

[RUDACKE]

Lenuoy.

[BRENNUS]

Lenuoy.[_] [In the 1587 edition this lenvoy introduces the tragedy of Kimarus (14).]

[EMERIANUS]

Lenuoy.

[CHIRINNUS]

Lenuoy.

[VARIANUS]

Lenuoy.

Lenuoy.

[What griefe is this, that such a worthy wight]

[CAIUS IULIUS CAESAR]

[CLAUDIUS TIBERIUS NERO]

Pontius Pilate to his Lorde Claudius wisheth health.

The Authour.
[_]

[The rewritten lenvoy of 1587 introducing the new tragedy of Bladud is printed on p. 227 with the tragedies added in 1587.]

The Authour.
[_]

[In the 1587 edition this lenvoy is rewritten and a body of new work, consisting of the tragedies of Emerianus, Chirinnus, and Varianus, and three new lenvoys, is introduced. These additions are printed below, on pp. 281-88.]

The Authour.
[_]

[The lenvoy substituted for Lenvoy 17 in the 1587 edition is printed on p. 289, where it serves to link the tragedy of Irenglas to that of Caius Julius Caesar.]

Lenuoy.
[_]

[For the original version of Lenvoy 12, see p. 173.]

Lenuoy.
[_]

[In the 1587 edition this lenvoy introduces the tragedy of Kimarus (14).]