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132
[BLADUD]
Bladud recyteth howe he practizinge by curious arts to flye, fell, and brake his necke. The yeare before Christe. 844:
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[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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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?
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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