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[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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
By right, or wrong, by might or malice wee
Could neuer liue, like Fortune for to gaine.
164
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
That Iustice ment, hir kingdome to forsake,
Nay traytour I, as now by proofe is seene
165
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
That there vnfaithfull Morgan lost his life,
The place is cald Glamorgan to this daye.
166
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.
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.]
[_]
[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.
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.
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.
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