 | Parts added to The mirror for magistrates |  |
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
O bace degree in happy case full well
Which art not pufte with pryde, vainglory hate:
But art beneath, content to byde thy fate.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
| Parts added to The mirror for magistrates | |