The Mirrour of Mutabilitie or Principall part of the Mirrour for Magistrates. Describing the fall of diuers famous Princes, and other memorable Personages. Selected out of the sacred Scriptures by Antony Munday, and dedicated to the Right Honorable the Earle of Oxenford |
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THE COMPLAINT
of King Ptolomye King of Egipt, for his
vnnaturall crueltie vsed tovvard the Famous
ALEXANDER, vvho vvas his Sonne in Lavv.
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 | The Mirrour of Mutabilitie |  |
THE COMPLAINT of King Ptolomye King of Egipt, for his vnnaturall crueltie vsed tovvard the Famous ALEXANDER, vvho vvas his Sonne in Lavv.
Caput. 9.
No
greater foe, then greedynes of minde,
No seruile life like to contemptuous pride:
No greater sinne then willing to be blinde,
No folly more then in vain hope to bide.
What more deceit? then look thy Freend in face:
And woork his death, in most vngentle case.
No seruile life like to contemptuous pride:
No greater sinne then willing to be blinde,
No folly more then in vain hope to bide.
What more deceit? then look thy Freend in face:
And woork his death, in most vngentle case.
For proof wherof I Ptolomye may serue,
Whose hauty hart, and moste ambitious minde:
Procured mee from Princely rule to swerue,
And cruelly to stray from Natures kinde.
Wherfore my tale let peirce the flinty hart:
How like they fall in such vnlawful part.
Whose hauty hart, and moste ambitious minde:
Procured mee from Princely rule to swerue,
And cruelly to stray from Natures kinde.
Wherfore my tale let peirce the flinty hart:
How like they fall in such vnlawful part.
My Daughter fair that Cleopatra hight,
To Alexander of illustrious fame:
In nuptiall band contented I did plight,
Til Enuie vile contempt did seek to frame.
My greedy minde my honor soon let fall:
That in the end I lost both fame and all.
To Alexander of illustrious fame:
In nuptiall band contented I did plight,
Til Enuie vile contempt did seek to frame.
My greedy minde my honor soon let fall:
That in the end I lost both fame and all.
My former vow I wretch did clean reuoke,
Of faithful freendship to my sonne in law:
Now perching pride had quickly strook the stroke
Gainst verteous life wherof I had no awe.
But banishing all fauour from my hart:
Did seek to frame a moste vnlawful part.
Of faithful freendship to my sonne in law:
Now perching pride had quickly strook the stroke
Gainst verteous life wherof I had no awe.
But banishing all fauour from my hart:
Did seek to frame a moste vnlawful part.
My noble Sonne from Kingdome beeing gon,
Whose absence wrought the more for my intent:
I ruled at home and none but I alone,
Now thought I good my Sonne for to preuent.
And of his Kingdome clean him to bereaue:
By traitrous deeds I purposde to deceiue.
Whose absence wrought the more for my intent:
I ruled at home and none but I alone,
Now thought I good my Sonne for to preuent.
And of his Kingdome clean him to bereaue:
By traitrous deeds I purposde to deceiue.
Then I likewise to all his Citties went,
Wherin I left of armed men good store:
That at such time as serude for mine intent,
I might obtain that long I wisht before.
Yet for his sake vnto his Citties all:
I was receiude with Fame imperiall.
Wherin I left of armed men good store:
That at such time as serude for mine intent,
I might obtain that long I wisht before.
Yet for his sake vnto his Citties all:
I was receiude with Fame imperiall.
More Traitour I that such a deed could frame,
Considering that I was receiude so wel:
And only hee did yeeld to mee such fame,
Gainst whom I did vnkindly so rebel.
Wel, looue nor fauour could my minde intreat:
But enuiously I went about this feat.
Considering that I was receiude so wel:
And only hee did yeeld to mee such fame,
Gainst whom I did vnkindly so rebel.
Wel, looue nor fauour could my minde intreat:
But enuiously I went about this feat.
When as I had eche Cittie fair subdude,
That on the seas did harbour there about:
By other shifts my fetches I renude,
And now I had an other plat drawen out.
Demetrius I did ioyne in league with mee:
And so to war til all consumde might bee.
That on the seas did harbour there about:
By other shifts my fetches I renude,
And now I had an other plat drawen out.
Demetrius I did ioyne in league with mee:
And so to war til all consumde might bee.
My Daughter fair I took from rightful mate,
And to Demetrius did her giue againe:
Then had I raysde a slaunder vp of hate,
How Alexander sought to haue mee slaine.
And so through this such enuie vile I bred:
That Kingdomes twain I crowned on my hed.
And to Demetrius did her giue againe:
Then had I raysde a slaunder vp of hate,
How Alexander sought to haue mee slaine.
And so through this such enuie vile I bred:
That Kingdomes twain I crowned on my hed.
O braue delight as braue as beaten Golde,
O happy life long looked for before:
I droue my Sonne into Arabian holde,
Wheras to make my honor larger more.
His hed was sent as present vnto mee:
Oh how I ioyd when I this sight did see.
O happy life long looked for before:
I droue my Sonne into Arabian holde,
Wheras to make my honor larger more.
His hed was sent as present vnto mee:
Oh how I ioyd when I this sight did see.
But yet this pomp to short a time did last,
Within three dayes I dyed in greeuous case:
What vauntage then when honor all was past,
Did I obtaine in my new Kingly place.
My sonnes deer blood for vengeance stil dooth cry:
Gainst me a wretch that wrought this villany.
Within three dayes I dyed in greeuous case:
What vauntage then when honor all was past,
Did I obtaine in my new Kingly place.
My sonnes deer blood for vengeance stil dooth cry:
Gainst me a wretch that wrought this villany.
You Noble harts see heere a pattern playne,
Of painted Pride contemning verteous life:
See heere a gulf of Enuye and Disdayne,
A mortall foe that still procured strife.
See heere the wight whose folly made him fall:
In seeking that which did return his thrall.
Of painted Pride contemning verteous life:
See heere a gulf of Enuye and Disdayne,
A mortall foe that still procured strife.
See heere the wight whose folly made him fall:
In seeking that which did return his thrall.
See what I gaynd for greedines of minde,
See how the Lord did pay me for my payne:
In that I went so farre from Natures kinde,
As woork the meanes to cause my sonne be slayn.
Whose guiltlesse death beholde I now lament:
Desiring pardon for my life mispent,
See how the Lord did pay me for my payne:
In that I went so farre from Natures kinde,
As woork the meanes to cause my sonne be slayn.
Whose guiltlesse death beholde I now lament:
Desiring pardon for my life mispent,
Learne now therfore like Enuy to eschew,
Least that your selues doo fall into like snare,
Dout not but you shall finde the end to true,
Therfore in time I wish you to beware.
So are you sure the daunger to preuent:
Of such a sinne as I poore wretch am shent.
Least that your selues doo fall into like snare,
Dout not but you shall finde the end to true,
Therfore in time I wish you to beware.
So are you sure the daunger to preuent:
Of such a sinne as I poore wretch am shent.
FINIS.
| The Mirrour of Mutabilitie | |