 | Parts added to The mirror for magistrates |  |
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
| Parts added to The mirror for magistrates | |