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[HUMBER]
Humber the king of Hunnes shewes how he minding to conquere this land was drowned. &c. He liued about the yeare before Christ. 1074.
Though yet no forraine Princes in this place,
Haue come to tell their haplesse great mishap:
Yet giue me leaue a while to pleade my case,
And shewe howe I slipt out of Fortunes lap:
Perchaunce some others will eschewe the trap
Wherein I fell, and both themselues beware,
And also seeke the lesse thy countreys care.
Haue come to tell their haplesse great mishap:
Yet giue me leaue a while to pleade my case,
And shewe howe I slipt out of Fortunes lap:
Perchaunce some others will eschewe the trap
Wherein I fell, and both themselues beware,
And also seeke the lesse thy countreys care.
I am that Humber kinge of Hunnes that came
To win this Islande, from the Britaynes fell:
Was drownde in Humber where I left my name.
A iust reward for him that liude so well
At home, and yet thought others to expell,
Both from their Realme and right: O filthy fye
On such ambition earst as vsed I.
To win this Islande, from the Britaynes fell:
Was drownde in Humber where I left my name.
A iust reward for him that liude so well
At home, and yet thought others to expell,
Both from their Realme and right: O filthy fye
On such ambition earst as vsed I.
But I must blame report, the chiefest cause
Of my decaye: beware of rashe report:
Tis wisedome first to take a while some pause,
Before to dint of daungers you resort:
Least when you come in hast to scale the fort:
By rashe assault some engin, shaft, or fyre
Dispatcht you quite, or make you soone retyre.
Of my decaye: beware of rashe report:
73
Before to dint of daungers you resort:
Least when you come in hast to scale the fort:
By rashe assault some engin, shaft, or fyre
Dispatcht you quite, or make you soone retyre.
For vnto mee the rumors daily flewe,
That here a noble Ilande might be won:
The king was dead: no warres the people knewe,
And eke themselues to striue at home begon.
It were (quoth I) a noble acte well don,
To win it then: and there withall did make
Prouision good, this famous Ile to take.
That here a noble Ilande might be won:
The king was dead: no warres the people knewe,
And eke themselues to striue at home begon.
It were (quoth I) a noble acte well don,
To win it then: and there withall did make
Prouision good, this famous Ile to take.
A war like regall campe prouided was,
And shipps, and vitaile for my Hunnes and mee:
By sea to Britaine conquest for to passe,
If Gods thereto and heauenly starres agree:
At length wee came to shores of Albanie,
And there to fight with Britaynes pitcht our field:
In hope to make them flinche, flye, fall or yeelde.
And shipps, and vitaile for my Hunnes and mee:
By sea to Britaine conquest for to passe,
If Gods thereto and heauenly starres agree:
At length wee came to shores of Albanie,
And there to fight with Britaynes pitcht our field:
In hope to make them flinche, flye, fall or yeelde.
They met vs, longe we fearcely faught it out,
And doubtful was the victours part of twaine,
Till with my Hunnes I rusht amonge the route,
And faught, till that king Albanact was slaine.
Then they to yeeld and pardon craue were faine,
And I with triumphes great receiude the pray:
And marched forward, flesht with such a fray.
And doubtful was the victours part of twaine,
Till with my Hunnes I rusht amonge the route,
And faught, till that king Albanact was slaine.
Then they to yeeld and pardon craue were faine,
And I with triumphes great receiude the pray:
And marched forward, flesht with such a fray.
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I past an arme of Sea, that would to God
I neuer had bin halfe so bold at furst:
I made to beate my selfe withall a rod,
When so within their Realme I venture durst:
But marke my tale thou hearst not yet the worst.
As sure I thought the rest to circumuent:
By spyes before, they knew my whole intent.
I neuer had bin halfe so bold at furst:
I made to beate my selfe withall a rod,
When so within their Realme I venture durst:
But marke my tale thou hearst not yet the worst.
As sure I thought the rest to circumuent:
By spyes before, they knew my whole intent.
And or I wiste, when I was come to lande:
Not farre from shore, two Princes were preparde,
Their scoutes conueyde away my shipps they fand,
And of my shipmens fleshe they nothing sparde,
To rescue which, as backe againe I farde:
The armyes twaine were at my heeles behinde
So closde me in, I wist no waye to winde.
Not farre from shore, two Princes were preparde,
Their scoutes conueyde away my shipps they fand,
And of my shipmens fleshe they nothing sparde,
To rescue which, as backe againe I farde:
The armyes twaine were at my heeles behinde
So closde me in, I wist no waye to winde.
On th'east Locrinus with an armye great:
By West was Camber with an other bande:
By North an arme of Sea the shoores did beate,
Which compast mee and mine within their lande:
No way to scape was there, but water fande,
Which I must taste or els the swords of those,
Which were to mee and mine full deadly foes.
By West was Camber with an other bande:
By North an arme of Sea the shoores did beate,
Which compast mee and mine within their lande:
No way to scape was there, but water fande,
Which I must taste or els the swords of those,
Which were to mee and mine full deadly foes.
So when I sawe the best of all mine hoste,
Beate downe with bats, shot, slaine or forst to swim:
My selfe was faine likewise to flye the coast,
And with the rest the waters entred in.
A simple shift for Princes to begin:
Yet far I demde it better so to dye,
Then at mine enmyes foote an abiecte lye.
Beate downe with bats, shot, slaine or forst to swim:
My selfe was faine likewise to flye the coast,
And with the rest the waters entred in.
A simple shift for Princes to begin:
Yet far I demde it better so to dye,
Then at mine enmyes foote an abiecte lye.
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But when I thus had swam with hope to scape,
If I might wend the water waues to passe:
The Britaynes that before my ships had gate,
Gan watche mee, where amidst the surge I was:
Than with my boates they rowde to me alas,
And all they cryde kepe Humber kepe their king:
That to our Prince we may the traytour bring.
If I might wend the water waues to passe:
The Britaynes that before my ships had gate,
Gan watche mee, where amidst the surge I was:
Than with my boates they rowde to me alas,
And all they cryde kepe Humber kepe their king:
That to our Prince we may the traytour bring.
So with my boates beset poore Humber I
Wiste no refuge: my werye armes did ake:
My breath was short: I had no powre to crye,
Or place to stand while I my plaint might make:
The water cold made all my ioyntes to shake:
My hart did beate with sorrow, griefe and paine:
And downe my cheekes, salt teares they gusht amaine.
Wiste no refuge: my werye armes did ake:
My breath was short: I had no powre to crye,
Or place to stand while I my plaint might make:
The water cold made all my ioyntes to shake:
My hart did beate with sorrow, griefe and paine:
And downe my cheekes, salt teares they gusht amaine.
O must thou yelde, and shall thy boates betraye
Thy selfe (quoth I) no mercy Britaynes haue:
O would to God I might escape awaye:
I wot not yet if pardon I may craue:
Although my deedes deserue no life to haue,
I will: I nill: death: bondage beast am I
In waters thus, in foraine soyle to dye.
Thy selfe (quoth I) no mercy Britaynes haue:
O would to God I might escape awaye:
I wot not yet if pardon I may craue:
Although my deedes deserue no life to haue,
I will: I nill: death: bondage beast am I
In waters thus, in foraine soyle to dye.
With that I clapt my quauering hands abrode,
And held them vp to heauen, and thus I saide:
O Gods that know the paines that I haue bode,
And iust reuengment of my rashnes paide,
And of the death of Albanacte betraide
By mee and mine: I yelde my life therefore,
Content to dye, and neuer greeue yee more.
And held them vp to heauen, and thus I saide:
O Gods that know the paines that I haue bode,
And iust reuengment of my rashnes paide,
And of the death of Albanacte betraide
By mee and mine: I yelde my life therefore,
Content to dye, and neuer greeue yee more.
Then straight not opening of my handes, I bowde
My selfe, and set my head my armes betweene:
And downe I sprang, with all the force I cowde:
So duckte, that neither head nor foote were seene:
And neuer sawe my foes againe I weene,
There was I drounde the Britaynes to my fame:
Yet call that arme of Sea by Humbers name.
My selfe, and set my head my armes betweene:
And downe I sprang, with all the force I cowde:
So duckte, that neither head nor foote were seene:
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There was I drounde the Britaynes to my fame:
Yet call that arme of Sea by Humbers name.
Take heede by mee, let my presumption serue:
And let my folly, fall, and rashnes bee:
A glasse wherein to see if thou do swerue,
Thou mayste thy selfe perceiue somewhat by mee.
Let neither trust, nor treason traine forth thee:
But be content with thine estate, so shall
No wrath of God, procure thy haplesse fall.
And let my folly, fall, and rashnes bee:
A glasse wherein to see if thou do swerue,
Thou mayste thy selfe perceiue somewhat by mee.
Let neither trust, nor treason traine forth thee:
But be content with thine estate, so shall
No wrath of God, procure thy haplesse fall.
If thou be forrayne bide within thy soyle:
That God hath giuen to thee and thine to holde,
If thou oppression meane beware the foyle:
Beare not thy selfe, of thee or thine to bolde:
Or of the feates thy elders did of olde,
For God is iust, iniustice will not thriue:
He plagues the prowde, preserues the good aliue.
That God hath giuen to thee and thine to holde,
If thou oppression meane beware the foyle:
Beare not thy selfe, of thee or thine to bolde:
Or of the feates thy elders did of olde,
For God is iust, iniustice will not thriue:
He plagues the prowde, preserues the good aliue.
FINIS.
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The Authoure.
Then vanishte Humber, and no sooner gonWas he but straight in place before me came.
A princely wight, had complet harnes on,
Though not so complet as they now do frame:
He seemde sometime t'aue bene of worthy fame:
In breste a shafte with bleeding wounde he bare,
And thus he tolde the cause of all his care.
LENVOY.
Was not this drenched king well servde thinke you
That could not byde at home content with his?
Now by his fall and his ambition vewe,
What good they get which gaze on Fortunes blisse,
How soone their haps and hoped Ioyes they misse,
Wherefore the setled minde surmountes the rest,
The meane contented state of all is best.
That could not byde at home content with his?
Now by his fall and his ambition vewe,
What good they get which gaze on Fortunes blisse,
How soone their haps and hoped Ioyes they misse,
Wherefore the setled minde surmountes the rest,
The meane contented state of all is best.
The conquest wonne, and kingdome got, you see
The Albaynes all subdude to Humbers crowne:
Yet straight againe the straunger drownde to bee,
To leese his conquest, kingdomes, and renowme.
Sith Fortune so sets vp and thirleth downe,
The setled minde content I counte is blest,
Reporting true the golden meane is best.
The Albaynes all subdude to Humbers crowne:
Yet straight againe the straunger drownde to bee,
To leese his conquest, kingdomes, and renowme.
Sith Fortune so sets vp and thirleth downe,
The setled minde content I counte is blest,
Reporting true the golden meane is best.
Loe how vaine glory causde him venter life,
By seas to sayle, by land in fielde to fighte,
In peace at home abroade to fish for strife,
And here confesse how Sors had sowst him right.
But king Locrinus next apearde in sight.
A shaft hee bare in wounded bleeding brest,
And thus (mee thought) his fatall fall exprest.
By seas to sayle, by land in fielde to fighte,
In peace at home abroade to fish for strife,
And here confesse how Sors had sowst him right.
But king Locrinus next apearde in sight.
A shaft hee bare in wounded bleeding brest,
And thus (mee thought) his fatall fall exprest.
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