Albions England A Continued Historie of the same Kingdome, from the Originals of the first Inhabitants thereof: With most the chiefe Alterations and Accidents theare hapning, vnto, and in the happie Raigne of our now most gracious Soueraigne, Queene Elizabeth: Not barren in varietie of inuentiue and historicall Intermixtures: First penned and published by William Warner: and now reuised, and newly inlarged by the same Author: Whereunto is also newly added an Epitome of the whole Historie of England |
 |
|
 | 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| XIIII. |
CHAP. XIIII.
|
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 8. |
| 9. |
| 10. |
| 11. |
| 12. |
| 13. |
 |
CHAP. XIIII.
Albions England |  |
CHAP. XIIII.
Now, of the Conquerour, this Isle had Brutaine vnto name,And with his Troians Brute began manurage of the same.
For rased Troy to reare a Troy fit place he searched then,
And viewes the mounting Northerne partes:
These fit (quoth he) for men
That trust asmuch to flight as fight: our Bulwarks are our brests,
The next Arriuals heere, perchaunce, will gladlier build their nests:
A Troians courage is to him a Fortres of defence:
And leauing so wheare Scottes be now he Southward maketh thence:
Wheareas the earth more plentie gaue, and ayre more temprature,
And nothing wanted that by wealth or pleasure might allure:
And more, the Lady Flood of Floods, the Ryuer Thamis, it
Did seeme to Brute against the foe, and with himselfe to fit.
Vpon whose fruitfull bancks therefore (whose bounds are chiefly said,
The want-les Counties Essex, Kent, Surrie, and wealthie Glayde
Of Hartfordshire, for Citties store participating ayde)
Did Brute build vp his Troy-nouant, inclosing it with wall:
64
That now is London: euermore to rightfull Princes trewe,
Yea Prince and people still to it as to their Storehouse drewe,
For plentie and for populous the like we no wheare vewe.
Howbe-it many neighbour townes as much ere now could say,
But place for people, people, place, and all for sinne decay.
When Brute should dye thus to his Sonnes hee did the Isle conuay:
To Camber Wales, to Albanact he Albanie did leaue,
To Locrine Brutaine: whom his Queene of life did thus bereaue.
The furious Hun, that drowning theare to Humber left his name,
The King did vanquish, and for spoyle vnto his Nauie came:
Where Humbars Daughter, Parragon for beautie, such a Dame
As Loue himselfe could not but loue, did Locrine so inflame,
That Guendoleyne, the Cornish Duke his daughter, Locrins Queene,
Grewe in contempt: and, Coryn dead, his Change of Choyse was seene.
To Cornwall goes the wrothfull Queene to seaze her Fathers Land,
Frō whence she brought, to worke reuenge, of warriours stout a band,
And bids her husband battell, and in battell is he slaine:
And for their Sonne in Nonage was, she to his vse did raine.
The Lady Estrild Locrins Loue, and Sabrin, wondrous faire,
Her Husbands and his Leimans impe, she meaning not to spare,
Did bring vnto the water that the wenches name doth beare:
There binding both, and bobbing them, then trembling at her yre,
She said: if Scythia could haue hild the wandring King thy Syre,
Then Brittish waters had not been to him deserued bayne:
But Estrild, snout-faire Estrild, she was sparde, forsooth to traine
With whorish tricks a vicious King: But neither of yee twaine,
Thou stately Drab, nor this thy Brat, a bastard as thy selfe,
Shall liue in triumph of my wrong: first mother and her Elfe
Shall fish in Flood for Humbars soule, and bring him-newes to hell,
That Locrins wife on Locrins whore reuenged her so well.
The King did vanquish, and for spoyle vnto his Nauie came:
Where Humbars Daughter, Parragon for beautie, such a Dame
As Loue himselfe could not but loue, did Locrine so inflame,
That Guendoleyne, the Cornish Duke his daughter, Locrins Queene,
Grewe in contempt: and, Coryn dead, his Change of Choyse was seene.
To Cornwall goes the wrothfull Queene to seaze her Fathers Land,
Frō whence she brought, to worke reuenge, of warriours stout a band,
And bids her husband battell, and in battell is he slaine:
And for their Sonne in Nonage was, she to his vse did raine.
The Lady Estrild Locrins Loue, and Sabrin, wondrous faire,
Her Husbands and his Leimans impe, she meaning not to spare,
Did bring vnto the water that the wenches name doth beare:
There binding both, and bobbing them, then trembling at her yre,
She said: if Scythia could haue hild the wandring King thy Syre,
Then Brittish waters had not been to him deserued bayne:
But Estrild, snout-faire Estrild, she was sparde, forsooth to traine
With whorish tricks a vicious King: But neither of yee twaine,
Thou stately Drab, nor this thy Brat, a bastard as thy selfe,
Shall liue in triumph of my wrong: first mother and her Elfe
Shall fish in Flood for Humbars soule, and bring him-newes to hell,
That Locrins wife on Locrins whore reuenged her so well.
65
They lifting vp their lillie hands, from out their louely eyes
Powre teares like Pearles, and wash those Cheekes where naught saue
And seeking to excuse themselues, & mercie to obtaine, (beautie lyes:
With speeches good, and praiers faire, they speake and pray in vaine:
Queene Guendoleyne so bids, and they into the Flood are cast,
Whereas amongst the drenching waues the Ladies breath their last.
Powre teares like Pearles, and wash those Cheekes where naught saue
And seeking to excuse themselues, & mercie to obtaine, (beautie lyes:
With speeches good, and praiers faire, they speake and pray in vaine:
Queene Guendoleyne so bids, and they into the Flood are cast,
Whereas amongst the drenching waues the Ladies breath their last.
As this his Grandame, such appear'd Mempricius, Madans sonne,
Whose brother Manlius traitrously by him to death was donne.
And since of noble Brute his line prodigious things I tell,
I skipping to the tenth from him will shew what then befell.
Whose brother Manlius traitrously by him to death was donne.
And since of noble Brute his line prodigious things I tell,
I skipping to the tenth from him will shew what then befell.
About a thirtie yeeres and fiue did Leir rule this Land,
When, doting on his Daughters three, with them he fell in hand
To tell how much they loued him. The Eldest did esteeme
Her life inferior to her loue, so did the second deeme:
The yongest sayd her loue was such as did a childe behoue,
And that how much himselfe was worth, so much she him did loue.
The former two did please him well, the yongest did not so:
Vpon the Prince of Albanie the first he did bestoe:
The Middle on the Cornish Prince: their Dowry was his Throne,
At his decease: Cordellas part was very small or none.
Yeat, for her forme, and vertuous life, a noble Gallian King
Did her, vn dowed, for his Queene into his Countrie bring.
When, doting on his Daughters three, with them he fell in hand
To tell how much they loued him. The Eldest did esteeme
Her life inferior to her loue, so did the second deeme:
The yongest sayd her loue was such as did a childe behoue,
And that how much himselfe was worth, so much she him did loue.
The former two did please him well, the yongest did not so:
Vpon the Prince of Albanie the first he did bestoe:
The Middle on the Cornish Prince: their Dowry was his Throne,
At his decease: Cordellas part was very small or none.
Yeat, for her forme, and vertuous life, a noble Gallian King
Did her, vn dowed, for his Queene into his Countrie bring.
Her Sisters sicke of Fathers health, their husbands by consent
Did ioyne in Armes: from Leir so by force the Scepter went:
Yeat, for they promise pentions large, he rather was content.
In Albanie the quondam King at eldest Daughters Court
Was setled scarce, when she repines, and lessens still his Port
His secōd Daughter then, he thought, would shew her selfe more kind:
To whom, he going, for a while did franke allowance finde.
Ere long abridging almost all, she keepeth him so loe,
That of two bads, for better choyse he backe againe did goe.
But Gonorill at his returne, not onely did attempt
Her fathers death, but openly did hold him in contempt.
Did ioyne in Armes: from Leir so by force the Scepter went:
Yeat, for they promise pentions large, he rather was content.
In Albanie the quondam King at eldest Daughters Court
Was setled scarce, when she repines, and lessens still his Port
His secōd Daughter then, he thought, would shew her selfe more kind:
To whom, he going, for a while did franke allowance finde.
Ere long abridging almost all, she keepeth him so loe,
That of two bads, for better choyse he backe againe did goe.
66
Her fathers death, but openly did hold him in contempt.
His aged eyes powre out their teares, when holding vp his hands,
He sayd: O God, who so thou art, that my good hap withstands,
Prolong not life, deferre not death, my selfe I ouer-liue,
When those that owe to me their liues, to me my death would giue.
Thou Towne, whose walles rose of my welth stand euermore to tell
Thy Founders fall, and warne that none do fall as Leir fell.
Bid none affie in Friends, for say, his Children wrought his wracke:
Yea those, that were to him most deare, did lothe and let him lacke.
Cordella, well Cordella sayd, she loued as a Child:
But sweeter words we seeke than sooth, and so are men beguild.
She onely rests vntryed yet: but what may I expect
From her, to whom I nothing gaue, when these do me reiect?
Then dye, nay trye, the rule maye fayle, and nature may ascend:
Nor are they euer surest friends on whom we most doe spend.
He sayd: O God, who so thou art, that my good hap withstands,
Prolong not life, deferre not death, my selfe I ouer-liue,
When those that owe to me their liues, to me my death would giue.
Thou Towne, whose walles rose of my welth stand euermore to tell
Thy Founders fall, and warne that none do fall as Leir fell.
Bid none affie in Friends, for say, his Children wrought his wracke:
Yea those, that were to him most deare, did lothe and let him lacke.
Cordella, well Cordella sayd, she loued as a Child:
But sweeter words we seeke than sooth, and so are men beguild.
She onely rests vntryed yet: but what may I expect
From her, to whom I nothing gaue, when these do me reiect?
Then dye, nay trye, the rule maye fayle, and nature may ascend:
Nor are they euer surest friends on whom we most doe spend.
He ships himselfe to Gallia then: but maketh knowne before
Vnto Cordella his estate, who rueth him so poore,
And kept his theare ariuall close till she prouided had
To furnish him in euery want. Of him her King was glad,
And nobly entertayned him: the Queene, with teares among,
(Her duetie done) conferreth with her father of his wrong.
Such duetie, bountie, kindnes, and increasing loue, he found
In that his Daughter and her Lord, that sorrowes more abound
For his vnkindly vsing her, then for the others crime:
And King-like thus in Agamps Court did Leir dwell, till time
The noble King his Sonne-in-lawe transports an Armie greate
Of forcie Gawles, possessing him of dispossessed Seate:
To whom Cordella did succeede, not raigning long in queate.
Vnto Cordella his estate, who rueth him so poore,
And kept his theare ariuall close till she prouided had
To furnish him in euery want. Of him her King was glad,
And nobly entertayned him: the Queene, with teares among,
(Her duetie done) conferreth with her father of his wrong.
Such duetie, bountie, kindnes, and increasing loue, he found
In that his Daughter and her Lord, that sorrowes more abound
For his vnkindly vsing her, then for the others crime:
And King-like thus in Agamps Court did Leir dwell, till time
The noble King his Sonne-in-lawe transports an Armie greate
Of forcie Gawles, possessing him of dispossessed Seate:
To whom Cordella did succeede, not raigning long in queate.
Not how her Nephewes warre on her, and one of them slew th' other
Shall followe: but I will disclose a most tyrannous mother.
Shall followe: but I will disclose a most tyrannous mother.
|
CHAP. XIIII.
Albions England | |