[A Commendacion of Welshmen] :: :: University of Virginia Library

Loue and desire
Dooeth me require
So effectually
I can no lesse
Of gentilnesse
But graunt it willyngly.

Some payne to take
For desires sake
And herty assuraunce
With yncke and penne
The gentill Walshmenne
Their fame to aduaunce.

As shall insewe
Matter full trewe
By storis euiedent
Of auctours olde
Bothe write and tolde
Famous and excellent

Trustyng in this
No man there is

My purpose will disdayne
If my reporte
Maie them comforte
I shalbe glad and fayne.

When I consider
And call together
To my remembraunce
The regalitee
The nobilitee
The redoubted puissaunce.

The high parentage
The fearce corage
The actes moste marciall
The princely fame
The worthie name
The bloud imperiall.

The ciuilitee
The vtilitee
The high magnificence
The policie

The industrie
The noble aduertence

Of there progenitours
Most mightie conquerours
The enimyes to decline
Excelling farre
In strength of warre
That were before there tyme

Whose worthye fame
Inhauncid there name
As men of lustie corage
Like princes great
Kyngdomes to geat
For them and ther lynage

As noble brute
In his persute
And acte triumphal
To his estate
Kyngdomes gate
And made them Imperiall

First to begynne
Their birthe their kynne
Their generacion
Then to conuoy
From noble Troy
The whole procreacion.

Ye must then loke
In the fifth boke
Of the antiquities
Where Birosus
And Isodorus
In their Ethimolegies.

Affirmeth playne
As authours twayne
That after Noe his flood

Osiris ye furst kynge in [illeg.]

The first famouse kyng
In Egipte reignyng
Was called Osiris the good.

But yet Moses
In Genesis

Nameth hym Mizraim
A prince of fame
The first of name
That conquest did begynne.

By force of strengthe
He gate at lengthe
To his dominion
The worlde rounde
Except the grounde
Dewe vnto Babilon

Moste circumspecte
In this effecte
Accoumpte the nobles all
He was the furst
In Egipt iust
Emonges the people rurall.

With greate industrie
And labour of bodie
The plough there did inuent
To eare and sowe

In countres lowe
Idlenes to preuente

To grasse and to plant
In places skante
Uynes most holsum & good
He taughte them playne
The barley grayne
To norishe the lustie bloud

Hys tyme before
They hadde no store
But acornes & leves grene
No other frute
For ther refute
Emonge them was ther sene

Till Osyris
Of hys goodnes
Applied bothe sence and mynd
In such distres
For ther redres
Some remedy to fynd

Auctors doth accorde
He went abrode
Hys vertues onely to shewe
In straunge regions
Whose affecctions
Toke place in yeres fewe

Fyrst to Berbarye
A famose contrye
The people grosse & rude
Standyng in affryke
Them did he seke
There blyndnes to exclude

Then to Almayne
He toke the playne
That kyndome to aduaunce
Wher in lyke wyse
He dyd practise
All thing for their plesaunce

Then at the instaunce
Of the Italians

With mightie apparell
The cruell Titans
Put to vtteraunce
By fearcenes of battell

Full shortlie than
Doune to Tuscan
He went with all his men
To a citee strong
Large and long
Where he reigned yeres ten.

Called Uitarbie
Thus laboured he
The people to conducte
From place to place
Of princely grace
Onely them to instructe.

Then into Grece
A countree fearce
A long the seas he went
Unto a prouince

Of greate excellence
With like famouse intent.

As auctours do witnes
Named Pilloponnes
Where stode the strong citee
Called Argeos
Of noblenes
Hauyng the souereintee.

Where he vnfayned
Famously reigned
XXXvii. yeres iust
Till at the last
The yeres gone past
To Egipt he had a lust.

Prepared home
Where cruell Typhon
As saieth Diodorus
His brother vntrewe
By treason hym slewe
Of mynde malicious.

Bocas confesseth
Also expresseth
How the people rurall
Changed Osiris
Into Sirapis
And so they dyd hym call

Affermyng playne
Howe he certayne
In heuen was stallid
In suche maner wyse
Affter ther guyse
A God was he called

Labyn or Libus

Hercules or Libus sonne of Osiris.

Called great Hercules
The sonne of Sirapys
As auctours saythe
His fathers death
Reuengid shortly thys

Sent a deffyaunce
To all the gyauntes

Throughout the wordle roūde
Fyrst into Phenyce
Dyd he enterpryse
His enymyes to confounde

To hys estate
That lande he gat
In maner inuincible
By wonderfull strenghte
Percyd it at lengthe
And made it diuisible

Then into phrigie
A prouynce myghtie
Wher he slewe Tipheus
A gyaunt stronge
Were it right or wronge
And gaue hym to Athus

Whiche he begate
Beyng associate
With a lady fayre & bryght
Called Omphale

Whiche did preuaile
Moste pleasaunt in his sight.

From thence to Affricke
Fearce cruell and quicke
Of herte coragious
Slewe the Giaunt
Mightie and puissaunt
Named greate Atheus.

In token of fame
Altered that name
Then called barbarie
After Libus
Named it thus
The greate lande of Libie.

For a memoriall
By art naturall
He made a piller strong
His conquest greate
Should not forgeate
The people there emong.

Then to Gaulceltike
Full princely lyke
His passage dyd he take
Wher great Iupiter
Dyd hym prefere
And moche there did him make

For more amitye
Gaue galathyae
A pryncesse of highe astate
Hys doughter dere
To be hys fere
Suche honour ther he gate

Wher he was crouned
Whose fame renoundyd
With galathy hys wyfe
In kyngdomes ferre
After that Iupiter
Had altered his lyfe

Then With hys armye
Into Italye

Hym selfe dyd aduaunce
Brake mountaynes hye
By strengthe of Bodye
And myghtye ordynaunce

And wher the waye was
Haynouse to passe
And wonder dificill
Brake them downe right
By force of myght
Without tariyng any while

But entred by strengthe
Where he at lengthe
As Byrosus doth witnes
His enymies slewe
His force to renewe
Manfully dyd them oppresse

Then downe he came
Unto Tuscane
The Tytans to subdewe
For malyce alone

Of cruell Typhon
Of treytors moste vntrue

Wher for his sake
Suche slaughter dyd make
His enimyes to confounde
That ther dolefull crye
Aboue the skye
To the heauens did abounde

Suche was his grace
With in shorte space
They were all ouerthrowen
Cleane out of fame
As thoughe their name
Had neuer bene knowen

Thus this noble man.
Wholy became
Possessor of Italy
Fully yeres ten
Where he reigned then
As A prince stronge & myghty.

Frome thense into spayne
Wher men dyd complayne
The great extorcion
Done by violence
Without resistence
In that famouse region

By gyauntes stronge
Whiche them amonge
The people dyd oppresse
Founde no refute
In ther persute
Therwooes then to redres

Tyll greate Hercules
Of hys gentilnes
With moste manfull corage
Came downe with spede
In tyme of nede
To a voyde ther outrage

Sought them about
Hauyng no doubte

Of their myghty puysaunce.
Frome place to place
Dyd them inchace
By longe contynuaunce

By knyghtly strengthe
Gate them at lengthe
Wher they myght not astert
As a prynce royall
He slewe them all
With a coragyouse hert

After whose death
Diodorus saythe
In hys Antiquyties
Who Lyste to loke
In the .v. boke
That thys noble hercules

Dyd there remayne
Tyll death certayne
Hys bodye dyd oppres
Wher he dothe lye

Full sumtuoslye
As Auctors bere witnes

His Sepulture
In such manere
Raysed was with pillers hye
That men myght se
Of euery degre
The place as they pas by

And yet the same
In token of fame
Euermore for to encrease
Ys called thys daye
As Spanyardes saye
Gaades le Hercules

After came Tustus

Tustus sōne of Hercules.

A prince ful famouse
Sonne to great hercules
As next heyre of bloud
Notable and good
Full of all gentilnes

Whiche in Italy
Reigned quyetly
Without let or dysturbaunce
Right welbeloued
No cause mouyd
Of hys misgouernaunce

Altheus sōn of Tustus.

Next Altheus
Sonne of Tustus
Of Italy was kinge
A Prince of renowne

Comboblaston sonne of blaston whiche Blaston was sonne of Altheus and ded his father liuynge

With Scepter & crowne
All his tyme then lyuyng

Then Comboblaston
The sonne of Blaston
Whiche was sonne of Altheus
For his worthynes
And passing goodnes
Was made then Coritus

Whiche was a name
Of worthie fame

Excellyng all other
As at that daye
As who wolde saye
A second Iupyter.

Thys noble kynge
Recorde of wrytyng
By Electra hys wyfe
Had princes thre
Of noble degre
All borne in hys lyfe

Dardanus ye seconde sōne of Comboblaston buylded the Cytie of derdane

The fyrst Iaseus
The nexte dardanus
The thrd Armonya
Dardanus then
With all hys men
Wente in to phrigia

A prouence stronge
Myghtie and Longe
Full of all pleasaunce
Stondyng in Asia

Called dardanya
Hys name onely to avaunce

His people and he
Raysed a Citie
With towres wonderfull hye
Wallid it aboute
Hauyng no doubte
Of any foren enemye

When it was walled
Then was it called
Dardane after Dardanus
In all Asya
Or in phrigya
Was none halfe so famouse

This Citie playme
Was made certayne
The yere for to acconpte
Of Moyses
A. C. doubtles
Xiiii. more dyd Amounte

Erictonius sonne of [illeg.]darnius.

Next Dardanus
His sonne Erictonius
There toke possession
Of ryght enteryng
As Lorde & kinge
By dewe succession

Troos the sōne of [illeg.] & alied in Troy

Then Troos the famouse
Sonne of Erictonius
Of all Phrigia was kyng
For myghtye puyssaunce
And greate aboundaunce
All other surmounting

Eusebius
Affirmyth vs
This kyng had sonnes thre
The fyrst Ilius
The next Assaracus
The thyrd as in degre

The yongest of al
Whiche men dyd call

Worthy Ganymydes
Whom Tantalus
Most auericious
Of pitie all merciles

Falselye dyd persewe
A traytore vntrewe
With couetyse ful replete
Toke monye and hire
His death to conspire
Of Iupiter kyng of Crete

Troos this famousse kyng
Sore Lamenting
This foule ingratitude
Of mortall hate
And soden debate
Reysed a multitude

Of herte dolorus
Droue Tantalus
Oute of highe phrigie
Forcing hym at lenghe

By pryncely strength
Out of Paphlagie

Diodorus
Also Birosus
Affermyth verely
That Tantalus
Full vngracious
Dyed myserablye

For his offence
And vile pretence
So ofte tymes frequented
Poetes do sayn
That he certayn
In hell shuld be tourmented

Wyth hunger and thurst
Hauyng a lust
Alwayes vnto hys meate
His belly emptie
With dyshes plentie
And yet nothyng coulde eate

In drynke dyd Swyme
Aboue the Chynne
His body hote and drye
All was in waste
Non could he taste
Yet for thurst redy to die

Ouid doth shewe
In wordes fewe
And playnely doth vs tell
Howe he shulde Lye
Without mercy
In the depe lake of hell

When cruell Tantalus
Moste inpituouse
Was brought to subicecion
And that noble Troye
Dyd fully enioye
Tantalus possecion

Kyng of highe phrygia
In all Asya

Was none so myghtie a kinge
So muche redoubtid
So well assured
So muche honor incresing

His Citie playne
Called Dardaine
As auctours write and saye
Was called than
Of euery man
The great Citie of Troye

Only after his name
To increase his fame
As a prince most fortunate
The country aboute
Standyng in doubte
Obayed his noble estate

And thus was he
Of magnanimytie
Redoubted on euery side
None was so boulde

Other yonge or olde
His force that durst abide

Next this famouse kinge
After insuweing
Was his sonne Ilius
He had a brother

Assaracus the yonger sonne of Troos

Of father and mother
Namyd Assaracus

Of full noble blodde

Capis sonne of Assaracus

Famouse and good
His sonne called was Capis

Anchisessōn of Capis.

Stories dothe deuise
Capis Likewyse
Was father to Anchises

Anchises was
Father to Eneas
As saint Augustīe doth record

Eneas sonne of Anchises

Who liste to loke
In the .xviii. boke
Called the Cite of God

Where he endyteth
Playnly resiteth
The herde and dredfull chaūce
Like as he fande
By se and Lande
Throughe fortunes ordinaūce

Now he also
Went to appollo
To the Ile of delphos
Whiche by miracle
At his Oracle
Shewed hym ye whole purpos

Howe he shuld be
Of souereintye
Full notable increasing
And that his fate
Was predestinate
In Italy to be kyng

This Eneas
Graundfather was

Unto noble young brute
As shall appere
Afterward here
The stocke the braunche & frut

From dardanus
As gaulfridus
The story dothe recompte
Whose regalite
In great Asiie
All other did surmounte

Of Iupiters blood
Notable and good
Whose name was stellified
As poetes do fame
In heuen certayne
There to be deified

His marciall warres
Surmounting the starres
Made hym celestiall
After pagan guyse

In suche maner wyse
With ther goddes to be coequal

In Libie land
His temple did stand
Freate with gold pearle & stone
By deuine Oracle
His tabernacle
Made ther ful long agone

Of the femenyne sexe by Galathea, whiche was doughter to greate Iubyter of Gaulcel[illeg.] & wife to Hercules and mother to Iustus

Of whose succession
By conputacion
Of ther parentage
Perceaue maye ye
That welshmen be
Of the same stocke & lynage

As stories olde
Bothe writen & toulde
Maketh relacion
Affirminge playne
The tyme the raigne
And the Cituacion

From Iupiters lyne
Downe to declyne
To worthye Dardanus
Consequentely
And finally
To noble Priamus

The laste Kyng of Troy

A digression treating of ye Destruction of Troye

Whose inward ioye
Was cleane disconsolate
When the grekes fell
By treason cruell
Appallid his estate

Heare to digresse
I must confesse
The wofull desolacion
Of noble Troye
The soden decaye
And newe transmutacion

The Greekes warres
Aboue the stares

Surmounting in there pryde
Supposinge they myght
With cruell fight
The heuens to deuide

And thus they wrought
The story oute sought
As virgell dothe witnes
A temple ther was
Sacred to pallas
The mightie great goddes

Made by craft entrayle
As it were deuinale
By heuenly influence
With in troy towne
To the high renowne
Of her magnyficences

The grekes fraudolent
Of mynde violente
There treason to practise
Fayned a pretence

By deuine incence
To make a sacrifyes

Byfore pallas
In hope of grace
To please her deitie
Thus they conspired
And ofte desired
To entre the Citie

The Trones iust
Did not mistrust
There fraudolent treason
Like there pretence
Gaue them licence
To make ther oblacion

And thus Elas
With gile and trespas
As wolues raging wood
Hauyng Libertie
Within the Citie
Distroyed the noble blod

Farre in the night
When that no wight
Ther treason did suspecte
The grekes vntrewe
Furthe did Persue
To furnyshe ther effecte

Brake out at large
All in a rage
Their fury to declare
Fretyng for ire
With sworde and fire
Consumyd the Cite bare

The Troians at rest
With paynes opprest
For watche feble and faynt
Nothing then knewe
What shuld ensewe
Of ther mortall constraynt

Or they could wake
Ther Cite was take
Ther kyng cruelly slayne

Ther Temples spoyled
Ther goddes defoyled
Ther houses bare & playne

Alas for pitie
Full wooe is me
This story to beholde
When I aduerte
Ther soden smerte
It maketh my herte colde

Oh noble Hector
The chiefe protector
The Troians to defend
The veray loodsterre
In peace or warre
For manhode most to commend

Against whose might
No grekishe Knight
His person myght assure
With spere or shilde
In Campe or filde

His stroke that might endure

Alas for payne
Yet was he slayne
By pretensid treason
His death conspired
And longe desired
By faulse instigacion

For cruell Achylles
Of pitie marceles
Or he could well aduerte
His backe all bare
With a staffe square
Percyd his manfull herte

His helme vnlaced
His coyffe vnbrased
His shilde lyeng on the ground
As he did repaire
To take the Ayre
Gaue hym his mortall wounde

Oghe cruell grekes

Cursid by your chekes
With all youre cursed treason
Sclandered is youre name
To your eternall shame
For youre abhominacion

And thou Achilles
Most wreche of wreches
Prouers of mynd & will
Against all right
So famouse a knight
With treason for to kill

Who will not assent
The death to lament
Of so princely a man
Which was doubtles
Of knighthod pereles
Accompte sithe ye worrdle begā

As in Troys boke
Who list to loke
Shall se the surphisage

The magnanimitie
The nobilite
Of him and his parentage

The imperiall bloud
Most famouse and good
Of nature Celestiall
As poetes do fayn
They came certayne

[illeg.]

Of the Goddes immortall

They were declared
Whith goddes compared
Throughe ther magnificence
The truethe knowen well
Bicause they did excell
In pryncely excellence

What shuld I write
Or further indite
This proces lamentable
The dolefull destres
The mortall heuines

Of Priamus most notable

Or yet of Eccuba
Or wife Cassandra
Their importable payne
Or of Polexena
The floure of Asia.
Which was so cruelly slayne

Of lustie Troylus
Or yonge Dephebus
Or of the blood fraternall
Paris or Helenus
A case most peteous
Of greekes slayne were thei al

Or what should I saye
Of the grekes decaye
And mortall aduenture
Sithe that the ayre
In ther repayre
Turned darke & obscure

Cruell Neptunus

Waxed contrarius
Dangerus to beholde
Eolus a lofte
Raging full ofte
With stormes wete and colde

Ulcanus then
Oute of his den
Forgid the thouders greate
With firie leuin
Downe from heauen
Unto Cerberus seate

The goddes playne
Had such disdayne
At ther shamefull outrage
Of very despite
Them to acquite
Send such froward passage

Ther shippes tossed
And all to frussed
By sturdy violence

Upon rockes grounded
There people drowned
For all ther resistence

But nowe to procede
My purpose to spyed
Like as I furst begane
To showe the distent
And birthe excellent
Of the gentile Welshmen

After that Troy
Was broughte to decaye
Bp fortunes violence
And that ther was
As in that case
No helpe of resistaunce

But that the Cite
By grekyshe crueltye
Was consumed all bare
As I sayde fyrst
By treason vniust

The truth to declare

Then the noble blood
Auncient and good
Of Priamus discent
By knyghtlye corage
Toke ther voyage
By sober aduisement

To sundry regions
With ther prouisions
And marciall apparell
There states to renewe
Kyngdomes to Subdewe
Onely by force of Battell

As lustye yonge Franco
Whiche was also
The sonne of noble Hector
Sette meeris and bandes
In sondre landes
As Kynge and Emperoure

Fyrst into hungary

With his Chiualry
His stonderds displayeng
Then into Fraunce
With his ordinaunce
His armye conuaiyng

Subdwed the Gaules
Brake towres & walles
Brought them to hys purpose
And for more fame
Altered that name
And called them francos

But Galfridus
And Eusebius
Dothe playnly reporte
That Faramundus
Sonne of Marconinus
That name did fyrst transporte

Affyrmyng playne
That he certayne
Beyng of the Troianes blood

In token of Loue
Did it remoue
And thus the mattier stood

Likewise Turcus
The sonne of Troilus
Entered phaso the lesse
As Antonius
And Entropius
Berith therto witnesse

Gate ther stronge piles
For all ther wiles
Ther castelles & ther towers
Slewe them certayne
In the filde playne
Like mightie conqueroures

Also Elenus
Sonne of Prianus
By manfull occacion
Within shorte space
The land of Trace

Brought to subuercion

Noble Eneas
From Troy dyd pas
With myghtie prouisions
With speres and shildes
Perced the fildes
Of sundrie regions

By se and by lande
Dyuerse chauncys fande
Uirgill dothe vs assure
By violente rage
Arryuid at Cartage
By soden aduenture

His shippes nere loste
Driuen to that cost
By dredfull violence
Wher Dido the Quene
Most goodly besene
Reioysed his presence

Then with his host

The countreys did cost
By prudent pollicye
In his defence
By highe prouidence
To the frontes of Italie

Wherby hys manhood
And famouse knighthood
After many strong battel
Slewe Tu[illeg.]ocelyne
In helpe of Latyne
One of the kinges of Itaill

For his worthynesse
He weddid doubtlesse
The Doughter of Latinus
Called Lauina
Next after Chensa
The Doughter of Priamus

As Sabellicus
And Eusebius
Affermith bothe playne

That this is trewe
He had Issewe
Of these princesses twayne

Fyrst of Chensa
Borne in Asia
Was his sonne Astanias

[illeg.]

Next in Italye
Successiuelye
Siluius Posthumus

Of Whom is discendid
As is pretendid
By Titus Liuius
Who lyst to rede
The story in dede
Of Brutus Albinus

Most noble brute

Brute sonne of Siluius of whom discendid the king of Brittayne linially vnto Cad[illeg.]

The seede, the frute
The name and language
The playne discent
The norishement

Of the welshmens linage

Thus maye ye se
That welshmen be
Of the blood imperiall
Of nature fre
Cosyns in degre
To the goddes immortall

Of Iupiters lyne
Next to declyne
To worthie Dardanus
Consequentlie
And fynallye
To noble Priamus

Then to Eneas
Whiche father was
To Siluius posthumus
By computacion
Of his succession
Came most noble brutus

As sonne and heyre

Of parson fayre
Wondre delyuer & light
Strong of bodye
As Hector hardie
In stele armyd bright

This noble brute
In his persute
And actes most marciall
Entred into grece
Subdued a pece
By his power imperiall

A kyng ther was
Named Pandras
A prince right excellent
Unto whose myght
Ther was no wight
To hym equiuolent

Hauing in seruitude
A multitude
Of the Troians blood

vii. M. in numbre
For to incumbre
With them so sore it stoode

For the deathe doubtles
Of Achilles
Accusid of that cryme
That they shulde be
Of one degre
Consenting at that tyme

This story out sought
This were they brought
In thraldome and bondage
Dayly constranyed
Mortally payned
By force of ther seruage

Till noble Brute
For ther refute
Full lyke a worthye knight
Deuisid at large
Them to discharge

For all his cruell myght

Prefixid a daye
His strenghe to assaye
As fortune lyst to prouide
By battell stronge
Be it right or wronge
The quarell to abyde

Wher kyng Pandras
Constrayned was
By knightlye violence
The felde to forsake
His parsonne take
For all his assistence

His Lordes distressid
His knightes repressid
With many mortall wound
His standerds displayed
[illeg.] and arayed
Beaten vnto the harde ground

And thus Pandras

Constrayned was
Of Brute to seke his peace
Gaue gooddes and treasure
Out of all measure
His fauoure to increase

His loue more to wynne
Gaue faire Genogynne
His doughter to him hun most dere
Unto his wife
Whiche in her lyfe
As in stories doth appere

Had sonnes thre
Of noble degre
All kinges of worthie fame
As Antonius
And Eutropius
Affirmeth bothe the same

The fyrst Lotrinus
Then Albanactus
The thyrd Cābre named was

Whiche by Election

Cambre [illeg.] his sonne Kinge of [illeg.]

For his porcion
Into wales did pas

To the encrese of fame
After his owne name
Called it Cambria
But now by vsage
Of corupte language
Named is wallia

As more playnely
And effectually
Herafter shall appere
But fyrst to discus
Of noble Brutus
The story and manere

After that Pandras
Restorid was
To his former estate
His peace assured
His kingdome receaued

He thought hym fortunate

Brute in like wise
It did suffice
His fury to asswage
The Troians fre
From Captiuite
Thraldome and bondage

The lande he forsoke
The sees he then toke
With his shippes long & large
Storid with treasure
Out of all measure
By force of their pillage

Then furthe he sayled
Greatlie preuayled
By helpe of Neptunus
Suche was his grace
With in shorte space
Passid the sees dangerus

Landed at Totnesse

Like as the goddesse
Diana had promised
Predestinate
To his estate
This land holy comysed

Within this region
Called Albion
Wher Gyauntes did dwell
As I do finde
Of Cerberus kinde
Fearce odius and cruell

Engendred they weare
By sprites of the ayre
Or by some fyndes infernall
So terryble
So horryble
Were they of nature all

For all ther stature
Or dredfull figure
Brute nothyng abasshed

By furiouse strengthe
Slewe them at lengthe
And thys land possessed

As storyes olde
Bothe write and toulde
Recomptith more at large
Who list to loke
Gaulfridus boke
Shall se the surplusage

This shall suffice
The sage and wyse
To haue in memorie
Thinges so farre past
It were in wast
A gayne to specyfie

Then to remembre
Yong lusty Cambre
Whom Brute to wales did sēd
Ther to remayne
As soueraygne

That contre to defend

Of whose succession
By computacion
Of stories euidente
Remyanith the blood
Most notable and good
Euen nowe this tyme present

Neuer was it myxed
Nether yet altered
With any straunge nacion
Nether foreyne kyng
By might vsurping
Therof had possession

The Romaynes great
Whose power dyd threat
The worlde vnyuersall
Might neuer them wyn
By craft or engyn
To ther estate royall

Nether Saxon nor Dane

Nor yet foren name
Might their force declyne
With in Cambres land
The Brutes to withstond
By marciall discipline

Yet more to their fame
Ther blood ther name
Ther contre ther language
Wes neuer mixid
Nether yet possessid
With any straunge parentage

Further to declare
I dare compare
For ther perfeccion
Euen as who saith
For the trewe fayth
Of Cristes relygion

For lengthe of tyme
Did neuer declyne
To infidelite

But constaunt and sure
Alway in vre
Syth the tyme of Lucy

The fyrst Cristen kyng
In britayne reynyng
The yeres for to accompte
[illeg.] thre hundred
[illeg.] full nombred
[illeg.] more did amounte

Syth they began
To be Chrystian
In the tyme of Elentherius
Whiche dyd electe
Byshoppes in effecte
By consent of Lucius

Thus they assured
Long haue endured
By deuine prouidence
Nether infectid
Nether suspected

Of corrupte conscience

Ther fayth to forsake
But Christ to take
For a full satisfaction
As scripture sayth
Firmely by fayth
Of his blessid passion

Thus the noble brutes
Receaued the frutes
Of ther perfection
In tyme longe past
Ryght ferme and fast
Without mutacion

CCCC. yeres playne
XXX. and twayne
The tyme fully accompting
Were they Cristenyd
Surely stablyshid
Before saynt Austyns cōming

This story tried

Cannot be denied
With all the circumstaunce
The ghostly liuing
Playnly conferryng
To goddes highe ordinaunce

Sythen Lucis lyme
Did neuer declyne
From ther intellygence
As in this case
Suche is ther grace
By goddes highe prouidence

Likewyse syth Brute
Did institute
Cambre fyrst into wales
Ther to remayne
In roughe and playne
Among moūtaynes & vales

Yet vnto this daye
Perceyue ye maye
The same stocke & lynage

Of one dissent
This is euident
Without thraldom & bondage

Wholy possessid
Neuer repressid
By knightly violence
Cuntre or name
Neuer toke shame
They be of suche excellence

Sithe so noble men
From Troy as then
Of blod are descendid
Me thinke of truthe
Ther lustie yowthe
Ought to be comendid

Then reason wolde
Surely I shulde
Ther honor aduaunce
My selfe prepare
Matter to declare

Of ther princly ordinaunce

As Titus Liuius
And Eutropius
Affirmyth to be trewe
That noble Belyn
Honor to wyn
The Romaynes did persewe

When Lucius
And Emilius
Were consulles of honour
Also Camillus
Namyd furius
Was of rome dictatour

Then noble belyn
The Citie to wyn
With standertes displayed
Like Marse for myght
In stele armyd bryght
His britons conuayid

Aboute the towne

With suche renowne
And knightly ordinaunce
That the Romaynes playne
That daye were slayne
For all the myghtie puyssaunce

The felde forsaken
The Senatours taken
Spoyled of ther araye
Like Goddes for riches
So greate excesse
Had they of them that daye

The Citie oppressid
Ther goodes distressid
The Romaynes infortunate
This noble Belyn
Honor to wynne
Upon them was Lauriate

This was in the yere
As dothe appeare
By playne descryption

Thre hundrid thre score
Puttyng to fyue moore
After Romes foūdacyon

In contynent then
This noble Bren
His fame more to aduaunce
Into Gallacia
And Macedonia
He toke his chaunce

Also to Galetes
Where he slewe Sostes
Ther Prince and gouernoure
Thus of ye Grekees
In spite of their Chekes
He became a conquerour

Then furthe he went
With his army bent
To the mounte Pronasus
To a Temple large
Standing vpon a stage

As writith polycarpus

Sacrede to Appolyn
As clarkes determyn
Namyd also delphicus
Spoylid his riches
To his great increse
Made him full glorius

With whiche abundaunce
And mighti substaunce
Full lyke a famouse Knight
Raylid Cities olde
Feble and colde
Ruynous in all mennes sight

As Mediolana
And Papia
In the fruntes of Lombardye
Likewyse verona
Standing in Gallia
With towres pleasaunt & hye

Cremona

Mantua
Also Burganum
And vincencia
The Cetie Steua
With the Citie Conum

Thus Titus Liuius
Playnly doth discus
A Romayne of greate fame
As Polycarpus
And EutroPius
Afferme both the same

Thus of the blood
Notable and good
I coulde worthly expresse
Kinges of renowne
With Sceptre and crowne
A great nomber doubtlesse

As noble Arthur
The cheiffe victour
Prouid at all assayes

Whose Marciall knightes
Quenchid the Lightes
Of all other in those dayes

The Romaynes can tell
Howe it befell
In the tyme of Lucius
Ther Emperoure slayne
With many a Proud Romaine
The britons victorius

Also in Fraunce
Froll had Like chaunce
Whiche was so good a knight
To death was Wounded
His people confounded
Onli throughe Arthurs might

Also Denabus
Great and monstruous
Whose power none might with stand
Arthure hym slewe
His force to renewe

Fought with hym hand to hād

Like wise the Saxones
Whose exacciones
He myght no wyse abide
Ther cruell rage
For to asswage
Manfully he dyd prouide

Twelue battelles stronge
He had them amonge
Like a famous champion
By strength imperiall
He was victore of all
Brought them to subiection

Auctores do expresse
Bering full wyttnesse
Of his magnificence
With his owne hand
Their might to withstande
Of knightly excellence

Slewe in one daye

Brekyng ther arraye
Two hundrid & fourtye Iust
Throughe his manfull myght
Constrayned were ryght
In his mercy to trust

Accompte also
Noble Malgo
The sonne of dame nature
Whose Angelicke face
For beutie was
Like an heuenly creature

That man and beast
Gladly wold rest
Also Birdes in the ayre
His face to beholde
As it was toulde
He was so passing fayre

Ther was no Kyng
Of natures formyng
To his equiuolent

So strong of body
So fearce and hardy
In armes so excellent

The Saxones cruell
With many fore batell
Did him right fore inchace
But yet ther rigour
His princely honore
Myght neuer deface

The magnanymytie
The nobilite
Of this most princely name
Auctors dothe expres
The Iles orcades
To Brytayne furst he wan

Now to Cadwalader

Cadwalader the last kyng of Brute by Linage

To furnyshe my matter
That famose worthy king
The last of dyscent

A Prince Excellent
Ouer the Britones raynyng

Fabian dothe write
And playnly resite
His actes ryght glorius
Affirming them trewe
Howe that he slewe
A king called Lotharius

Whiche was king of kente
That tyme present
By marciall dyssiplyne
And afterwarde
With strokes harde
The mattier to determyne

Edericus his brother
It was noon other
By force was lykwyse slayne
Helpe or redresse
Was none doubtlesse
Yet were thei kinges both twāie

Also Athelwold
Manfull and boulde
Which was of Sowthsex king
Thought hym full sure
Hable to indure
His batell conueiyng

Agaynst Cadwaladre
Of inwarde displeasure
Hatred and cruelnes
Mette in the felde
With speare and shilde
Of very wilfulnes

Athelwolde that daie
Who euer sayd naye
With many mortall wounde
Lay ded and slayne
The Saxones playne
Beaten downe to the ground

The Brutes victoriouse
The Saxones tymerouse

The felde durst not abide
For dread and feare
Fled here and there
Abrode on euery side

Thus Cadwalader
The reuenger
Of ther ambicion
Brought them full lowe
Ther faultes to knowe
Under his subiection

Also Galfridus
Playnly dothe discus
Affirmyng more at large
Howe that the Saxones
By composicions
Of all ther baronage

Helde of Cadwaladre
As of ther gouernoure
By waye of loue and finage
Like their degrees

By giftes and fees
As of his patronage

This princely manne
This Christian
This worthy famouse king
Stories doth recompte
He did surmounte
All other Liuing

To whome god aboue
In token of loue
Made demonstracion
By his Angell playne
That he certayne
Shulde leaue his region

Suche mortalite
Suche aduersitie
Suche plages of pestilence
Suche infeccion
Suche corrucpcion
By heuenly influence

That tyme ther was
That he Alas
Of force was constrayned
With wofull herte
Must nedes departe
His subiectes were so payned

Frutes vpon the grounde
None coulde be founde
In helpe of their redresse
The Earthe all bare
The people in care
Sorowe and heuinesse

The Brutes expelled
No lenger dwelled
With in this region
The Saxones playne
Did it attayne
For them and ther succession

No resistence
Nether yet defence

Of the Brutes was ther made
Awaye they wente
By one assent
Euen as the Angell bade

Without comforte
As men amorte
Lackyng consolacion
Hauyng no lust
But onlye a trust
Of their expectacion

In the prophesy
Whiche did specifye
The holy translacion
Of Cadwaladre
Frome Rome hidre
By Santificacion

That when his bones
Were translated ones
In to this region
Then shulde the Brutes

Receaue ther frutes
And fyrst possessyon

This did the Angell
Graciously tell
In ther wofull distres
That his noble blode
Auncyent and good
Shuld reuiue in his successe

Whiche shulde restore
To them moche more
Of consolacion
By speciall grace
Than euer was
Of ther succession

This noble king
Goddes will perceiuing
Called his sonne Iuory
Likewise send for
His cosen Iuor
Resityng these wordes on hye

Take heare he sayde

Be not dysmaide
My folkes & my nauye
Passe ye into wales
Amonge hilles & vales
Be ye lordes of that contrye

Se that no wronge
Come them emonge
For lacke of nobilite
And that the Saxones
By false compaccions
Worke no dishonestie

Agaynst the Brutes
To hurte the frutes
Of their fidelitie
Be constaunte and sure
Manfully indure
Youre owne regalytie

These wordes ones past
His eyes he cast
Sayeng lorde thy will be done

In Earthe vs by
As in heuen hye
Farre surmounting the sonne

Whose deuine powre
Is gouernoure
Of all creatid thinges
Be it visible
Or inuisible
It is thy hande workynges

And nowe good Lorde
I will accorde
Thy pleasure to fulfyll
This lande forsake
A newe to take
Sythe it is thy will

The wordes once sayde
Mekely he obayed
Of mynd will and consent
With a benynge loke
His leaue he toke

And so to Rome he went

Wherein shorte space
God of his grace
By his eternall myght
His solle magnyfied
Also sanctified
To his celestiall syght

Nowe to accomplyshe
Also to furnyshe
My mynd and intencion
Ye haue harde tell
Howe the Angell
Made demonstration

Ther shulde a king
Floryshe and spryng
Of the same succession
By sentence deuine
Of Cadwaladers lyne
In the fourth generacyon

Whiche shulde restore
Thinges past before
By his magnyficence
And for his fame
Men shuld hym name
The prince of excellence

Whose wisdome clere
Shuld so apere
Throughe euery regyon
Men shulde hym call
For gyftes naturall
The seconde Salomon

To verifye
This mystery
With stories euident
Nature declareth
The dede compareth
All thinges equiuolente

The Last famose king
Ouer vs rainyng

Namid the seuynth henry

Henry ye vii of Cadwaladers line rightfull kyng of Britayne called Englond

Was euen the same
Whose princely name
Was had in suche memory

Predestinate
And animate
By heuenly influence
For to fulfyll
The deuine will
Of the highe magnyficence

Yet in his youth
Of very trueth
Floryshing in yeres grene
In most cruellwyse
His mortall enimyes
As it was playnely sene

Did hym persewe
With treason vntrue
Fraundulently inuented
Gaue monye and hyre

His death to conspire
If fortune had consented

Supposyng therby
The prophesy
Cleane to extermynate
As god aboue
They wolde remoue
His workes to violate

Was not his grace
As in this case
In wonderfull daunger
When they conspired
And fully desired
The ayde of euery straunger

Put in Exile
Alacke the while
Sōdrie waies were outsought
His lief vncertayne
Beynge in Brytayne
Wher the treasō was wrought

What conspiracion
What cured treason
Or who can breuyate
Whiche God aboue
Of his deuine loue
Listithe to anymate

This noble Prince
For to conuince
Passid ther raged myght
God wolde in nowyse
Ther false interpyse
Shuld depriue his prīceli right

As dyd appere
The storie clere
Of this most princely man
With spere and shilde
As Bosworthe filde
The honour there he wan

Kynge Riched slayne
And he certayne

The filde hathe receaued
Thus god aboue
Of very loue
His kingdom hathe assured

For of his lyne
This present tyme
A kyng is discendid
With septer and croune
In Citie and towne
Most highly commendid

Henry ye viii. Sonne of Henry ye vii kyng of England, ī whom is fulfillid the mistery of Cadwaladers translation

I meane pardy
Most noble Henry
Called theight of that name
Whose gyftes naturall
Aboue princes all
Bereth awaye the fame

Who can magnyfye
Or yet verefye
His condigne worthynes
His amitye

Liberalitie
And bountifull goodnes

In all affectes
To his subiectes
Most graciouse & kinde
In ther defence
With his expence
Redie of herte and mynd

Oh famouse Troy
Reioyce this daye
Most fortunate and good
All ye that be
As in degre
Extracte of the same blood

Geue landes on hye
To god most myghtie
Whiche hathe resustitate
So noble a king
Youre hertes exityng
As men most fortunate

For this is he
ye maye well se
Whose bones are translated
By sentence deuyne
Frome Rome this tyme
Newly seperated

Accordingly
As the prophesy

Cadwalader bones translated by seperaciō bytwene Rome & vs

Afore had expressed
When Cadwaladers bones
Translated were ones
All thinges shulde be redressed

God of his grace
As in this case
Hathe made a seperacion
Betwene Rome & vs
Whose dedes monsterus
Were abhomynacion

Ther great abuses
And long mysves

Their folie and their pride
The deception
Ther collusion
Oure kyng myght not abyde

Ye knowe full well
I nede not tell
Ther greate exactions
Nor howe they wroughte
Kingdomes to haue broughte
Under ther Subiections

Nether to debate
The mortall hate
Whiche they haue conspired
In especiall
To be Lordes of all
Wrongfully haue desired

Pretending doubteles
Muche holynes
By sentence Angelicall
To speake as the crede

Yet were they in dede
Uery fendes infernall

There lawes preferring
As concernyng
The papall iurisdiccion
Whose vsurped power
Wolde be gouernoure
Of euery region

Aboue king or prince
Their myght to conuince
If they wolde not obaye
With Curses greate
They would them threate
Ther honor to decaye

But god most iust
As I sayde fyrst
Hath made a seperacion
Geuing oure king
Grace and learning
To preferre his relygion

And not to trust
In vayne hope and luste
Of mannes tradicions
[illeg.] thoughe they myght
[illeg.] heuen of right
Make ther condicions

To saue or spill
What solle they wyll
Without exception
As they were deuine
At season and tyme
By meane of ther pardones

Suche thinges abusid
Oughte to be refusid
By deuine ordinaunce
And not to trust
In thinges vniust
Wher is non assuraunce

Ther is but one
To god alone

That is appropriate
Synnes to remeue
Pardon to gyue
And sowles to anymate

Tradicions papall
Hath broughte vs all
Allmost to subuercyon
Hauing more trust
In thynges vniust
Then in Cristes passion

But god aboue
In token of loue
Hathe vs reconsiled
As it befell
In Israell
When the lawes were cōmysed

To Iosia
Whiche of Iudea
Was kinge and gouernoure
As in this case

Of speciall grace
Stode ī goddes highe fauoure

Because he wolde
No bodie shulde
Do vniust reuerence
To stocke or stone
But in god alone
To haue all confidence

He sende through out
Israell aboute
Goddes Lawes to magnyfie
In especiall
Commaunding all
To beware of idolatrie

Likewise it was
When Ezechias
The worthye famouse king
Of pure intent
The Brasen serpent
The people deluding

Unto the ground

Made hym rebounde
In peces great & small
Breake the hyl aulters
Of ther forefathers
With theyr foule Idoles all

Euen from iudea
Unto Aza
The Philystines lande
Nothing wolde suffer
To goddes displeasure
To be grauen or stande

Whose constancy
God most mightie
Had in remembraunce
Send his Angell
In his quarell
Agaynst the Assiryans

By his deuine might
He slewe in one night
C.lxxx. thousand & fyue
From Iudea

Unto Assiria
The reste home he did driue

Like wise oure kinge
His herte referring
To goddes highe prouidence
Suche thinges abusid
Hathe nowe confused
Be heuenly influence

Whiche had infected
And sore detected
Christes relygion
By shrining of bones
And kneling to stones
Made by mannes inuencion

Magnyfieng them
Whiche were mortall men
Of nature terrestriall
With like reuerence
And confidence
As to god Celestiall

Whose golden shrynes

Trycked with vines
Most curiously Wroughte
With pardones plentie
Made purses emptie
In sondrie places sought

Suche Idoles greate
So richely freate
With golde pearle & stone
Lifte vp on hye
To magnyfye
As it were god alone

Oure Iosias
Oure Ezechias
By permyssion deuine
In this effecte
Most circumspecte
Beholdyng this present tyme

Hath brought to passe
Like as it was
In tyme of Isarell
Trusting in one

In god alone
According to the gospell

For sacrifice
In such a wyse
To god onlye is dewe
Ther is no other
Faithe to recouer
But only throughe Iesu

O Lorde oure god
Withdrawe thy rodde
Correcte vs not in thy Ire
By thou petiouse
Lorde vnto vs
We humbly the desire

Thy eares inclyne
This present tyme
Harken to oure clamoure
As it befell
In Israell
In the tyme of ther doloure

Be mercyfull Lorde

Let pytie accorde
With thy bountyfull grace
Oure sinnes remeue
Pardon forgiue
Oure folie and trespasse

To magnifie
Suche Idolatrie
Lord we knowledge oure offēce
A gaynst thy lawe
For to withdrawe
Frome thy magnificence

To haue a trust
Or yet a lust
In any grauen picture
Whiche thou defendest
Also commaundyst
To bowe to no figure

This lorde most mightie
We knowe assuredly
By thy deuyne insence
To the deitie

Of thy magestie
Belongith all reuerence

As concerning
The true meaning
Of oure saluacion
Ther is but one
That suffered alone
For oure redempcion

Oure inwarde fayth
As saynt Paule sayth
Shuld be in Christ Iesu
Let this be graued
We are not sauid
But onlye by his vertue

Nether yet rectified
By sayntes sanctified
In any maner case
Saue ther good liuing
Example geuing
To folowe the same trace

Of truethe oure techers

Also oure preachers
Which were in tyme long past
Toke full great payne
And all in vayne
Ther laboure spent in wast

Leuing the epistell
Also the gospell
Most Euangelicall
Treting of pardones
With inuencions
And Cerimones papall

But oure famouse king
Right well perseuing
The great ingratitude
The sencis pure
Of holy Scripture
Hyd from the multitude

For oure redres
Of his goodnes
With most princely corage
Hath deuised

Also comysed
Oure conscience to discharge

Set out at long
Oure vulger tong
The scripture for to knowe
The seed the grayne
The verite playne
Oure fayth only to showe

It is consonant
Not repugnaunt
To goddes deuine ordinaunce
But allmen shulde
Who euer wolde
For ther owne assuraunce

Labour the scripture
His lyfe to assure
The cōmaundementes to kepe
Thoughe sone repine
And determyne
Affriming it vnmete

That we lay men

Shuld laboure our pen
Or scripture beholde
More then the clergie
Shulde vs specifye
By Auctoritie toolde

Prouided in this
No man ther is
Beyng of leude lernyng
Shall interprise
In any wyse
Unto the expounding

Oh noble Henry
Of Kinges most worthye
Doubteles to be magnyfied
Goddes owne chosen knight
By whose deuine might
All thynges are rectified

Our faith stablyshe
Errors abolishid
The gospell set out at large
Nothing is hyd

Wher of is nede
Oure conscience to discharge

O blessed lorde
To vs accorde
We humblye the desire
As in this case
Of speciall grace
Who euer will conspire

Agaynst oure king
In hindering
Of honor this his reame
Ther faulse intent
Lorde thou will preuent
Aduoyding the dangere cleane

Let not our enimyes
In any wyse
Agaynst vs lorde preuaile
Confuse ther ire
Burnyng as fire
In ther malice let them quayle

Like as it was

When Ezechias
With humble peticion
Made his complaynt
Of verye constraynt
And hertie affection

To thy deitie
That of thy pitie
Thou woldist thy powre extēd
Against the furies
Of his enimyes
His kingdome to defend

Lorde incontinent
Thy Angell thou sente
His wooes to redres
The Assirianes playne
Laye ded and slayne
Throughe thy mightifulnes

So in like case
Of thy deuine grace
Preserue our famouse king
Oure enymies withstand

And saue this lande
Oure god euerlastyng

Come furthe ye brutes
The seed the frutes
Of mightie Sirapys
In Egipte stalled
A god ther called
In the Citie Memphis

Wher he is deified
Also stellified
After the pagan guyse
With his wyfe Isis
The mightye goddes
So callid in Likewise

Of whose successe
Came hercules
The famouse Champion
And so to conuay
Downe vnto Troy
With all ther succession

Considre then

Ye gentle welshemen
How god for you hath wrought
Euen the same tyme
That veray lyne
To youe agayne hath brought

For this is he
Whose maiestie
All thinges hath redressed
Assuredly
As the Prophesi
Afore had expressid

Was ther euer king
So moche tendering
Youre welth to aduaunce
Or for your sake
Suche paynes did take
With so assured constaunce

Ye knowe pardie
As well as I
What he hath deuised
Onlie for youe

Statutes made newe
And lawes wholy commysed

To that intente
You shulde assent
To youre ciuilite
One sawe one loue
One God aboue
And one prencely magestie

Your selues indeuore
Wholly to gether
With perfect assuraunce
With vs to praye
These wordes to saye
With inwarde affyaunce

God most gloryouse
Lorde Christ Iesus
Our hope and oure assistence
Oure mediatoure
Oure gouernoure
And oure hertes confidence

Preserue oure Kyng

His grace sending
Honor and victori
Good Lyfe and longe
Here vs amonge
With helthe of his body

And afterward
Yong Prince Edwarde
To supply his regalle place
With lyke wisdome
As had Salomon
In euery maner case

Most gracious lord
To vs accorde
Of thy bountyfull goodnes
Thy power extend
Oure prince defend
As thou didest yong Ioas

Whiche did inclyne
By grace diuine
To thy magnyficence
In his yeres grene

As it was sene
By heuenly influence

Of very truethe
His tender youthe
The lawes to fortyfye
The house af Ball
With his ydolles all
Distroyed vtterly

His grauen pictures
His golden figures
Most curyously wroughte
Beaton to doust
His temple vniust
Prosterate doune he brought

Thus let oure Prince
Utterly conuynce
All false Idolatrye
Thy lawes supporte
Oure hertes to comforte
Thy name to gloryfye

Let not Babilon

Haue dominion
Ouer vs for thy pitie
Defend vs lorde god
Frome ye cruell rode
Of their captiuitie

Let our prince furnishe
And fully fynyshe
What his father hath begonne
As was deuised
Somtyme comysed
To Salomon dauides sonne

And so at length
With bodely strength
Lorde yu wyll hym aduaunce
Hable to withstand
With myghtie hand
His enimies puissaunce

As had hercules
Of whose noblenes
Doubtles he is descendyd
As auctors olde

By storyes tolde
Famousely haue commendid

Heare maye ye se
That welshmen be
Of right noble dyscent
It dothe appere
By stories clere
And mattier euident

Who may compare
Or further declare
By any prescription
Accompte the parentyne
Also the feminyne
With ther procreacion

To be more worthie
Being creatures earthlye
And of nature terrestriall
Seth Noye his flod
Alway ther blode
Hathe byne imperiall

Here to digresse

I must confesse
More matter in substaunce
Whiche nowe I fynde
Long oute of mynde
For lacke of remembraunce

Of noble Hercules
The sonne of Osires
Most myghtie champion
Whose incomperablenesse
Excellyth doubtles
All naturall reason

Non maye be comparid
Nether yet declared
Unto thy excellence
Accompte stories all
None shalbe equall
With thy magnifycence

This was that Hercules
That noble poetes
So highlye doth commende
And not Hercules

Called Alcydes
Whiche the grekes do pretend

To be so mightie
Hauing victorye
In the truntes of Archadie
Sonne of Iupiter
His name to preferre
Borne of faire Alannena

But Diodorus
Also Birosus
The chaldie affirmeth playne
That this hercules
Named Alcides
Was the last of the twayne

But Hercules Aegipcius
Named Libicus
As saynt Ierome writeth
In the .x. of Genesis
Was sonne of Osiris
As he playnly affirmeth

Whiche did interpryse

In most knightly wyse
The .xii. notable labours
Diodorus Secalus
Also writyth thus
Whith other famous auctours

That this hercules
By his noblenesse
In the woodes of Nemia
Slewe the great Lion
For lyke occasion
The serpent called Nidra

Which lay of longe tyme
By force of rauyne
In the fennes of Lerna
Also the bore
Deuouring the stoore
In the Land of Archadia

By violent strength
Caught hym at length
In spite of Erimanthus
Upon his sholders square

He did hym beare
To the kynge Euresthius

Like wise did preuayle
In strength of battayle
Agaynst a greate nomber
Called Centauries
Half men halfe horses
Which semyd to be a wonder

The fyfthe industry
By swiftnes of body
His person aduancyng
Caught the great harte
Whose hornes by arte
Were gilte for his runnyng

Also Simphalides
Birdes of cruell lyknes
Consumyd the frutes bare
Like fendes infernall
For a memoryall
He left not one to spare

The seuenth wonder was

Howe he coulde bring to pas
The clansing of Angeus hall
So noble a riuer
For to deceuer
Whith Pingo poetes did cal

The right was the bull
The see at the full
Oute of Crete into grece
Howe he shulde bring
By see swymyng
And yet deface no pece

Diomedes
All mercyles
His rigour to accomplyshe
His horses playne
He fedde certayne
Onlye with mannes fleshe

Tyll Hercules
Toke Diomedes
His crueltie to abate
Made those horses greate

His fleshe to eate
Regarding not his estate

Whiche he before
Had kept in store
Full wilde & monsterus
To his greate fame
He made them tame
Gaue them to Enristheus

Then into Spayne
He toke the payne
Gereon to subdewe
Of very dispite
Hym to acquyte
His sonnes twaine ther he slew

After to hell
As poetes do tell
Downe he is discended
Where Theseus
And Pirithus
He shortly defendid

Them to discharge

Setting at large
Frome all daunger & payne
Brought Cerberg bounde
Whiche was the hell hounde
Lincked fast in a chayne

The twelueth & the last
Accompting them paste
Of this most princely man
When his noblenes
Frome Hesperides
The golden Apples wan

Slewe the dragon
Which did enuiron
The gardayne round aboute
Whose looke odible
Was so terrible
All men of him had doubte

Thus in knightly wise
He did interpryse
To his Eternal fame
None so worthye

Of memorye
To haue prayse laude or name

Of this Hercules
In knighthode pereles
With noble Galathee
The only doughter
Of greate Iupiter
Named also Selce

Came the famose blode
After Noe his flode
To the treyanes linage
Downe by descent
Princes excellent
Wich all ther parentage

Who was more worthie
Stronger of bodye
Then was Ector of Troy
Yf Stories be trewe
A thousand he slewe
Of Grekes in one daye

Of this Hercules

Came Olimpiades
The famose mightie quene
Mother to Alexander
The grete conquerour
In her tendre yeres grene

Cesar Iulius
Most victorius
His enymies to confounde
Came of Eneas
Whiche so noble was
Among the Romaynes founde

Also Constantyne
Sonne of saynt Elene
Of the same succession
Borne in this lande
The holy crosse founde
By deuine inspiracion

This noble Emperour
Was hole gouernoure
Monarch and president
Of euery region

Throughout Cristendome
From the Est to the occident

Called by grace
To that highe place
By heuenly influence
Of hert most constaunt
Slewe the Tyraunt
Whiche named was Maxence

A thousand mo
I coulde also
Uerefy and expres
Of the same blod
Princes right good
Full of all noblenes

But nowe a ende
I do intende
My leue of you to take
Desiring this
All thing amys
To pardon for my sake

I must be breue

Least that repreue
Accuse me & my penne
And thus to you
I say a diewe
Fare well ye gentel welshmen

Moste gentle reder
This litell vulgre
In my ful hūble wise
I you desire
Hertely requyre
That ye will not dispise

Nether yet disdain
This litle pain
Uoyd of presumpciō
Lately set oute
There is no doubte
Equall of affeccion.

Let your phātacie
Iudge me honestly
As one vnreproued
Thyncke not that I
Of flattery
Herin shuld be mouid

Of consience
No fayned sence
Haue I here pretēdid
Nor nothyng told
But aucthours olde
Before haue cōmēded

I do confesse
The rude grosnesse
Of my remēbraunce
Not vigilaunt
Or consonaunt
To other mens vtteraūce

For to expres
The worthines
Of so Auncyent men
But that good wyll
Mouith me still
To occupie my pen,

My englishe rude
Of gratitude
I trust ye will excuse
And not disdayne
My sentence playne
Or causles it refuse

The Musis nyne
Did farre declyne
Wher I was nutriefied
Ther dulcet wel
No tast nor smell
In me was rectified.

Wherfore I must
In Chaff and dust
Mi selfe labour & toyle
Giue thē ye price
Whose sentēce wise
With tearmes can tricke and file

Go barberouse boke, Rusticall and rude
Full vnworthy thankes for to haue
Oneles of benyng gratitude
Gentell reporte listithe the to saue.
Nether arte thou pure, sincer, or graue
Confesse thy faulte, Blushe out for shame
Thy wittes are past [illeg.] termes out of frame.

University of Virginia Library

[A commendacion of Welshmen]

A treatise.

The aucthoure.