University of Virginia Library

Scena 2.

Enter the Bardh, or Welsh Poet.
Bard.
Thus haue you seen, the valiant Caradoc,
Mounting the Chariot of eternall fame,
Whom, mighty Fortune, Regent of this Globe,
Which Nauigators call terrestriall,
Attends vpon: and like a careful Nurse,
That sings sweet Lullabies vnto her babe,
Crowns her beloued Minion with content,
And sets him on the highest Spire of Fame.
Now to Gederus, King of warlike Brittayne,
Opprest with Romane Legions is he gone,
Spur'd on vvith matchlesse resolution,
And in the battell, as your selues shall see,
Fights like a Nemean Lyon,
Or like those Giants, that to cope vvith Ioue,
Hurl'd Osla vpon Peleon, heap'd hill on hill,
Mountaine on mountaine, in their boundles rage.
But in the meane time dreadlesse of trecherous plots,
The Bastard playes his Rex, whose ancient sore
Beginnes to fester, and now breakes the head
Of that Impostume malice had begot.
Now Cornewall, Gloster, twinnes of some Incubus,
And sonne and heyre to hells Imperiall Crowne,
The Bastard Codigune, conspire the death
Of olde Octauian. Those that faine would know
The manner how, obserue this silent show.

Enter a dumbe show, Codigune, Gloster and Cornwall at the one dore: After they consult a little while, enter at the other dore, Octauian, Guiniuer, and Voada, the sister of Caradoc: they seeme by way of intreaty, to inuite them: they offer a cup of wine vnto Octauian, and he is poysoned. They take Guiniuer and Uoada, and put them in prison. Codigune is crowned King of Wales.
Bardh.
The trecherous Bastard, with his complices,
Cornewall and Gloster, did inuite the King,
Fayre Guiniuer and beautious Uoada,
The sister of renowmed Caradoc,
Vnto a sumptuous feast, vvhose costly outside
Gaue no suspition to a foule intent.
And had Cassandra (as she did at Troy
Foretell the danger of the Grecian horse,
That Sinon counterfeyted with his teares,)
Presaged this Treason; like to some nightly dream
Of some superfluous brayne begot in wine,
It had beene onely fabulous, and extinct
Euen with the same breath, that she brought it forth,
Like some abortiue Oracle, so beguiles
The Syrens songs, and teares of Crocodiles.
At this great banket, great Octauian
Was poysoned, and the wife of Caradoc,
Together with his beautious sister led
Vnto a lothsome prison, and the Crowne
Inuested on the head of Codigune
The enuious Bastard. Here leaue we them a while:
And now to Bryttayne let vs steare the course
Of our attention, where this worthy Sunne
That shines within the firmament of Wales,
Was like himselfe, thrice welcom'd, till the spleene
Of that malicious Gloster did pursue
In certaine letters, sent to Gederus King,
Whose sister he had maried, his defame
Wales lost, in liuely Scenes weele shew the same.