University of Virginia Library

Scena prima.

Clotyn. Mandud. Gwenard. Fergus. Eubulus.
Clotyn.
Did euer age bring forth such Tirants hartes
The Brother hath bereft the Brothers lyfe,
The Mother she hath died her cruell handes
In bloud of her owne sonne, and nowe at last
The people loe forgettyng trouthe and loue,
Contemnynge quite both Lawe and loyall harte
Euen they haue slayne their soueraigne Lord and Quene.

Mandud.
Shall this their trayterous crime vnpunished rest
Euen yet they cease not, caryed out with rage,
In their rebellious routes, to threaten stil
A newe bloode shedde vnto the Princes kinne
To slaie them all, and to vproote the race
Both of the kyng and Queene, so are they moued
With Porrex deathe, wherin they falsely charge
The giltles kinge without desarte at all
And traiterouslie haue murdered him therfore,
And eke the Queene.

Gwenard.
Shall Subiectes dare with force
To worke reuenge vpon their Princes facte?
Admyt the worst that maye: as sure in this
The dede was fowle, the Quene to slaie her sonne
Shall yet the Subiecte seeke to take the sworde?
Arise agaynst his Lorde, and slaie his kynge?
O wretched state, where those rebellious hartes
Are not rent out euen from their lyuynge breasts
And with the bodie throwen vnto the Fowles
As Carrion foode, for terrour of the rest.

Fergus.
There can no punisshement be thought to greate
For this so greuous cryme: let spede therfore
Be vsed therin for it behoueth so.

Eubulus.
Ye all my Lordes I see consent in one
And I as one consent with ye in all:
I holde it more than nede with the sharpest Lawe
To punisshe the tumultuous bloodie rage
For nothynge more maye shake the cōmen state
Than sufferaunce of Uproares without redresse
Wherby how some kingdomes of mightie power
After great Conquestes made, and floorishing
In fame and wealth haue ben to ruyne brought
I praie to Ioue that we may rather wayle
Suche happe in them than witnes in our selues
Eke fullie with the Duke my minde agrees
That no cause serues, wherby the Subiect maye
Call to accompt the doynges of his Prince,
Muche lesse in bloode by sworde to worke reuenge
No more then maye the hande cut of the heade,
In Acte nor speache, no: not in secrete thoughte
The Subiect maye rebell against his Lorde
Or Iudge of him that sittes in Ceasars Seate.
With grudging mind do damne those Hemislikes
Though kinges forget to gouerne as they ought,
Yet Subiectes must obey as they are bounde:
But nowe my Lordes before ye farder wade
Or spend your speach, what sharp reuenge shal fal
By iustice plague on these rebellious wights
Me thinkes ye rather should first searche the waye
By whiche in time the rage of this vproare
Mought be repressed, & these great tumults ceased
Euen yet the life of Brittayne Lande doth hange,
In Traitours Balaunce of vnegall weight
Thinke not my Lords the death of Gorboduc
Nor yet Videnaes bloode will cease their rage:
Euen our owne lyues, our wiues and children,
Our Countrey dearest of all in daunger standes,
Nowe to be spoiled, nowe, nowe made desolate,
And by our selues a conquest too ensue:
For geue ones sweye vnto the peoples lusts,
To russhe forth on, and staye them not in time,
And as the streame that rowleth downe the hyll,
So wil thei headlong ronne wt raging thoughtes
From bloode to bloode, from mischiefe vnto moe,
To ruyne of the Realme, them selues and all
So giddie are the cōmon peoples mindes,
So glad of chaunge, more waueryng than the Sea
Ye see (my Lordes) what strength these Rebelles haue,
What hugie nombre is assembled still,
For though the traiterous fact, for which thei rose
Be wrought and done, yt lodge thei still in fielde
So that howe farre their furies yet wyll stretche
Great cause we haue to dreade, that we may seeke
By present Battaile to represse their power.
Speede must we vse to leuie force therfore,
For either they forthwith will mischiefe worke
Or their rebellious roares forthwith will cease:
These violent thinges may haue no lasting loude
Let vs therfore vse this for present helpe
Perswade by gentle speache, and offre grace
With gifte of pardon saue vnto the chiefe,
And that vpon condicion that forthewith
They yelde the Captaines of their enterpryse
To beare suche querdon of their traiterous facte
As may be both due vengeaunce to them selues,
And holsome terrour to posteritie.
This shall I thinke: flatter the greatest parte
That nowe are holden with desire of home,
Weried in fielde with could of Winters nightes,
And some (no doubt) striken with dread of Lawe
Whan this is ones proclaymed, it shall make
The Captaines to mistruste the multitude
Whose safetie biddes them to betraye their heads
And so muche more bycause the rascall routes,
In thinges of great and perillous attemptes,
Are neuer trustie to the noble race.
And while we treate & scande on termes of grace,
We shal both staie their furies rage the while,
And eke gaine time, whose onely helpe sufficeth
Withouten warre to vanquisshe Rebelles power
In the meane while, make you in redynes
Suche bande of Horsemen as ye maye prepare:
Horsemen (you know) are not the Comons strēgth
But are the force and store of noble men
Wherby the vnchosen and vnarmed sorte
Of skillishe Rebelles, whome none other power
But nombre makes to be of dreadfull force
With sodeyne brunt maye quickely be oppreste
And if this gentle meane of proffered grace
With stubborne hartes cannot so farre auayle
As to asswage their desperate courages.
Than do I wisshe suche slaughter to be made,
As present age and eke posteritie
Maye be adrad with horrour of reuenge,
That iustly than shall on these rebelles fall:
This is my Lordes the sōme of mine aduise.

Clotyn.
Neyther this case admittes debate at large,
And though it did: this speache that hath ben saide
Hath wel abridged the tale I would haue tolde:
Fullie with Eubulus do I consente
In all that he hath saide: and if the same
To you my Lordes, may seeme for best aduise,
I wisshe that it shoulde streight be put in vre.

Mandud.
My Lordes than let vs presentlie departe
And folowe this that lyketh vs so well.

Fergus.
If euer time to gaine a kingdome here
Were offred man, nowe it is offred mee:
The Realme is reft bothe of their kyng & Quene
The ofspringe of the Prince is slaine and dead
No issue nowe remaines, the Heire vnknowen,
The people are in Armes and mutynies
The Nobles thei are busied howe to cease
These great rebellious tumultes and vproars
And Brittayne Lande nowe deserte left alone
Amyd these broyles vncertaine where to rest
Offers her selfe vnto that noble harte
That wyll or dare pursue to beare her Crowne:
Shall I that am the Duke of Albanye
Discended from that Lyne of noble bloode,
Whiche hath so longe floorisshed in worthie fame
Of valiaunt hartes, suche as in noble Breasts
Of right shulde rest aboue the baser sorte,
Refuse to aduenture liefe to winne a Crowne,
Whome shall I finde enemies that will wtstande
My facte herein, if I attempte by Armes
To seeke the Fame nowe in these times of broyle
These Dukes power can hardlie well appease
The people that alredie are in Armes.
But if perhappes my force be ones in fielde
Is not my strength in power aboue the best
Of all these Lordes nowe left in Brittaine Lande.
And though they shuld match me wt power of men
Yet doubtfull is the chaunce of Battailles ioyned
If Uictors of the fielde we may departe,
Ours is the Scepter than of great Brittayne,
If slayne amid the playne this body be
Mine enemies yet shall not deny me this,
But that I died gyuynge the noble charge
To hazarde life for conquest of a Crowne.
Forthwith therfore will I in poste depart
To Albanye and raise in Armour there
All power I can: and here my secrete friendes,
By secrete practise shall sollicite still,
To seeke to wynne to me the peoples hartes.