A lamentable tragedy mixed ful of pleasant mirth, conteyning the life of Cambises king of Percia from the beginning of his kingdome vnto his death, his one good deed of execution, after that many wicked deeds and tirannous murders, committed by and through him, and last of all, his odious death by Gods Iustice appointed |
The Prologue entreth.
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 | A lamentable tragedy mixed ful of pleasant mirth, conteyning the life of Cambises king of Percia |  |
The Prologue entreth.
Agathon he whose counsail wise, to princes wele extēded:
by good aduice vnto a Prince iij. things he hath cōmended
First, is that he hath gouernment and ruleth ouer men:
Secondly, to rule with lawes, eke Iustice (saith he) then.
Thirdly, that he must wel conceiue, he may not alwaies reign:
Lo, thus the rule vnto a Prince, Agathon squared plaine.
Tully the wise whose sapience, in volumes great dooth tel:
Who in wisdome, in that time did many men excel.
A Prince (saith he) is of him self, a plain and speaking law:
The law, a Schoole maister deuine, this by his rule I draw.
The sage and witty Seneca, his woords therto did frame:
The honest exercise of Kings, men wil insue the same.
But contrary wise if that a King, abuse his kingly seat:
His ignomy and bitter shame, in fine shalbe more great.
by good aduice vnto a Prince iij. things he hath cōmended
First, is that he hath gouernment and ruleth ouer men:
Secondly, to rule with lawes, eke Iustice (saith he) then.
Thirdly, that he must wel conceiue, he may not alwaies reign:
Lo, thus the rule vnto a Prince, Agathon squared plaine.
Tully the wise whose sapience, in volumes great dooth tel:
Who in wisdome, in that time did many men excel.
A Prince (saith he) is of him self, a plain and speaking law:
The law, a Schoole maister deuine, this by his rule I draw.
The sage and witty Seneca, his woords therto did frame:
The honest exercise of Kings, men wil insue the same.
But contrary wise if that a King, abuse his kingly seat:
His ignomy and bitter shame, in fine shalbe more great.
In Percia there reignd a king, who Cirus hight by name:
Who did deserue as I doo read, the lasting blast of Fame.
But he, when sisters three had wrought, to shere his vitall thred:
As heire due to take the crown, Cambices did proceed.
He in his youth was trained vp, by trace of vertues lore:
Yet (beeing king) did clene forget, his perfect race before.
Then cleuing more vnto his wil such vice did immitate:
As one of Icarus his kinde, forwarning then did hate.
Thinking that none could him dismay, ne none his factes could see
Yet at the last a fall he took, like Icarus to bee.
Els as the fish which oft had take, the pleasant bait from hook:
In safe did spring & pearce the stremes whē fisher fast did looke.
To hoist vp from the watry waues, vnto the dryed land:
Then scaept, at last by suttle baight, come to the fishers hand.
Euē so this king Cambices heer, when he had wrought his wil:
Taking delight the Innocent, his giltlesse blood to spil.
Then mightie Ioue would not permit, to procecute offence:
But what measure ye king did meat, ye same did Ioue cōmence.
To bring to end wt shame his race, two yeeres he did not reign:
His crueltie we wil dilate, and make the matter plain.
Crauing that this may suffise now, your patience to win:
I take my way, beholde I see, the players comming in.
Who did deserue as I doo read, the lasting blast of Fame.
But he, when sisters three had wrought, to shere his vitall thred:
As heire due to take the crown, Cambices did proceed.
He in his youth was trained vp, by trace of vertues lore:
Yet (beeing king) did clene forget, his perfect race before.
Then cleuing more vnto his wil such vice did immitate:
As one of Icarus his kinde, forwarning then did hate.
Thinking that none could him dismay, ne none his factes could see
Yet at the last a fall he took, like Icarus to bee.
Els as the fish which oft had take, the pleasant bait from hook:
In safe did spring & pearce the stremes whē fisher fast did looke.
To hoist vp from the watry waues, vnto the dryed land:
Then scaept, at last by suttle baight, come to the fishers hand.
Euē so this king Cambices heer, when he had wrought his wil:
Taking delight the Innocent, his giltlesse blood to spil.
Then mightie Ioue would not permit, to procecute offence:
But what measure ye king did meat, ye same did Ioue cōmence.
To bring to end wt shame his race, two yeeres he did not reign:
His crueltie we wil dilate, and make the matter plain.
Crauing that this may suffise now, your patience to win:
I take my way, beholde I see, the players comming in.
FINIS.
| A lamentable tragedy mixed ful of pleasant mirth, conteyning the life of Cambises king of Percia | |