THE FIRST parte of the Mirour for Magistrates, containing the falles of the first infortunate Princes of this lande: From the comming of Brute to the incarnation of our sauiour and redemer Iesu Christe.
Ad Romanos. 13.2. ‘Quisquis se opponit potestati, Dei ordinationi resistit.’
Imprinted at London by Thomas Marshe.
Anno. 1574.
Cum Priuilegio.
The contentes of the Booke.
- 1. ALbanact the yongest sonne of Brutus telles of the finding of this land, his fathers life, and his owne infortunate fall.
- Fol. 4.
- 2. Humber the kinge of Hunnes shewes how he mindinge to conquere this land was drowned. &c.
- Fol. 15
- 3 Locrinus the eldest sonne of Brutus declares his slaughter to hauehappened for his euil life.
- Fol. 17
- 4 Elstride the concubine of Locrinus miserably drowned by Guendoline his wife declares hir presumptiō, leude life, and infortunate fall.
- Fol. 21
- 5 Sabrine the base childe of Locrinus telles how she was pitifully drowned by his wyfe Guendoline in reueng of her fathers adulterye.
- Fol. 28
- 6 Madan shevves hovve for his euil life hee vvas slaine of wolues.
- Fol. 32.
- 7 Manlius declares how he minding to kill his brother for the kingdome was by him slaine.
- Fol. 34
- 8 Mempricius giuen all to lust, pleasure and the sinne of Sodomy: telles how he was deuoured of wolues.
- Fol. 36
- 9 Bladud resiteth how hee practizing by curious artes to flye, fel and brake his necke
- Fol. 40
- 10 Cordila shewes howe by despaire when she was in prison she slew hir selfe.
- Fol. 47.
- [Page] 11 Morgan telles how he wadging warre with his cosin Conidagus was slaine at the place yet called Glamorgan.
- Fol. 54.
- 12 Forrex declares hovve hee mindinge to kill his brother which ruled with him (that he might thereby raigne alone) was by him slaine.
- Fol. 57.
- 13 Porrex recites how for the slaughter of his brother he was slaine by his owne mother and hir may dens as he laye sleeping.
- Fol. 60.
- 14 Kimarus shewes how for his euil life he was deuoured by wilde beasts.
- Fol. 63.
- 15 Morindus a bastarde declares howe he was exalted to the kingdome, waxed cruell, and at last was deuoured by amonster.
- Fol. 65
- 16 Nennius a worthy Britaine the very patern of a valiant, noble, and faithfull subiect, encountringe with Iulius Caesar at his first comminge into this Islande was by him death wounded: yet nathelesse hee gate Caesars sworde: put him to flight: slewe therewith Labienus a Tribune of the Romaynes: endured fighte till his countrymen wan the battaile: dyed xv. dayes after. And nowe encourageth all good subiectes to defende their countrey from the power of forraine and vsurping enemies.
- Fol. 68.
Loue and liue, TO THE NOBILITIE and all other in office, God graunt the increase of wysedome, with all thinges necessarie for preseruacion of their estates, Amen.
AMongst the wise (right Honorable) whose sentēces (for the moste parte) tende either to teache the attaining of vertue, or eschuing of vice: Plotinus that wonderfull and excellent Phylosopher, hath these wordes: The propertie of Temperaunce is to couet nothing Plotin' which maye hee repented: not to exceade the bandes of measure, and to keepe desire vnder the yooke of Reason. VVhiche saying if it were so well knowen, as is needefull: so well imbraced, as hee wyshed, or so surely fixed in minde, as it is printed in his woorkes: then certis manye Christians might by the instruction of an Ethnicke Phylosopher, shunne great and daungerous perils. For to couet without consideration: to passe the measure of his degree: and to lette will runne at randon, is the onely destruction of all [Page] estates. Else howe were it possible, so many learned, politike, wise, renoumed, valiauntand victorious personages, might euer haue come to such vtter decaye. VVill you that I rehearse Alexander the great, Caesar, Pompey, Cyrus, Hannibal. &c. Al which (by desire of glorie) felte the rewarde of their immoderate and insatiable lustes, for if Alexander had ben content Qu. Curtius. with Macedonie, or not ben pufte vp with pride after his triumphes: hee had neuer ben so miserably poysoned: If Caesar and Pōpey had ben satisfied with their victories, and had not fell to ciuill discention, ye one had not ben slaine in ye Senate with daggers, the other abrode, by his frendes procurement. If Cyrus [...] lib. 1. had ben pleased with all Persia, and Media, and not thirsted for bloud, he had neuer com to so infortunat a fall. If Hanniball had not so much delited in glory Plutarchus. Liuius. Polybius. of warfare, his countrey had neither fel in ruine, nor he ben miserably forced to poyson him selfe. But you wil say, desire of fame, glorie, renowne, and immortalitie (to which al mē wel nighe of nature are inclined especially those which excel or haue any singuler gift of Fortune or of the body) moued them to such daungerous, great and hardy enterprises, which I must ne des confesse as an infallible veritie: but for so much as the aboue named vertue by Plotinus his iudgemēt hath such excellent properties, it is so fit in a Magistrate, [Page] that I surely deme those Princes aboue specified (considering their factes, estates, fortunes, fame and exploytes) had neuer come to suche ende, but for wante of temperance. Yet sithe there are three other Cardinall vertues whiche are requisite in him that should be in authoritie: that is to saye, Prudence, Iustice, and Fortitude, which so wōderfully adorne and beautifie all estates, (if Temperaunce bee with them adioyned that they moue the very enemies with admi ration to praise thē) some peraduenture as affection leades: will commende one, some another. Yea, and though Aristotle prince of Phylosophers name Prudence, Aristot. Cicero. Prudence The mother of vertues. And Cicero define hir the knowledge of thinges which ought to be desired and followed: and also of them which ought to be [...] and eschewed, yet shall you finde that for wante of Temperaunce, those whiche were counted the wisest that euer were, fel into wonderfull reproche and Iustice. infamie. Yea and though Iustice that incomparable vertue, as the auncient Ciuilians define hir, be a perpetuall and constant will which geueth to euery man his right. Yet if she be not constant, which is the gift of fortitude, nor equal in discerning right from wrong, wherin is prudence: nor vse proportion in iudgement and sentence which pertaineth to temperaunce, shee can neuer be called equitie or iustice, but fraude, deceate, [Page] in iustice, and iniurie. And to speake of [...] which Cicero definith, A consyderate vndertaking Fortitude Cicero. of perils, and enduring of labours. If hee whom we suppose stoute, valiaūt, and of good courage, want Prudence, Iustice, or Temperaunce, he is not counted bolde, manly and constant, but made beastly and desperate. I will also sith I haue gone so farre with the vertues (and the place so vrgeth) lastly set downe the difinition of Temperaunce, according to Cicero his opinion, Temperaūce (saith he) is of reason in lust and Cicero. Temperaunce. other euil assaultes of ye minde, a sure and moderate dominion and rule. This noble vertue hath three partes, that is cōtinence, clemēcie and modestie, which well and wisely obserued and kept (if grace be to thē adioyned) it is impossible for him that is endued with the aboue named vertues euer to fall into the vnfortunate snares of calamitie or misfortune. But Ambition which is an immoderate desire of honore, rule, dominiō, and superioritie. (the very destructiō of nobilitie, and commune weales: as among the Romains Silla, Marius, Carbo, Cinna, Cateline, Pompey, and Caesar, are witnesses) hath brought great decay also to our countrey, and countreymen. which Maister Baldwin hath so learnedly touched in his Epistle of the other volume of this booke, that I nede not therewith deale any further. Onely I would to God it were [Page] so ofte read and regarded of all Magistrates as the matter requireth. I haue here (right honorable) in this booke (which I am so bolde to dedicate to your honors) only reproued foly in those which are heedelesse: iniurie in extortioners rashnes in venterers, and excesse, in such as suppresse not vnruly affections. And I trust you will so thinke of it (although the stile deserue not like commendation) as you thought of the other part: which if you shall, I doubt not but it maye pleasure some, if not, yet giue occasion to others which can do farre better, either with eloquence to amende that is amisse in mine, or else when they see these so rudely pende, to publishe their own. And thus wishing you Prudence to discerne what is meete for your callinges. Iustice in the administrations of your functiōs, Fortitude in the defence of your countrey: and Temperance in moderation of all your affections, with increase of honors, and euerlasting felicitie, I bid you in Christe Iesu fare well.
Your humble Iohn Higgins.
I. Higgins to the Reader.
AMongst diuers & sondry Chronicles of many Nations, I thincke there are none (gentle reader) so uncertaine & briefe in ye beginninge as ours, at which I cannot but maruaile sith at all times oure Ilande had as learned writers (some singuler men excepted) as any Nation under yt Sunne. Againe those, which now are our best Chroniclers as they report haue great Antiquities, but what they publish of late yeares may be enlarged in many places by Chronicles of other Nations: whereby it is manifest they are either ignoraunt of the tōgues, orels not giuen to ye study of yt which they most professe for if they were, me thincks it were easye for them wt such Antiquities as they brag they haue, to fetch our Distories from the beginning, & make them as ample as the Chronicles of any other Country or Nation. But they are faine in steede of other stuffe to talke of the Romaines, Greekes, Persians, &c. and to fill our Distoryes with their facts & fables. This I speake not to yt end I would haue ours quite seperate from other without any mention of them, but I would haue them ther onelye named wher th'affayres of both countryes by warre, peace, truce, mariage, trafique or some necessary cause or other is intermired. I haue seene no auncient antiquities in writtē hand but two, one was Galfridus of Munmouth which I lost by misfortune, the other an old Chronicle in a kind of Englishe Verse, beginning at Brute and endinge at the death of Humfrey Duke of Glocester, in the which and diuers other good Chronicles I finde manye thinges not mentioned in that great tome engroced of late by Maister Grafton and that where he is most barraine and wantes matter. But as the greatest heades, the grayest heyres, and best clarkes haue not most witte, so the greatest Bookes, titles and Tomes containe not most mater. And this haue I spoken because in writinge the Tragedies of the first infortunate Princes of this [...], I was often faine to vse [Page] mine owne simple inuention (yet not swaruing from the matter) because the Chronicles (althoughe they wente out vnder diuers mens names) in some suche places as I moste needed their ayde wrate one thing: and that so brieflye that a whole Princes raigne, life and death, was comprised in three lines. Yea and sometimes mine olde booke aboue mentioned holpe mee out when the rest forsoke mee, as for Lanquet, Stowe, and Grafton were alwayes nighe of one opinion, but the Floure of Histories somewhat larger, some helpe had I of an olde Chronicle imprinted ye yeare 1515. But surely mee thincks and so do most which delite in historyes, it were worthily done if one Chronicle were drawne from the beginning in such perfect sort, that all monuments of vertuous men, (to yt eralting of Gods glorye) and all punishments of vicious persons (to yt terrour of the wicked) might be registred in perpetuall remē braunce. To which thing the right reuerende father in God Matthew Archbishoppe of Canterbury & Metropolitane of Englande hath brought such ayde as well by printing as preseruinge the written Chronicles of this Realme that by his Graces studye and paines, the labour in time to come wilbe farre more easye to them shall take such trauaile in hande. But to leaue with these and declare the cause of my purpose. As I chaunced to reade the Mirour for Magistrates & worke by all men wonderfully commended, and full of fitte instructions for preseruation of eche estate: takinge in hand ye Chranicles, and minding to conferre the times: mee thoughte the liues of a nomber euen at the beginninge the like infortunate Princes, offered themselues vnto mee as matter verye meete for imitation the like admonition, miter and phrase, and seing Baldwine by these woordes moued mee some what thereto: ‘It were (sayth hee) a goodly and a notable matter to search and discourse our whole story from the beginninge of the inhabiting of this Isle, &c.’ I read the storyes, I considered of the Princes, I noted their liues, and therewith conferred theyr deathes. On this I toke penne in hande, mindinge nothinge [Page] lesse then to publishe them abroade: but onelye to trye what I coulde do if neede were or time and leasure were giuen mee to bestow in such wise. I wrote the two first euen as they now are, and because I would not keepe secrete my first labours in this kinde of studye (though I might well haue blushed at the basenes of my stile) I shewed them to a freiude of mine, desiring his bufayned iudgement in this matter: which when he had read he neuer left intreating mee to write other, til I had ended all to the byrth of CHRIST, and yet not so content: he desired meet'accomplish the residue til I came to the Conquest, (which were welnighe fiftye Cragedies) but wearied with those which I had written, I desired him pause on this, till time and leasure were giuen mee. Yet he makinge relation to other his frendes what I had done, left mee not quiet till they likewise had seene them. Whose perswasion, as it seemed without any suspition of assentation or flatery, so bath it made mee bolder at this present then before. ‘For although (sayd they) your Tragedies be simple and not comparable to those which the other before haue written: yet when men consider that many wrote those, but one these: that they are graue writers, you are but yong: the perfection of those stories, and th'imperfection of these. Finally the good will you beare to your country, the commendation of vertue, the detestation of vice, the fall of ambition, the horrible ende of traytours, harlots, tyraunts, adulters, enchaunters, murderers and such like. VVhen men (said they) consider these things they cannot (how simple soeuer your Verse bee) but thincke well of the matter.’ At length with these perswasions and suche like: I was contente (good Reader) to publishe them for thy behoufe, and the publique weale of my countrye. At which if thou enuye: I minde not therefore to enuye my selfe and staye my penne: but God willing thou shalt as fast as I can prepare them, haue other Bookes from my handes which maye please thee againe, and thus with all my harte I bidde the hartelye farewell.
Thy freinde I. H.
The Authours induction.
AS Somer sweete with all hir pleasures paste,
And leaues began, to leaue both braūche and tree,
VVhile winter colde approatched nere full fast
Mee thought the time, to sadnes moued mee
On drouping daies, not halfe such mirth haue wee:
As when the time of yeare and wether-s fayre,
So moue our mindes, as mocions moue the ayre.
The wery nightes, approatched on apace
VVith darkesom shades, which somewhat breedeth care,
The Sun had take more nere the earth his race,
In Libra than, his greatest swinge hee bare,
For pardy then, the dayes more colder are,
Then fades the greene, fruite timely, herbes are don,
And wynter gines to waste that sommer won.
I deemde some booke, of mourning theame was beste
To reade, were with instructions mingled so,
As might againe, refreshe my wittes oppreste
VVith tediousnes not driue mee quyte therfro:
VVherfore I went the Printers straight vnto,
To seeke some worke of price I surely mente,
That might herein my carefull mynde contente.
At length by hap, I found a booke so sad,
As time of yeare or wynter could require,
The Mirroure namde, for Magistrates he had
So finely pende, as harte could well desire,
VVhich when I read, so set my heart on fire:
Eftsones it mee constraind to take the payne
Not leaue with once, to reade it once againe.
And as againe, I vewde this worke with heede:
And marked playne eache party tell his fall
Mee thought in mynde, I sawe those men in deede:
Eke howe they came, in order pleading all,
Declaring well, this life is but a thrall:
Sithe those on whom, for Fortunes giftes we stare,
Ofte sooniste sinke in greatest seas of care.
For some of these were kinges of highe estate:
And some were Dukes, and came of Regall race:
Some Princes, Lordes and Iudges great that sate
In councell still, decreing euery case:
Some other Knightes, that vices did imbrace:
Some Gentlemen: some poore that looked hie,
Yet euery one had play de his tragoedye.
A Mirroure well it may be calde a glasse,
More cleare then any crystall vnder Sun,
In eache respecte, the Tragoedies so passe,
Their names shall lyue, that such a worke begun:
For why with such Decorum is it don:
That Momus spight, which more then Argus eyes
Can neuer watche to kepe it from the wise.
Examples there for all estates you finde,
For iudge (I say) what iustice he should vse;
The noble man to beare a noble mynde,
And not him selfe ambiciously abuse:
The Gentleman vngentlenes refuse:
The ryche, and poore: and euery one may see,
VVhich way to loue and lyue in his degree.
Me thinkes they might beware by others harme,
And eke eschue to clamer vp so hye:
Yet cursed pride doth all their wittes becharme,
They thinke of naught, but prouerbes true do trie:
VVho hewes aloft the chips may hurte his eye:
VVho climes the tops of trees, wher bowes ar smal,
Or hawty towres, may quickly catch a fall.
This thing full well doth Phaëtons fall declare,
And Icarus aloft would flie and soare:
Eke Bladud once of Britayne rule that bare,
VVould clyme and flye, but eache did fal therfore.
For Phaëton was with lightning all to tore:
And Icarus the meane that did not recke
VVas drownde, by fal did Bladud breake his neck.
The scriptures eake, of such beare witnes can:
As Babilon for high presumption fell.
But let mee ende my tale that I began
VVhen I had red these Tragoedies full vvell
And paste the night vvith labours long to tell:
One night at laste I thought to leaue my vse,
And take some ease before I chaungde my muse.
VVherfore a vvay from reading I me gate:
My heauy head vvaxte dull for vvant of reste.
I layde me dovvne the night vvas vvaxed late,
For lacke of slepe myne eyes vvere sore oppreste,
Yet fansy still of all their deathes increaste:
Me thoughte nothing my minde from them could take
So long as Somnus suffered me to vvake.
Then straight appeard in purple colour blacke,
Sweete Somnus reste, which comfortes eche aliue,
By ease of mynde that weares away all wracke,
That noysome night from wery wittes doth driue,
Of labours long the pleasures wee atchiue,
VVherat I ioyde sithe after paynes were past,
I might receiue by Somnus easeat last.
But hee by whom I thought my selfe at rest,
Reuiued all my fancies fonde before,
I more desirous humbly did request:
Him shewe th'vnhappy princes were of yore,
For well I wiste that hee could tell mee more,
Sythe vnto diuers Somnus erste had tolde,
VVhat things were done in elder times of olde.
At length he foorth his seruaunt Morpheus calde,
And bad him shewe mee from the first to th'ende,
Such persons as in Britayne Fortune thralde.
VVhich straight vpon his calling did attende,
And thus he spake with countenaunce of frende,
"Come on thy wayes and thou shalt see and here,
"The Britaynes and their doings what they were.
And as he led me through the darkes a whyle,
At length we came into a goodly hall,
At th'ende wherof there seemde a duskish Ile:
Out of the which he gan the Britaynes call,
Such only as from Fortunes hap did fall:
VVhich when he called thryce, me seemde to heare,
The doores to cracke from whence they should apeare.
And thryce I shrinkte a syde, and shunde the sight:
And three times thrice I wishte my selfe away:
Eke thrise from thence there flew a flashe of light:
Three times I sawe them cōming make their stay:
At laste they all approtchte in such aray:
VVith sundry shewes, appearing vnto mee,
A straunger sighte then erste with eyes I see.
Men mighty bigge, in playne and straunge atyre:
But some with woūdes and bloud were so disguisde,
You scarcely could with reasons ayde aspyre,
To knowe what warre suche cruell death deuysde.
But sithe I haue their formes beneath comprisde,
VVheras their stories seuerally I showe:
Your selfe therby their cause of death may knowe.
And eke their faces all and bodies were
Destainde with woade, and turkish berds they had,
On th'ouer lippes moutchatoes long of heyre:
And wylde they feemde as men dispeyring mad.
Their lookes did make my fearfull harte full sad,
And yet I could not for my life eschewe
Their presence: or their myndes I likewyse knewe.
For Morpheus wylde me by de, and bad them tell
Their names, and lyues: their haps, and haples days:
And by what meanes from Fortunes globe they fel,
VVhich did them erste vnto such honours rayse.
VVherwith the first not making moe delayes,
A persone tall wyde woundes in breste that bare:
Drewe nere to tell the cause of all his care.
And as to speake he wiste he might be bolde,
Depe from his breste, he threwe an vnked sounde:
I was amasde his gestures to beholde:
And bloud that freshly trickled from his wounde:
VVith Ecco so did halfe his wordes rebounde,
That scarce at first the sence might well appeare:
But thus me thought he spake as you shall heare.
Albanacte the yongest sonne of Brutus, telles of the finding of this lande, his fathers life, and his owne infortunate fall. He liued about the yeare before Christe. 1074.
SIthe flattering Fortune slyely could beguyle
Me first, of all the Princes of this lande:
And yet at firste on me did sweetely smyle:
Do marke me here that firste in presence stande,
And when thou wel my woūded corps hast scande
Then shalt thou see, what tale I mynde to frame,
In stories called Albanacte by name.
So if thou liste to heare what I resite,
If thou intende to showe my fatall fall:
I praye thee take the paynes my tale to wryte,
As I in order here repeate it shall,
What nedste thou muse: thou nedst not feare at al:
Sythe those that later liude their tales haue tolde.
Dur elder liues to wryte thou mayst be bolde.
Lay dreade aside, let nothing thee amase:
We haue dispaire of so vncoutched ryme.
Leaue of on mee with fearfull lookes to gase:
Thy pen may serue for such a tale as myne.
First will I tell thee all my fathers Lyne:
Then hither warde why he with Troianes mande
His boyadge made and founde this noble lande.
And last I minde to tell the of my selfe,
My life and death, a Tragedye so true,
As may approue your world is all but pelse,
And pleasures sweete whom sorrowes aye ensue:
Hereafter eke in order coms a crue,
Which can declare, of worldly pleasures vaine,
The price we all haue bought, with greeuous paine.
Well now I see thou putst apart thy fright,
(And giuste an care to heare not heard before)
I will declare the slorye all so right,
Thou shalt no whit haue neede t inquyre no more.
Do marke me well what I resite therefore,
And after write it and there with my name:
Let hardly mee receyue if ought be blame.
When Troy was sackt, and brent & could not stand,
A Eneas fled from thence Anchises sonne,
And came at length to king Latinus lande,
He Turnus slewe, Lauinia eke he wonne,
And reignde 3. yeares, Ascanius then his sonne
Reignde next to him, the Siluius was his heyre,
Begate my father of a Ladye fayre.
But when as Brutus fiftene yeares was olde,
(for so they calde my father by his name)
With Siluius then an hunting goe he would,
And thinking for to strike in chare the game,
His father that by thaunce beyonde it came
Receiude the glaunce, and through his tender syde
With deadly dint, the shaft did swiftly slyde.
So thoughe by chaunce, my father Brutus stewe
My graundsyre Siluius, sore against his will:
Which came by chaunce as be his arow drewe,
That thought the fearefull harte, not him to kill:
Yet was he banisht from Italia still:
Commaunded neuer to retourne no more,
Excepte he would his life to leese therefore.
On this to Greece, from thence he toke his waye:
Where Troians were by Grecians captiues kept.
Helenus was by Pirrhus brought awaye,
Frō death of those, whose fall their frends bewept.
My father all this while no busines slepte:
But by his facts, and feats obtainde such fame:
Seuen Thousande captiue Troians to him came.
A saracus a noble Greecian eke,
Who by his mother came of Troiane race:
Because be sawe my fathers powre not weke,
Came vnto him to ayde him in this case:
For that his brother thought him to deface,
Which was a Greeke by both his parents sydes,
His Castels three my father Brutus guides.
Thus hee, to be their captaine was content:
And all the Troians gathered to his bande,
Hist post unto the Greecian kinge he sent,
For to entreat he might depart his laude.
Which when King Pandrasus did vnderstande,
An armye straight he did therefore addresse,
On purpose all the Troians to suppresse.
Then whyle king Pandrasus at Spartine towne,
Thought them in desertes by, to circumuente:
My father with three thousande beate them downe:
Such fauoure loe him lady Fortune [...].
By Mars his force, their rayes I ranckes he rente:
And tooke Antigonus the brother of their king,
With others mo, as captiues home to bring.
The taken towne, from which the king was fled
My father with sire hundreth men did man:
Cache prisner was vnto his keper led,
To kepe in towne, the noble Troianes wan:
My father vnto woodes conueyde him than
Againe with his, and kepte him there by nighte,
To quayle the Greecians if they came to fighte.
And when the king had calde to mynde his foyle:
His flighte, and brother by the Troianes take:
The towne he loste, and Brutus had the spoyle:
He thought not so, the field and fight forsake,
But of his men a muster newe to make:
And so agayne for to vesiege the towne,
In hope reuenge, or winne his loste renowne.
By night my father that his purpose knewe,
Came forth from woodes wheras he wayted by:
The Troianes all th'vnarmid Greecians slewe,
Wēt through their [...], could non their force deny,
Unto the tente where Pandrasus did lye:
Wheras my father, tooke their king that night,
And saude his life as seemde a worthy wight.
Which victory when he had wisely won
The Troiane victoure did a counsayle call,
To knowe what beste were with the king be don:
Now tell (ꝙ he) what ransom aske we shall:
On which when none agreed scarce of all,
At lengthe Mempricius vp from seate did rise,
And silence made, gaue thus his counsayle wyse.
"I cannot Troianes but commend the facte,
"Of this our noble captaine worthy praise:
"Which thought, as t'was a wicked he yuous acts
"T'abridge the Grecian king of vitall dayes,
"Wee rather ought by clemency to rayse
"Our fame to sky, then by a sauage guyse,
"Sithe Gods and men, both cruelty despise.
"The cause we fought: was for the freedome all
"Of Troianes taken, we haue freedome won.
"Wee haue our purpose, and their king withall,
"To whom of rygour nothing ought be don:
"Though he the quarell with vs first began:
"And though we owe the fall of Troies requite:
"Yet let reuenge therof from Gods to light.
"His subiectes all, do wayle their ill pretence,
"And weapons layde asyde for mercy crye:
"They all confesse their plagues to come from thence,
"Where first from faith of Gods they seemde to flye,
"Their nobles dare not come the case to trye:
"But euen for peace with all their hartes they sue,
"And meekly grauute whence all their mischiefes grewe.
"The lady faire his daughter who surmountes,
"For vertues rare: for [...] braue, and grace:
"Both Heline fine, of whom they made accountes,
"And all the reste that come of Grecian race.
"She for hir father sues bewayles his case,
"And by hir wisdome, there and parentes loue:
"Doth us, and Brutus both to pity moue.
"Yet some will saye, he should depriued bee
"Of kingdome quite, and worthy Brutus should
"Receiue the seepter, this misliketh mee.
"To this [...] Brutus if we could
"Consent (I deme) agree he neuer would,
"So much him selfe ambitiously t'abuse:
"Or else a king vnkindly so to bse.
"For kingdomes sake a king at home to kill
"Were farre to bad, within his natiue lande:
"Though he by right or wrong directed still,
"His force gainste vs, that did him so withstande:
"The king hath therfore ay the sworde in hand,
"If any kicke against his poyntes of lawe:
"To cut them of, or kepe them vnder awe.
"Tis best O Brutus if thou like her take
"His daughter Innogen, vnto thy wyfe:
"And let the king a dowry large hir make:
"Golde, syluer, shippes, and corne for our reliefe:
"With other things wherof this lande is ryfe:
"That wee so fraughte may seeke some deserte shore,
"Where we and ours, may raigne for euer more.
This pleasde both Brutus and the Troianes all
Who wild foorth with that Pandrasus the kyng,
Should reuerently be brought into the hall,
And present, when they tolde him of this thing,
Great griefe and sorowe did his harte so sting,
we could not shewe by countenaunce or cheete,
That he it lykte, but spake as you shall heare.
"Sithe that the hatefull Gods haue yelded mee
"And eke my brother captiues to your handes,
"I am contente to doe as pleaseth yee,
"For feare I leese both life and goodes and landes,
"I muste be nedes content as fortune standes
"I giue my daughter, golde and syluer fyne
"With what for dowry else you craue is myne.
To make my tale the shorter if I maye,
My father then [...] maried by and by,
And all thinges else performed by a daye:
The king restorde that did in pryson lye:
The Troianes parted from the shores pardy
Did hoyse vp sayles: in two dayes and a night
Upon the [...] of Leogece they light.
And leausng of their shippes at roade, to lande
They wandering went the countrey for to veme,
Lo there a deserte [...] olde they fande:
And eke a temple (if reporte be true)
Wherin Diana to [...] credit grewe:
That sacrifice the Troianes counsayle gane
My father make, an aunswere for to haue.
And he no whit mistyking their aduice
Went foorth: and bid before the alter holde
In his right hand, a cup to sacrifice
Efylde with wyne, and whyte hyndes bloud scarce colde:
And then before hir stature straight he tolde
Deuoutly all his whole peticion there,
In better sorte then I repeate it here.
O Goddesse great in groaues that putst, wyide boares in feareful feare:
"And mayste go all the compas pathes, of euery ayrie sphere.
"Eke of th'infernall houses to, resolue the earthly rightes:
"And tell what countrey in to dwell thou gyuste vs Troiane wightes.
"Issigne a certayne seate where I, shall worship thee for aye:
"And where repleate with birgins, I erecte thy temples may.
When nyne tymes he had spoken this, and went
Fowre tymes the alter rounde and stayde agen:
He powrde the wyne and bloud in hande he hente
Into the fyre, O witlesse cares of men!
Suche foly mere, and blindnes great was then:
But if religion nowe biddes toyes farewell:
Embrace thats good, the vice of time I tell.
Mee layde him then downe by the alters syde
Upon the whyte mindes skin espred therfore:
It was the third [...] of the night a tyde
Of sweetest sleepe: he gaue him selfe the more
Do reste and sleepe: then seemed him before
Diana thaste the Goddesse to appeare,
And spake to him these wordes that you shall heare.
"O Brute farre vnder Phoebus fall, beyonde of fraunce that raigne:
"An Ilande in the Ocean is, with sea tis compaste mayne.
"An Ilande in the Ocean is, where Giantes once did dwell:
"But now a deserte place thats fit, will serue thy people well.
"To this direct thy race, for there shalbe thy seate for aye:
"And to thy sonnes there shalbe builte, an other stately Troye.
"Here of thy progenye and stocke, shall mighty kinges descende:
"And vnto them as subiecte, all the worlde shall bowe and bende.
On this he woke, with ioyfull chere and tolde
The vision all: and aunswer that it gaue.
So it reioyste their hartes a thousande folde
To shippes they gotte, away the shores they draue:
And hoysing sayles, for happy wyndes they craue:
In thirty dayes their voyage so they dight:
That on the coaste of Affrica they light.
Then to Philaenes alters they ataynde,
For so men call two hilles erectid ar
In Tunise lāde, two bretherne ground that gainde
For Carthage once, and wente tis sayde to far
On Cyren grounde for boundes, there buried wer:
Because they would not turne againe but striue
With Cyren men, they buried them alyue.
From thence they sayled vnto Saliues lake:
Twene Azarae hilles, and Ruscitadam
They paste, from thence to Maluae floud they gates
To Hercules his pillers sight they came:
And then to Tuscan seas wheras by fame
Not far from shore, like minded mates they finde,
Foure banishte races of the Troian kinde.
Companious of Antenor in his flighte,
But Corinaeus was their captayne than,
For counsayle calde a wyse and worthy wighte:
In warres the prayse for valiauntnes he wan.
My father did so frendely vse this man,
He was content and all his men besyde:
To try aduentures by my fathers guyde.
Then vnto Guynein fraunce they sayled thence,
And at the hauen of Loire they did ariue:
To ve we the countrey was their whole pretence,
And vitayles for their men and them atchiue,
Eke Corinaeus leste the Galles should striue,
Led foorth twoo hundreth of his warlike bande,
To get prouision to the shippes from lande.
But when the king Gofarius herde of this,
That Troianes were ariued on his shore:
With Frēchemen & with Guines, their power & his
He came to take the pray they gat before,
And when they met they fought it both full sore:
Till Corinaeus rushte into their bande,
And causde them flye, they durst no longer stande.
First might you there seen harts of Frēchmē broke,
Two hundreth Troianes gaue them all the foyle:
At home with oddes they durste not byde the stroke,
Fewe Troianes beate them in their natiue soyle.
Eke Corinaeus folowed in this broyle
So faste vpon his foes before his men:
That they retournde and thought to spoyle him then.
There he alone against them all, and they
Against him one, with all their force did fight,
At last by chaunce his sword was flowne away
By Fortune on an halberde then he light,
Which he did driue about him with such might,
That some their hands, & some their arms did leese,
Some legges, of some the head frō shoulders flees.
As thus amongst them all be fought with force,
And fortune great in daunger of his life,
My father had on him there with remorce:
Came with a troupe of men to ende the strife,
When Frenchmen same the Troians force so rife,
They fled a maye, vnto their losse and paine,
In fight and flight nighe all their host was slaine.
And in that broyle saue Corinaeus none
Did fight so fearcely, as did Turnus then,
My fathers cosin with his sworde alone,
Did sley that time welnighe sire hundreth men:
They found him dead as they retournd agen,
Amongst the Frenchmen, wounded boide of breath.
Which pinche my fathers hart as pangs of death.
On this they bode a whyle reuenge to yeilde
And to interre the dead, and Turnus slaine,
They tooke a towne not farre from place of fielde,
And built it strong to here the Galles againe:
The name they gaue it still doth yet remayne,
Syth there they buried Turnus yet men call
It Tours, and name the folke Turones all.
Which towne they left at last with Troianes mande
When as their ships were storde wt what they nede:
A borde, they hoyste vp sayles and left the lande,
By aybing windes they cut the seas with spede.
At lengthe the shining Albion clyues did feede,
Their gasing eyes, by meanes wherof they fande,
Out Totnes hauen, and tooke this promiste lande.
The countrie semed pleasaunt at the vewe,
And was by none inhabited as yet:
But certaine Giauntes whom they did pursue,
Which straight to caues in mountaines did thē get,
So fine were woodes, & floudes, and fountaines set
My father had no cause but like it well,
And gaue his souldiers places in to dwell.
And then this Ile that Albion had to name,
My father caused Britayne called bee:
And eke the people Britaynes of the same:
As yet in auncient recordes is to see.
To Corinaeus gaue he franke and free,
The lande of Cornwall, for his seruice don,
And for because, from Giauntes he it won.
Then sith our Troiane stocke came first from Troy,
My father thought that dutie did him bynde,
Sithe fortune thus had saude him from-anoye,
The auncient towne againe to call to minde.
He builte new Troye, and Troian lawes assignde,
Wherby his stocke to his eternall fame:
Might kepe of Troye the euerlasting name.
And setled there, in perfecte peace and reste,
Deuoyde of warre, of labours, strife or payne:
Then eke my mother, all his ioyes encreaste,
A prince she bare and after other twayne:
Was neuer king, of children erste so fayne,
Three sonnes because of Innogen he gate:
Locrinus, Camber, last me Albanacto.
Thus hauing welthe and eke the worlde at will,
Nor wanting ought that might his mynde content:
T'increase his power with wightes of warlike skill,
Was all his minde his purpose and intent.
Wherby if foes, inuasion after ment,
The Britaynes might not feare of foraine landes:
But kepe by fight, possessions in their handes.
Then when his people once perceaude his mynde,
(As what the prince doth often moste embrace,
To that the subiectes all are straight inclinde:
And reuerence still, in eache respecte his grace)
They gat in warre such knowledge in short space,
That after they their force to try begon:
They carde for nought by wyt or wight not won.
They got of Giantes moūtaines whence they came,
And woodes frō whēce they oft made wise they wold
Destroye and kill, when voyage out they framde
Or she wde them selues, in banding ouer bold:
Then straight the Britaynes, gladder then of gold
Were redy still, to fight at euery call:
Till time they had extiucte, the monsters all.
Whereby the king had cause to take delight,
And might be bolde the lesse to feare his toes:
Perdye eche Priuce may recke his enmyes spite,
Thereafter as his force in fight he knoes:
A Princely hart the liberall gifts disclose.
He gaue to eche such guerdons for their facts,
As might them onely moue to noble actes.
No labours great his subiects then refusot,
Nor trauailes that might like his regall miude,
But eche of them such exercise well vsde,
Wherein was praise or glorye greate to finde:
And to their leidge bare faithful harts so kinde,
That what he wild they all obeyde his beste,
Nought els was currant, but the kings request.
What Priuce aliue might more reioyce then [...]
Had faithfull men so baliaunt bolde and stout,
What pleasure more on carty could lightly [...]
Then winne an Isle and liue deuoyde of doubt:
An Isle saide [...] naye namde the world throughout
An other world, sith Sea doth it deuide
From th'earth, that wants not all ye world beside.
What subiects eke more happye were then these:
Had such a king of such a noble hart,
And such a lande enioyde and liude at ease,
Whereof eche man almost might chose his part:
No feare of foes, vnknowen was treasons arte,
No fayning frends, no fawning Gnatoes skill:
No Thrasoes brags, but bearing ech good will.
But as eache Sommer once receaues amende,
And as no state, can stable stande for aye:
As course of tyme doth cause thinges home & bende,
As cuery pleasure, hath hit ending daye:
As will, can neuer passe the power of mayc:
Euen so my father happy dayes that spente,
Perceaude he must by sickenesse laste relente,
As both the shipman well forsee the storme,
And knowes what daunger lyes in syrtes of sande:
Eke as the husband man prouides beforne,
When he perceaues the wynter colde at hande:
Euen so the wise that course of thiuges haue scande,
Can well the ende of sicknes great presage,
When it is ioynde with yeares of stooping age.
His counsayle all and we assembled were,
To byd vs hie, or haste there was no nede:
We went with them, this nemes vs caused feare
Sithe so he sent, he was not well in dede,
And when we all approtchte to him with spede:
To soone alasse, his grace right sicke we founde,
And him saluted as our duty bounde.
And casting of his doulfull eyes aside,
Not able well to moue his painefull head:
As silent we with teares his minde abyde,
He wild him selfe be rearid in his bed:
Which done with sight of vs his eyes he fed,
Eke pawsing so a whyle for breathe he stayde:
At lengthe to them, and vs thus myse be sayde.
"No marueyle fare though you, herewith be sad,
"You noble Britaynes, for your Brutus sake:
"Sithe whilome me your captaine stout you had,
"That nome my leaue and last farewell must take:
"Thus nature willes me once an ende to make:
"And leaue you here behinde, which after mee:
"Shall come as I departe before you ice.
"You wot wherfore I with the Grecians foughte,
"With dinte of sworde I made their force to flye:
"Antenors frendes on Tuscane shores I soughte,
"And did you not my promiste lande denye.
"By Martiall powre I made the Frenchmen flye,
"Where you to saue I loste my faithfull frense:
"For you, at Tours my Turnus tooke his ende.
"I [...] not now, resite what loue I bare,
"My frendship you I truste haue founde so well:
"That none emongste you all which present are,
"With teares doth not recorde the tale I tell.
"Eke whom I founde for vertues to excell,
"To them I gaue the price therof as de we:
"As they deserude, whose factes I founde so true.
"Nowe must I proue, if paynes were well [...],
"Or if I spente my gratefull giftes in bayne:
"Or if these great good turnes to you I owde,
"And might not aske your loyall loues agayne.
"Which if I wist what tonge could tell my payne,
"I meane if you vngratefull mindes do beare:
"What meaneth death, to let me linger here.
"For if you shall abuse your prince in this,
"The Goddes on you for such an heynous facte:
"To take reuenge be sure will neuer misse:
"And then to late you will repente the acte,
"When all my realme and all your welthes are facte,
"But if you shall as you begon procede:
"Of kingdomes fall or fces there is no dreede.
"And to auoyde contention that may fall,
"Because I wishe this realme the Britaynes still:
"Therefore I will declare before you all,
"Sithe you are come, my whole intent and will.
"Which if you kepe, and wreste it not to ill,
"There is no doubte, but euermore with fame:
"You shall enioye the Britaynes realme and name.
"You see my somes, that after me must raigne,
"Whom you or this haue liekte and counsaylde well:
"You know what erst you wisht they should refraine,
"Which way they might all vices vile expell:
"Which way they might in vertues great excell:
"Thus if you shall, when I am gone insue,
"You shall discharge the truste reposde in you.
"Be you their fathers, with your counsayle wise,
"And you my children take them euen as mee.
"Be you their guydes, in what you can deuise:
"And let their good instructious teache you three,
"Be faithfull all, as brethren ought agree:
"For concorde kepes a real me, in stable staye:
"But discarde bringes all kingdomes to decape.
"Recorde to this mine cldest sonne I giue,
"This midle parte of realme to holde his owne:
"And to his heyres that after him shall lyue,
"Also to Camber that his parte be knowne,
"I giue that laude that lies welnighe oregrowne:
"With woodes Norwest & mountaynes mighty bie,
"Twene this and that, the Stutiae streame doth lye.
"And vnto the my yongest sonne that arte,
"Myne Albanacte I giue to thee likewise:
"As muche to be for thee and thine a parte,
"As Northe beyende the arme of sea there lyes.
"Of which loe here, a map before your eyes,
"Lo here my sonnes my kingdome all you haue:
"For which I nought, but this remember craue.
"Firste that you take these fathers graue for mee,
"Imbrace their counsaile euen as it were myne:
"Next that betwene your selues you will agree,
"And neuer one at others welthe repine:
"See that ye byde still bounde with frendly lyne,
"And laste my subiectes, with such loue retayne:
"As long they may your subiectes eke remayne.
"Lo nowe I fele my breath beginnes to fayle,
"My time is come, giue eche to me your hande,
"Farewell, farewell, to mourne will not preuayle:
"I see with knife where Atropos doth stande,
"Farewell my frendes; my children and my lande,
"And farewell all my subiectes, farewell breathe,
"Farewell ten thousand tymes, and welcome deathe.
And euen with that he turnde, himselfe a syde,
And gasped thryse, and gaue a way the ghost:
Then all at once with mourning voyce they cryde.
And all his subiects cke, from lest to most
Lamenting fild with wayling teares ech coast:
Perdy the Britaynes all, with one assent:
Did for their king, full doulfully lament.
But what auayles, to striue against the tyde?
Or els to sayle, against the streame and winde:
What booteth it against the clyues to ryde:
Or els to worke against the course of kinde:
Sith nature hath the ende of thinges assiude,
There is no nay, we must perforce departe:
Gainst dint of deaty, there is no ease by arte.
As custome wild wee funerals preparde,
And al wt moutning cloathes, and there did come:
To laye this king on Beere we had regarde,
In Royal sort, as did his corps become,
His Herce prepard, we brought him to his tombe,
At Troynouant, he built where he did dye,
Was he entombde: his Royal corps doth lye.
Thus raignd yt worthy king, that found this land
My father Brutus, of the Troian blood:
And thus he dyed when he fulwell had mande,
This noble Realme with Britaynes fearce and good:
And so a while in stable state it stoode,
Till [...] deuided had, this realme in three,
And I to soone, receiude my part to mee.
Then straight through all the world gan fame to flye,
A monster swifter none is vnder son:
Encreasing, as in waters wee descrye,
The cyrcles small, of nothing that begon.
Which at the length, vnto such breadth do come,
That of a drop which from the skyes doth fall:
The cyrcles spread, and hide the watersall.
So fame in flight increaseth more and more,
For at the first she is not scarcely knowne:
But by, and by, she [...] from shore to shore:
To cloudes from th'earth her stature straight is growne,
There what soeuer by her trompe is blowne:
The sound that both by sea, and land out flyes,
Reboundes againe, and verberats the skyes.
They say the earth, that first the giaunts bred,
For anger that the Gods did them dispatche,
Brought forth this sister, of those monsters dead:
Full light of foote swift winges the winds to catch:
Such monster erst did Nature neuer hatche:
As manye plumes she hath from top to toe,
So many eyes them vnder watche or moe.
And tongues do speake, so many eares do harke,
By night twene heauen, she flyes and earthly shade:
And shreaking takes no quiet steepe by darke.
On houses rowfes, or to wres as keeper made
She sittes by day, and Cities threats t'inuade.
And as she telles, what thinges she sees by veme:
She rather shewes thats fained false, then true.
This fame declarde, that euen a people finall,
Had landed here: and found this pleasaunt Ile,
And how that now it was deuided all
Into three parts, and might within a while
Be won, by force, by treason, fraude or guile:
Wherefore she moues her frends, to make assay.
To win the price, aud beare our pompe away.
A thousand thinges beside, she bruites and telles,
And makes the most of euery thing she heares:
Long time of us she talkes and nothinge els,
Eke what shee seeth, abroade in hast she beares.
With tatling toyes and tickleth so their eares,
That needes they must to flattering Fame assent:
Though afterwards they do therefore lament.
By East from hence, a countrey large doth lye,
Vngaria eke of Hunnes it hath to name,
And hath Danubius floud on South it by,
Deuiding quite from Austria the same:
From thence a king was named Humber came:
Du coastes of Albanie did he ariue,
In hope this lande of Britaine to achiue.
Which when by postes of subiects I did heare,
How enmies were ariued on my shore:
I gathered all my souldiers voyde of feare,
And backe the Hunnes by force and might I bore.
But in this battaile was I hurt so sore,
That in the field of mounds I had I dyde.
And left my men as flockes without a guide.
Such was my fate, to benture on so bolde,
My rashue s was the cause of all my wot:
Such is of all our glorye vaine the hope,
So soone we pompe and pleasures all sorgoe:
So quickly are we rest our kingdomes froe:
And such is all the caste of Fortunes playe,
When lest we thincke, to cut vs quite awaye.
I demde my selfe an beauenly happie wight,
When once I had my part to raigne within,
But see the chaunce what hap did after light:
Or I could scace t'enioy my glee begin:
A Hunne did [...], from me my realme to win:
And had his will O flatering Fortune fye,
What meanst thou thus to worke with Princes [...].
You worthy wariours, learne by mee beware,
Let wisedome worke, lay rashnes al apart:
When as with enmyes you encountred are,
You must endeuour, all your skilfull art:
By witty wyles, with force to make your mart:
Wit nought auailes, late bought with care and cost,
If you repent when life and labours lost.
FINIS.
The Authour.
WYth that the vvounded Prince departed quite,
From sight he slinckte, I savv his shade no more,
But Morpheus bade remember this to vvrite,
And therevvithall presented mee before,
A vvight vvet dropping from the vvaters shore
In Princely vveede, but like a vvarlike man,
And thus mee thought his story he began.
Humber the king of Hunnes shewes how he minding to conquere this land vvas drowned. &c. He liued about the yeare before Christ. 1074.
THough yet no forraine Princes in this place,
Haue come to tell their haplesse great mishap:
Yet giue me leaue a while to pleade my case.
And shewe howe I slipt out of Fortunes lap:
Perchaunce some others will eschewe the trap
VVherein I fell, and both themselues be ware.
And also seeke the lesse thy countreys care.
I am that Humber kinge of Hunnes that came
To win this Islande, from the Britaynes fell:
UUas drownde in Humber where I left my name.
A iust reward for him that liude so well
At home, and yet thought others to expell,
Both from their Realme and right: O filthy fye
On such ambition earst as vsed I.
But I must blame report, the chiefest cause
Of my decaye: beware of rashe report:
Tis wisedome first to take a while some pause,
Before to dint of daungers you resort:
Least when you come in hast to scale the fort:
By rashe assaule some engin, shaft, or fyre
Dispatcht you quite, or make you soone retyre.
For vnto mee the rumors daily flewe,
That here a noble Hande might be won:
The king was dead: no warres the people knewe,
And eke themselues to striue at home begon.
It were (quoth I) a noble acte well don,
To win it then: and there withall did make
Prouision good, this famous Ise to take.
A war like regall campe prouided was,
And shipps, and vitaile for my Hunnes and mee:
By sea to Britaine conquest for to passe,
If Gods there to and heauenly starres agree:
At length wee came to shores of Albanie,
And there to fight with Britaynes pitcht our field:
In hope to make them flinche, flye, fall or yeelde,
They met vs, longe we fearcely faught it out,
And doubtful was the victours part of twaine,
Till with my Hunnes I rusht amonge the route,
And faught, till that king Albanact was staine.
Then they to yeeld and pardon craue were faine,
And I with [...] great receiude the pray:
And marched forward, fleshe with such a fray.
I past an arme of Sea, that would to God
I neuer had bin halfe so bold at furst:
I made to beate my selfe withall a rod,
When so within their Realme I venture durst:
But marke my tale thou hearst not yet the worst.
As sure I thought the rest to circumuent:
By spyes before, they knew my whole intent.
And or I wiste, when I was come to lande:
Not farre from shore, two Princes were preparde,
Their scoutes conueyde away my shipps they fand,
And of my shipmens fleshe they nothing sparde,
To rescue which, as backe againe I farde:
The armyes twaine were at my heeles behinde
So closde me in, I wist no waye to winde.
On th'east Locrinus with an armye great:
By West was Camber with an other bande:
By North an arme of Sea the shoores did beate,
Which compast mee and mine within their lande:
No way to scape was there, but water fande,
Which I must taste or els the swords of those,
Which were to mee and mine full deadly foes.
So when I same the best of all mine boste,
Beate downe with bats, shot, slaine or forst to swim:
My selfe was faine likewise to flye the coast,
And with the rest the waters entred in.
A simple shift for Princes to begin:
Yet far I demde it better so to dye,
Then at mine enmyes foote an abiecte lye.
But when I thus had swam with hope to scape,
If I might wend the water waues to passe:
The Britaynes that before my ships had gate,
Can watche mee, where amidst the surge I was:
Than with my boates they rowde to me alas,
And all they cryde kepe Humber kept their king:
That to our Prince we may the craytour bring.
So with my boates beset poore Humber I
Wiste no refuge: my werye armes did ake:
My breath was short: I had no powre to crye,
Or place to stand while I my plaint might make:
The water cold made all my ioyntes to shake:
My hart did beate with sorrow, griefe and paine:
And downe my cheekes, salt teares they gusht amaine.
O must thou pelde, and shall thy boates betraye
Thy selfe (quoth I) no mercy Britaynes haue:
O would to God I might escape awaye:
I wot not yet if pardon I may craue:
Although my deedes deserue no life to haue,
I will: I will: death: bondage beast am I
In maters thus, in foraine soyle to dye.
With that I clapt my quauering hands abrode,
And held them vp to heauen, and thus I saide:
O Gods that know the paines that I haue [...],
And iust reuengment of my rashnes paide,
And of the death of Albanacte betraide
By mee and mine: I yelde my life therefore,
Content to dye, and neuer greeue yee more.
Then straight not opening of my handes, I bowde
My selfe, and set my head my armes betweene:
And downe I sprang, with all the force I cowde:
So duckte, that neither head nor foote were seene:
And neuer sawe my foes againe I weene,
There was I drounde the Britaynes to my fame:
Yet call that arme of Sea by Humbers name.
Take heede by mee, let my presumption serue:
And let my folly, fall, and rashnes bee:
A glasse wherein to see if thou do swerue,
Thou mayste thy selfe perceiue somewhat by mee.
Let neither trust, nor treason traine forth thee:
But be content with thine estate, so shall
No wrath of God, procure thy haplesse fall.
If thou be forrayne bide within thy soyle:
That God hath giuen to thee and thine to holde,
If thou oppression meane beware the foyle:
Beare not thy selfe, of thee or thine to bolde:
Or of the feates thy elders did of olde,
For God is iust, iniustice will not thriue:
He plagues the prowde, preserues the good aliue.
FINIS.
The Authoure.
THen vanishte Humber, and no sooner gon
VVas he but straight in place before me came.
A princely wight, had complet harnes on,
Though not so complet as they now do frame:
He seemde sometime t'aue bene of worthy fame:
In breste a shafte with bleeding wounde he bare,
And thus he tolde the cause of all his care.
Locrinus the eldest sonne of Brutus, declareth his slaughter to haue happened for his euill life. He died the yeare before Christe. 1064.
YF euer any noble prince might rewe,
His factes are paste, long since the same may I:
That would to God it were not farre to true,
Or that I iustly could my faultes denye:
The truthe of thinges the ende or tyme doth trie,
As well by me is seen: my haplesse fall,
Declares whence came my greate misfortunes all.
I am Locrinus, seconde Britayne king:
The [...] sonne of him that founde this lande:
Whose death to me my mischiefes all did bring,
And causde why first I tooke my death in bande.
He chiefly wylde me when he gaue this lande,
I should be rulde, by all his counsayles will:
And vse their iudgmentes in my dealings still.
But what do I accuse my fathers heste,
What meane I here th'unfauty for to blame?
All he commaunded euen was for the beste:
Though in effecte of beste the worste became.
So thinges ofte times well mente vnfitly frame:
So often times the counsayle of your frende:
Apparent good, fawles faulty in the eude.
For as he wisht I vsde his counsayles ayde,
In eache thing that I deemde was good for mee:
I neuer ought that they desirde denayde:
But did to all their mindes and hestes agree.
And Corinaeus sawe my harte so free,
By diuers meanes, he sought this match to make:
That to my wife, I might his daughter take.
But I that wiste not then what mariage ment,
Did straight agree his Guendoline to haue:
Yet afterwarde suspecting his intent,
My frendes to me this pointe of counsaile gaue:
That who so doth of Prince aliaunce craue,
He meanes thereby to worke some point of ill,
Or else to frame the prince vnto his will.
It may well be he mente no euill at all,
But wise men alwayes vse to dreade the-worste:
And sithe it was, the fountaine of my fall:
From whence the springe of all my sorowes burste,
I may well thinke was some of vs accurste,
For why the ende, doth alwayes proue the facte:
By ende weiudge the meaning of the acte.
I made no haste, to wed my spoused wyfe:
I wiste I could as yet without hir byde:
I had not tasted toyes of trayned life:
I dcemde them fooles by Cupides darte that dide:
I Venus vise and all hir force defide:
And liude at reste, and rulde my land so well,
That men delighted of my factes to tell.
My brethren eke long weldid well their partes:
We feard no foes, we thought our state would stand.
We gaue our selues to learned skilfull artes:
Wherin we other fruite, or pleasur fand:
And we enioyde so fine a fruitfull land,
That fewe in earth, might with our states compare,
We lyude so voyde of noysome carke, and care.
But see the chaunce when least we thought of ill,
When we esteamde our state to be moste sure:
Than came a flawe to bridle all our will,
For straungers far, gan vs to warre procure:
And euen when first, they put their pranke in vre,
On Albane shores my brother there they slewe:
Whose death we after made the Hunnes to rue.
When he was dead they hopte to winne the reste,
And ouer Abi streame with haste did hie:
But I and eke my brother Camber dreste,
Our armies straight, and came their force to trie:
We brake their rayes, and forste their king to flie,
Into the arme of Sea they ouer came:
Where Humber brounde yt waters tooke his name.
We ether slewe or tooke them captiues all,
Emongst the which O mischiefe great to tell!
The Gods to worke mine ouerthrow and fall
Sent ladies three, whose beauties did excell:
Of which because I liked one so well,
I tooke hir straight, nor she did ought denie:
But eche thing graunted so she might not dye.
Thus Humber we this hatefull hungery king,
In Humber drenshte: and him depriude of pride:
And of his loftie ladies he did bring,
He loste the praye: and all his men beside.
And we the spoiles of all his hoaste deuide,
But I that thought, I had the greatest share:
Had caught the cause of all my wofull care.
They calde this lady Elstride whome I tooke,
Whose bewty braue did so my wittes confounde:
That for hir sake my promise I for sooke,
Wherby I was to Gwendoline first bounde.
Me thought no lady went on earthely grounde
That might alure me, euer chaunge my minde:
So was I caught by snares of Cupide blynde.
Was neuer none before so likte mine eye,
[...] hir more then I coulde loue my life:
Hir absence still me thought did cause me die.
I surely mente to take hir to my wife.
But see howe beauty breadeth deadly strife,
Lo here began my whole confusion here:
Sprang out ye shaft frō which this wounde I beare.
For Corinaeus had no soner hearde,
That I did meane his daughter to forsake:
But straight as one, that did nought else regarde,
In haste his voyage towardes me did take:
And come, declarde what promise I did make,
From whiche he saide if once I sought to slioe:
It should by dinte of sworde, and bloud be tride.
But if I would hir take, as erste I sayde,
And not this straunger choose against his minde:
His helpe he promiste at eache time, and ayde
To be so redy, as I wishte to finde:
He furder sayde my contrey did me bynde,
To take such one as all my subiectes knewe:
Sithe straungers to their foes are neuer true.
I wayde his wordes, and thought he wishte me wel:
But yet because his stocke should gaine therby,
I reckte them lesse: and yet the truthe to tell,
I durste not dare my promise made denye:
For well I wiste, if once it came to trye:
It would both weaken all this noble lande,
And doubtfull be, who should ha th'upper hande.
Thus nedes perforce I must his daughter take,
And must leaue of, to loue where I delighte:
I was constrainde contentio to forsake:
The forme that moste did captiuate my sighte,
What lucke had I on such a lote to lighte:
What ment you Goddes that me such fortune gane,
To caste my minde on hir I might not haue.
To shorte my tale, his Guendoline I tooke,
I was contente against my will: what then:
Nore quite for this, myne Elstride I forsoke:
For why, I wrought by skill of cunning men,
A vaulte along vnder the grounde a denne:
Hir companie wherin I vsed still,
There we acco mplishte, our vnhappy will.
There I begat my Sabrine sely childe,
That virgine sinall, myne Elstride bare to mee:
Thus I my wife full often did beguilde,
Which after warde did beare a sonne to mee,
Namde Madan: yet we neuer could agree,
And he that was the cause, she was my bryde:
This whyle hir father Corinaeus dyde.
Which when I hearde, I had my hartes desire:
I craude no more, there was my ende of griefe.
At leste I thought to quenche Cupidoes fire,
And eke to worke my lusting loues reliefe:
I mente no more to steale it like a thiefe:
But maried Elstride, whom I loude as lyfe,
And for hir sake, I put away my wyfe.
Likewise I causde was Elstride queene proclaimde:
And tooke hir as my lawfull wyfe by right,
But Gwendoline that sawe hir selfe sisoainde,
Straight fled, and moude the Cornishe men to fight,
To them, when she declarde hir pitious plighte:
In haste they [...] an army for to bee,
Reueugers of my newe made queene and mee.
And I likewise an armie did prepare,
I thoughte to [...], their courage all by force:
But to my coste I founde to late beware,
There is no strengthe in armoure, man or horse,
Can vayle, if loue on wronged take remorce:
For he on whom the deadly darte doth lighte,
Can neuer scape: by ransome, frende or flighte.
So when our armies met night Stura streame,
The trompettes [...] and I denide the peace:
I minded to erpell them all the realme,
Or else to make them euer after cease:
And they except I Elstride would releace,
(They sayde) and take my Gwendoline againe:
They would reuenge the wrong, or else be slayne.
On this we met and valiauntly we fought,
On eather side, and nether parte did yelde:
So equaly they fell, it was great doubtr,
Which part should haue the better of the fielde:
But I to boldr, rushte in with sworde and sheelde
To breake their rayes, so hasty men get smarte:
An arrowe came, and stroke me to the harte.
Then was I brought to Troynouant and there,
My body was enterrid as you reade:
When I had raigned all out twenty yere,
Lothus I liuve, and thus became I deade:
Thus was my crowne depriued from my heade,
And all my pompe, my princely troupe and trayne,
And I to earth, and duste resolude agayne.
Now warne estates, let this for wedlorke serue,
Beware of chaunge it will not holde out longe,
For who so mindeth from his make to swerue:
Shal sure at lengthe, receiue reuenge for wrong:
Tis foly fight with God, h'is farte to stronge:
For though ye colour all, with coate of right:
Yet can no fained farde, deceiue his sight.
Finis.
The Authour.
WIth that this king, vvas vanisht quite and gone:
And as a miste, dissolued into ayre:
And I vvas left, vvith Morpheu all alone:
VVho represented straigt a Lady fayre:
Of frendes depriude, and left in deepe dispaire,
As eke she spake, all vvet in cordes fast bounde:
Thus tolde she hovv, she vvas in vvaters drounde.
Elstride the concubine of Locrinus myserably drowned by Gwendoline his vvyfe, declares her presumption, lewde life and infortunate fall. She suffered before Christe. 1064.
ANd must I needes my selfe resite my fall
Poore woman I: must I declare my fate:
Must I the first saue three amongste vs all,
Shew how I thrise, fell from my Princely [...]
And from the loftye seate on which I sate;
If needes I must, then well content I will:
Lest here my place in vaine I seeme to fill.
[...] Locrinus loude,
[...] daughter came frō Germaines land:
[...] of beauty many Princes moude,
[...] for grace, and fauour at my hand.
Which bruite once blowne abrond in euery land,
One Humber king of Hunnes with al his traine:
To come to mee, a suiter was full faine.
What neede I tell, the giftes to mee he gaue,
Or shew his suite or promise he me plight,
Sith wel you know a Prince nede nothing craue:
May nigh [...] ech thing as twere his right.
For as the fowle before the Eagles sight
Euen so me fall, submit and yeld vs still,
At Prince his call, obeysaunt to his will.
And for that time the Hunnes full mighty were,
And did increase, by martiall feates of warre:
Therefore our Germaine kings agaste did beare,
Them greater fauour then was neede by farre,
My father durst not Humbers hest debarre,
Nor I my selfe, I rather was content:
In hope of crowne with Humber to consent.
Two Princely Dames with me came then away,
He bragde to wiune these country partes all three,
We Ladies rather was this Priuce his pray:
Because he promist that we Queenes should bee.
We came to coste these country coasts to see,
Sith he on whom our hope did wholy stande:
Was drownd, namde Humber waters, lost the lande.
For as you heard before when he [...],
He had wonne all because he won a part:
Straight way he was againe thereof deposde,
Constrainde to flye, and swim for life poore [...]
Loe here the cause, of all my douleful smarte,
This noble king with whom I came to raigne:
Was [...], & drownde vnto my greuous paine.
Then were his souldiers taken, slaine or spoilde,
And wel were they, that could make suite for life:
Was neuer such an armye sooner foilde:
O wofull warre, that flowste in floudes of strife!
And carst not whom thou cutste with cruell knife!
Or had not Venus fraught my face with hewe,
I had no longer liude, my forme to rewe.
For as I came a captine with the reste,
My countenaunce did shewe as braue as Sunne:
Ech one that sawe my natiue hewe were preste,
To yelde themselues by beames of beauty won:
My fame straight blowne to gaze on mee they ron,
And said I paste eche worldly wight as farre:
As Phoebus [...] the morning starre.
Like as you see in darkes if light appeare,
Straight way to thatech man directes his eye:
Euen so amongst my captiue mates that were:
When I did speake, or make my plaints with cry,
Theu all on mee they stared by and by:
Bemoning of my fates, and fortune soe.
As they had bin partakers of my woe.
My fourme did praise my plea, my sighes they suide,
My teares entiste their hartes some ruth to take:
My sobbes in sight, a seemely hewe reneude:
My wringing hands, wan suiters shift to make:
My sober southes did cause them for my sake:
Mee to commende, vnto their noble kinge,
Who wilde they should me into presence bringe.
Which when I came in cordes as captiue bounde,
O King (quoth I) whose power we feele to strong:
O worthy wighte, whose Fame to skyes doth sounde:
Do pitie me, that neuer wishte the wronge:
Release mee one thy captiues all amonge:
Which from my frends, by fraude am brought away,
A Prince his daughter, drounde in deepe decaye.
Now as thou art a Prince thy selfe of might,
And maist do more then I do dare desire:
Let me (O Kinge) finde fauour in thy sight,
Asswage somewhat thy deadly wrath and ire:
No part of manhode tis for to require:
A Ladyes death thee neuer did offende,
Sith that thy foe, hath brought her to this ende.
But let me rather safely be conuaide.
O gracious king, once home before I dye:
Or let me on thy Queene, be wayting maide.
If it may please thy royal maiestye:
Or let me raunsome paye, for libertye:
But if thou minde reuenge of vnwrought ill,
Why spare you Britaynes this my corps to kill:
With that the king: good Lady fayre what iste
Thou canst desire or aske, but must obtaine?
Eke would to God with all my hart I wiste,
Best waye to ease thee of thy wofull paine:
But if thou wilt do here with mee remaine,
If not content, conductours shalt thou haue,
To bring thee home, and what thou els wilt craue.
As for my Queene, as yet I none possesse,
Therefore thou rather maiste voutchsafe to take
That place thy selfe: then waite on her I gesse,
Whose beautye with thy face no match can make:
The Gods denye that I thy heste forsake,
I saue thy life, eke God forbid that I,
Should euer cause so fayre a Ladye dye.
O King (quoth I) the Gods preserue thy grace,
The heauens requite thy mercy shewde to mee,
And all the starres, direct thy regall race
In happye course, long length of yeares to see:
The earth with fertile fruites inriche so thee:
That thou maist still like Justice her dispose,
And euer more treade downe thy deadly foes.
The noble king commaunded to vnbinde,
Mine armes, and let mee lewce, and free at will,
And afterward such fauour did I finde
That as his Queene I was [...] still:
And I enioyde all pleasures at my [...]:
So that they quite had quenched out my thrall,
And I forgate my former fortunes all.
Thus lo by fauoure I obtainde my suite,
So had my beauty set his brest on fire,
That I could make Locrinus euen as muite,
Or pleasaunt as my causes did require:
And when I knewe he could no way retyre:
I praide he would his fauour so extende,
As I might not be blamed in the ende.
For if (quoth I) you take me as your owne,
And eke my loue to you haue constant beene:
Then let your loue like wise againe be showne,
And wed me as you said your spouse and Queene:
If since in mee misliking you haue seene:
Then best depart betime before defame,
Begin to take from Elstride her good name.
No wauering hart (said he) Locrinus beares,
No sayned flatery shall thy fayth deface:
Thy beauty, birth, fame, vertue, age and yeares
Constraine mee both, thee and thy hestes imbrace:
I must of force, giue thy requestes a place,
For as they do with reason good consent,
Euen so I graunt thee all thy whole inteut.
Then was the time appointed and the day,
In which I should be wedded to this kinge,
But in this case, his counsaile causde a staye,
And sought out meanes at discord vs to bringe:
Eke Corinaeus claimde a former thing,
A precontract was made and full accorde,
Betweene his daughter, and my soueraigne Lorde.
And yet the King did giue me comfort still,
He said he could not so forsake my loue,
Yet euermore would beare me all good will:
As both my beauty and desertes did moue:
But still the ende doth who is fauty proue,
His counsaile at the last did him constraine
To marry her, vnto my [...] paine.
At which I coulde not but with hate repine,
It [...] mee, his mate that should haue beene,
To liue in bate, a prince his concubine
That euer had such hope to be his Queene.
The steppes of state are full of wo and teene,
For when wee thincke we haue atainde the throne:
Then straight our pōpe & pride is quite orethrone.
Lotwise I fell from hope of Princely crowne,
First when vnhappy Humber lost his life,
And next I laide my peacockes pride adowne,
When as I could not be Locrinus wife:
But oft they say the thirde doth ende the strife,
Which I haue proude: therefore the sequel ve me
The thirde payes home, this prouerbe is to true.
This kinge could not refraine his former minde,
But vsde me still, and I my doubtfull yeares
Did linger on, I knew no shift to finde,
But past the time full oft with mourning teares.
A concubine is neuer voyde of feares,
For if the wyfe her at aduauntage take:
In radge reuenge with death she seekes to make.
Likewise I wiste if once I sought to flye,
Or to entreate the kinge depart I might,
Then would he straight be discontent with mee,
Yea if I were pursued vpon the flight,
Or came deflourde into my parents sighte:
I should be taken, kept perforce, or slaine:
Or in my country liue in great disdaine.
In such a plight, what might a woman doe,
Was euer Lady fayre, in such a [...]
O wretched wight bewrapt in webbes of woe!
That still in dread wast tost from place to place,
And neuer foundest meane to ende thy race:
But still in doubt of death, in carking care,
[...] liue a life deuoyde of all welfare.
The king perceiuing well my chaunged cheare,
To case my hart withall deuisde deceats,
By secrete wayes I came deuoyde of feare,
In baultes, by cunning Masons crafty feats:
Whereas wee safely from the Queene her threats,
Perdy the King and I so vsde our arte,
As after turnde vs both to paine and smarte.
By him I had my Sabrine small my childe,
And after that his wife her father loste,
I meane he dyed and she was straight exilde,
And I made Queene vnto my care and coste:
For she went downe to Cornevval straight in peste,
And caused all her fathers men to ryse,
With all the force, and strengthe they might deuyse.
My king and hirs, with me, gainst hir preparde
An army strong: but when they came to fighte,
Dame Guendoline did war at length to harde:
And of our king vs both deposed quite,
For from hir campe an arrowe sharpe did lighte
Upon his breste, and made him leaue his breath:
Lo thus this king came by vntimely death.
Then I to late, began in vayne to flye,
And taken was presented to the queene,
Who me behelde with cruell tigres eye,
"O queene (ꝙ she) that cause of warres haste bene
"And deadly hate, the like was neuer seene:
"Come on for these my bandes shall ridde thy life,
"And take reuengement of our mortall strife.
"I longed long to bring thee to this baye,
"And thou likewyse hast sought to sucke my bloud.
"Nowe arte thou taken, in my spoyles a praye,
"That causde my life full long in daunger stoode:
"I wyll both teache thy selfe, and others good
"To breake the bandes of faithfull wedlocke plight,
"And giue thee that which thou deseruidste right.
"O harlote whore, why should I stay my handes:
"O painted picture, shall thy lookes thee saue:
"Nay bynde hir faste both hande and foote in bandes,
"And let hir some straunge kinde of tormentes haue.
"What strōpet stues, thinkste for thou seemist braue?
"Dr for thy teares, or sighes, to scape my sight:
"My selfe will rather banquishe thee by fight.
"Thou rather shouldste my vitall breath depriue,
"Then euer scape if none were here but wee,
"But now I will not file my handes to striue,
"Dr else to touche so vile a drabe as shee.
"Come on at once, and bring hir after mee,
"With hande and feete as I commaunded bounde:
"And let me see, hir here as Humber drounde.
A thousand things beside, she spake in rage,
While that a caytife did with cordes me binde,
No teares, nor subbes, nor sighes might ought aswage
The gelous queene, or molifie hir mynde.
Occasions still hir franticke head did finde,
And when shee spake, hir cyes did leame as fire:
Shee lookte as pale as chalke with wrathfull Ire.
Ne stoode she still but with hir handes on syde,
Walkte vp and down, & ofte hir palmes she stroke.
"My husbande nowe (ꝙ she) had not thus dyde:
"If such an harlote, whore he had not tooke,
And there withall shee gaue me such a looke,
"As made me quake, what lettes (ꝙ she) my knife,
"To ridde this whore my husbandes second wife:
"His dead, I liue, and shall I saue hir life?
O queene (ꝙ I) if pitie none remayne,
But I be slayne or brounde as Humber was:
Then take thy pleasure by my pinching paine,
And let me hence as thou appointistc passe:
But take some pity on my childe alasse,
Thou knowste the infante made no faulte but hee,
Thats dead and I therfore reuenge on mee.
"No basterds here shall liue to dispossesse
"My sonne (she said) but sithe thou soughtiste fame:
"I will prouide for hir a kingdome lesse,
"Whiche shall hereafter euer haue hir name.
"Thou knowste wherof the name of Humber came,
"Euen so Sabrina, shall this streame be calde:
"Sithe Sabrine me, as Humber Locrine thralde.
With that my childe was Sabrine brought in sight,
And when she see me take in bandes to lie,
Alasse (she cryde) what meanes this pitious plight,
And downe she fell before the queene with crye,
"O queene (ꝙ she) let me more rather dye,
"Then she thats giltlesse should, for why thy king
"Did as his captiue, hir to lewdnes bring.
Which when I same the kindnes of the childe,
It burst my harte much more then dome of deathe:
Poore little lam be with countinance how milde
She pleaded still, and I for wante of breathe,
With wofull teares, that laye hir feete beneathe
Could not put forth a worde, our liues to saue,
Or if therfore I might a kingdome haue.
Hir pitious plaintes, did somwhat death withdrawe
For as she long behelde the queene with teares:
"(ꝙ she) let me bane rigoure boyde of lawe,
"In whome the signe of all thy wrath appeares,
"And let me die my fathers face that beares:
"Sithe be is dead, and we are boyde of staye,
"Why should I thee, for life or mercy praye.
"My mother may to Germanye retourne,
"Where she was borne, and if it please thy grace,
"And I may well lye in my fathers tombe,
"If thou wilt graunt his childe so good a place.
"But if thou thinke my bloude is farre to bace,
"Although I came by both of princly line:
"Then let me haue what shroude thou wilt asigne.
With that the queene replide with milder there,
And saide the childe was wonders wise and wittie:
But yet shee would not hir reuenge forbeare,
"For why (ꝙ she) the prouerbe sayes that pitie,
"Hath leudly loste full many a noble citie.
"Then Elstride now prepare thy selfe therfore
"To die, take leaue, but talke to me no more.
On this my leaue I tooke, and thus I sayde,
Farewell my countrey, Germanye farewell,
Ade we the place from whence I was conueyde,
Farewell my father, and my frendes there dwell:
My Humber drounde, as I shalbe farewell:
Adew Locrinus dead, for thee I die,
Would God my corps might by thy coffine lie.
Adew my pleasures paste, farewell, adew,
Adew the cares, and sorowes I haue had,
Farewell my frendes that earst for me did sue.
Adew that were, to saue my life full glad:
Farewell the fauning frendes, I lately bad,
And thou my beauty cause of death farewell.
As ofte as harte can thinke, or tonge can tell.
A dewe you heauens, my mortall eyes shall see
No more your lightes, and Planetes all farewell,
And chiefly Venus faire that paintedste mee,
When Mercurie his tale to me did tell:
Eke afterwardes when Mars with vs did dwell,
And nowe at laste thou cruell Mars, adewe,
Whose darte my life, and loue Locrinus sleme.
And must I nedes departe from thee my childe,
If nedes I muste ten thousand times fare well,
Poore little [...], thy frendes are quite [...]:
And much I feare thou shalt not long do well,
But if they so with boyling rancoureswell:
As thee to slea, which neuer wroughtiste ill,
How can they staye, my haynid corps to hill.
With that my Sabrines slender armes imbraiste
[...] rounde, and would not let me so departe,
"Let me (ꝙ she) for hir the waters taste,
"Or let vs both together ende our smarte:
"Yea rather rippe you foorth my tender harte,
"What should I liue? but they the childe withdrew,
And mee, into the raging streame they threm.
So in the waters as I striude to swimme,
And kepte my head aboue the waues for breath,
[...] thought I same my childe, would venter in.
"Which cride a mayne, O let me take like deathe,
The waters straight had drawne me vnderne the,
Where striuing vp at lengthe againe came I,
And sawe my childe, aud cryde farewell I die.
Then as my strength was wasted, down I went,
Eke so I plunged twice or thrice yet more:
My breath departed nedes I must relent,
The waters perst my mouth and eares so sore,
And to the botome with such force me bore,
That life, and breath, & minde, and sonce was gone:
And I as dead, and colde as marble stone.
Lo thus you here the rare of all my life,
And how I paste the pikes of paynefull we,
Howe twise I thought to be a prince his wife:
And twise was quite depriude mine honour fro:
The third time queene, and felt foule ouerthro:
Then warne all ladies, that how much more die.
Then their degrees they clime: [...] daungers nye.
Bid them beware, [...] bewty them abuse,
Beware of pride, for haue a fall it muste:
And will them fortunes flattery to refuse:
Hir turning whelt, is boyde of stedy truste:
Who reckes no meane, but leanith all to luste,
Shall finde my wordes, as true as I them tell:
Then did be ware, in time I wishe them well.
FINIS.
The Authoure.
VVIth that she flitted in the ayre abrode,
As twere a miste or smoke dissolued quite,
And or I long on this had made abode,
A virgine smale, appearde before my sight,
For colde and wet eke scarsly moue she might,
As from the waters drownde she didering came:
Thus wise, hir talem order did she frame.
Sabrine the base childe of Locrinus, telles howe she was pitifully drowned by his wyfe Guendoline, in reuenge of hir fathers adulterye. The yeare before Christe, 1064.
BEholde me Sabrine orphane [...] berefte,
Of all my frendes by cruell case of warre:
When as not one to treate for me was lefte,
But [...] did all their powres debarre,
When as my father eke was playne in warre:
And when my mother euen before my sighte,
Was [...] to death, O wretche in wofull plighte!
Truste who so will the [...] of hie estate,
And bring me worde what stay thereby you haue,
For why if Fortune once displeasure take:
She giues the foyle, though lookes be nere so braue.
Tis wisedome rather then to winne to saue,
For ofce who trustes to get a prince his trayne:
Would at the lengthe, of beggers life be fayne.
This might the Hunne erste Humber well haue sayde,
And this my mother Elstride proufde to true,
When as his life by striuing streames was stayde:
And when the tyrauntes hir in waters threwe.
What I may saye, my selfe reportes to you:
Which had more terrour shewde, then twyce such twayne:
Blue care, and iudge if I abode no payne.
First when my fathers corps-was stroken downe,
With deadly shafte, I came to mourne and see:
And as he laye with bleding breste in sowne,
He caste asyde his watring eyes on mee.
"Flye flye (he said) thy stepdame seekes for thee,
"My wofull childe: what flight maiste thou to take,
"My Sabrine poore, I must the nedes forsake.
"See here [...] ende, beholde thy fathers fall,
"Flye, flye, thy gelous stepdame seekes thy lyfe,
"Thy mother eke or this is wrapte in thrall:
"Farewell in woe you cannot scape hir knyfe:
"Farewell my childe, mine Elstride and my Wyfe
"Adew (ꝙ he) I may no longer hyde,
"And euen with that, he gaspid thrise and dyede.
What birde can flye and sore, if formes do rage:
What ship can sayle, if once the myndes resiste:
What wight is that, can force of warres aswage:
Or else what warre can bridle Fortunes liste:
What man is he, that dare an hoaste resiste:
What woman only dare withstande a fielde:
If not? what childe but must to enemies yelde?
My fathers souldiers [...], away for feare:
As soone as once their Captaines death they seande:
The Queene proclaimde a pardon euery where:
To those would yelde, and craue it at hir hande,
Excepting such, as did her ay withstande:
For so the course alwayes of pardons goes,
As saues the souldiers, and entrapps the foes.
Then wiste I flight could nothing me preuaile,
I feard her pardon would not saue my lyfe:
The storme was such, I durst not beare a saile:
I durst not go t'lntreate my fathers wyfe,
Althoughe I neuer was the cause of strife.
For gelozye, deuoyde of reasons raine:
With frensies fume, enragde her restles braine.
But see the chaunce, thus compast rounde with feare
In broyles of bloud, as in the field I stande.
I wishte to God my corps were any where,
As out of life, or of this hatefull lande:
No sooner wisht, but there was euen at hande,
"A person vile, in hast (quoth he) come on,
"Queene Elstride wil before thou come be gon.
The rascall rude, the rooge, the clubfist gripe
My litle arme, and plucte me on in haste:
And with my robes, the bloudy ground he sweept,
As I drue backe: he halde me on full fast,
Under his arme my sclender corps he cast:
Sith that (quoth he) thou putst me to this paine,
Thou shalt thereby at length but litle gaine.
Thus through the [...] he bare me to my bane,
And shewde the souldiers what a spoile he had.
"Loke here (quoth he) the litle Princes tane,
And laught, and ran as brutish butcher mad.
But my lamenting made the souldiers sad,
Yet nought preuailde, the caytife as his pray:
Without all pity bare me still away.
Till at the length we came where we descride,
A nomber huge, of folkes about the Queene:
As when you see some wonder great beside,
Or els the place wher some straūg sight hath beene:
So might you there the people standing seene,
And gazed all when as they see mee brought:
Then sure I demde, I was not come for nought.
And in the [...], some praisde my coinlye face,
Some said to Elstride she resembleth right:
Some said I loked like my fathers grace,
Some other said it was a piteous sight
I should so dye: the Queene mee pardon might,
Some said the thiefe mee [...] did mee abuse,
And not so rudely ought a Princes vse.
But what did this redresse my wofull care,
You wot the Commons vse such prouerbs still:
And yet the captiues poore no better are,
It rather helpes their pained harts to kill:
To pity one in griefe doth worke him ill,
Bemone his woe: and cannot ease his thrall:
It kills his hart, but comforts nought at all.
Thus past me throw the prease, at length we came,
Into the presence of the gelous Queene,
Who nought at all the rascall rudc did blame
That bare me so: but askte if I had seene
My father slame, that cause thereof had beene,
O Queene (quoth I) God knowes nice innocent:
To worke my fathers death, I neuer ment.
With that I sawe the people looke asyde,
To [...] a mourning voyce I heard thereby,
It was my wofull mother by that cryde.
"Lo Sabrine hounde, at brinke of death I lye.
What pen or tongue, or teares with weeping eye,
Could tell my woes, that sawe my mother bounde,
On waters shore, wherein she should be drounde.
With that I fell before the Queene and praide
For mercy, but [...] fiery [...] she bent
Hir browes on mee: out vastar de bile (she sain)
"Thou worst not yet, wherefore for thee I sent,
"O Queene (quoth I) haue pity be content,
And if thou minde, of mercy ought to show:
[...] mee, and let my mother harmelesse go.
For why she was a Prince his daughter borne
In Germany, and thence was brought away
Perforce by Humber, who by mattes forlorne:
Thy king as captiue toke hir for his pray,
Thou maiste full well her case with reason weye:
What coulde she do, what more then she or I,
Thy [...] now, thine owne to line or dye?
Take pity then, on Princely race O Queene:
Take pity, if remorce may ought require:
Take pity, on a captiue thrice hath beene:
Let pity pearce the rage of all thine ire:
But if thy breast burne with reuenging fire:
Then let my death quenche oute that fuming flame,
Sith of thy husbands bloud, and hirs I came.
Much more I saide, while teares out streaming went,
But nought of ease at all thereby I gainde,
My mother eke, did as she lay lamente:
Where with my hart a Thousand folde she painde,
And though the Queene my plaints to fauour fainde:
Yet at the last she bade she should prepare,
Her selfe to dye, and ende her course of care.
Than all her frends my mother Elstride namde,
And pleasures paste, and bade them all adue:
Eke as she thus her last farewell had framde,
With losse of him, from whom her sorowes grue:
At length to mee (which made my hart to rue)
"She said farewell my childe I feare thy fall:
"Ten thousand times, adewe my Sabrine small.
And as the cruel [...] came to take
[...] vp, to caste and drowne her in the sloud:
I fast mine armes about her clipt did make,
And cryde, O Queene let mercy meeke thy moode:
Do rather reaue my hart of vitail bloude,
Then thus I liue: with that they slachte my holde.
And [...] my mother, in the waters colde.
For loue to ayde her, venter in would I,
That sawe my mother striue aloft for winde,
"To lande she lookte and saide farewell Idye.
O let me go (quoth I) like fate to finde,
"Said Guendoline come on likewise and binde
"This Sabrine hand and foote: at once let see
"Her here receiue, her whole request of mee.
"Eke as I wishe to haue in minde her fame,
"As Humbers is, which should her father beene:
"So shall this floud of Sabrine haue the name,
"That men thereby may say a righteous Queene,
"Here drownde her husbands childe of concubine.
"Therefore leaue Sabrine here thy name and life,
"Let Sabrine waters ende our mortall strife.
"Dispatch (quoth she) with that they bound me fast,
My slender armes and feete which litle neede:
And sans all mercye me in waters caste,
Which drewe me downe, & cast me vp with speede,
And downe me drensht the Sabrine fishe to feede,
Where I abode till now: from whence I came,
And there the waters holde as yet my name.
Lo thus this gelous Queene, in raging sort,
With bloudy hate bereft her husbands health:
And eke my mother Elstrids life God wot,
Which neuer ment to hurt this common wealth:
And mee Locrinus child begot by stealth:
Against all reason was it for to kill,
The childe, for that her parents erst did ill.
By this you see, what time our pompe doth bide:
Hereby you see th'unstedy trust in warre:
Hereby you see, the stay of states etryde:
Hereby you see, our hope to make doth marre:
Hereby you see, we fall from benche to barre:
From bench (quoth [...]) nay from the Princely seate,
You see how soone vs Fortune downe doth beate.
And here you see, how lawlesse loue doth thriue:
Hereby you see, how gelous folkes do fare:
Here may you see, with wisedome they that wiue,
Neede neuer recke Cupidoes cursed snare:
Here may you see, deuorcemente breedeth care:
Here may you see, the children seldome thee,
Which in vnlawfull wedlocke goten bee.
Declare thou then our fall, and great mishap:
Declare the hap, and glory we were in:
Declare how soone we taken were in trap,
When we [...] we had most safest bin:
Declare what losse they haue that hope to win:
Farewell, and tell when Fortune most doth smile:
Then will she frowne: she laughes but euen a while.
Finis,
The Authour.
WIth that the Lady Sabrine slinckt from sight,
I lookt about, and then me thought againe
Approched straight an other vvofull vvight:
It seemde as thoughe vvith doggs he had bin flaine,
The bloud from all his members torneamaine
Ran dovvne: his clothes vvere also torne and rente,
And from his bloudy throte these plaints he sente.
Madan shewes how for his euill life he was [...] of Wolues, the yeare before Christe. 1009.
AMongste the rest, that sate in hauty seate,
And felt the fall I pray the pen for mee:
A Tragedy maye some such wisedome geate,
As they may learne, and somewhat wiser bee.
For in my glasse when as themselues they see,
They may be ware my fall from [...] lap,
Shal teach them how, t'eschew the like mishay.
I am that Madan once that Britaine kings,
Was thirde that euer raigned in this lande,
Marke well therefore my death: as straunge a thinge
As some would deeme, could scarce with reason stande:
Yet when thou hast my life well throughly scande:
Thou shalt perceiue, not halfe so straunge as true:
All life: worse death, doth after still insue,
For when my mother Guendoline had raignde
In my nonage, full xv yeares she dyed:
And I but yonge not well in vertues trainde,
Was left this Realme of Britaynes for to guide:
Whereby when once, my minde was puft with pride:
I past for nought, I vsde my lust for lawe:
Of right, or iustice reckte I not a strawe.
No meane I kept, but ruled all by rage:
No boundes of measure, could me compasse in:
Durst none aduenture anger mine t'aswage,
If once to freate and fume I did begin:
And I excelde in nothing els but sinne:
So that welnighe all men did wishe my ende,
Saue such to whom for vice I was a frende.
In pleasures pleasaunt was my whole repaste.
My youth me led deuoyde of compasse quite,
And vices were so rooted in at last:
That to recure the euill it past my might.
For who so doth with will and pleasure fight,
Though all his force do striue them to withstande,
Without good grace they haue the vpper hande.
What licoure first, the earthen pot doth take:
It keepeth still the sauour of that same.
Full hard it is a cramocke straight to make:
Or crooked logges, with wainscot fine to frame:
Tis hard to make the cruel Tiger tame:
And so it fares with those haue vices caught,
Naught once (they saye) and euer after naught.
I speake not this as though it past all cure,
From bices vile, to bertue to retire:
But this I saye if vice be once in vre,
The more you shall, to quite your selfe requyre,
The more you plunge your selfe in fulsome myre.
As he that striues in soakte quicke sirtes of sande,
Still sinkes, scarse neuer comes againe to lande.
The giftes of grace may nature [...],
And God may graunt both time and leaue repeute:
Yet I did more in laps of lewdnes run,
And last my time in tyrauntes trade I spente.
But who so doth, with bloudy actes contente
His minde, shall sure at laste finde like againe:
And feele for pleasures, thousand panges of paine.
For in the midste of those vntrusty toyles,
When as I nothing fearde, but all was sure:
With all my trayne, I hunting rode for spoyles
Of them, who after did my death procure:
Those lewde delightes did boldly me alure,
To folow still and to pursue the chase:
At laste I came into a deserte place.
Besette with hilles, and monstrous rockes of stone,
My company behinde, me lost, or stayde:
The place was eke with hauty trees oregrowne
So wiste, and wylde it made me half afrayde,
And straight I was with rauening wolues betrayd:
Came out of caues, and dennes, and rockes a maint,
There was I rent in pieces, kilde and slaine.
Alasse that youth (in vayne) so vyly spente,
Should euer cause a king to haue such ende:
Alasse that euer I should here lament,
Or else should teache vnto my cost my frende:
Alasse that fortune such mishap should sende:
But sithe it is to late for me to crie,
I wishe that others may take hede me by.
I might full well by wisdome shund this snare,
Tis sayde a wiseman all mishap withstandes.
For though by starres we borne to mischieues are:
Yet prudence bayles vs quite from careful bandes,
Eche man (they say) his fate hath in his handes,
And what he makes, or marres to lese, or saue
Of good, or euill, is euen selfe do, selfe haue.
As here thou seest by me, that led my dayes
In vicious sorte, for greedy wolues a [...]:
Warne others wysely, than to guide their wayes
By myne example, well eschue they may,
Suche vices as may worke their owne decay:
Which if they do, full well is spent the time
To warne, to wryte, and eke to reade this time.
FINIS.
The Authoure.
VVHen this was said, no more was Madan sene,
(If it were he) but sure I halfe suspecte
It was some other else, so serude had bene,
For that all stories do not so detecte
His death, or else I dide perhaps neglecte
His tale, because that diuers stories broughte,
Suche fancies of his death into my thoughte.
Therefore although it be not as some write
Here pende by me, and yet as others haue:
Let it not griue thee reade that I recite,
And take what counsaile of good life he gaue:
I trust [...] may that dreame) some pardon craue,
For if the reste, no dreames but stories pen:
Can I for that they write be blamed then?
No sure, I thinke the readers will not giue
Such captious dome, as Momus erste did vse,
Though Zoilus impes as yet do carping liue:
And all good willing writers much misuse.
Occasion biddes me some such beastes accuse,
Yet for their bawling hurtes me not I nill:
But with my purpose, on procede I will.
Next after that, came one in princely raye
A worthy wight but yonge, yet felt the fall:
It seemde he had bene at some warlike fraye,
His breste was woundid wyde and bloudy all:
And as to mynde he musde his factes to call,
Depe sighes he fet, made all his limmes to shake:
At length these wordes, or like to me he spake.
Manlius declares how he minding to kill his brother for the kingdome was by him slayne. The yeare before Christe. 1008.
YF Fortune were so firme as she is frayle,
Or glosing glorie, were still permanent:
If no mishap our doings did assaile,
Or that our actes & factes were innocent,
If we in hope no hurte nor hatred ment:
Or dealing ay were don with dutie dewe,
We neuer coulde, our great misfortunes rewe.
If pompe were payne, and pride were not in price,
Or hawty seate had not the highest place,
If we could lerne by others to be wise,
Or else eschew the daungers of our race:
If once we coulde the golden meane embrace,
Or banishe quite ambition from our breste:
We neuer nede to recke, or reape vnreste.
But O we thinke, such sweetenes in renowne,
We deme on earth, is all the greatest hap:
We nothing feare, the hurte of falling downe:
Or litle rome, in lady Fortunes lap,
We giue no hede, before we get the clap:
And then to late, we wishe we had bene wise:
When from the fall, we would and cannot rise.
As if two twinnes, or children at the teate
Of nurce, or mother both at once might be:
And both did striue, the better dugge to geate
Till one were downe, and slipte beside hir knee:
Euen so it fares, by others and by me
In fortunes lap: we haue so litle holde,
She cannot staye, both striuing if she would.
I am that Manlius, one of Madans sonnes,
Which thought to raigne and rule this noble Ile,
And would so don: but see what chaūce ther comes,
When brethren loue, and frendship quite exile.
Who thinkes another of his right beguyle,
Him selfe is soonest cleane bereaude of all:
Insteade of rule, we reape the crop of thrall.
My elder brother then Mempricius hight,
Whose hauty minde, and mine did euer square:
We euermore as foes hight other spite,
And deadly Ire in hatefull hartes we bare.
He sought alwayes he might to worke me care,
And eache regarded others enuy so:
As after turnid both to painfull wo.
Because my father loude me well therfore,
My brother feared I should haue his right:
Likewise on fauour boldned I me bore,
And nether had in vertues wayes delite:
What nede I here our inwarde griefes recyte:
We not as brethren liude in hatrid still,
And sought occasion other eache to kill.
I forbecause I might obtaine the crowne:
And he for that he fearde my fauoure bred,
Such frendship, as might alwayes kepe him downe,
And both [...] him of his crowne and head.
But when it chaunste, our father once was dead,
Then straight appeared all our enuy playne:
And I could not from mine attempt [...]
See here, th'occasion of my haplesse happe,
See here, his chaūce that might haue liude ful well:
So baited swete is euery deadly trappe:
In brauiste bowres, doth deepest daunger dwell,
I thought mine elder from his right t'expell,
Though he both age, and custome forth did bring,
For title right: I sayd I would be king.
Some wishte we should, departe the realme in two,
And sayde my father eke was of that mynde:
But nether of vs both, that so would do,
We were not eche to other halfe so kinde,
And vile ambition made vs both so blynde:
We thought our raigne, coulde not be sure & good,
Except the ground therof were laide with bloud.
Wherfore as eache did watche conuenient time,
For [...] commit this haynous bloudy facte:
My selfe was taken not accusde of crime,
As if I had offendid any acte.
But he as one that witte and reason lacte,
Saide traitour vile thou arte to me vntrue:
And therewith all his bloudy blade he drewe.
Not like a king, but like a cutthrote fell:
Not like a brother, like a butcher brute:
Though twere no worse, then I deserued well:
He gaue no time, to reason or dispute.
To late it was, to make for life my suite:
Take traytour here (ꝙ he) thy whole deserte,
And therwithall he thrust me to the harte.
Thus was I by my brutishe brother slayne:
Which likewyse mente my brother for to kill,
This oftentimes, they use to get and gaine,
Which do inuente anothers bloud to spill.
Was neuer man pretendid such an ill,
But God to him like measure shortly sente:
As he to others [...] before had mente.
Uniustice euer thriues, as theues doe thie:
And bloudthirste cries for vengeaunce at his hande,
Which all our right and wronges [...] daily see:
The good to ayde, and gracelesse to withstande:
If ether vice or [...] we abande:
We ether are rewarded, as we serue:
Or else are plaged, as our deedes deserue.
Let this my warning then suffise eche sorte,
Bio them beware, example here they see:
It passeth playe, tis tragicall disporte,
To clime a step aboue their owne degree,
For though they thinke good fortune serude not me,
Yet did she use me, as she hsoe the resle:
And so I thinke, she seruith even the beste.
FINIS.
The Authour,
VVHen Manlius had thus endid quite his tale,
He vanishte out of sight as did the reste:
And I perceiued straight a persone pale,
VVhose throte was torne and blodied all his breste,
"Shall I (ꝙ he) for audience make requeste,
"No sure it nedes not, straunge it semes to thee:
"VVhat he that beares this rentid corps should bee.
"VVherefore I deeme thou canst not chuse but by de,
"And here my tale as others erste before:
"Sythe by so straunge a meanes thouseest I dyde,
"VVith rentid throte and breste, thou musiste more:
"Marke well (ꝙ he) my ratling voyce therfore,
And therwithall, this tale he gan to tell,
VVhich Irecyte, though nothing nere so well.
Mempricius giuen all to luste, pleasure and the sinne of Sodomye: telles how he was deuoured of wolues. The yeares before Christ. 989.
[...] often sayd a man should do likewyse
To other, as he would to him they did:
Do as thou wouldste be don to saith the wyse,
And do as conscience, and as iustice byd.
But he that myndes for rule another ryd,
Must not his handes with cruell bloud distayne:
For bloud doth alwayes cry for bloud agayne.
Eke Iustfull life that sleepes in sinkes of sinne
Procures a plague, fy fy on Venus vyle.
We litle wot the mischiefe is therein,
When we with poisons sweete our selues beguile:
The pleasures passe, the ioyes indure but while,
And nought there by at all we get or gaine:
But dreadfull death, and euerlasting paine.
Mee thincks thou lookist for to baue my name,
And musist what I am that thus do com:
I would or this haue tolde it but for shame,
Wherefore to giue example yet to som:
I will no longer faine my selfe so dom,
But sith I must as others tell their fall:
Take here my name, my life, my death and all.
I am Mempricius, Madans eldest sonne,
Once king of Britaine that my brother slewe:
Whereby the crowne, and kingdome all I won,
And after norisht vices moe that grewe.
Not natures lawes, nor Gods, nor mans I knew,
But liude in lust not recking any thing:
I demde was nought unlawfull for a king.
For when I had, my brother brought on beare,
I thought in rest to keepe this kingdome longe
And I was boyde of doubt, I had no feare:
Was noue durst checke me, did I right or wrong:
I liude at large, and thought my powre so stronger
There could no man preuaile against my will,
In steede of lawe that vsed rigor still.
So after that I fell to slouthfull ease,
A vice that breedes a nomber more besyde:
I waxt so testie none durst me displease
And eke so puft with glory vaine and pride.
My sencelesse sence as ship without a guide,
Was tost with euery fancye of my braine:
Like Phoebus chariote, vnder Phaetons raine.
I deemde them foes that me good counsaile gaue,
And those my chiefest frends could glose and lye:
I hated them that were so sage and graue,
And those I loude were lustye, lewde and slye:
I did the wisest wittes as fooles defye:
Such sots, knaues, ruffians, roisters I embrast:
As were vnwise, vnhonest, rude, vnchast.
I lusted eke as lothsome lechers vse,
My subiects wiues and daughters at my will
I did so often as me pleasde abuse,
Perforce I kept them at my pleasure still.
Thus gat I queanes, and concubines at fill:
And for their sakes I put a way my wyfe:
Such was my lewdnes, lust, and lawlesse lyfe.
But shame for bids mee for to tell the rest,
It mee abhorres to shew what did insue:
And yet because it moueth in my brest,
Compunction still and was God wot to true:
I will declare whence my destruction grue:
To Sodomes sinne alas I fell and than,
I was despised, both of God and man,
Could I long prosper thus, do you suppose?
Might ought of euill exceede these vices told:
Thincke you thers any wight on ground that goes.
Might scape reuenge, of vice so manifolde:
No sure, who is in sianefulnes so bolde,
His vices fare like weedes, they sproute so fast:
They kill the corps, as weedes the corne at last.
My great outrage, my heedelesse heade, the life
I beastly led, could not continue soe,
My brothers bloud, my leauing of my wife:
And working of my frendes and subiects woe,
Cride still to God for my fowle ouerthrne:
Which heares yt wrōgd, he heedes their careful case,
And at the length doth all their foes deface.
Yet I mistrusting no mishaps at hande,
(Though I were worthy twenty times to dye)
I lewdly liude, and did my wealth with stande:
I neuer thought my ende was halfe so nye.
For my disport I rode on hunting I,
In woodes the fearefull hart I chased fast:
Till quite I lost my company at last.
And or I wist, to cost I found my foes,
By chaunce I came, wher as the wolues they bred.
Which in a moment did me rounde inclose:
And mounted at my horse his throte, and head.
Some on his hinder parts their paunches fed,
Yet fought I still to scape, if it might bee:
Till they my fainted horse, pulde downe with mee.
Then was I hopelesse to escape their iawes,
They fastned all their holders fast on mee:
And on my royall robes they set their clawes,
My Princely presence, nor my highe degree,
Moude them no more obeysaunt for to bee,
Nor of my corps, to take no more remorce:
Then did the greeuous groning of my horse.
But rauenously they rent, my breast and throte,
Forsohe my steede, came all at once and tare
My tender corps, from which they fleyde my coate.
And of my fleshe they made at all no spare:
They neuer left mee till my bones were bare.
Lo thus I sleme my brother, left my wife,
Liude vilely, and as vilely ended life.
Beware of bloudp broyles, beware of wronge:
Embrace the counsaile of the wise and sage.
Trust not to powre, though it be nere so stronge:
Beware of rashnes rude and coisters rage.
Eschew vile Venus toyes, she cuttes of age,
And learne this lesson of (and teach) thy frende:
By pocks, death sodaine, [...], harlots enne.
Finis.
The Authour.
ON this mee thought he vanishte quite avvay,
And I vvas left vvith Morpheus all alone:
VVhom I desyrde these gryzely ghostes to stay,
Till I had space to heare them one by one.
And euen vvith that vvas Somnus seruaunt gone,
VVhereby I slept and toke mine ease that night,
And in the morninge rose their tales to vvrite,
Novve (Reader) if you thincke I mistemy marke,
In any thinge vvhilere but stories tolde:
You must consider that a simple clarke,
Hath not such skill thesfect of things t'unfolde,
But may vvith ease of vviser be controlde:
Eke vvho so vvrites as much the like as this,
May hap be demde likevvise as much to misse.
VVherefore if these may not content your minde,
As eche man cannot fauour all mens vaines:
I pray you yet let me this frendship finde,
Giue your good vvill, I craue noughtels for paines.
VVhich if you grutch mee, as to great a gaines:
Then is my loue to you, and labour lost,
And you may learne take heede, vvith greater cost.
But novv me thinckes I heare the carpers tell,
Saith one, the vvriter vvanted vvordes to fill:
The next reproued the verse not couched vvell:
The thirde declares, vvhere lackte a point of skill:
Some others say they like the myter ill.
But vvhat of this? shall these dismay mee quite?
No sure, I vvill not cease for such to vvrite.
For with more ease, in other workes they finde
A fault, then take vpon themselues to pen
So much, and eke content eche readers minde:
How should my verse craue all their likings then:
Sith sondry are the sects of diuers men,
I must endeuoure only those to please:
VVhich like that comes, so it be for their ease.
The rest I recke as they blame worthy bee,
For if the vvords I wrote for good intent:
Take other sence then they receiude of mee,
Be turnde to vvorse, torne, reached, rackt or rent
Or hackt and hewde, not constred as I ment:
The blame is theirs, which with my workes so mell:
Lesse faulty he that vvisht his country well.
If some be pleasde and easde, I lease no toyle,
At carpers gyrdle hanges not all the keyes:
VVhat price gaines he, that giues him fall or foyle,
VVhich neuer wan by vvrastling any prayse,
I haue not spent in poetrye my dayes,
Some other workes in proase I printed haue:
And more I write for which I ley sure saue.
And for mineage not thirty yeares hath past,
No style so rype can yonger yeares ataine.
For of them all, but onlye ten the last,
To learne the tongues, and vvrite I toke the paine,
If I thereby receyued any gaine,
By Frenche or Latine chiefely which I chose,
These fiue yeares past by writing I disclose.
Of which, the first two yeares I Grammer taught:
The other twaine, I Huloets worke enlargde:
The last translated Aldus phrases fraught
VVith eloquence, and toke of Terence charge
At Printers hand, to adde the flowers at large
VVhich wanted there, in Vdalles worke before:
And vvrote this booke with other diuers more.
Then pardon whats amisse, a while giue eare,
So shall you heare the rest that I recite,
Describing next what Princes did apeare:
VVhen I had ended these are past to write,
In slomber as I chaunst to lye one night,
VVas Somnus prest, whom I desyrde to sende
His Morpheus ay de, these Tragedies to ende.
VVherewith he graunted my request and calde
For Morpheus straight: which knew wherto he came.
"I will (quoth he) the rest, whom Fortune thralde.
"Of Britaynes shewe: thy selfe to heare them frame,
And therewithall he fet forth one like Fame,
In fethers all with winges so finely dight:
As twere a birde, in humane shape of flight.
Yet twas not Fame that femme of painted plume,
He rather seemed Icarus deceaude,
[...] winges to flye nighe Phoebus did presume.
At length in deede I plainly well perceaude,
It was some kinge of vitall breath bereaude,
From flight he fell presuming farre to hye:
Giue eare, take heede and learne not so to flye.
Bladud recyteth howe he Practisinge by curious arts to flye, fell and brake his necke. The yeare before Christe. 844:
SHall I rehearse, like wise my name:
And eke a place amongste them fill,
Which at their endes to mischiefe came:
Sith Morpheus bids mee so I will.
And that because I see the minde,
To write my storye fate and fall,
Such curious heads it reade and finde:
May fly, to flee, and shunne my thrall.
If daunger teach them liue take heede:
If leesers harme, make lookers wyse:
If warines, do safetye breede,
Or wracke make sailers shelues dispise.
Then may my hurt, giue sample sure:
My losse of life may lokers learne:
My warning may beware procure,
To such as daunger scarce discerne.
I am that Bladud Britaine kinge,
Rudhudebras his eldest sonne,
Did learning first to England bring:
And other wonders more were done.
Now giue me eare, and after wryte:
Marke well my life example take:
Cschue the euill that I recyre,
And of my death a myrrour make,
In youth I gaue my mynde to lore,
For I in learning tooke repaste:
No earthly pleasure likce me more,
I went to Athens at the laste.
A towne in Greece, whose fame, went foorth
Through all the world hir name was spred:
I counted knowledge so much woorth,
Hir only loue to Greece me led.
There first of all the artes of seuen,
Wherein before I had small skill:
I Grammer gate declares the stenen,
By rule to speake, and wryte at will.
Next after that in Rhetoricke fine,
Which teacheth how the talke to fyle:
I gate some knowledge in short tyme,
And could perswade within a whyle.
I thirdly learned Logicke well,
An arte that teacheth to dispute:
To aunswere wisely or refell,
Distinguishe, proue, disproue, confute.
Then after that of nomber, I
The skilfull arte likwyse attainde:
Wherin of Mathematickes lye.
Full many pointes I after gainde.
And Musicke milde I lernde that teltes,
Tune, tyme, and measure of the song:
A science swete the reste excelles,
For melody hir notes among.
But sirtly I the dame of artes,
Geometrie of great engine
Employde, with all hir skilfull partes:
Therby some greater giftes to winne.
So laste I lernde Astronomie,
A lofty arte that paste them all:
To know by motions of the skye,
And fired starres, what chaunce might fall.
This pleasaunt arte alured me,
To many fonde inuentions then:
For iudgementes of Astrologie,
Delites the mindes of wisest men.
So doth the arte Phisiognomie,
Dependes on iudgment of the face:
And that of Metoposcopie,
Which of the forehead telles the grace.
And Chiromancie by the hande,
Coniectures of the inwarde minde:
Eke Geomancie by the lande,
Doth diuers many farlies finde.
Augurium eke was vsde of olde
By hyrdes of future thinges presagde:
And many thinges therby they tolde,
Were skilfull, learned, wise and agds.
But Magicke for it, seemid fweete,
And full of wonders made me muse:
For many feates I thought it meete,
And pleasaunt for a prince to vse,
Three kindes there are, for natures skill,
The first they Naturall do name:
In which by herbes and stones they will,
Worke wonders thinges, are worthy fame.
The next is Mathematicall,
Where Magicke workes by nature so:
That brasen heades make speake it shall,
Of woode birdes, bodies flye, and go.
The thirde Veneficall by right,
Is named for by it they make:
The shapes of bodies cbaunge in sight,
And other formes on them to take.
What nede I tell what Theurgie is,
Or Necromancie you despise:
A diuelishe arte, the feenes by this,
Seme calde, and coniurde to arise.
Of these too much I lerned then,
By those such secrete artes profeste:
For of the wise and skilfull men,
Whome Fame had praisde I gate the beste.
They promiste for to teache me so,
The secretes of dame natures skill:
That I nede neuer taste of woe,
But alwayes might forsee it still.
Wherefore enflamed with their loue,
I brought away the beste I coulde:
From Greece to Britayne lande to proue,
What feates for me deuise they woulde.
Of which were foure Philosophers,
For passing skill excelde the reste:
Phisitians and Astronomers,
In Athens all they were the beste.
My father harde of my retourne,
Of my successe in learning there:
And how the Greecians did adourne,
My wittes with artes that worthy were.
He herde likewise what store I brought,
Of learned Greekes from Aticke soyle:
And of my laboure learning sought,
With study, trauayle, paine and toyle.
I likewyse herde he builded here,
Three townes while absente thence was I:
By Southe he foundid VVinchester,
By Cast he built Cantorbury.
By Weste full bigve he builte the laste,
On hill from waters depe belowe:
Calde Shaftesbury on rockes full faste,
It standes and giues to Seas a showe.
These causde we both might well reioyce
He for because I gate such same:
And I, for that by all mennes boyce,
His factes deserude immortall name.
What nedes much talke the peres, and all
The commons eke with one assence:
Extolde my name especiall,
Which had my youthe in learning spent.
I was receaude with triumphes great,
With pageauntes in eache towne I paste:
And at the courte my princly seate.
Was by my fathers ioyned faste.
The nobles then desirde to haue,
On me their children wayte and tende:
And royall giftes with them me gaue,
As might their powres therto extende.
But here began my cause of care,
As all delightes at length haue ende:
Bemixte with woes our pleasures are,
Amidste my ioyes, I loste a frende.
My father, nyne and twenty yeares,
This tyme had raignde and helde the crowne:
As by your cronicles appeares,
Whan fates, on vs began to frowne.
For euen amidste his moste of ioye,
As youth, and strengthe and honours fade:
Sore sicknes did him long anoye,
At laste, of life an ende it made.
Then was I chose king of this lande,
And had the crowne as had the reste:
I bare the scepter in my hande,
And sworde that all our foes oppreste.
Eke for because the Greekes did bse,
Me well in Greece at Athens late:
I bad those foure I brought to chuse,
A place that I might dedicate.
To all the Muses and their artes,
To learnings vse for euermore:
Which when they sought in diuers partes,
At last they found a place therfore.
Amidst the realme it lies melnfghe,
As they by arte and skill did proue:
An healthfull place not lowe nor bigve,
An holsome soyle for their behoue.
With water streames, and springes for melles:
And medowes sweete, and baleyes grene:
And woodes, groaues, quaries, all things else
For studentes weale, or pleasure bene.
When they reported this to me,
They prayde my grace that I would bussde,
Them there an bntuer sitle,
The fruites of learning for to yelne.
I buylte the scholes, like Atikes then,
And gaue them landes to maintayne those:
Which were accounted learned men,
And could the groundes of artes disclose.
The towne is called Stamforde yet,
There stande the walles untill this daye:
Foundations eke of scholes I set,
Bide yet not maintainde in decaye.
Whereby the lande receauid store,
Of learned clarkes long after that:
But nowe giue eare I tell the more,
And then my fall, aud great mishap.
Because that time Apollo was,
Surmisde the God that gaue vs wit:
I builte his temple braue did passe,
At Troynouant the place is yet.
Some saye I made the batthes at Bathe:
And made therfore two tunnes of brasse:
And other twayne seuen saltes that haue
In them, but these be made of glasse
With sulpher fylde, and other things,
Wyide fire, saltgem, salte peter eke:
Salte armoniake, salte [...],
Salte comune, and salte Arabecke.
Salte niter mirid with the rest,
In these fowre tunnes by portions right:
Fowre welles to laye them in were dreste,
Wherin they boyle, both daye and night.
The water springes them rounde about,
Doth ryse for ay and boyleth still:
The tunnes within and eke without,
Do all the welles with vapoures fill.
So that the heate and clensing powre,
Of Sulpher and of salts and fyre:
Doth make the bathes eche pointed houre,
To helpe the sickly health desyre.
These bathes to soften sinewes haue,
Great vertue and to scoure the skin:
From morphew white, and blacke to saue,
The bodies faint, are bathde therein.
For leprye, scabs, and sores are olde,
For scurfes, and botche, and humors fall:
The bathes haue vertues many folde,
If God giue grace to cure them all.
The ioyntes are swelde, and hardned milte:
And hardned liuer palseis paine,
The poxe and itche, if worke thou wilt,
By helpe of God it heales againe.
Shall I renege I made them then:
Shall I denye my cunning [...]
By helpe I had of learned men,
Those worthy welles in gratefull [...]
I will do so: for God gaue grate,
Whereby I knewe what nature wrought:
And lent me lore to finde the place,
By wisedome where those welles I sought.
Which once confest to here my harme,
Eschewe the like if thou be wise:
Let neuer will thy wits becharme,
Or make the chaunge of kinde deuise.
For if the fishe would learne to goe,
And leaue to swim against his bre:
When he were quite the waters froe,
He could not swim you may be sure.
Or if the beast would learne to flye,
That had no plumes by nature lent:
And get him winges as earst did I,
Would not thincke you it him [...]
Though Magicke Mathematicall,
Make wooden birdes to flye and sore:
Eke brasen heads that speake they shall,
And promise many marueiles more,
Yet sith it swarues from Natures will,
As much as these that I recite:
Refuse the fondnes of such skill,
Doth ay with death the proufe requite.
I deemde I could more soner frame,
My selfe to flye then birdes of woode:
And ment to get eternall fame,
Which I esteemde the greatest good.
I deckt my selfe with plumes and winges,
As here thou seest in skilfull wise:
And many equall poysing thinges,
To ayde my flight, to fall or rise.
Thou thinckste an art that seldome bsde,
In hand I toke, and so it was:
But we no daunger then refusde,
So we might bring our feates to passe.
By practise at the length I could,
Gainst store of winde with ease arise:
And then which way to light I should,
And mount, and turne I did deuise.
Which learned but not perfectly,
Before I had there of the sleight:
I new aloft but downe fell I,
For want of skill againe to light.
Upon the temple earst I built,
To God Apollo, downe I fell:
In fiters broisde for such a guilt,
A iust reuenge requited well.
For what should I presume so highe,
Against the course of nature quite:
To take me winges and saye to flpe,
A foole no fowle in fethers dight.
As learning founds and cunning finds,
To such haue wit the same to vse:
So she confounds, and marres the mindes,
Of those her secrets seeme t'abuse.
Well then deserts requirde my fall,
Presumption proude, depriude my breath:
Renowne bereft my life and all,
Desire of praise, procurde my death:
Do let alureing arts alone,
They pleasaunt seeme yet are they vaine:
Amongst an hundreth scarce is one,
Doth ought thereby but labour gaine.
Their cunning castes are crafty cares,
Deuices vaine deuisde by men:
Such witched wiles are Sathans snares,
To traine in fooles, dispise them then.
Their wisedome is but wily wit,
Their sagenes is but subtilty:
Darke dreames deuisde for fooles are fit,
And such as practise pampestry.
Thou seest my fall and eke the cause,
Unwisely I good giftes abusde:
Lo here the hurt of learned sawes,
If they be mrested or misuide.
Then write my story with the rest,
May pleasure when it comes to vewe:
Take heede of counsailes all is best,
Beware, take heeds farewell adieu.
Farewell, will students keepe in minde,
[...]:
Els May they chaunce like fate to finde,
For why, [...].
[...].
The Authour.
WHen Bladud thus had ended quite his tale,
And tolde his life as you haue hearde before:
He toke his flight and then a Lady pale,
A pearde in sight, beraide vvith bloudy gore:
In hande a knife of sanguine dye she bore:
And in her breast a wounde was pearced wyde,
So freshly bledde, as if but than she dyde,
She staide a while, her coulour came and went,
And doubtfull was that would haue tolde hir paine:
In wofull sort she seemed to lament,
And could not well her tongue from talke refraine,
For why her griefes vnfolde she would right faine,
Yet bashfull was:at length an ende to make,
Hir Morpheus wild, and then thus wife she spake,
Cordila shewes how by despaire when she was in prison she slue herselfe. the yeare before Christe. 800.
Yf any wofull might haue cause, to maile her moe;
Or griefes are past do pricke vs Princes tel our fal:
By selfe likewise must needes constrained eke do so,
And shew my like misfortunes and mishaps withal.
Should I keepe close my beauy haps and [...]
Then did I wronge: I wrongde my selfe and thee,
Which of my facts, a witnes true maist bee.
A woman yet must blushe when bashfull is the case,
Though truth bid tell the tale aud story as it fell:
But sith that I mislike not audience time nor place
Therefore, I cannot still keepe in my counsaile well:
No greater case of hart then griefes to tell,
It daunteth all the dolours of our minde,
Our carefull harts thereby great comfort finde.
For why to tell that may recounted be againe,
And tell it as oure cares may compasse case:
That is the salue and medcine of our paine,
Which cureth corsyes all and sores of our disease:
It doth our pinching panges, and paines a pease:
It pleades the part of an assured frende,
And telles the trade, like vices to amende.
Therefore if I more willing be to tell my fall,
And shew mishaps to ease my burdened brest and minder
That others haply may auoide and shunne like thrall,
And thereby in distresse more ayde and comfort finde.
They maye keepe measure where as I declinde,
And willing be to flye like bruite and blame:
As I to tell, or thou to write the same.
For sith I see the prest to heare that wilt recorde,
What I Cordila tell to ease my inward sinart:
I will resite my storye tragicall ech worde,
To the that giust an eare to heare and ready art,
And lest I set the horse behinde the cart,
I minde to tell ech thinge in order so,
As thou maiste see and shewe whence sprang my wo.
My grandsyre Bladud hight that found the Bathes by skill,
A fethered king that practisde for to flye and soare:
Whereby he felt the fall God wot against his will,
And neuer went, roode, raignde nor spake, nor flew no more,
Who dead his sonne my father Leire therefore,
Was chosen kinge, by right apparent heyre,
Which after built the towne of Leircestere.
We had three daughters, first and eldest hight Gonerell:
Next after bir, my sister Ragan was begote:
The thirde and last was, I the yongest namde Cordell,
And of vs all, our father Leire in age did dote.
So minding hir that loude him best to note,
Because he had no sonne t'enioye his lande:
He thought to giue, where fauoure most he fande.
What though I yougest were, yet men me iudgde more wise
Then either Gonorell, or Ragan had more age,
And fayrer farre: wherefore my sisters did despise
My grace, and giftes, and sought my praise t'swage:
But yet though vice gainst vertue die with rage,
It cannot keepe her vnderneth to drowne,
But still she flittes aboue, and reapes renowne.
Yet nathelesse, my father did me not mistike:
But age so simple is, and easye to subdue:
As childhode weake, thats voide of wit and reason quite:
They thincke thers nought, you flater fainde, but all is true:
Once olde and twice a childe, tis said with you,
Which I affirme by proofe, that was definde:
In age my father had a childishe minde.
He thought to wed vs vnto nobles three, or Peres:
And vnto them and theirs, deuide and part the lande:
For both my sisters first he sent as first their yeares
Requirde their mindes, and loue, and fauour t'understand.
(Quoth he) all doubtes of duty to abande,
I must assaye and eke your frendships proue:
Now tell me eche how much you do me loue.
Which when they aunswered, they loude him wel and more
Then they themselues did loue, or any worldly wight:
He praised them and said he would againe therefore,
The louing kindnes they deserude in fine requite:
So found my sisters fauour in his sight,
By flatery fayre they won their fathers hart:
Which after turned, him and mee to smart.
But not content with this he minded me to proue,
For why he wonted was to loue me wonders well:
How much dost thou (ꝙ he) Cordile thy father loue:
I will (said I) at once my loue declare and tell:
I loude you euer as my father well,
No otherwise, if more to know you craue:
We loue you chiefly for the goodes you haue.
Thus much I said, the more their flattery to detect,
But he me answerd therunto again with Ire,
Because thou dost thy fathers aged yeares neglect,
That loude ye more of late then thy desertes require,
Thou neuer shalt, to any part aspire
Of this my realme, emong thy sisters twayne,
But euer shalt bndotid ay remayne.
Then to the king of Albany for wife he gaue
My sister Gonerell, the eldest of vs all:
And eke my sister Ragan for Hinnine to haue,
Which then was Prince of Camber and Cornwall:
These after him should haue his kingdome all
Betwene them both, he gaue it franke and free:
But nought at all, he gaue of domry mee.
At last it [...] yt king of Fraunce to here my fame,
My beutie braue, was blazed all abrode eche where:
And eke my vertues praisoe me to my fathers blame
Did for my sisters flattery me [...] fauoure beare.
Which when this worthy king my wrōgs did heare,
He sent ambassage likte me more then life,
T'intreate he might me haue to be his wife.
My father was content withall his harte, and sayde,
He gladly should obtaine his whole request at will
Concerning me, if nothing I herin denayde:
But yet he kept by their [...] hatred still,
(ꝙ he) your prince his pleasure to fulfill,
I graunt and giue my daughter as you craue:
But nought of me for dowry can she haue.
King Aganippus well agreed to take me so,
He deemde that vertue was of dowries all the best:
And I contentid was to Fraunce my father [...]
For to depart, & [...] t'enioye some greater rest.
I maried was, and then my ioyes encreaste,
I gate more fauoure in this prince his fight,
Then euer princesse of a princely wight.
But while yt I these toyes euioyd, at home in Fraūce
My father Leire in Britayne wared aged olde,
My sisters yet them selues the more aloft t'aduaūce,
Thought well they might, be by his leaue, or sans so bolde:
To take the realme & rule it as they wold.
They rose as rebels voyde of reason quite,
And they depriude him of his crowne and right.
Then they agreed, it should be into partes [...]
Deuided: and my father threscore knightes & squires
Should alwayes haue, attending on him still at cal.
But in sit monthes so much encreased hateful Ires,
That Gonerell denyde all his desires,
So halfe his garde she and her husband refte:
And scarce alowde the other halfe they lefte.
Eke as in Scotlande thus he lay lamenting fates,
When as his daughter so, sought all his vtter spoyle:
The meaner vpstarte gentiles, thought thē selues his [...]
And betters eke, see here an aged prince his foyle.
Then was he saine for succoure his, to toyle.
With all his knightes, to Cornewall there to lye:
In greatest nede, his Raganes loue to trye.
And when he came to Cornwall, Ragan them with foye,
Receiued him and eke bit husbande did the lyke:
There he abode a yeare and liude without a noy,
But then they tooke, all his retinue from him quite
Saue only ten, and shewde [...] dayly spite,
Which he bewailde [...] durst not striue,
Though in disoayne they laste alowde but fiue.
On this he deemde him, selfe was far that tyine vnwyse,
When from his doughter Gonerell to Ragan hee:
Departed erste yet eache did him poore king despise,
Wherefore to Scotlande once againe with bit to bee
And bide be went: but beastly cruell shee,
Bereaude him of his seruauntes all saue one,
Bad him content him self with that or none.
Eke at what time he askte of eache to haue his garde,
To garoe his grace where so he walkte or wente:
They calde him doting foole and all his hestes debarde,
Demaunded if with life he could not be contente,
[...] he to late his rigour did repente,
Gainst me and sayde, Cordila now [...]:
I finde the [...] thou [...] mee to to true.
And to be short, to Fraunce he came alone to mee,
And tolde me how my sisters him our father vsde:
Then I besought my king with teares vpō my knee,
That he would aide my father thus by them misusde
Who nought at all my humble beste refusde:
But sent to euery coste of Fraunce for ayde,
Wherwith my father home might be conueide.
The soldiers gathered from eche quarter of ye land,
Came at ye length to know the king his mind & will:
Who did commit them to my fathers aged hand,
And I likewise of loue and reuerent mere goodwill
Desirde my king, he would not take it ill,
If I departed for a space withall:
To take a parte, or ease my fathers thrall.
This had: I partid with my father from my fere,
We came to Britayne with our royall cāpe to fight:
And manly fought so lōg our enmies bāquisht were
By martiall feates, and force by subiectes sword and might.
The Britishe kinges were fayne to yelde our right,
And so my father well this realme did guide,
Three yeares in peace and after that he dide.
Then I at Leircester in Ianus temple made,
His tombe and buried there his kingly regall corse,
As sondry tymes in life before he often bade:
For of our fathers will we then did greatly force,
We had of conscience eke so much remorce,
That we supposde those childrens liues to ill:
Which brake their fathers testament, and will.
And I was queene the kingdome after still to holde,
Till fiue yeares paste I did this Iland guyde:
I had the Britaynes at what becke & bay I wolde,
Till that my louing king myne Aganippus dyde.
But then my seate it faltered on eache side,
Two churlishe Impes began with me to Farre,
And for my crowne wadgde with me mortal warre.
The one hight Morgan th'elder sonne of Gonerell
My sister, and that other Conidagus hight
My sister Ragans sonne, that loude me neuer well:
Both nephewes mine, yet wolde against me Cordel fight,
Because I loude always that semed right:
Therfore they hated me, and did pursue,
Their aunte and queene as she had bene a Iewe.
This Morgane was that time ye prince of Albany,
And Comdagus king of Cornewale and of VVales:
Both which, at once prousded their artillery,
To worke me wofull wo, & mine adherentes bales:
What nede I fill thyne eares with longer tales':
They did preuaile by might and powre so faste
That I was taken prisoner at laste.
In spitefull sorte, they vsed then my captiue corse,
No fauoure shewde to me, ertincte was mine estate.
Of kinred, princesse bloud, or pere was no remorce,
But as an abiecte vile and worse they did me hate,
To lie in darksome dongeon was my fate:
As twere a thiefe mine aunswers to abyde,
Gainst right and iustice, vnder Iaylours guyde.
For libertie at lengthe I suid, to subiectes were:
But they kepte me in pryson close deuoyde of truste,
If I might once escape, they were in dreade and feare,
Their fawning frendes with me would proue vntrue and [...].
They tolde me take it paciently I muste,
And be contented that I had my life:
Sithe with their mothers I began the strife.
Whereby I sawe might nothing me preuayle to pray,
Or pleade, or proue, defende, excuse or pardon craue.
They herde me not, despisde my plaintes, sought my decay,
I might no lawe, nor loue, nor right, nor iustice haue:
No frendes, no faith, nor pitie could me saue:
But I was from all hope of licence barde,
Condemde my cause like neuer to be herde.
Was euer lady in such wofull wreckfull wo:
Depriude of princely powre, berefte of libertie,
Depriud in all these worldly pompes, hit pleasures fro,
And brought from welthe, to nede distresse, and misery:
From palace proude, in prison poore to lye:
From kingdomes twayne, to dungion one no more:
From Ladies wayting, vnto vermine store.
From light to darke, from holsom ayre to lothsam smell:
From odewr swete, to sweate: from ease, to grieuous payne:
From sight of princely wights, to place where theues do dwel:
From deinty beddes of downe, to be of strawe full fayne:
From dowes of beauenly hewe, to dennes of dayne:
From greatest haps, that worldly wightes atchieue:
To more distresse then any wretche aliue.
When firste I lefte the crowne of Fraunce, tid me eralte,
And eke my noble king, myne Aganippus true:
And came to Englande for their beynous factes, and faulte:
Which from his right and kingdom quite our-father threw,
To take this realme, to raigne and treason knew:
I thinke of all misfortunes was the worste,
Or else I deeme, was some of vs accurste.
For marke my haplesse fall that drawes at length to ende,
As in this pryson vile, on lyue I lingering laye:
When I had mourned long, but founde no faithfull frende
That could me helpe, or ayde, or comforte any way,
Was serude at meate, as those their kinges betraye,
With fare God wot was simple, bare and thinne,
Could not sustayne the corys it entred in.
And when the sighes, & teares, & plaintes nigh burst my hart,
And place, and stenche and fare night poysond euery pore:
For lacke of frendes to tell my seas of giltlesse smarte,
And that mine eyes had sworne to take swete stepe no more,
I was content siche cares oppreste me sore,
To leaue my foode, take mourning plaintes and crie,
And lay me downe, let griefe and nature trie.
Thus as I pyning lay my carkas on couch of strawe,
And felte that payne erste neuer creature earthly knewe:
Me thought by night a gryzely ghost in darkes I same,
Eke nerer still to me with stealing steps she drewe.
She was of coloure pale, a deadly hewe:
Hir clothes resembled thousand kindes of thrall,
And pictures playne, of hastened deathes withall.
I musing lay in paynes and wondred what she was,
Mine eyne stode still, mine haire rose vp for feare an ende.
My fleshe it shoke and trembled: yet I cryde alasse,
What wight art thou, a foe or else what fawning [...]
If death thou arte, I praye thee make an ende:
But th'arte not death: arte thou some fury [...]
My wofull corps with paynes to more [...]
With that she spake I am (ꝙ she) thy frend Despaire
Which in distresse eacue worldly wight with spede do ayde:
I rid them from their foes, if I to them repayre,
To long from thee by other caytiues was I stayde.
Now if thou arte to die no whit affrayde,
Here shalt thou choose of instrumentes, [...]
Shall ridde thy restlesse life, of this be bolde.
And therwith all she spred her garmentes lap asyde,
Under the which a thousand thinges I sawe with eyes:
Both knyues, sharpe swordes, poynadees all bedyde
With bloud, and paysons prest which she could well deuise.
There is no hope (ꝙ she) for thee to ryse,
And get thy crowne or libertie agayne:
But for to liue, long lasting pining payne.
Loe here (ꝙ she) the blade that Did' of Carthage highte,
Whereby she was from thousande panges of payne let passes:
With this she [...] hit selfe, after Aeneas flighte:
When he to sea from Tyrian shores departed was.
Do chouse of these thou seest from woes to passe,
Or bid the ende prolonge thy paynefull dayes,
And I am pleasde from thee to get my wayes.
With that was I ( [...] wretche) content to take the knife,
But doubtfull yet to dye, and fearefull faine would bide:
So still I lay in study with my selfe at bate and strife.
What thing were best of both these deepe extreames vntride.
My hope all reasons of dispayre denide,
And the againe replide to proue it best
To dye, for still in life my woes increast.
She calde to minde, the ioyes in Fraunce I whilom had:
She tolde me what a troupe of Ladies was my traine,
And howe yt Lords of Fraunce and Britaynes both were glad,
Of late to waite on mee and subiects all were faine.
She could I had bin Queene of kingdomes twaine,
And how my nephewes had my seate and crowue:
I could not rise, for euer fallen downe.
A thousand thinges, beside resited then dispaire:
She could the woes in warres, that I had heapt of late:
Rehearst the prison bile, in steede of Pallas faire:
My lodging lowe and mouldy meates my mouth did hate,
She shewde mee all the dongeon where I sate,
The dankeishe [...], the [...] and had me smell:
And bide the sauourif I like it well.
Whereby I wretch [...] of comfort quite and hope,
And pleasures past comparde with present paines I had:
For fatall [...] my fearefull hand did grope,
Dispaire in this to ayde my [...] limmes was glad,
And gaue the blade to ende my woes she had.
I will (quoth I) but first with all my hart:
Ile pray the Gods, reuenge my wofull smart.
If any wronge deserue the wrecke I pray you skyes,
And starres of light, if you my wofull plight do rue:
O Phoebus cleare I thee beseech and pray like wise,
Beare witnes of my plaints well knowne to Gods are true.
You see from whence these iniuries they grue,
Then let like vengeaunce hap and light on those:
Which vndeserued were my deadly foes.
God graunt a mortall strife betwene them both may fall,
That one the other may without remorse distroye:
That Conidagus may, his cosin Morgan thrall,
Because he first decreast my wealth, bereft my ioye.
I pray you Gods he neuer be a Roy.
But caitife may be payde with such a frende:
As shortly may him bring, to sodaine ende.
Farewell my Realme of Fraunce, farewell Adieu:
Adieu mes nobles tous, and England now farewell:
Farewell Madames my Ladyes, car ie suis pardu:
Il me fault aler, desespoir m'a donne confeil
Demetuer, no more your Queene farewell.
My nephewes mee oppresse with maine and might,
A captiue poore, gainst iustice all and right.
And therewithall the sight did faile my dazeling eyne,
I nothing same saue sole Dispayrebad mee dispatch,
Whom I [...], she caught the knife from mee I weene,
And by hir elbowe carian death for mee did watch,
Come on (quoth I) thou hast a goodly catch,
And therewithal Dispayre the stroke did strike:
Whereby I dyde, a damned creature like.
Which I alasse lament, bid those aliue beware,
Let not the losse of goodes or honour them constrasne:
To play the fooles, and take such carefull carke and care,
Or to dispaire for any prison pine or paine.
If they be giltlesse let them so remaine,
Farre greater follye is it for to kill,
Themselues dispayring, then is any ill.
Sith first thereby their enmyes haue, that they desyre:
By which they prone to deadly foes vnwares a [...]:
And next they cannot liue, to former blisse t'aspyre
If God do bring their foes in time to sodaine ende:
They lastly as the damned wretches sende,
Their soules to hell, when as they vndertake
To kill a corps: which God did liuely make.
Finis,
The Authour.
NOw, when this desperate Queene had ended thus
Hir tale, and told what haplesse grace she had:
As of her talke some pointes I did discusse,
In slomber fallen I waxed wondrous sad
Hir nephewes dealings were me thought to bad:
VVhich greude mee much, but Morpheus bad let bee,
And therewithal presented one to mee.
Of stature tall a worthy princely wight,
In countenaunce he soemde yet mourning still:
His complet harnesse not so brauein sight,
Nor sure as ours, made now adayes by skill:
But clampt together, ioynts but ioyned ill:
Vnfit, vnhandsome, heauy, houge and plaine.
Vnweldy wearing, ratling like a chaine.
VVherethroughe he had receiude a deadly stroake,
By sworde, or other instrument of warre,
And downe his thighes the bloud by sithes did soake
VVhich I perceiued as he came a farre.
"Now sith (quoth he) to heare you present are:
"I will declare my name, life, factes and fall.
And therewith thus he gan to tell it all,
Morgan telles how he wadgeing warre with his cosin Conidagus was slaine at the place yet called Glamorgan, the yeare before Christe. 766.
I Wot not well what reasons I may vse,
To quite my selfe from blame, blame worthy I:
Wherefore I must perforce my selfe accuse,
I am in fault I can it not denye.
Remorse of conscieuce, prickes my hart so nye,
And me torments with panges of pinching paine:
I can no longer, me from speach refraine.
I am that Morgan sonne of Gonerell,
Th'ungrateful daughter, of her father Leire:
Which from his kingdome did him once expell,
As by the Brytishe stories may appeare.
Regan, and shee conspirde both sisters were,
But were subdude againe, and causde to yeld
Their fathers crowne, Cordila wan the field.
I neede not here the storyes all recyte,
It were to longe but yet I briefely shall,
The cause Cordila ought hir sisters spite,
Was they procurde hir, and their fathers thrall:
Yet twas hir chaunce at length t'out liue them al,
Both sisters elder, and hir father graue:
And eke at length the kingdome all to haue.
That time was I of Albany the kinge,
Calde Scotland now and eke my cosin then
Of Cornewall and of VVales, whom I did bringe
To warre against Cordila and her men.
Wee said we would our title winne agen:
And that because our mothers had it yore,
Wee ment to get it ours againe therefore.
I must confesse I was the cause of warre,
I was not pleasde with that was looted mee:
Euen so our mindes Ambitious often ar,
And blinded that we cannot reason see.
Wee thincke no men, but Gods on earth we bee,
Yet worse are we thē beasts, which know their kinde:
For we haue nought but mischiefe oft in minde.
We thincke if so we may our willes attaine:
By right, or wrong, by might or malice wee
Could neuer liue, like Fortune for to gaine.
Or if on soes, we once reuenged bee:
If that our ennemies fall, we chaunce to see,
O then we ioy we lift our selues to skye,
And on the poore, we crucifige crye.
I deemde if once, I might put her adowne:
The kingdomes all, were Conidags and mine,
And I could easly after winne the crowne:
If also I, his state might vndermine.
I thought in deede to haue it all in fine,
By force, or fraude I ment my purpose bring
To passe, I might be after Britaine king.
To speake in fewe, we waged warre so longe,
Bainst hir, at last we put hir vnto flight,
Wee nephewes for our aunt were farre to stronge,
Pursude and coke, depriude her of hir right.
Wee thought it ours what so we wanne by might,
Cke so play [...], traytours all do watch,
To get by spoile, and count their owne they catch,
Not so contented were we with the pray,
But fearing lest she should recouer ayde:
I sent in hast to prison her away,
And all recourse of messengers densyde.
Thus when she sawe hir Maiesty decaide,
And that hir griefes and sorrowes daily grue:
In prison at the length hir selfe she slue.
O caytife vile should I constrainde a Queene
That Iustice ment, hir kingdome to forsake,
Nay traytour I, as now by proofe is seene
That would my selfe by bloudshed ruler make.
How could reuenge on me but vengeaunce take,
Before the seate of God, hir bloud did call:
For vengeaunce, and at length procurde my fall.
Lo here Gods iustice, see my treason see:
Beholde, and see to raigne was my delight,
And marke, and make a myrour here of mee,
Which afterward was serude by iustice right.
Wee wan the crowne, betweene vs both in fight:
And then because I was the elder sonne,
Of th'elder Queene I claimed all we wonne.
So were my dealings nought, in peace and warre.
But for my force, and fortunes vsde in fight:
I past that time the Britaynes all by farre.
I was of person fortitude and might,
Both comely, tall, stronge, seemely eke in sight,
Whereby I wonne mens fauour, glory, wealth:
And puft with pride, at length forgate my selfe.
I said it was my right, the crowne to haue,
But Conidagus stoutly it denide:
Wherefore I went to VVales my right to craue,
With all mine army and to haue it tryde.
Where long we fought it stoutly on eche syde,
Till at the last vnto my wofull paine:
I was depriude of kingdome quite, and slaine.
And for to keepe in memorye for aye,
That there vnfaithfull Morgan lost his life,
The place is cald Glamorgan to this daye.
There was I perst to death with fatall knife,
There was the ende of all my hatefull strife:
So Morgan where he thought to win the crowne,
Was at Glamorgan traytour stricken downe.
Thus maist thou tell, how proude ambition proues,
What hap haue tyraunts, what we traitours haue:
What ende he hath, that cruel dealing loues:
What subiects get the Diademe docraue,
Tis better then to winne: thine owne to saue,
For so orethwartly trade of Fortune goes:
When win thou wouldst, then art thou sure to lose.
Finis.
The Authoure.
VVIth that Morganus quickly past away,
The night me thought likewise was far epast
VVherby it weried me so long to staye,
But Morpheus bad me by de and see the last,
"(ꝙ he) the storyes passe awaye as fast,
"As doth the time, and sithe th'art nigh th'ende:
"Thou nedste not grutche, so short a space to spend.
And turning then, him selfe from me asyde:
He calde the next which therwithall in sight,
Appearde and all his breste with bloud bedide,
VVhat chaunce (ꝙ I) hath so thy corps bedight,
Thou worthy prince, or what mishaps of fight?
"I will (ꝙ he) with all my hart vnfolde
"My fatall fall, and therwithall he tolde.
Forrex declares howe hee mynding to kill his brother whiche ruled with him (that he might therby raigne alone) was by him slayne. About the yeare before Christe. 491.
PRide moues the mindes, of stately wightes
Such hauty hartes to haue,
And causeth vs for glory hayne,
That is not ours to craue.
Pryde pluckes out reason forth hir place,
And planteth will in stede:
She puffes our mindes with vayne desires,
Our fancies foude to feede.
Wherby we growe so obstinate,
And so ambitious ill:
That vs at length our brauery bids,
In all thinges vse our will.
Ambition thinkes that lawefull is,
Which likes hir fancie beste:
And demes she ought to haue hir forthe,
And swinge before the reste.
She loues no mates, controlement shee
And warning doth despise:
She demes her selfe in all hir deedes,
And actions wonders wise.
She hath desire of this and that,
To get by crouche or clawe:
By right or wronge she [...] not,
She vseth will for lawe.
No kinde, or countrey she regardes,
No mother, father shee:
Nor wyfe, or husbande, kithe or kin:
But enuies eache degree.
For if thy hart Ambition haue,
Thy greedy mynde to fill:
Thou wilt not sticke thy dearest frende,
or nerest kin to kill.
But as the prouerbe sayes that Pryde,
Must needes at lengthe haue fall:
Though we suppose of strengthe and powre,
We haue the deuill and all.
Euen so I saye Ambition makes,
Us often clyme so hie:
At leng th we fall, we come to nought,
And drownde in darkenes lye.
This may I Forrex well [...],
By proufe to true I finde:
Wherfore I praye the with the reste,
Do put my faultes in mynde.
My father olde hight Gorboduge,
Raignde three score yeares and three:
And at his death gaue all his lande,
Twene Porrex proude and mee.
Fyue yeares we helde, it so in peace,
In reste me ruled well:
But at the last by pryde and wrathe,
Wee foule at discorde fell.
We eache encrotchte on others partes,
For rule we liude at strife:
And eache did seeke occasion aye,
To reaue the others life.
I made this counte I elder was,
By birthe the realme was myne:
By warre, or wrong, or bloud I mente,
To haue it all in fine.
And he although he yonger were,
Esteemde his state so sure
As mine: and thought it his, if hee
My death might once procure,
My mother eke, that loude me more,
Although he yonger was:
By diuers meanes did helpe me still,
To bring my feates to passe.
Wherby I thought my selfe so sure,
To haue my purpose sped:
As I requirde if once I might,
Get of his crafty head.
See here what faith what frendship is,
What loue what fauoure wee:
Do shewe to any wight aliue,
If once alofte me bee
To fathers, we are faithlesse ofte:
To brothers, butchers vile:
Of sisters smale accounte we make,
And wedded wyues exile.
If any kithe, or [...], we haue,
By whom we vantage may:
We care not by what cruell meanes,
Their liues we take away.
But for to get the seate alone,
And for to wynne the crowne:
We care not whom, nor when, nor home:
So we may get them downe.
O brutishe beastes! nay worse then those,
For they are still concente:
With that they haue what euer them,
Hath God or Nature sente.
But we do gape, and gaze for glore:
We prowle, and powle, and pill,
And sweare, and stare, and striue, & fighte,
And one another kill.
And all for pompe, and glorie great,
For name, renowne, estate:
Not caring of the commons crye,
Or Godes eternall hate.
If I had had, the giftes of grace,
I neuer would haue sought:
By any meanes such worldly trashe.
With brothers bloud to boughte.
But as I ment euen so I sped,
So bloudy butchers thye:
When moste I deemde my purpose sure.
He was to good for me.
For as I thought his bloud to shed,
I compaste was about,
So that for thousand kingdomes, I
Could not with life scape out.
He perste my hart, what skilles it sithe,
My minde was euen as bad:
For why what measure I him mente,
My selfe like measure had.
And so all such, as murder meane,
Intende, or treason vse:
Shall at the lengthe, like ende attayne,
Or worse they cannot chuse.
FINIS.
The Authour.
WHen as king Forrex thus had tolde his tale,
Me thought he stay de no whit but went his way.
Then came a mangled corps as full of bale,
And or he nerer came made halfe a stay.
"(ꝙ Morpheus) come for shame thou nedste not stay,
"As bad as thou haue tolde their tales before,
"And so must thou and diuers other more.
Porrex recites howe for the slaughter of his brother, he was slayne by his owne mother and hir maydens, as he laye sleeping. About the yeare before Christe. 491.
FRom darkesome deunes, where cruell Cayne,
Genes. 4.
And others like do lye:
Whose bloudie blades were bathde in bloud,
Poore caytiue thence come I.
Where Typhon is his brother slewe,
Annius.
Osiris in despite:
And where their sister Isis is,
Did him againe requite.
Wher Dardanus to rule alone,
Virgil.
His brother made away:
Etheoclus, Polinicus,
In culi.
At once did others sley.
Where Helenus king Priams son:
Seruius. 3. Aeneid. Ouid in Iben.
His brother Theon kilde.
Medea eke in bloudy wyse:
Hir brothers bloud that spilde.
Where Tydeus is in hunting shote
Statius
His brother through the side
Polytes eke his brothers harte
With sworde that opened wyde.
And where as that Cambyses is,
Herodotus.
His syster once that slewe.
And Polipontes king that made,
Gel. lib. 4.
His brother treason rewe.
cap. 3.
And cruell where Odores is,
Which mercy did deny:
To Mithridate his brother deare,
That did for pardon crie.
Eke where Learchus is that did,
Herodotus,
His brother sicke destroy:
With poyson deadly hoping so,
To make him selfe a Roy.
And where that wretche Mamertes lyes,
Ouidin Iben.
His brothers sonnes that spilte.
And Sisapho tormenting him,
For such an heynous [...].
Where Rhesus and Caduidus are,
Plutarch. Laert. Volater.
with shaftes their brethren slewe,
And Philadelphus Ptolomae,
his brothers death did brewe.
Where Philopater Ptolome,
Volater.
his father made away:
And after that his brother with
his dearist frendes did slay.
And where Ardieus tyraunt vile,
Plato 10. de rep.
his aged father stroyde.
And after that his elder bro.
ther kingdomes to enioyde.
Where Mithridatus beastly king,
Caelius.
of Pontus feeles anoye:
Which mother his and brother eke,
sixe children did destroye.
Where is Antiochus the great,
Volat.
His brother brought to graue:
That he might onely raigne alone,
and all the kingdome haue.
Where Romulus that Remus stew,
Liuius. Lucan. Ouid.
of Romaines first had fall:
Though [...] brother first he were,
presumde to scale the wall.
And where Mempricius lewde doth lye,
Flores Hist.
a Britaine Prince that slue,
His brother Manlius fearing lest,
he were to him vntrue.
Where Iugurth eke that basterde is,
his brethren brought to graue:
Salust.
That after them Numidia,
he might for kingdome haue.
And where a Thousande are beside,
which were to longe to tell:
Their parents deare and brethren slue,
and now in darkenes dwell.
From thence I came a Britaine yore,
namde Porrex once a kinge
Againe: to shewe what vices mee,
To sodaine death did bringe.
Now list a while and then do write,
what I thee tell: that others may,
Themselues in such attempts as these,
from bloudy acts, as brethren stay.
My brother Forrex fiue yeares space,
and I this kingdome helde:
Betweene [...] both the common weale,
wee scace did wisely welde.
At length we fondly fell at [...],
so Princes bide no mate,
Nor make, nor partners, with to raigne
but beare their equals hate.
The heire because I yongest was,
thought his by right the crowne:
But I esteemde the halfe was mine,
and all if he were downe.
VVhereby O brothell, butcher eke,
not brother I did stay:
My brother for to haue it all,
and get his right away.
Such are the acts of delesse youthes,
Such are their studies still:
VVhich care not what offence they make,
So they their fancies still.
But as it is vniustice, and
an haynous acte to vse:
Such murder, slaughter, paricide
and Iustice all refuse.
So Ioue the iust at length requites,
our deedes: and makes vs rewe,
VVee euer were, to God, or man
or natures [...] vntrue.
For when I deemde the crowne was mine:
which had my brother slaine.
O griefe to tell my mother, and
hir maydens wrought my paine.
Both for my fault, and for she loude,
my brother Forrex still:
With all hir maides she came by night,
my sleeping corps to kill.
And I that slombring sleeping lay,
though many dreames fortolde,
My haplesse fall: could neuer wake,
the meaning to vnfolde,
But last supposing with my selfe,
I cruel Tigres sawe,
With rauening fearcenes, rent theyr [...]
against dame Natures lawe.
She came on mee to fill my dreame,
before my eyes could wake,
And with a dagger reft my life:
for Forrex slaughters sake,
Much like Agaue and hir mates,
Virgil in [...].
shee and hir maidens got:
Them tooles therefore, and hewde my corse,
as small as fleshe to pot.
Or Progne Queene hir children slue,
Ouid. 6. metamor.
and he wde their membres small:
In wrathfull ite made Tereus feede,
and fill himselfe withall.
Or like Medea monster Queene,
Virgil. 8. Aegl.
hir Iasons sonnes that kilde:
Because she was forsaken when,
his purpose was fulfilde.
Like these was shee nay worse for why,
this ended Brutus line:
Brought mee to ende and hir to shame,
Though first the fault were mine.
Bid those beware that weene to winne,
by bloudy acts the crowne:
Lest from the height they feele the fall,
of topsy turuye downe.
For if when they suppose themselues,
aloft to touche the skye,
There chaunce a storme there is no holde,
to staye themselues so hye.
But faster farre, more swiftly they,
and with more swinge descende:
Then euer erst they could with all,
their force to clime contende:
Do bid them then in all their deedes,
marke well the fineall ende.
Finis,
The Authour.
NExt after Porrex came another such,
Had all his body quite in peeces rent:
A desperate man, his life bewayling much.
VVhich for he seemed sorely to lament,
I was the rather him to heare content:
That I might also note his story here,
From like attempts of vices you to feare.
Kimarus shewes howe for his euill life he was deuoured by wilde beastes, the yeare before Christ 321.
NO place commends the man, vnworthy prayse:
No title of estate; doth stay vp vices fall:
No wicked wight, to woe can make delayes:
No loftye lookes preserues the proude at all:
No bragges or beaste, no stature high and tall:
No lofty youth, no swearing, staringe [...]:
No brauery, banding, cogging, cutting out.
Then what auayles, to haue a princely place:
A name of honour, or an highe degree:
To come by kinred, of a noble race:
Except wee princely, worthy, noble bee:
The fruite declares the goodnes of the tree.
Do bragge no more, of birth or linage than:
Sith vertue, grace, and maners make the man.
My selfe might bragge and first of all begin,
Mulmutius made and constituted lawes:
And Belinus and Brenne his sonnes did win,
Such praise their names to bee immortall cause.
Gurgunstus Redbearde with his sober sawes,
The sonne of Beline and my grandsyre grande:
Was fortunate what ere he toke in hande.
His sonne my grandsyre Guintheline did passe,
For virtues praise, and Martia was his wyfe,
A noble Queene that wise and learned was,
And gaue hir selfe to studye all hir life,
Deuising lawes, discust the endes of strife,
Amonge the Britaynes, to hir endlesse Fame:
Hir statutes had of Martian lawes the name.
My father eke was sober, sage and wise,
Cicilius hight king Guintheline his sonne,
Of noble Princes then my stocke did rise:
And of a Prince of Cornewall first begonne,
But what thereby of glory haue I wonne:
Can this suffice to aunsweare eke for mee,
I came by parents of an highe degree:
Or shall I saye Kimarus I was king:
Then might I liue as lewdely as I lust:
No sure I cannot so [...] the stinge,
Of shame that prickes such Princes are bniuft:
We rather should vnto our vertues trust,
For vertue of the auncient bloud and kin,
Doth onely praise the parties shees within.
And nobles onely borne, of this be sure,
Without the vertues of their noble race:
Do quite and cleane themselues thereby obscure,
And their renowne and dignities deface:
They do their birth, and linage all abace:
For why in deede they euer ought so well,
In vertues graue: as titles braue ercell.
But oft (God wot) they fare as erst did I,
They thincke if once they come of Princelye stocke:
Then are they placed safe, and sure so hye
Aboue the rest as founded on a rocke.
Of wise mens warnings all they make a mocke:
Theyr counsayles graue, as abiect reedes despise:
And count the braue, men gracious, worthy wise.
This kingdome came to mee by due discent,
For why my father was before mee kinge:
But I to pleasure all and lust was bent,
I neuer reckt of Iustice any thinge:
What purpose I did meane to passe to bringe,
That same t'accomplishe I withall my might
Endeuorde euer, were it wronge or right,
I deemde the greatest ioyes, in earthly hap:
I thought my pleasures euer would abide:
I seemde to sit, in Ladye Fortunes lap:
I reckt not all the world, me thought beside:
I did by lust my selfe, and others guide:
Where by the fates to worke my bane withall,
And cut me of, thus wise procurde my fall.
As I was alwayes bent to bunting still,
(Yet hunting was no vice to those I had)
When I three yeares had rulde this realme at [...],
In chace a chaunce did make my harte full sad:
Wilde cruell beastes as desperate and mad,
Turnde back on me, as I them brought to baye:
And in their rage, my sinfull corps did sley.
A iuste rewarde, for so [...] a life,
No worse a death then I deserued yore.
Such wreckes in th'ende to wretches all are rife:
Who may and will not call for grace before.
My wilful deedes wer nought, what wilt thou more:
My wanton wildnesse, witlesse, heedelesse toyes:
By brutishe beastes bereaud me of my ioyes.
FINIS.
The Authour.
ON this Kimarus lefte me all alone,
And so did Morpheus, then I thought to reste:
But yet againe he came presenting one,
For audience likewyse making his requeste,
A worthy prince, he ware a warlike creste:
A blade in hande, he bloudy rusty bore,
VVas all his harnesse from his shoulders tore.
His armes, and handes were all embrued in bloud,
So was his breste, but all the reste beside,
Seemde rayde with matter vyle, or slimy mud,
VVith red and yelow as it were bedide:
You scarcely could the sight therof abide:
Yet sithe he seemde some worthy wight to be,
It brought by farre lesse squemishnes to me.
Morindus a bastarde, declares how hee was [...] to the kingdome, wared cruell, and at laste was deuoured by a monster, the yeare before Christe. 303.
LEt me likewyse declare my factes and fall:
And eke recite what meanes this slimye glere:
You nede not fayne so quaynte a looke at all,
Although I seeme so fulsome euery where.
This blade in bloudy hande perdy I beare,
And all this gore bemingled with this glue:
In wytnes I my deadly enmy [...].
Then marke my tale beware of rashnes bile,
I am Morindus once was Britayne king:
On whome did swetely lady Fortune smyle,
Till she me to hir top of towres did bring.
My fame both farre and nere she made to ringe,
And eke my prayse exalted so to skye:
In all my time, [...] famous none then I.
Some saye I was by birthe, a [...] bace:
Be gotten of the prince his concubine.
But what I was, declared well my grace:
My fortitude, and stature princely mine:
My father [...] that came of princely line,
King Danius gaue not so bace degree,
Nor yet the noble Britaynes vnto mee.
For [...] of armes, and warlike pointes I passe:
In courage stoute, ther lyude not then my pere:
I made them all, that knewe my name agaste,
And heard how great my enterprises were,
To shrinke, and slynke, and shifte aside for feare:
All which at length, did me such glory bring,
My father dead, the Britaynes made me king.
But see how blinde we are, when Fortune smples,
How senceles we, when dignities increase:
We euer vse our selues discretely whyles
We little haue, and loue to liue in peace.
Smale fauters factes, with mercy we release:
We vse no rigoure, rancoure, rapine such:
As after, when we haue our willes to much.
For while that I, a subiecte was no king,
While I had nothing, but my factes alone:
I studied still, in euery kinde of thing
To serue my prince and vnderfange his fone:
To vse his subiectes frendly, euerichone:
And for them all, aduentures such to take,
As might them all my persone fauoure make.
But when I once, attained had the [...],
I waxed cruell, tyranous and fell:
I had no longer mynde of my [...]:
I vsde my selfe to ill, the truthe to tell:
O bace degree in happy case fult well!
Which art not puste with pryde, vainglory hate:
But art beneath, content to byde thy fate.
For I aloft, when once my heate was in:
Not raignd by reason, ruled all by might:
Ne prudence rekte, right, strength, or meane a [...]:
But with my frendes, in anger all would fight:
I [...], kilde, stewe who euer were in sight:
Without respect, remorce, reproufe, regarde,
And like a mad man, in my fury farde.
I deemde my might, and fortitude was suche:
That I was able therby conquire all.
Highe kingdomes seate, encreaste my pōpe so much:
My pryde me thought, impossible to fall.
But God confoundes our proude deuices all,
And bringes that thing wherein we moste do truste:
To our destruction, by his iudgement iuste.
For when three yeares I ruled had this [...],
Without all rule, as was my rulesse lyfe:
The rumour ran abroade within a whyle,
And chiefly in the Norweste country ryfe:
A monster came from [...] seas, brought griefe,
To all my subiectes in those coastes did dwell,
Deuouring man, and [...] a monster fell.
Which whē I knew for trought I straight preparde
In warlike wyse my selfe to try the case:
My haste therto a courage bolde declarde,
For I alone would enter in the place.
At whom with speare on horse I fetchte my race.
But on his scales it enter could no more:
Then might a bulrushe on a brasen dore.
Againe I prousde, yet nought at all preuailde,
To breake my speare, and not to pearce his side:
With that the roaring monster me assailde,
So terrifide my horse, I could not ride.
Wherwith I lighted and with sworde I tryde,
By strokes and tbrustes to finde some open in:
But of my fight he neuer past a pin.
And when I weried was, and spent with fighte:
That kept my selfe with heede his daunger fro,
At laste almoste ashamde I wanted mighte,
And skill to worke the beastly monster wo
I gate me nerer with my sworde him to,
And thought his flāckes or vnderpartes to wounde:
If there from scales, might any place be founde.
But frustrate of my purpose, finding none,
And eke within his daunger entred quite:
The grizely beaste, straight seasoned me vpon,
And let his talentes, on my corps to light,
He gripte my shoulders, not resiste I might:
And roaring with a greedy rauening looke,
At once in iawes, my body whole he tooke.
The way was large, and downe he drew me in:
A mōstrous paunche for rowmthe & wōdrous [...]
But for I feite more softer there the skinne,
At once I drewe, a dagger by my side;
I knew my life, no longer could abide:
For rammishe stenche, blood, poyson, slymy glere:
That in his body, so aboundaunt were.
Wherefore I labouring to procure his death,
While first my dagger digde about his harte:
His force to caste me, welnie drew my brethe,
But as he felt within, his woundes to smarte:
I ioyde to feele the mighty monster starte.
That roarde, & belcht, & groande, & plungde & cride.
And coste me by and downe, from side to side.
Long so in panges he plundgde, and panting lay
And drewe his wynde, so faste with such a powre:
That quite and cleane he drew my breath away,
We both were dead well nighe within an howre.
Lo thus one beastly monster did deuoure,
An other monster moodelesse to his payne:
At once the realme was rid, of monsters twayne.
Here maist thou see of fortitude the hap,
Where prudēce, Iustice, Tēperaunce hath no place:
How sodainly we taken are in trap,
When we despise good vertues to embrace.
Intemperaunce doth all our deedes deface,
And lettes vs heedlesse headlong run so faste,
Wee seeke out owne destruction at the laste.
For he that hath of fortitude and might,
And therto hath a kingdome ioynde withall:
Except he also guyde him selfe aright,
His powre and strength preuaileth him but small,
He cannot scape at length an haplesse fall,
Or Gods reuenge, example take by mee:
And let my death sufficient warning hee.
FINIS.
The Authour.
I Could not thus departe to take my reste,
For Morpheus bad me byde and heare the Iaste.
"(ꝙ he) behinde as yet, is one the beste:
"Do stay a whyle, giue eare till he be paste.
And therewithall approtched one full faste,
The worthiest wight I euer erste did see:
These woordes he spake, or like it seemed mee,
Nennius a worthy Britayne, the very paterne of a valiaunt, noble, and faithful subiecte encountring with Iulius Caesar at his firste comming into this Islande, was by him death wounded, yet nathelesse he gate Caesars swoorde: put him to flighte: slewe therewith Labienus a Tribune of the Romaynes, endured fight till his countrey men wan the battayle, died fiftene dayes after. And nowe encourageth all good subiectes to defende their countrey from the powre of foraine and vsurping enemies. About the yeare before Christe. 50.
I May by right some later wryters blame,
Of stories olde, as rude or negligente:
Or else I may them well vnlearned name,
Or heedelesse, in those thinges about they wente:
Some tyme on mee, as well they might haue spente:
As on suche traytours, tyrauntes harlottes those,
Which to their countreyes, were the deadliest foes.
Ne for my selfe, I would not this resite,
Although I haue occasion good therto,
But sure me thinkes, it is to greate dispite,
These men to others and their countries do.
For there are Britaynes nether one nor two,
Whose names in stories [...] once appeare:
And yet their liues, examples worthy were.
Tis worthy praise (I graunt) to write the endes
Of vicious men, and teach the like beware:
For what hath of virtue that commends,
Such personrs lewde, as nought of vertues care:
But for to leaue out those praise worthy are:
Is like, as if a man had not the skill,
To praise the good but discommend the ill.
I craue no praise, although my selfe deferude,
As great a laude as any Britaine yore:
But I would haue it tolde how well I serude,
My Prince and countrey, faith to both I bore:
All noble hartes, hereby with couradge more:
May both their forraine, foes in fight withstande,
And of their enmyes haue the vpper hande.
Againe to shewe how valiaunt then we were,
(You Britaynes good) to moue your harts therby,
All other Nations lesse in fight to feare,
And for your country rather so to dye
With valiaunt hauty couradge as did I:
Then liue in bondage, seruice, slauery, thrall
Of foraine powres, which hate your manhode all.
Do giue mee leaue to speake but euen a while:
And marke, and write this story I the tell.
By North from London, more then fiftye myle:
There lyes the Isle, of Ely knowne full well:
Wherein my father built a place to dwell,
And for because he liked well the same:
He gaue the place he Ely hight, his name.
[...] namde the Isle of Ely yet perdy,
My father namde it so, yet writers misse.
Or if I may be bolde to saye: they lye
Of him, which tell that farre vntruthlike is.
What truth (I pray you) seemes to bee in this:
"Hee Ely loude, a goodly place built there:
Lanquet. Stowe. Grafton,
"Most it delited, raignde not full a yere.
He raigned fourtye yeares as other tell,
Flores Hist.
Which seemes as tis a tale more true by farre:
By iustice guided he his subiects well,
And liude in peace without the broyles of warre.
His childrens noble actes in storyes ar.
In vulgare tongue: but nought is said of mee,
And yet I worthy was, the yongste of three.
His eldest sonne and heire was after king,
A noble Prince and he was named Lud:
Full polliticke and wise in euery thing,
And one that wild his country alwayes good.
Such vses, customes, statutes he withstoode,
As seemde to bring the publique weales decaye:
And them abolisht, brake, repealde awaye.
So he the walles of Troy the new renewde,
Enlargde them made, with fourty towres about,
And at the West side of the wall be vewde
A place, for gates to keepe the enmyes out:
There made he prisons for the poore bankrout,
[...] Ludgate yet for free men debters, free
From hurt, till with their creditours they gree.
Some say the Citye also toke the name
Of Lud my brother: for he it reparde,
And I must needes as true confesse the same:
For why that time no cost on it he sparde.
He still encreast and peopled euery warde:
And bad them aye Kaer lud the city call,
Or Ludstone, now you name it London all.
At length he dyed, his children vnder age.
The elder named was Androgeus,
Committing both [...] my brothers charge:
The yonger of them hight Tennancius.
The Britaynes wanting aged rulers thus,
Those for that time Cassibellane their kinge,
My brother Iustice ment in euery thinge.
The Romaine then the mighty Caesar fought,
Against the Galles and conquerde them by might,
Which don: he stode on shores wher see he mought
The Ocean seas, and Britayne clieues full bright.
"(Quoth hee) what Region lyes there in my sight,
Mee thinckes some Ilande in the seas I see:
"Not yet subdued, nor banquisht yet by mee':
With that they told him, wee the Britaynes were:
A people stoute, and fearce in feates of warre.
"(Quoth he) the Romaynes neuer yet with feare,
"Of Nation rude, was daunted of so farre:
"Wee therefore minde, to proue them what they are.
And there withall, the letters hither sent,
By those Embassage brought, and thus they went.
C. Iulius Caesar Dict, of Rome to Cassibellane kinge of Britaine sendeth greetinge.
"SIth that the Gods haue gluen vs all the [...],
"As subiects to our Romaine Empire hie:
"By warre, or as it seemed Ioue the best,
"Of whom we Romaynes came and chiefely I.
"Therefore to you which in the Ocean dwell,
"As yet not vnderneth subiection due:
"Wee sende our letters greeting, wete ye well,
"In warlike cases, thus we deale with you.
"First that you as the other Regions paye,
"Us tribute yearely, Romaynes we require:
"Then that you will with all the force you may,
"Withstand our foes, as yors with sword and fire.
"And thirdly that by these, you pledges sende,
"T'assure the couenaunts once agreed by you.
"So with your daunger lesse, our warres may ende:
"Els bid we warre, Cassibellane Adieu.
Caesar.
No sooner were these Caesars letters seene,
But straight the king for all his nobles sent:
He shewd them what their auncestours had bene.
And praide them tell in this their whole intent.
He could them where about the Romaynes went,
And all the Britaynes euen as set on fyre,
(My selfe not least [...] was to fight)
Did humblye him in ioyfull wise require:
That he his letters would to Caesar write,
And tell him [...] wet paste not of his spite.
Wee past as litle, of the Romaynes wee,
And lesse: then they of vs, if lesse might bee.
Wherefore the ioyfull kinge againe replide,
Through counsaile wise of all the nobles had,
By letters hee the Romaynes hestes denyde:
Which made the Britayns hauty harts full glad,
No doubt the Romaynes more then halfe were mad,
To here his letters written, thus they went:
Which he againe to mighty Caesar sent.
Cassibellane kinge of Brit. to C. Iulius Caesar Dictat. sendeth aunswere.
"AS thou O Caesar writste, the Gods haue giuen to thee.
The West: so I reply, they gaue this I stande mee.
Thou sayst you Romaynes and thy selfe of Gods discende:
And darst thou then, to spoile our Troian bloud pretende:
Againe, though Gods haue giune, thee all the world as thine:
Thats parted from the world, thou getst no lande of mine.
And sith likewise of Gods we came, a Nation free:
"Wee owe [...] tribute, ayde, or pledge to Rome or thee.
[Page] "Retract thy will, or wadge thy warre, as likes thee [...]:
"Wee are to fight, and rather then to frendship prest.
"To saue our country, from the force of forraine strife:
"Eche Britaine here, is well content to venter life.
"Wee feare not of the ende, or daungers thou dost tell:
"But vse thy pleasure if thou mayste, thus fare thou well.
Cassib.
When Caesar had receaude his aunswere soe,
It [...] him much: he fully straight decreed,
To wadge vs warre, and worke vs Britaines woe:
Therefore he hasted hither warde with speede.
Wee Britaynes eke, prepard our selues with heede,
To meete the Romaynes all in warlike wise:
With all the force, and speede we might [...].
Wee Britaynes then farre deemde it meeter much,
To meete him first at th'entry on this lande:
Then for to giue an entrye here to suche,
Might with our victuals here our selues [...].
Tis better far thy enemye to abande,
Quite from thy borders to a straunger soyle:
Then he at home, thee and thy country [...].
Wherefore we met him, at his entry in,
And pitche our campes directly in his way:
Wee minded sure to leese or els to winne
The praise, before wee paste from thence away.
So when that both the armies were in ray,
And trumpets blaste on euery side was blowne:
Our mindes to either eche, were quickely knowne.
Wee ioyned battaile, fercely both we fought:
The Romaynes to enlarge their Empires same,
And wee with all the force and might wee mought,
To saue our country, and to keepe our name,
O worthy Britaynes learne to do the same,
Wee brake the rayes of all the Romaine host:
And made the mighty Caesar leaue his boast.
Yet he the worthiest Captaine euer was,
Brought all in ray, and fought againe a [...]
His skilfull souldiers he could bring to passe,
At once for why his traynings all they knewe.
No soner I his noble corps did vewe,
But in I [...] amongst the Captaines bande,
And there I fought with Caesar hand to hande.
O God thou mightst haue giuen a Britaine grace,
T'haue [...] the Romaine Caesar noble then:
Which sought his bloud the Britaynes to deface,
And bring in bondage, valiaunt worthy men.
He neuer should haue gone to Rome agen,
To fight with Pompey, or his Peres to slaye,
Or els to bring his countrye in decaye.
It ioyde my hart to strike on Caesars crest,
O Caesar that there had bin none but wee:
I often made my sworde to trye thy brest,
But Lady Fortune did not looke on mee.
I able was mee thought with Caesars three,
To trye the case: I made thy hart to quake,
When on thy crest with mighty strokes I [...].
The strokes thou [...] mee, hurt me nought at all:
For why thy strength was nothing in respect,
But thou had she bathde thy sword in poyson all:
Which did my wounde, not deadly els infect.
Yet was I or I parted thence bewrekte,
I gate thy sworde from thee for all thy feme:
And made thee flye, for feare to eate the same.
For when thy sword was in my Target fast,
I made the flye, and quickly leaue thy holde:
Thou neuer mast in all thy life so gast,
Nor durst againe be euer halfe so bolde.
I made a nomber Romaynes hatts full colde,
Fight, fight, you noble Britaynes now (quoth I)
Wee neuer all will vureuenged dye.
What Caesar though thy praise and mine be [...]
Perdy the stories scarce remember mee:
Though Poets all of the do make a God,
Such simple fooles in making Gods they bee.
Yet if I might my case haue tride myth thee,
Thou neuer hadst [...] to Rome againe:
Nor of thy faithfull frendes, bin beastly [...].
A nomber Britaynes mightst thou ther haue seene,
Death wounded fight, & spoile their spiteful [...]:
My selfe maynde, slewe and mangled mo I weene,
When I was hurt then twenty more of those.
I made the Romaynes harts to take their hose:
In all the campe no Romaine [...] I spyde,
Durst halfe a combat gainst a Britaine byde.
At lengthe I met a noble man they calde
Him Labienus, one of Caesars frendes,
A Tribune erste had many Britaynes thralde:
Was one of Caesars legates forth he sendes.
Well met (ꝙ I) I mynde to make the mendes,
For all thy frendship to our countrey crewe:
And so with Caesars sworde, his frende I slewe.
What nede I name you euery Britayne here,
As firste the king the nobles all beside:
Full stoute and worthy wightes in warre that were,
As euer erste the stately Romaines tryde.
We fought so long they durst no longer byde,
Proude Caesar he for all his bragges and boste:
Flew backe to shippes, with half his scattered hoste.
If he had bene a God as sottes him namde,
He coulde not of vs Britaynes taken foyle:
The Monarche Caesar might haue bene ashamde,
From such an Islande with his shippes recoyle,
Or else to flie and leaue behinde the spoyle:
But life is swete, he thought it better flye,
Then byde amongst vs Britaynes for to die.
I had his sworde, was namde Crocea mors,
With which he gaue me in the head a stroke,
The venime of the which had such a force,
It able was to perce the harte of oke:
No medcines might the poyson out reuoke,
Wherfore though scarce he perced had the skin:
In fiftene dayes my braynes it ranckled in.
And then to soone (alas therfore) I dyde,
I would to God he had retournde againe:
So that I might but once the dastard spyde,
Before he went I had the ferpent [...].
He playde the cowarde cutthrote all to playne,
A beastly serpentes harte that beaste detectes:
Which or he fighte, his sworde with bane infectes.
Well then my death, brought Caesar no renowne:
For both I gate therby, eternall fame,
And eke his sworde to strike his frendes a downe:
I slewe therewith his Labiene by name,
With prince, against my countrey foes I came:
Was wounded, yet did neuer fainte nor yelde:
Till Caesar with his souldiours fled the fielde.
Who would not venter life in such a case:
Who would not fight, at countreis whole requeste:
Who would not, meeting Caesar in the place,
Fight for life, prince and countrey with the beste:
The greatest courage is by factes expreste.
Then for thy prince with fortitude as [...],
And realmes [...]: is prayse, to liue [...].
Nowe wryte my life when thou haste leisure and,
Will all thy countrey men to learne by mee,
Both for their prince and for their natiue lande:
As valiaunte, bolde and fearelesse for to bee.
A paterne playne of fortitude they see,
To which directly if them selues they frame:
They shall preserue, their countrey, faith and fame.
The Authour.
WHen noble Nennius thus had ended talke,
He vanisht with so sweete an heauenly smell:
Mee seemde the graces all with him did walke,
And what I heard of Musicke did excell.
Like notes of Instruments no tongue can tell,
VVith harmonye, of such an heauenly noyes:
Mee seemde they passed all our earthly ioyes.
Their tunes declarde the battaile all so right,
As if the Britaynes and the Romaynes than,
Had presently in hearing and in sight:
A freshe the bloudy battaile all began.
Mee thought I heard the vertues of the man,
By notes declarde, and Caesars daungers tolde:
More plainely, then with eyes I might beholde.
But when they came to tell of Caesars flight,
I sawe the Romaines fall me thought full fast,
And all the Britaines, chace them euen till night:
VVhere with the sounde of Britishe trompets blast.
Made mee so madde and mazed at the last:
I lookt about for sword or weapon I,
To runne with Britaynes, cryde they flie they flie.
Their flight to shipps, and foyle the trompets sound,
And blewe the victours triumphes at retourne:
The noyse welnighe my sences did confound,
And made my hart with all their loues to borne.
But when they gan the wounded Britaynes mourne.
VVith doubled wayling shriekes, such cryes they sent:
And sobbes and sighes, welnighe my hart they rent.
Eke chieflye they at noble Nennius stayde,
They seemde with doulefull tunes their notes to riue,
And sodainly his praise againe they playde;
O worthye Nennius for thy facts aliue,
The trumpe of Fame was straightly chargde reuiue,
And keepe, maintaine and celebrate his praise:
VVhich graunted, all they vanisht quite their wayes.
Viuit post funera virtus.
Finis ꝙ Iohn Higgins.