The tragedie of Gorboduc, whereof three actes were wrytten by Thomas Nortone, and the two laste by Thomas Sackuyle. Sett forthe as the same was shewed before the Quenes most excellent Maiestie, in her highnes court of Whitehall, the. xviij. day of Ianuary, anno Domini. 1561. By the Gentlemen of thynner Temple in London — Gorboduc

The tragedie of Gorboduc, whereof three actes were wrytten by Thomas Nortone, and the two laste by Thomas Sackuyle. Sett forthe as the same was shewed before the Quenes most excellent Maiestie, in her highnes court of Whitehall, the. xviij. day of Ianuary, anno Domini. 1561. By the Gentlemen of thynner Temple in London — Gorboduc

Table of contents

Title page

¶Thargument of the Tragedie.

¶The names of the Speakers.

¶The Order of the dōme shewe before the firste Acte, and the Signification therof.

1

Of Gorboduc. Actus primus. Scena prima.

Actus primus. Scena secunda.

¶The order and signification of the dōme shewe before the second Acte.

2

Actus secundus. Scena prima.

Actus secundus, Scena secunda.

¶The order and signification of the dōme shewe before the thirde Act.

3

Actus tertius. Scena prima.

¶The order and signification of the dōme shewe before the fourth Acte.

4

Actus quartus. Scena prima.

Actus quartus. Scena secunda.

¶The order and signification of the dōme shewe before the fifthe Acte.

5

Actus quintus. Scena prima.

Actus quintus. Scena secunda.

§

§

[Page]

❧THE TRAGEDIE OF GORBODVC, whereof three Actes were wrytten by Thomas Nortone, and the two laste by Thomas Sackuyle. ¶Sett forthe as the same was shewed before the QVENES most excellent Maiestie, in her highnes Court of VVhitehall, the .xviij. day of Ianuary, Anno Domini. 1561. By the Gentlemen of Thynner Temple in London.

[figure]

❧IMPRYNTED AT LONDON in Fletestrete, at the Signe of the Faucon by William Griffith: And are to be sold at his Shop in Saincte Dunstones Churchyarde in the VVest of London. Anno. 1565. Septemb. 22.

¶Thargument of the Tragedie.

[Page]

GORBODVC, king of Brittaine, deuided his Realme in his lyfe time to his Sōnes, Ferrex and Porrex. The Sonnes fell to dyuision and discention. The yonger kylled the elder. The Mother that more dearely loued thelder, for reuenge kylled the yonger. The people moued with the Crueltie of the facte, rose in Rebellion and slewe both father and mother. The Nobilitie assembled and most terribly destroyed the Rebelles. And afterwardes for want of Issue of the Prince wherby the Succession of the Crowne became vncertayne. They fell to Ciuill warre in whiche both they and many of their Issues were slayne, and the Lande for a longe tyme almoste desolate and myserablye wasted.

W G

¶The names of the Speakers.

[Page]

Gorboduc, kynge of great Brittayne.

Videna, Queene and wife to kynge Gorboduc.

Ferrex, Elder Sonne to kynge Gorboduc.

Porrex, Yonger Sonne to kynge Gorboduc.

Clotyn, Duke of Cornewall.

Fergus, Duke of Albanye.

Mandud, Duke of Leagre.

Gwenard, Duke of Cumperlande.

Eubulus, Secretarie to the kynge Gorboduc.

Arostus, A Counsellour of kynge Gorboduc.

Dordan, A Counsellour assigned by the kynge to his Eldest Sonne Fcrrex.

Philander, A Counsellour assigned by the kynge to his yonger Sonne Porrex. (Both beynge of the olde (kynges Counsell before.

Hermon, A Parasyte remaynyng with Ferrex.

Tyndar, A Parasyte remaynyng with Porrex.

Nuntius, A Messenger of thelder Brothers deth

Nuntius, A Messenger of Duke Fergus rysynge in Armes.

Marcella, A Ladye of the Queenes priuie Chamber.

Chorus, Foure auncient and Sage men of Brittayne.

¶The Order of the dōme shewe before the firste Acte, and the Signification therof.

[Page]

¶Firste the Musicke of Violenze began to playe, durynge whiche came in vppon the Stage sixe wilde men clothed in leaues. Of whom the first bare in his necke a Fagot of smal stickes, whiche thei all both seuerallie and togither assaied with all their strengthes to breake, but it could not be broken by them. At the length one of them plucked out one of the stickes and brake it: And the rest pluckinge oute all the other stickes one after an other did easelie breake, the same beynge seuered: which beyng conioyned they had before attempted in vayne. After they had this done, they departed the Stage, and the Musicke ceased Hereby was signified, that a state knit in vnytie doth continue stronge against all force. But beynge deuyded, is easely destroied. As befell vpon Duke Gorboduc deuidinge his Lande to his two sonnes which he before held in Monarchie. And vpon the discention of the Brethrene to whome it was deuided.

1

1

[Page]

Of Gorboduc. Actus primus. Scena prima.

Viden. Ferrex.

Viden.

THE silent night that bringes the

quiet pawse,

From painefull trauailes of the

wearie Daie:

Prolonges my carefull thoughtes

and makes me blame

The slowe Aurore that so for loue or shame

Doth longe delaye to shewe her blusshing face,

And nowe the Daie renewes my griefull plainte.

Ferrex.

My gracious Lady and mother deare,

Pardon my griefe, for your so grieued minde

To aske what cause tormenteth so your harte.

Viden.

So great a wronge and so vniust despite,

Without all cause against all course of kinde.

Ferrex.

Suche causeles wronge and so vniust despite,

Maye haue redresse, or at the least reuenge.

Viden.

Neither my Sonne, suche is the frowarde will,

The person suche, suche my mishap and thyne.

Fer [...]ex.

Myne know I none, but griefe for your distresse:

Viden.

Yes: myne for thyne my sonne: A father? no:

[Page] In kynde a Father, but not in kyndlynes.

Ferrex.

My Father: whie? I knowe nothynge at all,

Wherin I haue misdone vnto his Grace.

Viden.

Therfore, the more vnkinde to thee and mee.

For knowynge well (my sonne) the tendre loue▪

That I haue euer borne and beare to thee,

He greued therat, is not content alone,

To spoyle thee of my sight my chiefest Ioye,

But thee, of the birth, right and Heritage

Causeles, vnkindly and in wrongfull wise,

Against all Lawe and right he will bereaue,

Halfe of his kyngdome he will geue awaye.

Ferrex.

To whome?

Viden.

Euen to Porrex his younger sonne

Whose growinge Pride I do so sore suspecte,

That beynge raysed to equall Rule with thee,

Mee thinkes I see his enuious harte to swell

Fyllde with Disdaine and with ambicious Pride

The ende the Goddes do know, whose Aulters I

Full oft haue made in vaine of Cattell slayne,

To sende the sacred smoke to Heauens Throne,

For thee my sonne if thinges so succede,

As nowe my Ielious minde misdemeth sore.

Ferrex.

Madame leaue care and carefull plaint for me.

Iust hath my Father ben to euery wight,

His firste vniustice he will not extende

[Page] To me I truste, that geue no cause therof.

My brothers pride shall hurt him selfe, not mee.

Viden.

So graunt the Goddes: But yet thy father so

Hath firmely fixed his vnmoued mynde

That plaints & praiers can no whit auaile,

For those haue I assaied, but euen this daie,

He wyll endeuour to procure assent

Of all his Counsell to his fonde deuise.

Ferrex.

Their Auncestours from race to race haue borne

True fayth to my forefathers and their seede,

I truste thei eke wyll beare the lyke to me.

Viden.

There resteth all, but if they fayle therof,

And if the ende bringe forth an euyll successe

On them and theirs the mischiefe shall befall,

And so I praie the Goddes requite it them,

And so they will, for so is wont to bee

When Lordes and trusted Rulers vnder kynges

To please the present fancie of the Prince,

With wrong transpose the course of gouernaunce

Murders, mischiefe, or ciuyll sworde at length,

Or mutuall treason, or a iust reuenge,

When right succedinge Line returnes againe

By Ioues iust Iudgement and deserued wrathe

Bringes them to ciuill and reprochefull death,

And rootes their names & kindredes frō the earth.

Ferrex.

Mother content you, you shall see the ende.

[Page]Viden.

The ende? thie ende I feare, Ioue ende me first.

Actus primus. Scena secunda.

Gorboduc. Arostus. Philander. Eubulus.

Gorboduc.

MY Lordes whose graue aduise & faithfull aide

Haue long vpheld my Honour & my Realme

And brought me from this age from tender yeres.

Guidynge so great estate with great renowme:

Nowe more importeth mee the erst to vse

Your faith and wisdome wherby yet I reigne,

That when by death my liefe and rule shall cease,

The kingdome yet maye with vnbroken course,

Haue certayne Prince, by whose vndoubted right,

Your wealth and peace, may stand in quiet staie,

And eke that thei whome Nature hath preparde,

In time to take my place in Princelie Seate,

While in their Fathers tyme their pliant youth

Yeldes to the frame of skilfull gouernaunce

Maye so be taught and trayned in noble Artes,

As what their fathers whiche haue reigned before

Haue with great fame deriued downe to them

With honour they maye leaue vnto their seede:

And not be taught for their vnworthie life,

And for their Laweles swaruynge out of kinde,

Worthie to lose what Lawe aud kind them gaue

But that they may preserue the cōmon peace,

The cause that first began and still mainteines

[Page] The Lyneall course of kinges inheritaunce,

For me, for myne, for you, and for the state

Wherof both I and you haue charge and care.

Thus do I meane to vse your wonted fayth

To me and myne, and to your natyue Lande,

My Lordes be playne without all wrie respect

Or poysonous crafte to speake in pleasyng wise,

Lest as the blame of yll succedynge thinges

Shall light on you, so light the harmes also.

Arostus.

Your good acceptaunce so (most noble kinge)

Of suche your faithfulnes as heretofore

We haue employed in dueties to your Grace,

And to this Realme whose worthie head you are,

Well proues that neyther you mistruste at all,

Nor we shall nede no boasting wise to shewe,

Our trueth to you, nor yet our wakefull care

For you, for yours, and for our natiue Lande,

Wherfore (O kynge) I speake for one as all,

Sithe all as one do beare you egall faith:

Doubt not to vse their Counselles and their aides

Whose honours, goods & lyues are whole auowed

To serue, to ayde, and to defende your Grace.

Gorboduc.

My Lordes I thanke you all. This is the case

Ye know, the Gods, who haue the soueraigne care

For kings, for kingdomes, and for cōmen weales,

Gaue me two sonnes in my more lustie Age,

Who nowe in my deceyuynge yeres are growen

Well towardes ryper state of minde and strength,

To take in hande some greater Princely charge,

[Page] As yet they lyue and spende their hopefull daies,

With me and with their Mother here in Courts

Their age nowe asketh other place and trade,

And myne also doth aske an other chaunge,

Theirs to more trauaile, myne to greater ease:

Whan fatall death shall ende my mortall lyfe,

My purpose is to leaue vnto them twaine

The Realme deuided into two sandrie partes:

The one Ferrex myne elder sonne shall haue,

The other shall the other Porrex rule

That both my purpose may more framelie stande,

And eke that they may better rule their charge,

I meane forthwith to place them in the same:

That in my life they maye both learne to rule,

And I may Ioye to see their rulynge well.

This is in sōme, what I woulde haue ye wey:

Firste whether ye allowe my whole deuise,

And thinke it good for me, for them, for you,

And for our Countrey, mother of vs all:

And if ye lyke it and allowe it well,

Than for their guydinge and their gouernaunce,

Shewe sorthe suche meanes of circumstaunce,

As ye thinke meete to be both knowne and kept:

Lot, this is all, nowe tell me your aduise.

Arostus.

And this is muche, and asketh great aduise,

But for my parte my Soueraigne Lord and kyng

This do I thinke your Maiestie doth knowe,

Howe vnder you in Iustice and in peace,

Great wealth and Honour, long we haue enioyed

So as we can not seeme with gredie mindes

[Page] To wisshe for chaunge of Prince or gouernaunce,

But if ye lyke your purpose and deuise,

Our lykynge must be deemed to procede,

Of rightfull reason, and of heedefull care,

Not for our selues, but for our cōmen state:

Sithe our owne state doth nede no better chaunge

I thinke in all as erst your Grace hath saide:

Firste when you shall vnlode your aged mynde,

Of heuye care and troubles manyfolde,

And laye the same vpon my Lordes your sonnes

Whose growing yeres may bere the burden long

And longe I praye the Goddes to graunt it so:

And in your lyfe while you shall so beholde

Their rule, their vertues and their noble deedes,

Suche as their kinde behighteth to vs all,

Great be the profites that shall growe therof,

Your age in quiet shall the longer last,

Your lastynge age shalbe their longer staie,

For cares of kynges, that rule as you haue rulde

For publique wealth and not for priuate ioye,

Do wast mannes lyfe and hasten crooked age,

With furrowed face and with enfeebled lymmes,

To drawe on creepynge Death a swifter pace.

They two yet yonge shall beare the partie reigne

With greater ease, than one nowe olde alone

Can welde the whole, for whom muche harder is

with lessened strength the double weight to beare

Your eye, your Counsell, and the graue regarde

Of Fathers, yea of suche a fathers name,

Nowe at beginning of their sondred reigne,

When it is hazarde of their whole successe,

[Page] Shall bridle so their force of youthfull heates,

And so restreine the rage of insolence,

Whiche most assailes the yonge and noble minds,

And so shall guide and traine in tempred staie

Their yet greene bending wittes wt reuerent awe

And now inured with vertues at the first.

Custome (O king) shall bringe delightfulnes

By vse of Vertue, Vice shall growe in hate,

But if you so dispose it, that the daye,

Which endes your life, shal first begin their reign

Great is the perill, what will be the ende,

When suche beginning of suche liberties

Voide of suche states as in your liefe do lye,

Shall leaue them to free randon of their will

An open praie to traiterous flatterie,

The greatest pestilence of noble youthe:

Whiche perill shalbe past, if in your life,

Their tempred youthe with aged fathers awe

Be brought in vre of skilfull staidnes

And in your life, their liues disposed so,

Shall length your noble liefe in ioyfulnes.

Thus thinke I yt your grace hath wiselie thought

And that your tender care of cōmen weale,

Hath bred this thought, so to deuide your Lande

And plant your sonnes to beare the present rule

While you yet liue to see their rulynge well,

That you may longer lyue by ioye therein.

What furder meanes behouefull are and meete

At great leisure maye your Grace deuise,

When all haue saide, and when we be agreed

If this be best to parte the Realme in twaine,

[Page] And place your sonnes in present gouernement

Whereof as I haue plamely saide my mynde,

So woulde I here the rest of all my Lordes.

Philander.

In parte I thinke as haue ben saide before,

In parte againe my minde is otherwise

As for deuiding of this Realme in twaine

And lotting out the same in egall partes,

To either of my Lordes your Graces sonnes,

That thinke I best for this your Realmes behosf,

For profite and aduauncement of your sonnes,

And for your comforte and your honour eke:

But so to place them while your life do last,

To yelde to them your Royall gouernaunce,

To be aboue them onely in the name

Of father, not in kingly state also,

I thinke not good for you, for them, nor vs,

This kingdome since the bloodie ciuill fielde

Where Morgan slaine did yeld his conquered parte

Vnto his Cosyns sworde in Camberlande

Conteineth all that whilome did suffice,

Three noble sonnes of your forefather Brute,

So your two sonnes, it maye also suffice,

The moe the stronger, if thei gree in one:

The smaller compasse that the Realme doth holde

The easier is the swey therof to welde,

The nearer Iustice to the wronged poore,

The smaller charge, and yet ynoughe for one.

And whan the Region is deuided so

That Brethrene be the Lordes of either parte,

Such strength doth nature knit betwene the both.

[Page] In sondrie bodies by conioyned loue

That not as two, but one of doubled force,

Eche is to other as a sure defence,

The Noblenes and glorie of the one

Doth sharpe the courage of the others mynde

With vertuous enuie to contende for praise,

And suche an egalnes hath nature made,

Betwene the Brethren of one Fathers seede,

As an vnkindlie wronge it seemes to bee,

To throwe the other Subiect vnder feete

Of him, whose Peere he is by course of kinde,

And nature that did make this egalnes,

Ofte so repineth at so great a wronge,

That ofte she rayseth vp a grudgynge griefe,

In yonger Brethren at the elders state:

Wherby both townes & kingdomes haue be rased

And famous stockes of Royall blood distroied:

The Brother that should be the Brothers aide

And haue a wakefull care for his defence,

Gapes for his death, & blames the lyngering yeres

That brings not forth his ende with faster course

And oft impacient of so longe delayes,

With hatefull slaughter he presentes the fates

And keepes a iust rewarde for Brothers bloode,

With endles vengeaunce on his stocke for aye:

Suche mischiefes here are wisely mette withall:

If egall state maye nourishe egall loue,

Where none hath cause to grudge at others good,

But nowe the head to stoupe beneth them bothe,

Ne kinde, ne reason, ne good ordre beares,

And oft it hath ben seene, that where Nature

[Page] Hath ben preuerted in disordered wise,

When Fathers cease to know that thei shuld rule

And Children cease to knowe they should obey,

And often our vnkindly tendrenes,

As Mother of vnkindly Stubbornes:

I speake not this in enuie or reproche,

As if I grudged the glorie of your sonnes,

Whose honour I beseche the Goddes to encrease:

Nor yet as if I thought there did remaine,

So filthie Cankers in their noble brestes,

Whome I esteme (whiche is their greatest praise,

Vndoubted children of so good a kynge.

Onelie I meane to shewe my certeine Rules,

Whiche kinde hath graft within the mind of man

That Nature hath her ordre and her course,

Whiche (being broken) doth corrupt the state

Of myndes and thinges euen in the best of all

My Lordes your sonnes may learne to rule of you

Your owne example in your noble Courte

Is fittest Guyder of their youthfull yeares,

If you desire to seeke some present Ioye

By sight of their well rulynge in your lyfe,

See them obey, so shall you see them rule,

Who so obeyeth not with humblenes

Will rule without rage and with insolence

Longe maye they rule I do beseche the Goddes,

But longe may they learne ere they begyn to rule

If kinde and fates woulde suffre I would wisshe

Them aged Princes and immortall kinges:

Wherfore most noble kynge I well assent,

Betwene your sonnes y• you deuide your Realme.

[Page] And as in kinde, so matche them in degree

But while the Goddes prolongue your Royal life

Prolongue your reigne, for therto lyue you here,

And therfore haue the Goddes so longe forborne

To ioyne you to them selues, that still you might

Be Prince and father of our cōmon weale:

They when they se your children ripe to rule

Will make them roume, & will remoue you hence,

That yours in right ensuynge of your life

Maye rightlie honour your mortall name.

Eubulus.

Your wonted true regarde of faithfull hartes,

Makes me (O kinge) the bolder to presume

To speake what I conceiue within my brest,

Althoughe the same do not agree at all

With that whiche other here my Lords haue said

Nor whiche your selfe haue seemed best to lyke,

Pardon I craue and that my wordes be deemde

To flowe from hartie zeale vnto your Grace,

And to the safetie of your cōmon weale:

To parte your Realme vnto my Lords your sōnes

I thinke not good for you, ne yet for them,

But worste of all, for this our Natiue Lande:

For with one Lande, one single rule is best:

Deuided Reignes do make deuided hartes.

But Peace preserues the Countrey & the Prince.

Suche is in man the gredie minde to reigne,

So great is his desire to climbe alofte,

In worldly Stage the stateliest partes to beare,

That faith and Iustice and all kindly loue,

Do yelde vnto desire of Soueraigntie:

[Page] Where egall state doth raise an egall hope

To winne the thing that either wold attaine

Your grace remembreth howe in passed yeres

The mightie Brute, first Prince of all this Lande

Possessed the same and ruled it well in one,

He thinking that the compasse did suffice

For his three sonnes, three kingdoms eke to make

Cut it in three, as you would nowe in twaine:

But how much Brutish blod hath sithence bē spilt

To ioyne againe the sondred vnitie?

What Princes slaine before their timely honour?

What wast of townes and people in the Lande?

What Treasons heaped on murders & on spoiles?

Whose iust reuenge euen yet is scarcely ceased,

Ruthefull remembraunce is yet had in minde:

The Gods forbyd the like to chaunce againe

And you (O king) geue not the cause therof:

My Lorde Ferrex your elder sonne, perhappes

Whome kinde and custome geues a rightfull hope

To be your Heire and to succede your Reigne,

Shall thinke that he doth suffre greater wronge

Than he perchaunce will beare, if power serue

Porrex the younger so vnpaised in state,

Perhappes in courage will be raised also,

If Flatterie then whiche sayles not to assaile▪

The tendre mindes of yet vnskilfull Youthe,

In one shall kindle and encrease disdaine:

And Enuie in the others harte enflame,

This fire shall waste their loue, their liues, their land,

And rutheful ruine shal destroy them both,

A wisshe not this (O kyng) so to befall

[Page] But feare the thing, that I do most abhorre

Geue no beginning to so dreadfull ende,

Kepe them in order and obedience:

And let them both by nowe obeyinge you,

Learne suche behauiour as beseemes their state.

The Older, myldenes in his gouernaunce,

The younger, a yeldyng contentednes:

And kepe them neare vnto your presence still,

That they restreined by the awe of you,

Maye liue in compasse of well tempred staie,

And passe the perilles of their youthfull yeares,

Your aged life drawes on to febler tyme,

Wherin you shall lesse able be to beare

The trauailes that in youth you haue susteined

Both in your persons and your Realmes defence

If planting nowe your sonnes in furder partes,

You sende them furder from your present reache

Lesse shal you know how they thē selues demaund

Traiterous corrupters of their pliant youthe,

Shall haue vnspied a muche more free accesse,

And of ambition and inflamed disdaine

Shall arme the one, the other, or them bothe

To ryuill warre, or to vsurpinge pride.

Late shall you rue, that you ne recked before:

Good is I graunt of all to hope the best,

But not to liue still dreadles of the worst,

So truste the one, that the other be forsene,

Arme not vnskilfulnes with princely power

But you that longe haue wisely ruled the reignes

Of royaltie within your noble Realme

So holde them, while the Gods for our auayles

[Page] Shall stretche the threde of your prolonged dales

To soone he clāme, into the flamyng Carte

Whose want of skyll did set the earth on fire,

Time and example of your noble Grace,

Shall teache your sonnes both to obey and rule▪

Whan time hath taught thē, time shall make thē pace

The place that nowe is full: and so I praie

Longe it remaine, to comforte of vs all.

Gorboduc.

I take your faithfull hartes in thankfull parte

But sithe I see no cause to drawe my minde,

To feare the nature of my louyng sonnes,

Or to misdeme that Enuie or disdaine,

Can there worke hate, where nature planteth loue

In one selfe purpose do I still abide,

My loue extendeth egally to bothe,

My Lande suffiseth for them bothe also:

Humber shall parte the Marches of their Realmes:

The Sotherne parte the elder shall possesse,

The Northerne shall Porrex the yonger rule,

In quiet I will passe mine aged daies,

Free from the trauaile and the painefull cares

That hasten age vpon the worthiest kinges.

But lest the fraude that ye do seeme to feare

Of flatteryng tongues, corrupt their tender youth

And wrieth them to the waies of youthfull lust,

To climyng pride, or to reuengyng hate

Or to neglecting of their carefull charge

Lewdely to lyue in wanton recklenesse,

Or to oppressinge of the rightfull cause

[Page] Or not to wreke the wronges done to the poore

To treade downe trueth, or fauour false deceite

I meane to ioyne to eyther of my sonnes

Some one of those whose longe approued faith

And wisdome tryed may well assure my harte:

That mynyng fraude shall finde no way to crepee

Into their fensed eares with graue aduise:

This is the ende, and so I praye you all

To beare my sonnes the loue and loyaltie

That I haue founde within your faithful breasts.

Arostus.

You, nor your sonnes, our soueraigne Lord shall want

Our faith & seruice while our liues do last.

Chorus.

When settled staie doth holde the royall throne,

In stedfast place by knowen and doubtles right:

And chiefely whan discent on one alone

Make single and vnparted reigne to light.

Eche chaunge of course vnioynts the whole estate

And yeldes it thrall to r [...]yne by debate.

The strength that knit by laste accorde in one

Against all forrein power of mightie foes,

Could of it selfe defende it selfe alone,

Disioyned once, the former force doth lose

The stickes, that sondred brake so soone in twaine

In faggot bounde attempted were in vaine.

Oft tender minde that leades the perciall eye

Of erringe parentes in their childrens loue,

Destroies the wrongfull loued childe therby:

[Page] This doth the proude sonne of Appollo proue,

Who rasshely set in Chariot of his sire:

Inflamed the perched earth with heauens fire.

And this great king, that doth deuide his land,

And chaunged the course of his discending crowne

And yeldes the reigne into his childrens hande

From blisfull state of ioye and great renowne,

A Myrrour shall become to Princes all

To learne to shunne the cause of suche a fall.

¶The order and signification of the dōme shewe before the second Acte.

¶First the Musicke of Cornettes began to playe, during whiche came in vpon the Stage a kinge accompanied with a nombre of his Nobylytie & Gentlemen. And after he had placed him selfe in a Chaire of estate prepared for him: there came and kneled before him a graue and aged Gentilman and offred vp a Cuppe vnto hym of Wyne in a glasse, whiche the kynge refused. After him cōmes, a braue and lustie yong Gentleman and presentes the king with a Cup of Golde filled wt poison, which the king accepted, & drinkinge the same, immediatly fell down dead vpon ye stage, & so was carried thence awaye by his Lordes and Gentlemen, & then the Musicke ceased. Hereby was signified, that as Glasse by nature holdeth no payson, but is clere and maye easely be seene throughe, ne boweth by any Arte: So a faithfull [Page] Counsellour holdeth no treason, but is playne & open, ne yeldeth to any vndiscrete affection, but geueth holsome Counsell, whiche the yll aduised Prince refuseth. The delightfull golde filled wt poyson betokeneth Flattery, whiche vnder faire seeming of pleasaunt words beareth deadly poyson, which destroieth the Prince yt receiueth it. As befell in the two brethrene Ferrex and Porrex who refusing the holsome aduise of graue Counsellours, credited these yonge Paracites, & brought to them selues death and destruction therby.

2

2

Actus secundus. Scena prima.

Ferrex. Hermon. Dordan.

Ferrex.

I Meruaile muche what reason leade the kynge

My father thus without all my desarte

To reue me halfe y• kingdome which by course

Of lawe and nature shuld remayne to me.

Hermon.

If you with stubborne and vntamed pryde

Had stood against him in rebellious wise,

Or if with grudging minde you had enuied

So slowe a slidynge of his aged yeres,

Or sought before your time to haste the course

Of fatall death vpon his Royall head,

Or stained your Stocke with murder of your kyn:

Some face of reason might perhaps haue seemed

To yelde some likely cause to spoile ye thus.

[Page]Ferrex.

The wrekefull Gods powre on my cursed head,

Eternall plagues and neuer dyinge woes,

The Hellish Prince, adiudge my dampned ghoste

To Tantalus thirste, or proude Ixims wheele

Or cruell Gripe to gnawe my growing harte

To durynge tormentes and vnquenched flames

If euer I conceiued so foule a thought,

To wisshe his ende of life, or yet of reigne.

Dordan.

Ne yet your father (O most noble Prince)

Did euer thinke so fowle a thing of you

For he with more than fathers tendre loue

While yet the fates do lende him life to rule,

(Who long might lyue to so your rulynge well)

To you my Lorde, and to his other sonne

Lo he resignes his Realme and Royaltie

Whiche neuer would so wise a Prince haue done

If he had ones misdemed that in your harte

There euer lodged so vnkinde a thought.

But tendre loue (my Lorde) and setled truste

Of your good nature, and your nable minde

Made him to place you thus in Royall throne

And now to geue you half his realme to guide

Yea and that halfe within abounding store

Of things that serue to make a welthie Realme

In statelie Cities and in frutefull soyle,

In temperate breathing of the milder heauen,

In thinges of nedefull vse, whiche frendlie Sea

Transportes by traffike from the forreine Portes,

In flowing wealth, in honour and in force,

[Page] Doth passe the double value of the parte

That Porrex hath alloted to his reigne,

Suche is your ease, suche is your fathers loue.

Ferrex.

Ah loue, my frendes, loue wrongs not whom he loues.

Dordan.

Ne yet he wrongeth you that geueth you

So large a reigne ere that the course of tyme

Bringe you to kingdome by discended right,

Which time perhaps might end your time before.

Ferrex.

Is this no wrong, saie you, to reaue from me

My natiue right to halfe so great a realme,

And thus to matche his yonger sonne with me

In egall power, and in as great degree:

Yea & what sonne? ye sonne whose swellyng pryde

Woulde neuer yelde one poinct of reuerence,

Whan I the Elder and apparaunt heire

Stoode in the likelyhode to possesse the whole

Yea and that sonne whiche from his childishe age

Enuieth myne honour, and doth hate my life,

What will he nowe do? when his pride, his rage,

The mindefull malice of his grudging harte

Is armed with force, with wealth and kingly state

Hermon.

Was this not wrong? yea yll aduised wrong

To giue so mad a man so sharpe a sworde,

To so great perill of so great mishappe,

Wide open thus to set so large a waye.

Dordan.

Alas my Lorde, what griefull thing is this?

[Page] That of your brother you can thinke so ill

I neuer sawe him vtter likelie signe

Whereby a man might see or once misdeme

Suche hate of you, ne suche vnyeldinge pride

Ill is their counsell, shamefull be their ende,

That raising suche mistrustfull feare in you,

Sowing the seede of suche vnkindly hate,

Trauaile by reason to destroy you both:)

Wise is your brother and of noble hope,

Worthie to welde a large and mightie Realme

So muche a stronger frende haue you therby,

Whose strēgth is your strēgth, if you gree in one.

Hermon.

If nature and the Goddes had pinched so

Their flowing bountie and their noble giftes

Of Princelie qualyties from you my Lorde

And powrde them all at ones in wastfull wise

Vpon your fathers younger sonne alone:

Perhappes there be that in your preiudice

Would saie that birth shuld yeld to worthines:

But sithe in eche good gift and Princelie Acte

Ye are his matche, and in the chiefe of all

In mildenes and in sobre gouernauce

Ye farre surmount: And sithe there is in you

Sufficing skill and hopefull towardnes

To weld the whole, and match you Elders praise

I see no cause whie ye should loose the halfe,

Ne wold I wisshe you yelde to suche a losse:

Lest your milde sufferaunce of so great a wronge

Be deemed cowardishe and simple dreade:

Whiche shall geue courage to the fierie head

[Page] Of your yonge Brother to inuade the whole,

Whiles yet therfore stickes in the peoples mynde

The lothed wronge of your disheritaunce,

And ere your Brother haue by settled power,

By guyle full cloke of an allurynge showe,

Got him some force and fauour in this Realme

And while the noble Queene your mother lyues,

To worke and practice all for your auaile

Attempt redresse by Armes, and wreake your selfe

Vpon his life, that gaineth by your losse,

Who nowe to shame of you, and griefe of vs

In your owne kingdome triumphes ouer you:

Shew now your courage meete for kingly estate

That thei which haue auowed to spēd their goods

Their landes, their liues & honours in your cause,

Maye be the bolder to mainteine your parte

Iohan thei do see that cowarde feare in you,

Shall not betraye ne saile their faithfull hartes.

If ones the death of Porrex ende the strife,

And paie the price of his vsurped Reigne,

Your Mother shall perswade the angry kynge,

The Lords your frends eke shall appease his rage

For thei be wise, and well thei can forsee,

That ere longe time your aged fathers death

will brynge a time when you shall well requite

Their frendlie fauour, or their hatefull spite.

Yea, or their slackenes to auaunce your cause

Wise men do not so hange on passyng state

Of present Princes, chiefely in their age.

But they will further cast their reachinge eye

To viewe and weigh the times & reignes to come

[Page] Ne is it lykely thoughe the kinge be wrothe

That he yet will, or that the Realme will beare

Extreme reuenge vpon his onelye sonne:

Or if he woulde, what one is he that dare

Be ministre to suche an enterprise.

And here you be nowe placed in your owne

Amyd your frendes, your vassalles & your strength

We shall defende and kepe your person safe

Tyll either counsell turne his tender minde

Or age, or sorowe ende his werie daies

But if the feare of Goddes and secrete grudge

Of Natures Lawe, repynynge at the facte,

Withholde your courage from so great attempt:

Knowe ye that lust of kingdomes hath no Lawe

The Goddes do beare and well allowe in kinges

The thinges they abhorre in rascall routes.

When kinges on sclender quarrels ron to warres

And than in cruell and vnkindely wise,

Cōmaunde theftes, rapes, murder of Innocentes

To spoile of townes, & reignes of mighty realmes

Thinke you such Princes do suppresse them selues

Subiect to Lawes of kinde and feare of Gods,

Yet none offence, but decked with glorious name

Of noble Conquestes in the handes of kinges,

Murders and violent theftes in priuate men

Are heynous crymes and full of foule reproche:

But if you like not yet so hote deuise,

Ne list to take suche vauntage of the time.

But thoughe with great perill of your state

You wil not be the first that shall inuade,

Assemble yet your force for your defence,

[Page] And for your safetie stande vpon your garde.

Dordan.

O heauen was there euer harde or knowen,

So wicked Counsell to a noble Prince?

Let me (my Lorde) disclose vnto your grace

This heynous tale, what mischiefe it conteynes:

Your fathers death, your brothers and your owns

your present murder and eternall shame:

Heare me (O king) and suffre not to sinke

So highe a treason in your Princelie brest.

Ferrex.

The mightie Goddes forbyd that euer I

Shuld once conceiue suche mischiefe in my harte

Althoughe my Brother hath bereft my Realme

And beare perhappes to me and hatefull minde.

Shall I reuenge it, with his death therfore?

Or shall I so destroy my fathers lyfe

That gaue me life? the Gods forbyd I saye,

Cease you to speake so any more to me

Ne you my friende with Aunswere once repeate

So foule a tale, in scilence let in die:

What Lorde or Subiect shall haue hope at all

That vnder me they safely shall enioye

Their goods, their honours, landes and liberties,

With whome, neither one onely brother deare

Ne father dearer, coulde enioye their lyues?

But sithe, I feare my younger brothers rage,

And sithe perhappes some other man may gyue

Some like aduise, to moue his grudging head

At mine estate: whiche counsell may perchaunce

Take greater force with him, than this with me,

[Page] I will in secrete so prepare my selfe,

As if his malice or his lust to reigne

Breake forth with Armes or sodeine violence

I may withstande his rage and kepe myns owne.

Dordan.

I feare the fatall time now draweth on

When ciuyll hate shall ende the noble lyne

Of famouse Brute and of his Royall seede

Great Ioue defende the mischiefes nowe at hande

O that the Secretaries wise aduise

Had erst ben harde whan he besought the kynge

Not to deuide his lande, nor sende his sonnes

To further partes from presence of his Courte

Ne yet to yelde to them his gouernaunce

Lo suche are they nowe in the Royall throne

As was rashe Phaeton in Phebus Carre

Ne then the fiery stedes did drawe the flame

With wilder randon through the kindled skies

Then traiterous councell now will wherle about

The youthfull heads of these vnskilfull kinges,

But I hereof their father will enforeme

The reuerence of him perhappes shall staye

The growing mischiefes, while thei yet are grene

If this helpe not, then wo vnto them selues,

The Prince, the people, the deuided lande.

Actus secundus, Scena secunda.

Porrex. Tyndar. Philander.

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[Page]Porrex

ANd is it thus? And doth he so prepare

Against his Brother as his mortall foe?

And nowe whyle yet his aged father lyues:

Neither regardes be him? nor feares he me?

Warre would he haue? and he shall haue it so.

Tyndar.

I sawe my selfe the great prepared store

Of Horse, of Armours and of weapons there,

Ne brynge I to my Lorde reported tales

Without the ground of seene and serched trouthe

Loe secrete quarrelles ronne about his Courte

To bringe the name of you my Lorde in hate

Eche man almost can nowe debate the cause

And aske a reason of so great a wronge,

While he so noble and so wise a Prince,

Is as vnworthie rest his Heritage.

And whie the kinge mislead by craftie meanes

Deuided thus his lande from course of right.

The wiser sorte holde downe their griefull heades

Eche man withdrawes from talke and companie,

Of those that haue ben knowen to fauour you,

To hide the mischiefe of their meaninge there.

Rumours are spred of your preparynge here.

The Rascall nombres of the vnskilfull sorts

Are filled with monsterous tales of you and yours

In secrete I was counsailed by my friendes

To hast me thence, and brought you as you know

Letters from those, that both can truely tell

And would not write vnlesse they knewe it well.

[Page]Philander.

My Lorde, yet ere you nowe vnkindely warre,

Sende to your Brother to demaunde the cause.

Perhappes some trayterous tales haue filled his eares

wt false reports against your noble grace:

Which once disclosed shal ende the growing strife

That els not staied with wise foresight in time

Shall hazarde both your kingdomes & your lyues:

Sende to your father eke, he shall appeale

Your kindled mindes, and rid you of this feare.

Porrex.

Ridde me of feare? I feare him not at all:

Ne will to him, ne to my father sende

If daunger were for one to tarye there

Thinke ye it safely to retourne againe.

In mischiefes suche as Ferrex nowe intendes

The wanted courteous Lawes to Messengeres

Are not obserued, whiche in iust warre they vse,

Shall I so hazarde any one of myne?

Shall I betraie my trustie friende to hym?

That hath disclosed his treason vnto me?

Let him entreate that feares, I feare him not:

Or shall I to the kinge my father sende?

Yea and sende nowe while suche a mother lyues

That loues my Brother and that hateth mee?

Shall I geue leasure by my fonde delayes

To Forrex to oppresse me at vnware?

I will not, but I will inuade his Realme

And seeke the Traitour Prince within his Court

Mischiefe for mischiefe is a due rewarde.

His wretched head shall paie the worthie pryce

[Page] Of this his Treason and his hate to me

Shall I abide, entreate and sende and praie?

And holde my yelden throate to Traitours knife?

While I with valiaunt minde & conquering force

Might rid my selfe of foes: and winne a Realme,

Yet rather when I haue the wretches head,

Than to the king my father will I sende,

The booteles case may yet appease his wrath:

If not I will defend me as I maye.

Philander.

Loe here the ende of these two youthfull kings

The fathers deth, the reigne of their two realmes

O most vnhappy state of Counsellours

That light on so vnhappy Lordes and times

That neither can their good aduise be harde,

Yet must thei beare the blames of yll successe

But I will to the king their father haste

Ere this mischiefe come to that likely ende,

That if the mindefull wrath of wrekefull Gods

Since mightie Ilions fall not yet appeased

With these poore remnant of the Troians name

Haue not determinedlie vnmoued fate

Out of this Realme to rase the Brutish Line

By good aduise, by awe of fathers name

By force of wiser Lordes, this kindled hate

Maye yet be quentched, ere it consume vs all.

Chorus.

Whan youth not bridled with a guyding staie fraie,

Is left to randon of their owne delight

And welds whole Realmes, by force of soueraigne

[Page] Great is the daunger of vnmaistred might

Lest skilles rage throwe downe with headlong fal

Their lands, their states, their liues, them selues & all.

When growing pride doth fil the swelling brest

And gredy lust doth raise the clymbynge minde

Oh hardlie maye the perill be represt,

Ne feare of angrie Goddes, ne Lawes kinde,

Ne Countrie care can fiered hartes restrayne

Whan force hath armed Enuie and disdaine.

VVhan kinges of foreset wyll neglecte the rede,

Of best aduise, and yelde to pleasinge tales

That do their fansies noysome humour feede

He reason, nor regarde of right auailes

Succedinge heapes of plagues shall teache to late

To learne the mischiefes of misguydinge state.

Fowle fall the Traitour false that vndermines

The loue of Brethrene to destroye them bothe

Wo to the Prince, that pliant eare enclynes,

And yeldes his minde to poysonous tale, yt floweth

From flatterynge mouth, & wo to wretched lande

That wasts it selfe with ciuyll sworde in hande.

Loe, thus it is poyson in golde to take,

And holsome drinke in homely Cuppe forsake.

¶The order and signification of the dōme shewe before the thirde Act.

¶Firste the Musicke of Fluites began to plare, [Page] during which came in vpon the Stage a companye of Mourners all clad in blacke betokeninge Death and sorowe to ensue vpon the yll aduised misgouernement and discention of Bretherne, as befel vpon the Murder of Ferrex by his yonger Brother. After the Mourners had passed thryse about the stage, thei departed, and than the Musicke ceased.

3

3

Actus tertius. Scena prima.

Gorboduc. Eubulus. Arostus. Philander. Nuntius.

Gorboduc.

O Cruell fates, O mindfull wrath of Goddes▪

whose vēgeaūice neither Simois streined streames.

Flowing wt blood of Troian Princes slaine

Nor Phrygian fieldes made rancke wt Corpses dead

Of Asian kynges and Lordes can yet appease,

He slaughter of vnhappie Pryams race

Nor Ilions fall made leuell with the soile,

Can yet suffice: but still continued rage,

Pursue our lyues, and from the farthest Seas

Doth chast the issues of distroyed Troye:

Oh no man happie, tyll his ende be seene,

If any flowyng wealth and seemynge Ioye

In present yeresmight make a happy wight,

Happie was Hecuba the wofullest wretche

That euer lyued to make a Myrrour of

And happie Pryam with his noble sonnes,

And happie I till nowe, Alas, I see

[Page] And feele my most vnhappie wretchednes:

Beholde my Lordes, reade ye this Letter here

Loe it conteines the ruyne of our Realme

If timelie speede prouide not hastle helpe

Yet (O ye Goddes) if euer wofull kynge

Might moue you kings of kinges, wreke it on me

And on my Sonnes, not on this gilties Realme.

Sende down your wasting flames from wrathful skies

To reue me & my sōnes the hateful breath

Reade, reade my Lordes: this is the matter whie

I called ye nowe to haue your good aduyse.

¶The Letter from Dordan the Counsellour of the elder Prince.

Eubulus readeth the Letter.

MY Soueraigne Lord, what I am loth to write

But lothest am to see, that I am forced

By Letters nowe to make you vnderstande

My Lord Ferrex your eldest sonne mislead

By Traitours framde of yong vntempred wittes

Assembleth force against your yonger sonne,

Ne can my Counsell yet withdrawe the heate

And furyous panges of his enflamed head:

Disoaine (saieth he) of his inheritaunce

Armes him to wreke the great pretended wronge

With ciuyll sword vpon his Brothers life,

If present helpe do not restraine this rage

This flame will wast your sōnes, your land & you.

Your Maiesties faithfull and most humble Subiecte Dordan.

[Page]Arestus.

O King, appease your griefe & staie your plaint

Great is the matter and a wofull case

But timely knowledge maye bringe timely help

Sende for thē both vnto your presence here

The reuerence of your honour age and state

Your graue aduise, the awe of fathers name

Shall quickelie knit againe this broken peece:

And if in either of my Lordes your sonnes

Be suche vntamed and vnyelding pride

As will not bende vnto your noble Hestes.

If Ferrex the elder sonne can beare no peere.

Or Porrex not content, aspires to more

Then you him gaue, aboue his Natiue right:

Ioyne with the iuster side, so shall you force

Them to agree: and bolde the Lande in state.

Eubulus.

What meaneth this? Loe yonder cōmes in hast

Philander from my Lord your younger sonne.

Gorboduc.

The Goddes sende ioyfull newes.

Philander.

The mightie Ioue

Preserue your Maiestie, O noble kinge.

Gorboduc.

Philander, welcome: But how doth my sonne?

Philander.

Your sonne, sir, lyues and healthie I him left:

But yet (O kinge) this want of lustfull health

Could not be half so griefefull to your Grace,

As these most wretched tidynges that I brynge.

[Page]Gorboduc.

O heauens yet more? no ende of woes to [...]?

Philander.

Tyndar, O kyng, came lately from the Courte

Of Ferrex, to my Lorde your yonger sonne,

And made reporte of great prepared store

Of warre, and saith that it is whollic ment

Against Porrex for highe disdaine that he

Lyues nowe a kynge and egall in degree

With him, that claimeth to succede the whole.

As by due title of discedinge right

Porrex is nowe so set on flamynge fire,

Partely with kindled rage of cruell wrathe,

Partely with hope to gaine a Realme therby,

That he in haste prepareth to inuade

His Brothers Lande, and with vnkindely warre

Threatens the murder of your elder sonne,

Ne coulde I him perswade that first he should

Sende to his Brother to demaunde the cause,

Nor yet to you to staie his hatefull strife.

Wherfore sithe there no more I can be harde.

I come my selfe nowe to enforme your Grace:

And to beseche you, as you loue the liefe

And safetie of your Children and your Realme.

Nowe to emploie your wisdome and your force

To staie this mischiefe ere it be to late.

Gorboduc.

Are thei in Armes? would he not sende for me▪

Is this the honour of a Fathers name?

In vaine we trauaile to asswage their mindes

As if their hartes whome neither Brothers loue

[Page] Nor Fathers awe, nor kingdomes care can moue

Our Coūsels could withdrawe from ragyng heat

Ioue slaye them both, and ende the cursed Lyne

For though perhappes feare of such mightie force

As I my Lords, ioyned with your noble Aides

Maye yet raise, shall represse their present heate,

The secrete grudge and malyce will remayne

The fire not quentched, but kept in close restraint

Fead stil within, breakes forth with double flame

Their death and mine must peaze the angrie gods

Philander.

Yelde not, O king, so muche to weake dispaier

Your sonnes yet lyue, and long I trust, they shall:

Yf fates had taken you from earthly life

Before begynning of this ciuyll strife:

Perhaps your sonnes in their vnmaistered youth,

Lose from regarde of any lyuyng wight,

Wolde ronne on headlonge, with vnbridled Race

To their owne death and ruine of this Realme.

But sith the God that haue the care for kinges,

Of thinges and times dispose the order so

That in your life this kindled flame breakes forth

While yet your lyfe, your wisdome & your power,

Maye staie the growing mischiefe, and represse

The fierie blaze of their inkindled heate

It seemes, and so ye ought to deeme therof,

That louyng Ioue hath tempred so the time

Of this debate to happen in your daies

That you yet lyuynge maye the same appeaze.

And adde it to the glorie of your latter age

And they your sonnes maye learne to liue in peace

[Page] Beware (O kynge) the greatest harme of all,

Lest by your wayleful plaints your hastened death

Yelde larger roume vnto their growyng rage:

Preserue your lyfe, the onely hope of staie:

And if your highnes herein list to vse

Wisdome or force, Counsell or knightly aide:

Loe we our persons, powers and lyues are yours.

Vse vs tyll Death, O king, we are your owne.

Eubulus.

Loe here the perill that was erst forsene

When you, (O king) did first deuide your Lande

And yelde your present raigne vnto your sonnes.

But nowe (O noble Prince) nowe is no time

To wayle and plaine, and wast your wofull lyfe,

Nowe is the time for present good aduise,

Sorowe doth darke the Iudgement of the wytte

The Hart vnbroken and the courage free

From feble faintnes of booteles dispaier

Doth either ryse to safetie or renowme

By noble valure of vnuanquisshed minde

Or yet doth perishe in more happie sorte

Your Grace maye sende to either of your sonnes

Some one both wise and noble personage,

Which with good counsel & with weightie name

Of father shall present before their eyes

Your hest, your liefe, your safetie and their owne

The present mischiefe of their deadlie strife

And in the while, assemble you the force

Whiche your Cōmaundement and the spedie hast

Of all my Lordes here present can prepare:

The terrour of your mightie power shall steye

[Page] The rage of bothe, or yet one at lest.

Nuntius.

O King the greatest griefe that euer Prince dyd here

The euer wofull Messenger did tell,

That euer wretched Lande hath sene before

I brynge to you. Porrex your yonger sonne

With soden force, inuaded hath the lande

That you to Ferrex did allotte to rule:

And with his owne most bloudie hande he hath

His Brother slaine, and doth possesse his Realme.

Gorboduc.

O Heauēs send down the flames of your reuenge,

Destroie I saie wt flasshe of wrekefull fier

The Traitour sonne, and than the wretched sire:

But let vs go, that yet perhappes I maye

Die with reuenge, and peaze the hatefull gods.

Chorus.

The lust of kingdomes knowes no sacred faithe

No rule of Reason, no regarde of right

No kindlie loue, no feare of heauens wrathe:

But with contempt of Goddes, and mans despite,

Through blodie slaughter doth prepare the waies

To fatall Scepter and accursed reigne.

The sonne so lothes the fathers lingerynge daies.

Ne dreades his hand in Brothers blode to staine

O wretched Prince, ne doest thou yet recorde

The yet fresshe Murthers done within the Lande

Of thie forefathers, when the cruell sworde

Bereft Morgan his liefe with Cosyns hande?

Thus fatall plagues pursue the giltie race

Whose murderous hand imbrued wt giltles blood

[Page] Askes venge aunce before the heauens face,

With endles mischiefes on the cursed broode.

The wicked childe this bringes to wofull Sier

The mournefull plaintes to wast his wery life:

Thus do the cruell flames of Ciuyll fier

Destroye the parted reigne with hatefull strife

And hence doth spring the well frō which doth slo:

The dead black streames of mournings, plaints & woe.

¶The order and signification of the dōme shewe before the fourth Acte.

¶First the Musick of Howeboies began to plaie. duringe whiche there came forth from vnder the Stage, as thoughe out of Hell three Furies. Alecto, Megera & Ctesiphone clad in blacke garments sprinkled with bloud & flames, their bodies girt with snakes, their heds spread with Serpents in steade of heare, the one bearinge in her hande a Snake, the other a whip, & the thirde a burning Firebrande: eche driuynge before them a kynge and a Queene, whiche moued by Furies vnnaturallye bad slaine their owne Children. The names of the kinges & Queenes were these. Tantalus, Medea, Athamas, Ino, Cambises, Althea, after that the Furies and these had passed aboute the Stage thrise, they departed & than the Musicke ceased: hereby was signified the vnnaturall Murders to followe, that is to saie. Porrex slaine by his owne Mother. And of king Gorboduc and Queene Viden. killed by their owne Subiectes.

4

4

[Page]

Actus quartus. Scena prima.

Vidensola.

Viden.

VVhy sould I lyue and lynger forth my tune

In longer liefe to double my distresse?

O me most wofull wight whome no mishap

Long ere this daie could haue bereued hence.

Mought not these handes by fortune or by fate,

Haue perst this brest and life with Iron reft,

Or in this Pallaice here where I so longe

Haue spent my daies, could not that happie houre▪

Ones, ones haue hapt I which these hugie frames

With death by fall might haue oppressed me

Or should not this most hard and cruell soile,

So eft where I haue prest my wretched steps

Somtyme had ruthe of myne accursed liefe,

To rende in twaine and swallowe me therin,

So had my bones possessed nowe in peace

Their happie graue within the closed grounde

And greadie wormes had gnawen this pyned hart

Without my feelyinge paine: So shulde not nowe

This lyuynge brest remayne the ruthefull tombe

Wherin my hart yelden to death is graued:

Nor driery thoughts with panges of pining griefe

My dolefull minde had not afflicted thus,

O my beloued sonne: O my swete childe,

My teare Ferrex, my Ioye, my lyues delyght.

Is my welbeloued sonne, is my sweete childe,

My deare Perrex, my Ioye, my lyues delight

[Page] Murdered with cruell death? O hatefull wretche,

O heynous Traytour bothe to heauen and earth,

Thou Porrex, thou this damned dede hast wrought

Thou Porrex, thou shalt dearely abye the same,

Traitour to kinne and kinde, to Sire and me,

To thyne owne flesshe, and Traitour to thy selfe

The Gods on the in hell shall wreke their wrath,

And here in earth this hand shall take reuenge

On the Porrex, thou false and caytife wighte,

If after blode, so eigre were thy thirst

And Murderous minde had so possessed thee,

If suche hard hart of Rocke and stonie Flint

Lyued in thy brest, that nothing elles could like

Thy cruell Tyrantes thought but death & bloode

Wild sauage beasts mought not y• slaughter serue

To fede thy gredie will, and in the myddest

Of their entrailes to staine thy deadlie handes

With blode deserued, and drinke therof thy fyll:

Or if nought els but death and bloud of man

Mought please thy lust, could none in Bryttain land

Whose hart be torne out of his louyng brest

With thine owne hand, or work what death thou woldest

Suffice to make a Sacrifice to appeaze woldest

That deadlie minde & murderous thought in the?

But he who in the self same wombe was wrapped

Where thou in dismall hower receiuedst life?

Or if nedes, nedes thi [...] hand must slaughter make

Moughist thou not haue reached a mortall wound

And wt thy sworde haue persed this cursed womb?

That the accursed Porrex brought to lyght?

And geuen me a iust rewarde therfore.

[Page] So Ferrex, if swete life mought haue enioyed

And to his aged father comfort brought,

wt some yong sonne in whom thei both might liue

But wherevnto wast I this ruthefull speche?

To the that hast thy brothers bloud thus shed

Shall I stil think yt from this womb thou sprong?

That I thee bare? or take thee for my sonne?

No Traytour, no: I the refuse for mine,

Murderer I thee renounce, thou art not mine:

Neuer, O wretche, this wombe conceued thee,

Nor neuer bode I painefull throwes for thee:

Changeling to me thou art, and not my childe

Nor to no wight, that sparke of pytie knewe,

Rutheles, vnkind, Monster of Natures worke.

Thou neuer suckte the milke of womans breaste

But from thy birth the cruell Tigres teates

Haue nursed, nor yet of flesshe and bloud

Formed is thy hart, but of hard Iron wrought.

And wilde and desert woods breade thee to lyfe:

But canst thou hope to scape my iust reuenge?

Or that these handes will not be wrooke on thee?

Doest thou not knowe that Ferrex mother lyues

That loued him more dearelie then her selfe?

And doth she lyue, and is not venged on thee?

Actus quartus. Scena secunda.

Gorboduc. Arostus Eubulus. Porrex. Marccilla.

Gorboduc.

WE marueyle muche wherto this lingeryng staie

[Page] Falles out so longe: Porrex vnto our Courte

By order of our Letters is retourned

And Eubulus receyued from vs by hest

At his arriuale here to geue him charge

Before our presence streight to make repaire

And yet we haue no worde wherof he staies.

Arostus

Loe where he cōmes and Eubulus with hym.

Eubulus.

Accordynge to your highnes hest to me

Here haue I Porrex brought euen in suche sort

As from his weried Horse he did alighte,

For that your Grace did will suche haste therein.

Gorboduc.

We like and praise this spedie wyll in you

To worke the thing that to your charge we gaue

Porrex, if we so farre shulde swarue from kinde,

And frō these bounds which lawes of Nature sets

As thou hast done by vile and wretched deede

In cruell murder of thy Brothers life,

Our present hande coulde staie no lenger tyme,

But streight should bathe this blade in bloud of the

As iust reuenge of thy detested cryme.

No. we shuld not offende the lawe of kinde,

If nowe this sworde of ours did slaie thee here:

For thou hast murdered him whose heinous death

Euen Natures force doth moue vs to reuenge

By bloud againe: But Iustice forceth vs

To measure Death for Death, thy due deserte,

Yet sithens thou art our childe, and sithe as yet

In this harde case what worde thou canst alledge

[Page] For thy defence, by vs hath not ben harde

We are content to staie our wyll for that

Whiche Iustice biddes vs presently to worke:

And geue the leaue to vse thie speache at full

If ought thou haue to laye for thine excuse.

Porrex.

Neither O kyng, I can or wyll denie

But that this hande from Ferrex lyfe hath reft:

Which fact how much my doleful hart doth waile

Oh would it mought as full appeare to sight

As inwarde griefe doth powre it forth to me,

So yet perhappes if euer ruthefull hart

Melting in teares within a manlie breast

Throughe depe repentaunce of his bloudie facte

If euer griefe, if euer wofull man

Might moue regreite with sorowe of his fault,

I thinke the torment of my mournefull case

Knowen to your grace, as I do feele the same,

Woulde force euen wrath her selfe to pytie mee.

But as the water troubled with the mudde

Shewes not the face whiche els the eye shulde see,

Euen so your Irefull minde with stirred thought,

Can not so perfectly discerne my cause.

But this vnhappe, emongst so many heapes

I must content me with, most wretched man,

That to my selfe I must referre my woe

In pynynge thoughts of myne accursed facte:

Sithens I may not shewe here my smallest griefe

Suche as it is, and as my breast endures,

Whiche I esteme the greatest myserie

Of all mishappes that Fortune nowe can sende.

[Page] Not that I rest in hope with plaints and teares

Should purchase life: for to the Goddes I clepe

For true recorde of this my faithfull speache,

Neuer this harte shall haue the thoughtfull dreade

To die the death that by your Graces dome

By iust desarte, shalbe pronounced to mee:

Nor neuer shal this tongue ones spend this speche

Pardon to craue, or seeke by sute to lyue:

I meane not this as though I were not touchde

With care of dreadfull death, or that I helde

Lyfe in contempt: but that I knowe, the mynde

Stoupes to no dreade, although the flesh be fraile,

And for my gilt, I yelde the same so great

As in my selfe I finde a feare to sue

For graunte of lyfe.

Gorboduc.

In vayne, O wretche thou shewe [...]

A wofull harte, Ferrex nowe lyes in graue,

Slaine by thy hande.

Porrex.

Yet this, O father, heare;

And than I ende: Your Maiestie well knowes,

That whan my Brother Ferrex and my selfe

By your owne hest were ioyned in gouernaunce

Of this your Graces Realme of Brittayne Lande

I neuer sought nor trauaylled for the same,

Nor by my selfe, or by no scende I wrought▪

But from your highnes will alone it spronge,

Of your most gracious goodnes bent to me,

But howe my Brothers hart euen than re [...]med

With swollen disdaine against mine egali rule

[Page] Seing that Realme, which by discent shuld grow

Whollie to him, allotted halfe to me?

Euen in your highnes Court he nowe remaynes,

And with my Brother than in nearest place

Who can recorde, what proofe therof was shewde

And how my brothers enuious hart appearde

Yet I that iudged it my parte to seeke

His fauour and good will, and lothe to make

Your highnes knowe, the thing which shuld haue brought

Grief to your grace, & your offēce to him

Hopyng by earnest suite shuld soone haue wonne

A louynge hart within a Brothers brest

Wrought in that sorte that for a pleadge of loue

And faithfull hart, he gaue to me his hande.

This made me thinke, that he had banisshed quite

All rancour from his thought and bare to me

Suche hartie loue, as I did owe to him:

But after once we left your Graces Court

And from your highnes presence liued aparte

This egall rule still, still did grudge him so

That nowe those Enuious sparkes which erst lay raked

In lyuing cinders of dissemblynge brest,

Kindled so farre within his hates disdaine

That longer could he not refraine from proofe

Of secrete practise to depriue me life

By Poysons force, and had bereft me so.

If myne owne Seruaunt hired to this fact

And moued by trouthe wt hate to worke the same,

In time had not bewraied it vnto mee:

Whan thus I sawe the knot of loue vnknitte

All honest League and faithfull promise broke

[Page] The Lawe of kind and trothe thus rent in twaine

His hart on mischiefe set, and in his brest

Blacke treason hid then, then did I dispaier

That euer tyme coulde wynne him frende to me

Than sawe I howe he smyled with slaying knife

Wrapped vnder cloke, then sawe I depe deceite

Lurke in his face and death prepared for mee:

Euen nature moued me than to holde my lyfe

More deare to me than his, and bad this hande

Since by his lyfe my death must nedes ensue,

And by his death my lyfe to be preserued:

To shed his bloud, and seeke my safetie so.

And wisdome willed me without protracte

In spedie wise to put the same in vre.

Thus haue I tolde the cause that moued me

To worke my Brothers death and so I yelde

My lyfe, my death to iudgement of your grace.

Gorboduc.

Oh cruell wight, shulde any cause preuaile

To make the staine thy hands with brothers blod

But what of thee we will resolue to doe

Shal yet remaine vnknowen: Thou in the meane

Shalt from our royall presence banyshed be

Vntill our Princely pleasure furder shall

To the be shewed, departe therfore our sight

Accursed childe. What cruell destenie

What frowarde fate hath sorted vs this chaunce

That euen in those, where we shuld comfort find

Where our delight nowe in our aged daies

Shulde rest and be, euen there our onelie griefe

And depest sorrowes to abridge our liefe,

[Page] Most pynyng cares and deadlie thoughts do graue yours

Arostus.

Your Grace shuld now in these graue yeres of

Haue founde ere this the price of mortall Ioyes,

Howe shorte they be, howe fadyng heare in earth

Howe full of chaunge, howe Brittle our estate,

Of nothynge sure, saue onely of the Death,

To whome both man and all the worlde doth owe

Their ende at last, neither shall natures power

In other sorte against your harte preuayle,

Than as the naked hande whose stroke assayes

The Armed breast where force doth light in vaine

Gorboduc.

Many can yelde right graue and sage aduise

Of pacient sprite to others wrapped in woe,

And can in speache both rule and conquere kinde,

Who if by proofe, they might feele natures force,

Wold shewe them selues men as thei are in dede,

which now wil nedes be gods: but what doth meane

The sory chere of her that here doth come?

Marcella.

Oh where is ruthe? or where is pytie nowe?

Whether is gentle harte and mercie fled?

Are they exiled out of our stony breasts

Neuer to make retourne? is all the worlde

Drowned in bloode, and soncke in crueltie?

If not in women mercie maye be founde

If not (alas) within the mothers brest

To her owne childe, to her owne flesshe and blood

If ruthe be banisshed thence, if pytie there

Maye haue no place, if there no gentle harte

[Page] Do lyue and dwell, where shuld we seeke it than?

Gorboduc.

Madame (alas) what meanes your woful tale?

Marcella.

O sillie woman I, why to this howre,

Haue kinde and fortune thus deferred my breathe

That I shuld lyue to see this dolefull daye

Will euer wight beleue that suche harde harte

Coulde rest within the cruell mothers breaste,

With her owne hande to slaye her onely sonne?

But out (alas) these eyes behelde the same,

They sawe the driery sight, and are become

Most ruthfull recordes of the bloodie facte.

Porrex, (alas) is by his mother slayne,

And with her hand a wofull thynge to tell,

While slomberinge on his carefull bed he restes

His hart stalde in with kniefe is reft of life.

Gorboduc.

O Eubulus, oh drawe this sworde of ours,

And perce this hart with speede, O hatefull light,

O lothsome liefe, O sweete and welcome Death,

Dere Eubulus worke this we thee beseche.

Eubulus.

Patient your Grace, perhappes he liueth yet.

With wounde receued, but not of certayne death.

Gorboduc.

O let vs than repaier, vnto the place,

And see if that Porrex, or thus be slame.

Marcella.

Alas he liueth not, it is to true,

That with these eies of him a pereles Prince,

[Page] Sonne to a King, and in the flower of youth,

Euen with a twinke a censeles stocke I sawe.

Arostus

O dampned deed.

Marcella.

But heare this ruthefull ende.

The noble Prince perst with the sodeine wounde

Out of his wretched slombre hastelie starte

Whole strēgth now failyng streight he ouerthrew

When in the fall his eyes euen newe vnclosed

Behelde the Quene and cryed to her for helpe

We then, alas, the Ladies whiche that tyme

Did there attende, seynge that heynous deede

And hearing him oft call the wretched name

Of mother, and to crie to her for Aide

Whose direfull hand gaue him the mortal wound

Pitieng, (alas, for nought els could we do)

His ruthefull ende, ranne to the wofull bedde

Dispoyled streight his brest, and all we might

wyped in vaine with napkyns next at hande,

The sodeine streames of blood that flusshed fast

Out of the gaping wounde: O what a looke,

O what a ruthefull stedfast eye me thought

He fixed vpon my face, whiche to my deathe

Will neuer parte fro me, when with a braide

Adeepe set signe he gaue and therewith all

Claspinge his handes, to heauen he cast his sight▪

And streight pale death pressyng within his face

The flyinge ghoste his mortall corps forsooke.

Arostus.

Neuer did age bring forth so vile a facte.

[Page]Marcella.

O harde and cruell happe, that thus assigned

Vnto so worthie a wighte so wretched ende

But most harde cruell harte, that coulde consent

To lende the hatefnll destenies that hande

By whiche, alas, so heynous cryme was wrought,

O Queene of Adamante, O Marble breaste

If not the fauour of his comelie face,

If not his Princelie chere and counten [...]unce,

His valiant Actiue Armes, his manlie breaste.

If not his faier and semelie personage

His noble Lymmes in suche preparacion caste

As would haue wrapped a sillie womans thought

If this mought not haue moued the bloodie harte

And that most cruell hande the wretched weapon

Euen to let fall, and kiste him in the face,

With teares for ruthe to reaue suche one by death

Should nature yet consent to slaye her sonne

O mother, thou to murder thus thie childe

Euen Ioue with Iustice must wt lightening flames

From heauen send down some strange reuenge on thee.

Ah noble Prince, how oft haue I beheld

Thee mounted on thy fierce and traumpling stede

Shyning in Armour bright before the Tylte

And with thy Mistresse Sleaue tied on thy Helme

And charge thy staffe to please thy Ladies eie

That howed the head peece of thy frendly foe,

Howe oft in Armes on horse to bende the Mace

Howe oft in Armes on foote to breake the sworde,

Whiche neuer nowe these eyes men [...] againe.

[Page]Arostus.

Madame, alas, in vaine these plaints are shed.

Rather with me departe and helpe to asswage,

The thoughtfull griefes that in the aged kings

Must nedes by nature growe by death of this

His onelie sonne, whome he did holde so deare.

Marcella.

What wight is that whiche sawe that I did see

And could refraine to waile with plainte & teares

Not I, alas, that harte is not in me,

But let vs goe, for I am greued anewe,

To call to minde the wretched fathers woe.

Chorus.

Whan gredie lust in Royall seate to reigne

Hath reft all care of goddes and eke of men,

And cruell hart, wrathe, Treason and disdaine

Within the ambicious breast are lodged then

Beholde howe mischiefe wide her selfe displaies

And with the brothers hande the brother slaies.

When blood thus shed, doth staine this heauens face

Crying to Ioue for vengeaunce of the deede,

The mightie God euen moueth from his place

With wrathe to wreke, then sendes he forth with spede

The dreadful furies, daughters of ye night

With Serpents girt, carying the whip of Ire,

With heare of stinging snakes and shining bright

With flames and blood, and with a brande of fire:

These for reuenge of wretched Murder done

Do make the Mother kill her onelie sonne.

[Page]

Blood asketh blood, & death must death requite

Ioue by his iust and euerlasting dome

Iustly hath euer so requited it

These times before recorde, and tymes to come,

Shall finde it true, and so doth present proofe,

Present before our eies for our behoofe.

O happie wight that suffres not the snare

Of murderous minde to tangle him in bloode▪

And happie he that can in time beware

By others harmes and tourne it to his goode

But wo to him that fearing not to offende

Doth serue his lust, and will not see the ende.

¶The order and signification of the dōme shewe before the fifthe Acte.

¶Firste the Drommes and Fluites, beganne to sounde, durynge whiche there came foorth vpon the Stage a companie of Hargabusiers and of Armed men all in order of Battaile. These after their Peeces discharged, and that the Armed men had three tymes marched aboute the Stage, departed, and then the Drommes and Fluits did cease. Hereby was signified tumults, rebellions, Armes and ciuyll warres to folowe▪ as fel in the Realme of great Brittayne, which by the space of fiftie yeares and more continued in ciuyll warre betwene the Nobylytie after the death of king Gorboduc, & of his Issues, for wante

[Page] of certayne lymitacion in the Succession of the

Crowne, till the time of Dunwalle Molmutius,

who reduced the Lande to Monarche.

5

5

Actus quintus. Scena prima.

Clotyn. Mandud. Gwenard. Fergus. Eubulus.

Clotyn.

DId euer age bring forth such Tirants hartes

The Brother hath bereft the Brothers lyfe,

The Mother she hath died her cruell handes

In bloud of her owne sonne, and nowe at last

The people loe forgettyng trouthe and loue,

Contemnynge quite both Lawe and loyall harte

Euen they haue slayne their soueraigne Lord and Quene.

Mandud.

Shall this their trayterous crime vnpunished rest

Euen yet they cease not, caryed out with rage,

In their rebellious routes, to threaten stil

A newe bloode shedde vnto the Princes kinne

To slaie them all, and to vproote the race

Both of the kyng and Queene, so are they moued

With Porrex deathe, wherin they falsely charge

The giltles kinge without desarte at all

And traiterouslie haue murdered him therfore,

And eke the Queene.

Gwenard.

Shall Subiectes dare with force

To worke reuenge vpon their Princes facte?

Admyt the worst that maye: as sure in this

[Page] The dede was fowle, the Quene to slaie her sonne

Shall yet the Subiecte seeke to take the sworde?

Arise agaynst his Lorde, and slaie his kynge?

O wretched state, where those rebellious hartes

Are not rent out euen from their lyuynge breasts

And with the bodie throwen vnto the Fowles

As Carrion foode, for terrour of the rest.

Fergus.

There can no punisshement be thought to greate

For this so greuous cryme: let spede therfore

Be vsed therin for it behoueth so.

Eubulus.

Ye all my Lordes I see consent in one

And I as one consent with ye in all:

I holde it more than nede with the sharpest Lawe

To punisshe the tumultuous bloodie rage

For nothynge more maye shake the cōmen state

Than sufferaunce of Vproares without redresse

Wherby how some kingdomes of mightie power

After great Conquestes made, and floorishing

In fame and wealth haue ben to ruyne brought

I praie to Ioue that we may rather wayle

Suche happe in them than witnes in our selues

Eke fullie with the Duke my minde agrees

That no cause serues, wherby the Subiect maye

Call to accompt the doynges of his Prince.

Muche lesse in bloode by sworde to worke reuenge

No more then maye the hande cut of the heade,

In Acte nor speache, no: not in secrete thoughte

The Subiect maye rebell against his Lorde

Or Iudge of him that sittes in Ceasars Seate.

[Page] With grudging mind do damne those Hemislikes

Though kinges forget to gouerne as they ought,

Yet Subiectes must obey as they are bounde:

But nowe my Lordes before ye farder wade

Or spend your speach, what sharp reuenge shal fal

By iustice plague on these rebellious wights

Me thinkes ye rather should first searche the waye

By whiche in time the rage of this vproare

Mought be repressed, & these great tumults ceased

Euen yet the life of Brittayne Lande doth hange.

In Traitours Balaunce of vnegall weight

Thinke not my Lords the death of Gorboduc

Nor yet Videnaes bloode will cease their rage:

Euen our owne lyues, our wiues and children,

Our Countrey dearest of all in daunger standes,

Nowe to be spoiled, nowe, nowe made desolate,

And by our selues a conquest too ensue:

For geue ones sweye vnto the peoples lusts,

To russhe forth on, and staye them not in time,

And as the streame that rowleth downe the hyll,

So wil thei headlong ronne wt raging thoughtes

From bloode to bloode, from mischiefe vnto moe,

To ruyne of the Realme, them selues and all

So giddle are the cōmon peoples mindes,

So glad of chaunge, more waueryng than the Sea

Ye see (my Lordes) what strength these Rebelles haue,

What hugie nombre is assembled still,

For though the traiterous fact, for which their rose

Be wrought and done, yet lodge thei still in fielde

So that howe farre their furies yet wyll stretche

Great cause we haue to dreade, that we may seeke

By present Battaile to represse their power.

[Page] Speede must we vse to leuie force therfore,

For either they forthwith will mischiefe worke

Or their rebellious roares forthwith will cease:

These violent thinges may haue no lasting loude

Let vs therfore vse this for present helpe

Perswade by gentle speache, and offre grace

With gifte of pardon saue vnto the chiefe,

And that vpon condicion that forthewith

They yelde the Captaines of their enterpryse

To beare suche querdon of their traiterous facte

As may be both due vengeaunce to them selues,

And holsome terrour to posteritie.

This shall I thinke: flatter the greatest parte

That nowe are holden with desire of home,

Weried in fielde with could of Winters nightes,

And some (no doubt) striken with dread of Lawe

Whan this is ones proclaymed, it shall make

The Captaines to mistruste the multitude

Whose safetie biddes them to betraye their heads

And so muche more bycause the rascall routes,

In thinges of great and perillous attemptes,

Are neuer trustie to the noble race.

And while we treate & scande on termes of grace,

We shal both staie their furies rage the while,

And eke gaine time, whose onely helpe sufficeth

Withouten warre to vanquisshe Rebelles power

In the meane while, make you in redynes

Suche bande of Horsemen as ye maye prepare:

Horsemen (you know) are not the Comons strēgth

But are the force and store of noble men

Wherby the vnchosen and vnarmed sorte

[Page] Of sk [...]she Rebelles, whome none other power

But nombre makes to be of dreadfull force

With sodeyne brunt maye quickely be oppreste

And if this gentle meane of proffered grace

With stubborne hartes cannot so farre auayle

As to asswage their desperate courages.

Than do I wisshe suche slaughter to be made,

As present age and eke posteritie

Maye be adrad with horrour of reuenge,

That iustly than shall on these rebelles fall:

This is my Lordes the sōme of mine aduise.

Clotyn.

Neyther this case admittes debate at large,

And though it did: this speache that hath ben saide

Hath wel abridged the tale I would haue tolde:

Fullie with Eubulus do I consente

In all that he hath saide: and if the same

To you my Lordes, may seeme for best aduise,

I wisshe that it shoulde streight be put in vre.

Mandud.

My Lordes than let vs presentlie departe

And folowe this that lyketh vs so well.

Fergus.

If euer time to gaine a kingdome here

Were offred man, nowe it is offred mee:

The Realme is reft bothe of their kyng & Quene

The ofspringe of the Prince is slaine and dead

No issue nowe remaines, the Heire vnknowen,

The people are in Armes and mutynies

The Nobles thei are busied howe to cease

These great rebellious tumultes and vproars

[Page] And Brittayne Lande nowe deserte left alone

Amyd these broyles vncertaine where to rest

Offers her selfe vnto that noble harte

That wyll or dare pursue to beare her Crowne:

Shall I that am the Duke of Albanye

Discended from that Lyne of noble bloode.

Whiche hath so longe floorisshed in worthie fame

Of valiaunt hartes, suche as in noble Breasts

Of right shulde rest aboue the baser sorte,

Refuse to aduenture liefe to winne a Crowne,

Whome shall I finde enemies that will wtstande

My facte herein, if I attempte by Armes

To seeke the Fame nowe in these times of broyle

These Dukes power can hardlie well appease

The people that alredie are in Armes.

But if perhappes my force be ones in fielde

Is not my strength in power aboue the best

Of all these Lordes nowe left in Brittaine Lande.

And though they shuld match me wt power of men

Yet doubtfull is the chaunce of Battailles ioyned

If Victors of the fielde we may departe,

Ours is the Scepter than of great Brittayne,

If slayne amid the playne this body be

Mine enemies yet shall not deny me this,

But that I died gyuynge the noble charge

To hazarde life for conquest of a Crowne.

Forthwith therfore will I in poste depart

To Albanye and raise in Armour there

All power I can: and here my secrete friendes,

By secrete practise shall sollicite still,

To seeke to wynne to me the peoples hartes.

[Page]

Actus quintus. Scena secunda.

Eubulus. Clotyn. Mandud. Gwenard. Arostus Nuntius.

Eubulus.

O Ioue, Howe are these peoples hartes abusde

what blind Furie, thus headlong caries thē?

That though so many bokes, so many rolles

Of Auncient time recorde what greuous plagues,

Light on these Rebelles aye and thoughe so ofte

Their eares haue hard their aged fathers tell

What iust rewarde these Traitours still receyue.

Yea though them selues haue sene depe death and blod

By strangling cord & slaughter of the sword

To suche assigned, yet can they not beware:

Yet can they not staie their rebellious handes,

But suffring to fowle treason to distaine

Their wretched myndes, forget their loyall harte,

Reiecte all trueth and rise against their Prince,

A ruthefull case that those, whome duties bounde

Whome grafted Lawe by nature trueth and faith

Bounde to preserue their Coūtrey and their king

Borne to defende their Cōmon wealth & Prince,

Euen they shulde geue consent thus to subuerte

The Brittaine Land, & from the wombeshuld bring

(O natyue soile) those, that will nedes destroye

And ruyne thee and eke them selues in fine:

For lo, when ones the Duke had offred Grace

Of pardon sweete (the multitude mislead

By traiterous fraude of their vngracious heades)

One sorte that sawe the daungerous successe

[Page] Of stubborne standynge in rebellious warre

And knewe the difference of Princes power

From headles nombre of tumultuous routes,

Whom cōmen Countreies care and priuate feare

Taught to repent the terrour of their rage

Laide handes vpon the Capatines of their bande,

And brought them bound vnto the mightie Dukes

An other sorte not trusting yet so well

The trueth of Pardon or mistrusting more

Their owne offence than that thei could conceiue

Suche hope of pardon for so foule misdede:

Or for that they their Captaines could not yeld

Who fearinge to be yelded, flead before,

Stale home by scilence of the secrete night,

The thirde vnhappie and vnraged sorte

Of desperate harts, who stained in Princes blood

From trayterous furour could not be withdrawen

By loue, by lawe, by grace, ne yet by feare,

By proffered lyfe, ne yet by threatened Death,

With mindes hopeles of liefe, dreadles of Deathe,

Careles of Countrey, and aweles of God:

Stoode bente to fighte as Furies did them moue

With violent death to close their traiterous lyfe:

These all by power of Horsemen were opprest

And with reuenging sworde slayne in the fielde,

Or with the strangling Cord hanged on the trees

Where yet the carryen Carcases do proche

The fruites that Rebelles reape of their vproars,

And of the murder of their sacred Prince,

But loe, where do approche the noble Dukes,

By whom these tumults haue ben thus appeasde.

[Page]Clotyn.

I thinke the worlde wyll now at length beware▪

And feare to put on armes agaynst their Prince.

Mandud.

If not: those trayterous hartes that dare rebell

Let them beholde the wide and hugie fieldes

With bloode & bodie spread with rebelles slayne,

The lustie trees clothed with corpses dead

That strangled with the corde do hange therin.

Arostus.

A iust rewarde suche as all tymes before

Haue euer lotted to those wretched folkes.

Gwenard.

But what meanes he that cōmeth here so fast.

Nuntius.

My Lords, as duetie and my trouth doth moue

And of my Countrey worke and care in mee

That if the spendynge of my breath auaile

To do the Seruice that my harte desires,

I would not shunne to imbrace a present death,

So haue I nowe in that wherein I thought

My trauayle mought perfourme some good effect [...]

Ventred my liefe to bringe these tydinges here.

Fergus the mightie Duke of Albanye

Is nowe in Armes and lodgeth in the fielde

With twentie thousand men, hether he bendes

His spedie marcke, & minds to inuade the Crowne

Dayly he gathereth strength and spreads abrode

That to this Realme no certeine Heire remaines,

That Brittayne Lande is left without a guyde,

That he the Scepter seekes, for nothing els

[Page] But to preserue the people and the Lande

Whiche now remaine as ship without a Sterne

Loe this is that whiche I haue hereto saide.

Clotyn.

Is this his fayth? and shall he falsely thus

Abuse the vauntage of vnhappie times?

O wretched Lande, if his outragious pride,

His cruell and vntempred wilfulnes

His deepe dissemblinge shewes of false pretence

Should once attaine the Crowne of Brittayn lande

Let vs my Lords, with tymely force resist

The newe attempt of this our cōmon foe

As we would quenche the flames of cōmen fire.

Mandud.

Though we remaine without a certayn Prince

To weld the Realme or guide the wandring rule

Yet nowe the cōmen Mother of vs all,

Our Natiue Lande, our Countrey that conteines

Our wiues, children, kyndred, our selues and all

That euer is or maye be deare to man

Cries vnto vs to helpe our selues and her:

Let vs aduaunce our powers to represse

This growynge foe of all our liberties.

Gwenard.

Yea let vs so my Lordes with hastie spede,

And ye (O Goddes) sende vs the welcome death,

To shed our bloode in fielde and leaue vs not,

In lothe some life to lenger out our lyues

To see the hugie heapes of these vnhappes,

That nowe roll downe vpon the wretched Lande

Where emptie place of Princelie gouernaunce

[Page] No certayne staie nowe left of doubtles heire,

Thus leaue this guidelesse Realme an open pray,

To endlesse stormes and wast of ciuyll warre.

Arostus.

That ye (my Lordes) do so agree in one

To saue your Countrey from the violent reigne

And wrongfullie vsurped Tirrannie

O [...] him that threatens conquest of you all

To saue your realme, & in this realme your selues

From forreyne thraldome of so proude a Prince,

Muche do I praise, and I beseche the Goddes,

With happie honour to requite it you.

But (O my Lords) sithe now the Heauens wrath

Hath reft this Lande the issue of their Prince:

Sithe of the body of our late Soueraine Lorde

Remaines no mo, since the yong kinges be slaine

And of the Title of the discended Crowne,

Vncerteynly the diuerse mindes do thinke

Euen of the Learned sorte, and more vncertainlye

Will perciall fancie and affection deeme:

But most vncertenlye wyll clymbynge pride

And hope of Reigne withdrawe frō sondrie partes

The doubtfull right and hopefull lust to reigne.

When ones this noble seruice is atchieued

For Brittayne Lande the Mother of ye all,

When ones ye haue with armed force represt,

The proude attemptes of this Albanyan Prince,

That threatens thraldome to your Natiue Lande,

When ye shall vanquishers retourne from fielde

And finde the Princely state an open praye.

To gredie lust and to vsurping power,

[Page] Then, then (my Lordes) if euer kindely care

Of auncient Honour of your auncestoures,

Of present wealth and noblesse of your stockes:

Yea of the lyues and safetie yet to come

Of your deare wyues, your children & your selues,

Might moue your noble hactes with gentle ruthe,

Then, then haue pytie on the torne estate,

Then helpe to salue the well neare hopeles sore

Whiche ye shall do, if ye your selues with holde

The sleayng knife from your own mothers throte

Her shall you saue, and you, and yours in her

If ye shall all with one assent forbeare

Ones to laye hande or take vnto your selues

The Crowne by colour of [...]tended right,

Or by what other meanes so euer it be

Tyll first by cōmen counsell of you all

In Parliament the Regall Diademe

Be set in certayne place of gouernaunce,

In whiche your Parliament and in your choise,

Preserve the right (my Lordes,) without respecte

Of strenght of frendes, or what so euer cause

That maye set forwarde any others parte,

For right will last, and wrong can not endure,

Right meane I his or hers, vpon whose name

The people rest by meane of Native lyne,

Or by the vertue of some former Lawe,

Alreadie made their title to aduaunce:

Suche one (my Lordes) let be your chosen kynge

Suche one so borne within your Natyue Lande

Suche one preferre, and in no wise adinitte.

The heauie yoke of forreine gouernaunce,

[Page] Let forreine Titles yelde to Publike wealthe,

And with that hart wherewith ye nowe prepare

Thus to withstande the proude inuadynge foe,

With that same harte (my Lordes) kepe out also

Vnnaturall thraldome of straungers reigne,

Ne suffre you against the rules of kinde

Your Mother Lande to serue a Forreine Prince.

Eubulus.

¶Loe here the ende of Brutus royall Lyne,

And loe the entrie to the wofull wracke

And vtter ruyne of this noble Realme.

The royall kinge, and eke his sonnes are slaine,

No Ruler restes within the Regall Seate:

The Heire, to whō the Scepter longs, vnknowen

That to eche force of Forreine Princes power

Whome vauntage of your wretched state

By sodaine Armes to gaine so riche a Realme

And to the proude and gredie minde at home

Whom blinded lust to reigne leades to aspire.

Loe Brittaiue Realme is left an open praye,

A present spoile by Conquest to ensue,

Who seeth not nowe howe many risyng mindes

Do feede their thoughts, wt hope to reach a Realm

And who will not by force attempt to winne

So great a gaine that hope perswades to haue:

A simple colour shall for title serue.

Who winnes the Royal crown wil want no right

Nor suche as shall displaye by longe discent

A lyneall race to proue him selfe a kynge,

In the meane while these ciuyll armes shall rage,

And thus a thousande mischiefes shall vnfolde

[Page] And farre & neare spread thee (O Brittayne Lande)

All right and Lawe shall cease, and he that had

Nothyng to daye, to morowe shall enioye

Great heapes of good, & he that flowed in wealth,

Leo he shall be reft of lyfe and all,

And happiest he that than possesseth least.

The wyues shall suffre rape, the maydes defloured

And children fatherles shall weepe and wayle:

With fire & sworde thy Natiue folke shal perisshe.

One kinsman shall bereaue an other life,

The father shall vnwittynge slaye the sonne,

The sonne shall slea the sire and knowe it not:

Women and maides the cruell Souldiours sword

Shall perse to death, and sillie children loe

That playinge in the strea [...]es & fieldes are founde

By violent hande shall close their latter daye.

Whome shall the ferce and bloudie Souldiour

Reserue to liefe, whome shall he space from death

Euen thou (O wretched mother) half alyue

Thou shalt beholde thy deare and onely childe

Slaine wt the sworde while he yet suckes thy brest:

Loe, giltles bloode shall thus eche where be shed:

Thus shall the wasted soile yelde forth no fruite

But derth and famyne shal possesse the Lande.

The Townes shal be consumed & brent with fire,

The peopled Cities shall ware desolate,

And thou (O Brittaine Land) whilom in renowme

Whilome in wealth and fame shalt thus be torne,

Dismembred thus, and thus be rent in twayne,

Thus wasted and defaced, spoiled and destroied:

These be the fruits your ciuill warres wil bring.

[Page] Heretost cōmes when kinges will not consent,

To graue aduise, but folow wilfull wyll:

This is the ende, when in yonge Princes hartes

Flattery preuayles, and sage rede hath no place:

These are the plages, when murder is the meane

To make newe Heires vnto the Royall Crowne.

Thus wreke the Gods, whē ye the mothers wrath

Nought but y• blood of her owne child may swage.

These mischiefes springs whē Rebelles wil arise,

To worke reuenge and iudge their Princes facte:

This, this ensues when noble men do faile

In loyall trouthe, and subiectes will be kinges.

And this doth growe when loe vnto the Prince,

Whome death or sodene happe of liefe bereaues,

No certayne Heire remaines, suche certentie

As not all onely is the rightfull Heire,

But to the Realme is so made vnknowen to be

And trouth therby vested in Subiectes hartes,

To owe faith there, where right is knowen to rest

Alas, in Parliament what hope can bee,

When is of Parliament no hope at all,

Whiche thoughe it be assembled by consent,

Yet is it not likely with consent to ende:

While eche one for him selfe, or for his frende

Against his foe, shall trauaile what he maye,

While nowe the state left open to the man,

That shall with greatest force inuade the same,

Shall fill ambicious minds with gapynge hope:

When will they ones with yelding harts agree?

Or in the while, howe shall the Realme he vsed?

No, no: then Parliament should haue ben holden

[Page] And certaine Heires appoynted to the Crowne

To staie their title of establisshed righte:

And plant the people in obedience

While yet the Prince did liue, whose name and power

By lawfull Sōmons and auctorytie

Might make a Parliament to be of force,

And might haue set the state in quiet staye:

But nowe (O happie man) whome spedie death

Depriues of lyfe, ne is enforced to see

These hugie mischiefes and these miseries,

These ciuyll wars, these murders & these wrongs

Of Iustice, yet must Ioue in fyne restore

This noble Crowne vnto the lawfull Heire:

For right will alwayes liue, and rise at lengthe,

But wronge can neuer take deepe roote to last.

¶The ende of the Tagedie of Kynge Gorboduc.

Information about this book

Title statement

The tragedie of Gorboduc, whereof three actes were wrytten by Thomas Nortone, and the two laste by Thomas Sackuyle. Sett forthe as the same was shewed before the Quenes most excellent Maiestie, in her highnes court of Whitehall, the. xviij. day of Ianuary, anno Domini. 1561. By the Gentlemen of thynner Temple in LondonGorboduc

Norton, Thomas, 1532-1584.

Edition statement

1565

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

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Date

2006-06 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A08360

ID [STC]

STC 18684

ID [STC]

ESTC S111262

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99846637

ID [PROQUEST]

99846637

ID [VID]

11621

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A08360)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 11621)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 550:1)

Source

— The tragedie of Gorboduc, whereof three actes were wrytten by Thomas Nortone, and the two laste by Thomas Sackuyle. Sett forthe as the same was shewed before the Quenes most excellent Maiestie, in her highnes court of Whitehall, the. xviij. day of Ianuary, anno Domini. 1561. By the Gentlemen of thynner Temple in London, Gorboduc, Norton, Thomas, 1532-1584., Dorset, Thomas Sackville, Earl of, 1536-1608. aut.

Extent

[72] p.

in Fletestrete, at the signe of the Faucon by William Griffith: and are to be sold at his shop in Saincte Dunstones Churchyarde in the west of London,. Imprynted at London :: Anno. 1565. Septemb. 22.. (In verse.) (Signatures: A-D E⁴.) (Reproduction of a photostat of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.)

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