PART V.

_Dedicatory sonnet to Lady Elizabeth Clere_ 817

_Advertisement to the Reader_ 818

_The Induction_ 819

98 Englands _Eliza_, or the victoriovs and trivmphant reigne of

that virgin Empresse of sacred memorie, _Elizabeth_ Queene of

England France and Ireland &c. 828

[Illustration:

THE

Mirour for Magistrates,

_wherein may bee scene_,

by

examples passed in this

_Realme with_

how greeuous plagues vices are punished

in great Princes and Magistrates:

and how fraile and vnstable worldly

_prosperity is found, where Fortune

seemeth most highly_

to fauour.

PART I.

By JOHN HIGGINS.

[Reprinted from the edition of 1587, collated

with those of 1575 and 1610.]

]

_Loue and liue._

To the nobility and all other in office, God

graunt the increase of wisedome, with all

thinges necessary for preseruation

of theyr estates.

_Amen._

Amongste the wise (right Honorable) whose sentences

(for the moste parte) tende either to teache the [Sidenote: _Plotinus._]

attayning of vertue or eschuing of vice, _Plotinus_

that wonderfull and excellent Philosopher hath these

wordes: The property of Temperaunce is to couet nothing which may

be repented: not to excede the bands of measure, & to kepe Desire

vnder the yoke of Reason. Whiche saying if it were so well knowen,

as it is nedefull; so well embraced, as is[53] wished; or so surely

fixed in minde, as it is printed in his workes: then certis many

Christians might by the instruction of an Ethnicke Philosopher, shun

great and daungerous perils. For to couet without consideration, to

passe the measure of his degree, and to let will run at randon, is

the only destruction of all estates. Else howe were it possible, so

many learned, polliticke, wise, renoumed, valiaunt, and victorious

personages, might euer haue come to such vtter decay?

For example, wee haue[54] _Alexander_ the Great,

_Cæsar_, _Pompey_, _Cyrus_, _Hannibal_, &c. All which [Sidenote: _Quintus

(by desier of glorye) felte the reward of theire Curtius._]

immoderate and insatiable lustes: for if _Alexander_

had beene content with Macedonie, or not beene pufte vp with pride

after his triumphes, hee had neuer beene so miserably poysoned. If

_Cæsar_ and _Pompey_ had beene satisfied with theire victories, and

had not fell to ciuill discention, the one had not beene slaine in

the senate with daggers, nor the other abroade, by

their frendes procurement. If _Cyrus_ had beene [Sidenote: _Iustinus

pleased with all Persia, and Media, and not thirsted lib. 1._]

for bloud, hee had neuer com to so infortunate

a fall. So if _Hanniball_ had not so much delited [Sidenote: _Plutarchus._]

in glorye of warfare, his countrey had neyther

fell in ruine, nor hee bene miserably forced [Sidenote: _Liuius._]

to poyson himselfe. But you will say, desire of [Sidenote: _Polibius._]

fame, glorye, renowne, and immortalitie (to which all men well nighe

by[55] nature are inclined, especially those which excell or haue

any singuler gift of fortune or[56] the body) moued them to such

daungerous, great, and hardy enterprises, which must needes be

confessed[57] as an infallible veritie: and therefore I suerly[58]

deeme those Princes aboue specified (considering their[59] fortunes,

fame, and exploytes) had neuer come to suche ende, but for wante of

temperance. And now[60] sithe there are three other Cardinall vertues

which are requisite in him that should bee in authoritye: that is to

saye, Prudence, Iustice, and Fortitude, which so wonderfully adorne

and beautifie all estates (If Temperaunce bee with them adioyned,

that they moue the very enemies with admiration to prayse them) some

peraduenture (as affection leades) will commende one,

some another: as[61] _Aristotle_ the Prince of [Sidenote: _Arist._]

Philosophers names Prudence, the mother of vertues, [Sidenote: _Cicero._]

but[62] _Cicero_ defines her the knowledge of [Sidenote: _Prudence._]

things which ought to bee desired and followed,

and also of them which ought to bee fled and eschewed; yet you shall

finde that for want of Temperaunce, some which were counted very

wise[63] fell into wonderfull reproche and infamy. But[64] Iustice that

incomparable vertue, (as the auncient Ciuilians define her) is[65] a

perpetuall and constant will which giueth to euery man his right, yet

if shee be not constant, which is the gifte of Fortitude; nor equal in

discerning right from wrong, wherein is Prudence; nor vse proportion

in iudgement and sentence, which pertayneth to Temperaunce: shee can

neuer bee called equitie or iustice, but fraude, deceite, iniustice

and iniurie. And, to speake of Fortitude, which

_Cicero_ defineth, a consyderate vndertaking of [Sidenote: _Fortitude._]

perills, and enduring of labours; if he whome [Sidenote: _Cicero._]

wee suppose stoute, valiaunt, and of good

courage, want Prudence, Iustice, or Temperaunce, he is not counted

wise, righteous and constant, but sottish, rude

and desperate. For Temperaunce (sayth _Cicero_) [Sidenote: _Cicero._]

is of reason[66] in lust and other euel [Sidenote: _Temperance._]

assaultes of the minde, a suer and moderate

dominion & rule. This noble vertue is deuided into three[67] partes,

that is Continency, Clemencie, and Modestye, which well[68] obserued

and kept (if grace bee to them adioyned) it is impossible for him

that is endued with the aboue named vertues euer to fall into the

infortunate snares of calamity, or misfortune. But Ambition which is

immoderate[69] desire of honour, rule, dominion, and superioritie,

(the very distruction of nobility and common weales, as among the

Romanes; Sylla, Marius, Carbo, Cinna, Cateline, Pompey, and Cæsar,

are witnesses) hath brought great decay to[70] our contrey, and

countreymen. Which Master Baldwin hath so touched[71] in his Epistle

of the laste[72] volume of this booke, that I nede not therewith deale

any further.[73] I haue here (right honorable) in this booke[74] only

reproued foly in those which are heedelesse: Iniurie in extortioners,

rashnes in venterers, [trecherie in traytours, riote in rebelles,][75]

and excesse in such as suppresse not vnruly affections. Now[76] I

truste you will so thinke of it (althoughe the style deserue not like

commendation) as you thought of the other parte. Which if you shall,

I doubt not but it may pleasure some; if not, yet geue occasion to

others which can do better, either to amend these, or to publish

their owne.[77] And thus wishing you Prudence to discerne what is

meete for your callings, Iustice in the administration of your

functions, Fortitude in the defence of your Countrey, and Temperaunce

in moderation of all your affections, with increase of honours, and

euerlasting felicity: I bid you in Christ Iesu farewell.[78] At

Winceham the vii. day of December.

1586.

Your most humble in

the Lord,

IOHN HIGINS.[79]

“I. HIGGINS TO

THE READER.

“Amongst diuers and sondry chronicles of many nations, I thinke there

are none (gentle reader) so vncertaine and brief in the beginning as

ours: at which I cannot but maruayle, sith at all tymes our Ilande had

as learned wryters (some singuler men excepted) as any nation vnder the

sunne. Againe, those which now are our best chroniclers as they report,

haue great antiquities; but what they publish of late yeares may be

enlarged in many places by chronicles of other nacions: whereby it is

manifest they are either ignoraunt of the tongues, or els not giuen

to the studie of that, which they most professe. For if they were,

me-thinkes it were easie for them, with such antiquities as they brag

they haue, to fetche our histories from the beginning; and make them

as ample, as the chronicles of any other country or nation. But they

are faine, in steede of other stuffe, to talk of the Romains, Greekes,

Persians, &c. and to fill our histories with their facts and fables.

This I speake not to the end I wold have ours quite seperate from

other, without any mention of them; but I would haue them there only

named, where th’ affayres of both countries, by warre, peace, truce,

mariage, trafique, or some necessary cause or other, is intermixed.

I haue seen no auncient antiquities in written hand but two: one was

Galfridus of Munmouth, which I lost by misfortune; the other, an old

chronicle in a kind of Englishe verse, beginning at Brute and ending

at the death of Humfrey Duke of Gloucester; in the which, and diuers

other good chronicles, I finde many thinges not mentioned in that great

tome engroced of late by Maister Grafton; and that, where he is most

barraine and wantes matter. But as the greatest heades, the grayest

hayres, and best clarkes, haue not most wytte; so the greatest bookes,

titles, and tomes, contayne not most matter. And this haue I spoken,

because in wryting the Tragedies of the first infortunate princes of

this Isle, I was often fayne to vse mine owne simple inuention, yet

not swaruing from the matter: because the chronicles (although they

went out vnder diuers men’s names) in some suche places as I moste

needed theyr ayde, wrate one thing, and that so brieflye, that a whole

prince’s raigne, life, and death, was comprysed in three lines; yea,

and sometimes mine olde booke, aboue mentioned, holpe mee out when

the rest forsoke mee. As for Lanquet, Stowe, and Grafton, [they] were

alwayes nighe of one opinion: but the Floure of Histories somewhat

larger: some helpe had I of an old chronicle imprinted the yeare 1515.

But surely methinkes, and so do most which delite in histories, it

were worthely done, if one chronicle wer drawne from the beginning in

such perfect sort, that al monuments of vertuous men (to the exalting

of God’s glory) and all punishments of vicious persons (to the terrour

of the wicked) might be registred in perpetuall remembraunce. To which

thing the right reuerende father in God Matthew [Parker] Archbishop of

Canterbury, and Metropolitane of Englande, hath brought such ayde, as

wel by printing as preseruing the written chronicles of this realme;

that by his grace’s studie and paynes, the labour, in tyme to come,

wil be farre more easy to them, that shall take such trauayle in hand.

But to leaue with these, and declare the cause of my purpose. As I

chaunced to reade the _Mirour for Magistrates_, a worke by all men

wonderfully commended, and full of fitte instructions for preseruation

of eche estate: taking in hand the chronicles and minding to conferre

the times, meethoughte the liues of a number euen at the beginning, the

like infortunate princes offered themselues vnto mee as matter very

meete for imitation, the like admonition, miter, and phrase; and seing

Baldwine by these woordes moued mee somewhat thereto; It were (saith

hee) a goodly and a notable matter to searche and discourse our whole

storye from the beginning of the inhabiting of this Isle, &c. I read

the storyes, I considered of the princes, I noted their liues, and

therewith conferred their deathes. On this, I tooke penne in hande,

minding nothing lesse than to publishe them abroade, but onely to trye

what I could do if neede were, or time and leasure were giuen mee to

bestowe in such wyse. I wrote the twoo first, euen as they now are,

and because I would not kepe secrete my first labours in this kinde of

study (though I might well haue blushed at the basenes of my style) I

shewed them to a friend of myne, desiring his vnfayned iudgement in

this matter; which when he had read, he neuer left intreating me to

wryte other, til I had ended all to the byrth of Christ: and yet not

so content; he desired mee t’ accomplish the residue til I came to

the Conquest, (which were wel nighe fiftie Tragedies): but, wearied

with those which I had written, I desired him pause on this, till tyme

and leasure were giuen mee. Yet hee, making relation to other his

frendes what I had done, left mee not quiet till they likewyse had

seene them: whose perswasion, as it seemed without any suspition of

assentation or flattery, so hath it made mee bolder at this present

then before. “Although (sayd they) your Tragædies be simple, and not

comparable to those which the other before haue written; yet when

men consider that _many_ wrote those, but _one_ these; that they are

graue writers, you are but yong; the perfection of those stories, and

the imperfection of these: finally, the good wil you beare to your

country, the commendation of vertue, the detestation of vice, the

fal of ambition, the horrible end of traytours, harlots, tyrauntes,

adulterers, enchaunters, murderers, and such like; When men (said they)

consider these things, they cannot, (how simple soeuer your verse bee,)

but thinke well of the matter.” At length, with these perswasions

and suche like, I was contente (good reader) to publishe them for thy

behoufe, and the publique weale of my countrye; at which if thou enuie,

I minde not therefore to enuie my selfe, and staye my penne. But (God

willing) thou shalt, as fast as I can prepare them, haue other bookes

from my handes, which maye please thee againe; and thus with all my

harte I bidde thee hartely farewell.

Thy friende

I. H.”[80]

A PREFACE TO

THE READER.

[Before the edition 1587.]

Aboute a twelue yeares since (gentle reader) when I tooke vpon mee

for exercise sake, only to make proofe in English verse what I could

do, & had read the Mirour for Magistrates which Maister Baldwins set

forth, (a booke both well penned and also well commended) I perused

the Chronicles, I noted the times, I conferred the Princes, and me

thought that a nomber euen at the firste inhabiting of this Islande,

offered them selues the like haplesse impes of Fortune, with matter

very meete for imitation, and like admonition, meeter and phrase. And

sith Maister Baldwine in these words of his preface moued mee somewhat

thereto: It were (sayth hee) a goodly and a notable mater to search,

and discours our whole storie from the beginning of the inhabiting of

this Isle, &c. I read agayne the stories, I considered of the Princes,

I noted theire liues, and therewith conferred their falles: on this I

tooke penne in hande, and wrote a fewe of the firste euen as they since

were imprinted, minding nothing lesse then to publish them abroade:

and because I woulde not keepe secret my first laboures in this kinde

of studie, (although I mighte haue blushed at the basenes of my

style) I shewed them to some frendes of myne, desired theire vnfayned

iudgementes herein, who not only perswaded mee that they were well, but

also desired mee to followe the same order till I came to the birth of

Christe: which when I had done, yet they willed mee to proceede with

the falles of the like vntill the conqueste, which I coulde not doe,

being called away by other studies of more importaunce, but the rest

which I wrot after that time and at leisure since by the perswations

of some worshipfull, and my very good frendes; I haue here set downe,

and agayne corrected those which I wrot before, euen for the profit of

my natiue countrey. Now I desire thee (gentle reader) so well to accept

of my paynes and good will herein bestowed, as I was well willing by

this edition to doe thee ease, and pleasure. And so whishing thee the

feare of God, the loue of thy Prince and countrey, and after this lyfe

the fruition of perfecte felicitye, I doe bid thee hartely in Christe

Iesu farewell.

Thy frende,

IOHN HIGINS.[81]

THOMAS NEWTON

TO THE READER,

_in the behalfe of this Booke_.

As when an arming sword of proofe is made,

Both steele and yron must be tempred well:

(For yron giues the strength vnto the blade,

And steele, in edge doth cause it to excell)

As ech good Bladesmith by his Arte can tell:

For, without yron, brittle will it breake,

And, without steele, it will bee blunt and weake:

So bookes, that now theyr faces dare to show,

Must mettald bee with Nature and with Skill:

For Nature causeth stuffe enough to flow,

And Arte the same contriues by learned quill

In order good, and currant methode still.

So that, if Nature frowne, the case is hard:

And if Arte want, the matter all is marde.

The worke, which here is offred to thy vewe,

With both these poynts is full and fitly fraught;

Set foorth by sundry of the learned Crewe:

Whose stately styles haue Phœbus garland caught,

And Parnasse mount theyr worthy works haue raught,

Theyr wordes are thundred with such maiestie,

As fitteth right ech matter in degree.

Reade it therefore, but reade attentiuely,

Consider well the drift whereto it tendes:

Confer the times, perpend the history,

The parties states and eke theyr dolefull endes,

With odde euentes, that divine iustice sendes.

For, thinges forepast are presidents to vs,

Whereby wee may thinges present now discusse.

Certes this worlde a Stage may well bee calde,

Whereon is playde the parte of eu’ry wight:

Some, now aloft, anon with malice galde

Are from high state brought into dismall plight.

Like counters are they, which stand now in sight

For thousand or ten thousand, and anone

Remooued, stande perhaps for lesse then one.

1587.

THOMAS NEWTONUS,

_Cestreshyrius_.[82]

THE AUTHORS INDUCTION.

1.

When Sommer sweete, with all her pleasures past,

And leaues began, to leaue the shady tree,

The winter colde encreased on full fast,

And time of yeare to sadnes moued mee:

For moysty blastes, not halfe so mirthfull bee,

As sweete _Aurora_ bringes in spring time fayre,

Our ioyes they dimme, as winter damps the ayre.

2.

The nights began, to growe to lengthe apace,

Sir _Phœbus_ to th’ Antarctique gan to fare:

From Libraes lance, to th’ Crab hee tooke his race

Beneth the lyne, to lende of light a share.

For then with vs the dayes more darkishe are,

More shorte, colde, moyste, and stormy cloudy clit,

For sadnes more then mirths or pleasures fit.

3.

Deuising then, what bookes were best to reade,

Both for that time, and sentence graue also,

For conference of frende to stande in steade,

When I my faithfull frende was parted fro;

I gate mee strayght the Printers shops vnto,

To seeke some worke of price I suerly ment,

That might alone my carefull mynde content.[83]

4.

Amongst the rest,[84] I found a booke so sad,

As tyme of yeare or sadnesse[85] coulde requier:

The Mirour namde, for Magistrates hee had,

So finely pende, as harte could well desire.

Which when I read, so set my heart on fire,

Eftsoones it mee constraynde to take the payne,

Not lefte with once,[86] to reade it once agayne.

5.

And as agayne I vewde this worke with heede,

And marked playne each party paynt[87] his fall:

Mee thought in mynde, I sawe those men indeede,

Eke howe they came in order Princely[88] all;

Declaring well, this life is but a thrall,

Sith those on whom, for Fortunes giftes wee stare,

Ofte sooneste sinke, in greatest seas of care.

6.

For some, perdy, were Kinges of highe estate,

And som were Dukes, and came of regall race:

Som Princes, Lordes, and Iudges greate that sate

In councell still, decreeing euery case.

Som other Knightes, that vices did imbrace,

Som Gentlemen, som poore exalted hye:

Yet euery one, had playde his tragedye.

7.

A Mirour well it might[89] bee calde, a glasse

As cleare as any[90] cristall vnder Sun:

In each respecte, the Tragedies so passe,

Theyr names shall liue, that such a worke begun.

For why, with such _Decorum_ is it don,

That _Momus_ spight with[91] more then _Argus_ eyes,

Can neuer watche, to keepe it from the wise.

8.

Examples there, for all estates you finde,

For iudge (I say) what iustice hee shoulde vse:

The noble man, to beare a noble mynde,

And not him selfe ambitiously abuse.

The gentleman vngentlenes refuse,

The rich and poore, and eu’ry one may see,

Which way to loue, and liue in due[92] degree.

9.[93]

I wishe them often well to reade it than,

And marke the causes why those Princes fell:

But let mee ende my tale that I began.

When I had red these Tragedies full well,

And past the winter euenings[94] long to tell,

One night at last I thought to leaue this[95] vse,

To take som ease beefore I chaundge my muse.

10.

Wherefore away from reading I mee gate,

My heauy heade waxte dull for wante of reste:

I layde mee downe, the night was waxed late,

For lacke of sleepe myne eyes were sore oppreste:

Yet fancy still of all theire deathes increaste,

Mee thought my mynde from them I coulde not take,

So worthy wightes, as caused mee to wake.[96]

11.

At length appeared clad in purple blacke[97]

Sweete _Somnus_, rest which comforts eache aliue;

By ease of mynde, that weares away all wracke,

That noysome night, from wery witts doth driue,

Of labours long, the pleasures wee atcheiue.

Whereat I ioyde, sith after labours paste,[98]

I might enioye sweete _Somnus_ sleepe at laste.[99]

12.

But hee by whom I thought my selfe at reste,

Reuiued all my fancyes fond before:

I more desirous humbly did requeste,

Him shew th’ vnhappy _Albion_ Princes yore.[100]

For well I wist, that hee coulde tell mee more,

Sith vnto diuers, _Somnus_ erste had tolde,

What thinges were done, in elder times of olde.

13.[101]

Then strayght hee foorth his seruante _Morpheus_ calde,

On _Higins_ here thou muste (quoth hee) attende;

The _Britayne_ Peeres to bring (whom Fortune thralde)

From Lethian lake, and th’ auncient shapes them lende;

That they may shew why, howe, they tooke theire ende,

I will (quoth _Morpheus_) shewe him what they were;

And so mee thought, I sawe them strayght appeare.

14.

One after one, they came in straunge attire,

But some with woundes and bloude were so disguisde,

You scarsly coulde by reasons ayde aspire,

To know what warre such sondry deaths deuisde;

And seuerally those Princes were surprisde.

Of former state, these states gaue ample show

Which did relate their liues and ouerthrow.

15.

Of som the faces bolde and bodyes were[102]

Distaynde with woade, and turkishe beardes they had:

On th’ ouer lyppes mutchatoes long of heyre,

And wylde they seemde, as men dispayring mad.

Theire lookes might make a constant heart[103] full sad,

And yet I could not so forsake the vewe[104]

Nor[105] presence, ere theire myndes I likewise knewe.

16.

For _Morpheus_ bade them each in order tell[106]

Their names and liues, their haps and haplesse dayes,

And by what meanes, from Fortunes wheele[107] they fell,

Which did them earst, vnto such honours rayse.

Wherewith the first not making moe delayes,

A noble Prince broade wounded brest[108] that bare

Drew neere, to tell the cause of all his care.

17.

Which when mee thought to speake hee might be bolde,[109]

Deepe from his breste hee threwe an vncouth[110] sounde:

I was amazde his gestures to beholde.

And bloud that freshly trickled from his wounde,

With Eccho so did halfe his wordes confounde,

That scarce a while the sence might playne appeare:

At last,[111] mee thought, hee spake as you shall heare.[112]

How King Albanact the Yongest Son of Brutus,[113] and

First King of Albany (now called Scotland)

was slayne by king Humber, the yeere

before Christ, 1085.

1.

Sith flattering Fortune sliely could beguile

Mee, first of Brytane Princes in this land:[114]

And yet at first on mee did sweetely smile,

Doe marke mee here,[115] that first in presence stand.

And when thou well my wounded corps hast scand,

Then shalt thou heare my hap to penne the same[116]

In stories calde _Albanactæ_ by name.[117]

2.

Lay feare[118] aside, let nothing thee amaze,

Ne haue despaire, ne scuse the want of time:[119]

Leaue of on mee with fearefull lookes to gaze,

Thy pen may serue for such a tale as myne.

First I will tell thee all[120] my fathers lyne,

Then hitherward why hee with Troians man’d,

His voyadge made, and founde this noble land.[121]

3.

And last I minde to tell thee of my selfe,

My life and death, a Tragedy so true

As may approue your world is all but pelfe,

And pleasures sweete, whom sorows aye ensue.

Hereafter eke in order comes a crue,

Which can declare, of worldly pleasures vayne

The price wee all haue bought, with pinching[122] paine.[123]

4.

When Troy was sackt, and brent, and could not stand,

_Æneas_ fled from thence, _Anchises_ sonne,

And came at length to King _Latinus_ land:

Hee _Turnus_ slew, _Lauinia_ eke hee wonne.

After whose death, _Ascanius_ next his sonne

Was crowned King, and _Siluius_, then his heire,

Espoused to a Latine Lady faire.[124]

5.

By her had _Siluius_ shortly issue eke,

A goodly Prynce, and _Brutus_ was his name.

But what should I of his misfortune speake,

For hunting, as hee minded strike the game,

He shot[125] his father, that beyond it came.

The quarrell[126] glaunst, and through his tender side

It flewe where through the noble _Siluius_ dyde.[127]

6.

Lo thus by chaunce though princely _Brutus_ slewe

His father _Siluius_, sore agaynst his will,

Which came to soone, as he his arrowe drewe

Though hee in chace the game, did minde to kill,

Yet was hee banisht from his countrey still,[128]

Commaunded neuer[129] to retourne no more,

Except he would his life to loose therefore.

7.

On this, to Greece Lord _Brutus_ tooke his way,

Where Troians were, by Græcians, captiues kept:

_Helenus_ was by _Pirrhus_ brought away

From death of Troians, whom their[130] friends bewept.

Yet hee in Greece this[131] while no busines slept,

But by his facts, and feates obtayn’d such fame,

Seauen thousand captiue Troians to him came.

8.

_Assaracus_ a noble Græcian eke,

Who by his mother came of Troian race,

Because he sawe himselfe in Greece to weake,[132]

Came vnto him to ayde him in this case,

For that his brother thought him to deface.[133]

Which was a Greeke by both his parents sides,

His Castells three the Troian _Brutus_ guides.

9.

While[134] hee to bee theyr Captayne was content,

And as[135] the Troians gathered to his band,

Ambassage to the[136] Græcian King he sent,

For to entreate they[137] might depart his land.

Which when King _Pandrasus_ did vnderstand,

An army strayght he did therefore addresse,

On purpose all the Troians to suppresse.

10.

So as King[138] _Pandrasus_ at Spartane towne

Thought them in deserts by, to circumuent,

The Troians with[139] three thowsand beate them downe,

Such fauoure loe, them[140] Lady Fortune lent.

By _Mars_ his force, their rayes and ranckes hee rent,

And tooke Antigonus the brother of their King,[141]

With others moe, as captiues home to bring.

11.

The taken towne from which the King was fled,

Sir _Brutus_ with sixe hundreth men did man,

Eche prisoner was vnto his keeper led

To keepe in towne, the noble Troians wan:

And into woods the Troiane gate him than[142]

Againe with his, hee kept him there by night

To quaile the Græcians if they came to fight.

12.

The King which cal’d to minde his former foile,

His flight, and brother deare by Troians take,[143]

The towne hee lost, where _Brutus_ gaue[144] the spoile,

Hee thought not so the fielde and fight forsake,

But of his men a muster new to make,

And so againe for to besiege the towne

In hope reuenge, or winne his lost renowne.

13.

By night the ambushe,[145] that his purpose knew,

Came forth from woods, whereas they[146] waited by,

The Troians all th’ vnarmed Græcians slew,

Went through their campe, none could their force deny,

Vnto the tent where _Pandrasus_ did ly,

Whereas Lord _Brutus_[147] tooke their King that night,

And sau’d his life as seem’d a worthy wight.

14.

This great exploite so wisely well atchiu’d,

The Troiane victour did a counsaile call,

Wherein might bee for their estate contriu’d,

By counsaile graue, the publique weale of all.

Now tell (quoth he) what raunsome aske wee shall?

Or what will you for our auaile deuise?

To which _Mempricius_ answer’d, graue and wise.[148]

15.

“I cannot (_Brutus_[149]) but commend thine act[150]

In this, thou noble Captaine, worthy praise:

Which deemest well, it were an heynous fact,[151]

T’ abridge the Grecian king of vitall daies,

And that wee ought[152] by clemency to raise

Our fame to skie, not by a sauage guise,

Sith Gods and men both, cruelty despise.

16.

“The cause wee fought, was for the freedome all

Of Troians taken, wee haue freedome won,

Wee haue our purpose, and their king withall,

To whom of rigour nothing ought bee done:

Though hee the quarrel with vs first begon,

And though wee owe the fall of Troyes requite,

Yet let reuenge thereof from gods to lighte.

17.

“His subiects now bewaile[153] their proude pretence,

And weapons laide aside, for mercy crie:

They all confesse their plagues to come from thence,

Where first from faith of Gods they seemd to fly.

Their Nobles dare not come the case to try,

But euen for peace, with all their heartes, they sue,

And meekly graunt, whence all their mischiefes grewe.

18.

“The Princesse[154] fayre, his daughter, who surmounte

For vertues rare, for beautie braue, and grace,

Both _Helen_ fine, of whom they made accountes,

And all the rest that come of Græcian race,

Shee for her father sues, bewailes his case,

Implores, desires thy grace, and gods aboue,

Whose woes may them and thee to mercy moue.[155]

19.

“Some Troians say hee should deposed bee

From kingdome quite, or else bee slaine hee should,

And wee here byde, eke this mislyketh me,

Nay rather while wee stay keepe him in hold,

Or let him pay a raunsome large of gold,

And hostage geue, and homage doe of right

To thee, that wonst the fielde by Martiall fight.[156]

20.

“For kingdomes sake a captiue king to kill,

As euill abroade as in his natiue lande,[157]

For vs in Greece to dwell were euen as ill,

The force of Greece we cannot still withstande.

Let vs therefore both cruelty abande,

And prudent seeke both gods and men to please:

So shall we finde good lucke at lande and seas.[158]

21.

“Or sith the Græcians will thee for to take

The noble Ladie _Iunogen_ to wyfe,

If thou so please, let him her dowry make

Of golde, ships, siluer, corne, for our reliefe,

And other thinges, which are in _Græcia_ ryfe.

That we so fraught may seeke some desert shore,

Where thou and thyne may raygne for euermore.[159]”

22.

This pleas’d both _Brutus_ and the Troians all,

Who wil’d forthwith that _Pandrasus_ the King,

Should reuerently be brought into the hall,

And present when they tolde him of this thing:

So griefe and sorowe great his heart did stinge,

He could not shewe by countenaunce or cheere

That he it lik’d, but spake as you shall heare.

23.

“Sith that the wrath of gods hath yeelded me,[160]

And eke my brother, captiues to your hands,

I am content to do as pleaseth yee,

You haue my realme, my lyfe, my goods and landes,[161]

I must be needes content as Fortune standes.

I gieue my daughter, gold, and siluer fine,

With what for dowry els you craue is myne.”

24.

To make my tale the shorter if I may,

This truce concluded was immediately:[162]

And all thinges else performed by a day,

The King restor’d that did in pryson lie.

The Troians parted from the shores, perdy,[163]

Did hoyse vp sayles, in two dayes and a night

Vpon the Ile of Lestrigons[164] they light.

25.

And leauing of their ships at roade, to land

They wandring went the countrey for to vew:

Loe there a desert city olde they fand,

And eke a temple (if reporte bee true)

Where in Dianas temple olde, the crew[165]

To[166] sacrifice their captaine counsaile gaue

For good successe, a seate and soyle to craue.[167]

26.

And he no whit misliking their aduice

Went forth, and did before the altar hold

In his right hand a cup to sacrifice,

And fild with[168] wine, and white hinds bloud scarce cold.

And then before her stature straight hee told

Deuoutly all his whole peticion there,

In sorte (they say) as is repeated heere.[169]

27.

“O goddesse great in groues that putst wilde boares in feareful

feare,

And maist goe all the compasse pathes of euery ayrye sphere,

Eke of th’ infernall houses too, resolue the earthly rights,

And tell what countrey in to dwell thou giu’st vs Troian wights.

Assigne a certaine seate where I shall worship thee for aye,

And where repleat with virgins, I, erect thy temples maye.”

28.

When nine times hee had spoken this, and went

Foure times the altar rounde, and staide agen,

He powr’d the wine and bloud in hand hee hent

Into the fire. O witlesse cares of men,

Such folly meere, and blindnes great was then.

But if religion now biddes toyes farewell,

Embrace that’s good, the vice of times I tell.

29.

He layde him then downe by the altars side,

Vpon the white _Hindes_ skin espred therefore:

It was the third houre of the night, a tyde

Of sweetest sleepe, hee gaue himselfe the more

To rest[170] perdy.[171] Then seemed him before

_Diana_ chaste, the goddesse to appeare,

And spake to him these wordes that you shall heare.

30.

“O _Brute_, farre vnder _Phœbus_ fall, beyonde of _France_ that

raigne,

An Iland in the Ocean is, with sea tis compast mayne,

An Iland in the Ocean is, where Giauntes erst[172] did dwell:

But now a desert place that’s fit, will serue thy people well.

To this direct thy race, for there shall bee thy seate for aye,

And to thy sonnes there shall bee built another stately _Troye_.

Here of thy progeny and stocke, shall mightie Kings descend,

And vnto them as subiect, all the world shall bow and bend.”

31.

On this hee woke, with ioyfull cheere, and told

The vision all, and oracle it[173] gaue:

So it reioyst their hearts a thowsande fold.

To ships they got, away the shores they draue,

And hoysing sailes, for happie windes they craue.

In thirty dayes their voyage so they dight,

That on the coast of Aphrica[174] they light.

32.

Then to _Philænes_ altars they attayn’d,

(For so men call two hilles erected are

In Tumise land) two brethren ground that gain’d

For Carthage once, and went tis sayd too farre,

On Cyren ground for bounds, there buryed were.

Because they would not turne againe, but striue

With Cyren men, they buryed them aliue.

33.

From thence they sailed through the middle lake,

Betwene Europa fayre and Aphrica the drye:

With winde at will, the doubtfull race they take,

And sail’d to Tuscane shores, on Europe coast that lye.

Where at the last amongst the men they did descrye

Fowre banisht bandes of Troians in destresse

To sayle with them, which did themselues addresse.[175]

34.

Companions of _Antenor_ in his flight,

But _Corinœus_ was their captayne than,

For counsayle graue[176] a wise and worthy wight:

In warres the prayse of[177] valiantnesse he wan.

Lord _Brutus_ liked well this noble man,

With him full oft confer of fates hee wold,

And vnto him the oracles hee told.[178]

35.

The Troians so in number now encreast,

Set on to sea and hoysed sayles to wynde.

To _Hercules_ his pillers from the East

They cast by compasse ready way to finde:

Where through once past to Northward race they twinde,

To Pirene cleeues, tweene Spayne and France the bounde,

Reioycing neere the promist Ile so founde.[179]

36.

Eke[180] vnto Guyne in France they sayled thence,

Where[181] at the hauen of Loire they did arriue,

To vewe the countrey was their whole pretence

And victayles get, their souldiers to reuiue.[182]

Eke _Corinœus_ lest the Galles should striue,

Led forth two hundreth of his warlike band,

To get prouision to the ships from land.

37.

But when the King _Goffarius_ heard of this,

That Troians were arriued on his shore,

With Frenchmen and with Guynes their power and his,

Hee came to take the pray they gat before,

And when they met, they fought it both full sore,

Till _Corinœus_ rusht into their band,

And caus’d them fly: they durst no longer stand.

38.

First might you there seene hearts of Frenchmen broke,

Two hundreth Troians gaue them all the foyle

At home, with oddes, they durst not byde the stroke,

Fewe Troians beate them in their natiue soyle.

Eke _Corinœus_ followed in this broyle,

So fast vpon his foes before his men,

That they return’d and thought to spoyle him then.

39.

There hee alone against them all, and they

Against him one, with all their force did fight,

At last by chaunce his sword was flowne away,

By fortune on a battayle axe hee light,[183]

Which hee did driue about him with such might,

That some their hands, and some their armes did leese,

Some legges, of some the head from shoulders flees.

40.

As thus amongst them all hee fought with force

And fortune great, in daunger of his lyfe,

Lord _Brutus_[184] had on him therewith remorce,

Came with a troupe of men to ende the strife.

When Frenchmen saw the Troians force so rife,

They fled away, vnto their losse and payne;

In fight and flight nigh all their host was slayne.

41.

And in that broyle, saue _Corinœus_, none

Did fight so fearcely, as did _Turnus_ then:

Sir _Brutus_[185] cosin with his sword alone

Did sley that time well nigh sixe hundreth men.

They founde him dead as they return’d agen,

Amongst the Frenchmen, wounded voyde of sence,

And bare his noble corps with honour thence[186].

42.

On this they bode awhile reuenge to yeelde,

And to interre the dead, and _Turnus_ slaine,

They tooke a towne not far from place of fielde,

And built it strong, to vexe the Galles agayne.

The name they gaue it still doth yet remayne:

Sith there they buried _Turnus_, yet men call

It Tours, and name the folke Turones all.

43.

Which towne they left at last with Troians man’d,

When as their ships were storde with what they neede

Aboarde, they hoise vp sayles and left the land,

By ayding windes they cut the seas with speede.

At length the shyning Albion clyues[187] did feede

Their gazing eyes, by meanes whereof they fand

Our Totnes hauen, and tooke this promist land.

44.

The countrey seemed pleasaunt at the vewe,

And was by fewe[188] inhabited, as yet,

Saue[189] certaine Giauntes whom they did pursue,

Which straight to Caues in Mountaines did them get:

So fine were Woods, and Flouds, and Fountaines set,

So cleare the ayre, so temperate the clime,

They neuer saw the like before that time[190].

45.

And then this Ile that Albion had to name,

Lord _Brutus_ caus’d it Britaine cal’d to bee,[191]

And eke the people Britans of the same,

As yet in auncient Recordes is to see.

To _Corinœus_ gaue hee franke and free

The land of Cornwall, for his seruice don,

And for because from Giauntes hee it won.

46.

Then sith our Troiane flock came first from Troy,

The Chiefetaine[192] thought that duty did him binde,

As[193] Fortune thus had sau’d him from anoy,

The auncient towne againe to call to minde.

Hee builte new Troy, them Troian lawes assignde,

That so his race,[194] to his eternal fame,

Might keepe of Troy the euerlasting name[195].

47.

And setled there, in perfect peace and rest,

Deuoid of warre, of laboure, strife, or paine,

Then _Iunogen_ the Queene his[196] ioyes increast,

A Prince shee bare, and after other twaine,

Was newer King of noble Impes[197] so faine,

Three sonnes which had so shortly here begat,[198]

_Locrinus_, _Camber_, last mee _Albanact_.

48.

Thus hauing wealth, and eke the world at will,

Nor wanting ought that might his minde content,

T’ increase his powre with wights of warlike skill

Was all his minde his purpose and intent.

Whereby if foes inuasion after ment,

The Britans might not feare of forraine lands,

But keepe by fight possessions in their hands.

49.

Eke[199] when his people once perceiu’d his minde,

(As what the Prince doth often most embrace,

To that the subiects all are straight inclinde,

And reuerence still in eche respect his grace)

They gat in warre such knowledge in short space,

That after they their force to try begon,

They car’d for nought by wit or wight not won.

50.

They got of giaunts mountaines whence they came,

And woods from whence they oft made wise, they would

Destroy and kill, when voyage out they frame,

Or shewde themselues in banding ouer bold:

Then straight the Britans, gladder then of gold,

Were ready still to fighte at euery call,

Till time they had extynct the monsters all.[200]

51.

Whereby the King had cause to take delight,

And might bee bolde the lesse to feare his foes:

Perdy[201] ech Prince may recke his enmies spight,

Thereafter as his force in fight hee knoes.

A princely heart the liberall gifts disclose.

He gaue to eche such guerdons for their facts,

As might them only mooue to noble acts.

52.

No labours great his subiects then refusde,

No trauayles that might like his regall minde:

But ech of them such exercise well vs’d,

Wherein was praise, or glory great to finde.

And to their liege bare faithfull hearts so kinde,

That what hee wild they all obeyd his hest,

Nought else was currant but y^e Kings request.

53.

What Prince aliue might more reioyce then hee?

Had faithfull men, so valiaunt, bold, and stout?

What pleasures more on earth could lightly bee

Then win an Ile, and liue deuoyde of doubt?

An Ile sayd I? nay nam’d the world throughout

Another world, sith sea doth it deuide

From all, that wants not all the world beside.

54.

What subiects eke more happy were then these?

Had such a King of such a noble heart,

And such a land enioyde and liu’d at ease,

Whereof ech man almost might chose his part?

No feare of foes, vnknowne was treason’s art,

No fayning friends, no fawning _Gnatoes_ skill,

No _Thrasoes_ brags, but bearing ech good will.

55.

But as ech sommer once receaues an ende,

And as no state can stable stande for aye,

As course of time doth cause thinges bowe and bend,

As euery pleasure hath hir ending daye,

As will can neuer passe the power of maye:

Euen so my father, happy dayes that spent,

Perceau’d he must by sicknesse last relent.

56.

As doth the shipman well foresee the storme,

And knowes what daunger lyes in Syrtes of sand:

Eke as the husbandman prouides beforne,

When hee perceaues the winter cold at hand:

Euen so the wise, that course of things haue scan’d,

Can well the end of sicknes great presage,

When it is ioyn’d with yeares of stooping age.

57.

His sonnes and Counsaile all assembled were:

For why hee sent for vs and them with speede.

Wee came in hast, this newes vs caused feare.[202]

Sith so hee sent, wee thought him sicke indeede.[203]

And when wee all approacht to him with heede,[204]

Too soone alas, his grace right sicke we found,

And him saluted as our duties bound.

58.

And casting of his woefull[205] eyes aside,

Not able well to mooue his painefull head,

As silent wee with teares his minde abide,

Hee wil’d himselfe bee reared in his bed.

Which done, with sight of vs his eyes hee fed,

Eke pawsing so a while for breath hee stayd,

At length to them and vs thus wise hee sayd.

59.

“No maruaile sure, though you herewith bee sad,

(You noble Britaines) for your _Brutus’_ sake.

Sith whilom mee your captaine stout you had,

That now my leaue and last farwell must take,

Thus nature willes mee once an ende to make,

And leaue you here behinde, which after mee

Shall die, as mee[206] departe before you see.

60.

“You wot wherefore I with the Græcians fought,

With dinte of sworde I made their force to fly:

_Antenor’s_ friends on Tuscane shores I sought,

And did them[207] not my promist land deny,

By Martiall powre I made the Frenchmen fly,

Where you to saue I lost my faithfull frende,

For you, at Tours, my _Turnus_ tooke his ende.

61.

“I neede not now recite what loue I bare,

My friendship you, I trust, haue found so well,

That none amongst you all which present are,

With teares doth not record the tale I tell.

Eke whom I found for vertues to excell,

To them I gaue the price thereof, as due

As they deseru’d, whose facts I found so true.

62.

“Now must I proue, if paines were wel bestow’d,

Or if I spent my gratefull gifts in vayne,

Or if these great good turns to you I ow’d,

And might not aske your loyall loues againe:

Which if I wist, what tongue could tell my paine?

I meane, if you vngratefull mindes doe beare,

What meaneth death to let mee linger here?

63.

“For if you shall abuse your Prince in this,

The gods on you for such an haynous fact

To take reuenge bee sure will neuer misse.

And then to late you shall[208] repent the act,

When all my Realme, and all your wealthes are sackt:

But if you shall, as you begon, proceede,

Of kingdomes fall or foes there is no dreede.

64.

“And to auoyde contention that may fall,

Because I wishe this Realme the Britans still,

Therefore I will declare before you all,

Sith you are come, my whole intent and will:

Which if you keepe, and wrest it not to ill,

There is no doubt but euermore with fame

You shall enioy the Britans Realme and name.

65.

“You see my sonnes, that after mee must raigne,

Whom you or this haue lik’d and counsail’d well.

You know what erst you wisht they should refraine,

Which way they might all vices vile expell,

Which way they might in vertues great excell.

Thus if you shall, when I am gone insue,

You shall discharge the trust repos’d in you.

66.

“Bee you their fathers, with your counsaile wise,

And you my children take them euen as mee,

Bee you their guides in what you can deuise,

And let their good instructions teach you three:

Bee faithfull all: as brethren ought agree:

For concord keeps a Realme in stable stay:

But discord brings all kingdomes to decay.

67.

“Recorde you this: to th’ eldest[209] sonne I giue

This Middle parte of Realme to holde his owne,

And to his heyres that after him shall liue:

Also to Camber, that his part bee knowne,

I giue that land that lyes welnigh oregrowne

With woodes, Northwest, and mountaines mighty hye,

By South whereof the Cornish sea doth lye.[210]

68.

“And vnto thee my yongest sonne, that art

Mine _Albanact_, I giue to thee likewise

As much to bee for thee and thine apart,

As North beyonde the arme of sea there lyes,

Of which loe heere a Mappe before your eyes.

Loe heere my sonnes my kingdome all you haue,

For which (remember) nought but this I craue:[211]

69.

“First, that you take these fathers graue for mee,

Imbrace their counsaile euen as it were mine:

Next, that betweene your selues you will agree,

And neuer one at others wealth repine,

See that yee bide still bounde with friendly line:

And last, my subiects with such loue retaine,

As long they may your subiects eke remayne.

70.

“Now faint,[212] I feele my breath begins to fayle,

My time is come, giue eche to mee your hand:

Farewell, farewell, to mourne will not preuayle,

I see with Knife where _Atropos_ doth stand:

Farewell my friendes, my children and my land,

And farewell all my subiectes, farewell breath,

Farewell ten thowsand times, and welcome death.”

71.

And euen with that hee turnde himselfe asyde,

Vpyeelding, gasping gaue[213] away the ghost:

Then all with mourning voyce his seruantes cry’d,[214]

And all his subiectes eke, from least to most,

Lamenting fil’d with wayling plaintes[215] ech coast,

Perdy[216] the Britans, all as nature bent,[217]

Did for their King full dolefully lament.

72.

But what auayles, to striue against the tide,

Or else to driue[218] against the streame and winde?

What booteth it against the Cliues to ride,

Or else to worke against the course of kinde?

Sith Nature hath the ende of thinges assin’d,

There is no nay, wee must perforce depart,

Gainst dinte of death there is no ease by arte.[219]

73.

Thus raign’d that worthy King, that founde this land,

My father _Brutus_, of the Troian bloud,

And thus hee died when hee full well had man’d

This noble Realme with Britans fearce and good.

And so a while in stable state it stood,

Till wee deuided had this Realme in three,

And I to soone receiu’d my part to mee.

74.

Then straight through all the world gan Fame to fly,

A monster swifter none is vnder Sunne:

Encreasing as in waters wee descry

The circles small, of nothing that begunne,

Which at the length vnto such breadth doe come,

That of a drop, which from the skies doth fall,

The circles spread, and hyde the waters all:

75.

So fame in flight increaseth more and more:

For at the first she is not scarcely knowne,

But by and by she fleets[220] from shore to shore,

To cloudes from th’ earth her stature straight is growne:

There whatsoeuer by her trompe is blowne,

The sounde that both by sea and land out flies,

Reboundes againe, and verberates the skies.

76.

They say the earth, that first the Giauntes bred,

For anger that the gods did them dispatch,

Brought forth this sister, of those monsters dead,

Full lighte of foote, swifte winges the windes to catch;

Such monster erst did nature neuer hatch.

As many Plumes shee hath from top to toe,

So many eyes them vnderwatch, or moe.

77.

And tongues doe speake, so many eares doe harke,

By night tweene heauen she flies and earthly shade,

And shreaking, takes no quiet sleepe by darke:

On houses rowfes, on[221] towres as keeper made

Shee sits by day, and Cities threats t’ inuade:

And as she tells what things shee sees by vewe,

Shee rather shewes that’s fayned false, then true.

78.

She blazde abroade perdy a people small,[222]

Late[223] landed heere, and founde this pleasaunt Ile,

And how that now it was deuided all,

Made tripartite,[224] and might within a while

Bee won by force, by treason, fraud, or guile.

Wherefore she mooues her frendes to make assay

To win the price, and beare our pompe away.

79.

A thowsand things besides shee bruits and tells,

And makes the most of euery thing shee heares

Long time of vs shee talkes, and nothing els,

Eke what shee seeth abroade in haste shee beares,

With tatling toyes, and tickleth so their eares,

That needes they must to flattering fame assent,

Though afterwards they doe therefore lament.

80.

By East from hence a countrey large doth lye,

_Hungaria_ eke of _Hunnes_ it hath to name,

And hath _Danubius’_ floud on South it bye,

Deuiding quite from _Austria_ the same.

From thence a king was named _Humber_ came:

On coastes of _Albany_ arriued hee,

In hope this king of _Britan_ for to bee.[225]

81.

Which when by postes[226] of subiects I did heare

How enmies[227] were arriued on my shore,

I gathered all my souldiers voyde of feare,

And backe the _Hunnes_ by force and might I bore.

But in this battaile was I hurt so sore,

That in the fielde of woundes I had I dide,

Where souldiers lost their noble prince and guide.[228]

82.

Such was my fate to venture on so bolde,

My rashnesse was the cause of all my woe:

Such is of all our glory vaine the holde,

So soone wee pompe and pleasures all forgoe,

So quickly are wee reft our kingdomes froe,

And such is all the cast of Fortune’s play,

When least wee thinke to cut vs quite away.

83.

I deem’d my selfe an heauenly happy wight,

When once I had my part to raigne within:

But see the chaunce what hap did after light,

Or I could scarce t’inioy my glee begin.

This _Hunne_ did seeke from mee my realme to win,

And had his will: O flattering fortune, fye,

What meanest thou to make thy selfe so slye:[229]

84.

You worthy warriours learne by mee, beware,[230]

Let wisedome worke, lay rashnesse all aparte,

When as with enmies you encountred are,

You must endeuoure all your skilfull arte,

By witty wiles with force to make your marte.

Wit nought auayles late bought with care and cost,

To late it comes when life and all is lost.[231]

L’ENVOY[232].

1.

Mvsing on these thinges I cal’d to my minde,

In historyes what I of _Troia_ read,

And what of _Brutus_ I in bookes did finde

Likewise I cast, and counted in my head.

I found that _Albanact_ stoode mee in stead.

For why, _Sicilians_ right this noble man

Calles _Lestrygons_, as they were named than.

2.

_Lestrygo_ was, perdy, _Neptunus’_ sonne,

To whom his father gaue that noble Ile:

And of his name the people there did wonne.

The writers false abus’d vs then long while,

Which set vs downe of _Leogece_ an Ile,

So neere _Italia_ strandes was placed than,

To which Lord _Brutus_ came, that noble man.

3.

Of _Lestrygon_ that Ilande first tooke name,

As _Albanact_ hath well recited heere.

But of king _Humber_ see what nowe became,

Which after him next haplesse did appeare

With Armoure wet, as drencht hee lately were:

So downe his greaues the water tricklinges ran,

While he this wise his woefull tale began.

How Hvmber the king of _Hunnes_ minding to conquer

_Britaine_, was drowned in the arme of sea

now called _Humber_, about the yeere

before Christ, 1085.

1.

Though yet no foraine Princes in this place

Haue come to tell their haplesse great mishap,

Yet give mee leaue a while to pleade my case,

And shewe how I slipt out of Fortunes lap.

Perchaunce some other will eschewe the trap

Wherein I fell, and both themselues beware,

And also seeke the lesse their[233] countreyes care.

2.

I am that _Humber_ king of _Hunnes_, that came

To win this Ilande from the _Britaynes_ fell:

Was drownde in _Humber_, where I left my name:

A iust reward for him that liu’d so well

At home, and yet thought others to expell

Both from theyr realme or right: well seru’d was I,

That by ambition thought to clime so hye.[234]

3.

But I must blame report, the chiefest cause

Of my decaye: beware of rashe report:

Tis wisdome first to take a whyle a pause,

Before to dint of daungers you resort:

Least when you come in haste to scale the fort,

By rashe assault some engine shaft or fire

Dispatche you quite, or make you soone retire.

4.

For vnto mee the rumours dayely flewe,

That here a noble Ilande might be wonne:

The king was dead: no warres the people knewe,

And eke themselues to stryue at home begon.

It were (quoth I) a noble acte well don

To win it then: and therewithall did make

Prouision good, this famous Ile to take.

5.

A warlike regall campe prouided was,

And shippes, and vittayle, for my _Hunnes_ and mee,

By sea to _Britayne_ conquest for to passe,

If Gods thereto or heauenly starres agree.

At length wee came to shores of _Albany_,

And there to fight with _Britaynes_ pitch’d our fielde,

In hope to make them flinche, flye, fall, or yeelde.

6.

They met vs, long wee fearcely fought it out,

And doubtfull was the victours part of twaine:

Till with my _Hunnes_ I rusht among the route,

And fought till that King _Albanact_ was slayne.

Then they to yeelde or pardon craue were fayne,

And I with triumphes great receau’d the pray,

And marched forward, flesht with such a fraye.

7.

I past an arme of sea, that would to God

I neuer had bin halfe so bold at fyrst,

I made, to beate myselfe withall, a rod,

When so without[235] theyr realme I venture durst,

But marke my tale, thou heard’st not yet the worst:

As sure I thought the rest to circumuent

By spyes before, they knewe my whole intent.

8.

And or I wyst, when I was come to lande,

Not farre from shore two Princes were preparde,

Theyr scouts conueyed away my ships they fande,

And of my shipmens fleshe they nothing sparde.

To rescue which, as backe agyane I far’de,

The armyes twayne were at my heeles behinde,

So clos’d mee in, I wist no way to winde.

9.

On th’ East _Locrinus_ with an armie great,

By West was _Cambre_ with an other band:

By North an arme of sea the shoares did beat,

Which compast mee and mine within their lande.

No way to scape was there but Water fande,

Which I must taste, or else the sworde of those

Which were to mee and mine full deadly foes.

10.

So when I sawe the best of all mine hoste

Beate downe with bats, shot, slayne, or forst to swimme,

Myselfe was fayne likewise to flye the coast,

And with the rest the waters entred in,

A simple shift for Princes to begin.

Yet farre I deem’d it better so to dye

Then at mine enmies foot an abiect lye.

11.

But when I thus had swam with hope to scape,

If I might wend the water waues to passe:

The _Britannes_ that before my ships had gate

Gan watche mee, where amidst the surge I was.

Than with my boates they rowde to mee (alas)

And all they cryde keepe _Humber_, keepe theyr King,

That to our Prince wee may the traytour bring.

12.

So with my boats beset, poore _Humber_ I

Wist no refuge, my weery armes did ake,

My breath was short, I had no powre to crye,

Or place to stande, whyle I my playnte might make.

The water colde made all my ioynts to shake,

My heart did beate with sorowe, griefe, and payne,

And downe my cheeks salt teares they gusht amayne.

13.

O must thou yeelde, and shall thy boats betraye

Thy selfe (quoth I) no mercy _Britaynes_ haue:

O would to God I might escape away,

I wot not yet if pardon I may craue,

Although my deeds deserue no life to haue.

I will, I nill, death, bondage, beast am I,

In waters thus, in forayne soyle to dye.

14.

With that I clapt my quauering hands abroade,

And helde them vp to heauen, and thus I sayde:

O Gods that knowe the paynes that I haue bode,

And iust reuengement of my rashnes payde,

And of the death of _Albanact_ betrayde

By mee and mine, I yeelde my life therefore,

Content to dye, and never greeue yee more.

15.

Then straight not opening of my handes, I bowde

My selfe, and set my head my armes betweene:

And downe I sprang with all the force I coulde,

So duckte, that neither head nor foote were seene,

And neuer sawe my foes agayne I weene:

There was I drownde: the _Britaynes_, to my fame,

Yet call that arme of sea by _Humber’s_ name.[236]

16.

Take heede by mee, let my presumption serue,

And let my folly, fall, and rashnes, bee

A glasse wherein to see if thou do swerue,

Thou mayst thy selfe perceiue somwhat by mee,

Let neither trust, nor treason, trayne forth yee,

But bee content with thine estate, so shall

No wrath of God procure thy haplesse fall.

17.

If thou bee foraine, bide with in thy soyle

That God hath giuen to thee and thine to holde,

If thou oppression meane, beware the foyle,

Beare not thy selfe of thee or thine to bolde,

Or of the feates thy elders did of olde.

For God is iust, iniustice will not thriue:

Hee plagues the proude, preserues the good aliue.[237]

LENVOY.

1.

Was not this drenched king well servde thinke you,

That could not byde at home content with his?

Now by his fall and his ambition vewe,

What good they get which gaze on Fortune’s blisse,

How soone their haps and hoped Ioyes they misse,

Wherefore the setled minde surmountes the rest,

The meane contented state of all is best.

2.

The conquest wonne, and kingdome got, you see

The _Albaynes_ all subdude to _Humber’s_ crowne:

Yet straight againe the straunger drownde to bee,

To leese his conquest, kingdomes, and renowme.

Sith Fortune so sets vp and thirleth downe,

The setled minde content I counte is blest,

Reporting true the golden meane is best.

3.

Loe how vaine glory causde him venter life,

By seas to sayle, by land in fielde to fighte,[238]

In peace at home abroade to fish for strife,

And here confesse how _Sors_ had sowst him right.

But king _Locrinus_ next apearde in sight.

A shaft hee bare in wounded bleeding brest,

And thus (mee thought) his fatall fall exprest.

How King Locrinvs the eldest sonne of Brutus liued

vitiously, and was slaine in battaile by his

wyfe Queene Guendoline, the yeere

before Christ, 1064.

1.

If euer any noble Prince might rue

His facts are past, long since the same may I,[239]

That would to God it were not farre to true,

Or that I iustly could my faultes deny.

The trueth of thinges the end or time doth trie,

As well by mee is seene: my haplesse fall

Declares whence came my great misfortunes all.

2.

I am _Locrinus_, second _Britayne_ king,

The eldest sonne of him that found this lande:

Whose death to mee my mischiefes all did bring,

And causde why first I tooke my death in hand.

Hee chiefly wil’d mee when hee gaue this land,

I should bee rulde by all his counsailes will,

And vse their iudgements in my dealings still.

3.

But what doe I accuse my father’s hest,

What meane I here th’ unfaulty for to blame:

All hee commaunded euen was for the best,

Though in effect of best the worst became.

So thinges oft times well ment vnfitly frame,

So often times the counsayle of our frend

Apparent good falls faulty in the end.

4.

For as hee wisht I vsde his counsailes ayde

In ech thing that I deemde was good for mee

I neuer ought that they desir’d denayde,

But did to all their mindes and hests agree:

And _Corinœus_ sawe my heart so free,

By diuers meanes hee sought this match to make,

That to my wife I might his daughter take.

5.

So I,[240] that wist not then what mariage ment,

Did straight agree his _Guendoline_ to haue:

Yet afterward suspecting his intent,

My frendes to mee this poynte of counsaile gaue,

That who so doth of Prince aliaunce craue,

Hee meanes thereby to worke some poynte of ill,

Or else to frame the Prince vnto his will.

6.

It may well bee hee ment no euill[241] at all,

But wyse men alwayes vse to dreade the worst.

And sith it was the fountayne of my fall,

From whence the spring of all my sorowes burst,

I may well thinke was some of vs accurst.

For why, the end doth alwayes proue the facte:

By end wee iudge the meaning of the acte.

7.

I made no haste to wed my spoused wyfe,

I wist I could (as yet) without hir bide:

I had not tasted ioyes of trayned life,

I deem’d them fooles by Cupid’s dart that dide.

Venus vile and all hir feates[242] defyde,

I[243] liu’d at rest, and rulde my land so well

That men delighted of my facts to tell.

8.

My brethren eke long welded well theyr partes,

Wee fearde no foes, wee thought our state would stand:

Wee gaue our selues to learned skilfull artes,

Wherein wee either fruite or pleasure fand,

And wee enioyde to[244] fine a fertile lande,

That fewe in earth might with our states compare,

Wee liu’d so voyde of noysome carke and care.

9.

But see the chaunce: when least wee thought of ill,

When wee esteem’d our state to bee most sure,

Then came a flawe to bridle all our will,

For straungers farre gan vs to warre procure:

And euen when first they put their pranke in vre,

On _Albayne_ shoares my brother there they slewe,

Whose death wee after made the _Hunnes_ to rue.

10.

When hee was deade they hop’d to winne the rest,

And ouer _Aby_ streame with hast did hye.

But I, and eke my brother _Camber_, drest

Our armies strayght, and came their force to try.

Wee brake theyr rayes and forst the king to fly

Into the arme of sea they ouer came,

Where _Humber_ drownde the waters tooke their[245] name.

11.

Wee either slewe, or tooke them captiues all,

Emongst the which (O mischiefe great to tell)

The Gods to worke mine ouerthrowe and fall

Sent Ladyes three, whose beauties did excell:

Of which, because I liked one so well,

I tooke her strayght, nor shee did ought deny,

But ech thing graunted so shee might not dye.

12.

Thus _Humber_ wee this hatefull hungery king

In _Humber_ drencht, and him depriu’d of pryde,

And of his lofty[246] Ladyes he did bring

He lost the pray, and all his men beside,

And wee the spoyles of all his hoast deuide.

But I that thought I had the greatest share,

Had caught the cause of all my woefull care.

13.

They cal’d this Lady _Elstride_, whom I tooke,

Whose beauty braue did so my wittes confound,

That for her sake my promise I forsooke,

Whereby I was to _Guendoline_ first bound.

Mee thought no Lady else so high renound[247]

That might allure mee, chaunge my conflate minde,[248]

So was I caught by snares of _Cupide_ blynde.

14.

Was neuer none before so lik’d myne eye,

I lou’d her more then I could loue my life:

Her absence still mee thought did cause mee dye,

I surely ment to take her for my wife.

But see how beauty breadeth deadly strife,

Lo here began my whole confusion, here

Sprang out the shaft from whence this wound I beare.

15.

For _Corineus_ had no sooner heard,

That I did meane his daughter to forsake,

But strayght as one that did nought else regard,

In hast his voyage towards me did take,

And come, declar’d what promise I did make,[249]

From which if he sayd once I sought to slyde,

It would by dynte of sworde, and bloude, be tryde.

16.

But if I would her take, as erst I sayd,

And not this straunger choose agaynst his minde,

His helpe he promiste at each time, and ayde

To be so ready, as I wisht to fynde.

He further sayd my countrey did me binde,

To take such one as all my subiects knewe,

Sith straungers to theyr foes are seldome[250] true.

17.

I wayde his wordes, and thought he wisht me well,

But yet because his stocke should gayne thereby,

I reckt them lesse: and yet the truth to tell,

I durst not dare my promise made deny.

For well I wist if once it came to try,

It would both weaken all this noble land,

And doubtfull be who should have th’ vpper hand.

18.

Thus needes perforce I must his daughter take,

And must leaue of to loue where I delight:

I was constraynd, contented to forsake

The forme that most did captiuate my sight.

What lucke had I on such a lot to lyght?

What ment you Gods that me such fortune gaue,

To cast my minde on her I might not haue?

19.

To short my tale: this _Guendoline_ I tooke:

I was content agaynst my will: what then?

Nor quite for this mine _Elstride_ I forsooke.

For why, I wrought by skyll of cunning men

A Vault along vnder the ground, a denne

Her company wherein I vsed still,[251]

There we accomplisht our vnhappy will.

20.

There I begat my _Sabrine_ seely childe,

That virgine smale mine _Elstride_ bare to mee:

Thus I my wife full often times beguylde,

Which afterward did beare a sonne to me,

Nam’d _Madan_: yet wee neuer could agree.

And he that was the cause she was my bryde,

The while her father _Corinæus_ dyde.

21.

Which when I heard, I had my heart’s desire,

I crau’de no more, there was my end of griefe:

At lest I thought to quench _Cupidoe’s_ fire,

And eke to worke my lusting loues reliefe:

I ment no more to steale it like a thiefe,

But maried _Elstride_, whom I lou’d as life,

And for her sake I put away my wyfe.

22.

Likewise I caus’d, was _Elstride_ Queene proclaymd,[252]

And tooke her as my lawfull wife by right:

But _Guendoline_, that sawe her selfe disdaynd,

Strayght fled, and mou’de the _Cornish_ men to fight.

To them when she declarde her piteous plight,

In hast they drest[253] an army, for to be

Reuengers of my new made Queene and me.

23.

And I likewise an army did prepare,

I thought to quayle theyr courage all by force:

But to my cost I found to late beware:

There is no strength in armoure: men, ne[254] horse

Can vayle, if _loue_ on wronged take remorce.

Sith[255] he on whom the deadly dart doth light,

Can neuer scape, by ransome, friend, or flight.

24.

So when our armies met nigh _Habrine_[256] streame,

The trompetts blew and I denyde the peace:

I minded to expell them all the realme,

Or else to make them euer after cease.

And they, except I _Elstride_ would release,

(They sayd) and take my _Guendoline_ againe,

They would reuenge the wrong or else be slayne.

25.

On this wee met, and valiauntly wee fought

On eyther side, and neither part did yeelde:

So equally they fell, it was great doubt,

Which part should haue the better of the fielde.

But I to bolde rusht in with sword and shield,

To breake their rayes, so hasty men get smart,

An arrowe came and stroke mee to the heart.

26.

Thus was I brought to bale, vnhappy, there,

My body pearst that wicked life had led:

When I had raygned all out twenty yeere,

And had my corps with many pleasures fed,

The earth receiu’d my corps as cold as led.

And all my pompe, my pryncely troupe and trayne,

On earth no more shall see their Prince agayne.[257]

27.

To all estates[258] let this for wedlocke serue,

Beware of chaunge, it will not hold out long.

For who so mindeth from his mate to swerue,

Shall sure at length receiue reuenge for wrong.

Tis folly fight with God, h’is farre to strong,

For though yee coloure all with coate of ryght,

No fayned fard deceaues[259] or dimmes his sight,

Hee guydes the good, and wrekes the wronges of might.[260]

LENVOY.

1.

This is the iustice great of mighty Ioue aboue,

To plague the men whose fayth vnfirme hee findes,

The promisse plight in sponsales sacred loue,

Which both alike the Prince and simple subiect bindes,

Who recklesse breaks that same nor faithed promise mindes,

If hee ensue the vice, wherein his sence is drounde,

No doubt lehouah iust will therefore him confounde.

2.

If hee for wedlocke breatch in Pagan Princes then

So greate displeasure tooke, and did them sharply whip,

Will hee not rather nowe afflict such christen men,

As dare the sacred band of holy wedlocke rip?

Hee will not let the twifold faythed Christian slip,

Which by so vayne delight in fleshly lustes is droun’d.

He cuts him of, and doth his queanes and him confound.

3.

Examples are in all the ages seene before,

And also daily proofe declareth well the same.

Wherefore I will of this as nowe resite no more.

Perchaunce I may incurre some vndeserued blame.

But next beholde on stage apear’d a noble dame,

(Whose beauty braue _Locrinus’_ senses did confound)

Declaring how therfore Queene _Guendoline_ her droun’d.

How Qveene Elstride the Concubine and second wife

of king Locrinus was miserably drowned by

Queene Guendoline, The yeare

before Christ, 1064.

1.

And must I needes my selfe recite my fall,

Poore Pryncesse[261] I: must I declare my fate?

Must I the first of Queenes amongst vs all,[262]

Shew how I thrise fell from my princely state:

And from the lofty seate on which I sate:

If needes I must, then well content, I will:

Lest here my place in vayne I seeme to fill.

2.

I am that _Elstride_ whom _Locrinus_ lou’d,

A Prince his daughter, came from _Germanes_ land.

My fame of beauty many Princes mou’d[263]

To sue for grace, and fauoure at my hand.

Which bruite once blowne abroad in euery land,

One _Humber_, king of _Hunnes_ with all his trayne,

To come to mee a suiter was full fayne.

3.

What neede I tell the giftes to me he gaue,

Or shew his suite, or promise he me plight,

Sith well you knowe a Prince neede nothing craue,

May nigh commaund ech thing as twere his right.

For as the foule before the Eagles sight,

Euen so we fall, submit, and yeelde vs still

At Prince his call, obeysaunt to his will.

4.

And for that time the _Hunnes_ full mighty were,

And did increase, by martiall feates of warre:

Therefore our _Germayne_ Kinges agast did beare

Them greater fauoure then was neede by farre.

My father durst not _Humber’s_ hest debarre,

Nor I my selfe, I rather was content

In hope of crowne with _Humber_ to consent.

5.

Two Princely dames with me came then away,

He brag’d to winne these countrey partes all three.

We Ladyes rather were[264] this Prince his pray,

Because he promist that we Queenes should bee.

We came to cost, these countrey coasts to see,

Sith hee on whom our hope did wholly stand,

Was drounde, nam’d _Humber_ waters, lost the land.

6.

For as you heard before when he suppos’d

He had wonne all, because he wonne a part,

Strayght way he was agayne thereof depos’d,

Constrayn’d to flye and swim for life, poore heart.

Lo here the cause of all my dolefull smart:

This noble King with whom I came to raygne,

Was drencht, and drounde vnto my greeuous payne.

7.

Then were his souldiers taken, slayne, or spoylde,

And well were they, that could make suite for life.

Was neuer such an army sooner foylde:

O woefull warre, that flowd’st in flouds of strife,

And card’st not whom thou cut’st with cruell knife!

So,[265] had not _Venus_ fraught my face with hue,

I had no longer liu’d my forme to rue.

8.

But[266] as I came a captiue with the rest,

My countenaunce did shine as braue as Sunne:

Ech one that sawe my natiue hue, were prest

To yeeld them selues, by beames of beauty wonne.

My fame strayght blowne, to gaze on me they runne,

And sayd I past ech worldly wight, as farre

As _Phœbus_ bright excelles the morning starre.

9.

Like as you see in darkes,[267] if light appeare,

Strayght way to that ech man directs his eye:

Euen so among my captiue mates that were,

When[268] I did speake, or make my playnts with cry,

Then all on me they stared by and by,

Bemoning of my fates and fortune, so,

As they had bin partakers of my woe.

10.

My forme did prayse my plea, my sighes they sued,

My teares enti’st theyr hearts, some ruth to take:

My sobbes in sight a seemely hue reneu’d,

My wringing handes wan suiters shift to make,

My sober southes did cause them for my sake

Me to commend unto their noble King,

Who wil’d they should me into presence bring.

11.

Which when I came, in cordes as captiue bound,

“O King (quoth I) whose power wee feele to strong,

O worthy wight, whose fame to skyes doth sound,

Doe pittie me, that neuer wisht thee wrong!

Release me, one, thy captiues all among,

Which from my friends by fraude am brought away,

A Prince his daughter, drownde in deepe decay.

12.

“Now as thou art a Prince thy selfe, of might,

And mayst doe more then I doe dare desire,

Let me (O King) finde fauoure in thy sight,

Asswage somewhat thy deadly wrath and ire.

No part of knighthoode[269] tis for to require

A Ladyes death thee neuer did offend,

Sith that thy foe hath brought her to this end.

13.

“But let me rather safely be conuay’d,

O gratious King, once home before I die.

Or let me liue thy simple wayting mayde,[270]

If it may please thy royall maiesty.

Or let me raunsome pay for liberty.

But if he[271] minde reuenge of vnwraught ill,

Why spare you _Britannes_ this my corps to kill?”

14.

With that the King: “Good Lady faire, what ist

Thou canst desire or aske but must obtayne?

Eke would to god with all my heart I wist

Best way to ease thee of thy woefull payne.

But if thou wilt, doe here with me remayne.

If not content, conductours shalt thou haue,

To bring thee home, and what thou else wilt craue.”[272]

15.

“O King (quoth I) the gods preserue thy grace,

The heauens requite thy mercy shew’d to me,

And all the starres direct thy regall race,

With[273] happy course, long length of yeares to see.

The earth with fertile fruites enrich so thee,

That thou maist still like Justice here dispose,

And euermore treade downe thy deadly foes.”

16.

The noble King commaunded to vnbinde

Mine armes, and let me lewce, and free at will.[274]

And afterward such fauoure did I finde,[275]

That as his Queene I was at elbowe still:

And I enjoy’d al pleasures at my fill.

So that they quite had quenched out my thrall,

And I forgat my former Fortunes all.

17.

Thus loe by fauoure I obtayn’d my suite,

So had my beauty set his heart on fire,

That I could make _Locrinus_ euen as muite,

Or pleasaunt as my causes did require.

And when I knew he could no way retire,

I prayd he would his fauoure so extend,

As I might not be blamed in the end.

18.

“For if (quoth I) you take me as your owne,

And eke my loue to you hath[276] constant beene,

Then let your loue likewise agayne bee showne,

And wed mee as you may[277] your spoused Queene.

If since in mee mislikyng you haue seene

Then best depart betime, before defame

Begin to take from _Elstride_ her good name.”

19.

“No wauering heart (sayd he) _Locrinus_ beares,

No fayned flattery shall thy fayth deface:

Thy beauty, birth, fame, vertue, age and yeares,

Constrayne mee both thee and thyne hestes imbrace:[278]

I must of force geue thy requests a place,

For as they doe with reason good consent,

Euen so I graunt thee all thy whole intent.”

20.

Then was the time appoynted and the daye,

In which I should bee wedded to this King.

But in this case his counsayle caus’d a staye,

And sought out meanes at discord vs to bring.

Eke _Corinœus_ claym’d a former thing,

A precontract was made and full accord

Betweene his daughter and my soueraigne Lord.

21.

And yet the King did geue mee comfort still,

Hee sayd hee could not to[279] forsake my loue:

Hee euermore would beare mee all good will,

As both my beauty and deserts did moue.

But still the end doth who is faulty proue:[280]

His counsayle at the last did him constrayne

To marry her, vnto my greeuous payne.

22.

At which I could not but with hate repine:

It vexed mee, his mate that should haue beene,

To liue in hate a Prince his concubine,

That euer had such hope to bee his Queene.

The steppes of state are full of woe and teene,[281]

For when wee thinke wee haue obtayn’d[282] the throne,

Then strayght our pompe and pryde is quite orethrowne.

23.

Lo twise I fell from hope of Princely crowne:

First, when vnhappy _Humber_ lost his life:

And next I layd my peacockes pride adowne,

When I could not be King _Locrinus’_ wife.[283]

But oft they say the third doth end the strife,

Which I haue prou’d, therefore the sequel vewe,

The third payes home, this prouerbe is to true.

24.

The King could not refraine his former minde,

But vs’d me still, and I my doubtfull yeares

Did linger on, I knew no shift to finde,

But past the time full oft with mourning teares.

A concubine is neuer voyde of feares,

For if the wife her at aduantage take,

In rage[284] reuenge with death she seekes to make.

25.

Likewise I wist if once I sought to flye,

Or to entreat the King depart I might,

Then would he strayght be discontent with me.

Yea if I were pursued vppon the flight,

Or came deflourd into my father’s[285] sight,

I should be taken, kept perforce, or slayne,

Or in my countrey liue in great disdayne.

26.

In such a plight what might a Lady[286] doe,

Was euer Princesse poore,[287] in such a case?

O wretched wight bewrapt in webbs of woe,

That still in dread wast tost from place to place,

And neuer foundest meane to end thy race,

But still in doubt of death in carking care

Didst liue a life deuoide of all welfare.

27.

The King perceiuing well my chaunged cheare,

To ease my heart with all deuis’d deceates,

By secrete wayes I came deuoyde of feare,

In Vaultes, by cunning Masons’ crafty feates.

Whereas we safely from the Queene her threats,

Perdy the King and I so vs’d our arte,

As after turn’d vs both to payne and smart.

28.

By him I had my _Sabrine_ small, my childe,

And after that his wife her father lost:

I meane he died and shee was strayght exilde,

And I made Queene vnto my care and cost.

For shee went downe to _Cornwall_ strayght in post,

And caused all her fathers men to rise

With all the force and strength they might deuise.

29.

My King and hers, with me, gaynst her prepar’d

An army strong, but when they came to fight,

Dame _Guendoline_ did wax at length to hard,

And of our King vs both deposed quight,

For from her campe an arrowe sharp did light

Upon his brest, and made him leaue his breath:

Lo thus the[288] King came by vntimely death.

30.

Then I to late began in vayne to flye,

And taken was presented to the Queene,

Who me beheld with cruell _Tigers_[289] eie.

“O queane (quoth shee) that cause of warres hast beene,

And deadly hate, the like was neuer seene,

Come on, for these my handes shall ridde thy life.

And take reuengement of our mortall strife.

31.

“I longed long to bring thee to this bay,[290]

And thou likewise hast sought to suck my bloud:

Now art thou taken in my spoyles a pray,

That caus’d my life full long in daunger stood.

I will both teach thy selfe and others good,

To breake the bandes of faithfull wedlocke plight,

And geue thee that which thou deseruest right.

32.

“O harlot whoare, why should I stay my handes?

O paynted picture, shall thy lookes thee saue?

Nay, binde her fast both hande and foote in bandes,

And let her some straunge kinde of torments haue.

What strompet stues, think’st, for thou seemest braue,[291]

Or for thy tears, or sighes, to scape my sight?

My selfe will rather vanquishe thee by fight.

33.

“Thou rather should’st my vitall breath depriue

Then euer scape, if none were here but wee,

But now I will not file my handes to striue,

Or else to touch so vile a drabe as shee.

Come on at once, and bring her after me,

With hand and feete (as I commaunded) bound,

And let me see her here, as _Humber_, drown’d.”

34.

A thousand thinges beside shee spake in rage,

While that a caitiffe did with cords me binde.

No teares, nor sobbes, nor sighes, might ought asswage

The gelous Queene or mollifie her minde.

Occasions still her franticke head did finde,

And when shee spake her eyes did leame[292] as fire,

Shee lookt as pale as chalke, with wrathfull ire.

35.

Ne stoode shee still, but fearcely me defide,

Raung’d vp and downe, and oft her palmes shee strooke.

“_Locrinus_ now (quoth shee) had not thus dide,

If such an harlot whoare hee had not tooke.”

And therewithall shee gaue a _Tiger’s_ looke,[293]

That made me quake: “What lettes (quoth shee) my knife

To ridde this whore, my husbande’s second wife.

H’is dead, I liue, and shall I saue her life?”

36.

“O Queene (quoth I) if pittie none remayne,

But I be slayne or drown’d as _Humber_ was:

Then take thy pleasure by my pinching payne,

And let me hence as thou appoyntest passe.

But take some pittie on my childe, alas,

Thou know’st the infant made no fault, but hee[294]

That’s dead, and I, therefore reuenge on mee.”

37.

“No bastards here shall liue to dispossesse

My sonne, (shee sayd) but sith thou soughtest fame,

I will prouide for her a kingdome lesse,

Which shall hereafter euer haue her name.

Thou know’st whereof the name of _Humber_ came:

Then so _Sabrina_ shall this streame be cal’d,

Sith _Sabrine_ me, as _Humber Locrine_, thral’d.”

38.

With that my childe was _Sabrine_ brought in sight,

Who when shee sawe me there[295] in bandes to lie,

“Alas (shee cri’d) what meanes this piteous plight?”

And downe she fell before the Queene, with cry:

“O Queene (quoth shee) let me more rather die

Than shee that’s giltlesse should: for why, thy king

Did as his captiue her to lewdnes bring.”

39.

Which when I sawe the kindnes of the childe,

It burst my heart much more then dome of death:

Poore little lambe, with countenaunce how milde

Shee pleaded still: and I for want of breath,

(With woefull teares that lay her feete beneath)

Could not put foorth a word our liues to saue,

Or if therefore I might a kingdome haue.

40.

Her piteous plaintes did somewhat death withdraw,

For as shee long beheld the Queene with teares,

(Quoth shee) “Let me haue rigour voyd of lawe,

In whom the signe of all thy wrath appeares:

And let me die, my fathers face that beares.

Sith he is dead, and we are voide of stay,

Why should I thee for life, or mercy, pray?

41.

“My mother may to _Germany_ returne,

Where shee was borne, and if it please thy grace:

And I may well lie in my father’s tombe,

If thou wilt graunt his childe so good a place.

But if thou thinke my bloud is farre to bace,

(Although I came, by both, of princely lyne)

Then let me haue what shroud thou wilt assigne.”

42.

With that the Queene replide with milder cheere,

And sayd the childe was wonderous feate,[296] and wittie:

But yet shee would not her reuenge forbeare,

“For why (quoth shee) the prouerbe sayes, that pittie

Hath lewdly lost full many a noble Cittie.

Here _Elstride_ now ile wreke my greefes on thee,[297]

To die, take leaue, but talke no more to me.”

43.

On this my leaue I tooke, and thus I sayd,

“Farewell my countrey, _Germany_, farewell

Adew the place from whence I was conueyd:

Farewell my father, and my friends[298] there dwell.

My _Humber_ droun’d, as I shall be, farewell!

Adew _Locrinus_ dead, for thee I die:

Would God my corps might by thy coffine lie.

44.

“Adew my pleasures past, farewell, adew.

Adew the cares and sorowes I haue had.

Farewell my friends that earst for me did sue,

Adew that were to saue my life full glad.

Farewell my[299] fanning friends I lately had,

And thou my beauty, cause of death, farewell,

As oft as heart can thinke, or tong can tell.

45.

“Adew you heauens, my mortall eyes shall see

No more your lightes and planets all farewell,

And chiefly _Venus_ faire that paintedst me,

When _Mercury_ his tale to me did tell,

Eke afterwardes when _Mars_ with vs did dwell:

And now at last thou cruell _Mars_ adew,

Whose dart my life and loue _Locrinus_ slewe.

46.

“And must I needes depart from thee, my childe?

If needes I must, ten thousand times farewell.

Poore little lambe, thy friends are quite exilde,

And much I feare thou shalt not long doe well.

But if they so with boyling rancour swell

As thee to flea which neuer wroughtest ill,

How can they stay my stayned corps to kill?”

47.

With that, my _Sabrine’s_ slender armes imbrast

Me round, and would not let me so depart.

“Let me (quoth shee) for her the waters tast,

Or let vs both togeather end our smart.

Yea rather rippe you foorth my tender heart:

What should I liue?” But they the childe withdrew,

And me into the raging streame they threw.

48.

So in the waters as I striu’d to swimme,

And kept my head aboue the waues for breath,

Mee thought I sawe my childe would venter in,

Which cry’d amayne, “O let me take like death.”

The waters streyght had drawne me vnderneath,

Where diueing,[300] vp at length agayn rose I,

And sawe my childe, and cry’d “Farewell, I die!”

49.

Then as my strength was wasted, downe I went,

Eke so I plunged twise or thrise yet more:

My breath departed, needes I must relent.

The waters pearst my mouth and eares so sore,

And to the botome with such force mee bore,

That life, and breath, and minde, and sence was gone,

And I as dead and cold as marble stone.

50.

Lo thus you heare the race of all my life,

And how I past the pickes of painfull woe:

How twise I thought to bee a Prince his wife,[301]

And twise was quite depriu’d my[302] honour fro,

The third time Queene and felt foule ouerthro.

Let Princely Ladyes vewe mine historie,

Mine haps, and woes, and hatefull desteny.[303]

51.

Bid them beware, lest beuty them abuse,

Beware of pryde, for haue a fall it must:

And will them Fortune’s flattery to refuse,[304]

Her turned[305] wheele is voyde of steedy trust.

Who reckes no meane, but leaueth all to lust,

Shall finde my wordes as true as I them tell:

Bid them beware[306] in time, I wish them well.[307]

LENUOYE.

1.

Who here considers _Elstride’s_ beauty braue was seene:

Her noble birth, the sundry haps shee had:

How many erst the like infortunate haue beene,

Whose forme haue made right noble hearts full sad:

Hee neede not now in loue bee halfe so mad,

Sith beauty is the baite enbaneth many a bower,

A meate too sweete in taste, that sauced is too sower.

2.

It caused _Hercules_ to slay th’ _Œchalian_ King,

And _Deianire_ her worthy fere to bane:

It caus’d the _Greekes_ their armies forth to bring,

And _Troia_ faire to fall, by _Græcians_ tane.

It setled here in _Britayne_ first the Dane,

For it of Kingdomes great the warres did oft deuoure:

The prouerbe sayth, sweete meate will haue of sauces sower.

3.

Wherefore let noble men beware of beauties grace,

Lest so inflam’d they chaunce to fall thereby.

If they allur’d the _Sirens_ sweete embrace,

And ships forsake, the waues are wilde perdy.

The monsters diue, the seas do swell to skye,

The toyling tempests tosse to reaue the vitall power,

While rockes, shelues, sands, and seas, the woefull wights

deuoure.

4.

They may hereby beholde the woefull childrens fall,

Of those which led their liues in lawelesse lust:

And learne to loue their Ladyes best of all,

Which are to them so faithfull, true, and iust.

Wherefore recyte the death of _Sabrine_ here I must,

The Lady young, mee thought, from waters droun’d that came:

Which might thus wise her tale haue seem’d to frame.[308]

How the Lady Sabrine daughter of King Locrinus

and Elstride, was drowned by Queene

Guendoline, the yeare before

Christ, 1064.

1.

Beholde mee _Sabrine_ orphane erst bereft

Of all my friends, by cruell case of warre:

When as not one to treat for mee was left,

But Ielosie did all their powers debarre.

When as my father eke was slaine in warre,

And when my mother euen before my sight

Was drown’d to death, O wretch in woefull plight.

2.

Trust who so will the staffe of hye estate,

And bring mee word what stay thereby you haue:

For why, if Fortune once displeasure take,

Shee geues the foyle, though lookes bee neuer so braue,

Tis wisedome when you winne, to winne to saue:[309]

For oft who trustes to get a Prince his trayne,

Would at the length of begger’s life be fayne.

3.

This might the _Hunne_ erst _Humber_ well haue sayd,

And this my mother _Elstride_ prou’d to true,

When as his life by striuing streames was stayd,

And when the tyraunts her in waters threwe.

What I may say, my selfe reportes to you,

Which had more terrour shew’d then twice such twayne:

Geue eare, and iudge if I abode no payne.

4.

First when my fathers corps was striken downe

With deadly shaft, I came to mourne and see:

And as hee lay with bleeding brest in sowne,

Hee cast aside his watring eyes on mee.

“Flye, flye, (quoth hee) thy stepdame[310] seekes for thee,

My woefull childe: what flight maist thou to take,

My _Sabrine_ poore, I must thee needes forsake.

5.

“See here mine end, behold thy father’s fall,

Fly hence, thy stepdame seekes thy staylesse life:[311]

Thy mother eke or[312] this is wrapt in thrall,

You cannot scape of gelous griefe her knife,[313]

Farewell my childe, mine _Elstride_ and my wife,

Adew (quoth hee) I may no longer byde:”

And euen with that hee gasped breath,[314] and dyde.

6.

What birde can flye, and soare, if stormes doe rage?

What shippe can sayle if once the windes resist?

What wight is that can force of warres asswage?

Or elss what warre can bridle Fortune’s list?

What man is hee, that dare an hoast resist?

What woman only dare withstand a fielde?

If not, what childe but must to enemies yeelde?

7.

My father’s souldiers fled away for feare,

As soone as once theyr Captayne’s death they scand:

The Queene proclaym’d a pardon euery where

To those would yeelde, and craue it at her hand:

Excepting such as did her aye withstand.

For so the course alwayes of pardons goes,

As saues the souldier, and entraps the foes.

8.

Then wist I flight could nothing mee preuayle,

I fearde her pardon would not saue my life:

The storme was such I durst not beare a sayle,

I durst not goe t’intreate my father’s wife,

Although I neuer was the cause of strife:

For gelosie, deuoyde of reason’s raygne,

With frenzyes fume enragde her restles brayne.

9.

But see the chaunce: Thus compast rounde with feare,

In broyles of bloude, as in the fielde I stand,

I wisht to God my corps were any where,

As out of life, or of this hatefull land.

No sooner wisht, but there was euen at hand

A souldier vile: “In haste (quoth hee) come on,

“Queene _Elstride_ will, before thou come, begon.”

10.

The rascall rude, the roag, the clubfist griepte

My sclender[315] arme, and pluckt mee on in hast:

And with my robes the bloudy ground hee sweepte:

As I drue backe hee hal’d mee on full fast.

Vnder his arme my carefull[316] corps hee cast.

“Sith that (quoth hee) thou put’st mee to this payne,

“Thou shalt thereby at length but little gayne.”[317]

11.

So[318] at the length wee came where wee descri’d

A number huge of folkes about the Queene:

As when you see some wonder great betide,

Or else the place where some straunge sight hath bene:

So might you there the people standing seene,

And gazed all when as they see mee brought,

Then sure I deem’d I was not come for nought.

12.

And in the prease, some prays’d my comely face,

In beauty _Elstride_ which resembled right:[319]

Some sayd I looked like my father’s grace,

But[320] others sayd it was a piteous sight

I should so dye: the Queene mee pardon might.

Then sayd the beast[321] mee bore did mee abuse,

Which[322] not so rudely ought a Pryncesse vse.

13.

But what did this redresse my woefull care,

You wotte the commons vse suche prouerbes still:

And yet the captiues poore no better are,

It rather helpes theyr payned hearts to kill.

To pittie one in griefe doth worke him ill.

Bemone his woe, and cannot ease his thrall,

It killes his heart, but comforts none[323] at all.

14.

Thus past wee through the prease: at length wee came

Into the presence of the gelous Queene,

Who nought at all the rascall rude did blame

That bare mee so, but askte if I had seene

My father slayne, that cause thereof had beene.

“O Queene (quoth I) God knowes my whole intent

Of slaughter giltlesse: I am innocent.”[324]

15.

With that I sawe the people looke aside,

To vewe a mourning voice: I heard thereby

It was my woefull mother by, that cry’d

“Lo _Sabrine_, bound at brinke of death I lie.”

What pen, or tongue, or teares with weeping eye

Could tell my woes, that sawe my mother bound

On waters shoare, wherein shee should bee droun’d!

16.

With that I fell before the Queene, and pray’d

For mercy, but with fierie eyes shee bent

Her browes on mee: “Out bastard vile (shee sayd)

Thou wot’st not yet wherefore for thee I sent.”

“O Queene (quoth I) haue pittie, bee content,

And if thou minde of mercy ought to showe,

Drowne mee, and let my mother harmelesse goe.

17.

“For why, shee was a Prince his daughter, borne

In _Germany_, and thence was brought away

Perforce, by _Humber_, who by warres forlorne

Thy King as captiue tooke her for his pray.

Thou mayst full well her case with reason weye.

What could shee doe, what more then shee or I

Thy captiues now, thine owne to liue or die?

18.

“Take pittie then on Princely race, O Queene,

Haue[325] pittie, if remorce may ought require,

Take pittie, on a captiue thrise hath beene,

Let pittie pearce the rage of all thine ire.

But if thy breast burne with reuenging fire,

Then let my death quench out that fuming flame,

Sith of thy husband’s bloud and hers I came.”

19.

Much more I sayd while teares out streaming went,

But nought of ease at all thereby I gayn’d.

My mother eke, did, as shee lay, lament,

Wherewith my heart a thousand fold shee payn’d.

And though the Queene my playnts to fauour fayn’d,

Yet at the last shee bad shee should prepare

Her selfe to die, and end her course of care.

20.

Then all her friends my mother _Elstride_ nam’d,

And pleasures past, and bade them all adue:

Eke as shee thus her last farewell had fram’d,

With losse of him from whom her sorowes grue.

At length to mee (which made my heart to rue)

Shee sayd: “Farewell my childe, I feare thy fall.

“Ten thowsand times adue, my _Sabrine_ small.”

21.

And as the cruell caytiffes came to take

Her vp, to cast and drowne her in the floud,

I fast mine armes about her clipt did make,

And cry’d, “O Queene let mercy meeke thy moode,

Doe rather reaue my heart of vitall bloud,

Then thus I liue:” with that they slakt my hold,

And drencht my mother in the waters cold.

22.

For loue to ayde her, venter in would I

That sawe my mother striue aloft for winde.

To land shee lookte and sayd: “Farewell, I die!”

“O let mee goe (quoth I) like fate to finde!”

Sayd _Guendoline_: “Come on likewise, and binde

This _Sabrine_ here likewise, for so shall shee

At once receiue[326] her whole request of mee.

23.

“Eke as I wish to haue in minde her fame,

As _Humber’s_ is, which should her father beene:

So shall this floude of _Sabrine_ haue the name,

That men thereby may say, a righteous Queene

Here drown’d her husband’s childe of concubine.

Therefore leaue _Sabrine_ here thy name and life,

Let _Sabrine_ waters end our mortall strife.”

24.

“Dispatch!” (quoth shee:) With that they bound mee fast,

My slender armes and feete, with[327] little neede:

And sans all mercy, mee in waters cast,

Which drewe mee downe, and cast mee vp with speede,

And downe mee drencht the _Sabrine_ fish to feede:

Where I abode till now from whence I came,

And there the waters hold as yet my name.[328]

25.

Lo thus this gelous Queene, in raging sort,

With bloudy hate bereft her husband’s health:

And eke my mother _Elstride’s_ life (God wot)

Which neuer ment to hurt this common wealth.

And mee, _Locrinus’_ childe, begot by stealth:

Agaynst all reason was it for to kill

The childe, for that her parents erst did ill.

26.

But here[329] you see, what time our pompe doth hyde,

Hereby you see th’vnsteady trust in warre,

Hereby you see the stay of states etride,

Hereby you see, our hope to make doth marre,

Hereby you see, wee fall from bench to barre.

From bench,[330] (quoth I) yea from the Princely seate,

You see how soone vs Fortune downe doth beate.

27.

And here you see, how lawlesse loue doth thriue,

Hereby you see, how gelous folkes doe fare:

Here may you see, with wisedome they that wiue,

Neede neuer recke _Cupidoe’s_ cursed snare,

Here may you see, deuorcement breedeth care,

Here seldome thriue the children may you see,[331]

Which in vnlawfull wedlocke gotten bee.

28.

Declare thou then our fall and great mishap,

Declare the hap, and glory wee were in:

Declare how soone wee taken were in trap,

When wee suppos’d wee had most safest bin.

Declare what losse they haue that hope to win.

When Fortune most doth sweetely seeme to smile,[332]

Then will shee froune: she laughes but euen a while.[333]

LENUOY.

1.

A woefull thing mee thought this tale to heare,

That pittie could not moue Queene _Guendoline_,

When _Locrine_ both and _Elstride_ ended were,

Which had committed facts adulterine,

Th’adulter slayne and eke his concubine,

Not so her cruell minde could bee content,

But in reuenge to slay the Innocent.

2.

What maruayle though shee were of such a minde,

So cruell not to spare her husband’s bastard small:

Sith that of gelosie wee often finde

Examples passing reason naturall.

Of _Porrex_ mother, reade the life who shall,

Which slew her only sonne, eke _Progne_ was content,

To sley her sonne an harmelesse Innocent.

3.

_Medæa_ eke when _Iason_ her forsooke,

And children twayne, which yong by him shee had,

Full cruelly a sword in hand shee tooke,

Reft both their liues, as cruell monster mad.

Was not _Agaue’s_ cruelty so bad,

Which _Pentheus_ her sonne to sley could bee content.

Because hee nilde to Bacchanalls assent?

4.

I will no more of these as now recite,

Whose cruelty deserued all disgrace:

Nor yet in generall thus wise I write,

The worthy sexe of women to deface.

Tis gelosie reproued here in place.

But now I turne to Madan all to rent,

Which next on stage thus wise to talke him bent.

How King Madan for his euill life was slayne

by Wolues, The yeare before Christ, 1009.

1.

Among’st the rest that sate in hauty seat,

And felt the fall, I pray thee pen for mee

A Tragedy, may some such wisedome geat

As they may learne, and somewhat wiser bee:

For in my glasse when as themselues they see,

They may beware; my fall from Fortune’s lap

Shall teach them how, t’eschew the like mishap.

2.

I am that _Madan_, once of[334] _Britayne_ King,

The[335] third that euer raygned in this land:

Marke well therefore my death, as straunge a thing

As some would deeme could scarce with reason stand;

Yet when thou hast my life well throughly scand,

Thou shalt perceaue not halfe so straunge as true,

Ill life, worse death, doth after still ensue.

3.

For when my mother _Guendoline_ had raygn’d

In my nonage full xv yeares, shee dide:

And I but yong, not well in vertues trayn’d,

Was left this noble Iland for to guide;

Whereby when once my minde was puft with pryde,

I past for nought, I vs’d my lust for lawe;

Of right, or iustice, reckte I not a strawe.

4.

No meane I kept but ruled all by rage,

No boundes of measure could mee compasse in.

No counsayle could my meekelesse minde asswage:

When once to fume I fearcely did begin,

And I excelde in nothing else but sinne;

So that my subiects all did wish my end,[336]

Saue such to whom for vice I was a friend.

5.

In[337] pleasures plung’d I tooke my whole repast,[338]

My youth mee led deuoyde of compasse quite:

And vices were so rooted in at last,

That to recure the euill it past my might.

For who so doth with will and pleasure fight,

(Though all his force doe striue them to withstand)

Without good grace they haue the vpper hand.

6.

What licoure first the earthen pot doth take,

It keepeth still the sauour of that same.

Full hard it is a Cramocke[339] strayght to make,

Or crooked Logges with wainscot fine to frame.

Tis hard to make the cruell Tiger tame.

And so it fares with those haue vices caught:

Naught once (they say) and euer after naught.

7.

I speake not this as though it past all cure

From vices vile to vertue to retire:

But this I say, if vice be once in vre,

The more you shall to quite your selfe require,

The more you plunge your selfe in fulsome mire,

As hee that striues in soakte quicke sirts[340] of sand,

Still sinkes, scarce euer[341] comes agayne to land.

8.

The giftes of grace may nature ouercome,

And God may graunt the time when wee repent.

But I did still in laps of lewdnes runne:

At last my selfe to cruelty I bent.

But who so doth with bloudy acts content

His minde, shall sure at last finde like agayne,

And feele for pleasures thousand panges of payne.

9.

For in the mid’st of those vntrusty toyles,

When as I nothing fearde, but all was sure,

With all my trayne, I hunting rode for spoiles

Of those, who after did my death procure.

These lewde delightes did boldly mee allure

To follow still and to pursue the chase:

At last I came into a desert place.

10.

Besette with hills, and monstrous rockes of stone,

My company behinde mee lost, or stayed:

The place was eke with hauty trees oregrowne,

So wist[342] and wylde it made mee halfe afrayd.

And strayght I was with rauening wolues betrayd,

Came out of caues, and dennes, and rockes amayne.

There was I rent in peeces, kild, and slayne.

11.

Woe worth that youth (in vayne) so vily spent

Should euer cause a King to feele such smart:

Woe worth that euer I should here lament,

Or shew the hurt of my poore Princely heart.

I thinke the clowne that driues the mixen cart

Hath better hap then Princes, such as I:

No storme of Fortune castes him downe so hie.

12.

A man by grace and wit may shunne the snare.

Tis sayd a wise-man all mishap withstands.

For though by starres wee borne to mischiues are,

Yet grace and prudence bayles our carefull bandes.

Ech man (they say) his fate hath in his handes,

And what hee marres, or makes to leese, or saue

Of good or euill, is euen selfe doe selfe haue.

13.

This thing is seene by mee, that led my daies

In vitious sort, for greedy wolues a pray.

I wish, and will, that Princes guide theyr wayes:

Lo, here by this eschew like chaunce they may,

And vices such as worke their whole decay.

Which if they doe, full well is spent the time

To warne, to write, and eke to shun the crime.[343]

LENUOY.

1.

Thus haue you here the end of _Madan_[344] seene,

(If it were hee) and yet I may suspect

It was some other Prince so seru’d had beene,

For that all stories doe not so detect

His death that Princely vertues did neglect.

But if hee died by wolues, as here I write,

His vice the cause mine author doth resite.

2.

Wherefore although that authors heere dissent,

And I haue pen’d as praysed stories haue:

To reade his warnings thou maist bee content,

And take what counsaile of good life hee gaue.

I trust, I (dreaming) may some pardon craue,

For if the rest no dreames but stories pen

Can I for that they write bee blamed then?

3.

But what neede I on this to longer stay,

Sith many moe remayne which felt the fall.

Of _Britayne_ Princes heathen reade you may,

As _Maline_ one appearing next of all:

Whose tale in order now resite I shall.

Then here conceiue this wounded Prince you see,

Thus wise, of Fortune, speaking vnto mee.

How King Malin was slayne by his brother King

Mempricius, the yeare before Christ, 1009.

1.

If fortue were so firme as shee is fraile,

Or glosing glory were still permanent:

If no mishap mens doings did assayle,

Or that their acts and facts were innocent:

If they[345] in hope no hurt nor hatred ment,

Or dealings aye were done with duty due,

They neuer neede theyr great[346] misfortunes rue.

2.

If pompe were payne, and pride were not in price,

Or hauty seate had not the highest place:

If they[347] could learne by others to bee wise,

Or else eschewe the daungers of their[348] face:

If once they[349] could the golden meane imbrace,

Or banish quite ambition from their[350] breast,

They[351] neuer neede to recke or reape vnrest.

3.

But they doe thinke[352] such sweetenes in renowne,

They[353] deeme on earth is all the greatest hap:[354]

They[355] nothing feare the hurt of falling downe,

Or little rome in Lady Fortune’s lap.

They[3] geue no heede before they[356] get the clap:

And then to late they[4] wish they[357] had bin wise,

When from the fall they[358] would, and cannot, rise.

4.

As if two twinnes, or children at the teate

Of nurce, or mother, both at once might bee,

And both did striue the better dugge to geat,

Till one were downe, and slipt beside her knee:

Even so it fares, by others as by mee,[359]

In Fortune’s lap they[360] haue so little hold,

She cannot stay both striuing if shee would.

5.

I am that _Malin_,[361] one of _Madan’s_ sonnes.

Which thought to raygne and rule this noble Ile,

And would so done, but see what chaunce there comes

Where brethren loue and frendship quite exile:

Who thinkes in trust no treason neither guile,

Is soonest cleane bereau’d of life and all,[362]

In steade of rule hee reapes the crop of thrall.

6.

My yongest[363] brother then _Mempricius_ hight,

Whose hauty minde, and mine, were still at square:[364]

Wee euermore as foes hight other spite,

And deadly ire in hatefull heartes wee bare.

Hee sought all wayes hee might to worke mee care,

And ech regarded others enuy, so,

As after turned both to paynfull woe.

7.

Because my father lou’d him well,[365] therefore

I fear’d my brother should obtayne my right:[366]

Likewise on fauoure boldned hee him bore,[367]

And neither had in vertue’s wayes delight.

What neede I here our inward griefes recite?

Wee, not as brethren, liu’d in hatred still,

And sought occasion other each to kill.

8.

I hauing hope for to preserue the crowne,[368]

And hee for that hee feard my title[369] bred

Such frendship as might alwayes keepe him downe

And both depriue him of his crowne and head.

But when it chaunst our father once was dead,

Then strayght appeared all his[370] enuy playne:

For hee could not from his[371] attempt refrayne.[372]

9.

Some wisht wee should depart the realme in twoo,

And sayd my father eke was of that minde:

But nether of vs both, that so would doe,

Wee were not ech to other halfe so kinde.

And vile ambition made vs both so blinde,

Wee thought our raygne could not bee sure and good

Except the ground thereof were layd with bloud.

10.[373]

At last a time of parle appoynted[374] was,

And truce concluded for our titles right:

Wherein I hoped might bee brought to passe

That I enioy in peace my kingdome might.

But secretly by pollecy and sleight

Hee slewe mee with his swoord, before I wist:

Where crowne, peace, kingdome, life and all I mist.[375]

11.

Thus was I by my wicked[376] brother slayne,

Which with my death his cruell eyes did fill.[377]

This oftentimes they vse to get and gayne,

That cannot shunne misfortune as they wil.[378]

Was neuer man pretended such an ill,

But God to him like measure shortly sent,

As hee to others erst before had ment.

12.

Vniustice euer thriues as theues doe thee,

And bloudthirst cryes for vengeaunce at his hand,

Which all our rights and wronges doth dayly see[379]

The good to aide, and gracelesse to withstand;

If either vice or vertue wee aband,

Wee either are rewarded as wee serue,

Or else are plaged, as our deedes deserue.

13.

Let this my warning then suffice ech sort,

Bid them beware: example here you see:

It passeth play, ’tis tragicall disport

To clime the steppes of stately high degree.[380]

For though they thinke good Fortune seru’d not mee,

Yet did shee vse mee as shee vs’d the rest:

And so full oft shee[381] serueth euen the best.[382]

LENUOY.

1.

This was mee thought that time the ruefull tale,

That _Maline_[383] drewe from out his wounded breast.

A woefull thing to heare the Prince’s bale.

Should by his brother boldly bee addrest:

But yet wee see such rage in tyraunts rest,

If they may beare alofte alone the sway,

For Kingdomes sake they care not whom they slay.

2.

Examples are King _Porrex_ of this thing,

The _Romish Antonine_ did euen the same:

But what neede I of these examples bring:

Such tyraunts euer yet deserued blame,

And haue procur’d them selues, beside defame,

Not only after shorter time of sway,

But most they were by others made away.

3.

Now here _Mempricius_ which his brother slew

Was after King, as plainely stories tell:

Whose filthy facts all princes ought eschew,

And subiects eke, that hope to prosper well.

Hee next appear’d declaring how hee fell,

Eke how his brother deare hee made away,

And how the Wolues in hunting did him slay.

How King Mempricius geuen to all lust was deuoured

by wolues, the yeare before Christ, 989.

1.

Tis often sayd, a man should doe likewise

To other, as hee would to him they did.

Do as thou would’st bee done to, sayth the wise,

And doe as conscience and as iustice bid.

Ther’s no man ought for rule[384] an other rid,[385]

Nor yet[386] his hands[387] with cruell bloud distayne:

For bloud doth alwayes cry for bloud againe.

2.

Eke lustfull life, that sleepes in sinkes of sinne,

Procures a plague: fie, fie, on _Venus_ vile:

Wee little wot the mischiefes are[388] therein,

When wee with poysons sweete our selues beguyle.

The pleasures passe, the ioyes indure but while,

And nought thereby at all wee get or gayne,

But dreadfull death, and euerlasting payne.

3.

Mee thinkes thou harkenest for to heare[389] my name,

And musest what I am that thus doe come.

I would or this haue told it, but for shame:

And yet to giue example here to some,[390]

I will no longer fayne my selfe so dome,

But euen as others I will tell my fall:[391]

Take here my name, my life, my death and all.

4.

I am _Mempricius_, _Madan’s_ yonger[392] sonne,

Once King of _Britayne_, that my brother slewe:

Whereby the crowne, and Kingdome all I won,

And after norisht vices moe that grewe,

Not nature’s lawes, nor God’s, nor man’s I knewe,

But liu’d in lust, not recking any thing,

I deemed all thinges lawfull[393] for a King.

5.

Fyrst[394] when I had my brother brought on beire,

I thought in rest to keepe the Kingdome long:

And I was voyde of doubte,[395] I had no feare,

Was none durst checke mee did I right or wrong.

I liu’d at large, and thought my powre so strong,

There could no man preuaile against my will,

In steede of lawe that vsed rigour still.[396]

6.

Then wickedly I fell[397] to slouthfull ease,

A vice that breades a number moe beside.

I was so testy none durst mee displease,

And eke so puft with glory, vaine, and pride.

My sencelesse sence, as ship without a guide,

Was tost with euery fancy of my braine,

Like _Phœbus_ chariote vnder _Phaëton’s_ raigne.

7.

I deem’d them foes that mee good counsaile gaue,

And those my chiefest frends could glose and lie:

I hated them that were so sage and graue,

And those I lou’d were lusty, lewde, and slie.

I did the wisest wittes as fooles defie,

Such sots, knaues, ruffians, roysters I embraste,

As were vnwise, vnhonest, rude, vnchaste.

8.

I lusted eke, as lazy[398] lechers vse,

My subiects wiues and daughters at my will

I did so often as mee pleas’d abuse,

Perforce I kept them at my pleasure still.

Thus gate I queanes and concubines at fill,

And for their sakes I put away my wife:

Such was my lewdnes, lust, and lawlesse life.

9.

But shame forbids mee for to tell the rest,

It mee abhorres to shew what did insue:

And yet because it moueth in my breast

Compunction still, and was God wot to true,

Ile farder tell whence[399] my destruction grue.

To _Sodome_ sinne I fowly fell,[400] and than

I was despised both of God and man.

10.

Could I long prosper thus, doe you suppose?

Might ought of euill exceede[401] these vices told?

Thinke you ther’s any wight on ground that goes

Might scape reuenge of vice so manifolde?

No sure: who is in sienfullnes so bolde,

His vices fare like weedes they sproute so fast

They kill the corps, as weedes the corne at last.

11.

My greate outrage, my heedelesse head, the life

I beastly led could not continue so:

My brothers bloud, my leauing of my wife,

And working of my friends and subiects woe

Cry’d still to God, for my foule ouerthroe,

Which heares the wrong’d, hee vewes[402] their carefull case,

And at the length doth all their foes deface.

12.

Yet I mistrusting no mishaps at hand,

(Though I were worthy twenty times to die)

I lewdly liu’d, and did my wealth withstand.

I neuer thought my end was halfe so nie.

For my disport I rode on hunting, I,

In woodes the fearefull heart I chased fast,

Till quite I lost my company at last.

13.

And or I wist, to cost I found my foes,

By chaunce I came whereas the Wolues they bred:

Which in a moment did mee round inclose,

And mounted at my horse his throte and head.

Some on the hinder partes their panches fed.

Yet fought I still to scape, if it might bee,

Till they my panting[403] horse puld downe with mee.

14.

Then was I hopelesse to escape their iawes,

They fastned all their holders fast on mee:

And on my royall robes they set their clawes:

My Princely presence, nor my high degree

Moou’d them no more obeysaunt for to bee,

Nor of my corps to take no more remorce,

Then did the greeuous groning of my horse.

15.

But rauenously they rent my breast and throte,

Forsooke my steede, came all at once and tare

My kingly[404] corps, from which they fleyde my coate,

And of my flesh they made at all no spare,

They neuer left mee till my bones were bare.

Lo thus I slewe my brother, left my wife,

Liu’d vilely, and as vilely ended life.

16.

Beware of bloudy broyles, beware of wrong,

Embrace the counsayle of the wise and sage:

Trust not to power though it bee nere so strong,

Beware of rashnes rude and roysters rage.

Eschew vile _Venus’_ toyes, shee cutts of age,

And learne this lesson of and tell thy friend,

By pockes, death sodayne, begging,[405] harlots end.[406]

LENUOY.

1.

Marke but the end of brother quellers all,

And you shall see what woefull ends they had:

For so _Iehouah_ suffers them to fall,

As were their risinges murderous and bad,

The life of wicked _Cayne_ was sorrowfull and sad.

Of _Ioram_ the King what neede I to discriue,

So infamous and violent both dead and eke aliue.

2.

What auayl’d it _Memprice_ this Kingdome to obtayne,[407]

That shamefully his Princely brother so did slay:

Sith that Almighty _Ioue_ so punisht him agayne,

For scepter’s sake that tooke his noble Prince away.

His wretched cruell corps became for Wolues a pray.

What neede I more the caytiues beastly facts descriue,

So infamous and violent, both dead and eke aliue.

3.

Now when as hee was gone, there presently, mee thought,

A King full Angel like in feathers did appeare:

With flying winges and plumes by cunning finely wrought,

As hee aloft like fame to flie prepared were,

To harken well his tale I gaue an heedy eare,

Which hee in order thus mee thought did then contriue,

Desiring mee to write it so, to warne the rest aliue.

How King Bladvd,[408] taking on him to fly, fell

vpon the Temple of Apollo, and brake his

necke, The yeare before Christ, 844.

1.

I pray thee _Higgins_ take in hand thy pen

And write my life and fall, among’st the rest

A warning set mee downe for curious men,

Whose wittes the worke of nature seeke to wrest:

I was Prince _Bladud_, pregnant as the best

Of wisedome, and of wealth, and learning I had store,

Of regall race I came what neede I craued more?

2.

But this in all the sortes of men wee see,

An vncontented minde when much they haue;

The learned yet would more profounder bee,

The richest most t’encrease their wealth do craue;

The finest Dames doe slike[409] their faces braue;

The noblest yet would higher clime, and all to skies

Immortall they to make their names on earth deuise.[410]

3.

In _Britayne_ though I learned had full well

The artes, and could among’st the wise conferre,

Yet when of _Athens_ I the fame heard tell,

(Though it in _Greece_ so far hence distant were)

I trauayl’d thither, writers witnesse are

I studied there, and thence of learned men I brought

That learning might from _Britayne_ land no more so far bee

sought.[411]

4.

But after hee was dead that was my stay,

My father graue, I meane the worthy King

Then all the _Britaynes_ shortly by a day

To royall seat elected mee did bring.

Where I to place in order euery thing,

Did both receiue the crowne[412] and scepter in my hand,

With glory and renowned fame to gouerne all the land.[413]

5.

Then, for because the sway of all the Ile

Depended on my gouernement to rest

I did consult with all the peeres a while,

And of my father’s counsaylers the best,

I order tooke for matters vnredrest,

Appoynting vnto each such place of iustice fit,

As serued to their birth, their persons, wealth and wit.[414]

6.

The learned _Greekes_, whom I from _Athens_ brought,

Conferring with the _British_ learned men:

A place, as I commaunded them, had sought

Amid’st the Realme, and brought mee word agen.

At _Staneford_ there I built a colledge then,

And made prouision for the same perdy,

To maynetayne them a famous Vniuersity.[415]

7.

By this, of skilfull men the land had store,

And all the arts were read in _Britayne_ well:

No countrey was for learning praysed more.

Abroad, the world began of vs tell.[416]

From other nations hither came to dwell

The wisest wits, commending vs, extolling vs to skies:

They sayd wee were a people stout, and learned, graue,

and wise.[417]

8.

And for that time of Gods wee honour’d all,

_Apollo_ high for wisedome, arte, and skill:

At _Troynouant_ a Temple speciall

I built to him, for sacrifices still.

Whereon I fell, as after speake I will.

Such was our vse and superstition [wholy][418] then,

To deeme as Gods the statures tall of noble worthy men.[419]

9.

Some saye I made the holesome Baths at Bathe,[420]

And made therefore two Tunnes of burning brasse:

And other twayne seauen kindes of salts that haue

In them inclos’d, but these bee made of glasse,

With sulphur fild, wilde fire emixt there was,

And in foure welles these Tunnes so placed heate for aye

The water springing vp, before it passe away.[421]

10.

Which waters heate and clensing perfect powre,

With vapours of the sulphur, salts, and fire,

Hath vertue great, to heale, and washe, and scowre

The bathed sores therein that health desire.

If of the vertues, moe thou dost require

[To knowe,] I will resite what old experience tells

In causes cold the noble vertues of these welles.

11.

The bathes to soften sinewes vertue haue,

And also for to clense and scowre the skin

From Morphewes white and blacke, to heale and saue

The bodyes freckled, faynt, are bathed therein:

Scabs, lepry, sores are[422] old and festered in,

The scurfe, botch, itche, goute, poxe, [sweld ioynts] and

humores fell,

The milt and liuer hard it heales, and palsey well.[423]

12.

I must confesse by learned skill I found

Those natiue welles whence springs that helpe[424] for men:

But well thou know’st there runnes from vnder ground

Springes sweete, salt, cold, and hote euen now as then,

From rocke, salt petre, alume, grauell, fen,

From sulphur, iron, leade, gold, siluer, brasse and tinne:

Ech fountayne takes the force of vayne it coucheth in.[425]

13.

Then who so knowes by nature’s worke in these,

Of metalles or of mynes the force to heale,

May sooner giue his iudgement in disease,

For curing by the bath, and surer deale

With sickly people of the publique weale,

And also finde of fountaynes salt, or hote, or cold,

And for to heale by them the sicke with honour bee bold.[426]

14.

The Citie eke of _Bathe_ I founded there,

Renouned far by reason of the welles:

And many monuments that auncient were

I placed there, thou know’st the story tells.

I sought renowne and fame and nothing elze.

But when our actes extoll our prayse aboue the skie,

W’are blinded so, wee looke not downe from whence wee flye.[427]

15.

There are but fewe, whom Fortune bathes in blesse,

But blinded are, and dazelingly they looke:

They see nought else but worldly happinesse,

At that they only fish with Fortune’s hooke.

Beneath on earth pompe, pelfe, and prayse they pooke,

On that depending frayle, that fayles, and flits, and flyes,

Forsaking vertue sole, that bides for aye aboue the skies.[428]

16.

Mens vayne delightes are wondrous to behold,

For that that reason nills, nor nature sowes

They take in hand, on science far to bold,

Deceiu’d by suttle snares of diuelish showes.

From which attemptes a floud of mischiefe flowes,

An heape of hurtes, [a swarme of smartes] a fry of foule

decayes,

A flocke of feares, [a droue of deathes,] and thrales a

thousand wayes.

17.

If that the water fish forsake the streame

Agaynst his kinde, feeles hee no hurt ensues?

Or if the broeke would learne to play the breame,

And leaue the lambes at land, were this no newes?

A fethered fowle in th’earth a den to chuse,

Or flounder say to flye [and soare aloft] the larke to catch,

Would not you maruell then, what monsters now doth nature

hatch?[429]

18.

But sith wee see that nature hath assign’d

The fowle to fly the ayre, as seemeth well,

The fish to swim the sea, as fits his kinde,

The earth for men and beastes to breede and dwell:

Of right a man, which doth the rest excell,

Should euen so far surpasse the rest in ech degree,[430]

As all the rest to him in wit and reason weaker bee.[431]

19.

All this I speake to warne the rest that heare,

And eke to shew the blindnesse of delites.

Herein my foly vayne may playne appeare,

What hap they heape which try out cunning slightes,

What hurt there hits, at such vayne shewes and sightes,

Where men for pleasure only take much [toyle and] payne,

To alter nature’s gifts for [pompe, and pride, and] pleasure

vayne.

20.

Were not it straunge, thinke you, a King to fly,

To play the tombler, or some iugling cast?

To dresse him selfe in plumes, as erst did I,

And vnder armes to knit on winges full fast?

A sport you thinke that might the wise agaste.

But _Magicke Mathematicall_[432] had taught mee poynts

of scill,

Whereby when first I practis’d then, I lern’d my selfe

to kill.[433]

21.

I deckte my corps with plumes (I say) and winges,

And had them set, thou seest, in scilfull wise,

With many feats, fine poyseing equall thinges,

To ayde my selfe in flight to fall or rise,

An arte men seldome vse mine enterprise:[434]

[Somwhat] gaynst store of winde, by practise rise I could,

And try’d which way to turne, and mount, and lyght I should.[435]

22.