a burthen of mishappes All his delightes repentaunce doth dayly dothe pursue Nothing but death doth bryng hym peace and quiet rest Yet that which bringes hym blesse he most of all doth hate Which made Democritus with myrth to spende his dayes He laughing aye did mocke the madnesse of mankynde Whose loue is long to liue and feareth much to dye Death reaues vs from desease Death endes the feare of death When Midas did demaunde Silenus what was best For mortall man to wishe the Satyre thus did say Not to be borne if borne not long our liues to leade For life I most do lothe and death I least doo dread And how did Timon leade with sauage beastes his lyfe How did that Hermite poore his lothsome life detest Affirming with the wise Aurelius Emperour Thaâ— if a man shoulde make a true discourse of all The wretched woes he felt from birth to dying day The feeble fleshe would faynt to feele so sharpe a â—ight The hart would quake to heare Dame Fortunes sharpe assaults And I Cadwallader a king can make reporâ— That nothing may content the mind of mortall man The more my selfe did eate the hungryer ay I was The more I dranke the more thirst did me stil distresse The more I sâ—ept the more I sluggishe did remayne The more I rested me the more I wearyed was The more of wealth I had the more I dyd desire The more I still did seeke the lesse I aye did finde And to conclude I founde I neuer coulde obtayne The thing but in the ende it causde me to complayne My present good successe did threaten thrall to come And changing chaunce did still with sorowe me consume For which my royall robes my crowne I layd aside Meaning to proue by proofe the paynes of pouertye Which pouertie I felt all ryches to exceede It beareth much more blesse then hygh and courtly state Codrus and Irus poore for wealth did farre surpasse Midas and Craesus king for wealth who did surpasse And I amongst my mates the Romishe Fryers felt More ioye and lesse anoye then erst in Britaine braue For there I doubted still the Saxons subtile sleyghtes I feared there the fall from royall regall seat But here at Rome I liude not fearing force of foe I had for myne estate what I coulde wish or craue And this I there did finde they of the Cleargye be Of all the men that liue the leste in misery For all men liue in care they carelesse do remayne Lâ—ke buzzing Drones they eate the hony of the Bee They â—nely doo excel for fine felicitie The kiâ—â— must wage his warres he hath no quiet day The noble man must rule with care the common weale The Countreyman must toyle to tyll the barren soyle With care the Marchant man the surging seas must sayle With trickling droppes of sweat the haÌ„dcrafâ—es man doth thriue With hand as harde as bourde the woorkeman eates his bread The souldiour in the fielde with paine doth get his pay The seruing man must serue and crouch with cap and knee The Lawier he must pleade and trudge from bentch to barre Who Phisicke doth professe he is not voyde of care But Churchmen they be blest they turne a leafe or two They sometime sing a Psalme and for the people pray For which they honour haue and sit in highest place What can they wishe or seeke that is not hard at hande They labour not at al they knowe no kinde of payne No daunger dooth with dreade their happy liues distresse Ceasse you therefore to muse what madnesse made me leaue The Courte and courtly pompe of wearing royal crowne No madnesse did that deede but wisedome wisht it so I gaynd thereby the blesse which fewe before me felt I niene yeares led my life and neuer felt annoy And certaynely if nowe I might be king agayne Refusing all that pompe I woulde become a priest A Deacon or a Deaâ—e Prebende or Minister For these men leade their liues with liuings two or three Some haue their substitutes in Uniuersities Some leade the brauest liues that any man may haue They feede vppon the fleece they force not of the flocke Three houres in the yere with beastly bosomde stuffe They spend and that is all that lawe of them requires Muse not though many thrust and shoulder for degrees For happy man is he who hath a Preachers fees But let me nowe returne vnto my Romishe route Who fed like Bacon fat did nought but play and pray With whom for niene yeares space when I my life had led I songe my Requiem and payde the earth her fee. Then in Saint Peters Church at Rome they did me lay Booted and spurd euen as you see me here this day So now you haue the whole of all my Tragedye Of Brutus bloode the last I â—ude that rulde as king My Britaines driuen to Wales they Welchmen then were calde And I at Rome their king a mumbling Monke instald The Saxons had the day for which they longed long They England calde the Ile of Brute which tooke her name Some men be borne to blisse and some to hatefull happe Who would haue thought that I in warre a raging kyng Should by the force of Fate at Rome haue dide a Monke Let al the worlde then know that nothing is so sure That can affoorde and say I thus wyl aye indure For that which seemeth best is soonest brought to naught Which playnely doth appeare by that which I haue taught The worthiest in the worlde princes philosophers Will teach that I haue taught and proue it passing playne Paulus Aemiâ—ius did dye but wretchedly And was not Scipio euen to his dying day Constraynde to helpe his neeede the painfull plowe to plye Caesar and Silla both did not they tast the whyppe And made not Hannibal a miserable ende And how was Socrates before his tyme destroyed And Anaxagoras inprisoned long with paine For cruel beastly coyne diuine Plato was soulde And Aristotle sent to exile where he dyde And so was Solon sage and that Licurgus wise And many more which here I could at large repeat But let these fewe suffice to teach for certaine truth That al the men that liue are subiectes al to ruth And seeing so it is then let them learne the meane That if the barke do breake they safe may swimme to lande The Induction The greate desire quoth Inquisition whiche we haue had to heare this man hath made vs to ouerpasse king Arthur and Cariticus the one no lesse famous for his noble actes then the other for his vices and wretchednes infamous Yea said Memory so haue we forgot two or three other whose examples would haue been goodly lanternes to lighten wandryng pylgrimes But it is not much amisse for of Arthur there be whole volumes and of the rest ther be the like ensamples both in Bochas and Baldwin let vs therefore passe them ouer and speake somwhat of some of the Saxons for seeing they were made of fleshe and
strife in hande And though he were by forrain foes debarde And could not come him selfe yet he a bande Of thirtie thousand sent for to withstand My strength which strength in the fyrst foughten feelde They found so strong that forst they al did yeelde From Galba then my selfe his shield did get In golden feelde which had the horse of fame Euen Pegasus in seemely siluer set The curious skill of Heraultes there did frame Thasheument true of auncient Troy by name Imbordred braue with golden letters thus Senatus Populusque Romanus Wherewith as one priâ—t foorth with good successe â–ª A great attempt I quickly did deuise I ment O Rome vpon thy walles to presse It easye seemde to me in my surmise To commpasse all that I did enterprise Me thought I could winne al the worlde in haste But fyrst I ment the Romane state to waste I did prepare in euery poynt my powre I sayld the Seas I spoyled them of France I made the Germans and the Lumbartes lowre Yea good successe did so my state aduance In Italy such was my luckye chaunce I did subdue my souldiers had the spoyle Of all the chiefest Cities in that soyle See here howe Roming Rumor ranne about See how report did tel a truthlesse tale For Hannibal the Carthage Duke so stout Renide it sayd woulde once agayn assayle The Roman state and cause it nowe to quake Which false Report did put them in such feare Cities would yeelde before my Campe came neare His former feates the fuming fancies fed That doutful now affrighted sore with feare They tel howe at Trisemenus they sped In Cannas feeldes how they despoyled were They hate to tel they lothe that hap to heare A bushel there he fyld most true it is With golden Ringes Equestri ordinis And whilst their mindes on these mishaps do muse They wishe that nowe good Graccus were not dead For Fabius he who wysely would refuse Forthwith to fight they wish for such a head Camillus nowe would stand them in great stead And some with sighes did wishe for Scipio Them to defend from me there deadly foe But as the Lion passente once with feare Gardante a mouing mollhil did beholde From whence he thought some wonder would appeare A little Moule crepte from the mouing mould Which made the quaking Lion then so bolde Feare set a side that he for his delyght Playd with the Moule and kilde the strengthlesse wight So nowe the campe of Claudius did drawe neare Where he hym self was Lord cheefe general Which greatly did delyght my hart to heare And caused me my Captayne 's then to call To whome I sayde We two must striue for al The world so wide which if I chance to winne Then you your selues haue ample part therein Euen whilst I marcht my men in good aray A corsser post came praunsing in the fielde Who comming to my Cabbin thus dyd say Guidericus thy friendes at home be kilde Thy natiue soyle to forrayne force did yielde The Romans they haue spoylde thee of eche thing Thy brother there Aruiragus is kyng Which newes although they dyd amaze me much Yet I whose hart did neuer faynt for feare Although sayd I their good successe be such Yet if we can subdue the Romans here They shal I thinke buy Britayne very deare Which out of doubt yf you as you haue donne Will fight like men the fielde wil soone be wonne But they who hilde their wiues and children deare Could not digest the losse of that their lande For which they fledde left me their Chieftayne there When Claudius host to fight was euen at hande Whose mightie force I could not then withstande Yea all my pagâ— my footmen fled for feare And left me post alone with heauy cheare That cruell Queene of hel Proserpina From foorth whose loynes this Fury feare first fled Megeras sighes no no nor Medusa Who hath ten thousand Snakes about her head The fiery flames of hell doth not so dreade The minde as feare which makes mans hart we see To shake and quake like leafe of Aspen tree My Martial knyghtes who once so valiant were That they the worlde euen al the world would spoyle This fury fyerce this feeble fayntyng feare Did causlesse cause them thus here to recoyle Her only force inforst me to this soyle Not Caesars force no strength of Roman power But feare euen feare dyd make me here to lower Which feare for trueth dyd neuer me dismaye But too to soone my hartlesse men it made To shrinke to flinche to flee eche man his way And me a pray most fit for Claudius blade They left alone alas what may be sayde What may be done what fittes for mine auayle I wyl not flee to fight cannot preuayle What must I then go crouche vnto my foe Fy on that fate that I should sue for grace To hym who is the worker of my woe Whose hart from foorth his brest for to displace I gladly woulde ten thousand deathes imbrace My lyfe in faith doth lothe to liue with shame By death therfore my lyfe shall purchase fame For as I once did winne with courage stout In Galbas shielde the praunsing Pegasus So with renowne I nowe will go about To see if Claudius dare the cause discusse With me alone if couragious Dare do that deed that we in open feeld Mâ—y try the case then he or I must yeelde And therewithal in armour bright I clad Myne arming swoorde my Targate I did take And on my Helme or Burgonet I had My royal crowne and so I dyd forsake The place whereas my souldiers fled of late I marcht and met the scoute of Claudius To whom I dyd addresse my language thus The Britayne Kyng is come alone you see Conduct him then your Emprour to salute You for your paynes shal gayne a golden fee For why my grace to Claudius hath a sute The scurers they al silent mumme and mute Yet wel appayde of such a princely pray In hast they dyd to Caesar me conuay With ten times twentie thousand men I met Him marching there to meete with me but one To whom I sayde thy powre is passing great My force is fled what must I then bemone My selfe to thee not so but I alone Am come to know with Magnanimitie If thou dost dare to wrecke thy wrath on me The crowne for which so many men be slayne Thy Galbas shield with many iewels more Which vnto me do only appertayne For in the fielde I wonne them al of yore And vnto thee I wyl them not restore If thou as I canst winne them with renowne Then al is thine both realme and royal crowne Why doost thou muse as though thou wert dismayde Doeth doubtful dreade nowe daunt thy Roman mynde Faynt not for feare thou needst not be afrayde A Britayne borne thy selfe ryght well shalt fynde I am a man and not a God by kinde Wherewith to grounde a golden gauntlet I Dyd cast and he at last dyd thus reply Thou
twyst in twayne I graunt my sonne the Monarchie is myne For at his death thy father gaue it me For terme of life but let it nowe be thine I aged must goe pay the earth her fee I am content to liue with lesse degree O louing sonne geue eare vnto my hest I wyl not rule that charge for thee is best And when he myght not rule his mothers minde Agaynst his wyll he wylling did assent That al should be as I had then assignde To rule the worlde he greued was content And whilste that there my happie dayes I spent Reioycing much to see my sonnes successe I dyde and had a heauenly happinesse Thrice happye I who ranne this Royal race And in the ende my wished Goale did get For by my meanes al people did imbrace The fayth of Christ the orders I did set They were obayd with ioy which made me iet Euen in this blesse a better blesse befel I dyde and nowe my soule in heauen doth dwel So now you see the happye hap I had Learne then thereby to do as I haue done To prayse gods name let euery Prince be glad To persecute the truth let al men shunne By vertuous wayes great honor maye be wonne But he who doth to vices vile incline May be comparde vnto a filthie swine Who doth not loue the playne nor pleasant way He can not feare to sleepe amidst the greene But in the mire he doth delyght to lay So Princes such as vile and vicious beene Do tumble aye amidst a sinke of sinne Whose names on earth whose soules in hel remayne In infamye the other pincht with payne Let them that seeke for euerlasting fame Tread in the steppes that I before haue trod And he who would avoyd reprochful shame And flee the smart of Plutoes ruthful rod Let him not cease to learne the law of God Which onely lawe mans stumbling steppes doth 〈◊〉 Who walkes therein his feete can neuer slide The Induction BEholde quoth Memorye the effect of vertue and godlynesse If the contentatioÌ„ of the mind be perfecte happinesse as some Philosophers haue defynde it then no doubt this Queene was most happy and happp is hee who can imitate her in her happynesse But not long time after her there lyued a King named Vortiger who for his vice was as diuerslye afflicted as this Woman for her vertue was blessed I doo remember the wickednesse of this man was exceeding great Haue you founde hym out Inqusition is not this he good Memory quoth Inqusition I founde hym both sitting and sighing amongst the miserable and it would appeare that hee is ashamed to make rehearsall of thinges past It is euen he quoth Memorie you may know him by his fyry lookes for though it be long since hee liued yet he beareth about with hym the badge of his destruction Note you his story with dilygeÌ„ce good Inquisition for this is hee who subuerted the common weale of Brirtayne And you Sir Prince I doo coniure you by the duty you owe vnto mee who doo know all thinges that you doo heere repeate vnto vs the whole Story of your estate Wherewith he with smoking sighes greatly against his wyl saide as followeth ⧠The Complaynt of Vortiger ¶ How Vortiger destroyed the young kyng Constantine and howe he obteyned the Crowne howe the abusyng of his prosperitie brought hys Realme so lowe that he was constrayned to hyre souldyers to defend hym selfe from hys enimyes and howe after many miseries he was miserably burnt in his Castle by the brethren of Constantine BY quiet peace of Ianus ioylitie Their happy hauens with forewinds forst some haue By wrackful warres of Mars his crueltie With much adoo some get the Goale they craue By subtyl sleightes and fetches boulstred braue My haplesse hand dyd hyt with leueled lyne The aymed marke the more mishap was myne By gyftes of grace some men haue happy hap By blessed byrth to Kyngdomes borne some be Succession sets some men in Fortunes lap By wisedome wyt and prudent policie Some clyme aloft by trustlesse treacherie And courage dooth a multitude aduaunce Driftes finely filde they dyd my state inhaunce I Vortiger by byrth was borne a Lorde Kyng Constantine his Coosin did me call I cride amayne and clapt his crowne a borde And for a tyme til Fortune forst my fall With restlesse blesse I sate in stately stall But men of warre of much more might then I For my desert my carefull corpes did fry As furious force of fiery flashing flame With Cinders brought my body to decay So smulderyng smokes of euerlasting shame Reude my renowne and wipte my fame away What may I more of my misfortune say I sigh to see I silent ceasse to tell What me destroide and drownd my soule in hel Here to repeate the partes that I haue playd Were to vnâ—ippe a trusse of trumpery For me to shew how I aloft was stayde Were to erect a schoole of Trechery Silence is best let no man learne by me Nor by my meanes how they by wicked waies From low estate aloft them selues may rayse As good men can by wicked workes beware So wicked men by wicked workes be wise If ill men reade my deedes which wicked were They by my meanes will compasse their surmise For wicked workers dayly do deuise To make examples vile and vicious To stand in stead to serue their lawlesse lust The Serpent thence his venym vile dooth drawe From whence the Bee her honny sweete dooth get Leawd liuers learne to breake the written lawe By that whereby good men doo learne much wit. For wicked men eche fetche is thought most fyt To serue their turne therefore I compt it best To leaue my faultes and follyes vnconfest Geue leaue therefore good Memory I may Not here repeate my tedious Tragedy Inquiry let me nowe departe away My common weale subuerted was by me I leawdly liude and dyde in misery And for my faultes I felt disdayneful smarte Let this suffice and let me nowe departe With that he seemde as on that would away But Memory stay stay thy steppes quoth she Let wicked men procure their owne decay We recke it not if warned once they be Let that suffice and let thy misery Make iust report how vayne and vile a thing It is to liue as a vsurping King. Sith needes I must repented faultes forerunne Repeat and tel the fal and foyle I felt Patience perforce to speake shame bids me shunne To thinke thereof dooth make my harte to melte But sith I needes must shewe howe here I delt I am contente to tell the truth of al Let wise men learne to stande which reade my fal For first I causde the young king Constantine Of faythlesse Scots and Pictes to make his garde They by my meanes did kil their kyng in fine For which with speede I sent them al to warde And hangde them al their cause was neuer harde So I who fyrst did cause them kil their king To stop their mouthes them al to
God hath geuen to thee Be such as I can not thee greatly blame Though thou without desert disdaynest me Who for thy sake doth lothe al crueltie But for thy â—oue with Mars his cruel knife I could commaund thy Realme and reaue thy life But out alas whilst breath doth lend me life My hart shal hate to thrall thy happy state What though thou dost refuse to be my wyfe Thy hatred tho shal neuer cause me hate But whylâ—te I liue I wyl thee loue let Fate And Fortune fell poure on me al their spight To die for thee shal greatly me delight Then I replide O Duke without desert Thou doste me loue a little Ilandes Queene I know thou to the Emperour heyre art Thy valiaunt actes I diuers wayes haue seene I like thy deedes most noble which haue bene And thee I loue yet priuate pleasures luste May neuer make me throwe my Realme to duste If thou quothe he wylte dayne my Queene to be Thy Bryttaynes shal to Rome no tribute yeilde You if you please to Rome may go with me Your myghtie mate the world so wide may wielde Or if you please I here wyth you wyl bylde My byding place and in this littell lande I wyl remayne yours at your commaund His comely corps his friendly promise plight His famous actes his Noble royall race Some other thinges which here I could recite The Romans hart within my brest dyd place And when my wit had wayed well the case Then for the chiefe of all my Realme I sent And thus I spake to know the whole intent My louing Lordes and you my subiects see This Roman heyre whom I indeede do loue He will restore your ancient lybertie If I wyll bende my hest to his behoue Which benifites they chiefely do mee moue To loue at last a man by whom you may Receaue a Shielde to keepe you from decay Perhaps you think I loue because I see His comely corps and seemely sanguine face You be deceaude no outward brauery No personage no gallant courtly grace What though hee bee by birth of Royall race I recke it not but this I do regarde My common weale by him may bee preserude For if hee wyll from tribute set you free And ende the worke which I haue well begonne That Christes Gospell preached styll may bee God may by hym sende vnto me a sonne To you a King what wealth then haue you wonne What great renowme what honour wyll insue Speake you your mindes these thinges me think be true O Queene quoth they the Lorde preserue thy grace Do thou the thinge that semes to thee the best We do alowe the matche in euery case If by that meanes we may haue quiet rest With what great good shal this our Realme be blest Do thou therefore O noble Queeene we pray The thing which best may keepe vs from decay The Roman Duke he nothing would denye But graunted more then I could aske or craue So that there was proclaymed by and by A famous feast a banquet passing braue There to the Duke the Britayne Crowne I gaue With sacred spousall ryghtes as man and wyfe We wedded liude in loue for terme of lyfe And whylste we ment to rule this little I le A greater good vnlooked for befel Death did destroy his Syre with hateful hande For which we both at Rome must nowe go dwel And so we did thinges prospered passyng wel My Feere was made the Emperour Lorde and King Of al and I the Queene of euery thing His myghtie Mace did rule the Monarchie My wyt did rule some wryters say his Mace And to increase with ioye our merye glye I brought him forth a babe of Royal race The boy he had an amiable face O Rome thou maiste reioyce for this was he Which did at Rome erect Diuinitie Whilste thus in blesse I did at Rome remayne On Britaine stil my mind her care did cast For which I causde my husband to ordayne That euermore those ancient Lawes should last Whiâ—h heretofore amongst them there I past And that to Rome no Brittayne borne for aye Should taxe or toll or tenth or tribute pay Though there at Rome an Empresse life I led And had at hand what I could wishe or craue Yet stil me thought I was not wel bestead Because I was so farre from Brittayne braue Which when my louing Lorde did once perceiue He set a stay in al the Emperye To Brittayne then he did returne with me We raygnde of yeares thrice seuen with good successe Then Dolor and Debilitie did driue My louing Lord with faynting feeblenesse For vitall life with braying breath to striue He felt howe death of life would him depriue He calde his Lordes his childe and me his wife And thus he spake euen as he left his life The haughtye Pynes of loftye Libanus From earth to earth in tracte of time returne So I whose spreading prayse were marueilous Must now returne my fleshe to filthy slime On Fortunes wheele I may no longer clime Therefore my Lordes although my glasse be runne Yet take remorse on Constantine my sonne My Monarche Court my Kingdomes all O stately Rome farewell to them and thee Farewell my Lordes which see my finall fall Farewell my Childe my Wyfe more deare to mee Then all the world we must depart I see And must we needes depart O Fortune fye We must depart adue farewell I dye Wherewith he sighte and senslesse dyd remayne Then I his death as women doo dyd wayle But when I viewd that weeping was but vayne â–ª I was content to beare that bitter bale As one who founde no meanes for her auayle His corps at Yorke in Princely Tombe I layde When Funerall sacred solemne rights were payde And when report his death about had blowne Maxentius then the triple Crowne to weare Dyd challenge all the Empire as his owne And for a time that mighty Mace dyd beare Which when my Sonne my Constantine dyd heare The youthfull Lad indeuourd by and by To Claime his right by Mars his crueltie I then his tender youthfull yeares to guyde Went with my sonne to see his good successe He being Campt by fruitfull Tybers side To spoyle his foe he dyd hymselfe addresse Hee knew that God dyd geue all happinesse Therefore to God euen then the Youth dyd pray With mightie hande to keepe hym from decay Beholde how God doth godly men defend And marke how he doth beate Usurpers downe Maxentius nowe he al his force dothe bende For to defend his Diade me and Crowne But frowarde Fate vpon the Prince did frowne For why his men were scattered euery where In Tyber he did drowne him selfe for feare To Rome then we and all our host did hie The Romans they with ioy did vs receiue To Constantine they gaue the Emperie But he of them most earnestly did craue That I the rule of al the worlde myght haue It is quoth he my mothers ryght to rayne Til dreadful death hath shred her
place here O Memorie quoth Inquisition they of the reformed Church be the most zelous Pastoures of the world moste of theÌ„ both godly good liuers and wise and in my fancye in many poyntes greatly deseruing the name of reformed But this man was both a Prince and a Prelate whome I refused oftentimes to heare because he looked so deuoutly yet he beeing importunate did ouercome me with his prayers and when I gaue eare vnto him I reioyced And not without a cause good Memorye for it is euen he whom you sent me to seeke Let me see quoth Memorie is it Cadwallader In good time it is euen he in deede O se what the alteration of apparel doth in good fayth I had almost forgotten the man he was the last King of the Brittaynes and when thinges would not fal out after his desire he went to Rome and there he became a Frier But we wyl not accuse him of anye thing let him do the thing that he commeth for you may perswade your selfe that seing he is of the Church his conscience wyl constrayne him in euery thing to tel the truth Then he stepped forthe booted and spurde al in blacke with a long priestes Gowne a square cappe a Scala Caeli in his hande and a longe payre of Beades by his side then he sighing proceeded vnto his purpose and said as followeth ⧠The Complaynt of Cadwallader How Cadwallader the last King of the Brittaynes â–ª after he had behaued him selfe very valiantly against the Saxons resigned his Crowne and went to Rome where he liued in a religious house This storye contayneth in it the estate of al estates You mourning Muses al where euer you remayne Assist my sobbing soule this drierye tale to tell You furious Furies fearce of Lymbo Lake belowâ— Helpe to vnlade my brest of al the bale it beares And you who felte the falle from honors high renowne FroÌ„ graues you grizie ghosts seÌ„d forth to help me mourn O Pallas geue thou place that mourning Clio may On Lute lamenting sound and sing my doleful dumpes Let riming metered lines and and pleasant Musike cease Let Satyres sollome sound sende forth the fall I felt And when the truth of al my Tragedie is knowne Let them that liue then learne al things must haue an end The Persian Monarch and Medes it downe did fal That of Assiria in tracte of time did end Yea Alexanders force in fight subdude them both And brought the worlde so wide into one Monarchie What though the fretting force of Fate did him dismâ—y He felt at laste the foyle his vaunting was in vayne He dead the worlde it was deuided as before The Roman Emperie came tumbling downe at last And where is Troy and Greece and mightie Macedon They flourishte for a tyme like this my little I le The Soldian brought them downe and did theyr states destroy Euen so the Saxons brought the Britayns to the bay Euen these mine eyes did see that hateful â–ª hidious sight These feeble handes when long they labourde had in vaine Dyd yeeld their interest then thus I did complayne Who can refrayne the force of mightye mounting Seas When bellowes make a breache and beate the banckes adown Doth not the saltish surge then beate the bankes adown Then man may not withstand the the rigor of their rage But wisedome would haue kept the waues within their boundes Counsayle doth come to late when hope of helpe is past Such was my filthye fate my lewde and lothsome lucke I sought a salue to cure and helpe the helpelesse wound For long before my tyme seuen Kings were setled here The Saxons such as dwelt by East Sibertus rulde The Angles in the East Redwallus â—ulde as king Then Ethelbert was king of all the coast of Kent In Southsex Ethelwolfus wore the regall crowne Then Quincillinus was a Saxon king by west Of Martia in the midst king Penda was the Prince And Edwin in Northumberland did rule and raygne How dyd my Grandsire grand renowmed Arthur he These seuen destroye wyth deadly field of wrackfull warre â–ª But Mordred made the meane that brought them in agayne Vorâ—iporus wyth warre almost consumde them all Then Malgo he with peace restorde agayne their state Cariticus the synne of Ciuil stryfe did loue For which Gurmundus did the Britaynes much annoy Then Cadwin out of Wales kyng Etheldred did spoyle Cadwalline then did force king Penda to a foyle And I Cadwallader at last did presse in place Then Lothar king of Kent in warre that wretch I slue And Ethiwolne â—he king of Southsaxons I spoylde The other fiue did me inuade with cruel fight With whom in diuers warres I diuersly did speed Somtime Bellona blewe a blessed blaste for me And changed chaunce somtime did farce my men to flee Whilst thus I wagde my warres in secrete silent night The very voyce of God it thus to me did speake Thou striust ageinst the streame the tide doth beate thee backe Strike thou thy Sailes take Ancor hold els must thou feele a wracke â–ª Which saying did in deede amaze me more by muche Then al the force that man against my wil might bende For who the wyll of God with weapons may resist And when as sinne hath solde a countrye to decay Then prayer must preuayle for weapons will not helpe And when the end is come when all the glasse is runne Who can resist the force of Fate and destinies Who things forerunne to fal from falling can refraine It passeth mortall might to bring such thinges about Let man content himselfe to do what best he may By trying too to much no man his God may tempte But mortall man must thinke that God the best doth knowe Who can depresse to dust and cayse when best him please And as I thus amidst my musinges did remayne I did resigne my crowne and deemde al honoures vayne And though it greeude me muche to feele the fall I felte Yet was I well content I could not as I would For which I left my lande my people and my place The Saxons they obtaynde the wage for which they warrde When I three yeares had raygnd without one day of rest Euen then in mourning robes at Rome I did ariue And there contemning all the worlde and worldly thinges I made my selfe a Monke ceasse Memory to muse A Monke I made my selfe thou knowst it passing playne Amongste the Friers there I led my lyngring life And tyll my dying day I daily did deuise How by my meanes it might to all the worlde be knowne That mortall flesh is frayle and euery thing must fade And euen amongst those thinges which Nature doth create Nothing so vile as man amongst the rest is founde Which made Heraclitus with ceasslesse sighes to wayle He to hys dying day did nothing els but weepe Affirming all the worlde vnder the heauen to be A path of penitence a maze of misery What is the life of man but care and daily toyle Bearyng alwayes about
this blade and thrust it to my harte O Sir I sayd the Goddes defend that I Should causelesse kil a man in myserye Tel me thy name and place then by and by I wyl prouide for thyne aduersitie Then he replide my name is Sigeberte I am the man which wrought thy masters smart I rulde of late this Realme euen at my liste Take thou reuenge with that thy friendly fiste And wel content I wyl reuenge with speede The death of him whome causelesse thou didst kill King Sigebert and art thou he in deede Sith he thou art dispaâ—th and make thy wyl For to my Lorde this day I wyl present Thy head therefore thy former faultes repent Thou seest the blocke on which thy lyfe must ende Cal thou for grace that God may mercie sende Wherewith the kneelyng by he block of bale Dispatch quoth he and do that friendly deede O welcome death and farewel Fortune fraile Dispatch good friende dispatch my lyfe with speede Wherewith on blocke he stretcht his necke out right And sayd no more but praying me to smite I gaue the stroke which ended al his care A blouddie stroke which did my death prepare For I who hopte to haue some great rewarde For killing of my maisters fathers foe Was hanged strayght my cause was neuer hearde Such was my chance and wel deserued woe For when my Lord had heard me tel the tale Howe I his king and myne did there assayle His frowning face did put me in great feare He sighte and sobde and sayd as you shal heare O Caitife vile O impe of Satans seede And hast thou kylde our Soueraigne Lorde and kyng His due deserte deserueth death in deede Yet what made thee to doo so vile a thinge What though he dyd my Father causelesse kyll What though he rulde the Realme with lawlesse wyll Shall we therefore with cruel bloudy knyfe Depriue our Lorde and king of vitall lyfe O filth fye may subiectes false surmise With murthering mindes their Gouernour resiste That may not be for Tully wonderous wyse Plato in whom true knowledge dooth consiste They both agreed that nâ— man ought to kyll A Tyrant though he hath hym at his wyll Yet thou thou wretche this bloudy deede hast donne The like was neuer seene vnder the Sunne When God wyl plague the people for their sinne Them then to scourge he doth a Tyrant sende We should therefore that subiectes be begin With earnest minde our former faultes tamende Which if we do it is to great auaile Mans force is fonde fighting cannot preuayle And he who doth resist the Magistrate Resisteth god repenting al to late If subiects be by peruerse Prince opprest They then must pray that God the change maye make Which God no doubt Rebellion doth detest No subiect may his sworde nor armoure take Against his Prince whom god hath placed there Yet hath this wretch al voyde of Subiectes feare Destroyde a King whome God did thrust from throne Alas poore king thy death I do bemone But he who hath thy lyngring lyfe destroyde Shal be destroyd and finde it passing playne That no man may a Princes lyfe anoye Although the Prince desiers to be slayne Yet subiectes must from sheading bloud refrayne From which seeing this wretch could not abstayne Let him be hangde as I before decreed A iust rewarde for his so vile a deed Then I forthwith to end my lyfe was led I hopte to haue preferment for my deede I was preferde and hangde al saue the head Did euer man the lyke example read Not one I thinke therefore good Memorie In register inrolle thou this for mee That they who liue and read the fall I felt May â—inde how Fate most strangely with me delte Yet my desert no doubt dyd death deserue Though hatred dyd not make mee kyll my kyng Yet lucre lewde dyd force my feete to swarue That hatefull hap mee to this bale dyd bring Let them then learne that heedlesse liue by hope Her hatefull hestes wyll bring them to the rope And happy he who voyde of hope can leade A quiet lyfe all voyde of Fortunes dread Perillus he who made the Bull of Brasse Lyke him I hopte to haue some great rewarde But he in brasen belly broyled was And to a Skarfe of Hempe I was preferde So they that meane by others harmes to rise Their dying day shall ende with dolefull cries â–ª And here I ende approuing that most true From wicked workes no goodnesse can insue ⧠The Induction THis Heardman quoth Inquisition dooth make me cal to minde Pans Preachers I meane Maroes shepherds Siluanus CaÌ„didus and such lyke who with their Oten Pipes dyd often times disâ—lose very intricate mysteries reasoning pro et con of many high poynts belonging vnto the common weale And I know not with what knowledge they dyd decide doubtfull matters accordyng vnto the opinyon of the best Philosophers Surely Memorie I maruel much at the men of the olde worlde for I read of many who hauing many passing great giftes of learning and knowledge were content with the base estate of Heardmen In these our dayes none bee Heardmen but fooles and euery man though his witte be but meane yet he cannot liue with a contented mind except he hath the degree of a Lorde â–ª It is moste true sayde Memorye for heretofore men did not raunge vntyed in such a worlde of libertye as they doo nowe then the wisest was best content with the lowest estate yea Reason so bridled the affections of men that Apollo whome Poetes do faygne to be the verye God of wisedom what was he but a shepehearde and that verye poore as it woulde seeme for he kepte Admetus hearde in Thessalie And Argus who for the sharpnesse of his wit was reported to haue an hundred eies he also was content to be a Cowheard And were not Bacchus Saturne and mighty Iupiter delighted in husbandrie But he who is most wyse in these our dayes doth approue him selfe most folish by thrusting himselfe vnto his owne destruction which this Heardman hath declared sufficiently â—n this storie of Sigebert But let vs nowe proceede and let vs by examples teach what fruit vertue and vice coÌ„tentation and ambition doth yeeld Then let them of this world choose whether lyke the wise Mariners they wil auoyd those daÌ„gerous rocks or willingly cast theÌ„selues away Proceede therfore good Inquisition let vs see whom you haue here Shee will declare her selfe quoth Inquisition what she is but for the better vnderstanding of her talke you must think that you see .51 NuÌ„nes al Ladies by birth hauing all their noses vpper lippes flead of al flaming in a fire being shut into a church then do you imagine that you see this Lady the mistris and gouerner of the rest standing dismembred burning amongst the rest to say as foloweth The Lyfe of Ladye Ebbe Howe Lady Ebbe dyd flea her nose and vpper lippe away to saue her Virginitie DO nothing muse at my deformed face
For Nature it in perfect moulde dyd make And when your wits haue wayed well the case You wyll commende me much for Uertues sake With these my handes which from my face dyd take Mine ouer lippe and eke my seemely Nose So to auoyde the rage of all my foes For I by byrth a Princes daughter borne An Abbiesse by my profession Of which estate I neuer thought it scorne It greatly did delight me to be one Which might erect diuine Religion At Collingam I tooke this charge in hand And fiftie more of chaste Dianaes bande Al Ladies borne by birth of high degree Which there did vowe with me their liues to leade And to auoyd carnal fragilitie We al did vowe as you ryght wel may reade With single liues to liue in feare and dreade Of God our Lorde so to refrayne the vice Of fleshly luste which doth to sinne intice Then did the Danes the Saxon state inuade And they who did the Brittayne state destroy To sue for grace were glad and wel apayd So strangely did the Danes vs then annoye That Saxons like the men of broyling Troy. Amazde they gazde not knowing what was best So strayghtly were the Saxons then distrest These dreadful Danes they had no feare of God But sauage they did make their lust a lawe Whome god did send for a reuenging rod To make vs Saxons liue in feare and awe Of him who did from seruile bondage drawe Us out and made vs liue at libertie When as we serude with cruel slauerie Not much vnlike the murmuryng Israelites Sometyme we serude our Lorde with feare and dread In trouble we imployde our whole delightes To fast and pray but when we quiet were We restlesse led our liues all voyde of care Forgetting him who did in ech distresse With helping hande vs blesse with good successe See here the fruit of health and good successe It maketh man both proude and insolent In health we hate the god who hath vs blest Trouble doth make vs mortall men repent Our former faultes in sickenesse we be bent To fast and pray and in aduersitye To pray to god is mans felicitye And for this fault abusing this our blesse The Danes with ruth our realme did ouerrunne Their wrath inwrapte vs all in wretchednesse There was no sinne from which those men did shunne By them the common weale was quite vndonne They did destroy the state of euery Towne They churches burnt they pluckt the Abbies downe Yet not content vs Nunnes they did annoy O cruel deede our beltes they did vnbynde With rapine they dyd rauishe and destroy Deflowring al that euer they could finde I seeing then what sorrow was assignde To me and mine my vowed virgines I Did call then thus I spake with weeping eye Alas alas my louing ladies all These harde mishappes doo presse vs too to neare What shall we do how may we scape the thrall Which hath destroyde the Nunneries euery where Alas my feeble fleshe doth quake for feare Alas howe shall we scape their cruelties Which thus be plast amidst extremities For if we do their hatefull heastes deny Then dreadfull death shall presently insue And if we graunt vnto their villany Our sinfull soules in hell that deed shall rue Beleeue me then my Ladies this is true Much better t wer for vs to dye with fame Then long to liue with euerlasting shame And for because the faces forme doth moue With beauties beames and comly countenaunce The minde of man to lust and lawlesse loue I haue deuizde my honour to aduaunce With face deformde to trye my hard mischaunce For these my handes from this my face shall rippe Euen with this knife my Nose and ouerlippe They which will flye reprochfull infamye To do the like will them beseeme the best You shal preserue your vowde virginitie Therby and liue perhappes with quiet rest My daughters deare geue eare vnto my hest Wherwith with Rasors sharpe I first then they Eche one her Nose and lippe did flea away Whilste thus we liud deformde to outwarde showe Yet vessels garnisht gaye before gods sight The Danes did vs inuade who strayght did knowe Our feate them to defeate of their delight For which they wrackt on vs their wicked spight With fiery flames they burnt our Nunnery And vs therein O wretched crueltie The eare of man the like hath neuer hearde No penne nor tounge the like hath euer tolde Had euer man a hart that was so harde That with his yron brest durst be so bolde To do the like agaynst the Femine kinde Not on in fayth that euer I coulde heare But these all voyde of mercye loue and feare Thus we content to leaue this present life In hope to haue hereafters better blesse Were brent and broyld and so did stint the strife Which might haue made vs liue in wretchednesse We gaynde therby a heauenly happinesse Which happinesse they doubtlesse shall obtayne Which do from sinne and wickednesse abstayne The Induction O Diana quoth Memory ▪ bryng foorthe your Damosels let vs se if any of your court haue donne the like deuoier to saue theyr virginities But seeing that writers haue made mention of none that might compare wyth her both for the goodnesse of the cause and the valiaunt goyng through with the quarrel mee thinke shee shoulde rather be esteemed a goddesse then thou and her trayne rather the Ladies of chastity then thine Geue thou place therfore and let this Lady haue thy seate But good Inquisition this woman liued in the golden worlde let vs enquire in this our yron age yf there be any which do come any thyng neare vnto her Alas not one quoth Inquisition for as shee in her time did dismēber her wel membred body to preserue the iewel which she esteemed of so greate a price so now a multitude may be founde who furnishe theyr vnperfite personages with all kinde of foolishe fylthy furnitures to bestowe that on euery he who wil haue it which she was so desyrous to keepe But let vs nowe heare this mans matter it is Alurede who if he had not beene geuen vnto one kinde of vice had passed Arthur for warres and Lucy for godlinesse What vice was that quoth Memory You neede not enquire quoth Inquisition for he is euen now repeating his history wherewith he sayd as foloweth The Complaynt of Alurede ¶ Howe Alurede was brought vnto disease and vnto vntimely death being inclined vnto the sinne of the fleshe By hys example we may learne that one vice is sufficient to deface a hundred vertues MY wrinckled cheeks bedeawde with drops of dole My visage pale my wan and withered face Do wel declare how I haue runne my race And sith I must my doinges here inrolle The liues of them which liue for to controlle I am content my cruel wretched case Shall teach the way how all men may imbrace The knowledge how they honour may obtayne And how they may from falling there remayne Though many clime by a meanes a hye