did with cordes me binde No teares nor subbes nor sighes might ought aswage The gelous queene or molifie hir mynde Occasions still hir franticke head did finde And when shee spake hir cyes did leame as fire Shee lookte as pale as chalke with wrathfull Ire Ne stoode she still but with hir handes on syde Walkte vp and down ofte hir palmes she stroke My husbande nowe ê™ she had not thus dyde If such an harlote whore he had not tooke And there withall shee gaue me such a looke As made me quake what lettes ê™ she my knife To ridde this whore my husbandes second wife His dead I liue and shall I saue hir life O queene ê™ I if pitie none remayne But I be slayne or brounde as Humber was Then take thy pleasure by my pinching paine And let me hence as thou appointistc passe But take some pity on my childe alasse Thou knowste the infante made no faulte but hee That 's dead and I therfore reuenge on mee No basterds here shall liue to dispossesse My sonne she said but sithe thou soughtiste fame I will prouide for hir a kingdome lesse Whiche shall hereafter euer haue hir name Thou knowste wherof the name of Humber came Euen so Sabrina shall this streame be calde Sithe Sabrine me as Humber Locrine thralde With that my childe was Sabrine brought in sight And when she see me take in bandes to lie Alasse she cryde what meanes this pitious plight And downe she fell before the queene with crye O queene ê™ she let me more rather dye Then she that 's giltlesse should for why thy king Did as his captiue hir to lewdnes bring Which when I same the kindnes of the childe It burst my harte much more then dome of deathe Poore little lam be with countinance how milde She pleaded still and I for wante of breathe With wofull teares that laye hir feete beneathe Could not put forth a worde our liues to saue Or if therfore I might a kingdome haue Hir pitious plaintes did somwhat death withdrawe For as she long behelde the queene with teares ê™ she let me bane rigoure boyde of lawe In whome the signe of all thy wrath appeares And let me die my fathers face that beares Sithe be is dead and we are boyde of staye Why should I thee for life or mercy praye My mother may to Germanye retourne Where she was borne and if it please thy grace And I may well lye in my fathers tombe If thou wilt graunt his childe so good a place But if thou thinke my bloude is farre to bace Although I came by both of princly line Then let me haue what shroude thou wilt asigne With that the queene replide with milder there And saide the childe was wonders wise and wittie But yet shee would not hir reuenge forbeare For why ê™ she the prouerbe sayes that pitie Hath leudly loste full many a noble citie Then Elstride now prepare thy selfe therfore To die take leaue but talke to me no more On this my leaue I tooke and thus I sayde Farewell my countrey Germanye farewell Ade we the place from whence I was conueyde Farewell my father and my frendes there dwell My Humber drounde as I shal be farewell Adew Locrinus dead for thee I die Would God my corps might by thy coffine lie Adew my pleasures paste farewell adew Adew the cares and sorowes I haue had Farewell my frendes that earst for me did sue Adew that were to saue my life full glad Farewell the fauning frendes I lately bad And thou my beauty cause of death farewell As ofte as harte can thinke or tonge can tell A dewe you heauens my mortall eyes shall see No more your lightes and Planetes all farewell And chiefly Venus faire that paintedste mee When Mercurie his tale to me did tell Eke afterwardes when Mars with vs did dwell And nowe at laste thou cruell Mars adewe Whose darte my life and loue Locrinus sleme And must I nedes departe from thee my childe If nedes I muste ten thousand times fare well Poore little 〈◊〉 thy frendes are quite 〈◊〉 And much I feare thou shalt not long do well But if they so with boyling rancoureswell As thee to slea which neuer wroughtiste ill How can they staye my haynid corps to hill With that my Sabrines slender armes imbraiste 〈◊〉 rounde and would not let me so departe Let me ê™ she for hir the waters taste Or let vs both together ende our smarte Yea rather rippe you foorth my tender harte What should I liue but they the childe withdrew And mee into the raging streame they threm So in the waters as I striude to swimme And kepte my head aboue the waues for breath 〈◊〉 thought I same my childe would venter in Which cride a mayne O let me take like deathe The waters straight had drawne me vnderne the Where striuing vp at lengthe againe came I And sawe my childe aud cryde farewell I die Then as my strength was wasted down I went Eke so I plunged twice or thrice yet more My breath departed nedes I must relent The waters perst my mouth and eares so sore And to the botome with such force me bore That life and breath minde and sonce was gone And I as dead and colde as marble stone Lo thus you here the rare of all my life And how I paste the pikes of paynefull we Howe twise I thought to be a prince his wife And twise was quite depriude mine honour fro The third time queene and felt foule ouerthro Then warne all ladies that how much more die Then their degrees they clime 〈◊〉 daungers nye Bid them beware 〈◊〉 bewty them abuse Beware of pride for haue a fall it muste And will them fortunes flattery to refuse Hir turning whelt is boyde of stedy truste Who reckes no meane but leanith all to luste Shall finde my wordes as true as I them tell Then did be ware in time I wishe them well FINIS The Authoure VVIth that she flitted in the ayre abrode As t were a miste or smoke dissolued quite And or I long on this had made abode A virgine smale appearde before my sight For colde and wet eke scarsly moue she might As from the waters drownde she didering came Thus wise hir talem order did she frame Sabrine the base childe of Locrinus telles howe she was pitifully drowned by his wyfe Guendoline in reuenge of hir fathers adulterye The yeare before Christe 1064. BEholde me Sabrine orphane 〈◊〉 berefte Of all my frendes by cruell case of warre When as not one to treate for me was lefte But 〈◊〉 did all their powres debarre When as my father eke was playne in warre And when my mother euen before my sighte Was 〈◊〉 to death O wretche in wofull plighte Truste who so will the 〈◊〉 of hie estate And bring me worde what stay thereby you haue For why if Fortune once displeasure take She giues the foyle though lookes be nere so braue T is
death or else I dide perhaps neglecte His tale because that diuers stories broughte Suche fancies of his death into my thoughte Therefore although it be not as some write Here pende by me and yet as others haue Let it not griue thee reade that I recite And take what counsaile of good life he gaue I trust 〈◊〉 may that dreame some pardon craue For if the reste no dreames but stories pen Can I for that they write be blamed then No sure I thinke the readers will not giue Such captious dome as Momus erste did vse Though Zoilus impes as yet do carping liue And all good willing writers much misuse Occasion biddes me some such beastes accuse Yet for their bawling hurtes me not I nill But with my purpose on procede I will. Next after that came one in princely raye A worthy wight but yonge yet felt the fall It seemde he had bene at some warlike fraye His breste was woundid wyde and bloudy all And as to mynde he musde his factes to call Depe sighes he fet made all his limmes to shake At length these wordes or like to me he spake Manlius declares how he minding to kill his brother for the kingdome was by him slayne The yeare before Christe 1008. YF Fortune were so firme as she is frayle Or glosing glorie were still permanent If no mishap our doings did assaile Or that our actes factes were innocent If we in hope no hurte nor hatred ment Or dealing ay were don with dutie dewe We neuer coulde our great misfortunes rewe If pompe were payne and pride were not in price Or hawty seate had not the highest place If we could lerne by others to be wise Or else eschew the daungers of our race If once we coulde the golden meane embrace Or banishe quite ambition from our breste We neuer nede to recke or reape vnreste But O we thinke such sweetenes in renowne We deme on earth is all the greatest hap We nothing feare the hurte of falling downe Or litle rome in lady Fortunes lap We giue no hede before we get the clap And then to late we wishe we had bene wise When from the fall we would and cannot rise As if two twinnes or children at the teate Of nurce or mother both at once might be And both did striue the better dugge to geate Till one were downe and slipte beside hir knee Euen so it fares by others and by me In fortunes lap we haue so litle holde She cannot staye both striuing if she would I am that Manlius one of Madans sonnes Which thought to raigne and rule this noble I le And would so don but see what chauÌ„ce ther comes When brethren loue and frendship quite exile Who thinkes another of his right beguyle Him selfe is soonest cleane bereaude of all Insteade of rule we reape the crop of thrall My elder brother then Mempricius hight Whose hauty minde and mine did euer square We euermore as foes hight other spite And deadly Ire in hatefull hartes we bare He sought alwayes he might to worke me care And eache regarded others enuy so As after turnid both to painfull wo. Because my father loude me well therfore My brother feared I should haue his right Likewise on fauour boldned I me bore And nether had in vertues wayes delite What nede I here our inwarde griefes recyte We not as brethren liude in hatrid still And sought occasion other eache to kill I forbecause I might obtaine the crowne And he for that he fearde my fauoure bred Such frendship as might alwayes kepe him downe And both 〈◊〉 him of his crowne and head But when it chaunste our father once was dead Then straight appeared all our enuy playne And I could not from mine attempt 〈◊〉 See here th' occasion of my haplesse happe See here his chauÌ„ce that might haue liude ful well So baited swete is euery deadly trappe In brauiste bowres doth deepest daunger dwell I thought mine elder from his right t' expell Though he both age and custome forth did bring For title right I sayd I would be king Some wishte we should departe the realme in two And sayde my father eke was of that mynde But nether of vs both that so would do We were not eche to other halfe so kinde And vile ambition made vs both so blynde We thought our raigne coulde not be sure good Except the ground therof were laide with bloud Wherfore as eache did watche conuenient time For 〈◊〉 commit this haynous bloudy facte My selfe was taken not accusde of crime As if I had offendid any acte But he as one that witte and reason lacte Saide traitour vile thou arte to me vntrue And therewith all his bloudy blade he drewe Not like a king but like a cutthrote fell Not like a brother like a butcher brute Though t were no worse then I deserued well He gaue no time to reason or dispute To late it was to make for life my suite Take traytour here ê™ he thy whole deserte And therwithall he thrust me to the harte Thus was I by my brutishe brother slayne Which likewyse mente my brother for to kill This oftentimes they use to get and gaine Which do inuente anothers bloud to spill Was neuer man pretendid such an ill But God to him like measure shortly sente As he to others 〈◊〉 before had mente Uniustice euer thriues as theues doe thie And bloudthirste cries for vengeaunce at his hande Which all our right and wronges 〈◊〉 daily see The good to ayde and gracelesse to withstande If ether vice or 〈◊〉 we abande We ether are rewarded as we serue Or else are plaged as our deedes deserue Let this my warning then suffise eche sorte Bio them beware example here they see It passeth playe t is tragicall disporte To clime a step aboue their owne degree For though they thinke good fortune serude not me Yet did she use me as she hsoe the resle And so I thinke she seruith even the beste FINIS The Authour VVHen Manlius had thus endid quite his tale He vanishte out of sight as did the reste And I perceiued straight a persone pale VVhose throte was torne and blodied all his breste Shall I ê™ he for audience make requeste No sure it nedes not straunge it semes to thee VVhat he that beares this rentid corps should bee VVherefore I deeme thou canst not chuse but by de And here my tale as others erste before Sythe by so straunge a meanes thouseest I dyde VVith rentid throte and breste thou musiste more Marke well ê™ he my ratling voyce therfore And therwithall this tale he gan to tell VVhich Irecyte though nothing nere so well Mempricius giuen all to luste pleasure and the sinne of Sodomye telles how he was deuoured of wolues The yeares before Christ. 989. 〈◊〉 often sayd a man should do likewyse To other as he would to him they did Do as thou wouldste be don to saith the wyse And do as conscience and as iustice
without a guide Such was my fate to benture on so bolde My rashue s was the cause of all my wot Such is of all our glorye vaine the hope So soone we pompe and pleasures all sorgoe So quickly are we rest our kingdomes froe And such is all the caste of Fortunes playe When lest we thincke to cut vs quite awaye I demde my selfe an beauenly happie wight When once I had my part to raigne within But see the chaunce what hap did after light Or I could scace t' enioy my glee begin A Hunne did 〈◊〉 from me my realme to win And had his will O flatering Fortune fye What meanst thou thus to worke with Princes 〈◊〉 You worthy wariours learne by mee beware Let wisedome worke lay rashnes al apart When as with enmyes you encountred are You must endeuour all your skilfull art By witty wyles with force to make your mart Wit nought auailes late bought with care and cost If you repent when life and labours lost FINIS The Authour WYth that the vvounded Prince departed quite From sight he slinckte I savv his shade no more But Morpheus bade remember this to vvrite And therevvithall presented mee before A vvight vvet dropping from the vvaters shore In Princely vveede but like a vvarlike man And thus mee thought his story he began Humber the king of Hunnes shewes how he minding to conquere this land vvas drowned c. He liued about the yeare before Christ. 1074. THough yet no forraine Princes in this place Haue come to tell their haplesse great mishap Yet giue me leaue a while to pleade my case And shewe howe I slipt out of Fortunes lap Perchaunce some others will eschewe the trap VVherein I fell and both themselues be ware And also seeke the lesse thy countreys care I am that Humber kinge of Hunnes that came To win this Islande from the Britaynes fell UUas drownde in Humber where I left my name A iust reward for him that liude so well At home and yet thought others to expell Both from their Realme and right O filthy fye On such ambition earst as vsed I. But I must blame report the chiefest cause Of my decaye beware of rashe report T is wisedome first to take a while some pause Before to dint of daungers you resort Least when you come in hast to scale the fort By rashe assaule some engin shaft or fyre Dispatcht you quite or make you soone retyre For vnto mee the rumors daily flewe That here a noble Hande might be won The king was dead no warres the people knewe And eke themselues to striue at home begon It were quoth I a noble acte well don To win it then and there withall did make Prouision good this famous Ise to take A war like regall campe prouided was And shipps and vitaile for my Hunnes and mee By sea to Britaine conquest for to passe If Gods there to and heauenly starres agree At length wee came to shores of Albanie And there to fight with Britaynes pitcht our field In hope to make them flinche flye fall or yeelde They met vs longe we fearcely faught it out And doubtful was the victours part of twaine Till with my Hunnes I rusht amonge the route And faught till that king Albanact was staine Then they to yeeld and pardon craue were faine And I with 〈◊〉 great receiude the pray And marched forward fleshe with such a fray I past an arme of Sea that would to God I neuer had bin halfe so bold at furst I made to beate my selfe withall a rod When so within their Realme I venture durst But marke my tale thou hearst not yet the worst As sure I thought the rest to circumuent By spyes before they knew my whole intent And or I wiste when I was come to lande Not farre from shore two Princes were preparde Their scoutes conueyde away my shipps they fand And of my shipmens fleshe they nothing sparde To rescue which as backe againe I farde The armyes twaine were at my heeles behinde So closde me in I wist no waye to winde On th' east Locrinus with an armye great By West was Camber with an other bande By North an arme of Sea the shoores did beate Which compast mee and mine within their lande No way to scape was there but water fande Which I must taste or els the swords of those Which were to mee and mine full deadly foes So when I same the best of all mine boste Beate downe with bats shot slaine or forst to swim My selfe was faine likewise to flye the coast And with the rest the waters entred in A simple shift for Princes to begin Yet far I demde it better so to dye Then at mine enmyes foote an abiecte lye But when I thus had swam with hope to scape If I might wend the water waues to passe The Britaynes that before my ships had gate Can watche mee where amidst the surge I was Than with my boates they rowde to me alas And all they cryde kepe Humber kept their king That to our Prince we may the craytour bring So with my boates beset poore Humber I Wiste no refuge my werye armes did ake My breath was short I had no powre to crye Or place to stand while I my plaint might make The water cold made all my ioyntes to shake My hart did beate with sorrow griefe and paine And downe my cheekes salt teares they gusht amaine O must thou pelde and shall thy boates betraye Thy selfe quoth I no mercy Britaynes haue O would to God I might escape awaye I wot not yet if pardon I may craue Although my deedes deserue no life to haue I will I will death bondage beast am I In maters thus in foraine soyle to dye With that I clapt my quauering hands abrode And held them vp to heauen and thus I saide O Gods that know the paines that I haue 〈◊〉 And iust reuengment of my rashnes paide And of the death of Albanacte betraide By mee and mine I yelde my life therefore Content to dye and neuer greeue yee more Then straight not opening of my handes I bowde My selfe and set my head my armes betweene And downe I sprang with all the force I cowde So duckte that neither head nor foote were seene And neuer sawe my foes againe I weene There was I drounde the Britaynes to my fame Yet call that arme of Sea by Humbers name Take heede by mee let my presumption serue And let my folly fall and rashnes bee A glasse wherein to see if thou do swerue Thou mayste thy selfe perceiue somewhat by mee Let neither trust nor treason traine forth thee But be content with thine estate so shall No wrath of God procure thy haplesse fall If thou be forrayne bide within thy soyle That God hath giuen to thee and thine to holde If thou oppression meane beware the foyle Beare not thy selfe of thee or thine to bolde Or of the feates thy elders did of olde For God is iust iniustice will not
you are but yong the perfection of those stories and th'imperfection of these Finally the good will you beare to your country the commendation of vertue the detestation of vice the fall of ambition the horrible ende of traytours harlots tyraunts adulters enchaunters murderers and such like VVhen men said they consider these things they cannot how simple soeuer your Verse bee but thincke well of the matter At length with these perswasions and suche like I was contente good Reader to publishe them for thy behoufe and the publique weale of my countrye At which if thou enuye I minde not therefore to enuye my selfe and staye my penne but God willing thou shalt as fast as I can prepare them haue other Bookes from my handes which maye please thee againe and thus with all my harte I bidde the hartelye farewell Thy freinde I. H. The Authours induction AS Somer sweete with all hir pleasures paste And leaues began to leaue both braūche and tree VVhile winter colde approatched nere full fast Mee thought the time to sadnes moued mee On drouping daies not halfe such mirth haue wee As when the time of yeare and wether-s fayre So moue our mindes as mocions moue the ayre The wery nightes approatched on apace VVith darkesom shades which somewhat breedeth care The Sun had take more nere the earth his race In Libra than his greatest swinge hee bare For pardy then the dayes more colder are Then fades the greene fruite timely herbes are don And wynter gines to waste that sommer won I deemde some booke of mourning theame was beste To reade were with instructions mingled so As might againe refreshe my wittes oppreste VVith tediousnes not driue mee quyte therfro VVherfore I went the Printers straight vnto To seeke some worke of price I surely mente That might herein my carefull mynde contente At length by hap I found a booke so sad As time of yeare or wynter could require The Mirroure namde for Magistrates he had So finely pende as harte could well desire VVhich when I read so set my heart on fire Eftsones it mee constraind to take the payne Not leaue with once to reade it once againe And as againe I vewde this worke with heede And marked playne eache party tell his fall Mee thought in mynde I sawe those men in deede Eke howe they came in order pleading all Declaring well this life is but a thrall Sithe those on whom for Fortunes giftes we stare Ofte sooniste sinke in greatest seas of care For some of these were kinges of highe estate And some were Dukes and came of Regall race Some Princes Lordes and Iudges great that sate In councell still decreing euery case Some other Knightes that vices did imbrace Some Gentlemen some poore that looked hie Yet euery one had play de his tragoedye A Mirroure well it may be calde a glasse More cleare then any crystall vnder Sun In eache respecte the Tragoedies so passe Their names shall lyue that such a worke begun For why with such Decorum is it don That Momus spight which more then Argus eyes Can neuer watche to kepe it from the wise Examples there for all estates you finde For iudge I say what iustice he should vse The noble man to beare a noble mynde And not him selfe ambiciously abuse The Gentleman vngentlenes refuse The ryche and poore and euery one may see VVhich way to loue and lyue in his degree Me thinkes they might beware by others harme And eke eschue to clamer vp so hye Yet cursed pride doth all their wittes becharme They thinke of naught but prouerbes true do trie VVho hewes aloft the chips may hurte his eye VVho climes the tops of trees wher bowes ar smal Or hawty towres may quickly catch a fall This thing full well doth Phaëtons fall declare And Icarus aloft would flie and soare Eke Bladud once of Britayne rule that bare VVould clyme and flye but eache did fal therfore For Phaëton was with lightning all to tore And Icarus the meane that did not recke VVas drownde by fal did Bladud breake his neck The scriptures eake of such beare witnes can As Babilon for high presumption fell But let mee ende my tale that I began VVhen I had red these Tragoedies full vvell And paste the night vvith labours long to tell One night at laste I thought to leaue my vse And take some ease before I chaungde my muse VVherfore a vvay from reading I me gate My heauy head vvaxte dull for vvant of reste I layde me dovvne the night vvas vvaxed late For lacke of slepe myne eyes vvere sore oppreste Yet fansy still of all their deathes increaste Me thoughte nothing my minde from them could take So long as Somnus suffered me to vvake Then straight appeard in purple colour blacke Sweete Somnus reste which comfortes eche aliue By ease of mynde that weares away all wracke That noysome night from wery wittes doth driue Of labours long the pleasures wee atchiue VVherat I ioyde sithe after paynes were past I might receiue by Somnus easeat last But hee by whom I thought my selfe at rest Reuiued all my fancies fonde before I more desirous humbly did request Him shewe th' vnhappy princes were of yore For well I wiste that hee could tell mee more Sythe vnto diuers Somnus erste had tolde VVhat things were done in elder times of olde At length he foorth his seruaunt Morpheus calde And bad him shewe mee from the first to th' ende Such persons as in Britayne Fortune thralde VVhich straight vpon his calling did attende And thus he spake with countenaunce of frende Come on thy wayes and thou shalt see and here The Britaynes and their doings what they were And as he led me through the darkes a whyle At length we came into a goodly hall At th' ende wherof there seemde a duskish I le Out of the which he gan the Britaynes call Such only as from Fortunes hap did fall VVhich when he called thryce me seemde to heare The doores to cracke from whence they should apeare And thryce I shrinkte a syde and shunde the sight And three times thrice I wishte my selfe away Eke thrise from thence there flew a flashe of light Three times I sawe them cōming make their stay At laste they all approtchte in such aray VVith sundry shewes appearing vnto mee A straunger sighte then erste with eyes I see Men mighty bigge in playne and straunge atyre But some with woūdes and bloud were so disguisde You scarcely could with reasons ayde aspyre To knowe what warre suche cruell death deuysde But sithe I haue their formes beneath comprisde VVheras their stories seuerally I showe Your selfe therby their cause of death may knowe And eke their faces all and bodies were Destainde with woade and turkish berds they had On th'ouer lippes moutchatoes long of heyre And wylde they feemde as men dispeyring mad Their lookes did make my fearfull harte full sad And yet I could not for my life eschewe Their presence or their myndes I likewyse
knewe For Morpheus wylde me by de and bad them tell Their names and lyues their haps and haples days And by what meanes from Fortunes globe they fel VVhich did them erste vnto such honours rayse VVherwith the first not making moe delayes A persone tall wyde woundes in breste that bare Drewe nere to tell the cause of all his care And as to speake he wiste he might be bolde Depe from his breste he threwe an vnked sounde I was amasde his gestures to beholde And bloud that freshly trickled from his wounde VVith Ecco so did halfe his wordes rebounde That scarce at first the sence might well appeare But thus me thought he spake as you shall heare Albanacte the yongest sonne of Brutus telles of the finding of this lande his fathers life and his owne infortunate fall He liued about the yeare before Christe 1074. SIthe flattering Fortune slyely could beguyle Me first of all the Princes of this lande And yet at firste on me did sweetely smyle Do marke me here that firste in presence stande And when thou wel my wouÌ„ded corps hast scande Then shalt thou see what tale I mynde to frame In stories called Albanacte by name So if thou liste to heare what I resite If thou intende to showe my fatall fall I praye thee take the paynes my tale to wryte As I in order here repeate it shall What nedste thou muse thou nedst not feare at al Sythe those that later liude their tales haue tolde Dur elder liues to wryte thou mayst be bolde Lay dreade aside let nothing thee amase We haue dispaire of so vncoutched ryme Leaue of on mee with fearfull lookes to gase Thy pen may serue for such a tale as myne First will I tell thee all my fathers Lyne Then hither warde why he with Troianes mande His boyadge made and founde this noble lande And last I minde to tell the of my selfe My life and death a Tragedye so true As may approue your world is all but pelse And pleasures sweete whom sorrowes aye ensue Hereafter eke in order coms a crue Which can declare of worldly pleasures vaine The price we all haue bought with greeuous paine Well now I see thou putst apart thy fright And giuste an care to heare not heard before I will declare the slorye all so right Thou shalt no whit haue neede t inquyre no more Do marke me well what I resite therefore And after write it and there with my name Let hardly mee receyue if ought be blame When Troy was sackt and brent could not stand A Eneas fled from thence Anchises sonne And came at length to king Latinus lande He Turnus slewe Lauinia eke he wonne And reignde 3. yeares Ascanius then his sonne Reignde next to him the Siluius was his heyre Begate my father of a Ladye fayre But when as Brutus fiftene yeares was olde for so they calde my father by his name With Siluius then an hunting goe he would And thinking for to strike in chare the game His father that by thaunce beyonde it came Receiude the glaunce and through his tender syde With deadly dint the shaft did swiftly slyde So thoughe by chaunce my father Brutus stewe My graundsyre Siluius sore against his will Which came by chaunce as be his arow drewe That thought the fearefull harte not him to kill Yet was he banisht from Italia still Commaunded neuer to retourne no more Excepte he would his life to leese therefore On this to Greece from thence he toke his waye Where Troians were by Grecians captiues kept Helenus was by Pirrhus brought awaye FroÌ„ death of those whose fall their frends bewept My father all this while no busines slepte But by his facts and feats obtainde such fame Seuen Thousande captiue Troians to him came A saracus a noble Greecian eke Who by his mother came of Troiane race Because be sawe my fathers powre not weke Came vnto him to ayde him in this case For that his brother thought him to deface Which was a Greeke by both his parents sydes His Castels three my father Brutus guides Thus hee to be their captaine was content And all the Troians gathered to his bande Hist post unto the Greecian kinge he sent For to entreat he might depart his laude Which when King Pandrasus did vnderstande An armye straight he did therefore addresse On purpose all the Troians to suppresse Then whyle king Pandrasus at Spartine towne Thought them in desertes by to circumuente My father with three thousande beate them downe Such fauoure loe him lady Fortune 〈◊〉 By Mars his force their rayes I ranckes he rente And tooke Antigonus the brother of their king With others mo as captiues home to bring The taken towne from which the king was fled My father with sire hundreth men did man Cache prisner was vnto his keper led To kepe in towne the noble Troianes wan My father vnto woodes conueyde him than Againe with his and kepte him there by nighte To quayle the Greecians if they came to fighte And when the king had calde to mynde his foyle His flighte and brother by the Troianes take The towne he loste and Brutus had the spoyle He thought not so the field and fight forsake But of his men a muster newe to make And so agayne for to vesiege the towne In hope reuenge or winne his loste renowne By night my father that his purpose knewe Came forth from woodes wheras he wayted by The Troianes all th'vnarmid Greecians slewe WeÌ„t through their 〈◊〉 could non their force deny Unto the tente where Pandrasus did lye Wheras my father tooke their king that night And saude his life as seemde a worthy wight Which victory when he had wisely won The Troiane victoure did a counsayle call To knowe what beste were with the king be don Now tell ê™ he what ransom aske we shall On which when none agreed scarce of all At lengthe Mempricius vp from seate did rise And silence made gaue thus his counsayle wyse I cannot Troianes but commend the facte Of this our noble captaine worthy praise Which thought as t' was a wicked he yuous acts T' abridge the Grecian king of vitall dayes Wee rather ought by clemency to rayse Our fame to sky then by a sauage guyse Sithe Gods and men both cruelty despise The cause we fought was for the freedome all Of Troianes taken we haue freedome won Wee haue our purpose and their king withall To whom of rygour nothing ought be don Though he the quarell with vs first began And though we owe the fall of Troies requite Yet let reuenge therof from Gods to light His subiectes all do wayle their ill pretence And weapons layde asyde for mercy crye They all confesse their plagues to come from thence Where first from faith of Gods they seemde to flye Their nobles dare not come the case to trye But euen for peace with all their hartes they sue And meekly grauute whence all their mischiefes grewe The lady faire his
thriue He plagues the prowde preserues the good aliue FINIS The Authoure THen vanishte Humber and no sooner gon VVas he but straight in place before me came A princely wight had complet harnes on Though not so complet as they now do frame He seemde sometime t' aue bene of worthy fame In breste a shafte with bleeding wounde he bare And thus he tolde the cause of all his care Locrinus the eldest sonne of Brutus declareth his slaughter to haue happened for his euill life He died the yeare before Christe 1064. YF euer any noble prince might rewe His factes are paste long since the same may I That would to God it were not farre to true Or that I iustly could my faultes denye The truthe of thinges the ende or tyme doth trie As well by me is seen my haplesse fall Declares whence came my greate misfortunes all I am Locrinus seconde Britayne king The 〈◊〉 sonne of him that founde this lande Whose death to me my mischiefes all did bring And causde why first I tooke my death in bande He chiefly wylde me when he gaue this lande I should be rulde by all his counsayles will And vse their iudgmentes in my dealings still But what do I accuse my fathers heste What meane I here th'unfauty for to blame All he commaunded euen was for the beste Though in effecte of beste the worste became So thinges ofte times well mente vnfitly frame So often times the counsayle of your frende Apparent good fawles faulty in the eude For as he wisht I vsde his counsayles ayde In eache thing that I deemde was good for mee I neuer ought that they desirde denayde But did to all their mindes and hestes agree And Corinaeus sawe my harte so free By diuers meanes he sought this match to make That to my wife I might his daughter take But I that wiste not then what mariage ment Did straight agree his Guendoline to haue Yet afterwarde suspecting his intent My frendes to me this pointe of counsaile gaue That who so doth of Prince aliaunce craue He meanes thereby to worke some point of ill Or else to frame the prince vnto his will. It may well be he mente no euill at all But wise men alwayes vse to dreade the-worste And sithe it was the fountaine of my fall From whence the springe of all my sorowes burste I may well thinke was some of vs accurste For why the ende doth alwayes proue the facte By ende weiudge the meaning of the acte I made no haste to wed my spoused wyfe I wiste I could as yet without hir byde I had not tasted toyes of trayned life I dcemde them fooles by Cupides darte that dide I Venus vise and all hir force defide And liude at reste and rulde my land so well That men delighted of my factes to tell My brethren eke long weldid well their partes We feard no foes we thought our state would stand We gaue our selues to learned skilfull artes Wherin we other fruite or pleasur fand And we enioyde so fine a fruitfull land That fewe in earth might with our states compare We lyude so voyde of noysome carke and care But see the chaunce when least we thought of ill When we esteamde our state to be moste sure Than came a flawe to bridle all our will For straungers far gan vs to warre procure And euen when first they put their pranke in vre On Albane shores my brother there they slewe Whose death we after made the Hunnes to rue When he was dead they hopte to winne the reste And ouer Abi streame with haste did hie But I and eke my brother Camber dreste Our armies straight and came their force to trie We brake their rayes and forste their king to flie Into the arme of Sea they ouer came Where Humber brounde that waters tooke his name We ether slewe or tooke them captiues all Emongst the which O mischiefe great to tell The Gods to worke mine ouerthrow and fall Sent ladies three whose beauties did excell Of which because I liked one so well I tooke hir straight nor she did ought denie But eche thing graunted so she might not dye Thus Humber we this hatefull hungery king In Humber drenshte and him depriude of pride And of his loftie ladies he did bring He loste the praye and all his men beside And we the spoiles of all his hoaste deuide But I that thought I had the greatest share Had caught the cause of all my wofull care They calde this lady Elstride whome I tooke Whose bewty braue did so my wittes confounde That for hir sake my promise I for sooke Wherby I was to Gwendoline first bounde Me thought no lady went on earthely grounde That might alure me euer chaunge my minde So was I caught by snares of Cupide blynde Was neuer none before so likte mine eye 〈◊〉 hir more then I coulde loue my life Hir absence still me thought did cause me die I surely mente to take hir to my wife But see howe beauty breadeth deadly strife Lo here began my whole confusion here Sprang out the shaft frō which this wounde I beare For Corinaeus had no soner hearde That I did meane his daughter to forsake But straight as one that did nought else regarde In haste his voyage towardes me did take And come declarde what promise I did make From whiche he saide if once I sought to slioe It should by dinte of sworde and bloud be tride But if I would hir take as erste I sayde And not this straunger choose against his minde His helpe he promiste at eache time and ayde To be so redy as I wishte to finde He furder sayde my contrey did me bynde To take such one as all my subiectes knewe Sithe straungers to their foes are neuer true I wayde his wordes and thought he wishte me wel But yet because his stocke should gaine therby I reckte them lesse and yet the truthe to tell I durste not dare my promise made denye For well I wiste if once it came to trye It would both weaken all this noble lande And doubtfull be who should ha th'upper hande Thus nedes perforce I must his daughter take And must leaue of to loue where I delighte I was constrainde contentio to forsake The forme that moste did captiuate my sighte What lucke had I on such a lote to lighte What ment you Goddes that me such fortune gane To caste my minde on hir I might not haue To shorte my tale his Guendoline I tooke I was contente against my will what then Nore quite for this myne Elstride I forsoke For why I wrought by skill of cunning men A vaulte along vnder the grounde a denne Hir companie wherin I vsed still There we acco mplishte our vnhappy will. There I begat my Sabrine sely childe That virgine sinall myne Elstride bare to mee Thus I my wife full often did beguilde Which after warde did beare a sonne to mee Namde Madan yet we neuer could agree And he
vnwrought ill Why spare you Britaynes this my corps to kill With that the king good Lady fayre what iste Thou canst desire or aske but must obtaine Eke would to God with all my hart I wiste Best waye to ease thee of thy wofull paine But if thou wilt do here with mee remaine If not content conductours shalt thou haue To bring thee home and what thou els wilt craue As for my Queene as yet I none possesse Therefore thou rather maiste voutchsafe to take That place thy selfe then waite on her I gesse Whose beautye with thy face no match can make The Gods denye that I thy heste forsake I saue thy life eke God forbid that I Should euer cause so fayre a Ladye dye O King quoth I the Gods preserue thy grace The heauens requite thy mercy shewde to mee And all the starres direct thy regall race In happye course long length of yeares to see The earth with fertile fruites inriche so thee That thou maist still like Justice her dispose And euer more treade downe thy deadly foes The noble king commaunded to vnbinde Mine armes and let mee lewce and free at will And afterward such fauour did I finde That as his Queene I was 〈◊〉 still And I enioyde all pleasures at my 〈◊〉 So that they quite had quenched out my thrall And I forgate my former fortunes all Thus lo by fauoure I obtainde my suite So had my beauty set his brest on fire That I could make Locrinus euen as muite Or pleasaunt as my causes did require And when I knewe he could no way retyre I praide he would his fauour so extende As I might not be blamed in the ende For if quoth I you take me as your owne And eke my loue to you haue constant beene Then let your loue like wise againe be showne And wed me as you said your spouse and Queene If since in mee misliking you haue seene Then best depart betime before defame Begin to take from Elstride her good name No wauering hart said he Locrinus beares No sayned flatery shall thy fayth deface Thy beauty birth fame vertue age and yeares Constraine mee both thee and thy hestes imbrace I must of force giue thy requestes a place For as they do with reason good consent Euen so I graunt thee all thy whole inteut Then was the time appointed and the day In which I should be wedded to this kinge But in this case his counsaile causde a staye And sought out meanes at discord vs to bringe Eke Corinaeus claimde a former thing A precontract was made and full accorde Betweene his daughter and my soueraigne Lorde And yet the King did giue me comfort still He said he could not so forsake my loue Yet euermore would beare me all good will As both my beauty and desertes did moue But still the ende doth who is fauty proue His counsaile at the last did him constraine To marry her vnto my 〈◊〉 paine At which I coulde not but with hate repine It 〈◊〉 mee his mate that should haue beene To liue in bate a prince his concubine That euer had such hope to be his Queene The steppes of state are full of wo and teene For when wee thincke we haue atainde the throne Then straight our poÌ„pe pride is quite orethrone Lotwise I fell from hope of Princely crowne First when vnhappy Humber lost his life And next I laide my peacockes pride adowne When as I could not be Locrinus wife But oft they say the thirde doth ende the strife Which I haue proude therefore the sequel ve me The thirde payes home this prouerbe is to true This kinge could not refraine his former minde But vsde me still and I my doubtfull yeares Did linger on I knew no shift to finde But past the time full oft with mourning teares A concubine is neuer voyde of feares For if the wyfe her at aduauntage take In radge reuenge with death she seekes to make Likewise I wiste if once I sought to flye Or to entreate the kinge depart I might Then would he straight be discontent with mee Yea if I were pursued vpon the flight Or came deflourde into my parents sighte I should be taken kept perforce or slaine Or in my country liue in great disdaine In such a plight what might a woman doe Was euer Lady fayre in such a 〈◊〉 O wretched wight bewrapt in webbes of woe That still in dread wast tost from place to place And neuer foundest meane to ende thy race But still in doubt of death in carking care 〈◊〉 liue a life deuoyde of all welfare The king perceiuing well my chaunged cheare To case my hart withall deuisde deceats By secrete wayes I came deuoyde of feare In baultes by cunning Masons crafty feats Whereas wee safely from the Queene her threats Perdy the King and I so vsde our arte As after turnde vs both to paine and smarte By him I had my Sabrine small my childe And after that his wife her father loste I meane he dyed and she was straight exilde And I made Queene vnto my care and coste For she went downe to Cornevval straight in peste And caused all her fathers men to ryse With all the force and strengthe they might deuyse My king and hirs with me gainst hir preparde An army strong but when they came to fighte Dame Guendoline did war at length to harde And of our king vs both deposed quite For from hir campe an arrowe sharpe did lighte Upon his breste and made him leaue his breath Lo thus this king came by vntimely death Then I to late began in vayne to flye And taken was presented to the queene Who me behelde with cruell tigres eye O queene ê™ she that cause of warres haste bene And deadly hate the like was neuer seene Come on for these my bandes shall ridde thy life And take reuengement of our mortall strife I longed long to bring thee to this baye And thou likewyse hast sought to sucke my bloud Nowe arte thou taken in my spoyles a praye That causde my life full long in daunger stoode I wyll both teache thy selfe and others good To breake the bandes of faithfull wedlocke plight And giue thee that which thou deseruidste right O harlote whore why should I stay my handes O painted picture shall thy lookes thee saue Nay bynde hir faste both hande and foote in bandes And let hir some straunge kinde of tormentes haue What stroÌ„pet stues thinkste for thou seemist braue Dr for thy teares or sighes to scape my sight My selfe will rather banquishe thee by fight Thou rather shouldste my vitall breath depriue Then euer scape if none were here but wee But now I will not file my handes to striue Dr else to touche so vile a drabe as shee Come on at once and bring hir after mee With hande and feete as I commaunded bounde And let me see hir here as Humber drounde A thousand things beside she spake in rage While that a caytife
hand and foote at once let see Her here receiue her whole request of mee Eke as I wishe to haue in minde her fame As Humbers is which should her father beene So shall this floud of Sabrine haue the name That men thereby may say a righteous Queene Here drownde her husbands childe of concubine Therefore leaue Sabrine here thy name and life Let Sabrine waters ende our mortall strife Dispatch quoth she with that they bound me fast My slender armes and feete which litle neede And sans all mercye me in waters caste Which drewe me downe cast me vp with speede And downe me drensht the Sabrine fishe to feede Where I abode till now from whence I came And there the waters holde as yet my name Lo thus this gelous Queene in raging sort With bloudy hate bereft her husbands health And eke my mother Elstrids life God wot Which neuer ment to hurt this common wealth And mee Locrinus child begot by stealth Against all reason was it for to kill The childe for that her parents erst did ill By this you see what time our pompe doth bide Hereby you see th'unstedy trust in warre Hereby you see the stay of states etryde Hereby you see our hope to make doth marre Hereby you see we fall from benche to barre From bench quoth 〈◊〉 nay from the Princely seate You see how soone vs Fortune downe doth beate And here you see how lawlesse loue doth thriue Hereby you see how gelous folkes do fare Here may you see with wisedome they that wiue Neede neuer recke Cupidoes cursed snare Here may you see deuorcemente breedeth care Here may you see the children seldome thee Which in vnlawfull wedlocke goten bee Declare thou then our fall and great mishap Declare the hap and glory we were in Declare how soone we taken were in trap When we 〈◊〉 we had most safest bin Declare what losse they haue that hope to win Farewell and tell when Fortune most doth smile Then will she frowne she laughes but euen a while Finis The Authour WIth that the Lady Sabrine slinckt from sight I lookt about and then me thought againe Approched straight an other vvofull vvight It seemde as thoughe vvith doggs he had bin flaine The bloud from all his members torneamaine Ran dovvne his clothes vvere also torne and rente And from his bloudy throte these plaints he sente Madan shewes how for his euill life he was 〈◊〉 of Wolues the yeare before Christe 1009. AMongste the rest that sate in hauty seate And felt the fall I pray the pen for mee A Tragedy maye some such wisedome geate As they may learne and somewhat wiser bee For in my glasse when as themselues they see They may be ware my fall from 〈◊〉 lap Shal teach them how t' eschew the like mishay I am that Madan once that Britaine kings Was thirde that euer raigned in this lande Marke well therefore my death as straunge a thinge As some would deeme could scarce with reason stande Yet when thou hast my life well throughly scande Thou shalt perceiue not halfe so straunge as true All life worse death doth after still insue For when my mother Guendoline had raignde In my nonage full xv yeares she dyed And I but yonge not well in vertues trainde Was left this Realme of Britaynes for to guide Whereby when once my minde was puft with pride I past for nought I vsde my lust for lawe Of right or iustice reckte I not a strawe No meane I kept but ruled all by rage No boundes of measure could me compasse in Durst none aduenture anger mine t'aswage If once to freate and fume I did begin And I excelde in nothing els but sinne So that welnighe all men did wishe my ende Saue such to whom for vice I was a frende In pleasures pleasaunt was my whole repaste My youth me led deuoyde of compasse quite And vices were so rooted in at last That to recure the euill it past my might For who so doth with will and pleasure fight Though all his force do striue them to withstande Without good grace they haue the vpper hande What licoure first the earthen pot doth take It keepeth still the sauour of that same Full hard it is a cramocke straight to make Or crooked logges with wainscot fine to frame T is hard to make the cruel Tiger tame And so it fares with those haue vices caught Naught once they saye and euer after naught I speake not this as though it past all cure From bices vile to bertue to retire But this I saye if vice be once in vre The more you shall to quite your selfe requyre The more you plunge your selfe in fulsome myre As he that striues in soakte quicke sirtes of sande Still sinkes scarse neuer comes againe to lande The giftes of grace may nature 〈◊〉 And God may graunt both time and leaue repeute Yet I did more in laps of lewdnes run And last my time in tyrauntes trade I spente But who so doth with bloudy actes contente His minde shall sure at laste finde like againe And feele for pleasures thousand panges of paine For in the midste of those vntrusty toyles When as I nothing fearde but all was sure With all my trayne I hunting rode for spoyles Of them who after did my death procure Those lewde delightes did boldly me alure To folow still and to pursue the chase At laste I came into a deserte place Besette with hilles and monstrous rockes of stone My company behinde me lost or stayde The place was eke with hauty trees oregrowne So wiste and wylde it made me half afrayde And straight I was with rauening wolues betrayd Came out of caues and dennes and rockes a maint There was I rent in pieces kilde and slaine Alasse that youth in vayne so vyly spente Should euer cause a king to haue such ende Alasse that euer I should here lament Or else should teache vnto my cost my frende Alasse that fortune such mishap should sende But sithe it is to late for me to crie I wishe that others may take hede me by I might full well by wisdome shund this snare T is sayde a wiseman all mishap withstandes For though by starres we borne to mischieues are Yet prudence bayles vs quite from careful bandes Eche man they say his fate hath in his handes And what he makes or marres to lese or saue Of good or euill is euen selfe do selfe haue As here thou seest by me that led my dayes In vicious sorte for greedy wolues a 〈◊〉 Warne others wysely than to guide their wayes By myne example well eschue they may Suche vices as may worke their owne decay Which if they do full well is spent the time To warne to wryte and eke to reade this time FINIS The Authoure VVHen this was said no more was Madan sene If it were he but sure I halfe suspecte It was some other else so serude had bene For that all stories do not so detecte His
country well If some be pleasde and easde I lease no toyle At carpers gyrdle hanges not all the keyes VVhat price gaines he that giues him fall or foyle VVhich neuer wan by vvrastling any prayse I haue not spent in poetrye my dayes Some other workes in proase I printed haue And more I write for which I ley sure saue And for mineage not thirty yeares hath past No style so rype can yonger yeares ataine For of them all but onlye ten the last To learne the tongues and vvrite I toke the paine If I thereby receyued any gaine By Frenche or Latine chiefely which I chose These fiue yeares past by writing I disclose Of which the first two yeares I Grammer taught The other twaine I Huloets worke enlargde The last translated Aldus phrases fraught VVith eloquence and toke of Terence charge At Printers hand to adde the flowers at large VVhich wanted there in Vdalles worke before And vvrote this booke with other diuers more Then pardon what 's amisse a while giue eare So shall you heare the rest that I recite Describing next what Princes did apeare VVhen I had ended these are past to write In slomber as I chaunst to lye one night VVas Somnus prest whom I desyrde to sende His Morpheus ay de these Tragedies to ende VVherewith he graunted my request and calde For Morpheus straight which knew wherto he came I will quoth he the rest whom Fortune thralde Of Britaynes shewe thy selfe to heare them frame And therewithall he fet forth one like Fame In fethers all with winges so finely dight As t were a birde in humane shape of flight Yet t was not Fame that femme of painted plume He rather seemed Icarus deceaude 〈◊〉 winges to flye nighe Phoebus did presume At length in deede I plainly well perceaude It was some kinge of vitall breath bereaude From flight he fell presuming farre to hye Giue eare take heede and learne not so to flye Bladud recyteth howe he Practisinge by curious arts to flye fell and brake his necke The yeare before Christe 844 SHall I rehearse like wise my name And eke a place amongste them fill Which at their endes to mischiefe came Sith Morpheus bids mee so I will. And that because I see the minde To write my storye fate and fall Such curious heads it reade and finde May fly to flee and shunne my thrall If daunger teach them liue take heede If leesers harme make lookers wyse If warines do safetye breede Or wracke make sailers shelues dispise Then may my hurt giue sample sure My losse of life may lokers learne My warning may beware procure To such as daunger scarce discerne I am that Bladud Britaine kinge Rudhudebras his eldest sonne Did learning first to England bring And other wonders more were done Now giue me eare and after wryte Marke well my life example take Cschue the euill that I recyre And of my death a myrrour make In youth I gaue my mynde to lore For I in learning tooke repaste No earthly pleasure likce me more I went to Athens at the laste A towne in Greece whose fame went foorth Through all the world hir name was spred I counted knowledge so much woorth Hir only loue to Greece me led There first of all the artes of seuen Wherein before I had small skill I Grammer gate declares the stenen By rule to speake and wryte at will. Next after that in Rhetoricke fine Which teacheth how the talke to fyle I gate some knowledge in short tyme And could perswade within a whyle I thirdly learned Logicke well An arte that teacheth to dispute To aunswere wisely or refell Distinguishe proue disproue confute Then after that of nomber I The skilfull arte likwyse attainde Wherin of Mathematickes lye Full many pointes I after gainde And Musicke milde I lernde that teltes Tune tyme and measure of the song A science swete the reste excelles For melody hir notes among But sirtly I the dame of artes Geometrie of great engine Employde with all hir skilfull partes Therby some greater giftes to winne So laste I lernde Astronomie A lofty arte that paste them all To know by motions of the skye And fired starres what chaunce might fall This pleasaunt arte alured me To many fonde inuentions then For iudgementes of Astrologie Delites the mindes of wisest men So doth the arte Phisiognomie Dependes on iudgment of the face And that of Metoposcopie Which of the forehead telles the grace And Chiromancie by the hande Coniectures of the inwarde minde Eke Geomancie by the lande Doth diuers many farlies finde Augurium eke was vsde of olde By hyrdes of future thinges presagde And many thinges therby they tolde Were skilfull learned wise and agds But Magicke for it seemid fweete And full of wonders made me muse For many feates I thought it meete And pleasaunt for a prince to vse Three kindes there are for natures skill The first they Naturall do name In which by herbes and stones they will Worke wonders thinges are worthy fame The next is Mathematicall Where Magicke workes by nature so That brasen heades make speake it shall Of woode birdes bodies flye and go The thirde Veneficall by right Is named for by it they make The shapes of bodies cbaunge in sight And other formes on them to take What nede I tell what Theurgie is Or Necromancie you despise A diuelishe arte the feenes by this Seme calde and coniurde to arise Of these too much I lerned then By those such secrete artes profeste For of the wise and skilfull men Whome Fame had praisde I gate the beste They promiste for to teache me so The secretes of dame natures skill That I nede neuer taste of woe But alwayes might forsee it still Wherefore enflamed with their loue I brought away the beste I coulde From Greece to Britayne lande to proue What feates for me deuise they woulde Of which were foure Philosophers For passing skill excelde the reste Phisitians and Astronomers In Athens all they were the beste My father harde of my retourne Of my successe in learning there And how the Greecians did adourne My wittes with artes that worthy were He herde likewise what store I brought Of learned Greekes from Aticke soyle And of my laboure learning sought With study trauayle paine and toyle I likewyse herde he builded here Three townes while absente thence was I By Southe he foundid VVinchester By Cast he built Cantorbury By Weste full bigve he builte the laste On hill from waters depe belowe Calde Shaftesbury on rockes full faste It standes and giues to Seas a showe These causde we both might well reioyce He for because I gate such same And I for that by all mennes boyce His factes deserude immortall name What nedes much talke the peres and all The commons eke with one assence Extolde my name especiall Which had my youthe in learning spent I was receaude with triumphes great With pageauntes in eache towne I paste And at the courte my princly seate Was
the height they feele the fall of topsy turuye downe For if when they suppose themselues aloft to touche the skye There chaunce a storme there is no holde to staye themselues so hye But faster farre more swiftly they and with more swinge descende Then euer erst they could with all their force to clime contende Do bid them then in all their deedes marke well the fineall ende Finis The Authour NExt after Porrex came another such Had all his body quite in peeces rent A desperate man his life bewayling much VVhich for he seemed sorely to lament I was the rather him to heare content That I might also note his story here From like attempts of vices you to feare Kimarus shewes howe for his euill life he was deuoured by wilde beastes the yeare before Christ 321. NO place commends the man vnworthy prayse No title of estate doth stay vp vices fall No wicked wight to woe can make delayes No loftye lookes preserues the proude at all No bragges or beaste no stature high and tall No lofty youth no swearing staringe 〈◊〉 No brauery banding cogging cutting out Then what auayles to haue a princely place A name of honour or an highe degree To come by kinred of a noble race Except wee princely worthy noble bee The fruite declares the goodnes of the tree Do bragge no more of birth or linage than Sith vertue grace and maners make the man. My selfe might bragge and first of all begin Mulmutius made and constituted lawes And Belinus and Brenne his sonnes did win Such praise their names to bee immortall cause Gurgunstus Redbearde with his sober sawes The sonne of Beline and my grandsyre grande Was fortunate what ere he toke in hande His sonne my grandsyre Guintheline did passe For virtues praise and Martia was his wyfe A noble Queene that wise and learned was And gaue hir selfe to studye all hir life Deuising lawes discust the endes of strife Amonge the Britaynes to hir endlesse Fame Hir statutes had of Martian lawes the name My father eke was sober sage and wise Cicilius hight king Guintheline his sonne Of noble Princes then my stocke did rise And of a Prince of Cornewall first begonne But what thereby of glory haue I wonne Can this suffice to aunsweare eke for mee I came by parents of an highe degree Or shall I saye Kimarus I was king Then might I liue as lewdely as I lust No sure I cannot so 〈◊〉 the stinge Of shame that prickes such Princes are bniuft We rather should vnto our vertues trust For vertue of the auncient bloud and kin Doth onely praise the parties shee s within And nobles onely borne of this be sure Without the vertues of their noble race Do quite and cleane themselues thereby obscure And their renowne and dignities deface They do their birth and linage all abace For why in deede they euer ought so well In vertues graue as titles braue ercell But oft God wot they fare as erst did I They thincke if once they come of Princelye stocke Then are they placed safe and sure so hye Aboue the rest as founded on a rocke Of wise mens warnings all they make a mocke Theyr counsayles graue as abiect reedes despise And count the braue men gracious worthy wise This kingdome came to mee by due discent For why my father was before mee kinge But I to pleasure all and lust was bent I neuer reckt of Iustice any thinge What purpose I did meane to passe to bringe That same t' accomplishe I withall my might Endeuorde euer were it wronge or right I deemde the greatest ioyes in earthly hap I thought my pleasures euer would abide I seemde to sit in Ladye Fortunes lap I reckt not all the world me thought beside I did by lust my selfe and others guide Where by the fates to worke my bane withall And cut me of thus wise procurde my fall As I was alwayes bent to bunting still Yet hunting was no vice to those I had When I three yeares had rulde this realme at 〈◊〉 In chace a chaunce did make my harte full sad Wilde cruell beastes as desperate and mad Turnde back on me as I them brought to baye And in their rage my sinfull corps did sley A iuste rewarde for so 〈◊〉 a life No worse a death then I deserued yore Such wreckes in th' ende to wretches all are rife Who may and will not call for grace before My wilful deedes wer nought what wilt thou more My wanton wildnesse witlesse heedelesse toyes By brutishe beastes bereaud me of my ioyes FINIS The Authour ON this Kimarus lefte me all alone And so did Morpheus then I thought to reste But yet againe he came presenting one For audience likewyse making his requeste A worthy prince he ware a warlike creste A blade in hande he bloudy rusty bore VVas all his harnesse from his shoulders tore His armes and handes were all embrued in bloud So was his breste but all the reste beside Seemde rayde with matter vyle or slimy mud VVith red and yelow as it were bedide You scarcely could the sight therof abide Yet sithe he seemde some worthy wight to be It brought by farre lesse squemishnes to me Morindus a bastarde declares how hee was 〈◊〉 to the kingdome wared cruell and at laste was deuoured by a monster the yeare before Christe 303. LEt me likewyse declare my factes and fall And eke recite what meanes this slimye glere You nede not fayne so quaynte a looke at all Although I seeme so fulsome euery where This blade in bloudy hande perdy I beare And all this gore bemingled with this glue In wytnes I my deadly enmy 〈◊〉 Then marke my tale beware of rashnes bile I am Morindus once was Britayne king On whome did swetely lady Fortune smyle Till she me to hir top of towres did bring My fame both farre and nere she made to ringe And eke my prayse exalted so to skye In all my time 〈◊〉 famous none then I. Some saye I was by birthe a 〈◊〉 bace Be gotten of the prince his concubine But what I was declared well my grace My fortitude and stature princely mine My father 〈◊〉 that came of princely line King Danius gaue not so bace degree Nor yet the noble Britaynes vnto mee For 〈◊〉 of armes and warlike pointes I passe In courage stoute ther lyude not then my pere I made them all that knewe my name agaste And heard how great my enterprises were To shrinke and slynke and shifte aside for feare All which at length did me such glory bring My father dead the Britaynes made me king But see how blinde we are when Fortune smples How senceles we when dignities increase We euer vse our selues discretely whyles We little haue and loue to liue in peace Smale fauters factes with mercy we release We vse no rigoure rancoure rapine such As after when we haue our willes to much For while that I a subiecte was no king While I had nothing but my factes