¶ The Tragidie of Ferrex and Porrex set forth without addition or alteration but altogether as the same was shewed on stage before the Queenes Maiestie about nine yeares past vz. the xviij day of Ianuarie 1561. by the gentlemen of the Inner Temple Seen and allowed c. ⧠Imprinted at London by Iohn Daye dwelling ouer Aldersgate ¶ The argument of the Tragedie Gorboduc king of Brittaine diuided his realme in his life time to his sonnes Ferrex and Porrex The sonnes fell to discention The yonger killed the elder The mother that more dearely loued the elder for reuenge killed the yonger The people moued with the crueltie of the fact rose in rebellion and slew both father and mother The nobilitie assembled and most terribly destroyed the rebels And afterwardes for want of issue of the prince whereby the succession of the crowne became vncertaine they fell to ciuill warre in which both they and many of of their issues were slaine and the land for a long time almost desolate and miserably wasted ¶ The P. to the Reader WHere this Tragedie was for furniture of part of the grand Christmasse in the Inner Temple first written about nine yeares agoe by the right honourable Thomas now Lorde Buckherst and by T. Norton and after shewed before her Maiestie and neuer intended by the authors therof to be published yet one W. G. getting a copie therof at some yongmans hand that lacked a little money and much discretion in the last great plage an 1565. about v. yeares past while the said Lord was out of England and T. Norton farre out of London and neither of them both made priuie put it forth excedingly corrupted euen as if by meanes of a broker for hire he should haue entised into his house a faire maide and done her villanie and after all to bescratched her face torne her apparell berayed and disfigured her and then thrust her out of dores dishonesâ—ed In such plight after long wandring she came at length home to the sight of her frendes who seant knew her but by a few tokens and markes remayning They the authors I meane though they were very much displeased that she so ranne abroad without leaue whereby she caught her shame as many wantons do yet seing the case as it is remedilesse haue for common honesâ—e and shamefastnesse new apparelled trimmed and attired her in such forme as she was before In which better forme since she hath come to me I haue harbored her for her frendes sake and her owne and I do not dout her parentes the authors will not now be discontent that she goe abroad among you good readers so it be in honest companie For she is by my encouragement and others somewhat lesse ashamed of the dishonestie done to her because it was by fraude and force If she be welcome among you and gently enterteined in fauor of the house from whense she is descended and of her owne nature courtâ—ously disposed to offend no man her frendes will thanke you for it If not but that she shall be still reproched with her former missehap or quarelled at by enuious persons she poore gentlewomaÌ„ wil surely play Lucreces part of her self die for shame and I shall wishe that she had taried still at home with me where she was welcome for she did neuer put me to more charge but this one poore blacke gowne lined with white that I haue now geuen her to goe abroad among you withall ¶ The names of the speakers Gorboduc King of great Brittaine Videna Queene and wife to king Gorboduc Ferrex elder sonne to king Gorboduc Porrex yonger sonne to king Gorboduc Cloyton Duke of Cornewall Fergus Duke of Albanye Mandud Duke of Loegris Gwenard Duke of Cumberland Eubulus Secretarie to the king Arostus a counsellor to the king Dordan a counsellor assigned by the king to his eldest sonne Ferrex Philander a counsellor assigned by the king to his yongest sonne Porrex Both being of the olde kinges counsell before Hermon a parasite remaining with Ferrex Tyndar a parasite remaining with Porrex Nuntius a messenger of the elder brothers death Nuntius a messenger of Duke Fergus rising in armes Marcella a lady of the Queenes priuie chamber Chorus foure auncient and sage men of Briâ—taine ¶ The order of the domme shew before the first act and the sigsignification therof ¶ First the Musicke of Uiolenze began to play during which came in vpon the sâ—age sixe wilde men clothed in leaues Of whom the first bare in his necke a fagot of small stickes which they all both seuerally and together assayed with all their strengthes to breake but it could not be broken by them At the length one of them plucked out one of the stickes and brake it And the rest plucking out all the other stickes one after an other did easely breake them the same being seuered which being conioyned they had before attempted in vaine After they had this done they departed the stage and the Musicke ceased Hereby was signified that a state knit in vnitie doth continue strong against all force But being diuided is easely destroyed As befell vpon Duke Gorboduc diuiding his land to his two sonnes which he before held in Monarchie And vpon the discention of the brethren to whom it was diuided Actus primus Scena prima Viden. Ferrex VIden The silent night that bringes the quiet pawse From painefull trauailes of the wearie day Prolonges my carefull thoughtes and makes me blame The slowe Aurore that so for loue or shame Doth long delay to shewe her blushing face And now the day renewes my griefull plaint Ferrex My gracious lady and my mother deare Pardon my griefe for your so grieued minde To aske what cause tormenteth so your hart Viden. So great a wrong and so vniust despite Without all cause against all course of kinde Ferrex Such causelesse wrong and so vniust despite May haue redresse or at the least reuenge Viden. Neither my sonne such is the froward will The person such such my missehappe and thine Ferrex Mine know I none but grief for your distresse Viden. Yes mine for thine my sonne A father no In kinde a father not in kindlinesse Ferrex My father why I know nothing at all Wherein I haue misdone vnto his grace Viden. Therefore the more vnkinde to thee and mee For knowing well my sonne the tender loue That I haue euer borne and beare to thee He greued thereat is not content alone To spoile thee of my sight my chiefest ioye But thee of thy birthright and heritage Causelesse vnkindly and in wrongfull wise Against all lawe and right he will bereaue Halfe of his kingdome he will geue away Ferrex To whom Viden. Euen to Porrex his yonger sonne Whose growing pride I do so sore suspect That being raised to equall rule with thee Mee thinkes I see his enuious hart to swell Filled with disdaine and with ambicious hope The end the Goddes do know whose altars I Full oft haue made in
kinde Ne countries care can fiered hartes restrayne Whan force hath armed enuie and disdaine When kinges of foreâ—ette will neglect the rede Of best aduise and yelde to pleasing tales That do their fansies noysome humour feede Ne reason nor regarde of right auailes Succeding heapes of plagues shall teach to late To learne the mischiefes of misguided state Fowie fall the traitour false that vndermines The loue of brethren to destroye them both Wo to the prince that pliant care â—nclynes And yeldes his mind to poysonous tale that floweth From flattering mouth And woe to wretched land That wastes it selfe with ciuil sworde in hand Loe thus it is poyson in golde to take And holsome drinke in homely cuppe forsake ¶ The order and signification of the domme shewe before the thirde act ¶ Firste the musicke of flutes began to playe during which came in vpon the stage a company of mourners all clad in blacke betokening death and sorowe to ensue vpon the ill aduised misgouernement and discention of bretherne as befell vpon the murderer of Ferrex by his yonger brother After the mourners had passed thryse about the stage they departed and than the musicke ceased Actus tertius Scena prima Gorboduc Eubulus Arostus Philander Nuntius GOrb. O cruel fates O mindful wrath of Goddes Whose vengeance neither Simois stayned streames Flowing with bloud of Troian princes slaine Nor Phrygian fieldes made ranck with corpses dead Of Asian kynges and lordes can yet appease Ne slaughter of vnhappie Pryams race Nor Ilions fall made leuell with the soile Can yet suffice but still continued rage Pursues our lynes and from the farthest seas Doth chase the issues of destroyed Troye Oh no man happie till his ende be seene If any flowing wealth and seemyng ioye In present yeres might make a happy wight Happie was Hecuba the wofullest wretch That euer lyued to make a myrrour of And happie Pryam with his noble sonnes And happie I till nowe alas I see And feele my most vnhappye wretchednesse Beholde my lordes read ye this letter here Loe it conteins the ruine of our realme If timelie speede prouide not hastie helpe Yet O ye Goddes if euer wofull kyng Might moue ye kings of kinges wreke it on me And on my sonnes not on this giltlesse realme Send down your wasting flames froÌ„ wrathful skies To reue me and my sonnes the hatefull breath Read read my lordes this is the matter why I called ye nowe to haue your good aduyse ¶ The letter from Dordan the Counsellour of the elder prince Eubulus readeth the letter MY soneraigne lord what I am loth to write But lothest am to see that I am forced By letters nowe to make you vnderstande My lord Ferrex your eldest sonne misledde By traitorous fraude of yong vntempred wittes Assembleth force agaynst your yonger sonne Ne can my counsell yet withdrawe the heate And furyous panges of hys enflamed head Disdaine sayth he of his disheritance Armes him to wreke the great pretended wrong With ciuyll sword vpon his brothers life If present helpe do not restraine this rage This flame will wast your sonnes your land you Your maiesties faithfull and most humble subiect Dordan ARostus O king appease your griefe and stay your plaint Great is the matter and a wofull case But timely knowledge may bring timely helpe Sende for them both vnto your presence here The reuerence of your honourage and state Your graue aduice the awe of fathers name Shall quicklie knit agayne this broken peace And if in either of my lordes your sonnes Be suche vntamed and vnyelding pride As will not bende vnto your noble hestes If Ferrex the elder sonne can beare no peere Or Porrex not content aspires to more Than you him gaue aboue his natiue right Ioyne with the iuster side so shall you force Them to agree and holde the lande in stay Eub. What meaneth this Loe yonder comes in hast Philander from my lord your yonger sonne Gorb. The Goddes sende ioyfull newes Phil. The mightie Ioue Preserue your maiestie O noble king Gorb. Philander welcome but how doth my sonne Phil. Your sonne sir lyues and healthie I him left But yet O king the want of lustfull health Could not be halfe so griefefull to your grace As these most wretched tidynges that I bryng Gorb. O heauens yet more not ende of woes to me Phil. Tyndar O king came lately from the court Of Ferrex to my lord your yonger sonne And made reporte of great prepared store For warre and sayth that it is wholly ment Agaynst Porrex for high disdayne that he Lyues now a king and egall in degree With him that claimeth to succede the whole As by due title of discending right Porrex is nowe so set on flaming fire Partely with kindled rage of cruell wrath Partely with hope to gaine a realme thereby That he in hast prepareth to inuade His brothers land and with vnkindely warre Threatens the murder of your elder sonne Ne could I him perswade that first he should Send to his brother to demaunde the cause Nor yet to you to staie this hatefull strife Wherfore sithe there no more I can be hearde I come my selfe now to enforme your grace And to beseche you as you loue the life And safetie of your children and your realme Now to employ your wisdome and your force To stay this mischiefe ere it be to late Gorb. Are they in armes would he not sende to me Is this the honour of a fathers name In vaine we trauaile to asswage their mindes As if their hartes whome neither brothers loue Nor fathers awe nor kingdomes cares can moue Our counsels could withdraw from raging heat Ioue slay them both and end the cursed line For though perhappes feare of such mightie force As I my lordes ioyned with your noble aides Maye yet raise shall represse their present heate The secret grudge and malice will remayne The fire not quenched but kept in close restraint Fedde still within breakes forth with double flame Their death and myne must peaze the angrie Gods Phil. Yelde not O king so much to weake dispeire Your sonnes yet lyue and long I trust they shall If fates had taken you from earthly life Before beginning of this ciuyll strife Perhaps your sounes in their vnmaistered youth Loose from regarde of any lyuing wight Would runne on headlong with vnbridled race To their owne death and ruine of this realme But sith the Gods that haue the care for kinges â–ª Of thinges and times dispose the order so That in your life this kindled flame breakes forth While yet your lyfe your wisdome and your power May stay the growing mischiefe and represse The fierie blaze of their inkindled heate It seemes and so ye ought to deeme thereof That louyng Ioue hath tempred so the time Of this debate to happen in your dayes That you yet lyuing may the same appeaze And adde it to the glory of your latter age And they our sonnes may learne to liue in
spedie wise to put the same in vre Thus haue I tolde the cause that moued me To worke my brothers death and so I yeld My life my death to iudgement of your grace Gord. Oh cruell wight should any cause preuaile To make thee staine thy hands with brothers bloud But what of thee we will resolue to doe Shall yet remaine vnknowen Thou in the meane Shalt from our royall presence banisht be Untill our princely pleasure furder shall To thee be shewed Depart therefore our sight Accursed childe What cruell desrenie What froward fate hath sorted vs this chaunce That euen in those where we should comfort find Where our delight now in our aged dayes Sould rest and be euen there our onely griefe And depest sorrowes to abridge our life Most pyning cares and deadly thoughts do grow Aros Your grace should now in these graue yeres of yours Haue found ere this y price of mortall ioyes How short they be how fading here in earth How full of chaunge how brittle our estate Of nothing sure saue onely of the death To whom both man and all the world doth owe Their end at last neither should natures power In other sort against your hart preuaile Than as the naked hand whose stroke assayes The armed brest where force doth light in vaine Gorbod Many can yelde right sage and graue aduise Of pacient sprite to others wrapped in woe And can in speche both rule and conquere kinde Who if by proofe they might feele natures force Would shew them selues men as they are in dede Which now wil nedes be gods But what doth meane The sory chere of her that here doth come Marcella Oh where is ruth or where is pitie now Whether is gentle hart and mercy fled Are they exiled out of our stony brestes Neuer to make returne is all the world Drowned in bloud and soncke in crueltie If not in women mercy may be found If not alas within the mothers brest To her owne childe to her owne fleshe and bloud If ruthe be banished thence if pitie there May haue no place if there no gentle hart Do liue and dwell where should we seeke it then Gorb. Madame alas what meanes your woful tale Marcella O fillie woman I why to this houre Haue kinde and fortune thus deferred my breath That I should liue to see this dolefull day Will euer wight beleue that such hard hart Could rest within the cruell mothers brest With her owne hand to slay her onely sonne But out alas these eyes behelde the same They saw the driery sight and are becomeÌ„ Most ruthfull recordes of the bloudy fact Porrex alas is by his mother slaine And with her hand a wofull thing to tell While slumbring on his carefull bed he restes His hart stabde in with knife is rest of life Gorboduc O Eubulus oh draw this sword of ours And pearce this hart with speed O hatefull light O lothsome life O sweete and welcome death Deare Eubulus worke this we thee besech Eubulus Pacient your grace perhappes he liueth yet With wound receaued but not of certaine death Gorboduc O let vs then repayre vnto the place And see if Porrex liue or thus be slaine Marcella Alas he liueth not it is to true That with these eyes of him a perelesse prince Sonne to a king and in the flower of youth Euen with a twinke a senselesse stocke I saw Arostus O damned deede Marcella But heare hys ruthefull end The noble prince pearst with the sodeine wound Out of his wretched slumber hastely start Whose strength now fayling straight he ouerthrew When in the fall his eyes euen new vnclosed Behelde the Queene and cryed to her for helpe We then alas the ladies which that time Did there attend seing that heynous deede And hearing him oft call the wretched name Of mother and to crye to her for aide Whose direfull hand gaue him the mortall wound Pitying alas for nought els could we do His ruthefull end ranne to the wofull bedde Dispoyled straight his brest and all we might Wiped in vaine with napkins next at hand The sodeine streames of bloud that flushed fast Out of the gaping wound O what a looke O what a ruthefull stedfast eye me thought He fixt vpon my face which to my death Will neuer part fro me when with a braide A deepe fet sigh he gaue and therewithall Clasping his handes to heauen he cast his sight And straight pale death pressing within his face The flying ghost his mortall corpes forsooke Arostus Neuer did age bring forth so vile a fact Marcella O hard and cruell happe that thus assigned Unto so worthy a wight so wretched end But most hard cruell hart that could consent To lend the hatefull destenies that hand By which alas so heynous crime was wrought O Queene of adamant O marble brest If not the fauour of his comely face If not his princely chere and countenance His valiant actiue armes his manly brest If not his faire and seemely personage His noble limnies in such proportion cast As would haue wrapt a sillie womans thought If this mought not haue moued thy bloudy hart And that most cruell hand the wretched weapon Euen to let fall and kiste him in the face With teares for ruthe to reaue such one by death Should nature yet consent to slay her sonne O mother thou to murder thus thy childe Euen Ioue with iustice must with lightning flames FroÌ„ heauen send downe some strange reuenge on thee Ah noble prince how oft haue I behelde Thee mounted on thy fierce and traumpling stede Shining in armour bright before the tilt And with thy mistresse sleue tied on thy helme And charge thy staffe to please thy ladies eye That bowed the head peece of thy frendly foe How oft in armes on horse to bend the mace How oft in armes on foote to breake the sworde Which neuer now these eyes may see againe Arostus Madame alas in vaine these plaints are shed Rather with me depart and helpe to swage The thoughtfull griefes that in the aged king Must needes by nature growe by death of this His onely sonne whom he did holde so deare Marcella What wight is that which saw y I did see And could refraine to waile with plaint and teares Not I alas that hart is not in me But let vs goe for I am greued anew To call to minde the wretched fathers woe Chorus Whan greedy lust in royall seate to reigne Hath reâ—t all care of Goddes and eke of men And cruell hart wrath treason and disoaine Within ambicious brest are lodged then Beholde how mischiefe wide her selfe displayes And with the brothers hand the brother slayes When bloud thus shed doth staine the heauens face Crying to Ioue for vengeance of the deede The mightic God euen moueth from his place With wrath to wreke then sendes he forth with spede The dreadfull furies daughters of the night With Serpentes girt carying the whip of ire With heare of stinging
Snakes and shining bright With flames and bloud and with a brand of fire These for reuenge of wretched murder done Do make the mother kill her onely sonne Blood asketh blood and death must death requite Ioue by his iust and euerlasting dome Iustly hath euer so requited it The times before recorde and times to come Shall finde it true and so doth present proofe Present before our eyes for our behoofe O happy wight that suffres not the snare Of murderous minde to tangle him in blood And happy he that can in time beware By others harmes and turne it to his good But wo to him that fearing not to offend Doth serue his lust and will not see the end ¶ The order and signification of the domme shew before the fifth act ¶ First the drommes sluites began to sound during which there came forth vpon the stage a company of Hargabusiers and of Armed men all in order of battaile These after their peeces discharged and that the armed men had three times marched about the stage departed and then the drommes and fluits did cease Hereby was signified tumults rebellions armes and ciuill warres to follow as fell in the realme of great Brittayne which by the space of fiftie yeares more continued in ciuill warre betwene the nobilitie after the death of king Gorboduc and of his issues for want of certayne limitacion in succession of the crowne till the time of Dunwallo Molmutius who reduced the land to monarchie Actus quintus Scena prima Clotyn. Mandud Gwenard Fergus Eubulus CLot Did euer age bring forth such tirants harts The brother hath bereft the brothers life The mother she hath died her cruell handes In bloud of her owne sonne and now at last The people loe forgetting trouth and loue Contemning quite both law and loyall hart Euen they haue slaine their soueraigne lord queene Mand. Shall this their traitorous crime vnpunished rest Euen yet they cease not caryed on with rage In their rebellious routes to threaten still A new bloud shed vnto the princes kinne To slay them all and to vproote the race Both of the king and queene so are they moued With Porrex death wherin they falsely charge The giltlesse king without desert at all And traitorously haue murdered him therfore And eke the queene Gwena Shall subiectes dare with force To worke reuenge vpon their princes fact Admit the worst that may as sure in this The deede was fowle the queene to slay her sonne Shall yet the subiect seeke to take the sworde Arise agaynst his lord and slay his king O wretched state where those rebellious hartes Are not rent out euen from their liuing breastes And with the body throwen vnto the foules As carrion foode for terrour of the rest Ferg There can no punishment be thought to great For this so greuous cryine let spede therfore Be vsed therin for it behoueth so Eubulus Ye all my lordes I see consent in one And I as one consent with ye in all I holde it more than neede with sharpest law To punish this tinnultuous bloudy rage For nothing more may shake the common state Than sufferance of vproares without redresse Wherby how some kingdomes of mightie power After great conquestes made and florishing In fame and wealth haue ben to ruine brought I pray to Ioue that we may rather wayle Such happe in them than witnesse in our selues Eke fully with the duke my minde agrees Though kinges forget to gouerne as they ought Yet subiectes must obey as they are bounde But now my lordes before ye farder wade Or spend your speach what sharpe reuenge shall fall By iustice plague on these rebellious wightes Me thinkes ye rather should first search the way By which in time the rage of this vproare Mought be repressed and these great tumults ceased Euen yet the life of Brittayne land doth hang In traitours balaunce of vnegall weight Thinke not my lordes the death of Gorboduc Nor yet Videnaes bloud will cease their rage Euen our owne lyues our wiues and children deare Our countrey dearest of all in daunger standes Now to be spoiled now now made desolate And by our selues a conquest to ensue For geue once swey vnto the peoples lustes To rush forth on and stay them not in time And as the streame that rowleth downe the hyll So will they headlong ronne with raging thoughtes From bloud to bloud from mischiefe vnto â—oe To ruine of the realme them selues and all So giddy are the common peoples mindes So glad of chaunge more wauering than the sea Ye see my lordes what strength these rebelles haue What hugie nombre is assembled still For though the traiterous fact for which they rose Be wrought and done yet lodge they still in field So that how farre their furies yet will stretch Breat cause we haue to dreade That we may seeke By present battaile to represse their power Speede must we vse to leuie force therfore For either they forthwith will mischiefe worke Or their rebellious roares forthwith will cease These violent thinges may haue no lasting long Let vs therfore vse this for present helpe Perswade by gentle speach and offre grace With gift of pardon saue vnto the chiefe And that vpon condicion that forthwith They yelde the captaines of their euterprise To beare such guerdon of their traiterous fact As may be both due vengeance to them selues And holsome terrour to posteritie This shall I thinke scatter the greatest part That now are holden with desire of home Weried in field with cold of winters nightes And some no doubt striken with dread of law Whan this is once proclamed it shall make The captaines to mistrust the multitude Whose safetie biddes them to betray their heads And so much more bycause the rascall routes In thinges of great and perillous attemptes Are neuer trustie to the noble race And while we treate and stand on termes of grace We shall both stay their furies rage the while And eke gaine time whose onely helpe sufficeth Withoten warre to vanquish rebelles power In the meane while make you in redynes Such band of horsemen as ye may prepare Horsemen you know are not the commons strength But are the force and store of noble men Wherby the vnchosen and vnarmed sort Of skillesse rebelles whome none other power But nombre makes to be of dreadfull force With sodeyne brunt may quickely be opprest And if this gentle meane of proffered grace With stubborne hartes cannot so farre auayle As to asswage their desperate courages Then do I wish such slaughter to be made As present age and eke posteritie May be adrad with horrour of reuenge That iustly then shall on these rebelles fall This is my lord the summe of mine aduise Clotyn. Neither this case admittes debate at large And though it did this speach that hath ben sayd Hath well abridged the tale I would haue tolde Fully with Eubulus do I consent In all that he hath sayd and if the same To you
and full of foule reproch Yet none offence but deckt with glorious name Of noble conquestes in the handes of kinges But if you like not yet so hoâ—e deuise Ne list to take such vauntage of the time But though with perill of your owne estate You will not be the first that shall inuade Assemble yet your force for your defence And for your safetie stand vpon your garde Dordan O heauen was there euer heard or knowen So wicked counsell to a noble prince Let me my Lorde disclose vnto your grace This hainous tale what mischiefe it containes Your fathers death your brothers and your owne Your present murder and eternall shame Heare me O King and suffer not to sinke So high a treason in your princely brest Ferrex The mightie Goddes forbid that euer I Should once conceaue such mischiefe in my hart Although my brother hath bereft my realme And beare perhappes to me an hatefull minde Shall I reuenge it with his death therefore Or shall I so destroy my fathers life That gaue me life the Gods forbid I say Cease you to speake so any more to me Ne you my frend with answere once repeate So foule a tale In silence let it die What lord or subiect shall haue hope at all That vnder me they safely shall enioye Their goods their honours landes and liberties With whom neither one onely brother deare Ne father dearer could emoye their liues But sith I feare my yonger brothers rage And sith perhappes some other man may geue Some like aduise to moue his grudging head At mine estate which counsell may perchaunce Take greater force with him than this with me I will in secrete so prepare my selfe As if his malice or his lust to reigne Breake forth in armes or sodeine violence I may withstand his rage and keepe mine owne Dordan I feare the fatall time now draweth on When ciuil hate shall end the noble line Of famous Brute and of his royall seede Great Ioue defend the mischiefes now at hand O that the Secretaries wise aduise Had erst bene heard when he besought the king Not to diuide his land nor send his sonnes To further partes from presence of his court Ne yet to yelde to them his gouernaunce Lo such are they now in the royall throne As was rashe Phaeton in Phebus carre Ne then the fiery stedes did draw the flame With wilder randoâ— through the kindled skies Than traitorous counseâ—â— now will whirle abouâ— The youthfull heades of these vnskilfull kinges But I here of their father will enforme The reuerence of him perhappes shall stay The growing mischiefes while they yet are greene If this helpe not then woe vnto them selues The prince the people the diuided land Actus secundus Scena secunda Porrex Tyndar Philander POrrex And is it thus And doth he so prepare Against his brother as his mortall foe And now while yet his aged father liues Neither regardes he him nor feares he me Warre would he haue and he shall haue it so Tyndar I saw my selfe the great prepared store Of horse of armour and of weapon there Ne bring I to my lorde reported tales Without the ground of seen and fearched trouth Loe secrete quarrels runne about his court To bring the name of you my lorde in hate Ech man almost can now debate the cause And aske a reason of so great a wrong Why he so noble and so wise a prince Is as vnworthy rest his heritage And why the king misseledde by craftie meanes Diuided thus his land from course of right The wiser sort holde downe their griefull heades Eche man withdrawes from talke and company Of those that haue bene knowne to fauour you To hide the mischiefe of their meaning there Rumours are spread of your preparing here The rascall numbers of vnskilfull sort Are filled with monstrous tales of you and yours In secrete I was counselled by my frendes To hast me thence and brought you as you know Letters from those that both can truely tell And would not write vnlesse they knew it well Philand My lord yet ere you moue vnkindly warre Send to your brother to demaund the cause Perhappes some traitorous tales haue filled his eares With false reportes against your noble grace Which once disclosed shall end the growing strife That els not stayed with wise foresight in time Shall hazarde both your kingdomes and your liues Send to your father eke he shall appease Your kindled mindes and rid you of this feare Porrex Ridde me of feare I feare him not at all Ne will to him ne to my father send If danger were for one to tary there Thinke ye it safetie to returne againe In mischiefes such as Ferrex now intendes The wonted courteous lawes to messengers Are not obserued which in iust warre they vse Shall I so hazard any one of mine Shall I betray my trusty frendes to him That haue disclosed his treason vnto me Let him entreate that feares I feare him not Or shall I to the king my father send Yea and send now while such a mother liues That loues my brother and that hateth me Shall I geue leasure by my fonde delayes To Ferrex to oppresse me all vnware I will not but I will inuade his realme And seeke the traitour prince within his court Mischiefe for mischiefe is a due reward His wretched head shall pay the worthy price Of this his treason and his hate to me Shall I abide and treate and send and pray And holde my yelden throate to traitours knife While I with valiant minde and conquering force Might rid my selfe of foes and winne a realme Yet rather when I haue the wretches head Then to the king my father will I send The bootelesse case may yet appease his wrath If not I will defend me as I may Philand Lo here the end of these two youthful kings The fathers death the ruine of their realmes O most vnhappy state of counsellers That light on so vnhappy lordes and times That neither can their good aduise be heard Yet must they beare the blames of ill successe But I will to the king their father haste Ere this mischiefe come to the likely end That if the mindfull wrath of wrekefull Gods Since mightie Ilions fall not yet appeased With these poore remnantes of the Troian name Haue not determined by vnmoued fate Out of this realme to rase the Brittishe line By good aduise by awe of fathers name By force of wiser lordes this kindled hate May yet be quentched ere it consume vs all Chorus When youth not bridled with a guiding stay Is left to randon of their owne delight And welds whole realmes by force of soueraign sway Great is the daunger of vnmaistred might Lest skillesse rage throwe downe with headlong fallâ— Their lands their states their liues them selues alâ— When growing pride doth fill the swelling brest And gredy lust doth rayse the climbing minde Oh hardlie maye the perill be represt Ne feare of angrie Goddes ne lawes
peace Beware O king the greatest harme of all Lest by your waylefull plaints your hastened death Yelde larger roume vnto their growing rage Preserue your life the onely hope of stay And if your highnes herein list to vse Wisdome or force counsell or knightly aide Loe we our persons powers and lyues are yours Use vs tyll death O king we are your owne Eub. Loe here the perill that was erst foresene When you O king did first deuide your lande And yelde your present reigne vnto your sonnes But now O noble prince now is no time To waile and plaine and wast your wofull life Now is the time for present good aduise Sorow doth darke the iudgement of the wytte The hart vnbroken and the courage free From feble faintnesse of bootelesse despeire Doth either ryse to safetie or renowme By noble valure of vnuanquisht minde Or yet doth perishe in more happy sort Your grace may send to either of your sonnes Some one both wise and noble personage Which with good counsell and with weightie name Of father shall present before their eyes Your hest your life your safetie and their owne The present mischiefe of their deadly strife And in the while assemble you the force Which your commaundement and the spedy hast Of all my lordes here present can prepare The terrour of your mightie power shall stay The rage of both or yet of one at lest Nun. O king the greatest griefe that euer prince dyd heare That euer wofull messenger did tell That euer wretched lande hath sene before I bryng to you Porrex your yonger sonne With soden force inuaded hath the lande That you to Ferrex did allotte to rule And with his owne most bloudy hand he hath His brother slaine and doth possesse his realme Gorb. O heauens send down the flames of your reuenge Destroy I say with flash of wrekefull fier The traitour sonne and then the wretched sire But let vs go that yet perhappes I may Die with reuenge and peaze the hatefull gods Chor. The lust of kingdome knowes no sacred faith No rule of reason no regarde of right No kindely loue no feare of heauens wrath But with contempt of Goddes and mans despite Through blodie slaughter doth prepare the waies To fatall scepter and accursed reigne The sonne so lothes the fathers lingering daies Ne dreades his hand in brothers blode to staine O wretched prince ne doest thou yet recorde The yet fresh murthers done within the lande Of thy forefathers when the cruell sworde Bereft Morgan his life with cosyns hand Thus fatall plagues pursue the giltie race Whose murderous hand imbrued with giltlesse blood Askes vengeaunce still before the heauens face With endlesse mischiefes on the cursed broode The wicked childe thus bringes to wofull sire The mournefull plaintes to wast his very life Thus do the cruell flames of ciuyll fier Destroy the parted reigne with hatefull strife And hence doth spring the well from which doth flow The dead black streames of mourning plaints woe ¶ The order and signification of the domme shew before the fourth act ¶ First the musick of Howbâ—ies begaÌ„ to plaie during which there came from vnder the stage as though out of hell three furies Alecto Megera and â—tesiphone clad in black garmentes sprinkled with bloud and flames their bodies girt with snakes their heds spred with serpentes in steâ—d of heare the one bearing in her hand a Snake the other a Whip and the third a burning Firebrand ech driuing before them a king and a queene which moued by furies vnnaturally had slaine their owne children The names of the kings and queenes were these Tantalus Medea Athamas Ino Cambises Althea after that the furies and these had passed about the sâ—age thrise they departed and than the musicke ceased hereby was signified the vnnaturall murders to follow that is to say Porrex slaine by his owne mother And of king Gorboduc and queene Uiden killed by their owne subiectes Actus quartus Scena prima Viden sola VId. Why should I lyue and liuger forth my time In longer life to double my distresse O me most wofull wight whom no mishappe Long ere this day could haue bereued hence Mought not these handes by fortune or by fate Haue perst this brest and life with iron rest Or in this palace here where I so long Haue spent my daies could not that happie houre Once once haue hapt in which these hugie frames With death by fall might haue oppressed me Or should not this most hard and cruell soile So oft where I haue prest my wretched steps Sometime had ruthe of myne accursed life To rende in twayne swallow me therin So had my bones possessed now in peace Their happie graue within the closed grounde And greadie wormes had gnawen this pyned harâ— Without my feeling payne so should not now This lyuing brest remayne the ruthefull tombe Wherein my hart yelden to death is graued Nor driery thoughts with panges of pining griefe My dolefull minde had not afflicted thus O my beloued sonne O my swete childe My deare Ferrex my ioye my lyues delyght Is my beloued sonne is my sweete childe My deare Ferrex my ioye my lyues delight Murdered with cruell death O hatefull wretch O heynous traitour both to heauen and earth Thou Porrex thou this damned dede hast wrought Thou Porrex thou shalt dearely bye the same Traitour to kinne and kinde to sire and me To thine owne fleshe and traitour to thy selfe The Gods on thee in hell shall wreke their wrath And here in earth this hand shall take reuenge On thee Porrex thou false and caitife wight If after bloud so eigre were thy thirst And murderous minde had so possessed thee If such hard hart of rocke and stonie flint Liued in thy brest that nothing els could like Thy cruell tyrantes thought but death and bloud Wilde sauage beasts mought not their slaughter seruâ— To fede thy gredie will and in the middest Of their entrailes to staine thy deadly handes With bloud deserued and drinke thereof thy fill Or if nought els but death and bloud of man Mought please thy lust could none in Brittaine land Whose hart betorne out of his panting brest With thine owne hand or worke what death thou wouldest Suffice to make a sacrifice to peaze That deadly minde and murderous thought in thee But he who in the selfe same wombe was wrapped Where thou in dismall hower receiuedst life Or if nedes nedes thy hand must slaughter make Moughtest thou not haue reached a mortall wound And with thy sword haue pearsed this cursed wombe That the accursed Porrex brought to light And geuen me a iust reward therefore So Ferrex yet sweete life mought haue enioyed And to his aged father comfort brought With some yong sonne in whom they both might liue But whereunto waste I this ruthfull speche To thee that hast thy brothers bloud thus shed Shall I still thinke that froÌ„ this wombe thou sprong That I thee bare or take thee
vaine of cattell slaine To send the sacred smoke to heauens throne For thee my sonne if thinges do so succede As now my ielous minde misdemeth sore Ferrex Madame leaue care carefull plaint for me Iust hath my father bene to euery wight His first vniustice he will not extend To me I trust that geue no cause therof My brothers pride shall hurt him selfe not me Viden. So graunt the Goddes But yet thy father so Hath firmely fixed his vnmoued minde That plaintes and prayers can no whit auaile For those haue I assaied but euen this day He will endeuour to procure assent Of all his counsell to his fonde deuise Ferrex Their ancestors from race to race haue borne True fayth to my forefathers and their seede I trust they eke will beare the like to me Viden. There resteth all But if they faile thereof And if the end bring forth an ill successe On them and theirs the mischiefe shall befall And so I pray the Goddes requite it them And so they will for so is wont to be When lordes and trusted rulers vnder kinges To please the present fancie of the prince With wrong transpose the course of gouernance Murders mischiefe or ciuill sword at length Or mutuall treason or a iust reuenge When right succeding line returnes againe By Ioues iust iudgement and deserued wrath Bringes them to cruell and reprochfull death And rootes their names and kindredes from the earth Ferrex Mother content you you shall see the end Viden. The end thy end I feare Ioue end me first Actus primus Scena secunda Gorboduc Arostus Philander Eubulus GOrb. My lords whose graue aduise faithful aide Haue long vpheld my honour and my realme And brought me to this age from tender yeres Guidyng so great estate with great renowme Nowe more importeth mee than erst to vse Your fayth and wisedome whereby yet I reigne That when by death my life and rule shall cease The kingdome yet may with vnbroken course Haue certayne prince by whose vndoubted right Your wealth and peace may stand in quiet stay And eke that they whome nature hath preparde In time to take my place in princely seate While in their fathers tyme their pliant youth Yeldes to the frame of skilfull gouernance Maye so be taught and trayned in noble artes As what their fathers which haue reigned before Haue with great fame deriued downe to them With honour they may leaue vnto their seede And not be thought for their vnworthy life And for their lawlesse swaruynge out of kinde Worthy to lose what lawe and kind them gaue But that they may preserue the common peace The cause that first began and still mainteines The lyne all course of kinges inheritance For me for myne for you and for the state Where of both I and you haue charge and care Thus do I meane to vse your wonted fayth To me and myne and to your natiue lande My lordes be playne without all wrie respect Or poysonous craft to speake in pleasyng wise Lest as the blame of yll succedyng thinges Shall light on you so light the harmes also Arostus Your good acceptance so most noble king Of suche our faithfulnesse as heretofore We haue employed in dueties to your grace And to this realme whose worthy head you are Well proues that neyther you mistrust at all Nor we shall neede in boasting wise to shewe Our trueth to you nor yet our wakefull care For you for yours and for our natiue lande Wherefore O kyng I speake as one for all Sithe all as one do beare you egall faith Doubt not to vse our counsells and our aides Whose honours goods and lyues are whole auowed To serue to ayde and to defende your grace Gorb. My lordes I thanke you all This is the case Ye know the Gods who haue the soueraigne care For kings for kingdomes and for common weales Gaue me two sonnes in my more lusty age Who nowe in my decayeng yeres are growen Well towardes typer state of minde and strength To take in hande some greater princely charge As yet they lyue and spende hopefull daies With me and with their mother here in courte Their age nowe asketh other place and trade And myne also doth aske an other chaunge Theirs to more trauaile myne to greater case Whan fatall death shall ende my mortall life My purpose is to leaue vnto them twaine The realme diuided into two sondry partes The one Ferrex myne elder sonne shall haue The other shall the yonger Porrex rule That both my purpose may more firmely stande And eke that they may better rule their charge I meane forthwith to place them in the same That in my life they may both learne to rule And I may ioy to see their ruling well This is in summe what I woulde haue ye wey First whether ye allowe my whole deuise And thinke it good for me for them for you And for our countrey mother of vs all And if ye lyke it and allowe it well Then for their guydinge and their gouernaunce Shew forth such meanes of circumstance As ye thinke meete to be both knowne and kept Loe this is all now tell me your aduise Aros And this is much and asketh great aduise But for my part my soueraigne lord and kyng This do I thinke Your maiestie doth know How vnder you in iustice and in peace Great wealth and honour long we haue enioyed So as we can not seeme with gredie mindes To wisshe for change of Prince or gouernaunce But if we lyke your purpose and deuise Our lyking must be deemed to proceede Of rightfull reason and of heedefull care Not for our selues but for the common state Sithe our owne state doth neede no better change I thinke in all as erst your Grace hath saide Firste when you shall vnlode your aged mynde Of heuye care and troubles manifolde And laye the same vpon my Lordes your sonnes Whose growing yeres may beare the burden long And long I pray the Goddes to graunt it so And in your life while you shall so beholde Their rule their vertues and their noble deedes Suche as their kinde behighteth to vs all Great be the profites that shall growe therof Your age in quiet shall the longer last Your lasting age shal be their longer stay For cares of kynges that rule as you haue ruled For publique wealth and not for priuate ioye Do wast mannes lyfe and hasten crooked age With furrowed face and with enfcebled lymines To draw on creepyng death a swifter pace They two yet yong shall beare the parted reigne With greater ease than one nowe olde alone Can welde the whole for whom muche harder is With lessened strength the double weight to beare Your eye your counsell and the graue regarde Of Father yea of such a fathers name Nowe at beginning of their sondred reigne When is the hazarde of their whole successe Shall bridle so their force of youthfull heates And so restreine the rage of insolence Whiche most assailes the
yonge and noble minds And so shall guide and traine in tempred stay Their yet greene bending wittes with reuerent awe As now inured with vertues at the first Custome O King shall bring delightfulnesse By vse of vertue vice shall growe in hate But if you so dispose it that the daye Which endes your life shall first begin their reigne Great is the perill what will be the ende When such beginning of such liberties Uoide of suche stayes as in your life do lye Shall leaue them free to randon of their will An open praie to traiterous flatterie The greatest pestilence of noble youthe Whiche perill shal be past if in your life Their tempred youthe with aged fathers awe Be brought in vre of skilfull stayednesse And in your life their liues disposed so Shall length your noble life in ioyfulnesse Thus thinke I that your grace hath wisely thought And that your tender care of common weale Hath bred this thought so to diuide your lande And plant your sonnes to beare the present rule While you yet liue to see their rulinge well That you may longer lyue by ioye therein What furder meanes behouefull are and meetâ— At greater leisure may your grace deuise When all haue said and when we be agreed If this be best to part the realme in twaine And place your sonnes in present gouernement Whereof as I haue plainely said my mynde So woulde I here the rest of all my Lordes Philand In part I thinke as hath bene said before In parte agayne my minde is otherwise As for diuiding of this realme in twaine And lotting out the same in egall partes To either of my lordes your graces sounes That thinke I best for this your realmes behofe For profite and aduauncement of your sonnes And for your comforte and your honour eke But so to place them while your life do last To yelde to them your royall gouernaunce To be aboue them onely in the name Of father not in kingly state also I thinke not good for you for them nor vs. This kingdome since the bloudie ciuill fielde Where Morgan slaine did yeld his conquered parte Unto his cosins sworde in Camberland Conteineth all that whilome did suffice Three noble sonnes of your forefather Brute So your two sonnes it maye suffice also The moe the stronger if they gree in one The smaller compasse that the realme doth holde The easier is the swey thereof to welde The nearer Iustice to the wronged poore The smaller charge and yet ynoughe for one And whan the region is diuided so That brethren be the lordes of either parte Such strength doth nature knit betwene them both In sondrie bodies by conioyned loue That not as two but one of doubled force Eche is to other as a sure defence The noblenesse and glory of the one Doth sharpe the courage of the others mynde With vertuous enuie to contende for praise And suche an egaluesse hath nature made Betwene the brethren of one fathers seede As an vnkindly wrong it seemes to bee To throwe the brother subiect vnder fecte Of him whose peere he is by course of kinde And nature that did make this egalnesse Ofte so repineth at so great a wrong That ofte she rayseth vp a grudginge griefe In yonger brethren at the elders state Wherby both townes and kingdomes haue ben rased And famous stockes of royall bloud destroied The brother that shoulde be the brothers aide And haue a wakefull care for his defence Gapes for his death and blames the lyngering yeres That draw not forth his ende with faster course And oft impacient of so longe delayes With hatefull slaughter he preuentes the fates And heapes a iust rewarde for brothers bloode With endlesse vengeaunce on his stocke for aye Suche mischiefes here are wisely mette withall If egall state maye nourishe egall loue Where none hath cause to grudge at others good But nowe the head to stoupe beneth them bothe Ne kinde ne reason ne good ordre beares And oft it hath ben seene where natures course Hath ben peruerted in disordered wise When fathers cease to know that they should rule The children cease to know they should obey And often ouerkindly tendernesse Is mother of vnkindly stubbornenesse I speake not this in enuie or reproche As if I grudged the glorie of your sonnes Whose honour I besech the Goddes encrease Nor yet as if I thought there did remaine So filthie cankers in their noble brestes Whom I esteeme which is their greatest praise Undoubted children of so good a kyng Onelie I meane to shewe by certeine rules Whiche kinde hath graft within the mind of man That nature hath her ordre and her course Which being broken doth corrupt the state Of myndes and thinges euen in the best of all My lordes your sonnes may learne to rule of you Your owne example in your noble courte Is fittest guyder of their youthfull yeares If you desire to see some present ioye By sight of their well rulynge in your lyfe See them obey so shall you see them rule Who so obeyeth not with humblenesse Will rule with outrage and with insolence Longe maye they rule I do beseche the Goddes But longe may they learne ere they begyn to rule If kinde and fates woulde suffre I would wisshe Them aged princes and immortall kinges Wherfore most noble kynge I well assent Betwene your sonnes that you diuide your realme And as in kinde so match them in degree But while the Goddes prolong your royall life Prolong your reigne for therto lyue you here And therfore haue the Goddes so long forborne To ioyne you to them selues that still you might Be prince and father of our common weale They when they see your children ripe to rule Will make them roume and will remoue you hence That yours in right ensuynge of your life Maye rightly honour your immortall name Eub. Your wonted true regarde of faithfull hartes Makes me O kinge the bolder to presume To speake what I conceiue within my brest Although the same do not agree at all With that which other here my lordes haue said Nor which your selfe haue seemed best to lyke Pardon I craue and that my wordes be deâ—â—ed To flowe from hartie zeale vnto your grace And to the safetie of your common weale To parte your realme vnto my lordes your sounes I thinke not good for you ne yet for them But worste of all for this our natiue lande Within one land one single rule is best Diuided reignes do make diuided hartes But peace preserues the countrey and the prince Suche is in man the gredy minde to reigne So great is his desire to climbe alofte In worldly stage the stateliest partes to beare That faith and iustice and all kindly loue Do yelde vnto desire of soueraignitie Where egall state doth raise an egall hope To winne the thing that either wold attaine Your grace remembreth how in passed yeres The mightie Brute first prince of all this lande Possessed the same and ruled it well in