God hath geuen to thee Be such as I can not thee greatly blame Though thou without desert disdaynest me Who for thy sake doth lothe al crueltie But for thy â—oue with Mars his cruel knife I could commaund thy Realme and reaue thy life But out alas whilst breath doth lend me life My hart shal hate to thrall thy happy state What though thou dost refuse to be my wyfe Thy hatred tho shal neuer cause me hate But whylâ—te I liue I wyl thee loue let Fate And Fortune fell poure on me al their spight To die for thee shal greatly me delight Then I replide O Duke without desert Thou doste me loue a little Ilandes Queene I know thou to the Emperour heyre art Thy valiaunt actes I diuers wayes haue seene I like thy deedes most noble which haue bene And thee I loue yet priuate pleasures luste May neuer make me throwe my Realme to duste If thou quothe he wylte dayne my Queene to be Thy Bryttaynes shal to Rome no tribute yeilde You if you please to Rome may go with me Your myghtie mate the world so wide may wielde Or if you please I here wyth you wyl bylde My byding place and in this littell lande I wyl remayne yours at your commaund His comely corps his friendly promise plight His famous actes his Noble royall race Some other thinges which here I could recite The Romans hart within my brest dyd place And when my wit had wayed well the case Then for the chiefe of all my Realme I sent And thus I spake to know the whole intent My louing Lordes and you my subiects see This Roman heyre whom I indeede do loue He will restore your ancient lybertie If I wyll bende my hest to his behoue Which benifites they chiefely do mee moue To loue at last a man by whom you may Receaue a Shielde to keepe you from decay Perhaps you think I loue because I see His comely corps and seemely sanguine face You be deceaude no outward brauery No personage no gallant courtly grace What though hee bee by birth of Royall race I recke it not but this I do regarde My common weale by him may bee preserude For if hee wyll from tribute set you free And ende the worke which I haue well begonne That Christes Gospell preached styll may bee God may by hym sende vnto me a sonne To you a King what wealth then haue you wonne What great renowme what honour wyll insue Speake you your mindes these thinges me think be true O Queene quoth they the Lorde preserue thy grace Do thou the thinge that semes to thee the best We do alowe the matche in euery case If by that meanes we may haue quiet rest With what great good shal this our Realme be blest Do thou therefore O noble Queeene we pray The thing which best may keepe vs from decay The Roman Duke he nothing would denye But graunted more then I could aske or craue So that there was proclaymed by and by A famous feast a banquet passing braue There to the Duke the Britayne Crowne I gaue With sacred spousall ryghtes as man and wyfe We wedded liude in loue for terme of lyfe And whylste we ment to rule this little I le A greater good vnlooked for befel Death did destroy his Syre with hateful hande For which we both at Rome must nowe go dwel And so we did thinges prospered passyng wel My Feere was made the Emperour Lorde and King Of al and I the Queene of euery thing His myghtie Mace did rule the Monarchie My wyt did rule some wryters say his Mace And to increase with ioye our merye glye I brought him forth a babe of Royal race The boy he had an amiable face O Rome thou maiste reioyce for this was he Which did at Rome erect Diuinitie Whilste thus in blesse I did at Rome remayne On Britaine stil my mind her care did cast For which I causde my husband to ordayne That euermore those ancient Lawes should last Whiâ—h heretofore amongst them there I past And that to Rome no Brittayne borne for aye Should taxe or toll or tenth or tribute pay Though there at Rome an Empresse life I led And had at hand what I could wishe or craue Yet stil me thought I was not wel bestead Because I was so farre from Brittayne braue Which when my louing Lorde did once perceiue He set a stay in al the Emperye To Brittayne then he did returne with me We raygnde of yeares thrice seuen with good successe Then Dolor and Debilitie did driue My louing Lord with faynting feeblenesse For vitall life with braying breath to striue He felt howe death of life would him depriue He calde his Lordes his childe and me his wife And thus he spake euen as he left his life The haughtye Pynes of loftye Libanus From earth to earth in tracte of time returne So I whose spreading prayse were marueilous Must now returne my fleshe to filthy slime On Fortunes wheele I may no longer clime Therefore my Lordes although my glasse be runne Yet take remorse on Constantine my sonne My Monarche Court my Kingdomes all O stately Rome farewell to them and thee Farewell my Lordes which see my finall fall Farewell my Childe my Wyfe more deare to mee Then all the world we must depart I see And must we needes depart O Fortune fye We must depart adue farewell I dye Wherewith he sighte and senslesse dyd remayne Then I his death as women doo dyd wayle But when I viewd that weeping was but vayne â–ª I was content to beare that bitter bale As one who founde no meanes for her auayle His corps at Yorke in Princely Tombe I layde When Funerall sacred solemne rights were payde And when report his death about had blowne Maxentius then the triple Crowne to weare Dyd challenge all the Empire as his owne And for a time that mighty Mace dyd beare Which when my Sonne my Constantine dyd heare The youthfull Lad indeuourd by and by To Claime his right by Mars his crueltie I then his tender youthfull yeares to guyde Went with my sonne to see his good successe He being Campt by fruitfull Tybers side To spoyle his foe he dyd hymselfe addresse Hee knew that God dyd geue all happinesse Therefore to God euen then the Youth dyd pray With mightie hande to keepe hym from decay Beholde how God doth godly men defend And marke how he doth beate Usurpers downe Maxentius nowe he al his force dothe bende For to defend his Diade me and Crowne But frowarde Fate vpon the Prince did frowne For why his men were scattered euery where In Tyber he did drowne him selfe for feare To Rome then we and all our host did hie The Romans they with ioy did vs receiue To Constantine they gaue the Emperie But he of them most earnestly did craue That I the rule of al the worlde myght haue It is quoth he my mothers ryght to rayne Til dreadful death hath shred her
al my Realme proclame At which both Danes and Englishmen did meete Then secretely my friendes and I did frame That Englishmen the Danes shoulde friendly greete And at the feast that they shoulde doo their feate And that they might the better woorke their wyl They thus were plast according vnto skil Two before one and three before fyue Here two and there two and foure then beliue Here one and there one and three at a cast Then one and twice two and one at the last They mingled thus the watchworde wysely geuen And Englishmen with weapons wel bestead The Danes amidst their Cuppes were shauen shriuen Fiue hundred thousand in one day were dead Nowe note the ende of blood so beastly shed For Swane the king of Denmarke did ariue He for reuenge did me to Richard driue Marke here howe lawlesse policies preuaile Their good successe doo promise present payne What May mans vayne deuises ought auaile Dishonest deedes no honour can obtayne Al murthering Massacers be vile and vayne Such suttle slayghtes haue neuer good successe The proofe whereof with payne I here expresse For Swane with swoorde and fyre did destroye Both man and beast and euery earthly thing He did that noble London much annoy He wonne the Realme and was the Englishe king When tract of time him to his Beere did bring Canutus then his sonne did him succeede Whom to displace I did despatch with speede My brother Richarde Duke of Normandy Of Normans gaue to me a goodly bande By helpe of whom Canutus forst to flee I got agayne the kingdome of Englande But out alas what thing may fyrmely stande Whose vnder propt is of so litle might That want of strength dooth let thinges drop downright Canutus did from Denmarke nowe returne The wrathful wight appoynted passyng strong My subiectes slue my Cities he did burne Which when I hearde I liude not very long My faynting hart was thronged with a throng Of cares which broke it in my feareful brest And so at last death brought my bones to â—est Twice tenne and eight I ranne my ruthful race And then in Paules my cursed corps was layde Canutus did my common weale deface The Danes were kinges my kingdome was decayde This worlde is frayle and euery thing must fade But alwayes that which wanteth gouernment That fyrst dooth feele the force of dangers dent The Induction O Memory quoth Inquisition what dyd become of Edmunde Ironsyde of whom you made mention in your former induction That vertuous valiaunt Prince quoth Memory was miserably made away by an Earle By an Earle quoth Inquisition I haue here an Earle called Edricus who murthered a Kynge it maye bee that chaunce hath yeelded vntoo vs the factour vnlooked for He is euen the same sayd Memory and hys Tragedye is very necessarie for hee as thys woorthie Kyng was set on a Priuie to doo as nature and necessitie dooth constrayne caused hym miserably to bee thrust vp into the fundament wyth a Speare wherewith the good Prince ended hys dayes If we doo heare hym geue hym warnyng quoth Inquisition that hee be briefe for wee haue no tyme too bestowe in hearing the complayntes of those miserable Princes and yet wee muste needes heare one more besyde hym Let him therefore goe roundly to the purpose He shal not be tedious quoth Memory Wherewith the wretched man sayde as foloweth ⧠The Complaint of Edricus ¶ Howe Edricus destroyed the valiant king Edmunde Ironsyde hoping to haue greate preferment for his labour of Canutus the Dane and howe the same Canutus caused him to be headed for his labour A necessary example for al such as thinke by craft and deceite to increase their credite YOu hellish hagges of Limbo Lake belowe Which dayly doo my cursed corps torment Come forth come forth come forth I say and shewe Howe I on earth my dismal dayes haue spent And wil you not you wretched wightes assent To helpe me here to tell that drierie tale Which may amongst men liuing much preuayle O cursed ghost condemde to endelesse thral Sith they refuse to aide thee in this neede Doo thou declare and tel the truth of al That men aliue my wretched woorkes may reade And see the fruite of suttle Satans seede Auoyding vice and fancies fonde delight Note wel my tale the truth I shal recite When Etheldrede had geuen Canutus place Edmunde dis sonne surnamed Ironside Deuising howe he might his foe deface By wrath of warre the cause they did decide And in the ende the Realme they did deuide Edmunde had hâ—lfe Canutus had the rest Then they with peace and quietnesse were blest O blinde beleefe O hope of higher hope Why did you moue my minde to meditate Howe I in woe king Edmunde might inwrap And howe I might depresse my kinges estate Thou blinde beleefe thou breeder of debate I wanting grace did let thee moue my minde Causlesse to kil a courteous king and kinde He being kilde I to Canutus went To whom I sayd See here a faythful friend I for thy loue with bloody blade haue bent And brought my king to his vntimely ende Thou by that meanes shalt rule thy realme with rest My friendly fist with happie good successe Hath thee inricht with blisse and happinesse Hast thou quoth he destroyde thy souerayn king Thou faythlesse fauning friende for loue of me Thou verlet vile and couldste thou doo the thing The which might more abridge my libertie O heynous acte O bloody crueltie But sith that loue did moue thee doo that deede Thou for thy paynes shalt be preferde with speede Wherwith in hast he to the hangman said Let this mans head the hyghest place obtayne On London walles wherewith I neuer stayde But on a blocke my necke was cut in twayne In all mens sighte my head did long remayne See here what wit the grape of hope dooth yeeld See on what sand such buste braynes do builde O hateful thing that fancies fonde delight The sense of mortal man should senselesse make When vices vaunts with vertues deedes dare fyght Then dooth the soule the hapyie heauens forsake Then man makes hast to Plutoes sothsome sake Why should man loue that sugered sowre sweete Which wisedoms lore to lothe hath thought most meete FINIS The Induction THe iust rewarde for so vile an offence dothe proue quoth Inquisition this Canutus to bee both a wise and a worthy Prince Yea saide Memory yf he had liued amoÌ„gst those pratling Poetes which made so muche tattle of Hector Hercules certaynely he should not haue been inferiour vnto eche of them This Canutus was king at one time of foure kingdomes as for Englande and Scotlande and Norway he held them by conquest By birth he was the kyng of Denmarke yea he so demeaned him selfe that duryng his lyfe all these foure kingdomes honoured him with the honoure due vnto a natiue king But not long after his death that good king Saint Edmunde the confessour obtayned agayne the rule of Englande but chiefely
through the helpe of his Nephewe William duke of Normandy to whom for that after his death he by liniall descent was next he promised the Crowne of Englande if that he dyed without issue Howe chaunced it then quoth Inquisition that the Duke made such sharpe warre vppon Harolde for the obteynyng thereof Howe dyd it chaunce quoth Memory that is necessarie too be knowne for that chaunce dyd not onely destroy the Danes but it brought both Harolde and the Englishmen to confusion and although nowe our idle houres be spent tyme and our affayres doo call vs from the further hearing these mens complayntes yet let vs as we may heare what thys Harolde wyll saye hys story wyll furnishe our woorke wyth a fit conclusion And for the better vnderstanding of this mans matter doo you imagine that you see this king comming from the conquest of the Danes euen sweating in hys armour to saye as followeth The Complaint of Harolde ¶ Howe King Harolde raygnyng but niene monthes had continuall warre with the Danes with the Norway Kyng with his brother Tosto and with Duke William who partely by hys strength but chiefly by policie ouercame hym and by killyng him in the feelde obteyned the kingdome of Englande Thys historie dooth declare that no manhoode nor courage can keepe the crowne from the right heyres head WOulde he haue warre and we to warre proclame O Bastarde Duke and dost thou dare to fyght My Noble men Come forth and purchase Fame Geue me my swoorde let me defende my right Steppe foorth with speede my Martiall men of myght With Bowes and Bylles let vs their course restrayne And teach them that their vaunting vowes be vayne But that we may with wysedome wisely woorke It vs behoues in Normandy to fight With hym and not to let his souldiers lurke Here in my Realme we shal thereby achiue No noble acte though hence we him do driue But if we deale with him in Normandy We shal receiue renowne and victorie It is the best with forraine foes to fyght Abroade as did the haughtie Hannibal And not at home to feele their hatefull spight Of all the rest it is the greatest thrall That foes ariude should spoyle our subiectes all And for a truth this alwayes hath bin found He speedeth best which fightes on forrayne grounde My men of warre were mustered in hast But hast to late was then of none auayle The Duke ariude he in my Realme was plaste He euery where my subiectes did assayle And euery where he caused them to quayle For which I bode hym battaile by and by Where equall warres gaue neither victorye For both our strengthes were weakned in such wise We both for breath to pause were wel content Euen then the Duke he wisely did deuise How here to yeeld my crowne I might be bent For whiche to me a Pursiphaunt he sent With letters suche as here I shall recite Wherein he claimes the Birttayne Crowne his right ⧠William Duke of Normandie and ryght heyre to the Englyshe Crowne to Harolde the Vsurper Though birthright cannot cause thee yeeld to me my crown Yet haue thou some respect of honour and renowne For thou by oth didst sweare to yeeld to me my right When as I thee preferd and stalde thee there bymight Mine vncle Edwarde he thy fathers faythfull freende Gaue me his crowne and thou thereto didst condescend Yet now thou wouldest fayne defeate me of my right And proue thy selfe forsworne of former promise plight Shall Harold haue his hest shal Godwines sonne here guide Shall William want his wyl and haue his ryght denide ▪ Wel Harolde if thou canst with warres determine so I am content if not prouide I am thy foe My sonnes and al my kinne shal neuer stint to striue To plucke thee from thy place whilst one is left aliue But if thou wylt be wise to me my right resigne And thou shalt haue the place belonging to thy line If not with fyre and swoorde I meane thy Realme to spoyle I neuer hence wyll starte till I haue forst thy foyle And now thou knowste my wyl determine for the best Thou maist haue warres and if thou wylt thou maist haue rest Willyam Duke of Normandy THese letters were of little might to make My manly minde to graunt hym his request For which I did to Fortune me betake To wage new warres with hym I deemde it best So from his fist his threatning blade to wrest But see the force of Fortunes changing cheare An other cloude before me did appeare My brother Tosto who from me was flead Did now returne and brought the Norway kyng They did deuise to haue from me my head Which made me to indite an other thing Unto the Duke then playne and true meaning I gaue him hope of that I neuer meant These were the lines which to the Duke I sent Harolde the English king to thee William Duke of Normandie HArold the English king thee William Duke doth greete Thy letter being read I haue not thought it meete Without a parliament to do so great a thing As of a forrayne Duke to make an Englshe kyng But if my three estates will follow mine aduise Thou shalt receiue the crowne and beare away the price Therfore delay a time thou shortly shalt receiue With full consent the thing which now thou seekst to haue Harolde Then I in hast my power did prepare For why I hearde my brother Tostoes trayne Two of my Earles by North he had destroyd And manye a thousand men he there had slayne But when we met his triumphe was in vayne For I and myne the Norway king there kilte And I my selfe my brothers blood there spilte Now when the Duke my friendly lines had read And heard how I my men did muster newe There lies a Snake within this greene grasse bed Quoth he therefore come forth my warrelike crewe We will not staye to see what shall insue By long delayes from Forrain coastes he may Procure an ayde to scourge vs with decay But when he heard with whom I had to deale Well donne quoth he let hym go beate the bushe I and my men to the lurche line will steale And plucke the Net euen at the present push And one of them we with decaye will crushe For he who doth the victor there remaine Shall neuer rest till he hath dealt with twaine So I in vaine who had the victorie Within fewe dayes was forst againe to fight My strength halfe spoylde the rest wounded and wearie His campe was comne vnwares within my sight There was no hope to flee by day nor night I Harolde then a Harande sent in haste To know whither the Duke his campe had plaste He sent me woorde my yfs and ands were vaine And that he knewe the driftes of my delay For which he sayde he woulde yet once agayne Make trial who shoulde beare the crowne away If I would yeelde he sayd his men should stay If not he then was present presently
sorrow did on euery side assayle My natiue soyle and being thus dismayde To Rome we seâ—â— for succour helpe and ayde Seuerus then by Bassianus sent To bring this realme vnto some quiet stay The Romans and the Brittaynes both were bent To bring the Scottes and Pictes to their decay Them to returne agayne to Scithya And at the last by good Seuerus ayde We them destroyde when we were most afrayde Whose force though twice the Romans felt to strong Yet at the last we got a goodly day Euen by my meanes who thrust into the throng Of Scots and Pictes I desperate ther dyd play The part of hym whom feare did neuer fray And at the last to end this mortall strife I did depriue king Lodrike of his life And when the Pictes did see their king depriude Of vitall life Lord how they fled the fielde They made me muse to see how fast they striude With staylesse steppes eche one his life to shielde Who could not flye he there with care was kilde So by my meanes my country did obtayne Her auncient state and liberty agayne At my returne I to Seuerus sayde See here how I with woundes am all bestead I cannot liue I feele how lyfe doth fade Lodrike him selfe did carue and cut my head For which my blade his lukewarme blood hath shed â–ª He cut my cap and I haue got his crowne He lost his lyfe and I haue found renowne Seuerus then vnto his Surgion sayde Heale hym and bryng him safe and sound agayne Thou for thy paynes with poundes shalt wel be payd And he shall haue such honoure for his payne As vnto him for euer shal remayne â–ª For by the Gods which rule the skies aboue His noble actes deserue eternal loue When by the skill of Surgions curious arte My hurtes were healde and holesome health ensude Seuerus then reioycing at the harte Made me a Lorde with wealth he me indude Yea he although my learning were but rude Senâ— me to Rome as Legate of this lande To make reporte how here our state did stande My deedes at home inrichte me with renowne My talke abroade with proper filed phrase Adornde my head euen with a Laurell crowne The Emperour did much commend my wayes So that I was bedeckt with double prayse I could not reade my lerning was but weake Yet they of Rome did muse to heare me speake As learned Arte doth geue a goodly grace To some so some by natures giftes do get Eternal fame and purchase them a place Aboue the place where learned men do siâ— We finde the fine dexteritye of wit In them which be both wise and ful of skill â–ª Yet neuer striude to clime Pernassus hill So I with prayse a time at Rome did stay And tracte of time returnde me baâ—ke agayne The Emperour he gaue my ryght away Within a while which made me storme amayne I had great cause me thought for to complayne Seuerus he was made the king of all The giftes he gaue to me were very small I was but made the Captayne of the coast From Forrayne force to keepe my realme in rest Seuerus he was crowned king in post Which did so boyle within my warrelike â—rest That I with griefe most strangely was distrest Shal he sayde I thus reape the high renowne Which I deserue Shal he inioy the Crowne I wonne the wreath and he wil weare the same I got the goale and he will get the gayne For me in faith it were a deadly shame If I in this his regall royall raygne Without repulse should suffer him remaine Which if I do then let the dreadfull darte Of Vulcans wrath torment in twayne my hart For why I see what seruile seruitude Shall then insue if he may â—aigne in rest Shall Bryttayn â—raue by Romanes be 〈◊〉 It shal no doubte by Romans be distrest Except my might against his might be prest My might as yet cannot his strength constraine Yet may my might compell him to complaine The drainyng droppes doo make the Marble yeelâ— In time the seas the cragged rockes do rende And Courtly Kinges by tearing time be kilde For time dooth make the mightie Okes to bende And time dooth make the litle twigges ascende So I in time such power may prepare As shal constraine Seuerus death with care But whylst I did indeuour to destroy Seuerus strength the Pictes were prickte with pride For theyr reuenge vs Britaynes to annoy Which when I hard in post I did prouide A power great then I in hast did ride And kept the Coast so strong with men of warre That no man coulde ariue to make or marre The poore Pictes preuented of their pray In waltering waues did bousâ— their bittter â—ayne They digde a diche and caught theyr owne decay On rockes theyr Barkes in seas them selues were slaine The Westerne windes with wo did them constrayne By Britayne bankes to make so long delaye I and the Seas brought them to their decay By meanes whereof my credite did increase Seuerus did esteeme me as his stay I from my fyrst deuises coulde not cease For aye I hopâ—e to haue a happy day To bring the Roman rule to their decay With fauning faâ—e good fortune smyled so I had my wyshe what might I hope for mo For into Spayne the Roman souldiours sent I had at home the might him to depriue Then wisely I al perilles to preuent Prouided so that no man could ariue No Picte nor Scot nor Roman then could striue With me at home then I the Lordes with speede Of Brirttayne calde and thus I did proceede The Roman rule vs subiect slaues hath made You se my Lordes a Roman heere doth raigne Whome to destroy my power shal inuade I do in deede this seruile life disdayne And you your selues do much therof complayne If you with helpe wyl me assiste I sweare The Roman rule shal haue no power here Then they most glad with one consent replide We wyl assist thee with what myght we may And we our selues most wylling wyl prouide No Britayne borne against thee shal display His shielde but al at the appoynted day As prest to please thy heste shal thee assist Winne thou the Crowne and weare it at thy list Which when I hard them say with one consent Blame not though pride did then possesse my hart For Princely Crowne â–ª the dreadfull dierie dent Of wrakful warre who would not feele the smart Of griping grefe who would not feele the dart Of dreadful death or who regardeth payne If he a Crowne and kingdome may obtayne For gunnehole grotes the countrie Clowne doth care Restlesse with ruth the Rusticke gets his gayne The Marchant man for welth doth send his ware About the worlde with perill and great payne And all the worlde for welth doth not disdayne Amidst the surge of mighty mounting Seas To caste them selues their owne delightes to please If to obtayne such trifles they do toyle And neuer ceasse to bring there driftes about Why should
poynt the Queene me backe doth bring On thother side the Knight dooth woorke my wracke The other poyntes with Pannes be al possest And here the Rooke of ruth dooth reaue my rest And being brought into this strange estate I do confesse my selfe to haue a mate Sith sorrowe so hath seasde vpon my bones That nowe too late I doo lament my losse And sith no meanes may turne my gastfull grones To ioyfull glye sith trouble still doth tosse Me to and fro in walteryng waues of woe Death is my friend and life I compt my foe Which death though once my feeble fleshe did feare Yet now I fayne would feele his murdring speare In gurging gulfe of these such surging seas My Pouer soule who drownd you wil request I wretched wight haue sought mine owne disease By myne owne meanes my state it was distrest For whilst I meant to make my lust a lawe Iustice me from my high estate did drawe So that I fynde and feele it nowe with payne Al worldly pompe al honour is but vayne Which honour I to fiery flames compare For when they flash and flourishe most of all Then suddaynely their flamings quenched are For proofe whereof to minde nowe let vs cal Antigonus and Ptollemeus Great Caesar and Mithridate we may repeat With Darius and great Antiochus Cambises eke and conquering Pyrrhus And I the last myght fyrst haue had my place They al as I with flaming fierie showe Were quenched quite Dame Fortune did deface Yea hatefull happe euen then did ouerthrowe Us most when most we had our hartes desire When most we flourisht like the flames of fyre Euen then the seas of sorowe did preuayle And made vs weare a blacke wamenting sayle And here before my death I wyl repeate To thee the thing which I of late did dreame That thou and al the worlde may see how great A care it is to rule a royal realme My dreame shal showe that blisse doth not consist In wealth nor want but he alone is blest Who is content with his assigned fate And neuer striues to clime to higher state When seemely Sol had rest his glittering gleames And Nox the earth with darkenesse did imple Dame Sinthia then with her bright burnishte beames The shadowed shades of darkenesse did assayle Then Somnus causde my senses al to quayle On careful couche then being layde to rest With doubtful dreames I strangely was distrest In cottage colde where care me thought did keepe With naked neede and want of wherewithal Where pouertie next beggers doore did creepe And where expences were so passing smal That al men deemde that man forethrongd with thral Which there did dwel euen there from bondage free I veiwde a man al voyde of miserie And whilst I musde howe he in bliue of blisse Coulde leade his life amidst that caue of care From princely Court proceeded eare I wist A man with whom there might no man compare His wealth his wit his courage were so rare That none before nor since were like to him Yet he mee thought in waues of woe did swimme This man had al that men could wyshe or craue For happy state yet nought he had in deede The other he had nought that men would haue Yet had he al beleeue it as thy Creede This saying of that happy man I reade That hauing nought yet al thinges so I haue That hauing nought I nothing more doo craue The king mee thought with al his Courtly trayne Past to the place where pouertie did dwel With frowning face and with a troubled brayne With woe and want his vexed vaynes did swell With myrth and ioy the poore man did excel And being come vnto his house ymade Of one poore hogsheadde thus to him he sayde Diogenes thou leadst a lothsome life Me thinke thou mightst much better spend thy time Within my Court both thou and eake thy wife Thou by that meanes to high estate maist clime I haue the wealth and thou art voyde of crime And loe before thy face I here am prest To geue thee that which thou shalt nowe request Stand backe Sir Kyng thy vaunting vowes be vaine I no thing recke thy promise goodes nor lande And Titans stately streames would me sustayne With heate if thou from thys my doore wouldst stande Thou takst away much more then thy commaunde Can geue agayne thy giftes so vile I deeme That none but fooles such follies do esteeme With Conquest thou hast wonne the worlde so wide And yet thou canst not winne thy wandring wyll Thou wouldest winne an other worlde beside But â—ushe that facte doth farre surpasse thy skyll Thou neuer wilt of Conquest haue thy fyll Til Death with daunting darte hath conquerd thee Then must thou leaue behynd thy Monarchie With greate assaultes my selfe I haue subdude In all respectes I haue my hartes desyre With a contented minde I am endude To hygher state I neuer will aspire More like a Prince then any pore Esquire I leade my life and sith my state is such Aske thou of me for I can geue thee muche All dasht with dreade me thought in fuming heate He sayd departing thence in hast with speede If I were not Alexander the Great I would become Diogenes in deed Who leades his life al voyd of woeful dread He hath the welth which I cannot obtayne I haue the welth which wise men do disdayne I liue in feare I languishe al in dreade Welth is my woe the causer of my care With feare of death I am so il bestead That restlesse I much like the hunted Hare Or as the canuiste Kite doth feare the snare Ten hundred cares hath brought me to the baye Ten thousand snares for this my lyfe men laye When Philip he of Macedon the king One Realme me leâ—te I could not be content Desier prickte me to an other thing To winne the worlde it was my whole intent Which donne an other worlde to winne I ment When least I had then most I had of blesse Now al the worlde and al vnquietnesse No woe to want of contentation No welth to want of riches and renowne For this is seene in euery nation The highest trees be sonest blowen downe Ten kinges do dye before one clubbishe Clowne Diogenes in quiet Tunne doth rest When Caesar is with carking care distrest Wherewith me thought he was departed quite And Morpheus that sluggishe God of sleepe Did leaue my limmes wherewith I stoode vpright Deuising long what profite I could reape Of this my dreame which playnly did expresse That neyther want nor wealth doth make mans blesse Who hath the meane with a contented minde Most perfect blesse his God hath him assignde But I who liude a Crowned king of late And nowe am forste of thee to begge my bread I cannot be content with this estate I lothe to liue I would I wretch were deade Despayer she doth feede me with decay And Pacience is fled and flowne away Do thou therefore O Heardeman play thy parte Take thou
this blade and thrust it to my harte O Sir I sayd the Goddes defend that I Should causelesse kil a man in myserye Tel me thy name and place then by and by I wyl prouide for thyne aduersitie Then he replide my name is Sigeberte I am the man which wrought thy masters smart I rulde of late this Realme euen at my liste Take thou reuenge with that thy friendly fiste And wel content I wyl reuenge with speede The death of him whome causelesse thou didst kill King Sigebert and art thou he in deede Sith he thou art dispaâ—th and make thy wyl For to my Lorde this day I wyl present Thy head therefore thy former faultes repent Thou seest the blocke on which thy lyfe must ende Cal thou for grace that God may mercie sende Wherewith the kneelyng by he block of bale Dispatch quoth he and do that friendly deede O welcome death and farewel Fortune fraile Dispatch good friende dispatch my lyfe with speede Wherewith on blocke he stretcht his necke out right And sayd no more but praying me to smite I gaue the stroke which ended al his care A blouddie stroke which did my death prepare For I who hopte to haue some great rewarde For killing of my maisters fathers foe Was hanged strayght my cause was neuer hearde Such was my chance and wel deserued woe For when my Lord had heard me tel the tale Howe I his king and myne did there assayle His frowning face did put me in great feare He sighte and sobde and sayd as you shal heare O Caitife vile O impe of Satans seede And hast thou kylde our Soueraigne Lorde and kyng His due deserte deserueth death in deede Yet what made thee to doo so vile a thinge What though he dyd my Father causelesse kyll What though he rulde the Realme with lawlesse wyll Shall we therefore with cruel bloudy knyfe Depriue our Lorde and king of vitall lyfe O filth fye may subiectes false surmise With murthering mindes their Gouernour resiste That may not be for Tully wonderous wyse Plato in whom true knowledge dooth consiste They both agreed that nâ— man ought to kyll A Tyrant though he hath hym at his wyll Yet thou thou wretche this bloudy deede hast donne The like was neuer seene vnder the Sunne When God wyl plague the people for their sinne Them then to scourge he doth a Tyrant sende We should therefore that subiectes be begin With earnest minde our former faultes tamende Which if we do it is to great auaile Mans force is fonde fighting cannot preuayle And he who doth resist the Magistrate Resisteth god repenting al to late If subiects be by peruerse Prince opprest They then must pray that God the change maye make Which God no doubt Rebellion doth detest No subiect may his sworde nor armoure take Against his Prince whom god hath placed there Yet hath this wretch al voyde of Subiectes feare Destroyde a King whome God did thrust from throne Alas poore king thy death I do bemone But he who hath thy lyngring lyfe destroyde Shal be destroyd and finde it passing playne That no man may a Princes lyfe anoye Although the Prince desiers to be slayne Yet subiectes must from sheading bloud refrayne From which seeing this wretch could not abstayne Let him be hangde as I before decreed A iust rewarde for his so vile a deed Then I forthwith to end my lyfe was led I hopte to haue preferment for my deede I was preferde and hangde al saue the head Did euer man the lyke example read Not one I thinke therefore good Memorie In register inrolle thou this for mee That they who liue and read the fall I felt May â—inde how Fate most strangely with me delte Yet my desert no doubt dyd death deserue Though hatred dyd not make mee kyll my kyng Yet lucre lewde dyd force my feete to swarue That hatefull hap mee to this bale dyd bring Let them then learne that heedlesse liue by hope Her hatefull hestes wyll bring them to the rope And happy he who voyde of hope can leade A quiet lyfe all voyde of Fortunes dread Perillus he who made the Bull of Brasse Lyke him I hopte to haue some great rewarde But he in brasen belly broyled was And to a Skarfe of Hempe I was preferde So they that meane by others harmes to rise Their dying day shall ende with dolefull cries â–ª And here I ende approuing that most true From wicked workes no goodnesse can insue ⧠The Induction THis Heardman quoth Inquisition dooth make me cal to minde Pans Preachers I meane Maroes shepherds Siluanus CaÌ„didus and such lyke who with their Oten Pipes dyd often times disâ—lose very intricate mysteries reasoning pro et con of many high poynts belonging vnto the common weale And I know not with what knowledge they dyd decide doubtfull matters accordyng vnto the opinyon of the best Philosophers Surely Memorie I maruel much at the men of the olde worlde for I read of many who hauing many passing great giftes of learning and knowledge were content with the base estate of Heardmen In these our dayes none bee Heardmen but fooles and euery man though his witte be but meane yet he cannot liue with a contented mind except he hath the degree of a Lorde â–ª It is moste true sayde Memorye for heretofore men did not raunge vntyed in such a worlde of libertye as they doo nowe then the wisest was best content with the lowest estate yea Reason so bridled the affections of men that Apollo whome Poetes do faygne to be the verye God of wisedom what was he but a shepehearde and that verye poore as it woulde seeme for he kepte Admetus hearde in Thessalie And Argus who for the sharpnesse of his wit was reported to haue an hundred eies he also was content to be a Cowheard And were not Bacchus Saturne and mighty Iupiter delighted in husbandrie But he who is most wyse in these our dayes doth approue him selfe most folish by thrusting himselfe vnto his owne destruction which this Heardman hath declared sufficiently â—n this storie of Sigebert But let vs nowe proceede and let vs by examples teach what fruit vertue and vice coÌ„tentation and ambition doth yeeld Then let them of this world choose whether lyke the wise Mariners they wil auoyd those daÌ„gerous rocks or willingly cast theÌ„selues away Proceede therfore good Inquisition let vs see whom you haue here Shee will declare her selfe quoth Inquisition what she is but for the better vnderstanding of her talke you must think that you see .51 NuÌ„nes al Ladies by birth hauing all their noses vpper lippes flead of al flaming in a fire being shut into a church then do you imagine that you see this Lady the mistris and gouerner of the rest standing dismembred burning amongst the rest to say as foloweth The Lyfe of Ladye Ebbe Howe Lady Ebbe dyd flea her nose and vpper lippe away to saue her Virginitie DO nothing muse at my deformed face