Iniurious fortune hast thou crost me thus Thus in the morning of my victories Thus in the prime of my felicitie To cut me off by such hard ouerthrow Hadst thou no time thy rancor to declare But in the spring of all my dignities Hadst thou no place to spit thy venome out But on the person of yoong Albanact I that ere while did scare mine enemies And droue them almost to a shamefull flight I that ere while full lion-like did fare Amongst the dangers of the thick throngd pikes Must now depart most lamentably slaine By Humbers trecheries and fortunes spights Curst be their charms damned be her cursed charms That doth delude the waiward harts of men Of men that trust vnto her fickle wheele Which neuer leaueth turning vpside downe O gods O heauens allot me but the place Where I may finde her hatefull mansion I le passe the Alpes to watry Merae Where fierie Phoebus in his charriot The wheels wherof are dect with Emeraldes Cast such a heate yea such a scorching heate And spoileth Flora of her checquered grasse I le ouerrun the mountaine Caucasus Where fell Chimaera in her triple shape Rolleth hot flames from out her monstrous panch Scaring the beasts with issue of her gorge I le passe the frozen Zone where ysie flakes Stopping the passage of the fleeting shippes Do lie like mountaines in the congeald sea Where if I finde that hatefull house of hers I le pull the fickle wheele from out her hands And tie her selfe in euerlasting bands But all in vaine I breath these threatnings The day is lost the Hunnes are conquerors Deoon is slaine my men are done to death The currents swift swimme violently with blood And last O that this last night so long last My selfe with woundes past all recouery Must leaue my crowne for Humber to possesse Strum. Lord haue mercy vpon vs masters I think this is a holie day euerie man lies sleeping in the fields but God knowes full sore against their wills Thra. Flie noble Albanact and saue thy selfe The Scithians follow with great celeritie And ther 's no way but fight or speedie death Flie noble Albanact and saue thy selfe Sound the alarme Alba. Nay let them flie that feare to die the death That tremble at the name of fatall mors Neuer shall proud Humber boast or brag himselfe That he hath put yoong Albanact to flight And least he should triumph at my decay This sword shall reaue his maister of his life That oft hath sau'd his maisters doubtfull life But oh my brethren if you care for me Reuenge my death vpon his traiterous head Et vos queis domus ect nigrantis regia ditis Qui regitis rigido stigios moder amine lucos Nox caeci regina poli furialis Erinnis Diique de aeque omnes Albanum tollite regem Tollite fluminis vndis rigidaque palude Nunc me fata vocant hoc condam pectore ferrum Thrust himselfe through Enter Trumpart O what hath he don his nose bleeds but oh I smel a foxe Looke where my maister lies master master Strum. Let me alone I tell thee for I am dead Trum. Yet one good good master Strum. I will not speake for I am dead I tel thee Trum. And is my master dead O sticks and stones brickbats and bones and is my master dead O you cockatrices and you bablatrices that in the woods dwell You briers and brambles you cookes shoppes and shambles come howle and yell With howling screeking with wailing and weeping come you to lament O Colliers of Croyden and rusticks of Royden and fishers of Kent For Strumbo the cobler the fine mery cobler of Cathnes towne At this same stoure at this very houre lies dead on the ground O maister theeues theeues theeues Strum. Where be they cox me tunny bobekin let me be rising be gone we shall be robde by and by Exeunt The 8. Act Enter Humber Hubba Segar Thrassier Estrild and the souldiers Hum. Thus from the dreadful shocks of furious Mars Thundring alarmes and Rhamnusias drum We are retyred with ioyfull victorie The slaughtered Troians squeltring in their blood Infect the aire with their carcasses And are a praie for euerie rauenous bird Estrild So perish they that are our enemies So perish they that loue not Humbers weale And mightie Ioue commander of the world Protect my loue from all false trecheries Hum. Thanks louely Estrild solace to my soule But valiant Hubba for thy chiualrie Declarde against the men of Albany Loe here a flowring garland wreath'd of bay As a reward for thy forward minde Set it on his head Hub. This vnexpected honor noble sire VVill prick my courage vnto brauer deeds And cause me to attempt such hard exploits That all the world shall sound of Hubbaes name Hum. And now braue souldiers for this good successe Carouse whole cups of Amazonian wine Sweeter then Nectar or Ambrosia And cast away the clods of cursed care VVith goblets crownd with Semeleius gifts Now let vs martch to Abis siluer streames That clearly glide along the Champane fields And moist the grassie meades with humid drops Sound drummes trumpets sound vp cheerfully Sith we returne with ioy and victorie The 3. Act Scene 1. Enter Ate as before The dumb show A Crocadile sitting on a riuers banke and a little Snake stinging it Then let both of them fall into the water Ate Scelera in authorem cadunt High on a banke by Nilus boystrous streames Fearfully sat the Aegiptian Crocodile Dreadfully grinding in her sharpe long teethe The broken bowels of a silly fish His back was armde against the dint of speare VVith shields of brasse that shind like burnisht gold And as he stretched forth his cruell pawes A subtill Adder creeping closely neare Thrusting his forked sting into his clawes Priuily shead his poison through his bones VVhich made him swel that there his bowels burst That did so much in his owne greatnesse trust So Humber hauing conquered Albanact Doth yeeld his glorie vnto Locrines sword Marke what ensues and you may easily see That all our life is but a Tragedie The 2. Scene Enter Locrine Guendoline Corineus Assaracus Thrasimachus Camber Locrine And is this true is Albanactus slaine Hath cursed Humber with his stragling hoste With that his armie made of mungrell curres Brought our redoubted brother to his end O that I had the Thracian Orpheus harpe For to awake out of the infernall shade Those ougly diuels of black Erebus That might torment the damned traitors soule O that I had Amphions instrument To quicken with his vitall notes and tunes The flintie ioynts of euerie stonie rocke By which the Scithians might be punished For by the lightening of almightie Ioue The Hunne shall die had he ten thousand liues And would to God he had ten thousand liues That I might with the arme-strong Hercules Crop off so vile an Hidras hissing heads But say me cousen for I long to heare How Albanact came by vntimely death Thrasi. After the
THE Lamentable Tragedie of Locrine the eldest sonne of King Brutus discoursing the warres of the Britaines and Hunnes with their discomfiture The Britaines victorie with their Accidents and the death of Albanact No lesse pleasant then profitable Newly set foorth ouerseene and corrected By VV. S. LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede 1595 The lamentable Tragedie of Locrine the eldest sonne of King Brutus discoursing the warres of the Britaines and Hunnes with their discomfiture the Britaines victory with their accidents and the death of Albanact The first Act Scene 1. Enter Atey with thunder and lightning all in black with a burning torch in one hand and a bloodie swoord in the other hand and presently let there come foorth a Lion running after a Beare or any other beast then come foorth an Archer who must kill the Lion in a dumbe show and then depart Remaine Atey Atey In paenam sectatur Vmbra A Mightie Lion ruler of the woods Of wondrous strength and great proportion With hideous noyse scarring the trembling trees With yelling clamors shaking all the earth Trauerst the groues and chast the wandring beasts Long did he raunge amid the shadie trees And draue the silly beasts before his face When suddeinly from out a thornie bush A dreadfull Archer with his bow ybent Wounded the Lion with a dismall shaft So he him stroke that it drew forth the blood And fild his furious heart with fretting yre But all in vaine he threatneth teeth and pawes And sparkleth fire from forth his flaming eies For the sharpe shaft gaue him a mortall wound So valiant Brute the terror of the world Whose only lookes did scarre his enemies The Archer death brought to his latest end Oh what may long abide aboue this ground In state of blisse and healthfull happinesse Exit The first Act. Scene 2. Enter Brutus carried in a chaire Locrine Camber Albanact Corineius Guendelin Assaracus Debon Thrasimachus Brutus Most loyall Lords and faithful followers That haue with me vnworthie Generall Passed the greedie gulfe of Ocean Leauing the confines of faire Italie Behold your Brutus draweth nigh his end And I must leaue you though against my will My sinewes shrunke my numbed sences faile A chilling cold possesseth all my bones Blacke vgly death with visage pale and wanne Presents himselfe before my dazeled eies And with his dart prepared is to strike These armes my Lords these neuer daunted armes That oft haue queld the courage of my foes And eke dismayd my neighbours arrogancie Now yeeld to death orelaid with crooked age Deuoyd of strength and of their proper force Euen as the lustie cedar worne with yeares That farre abroad her daintie odore throwes Mongst all the daughters of proud Lebanon This heart my Lords this neare appalled heart That was a terror to the bordring lands A dolefull scourge vnto my neighbor Kings Now by the weapons of vnpartiall death Is cloue asunder and bereft of life As when the sacred oake with thunderbolts Sent from the fiery circuit of the heauens Sliding along the aires celestiall valts Is rent and clouen to the verie rootes In vaine therefore I strangle with this foe Then welcome death since God will haue it so Assar. Alasse my Lord we sorrow at your case And greeue to see your person vexed thus But what so ere the fates determind haue It lieth not in vs to disanull And he that would annihillate his minde Soaring with Icarus too neare the Sunne May catch a fall with yoong Bellerophon For when the fatall sisters haue decreed To seperate vs from this earthly mould No mortall force can countermaund their minds Then worthie Lord since ther 's no way but one Cease your laments and leaue your grieuous mone Corin. Your highnesse knows how many victories How many trophees I erected haue Tryumphantly in euery place we came The Grecian Monarke warlike Pandrassus And all the crew of the Molossians Goffarius the arme strong King of Gaules And all the borders of great Aquitane Haue felt the force of our victorious armes And to their cost beheld our chiualrie Where ere Ancora handmayd of the Sunne Where ere the Sun-bright gardiant of the day Where ere the ioyfull day with chearfull light Where ere the light illuminates the word The Troyans glorie flies with golden wings Wings that do soare beyond fell enuious flight The fame of Brutus and his followers Pearceth the skies and with the skies the throne Of mightie Ioue Commaunder of the world Then worthie Brutus leaue these sad laments Comfort your selfe with this your great renowne And feare not death though he seeme terrible Brutus Nay Corinus you mistake my mynd In construing wrong the cause of my complaints I feard to yeeld my selfe to fatall death Cod knowes it was the least of all my thought A greater care torments my verie bones And makes me tremble at the thought of it And in you Lordings doth the substance lie Thrasi. Most noble Lord if ought your loyall peers Accomplish may to ease your lingring grief I in the name of all protest to you That we will boldly enterprise the same Were it to enter to black Tartarus Where triple Cerberus with his venomous throte Scarreth the ghoasts with high resounding noyse We le either rent the bowels of the earth Searching the entrailes of the brutish earth Or with his Ixions ouerdaring soone Be bound in chaines of euer during steele Bru. Thē harken to your soueraigns latest words In which I will vnto you all vnfold Our royall mind and resolute intent When golden Hebe daughter to great Ioue Couered my manly cheeks with youthful downe Th' vnhappie slaughter of my lucklesse sire Droue me and old Assarachus mine eame As exiles from the bounds of Italy So that perforce we were constraind to flie To Graecians Monarke noble Pandrassus There I alone did vndertake your cause There I restord your antique libertie Though Grecia fround and all Mollossia stormd Though braue Antigonus with martiall band In pitched field encountred me and mine Though Pandrassus and his contributories With all the rout of their confederates Sought to deface our glorious memorie And wipe the name of Troians from the earth Him did I captiuate with this mine arme And by compulsion forcst him to agree To certain artickles which there we did propound From Graecia through the boisterous Hellespont We came vnto the fields of Lestrigon Whereas our brother Corineius was Which when we passed the Cicillian gulfe And so transfretting the Illician sea Arriued on the coasts of Aquitane Where with an armie of his barbarous Gaules Goffarius and his brother Gathelus Encountring with our hoast sustaind the foile And for your sakes my Turnus there I lost Turnus that slew six hundreth men at armes All in an houre with his sharpe battle-axe From thence vpon the strons of Albion To Corus hauen happily we came And queld the giants comne of Albions race With Gogmagog sonne to Samotheus The cursed Captaine of that damned crew And in that I le at
length I placed you Now let me see if my laborious toiles If all my care if all my greeuous wounds If all my diligence were well imploid Corin. When first I followed thee thine braue king I hazarded my life and dearest blood To purchace fauour at your princely hands And for the same in daungerous attempts In sundry conflicts and in diuers broiles I shewd the courage of my manly mind For this I combated with Gathelus The brother to Goffarius of Gaule For this I fought with furious Gogmagog A sauage captaine of a sauage crew And for these deeds braue Cornwale I receiu'd A gratefull gift giuen by a gratious King And for this gift this life and dearest blood Will Corineus spend for Brutus good Deb. And what my frend braue prince hath voud to you The same wil Debon do vnto his end Bru. Then loyall peeres since you are all agreed And resolute to follow Brutus hoasts Fauour my sonnes fauour these Orphans Lords And shield them from the daungers of their foes Locrine the columne of my familie And onely piller of my weakned age Locrine draw neare draw neare vnto thy sire And take thy latest blessings at his hands And for thou art the eldest of my sonnes Be thou a captaine to thy bretheren And imitate thy aged fathers steps Which will conduct thee to true honors gate For if thou follow sacred vertues lore Thou shalt be crowned with a lawrell braunch And weare a wreath of sempiternall fame Sorted amongst the glorious happie ones Locrin. If Locrine do not follow your aduise And beare himselfe in all things like a prince That seekes to amplifie the great renowne Left vnto him for an inheritage By those that were his ancestors Let me be flung into the Ocean And swallowed in the bowels of the earth Or let the ruddie lightning of great Ioue Descend vpon this my deuolted head Brutus taking Guendoline by the hand But for I see you all to be in doubt who shall be matched with our royall sonne Locrine receiue this present at my hand A gift more rich then are the wealthie mines Found in the bowels of America Thou shalt be spoused to faire Guendoline Loue her and take her for she is thine owne If so thy vnckle and herselfe do please Corin. And herein how your highnes honors me It cannot be in my speech exprest For carefull parents glorie not so much At their honour and promotion As for to see the issue of their blood Seated in honor and prosperitie Guend. And far be it from my maydens thoughts To contradict her aged fathers will Therefore since he to whom I must obey Hath giuen me now vnto your royall selfe I will not stand aloofe from off the lure Like craftie dames that most of all deny That which they most desire to possesse Brutus turning to Locrine Locrine kneeling Then now my soone thy part is on the stage For thou must beare the person of a King Puts the Crowne on his head Locrine stand vp and weare the regall Crowne And thinke vpon the state of Maiestie That thou with honor well maist weare the crown And if thou tendrest these my latest words As thou requirst my soule to be at rest As thou desirest thine owne securitie Cherish and loue thy new betrothed wife Locrin. No longer let me wel enioy the crowne Then I do peerlesse Guendoline Brut. Camber Cam. My Lord Brut. The glorie of mine age And darling of thy mother Iunoger Take thou the South for thy dominion From thee there shall proseed a royall race That shall maintaine the honor of this land That sway the regall scepter with their hands Turning to Albanact And Albanact thy fathers onely ioy Yoongst in yeares but not the yoongst in mind A perfect patterne of all chiualrie Take thou the North for thy dominion A country full of hills and ragged rockes Replenished with fearce vntamed beasts As correspondent to thy martiall thoughts Liue long my sonnes with endlesse happinesse And beare firme concordance amongst your selues Obey the counsels of these fathers graue That you may better beare out violence But suddeinly through weaknesse of my age And the defect of youthfull puissance My maladie increaseth more and more And cruell death hastneth his quickned pace To dispossesse me of my earthly shape Mine eies wax dimme ouercast with clouds of age The pangs of death compasse my crazed bones Thus to you all my blessings I bequeath And with my blessings this my fleeting soule My glasse is runne and all my miseries Do end with life death closeth vp mine eies My soule is haste flies to the Elisian fields He dieth Loc. Accursed starres damd and accursed starres To abreuiate my noble fathers life Hard-harted gods and too enuious fates Thus to cut off my fathers fatall thred Brutus that was a glorie to vs all Brutus that was a terror to his foes Alasse too soone by Demagorgons knife The martiall Brutus is bereft of life No sad complaints may moue iust Lacus Corin. No dreadfull threats can feare iudge Rhodomanth Wert thou as strong as mightie Hercules That tamde the hugie monsters of the world Plaidst thou as sweet on the sweet sounding lute As did the spouse of faire Euridies That did enchant the waters with his noise And made stones birds and beasts to lead a dance Constraind the hillie trees to follow him Thou couldst not moue the iudge of Crebus Nor moue compassion in grimme Plutos heart For fatall Mors expecteth all the world And euerie man must tread the way of death Braue Tantalus the valiant Pelops sire Guest to the gods suffred vntimely death And old Fleithonus husband to the morne And eke grim Minos whom iust Iupiter Deignd to admit vnto his sacrifice The thundring trumpets of blood-thirstie Mars The fearfull rage of fell Tisiphone The boistrous waues of humid Ocean Are instruments and tooles of dismall death Then noble cousin cease to mourne his chaunce Whose age yeares were signes that he shuld die It resteth now that we interre his bones That was a terror to his enemies Take vp the coarse and princes hold him dead Who while he liu'd vpheld the Troyan state Sound drums and trumpets march to Troinouant There to prouide our chieftaines funerall The first Act. Scene 3. Enter Strumbo aboue in a gowne with inke and paper in his hand saying Strum. Either the foure elements the seuen planets and all the particuler starres of the pole Antartic are aduersatiue against me or else I was begotten and borne in the wane of the Moone when euerie thing is saith Lactantius in his fourth booke of consultations dooth say goeth asward I maisters I you may laugh but I must weepe you may ioy but I must sorrow sheading salt teares from the watrie fountaines of my moste daintie faire eies along my comely and smooth cheeks in as great plentie as the water runneth from the buckingtubbes or red wine out of the hogs heads for trust me gentlemen and my verie good
Thrasimachus and the Lords Alba. Braue cauileres princes of Albany Whose trenchant blades with our deceased sire Passing the frontiers of braue Graecia Were bathed in our enemies lukewarme blood Now is the time to manifest your wills Your hautie mindes and resolutions Now opportunitie is offred To trie your courage and your earnest zeale Which you alwaies protest to Albanact For at this time yea at this present time Stout fugitiues come from the Scithians bounds Haue pestred euerie place with mutinies But trust me Lordings I will neuer cease To persecute the rascall runnagates Till all the riuers stained with their blood Shall fully shew their fatall ouerthrow Deb. So shal your highnes merit great renowne And imitate your aged fathers steppes Alba. But tell me cousin camst thou through the plaines And sawst thou there the faint heart fugitiues Mustring their weather-beaten souldiers What order keep they in their marshalling Thra. After we past the groues of Caledone Where murmuring riuers slide with silent streames We did behold the stragling Scithians campe Repleat with men storde with munition There might we see the valiant minded knights Fetching carriers along the spatious plaines Humber and Hubba arm'd in azure blew Mounted vpon their coursers white as snow Went to behold the pleasant flowring fields Hector and Troialus Priamus louely sonnes Chasing the Graecians ouer Simoeis Were not to be compared to these two knights Alba. Well hast thou painted out in eloquence The portraiture of Humber and his sonne As fortunate as was Policrates Yet should they not escape our conquering swords Or boast of ought but of our clemencie Enter Strumbo and Trompart crying often Wilde fire and pitch wilde fire and pitch c. Thra. What sirs what mean you by these clamors made Those outcries raised in our stately court Strum. Wilde fire and pitch wilde fire and pitch Thra. Villaines I say tell vs the cause hereof Strum. Wilde fire and pitch c. Thra. Tell me you villaines why you make this noise Or with my launce I will prick your bowels out Al. Where are your houses wher 's your dwelling place Strum. Place Ha ha ha laugh a moneth and a day at him place I cry God mercy why doo you think that such poore honest mē as we be hold our habitacles in kings pallaces Ha ha ha But because you seeme to be an abhominable chieftaine I wil tel you our state From the top to the toe From the head to the shoe From the beginning to the ending From the building to the burning This honest fellow and I had our mansion cottage in the suburbes of this citie hard by the temple of Mercury And by the common souldiers of the Shitens the Scithians what do you call them with all the suburbes were burnt to the ground and the ashes are left there for the countrie wiues to wash buckes withall And that which greeues me most my louing wife O cruell strife the wicked flames did roast And therefore captaine crust We will continuallie crie Except you seeke a remedie Our houses to redifie Which now are burnt to dust Both cry Wild fire and pitch wild fire and pitch Alba. Well we must remedie these outrages And throw reuenge vpon their hatefull heads And you good fellowes for your houses burnt We will remunerate you store of gold And build your houses by our pallace gate Strumbo Gate O pettie treason to my person no where else but by your backside gate oh how I am vexed in my coller gate I crie God mercie doo you hear master king If you mean to gratifie such poore men as we bee you must build our houses by the Tauerne Alba. It shall be done sir Strum. Neare the Tauerne I by ladie sir it was spoken like a good fellow Do you heare sir when our house is builded if you do chance to passe or repasse that way we will bestowe a quart of the best wine vpon you Exit Alb. It greeues me lordings that my subiects goods Should thus be spoiled by the Scithians Who as you see with lightfoote forragers Depopulate the places where they come But cursed Humber thou shalt rue the day That ere thou camst vnto Cathuesia Exeunt The 2. Act. Scene 5. Enter Humber Hubba Segar Trussier and their souldiers Hum. Hubba go take a coronet of our horse As many launciers and light armed knights As may suffice for such an enterprise And place them in the groue of Caledon VVith these when as the skirmish doth encrease Retire thou from the shelters of the wood And set vpon the weakened Troians backs For pollicie ioyned with chiualrie Can neuer be put back from victorie Exit Albanact enter and say clownes with him Thou base borne Hunne how durst thou be so bold As once to menace warlike Albanact The great commander of these regions But thou shalt buy thy rashnesse with thy death And rue too late thy ouer bold attempts For with this sword this instrument of death That hath bene drenched in my foe-mens blood I le separate thy bodie from thy head And set that coward blood of thine abroach Strum. Nay with this staffe great Strumbos instrument I le crack thy cocks come paltry Scithian Hum. Nor wreake I of thy threats thou princox boy Nor do I feare thy foolish insolencie And but thou better vse thy bragging blade Then thou doest rule thy ouerflowing toong Superbious Brittaine thou shalt know too soone The force of Humber and his Scithians Let them fight Humber and his souldiers runne in Strum. O horrible terrible The sixt Act Sound the alarme Enter Humber and his souldiers Hum. How brauely this yoong Brittain Albanact Darteth abroad the thunderbolts of warre Beating downe millions with his furious moode And in his glorie triumphs ouer all Mouing the massie squadrants of the ground Heape hills on hills to scale the starrie skie When Briareus armed with an hundreth hands Floong forth an hundreth mountains at great Ioue And when the monstrous giant Monichus Hurld mount Olimpus at great Mars his targe And shot huge caedars at Mineruas shield How doth he ouerlooke with hautie front My fleeting hostes and lifts his loftie face Against vs all that now do feare his force Like as we see the wrathfull sea from farre In a great mountaine heapt with hideous noise VVith thousand billowes beat against the ships And tosse them in the waues like tennis balls Sound the alarme Humb. Ay me I feare my Hubba is surprisde Sound againe Enter Albanact Alba. Follow me souldiers follow Albanact Pursue the Scithians flying through the field Let none of them escape with victorie That they may know the Brittains force is more Then al the power of the trembling Hunnes Thra. Forward braue souldiers forward keep the chase He that takes captiue Humber or his sonne Shall be rewarded with a crowne of gold Sound alarme then let them fight Humber giue backe Hubba enter at their backs and kill Debon let Strumbo fall downe Albanact run in and afterwards enter wounded Alba.
traitrous hoast of Scithians Entred the field with martiall equipage Yoong Albanact impatient of delaie Ledde forth his armie gainst the stragling mates Whose multitude did daunt our souldiers mindes Yet nothing could dismay the forward prince But with a courage most heroicall Like to a lion mongst a flock of lambes Made hauocke of the faint heart fugitiues Hewing a passage through them with his sword Yea we had almost giuen them the repulse When suddeinly from out the silent wood Hubba with twentie thousand souldiers Cowardly came vpon our weakened backes And murthered all with fatall massacre Amongst the which old Debon martiall knight With many wounds was brought vnto the death And Albanact opprest with multitude Whilst valiantly he feld his enemies Yeelded his life and honour to the dust He being dead the souldiers fled amaine And I alone escaped them by flight To bring you tidings of these accidents Locr. Not aged Priam King of stately Troy Graund Emperour of barbarous Asia When he beheld his noble minded sonnes Slaine traiterously by all the Mermidons Lamented more then I for Albanact Guen. Not Hecuba the queene of Ilium When she beheld the towne of Pergamus Her pallace burnt with all deuouring flames Her fiftie sonnes and daughters fresh of hue Murthred by wicked Pirrhus bloodie sword Shed such sad teares as I for Albanact Cam. The griefe of Niobe faire Athens queene For her seuen sonnes magnanimious in field For her seuen daughters fairer then the fairest Is not to be comparde with my laments Cor. In vain you sorow for the slaughtred prince In vain you sorrow for his ouerthrow He loues not most that doth lament the most But he that seekes to venge the iniurie Thinke you to quell the enemies warlike traine VVith childish sobs and womannish laments Vnsheath your swords vnsheath your conquering sword And seek reuenge the comfort for this sore In Cornwall where I hold my regiment Euen iust tenne thousand valiant men at armes Hath Corineus readie at commaund All these and more if need shall more require Hath Corrineus readie at commaund Cam. And in the fields of martiall Cambria Close by the boystrous Iscans siluer streames VVhere lightfoote faires skip from banke to banke Full twentie thousand braue couragious knights VVell exercisde in feates of chiualrie In manly maner most inuincible Yoong Camber hath with gold and victuall All these and more if need shall more require I offer vp to venge my brothers death Loc. Thanks louing vncle and good brother too For this reuenge for this sweete word reuenge Must ease and cease thy wrongfull iniuries And by the sword of bloodie Mars I sweare Nere shall sweete quiet enter this my front Till I be venged on his traiterous head That slew my noble brother Albanact Sound drummes and trumpets muster vp the camp For we will straight march to Albania Exeunt The 3. Scene Enter Humber Estrild Hubba Trussier and the souldiers Hum. Thus are we come victorious conquerors Vnto the flowing currents siluer streames Which in memoriall of our victorie Shall be agnominated by our name And talked of by our posteritie For sure I hope before the golden sunne Posteth his horses to faire Thetis plaines To see the waters turned into blood And chaunge his blewish hue to rufull red By reason of the fatall massacre Which shall be made vpon the virent plaines Enter the ghoast of Almanact See how the traitor doth presage his harme See how he glories at his owne decay See how he triumphs at his proper losse O fortune vilde vnstable fickle fraile Hum. Me thinkes I see both armies in the field The broken launces clime the cristall skies Some headlesse lie some breathlesse on the ground And euery place is straw'd with carcasses Behold the grasse hath lost his pleasant greene The sweetest sight that euer might be seene Ghost I traiterous Humber thou shalt find it so Yea to thy cost thou shalt the same behold With anguish sorrow and with sad laments The grassie plaines that now do please thine eies Shall ere the night be coloured all with blood The shadie groues which now inclose thy campe And yeeld sweet sauours to thy damned corps Shall ere the night figured all with blood The profound streame that passeth by thy tents And with his moisture serueth all thy campe Shall ere the night conuerted be to blood Yea with the blood of those thy stragling boyes For now reuenge shall ease my lingring griefe And now reuenge shall glut my longing soule Hub. Let come what wil I meane to beare it out And either liue with glorious victorie Or die with fame renowmed for chiualrie He is not worthie of the honie combe That shuns the hiues because the bees haue stings That likes me best that is not got with ease Which thousand daungers do accompany For nothing can dismay our regall minde Which aimes at nothing but a golden crowne The only vpshot of mine enterprises Were they inchanted in grimme Plutos court And kept for treasure mongst his hellish crue I would either quell the triple Cerberus And all the armie of his hatefull hags Or roll the stone with wretched Sisiphon Hum. Right martiall be thy thoughts my noble sonne And all thy words sauour of chiualrie But warlike Segar what strange accidents Makes you to leaue the warding of the campe Segar To armes my Lord to honourable armes Take helme and targe in hand the Brittaines come With greater multitude then erst the Greekes Brought to the ports of Phrigian Tenidos Hum. But what saith Segar to these accidents What counsell giues he in extremities Seg. Why this my Lord experience teacheth vs That resolution is a sole helpe at need And this my Lord our honour teacheth vs That we be bold in euerie enterprise Then since there is no way but fight or die Be resolute my Lord for victorie Hum. And resolute Segar I meane to be Perhaps some blisfull starre will fauour vs And comfort bring to our perplexed state Come let vs in and fortifie our campe So to withstand their strong inuasion Exeunt The 4. Scene Enter Strumbo Trumpart Oliuer and his sonne VVilliam following them Strum. Nay neighbour Oliuer if you be so whot come prepare your selfe you shall finde two as stout fellowes of vs as any in all the North Oliu. No by my dorth neighbor Strumbo Ich zee dat you are a man of small zideration dat wil zeek to iniure your olde vreendes one of your vamiliar guests and derefore zeeing your pinion is to deale withouten reazon iche and my zonne VVilliam will take dat course dat shall be fardest vrom reason how zay you will you haue my daughter or no Strum. A verie hard question neighbour but I will solue it as I may what reason haue you to demaund it of me VVil. Marry sir what reason had you when my sister was in the barne to rumble her vpon the haie and to fish her belly Strum. Mas thou saist true well but would you haue me
satisfie your wandring ghost But dire reuenge nothing but Humbers fall Because he conquerd you in Vlbany Now by my soule Humber would be condemn'd To Tantals hunger or Ixions wheele Or to the vultur of Prometheus Rather then that this murther were vndone When as I die I le dragge thy cursed ghoast Through all the riuers of foule Erebus Through burning sulphur of the Limbo-lake To allaie the burning furie of that heate That rageth in mine euerlasting soule Exeunt Alba ghost Vindicta vindicta The 4. Act Scene 1. Enter Ate as before Then let their follow Omphale daughter to the king of Lydia hauing a club in her hand and a lions skinne on her back Hercules following with a distaffe Then let Omphale turn about and taking off her pantofle strike Hercules on the head then let them depart Ate remaining saying Quem non Argolici mandata seuera Tyranni Non potuit Iuno vincere vicit amor Stout Hercules the mirrour of the world Sonne to Alcmena and great Iupiter After so many conquests wonne in field After so many monsters queld by force Yeelded his valiant heart to Omphale A fearfull woman voyd of manly strength She tooke the club and ware the lions skinne He tooke the wheele and maidenly gan spinne So martiall Locrine cheerd with victorie Falleth in loue with Humbers concubine And so forgetteth peerlesse Guendoline His vncle Corineus stormes at this And forceth Locrine for his grace to sue Loe here the summe the processe doth ensue Exit The 2. Scene Enter Locrine Camber Corineus Assaracus Thrasimachus and the souldiers Loc. Thus from the fury of Bellonas broiles With sound of drumme and trumpets melodie The Brittaine king returnes triumphantly The Scithians slaine with great occision Do aequalize the grasse in multitude And with their blood haue staind the streaming brookes Offering their bodies and their dearest blood As sacrifice to Albanactus ghoast Now cursed Humber hast thou payd thy due For thy deceits and craftie trecheries For all thy guises and damned stratagems With losse of life and euer during shame Where are thy horses trapt with burnisht gold Thy trampling coursers rulde with foming bits Where are thy souldiers strong and numberlesse Thy valiant captains and thy noble peeres Euen as the countrie clownes with sharpest sithes Do mowe the withered grasse from off the earth Or as the ploughman with his piercing share Renteth the bowels of the fertile fields And rippeth vp the rootes with razours keene So Locrine with his mightie curtleaxe Hath cropped off the heads of all thy Hunnes So Locrines peeres haue daunted all thy peeres And droue thine hoast vnto confusion That thou maist suffer penance for thy fault And die for murdring valiant Albanact Cori. And thus yea thus shall all the rest be seru'd That seeke to enter Albion gainst our willes If the braue nation of the Troglodites If all the coleblacke Aethiopians If all the forces of the Amazons If all the hostes of the Barbarian lands Should dare to enter this our little world Soone should they rue their ouerbold attempts That after vs our progenie may say There lie the beasts that sought to vsurp our land Loc. I they are beasts that seeke to vsurp our land And like to brutish beasts they shall be seru'd For mightie loue the supreame king of heauen That guides the concourse of the Metiors And rules the motion of the azure skie Fights alwaies for the Brittaines safetie But staie mee thinkes I heare some shriking noise That draweth neare to our pauillion Enter the souldiers leading in Estrild Estrild What prince so ere adornd with golden Doth sway the regall scepter in his hand And thinks no chance can euer throw him downe Or that his state shall euerlasting stand Let him behold poore Estrild in this plight The perfect platforme of a troubled wight Once was I guarded with manortiall bands Compast with princes of the noble blood Now am I fallen into my foemens hands And with my death must pacifie their mood O life the harbour of calamities O death the hauen of all miseries I could compare my sorrowes to thy woe Thou wretched queen of wretched Pergamus But that thou viewdst thy enemies ouerthrow Nigh to the rocke of high Caphareus Thou sawst their death and then departedst thence I must abide the victors insolence The gods that pittied thy continuall griefe Transformd thy corps and with thy corps thy care Poore Estrild liues dispairing of reliefe For friends in trouble are but fewe and rare What said I fewe I fewe or none at all For cruell death made hauock of them all Thrice happie they whose fortune was so good To end their liues and with their liues their woes Thrice haplesse I whome fortune so withstood That cruelly she gaue me to my foes Oh souldiers is there any miserie To be comparde to fortunes trecherie Loc. Camber this same shuld be the Scithiā queen Cam. So may we iudge by her lamenting words Loc. So faire a dame mine eies did neuer see With floods of woes she seems orewhelmed to bee Cam. O Locrine hath she not a cause for to be sad Locrine at one side of the stage If she haue cause to weepe for Humbers death And shead sault teares for her ouerthrow Locrine may well bewaile his proper griefe Locrine may moue his owne peculiar woe He being conquerd died a speedie death And felt not long his lamentable smart I being conqueror liue a lingring life And feele the force of Cupids suddaine stroke I gaue him cause to die a speedie death He left me cause to wish a speedie death Oh that sweete face painted with natures dye Those roseall checks mizt with a snowy white That decent necke surpassing yuorie Those comely brests which Venus well might spite Are like to snares which wylie fowlers wrought Wherein my yeelding heart is prisoner cought The golden tresses of her daintie haire Which shine like rubies glittering with the sunne Haue so entrapt poore Locrines louesick heart That from the same no way it can be wonne How true is that which oft I heard declard One dramme of ioy must haue a pound of care Estr. Hard is their fall who from a golden crown Are cast into a sea of wretchednesse Loc. Hard is their thrall who by Cupids frowne Are wrapt in waues of endlesse carefulnesse Estr. Oh kingdome obiect to all miseries Loc. Oh loue the extreemst of all extremities Let him go into his chaire A sold. My Lord in ransacking the Scithian tents I found this Ladie and to manifest That earnest zeale I beare vnto your grace I here present her to your maiestie Another sold. He lies my Lord I found the Ladie first And here present her to your maiestie 1. Sold. Presumptuous villaine wilt thou take my prize 2. Sol. Nay rather thou depriuest me of my right 1. Sol. Resigne thy title catiue vnto me Or with my sword I le pearce thy cowards loines 2. Sol. Soft words good sir t is not inogh to speak A barking dog doth
meate some meate some meate Strum. O alasse sir ye are deceiued I am not Mercury I am Strumbo Hum. Giue me som meat vilain giue me some meat Or gainst this rock I le dash thy cursed braines And rent thy bowels with my bloodie hands Giue me some meat villaine giue me some meat Strum. By the faith of my bodie good fellow I had rather giue an whole oxe then that thou shuldst serue me in that sort Dash out my braines O horrible terrible I thinke I haue a quarry of stones in my pocket Let him make as though hee would giue him some and as he putteth out his hand enter the ghoast of Albanact and strike him on the hand and so Strumbo runnes out Humber following him Exit Alba. ghost Loe here the gift of fell ambition Of vsurpation and of trecherie Loe here the harmes that wait vpon all those That do intrude themselues in others lands Which are not vnder their dominion Exit The 4. Scene Enter Locrine alone Loc. Seuen yeares hath aged Corineus liu'd To Locrines griefe and faire Estrildas woe And seuen yeares more he hopeth yet to liue Oh supreme Ioue annihilate this thought Should he enioy the aires fruition Should he enioy the benefit of life Should he contemplate the radiant sonne That makes my life equall to dreadfull death Venus conuay this monster fro the earth That disobeieth thus thy sacred hests Cupid conuay this monster to darke hell That disanulls thy mothers sugred lawes Mars with thy target all beset wiih flames With murthering blade bereaue him of his life That hindreth Locrine in his sweetest ioyes And yet for all his diligent aspect His wrathfull eies piercing like Linces eies VVell haue I ouermatcht his subtiltie Nigh Deucolitum by the pleasant Lee where brackish Thamis slides with siluer streames Making a breach into the grassie downes A curious arch of costly marble fraught Hath Locrine framed vnderneath the ground The walls whereof garnish with diamonds VVith ophirs rubies glistering emeralds And interlast with sun-bright carbuncles Lighten the roome with artificiall day And from the Lee with water-flowing pipes The moisture is deriu'd into this arch VVhere I haue placed faire Estrild secretly Thither eftsoones accompanied with my page I couertly visit my harts desire VVithout suspition of the meanest eie For loue aboundeth still with pollicie And thither still meanes Locrine to repaire Till Atropos cut off mine vncles life Exit The 5. Scene Enter Humber alone saying Hum. O vita miserolonga faelici breuis Eheu malorem fames extremum malum Long haue I liued in this desart caue VVith eating hawes and miserable rootes Deuouring leaues and beastly excrements Caues were my beds and stones my pillow beares Feare was my sleep and horror was my dreame For still me thought at euery boisterous blast Now Locrine comes now Humber thou must die So that for feare and hunger Humbers minde Can neuer rest but alwaies trembling stands O what Danubius now may quench my thirst VVhat Euphrates what lightfoot Euripus May now allaie the furie of that heat VVhich raging in my entralls eates me vp You gastly diuels of the ninefold Stickes You damned ghoasts of ioylesse Acheron You mournfull soules vext in Abissus vaults You coleblack diuels of Auernas pond Come with your fleshhooks rent my famisht arms These armes that haue sustaind their maisters life Come with your raisours rippe my bowels vp VVith your sharp fireforks crack my sterued bones Vse me as you will so Humber may not liue Accursed gods that rule the starry poles Accursed Ioue king of the cursed gods Cast downe your lightning on poore Humbers head That I may leaue this deathlike life of mine VVhat heare you not and shall not Humber die Nay I will die though all the gods say nay And gentle Aby take my troubled corps Take it and keep it from all mortall eies That none may say when I haue lost my breath The very flouds conspirde gainst Humbers death Fling himselfe into the riuer Enter the ghoast of Albanact Encaedem sequitur caedes in caede quiesco Humber is dead ioy heauens leap earth dance trees Now maist thou reach thy apples Tantalus And with them feed thy hunger-bitten limmes Now Sisiphus leaue rumbling of thy rock And rest thy restlesse bones vpon the same Vnbind Ixion cruell Rhadamanth And laie proud Humber on the whirling wheele Backe will I post to hell mouth Taenarus And passe Cocitas to the Elysian fields And tell my father Brutus of these newes Exit The 5. Act Scene 1. Enter Ate as before Iason leading Creons daughter Medea following hath a garland in her hand and putting it on Creons daughters head setteth it on fire and then killing Iason and her departeth Ate Non tam Tincriis excestnat Aetna cauernis Laesae furtino quam cor mulieris amore Medea seeing Iason leaue her loue And choose the daughter of the Thebane king Went to her diuellish charmes to worke reuenge And raising vp the triple Hecate With all the rout of the condemned fiends Framed a garland by her magick skill With which she wrought Iason and Creons ill So Guendoline seeing her selfe misvs'd And Humbers paramour possesse her place Flies to the dukedome of Cornubia And with her brother stout Thrasimachus Gathering a power of Cornish souldiers Giues battaile to her husband and his hoste Nigh to the riuer of great Mertia The chances of this dismall massacre That which insueth shortly will vnfold Exit The 2. Scene Enter Locrine Camber Assarachus Thrasimachus Assa. But tell me cousin died by brother so Now who is left to helplesse Albion That as a piller might vphold our state That might strike terror to our daring foes Now who is left to haplesse Brittanie That might defend her from the barbarous hands Of those that still desire her ruinous fall And seeke to worke her downfall and decaie Cam. I vncle death is our common enemie And none but death can match our matchles power Witnesse the fall of Albioneus crewe Witnesse the fall of Humber and his Hunnes And this foule death hath now increast our woe By taking Corineus from this life And in his roome leauing vs worlds of care Thra. But none may more bewaile his mournful hearse Then I that am the issue of his loines Now foule befall that cursed Humbers throat That was the causer of his lingring wound Lo. Teares cannot raise him from the dead again But wher 's my Ladie mistresse Guendoline Thra. In Cornwall Locrine is my sister now Prouiding for my fathers funerall Lo. And let her ther prouide her mourning weeds And mourne for euer her owne widdow-hood Ner shall she come within our pallace gate To countercheck braue Locrine in his loue Go boy to Deucolitum downe the Lee Vnto the arch where louely Estrild lies Bring her and Sabren strait vnto the court She shall be queene in Guendolinas roome Let others waile for Corineus death I meane not so to macerate my minde For him that bard me from my
hearts desire Thra. Hath Locrine then forsooke his Guendoline Is Corineus death so soone forgot If there be gods in heauen as sure there be If there be fiends in hell as needs there must They will reuenge this thy notorious wrong And powre their plagues vpon thy cursed head Loc. What prat'st thou pesant to thy soueraigne Or art thou strooken in some extasie Doest thou not tremble at our royall lookes Dost thou not quake when mighty Locrine frowns Thou beardlesse boy wert not that Locrine scornes To vexe his mind with such a hartlesse childe With the sharpe point of this my battale-axe I would send thy soule to Puriflegiton Thra. Though I be yoong and of a tender age Yet will I cope with Locrine when he dares My noble father with his conquering sword Slew the two giants kings of Aquitaine Thrasimachus is not so degenerate That he should feare and tremble at the lookes Or taunting words of a venerian squire Loc. Menacest thou thy roiall soueraigne Vnciuill not beseeming such as you Iniurious traitor for he is no lesse That at defiance standeth with his king Leaue these thy tauntes leaue these thy bragging words Vnlesse thou meane to leaue thy wretched life Thra. If princes staine their glorious dignitie With ougly spots of monstrous infamie They leese their former estimation And throw themselues into a hell of hate Loc. Wilt thou abuse my gentle patience As though thou didst our high displeasure scorne Proud boy that thou maist know thy prince is mou'd Yea greatly mou'd at this thy swelling pride We banish thee for euer from our court Thra. Then losell Locrine looke vnto thy selfe Thrasimachus will venge this iniurie Exit Lo. Farwel proud boy and learn to vse thy toong Assa. Alas my Lord you shuld haue cald to mind The latest words that Brutus spake to you How he desirde you by the obedience That children ought to beare vnto their sire To loue and fauour Ladie Guendoline Consider this that if the iniurie Do mooue her mind as certainly it will Warre and dissention followes speedely What though her power be not so great as yours Haue you not seene a mightie elephant Slaine by the biting of a silly mouse Euen so the chance of warre inconstant is Loc. Peace vncle peace and cease to talke hereof For he that seekes by whispering this or that To trouble Locrine in his sweetest life Let him perswade himselfe to die the death Enter the Page with Estrild and Sabren Estr. O say me Page tell me where is the king Wherefore doth he send for me to the court Is it to die is it to end my life Say me sweete boy tell me and do not faine Page No trust me madame if you will credit the litle honestie that is yet left me there is no such danger as you feare but prepare your selfe yonder 's the king Estr. Then Estrild lift thy dazled spirits vp And blesse that blessed time that day that houre That warlike Locrine first did fauour thee Peace to the king of Brittany my loue Peace to all those that loue and fauour him Locrine taking her vp Doth Estrild fall with such submission Before her seruant king of Albion Arise faire Ladie leaue this lowly cheare Lift vp those lookes that cherish Locrines heart That I may freely view that roseall face Which so intangled hath my louesick brest Now to the court where we will court it out And passe the night and day in Venus sports Frollick braue peeres be ioyfull with your king Exeunt The 3. Scene Enter Guendoline Thrasimachus Madan and the souldiers Guen. You gentle winds that with your modest blasts Passe through the circuit of the heauenly vault Enter the clouds vnto the throne of Ioue And beare my praiers to his all hearing eares For Locrine hath forsaken Guendoline And learne to loue proud Humbers concubine You happie sprites that in the concaue skie With pleasant ioy enioy your sweetest loue Shead foorth those teares with me which then you shed Whē first you wood your ladies to your wils Those teares are fittest for my wofull case Since Locrine shunnes my nothing pleasant face Blush heauens blush sunne and hide thy shining beams Shadow thy radiāt locks in gloomy clouds Denie thy cheerfull light vnto the world VVhere nothing raigns but falshood and deceit VVhat said I falshood I that filthie crime For Locrine hath forsaken Guendoline Behold the heauens do waile for Guendoline The shining sunne doth blush for Guendoline The liquid aire doth weep for Guendoline The verie ground doth grone for Guendoline I they are milder then the Brittaine king For he reiecteth lucklesse Guendoline Thra. Sister complaints are bootlesse in this cause This open wrong must haue an open plague This plague must be repaid with grieuous warre This warre must finish with Locrinus death His death will soone extinguish our complaints Guen. O no his death wil more augment my woes He was my husband braue Thrasimachus More deare to me then the apple of mine eie Nor can I finde in heart to worke his scathe Thra. Madame if not your proper iniuries Nor my exile can moue you to reuenge Thinke on our father Corineus words His words to vs stands alwaies for a lawe Should Locrine liue that caus'd my fathers death Should Locrine liue that now diuorceth you The heauens the earth the aire the fire reclaimes And then why should all we denie the same Guen. Then henceforth farwel womanish complaints All childish pitie henceforth then farwel But cursed Locrine looke vnto thy selfe For Nemesis the mistresse of reuenge Sits arm'd at all points on our dismall blades And cursed Estrild that inflamed his heart Shall if I liue die a reproachfull death Madan Mother though nature makes me to lament My lucklesse fathers froward lecherie Yet for he wrongs my Ladie mother thus I if I could my selfe would worke his death Thra. See madame see the desire of reuenge Is in the children of a tender age Forward braue souldiers into Mertia Where we shall braue the coward to his face Exeunt The 4. Scene Enter Locrine Estrild Habren Assarachus and the souldiers Loc. Tell me Assarachus are the Cornish chuffes In such great number come to Mertia And haue they pitched there their pettie hoste So close vnto our royall mansion Assa. They are my Lord and meane incontinent To bid defiance to your maiestie Loc. It makes me laugh to thinke that Guendoline Should haue the hart to come in armes gainst me Estr. Alas my Lord the horse wil runne amaine When as the spurre doth gall him to the bone Iealousie Locrine hath a wicked sting Lac. Saist thou so Estrild beauties paragon Well we will trie her chollor to the proofe And make her know Locrine can brooke no braues March on Assarachus thou must lead the way And bring vs to their proud pauillion Exeunt The 5. Scene Enter the ghost of Corineus with thunder lightening Ghost Behold the circuit of the azure sky Throwes forth sad throbs and
grieuous suspirs Preiudicating Locrines ouerthrow The fire casteth forth sharpe dartes of flames The great foundation of the triple world Trembleth and quaketh with a mightie noise Presaging bloodie massacres at hand The wandring birds that flutter in the darke When hellish night in cloudie charriot seated Casteth her mists on shadie Tellus face VVith sable mantels couering all the earth Now flies abroad amid the cheerfull day Foretelling some vnwonted miserie The snarling curres of darkened Tartarus Sent from Auernus ponds by Radamanth VVith howling ditties pester euerie wood The watrie ladies and the light foote fawnes And all the rabble of the wooddie Nymphs All trembling hide themselues in shadie groues And shrowd themselues in hideous hollow pitts The boysterous Boreas thundreth forth reuenge The stonie rocks crie out on sharpe reuenge The thornie bush pronounceth dire reuenge Sound the alarme Now Corineus staie and see reuenge And feede thy soule with Locrines ouerthrow Behold they come the trumpets call them foorth The roaring drummes summon the souldiers Loe where their army glistereth on the plaines Throw forth thy lightning mightie Iupiter And powre thy plagues on cursed Locrines head Stand a side Enter Locrine Estrild Assaracus Habren and their soldiers at one doore Thrasimachus Guendolin Madan and their followers at an other Loc. VVhat is the tigre started from his caue Is Guendoline come from Cornubia That thus she braueth Locrine to the teeth And hast thou found thine armour prettie boy Accompanied with these thy stragling mates Beleeue me but this enterprise was bold And well deserueth commendation Guen. I Locrine traiterous Locrine we are come With full pretence to seeke thine ouerthrow What haue I don that thou shouldst scorn me thus What haue I said that thou shouldst me reiect Haue I bene disobedient to thy words Haue I bewrayd thy Arcane secrecie Haue I dishonoured thy marriage bed With filthie crimes or with lasciuious lusts Nay it is thou that hast dishonoured it Thy filthie minde orecome with filthie lusts Yeeldeth vnto affections filthie darts Vnkind thou wrongst thy first and truest feer Vnkind thou wrongst thy best and dearest friend Vnkind thou scornst all skilfull Brutus lawes Forgetting father vncle and thy selfe Estr. Beleeue me Locrine but the girle is wise And well would seeme to make a vastall Nunne How finely frames she her oration Thra. Locrin we came not here to fight with words Words that can neuer winne the victorie But for you are so merie in your frumpes Vnsheath your swords and trie it out by force That we may see who hath the better hand Loc. Thinkst thou to dare me bold Thrasimachus Thinkst thou to feare me with thy taunting braues Or do we seeme too weake to cope with thee Soone shall I shew thee my fine cutting blade And with my sword the messenger of death Seal thee an acquitāce for thy bold attempts Exeūt Sound the alarme Enter Locrine Assaracus and souldier at one doore Guendoline Thrsimachus at an other Locrine and his followers driuen back Then let Locrine Estrild enter again in a maze Loc. O faire Estrilda we haue lost the field Thrasimachus hath wonne the victorie And we are left to be a laughing stocke Scoft at by those that are our enemies Ten thousand souldiers armd with sword shield Preuaile against an hundreth thousand men Thrasimachus incenst with fuming ire Rageth amongst the faint heart souldiers Like to grim Mars when couered with his targe He fought with Diomedes in the field Close by the bankes of siluer Simois Sound the alarme O louely Estrild now the chase begins Ner shall we see the stately Traynouant Mounted on the coursers garnisht all with pearles Ner shall we view the faire Concordia Vnlesse as captiues we be thither brought Shall Locrine then be taken prisoner By such a yoongling as Thrasimachus Shall Guendolina captiuate my loue Ner shall mine eies behold that dismall houre Ner will I view that ruthfull spectacle For with my sword this sharpe curtleaxe I le cut in sunder my accursed heart But O you iudges of the ninefold Stix Which with incessant torments racke the ghoasts Within the bottomlesse Abissus pits You gods commanders of the heauenly spheres Whose will and lawes irreuocable stands Forgiue forgiue this soule accursed sinne Forget O gods this foule condemned fault And now my sword that in so many fights kisse his sword Hast sau'd the life of Brutus and his sonne End now his life that wisheth still for death Worke now his death that wisheth still for death Worke now his death that hateth still his life Farwell faire Estrild beauties paragon Fram'd in the front of forlorne miseries Ner shall mine eies behold thy sunshine eies But when we meet in the Elysian fields Thither I go before with hastened pace Farwell vaine world and thy inticing snares Forwell foule sinne and thy inticing pleasures And welcome death the end of mortall smart Welcome to Locrines ouerburthened hart Thrust himselfe through with his sword Estr. Break hart with sobs and greeuous suspirs Streame forth you teares from forth my watry eies Helpe me to mourne for warlike Locrines death Powre downe your teares you watry regions For mightie Locrine is bereft of life O fickle fortune O vnstable world What else are all things that this globe containes But a confused chaos of mishaps VVherein as in a glasse we plainly see That all our life is but as a Tragedie Since mightie kings are subiect to mishap I mightie kings are subiect to mishap Since martiall Locrine is bereft of life Shall Estrild liue then after Locrines death Shall loue of life barre her from Locrines sword O no this sword that hath bereft his life Shall now depriue me of my fleeting soule Strengthen these hands O mightie Iupiter That I may end my wofull miserie Locrine I come Locrine I follow thee Kill her selfe Sound the alarme Enter Sabren Sab. What dolefull sight what ruthful spectacle Hath fortune offred to my haplesse hart My father slaine with such a fatall sword My mother murthred by a mortall wound What Thracian dog what barbarous Mirmidon Would not relent at such a ruthfull case What fierce Achilles what hard stonie flint Would not bemone this mournfull Tragedie Locrine the map of magnanimitie Lies slaughtered in this foule accursed caue Estrild the perfect patterne of renowne Natures sole wonder in whose bewteous brests All heauenly grace and vertue was inshrinde Both massacred are dead within this caue And with them dies faire Pallas and sweet loue Here lies a sword and Sabren hath a heart This blessed sword shall cut my cursed heart And bring my soule vnto my parents ghoasts That they that liue and view our Tragedie May mourne our case with mournfull plaudities Let her offer to kill her selfe Ay me my virgins hands are too too weake To penetrate the bullwarke of my brest My fingers vsde to tune the amorous lute Are not of force to hold this steely glaiue So I am liest to waile my parents death Not able
for to worke my proper death Ah Locrine honord for thy noblenesse Ah Estrild famous for thy constancie Il may they fare that wrought your mortall ends Enter Guendoline Thrasimachus Madan and the souldiers Guen. Search souldiers search find Locrin and his loue Find the proud strumpet Humbers concubine That I may change those her so pleasing lookes To pale and ignominious aspect Find me the issue of their cursed loue Find me yoong Sabren Locrines only ioy That I may glut my mind with lukewarme blood Swiftly distilling from the bastards brest My fathers ghoast stil haunts me for reuenge Crying reuenge my ouerhastened death My brothers exile and mine owne diuorce Banish remorse cleane from my brazen heart All mercie from mine adamintine brests Thra. Nor doth thy husband louely Guendoline That wonted was to guide our stailesse steps Enioy this light see where he murdred lies By lucklesse lot and froward frowning fate And by him lies his louely paramour Faire Estrild goared with a dismall sword And as it seemes both murdred by themselues Clasping each other in their feebled armes VVith louing zeale as if for companie Their vncontented corpes were yet content To passe soule Stix in Charons ferry-boat Guen. And hath proud Estrild then preuented me Hath she escaped Guendolines wrath Violently by cutting off her life VVould God she had the monstrous Hidras liues That euery houre she might haue died a death VVorse then the swing of old Ixions wheele And euery houre reuiue to die againe As Titius bound to housles Caucason Doth feed the substance of his owne mishap And euery day for want of foode doth die And euery night doth liue againe to die But staie mee thinks I heare some fainting voice Mournfully weeping for their lucklesse death Sa. You mountain nimphs which in these desarts raign Cease off your hastie chase of sauadge beasts Prepare to see a heart opprest with care Addresse your eares to heare a mournfull stile No humane strength no work can work my weale Care in my hart so tyrant like doth deale You Driades and lightfoote Satiri You gracious Faries which at euening tide Your closets leaue with heauenly beautie storde And on your shoulders spread your golden locks You sauadge beares in caues and darkened dennes Come waile with me the martiall Locrines death Come mourn with me for beauteous Estrilds death Ah louing parents little do you know what sorrow Sabren suffers for your thrall Guen. But may this be and is it possible Liues Sabren yet to expiat my wrath Fortune I thanke thee for this curtesie And let me neuer see one prosperous houre If Sabren die not a reproachfull death Sab. Hard harted death that when the wretched call Art furthest off and sildom heerst at all But in the midst of fortunes good successe Vncalled comes and sheeres our life in twaine VVhen wil that houre that blessed houre draw nie VVhen poore distressed Sabren may be gone Sweet Atropos cut off my fatall thred VVhat art thou death shall not poore Sabren die Guendoline taking her by the chin shall say thus Guen. Yes damsell yes Sabren shall surely die Though all the world should seeke to saue her life And not a common death shall Sabren die But after strange and greeuous punishments Shortly inflicted vpon thy bastards head Thou shalt be cast into the cursed streames And feede the fishes with thy tender flesh Sab. And thinkst thou then thou cruell homicid That these thy deeds shall be vnpunished No traitor no the gods will venge these wrongs The fiends of hell will marke these iniuries Neuer shall these blood-sucking mastie curres Bring wretched Sabren to her latest home For I my selfe inspire of thee and thine Meane to abridge my former destenies And that which Locrines sword could not perform This pleasant streame shall present bring to passe She drowneth her selfe Guen. One mischiefe followes anothers necke VVho would haue thought so yoong a mayd as she VVith such a courage wold haue sought her death And for because this Riuer was the place VVhere little Sabren resolutely died Sabren for euer shall this same be call'd And as for Locrine our deceased spouse Because he was the sonne of mightie Brute To whom we owe our country liues and goods He shall be buried in a stately tombe Close by his aged father Brutus bones VVith such great pomp and great solemnitie As well beseemes so braue a prince as he Let Estrild lie without the shallow vauts VVithout the honour due vnto the dead Because she was the author of this warre Retire braue followers vnto Troynouant VVhere we will celebrate these exequies And place yoong Locrine in his fathers tombe Exeunt omnes Ate Lo here the end of lawlesse trecherie Of vsurpation and ambitious pride And they that for their priuate amours dare Turmoile our land and see their brolles abroach Let them be warned by these premisses And as a woman was the onely cause That ciuill discord was then stirred vp So let vs pray for that renowned mayd That eight and thirtie yeares the scepter swayd In quiet peace and sweet felicitie And euery wight that seekes her graces smart wold that this sword wer pierced in his hart Exit FINIS