wreke it on me And on my Sonnes not on this gilties Realme Sende down your wasting flames from wrathful skies To reue me my sōnes the hateful breath Reade reade my Lordes this is the matter whie I called ye nowe to haue your good aduyse ¶ The Letter from Dordan the Counsellour of the elder Prince Eubulus readeth the Letter MY Soueraigne Lord what I am loth to write But lothest am to see that I am forced By Letters nowe to make you vnderstande My Lord Ferrex your eldest sonne mislead By Traitours framde of yong vntempred wittes Assembleth force against your yonger sonne Ne can my Counsell yet withdrawe the heate And furyous panges of his enflamed head Disoaine saieth he of his inheritaunce Armes him to wreke the great pretended wronge With ciuyll sword vpon his Brothers life If present helpe do not restraine this rage This flame will wast your sōnes your land you Your Maiesties faithfull and most humble Subiecte Dordan Arestus O King appease your griefe staie your plaint Great is the matter and a wofull case But timely knowledge maye bringe timely help Sende for thē both vnto your presence here The reuerence of your honour age and state Your graue aduise the awe of fathers name Shall quickelie knit againe this broken peece And if in either of my Lordes your sonnes Be suche vntamed and vnyelding pride As will not bende vnto your noble Hestes If Ferrex the elder sonne can beare no peere Or Porrex not content aspires to more Then you him gaue aboue his Natiue right Ioyne with the iuster side so shall you force Them to agree and bolde the Lande in state Eubulus What meaneth this Loe yonder cōmes in hast Philander from my Lord your younger sonne Gorboduc The Goddes sende ioyfull newes Philander The mightie Ioue Preserue your Maiestie O noble kinge Gorboduc Philander welcome But how doth my sonne Philander Your sonne sir lyues and healthie I him left But yet O kinge this want of lustfull health Could not be half so griefefull to your Grace As these most wretched tidynges that I brynge Gorboduc O heauens yet more no ende of woes to me Philander Tyndar O kyng came lately from the Courte Of Ferrex to my Lorde your yonger sonne And made reporte of great prepared store Of warre and saith that it is whollic ment Against Porrex for highe disdaine that he Lyues nowe a kynge and egall in degree With him that claimeth to succede the whole As by due title of discedinge right Porrex is nowe so set on flamynge fire Partely with kindled rage of cruell wrathe Partely with hope to gaine a Realme therby That he in haste prepareth to inuade His Brothers Lande and with vnkindely warre Threatens the murder of your elder sonne Ne coulde I him perswade that first he should Sende to his Brother to demaunde the cause Nor yet to you to staie his hatefull strife Wherfore sithe there no more I can be harde I come my selfe nowe to enforme your Grace And to beseche you as you loue the liefe And safetie of your Children and your Realme Nowe to emploie your wisdome and your force To staie this mischiefe ere it be to late Gorboduc Are thei in Armes would he not sende for me Is this the honour of a Fathers name In vaine we trauaile to asswage their mindes As if their hartes whome neither Brothers loue Nor Fathers awe nor kingdomes care can moue Our Coūsels could withdrawe from ragyng heat Ioue slaye them both and ende the cursed Lyne For though perhappes feare of such mightie force As I my Lords ioyned with your noble Aides Maye yet raise shall represse their present heate The secrete grudge and malyce will remayne The fire not quentched but kept in close restraint Fead stil within breakes forth with double flame Their death and mine must peaze the angrie gods Philander Yelde not O king so muche to weake dispaier Your sonnes yet lyue and long I trust they shall Yf fates had taken you from earthly life Before begynning of this ciuyll strife Perhaps your sonnes in their vnmaistered youth Lose from regarde of any lyuyng wight Wolde ronne on headlonge with vnbridled Race To their owne death and ruine of this Realme But sith the God that haue the care for kinges Of thinges and times dispose the order so That in your life this kindled flame breakes forth While yet your lyfe your wisdome your power Maye staie the growing mischiefe and represse The fierie blaze of their inkindled heate It seemes and so ye ought to deeme therof That louyng Ioue hath tempred so the time Of this debate to happen in your daies That you yet lyuynge maye the same appeaze And adde it to the glorie of your latter age And they your sonnes maye learne to liue in peace Beware O kynge the greatest harme of all Lest by your wayleful plaints your hastened death Yelde larger roume vnto their growyng rage Preserue your lyfe the onely hope of staie And if your highnes herein list to vse Wisdome or force Counsell or knightly aide Loe we our persons powers and lyues are yours Vse vs tyll Death O king we are your owne Eubulus Loe here the perill that was erst forsene When you O king did first deuide your Lande And yelde your present raigne vnto your sonnes But nowe O noble Prince nowe is no time To wayle and plaine and wast your wofull lyfe Nowe is the time for present good aduise Sorowe doth darke the Iudgement of the wytte The Hart vnbroken and the courage free From feble faintnes of booteles dispaier Doth either ryse to safetie or renowme By noble valure of vnuanquisshed minde Or yet doth perishe in more happie sorte Your Grace maye sende to either of your sonnes Some one both wise and noble personage Which with good counsel with weightie name Of father shall present before their eyes Your hest your liefe your safetie and their owne The present mischiefe of their deadlie strife And in the while assemble you the force Whiche your Cōmaundement and the spedie hast Of all my Lordes here present can prepare The terrour of your mightie power shall steye The rage of bothe or yet one at lest Nuntius O King the greatest griefe that euer Prince dyd here The euer wofull Messenger did tell That euer wretched Lande hath sene before I brynge to you Porrex your yonger sonne With soden force inuaded hath the lande That you to Ferrex did allotte to rule And with his owne most bloudie hande he hath His Brother slaine and doth possesse his Realme Gorboduc O Heauēs send down the flames of your reuenge Destroie I saie with flasshe of wrekefull fier The Traitour sonne and than the wretched sire But let vs go that yet perhappes I maye Die with reuenge and peaze the hatefull gods Chorus The lust of kingdomes knowes no sacred faithe No rule of Reason no regarde of right No kindlie loue no feare of heauens wrathe But with contempt of Goddes and mans
alas what meanes your woful tale Marcella O sillie woman I why to this howre Haue kinde and fortune thus deferred my breathe That I shuld lyue to see this dolefull daye Will euer wight beleue that suche harde harte Coulde rest within the cruell mothers breaste With her owne hande to slaye her onely sonne But out alas these eyes behelde the same They sawe the driery sight and are become Most ruthfull recordes of the bloodie facte Porrex alas is by his mother slayne And with her hand a wofull thynge to tell While slomberinge on his carefull bed he restes His hart stalde in with kniefe is reft of life Gorboduc O Eubulus oh drawe this sworde of ours And perce this hart with speede O hatefull light O lothsome liefe O sweete and welcome Death Dere Eubulus worke this we thee beseche Eubulus Patient your Grace perhappes he liueth yet With wounde receued but not of certayne death Gorboduc O let vs than repaier vnto the place And see if that Porrex or thus be slaine Marcella Alas he liueth not it is to true That with these eies of him a pereles Prince Sonne to a King and in the flower of youth Euen with a twinke a censeles stocke I sawe Arostus O dampned deed Marcella But heare this ruthefull ende The noble Prince perst with the sodeine wounde Out of his wretched slombre hastelie starte Whole strēgth now failyng streight he ouerthrew When in the fall his eyes euen newe vnclosed Behelde the Quene and cryed to her for helpe We then alas the Ladies whiche that tyme Did there attende seynge that heynous deede And hearing him oft call the wretched name Of mother and to crie to her for Aide Whose direfull hand gaue him the mortal wound Pitieng alas for nought els could we do His ruthefull ende ranne to the wofull bedde Dispoyled streight his brest and all we might wyped in vaine with napkyns next at hande The sodeine streames of blood that flusshed fast Out of the gaping wounde O what a looke O what a ruthefull stedfast eye me thought He fixed vpon my face whiche to my deathe Will neuer parte fro me when with a braide A deepe set signe he gaue and therewith all Claspinge his handes to heauen he cast his sight And streight pale death pressyng within his face The flyinge ghoste his mortall corps forsooke Arostus Neuer did age bring forth so vile a facte Marcella O harde and cruell happe that thus assigned Vnto so worthie a wighte so wretched ende But most harde cruell harte that coulde consent To lende the hatefull destenies that hande By whiche alas so heynous cryme was wrought O Queene of Adamante O Marble breaste If not the fauour of his comelie face If not his Princelie chere and countenaunce His valiant Actiue Armes his manlie breaste If not his faier and semelie personage His noble Lymmes in suche preparacion caste As would haue wrapped a sillie womans thought If this mought not haue moued the bloodie harte And that most cruell hande the wretched weapon Euen to let fall and kiste him in the face With teares for ruthe to reaue suche one by death Should nature yet consent to slaye her sonne O mother thou to murder thus thie childe Euen Ioue with Iustice must with lightening flames From heauen send down some strange reuenge on thee Ah noble Prince how oft haue I beheld Thee mounted on thy fierce and traumpling stede Shyning in Armour bright before the Tylte And with thy Mistresse Sleaue tied on thy Helme And charge thy staffe to please thy Ladies eie That bowed the head peece of thy frendly foe Howe oft in Armes on horse to bende the Mace Howe oft in Armes on foote to breake the sworde Whiche neuer nowe these eyes men 〈◊〉 againe Arostus Madame alas in vaine these plaints are shed Rather with me departe and helpe to asswage The thoughtfull griefes that in the aged kings Must nedes by nature growe by death of this His onelie sonne whome he did holde so deare Marcella What wight is that whiche sawe that I did see And could refraine to waile with plainte teares Not I alas that harte is not in me But let vs goe for I am greued anewe To call to minde the wretched fathers woe Chorus Whan gredie lust in Royall seate to reigne Hath reft all care of goddes and eke of men And cruell hart wrathe Treason and disdaine Within the ambicious breast are lodged then Beholde howe mischiefe wide her selfe displaies And with the brothers hande the brother slaies When blood thus shed doth staine this heauens face Crying to Ioue for vengeaunce of the deede The mightie God euen moueth from his place With wrathe to wreke then sendes he forth with spede The dreadful furies daughters of the night With Serpents girt carying the whip of Ire With heare of stinging snakes and shining bright With flames and blood and with a brande of fire These for reuenge of wretched Murder done Do make the Mother kill her onelie sonne Blood asketh blood death must death requite Ioue by his iust and euerlasting dome Iustly hath euer so requited it These times before recorde and tymes to come Shall finde it true and so doth present proofe Present before our eies for our behoofe O happie wight that suffres not the snare Of murderous minde to tangle him in bloode And happie he that can in time beware By others harmes and tourne it to his goode But wo to him that fearing not to offende Doth serue his lust and will not see the ende ¶ The order and signification of the dōme shewe before the fifthe Acte ¶ Firste the Drommes and Fluites beganne to sounde durynge whiche there came foorth vpon the Stage a companie of Hargabusiers and of Armed men all in order of Battaile These after their Peeces discharged and that the Armed men had three tymes marched aboute the Stage departed and then the Drommes and Fluits did cease Hereby was signified tumults rebellions Armes and ciuyll warres to folowe as fel in the Realme of great Brittayne which by the space of fiftie yeares and more continued in ciuyll warre betwene the Nobylytie after the death of king Gorboduc of his Issues for wante of certayne lymitacion in the Succession of the Crowne till the time of Dunwalle Molmutius who reduced the Lande to Monarche Actus quintus Scena prima Clotyn Mandud Gwenard Fergus Eubulus Clotyn DId euer age bring forth such Tirants hartes The Brother hath bereft the Brothers lyfe The Mother she hath died her cruell handes In bloud of her owne sonne and nowe at last The people loe forgettyng trouthe and loue Contemnynge quite both Lawe and loyall harte Euen they haue slayne their soueraigne Lord and Quene Mandud Shall this their trayterous crime vnpunished rest Euen yet they cease not caryed out with rage In their rebellious routes to threaten stil A newe bloode shedde vnto the Princes kinne To slaie them all and to vproote the race Both of the kyng and Queene so are
right Which time perhaps might end your time before Ferrex Is this no wrong saie you to reaue from me My natiue right to halfe so great a realme And thus to matche his yonger sonne with me In egall power and in as great degree Yea what sonne the sonne whose swellyng pryde Woulde neuer yelde one poinct of reuerence Whan I the Elder and apparaunt heire Stoode in the likelyhode to possesse the whole Yea and that sonne whiche from his childishe age Enuieth myne honour and doth hate my life What will he nowe do when his pride his rage The mindefull malice of his grudging harte Is armed with force with wealth and kingly state Hermon Was this not wrong yea yll aduised wrong To giue so mad a man so sharpe a sworde To so great perill of so great mishappe Wide open thus to set so large a waye Dordan Alas my Lorde what griefull thing is this That of your brother you can thinke so ill I neuer sawe him vtter likelie signe Whereby a man might see or once misdeme Suche hate of you ne suche vnyeldinge pride Ill is their counsell shamefull be their ende That raising suche mistrustfull feare in you Sowing the seede of suche vnkindly hate Trauaile by reason to destroy you both Wise is your brother and of noble hope Worthie to welde a large and mightie Realme So muche a stronger frende haue you therby Whose strēgth is your strēgth if you gree in one Hermon If nature and the Goddes had pinched so Their flowing bountie and their noble giftes Of Princelie qualyties from you my Lorde And powrde them all at ones in wastfull wise Vpon your fathers younger sonne alone Perhappes there be that in your preiudice Would saie that birth shuld yeld to worthines But sithe in eche good gift and Princelie Acte Ye are his matche and in the chiefe of all In mildenes and in sobre gouernauce Ye farre surmount And sithe there is in you Sufficing skill and hopefull towardnes To weld the whole and match you Elders praise I see no cause whie ye should loose the halfe Ne wold I wisshe you yelde to suche a losse Lest your milde sufferaunce of so great a wronge Be deemed cowardishe and simple dreade Whiche shall geue courage to the fierie head Of your yonge Brother to inuade the whole Whiles yet therfore stickes in the peoples mynde The lothed wronge of your disheritaunce And ere your Brother haue by settled power By guyle full cloke of an allurynge showe Got him some force and fauour in this Realme And while the noble Queene your mother lyues To worke and practice all for your auaile Attempt redresse by Armes and wreake your selfe Vpon his life that gaineth by your losse Who nowe to shame of you and griefe of vs In your owne kingdome triumphes ouer you Shew now your courage meete for kingly estate That thei which haue auowed to spēd their goods Their landes their liues honours in your cause Maye be the bolder to mainteine your parte Iohan thei do see that cowarde feare in you Shall not betraye ne saile their faithfull hartes If ones the death of Porrex ende the strife And paie the price of his vsurped Reigne Your Mother shall perswade the angry kynge The Lords your frends eke shall appease his rage For thei be wise and well thei can forsee That ere longe time your aged fathers death will brynge a time when you shall well requite Their frendlie fauour or their hatefull spite Yea or their slackenes to auaunce your cause Wise men do not so hange on passyng state Of present Princes chiefely in their age But they will further cast their reachinge eye To viewe and weigh the times reignes to come Ne is it lykely thoughe the kinge be wrothe That he yet will or that the Realme will beare Extreme reuenge vpon his onelye sonne Or if he woulde what one is he that dare Be ministre to suche an enterprise And here you be nowe placed in your owne Amyd your frendes your vassalles your strength We shall defende and kepe your person safe Tyll either counsell turne his tender minde Or age or sorowe ende his werie daies But if the feare of Goddes and secrete grudge Of Natures Lawe repynynge at the facte Withholde your courage from so great attempt Knowe ye that lust of kingdomes hath no Lawe The Goddes do beare and well allowe in kinges The thinges they abhorre in rascall routes When kinges on sclender quarrels ron to warres And than in cruell and vnkindely wise Cōmaunde theftes rapes murder of Innocentes To spoile of townes reignes of mighty realmes Thinke you such Princes do suppresse them selues Subiect to Lawes of kinde and feare of Gods Yet none offence but decked with glorious name Of noble Conquestes in the handes of kinges Murders and violent theftes in priuate men Are heynous crymes and full of foule reproche But if you like not yet so hote deuise Ne list to take suche vauntage of the time But thoughe with great perill of your state You wil not be the first that shall inuade Assemble yet your force for your defence And for your safetie stande vpon your garde Dordan O heauen was there euer harde or knowen So wicked Counsell to a noble Prince Let me my Lorde disclose vnto your grace This heynous tale what mischiefe it conteynes Your fathers death your brothers and your owns your present murder and eternall shame Heare me O king and suffre not to sinke So highe a treason in your Princelie brest Ferrex The mightie Goddes forbyd that euer I Shuld once conceiue suche mischiefe in my harte Althoughe my Brother hath bereft my Realme And beare perhappes to me and hatefull minde Shall I reuenge it with his death therfore Or shall I so destroy my fathers lyfe That gaue me life the Gods forbyd I saye Cease you to speake so any more to me Ne you my friende with Aunswere once repeate So foule a tale in scilence let in die What Lorde or Subiect shall haue hope at all That vnder me they safely shall enioye Their goods their honours landes and liberties With whome neither one onely brother deare Ne father dearer coulde enioye their lyues But sithe I feare my younger brothers rage And sithe perhappes some other man may gyue Some like aduise to moue his grudging head At mine estate whiche counsell may perchaunce Take greater force with him than this with me I will in secrete so prepare my selfe As if his malice or his lust to reigne Breake forth with Armes or sodeine violence I may withstande his rage and kepe myne owne Dordan I feare the fatall time now draweth on When ciuyll hate shall ende the noble lyne Of famouse Brute and of his Royall seede Great Ioue defende the mischiefes nowe at hande O that the Secretaries wise aduise Had erst ben harde whan he besought the kynge Not to deuide his lande nor sende his sonnes To further partes from presence of his Courte Ne yet to yelde to
⧠THE TRAGEDIE OF GORBODVC whereof three Actes were wrytten by Thomas Nortone and the two laste by Thomas Sackuyle ¶ Sett forthe as the same was shewed before the QVENES most excellent Maiestie in her highnes Court of VVhitehall the .xviij. day of Ianuary Anno Domini 1561 By the Gentlemen of Th ynner Temple in London ⧠IMPRYNTED AT LONDON in Fletestrete at the Signe of the Faucon by William Griffith And are to be sold at his Shop in Saincte Dunstones Churchyarde in the VVest of London Anno. 1565 Septemb. 22. ¶ Th argument of the Tragedie GORBODVC king of Brittaine deuided his Realme in his lyfe time to his Sōnes Ferrex and Porrex The Sonnes fell to dyuision and discention The yonger kylled the elder The Mother that more dearely loued thelder for reuenge kylled the yonger The people moued with the Crueltie of the facte rose in Rebellion and slewe both father and mother The Nobilitie assembled and most terribly destroyed the Rebelles And afterwardes for want of Issue of the Prince wherby the Succession of the Crowne became vncertayne They fell to Ciuill warre in whiche both they and many of their Issues were slayne and the Lande for a longe tyme almoste desolate and myserablye wasted W G ¶ The names of the Speakers Gorboduc kynge of great Brittayne Videna Queene and wife to kynge Gorboduc Ferrex Elder Sonne to kynge Gorboduc Porrex Yonger Sonne to kynge Gorboduc Clotyn Duke of Cornewall Fergus Duke of Albanye Mandud Duke of Leagre Gwenard Duke of Cumperlande Eubulus Secretarie to the kynge Gorboduc Arostus A Counsellour of kynge Gorboduc Dordan A Counsellour assigned by the kynge to his Eldest Sonne Ferrex Philander A Counsellour assigned by the kynge to his yonger Sonne Porrex Both beynge of the olde kynges Counsell before Hermon A Parasyte remaynyng with Ferrex Tyndar A Parasyte remaynyng with Porrex Nuntius A Messenger of thelder Brothers deth Nuntius A Messenger of Duke Fergus rysynge in Armes Marcella A Ladye of the Queenes priuie Chamber Chorus Foure auncient and Sage men of Brittayne ¶ The Order of the dōme shewe before the firste Acte and the Signification therof ¶ Firste the Musicke of Violenze began to playe durynge whiche came in vppon the Stage sixe wilde men clothed in leaues Of whom the first bare in his necke a Fagot of smal stickes whiche thei all both seuerallie and togither assaied with all their strengthes to breake but it could not be broken by them At the length one of them plucked out one of the stickes and brake it And the rest pluckinge oute all the other stickes one after an other did easelie breake the same beynge seuered which beyng conioyned they had before attempted in vayne After they had this done they departed the Stage and the Musicke ceased Hereby was signified that a state knit in vnytie doth continue stronge against all force But beynge deuyded is easely destroied As befell vpon Duke Gorboduc deuidinge his Lande to his two sonnes which he before held in Monarchie And vpon the discention of the Brethrene to whome it was deuided Of Gorboduc Actus primus Scena prima Viden Ferrex Viden. THE silent night that bringes the quiet pawse From painefull trauailes of the wearie Daie Prolonges my carefull thoughtes and makes me blame The slowe Aurore that so for loue or shame Doth longe delaye to shewe her blusshing face And nowe the Daie renewes my griefull plainte Ferrex My gracious Lady and mother deare Pardon my griefe for your so grieued minde To aske what cause tormenteth so your harte Viden. So great a wronge and so vniust despite Without all cause against all course of kinde Ferrex Suche causeles wronge and so vniust despite Maye haue redresse or at the least reuenge Viden. Neither my Sonne suche is the frowarde will The person suche suche my mishap and thyne Ferrex Myne know I none but griefe for your distresse Viden. Yes myne for thyne my sonne A father no In kynde a Father but not in kyndlynes Ferrex My Father whie I knowe nothynge at all Wherin I haue misdone vnto his Grace Viden. Therfore the more vnkinde to thee and mee For knowynge well my sonne the tendre loue That I haue euer borne and beare to thee He greued therat is not content alone To spoyle thee of my sight my chiefest Ioye But thee of the birth right and Heritage Causeles vnkindly and in wrongfull wise Against all Lawe and right he will bereaue Halfe of his kyngdome he will geue awaye Ferrex To whome Viden. Euen to Porrex his younger sonne Whose growinge Pride I do so sore suspecte That beynge raysed to equall Rule with thee Mee thinkes I see his enuious harte to swell Fyllde with Disdaine and with ambicious Pride The ende the Goddes do know whose Aulters I Full oft haue made in vaine of Cattell slayne To sende the sacred smoke to Heauens Throne For thee my sonne if thinges so succede As nowe my Ielious minde misdemeth sore Ferrex Madame leaue care and carefull plaint for me Iust hath my Father ben to euery wight His firste vniustice he will not extende To me I truste that geue no cause therof My brothers pride shall hurt him selfe not mee Viden. So graunt the Goddes But yet thy father so Hath firmely fixed his vnmoued mynde That plaints praiers can no whit auaile For those haue I assaied but euen this daie He wyll endeuour to procure assent Of all his Counsell to his fonde deuise Ferrex Their Auncestours from race to race haue borne True fayth to my forefathers and their seede I truste thei eke wyll beare the lyke to me Viden. There resteth all but if they fayle therof And if the ende bringe forth an euyll successe On them and theirs the mischiefe shall befall And so I praie the Goddes requite it them And so they will for so is wont to bee When Lordes and trusted Rulers vnder kynges To please the present fancie of the Prince With wrong transpose the course of gouernaunce Murders mischiefe or ciuyll sworde at length Or mutuall treason or a iust reuenge When right succedinge Line returnes againe By Ioues iust Iudgement and deserued wrathe Bringes them to ciuill and reprochefull death And rootes their names kindredes frō the earth Ferrex Mother content you you shall see the ende Viden. The ende thie ende I feare Ioue ende me first Actus primus Scena secunda Gorboduc Arostus Philander Eubulus Gorboduc MY Lordes whose graue aduise faithfull aide Haue long vpheld my Honour my Realme And brought me from this age from tender yeres Guidynge so great estate with great renowme Nowe more importeth mee the erst to vse Your faith and wisdome wherby yet I reigne That when by death my liefe and rule shall cease The kingdome yet maye with vnbroken course Haue certayne Prince by whose vndoubted right Your wealth and peace may stand in quiet staie And eke that thei whome Nature hath preparde In time to take my place in Princelie Seate While in their Fathers tyme their pliant youth Yeldes
to the frame of skilfull gouernaunce Maye so be taught and trayned in noble Artes As what their fathers whiche haue reigned before Haue with great fame deriued downe to them With honour they maye leaue vnto their seede And not be taught for their vnworthie life And for their Laweles swaruynge out of kinde Worthie to lose what Lawe aud kind them gaue But that they may preserue the cōmon peace The cause that first began and still mainteines The Lyneall course of kinges inheritaunce For me for myne for you and for the state Wherof both I and you haue charge and care Thus do I meane to vse your wonted fayth To me and myne and to your natyue Lande My Lordes be playne without all wrie respect Or poysonous crafte to speake in pleasyng wise Lest as the blame of yll succedynge thinges Shall light on you so light the harmes also Arostus Your good acceptaunce so most noble kinge Of suche your faithfulnes as heretofore We haue employed in dueties to your Grace And to this Realme whose worthie head you are Well proues that neyther you mistruste at all Nor we shall nede no boasting wise to shewe Our trueth to you nor yet our wakefull care For you for yours and for our natiue Lande Wherfore O kynge I speake for one as all Sithe all as one do beare you egall faith Doubt not to vse their Counselles and their aides Whose honours goods lyues are whole auowed To serue to ayde and to defende your Grace Gorboduc My Lordes I thanke you all This is the case Ye know the Gods who haue the soueraigne care For kings for kingdomes and for cōmen weales Gaue me two sonnes in my more lustie Age Who nowe in my deceyuynge yeres are growen Well towardes ryper state of minde and strength To take in hande some greater Princely charge As yet they lyue and spende their hopefull daies With me and with their Mother here in Courts Their age nowe asketh other place and trade And myne also doth aske an other chaunge Theirs to more trauaile myne to greater ease Whan fatall death shall ende my mortall lyfe My purpose is to leaue vnto them twaine The Realme deuided into two sandrie partes The one Ferrex myne elder sonne shall haue The other shall the other Porrex rule That both my purpose may more framelie stande And eke that they may better rule their charge I meane forthwith to place them in the same That in my life they maye both learne to rule And I may Ioye to see their rulynge well This is in sōme what I woulde haue ye wey Firste whether ye allowe my whole deuise And thinke it good for me for them for you And for our Countrey mother of vs all And if ye lyke it and allowe it well Than for their guydinge and their gouernaunce Shewe forthe suche meanes of circumstaunce As ye thinke meete to be both knowne and kept Lot this is all nowe tell me your aduise Arostus And this is muche and asketh great aduise But for my parte my Soueraigne Lord and kyng This do I thinke your Maiestie doth knowe Howe vnder you in Iustice and in peace Great wealth and Honour long we haue enioyed So as we can not seeme with gredie mindes To wisshe for chaunge of Prince or gouernaunce But if ye lyke your purpose and deuise Our lykynge must be deemed to procede Of rightfull reason and of heedefull care Not for our selues but for our cōmen state Sithe our owne state doth nede no better chaunge I thinke in all as erst your Grace hath saide Firste when you shall vnlode your aged mynde Of heuye care and troubles manyfolde And laye the same vpon my Lordes your sonnes Whose growing yeres may bere the burden long And longe I praye the Goddes to graunt it so And in your lyfe while you shall so beholde Their rule their vertues and their noble deedes Suche as their kinde behighteth to vs all Great be the profites that shall growe therof Your age in quiet shall the longer last Your lastynge age shal be their longer staie For cares of kynges that rule as you haue rulde For publique wealth and not for priuate ioye Do wast mannes lyfe and hasten crooked age With furrowed face and with enfeebled lymmes To drawe on creepynge Death a swifter pace They two yet yonge shall beare the partie reigne With greater ease than one nowe olde alone Can welde the whole for whom muche harder is with lessened strength the double weight to beare Your eye your Counsell and the graue regarde Of Fathers yea of suche a fathers name Nowe at beginning of their sondred reigne When it is hazarde of their whole successe Shall bridle so their force of youthfull heates And so restreine the rage of insolence Whiche most assailes the yonge and noble minds And so shall guide and traine in tempred staie Their yet greene bending wittes with reuerent awe And now inured with vertues at the first Custome O king shall bringe delightfulnes By vse of Vertue Vice shall growe in hate But if you so dispose it that the daye Which endes your life shal first begin their reign Great is the perill what will be the ende When suche beginning of suche liberties Voide of suche states as in your liefe do lye Shall leaue them to free randon of their will An open praie to traiterous flatterie The greatest pestilence of noble youthe Whiche perill shal be past if in your life Their tempred youthe with aged fathers awe Be brought in vre of skilfull staidnes And in your life their liues disposed so Shall length your noble liefe in ioyfulnes Thus thinke I that your grace hath wiselie thought And that your tender care of cōmen weale Hath bred this thought so to deuide your Lande And plant your sonnes to beare the present rule While you yet liue to see their rulynge well That you may longer lyue by ioye therein What furder meanes behouefull are and meete At great leisure maye your Grace deuise When all haue saide and when we be agreed If this be best to parte the Realme in twaine And place your sonnes in present gouernement Whereof as I haue plainely saide my mynde So woulde I here the rest of all my Lordes Philander In parte I thinke as haue ben saide before In parte againe my minde is otherwise As for deuiding of this Realme in twaine And lotting out the same in egall partes To either of my Lordes your Graces sonnes That thinke I best for this your Realmes behosf For profite and aduauncement of your sonnes And for your comforte and your honour eke But so to place them while your life do last To yelde to them your Royall gouernaunce To be aboue them onely in the name Of father not in kingly state also I thinke not good for you for them nor vs This kingdome since the bloodie ciuill fielde Where Morgan slaine did yeld his conquered parte Vnto his Cosyns sworde in Camberlande Conteineth all that whilome did suffice Three noble sonnes
them his gouernaunce Lo suche are they nowe in the Royall throne As was rashe Phaeton in Phebus Carre Ne then the fiery stedes did drawe the flame With wilder randon through the kindled skies Then traiterous councell now will wherle about The youthfull heads of these vnskilfull kinges But I hereof their father will enforeme The reuerence of him perhappes shall staye The growing mischiefes while thei yet are grene If this helpe not then wo vnto them selues The Prince the people the deuided lande Actus secundus Scena secunda Porrex Tyndar Philander Porrex ANd is it thus And doth he so prepare Against his Brother as his mortall foe And nowe whyle yet his aged father lyues Neither regardes be him nor feares he me Warre would he haue and he shall haue it so Tyndar I sawe my selfe the great prepared store Of Horse of Armours and of weapons there Ne brynge I to my Lorde reported tales Without the ground of seene and serched trouthe Loe secrete quarrelles ronne about his Courte To bringe the name of you my Lorde in hate Eche man almost can nowe debate the cause And aske a reason of so great a wronge While he so noble and so wise a Prince Is as vnworthie rest his Heritage And whie the kinge mislead by craftie meanes Deuided thus his lande from course of right The wiser sorte holde downe their griefull heades Eche man withdrawes from talke and companie Of those that haue ben knowen to fauour you To hide the mischiefe of their meaninge there Rumours are spred of your preparynge here The Rascall nombres of the vnskilfull sorts Are filled with monsterous tales of you and yours In secrete I was counsailed by my friendes To hast me thence and brought you as you know Letters from those that both can truely tell And would not write vnlesse they knewe it well Philander My Lorde yet ere you nowe vnkindely warre Sende to your Brother to demaunde the cause Perhappes some trayterous tales haue filled his eares with false reports against your noble grace Which once disclosed shal ende the growing strife That els not staied with wise foresight in time Shall hazarde both your kingdomes your lyues Sende to your father eke he shall appeale Your kindled mindes and rid you of this feare Porrex Ridde me of feare I feare him not at all Ne will to him ne to my father sende If daunger were for one to tarye there Thinke ye it safely to retourne againe In mischiefes suche as Ferrex nowe intendes The wanted courteous Lawes to Messengeres Are not obserued whiche in iust warre they vse Shall I so hazarde any one of myne Shall I betraie my trustie friende to hym That hath disclosed his treason vnto me Let him entreate that feares I feare him not Or shall I to the kinge my father sende Yea and sende nowe while suche a mother lyues That loues my Brother and that hateth mee Shall I geue leasure by my fonde delayes To Ferrex to oppresse me at vnware I will not but I will inuade his Realme And seeke the Traitour Prince within his Court Mischiefe for mischiefe is a due rewarde His wretched head shall paie the worthie pryce Of this his Treason and his hate to me Shall I abide entreate and sende and praie And holde my yelden throate to Traitours knife While I with valiaunt minde conquering force Might rid my selfe of foes and winne a Realme Yet rather when I haue the wretches head Than to the king my father will I sende The booteles case may yet appease his wrath If not I will defend me as I maye Philander Loe here the ende of these two youthfull kings The fathers deth the reigne of their two realmes O most vnhappy state of Counsellours That light on so vnhappy Lordes and times That neither can their good aduise be harde Yet must thei beare the blames of yll successe But I will to the king their father haste Ere this mischiefe come to that likely ende That if the mindefull wrath of wrekefull Gods Since mightie Ilions fall not yet appeased With these poore remnant of the Troians name Haue not determinedlie vnmoued fate Out of this Realme to rase the Brutish Line By good aduise by awe of fathers name By force of wiser Lordes this kindled hate Maye yet be quentched ere it consume vs all Chorus Whan youth not bridled with a guyding staie fraie Is left to randon of their owne delight And welds whole Realmes by force of soueraigne Great is the daunger of vnmaistred might Lest skilles rage throwe downe with headlong fal Their lands their states their liues them selues all When growing pride doth fil the swelling brest And gredy lust doth raise the clymbynge minde Oh hardlie maye the perill be represt Ne feare of angrie Goddes ne Lawes kinde Ne Countrie care can fiered hartes restrayne Whan force hath armed Enuie and disdaine VVhan kinges of foreset wyll neglecte the rede Of best aduise and yelde to pleasinge tales That do their fansies noysome humour feede He reason nor regarde of right auailes Succedinge heapes of plagues shall teache to late To learne the mischiefes of misguydinge state Fowle fall the Traitour false that vndermines The loue of Brethrene to destroye them bothe Wo to the Prince that pliant eare enclynes And yeldes his minde to poysonous tale that floweth From flatterynge mouth wo to wretched lande That wasts it selfe with ciuyll sworde in hande Loe thus it is poyson in golde to take And holsome drinke in homely Cuppe forsake ¶ The order and signification of the dōme shewe before the thirde Act ¶ Firste the Musicke of Fluites began to playe during which came in vpon the Stage a companye of Mourners all clad in blacke betokeninge Death and sorowe to ensue vpon the yll aduised misgouernement and discention of Bretherne as befel vpon the Murder of Ferrex by his yonger Brother After the Mourners had passed thryse about the stage thei departed and than the Musicke ceased Actus tertius Scena prima Gorboduc Eubulus Arostus Philander Nuntius Gorboduc O Cruell fates O mindfull wrath of Goddes whose vēgeaūice neither Simois streined streames Flowing with blood of Troian Princes slaine Nor Phrygian fieldes made rancke with Corpses dead Of Asian kynges and Lordes can yet appease He slaughter of vnhappie Pryams race Nor Ilions fall made leuell with the soile Can yet suffice but still continued rage Pursue our lyues and from the farthest Seas Doth chast the issues of distroyed Troye Oh no man happie tyll his ende be seene If any flowyng wealth and seemynge Ioye In present yeres might make a happy wight Happie was Hecuba the wofullest wretche That euer lyued to make a Myrrour of And happie Pryam with his noble sonnes And happie I till nowe Alas I see And feele my most vnhappie wretchednes Beholde my Lordes reade ye this Letter here Loe it conteines the ruyne of our Realme If timelie speede prouide not hastie helpe Yet O ye Goddes if euer wofull kynge Might moue you kings of kinges
despite Through blodie slaughter doth prepare the waies To fatall Scepter and accursed reigne The sonne so lothes the fathers lingerynge daies Ne dreades his hand in Brothers blode to staine O wretched Prince ne doest thou yet recorde The yet fresshe Murthers done within the Lande Of thie forefathers when the cruell sworde Bereft Morgan his liefe with Cosyns hande Thus fatall plagues pursue the giltie race Whose murderous hand imbrued with giltles blood Askes vengeaunce before the heauens face With endles mischiefes on the cursed broode The wicked childe this bringes to wofull Sier The mournefull plaintes to wast his wery life Thus do the cruell flames of Ciuyll fier Destroye the parted reigne with hatefull strife And hence doth spring the well frō which doth flo The dead black streames of mournings plaints woe ¶ The order and signification of the dōme shewe before the fourth Acte ¶ First the Musick of Howeboies began to plaie duringe whiche there came forth from vnder the Stage as thoughe out of Hell three Furies Alecto Megera Ctesiphone clad in blacke garments sprinkled with bloud flames their bodies girt with snakes their heds spread with Serpents in steade of heare the one bearinge in her hande a Snake the other a whip the thirde a burning Firebrande eche driuynge before them a kynge and a Queene whiche moued by Furies vnnaturallye bad slaine their owne Children The names of the kinges Queenes were these Tantalus Medea Athamas Ino Cambises Althea after that the Furies and these had passed aboute the Stage thrise they departed than the Musicke ceased hereby was signified the vnnaturall Murders to followe that is to saie Porrex slaine by his owne Mother And of king Gorboduc and Queene Viden. killed by their owne Subiectes Actus quartus Scena prima Vidensola Viden. VVhy sould I lyue and lynger forth my tune In longer liefe to double my distresse O me most wofull wight whome no mishap Long ere this daie could haue bereued hence Mought not these handes by fortune or by fate Haue perst this brest and life with Iron reft Or in this Pallaice here where I so longe Haue spent my daies could not that happie houre Ones ones haue hapt I which these hugie frames With death by fall might haue oppressed me Or should not this most hard and cruell soile So eft where I haue prest my wretched steps Somtyme had ruthe of myne accursed liefe To rende in twaine and swallowe me therin So had my bones possessed nowe in peace Their happie graue within the closed grounde And greadie wormes had gnawen this pyned hart Without my feelyinge paine So shulde not nowe This lyuynge brest remayne the ruthefull tombe Wherin my hart yelden to death is graued Nor driery thoughts with panges of pining griefe My dolefull minde had not afflicted thus O my beloued sonne O my swete childe My teare Ferrex my Ioye my lyues delyght Is my welbeloued sonne is my sweete childe My deare Perrex my Ioye my lyues delight Murdered with cruell death O hatefull wretche O heynous Traytour bothe to heauen and earth Thou Porrex thou this damned dede hast wrought Thou Porrex thou shalt dearely abye the same Traitour to kinne and kinde to Sire and me To thyne owne flesshe and Traitour to thy selfe The Gods on the in hell shall wreke their wrath And here in earth this hand shall take reuenge On the Porrex thou false and caytife wighte If after blode so eigre were thy thirst And Murderous minde had so possessed thee If suche hard hart of Rocke and stonie Flint Lyued in thy brest that nothing elles could like Thy cruell Tyrantes thought but death bloode Wild sauage beasts mought not the slaughter serue To fede thy gredie will and in the myddest Of their entrailes to staine thy deadlie handes With blode deserued and drinke therof thy fyll Or if nought els but death and bloud of man Mought please thy lust could none in Bryttain land Whose hart be torne out of his louyng brest With thine owne hand or work what death thou woldest Suffice to make a Sacrifice to appeaze woldest That deadlie minde murderous thought in the But he who in the self same wombe was wrapped Where thou in dismall hower receiuedst life Or if nedes nedes this hand must slaughter make Moughist thou not haue reached a mortall wound And with thy sworde haue persed this cursed womb That the accursed Porrex brought to lyght And geuen me a iust rewarde therfore So Ferrex if swete life mought haue enioyed And to his aged father comfort brought with some yong sonne in whom thei both might liue But wherevnto wast I this ruthefull speche To the that hast thy brothers bloud thus shed Shall I stil think that from this womb thou sprong That I thee bare or take thee for my sonne No Traytour no I the refuse for mine Murderer I thee renounce thou art not mine Neuer O wretche this wombe conceued thee Nor neuer bode I painefull throwes for thee Changeling to me thou art and not my childe Nor to no wight that sparke of pytie knewe Rutheles vnkind Monster of Natures worke Thou neuer suckte the milke of womans breaste But from thy birth the cruell Tigres teates Haue nursed nor yet of flesshe and bloud Formed is thy hart but of hard Iron wrought And wilde and desert woods breade thee to lyfe But canst thou hope to scape my iust reuenge Or that these handes will not be wrooke on thee Doest thou not knowe that Ferrex mother lyues That loued him more dearelie then her selfe And doth she lyue and is not venged on thee Actus quartus Scena secunda Gorboduc Arostus Eubulus Porrex Marccilla Gorboduc WE marueyle muche wherto this lingeryng staie Falles out so longe Porrex vnto our Courte By order of our Letters is retourned And Eubulus receyued from vs by hest At his arriuale here to geue him charge Before our presence streight to make repaire And yet we haue no worde wherof he staies Arostus Loe where he cōmes and Eubulus with hym Eubulus Accordynge to your highnes hest to me Here haue I Porrex brought euen in suche sort As from his weried Horse he did alighte For that your Grace did will suche haste therein Gorboduc We like and praise this spedie wyll in you To worke the thing that to your charge we gaue Porrex if we so farre shulde swarue from kinde And frō these bounds which lawes of Nature sets As thou hast done by vile and wretched deede In cruell murder of thy Brothers life Our present hande coulde staie no lenger tyme But streight should bathe this blade in bloud of the As iust reuenge of thy detested cryme No we shuld not offende the lawe of kinde If nowe this sworde of ours did slaie thee here For thou hast murdered him whose heinous death Euen Natures force doth moue vs to reuenge By bloud againe But Iustice forceth vs To measure Death for Death thy due deserte Yet sithens thou art our childe and sithe
as yet In this harde case what worde thou canst alledge For thy defence by vs hath not ben harde We are content to staie our wyll for that Whiche Iustice biddes vs presently to worke And geue the leaue to vse thie speache at full If ought thou haue to laye for thine excuse Porrex Neither O kyng I can or wyll denie But that this hande from Ferrex lyfe hath reft Which fact how much my doleful hart doth waile Oh would it mought as full appeare to sight As inwarde griefe doth powre it forth to me So yet perhappes if euer ruthefull hart Melting in teares within a manlie breast Throughe depe repentaunce of his bloudie facte If euer griefe if euer wofull man Might moue regreite with sorowe of his fault I thinke the torment of my mournefull case Knowen to your grace as I do feele the same Woulde force euen wrath her selfe to pytie mee But as the water troubled with the mudde Shewes not the face whiche els the eye shulde see Euen so your Irefull minde with stirred thought Can not so perfectly discerne my cause But this vnhappe emongst so many heapes I must content me with most wretched man That to my selfe I must referre my woe In pynynge thoughts of myne accursed facte Sithens I may not shewe here my smallest griefe Suche as it is and as my breast endures Whiche I esteme the greatest myserie Of all mishappes that Fortune nowe can sende Not that I rest in hope with plaints and teares Should purchase life for to the Goddes I clepe For true recorde of this my faithfull speache Neuer this harte shall haue the thoughtfull dreade To die the death that by your Graces dome By iust desarte shal be pronounced to mee Nor neuer shal this tongue ones spend this speche Pardon to craue or seeke by sute to lyue I meane not this as though I were not touchde With care of dreadfull death or that I helde Lyfe in contempt but that I knowe the mynde Stoupes to no dreade although the flesh be fraile And for my gilt I yelde the same so great As in my selfe I finde a feare to sue For graunte of lyfe Gorboduc In vayne O wretche thou shewed A wofull harte Ferrex nowe lyes in graue Slaine by thy hande Porrex Yet this O father heare And than I ende Your Maiestie well knowes That whan my Brother Ferrex and my selfe By your owne hest were ioyned in gouernaunce Of this your Graces Realme of Brittayne Lande I neuer sought nor trauaylled for the same Nor by my selfe or by no scende I wrought But from your highnes will alone it spronge Of your most gracious goodnes bent to me But howe my Brothers hart euen than repined With swollen disdaine against mine egali rule Seing that Realme which by discent shuld grow Whollie to him allotted halfe to me Euen in your highnes Court he nowe remaynes And with my Brother than in nearest place Who can recorde what proofe therof was shewde And how my brothers enuious hart appearde Yet I that iudged it my parte to seeke His fauour and good will and lothe to make Your highnes knowe the thing which shuld haue brought Grief to your grace your offēce to him Hopyng by earnest suite shuld soone haue wonne A louynge hart within a Brothers brest Wrought in that sorte that for a pleadge of loue And faithfull hart he gaue to me his hande This made me thinke that he had banished quite All rancour from his thought and bare to me Suche hartie loue as I did owe to him But after once we left your Graces Court And from your highnes presence liued aparte This egall rule still still did grudge him so That nowe those Enuious sparkes which erst lay raked In lyuing cinders of dissemblynge brest Kindled so farre within his hates disdaine That longer could he not refraine from proofe Of secrete practise to depriue me life By Poysons force and had bereft me so If myne owne Seruaunt hired to this fact And moued by trouthe with hate to worke the same In time had not bewraied it vnto mee Whan thus I sawe the knot of loue vnknitte All honest League and faithfull promise broke The Lawe of kind and trothe thus rent in twaine His hart on mischiefe set and in his brest Blacke treason hid then then did I dispaier That euer tyme coulde wynne him frende to me Than sawe I howe he smyled with slaying knife Wrapped vnder cloke then sawe I depe deceite Lurke in his face and death prepared for mee Euen nature moued me than to holde my lyfe More deare to me than his and bad this hande Since by his lyfe my death must nedes ensue And by his death my lyfe to be preserued To shed his bloud and seeke my safetie so And wisdome willed me without protracte In spedie wise to put the same in vre Thus haue I tolde the cause that moued me To worke my Brothers death and so I yelde My lyfe my death to iudgement of your grace Gorboduc Oh cruell wight shulde any cause preuaile To make the staine thy hands with brothers blod But what of thee we will resolue to doe Shal yet remaine vnknowen Thou in the meane Shalt from our royall presence banyshed be Vntill our Princely pleasure furder shall To the be shewed departe therfore our sight Accursed childe What cruell destenie What frowarde fate hath sorted vs this chaunce That euen in those where we shuld comfort find Where our delight nowe in our aged daies Shulde rest and be euen there our onelie griefe And depest sorrowes to abridge our liefe Most pynyng cares and deadlie thoughts do graue yours Arostus Your Grace shuld now in these graue yeres of Haue founde ere this the price of mortall Ioyes Howe shorte they be howe fadyng heare in earth Howe full of chaunge howe Brittle our estate Of nothynge sure saue onely of the Death To whome both man and all the worlde doth owe Their ende at last neither shall natures power In other sorte against your harte preuayle Than as the naked hande whose stroke assayes The Armed breast where force doth light in vaine Gorboduc Many can yelde right graue and sage aduise Of pacient sprite to others wrapped in woe And can in speache both rule and conquere kinde Who if by proofe they might feele natures force Wold shewe them selues men as thei are in dede which now wil nedes be gods but what doth meane The sory chere of her that here doth come Marcella Oh where is ruthe or where is pytie nowe Whether is gentle harte and mercie fled Are they exiled out of our stony breasts Neuer to make retourne is all the worlde Drowned in bloode and soncke in crueltie If not in women mercie maye be founde If not alas within the mothers brest To her owne childe to her owne flesshe and blood If ruthe be banished thence if pytie there Maye haue no place if there no gentle harte Do lyue and dwell where shuld we seeke it than Gorboduc Madame
they moued With Porrex deathe wherin they falsely charge The giltles kinge without desarte at all And traiterouslie haue murdered him therfore And eke the Queene Gwenard Shall Subiectes dare with force To worke reuenge vpon their Princes facte Admyt the worst that maye as sure in this The dede was fowle the Quene to slaie her sonne Shall yet the Subiecte seeke to take the sworde Arise agaynst his Lorde and slaie his kynge O wretched state where those rebellious hartes Are not rent out euen from their lyuynge breasts And with the bodie throwen vnto the Fowles As Carrion foode for terrour of the rest Fergus There can no punisshement be thought to greate For this so greuous cryme let spede therfore Be vsed therin for it behoueth so Eubulus Ye all my Lordes I see consent in one And I as one consent with ye in all I holde it more than nede with the sharpest Lawe To punisshe the tumultuous bloodie rage For nothynge more maye shake the coÌ„men state Than sufferaunce of Vproares without redresse Wherby how some kingdomes of mightie power After great Conquestes made and floorishing In fame and wealth haue ben to ruyne brought I praie to Ioue that we may rather wayle Suche happe in them than witnes in our selues Eke fullie with the Duke my minde agrees That no cause serues wherby the Subiect maye Call to accompt the doynges of his Prince Muche lesse in bloode by sworde to worke reuenge No more then maye the hande cut of the heade In Acte nor speache no not in secrete thoughte The Subiect maye rebell against his Lorde Or Iudge of him that sittes in Ceasars Seate With grudging mind do damne those Hemislikes Though kinges forget to gouerne as they ought Yet Subiectes must obey as they are bounde But nowe my Lordes before ye farder wade Or spend your speach what sharp reuenge shal fal By iustice plague on these rebellious wights Me thinkes ye rather should first searche the waye By whiche in time the rage of this vproare Mought be repressed these great tumults ceased Euen yet the life of Brittayne Lande doth hange In Traitours Balaunce of vnegall weight Thinke not my Lords the death of Gorboduc Nor yet Videnaes bloode will cease their rage Euen our owne lyues our wiues and children Our Countrey dearest of all in daunger standes Nowe to be spoiled nowe nowe made desolate And by our selues a conquest too ensue For geue ones sweye vnto the peoples lusts To russhe forth on and staye them not in time And as the streame that rowleth downe the hyll So wil thei headlong ronne with raging thoughtes From bloode to bloode from mischiefe vnto moe To ruyne of the Realme them selues and all So giddle are the coÌ„mon peoples mindes So glad of chaunge more waueryng than the Sea Ye see my Lordes what strength these Rebelles haue What hugie nombre is assembled still For though the traiterous fact for which their rose Be wrought and done yet lodge thei still in fielde So that howe farre their furies yet wyll stretche Great cause we haue to dreade that we may seeke By present Battaile to represse their power Speede must we vse to leuie force therfore For either they forthwith will mischiefe worke Or their rebellious roares forthwith will cease These violent thinges may haue no lasting loude Let vs therfore vse this for present helpe Perswade by gentle speache and offre grace With gifte of pardon saue vnto the chiefe And that vpon condicion that forthewith They yelde the Captaines of their enterpryse To beare suche querdon of their traiterous facte As may be both due vengeaunce to them selues And holsome terrour to posteritie This shall I thinke flatter the greatest parte That nowe are holden with desire of home Weried in fielde with could of Winters nightes And some no doubt striken with dread of Lawe Whan this is ones proclaymed it shall make The Captaines to mistruste the multitude Whose safetie biddes them to betraye their heads And so muche more bycause the rascall routes In thinges of great and perillous attemptes Are neuer trustie to the noble race And while we treate scande on termes of grace We shal both staie their furies rage the while And eke gaine time whose onely helpe sufficeth Withouten warre to vanquisshe Rebelles power In the meane while make you in redynes Suche bande of Horsemen as ye maye prepare Horsemen you know are not the Comons streÌ„gth But are the force and store of noble men Wherby the vnchosen and vnarmed sorte Of skâ—â—â—she Rebelles whome none other power But nombre makes to be of dreadfull force With sodeyne brunt maye quickely be oppreste And if this gentle meane of proffered grace With stubborne hartes cannot so farre auayle As to asswage their desperate courages Than do I wisshe suche slaughter to be made As present age and eke posteritie Maye be adrad with horrour of reuenge That iustly than shall on these rebelles fall This is my Lordes the soÌ„me of mine aduise Clotyn Neyther this case admittes debate at large And though it did this speache that hath ben saide Hath wel abridged the tale I would haue tolde Fullie with Eubulus do I consente In all that he hath saide and if the same To you my Lordes may seeme for best aduise I wisshe that it shoulde streight be put in vre Mandud My Lordes than let vs presentlie departe And folowe this that lyketh vs so well Fergus If euer time to gaine a kingdome here Were offred man nowe it is offred mee The Realme is reft bothe of their kyng Quene The ofspringe of the Prince is slaine and dead No issue nowe remaines the Heire vnknowen The people are in Armes and mutynies The Nobles thei are busied howe to cease These great rebellious tumultes and vproars And Brittayne Lande nowe deserte left alone Amyd these broyles vncertaine where to rest Offers her selfe vnto that noble harte That wyll or dare pursue to beare her Crowne Shall I that am the Duke of Albanye Discended from that Lyne of noble bloode Whiche hath so longe floorisshed in worthie fame Of valiaunt hartes suche as in noble Breasts Of right shulde rest aboue the baser sorte Refuse to aduenture liefe to winne a Crowne Whome shall I finde enemies that will with stande My facte herein if I attempte by Armes To seeke the Fame nowe in these times of broyle These Dukes power can hardlie well appease The people that alredie are in Armes But if perhappes my force be ones in fielde Is not my strength in power aboue the best Of all these Lordes nowe left in Brittaine Lande And though they shuld match me with power of men Yet doubtfull is the chaunce of Battailles ioyned If Victors of the fielde we may departe Ours is the Scepter than of great Brittayne If slayne amid the playne this body be Mine enemies yet shall not deny me this But that I died gyuynge the noble charge To hazarde life for conquest of a Crowne Forthwith therfore will I in poste depart To Albanye
and raise in Armour there All power I can and here my secrete friendes By secrete practise shall sollicite still To seeke to wynne to me the peoples hartes Actus quintus Scena secunda Eubulus Clotyn Mandud Gwenard Arostus Nuntius Eubulus O Ioue Howe are these peoples hartes abusde what blind Furie thus headlong caries thē That though so many bokes so many rolles Of Auncient time recorde what greuous plagues Light on these Rebelles aye and thoughe so ofte Their eares haue hard their aged fathers tell What iust rewarde these Traitours still receyue Yea though them selues haue sene depe death and blod By strangling cord slaughter of the sword To suche assigned yet can they not beware Yet can they not staie their rebellious handes But suffring to fowle treason to distaine Their wretched myndes forget their loyall harte Reiecte all trueth and rise against their Prince A ruthefull case that those whome duties bounde Whome grafted Lawe by nature trueth and faith Bounde to preserue their Coūtrey and their king Borne to defende their Cōmon wealth Prince Euen they shulde geue consent thus to subuerte The Brittaine Land from the wombe shuld bring O natyue soile those that will nedes destroye And ruyne thee and eke them selues in fine For lo when ones the Duke had offred Grace Of pardon sweete the multitude mislead By traiterous fraude of their vngracious heades One sorte that sawe the daungerous successe Of stubborne standynge in rebellious warre And knewe the difference of Princes power From headles nombre of tumultuous routes Whom cōmen Countreies care and priuate feare Taught to repent the terrour of their rage Laide handes vpon the Captains of their bande And brought them bound vnto the mightie Dukes An other sorte not trusting yet so well The trueth of Pardon or mistrusting more Their owne offence than that thei could conceiue Suche hope of pardon for so foule misdede Or for that they their Captaines could not yeld Who fearinge to be yelded flead before Stale home by scilence of the secrete night The thirde vnhappie and vnraged sorte Of desperate harts who stained in Princes blood From trayterous furour could not be withdrawen By loue by lawe by grace ne yet by feare By proffered lyfe ne yet by threatened Death With mindes hopeles of liefe dreadles of Deathe Careles of Countrey and aweless of God Stoode bente to fighte as Furies did them moue With violent death to close their traiterous lyfe These all by power of Horsemen were opprest And with reuenging sworde slayne in the fielde Or with the strangling Cord hanged on the trees Where yet the carryen Carcases do proche The fruites that Rebelles reape of their vproars And of the murder of their sacred Prince But loe where do approche the noble Dukes By whom these tumults haue ben thus appeasde Clotyn I thinke the worlde wyll now at length beware And feare to put on armes agaynst their Prince Mandud If not those trayterous hartes that dare rebell Let them beholde the wide and hugie fieldes With bloode bodie spread with rebelles slayne The lustie trees clothed with corpses dead That strangled with the corde do hange therin Arostus A iust rewarde suche as all tymes before Haue euer lotted to those wretched folkes Gwenard But what meanes he that cōmeth here so fast Nuntius My Lords as duetie and my trouth doth moue And of my Countrey worke and care in mee That if the spendynge of my breath auaile To do the Seruice that my harte desires I would not shunne to imbrace a present death So haue I nowe in that wherein I thought My trauayle mought perfourme some good effects Ventred my liefe to bringe these tydinges here Fergus the mightie Duke of Albanye Is nowe in Armes and lodgeth in the fielde With twentie thousand men hether he bendes His spedie marcke minds to inuade the Crowne Dayly he gathereth strength and spreads abrode That to this Realme no certeine Heire remaines That Brittayne Lande is left without a guyde That he the Scepter seekes for nothing els But to preserue the people and the Lande Whiche now remaine as ship without a Sterne Loe this is that whiche I haue hereto saide Clotyn Is this his fayth and shall he falsely thus Abuse the vauntage of vnhappie times O wretched Lande if his outragious pride His cruell and vntempred wilfulnes His deepe dissemblinge shewes of false pretence Should once attaine the Crowne of Brittayn lande Let vs my Lords with tymely force resist The newe attempt of this our cōmon foe As we would quenche the flames of cōmen fire Mandud Though we remaine without a certayn Prince To weld the Realme or guide the wandring rule Yet nowe the cōmen Mother of vs all Our Natiue Lande our Countrey that conteines Our wiues children kyndred our selues and all That euer is or maye be deare to man Cries vnto vs to helpe our selues and her Let vs aduaunce our powers to represse This growynge foe of all our liberties Gwenard Yea let vs so my Lordes with hastie spede And ye O Goddes sende vs the welcome death To shed our bloode in fielde and leaue vs not In lothe some life to lenger out our lyues To see the hugie heapes of these vnhappes That nowe roll downe vpon the wretched Lande Where emptie place of Princelie gouernaunce No certayne staie nowe left of doubtles heire Thus leaue this guidelesse Realme an open pray To endlesse stormes and wast of ciuyll warre Arostus That ye my Lordes do so agree in one To saue your Countrey from the violent reigne And wrongfullie vsurped Tirrannie Of him that threatens conquest of you all To saue your realme in this realme your selues From forreyne thraldome of so proude a Prince Muche do I praise and I beseche the Goddes With happie honour to requite it you But O my Lords sithe now the Heauens wrath Hath reft this Lande the issue of their Prince Sithe of the body of our late Soueraine Lorde Remaines no mo since the yong kinges be slaine And of the Title of the discended Crowne Vncerteynly the diuerse mindes do thinke Euen of the Learned sorte and more vncertainlye Will perciall fancie and affection deeme But most vncertenlye wyll clymbynge pride And hope of Reigne withdrawe frō sondrie partes The doubtfull right and hopefull lust to reigne When ones this noble seruice is atchieued For Brittayne Lande the Mother of ye all When ones ye haue with armed force represt The proude attemptes of this Albanyan Prince That threatens thraldome to your Natiue Lande When ye shall vanquishers retourne from fielde And finde the Princely state an open praye To gredie lust and to vsurping power Then then my Lordes if euer kindely care Of auncient Honour of your auncestoures Of present wealth and noblesse of your stockes Yea of the lyues and safetie yet to come Of your deare wyues your children your selues Might moue your noble hartes with gentle ruthe Then then haue pytie on the torne estate Then helpe to salue the well neare
hopeles sore Whiche ye shall do if ye your selues with holde The sleayng knife from your own mothers throte Her shall you saue and you and yours in her If ye shall all with one assent forbeare Ones to laye hande or take vnto your selues The Crowne by colour of pretended right Or by what other meanes so euer it be Tyll first by cōmen counsell of you all In Parliament the Regall Diademe Be set in certayne place of gouernaunce In whiche your Parliament and in your choise Preserve the right my Lordes without respecte Of strenght of frendes or what so euer cause That maye set forwarde any others parte For right will last and wrong can not endure Right meane I his or hers vpon whose name The people rest by meane of Native lyne Or by the vertue of some former Lawe Alreadie made their title to aduaunce Suche one my Lordes let be your chosen kynge Suche one so borne within your Natyue Lande Suche one preferre and in no wise admitte The heauie yoke of forreine gouernaunce Let forreine Titles yelde to Publike wealthe And with that hart wherewith ye nowe prepare Thus to withstande the proude inuadynge foe With that same harte my Lordes kepe out also Vnnaturall thraldome of straungers reigne Ne suffre you against the rules of kinde Your Mother Lande to serue a Forreine Prince Eubulus ¶ Loe here the ende of Brutus royall Lyne And loe the entrie to the wofull wracke And vtter ruyne of this noble Realme The royall kinge and eke his sonnes are slaine No Ruler restes within the Regall Seate The Heire to whō the Scepter longs vnknowen That to eche force of Forreine Princes power Whome vauntage of your wretched state By sodaine Armes to gaine so riche a Realme And to the proude and gredie minde at home Whom blinded lust to reigne leades to aspire Loe Brittaine Realme is left an open praye A present spoile by Conquest to ensue Who seeth not nowe howe many risyng mindes Do feede their thoughts with hope to reach a Realm And who will not by force attempt to winne So great a gaine that hope perswades to haue A simple colour shall for title serue Who winnes the Royal crown wil want no right Nor suche as shall displaye by longe discent A lyneall race to proue him selfe a kynge In the meane while these ciuyll armes shall rage And thus a thousande mischiefes shall vnfolde And farre neare spread thee O Brittayne Lande All right and Lawe shall cease and he that had Nothyng to daye to morowe shall enioye Great heapes of good he that flowed in wealth Leo he shall be reft of lyfe and all And happiest he that than possesseth least The wyues shall suffre rape the maydes defloured And children fatherles shall weepe and wayle With fire sworde thy Natiue folke shal perisshe One kinsman shall bereaue an other life The father shall vnwittynge slaye the sonne The sonne shall slea the sire and knowe it not Women and maides the cruell Souldiours sword Shall perse to death and sillie children loe That playinge in the streates fieldes are founde By violent hande shall close their latter daye Whome shall the ferce and bloudie Souldiour Reserue to liefe whome shall he space from death Euen thou O wretched mother half alyue Thou shalt beholde thy deare and onely childe Slaine with the sworde while he yet suckes thy brest Loe giltles bloode shall thus eche where be shed Thus shall the wasted soile yelde forth no fruite But derth and famyne shal possesse the Lande The Townes shal be consumed brent with fire The peopled Cities shall ware desolate And thou O Brittaine Land whilom in renowme Whilome in wealth and fame shalt thus be torne Dismembred thus and thus be rent in twayne Thus wasted and defaced spoiled and destroied These be the fruits your ciuill warres wil bring Hereto it cōmes when kinges will not consent To graue aduise but folow wilfull wyll This is the ende when in yonge Princes hartes Flattery preuayles and sage rede hath no place These are the plages when murder is the meane To make newe Heires vnto the Royall Crowne Thus wreke the Gods whē the the mothers wrath Nought but the blood of her owne child may swage These mischiefes springs whē Rebelles wil arise To worke reuenge and iudge their Princes facte This this ensues when noble men do faile In loyall trouthe and subiectes will be kinges And this doth growe when loe vnto the Prince Whome death or sodene happe of liefe bereaues No certayne Heire remaines suche certentie As not all onely is the rightfull Heire But to the Realme is so made vnknowen to be And trouth therby vested in Subiectes hartes To owe faith there where right is knowen to rest Alas in Parliament what hope can bee When is of Parliament no hope at all Whiche thoughe it be assembled by consent Yet is it not likely with consent to ende While eche one for him selfe or for his frende Against his foe shall trauaile what he maye While nowe the state left open to the man That shall with greatest force inuade the same Shall fill ambicious minds with gapynge hope When will they ones with yelding harts agree Or in the while howe shall the Realme he vsed No no then Parliament should haue ben holden And certaine Heires appoynted to the Crowne To staie their title of establisshed righte And plant the people in obedience While yet the Prince did liue whose name and power By lawfull Sōmons and auctorytie Might make a Parliament to be of force And might haue set the state in quiet staye But nowe O happie man whome spedie death Depriues of lyfe ne is enforced to see These hugie mischiefes and these miseries These ciuyll wars these murders these wrongs Of Iustice yet must Ioue in fyne restore This noble Crowne vnto the lawfull Heire For right will alwayes liue and rise at lengthe But wronge can neuer take deepe roote to last ¶ The ende of the Tragedie of Kynge Gorboduc