country well If some be pleasde and easde I lease no toyle At carpers gyrdle hanges not all the keyes VVhat price gaines he that giues him fall or foyle VVhich neuer wan by vvrastling any prayse I haue not spent in poetrye my dayes Some other workes in proase I printed haue And more I write for which I ley sure saue And for mineage not thirty yeares hath past No style so rype can yonger yeares ataine For of them all but onlye ten the last To learne the tongues and vvrite I toke the paine If I thereby receyued any gaine By Frenche or Latine chiefely which I chose These fiue yeares past by writing I disclose Of which the first two yeares I Grammer taught The other twaine I Huloets worke enlargde The last translated Aldus phrases fraught VVith eloquence and toke of Terence charge At Printers hand to adde the flowers at large VVhich wanted there in Vdalles worke before And vvrote this booke with other diuers more Then pardon what 's amisse a while giue eare So shall you heare the rest that I recite Describing next what Princes did apeare VVhen I had ended these are past to write In slomber as I chaunst to lye one night VVas Somnus prest whom I desyrde to sende His Morpheus ay de these Tragedies to ende VVherewith he graunted my request and calde For Morpheus straight which knew wherto he came I will quoth he the rest whom Fortune thralde Of Britaynes shewe thy selfe to heare them frame And therewithall he fet forth one like Fame In fethers all with winges so finely dight As t were a birde in humane shape of flight Yet t was not Fame that femme of painted plume He rather seemed Icarus deceaude 〈◊〉 winges to flye nighe Phoebus did presume At length in deede I plainly well perceaude It was some kinge of vitall breath bereaude From flight he fell presuming farre to hye Giue eare take heede and learne not so to flye Bladud recyteth howe he Practisinge by curious arts to flye fell and brake his necke The yeare before Christe 844 SHall I rehearse like wise my name And eke a place amongste them fill Which at their endes to mischiefe came Sith Morpheus bids mee so I will. And that because I see the minde To write my storye fate and fall Such curious heads it reade and finde May fly to flee and shunne my thrall If daunger teach them liue take heede If leesers harme make lookers wyse If warines do safetye breede Or wracke make sailers shelues dispise Then may my hurt giue sample sure My losse of life may lokers learne My warning may beware procure To such as daunger scarce discerne I am that Bladud Britaine kinge Rudhudebras his eldest sonne Did learning first to England bring And other wonders more were done Now giue me eare and after wryte Marke well my life example take Cschue the euill that I recyre And of my death a myrrour make In youth I gaue my mynde to lore For I in learning tooke repaste No earthly pleasure likce me more I went to Athens at the laste A towne in Greece whose fame went foorth Through all the world hir name was spred I counted knowledge so much woorth Hir only loue to Greece me led There first of all the artes of seuen Wherein before I had small skill I Grammer gate declares the stenen By rule to speake and wryte at will. Next after that in Rhetoricke fine Which teacheth how the talke to fyle I gate some knowledge in short tyme And could perswade within a whyle I thirdly learned Logicke well An arte that teacheth to dispute To aunswere wisely or refell Distinguishe proue disproue confute Then after that of nomber I The skilfull arte likwyse attainde Wherin of Mathematickes lye Full many pointes I after gainde And Musicke milde I lernde that teltes Tune tyme and measure of the song A science swete the reste excelles For melody hir notes among But sirtly I the dame of artes Geometrie of great engine Employde with all hir skilfull partes Therby some greater giftes to winne So laste I lernde Astronomie A lofty arte that paste them all To know by motions of the skye And fired starres what chaunce might fall This pleasaunt arte alured me To many fonde inuentions then For iudgementes of Astrologie Delites the mindes of wisest men So doth the arte Phisiognomie Dependes on iudgment of the face And that of Metoposcopie Which of the forehead telles the grace And Chiromancie by the hande Coniectures of the inwarde minde Eke Geomancie by the lande Doth diuers many farlies finde Augurium eke was vsde of olde By hyrdes of future thinges presagde And many thinges therby they tolde Were skilfull learned wise and agds But Magicke for it seemid fweete And full of wonders made me muse For many feates I thought it meete And pleasaunt for a prince to vse Three kindes there are for natures skill The first they Naturall do name In which by herbes and stones they will Worke wonders thinges are worthy fame The next is Mathematicall Where Magicke workes by nature so That brasen heades make speake it shall Of woode birdes bodies flye and go The thirde Veneficall by right Is named for by it they make The shapes of bodies cbaunge in sight And other formes on them to take What nede I tell what Theurgie is Or Necromancie you despise A diuelishe arte the feenes by this Seme calde and coniurde to arise Of these too much I lerned then By those such secrete artes profeste For of the wise and skilfull men Whome Fame had praisde I gate the beste They promiste for to teache me so The secretes of dame natures skill That I nede neuer taste of woe But alwayes might forsee it still Wherefore enflamed with their loue I brought away the beste I coulde From Greece to Britayne lande to proue What feates for me deuise they woulde Of which were foure Philosophers For passing skill excelde the reste Phisitians and Astronomers In Athens all they were the beste My father harde of my retourne Of my successe in learning there And how the Greecians did adourne My wittes with artes that worthy were He herde likewise what store I brought Of learned Greekes from Aticke soyle And of my laboure learning sought With study trauayle paine and toyle I likewyse herde he builded here Three townes while absente thence was I By Southe he foundid VVinchester By Cast he built Cantorbury By Weste full bigve he builte the laste On hill from waters depe belowe Calde Shaftesbury on rockes full faste It standes and giues to Seas a showe These causde we both might well reioyce He for because I gate such same And I for that by all mennes boyce His factes deserude immortall name What nedes much talke the peres and all The commons eke with one assence Extolde my name especiall Which had my youthe in learning spent I was receaude with triumphes great With pageauntes in eache towne I paste And at the courte my princly seate Was
hir sisters spite Was they procurde hir and their fathers thrall Yet t was hir chaunce at length t' out liue them al Both sisters elder and hir father graue And eke at length the kingdome all to haue That time was I of Albany the kinge Calde Scotland now and eke my cosin then Of Cornewall and of VVales whom I did bringe To warre against Cordila and her men Wee said we would our title winne agen And that because our mothers had it yore Wee ment to get it ours againe therefore I must confesse I was the cause of warre I was not pleasde with that was looted mee Euen so our mindes Ambitious often ar And blinded that we cannot reason see Wee thincke no men but Gods on earth we bee Yet worse are we theÌ„ beasts which know their kinde For we haue nought but mischiefe oft in minde We thincke if so we may our willes attaine By right or wrong by might or malice wee Could neuer liue like Fortune for to gaine Or if on soes we once reuenged bee If that our ennemies fall we chaunce to see O then we ioy we lift our selues to skye And on the poore we crucifige crye I deemde if once I might put her adowne The kingdomes all were Conidags and mine And I could easly after winne the crowne If also I his state might vndermine I thought in deede to haue it all in fine By force or fraude I ment my purpose bring To passe I might be after Britaine king To speake in fewe we waged warre so longe Bainst hir at last we put hir vnto flight Wee nephewes for our aunt were farre to stronge Pursude and coke depriude her of hir right Wee thought it ours what so we wanne by might Cke so play 〈◊〉 traytours all do watch To get by spoile and count their owne they catch Not so contented were we with the pray But fearing lest she should recouer ayde I sent in hast to prison her away And all recourse of messengers densyde Thus when she sawe hir Maiesty decaide And that hir griefes and sorrowes daily grue In prison at the length hir selfe she slue O caytife vile should I constrainde a Queene That Iustice ment hir kingdome to forsake Nay traytour I as now by proofe is seene That would my selfe by bloudshed ruler make How could reuenge on me but vengeaunce take Before the seate of God hir bloud did call For vengeaunce and at length procurde my fall Lo here Gods iustice see my treason see Beholde and see to raigne was my delight And marke and make a myrour here of mee Which afterward was serude by iustice right Wee wan the crowne betweene vs both in fight And then because I was the elder sonne Of th' elder Queene I claimed all we wonne So were my dealings nought in peace and warre But for my force and fortunes vsde in fight I past that time the Britaynes all by farre I was of person fortitude and might Both comely tall stronge seemely eke in sight Whereby I wonne mens fauour glory wealth And puft with pride at length forgate my selfe I said it was my right the crowne to haue But Conidagus stoutly it denide Wherefore I went to VVales my right to craue With all mine army and to haue it tryde Where long we fought it stoutly on eche syde Till at the last vnto my wofull paine I was depriude of kingdome quite and slaine And for to keepe in memorye for aye That there vnfaithfull Morgan lost his life The place is cald Glamorgan to this daye There was I perst to death with fatall knife There was the ende of all my hatefull strife So Morgan where he thought to win the crowne Was at Glamorgan traytour stricken downe Thus maist thou tell how proude ambition proues What hap haue tyraunts what we traitours haue What ende he hath that cruel dealing loues What subiects get the Diademe docraue T is better then to winne thine owne to saue For so orethwartly trade of Fortune goes When win thou wouldst then art thou sure to lose Finis The Authoure VVIth that Morganus quickly past away The night me thought likewise was far epast VVherby it weried me so long to staye But Morpheus bad me by de and see the last ê™ he the storyes passe awaye as fast As doth the time and sithe th' art nigh th' ende Thou nedste not grutche so short a space to spend And turning then him selfe from me asyde He calde the next which therwithall in sight Appearde and all his breste with bloud bedide VVhat chaunce ê™ I hath so thy corps bedight Thou worthy prince or what mishaps of fight I will ê™ he with all my hart vnfolde My fatall fall and therwithall he tolde Forrex declares howe hee mynding to kill his brother whiche ruled with him that he might therby raigne alone was by him slayne About the yeare before Christe 491. PRide moues the mindes of stately wightes Such hauty hartes to haue And causeth vs for glory hayne That is not ours to craue Pryde pluckes out reason forth hir place And planteth will in stede She puffes our mindes with vayne desires Our fancies foude to feede Wherby we growe so obstinate And so ambitious ill That vs at length our brauery bids In all thinges vse our will. Ambition thinkes that lawefull is Which likes hir fancie beste And demes she ought to haue hir forthe And swinge before the reste She loues no mates controlement shee And warning doth despise She demes her selfe in all hir deedes And actions wonders wise She hath desire of this and that To get by crouche or clawe By right or wronge she 〈◊〉 not She vseth will for lawe No kinde or countrey she regardes No mother father shee Nor wyfe or husbande kithe or kin But enuies eache degree For if thy hart Ambition haue Thy greedy mynde to fill Thou wilt not sticke thy dearest frende or nerest kin to kill But as the prouerbe sayes that Pryde Must needes at lengthe haue fall Though we suppose of strengthe and powre We haue the deuill and all Euen so I saye Ambition makes Us often clyme so hie At leng th we fall we come to nought And drownde in darkenes lye This may I Forrex well 〈◊〉 By proufe to true I finde Wherfore I praye the with the reste Do put my faultes in mynde My father olde hight Gorboduge Raignde three score yeares and three And at his death gaue all his lande Twene Porrex proude and mee Fyue yeares we helde it so in peace In reste me ruled well But at the last by pryde and wrathe Wee foule at discorde fell We eache encrotchte on others partes For rule we liude at strife And eache did seeke occasion aye To reaue the others life I made this counte I elder was By birthe the realme was myne By warre or wrong or bloud I mente To haue it all in fine And he although he yonger were Esteemde his state so sure As mine and thought it his if hee My death might
thē adioyned it is impossible for him that is endued with the aboue named vertues euer to fall into the vnfortunate snares of calamitie or misfortune But Ambition which is an immoderate desire of honore rule dominiō and superioritie the very destructiō of nobilitie and commune weales as among the Romains Silla Marius Carbo Cinna Cateline Pompey and Caesar are witnesses hath brought great decay also to our countrey and countreymen which Maister Baldwin hath so learnedly touched in his Epistle of the other volume of this booke that I nede not therewith deale any further Onely I would to God it were so ofte read and regarded of all Magistrates as the matter requireth I haue here right honorable in this booke which I am so bolde to dedicate to your honors only reproued foly in those which are heedelesse iniurie in extortioners rashnes in venterers and excesse in such as suppresse not vnruly affections And I trust you will so thinke of it although the stile deserue not like commendation as you thought of the other part which if you shall I doubt not but it maye pleasure some if not yet giue occasion to others which can do farre better either with eloquence to amende that is amisse in mine or else when they see these so rudely pende to publishe their own And thus wishing you Prudence to discerne what is meete for your callinges Iustice in the administrations of your functiōs Fortitude in the defence of your countrey and Temperance in moderation of all your affections with increase of honors and euerlasting felicitie I bid you in Christe Iesu fare well Your humble Iohn Higgins I. Higgins to the Reader AMongst diuers sondry Chronicles of many Nations I thincke there are none gentle reader so uncertaine briefe in the beginninge as ours at which I cannot but maruaile sith at all times oure Ilande had as learned writers some singuler men excepted as any Nation under that Sunne Againe those which now are our best Chroniclers as they report haue great Antiquities but what they publish of late yeares may be enlarged in many places by Chronicles of other Nations whereby it is manifest they are either ignoraunt of the tōgues orels not giuen to the study of that which they most professe for if they were me thincks it were easye for them with such Antiquities as they brag they haue to fetch our Distories from the beginning make them as ample as the Chronicles of any other Country or Nation But they are faine in steede of other stuffe to talke of the Romaines Greekes Persians c. and to fill our Distoryes with their facts fables This I speake not to that end I would haue ours quite seperate from other without any mention of them but I would haue them ther onelye named wher th'affayres of both countryes by warre peace truce mariage trafique or some necessary cause or other is intermired I haue seene no auncient antiquities in writtē hand but two one was Galfridus of Munmouth which I lost by misfortune the other an old Chronicle in a kind of Englishe Verse beginning at Brute and endinge at the death of Humfrey Duke of Glocester in the which and diuers other good Chronicles I finde manye thinges not mentioned in that great tome engroced of late by Maister Grafton and that where he is most barraine and wantes matter But as the greatest heades the grayest heyres and best clarkes haue not most witte so the greatest Bookes titles and Tomes containe not most mater And this haue I spoken because in writinge the Tragedies of the first infortunate Princes of this 〈◊〉 I was often faine to vse mine owne simple inuention yet not swaruing from the matter because the Chronicles althoughe they wente out vnder diuers mens names in some suche places as I moste needed their ayde wrate one thing and that so brieflye that a whole Princes raigne life and death was comprised in three lines Yea and sometimes mine olde booke aboue mentioned holpe mee out when the rest forsoke mee as for Lanquet Stowe and Grafton were alwayes nighe of one opinion but the Floure of Histories somewhat larger some helpe had I of an olde Chronicle imprinted the yeare 1515. But surely mee thincks and so do most which delite in historyes it were worthily done if one Chronicle were drawne from the beginning in such perfect sort that all monuments of vertuous men to that eralting of Gods glorye and all punishments of vicious persons to that terrour of the wicked might be registred in perpetuall remēbraunce To which thing the right reuerende father in God Matthew Archbishoppe of Canterbury Metropolitane of Englande hath brought such ayde as well by printing as preseruinge the written Chronicles of this Realme that by his Graces studye and paines the labour in time to come wil be farre more easye to them shall take such trauaile in hande But to leaue with these and declare the cause of my purpose As I chaunced to reade the Mirour for Magistrates worke by all men wonderfully commended and full of fitte instructions for preseruation of eche estate takinge in hand the Chranicles and minding to conferre the times mee thoughte the liues of a nomber euen at the beginninge the like infortunate Princes offered themselues vnto mee as matter verye meete for imitation the like admonition miter and phrase and seing Baldwine by these woordes moued mee some what thereto It were sayth hee a goodly and a notable matter to search and discourse our whole story from the beginninge of the inhabiting of this Isle c. I read the storyes I considered of the Princes I noted their liues and therewith conferred theyr deathes On this I toke penne in hande mindinge nothinge lesse then to publishe them abroade but onelye to trye what I coulde do if neede were or time and leasure were giuen mee to bestow in such wise I wrote the two first euen as they now are and because I would not keepe secrete my first labours in this kinde of studye though I might well haue blushed at the basenes of my stile I shewed them to a freiude of mine desiring his bufayned iudgement in this matter which when he had read he neuer left intreating mee to write other til I had ended all to the byrth of CHRIST and yet not so content he desired meet'accomplish the residue til I came to the Conquest which were welnighe fiftye Cragedies but wearied with those which I had written I desired him pause on this till time and leasure were giuen mee Yet he makinge relation to other his frendes what I had done left mee not quiet till they likewise had seene them Whose perswasion as it seemed without any suspition of assentation or flatery so bath it made mee bolder at this present then before For although sayd they your Tragedies be simple and not comparable to those which the other before haue written yet when men consider that many wrote those but one these that they are graue writers
knewe For Morpheus wylde me by de and bad them tell Their names and lyues their haps and haples days And by what meanes from Fortunes globe they fel VVhich did them erste vnto such honours rayse VVherwith the first not making moe delayes A persone tall wyde woundes in breste that bare Drewe nere to tell the cause of all his care And as to speake he wiste he might be bolde Depe from his breste he threwe an vnked sounde I was amasde his gestures to beholde And bloud that freshly trickled from his wounde VVith Ecco so did halfe his wordes rebounde That scarce at first the sence might well appeare But thus me thought he spake as you shall heare Albanacte the yongest sonne of Brutus telles of the finding of this lande his fathers life and his owne infortunate fall He liued about the yeare before Christe 1074. SIthe flattering Fortune slyely could beguyle Me first of all the Princes of this lande And yet at firste on me did sweetely smyle Do marke me here that firste in presence stande And when thou wel my wouÌ„ded corps hast scande Then shalt thou see what tale I mynde to frame In stories called Albanacte by name So if thou liste to heare what I resite If thou intende to showe my fatall fall I praye thee take the paynes my tale to wryte As I in order here repeate it shall What nedste thou muse thou nedst not feare at al Sythe those that later liude their tales haue tolde Dur elder liues to wryte thou mayst be bolde Lay dreade aside let nothing thee amase We haue dispaire of so vncoutched ryme Leaue of on mee with fearfull lookes to gase Thy pen may serue for such a tale as myne First will I tell thee all my fathers Lyne Then hither warde why he with Troianes mande His boyadge made and founde this noble lande And last I minde to tell the of my selfe My life and death a Tragedye so true As may approue your world is all but pelse And pleasures sweete whom sorrowes aye ensue Hereafter eke in order coms a crue Which can declare of worldly pleasures vaine The price we all haue bought with greeuous paine Well now I see thou putst apart thy fright And giuste an care to heare not heard before I will declare the slorye all so right Thou shalt no whit haue neede t inquyre no more Do marke me well what I resite therefore And after write it and there with my name Let hardly mee receyue if ought be blame When Troy was sackt and brent could not stand A Eneas fled from thence Anchises sonne And came at length to king Latinus lande He Turnus slewe Lauinia eke he wonne And reignde 3. yeares Ascanius then his sonne Reignde next to him the Siluius was his heyre Begate my father of a Ladye fayre But when as Brutus fiftene yeares was olde for so they calde my father by his name With Siluius then an hunting goe he would And thinking for to strike in chare the game His father that by thaunce beyonde it came Receiude the glaunce and through his tender syde With deadly dint the shaft did swiftly slyde So thoughe by chaunce my father Brutus stewe My graundsyre Siluius sore against his will Which came by chaunce as be his arow drewe That thought the fearefull harte not him to kill Yet was he banisht from Italia still Commaunded neuer to retourne no more Excepte he would his life to leese therefore On this to Greece from thence he toke his waye Where Troians were by Grecians captiues kept Helenus was by Pirrhus brought awaye FroÌ„ death of those whose fall their frends bewept My father all this while no busines slepte But by his facts and feats obtainde such fame Seuen Thousande captiue Troians to him came A saracus a noble Greecian eke Who by his mother came of Troiane race Because be sawe my fathers powre not weke Came vnto him to ayde him in this case For that his brother thought him to deface Which was a Greeke by both his parents sydes His Castels three my father Brutus guides Thus hee to be their captaine was content And all the Troians gathered to his bande Hist post unto the Greecian kinge he sent For to entreat he might depart his laude Which when King Pandrasus did vnderstande An armye straight he did therefore addresse On purpose all the Troians to suppresse Then whyle king Pandrasus at Spartine towne Thought them in desertes by to circumuente My father with three thousande beate them downe Such fauoure loe him lady Fortune 〈◊〉 By Mars his force their rayes I ranckes he rente And tooke Antigonus the brother of their king With others mo as captiues home to bring The taken towne from which the king was fled My father with sire hundreth men did man Cache prisner was vnto his keper led To kepe in towne the noble Troianes wan My father vnto woodes conueyde him than Againe with his and kepte him there by nighte To quayle the Greecians if they came to fighte And when the king had calde to mynde his foyle His flighte and brother by the Troianes take The towne he loste and Brutus had the spoyle He thought not so the field and fight forsake But of his men a muster newe to make And so agayne for to vesiege the towne In hope reuenge or winne his loste renowne By night my father that his purpose knewe Came forth from woodes wheras he wayted by The Troianes all th'vnarmid Greecians slewe WeÌ„t through their 〈◊〉 could non their force deny Unto the tente where Pandrasus did lye Wheras my father tooke their king that night And saude his life as seemde a worthy wight Which victory when he had wisely won The Troiane victoure did a counsayle call To knowe what beste were with the king be don Now tell ê™ he what ransom aske we shall On which when none agreed scarce of all At lengthe Mempricius vp from seate did rise And silence made gaue thus his counsayle wyse I cannot Troianes but commend the facte Of this our noble captaine worthy praise Which thought as t' was a wicked he yuous acts T' abridge the Grecian king of vitall dayes Wee rather ought by clemency to rayse Our fame to sky then by a sauage guyse Sithe Gods and men both cruelty despise The cause we fought was for the freedome all Of Troianes taken we haue freedome won Wee haue our purpose and their king withall To whom of rygour nothing ought be don Though he the quarell with vs first began And though we owe the fall of Troies requite Yet let reuenge therof from Gods to light His subiectes all do wayle their ill pretence And weapons layde asyde for mercy crye They all confesse their plagues to come from thence Where first from faith of Gods they seemde to flye Their nobles dare not come the case to trye But euen for peace with all their hartes they sue And meekly grauute whence all their mischiefes grewe The lady faire his
without a guide Such was my fate to benture on so bolde My rashue s was the cause of all my wot Such is of all our glorye vaine the hope So soone we pompe and pleasures all sorgoe So quickly are we rest our kingdomes froe And such is all the caste of Fortunes playe When lest we thincke to cut vs quite awaye I demde my selfe an beauenly happie wight When once I had my part to raigne within But see the chaunce what hap did after light Or I could scace t' enioy my glee begin A Hunne did 〈◊〉 from me my realme to win And had his will O flatering Fortune fye What meanst thou thus to worke with Princes 〈◊〉 You worthy wariours learne by mee beware Let wisedome worke lay rashnes al apart When as with enmyes you encountred are You must endeuour all your skilfull art By witty wyles with force to make your mart Wit nought auailes late bought with care and cost If you repent when life and labours lost FINIS The Authour WYth that the vvounded Prince departed quite From sight he slinckte I savv his shade no more But Morpheus bade remember this to vvrite And therevvithall presented mee before A vvight vvet dropping from the vvaters shore In Princely vveede but like a vvarlike man And thus mee thought his story he began Humber the king of Hunnes shewes how he minding to conquere this land vvas drowned c. He liued about the yeare before Christ. 1074. THough yet no forraine Princes in this place Haue come to tell their haplesse great mishap Yet giue me leaue a while to pleade my case And shewe howe I slipt out of Fortunes lap Perchaunce some others will eschewe the trap VVherein I fell and both themselues be ware And also seeke the lesse thy countreys care I am that Humber kinge of Hunnes that came To win this Islande from the Britaynes fell UUas drownde in Humber where I left my name A iust reward for him that liude so well At home and yet thought others to expell Both from their Realme and right O filthy fye On such ambition earst as vsed I. But I must blame report the chiefest cause Of my decaye beware of rashe report T is wisedome first to take a while some pause Before to dint of daungers you resort Least when you come in hast to scale the fort By rashe assaule some engin shaft or fyre Dispatcht you quite or make you soone retyre For vnto mee the rumors daily flewe That here a noble Hande might be won The king was dead no warres the people knewe And eke themselues to striue at home begon It were quoth I a noble acte well don To win it then and there withall did make Prouision good this famous Ise to take A war like regall campe prouided was And shipps and vitaile for my Hunnes and mee By sea to Britaine conquest for to passe If Gods there to and heauenly starres agree At length wee came to shores of Albanie And there to fight with Britaynes pitcht our field In hope to make them flinche flye fall or yeelde They met vs longe we fearcely faught it out And doubtful was the victours part of twaine Till with my Hunnes I rusht amonge the route And faught till that king Albanact was staine Then they to yeeld and pardon craue were faine And I with 〈◊〉 great receiude the pray And marched forward fleshe with such a fray I past an arme of Sea that would to God I neuer had bin halfe so bold at furst I made to beate my selfe withall a rod When so within their Realme I venture durst But marke my tale thou hearst not yet the worst As sure I thought the rest to circumuent By spyes before they knew my whole intent And or I wiste when I was come to lande Not farre from shore two Princes were preparde Their scoutes conueyde away my shipps they fand And of my shipmens fleshe they nothing sparde To rescue which as backe againe I farde The armyes twaine were at my heeles behinde So closde me in I wist no waye to winde On th' east Locrinus with an armye great By West was Camber with an other bande By North an arme of Sea the shoores did beate Which compast mee and mine within their lande No way to scape was there but water fande Which I must taste or els the swords of those Which were to mee and mine full deadly foes So when I same the best of all mine boste Beate downe with bats shot slaine or forst to swim My selfe was faine likewise to flye the coast And with the rest the waters entred in A simple shift for Princes to begin Yet far I demde it better so to dye Then at mine enmyes foote an abiecte lye But when I thus had swam with hope to scape If I might wend the water waues to passe The Britaynes that before my ships had gate Can watche mee where amidst the surge I was Than with my boates they rowde to me alas And all they cryde kepe Humber kept their king That to our Prince we may the craytour bring So with my boates beset poore Humber I Wiste no refuge my werye armes did ake My breath was short I had no powre to crye Or place to stand while I my plaint might make The water cold made all my ioyntes to shake My hart did beate with sorrow griefe and paine And downe my cheekes salt teares they gusht amaine O must thou pelde and shall thy boates betraye Thy selfe quoth I no mercy Britaynes haue O would to God I might escape awaye I wot not yet if pardon I may craue Although my deedes deserue no life to haue I will I will death bondage beast am I In maters thus in foraine soyle to dye With that I clapt my quauering hands abrode And held them vp to heauen and thus I saide O Gods that know the paines that I haue 〈◊〉 And iust reuengment of my rashnes paide And of the death of Albanacte betraide By mee and mine I yelde my life therefore Content to dye and neuer greeue yee more Then straight not opening of my handes I bowde My selfe and set my head my armes betweene And downe I sprang with all the force I cowde So duckte that neither head nor foote were seene And neuer sawe my foes againe I weene There was I drounde the Britaynes to my fame Yet call that arme of Sea by Humbers name Take heede by mee let my presumption serue And let my folly fall and rashnes bee A glasse wherein to see if thou do swerue Thou mayste thy selfe perceiue somewhat by mee Let neither trust nor treason traine forth thee But be content with thine estate so shall No wrath of God procure thy haplesse fall If thou be forrayne bide within thy soyle That God hath giuen to thee and thine to holde If thou oppression meane beware the foyle Beare not thy selfe of thee or thine to bolde Or of the feates thy elders did of olde For God is iust iniustice will not
did with cordes me binde No teares nor subbes nor sighes might ought aswage The gelous queene or molifie hir mynde Occasions still hir franticke head did finde And when shee spake hir cyes did leame as fire Shee lookte as pale as chalke with wrathfull Ire Ne stoode she still but with hir handes on syde Walkte vp and down ofte hir palmes she stroke My husbande nowe ê™ she had not thus dyde If such an harlote whore he had not tooke And there withall shee gaue me such a looke As made me quake what lettes ê™ she my knife To ridde this whore my husbandes second wife His dead I liue and shall I saue hir life O queene ê™ I if pitie none remayne But I be slayne or brounde as Humber was Then take thy pleasure by my pinching paine And let me hence as thou appointistc passe But take some pity on my childe alasse Thou knowste the infante made no faulte but hee That 's dead and I therfore reuenge on mee No basterds here shall liue to dispossesse My sonne she said but sithe thou soughtiste fame I will prouide for hir a kingdome lesse Whiche shall hereafter euer haue hir name Thou knowste wherof the name of Humber came Euen so Sabrina shall this streame be calde Sithe Sabrine me as Humber Locrine thralde With that my childe was Sabrine brought in sight And when she see me take in bandes to lie Alasse she cryde what meanes this pitious plight And downe she fell before the queene with crye O queene ê™ she let me more rather dye Then she that 's giltlesse should for why thy king Did as his captiue hir to lewdnes bring Which when I same the kindnes of the childe It burst my harte much more then dome of deathe Poore little lam be with countinance how milde She pleaded still and I for wante of breathe With wofull teares that laye hir feete beneathe Could not put forth a worde our liues to saue Or if therfore I might a kingdome haue Hir pitious plaintes did somwhat death withdrawe For as she long behelde the queene with teares ê™ she let me bane rigoure boyde of lawe In whome the signe of all thy wrath appeares And let me die my fathers face that beares Sithe be is dead and we are boyde of staye Why should I thee for life or mercy praye My mother may to Germanye retourne Where she was borne and if it please thy grace And I may well lye in my fathers tombe If thou wilt graunt his childe so good a place But if thou thinke my bloude is farre to bace Although I came by both of princly line Then let me haue what shroude thou wilt asigne With that the queene replide with milder there And saide the childe was wonders wise and wittie But yet shee would not hir reuenge forbeare For why ê™ she the prouerbe sayes that pitie Hath leudly loste full many a noble citie Then Elstride now prepare thy selfe therfore To die take leaue but talke to me no more On this my leaue I tooke and thus I sayde Farewell my countrey Germanye farewell Ade we the place from whence I was conueyde Farewell my father and my frendes there dwell My Humber drounde as I shal be farewell Adew Locrinus dead for thee I die Would God my corps might by thy coffine lie Adew my pleasures paste farewell adew Adew the cares and sorowes I haue had Farewell my frendes that earst for me did sue Adew that were to saue my life full glad Farewell the fauning frendes I lately bad And thou my beauty cause of death farewell As ofte as harte can thinke or tonge can tell A dewe you heauens my mortall eyes shall see No more your lightes and Planetes all farewell And chiefly Venus faire that paintedste mee When Mercurie his tale to me did tell Eke afterwardes when Mars with vs did dwell And nowe at laste thou cruell Mars adewe Whose darte my life and loue Locrinus sleme And must I nedes departe from thee my childe If nedes I muste ten thousand times fare well Poore little 〈◊〉 thy frendes are quite 〈◊〉 And much I feare thou shalt not long do well But if they so with boyling rancoureswell As thee to slea which neuer wroughtiste ill How can they staye my haynid corps to hill With that my Sabrines slender armes imbraiste 〈◊〉 rounde and would not let me so departe Let me ê™ she for hir the waters taste Or let vs both together ende our smarte Yea rather rippe you foorth my tender harte What should I liue but they the childe withdrew And mee into the raging streame they threm So in the waters as I striude to swimme And kepte my head aboue the waues for breath 〈◊〉 thought I same my childe would venter in Which cride a mayne O let me take like deathe The waters straight had drawne me vnderne the Where striuing vp at lengthe againe came I And sawe my childe aud cryde farewell I die Then as my strength was wasted down I went Eke so I plunged twice or thrice yet more My breath departed nedes I must relent The waters perst my mouth and eares so sore And to the botome with such force me bore That life and breath minde and sonce was gone And I as dead and colde as marble stone Lo thus you here the rare of all my life And how I paste the pikes of paynefull we Howe twise I thought to be a prince his wife And twise was quite depriude mine honour fro The third time queene and felt foule ouerthro Then warne all ladies that how much more die Then their degrees they clime 〈◊〉 daungers nye Bid them beware 〈◊〉 bewty them abuse Beware of pride for haue a fall it muste And will them fortunes flattery to refuse Hir turning whelt is boyde of stedy truste Who reckes no meane but leanith all to luste Shall finde my wordes as true as I them tell Then did be ware in time I wishe them well FINIS The Authoure VVIth that she flitted in the ayre abrode As t were a miste or smoke dissolued quite And or I long on this had made abode A virgine smale appearde before my sight For colde and wet eke scarsly moue she might As from the waters drownde she didering came Thus wise hir talem order did she frame Sabrine the base childe of Locrinus telles howe she was pitifully drowned by his wyfe Guendoline in reuenge of hir fathers adulterye The yeare before Christe 1064. BEholde me Sabrine orphane 〈◊〉 berefte Of all my frendes by cruell case of warre When as not one to treate for me was lefte But 〈◊〉 did all their powres debarre When as my father eke was playne in warre And when my mother euen before my sighte Was 〈◊〉 to death O wretche in wofull plighte Truste who so will the 〈◊〉 of hie estate And bring me worde what stay thereby you haue For why if Fortune once displeasure take She giues the foyle though lookes be nere so braue T is
hand and foote at once let see Her here receiue her whole request of mee Eke as I wishe to haue in minde her fame As Humbers is which should her father beene So shall this floud of Sabrine haue the name That men thereby may say a righteous Queene Here drownde her husbands childe of concubine Therefore leaue Sabrine here thy name and life Let Sabrine waters ende our mortall strife Dispatch quoth she with that they bound me fast My slender armes and feete which litle neede And sans all mercye me in waters caste Which drewe me downe cast me vp with speede And downe me drensht the Sabrine fishe to feede Where I abode till now from whence I came And there the waters holde as yet my name Lo thus this gelous Queene in raging sort With bloudy hate bereft her husbands health And eke my mother Elstrids life God wot Which neuer ment to hurt this common wealth And mee Locrinus child begot by stealth Against all reason was it for to kill The childe for that her parents erst did ill By this you see what time our pompe doth bide Hereby you see th'unstedy trust in warre Hereby you see the stay of states etryde Hereby you see our hope to make doth marre Hereby you see we fall from benche to barre From bench quoth 〈◊〉 nay from the Princely seate You see how soone vs Fortune downe doth beate And here you see how lawlesse loue doth thriue Hereby you see how gelous folkes do fare Here may you see with wisedome they that wiue Neede neuer recke Cupidoes cursed snare Here may you see deuorcemente breedeth care Here may you see the children seldome thee Which in vnlawfull wedlocke goten bee Declare thou then our fall and great mishap Declare the hap and glory we were in Declare how soone we taken were in trap When we 〈◊〉 we had most safest bin Declare what losse they haue that hope to win Farewell and tell when Fortune most doth smile Then will she frowne she laughes but euen a while Finis The Authour WIth that the Lady Sabrine slinckt from sight I lookt about and then me thought againe Approched straight an other vvofull vvight It seemde as thoughe vvith doggs he had bin flaine The bloud from all his members torneamaine Ran dovvne his clothes vvere also torne and rente And from his bloudy throte these plaints he sente Madan shewes how for his euill life he was 〈◊〉 of Wolues the yeare before Christe 1009. AMongste the rest that sate in hauty seate And felt the fall I pray the pen for mee A Tragedy maye some such wisedome geate As they may learne and somewhat wiser bee For in my glasse when as themselues they see They may be ware my fall from 〈◊〉 lap Shal teach them how t' eschew the like mishay I am that Madan once that Britaine kings Was thirde that euer raigned in this lande Marke well therefore my death as straunge a thinge As some would deeme could scarce with reason stande Yet when thou hast my life well throughly scande Thou shalt perceiue not halfe so straunge as true All life worse death doth after still insue For when my mother Guendoline had raignde In my nonage full xv yeares she dyed And I but yonge not well in vertues trainde Was left this Realme of Britaynes for to guide Whereby when once my minde was puft with pride I past for nought I vsde my lust for lawe Of right or iustice reckte I not a strawe No meane I kept but ruled all by rage No boundes of measure could me compasse in Durst none aduenture anger mine t'aswage If once to freate and fume I did begin And I excelde in nothing els but sinne So that welnighe all men did wishe my ende Saue such to whom for vice I was a frende In pleasures pleasaunt was my whole repaste My youth me led deuoyde of compasse quite And vices were so rooted in at last That to recure the euill it past my might For who so doth with will and pleasure fight Though all his force do striue them to withstande Without good grace they haue the vpper hande What licoure first the earthen pot doth take It keepeth still the sauour of that same Full hard it is a cramocke straight to make Or crooked logges with wainscot fine to frame T is hard to make the cruel Tiger tame And so it fares with those haue vices caught Naught once they saye and euer after naught I speake not this as though it past all cure From bices vile to bertue to retire But this I saye if vice be once in vre The more you shall to quite your selfe requyre The more you plunge your selfe in fulsome myre As he that striues in soakte quicke sirtes of sande Still sinkes scarse neuer comes againe to lande The giftes of grace may nature 〈◊〉 And God may graunt both time and leaue repeute Yet I did more in laps of lewdnes run And last my time in tyrauntes trade I spente But who so doth with bloudy actes contente His minde shall sure at laste finde like againe And feele for pleasures thousand panges of paine For in the midste of those vntrusty toyles When as I nothing fearde but all was sure With all my trayne I hunting rode for spoyles Of them who after did my death procure Those lewde delightes did boldly me alure To folow still and to pursue the chase At laste I came into a deserte place Besette with hilles and monstrous rockes of stone My company behinde me lost or stayde The place was eke with hauty trees oregrowne So wiste and wylde it made me half afrayde And straight I was with rauening wolues betrayd Came out of caues and dennes and rockes a maint There was I rent in pieces kilde and slaine Alasse that youth in vayne so vyly spente Should euer cause a king to haue such ende Alasse that euer I should here lament Or else should teache vnto my cost my frende Alasse that fortune such mishap should sende But sithe it is to late for me to crie I wishe that others may take hede me by I might full well by wisdome shund this snare T is sayde a wiseman all mishap withstandes For though by starres we borne to mischieues are Yet prudence bayles vs quite from careful bandes Eche man they say his fate hath in his handes And what he makes or marres to lese or saue Of good or euill is euen selfe do selfe haue As here thou seest by me that led my dayes In vicious sorte for greedy wolues a 〈◊〉 Warne others wysely than to guide their wayes By myne example well eschue they may Suche vices as may worke their owne decay Which if they do full well is spent the time To warne to wryte and eke to reade this time FINIS The Authoure VVHen this was said no more was Madan sene If it were he but sure I halfe suspecte It was some other else so serude had bene For that all stories do not so detecte His
byd But he that myndes for rule another ryd Must not his handes with cruell bloud distayne For bloud doth alwayes cry for bloud agayne Eke Iustfull life that sleepes in sinkes of sinne Procures a plague fy fy on Venus vyle We litle wot the mischiefe is therein When we with poisons sweete our selues beguile The pleasures passe the ioyes indure but while And nought there by at all we get or gaine But dreadfull death and euerlasting paine Mee thincks thou lookist for to baue my name And musist what I am that thus do com I would or this haue tolde it but for shame Wherefore to giue example yet to som I will no longer faine my selfe so dom But sith I must as others tell their fall Take here my name my life my death and all I am Mempricius Madans eldest sonne Once king of Britaine that my brother slewe Whereby the crowne and kingdome all I won And after norisht vices moe that grewe Not natures lawes nor Gods nor mans I knew But liude in lust not recking any thing I demde was nought unlawfull for a king For when I had my brother brought on beare I thought in rest to keepe this kingdome longe And I was boyde of doubt I had no feare Was noue durst checke me did I right or wrong I liude at large and thought my powre so stronger There could no man preuaile against my will In steede of lawe that vsed rigor still So after that I fell to slouthfull ease A vice that breedes a nomber more besyde I waxt so testie none durst me displease And eke so puft with glory vaine and pride My sencelesse sence as ship without a guide Was tost with euery fancye of my braine Like Phoebus chariote vnder Phaetons raine I deemde them foes that me good counsaile gaue And those my chiefest frends could glose and lye I hated them that were so sage and graue And those I loude were lustye lewde and slye I did the wisest wittes as fooles defye Such sots knaues ruffians roisters I embrast As were vnwise vnhonest rude vnchast I lusted eke as lothsome lechers vse My subiects wiues and daughters at my will I did so often as me pleasde abuse Perforce I kept them at my pleasure still Thus gat I queanes and concubines at fill And for their sakes I put a way my wyfe Such was my lewdnes lust and lawlesse lyfe But shame for bids mee for to tell the rest It mee abhorres to shew what did insue And yet because it moueth in my brest Compunction still and was God wot to true I will declare whence my destruction grue To Sodomes sinne alas I fell and than I was despised both of God and man Could I long prosper thus do you suppose Might ought of euill exceede these vices told Thincke you ther 's any wight on ground that goes Might scape reuenge of vice so manifolde No sure who is in sianefulnes so bolde His vices fare like weedes they sproute so fast They kill the corps as weedes the corne at last My great outrage my heedelesse heade the life I beastly led could not continue soe My brothers bloud my leauing of my wife And working of my frendes and subiects woe Cride still to God for my fowle ouerthrne Which heares that wrōgd he heedes their careful case And at the length doth all their foes deface Yet I mistrusting no mishaps at hande Though I were worthy twenty times to dye I lewdly liude and did my wealth with stande I neuer thought my ende was halfe so nye For my disport I rode on hunting I In woodes the fearefull hart I chased fast Till quite I lost my company at last And or I wist to cost I found my foes By chaunce I came wher as the wolues they bred Which in a moment did me rounde inclose And mounted at my horse his throte and head Some on his hinder parts their paunches fed Yet fought I still to scape if it might bee Till they my fainted horse pulde downe with mee Then was I hopelesse to escape their iawes They fastned all their holders fast on mee And on my royall robes they set their clawes My Princely presence nor my highe degree Moude them no more obeysaunt for to bee Nor of my corps to take no more remorce Then did the greeuous groning of my horse But rauenously they rent my breast and throte Forsohe my steede came all at once and tare My tender corps from which they fleyde my coate And of my fleshe they made at all no spare They neuer left mee till my bones were bare Lo thus I sleme my brother left my wife Liude vilely and as vilely ended life Beware of bloudp broyles beware of wronge Embrace the counsaile of the wise and sage Trust not to powre though it be nere so stronge Beware of rashnes rude and coisters rage Eschew vile Venus toyes she cuttes of age And learne this lesson of and teach thy frende By pocks death sodaine 〈◊〉 harlots enne Finis The Authour ON this mee thought he vanishte quite avvay And I vvas left vvith Morpheus all alone VVhom I desyrde these gryzely ghostes to stay Till I had space to heare them one by one And euen vvith that vvas Somnus seruaunt gone VVhereby I slept and toke mine ease that night And in the morninge rose their tales to vvrite Novve Reader if you thincke I mistemy marke In any thinge vvhilere but stories tolde You must consider that a simple clarke Hath not such skill thesfect of things t'unfolde But may vvith ease of vviser be controlde Eke vvho so vvrites as much the like as this May hap be demde likevvise as much to misse VVherefore if these may not content your minde As eche man cannot fauour all mens vaines I pray you yet let me this frendship finde Giue your good vvill I craue noughtels for paines VVhich if you grutch mee as to great a gaines Then is my loue to you and labour lost And you may learne take heede vvith greater cost But novv me thinckes I heare the carpers tell Saith one the vvriter vvanted vvordes to fill The next reproued the verse not couched vvell The thirde declares vvhere lackte a point of skill Some others say they like the myter ill But vvhat of this shall these dismay mee quite No sure I vvill not cease for such to vvrite For with more ease in other workes they finde A fault then take vpon themselues to pen So much and eke content eche readers minde How should my verse craue all their likings then Sith sondry are the sects of diuers men I must endeuoure only those to please VVhich like that comes so it be for their ease The rest I recke as they blame worthy bee For if the vvords I wrote for good intent Take other sence then they receiude of mee Be turnde to vvorse torne reached rackt or rent Or hackt and hewde not constred as I ment The blame is theirs which with my workes so mell Lesse faulty he that vvisht his
by my fathers ioyned faste The nobles then desirde to haue On me their children wayte and tende And royall giftes with them me gaue As might their powres therto extende But here began my cause of care As all delightes at length haue ende Bemixte with woes our pleasures are Amidste my ioyes I loste a frende My father nyne and twenty yeares This tyme had raignde and helde the crowne As by your cronicles appeares Whan fates on vs began to frowne For euen amidste his moste of ioye As youth and strengthe and honours fade Sore sicknes did him long anoye At laste of life an ende it made Then was I chose king of this lande And had the crowne as had the reste I bare the scepter in my hande And sworde that all our foes oppreste Eke for because the Greekes did bse Me well in Greece at Athens late I bad those foure I brought to chuse A place that I might dedicate To all the Muses and their artes To learnings vse for euermore Which when they sought in diuers partes At last they found a place therfore Amidst the realme it lies melnfghe As they by arte and skill did proue An healthfull place not lowe nor bigve An holsome soyle for their behoue With water streames and springes for melles And medowes sweete and baleyes grene And woodes groaues quaries all things else For studentes weale or pleasure bene When they reported this to me They prayde my grace that I would bussde Them there an bntuer sitle The fruites of learning for to yelne I buylte the scholes like Atikes then And gaue them landes to maintayne those Which were accounted learned men And could the groundes of artes disclose The towne is called Stamforde yet There stande the walles untill this daye Foundations eke of scholes I set Bide yet not maintainde in decaye Whereby the lande receauid store Of learned clarkes long after that But nowe giue eare I tell the more And then my fall aud great mishap Because that time Apollo was Surmisde the God that gaue vs wit I builte his temple braue did passe At Troynouant the place is yet Some saye I made the batthes at Bathe And made therfore two tunnes of brasse And other twayne seuen saltes that haue In them but these be made of glasse With sulpher fylde and other things Wyide fire saltgem salte peter eke Salte armoniake salte 〈◊〉 Salte comune and salte Arabecke Salte niter mirid with the rest In these fowre tunnes by portions right Fowre welles to laye them in were dreste Wherin they boyle both daye and night The water springes them rounde about Doth ryse for ay and boyleth still The tunnes within and eke without Do all the welles with vapoures fill So that the heate and clensing powre Of Sulpher and of salts and fyre Doth make the bathes eche pointed houre To helpe the sickly health desyre These bathes to soften sinewes haue Great vertue and to scoure the skin From morphew white and blacke to saue The bodies faint are bathde therein For leprye scabs and sores are olde For scurfes and botche and humors fall The bathes haue vertues many folde If God giue grace to cure them all The ioyntes are swelde and hardned milte And hardned liuer palseis paine The poxe and itche if worke thou wilt By helpe of God it heales againe Shall I renege I made them then Shall I denye my cunning 〈◊〉 By helpe I had of learned men Those worthy welles in gratefull 〈◊〉 I will do so for God gaue grate Whereby I knewe what nature wrought And lent me lore to finde the place By wisedome where those welles I sought Which once confest to here my harme Eschewe the like if thou be wise Let neuer will thy wits becharme Or make the chaunge of kinde deuise For if the fishe would learne to goe And leaue to swim against his bre When he were quite the waters froe He could not swim you may be sure Or if the beast would learne to flye That had no plumes by nature lent And get him winges as earst did I Would not thincke you it him 〈◊〉 Though Magicke Mathematicall Make wooden birdes to flye and sore Eke brasen heads that speake they shall And promise many marueiles more Yet sith it swarues from Natures will As much as these that I recite Refuse the fondnes of such skill Doth ay with death the proufe requite I deemde I could more soner frame My selfe to flye then birdes of woode And ment to get eternall fame Which I esteemde the greatest good I deckt my selfe with plumes and winges As here thou seest in skilfull wise And many equall poysing thinges To ayde my flight to fall or rise Thou thinckste an art that seldome bsde In hand I toke and so it was But we no daunger then refusde So we might bring our feates to passe By practise at the length I could Gainst store of winde with ease arise And then which way to light I should And mount and turne I did deuise Which learned but not perfectly Before I had there of the sleight I new aloft but downe fell I For want of skill againe to light Upon the temple earst I built To God Apollo downe I fell In fiters broisde for such a guilt A iust reuenge requited well For what should I presume so highe Against the course of nature quite To take me winges and saye to flpe A foole no fowle in fethers dight As learning founds and cunning finds To such haue wit the same to vse So she confounds and marres the mindes Of those her secrets seeme t' abuse Well then deserts requirde my fall Presumption proude depriude my breath Renowne bereft my life and all Desire of praise procurde my death Do let alureing arts alone They pleasaunt seeme yet are they vaine Amongst an hundreth scarce is one Doth ought thereby but labour gaine Their cunning castes are crafty cares Deuices vaine deuisde by men Such witched wiles are Sathans snares To traine in fooles dispise them then Their wisedome is but wily wit Their sagenes is but subtilty Darke dreames deuisde for fooles are fit And such as practise pampestry Thou seest my fall and eke the cause Unwisely I good giftes abusde Lo here the hurt of learned sawes If they be mrested or misuide Then write my story with the rest May pleasure when it comes to vewe Take heede of counsailes all is best Beware take heeds farewell adieu Farewell will students keepe in minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Els May they chaunce like fate to finde For why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Authour WHen Bladud thus had ended quite his tale And tolde his life as you haue hearde before He toke his flight and then a Lady pale A pearde in sight beraide vvith bloudy gore In hande a knife of sanguine dye she bore And in her breast a wounde was pearced wyde So freshly bledde as if but than she dyde She staide a while her coulour came and went And
the height they feele the fall of topsy turuye downe For if when they suppose themselues aloft to touche the skye There chaunce a storme there is no holde to staye themselues so hye But faster farre more swiftly they and with more swinge descende Then euer erst they could with all their force to clime contende Do bid them then in all their deedes marke well the fineall ende Finis The Authour NExt after Porrex came another such Had all his body quite in peeces rent A desperate man his life bewayling much VVhich for he seemed sorely to lament I was the rather him to heare content That I might also note his story here From like attempts of vices you to feare Kimarus shewes howe for his euill life he was deuoured by wilde beastes the yeare before Christ 321. NO place commends the man vnworthy prayse No title of estate doth stay vp vices fall No wicked wight to woe can make delayes No loftye lookes preserues the proude at all No bragges or beaste no stature high and tall No lofty youth no swearing staringe 〈◊〉 No brauery banding cogging cutting out Then what auayles to haue a princely place A name of honour or an highe degree To come by kinred of a noble race Except wee princely worthy noble bee The fruite declares the goodnes of the tree Do bragge no more of birth or linage than Sith vertue grace and maners make the man. My selfe might bragge and first of all begin Mulmutius made and constituted lawes And Belinus and Brenne his sonnes did win Such praise their names to bee immortall cause Gurgunstus Redbearde with his sober sawes The sonne of Beline and my grandsyre grande Was fortunate what ere he toke in hande His sonne my grandsyre Guintheline did passe For virtues praise and Martia was his wyfe A noble Queene that wise and learned was And gaue hir selfe to studye all hir life Deuising lawes discust the endes of strife Amonge the Britaynes to hir endlesse Fame Hir statutes had of Martian lawes the name My father eke was sober sage and wise Cicilius hight king Guintheline his sonne Of noble Princes then my stocke did rise And of a Prince of Cornewall first begonne But what thereby of glory haue I wonne Can this suffice to aunsweare eke for mee I came by parents of an highe degree Or shall I saye Kimarus I was king Then might I liue as lewdely as I lust No sure I cannot so 〈◊〉 the stinge Of shame that prickes such Princes are bniuft We rather should vnto our vertues trust For vertue of the auncient bloud and kin Doth onely praise the parties shee s within And nobles onely borne of this be sure Without the vertues of their noble race Do quite and cleane themselues thereby obscure And their renowne and dignities deface They do their birth and linage all abace For why in deede they euer ought so well In vertues graue as titles braue ercell But oft God wot they fare as erst did I They thincke if once they come of Princelye stocke Then are they placed safe and sure so hye Aboue the rest as founded on a rocke Of wise mens warnings all they make a mocke Theyr counsayles graue as abiect reedes despise And count the braue men gracious worthy wise This kingdome came to mee by due discent For why my father was before mee kinge But I to pleasure all and lust was bent I neuer reckt of Iustice any thinge What purpose I did meane to passe to bringe That same t' accomplishe I withall my might Endeuorde euer were it wronge or right I deemde the greatest ioyes in earthly hap I thought my pleasures euer would abide I seemde to sit in Ladye Fortunes lap I reckt not all the world me thought beside I did by lust my selfe and others guide Where by the fates to worke my bane withall And cut me of thus wise procurde my fall As I was alwayes bent to bunting still Yet hunting was no vice to those I had When I three yeares had rulde this realme at 〈◊〉 In chace a chaunce did make my harte full sad Wilde cruell beastes as desperate and mad Turnde back on me as I them brought to baye And in their rage my sinfull corps did sley A iuste rewarde for so 〈◊〉 a life No worse a death then I deserued yore Such wreckes in th' ende to wretches all are rife Who may and will not call for grace before My wilful deedes wer nought what wilt thou more My wanton wildnesse witlesse heedelesse toyes By brutishe beastes bereaud me of my ioyes FINIS The Authour ON this Kimarus lefte me all alone And so did Morpheus then I thought to reste But yet againe he came presenting one For audience likewyse making his requeste A worthy prince he ware a warlike creste A blade in hande he bloudy rusty bore VVas all his harnesse from his shoulders tore His armes and handes were all embrued in bloud So was his breste but all the reste beside Seemde rayde with matter vyle or slimy mud VVith red and yelow as it were bedide You scarcely could the sight therof abide Yet sithe he seemde some worthy wight to be It brought by farre lesse squemishnes to me Morindus a bastarde declares how hee was 〈◊〉 to the kingdome wared cruell and at laste was deuoured by a monster the yeare before Christe 303. LEt me likewyse declare my factes and fall And eke recite what meanes this slimye glere You nede not fayne so quaynte a looke at all Although I seeme so fulsome euery where This blade in bloudy hande perdy I beare And all this gore bemingled with this glue In wytnes I my deadly enmy 〈◊〉 Then marke my tale beware of rashnes bile I am Morindus once was Britayne king On whome did swetely lady Fortune smyle Till she me to hir top of towres did bring My fame both farre and nere she made to ringe And eke my prayse exalted so to skye In all my time 〈◊〉 famous none then I. Some saye I was by birthe a 〈◊〉 bace Be gotten of the prince his concubine But what I was declared well my grace My fortitude and stature princely mine My father 〈◊〉 that came of princely line King Danius gaue not so bace degree Nor yet the noble Britaynes vnto mee For 〈◊〉 of armes and warlike pointes I passe In courage stoute ther lyude not then my pere I made them all that knewe my name agaste And heard how great my enterprises were To shrinke and slynke and shifte aside for feare All which at length did me such glory bring My father dead the Britaynes made me king But see how blinde we are when Fortune smples How senceles we when dignities increase We euer vse our selues discretely whyles We little haue and loue to liue in peace Smale fauters factes with mercy we release We vse no rigoure rancoure rapine such As after when we haue our willes to much For while that I a subiecte was no king While I had nothing but my factes
alone I studied still in euery kinde of thing To serue my prince and vnderfange his fone To vse his subiectes frendly euerichone And for them all aduentures such to take As might them all my persone fauoure make But when I once attained had the 〈◊〉 I waxed cruell tyranous and fell I had no longer mynde of my 〈◊〉 I vsde my selfe to ill the truthe to tell O bace degree in happy case fult well Which art not puste with pryde vainglory hate But art beneath content to byde thy fate For I aloft when once my heate was in Not raignd by reason ruled all by might Ne prudence rekte right strength or meane a 〈◊〉 But with my frendes in anger all would fight I 〈◊〉 kilde stewe who euer were in sight Without respect remorce reproufe regarde And like a mad man in my fury farde I deemde my might and fortitude was suche That I was able therby conquire all Highe kingdomes seate encreaste my poÌ„pe so much My pryde me thought impossible to fall But God confoundes our proude deuices all And bringes that thing wherein we moste do truste To our destruction by his iudgement iuste For when three yeares I ruled had this 〈◊〉 Without all rule as was my rulesse lyfe The rumour ran abroade within a whyle And chiefly in the Norweste country ryfe A monster came from 〈◊〉 seas brought griefe To all my subiectes in those coastes did dwell Deuouring man and 〈◊〉 a monster fell Which wheÌ„ I knew for trought I straight preparde In warlike wyse my selfe to try the case My haste therto a courage bolde declarde For I alone would enter in the place At whom with speare on horse I fetchte my race But on his scales it enter could no more Then might a bulrushe on a brasen dore Againe I prousde yet nought at all preuailde To breake my speare and not to pearce his side With that the roaring monster me assailde So terrifide my horse I could not ride Wherwith I lighted and with sworde I tryde By strokes and tbrustes to finde some open in But of my fight he neuer past a pin And when I weried was and spent with fighte That kept my selfe with heede his daunger fro At laste almoste ashamde I wanted mighte And skill to worke the beastly monster wo I gate me nerer with my sworde him to And thought his flaÌ„ckes or vnderpartes to wounde If there from scales might any place be founde But frustrate of my purpose finding none And eke within his daunger entred quite The grizely beaste straight seasoned me vpon And let his talentes on my corps to light He gripte my shoulders not resiste I might And roaring with a greedy rauening looke At once in iawes my body whole he tooke The way was large and downe he drew me in A moÌ„strous paunche for rowmthe woÌ„drous 〈◊〉 But for I feite more softer there the skinne At once I drewe a dagger by my side I knew my life no longer could abide For rammishe stenche blood poyson slymy glere That in his body so aboundaunt were Wherefore I labouring to procure his death While first my dagger digde about his harte His force to caste me welnie drew my brethe But as he felt within his woundes to smarte I ioyde to feele the mighty monster starte That roarde belcht groande plungde cride And coste me by and downe from side to side Long so in panges he plundgde and panting lay And drewe his wynde so faste with such a powre That quite and cleane he drew my breath away We both were dead well nighe within an howre Lo thus one beastly monster did deuoure An other monster moodelesse to his payne At once the realme was rid of monsters twayne Here maist thou see of fortitude the hap Where prudeÌ„ce Iustice TeÌ„peraunce hath no place How sodainly we taken are in trap When we despise good vertues to embrace Intemperaunce doth all our deedes deface And lettes vs heedlesse headlong run so faste Wee seeke out owne destruction at the laste For he that hath of fortitude and might And therto hath a kingdome ioynde withall Except he also guyde him selfe aright His powre and strength preuaileth him but small He cannot scape at length an haplesse fall Or Gods reuenge example take by mee And let my death sufficient warning hee FINIS The Authour I Could not thus departe to take my reste For Morpheus bad me byde and heare the Iaste ê™ he behinde as yet is one the beste Do stay a whyle giue eare till he be paste And therewithall approtched one full faste The worthiest wight I euer erste did see These woordes he spake or like it seemed mee Nennius a worthy Britayne the very paterne of a valiaunt noble and faithful subiecte encountring with Iulius Caesar at his firste comming into this Islande was by him death wounded yet nathelesse he gate Caesars swoorde put him to flighte slewe therewith Labienus a Tribune of the Romaynes endured fight till his countrey men wan the battayle died fiftene dayes after And nowe encourageth all good subiectes to defende their countrey from the powre of foraine and vsurping enemies About the yeare before Christe 50. I May by right some later wryters blame Of stories olde as rude or negligente Or else I may them well vnlearned name Or heedelesse in those thinges about they wente Some tyme on mee as well they might haue spente As on suche traytours tyrauntes harlottes those Which to their countreyes were the deadliest foes Ne for my selfe I would not this resite Although I haue occasion good therto But sure me thinkes it is to greate dispite These men to others and their countries do For there are Britaynes nether one nor two Whose names in stories 〈◊〉 once appeare And yet their liues examples worthy were T is worthy praise I graunt to write the endes Of vicious men and teach the like beware For what hath of virtue that commends Such personrs lewde as nought of vertues care But for to leaue out those praise worthy are Is like as if a man had not the skill To praise the good but discommend the ill I craue no praise although my selfe deferude As great a laude as any Britaine yore But I would haue it tolde how well I serude My Prince and countrey faith to both I bore All noble hartes hereby with couradge more May both their forraine foes in fight withstande And of their enmyes haue the vpper hande Againe to shewe how valiaunt then we were You Britaynes good to moue your harts therby All other Nations lesse in fight to feare And for your country rather so to dye With valiaunt hauty couradge as did I Then liue in bondage seruice slauery thrall Of foraine powres which hate your manhode all Do giue mee leaue to speake but euen a while And marke and write this story I the tell By North from London more then fiftye myle There lyes the Isle of Ely knowne full well Wherein my father built a place to dwell
once procure My mother eke that loude me more Although he yonger was By diuers meanes did helpe me still To bring my feates to passe Wherby I thought my selfe so sure To haue my purpose sped As I requirde if once I might Get of his crafty head See here what faith what frendship is What loue what fauoure wee Do shewe to any wight aliue If once alofte me bee To fathers we are faithlesse ofte To brothers butchers vile Of sisters smale accounte we make And wedded wyues exile If any kithe or 〈◊〉 we haue By whom we vantage may We care not by what cruell meanes Their liues we take away But for to get the seate alone And for to wynne the crowne We care not whom nor when nor home So we may get them downe O brutishe beastes nay worse then those For they are still concente With that they haue what euer them Hath God or Nature sente But we do gape and gaze for glore We prowle and powle and pill And sweare and stare and striue fighte And one another kill And all for pompe and glorie great For name renowne estate Not caring of the commons crye Or Godes eternall hate If I had had the giftes of grace I neuer would haue sought By any meanes such worldly trashe With brothers bloud to boughte But as I ment euen so I sped So bloudy butchers thye When moste I deemde my purpose sure He was to good for me For as I thought his bloud to shed I compaste was about So that for thousand kingdomes I Could not with life scape out He perste my hart what skilles it sithe My minde was euen as bad For why what measure I him mente My selfe like measure had And so all such as murder meane Intende or treason vse Shall at the lengthe like ende attayne Or worse they cannot chuse FINIS The Authour WHen as king Forrex thus had tolde his tale Me thought he stay de no whit but went his way Then came a mangled corps as full of bale And or he nerer came made halfe a stay ê™ Morpheus come for shame thou nedste not stay As bad as thou haue tolde their tales before And so must thou and diuers other more Porrex recites howe for the slaughter of his brother he was slayne by his owne mother and hir maydens as he laye sleeping About the yeare before Christe 491. FRom darkesome deunes where cruell Cayne And others like do lye Whose bloudie blades were bathde in bloud Poore caytiue thence come I. Where Typhon is his brother slewe Osiris in despite And where their sister Isis is Did him againe requite Wher Dardanus to rule alone His brother made away Etheoclus Polinicus At once did others sley Where Helenus king Priams son His brother Theon kilde Medea eke in bloudy wyse Hir brothers bloud that spilde Where Tydeus is in hunting shote His brother through the side Polytes eke his brothers harte With sworde that opened wyde And where as that Cambyses is His syster once that slewe And Polipontes king that made His brother treason rewe And cruell where Odores is Which mercy did deny To Mithridate his brother deare That did for pardon crie Eke where Learchus is that did His brother sicke destroy With poyson deadly hoping so To make him selfe a Roy. And where that wretche Mamertes lyes His brothers sonnes that spilte And Sisapho tormenting him For such an heynous 〈◊〉 Where Rhesus and Caduidus are with shaftes their brethren slewe And Philadelphus Ptolomae his brothers death did brewe Where Philopater Ptolome his father made away And after that his brother with his dearist frendes did slay And where Ardieus tyraunt vile his aged father stroyde And after that his elder bro. ther kingdomes to enioyde Where Mithridatus beastly king of Pontus feeles anoye Which mother his and brother eke sixe children did destroye Where is Antiochus the great His brother brought to graue That he might onely raigne alone and all the kingdome haue Where Romulus that Remus stew of Romaines first had fall Though 〈◊〉 brother first he were presumde to scale the wall And where Mempricius lewde doth lye a Britaine Prince that slue His brother Manlius fearing lest he were to him vntrue Where Iugurth eke that basterde is his brethren brought to graue That after them Numidia he might for kingdome haue And where a Thousande are beside which were to longe to tell Their parents deare and brethren slue and now in darkenes dwell From thence I came a Britaine yore namde Porrex once a kinge Againe to shewe what vices mee To sodaine death did bringe Now list a while and then do write what I thee tell that others may Themselues in such attempts as these from bloudy acts as brethren stay My brother Forrex fiue yeares space and I this kingdome helde Betweene 〈◊〉 both the common weale wee scace did wisely welde At length we fondly fell at 〈◊〉 so Princes bide no mate Nor make nor partners with to raigne but beare their equals hate The heire because I yongest was thought his by right the crowne But I esteemde the halfe was mine and all if he were downe VVhereby O brothell butcher eke not brother I did stay My brother for to haue it all and get his right away Such are the acts of delesse youthes Such are their studies still VVhich care not what offence they make So they their fancies still But as it is vniustice and an haynous acte to vse Such murder slaughter paricide and Iustice all refuse So Ioue the iust at length requites our deedes and makes vs rewe VVee euer were to God or man or natures 〈◊〉 vntrue For when I deemde the crowne was mine which had my brother slaine O griefe to tell my mother and hir maydens wrought my paine Both for my fault and for she loude my brother Forrex still With all hir maides she came by night my sleeping corps to kill And I that slombring sleeping lay though many dreames fortolde My haplesse fall could neuer wake the meaning to vnfolde But last supposing with my selfe I cruel Tigres sawe With rauening fearcenes rent theyr 〈◊〉 against dame Natures lawe She came on mee to fill my dreame before my eyes could wake And with a dagger reft my life for Forrex slaughters sake Much like Agaue and hir mates shee and hir maidens got Them tooles therefore and hewde my corse as small as fleshe to pot Or Progne Queene hir children slue and he wde their membres small In wrathfull ite made Tereus feede and fill himselfe withall Or like Medea monster Queene hir Iasons sonnes that kilde Because she was forsaken when his purpose was fulfilde Like these was shee nay worse for why this ended Brutus line Brought mee to ende and hir to shame Though first the fault were mine Bid those beware that weene to winne by bloudy acts the crowne Lest from