in daunger of his life My father had on him there with remorce Came with a troupe of men to ende the strife When Frenchmen same the Troians force so rife They fled a maye vnto their losse and paine In fight and flight nighe all their host was slaine And in that broyle saue Corinaeus none Did fight so fearcely as did Turnus then My fathers cosin with his sworde alone Did sley that time welnighe sire hundreth men They found him dead as they retournd agen Amongst the Frenchmen wounded boide of breath Which pinche my fathers hart as pangs of death On this they bode a whyle reuenge to yeilde And to interre the dead and Turnus slaine They tooke a towne not farre from place of fielde And built it strong to here the Galles againe The name they gaue it still doth yet remayne Syth there they buried Turnus yet men call It Tours and name the folke Turones all Which towne they left at last with Troianes mande When as their ships were storde with what they nede A borde they hoyste vp sayles and left the lande By aybing windes they cut the seas with spede At lengthe the shining Albion clyues did feede Their gasing eyes by meanes wherof they fande Out Totnes hauen and tooke this promiste lande The countrie semed pleasaunt at the vewe And was by none inhabited as yet But certaine Giauntes whom they did pursue Which straight to caues in mountaines did thē get So fine were woodes floudes and fountaines set My father had no cause but like it well And gaue his souldiers places in to dwell And then this I le that Albion had to name My father caused Britayne called bee And eke the people Britaynes of the same As yet in auncient recordes is to see To Corinaeus gaue he franke and free The lande of Cornwall for his seruice don And for because from Giauntes he it won Then sith our Troiane stocke came first from Troy My father thought that dutie did him bynde Sithe fortune thus had saude him from-anoye The auncient towne againe to call to minde He builte new Troye and Troian lawes assignde Wherby his stocke to his eternall fame Might kepe of Troye the euerlasting name And setled there in perfecte peace and reste Deuoyde of warre of labours strife or payne Then eke my mother all his ioyes encreaste A prince she bare and after other twayne Was neuer king of children erste so fayne Three sonnes because of Innogen he gate Locrinus Camber last me Albanacto Thus hauing welthe and eke the worlde at will Nor wanting ought that might his mynde content T' increase his power with wightes of warlike skill Was all his minde his purpose and intent Wherby if foes inuasion after ment The Britaynes might not feare of foraine landes But kepe by fight possessions in their handes Then when his people once perceaude his mynde As what the prince doth often moste embrace To that the subiectes all are straight inclinde And reuerence still in eache respecte his grace They gat in warre such knowledge in short space That after they their force to try begon They carde for nought by wyt or wight not won They got of Giantes moūtaines whence they came And woodes frō whēce they oft made wise they wold Destroye and kill when voyage out they framde Or she wde them selues in banding ouer bold Then straight the Britaynes gladder then of gold Were redy still to fight at euery call Till time they had extiucte the monsters all Whereby the king had cause to take delight And might be bolde the lesse to feare his toes Perdye eche Priuce may recke his enmyes spite Thereafter as his force in fight he knoes A Princely hart the liberall gifts disclose He gaue to eche such guerdons for their facts As might them onely moue to noble actes No labours great his subiects then refusot Nor trauailes that might like his regall miude But eche of them such exercise well vsde Wherein was praise or glorye greate to finde And to their leidge bare faithful harts so kinde That what he wild they all obeyde his beste Nought els was currant but the kings request What Priuce aliue might more reioyce then 〈◊〉 Had faithfull men so baliaunt bolde and stout What pleasure more on carty could lightly 〈◊〉 Then winne an Isle and liue deuoyde of doubt An Isle saide 〈◊〉 naye namde the world throughout An other world sith Sea doth it deuide From th' earth that wants not all the world beside What subiects eke more happye were then these Had such a king of such a noble hart And such a lande enioyde and liude at ease Whereof eche man almost might chose his part No feare of foes vnknowen was treasons arte No fayning frends no fawning Gnatoes skill No Thrasoes brags but bearing ech good will. But as eache Sommer once receaues amende And as no state can stable stande for aye As course of tyme doth cause thinges home bende As cuery pleasure hath hit ending daye As will can neuer passe the power of mayc Euen so my father happy dayes that spente Perceaude he must by sickenesse laste relente As both the shipman well forsee the storme And knowes what daunger lyes in syrtes of sande Eke as the husband man prouides beforne When he perceaues the wynter colde at hande Euen so the wise that course of thiuges haue scande Can well the ende of sicknes great presage When it is ioynde with yeares of stooping age His counsayle all and we assembled were To byd vs hie or haste there was no nede We went with them this nemes vs caused feare Sithe so he sent he was not well in dede And when we all approtchte to him with spede To soone alasse his grace right sicke we founde And him saluted as our duty bounde And casting of his doulfull eyes aside Not able well to moue his painefull head As silent we with teares his minde abyde He wild him selfe be rearid in his bed Which done with sight of vs his eyes he fed Eke pawsing so a whyle for breathe he stayde At lengthe to them and vs thus myse be sayde No marueyle fare though you herewith be sad You noble Britaynes for your Brutus sake Sithe whilome me your captaine stout you had That nome my leaue and last farewell must take Thus nature willes me once an ende to make And leaue you here behinde which after mee Shall come as I departe before you ice You wot wherfore I with the Grecians foughte With dinte of sworde I made their force to flye Antenors frendes on Tuscane shores I soughte And did you not my promiste lande denye By Martiall powre I made the Frenchmen flye Where you to saue I loste my faithfull frense For you at Tours my Turnus tooke his ende I 〈◊〉 not now resite what loue I bare My frendship you I truste haue founde so well That none emongste you all which present are With teares doth not recorde the tale I tell Eke whom I founde for
vnwrought ill Why spare you Britaynes this my corps to kill With that the king good Lady fayre what iste Thou canst desire or aske but must obtaine Eke would to God with all my hart I wiste Best waye to ease thee of thy wofull paine But if thou wilt do here with mee remaine If not content conductours shalt thou haue To bring thee home and what thou els wilt craue As for my Queene as yet I none possesse Therefore thou rather maiste voutchsafe to take That place thy selfe then waite on her I gesse Whose beautye with thy face no match can make The Gods denye that I thy heste forsake I saue thy life eke God forbid that I Should euer cause so fayre a Ladye dye O King quoth I the Gods preserue thy grace The heauens requite thy mercy shewde to mee And all the starres direct thy regall race In happye course long length of yeares to see The earth with fertile fruites inriche so thee That thou maist still like Justice her dispose And euer more treade downe thy deadly foes The noble king commaunded to vnbinde Mine armes and let mee lewce and free at will And afterward such fauour did I finde That as his Queene I was 〈◊〉 still And I enioyde all pleasures at my 〈◊〉 So that they quite had quenched out my thrall And I forgate my former fortunes all Thus lo by fauoure I obtainde my suite So had my beauty set his brest on fire That I could make Locrinus euen as muite Or pleasaunt as my causes did require And when I knewe he could no way retyre I praide he would his fauour so extende As I might not be blamed in the ende For if quoth I you take me as your owne And eke my loue to you haue constant beene Then let your loue like wise againe be showne And wed me as you said your spouse and Queene If since in mee misliking you haue seene Then best depart betime before defame Begin to take from Elstride her good name No wauering hart said he Locrinus beares No sayned flatery shall thy fayth deface Thy beauty birth fame vertue age and yeares Constraine mee both thee and thy hestes imbrace I must of force giue thy requestes a place For as they do with reason good consent Euen so I graunt thee all thy whole inteut Then was the time appointed and the day In which I should be wedded to this kinge But in this case his counsaile causde a staye And sought out meanes at discord vs to bringe Eke Corinaeus claimde a former thing A precontract was made and full accorde Betweene his daughter and my soueraigne Lorde And yet the King did giue me comfort still He said he could not so forsake my loue Yet euermore would beare me all good will As both my beauty and desertes did moue But still the ende doth who is fauty proue His counsaile at the last did him constraine To marry her vnto my 〈◊〉 paine At which I coulde not but with hate repine It 〈◊〉 mee his mate that should haue beene To liue in bate a prince his concubine That euer had such hope to be his Queene The steppes of state are full of wo and teene For when wee thincke we haue atainde the throne Then straight our poÌ„pe pride is quite orethrone Lotwise I fell from hope of Princely crowne First when vnhappy Humber lost his life And next I laide my peacockes pride adowne When as I could not be Locrinus wife But oft they say the thirde doth ende the strife Which I haue proude therefore the sequel ve me The thirde payes home this prouerbe is to true This kinge could not refraine his former minde But vsde me still and I my doubtfull yeares Did linger on I knew no shift to finde But past the time full oft with mourning teares A concubine is neuer voyde of feares For if the wyfe her at aduauntage take In radge reuenge with death she seekes to make Likewise I wiste if once I sought to flye Or to entreate the kinge depart I might Then would he straight be discontent with mee Yea if I were pursued vpon the flight Or came deflourde into my parents sighte I should be taken kept perforce or slaine Or in my country liue in great disdaine In such a plight what might a woman doe Was euer Lady fayre in such a 〈◊〉 O wretched wight bewrapt in webbes of woe That still in dread wast tost from place to place And neuer foundest meane to ende thy race But still in doubt of death in carking care 〈◊〉 liue a life deuoyde of all welfare The king perceiuing well my chaunged cheare To case my hart withall deuisde deceats By secrete wayes I came deuoyde of feare In baultes by cunning Masons crafty feats Whereas wee safely from the Queene her threats Perdy the King and I so vsde our arte As after turnde vs both to paine and smarte By him I had my Sabrine small my childe And after that his wife her father loste I meane he dyed and she was straight exilde And I made Queene vnto my care and coste For she went downe to Cornevval straight in peste And caused all her fathers men to ryse With all the force and strengthe they might deuyse My king and hirs with me gainst hir preparde An army strong but when they came to fighte Dame Guendoline did war at length to harde And of our king vs both deposed quite For from hir campe an arrowe sharpe did lighte Upon his breste and made him leaue his breath Lo thus this king came by vntimely death Then I to late began in vayne to flye And taken was presented to the queene Who me behelde with cruell tigres eye O queene ê™ she that cause of warres haste bene And deadly hate the like was neuer seene Come on for these my bandes shall ridde thy life And take reuengement of our mortall strife I longed long to bring thee to this baye And thou likewyse hast sought to sucke my bloud Nowe arte thou taken in my spoyles a praye That causde my life full long in daunger stoode I wyll both teache thy selfe and others good To breake the bandes of faithfull wedlocke plight And giue thee that which thou deseruidste right O harlote whore why should I stay my handes O painted picture shall thy lookes thee saue Nay bynde hir faste both hande and foote in bandes And let hir some straunge kinde of tormentes haue What stroÌ„pet stues thinkste for thou seemist braue Dr for thy teares or sighes to scape my sight My selfe will rather banquishe thee by fight Thou rather shouldste my vitall breath depriue Then euer scape if none were here but wee But now I will not file my handes to striue Dr else to touche so vile a drabe as shee Come on at once and bring hir after mee With hande and feete as I commaunded bounde And let me see hir here as Humber drounde A thousand things beside she spake in rage While that a caytife
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
doubtfull was that would haue tolde hir paine In wofull sort she seemed to lament And could not well her tongue from talke refraine For why her griefes vnfolde she would right faine Yet bashfull was at length an ende to make Hir Morpheus wild and then thus wife she spake Cordila shewes how by despaire when she was in prison she slue herselfe the yeare before Christe 800. Yf any wofull might haue cause to maile her moe Or griefes are past do pricke vs Princes tel our fal By selfe likewise must needes constrained eke do so And shew my like misfortunes and mishaps withal Should I keepe close my beauy haps and 〈◊〉 Then did I wronge I wrongde my selfe and thee Which of my facts a witnes true maist bee A woman yet must blushe when bashfull is the case Though truth bid tell the tale aud story as it fell But sith that I mislike not audience time nor place Therefore I cannot still keepe in my counsaile well No greater case of hart then griefes to tell It daunteth all the dolours of our minde Our carefull harts thereby great comfort finde For why to tell that may recounted be againe And tell it as oure cares may compasse case That is the salue and medcine of our paine Which cureth corsyes all and sores of our disease It doth our pinching panges and paines a pease It pleades the part of an assured frende And telles the trade like vices to amende Therefore if I more willing be to tell my fall And shew mishaps to ease my burdened brest and minder That others haply may auoide and shunne like thrall And thereby in distresse more ayde and comfort finde They maye keepe measure where as I declinde And willing be to flye like bruite and blame As I to tell or thou to write the same For sith I see the prest to heare that wilt recorde What I Cordila tell to ease my inward sinart I will resite my storye tragicall ech worde To the that giust an eare to heare and ready art And lest I set the horse behinde the cart I minde to tell ech thinge in order so As thou maiste see and shewe whence sprang my wo. My grandsyre Bladud hight that found the Bathes by skill A fethered king that practisde for to flye and soare Whereby he felt the fall God wot against his will And neuer went roode raignde nor spake nor flew no more Who dead his sonne my father Leire therefore Was chosen kinge by right apparent heyre Which after built the towne of Leircestere We had three daughters first and eldest hight Gonerell Next after bi r my sister Ragan was begote The thirde and last was I the yongest namde Cordell And of vs all our father Leire in age did dote So minding hir that loude him best to note Because he had no sonne t' enioye his lande He thought to giue where fauoure most he fande What though I yougest were yet men me iudgde more wise Then either Gonorell or Ragan had more age And fayrer farre wherefore my sisters did despise My grace and giftes and sought my praise t'swage But yet though vice gainst vertue die with rage It cannot keepe her vnderneth to drowne But still she flittes aboue and reapes renowne Yet nathelesse my father did me not mistike But age so simple is and easye to subdue As childhode weake that 's voide of wit and reason quite They thincke ther 's nought you flater fainde but all is true Once olde and twice a childe t is said with you Which I affirme by proofe that was definde In age my father had a childishe minde He thought to wed vs vnto nobles three or Peres And vnto them and theirs deuide and part the lande For both my sisters first he sent as first their yeares Requirde their mindes and loue and fauour t' understand Quoth he all doubtes of duty to abande I must assaye and eke your frendships proue Now tell me eche how much you do me loue Which when they aunswered they loude him wel and more Then they themselues did loue or any worldly wight He praised them and said he would againe therefore The louing kindnes they deserude in fine requite So found my sisters fauour in his sight By flatery fayre they won their fathers hart Which after turned him and mee to smart But not content with this he minded me to proue For why he wonted was to loue me wonders well How much dost thou ê™ he Cordile thy father loue I will said I at once my loue declare and tell I loude you euer as my father well No otherwise if more to know you craue We loue you chiefly for the goodes you haue Thus much I said the more their flattery to detect But he me answerd therunto again with Ire Because thou dost thy fathers aged yeares neglect That loude the more of late then thy desertes require Thou neuer shalt to any part aspire Of this my realme emong thy sisters twayne But euer shalt bndotid ay remayne Then to the king of Albany for wife he gaue My sister Gonerell the eldest of vs all And eke my sister Ragan for Hinnine to haue Which then was Prince of Camber and Cornwall These after him should haue his kingdome all Betwene them both he gaue it franke and free But nought at all he gaue of domry mee At last it 〈◊〉 that king of Fraunce to here my fame My beutie braue was blazed all abrode eche where And eke my vertues praisoe me to my fathers blame Did for my sisters flattery me 〈◊〉 fauoure beare Which when this worthy king my wroÌ„gs did heare He sent ambassage likte me more then life T' intreate he might me haue to be his wife My father was content withall his harte and sayde He gladly should obtaine his whole request at will Concerning me if nothing I herin denayde But yet he kept by their 〈◊〉 hatred still ê™ he your prince his pleasure to fulfill I graunt and giue my daughter as you craue But nought of me for dowry can she haue King Aganippus well agreed to take me so He deemde that vertue was of dowries all the best And I contentid was to Fraunce my father 〈◊〉 For to depart 〈◊〉 t' enioye some greater rest I maried was and then my ioyes encreaste I gate more fauoure in this prince his fight Then euer princesse of a princely wight But while that I these toyes euioyd at home in FrauÌ„ce My father Leire in Britayne wared aged olde My sisters yet them selues the more aloft t' advaunce Thought well they might be by his leaue or sans so bolde To take the realme rule it as they wold They rose as rebels voyde of reason quite And they depriude him of his crowne and right Then they agreed it should be into partes 〈◊〉 Deuided and my father threscore knightes squires Should alwayes haue attending on him still at cal But in sit monthes so much encreased hateful Ires That Gonerell denyde all his desires So