THE VALIANT VVELSHMAN OR THE TRVE CHRONIcle History of the life and valiant deedes of CARADOC the Great King of Cambria now called WALES AS it hath beene sundry times Acted by the Prince of Wales his seruants Written by R. A. Gent. LONDON Imprinted by George Furslowe for Robert Lownes and are to be solde at his shoppe at the Little North dore of Paules 1615. TO THE INGENVOVS READER AS it hath been a custome of long continuance as well in Rome the Capitall City as in diuers other renowned Cities of the world to haue the liues of Princes and worthy men acted in their Theatres and especially the conquests victories which their owne Princes and Captains had obtained thereby to incourage their youths to follow the steps of their ancesters which custome euen for the same purpose is tolerated in our Age although some peeuish people seeme to dislike of it Amongst so many valiant Princes of our English Nation vvhose liues haue already euen cloyed the Stage I searched the Chronicles of elder ages vvherein I found amongst diuers renovvned persons one Brittish Prince who of his enemies receiued the title of Valiant Brittaine his name was Caradoc he was King of Siluria Ordonica and March which Countries are now called south-South-Wales north-North-Wales and the Marches and therefore being borne in Wales and King of Wales I called him the valiant Welshman he liued about the yere of our Lord 70. Cornelius Tacitus in his 12. booke sayth that hee held warres 9. years against all the Romane puissance but in the end hee was betrayed by Cartismanda Queene of Brigance and so conuayed to Rome in triumph so that the name of Caradoc was famous in Rome at that time wherefore finding him so highly commended amongst the Romans who were then Lords of all the world and his enemies I thought it fit amongst so many Worthies whose liues haue already been both acted and printed his life hauing already bin acted with good applause to be likewise worthy the printing Hoping that you will censure indifferently of it and so I bid you farevvell The Actors names Fortune Bardh Octauian King of North-Wales Guiniuer his daughter Codigune his base sonne The Duke of Cornewall The Earle of Gloster Morgan Earle of Anglesey Pheander his sonne the Fayry champion Ratsbane his man A Iugler Cadallan Prince of March with his three sons and his daughter Voada Caradoc Mauron and Constantine Monmouth an vsurper Gederus King of Brittaine Gald his brother Venusius Duke of Yorke Cartismanda his wife Claudius Cesar the Emperour Ostorius Scapula the Romane Lieutenant Marcus Gallicus his sonne Manlius Valens and Cessius Nasica 2. Tribunes of the Romanes A Witch and her sonne Bluso The Clowne with a company of Rustickes A Shepheard An olde man THE VALIANT WELSHMAN ACTVS 1. SCENA 1. Fortune descends downe from heauen to the Stage and then shee cals foorth foure Harpers that by the sound of their Musicke they might awake the ancient Bardh a kind of Welsh Post who long agoe was there intoombed Fortune THus from the high Imperiall Seate of Ioue Romes awfull Goddesse Chaunce descends to view This Stage and Theater of mortall men Whose acts and scenes diuisible by me Sometime present a swelling Tragedy Of discontented men sometimes againe My smiles can mould him to a Comicke vayne Sometimes like Niobe in teares I drowne This Microcosme of man and to conclude I seale the Lease of mans beatitude Amongst the seuerall obiects of my frownes Amongst the sundry subiects of my smiles Amongst so many Kings housde vp in clay Behold I bring a King of Cambria To whom great Pyrrhus Hector poysde in scales Of dauntlesse valour weighes not this Prince of Wales Be dumbe you scornefull English whose blacke mouthes Haue dim'd the glorious splendor of those men Whose resolution merites Homers penne And you the types of the harmonious spheares Call with your siluer tones that reuerend Bardh That long hath slept within his quiet vrne And let his tongue this Welshmans Crest adorne The Harpers play and the Bardh riseth from his Tombe Bardh Who 's this disturbs my rest Fortune None Poet Laureat but a kind request Fortune prefers vnto thy ayry shape That once thou wouldst in well-tunde meeter sing The high-swolne fortunes of a worthy King That valiant Welshman Caradoc by name That foylde the haughty Romanes crackt their fame Bardh I well remember powerfull Deity Arch-gouernesse of this terrestriall Globe Goddesse of all mutation man affords That in the raigne of Romes great Emperour Ycleped Claudian when the Bryttish Ile Was tributary to that conquering See This worthy Prince suruiued whose puissant might Was not inferiour to that sonne of Ioue Who in his cradle chokte two hideous Snakes Which since my Fortune is to speake his worth My vtmost skill aliue shall paint him forth Fort. Then to thy taske graue Bardh tell to mens eare Fame plac't the valiant Welshman in the spheare Exit Bardh Then since I needs must tell the high designes Of this braue Welshman that succeeding times In leaues of gold may register his name And reare a Pyramys vnto his fame This onely doe I craue that in my song Attention guyde your eares silence your tongue Then know all you whose knowing faculties Of your diuiner parts scorne to insist On sensuall obiects or on naked sense But on mans highest Alpes Intelligence For to plebeyan wits it is as good As to be silent as not vnder stood Before faire Wales her happy Vnion had Blest Vnion that such happinesse did bring Like to the azure roofe of heauen full packt With those great golden Tapers of the night Whose spheares sweat with their numbers infinite So was it with the spacious bounds of Wales Whose firmament contaynd two glorious sonnes Two Kings both mighty in their arch-cōmands Though both not lawfull in their gouernement The one Octauian was to whom was left By lineall descent each gouernment But that proud Earle of Munmouth stealing fire Of high ambition did one throne aspire Which by base vsurpation he detaines Of lawfull right vnlawfull treason gaines Twise in two haughty set Battalions The base vsurper Munmouth got the day And now Octauian spurde with griefe and rage Conducted by a more propitious starre Himselfe in person comes to Shrewsbury Where the great Earle of March great in his age But greater in the circuit of his power Yet greatest in the fortunes of his sonnes The Father of our valiant Welshman calld Himselfe his warlike sonnes and all doth bring To supplant Treason and to plant their King No more I le speake but this olde Barde intreats To keepe your vnderstanding and your seates ACTVS 1. SCENA 2. Enter Octauian King of Northwales Gloster Codigunes base sonne Morgan Earle of Anglesey and his foolish sonne with souldiers Octauian Gloster Lord Codigune And Noble Morgan Earle of Anglesey Can the vsurping name of Monmouth liue VVithin the ayry confines of your soules And not infect the purest temprature Of loyalty and sworne
Cara. Rise I le spare thy life Reuenge sufficient for thy damned facts For to a seared conscience these doe well Long life mens hate and a perpetuall hell Yet that thou mayest liue to attone thy soule Vnto the angry heauens I freely giue The Kingdome of North-Wales for terme of life To thy dispose onely reseruing tribute to my selfe In iust acknowledgement of me and mine Cod. Know Caradoc since by the chance of war I must be forst to render vp that right That like a slaue I might haue kept by might I scorne thy gifts and rather chuse to liue In the vast wildernes with fatall Owles Free from the malice of base buzzard Chaunce And there in husht vp silence rauing goe Then earth except be hell no place so low Then with high almes Aside I le to the Romanes and there plot pell mell Vessels that once are seasoned keepe their smell Welshmen farewell and Caradoc adieu Vnder the heauens we haue no foe but you Exit Cornewall Now Royall Prince since happy victory Hath set a period to a bloudy fight Cornewall in humble manner here presents Himselfe and seruice to your Princely Grace Cara. Cornewall although thy actions not deserue The least respect of vs in taking part With the aspiring Bastard and the rest Of his adherents yet we doe omit All former iniuries and reunite Cornewall vnto our loue Corn. Then Princes ioyne with Cornewall and inthrone True honour and deserts with what 's her owne Ascend your Chayre fayre Prince The Trumpets flourish omnes They crowne him Omnes Long liue Caradoc King of Wales Cara. We thanke you Princes This being done wee le see Our beautious Queene and sister both set free Enter Gloster solus Now Gloster in this still and silent wood Whose vnfrequented pathes do lead thy steps Vnto the dismall caue of hellish fiends With whom a Witch as vgly to confront As are the fearefull Furies she commaunds Liues in this solitary vncouth place Begin thy damned plots banish that thred-bare thought Of Vertue Which makes vs men so senselesse of our wrong It makes vs beare the poyson of each tongue No Gloster no he whose meeke bloud 's so coole To beare all wrongs is a religious foole Or he that cannot finely knit reuenge Like to Aracne in a curious web May wounds still fit a Nightcap for his head Since I am forst to flie with foule disgrace And since of gods or men no hope I finde I le vse both hell and Fiends to ease my minde Here dwels a famous Witch who with her sonne As blacke in arte as arte it selfe is blacke Both memorable for their Magicke skill That can command sterne vengeance from beneath The center of the earth for to appeare As quicke as thought To her I le tell the tale Of my reuenge and with the golden Chimes Of large rewards inchaunt her hellish eares And see their monstrous shapes themselues appeares ACTVS 3. SCENA 4. Enter the Witch and her sonne from the Caue Gloster Thou famous Mistresse of the vnknown depths Of hels infernall secrets oh vvhat revvard Shall a deiected miserable man Chased from the confines of his natiue land By vvrong oppression and insulting pride Disgrace contempt and endlesse infamy Giue for redresse from thy commanding arte Witch Gloster I know thee wel although disguisd Thou comest to craue our helpe for thy reuenge 'Gainst Caradoc who now hath vanquished The Bastard Codigune in single fight Know Gloster that our skill Commaunds the Moone drop from her siluer sphere And all the starres to vayle their golden heads At the blacke horrour that our Charmes present Atlas throwes downe the twinckling Arch of heauen And leaues his burthen at our dreadfull spels This pendant element of solid earth Shakes with amazing Earthquakes as if the frame Of this vast continent would leaue her poles Neptune swels high and with impetuous rage Dashes the haughty Argosey with winds Against the Christall battlements of heauen The troubled ayre appeares in flakes of fire That till about the ayres circumference We make the vpper Region Thicke full of fatall Comets and the skie Is filde with fiery signes of armed men Hell roares when we are angry and the Fiends As schole-boyes tremble at our Charming rod. Thus when we are displeased or male-content Both hell obeyes and euery Element Gloster Thou matchles wonder worke but my reuenge And by the triple Hecate and the povvers Your Charmes adore I le load you vvith a vvaight Of gold and treasure till you cry No more Inuent great soule of arte some stratagem Whose fame may draw him to these dismal woods No danger can out-dare his thirsty soule In honourable enterprises he is a man Should hell oppose him of such dauntlesse mettal That were but fame the end of his atchieuement He would as boldly cope with it as with things Of common danger Witch Then Gloster harke Here in this dismall Groue By arte I will create a furious beast Mou'd by a subtill spirit full of force And hellish fury whose deuouring iawes Shall hauocke all the borderers of Wales And in short space vnpeople all his Townes Now if he be a man that seeks for fame And grounds his fortunes on the popular loue Or Kinglike doe preferre a common good Before a priuate losse this famous taske Whose fearefull rumour shall amaze the world Will egge him on where being once but come He surely meetes with his destruction Sonne to this purpose straitway to thy booke Enter the Caue and call a powerfull spirit by thy skill Commaund him instantly for to appeare And with thy Charmes binde him vnto the shape Of a deuouring Serpent whilest without We doe awayte his comming Exit Magician Thunders and Lightning Now whirle the angry heauens about the Pole And in their fuming choler dart forth fires Like burning Aetna being thus inraged At this imperious Necromantike arte Dis trembles at our Magicall commaund And all the flaming vawtes of hells Abisse Throw forth sulphureous flakes of scorching fire The iangling hell-hounds with their hellish guizes Daunce damned rounds in their infernall rage And to conclude earth water ayre and fire And hell grow sicke to see mans arte aspire A generall enuy makes them male content To see deepe arte commaund each element See Gloster see thinkes he this monstrous shape Enter the Serpent Will not abate the courage of his foe And quell the haughty pride of Caradoc Gloster Yes mighty Artist were he thrice inspirde With more then humane courage he may as soone Conquer those matchlesse Giants that were set To keepe the Orchard of Hesperides Or match the labours of great Hercules Enter the Serpent It thunders Witch Goe shrowde thy horrid shape within this wood And seize on all thou meetst Come Gloster in And here awhile abide within this Caue Thy eyes shall see what thy vext soule did craue Exeunt ACTVS 3. SCENA 5. Enter Ostorius Scapula Marcus Gallicus Manlius Valens Cessius Nasica and Codigune in Armes Ostorius
force thee yeelde Cara. Art thou a Romane and canst speake that language The mother tongue of fugitiues and slaues No Romanes spare these two and if I flie The Romane hoste shall beare me company They fight sometimes Caradoc rescueth his Wife somtimes his daughter and killeth many of the Romanes at last they beate him in and take his Wife and Daughter Ostorius Come Lady you must goe along with vs. Guin Euen where you will if Caradoc suruiue My dying soule and ioyes are yet aliue Exeunt Enter Caradoc disguised in a Souldiours habit Cara. Fashion thy selfe thou great and glorious light To my disguise and maske thy sub till sight That peepes through euery cranny of the world Put on thy night-gowne of blacke foggy cloudes And hide thy searching eye from my disgrace Oh Cornewall Cornewall this thy trecherous act That hath eclips'd the glory of great Wales Shall to succeeding ages tell thy shame And honour sound to heare of Cornewals name The gods with forked thunder strike thy wrong And men in shamefull Ballads sing thy fact That basely thus hast recompenst thy King But curses are like arrowes shot vpright That often times on our owne heads do light And many times our selues in rage proue worst The Foxe ne're better thriues but vvhen accurst This is a time for policy to moue And lackey vvith discretion and not rage My thoughts must now be suted to my shute And common patience must attend the helme And stere my reason to the Cape of hope At Yorke the noble Prince Venusius dwels That beares no small affection to our selfe To him I le write a letter whose contents Shall certifie th' affaires concerne my selfe Which I my selfe in this disguyse will beare And sound the depth of his affection Which if but like a friend he lend his hand I le chase the Romanes from this famous land Exit ACTVS 4. SCENA 6. Enter Gald in a Shepheards habit and Bluso the Magician Gald Deare Bluso thus farre haue my weary steps Through passages as craggy as the Alpes Silent and vnknowne wayes as intricate As are the windings of a Laborynth Search't out the vncouth Cell of thy abode The Romane hoste haue seizd my beautious wife And with the rude and ruggy hand of force As Paris kept bright Hellen from the Greekes Denying ransome more like Canibals Then honourable Romanes keepe her still And neuer more shall Gald inioy the sight Of his soules flourishing obiect till thy skill Exceeding humane possibilities Worke her inlargement and my happinesse Bluso Fayre Prince I were ingratefull vnto him That next to heauen preserued and gaue me life And more by solemne othe I am obliged In forfet of my soule and hope of blisse To vse the skill I haue to vertuous ends Amongst the which this is the capitall Then doubt not Prince but ere this night be spent She shall be free and you shall rest content Gald Thanks learned Bluso this thy courtesie Hath bound Prince Gald in endles bonds of loue To thee and to thy art Now stretch thy spels And make the winds obey thy fearefull Charmes Strike all the Romanes with amazing terrour At our approches let them know That hell 's broke loose and Furies rage below ACTVS 4. SCENA 7. Enter Venusius Duke of Yorke with other attendants and his wife Cartamanda Venu I long haue mist those honourable warres Which warlike Rome against the Bryttaines hold But since we heare and that by true report And credible intelligence from many Who lately haue returned from the Campe That Wales and Rome begin fresh bleeding war I doe intend with speed to see the Army And pay my loue as tribute vnto Rome But yet I grieue that such intestine iarre Is falne betwixt such an heroike Prince As is the King of Wales and powerfull Rome The Romanes doe in multitudes exceede He well instructed in true fortitude A Graduate in Martiall discipline And needs no Tutour for in pupill age He was brought vp in honours rudiments And learnde the elements of warlike Arts. Then much I muse why Cesar should beginne That scarce hath ended with the Bryttish warres Or who 's the Author of these firebrands Dissention thus hath kindled Cart. It may be noble husband the desire Of Principality and Kingly rule As yet is boundlesse and vncircumscribde But if our reasons eye could see our selues That 's neerest to vs and not like prospectiues Behold afarre off great men were themselues Or if like Philip King of Macedon Whose boundlesse minde of soueraigne Maiesty Was like a Globe whose body circular Admits no end seeing by chance the length Of the impression which his body made Vpon the sands and onely by a fall Wondred that such a little space contayn'd The body when the minde was infinite And in this Morall plainely did foresee The longitude of mans mortality But soft what Souldiour's this Enter Caradoc disguised Cara. And 't please you Madam from the King of Wales I bring this letter to Venusius Your Royall husband Venu Come souldiour prithee let me see I long to heare from noble Caradoc He reades it Carta Say souldiour camest thou from Wales What newes betwixt the Welshmen and the Romanes Cara. Madam a glorious victory to Rome The Towne of Gloster vildely being betray'd By Cornewals complots and conspiracies Euen in the dead of night and to augment His Treasons to the height of his desert Euen in the absence of his Lord and King Whilest Caradoc at his returne in rage Though single and inuiron'd round with foes Fought like a Lybian Lion But to conclude Not Hercules against a multitude And thus at ods was forst to flee the place Venu Souldiour come hither where is Caradoc Cara. In Wales my Lord and stayes for your reply Venu Souldiour I wish if wishes could preuayle Thy princely Master were with vs awhile Till all these cloudes of blacke contention Were eyther ouerblowne or else dissolued Fame hath not left a man more fit for talke Or disputation in bright honours scholes Then is thy noble Master When I behold His noble portrayture but in conceit Me thinks I see the reall thing it selfe Of perfite Honour and Nobility And not fantastically apprehend Onely the ayry fictions of the brayne I now repent that thus long I haue spent My honour and my time in ayding Rome And thus far haue digrest from Natures lawes To ayde a forrayne Nation 'gainst mine owne Were but thy Master here he soone should see He hath his wish and Wales her liberty Caradoc puts off his disguise Cara. Then know kind Prince that thus I haue presum'd To put thy honoured loue vnto the test In this disguise and with auricular boldnesse Haue heard your tale of profest amity And noble friend then here stands Caradoc Who now is come petitioner to thy ayde Betrayde vnto the Romanes by a villayne And whilest by dint of sword I fearelesse past Thorow the Legions of the puissant hoste My Queene and daughter they
My life for thine to Cesar for thy freedome Cesar himselfe admires thy fortitude And will with honour welcome thee at Rome He is a King whom basenesse neuer toucht And scorns to plucke a Lyon by the beard Being a carkase Speake will you trust our oath Caradoc flings downe his Armes Cara. I take thy word great Generall And thinke not for any feare of death I prostitute my life to Cesars hands But for I know Cesar is like a King And cannot brooke a base mechanicke thought But for to see those famous towres of Rome This golden Lion shall inlarge me soone Ostor. Then Manlius Valens you shall beare him thither And for your gard take the nineth Legion Surnamed The valiant and by the way At London stayes his daughter wife and brother Let them to Cesar beare him company Exit Caradoc Farewell braue Prince Now Romanes once againe Seing the Welshmens glory is eclipst Let vs prouide to meet Lord Morgan And Lord Constantine Venusius and the rest that gather head And seate Prince Codigune in what 's his right That now haue gathered strong and fresh supply This battell shall adde honour to our name And with triumphant Lawrell crowne our fame Exeunt ACTVS 5. SCENA 3. Enter Venusius Constantine and Lord Morgan with Souldiours in Armes Venu Thus noble Lords Venusius armed comes In loue to Wales and that much wronged Prince Who now at Yorke liues priuate from his foes From whence we now will call him and awake His ancient courage that long time hath slept Vpon the downy pillowes of repose Good Angels guide vs this our latest strife Shall set a period to our death or life Const. Me thinks right noble Lord yet I presage The horror of this battell we intend Will cost a masse of bloud nor doe I stand Firmely resolu'd and the least sparke of valour Turnes to a Flame of Magnanimity Oh were my brother Caradoc but here Our minds were made inuincible all our thoughts Were fixt on warlike Musicke or any thing Beyond a common venter And see in time Our princely brother and our sister comes Enter Gald Bluso and Voada Welcome deare brother how escapte you danger And purchast such a happy liberty Gald All that I haue I freely doe ascribe Vnto this learned man whose secret Arte Beyond the strayne of deepe Philosophy Or any naturall science vnder heauen Possest me of this Iewell of my soule And through the Romane hoste inuisible Conuayde vs both safe as you see we are Morgan Harke you me you remember our Cousin Caradoc and Morgan do you not Giue me your hands Be Cad I shall loue the Teuill til breath 's in her pody for this tricke Be Cad he hath done more good then any Iustice of Peace this seuen yeres for all her stocks and whipping posts Harke you me now Const. Harke harke the Romanes march to vs with speed Now Royall Princes thinke on our vilde disgrace Their Treasons falshoods and conspiracies And double resolution whet your rage Oh Caradoc there 's nothing wants but thee And now too late to buckle on thy Armes If in this bloudy skirmish I suruiue Triumphs shall crown the glorious brow of Wales Bastard begot at the backe dore of nature Cornewall the author of these bleeding wounds That many a wretch shall suffer for their wrongs Behold we come arm'd with a triple rage To scourge your base indignities with steele Noble Prince Gald here in our brothers stead Conduct our Army foorth as Generall Romanes come on your pride must catch a fall ACTVS 5. SCENA 4. Enter Ostorius Marcus Gallicus Cessius Codigune Cornewall with Souldiours Ostor. Now Bryttaines though the wrongs done to this Prince And to our selues deserue a sharpe reuenge Yet for wee pitty the effusion And hauocke that these cruell broyles intend Once more in peace we craue this Princes right Which your weake Army can no way detayne Perhaps you stand vpon the idle hopes Of Caradoc Know then you are deceyued For hee 's our prisoner and to Rome is sent With Manlius Valens to the Emperour Then yeeld your selues or trie the chance of warre Gald Then so we will base Romanes Henceforth in stead of honourable names Succeeding times shall brand your slauish thoughts With the blacke coales of treasons and defame Princes since now you know the worst of all Let vengeance teach your valiant minds to mount Aboue a common pitch inspire your soules With the remorselesse thoughts of bloud and death And this day spit defyance in the face Of trecherous Rome and thinke on this disgrace Codig Stay Prince and let me speake Gald Some Cannon shot ramme vp thy damned throat Peace hell-hound for thou singst a Rauens note Alarum They fight and beat in the Romanes Enter at one dore Gald and at the other Codigune Gald Well met thou Fiend of hell by heauen I le die Or be reuenged for all thy trechery Codig Weake Prince first keepe a dyet for a time To adde fresh vigour to thy feeble limmes And then perhaps wee le teach thee how to fight Gald Villayne the heauens haue strength inough against Treason They fight Gald killeth Codigune Enter Cornewall at one dore and Morgan at the other Morg. Cad plesse her Cornewals be Cad you are as arrant a Knaue as any Proker in Longlanes Harke you me I le fight with her for all her treasons and coniurations They fight and Morgan killeth Cornewall Morg. Fare you well Cousin Cornewall I pray you commend vs to Plutoes and Proserpines and tell all the Teuils of your affinity and acquaintance I thanke them for our Cousin Gald Enter at one dore the Romane Standard-bearer of the Eagle and at the other dore Constantine Const. Lay downe that haggard Eagle and submit Thy Romane Colours to the Bryttaines hands Or by that mighty Mouer of the Orbe That scourges Romes Ambition with reuenge I le plucke her haughty feathers from her backe And with her bury thee in endlesse night Standerdb Know Bryttaines threats vnto a Romane brest Swell vs with greater force like fire supprest If thou wilt haue her winne her with thy Armes They fight and Constantine winneth the Eagle waueth it about Const. Thus not in honour but in foule disgrace We waue the Romane Eagle spight of foes Or all the puissant Army of proud Rome Enter Marcus Gallicus Marc. Proud Welshman redeliuer vp that Bird Whose siluer wings thou flutterest in the ayre The Veruels that she weares belong to Rome And Rome shall haue or I le pawne my bloud Const. Romane behold euen in disgrace of this and thee And all the factious rout of trecherous Rome I le keepe this Eagle winne it if thou darest They fight and are both slaine Enter Gald Voada Venusius Morgan Gald Sound a Retreat This day was brauely fought Cornewall and Codigune vvhose infectious breath Ingendred noysome plagues of bloud and death With all the Romane hoste is put to flight Thus by the hand of heauen our peace is vvonne And
darkely cleare Lend me thy face good Ianus let mee looke Iust on Times fashion with a double face And clad my purpose in a Foxes case Exit ACTVS 2. SCENA 1. Sound Musicke Enter Octauian Caradoc Guiniuer Gloster Cornewall and Codigune vnto the Banket Octa. Sit Princes and let each man as befits This solemne Festiuall tune his sullen senses To merry Carols and delightsome thoughts Comicke inuentions and such pleasant straines As may decypher time to be well pleased All things distinguisht are into their times And Iouiall howres vnfit for graue designes A health vnto the Bride and Bridegroome Lords Let it goe round They drinke round Octa. How fares our princely Daughter Me thinks your looks are too composde for such a holiday Gui. Oh my good Lord to put your Highnes out of your suspect Which your weak argument draws froÌ„ my looks T is true that heathen Sages haue affirmed That Natures Tablet fixt within our looke Giues scope to reade our hearts as in a booke Yet this affirmative not alwayes holds For sometimes as the vrine that foretels The constitution of each temperature It falsely wrongs the iudgement makes our wit Turne Mountybanke in falsely iudging it And like the outward parts of some fayre whore Deceiues euen in the obiect we adore My Lord my soule 's so rapte In contemplation of my happy choyce That inward silence makes it more complete By how much more it is remote From custome of a superficiall ioy That 's meerely incorporeall a meere dreame To that essentiall ioy my thoughts conceyue Octa. How learnedly hath thy perswasiue toung Discouered a new passage vnto ioy In mentall reseruation True ioy is strung Best with the heart-strings sounds onely in the tongue But where 's Sir Morgan Earle of Anglesey He promised vs some pleasant masking sight To crowne these Nuptials with their due delight Enter Morgans foolish sonne Morion Morion Oh my Lord my father is comming to your Grace with such a many of Damsons and shee Shittle-cockes They smell of nothing in the world but Rozin and Coblers waxe such a many lights in their heeles lungs in their hands aboue all cry yfaith Enter the Maske of the Fayry Quâ—ene with foure Harpers before they daunce one of them singeth a Welsh song they daunce and then the foole Earle Morgans sonne falleth in loue with the Fayry Queene Morion By my troth my stomacke rumbleth at the very conceit of this Iamall loue euen from the sole of my head to the crowne of the foote Surely I will haue more acquaintance of that Gentlewoman me thinks she daunceth like a Hobby-horse After the daunce a Trumpet within Octa. Thanks Cousin Morgan But soft what Trumpets this Constan. A messenger my Lord from King Gederus King of Brytayne desires accesse vnto your Maiesty Octa. Admit him to our presence Enter Ambassadour Ambass Health to this princely presence and specially to great Octauian for vnto him I must direct my speech Octa. To vs then freely speake the tenor of thy speech And wee as freely will reply to it Thy Master is a Prince whom wee affect For honourable causes knowne to vs Then speake as if the power we haue to graunt Were tied to his desire Amb. Then know great King that now Gederus stands As in a Labyrinth of hope and feare Vncertaine eyther of his life and Crowne The Romane Claudius Cesar with an hoste Of matchlesse numbers bold and resolute Are marching towards Brittayn armd with rage For the denying Tribute vnto Rome By force and bloudy warre to conquer it And eyther winne Brittayne with the sword Or make her stoope vnder the Romane yoke Now mighty King since Brittayne through the world Is counted famous for a generous I le Scorning to yeeld to forraine seruitude Gederus humbly doth desire your ayde To backe him 'gainst the pride of Romane Cesar And force his Forces from the Brittish shores Which being done with speede he vowes to tye Himselfe to Wales in bonds of amity Oct. Legate this news hath pleasd Octauian wel The Bryttaynes are a Nation free and bold And scorne the bonds of any forrayne foe A Nation that by force was ne're subdude But by base Treasons politikely forst Claudius forgets that when the Bryttish Ile Scarce knew the meaning of a strangers march Great Iulius Cesar fortunate in armes Suffred three baserepulses from the Cliffes Of chalky Douer And had not Bryttayne to her selfe prou'd false Cesar and all his Army had beene toombde In the vast bosome of the angry sea Sonne Caradoc how thinke you of this worthy enterprise Yet t is vnfit that on this sudden warning You leaue your fayre wife to the Theoricke Of matrimoniall pleasure and delight Cara. Oh my good Lord this honourable cause Is able to inflame the coward brest Of base Thersites to transforme a man That 's Planet-strooke with Saturne into Mars To turne the Caucasus of peasant thoughts Into the burning Aetna of reuenge And manly Execution of the foe What man is he if Reason speake him man Or honour spurs on that immortall fame May canonize his Acts to after times And Kingly Homers in their Swanlike tunes Of sphearelike Musicke of sweet Poesie May tell their memorable acts in verse But at the name of Romanes is all warre All courage all compact of manly vigour Totally magnanimious fit to cope Euen with a band of Centaures or a hoast Of Cretan Minotaures Then let not me be bard The way to honour 's craggy rough and hard Octa. Go on prosper braue resolued Prince Car. Faire Princesse be not you dismaid at this T is honour bids me leaue you for a while 'T will not long be absent All the world Except this honourable accident Could not intreat what now I must performe Being ingadgde by honour Let it suffice That ioy that liues with thee without thee dies Guin Sweet Lord ech howre whilst you return I le pray Honour may crowne you with a glorious day Cara. Then here I le take my leaue He kisses his hand First as my duty binds of you great King Next of you fayre Princesse He kisses her Come brothers and Lord Morgan I must intreat Your company along Mor. Fare you well great King our Cousin ap Caradoc and I will make Cesars with all her Romanes runne to the Teuils arse a peake I warrant her Exeunt I pray you looke vnto her sonne there bee Cad hee hath no more wit in his paâ—es then the arrantest Cander at Coose fayre Exit Octa. Come daughter now let 's in He that loues honour must his honour winne Exeunt ACTVS 2. SCENA 2. Enter the Bardh or Welsh Poet. Bard. Thus haue you seen the valiâ—nt Caradoc Mounting the Chariot of eternall fame Whom mighty Fortune Regent of this Globe Which Nauigators call terrestriall Attends vpon and like a careful Nurse That sings sweet Lullabies vnto her babe Crowns her beloued Minion with content And sets him on the highest Spire of Fame Now to Gederus King
of warlike Brittayne Opprest with Romane Legions is he gone Spur'd oh vvith matchlesse resolution And in the battell as your selues shall see Fights like a Nemean Lyon Or like those Giants that to cope vvith Ioue Hurl'd Osla vpon Peleon heap'd hill on hill Mountaine on mountaine in their boundles rage But in the meane time dreadlesse of trecherous plots The Bastard playes his Rex whose ancient sore Beginnes to fester and now breakes the head Of that Impostume malice had begot Now Cornewall Gloster twinnes of some Incubus And sonne and heyre to hells Imperiall Crowne The Bastard Codigune conspire the death Of olde Octauian Those that faine would know The manner how obserue this silent show Enter a dumbe show Codigune Gloster and Cornwall at the one dore After they consult a little while enter at the other dore Octauian Guiniuer and Voada the sister of Caradoc they seeme by way of intreaty to inuite them they offer a cup of wine vnto Octauian and he is poysoned They take Guiniuer and Voada and put them in prison Codigune is crowned King of Wales Bardh The trecherous Bastard with his complices Cornewall and Gloster did inuite the King Fayre Guiniuer and beautious Voada The sister of renowmed Caradoc Vnto a sumptuous feast vvhose costly outside Gaue no suspition to a foule intent And had Cassandra as she did at Troy Foretell the danger of the â—reâ—ian hoâ—se That Sinon counterfeyted with his teares Presaged this Treason like to some nightly dream Of some superfluous brayne begot in wine It had beene onely fabulous and extinct Euen with the same breath that she brought it forth Like some abortiue Oracle so beguiles The Syrens songs and teares of Crocodiles At this great banket great Octauian Was poysoned and the wife of Caradoc Together with his beautious sister led Vnto a lothsome prison and the Crowne Inuested on the head of Codigune The enuious Bastard Here leaue we them a while And now to Bryttayne let vs steare the course Of our attention where this worthy Sunne That shines within the firmament of Wales Was like himselfe thrice welcom'd till the spleene Of that malicious Gloster did pursue In certaine letters sent to Goderus King Whose sister he had maried his defame Wales lost in liuely Scenes wee le shew the same ACTVS 2. SCENA 3. Exit Bardh Enter Gederus King of Bryttaine Prince Gald Caradoc Lord Morgan Mauron and Constantine Gode Once more braue Peeres of Wales welcome to Bryttayne Herein Octauian shewes his kingly loue That in this rough sea of inuasion When the high swelling tempests of these times Oreflow our Bryttish bâ—â—ks and Câ—sar's rage Like to an Inundation drownes our land To send so many warlike Souldiours Conducted by the flowres of famous Wales Now Cesar vvhen thou dar'st vvee are prepared Brittaines vvould rather die then be outdared But soft vvhat messenger is this Enter a Messenger with a letter Speake Messenger from whom or whence thou commest Mess. From Wales my Lord sent in all post-haste From noble Earle of Gloster to your Grace With this letter Gederus reades it Mor. From Wales I pray you good postes and messengers tell vs how fares all our friends our Cousin ap Guiniuer ap Caradoc ap Voada Mess. I know them not He strikes him Morgan Cads blue-hood know not our Cousin I le giue her such a blow on the pate I le make her know her cousins Cads zwownes hee had best tell her he knowes not her nose on her face This fellow was porne at hogs Norton where pigges play on the Organ Posts call you her Sploud were a simple Carpenter to build house on such posts not know our Cousins Gederus This letter from our brother Gloster sent Intreates me not to trust the gilded outsides Of these strangers We know our brother well He is a man of honourable parts Iudicious vpon no slight surmise Giues vs intelligence it shall bee so Wee le trust a friend afore an vnknowne foe Prince Caradoc you with your forces lye vpon you hill From whence vnlesse you see our Army faint Or discouraged by the Romane bands There keepe your standing A Drum affare off Harke Romane Cesar comes now Brittaynes fight Like Brutus sonnes for freedome and for right Alarum Exeunt Gederus and his company Caradoc Mauron Constantine Morgan 〈◊〉 Cara. Disgraced by letters shifted to a hill Fond King thy words and all the trecherous plots Of secret mischiefe sinke into the gulfe Of my obliuion memory be dull And thinke no more on these disgracefull ayres My fury relisht King Set punies to keepe hils that scarce haue read The first materiall Elements of warre That winke to see a Canoneere giue fire And like an Aspin shakes his coward ioynts At musket shot Within these noble veynes There runnes a current of such high-borne bloud Achilles well may father for his owne These honourable sparkes of man wee keepe Descended linially from Hectors race And must be put in action Shall I stand Like gazing Figure-flingers on the starres Obseruing motion and not moue my selfe Hence with that basenesse I that am a starre Must moue although I moue irregular Goe you vnto the hill in some disguise I le purchase honour by this enterprise Exeunt Alarum ACTVS 2. SCENA 4. Enter at the one dore Gederus and Prince Gald at the other Claudius and common Souldiers They fight Claudius beates them in Then enters Caradoc and pursues Claudius Presently enters Cesar and Caradoc fighting Claud. Hold valiant Bryttaine hold thy warlike hands Cara. Then yeeld thy selfe proud Romane Or by those gods the Bryttaines doe adore Not all thy Romane hoste shall saue thy life Clau. Then souldiour for thy valour speakes thee so Know that thou hast no common prisoner But such a one whose eminence and place Commaunds officious duety through Rome Then if thy inward parts deserue no lesse In honours eye then thy meane habite shewes Release me that a publike infamy Fall not vpon me by the scandalous hoste Whose Criticke censure to my endlesse shame Will runne diuision on the chaunce of warre And brand my fortune with blacke obloquy And by my honour that the Romanes hold As deare as life or any other good The heauens can giue to man the battell donne I le pay my ransome in a treble some Ca. Know Romane that a Bryttayne scorns thy gold Let Midas broode adore that Deity And dedicate his soule vnto this saint Souldiours haue mines of honourable thoughts More wealthy then the Indian veynes of gold Beyond the value of rich Tagus shore Their Eagle-feathered actions scorne to stoope To the base lure of vsurers and slaues Let painefull Marchants whose huge riding ships Teare vp the furrowes of the Indian deepe To shun the slauish load of pouerty Gape after massie golde the wealth we craue Are noble actions and an honoured graue I le take no money Romane But since thou seemest no counterfeit impression But bear'st the Royall Image of a man Giue me some
priuate token from thy hands That 's generally knowne vnto thy friends That if by chance I come to Rome I may be knowne to be your friend Claud. Here worthy Bryttayne take this golden Lyon And weare it about thy necke This when thou commest Will quickly finde me out Souldiour adieu Cesar is bound both to the gods and you Exit Enter Prince Gald They sound a retreat Gald The Romane Eagle hangs her haggard wings And all the Army 's fled all by the strength And opposition of one common man In shew not farre superiour to a Souldiour That 's hyred with pay or prest vnto the field But in his manly carryage like the sonne Of some vnconquered valiant Mermedon Sure t is some god-like spirite that obscures His splendour in these base and borrowed clouds Of common Souldiours habit All my thoughts Are wrapt in admiration and I am deepe in loue With those perfections onely that my eye Beheld in that fayre obiect Thus haue I left the field To interchange a word or two with him And see in happy time he walkes alone Well met braue souldiour may a Prince be bolde To aske thy name thy nation and thy birth Cara. Fayre Prince you question that you know already I am not what I seeme but hither sent He discloses himselfe On honourable termes to ayd this King Which he vnkingly basely did refuse And in reward of this his proffered good Vngratefully returnd what other Kings With princely donatiues would recompence My seruice with iniurious contempt But I in lieu of this disgracefull wrong Haue done him right and through the iawes of death Haue brought a glorious triumph to his Crowne And hung sweet peace about his palace gates True honour should doe that which enuy hates Gald Fayre Map of honour where my reason reades Each nauigable circle that containes My happy voyage to the land of fame Say vertuous Prince may Gald become so blest To follow thy fayre hopes and linke his soule In an vnited league of endlesse loue Nor scorne a Princes proffer for by heauen What I intrude thy vertue hath inforst And like the powerfull Loadstone drawne my thoughts To limne out vertue for exactly done By artificiall nature to the life In thy fayre modell shaddowed curiously How like Pigmalion do my passions dote On this fayre picture will you accept me Prince Cara. Most willingly kind Prince And may as yet this Embrio of our loues Grow to his manly vigour 't is loue alone That of diuided soules makes onely one Who then adores not loue whose sacred power Vnites those soules diuision would deuoure Come gentle Prince let vs goe see our friends I left vpon you Hill to keepe our forts And thence to Wales where double ioyes attend A beautious wife and a most constant friend Exeunt ACTVS 2. SCENA 5. Enter Morion the foolish Knight and his man Ratsbane Morion Come Ratsbane Oh the intolerable paine that I suffer for the loue of the Fayry Queene my heeles are all kybde in the very heate of my affection that runnes down into my legs me thinkes I could eate vp a whole Brokers shoppe at a meale to be eased of this loue Rats Oh master you would haue a villainous many of pawnes in your belly Why you are of so vveake a nature you vvould hardly disgest a Seruingmans Liuery in your belly vvithout a vomit Morion I assure thee thou fayest true t is but grosse meate But Ratsbane thou toldst mee of a rare fellovv that can tell misfortunes and can coniure prethee bring me to him I le giue him somewhat to helpe mee to speake with the Fayry Queene Whose face like to a Butchers doublet lookes Varnisht with tallow of some beautious Oxe Or like the aprons of some Pie-corner Cookes Whose breath smels sweeter then a hunted Foxe Whose eyes like two great foot-balls made of lether Were made to heate the gods in frosty weather Ratsb Oh happy that man that hath a bedfellow of these amiable parts Oh master if her visible parts bee such her inuisible parts are able tomake an Italian run mad hee loues an armful But master see here 's the man I told you of Enter the Iuggler and his man Iuggler You know my mind sir be gone I haue obseru'd this Idiot and intend To gull the Coxecombe therefore I did translate My selfe this day into this cunning shape I oft haue heard the foole strongly perswade Himselfe to be the Fayry Queenes chiefe Loue And that by her he shall subdue the Turke And plucke great Otoman from off his throne This I will worke on Morion Sir and 't shall please you I come to know some of that excellent skill the world hath blisterde mine eares with Iug. Sir Thomas Morion for so are you called Darling vnto the beautious Fayry Queene Your fortunes shall bee such as all the world Shall wonder at Pheanders noble name For otherwise so are you also named I know to what intent you hither come You come to see your Loue the Fayry Queen And talke with her here in this silent place Her nimble Fayries and her selfe do vse Oft to repayre and long it will not be Ere she com hither but thus much you must know You must not talke to her as to a Queene Of earthly substance for she is a pure And simple spirit without Elements Wherefore without any mortall thing That may annoy her most immortall sense You must goe humbly creeping on your hands Without your Doublet Rapier Cloke or Hose Or any thing that may offend her nose And see see yonder she comes if you wil speake with her You must doe as I tell you Enter the Fayry Queene Morion Oh helpe me quickly Come Ratsbane vncase my loue is come He strips himselfe and creepes vpon his hands with his man Great Queene thou soueraigne of Pheanders heart Vouchsafe a word vnto thy Mayden Knight That bowes his guts vnto thy mighty face Fayry Q. Follow me this way Shee fals downe vnder the Stage and he followes her and fals into the ditch Morion Helpe Ratsbane helpe helpe Rats Help why where are you I thought you had been in the hole by this time Come giue me your hand You follow the Fayry Queene Mor. Come come say nothing wee le goe home like fooles as we came Come my clothes my clothes Rats Cods lid clothes Now we may go home worse fooles then we came Sfoot this cunning Rascall meanes to set vs a hay making Sfoote we are fitte for the Dogge-house we are flayde already Mor. Well we may goe home with the naked truth It s no matter A mans a man though hee haue but a hose on his head ACTVS 3. SCENA 1. Enter Codigune Gloster and Cornwall with Souldiours vp in Armes Codig Now friends and fellow Souldiours in iust Arms Prepare your selues against the haughty foe Who as wee heare marches not farre from hence What we haue done by force wee le make it good Or seale our bold attempts with