from other ransome free And Theseus with Hippolite at Athens landing takes And Hercules to Calidon a Desmalâ— vsage makes THere did King Oeneus bounteously receaue so great a Guest Where scarcely had he any time from pâ—ssed toiles to rest But that proud Achelous sent Ambassidors to knowe If that King Oeneus on him his daughter would bestowe If not to threaten wreakfull warres which much abasht the King Till Hercules who then was come about the selfe same thing For loue to Deianira both Compettitors did bring Expelled feare by offring aide to backe him from the Foe By meanes whereof vnsatisfide away the Legats goe The Tyrant Achelous then with all Epirus force inuades the bounds of Calidon and spoile without remorse But Hercules he leading forth his Armie got the day And well was he amongst his Foes that fastest ran away They their King with hard escape inmure them selues at length within a Castle néere the Sea a Hold of wondrous strength The Thaebans then as resolute to spoile both Foe and Fort Did burne his Foes forsaken shippes left riding in the Porte And with a fewe beset the Holde When Achelous he so slender watch about the walles of Enemies did see He scorned that so weake a siedge should pen him vp so straight He hauing ten for one of them did issue out the Gate against the Greekes that willinglie his comming did awaite Espying Hercules he cride lo yond same diuell is he that droue vs out of Calidon who so of mine he be that slaieth him shall be inritcht with great rewards by me But he that made sâ—ch offers large did offer them in vaine For when his men sawe Hercules approching them amaine With fierie eies and angrie lookes and dreadful Club insist They thought it needles to assaile and booteles to resiste And euery man retired back into the holde againe Where many daies attemting slight they cowardly remaine From warre at length they fell to wiles There lay vpon the shoare a broken Hoy that had not brookt the Seas of long before The Mast they boring full of holes in euerie hole did sticke a burning Torch and lancht it out in night when cloudes were thick No sooner was the firie keele a floot vpon the waues And that the Greekes espied it but ech man rashlie craues the viewing of so strange a sight Their Captaine that did smell the presupposed Stratagem did rainge his armie well And marching neere the guilefull light did finde ambushments there That playing on aduantage thus preuented though appeare Occasion hapning Hercules would not admit the same But tooke them as he found them now and fights it out by aime When Achelous he behild his guild by guile to faile Well might he chafe be harder chaunce his courage might not quaile For looke how fierce and boistrouslie a chafed Bull doth fight So Acheleus lustilie on either side did smite And by his only prowse then a manie knights were slaine Whilst Hercules with like successe his Opposits did paine And now by chance amidst the brunt the valiant Woers twaine doe single and togethers tug and as two Lions strong ech one desiring others blood did hold a Combate long king Achelous minding her for whom began that broile To conquere where he did contend annexed hope to toyle Alcmenas Sonne remembring to whose cause he did defend Euen hers on whom his being and his verie soule depend So chargd his Contrarie with knocks and vsed his Club so well That vanquished though valerous king Achelous fell Thepirotes when they saw their king a Captiue led away Their hearts were doone and Hercules subdude them ere day And Achelous in exile did end his latter dayes And all AEtolia was fild with Hercules his praise To whom the king did giue to Wife faire Deâ—anira she the pleasing prise of that his prowse and dearelie earned Fee Who after of her owne decay and his the meane should be The Centaure Nessus was the man that made her erre so much Of which her error but his sinne the circumstance is such CHAP. VIII WHen ouer deepe Euenus Foord the passage did not fit This Giaunt of a Stature tall did offer helpe to it And Hercules forgetting him for at the Centaures Fray The same vnslaine but not vnskard escaped then away Did pray him to the farther shoare with Deianir to wade And so he did whilst Hercules this side the Riuer staid Whom Iunos Breed on further bankes his Passenger had set Then lust and long conceiued grudge to foule reuenge did whet Not Deianira coulde auoid a Rape or little lesse Or Hercules disioynd by Foord giue aide to her distresse One while contrarie to himself full humbly he intreates Anon like Hercules indeede he did commaund with threats But first nor latter might preuaile for Nessus hald her thence I may not follow nor in slight is Centaure thy defence said Hercules His deeds approue his latter saying true For letting she a fatall Shaft the Rauisher he slue And though the arrow galled him euen at the verie heart Yet for a while he did indure the not induring smart And hauing brought his trembling Rape into a vallie said See Deianira how thy Loue an end of me hath made Yet is my death lesse griefe to me then that thou shouldst bestow thy selfe on such a changing Churle as Hercules I know sweet Wench I know he doth preferre contrarie Loues to thee Wherefore my graue the lesse my griefe in this thy good shall be Take this he gaue a folded cloth and to the bane therein he mixed somewhat of his blood this same quoth he shall win To thee again thy Husbands loue when he shall it estrange For out of doubt I know it I he takes delight in change When thou suspectast such a wrong doe boyle a shirt with this No sooner shall he weare the same herein such vertue is but that his nouell Loue will change and fall whence he did flie Meane while doe not the vnction touch least so the vertue die In all this time betwixt his armes he did the Ladie claspe And hild her so as Hawke a Pray vntill his latest gaspe Then leauing him a liuelesse Coarse mistrusting nought his drift Shée meaning simply tooke with her the Traitours poisoned gift And Hercules by this had past the Riuer deep and wide Who Deianira first imbrast drew from the Centaures side the fatall Shaft that should the death of braue Achilles proue In Phoebus Church by Paris hand for Polixenas loue THE Centaure left vntoombed there Hée Shée and all their trainâ— are come to Lerna whom the king did noblie entertaine There had he from the common teares the cruell hauock made by Lernan Hydra whom in Fenne not armies durst inuade His vâ—per parts had humane forme his nether Serpentine The whole was monstrous yet his wit more moÌ„strous but most fine For wit is monstrous when the same from vertue doth decline Such were his subtill arguments and still supplies therein That he by often losse of
of my distruction mayde Whome swinging then about his head he slinged downe the hill And so did silly Lychas dye that purposed no ill Then running downe from hill to Playne from Playne to hill againe He rents vp Rockes and mightie Hils in error of his paine Till sadly leaning on his Club he sighing vowes that none Should be the death of Hercules but Hercules alone And to his frend Philoctes tooke his Arrowes and bis Booe And gladly to the hallowed fyer as to his bead did goe Where lying downe and taking leaue with reared hands to skye The Earths Protector so in peace amidst the flames did dye Philoctes néere or gone with gréefe his Asshes did conuaye To Italy in shrined in his Temple there to staye And wofull Deianira heares of Hercules decay His Goste she voucheth and the gods to witnes that her mynde Was giltles of a traitrous thought nor thinke me so vnkynd Swéet Husband as to haue the will to ouerliue thée heer But that my goste before thy goste it selfe of guyle shall cleer And now I come ah now I come forgiue yée gods the déed She sayde and pearsing so her breast a breathles Corse did bléed AS Greekes lament their Champions losse so did the Phrygians ioy And Priamus did fortefie his stately Cittie Troy Twyse Hercules had raysed it and thirdly was it reard By Pryam strong in wealth and walles through Asia lou'd and feard He cald to mynd Laomedon whome Hercules had slayne His Sister too Hesione that Captiue did remayne in Salamis with Telamon and well he was aâ—ayde In that the doer of the same liu'd not the Greekes to ayde His Sister therefore not restoorde his Legates asking it By stealing of the Spartane Quéene did Paris crye them quit Twelue hundred fiftie fiue war-Shippes with men Armor frought By seauentie Kings kingly Péeres froÌ„ Greece to Troy were brought To winne her thence King Priamus besides his Empier greate Had ayders Princes thirtie three lesse Lords I not repeate Nor Sagitar that in this Warre did many a valiant feate Tenne yeres tenne monthes and twise sixe daies the siege they did abide Eight hundred sixtie thousand Greekes by Troian weapons dyed Sixe hundred fiftie sixe thousands of Troians fighting men Besides the slaughtred at the sacke by Greacians perisht then And if that Hector Troilus and Paris so we name Fell fortie Kings omitting more of little lesser fame Mislike and ciuell quarrelles when the Greacians homewards drewe Did well néere waste the remnant Kings that Phrigia did subdewe Thus secure Troy was ouer-set when Troy was ouer stoute And ouer rich was ouer-runne and tardie lookt aboute The Greekish Ships with Phrigian Spoyles through Xant Samoies roe For now Antenor had betrayde Palladium to the foe And with Palladium Priamus AEneas sought to hyde From Pyrrhus Polyxena she for whom Achilles dyde Wherefore vpon Achilles Tombe her self was after slayne What tyme old Hecuba discryde yong Polydor his bayne For which AEneas banished hoysts sayles tis sayd to winde And after many perilles rule in Italie did finde AENeas dead Aschanius raign'd Aschanius dead his brother Posthumus Syluius did succéede Lauinia was his mother Her Syer Latinus Faunus his and Picus him begot And Saturne him from mother thus Posthumus lacked not The noblest bloud On Fathers side his petigree was thus Ioue had Dardanus and the same begot Erictheus He Tros Tros Assaracus he Capys and the same Anchisis he AEneas had of him Posthumus came And he was father vnto Brute and thus the Brutons bring Their petegrée from Iupiter of Pagane Gods the King And add they may that Brute his Syer of Venus sonne did spring Thrise fiue degréees from Noe was Brute and fower tymes sixe was hée from Adam and from Iaphets house doth fetch his petegrée Posthumus Syluius perrishing in Chace amongst the brakes Mistooke for Game by Brute his sonne Brute Italie forsakes And to assosyate his Exile a many Troians moe At all aduentures put to Seas vncerten where to goe To whom did Fortune Fortune-like become a friend and foe Till Brute with no lesse payne and praise then had his Grandsier late Achiued Latium landing here suppressed so the state Of all the Féend-bread Albinests huge Gyants fearce and strong Or race of Albion Neptuns sonne els some deriue them wrong That of this Isle vn-Scotted yet he Empier had ere long THE THIRD BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XIIII NOw of the Conquerour this Isle had Brutaine vnto name And with his Troianes Brute began manurage of the same For raised Troy to reare a Troy fit place he searched then And vewes the mounting Northerne partes These fitt quoth he for men That trust asmuch to flight as fight our Bulwarks are our brests The next Ariuals héere perchance will gladlier buyld their nests A Troians corrage is to him a Fortres of defence And leauing so where Scottes be now he South-ward maketh thence Whereas the earth more plentie gaue and ayre more temprature And nothing wanted that by wealth or pleasure might allure And more the Lady Flood of Floods the Ryuer Thamis it Did séeme to Brute against the foe and with him selfe to fitt Upon whose fruitfull bancks therefore whose bounds are chiefly sayd The want-les Counties Essex Kent with which the wealthie Glayde Of Hertfordshire for Citties store affords no little ayde Did Brute buyld vp his Troy-nouant inclosing it with wall Which Lud did after beautifie and Luds-towne it did call That now is London euermore to rightfull Princes trewe Yea Prince and people still to it as to their Storehouse drewe For plentie and for popilous the like we no wheare vewe Howbe-it many neighbour townes as much ere now could say But place for people people place and all for sinne decay When Brute should dye thus to his sonnes he did the Isle conuay To Camber Wales to Albanact he Albanie did leaue To Locrine Brutaine whom his Quéene of life did thus bereaue THe furous Hun that drowning there to Humbar left his name The King did vanquish and for spoyle vnto his Nauie came Where Humbars Daughter Patragon for beautie such a Dame As Loue himself could not but loue did Locrine inflame That Guendoleyne the Cornish Duke his daughter Locrins Quéene Grewe in contempt and Coryn dead his Change of Choyse was seene To Cornwell goes the wrothfull Quéene to seaze her fathers Land From whence she brought to worke reuenge of warriours stout a band And bids her husband battell and in battell is he slaine And for their sonne in Nonage was she to his vse did raine The Lady Estrild Locrins Loue and Sabrin wondrous faier Her Husbands and his Leimans impe she meaning not to spaier Did bring vnto the Water that the Wenches name doth baier There binding both and bobbing them then trembling at her yre She sayd if Scythia could haue hâ—â—d the wandring King thy Syre Then Brittish waters had not bin to him deserued bayne But Estrild snout-faire Estrild she was sparde forsooth
to trayne With whorish tricks a vicious King but neither of you twayne Thou stately Drabb nor this thy Brat a bastard as thy selfe Shall liue in triumph of my wrong first mother and her Elfe Shall â—ish in Flood for Humbars soule and bring him newes to hell That Locrins wife on Locrins Whore reuenged her so well They lifting vp their lillie hands from out their louely eyes Powre teares like Pearles and washe those Chéekes where naught saue beautie lyes And seeking to excuse themselues and mercie to obtaine With spéeches good and prayers faire they speake and pray in vaine Quéene Guendoleyne so bids and they into the Flood are cast Whereas amongst the drenching waues the Ladies breath their last As this his Grandame such appear'd Mempricius Madans sonne Whose brother Manlius traytrously by him to death was done And since of noble Brute his lyne prodigious things I tell I skipping to the Tenth from him will shewe what befell ABout a thirtie yeres and fiue did Leit rule this Land When doting on his Daughters thrée with them he fell in hand To tell how much they loued him the Eldest did estéeme Her life inferior to her loue so did the Second déeme The Youngest sayd her loue was such as did a childe behoue And that how much himself was worth so much she him did loue The formost two did please him well the youngest did not so Upon the Prince of Albanie the First he did bestoe The Middle on the Cornish Prince their Dowrie was his Throne At his decease Cordellas parte was very small or none Yet for her forme and vertuous life a noble Gallian King Did her vn-dowed for his Quéene into his Countrie bring Her Sisters sicke of Fathers health their Husbands by consent Did ioyne in Armes from Leir so by force the Scepter went Yet for they promise pentions large he rather was content In Albanie the quondam King at eldest Daughters Court Was setled scarce when she repynes and lessens still his Porte His second Daughter then he thought would shewe her selfe more kinde To whom he going for a while did franke allowance finde Ere long abridging almost all she keepeth him so loe That of two badds for betters choyce he backe againe did goe But Gonorill at his returne not onely did attempt Her fathers death but openly did hold him in contempt His aged eyes powre out their teares when holding vp his hands He sayd O God who so thou art that my good happ withstands Prolong not life deferre not death my selfe I ouer-liue When those that owe to me their liues to me my death would giue Thou Towne whose walles roofe of my wealth stand euermore to tell Thy Founders Fall and warne that none doe fail as Leir fell Bid none affie in Friends for say his Children wrought his wracke Yea those that were to him most deare did loath and let him lacke Cordella well Cordella sayd she loued as a Childe But sweeter words we seeke then sooth and so are men begilde She onely rests vntryed yet but what may I expect From her to whom I nothing gaue when these doe me reiect Then dye nay trye the rule may fayle and Nature may assend Nor are they euer surest friends on whom we most doe spend He shippes himself to Gallia then vut maketh knowne before Unto Cordella his estate who rueth him so poore And kept his there ariuall close till she prouided had To furnish him in euery want Of him her King was glad And nobly intertayned him the Queene with teares among Her duetie done conferreth with her father of his wrong Such duetie bountie kindnes and increasing loue he found In that his Daughter and her Lord that sorrowes more abound For his vnkindly vsing her then for the others cryme And King-like thus in Agamps Court did Leir dwell till tyme The noble King his Sonne-in-law transports an Armie greate Of forcie Gawles possessing him of dispossessed Seate To whom Cordeilla did succeede not raigning long in queate Not how her Nephewes warre with her and one of them slew th'other Shall followe but I will disclose a most tyrannous mother CHAP. XV. GOrbodugs double Issue now when eighteene Kings were past Hild ioyntly Empier in this Land till Porrex at the last Not tyed so by brotherhood but that he did disdaine A fellowe King for neuer can one Kingdome brooke of twaine Did leuie secrete bands for dread whereof did Ferrex flye And out of Gallia bringeth Warre in which himselfe did dye Then Porrex only raigned here and ruled all in peace Till Iden mother Quéene to both her furie did increase So fearcely as she seekes reuenge euen in the highest degrée Why liueth this quoth she a King in graue why lyeth he Dye Iden dye nay dye thou wretch that me a wretch hast mayde His goste whose life stoode in thy light commaundeth me of ayde Nor want I Ferrex will to ayde for why the Gods I see Deferre reuenge nor with a Deuill the Deuilles disagree The heauens me thinks with thunderbolts should presse his soule to hell Or Earth giue passage that at feast with men he might not dwell But I my selfe euen I my selfe their flacknesse will supplye And mothers name and Nature both to such a Sonne denye Dead night was come when Iden found the King her sonne a sléepe And all was still not then as now did Gards their Princes kéepe Admit they had who would haue feard such mischiefe in a mother She whispring softly sleepe thy last yea sleepe as doth thy brother Did gash his throte who starting vp when strength spéech were gone Lifts vp his faynting hands and knewe the Tyrantisse anone And maketh signes as who would say ah mother thou hast done a déede as neuer mother earst did practise on her Sonne But name of Sonne nor signes did serue him stil w t wounds she plyes Nor more then Monster did it please that simply so he dyes But that his bodie peecemeale tore about the Lodging flyes And thus from noble Brute his lyne the Scepter then did passe When of his bloud for to succéede no heire suruiuing was FOwer Dukes at once in ciuell broyles seiunctly after raine Néere when the Scottes whom some accuse by Ante-dates to gaine Did settle in the Northerne Isles These people bring their lyne from Cecrops and that Pharo he that euer did declyne from Moses seeking Hebers house from AEgypt to conuay His daughter Scota Gathelus their Duke brought thence away When Pharos sinne to Iacobs Séede did nere that Land decay And Cecrops sonne brought then froÌ„ thence as Scottes inforce the same The Stone that Iacob slept vpon when Angles went and came Of it was made their fatall Chaire of which they beare in hand That wheresoere the same is found the Scottes shall brooke that land At Westminster that Monument doth now decaying stand In Lusitania Gathelus did first his Kingdome found And of his race of Scota Scottes when Spanish Scottes abound Ariue in Ireland and in
so long we shall on triffles stay Sayd Caesar and with such his words did so inflame his men That with lesse patience did they liue then linger battell then The Romaines bid the Baâ—e and then did cruell Warre begin And little wanted that the Brutes the better did not win But Caesar so foresawe Supplies and Succors here and theare Perswading this disswading that controuling flight and feare That after many Romaines slayne the Brutons tooke their flight To Southerne Shoores whereas to proofe Cassiuelan did fight With oft Erruptions out of Woods vntill the traytrous Knight The Earle of London yéeldes his Charge and Cittie to the Foe Through which disloyall presedent did other Citties foe And then with hard-won Tribute hence the Conquerour did goe BUt he that wonne in euery Warre at Rome in ciuell Robe Was stab'd to death no certentie is vnderneath the Globe The good are enuied of the bad and glorie findes disdayne And people are in constancie as Aprill is in rayne Whereof amidst our serious penne this Fable intertayne An Asse an Old-man and a Boye did through a Cittie passe And whil'st the wanton boye did ride the old-man led the Asse See yonder doting foole sayd Folke that crauleth scarce for age Doth set the boye vpon his Asse and makes himselfe his Page Anon the blamed Boy alightes and lets the Old-man ride And as the old-man did before the boy the Asse did gide But passing so the people then did much the old-man blame And told him Churâ—e thy limbes be tough y e Boy should ride for shame The fault thus found both man and boy did backe the Asse and ride Then that the Asse was ouer-charg'd each man that met them cride Now both a-light and goe on foote and leade the emptie Beast But then the people laugh and say that one might ride at least With it they both did vndershore the Asse on either side But then the wondring people did that witles pranke deride The old-man seeing by no waies he could the people please Not blameles then did driue the Asse and drowne him in the Seas Thus whil'st we be it will not be that any pleaseth all Els had bin wanting worthely the noble Caesars fall CHAP. XVIII AVgustus quayling Antonie was Emperour alone In whose vn-foed Monarchie our commoÌ„ health was knowne The Brooser of the Serpents head the Womans promis'd Seede The Second in the Trinitie the Foode our soules to feede The Uine the Light the Doore the Way the Shepheard of vs all Whose Manhood ioyn'd to Deitie did Raunsome vs from thrall That was and is and euermore will be the same to his That sléepes to none that wake to him that turnes our Curse to blisse Whom yet vnseene the Patriarkes sawe the Prophets haue fortold Th'apostles preacht the Saincts addore and Martiers doe behold The same Augustus Emperour in Palastine was borne Amongst his owne and yet his owne bid crosse their Blisse in skorne Bi-formed Ianus then in Mewe so would this Prince of peace That Caesars Edict euery where should Mars his enuie ceace THen raigned here King Cymbelin King Theomantius sonne Next him Guiderius that with-held the Tribute Caesar wonne The Romaines that in our respect neglected Misia Spayne Armenia Fraunce and Siria then Recusants of their Rayne Not by their Captaines but himself the Emperour of Rome Into relapsed Brutaine with imperiall Ensignes come Then hotter then the Punick Warres to Romaines did begin And Claudius looseth valiantly all that the Brutons win But Romish Hamo from whose death Southhampton had that name In Brittish Armes salutes the King and slewe by gyle the same Duke Aruiragus vsing then the Armor of the King Maintayned fight and wonne the field ere Brutons knewe the thing This hardie Knight his Brother slayne was Crowned in his place And with his winnings also wonne the Emperour to grace Who sending for his Daughter faire Genissa so did ende The Warres in Wedding and away did Claudius Caesar wende But Aruiragus after this reuolted and to stay The hauocke made of Romaines here came succors euery day His Quéene Genissa childing dyed when his Reuolt she knewe And Voada deuorsed late became his Quéene of newe Then he that at Ierusalem the fatall siege begonne Was sent from Rome and warring here the wonted Tribute wonne And through his gentle Uictorie bound Aruiragus still A friend to Caesar whom the King adopted heire by will I here omit the dismall Warre in the Isle of Nona made Against the Romaines whom the Priestes the Drudes inuade With banning words and women with their hayre vntrussed stand With brands of fier in furious wise about their desperat band The King deceased Voada and her two Daughters they Abused by the Romaine Lords doe hotter warres assay THe noble Scot King Corbred he confeddrats with the King of Pichtes and they and Brittish Péeres to field their Armies bring To ayde the Quéene of Brutes that like the Amazonian Dame That beating downe the bloodie Greekes in Priams succour came Had pight her Iauelen at her feete when entred in among The fearce Confedrates thus she spake amidst the scylent throng My state and sexe not hand or hart most valiant friends withhild Me wretched Cause of your repaier by wicked Romaines ild From that reuenge which I doe wish and ye haue cause to worke In which suppose not Voada in female feares to lorke For loe my selfe vnlike my selfe and these same Ladies faire In Armor not to shrinke an ynch where hottest doings are Euen we doe dare to bid the Bace and you your selues shall see Your selues to come behinde in Armes the Romaines too that bee Such Conquerors and valiantly can womenkind oppresse Shall knowe that Brittish women can their Romish wrongs redresse Then arme ye with like courages as Ladies shall present Whom ye nor wounds nor death the praise of Onset shall preuent Nor enuie that our Martiall rage excéedes your manly ire For by how much more we endewer so much more we desire Reuenge on those in whose default we are vnhallowed thus Whil'st they forget themselues for men or to be borne of vs. Ye yéeld them Tribute and from vs their Legions haue their pay Thus were to much but more then thus the haughtie Tyrants sway That I am Quéene from being wrong'd doth nothing me protect Their Rapes against my Daughters both I also might obiect They Maydes deflower they Wiues enforce and vse their willes in all And yet we liue deferring fight inferring so our fall But valiant Brutons ventrous Scottes and warlike Pichtes I erre Exhorting whom I should dehorte your fearcenes to deferre Lesse courage more considerat would make your Foes to quake My hart hath ioy'd to see your hands the Romaine Standards take But when as force and Fortune fayld that you with téeth should sight And in the faces of their Foes your women in dispight Should fling their sucking Babes I hild such valentnes but vaine Inforced flight it is no shame such Flyers fight againe Well here
inferre consuming warre The Brutons vnder Rome secure as men that did relye On others were disabled now by Martiall meanes to trye The fame of fight but Captaineles confusedly they deale And giue a wretched instant of an headles Common-weale And whom so many Romaine Péeres Grand-Captaines of such might Of whom Nine Emperours themselues in persons here did sight Could hardly foyle were fronted now euen of a barbrous Foe And at the poynt a wondrous chaunge their Countrie to forgoe Such fruite hath ease such pollicie did serue the Romaines turne Who wayning Martiall mynds themselues the quietler here soiurne The Brutons thus dispoyâ—d of Aâ—mes and courage in effect Of Prince of Captaines and aduise their busines to direct Dispatch their Legate to the Land Deminatiue in name To Brutaine where the Legate thus his Ambassie did frame The back-slide of our helples friends the down-fall of our state Our lacke of Prince of people and our wealth not now as late The sauage dealing of our Foes consuming ours and vs Is cause right mightie King that we approach thy present thus Not for we are in blood allyed or that whil'st Fortune smil'd Your Auncestors had rule from vs not for the Dames defil'd At Cullin who withstanding lust for it did loose their liues That els to Conon and his Knights had liued noble wiues We are imboldned in our suite though all of these might moue But for our former Wants O King and for thyne owne behoue Great Brutaine doth submit it selfe thy Subiect if thou please Or els dispose it at thy will prouided we haue ease Against such foes as would not saue our liues to haue our Land Whom to conclude except thou helpe we neuer may withstand The King Aldroen pittying much the Cause of his Allies Arm'd thence his brother Constantine a Captaine stout and wise He chacing hence the Scottes and Pichtes with glorie wore the Crowne And through his vertue stayed vp a Kingdome sinking downe WIthin a while did Vortiger the Duke of Cornwalle rayne When Constans sonne of Constantine he traytrously had slayne The Scottes did ruffle then a-new nor did the King affye In Brutons for they hated him and reason had they why And Saxon Fléetes from Germanie in Armor here ariue Through whose support y e King in warres against the Scottes did thriue The Foe by Hengest foyled thus he and his Brother git The chiefest credit with the King but fewe gainsaying it Necessitie of Soldiours here so well for them did fit And Hengests Daughter intertayn'd King Vortiger so well That to misliking of his wife and liking her he fell And sotted thus in forren loue did wed the Saxon Wench Which wrought vnto the Saxons weale but to the Brutes offence For whatsoere the Quéene did aske the King would not denye Untill his Subiects rann to Armes and made the Saxons flye And putting downe the Father then did set vp Vortimer Who poysoned by his Stepdame they restored Vortiger With this condition that he should no Saxons intertayne But Hengest hearing from the Quéene that Vortimer was slayne And Vortiger his Sonne-in-lawe re-kinged did resayle With Saxon forces though with fraude not force he did preuayle For thus by pollicie he did the Brutons circumuent He craued Parlie as a man that were to quietnes bent The place appoynted Parlants him in simple meaning meet Farre from their Armie all vnarm'd whom Saxon Traytors greet With deadly wounds by hidden kniues and held the King with them Confounding so the Brittish Oste. Nor cease they to contemne Both Christian rightes and ciuell Rule subuerting either twaine And what they would of Vortiger through fearfull threats they gaine And plant themselues in Southfolke Kent and elswhere at their will And ruffling runne throughout the Land oppressing Brutons still The King and Brutons flead to Wales and Feend-got Marlyn theare Bewrayed more then I beléeue or credit seemes to beare As shewing how the Castell worke rear'd dayly fell by night By shaking of two Dragons great that vnderneath it fight With other wonders tedious if not trothles to resight Aurelius Ambrose brother to King Constans murdred late From either Bruton hauing ayde wonne so the Kingly state And ere that Hengest or his sonne stout Octa he subdew'd First to reuenge his Brothers death he Vortiger pursew'd In vaine the Welsh wild Mountaines fence the flyer from his Foe Or Gerneth Castell when as flames throughout the buildings goe In midst whereof the wretched King did end his daies in woe THe Brutons thus had peace a-while till Vortigerus Sonne And Guillamour the Irish King in newe Conflicts begonne Whom whil'st that Vter valiantly in Wales to wracke did bring His brother Ambrose did decease and Vter then was King What Vter did by Marlyns Arte in compassing his will Upon the Wife of Garolus transfigured by skill Into the likenes of her Lord on whom he got a sonne Renowmed Arthur or to name the Acts by Vter donne Were much and néedles onely note he was a valiant Prince But such as was his noble Sonne was not before or since Yet blazing Arthur as haue some I might be ouer-seene He was Uictorious making one amongst the Worthiest méene But with his pardon if I vouch his world of Kingdomes wonne I am no Poet and for lacke of pardone were vndone His Scottish Irish Almaine French and Saxone Battelles got Yéeld fame sufficient these seeme true the rest I credite not But Brutone is my taske and to my taske I will retier Twelue tymes the Saxone Princes here against him did conspier And Arthur in twelue Battelles great went Uanquishor away Howbeit Saxone forces still amongst the Brutons stay This King to intertaine discourse and so to vnderstand What Accedents in after-tymes should happen in this Land He with the Brittish Prophet then of Sequelles fell in hand Of Syx long after Kings the man not borne of humaine seede Did Prophesie and many things that came to passe in déede Now Arthur chiefe of Cheualrie had set his Crowne at stay And to his Nephewe Mordred did commit thereof the sway When with his Knights the wonder of the world for Martiall déedes Beyond the Seas in forren fights he luckely procéedes Till faithlesse Mordred calde him backe that forward goes with fame For at his Uncles Dyademe he traytrously did ame Twise Arthur wonne of him the field and thirdly slewe his Foe When deadly wounded he himselfe victorious dyed foe INterred then with publique playnts and issules ensewes A drouping of the Brittish state the Saxon still subdewes Howbeit worthie Kings succéeded but Destinie withsâ—ood The aunciant Scepter to inure in Bruts succéeding blood Unlou'd Careticus was he that lost the Goale at length Whenceforth in vayne to winne their losse y e Brutons vse their strength Yea God that as it pleaseth him doth place or dispossesse When foes nor foyles nor any force their courage might suppresse Séem'd partiall in the Saxon Cause and with a Plague did crosse The Brutons that had els at least
my blisse or soone discharge my breath For if my prayers add no edge vnto thy begged doome The Uintage of my thristles loue is blasted in the bloome Be fauour able to my fier for thy swéet sake be bold I durst attempt euen Hell if hell so swéet a thing might hold Well thinke her coye or thinke her chaste my Censure I suspend Most women yeeld not at the first yet yeeld they in the end She gaue repulses to his lust and he Replies of Loue Not all the Wrights Diana had might Cupids Plaint remoue She countermaunding his demaund he ceased Courting now And did with her by vyolence what vertues disalowe And then departed leauing her in selfe-conceit disgraste More trespassed then some would thinke and yet perhaps as chaste Home came her Lord whose Browes had buds and found his wife in teares And foolish thing she told a troth for which reuenge he sweares But so the Man did proue a Beast he better might haue hid it Some such are mistically domme yet dombly doe forbid it His wifes Escapes done secretly if by the man detected Shewes hilled būpes supposed būpes mere hornes not hornes suspected At Denmarke in his Cosens Court he telleth of his wrong And gaines against his soueraigne Lord of Danes an Armie strong Hungar and Hubba and himself Conductors of this Oste Did with their forren Forces land and spoyle the Northerne Coste The vicious valiant Osbret that had vanquished ere then The King and Kingdome of the Scottes though wanting Armes men Thought skorne his Foes should beard him so barre him vp in walles And therefore issuing out of Yorke vpon the Danes he falles A bloodie Bargane then begonne no fight might fearcer bee And of the Danish parte were slayne for euery English three But manhood lost and number wonne the Danes they got the feelde And Osbret dyed valiantly that not to liue would yeelde MEane while the Danes with fresh Supplies ariue at euery Shore And warre almost in euery Shire infesting England sore With whom couragious Etheldred contended long in vayne By them was he King Ella and the holly Edmond slayne Nothing was done but all vndone till King Alured hée In daunger of his royall selfe did set his Subiects frée For euery day in euery place the Danes did so increase That he nor any English King enioye one day of peace Nor mightier men at Armes then they might any where be found Who in their diuers Warres els-where did diuers Realmes confound For as the Gothes the Vandales Hunnes and Saxons earst did range So now the Danes did plague the world as sent by interchange This Westerne and victorious King and greatest Monarke here Perceiuing of this spoyled Isle a toward Rewen nere Disguised like a Minstrell poore did haunt the Danish Tentes And with his feates and melodie the Enemie presents And of their sloth their gluttonie and Councels priuie so He tooke aduantage giuing them a sudden ouerthroe And slayeth Hubba Hungar and the Cause of their repaer And putteth all to Sword and Seas that vnbaptised waer Yet to Northumberland return'd fearce Gurmond with the Danes Meane tyme did King Alured dye the Hatchet of their Tranes But Adelstane one King betwixt not only clear'd the Land Of Danes but of all England had sole Empier in his hand Thus of this long dismembred Realme was he the only King In which till Egelred his raigne did prosper euery thing He raigning much of England then the Lordly Danes did hold Exacting Tributes euery yeare and selling Peace for Gold And which no doubt did hatch those Plagues the King a wicked one Did enter by his Brothers blood extorting thus his Throne KIng Edgar that subdew'd the Scottes and slaughtered the Danes And of the Welsh had Tribute Wolffes of whom it more remanes That as it were in Triumph-wise Eight Under-kings did roe Him Sterns-man on the Riuer Dee with diuers honors moe This Edgar by a former wife had Edward by an other This Egelred a Sonne vnto a kinde and cruell Mother For as she labors to preferre her owne by well and ill So to destroy her Sonne-in-law she wanted meanes not will And meanes did hit King Edward hunts and hunting lost his Trayne Whom Man-les at her Castell Corfe the Quéene did intertayne He hauing seene to whom he came in curtesie to see Made haste away in Quest of them that still a Hunting bee And mounted when he should departe to him his Stepdame drinkes Whom pledging him an Hierling stab'd and lifeles downe he sinkes Thus Egelred obtaynd the Crowne but for his crowning so His Subiects grudge and he became the Preface to their woe For when this proude and vicious King was neither lou'd of his Nor liued safely for the Danes his secret Edict is That suddenly in one selfe hower throughout the Land should passe A common slaughter of the Danes which so performed was And Welwyn called Wealth-wyn then for promptnes in that charge Beginning other Townes as it themselues from Danes inlarge CHAP. XXI THis common Massacre of Danes was common mirth to all The English whom they did oppresse with slaueries not small Compelling men by greeuous Draught as Beastes to plough their Land Of whom the English as of Gods or Feends in terror stand The Husband durst not vse his Wife if liked of a Dane Nor House nor Goods nor aught he had for who resistes was slane That prankes and feedeth daintely this pynes and fareth ill And of his Sweat that hath the sweete and is imperious still Each house maintayned such a Dane that so they might preuent Conspiracies if any were and grope how mynds were bent Lord Dane the same was called then to them a pleasing name Now odiously Lur-dane say we when ydell Mates we blame When Swayne the Dacian King did heare his Danes were murdred so With bitter vowes he shipt his men for Englands ouerthroe And landing spaerd no Shrine nor Sainct nor Sex nor any State Not wanting Ayders English-men that held their King in hate Especially false Edricus the Admirall deceiues His King and Countrie oftentymes and Bribes of Swayne receiues And Egelred his cowardisse incouraged the Foe Till Swayne at length by Masses great was bribed hence to goe But making short returne the Péeres of England that disdayne Th'indignities of such a King that did féebly rayne Submit them Subiects vnto Swayne and Egelred did flye Unto the father of his Quéene the Duke of Normandie And Swayne possessed of the Land did shortly after dye His sonne Canutus present here had Seazen of the Crowne Till Egelred returning backe by Armor puts him downe Who scarcely giueth breathing tyme but that he backe resayles From Denmarke and by force by friends and Fortune here preuayles For in this Warre King Egelred did sicken and decease And then the broyles Canutus King did for a tyme decrease Till Edmund sonne of Egelred did interrupt that peace COnferring Armes to Edmunds age when Egelred did lye On Death-bed to
remembring of this Hystorie I haue also vsed other Authorities YT followeth After long Warres valiantly on eyther part performed Manie greate Kinges Princes and Parsonages perrished when lastly the Rutiles begunne to be repentant of their wrong and the Troians wearie of the Warres AEneas and Turnus méeting had these wordes And first AEneas Often Truces haue we had Turnus for the burial of our deade neuer Intreaties of peace for the welfare of those aliue onely once as I haue béene euer diddest thou séeme thou diddest but séeme prouident that no moe should miscarie offering me Combate which I accepting haue in vaine expected but since thy minde chaunged I wote not by what meanes haue chaunged y e lyues of I wote not how many But now euen now when for the palpable leasâ—ng thou shouldest not speake like Turnus shouldest thou deny the better of the warres to abide with AEneas and yet I still be AEneas though playing vpon that Aduauntage with Turnus euen nowe I say my selfe doo request thée of that Combate whereby further Blood-sheds may happily bee concluded Beléeue me wert thou a Begger and I a Monark yet so much doo I emulate not enuie thy glory I woulde hazarde all in a Combate requested of so valerous a Competitor But least perhaps I ouer-breath thy tyckled Conceite with more selfe-lyking then is expedient knowe Man Turnus know Nature Beath Arte Education nor whatsoeuer are in any thing more beneficiall to Turnus then that iustly be may enuie as much or more in AEneas To thys aunswered the Rutule thus Whether thou speakest this AEneas as insulting ouer my infortune or as insolent of thine owne felicitie or emulous as thou sayst and I beléeue it of my glory trust mee onely if thus in thy better successe to abandon thy selfe to such offered disaduauntage be not indiscretion neuer hearde I wherein to derogate from thy pollicie but say it indiscretion yet by Iupiter AEneas it is honourable indiscretion Not to encounter so heroicall for in thée I enuie not that Epitithon a Combattant is as contrary to my thought as contenting to my very Soule and as contenting to my Soule as if AEneas were already conquered and Turnus Conqueror either which I deuine at y e leastwise I am determined to aduenture be prouided therefore AEneas of courage for thou prouokest no Cowarde but euen Turnus that would haue asked no lesse had hée not doubted AEneas not to haue dared to aunswere so much Thus and with these Conditions that further warres should finish that the Espousall of Lauinia and Succession of Latium should bee the Prize to the Uictor A Combat to be tryed by these twayne body against body was vpon Othes taken and other Circumstaunces ratefyed Nowe were they Armed Mounted and did Encounter their Coursers were breathles the Ryders Dysmounted and buckled on Foote both offended eyther defended and nayther faynted Lastly not with vnrequited blowes was Turnus Disarmed the Uanquished pleading for life and the Uictor not purposing his death had he not espied on his Shoulders the sometimes Badrike of his once especiall Fréende Pallas King Euander his Sonne whom Turnus in Battell ouercomming had put to Sword then AEneas saying onely in this Spoyle thou shalt not tryumphe and onely for his sake am I vnintreatable shoffed his Sworde through hys Breaste Turnus so ending the World and AEneas the Warres Then was he peaceably wedded to Lauinia shortly after possessed of Latium After which about thrée yéeres he dying left his Kingdome to Ascanius and Lauinia with Childe She at her time and at the house of the before remembred Tyrrhus was deliuered of Syluius Posthumuâ— so called of hys béeing borne amongst y e Wooddes after the death of his Father To him because in right it was the Inheritance of Syluius from his Mother dyd Ascanius voluntarilie resigne the Kingdome of Latium and of him for his honourable Regyment were all the after Latine Kinges called Syluij Finally he Hunting and mistaken amongst the Thickets for a Stagge was slayne with an Arrowe by his Sunne Brutus This Brutus for sorrow and his safety accompanied with manie lusty Gentlemen and others of AEneas his Troians Ofsprings imbarking themselues after long Sayling aryued in this Iland then called Albion whose Cyantlike Inhabitants in respect of their monstrous making and inciuill Manners sayd to haue béene engendred of Deuilles he ouercomming Manured theyr Countrey and after his owne name called it Brutaine And thus hauing begotten Brutus an Originall to our Brutons I conclude this abridged Hystorie of his Grand-Father AEneas William Warner Finis ¶ Imprinted at London by George Robinson for Thomas Cadman Anno. Do. 1586.
swéete and pretie mouth that laughed on her lippes And brings him backe to Cybels bed Her heart reuiued skips Reuiuing life where reckned death had wrought repentant teares The father fronted with a guile at length the damsell beares The infant vnto Oson towne and in her Ladies name Intreats Melissus daughters twaine to nourish vp the same Up to mountaine beare they him and in a secret Caue A mountaine Goat did giue him milke and so his life they saue His Nourses sounding Simbals once to drowne the Infants crie A manie Bées the Muses birdes into the Caue did flie Where making Honnie Saturnes sonne did long time liue thereby CHAP. III. IT doth remain of Iupiter as bow but then a lad From Epire to Pelasgis him the Lordes Epyrotes had To fetch their pledge Lycaon hild when time of truse had end Lycaon faining to consent that did not so intend Next day as though hee woulde dismisse the Legates with estate Did make to them a solemne feast when hauing slaine of late His noble pledge he brings his limmes and setteth them before His Countrimen to feed vpon in saused dishes store The Strangers and his Subiects too abhorring such a sight Sit gazing ech in others face bereft of speech and sprite Untill that lustie Iupiter a Stripling to behold Did take the limbes dismembred so and with a courage bold Did shew them through Pelasgis stréetes declaring by the way The murder of their blooddie king which did so much dismay The Citizens that euen they detesting such vnright Did rise in armes against their king where youthfull Ioue did fight So valiantlie that by his force Lyacon tooke his flight And after did by Roberies by blood and Rapines liue For which to him a Wooluish shape the Poets aptlie giue IN Fpyre and Pelasgis thus Ioue first his honour wonne But greater things vntouched are by this same Worthie donne And partlie in the monstrous warre that Titan and his Crue Did hold with Saturne when by search of Issues males he knewe The which his brother had aliue against their Couenant made When Tâ—tan Uictor fast in hold was vanquisht Saturne laid Together with his wife and friends where sorrow much they past Till Iupiter did vnderstand his parentage at last He therefore landing toke in Create with well prouided men And slewe his vncle Titan and the Giant Tiphan then With most part of the Titanoies and sets his father free By meanes whereof they reconcile and wel a while agree NOt brooking then Apollos fault in that he entertaind The Remnant of the Titanoies that after warres remainde Apollo was by Iupiter inforced for to flie His kingdome Paphos and to liue exilde in Thessalie Where loue but chieflie penurie constrained him to kéepe Untill he was restored home the king Admetus shéepe And for his Sonne disdainfullie enuied Ioue his praise Ioue was the same Phisitions death that dead to life could raise Whose fame grewe thus As Asculap an heardsman did espie That did with easie fight inforce a Basalique to flie Albeit naturally that beast doth murther with the eie Apollos sonne perceauing him with Garland on his head Imagins as it was in déed some hearbe such vertue bred And for a profe he caused him to cast the wreath away When strait the beast her onelie eies the sillie man did slay Then Asculap him selfe did take the wreath and puts it on And by that meanes he ouercame the Basalique anon In hearbs that déeper force is hid then Science may containe I finde said he an hearb by hearb into his mouth did straine That lay for dead an hearb at last reuiuing him again Henceforth meÌ„ thought him more theÌ„ man when by his wondrous skil He rendred life to many like so winning great good will But as he waxed famous thus he famous waxed proud Disdaining all yea Ioue him selfe for Peere he disaloud Untill that Saturns angrie sonne reuenged it by death Correcting iustly each abuse as Rector on the Earth THe Sonnes renound thus added grace vnto the Fathers name But shadowes wait on substances and enuie followes fame Euen Saturne pompous Saturne ridde by Iupiter of Foes And feare of Titan did renewe his superstitious woes As touching former Oracle and hastis sommons sent Throughout his Realme to muster men in purpose to preuent By death of Ioue his destenie The men of Create repinde To put on armour to his ill whom they had found so kind But will they nill they so they must for so their king assignâ— And Saturne with his armed troupes into Arcadia went Where Iupiter forewarned of his fathers ill intent Intreated peace to him denide so that perforce he must Defend him from his froward Sier or rather foe vniust There might yee see king Saturne fight like to a Lion wood Whilst Iupiter did beare his blowes and spares his fathers blood and him that foo-like would him sley he friendlie did defend Desiring Saturne to retire till wordes were to no end The wilfull man pursuing blood Ioue ceaseth to persuade And rushing in amongst his foes so hot a skirmishâ—made That euerie blow sets blood on broch and so in little space Euen he who late he did intreate is followed now in chace By Arcas and his companie for Ioue refraind the flight Because against his countrimen hée had no will to fight Whilst lucklesse Saturn did escape by flight and fortune then And wandred long in vnquoth Seas depriude of wealth and men Uictorious Iupiter was crownde with glorie king of Create And Saturne now ariude at Troy for succour did intreate Ganymaedes king Trois sonne was sent in Saturns aid A worthie knight and valiant warre to Iupiter he made But hée and his were chased back euen to their Citie walles For who so stood with Iupiter by Iupiter he falles And there the Troyan Paragon Ganymides was taine Twixt whom and Iupiter thencefoorth sound friendship did remaine Then Saturne did the second time to Seas with shame retire And neuer after durst by warre against his sonne conspire But sayling into lower Realmes in Italie did dwell And hereof it is said his sonne did chase him into hell MEane while lesse ioyous of his fame then ielous of his freakes Her wrong Quéene Iuno on the Truls of Iupiter she wreakes Which was the cause that all too late he purposing returne To rescue Danae in whose loue he amorouslie did burne Was cast by stormes into the Seas that foorthwith tooke the name of him whom for his Piracies Ioue vanquisht in the same Yee might haue seene AEgaeon there with wreakfull wroth inflamâ— At sight of Ioue at whose decay he long in vaine had aimd And how that Ioue had now the worst and in a trise againe The Gyant with his twise thrée Barkes in hassard to be taine The Centaures shew them valerous so did Ixeon stout and braue Ganymaedes did deale his balefull dole about But when couragious Iupiter had beaten to the ground AEgaeon and in selfesame Chaines wherein he often bound The
by force of Armes subdew her hence to thee Yet from thy strongest Hold in Danske I would thy Conquest free Loe here my Gage he terr'd his Gloue thou know'st the Uictors meede So did he pause his Pledge vntoucht and then did thus proceede Then freat thy fill and worse thy worst deliuer Lords your willes Ye haue experience how this same with bragges not battell killes He threatneth onely I intreate he claimeth her of dewe I wish and hope for to deserue The Counsell then withdrewe themselues aparte and soone for Brenn a verdict did ensewe The Dane inraged fayled thence and rigged out a Fléete And did with Brenn resayling home at great aduantage méete Their Shippes did grapple and their swords did sunder life from lim So fought they as their Shippes did seeme in Seas of blood to swim But multitude oppressed Brenn he hardly did escape His Lady will be nill he left the King Denmarkes Rape Not meanely insolent the Danes hoyst vp their home-meant Sayles But after many crabbed Flawes and long contrarie Gayles The Kings and Norgane Ladies Shippe was tossed to the Coste Of Brutaine where imprisoned King Belyn was their Hoste Untill sufficient Pledges had that Denmarke it should pay Continuall Tribute to the Brutes he them dismist away Howbeit Brenn receiued now amongst the Gawles did threate For Norgane Lady him with-held his Brothers selfe and Seate For Tyme alaying Loue did add vnto domesticke hate He with the Cenouesean Gawles whose Prince his heire of late He had espoused did inuade the Empier of his Brother And almost did their Battelles ioyne when thus intreates their Mother I dare to name ye Sonnes because I am your Mother yet I doubt to tearme you Brothers that doe Brotherhood forget These Prodigeies their wrothfull Sheilds forbodden Foe to Foe Do ill beséeme allyed hands euen yours allyed foe O how seeme Oedipus his Sonnes in you againe to striue How séeme these Swords in me aye me Iocasta to reuyue I would Dunwallo liued or ear death had lofte agayne His Monarchie sufficing Fower but now to smale for Twayne Then either would you as did he imploy your wounds elswheare Or for the smalenes of your Power agrée at least for feare But pryde of ritch rome-some Throones that wingeth now your darts It will I would not as I feare worke sorrowe to your harts My Sonnes swéet Sonnes attende my words your Mothers words attend And for I am your Mother doe conclude I am your frend I cannot councell but intreate nor yet I can intreate But as a Woman and the same whose blood was once your meate Hence had yée Milk She baerd her Pappes these Armes did hug ye oft These fyled hands did wype did wrap did rock and lay yée soft These Lippes did kisse or Eyes did wéepe if that ye were vnqueat Then plye I did w t Song or Sighes w t Dance with Tonge or Teate For these kinde Causes deer my Sonnes disarme your selues if not Then for these bitter teares that now your Mothers Chéekes doe spot Oft vrge I Sonnes and Mothers Names Names not to be forgot Send hence these Soldiors yée my Sonnes none but ye would fight When none should rather be at one if Nature had her right What comfort Beline shall I speede swéet Brenn shall I preuaile Say yea swéet Youthes ah yea say yea or if I néedes must faile Say noe and then will I beginn your Battell with my baiel Then then some Stranger not my Sonnes shall close me in the Earth When we by Armor ouer-soone shall méet I feare in death This sayd with gushing teares eftsoones she plies the one and other Till both did shewe themselues at length Sonnes worthy such a Mother And with those hands those altred hands that lately threatned blooes They did imbrace becoming thus continuall frends of fooes Glad was the Quéene and Beline hild sole Empier more he had From Denmarke Tribute and to this a greater honor add His daughter Cambra wedded to the Almayne Prince gaue vaine Unto the Cimbrians holding Rome so long and warlike game Some if no Error giue to him for forren Conquests fame His Ualour Warre and Peace â—re-past now speake we of the Knight That this side and beyond the Alpes subdewed all by fight The stateliest Townes in Italie had Brenn their Buylder and Euen Rome the terror of the World did at his mercie stand The Senate giuing to the Earth eax-while both warre and peace Could not themselues their Cittie scarce their Cappitoll release THeir Gander Feast what Manlius and Camillus did therein How This the Cappitole That from Brenn his Spoyles did win I pretermit The thrée-topt Mount Parnassus had beloe Appollos Temple whether men for Oracles did goe This with the God and Goods the Gawles did put to sacke and spoyle And whil'st incamped here they kept such sacraligious coyle The God or rather Deuill whom th'Almightie did permit His Deitie prophaned to deceiue the world in it With Tempests Earth-quakes Stench Sights so cryde the Spolers quit That most did perrish fewe disparse and all were out of harte Yea Brenn himselfe discouraged did chaunge in euery parte He looking after and vpon the scattered and the slayne Did seeme a second Cadmus saue lesse patient of his payne And shaming to be seene to wéepe deuoured sightles teares And in these words his hartie gréefes did number to their Eares Swéete Soldiours leaue me to my selfe it likes me that ye leaue me More takes your tarriance from my health then can these plagues bereaue me Ech of these Masse of Courses dead hath bin a death to mee Deliuer then myne Eyes of you too many deathes I see Suruiue and tell the Westerne World what we exployted haue How that to Rome amidst her Roofe the Mayden Sacke we gaue Tell of our Battelles Booties and our Buyldings lastly tell An honor to our Ouerthrowe that we at Delphos fell By wounds deuine no humaine Armes But God who so thou be Lesse is thy courage then thy meanes els would'st thou cope with me As Pluto with Alcides did and Mars sometymes with men Doe me like honor and these Graues shall lightly gréeue me then But thou full little darest so Nay I doe dare to much That with my so vnhallowed tongue thy Deitie dare touch Ah see these Slaughters and reserue aliue this small Remayne Let last me and only me eeke to the number slayne But bootlesse to a ruthles God I see my prayers spent As haughtelie doest thou reuenge as humbly I repent Well God of Delphos since our teares this Incence nor these Graues Appease thyne yre parsist to plague this flesh that henceforth craues No pittie to the Hebrewe God of power excéeding thyne Men say appeale I and bequeath the Soules of me and myne Accept my simple Legacie O Godhood most deuyne Sayd Brenn. And with a selfe-wrought wound did perrish and his men Departing wonne and left the name to Gallo-Grecia then The rightuous Gorboman might add fresh Subiect
to our Muse But skipping to his Fathers Sonnes of them it thus ensewes FIue yeres had Archigallo raign'd when hated doing wrong He was depriued of his Realme and liued vagrant long And fearing all that frended none kept close the Woods among There Elidurus hunting found his wretched Brother and They gasing each in others face with sighes and wéepings stand A King as Elidurus is once was I thinks his brother A wretch as Archigallo is I may be thinkes the other The lowlie King alights anon and when they had imbrac'd Then Archigallo secretly in Ebranks Towne was plac'd In which the King commaunding so the Nobles did conuent To whom did Elidurus thus informe of his intent If Fortune had bin crosse my Lords to me or any feare Of Armor were approching vs I should perchaunce appeare Faint and false-harted in my charge but euer lackt the one Nor hath the other likelihood for quietler ruleth none Yet Kings may thinke their heads to weake their Dyademes to sustaine For endles cares concurre with Crownes a bitter sweete is Rayne Howbeit Subiects falsely iudge their Princes blessed are When both of peace and perrilles they containe to common care And yet for this they grudgingly from Pounds a Penny spare Not these my Lords make me disclame in it which all pursue But Iustice biddes my Brothers right I should commend to you This one Request includes I knowe excéeding dangers twayne To me if for a priuate life I change a publique Rayne To you if whom ye haue depriu'd ye shall bestoore agayne But for I haue done right no wrong though Iustice wants not fooes And though vnto a Magistrate digrading bringeth woes Yet to the bad a conscience good may saue it selfe oppoes Nor be ye fearefull of reuenge that did no more then right Euen Archigallo will confesse his sinne and clear your spight Whose restitution were he wrong at least shall you acquire You hassard lesse re-kinginge him then I vn king'â— to be And Danger ouer-dares if it from Iustice disagrée Then good my Lords doe right his wrong at least-wise doe him right Whose smarte no doubt hath wrought in him a reconsciled spright Iust Gorboman his brotherhood succeding in their Lyne Then Archigallo should be King to him let me resyne So much the King did vrge this Text that Archigallo raynde And Elidurus willingly in priuate life remaynde The one restored for his late depryuing nothing mou'de The other wonders tell I now dis-crowned yet belou'd Tenne yeres did Archigallo rayne beloued well and dyed And Elidurus once againe the Kingly Throne supplyed Untill his Brothers secondly depoose him of his rayne But they deceasing thirdly he was crowned King agayne And so vntill his Dying day with honor did remayne A many Kings whose good or bad no Wrighter hath displayde Did followe Lud and Hely for their stately buyldings maide Rest chiefly famous nor forget King Bledgabred I shall Whome Brutons did their Glée-god for his skill in Musike call The next whose dayes gaue famous deedes Cassiuelan is fayde Whome Caius Iulius Caesar did with Armor thus inuayde CHAP. XVII THis Conquerour of Gallia found his Uictory prolong'd By Brittish Succoures and for it pretending to bee wrong'd Did send for Tribute threatning els to bring the Brutons Warre The former going forward first the Albinests to barre A common fooe concurr as friends and now was come the Spring When Caesar out of War-wonne France victorious Trowpes did bring But eassier wonne the Grecians land at Pargama by much Then got the Latines footing heer their Contraries were such Yée might haue séen of Hectors race tenn thousand Hectors heer With pollicie on either part the Romanes buying deer The bloddy Shoore the water yet lesse déerer then the land To them whom valiantly to proofe the Ilanders withstand Oft battell they the Brutons still victorious and in vaine Their fooes were valiant onely heer was Caesars force in wayne And as our men vnto his men were as tempestious Thunder So did his ankred Shippes on Seas by Tempest dash in sonder But twise ê™ Caesar Fortune thou weart opposite to myne But thirdly heer to Caesars selfe thou wontles doste declyne Conuaying than his weerie men into his wasted Shippes To Gallia there to Winter them he miscontented slippes Of this same Uictorie did spring securitie and strife The Scottes and Pichtes did sunder hence the Brutons ouer ryffe In Largesse making frollike Cheer a quarrell then aroes Betwixt the king and Luds false Sonne and they dis-ioyne as fooeâ— That Caesar slippes Aduantage such were error to suppooes Euen of the Brutons some there were recalling backe the Foe And Winter past with dubled power he backe againe did roe The Romaines more the Brutons they farre fewer then before Offend defend fight for fence from to winn and warde the Shore But Caesar landed and ensew'd continuall cruell fight Thrise put the fearce Cassiuelanes the Caesarines to flight And still the King incouraging in euery wing appeares So giuing needles spurres to sight his Soldiours brookt not feares Nor little did the Cornish Belles offend the Romaine eares When Caesars oft successes fight had tyred him and his Inringed with his mayhmed Campe the Romaine speaketh this Are these same Bands those self-same Bands y t neuer faught in vaine And ye the men that following still my Standard still did gaine Euen these and ye are very those nor can I discommend Your manhoodes that with lesser work brought greater Warres to end But not as was my wont to wright the Senate now shall réede I came I sawe I ouer-came such Foes forbid such spéede Nor let the Senate muse for Troy with Troy doth here contend This warlike people fame is so from whence sprong we discend Yea if AEneas had not left the Phrygian Gods to vs And Greekes Palladium shipt to Greece this Fortune foyling thus I would haue thought those very Gods had followed our anoy But them haue we these onely haue vndanted harts from Troy But what shall Caesar doubt to fight against so braue a Foe No Caesars Tryumphes with their Spoyles shall giue the brauer shoe Ye Gods that guide our Capitall Mount Palatin thou Throne Of stately Rome ye Followers too of her affayres each one Delay not but depriue me quite my Triumphes now in hand Nor let me liue if so I leaue vnconquered this Land This Land the last of Westerne Isles an Isle vnknowne ere this Which famous now through Caesars fight and our misfortune is Enough my fellowe friends in Armes enough we Romaines haue To seeke reuenge your Conquest is a Countrie rich and braue And which perswadeth Uictorie in Troynouant there bée That hold that Cittie to our vse the Brutons disagrée No Scot or Pichte assisting them in rhese our Warres I sée Their ciuell strife will proue their skourge how stout soere they seeme And perpetuitie doth fayle in euery thing extreeme Not Fortune still is good or bad and now let be our day To long we liue if that
their sight the threatned Citie of the Foe his Tents did Affer pight And girts it with a sodaine Siedge The Giant then did shake his hideous head and vow'd reuenge yea sharpe reuenge to take But issuing out his Citie gates hee found the Foe so hot That notwithstanding such his bragges the worst Antaeus got For Hercules did canuase so his carkas that at length hée did retire himselfe and men as trustlesse of his strength His Libions slaine and hée not sound Antaeus Truse did craue For graunt whereof vnto his Foes meane time he victuals gaue And whilst the Month of Truse did last the Giant brused sore Did heale his wounds and to his part sollicites aiders more Meane while the Greeke to Mauritan did passe vnknowne of all and there in king Antaeus aide he found supplies not small And for he looked souldier-like they brought him to the king who offered payâ— not so quoth he I meane another thing Discharge these Bands or els I will discharge thee of thy breath That all alone to thée and thine opposâ— me to the death When Atlas knew him Hercules that conquered of late The Iland which his daughters held and brought to latest fate His Giant that defended them and captiuated then His friend Philoctes he twixt feare and fiercenesse waxed wanne And looke how fast the ratling haile vpon an house doth fall So fast they lay on Hercules that holdeth wag gainst all and as the Smith with Hammer beats his forged Mettall so he â—ubs his Club about their pates and fleas them on a roe And whilst not daring to looke downe by heaps on him they flie Some stumbling on the bodies dead are smoldred so and die Some sliding in the slipperie blood wherewith the place did swimme were strangled so some others whilst disorderedly at him They freat and soyne are crowded on by those that hindmost be and with their weapons spoile themselues and fellowes two or three Some others with the wounding points of broken weapons die and others daring with their Foe their bootles force to trie were in a moment slaine by him and thus in little space Without Resistants Hercules had Lordship of the place And maugre swords or studied Starres brought Atlas to the Seas whereas Philoctes did in time his pensiuenes appease And to his friend comemnds the Foe for bountie which at last himselfe did finde and when as time his griefe had ouerpast The same that for Astrologie the Skies Support was said In such his Science Hercules a perfect Artist made The Month of Truse by this had end and Hercules returnes To Affer that incamped at the Lybian walles soiournes A second battell then begonne Antaeus like a Baer Besâ—â—es himselfe amongst his Foes whilst Hercules did faer as roughlie with contrarie blooes till none to fight did daer But humblie all submitting them selues subdued by his might He gaue them grace and staied ther to doe them law and right Meane time Anteus lately fled returnes from Mauritain And with a mightie Troupe of Moores renewed fight againe And all the Fieldes with Carcases of mangled men were filde And nombers failed to the Moores that Hercules then kild But when Anteus saw his men to lessen more and more Resoluing or to win the Spurres or lose him selfe therefore He makes a blodie path vntill the Thaebane he espide And finding him bestowe on me thy blowes the Giant cried That am both able to enduer and to repay the same A Flie is not an Eagles praie nor Mouse a Lions game My death might countenance thy deedes if that it so would be But make account that I anon will triumph ouer thee In saying which hee smites his Foe perfourming wondrous might And bodie vnto bodie they with equal dammage fight But Hercules disdaining that so long Antaeus standes with him in combat griping him betwixt his angrie handes Did crush his Carkasse in the aire that life did leaue him so And thus did reape a Monarchie and rid a mightie Foe Then Hercules Antaeus dead with ease he ouercame all Libea with the Prouinces Kingdomes of the same And maketh Affer King of al that beares the doers name IN expedition of which warre when Hercules would dwell no longer time but purposed to bid his friends farewâ—ll A warlike Wench an Amazon salutes him by his name And said knowe Hercules if it thou knowest not by fame how that the Scythian Ladies late eâ—peld their natiue Land by King of Egipt haue contriu'd amongst themselues a bande And with the same haue conquered all Asia Egipt and all Capadocia Now that for we Uictors vnderstand the Africanes are our Allies and minding to procéed In further conquests tendring them thus is therefore decréed That you two Champions shall elect and they will also send two Ladies that for victorie shall with your Knights contend And if your Champions vanquish ours then we wil tribute pay And if that ours doe vanquish yours then you shall vs obay But hope not so more profite giues our bountie then our blowes And vninforced tribute may procure you friendlie Foes Then Hercules admiring much the Chalengers did yeeld two aduerse Knights the morrow next shoulde méet them in the field And mounted well on Corsers twaine next light by dawne of day Into the Liestes came Hercules and Theseus Mid the way vpon a brace of milke white Séedes the two Viragoes méete the Knights and each the other did with ciuill Congies gréete Then either parte retiring backe began to make their race And coutching well their valiant Speares did run a wondrous pace With Menalippe Hercules the sight did vndertake And Theseus with Hippolite did his Encounter make They méeting either part both horse and load to ground were cast Whereat the Africanes did muse and Scythians weare agast Unhorsed thus disdainfully each Knight defendant tooke it And either Ladie so disgrac'd as scornefullie did brooke it Then settle they to handy Armes the which was long and fierce And with their cutting weapons did both Helms and Harnes pierce But Hercules though neuer matcht so hardlie in his life Disarmes at length his Scithian Task and ended was their strife But Theseus with his Combattesse in doubtfull battell fights Till blushing at the Maidens blowes he checks his mending sprits And laid so hardlie to her charge not able to sustaine his fresh-got force that he also the second Prize did gaine Antiope a third vnto those warlike Sisters twaine Beholding how sinisterly the double fight had past Makes sorrow whilst the Africanes reioise for it as fast The Scythians to the Africanes did Homage then and pray their Ladies might be raunsomed Which sute did Theseus stay For he through Lance his Foe through loue went Uanquisher away And ther-fore when th' Athenian Knight and Amazon were matcht in mariage Menelippe then from Durance was dispacht And Hercules then which to him no greater Prize could be had Quéene Antiope her Bealt and Armour for his fâ—e And sets the Dames of Thermodon