How Gviderivs King of Britayne and the elder sonne of Cimbaline was slayne in battayle by a Romayne, The yeare of Christ, 44.

Or as some write, 46.

Take, Higins, now in hand thy pen for mee,

Let not my death and storye lye forgote,

Good cause there is I should remembred bee,

If thou the falles of Britayne Princes note:

Aloft I sate in Princely place a flote,

I had the sword, I bare the scepter right,

I was accounted aye a worthy wight,

[And with the Romaynes proud I waged warlike fight.]

Guiderius was my name, of Britayne yore,

The sonne of Cimbaline, and after King:

I tribute nild to Romaynes payd before,[930]

Mee thought it was to bace a seruile thing:

No Romayne should mee in subiection bring,

[I sayd I would not pay them tribute, I,

They did extort the same by force, perdy,

Agaynst all right, a charge without occasion why.][931]

When Claudius [Cæsar] sent this tribute for to haue,

I sent him word agayn I would not pay,

I would not graunt, vniustly hee did craue,

That might in time procure my realme’s decay:

Hee should not beare our freedome so away,

[For as by treason Cesar gate the fame,

And tribute, when to winne this Realme hee came:

So now I iustly might deny to pay the same.][932]

On this addreste him selfe in warlike sorte,

The noble Claudius [Cæsar] came to trye the case,

Which had [perdy] before receaued high reporte,

Both of my wealth, my force and noble grace:

So thinking well hee might my fame [and mee] deface,

From Rome hee came to Britayne with his host,

And landed here vppon my Southerne cost,

[By martiall feates to try whom Fortune fauourde most.]

Now marke my tale, and hereby shalt thou knowe

The subtil slights of Romaynes in their war:

The slye deceats of such doe make a showe,

Whereby to try the people what they ar:

Note well such foes in dealing neare and far,

Amidst the field, in scout, or fight alone,

Of all the rest example take by one,

[For vnder sunne of more despite a nation is there none.]

[Amongst his armies stout a Captayne fearce hee had,

With whom encountring oft I made my party good,

Hamonius men hym cald, and hee was more then mad,

Because his might so often fearcely I withstood:

At last hee wrought a wyle which way to shed my bloud,][933]

Hee clad him selfe as hee a Britayne [souldier] weare,

Like armour, sword, and target did hee beare,

[And bad the Romaynes of the field to take no feare.]

[Amongst the rest hee road, perceauing nothing wee,

And made abought as t’were some Britayne lost his place,

Or broken out of ray, hee spyde an oape at mee,

Which done, his men retyrde, and wee pursude the chace.

Come on my mates (quoth hee) the Romaynes flye apace,

In Britishe tongue hee spake, and sayd, They flye, they flye;

Our hostages him taught that time at Rome did lye,

Whereby they deemde him all a Britayne, as did I.][934]

As wee pursude, in mee hee thrust [the fatall][935] blade,

Betweene my armour splints hee gaue the wound,

And fast away for life to shift hee made,

[Which did by this disceate my life and mee confound:

This was my fate, of my distresse the ground;

And so recite my last adieu, declare this fall of mee,

That men may shun the slights, and subtile wyles of foes may see.

Who well takes heede of such may liue, and long the wiser bee.][936]