How King Malin was slayne by his brother King Mempricius, the yeare before Christ, 1009.

If fortue were so firme as shee is fraile,

Or glosing glory were still permanent:

If no mishap mens doings did assayle,

Or that their acts and facts were innocent:

If they[345] in hope no hurt nor hatred ment,

Or dealings aye were done with duty due,

They neuer neede theyr great[346] misfortunes rue.

If pompe were payne, and pride were not in price,

Or hauty seate had not the highest place:

If they[347] could learne by others to bee wise,

Or else eschewe the daungers of their[348] face:

If once they[349] could the golden meane imbrace,

Or banish quite ambition from their[350] breast,

They[351] neuer neede to recke or reape vnrest.

But they doe thinke[352] such sweetenes in renowne,

They[353] deeme on earth is all the greatest hap:[354]

They[355] nothing feare the hurt of falling downe,

Or little rome in Lady Fortune’s lap.

They[3] geue no heede before they[356] get the clap:

And then to late they[4] wish they[357] had bin wise,

When from the fall they[358] would, and cannot, rise.

As if two twinnes, or children at the teate

Of nurce, or mother, both at once might bee,

And both did striue the better dugge to geat,

Till one were downe, and slipt beside her knee:

Even so it fares, by others as by mee,[359]

In Fortune’s lap they[360] haue so little hold,

She cannot stay both striuing if shee would.

I am that Malin,[361] one of Madan’s sonnes.

Which thought to raygne and rule this noble Ile,

And would so done, but see what chaunce there comes

Where brethren loue and frendship quite exile:

Who thinkes in trust no treason neither guile,

Is soonest cleane bereau’d of life and all,[362]

In steade of rule hee reapes the crop of thrall.

My yongest[363] brother then Mempricius hight,

Whose hauty minde, and mine, were still at square:[364]

Wee euermore as foes hight other spite,

And deadly ire in hatefull heartes wee bare.

Hee sought all wayes hee might to worke mee care,

And ech regarded others enuy, so,

As after turned both to paynfull woe.

Because my father lou’d him well,[365] therefore

I fear’d my brother should obtayne my right:[366]

Likewise on fauoure boldned hee him bore,[367]

And neither had in vertue’s wayes delight.

What neede I here our inward griefes recite?

Wee, not as brethren, liu’d in hatred still,

And sought occasion other each to kill.

I hauing hope for to preserue the crowne,[368]

And hee for that hee feard my title[369] bred

Such frendship as might alwayes keepe him downe

And both depriue him of his crowne and head.

But when it chaunst our father once was dead,

Then strayght appeared all his[370] enuy playne:

For hee could not from his[371] attempt refrayne.[372]

Some wisht wee should depart the realme in twoo,

And sayd my father eke was of that minde:

But nether of vs both, that so would doe,

Wee were not ech to other halfe so kinde.

And vile ambition made vs both so blinde,

Wee thought our raygne could not bee sure and good

Except the ground thereof were layd with bloud.

10.[373]

At last a time of parle appoynted[374] was,

And truce concluded for our titles right:

Wherein I hoped might bee brought to passe

That I enioy in peace my kingdome might.

But secretly by pollecy and sleight

Hee slewe mee with his swoord, before I wist:

Where crowne, peace, kingdome, life and all I mist.[375]

11.

Thus was I by my wicked[376] brother slayne,

Which with my death his cruell eyes did fill.[377]

This oftentimes they vse to get and gayne,

That cannot shunne misfortune as they wil.[378]

Was neuer man pretended such an ill,

But God to him like measure shortly sent,

As hee to others erst before had ment.

12.

Vniustice euer thriues as theues doe thee,

And bloudthirst cryes for vengeaunce at his hand,

Which all our rights and wronges doth dayly see[379]

The good to aide, and gracelesse to withstand;

If either vice or vertue wee aband,

Wee either are rewarded as wee serue,

Or else are plaged, as our deedes deserue.

13.

Let this my warning then suffice ech sort,

Bid them beware: example here you see:

It passeth play, ’tis tragicall disport

To clime the steppes of stately high degree.[380]

For though they thinke good Fortune seru’d not mee,

Yet did shee vse mee as shee vs’d the rest:

And so full oft shee[381] serueth euen the best.[382]

LENUOY.

This was mee thought that time the ruefull tale,

That Maline[383] drewe from out his wounded breast.

A woefull thing to heare the Prince’s bale.

Should by his brother boldly bee addrest:

But yet wee see such rage in tyraunts rest,

If they may beare alofte alone the sway,

For Kingdomes sake they care not whom they slay.

Examples are King Porrex of this thing,

The Romish Antonine did euen the same:

But what neede I of these examples bring:

Such tyraunts euer yet deserued blame,

And haue procur’d them selues, beside defame,

Not only after shorter time of sway,

But most they were by others made away.

Now here Mempricius which his brother slew

Was after King, as plainely stories tell:

Whose filthy facts all princes ought eschew,

And subiects eke, that hope to prosper well.

Hee next appear’d declaring how hee fell,

Eke how his brother deare hee made away,

And how the Wolues in hunting did him slay.