How King Morgan of Albany was slayne at Glamorgan, in Wales, The yeare before Christ, 766.

I Wot not well what reasons I may vse,

To quit myselfe from lasting infamy:[503]

Wherefore I must perforce myselfe accuse:

I was[504] in fault I cannot it denye.

Remorce of conscience pricks my harte so nye,

And mee torments with panges of pinching payne,

I can no longer mee from speache refrayne.

I am that Morgan sonne of Gonerell

Th’ungratefull daughter of hire father Leire:

Which from his Kingdome did him once expell,

As by the British storyes may appeare.

Ragan and shee conspirde (both sisters were)

But were subdude agayne and caus’d to yelde

Theyr fathers Crowne: Cordila wan the field.

I need not heare the storyes all recite;

It were to long, but yet I briefly shall:

The cause Cordila ought her sisters spite

Was, they procur’d her, and their father’s thrall.

Yet t’was her chaunce at length t’out liue them all,

Both sisters elder, and her father graue,

And eke at length the kingdome all to haue.

That time was I of Albany the King,

Cal’d Scotland now, and eke my cousin then,

Of Cornewall and of Wales, whom I did bring

To warre, against Cordila and her men:

Wee sayd wee would our title winne agen,

And that because our fathers[505] had it yore,

Wee ment to get it ours againe therefore.

I must confesse I was the cause of warre,

I was not pleas’d with that was lotted mee:

Euen so our mindes ambitious often are

And blinded, that wee cannot reason see.

Wee thinke no men, but God’s on Earth wee bee,

Yet worse are wee then beastes which knowe their kinde:

For wee haue nought but mischiefe oft in mind.

Wee thinke, if so wee may our willes attayne

By right or wrong, by might or malice, wee

Could neuer liue like Fortune for to gayne:

Or if one foes wee once reuenged bee,

If that our enemies[506] fall wee chaunce to see,

O then wee ioy, wee lift our selues to skie,

And on the poore wee crucifige crye.

I deem’d if once I might put her adowne,[507]

The Kingdomes all were Conidag’s and mine

And I could easly after winne the crowne,

If also I his state might vndermine.

I thought, in deede, to haue it all in fine:

By force or fraude I ment my purpose bring

To passe, I might bee after Britayne King.[508]

To speake in fewe, wee waged warre so long

Gainst her, at last wee put her vnto flight:

Wee warriours[509] for our aunt were far to strong,

Pursude and tooke, depriu’d her of her right.

Wee thought it ours what so wee wanne by might:

Eke so play tyraunts, Traitours all doe watch

To get by spoile and count their owne they catch.

Not so contented were wee with the pray:

But fearing lest shee should recouer ayde,

I sent in hast to prison her away,

And all recourse of messengers denayd.

Thus when shee sawe her Maiesty decayd,

And that her griefes and sorowes daily grew,

In pryson at the length her selfe shee slewe.

10.

O caytife vile, should I constrain’d a Queene,[510]

That Iustice ment, her kingdome to forsake?

Nay traytour I, her cause of death haue bene,[511]

That would my selfe by bloudshed ruler make.

How could reuenge on mee but vengeaunce take?

Before the seat of God her bloud did call

For vengeaunce still, and so procur’d[512] my fall.

11.

Lo here God’s iustice see, my treason see:

Behold and see, to raygne was my delight:

And marke, and make a mirrour here of mee,

Which afterward was seru’d by iustice right.

Wee wan the crowne betweene vs both in fight:

And then because I was the elder sonne

Of th’elder Queene, I claymed all wee wonne.

12.

So were my dealings nought in peace and warre:

But by my force and fortunes v’sd in fight,

I past, that time, the Britaynes all by farre:

I was of person, fortitude, and might,

Both comely, tall, strong, seemely eke in sight,

Whereby I wonne mens fauoure, glory, wealth

And, puft with pride, at length forgate my selfe.

13.

I sayd it was my right the crowne to haue

But Conidagus stoutly it deni’d:

Wherefore I went to Wales, my ryght to craue,

With all mine army, and to haue it tri’d.

Where long wee fought it stoutly on eche side,

Till at the last, vnto my woefull payne,

I was depriu’d of Kingdome quite, and slayne.

14.

And for to keepe in memory for aye

That there vnfaythfull Morgan lost his life,

The place is cal’d Glamorgan to this daye.[513]

There was I perst to death with fatall knife:

There was the end of all my hatefull strife.

So Morgan, where hee thought to winne the Crowne,

Was at Glamorgan traytour striken downe.

15.

Thus mayst thou tell how proude ambition proues,

What hap haue tyraunts, what wee Traytours haue:

What end hee hath that cruell dealing loues,

What subiects get the[514] Diademe doe craue.

Tis better, then to winne, thine owne to saue:

For so orethwartly trade of Fortune goes,

When win thou would’st, then art thou sure to lose.[515]

LENUOY.

How restlesse are the peeres aloft would ryse?

How vncontented are theyr hauty myndes?

How quiet is the simple setled wise,

Whom no desire of proud ambition blyndes?

I see no ease the seeke-throne thirsty findes.

Hee seekes all meanes to clime to catch the crowne,

Till for his haste Ioue hurle him headlong downe.

The royall borne by birth, the time should stay

Till iust Iehoua gaue to him the place:

And not the Lordes anoynted seeke to slay,

But as his Soueraigne serue him well the space.

If hee with bloud his noble birth abace,

I meane if hee by slaughter catch the crowne,

With foote Iehoua castes him headlong downe.

If Morgan hadnot wrought his aunt’s distresse

By dint of sword, by sword hee had not fell.

But who so shall by sword a Prince oppresse,

Shall of the sword therefore and slaughter smell.

Lo here the next, that came his tale to tell,

Was gieuen to vice when once hee ware the crowne,

Till slouth and sleepy sickenes cast hym downe.

How King Iago dyed of the Lethargy, about the yeare before Christ, 612.[516]

Have I oreslept my selfe, or am I wake?

Or hadst thou late oreslept thy selfe that wrote?

Could’st thou not for the Letharge paynes to take:

And with the rest his sleepy life to note?

Was I amongst the wicked wights forgote?

Well then, awaked sith wee are both twayne,

To write my sleepy sinfull life take payne.

I am that Iago, once of Britayne King,

That ruled all this noble Britishe Ile:

No fame of mee the writers old doe bring,

Because my life and gouernement was vile.

Yet, Higgins, heere take paynes for mee a while:

Enregester my mirour to remaine,

That Princes may my vices vile refrayne.

At first, a while, I ruled well the land,

I vsed Iustice, right tooke regall place:

No wight but found iust iudgement at my hand,

And truth durst shew, without rebuke, her face.

I gaue my selfe to all good giftes of grace,

My subiects liu’d in rest within my raygne,

No cause of Prince compeld them to complaine.

But as in calme a storme wee nothing feare,

When as the Seas are milde and smoth as glasse:

And as in peace no thought of warres wee beare,

Which least suppose of mischeeues come to passe:

Euen so my still and rightfull raygning was.

The calme a tempest boads: the shine, a raine:

Long peace, a warre: and pleasure, pinching paine.

For rest and peace and wealth abounding thoe

Made mee forget my Iustice late well vsde:

Forsaking vertues, vices gan to floe,

And former noble acts I quite refusde.

My giftes, my treasures, wealth and will misusde,

Began all goodnes quite at length disdayn,

And did my facts with filthy vices staine.

Misgouern’d both my Kingdome and my life,

I gaue my selfe to ease, to sleepe, and sinne:

And I had clawbackes euen in Court full rife,

Which sought by mine outrages gaines to winne.[517]

For Kinges no sooner well or worse beginne,

But euen at hand the good or bad take payn,

For vertue’s sake, or meede, the Prince to trayne.

As vices grew encreasing more and more,

So vertues fled and bade their friends adieu:

Deseases bad likewise, and sicknesse sore

Began to wexe, and griefes about mee grew.

I may fullwell my naughty surfets rue,

Which pesterd so at length my drousy brayne,

I could not scarse from sleeping ought refrayne.

A sleepie sickenesse, nam’d the Lethargye,

Opprest me sore, and feauers fearce withall:

This was the guerdon of my glottonie,

Iehoua sent my sleepie life this dwall.

So who so sleeping let sleepe Iustice shall,

Although he feele no whit such slumbring payne,

Yet may he write he hath not long to raygne.[518]

Physicions wise may take on them the cure,

But if Iehoua smite the Prince for sinne,

As earst of me, then is the helpe vnsure,

That’s not the way for health to enter in.

No potions then, nor pouders worth a pin:

But euen as we, they must to die be fayne.

Bid them in time from vices now refrayne.

Who gouerns well, deserues with mighty Ioue to raygne.[519]

LENUOY.

Remembrng with my selfe this story past,

When I agayne had tooke this worke in hand,

I tooke my pen and wrote the same at last,

Thereby to cause all Princes sloth aband.

When they his fall set downe so vnderstand,

They may beware: a warning this may be,

Against the slothfull sweames of sluggardye.

The stories tell of Comodus the raygne,

A wise and noble Emperour at first:

He diligent to gouerne well tooke payne,

Till at the length him sloth in vice had nurst.

But see at last, see whereunto it burst:

He strangled was by wicked treacherie,

That gaue himselfe to sluggish libertie.

I may no longer on this sleeper byde,

Which for his slouthfull sinne was serued right:

Because himselfe to sluggishnes he plyde,

That plague of sickenesse dead on him did light.

But now beholde, next Forrex came to sight,

Which in this sort beganne his life t’unfold:

Eftsoones thus wise, his slaughter there he tolde.

How King Forrex was slayne by his brother King Porrex, about the yeere before Christ, 491.[520]

Complayne I may with tragiques on the stage,[521]

Compeld I am amongst the rest that fell:

I may complayne that felt of warres the wage,

Vntimely death I drewe, doth mee compell.

If I had not bin crowned king I had bene well:[522]

There had no enuie vndermin’d my state,

Nor fortune foil’d the seate whereon I sate.

What blisse enioyd I while my father raynd![523]

I had no care, in honour I did liue:

Would God I had in that estate remaynd,

But what vs fortune wonted is to giue,

Good happe that holds as water in a siue:

Shee showes a glimpse of thousand ioyes, and moe

Which hides in it tenne thousand seas of woe.

That hatefull hellish hagge of vgly hue,

With rustie teeth and meygre corps misshape,

I meane that monster vile, the worst in viewe,

Whome some call Discorde, Enuie, Ire, and Hate:

She set my brother first with me at bate:

When we fiue yeeres had raygned ioyntly well,

By her intisements, foule at strife we fell.

We liu’d that space well in this noble Ile,

Deuyded well wee ioyntly did inioye

The princely seate, while Fortune fayre did smile,

Without disdayne, hate, discorde or anoye:

Euen as our father raignd, the noble Roy,

In wealth, peace, prayse, purporte, renowne and fame,

Without the blots of euerlasting blame.

But when ambition bleared both our eyes,

And hasty hate had brother-hoode bereft:

Wee frendship fayre and concorde did dispise,

And far a part from vs wee wisedome left:

Forsooke each other at the greatest heft.

To rule the kingdome both wee left, and fell

To warring, iarring like two hounds of hell.

For bounds we banded first on either syde,

And did incroach each one on others right.

T’inlarge the limetes of our kingdome wide,

We would not sticke full oft to fray and fight.[524]

The wretched ground had so bewicht our sight.

For why, the earth that once shall eate vs all,

Is th’only cause of many Princes fall.

On th’earth wee greeue the grounde for filthy gayne,

On th’earth wee close the earth t’inlarge our land:

In th’earth wee moyle with honger, care, and payne,

Wee cut, wee dig thence Siluer, Gold, and Sand:

The bowels of the earth wee moyle with might of hand,

With Steele and Iron tearing vnder ground,

And rigging all the earth to make our ioyes abound.[525]

For th’earth forget wee God, (vnfaythfull fooles)

For grounde forsake wee fayth and all our frends:

For th’earth wee set our selues to subtile schooles,

Of grounde lyke swine wee seeke the farthest ends:

Wee spoyle the grounde that all our liuing lends:

Of grounde to winne a plat a while to dwell

Wee venter liues, and send our soules to hell.

If wee consider could the substance[526] of a man,

How hee composed is of Elements[527] by kinde,

Of earth, of water, ayre, and fire, than

Wee would full often call vnto our minde,

That all our earthly ioyes wee leaue behinde:

And when wee passe to th’earth wee turne to rot:

Our pompe, our pride, and glory is forgot.

10.

The fire first receaues his heate againe,

The ayre the breath bereaues away by right:

The watry and the earthly parts remaine,

Of elements composed scarce so light:

And in the ground a place is for them dight.

The moistures dry, the bones consume to dust,

The wormes with fleshe suffice their greedy lust.

11.

But wee forget our composition olde,

Both whence wee came, and whereunto wee shall:

Wee scarce remember wee bee made of mould,

And how the earth agayn consumeth all.

This great forgetfulnesse breedes Princes thrall.

While present ioyes wee gaze vppon, meane while

A fadeing blisse doth all our wits beguile.

12.

All this I speake to th’end it may aduise

All Princes great, and noble peeres that ar,

To learne by mee the rather to bee wise,

And to abandon hate and malice far:

To banishe all ambitious bloudy warre:

To liue content in peace, with their estate:

For mischiefe flowes from discord and debate.

13.

And now Ile tell what discord vile hath done

To mee King Forrex. Thus the case it stood.

I thought in deede to haue some castels wonne

And holds, which were my brother’s, strong and good.

So might I intercept his vitayles, forrage, food,

Abate his pride, obtaine the Kingdome all:

Mee thought the halfe a portion was to small.

14.

Ther’s no man takes an enterprise in hand,

But hee perswades him selfe it is not ill:

Hee hath of reasons eke in steede to stand,

As hee supposeth framed wise by skill.

So I was led by reason rude, to kill

My brother, if I caught him at the nicke,

Because the quarell first hee gan to picke.

15.

And for because I was the elder Prince,

The elder sonne, and heyre vnto the crowne:

Me thought no lawe, nor reason could conuince

Mee from the fact, though I did beate him downe.

This was my way to winne and reape renowne.

I did prouide an army strong, encampte a fielde,[528]

Not far from where I hoapte to cause him yeelde.

16.

And sundry sharpe assautes on each wee gaue,

On purpose both enflamed for to fight:

Wee had in parle receaued counsayle[529] graue

Of wise and worthy men, perswading right.

'It pitie was (they sayd) so fowle a sight,

That brethren twayne, both Princes of a land,

Should take at home such woefull warres in hand.’

17.

But where ambition dwelles is no remorce,

No countrey’s loue, no kinred holden kinde,

No feare of God, no sentence wise of force

To turne the harte, or mollify the minde:

Good words are counted wasting of your wynde.

The gayne proposde, the crowne and scepter hye,

Are th’only thinges whereat men gaze and prye.

18.

At length my brother for to ende the strife,

Thought best to worke the surest way to winne:

He founde the meanes to take away my life,

Before which time the warres could neuer linne.

How much might better both contented binne!

For hope is sloape,[530] and hold is hard to snatche,

Where bloud embrues the hands that come to catch.

19.

Thus our ambition brewde[531] our subiects smart:

Our broyles pourde out their guiltlesse bloud on ground:

Which vile deuise of mine ambitious heart

Procured Ioue my purpose to confound.

Therefore beware yee wights whose wealths abound,

Content your selues in peace to spend your dayes,

By vertues good aloft in earth your names to rayse:

So shall you liue in Heauen with mighty loue alwayes[532].

LENUOY.

What cruell heartes had both these Princes then,

To raigne alone, which sought their brother’s life:

These tyrants were no perfect noble men,

But buchers rather raignyng all by knife:

A woefull thing to heare such brother strife,

Where loue aye lasting loyall should endure,

That crowne or kingdome bloudshed should procure.

And here you one thing chiefely haue to note,

That his pretence was punisht as the fact:

For hee no bloudshed wrought (as well you wote)

But purposde was to worke a bloudy act,

And that both time and place therefore hee lact:

Let such then know, as haue such thoughts in vre,

No murder stable Kingdome can procure.

For if Iehoua did his purpose dint,

How much will hee the factours punish more:

Let noble men from such endeuours stint,

And loue embrace where hatred was before:

Iehouae’s ioyfull impes embrace this lore:

For Porrex here can tell, they may bee sure,

No murder stable kingdome can procure.

How King Porrex[533] which slewe his brother was slayne by his owne mother and hir maydens, about the yeare before Christ, 491.

Can cursed Cayne that captiue scuse him selfe,

That slew his brother Abel innocent:

Or Typhon tell a reason for himselfe,

Why hee Osiris downe[534] to Lymbo pent?

King Dardan then may doe the lyke perdy,[535]

They slewe their brethren each, and so did I.

The wicked witch Medæa rent in peeces smalle

Absirtus limmes her brother, did not shee?

Shee threw him in the way dismembred all,

That so hir father’s iourney stayde might bee:

Orodes eke did sley his brother[536] Mithridate:

And so did I my brother [Forrex] in debate.

Learchus slewe his brother for the Crowne,

So dyd Cambyses fearing much the dreame:

Antiochus [the great] of infamous renowne

His brother slewe, to rule alone the realme:

Ardieus dyd the lyke for kingdome’s sake,

So dyd my selfe like wise away my brother take.[537]

Mempricius lewde of lyfe likewise did kill

His brother Manlius, for the same intent:

These Princes vile were brother sleyers ill,

For kingdomes sake vnnaturally bent:

But reade the storyes, thou shalt finde it playne,

The bloudy wretches all were after slayne.

Euen so I Porrex eke, which slewe my brother,

And ruled once the Britayne land with him,

Vnkindly kilde was by my cruell mother,

Which with hir maydens chopt mee euery limme:

As I lay sleeping on my bed at rest,

Into my chamber full and whole they prest.

Apoynted well they were with weapons sharpe,

And boldly layde on me with all their might:

Oft quite and cleane they thrust me through the heart,

And on my corps each where theyr weapons light:

They chopt me small (I say) as flesh to pot,

And threwe mee out my limes yet trembling hot.

Can I complayne of this reuenge shee raught,

Sith I procurde hir wrath by slaughter[538] of hir sonne?

Can I excuse my selfe deuoyde of faut,

Which my deare Prince and brother had fordonne?

No; ’tis to true that, who so slayes a King,

Incurrs reproch, and slaughter bloud doth bring.

The traytours to their Prince haue alwayes binne

As sleyers of their parents, viper’s broode:

The killers of their brothers, frends, and kinne,

In like degree well nigh of treason stoode:

But what by this winne they, saue death, defame,

Distayne theyr bloud, and shroude themselues with shame.

Example take you Princes of the[539] land,

Beware of discord, shun ambitious pride:

By right take yee the scepter in your hand,

Let not your sword with soueraignes bloud be dide:

The mighty Ioue, that raignes eternall ay,

Cuts of the Kings that enter in that waye.

10.

Vsurpers may perswade themselues a while

There is no God, no lawes of sacred crowne,

No wrong they doe, no murther seemeth vile,

Nor no respect of princely high renowne:

But if they could consider well the case,

They nild exalt themselues to Princes place.[540]

11.

They would example take by Lucifer

That was cast downe, the father first of pride:

And al his impes how high so ere they were,

Vsurping Realmes and Kingdomes farre and wide:

From light to darke, from throne to thrall they fell,

From hap to hate, from life to death, from heauen to hell.[541]

12.

Sufficient here is sayd to warne the wise,

For he by prudence oft forecasts the doubt:

The foole is bent all warnings to despise,

He runneth headlong with the rascall rout:

Then if thou cast to liue at rest a subiect good,

Touch not the Prince’s fame, crowne,[542] scepter, nor his blood.[543]

LENUOY.

It lothed me a L’enuoy here to write

Of such a cruell, proude, ambitious beast:

But yet sith now his faultes he doth recite,

And warnes for murther’s venge aliue the rest,

Which had therefore againe his death addrest,

I will (though he deseru’d no tale to tell)

Set downe his fall for sample seruing well.[544]

The good deserue to haue their praises wrote,

To spread their fames, t’incourage those aliue:

Of wicked Princes wee the falls doe note,

A Caueat for kingdomes where they striue:

To show that who so slaughters doth contriue,

(Though hee deserue agayne no tale to tell)

His tragique fall may serue ensample well.

These brethren quellers Brutus bloud bereft,

Which were last Kings that fate of all his line:

Six hundreth yeares and sixteene, or they lefte,

They raygnde, and thus they spoilde themselues in fine.

The ciuill warres insued hereof long time.

About the crowne I list not here define.

But of intruders three[545] that after fell,

As came to fight in order next I tell.

How King Pinnar was slain in battayle by Mulmucius Donwallo, about the yeare before Christ, 441.[546]

Might often times ouer runnes right[547] to fast,

Right commeth after[548] and hopes to haue his owne:

And when [agayne] hee ouertakes might at the last,

Then is the truth of all the quarell knowne.

Men neuer reape no other then was sowne:

If good were the gayne,[549] the better commes the crop:

On vine growes the grape, and not the biter hop.[550]

2.[551]

Of this that I haue sayd I would this inferre:

A man by might a while may perforce withholde

A kingdome not his owne: but hee farre better were

To yeeld vnto the right, and then hee may bee bolde.

Good metall bides the touch that trieth out the gold:

When copper playne appeares, the counterfaite in cast

Is counted but as drosse, and called in at last.

3.[552]

I am that Pinnar once a Britayne King,

No pinner by my science for to make pinnes:

And yet I could well cast of thousands in a ring,

To catch the common wealth I made many ginnes.

Let him that learnes my science, tell mee what he winnes.

For tirrany, and robery, conspiracy, and wrong,

Prognosticats of rebells raigne, they cannot prosper long.

4.[553]

When I to mee had gote a rascall rable rude

Of roisters, ruffians, ronagats, and knaues,

I did my selfe at last into the throne intrude,

And was susteynd therein by billes, swords, and staues:

I made of them officers that were before but slaues:

Oppressing of the good and polleing of them still,

For to inriche the bad and mayntayne all their ill.

5.[554]

Duke Cloten of Cornwall was heire to the crowne.

But I, with other rebells, kept him from his right.

Though wee were conspiratours voide of all renowne,

Yet did wee raigne, and keepe him out by might.

But when his sonne Donwallo came for to fight,

Mulmucius, that was in armes a worthy man,

With me and them to try the quarell hee began.

6.[555]

Hee brought of Cornishmen a royall army good,

With other subiects late by me before opprest:

And made mee pay the price of pillage with my bloud,

As traitour slayn in field, example for the rest.

Euen so who euer shall from Prince the scepter wrest,

Vsurpe from him the crowne, or scale the throne of state,

Shall shortely feele the rod of God’s immortall hate.

LENUOYE.

Thus though vnorderly his tale hee tell,

As was his raygne, yet orderly it standes:

Euen such decorum deckes the person well,

Who in his life decorum due abandes.

No fyner fyled phrase could scape my handes,

When I began for him to pen the same:

Let Pinnar then receiue thereof the blame.

And now you must suppose did next appeare

Another Prince, in warlike armour clad,

With bleeding woundes, as if newe slaine hee were:

Reciting first the hauty haps hee had,

And then his fall in fight, his Fortune bad.

If hee vnstatelike stammer out the same,

With staylesse staggering footed verse, by ame,

Let hardly him receiue thereof the blame:

Or geue the faute to th’ countrey whence hee came.

How King Stater of Scotland was slayne by Mulmucius Donwallo, about the yeare before Christ, 441.[556]

Stint not in stories truely for to tell[557]

The fall of vsurpers, the presidents[558] of pryde.

Recite of our treasons, and how that wee fell,

Intruders vntrusty the Realme for to guide:

Of wit and of reason recklesse and wide,

That tooke so vppon vs to rule all the land,

No Princes presumde yet with scepter in hand.

How stately I Stater, of Scotland the King,

Did beare mee full stoutely when I had the crowne:

And what a great army of Scots I did bring,

Against Lord Donwallo, of noble renowne.

A deemed dame Fortune would neuer so frowne,

Who made me a Prince, that Kingdome my pray,

Of late but a subiect and simple of sway.

But here now behold how steady the state

Of climbers aloft is aboue their degree,

And how they doe fall from fortune to fate,

Example are such as my fellow and me.

The fruite giues a taste of the sappe of the tree,

The seede of the herbe, the grape of the vine:

The worke wrayes the man, seeme he neuer so fine.

For when I had leuyed an armie to fight,

I ioyned with Pinnar, my power to preuayle:

And Rudacke of Wales came eke with his might,

Mulmucius Donwallo the King to assayle.

Our purpose the Prince by prowes did quaile,

Which came out of Cornwall, vs vanquisht in fielde,

Our souldiers slayne, skard, taken, forced to yeelde.[559]

O fortune I blame thee, my selfe more vnwise:

Thou gau’st me a kingdome, and with life I it lost.

My souldiers were slayne fast before[560] mine owne eyes,

Or forced to flie, yeelde, and smell of the rost.[561]

I neede not of honour or dignitie boast,

Or tell of my triumphes, or crake of my crowne:

The vaunt of vsurpers is voyde of renowne.

LENUOY.

A worlde it is to see the meaner sort

Enhaunce themselues aboue their due degree:

To sit aloft they deeme a noble sport,

From whence they may the worlde and people see.

But so they speede as their deseruings bee.

Still triall telles, Iehoua tumbles downe

Such subiectes false as dare assume the crowne.

For if these Pagans proud so plagued were,

Which tooke on them ambitiously the sway,

Wil not th’almightie’s Iustice soone appeare,

When Christian men their Christian Kinges betray?

Yes: he (by whome all Princes raigne for aye)

Such subjectes smites, as dare assume the crowne,

And from the throne intruders tumbles downe.

But now beholde and marke this story well,

Which next in order seemes his tale to frame,

With bleeding woundes in fielde likewise that fell,

For so me thought in warlike sort he came,

The last of these that Rudacke had to name,

Declaring how Bellona strooke him downe,

Because he had vniustly caught the crowne.

Howe King Rvdacke of Wales was slayn by Mulmucius Donwallo about the yeere before Christ, 441.[562]

Rude are the reuelles royaltie that rape,

Restlesse the raygnes of rebels in the robe,

Reckles the rage where cruelty doth scrape,

Roundnesse regarded[563] but little of the globe,

No man ambitious prudent with the probe,

Crownerape accounted but cunning and skill,

Bloudshead a blockehouse to beate away ill.

The rudenesse of rebels reaching the crowne,

May be compared to Bladhud’s deuise:[564]

[But] better sit still than fall so farre downe,[565]

If Lordes coulde by others hurt learne to be wise.[566]

My selfe of [high] climbing haue payde well the price,

That rudely in throne myselfe did install

Aloft, not regarding how low I might fall.

When Britayne was restlesse, wanting a Kyng,

(For Forrex and Porrex the Princes were slayne)[567]

The land many peeres ambitious did wring,

Endeuouring each the kingdome to gayne.

The heires good apparent forsake it were fayne,

The subiects were armed, wee nobles did striue,

At length we amongst vs deuision contriue.

Then recklesse wee were when all was at rest,

And each had a kingdome aloted his part:

The vice of the subjects dayly increast,

And justice and right were layd quite apart.

The lawes ouerlashed by couine and craft,

And wee that did gouerne did winke at this geare:

The worser, perdy, our faythed frends were.[568]

The ball that dame Fortune emparteth of blisse

Is golden to gaze on, but voluble round:

If once of your handfast in holding you misse,

Away then it roleth, and you are on grounde.

Of watchers thereon so many abounde,

And catchers thereat, with snatching therefore,

That if once you leese it, you catch it no more.

A Chirurgian that taketh a wounde for to cure,

If skilfull and carefully hee sercheth it furst:

The sea man doth sounde to take the deepth sure,

Ay wisedome well taught for feare of the worst.

But our vile ambition, blinde, blockish, accurst,

Not prouing the sore, nor reckoning the sounde,

Our shippes and our science we sinke and confounde.

Ambition out sercheth to glory the greece,

The staire to estate, the graple of grace:

But in her is hidde of perill a peece,

Which all our attempts doth dimme and deface.

Perdy shee gets vs vaine ioyes[569] but a space,

Short, britle as glasse: false fayre giueing light:

Not golden, though glittering braue in the sight.

For when see hath brought vs vnto the throne,

And Fortune hath fraught vs with honour at fill:

Then there to sit stedy and rule all alone

Wee racke our deuices, and scud with our scill.

Wee cutt off occursions, wee prole, pole, and pill:

Wee bolster, wee band out, to brybe, banish, sley,

The pillers of prudence that prop[570] in our wey.

Our race is then restles, our sleeping vnsounde:

Our wakeing is warfare, our walkeing hath woe:

Our talkeing is trustless, our cares doe abound:

Our fauners deemde faythfull, and frendshippe a foe.

Which troubles our fancies so tosse to and froe.

That scarcely wee neuer inioy any rest

Tormented, whome Fortune exalted and blest.

10.

This thing can I witnesse what troubles ensue,

What cares doe vs compass enhaunced aloft:

I therefore wish rebells to take better vewe

Of the falles of intruders, recorded so oft.

Who climeth so highe his fall is not soft.

If once hee doe stagger or falter aside,

Hee cannot recouer the rest for to guide.

11.

When I with my felowes (our selues which thought sure)[571]

Here ruled the realme, there fell out a flawe:

Donwallo did seeke the Crowne to procure,

Alleadging a title thereto by the lawe.

He when him resisting in armes bright vs sawe,[572]

Came strayght with an hoaste prepared to fight,

With sworde for to trye out whose title was right.

12.

Our numbre was great, our title vniust:

Our consciences guilty, our souldiers agast:

Our enmy with honour[573] had souldiers of trust:

And Fortune was frendly to them as they past.

They slewe of our men by manhoode full fast,

Or forst them to flye: In the feelde wee were fayne

To resist[574] them (poore Prynces) and so wee were slayne.

13.

First Pinnar, then Stater, I Rudacke likewise

At last was with number oppressed dispatcht,

Let Lordings beware how aloft they doe rise,

[For] by Princes and commons theyr climing is watcht.

No sooner they haue at the scepter once snatcht,

But guilty themselues they deeme worthy to die,

And God’s iustice such sentence [t’accomplish] doth hie.

LENUOY.

You see the end of rebelles here descride,

Entruders see whereto they haue to truste:

Their seat vnsure and slippery downe doth slide,

Their names are eaten out with cankerd ruste.

Theyr honours soone lay toumbling in the duste.

Wherefore I count them triple thrise and foure times blest,

Which prudently to serue their God and Prince are prest.

Sith stories all doe tell in euery age

How these crowne croachers come to shamefull ends,

And how they shortely winne the woefull wage,

Which for uvniustice Ioua iustely sends:

Let hauty headstrong heede what hee pretends,

Sith hee aliue, in death, and after’s only blest,

Which prudently to serue his God and Prince is prest.

But now behold, from Delphos next in place

A noble valiaunt Britayne there I vewde,

Of stature tall, well sett, of comely grace,

With body broysde, and armoure all embrewde.

His wounded breast my woefull hart berewde:

Whose life and death may proue contented wights are blest,

Which prudently to serue their God and Prince are prest.

How the noble King Brennus, after many triumphant victories, at the seege of Delphos in Greece slew him selfe, about the yeare before Christ, 375.[575]

Amongste the noble martiall worthy men,

Renowned farre, victorious great of fame,

Though Autors sound my praise eftsoones agen

Emongst the Britayne Princes write the same:

I am that Britayne once that Brennus had to name,

My facts, exployts in warre, my conquests life and end,

Doe write as I recite, when time doth leasure lend.

The mighty Monarche of this noble Ile

Mulmucius (conquerde tyranne Princes three

They by intrusion rayning here long while)[576]

Was father both to Belinus and mee.

His noble acts and lawes commended bee.

This Belinus (mine elder brother) was his heire,

And Queene Cornwenna was our mother wise and fayre.

When after him my brother had the crowne,

Hee was content to make mee eke a king:

Hee gaue mee Albany, where with renowne

I rulde a while by Iustice euery thing:

But at the last ambition made me bring

An army thence, agaynst my brother for to fight,

Which rather ought t’aue honorde him with homage right.

When Belinus perceiued mee approach

Vnto his Realme, an army hee addrest:

He warned me I should not seek t’incroatch

That was not mine, for hee was ready prest

Mee to repell: hee wilde mee bee at rest,

I marched one, the armies met, wee fearcely fought,

My souldiers slayne, to saue my selfe by flight I sought.

To Norwaye then I fledde for succour hence,

Where good Elsingus reignde the gentle King:

I tolde him what I was, and eke of whence,

Desirde his ayde, me home agayne to bring,

And he not only graunted me this thing,

But eke his daughter Samye fayre to be my wife,

With me to passe in Albany for aye a Princely life.[577]

But while we were prouiding ships and men,

The fame abroad of my returne was spread,

And Guthlake that was King of Denmarke then,

Prouided with a nauie mee forlead:

The loue of Samye so enragde his riuall head,[578]

That for her sake he must perforce my ships [and me] forlay,

To win by fight or take by might the[579] Lady faire away.

And when our nauies mette, he wilde me yeelde

This Lady straight, or else defend the cause:

A thing (quoth I) requested erst but seelde,

Against of Gods and men the sacred lawes:

It hath not erst bene harde amongst the wise men’s sawes,[580]

That any King should clayme the like with sword of stormie strife,

Or make assaulte in warlike sorte to winne a Prince’s wife.[581]

From wordes to fight we fell on eyther side,

But in the ende I was discomfit there,

And yeelded[582] her that listed scarce abide,

For she to him before did fauour beare:

By tempest then our nauies seuered were,

And he perforce by storme on shores of Britayne cast,

Was fayne for tribute hostage giue to Beline or he past.[583]

At Seas turmoylde fiue dayes with raging winde,

Sore wearied with the fight, the foyle and losse,

And casting with my selfe in woefull minde,

The cause why so God Neptune did me tosse,

Why boyling Seas with surges so me sosse,[584]

I made a vowe to kill the man that causde me flye,

Or with my bloud the kingdome all from him to buy.

10.

The Seas alayde, at last my ships I found

And rigde againe, at seas met of our foes[585]

Some[586] wandring Danes, where we beset them round

In warlike sorte, we did them all inclose:

Euen so the wheele of Lady Fortune goes,

Abiects, castes downe, turnes topsie toruie quight,

The men of late extold with all her mayne and might.

11.

These ships my wants in some respect supplyde

With tacle, armour, vitayles and the rest

And so to Britayne land apace I hyde,

For kingdome lost to make againe request,

Or else by might and force away to wrest

The scepter from my brother Beline, and the crowne,

Which lay that time by North at Euerwyke the towne.

12.

To lande I came, and did menace my brother sore,[587]

But he an armie did with speede addresse,

Which mette me straight at th’entry on the shore,

Our battayles ioynd and fought with valiantnesse:

But I was put in th’end to such distresse,

To ships I flewe and tooke a fewe with me beside,

And hoysing sayles for hap to Gallia strands I hyd.

13.

Ariued there, I trauayld long to see

The nature of the Countrey and the men:

And for my purpose I disposed mee,

To please the Princes and the people then,

In hope to see my countrey once agen,

To winne my noble kingdome or to wreacke the wrong

That I sustaynd, exilde from natiue soyle so long.

14.

When I had tolde the great mishaps I had

Vnto the Peeres of Fraunce, some ayde to craue,

I could obtaine no succour me to glad,

Nor men, munition, ships, ne vitayles haue:

I gate me thence to Duke Seginus graue,

Of Prouence then the Prince renowmed noble farre,

For prudence prompt in peace and wisdom great in warre.

15.

This worthie Duke receiued me with ioy,

(For of afflicted wights he had remorce)

He hearde me oft declare the great anoy

That I had felte, and of my brother’s force:

Howe Guthlacke did my wife and me diuorce,

The broyles at Sea, the toyles I taken had at land,

Which neuer coulde the face of Fortune’s foyle withstand.

16.

Thou Britayne tall (quoth he) I rue thy fate,

Thou noble Prince (for so thou art in showe)

If I could now restore thee thine estate,

Thou shouldst perceyue what fauour I thee owe;

’Tis Fortune’s vse t’exalte and ouerthrow;

My counsayle then is this expect her grace a while,

Till where she frownes she turne her frendly face and smile.

17.

So in his court he did me intertayne,

Where long I liu’d and bare my selfe full well:

Some times to play the captaine I was fayne,

To winne some praise as causes did compell,

For when his subiects eyther did rebell,

Or confines made inroads to spoyle or pray his land,

Then I was one that had the charge to take the warres in hand.[588]

18.

In armour fearce and stout, and strong was I,

God Mars me gaue a stearne and stormie looke,

With feates of armes by land or seas to trye,

Experience taught me what I vndertooke:

No payne, no toyle, nor daunger I forsooke,

That might content the noble Duke of Sauoy’s minde,

Whose bountie me to honour him and serue his grace did bind.[589]

19.

In peacefull milde I was of comely grace,

And wise in talke as time occasion gaue,

And (though I say’t) I had a Princely face,

I coulde both hunt and hawke, and court it braue:

Eke Fortunes past had made me sage and graue,

More heedy all attemptes to prosecute with skill,

Rash hastie men (by proofe I found) incurre the greatest ill.[590]

20.

When Duke Seginus sawe my humble harte,

A regall Britayne Prince, of royall bloude,

How I employde my selfe and all my arte,

Mine actiue feates with grace and prowes good,

To serue and quayle his foes that him withstoode,

He gaue his daughter rich to me, a peerles [princely] dame,

His only heyre, and Dukedome[591] after him to guide the same.

21.

By her (when hee was deade) I Sauoye had,

A countrey fertile famous for the soyle;

With liberall giftes the souldiers hartes I glad,

To winne the restes good will I tooke some toyle,

By banquets, iewels, giftes, or warlike broyle:

Stil vsing all the meanes t’obeysaunce them to moue,

Eke all the wayes that might allure them me to loue.

22.

And settled so in honour greate at rest,

Without the feare of forayne foes, or nye:

I mused what for Britayne warres was best,

Which way I might agayne my quarell trye:

Such restles heades haue they that sitte on hye!

O poore estate, how blest were thou that sitste below,

How happy, safe and sure, if thou thy state couldst know.

23.

A councill called for the same intent,

I told the Lordes my purpose for the warre,

How I to haue my kingdome here was bent,

They all agreed to levy nere and farre,

Such souldiers good and captaynes stoute that were,

They offered seruice eke themselues to fare with mee,

To winne the crowne by sworde or els reuenged bee.

24.

Concluding thus, a powre prouided was,

Munition good, and vitayles, shipping strong,

On voyage so with hoysed sayles wee passe,

Wee cut the seas and came apace along

To Britayne shores in hope to wrecke the wrong

That oft before was done, or winne the land agayne

Whence whilome twice I was to fly with daunger fayne.

25.

When wee were landed here, I herolds sent

To claime my Kingdome at his hands, my right,

I had them, if hee were not so content,

To sound defiaunce, fyre, and sword, and fight:

But of my message hee esteemed light,

Hee brought an army strong, apointed was the day

Of battayle, then to try who beares the Crowne away.

26.

This when our mother sawe Corwenna wise,

That mortall warres wee wadge for Kingdome sake

Shee with her selfe did many wayes deuise,

A peace betweene her Martiall sonnes to make,

And with the Lords full oft did counsaile take,

Yet all in vaine: there could no parle of peace preuayle,

But on wee marcht agreed each other to assayle.

27.

The feeldes once pight and time of battaile comme,

In place where should bee tryde this quarell sad,

In armour eke the souldiers all and somme,

With all the force that might so soone bee had,

We captaynes vsing speach our men to glad,

T’incourage them with promise proud of lasting fame:

Tweene th’armies both Corwenna stood that noble dame.

And thus shee spake:

28.

“O out, ahlas! my sonnes, what meanes this broyle?

Will you in feelde my tender bowels harme?

What furies force you thus t’unkindly toile?

What meane your men for slaughter here to swarme?

Did not this wombe once both inclose you warme?

And cannot now all Britayne hold you brethren twaine,

But needes by one of you his brother must bee slaine?

29.

“Cannot the feare of Ioue’s immortall hate,

Your mother’s teares, nor woefull wailings moue?

Nor naked brests you suckte your malice slacke?

Nor cause t’imbrace the sacred lore of loue?

O euerlasting Ioue that liu’st aboue!

Then I protest ere you doe fight the feelde this day,

You shall in field (vngratefull sonnes) your woefull mother slay.

30.

“Betweene you both you shall bereaue my life,

What woes (my sonnes) aliue shall I sustaine,

When I shall after this ambitious strife,

So many see of both your subiects slaine,

And you with brothers bloud your swords distayne,

I shall (I say) in th’end of fight take woefull vewe,

Of that my sonne, which this my sonne his [noble] brother slewe.

31.

“O rather now, my sonnes, leaue of to iar,

Lay weapons both aside take truce a while,

If you doe loue to spend your time in war,

Destroy not here at home your natiue Ile,

The present cause and quarell is to vile

Joyne friendly both your armies fayth, and firme the same

To take some conquest great in hand of [euer]lasting fame.

32.

“Therein you may with greater honour deale,

By this defame you shall[592] your selfes for aye:

Thereby you may enlarge your publique weale,

By this your selues and it shall quite decay:

Thereby you shall mine age with honour stay,

Thereby you shal [in warres] most like your noble father bee,

Which ere he wan[593] the crowne did conquere [Kings and] kingdoms three.

33.

“Once for my sake then ioyne yet handes agayne,

Let mee enioy once both before I die,

I would to see you frends my sonnes bee faine,

And hope I haue you will not this denie,

I aske a thing shall neuer hurte perdy,

For if you now surcease [embrace,] and loue as brethren well,

Then all the world of this your [peace and] concord aye shall tell.”

34.

And turneing then to mee, thus wise shee sayd:

“Thou knowst, my sonne, how twice thou hast bene foylde,

Thou twice to scape with life wast well apayde,

And since full farre to countryes straunge hast toyld:

If now thou shouldst of life and all bee spoilde,

(When liue thou maiste in Princely sort with peerelesse ioy)

What tong can tell thy mother’s griefe and great anoy.

35.

“I heare thou hast in Fraunce a Dukedoome good,

Of subiects good thou hast an armie here,

Thou hast a wife that came of noble blood,

Thou need’st at home no foes at all to feare:

What mean’st thou then such mortall hate to beare

Against my sonne, thy brother here, which gaue to thee

His kingdome halfe, the noble land of Albany?

36.

“Sith thine ambition first procur’d the strife,

Which didst in armour rise against thy King,

Against thy brother lou’d thee more then life

Thou didst thy subiects his against him bring,

Think’st thou it was a wise or worthie thing?

If not, thou hast good cause thy treason all confesse,

And though he draue thee out therefore, to loue him ne’re the lesse.

37.

“Thou shalt therefore submitte thy selfe to mee,

And take a truce a peace I will conclude,

Thy brother eke shall so contented bee,

No quarels olde shall be againe renewde,

These broiles haue oft my cheeks with teares bedewde,

My heart is rent, my hope bereau’d, my ioyes are gone,

My life is lost if you conioyne not [frendships] both in one.”

38.

Then turning vnto Belinus she spake:

“My noble sonne (quoth shee) thou twice hast quaylde

Thy brother’s power, and mad’st him twice forsake

His natiue land, which I haue oft bewaylde:

What though thou haue so oft before preuaylde,

Think’st thou againe the thirde time eke to winne the feelde?

Or art thou sure to slay my sonne, or force thy foes to yeelde.[594]

39.

“What glory canst thou get thereby in th’end?

Will not the worlde of your foule slaughters tell?

Will not they all that liue, still discommend

The man that did his owne deare brother quell?

Mempricius shamefull actes are knowne too well,

And Porrex, Britayns both their noble brethren slew,

Confounded [shortly] after both examples good for you.

40.

“Nowe further this againe to both I say,

Doe not you rue these noble souldiers good?

Doe not you see how many you shall slay?

Haue you no care to shed their guiltlesse blood?

The state of tyraunts neuer stable stoode,

By bloudshed they doe founde, bace, builde, and prop their state,

Raigne, liue and dye despisde, and heape themselues eternall hate.[595]

41.

“You noble men, in briefe I speake to you,

And vnto all the Captains of your bands,

And eke to all you souldiers good and true,

Which haue the sway of bloudshed in your hands:

Consider well the state of both our lands:

You shall decrease your force, by ciuile discord, warres and strife,

Distaine your blods, defame your selues, and reaue Cornwenna’s life.[596]

42.

“Then if that eyther Ioue’s immortall ire,

(Which euer hated slaughters such as these)

Or feare of Plutoe’s euerlasting fire,

Or daungers threatned both by land and seas,

Or mother’s minde (which both you ought to please)

Or countries loue, or sacred peace (which al are bound t’imbrace)

May ought perswade, let my requests among you all haue place.[597]

43.

“If not, loe here my naked breast, (quoth shee)

Which once you both did sucke in tender age,

Let both your swords in these first bathed bee,

Perhaps this slaughter shall your thirsts aswage:

It shall be counted euen as small outrage

To slay your mother pleading for your peace,

As wadge the wars which gods and men and nature wils to cease.”[598]

44.

Much more she sayde which were too long to tell:

And proffered foorth to swordes her naked brest,

But when wee both considered had full well

Her woefull teares, her wise and graue request,

They so to peace our hautie hearts addrest,

We layde our weapons downe: we met, imbrac’st and kist,

More ioy in both the armies was then erst in wars I wist.[599]

45.

We ioyned hands, our captaynes did the like,

And eke the souldiers linked all in loue,

There was not one that did our truce mislike,

Our peace did all to ioy and maruaile moue,

With many triumphes feates of armes we proue,

Our subiects all reioyce, in songs we sound Cornewenna’s prayse,

Her fame to skies aloft with many showtes and cryes they rayse.

46.

The Galles and Senons then supposing me

In Britayne from my Dukedome hard at fight,

Thought great occasion offred them to be,

And set themselues in armes and order right:

My subiects eke of Sauoy day and night

They did entice, perswade, solicite and constrayne,

To chuse another Duke at home with them to raigne.

47.

Whereof when I heard tell in Britayne Isle,

Eke when my brother Beline thereof knewe,

We layde aside our sports and playes a while,

And of our souldiers tooke a muster newe:

Of both our hoasts we chose a noble crewe:

We past the seas, as brethren ought, in concord knit,

And both our force in one to conquere Fraunce we fit.

48.

Without resistance much we spoil’d the land

At th’entry in, and after many fights

We conquer’d all the Realme, my foes we fand,

Which were in armes stout, valiant, noble wights.

By sword they fell or flewe before our sights.

The Germains force likewise that did them succour send,

We made to fall therefore and to our scepters bend.

49.

Three hundred thousand we in armour had,

An armie great renownde Europa through:

The Kings and Princes of our peace were glad,

We were in fight so puissant fearce and rough,

Munition, vitayles, money eke enough,

We had of tributes store, of dueties in that came,

Through all the world of Brenne and Beline flew the fame.

50.

To vs came souldiers out of many parts,

And captaynes worthy for the fame of warre,

Of fearce Bellona braue wee had the arts,

Whereof wee wanne the praise both neare and farre:

But not with this wee so contented arr,

As Hercules to scale the Alpes did first contend,

So wee agayne (a worke of toyle) the cloudy Alpes ascend.

51.

Great mountaynes, craggy, high, that touch the skies,

Full steepe to climbe vnto, and penshot all,

The Seas allow doe rore, and foggy vapours rise,

And from the hills great streames of waters fall,

The pathes so strickte to passe the speede is small:[600]

The ise, snowe, cold, clouds, rombling stormes, and sights aboue,

Are able constant harts with doubtfull feare to moue.

52.

For as you goe sometimes y’ar fayne to reatch,

And hang by handes, to wend aloft the way,

And then on buttockes downe an other breatch,

With elbowes and with heeles your selfe to stay,

Downe vnder well behold the streames you may,

And waters wilde which from the mountaynes faling flow:

Ore head the rockes hang down whence riuers rore of melting snow.[601]

53.

When wee these Alpes had past with daungers greate,

To Clusium towne in Tuscane land wee came:

They, as wee did prouide our forage vitayles meate,[602]

Did issue out [in armes] to intercept the same:

Ambassage to the Romaines eke they frame,

Desiring aide against the Galles (so vs they counted theere)

Because I was of Fraunce and Frenchmen in our armies were.[603]

54.

The Romaines then, because that our successe

Reported was to them in warres before,

Euen for their owne safegard could doe no lesse,

But aide their neighbours now at neede the more:

To parle they sent for peace ambassadours therefore,

Wee aunswerde wee desirde but space wherein to [bide and] dwell,

Because our peopled Countrye could not now contayne vs well.[604]

55.

But they forgetting quite of armes the lawe

Did arme them selues, ambassadours full stoute,

With Clusians came to bring vs all in awe,

Without respect of any further doute:

Whereon the seige from Clusium walles aboute

Wee raysed strayght, in speede alarme at Rome wee cry,

There to reuenge th’ambassadours outrage and iniury.[605]

56.

Yet first wee thought it best ambassage send,

To haue truce breakers such deliuered vs,

By lawe of armes as ought no weapons wend,

And yet against the lawes came armed thus:

They sayd wee were a people barbarous,

They neither punishe would nor yeeld those Romaines good,

But honour them, they came of Fabius noble bloud.

57.

Full swiftely on wee marched then in haste,

And towardes Rome with all our powre wee hyde;

At Alia floud gan forty thousand taste

Of Romaines that vs met what might betyde:

Wee slewe them fast, the rest durst not abide,

Wee had the spoyle, to Rome wee came, the Citye wee possesse:[606]

A thousand waight of gold [wee make] the Romaines pay[607] for peace.

58.

Pannonia eke with broiles of warres wee tame,

And many yeares wee kept them vnder yoke,

The Princes all about that herde our noble fame

Desired peace with vs, before wee came to stroke:[608]

Wee Britaynes made Europa all to smoke:

To part our armies then in twayne wee tooke [at all] no doubte,

And seuerall conquests tooke in hand as [valiaunt] captaines stoute.

59.

To Macedony Beline tooke the way,

Where raigned Ptolome the tyraunt fell,

Which did his sisters sonnes vniustly slay

Before their mother’s face, and her expell,

Arsinoe, that vsde him earst so well,

Yea, though before the Gods[609] hee sware to take her to his wife,

And loue her sonnes, [hee her expeld,] and them[610] bereft of life.

60.

Euen so that wicked king at first refusde

To purchase peace with price, or hostage sende,

That had before the fayth of Gods abusde,

Was destinate to haue a naughty ende:

Let Princes well beware what they pretende,

For who for kingdomes sake breakes fayth, and murders foule commits,[611]

Let him bee[612] sure to [haue a] fall on slipery throne hee sits.

61.

Our custome was that time to send each where

Our Herouldes offering peace for tribute golde,

But Ptolome to Beline bad him message beare,

Conditions take of peace ne tribute[613] pay hee woulde,

Ne frendship would admit[614] (as hee the herouldes tolde)

Except the enmies layde downe weapons, them submit,

No truce with them, no peace there were, nor no agreement fit.[615]

62.

King Beline smilde to heare the heedelesse King,

Rash witted so selfe wild, and after this

The Dardanes offered twenty thousand bring

Of souldiers armde for ayde, to ioyne with his:

Quoth Ptolome, now lost[616] all Macedony is,

Yf we once conquerde [all the East] by Alexander’s hande,

Neede we the Dardanes ayde these straungers to withstande?

63.

Wee haue (quoth hee) some souldiers, sonnes of those

Which serude in pay with them that vanquisht all,

And for our selues wee nothing feare our foes,

Although our army seeme to Dardane smalle:

This when th’ambassadours related all

To good king Dardane: Then this noble realme (quoth hee)

By this yong princox pryde will all be lost and conquerde bee.[617]

64.

With that alarme they crye, and armies ioyne,

Where Britaynes sley the Macedonian crewe,

And haue for spoyle theyr vitayles, armour, coyne,

Tooke Ptolomey theyr king and him they slewe.

His heade aboue the campe they beare for vewe

On speare, to make the rest of Greekes in doubt to stand,

Before they enterprice to take such [woefull] wars in hand.

65.

One this the fame of Britaynes far was spred,

All Macedony held theyr countrey spoylde

To Alexander (erst theyr armies led)

And vnto Philip, Princes neuer foylde,

As vnto Gods they cry in warres tormoylde:

O helpe (quoth they) our countrey falls, and we are [all] vndonne,

Without your aydes whose noble actes erst all the world haue won.[618]

66.

But Sosthenes, a worthy Macedonian stoute,

When as the Britaynes bathed in theyr blisse,

Gate vnto him a warlike worthy route

And set agayne on Beline there; and his

Put him to foyle, for all his worthynes

Wheron when as the souldiers would haue made him all theyr roye:

By captaynes name hee tooke theyr oth theyr enmies to distroye.[619]

67.

When this in Greece I herde, and theyr successe,

First of the feelde they wonne, and folly then

Enrichte with spoyles, giuen all to idlenes

Which were before approued valiaunt men:

I sounde retracte and backwardes gate agen,

With seuen score and ten thousand footemen for the fight,

And fifteene thousand horsemen good of manhoode and of might.[620]

68.

With these apoynted well my frends to ayde

The Britaynes good, and Beline in that case,

To Macedone I marcht, with souldiers well apayde,

Both for my brother’s sake and riches of the place:

Whereto when as wee came, in litle space

We wan the feelde, we tooke the spoyles of all the land at will,[621]

In pleasures plungde we had of wealth, [renowne,] and fame, our fill.[622]

69.

So I that had all Macedoyne in awe,

With spoyle of mortall men was not content,

I past not of these conquests all a strawe,

The temples of the gods to spoile I ment,

And towards Delphos with mine army went:

Whereas on hyghe the temple[623] stoode most glorious to beholde,

And god Apollo’s shrine enrichte with mighty masse of gold.[624]

70.

The riche and welthy gods (quoth I) may lende

To mortall men some of theyr treasures great,

They haue no neede thereof for to dispende

For clothing, vitayles, armour, drinke or meate:[625]

But yet wee must therefore theyr priests intreate,

There is enough for them, [and vs,] and many moe beside,

Of offerings greate from Princes brought of all the world so wide.[626]

71.

This Delphos is on mount Parnasus fayre,

In Greece, wel fenst with rising rockes about,

By nature plaest aloft in pleasaunt ayre,

So high to scale they neede no enmies doubt,[627]

No watch, no warde they keepe the walles about:

So strong steepe pendent are the rockes whereon it [stately] stands,

As not the like could euer yet be made[628] With mortall hands.

72.

When in this city shoutes aloude they make,

Or when the trompets sounde therein is herde,

The Ecchoes shrill so cause the skies to shake,

That straungers staring stand and muse afferde:

The wordes and tunes resounde agayne so harde,

So often times aboute from euery rocke so playne,

As if to one that cryde a thousand cryde[629] to him agayne.

73.

This made the men that came from farre to maze,

To maruayle much, to feare and wonder still,

And at the syte thereof to stare and gaze,

Deuising ofte the stately high and mighty hill,

A building founded first by heauenly skill,

In citye [fayrely] builte and costly grande with worke of hande,

Apolloe’s temple highe [to heauen] aboue the rest doth stande.

74.

’Tis rownde theater wise so braue within,

And large aloft without, pendant vpright,

So high it seemes impossible to winne,

With comely forme the gazers to delight,

The maiesty whereof [(I weene)] did them inuite

That chose that seate, to dedicate a temple[630] in the same,

Whereof for Oracles was spred through all the world the fame.[631]

75.

Amidste the height of this Parnasus mount,

A turning wey there is, and in the playne

A denne through rockes for deepenesse doth surmount,

And turning vaults far in, whence aunsweres vayne

The priests receiue from sprits to tell agayne

When any come for counsayle there of things to [come to] knowe:

Th’insensate priests the aunsweres of deluding sprits doe showe.[632]

76.

Wherefore the Kings and peoples offerings brought,

From all the world and coasts of nations far

Which many gifts of gold and siluer wrought,

The statures of the Gods and iewells rich there wer.[633]

To Delphos all they runne in any doubte which ar,[634]

This was the madnesse tho[635] that mortall men bewicht

Whereby Apolloe’s temple was and Delphos so inricht.[636]

77.

Low nowe [in fewe,] I tell at Delphos what I did,

For towardes it as with my mates I went,

Them bee of courage good and nothing feare I bid,[637]

I told them, with the spoile,[638] them to reward I ment:

But now I askte how they would giue consent

The captaynes Euridane and Thessalone companions in the pray,[639]

Where it were good [straight now] to scale, or else a while to stay.

78.

The Captaynes counsaile was alarme [at once] to call,

Before the Græcians were prouided for defence,[640]

And straight to scale with skill the mighty wall,

Before the city knewe of our pretence:

The souldiers stout abroad encamped thence,

And sayd they must refreshe their weried limmes a space,

Vnable else to scale, or meete their enmyes in the face.[641]

79.

The Græcians them commaunde that dwelt by hip

In villages, to make[642] no spare of wine:

The Britayne souldiers fell thereon to sip,

Forgate their feats of warre and playd the swine,

Against their captaynes eke they gan repine:

So that full long it was or wee could them perswade

To flye from Bacchus bouthes, and fall agayne to blade.

80.

Of souldiers thousands sixty fiue I had,

But of our enmies fourteene[643] thousand were

The stately towne they see their harts to glad,

I bad them not at all to stand in [doubt or] feare:

Behold (quoth I) what doth in sight [aloft] appeare,

Those charets glittering braue and statures stout in founded gold[644]

Of sollid masse, more [weighty] riche then glorious to behold.

81.

For on the Temple stoode a sort of golden[645] shapes,

And in the walles thereof their pictures shone,

Not one of these (quoth I) the Britaynes scapes,

Wee souldiers shall possesse them euery one,

Let vs therefore not linger here vpon,

But geue th’assaulte for here in hand wee haue for spoiles a peece,[646]

In price of gold, [of perle] and gemmes surmounts the wealth of Greece.[647]

82.

Wee haue or this the wealth of men possest

(Yet worthy Princes all) of mortall men,

But here the treasures of the Gods are prest

To looke for vs, shall wee refuse them then?

Wee shall not so bee profered ofte agen

Within the walles hereof are greater [offerings] farre by odds,

Th’attyre, crownes, scepters, statures, plate and garnish of the Gods.

83.

Wee sound Alarme th’assaute the rockes assayes,

Our souldiers brainesicke heedelesse vp ascend,

The Delphos men had fenste the easiest wayes,

So that against the rockes our force wee bend:

With stones the scaleing Britaynes downe they hend,

An earthquake eke by vowes [and cries] the sacrificers reare,

Which on my souldiers downe [to fall] a mighty rocke did teare.

84.

The ground did shake, and rent, and tempests rise,

The haylestones mighty fall, the thunders rore

The lightnings flasheing dazled all our eyes,

The Britaynes from th’assaute were ouer bore,[648]

My souldiers slayne discomfit mee before,

And I sore wounded, foule amazde, orecome with [toile and] smart,

T’escape the Greekishe sword [and shame] did perce my selfe to th’harte.[649]

85.

You noble captaynes now that know my facts,

Learne valiauntly in warres the sword to wend,

Let fame extoll your wise and warlike acts,

And let report your fortitude commend:

But let your warfares haue a wiser end,

And let what Bochas writes and Higgins here doth pen,

As myrours shew what good[650] wee gate, to warre with Delphos men.

LENUOY.

Great ruth that such a noble conqueroure,

Should haue so hard and infamous an end,

Which of the worlde might haue bene Emperour,

If all be true that storyes him commend:

But where is Fortune permanent a frend?

Shee blyndely baytes and bathes her Impes in blisse,

Who trustes her still I count ill fortune his.

Galerius and Florianus stoute,

And Iulian of Rome the Emperours,

And Diocesiane of Constantine in doubte,

Though in their times full worthy warriours,

So counted often noble conquerours,

They slewe themselues, abated from their blisse:

Which who so doth I count ill fortune his.

Cordila slewe her selfe in prison pent,

And Dido for Æneas flight away,

That Iudas which betrayde the innocent,

And Pontius Pilate wrought their owne decay:

What neede I here on desperate captiues staye?

Sith who so bathes in flickering Fortune’s blisse,

Without God’s grace I count ill fortune his.

The warres haue prosperde well with Princes oft,

Yet best with such who vertue sought alone,

The rest, which onely werde to wende aloft,

Were euer foylde confounded by their fone:

But here I cease, the next full woe begone,

With rented corps appeard deuoyde of blisse;

Recounting thus that haplesse ende of his.