death or else I dide perhaps neglecte His tale because that diuers stories broughte Suche fancies of his death into my thoughte Therefore although it be not as some write Here pende by me and yet as others haue Let it not griue thee reade that I recite And take what counsaile of good life he gaue I trust 〈◊〉 may that dreame some pardon craue For if the reste no dreames but stories pen Can I for that they write be blamed then No sure I thinke the readers will not giue Such captious dome as Momus erste did vse Though Zoilus impes as yet do carping liue And all good willing writers much misuse Occasion biddes me some such beastes accuse Yet for their bawling hurtes me not I nill But with my purpose on procede I will. Next after that came one in princely raye A worthy wight but yonge yet felt the fall It seemde he had bene at some warlike fraye His breste was woundid wyde and bloudy all And as to mynde he musde his factes to call Depe sighes he fet made all his limmes to shake At length these wordes or like to me he spake Manlius declares how he minding to kill his brother for the kingdome was by him slayne The yeare before Christe 1008. YF Fortune were so firme as she is frayle Or glosing glorie were still permanent If no mishap our doings did assaile Or that our actes factes were innocent If we in hope no hurte nor hatred ment Or dealing ay were don with dutie dewe We neuer coulde our great misfortunes rewe If pompe were payne and pride were not in price Or hawty seate had not the highest place If we could lerne by others to be wise Or else eschew the daungers of our race If once we coulde the golden meane embrace Or banishe quite ambition from our breste We neuer nede to recke or reape vnreste But O we thinke such sweetenes in renowne We deme on earth is all the greatest hap We nothing feare the hurte of falling downe Or litle rome in lady Fortunes lap We giue no hede before we get the clap And then to late we wishe we had bene wise When from the fall we would and cannot rise As if two twinnes or children at the teate Of nurce or mother both at once might be And both did striue the better dugge to geate Till one were downe and slipte beside hir knee Euen so it fares by others and by me In fortunes lap we haue so litle holde She cannot staye both striuing if she would I am that Manlius one of Madans sonnes Which thought to raigne and rule this noble I le And would so don but see what chauÌ„ce ther comes When brethren loue and frendship quite exile Who thinkes another of his right beguyle Him selfe is soonest cleane bereaude of all Insteade of rule we reape the crop of thrall My elder brother then Mempricius hight Whose hauty minde and mine did euer square We euermore as foes hight other spite And deadly Ire in hatefull hartes we bare He sought alwayes he might to worke me care And eache regarded others enuy so As after turnid both to painfull wo. Because my father loude me well therfore My brother feared I should haue his right Likewise on fauour boldned I me bore And nether had in vertues wayes delite What nede I here our inwarde griefes recyte We not as brethren liude in hatrid still And sought occasion other eache to kill I forbecause I might obtaine the crowne And he for that he fearde my fauoure bred Such frendship as might alwayes kepe him downe And both 〈◊〉 him of his crowne and head But when it chaunste our father once was dead Then straight appeared all our enuy playne And I could not from mine attempt 〈◊〉 See here th' occasion of my haplesse happe See here his chauÌ„ce that might haue liude ful well So baited swete is euery deadly trappe In brauiste bowres doth deepest daunger dwell I thought mine elder from his right t' expell Though he both age and custome forth did bring For title right I sayd I would be king Some wishte we should departe the realme in two And sayde my father eke was of that mynde But nether of vs both that so would do We were not eche to other halfe so kinde And vile ambition made vs both so blynde We thought our raigne coulde not be sure good Except the ground therof were laide with bloud Wherfore as eache did watche conuenient time For 〈◊〉 commit this haynous bloudy facte My selfe was taken not accusde of crime As if I had offendid any acte But he as one that witte and reason lacte Saide traitour vile thou arte to me vntrue And therewith all his bloudy blade he drewe Not like a king but like a cutthrote fell Not like a brother like a butcher brute Though t were no worse then I deserued well He gaue no time to reason or dispute To late it was to make for life my suite Take traytour here ê™ he thy whole deserte And therwithall he thrust me to the harte Thus was I by my brutishe brother slayne Which likewyse mente my brother for to kill This oftentimes they use to get and gaine Which do inuente anothers bloud to spill Was neuer man pretendid such an ill But God to him like measure shortly sente As he to others 〈◊〉 before had mente Uniustice euer thriues as theues doe thie And bloudthirste cries for vengeaunce at his hande Which all our right and wronges 〈◊〉 daily see The good to ayde and gracelesse to withstande If ether vice or 〈◊〉 we abande We ether are rewarded as we serue Or else are plaged as our deedes deserue Let this my warning then suffise eche sorte Bio them beware example here they see It passeth playe t is tragicall disporte To clime a step aboue their owne degree For though they thinke good fortune serude not me Yet did she use me as she hsoe the resle And so I thinke she seruith even the beste FINIS The Authour VVHen Manlius had thus endid quite his tale He vanishte out of sight as did the reste And I perceiued straight a persone pale VVhose throte was torne and blodied all his breste Shall I ê™ he for audience make requeste No sure it nedes not straunge it semes to thee VVhat he that beares this rentid corps should bee VVherefore I deeme thou canst not chuse but by de And here my tale as others erste before Sythe by so straunge a meanes thouseest I dyde VVith rentid throte and breste thou musiste more Marke well ê™ he my ratling voyce therfore And therwithall this tale he gan to tell VVhich Irecyte though nothing nere so well Mempricius giuen all to luste pleasure and the sinne of Sodomye telles how he was deuoured of wolues The yeares before Christ. 989. 〈◊〉 often sayd a man should do likewyse To other as he would to him they did Do as thou wouldste be don to saith the wyse And do as conscience and as iustice
did with cordes me binde No teares nor subbes nor sighes might ought aswage The gelous queene or molifie hir mynde Occasions still hir franticke head did finde And when shee spake hir cyes did leame as fire Shee lookte as pale as chalke with wrathfull Ire Ne stoode she still but with hir handes on syde Walkte vp and down ofte hir palmes she stroke My husbande nowe ê™ she had not thus dyde If such an harlote whore he had not tooke And there withall shee gaue me such a looke As made me quake what lettes ê™ she my knife To ridde this whore my husbandes second wife His dead I liue and shall I saue hir life O queene ê™ I if pitie none remayne But I be slayne or brounde as Humber was Then take thy pleasure by my pinching paine And let me hence as thou appointistc passe But take some pity on my childe alasse Thou knowste the infante made no faulte but hee That 's dead and I therfore reuenge on mee No basterds here shall liue to dispossesse My sonne she said but sithe thou soughtiste fame I will prouide for hir a kingdome lesse Whiche shall hereafter euer haue hir name Thou knowste wherof the name of Humber came Euen so Sabrina shall this streame be calde Sithe Sabrine me as Humber Locrine thralde With that my childe was Sabrine brought in sight And when she see me take in bandes to lie Alasse she cryde what meanes this pitious plight And downe she fell before the queene with crye O queene ê™ she let me more rather dye Then she that 's giltlesse should for why thy king Did as his captiue hir to lewdnes bring Which when I same the kindnes of the childe It burst my harte much more then dome of deathe Poore little lam be with countinance how milde She pleaded still and I for wante of breathe With wofull teares that laye hir feete beneathe Could not put forth a worde our liues to saue Or if therfore I might a kingdome haue Hir pitious plaintes did somwhat death withdrawe For as she long behelde the queene with teares ê™ she let me bane rigoure boyde of lawe In whome the signe of all thy wrath appeares And let me die my fathers face that beares Sithe be is dead and we are boyde of staye Why should I thee for life or mercy praye My mother may to Germanye retourne Where she was borne and if it please thy grace And I may well lye in my fathers tombe If thou wilt graunt his childe so good a place But if thou thinke my bloude is farre to bace Although I came by both of princly line Then let me haue what shroude thou wilt asigne With that the queene replide with milder there And saide the childe was wonders wise and wittie But yet shee would not hir reuenge forbeare For why ê™ she the prouerbe sayes that pitie Hath leudly loste full many a noble citie Then Elstride now prepare thy selfe therfore To die take leaue but talke to me no more On this my leaue I tooke and thus I sayde Farewell my countrey Germanye farewell Ade we the place from whence I was conueyde Farewell my father and my frendes there dwell My Humber drounde as I shal be farewell Adew Locrinus dead for thee I die Would God my corps might by thy coffine lie Adew my pleasures paste farewell adew Adew the cares and sorowes I haue had Farewell my frendes that earst for me did sue Adew that were to saue my life full glad Farewell the fauning frendes I lately bad And thou my beauty cause of death farewell As ofte as harte can thinke or tonge can tell A dewe you heauens my mortall eyes shall see No more your lightes and Planetes all farewell And chiefly Venus faire that paintedste mee When Mercurie his tale to me did tell Eke afterwardes when Mars with vs did dwell And nowe at laste thou cruell Mars adewe Whose darte my life and loue Locrinus sleme And must I nedes departe from thee my childe If nedes I muste ten thousand times fare well Poore little 〈◊〉 thy frendes are quite 〈◊〉 And much I feare thou shalt not long do well But if they so with boyling rancoureswell As thee to slea which neuer wroughtiste ill How can they staye my haynid corps to hill With that my Sabrines slender armes imbraiste 〈◊〉 rounde and would not let me so departe Let me ê™ she for hir the waters taste Or let vs both together ende our smarte Yea rather rippe you foorth my tender harte What should I liue but they the childe withdrew And mee into the raging streame they threm So in the waters as I striude to swimme And kepte my head aboue the waues for breath 〈◊〉 thought I same my childe would venter in Which cride a mayne O let me take like deathe The waters straight had drawne me vnderne the Where striuing vp at lengthe againe came I And sawe my childe aud cryde farewell I die Then as my strength was wasted down I went Eke so I plunged twice or thrice yet more My breath departed nedes I must relent The waters perst my mouth and eares so sore And to the botome with such force me bore That life and breath minde and sonce was gone And I as dead and colde as marble stone Lo thus you here the rare of all my life And how I paste the pikes of paynefull we Howe twise I thought to be a prince his wife And twise was quite depriude mine honour fro The third time queene and felt foule ouerthro Then warne all ladies that how much more die Then their degrees they clime 〈◊〉 daungers nye Bid them beware 〈◊〉 bewty them abuse Beware of pride for haue a fall it muste And will them fortunes flattery to refuse Hir turning whelt is boyde of stedy truste Who reckes no meane but leanith all to luste Shall finde my wordes as true as I them tell Then did be ware in time I wishe them well FINIS The Authoure VVIth that she flitted in the ayre abrode As t were a miste or smoke dissolued quite And or I long on this had made abode A virgine smale appearde before my sight For colde and wet eke scarsly moue she might As from the waters drownde she didering came Thus wise hir talem order did she frame Sabrine the base childe of Locrinus telles howe she was pitifully drowned by his wyfe Guendoline in reuenge of hir fathers adulterye The yeare before Christe 1064. BEholde me Sabrine orphane 〈◊〉 berefte Of all my frendes by cruell case of warre When as not one to treate for me was lefte But 〈◊〉 did all their powres debarre When as my father eke was playne in warre And when my mother euen before my sighte Was 〈◊〉 to death O wretche in wofull plighte Truste who so will the 〈◊〉 of hie estate And bring me worde what stay thereby you haue For why if Fortune once displeasure take She giues the foyle though lookes be nere so braue T is
vertues to excell To them I gaue the price therof as de we As they deserude whose factes I founde so true Nowe must I proue if paynes were well 〈◊〉 Or if I spente my gratefull giftes in bayne Or if these great good turnes to you I owde And might not aske your loyall loues agayne Which if I wist what tonge could tell my payne I meane if you vngratefull mindes do beare What meaneth death to let me linger here For if you shall abuse your prince in this The Goddes on you for such an heynous facte To take reuenge be sure will neuer misse And then to late you will repente the acte When all my realme and all your welthes are facte But if you shall as you begon procede Of kingdomes fall or fces there is no dreede And to auoyde contention that may fall Because I wishe this realme the Britaynes still Therefore I will declare before you all Sithe you are come my whole intent and will. Which if you kepe and wreste it not to ill There is no doubte but euermore with fame You shall enioye the Britaynes realme and name You see my somes that after me must raigne Whom you or this haue liekte and counsaylde well You know what erst you wisht they should refraine Which way they might all vices vile expell Which way they might in vertues great excell Thus if you shall when I am gone insue You shall discharge the truste reposde in you Be you their fathers with your counsayle wise And you my children take them euen as mee Be you their guydes in what you can deuise And let their good instructious teache you three Be faithfull all as brethren ought agree For concorde kepes a real me in stable staye But discarde bringes all kingdomes to decape Recorde to this mine cldest sonne I giue This midle parte of realme to holde his owne And to his heyres that after him shall lyue Also to Camber that his parte be knowne I giue that laude that lies welnighe oregrowne With woodes Norwest mountaynes mighty bie Twene this and that the Stutiae streame doth lye And vnto the my yongest sonne that arte Myne Albanacte I giue to thee likewise As muche to be for thee and thine a parte As Northe beyende the arme of sea there lyes Of which loe here a map before your eyes Lo here my sonnes my kingdome all you haue For which I nought but this remember craue Firste that you take these fathers graue for mee Imbrace their counsaile euen as it were myne Next that betwene your selues you will agree And neuer one at others welthe repine See that ye byde still bounde with frendly lyne And laste my subiectes with such loue retayne As long they may your subiectes eke remayne Lo nowe I fele my breath beginnes to fayle My time is come giue eche to me your hande Farewell farewell to mourne will not preuayle I see with knife where Atropos doth stande Farewell my frendes my children and my lande And farewell all my subiectes farewell breathe Farewell ten thousand tymes and welcome deathe And euen with that he turnde himselfe a syde And gasped thryse and gaue a way the ghost Then all at once with mourning voyce they cryde And all his subiects cke from lest to most Lamenting fild with wayling teares ech coast Perdy the Britaynes all with one assent Did for their king full doulfully lament But what auayles to striue against the tyde Or els to sayle against the streame and winde What booteth it against the clyues to ryde Or els to worke against the course of kinde Sith nature hath the ende of thinges assiude There is no nay we must perforce departe Gainst dint of deaty there is no ease by arte As custome wild wee funerals preparde And al with moutning cloathes and there did come To laye this king on Beere we had regarde In Royal sort as did his corps become His Herce prepard we brought him to his tombe At Troynouant he built where he did dye Was he entombde his Royal corps doth lye Thus raignd that worthy king that found this land My father Brutus of the Troian blood And thus he dyed when he fulwell had mande This noble Realme with Britaynes fearce and good And so a while in stable state it stoode Till 〈◊〉 deuided had this realme in three And I to soone receiude my part to mee Then straight through all the world gan fame to flye A monster swifter none is vnder son Encreasing as in waters wee descrye The cyrcles small of nothing that begon Which at the length vnto such breadth do come That of a drop which from the skyes doth fall The cyrcles spread and hide the watersall So fame in flight increaseth more and more For at the first she is not scarcely knowne But by and by she 〈◊〉 from shore to shore To cloudes from th' earth her stature straight is growne There what soeuer by her trompe is blowne The sound that both by sea and land out flyes Reboundes againe and verberats the skyes They say the earth that first the giaunts bred For anger that the Gods did them dispatche Brought forth this sister of those monsters dead Full light of foote swift winges the winds to catch Such monster erst did Nature neuer hatche As manye plumes she hath from top to toe So many eyes them vnder watche or moe And tongues do speake so many eares do harke By night twene heauen she flyes and earthly shade And shreaking takes no quiet steepe by darke On houses rowfes or to wres as keeper made She sittes by day and Cities threats t' inuade And as she telles what thinges she sees by veme She rather shewes thats fained false then true This fame declarde that euen a people finall Had landed here and found this pleasaunt I le And how that now it was deuided all Into three parts and might within a while Be won by force by treason fraude or guile Wherefore she moues her frends to make assay To win the price aud beare our pompe away A thousand thinges beside she bruites and telles And makes the most of euery thing she heares Long time of us she talkes and nothinge els Eke what shee seeth abroade in hast she beares With tatling toyes and tickleth so their eares That needes they must to flattering Fame assent Though afterwards they do therefore lament By East from hence a countrey large doth lye Vngaria eke of Hunnes it hath to name And hath Danubius floud on South it by Deuiding quite from Austria the same From thence a king was named Humber came Du coastes of Albanie did he ariue In hope this lande of Britaine to achiue Which when by postes of subiects I did heare How enmies were ariued on my shore I gathered all my souldiers voyde of feare And backe the Hunnes by force and might I bore But in this battaile was I hurt so sore That in the field of mounds I had I dyde And left my men as flockes
without a guide Such was my fate to benture on so bolde My rashue s was the cause of all my wot Such is of all our glorye vaine the hope So soone we pompe and pleasures all sorgoe So quickly are we rest our kingdomes froe And such is all the caste of Fortunes playe When lest we thincke to cut vs quite awaye I demde my selfe an beauenly happie wight When once I had my part to raigne within But see the chaunce what hap did after light Or I could scace t' enioy my glee begin A Hunne did 〈◊〉 from me my realme to win And had his will O flatering Fortune fye What meanst thou thus to worke with Princes 〈◊〉 You worthy wariours learne by mee beware Let wisedome worke lay rashnes al apart When as with enmyes you encountred are You must endeuour all your skilfull art By witty wyles with force to make your mart Wit nought auailes late bought with care and cost If you repent when life and labours lost FINIS The Authour WYth that the vvounded Prince departed quite From sight he slinckte I savv his shade no more But Morpheus bade remember this to vvrite And therevvithall presented mee before A vvight vvet dropping from the vvaters shore In Princely vveede but like a vvarlike man And thus mee thought his story he began Humber the king of Hunnes shewes how he minding to conquere this land vvas drowned c. He liued about the yeare before Christ. 1074. THough yet no forraine Princes in this place Haue come to tell their haplesse great mishap Yet giue me leaue a while to pleade my case And shewe howe I slipt out of Fortunes lap Perchaunce some others will eschewe the trap VVherein I fell and both themselues be ware And also seeke the lesse thy countreys care I am that Humber kinge of Hunnes that came To win this Islande from the Britaynes fell UUas drownde in Humber where I left my name A iust reward for him that liude so well At home and yet thought others to expell Both from their Realme and right O filthy fye On such ambition earst as vsed I. But I must blame report the chiefest cause Of my decaye beware of rashe report T is wisedome first to take a while some pause Before to dint of daungers you resort Least when you come in hast to scale the fort By rashe assaule some engin shaft or fyre Dispatcht you quite or make you soone retyre For vnto mee the rumors daily flewe That here a noble Hande might be won The king was dead no warres the people knewe And eke themselues to striue at home begon It were quoth I a noble acte well don To win it then and there withall did make Prouision good this famous Ise to take A war like regall campe prouided was And shipps and vitaile for my Hunnes and mee By sea to Britaine conquest for to passe If Gods there to and heauenly starres agree At length wee came to shores of Albanie And there to fight with Britaynes pitcht our field In hope to make them flinche flye fall or yeelde They met vs longe we fearcely faught it out And doubtful was the victours part of twaine Till with my Hunnes I rusht amonge the route And faught till that king Albanact was staine Then they to yeeld and pardon craue were faine And I with 〈◊〉 great receiude the pray And marched forward fleshe with such a fray I past an arme of Sea that would to God I neuer had bin halfe so bold at furst I made to beate my selfe withall a rod When so within their Realme I venture durst But marke my tale thou hearst not yet the worst As sure I thought the rest to circumuent By spyes before they knew my whole intent And or I wiste when I was come to lande Not farre from shore two Princes were preparde Their scoutes conueyde away my shipps they fand And of my shipmens fleshe they nothing sparde To rescue which as backe againe I farde The armyes twaine were at my heeles behinde So closde me in I wist no waye to winde On th' east Locrinus with an armye great By West was Camber with an other bande By North an arme of Sea the shoores did beate Which compast mee and mine within their lande No way to scape was there but water fande Which I must taste or els the swords of those Which were to mee and mine full deadly foes So when I same the best of all mine boste Beate downe with bats shot slaine or forst to swim My selfe was faine likewise to flye the coast And with the rest the waters entred in A simple shift for Princes to begin Yet far I demde it better so to dye Then at mine enmyes foote an abiecte lye But when I thus had swam with hope to scape If I might wend the water waues to passe The Britaynes that before my ships had gate Can watche mee where amidst the surge I was Than with my boates they rowde to me alas And all they cryde kepe Humber kept their king That to our Prince we may the craytour bring So with my boates beset poore Humber I Wiste no refuge my werye armes did ake My breath was short I had no powre to crye Or place to stand while I my plaint might make The water cold made all my ioyntes to shake My hart did beate with sorrow griefe and paine And downe my cheekes salt teares they gusht amaine O must thou pelde and shall thy boates betraye Thy selfe quoth I no mercy Britaynes haue O would to God I might escape awaye I wot not yet if pardon I may craue Although my deedes deserue no life to haue I will I will death bondage beast am I In maters thus in foraine soyle to dye With that I clapt my quauering hands abrode And held them vp to heauen and thus I saide O Gods that know the paines that I haue 〈◊〉 And iust reuengment of my rashnes paide And of the death of Albanacte betraide By mee and mine I yelde my life therefore Content to dye and neuer greeue yee more Then straight not opening of my handes I bowde My selfe and set my head my armes betweene And downe I sprang with all the force I cowde So duckte that neither head nor foote were seene And neuer sawe my foes againe I weene There was I drounde the Britaynes to my fame Yet call that arme of Sea by Humbers name Take heede by mee let my presumption serue And let my folly fall and rashnes bee A glasse wherein to see if thou do swerue Thou mayste thy selfe perceiue somewhat by mee Let neither trust nor treason traine forth thee But be content with thine estate so shall No wrath of God procure thy haplesse fall If thou be forrayne bide within thy soyle That God hath giuen to thee and thine to holde If thou oppression meane beware the foyle Beare not thy selfe of thee or thine to bolde Or of the feates thy elders did of olde For God is iust iniustice will not
that was the cause she was my bryde This whyle hir father Corinaeus dyde Which when I hearde I had my hartes desire I craude no more there was my ende of griefe At leste I thought to quenche Cupidoes fire And eke to worke my lusting loues reliefe I mente no more to steale it like a thiefe But maried Elstride whom I loude as lyfe And for hir sake I put away my wyfe Likewise I causde was Elstride queene proclaimde And tooke hir as my lawfull wyfe by right But Gwendoline that sawe hir selfe sisoainde Straight fled and moude the Cornishe men to fight To them when she declarde hir pitious plighte In haste they 〈◊〉 an army for to bee Reueugers of my newe made queene and mee And I likewise an armie did prepare I thoughte to 〈◊〉 their courage all by force But to my coste I founde to late beware There is no strengthe in armoure man or horse Can vayle if loue on wronged take remorce For he on whom the deadly darte doth lighte Can neuer scape by ransome frende or flighte So when our armies met night Stura streame The trompettes 〈◊〉 and I denide the peace I minded to erpell them all the realme Or else to make them euer after cease And they except I Elstride would releace They sayde and take my Gwendoline againe They would reuenge the wrong or else be slayne On this we met and valiauntly we fought On eather side and nether parte did yelde So equaly they fell it was great doubtr Which part should haue the better of the fielde But I to boldr rushte in with sworde and sheelde To breake their rayes so hasty men get smarte An arrowe came and stroke me to the harte Then was I brought to Troynouant and there My body was enterrid as you reade When I had raigned all out twenty yere Lothus I liuve and thus became I deade Thus was my crowne depriued from my heade And all my pompe my princely troupe and trayne And I to earth and duste resolude agayne Now warne estates let this for wedlorke serue Beware of chaunge it will not holde out longe For who so mindeth from his make to swerue Shal sure at lengthe receiue reuenge for wrong T is foly fight with God h 'is farte to stronge For though ye colour all with coate of right Yet can no fained farde deceiue his sight Finis The Authour WIth that this king vvas vanisht quite and gone And as a miste dissolued into ayre And I vvas left vvith Morpheu all alone VVho represented straigt a Lady fayre Of frendes depriude and left in deepe dispaire As eke she spake all vvet in cordes fast bounde Thus tolde she hovv she vvas in vvaters drounde Elstride the concubine of Locrinus myserably drowned by Gwendoline his vvyfe declares her presumption lewde life and infortunate fall She suffered before Christe 1064. ANd must I needes my selfe resite my fall Poore woman I must I declare my fate Must I the first saue three amongste vs all Shew how I thrise fell from my Princely 〈◊〉 And from the loftye seate on which I sate If needes I must then well content I will Lest here my place in vaine I seeme to fill Locrinus loude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daughter came frō Germaines land 〈◊〉 of beauty many Princes moude 〈◊〉 for grace and fauour at my hand Which bruite once blowne abrond in euery land One Humber king of Hunnes with al his traine To come to mee a suiter was full faine What neede I tell the giftes to mee he gaue Or shew his suite or promise he me plight Sith wel you know a Prince nede nothing craue May nigh 〈◊〉 ech thing as t were his right For as the fowle before the Eagles sight Euen so me fall submit and yeld vs still At Prince his call obeysaunt to his will. And for that time the Hunnes full mighty were And did increase by martiall feates of warre Therefore our Germaine kings agaste did beare Them greater fauour then was neede by farre My father durst not Humbers hest debarre Nor I my selfe I rather was content In hope of crowne with Humber to consent Two Princely Dames with me came then away He bragde to wiune these country partes all three We Ladies rather was this Priuce his pray Because he promist that we Queenes should bee We came to coste these country coasts to see Sith he on whom our hope did wholy stande Was drownd namde Humber waters lost the lande For as you heard before when he 〈◊〉 He had wonne all because he won a part Straight way he was againe thereof deposde Constrainde to flye and swim for life poore 〈◊〉 Loe here the cause of all my douleful smarte This noble king with whom I came to raigne Was 〈◊〉 drownde vnto my greuous paine Then were his souldiers taken slaine or spoilde And wel were they that could make suite for life Was neuer such an armye sooner foilde O wofull warre that flowste in floudes of strife And carst not whom thou cutste with cruell knife Or had not Venus fraught my face with hewe I had no longer liude my forme to rewe For as I came a captine with the reste My countenaunce did shewe as braue as Sunne Ech one that sawe my natiue hewe were preste To yelde themselues by beames of beauty won My fame straight blowne to gaze on mee they ron And said I paste eche worldly wight as farre As Phoebus 〈◊〉 the morning starre Like as you see in darkes if light appeare Straight way to thatech man directes his eye Euen so amongst my captiue mates that were When I did speake or make my plaints with cry Theu all on mee they stared by and by Bemoning of my fates and fortune soe As they had bin partakers of my woe My fourme did praise my plea my sighes they suide My teares entiste their hartes some ruth to take My sobbes in sight a seemely hewe reneude My wringing hands wan suiters shift to make My sober southes did cause them for my sake Mee to commende vnto their noble kinge Who wilde they should me into presence bringe Which when I came in cordes as captiue bounde O King quoth I whose power we feele to strong O worthy wighte whose Fame to skyes doth sounde Do pitie me that neuer wishte the wronge Release mee one thy captiues all amonge Which from my frends by fraude am brought away A Prince his daughter drounde in deepe decaye Now as thou art a Prince thy selfe of might And maist do more then I do dare desire Let me O Kinge finde fauour in thy sight Asswage somewhat thy deadly wrath and ire No part of manhode t is for to require A Ladyes death thee neuer did offende Sith that thy foe hath brought her to this ende But let me rather safely be conuaide O gracious king once home before I dye Or let me on thy Queene be wayting maide If it may please thy royal maiestye Or let me raunsome paye for libertye But if thou minde reuenge of
wisedome rather then to winne to saue For ofce who trustes to get a prince his trayne Would at the lengthe of beggers life be fayne This might the Hunne erste Humber well haue sayde And this my mother Elstride proufde to true When as his life by striuing streames was stayde And when the tyrauntes hir in waters threwe What I may saye my selfe reportes to you Which had more terrour shewde then twyce such twayne Blue care and iudge if I abode no payne First when my fathers corps-was stroken downe With deadly shafte I came to mourne and see And as he laye with bleding breste in sowne He caste asyde his watring eyes on mee Flye flye he said thy stepdame seekes for thee My wofull childe what flight maiste thou to take My Sabrine poore I must the nedes forsake See here 〈◊〉 ende beholde thy fathers fall Flye flye thy gelous stepdame seekes thy lyfe Thy mother eke or this is wrapte in thrall Farewell in woe you cannot scape hir knyfe Farewell my childe mine Elstride and my Wyfe Adew ê™ he I may no longer hyde And euen with that he gaspid thrise and dyede What birde can flye and sore if formes do rage What ship can sayle if once the myndes resiste What wight is that can force of warres aswage Or else what warre can bridle Fortunes liste What man is he that dare an hoaste resiste What woman only dare withstande a fielde If not what childe but must to enemies yelde My fathers souldiers 〈◊〉 away for feare As soone as once their Captaines death they seande The Queene proclaimde a pardon euery where To those would yelde and craue it at hir hande Excepting such as did her ay withstande For so the course alwayes of pardons goes As saues the souldiers and entrapps the foes Then wiste I flight could nothing me preuaile I feard her pardon would not saue my lyfe The storme was such I durst not beare a saile I durst not go t'lntreate my fathers wyfe Althoughe I neuer was the cause of strife For gelozye deuoyde of reasons raine With frensies fume enragde her restles braine But see the chaunce thus compast rounde with feare In broyles of bloud as in the field I stande I wishte to God my corps were any where As out of life or of this hatefull lande No sooner wisht but there was euen at hande A person vile in hast quoth he come on Queene Elstride wil before thou come be gon The rascall rude the rooge the clubfist gripe My litle arme and plucte me on in haste And with my robes the bloudy ground he sweept As I drue backe he halde me on full fast Under his arme my sclender corps he cast Sith that quoth he thou putst me to this paine Thou shalt thereby at length but litle gaine Thus through the 〈◊〉 he bare me to my bane And shewde the souldiers what a spoile he had Loke here quoth he the litle Princes tane And laught and ran as brutish butcher mad But my lamenting made the souldiers sad Yet nought preuailde the caytife as his pray Without all pity bare me still away Till at the length we came where we descride A nomber huge of folkes about the Queene As when you see some wonder great beside Or els the place wher some strauÌ„g sight hath beene So might you there the people standing seene And gazed all when as they see mee brought Then sure I demde I was not come for nought And in the 〈◊〉 some praisde my coinlye face Some said to Elstride she resembleth right Some said I loked like my fathers grace Some other said it was a piteous sight I should so dye the Queene mee pardon might Some said the thiefe mee 〈◊〉 did mee abuse And not so rudely ought a Princes vse But what did this redresse my wofull care You wot the Commons vse such prouerbs still And yet the captiues poore no better are It rather helpes their pained harts to kill To pity one in griefe doth worke him ill Bemone his woe and cannot ease his thrall It kills his hart but comforts nought at all Thus past me throw the prease at length we came Into the presence of the gelous Queene Who nought at all the rascall rudc did blame That bare me so but askte if I had seene My father slame that cause thereof had beene O Queene quoth I God knowes nice innocent To worke my fathers death I neuer ment With that I sawe the people looke asyde To 〈◊〉 a mourning voyce I heard thereby It was my wofull mother by that cryde Lo Sabrine hounde at brinke of death I lye What pen or tongue or teares with weeping eye Could tell my woes that sawe my mother bounde On waters shore wherein she should be drounde With that I fell before the Queene and praide For mercy but 〈◊〉 fiery 〈◊〉 she bent Hir browes on mee out vastar de bile she sain Thou worst not yet wherefore for thee I sent O Queene quoth I haue pity be content And if thou minde of mercy ought to show 〈◊〉 mee and let my mother harmelesse go For why she was a Prince his daughter borne In Germany and thence was brought away Perforce by Humber who by mattes forlorne Thy king as captiue toke hir for his pray Thou maiste full well her case with reason weye What coulde she do what more then she or I Thy 〈◊〉 now thine owne to line or dye Take pity then on Princely race O Queene Take pity if remorce may ought require Take pity on a captiue thrice hath beene Let pity pearce the rage of all thine ire But if thy breast burne with reuenging fire Then let my death quenche oute that fuming flame Sith of thy husbands bloud and hirs I came Much more I saide while teares out streaming went But nought of ease at all thereby I gainde My mother eke did as she lay lamente Where with my hart a Thousand folde she painde And though the Queene my plaints to fauour fainde Yet at the last she bade she should prepare Her selfe to dye and ende her course of care Than all her frends my mother Elstride namde And pleasures paste and bade them all adue Eke as she thus her last farewell had framde With losse of him from whom her sorowes grue At length to mee which made my hart to rue She said farewell my childe I feare thy fall Ten thousand times adewe my Sabrine small And as the cruel 〈◊〉 came to take 〈◊〉 vp to caste and drowne her in the sloud I fast mine armes about her clipt did make And cryde O Queene let mercy meeke thy moode Do rather reaue my hart of vitail bloude Then thus I liue with that they slachte my holde And 〈◊〉 my mother in the waters colde For loue to ayde her venter in would I That sawe my mother striue aloft for winde To lande she lookte and saide farewell Idye O let me go quoth I like fate to finde Said Guendoline come on likewise and binde This Sabrine
by my fathers ioyned faste The nobles then desirde to haue On me their children wayte and tende And royall giftes with them me gaue As might their powres therto extende But here began my cause of care As all delightes at length haue ende Bemixte with woes our pleasures are Amidste my ioyes I loste a frende My father nyne and twenty yeares This tyme had raignde and helde the crowne As by your cronicles appeares Whan fates on vs began to frowne For euen amidste his moste of ioye As youth and strengthe and honours fade Sore sicknes did him long anoye At laste of life an ende it made Then was I chose king of this lande And had the crowne as had the reste I bare the scepter in my hande And sworde that all our foes oppreste Eke for because the Greekes did bse Me well in Greece at Athens late I bad those foure I brought to chuse A place that I might dedicate To all the Muses and their artes To learnings vse for euermore Which when they sought in diuers partes At last they found a place therfore Amidst the realme it lies melnfghe As they by arte and skill did proue An healthfull place not lowe nor bigve An holsome soyle for their behoue With water streames and springes for melles And medowes sweete and baleyes grene And woodes groaues quaries all things else For studentes weale or pleasure bene When they reported this to me They prayde my grace that I would bussde Them there an bntuer sitle The fruites of learning for to yelne I buylte the scholes like Atikes then And gaue them landes to maintayne those Which were accounted learned men And could the groundes of artes disclose The towne is called Stamforde yet There stande the walles untill this daye Foundations eke of scholes I set Bide yet not maintainde in decaye Whereby the lande receauid store Of learned clarkes long after that But nowe giue eare I tell the more And then my fall aud great mishap Because that time Apollo was Surmisde the God that gaue vs wit I builte his temple braue did passe At Troynouant the place is yet Some saye I made the batthes at Bathe And made therfore two tunnes of brasse And other twayne seuen saltes that haue In them but these be made of glasse With sulpher fylde and other things Wyide fire saltgem salte peter eke Salte armoniake salte 〈◊〉 Salte comune and salte Arabecke Salte niter mirid with the rest In these fowre tunnes by portions right Fowre welles to laye them in were dreste Wherin they boyle both daye and night The water springes them rounde about Doth ryse for ay and boyleth still The tunnes within and eke without Do all the welles with vapoures fill So that the heate and clensing powre Of Sulpher and of salts and fyre Doth make the bathes eche pointed houre To helpe the sickly health desyre These bathes to soften sinewes haue Great vertue and to scoure the skin From morphew white and blacke to saue The bodies faint are bathde therein For leprye scabs and sores are olde For scurfes and botche and humors fall The bathes haue vertues many folde If God giue grace to cure them all The ioyntes are swelde and hardned milte And hardned liuer palseis paine The poxe and itche if worke thou wilt By helpe of God it heales againe Shall I renege I made them then Shall I denye my cunning 〈◊〉 By helpe I had of learned men Those worthy welles in gratefull 〈◊〉 I will do so for God gaue grate Whereby I knewe what nature wrought And lent me lore to finde the place By wisedome where those welles I sought Which once confest to here my harme Eschewe the like if thou be wise Let neuer will thy wits becharme Or make the chaunge of kinde deuise For if the fishe would learne to goe And leaue to swim against his bre When he were quite the waters froe He could not swim you may be sure Or if the beast would learne to flye That had no plumes by nature lent And get him winges as earst did I Would not thincke you it him 〈◊〉 Though Magicke Mathematicall Make wooden birdes to flye and sore Eke brasen heads that speake they shall And promise many marueiles more Yet sith it swarues from Natures will As much as these that I recite Refuse the fondnes of such skill Doth ay with death the proufe requite I deemde I could more soner frame My selfe to flye then birdes of woode And ment to get eternall fame Which I esteemde the greatest good I deckt my selfe with plumes and winges As here thou seest in skilfull wise And many equall poysing thinges To ayde my flight to fall or rise Thou thinckste an art that seldome bsde In hand I toke and so it was But we no daunger then refusde So we might bring our feates to passe By practise at the length I could Gainst store of winde with ease arise And then which way to light I should And mount and turne I did deuise Which learned but not perfectly Before I had there of the sleight I new aloft but downe fell I For want of skill againe to light Upon the temple earst I built To God Apollo downe I fell In fiters broisde for such a guilt A iust reuenge requited well For what should I presume so highe Against the course of nature quite To take me winges and saye to flpe A foole no fowle in fethers dight As learning founds and cunning finds To such haue wit the same to vse So she confounds and marres the mindes Of those her secrets seeme t' abuse Well then deserts requirde my fall Presumption proude depriude my breath Renowne bereft my life and all Desire of praise procurde my death Do let alureing arts alone They pleasaunt seeme yet are they vaine Amongst an hundreth scarce is one Doth ought thereby but labour gaine Their cunning castes are crafty cares Deuices vaine deuisde by men Such witched wiles are Sathans snares To traine in fooles dispise them then Their wisedome is but wily wit Their sagenes is but subtilty Darke dreames deuisde for fooles are fit And such as practise pampestry Thou seest my fall and eke the cause Unwisely I good giftes abusde Lo here the hurt of learned sawes If they be mrested or misuide Then write my story with the rest May pleasure when it comes to vewe Take heede of counsailes all is best Beware take heeds farewell adieu Farewell will students keepe in minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Els May they chaunce like fate to finde For why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Authour WHen Bladud thus had ended quite his tale And tolde his life as you haue hearde before He toke his flight and then a Lady pale A pearde in sight beraide vvith bloudy gore In hande a knife of sanguine dye she bore And in her breast a wounde was pearced wyde So freshly bledde as if but than she dyde She staide a while her coulour came and went And
still to me with stealing steps she drewe She was of coloure pale a deadly hewe Hir clothes resembled thousand kindes of thrall And pictures playne of hastened deathes withall I musing lay in paynes and wondred what she was Mine eyne stode still mine haire rose vp for feare an ende My fleshe it shoke and trembled yet I cryde alasse What wight art thou a foe or else what fawning 〈◊〉 If death thou arte I praye thee make an ende But th' arte not death arte thou some fury 〈◊〉 My wofull corps with paynes to more 〈◊〉 With that she spake I am ê™ she thy frend Despaire Which in distresse eacue worldly wight with spede do ayde I rid them from their foes if I to them repayre To long from thee by other caytiues was I stayde Now if thou arte to die no whit affrayde Here shalt thou choose of instrumentes 〈◊〉 Shall ridde thy restlesse life of this be bolde And therwith all she spred her garmentes lap asyde Under the which a thousand thinges I sawe with eyes Both knyues sharpe swordes poynadees all bedyde With bloud and paysons prest which she could well deuise There is no hope ê™ she for thee to ryse And get thy crowne or libertie agayne But for to liue long lasting pining payne Loe here ê™ she the blade that Did ' of Carthage highte Whereby she was from thousande panges of payne let passes With this she 〈◊〉 hit selfe after Aeneas flighte When he to sea from Tyrian shores departed was Do chouse of these thou seest from woes to passe Or bid the ende prolonge thy paynefull dayes And I am pleasde from thee to get my wayes With that was I 〈◊〉 wretche content to take the knife But doubtfull yet to dye and fearefull faine would bide So still I lay in study with my selfe at bate and strife What thing were best of both these deepe extreames vntride My hope all reasons of dispayre denide And the againe replide to proue it best To dye for still in life my woes increast She calde to minde the ioyes in Fraunce I whilom had She tolde me what a troupe of Ladies was my traine And howe that Lords of Fraunce and Britaynes both were glad Of late to waite on mee and subiects all were faine She could I had bin Queene of kingdomes twaine And how my nephewes had my seate and crowue I could not rise for euer fallen downe A thousand thinges beside resited then dispaire She could the woes in warres that I had heapt of late Rehearst the prison bile in steede of Pallas faire My lodging lowe and mouldy meates my mouth did hate She shewde mee all the dongeon where I sate The dankeishe 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and had me smell And bide the sauourif I like it well Whereby I wretch 〈◊〉 of comfort quite and hope And pleasures past comparde with present paines I had For fatall my fearefull hand did grope Dispaire in this to ayde my 〈◊〉 limmes was glad And gaue the blade to ende my woes she had I will quoth I but first with all my hart I le pray the Gods reuenge my wofull smart If any wronge deserue the wrecke I pray you skyes And starres of light if you my wofull plight do rue O Phoebus cleare I thee beseech and pray like wise Beare witnes of my plaints well knowne to Gods are true You see from whence these iniuries they grue Then let like vengeaunce hap and light on those Which vndeserued were my deadly foes God graunt a mortall strife betwene them both may fall That one the other may without remorse distroye That Conidagus may his cosin Morgan thrall Because he first decreast my wealth bereft my ioye I pray you Gods he neuer be a Roy. But caitife may be payde with such a frende As shortly may him bring to sodaine ende Farewell my Realme of Fraunce farewell Adieu Adieu mes nobles tous and England now farewell Farewell Madames my Ladyes car ie suis pardu Il me fault aler desespoir m'a donne confeil Demetuer no more your Queene farewell My nephewes mee oppresse with maine and might A captiue poore gainst iustice all and right And therewithall the sight did faile my dazeling eyne I nothing same saue sole Dispayrebad mee dispatch Whom I 〈◊〉 she caught the knife from mee I weene And by hir elbowe carian death for mee did watch Come on quoth I thou hast a goodly catch And therewithal Dispayre the stroke did strike Whereby I dyde a damned creature like Which I alasse lament bid those aliue beware Let not the losse of goodes or honour them constrasne To play the fooles and take such carefull carke and care Or to dispaire for any prison pine or paine If they be giltlesse let them so remaine Farre greater follye is it for to kill Themselues dispayring then is any ill Sith first thereby their enmyes haue that they desyre By which they prone to deadly foes vnwares a 〈◊〉 And next they cannot liue to former blisse t'aspyre If God do bring their foes in time to sodaine ende They lastly as the damned wretches sende Their soules to hell when as they vndertake To kill a corps which God did liuely make Finis The Authour NOw when this desperate Queene had ended thus Hir tale and told what haplesse grace she had As of her talke some pointes I did discusse In slomber fallen I waxed wondrous sad Hir nephewes dealings were me thought to bad VVhich greude mee much but Morpheus bad let bee And therewithal presented one to mee Of stature tall a worthy princely wight In countenaunce he soemde yet mourning still His complet harnesse not so brauein sight Nor sure as ours made now adayes by skill But clampt together ioynts but ioyned ill Vnfit vnhandsome heauy houge and plaine Vnweldy wearing ratling like a chaine VVherethroughe he had receiude a deadly stroake By sworde or other instrument of warre And downe his thighes the bloud by sithes did soake VVhich I perceiued as he came a farre Now sith quoth he to heare you present are I will declare my name life factes and fall And therewith thus he gan to tell it all Morgan telles how he wadgeing warre with his cosin Conidagus was slaine at the place yet called Glamorgan the yeare before Christe 766. I Wot not well what reasons I may vse To quite my selfe from blame blame worthy I Wherefore I must perforce my selfe accuse I am in fault I can it not denye Remorse of conscieuce prickes my hart so nye And me torments with panges of pinching paine I can no longer me from speach refraine I am that Morgan sonne of Gonerell Th' ungrateful daughter of her father Leire Which from his kingdome did him once expell As by the Brytishe stories may appeare Regan and shee conspirde both sisters were But were subdude againe and causde to yeld Their fathers crowne Cordila wan the field I neede not here the storyes all recyte It were to longe but yet I briefely shall The cause Cordila ought