halfe his garde she and her husband refte And scarce alowde the other halfe they lefte Eke as in Scotlande thus he lay lamenting fates When as his daughter so sought all his vtter spoyle The meaner vpstarte gentiles thought thē selues his 〈◊〉 And betters eke see here an aged prince his foyle Then was he saine for succoure his to toyle With all his knightes to Cornewall there to lye In greatest nede his Raganes loue to trye And when he came to Cornwall Ragan them with foye Receiued him and eke bit husbande did the lyke There he abode a yeare and liude without a noy But then they tooke all his retinue from him quite Saue only ten and shewde 〈◊〉 dayly spite Which he bewailde 〈◊〉 durst not striue Though in disoayne they laste alowde but fiue On this he deemde him selfe was far that tyine vnwyse When from his doughter Gonerell to Ragan hee Departed erste yet eache did him poore king despise Wherefore to Scotlande once againe with bit to bee And bide be went but beastly cruell shee Bereaude him of his seruauntes all saue one Bad him content him self with that or none Eke at what time he askte of eache to haue his garde To garoe his grace where so he walkte or wente They calde him doting foole and all his hestes debarde Demaunded if with life he could not be contente 〈◊〉 he to late his rigour did repente Gainst me and sayde Cordila now 〈◊〉 I finde the 〈◊〉 thou 〈◊〉 mee to to true And to be short to Fraunce he came alone to mee And tolde me how my sisters him our father vsde Then I besought my king with teares vpō my knee That he would aide my father thus by them misusde Who nought at all my humble beste refusde But sent to euery coste of Fraunce for ayde Wherwith my father home might be conueide The soldiers gathered from eche quarter of the land Came at the length to know the king his mind will Who did commit them to my fathers aged hand And I likewise of loue and reuerent mere goodwill Desirde my king he would not take it ill If I departed for a space withall To take a parte or ease my fathers thrall This had I partid with my father from my fere We came to Britayne with our royall cāpe to fight And manly fought so lōg our enmies bāquisht were By martiall feates and force by subiectes sword and might The Britishe kinges were fayne to yelde our right And so my father well this realme did guide Three yeares in peace and after that he dide Then I at Leircester in Ianus temple made His tombe and buried there his kingly regall corse As sondry tymes in life before he often bade For of our fathers will we then did greatly force We had of conscience eke so much remorce That we supposde those childrens liues to ill Which brake their fathers testament and will. And I was queene the kingdome after still to holde Till fiue yeares paste I did this Iland guyde I had the Britaynes at what becke bay I wolde Till that my louing king myne Aganippus dyde But then my seate it faltered on eache side Two churlishe Impes began with me to Farre And for my crowne wadgde with me mortal warre The one hight Morgan th' elder sonne of Gonerell My sister and that other Conidagus hight My sister Ragans sonne that loude me neuer well Both nephewes mine yet wolde against me Cordel fight Because I loude always that semed right Therfore they hated me and did pursue Their aunte and queene as she had bene a Iewe. This Morgane was that time the prince of Albany And Comdagus king of Cornewale and of VVales Both which at once prousded their artillery To worke me wofull wo mine adherentes bales What nede I fill thyne eares with longer tales ' They did preuaile by might and powre so faste That I was taken prisoner at laste In spitefull sorte they vsed then my captiue corse No fauoure shewde to me ertincte was mine estate Of kinred princesse bloud or pere was no remorce But as an abiecte vile and worse they did me hate To lie in darksome dongeon was my fate As t were a thiefe mine aunswers to abyde Gainst right and iustice vnder Iaylours guyde For libertie at lengthe I suid to subiectes were But they kepte me in pryson close deuoyde of truste If I might once escape they were in dreade and feare Their fawning frendes with me would proue vntrue and 〈◊〉 They tolde me take it paciently I muste And be contented that I had my life Sithe with their mothers I began the strife Whereby I sawe might nothing me preuayle to pray Or pleade or proue defende excuse or pardon craue They herde me not despisde my plaintes sought my decay I might no lawe nor loue nor right nor iustice haue No frendes no faith nor pitie could me saue But I was from all hope of licence barde Condemde my cause like neuer to be herde Was euer lady in such wofull wreckfull wo Depriude of princely powre berefte of libertie Depriud in all these worldly pompes hit pleasures fro And brought from welthe to nede distresse and misery From palace proude in prison poore to lye From kingdomes twayne to dungion one no more From Ladies wayting vnto vermine store From light to darke from holsom ayre to lothsam smell From odewr swete to sweate from ease to grieuous payne From sight of princely wights to place where theues do dwel From deinty beddes of downe to be of strawe full fayne From dowes of beauenly hewe to dennes of dayne From greatest haps that worldly wightes atchieue To more distresse then any wretche aliue When firste I lefte the crowne of Fraunce tid me eralte And eke my noble king myne Aganippus true And came to Englande for their beynous factes and faulte Which from his right and kingdom quite our-father threw To take this realme to raigne and treason knew I thinke of all misfortunes was the worste Or else I deeme was some of vs accurste For marke my haplesse fall that drawes at length to ende As in this pryson vile on lyue I lingering laye When I had mourned long but founde no faithfull frende That could me helpe or ayde or comforte any way Was serude at meate as those their kinges betraye With fare God wot was simple bare and thinne Could not sustayne the corys it entred in And when the sighes teares plaintes nigh burst my hart And place and stenche and fare night poysond euery pore For lacke of frendes to tell my seas of giltlesse smarte And that mine eyes had sworne to take swete stepe no more I was content siche cares oppreste me sore To leaue my foode take mourning plaintes and crie And lay me downe let griefe and nature trie Thus as I pyning lay my carkas on couch of strawe And felte that payne erste neuer creature earthly knewe Me thought by night a gryzely ghost in darkes I same Eke nerer
THE FIRST parte of the Mirour for Magistrates containing the falles of the first infortunate Princes of this lande From the comming of Brute to the incarnation of our sauiour and redemer Iesu Christe Ad Romanos 13.2 Quisquis se opponit potestati Dei ordinationi resistit Imprinted at London by Thomas Marshe Anno. 1574. Cum Priuilegio The contentes of the Booke 1. ALbanact the yongest sonne of Brutus telles of the finding of this land his fathers life and his owne infortunate fall Fol. 4. 2. Humber the kinge of Hunnes shewes how he mindinge to conquere this land was drowned c. Fol. 15 3 Locrinus the eldest sonne of Brutus declares his slaughter to hauehappened for his euil life Fol. 17 4 Elstride the concubine of Locrinus miserably drowned by Guendoline his wife declares hir presumptiō leude life and infortunate fall Fol. 21 5 Sabrine the base childe of Locrinus telles how she was pitifully drowned by his wyfe Guendoline in reueng of her fathers adulterye Fol. 28 6 Madan shevves hovve for his euil life hee vvas slaine of wolues Fol. 32. 7 Manlius declares how he minding to kill his brother for the kingdome was by him slaine Fol. 34 8 Mempricius giuen all to lust pleasure and the sinne of Sodomy telles how he was deuoured of wolues Fol. 36 9 Bladud resiteth how hee practizing by curious artes to flye fel and brake his necke Fol. 40 10 Cordila shewes howe by despaire when she was in prison she slew hir selfe Fol. 47. 11 Morgan telles how he wadging warre with his cosin Conidagus was slaine at the place yet called Glamorgan Fol. 54. 12 Forrex declares hovve hee mindinge to kill his brother which ruled with him that he might thereby raigne alone was by him slaine Fol. 57. 13 Porrex recites how for the slaughter of his brother he was slaine by his owne mother and hir may dens as he laye sleeping Fol. 60. 14 Kimarus shewes how for his euil life he was deuoured by wilde beasts Fol. 63. 15 Morindus a bastarde declares howe he was exalted to the kingdome waxed cruell and at last was deuoured by amonster Fol. 65 16 Nennius a worthy Britaine the very patern of a valiant noble and faithfull subiect encountringe with Iulius Caesar at his first comminge into this Islande was by him death wounded yet nathelesse hee gate Caesars sworde put him to flight slewe therewith Labienus a Tribune of the Romaynes endured fighte till his countrymen wan the battaile dyed xv dayes after And nowe encourageth all good subiectes to defende their countrey from the power of forraine and vsurping enemies Fol. 68. Loue and liue TO THE NOBILITIE and all other in office God graunt the increase of wysedome with all thinges necessarie for preseruacion of their estates Amen AMongst the wise right Honorable whose sentēces for the moste parte tende either to teache the attaining of vertue or eschuing of vice Plotinus that wonderfull and excellent Phylosopher hath these wordes The propertie of Temperaunce is to couet nothing which maye hee repented not to exceade the bandes of measure and to keepe desire vnder the yooke of Reason VVhiche saying if it were so well knowen as is needefull so well imbraced as hee wyshed or so surely fixed in minde as it is printed in his woorkes then certis manye Christians might by the instruction of an Ethnicke Phylosopher shunne great and daungerous perils For to couet without consideration to passe the measure of his degree and to lette will runne at randon is the onely destruction of all estates Else howe were it possible so many learned politike wise renoumed valiauntand victorious personages might euer haue come to such vtter decaye VVill you that I rehearse Alexander the great Caesar Pompey Cyrus Hannibal c. Al which by desire of glorie felte the rewarde of their immoderate and insatiable lustes for if Alexander had ben content with Macedonie or not ben pufte vp with pride after his triumphes hee had neuer ben so miserably poysoned If Caesar and Pōpey had ben satisfied with their victories and had not fell to ciuill discention the one had not ben slaine in the Senate with daggers the other abrode by his frendes procurement If Cyrus had ben pleased with all Persia and Media and not thirsted for bloud he had neuer com to so infortunat a fall If Hanniball had not so much delited in glory of warfare his countrey had neither fel in ruine nor he ben miserably forced to poyson him selfe But you wil say desire of fame glorie renowne and immortalitie to which al mē wel nighe of nature are inclined especially those which excel or haue any singuler gift of Fortune or of the body moued them to such daungerous great and hardy enterprises which I must ne des confesse as an infallible veritie but for so much as the aboue named vertue by Plotinus his iudgemēt hath such excellent properties it is so fit in a Magistrate that I surely deme those Princes aboue specified considering their factes estates fortunes fame and exploytes had neuer come to suche ende but for wante of temperance Yet sithe there are three other Cardinall vertues whiche are requisite in him that should be in authoritie that is to saye Prudence Iustice and Fortitude which so wōderfully adorne and beautifie all estates if Temperaunce bee with them adioyned that they moue the very enemies with admi ration to praise thē some peraduenture as affection leades will commende one some another Yea and though Aristotle prince of Phylosophers name Prudence The mother of vertues And Cicero define hir the knowledge of thinges which ought to be desired and followed and also of them which ought to be 〈◊〉 and eschewed yet shall you finde that for wante of Temperaunce those whiche were counted the wisest that euer were fel into wonderfull reproche and infamie Yea and though Iustice that incomparable vertue as the auncient Ciuilians define hir be a perpetuall and constant will which geueth to euery man his right Yet if she be not constant which is the gift of fortitude nor equal in discerning right from wrong wherin is prudence nor vse proportion in iudgement and sentence which pertaineth to temperaunce shee can neuer be called equitie or iustice but fraude deceate in iustice and iniurie And to speake of 〈◊〉 which Cicero definith A consyderate vndertaking of perils and enduring of labours If hee whom we suppose stoute valiaūt and of good courage want Prudence Iustice or Temperaunce he is not counted bolde manly and constant but made beastly and desperate I will also sith I haue gone so farre with the vertues and the place so vrgeth lastly set downe the difinition of Temperaunce according to Cicero his opinion Temperaūce saith he is of reason in lust and other euil assaultes of the minde a sure and moderate dominion and rule This noble vertue hath three partes that is cōtinence clemēcie and modestie which well and wisely obserued and kept if grace be to
daughter who surmountes For vertues rare for 〈◊〉 braue and grace Both Heline fine of whom they made accountes And all the reste that come of Grecian race She for hir father sues bewayles his case And by hir wisdome there and parentes loue Doth us and Brutus both to pity moue Yet some will saye he should depriued bee Of kingdome quite and worthy Brutus should Receiue the seepter this misliketh mee To this 〈◊〉 Brutus if we could Consent I deme agree he neuer would So much him selfe ambitiously t' abuse Or else a king vnkindly so to bse For kingdomes sake a king at home to kill Were farre to bad within his natiue lande Though he by right or wrong directed still His force gainste vs that did him so withstande The king hath therfore ay the sworde in hand If any kicke against his poyntes of lawe To cut them of or kepe them vnder awe T is best O Brutus if thou like her take His daughter Innogen vnto thy wyfe And let the king a dowry large hir make Golde syluer shippes and corne for our reliefe With other things wherof this lande is ryfe That wee so fraughte may seeke some deserte shore Where we and ours may raigne for euer more This pleasde both Brutus and the Troianes all Who wild foorth with that Pandrasus the kyng Should reuerently be brought into the hall And present when they tolde him of this thing Great griefe and sorowe did his harte so sting we could not shewe by countenaunce or cheete That he it lykte but spake as you shall heare Sithe that the hatefull Gods haue yelded mee And eke my brother captiues to your handes I am contente to doe as pleaseth yee For feare I leese both life and goodes and landes I muste be nedes content as fortune standes I giue my daughter golde and syluer fyne With what for dowry else you craue is myne To make my tale the shorter if I maye My father then 〈◊〉 maried by and by And all thinges else performed by a daye The king restorde that did in pryson lye The Troianes parted from the shores pardy Did hoyse vp sayles in two dayes and a night Upon the 〈◊〉 of Leogece they light And leausng of their shippes at roade to lande They wandering went the countrey for to veme Lo there a deserte 〈◊〉 olde they fande And eke a temple if reporte be true Wherin Diana to 〈◊〉 credit grewe That sacrifice the Troianes counsayle gane My father make an aunswere for to haue And he no whit mistyking their aduice Went foorth and bid before the alter holde In his right hand a cup to sacrifice Efylde with wyne and whyte hyndes bloud scarce colde And then before hir stature straight he tolde Deuoutly all his whole peticion there In better sorte then I repeate it here O Goddesse great in groaues that putst wyide boares in feareful feare And mayste go all the compas pathes of euery ayrie sphere Eke of th' infernall houses to resolue the earthly rightes And tell what countrey in to dwell thou gyuste vs Troiane wightes Issigne a certayne seate where I shall worship thee for aye And where repleate with birgins I erecte thy temples may When nyne tymes he had spoken this and went Fowre tymes the alter rounde and stayde agen He powrde the wyne and bloud in hande he hente Into the fyre O witlesse cares of men Suche foly mere and blindnes great was then But if religion nowe biddes toyes farewell Embrace thats good the vice of time I tell Mee layde him then downe by the alters syde Upon the whyte mindes skin espred therfore It was the third 〈◊〉 of the night a tyde Of sweetest sleepe he gaue him selfe the more Do reste and sleepe then seemed him before Diana chaste the Goddesse to appeare And spake to him these wordes that you shall heare O Brute farre vnder Phoebus fall beyonde of fraunce that raigne An Ilande in the Ocean is with sea t is compaste mayne An Ilande in the Ocean is where Giantes once did dwell But now a deserte place that 's fit will serue thy people well To this direct thy race for there shal be thy seate for aye And to thy sonnes there shal be builte an other stately Troye Here of thy progenye and stocke shall mighty kinges descende And vnto them as subiecte all the worlde shall bowe and bende On this he woke with ioyfull chere and tolde The vision all and aunswer that it gaue So it reioyste their hartes a thousande folde To shippes they gotte away the shores they draue And hoysing sayles for happy wyndes they craue In thirty dayes their voyage so they dight That on the coaste of Affrica they light Then to Philaenes alters they ataynde For so men call two hilles erectid ar In Tunise lāde two bretherne ground that gainde For Carthage once and wente t is sayde to far On Cyren grounde for boundes there buried wer Because they would not turne againe but striue With Cyren men they buried them alyue From thence they sayled vnto Saliues lake Twene Azarae hilles and Ruscitadam They paste from thence to Maluae floud they gates To Hercules his pillers sight they came And then to Tuscan seas wheras by fame Not far from shore like minded mates they finde Foure banishte races of the Troian kinde Companious of Antenor in his flighte But Corinaeus was their captayne than For counsayle calde a wyse and worthy wighte In warres the prayse for valiauntnes he wan My father did so frendely vse this man He was content and all his men besyde To try aduentures by my fathers guyde Then vnto Guynein fraunce they sayled thence And at the hauen of Loire they did ariue To ve we the countrey was their whole pretence And vitayles for their men and them atchiue Eke Corinaeus leste the Galles should striue Led foorth twoo hundreth of his warlike bande To get prouision to the shippes from lande But when the king Gofarius herde of this That Troianes were ariued on his shore With Frēchemen with Guines their power his He came to take the pray they gat before And when they met they fought it both full sore Till Corinaeus rushte into their bande And causde them flye they durst no longer stande First might you there seen harts of Frēchmē broke Two hundreth Troianes gaue them all the foyle At home with oddes they durste not byde the stroke Fewe Troianes beate them in their natiue soyle Eke Corinaeus folowed in this broyle So faste vpon his foes before his men That they retournde and thought to spoyle him then There he alone against them all and they Against him one with all their force did fight At last by chaunce his sword was flowne away By Fortune on an halberde then he light Which he did driue about him with such might That some their hands some their arms did leese Some legges of some the head frō shoulders flees As thus amongst them all be fought with force And fortune great
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
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
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
hir sisters spite Was they procurde hir and their fathers thrall Yet t was hir chaunce at length t' out liue them al Both sisters elder and hir father graue And eke at length the kingdome all to haue That time was I of Albany the kinge Calde Scotland now and eke my cosin then Of Cornewall and of VVales whom I did bringe To warre against Cordila and her men Wee said we would our title winne agen And that because our mothers had it yore Wee ment to get it ours againe therefore I must confesse I was the cause of warre I was not pleasde with that was looted mee Euen so our mindes Ambitious often ar And blinded that we cannot reason see Wee thincke no men but Gods on earth we bee Yet worse are we theÌ„ beasts which know their kinde For we haue nought but mischiefe oft in minde We thincke if so we may our willes attaine By right or wrong by might or malice wee Could neuer liue like Fortune for to gaine Or if on soes we once reuenged bee If that our ennemies fall we chaunce to see O then we ioy we lift our selues to skye And on the poore we crucifige crye I deemde if once I might put her adowne The kingdomes all were Conidags 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 be after Britaine king To speake in fewe we waged warre so longe Bainst hir at last we put hir vnto flight Wee nephewes for our aunt were farre to stronge Pursude and coke depriude her of hir right Wee thought it ours what so we wanne by might Cke so play 〈◊〉 traytours all do watch To get by spoile and count their owne they catch Not so contented were we with the pray But fearing lest she should recouer ayde I sent in hast to prison her away And all recourse of messengers densyde Thus when she sawe hir Maiesty decaide And that hir griefes and sorrowes daily grue In prison at the length hir selfe she slue O caytife vile should I constrainde a Queene That Iustice ment hir kingdome to forsake Nay traytour I as now by proofe is seene That would my selfe by bloudshed ruler make How could reuenge on me but vengeaunce take Before the seate of God hir bloud did call For vengeaunce and at length procurde my fall Lo here Gods iustice see my treason see Beholde and see to raigne was my delight And marke and make a myrour here of mee Which afterward was serude 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 claimed all we wonne So were my dealings nought in peace and warre But for my force and fortunes vsde in fight I past that time the Britaynes all by farre I was of person fortitude and might Both comely tall stronge seemely eke in sight Whereby I wonne mens fauour glory wealth And puft with pride at length forgate my selfe I said it was my right the crowne to haue But Conidagus stoutly it denide Wherefore I went to VVales my right to craue With all mine army and to haue it tryde Where long we fought it stoutly on eche syde Till at the last vnto my wofull paine I was depriude of kingdome quite and slaine And for to keepe in memorye for aye That there vnfaithfull Morgan lost his life The place is cald Glamorgan to this daye There was I perst to death with fatall knife There was the ende of all my hatefull strife So Morgan where he thought to win the crowne Was at Glamorgan traytour stricken downe Thus maist thou tell how proude ambition proues What hap haue tyraunts what we traitours haue What ende he hath that cruel dealing loues What subiects get the Diademe docraue T is better then to winne thine owne to saue For so orethwartly trade of Fortune goes When win thou wouldst then art thou sure to lose Finis The Authoure VVIth that Morganus quickly past away The night me thought likewise was far epast VVherby it weried me so long to staye But Morpheus bad me by de and see the last ê™ he the storyes passe awaye as fast As doth the time and sithe th' art nigh th' ende Thou nedste not grutche so short a space to spend And turning then him selfe from me asyde He calde the next which therwithall in sight Appearde and all his breste with bloud bedide VVhat chaunce ê™ I hath so thy corps bedight Thou worthy prince or what mishaps of fight I will ê™ he with all my hart vnfolde My fatall fall and therwithall he tolde Forrex declares howe hee mynding to kill his brother whiche ruled with him that he might therby raigne alone was by him slayne About the yeare before Christe 491. PRide moues the mindes of stately wightes Such hauty hartes to haue And causeth vs for glory hayne That is not ours to craue Pryde pluckes out reason forth hir place And planteth will in stede She puffes our mindes with vayne desires Our fancies foude to feede Wherby we growe so obstinate And so ambitious ill That vs at length our brauery bids In all thinges vse our will. Ambition thinkes that lawefull is Which likes hir fancie beste And demes she ought to haue hir forthe And swinge before the reste She loues no mates controlement shee And warning doth despise She demes her selfe in all hir deedes And actions wonders wise She hath desire of this and that To get by crouche or clawe By right or wronge she 〈◊〉 not She vseth will for lawe No kinde or countrey she regardes No mother father shee Nor wyfe or husbande kithe or kin But enuies eache degree For if thy hart Ambition haue Thy greedy mynde to fill Thou wilt not sticke thy dearest frende or nerest kin to kill But as the prouerbe sayes that Pryde Must needes at lengthe haue fall Though we suppose of strengthe and powre We haue the deuill and all Euen so I saye Ambition makes Us often clyme so hie At leng th we fall we come to nought And drownde in darkenes lye This may I Forrex well 〈◊〉 By proufe to true I finde Wherfore I praye the with the reste Do put my faultes in mynde My father olde hight Gorboduge Raignde three score yeares and three And at his death gaue all his lande Twene Porrex proude and mee Fyue yeares we helde it so in peace In reste me ruled well But at the last by pryde and wrathe Wee foule at discorde fell We eache encrotchte on others partes For rule we liude at strife And eache did seeke occasion aye To reaue the others life I made this counte I elder was By birthe the realme was myne By warre or wrong or bloud I mente To haue it all in fine And he although he yonger were Esteemde his state so sure As mine and thought it his if hee My death might
once procure My mother eke that loude me more Although he yonger was By diuers meanes did helpe me still To bring my feates to passe Wherby I thought my selfe so sure To haue my purpose sped As I requirde if once I might Get of his crafty head See here what faith what frendship is What loue what fauoure wee Do shewe to any wight aliue If once alofte me bee To fathers we are faithlesse ofte To brothers butchers vile Of sisters smale accounte we make And wedded wyues exile If any kithe or 〈◊〉 we haue By whom we vantage may We care not by what cruell meanes Their liues we take away But for to get the seate alone And for to wynne the crowne We care not whom nor when nor home So we may get them downe O brutishe beastes nay worse then those For they are still concente With that they haue what euer them Hath God or Nature sente But we do gape and gaze for glore We prowle and powle and pill And sweare and stare and striue fighte And one another kill And all for pompe and glorie great For name renowne estate Not caring of the commons crye Or Godes eternall hate If I had had the giftes of grace I neuer would haue sought By any meanes such worldly trashe With brothers bloud to boughte But as I ment euen so I sped So bloudy butchers thye When moste I deemde my purpose sure He was to good for me For as I thought his bloud to shed I compaste was about So that for thousand kingdomes I Could not with life scape out He perste my hart what skilles it sithe My minde was euen as bad For why what measure I him mente My selfe like measure had And so all such as murder meane Intende or treason vse Shall at the lengthe like ende attayne Or worse they cannot chuse FINIS The Authour WHen as king Forrex thus had tolde his tale Me thought he stay de no whit but went his way Then came a mangled corps as full of bale And or he nerer came made halfe a stay ê™ Morpheus come for shame thou nedste not stay As bad as thou haue tolde their tales before And so must thou and diuers other more Porrex recites howe for the slaughter of his brother he was slayne by his owne mother and hir maydens as he laye sleeping About the yeare before Christe 491. FRom darkesome deunes where cruell Cayne And others like do lye Whose bloudie blades were bathde in bloud Poore caytiue thence come I. Where Typhon is his brother slewe Osiris in despite And where their sister Isis is Did him againe requite Wher Dardanus to rule alone His brother made away Etheoclus Polinicus At once did others sley Where Helenus king Priams son His brother Theon kilde Medea eke in bloudy wyse Hir brothers bloud that spilde Where Tydeus is in hunting shote His brother through the side Polytes eke his brothers harte With sworde that opened wyde And where as that Cambyses is His syster once that slewe And Polipontes king that made His brother treason rewe And cruell where Odores is Which mercy did deny To Mithridate his brother deare That did for pardon crie Eke where Learchus is that did His brother sicke destroy With poyson deadly hoping so To make him selfe a Roy. And where that wretche Mamertes lyes His brothers sonnes that spilte And Sisapho tormenting him For such an heynous 〈◊〉 Where Rhesus and Caduidus are with shaftes their brethren slewe And Philadelphus Ptolomae his brothers death did brewe Where Philopater Ptolome his father made away And after that his brother with his dearist frendes did slay And where Ardieus tyraunt vile his aged father stroyde And after that his elder bro. ther kingdomes to enioyde Where Mithridatus beastly king of Pontus feeles anoye Which mother his and brother eke sixe children did destroye Where is Antiochus the great His brother brought to graue That he might onely raigne alone and all the kingdome haue Where Romulus that Remus stew of Romaines first had fall Though 〈◊〉 brother first he were presumde to scale the wall And where Mempricius lewde doth lye a Britaine Prince that slue His brother Manlius fearing lest he were to him vntrue Where Iugurth eke that basterde is his brethren brought to graue That after them Numidia he might for kingdome haue And where a Thousande are beside which were to longe to tell Their parents deare and brethren slue and now in darkenes dwell From thence I came a Britaine yore namde Porrex once a kinge Againe to shewe what vices mee To sodaine death did bringe Now list a while and then do write what I thee tell that others may Themselues in such attempts as these from bloudy acts as brethren stay My brother Forrex fiue yeares space and I this kingdome helde Betweene 〈◊〉 both the common weale wee scace did wisely welde At length we fondly fell at 〈◊〉 so Princes bide no mate Nor make nor partners with to raigne but beare their equals hate The heire because I yongest was thought his by right the crowne But I esteemde the halfe was mine and all if he were downe VVhereby O brothell butcher eke not brother I did stay My brother for to haue it all and get his right away Such are the acts of delesse youthes Such are their studies still VVhich care not what offence they make So they their fancies still But as it is vniustice and an haynous acte to vse Such murder slaughter paricide and Iustice all refuse So Ioue the iust at length requites our deedes and makes vs rewe VVee euer were to God or man or natures 〈◊〉 vntrue For when I deemde the crowne was mine which had my brother slaine O griefe to tell my mother and hir maydens wrought my paine Both for my fault and for she loude my brother Forrex still With all hir maides she came by night my sleeping corps to kill And I that slombring sleeping lay though many dreames fortolde My haplesse fall could neuer wake the meaning to vnfolde But last supposing with my selfe I cruel Tigres sawe With rauening fearcenes rent theyr 〈◊〉 against dame Natures lawe She came on mee to fill my dreame before my eyes could wake And with a dagger reft my life for Forrex slaughters sake Much like Agaue and hir mates shee and hir maidens got Them tooles therefore and hewde my corse as small as fleshe to pot Or Progne Queene hir children slue and he wde their membres small In wrathfull ite made Tereus feede and fill himselfe withall Or like Medea monster Queene hir Iasons sonnes that kilde Because she was forsaken when his purpose was fulfilde Like these was shee nay worse for why this ended Brutus line Brought mee to ende and hir to shame Though first the fault were mine Bid those beware that weene to winne by bloudy acts the crowne Lest from
the height they feele the fall of topsy turuye downe For if when they suppose themselues aloft to touche the skye There chaunce a storme there is no holde to staye themselues so hye But faster farre more swiftly they and with more swinge descende Then euer erst they could with all their force to clime contende Do bid them then in all their deedes marke well the fineall ende Finis The Authour NExt after Porrex came another such Had all his body quite in peeces rent A desperate man his life bewayling much VVhich for he seemed sorely to lament I was the rather him to heare content That I might also note his story here From like attempts of vices you to feare Kimarus shewes howe for his euill life he was deuoured by wilde beastes the yeare before Christ 321. NO place commends the man vnworthy prayse No title of estate doth stay vp vices fall No wicked wight to woe can make delayes No loftye lookes preserues the proude at all No bragges or beaste no stature high and tall No lofty youth no swearing staringe 〈◊〉 No brauery banding cogging cutting out Then what auayles to haue a princely place A name of honour or an highe degree To come by kinred of a noble race Except wee princely worthy noble bee The fruite declares the goodnes of the tree Do bragge no more of birth or linage than Sith vertue grace and maners make the man. My selfe might bragge and first of all begin Mulmutius made and constituted lawes And Belinus and Brenne his sonnes did win Such praise their names to bee immortall cause Gurgunstus Redbearde with his sober sawes The sonne of Beline and my grandsyre grande Was fortunate what ere he toke in hande His sonne my grandsyre Guintheline did passe For virtues praise and Martia was his wyfe A noble Queene that wise and learned was And gaue hir selfe to studye all hir life Deuising lawes discust the endes of strife Amonge the Britaynes to hir endlesse Fame Hir statutes had of Martian lawes the name My father eke was sober sage and wise Cicilius hight king Guintheline his sonne Of noble Princes then my stocke did rise And of a Prince of Cornewall first begonne But what thereby of glory haue I wonne Can this suffice to aunsweare eke for mee I came by parents of an highe degree Or shall I saye Kimarus I was king Then might I liue as lewdely as I lust No sure I cannot so 〈◊〉 the stinge Of shame that prickes such Princes are bniuft We rather should vnto our vertues trust For vertue of the auncient bloud and kin Doth onely praise the parties shee s within And nobles onely borne of this be sure Without the vertues of their noble race Do quite and cleane themselues thereby obscure And their renowne and dignities deface They do their birth and linage all abace For why in deede they euer ought so well In vertues graue as titles braue ercell But oft God wot they fare as erst did I They thincke if once they come of Princelye stocke Then are they placed safe and sure so hye Aboue the rest as founded on a rocke Of wise mens warnings all they make a mocke Theyr counsayles graue as abiect reedes despise And count the braue men gracious worthy wise This kingdome came to mee by due discent For why my father was before mee kinge But I to pleasure all and lust was bent I neuer reckt of Iustice any thinge What purpose I did meane to passe to bringe That same t' accomplishe I withall my might Endeuorde euer were it wronge or right I deemde the greatest ioyes in earthly hap I thought my pleasures euer would abide I seemde to sit in Ladye Fortunes lap I reckt not all the world me thought beside I did by lust my selfe and others guide Where by the fates to worke my bane withall And cut me of thus wise procurde my fall As I was alwayes bent to bunting still Yet hunting was no vice to those I had When I three yeares had rulde this realme at 〈◊〉 In chace a chaunce did make my harte full sad Wilde cruell beastes as desperate and mad Turnde back on me as I them brought to baye And in their rage my sinfull corps did sley A iuste rewarde for so 〈◊〉 a life No worse a death then I deserued yore Such wreckes in th' ende to wretches all are rife Who may and will not call for grace before My wilful deedes wer nought what wilt thou more My wanton wildnesse witlesse heedelesse toyes By brutishe beastes bereaud me of my ioyes FINIS The Authour ON this Kimarus lefte me all alone And so did Morpheus then I thought to reste But yet againe he came presenting one For audience likewyse making his requeste A worthy prince he ware a warlike creste A blade in hande he bloudy rusty bore VVas all his harnesse from his shoulders tore His armes and handes were all embrued in bloud So was his breste but all the reste beside Seemde rayde with matter vyle or slimy mud VVith red and yelow as it were bedide You scarcely could the sight therof abide Yet sithe he seemde some worthy wight to be It brought by farre lesse squemishnes to me Morindus a bastarde declares how hee was 〈◊〉 to the kingdome wared cruell and at laste was deuoured by a monster the yeare before Christe 303. LEt me likewyse declare my factes and fall And eke recite what meanes this slimye glere You nede not fayne so quaynte a looke at all Although I seeme so fulsome euery where This blade in bloudy hande perdy I beare And all this gore bemingled with this glue In wytnes I my deadly enmy 〈◊〉 Then marke my tale beware of rashnes bile I am Morindus once was Britayne king On whome did swetely lady Fortune smyle Till she me to hir top of towres did bring My fame both farre and nere she made to ringe And eke my prayse exalted so to skye In all my time 〈◊〉 famous none then I. Some saye I was by birthe a 〈◊〉 bace Be gotten of the prince his concubine But what I was declared well my grace My fortitude and stature princely mine My father 〈◊〉 that came of princely line King Danius gaue not so bace degree Nor yet the noble Britaynes vnto mee For 〈◊〉 of armes and warlike pointes I passe In courage stoute ther lyude not then my pere I made them all that knewe my name agaste And heard how great my enterprises were To shrinke and slynke and shifte aside for feare All which at length did me such glory bring My father dead the Britaynes made me king But see how blinde we are when Fortune smples How senceles we when dignities increase We euer vse our selues discretely whyles We little haue and loue to liue in peace Smale fauters factes with mercy we release We vse no rigoure rancoure rapine such As after when we haue our willes to much For while that I a subiecte was no king While I had nothing but my factes
alone I studied still in euery kinde of thing To serue my prince and vnderfange his fone To vse his subiectes frendly euerichone And for them all aduentures such to take As might them all my persone fauoure make But when I once attained had the 〈◊〉 I waxed cruell tyranous and fell I had no longer mynde of my 〈◊〉 I vsde my selfe to ill the truthe to tell O bace degree in happy case fult well Which art not puste with pryde vainglory hate But art beneath content to byde thy fate For I aloft when once my heate was in Not raignd by reason ruled all by might Ne prudence rekte right strength or meane a 〈◊〉 But with my frendes in anger all would fight I 〈◊〉 kilde stewe who euer were in sight Without respect remorce reproufe regarde And like a mad man in my fury farde I deemde my might and fortitude was suche That I was able therby conquire all Highe kingdomes seate encreaste my poÌ„pe so much My pryde me thought impossible to fall But God confoundes our proude deuices all And bringes that thing wherein we moste do truste To our destruction by his iudgement iuste For when three yeares I ruled had this 〈◊〉 Without all rule as was my rulesse lyfe The rumour ran abroade within a whyle And chiefly in the Norweste country ryfe A monster came from 〈◊〉 seas brought griefe To all my subiectes in those coastes did dwell Deuouring man and 〈◊〉 a monster fell Which wheÌ„ I knew for trought I straight preparde In warlike wyse my selfe to try the case My haste therto a courage bolde declarde For I alone would enter in the place At whom with speare on horse I fetchte my race But on his scales it enter could no more Then might a bulrushe on a brasen dore Againe I prousde yet nought at all preuailde To breake my speare and not to pearce his side With that the roaring monster me assailde So terrifide my horse I could not ride Wherwith I lighted and with sworde I tryde By strokes and tbrustes to finde some open in But of my fight he neuer past a pin And when I weried was and spent with fighte That kept my selfe with heede his daunger fro At laste almoste ashamde I wanted mighte And skill to worke the beastly monster wo I gate me nerer with my sworde him to And thought his flaÌ„ckes or vnderpartes to wounde If there from scales might any place be founde But frustrate of my purpose finding none And eke within his daunger entred quite The grizely beaste straight seasoned me vpon And let his talentes on my corps to light He gripte my shoulders not resiste I might And roaring with a greedy rauening looke At once in iawes my body whole he tooke The way was large and downe he drew me in A moÌ„strous paunche for rowmthe woÌ„drous 〈◊〉 But for I feite more softer there the skinne At once I drewe a dagger by my side I knew my life no longer could abide For rammishe stenche blood poyson slymy glere That in his body so aboundaunt were Wherefore I labouring to procure his death While first my dagger digde about his harte His force to caste me welnie drew my brethe But as he felt within his woundes to smarte I ioyde to feele the mighty monster starte That roarde belcht groande plungde cride And coste me by and downe from side to side Long so in panges he plundgde and panting lay And drewe his wynde so faste with such a powre That quite and cleane he drew my breath away We both were dead well nighe within an howre Lo thus one beastly monster did deuoure An other monster moodelesse to his payne At once the realme was rid of monsters twayne Here maist thou see of fortitude the hap Where prudeÌ„ce Iustice TeÌ„peraunce hath no place How sodainly we taken are in trap When we despise good vertues to embrace Intemperaunce doth all our deedes deface And lettes vs heedlesse headlong run so faste Wee seeke out owne destruction at the laste For he that hath of fortitude and might And therto hath a kingdome ioynde withall Except he also guyde him selfe aright His powre and strength preuaileth him but small He cannot scape at length an haplesse fall Or Gods reuenge example take by mee And let my death sufficient warning hee FINIS The Authour I Could not thus departe to take my reste For Morpheus bad me byde and heare the Iaste ê™ he behinde as yet is one the beste Do stay a whyle giue eare till he be paste And therewithall approtched one full faste The worthiest wight I euer erste did see These woordes he spake or like it seemed mee Nennius a worthy Britayne the very paterne of a valiaunt noble and faithful subiecte encountring with Iulius Caesar at his firste comming into this Islande was by him death wounded yet nathelesse he gate Caesars swoorde put him to flighte slewe therewith Labienus a Tribune of the Romaynes endured fight till his countrey men wan the battayle died fiftene dayes after And nowe encourageth all good subiectes to defende their countrey from the powre of foraine and vsurping enemies About the yeare before Christe 50. I May by right some later wryters blame Of stories olde as rude or negligente Or else I may them well vnlearned name Or heedelesse in those thinges about they wente Some tyme on mee as well they might haue spente As on suche traytours tyrauntes harlottes those Which to their countreyes were the deadliest foes Ne for my selfe I would not this resite Although I haue occasion good therto But sure me thinkes it is to greate dispite These men to others and their countries do For there are Britaynes nether one nor two Whose names in stories 〈◊〉 once appeare And yet their liues examples worthy were T is worthy praise I graunt to write the endes Of vicious men and teach the like beware For what hath of virtue that commends Such personrs lewde as nought of vertues care But for to leaue out those praise worthy are Is like as if a man had not the skill To praise the good but discommend the ill I craue no praise although my selfe deferude As great a laude as any Britaine yore But I would haue it tolde how well I serude My Prince and countrey faith to both I bore All noble hartes hereby with couradge more May both their forraine foes in fight withstande And of their enmyes haue the vpper hande Againe to shewe how valiaunt then we were You Britaynes good to moue your harts therby All other Nations lesse in fight to feare And for your country rather so to dye With valiaunt hauty couradge as did I Then liue in bondage seruice slauery thrall Of foraine powres which hate your manhode all Do giue mee leaue to speake but euen a while And marke and write this story I the tell By North from London more then fiftye myle There lyes the Isle of Ely knowne full well Wherein my father built a place to dwell