to the frame of skilfull gouernaunce Maye so be taught and trayned in noble Artes As what their fathers whiche haue reigned before Haue with great fame deriued downe to them With honour they maye leaue vnto their seede And not be taught for their vnworthie life And for their Laweles swaruynge out of kinde Worthie to lose what Lawe aud kind them gaue But that they may preserue the cōmon peace The cause that first began and still mainteines The Lyneall course of kinges inheritaunce For me for myne for you and for the state Wherof both I and you haue charge and care Thus do I meane to vse your wonted fayth To me and myne and to your natyue Lande My Lordes be playne without all wrie respect Or poysonous crafte to speake in pleasyng wise Lest as the blame of yll succedynge thinges Shall light on you so light the harmes also Arostus Your good acceptaunce so most noble kinge Of suche your faithfulnes as heretofore We haue employed in dueties to your Grace And to this Realme whose worthie head you are Well proues that neyther you mistruste at all Nor we shall nede no boasting wise to shewe Our trueth to you nor yet our wakefull care For you for yours and for our natiue Lande Wherfore O kynge I speake for one as all Sithe all as one do beare you egall faith Doubt not to vse their Counselles and their aides Whose honours goods lyues are whole auowed To serue to ayde and to defende your Grace Gorboduc My Lordes I thanke you all This is the case Ye know the Gods who haue the soueraigne care For kings for kingdomes and for cōmen weales Gaue me two sonnes in my more lustie Age Who nowe in my deceyuynge yeres are growen Well towardes ryper state of minde and strength To take in hande some greater Princely charge As yet they lyue and spende their hopefull daies With me and with their Mother here in Courts Their age nowe asketh other place and trade And myne also doth aske an other chaunge Theirs to more trauaile myne to greater ease Whan fatall death shall ende my mortall lyfe My purpose is to leaue vnto them twaine The Realme deuided into two sandrie partes The one Ferrex myne elder sonne shall haue The other shall the other Porrex rule That both my purpose may more framelie stande And eke that they may better rule their charge I meane forthwith to place them in the same That in my life they maye both learne to rule And I may Ioye to see their rulynge well This is in sōme what I woulde haue ye wey Firste whether ye allowe my whole deuise And thinke it good for me for them for you And for our Countrey mother of vs all And if ye lyke it and allowe it well Than for their guydinge and their gouernaunce Shewe forthe suche meanes of circumstaunce As ye thinke meete to be both knowne and kept Lot this is all nowe tell me your aduise Arostus And this is muche and asketh great aduise But for my parte my Soueraigne Lord and kyng This do I thinke your Maiestie doth knowe Howe vnder you in Iustice and in peace Great wealth and Honour long we haue enioyed So as we can not seeme with gredie mindes To wisshe for chaunge of Prince or gouernaunce But if ye lyke your purpose and deuise Our lykynge must be deemed to procede Of rightfull reason and of heedefull care Not for our selues but for our cōmen state Sithe our owne state doth nede no better chaunge I thinke in all as erst your Grace hath saide Firste when you shall vnlode your aged mynde Of heuye care and troubles manyfolde And laye the same vpon my Lordes your sonnes Whose growing yeres may bere the burden long And longe I praye the Goddes to graunt it so And in your lyfe while you shall so beholde Their rule their vertues and their noble deedes Suche as their kinde behighteth to vs all Great be the profites that shall growe therof Your age in quiet shall the longer last Your lastynge age shal be their longer staie For cares of kynges that rule as you haue rulde For publique wealth and not for priuate ioye Do wast mannes lyfe and hasten crooked age With furrowed face and with enfeebled lymmes To drawe on creepynge Death a swifter pace They two yet yonge shall beare the partie reigne With greater ease than one nowe olde alone Can welde the whole for whom muche harder is with lessened strength the double weight to beare Your eye your Counsell and the graue regarde Of Fathers yea of suche a fathers name Nowe at beginning of their sondred reigne When it is hazarde of their whole successe Shall bridle so their force of youthfull heates And so restreine the rage of insolence Whiche most assailes the yonge and noble minds And so shall guide and traine in tempred staie Their yet greene bending wittes with reuerent awe And now inured with vertues at the first Custome O king shall bringe delightfulnes By vse of Vertue Vice shall growe in hate But if you so dispose it that the daye Which endes your life shal first begin their reign Great is the perill what will be the ende When suche beginning of suche liberties Voide of suche states as in your liefe do lye Shall leaue them to free randon of their will An open praie to traiterous flatterie The greatest pestilence of noble youthe Whiche perill shal be past if in your life Their tempred youthe with aged fathers awe Be brought in vre of skilfull staidnes And in your life their liues disposed so Shall length your noble liefe in ioyfulnes Thus thinke I that your grace hath wiselie thought And that your tender care of cōmen weale Hath bred this thought so to deuide your Lande And plant your sonnes to beare the present rule While you yet liue to see their rulynge well That you may longer lyue by ioye therein What furder meanes behouefull are and meete At great leisure maye your Grace deuise When all haue saide and when we be agreed If this be best to parte the Realme in twaine And place your sonnes in present gouernement Whereof as I haue plainely saide my mynde So woulde I here the rest of all my Lordes Philander In parte I thinke as haue ben saide before In parte againe my minde is otherwise As for deuiding of this Realme in twaine And lotting out the same in egall partes To either of my Lordes your Graces sonnes That thinke I best for this your Realmes behosf For profite and aduauncement of your sonnes And for your comforte and your honour eke But so to place them while your life do last To yelde to them your Royall gouernaunce To be aboue them onely in the name Of father not in kingly state also I thinke not good for you for them nor vs This kingdome since the bloodie ciuill fielde Where Morgan slaine did yeld his conquered parte Vnto his Cosyns sworde in Camberlande Conteineth all that whilome did suffice Three noble sonnes
of your forefather Brute So your two sonnes it maye also suffice The moe the stronger if thei gree in one The smaller compasse that the Realme doth holde The easier is the swey therof to welde The nearer Iustice to the wronged poore The smaller charge and yet ynoughe for one And whan the Region is deuided so That Brethrene be the Lordes of either parte Such strength doth nature knit betwene the both In sondrie bodies by conioyned loue That not as two but one of doubled force Eche is to other as a sure defence The Noblenes and glorie of the one Doth sharpe the courage of the others mynde With vertuous enuie to contende for praise And suche an egalnes hath nature made Betwene the Brethren of one Fathers seede As an vnkindlie wronge it seemes to bee To throwe the other Subiect vnder feete Of him whose Peere he is by course of kinde And nature that did make this egalnes Ofte so repineth at so great a wronge That ofte she rayseth vp a grudgynge griefe In yonger Brethren at the elders state Wherby both townes kingdomes haue be rased And famous stockes of Royall blood distroied The Brother that should be the Brothers aide And haue a wakefull care for his defence Gapes for his death blames the lyngering yeres That brings not forth his ende with faster course And oft impacient of so longe delayes With hatefull slaughter he presentes the fates And keepes a iust rewarde for Brothers bloode With endles vengeaunce on his stocke for aye Suche mischiefes here are wisely mette withall If egall state maye nourishe egall loue Where none hath cause to grudge at others good But nowe the head to stoupe beneth them bothe Ne kinde ne reason ne good ordre beares And oft it hath ben seene that where Nature Hath ben preuerted in disordered wise When Fathers cease to know that thei shuld rule And Children cease to knowe they should obey And often our vnkindly tendrenes As Mother of vnkindly Stubbornes I speake not this in enuie or reproche As if I grudged the glorie of your sonnes Whose honour I beseche the Goddes to encrease Nor yet as if I thought there did remaine So filthie Cankers in their noble brestes Whome I esteme whiche is their greatest praise Vndoubted children of so good a kynge Onelie I meane to shewe my certeine Rules Whiche kinde hath graft within the mind of man That Nature hath her ordre and her course Whiche being broken doth corrupt the state Of myndes and thinges euen in the best of all My Lordes your sonnes may learne to rule of you Your owne example in your noble Courte Is fittest Guyder of their youthfull yeares If you desire to seeke some present Ioye By sight of their well rulynge in your lyfe See them obey so shall you see them rule Who so obeyeth not with humblenes Will rule without rage and with insolence Longe maye they rule I do beseche the Goddes But longe may they learne ere they begyn to rule If kinde and fates woulde suffre I would wisshe Them aged Princes and immortall kinges Wherfore most noble kynge I well assent Betwene your sonnes that you deuide your Realme And as in kinde so matche them in degree But while the Goddes prolongue your Royal life Prolongue your reigne for therto lyue you here And therfore haue the Goddes so longe forborne To ioyne you to them selues that still you might Be Prince and father of our cōmon weale They when they se your children ripe to rule Will make them roume will remoue you hence That yours in right ensuynge of your life Maye rightlie honour your mortall name Eubulus Your wonted true regarde of faithfull hartes Makes me O kinge the bolder to presume To speake what I conceiue within my brest Althoughe the same do not agree at all With that whiche other here my Lords haue said Nor whiche your selfe haue seemed best to lyke Pardon I craue and that my wordes be deemde To flowe from hartie zeale vnto your Grace And to the safetie of your cōmon weale To parte your Realme vnto my Lords your sōnes I thinke not good for you ne yet for them But worste of all for this our Natiue Lande For with one Lande one single rule is best Deuided Reignes do make deuided hartes But Peace preserues the Countrey the Prince Suche is in man the gredie minde to reigne So great is his desire to climbe alofte In worldly Stage the stateliest partes to beare That faith and Iustice and all kindly loue Do yelde vnto desire of Soueraigntie Where egall state doth raise an egall hope To winne the thing that either wold attaine Your grace remembreth howe in passed yeres The mightie Brute first Prince of all this Lande Possessed the same and ruled it well in one He thinking that the compasse did suffice For his three sonnes three kingdoms eke to make Cut it in three as you would nowe in twaine But how much Brutish blod hath sithence bē spilt To ioyne againe the sondred vnitie What Princes slaine before their timely honour What wast of townes and people in the Lande What Treasons heaped on murders on spoiles Whose iust reuenge euen yet is scarcely ceased Ruthefull remembraunce is yet had in minde The Gods forbyd the like to chaunce againe And you O king geue not the cause therof My Lorde Ferrex your elder sonne perhappes Whome kinde and custome geues a rightfull hope To be your Heire and to succede your Reigne Shall thinke that he doth suffre greater wronge Than he perchaunce will beare if power serue Porrex the younger so vnpaised in state Perhappes in courage will be raised also If Flatterie then whiche sayles not to assaile The tendre mindes of yet vnskilfull Youthe In one shall kindle and encrease disdaine And Enuie in the others harte enflame This fire shall waste their loue their liues their land And rutheful ruine shal destroy them both A wisshe not this O kyng so to befall But feare the thing that I do most abhorre Geue no beginning to so dreadfull ende Kepe them in order and obedience And let them both by nowe obeyinge you Learne suche behauiour as beseemes their state The Older myldenes in his gouernaunce The younger a yeldyng contentednes And kepe them neare vnto your presence still That they restreined by the awe of you Maye liue in compasse of well tempred staie And passe the perilles of their youthfull yeares Your aged life drawes on to febler tyme Wherin you shall lesse able be to beare The trauailes that in youth you haue susteined Both in your persons and your Realmes defence If planting nowe your sonnes in furder partes You sende them furder from your present reache Lesse shal you know how they thē selues demaund Traiterous corrupters of their pliant youthe Shall haue vnspied a muche more free accesse And of ambition and inflamed disdaine Shall arme the one the other or them bothe To ryuill warre or to vsurpinge pride Late shall you rue that you
and raise in Armour there All power I can and here my secrete friendes By secrete practise shall sollicite still To seeke to wynne to me the peoples hartes Actus quintus Scena secunda Eubulus Clotyn Mandud Gwenard Arostus Nuntius Eubulus O Ioue Howe are these peoples hartes abusde what blind Furie thus headlong caries thē That though so many bokes so many rolles Of Auncient time recorde what greuous plagues Light on these Rebelles aye and thoughe so ofte Their eares haue hard their aged fathers tell What iust rewarde these Traitours still receyue Yea though them selues haue sene depe death and blod By strangling cord slaughter of the sword To suche assigned yet can they not beware Yet can they not staie their rebellious handes But suffring to fowle treason to distaine Their wretched myndes forget their loyall harte Reiecte all trueth and rise against their Prince A ruthefull case that those whome duties bounde Whome grafted Lawe by nature trueth and faith Bounde to preserue their Coūtrey and their king Borne to defende their Cōmon wealth Prince Euen they shulde geue consent thus to subuerte The Brittaine Land from the wombe shuld bring O natyue soile those that will nedes destroye And ruyne thee and eke them selues in fine For lo when ones the Duke had offred Grace Of pardon sweete the multitude mislead By traiterous fraude of their vngracious heades One sorte that sawe the daungerous successe Of stubborne standynge in rebellious warre And knewe the difference of Princes power From headles nombre of tumultuous routes Whom cōmen Countreies care and priuate feare Taught to repent the terrour of their rage Laide handes vpon the Captains of their bande And brought them bound vnto the mightie Dukes An other sorte not trusting yet so well The trueth of Pardon or mistrusting more Their owne offence than that thei could conceiue Suche hope of pardon for so foule misdede Or for that they their Captaines could not yeld Who fearinge to be yelded flead before Stale home by scilence of the secrete night The thirde vnhappie and vnraged sorte Of desperate harts who stained in Princes blood From trayterous furour could not be withdrawen By loue by lawe by grace ne yet by feare By proffered lyfe ne yet by threatened Death With mindes hopeles of liefe dreadles of Deathe Careles of Countrey and aweless of God Stoode bente to fighte as Furies did them moue With violent death to close their traiterous lyfe These all by power of Horsemen were opprest And with reuenging sworde slayne in the fielde Or with the strangling Cord hanged on the trees Where yet the carryen Carcases do proche The fruites that Rebelles reape of their vproars And of the murder of their sacred Prince But loe where do approche the noble Dukes By whom these tumults haue ben thus appeasde Clotyn I thinke the worlde wyll now at length beware And feare to put on armes agaynst their Prince Mandud If not those trayterous hartes that dare rebell Let them beholde the wide and hugie fieldes With bloode bodie spread with rebelles slayne The lustie trees clothed with corpses dead That strangled with the corde do hange therin Arostus A iust rewarde suche as all tymes before Haue euer lotted to those wretched folkes Gwenard But what meanes he that cōmeth here so fast Nuntius My Lords as duetie and my trouth doth moue And of my Countrey worke and care in mee That if the spendynge of my breath auaile To do the Seruice that my harte desires I would not shunne to imbrace a present death So haue I nowe in that wherein I thought My trauayle mought perfourme some good effects Ventred my liefe to bringe these tydinges here Fergus the mightie Duke of Albanye Is nowe in Armes and lodgeth in the fielde With twentie thousand men hether he bendes His spedie marcke minds to inuade the Crowne Dayly he gathereth strength and spreads abrode That to this Realme no certeine Heire remaines That Brittayne Lande is left without a guyde That he the Scepter seekes for nothing els But to preserue the people and the Lande Whiche now remaine as ship without a Sterne Loe this is that whiche I haue hereto saide Clotyn Is this his fayth and shall he falsely thus Abuse the vauntage of vnhappie times O wretched Lande if his outragious pride His cruell and vntempred wilfulnes His deepe dissemblinge shewes of false pretence Should once attaine the Crowne of Brittayn lande Let vs my Lords with tymely force resist The newe attempt of this our cōmon foe As we would quenche the flames of cōmen fire Mandud Though we remaine without a certayn Prince To weld the Realme or guide the wandring rule Yet nowe the cōmen Mother of vs all Our Natiue Lande our Countrey that conteines Our wiues children kyndred our selues and all That euer is or maye be deare to man Cries vnto vs to helpe our selues and her Let vs aduaunce our powers to represse This growynge foe of all our liberties Gwenard Yea let vs so my Lordes with hastie spede And ye O Goddes sende vs the welcome death To shed our bloode in fielde and leaue vs not In lothe some life to lenger out our lyues To see the hugie heapes of these vnhappes That nowe roll downe vpon the wretched Lande Where emptie place of Princelie gouernaunce No certayne staie nowe left of doubtles heire Thus leaue this guidelesse Realme an open pray To endlesse stormes and wast of ciuyll warre Arostus That ye my Lordes do so agree in one To saue your Countrey from the violent reigne And wrongfullie vsurped Tirrannie Of him that threatens conquest of you all To saue your realme in this realme your selues From forreyne thraldome of so proude a Prince Muche do I praise and I beseche the Goddes With happie honour to requite it you But O my Lords sithe now the Heauens wrath Hath reft this Lande the issue of their Prince Sithe of the body of our late Soueraine Lorde Remaines no mo since the yong kinges be slaine And of the Title of the discended Crowne Vncerteynly the diuerse mindes do thinke Euen of the Learned sorte and more vncertainlye Will perciall fancie and affection deeme But most vncertenlye wyll clymbynge pride And hope of Reigne withdrawe frō sondrie partes The doubtfull right and hopefull lust to reigne When ones this noble seruice is atchieued For Brittayne Lande the Mother of ye all When ones ye haue with armed force represt The proude attemptes of this Albanyan Prince That threatens thraldome to your Natiue Lande When ye shall vanquishers retourne from fielde And finde the Princely state an open praye To gredie lust and to vsurping power Then then my Lordes if euer kindely care Of auncient Honour of your auncestoures Of present wealth and noblesse of your stockes Yea of the lyues and safetie yet to come Of your deare wyues your children your selues Might moue your noble hartes with gentle ruthe Then then haue pytie on the torne estate Then helpe to salue the well neare
wreke it on me And on my Sonnes not on this gilties Realme Sende down your wasting flames from wrathful skies To reue me my sōnes the hateful breath Reade reade my Lordes this is the matter whie I called ye nowe to haue your good aduyse ¶ The Letter from Dordan the Counsellour of the elder Prince Eubulus readeth the Letter MY Soueraigne Lord what I am loth to write But lothest am to see that I am forced By Letters nowe to make you vnderstande My Lord Ferrex your eldest sonne mislead By Traitours framde of yong vntempred wittes Assembleth force against your yonger sonne Ne can my Counsell yet withdrawe the heate And furyous panges of his enflamed head Disoaine saieth he of his inheritaunce Armes him to wreke the great pretended wronge With ciuyll sword vpon his Brothers life If present helpe do not restraine this rage This flame will wast your sōnes your land you Your Maiesties faithfull and most humble Subiecte Dordan Arestus O King appease your griefe staie your plaint Great is the matter and a wofull case But timely knowledge maye bringe timely help Sende for thē both vnto your presence here The reuerence of your honour age and state Your graue aduise the awe of fathers name Shall quickelie knit againe this broken peece And if in either of my Lordes your sonnes Be suche vntamed and vnyelding pride As will not bende vnto your noble Hestes If Ferrex the elder sonne can beare no peere Or Porrex not content aspires to more Then you him gaue aboue his Natiue right Ioyne with the iuster side so shall you force Them to agree and bolde the Lande in state Eubulus What meaneth this Loe yonder cōmes in hast Philander from my Lord your younger sonne Gorboduc The Goddes sende ioyfull newes Philander The mightie Ioue Preserue your Maiestie O noble kinge Gorboduc Philander welcome But how doth my sonne Philander Your sonne sir lyues and healthie I him left But yet O kinge this want of lustfull health Could not be half so griefefull to your Grace As these most wretched tidynges that I brynge Gorboduc O heauens yet more no ende of woes to me Philander Tyndar O kyng came lately from the Courte Of Ferrex to my Lorde your yonger sonne And made reporte of great prepared store Of warre and saith that it is whollic ment Against Porrex for highe disdaine that he Lyues nowe a kynge and egall in degree With him that claimeth to succede the whole As by due title of discedinge right Porrex is nowe so set on flamynge fire Partely with kindled rage of cruell wrathe Partely with hope to gaine a Realme therby That he in haste prepareth to inuade His Brothers Lande and with vnkindely warre Threatens the murder of your elder sonne Ne coulde I him perswade that first he should Sende to his Brother to demaunde the cause Nor yet to you to staie his hatefull strife Wherfore sithe there no more I can be harde I come my selfe nowe to enforme your Grace And to beseche you as you loue the liefe And safetie of your Children and your Realme Nowe to emploie your wisdome and your force To staie this mischiefe ere it be to late Gorboduc Are thei in Armes would he not sende for me Is this the honour of a Fathers name In vaine we trauaile to asswage their mindes As if their hartes whome neither Brothers loue Nor Fathers awe nor kingdomes care can moue Our Coūsels could withdrawe from ragyng heat Ioue slaye them both and ende the cursed Lyne For though perhappes feare of such mightie force As I my Lords ioyned with your noble Aides Maye yet raise shall represse their present heate The secrete grudge and malyce will remayne The fire not quentched but kept in close restraint Fead stil within breakes forth with double flame Their death and mine must peaze the angrie gods Philander Yelde not O king so muche to weake dispaier Your sonnes yet lyue and long I trust they shall Yf fates had taken you from earthly life Before begynning of this ciuyll strife Perhaps your sonnes in their vnmaistered youth Lose from regarde of any lyuyng wight Wolde ronne on headlonge with vnbridled Race To their owne death and ruine of this Realme But sith the God that haue the care for kinges Of thinges and times dispose the order so That in your life this kindled flame breakes forth While yet your lyfe your wisdome your power Maye staie the growing mischiefe and represse The fierie blaze of their inkindled heate It seemes and so ye ought to deeme therof That louyng Ioue hath tempred so the time Of this debate to happen in your daies That you yet lyuynge maye the same appeaze And adde it to the glorie of your latter age And they your sonnes maye learne to liue in peace Beware O kynge the greatest harme of all Lest by your wayleful plaints your hastened death Yelde larger roume vnto their growyng rage Preserue your lyfe the onely hope of staie And if your highnes herein list to vse Wisdome or force Counsell or knightly aide Loe we our persons powers and lyues are yours Vse vs tyll Death O king we are your owne Eubulus Loe here the perill that was erst forsene When you O king did first deuide your Lande And yelde your present raigne vnto your sonnes But nowe O noble Prince nowe is no time To wayle and plaine and wast your wofull lyfe Nowe is the time for present good aduise Sorowe doth darke the Iudgement of the wytte The Hart vnbroken and the courage free From feble faintnes of booteles dispaier Doth either ryse to safetie or renowme By noble valure of vnuanquisshed minde Or yet doth perishe in more happie sorte Your Grace maye sende to either of your sonnes Some one both wise and noble personage Which with good counsel with weightie name Of father shall present before their eyes Your hest your liefe your safetie and their owne The present mischiefe of their deadlie strife And in the while assemble you the force Whiche your Cōmaundement and the spedie hast Of all my Lordes here present can prepare The terrour of your mightie power shall steye The rage of bothe or yet one at lest Nuntius O King the greatest griefe that euer Prince dyd here The euer wofull Messenger did tell That euer wretched Lande hath sene before I brynge to you Porrex your yonger sonne With soden force inuaded hath the lande That you to Ferrex did allotte to rule And with his owne most bloudie hande he hath His Brother slaine and doth possesse his Realme Gorboduc O Heauēs send down the flames of your reuenge Destroie I saie with flasshe of wrekefull fier The Traitour sonne and than the wretched sire But let vs go that yet perhappes I maye Die with reuenge and peaze the hatefull gods Chorus The lust of kingdomes knowes no sacred faithe No rule of Reason no regarde of right No kindlie loue no feare of heauens wrathe But with contempt of Goddes and mans
right Which time perhaps might end your time before Ferrex Is this no wrong saie you to reaue from me My natiue right to halfe so great a realme And thus to matche his yonger sonne with me In egall power and in as great degree Yea what sonne the sonne whose swellyng pryde Woulde neuer yelde one poinct of reuerence Whan I the Elder and apparaunt heire Stoode in the likelyhode to possesse the whole Yea and that sonne whiche from his childishe age Enuieth myne honour and doth hate my life What will he nowe do when his pride his rage The mindefull malice of his grudging harte Is armed with force with wealth and kingly state Hermon Was this not wrong yea yll aduised wrong To giue so mad a man so sharpe a sworde To so great perill of so great mishappe Wide open thus to set so large a waye Dordan Alas my Lorde what griefull thing is this That of your brother you can thinke so ill I neuer sawe him vtter likelie signe Whereby a man might see or once misdeme Suche hate of you ne suche vnyeldinge pride Ill is their counsell shamefull be their ende That raising suche mistrustfull feare in you Sowing the seede of suche vnkindly hate Trauaile by reason to destroy you both Wise is your brother and of noble hope Worthie to welde a large and mightie Realme So muche a stronger frende haue you therby Whose strēgth is your strēgth if you gree in one Hermon If nature and the Goddes had pinched so Their flowing bountie and their noble giftes Of Princelie qualyties from you my Lorde And powrde them all at ones in wastfull wise Vpon your fathers younger sonne alone Perhappes there be that in your preiudice Would saie that birth shuld yeld to worthines But sithe in eche good gift and Princelie Acte Ye are his matche and in the chiefe of all In mildenes and in sobre gouernauce Ye farre surmount And sithe there is in you Sufficing skill and hopefull towardnes To weld the whole and match you Elders praise I see no cause whie ye should loose the halfe Ne wold I wisshe you yelde to suche a losse Lest your milde sufferaunce of so great a wronge Be deemed cowardishe and simple dreade Whiche shall geue courage to the fierie head Of your yonge Brother to inuade the whole Whiles yet therfore stickes in the peoples mynde The lothed wronge of your disheritaunce And ere your Brother haue by settled power By guyle full cloke of an allurynge showe Got him some force and fauour in this Realme And while the noble Queene your mother lyues To worke and practice all for your auaile Attempt redresse by Armes and wreake your selfe Vpon his life that gaineth by your losse Who nowe to shame of you and griefe of vs In your owne kingdome triumphes ouer you Shew now your courage meete for kingly estate That thei which haue auowed to spēd their goods Their landes their liues honours in your cause Maye be the bolder to mainteine your parte Iohan thei do see that cowarde feare in you Shall not betraye ne saile their faithfull hartes If ones the death of Porrex ende the strife And paie the price of his vsurped Reigne Your Mother shall perswade the angry kynge The Lords your frends eke shall appease his rage For thei be wise and well thei can forsee That ere longe time your aged fathers death will brynge a time when you shall well requite Their frendlie fauour or their hatefull spite Yea or their slackenes to auaunce your cause Wise men do not so hange on passyng state Of present Princes chiefely in their age But they will further cast their reachinge eye To viewe and weigh the times reignes to come Ne is it lykely thoughe the kinge be wrothe That he yet will or that the Realme will beare Extreme reuenge vpon his onelye sonne Or if he woulde what one is he that dare Be ministre to suche an enterprise And here you be nowe placed in your owne Amyd your frendes your vassalles your strength We shall defende and kepe your person safe Tyll either counsell turne his tender minde Or age or sorowe ende his werie daies But if the feare of Goddes and secrete grudge Of Natures Lawe repynynge at the facte Withholde your courage from so great attempt Knowe ye that lust of kingdomes hath no Lawe The Goddes do beare and well allowe in kinges The thinges they abhorre in rascall routes When kinges on sclender quarrels ron to warres And than in cruell and vnkindely wise Cōmaunde theftes rapes murder of Innocentes To spoile of townes reignes of mighty realmes Thinke you such Princes do suppresse them selues Subiect to Lawes of kinde and feare of Gods Yet none offence but decked with glorious name Of noble Conquestes in the handes of kinges Murders and violent theftes in priuate men Are heynous crymes and full of foule reproche But if you like not yet so hote deuise Ne list to take suche vauntage of the time But thoughe with great perill of your state You wil not be the first that shall inuade Assemble yet your force for your defence And for your safetie stande vpon your garde Dordan O heauen was there euer harde or knowen So wicked Counsell to a noble Prince Let me my Lorde disclose vnto your grace This heynous tale what mischiefe it conteynes Your fathers death your brothers and your owns your present murder and eternall shame Heare me O king and suffre not to sinke So highe a treason in your Princelie brest Ferrex The mightie Goddes forbyd that euer I Shuld once conceiue suche mischiefe in my harte Althoughe my Brother hath bereft my Realme And beare perhappes to me and hatefull minde Shall I reuenge it with his death therfore Or shall I so destroy my fathers lyfe That gaue me life the Gods forbyd I saye Cease you to speake so any more to me Ne you my friende with Aunswere once repeate So foule a tale in scilence let in die What Lorde or Subiect shall haue hope at all That vnder me they safely shall enioye Their goods their honours landes and liberties With whome neither one onely brother deare Ne father dearer coulde enioye their lyues But sithe I feare my younger brothers rage And sithe perhappes some other man may gyue Some like aduise to moue his grudging head At mine estate whiche counsell may perchaunce Take greater force with him than this with me I will in secrete so prepare my selfe As if his malice or his lust to reigne Breake forth with Armes or sodeine violence I may withstande his rage and kepe myne owne Dordan I feare the fatall time now draweth on When ciuyll hate shall ende the noble lyne Of famouse Brute and of his Royall seede Great Ioue defende the mischiefes nowe at hande O that the Secretaries wise aduise Had erst ben harde whan he besought the kynge Not to deuide his lande nor sende his sonnes To further partes from presence of his Courte Ne yet to yelde to
they moued With Porrex deathe wherin they falsely charge The giltles kinge without desarte at all And traiterouslie haue murdered him therfore And eke the Queene Gwenard Shall Subiectes dare with force To worke reuenge vpon their Princes facte Admyt the worst that maye as sure in this The dede was fowle the Quene to slaie her sonne Shall yet the Subiecte seeke to take the sworde Arise agaynst his Lorde and slaie his kynge O wretched state where those rebellious hartes Are not rent out euen from their lyuynge breasts And with the bodie throwen vnto the Fowles As Carrion foode for terrour of the rest Fergus There can no punisshement be thought to greate For this so greuous cryme let spede therfore Be vsed therin for it behoueth so Eubulus Ye all my Lordes I see consent in one And I as one consent with ye in all I holde it more than nede with the sharpest Lawe To punisshe the tumultuous bloodie rage For nothynge more maye shake the coÌ„men state Than sufferaunce of Vproares without redresse Wherby how some kingdomes of mightie power After great Conquestes made and floorishing In fame and wealth haue ben to ruyne brought I praie to Ioue that we may rather wayle Suche happe in them than witnes in our selues Eke fullie with the Duke my minde agrees That no cause serues wherby the Subiect maye Call to accompt the doynges of his Prince Muche lesse in bloode by sworde to worke reuenge No more then maye the hande cut of the heade In Acte nor speache no not in secrete thoughte The Subiect maye rebell against his Lorde Or Iudge of him that sittes in Ceasars Seate With grudging mind do damne those Hemislikes Though kinges forget to gouerne as they ought Yet Subiectes must obey as they are bounde But nowe my Lordes before ye farder wade Or spend your speach what sharp reuenge shal fal By iustice plague on these rebellious wights Me thinkes ye rather should first searche the waye By whiche in time the rage of this vproare Mought be repressed these great tumults ceased Euen yet the life of Brittayne Lande doth hange In Traitours Balaunce of vnegall weight Thinke not my Lords the death of Gorboduc Nor yet Videnaes bloode will cease their rage Euen our owne lyues our wiues and children Our Countrey dearest of all in daunger standes Nowe to be spoiled nowe nowe made desolate And by our selues a conquest too ensue For geue ones sweye vnto the peoples lusts To russhe forth on and staye them not in time And as the streame that rowleth downe the hyll So wil thei headlong ronne with raging thoughtes From bloode to bloode from mischiefe vnto moe To ruyne of the Realme them selues and all So giddle are the coÌ„mon peoples mindes So glad of chaunge more waueryng than the Sea Ye see my Lordes what strength these Rebelles haue What hugie nombre is assembled still For though the traiterous fact for which their rose Be wrought and done yet lodge thei still in fielde So that howe farre their furies yet wyll stretche Great cause we haue to dreade that we may seeke By present Battaile to represse their power Speede must we vse to leuie force therfore For either they forthwith will mischiefe worke Or their rebellious roares forthwith will cease These violent thinges may haue no lasting loude Let vs therfore vse this for present helpe Perswade by gentle speache and offre grace With gifte of pardon saue vnto the chiefe And that vpon condicion that forthewith They yelde the Captaines of their enterpryse To beare suche querdon of their traiterous facte As may be both due vengeaunce to them selues And holsome terrour to posteritie This shall I thinke flatter the greatest parte That nowe are holden with desire of home Weried in fielde with could of Winters nightes And some no doubt striken with dread of Lawe Whan this is ones proclaymed it shall make The Captaines to mistruste the multitude Whose safetie biddes them to betraye their heads And so muche more bycause the rascall routes In thinges of great and perillous attemptes Are neuer trustie to the noble race And while we treate scande on termes of grace We shal both staie their furies rage the while And eke gaine time whose onely helpe sufficeth Withouten warre to vanquisshe Rebelles power In the meane while make you in redynes Suche bande of Horsemen as ye maye prepare Horsemen you know are not the Comons streÌ„gth But are the force and store of noble men Wherby the vnchosen and vnarmed sorte Of skâ—â—â—she Rebelles whome none other power But nombre makes to be of dreadfull force With sodeyne brunt maye quickely be oppreste And if this gentle meane of proffered grace With stubborne hartes cannot so farre auayle As to asswage their desperate courages Than do I wisshe suche slaughter to be made As present age and eke posteritie Maye be adrad with horrour of reuenge That iustly than shall on these rebelles fall This is my Lordes the soÌ„me of mine aduise Clotyn Neyther this case admittes debate at large And though it did this speache that hath ben saide Hath wel abridged the tale I would haue tolde Fullie with Eubulus do I consente In all that he hath saide and if the same To you my Lordes may seeme for best aduise I wisshe that it shoulde streight be put in vre Mandud My Lordes than let vs presentlie departe And folowe this that lyketh vs so well Fergus If euer time to gaine a kingdome here Were offred man nowe it is offred mee The Realme is reft bothe of their kyng Quene The ofspringe of the Prince is slaine and dead No issue nowe remaines the Heire vnknowen The people are in Armes and mutynies The Nobles thei are busied howe to cease These great rebellious tumultes and vproars And Brittayne Lande nowe deserte left alone Amyd these broyles vncertaine where to rest Offers her selfe vnto that noble harte That wyll or dare pursue to beare her Crowne Shall I that am the Duke of Albanye Discended from that Lyne of noble bloode Whiche hath so longe floorisshed in worthie fame Of valiaunt hartes suche as in noble Breasts Of right shulde rest aboue the baser sorte Refuse to aduenture liefe to winne a Crowne Whome shall I finde enemies that will with stande My facte herein if I attempte by Armes To seeke the Fame nowe in these times of broyle These Dukes power can hardlie well appease The people that alredie are in Armes But if perhappes my force be ones in fielde Is not my strength in power aboue the best Of all these Lordes nowe left in Brittaine Lande And though they shuld match me with power of men Yet doubtfull is the chaunce of Battailles ioyned If Victors of the fielde we may departe Ours is the Scepter than of great Brittayne If slayne amid the playne this body be Mine enemies yet shall not deny me this But that I died gyuynge the noble charge To hazarde life for conquest of a Crowne Forthwith therfore will I in poste depart To Albanye
hopeles sore Whiche ye shall do if ye your selues with holde The sleayng knife from your own mothers throte Her shall you saue and you and yours in her If ye shall all with one assent forbeare Ones to laye hande or take vnto your selues The Crowne by colour of pretended right Or by what other meanes so euer it be Tyll first by cōmen counsell of you all In Parliament the Regall Diademe Be set in certayne place of gouernaunce In whiche your Parliament and in your choise Preserve the right my Lordes without respecte Of strenght of frendes or what so euer cause That maye set forwarde any others parte For right will last and wrong can not endure Right meane I his or hers vpon whose name The people rest by meane of Native lyne Or by the vertue of some former Lawe Alreadie made their title to aduaunce Suche one my Lordes let be your chosen kynge Suche one so borne within your Natyue Lande Suche one preferre and in no wise admitte The heauie yoke of forreine gouernaunce Let forreine Titles yelde to Publike wealthe And with that hart wherewith ye nowe prepare Thus to withstande the proude inuadynge foe With that same harte my Lordes kepe out also Vnnaturall thraldome of straungers reigne Ne suffre you against the rules of kinde Your Mother Lande to serue a Forreine Prince Eubulus ¶ Loe here the ende of Brutus royall Lyne And loe the entrie to the wofull wracke And vtter ruyne of this noble Realme The royall kinge and eke his sonnes are slaine No Ruler restes within the Regall Seate The Heire to whō the Scepter longs vnknowen That to eche force of Forreine Princes power Whome vauntage of your wretched state By sodaine Armes to gaine so riche a Realme And to the proude and gredie minde at home Whom blinded lust to reigne leades to aspire Loe Brittaine Realme is left an open praye A present spoile by Conquest to ensue Who seeth not nowe howe many risyng mindes Do feede their thoughts with hope to reach a Realm And who will not by force attempt to winne So great a gaine that hope perswades to haue A simple colour shall for title serue Who winnes the Royal crown wil want no right Nor suche as shall displaye by longe discent A lyneall race to proue him selfe a kynge In the meane while these ciuyll armes shall rage And thus a thousande mischiefes shall vnfolde And farre neare spread thee O Brittayne Lande All right and Lawe shall cease and he that had Nothyng to daye to morowe shall enioye Great heapes of good he that flowed in wealth Leo he shall be reft of lyfe and all And happiest he that than possesseth least The wyues shall suffre rape the maydes defloured And children fatherles shall weepe and wayle With fire sworde thy Natiue folke shal perisshe One kinsman shall bereaue an other life The father shall vnwittynge slaye the sonne The sonne shall slea the sire and knowe it not Women and maides the cruell Souldiours sword Shall perse to death and sillie children loe That playinge in the streates fieldes are founde By violent hande shall close their latter daye Whome shall the ferce and bloudie Souldiour Reserue to liefe whome shall he space from death Euen thou O wretched mother half alyue Thou shalt beholde thy deare and onely childe Slaine with the sworde while he yet suckes thy brest Loe giltles bloode shall thus eche where be shed Thus shall the wasted soile yelde forth no fruite But derth and famyne shal possesse the Lande The Townes shal be consumed brent with fire The peopled Cities shall ware desolate And thou O Brittaine Land whilom in renowme Whilome in wealth and fame shalt thus be torne Dismembred thus and thus be rent in twayne Thus wasted and defaced spoiled and destroied These be the fruits your ciuill warres wil bring Hereto it cōmes when kinges will not consent To graue aduise but folow wilfull wyll This is the ende when in yonge Princes hartes Flattery preuayles and sage rede hath no place These are the plages when murder is the meane To make newe Heires vnto the Royall Crowne Thus wreke the Gods whē the the mothers wrath Nought but the blood of her owne child may swage These mischiefes springs whē Rebelles wil arise To worke reuenge and iudge their Princes facte This this ensues when noble men do faile In loyall trouthe and subiectes will be kinges And this doth growe when loe vnto the Prince Whome death or sodene happe of liefe bereaues No certayne Heire remaines suche certentie As not all onely is the rightfull Heire But to the Realme is so made vnknowen to be And trouth therby vested in Subiectes hartes To owe faith there where right is knowen to rest Alas in Parliament what hope can bee When is of Parliament no hope at all Whiche thoughe it be assembled by consent Yet is it not likely with consent to ende While eche one for him selfe or for his frende Against his foe shall trauaile what he maye While nowe the state left open to the man That shall with greatest force inuade the same Shall fill ambicious minds with gapynge hope When will they ones with yelding harts agree Or in the while howe shall the Realme he vsed No no then Parliament should haue ben holden And certaine Heires appoynted to the Crowne To staie their title of establisshed righte And plant the people in obedience While yet the Prince did liue whose name and power By lawfull Sōmons and auctorytie Might make a Parliament to be of force And might haue set the state in quiet staye But nowe O happie man whome spedie death Depriues of lyfe ne is enforced to see These hugie mischiefes and these miseries These ciuyll wars these murders these wrongs Of Iustice yet must Ioue in fyne restore This noble Crowne vnto the lawfull Heire For right will alwayes liue and rise at lengthe But wronge can neuer take deepe roote to last ¶ The ende of the Tragedie of Kynge Gorboduc