Shaft the Rauisher he slue And though the arrow galled him euen at the very heart Yeat for a while he did indure the not induring smart And hauing brought his trembling Rape into a vallie said See Deianira how thy Loue an end of me hath made Yeat is my death lesse griefe to me then that thou shouldst bestow Thy selfe on such a changing Churle as Hercules I know Sweete Wench I know he dooth preferre contrarie Loues to thee Wherefore my graue the lesse my griefe in this thy good shall be Take this he gaue a folded cloth and to the baene therein He mixed somewhat of his bloud this same quoth he shall win To thee again thy Husbands loue when he shall it estrange For out of doubt I know it I he takes delight in change When thou suspectest such a wrong doe boyle a shirt with this No sooner shall he weare the same herein such vertue is But that his nouell Loue will change and fall whence it did flie Meane while doe not the vnction touch least so the vertue die In all this time betwixt his armes he did the Ladie claspe And hild her so as Hawke a Pray vntill his latest gaspe Then leauing him a liuelesse Coarse mistrusting nought his drift She meaning simply tooke with her the traitours poysned gift And Hercules by this had past the Riuer deepe and wide Who Deianira first imbrast drew from the Centaures side The fatall Shaft that should the death of braue Achilles proue In Phoebus Church by Paris hand for Polixenas loue THe Centaure left vntoombed there Hee Shee and all their traine are come to Lerna whom the King did noblie entertaine Theare had he from their common teares the cruell hauock made By Lernan Hydra whom in Fenne not armies durst inuade His vpper parts had humane forme his nether Serpentine The whole was monstrous yeat his wit more monstrous but most fine For wit is moustrous when the same from vertue doth decline Such were his subtill arguments and still supplies therein That he by often losse of heads was fained heads to winne And wittie thus to others wrong confounded all hee found Propounding questions and a word vnanswered was a wound The Scourge of Tyrants hearing this did promise death or ayde Whilst fearefull Deianira did the contrarie perswade But womans speech from weapons vse might not withdraw him then Til entring Palus he had rousd the Monster from his Denne Disdainfully did Hydra take the presence of his Foe And after subtill arguments to sturdie fight they goe Two blowes at once with Glaue and Taile made Hercules to reele Who since he first had vsed armes the like did neuer feele Not long he borrowed had the Loan but Hydra had the like So either twaine repaye their debt and neither faintly strike But who might stand with Hercules By him the monster fell Who burning vp his vgly shape did passe his soule to hell Which happie fate of Hydras fall left Lerna glad and well From whence to Athens and from thence to Lycia did he saile Then to Hesperia Gerions Realme his outrages to quaile HE by his triple tyrannie for Gerion he was said three headed in respect that him three other Giants aid So spoild and plag'd y e neighbour Realmes with daily wrongs war That all the force of Africa his furie could not barre In Gadira when Hercules his Pillers reared had The which our westerne world not knowne men farther land forbad Then with victorious ships he sets on Gerions chased Fleet And secondly at Megida did either armie meete Theare Gerion with his brothers twaine the Citie did beset And scornefullie aduance themselues as men not to be met Prouiding therefore murall workes they threaten hot assault Whilest Hercules contrarie warres vnto his souldiers taught The Gates wide opned out he comes vnto the Giants three Your men he said are well at worke well met are also wee This lesse then monster more than man a Fiende in humane shape The Spanyard said is he from whom I made so hard escape Yet hardlier shalt thou now escape said Hercules and than Betweene them foure three to one A cruell fight began And euery of the Giants thought himselfe an ouer-match To Hercules who almost gaue to one a quick dispatch The second he dispatcht in deed who fell his latest fall Then thousands came to rescue them yeat one he fights gainst all Till Theseus with the other knights did march their Armie out And ioyne to him their Foes with them and all make battaile stout Then Gerions brother fights againe and both did bathe in bloud It was no fighting where they fought or standing where they stood King Meleus Theseus Hispan and Philoctes did no lesse But soueraignlie the sonne of Ioue bestird him in the presse The Giant Gerions brother then by him did breath his last And Gerion did retire his men into their Gallies fast But where they land theare Hercules wonne landing though he past The Pikes withstanding thousand Swords warding thousand slings Himselfe alone ere that his men to fight on Shore he brings Then Gerion cursing heauen earth bestirre ye friends he cride Now is the time to liue or die let good or bad betide Doe liue as men or die as men see tenne we are for one What lets vs then from victorie that victors haue beene knowne Reuenge your selues reuenge your friends reuenge our cōmō mone Nor did he shrinke from what he said or said not as he wrought His onely deeds were manies death Till Hercules he sought Whome singling after combat long of him his end he cought So to subiection Hespera by Hercules was brought NO better Spanish Cacus sped for all his wondrous strength Whom Hercules from out his Realme debelled at the length A richer King or Tyrant worse liu'd not in any Land Nor any one gainst Hercules in hardier fight did stand Yeat chased by his Conqueror he was inforc'd to flie Vpto a Mountain in those parts where as at poynt to die Through famine by his Magicke Arte he made the Mountaine flame And by that shift escapt his Foe long wondring at the same Then fled the Giant night and day for feare did lend him wings And as about from place to place the wandring Tyrant flings He on a Mount in Italie cal'd Auentine did light Where laboured Cacus did repose his wearied limmes all night In this same Hill he found a Caue which fitting place espide He did resolue in secrecie thenceforth himselfe to hide In that same Mount from sight of men and being theare alone That words at least might vent his woes he maketh thus his mone Ah wretch quoth he no longer King that title now must change Thou late were fearfull vnto all now fearing all must range This ragged Caue must now suffice in stead of Royall seat And though alas the place should please yet want I what to eat Where be my solemne banquets now where is my stately traine My Tributes nay my
shall returne their Disaduantage thus If ye obserue no shore is left the which may shelter vs And so hold out amidst the Rough whil'st they hale in for Lee Whereas whil'st men securely sayle not seldome shipwracks bee What should I cite your passed Acts or tediously incence To present Armes your faces shewe your hearts conceiue offence Yea euen your courages deuine a Conquest not to faile Hope then your Duke doth prophecie and in that hope preuaile A People braue a terren Heauen both Obiects wroth your warres Shall be the Prizes of your Prow's and mount your fame to Starres Let not a Traytors periur'd Sonne exâ—rude vs from our right He dyes to liue a famous life that doth for Conquest fight By this the furious Battels ioyne a bloody day to eyther And long they fight the victory inclining vnto neyther At length the English had the ods who keeping close aray Vnto the Duchie Forces gaue no entraunce any way Who fayning feare and Martially retyring as opprest The English so became secure and follow on disperst To which aduantage furiously the Normanes did returne And got a bloody victorie In vayne the English spurne Amidst the Pikes against the pricke King Harold then was slayne From whom began the Normanes sole but soone conioyned rayne For second Henry Mawd her Sonne freed Englands blood agayne Since when and euer may they so that Of-spring ruled vs Of whose Coniunction in the Crowne the Genalogue is thus King Edmund Irn-side Issue had Edward the Out-law he Had Margaret Mawd by Malcolme theÌ„ the King of Scots had she Mawd to the Conqueror his Sonne first Henry Mawd did beiâ—e This second Mawd the Angeos wife had second Henry heire EDward King Harolds Preregnant of the same Change foretold Who present and succeeding times thus dying did vnfold It is a world to note quoth he the wayes that men adore And how Hypocrisie hath bred of Godlike Deuils store That speake to seeme that seeme to shift that shift to spoyle by guile That smooth sooth yeat deceiue with Scriptum est meane while But let them heaue their hands to Heauen they haue their hier in Hell That seeme deuout to cloake deceit and say but doe not well The Rich are retchles in their willes their liking is for law The Poore repine and Goods not theirs by idle shiftings claw The Lords and Landed ouer-rent and cunningly the same The Parasite doth ouer-reach and beares away the game One riseth by anothers fall and some doe clime so fast That in the Clowdes they doe forget what Climates they haue past But Eagle-winged mindes that fly to nestle in the Sunne Their lofty heads haue leaden heeles and end where they begun It is a common point on which the aged grossely ronne Once to haue dared sayd and seene more then was euer done The Youth are foolish-hardie or lesse hardie then they ought Effeminate phantasticall in few not few are nought At Cyprus not the wanton Saint nor yeat her wylie Sonne Did want her Orgies nor at Rome did Vesta lacke her Nonne The Lampsacens gaue Pryapus his filthie Rites and Create To Ioue his Bulles and Siâ—ilie to Ceres tithed Wheat The Thracians with their Bacchanales did Lybers Temple fill And Italie did blood of Babes on Saturnes Altars spill And fatall wreathes of Myrâ—ill boughes were sacred vnto Dys In fewe there was no Pagane God his Sacrifice did mis. But English-men nay Christian men not onely seeme prophane But Man to Man as Beast to Beast holds ciuill dueties vayne Yea Pulpits some like Pedlers packs yeeld forth as men affect And what a Synode shall conclude a Sowter will correct The rude thus boasting Litrature one Schisme begets another And grossely though a Sehisâ—â—e yeat hath cach Schismatike his Soother Meane while the learned want their Meed none with profit heares The tedious Doult whose artles tongue doth preach to weary eares Here could I enter in a Field of matter more than much But gesse that all is out of frame and long time hath bin such And what shall be let time disclose This onely will I touch A Greene Tree cut from withered Stock deuided Furlongs three From proper Roote it shall reioyne and after fruitfull bee Thus sayd the King And thus doe some expound that Prophesee The Tree this Land the Stock and Roote the thralled English line King Harâ—ld and the VVilliams twaine the Furlongs some define Henry the Normane that begot on Mawde his English Queene Mawde second Henries Mother was the Trees Returne to greene King Stephen first though not so firme did in this Turne proceede But second Henrie perfectly restalled VVodens Seede THE FIFTH BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XXIII ASsisted by the former Bowne persist my Muse and tell How by the Normane Conquest here an other world befell New lawes not Labyrinths as now through wrested Quirkes came in New Lords also at whom for most our auncient Crests begin The English sinke the Normanes swimme all topsie turute was Vntill the Conquerour had brought his whole command to pas Then was one Edgar sonne vnto the out-law Edward he To holy Edward had been heire had not King Harold be And VVilliam pleading too by sword admits no milder law So Edgar in his soonest flight his safest issue saw Who with his mother daughter to the King of Hungarie And Sisters did attempt into his Grandsiers Realme to flie Thus Englands hope with Englands heir in one same Barke did sayl When desprate from their villanage was English blood of baile 〈◊〉 God that to the hopeles is not helples if he please Did driue the storm-beate English ship into the Scottish seas Wheare cast a shore King Malcolme soone had notice of the wracke And did become a gracious Lord vnto their present lacke And Agatha a Votarisse tooke Margaret to Queene Protects her brother euen by Armes against King Williams teene Vntill by warre and wise conuay he so to passe did bring That Edgar reconciled was vnto the English King In credit though withheld his Crowne and thus at least did good His flight Scotch-queen'd his Sister she regraded Englands blood For let we Edgar gainst the haer preserued as exprest And either VVilliam luckie Knight at armes interred rest And set first VVilliams yongest sonne first Henry on the Throne Through him the royall English and the Normane bloods grew one On Mawd Scotch Malcomes daughter by the foresaid Margaret he Had Mawd that solie did suruiue her drowned brothers three Her Empresse to the Emperour then newly being ded Did Geffrey Plantaganet the Earle of Anioy wed And she vnto Plantaganet did second Henry beire Of England Angeo Gascoyne and of Normandie the heire Yeat Stephen first VVilliams daughters son whoÌ„ th' Earle of Bloys did marrie Did with the Empresse and her son now King now Captiue varrie But lastly tyred and inter'd all England by his death Was quietly second Henries who was lawfulst heire by birth With Hengests blood our droupen Muse it
wretch in miserie alwaies Cease further prate said Hercules in troth it greeueth much To see a King in this Distresse but since thy life is such As neither in aduersitie nor prosperous estate Thou canst afford one iot of good I purpose to rebate Thy wicked dayes by worthy death prepare therefore to dye When Cacus sawe he must perforce so harde a combate trye He by inchanted flames againe endeuored to flye But Hercules deluded once by that deuise before Had learned now for being so deceiued any more And casting feare aside did leape into the flaming Caue And theare by Arte did conquer Arte. The Gyant then to saue Himselfe did take his Axe in hand wheare Hercules and he Couragiously bestirre themselues vntill they did agree To trye it out in open ayre So doubtfull was their fight That Lookers on could not discerne to whether best should light The frighted Ladies did their best to helpe their fighting friend But Hercules had victorie and Cacus had his end CHAP. XII FOr Gyants of Cremona slayne and Cacus ridded so The Latine Princes prayse on him and presents did bestoe Wheare Rome is now Pallantia then Euander hee did frame A temple and to Hercules did dedicate the same And he intreated thereunto in Italie did stay To honor whome did Princes come from farre and euerie waye King Faunus had affaires abroad when from Laurentum came His wife Marica Facua some this louely Queene doe name From liking did shee fall in loue with Hercules and he More readie to haue made demaunde then like to disagree Conceauing her by circumstance so coupled by contract That had King Faunus neuer liu'd Latinus had not lackt Yeat home came Faunus fathering his late Corriuals act But whether gotten lawfully or thus in loue forbod Latinus Brute his Gran-dames Syer was sonne vnto a God WHilst that in loue of this same Queene and lande of all besides The vanquisher of Vulcans sonne in Italie abides Of Calabries a mightie host King Picus he prouides And in reueng of Cacus swore his Slayer should be slaine But he ere long that so did sweare vnsweared it againe When chased home into his holdes theare sparred vp in gates The valiant Thebane all in vaine a following fight awaites Who for dispatch did fayne himselfe a Legate to the King And him the Porters as the same before their Tyrant bring Then shaking off his ciuil robes his shining Armes appeare And renting downe 〈◊〉 â—roâ— sparre both Prince and people feare Some ran to Armor other some did fight with him their last Both court and Cittie in the end did lay vpon him fast Theare Picus worthely did winne of valiantnesse a name Yeat Hercules more valiantly by death did Picus tame And to attend their King his ghoste he sendeth flocke by flocke His furie was as fier to Ferne his foes as waues to Rocke Nor did his Lyons Spoyle giue place to darting or to knocke Meane tyme his men assault without whil'st he assayles within Wheare fighting to beate downe the Gates he so the Goale did win Within the King his ransackt Court he Iole espyes Whose teares then mounting froÌ„ her hart dismount theÌ„ froÌ„ her eyes King Picus now a lifeles corse was Father of this Mayde In vaine therefore did Hercules her pensiuenesse disswayde Nor could he but lament her fate and loue so sweete a face Whose person also did containe the type of female grace At first she was so farre from loue she rather seem'd to hate Yeat could she not so giue the Checke but that she tooke the Mate Then eithers loue was eithers life poore Deianira she Was out of commons yea of thought an other had her fee. WIth this so faire and portly wench he sayled into Thrace And heares how Diomedes did tyrannize in that place No Straunger scapes vnraunsomed but Raunsome wanting then He casteth them as prouender to Horses eating men A Garde of Tyrants like himselfe attending on him still Who richly did maintaine themselues by such their doings ill The Scourge of such was moued not to be remoued now By Iole whose louing teares such labours disalow With Diomedes and his Garde in Forrest did he meete Who with their common Stratagem the Stranger thinke to greete Hands of commaunded Hercules for Horse I am no hay All Straungers Raunsom once for all my comming is to pay Which sayd himselfe against them all began a noble fray The sturdie Thracians mightie men did hardly loose their ground But than the King a mightier man not any wheare was found These all at once assayle and strike and thunder on his Sheeld But number fitted to his force vnwonted so to yeeld For with his club he skuffles then amongst their Curets so That speedie death was sweeter dole then to suruiue his blo Well mounted comes the King himselfe whom he dismounts anon But reseued to his Horse againe away he would be gon Lesse hasâ—e he sayd I Harts out-runne noâ— shalt thou me out-ride Out stripping so the man-feade horse he topled ore his side The Monstrous King that resculesse to flying people cride Who lying all to frusâ—hed thus the sonne of Ioue did bring His cruell Iades that soone deuoure their more than cruell King The Thracians all submit themselues and ioye their Tyrants death And thinke some God had left the Heauens to succour men on earth From such as what they would they will and what they will they can And what they can they dare and doe and doing none withstan Nor thought they better of the man then did his deedes approue That neuer was a Conqueror vnto his owne behoue But to establish vertuous men and Tyrants to remoue This common Soldiour of the world with Iole did land In Lycia and the earth in peace discharged theare his band Sweete busses not sharpe battels then did alter man and minde Till he as others sorrowe in securitie did finde From Assur went the Empire then when Tonos he had time To court his Trulles Arbaces so espying place to clyme Secure in Tomyris her flight was valiant Cyrus slaine From Capua not from Cannas grewe braue Hanibal his baine The same to whose victorious Sword a second world was sought That Macedon in court not Campe to traytrous end was brought A louer not a Soldiour went Achilles to his graue And Caesar not in steele but silke to Rome his farewel gaue Euen so this second vnto none superior vnto all To whome did sooner Causes cease then Conquests not befall This monster-Master Hercules this Tyrant-Tamer hee Whose high Exploytes did leaue the earth from spoyl spoylers free In pleasures did he perish now that did in perils thriue A greeuous Taske I vndertake his dying to reuiue CHAP. XIII WHen Deianira vnderstood her busbands back returne She thought it strange that he froÌ„ her so strangely did soiorne Explorers sent to search the cause returne was made that he Did loyter in a Strangers Loue and Iole was she That euer hanged at his lips and hugged
by grieuous Draught as Beasts to plough their Land Of whom the English as of Gods or Feends in terror stand The Husband durst not vse his Wife if liked of a Dane Nor House nor Goods nor ought he had for who resists was slaine That frankes and feedeth daintily This pines and fareth ill And of his sweat that hath the sweete and is imperious still Each house maintained such a Dane that so they might preuent Conspiracies if any were and grope how mindes were bent Lord Dane the same was called then to them a pleasing name Now odiously Lur-dane say we when idle Mates we blame When Swaine the DaciaÌ„ King did hear his Danes were murther dso With bitter vowes he shipt his men for Englands ouerthroe And landing spar'd no shrine nor Saint nor Sex nor any State Not wanting Aiders English-men that held their King in hate Especially false Edricus the Admirall deceiues His King and Countrey oftentimes and Bribes of Swaine receiues And Egelred his cowardisse incouraged the Foe Till Swaine at length for Masses great was bribed hence to goe But making short returne the Peeres of England that disdaine Th'indignities of such a King that did so feebly raigne Submit them Subiects vnto Swaine and Egelred did flie Vnto the Father of his Queene the Duke of Normandie And Swaine possessed of the land did shortly after die His sonne Canutus present here had Seazon of the Crowne Till Egelred returning back by Armor puts him downe Who scarcely giueth breathing time but that he back resailes From Denmarke and by force by friends and fortune here preuailes For in this Warre King Egelred did sicken and decease And then the broiles Canutus king did for a time decrease Till Edmund sonne of Egelred did interrupt that peace COnferring Armes to Edmonds age when Egelred did lie On death-bed to his sonne he said not quite forlorne am I Whose life hath had so much of griefe thus gratiously to dye Ad more thy vertues glad my death yeat two things greeue among To leaue my Kingdom so in Warres and thee for Warres too young So may these troubles weare to none as thou doest waxe I pray And so possesse thy Fathers Seate that all approoue thy sway Not to be made a King my Sonne is so to make thee proude For Mildenes fitteth maiestie high mindes are disaloude See me thy Father now a King and by and by but earth Nor thinke that euerie King hath hap to die a happie death Let nature for perfection molde a Paragon each way Yeat death at last on finest lumps of liuing flesh will pray For nature neuer framed it that neuer shall decay The brauest are as blossomes and the longest Liuer dies And dead the louelest Creature as the lothsom'st Carrion lies Then thinke not but that kings are men and as the rest miscarrie Saue that their fame or infamie continually doth tarry Deeme past Examples Sentences and which did fayle in me Make vse of those not now in vse for now will cease to be Attempt not things beyond thy reach ioyne fortune to thy will Least Phoebus Chaire doe else surcharge rash Phaeton his skill If Fortune helpe whom thou would'st hurt fret not at it the more When Aiax stormed then from him the Prize Vlysses bore Try friends by touch a feeble friend may prooue thy stroÌ„gest Foe Great Pompeâ—s head to Caesars hand it was betrayed so Admit thou hadst Pactolion waues to land thee Golde at will Know Craesus did to â—yrus kneele and thou maist speed as ill Abandon lust if not for sinne yeat to auoyd the shame So Hogges of Ithacus his men the Latian Witch did frame Be not too moody in thy wrath but pause though fist be bent Oft Philips Sonne did rashly strike and leisurely repent Content thee with vnthreatned Meane and play not Aesops Dogge The Golde that gentle Bacchus gaue did greedy Mydas clogge Be valiant not too venterous but fight to sight againe Euen Hercules did hold it ods for one to striue with twaine Be not ambitiously a King nor grudgingly decline One God did root out Cis his stock and rayse vp Iesses line Iest nor with edge tooles suffer Saints let mightie Fooles be mad Note Seneca by Neroes doome for Precepts pennance had Haue care to whom of whoÌ„ what to speak though speech be trew That Misse made Poeâ—â—us contrary his Rauens Swan-like hew He frameth torments to himselfe that feeds a Tyrants vaine Perillus was by Phalaris adiudg'd to self-taught paine Prayse not the beautie of thy Wife though she of forme be sped For Gyges moued so did graft on Candaules his head Shunne Ielousie that heart-breake loue if Cat will goe to kind Be sure that Io hath a meanes that Argus shall be blind Commit not Treasure with thy Child to greedy minded men Thou leauest Polidor a spoyle to Polymnestor then Occurrants giue occasions still of like in which be sure To serue thy God to saue thy selfe and well to all procure Be vertuous and assure thy selfe thou canst not then but thriue In onely vertue it is sayd that men themselues suruiue As for the vicious such they are as is the heedlesse Flye That killes it selfe and hurts his sight that hath her in his eye Farewell my Sonne England farewell thy neuer happy Prince Doth take his leaue an happy leaue if taken so long since And Edmond burying not with me thy vertues nor my speech I blesse thee in his blessed Name whome I of blesse beseech Said Egelred and shortly gaue a quiet gaspe or twaine And being dead his noble Sonne succeeded him in Raigne THis like himselfe euen Knight-like and an English-man indeede Did quickeÌ„ Englands quailing Prowes Mars-like did proceed A brauer Captaine than was he not any band might haue And yeat a Mars did match this Mars Canutus was as braue These wonders of that age for Armes and Dirii of those dayes Did often battell equally to eithers losse and praies Now after many bloody Fieldes when none might estimate The better or the worser part a Knight that saw the state Then present and by likelyhoods presaged what might fall Said hearing it the differing Kings and Souldiers almost all We euer warre and neuer winne Edmund hath Fortitude Canutus Fortune neither thus of other is subdude Death feares not vs nor for their liues our Contraries doe care It followes then that all must die wheare all so despret are If all be slayne then who shall serue our Princes that suruiue Or fence out Forrens better one then none of both should thriue To thriue therefore were not a-misse that seeing one of twaine Will Owner all that onely they the quarrell doe maintaine Or if Combattensie not please the Land is rich and large And they Copernicers may liue and vs of death discharge If Combat nor Partition be then will his Warre reuiue Till one suruiuing all of vs wants one with whome to striue This sayd the Kings did marke and make a profit of the same And did
our pollicie wear small That they should florish nay should liue could we procure their fall Theare be they great alreadie wheare we only great must be Whom should they equall woe to vs when we shall disagree Now that therefore which we cannot with honestie contriue Our Foes shall finish if of them they leaue not one aliue Thus said he not gaine-saide for hang who shall so they may thriue This Maxime hath hild and good wheare they haue ouerthrone By trecherous Agents of the same they haue not trusted one Adde than the Spaniard prouder and more cruell People none Euen Cortes that with cost and payne rich India did subdew And gaue to Spayne his Conquest found false Meede for Seruice trew So they that wonne them Portugale and Naples spead in few And too imperiously doe they oppresse their Conquests new Yeat boast not perpetuitie but Spayne this Patterne vew Caldea priz'd Assiria and Assiria priz'd the same The Medes and Persians both and them the Macedons orecame The Romaines theÌ„ that Empier next had France the Germaines now Which onely Title hardly doe the Spanyards them alowe Spayne hath Nauarre that once had Spayne wheare once crown'd wee their King And once did Spanish-Irish-Scots vs to subiection bring We Scots French Irish too and fro thus often Scepters flye Yea to Posterities old names of Lands and Peoples dye Sicambries Gawles Picts Vandels Gothes Astrogothes known late In Europ by these names haue chang'd those names Europs State And with the Spanyards part of those may alter in like rate Each Birde shall then remaunde her Plumes and naked leaue your Iaye At least when Phillip shall decease and why not eare that daye For power and prowse lacke Turnus Peere yeat when his Fates withstoode Iturna no not Iunos-selfe could doe him any good But Godhoode none in Indian Golde pope-buld hopes shall mis Nor Macedonian Phillips Sonne Castilian Phillip is But one who whil'st he warres for ours hath lost euen part of his Not onely Spayne thinke destinate in Pompe not to impaier Our liued long that breathes enuied not els but odious Ayer And which is monstrously too trew Religion is pretext Where through the Spanyard and the Pope all Christendome haue vext Witnes their Powers by Land and Seas that threatned vs er'while Of it a word and note how God did patronize our Ile CHAP. XLIX THe Spanyards long time Care Coste inuincible surnam'd Was now a flote whilst Parma to froÌ„ Flanders hither aim'd Like Fleete of eightscore Ships od the Ocean neuer bore So huge so strong and so compleate in euery Strength and Store Carikes Gallions Argosies and Galliasses such That seem'd so many Castels and their tops the cloudes to tuch These on the Lizardes shewe themselues threaten Englands fall But theare with Fistie Shippes of ours that Fleete was fought withall Howbeit of a greater sorte our Nauie did consist But parte kept Dyet in the Porte that might of health haue miste Had Spayns Armada of our wants in Plimmouths Hauen wiste The rest had eye on Parma that from Flanders armour threates Meane while Lord Charles our Admiral and Drake did worthy Feats Whose feareles fiftie Moole-hils bod their trypeld Mountaines bace And euen at first so pleas'd it God pursewde as if in chace By this for ouer-idle seemd to English hearts the Shore Our Gallants did imbarke each-wheare and made our Forces more But in such warlike Order then their Shippes at Anker laye That we vnles we them disperse on bootles labor staye Not lacked Pollicie that to that purpose made vs waye Ours fyred diuers Shippes that downe the Currant sent so skaerd That Cables cut and Ankers lost the Spanyards badly faerd Dispersed thus we spare not shot and part of them we sinke And part we boord the rest did flye not fast enough they thinke Well guided little Axes so force tallest Oakes to fall So numbrous Heards of stately Hearts flye Beagles few and smal Nine dayes together cha'ste we them not actious saue in flight About Eight thowsands perished by famine sea and fight For Treasure Shippes and Carrages lost Honor Prisners tayne The Spaniards hardly scaping hence scapt not rebukes in Spaine Well might thus much as much it did cheere England but much more Concurrancie from one to all to stop that common Sore Euen Chatholiques that erred name doth please the Papists waer As forward in this Quarrell as the formost Armes to bear Recusants and Suspects of noote Of others was caer And had not our God-guided Fight on Seas preuailed yet The Spaniards land whereso they could had with our Armies met Our common Courage wisht no lesse so lightly feard we Foes Such hope in God such hate of them such hearts to barâ—er bloes Heere flam'd the Cyclops Forges Mars his Armorie was heere Himselfe he sheads in vs and with our Cause our selues we cheere But which had scarâ—â—fide our wounds if wounded with the Balme Of her sweete Presence so applaus'd as in Sea-stormes a Calme Her royall-selfe Elizabeth our Soueraigne lawfull Queene In magnanimious Maiestie amidst her Troupes was seene Which made vs weepe for ioy nor was her kindnes lesse to vs. Thinke nothing letting then that might the common Cause discus Wheare Prince and People haue in Loue a Sympathie as thus Howbeit Force nor Policie but Gods sole Prouidence Did cleare fore-bosted Conquest and behighted Thraldome hence He in Saneherib his nose did put his hooke and brought Him backe againe the way he came without performing ought He fought for vs Alonely we did shout and Trumpets sound When as the Walles of â—â—rico fell flat vnto the ground Yâ—a least for earst did neuer heere like strong Supplies befall Like loyall hearts in euerie one like warlike mindes in all Lesse spaer of Purses more Fore-sight and valiant Guides to act As shewde our hardie littell Fleet that battell neuer slackt Leaste these I say might haue been sayd the cause that we subdew'de Euen God to Glorifie himselfe our gayned Cause pursew'de Without our losse of Man or Mast or Foe once touching Shore Saue such as wrackt weaâ—e Prisnors or but landing liu'd not more And as in publique Praiers we did his defence implore So being Victors publiquely we yeelded thanks therefore Her Highnes selfe good cause she had in viewe of euerie Eie On humbled Knees did giue him thanks that gaue her Victorie Remaineth what she wonne what Spaine Rome did lose in fame Remaineth Popes vse Potentates but to retriue their Game CHAP. L. IF not with minds preiudicate but holding in suspence A while the Papacie that takes and giues so much Offence With single hearts and Eies and Eares al christian Princes would Peruse the sacred Scriptures as in verie deede they should Then might they iustly censure how in â—owlines or Pryde In Charitie or Crueltie how straite to God or wide In Doctrine and in Discipline Rome hath and now doth guide With still Prouisoes from the Laie the Scriptures light
a great Rebellion in England occasioned by a Priest Of Queene Elizabeth wife to Edward the Fourth chap. 35. pag. 168 Of Perken Warbeck and his rebellious Complottors Of the malicious Duchesse of Burgoine Of the great Constancie of a chast Ladie wise vnto the same Perkin pag. 169 Of a Scottish Knight distraught through his Ladies disloyaltie Of his mad passions and speeches of his Death and of her euill ending chap. 36. pag. 171 A Tale of the Bat and the Moole c. chap. 37. pag. 179 Of the Cuckooe and the Owle part of the former Tale. pag. 185 Of Perken Warbecks End Of a Third rebellion pag. 187 Of Empson and Sutton aliàs Dudley pag. 188 The Eight Booke OF King Henry the Eight Of his Sister Mary the French Queen and Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk chap. 38. pag. 190 Of Queene Katherine Dowager c. pag. 191 Of King Edward the sixt his vertuous Raigne c. chap. 39. pag. 192 Of Edward Seimer and Lord Protector Duke of Somerset chap. 40 pag. 195 Of Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland pag. 195 Of the Lord Gilford Dudley and Lady Iane his wife pag. 196 Of Queene Mary chap. 41. pag. 198 Of fayre Rosamund and King Henrie the second pag. 199 Of a Ladie who by patience and quiet policie reclaimed her Lord from wantonnes chap. 42. pag. 202 A Catalogue or Epitomie of all the most valiant and famous Kings of this Land and of their Acts from Brute to her now Maiesties most blessed Raigne chap. 42. pag. 206 An obseruation touching the letter H. pag. 208 The ninth Booke A Fiction alluded to our now most gratious Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth her Persecutors Persecution and her passage thereout chap. 44. pag. 212 More of her Maiesties Troubles wonderful deliuerie pa. 212. c. Of the vntimely Ends of most our English Dukes since the Conquest by way of Caueat to Parasites Rebels and Conspirators chap. 45. pag. 214 The Tale of Narcissus and Eccho chap. 46. pag. 216 A Fiction of their Authoritie from Hell Their present corrupting of Mankind and wherein pag. 218 Of the Chat passed betwixt two old Widowes concerning new Fangles now vsed by women chap. 47. pag. 220 More of their Chat. chap. 47. pag. 222 Of Spaynes ambitious affecting Kingdomes chap. 48 What the Spanyards in Councell cōcluded touching English Papists at their pretended Inuasion of England and of the small securitie wherein Spayne standeth pag. 225. c. The ouerthrow of the Spanish Armada that anno Dom. 1588. threatned the Conquest of England chap. 49. pag. 227 How Sathan by the only sinne of Pride hath euer preuailed cap. 50. pag. 229 The Legend of S. Christofer Of the Popes Drifts and Infirmities pag. 230. and 231 Of the Spanish Inquisition chap. 51. pag. 232 Of the beginning of Iesuists An admonition to such of them as bee our Natiues Of chiefe poynts wherein the Papists dissent from vs in Opinion pag. 233. and 234 Of the Combat betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit chap. 52. pag. 235 How our Religion is autenticall Of the chiefe poynts wherein we dissent from the Papists pag. 236. c. A Commendation of our prosent Gouernment With a remembrance of somewhat that in some Persons faulteth cap. 53. p. 239 Of the Hypocrites of our time pag. 240. c. The Tenth Booke HOw the King of Spayne and Pope first quarrelled vs receiued armed abetted our Rebels and Fugitiues Of the Popes arrogant Bull and of the Scottish Queene c. pag. 242. c. Of the Scottish Queene he Pretexts and intemperate affecting the Crowne of England Her many and most daungerous Conspiracies with a Catalogue of most her trayterous Complottors c. chap. 55. pag. 245. c. Of her lawfull and orderly Triall Of the most deliberate and mercifull handling of her cause c. chap. 56. pag. 248. c. Of her Death c. pag. 250. c. Of what Councell the ciuill warres in France had Originall chap. 57 The beginning of the same ciuill warres By whom and against whom pag. 253. c. How the Spanyard in those Tumults drifted for France The Popes incharitable acting therein Of our Queene her charitable and necessarie succours to the oppressed French and the Progresse of those ciuill warres c. chap. 58. pag. 255 The tragicall historie of King Dauids Children applied c. chap. 59 pag. 256 More of the same Historie chap. 60. pag. 263. c. Of the warres in the Low Countries c. chap. 61. pag. 265. c. The Eleuenth Booke OF Sir Iohn Mandeuil and faire Elenors loue his Prowesse for her sake performed and his departure to trauell strange Countries pag. 296. c. Of Sir Hugh Willough by his Voyage and death Of Chancelor performing the same Voyage pag. 273 Of Discoueries by Chancelor his stately Intertainment and succesfull dispatch of affayres in Russia pag. 274 More of Mandeuil and Elenor and of his Letter sent vnto her c. pag. 275. c. A description of Russia Somewhat of their Manners Religion and Policie c. chap. 65. pag. 278 More of Chancelors laudable Actions and of his death pag. 279 Of Elenor her speeches to one Stafford in answer of Mandeuils Letter c. chap. 66. pag. 281 Of Burrough his Discoueries c. chap. 67. pag. 283 Of Ienkinson his Discoueries and succesfull imployments pag. 284 More of the same pag. 285 Of Mandeuil offered a great Marriage in Aegypt Of Women and Marriage and a Censure of Either chap. 68. pag. 286 More of Ienkinson labouring our affaires in Persia c. chap. 69. pag. 289 The Twelfth Booke OF the meanes whereby Elenor thereof before ignorant had notice that Mandeuil was her Knight beloued cap. 70. p. 292 Of East South Southeast Discouerers and Discoueries c. chap. 71. pag. 295. c. A Woman simply deliuering the Soothe concerning her owne Sexe c. chap. 72. pag. 297 Of the Seuenteene Kingdomes in Tymes by-passed whereof her Maiestie is now sole Monarch c. chap. 73. pag. 300. c. Old Rome discribed in her Ruines chap. 74. pag. 302 Of Romes politicke Gouernement from the Originals vnto Constantines Donation c. pag. 304 Of the Gouernors and Gouernment of Rome since the Papacie chap. 75. pag. 305 Of the free-States in Italie pag. 306. c. A new Reuiuer of an olde Merriment of one crossed in his amorous drifting chap. 76 pag. 307. c. Of Mandeuil and Stafford met at Rome c. pag. 309. c. The residue of the former Merriment chap. 77 pag. 312 Mandeuil and Elenor met and of their loues Euent c. pa. 304 c Aeneidos in Prose pag. 317. c. FINIS ALBIONS ENGLAND THE FIRST BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. I. I Tell of things done long agoe of many things in few And chiefly of this Clyme of ours the Accidents pursue Thou high Director of the same assist mine artlesse pen To write the gests of Brutons stout and actes of English
men When arked Noah seuen with him the emptyd worlds Remaine Had left the instrumentall meane of landing them againe And that both man and beast and all did multiplie with store To Asia Sem to Affrick Cham to Europe Iapheth bore Their Families Thus triple wise the world deuided was One language common vnto all vntill it came to passe That Nembroth sonne to Chus the sonne of Cham O 〈…〉 d Noah his sonne In Caldea neuer seene before an Empire had begonne As he and his audacious crew the Tower of Babell reare Pretending it should check the cloudes so to anoyd the feare Of following flouddes the Creator of creatures beheld The climing toppes of cloud-high Towers and more to be fulfilde To cut off which ambicious plot and quash their proud intent Amongst a world of people there he sundry speeches sent So that vnable to conferre about the worke they went The Tower was left vnfinished and euery man withdrew Himselfe apart to ioyne with those whose language best he knew And thus confused tongues at first to euery nation grew THe Babylonian Saturne though his buildings speede was bad Yet sound the meanes that vnder him he many Nations had He was the first that rulde as King or forraine landes subdude Or went about into the right of others to intrude Ere this aspiring mindes did sleepe and wealth was not pursude His sonne Ioue Belus after him succeeded and puruaide For dreadfull warres but awlesse death his dreadfull purpose staide Then Ninus prosecutes the warres preuented Belus sought And fild the wronged worlde with armes and to subiection brough Much people yet not capable of such his nouile fight From Caldea to Assyria he translates the Empire quite And caused fire on horses backes before him euer borne To be adorned for a God Thus out of vse was worne In Caldea and Assyria too the honour rightly due To high Iehoua God indeede Idolatrie thus grevv From Ninus first he first of all a Monarchie did frame And bewtified Niniuiâ— that bore the Builders name His warlike wise Semir amis her husband being dead And sonne in nonage faining him long ruled in his stead Delating in a males attyre the Empire new begonne The which his yeares admitting it she yeelded to her sonne Thus Cham his broode did borgeon first and held the worlde in awe But Iapheths Line to Iauans land from Assur doth vs drawe MVch prayse is spoke of Thessalie and Pegasus his Springs And how the Nimphes of Meonie in Tempe did great things And how that Cecrops and his seede did honour Athens so As that from thence are sayd the Springs of Sciences to flow Not onely Artes but Cheualry from Greece deriue we may Whereof omitting many things my Muse alonely say How Saturne Ioue and Hercules did fill the world with fame Of iustice prowesse and how they both men and Monsters tame And so from these deriue the meane how Brute to Albion came In Crete did florish in those dayes the first that florisht so Vranos he in wealth and witte all others did out goe This tooke to wife not then forbod his Sister Vesta fayre That crooked Titan did to him and comely Saturne bacâ— The elder for deformities in making and of minde With parents and the people too did lesser liking finde The younger by the contraries gaue hansell in his prime Of many vertues honouring their Owners elder time Away slips age death spareth none Vranos leaues the stage His body now depriu'd of pomp interrd the wormes doe gage Well may a rich mans Hearse want teares but heires he shall not mâ—s To whome that he is dead at length no little ioye it is How beit at the least for forme Vranos Sonnes lament But scarce their patted fathers Ghost to heauen or hell was sent When that his heires did fall at oddes about the vacant Raigne And Titan chafes disabled then the Scepter to sustaine Each eye did follow Saturnes forme each heart applaudes his fame And to conclude with whole consent he winnes away the game Yet for because the Birth-right should inure to Titan still In Mars his Church did Saturne vow his Issues males to kill Not meanely glad was Saturne then his head possest of Crowne When of his building he was Lord of many a peopled Towne He giueth lawes his lawes are kept he bids and all obay And equally belou'd and feard he wealds a kingly sway He teacheth men vntaught before to eare the lusty land And how to pearse the pathlesse ayre with shaft from Bow-mans hand God Dis did quaile to see his golde so fast coâ—uayd from hell And fishes quakte when men in ships amidst their flouds did dwell Who loues not him Wherein did not the King of Crete excell But what auaile or Townes or Lawes or what doe subiects moue Sheaues Shasts or Ships or Gold or all king Saturne is in loue He loues and is beloude againe yeat so might not suffice In former vow to Titan made his paine of pleasure lies But no man from the Monarke Loue by wealth or weapons flies Cybella fayre Cybella is espoused to her brother And as doe Venus billing Birds so loue they one another In Coiture she doth conceiue one sonne is borne and slayne And Saturne of the hansell hard doth male-content re mayne CHAP. II. THe Sunne had compast all the Signes and Cybell brought to light Her second breede a smiling boy and Iupiter he hight Together with the Queene of Gods so Iunos stile we wright The infant smiled at his birth but Cybell ioybereft And Vesta whom Vranos had an heauy widow left Did both lament for Saturne wild the new borne babe should die Both to acquite him of his vow and frustrate Destinie For at the Oracle he had his wife a sonne should beare That should eâ—ect him from his Realme his vow therefore and feare Did hasten on vnwillingly the slaughter of his sonne For which his sorrowes granting speech his moene he thus begonne And waÌ„t not stately Crowns their cares With pompe haue princes paine Ah die he must and die he shall els may not Saturne raigne Yeat might a Scepters want suffice I gladly would resigne But sworne-by Stix and wreakfull Mars at periuries repine Then farre be it that they repine least I too late repent It doubles sinne if sinne by sinne we practise to preuent From this time foorth Melancholie for Surname Saturne had No mirth could wrest froÌ„ him a smile ech smile would make him sad His seruants feare his solemne fittes when if they ought did say He either answers not at all or quite an other way Vnpeopled roomes and pathlesse wayes did fit his humour best And then he sighs and sheadeth teares when all things else did rest Who so could cite a Tragedie was formost in his creede For balking pleasaunt company on sorrowes did he feede Death likes him that mislikes himselfe in gesture roabes and all He shewes himselfe like to himselfe and hence it doth befall That men to
such woes And how the Gods of Sun and Seas offended doe require Each month a Virgin to appease a seaish Monsters ire Wherefore to saue their common weale the Troyans did agree One Virgin as her Lot did light should pay that monthlie fee. Now after many murdred Maids for monthlie at one day The fearefull Monster at the Port expects his wonted pray The lot fell to Hesione the daughter of the King Whom to the Port to be deuourd with teares the Troyans bring When Hercules thus vnderstoode the hard occasion why The guiltles Lady should haue died he purposing to trie His valiantnesse for what was it that Hercules would flie Did aske the King what gift should grow to him that should both free His Daughter and his kingdome of that bloody monthly fee. The king whom now a doubted hope of profered helpe made glad Made promise of two milk-white Steedes as chiefest gemmes he had Braue Hercules whose ventrous heart did onely hunt for fame Accepts th'assumpsit and prepares the fiend-like fish to tame Anone the dreadfull Diuell driues the Sea before his brest And spitting mighty waues abrode disgorgde from monstrous chest Lifts vp his vgly head aboue the troubled waues to catch The trembling Lady for which pray his yawning iawes did watch But he whose strength exceeded sense with yron Club in fist Did bootlesse long with brusing waight the boistrous Whale resist The greater strokes the fiercer was the monsters awlesse fight So that the Greekes and Troyans all misdoubt their dreadlesse knight Still Hercules did lay on load and held the fight so long That in the end the Sea retirde and left the fish among The bared sands and so for want of water not of strength Good fortune honours Hercules with victorie at length Now when the King his Troyans and the Grecians had behild The substance of the vgly shape euen dreadfull being kild They bring the Champion to the towne with triumphs gifts praise And who but he belou'd in Troy whiles that in Troy he stayes Alone the King a man no doubt predesinate to ill Obseruing how his Subiects bore to Hercules good will And fearing least their loue to him might turne himselfe to hate And seeing now himselfe and land in prosperous estate Vnfriendly did exclude his friend from out his City strong Whilest with his Greekes he hunts abroad mistrustlesse of such wrōg And when the Champion and his men did from their sporte returne Not onely did gain say in Troy that longer they soiourne But also impudent in guiles withheld the Corsers twaine Which Hercules so dearly wonne in hazard to be slayne Alemenas Sonne abashed then to finde so lewd a meede In lieu of well deserued loue was chollerick indeed And made a vow if life gaue leaue he would such vengeance take On Troy that euen the stones thereof for dread of him should quake And that the liuing Troyans then should say and iustly say That they were happie whom the plague and Monster made away And threatning so the trothlesse King did leaue the hated Port And shortly did ariue at Thaebes and feasts in Creons Court. THence brought he war and wrack to Troy and in his armie Kings And by the way Larnessus walles vnto the ground he flings And setteth Tenedos on fire whose fearefull flames espide Gaue Sommons vnto carelesse Troy for worser to prouide Before the Greekes had reached Troy the Troyans by the way Did bid them battaile many men on either part decay The sounding armours crack with blows whilest piercing arrows flie This lyeth dead that same is maimde and more at poynt to die Heads armes and armour flie about and bodies swimme in blood And fresh supplies did fall with them on whom they fighting stood But Hercules aboue the rest bestird himselfe so well That still before his balefull Club by Shocks the Troyans fell Who fainting now seeke to retire into their fensiue towne Where Hercules their Porter was and rudely knockes them downe Thus wonne he Troy and sacked Troy and Chanels flowed blood Nor did he breath whilest any part of all the Citie stood Saue stately Ileon In the same a many Ladies weare Whose piteous teares wrought Hercules that onely place to spare As for the false Laomedon he secretly was fled And valiant Pryamus his sonne to Greece was captiue led CHAP. V. AT home returne Queene Iuno craues his companie at Creat Whom there arriud with hartlesse ioy his stepdame did intreat What Hearest thou not my sonne quoth she how Argiue folke complaine Of Lions three that in their fieldes both men and heardes haue slaine All this she said as knowing him to seeke such hard affaires To win him to which desperate fight no Course nor cost she spares When this was said enough was said and halfe was yet behinde When Hercules did vow redresse and Iuno had her minde He ioyes to heare of that exploit such was his ventrous hart And thanking Iuno for her newes did so from thence depart Philoctes now and Hercules in Nemea Forrest be Long seeking what they could not finde till crying from a tree An Heards-man said friends shift away or else come vp to me Least that those cruell Lions three now ranging in this wood Which haue deuourd those Heards I had and with my Manies bloud Imbrud their fierce deuouring chappes and forced me to clime This Tree where I vnhappie man on leaues haue fed long time May all too soone with tearing teeth destroy you in like case The quaking Heards-man scarce had said thus much when as a pace From out a Thick the Lions three on Hercules did run Philoctes trustlesse of his Prowse by climing did them shun And now the Rampant Lions great whose onely view would quaile An hundred Knights though armed well did Hercules assaile And sometimes with their churlish teeth and pinching pawes againe So grieuously indanger him that neere he faints with paine How beit glorie checking griefe he twaine had now dispatcht The third and dreadfulst of the three though many a blow he catcht Yet neither Club nor Sword had force to harme his hardned Hide Vntill that weapons laid apart by strangling hands he dide Not Hercules himselfe conceaud more ioy of this successe Then did Philoctes who ere while did hope of nothing lesse The Herds-man poore Melorcus like as Hercules him wild Vncaest the Lions fearing long to touch them being kild And in his Cottage to the Knights a Countrey feast he hild The Argiues hearing of this deed with Triumphs him intreate And offer all but leauing all he doth returne to Create Whom glozing Iuno gainst her minde with cost did intertaine And with a tongue repugnant quite to her malicious vaine Commends his deeds whē rather she did wish he had been slaine And therefore with an harder taske his labour did renew But what was it that manhood might and he would not pursue IN Aegypt was a grieuous drought the cause thereof vnknowen Which to redresse their Diuelish Gods and
Oracle had showen Doo offer vp strange bloud they bid and so auert our ire Busiris prone before to bloud had now his hearts desire No sooner Stranger toucht the shoare but them the barbarous King To frie in flames before his Gods for Sactifice doth bring Yea custome added worse to ill his Subiect and his friend When Strangers misse supplie the flames his murthers had no end Howbeit with these Butcheries the drought did still remaine For in Busiris was the bloud that should redeeme the raine The Gods did meane which they not minde that lewd Busiris he An Alien borne that Stranger was who dead no drought should be A Noble man of Iunos kin Busiris late had slaine For losse of whome the craftie Queene did often sorrowes faine Cease Madame saieth Hercules not long the time shall be But I his tyrannie shall end else it giue end to me Her sorrowes did not tith her ioy when he had giuen consent To vndertake that deathfull taske for death was it she ment Now Hercules in Aegypt meetes Busiris and his Crew When sodainelie with maine assault on him the Giant flew Supposing to haue dealt with him as he had done before With other Strangers Hercules alonely and no more To take his part with skathfull stroakes bestird his Club so well In battering of the Tyrants bones that strengthlesse downe he fell Then did he kill and chase away his lewd and cruell traine Till hearing of no further foe he commeth backe againe And taketh vp the wretched King that cryeth out for ayde And on the Altar where himselfe had Strangers often layde Himselfe was made a Sacrifice and as his blood did staine The Altar euen at that same time there fell a ioyfull raine With ended drought and Tyrants death a common ioy befell And all in Memphis entertaine the vnknowen Champion well From thence returning back to Thaebes he there a while did dwell KIng Creons Daughter Megara at Thaebes he did espouse To coūtenāce their wedding feast did wāt nor knights nor prowse Which triumphs ended whē the knights should thence depart away Pirithous to his wedding bids them all and names the day Wherein to meete at Thessalie to which did all consent And at the time concluded of at Thessalie conuent Amidst their cheere the solemne feast the Centaures did disqueat Whom by no meanes the Nobles there to patience might intreat For they an hundred Gyants strong with drinking whitled well Amongst their cups from words to blowes and worser dealings fell And too outragious at the last fierce Eurytis their Guide Vnreuerently they rauish thence Hippodame the Bride But Hercules not brooking it to arme himselfe begunne And all alone in rescue of the rapted Bride did runne By this time did Ixeons Seede stand still in battell ray When he but one against them all began a bloodie fray Ech arrow that with ayming hand from sturdy Bow he sent Did answere by the death of one the Sender his intent Whilest Hercules with deadly bow had store of Centaures slaine And wanting arrowes with their blood his valiant Club did staine The Bridegroome and the other knights came to the ceasing fight When all were soyld excepting twelue that sau'd their liues by flight Alonely Lycus yeelded him a prisoner and liues And liuing vnto Hercules much after-sorrow giues But Nessus that escaped then in time him worser grieues CHAP. VI. THe glory of this high attempt and sauing of the Bride They all ascribe to Hercules and whilst they heere abide To exercise his Piracies as Pluto King of Hell Such was the lewdnes of his life and place where he did dwell That hee and it were titled so lay houering neere the shore And saw the folke of Cicilie their Gods with rights adore This rouing King with armed Guardes of his disordered Crew Did come a land to make their Pray but for to outward view They faine deuotion none suspect the ill that did ensue Anon a wreathing Garlands sweet hard at her mothers side King Pluto sawe Proserpine and liking whom he spide Concluding with his companie how to conuay her thence Betwixt his boistrous armes he tooke the faire and fearefull wench And doo what the Cicilians might he setteth her aboord And to his giltie Sailes the Aire did gentle Gales afoord A number eyes in Cicilie for her did weepe in vaine For her her Mother Ceres and her Loues mate did complaine Her selfe sweet Lady of her moane did finde no meane God wot Though Dis to please did say and giue what might be said or got Imbarked then with him his Harpe did wofull Orpheus take And to Molessa Plutos Realme with speedie Sailes did make Where he vnknowne at gate of Hell did harp such Musick sweete As lumpish Cerberus could not but shake his monstrous feete His foule and warpt ill-fauoured face ore-hung with cole-black haires His horslike teeth his lolling lips his Doglike hanging eares His hooked nose his skowling eyes his filthie knotted Beard And what not in his vgly shape but presently appeard More milder than his common moode and lesser to be feard This hellish Porter deeming that such musick would delight His weeping Mistris did conuay the Harper to her sight Where Pluto swore by dreadfull Stix if Orpheus did by play But make her laugh what so he askt he should receiue for pay Anon such Heauenly Harmonie on skilfull Harpe he plaid That she her husbands musick knew and ioyfull was she made Now Orpheus did a watch-word giue and she to laugh began And for reward to haue from thence his wife he asked than Although it gawled Plutoes soule his sweet-heart to forgo Yeat for to quit him of his oath he yeelds it shall be so With this condition that before they fully passed Hell He should not backwards looke on her what chance so ere befell Now as they passe through blinde by-waies he fearing least perchance She erre or lag returnes a looke and who should marke that glance But Cerberus that purposely for such aduantage waites Who still detaining her did shut her Husband out the gates When Ceres heard of this mischance she Cicill leaues anon And knowing all the Knights of Greece to Thessalie were gone She thether goes in hope of helpe where presently she meetes With Thaeseus and Pirithous whose salutings she regrectes They wondring what the noble Queene of Cicill there should make Become inquisitiue thereof to whom sad Ceres spake First of Proserpine her greefe and then of Plutoes guile For her she weepes on him she railes and mooueth them meane while The mother of false Dis his rape had more behinde vnsaid When Aegeus and Ixions Sonnes did ioyntly offer aide About the desert parts of Greece there is a valley lowe To which the roaring waters fall that from the Mountaines flowe So Rockes doe ouershadow it that scarce a man may vewe The open ayre no Sun shines there Amidst this darksome Mewe Doth stand a Citie to the same belongs one onely Gate But one at once
to prouide their second scourge saild Hercules away For comming back with Iasons Prize from Colchos he complaines Of churlish King Laomedon and so an armie gaines At Troy the Greekâ—sh Peeres and he did land their armed men Whome to resist Laomedon did range his Battailes then The Troyans they bestird them well the Grecians stood not still Laomedon fights valiantlie and many a Greeke did kill Till Hercules disgesting ill to see his Foe pursue Such good successe encounters him whom easilie he slue And hauing slaine the traiterous King he ceaseth not to die His Thaebian Club in phrigian bloud till all began to flie But with the Troyans Telamon and Hercules both twaine And by their valour all the Greekes the gates and Citie gaine And kill who so of Troy they caught and rased to the ground The Citie whilest that house by house or stone on stone they found When ventrous Telamon for that he entred first the gate For Prize had faire Hesione of Troy the latest fate For priamus to quit her Rape long after sent his Sonne To rauish Hellen from the Greekes So thirdly warre begonne Hesione the cause to Troy and Hellen to the Greekes And all did worke that Troyan Brute the Albian Climate seekes THE SECOND BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. VII THe twise-sackt Towne the Grecians then did merrilie forsake And Hercules for new affaires did land in Aegypt take There in a Porte hee did espie a Fleete of Shippes from farre Well fraught with Men Munition and what else pertaines to warre When Affer he chiefe Captaine was of that same Fleete did spie The Ensignâ—s of the famous Greeke he knew them by and by And entertaining on his knees the Owner of the same Reioyced to behold the man so honoured by fame With Affer sailed Hercules to Lybia to put downe The Gyant King Aniaeus that had aided to the Crowne Of Aeâ—ypt gainst th' Aegyptians willes Busiris lately slaine By Hercules in whose conduct the doubt not to obtaine The taking land in Lybia now and hauing in their sight The threatned Citie of the Foe his Tents did Affer pâ—ght And giâ—ts it with a sodaine Siege The Giant then did shake His hideous head and vow'd reuenge yea sharpe reuenge to take But isâ—ning out his Citie gates he â—ound the â—oe so hot That notwithstanding such his bragges the worst Antaeus got For Hercules did canuase so his carkes that at length He did retire himselfe and men as trustlesse of his strength His Libians slaine and he not sound Antaeus Truce did craue For graunt whereof vnto his Foes meane time he victuals gaue And whilest the Month of Truce did last the Giant brused sore Did heale his wounds and to his part sollicits Aiders more Meane while the Greeke to Mauritain did passe vnknowne of all And theare in King Antaeus aide he found supplies not small And for he looked souldier-like they brought him to the King Who offered pay not so quoth he I meane an other thing Discharge these Bands or else will I discharge thee of thy breath That all alone to thee and thine oppose me to the death When Atlas knew him Hercules that conquered of late The Iland which his daughters held and brought to latest fate His Giant that defended them and captâ—uated than His friend Philoctes he twixt feare and fiercenesse waxed vvan And looke how fast the ratling haile vpon an house dooth fall So fast they lay on Hercules that holdeth wage gainst all For as the Smith with Hammour beats his forged Mettall so He dubs his Club about their pates and sleas them on a row And whilest not daring to looke downe by heaps on him they flie Some stumbling on the bodies dead are smoldred so and die Some sliding in their slippery bloud where with the place did swimme Were strangled so some others whilest disorderedly at him They freat and foyne are crowded on by those that hindmost be And with their weapons spoyle themselues and fellowes two or three Some others with the wounding points of broken weapons die And others daring with their Foe their bootles force to trie Were in a moment slaine by him and thus in little space Without resistance Hercules had Lordship of the place And maugre swords or studied Starres brought Atlas to the Seas Whereas Philoctes did in time his pensiuenes appease And to his friend commends the Foe for bountie which at last Himselfe did finde and when as time his griefe had ouerpast The same that for Astrologie the Skies support was said In such his Science Hercules a perfect Artist made The Month of Truce by this had end and Hercules returnes To Affer that incamped at the Lybian walles soiournes A second battell then begonne Antaeus like a Baer Bestires himselfe amongst his Foes whilest Hercules did faer As roughly with contrarie bloes till none to fight did daer But humblie all submitting them subdued by his might He gaue them grace and staied theare to doe them law and right Meane time Antaeus lately fled returnes from Mauritain And with a mightie Troupe of Moores renewed fight againe And all the Fields with Carcases of mangled men were filde And numbers failed to the Moores that Hercules had kild But when Antaeus saw his men to lessen more and more Resoluing or to win the Spurres or lose himselfe therefore He makes a bloudie glade vntill the Thaebane he espide And finding him bestowe on me thy bloes the Giant cride That am both able to endure and to repay the same A Flie is not an Eagles praie nor Mouse a Lyons game My death might countenance thy deedes if that it so would be But make account that I anon will triumph ouer thee In saying which he smites his Foe perfourming wondrous might And bodie vnto bodie they with equall dammage fight But Hercules disdaining that so long Antaeus standes With him in combat griping him betwixt his angrie handes Did crush his Carkasse in the ayre that life did leaue him so And thus did reape a Monarchie and rid a mightie Foe Then Hercules Antaeus dead with ease he ouercame All Lybia with Prouinces and Kingdomes of the same And maketh â—ffer King of all that beares the Donees name IN expedition of which warre when Hercules would dwell No longer time but purposed to bid his friends farewell A warlike wench an Amazon salutes him by his name And said know Hercules if it thou knowest not by same How that the Scythian Ladies late expeld their natiue Land By King of Aegypt haue contriu'd amongst themselues a bande And with the same haue conquered all Asia Aegypt and All Cappadocia Now for that we Victors vnderstand The Africanes are our Allies we minding to proceed In further Conquests tendring them haue therefore thus decreed That you two Champions shall elect and we will also send Two Ladies that for victorie shall with your Knights contend And if your Champions vanquish ours then we will tribute pay But if that ours doe vanquish yours then
Lady Flood of Floods the Ryuer Thamis it Did seeme to Brute against the foe and with himselfe to fit Vpon whose fruitful bancks therefore whose bounds are chiefly said The want-les Counties Essex Kent Surrie and wealthie Glayde Of Hartfordshire for Citties store participating ayde Did Brute build vp his Troy-nouant inclosing it with wall Which Lud did after beautifie and Luds-towne it did call That now is London euermore to rightfull Princes trewe Yea Prince and people still to it as to their Storehouse drewe For plentie and for populous the like we no wheare vewe Howbe-it many neighbour townes as much ere now could say But place for people people place and all for sinne decay When Brute should dye thus to his Sonnes hee did the Isle conuay To Camber Wales to Albnact he Albanie did leaue To Locrine Brutaine whom his Queene of life did thus bereaue THe furious Hun that drowning theare to Humber left his name The King did vanquish and for spoyle vnto his Nauie came Where Humbars Daughter Parragon for beautie such a Dame As Loue himselfe could not but loue did Locrine so inflame That Guendoleyne the Cornish Duke his daughter Locrins Queene Grewe in contempt and Coryn dead his Change of Choyse was seene To Cornwall goes the wrothfull Queene to seaze her Fathers Land Frō whence she brought to worke reuenge of warriours stout a band And bids her husband battell and in battell is he slaine And for their Sonne in Nonage was she to his vse did raine The Lady Estrild Locrins Loue and Sabrin wondrous faire Her husbands and his Leimans impe she meaning not to spare Did bring vnto the water that the wenches name doth beare There binding both and bobbing them then trembling at her yre She sayd if Scythia could haue hild the wandring King thy Syre Then Brittish waters had not been to him deserued bayne But Estrild snout-fayre Estrild she was sparde forsooth to traine With whorish tricks a vicious King But neither of you twaine Thou stately Drab nor this thy Brat a bastard as thy selfe Shall liue in triumph of my wrong first mother and her Elfe Shall fish in Flood for Humbars soule and bring him newes to hell That Locrins wife on Locrins whore reuenged her so well They lifting vp their lillie hands from out their louely eyes Powre teares like Pearles wash those Cheekes where naught saue beautie lyes And seeking to excuse themselues mercie to obtaine With speeches good and praiers faire they speake and pray in vaine Queene Guendoleyne so bids and they into the Flood are cast Whereas amongst the drenching waues the Ladies breath their last As this his Grandame such appear'd Mempricius Madans sonne Whose brother Manlius traytrously by him to death was donne And since of noble Brute his line prodigious things I tell I skipping to the Tenth from him will shewe what then befell ABout a thirtie yeares and fiue did Leir rule this Land When doting on his Daughters three with them he fell in hand To tell how much they loued him The Eldest did esteeme Her life inferior to her loue so did the second deeme The yongest sayd her loue was such as did a childe behoue And that how much himselfe was worth so much she him did loue The formost two did please him well the yongest did not so Vpon the Prince of Albanie the First he did bestoe The Middle on the Cornish Prince their Dowrie was his Throne At his decease Cordellas part was very small or none Yeat for her forme and vertuous life a noble Gallian King Did her vn-dowed for his Queene into his Countrie bring Her Sisters sicke of Fathers health their husbands by consent Did ioyne in Armes from Leir so by force the Scepter went Yeat for they promise pentious large he rather was content In Albanie the quondam King at eldest Daughters Court Was setled scarce when she repines and lessens still his Port. His secōd Daughter thē he thought would shewe her selfe more kind To whom he going for a while did franke allowance finde Ere long abridging almost all she keepeth him so loe That of two bads for betters choyse he backe againe did goe But Gonorill at his returne not onely did attempt Her fathers death but openly did hold him in contempt His aged eyes powre out their teares when holding vp his hands He sayd O God who so thou art that my good hap withstands Prolong not life deferre not death my selfe I ouer-liue When those that owe to me their liues to me my death would giue Thou Towne whose walles rose of my welth stand euermore to tell Thy Founders fall and warne that none do fall as Leir fell Bid none affie in Friends for say his Children wrought his wracke Yea those that were to him most deare did lothe and let him lacke Cordella well Cordella sayd she loued as a Child But sweeter words we seeke than sooth and so are men beguild She onely rests vntryed yet but what may I expect From her to whom I nothing gaue when these doe me reiect Then dye nay trye the rule maye fayle and nature may ascend Nor are they euer surest friends on whom we most doe spend He ships himselfe to Gallia then but maketh knowne before Vnto Cordella his estate who rueth him so poore And kept his theare ariuall close till she prouided had To furnish him in euery want Of him her King was glad And nobly entertayned him the Queene with teares among Her duetie done conferreth with her father of his wrong Such duetie bountie kindnes and increasing loue he found In that his Daughter and her Lord that sorrowes more abound For his vnkindly vsing her then for the others crime And King-like thus in Agamps Court did Leir dwell till time The noble King his Sonne-in-lawe transports an Armie greate Of forcie Gawles possessing him of dispossessed Seate To whom Cordella did succeede not raigning long in queate Not how her Nephewes warre on her and one of thē slew th' other Shall followe but I will disclose a most tyrannous mother CHAP. XV. GOrbodugs double Issue now when eighteene Kings were past Hild ioyntly Empyre in this land till Porrex at the last Not tyed so by brotherhood but that he did disdaine A fellowe King for neuer can one Kingdome brooke of twaine Did leuie secrete bands for dread whereof did Ferrex flye And out of Gallia bringeth Warre in which himselfe did dye Then Porrex only raigned heere and ruled all in peace Till Iden mother Queene to both her furie did increase So fearcely as she seekes reuenge euen in the highest degree Why liueth this quoth she a King in graue why lyeth he Dye Iden dye nay dye thou wretch that me a wretch hast made His ghost whose life stood in thy light commaundeth me of ayde Nor want I Ferrex will to ayde for why the Gods I see Deferre reuenge nor with a Deuill the Deuils disagree The heauens me thinks with thūderbolts should presse his soule to hell
Vnto Ixeon stood their Sprights that had their lusts for law Rebellants to a common good and sinning without awe To Titius lastly ioyned Ghosts whose hearts did emptie hate As Todes their poyson growing when it seemeth to abate About flie Apples Stones and Tubs the wheele was tumbled downe The Vultur girds no Ghoste but had at least a broken crowne This skufling and confedracie in hell made such a reare That wontles of such braules and blowes Proserpine did feare But Pluto laughing told his Bride to Ela it was Fa To morrowes dinne should prooue that same to be a ciuill day In peace these were their practises on earth and here in hell Saue that their Soules haue neuer peace we finde them as they fell They worke to me each of these fiue though dailie count I aske Doe newlie number Million Soules whose torments is their taske The Queene of such not free of fear replied thus againe And yeat me thinks that Pluto should haue pittie on their paine He lowers and Feast with Fray had end and drinke did euery soule Of Lethe who their ioyes forgot euen yet in torments houle Nay Pluto must be Pluto still and so I will quoth he For this same onely day the Ghosts indebted are to thee For as the like shall neuer come so neuer like befell But henceforth all yea Prince and Pope shall euer find it hell So dreamed one but ouer-long on fantazies I dwell CHAP. XIX THe Cosen of great Constantine in Rome and here succeeds Betwixt the Brutes the Scots and Pichtes continuall trouble breeds And long the reg'ment of this Land the Romanes did inioy Transmitting Captaines euermore as Foes did here anoy But Rome it selfe declined now and Brutaine was opprest No longer were the Scottish Spoyles by Romaine Swords redrest Then ends the Tribute then began new troubles worser farre Then Tribute for the Scots and Pichtes inferre consuming warre The Brutons vnder Rome secure as men that did relie On others were disabled now by Martiall meanes to trie The fame of fight but Captainelesse confusedly they deale And giue a wretched instant of an headles Common-weale And whom so many Romaine Peers grand-Captaines of such might Of whome nine Emperors themselues in persons here did fight Could hardly foyle were fronted now euen of a barbarous Foe And at the point a wondrous change their Country to forgoe Such fruit hath ease such pollicie did serue the Romaines turne Who waining Martiall minds themselues the quietlier here soiorn The Brutons thus dispoy'ld of Armes and courage in effect Of Prince of Captaines and aduise their busines to direct Dispatch their Legate to the Land Diminutiue in name To Brutaine where the Legate thus his Ambassie did frame The back-slide of our helplesse friends the down-fall of our flate Our lacke of Prince of people and our wealth not now as late The sauage dealing of our Foes consuming outs and vs Is cause right mightie King that we approach thy presence thus Not for we are in blood allied or that whil'st Fortune smil'd Your Ancestors had rule from vs not for the Dames defil'd At Cullin who withstanding lust for it did loose their liues That els to Conon and his Knights had liued noble wiues We are emboldned in our suit though all of these might mooue But for our former wants O King and for thine owne behooue Great Brutaine doth submit it selfe thy Subiect if thou please Or els dispose it at thy will Prouided we haue ease Against such Foes as would not saue our liues to haue our Land Whom to conclude except thou helpe we neuer may withstand The King Aldroen pittying much the cause of his Allies Arm'd thence his brother Constantine a Captaine stout and wise He chasing hence the Scottes Pichtes with glory wore the Crowne And through his vertue stayed vp a Kingdome sinking downe WIthin a while did Vortiger the Duke of Cornewalle raigne When Constans Sonne of Constantine he traitrously had slaine The Scotts did ruffle then anew nor did the King affye In Brutones for they hated him and reason had they why And Saxon Fleetes from Germanie in Armor here arriue Through whose support the King in wars against the Scots did thriue The Foe by Hengest foyled thus he and his brother git The chiefest credit with the King but few gaine-saying it Necessitie of Souldiers here so well for them did fit And Hengests Daughter intertain'd King Vortiger so well That to misliking of his wife and liking her he fell And sotted thus in forren Loue did wed the Saxon Wench Which wrought vnto the Saxons weale but to the Brutes offence For whatsoere the Queene did aske the King would not deny Vntill his Subiects ran to Armes and made the Saxons flie They putting downe the Father then did set vp Vortimer He poisoned by his Stepdame they restored Vortiger With this condition that he should no Saxons intertaine But Hengest hearing from the Queene that Vortimer was slaine And Vortiger his Sonne-in-lawe re-kinged did resaile With Saxon forces though with fraud not force he did preuaile For thus by pollicy he did the Brutons circumuent He craued Parlie as a man that were to quietnes bent The place appoynted Parlantes him in simple meaning meet Farre from their Armie all vnarm'd whom Saxon Traitors greet With deadly wounds by hidden kniues held the King with them Confounding so the Brittish Oste. Nor cease they to contemne Both Christian rights and ciuill Rule subuerting either twaine And what they would of Vortiger through feareâ—ull threats they gaine And plant themselues in Southfolke Kent and elsewhere at their will And ruffling runne throughout the Land oppressing Brutons still The King and Brutons fled to Wales and Feend-got Marlin theare Bewraied more then I beleeue or credit seemes to beare As shewing how the Castell worke rear'd daily fell by night By shaking of two Dragons great that vnderneath it fight With other wonders tedious if not trothlesse to resight Aurelius Ambrose brother to King Constans murdred late From either Bruton hauing aid wonne so the kingly state And ere that Hengest or his Sonne stout Octa he subdew'd First to reuenge his Brothers death he Vortiger pursew'd In vaine the Welsh wild Mountaines fence the Flier from his Foe Or Gerneth Castell when as flames throughout the buildings goe In midst whereof the wretched King did end his dayes in woe THe Brutons thus had peace a while till Vortigerus Sonne And Gutllamour the Irish King in new Conflicts begonne Whom whil'st that Vter valiantly in VVales to wracke did bring His Brother Ambrose did decease and Vter then was King What Vter did by Marlins Art in compassing his will Vpon the Wife of Garolus transfigured by skill Into the likenesse of her Lord on whom he got a Sonne Renowmed Arthur or to name the Acts by Vter donne Were much and needlesse onely note he was a valiant Prince But such as was his noble Sonne was not before or since Yeat blazing Arthur as haue some
I might be ouer-seene He was victorious making one amongst the Worthies neene But with his pardon if I vouch his world of Kingdomes wonne I am no Poet and for lacke of pardon were vndonne His Scottish Irish Almaine French and Saxone Battelles got Yeeld fame sufficient these seeme true the rest I credite not But Bruton is my taske and to my taske I will retire Twelue times the Saxon Princes here against him did conspire And Arthur in twelue Battles great went vanquishor away Howbeit Saxon forces still amongst the Brutons stay This King to entertaine discourse and so to vnderstand What Accidents in after-times should happen in this Land He with the Brutish Prophet then of Sequelles fell in hand Of sixe long after-Kings the man not borne of humane seede Did Prophesie and many things that came to passe in deede Now Arthur chiefe of Chiualrie had set his Crowne at stay And to his Nephew Mordred did commit thereof the sway When with his Knights the wonders of the world for Martiall deeds Beyond the Scas in forren fights he luckely proceedes Till faithlesse Mordred cal'd him backe that forward went with fame For at his Vncles Diadem he traiterously did aime Twise Arthur wonne of him the field and thirdly slewe his Foe When deadly wounded he himselfe victorious died so INterred then with publique plaints and issules ensewes A drouping of the Brittish state the Saxon still subdewes Howbeit worthy Kings succeed but destiny withstood The auncient Scepter to iniure in Brutes succeeding blood Vnlou'd Careticus was he that lost the Goale at length Whenceforth in vaine to win their losse the Brutons vse their streÌ„gth Yea God that as it pleaseth him doth place or dispossesse When foes nor foiles nor any force their courage might suppresse Seem'd partiall in the Saxon Cause and with a Plague did crosse The Brutons that had els at least rebated from their losse For Cadwane and Cadwallyn and Cadwallader the last But not the least for valorous of Brittish Princes past Brought out of VVales such knightly wars as made their foes agast The Plague worse spoyler then the Wars left Cambre almost waste Which to auoid the remnant Brutes into their Ships did haste Cadwallader in leauing thus his natiue Shore he fixt His eyes from whence his bodie should and with his sighes he mixt His royall teares which giuing place he speaketh thus betwixt Sweet Brutaine for I yet must vse that sweet and ceasing name Adew thy King bids thee adew whose flight no weapons frame But God coÌ„maunds his wrath commandes al counter-maund is vaine Els for thy loue to die in thee were life to thy Remaine Thus tymes haue turnes thus Fortune still is flying to and fro What was not is what is shall cease some come and others goe So Brutaine thou of Nation and of name endurest change Now balking vs whome thou hast bread and brooking people strange Yeat if I shoot not past mine aime a world of time from me Part of our blood in highest pompe shall Englands glorie be And chieflie when vnto a first succeeds a second She. But leauing speeches ominous Cadwallader is woe That seeing death determines griefe he dies not on his foe Ah Fortune fayleth mightie ones and meaner doth aduance The mightiest Empier Rome hath change then Brutaine brooke thy chance Let it suffice thou wert before and after Rome in fame And to indure what God intends were sinne to count a shame Nor vaunt ye Saxons of our flight but if ye needs will vaunt Then vaunt of this that God displac'd whom you could neuer daunt This said the teares coÌ„trould his tong sailes wrought land froÌ„ sight When saue a Remnant small the Isle was rid of Brutons quight THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XX. THe Brutons thus departed hence Seauen Kingdomes here begonne Where diuerslie in diuers broyles the Saxons lost and wonne King Edel and King Adelbright in Diria iointly raigne In loyall concorde during life these Kingly friends remaine When A delbright should leaue his life to Edel thus he sayes By those same bondes of happie loue that held vs friends alwaies By our by-parted Crowne of which the Moyetie is mine By God to whome my soule must passe and so in time may thine I pray thee nay I coniure thee to nourish as thine owne Thy Neece my Daughter Argentile till she to age be growne And then as thou receiuest it resigne to her my Throne A promise had for this Bequest the Testator he dies But all that Edel vndertooke he afterward denies Yeat well he fosters for a time the Damsiell that was growne The fairest Lady vnder Heauen whose beautie being knowne A many Princes seeke her loue but none might her obtaine For grippell â—del to himselfe her Kingdome sought to gaine And for that cause from sight of such he did his Ward restraine By chance one Curan Sonne vnto a Prince in Danske did see The Maid with whom he fell in loue as much as one might bee Vnhappie Youth what should he doe his Saint was kept in Mewe Nor he nor any Noble-man admitted to her vewe One while in Melancholy fits he pines himselfe away Anon he thought by force of Armes to win her if he may And still against the Kings restraint did secretly inuay At length the high Controller Loue whom none may disobay Imbased him from Lordlines vnto a Kitchin Drudge That so at least of life or death she might become his Iudge Accesse so had to see and speake he did his loue bewray And tells his bearth her answer was she husbandles would stay Meane while the King did beat his braines his booty to atchieue Nor caring what became of her so he by her might thriue At last his resolution was some Pessant should her wiue And which was working to his wish he did obserue with ioye How Curan whom he thought a drudge scapt many an amorous toy The King perceiuing such his vaine promotes his Vassall still Least that the baseuesse of the man should let perhaps his will Assured therefore of his loue but not suspecting who The Louer was the King himselfe in his behalfe did wowe The Lady resolute from Loue vnkindly takes that he Should barre the Noble and vnto so base a Match agree And therefore shifting out of doores departed thence by stealth Preferring pouertie before a dangerous life in wealth When Curan heard of her escape the anguish in his hart Was more then much and after her from Court he did depart Forgetfull of himselfe his bearth his Country friends and all And onely minding whom he mist the Foundresse of his thrall Nor meanes he after to frequent or Court or stately Townes But solitarily to liue amongst the Country grownes A brace of yeeres he liued thus well pleased so to liue And Shepherd-like to feede a flocke himselfe did wholly giue So wasting loue by worke and want grewe almost to the Waene But then began a second Loue the worser of the twaene A
Kings oppresse the mightier ones the weake Each trifling cause sufficing here their loue and leagues to breake One seazeth of his Neighbours Realme and is disseaz'd ere-long For Empire some for Enuie some and some to right their wrong Contend vnto their common losse and some like Monsters rain As Sigâ—ert who for tyrannie did banishment sustaine He wandred vnbewailed long a man whom men exempt From house and helpe pursuing him with capitall contempt Forlorne therefore with drouping lims and dropping eies in vaine He frendles walks the fruitles Woods and foodles did complaine A Swineheard meeting him by chaunce and pitying his estate Imploy'd the Westerne King vnknowne on his affaires to wait Nor did the needie King disdaine such roome for such reliefe An vnder-Swineheardship did serue he sought not to be chiefe But when by speech and circumstance his Maister vnderstood His seruant was the somtimes King blood cries quoth he for blood My giltles Master in thy pompe thou Tyrant diddest slay Nor vnreuenged of his death thou shalt escape away With that he tooke a Libbat vp and beateth out his braines And dead so odious Tyrants be not one for him complaines NOt all so ill yeat cause of worse vnto the English state Was Osbert of Northumberland his loue did winne him hate Enamored on Lord Buerns wife as tired in the Chace He left the Hounds and with a fewe dismounts at Buerns Place Her husband absent heartely his Lady entertaines The King and feasts him Royally not sparing cost or paines But he that fed on Fansies food and hungred whil'st he eates Thought Venus sparer in her loues then Ceres in her meates The Trayne and table voyded then he taking her apart Directs her by his tongue and teares vnto his louing heart Delay he sayth breedeth doubts but sharpe deniall death Or do not long surcharge my blisse or soone discharge my breath For if my praiers adde no edge vnto thy begged doome The vintage of my thriftlesse loâ—e is blasted in the bloome Be fauorable to my fire for thy sweete sake be bolde I durst attempt euen Hell if hell so sweete a thing might holde Doe thinke her coie or think her chaste my Censure I suspend Some Women yeeld not at the first yeat yeeld they in the ende She gaue repulses to his lust and he replies of Loue Not all the Writs Diana had might Cupids Plaint remoue She countermaunding his demaund he ceased Courting now And did with her by violence what vertues disalow And then departed leauing her in selfe-conceit disgraste More trespassed then some would thinke and yeat perhaps as chaste Home came her Lord whose browes had buds and found his wife in tears And foolish thing she told a troth for which reueÌ„ge he swears But so the man did proue a beast he better might haue hid it Some such are mistically domme yeat domly doe forbid it His Wiues escapes done secretly if by the man detected Shewes hilled buÌ„ps supposed buÌ„ps meerehornes not hornes suspected At Denmarke in his Cosins Court he telleth of his wrong And gaines against his soueraigne Lord of Danes an Armie strong Hungar and Hubba and himselfe Conductors of this Hoast Did with their forren forces land and spoyle the Northerne Coaste The vicious valiant Osbret that had vanquished ere then The King and Kingdome of the Scots though wanting armes men Thought skorne his foes should beard him so bar him vp in walles And therefore issuing out of Yorke vpon the Danes he falles A Bloodie Bargaine then begonne no fight might fearcer be And of the Danish part were slaine for euery English three But manhood lost and number wonne the Danes they got the fielde And Osbret dyed valiantly that not to liue would yeeld MEane while the Danes with fresh supplies ariue at euerie Shore And warre almost in euery shire infesting England sore With whome couragious Etheldred contended long in vaine By them was he King Ella and the holy Edmund slaine Nothing was done but all vndone till King Alured hee In daunger of his Royall selfe did set his subiects free For euery day in euery place the Danes did so increase That he nor any English King enioy one day of peace Nor mightier men at Armes than they might any wheare be found Who in their diuers Wars els-where did diuers Realmes confound For as the Gothes the Vandales Hunnes and Saxons earst did range So now the Danes did plague the world as sent by interchange This Westerne and victorious king and greatest Monarke heere Perceiuing of this spoyled Isle a toward Ruine neere Disguised like a Minstrill poore did haunt the Danish Tents And with his feats and melodie the Enemie presents And of their sloth their gluttonie and Counsels priuie so He tooke aduantage giuing them a sodaine ouerthrow And sâ—ayeth Hubba Hungar and the Cause of their repayr And putteth all to sword and Seas that vnbaptized wair Yeat to Northumberland return'd fearce Gurmond with the Danes Meane time did king Alured die the Hatchet of their Tranes But Adelstane one king betwixt not onely clear'd the Land Of Danes but of all England had sole Empire in his hand Thus of this long dismembred Realme was he the onely King In which till Egelred his raigne did prosper euerie thing He raigning much of England then the Lordly Danes did hold Exacting Tributes euery yeare and selling Peace for Gold And which no doubt did hatch those Plagues the King a wicked one Did enter by his Brothers blood extorting thus his Throne King Edgar that subdu'd the Scots and slaughtered the Danes And of the VVelch had tribute Wolffs of whom it more remaines That as it were in Triumph-wise Eight Vnder kings did roe Him Sterns-man on the Riuer Dee with diuers honors moe This Edgar by a former wife had Edward by an other This Egelred a Sonne vnto a kind and cruell Mother For as she labors to preferre her owne by well and ill So to destroy her Son-in-law she wanted meanes not wil. And meanes did hit King Edward hunts and hunting lost his Traine Whom man-les at her Castle Corfe the Queene did entertaine He hauing seene to whom he came in curtesie to see Made haste away in Quest of them that still a hunting be And when he mounted should depart to him his Stepdame drinkes Whom pledging him an Hierling stab'd life-les downe he sinkes Thus Egelred obtain'd the Crowne but for his crâ—wing so His Subiects grudge and he became a Preface to their woe For when this proud and vitious king was neither lou'd of his Nor liued safely for the Danes his secret Edict is That sodainely in one selfe hower throughout the Land should passe charge A common Massaker of Danes which so performed was Hartfordia VVelwyn VVealth-wyn then for promptnesse in that Beginning other Townes as it themselues from Danes inlarge CHAP. XXI THis common muâ— her of the Danes was common mirth to all The English whom they did oppresse with slaueries not small Compelling meÌ„
conclude by Combacy to winne or loose the Game Within a little Island neare round which the Armies stand The Kingly Champions trie their Force by fighting hand to hand They spur their Horses breake their Speares beat at Barriars long And then dismounting did renew a Battell braue and strong Whil'st eyther King thus Martially defends and did offend They breathing King Canutus said we both I see shall end Eâ—e Empire shall begin to one then be it at thy choyce To fight or part With it their Knights crie out with common voyce Deuide most valiant Kings deuide enough ye haue of Fight And so the Champions did embrace forgetting malice quite Partition equally was made betwixt these Princes twaine And Brother-like they liue and loue till by a deu'lish traine Earle Edricus a Traytor to the Father and the Sonne Did murther Edmund and his head supposing to haue wonne The fauour of Canutus so presenting sayd O King For loue of thee I thus haue done Amazed at the thing Canutus sayd and for that thou hast headed him for me Thy head aboue all English heads exalted it shall be The Earle was headed and his head poold vp for all to see Of England Danske Norway then Canut was perfect Lord And in this triple Regiment all with vertue did accord Harold Hardi-knought his sonnes each th' other did succeede Of either which small certaine Fame of well or ill we reede Saue by their Raigns to Englâ—sh-men did grieuous thraldoÌ„ breede But after Hardt-knought his death the Danes were chased hence Not intermedling with the state of England euersince CHAP. XXII OF foresaid Egelred his Sonnes Alured and his brother Was Edward King for Goodwins guile had made away that other Religious chaste wise fortunate stout francke and milde was hee And from all Taxes wrongs and Foes did set his Kingdome free By ouer-ruling of his Lords intreating long the same Least dying Issuelesse he leaue succession out of frame He tooke to Queene a Damsell faire howbeit by consent In vowes of secret chastitie their louing liues they spent The Father of this maiden-wife he sitting by the King And seeing one that stumbled but not falling vp to spring Did laughing say the brother theare the brother well hath eas'd His meaning was the Stumblers feete And haddest thou so pleas'd So had my Brother quoth the King bin easing vnto me The traitrous Earle tooke bread and sayd so this digested be As I am guiltlesse of his death these words he scarcely spoke But that in presence of the King the bread did Goodwyn choke His sonne Harold by Hardi-knoghts late daughter him suruiues He crossed by contrary winds in Normandie ariues Where Goodwins sonne did take an oth Duke VVilliam vrging so To keepe vnto the Duke his vse when Edward hence should go The Crowne of England claimed by Adoption and by blood But Harold after Edwards death not to his promise stood And for he was in wealth in friends in blood and Armor strong And title had his Mothers right he forced not the wrong But arming him against the Duke so vrged vnto wroth Did seaze the Crowne vnto himselfe contrary to his oth Whil'st VVilliam therfore works for war King Harold had not rest For Harold Hare-foote King of Danes and Norwaies much opprest The English with his puissant Bands But Harold him assailes And after fearce and doubtfull fight most valiantly preuailes And with the Norgaine Prince he slew his people almost all When for deuision of the spoyle did much contention fall Betwixt the King and English-men and many a noble Knight Not onely murmur and maligne but did forsake him quight Such malice growing VVilliam with his Normanes taking land Found hot hot spur Harold prest in Armes his puissance to withstand And either Battell Marshalled as either Captaine wild The King of England eagerly the Normane Oste behild And with his cheerefull speeches thus his men with courage fild See valiant War-friends yonder be the first the last and all The Agentes of our Enemies they hencefoorth cannot call Supplies for weedes at Normandie by this in Porches groe Then Conquer these would Conquer you and dread no further Foe They are no stouter than the Brutes whom we did hence exile Nor stronger than the sturdy Danes or victory er while Not Saxoâ—â—e could once containe or scarce the world beside Our Fathers who did sway by sword where listed them to bide Then doe not ye degenerate take courage by discent And by their burialles not abode their force and flight preuent Ye haue in hand your Countries cause a Conquest they pretend Which were ye not the same ye be euen Cowards would defend I graunt that part of vs are fled and linked to the Foe And glad I am our Armie is of Traytours cleered so Yea pardon hath he to depart that stayeth Mal-content I prize the minde aboue the man like zeale hath like euent Yeat troth it is no well or ill this Iland euer had But through the well or ill Support of Subiects good or bad Not Caesar Hengest Swayn or now which neretheles shall fayle The Normane Bastard Albion true did could or can preuaile But to be selfe-false in this Isle a selfe-Foe euer is Yeat wot I neuer Traytour did his Treasons Sâ—ipend mis. Shrinke who wil shrinke let Armor's wayte presse downe the burdned earth My Foes with wondring eyes shal see I ouer prize my death But since ye all for all I hope a like affected bee Your Wiues your Children liues and Land from sâ—â—uitude to free Are Armed both in shew and zeale then gloriously contend To winne and weare the home brought Spoyles of Victorie the end Let not the Skinners daughters Sonne possesse what he pretends He liues to die a noble death that life for freedome spendes As Harold hartned thus his men so did the Normane his And looking wishly on the earth Duke William speaketh this To liue vpon or lie within this is my Ground or Graue My louing Souldiers one of twaine your Duke resolues to haue Nor be ye Normanes now to seeke in what you should be stout Ye come amidst the English Pikes to hewe your honors out Ye come to winne the same by Launce that is your owne by law Ye come I say in righteous warre reuenging swords to draw Howbeit of more hardie Foes no passed Fight hath spead ye Since Rollo to your now-Abode with Bands victorious lead ye Or Turchus Sonne of Troylus in Scythian Fazo bread ye Then worthy your Progenitors ye Seede of Pryams sonne Exployt this businesse Rollons do that which ye wish be done Three People haue as many times got and forgone this shore It resteth now ye Conquer it not to be Conqured more Fot Normane and the Saxon Blood conioyning as it may From that consorted Seede the Crowne shall neuer passe away â—efore vs are our armed Foes behind vs are the Seas On either side the Foe hath Holdes of succour and for ease But that Aduantage
the other Succeeded but in life and death moretragicke than his brother IN Scotland Fraunce Ireland and VVales he warred wearied lesse Than by the Pope and English Priests wronged without redresse Nor was saue from their Soueraignes death their malice out of date Yeat Iohn faine they hut they felt Iohn did trouble Church and state When for as Gaylers with Conuicts so Popes deale with a faulter Their sin-salue like the setting loose from Shackles to the haulter When Masse and all the Sacraments were Strangers many a day And that so farreforth as it in the triple Myter lay Euen God himselfe was barred hence and that prostrate before His Vassall Bishop Langtons feete the King did grace implore When Peter pence were graunted and the English Crowne to hold By rent and Homage of the Pope and that for sums of gold The French Kings son was cursed hēce who els had wore y e Crowne And that the reconciled King did seeme on surest ground Then he whil'st he in progresse did at Swinshed Abbey lye Was poysned by a Monke that baend himselfe that Iohn might dye The Monke more solemnely inter'd and song for than the King Was cause that diuers diuersly did consture of the thing Some charg'd the Popes of Auarice for that when Rings offend They sell them peace of pride for that to them euen Monarks bend Of meere incharitie for that to wreake their priuate spight Gainst Kingdomes Kingdomes they incense and worser do acquite Euen subiects to allegiance sworne against their Lords to fight Of Treason for that to intrap such as from them discent With othes and al things they dispence Some bid vs thus preuent Their sinnes and sleights doe not as they not deale with them for why Who doth must liue their Vassal or their Victorie must die A merrie mate amongst the rest of cloysterers thus told THis cloystring and fat feeding of Religious is not old Quoth he Not long since was a man that did his deuoire giue To kill the passions of his flesh and did in penance liue And though beloued of the King he liued by his sweat Affirming men that would not worke vnworthy for to eate He told the erring their amisse and taught them to amend He counselled the comfortlesse and all his daies did spend In prayer and in pouertie Amongst his doings well High-waies he mended doing which this Accident befell A dosen Theeues to haue beene hang'd were lead this Hermite by To whom he went exhotting them as Christian-men to dye So penitent they were and he so pitifull good man As to the King for pardon of the Prisoners he ran Which got he gaue it them But this Prouiso did he add That they should euer worke as he They graunt poore soules glad He got them gownes of countrey gray and hoods for raine and cold And hempen girdles which besides themselues might burthens hold Pick axe and Spade and hard to worke the Couent sell together With Roabes Ropes eu'rie toole for eu'rie worke wheather So did they toyle as thereabout no Causie was vnwrought Wherefore new labours for his men the holie Hermite sought But at departure prayed them to fast to watch and pray And liue remote from worldly men and goeth so his way The holy Theeues for now in them had custome wrought contēt Could much of Scripture and indeede did hartely repent But when the countrey folke did heare of these same men deuout Religiously they haunt their Celles and lastly brought about That frō the woods to Buildings braue they wound the Hermits crew Who was from found-out worke returnde and their Aposta knew He going to their stately place did finde in euery dish Fat beefe and brewis and great store of daintie fowle and fish Who seeing their saturitie and practising to winne His Puples thence Excesse he sayd doth worke accesse to sinne Who fareth finest doth but feeed and ouer-feedeth oft Who sleepeth softest doth but sleepe and sometimes ouer soft Who clads him trimmest is but clad the fairest is but faire And all but liue yea if so long yeat not with lesser care Than formes backs boanes bellies that more hōely cherisht are Learne freedome and felicitie Hawkes flying where they list Be kindlier and more sound than Hawkes best tended on the fist Thus preacht he promist abstinence and bids them come away No hast but good well weare they and so wel as they would stay The godly Hermit when all meanes in vaine he did perceiue Departing sayd I found you knaues and knaues I doe you leaue Hence sayd this merrie fellowe if the merriment be trew That Cloystring Friers cloathing and a Couents number grew This heard a simple Northerne-man no friend to Monke or Frier Or preaching Lymmer for his speach disclosed thus his yre AFowle ill on their weazens for the Carles garre syke a dinne That more we member of their iapes than mend vs of our sinne At Ewle we wonten gambole daunce to carrole and to sing To haue gud spiced Sewe and Roste and plum-pies for a King At Fasts-eue pan puffes Gang tide gaites did alie Masses bring At Paske begun our Morrise and ere Penticost our May Tho Roben hood liell Iohn Frier Tucke and Marian deftly play And Lard and Ladie gang till Kirke with Lads and Lasses gay Fra Masse and Eensong sa gud cheere and glee on ery Greene As saue our wakes twixt Eames and Sibbes like gam was neuer seene At Baptis-day with Ale and cakes bout bon-fires neighbors stood At Martelmasse wa turnd a crabbe thilke told of Roben hood Till after long time myrke whē blest were windowes dares lights And pails were fild hathes were swept gainst Fairie-elues sprits Rock plow Mōdaies gams sal gāg with saint-feasts kirk-sights Iis tell yee Clearkes earst racked not of purpoe ne of pall Ylke yeoman fed moe poore tume wambes than Gentiles now in Hall Yea ledge they nere sa hally Writ thilke tide was greater wrang Than heretoforne tho words had sooth na writing now so strāg Iis na Wizard yet I drad it will be warse ere lang Belyue doone lyther Kirk-men reaue the crop and we the tythe And mykell bukish ben they gif they tache our lakines blithe Some egge vs sla the Prince and shewe a Bullocke fra the Pape Whilke gif it guds the sawle Iis sure the cragge gangs till the rape Syke votion gyles the people sa but sylde gud Princes scape Sa teend our King his life and song is Requiem for the Monke Gud King God rest thy sawle but Feēds reaue him bath sawle trōke Such talke was long on foote and still was quittance tale for tale Dunstone quod one made Edgar earst an English Monarke quale For matter of lesse moment euen for wedding of a Nunne Whom in her Cell the King espi'de lou'de wooed and thus wonne THe same quod he that rules this Land the same intreateth thee Thou maist sweet Wench vnto thy selfe deriue a Queene
frō me What lets since none may loue thee more vnles perhaps this Cell Too strict a place wherein thy selfe euē Beauties selfe shouldst dwell Let nature hide her barren formes and imperfections thus And in such Puritanes as thou commend her skill to vs. Thou wrongest Nature molding thee to molde by thee as faer Thou wrōgest mē that would beget the fruit which thou sholdst baer Thou wrong'st thy Countrie of increase thou wrōg'st me in like sort Thou wrong'st thy Kin of kindred thou wrong'st thy selfe of sport Shouldst thou but dreame what marriage were thou would'st not liue a maid One heart of two two Soules to one by wedlock is cōuaid An husbands open kissings and his secret coyings nay The very Soule of Loue more sweet then thou or I can say The ioy of babes which thou should'st beare the Seruice at thy becke The sweet consorted common weale of houshold at thy checke Would make thee seeme a Goddesse who because thou art not such Offendest God in hiding of thy Tallent Too too much Thou dotest on Virginitie permitted not impos'd On any saue on such as for no such thy selfe thou knoest Els what should meane this penning vp such vowing these Vailes Since Vessels onely are of worth that beare in stormes their sailes The Scedsters of thine Essence had they been as thou would'st be Thou hadst not been Then gratifie the same thy selfe and me And leaue these superstitious walles Thou profitst not hereby Nor are we male and female borne that fruitlesse we should dye Then loue me for beleeue me so will proue a Iubilie Her red disperst in shadowed white did adde to either more To her of beautie and to him Loue greater than before She claimes the places priuiledge and faintly cites a Tex She pleades her birth too bace and playes the No-I of her Sex And fighteth as she would be foyld But prized Durstone makes It Sacrilege and for to wife the Recluse Edgar takes In twelue yeeres would be not annoynt or crowne him King more Enioynes him seuen yeeres pennance and to edifie and store Great Monasteries fortie ere Indulgence could be got Thus Edgar for his Cloyster cheere did pay this costly shot CHAP. XXV IOhns murther bred such murmure But third Henry Iohn his sonne Assisted chiefly by the Pope his fathers Scepter wonne Who interdited Lewis till hee curst him into France And left to Henry prosperous raigne till hapned this mischance A Parliament at Oxenford did derogate so much From his prerogatiue as that the Quarrell grew to such That ciuill warres betwixt the King and Barronage began Not ending but with tragicke ends of many a worthy man Brother to brother sire to sonne and friend to friend was foe Al labouring which they should vphold their Countries ouerthrow Now was the King a Captiue and the Barrons by and by His Conquest and the ciuill strife too fast begot supply My heart vnapts mine hand to write the troth of it too trew Euen warres Idea more then tongue or eye can say or view But to conclude which still concludes the King he did subdue And shewes himselfe a gentle foe thus hauing wonne his peace And after liu'd in honour and did happily decease Whose death then warring with renowme in Syria being knowne To Edward he resailed and possest his fathers Throne THe hansell of his Scepter was the Welchmen did rebell Of whom to Edward though with losse the Victorie befell Then on the French he warred and a Winner did resayle And for that Baltoll whom he made the King of Scots did faile His Homage thence from Albanacke to England due and done Against the Scots he grieuous but a glorious warre begun Not Barwicke though for number bold vntill it flowed blood Nor any Scottish armes or hold though infinite and good Might stay his awing prowesse till he had their King his thrall And in that Land by Conquest made himselfe the Lord of all Then taking Scottish othes which they did breake and he reuenge With those Exploits he French attempts as gloriously did menge Yea Paganes French Cambries Scots remembring but his name Cannot forget their skarres he made though enuious of his Fame Matchles for Chiualrie and yeat his Iustice matcht the same Not partiall for the Prince his Sonne a rash vnbridled youth Whom he imprison'd hearing of his outrages the truth And vnto whom he dying spake words worth report and ruth My life quoth he a warfare right in body and in soule Resignes my robed carkasse to be rotted in the moule If well I did well shall I doe if ill as ill and worse And therefore Ned worke as I will vpon my blesse or curse When thou becom'st an earthly God mens liues to ouersee Forget not that Eternall God that ouerlooketh thee The least part of a King is his all owing him and none Lesse priuate than a Prince the weale or woe of euery one He and his People make but one a bodie weake or strong As doth the head the lims or lims the head assist or wrong Deriue thy lawes from wisest heads to be vpholden still Not adding or abstracting as conceited Tier-braines will Be cheerefull and in worke nor word be neither proud nor hot No sincere loue but seruile feare or neither so is got Encourage good Men by thy loue reforme the bad by lawe Reserue an care for either Plea and borrow least of awe Oppresse not rich men seeking so to please the poore for neither Is to be doomed but as right or wrong is found in either To loyter well deserued gifts is not to giue but sell When to requite ingratitude were to doe euill well And which saue for the ill-mist ill might els haue bene forgot Be choyce but chuse for wiuelesse haue each stranger place shot Their heire their home cost which saue the last indeed are not Reforme thee euen to day vnapt to day lesse apt to morrow Youth aptly offers vertues such as yeares vnaptly borrowe For he that plies the lappes and lippes of Ladies all his prime And falles to Armes when age failes Armes then also looseth time As if a Beare in Moone-shine should attempt the Moone to clime Well haue I driuen out my date and well thy dayes shall runne If thou proue not my Glories graue nor I plange in my Sonne The ouer-weening of thy wits doth make thy Foes to smile Thy Friends to weepe and Clawbacks thee with soothings to beguile Yea those thy Purses Parasites vnworthie thine Estate Doe loue thee for themselues nor will they leaue thee but too late I blesse thee if thou banish them and curse thee if they bide My blisse and curse be at thy choyce And so he shortly dide FOrth with a second Edward sonne to Edward wore the Crowne He to promote his Flatterers did put his Nobles downe So Robert Bruze then King of Scots found ingresse for his Armes Recouering Scottish forces and did spoyle our men by swarmes Barwicke in fine and all
Vpstarts and all Were ouercome So Spencers both from heauen to hell did fal Put to a fowle and shamefull death with others that misled The King in Out-rages more great than earst in England bred Prolers Blood-thirstie Parasites Make-shifts Bawdes did thriue Nor was an ancient English Peere vnbanisht or aliue For forraine and domesticke Swords Plague Famine and Exile Did more than tythe yea tythe the Tythe of men within this I le Of Baldricks Hoodes Tabrides and Furres from Knights disgraded tore Attaintures of Nobilitie and Armes reuersed store So many Spurres hewen off the heeles and Swords broke ouer head Were through a King so light and lewd a Councell neuer read The King in prison and depos'd tyrannised he dide By Trecheries of Mortimer that ruld the Roste that tide Whilst Edward in Minoritie his Fathers throne supplide CHAP. XXVIII THIS third of that same Name as yet in Nonage for a time Although a King was vnder-kept by some that ouer-clime Queene mother proude Mortimer familiar more than should Did and vndid more than they might not lesse than as they would Till Edward better counselled hong Mortimer the death Of many a Peere who Earle of March and haughtie for his birth Was Lord of nine skore dubbed Knights his other traynes except For greater pompe than did his Prince this Lord of VVigmore kept But more he had bene happie though lesse hautie in his Halls More honour in humilitie than safetie in walls Proud Climers proue not monuments saue onely in their falls The senselesse pride of Fooles therefore whome reuerently we ride Should lessen at the least because that earth their earth shall hide The Countrie purg'd of Fleecers and of Flatterers the Court The King became a Mars for Armes a Iupiter for Port Th Olympâ—ds the Pythea and the prowesse of the Earth Did seeme euen now and not but now to haue in him their birth East South and North gaue ayme farrc off admiring so the West As if that Mars discarding them had set our Realme his Rest. Philip Valois Dauid Bruz of power and courage more Than any French or Scottish Kings since or of long before Confedrate with three other Kings and Princes farre and neere Warre all at once on Edward but did buy their warring deere Dauid debelled left his land but lastly did returne And whilst our King did war in France much did he spoyle burne And proud of mightie Troopes of men of vnresisted prayes And Edwards absence prosperously he on aduantage playes Vntill not sending hence for helpe the Queene did muster Knights And with the Foe though tripled-wise victoriously she fights The Scots for most did perish and their King was Prisner taine And Scotland wholly for a pray to England did remaine Meane while was Paris scarcely left to rescue Philips Goale Whom Edward ferrits so from hold to hold as Fox from hoale That Melancholie he deceast and valiant Iohn his sonne Was crowned King of France and then the wars afresh begonne But after many fieldes vnto the Foes continuall wracke The French King captiuated to the English Monarke backe His Victor sayles the Prince of VVales Edward surnamed blacke The flower of Chiualrie the feare of France and scourge of Spaine Wheare Peter dispossest of Crowne was crownde by him againe Fower yeeres the French eleuen yeres was the Scotch K. prisners heere Whose the Dolphines ransomes were as great as good their cheere PRince Edw. Iohn of Gaunt all their Fathers sonnes might boaste Of famous Sier and he of sonnes matchlesse in any Coaste Howbeit King and Prince at last misled by counsell ill Through Taxes lost a many hearts that bore them earst good will Thence finding Fortune contrary to that she was before Yeat either dying seaz'd of French and Scottish Conquests store Yea Callice late and Barwick yet of their Exployts is lest Though Sonne before the Sier and both of liues long since bereft When Barwick was besieged and stood brauely at defence Sir Alexander Seiton theare chiefe Captaine had pretence To linger forth the Siege till Scots should draw the English thence In rescue of Northumberland and therefore sent his sonne A Pledge of treated Truce and when the guile-got Truce was done And Barwick not releeued nor resigned as it ought Two sonnes of Seiton were before the walls besieged brought They ready for the Iybbet and their Father for his Graue For eyther he must yeeld the Towne or them he might not saue In griefe he then his Countries cause and Childrens case reuolues But partiall vnto either he on neither Choyce resolues To be a loyall Subiect and a louing Father too Behooued him but both to bee was not in him to doo Nature and honour wrought at once but Nature ouer-wrought And but his Ladie it preuents to yeeld the Towne he thought O what pretend you Sir quoth she is Barwick woorth no more Than error of such loue I ioy that I such Children bore Whom cruell Edward honoureth with such a cause of death For that especiall cause for which we all receaue our breath Euen for their Countries cause they dye whose liues for it be dewe Why see their faces constantly she did their faces viewe The same my Seiton seeme so farre from dreading any woe As if they skornde that Barwicke should redeeme them from the Foe Full deere they were to me vnborne at birth and borne and now And Mother like I moane their death and yet their death allow Moe Sonnes and such you may beget your honour if you staine Defected honour neuer more is to be got againe Preuent not then your selfe your Sonnes and me so great a blis Adiew dye sweet Sonnes your soules in heauen shall liue for this With such perswasions did she win her husband from the walls And Edward executes their Sonnes and to assault he falls So long that Barwicke yeelds at length and still vs master calls THese were the dayes when English armes had eu'rie where request And Edw. knights throughout the world had prick praise for best Not Knights alone but Prelates too Queenes whereof were twain The quondam in esse Queenes by Armour honour gain By Warre the Queene that was did cease her husbands tragicke Rayn And by the Queene then being was the Scotch King Prisnet tayne It followes then that as the Pawnce doth circkle with the Sonne So to the vice or vertue of the Prince are people wonne O that our Muse might euermore on such a Subiect ronne But Vulcan forgeth other Tooles and sharpneth deadlier swords For little els then ciuill warres our following Penne affords French Expeditions badly thriue whereof we cease to speake Not forraine but Domestick warres grew strong to make vs weake Melpomen here might racke her wits Sylla Marius hate Pharsalian Fields were gentle Frayes regarding this debate The second Richard sonne vnto the blacke Prince Edward dead Was crownde an Infant and from him the Stratagem was bread The bace attempts of Ball
of Straw of Lyster tag and rag Of Villains Of-skoms Clownes knaues that checkmate durst to brag With Richards self to their deaths his chiefest Princes drag Till VVal 〈…〉 ths girdle-Armor made the Armes of London more Because his courage chiefly gaue an end to that vprore And what-so-els Occurrants much may interrupt our Vayne Digesting Yorke Lancaster acquiring eithers Rayne Our Penne shall not endenizen Now drops it sacred blood Of Men-Gods English Potentates that in this Faction stood Richard begun that ciuill warre that till the Seauenth from him Did last though often fields with blood of Citizens did swim Against the Nobles the vphild innoble and his Peeres And Commons went alike to wracke nor God nor man he feares In fewe Ambition Auarice and Counsell lewd had wrought In him a nature worser than into the world he brought Whereby and thus himselfe and house at length a down-fal cought Twixt Mowbray D. of Norffolke and the D. of Hertford sonne To Iohn of Gaunt close Conference of better dayes begun The King sayd Henry Hertford more remisse than doth beseeme Leaues France to French Scotland to Scots and vs to woes extreeme His Flatterers doe fleece the Crowne and Commons not a State Doth or dares counsell ancient Coats that on the Crowne should wate Giue aime to bastard Armorie what resteth then but this Plucke downe those grating Harpies that seduce our King amis If worthles still set vp a King worthier than he that is The other saying little then immediatly reueales The secrete and before the King his Foe-made frend appeales Whose Gauntlet raysed by the Duke defendant at the last It grew to single Combate when the King his Warder cast And to the Duke of Norffolke iudg'd for euermore exile And selfe same law Duke Henry had saue for a lesser while Thus That did This but This and That their Iudge did thus begile And to his Coffers did escheate a world of wealth a Pray Vnto his Parasites which thriu'd by other mens decay Meane while whose actious life had lawd did Iohn of Gaunt decease So to the banisht Duke his Sonne fiue Cronets did increase But with his kindly aire the King withheld him all the same Till entring ayded by his friends he wonne beyond his clame For Richard was imprison'd and by Parlament put downe And Henry Duke of Lancaster elected to the Crovvne The Lyne Lancastrian frollicke but the house of Yorke did frowne For to those Hydra-kinded warres that after did ensue Those Families gaue name though first the Diadem was due Vnto the house of Clarence till to Yorke that interest gre we By marriage here omitted for we onely giue a viewe How Yorke mis-raigning Lancaster did enter then how This Was dispossest That repossest and how their Vnion is THE SIXT BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XXIX HEnry the fourth so named hild the King deposed strate In Pomfret Castell howebeit in honourable State And got an Act that who so wrought the Prisner to restore That Richards selfe to voyd their hope should dye the first therefore Whose birth brought Nature gentle Lord returning whence it straid Now altred him erst altring it and Richard mildly said I must not say I am and would I might not say I was Of great the greatest lesse they grieue from whom doth little passe Nor more it grieues to contrarie the same I haue been then To haue deserued not to be vnmaliced of men Thus humbled and full penitent liues he lesse mal-content Than was the Duke of Exeter his brother whose intent Was as at a lusts to haue destroyd King Henrie but descryed Himselfe fower such and many Knights the death of Traytors dyed And by these primer Yorkests thus King Richards date grew out But whether brayned famisht or exiled rests a doubt For often Vprores did ensue for him as vndeceast How beit solemnely inter'd himselfe or Signe at least Twise by confedrate Chiualrie the Pâ—ercies and their frends Did fight and fall for either warre to Henries honor ends He neuer had but warre and was victorious euermore Aswell at home as also of his Foes on forraine Shore Till lastly Armor ouercame all Enuie and he liues Of all beloued and his death a common sorrow giues HOt spur his Sonne Henry the fifth hung at his Fathers eyes To watch his Ghoste and catch his Crowne and that or ere he dyes And where the Father doubted if he got it well or noe The Sonne did sweare how so it came he would it not forgoe His bad did blisse the Bad the Good dispaire all good But neither Did aime aright for sodainly his chaunge deceiued either Of good becomming best that was of ill the baddest and The true perfection of a King was not but in this Land He lead good fortune in a line and did but warre and winne Fraunce was his Conquest Scots but brag and he did beate them in A friend vnto weldoings and an Enemie to sinne Yeat of the Yorkests neuer lackt he Princes that rebell Nor other than confusion to their still coniuring fell In fewe if any Homer should of this Achilles sing As of that Greeke Myâ—midon the Macedonian King Once noted would I note both Prince and Poet happiest men That for deseruing prayse and This for well imployed pen For well this Subiect might increase the Worthies vnto ten He aged thirtie sixe deceast and left his infant Sonne His Kingdome Conquests and his Queene whose Fathers Realme he wonne To graue protection Regents and so royall for the port As that his Orphants Cradle seem'd an Alexanders Court Queene Katherin Daughter of the French King Henryes wife of late The fayrest Ladye in the West hild with her sonne Estate She oft behild and hild her peace a braue Esquier of VVailes That tyde her fancie to his forme till fancied forme preuailes All liking was reuersed Loue saue Owen Tuder all Saue him that durst not dreame such good to her was lesse than small She formally by quaint degrees attracting him to fauor Did nourish burnings in her selfe by noting his behauor She pitched Tewe he masshed She vncompaned To flie He bids her solitary moodes She askes the remedie Disclosed pangues sometimes quoth he in Phisicke Phisick is Which sometimes to obserue quoth she doth Patients patience mis Cureles to Aesculapius and Apellos selfe am I The latter felt my languor and immortall wisht to die And yeat saue one no one disease lay hidden to his Art For you were bootlesse then to gesse how to vngreeue my smart Had Daphne to Apollo beene Apollo Tuder said His might haue beene and so may be your Graces humor staid He other Gods and Goddesses found more contented Loue Beloe in diffring bosomes than in equall beddes aboue I aime at Loue for thereto your Aenigma doth incline And aime to him a Deity for whome I so deuine But gladly doubt I of the Man for if I doubted not I should but massacer my lacke in enuy of his lot Yeat are vnworthie
remoued So did I loue and so I left so many a skorne and skoffe Care cost disgrace and losse of time were and may be cut off And women so lesse stand aloofe when men can so be wise So lesser sute hath lucklier speede than to be too precise Not women but our wilfulnesse doth worke our owne vnrest Though Beautie Loue and they lacke fault we may abuse the best SO helpe me Iupiter quoth Mars in Loue so may Ispeede As Mercurie and Pan doe erre in poynts of Loue indeede Precisians and plaine Plodders such is This and so is That In Loue doe swallow Cammels whilest they nicely straine a Gnat. Why what be Women Women geld the latter sillabell Then are they nothing more then Woe their names remaine doth tell Their yea or no euen when they sweare they loue or loue vs not Beleeue who list soone be they gone as sodainly are got What neede we creepe the Crosse to giue vnto a begging Saint Tush tush a Flye for booke-Loue none be fortunate that faint Not paper pursse or kerchiefe Plea lets Fancie sooner loase Then at the Shrine to watch the Saint She is not coy but cloase Pollitians know to cheapen what to offer when to skoase The Clowne no doubt that potted Pan lackt Art to glose and flatter And yeat nor Pan nor Mercurie went roundlier to the Matter He found right Methode for there is a Methode time and place Which Fooles obseruing do cōmence ere Wisemē haue their grace Though dastard Hawkes doe sore aloft and dare not seaze vpon Or Bussards-like doe sit aloofe vntill the game be gon Kinde killing Hawkes but wag the wing and worke tolsowse anon Once Loue surreuerence made my selfe vale Bonnet So submis My ceremoniall wooing was as common wooing is With rufull lookes sighes sweete Pigs-nye and Fooleries more than few I courted her so much more stout by how much more I sew Till aptly singled as it hapt I say not what did hap But Loue that late did load my Head did load her willing Lap. Nor this Lad Loue of that same Loue is guiltie any whit For why nine Moones did wexe and waine betweene his birth it Alas poore Boy before he was Loue was a common game The first-made Man the Rib-reft Man in Eden shewd the same For when his sudden eyes admir'd the boan-flesht faire Conuart Deriued from his Side his tongue directed by his hart Foorthwith pronounced Woman but a moment earst vnknoen So deare as flesh of his owne flesh and bone of his owne boen Quit then ye Gods this Lad and let your search of Loue alone Who will in power be felt of all in person found of none Or rather is not reall but some Fansie if not then Fantasticall in Women but essentially in Men. If Loue be such in Women But mistake me not for whie I note them but fantasticall in fault of Destinie Deferre were then to erre When all is done that doe we may Labor we sorrowing all the night and sewing all the day The female faultie Custome yeelds lesse merit greatest pay And ventrous more then vertuous meanes doth beare the bell away Now touching Venus worthie such a Pheere not such a Foe Vulcan me thinkes obserueth well slight proofe in yea and noe The Court therefore is well aduis'd to Sentence not to groe The Gods that did ere while but aime at Vulcans wiues sonnes Father Saw Venus blush and held that aime autentical the rather End Gods and Goddesses quoth Ioue to argue to and fro Like good and bad is either Sex Nay more behold than so I viewd erewhile the Destenies and thence I thus did know Zimois when Troy must perish shall send downe her Floods a Fleete And world it were our Father ruld when Create thought him vnmeet But long time hence farre Starres thence that World shall world an I le Enuyrond with the Ocean waues then famous in short while Through often Triumphes ouer Foes and Traffike euery wheare Howbeit thrice orerunne and once a Conquest shall be theare * Those Changes notwithstanding they a People shall remaine Vnchased thence and of that Streene shall Fiue at length re-raigne Dread terrene Gods the Fift of those a terrene God desse She Euen at the firie Trigon shall your chiefe Ascendant be Right Phoebe-like Phoebe may like a Compeere like to her Retriue her named Name to time the tryall we refer This sayd he bids adiorne the Court and willed Mercurie Thencefoorth not to conuent the Gods for such a Foolerie As Loue the idle Bodies worke and Surfet of the Eie And thus the Queene and Tuder chat But thought of nothing lesse Then that from them Ioues noted fiue fated to such successe Should spring as sprong and part springs yet But cease we to digresse And shew we how her Sonne did long and lucklesse Raigne possesse CHAP. XXXII IT rests fifth Henries Sonne that made the Henries more by one Did in his Infancie possesse his Conquering Fathers Throne And happely was rulde a Child rulde an happie man Till with his Parrasites his Peeres and hee with them began A bloodie quarrell offering so vnto the Yorkests spright For to reclaime in bold attempts their discontinued right Richard Plantagenet the Duke of Yorke by VVarwicks ayde Did get the Gaole not long enioy'd for he in Armes decayde Subdued by King Henries Queene when as by frends and force He had in Parlament obtaynde in euery clause his corse For mounted thear the Kingly Throne that Yorkish Heros sayd Here should I speake and shall I hope and so his Claime conuayd From Clarence his Progenitor with reasons such among As he Protector of the Realme King Henries heires were wrung From all Reuersion hearts and eares did so applaud his tung Edward his Sonne then Earle of March the Duke his Father slaine Wonne by the Earle of VVarwicks ayde in double battell Raigne King Henry fled to Scotland and the Queene and Prince their Sonne From France sollicet Succors which vnto their losse they wonne Henry was taken they and their Confedrates were subdu'd Yeat still the Queene escaped and she armour still pursu'd But VVarwicke pleased all attempts did faile to Edwards Foes Displeased Edward fayled and declined Henry rose He crowned Either and the same discrowned them againe Admyrd of all belou'd of all howbeit lastly slaine By Edward whilst he did vphold vnchancie Henries Raigne So VVarwicke perisht Henry so refalne from Kings estate Was reimprison'd and his Queene did land her aydes too late But landing when of Barnet field she heard the luckles fate Albeit Knights Lancastrians store did flocke in her defence She stoode a second Niobe bereft of speech and sence And whilst the Duke of Somerset an ouer-hardie Knight Did brauely marshall out her force to ouer-matched fight Hers and King Henries Sonne the Prince of VVales a proper Lad In comforting his mother did continue her more sad Ah Sonne quoth she through oft mishaps mishaps I can disgest I feare for thee
did expect like deaths as had their brother And as they feare did he affect which for the troubles then Was vneffected now behou'd to winne him loue of men Yeat casts he how he might conuay to him his Neeces right Soone compassing his Wifes dispatch whose life stood in his light Then plyes he his amazed Neece to his inâ—â—â—tious bead Of her abhor'd Shee in conceite by faith fore-plighted spead This marrage motion gawles her more than any former griefe Her selfe Friends Realme Conspiracie all it toucht in breefe And therefore death late feared now she fantaseth in cheefe Meane while did Henry land incampe fight and subdewe his Foe And marrying her long ciuill warres in England ended so CHAP. XXXV SEauenth Henries forraine busenes had succesfull honor heere Three schol'd Dâ—dalien Icarists whose mounting cost them deere Did interrupt the peace The first a Priests bace Puple he By his Complottors was pretenst'e Duke Clarence sonne to bee A many of our natiue Peeres some forraine Princes too Submissiuly behight him aide in all that they might doo The Lad was lofty for himselfe he harrollized well At full he could his lessons and a formale lie would tell For him was fought a bloody field the Victory the Kinges Lambert the forged Yorkest and the Priest that fram'd his winges Weare taken For minority the Icarus was quit The Dedalâ—s for cleargie tites was but intowr'd for it Thus scapte the Priest The mother Queene to her that now was Queene Found harder sentence for a crime more venale as I weene Shee that did forward Henry with her friends her purse her wit That had conspir'd conceil'd concur'd for him the Crowne to git And had him now her sonne in law vnchauncy Queene fore-went Her whole reuenewes and her age as if in durance spent Because against her heart good Soule for bootles to withstand See yeelded all her daughters to the late Vsurpers hand Whereby the Vnion might haue quaild and for it might she must Indure such law strict law to her of mallice not vniust THan good old Queene Elizabeth our next young Phaeton Had gentlier Iudgement He till then froÌ„ Realm to Realm had gone And now in Ireland hoping no such honor was at Corke Saluted by some Rebels theare for Richard Duke of Yorke Fourth Edwards second son Those Stiles to him were strange but thay Did feofe them on the bace-borne Muffe and him as King obay The Yorkesh Faction though they knew the error let not slip Occasion that they now might haue Lancastrians on the hip Margret fourth Edwards sisters heart for ioy hereof did skip Shee had him soone to Burgone and informes him cuery thing That might concerne Yorks pettegree or apted for a King Maliciously repining still at Lancasters successe And often would thus or thus-like her heart with tongue expresse God hath forgot our house of Yorke nay Yorke it selfe forgot To my late Brother Richards soule cleaue euermore this blot He made away our friends to make a way vnto our Foe To Lancaster proud Lancaster I thence these teares doc floe Had he stock't vp that hated stocke had he raâ—'st out that Race Python had ceast and he had bene Apollo in that cace That Henry was Lancastrian and that Henry was aliue And where he liu'd that he should not liue if we would thrâ—â— He knew ywis yeat knew he not his death how to contriue The Duke of Brutaine is no God then how the diuell y'ste That both my brothers laboring him for whome they 〈◊〉 Their Sinons weare too simple and their bribes but petite geere WheÌ„ had they bought him with their souls they had not bought him deere The heire of Lancaster fie how it loathes to sound that name Enioyes the Crowne nay worse enioyes to wife a Yorkesh Dame Worser the name Plantâ—genet is buryed in the same And worst of all their Title such as law bids vs disclame Who would haue lookt such change to chaunce oh howe I feed like will As Aeâ—as daughter Aesons house with tragedies to fill Who can endure to see their friends decline their Foes ascend I see it and for seeing so doe wish my life had end When that her darling had his looer she left him to his wings Who flead not to worse company or at lesse game than Kings He lighteth in the French Kings Court wheare honord as the same From whom he falsely would contriue a Crowne by forged name He had Supplies and English ayds and Irish troupes also With which he lands in England where King Henry met the Foe On either part the Battell was right bloodie but at length The King subdues and Perkeâ— flead the land dispoyld of strength Then as the French the Scotch King did repute of him whereby He wyu'd a Lady passing fayre and of the Kings Allie The Earle of Huntlies daughter of the scotch-blood-royall bread Shee both before and after that her low-pris'd Mate was dead When well she knew his parentage and felt his ebbed state In onely sorrow did abound in loue no whit abate Howbeit in the English Court prefer'd to high estate Theare for she was of comely parts and vncompeered face Shee often brauely courted yeelds no Courtier labor'd grace To one among'st the rest that most admierd her aunswers chaste She sayd besides the sinne and that I so might liue disgrac'ste A Presedent of wrong and woe did make me long since vow Chastly to liue the Loue of him whom Fates should me allow I knew quoth she a Knight a Knight he was in each respecte I knew a Ladie fayre she was but fouly to be chect They loued long if that to loue and leaue may loue be sayd Till lastly she conceyued loue wheare loue should be denayd Then he whose Sowles Soule goddiz'd her perceiuing her vntruth Became vnlike himselfe and mou'd saue her each one to ruth At last he runs'distraught about and what his moods conceited He did confusedly he wept askt answerd and intreated Ah many a time for though his words lackt methode yeat they moued He had these speeches arguments how earnestly he loued CHAP. XXXVI MY Mistresse is a Paragon the fayrest fayre aliue Atrides and Aeacides for faire lesse faire did striue Her colour fresh as Damaske Rose her breath as Violet Her bodie white as Iuorie as smooth as polisht Iet As soft as Downe were she down Ioue might come down kisse A Loue so fresh so sweet so white so smooth so soft as this The Cleonâ—an Lions spoyles for her I would redresse I would the Lernan Hydras heads with sword and fire suppresse My force the Erymantheon Bore should brauely ouermatch The swift-foote golden horned Stag I running would orâ—catch My bow the Birds of Stymphalus from wastfull prayes should chace Of her proud Baldricke would I spoyle the Amazon at Thrace Augeas washed Stables should my seauenth Labour end I with the Bull of Calidon victorious would contend On horse-deuoured Diomede like honour should be wonne 〈◊〉 Spanish Robber
Faith Faiths fruites selfe-aptly shonne When such a faith is but the faith of that faith-fruitles Deuill That cited Scripture vnto Christ applying good to euill Tell whether that the Leuite or Samaritane did better Tell wherein Diues liu'd and dide to Lazarus a Debter Vnknot sententious Salomon his Parable which is Full Cloudes will rayne vpon the Earth How thus is meant by this Rich meÌ„ by Cloudes poore men by Earth els Clerks expound amis Tell how some Cloudes but misell Rayne that is if so they giue A peny Almes or twaine a yeare they thinke they much releeue Som Clouds flash down their Shewres that is som set vp two or three And begger so themselues and theirs say such are foolish free Some Clouds hayle downe their Raine beate flat hurt helpe not y e ground That is vpbraid whoÌ„ they releeue hold theÌ„ seruile bound Some Cloudes giue Snow that lights and lies a moysture moystles so Doe those that say alas God helpe and nothing els bestoe Some Cloudes doe shewre into the Seas say such do giue to such Whom Almes make idle or belike to recompence as much Som Clouds with lightning thunder lowd winds drip down their raine That is giue sildom almes those proclam'd seene ere â—ayne Some Clouds retayne but forme of clouds with figure black as Coale That is looke bigge Examine long but Scriptum est their doale Some gracious Clouds shed temprate Shewres on thirstie earth indeed That is the Orphant Widow Thrall succour protect and feed Say also whatsoere wee giue to whosoere it bee Though giuen in sight of men if not because that men should see But with Deuotion as a worke from Faith that cannot seuer God for such cheerfull Almes wil be our bounteous Almner euer Say make not as it weare a Quest of quere ere Yee giue But giue yee Almes as men be poore not as poore men to liue Prouided common Beggers nor disordered Lossels who Men know prouided for or can but labour none will doe Than whom doe say for so is sooth no Creatures worse desatue Take you no Orators for them but that they hang or statue And thus for this Our Ouerture to it reduceth mee The Vncles ofthis Orphant King so long as they agree Vphild Religion King themselues and Realme in happie state Which then began to ruinate when they begun debate CHAP. XL. SOme say their falling out was through two haughtie womens strife The Admiralls Queene Bigama Lord Protectors wife These for what glorie enuies not one woman in an other Began a brawle that ended in the blood of either Brother T is thought the Earle of VVarwick threw close fewell to this fire And nourisht it to cut off them that so he might aspire For when the one had lost his head he forthwith tooke in hand To forge the Lord Protector false vnto the King and Land Who though he tryed by his Peeres of treason was acquited Yeat also of a Statute new he being then indighted Was hardly found a Felon and too stricktly sentenc'st so For meanest fault is high offence vrg'd of a mightie Foe The King thus lost his Vncles both to his no little woe Now VVarwick was become a Duke feared of high and lowe Full little thinking that himselfe the next to Blocke should goe The two Prince-loyall Semers erst made let vnto his lust But now remayned none whose faith or force he did mistrust The Orphant King fell sicke but here suspend what some suspect The new Duke of Northumberland meane while did all direct It was contriu'd King Edward from his Sisters gaue the Crowne Their Fathers Former Act and Will by wrested law put downe The Sisters Daughters Daughter of Eight Henry Ladie Iane Was publisht heire apparant and that right from Mary tane And from Elizabeth though both collatrally preceed her And when by ful Confedracie the Crowne-right was decreed her And Gylford Dudly fourth-borne Sonne vnto Northumberland Had married her and nothing seem'd the Plot-forme to withstand King Edward entred seauenteene yeares of age seauen of Raigne Departed to that endles rest his vertuous life did gaine The Councel then conuent But who wil think perhaps that one Should alter All to alter true Discents vnto a Throne â—ane Suffolks Daughter Gylfords wife One worthie such estate For righteous and religious life who nerethelesse should wate Her Intrest after others Two The younger of which twaine Did match yea Mate her vertues was proclamed Queene to raigne And in the tower of London hild Estate and princely Traine Meane while fled Mary doubting lesse her Scepters losse than life But sildome fayles a rightfull cause that comes to open strife The Commons knew our either Law prefer'd a Sisters Right Before a Cosens and fot it did many fadge to fight Northumberland with Armes pursu'd the Ladie Mary and Obseru'd directions from the Peeres who when they vnderstand Of Maries strength of flocking Friends on sudden came to pas That they proclamed Mary Queene and Iane her Prisner was And well was he that late did seeme a Foe might first salute The Queene and all vnto the Duke did their Amis impute For soothly more the Peeres did feare than fauour alway Who though he seem'd as forward now in Maries cause as thay Yeat was he taken and in-towr'd and lost his head for this A Warrior braue But than his Sier himselfe one Sonne of his Like rare Politians seldome liu'de who in three seuerall Raignes Successiuely did shew them such though losse did proue their gaines THe Duke thus dead Suffolke Lord Gray Lord Gylford Lady Iane Weare executed But we blanch the rest excepting twaine That is Lord Gylford and his wife yong and lesse worthy blame Because the Dukes their Fathers all the Councell all of name Yea and King Edwards Pattents seald for them not they did frame What so was done in this yeat they must perish for the same Who higher then this Couple late and who more wretched now Of more then much remayned nought nor law did life allow Vnhappie Youths not for they die but for the mutuall greefe Of him for her of her for him which tortur'd them in cheefe Come was the day the tragicke day wherein they both should die When Either passing to their end ech other did espie Shee in her lodging waiting death prepared her that day And he in being lead thereto he Lodging in his way Assending and dissending Signes then fly and fall apace And each bemones the other more than mindes their priuate cace Their Eâ—es that looked Loue ere while now looke their last adew And staine their faces faultles ere this dismall enter-vew Their Eares earst listning ioies are deafe vnles to sighes profound Their tongs earst talking ioies those looks sighes did now coÌ„found What parts soere of them had felt or tasted ioyes ere this Wheare senceles now of any ioy saue hope of heauenly blis Whilst Either thus for Earthly Pompe no longer time did looke He passeth
default that might his health impaer And Damsell quoth she for it seemes this houshold is but three And for thy Parents Age that this shall chiefely rest on thee Doe me that good else would to God he hither come no more So tooke she horse and ere she went bestowed gould good store Full little thought the Countie that his Countesse had done so Who now return'd from farre affaires did to his sweet-Heart go No sooner set he foote within the late deformed Cote But that the formall change of things his woondring Eies did Note But when he knew those goods to be his proper goods though late Scarce taking leaue he home returnes the Matter to debate The Countesse was a bed and he with her his lodging tooke Sir welcome home quoth she this Night for you I did not looke Then did he question her of such his Stuffe bestowed so Forsooth quoth she because I did your Loue and Lodging knoe Your Loue to be a proper Wench your Lodging nothing lesse I hild it for your health the house more decently to dresse Well wot I notwithstanding her your Lordship loueth me And greater hope to hold you such by queat then brawles I see Then for my duetie your delight and to retaine your fauour All done I did and patiently expect your better Hauour Her Patience Witte Aunswere wrought his gentle teares to fall When kissing her a score of times Amend sweete wise I shall He said and did it And your Grace may Phillip so recall But he whoso he was that thus had dubled Tales to cease Queene Maries griefe for Phillips guile as well had hild his peace Her no perswading might disswade from peâ—siuenes of hart Vntill that his Vnkindnes in her Deaths-Scene acts it part But howsoere or whatsoere her cause of death might seeme Her death did many a good mans life from Tyrannie redeeme For as in Passion so was she in Papistrie extreame And were not the abodement bad at her to end our Theame Our Cattell vnto stronger draughts we should and would vnteame But to the Head land shall our Plough vnles we breake our Beame Yeat ere we eare to it for it shall be our Holly-day Of somwhat sayd and somwhat scapt rests thus much by the way CHAP. XLIIII BEFORE we toucht little els what Courses hapt at home But now in few at forren Acts of Natiue Kings we rome Of Briâ—tish and of English Kings more famous than the rest This sparing Catalogue ensewes whose deedes we thus digest * Aeâ—eas Off-spring famous Brute did set from Greekish thrall Sixe thousand Phrygâ—an Knights by him did Guyan Guffer fall He conquering this Ile his Name vnto his Conquest gaue And of his Cornish Cambries men couragious yet we haue * Torkes Builder Ebranke that subdu'de the â—imbrians and the Gawles And built the best of Scottish Townes next in our Nomber falls * When Brennus and Belynus had Eight spacious Kingdomes wonne Had slaine two Consulls sacked Rome and matchles Armes had done And built ten Cities best that be in Italie this day Those Kinglie Brothers as must all their debt to Nature pay * Gâ—rgâ—â—nus slew the Dactan King wonne Tribute and the same Gaue Spanish Exiles Ireland whence our Scottish Nation came * Câ—ssiâ—â—lane did twice beate backe from Brittish Seas and Shore The worthie Coesar that but then was victor euermore And thirdly had preuailed but for Luds reuolted Sonne When as braue Nennius hand to hand of Caesar honor wonne * Guydar and Aruiragus wonne of Claudius Caesar spoyle The former in a second Field did sâ—out Vaspasian foyle * When as the wandring Scots and Pichts King Marâ—us had subdude He gaue the Liuers dwellings lesse than where they since intru'de * Constantiâ—s wedding Coyls heyre was Monarke of the West Who with this Ilands Scepter of Romes Empire was possest * Great Constantine that worthely a Worthie might be said The Brittish Romaine Emperour throughout the world obayd He made his Siege Bizantium that retaines his name ere since And made but so vnwitting marde the Priest of Rome a Prince * Maximian as Emperiall and as valerous as any With Brittish armour did subdue both Kings and Kingdomes many * What speake we of great Arthur of his Chiualrie or Court Precelling all sole President of vertue prow's and port A King of many Kings his Knights in all Exploits were seene He was in deede a Worthie and the Worthiest of the Neene * Fiue Crownes King Malgo prized * And in Battells fiftie fiue Against the Misâ—reants valiantly did King Alured thriue â—ollo whose Seede should conquer vs he hence did brauely beate That maâ—ger Fraunce in Normandie his Scythian Troopes did seate * He that re-monarchiz'd our Ile King Athelstone did slay Sixe Kings twelue Dukes and countlesse tale of Heathen in one day The one of Nyne his Knight Sir Guy we touch but by the way Omitting other Kings and Knights too long in few to say Of Brittish race a many and of Saxon Princes some Whose blood by Normaine Mixture now is tripartite become Oâ— For perhaps from such Consort the Brutes casseerd will be Three blended blouds of Nations three hath giuen vs Natures three The Saxon prowesse Danâ—sh pompes and Normaine Pollicee And of the Romanes and the Picâ—ts we are no portion small Foure of which Nations Scythia bred we thriuing in them all * KIng VVilliam Englands Conquerour from Rollo sixt with pray Of twice fiue hundred Townes in Fraunce vn-â—o-met sayld away * Henry the second vpon whom the scotch-Scotch-King tendant was Which Scots their often ouerthrowes we henceforth ouerpasse Who to our Kings Lords Parramounts not warres but vprores bring Spoylde Frauncè wonne Ireland and deceast of Iuda chosen King * Next Lyon-harted Richard he wonne Cypris Siria and Ierusalem debelling quite the Sowldan from his Land He skalde the strong Aegyptian Oste and king'd his Sisters sonne And plagued Fraunce and Austrich for the wrongs they had him don * First Edward made the Turks Sauoies the French Flemings treÌ„ble * The third so nam'd to them and moe did Mars himselfe resemble Whose Knights in 2. Richards dayes so tickeld France and Spaine And parts Lugdinian that no King but Richard seem'd to raine Ten thousand were his housholde Scotch digests we here disdayne * The fourth and * fifth of Henries were as actious as the rest Especially the latter was the formost with the best * Not yeat Fourth Edwards honor from his Ancestors digrest On these doo vulgar Eares and Eyes so brimlie waite and gaze As they distaske our priuate Penne notorious Laudes to blaze Our Catalogue omitteth some for Artes and Iustice good Some natur'de well aduised ill some worthie Laethe flood Not one fore-cited but deserues at least an Homers Muse Although with Agamemnons Vaile Apelles shift I vse But colours to that Painter Art vnto that Poet none So good to paint and prayse at ful our following Crowns saue one Since Tuders Seede Henry the Seauenth ariued Englands
Princely her Allowance and more stately as is sayde Than had she been in Scotland nor was Libertie denayde Of Hauking Hunting and Disports that had she been content Her merriest and securest daies a Prisoner she spent Scotland though labourd of our Queene would not receiue her and Such Treacher though imprison'd here prou'd she to either Land That death awaited her at Home and had we let her goe She was the Leagues shot-Anchor might our Queene and State o'rethroe Percie and Neuell auncient Earles This yet in Spanish paye Though bacely ill too well for him his Countrie would betray That other headed both her Wreckes wee touch but by the way With that succeeding County who concurring with his brother Once pardon'd still conspyred and Lawes Progresse so to smother Dispatcht himselfe Paget and moe like guiltie as those other Whose faultes falls had Rome Spayne their Father her their Mother Omit we Noâ—folks House from first of Howards made a Prince Though fauor'd of the Commons haue defected euer since As Absolom vs'd Curtesie but as Ambitious smoake Last Thomas Duke of Norfolkâ— so did his aspyring cloke WhoÌ„ promis'd faith once fre'ed but that promise soone he broke Him for Confedrate with those Earles rebelling Proofes did touch And with this Scottish Queene that he Intelligence had much Her Marriage that he closely sought and her Escape pretended And in her Right had fadg'd their wrong her Highnes Raine had ended Of Rising neer to London and to take it Plots they layde From Netherland the Spanish King had promised them ayde From Scotland into Spaeyne should be the Infant-King betrayde Ireland meane-while with aduerse Armes should also be ore-layde And hereof to and fro the Pope weare Letters still conuayde All which and more directly prou'd he piâ—ied lost his head Nor ought his death from being such did stand his Sonne in steade So hardly finde we Great-men in their Greatnes satisfide Or for their Greatnes not to be of other Men enuide But what is All to those haue All when but in Trifles crost Disgrace or Greese or Grudge vn-queare no lesse than all weare lost Conclude we then all Riches Forme Pompe Worlds-Applause but Winde Conclude we then to Monarchize is to coÌ„mand the minde Throckmorton yeat more priuie and more practising than those With her Mendoza Papists here forren and Land-leapt Foes Did Mischiefes that imported more our practiz'd State disclose But when of Parry Babington and their Attempts I thinke With whome this Scottish Lady in their bloody hopes did linke All foresaid Practises seeme then Epitomies to it Whereto these folliall Traytors did themselues and Senses fit Our Centinels almost too late the Larum bell did ring Yeat hardly then to arme her selfe our Generall they bring The Queene of Scots froÌ„ Ours almost her Crowne life had priz'de Eare to preuent the same she would by audience be aduis'de When gentle Durance might not salue that Daunger did remaine Which God and Nature tolerate slea rather than be slaine To which our Parliament aduis'd our Queene but long in vaine So far was she from foing her that sought her life and Rayne CHAP. LVI NOw thirtie sixe our greatest Peeres and States had power to heare And to determine and as found her to condemne or cleare By Statute passed in our Queene her seuen and twentith yeare These noble Tryers iustly then examining the Cause With reuerent Note of her who heard and spoke to euery Clause Did after diuers Daies so spent adiudge by Verdict trew Her guiltie of most trayterous Conspiracies not fewe And then from Fotheringhaye themselues to Parliament with-drew Of this Infection that our Peers and People had and would Remediles impoyson if not medeine it we should By some Decision of the Lymme whence all the bayne did floe Our publike Weales Phisitions much did argue to and froe Did neuer English Parliament fully conuented then Consist of Noblier Learneder Wiser and Worthier men By these it was debated how this common Foe might liue Without her death whom God to vs a common Blisse doth giue Much was it labord wished much some Course herein might holde But to resolue of any none had reason to be bolde Her still obdurate Malice to her Maiestie was cleere If she preuaild Religion was assurd an Altring heere Our Nobles Crocodile at home and hence our Foe-hop't Head Then must our Queene Religion Realme or She for them be dead Wherefore from Either House were sent the chiefest Men to craue Her Highnes that the passed Doome might Execution haue Whereof She askt to be aduisde and earnest her to saue Dismissed them with louing words and biddeth them expect Her Answer shortly nor did She the sending it neglect Though contrarie to it that all did hopingly affect For she perplexed in that case did lastly them direct To studie Meanes how Both might liue the Perill ouer-past Which much amaz'd yeat solemnly they handell it at last Mercie to her Malice in her might happily preuent Was sayd but not resolu'd for oft she Mercie vnder-went When rose the Earles and other times yeat neuer did repent But of our Queene to be destroyd had made her Testament A straiter Garde Bonds Hostages were also nam'd in vaine For should she prize our Queene who then durst her or theÌ„ detaine Or what were these to recompence the Losse we should sustaine For Loyaltie to take her Oth was thought to purpose small Such Othes she oft had falsifide nor thought it Sinne at all To breake them to an Heretike our Queene so Papists call To banish her were to possesse our Foes of their desier For vs to rid away the Smoake and runne into the Fier To set her free to make a Head for them against our Queene In few no safetie for vs but in her Death was seene So wholly by the Parlament concluded was and so Reported to her Maiestie still pitying her Foe In more sententious learned and delibrate sort than I Can set it downe past all toucht heer So did her Maiestie In answering earst and now to them her Aunswer Aunswer-lesse Sweet Adumbrations of her Zeale Mercie and Wit expresse But with her Oracle that bod them do and doe it not Play'd they as Alexander did with King Gordians Knot OF Spayâ—s huge Nauy toucht before great Rumor now was spread And that th'Inuaders meant to make this Scottish Queene a head For which continued doubt of her in English hearts was shead Not in the Vulgats only but some Nobles of this Land Who had not knowing it our Queene then got into their hand The Writ of Execution that her Heading did purport The which was executed soone and in a solemne sort This nature-frended Ladie had she bin as wise as witrie Who by the Massacres in France had learnt to leaue off Pittie Made there too apt for bloody Acts the Pope for it too blame To take her death too much deseru'd her selfe did meekly frame She bids commend her to her Sonne and will him to
Vnwilling though by what Presage I wot not Dauid seem'd Of Ammens going but what Fate ordain'd hath none redeem'd Go did he wheare full merily he frollicked that tyde When by his Ostes Attendants there of sudden Wounds he dyde Which after Bar quet did their Lord for onely him prouide More skar'd than hurt the other Sonnes of Dauid flead with speede Yeat eare their home-returne the King had notice of the deede And feared much their safetie till them he saw and then Was such confused sorrow more was neuer seene among'st Men. To Geshur Absolom escapes three yeares an Exile thear Till Dauids kinde relenting heart to Ioah did appeare By meanes of whome recalled home he lastly purchast Grace Yea well-appay'd was Dauid if weare Absolom in place Lou'd neuer Father more a Sonne than him his Father lon'd Prou'd neuer Sonne vngratefull more than he vngratfull prou'd For hauing stolne the Peoples hearts by affable Pretexts He faines his vowes at Hebren but the Diadem affects And by collected Forces theare distressed Dauid more Than S 〈…〉 le the Cananites or all hap't after or before Enforcing him to flie the Land But dwell we not of this God neuer fauor'd such Attempts or euer sayled His. When Dauid seem'd in common Sence already on the hip Was Absolom himselfe ore-throne whom God made ouer-slip What wisely false Achitophel had counseld him to doe Whose Counsell not receau'd he hong himselfe and worthie too Ambitious Absolom now foyl'd as on his Mule he flead Was carried vnderneath an Oke wheare caught-vp by the head EueÌ„ by those bewtious Locks of which him such praise is read He sighte and cause he had and said or say he might that All Which so vniustly seeke to clime most iustly so doe fall But whatsoeare he thought or spake this holds autenticall We thinke no greater blisse than such to be as be we would When blessed none but such as be the same that be they should Had one Man all that all Men haue he nothing had vulesse He also had a Soule that All as nothing did possesse Natures Mynion Eyes Admier and now in-ayred Earth For hanging Ioabs ruthles speare had vented vitall breath Although the King his counter-maunde should haue contraried so Effected had his Fathers heart no Substance else but woe So kinde and ouer-kinde was he in mouing such a Foe But thus of this and thus to him this following Crosse did groe CHAP. LX. TO epilogue our Tragedie now Adoniah acts With whome olde Dauid to depose euen â—oabs-selfe compacts Yeadiuers Captaines did reuolt and with the Sonne rebell Which not a little greeu'd the King that lou'd the young-man well Who next his brother did for forme and soly now excell Remayn'd but Salomon and he and he the elder Sonne Too forward yeat to practise Rule eare Dauids Raigne was donne But what God meaneth is Amen The Scepter was behight To Salomon and Nathan mou'd the King to doâ— him right Who aged caus'd his Diadem to roâ—alize the head Of Salomon annoynted now which heard the Rebel flead So haue we seene not yeares farre-past long-Plottings ouerthrone Euen in a trise to day a Queene to morrow lesse than none Such was her Fate but not her Fault that stoode for Maries Throne Nor cite I this A Noueltie like Pul-backs many an one Repentant Adâ—niâ—â— now vnto the Altar flies 〈…〉 thereof which one that it espies 〈◊〉 vnto Salomon that sent to fetch him Thence Which wâ—uld not be till swore the King to pardon his offence Whom◠〈◊〉 we now so pardoned or rather in suspence â—or though a Kings Competitor in one same Land may liue â—eat take he heed the sleightest cause a cause of death doth giue Which hapned him eare hapned this inserted by the way Dauid decea'ste in Salomon was sole and sou'raigne Sway When 〈◊〉 to prolong his life did at the Altar stay Euen he that in so many Brunts for Dauid did preuaile That saue for Adoniah now Allegiance neare did faile That saue for sheaded blood of twaine could none impeach of wrong Euen this grand Captaine of the Hosts a luckie Knight so long Hand-fasting now the Altar clames that Priuiledge in vaine For thence he would not and the King commaunds he thâ—are be slaine Which Warrant did Banaiah serue And so this Worthie died For Abner and Amasas blood like-Worthies and as-tried With Adoniah now remaines we act and ende our Sceanes To whoÌ„ might seeme small good was meant what il soere he meanes Wheare crowned Might crossed Right so neere together dwel Behooues that Forrest-flying Feare whereof the Fox did tell Our factious Lancaster and Yorke thereof could witnes well Abisag Dauids Hebe that in comfort of his Age Attended him at Bed and Boarde when naturall heate did swage Howbeit still a Virgin and the goodliest Wench aliue Enamours Adoniah at the least with her to Wiue He drifteth not detayned but for Salomons consent Of which he moued Bethsabe for which she Sutor went To Salomon that thearewithall was onely not content But also tooke occasion hence of more perhaps than meant â—â—naâ—ah by the Kings Commaund did Adontah slea For Cryme perhaps perhaps because a Crowne might come in Plea For Salâ—mon diuinely wise could Subtellizings sound That much the Maâ—d knew Dauids mind that Many she had bound Whilst gratious earst with Benefits her Kinred strong he found That â—oaâ— and Abiatâ—ar weare on his Brothers side That his aspiring sleepes nor must be slept the King espide Or else-what Adoniah was dispatched out of hand So sped his Suâ—e so was confirm'd to Salomon the Land If Others otherwise not I as others vnderstand Nor better Meede for Merits could these Dauidists alleadge Yeat did their Father eate the Grapes that set their Teeth on edge Then charitable godly-wise and continent weare fit Should Parents be So prosper they Theirs and whom Theirs begiâ— Of Scotland quieted by our Queene and France by her kept French Is toucht Of Belgike long selfe-vaind rests how the blood doth steÌ„ch CHAP. LXI THe Inquisition threatned wrought in â—etherlanders feare And Signes of altring Regment in their ancient State appeare As ful-fead Children with their Foode by Peace this People play Till in world-matchles Wealth did them Securitie betray They hearing what King Philip meant against their State did minde What in the Fables Morall of the Stock and Storke we finde For in the Ladie Regent and her Brother Philips Corse Their hearts presaÌ„g'd like diffâ—ence 〈◊〉 twixt Rigor and Remorse Arm'd was the Duke of Alâ—â— who by warres by wiles by 〈◊〉 Shuld coÌ„quer circuÌ„uent coÌ„sume those Lands their Lords the Good These to haue his sufficed not the Spanish King vnlesse He Monarchize their Land their Lawes and Liberties depresse The other Part their Consciences and Priuiledges pleades Nor other cause than only thus to Armor Either leades For There else-Where and euer Spayne when Spayne wold Scepters lurch Concludes for Spayne though euer Spayne begins for holy-Church No Armie was as yet
And apprehends euen fleelingly her Humours as they fall If sad were she then sad was he if merrie merrie too His Senses liable to all she did or did not doe If her he heard to speake he sayd Cassandrâ— spake lesse trew If her he saw hers praisde he more than Cythereas hew If odorifrous Sents he smelt he fathers them on her If but her hand he toucht that Touch did highly him prefer But Dâ—ified swore he him her bed-game Sweets might taste And swore his Thoughts for where we loue eueÌ„ there our Soules be plaste His Vertues and Officiousnes to her wards so had wrought That vnto little lesse than loue she by Degrees was brought Then errant Knights euery Knight yea Kings would ost defend The Beauties of such Damsels as it lik't them to commend And Prizes were preposde for such whose Champions bore theÌ„ best At Tilts and Turnies and his Dame was Soueraigne ore the rest Such Iusts in England to beheld were now proclaim'd and The Chiualrie of Christendome conuented in our Land Three beautious forren Ladies with Sir â—ohn his Ladie stood Competitors to win the Prize maintain'd with Champions good To shew the foure-fold March of Knights whose Prowse shuld plead ano 〈…〉 Vnder distinguisht Flags her Forme their Fancies waited on Their rare Accomplements and each Deuise to see or reede To shew the richnes of the Prize behight the Victors Meede The Damsels richer hew for whom such Triumphs were decreede The Cost and great Concurse was there were ouer-long to say In few was nothing wanting that might honor such a day Now sound they to the Iusts and now vn-horst was many a Knight For Foyles were Foyles most brauely al their Sides and selues acquite And almost grew the day to end before it could be seene Who bore him best wheÌ„ mouÌ„ted well both Man Horse in greene A Knight appear'd his Banner had the Picture and in gold King Edwards Cozen Elenor was legibly inrould Against him ranne right hardie Knights that thundred on his Beuer But he vnhorst the most of them himselfe vn-horsed neuer At least he lost his Stirrops that incounters him wherefore Of Knighthood he and Elenor the Prize of Beautie bore The Iewels set for Victorie and aduerse Banners three Were yeelded him whilst Elenor did long her Knight to see But as they marched to depart with Beuer shut he made To her a Conge closely then he Thence himselfe conuaide Much wonder all who and of whence the hardie greene-Knight was But secretly vnknowne of all he to his Home did pas A Womans Loue is Riuer-like which stopt will ouer-flow But when the Currant finds no let it often falls too lowe Faire Elenor wish't nothing more than that she might him know Meane while the Fier of Loue in her from sparkes to flame did grow But Mandeuil was more discreet than that for Mens applause He would be known as knowing that from Praise takes Enuie cause To moue the King threats death in vaine to labor her he wist Since many mightie Potentates had labord her and mist. She he and England seem'd too neere his hopes thought he too farre He absence therefore poynts to plead vnto his Loue in barre Of Ceur-de-Lion Erigen VVilliam the Pylgrim who Wrot Richards Syrian Watres Curson Glanuile and Longe-spee too Long-shanks eare King his Knights and of our English many moe That through the triple Orbs did Armes and Trauels vnder-goe And famous thus aliue and dead Here and Abroad did groe He cal'd to minde resolu'd in minde his Life to finish so Bills of Exchange and all things els prepard for Trauell fit Vnto his Friends grieu'd he would goe he then imparteth it The King did giue him Letters for safe-Conducts of the Corte Loth him to leaue he taketh leaue But in more speciall forte Of Elenor good Sadnes she thus spoke as if in sporte Some discontented humor sends you hence as I deuine Which be whereso you shall will be with you be yours as mine Nay Madam quoth Sir Iohn twixt vs this diffrence is to finde I both in minde and body you need trauell not in minde Yes yes quoth she my Minde I wot meete may you farre away If so then giue to it this Ring and that I sent it say So with that Riddle and a Ring she gaue they kindly parte Nor knew she him the Knight she meant nor he to him her heart For second to the greene-Knight whom she thought not him was he Her Fauoret of him therefore she would remembred be Now let vs say the Lands the Seas the People and their Lore This Knight did see whom touching which not storie shall we more But to our English Voyages euen in our times shall frame Our Muse and what you heare of Theirs of his the like do ame For Countries not for Customes then and now not still the same Yeat interlace we shall among the Loue of her and him Meane while about the World our Muse is stripped now to swim CHAP. LXII FRom then when first my Father eare my birth was one of those Did through the Seas of ysie Rocks the Muscouites disclose We shal our English Voyages the cheefe at least digest Of which in this her Highnes Raigne haue been perform'd the best And herea while let Mandeuil and his Beloued rest To name the diuers Peoples that in Europe be weare much Not but remotest Regions of our Natiues seene we touch But Moderns Yee of whom are some haue circum-sail'd the Earth Here pardon vs your Sailes and giue your proper Praises bearth Infuse yee Penn-life too into ore-taken Fames by death Caboto whose Cosmographie and selfe-proofe brake the Ise To most our late Discouerers Debtors to his Aduise Had vs eare Spayne possest of that which Spanyards now abuse But he inuitinÌ„g idly we did offred Gold refuse Yeat him to say for most the Meane it weare not vs to shame Of English new Discoueries that yeeld vs Wealth and Fame Reserue we to the Actors though of whom lost some their Wealth Their liues a many all at least indangered their health In trewer Perils and more braue Achieuements than the Tailes Of Iason and Vlysses of their fabled Sea-toyld Sailes The Glorie of the dangerous Gole Nor let vs here forgit In which I first did breath this Ayre London preferring it Some Marchants theare of Worth did mind with Nations then vnknowne New Traffiques the Passe thereto was by Caboto showne By his Instructions and their costs three Ships were rigged out Hugh VVilloughby the Admyrall a Knight both wise and stoute Next place whose braue performance of Imployments euer liue To Chancelor grand Pilot for that Voyage did they giue Now sayle they for the Northeast Parts Cathayas Shores to finde Incountred with huge Seas of Ise with stormie Gustes and Winde Scotland Aegeland Halgland th'Isles of Roste and Lofoot past Tempestiously Arzinas Rhode receiued Sir Hugh at last Theare he and all of two his Ships attempting bootles shiftes Weare
nor him a friend esteeme Whom firme as to thy selfe thy selfe thou darest not to deeme Say some But Mandeuil I see of you accompteth so As of his firme and choycest Friend then least I tedious groe I tell thee Stafford next to one is Mandeuil the Man I could haue loued but I loue whom not vn-loue I can Yeat if you aske me whom or where that one beloued is I cannot answer whom or where yeat am and will be his Madame quoth Stafford yet your speech hath head nor foote nor Middle Not naming him you end a Sphynx and tie me to a Riddle Well friend you are to Mandeuil nor foe she sayd to me The greene-Knight Victor at the Iusts a few yeares past is he In sooth quoth Stafford if for him be resolute your Choyce Chuse not againe with you for him consort I also Voyce Nor thinke in that I him prefer I Mandeuil reiect Friendship may brooke Triplicitie and shall in this respect For your owne sake and for his sake than Mandeuil no lesse My Friend I shall his Soules desire you of that Knight possesse Almost an Extasie of Ioy her from her selfe did seuer Hearing of him for whom her heart did hunt and els should euer And though she did obserue his soone Reuolt from friend to friend And him thereof had tacht weare not her priuate Cause to end Yeat was she silent touching it and modestly pursewes In Quest of her beloued Knight But tarrie yet that Newes First Burrough Ienkinson and what by them was done peâ—use CHAP. LXVII IT is no common Labour to the Riuer Ob to sayle Howbeit Burrough did therein not Dangerles preuaile He through the foresayd frozen Seas in Lapland did ariue And thence to expedite for Ob his Labours did reuiue What he amongst the Vaigats and the barbarous Samoeds notes Their Idols Deer-skin TeÌ„ts how on their backs they bare their Botes In which but Hides securely they doe fish those Seas all day And how on Deere they ride and all on Sleds by Deere conuay Do eate their Dead to feast their friends their Children sometime slay Their store of Sables Furres and Pealts fetcht thence from farre away How at our â—raâ— and Lion Signes their Frost and Snow is greate Let be and many things we might of this new Tract intreate By Burrough found whose Praise not much is Chancelors behinde As Master in that Ship with him that first did Russia finde And in this Northeast Trade with Praise do Pet Iackman mind Yeat longer for not largelier One yeelds Matter let vs dwell Of Ienkinson But where shall we begin his Lawdes to tell In Europe Asia Affrick For these all he saw in all Imployd for Englands common good Nor my reioycing small That from Elizabeth to Raigne and I to liue begunne Hath hapned that Commerce and Fame he to his Natiues wonne NOw vnder his Conduct was hence vnto his Home conuaide The Russian first Ambassadour Heere honor'd whilst he staide Nor Captaine Ienkinson was there lesse graced where he wrought That all things to a wished end were for our Traffique brought Here-hence also a friendly League twixt either Prince effected Nor little is their Amitie of vs to be respected For though the Moscouites from vs be People farre remote Yeat if how Danes and Norses haue inuaded vs we note And how the Russies in the like Attempts might hold them back For only it were thence no Trade ill might their Friendship lack From Mosco then by Iournies long the Caspian Sea he crost Himselfe and Goods by Tartars oft in danger to be lost Their Hordes of carted Tents like Towns which Camels drew their Kings By names of Murses Seltans Cans to whoÌ„ for Passe he brings The Russian King his Letters how and royally they troe With Wild-horse flesh and Mares milke him the Kings did banquet tho Their hawking for the Wild-horse For their Hawks will seaze vpon The horses neck who chaffing tiers and so is kild anon Their oft Remoues for Pastures fresh nor Grasse their Pasture is But heathie Brush few Cattell though doe thriue as theirs with this Their naither vse of Coyne or Corne for Tillage none is theare Such Warriors and Horse-Archers as they liue not whom they feare Their crosse-leg eating on the ground Pluralitie of wiues In Turkeman So the whole is sayd and more of their rude liues And how the Marchants trauailing by Carauan that is Great Droues of laden Camels Meate and VVater often mis And how for vs did Ienkinson in Bactra Mart begin Let passe to passe to it for vs he did in Persia win VVith this Memento in Returne from Bactra diuers Kings Sent in his charge their Legates whom to Mosco safe he brings Thence did he sayle for England Hence for Mosco back againe And with our Queene Elizabeth her Letters did obtaine The Mosicks Letters to the Kings by whom he then should pas For Persian Traffique And for this he thence imbarked was NOw in Hyrcana Shyruan or Media all as one Suppose our â—enkinson before King Obdolowcans Throne Though sumptious Citties he possest yeat for the Summers heate On airesome Mountaines held he then his Court in Pleasures greate Of silke and gold imbroyderie his Tents his Robes inchac't With Pearles and pretious Stones and Looks of Maiestie him grac't On Carpets rich they trode rich Traines on him attendance gaue With sixe score Concubines that seem'd so many Queenes for braue Before his faire Pauilion was of Water cleere a Fount Drinke for himselfe and his for most of Water they account Scarce Cleopatras Anthony was feasted with more cheere Of varied Meates and spice-Conceits than â—enkinson was heere In formall Hawking Hunting Chace not theÌ„ came Tristram â—eere Such was this King for stately such for affable and kinde There and abroad so lou'd and feard as like was rare to finde Yeat notwithstanding such his Wealth his Signorie and State He of the Persian Sophie held his Land subdued late But in such friendship as the Shaugh the Sophie so is saide Would yeeld to Obdolowcan in what so he should perswaide Which well in Ienkinsons behalfe but shortly after made Him often questoned this King of Vs and Europs strength And him with Gifts and Priuiledge for Mart dismist at length Silks raw wrought Spices Drugs more-els worth the Mart Our Marchants fetch from thence and there our Marchandize coÌ„uart Things wisely thus dispatched there with men for his defence And Letters from that King vnto the Shaugh he traueld thence In trauell thitherwards he grieues in wonder to behold The down-Fals of those stately Townes and Castles which of old Whilst Persia held the Monarchie were famous ouer all Nor Alexander wonne of those one Peece with labour small The mightie Citties Tauris and Persipolis he past Two ruin'd Gates sundred twelue miles yet extant of this last The Gyants Wonders on the Hill of Quiquiffs heard he tolde And of the yearely Obit which their Maides to Channa holde This
disclayme to haue it so pardon therefore yee Gods 〈◊〉 desiring it him deseruing it Troth is it this one Sacrifice shall giue end to mine infinite sorrowes but not alas with these burnings rather found guiltie of new beginnings but with my hearts blood the latest Ceremonie wanting to this Exequse Scarcely had these words passed her mouth when with Aeneas his Sword she pearced her Brest so performing on herselfe a Tragedie sought for and to hers a terror vnlooked for WHilest Dido so named of this her death or as haue some not lesse probable of so preuenting Htarba menacing her marâ—â—age was thus passionate and did thus perish Aeneas after weary Sea-saring much sorrowe many people and places seene and sayled from arriuing in Sicisie was â—oyfully entertained of this auncient friend King Aceâ—â—es and there as the yeare before at Drapenum did solemnize and Anniuersaâ—ie at the Tombe of his father Anchises The Masteries feates and actiue pastimes tried here by the Troian and Sicilian youth with land and sea Skirmidges the running riding leaping shooting wrestling and such like with Bacing on foote and on horsback this last a sport lately vsed of our English youthes but now vnpolliuckly discontinued Or how the Women of Troy whereof many were also imbarked from thence tyred with the perils of the Sea and intised with the pleasures of Siciâ—ie to preuent further sayling fired their Ships not without great losse rescued Or how Aâ—neas building there the Citie A 〈…〉 peopled the same with his women and impotent Troâ—â—ns Or of the drowning and Reuise of Palinurus and many Occurrents hapning here at Cuma Caieta else-where I omit as lesse pertinent to our purpose then the hastning of Aeneas into Italie Wherefore shipping him from Sicilie I now land him in Latium in which part of Italie raigned and was Resident in his Citie Laurentum the King Latinus to whome Aeneas addressed an hundred Knights one of them deliuering this Ambassie Ignorant are we not most gratious King for in that Title art thou famous and in that triall may we proue fortunate of thy Consanguinitie with the Troians by noble descents from Dardanus our auncient Progenitor neither canst thou but know that Troy is sacked and her people for the most parte slaughtered onely know if already thou knowest it nâ—t that Aeneas our Duke with a few his Followers after more than seauen yeares sayling are lastly and lucki lie I hope arriued in thy Countrie Howbeit of many places for pleasure and ferulitie most worthy manuring haue wee abandoned the quiet possession yea many the greatest Princes of Europe and Affrica haue voluntarily desired our Tariance denied only infinit Seas haue wee sayled and more sorrowes sustained to seeke this Clime from whence wee Troians deriue our Originals and whither our Gods haue directed vs by their Oracles This thy Countrie in respect of the bignesse may easily affoord roome for a new Troy to be builded A plot more spacious we doe not aske A smaller suite thou canst not graunt if with our present extremities thou also peise our purposed loyalties Neuer were wee thy foes and euer will we continue thy friends Seated wee must be and here wee would be We dare not disobey the Gods commanding it nor would we discontent thee in demaunding it graciously therfore conceiue of our Petition and gratefully receiue from Aeneas these Presents Hauing thus sayd he in the name of Aeneas presented the King with a most rich Mantell or Robe with an inualuable Crowne of Golde enchased with precious Stones with the late royall Scepter of King Priamus and with other Treasure which Latinus cheerefully receiuing returned the Troians this answer Had not the Gods commaÌ„ded your hither repaire which I gainsay not were we not of consanguinitie wherein I disclaime not Or my Kingdome not roome-some enough to receiue you as it is Or had ye not brought precious and peaceable Presents as ye haue yeat to dismisse Wayfarers vnrested and vnreleeued were contrary to the Gods of Hospitalitie and which they defend that I should therein offend Latinus his honour Ouer fast he sitteth that securely siâ—â—eth for as he that is timorous hath 〈◊〉 little prouidence so he that is feareles hath too much presumption yea lesse grieuous are expected than vnlooked-for euils I speake not this as I feare to fall but as I fore-see I may fall for the vnpearching of others should be fore-preachings to vs. Priuie am I vnto your distresse applying the like possibility for me so to decline for who is priuiledged from becoÌ„ming such And who is such that would not haue succour Sorrie I am that ye haue so ill cause to estrange your selues from home but glad that I am in so good case to entertaine you here Let Ae 〈…〉 feare him and prosper yee in Italie my land well may abide it and my selfe brooke it Yea more for the Oracle of my minde consorts no doubt with those of our Gods Lauinia my sole daughter and heire forbidden a Natiues and behighted a Strangers Marriage hath found a Husbande and I a Sonne-in-lawe at the least I wish it would bee and hope it will bee Make my thankes to Aeâ—eas for his Presents and bee you Masters of your Petitions The Troians being then sumptuously feasted euery man on a giuen Courser brauely and richly mounted dismissed returned and Latinus his answere and Present deliuered Aeneas neuerthelesse as farre from being secure as ioyous of such Tidings knowing the good speede of a Stranger to be an Eye-sore to the people and therefore not careles suspitious of it that might causeles succeede strongly inmured his Men in a new-built Fortresse In the meane while their Arriuall and Entertainment with Latinus occupied and for the most part offended all Italie Enuiously stormed Amata Queene that Lauinia her Daughter and Darling should be wedded to a Stranger an Exile as she termed him and therefore when she could not disswade the King by flatterie shee incensed his Nobles and Subiects to resist it forcibly On the other side Turnus Prince of the Rutiles in person exceeding all for comelinesse and in Armes equall to any for his courage to whom Lauinia was before promised in Marriage as Malcontent as any for being thus circumueÌ„ted by Aeneas held a Counsell in his sumptuous Citie Ardea scituate in the territorie of Latium how to intercept the Troians by wiâ—es expell them by Warres weaken them by wants disappoynt Aeneas and possesse himselfe of Lauinta Often sent he Messengers and sometimes Menaces to aduertise Latinus that he was promised he should and to assâ—re him hee purposed hee would enioy her or anger him But by how much more Latinus was religiously vnremouable in his Resolution for Aeneas by so much the more did Turnus giue loose raines to his headie anger Howbeit sufficient matter wanted for his malice to worke vpon vntill by euill happe his choler tooke aduantage of this colour Ascanius with diuers Troian Gentlemen his Friends and others his Attendants hunting in a
erst wonne and more then all was lost Yeat of more multeous Armies we than Scotland were at cost No Land deuided in it selfe can stand was found too true To worser then the wars abroad the home-bred Quarrels grewe Grange gotten Pierce of Gauelstone and Spensers two like sort Meane Gentlemen created Earles of chiefe accoumpt and port Enuying all equalitie contrine of many a Peere The wrested death those fewe that liue liu'd mal-contented heere Good Thomas Earle of Lancaster on whom the rest relye The chiefe and grauest of the Peeres did ouer-warred flye Into the woods whereas himselfe and state he did bewray Vnto an Hermite vnto whom he sighing thus did say Happie are you sequestred thus from so I may deuine Our common wracke of common weale for how it doth decline Through wilde and wanton Guydes in part I feele in part I aime By Presidents too like and fire too likely heere to flame Heare if you haue not heard what fire our leisure fits the same CHAP. XXV THe Spartanes was for rapted Queene to Ilions ouerthrowe The Monarke of Assyria chang'd Latine Kings also For Tarquins lust yea how with vs a double chaunge did groe WheÌ„ Brittish Vortiger did doat vpoÌ„ the Saxons daughter And Buerne for his forced wife froÌ„ Denmarke brought vs slaughter I ouerpasse Who knoweth not Ireland our neighbour Ile Where Noe his Neece ere Noe his flood inhabited a while The first manured Westerne Ile by Cham and Iaphets race Who ioyntly entring sundry times each other did displace Till Greece-bred Gathelus his brood from Biscay did ariue Attempting Irelands Conquest and a Conquest did archiue Fiue kings at once did rule that I le in ciuill strife that droopes When fierce Turgesius landed with his misbeleeuing Troopes This proud Norwegan Rouer so by aides and armes did thriue As he became sole Monarke of the Irish Kingdomes fiue Erecting Paganisme and did eiect the Christian lawe And thirtie yeeres tyrannizing did keepe that I le in awe Nor any hope of after helpe the hartlesse Irish sawe Alone the wylie King of Meth a Prothew plying fauor Stood in the Tyrants grace that much affected his behauor For what he sayd that other soothde so ecco'ing his vayne As not an Irish els but he a pettie King did raigne Turgesius friends that Vice-roy for his daughters loue the rather And therefore for his Leiman askt the Damsell of her Father Ill wot I what they knowe that loue well wot I that I know That that browne Girle of mine lackes worth to be beloued so I haue a many Neeces farre more fairer then is she Yeat thinke I fairest of those faires vnworthie you quoth he But she and they are yours my Lord such Beauties as they be This Preface likâ—e the Tyrant well that longed for the play Not well contented that so long the Actors were away Oft iterating his demaund impatient of delay Now haue I quoth the King of Meth conuented to your bed My Neeces and my daughter loath to loose her Maidenhead But doubt not Sir coy Wenches close their longings in their palmes And all their painted Stormes at length conuert to perfect Calmes Alonely if their beauties like as likelier haue we none You may conclude them women and the Goale therefore your owne To morrow seuered from your Traine vnlesse some speciall few Expect them in your chamber where I leaue the game to you Yeat when your eye hath serude your heart of her that likes you best Remember they are mine Alies vntoucht dismisse the rest Sweete also was this Scene and now vnto an Act we groe The Irish Princesse and with her a fifteene others moe With haÌ„ging Glybbes that hid their necks as tynsel shadowing snoe Whose faces very Stoickes would Narcissus-like admire Such Semeles as might consume I oues selfe with glorious fire And from the Smith of heauens wife allure the amorous haunt And reintise the Club-God Dys and all his diuelles to daunt And make the Sunne-God swifter than himselfe such Daphnes chaced And Loue to fall in loue with them his Psichis quite disgraced These rarer then the onely Fowle of Spice-burnt Ashes bread And sweeter than the Flower that with Phoebus turneth head Resembling her from gaze of whome transformde Acteon fled From Meth came to Tergesius Court as Presents for his bed In secret was their comming and their chambering the same And now the lustfull Chuffe was come to single out his game His Pages onely and a youth or twaine attending him Wheare Banquet Bed Perfumes and all were delicately trim He giues them curteous welcome and did finde them merry talke Meane while the Harbengers of lust his amorous eyes did walke More clogd with change of Beauties than King Midas once with gold Now This now That and one by one he did them all behold This seemed faire and That as faire and letting either passe A Third he thought a proper Girle a Fourth a pleasant Lasse Louely the Fift liuely the Sixt the Seuenth a goodly Wench The Eight of sweete Complection to the Ninth he altreth thence That mildly seem'd maiesticall Tenth modest looke and tongue Th' Eleuenth could sweetly intertain the Twelfe was fresh yonge The Next a gay Brownetta Next and Next admirde among And â—ury feature so intycte his intricate affection As liking all alike he lou'd confounded in election Sweete harts quoth he or Iupiter fetcht hence full many a Thefte Or hether brought he Thefts that here their Leiman Children lefte Heere wandring Cadmus should haue sought his missed Sister wheare Faire Leda hatcht her Cignets whilst nor Cocke nor Henne did feare How many view I fairer than Europa or the rest And Girle-boyes fauouring Ganimâ—de heere with his Lord a Guest And Ganimâ—des we are quoth one and thou a Prophet trew And hidden Skeines from vnderneath their forged garments drew Where with the Tyrant and his Bawds with safe escape they slew Of which yong Irish Gentlemen and Methean Ladies act The Isle was filled in a trise nor any Irish slackt To prosecute their freedome and thâ—amased Norgaines fall Which was performed and the King of Meth extold of all Those Rouers whose Originals and others not a fewe As Switzers Normaines Lumbardes Danes from Scandinauia grew A mightie Isle an other world in Scythian Pontus Clyme Thus wrackt left Ireland free vnto our second Henries time When farre vnlike the Methes that earst their Countrie did re 〈…〉 ore An Amorous Queene thereof did cause new Conquests and vprore Dermot the King of Leynister whom all besides did spight Did loue belou'd the Queene of Meth to whom he thus did wright THy King sweete Queene the hindrance of our harts-ease is away And I in heart at home with thee at hand in person stay Now is the time Time is a God to worke our loue good lucke Long since I cheapned it nor is my comming now to hucke But since our fire is equall let vs equally assist To finish what we fancy say Maligners what they