byd But he that myndes for rule another ryd Must not his handes with cruell bloud distayne For bloud doth alwayes cry for bloud agayne Eke Iustfull life that sleepes in sinkes of sinne Procures a plague fy fy on Venus vyle We litle wot the mischiefe is therein When we with poisons sweete our selues beguile The pleasures passe the ioyes indure but while And nought there by at all we get or gaine But dreadfull death and euerlasting paine Mee thincks thou lookist for to baue my name And musist what I am that thus do com I would or this haue tolde it but for shame Wherefore to giue example yet to som I will no longer faine my selfe so dom But sith I must as others tell their fall Take here my name my life my death and all I am Mempricius Madans eldest sonne Once king of Britaine that my brother slewe Whereby the crowne and kingdome all I won And after norisht vices moe that grewe Not natures lawes nor Gods nor mans I knew But liude in lust not recking any thing I demde was nought unlawfull for a king For when I had my brother brought on beare I thought in rest to keepe this kingdome longe And I was boyde of doubt I had no feare Was noue durst checke me did I right or wrong I liude at large and thought my powre so stronger There could no man preuaile against my will In steede of lawe that vsed rigor still So after that I fell to slouthfull ease A vice that breedes a nomber more besyde I waxt so testie none durst me displease And eke so puft with glory vaine and pride My sencelesse sence as ship without a guide Was tost with euery fancye of my braine Like Phoebus chariote vnder Phaetons raine I deemde them foes that me good counsaile gaue And those my chiefest frends could glose and lye I hated them that were so sage and graue And those I loude were lustye lewde and slye I did the wisest wittes as fooles defye Such sots knaues ruffians roisters I embrast As were vnwise vnhonest rude vnchast I lusted eke as lothsome lechers vse My subiects wiues and daughters at my will I did so often as me pleasde abuse Perforce I kept them at my pleasure still Thus gat I queanes and concubines at fill And for their sakes I put a way my wyfe Such was my lewdnes lust and lawlesse lyfe But shame for bids mee for to tell the rest It mee abhorres to shew what did insue And yet because it moueth in my brest Compunction still and was God wot to true I will declare whence my destruction grue To Sodomes sinne alas I fell and than I was despised both of God and man Could I long prosper thus do you suppose Might ought of euill exceede these vices told Thincke you ther 's any wight on ground that goes Might scape reuenge of vice so manifolde No sure who is in sianefulnes so bolde His vices fare like weedes they sproute so fast They kill the corps as weedes the corne at last My great outrage my heedelesse heade the life I beastly led could not continue soe My brothers bloud my leauing of my wife And working of my frendes and subiects woe Cride still to God for my fowle ouerthrne Which heares that wrōgd he heedes their careful case And at the length doth all their foes deface Yet I mistrusting no mishaps at hande Though I were worthy twenty times to dye I lewdly liude and did my wealth with stande I neuer thought my ende was halfe so nye For my disport I rode on hunting I In woodes the fearefull hart I chased fast Till quite I lost my company at last And or I wist to cost I found my foes By chaunce I came wher as the wolues they bred Which in a moment did me rounde inclose And mounted at my horse his throte and head Some on his hinder parts their paunches fed Yet fought I still to scape if it might bee Till they my fainted horse pulde downe with mee Then was I hopelesse to escape their iawes They fastned all their holders fast on mee And on my royall robes they set their clawes My Princely presence nor my highe degree Moude them no more obeysaunt for to bee Nor of my corps to take no more remorce Then did the greeuous groning of my horse But rauenously they rent my breast and throte Forsohe my steede came all at once and tare My tender corps from which they fleyde my coate And of my fleshe they made at all no spare They neuer left mee till my bones were bare Lo thus I sleme my brother left my wife Liude vilely and as vilely ended life Beware of bloudp broyles beware of wronge Embrace the counsaile of the wise and sage Trust not to powre though it be nere so stronge Beware of rashnes rude and coisters rage Eschew vile Venus toyes she cuttes of age And learne this lesson of and teach thy frende By pocks death sodaine 〈◊〉 harlots enne Finis The Authour ON this mee thought he vanishte quite avvay And I vvas left vvith Morpheus all alone VVhom I desyrde these gryzely ghostes to stay Till I had space to heare them one by one And euen vvith that vvas Somnus seruaunt gone VVhereby I slept and toke mine ease that night And in the morninge rose their tales to vvrite Novve Reader if you thincke I mistemy marke In any thinge vvhilere but stories tolde You must consider that a simple clarke Hath not such skill thesfect of things t'unfolde But may vvith ease of vviser be controlde Eke vvho so vvrites as much the like as this May hap be demde likevvise as much to misse VVherefore if these may not content your minde As eche man cannot fauour all mens vaines I pray you yet let me this frendship finde Giue your good vvill I craue noughtels for paines VVhich if you grutch mee as to great a gaines Then is my loue to you and labour lost And you may learne take heede vvith greater cost But novv me thinckes I heare the carpers tell Saith one the vvriter vvanted vvordes to fill The next reproued the verse not couched vvell The thirde declares vvhere lackte a point of skill Some others say they like the myter ill But vvhat of this shall these dismay mee quite No sure I vvill not cease for such to vvrite For with more ease in other workes they finde A fault then take vpon themselues to pen So much and eke content eche readers minde How should my verse craue all their likings then Sith sondry are the sects of diuers men I must endeuoure only those to please VVhich like that comes so it be for their ease The rest I recke as they blame worthy bee For if the vvords I wrote for good intent Take other sence then they receiude of mee Be turnde to vvorse torne reached rackt or rent Or hackt and hewde not constred as I ment The blame is theirs which with my workes so mell Lesse faulty he that vvisht his
vertues to excell To them I gaue the price therof as de we As they deserude whose factes I founde so true Nowe must I proue if paynes were well 〈◊〉 Or if I spente my gratefull giftes in bayne Or if these great good turnes to you I owde And might not aske your loyall loues agayne Which if I wist what tonge could tell my payne I meane if you vngratefull mindes do beare What meaneth death to let me linger here For if you shall abuse your prince in this The Goddes on you for such an heynous facte To take reuenge be sure will neuer misse And then to late you will repente the acte When all my realme and all your welthes are facte But if you shall as you begon procede Of kingdomes fall or fces there is no dreede And to auoyde contention that may fall Because I wishe this realme the Britaynes still Therefore I will declare before you all Sithe you are come my whole intent and will. Which if you kepe and wreste it not to ill There is no doubte but euermore with fame You shall enioye the Britaynes realme and name You see my somes that after me must raigne Whom you or this haue liekte and counsaylde well You know what erst you wisht they should refraine Which way they might all vices vile expell Which way they might in vertues great excell Thus if you shall when I am gone insue You shall discharge the truste reposde in you Be you their fathers with your counsayle wise And you my children take them euen as mee Be you their guydes in what you can deuise And let their good instructious teache you three Be faithfull all as brethren ought agree For concorde kepes a real me in stable staye But discarde bringes all kingdomes to decape Recorde to this mine cldest sonne I giue This midle parte of realme to holde his owne And to his heyres that after him shall lyue Also to Camber that his parte be knowne I giue that laude that lies welnighe oregrowne With woodes Norwest mountaynes mighty bie Twene this and that the Stutiae streame doth lye And vnto the my yongest sonne that arte Myne Albanacte I giue to thee likewise As muche to be for thee and thine a parte As Northe beyende the arme of sea there lyes Of which loe here a map before your eyes Lo here my sonnes my kingdome all you haue For which I nought but this remember craue Firste that you take these fathers graue for mee Imbrace their counsaile euen as it were myne Next that betwene your selues you will agree And neuer one at others welthe repine See that ye byde still bounde with frendly lyne And laste my subiectes with such loue retayne As long they may your subiectes eke remayne Lo nowe I fele my breath beginnes to fayle My time is come giue eche to me your hande Farewell farewell to mourne will not preuayle I see with knife where Atropos doth stande Farewell my frendes my children and my lande And farewell all my subiectes farewell breathe Farewell ten thousand tymes and welcome deathe And euen with that he turnde himselfe a syde And gasped thryse and gaue a way the ghost Then all at once with mourning voyce they cryde And all his subiects cke from lest to most Lamenting fild with wayling teares ech coast Perdy the Britaynes all with one assent Did for their king full doulfully lament But what auayles to striue against the tyde Or els to sayle against the streame and winde What booteth it against the clyues to ryde Or els to worke against the course of kinde Sith nature hath the ende of thinges assiude There is no nay we must perforce departe Gainst dint of deaty there is no ease by arte As custome wild wee funerals preparde And al with moutning cloathes and there did come To laye this king on Beere we had regarde In Royal sort as did his corps become His Herce prepard we brought him to his tombe At Troynouant he built where he did dye Was he entombde his Royal corps doth lye Thus raignd that worthy king that found this land My father Brutus of the Troian blood And thus he dyed when he fulwell had mande This noble Realme with Britaynes fearce and good And so a while in stable state it stoode Till 〈◊〉 deuided had this realme in three And I to soone receiude my part to mee Then straight through all the world gan fame to flye A monster swifter none is vnder son Encreasing as in waters wee descrye The cyrcles small of nothing that begon Which at the length vnto such breadth do come That of a drop which from the skyes doth fall The cyrcles spread and hide the watersall So fame in flight increaseth more and more For at the first she is not scarcely knowne But by and by she 〈◊〉 from shore to shore To cloudes from th' earth her stature straight is growne There what soeuer by her trompe is blowne The sound that both by sea and land out flyes Reboundes againe and verberats the skyes They say the earth that first the giaunts bred For anger that the Gods did them dispatche Brought forth this sister of those monsters dead Full light of foote swift winges the winds to catch Such monster erst did Nature neuer hatche As manye plumes she hath from top to toe So many eyes them vnder watche or moe And tongues do speake so many eares do harke By night twene heauen she flyes and earthly shade And shreaking takes no quiet steepe by darke On houses rowfes or to wres as keeper made She sittes by day and Cities threats t' inuade And as she telles what thinges she sees by veme She rather shewes thats fained false then true This fame declarde that euen a people finall Had landed here and found this pleasaunt I le And how that now it was deuided all Into three parts and might within a while Be won by force by treason fraude or guile Wherefore she moues her frends to make assay To win the price aud beare our pompe away A thousand thinges beside she bruites and telles And makes the most of euery thing she heares Long time of us she talkes and nothinge els Eke what shee seeth abroade in hast she beares With tatling toyes and tickleth so their eares That needes they must to flattering Fame assent Though afterwards they do therefore lament By East from hence a countrey large doth lye Vngaria eke of Hunnes it hath to name And hath Danubius floud on South it by Deuiding quite from Austria the same From thence a king was named Humber came Du coastes of Albanie did he ariue In hope this lande of Britaine to achiue Which when by postes of subiects I did heare How enmies were ariued on my shore I gathered all my souldiers voyde of feare And backe the Hunnes by force and might I bore But in this battaile was I hurt so sore That in the field of mounds I had I dyde And left my men as flockes
THE FIRST parte of the Mirour for Magistrates containing the falles of the first infortunate Princes of this lande From the comming of Brute to the incarnation of our sauiour and redemer Iesu Christe Ad Romanos 13.2 Quisquis se opponit potestati Dei ordinationi resistit Imprinted at London by Thomas Marshe Anno. 1574. Cum Priuilegio The contentes of the Booke 1. ALbanact the yongest sonne of Brutus telles of the finding of this land his fathers life and his owne infortunate fall Fol. 4. 2. Humber the kinge of Hunnes shewes how he mindinge to conquere this land was drowned c. Fol. 15 3 Locrinus the eldest sonne of Brutus declares his slaughter to hauehappened for his euil life Fol. 17 4 Elstride the concubine of Locrinus miserably drowned by Guendoline his wife declares hir presumptiō leude life and infortunate fall Fol. 21 5 Sabrine the base childe of Locrinus telles how she was pitifully drowned by his wyfe Guendoline in reueng of her fathers adulterye Fol. 28 6 Madan shevves hovve for his euil life hee vvas slaine of wolues Fol. 32. 7 Manlius declares how he minding to kill his brother for the kingdome was by him slaine Fol. 34 8 Mempricius giuen all to lust pleasure and the sinne of Sodomy telles how he was deuoured of wolues Fol. 36 9 Bladud resiteth how hee practizing by curious artes to flye fel and brake his necke Fol. 40 10 Cordila shewes howe by despaire when she was in prison she slew hir selfe Fol. 47. 11 Morgan telles how he wadging warre with his cosin Conidagus was slaine at the place yet called Glamorgan Fol. 54. 12 Forrex declares hovve hee mindinge to kill his brother which ruled with him that he might thereby raigne alone was by him slaine Fol. 57. 13 Porrex recites how for the slaughter of his brother he was slaine by his owne mother and hir may dens as he laye sleeping Fol. 60. 14 Kimarus shewes how for his euil life he was deuoured by wilde beasts Fol. 63. 15 Morindus a bastarde declares howe he was exalted to the kingdome waxed cruell and at last was deuoured by amonster Fol. 65 16 Nennius a worthy Britaine the very patern of a valiant noble and faithfull subiect encountringe with Iulius Caesar at his first comminge into this Islande was by him death wounded yet nathelesse hee gate Caesars sworde put him to flight slewe therewith Labienus a Tribune of the Romaynes endured fighte till his countrymen wan the battaile dyed xv dayes after And nowe encourageth all good subiectes to defende their countrey from the power of forraine and vsurping enemies Fol. 68. Loue and liue TO THE NOBILITIE and all other in office God graunt the increase of wysedome with all thinges necessarie for preseruacion of their estates Amen AMongst the wise right Honorable whose sentēces for the moste parte tende either to teache the attaining of vertue or eschuing of vice Plotinus that wonderfull and excellent Phylosopher hath these wordes The propertie of Temperaunce is to couet nothing which maye hee repented not to exceade the bandes of measure and to keepe desire vnder the yooke of Reason VVhiche saying if it were so well knowen as is needefull so well imbraced as hee wyshed or so surely fixed in minde as it is printed in his woorkes then certis manye Christians might by the instruction of an Ethnicke Phylosopher shunne great and daungerous perils For to couet without consideration to passe the measure of his degree and to lette will runne at randon is the onely destruction of all estates Else howe were it possible so many learned politike wise renoumed valiauntand victorious personages might euer haue come to such vtter decaye VVill you that I rehearse Alexander the great Caesar Pompey Cyrus Hannibal c. Al which by desire of glorie felte the rewarde of their immoderate and insatiable lustes for if Alexander had ben content with Macedonie or not ben pufte vp with pride after his triumphes hee had neuer ben so miserably poysoned If Caesar and Pōpey had ben satisfied with their victories and had not fell to ciuill discention the one had not ben slaine in the Senate with daggers the other abrode by his frendes procurement If Cyrus had ben pleased with all Persia and Media and not thirsted for bloud he had neuer com to so infortunat a fall If Hanniball had not so much delited in glory of warfare his countrey had neither fel in ruine nor he ben miserably forced to poyson him selfe But you wil say desire of fame glorie renowne and immortalitie to which al mē wel nighe of nature are inclined especially those which excel or haue any singuler gift of Fortune or of the body moued them to such daungerous great and hardy enterprises which I must ne des confesse as an infallible veritie but for so much as the aboue named vertue by Plotinus his iudgemēt hath such excellent properties it is so fit in a Magistrate that I surely deme those Princes aboue specified considering their factes estates fortunes fame and exploytes had neuer come to suche ende but for wante of temperance Yet sithe there are three other Cardinall vertues whiche are requisite in him that should be in authoritie that is to saye Prudence Iustice and Fortitude which so wōderfully adorne and beautifie all estates if Temperaunce bee with them adioyned that they moue the very enemies with admi ration to praise thē some peraduenture as affection leades will commende one some another Yea and though Aristotle prince of Phylosophers name Prudence The mother of vertues And Cicero define hir the knowledge of thinges which ought to be desired and followed and also of them which ought to be 〈◊〉 and eschewed yet shall you finde that for wante of Temperaunce those whiche were counted the wisest that euer were fel into wonderfull reproche and infamie Yea and though Iustice that incomparable vertue as the auncient Ciuilians define hir be a perpetuall and constant will which geueth to euery man his right Yet if she be not constant which is the gift of fortitude nor equal in discerning right from wrong wherin is prudence nor vse proportion in iudgement and sentence which pertaineth to temperaunce shee can neuer be called equitie or iustice but fraude deceate in iustice and iniurie And to speake of 〈◊〉 which Cicero definith A consyderate vndertaking of perils and enduring of labours If hee whom we suppose stoute valiaūt and of good courage want Prudence Iustice or Temperaunce he is not counted bolde manly and constant but made beastly and desperate I will also sith I haue gone so farre with the vertues and the place so vrgeth lastly set downe the difinition of Temperaunce according to Cicero his opinion Temperaūce saith he is of reason in lust and other euil assaultes of the minde a sure and moderate dominion and rule This noble vertue hath three partes that is cōtinence clemēcie and modestie which well and wisely obserued and kept if grace be to
vnwrought ill Why spare you Britaynes this my corps to kill With that the king good Lady fayre what iste Thou canst desire or aske but must obtaine Eke would to God with all my hart I wiste Best waye to ease thee of thy wofull paine But if thou wilt do here with mee remaine If not content conductours shalt thou haue To bring thee home and what thou els wilt craue As for my Queene as yet I none possesse Therefore thou rather maiste voutchsafe to take That place thy selfe then waite on her I gesse Whose beautye with thy face no match can make The Gods denye that I thy heste forsake I saue thy life eke God forbid that I Should euer cause so fayre a Ladye dye O King quoth I the Gods preserue thy grace The heauens requite thy mercy shewde to mee And all the starres direct thy regall race In happye course long length of yeares to see The earth with fertile fruites inriche so thee That thou maist still like Justice her dispose And euer more treade downe thy deadly foes The noble king commaunded to vnbinde Mine armes and let mee lewce and free at will And afterward such fauour did I finde That as his Queene I was 〈◊〉 still And I enioyde all pleasures at my 〈◊〉 So that they quite had quenched out my thrall And I forgate my former fortunes all Thus lo by fauoure I obtainde my suite So had my beauty set his brest on fire That I could make Locrinus euen as muite Or pleasaunt as my causes did require And when I knewe he could no way retyre I praide he would his fauour so extende As I might not be blamed in the ende For if quoth I you take me as your owne And eke my loue to you haue constant beene Then let your loue like wise againe be showne And wed me as you said your spouse and Queene If since in mee misliking you haue seene Then best depart betime before defame Begin to take from Elstride her good name No wauering hart said he Locrinus beares No sayned flatery shall thy fayth deface Thy beauty birth fame vertue age and yeares Constraine mee both thee and thy hestes imbrace I must of force giue thy requestes a place For as they do with reason good consent Euen so I graunt thee all thy whole inteut Then was the time appointed and the day In which I should be wedded to this kinge But in this case his counsaile causde a staye And sought out meanes at discord vs to bringe Eke Corinaeus claimde a former thing A precontract was made and full accorde Betweene his daughter and my soueraigne Lorde And yet the King did giue me comfort still He said he could not so forsake my loue Yet euermore would beare me all good will As both my beauty and desertes did moue But still the ende doth who is fauty proue His counsaile at the last did him constraine To marry her vnto my 〈◊〉 paine At which I coulde not but with hate repine It 〈◊〉 mee his mate that should haue beene To liue in bate a prince his concubine That euer had such hope to be his Queene The steppes of state are full of wo and teene For when wee thincke we haue atainde the throne Then straight our poÌ„pe pride is quite orethrone Lotwise I fell from hope of Princely crowne First when vnhappy Humber lost his life And next I laide my peacockes pride adowne When as I could not be Locrinus wife But oft they say the thirde doth ende the strife Which I haue proude therefore the sequel ve me The thirde payes home this prouerbe is to true This kinge could not refraine his former minde But vsde me still and I my doubtfull yeares Did linger on I knew no shift to finde But past the time full oft with mourning teares A concubine is neuer voyde of feares For if the wyfe her at aduauntage take In radge reuenge with death she seekes to make Likewise I wiste if once I sought to flye Or to entreate the kinge depart I might Then would he straight be discontent with mee Yea if I were pursued vpon the flight Or came deflourde into my parents sighte I should be taken kept perforce or slaine Or in my country liue in great disdaine In such a plight what might a woman doe Was euer Lady fayre in such a 〈◊〉 O wretched wight bewrapt in webbes of woe That still in dread wast tost from place to place And neuer foundest meane to ende thy race But still in doubt of death in carking care 〈◊〉 liue a life deuoyde of all welfare The king perceiuing well my chaunged cheare To case my hart withall deuisde deceats By secrete wayes I came deuoyde of feare In baultes by cunning Masons crafty feats Whereas wee safely from the Queene her threats Perdy the King and I so vsde our arte As after turnde vs both to paine and smarte By him I had my Sabrine small my childe And after that his wife her father loste I meane he dyed and she was straight exilde And I made Queene vnto my care and coste For she went downe to Cornevval straight in peste And caused all her fathers men to ryse With all the force and strengthe they might deuyse My king and hirs with me gainst hir preparde An army strong but when they came to fighte Dame Guendoline did war at length to harde And of our king vs both deposed quite For from hir campe an arrowe sharpe did lighte Upon his breste and made him leaue his breath Lo thus this king came by vntimely death Then I to late began in vayne to flye And taken was presented to the queene Who me behelde with cruell tigres eye O queene ê™ she that cause of warres haste bene And deadly hate the like was neuer seene Come on for these my bandes shall ridde thy life And take reuengement of our mortall strife I longed long to bring thee to this baye And thou likewyse hast sought to sucke my bloud Nowe arte thou taken in my spoyles a praye That causde my life full long in daunger stoode I wyll both teache thy selfe and others good To breake the bandes of faithfull wedlocke plight And giue thee that which thou deseruidste right O harlote whore why should I stay my handes O painted picture shall thy lookes thee saue Nay bynde hir faste both hande and foote in bandes And let hir some straunge kinde of tormentes haue What stroÌ„pet stues thinkste for thou seemist braue Dr for thy teares or sighes to scape my sight My selfe will rather banquishe thee by fight Thou rather shouldste my vitall breath depriue Then euer scape if none were here but wee But now I will not file my handes to striue Dr else to touche so vile a drabe as shee Come on at once and bring hir after mee With hande and feete as I commaunded bounde And let me see hir here as Humber drounde A thousand things beside she spake in rage While that a caytife
the height they feele the fall of topsy turuye downe For if when they suppose themselues aloft to touche the skye There chaunce a storme there is no holde to staye themselues so hye But faster farre more swiftly they and with more swinge descende Then euer erst they could with all their force to clime contende Do bid them then in all their deedes marke well the fineall ende Finis The Authour NExt after Porrex came another such Had all his body quite in peeces rent A desperate man his life bewayling much VVhich for he seemed sorely to lament I was the rather him to heare content That I might also note his story here From like attempts of vices you to feare Kimarus shewes howe for his euill life he was deuoured by wilde beastes the yeare before Christ 321. NO place commends the man vnworthy prayse No title of estate doth stay vp vices fall No wicked wight to woe can make delayes No loftye lookes preserues the proude at all No bragges or beaste no stature high and tall No lofty youth no swearing staringe 〈◊〉 No brauery banding cogging cutting out Then what auayles to haue a princely place A name of honour or an highe degree To come by kinred of a noble race Except wee princely worthy noble bee The fruite declares the goodnes of the tree Do bragge no more of birth or linage than Sith vertue grace and maners make the man. My selfe might bragge and first of all begin Mulmutius made and constituted lawes And Belinus and Brenne his sonnes did win Such praise their names to bee immortall cause Gurgunstus Redbearde with his sober sawes The sonne of Beline and my grandsyre grande Was fortunate what ere he toke in hande His sonne my grandsyre Guintheline did passe For virtues praise and Martia was his wyfe A noble Queene that wise and learned was And gaue hir selfe to studye all hir life Deuising lawes discust the endes of strife Amonge the Britaynes to hir endlesse Fame Hir statutes had of Martian lawes the name My father eke was sober sage and wise Cicilius hight king Guintheline his sonne Of noble Princes then my stocke did rise And of a Prince of Cornewall first begonne But what thereby of glory haue I wonne Can this suffice to aunsweare eke for mee I came by parents of an highe degree Or shall I saye Kimarus I was king Then might I liue as lewdely as I lust No sure I cannot so 〈◊〉 the stinge Of shame that prickes such Princes are bniuft We rather should vnto our vertues trust For vertue of the auncient bloud and kin Doth onely praise the parties shee s within And nobles onely borne of this be sure Without the vertues of their noble race Do quite and cleane themselues thereby obscure And their renowne and dignities deface They do their birth and linage all abace For why in deede they euer ought so well In vertues graue as titles braue ercell But oft God wot they fare as erst did I They thincke if once they come of Princelye stocke Then are they placed safe and sure so hye Aboue the rest as founded on a rocke Of wise mens warnings all they make a mocke Theyr counsayles graue as abiect reedes despise And count the braue men gracious worthy wise This kingdome came to mee by due discent For why my father was before mee kinge But I to pleasure all and lust was bent I neuer reckt of Iustice any thinge What purpose I did meane to passe to bringe That same t' accomplishe I withall my might Endeuorde euer were it wronge or right I deemde the greatest ioyes in earthly hap I thought my pleasures euer would abide I seemde to sit in Ladye Fortunes lap I reckt not all the world me thought beside I did by lust my selfe and others guide Where by the fates to worke my bane withall And cut me of thus wise procurde my fall As I was alwayes bent to bunting still Yet hunting was no vice to those I had When I three yeares had rulde this realme at 〈◊〉 In chace a chaunce did make my harte full sad Wilde cruell beastes as desperate and mad Turnde back on me as I them brought to baye And in their rage my sinfull corps did sley A iuste rewarde for so 〈◊〉 a life No worse a death then I deserued yore Such wreckes in th' ende to wretches all are rife Who may and will not call for grace before My wilful deedes wer nought what wilt thou more My wanton wildnesse witlesse heedelesse toyes By brutishe beastes bereaud me of my ioyes FINIS The Authour ON this Kimarus lefte me all alone And so did Morpheus then I thought to reste But yet againe he came presenting one For audience likewyse making his requeste A worthy prince he ware a warlike creste A blade in hande he bloudy rusty bore VVas all his harnesse from his shoulders tore His armes and handes were all embrued in bloud So was his breste but all the reste beside Seemde rayde with matter vyle or slimy mud VVith red and yelow as it were bedide You scarcely could the sight therof abide Yet sithe he seemde some worthy wight to be It brought by farre lesse squemishnes to me Morindus a bastarde declares how hee was 〈◊〉 to the kingdome wared cruell and at laste was deuoured by a monster the yeare before Christe 303. LEt me likewyse declare my factes and fall And eke recite what meanes this slimye glere You nede not fayne so quaynte a looke at all Although I seeme so fulsome euery where This blade in bloudy hande perdy I beare And all this gore bemingled with this glue In wytnes I my deadly enmy 〈◊〉 Then marke my tale beware of rashnes bile I am Morindus once was Britayne king On whome did swetely lady Fortune smyle Till she me to hir top of towres did bring My fame both farre and nere she made to ringe And eke my prayse exalted so to skye In all my time 〈◊〉 famous none then I. Some saye I was by birthe a 〈◊〉 bace Be gotten of the prince his concubine But what I was declared well my grace My fortitude and stature princely mine My father 〈◊〉 that came of princely line King Danius gaue not so bace degree Nor yet the noble Britaynes vnto mee For 〈◊〉 of armes and warlike pointes I passe In courage stoute ther lyude not then my pere I made them all that knewe my name agaste And heard how great my enterprises were To shrinke and slynke and shifte aside for feare All which at length did me such glory bring My father dead the Britaynes made me king But see how blinde we are when Fortune smples How senceles we when dignities increase We euer vse our selues discretely whyles We little haue and loue to liue in peace Smale fauters factes with mercy we release We vse no rigoure rancoure rapine such As after when we haue our willes to much For while that I a subiecte was no king While I had nothing but my factes