of the Moone Endymions lippes I wot But for I will disperse the mistes of further Mysteries And toogh the Pinuesse of my thoughts to kenning of your Eyes If Geâ—try Madame might conuay so great a good to me From auncient King Cadwallader I haue my pettigree If wealth be sayd my want I say your Grace doth want no wealth And my suppliment shall be loue imployed to your health It hath beene when as heartie Loue did treate and tie the knot Though now if gold but lacke in graines the wedding fadgeth not The goodly Queene in bashfull signes blusht out a dumbe Replie Which he did constur as she meant and kist her reuerently Tuder quoth she I greater am than would I were for thee But can as little maister Loue as Lessers in degree My Father was a King a King my Husband was my Brother He is a King a King my Sonne and I thy Soueraignes mother Yeat Fathers Husbands Brothers Sonnes all their Stiles together Are lesser valewed than to liue beloued of my Tuder Should England France and thou thy selfe gainesay thy selfe for mine Thy selfe France England nor what els ' should barre me to be thine Yea let them take me wilfull or mistake me wanton so My selfe in loue do please my selfe let all the world say no Let Pesants matte their marriages and thriue at peraduenture I loue for loue no gentle heart should fancy by Indenture But tell me Owen am I not more forward then behooues I am sweet-Heart but blame me not the same that speaketh loues And long may liue quoth he to loue nor longer liue may I Than while I loue your Grace and when I leaue disgraced die But Ladie if I doe deserue I then desire dispatch For manie are the iealous Eies that on your beautie watch Good hap is like to hit me well to hit so well is rare And rarenesse doth commence my sute let sute conclude my care Should Caesar kisse he kissed her it were but such a kisse And he and I here or elsewhere in other sport or this Doe act alike no bettring but as your belouing is You may experience when you please what difference in the men And if King Henry pleased more blame Owen Tuder then But am I not yes Sweete I am more sawsie than behooues Yeat for my heart forgiue my tongue This speaketh and That loues How he imprison'd did escape and else what else-wheare reede The Queene and this braue Gentleman did marry and their Seede Began that royall Race that did doth and may still succeede In happie Empire of our Throne a famous line in deede Once when this Match was at a point they merrily disposed Did descant what from vulgar tongues thereof would be supposed They will beleeue me amorous or thee so wiued as Vulcan the Smith of Lemnos that to Venus married was The Queene did say And Tuder said I hope of hansell better In Venus and in Vulcans names more lieth than the letter For he was as I would not be She as you should be neuer Either so apt to giue and take as pittie them to seuer I pray thee Owen quoth the queene how met they canst thou tell I can he said and more then so then marke the processe well When Vulcan was a Batcheler and Venus was vnwed Thus wowde he her thus wonne he her thus wowde won he sped CHAP. XXX VEnus the fairest Goddesse and as amorous as faire Belou'd of Mars and louing Mars made oftentimes repaire To Vulcans forge as to see wrought for Iupiter his Fire And thunders Mars his Armors and the Sunwaines curious tire When they indeede of merriments in Loue did theare conspire And lastly did conlude the Smith a Stale vnto their sport Wherein did Venus play her part preuayling in this sort Vulcan quoth she no God there is I thinke but needeth thee For Thunders Ioue Ceres for Sieths for Armors Mars I see Bacchus for prewning Kniues and Pan for Sheep-hookes Phoebus hee For Cart-tiers Dis for shakling chaines Neptune for Ankers and No God but lackes thee sauing I that aske not at thy hand My Swans do draw in silken Geeres my wheeles be shod with downe No hardines is in beauties Coach But thou by birth no Clowne But Ioue his Son a God as wee art made a drudge too much When if that Venus might be heard thou shouldest not be such How apt are all in those same toyles that tende to their behoofe To let thee beare till backe doth breake but common is the proofe That cunning is not cunning if it standeth not aloofe By this had Vulcan hammered his heate and bad to stay The Bellowes and he lymping from the Anfeeld thus did say My busines Venus is ydoe now may I tend to play What woudst thou for I member scarce thy arging by my fay Wodst that I leaue the forge and thrt I god it with the Gods If so thou meanst thy meaning and my meaning be at ods Sweeter my Bellowes blowing and my hammers beating is To me then trimmest fidling on the trickest kit ywis Aske whatso-else I haue to giue thous maunde it for a kis As if quoth she my kisses were so currant vnto all No not at all to Vulcan if his kindnesse be so small I aske thy proper ease then earne thy proper ease and aske More than a kisse at least wise doe thy selfe from Mars vntaske He is my Foe frend thou not him nor forge him Armes but let Him luske at home vnhonored no good by him we get What lets but that we may become superlatiues Of vs All stand in neede we neede not them Then gaue shee him a â—us And saist me so quoth Vulcan and vnto the trough he hies And skowres his coly fists and face and with his apron dries Them badly mended and vnto the Queene of Dalliance sayes That Mars should lusk at home for him Then guilefull Venus playes Her part so well that on her lappe his head the Dotardlayes And whilst vpon her pressed Thies no Hauen for such Hulke He â—olls and loades her with the weight of his vnwealdy bulke And whilst she coyes his sooty Cheekes or curles his sweaty top The Groshead now and then as hapt a thred-bare terme le ts drop Then laughes he like a horse as who would say trow said I well But soone his wits were Non plus for his wooing could but spell This fitted her for so before twixt Mars and her was ment Though not that she so cunningly should Mars of Armes preueÌ„t But him to stawle in store not els employde was her intent Her Lubber now was snorting ripe and she meane while was glad That for to serue her turne else-wheare so good a Staile she had What passe I thinketh Venus on his forme or fashions rude For letting forme and fashion passe one fashion is pursude In getting Children at the least who so the Child shall git It shall suffice that Vulcan is the same shall father it Now Mars in
the Rownd amids Not Satires or the Naiades were halfe so nimble as This countrey Consort for each Lad was sorted with a Lasse There was a tricksie Girle I wot albeit clad in gray As peatt as bird as straite as boult as fresh as flower in May As faire as Cupids Mother or through him it is I erre Ifso I erre for why his shaft had fixed me to her Shee daunsing dyed her lilly Cheekes whil'st I for loue did diâ— And as vnuisible I stoode what bootes it me to lye And drew with breath her sweet-stole breath so acting spiritually The feast was done and all vndone that I did wish to doe My Deity adiornde therefore in humaine forme I wowe And first because that first they should approach vs Gods I faine My selfe a Priest for well I wot they sildome wooe in vain I made me smug and with a Tex did intermix a toye And tould how fine and faire a life our Clergie-Femes inioy And how our leisure fitted Loue. And let it fit quoth she To such as lust for loue Sir Clarke you clergefie not me Then came I curious in my silkes But who would thinke that Pan Could play the Courtier and did faine my selfe a iolly man I talkt of Castles Mannors Parkes and all things more than mine Too course quoth she am I for you and you for me too fine Then Souldier-like I sued and did boast of Battels many And standing on my Manhood would not be coriu'd of any And sometimes proffered kindnesse such as came not to the push But checked for my boystrousnes was balked with a blush Then play I maister Merchant and did plye her by the booke I spake of great Accompts Receites nor little care I tooke For rigging and returne of Ships her lippes meane while my Pex Ply Sir quoth she your busie trade you are besides the Tex I seeme a countrie Yeoman Then a Craftsman both in vayne The former was too lumpish and the latter worse of twayne Doe what I could I could not doe whereby her loue to gayne Then thought I out of doubt as I a God fayne Manhood so This is transform'd Diana for some practise meant beloe A yeare was past and I past hope through coyish chast denyall And yeat I could not but persist in quest of further tryall I met God Pryapus for he not Venus sonne it is Abuseth vs This darteth Loue That driues to lust amis Seest yonder Clowne quoth Priapus not far-off was a Loute With neare a handsome rag himselfe lesse handsome soole to snout Lesse wel-form'd or more il-fac'st like Clenchpoope looke lim Lesse mannerd and worse gated than this Saturns-Eeue-made Slim God neuer made since God made Man if euer God made him That Lob quoth he and yonder Lasse that this way driues her Gotes Do marke them Pan you may obserue from them vnthought-of notes I knew her for my Minion wench of whom I earst did tell First blend they heards and forthwith lips and after billing fell To other sport such sport ywis as would haue likt me well Must I thought I giue ayme to such a skrub and such a Saint That Skowndrell and this Counterfeit confounded so I faint How cheere you Pan quoth Priapus the shameles God of lust Thus can I fit such friends as you with such a Trull of trust We were indeede ere then at odds So Priapus he left me When he had brought me to this sight that neere of sense bereft me But thus I loathed where I lou'd and learned not too late That coyest are not chastest that the gayest Females mate With Loutes as soone as Lords that Loue is luck not shiftles fate That cowled celled he or she whoso or wheresoeuer Or Votarie or Secular scarse one pryaped neuer To Pans report did Mercurie replie and thus recite Of Cupide and of Priapus doth Pan distinguish right But let be Lust a word or two of Loue and of his might I Entring Guest-wise on a time the frolicke Thabane Court Mine eye presented to mine heart a Nymph of louely Port Her knew I not nor knew she me vnknowne therefore vnkist I loyter on the Earth meane while in Heauen not vnmist My Senses held a Synode and vnacted Acts dispute And nothing els I did affect but to effect my sute For whencesoeuer Loue proceedes or whatsoere it be Or whosoeuer loueth Loue tormenteth in degree Mine Eye conuaid it to mine Heart mine Heart controwld mine Eye Yeat Loue retriu'd it selfe I lou'd not knowing whome or why Then did I seeke and find who am no Milksop as ye wot Acquaintance in the Court the which the nicest balked not Nor smally did my shape my tongue and tunes no common geere Preferre their Master to a place about their Mistresse neere When she did sigh then I did sob I laught if she did smile And by officious Forgeries pretended to begile But her not coy I found so chast as saue a kisse or twaine I nothing got although in all I vained to her vaine From ill therefore I grew to worse from worse to worse for why Through ouer-louing at the length I loued ielously My Stomacke lest me euery sense had imperfection then My colour ceast and sicke I forge contrary cause to men So many Quames came ore my heart as newes to eare or eie Of others commoning in sport or courting seriouslie No Corsiue to Coriuals and no death vnto despaire I did not hope yeat held I on with cost to nourish care Sometime attyred by the booke I faind a merrie cheere Sometime I drouped and did weare disorderly my geere But how-soere I came to her I found her still the same Gamesome enough to intertaine and yet for me no game And though enuiously I aym'd at others better speede Yeat too precisely did I sift such doubts were more than neede Then rowsing vp my selfe I with my selfe did reason thus No folly were in Loue if so no folly were in vs Wheare Mercurie is layd asleepe may others lay a straw The Louer and Beloued are not tyed to one Law Because I am the same I am should shee not therefore bee The same she is mine is too loue but hers to disagree Then Mercurie be to thy selfe thy selfe these thoughts begile With meeter thoughts thou lingerest in losse too long a while Thinke not thy greatnesse or thy gifts or gracious eyes may get her A Foole more foule may seem more faire Loue may think bad the better If she determine Chastititie then falls thy sute to ground Or if some other be preferd then better lost than found Likte or misliked to thy Loue should reason be the bound Or Women loue to be belou'd of chaunge of Clyents or Vncertaine wheare to find them with the Eagle or the Dorr Albeit Beautie mooues to loue and Loue doth make thee sue Better at first be Non-sute than at length not to subdue Such Reasons seeming plausible I fleeting whence I loued By absence and new Exercise old Passions were
A Supersedeas for her loue was euery new-come frend And being now in much request and waxing proud of fauour By artificiall pryde she chang'd her naturall behauour Her face was Maskt her locks were â—url'd her bodie pent with buske And which was needles she more sweet her rayment sented Muske By all she did might seeme to be vnlike her selfe she me 〈…〉 Yeat worst of all to sanctum-Sinne too aptly is she bent Erickmon when that followed her vnpitied not vâ—pearst Reform'd his wits his sute and hope of her not now as earst And scornd her mind that scornd his loue to her so firmly geason For whyâ—shee offred double wrong to wrong and scorne a reason Thus whilst he hopt he hild her least so altereth the caâ—e With such as she Ah such it is to build on such a face This sayd he and for this he sayd I for the ruth of this Did vowe that who so once were mine I would be onely his Why this concern'd not him nor shewd a maÌ„ distraught quoth he Nay heare the rest of his vnrest it followeth thus quoth shee Then sheading teares he to the Tree so spoken to would say Was not Gynetta false that did Erickmon so betray But hath my Mistresse cause to change what cause thinke you should moueâ— I fram'd me hers she fayn'd her mine my loue is euer loue May y e faire face proue one foule botch those shining eies proue bleard That sweete breath stench like proofe to all that faire or sweete appeard In her that wrongs her true-loue let her loathed euer lust Begge may she and vnpittied pine rot perish on the dust And dead be damned that vnto her true-loue is vniust Yee men say all Amen or if amend your selues ye must Curse not this Mad-man sayd but sweare that women be vntrew Their loue is but a Mummerie or as an Aprils dew Got with a toy gon with a toy gifts flattrie gawdes or wine Will make her checke flie to game lesse faire perhaps than thine More amorous than men and men conuay their loue lesse fine If such they are as such they are and will be whilst they be Why am I then so true of loue because not borne a she Witlackst thou then fond Foole I sigh to say true ayme you giue Wheare grew that lacke fond Foole I sigh to say wheare now I liue Whence grew that lacke fond Foole I sigh to say froÌ„ ioyes remou'd When grew that lacke fond Foole I sigh to say when first I lou'd And doest thou loue ah too too well I wot I loue indeede Why doest thou loue with lucke too ill I loue for louers meede Whome dosst thou loue ah too too well I wot a louely She. What time in loue with lucke too ill in loue too long for me Wit lackst thou then that wilfully doest erre and nourish it Wit doe I lacke not wilfully then blame not will but wit How shall I doe my Heart is lost and I am left in woe Met any man a poore tame Heart the Heart good Folke I owe Strucken maimed all of gore and drouping doth it goe A Lasse once fauour'd or at least did seeme to fauour it And fosterd vp my frollicke Heart with many a pleasing bit She lodg'd him neere her Bower whence he loued not to gad But waxed cranke for why no Heart a sweeter Layer had But whether that some other Deere estranged her or not Or that of course her game is Change my Heart lackt brouse I wot Despysd displeasde and quite disgrac'st my Heart euen to this day Dislodged wandring woe begon I wot not wheare doth stray But see ah see I see how Loue casts off Desire his Hound A fell fleet Dogge that hunts my Heart by parsee each-wheare found Sweet Cynthea rate the eger Curte and so thy foe preuent For loe a farre my chased Heart imboste and almost spent Thankes gentle Goddesse now the Lad pursues a bootles chace My Heart recouers Couert wheare the Hound cannot hold pace Now tappas closely silly Heart vnrowse not and so liue The Huntsmans-self is blinde the Hound at Losse doth ouer-giue But list alas Loues Beagles be vncoupeld Beautie praites And driues my Heart from out the thicks and at Receiâ— awaites Vaine-hope and either now falls in and now my Heart must dye Now haue they him at Bay and now in vayâ—e he fights to flye Auaunt Desire ha Curre auaunt the Bore so rase thy hyde Vnto the fall of my poore Heart see see how Loue doth ryde Hearke how he blowes his death ah see he now the Say doth take Of my poore Heart that neuer more for Loue shall pastime make Thus liu'd he till he left his life and for the ruth of this I vow'd that who so once were mine I would be only his Yeat sayd her Sutor he not she was punisht as may seeme Yes yes quoth she a Conscience prickt is deeply plagu'd I deeme Then Scotland warr'd on England and in that same waâ—re did end The Knight that had coryued so the Ladie lost each frend Oft saw I her in teares and oft I heard her to complayne For faith erst lost for losse now sound deuiding â—â—ghs in twayne There be that say if truely sayd vnbodied Soules haue walkt And of the Ghosts of these two Knights the like abroad was talkt Her eares had this and shee the heart that dared not her eyes For thether whence the brute did grow she feareles faultie hies Her Followers stood aloofe when she alone approaching sayd Beloued both what meanes this fight they seem'd as if they srayd Ah pardon me sweet First-belou'd my guile I graunt was great So is my griefe My latter Loue refraine let me intreate But whilst she spoke of deadly wounds they both did seeme to fall And after vanisht leauing her perplext in feare not small Who thenceforth fared as the Knight that did for her distraught Stil haunted of the Ghosts haunts y e place where they had faught Vntill of her despayring life her selfe the Period wraught Thus liu'd she till she left her life and for the ruth of this I vow'd that who so once were mine I would be onely his Tush this was but a Phantasie quoth he of subtill Feends Deluding her simplicitie in figure of her frends I heare not that they said or did aught taching her vntruth But foolish was her feare the like I censure of your ruth And shall I tell what they did tell and say what they did doe I will for so perhaps you will surcease quoth she to wowe The Ghost resembling him to whom she had disloyall bin Sayd I and This and thou be thus and shal be doom'd for sin For dotage in my loue for his deceitfull lust wetwaine Of freesh-sore wounds do hourely faint hurt heale heale hurt againe Nor can I vtter halfe we see and feare and suffer still Of endles Torments onely thou art Auctresse of such ill Who loue belou'd beleeue no life but wheare their loue doth
in that Climate Frozen dead shut vp with isie Driftes Thus died he and all with him if so to die be death But no saith Heauen no saith their Fame suruiuing them on Earth Then Chancelor his onely Ship remayning of that Fleete For Fynmarke at the VVardhouse sayles with his Conforts to meete There day it is two months of length and Mal-strands Poole it makes Such hidious rore deuouring floods that tenne miles distance shakes Wheare frustrate of his Friends in quest with courage not deiect He for the Course preposed did his ventrous Sayles direct KIng Arthur Malgo Edgar once to haue subdewd are saide Orkney Gotland Island and those former in that Traide Gronland VVireland Curland and colde Scrikfyn them obayde Newland with others and those Isles wheare men saue Eyes alone Are hid in hides of Beasts and Beasts saue Fish haue Fothernone Now Chancelor ariuing mong'st the Laplandeâ—s at last They seeing vncouth Men and Shippes weare wondringly agaste For eare that day was heard no Shippe that churlish Pole had past The Lapland Bay wheare he ariu'd now cald Saint Nicholas Bay Though Russiah fifteene hundreth Miles from Mosco is away Theare Winterd he at Newnox till safe-Conduct being sent Thence to their King on swift-drawne Sleads through frozen waies he went Not like Sarmatian Scithians for the Moscouites be so He found them plaine but rather much in Pompe to ouer-floe They neuer in the Russian Courte till then did English see His intertainment therefore was as stately as might be In sundrie Roomes weare hundreds seene in Gold and Tyssue clad A Maiestie Augustus-like their King inthroned had Let passe what paste in speech betwixt our Pilot and their King Full well could Chancelor demeane himselfe in euery thing Let passe how in Basilius Court most royally he fead Suffise it that our Agent of his arrant thither spead That is that Ours might trade with theÌ„ of which large leaue is read More not vnworthie note here of our purpose is to say But this be first of Mandeuil remembred by the way CHAP. LXIV WE left him form'd a Trauelet braue Pilgrim Knight farewell And Elenor sweete Soule in Loue with whom she could not tell He trauels for to leaue his Loue not caring where he lose it She for her Loue to finde it skils not whom so him that Oose it The greene-Knight be whoso he shall her heart had branded hers Wheare is that Second She that Loue for Vertue so prefers Her onely speede howso he shall his heart had branded his Wheare liues that second He that so by louing betterd is T' is often seene Loue works in Man a weake deiected minde T' is euer seene a Womans Loue doth alter as the winde Example then be Mandeuil for Men not to be idle In Amorous Passions Labor is to loue at least a Bridle Example too be Elenor But let vs say no more For Women euer alter saith the Gospell preach't before Conclude we then when Elenor and Mandeuil did die The Method of true louing did with them to Heauen flie For euer since too feruent in their Loue are Men for most But Iris-like in Womens Hearts Loue too and fro doth poste One Stafford of a Noble House a Courtiour of good hauor A friend and fast to Mandeuil and in the Prince his Fauor From Gyprus from his Friend receiu'd two Letters one was his The other sent to Elenor and that purported this Of you receiued I a Ring a Token to your Minde If so I met it and it is my fortune it so finde For if the Heart may as it might for Minde be vnderstood My Heart is yours your Ring so mine Harts interchang'd were good More did I feare than euer in your Ladiship I found Disdainefull Lookes froÌ„ those faire Eyes that me with loue did wouÌ„d Now speake I Loue far from those Lookes so forceable to kill Howbeit that I loue is not to worke or wish you ill Not more than this though Princes Frownes beare death with them feard I For had you lou'd the King mislikt what had I for'st to die Wheare I haue been were blasphemie from Women to detract Great store of Beauties haue I seene but none as yours exact Courts also more than stately with faire Ladies in the same Which seemed common Formes to me remembring but your name When in the Holly-land I prayd euen at the holy Graue Forgiue me God a sigh for sinne and three for Loue I gaue Against the fearce Arabâ—ans I the Soldans Pay did take When oft at Oâ—set for Saint George Saint Elenor I spake The Amazones those lustie Girles beleeue me lik't me Well But nothing in the best of them but doth in you excell I look't vpon the sterile Lake where Heauen-fir'd Sodom was For one thought I here such as you not so had come to pas Most sweete and Soueraigne Balsamum in Indian Fields I saw More soueraign sweeter SeÌ„ts thought I my lips froÌ„ yours could draw Nere Aethiop when the spice-sweete Well of youth I saw I saide My Lady lacketh not hereof Perfection needs not Ayde I sawe nor wonder you I should who sees you sees as much The onely Phoenix Foule and Faier but it and you none such But flying thus about your Blaze your Gnat doth burne his wings To my despairing Passion more your praised Bewtie brings Not Trauell tiers my Loue a whit but Loue doth tire on me Which should I wish me better or you baser of degree Be still the same you are let me exile my selfe for euer Two diffidenses I conceit will let me hope you neuer The first my selfe vnworthy you the latter and the least The Kings Consent But well I wot Loue is a Lordly Feast Aguize so should you so and so despayre is part releast One comfort is before you doome is Execution done My voluntary Banishment already is begon Which if you neuer shall repeale shall neuer end or when Ah can I hope it should you not for vs is England then Nor is it but our minds that make our natiue Homes our Graue As we to Ours Others to theirs like parciall Fancie haue Transmute we but our Mindes and then all one an Alien is As if a Natiue One resolu'd makes euery Country his Your Answer that by Pen our speech to this return'd shall be Voutsafe it vnto Stafford for an Other-I is he In perfect Friendship no suspect for two are one in all Communitie or doubling ioy or making griefe more small But would you to an Vnitie of hearts twixt vs incline Wheare Friendship is angelicall our Loue should proue diuine More write I not blest may you liue teares ouertake this Line When Stafford present Elenor this Letter had perus'de She said as else-where shall ensew Now is in vs infus'de Fresh matter of Discoueries How Chancelor he speade Is said before of Russia thus remaineth to be reade CHAP. LXV AVaste and spatious Empier is Moscouie in the same Bee Riuers Tanais Volga and Boristhenes of fame With
sweet Loue doth flames contriue The which shall burne me vp at once that now doe burne aliue Alas then did she pause in teares that Doracles were by To take it from his eyes not eares that I for him doe die At least perhaps he would confesse my loue to be no lie But Want wit I offensiue sights to Doracles I craue Long liue deare Hart not minding me when I am laid in graue And you my Lords by those same Goddes whose sight I hope anon I coniure that ye him inuest your King when I am gon Alonely say I liu'd and died to him a Louer true And that my parting Ghost did sound sweete Doracles adue A sigh concluding such her words she closed vp her eye Not one of vs beholding it that seemed not to die Thus to your Grace I leaue to gesse how tragick Daphles died In Loue my Lord yea louing you that her of Loue denied The Picture and this same discourse afford sufficient woe To him that maimed in his minde did to his Pallace goe Theare Doracles did set abroach a world of things forgot What meanest thou man ah frantick man how art thou ouershot He said to hate the substance then and loue the shadow now Her painted board whose amorous hart did breake whilst I not bow And couldst thou churlish wretch cōtemne the loue of such a Queene O Gods I graunt for such contempt I iustly bide your teene Her onely beautie worthy Ioue that now on me hath power Was worthie of farre worthier Loue without a further dower But gaze thou on her senceles Signe whose selfe thou madest thy pray And gazing perish for thy life is debt to her decay Time going on greefe it grewe on of dolour sprung dispaire When Doracles to Daphles Tombe did secretly repaire Theare teares a preface to the rest these onely words he spake Thy Loue was losse for losse my life in recompence doe take Deare Daphles So a daggers stab a Tragedie did make Well did this Tragicke matter sort to Cacus Tragicke vaine But merrier matter did behoue such humour to restraine That knew the second Sister well who smiling ere she spake Began her turne and of her Tale the next report I make CHAP. X. A Proper Lad made Loue quoth she vnto a pretie Lasse In self-same house for-worne with age this Maidens Grandame was Her eyes were sunck into her head her cheekes were leane and lank Out stood her chin into her mouth her bloodlesse lips they sanke Her toothlesse chappes disgracst her tongue in telling of a Tale And sucke she might a Teat for teeth and spoonage too did faile Her haire since sixtie yeares not blacke was now or white or none The substance of her wrinkled face was only skin and bone Dimme were her eyes deafe were her eares tanke smelt it shee could sent A Palsie made her feeling cease downe tastlesse food it went Sight hearing sent touch tast and all thus failing with her strength She to her chamber bed and chaire betooke her at the length But gold is lou'd till graue hath lodg'd her bags and she were one And she must giue the Maidens Dowre or els her Dowre is none The young man though he lou'd the Maid on whom no loue was lost Yeat did he loue to liue and knew that marriage asketh cost The olde wiues bags did let the Banes with whom he smoothed so That flattered she fantised her moldie braines did cro What Diuel I wote not made her dote she doted on the man Her rotten trunke and rustie face she finified than And seeth what she could not see her senslesse Senses worke And vnderneath a wrinckled hide a wanton heart did lurke Vnkindly too she kisses gaue which he did kindly take Supposing that her kindnes was but for the Maidens sake Her crooked ioynts which long ere then supported scarcely stood She brought vnto a wallowing pace disiellowing so her bloud And all for loue surreuerence Loue did make her chew the cudde Young Battus from his Omphida for they were named so Dislodged by the Grandame long to worke did roundly goe Desiring both the Maiden and to marrie her a Dower The old-wife netled at his words for all her loue did lower And drying vp what drained out in belching thus did say The thing friend Battus you demaund I gladly not denay But well you wot that I am old and yeat not all so old But that the remnant of my life may spend the wealth I holde As all are neerest to themselues so to my selfe am I And all shall lacke ere I will lacke store is no sore we trie If you doe like of Omphida I also like the match Loue hath no lacke ye both are young wealth comes to such as watch You louing her she to her selfe a dowrie is if not My money shall not sell the Maid a sinfull sale God wot For money shall not sell my selfe And yeat I cannot see But that a comfort to mine age an honest match would be My Goods besides doe want a Guide and often did I know Your youngers vpon elder wiues then I themselues bestow And liued well and loued well But as I doe not care For mariage so an honest match I neuer will forsweare Well Battus take you Omphida but if you money craue My bagges must onely vent to him whome I my selfe shall haue Yeat thinke not I mislike of you in that you haue not sped But thinke I wish no better match if I my selfe should wed Thus cunningly she closde with him and he conceaues her thought Vnequall was the Combat then that Loue and Lucar wrought The one was in her flowring age the other to too old The first with beautie did allure the latter with her Gold But stormes thought Battus haue their stops not long the Croen can liue Or if my kindenes length her life my kindenes God forgiue Reso luing therefore on such hope with easie sute he got Assurance to be wedded to the old deformed Trot. Medea charmed Aeson yong Battus Medea-like Did worke no lesse a euer vpon this vaine vnweldie Tyke Now on the bridle played she yeat as she laughes she lookes With ielious eyes if Omphida be blotted out his bookes Yea she that could not moue before now crauleth euery wheare To prye if Battus play not false and cause there was to feare But all this while no mariage was nor witnes of their match And well he knewe that widdowes shrinke if men forslowe dispatch So hasting what she hindred not come was the wedding day The Morning thawde the eauening frost and slipprie was the way Yeat hobling on her rustie ioynts to Churchward goes the Bride Whose feete her harts vnequall gides could nothing els but slide Then Battus kindly leadeth her and euer as she trips God blesse thee Mouse the Bridegroome said and smakt her on the lips The oftner stumbled then his Beast the oftner to be kist And thinketh in her gentle Choyse her selfe not meanly blist But when the
bring me so in hate How daintely his eyes endure so bace an Obiects view How desperatly doth he conclude and threatneth me and you Well barke he byte he bragges nor blowes shall dare me to defend A Challenge wheare so braue a Prize stands for the Wagers end Nor thinke vaine-glorious that thou art me lesser than a King Or greater than by sute or sword to prize so rare a thing Vpbrayd me not with banishment nor Belyns quarrell touch Nor yeat my petite Signorie nor more than troth by much These present nobles knowe the cause for which I hether come Not as an exile but for ayde and they assure me some Then knowe the cause is honest when their Honors giue supplies As capable are they of troth as thou art apt for lies My bothers Kingdome seemes forsooth an Ouer-match to mine My Kingdome Cutlake therefore is an vnder-match to thine Nay giue and so I hope ye will the Prize to me and than Let Cutlake with his Crowne of Danske vn-crowne me if he can Then he disabling me to make a Ioynter happelie With Denmarke such a Ioynters want if wanting should supplie But neither haue I such a lacke nor holde I such a loue As that her Dowrie not in quest before her selfe doth moue He harpeth as himselfe would haue that maketh loue his Staile Els would he sue in milder sort and suing feare to faile For Ladie see your Louers Plea your loue saith he is debt And if not words nor worthines then Armor shal you get Braue words and fit to feare not feede a courted Ladies vaine But say he cannot wowe in print but Soldior-like and plaine Nor I in sooth more loues my heart than can my tongue explaine Conclude we therefore Souldior-like and let a combate yeeld Vnto the hardier of vs twaine the honour of the field If not then if my Lords so please or she thereto agree Although thou should'st by force of Armes subdue her hence to thee Yeat from thy strongest Holde in Danske I would thy Cōquest free Loe heer my Gage he terr'd his Gloue thou know'st y e Victors meed So did he pause his Pledge vntoucht and then did thus proceede Then fret thy fill and worke thy worst deliuer Lords your willes Ye haue experience how this same with brags not battell killes He threatneth onely I intreate he claimeth her of dew I wish and hope for to deserue The Counsel then withdrewe Themselues apart and soone for Brenn a verdict did ensewe The Dane inraged sayled thence and rigged out a Fleete And did with Brenn resayling home at great aduantage meete Their Shippes did grapple and their swords did sunder life from lim So fought they as their shippes did seeme in Seas of bloud to swim But multitude oppressed Brenn he hardlye did escape His Ladie will he nill hee left the King of Denmarkes Rape Not meanely insolent the Danes hoyst vp their home-meant Sayleae But after manye crabbed Flawes and long contrarie Gayles The Kings and Norgane Ladies Shippe was tossed to the Coste Of Brutaine wheare imprisoned King Belyn was their Hoste Vntill sufficient Pledges had that Denmarke it should pay Continuall Tribute to the Brutes he them dismist away Meane while King Bren receiued now amōgst the Gawles did threate For Englands Crowne-halfe him with-held his Brothers selfe Seate For Time alaying Loue did adde vnto domesticke hate And with the Cenouesean Gawles whose Prince his heire of late He had espoused did inuade the Empire of his Brother And almost did their Battels ioyne when thus intreates their Mother I dare to name ye Sonnes because I am your Mother yet I doubt to tearme you Brothers that doe Brotherhood forget These Prodigies their wrothfull Shields forbodden Foe to Foe Doe ill beseeme allyed hands euen yours allyed soe O how seeme Oedipus his Sonnes in you againe to striue How seeme these words in me aye me Iocasta to reuiue I would Dunwallo liued or ere death had lost againe His Monarchie sufficing Fower but now too small for Twaine Then either would you as did he imploy your wounds elswheare Or for the smalnes of your Power agree at least for feare But pride of ritch and rome-some Thrones that wingeth now your darts It will I would not as I feare worke sorrow to your harts My Sonnes sweet Sonnes attend my words your Mothers wordes attend And for I am your Mother doe conclude I am your frend I cannot counsell but intreate nor yeat I can intreate But as a Woman and the same whose blood was once your meate Hence had ye Milke She baerd her Pappes these Armes did hug ye ost These fyled hands did wipe did wrap did rocke and lay ye soft These Lips did kisse or Eyes did weep if that ye were vnqueat Thēply I did with Song or Sighes with Dance with Tung or Teate For these kind Causes deere my Sonnes disarme your selues if not Then for these bitter teares that now your Mothers Cheekes do spot Oft vrge I Sonnes and Mothers Names Names not to be forgot Send hence these Souldiers yee my Sonnes none but ye would fight When none should rather be at one if Nature had her right What comfort Beline shall I speede sweete Brenn shall I preuaile Say yea sweete Youthes ah yea say yea or if I needes must faile Say noe and then will I begin your Battell with my baile Then then some Stranger not my Sonnes shall close me in the Earth When we by Armor ouer-soone shall meet I feare in death This sayd with gushing teares eftsoones she plyes the one and other Till both did shew themselues at length Sonnes worthy such a Mother And with those hands those altred hands that lately threatned bloes They did imbrace becomming thus continuall frends of foes Glad was the Queene and Beline hild sole Empier more he had From Denmarke Tribute and to this a greater honor add His daughter Cimbra wedded to the Almayne Prince gaue name Vnto the Cimbrians holding Rome so long and warlike game Some if no Error giue to him for forraine Conquests fame His Valour Warre Peace ore past now speake we of the Knight That this side and beyond the Alpes subdewed all by fight The stateliest Townes in Italie had Brenn their Builder and Euen Rome the terror of the World did at his mercie stand The Senate giuing to the Earth ear-while both warre and peace Could not themselues their Citie scarce their Cappitoll release THeir Gander Feast what Manlius and Camillus did therein How This the Cappitol and That from Brenn his Spoyles did win I pretermit The three-topt Mount Parnassus had beloe Apollos Temple whither men for Oracles did goe This with the God and Goods the Gawles did put to sacke and spoyles And whil'st incamped here they kept such sacreligious coyle The God or rather Diuell whom th' Almightie did permit His Deitie prophaned to deceiue the world in it With Tempests Earth-quakes Steneh Sights so cryde the Spoylers quit That most did
Country wench a Neatheards maid where Curan kept his Sheep Did feed her Droue and now on her was all the Shepheards keepe He borrowed on the working daies his holie russets oft And of the Bacons fat to make his Startops blacke and soft And least his Tarbox should offend he left it at the Folde Sweete Growte or Whig his Bottle had as much as it might hold A Sheeue of bread as browne as Nut and Cheese as white as snowe And Wildings or the Seasons fruite he did in Scrip bestow And whil'st his py-bald Curre did sleepe and Sheep-hooke lay him by On hollow Quilles of Oten strawe he piped melody But when he spied her his Saint he wipte his greasie shooes And clear'd the driuell from his beard and thus the Shepheard wooes I haue sweet Wench a peece of Cheese as good as tooth may chaw And bread and Wildings souling-well and therewithall did drawe His Lardrie and in eating see you Crumpled Ewe quoth he Did twinne this fall and twin shouldst thou if I might â—up with thee Thou art too eluish faith thou art too eluish and too coy Am I I pray thee beggerly that such a Flocke enioy I wis I am not yeat that thou doest holde me in disdaine Is brimme abroad and made a gybe to all that keepe this Plaine There be as quaint at least that think themselues as quaint that craue The Match that thou I wot not why maist but mislik'st to haue How wouldst thou match for well I wot thou art a Female I I know not her that willingly with Maiden-head would die The Plowmans labour hath no end and he a Churle will prooue The Craftsman hath more worke in hand then fitteth vnto loue The Marchant traffiquing abroad suspects his Wife at home A Youth will play the Wanton and an olde-man prooue a Mome Then Chuse a Shepheard With the Sun he doth his Flocke vnfold And all the day on Hill or Plaine he merrie chat can hold And with the Sun doth folde againe then iogging home betime He turnes a Crab or tunes a round or sings some merrie ryme Nor lackes he gleefull tales to tell whil'st round the Bole doth trot And sitteth singing care-away till he to bed hath got Theare sleepes he soundly all the night forgetting Morrow cares Nor feares he blasting of his Corne nor vttering of his wares Or stormes by Seas or stirres on Land or cracke of credite lost Not spending franklier then his Flocke shall still defray the cost Wel wot I sooth they say that say more quiet nightes and daies The Shepheard sleeps wakes than he whose Cattel he doth graize Beleeue me Lasse a King is but a man and so am I Content is worth a Monarchie and mischiefes hit the hie As late it did a King and his not dwelling far from hence Who left a Daughter saue thy selfe for faire a matchlesse wench Here did he pause as if his tongue had done his heart offence The Neaâ—resse longing for the rest did egge him on to tell How faire she was and who she was She bore quoth he the bell For Beautie though I clownish am I know what Beautie is Or did I not yeat seeing thee I senceles were to mis. Suppose her Beautie Hellens-like or Hellens somewhat lesse And euery Starre consorting to a puer Complexion gesse Her Stature comely tall her gate well graced and her wit To maruell at not meddle with as matchles I omit A Globe-like head a Gold-like haire a Forhead smooth and hie An euen Nose on either side did shine a graish Eie Two rosie Checkes round ruddy Lips white iust-set Teeth within A mouth in meane and vnderneath a round and dimpled Chin Her Snowish necke with blewish Vaines stood bolt vpright vpon Her portly shoulders beating Balles her vained Breasts anon Adde more to Beautie wand-like was her middle falling still And rising whereas women rise but ouer-skippe I will What Males in Females ouer-skippe imagine nothing ill And more her long and limber Armes had white and azure Wrists And slender Fingers aunswere to her smooth and lillie Fists A Legge in print a pretie Foot coniecture of the rest For amorous Eies obseruing forme thinke parts obscured best With these O thing deuine with these her tong of speech was spaeâ— But speaking Venus seem'd to speake the Balle from Ide to baer With Phoebe Iuno and with both her selfe contends in face Wheare equall mixture did not want of milde and stately grace Her smiles were sober and her lookes were chearefull vnto all And such as neither wanton seeme nor waiward mell nor gall A quiet mind a patient mood and not disdaining any Not gybing gadding gawdie and her faculties were many A Nimph no tong no heart no Eie might praise might wish might see For life for loue for forme more good more worth more fâ—ire theÌ„ she Yea such an one as such was none saue onely she was such Of Argentile to say the most were to be silent much I knewe the Ladie very well but worthles of such praies The Neatresse sayd and muse I do a Shepheard thus should blaze The Coote of beautie Credit me thy latter speech bewraies Thy clownish shape a coined shew But wherefore doest thou weepe The Shepheard wept and she was woe and both doth silence keepe In troth quoth hee I am not such as seeming I professe But then for her and now for thee I from my selfe digresse Her loued I wretch that I am a Recreant to be I loued her that hated loue but now I die for thee At Kirkland is my Fathers Court and Curan is my name In Edels Court somtimes in pompe till Loue contrould the same But now What now deare heart how now what ailest thou to weep The Damsell wept and he was woe and both did silence keepe I graunt quoth she it was too much that you did loue so much But whom your former could not moue your second loue doth touch Thy twise beloued Argentile submitteth her to thee And for thy double loue presents herselfe a single fee In passion not in person chaung'd and I my Lord am she They sweetly surfeiting in ioy and silent for a space When as the Extasie had end did tenderly imbrace And for their wedding and their wish got fitting time and place Not England for of Hengest then was named so this Land Then Curan had an hardier Knight his force could none withstand Whose Sheep-hooke laid apart he then had higher things in hand First making knowne his lawfull claime in Argentile her right He war'd in Diria and he wonne Breâ—â—tia too in fight And so from trecherous Edel tooke at once his life and Crowne And of Northumberland was King long ragning in renowne CHAP. XXI THe Saxons that in these discents deriue from Gods and men â—oue Minos Get a Flokwald Flyn Fredwâ—lfe Fraeloffe VVoden Each as here placed others son not onely Conquer here But with their wandring Armies spoyle the World through-out welnere The English Saxon
Geron should by me to death be done 〈◊〉 â—pâ—ght of Spight in Hespera I golden fruit would pull Three-headed Cerberus in chaynes should make the Iury full Bâ—ast Snake Bore Stag Birds Bealt Planks Bull Theefe Frute Dog Diomeâ—d â—hokt fear'd pâ—uncht cought pearst priz'd washt throwne slaine puld chaned horse fead Were labours lesse than I would act might I of her be spead Dâ—ll mal-contented Saturne rulde the houre when I was borne Had Iupiter then starr'd I had not liued now forlorne Or Mars had steel'd my milkie heart with manlier moods than thees Or Mercurie had apted me to plead for Louers fees Or Sol infused sense to search what better me behou'd Or Venus made me louely so for loue to be belou'd Or Luna Contrary to Loue had bettered the best Ah could seauen Planets and twelue Signes constell one such vnrest Then lou'd that Sier of Gods when he had vow'd his childrens death That Sonne of his made wanton scapes with Lasses on the earth Dâ—rus aske Vulcan and his Arte if thou didst loue or noc And Hermes that he Herse lou'd will not disclaime I troe Nor wâ—art thou Phoebus chaste although thou wor'st a willow withe Thou Citherea hadst a leash of Loues besides the Smith Endâ—â—ion gaynst Diana could vouch farther than the eye Thus lou'd ye all ye churlish Starres yeat let ye Louers dye This sayd he and for this he sayd I for the ruth of this Did vow that whoso once were mine I would be onely his Why these his words did sauor wit not one distraught quoth he Nay heare the rest of his vnrest it followeth thus quoth she Oft would he kisse a senceles Tree and say sweet Mistresse mine I was I am and will be still the same and euer thine Bâ—leeue me or if so you doubt Anatomize my braine And â—re my Senses see your selfe the Sourentesse to raigne Beleeue me or if so you doubt rip out my heart and see Your selfe in it in it you are and euermore will be Beleeue me or if so you doubt commaund I forthwith dye And see your selfe the onely heauen whereto my soule doth flye If such I seeme and be not such let nought betide me well If such I seeme and be not such I wish no heauen but hell If such I seeme and be not such your Fauours let me mis. With that he blest himselfe and sayd ah what a wish was this Then steps he to some other Tree and as vnto a frend Bewayles himselfe with long discourse of loue to little end And as it were a mysterie thus many a time would tell Of one Erickmon as might seeme with him acquainted well Who would quoth he haue thought that he had doted on a Lasses Who rather would haue thought the Girle so gilefull as she was Once brau'd he it and often found with silken Wenches grace Yeat and I wonder faults he not though hauing time and place He neuer hild but gracious thoughts of women yeat I winne The fayrest She he euer saw might quit his thoughts of sinne When of the Court and Citie both he could sufficient say From eithers busie Vanities he getteth him away Amongst the woods his happiest dayes by-come or to be past He found had not Gynettas face intrapped him at last Nor Court nor Citie had she seene yeat eithers prayse she had So much more worth by howe much lesse she was vnnicely clad At sixteene yeares such was she as at Twentie and at boeth Well worth the louing for her loore her face and comely groeth Thence waxing amorous he checkt his eyes that checkt him so Which checks as oft were countercheckt by Loue his mightier Foâ— He loath'd to liue that liu'd to loue and lou'd to losse for why He scorn'd that wontlesse passion or an amorous Foole to dye Full often therefore would he balke her sight that pleas'd him most And if perceau'd to be in loue false freedome would he boast But all for nought not absence or sweete exercise of wit Or ought besides might put aside Loues ouer-mastring fit Thus pyned ere he pleadeth loue yeat pleasing her so well As none had fitter time and place his hearts vnrest to tell At length he flatly sayes he loues when words too sweet for trew Her answere was she liked him and so attonement grew Then vncontroulled kisses and imbracings often mixt With lesse than loue too grosse though more than should be such betwixt Were currant And if euer man did fish before the net If euer man might credit her did by her credit set If euer man for heartie loue deserued honest meede Erickmon might beleeue himselfe to be belou'd indeede More arguments of earnest loue gaue neuer Mayde than she Lesse cause to falsifie that loue gaue neuer Man than he How beit on aduantage play'd Gynetta all this while And by externall smoothnes did obscure internall guile There was a Swayne a wylie wagge that with his apish toyes His Pedlarie and pype-notes such as pleaseth girles and boyes So chang'd I would haue sayd bewitcht but that she often chang'd Gynetta that her former loue was sodaynly estrang'd Erickmon hardly brok't such bace coryuing of the Swayne And of her loue and wits did wish reducement all in vayne Was neuer Girle so ouergon that had so good a wit So well reported of ere then and well deseruing it Than was Gynetta giltie then both of her owne reproofe And of her Louers griefe that sate and sighte thereat aloofe And were it not that she was young and that Erickmon knew She rather seem'd than sin'd in deede he might haue err'd in view With weeping heart he her remaunds to be with him at-one And many restlesse daies and nights consumeth he in mone To thinke vpon her madnes which her selfe beleeued none Her too much wronged Relict might as wel he might be greeu'd Perhaps offended but God knowes no whit the more â—eleeu'd So wilfull she so wylie and officious was her Squier That craft intrapping craft they both did enter bootles fier She bore a mind more haughtie than to humble her so much And he a bacer minde than that he hop't his fortune such Yeat either lik't at randon not resoluing any end Vnlesse perhaps she dallied him as erst her former srend Meane while for Apes be euer Apes somwhat did he not well That mou'd a discord and through it their loues deuorse befell Erâ—â—kmon languisht all this while not re-beloued long For shee that â—ayl'd to doe him right did feofe on him the wrong Who giltles pleadeth giltie for what was it he would not To reconcile her fauour lost might seeme ere it was got So loue againe a foote gaue both re-intertainement hot Not any lou'd they nere so much seem'd more to loue than they Nor any lou'd she any whit in loue made shorter stay Than shee for he doe what he could did often times offend For why euen impudently she grew toyous in the end That was so modest comly erst as none might lier amend
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-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
retyre but wordes were to no end The wilfull man pursuing blood Ioue ceaseth to perswade And rushing in amongst his foes so hote a skirmish made That euery blowe sets blood abroch and so in little space Euen he who late he did entreat is followed now in chace By Arcas and his company for Ioue resraind the flight Because against his countrey men he had no will to fight Whilest lucklesse Saturne did escape by flight and fortune then And wandred long in vncouth Seas depriude of wealth and men Victorious Iupiter was crownde with glory King of Create And Saturne now ariude at Troy for succour did entreat Ganymedes King Troys sonne was sent in Saturnes ayde A worthy Knight and valiant warre to Iupiter he made But he and his were chased backe euen to their Citie walles For whoso stoode with Iupiter by Iupiter he falles And theare the Troyan Paragon Ganymedes was taine Twixt whome and Iupiter thenceforth sound friendship did remaine Then Saturne did the second time to Seas with shame retire And neuer after durst by warre against his sonne conspire But sayling into lower Realmes in Italie did dwell And hereof it is said his sonne did chase him into hell MEane while lesse ioyous of his fame then ielous of his freakes Her wrong Queene Iuno on the Truls of Iupiter she wreakes Which was the cause that all too late he purposing returne To rescue Danae in whose loue he amorously did burne Was cast by stormes into the Seas that forthwith tooke the name Of him whom for his Piracies Ioue vanquisht in the same Ye might haue seene Aegeon theare with wreakfull wrath inflamde At sight of Ioue at whose decay he long in vaine had aimd And how that Ioue had now the worst and in a trise againe The Gyant with his twise three Barkes in hazard to be â—aine The Centaures shew them valerous so did Ixeon stout And braue Ganymaedes did deale his balefull dole about But when couragious Iupiter had beaten to the ground Aaegeon and in the selfesame Chaynes wherein he often bound The harmelesse soules that crost those Seas himselfe in fetters lay Ye might haue sayd and truly sayd that then did end the fray So many were his high exploits whereof such wonder bread That for the same the Heathen folke doe deifie him dead Which since they are so manifold I many ouerpasse And though Amphitrio blush to heare how he deceiued was And that Alcmena pinch my tongue possest with bashfull shame Yea though that Iupiter himselfe my lauish tongue shall blame Yeat since that iealous Iuno knowes already of the same I dare to tell how Iupiter so cunningly beguilde His loue Alcmena that by him she traueled with childe Of Hercules whose famous Acts we orderly shall tell Whereof the first but not the least in Cradle-time befell CHAP. IIII. QVeene Iuno not a little wroth against her husbands crime By whome shee was a Cockqueane made did therefore at the time In which Alcmena cride for helpe to bring her fruit to light Three nights and dayes inchaunt her throwes and of a Diuelish spight Intended both the Ladies death and that wherewith she went Till Galinthis vnwitching her did Iunos spels preuent Howbeit cankered Iuno still pursuing her intent Two poysoned Serpents got by charmes into the chamber brought Where Hercules in cradle lay and thinking to haue wrought A Tragedie did let them loose who smelling out their pray Skaerd Hercules his brother that in selfe same cradle lay But Hercules as Children vse with little whelpes to play Did dallie childishly with them and no whit did dismay Vntill at last his tender flesh did fecle their smarting stings And then displeasd betwixt his hands the Snakes to death he wrings Amphitrio and the Thebanes all of this same wonder tell And yeeres permitting Hercules did with Euristeus dwell This King by spitefull Iunos meanes did set him taske on taske But Hercules perfourmed more then both of them could aske Yea yet a Lad for Actiuenes the world did lack his like To Wrestle Ride Run Cast or Shoote to Swim to Shift or Strike As witnes his inuention first those solemne actiue Plaies That were on Mount Olimpus tride where he had prick and praise For which his Nouell and himselfe in those not hauing Peeres The Graecians by th'Olimpides kept reckning of their yeeres KIng Atlas daughters in the Isles of Hesperae did holde A many Sheepe and Poets faine their fleeces were of Golde For rarenes then of Sheepe and Wooll in figures so they faine Euristeus pricks his Puple on this nouile Prize to gaine The Greekes applie their sweating Oares and sailing doe persist Vntill they reach the wished shoare where ready to resist Their entrance to the closed Isles an armed Giant stayd Whose grim aspects at first approch made Hercules afraide Now buckle they and boysterous bloes they giue and take among A cruell fight But Hercules had victorie ere long The Giant slaine Philoctes tooke the vanquisher in hand An harder taske had Hercules then pausing now to stand Most dreadfull was their doubtfull fight both lay about them round Philoctes held the harder fight by keeping higher ground The Sonne of Ioue perceauing well that prowesse not auail'd Did faine to faint the other thought that he in deed had quaild And left th' aduantage of his ground and fiercely smites his Foe But Hercules whose policie was to contriue it so Renewing fight most eagerly so strikes and strikes againe That to endure the doubled force his valiant Foe had paine Who yeelding to his Victors will did finde in him such grace As Hercules did thenceforth vse his friendship in each place Hesperides the goodly Nimphs their Keepers chaunce lament But Hercules did comfort them and cure their discontent And shipping then of Rammes and Ewes a parcell thence he went IN coasting back by new-built Troy he saw a monefull sort Of people clustering round about their yet vnconquered Port. He musing much and striking Saile did boldlie aske wherefore They made such dole Laomedon then standing on the Shoare Did tell the cause the cause was thus Laomedon ere than To reare the statelie walles of Troy a costly worke began And wanting pay to finish vp the worke he had begunne Of Neptunes and of Phoebus Priests the Godes of Sea and Sunne He borrowed money promising repaiment of the same By certaine time which thereunto he did expresly name The walles are built the time is come the Priests their money craue Laomedon forsweares the debt and naughtie language gaue Forthwith the Sea the Diuell then did many wonders showe Began to swell and much of Troy with violence ouerflowe And thereupon the swealtie Sunne the wastfull Sea retierd So vehementlie did shine vpon the Oosie plashes myerd That thereof noisome vapours rose and of those vapours spread Such plagues as scarce the liuing might giue buriall to the dead Repentant then their wretched king to diuell-god Delphos goes Where at the Oracle he knew his wrongs to cause
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
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
woe It cannot weepe nor wring the hands but say that she did so And saieth so vncredited or if then thought of corse Thus thus because not passionate to paper failes remorse O that my griefes my sighes and teares might muster to thy viewe Thē woes not words thē paine not pē should vouch my writing true Yeat fare thou well whose fare-well brings such fare-ill vnto me Thy fare-well lacks a welcome home and welcome shalt thou be These lines subscribed with her name when Doracles did viewe He was so far from liking them that loathing did ensue And least that hope should ease her heart or he not seeme vnkinde In written Tables he to her returned thus his minde The Bees of Hybla beare besides sweet hony smarting stings And beautie doth not want a baite that to repentance brings Cōtent thee Daphles Mooles take mads but mē know Mooles to catch And euer wakes the Dawlian bird to ward the sloe-wormes watch I haue perus'd I wot not what a scrole forsooth of loue As if to Dirus in his Tent should Cupid cast his gloue A challenge proper to such Sottes as you would make of me But I disdaine to talke of Loue much more in Loue to be Nor thinke a Queene in case of Loue shall tie me to consent But holde the contrarie more true and it no consequent For persons must in passions iumpe els Loue it proueth lame Nor thinke I of a Womans graunt but as a Woers game Your Sex withstands not place and speach for be she baese or hie A Womans eye doth guide her wit and not her wit her eye Then senceles is he hauing speach that bids not for the best Euen Carters Malkings will disdaine when Gentrie will disgest The better match the brauer Mart and willinger is sought And willing sute hath best euent so Vulcan Venus cought I argue not of her estate but set my Rest on this That opportunitie can win the coyest She that is Then he that rubs her gamesome vaine and tempers toyes with Arte Brings loue that swimmeth at her eyes to diue into her hart But since the best at best is bad a Shrow or els a Sheepe Iust none at all are best of all and I from all will keepe Admit I come and come I then because I come to thee No when I come my comming is contrarie sights to see My leasure serues me not to loue till fish as haggards flie Till Sea shall flame till Sunne shall freese tyll mortall men not die And Rriuers climing vp their bankes shall leaue their channels dry When these shall be and I not be then may I chance to Loue And then the strangest change will be that I a Louer proue Let Beuers hide not busses hurt my lips for lips vnfit Let skarred limbes not carefull Loues to honor honor get I skorne a face effeminate but hate his bastarde minde That borne a man prepostrously by Arte doth alter kinde With fingers Ladie-like with lockes with lookes and gauds in print With fashions barbing formeles beards and robes that brooke no lint With Speare in wrest like painted Mars frō thought of battaile free With gate and grace and euery gaude so womanly to see As not in nature but in name their manhood seemes to bee Yea sooner then that maiden heares bud on his Boyish chinne The furie of the fierie God doth in the foole beginne And yeat to winne whō would be wonne these woo with lesser speed Then might be wun a towne of warre the croppe not worth the seede But let them trauaile till they tire and then be ridde for Iaides If Gamesters faire if Souldiers milde or Louers true of Maides Who loue in sporte or leaue in spight or if they stoupe to luer Their kindnes must haue kindely vse faultes onely make them suer Did fancie no did furie yea hang vp the Thracian Maide The wonders seuen should then be eyght could loue thee so perswade But loue or hate fare ill or well I force not of thy fare My welcome which thou doest pretend shall proue a thankelesse care When Daphles heard him so vnkind she held her selfe accurst And little lacked of so well but that her heart did burst And wheare she read the churlish scrole she fell into a sowne But brought againe vpon a bed her selfe she casteth downe Not rising more and so her loue and life together end Or if I so may gesse in death her soule did liue his friend The Queene enterr'd and Obbit kept as she in charge did giue A Knight was shipt to Calidon wheare Doracles did liue To offer him as her bequest the Argiue Throne and Crowne Not that we force or feare quoth he thy fauour or thy frowne We moue this peace or make thee Prince but Daphles swore vs so Who louing more then thou couldst hate nor liu'd nor died thy Foe And is she dead quoth Doracles that liued to my wrong I gladly doe accept these newes expected-for of long The Lord and Legate were imbarkt and Ship ran vnder saile Vntill into the Argiue Strond the Mariners did haile To Daphles by adoption theare inthronized a King He diuers yeares good fortune had successiue in each thing All friends no Foes all wealth no want still peace and neuer strife And what might seeme an earthly Heauen to Doracles was rife A Subiect but a Noble man did ritchly feast the King And after meat presented him with many a sight and thing Theare was a chamber in the which portraied to the quick The Picture of Queene Daphles was and deepely did it prick The King his conscience and he thought her like did not remaine So whome her person could not pearce her Picture now did paine A Kissing Cupid breathing loue into her breast did hide Her wandring eies whilst to her heart his hand a Death did guide Non moerens morior for the Mott inchased was beside Her curtesie and his contempt he calleth then to minde And of her beautie in himselfe he did a Chaos finde Recalling eke his late degree and reckning his desart He could not think or faintly thought his loue to sterne her heart And to the Maker of the feast did such his thoughtes impart And doubtes your Grace the Feaster said if Daphles lou'd or no I wish I hope I wish no harme she had not loued so Or you not loathed as you did then she had liued yet To what her latest speach did tend I neuer shall forget My selfe with diuers noble men whose teares bewraid our care Was present when her dying tongue of you did thus declare My hap quoth she is simpley bad that cannot haue nor hope Was euer wretch I wretch except held to so skant a scope I see him roue at other markes and I vnmarkt to be I finde my fault but followe it whilest death doth followe me Ah death my Lords dispaire is death and death must ransome blisse Such Ransome pleaseth Doracles and Daphles Pliant is Not bootlesse then since breathles strait
Priest had done his part and that they homeward come The Bride for Battus might salute the Pauement with her bomme She reeled oft and looked backe he sawe but would not see At length she stumbled headlong downe hoyst vp againe quoth hee The second tyme she did the like hoyst Brock her good-man saide And thirdly falling kindly bad her breake her necke olde Iade The old-wife tooke it to the hart and home she went and dyde But Battus ere his first was sicke had owed his second Bryde THis Iest from Cacus straynde a smyle but quickly was it donne When turning to her Sisters twaine the yongest thus begonne Ye Sisters seuerally haue tolde how soes in loue did fall And age with youth but I doe say that Loue can a ll with all Examples we whom Loue hath brought from Court to liue in Caue And were there neede of further proofe a thousand proofes I haue Could Latmus speake it might accuse euen Phoebe of a kis And of a Votarie of hers to speake my purpose is But first she cheared thus her friend for Cacus sadly sits Be merrie man thy pensiuenesse out pastimes badly fits Be as thou art not as thou wouldst it will be as it is Learne then to lacke and learne to liue for crosses neuer mis. Thinke Fortune newly hatch is flidge and waggeth wing to flye All suffreth change our selues new borne euen then begin to dye Be resolute not desperate the Gods that made thee poore Can if they will doe waite their will thy former state restoore At least let patience profit thee for patience is a thing Whereby a begger gayneth of a discontented King Know Destinie is Destinie This Epitaph I reede Though common-booked Poetrie yeat not vnworthie heede Vnborne to knowe what I should be to Gods my mother prayde A Male quoth Phoebus Female Mars and Iuno neither sayde An Hermaphrodite was I borne My death then askt shee after By sword quoth Iuno Tree quoth Mars and Phoebus saide by water A Riuer-shadowing tree I climbd out slipt my sword I slidd By feete I hung stabd with my sword my head in water hidd Male Female neither hanging Sword and drowning I abidd Thus Cacus howsoeuer things from likelihoods discent In birth life death the Gods are first the middell and Euent And not what they can doe they will but what they will they can And that they doe or doe it not behooues not vs to skan And saying so and kissing too her tale she thus began CHAP. XI I Speake not of the Argiue Nimph that had the ielious Syer To whome shut vp in brasen Tower Ioue passage had for hyer Not of Europa Semele or Maia will I dwell Not of your Foe his bastardie or Laedas rape I tell Not of King Ceus Daughters fault or other freak of Ioue Speake I saue of th' Arcadian Nunne with whom he thus did roue Calisto was as faire a Mayde as faire as one might bee Her father King Lycaon fled Ioue chaunced her to see And seeing liked liking lou'd and louing made it knowne To her sweet Lasse for fathers losse that maketh then her mone Take patience wench sayd Iupiter with thee shall al be wel Thy fathers deeds haue their deserts but thou in peace shalt dwell I am his Victor but thy selfe art Victoresse of me Do graunt me loue my zeale is more than fatherlie to thee The restlesse cloudes that mantling ride vpon the racking Skie The scouring windes that sightlesse in the sounding aire doo flie The thriftie Earth that bringeth out and broodeth vp her breed The shifting Seas whose swelling waues on shrinking shores do feede Shall fall and faile ere I be false Lycaons Impe to thee Of hartie Loue this kisse he kist an happie hansell bee But haplesse termes are these quoth she vnfitting to a thrall Yeat in respect of that I feele I heare them not at all A friend ah friendlesse name I Friend it being as it is A friend I say much more a foe and more and worse then this The sonne of Saturne should and shall that speed and hearing misse Doe rid ah rid mine eyes of teares and set my heart at rest By taking life not making Loue the former likes me best Or if that poore Calistos life shall lengthen to her wo Graunt that among Dianas Nunnes a Votarie I go For neither fiâ—s it now to loue or euer shall it so What viewed Iupiter this while not pleasing to his sight Or what vnuiewed did he gesse not adding to delight Not excellent but exquisite was all to minde and eye Saue she the hansel of this loue did him of Loue denie It greeues that Natures Paragon in Cloister not in Court Should loose the beautie of her youth and he thereby his sport But constant in her chast pretence he grants that would gain-say And seated in religion now with Phoebe did she stay Blame Iupiter of other Loues of this doe set him cleere It was his first and first is firme and toucheth verie neere He might forgoe but not forget Calisto in her Cell When setting higher thoughts apart the Frithes did please him well He takes his Quiuer and his Bow and wheare she hunts hunts hee And sacrificed to his eyes that daye he did her see About the Chase Toyles Dogs Bowes the Stand Quarrie and all Hee vseth double diligence so often did befall Not onely sight of her his Saint he got but also talke Whilst thus for his Calistos loue he haunted Phoebes walke But sight and talke accrew to loue the substance must be had And for to bring his drift about he virgin-like is clad His nonage kept his beard from bloome no wench morefaire then he Whome at her Nunnerie a Nun Diana takes to be And with his Sisters brotherly doo gesse him to agree Thus faines Lycaons Conquerera Maid to winne a Maid His hands to woll and Arras worke and womans Chares hee laid That not so much as by the tongue the Boy wench was bewraid Yeat thought is free he sees and smiles and longs perhaps for more No maruell for that Sister-hood had goodlie Ladies store Scarce one for birth and beautie too was theare vnworthie him Yet chieflie to Calistos vaine he formed life and limme And Sister-like they single oft and chat of manye things But that Calisto mindeth loue no likelihood he wrings So Ioue not once durst mention Ioue and force was sinne and shame But loue is hardie Thus it hap by long pursute of game She wearie resteth in the Thicks wheare sitting all alone He seeing her is resolute or now to end his moene Or for so sweet a bodies vse to leaue his soule in loene He Nymph-like sits him by the Nymph that tooke him for no man And after smiles with neerer signes of Loues assault began He feeleth oft her Iuorie breasts nor maketh coy to kisse Yeat all was wel a Maiden to a Maiden might doe this Than ticks he vp her tucked Frocke nor did Calisto blush Or thinke abuse he
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
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
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
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
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
heauen Anchises and Adonis on the earth May earne for Babes for Vulcan shal be parent at their birth Nay be it that he should espy false carding what of it It shal be thought but ielousie in him or want of wit Him frownes shall threat or smiles intreat and few wil iudge I winne If it shall come in question that to Cockhole him were sinne Whilst thus she thinketh in her selfe the Cyclops did awake And to be short more doings passe and they a marriage make But wonder did the Deities when bruted was the match That he so foule a thick-skinne should so faire a Ladie catch They flout him to his face and helde it almes to arme his head Wel Venus shortly bagged and ere long was Cupid bread And Vulcan in like heresie of fathering as moe Did rack his Art to arme y e Lad with wings with shafts with bowe Most forceable to loue or hate as lists him shootes bestow When Vulcans Venus had obtaind her Cupide armed thus Then for we wish that all besides be sutable to vs She of the Gods and Goddesses before the wanton noted Was of the Gods and Goddesses for wantonnesse out-coted Not one but wexed amorous yea euen Diana Doted Loues Mother had direction of his arrowes and she wilde Him hit the Son-God for because he blabbing had behild Her daliance with Adonis so that vexed Phoebus loues Faire Daphne whome nor wooes nor vowes nor giftes nor greatnesse moues Succesâ—es therefore and inrag'd he bastards Cupid and For stoutly on their honesties doe wylie Harlots stand Venus did chaife and of the Gods their strife came to be skand Dispersing then her goodly haires she bar'd so sweet a face As from the sternest Godhood might extort suborned grace Fast at her side clung naked Loue a louely boy in deede And Vulcan benched with the Gods his wife did thus proceede When Phoebus had already tould his tale with sence and heede He sayes quoth she for chastitie my hauiour was amis Which proued or disproued then in you to sentence is Ah listen whence it is ye Gods that Venus is abused Because that Phoebus making loue to Daphne was refused If that were wrong the wrong must then by Phoebe be excused Who rescuing her Votarisse did so preuent her brother But be it that this Boy of mine not seeing one from other Did hit him for the Sonnes offence should he maligne the mother And shall I tell the Childes offence Why thus forsooth it was He fitted him to such a Loue as did for Beautie pas But if he say it needeles was because it booted not I say that Beautie beggeth if by posting it be got He wooing like himselfe in post did kisse the post and shee Too good to be his forced Trull is now become his Tree His speeches too though spoke by one concernes in credit three Mine Husband and my selfe and Sonne Gods and as good as he Now woe am I we seuerally are as it were arayned Of Cuckolrie of Spous-breach and of Bastardy though fayned Yeat too too forcible I feare to be forgot of some For slaunder set on foote though false is talkatiuely dome Malicious for thy malice is thy matter all in all Is it to harlotize thinkst thou a Goddesse wrong too small But thou must forge it from the Earth euen from the Sheep-cote Nay That colour lacketh colour thou thy selfe I troe wilt say Ambitious fayre and amorous thou termest me if so Vnlikely to disparge my selfe or bacely stoope so loe But being such and knowing thee in very deede the same Might leauing petite loues haue found thy selfe my readiest game For Phoebus is a Leacher els are many tongues to blame Better no bad of mine nor neede I feare that fault in thee Thy bad doth passe by probate but a Quere is for mee Perhaps such as it is my forme may forge to his pretence Since Beautie is a common marke apt therefore to offence Well be it Beautie doth atract atracting is belou'd Beloued courted courted wonne and wonne to action mou'd Yeat from such causes such effects what Consequence hath prou'd For Daphne was I wot full faire and well can Phoebus court Yeat Daphne chastly did withstand and Phoebus mist his sport My husband though by trade a Smith for birth out-brau'd of none And louely vnto Venus though mislikâ— of many a one May for his plainnes also fit my foes inuectiue drifts As who would say I wedded him to salue vp other shifts By Styx I vowe although I should exceede my selfe for fare Yet Venus would be Vulcans and he knowes I truely sware He is indeede no Gallant yeat a God and meerly free From imperfections such at least as pay not marriage fee. And for his plainnes to be plaine the rather choose I him For such as he liue best loue best and keepe their wiues most trim When Roysters either roue at chaunge be peeuish or precise Faire women therefore matching thus be not say I vnwise Iudge not by such presumptions then they add but to his lies Thus haue you now a Medley of his malice and my mone His vice my vowe and lastly rests your sentence to be knowne If Mercurie should plead my cause he could but set me cleare Good causes neede not curious termes and equall Iudges heare The Equity not Eloquence and so I hope will yee And so shall gratefull Venus sayle vnder your gracious Lee. So putting finger in the Eye the Deities discent Some hild with Phoebus some with her Which strife did Vulcan stent My wife quoth he more honest than her Cuser is I troe Shall not ywis be bused by the squandâ—ing Pollo so She loues me I durst sweare and saue my selfe she loues no moe And why should you or I beleeue his yea before her noe Troth sayd the Gods since Vulcan is contented we are pleas'd And so the variance was by him thus wiâ—tely appeas'd Phoebus his Plainte did quash but so he after-times did watch As that Sir Hornsbie had by proofe he was a louing Patch When Mars and Venus playing false his wier Net did catch Now riddle Madame if those tongues that make Sunonamies Of them and vs proue Oracles what should therof arise That more quoth she which you haue sayd than in the letter lies But names infect not nor receiue your Riddle Prophesie If ought fore-sayd be ominous should any feare tis I. When so the Queene had sayd then to this more proceeded he Vulcan Venus Cupid Sol and Daphne turnd to Tree Were tennis balles to euery tongue of euery Deiâ—ee Tush Tush quoth Pan gay Venus and the gentle youth her sonne Are blameles blamed What think you would Phoebus theÌ„ haue don Had he in loue bin crost as I And then he thus begun CHAP. XXXI THe Goteheards of Hyrcania hild their Orgies vnto me And theare was I vnseene of them the Festifall to see Now had they censed and with glee eate were the hollowed Kids When as they fell to Rowndelaies and I
each wheare for All Whereforeto Paris at the time flockt Caueliers ful tall With Princes braue and Ladies faire of euery Realme about And hence with moe Charles Brandon in fine Chiualrie most stout Whose bodie fitted to his mind whose mind was puesant and Whose puesance yeelded not to Mars this Mars in France did laÌ„d With whoÌ„ incouÌ„tred valiaÌ„t knights but none might him withstaÌ„d The English-French Queene standing theare admir'd for beautie rare Behild the Tryumphs in the which high Feates performed ware But Brandon yet no Duke he was the Knight aboue the rest That in her eye nor did she erre acquited him the best For whether that he trots or turnes or bounds his barded Steede Did runne at Tylt at Randon or did cast a Speare with heede Or fight at Barriers he in all did most her fancie feede Weake on a Couch her King lay theare whoÌ„ though she loued well Yeat likte she Brandon and the same lou'd her ere this befell For chastly had they fancied long before she came to Fraunce Or that from meane estate to Duke Henry did him aduaunce The dayes of Triumph weare expir'd and English Peeres with praise Come home and Lewes King of France decea'st within few daies Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke then with honour furnisht hence Was sent to France for to returne the widow Queene from thence Who had been wed scarce thâ—ice three weekes vnto a sickly King To her a fayre young Queene therefore smal time might solace bring Yet lesse did timethaÌ„ braue Duke Charles asswage fair Maries griefe He chats she cheers he courts she coyes he wowes she yeelds in briefe No windes thought she assist those Sayles that seeke no certain Shore Nor find they constant liues that but they liue respect no more Let each ones life ayme some one end as if it be to marrie Then see heare loue and soone conclude it betters not to tarrie To cast too many doubts thought she weare oft to erre no lesse Than to be rash And thus no doubt the gentle Queene did gesse That seeing This or That at first or last had likelyhood A man so much a manly Man weare dastardly withstood Then Kisses reuel'd on their Lips to eithers equall good And least King Henry should dissent they secretly did wead And then sollicet his good will and of their wishes spead The periut'd valiaÌ„t Scotch-King Iames slayn at braue Flodons Slaughter Had also left in widowhood Englands fayre elder Daughter She also weds a Scottish Earle vnlicenc'st of her Brother And was to her Sons Daughters Sonne now sixt Iames great-Grandmother A Scruple after twentie yeares did enter Henries mind For wedding of Queene Katherin a Ladie fayre and kind Spaynes Daughter then the Emperours Aunt and for her vertuous life Well worthie Henry But for she had beene his Brothers wife And also of their coiture surmise directed Lawes He seem'd in conscience toucht and sought to rid him of the Cause Then was the matter of Deuorse through Christendome disputed The Match of all adiudged voyd and so the Queene non-suted She after teares to him from whom she was to be deuorste Did humbly say and am I not my Lord to be remorste That twentie yeeres haue bene your Wife borne your Children and Haue lou'd and liu'd obediently and vnsuspected stand I am ah too too sweetly err'd I was poore Soule the same Whom once you did preferre nor now of me you neede to shame The blossomes of my beautie was your Bootie nor my fauour Now alters so to alter so from me your late behauour But Conscience is the colour of this quarrell well I wot I also haue a conscience that in this accuseth not But as the same perhaps might say that me succeedes say I That for the pleasure of a Prince goe many things awry Which her Fore-doomes seem'd to effect in her that her succeeded In Queene Anne Bullyn who for she in Lutherâ—sme proceeded Was hated of the Papists and enui'd because preferr'd And through the Kings too light beleefe for Kinges haue sometimes err'd She lost her head and might haue sayd some thought ere she did dye That for the pleasure of the Prince goe many things awry So dyde the gracious Mother of our now most glorious Queene Whose zeale in reuerent Fox his works autenticall is seene The Kings foure other Queenes for why he dide a Sexamus Shall passe though Iane did beare a Sonne to him a King to vs Edward the Sixt and of the same we shall deliuer thus CHAP. XXXV SVCH as was Loue in Figure of Ascanius wheÌ„ the same In kisses slie did sheade himselfe into the Tyrian Dame Or such as was sweete Hyacint Apollos louely Boy Or Iupiters Ganymaedes rapt vp to heauen from Troy Or rather like young Salomon in sentencing betwixt Two mothers claiming one same Child was young Edward the Sixt. Now Rome fell sicke in England but how long she lay in traunce We list not write alonly death to her did neuer chaunce For old Rome neuer lackt that durst their liues for her bestoe Not new Rome that to Hell for her dare soules and bodies goe Then true Religion might be sayd with vs in Primatiue The Preachers and the people both then practiuely did thriue Our decent Church-Rites still in print not practise worthie those Whose reuerent heads collected them froÌ„ whence true wisedoÌ„ groes Not mangled then of Nouesses and curious Doults which now Would haue they know not what would reform they know not how Omitting or admitting as their owne Conceits allow Did then put forth her Braunches and weare fruitfull in the bood And weare our Church-Lords now for zeale as Church-lawes now for good Soone might like vnion be now by indifferencie withstood For giue to vulgar Heads the head and looke for all confused At once they publish and repeale al els saue Order vsed And as Kytts Campe ill-form'd good forme at their reforming Tree Sonnes ost by aime consorting voice their Fathers hang'd should be So wheare the Multitude preuaile they censure ere they see But might I be so bould to speake to them should speake to mee A good example would doe good in Church-men seeing thay In saying â—â—oth are lesse beleeu'd not doing as the say I know our Churchmen know that Faith is dead where lack good works Yeat know I not what pollicie in Almes vnpreached lurks Some teach wel that these concurre but few doe vrge the Theame Of charitie affeard perhaps our More should vrge their Beame But feare not Fathers preach at full Loue good workes Remorse More will your bad Examples let than shall your words inforce To preach by halfes is to be worse than those tongue-holly Iauells That cite good words but shift off works and Discipline by Cauells Oft haue ye handled pithily not preached without neede What good to giue what hurt to take froÌ„ those that Soules do feede But so obscurely hath beene blancht of good workes elsewheare done As many boasting only
to the fatall Blocke she praying on her booke Wence hauing made a godly end he was return'd whilst Shee Prepard for like and of her Lord the senceles Tronke did see A sight more deathful than her death that should consort him straite And for the which her feareles eies did euery moment waite She vnabashed mounting now the Skaffold theare attends The fatall Stroke-and vnto God her better parte commends And as she liu'd a vertuous life so vertuously she ends CHAP. XLI OMitting Knights three Dukes three Lords also a Queene elect Then perisht thus and somewhat some of Edwards death suspect All which fell out a Stratagem in God his secre Dome That should induce a Tragedie to England meant by Rome For when these mighty Protestants through Ones Ambition fell Queene Mary seem'd to shut vp Heauen and set wide open Hell Whence swarmed papish Tyrants that false doctrine did erect Whilst that seduced Mary did Gods threatned cause neglect Blamelesse she was not for a Crowne that could her Foes ore-goe Nor all too blame for mightie States do and haue erred so To Whome the Scriptures weare obscur'd by Christs Italian Foe Her courage was not common yeat abused ouer much By Papists cheefly She her selfe too naturally such Heere hence she is reprooued of a moste tyrannous Raigne And of a thriftles Mariage with the trustles King of Spaine But when rich Brabants supreame Faire the Bakers daughter staide The King in dalliance and the Queene had newes that false he plaide T is thought his tarriance greeu'd told that one should counsel this Haue patience Madam so it was and wil be as it is Fourth Edward did the like yeat lou'd his Queene no whit the lesse Nor did the like vnpatient her that knew him to transgresse As guiltie of a Leash of Loues Shores wife and other twaine She knew as Streams if stopt surrownd so Kings wil shew they raign As did our second Henry whome his Queene oft crost in vain◠Which and one other Story if it please you that I tell I shall Yea doc quoth she Then thus quoth he it once befell NOt knowen of Rosamund his eie had stoed her in his heart Faire Maide quoth he beleeue me faire and all so faire thou art That weare I Henry Englāds King thou shouldst be Englāds Queene But so must fayle for Elenour already is betweene He bod me buy thy loue if so it might be bought with Golde If not he bod me sweare he loues in fayth he loues be bolde He bod me aske if so he came what should his welcome be And if perhaps he lated weare if he should lodge with thee Protesting secreasie thereof to all vnlesse to me With promise to performe at full each promise as I make it I promise Loue Wealth Secresie then promise thou to take it Content you Sir quoth Ro amund you aime your markes amis I am not for his Highnes nor for me his Highnes is And should he know I shame he should of this your Brokage bace He would acquaint you what it weare your Soueraigne to disgrace Whoso you be be still the same or better if you may Think not Lord Cliffords daughter will vn-maiden her for pay But know if Henryes selfe were heere himselfe should haue a nay Then know quoth he which being knowen well maist thou know I loue thee I am the King and for I am the rather let it moue thee In sooth sweet Wench thou saiest nay thou knowest not whereto For weare my wish at work lesse good wy wish than work would do What fearst thou shame no shame to be beloued of a King Or dread'st thou sinne The Pope for pay absolueth euery thing Or doubt'st thou iealous Elenour I will remoue that doubt At Woodstock shall she finde thy bower but neuer finde thee out Theare shalt thou passe a pleasant life commanding me and mine Then loue beloued Rosamund a King subiects him thine He kist She blusht and long it was ere loue from her he wroung For whilst vp played in her heart it paused on her toung Not Sibils Caue at Cuma nor the Labyrinth in Creat Was like the Bower of Rosamund for intricate and great The Pellicane theare neasts his Bird and sporteth oft with her Conducted by a Clew of thread els could he not but err Besides her Maydes a Knight of trust attended on her theare Who suffred for her Beautie long concealing it for feare At length at full and formally he courted her for grace But all in vaine nought booted him to haue both time and place Henry quoth she begonne and he shall end my thoughts vnchast Nor peach't she him nor he dismist did hold himselfe disgrac'st The Kings three Sonnes had notice of their Fathers Leiman now So had the Queene and the yof such coriuing disallowe Came I from France Queene Dowager quoth she to pay so deere For bringing him so great a wealth as to be Cuckquean'd heere Am I so old a woman he so young a wanton growen As that I may not please that pleas'd and still might with his owen What is the Drab or tempting Diuell or wherefore doteth he The French King once himselfe euen now for faire preferred me And hath he toyled vp his Game and settels he to loue her Nor Heauen nor hell shall crosse my course but that I will remoue her Like Phrogne seeking Philomel she seeketh for and found The Bower that lodg'd her Husbands Loue built partly vnder ground She entred but so intricate weare Turnings to and fro That welneere she had lost her selfe but could not finde her Foe Yeat out she got and backe she goes with her Attendants who Admire their furious Mistresse and mislike what she would doe With her Confedrates oft she went preuented of her will Howbeit lastly did preuaile For hap did hit so ill That whilst the Knight did issue out suspecting no assaut He was assailed from his giding Clewe they caught So wonne they vnto Rosamund Whom when the Queene did vew Most brauely clad in rich Attire her selfe more rich of hew The beautie and the brauenes of the Person and the place Amazed her and hers who stoode at gaze a certaine space No maruell quoth the Queene that oft the Court did mis the King Soone such an Hebe hither such a Iupiter might bring Now trust me weare she not a Whoore or anies Whoore but his She should be pardon'd But in faith I must not pardon this A Queane coriuall with a Queene Nay kept at Racke Manger A Husband to his honest bed through her become a Stranger Abide who list abye she shall how so I buy the daunger Faire Rosamund surprised thus eare thus she did suspect Fell on her humble Knees and did her fearefull hands erect She blush't out beauty whilst the tears did wash her pleasing face And begged Pardon meriting no lesse of common grace So farforth as it lay in me I did quoth she withstand But what may not so great a
lingring Torments who Fault to their Inquisition oâ— their Damned Rytes must doe Then better Bodies perish than should soules miscarrie too Of neither which hath Rome or Spaine remorse but thristing Sway Regard not whome by whom or how they treacherously berray How oft haue they the rest ore past subborn'd our Queenes decay By wars wiles witchcrafts daggers dags Pope poyson what not To her haue they attempted death for liewe the Traytors lot Vouchsafe O God those loues of thine be neuermore forgot Was neuer any thryued yet that threatned her amis For of anoynted Princes God sole Iudge and Rector is And if Examples might preuaile then Traytors might perceaue They perish in their purpose or but Spyders webbes doe weaue And heere occasion apteth that we catalogue awhile And vnto English Dukes from first to last addresse our Style Though numbers greater as great of power did pryde begyle Yeat in this one degree obserue what headding and exile Yf then such Mighties felt Gods frowne shal Meaners hope his smile CHAP. XLV EDward surnam'd the blacke Prince and third Edwards eldest sonne Third Thomas Duke of Norffolke This did ende and That begonne From Normaine VVilliams Conqueste heere of Dukes the Title hie Of fortie seuen but twentie two a naturall death did die Edward y e Duke of Yorke that lead fifth Henries Vaward Knightly Then slaine at Agencourt with fame we ouerpasse him lightly Nor Humfrey Duke of Glocester heere catalogue we rightly Nor VVilliam Duke of Suffolke who exilde on seas was met And hated headded howbeit sixt Henries Fauoret Nor Edmund Duke of Somerset that Henries loued Peere Nor Humfrey Duke of Buckingham to that same King as deere Nor sweet yong Richard Duke of Yorke of Glosters kyn too neere We also two Plantagenets both Dukes of Clarence cleere Of which was Thomas slaine in France George drownd in Malmsie heere For though these Eight remembred Dukes deceast not in their beads Yeat none of these had traytrous hearts that forfetted their heads Howbeit otherwise of these weare some that erred so That stomack't for such Errors did their ends vntimely groe Nor was the Duke of Ireland Vere in second Richards time A Traytor but a Parasite which proude no lesse a crime He as ambitious as he was enuious and enuied Was banisht by the Nobles and in banishment he died Mowbreie of Norffolke right or wrong by foresaid Richard was Exiled and in Italie did hence to nature pas When second Richard was deposde and Henrie wore the Crowne Two Hollands to restore the one and put the other downe Conspiring weare detected and at Cercester they both Of Excester and Surrey Dukes found death in Vulgar wroth Richard Plantagenet the Duke of Yorke fourth Edwards father Sought to depose fixt Henrie and was heard therein the rather For that to him by law-Descents the Scepter did acrew But they compound howbeit warres were reard and him they slew Iohn Holland Duke of Excester fourth Edwards sentence fleade And was long after in the sea suspuicusly found dead Then Henry Duke of Somerset rebelling lost his heade Of Edmund Duke of Somerset the like is also reade So Henrie Duke of Buckingham third Richards friend-foe speade And that tyrannous Richard Duke of Glocester his Raigne Vsurped was suppressed he for blood payd blood againe Iohn Duke of Norffolk fought and fell at Bosworth field His sonne Duke Thomas in Eight Henries daies did heading hardly shonne Adiudg'd perpetuall Durance in Queene Maries raigne vn-donne VVolsey that slye officious and too Lordly Cardnall wrought Who could would effect his wil that to the blocke was brought Eight Henrie raigning Edward Duke of Buckingham whose end That Prelate ioyde the people moend because his foe their friend Seimer the Duke of Somerset enuied more than reason By one that came the next to Blocke though mightie at that season Sixt Edward in Minoritie dide quit although of treason No sooner Marie got the crowne more liklie to be gon But Iohn Duke of Northumberland beheaded was anone Who wrought to set the Diedeme Iane Dudlies heade vpon Her Father Henrie Gray the Duke of Suffolke was also A friend vnto that Faction the Spanish Wowers foe But by that act he lost his heade as did too many moe In blessed Queene Elizabeth her happie Raigne of peace The Tragedies and Tytles too of English Dukes did cease Which Thomas Duke of Norffolke laste Tragedian did increase All theis weare mightie in their times yeat being Male-contents Both they and hundreds powerfull Peeres for like found like Euents Howbeit of the common wealth none worser did desarue Than such as flattred Princes faults who faulting all did swarue Which in their Pollicie the States of Hell did then fore-see When as they ioyned others Aydes vnto the Furies three Narcissus Shadowe and the Voice of Eccho than which twaine How fabulous so-ere it seeme nought hath or more doth baine Wherefore to such as know them not we either thus explaine CHAP. XLVI WHeare Cadmus old Agenors sonne did reste and plant his Raigne Narcissus of his Of spring theare for beautie fame did gaine His Mother was Lyriope faire Thetis fairer Daughter Whome cheefest as the choisest wowde and braue Cephisus caught her Boeotia was the fertile Realme Parnassus Plaine the place Whear this admired Youth was borne this Lass-Lad forme and face No Nymph so faire but wisht him hers howbeit all in vayne His selfe-loue wrought his selfe-losse his beauty prou'd his baine Who proud of Natures plentie hild all others in disdaine Till God who had created Man the fairest Creature Howbeit but a shadow of his proper Feature More differing far than Sun-shine froÌ„ the Suns selfe-substance pure Narcissus ouer-scornfull pride not longer would indure But froÌ„ his forme that pleas'd him most his plague did thus procure As this same fond selfe-pleasing Youth stood at a Fountaynes brym And proudly sees his shadow theare admiring euery lym Eccho an amiable Nymph long amorous of hym But louing vnbeloued now at least to please her Eye Conuaies her selfe vnseene into a Thicket ioyning by And thear as much ore-gone with loue as he ore-gone with pride She hears and sees and would haue pleas'd three Senses more beside And nothing more than euery part thus stealth-seene liked her And nothing lesse than hidden with vnhidden to conferre For well it had contented then in more then sight to erre Although not meanely did his scorne gainst it her stomacke sterre Meane while the Lad such power hath pride mens Senses to subdue Doats on his Shadow now suppos'd to be a Substance tâ—ue And lastly wowes so formally in words and gestures sweete That Eccho found his error and he saying Let vs meete Let 's meete quoth Eccho mockingly which hearing he with speed Beleeuing that his shadow was a Nymph and spake in deed Did leape into the Fountaine whear that Gallant drowning thus Hath left example how like pride may cause like plague to vs. How smooth-tongu'd Eccho that for him
of Adams Seede from sinne acquite them could or can Our walls of flesh that close our Soules God knew too weak gaue A further Guard euen euery Man an Angell Guide to haue And Men to vs be Angels whilst they worke our Soules to saue For eare his Fall Man was not left vnto himselfe so free But that he had a Law and Those that should his Temptors be And tempted then the Spirit that for God himselfe was made Was dared by the Flesh that to the Spirit earst obayde The Soule by either laboured to thriue or be betraide To erre is proper then to Men but brutish to persist With Praise and Praier still to God as Dauid thriu'd or mist He plied more in louing God than liuing godly blist Vâ—gratefull Saule distressing him or what eare then befell Or afterwards nor other then Domestick Greefes we tell The troublous Sequels Nathan tould of Dauids House when as To wanton it with Bethsabe Vrias murthred was Effecting now is onely it whereto our Pen shall pas Thamar Ammon Absolom Adoniah also wrought Vnto their Father woe enough let these on Stage be brought Now to the Tribes was Dauid as the Zodiack to the Signes Euen Signifer to euery Prince that circled his Confines A Monarche great in Acts and Fame more great but great'st of all In that he was belou'd of God nor ceast on him to call Who raiâ—d him often falling for his Crosses weare not small Loue 〈…〉 M 〈…〉 〈…〉 King of Geshurs Daughter baire To Dauid 〈…〉 Ab 〈…〉 m and Thamar peereles faire Noâ—â—aâ—rer yeâ—â— than viâ—â—uous though disastrously she speade Suâ—â— is admyred Bewtie that hath Worlds of Mischiefes breade A 〈…〉 mon whom Ahinoam bore to Dauid was the cause Of hers and his owne griefe in that he gaue his Eyes no lawes For Loue is but a Terme like as is Eccho but a Voyce That This doth babble That doth breed or not is ours the choyce And Virtue curbs Affection and for Conscience flyeth sinne To leaue for imperfection feare or shame no praise doth winne But not so happy he as feare or shame or ought might stay His rankled thoughts but sicke luste sicke for Thamar Ammon lay And subtell Ionadabs Aduise did her to him betray For neuer was Pretence so fowle but some would flatter it No any thing so pestilent as mis-applied Wit Seeme feeble sicke and when the King thy Father visits thee Then faine an Appetite to Meate by Thamar drest quoth he Aske that she dresse it in thy sight and of her hand to take it When priuate so thy Market bee as thou doest mar or make it Well pleasde this Counsell Ammon askes and Dauid yeelds anon Nor readier Dauid to bid goe than Thamar to be gone Like Philâ—mela â—â—attering 〈…〉 on she might go With Tereus that prepos'd her shame was Thamar forward so When either Virgin was surprisde wheare least they look't a Foe So gratious portly â—resh and faire and which no lesse attract So modest wittie affable had Nature her compact That such as in his Canticles her Brother hath purtrayde His Loues Idea litrally might Thamar such be saide Goodly thus and gladly then and not suspecting harme She entring wheare he lodged did afresh the Leacher warme His leasing Sicknes then to acte by Arte was more thau neede For seeing her imagine all his Senses sick in deede More could she nor more should she not than she in kindnes did All adding Fewell to the Fier which yet from her lay hid Now saue of him and her the Roome was cleard by his deuise When he did aske to eate which she did bring him in a trise Full glad good Soule her Cookerie might please him any whit When not her Cookrie but her selfe his appetite did fit Concerning which he breakes with her indeuoring her consent Whereto amaz'de she counter-works nor would for ought relent How pretious her Virginitie what sinne it to defile How for their Fathers Luste much woe was prophesied ere-while How Incest was much more a sinne she wished him to way How permanent the Shame to both Enough did Thamar say To haue preseru'd Virginitie if lust had brook't a Nay But pleading teares and words lackt waite by force he rauisht her And hauing forst he forced not to hide how he did erre Nor more he loued her ere while but hates her now as much Of Lust and vnchast Coiture still is the Sequell such Her now vn-virgin'd Eyes did shame to view the common Light She therefore would haue stayde at least not come in coÌ„mon Sight Supposing by her Blusshings all would ayme her altred Plight But out his Doores by violence he shutteth her wherefore Aloude she cride with bitter teares her faire attier she tore And did all Signes of sorrow whilst the cause admired was But when her Brâ—ther Absolom found how had come to pas He comforts her in all he might and to his house conuaies His wofull Sister wheare thenceforth as desolate she states Like Prognes sister pensiue but her moodes weare milder still This wanting will not speech to rayle That wanting speech not will Contrary-wise thought Absolom of nothing but Reuenge And with his choler thinke ye him these thoughts among to menge Did Cadmus for his Sister rapt'e so many Countries rome And shall I sleepe my Sisters Rape that may be quit at home For Rape of one scarce honest was at Troy such tenne-years Fight And shall one easie bloe seeme much sweet Thamers wrong to right Simean and Leui worthy Sonnes of Israel our grand Sier Yee in reuenging Dinas Rape haue set mine heart on fier Euen mine that for a greater wrong should greater things acquier Poore Sychem thou didst loue in deede and Marriage Rites affect Lewde Ammon thou did'st lust in deede and then thy Rape reiect Poore Sichem she a Stranger was whom thou so much didst wowe Lewde Ammon she thy Sister was with whome thou hadst to doe Poore Sichem thou to prize thy loue didst leaue thy Godes for hers Lewde Ammon thou to please thy luste no God at all prefers But howsoeare in these in this no diffrence shall remaine Poore Sichem he was slaughtred lewd Ammon shall be slaine Nor more Maachas goodly Sonne in stomaking did threate Then did this Newes his Father now offensiuely disqueatâ— At poynt almost to act as much as Absolom did plot Euen Ammons death had not he been his Isiue first-begot For which he earst had hild him Deare and present Nature wrought And that himselfe had amorous Slyps is likely too hee thought But howsoeare in woe enough he ouerpafseth it Which Absolom in wroth enough nor could nor would forgiâ— Two yeares in silence neartheles he labord of that fit To his Sheep-shearing Dauid and his Brethren he inuites Such as our Wakes conuenting Kinnes to Feastings and Delightes Now listen what Catastropha this Stratagem behightes The King excus'd his comming whome his Sonne importunes so As Ammon and his other Sonnes had leaue and will to goe
ariu'd when as the Belgies send To Philip their Submission and their Loyaltie defend If ought were done contrarie to his Edicts as indeede Weare some too busie Protestants did order-les proceede They did transpose that Fault vpon those Innouators rude Protesting all that Subiects should and humbly too they sude Vouching his Father Vncle Kings and Emperors of old Who let their Liege-men diffring from their own Religion hold To suffer Consciences in them to God-wards vncontrold For which and for their Charters did they offer Masses large And euermore to vndergo all Truage Taxe and Charge But Theirs to alter quite in all was it that Philip ment To plague therfore those seauenteene Shires was war-flesht Alua sent This like a pleasing poysning Aspe to act as he did arme At first Ariuall Pardons did for passed Crimes proclaime That tractable kind People so he to his bent did frame Who wear not then by hostile Meanes men easily to tame He thus of them possest did then by she Degrees surprise Their Townes puts Garisons in them built Cittadels likewise Inducts the Inquisition and strange Imposts did deuise Cals pardon'd Crimes in question faines the Guiltles to offend And thus an Aspe and poysnous more prou'd Alua in the end For why ambitious men seeke get possesse and practise State With restles minds by fawning Meanes enuide in haughtie rate This priuiledged Prouince and this Paradized Earth Thus stripped of her golden Fleece and faintly drawing breath Was phisickt of Elizabeth who with her English Balme Then much the poysnous biting of that Spanish Aspe did calme Euen Pittie preaching thus to her that Nature is reuerst When as her selfe is not amongst her owne Consorts disperst She to that Countries Father to that honorable Knight The Prince of Orange armed then in Christ his cause to fight And for his Countries Weale permits first Voluntarie Aides And lastly when that neighbour Fier too neerly her inuaides And their extreame Oppression did her Charitie inuite By Ambassies Spayne often mou'd to doe the Belgies right Howbeit touching Peace in vaine she franklier friends their Cause Who were inforced to defend their Faith their Liues and Lawes Against their Soules and Bodies foes and which might all perceaue Our cause was handled then in theirs then theirs were ours to leaue And which had often ayded vs in many a Field and Fleete In ancient Loue with Burgundie to breake was thought vnmeeâ—e How thence tyrannous Aluâ— was reuoked all too late When pitiously declined was their flourishing Estate Ere which Oppression where the King had countles Profits thence Now Ownes he nothing there not held with infinit Expence The Slaughters Sackings Mutinâ—es the Kings Vice-Gerents sence How Horne EgmoÌ„d CouÌ„ties braue through Aluas Athisme spead How Orange through our Soueraigns Aids preuaild how lastly dead How Anioy also through her Meanes became that Peoples head How now her Highnes only-selfe next God doth them secure Her valiant Warriors there whose Laudes might special Pens allure And here mean-while should ours saue that I cannot but deuine Their Chiualrie to be reseru'd for higher Muse than mine To which though some we leaue yeat by their leaues of some is sayd Themselues they haue misgouern'd and their Companies beâ—rayd Some More regard of Tents and Trash in their Retreats haue made Then of our craised men may such Conductors low be laide And some too ruthles rioteus and of their Charge râ—misse Haue starued vp in number moe than Foe-slaine number is Thus some of some report perhaps not true in all as told But somewhat somewhere faulteth for no fier no smoake be bold To be officious getteth Friends plaine Dealing hated is Yeat better plainly to reproue than fainedly to kisse We cannot also loue our Friends and flatter their A-misse How these and thus-like passed Thear we ouer-passe it heere Note in our Queene Religion wrong'd it selfe did euer cheere And whear the Spanish Nimrod hunts in Monarchie to hold All Christendom through God that Drist she chiefly hath controld Nor did nor doth nor shall it need that thus to her be told Who would to God but works no good who seeketh fame by ease Comes short of both no lesse than Mappes to very Lands and Seas Not only thus but in this while her Fleetes haue oftentimes Set prosprously her Men on Shore euen in the farthest Climes WheÌ„ce haue they brought by fayr CoÌ„merce great riches to our Land Or glorious Spoyles from such as did their peace or Prowse withstaÌ„d Of which shall be digested here the Progresse in some parte Though stately be the Subiect and too slender be our Arte. THE ELEVENTH BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. LXII INexplicable Nature by the God of Nature wrought Makes things seeme Miracles to some by some not Wonders thought And euery Climates People both as they are Men and liue Do differ nothing if obseru'd She not admir'd doth giue The VVorkman rather than the VVork extoll we though in her Not curiously and all things to his Prouidence refer VVho reades Sir Iohn de Mandeuil his Trauels and his Sights That wonders not and wonder may if all be true he wrights Yeat rather it beleeue for most now modernly approu'd Than this our Storie whence suppose he was to Trauell mou'd Not contradicting though such Pens that write perhaps more trew That Pennance him to Pilgrimage hence of Deuotion drew Of noble Parentage and rich was Mandeuil exact To whom nor Feature Actiuenes not Peoples fauour lackt A Ladie of the royall blood Third Edwards Cozen say her On whom for rarest Raritie might Arte-spent Nature stay her Inamours him who held it sinne if ought he should omit Might please and prize his Ladie coucht in Courage Coste or Wiâ— But quite it quail'd his hopes to thinke he strain'd to reach a Starre Oft Reason therefore did with Loue Loue did with Reason warre She is too high and what of that it hath thinks he bin seene As High haue stoopt as Low For Loue right-labourd wins a Queene And can I hope that Beautie which is Adamant to all Yea Beautie Natures Iuy-bush each Passenger doth call But should she loue Foole that I am to hope that should despaire Such Births as she not else must loue but as they licen'st are Yeat were it Mandeuil she lou'd mislike it then that list Our vertuous Loue else-where as here should render vs as blist O would she loue it should suffise such not of vulgar Moulds WhoÌ„ once she blesseth with her Loue for him she Sooth-fast holds The only vertue of which Loue all other Lacks controules Such were his Ebbes Floods and down although in Loue he sits Yeat fearing Death and her disdaine his Heart deuour'd his Fits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not meanly passionate he fared not as those Whose melancholy Fooleries be Pylots to their Woes Alreadie was he gratious both with her and all the Court And more to be did exercise Armes and each actiue Sport Nor was he Stoicall in ought but affable in all
was indeed a wonder for this Virgin so was bent To Chastitie that by selfe-death she Marrage did preuent Here Mandeuil perhaps had bin and tooke occasion heere To feare least Flenor in like might imitate too neere Euen Toyes in Loue discourage Loue froÌ„ Toyes resumeth cheere Of him therefore whilst Ienkinson rests at his Iornies end With Obdolowcans Sonne that on the Sophie did attend CHAP. LXVIII SO Knightly Mandeuil demeanes himselfe against the Foes Of Melek Mandibron that he in Aegypt famous groes And of himselfe that Soldan did to Mandeuil commend A greater Match than els his Thoughts with hope could apprehend For vertuous beautious Birth Wealth a Match for none to meÌ„d This Ladie also of the blood and heire vnto her Father A mightie Prince in those same Parts he courteth now the rather To intermit that home-bred Loue which seaz'd on him indeed As for to proue how such as he with such as she might speede And there experimented here to cease or els proceede Fye Mandeuil how good so ere thy Merits otherwise In making Loue vnmeant thou didst thy selfe but mis-aduise Though thou could'st buzze about the flame keepe vnskorcht thy wings Few safely play with edge-Tooles sin to iest at holy things With women made for Men therefore soone won yeat edging Sute With Marrage praisde enough in him did first it institute With Women who when all was made and Man of all possest Yeat lacketh Man an Helpe sayd God and Man with Woman blest With marrage that legitimates our Propagation and Two Hearts in one transplants in all befalne or taine in hand With women that no lesse attract our Senses them to leeke Than Hunger for to labour Foode or Anguish Ease to seeke VVith Marrage that preferreth vs and stayes vs in content Vnanimieth weale or woe as either vs is sent In Nature Women Marrage by Tradition either twaine So sacret and autentick as we naither should profaine To trifle then or Them or This were not so slight a sin As that thy Vertues Mandeuil would fault think I therein But for she was a Pagan and thy selfe a Christian theare And she the Soldans Tender thou didst forme a Loue for feare For that thou should'st reny thy Faith and her thereby possesse The Soldan did capitulat in vaine the more thy blesse For than a VVoman euermore the Diuell tempteth lesse Yeat that they tempt not theirs but ours the sinne for if I see And steale a pretious Gemme the Gemme faults not the Theft in me Howbeâ—t when to actiue and to passiue loue it groes And VVomen then shall alter them as Diuels then suppose And like of Men if Men alike shall Reputation lose This faire Aegyptian Ladie of the English Toy in this To wit in forward Loue to whom the farthest Commer is Might easly haue bin wonne of him not at an easie rate If to his Faith a Recreant had Miscrent bin his state But he immoueable aswell in Faith as former Loue Did there so well as he from thence with honor did remoue On Elenor he still deuisde yeat sometimes to allay Those Moodes by mustring in his mind these thoughts did thus assay Full soone the fairest Face thought he would cease from being such If not preserued curiously with tendring more than much Or age at least and that not old so alters it that was That Helen did disclaime her selfe for Helen in her Glas. That great Phisition that had liu'd in health an age admirde Did answer askt the cause not he had done as Flesh desirde Then Mandeuil bethinks him of the Labyrinth of Cares Incumbring married Men and neer that life and loue forswares How tedious were a Shroe a Sloy a Wanton or a Foole All foure a-like threatning Mislike when time should Dotage coole How seldome Women come vndow'd with one or some or all Or answerable Faults to these to men not Crosses small The Flattries and the Fooleries whereby are women wonne With fishing long to catch perhaps a Frog when all is done And all that Sexs Infirmities his Thoughts did ouer-runne But like as Mothers beate their Babes sing them when they crie Loues Incantations so did he with Malice such defie The Amorous with the sea-Crabs gaet doe angring Amours flie This humour and the honor by this Knight in Aegypt wonne Ore-passe we and in Persia see what Ienkinson hath done CHAP. LXIX AT Casben hild the Shawgh his Court who thirtie yeares and odd Had not been seene abroade thereof by Prophe sie foâ—bodd Like Maiestie he kept as those great Monarchs did before The Macedons subdewed them of Wiues he had like store Besides most bewtious Concubines not lesse than fifteene score And yearely of the fairest Maides Wiues doth make new choyce When much the Friends and Husbands of those chosen doe reioyce Him blesseth he to whome doth he one of his Relicts giue Yeat Persian Shaughs esteeme themselues the holiest Kings that liue For when a Christian whom they call an Infidel because He not beleeues in Mahomet nor Mortezalies Lawes Is cal'd to audience least the same prophaine wheare he doth stand Must doffe his Shooes and to and fro treade on new-sifted sand Our Soueraignes Letters to the Shaugh so Ienkinson presents Who being ask't his arrant said those Letters like Contents But new-made Peace with Turkie him of new-sought Trade preueÌ„ts The Turkish Marchants fearing least their Traffique might decrease Had by that Basha mard his Mart that then had made that Peace The Shâ—ugh did also question his Beleefe and quarrell it So well appaid is â—enkinson if well away he git Whome with our letters to the Turke the Shaugh to send was bent Had not the Hyrcane Murzey Posts vnto his Father sent And Obdolowcans Letters then disswaded that intent When with a Present for himselfe he Thence to Hyrcan went And theare did him the heart-trew King most kindly intertayne And thence dismisse with Gifts when he no longer would remayne Nor onely his Ambassadors vnto his care Commends But moment of that Ambassie which he to Mosco sends There now suppose them well ariu'd and bringing gratefull newes Of waightie Messages whearin the Mosick him did vse Conuenient time he nerethelesse for Persian Trade attends Which Arthur Edwards thither sent succesfully theare ends This Edwards and a many here vnnam'd deserued well In these Imployments but of All weare tedious al to tell For sauing of Discouerers we purpose not to dwell Els would we here reuiue but that through Hakluits Pen they liue To him your Fames sweet Trumpetor Yee English Garlands giue A Catalogue of Names that in this North and Northeast Clymes Haue more obseru'd and more deseru'd than perish shall with times Nor be my Father here forgot for he amongst the rest Deserueth in this Generall remembrance with the best And here from out those churlish Seas with Ienkinson we sayle To London theare an aged Man to tell this youthfull Taile How he had past All Europe seene all Leuant Ilands and
Greece Turkie Affrick India Sur Aegypt the holie Land And all the foresaid Lands in all imployde and intertainde Of Emperors and Kings as if him selfe a King had raign'd Rest may thy honorable Boanes good old Man in sweet Peace Nor haue thy Phoenix-Ashes since beene barren of increase But late had we a Fowle like rare vs'd oftner Sea than Shore Ofte swam hee into golden Strands but now will so no more For though he weare a dyuing Fowle to Heauen did he sore In England not Arabia now the Phoenix Bird is bread And euermore shall theare reuiue when shall the olde be dead The Maiden Empresse and her Knights their Enterprises rare Which now haue pearst through euery Pole of all admired are Remaineth now that we intreate of great Achieuements done By English in contrarie Clymes since first her Crowne begonne But ride we first at Anker though a roomesome Sea we haue To listen Staffords Comforts which to Elenor he gaue THE TWELFTH BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. LXX WHen Stafford sounded had as said the Ladies Loue-seaz'd heart He to a Banquet her inuites and did for then depart Now to his Lodging which had earst been Mandeuils also Comes Elenor accompned with a crew of Ladies more Of which was one that Stafford lou'd of her beloued She Instructed was by him of all should there effected be The Banquet ended Dorcas so was Staffords Ladies name Thus speaketh vnto Elenor as if it weare in game In yonder Chamber poynting to a locked Doore thereby Hath Mandeuil his Closet and no common Armory Full many things theare-in quoth she both rare and rich saw I Howbeit Stafford euen to me did long that sight denye Weare he and all the rest abroade wheare lies the Keye I wot Then sayne you sicke and sleepie so the rest may hence be got Soone Ladies listen Nouelties and serue themselues with Shifts Not sooner Dorcas had deuis'd but Elenor it drifts So finely fayn'd she ill-at-ease that none beleeu'd her well Saue Stafford and his Ladie so preposing as befell And all saue onely Dorcas whom she praies with her to stay Did sadly leaue her to her Rest and that she rest did pray Meane while the Ladies and their Oste into the Garden walke Where Stafford did inuent them Sports and hild them pleasant talke The Ladies twaine thus left alone the doore they open wheare To them in compleat Armor seem'd the greene-Knight to appeare The Burgonet the Beuer Buffe the Coller Curates and The Poldrons Grandgard Vambraces Gauntlets for either hand The Taishes Cushies and the Graues Staffe Pensell Baises all The greene-Knight earst had tylted with that hild her Loue his Thraâ— She sawe on Crosses and els-what by Staffora so set out That to haue seene her very Knight made Elenor no doubt At first she feares but lastly findes the Armor was vn-man'd When skaerd and cheerd with Dorcas she did enter theare at hand The Closet wheare the Prizes of the for said Iusts did stand These and that Armor Dorcas saide are Mandeuils the same Your Knight that won himselfe for Force to you for Faire such fame But Sweete let this be spoke in Shrift so was it spoke to me Long haue you thirsted it know I which now you heare and see Though Stafford was by Mandeuil coniured to conceale it And I by Stafford what is it but that I may reueale it What shame a Gods name can redowne to him by being knowne The Knight that honord both himselfe and you as more might none Beleeue me reason none his fame should thus obscured lye But whatsoeare the Scruple be now out it is for why To you lies bare my heart and shall With that by pre-conclusion Twixt him and Dorcas Stafford made a mannerly Intrusion Why how now Ladies sicke and heale and taine so soone in â—aâ—me You should quoth he to Pownd weare this a churlish Ruslicks faâ—me In vaine I see hath Mandeuil forbidden me or sight Or speech hereof to Elenor And Dorcas serues me right Bab'd be our Shrifts to women of simplicitie or spight Well Lady for by now I gesse you know this Armors Knight And you concerning other things haue reade what he did wright If firme you hold for him as you haue said and should doe still For you and him and both therein imploye me at your will Who mightier than the Soldan Yeat as Mandeuil me wrights A Lady of the blood right faire he him for Wife be hights But weare she Empresse of the World his Resolution is She either shall be Elenor or neuer any his Full well she knew those Sights and at those Speeches did reioyce The greene-Knight had been Mandeuil had been in her the Choyce That Wish the Man his Worth their Loue concurriug in this wise Had he been also present what more Blisse could she deuise Thence went they out into that Roome where had the Banquet bin And theare was she about to speake when came the Ladies in Full well appayde to see her cheer'd and frained then her quaem For nothing lesse than forged Panges or what had past they aem Then went they all to whence they came and Elenor did plie For Mandeuil What was it now for him she would not trie Oft Stafford She and Dorcas did consult and then conclude This Course not to be changed which eare said be first pursude Of English that in Affrick and in Asia bring to pas That England now is famous wheare but late vnnam'd it was CHAP. LXXI OF Northerne Regions partely is epitomed before Of other later Voyages ensues a few of store Great Personages cannot want great Poets theirs to tell Nor may they want nor want o them would I wrot I like-well But of some Meaners that their liues haue ventured no lesse Perform'd as much Some more and Some that haue as many gesse Vnto their Betters made the way to glorie they possesse Shall we digest Or it we speake of great-Ones they be dead For Writers aduantagiously are of the Liuing reade Thy Raigne also Elizabeth shall bound our Pen in it Which to our Theame inferreth Texts no times yeeld more so sit Like amotous Scape from England as of Elenor to Rome Made Macham in Madera reare his hence-stolne Louers Toome Then raigned here Third Edwara when so trauel'd Mandeuil And in those daies thâ—interring There of Machams Loue befell A Chappell built be there his name and hers ingrauen in Stone To Iesus dedicated then and England there vnknowne Of him this Ilands Porte is cal'd Machico to this day Whom Affrick Mores to Câ—stile as a Wonder did conuay For in an hollowed Tree or Trough not hauing sayle or Oates The Shippe they came in leauing him discouer'd he the Mores By which discouery and by his Instructions did ensew Th' â—berians did Madera and Canaries Isles subdew Hence els had Macham past our Penne did time effect our Trade For Guinie in her Highnes Raigne acquir'd and patent made For not in Maries weare those Partes as now so
fully found Yeat still to gratefull Eares may those Negotiators sound To wit although an Alien good Pinteado abus'd By moodie VVindam Guinte first and Benyn these perus'd Next Gainsh then Towrson diuers times and theare my Father dide Since rife that Voyage Brasile and to Cape-verd Isles beside Gold â—iuet muske graines pepper woad iuory thence be brought In Barbarie old Mauritaine like Trade this raigne hath wrought Of Affrick and America by Ours no part vnsought In Tewriâ— Sirta Aegypt Greece the Turks whole Empier now Our Queene is gratious our Commerce and Agents they allow Of World-admired Drake for of his Worth what argues more ThaÌ„ fame enuide Some for was his so rich thought theirs too poore And his braue Breeder Hawkins yeat be honord euery Pen That howsoeuer honor them as high resolued Men In Fiction or in Mysterie to reade would lesse delight Than would significantly some their glorious Ior 〈…〉 es wright The paines of such inuited Pens such subiect would requite Adde Gilbert Greenuill Frobisher of Knights to make vp fiue All in their better Parts with God with Men their Fames aliue Adde â—hilton Oxnam Fenton VVard Dauis an other Drake With diuers here not catalog'd and for a Cheefest take All actions Candish and of these eternall Pen-worke make And for a gowned Cicero and one that did not liue But to his Prince and Countrie Lawdes to VVaisingham doe giue The 〈…〉 ds and Aeâ—eados for Text and Truth might yeeld Vnto that learned Muse that should manure that plentious Field Was neuer Prince imployed Peace with praise to profit more Or Râ—alme could in the Raigne of one boast worthy Men like store Out Foes can also witnes her armipotent in few ReligioÌ„ Vertue Wealth Peace War her Throne with same indue And here mine altred Muse this Theame surceaseth to pursue Of These East Indian Goa South South-east People moe And of their memorable Names those Toyles did vnder-goe Is one elaborated Pen compendicusly doth floe Omitted then and named Men and Lands not here indeede So written of as they deserue at large in Hakluit reede To him and who deserues like-well of England both as Any Haue wrote of England Camden and to English Poets Many Of which are some praise-worthy though that towre their Wits too hie To make a Pitch for Loue wheÌ„ they at fairer Fowles might flie Now vaile I Bonnet Rest thee Muse abrode what need we rome Our seauenteene Kingdomes once now One yeeld Work enough at Home All which her Highnes owneth now as shall anon be saide But of our English Louers first be this Addition made CHAP. LXXII NOw at Constantinople once Byzantium in old Thrace Had Mandeuil to Stafford wrote should be his Wintring Place Next Summer would hee bee at Rome That Stafford should direct For either Place his Letters which he longing did expect So Sâ—efford had to Elenor the same informed who And Dorcas euermore their Loues did argue fro and too They may quoth Dorcas make more nice but few or none I troe That labour not of our disease and why I pray you noe To be with God what good more good For it we all should aske But for by death it must be done but few affect the Taske Virginitie though praised is alike perform'd for why As much the Flesh is fraile therein as in the feare to dye What was it sayd to all but vs Increase and Multiply No Clarke will so expound that Text God shield they should say I. All yeeld that Marrage is no sinne if chastly then we liue And Man and wife their Bodies each to other wholly giue If so as so is granted what needs curious strugling then Since God and Nature formed Men for vs and vs for Men. Ill match those dallying Girles pray I that intertaine by Arte All Louers giuing Hopes to all of all to make their Marte And hauing blaunched many so in single Life take pride When not a Strumpet Men so much abhorre and more deride Aswell as too remisse in choyce we may be too precise And lose as Aesops swimming Dogge a Substance for Surmise But if we marke in matching this which perfecteth Content That in the Man of Vertues be and Loue a Couplement For either Fortune worke we that we neuer shall repent We coyly may consume our Youth till times may alter so Or forme friends wealth or fame that we out of Request may groe But lose that list their Prime since now I haue that may delight He shall participate my best that must my baddet Plight For true it is as Vessels of first Liquors euer taste Loue seasned so with Sweets of Youth the same doth euer last Nay should my Stafford God forbid lesse kinde than think I proue I neretheles would still be his in chaste and cheerefull Loue. No men troe I the rascall Sort except but women may In Patience temporizing well informe and erring stay And reason were there Scripture none so bidding we forbare In men their Moodes because of vs they wholly take the care Admit we bring them Portions great and beautie sought of Many Alas what bring we one that might not els haue hap't to any For let me speake it to no Blab it is a Question whether That longer think it we or Men vntill we come together Well Wanton well quoth Elenor if Men should heare your chat This last I meane at least they would conclude for vs in that Concerning which vpon my Tongue shall mine Opinion dye Though should I say to it and all Amen I sooth'd no Lye Saint Stafford thine Saint Mandeuil for me God for vs all I haue bin a 〈…〉 and will be still resolu'd what ere befall In saying which came Stafford in and wils them to dispatch To Ship-boord for before had they determin'd of that Match Alreadie had he shipt their Stuffe lack't only they a boord Which Opportunitie did now that time and place affoord How they escap't or how disguisde what skils it scap't they are All three imbark't for Italie and had the winde so faire That almost thither had they reach't before they missed weare For them great search and sorrow much was made but all in vaine None knew or wheÌ„ they went or whence or where they did remaine Here see you what can mightie Loue in either Sexe effect Here see you also friends for friends nor weale nor woe respect Here see you one that fear'd to speake is followed farre to speede Here see you that a Woman dares if she conceits the Deede Here see you one in loue not moop't at home but mapping Lands Here see you how gainst all things els for Ladies Vertue stands Here also heare what they ariu'd in Italie did see And first at Rome when first shall this of Else-what spoken bee CHAP. LXXIII ELizabeths now-Monarchie ore seauenteene Crownes of old As formerly was promised shall briefly here bee told Before the Scots did plant them Heere own'd ancient Brutaines All And still take I
let goe for dead Thus off and on they dialogue best part of all that daye He could not win her to consent nor would he take a naye For long a goe the Calendar of Women-Saints was filde Fewe not to Opportunitie importunated yeild Thinks this our Northerne wilie Ladde hartie and hardie too Who neuer would giue-out nor more than thus yeelds she to doe That is to bead he swearing but to kisse and her imbrace Then merrily for Huntington they mend their former pace Alighted theare for Supper he bespeakes the dantiest Cheere And either in one Gallerie had Chambers somewhat neere Betwixt their Chambers placed was a Southerne Gentleman That by officious Signes twix't them to sound their Match began Her extraordinary Forme on worke the rather sets His heart and Senses such an hand of vs such Bewtie gets Resolu'd at last of what was meant and how therein to deale This Smel-feast from the bidden Guest did thus the Banquer steale He gaue it out that all might heare he earely would away His Man fayn'd feare to ouer-sleepe and would not downe him laye But when that all besides betooke themselues to sleepe and rest One while he walkes the Gallerie another while he drest His rustie Sword which badly did the Northern-man disgest In vaine he chaâ—te in vaine he wisht the Seruing-man were gon Nor durst he out to boord his Loue for much it stood vpon Their Credits to be cautilous The Southern-man this while Got to the Gentle-womans bed and did no force beguile Her Expectation Swore you not quoth she and he did smile But had he bin the Man forsworne if God forgaue the Sin She pardon'd him the quo advi that he had trespast in And for that Nights work swore to sweare no Man froÌ„ like I win This Chaer thus chaer'd as closely as he went returnes he backe Vnto his proper Bed nor long he sleepes ere thence he packe No sooner cleered was the Coast but that the bidden Guest Steales to her Chamber doore then lock't for now she means to rest A male-Content retireth he not dreaming what had bin But better Opportunitie hopes at their next-nights Inn. Next Morne they meete when blushingly but angrie not a whit Ha Sir quoth she I 'le trust againe your Oth so kept you it Well bite and whine quoth he who trusts a Woman so is saru'd First museth she then iests it out soone finding how was swaru'd But thus the Northern-man did faile that did no cost omit And thus the Southern-man preuail'd at charge no more then Wit The best is yet behind but ere be told the Storie out Amongst our Louers now at Rome heare how was brought about AT Rome is Mandeuil ariu'd Stafford and he are met To say their Greeting for the much were here too long a Let. Of Elenor her health and more suppose not Questions few For yet full little Mandeuil of her Ariuall knew Nor shall till of his Loyaltie and life be further View At Staffords Lodging had he seene as is th' Italian Guies Two portly Ladies Head and Face all vailed saue their Eies Twixt one of these and Stafford much of Kindnes to haue past Had he obseru'd and thereupon thus breakes with him at last I haue not seene the couer'd Dish that so your Diet fits But much I feare it surfet may quoth he your queasie wits Needes must I enter now the Lists to combate Dorcas Foe Euen Staffords reason that from Heauen to Hell is posting so I will not aske nor doe I care what bewtie wealth or wit Your here-found Mistres hath why you should home-left Loue forgit But this I know not Rome affords whome more you might affect Than her whome wronged here I see and more than seene suspect And wherein differs Man from Beast but in Affections checkt What is she married Then doe yee superlatiuely sinne Or Mayde I like not Maidens that so forwardly beginne Or Curtizen What doth she with a Vaile that is so vile As not to blush at shame but baer'd is wonted to beguile But Married Mayde or Curtizen or what you please her name I like not him makes loue to one and wrongs the very same I tell thee Stafford be she good or bad thou here doest courte Thee I pronounce too bad y t with fore-plighted Loue do'est spourte Let it suffice my Friendship hates Absurdities in thee Farre be it Trauelers should play the Spyder not the Bee I would thy courted Lady here and her Consorte heard this A needles wish next Roome weare both and ouer heard he is Then should they heare thee false to one a Choyser is not heere And fearing like suspect thy Loue of Precontracts not cleere Or falsed Matches finished in wrong of Others might By stil improsprous Presidents detetre from wronging Right To honest Eares might this suffice to interrupt herein Or spoke I vnto Harlots this at least from Lust should win Al Touch-sweet Tast-sweet Eye-sweet Eat-sweet Sent-sweet Soule-sweet is A vertuous Match but vitious Loue in al contraries this Suppose this firme and naked Loue and Friendship much to please His Auditorie seene and not and Sâ—afford to appease His Discontent pretends a soone Returne for England thence And so this Parlie ended and on either part Offence Stafford had said to Mandeuil that Elenor to trie Whether his Loue did not with time new Loues and Trauell die Required backe the Ring she gaue which if he could her send She would beleeue him loyall and requite it in the end That Ring in this Regarde did he commend to Stafford now And saue to her he giue the same to none exacts a Vowe The next third following day was fayn'd the time he wold froÌ„ thence Whome to accompanie on his way had Mandeuil pretence Wherfore they feast their Friends theÌ„ their Friends amoÌ„g'st the rest Vnknowne of him was Elenor with Mandekil a Guest Such Arte she vs'd and such Attier she wore and who would looke For her at Rome that present her not for herselfe he tooke Vpon her Finger he espide his Ring deliuer'd earst Yeat silently deuoures the Greefe that to his Soule had pear'st He and the rest inuited weare to sup abroad that Night Night Guests and Suppers ende are come when greeued though in Spright He to recouer backe his Ring did vse this clenly sleight In one had he a Mommerie deuised and a Maske And euery masking Mommer tooke a Lady to his taske He her with whome he had espyde his Ring and Dauncing donnâ— To looke as if for somewhat lost to ground-wards he begonne Was ask't what myste he whispers her that he had lost a Ring Which wanting in each Mommers Mouth was made a penall thing Faire Lady lend me this quoth he that on your finger is And giuing her a Tablet rich for Gage accept of this Her Courtesie his colour'd Want and Gage effected so That she the Pawne accepted did her loned Ring forgoe Now on the Boord weare cast the Dice her turne was
we commend Well wotring Acts heroick and great Accidents not few Occurre this happie Raigne here-hence of purpose blanched vew Nor Perpetuitie my Muse can hope vnlesse in this That thy sweet Name Elizabeth herein remembred is And this hope I doth bode me good that very day wherein Was finish't This did of thy Raigne yeare Thirtith nine begin May Muse arte-graced more than mine in Numbers like supply What in thine Highnes Praise my Pen too poore hath passed-by A larger Field a Subiect more illustrious None can aske That with thy Scepter and thy selfe his Poesie to taske Thy Peoples Prolocutor be my Prayer and I pray That vs thy blessed Life and Raigne long blesse as at this day An Addition in Proese to the second Booke of ALBIONS ENGLAND contayning a Breuiate of the true Historie of Aeneas ACcept him friendly Reader where he is not where he ought and as he speaketh not as he should Misapplied he is not for Matter precedent howsoeuer the penning or misplacing may like or mislike for the English or Order Rather hath my Remisnes borrowed of Decorum and your Patience than that a Patriarke of our Brutons should be abruptly estranged Of Aeneas therefore it thus followeth Aeneidos WHen the reuengefull Flames of Trâ—y properly called Ilion then the principall Citie of all Asia had perfected the more than Teâ—ne yeares Siege of the Grecians expugning of the same then Aeneas howsoeuer by some authorities noted of disloyaltie towards Priam in this not vnworthily surnamed vertuous burthening his armed shoulders with his feeble and most aged Father Anchises that laboured also vnder his loade of the Troian Gods and sacred Reliques Aeneas as I say with such his Burthen leading by the hand his Sonne Ascanius of the age of twelue yeres followed not only of the beautifull Creusa his wife the Daughter of King Priam but also of a many Troians participating that common calamitie brake through the wastfull Flames mauger the wrathful Foes into the fields of Phrigia Theare the Aire emptied of down-burnt Turrets and filled with smoake of fired Buildings assured froÌ„ their hearts more teares to their eyes than the benefit of their present Escape could promise them comfort Trâ—y therefore not to be rescued or Creusa in this businesse lost and perishing to be recouered Aeneas and his Followers imbarking themselues in Simois after long weary Sea-faring arriued in a part of Thrace called Cressa bounding on Mygdonia Here Aeneas purposing an end of his tedious Saylings and not meanly furnished of Treasure conuayed from Troy laied Foundation of a Citie after the Founder called Aenea This Citie going forward lesse effectually than was expected Aeneas supposing the Gods to bee yet opposite to the Troians knocking downe a milke-white Bull pitched an Altar to doe Sacrifice Neere at hand were growing diuers shrubbed Trees the Boughes whereof for the greater reuerence and exornation of the present Solemnitie he cutting and sliuing downe perceiued blood in great abundance issuing from the broken Branches whereat long admiring and with great terror and deuotion intercessing the Gods to reueale the meaning of that miraculous Accident at the length he heard a pitiful feeble voice for diuessly in those daies did the Diuels answere and giue Oracles thus answering Reason were it Aeneas that the Graues of the dead shuld priuiledge their bodies from the tyrannie of the liuing but by so much the lesse doe I esteeme my preiudice by how much the more I know thee vnwittingly iniurious Thou Aeneas in these Braunches thou tearest the bodie of thy vnfortunate Brother-in-law Polydor Sonne to the likestarred Priamus Troy as yet was only threatned not besieged when my Father as thou knowest deliuered me with a world of Treasure to Polymnâ—stor the barbarous King of this Countrie here daungerles as he pretended to abide as the Conseruor and Restauration of his House and Empyre whatsoeuer should betide of him his other Issue or the Warres then beginning but the Greekes preuailing Auarice and the declining State of Phrigia imboldned my Gardein fearles of Reuengers to the murthering of me which he traytrously accomplishing on this Shore secretly raked me vp in these Sands without honor of better Sepulcher and of my body so hath it pleased the Gods and Nature are sprong these Branches in tearing of which thou tormeÌ„test me Howbeit in respect of my desire to profit thee by foretelling of thy Destinie I account mee happily harmed For know Aeneas that in vaine thou doest build where the Gods deny thine abode leaue therefore these defamed Coasts and prosperously plant the Remaine of Troy and thy Posteritie in the fertill Italian Clime The voyce thus ceased to speake and Aeneas without further touch of the forbidden Shrubs continuing his feare finished the Sacrifice after the Phrigian fashion solemnlie held an Obit to the Ghost of his murthered Kinsman THen by this admonishment he and his Troians leauing the new reared Citie disanker from Thrace in quest of behighted Italie But no sooner had they put to Sea theÌ„ that the windes and the waues sollicited a Poeticall fiction by the wife of Iupiter so tossed and turmoyled the disparkled Nauie that the horror of the circuÌ„stances coÌ„tinually threatning their liues left onely hoped-for death as the remaine of all comfort At length these instruments of their long wandrings and the causes of Anchises of many noble personages there perishing couÌ„terpleaded as is fabled by Venus tossed their distackled Fleet to the Shore of Libya Neere to the place of their arriual stood the beautifull Citie of Carthage which Elisa whom the Phaenicians for her magnanimious dying did afterwards name Dido had newly builded Aeneas by safe-coÌ„duct receiued froÌ„ her repayring thether found such royal entertainemeÌ„t that in respect of the present solace he had forgotteÌ„ al passed sorrowes his hart-spent Troians found bountifull supplies to all their late endured scarsities In the meane while Aeneas for personage the Iouilist for wel-spokeÌ„ the Mercuxilist no lesse fortunate vnder Venus her constellatioÌ„ with his comelines so intised the eyes with his speeches so inchaunted the eares and with his vertues so enflamed the heart of the amorous Cathagenian Queene that hardly modesty discented that her tongue affirmed not the loue which her eyes outwardly blabbed and her heart inwardly nourished In the end not able longer to containe such extraordinary Passions in this order she vented the same to the Lady Anna her Sister My trusty Sister quoth she then sighing out a pause how many great Princes since the decease of my late husband Sichaeus and our departure from Tyrus haue in vaine laboured a marriage with me hath been vnto thee no lesse apparant than of me hitherto vnapproued but now haled on I know not by what destinie our new-come Guest Aeneas the Troian whose matchlesse personage and knightly prowesse I partially commend not all confirming of him no lesse than I can affirme the same euen the same hath supplanted my chast determinations of continual
widowhood with an amorous desire of a second marriage howbeit to determine without him as I must were to bee deceiued of him as I may What counsell My selfe Anna ah my selfe to motion loue were immodestie and to be silent lesse tolerable than death I would a violent no voluntary wish that Elisa knew her selfe beloued of Aeneas Aeneas not knowing himselfe so loued of Elisa Her Sister with a cheereful countenance promising comfort performed the same in this answer Dum signes quoth she haue their speeches not any that obserueth your looks but easily aymeth at your loue greater is the wonder of your strickt chastitie than it would be a nouell to see you a Bigama That priuatly peeuish and curious This publiquely wishâ—d and commodious Or euer Carthage be perfected in the ayre Elisa may putrifie in the earth What Monument then leauest thou to thy Tyrians scarce warme in A 〈…〉 k than a Cities imperfect foundation Which being alreadie an eyeâ—ore to the wild and warlike Libians Barc 〈…〉 s Getulians and the rest of the Africans shall then bee v 〈…〉 erly extinct with the very name of the Foundres but in matching with so great and valiant a Prince as Aeneas thou shalt not onely liue with whom thou doest loue and by consorting thy Tyrians with his Troians strongly disappoynt the enuie of those Nations but for Nature hath not giuen thee such beautie to die barren being a wife become 〈◊〉 doubt a mother and by legitimate propagation so glad thy Subiects feareles of ciuill dissentions Who can then dislike that Elisa should so loue Burie Sister the thoughts of Sichaeus with his dead bones and prosperously prosecute and preuaile in thy sweete passions of Aeneas Plie him with all prouisions and amorous entertainements onely for his Shippe-works fayne delatory wants and by Winter be past he partly comming will feare not bee perfectly reclaymed This counsell of Anna though it heaped as it were Athos on Aetna yet was it praised and practised of Elisa for Counsell soothing the humor of the counselled howsoeuer vnprofitable is accounted plaâ—sible Henceforward the Queene to be admired not matched for her exquisite beautie and rather borrowing of Arte than scanting Nature as braue in apparell as beautifull in person and voted euen in her better part to the loue of Aeneas so sorted all her â—euices to his best liking that shortly himselfe laboured with her in one and the selfe-same paine of wished-for pleasure Omitting therefore the circumstances of their discourses feastings and all poeticall faynings onely proceede we in few to the Euent of these their amorous Beginnings A Hunting was generally appoynted the Queene Aeneas their Ladies and Knights brauely mounted the Standes were prewned the Toyles pitched the Hounds vncoupled the Gamerowsed a foote and followed when sodainely amidst the harborlesse Desart in the hotest pursute the Skye ouer-cast with black Clowdes showred downe such flâ—shes of Lightening vollies of Thunder Haylestones and Raine that glad was euery of the Tyrians and Troians dispersing themselues to shift for one Elisa and Aeneas in the meane while finding a Caue that sheltred them twaine Being there all alone vnknowen of and vnsought for of their Seruants Opportunity the chief Actresse in al atteÌ„pts gaue the Plaudiate in Loue his Comedie Imagine short wooing where either partie is willing their faithes plighted for a mariage to be solemnized with kind kisses among hee did what harmed not and she had what displeased not A young Aeneas should haue beene molded had he not bin marred as might seeme in the making WheÌ„ this sweet Caulme in the sharp storme was with the tempest thus ouerpassed then came they both out not such as they entred in were receiued of their Traines attending their pleasures not examining their pastimes and so hauing continued the Chace vntill night discontinued their sport they retyring to Carthage were sumptuously feasted of Elisa in her Pallace During these their Alcion dayes not generally liked of all one there was a noble Troian that had these speeches to Aeneas Shouldest thou beleeue farre be it from Aeneas so to beleeue that the Oracles of our Gods behighting vs the Conquest of Italie were superstitious theÌ„ beleeue also vndeceiued mayst thou so beleeue that our effeminate abode here is vaine and slanderous to attempt that former without an Oracle yea with the losse of our liues is honorable because we are TrotaÌ„s to entertaine this latter inuited and daungerlesse reprochful because we are Troians Ah Aeneas haue we shipped our Gods froÌ„ home to be witnesses of our wantonnesse here Beleeue me better had it bin we had died in Pâ—râ—gia men than to liue thus in Affrik like women Consider also the place whereinto we are now brought and then conceiue of the possibility of our here abode shal I tel thee were there not if in the meane while no other Accident crosse thy now blisse were there not I say an Elisa here to loue thee or were there not an Aeneas to be beloued of her no sooner shuld the first deceased of you be deliuered of life than the Suruiuors of vs Troians be denied this Lande And then if we should proue so vngratefull as to resist our Relieuors hauing number yet want we MunitioÌ„ for neither our Ships be tackled nor we armed but at the deliuerie and appointment of the Tyrians Learne therefore Aeneas after so long pleasure in loue at the last profitably and politickly to loue and whatsoeuer thy playe be in Affrich let hencefoorth the Maine bee Italie Mean-while commaund most humbly we desire to be so commaunded that thy shippes be secretly calked â—allowed ballaced tackled victualled and armed and then thy selfe also reformed wittingly or vnwillingly to Elisa leaue her her effeminate Citie with Resolution neuerthelesse ifthou so please at more leysure to loue her So effectually did Aeneas listen to this motion that giuing order for the repayring of his Fleete he promised a speedy and sodayne departure and his men not slipping opportunitie executed the same with as effectuall diligence It happened in this meane while the Queene to mount the high Turrets of her Pallace royall whear looking towards the Roade she perceiued how earnestly the Troâ—aâ—s laboured in trimming pauasning and furnishing their Nauie then assuring her selfe not deceiued that she should be deceiued and descending as it were maiestically madde meeting with Aeneas shee said Before Aâ—neas I beheld thy ship wracks and wants I beleeued some God arriued at Carthage yea when I knewe thee but a man my conceit honored thee with a Deâ—tie but now these thine inhumaine Treacheries not worthy the vnworthiest Titles argue so farre off from a Godhoode as thou shewest thy selfe lesse than a Man and worse than a Diuell What hath Carthage not worthie Aeneas I assure thee if any be so much no citie is more happy thaÌ„ Carthage But the Queene pleaseth not Aeneas oh that Aeneas had not pleased the Queene theÌ„ might I haue bettered my choise for honour or
yearely hallowed Mosca which the Primate hauing blest Whom to attend the Clargie Lords and King himselfe be prest He thinks himselfe an happie Man may touch the yse-hewne Pit But him in Heauen already whom the Primat sprinks with it Euxinus and the Caspian Seas doe wash those frozen Shores Which vs with fish oyles hoÌ„ny salte furs good Traffiques stores More temprate be the In-land Parts They reape what they doe Sowe Within the compas of fower Moones inn all their haruest mowe And house their Beasts TheÌ„selues keep close in Stoues vntil the Spring And sport with their face-painted Wiues hild thear a comely thing In Customes of the Greeke Church much corrupted are they lead Monkes Friers Priests swarme theare not more thaÌ„ in their Portesse reade Nor more haue Priests or People than a ceremonious care Grosse Worshippers of Images which in their Houses are In all too superstitiously deuoted Though the Pope Theare stickell not their Primate takes as large and pompious scope Besides these Christians for vnto themselues they arrogate The soundest Christianitie are subiect to their State Idolators that doe adore euen Diuels or did of late Not of the Samoeds rude-wrought Gods or blood-Rites wil we tarry Or of the Stone neere vnto which did VVilloughby miscarry To which bring Saylers whit-Meats least their Ships should Tempests harrie But that same female-Idoll cal'd Zelotibab in part Of Russia or the Diuell himselfe acting in it his Arte Is worth the note When ought amisse amongst them doth befall An Instrument of Musicke and a siluer Toade withall They lay before the Idoll and before her prostrate fall Then Musick sounded he to whom the Toade shall come is slaine For come it will when presently the man reuiues againe And tells the cause why hap't the ill and how to pacifie The angrie Idoll which is done though some for it should die The King by Monarchia rules more absolutely none Great Duke of Russia late his Stile imperiall now his Throne He holds a Maiestie not meane and all of All his Owne When to imploy their goods vpon the common good is knowne Himselfe both Iudge and Iuror ends with Equitie Debates Armipotent in Warte and hath subdewed mightie States An hundred thousand leads he forth against his Foes to fight That scorne both hunger thirst and cold wounds yeelding feare and flight Of cloth of gold rich Stones Plumes his royall Tent is pight Nor to his Souldiours skants he Gifts that well themselues acquite But what particulate we thus that much in few would write NOw wheare we left of Chancelor he gratious with that King Obtayned for our Marchants as he wished euery thing With Letters then of Credence for himselfe and Marte for them He puts to Sea for England whome theyse about did hem But with vndaunted Courage to his neuer dying Fame All Difficulties ouerpast to London safe he came Thence after some aboade with new Consorts an other Fleete And Notes digested for their new attempted Traffique meete He did resayle to Russia there receiued as before Cheefe Agents Gray and Killingworth bearded fiue foote and more In all things with the King for ours did Chancelor preuaile And now our AgeÌ„ts knew their Homes where to make their Saile But now must end our Swan-song now the Swan himselfe must end Euen he that toyld such tedious Seas his Countries weale to mend Returning Homewards neere at Home euen on the Scottish Cost Did wracke and those aboord his Ship then perished for most But that he drown'd his care to saue the Russie sent to vs In his Conduct is said the cause but drown'd he was and thus This Marte thus set a foote was Thence for Ob an other sought Wherein not little was it that praise-worthy Burrough wrought Of him and whom I neuer can commend with praises dew Of Ienkinson ensues But first of Elenor anew CHAP. LXVI YEE heard how she his Letter read whilst Stafford was in place Which hauing read shee stoode as if astonished a space Her blusshing and vn-blusshing made that Stafford doubted whether It pleased or displeased which the troth to say did neither Varietie of Men to court a Woman is her pride Than which their Vanitie of Men is nothing lesse espyde What are to vs but common hutts those common hopes they giue If then their Loue doth dye to vs when ours to them doth liue They Nero-like sing Troy when Rome by them is set on fier Iest at our earnest Let vs now to â—lenor retier More modest she thaÌ„ such though most in MeÌ„s behalfe might better And comes quoth she from Mandeuil this ill-come-welcome letter Beleeue me Stafford ill it comes that sayes a cause in me That from his Natiue home he should thus selfe-exiled be If amorous Hopes or Hopes vnheld to him from me had past I had indeed bin guiltie as too forward or not fast But to the Cause Effect and all not-guiltie doe I pleade His Loue is Newes mine to despairewhat was it him should leade Our Court I will not wrong the Man nor flatter him a whit Can hardly shew another-such for Person Prowse and Wit But as for me setting a-part my Birth to which or any So borne our State is interest what am I more than Many If beautious now here let me chide his Indiscretion who Farre from a Meane of it so meane doth make so much adoe And least perhaps he should haue glib'd a vertue doth not note WheÌ„ce loue shuld spring which makes me gesse he doth not loue but dote If beautious as I sayd what els is Forme but vaiding Aire Yea oft because assaulted oft it hurteth to be faire And were not my Descent and I a Fauorite in Court My common Forme vnheeded then might passe without report But were my wishes mine the Court by me should be the lesse So much it hath of Vanitie and painfull Idlenesse Since such is he and of my selfe my selfe but so esteeme Himselfe by Silence me he wrong'd disdainfull me to deeme I could be angrie were he here with him for erring so Disdaine the Volgars Fault is not in Gentrie found I troe But feare he did and wisely too for God forbid that I Vnworthie that I am should haue indanger'd him to dye The Kings displeasure Or perhaps vnpossible he thought My loue should equall his or I a trans-Marine be wrought But if he intertain'd such thoughts there also did he erre Loue is a lordly Feast he writes and I the same auerre For if not rashly though I hope vpon my Choice I stand My hand shall neuer giue my heart my heart shall giue my hand Yea so I liue with whom I loue what care I in what Land With Women is too vsuall now Theirs and themselues to sell For Ioynters by Indenture with imperious Men to dwell And he doth her and she doth him with his and hers vpbrayde But that I chiefly match for loue shall when I match be sayde Good Daies beget bad Daies trie Friends
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