Chapter 87

[242]Force. ib.[243]And. ib.[244]So. ed. 1575.[245]His. ib.[246]Lovely. N.[247]No Lady went on earthely grounde. ed. 1575.[248]Euer chaunge my minde. ib.[249]Where he declar’d what promise I did make. N.[250]Never. 1575.[251]“The singuler great loue and affection that he bare vnto the saide Eastrilde coued not yet out of his minde and be forgotten, wherfore he made a Caue vnder the ground in the Citie of Troynouant and enclosed her therein—insomuch as he had the companie of her the space of vij yeres full, aud none knewe it, but a fewe of his verie familyer and faythfull friendes.”Grafton.[252]Likewise my Elstride I as Queene ordain’d. N.[253]Rais’d. N.[254]Or. 1575.[255]For. N.[256]Stura stream. 1575.[257]Fabian varies from the other chronicles by stating the death of Locrine as in the life time of Gwendoline’s father; as she “beynge sore discontent, excyted her Fader and frendes to make warre vpon the sayd Lotryne her husbande. In the which warre, lastly, he was slayne when he reygned or ruled Loegria, or Logiers, after the concordaunce of moste wryters XX yers; And was buryed by his Fader in the cytie of Troynouant.” This might be the authority of our author for relating his burial at Troynouant as the stanza appears in the first edition.Then was I brought to Troynouant, and thereMy body was enterrid as you reade:When I had raigned all out twenty yere:Lo thus I liude and thus became I deade:Thus was my crowne depriued from my heade,And all my pompe, my princely troupe and trayne,And I to earth and duste resolude againe. (1575.)[258]Now warne estates, ib.[259]No false deceit deceiues. N.[260]Edition 1575 has only seven lines in this stanza: it concludes thusFor though ye colour all, with coate of right:Yet can no fained farde deceiue his sight.The Authour.With that this king was vanisht quite and gone,And as a miste dissolued into ayre:And I was left with Morpheus all alone,Who represented straight a Lady faire,Of frendes depriude and left in deepe dispaire:As eke she spake, all wet in cordes fast bounde,Thus tolde she how she was in waters drounde.[261]Woman. ed. 1575.[262]The first saue three amongst vs all. ib.[263]“Eastrildis so farre excelled in bewtie, that none was then lightly found vnto her comparable, for her skin was so whyte that scarcely the fynest kind of Iuorie that might be found, nor the snowe lately fallen downe from the Elament, or the Lylles did passe the same.”Grafton.[264]Was. 1575.[265]Or. ed. 1575.[266]For. ib.[267]Night. N.[268]T’whom. N.[269]Manhode. ed. 1575.[270]Or let me on thy Queene be wayting mayde. ib.[271]Thou. ed. 1575. You. N.[272]Omitted stanza from ed. 1575.As for my Queene as yet I none possesse,Therefore thou rather maiste voutchsafe to takeThat place thy selfe, then waite on her I gesse,Whose beautie with thy face no match can make:The Gods denye that I thy heste forsake;I saue thy life, eke God forbid that IShould euer cause so fayre a Ladie die.[273]In. ed. 1575.[274]Mine armes and giue me libertie at will. N.[275]With whom such fauour I did after find. N.[276]Have. ib.[277]Sayd. ib.[278]Constraineth one mine Elstride to imbrace. N.[279]So, in both.[280]Yet faithlesse in his promise he did proue. N.[281]i. e.sorrow.[282]Attainde. ed. 1575.[283]Not be Locrinus wife. ed. 1575.[284]Radge. ib.[285]Parents. ib.[286]Woman. ib.[287]Ladye fayre. ib.[288]This. ed. 1575.[289]Tygres. ib.[290]Day. N.[291]What strumpet, think’st, for that thou seemest braue. N.[292]Seeme. N.[293]Ne stoode she still but with hir handes on sydeWalkte vp and down, and oft hir palmes she stroke;“My husband now (quoth she) had not thus dyde,“If such an harlot whore he had not tooke:”And there withall she gaue me such a lookeAs made me quake. ed. 1575.[294]Thee. ib.[295]Take. ib.[296]Wyse. ed. 1575.[297]Then Elstride now prepare thy selfe therfore. ed. 1575.[298]And friends. N.[299]The. 1575.[300]Striving, ed. 1575.[301]A Prince’s wife. N.[302]Myne. ed. 1675.[303]Then warne all Ladies that howe much more hieThen their degrees they clime, mo daungers nye.ed. 1575.[304]Flattery refuse. N.[305]Turning, ed. 1575.[306]Then bid beware. ib.[307]The Authoure.With that she flitted in the ayre abrode,As twere a miste or smooke dissolued quite,And or I long on this had made abode,A virgine smale, appearde before my sight,For colde and wet eke scarsly moue she might.As from the waters drownd didering came,Thus wise hir tale in order did she frame.ed. 1575.[308]Many of the incidents of the preceding lives are united to form the plot of “the lamentable Tragedie of Locrine, the eldest son of King Brutus, discoursinge the warres of the Britaines,” entered in the Stationers Books 1594. The first act shows Brutus sick, making the division of the kingdom among his sons Albanact, Humber, and Locrine. The succeeding acts exhibit their wars on each other, and in the last is that created by Guendoline against Locrine, concluding with his death and those of his concubine and daughter the Lady Sabrine. See Malone’s Supplement, Vol II. p. 189. There is also “an old ballad of a duke of Cornwall’s daughter,” (Guendoline) inserted in Evans’s Ballads, 1784, Vol. I. The respective writers appear to have consulted the Mirror for Magistrates. In the persons represented in the play the author has chosen to deviate from all chronicle history by making “Madan,daughterof Locrine and Guendolen.”[309]Tis wisedome rather then to winne to saue. ed. 1575.[310]Elstride or Astrilde, is described by Robert of Gloucester as the stern Guendoline’s “bed suster, hire lordis concubine.”[311]Flye, flye, thy gelous stepdame seekes thy life. ed. 1575.[312]Eke. N.[313]Farewell in woe you cannot scape hir knife. ed. 1575.[314]Thryse. ib.[315]Little, ed. 1575.[316]Sclender. ib.[317]An omitted stanza from ed. 1575.Thus throughe the hoste he bare me to my bane,And shewde the Souldiours what a spoyle he had:“Loke here (quoth he) the litle Princes tane.”And laught, and ran as brutish butcher mad;But my lamenting made the souldiours sad,Yet nought preuailde, the caytife as his prayWithout all pitie bare me still away.[318]Till. ed. 1575.[319]Some saide lo Elstride shee resembleth right. ib.[320]Some. ib.[321]Some said the thiefe. ib.[322]And. ib.[323]Nought. ib.[324]“O Queene (quoth I) God knowes me innocent,To worke my father’s death I neuer ment.” ed. 1575.[325]Take. ib.[326]This Sabrine hand and foote; at once let seeHer here receyue. ed. 1575.[327]Which. ib.[328]Guendoline “made a proclamation throughout all the whole realme of Briteyn that the same water should be euermore called Habren, after the maydens name, for so euen at this day is Seuerne called in the Welsh tongue. And this did she as one desirous to make thereby the name of the yong mayden immortall, because she was her housband’s daughter.”Grafton.[329]By this. ed. 1575.[330]Hence. ib.[331]Here may you see, the children seldome thee. ib.[332]Farewell, and tell when Fortune most doth smile. ib.[333]The Authour.With that the Lady Sabrine slinckt from sight,I lookt about and then me thought againeApproched straight another wofull wight:It seemde as though with dogs he had bin slaine;The bloud from all his members torne amaineRan downe: his clothes were also torne and rente,And from his bloudy throte these plaintes he sente. ed. 1575.[334]That. ed. 1575.[335]Was. ib.[336]Durst none aduenture anger mine t’ aswageIf once to freate and fume I did begin;And I excelde in nothing els but sinne,So that wel nighe all men did wishe my ende. ed. 1575.[337]And. N.[338]In pleasures pleasaunt was my whole repaste, ed. 1575.[339]This seems a provincial word, as crome is used in Norfolk for a hook. SeeGrose’s Glossary.[340]Syrtes, a quicksand or bog.Johnson.[341]Neuer, ed. 1575.[342]Vast. N.[343]The conclusion of this life, from stanza 11, is thus varied in ed. 1575.Alas that youth (in vayne) so vyly spent,Should euer cause a king to haue such ende:Alas that euer I should here lament,Or else should teache vnto my cost my frende:Alas that fortune such mishap should sende:But sithe it is to late for me to crie,I wishe that others may take hede herebye.I might full well by wisdome shund this snare,Tis sayde a wiseman all mishap withstandes.For though by starres we borne to mischieues are:Yet prudence bayles vs quite, from carefull bandes,Eche man (they say) his fate hath in his handes,And what he makes, or marres to lese, or saueOf good, or euill, is euen selfe do selfe haue.As here thou seest by me, that led my dayesIn vicious sorte, for greedy wolues a praye:Warne others wysely, than to guide their wayesBy mine example, wel eschue they may,Such vices as may worke their own decay:Which if they do, full well is spent the timeTo warne, to wryte, and eke to reade this rime.The Authour.When this was said, no more was Madan seene,(If it were he) but sure I half suspecteIt was some other else, so seru’de had bene,For that all stories do not so detecteHis death, or else I did perhaps neglecteHis tale, bicause that diuers stories brought,Such fancies of his death into my thought.Therefore although it be not as some writeHere pende by me, and yet as others haue:Let it not greeue thee reade that I recite,And take what counsaile of good life he gaue:I trust I may (that dreame) some pardon craue,For if the reste, no dreames but stories pen:Can I for that they wryte be blamed then?No sure, I thinke the readers will not giueSuch captious dome, as Momus erste did vse,Though Zoilus impes as yet do carping liue:And all good willing writers much misuse.Occasion biddes me some such beastes accuse,Yet for their bawling hurtes me not I nill:But with my purpose, on procede I will.Next after that, came one in princely rayeA worthy wight but yonge, yet felt the fall:It seemde he had bene at some warlike fraye,His breste was woundid wide and bloudy all:And as to mynde he musde his factes to call,Depe sighes he fet, made all his limmes to shake:At length these wordes, or like to me he spake.[344]Madan had reigned forty years. Fabian says there is “lytell or no memory made (of him) by any wryters.” As a strict conservator of laws and for “great sapience,” he is briefly eulogised by Harding.[345]We. ed. 1575.[346]We neuer could our great, ib.[347]We. ib.[348]Our. ib.[349]We. ib.[350]Our. ib.[351]We. ib.[352]But O we thinke. ib.[353]We. ib.[354]Vppon this earth is all the greatest hap. N.[355]We. ed. 1575.[356]We. ib.[357]We. ed. 1575.[358]We. ib.[359]And by me. ib.[360]We. ib.[361]Manlius, ib.[362]Who thinkes an other of his right beguyle,Himselfe is soonest cleane bereaude of all. ib.[363]My elder brother, ib. The authority for making this variation was probably Harding, to whose work Higgins may refer as “an old chronicle in a kind of English verse.” (See p. 7.) Harding says, “the yonger Memprise slewe his brother Maulyne, elder of age.” The other writers seem uniform in describing Mempricius as the elder.[364]Did euer square, ib.[365]Lou’d me well. ed. 1575.[366]My brother feared I should haue his right. ib.[367]I me bore. ib.[368]I for because I might obtaine the crowne. ib.[369]Fauoure. ib.[370]Our. ib.[371]And I could not from mine. ib.[372]An additional stanza occurs here in the first edition.See here, th’ occasion of my haplesse happe,See here his chaunce that might haue liu’de ful wel:So baited swete is euery deadly trappe;In brauiste bowres doth deepest daunger dwell.I thought mine elder from his right t’expell,Though he both age and custome forth did bringFor title right: I sayd, I would be King.[373]Instead of the tenth stanza the following are in the first edition.Wherefore as eache did watch conuenient time,For to commit this haynous bloudy facte;My selfe was taken not accusde of crime,As if I had offendid any acte,But he as one that witte and reason lackte,Sayde traytour vile thou art to me vntrue;And therwithall his bloudy blade he drewe.Not like a king but like a cut throte fell;Not like a brother, like a butcher brute;Though twere no worse then I deserued well,He gaue no time to reason or dispute:To late it was to make for life my suite,“Take traytoure here (quoth he) thy whole deserte,”And therwithall he thrust me to the harte.[374]Chosen. N.[375]“Lastly by medyacions of frends a day of communycacion in louynge maner attwene these ii bretherne was appoynted, at which day of assemble Mempricius by treason slewe his brother Manlius.”Fabyan.[376]Brutishe.

[242]Force. ib.

[243]And. ib.

[244]So. ed. 1575.

[245]His. ib.

[246]Lovely. N.

[247]No Lady went on earthely grounde. ed. 1575.

[248]Euer chaunge my minde. ib.

[249]Where he declar’d what promise I did make. N.

[250]Never. 1575.

[251]“The singuler great loue and affection that he bare vnto the saide Eastrilde coued not yet out of his minde and be forgotten, wherfore he made a Caue vnder the ground in the Citie of Troynouant and enclosed her therein—insomuch as he had the companie of her the space of vij yeres full, aud none knewe it, but a fewe of his verie familyer and faythfull friendes.”Grafton.

[252]Likewise my Elstride I as Queene ordain’d. N.

[253]Rais’d. N.

[254]Or. 1575.

[255]For. N.

[256]Stura stream. 1575.

[257]Fabian varies from the other chronicles by stating the death of Locrine as in the life time of Gwendoline’s father; as she “beynge sore discontent, excyted her Fader and frendes to make warre vpon the sayd Lotryne her husbande. In the which warre, lastly, he was slayne when he reygned or ruled Loegria, or Logiers, after the concordaunce of moste wryters XX yers; And was buryed by his Fader in the cytie of Troynouant.” This might be the authority of our author for relating his burial at Troynouant as the stanza appears in the first edition.Then was I brought to Troynouant, and thereMy body was enterrid as you reade:When I had raigned all out twenty yere:Lo thus I liude and thus became I deade:Thus was my crowne depriued from my heade,And all my pompe, my princely troupe and trayne,And I to earth and duste resolude againe. (1575.)

Then was I brought to Troynouant, and thereMy body was enterrid as you reade:When I had raigned all out twenty yere:Lo thus I liude and thus became I deade:Thus was my crowne depriued from my heade,And all my pompe, my princely troupe and trayne,And I to earth and duste resolude againe. (1575.)

Then was I brought to Troynouant, and there

My body was enterrid as you reade:

When I had raigned all out twenty yere:

Lo thus I liude and thus became I deade:

Thus was my crowne depriued from my heade,

And all my pompe, my princely troupe and trayne,

And I to earth and duste resolude againe. (1575.)

[258]Now warne estates, ib.

[259]No false deceit deceiues. N.

[260]Edition 1575 has only seven lines in this stanza: it concludes thusFor though ye colour all, with coate of right:Yet can no fained farde deceiue his sight.The Authour.With that this king was vanisht quite and gone,And as a miste dissolued into ayre:And I was left with Morpheus all alone,Who represented straight a Lady faire,Of frendes depriude and left in deepe dispaire:As eke she spake, all wet in cordes fast bounde,Thus tolde she how she was in waters drounde.

[260]Edition 1575 has only seven lines in this stanza: it concludes thus

For though ye colour all, with coate of right:Yet can no fained farde deceiue his sight.

For though ye colour all, with coate of right:

Yet can no fained farde deceiue his sight.

The Authour.

With that this king was vanisht quite and gone,And as a miste dissolued into ayre:And I was left with Morpheus all alone,Who represented straight a Lady faire,Of frendes depriude and left in deepe dispaire:As eke she spake, all wet in cordes fast bounde,Thus tolde she how she was in waters drounde.

With that this king was vanisht quite and gone,

And as a miste dissolued into ayre:

And I was left with Morpheus all alone,

Who represented straight a Lady faire,

Of frendes depriude and left in deepe dispaire:

As eke she spake, all wet in cordes fast bounde,

Thus tolde she how she was in waters drounde.

[261]Woman. ed. 1575.

[262]The first saue three amongst vs all. ib.

[263]“Eastrildis so farre excelled in bewtie, that none was then lightly found vnto her comparable, for her skin was so whyte that scarcely the fynest kind of Iuorie that might be found, nor the snowe lately fallen downe from the Elament, or the Lylles did passe the same.”Grafton.

[264]Was. 1575.

[265]Or. ed. 1575.

[266]For. ib.

[267]Night. N.

[268]T’whom. N.

[269]Manhode. ed. 1575.

[270]Or let me on thy Queene be wayting mayde. ib.

[271]Thou. ed. 1575. You. N.

[272]Omitted stanza from ed. 1575.As for my Queene as yet I none possesse,Therefore thou rather maiste voutchsafe to takeThat place thy selfe, then waite on her I gesse,Whose beautie with thy face no match can make:The Gods denye that I thy heste forsake;I saue thy life, eke God forbid that IShould euer cause so fayre a Ladie die.

[272]Omitted stanza from ed. 1575.

As for my Queene as yet I none possesse,Therefore thou rather maiste voutchsafe to takeThat place thy selfe, then waite on her I gesse,Whose beautie with thy face no match can make:The Gods denye that I thy heste forsake;I saue thy life, eke God forbid that IShould euer cause so fayre a Ladie die.

As for my Queene as yet I none possesse,

Therefore thou rather maiste voutchsafe to take

That place thy selfe, then waite on her I gesse,

Whose beautie with thy face no match can make:

The Gods denye that I thy heste forsake;

I saue thy life, eke God forbid that I

Should euer cause so fayre a Ladie die.

[273]In. ed. 1575.

[274]Mine armes and giue me libertie at will. N.

[275]With whom such fauour I did after find. N.

[276]Have. ib.

[277]Sayd. ib.

[278]Constraineth one mine Elstride to imbrace. N.

[279]So, in both.

[280]Yet faithlesse in his promise he did proue. N.

[281]i. e.sorrow.

[282]Attainde. ed. 1575.

[283]Not be Locrinus wife. ed. 1575.

[284]Radge. ib.

[285]Parents. ib.

[286]Woman. ib.

[287]Ladye fayre. ib.

[288]This. ed. 1575.

[289]Tygres. ib.

[290]Day. N.

[291]What strumpet, think’st, for that thou seemest braue. N.

[292]Seeme. N.

[293]Ne stoode she still but with hir handes on sydeWalkte vp and down, and oft hir palmes she stroke;“My husband now (quoth she) had not thus dyde,“If such an harlot whore he had not tooke:”And there withall she gaue me such a lookeAs made me quake. ed. 1575.

[293]

Ne stoode she still but with hir handes on sydeWalkte vp and down, and oft hir palmes she stroke;“My husband now (quoth she) had not thus dyde,“If such an harlot whore he had not tooke:”And there withall she gaue me such a lookeAs made me quake. ed. 1575.

Ne stoode she still but with hir handes on syde

Walkte vp and down, and oft hir palmes she stroke;

“My husband now (quoth she) had not thus dyde,

“If such an harlot whore he had not tooke:”

And there withall she gaue me such a looke

As made me quake. ed. 1575.

[294]Thee. ib.

[295]Take. ib.

[296]Wyse. ed. 1575.

[297]Then Elstride now prepare thy selfe therfore. ed. 1575.

[298]And friends. N.

[299]The. 1575.

[300]Striving, ed. 1575.

[301]A Prince’s wife. N.

[302]Myne. ed. 1675.

[303]Then warne all Ladies that howe much more hieThen their degrees they clime, mo daungers nye.ed. 1575.

[303]

Then warne all Ladies that howe much more hieThen their degrees they clime, mo daungers nye.ed. 1575.

Then warne all Ladies that howe much more hieThen their degrees they clime, mo daungers nye.

Then warne all Ladies that howe much more hie

Then their degrees they clime, mo daungers nye.

ed. 1575.

[304]Flattery refuse. N.

[305]Turning, ed. 1575.

[306]Then bid beware. ib.

[307]The Authoure.With that she flitted in the ayre abrode,As twere a miste or smooke dissolued quite,And or I long on this had made abode,A virgine smale, appearde before my sight,For colde and wet eke scarsly moue she might.As from the waters drownd didering came,Thus wise hir tale in order did she frame.ed. 1575.

[307]The Authoure.

With that she flitted in the ayre abrode,As twere a miste or smooke dissolued quite,And or I long on this had made abode,A virgine smale, appearde before my sight,For colde and wet eke scarsly moue she might.As from the waters drownd didering came,Thus wise hir tale in order did she frame.ed. 1575.

With that she flitted in the ayre abrode,

As twere a miste or smooke dissolued quite,

And or I long on this had made abode,

A virgine smale, appearde before my sight,

For colde and wet eke scarsly moue she might.

As from the waters drownd didering came,

Thus wise hir tale in order did she frame.

ed. 1575.

[308]Many of the incidents of the preceding lives are united to form the plot of “the lamentable Tragedie of Locrine, the eldest son of King Brutus, discoursinge the warres of the Britaines,” entered in the Stationers Books 1594. The first act shows Brutus sick, making the division of the kingdom among his sons Albanact, Humber, and Locrine. The succeeding acts exhibit their wars on each other, and in the last is that created by Guendoline against Locrine, concluding with his death and those of his concubine and daughter the Lady Sabrine. See Malone’s Supplement, Vol II. p. 189. There is also “an old ballad of a duke of Cornwall’s daughter,” (Guendoline) inserted in Evans’s Ballads, 1784, Vol. I. The respective writers appear to have consulted the Mirror for Magistrates. In the persons represented in the play the author has chosen to deviate from all chronicle history by making “Madan,daughterof Locrine and Guendolen.”

[309]Tis wisedome rather then to winne to saue. ed. 1575.

[310]Elstride or Astrilde, is described by Robert of Gloucester as the stern Guendoline’s “bed suster, hire lordis concubine.”

[311]Flye, flye, thy gelous stepdame seekes thy life. ed. 1575.

[312]Eke. N.

[313]Farewell in woe you cannot scape hir knife. ed. 1575.

[314]Thryse. ib.

[315]Little, ed. 1575.

[316]Sclender. ib.

[317]An omitted stanza from ed. 1575.Thus throughe the hoste he bare me to my bane,And shewde the Souldiours what a spoyle he had:“Loke here (quoth he) the litle Princes tane.”And laught, and ran as brutish butcher mad;But my lamenting made the souldiours sad,Yet nought preuailde, the caytife as his prayWithout all pitie bare me still away.

[317]An omitted stanza from ed. 1575.

Thus throughe the hoste he bare me to my bane,And shewde the Souldiours what a spoyle he had:“Loke here (quoth he) the litle Princes tane.”And laught, and ran as brutish butcher mad;But my lamenting made the souldiours sad,Yet nought preuailde, the caytife as his prayWithout all pitie bare me still away.

Thus throughe the hoste he bare me to my bane,

And shewde the Souldiours what a spoyle he had:

“Loke here (quoth he) the litle Princes tane.”

And laught, and ran as brutish butcher mad;

But my lamenting made the souldiours sad,

Yet nought preuailde, the caytife as his pray

Without all pitie bare me still away.

[318]Till. ed. 1575.

[319]Some saide lo Elstride shee resembleth right. ib.

[320]Some. ib.

[321]Some said the thiefe. ib.

[322]And. ib.

[323]Nought. ib.

[324]“O Queene (quoth I) God knowes me innocent,To worke my father’s death I neuer ment.” ed. 1575.

[324]

“O Queene (quoth I) God knowes me innocent,To worke my father’s death I neuer ment.” ed. 1575.

“O Queene (quoth I) God knowes me innocent,

To worke my father’s death I neuer ment.” ed. 1575.

[325]Take. ib.

[326]This Sabrine hand and foote; at once let seeHer here receyue. ed. 1575.

[326]

This Sabrine hand and foote; at once let seeHer here receyue. ed. 1575.

This Sabrine hand and foote; at once let see

Her here receyue. ed. 1575.

[327]Which. ib.

[328]Guendoline “made a proclamation throughout all the whole realme of Briteyn that the same water should be euermore called Habren, after the maydens name, for so euen at this day is Seuerne called in the Welsh tongue. And this did she as one desirous to make thereby the name of the yong mayden immortall, because she was her housband’s daughter.”Grafton.

[329]By this. ed. 1575.

[330]Hence. ib.

[331]Here may you see, the children seldome thee. ib.

[332]Farewell, and tell when Fortune most doth smile. ib.

[333]The Authour.With that the Lady Sabrine slinckt from sight,I lookt about and then me thought againeApproched straight another wofull wight:It seemde as though with dogs he had bin slaine;The bloud from all his members torne amaineRan downe: his clothes were also torne and rente,And from his bloudy throte these plaintes he sente. ed. 1575.

[333]The Authour.

With that the Lady Sabrine slinckt from sight,I lookt about and then me thought againeApproched straight another wofull wight:It seemde as though with dogs he had bin slaine;The bloud from all his members torne amaineRan downe: his clothes were also torne and rente,And from his bloudy throte these plaintes he sente. ed. 1575.

With that the Lady Sabrine slinckt from sight,

I lookt about and then me thought againe

Approched straight another wofull wight:

It seemde as though with dogs he had bin slaine;

The bloud from all his members torne amaine

Ran downe: his clothes were also torne and rente,

And from his bloudy throte these plaintes he sente. ed. 1575.

[334]That. ed. 1575.

[335]Was. ib.

[336]Durst none aduenture anger mine t’ aswageIf once to freate and fume I did begin;And I excelde in nothing els but sinne,So that wel nighe all men did wishe my ende. ed. 1575.

[336]

Durst none aduenture anger mine t’ aswageIf once to freate and fume I did begin;And I excelde in nothing els but sinne,So that wel nighe all men did wishe my ende. ed. 1575.

Durst none aduenture anger mine t’ aswage

If once to freate and fume I did begin;

And I excelde in nothing els but sinne,

So that wel nighe all men did wishe my ende. ed. 1575.

[337]And. N.

[338]In pleasures pleasaunt was my whole repaste, ed. 1575.

[339]This seems a provincial word, as crome is used in Norfolk for a hook. SeeGrose’s Glossary.

[340]Syrtes, a quicksand or bog.Johnson.

[341]Neuer, ed. 1575.

[342]Vast. N.

[343]The conclusion of this life, from stanza 11, is thus varied in ed. 1575.Alas that youth (in vayne) so vyly spent,Should euer cause a king to haue such ende:Alas that euer I should here lament,Or else should teache vnto my cost my frende:Alas that fortune such mishap should sende:But sithe it is to late for me to crie,I wishe that others may take hede herebye.I might full well by wisdome shund this snare,Tis sayde a wiseman all mishap withstandes.For though by starres we borne to mischieues are:Yet prudence bayles vs quite, from carefull bandes,Eche man (they say) his fate hath in his handes,And what he makes, or marres to lese, or saueOf good, or euill, is euen selfe do selfe haue.As here thou seest by me, that led my dayesIn vicious sorte, for greedy wolues a praye:Warne others wysely, than to guide their wayesBy mine example, wel eschue they may,Such vices as may worke their own decay:Which if they do, full well is spent the timeTo warne, to wryte, and eke to reade this rime.The Authour.When this was said, no more was Madan seene,(If it were he) but sure I half suspecteIt was some other else, so seru’de had bene,For that all stories do not so detecteHis death, or else I did perhaps neglecteHis tale, bicause that diuers stories brought,Such fancies of his death into my thought.Therefore although it be not as some writeHere pende by me, and yet as others haue:Let it not greeue thee reade that I recite,And take what counsaile of good life he gaue:I trust I may (that dreame) some pardon craue,For if the reste, no dreames but stories pen:Can I for that they wryte be blamed then?No sure, I thinke the readers will not giueSuch captious dome, as Momus erste did vse,Though Zoilus impes as yet do carping liue:And all good willing writers much misuse.Occasion biddes me some such beastes accuse,Yet for their bawling hurtes me not I nill:But with my purpose, on procede I will.Next after that, came one in princely rayeA worthy wight but yonge, yet felt the fall:It seemde he had bene at some warlike fraye,His breste was woundid wide and bloudy all:And as to mynde he musde his factes to call,Depe sighes he fet, made all his limmes to shake:At length these wordes, or like to me he spake.

[343]The conclusion of this life, from stanza 11, is thus varied in ed. 1575.

Alas that youth (in vayne) so vyly spent,Should euer cause a king to haue such ende:Alas that euer I should here lament,Or else should teache vnto my cost my frende:Alas that fortune such mishap should sende:But sithe it is to late for me to crie,I wishe that others may take hede herebye.I might full well by wisdome shund this snare,Tis sayde a wiseman all mishap withstandes.For though by starres we borne to mischieues are:Yet prudence bayles vs quite, from carefull bandes,Eche man (they say) his fate hath in his handes,And what he makes, or marres to lese, or saueOf good, or euill, is euen selfe do selfe haue.As here thou seest by me, that led my dayesIn vicious sorte, for greedy wolues a praye:Warne others wysely, than to guide their wayesBy mine example, wel eschue they may,Such vices as may worke their own decay:Which if they do, full well is spent the timeTo warne, to wryte, and eke to reade this rime.

Alas that youth (in vayne) so vyly spent,

Should euer cause a king to haue such ende:

Alas that euer I should here lament,

Or else should teache vnto my cost my frende:

Alas that fortune such mishap should sende:

But sithe it is to late for me to crie,

I wishe that others may take hede herebye.

I might full well by wisdome shund this snare,Tis sayde a wiseman all mishap withstandes.For though by starres we borne to mischieues are:Yet prudence bayles vs quite, from carefull bandes,Eche man (they say) his fate hath in his handes,And what he makes, or marres to lese, or saueOf good, or euill, is euen selfe do selfe haue.

I might full well by wisdome shund this snare,

Tis sayde a wiseman all mishap withstandes.

For though by starres we borne to mischieues are:

Yet prudence bayles vs quite, from carefull bandes,

Eche man (they say) his fate hath in his handes,

And what he makes, or marres to lese, or saue

Of good, or euill, is euen selfe do selfe haue.

As here thou seest by me, that led my dayesIn vicious sorte, for greedy wolues a praye:Warne others wysely, than to guide their wayesBy mine example, wel eschue they may,Such vices as may worke their own decay:Which if they do, full well is spent the timeTo warne, to wryte, and eke to reade this rime.

As here thou seest by me, that led my dayes

In vicious sorte, for greedy wolues a praye:

Warne others wysely, than to guide their wayes

By mine example, wel eschue they may,

Such vices as may worke their own decay:

Which if they do, full well is spent the time

To warne, to wryte, and eke to reade this rime.

The Authour.

When this was said, no more was Madan seene,(If it were he) but sure I half suspecteIt was some other else, so seru’de had bene,For that all stories do not so detecteHis death, or else I did perhaps neglecteHis tale, bicause that diuers stories brought,Such fancies of his death into my thought.Therefore although it be not as some writeHere pende by me, and yet as others haue:Let it not greeue thee reade that I recite,And take what counsaile of good life he gaue:I trust I may (that dreame) some pardon craue,For if the reste, no dreames but stories pen:Can I for that they wryte be blamed then?No sure, I thinke the readers will not giueSuch captious dome, as Momus erste did vse,Though Zoilus impes as yet do carping liue:And all good willing writers much misuse.Occasion biddes me some such beastes accuse,Yet for their bawling hurtes me not I nill:But with my purpose, on procede I will.Next after that, came one in princely rayeA worthy wight but yonge, yet felt the fall:It seemde he had bene at some warlike fraye,His breste was woundid wide and bloudy all:And as to mynde he musde his factes to call,Depe sighes he fet, made all his limmes to shake:At length these wordes, or like to me he spake.

When this was said, no more was Madan seene,

(If it were he) but sure I half suspecte

It was some other else, so seru’de had bene,

For that all stories do not so detecte

His death, or else I did perhaps neglecte

His tale, bicause that diuers stories brought,

Such fancies of his death into my thought.

Therefore although it be not as some writeHere pende by me, and yet as others haue:Let it not greeue thee reade that I recite,And take what counsaile of good life he gaue:I trust I may (that dreame) some pardon craue,For if the reste, no dreames but stories pen:Can I for that they wryte be blamed then?

Therefore although it be not as some write

Here pende by me, and yet as others haue:

Let it not greeue thee reade that I recite,

And take what counsaile of good life he gaue:

I trust I may (that dreame) some pardon craue,

For if the reste, no dreames but stories pen:

Can I for that they wryte be blamed then?

No sure, I thinke the readers will not giueSuch captious dome, as Momus erste did vse,Though Zoilus impes as yet do carping liue:And all good willing writers much misuse.Occasion biddes me some such beastes accuse,Yet for their bawling hurtes me not I nill:But with my purpose, on procede I will.

No sure, I thinke the readers will not giue

Such captious dome, as Momus erste did vse,

Though Zoilus impes as yet do carping liue:

And all good willing writers much misuse.

Occasion biddes me some such beastes accuse,

Yet for their bawling hurtes me not I nill:

But with my purpose, on procede I will.

Next after that, came one in princely rayeA worthy wight but yonge, yet felt the fall:It seemde he had bene at some warlike fraye,His breste was woundid wide and bloudy all:And as to mynde he musde his factes to call,Depe sighes he fet, made all his limmes to shake:At length these wordes, or like to me he spake.

Next after that, came one in princely raye

A worthy wight but yonge, yet felt the fall:

It seemde he had bene at some warlike fraye,

His breste was woundid wide and bloudy all:

And as to mynde he musde his factes to call,

Depe sighes he fet, made all his limmes to shake:

At length these wordes, or like to me he spake.

[344]Madan had reigned forty years. Fabian says there is “lytell or no memory made (of him) by any wryters.” As a strict conservator of laws and for “great sapience,” he is briefly eulogised by Harding.

[345]We. ed. 1575.

[346]We neuer could our great, ib.

[347]We. ib.

[348]Our. ib.

[349]We. ib.

[350]Our. ib.

[351]We. ib.

[352]But O we thinke. ib.

[353]We. ib.

[354]Vppon this earth is all the greatest hap. N.

[355]We. ed. 1575.

[356]We. ib.

[357]We. ed. 1575.

[358]We. ib.

[359]And by me. ib.

[360]We. ib.

[361]Manlius, ib.

[362]Who thinkes an other of his right beguyle,Himselfe is soonest cleane bereaude of all. ib.

[362]

Who thinkes an other of his right beguyle,Himselfe is soonest cleane bereaude of all. ib.

Who thinkes an other of his right beguyle,

Himselfe is soonest cleane bereaude of all. ib.

[363]My elder brother, ib. The authority for making this variation was probably Harding, to whose work Higgins may refer as “an old chronicle in a kind of English verse.” (See p. 7.) Harding says, “the yonger Memprise slewe his brother Maulyne, elder of age.” The other writers seem uniform in describing Mempricius as the elder.

[364]Did euer square, ib.

[365]Lou’d me well. ed. 1575.

[366]My brother feared I should haue his right. ib.

[367]I me bore. ib.

[368]I for because I might obtaine the crowne. ib.

[369]Fauoure. ib.

[370]Our. ib.

[371]And I could not from mine. ib.

[372]An additional stanza occurs here in the first edition.See here, th’ occasion of my haplesse happe,See here his chaunce that might haue liu’de ful wel:So baited swete is euery deadly trappe;In brauiste bowres doth deepest daunger dwell.I thought mine elder from his right t’expell,Though he both age and custome forth did bringFor title right: I sayd, I would be King.

[372]An additional stanza occurs here in the first edition.

See here, th’ occasion of my haplesse happe,See here his chaunce that might haue liu’de ful wel:So baited swete is euery deadly trappe;In brauiste bowres doth deepest daunger dwell.I thought mine elder from his right t’expell,Though he both age and custome forth did bringFor title right: I sayd, I would be King.

See here, th’ occasion of my haplesse happe,

See here his chaunce that might haue liu’de ful wel:

So baited swete is euery deadly trappe;

In brauiste bowres doth deepest daunger dwell.

I thought mine elder from his right t’expell,

Though he both age and custome forth did bring

For title right: I sayd, I would be King.

[373]Instead of the tenth stanza the following are in the first edition.Wherefore as eache did watch conuenient time,For to commit this haynous bloudy facte;My selfe was taken not accusde of crime,As if I had offendid any acte,But he as one that witte and reason lackte,Sayde traytour vile thou art to me vntrue;And therwithall his bloudy blade he drewe.Not like a king but like a cut throte fell;Not like a brother, like a butcher brute;Though twere no worse then I deserued well,He gaue no time to reason or dispute:To late it was to make for life my suite,“Take traytoure here (quoth he) thy whole deserte,”And therwithall he thrust me to the harte.

[373]Instead of the tenth stanza the following are in the first edition.

Wherefore as eache did watch conuenient time,For to commit this haynous bloudy facte;My selfe was taken not accusde of crime,As if I had offendid any acte,But he as one that witte and reason lackte,Sayde traytour vile thou art to me vntrue;And therwithall his bloudy blade he drewe.Not like a king but like a cut throte fell;Not like a brother, like a butcher brute;Though twere no worse then I deserued well,He gaue no time to reason or dispute:To late it was to make for life my suite,“Take traytoure here (quoth he) thy whole deserte,”And therwithall he thrust me to the harte.

Wherefore as eache did watch conuenient time,

For to commit this haynous bloudy facte;

My selfe was taken not accusde of crime,

As if I had offendid any acte,

But he as one that witte and reason lackte,

Sayde traytour vile thou art to me vntrue;

And therwithall his bloudy blade he drewe.

Not like a king but like a cut throte fell;Not like a brother, like a butcher brute;Though twere no worse then I deserued well,He gaue no time to reason or dispute:To late it was to make for life my suite,“Take traytoure here (quoth he) thy whole deserte,”And therwithall he thrust me to the harte.

Not like a king but like a cut throte fell;

Not like a brother, like a butcher brute;

Though twere no worse then I deserued well,

He gaue no time to reason or dispute:

To late it was to make for life my suite,

“Take traytoure here (quoth he) thy whole deserte,”

And therwithall he thrust me to the harte.

[374]Chosen. N.

[375]“Lastly by medyacions of frends a day of communycacion in louynge maner attwene these ii bretherne was appoynted, at which day of assemble Mempricius by treason slewe his brother Manlius.”Fabyan.

[376]Brutishe.

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