Chapter 92

[742]With. ed. 1575.[743]And mazed. ib.[744]Which graunted, al they vanisht. ed. 1575.[745]On this in traunce I lay me thought a whileAnd musde reioysing. ib.[746]Knight. ib.[747]Playne. ib.[748]Whose vertues so did passe. ib.[749]As. ib.[750]Deseruede. ib.[751]So. ib.[752]And let your. ib.[753]The remainder of “the Authour” from the first edition.But let me nowe retourne againe to tell,What after this, me chaunst to see and heare.I trust yee Readers like my dealing well,In promise that I made, this later yeare.For sure I thinke, a man farre better wereNot speaks at all, to promese hilles of gold,And in performance, waxe as key full colde.I saide (if God sent time, and space therfore)Ye should receaue from mee (as leysure came)Of these my simple toyles, a greater store,And partly you perceaue, how I performe the same.Such workes, as this my simple muse can frame,(With all my harte and minde) you freely haue:As free, as God these giftes me frely gaue.Wherefore giue eare, now harken well to this:As to these tunes, I gaue me thought some heede,In doubte if sences led my mynde amisse,Or whether [Greek: pathos] me with toyes did feede.What doth (said Morpheus) now this musing nede?Art thou so farre orewatcht, thy wittes the fayle?Or els do fancies more then wit preuayle?Not so (quoth I) though far the night be past,And yet me thinkes, I could be well contentTo leaue them so (if this were now the last)So thou therto and Somnus sweete consent:This noble Nennius well the time hath spent.I would haue staide, if he had spoken more:’Twas his departure, troubled me so sore.(Quoth he) thou must a whyle yet longer byde:In fewe he shall declare, how he hath spedThat commes. And euen with that I lookt aside,And sawe a coarse approache without a head.What now (quoth I) though erste (by thee) the deadWere causde to speake, declaring all their will,Yet speach of headlesse men doth passe my skill.With that gan Morpheus touch him with his mace,And sodainly an head, on shoulders pight.For lacke of vse, he could not turne his face,Or else had Morpheus scarcely set it right.He had forgotten eke, to turne his sight:But still he stode his face to set awrye,And wappering turnid vp his white of eye.As t’were a dead man, reared vp an end,Deuoyde of life, and yet a feeling had:His lippes lay open, grimly ofte hee grend:With hollowe eyes, full oft he frowned sad,And bent his browes, and lookte as he were mad:I sawe not in my life, I thinke his pere:Nor shall not, if I liue this hundred yeare.At length he tryde, which way to tell his mynde:Yet how to speake his tonge had quite forgotte:Each instrument forgotten had his kinde,That erste could run at randon and by roate,But then me thought, with fist his brest hee smote,The other hande his musing browes did holde:And as awakte (at laste) this tale he tolde.[754]Daunce. N.[755]As. ed. 1575.[756]Their. ib.[757]Insteede of cheese to fill thy chaps with chalke. ed. 1575.[758]I will be briefe and truly tell thee allThe cause why I from graue do now appeare. N.[759]Let who so stands trust to a stedfast hold,If stedfast hold he thinke that he may find,Presume not on thy strength, nay yet be boldOn Fortune’s gifts, nay let her guide thy mindIn hope of hap, for she is counted blind. N.[760]So bad but we it frame. N.[761]To done. ed. 1575.[762]Nephewe. ib.[763]For feates in armes, for fauour, and for fame. N.[764]Nephew, ed. 1575.[765]No, no, be sure. ib.[766]How seeming friends did prooue my chiefest foes. N.[767]As. N.[768]That. N.[769]Quoth we, by thee did all these Britaines die. N.[770]Yet darst not. ed. 1575.[771]Their wounds in flight all scattered. N.[772]Tongues ioy to light could bring. N.[773]Our king. N.[774]Therewith for battaile bent as mad. N.[775]Our foes foule flight. N.[776]Seemely there but swordes in sight. ed. 1575.[777]And men lesse deem’d do giue the conquering stroke. N.[778](And turneys.) ed. 1575.[779]The stanza thus altered by Niccols.A solemne iusts proclaimed was for those,Who would to win renowne their valour trie,Where th’earle of London’s cosin did exposeHimselfe to purchase praise, against whom ITo win the prize did all my powers applie:But fatall was the scope I did intend,Th’effects bewray’d my folly in the end.[780]Fawting eye. ed. 1575.i. e.favouring eye. Their former friendly eie. N.[781]Their foes to feare. N.[782]Friends worse then forren. N.[783]That fall at oddes for fond vaine glorie’s sake. N.[784]That. ed. 1575.[785]Wise before it be to late. ed. 1575.[786]Did foule display. ed. 1575.[787]He me. ib.[788]Mens. N.[789]The common rout. N.[790]Made my foes to stare. N.[791]Nothing lesse. ed. 1575.[792]Not be well therwith. ib.[793]But rather therfore beare. ed. 1575.[794]Here the following stanzas occur in the first edition.To which he aunswerd as despite had spoke,With hasty wordes and tauntes of hygher peres.I list not any iote (quoth he) reuoke,Of that is sayd, ne darste thou for thine eares(What euer lookes in place thy fauters beares)Alone to mete me in the field to fraye.But I may hap (by chaunce) to finde the day,Wherein thou shalt not beare the price away.As for the king we doubte if he be heyre,The kingdome is the Earle of London’s right,And though that he the prince his person beare(In his nonage) he ought not reue it quyte,Ne shall he stay mee if I mynde to fighte.Then where thou speakst (quoth he) of princes peace,And wouldst me warne, from furder dealing seace:Thou better were (perhaps) to holde thy peace.On which I playnly sayde, highe treason t’was,So much to speake, against our soueraigne Lorde:Quoth I, the boundes of modestie you passe,That dare your case with prince his right accorde:Your betters would far better wordes auorde,And you perhaps your selfe so stoute that showeWhich make as though you sought his ouerthrowe,Shall shortly more his grace his pleasure knowe.[795]And. ed. 1575.[796]Thyselfe a traytour rather semest right,That darste presume amongst thy betters so. ib.[797]I raught to him. ib.[798]My frendes likewyse could. ib.[799]They drew. ib.[800]We freshly. ib.[801]They. ed. 1575.[802]Was. ib.[803]They. ib.[804]Wherfore they layde about them francke. ib.[805]Knight. ib.[806]Several of the early historians concur in representing that this improvident quarrell, and unexpected rencounter, first enabled Cæsar to establish his landing in Britain, from the assistance afterwards given him by the Earl of London. The following is one of the briefest of the statements:—“It befell thus vpon a day that the gentylmen of the kynge’s housholde and the gentylmen of the Erle’s housholde of London after meet, went togyder for to play. And thrugh debate that arose ymonge them Enelin, that was the Erle’s cosyn of London, slewe Irenglas that was the kynge’s cosyn. Wherfore the kynge swore that Enelyn sholde be hanged. But the Erle of London, that was Enelin’s lorde, wolde not suffer hym. Wherfore the kynge was greatly wroth and vexed towarde the Erle and thought hym to dystroye. And pryuely the Erle sende letters to Julius Cezar, that he sholde come into this lande for to helpe hym, and hym auenge vpon the kynge, and he wolde helpe hym with al his myght. And whan the emperour herde these tydynges he was full glad, and ordeyned a stronge power, and came agayne the thyrde tyme into this lande, and the Erle of London helped hym with viii M. men. And at the thyrde tyme was Cassybolon ouercome and dyscomfyted, and made peas to the Emperour for thre thousande pounde of syluer, yeldynge by yere for truage for this lande for euermore.”Chron. of St. Albans.[807]Oh that my friend of yore. N.[808]The edition of 1575 finishes with the life of Lord Irenglas, which Higgins calls theFIRST PARTin his concluding lines ofThe Author.With that (me thought) he vanisht quite away:And I was come to end my worke at last:Not minding longer on the which to staye,My penne did trudge to wryte these verses fast.I trust sith once, they haue the Printer pastThat went before: these fragmentes come behinde,Shall of the Readers, likewyse fauour finde.So of my first part here I make an ende,The Seconde parte which I haue now to fyleDoth call me hence, from these to those to wende:In which if God send grace to guyde my style,I shall (I trust) and that in shorter whyle,Againe retourne, to Printer’s presse with those:Which shal likewise, their fight and falles disclose.Till then farewell a thousand times to thee,Which takst in hand this booke to shun the ill,That was the fall of these describde by mee,And haste to mende their faultes a firme good will,I wishe thy health, increase of vertu still,Adieu, farewell, I haue but this to say,God send vs both his heauenly grace for aye.I. Higgins.[809]Surely. N.[810]In brief. N.[811]Aurelia faire. N.[812]Morall discipline instruct. N.[813]——and write the truth,Of all my noble actions from my youth. N.[814]The divorce of Henry VIIIth from Q. Katherine is undoubtedly here alluded to by the poet.[815]That wrought his swift decay. N.[816]The valiant Galles. N.[817]Nations which were whilome. N.[818]My famous warres. N.[819]Each. N.[820]That eke. N.[821]Haue in field of Romane. N.[822]Both stout. N.[823]Went. N.[824]Shippes againe: a wondrous thing. N.[825]Where hauens be. N[826]“The Brytons had pyght sharpe stakes in the ryuer of Tamyse there Julius hadde landed, the stakes were grete, shapen as a manne’s thygh and sette about with lede as it is yet seen.”Polychronicon.[827]When many diu’d the deepe before the land wee won. N.[828]Being hardly. N.[829]Come the following yeare. N.[830]So stubburne. N.[831]By our power bee ruled. N.[832]For our second flight with sports. N.[833]Neither best appeares. N.[834]Elenine was stout, for. N.[835]Vntill at length in fight hight Irenglas was slaine. N.[836]Before the iudge doe doome. N.[837]To me in France. N.[838]He also Sceua sent for pledge. N.[839]His losse in doubtfull war. N.[840]His people’s base reuoult he chiefly did deplore. N.[841]I after sent. N.[842]The warlike Galles. N.[843]I led my conquering host. N.[844]But from. N.[845]Slaine in fight, or more. N.[846]But either fell in fight, or from the field did flie. N.[847]For all our. N.[848]——and sonnes by myght did oft assaye,When he was done to death. N.[849]Of cunning skill. N.[850]He wins immortall fame, thrice blessed is the crowne. N.[851]The. N.[852]Was alone. N.[853]Sole to be. N.[854]Me many secret. N.[855]Soueraigne sway. N.[856]My ruin and decay. N.[857]Could no thing in state determin’d bee. N.[858]Enui’d at me that. N.[859]As hautie Cassius. N.[860]The chiefest crime. N.[861]Dispatch and death. N.[862]Mine acts, my raigne, and. N.[863]Yet. N.[864]Fatall tombe. N.[865]Without the guide of man. N.[866]A little wren. N.[867]My fall in slumber, I. N.[868]Was from earth and. N.[869]Hand in hand I thought I walkt with. N.[870]Make me much that morning to mislike. N.[871]Can void death’s dart when he doth strike. N.[872]Seekes his life for to betray? N.[873]Traytor bloodie Brutus. N.[874]At last I went and there did meet vntimely fate. N.[875]To senate as I went behold a Roman stood. N.[876]Euery traytours name. N.[877]Sought to spill my blood. N.[878]Presently decreed to execute. N.[879]I blind wretch supposde. N.[880]My vnhappie hand. N.[881]For which I lost my life, as you shall vnderstand. N.[882]Diuinings true I then did. N.[883]To warne me of my death the priest did seeke in vaine. N.[884]I gaue. N.

[742]With. ed. 1575.

[743]And mazed. ib.

[744]Which graunted, al they vanisht. ed. 1575.

[745]On this in traunce I lay me thought a whileAnd musde reioysing. ib.

[745]

On this in traunce I lay me thought a whileAnd musde reioysing. ib.

On this in traunce I lay me thought a while

And musde reioysing. ib.

[746]Knight. ib.

[747]Playne. ib.

[748]Whose vertues so did passe. ib.

[749]As. ib.

[750]Deseruede. ib.

[751]So. ib.

[752]And let your. ib.

[753]The remainder of “the Authour” from the first edition.But let me nowe retourne againe to tell,What after this, me chaunst to see and heare.I trust yee Readers like my dealing well,In promise that I made, this later yeare.For sure I thinke, a man farre better wereNot speaks at all, to promese hilles of gold,And in performance, waxe as key full colde.I saide (if God sent time, and space therfore)Ye should receaue from mee (as leysure came)Of these my simple toyles, a greater store,And partly you perceaue, how I performe the same.Such workes, as this my simple muse can frame,(With all my harte and minde) you freely haue:As free, as God these giftes me frely gaue.Wherefore giue eare, now harken well to this:As to these tunes, I gaue me thought some heede,In doubte if sences led my mynde amisse,Or whether [Greek: pathos] me with toyes did feede.What doth (said Morpheus) now this musing nede?Art thou so farre orewatcht, thy wittes the fayle?Or els do fancies more then wit preuayle?Not so (quoth I) though far the night be past,And yet me thinkes, I could be well contentTo leaue them so (if this were now the last)So thou therto and Somnus sweete consent:This noble Nennius well the time hath spent.I would haue staide, if he had spoken more:’Twas his departure, troubled me so sore.(Quoth he) thou must a whyle yet longer byde:In fewe he shall declare, how he hath spedThat commes. And euen with that I lookt aside,And sawe a coarse approache without a head.What now (quoth I) though erste (by thee) the deadWere causde to speake, declaring all their will,Yet speach of headlesse men doth passe my skill.With that gan Morpheus touch him with his mace,And sodainly an head, on shoulders pight.For lacke of vse, he could not turne his face,Or else had Morpheus scarcely set it right.He had forgotten eke, to turne his sight:But still he stode his face to set awrye,And wappering turnid vp his white of eye.As t’were a dead man, reared vp an end,Deuoyde of life, and yet a feeling had:His lippes lay open, grimly ofte hee grend:With hollowe eyes, full oft he frowned sad,And bent his browes, and lookte as he were mad:I sawe not in my life, I thinke his pere:Nor shall not, if I liue this hundred yeare.At length he tryde, which way to tell his mynde:Yet how to speake his tonge had quite forgotte:Each instrument forgotten had his kinde,That erste could run at randon and by roate,But then me thought, with fist his brest hee smote,The other hande his musing browes did holde:And as awakte (at laste) this tale he tolde.

[753]The remainder of “the Authour” from the first edition.

But let me nowe retourne againe to tell,What after this, me chaunst to see and heare.I trust yee Readers like my dealing well,In promise that I made, this later yeare.For sure I thinke, a man farre better wereNot speaks at all, to promese hilles of gold,And in performance, waxe as key full colde.I saide (if God sent time, and space therfore)Ye should receaue from mee (as leysure came)Of these my simple toyles, a greater store,And partly you perceaue, how I performe the same.Such workes, as this my simple muse can frame,(With all my harte and minde) you freely haue:As free, as God these giftes me frely gaue.Wherefore giue eare, now harken well to this:As to these tunes, I gaue me thought some heede,In doubte if sences led my mynde amisse,Or whether [Greek: pathos] me with toyes did feede.What doth (said Morpheus) now this musing nede?Art thou so farre orewatcht, thy wittes the fayle?Or els do fancies more then wit preuayle?Not so (quoth I) though far the night be past,And yet me thinkes, I could be well contentTo leaue them so (if this were now the last)So thou therto and Somnus sweete consent:This noble Nennius well the time hath spent.I would haue staide, if he had spoken more:’Twas his departure, troubled me so sore.(Quoth he) thou must a whyle yet longer byde:In fewe he shall declare, how he hath spedThat commes. And euen with that I lookt aside,And sawe a coarse approache without a head.What now (quoth I) though erste (by thee) the deadWere causde to speake, declaring all their will,Yet speach of headlesse men doth passe my skill.With that gan Morpheus touch him with his mace,And sodainly an head, on shoulders pight.For lacke of vse, he could not turne his face,Or else had Morpheus scarcely set it right.He had forgotten eke, to turne his sight:But still he stode his face to set awrye,And wappering turnid vp his white of eye.As t’were a dead man, reared vp an end,Deuoyde of life, and yet a feeling had:His lippes lay open, grimly ofte hee grend:With hollowe eyes, full oft he frowned sad,And bent his browes, and lookte as he were mad:I sawe not in my life, I thinke his pere:Nor shall not, if I liue this hundred yeare.At length he tryde, which way to tell his mynde:Yet how to speake his tonge had quite forgotte:Each instrument forgotten had his kinde,That erste could run at randon and by roate,But then me thought, with fist his brest hee smote,The other hande his musing browes did holde:And as awakte (at laste) this tale he tolde.

But let me nowe retourne againe to tell,

What after this, me chaunst to see and heare.

I trust yee Readers like my dealing well,

In promise that I made, this later yeare.

For sure I thinke, a man farre better were

Not speaks at all, to promese hilles of gold,

And in performance, waxe as key full colde.

I saide (if God sent time, and space therfore)Ye should receaue from mee (as leysure came)Of these my simple toyles, a greater store,And partly you perceaue, how I performe the same.Such workes, as this my simple muse can frame,(With all my harte and minde) you freely haue:As free, as God these giftes me frely gaue.

I saide (if God sent time, and space therfore)

Ye should receaue from mee (as leysure came)

Of these my simple toyles, a greater store,

And partly you perceaue, how I performe the same.

Such workes, as this my simple muse can frame,

(With all my harte and minde) you freely haue:

As free, as God these giftes me frely gaue.

Wherefore giue eare, now harken well to this:As to these tunes, I gaue me thought some heede,In doubte if sences led my mynde amisse,Or whether [Greek: pathos] me with toyes did feede.What doth (said Morpheus) now this musing nede?Art thou so farre orewatcht, thy wittes the fayle?Or els do fancies more then wit preuayle?

Wherefore giue eare, now harken well to this:

As to these tunes, I gaue me thought some heede,

In doubte if sences led my mynde amisse,

Or whether [Greek: pathos] me with toyes did feede.

What doth (said Morpheus) now this musing nede?

Art thou so farre orewatcht, thy wittes the fayle?

Or els do fancies more then wit preuayle?

Not so (quoth I) though far the night be past,And yet me thinkes, I could be well contentTo leaue them so (if this were now the last)So thou therto and Somnus sweete consent:This noble Nennius well the time hath spent.I would haue staide, if he had spoken more:’Twas his departure, troubled me so sore.

Not so (quoth I) though far the night be past,

And yet me thinkes, I could be well content

To leaue them so (if this were now the last)

So thou therto and Somnus sweete consent:

This noble Nennius well the time hath spent.

I would haue staide, if he had spoken more:

’Twas his departure, troubled me so sore.

(Quoth he) thou must a whyle yet longer byde:In fewe he shall declare, how he hath spedThat commes. And euen with that I lookt aside,And sawe a coarse approache without a head.What now (quoth I) though erste (by thee) the deadWere causde to speake, declaring all their will,Yet speach of headlesse men doth passe my skill.

(Quoth he) thou must a whyle yet longer byde:

In fewe he shall declare, how he hath sped

That commes. And euen with that I lookt aside,

And sawe a coarse approache without a head.

What now (quoth I) though erste (by thee) the dead

Were causde to speake, declaring all their will,

Yet speach of headlesse men doth passe my skill.

With that gan Morpheus touch him with his mace,And sodainly an head, on shoulders pight.For lacke of vse, he could not turne his face,Or else had Morpheus scarcely set it right.He had forgotten eke, to turne his sight:But still he stode his face to set awrye,And wappering turnid vp his white of eye.

With that gan Morpheus touch him with his mace,

And sodainly an head, on shoulders pight.

For lacke of vse, he could not turne his face,

Or else had Morpheus scarcely set it right.

He had forgotten eke, to turne his sight:

But still he stode his face to set awrye,

And wappering turnid vp his white of eye.

As t’were a dead man, reared vp an end,Deuoyde of life, and yet a feeling had:His lippes lay open, grimly ofte hee grend:With hollowe eyes, full oft he frowned sad,And bent his browes, and lookte as he were mad:I sawe not in my life, I thinke his pere:Nor shall not, if I liue this hundred yeare.

As t’were a dead man, reared vp an end,

Deuoyde of life, and yet a feeling had:

His lippes lay open, grimly ofte hee grend:

With hollowe eyes, full oft he frowned sad,

And bent his browes, and lookte as he were mad:

I sawe not in my life, I thinke his pere:

Nor shall not, if I liue this hundred yeare.

At length he tryde, which way to tell his mynde:Yet how to speake his tonge had quite forgotte:Each instrument forgotten had his kinde,That erste could run at randon and by roate,But then me thought, with fist his brest hee smote,The other hande his musing browes did holde:And as awakte (at laste) this tale he tolde.

At length he tryde, which way to tell his mynde:

Yet how to speake his tonge had quite forgotte:

Each instrument forgotten had his kinde,

That erste could run at randon and by roate,

But then me thought, with fist his brest hee smote,

The other hande his musing browes did holde:

And as awakte (at laste) this tale he tolde.

[754]Daunce. N.

[755]As. ed. 1575.

[756]Their. ib.

[757]Insteede of cheese to fill thy chaps with chalke. ed. 1575.

[758]I will be briefe and truly tell thee allThe cause why I from graue do now appeare. N.

[758]

I will be briefe and truly tell thee allThe cause why I from graue do now appeare. N.

I will be briefe and truly tell thee all

The cause why I from graue do now appeare. N.

[759]Let who so stands trust to a stedfast hold,If stedfast hold he thinke that he may find,Presume not on thy strength, nay yet be boldOn Fortune’s gifts, nay let her guide thy mindIn hope of hap, for she is counted blind. N.

[759]

Let who so stands trust to a stedfast hold,If stedfast hold he thinke that he may find,Presume not on thy strength, nay yet be boldOn Fortune’s gifts, nay let her guide thy mindIn hope of hap, for she is counted blind. N.

Let who so stands trust to a stedfast hold,

If stedfast hold he thinke that he may find,

Presume not on thy strength, nay yet be bold

On Fortune’s gifts, nay let her guide thy mind

In hope of hap, for she is counted blind. N.

[760]So bad but we it frame. N.

[760]

So bad but we it frame. N.

[761]To done. ed. 1575.

[762]Nephewe. ib.

[763]For feates in armes, for fauour, and for fame. N.

[764]Nephew, ed. 1575.

[765]No, no, be sure. ib.

[766]How seeming friends did prooue my chiefest foes. N.

[767]As. N.

[768]That. N.

[769]Quoth we, by thee did all these Britaines die. N.

[770]Yet darst not. ed. 1575.

[771]Their wounds in flight all scattered. N.

[772]Tongues ioy to light could bring. N.

[773]Our king. N.

[774]Therewith for battaile bent as mad. N.

[775]Our foes foule flight. N.

[776]Seemely there but swordes in sight. ed. 1575.

[777]And men lesse deem’d do giue the conquering stroke. N.

[778](And turneys.) ed. 1575.

[779]The stanza thus altered by Niccols.A solemne iusts proclaimed was for those,Who would to win renowne their valour trie,Where th’earle of London’s cosin did exposeHimselfe to purchase praise, against whom ITo win the prize did all my powers applie:But fatall was the scope I did intend,Th’effects bewray’d my folly in the end.

[779]The stanza thus altered by Niccols.

A solemne iusts proclaimed was for those,Who would to win renowne their valour trie,Where th’earle of London’s cosin did exposeHimselfe to purchase praise, against whom ITo win the prize did all my powers applie:But fatall was the scope I did intend,Th’effects bewray’d my folly in the end.

A solemne iusts proclaimed was for those,

Who would to win renowne their valour trie,

Where th’earle of London’s cosin did expose

Himselfe to purchase praise, against whom I

To win the prize did all my powers applie:

But fatall was the scope I did intend,

Th’effects bewray’d my folly in the end.

[780]Fawting eye. ed. 1575.i. e.favouring eye. Their former friendly eie. N.

[781]Their foes to feare. N.

[782]Friends worse then forren. N.

[783]That fall at oddes for fond vaine glorie’s sake. N.

[784]That. ed. 1575.

[785]Wise before it be to late. ed. 1575.

[786]Did foule display. ed. 1575.

[787]He me. ib.

[788]Mens. N.

[789]The common rout. N.

[790]Made my foes to stare. N.

[791]Nothing lesse. ed. 1575.

[792]Not be well therwith. ib.

[793]But rather therfore beare. ed. 1575.

[794]Here the following stanzas occur in the first edition.To which he aunswerd as despite had spoke,With hasty wordes and tauntes of hygher peres.I list not any iote (quoth he) reuoke,Of that is sayd, ne darste thou for thine eares(What euer lookes in place thy fauters beares)Alone to mete me in the field to fraye.But I may hap (by chaunce) to finde the day,Wherein thou shalt not beare the price away.As for the king we doubte if he be heyre,The kingdome is the Earle of London’s right,And though that he the prince his person beare(In his nonage) he ought not reue it quyte,Ne shall he stay mee if I mynde to fighte.Then where thou speakst (quoth he) of princes peace,And wouldst me warne, from furder dealing seace:Thou better were (perhaps) to holde thy peace.On which I playnly sayde, highe treason t’was,So much to speake, against our soueraigne Lorde:Quoth I, the boundes of modestie you passe,That dare your case with prince his right accorde:Your betters would far better wordes auorde,And you perhaps your selfe so stoute that showeWhich make as though you sought his ouerthrowe,Shall shortly more his grace his pleasure knowe.

[794]Here the following stanzas occur in the first edition.

To which he aunswerd as despite had spoke,With hasty wordes and tauntes of hygher peres.I list not any iote (quoth he) reuoke,Of that is sayd, ne darste thou for thine eares(What euer lookes in place thy fauters beares)Alone to mete me in the field to fraye.But I may hap (by chaunce) to finde the day,Wherein thou shalt not beare the price away.As for the king we doubte if he be heyre,The kingdome is the Earle of London’s right,And though that he the prince his person beare(In his nonage) he ought not reue it quyte,Ne shall he stay mee if I mynde to fighte.Then where thou speakst (quoth he) of princes peace,And wouldst me warne, from furder dealing seace:Thou better were (perhaps) to holde thy peace.On which I playnly sayde, highe treason t’was,So much to speake, against our soueraigne Lorde:Quoth I, the boundes of modestie you passe,That dare your case with prince his right accorde:Your betters would far better wordes auorde,And you perhaps your selfe so stoute that showeWhich make as though you sought his ouerthrowe,Shall shortly more his grace his pleasure knowe.

To which he aunswerd as despite had spoke,

With hasty wordes and tauntes of hygher peres.

I list not any iote (quoth he) reuoke,

Of that is sayd, ne darste thou for thine eares

(What euer lookes in place thy fauters beares)

Alone to mete me in the field to fraye.

But I may hap (by chaunce) to finde the day,

Wherein thou shalt not beare the price away.

As for the king we doubte if he be heyre,The kingdome is the Earle of London’s right,And though that he the prince his person beare(In his nonage) he ought not reue it quyte,Ne shall he stay mee if I mynde to fighte.Then where thou speakst (quoth he) of princes peace,And wouldst me warne, from furder dealing seace:Thou better were (perhaps) to holde thy peace.

As for the king we doubte if he be heyre,

The kingdome is the Earle of London’s right,

And though that he the prince his person beare

(In his nonage) he ought not reue it quyte,

Ne shall he stay mee if I mynde to fighte.

Then where thou speakst (quoth he) of princes peace,

And wouldst me warne, from furder dealing seace:

Thou better were (perhaps) to holde thy peace.

On which I playnly sayde, highe treason t’was,So much to speake, against our soueraigne Lorde:Quoth I, the boundes of modestie you passe,That dare your case with prince his right accorde:Your betters would far better wordes auorde,And you perhaps your selfe so stoute that showeWhich make as though you sought his ouerthrowe,Shall shortly more his grace his pleasure knowe.

On which I playnly sayde, highe treason t’was,

So much to speake, against our soueraigne Lorde:

Quoth I, the boundes of modestie you passe,

That dare your case with prince his right accorde:

Your betters would far better wordes auorde,

And you perhaps your selfe so stoute that showe

Which make as though you sought his ouerthrowe,

Shall shortly more his grace his pleasure knowe.

[795]And. ed. 1575.

[796]Thyselfe a traytour rather semest right,That darste presume amongst thy betters so. ib.

[796]

Thyselfe a traytour rather semest right,That darste presume amongst thy betters so. ib.

Thyselfe a traytour rather semest right,

That darste presume amongst thy betters so. ib.

[797]I raught to him. ib.

[798]My frendes likewyse could. ib.

[799]They drew. ib.

[800]We freshly. ib.

[801]They. ed. 1575.

[802]Was. ib.

[803]They. ib.

[804]Wherfore they layde about them francke. ib.

[805]Knight. ib.

[806]Several of the early historians concur in representing that this improvident quarrell, and unexpected rencounter, first enabled Cæsar to establish his landing in Britain, from the assistance afterwards given him by the Earl of London. The following is one of the briefest of the statements:—“It befell thus vpon a day that the gentylmen of the kynge’s housholde and the gentylmen of the Erle’s housholde of London after meet, went togyder for to play. And thrugh debate that arose ymonge them Enelin, that was the Erle’s cosyn of London, slewe Irenglas that was the kynge’s cosyn. Wherfore the kynge swore that Enelyn sholde be hanged. But the Erle of London, that was Enelin’s lorde, wolde not suffer hym. Wherfore the kynge was greatly wroth and vexed towarde the Erle and thought hym to dystroye. And pryuely the Erle sende letters to Julius Cezar, that he sholde come into this lande for to helpe hym, and hym auenge vpon the kynge, and he wolde helpe hym with al his myght. And whan the emperour herde these tydynges he was full glad, and ordeyned a stronge power, and came agayne the thyrde tyme into this lande, and the Erle of London helped hym with viii M. men. And at the thyrde tyme was Cassybolon ouercome and dyscomfyted, and made peas to the Emperour for thre thousande pounde of syluer, yeldynge by yere for truage for this lande for euermore.”Chron. of St. Albans.

[807]Oh that my friend of yore. N.

[808]The edition of 1575 finishes with the life of Lord Irenglas, which Higgins calls theFIRST PARTin his concluding lines ofThe Author.With that (me thought) he vanisht quite away:And I was come to end my worke at last:Not minding longer on the which to staye,My penne did trudge to wryte these verses fast.I trust sith once, they haue the Printer pastThat went before: these fragmentes come behinde,Shall of the Readers, likewyse fauour finde.So of my first part here I make an ende,The Seconde parte which I haue now to fyleDoth call me hence, from these to those to wende:In which if God send grace to guyde my style,I shall (I trust) and that in shorter whyle,Againe retourne, to Printer’s presse with those:Which shal likewise, their fight and falles disclose.Till then farewell a thousand times to thee,Which takst in hand this booke to shun the ill,That was the fall of these describde by mee,And haste to mende their faultes a firme good will,I wishe thy health, increase of vertu still,Adieu, farewell, I haue but this to say,God send vs both his heauenly grace for aye.I. Higgins.

[808]The edition of 1575 finishes with the life of Lord Irenglas, which Higgins calls theFIRST PARTin his concluding lines of

The Author.

With that (me thought) he vanisht quite away:And I was come to end my worke at last:Not minding longer on the which to staye,My penne did trudge to wryte these verses fast.I trust sith once, they haue the Printer pastThat went before: these fragmentes come behinde,Shall of the Readers, likewyse fauour finde.So of my first part here I make an ende,The Seconde parte which I haue now to fyleDoth call me hence, from these to those to wende:In which if God send grace to guyde my style,I shall (I trust) and that in shorter whyle,Againe retourne, to Printer’s presse with those:Which shal likewise, their fight and falles disclose.Till then farewell a thousand times to thee,Which takst in hand this booke to shun the ill,That was the fall of these describde by mee,And haste to mende their faultes a firme good will,I wishe thy health, increase of vertu still,Adieu, farewell, I haue but this to say,God send vs both his heauenly grace for aye.I. Higgins.

With that (me thought) he vanisht quite away:

And I was come to end my worke at last:

Not minding longer on the which to staye,

My penne did trudge to wryte these verses fast.

I trust sith once, they haue the Printer past

That went before: these fragmentes come behinde,

Shall of the Readers, likewyse fauour finde.

So of my first part here I make an ende,The Seconde parte which I haue now to fyleDoth call me hence, from these to those to wende:In which if God send grace to guyde my style,I shall (I trust) and that in shorter whyle,Againe retourne, to Printer’s presse with those:Which shal likewise, their fight and falles disclose.

So of my first part here I make an ende,

The Seconde parte which I haue now to fyle

Doth call me hence, from these to those to wende:

In which if God send grace to guyde my style,

I shall (I trust) and that in shorter whyle,

Againe retourne, to Printer’s presse with those:

Which shal likewise, their fight and falles disclose.

Till then farewell a thousand times to thee,Which takst in hand this booke to shun the ill,That was the fall of these describde by mee,And haste to mende their faultes a firme good will,I wishe thy health, increase of vertu still,Adieu, farewell, I haue but this to say,God send vs both his heauenly grace for aye.

Till then farewell a thousand times to thee,

Which takst in hand this booke to shun the ill,

That was the fall of these describde by mee,

And haste to mende their faultes a firme good will,

I wishe thy health, increase of vertu still,

Adieu, farewell, I haue but this to say,

God send vs both his heauenly grace for aye.

I. Higgins.

[809]Surely. N.

[810]In brief. N.

[811]Aurelia faire. N.

[812]Morall discipline instruct. N.

[813]——and write the truth,Of all my noble actions from my youth. N.

[813]

——and write the truth,Of all my noble actions from my youth. N.

——and write the truth,

Of all my noble actions from my youth. N.

[814]The divorce of Henry VIIIth from Q. Katherine is undoubtedly here alluded to by the poet.

[815]That wrought his swift decay. N.

[816]The valiant Galles. N.

[817]Nations which were whilome. N.

[818]My famous warres. N.

[819]Each. N.

[820]That eke. N.

[821]Haue in field of Romane. N.

[822]Both stout. N.

[823]Went. N.

[824]Shippes againe: a wondrous thing. N.

[825]Where hauens be. N

[826]“The Brytons had pyght sharpe stakes in the ryuer of Tamyse there Julius hadde landed, the stakes were grete, shapen as a manne’s thygh and sette about with lede as it is yet seen.”Polychronicon.

[827]When many diu’d the deepe before the land wee won. N.

[828]Being hardly. N.

[829]Come the following yeare. N.

[830]So stubburne. N.

[831]By our power bee ruled. N.

[832]For our second flight with sports. N.

[833]Neither best appeares. N.

[834]Elenine was stout, for. N.

[835]Vntill at length in fight hight Irenglas was slaine. N.

[836]Before the iudge doe doome. N.

[837]To me in France. N.

[838]He also Sceua sent for pledge. N.

[839]His losse in doubtfull war. N.

[840]His people’s base reuoult he chiefly did deplore. N.

[841]I after sent. N.

[842]The warlike Galles. N.

[843]I led my conquering host. N.

[844]But from. N.

[845]Slaine in fight, or more. N.

[846]But either fell in fight, or from the field did flie. N.

[847]For all our. N.

[848]——and sonnes by myght did oft assaye,When he was done to death. N.

[848]

——and sonnes by myght did oft assaye,When he was done to death. N.

——and sonnes by myght did oft assaye,

When he was done to death. N.

[849]Of cunning skill. N.

[850]He wins immortall fame, thrice blessed is the crowne. N.

[851]The. N.

[852]Was alone. N.

[853]Sole to be. N.

[854]Me many secret. N.

[855]Soueraigne sway. N.

[856]My ruin and decay. N.

[857]Could no thing in state determin’d bee. N.

[858]Enui’d at me that. N.

[859]As hautie Cassius. N.

[860]The chiefest crime. N.

[861]Dispatch and death. N.

[862]Mine acts, my raigne, and. N.

[863]Yet. N.

[864]Fatall tombe. N.

[865]Without the guide of man. N.

[866]A little wren. N.

[867]My fall in slumber, I. N.

[868]Was from earth and. N.

[869]Hand in hand I thought I walkt with. N.

[870]Make me much that morning to mislike. N.

[871]Can void death’s dart when he doth strike. N.

[872]Seekes his life for to betray? N.

[873]Traytor bloodie Brutus. N.

[874]At last I went and there did meet vntimely fate. N.

[875]To senate as I went behold a Roman stood. N.

[876]Euery traytours name. N.

[877]Sought to spill my blood. N.

[878]Presently decreed to execute. N.

[879]I blind wretch supposde. N.

[880]My vnhappie hand. N.

[881]For which I lost my life, as you shall vnderstand. N.

[882]Diuinings true I then did. N.

[883]To warne me of my death the priest did seeke in vaine. N.

[884]I gaue. N.

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