THE COMPLAYNT OF VORTIGER.

How Vortiger destroyed the young kyng Constantine, and howe he obteyned the crowne: [howe the abusyng of his prosperitie brought hys realme so lowe, that he was constrayned to hyre souldyers to defend hymselfe from his enimyes] and how after many miseries, he was miserably burnt in his castle, by the brethren of Constantine.[1187]

1.By quiet peace ofIanusioylitie,Their happy hauens with forewinds forst some haue,[1188]By wrackful warres ofMarshis crueltie,With much ado some get the goale they craue,But subtyl sleightes, and fetches boulstred braue,My haplesse hand dyd hyt with leueled lyne,The aymed marke, the more mishap was myne.2.By giftes of grace some men haue happy hap,By blessed byrth to kyngdomes borne some be:Succession sets some men in Fortune’s lap,By wisedome, wyt, and prudent policie:Some clyme aloft by trustlesse treacherie:And courage dooth a multitude aduaunce,Driftes finely filde they dyd my state inhaunce.3.IVortiger, by byrth was borne a lorde,KyngConstantinehis coosin did me call,I cride amayne, and clapt his crowne aborde,And for a tyme til fortune forst my fall,With restlesse blesse I sate in stately stall:But men of warre of much more might then I,For my desert my carefull corpes did fry.4.As furious force of fiery flashing fame,With cinders brought my body to decay,So smulderyng smokes of euerlasting shameReude[1189]my renowne, and wipte my fame away:What may I more of my misfortune say?I sigh to see, I silent ceasse to tellWhat me destroied, and drownd my soule in hel.5.Here to repeate the partes that I haue playd,Were to vnrippe a trusse of trumpery,For me to shew how I aloft was stayde,Were to erect a schoole of trechery:Silence is best, let no man learne by meNor by my meanes, how they by wicked waies,From low estate, aloft themselues may rayse.6.As good men can by wicked workes beware,So wicked men by wicked workes be wise,If ill men reade my deedes which wicked were,They by my meanes will compassse their surmise:For wicked workers dayly do deuise,To make examples vile and vicious,To stand in stead, to serue their lawlesse lust.7.The serpent thence his venym vile dooth drawe,From whence the bee her honny sweete dooth get,Leawd liuers learne to breake the written lawe,By that, whereby good men doo learne much wit:For wicked men eche fetche is thought most fyt,To serue their turne: therefore I compt it best,To leaue my faultes and follyes vnconfest.8.“Giue leaue therefore, goodMemory, I mayNot here repeate my tedious tragedy,Inquiry, let me nowe departe away.My common weale subuerted was by me,I leawdly liude, and dyde in misery,And for my faultes I felt disdayneful smarte,Let this suffice, and let me nowe departe.”9.With that he seemde as on[1190]that would away,ButMemory: “Stay, stay thy steppes,” quoth she,“Let wicked men procure their owne decay,We recke it not, if warned once they be:Let that suffice, and let thy miseryMake iust report, how vayne and vile a thingIt is, to liue as a vsurping king.”10.Sith needes I must repented faultes forerunneRepeat, and tel the fal and foyle I felt,Patience perforce, to speake shame bids me shunne,To thinke thereof dooth make my harte to melte:But sith I needes must shewe howe here I delt,I am contente to tell the truth of al,Let wise men learne to stande, which reade my fal.11.For first I causde the young kingConstantine,Of faythlesseScotsandPictesto make his garde,They by my meanes did kil their kyng in fine,For which, with speede I sent them al to warde,And hangde them al their cause was neuer harde:So I who fyrst did cause them kil their king,To stop their mouthes, them al to death did bring.12.Where rancor rules, where hatred’s heate is hot,The hurtelesse men with trouble be turmoylde:Where malice may send foorth her cannon shot,There might is right, there reason’s rules are foylde:For ruthful rancor euermore hath boyldeWith griping griefe: her smuldring smokes of spiteWoulde gladly choke al iustice, lawe, and right.13.So might, not right, did thrust me to the throne,I syxteene yeeres did weare the royal crowne,In al which time with griefe I aye did grone,As on[1191]who felt the fal from high renowne:My noble men deuisde to thrust me downeIn al this time, and many did protest,I layde the king in his vntimely chest.14.At last, my foes my friendes were made, and IHad quiet peace, and liude a happy king:Yea, God who rules the haughtie heauen a hygh,Inricht my realme with foysen of eche thing,Aboundant store did make my people syng:As they of yore were prest with penury,So nowe they hate their great fertilitie.15.My people had of corne and oyle such store,That country men of tyllage left the toyle,The riche man fed no better then the poore,For all did reape the fatnesse of the soyle,No man for meate nor mony then did toyle,But al reioyce with ioyful iubily,And al were soust with sinful gluttony.16.As cloudes dissolude fayrePhœbusdooth deface,So plague my plenty dim’d with darke disease:For whilste my realme in ryot ran her race,They playde, not prayed, and did their God displease:For which they drownde in sorrowe’s surging seas,Lyke rotten sheepe by thousands dide so thicke,The deade coulde not be buried by the quicke.17.When thus the plague my people did oppresse,That fewe were left alyue within my lande,TheScotsandPictes, with speede they them addrest,[1192]Knowing their time, they raysde a mightie band,They knewe right soone, howe heere my state did stand:And to reuenge the wrong that earst I wrought,They ment to bring both me and myne to nought.18.See howe abuse breedes blake and bitter bale,Misuse dooth make of plenty, lothsome lacke,Amidst his blesse with wo it makes man wale,Onely abuse dooth woorke man’s wretched wracke:Amidst my ioyes, from ioye it beate me backe:For I and myne misusde our present blesse,Which brought both me and mine to wretchednesse.19.We first misusde our present pleasaunt plentie,For which we whipt in thrall with scourges three,Had pestilence, which made my kingdome emptie,It did destroy my men of eche degree,Then faynting famine playde her tragedy,Bellonathen that beastly bloody queene,Did blowe her trumpe to dashe my courage cleene.20.When sickenesse had consumde my subiectes quite,ThePicteswith pride did hast to spoyle my lande,I had no men, nor meanes with them to fight,For which I sent and did obtayne a bandeOfSaxons, such as did theScots[1193]withstande:Whose helpe that I when neede requirde might haue,I gaue themKent, a countrey passing braue.21.TheseSaxonswere a crewe of warrelike wightes,They liude by spoyle, and had no byding place,They were of truth a troupe of martial knyghtes,Which serude for pay whereMarsextolde his mace:Saxonsindeede they were of royal race,TheyAnglihight, a stocke of woorthy fame,Of them this realme ofEnglandetooke her name.22.TheseAnglibrought theBritaynesto the bay,WeWelchemencal’d, toWalesthey did vs driue,They brought syxe sortes ofSaxonsto decay,And got the goale for which they long did striue:Of other stockes they left not one alyue,They al this realme did plant withAnglithen,And termde themselues ofAngli,Englishmen.23.But howe they brought this enterprise about,Marke well the sequel which I shal recite:Hengestushe the chieftayne of the route,A suttle sir, an vndermining wight,To feede my vaynes he tooke a great delight:His craftie heade did deeme it the best way,With pleasant baytes to make my crowne his pray.24.He me his king inuited to a feast,A feast in fayth, which forst my final fall:WhereCupide’scurse constraynde me like a beast,FromPallasprince to geue the golden ball:ForVenusvantes toHellinethrewe my thrall,Whose heauenly hewe, whose beautie freshe and fayre,Was burnishte bright likePhœbusin the ayre.25.I being set atBacchusbanquetting,His daughter deckt with nature’s tapistrie,And trimly trickte with euery other thing,Which might delight a louer’s fantasie:Why shoulde man’s mynde to loue thus subiect be?I had a wyfe, a passing princely peece,Which farre did passe that gallant gyrle ofGreece.[1194]26.Yet from my wyfe (the woorthiest wench[1195]aliue,)My fancies fell, I lothde her louely bed:Howe IHengestusdaughter might atchieueWas al my care, I did this damsel wed,My wife diuorste, I had her in the steede:Her louely lookes, her pretie pleasant cheare,Made me esteeme her onely loue most deare.27.I wore the crowne, her wyl dyd rule the rest,And her demaunde I neuer did deny,What she alow’d I did esteeme that best:Which when her fatherHengestdid espye,He had the pray for which he long did prye:He made his hay whilst weather fayer was,And by her meanes he brought it thus to passe:28.ThatBryttayneswe with toyle shoulde till the ground,TheSaxonswoulde defende our wealth with warre:Which graunted once, they did inhabite rowndeAbout my realme, and might both make and marre:NewSaxonsin my realme aryued were,By meanes whereof myBrittaynesdid suspectTheSaxons’slayghts, and did their deedes detect.29.Then they good men to me their king complain’d,These men, quoth they, from vs our realme wil winne,Except they from our frontiers be refrain’d:Which when they told, my wife she was within,“O husband deare, they be,” saide she, “my kin,Cease of thy force thy faithful dreads to feare,They meane no hurt, byIouethe iust, I sweare.”30.So I esteemed not my subiectes health,That I might still my ladie’s loue enioye,They vewde me carelesse of my common wealth,To saue themselues they ment me to annoy,Myne eldest sonne a proper prety boy,They made their kyng, and me for my desert,They did depriue: with paine which pincht my heart.31.ThenVortigermy sonne and kyng pursudeTheSaxonssore, and dyd amaze them much,For which my wyfe, his mother[1196]lawe, indudeWith diuelish spite, agaynst the youth did grutche,She him destroyde, her good successe was such:When he seuen yeares had raygnde with great renowne,With poyson she depriude him of his crowne.32.I to obtaine the seate from whence I fel,With sacred oath I solemnly did sweare,To end the woorke, which was begonne so wel,And to subdue theSaxonseuery where:TheBrittainesto my kingly crowne did reareMe quickely then: I at the fyrst, by mightDefaste my foes in euery fray and fyght.33.Then lothsome lucke did turne her whurling wheele,With treason trust intrapte did me betray,Hateful mishappe she had me by the heele,And clapte me close in dungeon of decay,ToHengestnowe I must a raunsome pay:And if I loude my life and libertie,I needes must graunt al he dooth aske of me.34.For chaunged chaunce ofMarshis warres, hath madeMe of a king a captayne’s prisoner,To whom there must nowe foure sheares be payde,Northfolke,Southfolke,SouthsexeandKentthey were,Me to release from out my caue of care:Which being donne, I led my life in doute,And fledde for feare toWaleswith al my route.35.Where, as I founde a place that pleasde me much,The situation seemde so passing strong,The worlde me thought might not annoy it much,A castel there I builte: it were to longHere to repeate, silence shall do no wrongToMarlayne, he who wonders there hath wrought,If auncient write to vs the truth hath taught.36.When I had buylt my princely bower there,In bloody feeldes I meant no more to striue:But true reporte did dashe my present cheere:InTotnessehauen two brethren did ariue,Which quickly would from that my forte me driue:The brethren both ofConstantinethe kyng,Peccauithey did meane to make me sing.37.From worse to worse, seldome is better seene,Our present ioyes hereafter thralles do threate,And he who now doth flourish freshe and greene,Must fade and fal asHyemsfrosts doo frette:DameFlorae’sfeeldes, or as the rayne with wetIn dropping dayes the pleasaunt playnes doth drowne,So ruthfull men reaues vs from[1197]renowne.38.Men may therfore likeMarmaydeseuer mourne,The shining sunne who do so much delight,That aye they waile like furies quite forlorne:WhenSoldoth shine, whenTitan’sbeames be bright,They feare the stormes that may hereafter light,They weepe because they must the sunne forgoe,When stormes do fal, they wayle their present woe.39.So mortal man with malice al bested,When good successe dooth sounde a blessed blaste,With brinishe teares then may they eate their bread:For happy dayes from man dooth flee as fast,As poulders force from peece dooth pellet cast:And troubles tedious time with pacelesse staye,Once wonne (alas) will neuer walke away.40.How I in maze of trouble here did toyle,Iudge you which see me trauise in the same,And howe I was inforst to final foyle,Not nowe, for nowe although it dooth me shame,I wyll declare, how I was fryde with flame.ForAmbrosehe andVter Pendragon,My castle brent, me and my men eche one.41.ThenAmbrosewith his brother’s crowne was crown’d,Which I from hym had reafte agaynst al right:So nowe you see vppon what slipperie groundeThey stand, which doo extol themselues by might,Their wandring feete doo walke as in the night,Their stumbling steppes their giltie mindes doo feare,They dayly see the blocke of bale appeare.42.With scalding sighes they doo themselues consume,For feare to fal dooth yeelde none other fruite,They rage with wrath, they dayly frette and fume,Ruthful reuenge them alwayes hath in suite,And right in time makes might both mum and mute:For that which might by secret meanes hath wrought,By tracte of tyme to open shewe is brought.43.Vsurpers then doo reape their right rewarde,The foyle once felt, they feele how vile and vayneIt is, to be too high degrees preferdeBy lawlesse meanes: they finde what pinching payne,Amid’st the mindes of such men doo remayne,They alwayes throngde with cruel thretting thrall,Doo feede vppon none other foode but gall.44.A proofe whereof a plat, a patterne playne,The ruthful race IVortigerhaue runne,Disciphers so, that man may see howe vayneA thing it is his former fate to shunne:Honour obteynde (alas) what haue we wonne?A hidious heape of cruel carking care,Which to consume man’s life dooth neuer spare.

By quiet peace ofIanusioylitie,Their happy hauens with forewinds forst some haue,[1188]By wrackful warres ofMarshis crueltie,With much ado some get the goale they craue,But subtyl sleightes, and fetches boulstred braue,My haplesse hand dyd hyt with leueled lyne,The aymed marke, the more mishap was myne.

By quiet peace ofIanusioylitie,

Their happy hauens with forewinds forst some haue,[1188]

By wrackful warres ofMarshis crueltie,

With much ado some get the goale they craue,

But subtyl sleightes, and fetches boulstred braue,

My haplesse hand dyd hyt with leueled lyne,

The aymed marke, the more mishap was myne.

By giftes of grace some men haue happy hap,By blessed byrth to kyngdomes borne some be:Succession sets some men in Fortune’s lap,By wisedome, wyt, and prudent policie:Some clyme aloft by trustlesse treacherie:And courage dooth a multitude aduaunce,Driftes finely filde they dyd my state inhaunce.

By giftes of grace some men haue happy hap,

By blessed byrth to kyngdomes borne some be:

Succession sets some men in Fortune’s lap,

By wisedome, wyt, and prudent policie:

Some clyme aloft by trustlesse treacherie:

And courage dooth a multitude aduaunce,

Driftes finely filde they dyd my state inhaunce.

IVortiger, by byrth was borne a lorde,KyngConstantinehis coosin did me call,I cride amayne, and clapt his crowne aborde,And for a tyme til fortune forst my fall,With restlesse blesse I sate in stately stall:But men of warre of much more might then I,For my desert my carefull corpes did fry.

IVortiger, by byrth was borne a lorde,

KyngConstantinehis coosin did me call,

I cride amayne, and clapt his crowne aborde,

And for a tyme til fortune forst my fall,

With restlesse blesse I sate in stately stall:

But men of warre of much more might then I,

For my desert my carefull corpes did fry.

As furious force of fiery flashing fame,With cinders brought my body to decay,So smulderyng smokes of euerlasting shameReude[1189]my renowne, and wipte my fame away:What may I more of my misfortune say?I sigh to see, I silent ceasse to tellWhat me destroied, and drownd my soule in hel.

As furious force of fiery flashing fame,

With cinders brought my body to decay,

So smulderyng smokes of euerlasting shame

Reude[1189]my renowne, and wipte my fame away:

What may I more of my misfortune say?

I sigh to see, I silent ceasse to tell

What me destroied, and drownd my soule in hel.

Here to repeate the partes that I haue playd,Were to vnrippe a trusse of trumpery,For me to shew how I aloft was stayde,Were to erect a schoole of trechery:Silence is best, let no man learne by meNor by my meanes, how they by wicked waies,From low estate, aloft themselues may rayse.

Here to repeate the partes that I haue playd,

Were to vnrippe a trusse of trumpery,

For me to shew how I aloft was stayde,

Were to erect a schoole of trechery:

Silence is best, let no man learne by me

Nor by my meanes, how they by wicked waies,

From low estate, aloft themselues may rayse.

As good men can by wicked workes beware,So wicked men by wicked workes be wise,If ill men reade my deedes which wicked were,They by my meanes will compassse their surmise:For wicked workers dayly do deuise,To make examples vile and vicious,To stand in stead, to serue their lawlesse lust.

As good men can by wicked workes beware,

So wicked men by wicked workes be wise,

If ill men reade my deedes which wicked were,

They by my meanes will compassse their surmise:

For wicked workers dayly do deuise,

To make examples vile and vicious,

To stand in stead, to serue their lawlesse lust.

The serpent thence his venym vile dooth drawe,From whence the bee her honny sweete dooth get,Leawd liuers learne to breake the written lawe,By that, whereby good men doo learne much wit:For wicked men eche fetche is thought most fyt,To serue their turne: therefore I compt it best,To leaue my faultes and follyes vnconfest.

The serpent thence his venym vile dooth drawe,

From whence the bee her honny sweete dooth get,

Leawd liuers learne to breake the written lawe,

By that, whereby good men doo learne much wit:

For wicked men eche fetche is thought most fyt,

To serue their turne: therefore I compt it best,

To leaue my faultes and follyes vnconfest.

“Giue leaue therefore, goodMemory, I mayNot here repeate my tedious tragedy,Inquiry, let me nowe departe away.My common weale subuerted was by me,I leawdly liude, and dyde in misery,And for my faultes I felt disdayneful smarte,Let this suffice, and let me nowe departe.”

“Giue leaue therefore, goodMemory, I may

Not here repeate my tedious tragedy,

Inquiry, let me nowe departe away.

My common weale subuerted was by me,

I leawdly liude, and dyde in misery,

And for my faultes I felt disdayneful smarte,

Let this suffice, and let me nowe departe.”

With that he seemde as on[1190]that would away,ButMemory: “Stay, stay thy steppes,” quoth she,“Let wicked men procure their owne decay,We recke it not, if warned once they be:Let that suffice, and let thy miseryMake iust report, how vayne and vile a thingIt is, to liue as a vsurping king.”

With that he seemde as on[1190]that would away,

ButMemory: “Stay, stay thy steppes,” quoth she,

“Let wicked men procure their owne decay,

We recke it not, if warned once they be:

Let that suffice, and let thy misery

Make iust report, how vayne and vile a thing

It is, to liue as a vsurping king.”

10.

Sith needes I must repented faultes forerunneRepeat, and tel the fal and foyle I felt,Patience perforce, to speake shame bids me shunne,To thinke thereof dooth make my harte to melte:But sith I needes must shewe howe here I delt,I am contente to tell the truth of al,Let wise men learne to stande, which reade my fal.

Sith needes I must repented faultes forerunne

Repeat, and tel the fal and foyle I felt,

Patience perforce, to speake shame bids me shunne,

To thinke thereof dooth make my harte to melte:

But sith I needes must shewe howe here I delt,

I am contente to tell the truth of al,

Let wise men learne to stande, which reade my fal.

11.

For first I causde the young kingConstantine,Of faythlesseScotsandPictesto make his garde,They by my meanes did kil their kyng in fine,For which, with speede I sent them al to warde,And hangde them al their cause was neuer harde:So I who fyrst did cause them kil their king,To stop their mouthes, them al to death did bring.

For first I causde the young kingConstantine,

Of faythlesseScotsandPictesto make his garde,

They by my meanes did kil their kyng in fine,

For which, with speede I sent them al to warde,

And hangde them al their cause was neuer harde:

So I who fyrst did cause them kil their king,

To stop their mouthes, them al to death did bring.

12.

Where rancor rules, where hatred’s heate is hot,The hurtelesse men with trouble be turmoylde:Where malice may send foorth her cannon shot,There might is right, there reason’s rules are foylde:For ruthful rancor euermore hath boyldeWith griping griefe: her smuldring smokes of spiteWoulde gladly choke al iustice, lawe, and right.

Where rancor rules, where hatred’s heate is hot,

The hurtelesse men with trouble be turmoylde:

Where malice may send foorth her cannon shot,

There might is right, there reason’s rules are foylde:

For ruthful rancor euermore hath boylde

With griping griefe: her smuldring smokes of spite

Woulde gladly choke al iustice, lawe, and right.

13.

So might, not right, did thrust me to the throne,I syxteene yeeres did weare the royal crowne,In al which time with griefe I aye did grone,As on[1191]who felt the fal from high renowne:My noble men deuisde to thrust me downeIn al this time, and many did protest,I layde the king in his vntimely chest.

So might, not right, did thrust me to the throne,

I syxteene yeeres did weare the royal crowne,

In al which time with griefe I aye did grone,

As on[1191]who felt the fal from high renowne:

My noble men deuisde to thrust me downe

In al this time, and many did protest,

I layde the king in his vntimely chest.

14.

At last, my foes my friendes were made, and IHad quiet peace, and liude a happy king:Yea, God who rules the haughtie heauen a hygh,Inricht my realme with foysen of eche thing,Aboundant store did make my people syng:As they of yore were prest with penury,So nowe they hate their great fertilitie.

At last, my foes my friendes were made, and I

Had quiet peace, and liude a happy king:

Yea, God who rules the haughtie heauen a hygh,

Inricht my realme with foysen of eche thing,

Aboundant store did make my people syng:

As they of yore were prest with penury,

So nowe they hate their great fertilitie.

15.

My people had of corne and oyle such store,That country men of tyllage left the toyle,The riche man fed no better then the poore,For all did reape the fatnesse of the soyle,No man for meate nor mony then did toyle,But al reioyce with ioyful iubily,And al were soust with sinful gluttony.

My people had of corne and oyle such store,

That country men of tyllage left the toyle,

The riche man fed no better then the poore,

For all did reape the fatnesse of the soyle,

No man for meate nor mony then did toyle,

But al reioyce with ioyful iubily,

And al were soust with sinful gluttony.

16.

As cloudes dissolude fayrePhœbusdooth deface,So plague my plenty dim’d with darke disease:For whilste my realme in ryot ran her race,They playde, not prayed, and did their God displease:For which they drownde in sorrowe’s surging seas,Lyke rotten sheepe by thousands dide so thicke,The deade coulde not be buried by the quicke.

As cloudes dissolude fayrePhœbusdooth deface,

So plague my plenty dim’d with darke disease:

For whilste my realme in ryot ran her race,

They playde, not prayed, and did their God displease:

For which they drownde in sorrowe’s surging seas,

Lyke rotten sheepe by thousands dide so thicke,

The deade coulde not be buried by the quicke.

17.

When thus the plague my people did oppresse,That fewe were left alyue within my lande,TheScotsandPictes, with speede they them addrest,[1192]Knowing their time, they raysde a mightie band,They knewe right soone, howe heere my state did stand:And to reuenge the wrong that earst I wrought,They ment to bring both me and myne to nought.

When thus the plague my people did oppresse,

That fewe were left alyue within my lande,

TheScotsandPictes, with speede they them addrest,[1192]

Knowing their time, they raysde a mightie band,

They knewe right soone, howe heere my state did stand:

And to reuenge the wrong that earst I wrought,

They ment to bring both me and myne to nought.

18.

See howe abuse breedes blake and bitter bale,Misuse dooth make of plenty, lothsome lacke,Amidst his blesse with wo it makes man wale,Onely abuse dooth woorke man’s wretched wracke:Amidst my ioyes, from ioye it beate me backe:For I and myne misusde our present blesse,Which brought both me and mine to wretchednesse.

See howe abuse breedes blake and bitter bale,

Misuse dooth make of plenty, lothsome lacke,

Amidst his blesse with wo it makes man wale,

Onely abuse dooth woorke man’s wretched wracke:

Amidst my ioyes, from ioye it beate me backe:

For I and myne misusde our present blesse,

Which brought both me and mine to wretchednesse.

19.

We first misusde our present pleasaunt plentie,For which we whipt in thrall with scourges three,Had pestilence, which made my kingdome emptie,It did destroy my men of eche degree,Then faynting famine playde her tragedy,Bellonathen that beastly bloody queene,Did blowe her trumpe to dashe my courage cleene.

We first misusde our present pleasaunt plentie,

For which we whipt in thrall with scourges three,

Had pestilence, which made my kingdome emptie,

It did destroy my men of eche degree,

Then faynting famine playde her tragedy,

Bellonathen that beastly bloody queene,

Did blowe her trumpe to dashe my courage cleene.

20.

When sickenesse had consumde my subiectes quite,ThePicteswith pride did hast to spoyle my lande,I had no men, nor meanes with them to fight,For which I sent and did obtayne a bandeOfSaxons, such as did theScots[1193]withstande:Whose helpe that I when neede requirde might haue,I gaue themKent, a countrey passing braue.

When sickenesse had consumde my subiectes quite,

ThePicteswith pride did hast to spoyle my lande,

I had no men, nor meanes with them to fight,

For which I sent and did obtayne a bande

OfSaxons, such as did theScots[1193]withstande:

Whose helpe that I when neede requirde might haue,

I gaue themKent, a countrey passing braue.

21.

TheseSaxonswere a crewe of warrelike wightes,They liude by spoyle, and had no byding place,They were of truth a troupe of martial knyghtes,Which serude for pay whereMarsextolde his mace:Saxonsindeede they were of royal race,TheyAnglihight, a stocke of woorthy fame,Of them this realme ofEnglandetooke her name.

TheseSaxonswere a crewe of warrelike wightes,

They liude by spoyle, and had no byding place,

They were of truth a troupe of martial knyghtes,

Which serude for pay whereMarsextolde his mace:

Saxonsindeede they were of royal race,

TheyAnglihight, a stocke of woorthy fame,

Of them this realme ofEnglandetooke her name.

22.

TheseAnglibrought theBritaynesto the bay,WeWelchemencal’d, toWalesthey did vs driue,They brought syxe sortes ofSaxonsto decay,And got the goale for which they long did striue:Of other stockes they left not one alyue,They al this realme did plant withAnglithen,And termde themselues ofAngli,Englishmen.

TheseAnglibrought theBritaynesto the bay,

WeWelchemencal’d, toWalesthey did vs driue,

They brought syxe sortes ofSaxonsto decay,

And got the goale for which they long did striue:

Of other stockes they left not one alyue,

They al this realme did plant withAnglithen,

And termde themselues ofAngli,Englishmen.

23.

But howe they brought this enterprise about,Marke well the sequel which I shal recite:Hengestushe the chieftayne of the route,A suttle sir, an vndermining wight,To feede my vaynes he tooke a great delight:His craftie heade did deeme it the best way,With pleasant baytes to make my crowne his pray.

But howe they brought this enterprise about,

Marke well the sequel which I shal recite:

Hengestushe the chieftayne of the route,

A suttle sir, an vndermining wight,

To feede my vaynes he tooke a great delight:

His craftie heade did deeme it the best way,

With pleasant baytes to make my crowne his pray.

24.

He me his king inuited to a feast,A feast in fayth, which forst my final fall:WhereCupide’scurse constraynde me like a beast,FromPallasprince to geue the golden ball:ForVenusvantes toHellinethrewe my thrall,Whose heauenly hewe, whose beautie freshe and fayre,Was burnishte bright likePhœbusin the ayre.

He me his king inuited to a feast,

A feast in fayth, which forst my final fall:

WhereCupide’scurse constraynde me like a beast,

FromPallasprince to geue the golden ball:

ForVenusvantes toHellinethrewe my thrall,

Whose heauenly hewe, whose beautie freshe and fayre,

Was burnishte bright likePhœbusin the ayre.

25.

I being set atBacchusbanquetting,His daughter deckt with nature’s tapistrie,And trimly trickte with euery other thing,Which might delight a louer’s fantasie:Why shoulde man’s mynde to loue thus subiect be?I had a wyfe, a passing princely peece,Which farre did passe that gallant gyrle ofGreece.[1194]

I being set atBacchusbanquetting,

His daughter deckt with nature’s tapistrie,

And trimly trickte with euery other thing,

Which might delight a louer’s fantasie:

Why shoulde man’s mynde to loue thus subiect be?

I had a wyfe, a passing princely peece,

Which farre did passe that gallant gyrle ofGreece.[1194]

26.

Yet from my wyfe (the woorthiest wench[1195]aliue,)My fancies fell, I lothde her louely bed:Howe IHengestusdaughter might atchieueWas al my care, I did this damsel wed,My wife diuorste, I had her in the steede:Her louely lookes, her pretie pleasant cheare,Made me esteeme her onely loue most deare.

Yet from my wyfe (the woorthiest wench[1195]aliue,)

My fancies fell, I lothde her louely bed:

Howe IHengestusdaughter might atchieue

Was al my care, I did this damsel wed,

My wife diuorste, I had her in the steede:

Her louely lookes, her pretie pleasant cheare,

Made me esteeme her onely loue most deare.

27.

I wore the crowne, her wyl dyd rule the rest,And her demaunde I neuer did deny,What she alow’d I did esteeme that best:Which when her fatherHengestdid espye,He had the pray for which he long did prye:He made his hay whilst weather fayer was,And by her meanes he brought it thus to passe:

I wore the crowne, her wyl dyd rule the rest,

And her demaunde I neuer did deny,

What she alow’d I did esteeme that best:

Which when her fatherHengestdid espye,

He had the pray for which he long did prye:

He made his hay whilst weather fayer was,

And by her meanes he brought it thus to passe:

28.

ThatBryttayneswe with toyle shoulde till the ground,TheSaxonswoulde defende our wealth with warre:Which graunted once, they did inhabite rowndeAbout my realme, and might both make and marre:NewSaxonsin my realme aryued were,By meanes whereof myBrittaynesdid suspectTheSaxons’slayghts, and did their deedes detect.

ThatBryttayneswe with toyle shoulde till the ground,

TheSaxonswoulde defende our wealth with warre:

Which graunted once, they did inhabite rownde

About my realme, and might both make and marre:

NewSaxonsin my realme aryued were,

By meanes whereof myBrittaynesdid suspect

TheSaxons’slayghts, and did their deedes detect.

29.

Then they good men to me their king complain’d,These men, quoth they, from vs our realme wil winne,Except they from our frontiers be refrain’d:Which when they told, my wife she was within,“O husband deare, they be,” saide she, “my kin,Cease of thy force thy faithful dreads to feare,They meane no hurt, byIouethe iust, I sweare.”

Then they good men to me their king complain’d,

These men, quoth they, from vs our realme wil winne,

Except they from our frontiers be refrain’d:

Which when they told, my wife she was within,

“O husband deare, they be,” saide she, “my kin,

Cease of thy force thy faithful dreads to feare,

They meane no hurt, byIouethe iust, I sweare.”

30.

So I esteemed not my subiectes health,That I might still my ladie’s loue enioye,They vewde me carelesse of my common wealth,To saue themselues they ment me to annoy,Myne eldest sonne a proper prety boy,They made their kyng, and me for my desert,They did depriue: with paine which pincht my heart.

So I esteemed not my subiectes health,

That I might still my ladie’s loue enioye,

They vewde me carelesse of my common wealth,

To saue themselues they ment me to annoy,

Myne eldest sonne a proper prety boy,

They made their kyng, and me for my desert,

They did depriue: with paine which pincht my heart.

31.

ThenVortigermy sonne and kyng pursudeTheSaxonssore, and dyd amaze them much,For which my wyfe, his mother[1196]lawe, indudeWith diuelish spite, agaynst the youth did grutche,She him destroyde, her good successe was such:When he seuen yeares had raygnde with great renowne,With poyson she depriude him of his crowne.

ThenVortigermy sonne and kyng pursude

TheSaxonssore, and dyd amaze them much,

For which my wyfe, his mother[1196]lawe, indude

With diuelish spite, agaynst the youth did grutche,

She him destroyde, her good successe was such:

When he seuen yeares had raygnde with great renowne,

With poyson she depriude him of his crowne.

32.

I to obtaine the seate from whence I fel,With sacred oath I solemnly did sweare,To end the woorke, which was begonne so wel,And to subdue theSaxonseuery where:TheBrittainesto my kingly crowne did reareMe quickely then: I at the fyrst, by mightDefaste my foes in euery fray and fyght.

I to obtaine the seate from whence I fel,

With sacred oath I solemnly did sweare,

To end the woorke, which was begonne so wel,

And to subdue theSaxonseuery where:

TheBrittainesto my kingly crowne did reare

Me quickely then: I at the fyrst, by might

Defaste my foes in euery fray and fyght.

33.

Then lothsome lucke did turne her whurling wheele,With treason trust intrapte did me betray,Hateful mishappe she had me by the heele,And clapte me close in dungeon of decay,ToHengestnowe I must a raunsome pay:And if I loude my life and libertie,I needes must graunt al he dooth aske of me.

Then lothsome lucke did turne her whurling wheele,

With treason trust intrapte did me betray,

Hateful mishappe she had me by the heele,

And clapte me close in dungeon of decay,

ToHengestnowe I must a raunsome pay:

And if I loude my life and libertie,

I needes must graunt al he dooth aske of me.

34.

For chaunged chaunce ofMarshis warres, hath madeMe of a king a captayne’s prisoner,To whom there must nowe foure sheares be payde,Northfolke,Southfolke,SouthsexeandKentthey were,Me to release from out my caue of care:Which being donne, I led my life in doute,And fledde for feare toWaleswith al my route.

For chaunged chaunce ofMarshis warres, hath made

Me of a king a captayne’s prisoner,

To whom there must nowe foure sheares be payde,

Northfolke,Southfolke,SouthsexeandKentthey were,

Me to release from out my caue of care:

Which being donne, I led my life in doute,

And fledde for feare toWaleswith al my route.

35.

Where, as I founde a place that pleasde me much,The situation seemde so passing strong,The worlde me thought might not annoy it much,A castel there I builte: it were to longHere to repeate, silence shall do no wrongToMarlayne, he who wonders there hath wrought,If auncient write to vs the truth hath taught.

Where, as I founde a place that pleasde me much,

The situation seemde so passing strong,

The worlde me thought might not annoy it much,

A castel there I builte: it were to long

Here to repeate, silence shall do no wrong

ToMarlayne, he who wonders there hath wrought,

If auncient write to vs the truth hath taught.

36.

When I had buylt my princely bower there,In bloody feeldes I meant no more to striue:But true reporte did dashe my present cheere:InTotnessehauen two brethren did ariue,Which quickly would from that my forte me driue:The brethren both ofConstantinethe kyng,Peccauithey did meane to make me sing.

When I had buylt my princely bower there,

In bloody feeldes I meant no more to striue:

But true reporte did dashe my present cheere:

InTotnessehauen two brethren did ariue,

Which quickly would from that my forte me driue:

The brethren both ofConstantinethe kyng,

Peccauithey did meane to make me sing.

37.

From worse to worse, seldome is better seene,Our present ioyes hereafter thralles do threate,And he who now doth flourish freshe and greene,Must fade and fal asHyemsfrosts doo frette:DameFlorae’sfeeldes, or as the rayne with wetIn dropping dayes the pleasaunt playnes doth drowne,So ruthfull men reaues vs from[1197]renowne.

From worse to worse, seldome is better seene,

Our present ioyes hereafter thralles do threate,

And he who now doth flourish freshe and greene,

Must fade and fal asHyemsfrosts doo frette:

DameFlorae’sfeeldes, or as the rayne with wet

In dropping dayes the pleasaunt playnes doth drowne,

So ruthfull men reaues vs from[1197]renowne.

38.

Men may therfore likeMarmaydeseuer mourne,The shining sunne who do so much delight,That aye they waile like furies quite forlorne:WhenSoldoth shine, whenTitan’sbeames be bright,They feare the stormes that may hereafter light,They weepe because they must the sunne forgoe,When stormes do fal, they wayle their present woe.

Men may therfore likeMarmaydeseuer mourne,

The shining sunne who do so much delight,

That aye they waile like furies quite forlorne:

WhenSoldoth shine, whenTitan’sbeames be bright,

They feare the stormes that may hereafter light,

They weepe because they must the sunne forgoe,

When stormes do fal, they wayle their present woe.

39.

So mortal man with malice al bested,When good successe dooth sounde a blessed blaste,With brinishe teares then may they eate their bread:For happy dayes from man dooth flee as fast,As poulders force from peece dooth pellet cast:And troubles tedious time with pacelesse staye,Once wonne (alas) will neuer walke away.

So mortal man with malice al bested,

When good successe dooth sounde a blessed blaste,

With brinishe teares then may they eate their bread:

For happy dayes from man dooth flee as fast,

As poulders force from peece dooth pellet cast:

And troubles tedious time with pacelesse staye,

Once wonne (alas) will neuer walke away.

40.

How I in maze of trouble here did toyle,Iudge you which see me trauise in the same,And howe I was inforst to final foyle,Not nowe, for nowe although it dooth me shame,I wyll declare, how I was fryde with flame.ForAmbrosehe andVter Pendragon,My castle brent, me and my men eche one.

How I in maze of trouble here did toyle,

Iudge you which see me trauise in the same,

And howe I was inforst to final foyle,

Not nowe, for nowe although it dooth me shame,

I wyll declare, how I was fryde with flame.

ForAmbrosehe andVter Pendragon,

My castle brent, me and my men eche one.

41.

ThenAmbrosewith his brother’s crowne was crown’d,Which I from hym had reafte agaynst al right:So nowe you see vppon what slipperie groundeThey stand, which doo extol themselues by might,Their wandring feete doo walke as in the night,Their stumbling steppes their giltie mindes doo feare,They dayly see the blocke of bale appeare.

ThenAmbrosewith his brother’s crowne was crown’d,

Which I from hym had reafte agaynst al right:

So nowe you see vppon what slipperie grounde

They stand, which doo extol themselues by might,

Their wandring feete doo walke as in the night,

Their stumbling steppes their giltie mindes doo feare,

They dayly see the blocke of bale appeare.

42.

With scalding sighes they doo themselues consume,For feare to fal dooth yeelde none other fruite,They rage with wrath, they dayly frette and fume,Ruthful reuenge them alwayes hath in suite,And right in time makes might both mum and mute:For that which might by secret meanes hath wrought,By tracte of tyme to open shewe is brought.

With scalding sighes they doo themselues consume,

For feare to fal dooth yeelde none other fruite,

They rage with wrath, they dayly frette and fume,

Ruthful reuenge them alwayes hath in suite,

And right in time makes might both mum and mute:

For that which might by secret meanes hath wrought,

By tracte of tyme to open shewe is brought.

43.

Vsurpers then doo reape their right rewarde,The foyle once felt, they feele how vile and vayneIt is, to be too high degrees preferdeBy lawlesse meanes: they finde what pinching payne,Amid’st the mindes of such men doo remayne,They alwayes throngde with cruel thretting thrall,Doo feede vppon none other foode but gall.

Vsurpers then doo reape their right rewarde,

The foyle once felt, they feele how vile and vayne

It is, to be too high degrees preferde

By lawlesse meanes: they finde what pinching payne,

Amid’st the mindes of such men doo remayne,

They alwayes throngde with cruel thretting thrall,

Doo feede vppon none other foode but gall.

44.

A proofe whereof a plat, a patterne playne,The ruthful race IVortigerhaue runne,Disciphers so, that man may see howe vayneA thing it is his former fate to shunne:Honour obteynde (alas) what haue we wonne?A hidious heape of cruel carking care,Which to consume man’s life dooth neuer spare.

A proofe whereof a plat, a patterne playne,

The ruthful race IVortigerhaue runne,

Disciphers so, that man may see howe vayne

A thing it is his former fate to shunne:

Honour obteynde (alas) what haue we wonne?

A hidious heape of cruel carking care,

Which to consume man’s life dooth neuer spare.

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