Chapter XV: Part I: By JOHN HIGGINS (6)

A Iusting then proclaymed was for those,
That turneis[778] would approatch themselues trye,
Amongst vs _Britaynes_ (not agaynst our foes)
Tweene th’Earle of _London’s_ cosin stout and I:
And both the partes wee both could make, perdy,
To winne the price, the prayse, the pompe consent,
And eke the fame of former warres wee ment,
But foolish was the end of our intent.[779]

21.

For why, when glory vayne stirres men to strife,
When hope of prayse prouokes them once to ire,
Then they at all regard no goods nor life,
From faithfull frendship rudely they retire,
They are so set with glorie’s gloze on fire,
That quite they rule and reason wrest awrye,
They turne away their friendly fuwting eye,[780]
[And others eache, as fixed foes defie.]

22.

O God that workest all the wonders wrought,
(And hast the powre to turne the hartes aliue)
Graunt grace to those that labour so for nought
But flitting fame, and titles hauty striue:
Let not ambition so the Earth depriue
Of worthy wightes, giue them some better grace,
That they may run for Countrye’s weale their race,
[And not their bloud with braynsicke brawles debace.]

23.

Let them not breake the bond of frendly loue
In broyles of bate, but frendly faults redresse,
Let not them so their manhood seeke to proue
By priuate hate, to worke their owne distresse,
So shall they neede their enemies feare[781] the lesse:
Perdy, foule forayne[782] foes themselues they make,
That in their Countrye, for vayne quarells sake,[783]
[Doe dare in hand reuenging weapons take.]

24.

But what neede I on those aliue to stay,
They haue examples good before their eyes,
By which (if they haue grace) beware they may,
The happiest men by others harmes are wise:
Let them not then our warning wordes despise,
Doe will them wisely of these thinges debate,
For why, the foolishe aye the[784] warning hate,
[Are neuer wise, or, had I wist, to late.][785]

25.

[Perhaps thou thinkste to long a time I stay,
And from that I proposed erst digresse,
Because that here (as it were by the way)
For warning’s sake, my conscience I professe:
Yet for my breache of compasse blame mee lesse,
In talke, sith that thou come to heare mee art,
Which seeme (as woemen vse) to reme my hart,
Before I come to open all my smart.]

26.

Wee spent the day in iusting (as I sayd,)
Appoynted erst among our selues before,
And all the feates of armes in fielde wee playd,
_Æneas_ taught our auncestours of yore,
What neede I fill thine eares with talking more,
My men and I had put those feates in vre,
And hee likewise (but nothing yet so sure,)
[Which did, at length, my haplesse end procure.]

27.

For as with fortune still I gaue the foyle,
To him that thought the glory all to haue,
When hee perceau’d hee coulde not keepe the coyle,
Nor yet with equall match himselfe to saue,
Occasion of dissention great hee gaue:
In stead of iest hee offred earnest play,
In lieu of sport hee spite did still[786] display,
[In stead of myrth, both malice and decay.]

28.

The traytour vile, the tyraunt (so hee prou’d)
With coward, canker’d, hatefull, hasty ire,
And caytife dealing, shewde how mee hee[787] lou’d,
When as hee could not to his hope aspire,
To winne the prayse of triumph, his desire,
Hee chalengde mee, and here began the broyle,
He thought with banding braue to keepe the coyle,
[Or else with flatts and facings mee to foyle.]

29.

And that because the[788] iudgment fauourde mee,
[Perdy,] report almost of all the route,[789]
Ran still that I was worthy praysde to bee,
And often times they gaue mee all a shoute:
This made mine enmies stare[790] and looke aboute,
And often wish them euill aloude that cryde,
Such is the nature still of naughty pryde,
[Can nothing worse[791] then others prayse abyde.]

30.

Wee twayne (quoth hee) betwene our selues will try
Alone our manhoods both, if thou consent:
Wee ought not breake the Prince his peace, quoth I,
His grace would not therewith bee well[792] content,
And sith no hurt was here nor malice ment,
You ought not so on choller take it ill,
Though I to win the price put forth my skill,
[But for my Knighthoode beare[793] mee more good will.]

31.[794]

With that quoth _Elenine_ (for so hee hight,)
That was the Earle his cosin, then[795] my foe,
I meane (quoth hee) to try the case in fight,
Before thou passe againe my presence froe,[796]
And euen with that hee raught to mee[797] a bloe:
My friends nor I could[798] not this wrong abide,
Wee drewe,[799] and so did those on th’other side
[That fearcely[800] fought, and other each defide.]

32.

But I was all the marke whereat hee[801] shotte,
The malice still hee[802] meant to none but mee,
At mee hee[803] cast, and drewe mee for the lotte,
Which should of all reuenge the ransom bee:
Wherefore hee set them at mee francke[804] and free,
Till mee they tooke, so compast rounde aboute,
As I coulde not scape from among them out:
[Was neuer Lord[805] betrayde with such a route.]

33.

To make it short: I singled was therefore,
Euen as the Dere to finde his fatall stroke:
I could not scape, in numbre they were more,
My pageaunt was in presence there bespoke:[806]
A pillowe they prepared mee of oke,
My hands they bounde, along my corps they led,
From of my shoulders quite they stroke my head,
[And with my death theyr cruell eyes they fed.]

34.

If euer man that seru’d his Prince with payne,
And well deserued of his publique weal:
If euer Knight esteemde it greatest gayne,
For Prince and Countrey in the warres to deale:
My selfe was such, which venterde life and heale
At all assayes, to saue my natiue soyle,
With all my labour, trauayle, payne and toyle,
[Both from the force of foes and foraine foyle.]

35.

Yet heere you see, at home I had my fall,
Not by my fearcest foes that came in warre,
But by my friend I gate this griping thrall,
When folly framde vs both at home to iarre.
Oh that my Countrey man[807] should raunge so farre,
From wisedome’s way, to wedde himselfe to will,
From reason’s rule, to wrest his wittes to ill,
[From friendship fast, his dearest friend to kill!]

36.

Well, bid the rest beware of triumphes such,
Bid them beware for titles vaine to striue,
Bid them not trust such sullayne friends to much,
Did them not so theyr honours high achieue:
For if they will preserue theyr names aliue,
There is no better way to worke the same
Then to eschue of tyrany defame:
[Meeke clemency deserues a noble name.][808]

LENUOY.

1.

What griefe is this that such a worthy wight,
(Which meant to Prince and Countrey both so wel)
Should haue his death amongst his friendes adight,
Though he in noble feates did so excell:
But so full oft it falles (the trueth to tell)
Who best doth meane the publike weales defence,
By some mishap is soonest reaued thence.

2.

Such _Nennius_ was (of whome I spake before)
Such diuers haue in ages all bene seene,
Such therefore still were enuide much the more,
Both of the proude, and such as hatefull beene:
For when they seeke the publique weales defence,
By some mishap th’are soonest reaued thence:

3.

But what ensues such members reaft away?
The rest begin within themselues to striue,
Which when they doe, the body feeles decay,
It cannot long preserue it selfe aliue,
For when diseases bad good health depriue,
If once they reaue the vitall strength from thence,
Too late is sought for sicknesse sure defence.

4.

Now next appeard on stage the _Romayne_ stoute,
Which made vs tribute first to Rome to pay,
The monarch _Iulius Cæsar_, halfe in doubte
In th’english tongue what he were best to say:
At length me thought, not making more delay,
His life, warres, death, to shewe he did commence,
Which first with hostage bare the conquest hence.

How Caivs Ivlivs Cæsar which first made this Realme
tributary to the Romaynes, was slayne in the
Senate house, about the yeare
before Christ, 42.

1.

Although by _Bocas_ I haue whilom told my mind,
And _Lydgate_ haue likewise translated wel the same,
Yet sith my place in order here againe I find,
And that my factes deseru’d in _Brytayne_ worthy fame,
Let me againe renue to memory my name,
Recite my mind, which if thou graunt to mee,
Thou shalt therefore receiue a friendly fee,
[And for my tale perhaps commended thou shalt bee.

2.

But least thou seeme to doubt what Prince thou seest appeare,
And wotst not well which way to winde or wrest his talke,
As may both sound to like a perfect _English_ eare,
And eke direct thy dreadfull pen which way to walke:
Lest thou on this shouldst long diuine, or muse, or calke,
I will the tell: but take in hand thy pen,
First set thy selfe to write my wordes, and then
A mirrour make yet more for Magistrates agen.]

3.

If euer erst the fame of auncient _Romayne_ facts,
Haue come to pearce thine eares before this present time,
I thinke amongst the rest, likewise my noble actes
Haue shewde them selues in sight, as _Phœbus_ fayre in prime.
When first the _Romayne_ state began aloft to clime,
And wanne the wealth of all the worlde beside,
When first their force in warlike feates were tryde,
[My selfe was victour hee that did the _Romaynes_ guyde.]

4.

I, _Caius Iulius Cæsar Consull_, had to name,
That worthie _Romayne_ borne, renownde with noble deedes,
What neede I here recyte the linage whence I came,
Or else in my great exploytes? perdy[809] t’s more then needes,
But onely this to tell of purpose now proceedes,
Why I a _Romayne_ Prince, no _Brytayne_, here
Amongst these _Britayne_ Princes now appeere,
[As if amongst the rest a _Britayne_ Prince I were.]

5.

And yet because thou maist perceyue the story all
Of all my life, and so deeme better of the end,
I will againe the same to mind yet briefly call,
To tell thee how thou maist me prayse or discommend:
Which when thou hast, perdy,[810] as I recyte it, pend,
Thou shalt confesse that I deserued well,
Amongst them here my tragedie to tell,
[By conquest sith I wanne this Ile before I fell.]

6.

What neede I first recite my petegrue well knowne?
No noble authour writes that can forget the same,
My prayse I know in print through all the worlde is blowne,
Ther’s no man scarce that writes, but he recytes my fame:
My worthie Father _Lucius Cæsar_ had to name,
_Aurelia_ eke[811] my mother also hight,
Of _Caius Cotta_ daughter borne by right,
[As fayre and wise a dame as euer saw the light.]

7.

How I was trayned vp in youth what neede I tell?
Sith that my noble Aunt (that _Iulia_ hight) me taught,
Who could with morall doctrine good instruct[812] me well,
And sawe the frame in me that nature’s skill had wrought,
By her instructions aye I wit and fauour sought:
I was accounted comely of my grace,
I had by nature’s gift a Princely face,
[And wisedome high to wey and deeme of euery case.]

8.

Of stature high and tall, of colour fayre and white,
Of body spare and leane yet comely made to see,
What neede I more of these impertinent recyte,
Sith _Plutarch_ hath at large describde it all to thee,
And eke thy selfe that think’st thou seest and hearest me,
Maist well suppose the rest, [or take the viewe
Thou maist by talke of those which erst me knewe,
And by my statures’ tell of my proportion true.][813]

9.

In iourney swift I was and prompte and quicke of witte,
My eloquence was likte of all that hearde me pleade,
I had the grace to vse my tearmes and place them fitte,
My roling Rhetoricke stoode my Clients oft in steade:
No fine conueyance past the compasse of my heade,
I wan the spurres, I had the laud and prayse,
I past them all that pleaded in those dayes,
[I had of warlike knawledge, Keasar, all the keyes.]

10.

At seuenteene yeeres of age a _Flamin_ was I chose,
An office great in _Rome_ of priesthoode Princely hie,
I married eke _Cossutia_ whereof much mischiefe rose,
Because I was diuorc’st from her so speedily:
Diuorcement breeds despite,[814] defame is got thereby,
For such as fancies fond by chaunge fulfil,
Although they thinke it cannot come to ill,
[The wrong they shew doth cry to God for vengeance still.]

11.

Of these the stories tell what neede I more recyte,
Or of the warres I waged _Consul_ with the _Galles_,
The worthiest writers had desire of me to write,
They plac’st my life amongst the worthies and their falles:
So Fame me thinks likewise amids the _Britaynes_, calles
For _Cæsar_ with his sword, that bare [with them] the sway,
And for the cause that brought him into such decay,[815]
[Which by his noble acts did beare their freedome first away.]

12.

When I in _Fraunce_ had brought the _Galles_[816] to bende,
And made them subject all obaysant vnto mee,
Mee thought I had vnto the worlde his ende,
By west subdued the Nations whilome[817] free:
There of my warres[818] I wrot an historye
[By nights, at leisure times so from my Countrey far,]
I did describe the[819] places and [the] sequelles of my war
The Commentaryes calde of _Cæsar’s_ acts that ar.

13.

At length I did perceaue there was an Island yet,
By west of _Fraunce_ which in the _Ocean_ sea did lye,
And that there was likewise no cause or time to let,
But that I might with them the chance of Fortune trye:
I sent to them for hostage of assuraunce, I,
And wil’d them tribute pay vnto the _Romayne_ stoute,
Or else I woulde both put theyr liues and goods in doubte.
[And also reaue away the best of all theyr route.]

14.

But they a people fearce and recklesse of my powre
Abused those which brought th’ambassage that I sent,
Now sith (quoth they) the land and region here is oures,
Wee will not _Cæsar_ to thy rightlesse hestes assent:
By dome of frendly Goddes first this Ile wee hent,
Of _Priame’s_ bloud wee ar from _Greece_ we _Troianes_ came:
As _Brutus_ brought vs thence, and gaue this land his name,
[So for our fredome we will freely fight to keep the same.]

15.

This lande reported was full fertile for the soyle,
The wealthie warlike sorte of _Britaynes_ stout within,
Were rather able well to giue, then take the foyle,
To those which came by warres their freedom for to win:
My selfe made first assault with them I did begin,
Of all the _Romaynes_ first I waged with them warre,
And this I can report, they valiant people are,
[They feare no foes, they recke no fame, of people nere
or farre.]

16.

It was reported eke that[820] in my warres in _Fraunce_,
Some _Britaynes_ thether came amongst the _Galles_ to fight,
And that for pleasure sake to try of _Mars_ the chaunce,
And for to haue of _Romayne_[821] warres the sight:
That they no labour sparde by day nor yet by night,
In campe, in scoute, for hunger, heate, or colde:
But were in all attemptes of armes so stout[822] and bolde,
[As erst I neuer hearde of any nation tolde.]

17.

This fame enflamed me, displeasure eke I tooke,
That glory hopt to get so doughtie heartes to daunt,
On which with winds at wil, I _Gallia_ shoares forsooke,
Full minded for to make the _Britaynes_ tribute graunt,
Sith at my message sent they seemed so to taunt:
With armour, souldiers good, and of munition store,
[To strands and hauens and coastes of _Britayne_ shore]
I came[823] appointed wel, with fiftie sayles or more.

18.

But so the noble _Britaynes_ playde the valiaunt men,
By pollicies, and force to hurt my shippes and mee,
That I was forced after my returne agen,
To rigge my shippes: a wonders thing[824] to see:
For in the strands and in the seas, where landing places be,[825]
Sharpe postes they pight, whereon our shippes wee ron:[826]
[And at our enemies shoares, that woulde haue glory won,
In daunger both by land and sea were almost all vndone:[827]]

19.

And hardly[828] come to land, at length we met the hoast,
And sharpely fought with them, whose praises earst we herd,
I haue no cause of _Britayne_ conquest for to boast,
Of all the Regions first and last with whome I werd:
A people stout and strong, enduring chaunces herd,
And desperate, wilde and fearce, and recklesse found I then,
Not soone agast with dinte, or fright with fall of men,
[Nor brought to yeelde with blowes, but bent for life to
strike agen.]

20.

For whan our armies mette, no daungers they forsooke,
But so behau’de themselues in euery place of fight,
As though to Martiall feates they onely had betooke
Themselues, and for the palme did all their dealinges dight:
Though with my _Romaynes_ I wagde all my warlike might,
I was not able there, to cause them yeelde or flee,
Or for a space to take a time of truce with mee,
[Thou shalt (quod they) perceiue our equall _Mars_ with
thee.]

21.

The toyles wee tooke to enter at the first on land,
And for to saue our shattered ships and armour brought,
To wey them out that else had bulgd themselves in sand,
Hereon before the fielde with might and mayne we wrought,
Beside at skirmish oft, vpon the shoare we fought;
These labours tyred so my men and me that tyde,
That we could not endure the battayles brunt t’abyde,
[But sound retrayte till better Fortune might vs guyde.]

22.

They followed harde the chace with scath and losse we scapt,
And shipt we hoysed sayles, to _Fraunce_ we made retyre:
Where for an armie newe another roade we shapt,
If winterr colde were past, to come agayne another yeere:[829]
And so wee did in deede, and bought our comming deere,
For they prouided had so well to fight, that I
With all mine armies stoute could finde no victorye,
[But fayne eftsoones with losse of men for life was forc’st
to flye.]

23.

Againe to shippe my mates I bad my Captaines sturre,
Eke from this people fearce with speede to shift away,
The chaunce of warre is hard and doubtfull for t’ assure,
Where th’ enemies neyther dint of death nor dangers fray:
They reckt not of their wealth, nor losse of goods decay,
But for their freedom fought, on Princes case they stood,
With ioyfull heartes they waged warlike life and blood:
[They counted rule at home, and rest, and ease, the greatest
good.]

24.

Almost I had no hope at all to make retourne,
The people were so fearce, so recklesse,[830] stout, and bold,
No time of rest I wrought amongst them to soiourne,
They could not by the _Romayne_ peeres bee ruled[831] nor
control’d:
They sayde they would vs pay no siluer, brasse, nor golde,
To our indictions sent they would not set their hand,
But for to trye the case with all their power to stand,
[And for to keepe by fight and force the freedome of their
land.]

25.

When to the coastes of _Gallia_ land againe with losse wee come,
That neuer erst with such repulse to foes did turne the backe,
The _Britaynes_ they reioyce with triumphes all and some,
And Fame doth [flye to] sound report, they make the _Romaynes_
packe:
Where we no men, no coyne, nor no munition lacke,
No captaines good, no arte, no vitayle, hearte to fight,
A goodly spoyle, the land a pray before our sight:
[We wanted wonted hap, we could not cut them out aright.]

26.

Now marke the hap wee had while I in _Gallia_ lay,
The _Britaynes_ past the time in triumphes and in feastes,
And for their second victory with sports[832] they spend the day,
Accounting vs in their respect but dastard coward beastes:
Amongst their other sport of Iusts and pleasant iestes,
A ciuill discorde fell betweene two worthie noble peeres,
Of courage both so good that neyther boasting feares,[833]
[And either bad the other come and dar’de him for his ears.]

27.

The one hight _Irenglas_, of kinred to the king,
A worthie wight in warre, and prudent, wise, and sage:
The other _Elenine_, whose prayse no stories bring
But stoutnesse in his fight, as ruled all by rage:
Yet both against the _Romaynes_ with the king did wadge
The _British_ warre full well, and serued as they ought,
Till time at home the prayse of triumphes vaine they sought,
[Which in the end brought all the former friendly fight to
nought.]

28.

This _Elenine_ did beare him high, for[834] he was neere of kin
Vnto _Androgeus_ which was the Earle of _London_ then,
And claimed eke the palm (they say) that he did win
In triumphes at the iustes amongst the noble men.
But as they went about to trye the line agen,
They fell from wordes to sharpe, and layde on loade amayne,
[And many blowes were tryde alone betweene them twayne:]
Till at the length, I wote not how, this _Irenglas_ was
slayne.[835]

29.

The King did send for _Elenine_ [in haste,] but he was fled
Vnto the Earle his cosin whence he would not come:
He feared least he should haue lost his hated head;
The guilty heart conceau’s before the iustice of his dome,[836]
He wiste if once he went there needed him no toome,
Wherefore he it refusde and th’earle was discontent,
Who message sharpe againe vnto the King had sent,
[That he his cosin for to saue and beare him out was bent.]

30.

_Cassibellane_ displeased much that subjectes shoulde
Both slay his friend and eke refuse to bide the lawe,
And also in rebellious wise endeuour what they coulde,
To cut themselues vniustly from the Princes awe,
Though it him greeu’d to see at home so foule a flawe,
He could not yet abide the iniuries were showne,
But armde himselfe and his, gainst subiects once his owne,
[In hope to take the Rebelles so, or haue them ouerthrowne.]

31.

When th’earle _Androgeus_ sawe that hee was farre too weake,
Against his Prince to wage rebellious warres begon,
He sent to me,[837] desiring helpe to wreake
The iniuries and wrong _Cassibellane_ had don:
He _Sceua_ sent in hostage eke for pledge,[838] his onely sonne,
And thirtie youthes beside of honour great well borne:
I would not trust his talke, nor message sent beforne,
[For feare I might (if fayne he did) by treason be forlorne.]

32.

On this I expedition made the thirde and laste,
(For he did warrant mee my pourpose to obtayne)
I shipt my men and hyed mee thetherward full fast,
Had wind at will and came to see the shining shoares agayne:
And of my comming so the Earle was glad and fayne:
Wee ioyned hands and leage and armyes for the fight,
[I was conducted well by day and darkesome night,]
And faught, and put _Cassibellane_ the noble King to flight.

33.

Yet hee repayrde his hoste agayne that fearcely faught,
And oft assayde to sley or take the Earle, or mee,
And when hee sawe at length his labour vayled naught,
And _Britaynes_ with the _Romaynes_ lynked so to bee,
Great griefe hee had in them such treason for to see:
His losse perdy in war[839] not greude him halfe so sore,
[As for to see his people liege erst subiects euermore,
To fight agaynst the royall king, which lou’d them so
before.[840]]

34.

To make it short: the King was faine at length to yeelde
The tribute graunted was three thousand pound a yere,
Wee bare away the price, wee wan the worthy feelde,
And made them frends agayne that bought our fauour dere:
I neede no longer staye to tell the story here,
Nor yet to gieue my friend the Earle of _London_ blame,
Sith by his meanes I wanne to _Rome_ eternall fame,
[Though he in _Britayne_ beare for aye a shrowding sheete
of shame.]

35.

From _Fraunce_ I sent[841] to _Rome_, reporting how
Amongst the _Galles_[842] and _Britaynes_ I had sped,
I made request by frends, I might be _Consull_ now
On my returne agayne, but _Pompeye’s_ hauty hed
Did ioyne him selfe with Peeres and armies which he led,
Alleadging playne I meant the publique weale t’nuade,
They would represse my pryde with might and dint of blade,
[And for to meete mee at retourne prouision greate they made.]

36.

With speede I came and force, which made them all to flye
To _Greece_ from _Rome_ in haste, where they prepared war:
For in _Epyrus_ then with souldiers they did lye,
This _Pompey_ proude that made the _Romaynes_ with mee iar,
Hee at _Dyrrachium_ stayde, to which (though it were far)
I led mine hoste,[843] I skirmisht often there,
[But hee so valiauntly in armes himselfe did beare,]
That from[844] the fight to flye wee soone contented were.

37.

On this hee followed fast, in hope to winne the feelde,
To _Thessaly_ hee came where I did stay therefore,
Our armies met and fearcely faught, not bent to yeelde,
Till fifteen hundred men were slayne, or more:[845]
But in the end they fled, wee tooke of prisoners store,
They durst not dare t’abide the chaunce of _Mars_ to trye,
But as they fell before the sworde, and flye,[846]
[O souldier holde thy hande, and saue theyr liues (quod I.)]

38.

Thence _Pompey_ fled the fielde and into _Ægipt_ came,
To _Ptolemy_ the king as then but yong of age,
Where of his slaughter foule _Septimius_ hath the blame,
Hee was his end that did these warres against mee wage:
Euen so by course wee come to play vpon the stage,
Our trauayles haue an end when wee doe feele the fall,
For sith our[847] life is but a race of misery and thrall,
[Death taketh at the length an order for vs all.]

39.

But _Pompeye’s_ friendes and sonnes did oft assaye,
When hee was deade[848] to take reuenge on mee,
And I by dint of sworde repelde theyr force awaye,
Gate offices of rule and gouernde eche degree,
At _Cæsar’s_ beck and call obeysaunt all they bee,
Enacted lawes, derected ech estate,
Emperially the first aloft I sate,
[That had not then in all the worlde a mate.]

40.

But glory won the way to holde and keepe the same,
To holde good Fortune fast a worke of skill,[849]
Who so with prudent arte can stay that stately dame,
Which sets vs vp so high vpon her hauty hill,
And constant aye can keepe her loue and fauour still,
He winnes immortall fame and high renowne:[850]
[But thrise vnhappy hee that weres the stately crowne,]
Yf once misfortune kicke and cast his[851] scepter downe.

41.

For when in _Rome_ I was[852] _Dictator_ chose,
And Emperour or Captayne sole[853] for aye,
My glory did procure mee secret[854] foes,
Because aboue the rest I bare the sway,[855]
By sundry meanes they sought my deepe decaye,[856]
For why, there coulde no _Consuls_ chosen bee,[857]
[No _Pretor_ take the place, no sentence haue decree,]
Vnlesse it likte mee first and were approude by mee.

42.

This they enuide that[858] sude aloft to clime,
As _Cassius_,[859] which the _Pretorship_ did craue,
And _Brutus_ eke his friende which bare the crime[860]
Of my dispatch,[861] for they did first depraue
My life, mine actes, and[862] sought my bloud to haue,
Full secretly amongst them selues conspirde, decreede
To bee attemptors of that cruell bloudy deede,
[When _Cæsar_ in the _Senate_ house from noble hart should
bleede.]

43.

But[863] I forewarned was by _Capis_ tombe,[864]
His _Epitaph_ my death did long before forshowe,
_Cornelius Balbus_ sawe mine horses headlesse ronne
Without a guide,[865] forsakeing foode for woe,
_Spurina_ warned mee that sooth of thinges did knowe,
A wrenne[866] in beake with Laurell greene that flewe
[From woods to _Pompey’s_ Court, whom birdes there slew,]
Forshowde my dolefull death, as after all men knew.

44.

The night before my slaughter[867] I did dreame
I caried was and[868] flewe the clouds aboue,
And sometime hand in hand with[869] loue supreame
[I walkte mee thought, which might suspitions moue:]
My wife _Calphurnia_, _Cæsar’s_ only loue,
Did dreame shee sawe her crest of house to fall,
Her husband thrust through breast a sword withall,
Eke that same night her chamber dores themselues flewe open all.

45.

These thinges did make mee doubte that morning much,[870]
And I accrazed was and thought at home to stay,
But who is hee can voyde of destnyes such,[871]
Where so great number seekes hym to betray:[872]
The traytour _Brutus_[873] bad mee not delay,
Nor yet to frustrate there, so great assembly sate,
[On which to heare the publique pleas I gate,
Mistrusting naught mine end and fatall fate.][874]

46.

There met mee by the way a _Romayne_ good[875]
Presenting mee a scrole of euery name,[876]
And all their whole deuise that sought my bloud,[877]
That presently would execute[878] the same:
But I supposde[879] that for some suit hee came,
I heedelesse bare this scrole in my left hand,[880]
[And others more till leasure, left vnscand,
Which in my pocket afterwards they fand.][881]

47.

_Spurina_ as I came, at sacrifizes was,
Nere to the place where I was after slayne:
Of whose diuinings I did[882] litle passe,
Though hee to warne mee oft before was fayne,[883]
My hauty hart these warnings all disdayne:
(Quoth I) the Ides of Marche bee come, yet harme is none,
(Quoth hee) the Ides of Marche be come, yet th’ar not gone,
[And reckelesse so to Court I went, and tooke my throne.]

48.

Assoone as I was set, the traytors all arose,
And one approached nere, as to demaund some thing,
To whom as I layd[884] eare, at once my foes[885]
Mee compast round,[886] their weapons hid they bring,
Then I to late perceiu’d the fatall sting:[887]
O this (quoth I) is violence: then _Cassius_ pearst my breast:
And _Brutus_ thou my sonne (quoth I) whom erst I loued best?
[Hee stabde mee in, and so with daggers did the rest.]

49.

You Princes all and noble men beware of pride,
And carefull will to warre for Kingdome’s sake,
By mee, that set my selfe aloft the world to guide,
Beware what bloudsheds you doe vndertake:
Ere three and twenty wounds had made my hart to quake,
What thousands fell for _Pompey’s_ pride and mine?
Of _Pompey’s_ life that cut the vital line,
Myselfe haue told what fate I found in fine.[888]

50.

Full many noble men to rule alone I slewe,
And some themselues for griefe[889] of hart did slay:
For they ne would mine Empyre stay to vewe,[890]
Some I did force to yeelde, some fled away,[891]
As loth to see[892] theyr Countrye’s quite[893] decay
The world in _Aphrike_, _Asia_,[894] distant far,
And _Europe_ knew[895] my bloudsheds great in war,
[Recounted yet through all the world that ar.]

51.

But sith my whole pretence was glory[896] vayne,
To haue renowne and rule aboue[897] the rest,
Without remorce of[898] many thousands slayne,
Which, for their owne defence, their warres addrest:[899]
I deeme[900] therefore my stony harte and brest
Receiu’d so many wounds for iust reuenge, they stood[901]
[By iustice right of _Ioue_, the sacred sentence good,]
That who so slayes hee payes, the price is[902] bloud for bloud.

How Clavdivs Tiberius Nero Emperour of Rome was
poysoned by Caius Caligula, The yeare
of Christ, 39.

1.

What bootes it hawty hartes depend so muche
On high estate: auayles it ought thinke yee?
The gold is tryde when it is brought to tuche:
So tryall telles what worldly tryomphes bee.
When glory shines, no daungers deepe wee see,
Till wee at last finde true the prouerbe olde:
Not all that shynes is pure and perfect golde.

2.

While valiaunt men so burne with hoat desire
Of royall rule, and thyrst so sore for seate,
No springes of _Pernasse_ mount can quench the fire,
Nor _Boreas_ blaste alay the hawty heate.
On high renowne so much theyr braynes they beate,
And toyle so much for fading flickering fame,
On earth for ay to leaue behinde a name.

3.

But if they would marke Fortune’s double face,
And how shee turnes about the totering wheele:
How shee doth chaunge her minde and turne her grace,
How blinde of sight shee is, how light of heele:
They would not rew the fatall falles they feele,
They would not after blame her blindnesse so,
But looke before, and leape her lightnesse froe.

4.

Euen all well neare doe proake for price and proy,[903]
And[904] prayse Dame Fortune first if they speede well:
But if thereby fall after some anoy,
They curse her then, as hatefull hagge of hell:
If Fortune firme had stoode, they had not fell.
They banne her then, and yet themselues were curst,
Which tooke her bayte so freely at the furst.

5.

For while her idle impes doe bath in blisse,
They count her giftes and pleasures all good hap,
But if at last shee frowne (as custome is)
And let them slip agayne beside her lap,
They then confesse her baytes did boad some trap:
As I haue prou’d, what Fortune giues to men,
For pleasure eache, shee bringes displeasures ten.

6.

_Augustus_ great that good _Octauius_ hight,
The Emprour which in peace did rule so long,
In whose good raigne was borne the Lord of light
Nam’d _Iesus Christ_, in powre and workes so strong,
Whom in my dayes the _Iewes_ opprest with wrong,
Of which good _Christ_ anone I haue to tell:
But of _Augustus_ first, and after how I fell.[905]

7.

This noble Emprour did my mother wed,
Which _Liuia_ hight, a fayre and noble dame,
His daughter _Iulia_ I likewise did bed,
And put away my wife of better fame,
_Agrippa_, great with child, the more my blame:
I was through this and th’ Emprisse _Liuia’s_ skill,
Adopted Emprour by _Augustus_ will.

8.

When hee was dead, then I _Tiberius_ raynde,
Adopted thus, and for my noble acts,
I was (perdy) to warre[906] and peace well traynde,
Th’_Illyrians_ must confesse my famous facts,
In three yeares space my powre their pride subacts:
On them and _Germaynes_ triompht neare and farre,
Saue _Punike_ fight the greatest _Romayne_ warre.

9.

Now (for it was my hap a victoure soe
To _Rome_ returne a yeare before his end)
Throughout the world the fame of mee did goe,
The _Romaynes_ all to fauour mee did bend.
To them _Augustus_ did my warres commend,
Adopted mee, and (as I sayd) for this,
The _Romaynes_ bold and hee enbraued mee with blisse.[907]

10.

So when I had obtayned my desire,
Who then but _Cæsar_ I did rule alone,
By nature proude presuming to aspire,
Desembling that which afterwarde was knowne:
For when the fathers minde to me was showne,
Of their electing mine Emperiall place,
I seemde to stay, refusing it a space.

11.

And thus to proue my friendes before I did,
And eke to heare what euery one would say,
Which was the cause why some I after rid,
The best perdy[908] I made as foes away,
By slaughter so I thought my throne to stay,
But farre besides that I purposde it fell,[909]
As time doth trye the fruite of thinges full well.

12.

Another griefe conceau’d I will recyte,
Which made me with the _Senate_ discontent:
From _Iudæa_ did[910] _Pontius Pilate_ write
His letters how the _Iewes_, to malice bent,
Had put to death one _Christ_ full innocent,
The sonne of God, of might, of power no lesse,
Which rose from death, as _Christians_ all confesse.
Thus wise he wrote:

Pontius Pilate to his Lorde
Claudius wisheth health.

[Sidenote: This letter is in _Flores historiarum_, but you may not thinke that I doe set it downe thereby to affirme that he wrate it. For I am perswaded he would not write so well, and yet it appears by Orosius and others that Claudius would haue made Christ to haue bene taken in Rome for a God, and that the Senate and he fell so at variance about the same matter.]

Of late it chaunst, which I haue proued well,
The _Iewes_ through wrath by cruell doome haue lost
Themselues, and all their offspring that ensue.
For when their fathers promise had that God
Would send to them from heauen his holy one,
That might deseruingly be namde their King,
And [promist] by a virgine him to th’earth to sende,
The same (I pronoste here) when th’_Hebrewes_[911] God was come,
And they him saw restore the blind to sight,
To cleanse the leapers, cure the palsies eke,
To cast diuelles[912] out of men, and rayse the dead,
Commaund the windes, on sea with dry feete walke,
And many maruayles great beside to doe,
When all the _Iewish_ people called[913] him the sonne of God,
The Chiefe Priestes enuying him deliuered him to mee,[914]
And bringing many forged fained faultes
Namde him a wisarde, and against[915] their lawes to doe:
And I beleeud it so to be, and whipt him[916] for the cause,
[Deliuering him to them to vse as they thought best.]
They crucifide him, buried him, [set keepers at] his tombe,
Yet he, while as my souldiers kept his graue,[917]
The third day rose againe, and came to life.
But so their hatreds bent, they[918] bribde the souldiers all,
And bad them say, that his disciples stale his corps away.[919]
The souldiers yet, when they the money [taken] had,
Could not the trueth keepe silent of the facte:
For both they witnessed that he was risen againe,
And of the _Iewes_, that [they so taken money had.
I therefore here so write to you, lest any othervvise
Some lye do bring, or thinke vve should beleeue of _Iewes_ the
lyes.[920]]

13.

These letters read, I did thereon conferre,
Both with the fathers graue in high degree,
And with the nobles of [the] _Senate_ were,
That _Christ_ in _Rome_ as God might counted bee,
To which they onely did not disagree,
(Because the letters came not first to them)
But by edicte [from _Rome_] did banish[921] Christen men.

14.

To th’ accusers of them threaten[922] death I did,
Although _Seianus_ from my party fell
The _Senate_ which the Christians sought to rid,
By me were after seru’d in order well:
For as Christ’s Godhead they would _Rome_ expell,
And would not serue the God of meekenesse sent,
To pot apace their hawty heads were pent.

15.

I banisht some, and some to death I put,
And foure and twenty fathers graue I chose,
From shoulders eke most of their heades I cut,
And left likewise aliue but twaine of those:
_Seianus_ I did slay, of _Drusus_ deadly foes:
I _Germanique_ adopted late, with poyson slewe,[923]
His sonnes likewise my poysons force well knewe.

16.

The men that did _Iehouae’s_ sonne refuse,
The King of _Iewes_, the Lorde of life and health,
Were gouern’de thus: _Tiberius_ thus did vse
The men that were the Gods in common wealth,
Forsaking so their heauenly sauing health:
The Emprour I, which shoulde their liues defende,
Sought all the meanes to bring their liues to ende.

17.

Yet to religion I was nothing bent,
Dissembled things that least I fauour’d still,
I neuer vsde to speake the thinges I meant,
But bare in minde the wayes to worke men ill:
I seem’de to some to beare them great good will,
And those I tooke away as time did serue,
Inconstant vnto each yet seeming seeld to swerue.

18.

To dronkennesse and ryote, sports and ease,
And pleasure all I gaue my studie then,
Nought more then subtile shiftings did me please,
With bloudshed, craftie, vndermining men:
My Courte was like a Lyon’s lurking den,
The Iesters namde mee _Caldius Biberius Mero_,
In stead of this my name, _Claudius Tiberius Nero_.

19.

I will no more my life describe this time,
For why, my factes at last deserude defame,
Infected with so many a fulsome crime,
As may not here repeated be for shame:
I haue no cause the Lady blinde to blame,
But blame my selfe I must, abusing place,[924]
Which might full well haue vsde the giftes of grace.

20.

Three things in fine I tell that wrought my fall,
First vile dissembling both with God and man,
For bloudshed then, which hauocke made of all,
Bloud cryes to him that well reuenge it can,
For filthie life I much offended than,
Wherefore aliue thus poysoned with these three,
_Caligula_ did find the fourth to bane vp mee.[925]

21.

To Princes this I say, and worthie Peeres,
I wish them wisely wey that heare me shall,
And poyse my first exploytes with later yeeres,
And well consider one thing in my fall,
Abuse of power abaseth Princes all:
In throne on earth, [as _Ioue_, the Prince he sits,
As _Ioue_ to iudge aright, he plyes his wits.
If not, then _Ioue_ whose Justice he omits,
With thunderbolt from sacred seate him hits.][926]

How Caivs Caesar Caligula Emperour of Rome was slayne
by Cherea and others, The yeare of Christ, 42.

1.

Vnhappy Princes haue in wealth no grace,
To see how soone their vices ping them vnder,
But run vnruly, reckelesse of their race,
Till at the length they make themselues a wonder:
When from aloft theyr traces fall asonder,
There is no hope to hold aright the trace,
[_Fortuna_ once when shee beginnes to thunder.]
They cannot keepe aloft th’ Emperiall place:
[The Lady blynde, so blindly makes them blunder.]

2.

Behold my hap, on whom the _Romayne_ rout
With ioy did gaze, when bloudy slayne I lay,
Here lyes (quoth they), thrust thirty times throughout,
The monster vile, that beast _Caligula_,
Which did so many giltlesse _Romaynes_ slay:
The nobles now the matrones neede not doubt,
[The virgins now retayne theyr vertues may:]
The worthy writers may their workes set out,
[They neede no longer feare theyr foule decay.]

3.

I was (I graunt) full lewdely led by lust,
I forced nought of vertue, faith, nor lawe,
In powre I put my confidence and trust,
Regarding right nor Justice strickte a strawe:
My facts infarst my life with many a flawe,
[So Venus vile by dealings moste vniust,]
Did mee to deedes of deadly inceste[927] drawe:
[My sisters three accuse my rudenesse must,]
Which had of God nor nature’s hestes the awe.

4.

To make my selfe a God I did deuise,
That _Iupiter_ to name my selfe did dare,
For incestes vile, which all good wights despise,
Nam’d _Bacchus_ eke a dronken shrine I bare;
To call mee God some flatterers did not spare.
By message I commaunded then likewise,
[_Petronius_ at _Ierusalem_ prepare]
By statue in the Temple to comprise,
[Of honours so, to haue an heauenly share.]

5.

I would not haue my slaughters here enrolde,
And murders mischieues mingled with the rest,
Without regard of sexe, of yong or olde,
For which the _Romaynes_ did my life detest:
To vices vile my deedes were all addrest:
[Unfit they should bee here reherst or tolde:
Wherefore to rid mee _Cheria_ thought it best,
Some others eke t’accomplishe it were bolde,
In thirty steedes they stabde me through the brest.][928]

6.

My life was naught, and thus at last I dyde,
My life procur’de both Gods and men my foes:
Let Princes then beware of pompe and pride,
And not themselues to vices such dispose:
The throne will soone a Princely minde disclose,
The tyraunt’s hart at once in throne is tryde,
[_Iehoua_ iust beholds both these and those,
T’abace the bad, the godly well to guide,
The good to gard, and godlesse downe depose.[929]]

How Gviderivs King of Britayne and the elder sonne
of Cimbaline was slayne in battayle by a
Romayne, The yeare of Christ, 44.

Or as some write, 46.

1.

Take, Higins, now in hand thy pen for mee,
Let not my death and storye lye forgote,
Good cause there is I should remembred bee,
If thou the falles of _Britayne_ Princes note:
Aloft I sate in Princely place a flote,
I had the sword, I bare the scepter right,
I was accounted aye a worthy wight,
[And with the _Romaynes_ proud I waged warlike fight.]

2.

_Guiderius_ was my name, of _Britayne_ yore,
The sonne of _Cimbaline_, and after King:
I tribute nild to _Romaynes_ payd before,[930]
Mee thought it was to bace a seruile thing:
No _Romayne_ should mee in subiection bring,
[I sayd I would not pay them tribute, I,
They did extort the same by force, perdy,
Agaynst all right, a charge without occasion why.][931]

3.

When _Claudius_ [_Cæsar_] sent this tribute for to haue,
I sent him word agayn I would not pay,
I would not graunt, vniustly hee did craue,
That might in time procure my realme’s decay:
Hee should not beare our freedome so away,
[For as by treason _Cesar_ gate the fame,
And tribute, when to winne this Realme hee came:
So now I iustly might deny to pay the same.][932]

4.

On this addreste him selfe in warlike sorte,
The noble _Claudius_ [_Cæsar_] came to trye the case,
Which had [perdy] before receaued high reporte,
Both of my wealth, my force and noble grace:
So thinking well hee might my fame [and mee] deface,
From _Rome_ hee came to _Britayne_ with his host,
And landed here vppon my Southerne cost,
[By martiall feates to try whom Fortune fauourde most.]

5.

Now marke my tale, and hereby shalt thou knowe
The subtil slights of _Romaynes_ in their war:
The slye deceats of such doe make a showe,
Whereby to try the people what they ar:
Note well such foes in dealing neare and far,
Amidst the field, in scout, or fight alone,
Of all the rest example take by one,
[For vnder sunne of more despite a nation is there none.]

6.

[Amongst his armies stout a Captayne fearce hee had,
With whom encountring oft I made my party good,
_Hamonius_ men hym cald, and hee was more then mad,
Because his might so often fearcely I withstood:
At last hee wrought a wyle which way to shed my bloud,][933]
Hee clad him selfe as hee a _Britayne_ [souldier] weare,
Like armour, sword, and target did hee beare,
[And bad the _Romaynes_ of the field to take no feare.]

7.

[Amongst the rest hee road, perceauing nothing wee,
And made abought as t’were some _Britayne_ lost his place,
Or broken out of ray, hee spyde an oape at mee,
Which done, his men retyrde, and wee pursude the chace.
Come on my mates (quoth hee) the _Romaynes_ flye apace,
In _Britishe_ tongue hee spake, and sayd, They flye, they flye;
Our hostages him taught that time at _Rome_ did lye,
Whereby they deemde him all a _Britayne_, as did I.][934]

8.

As wee pursude, in mee hee thrust [the fatall][935] blade,
Betweene my armour splints hee gaue the wound,
And fast away for life to shift hee made,
[Which did by this disceate my life and mee confound:
This was my fate, of my distresse the ground;
And so recite my last adieu, declare this fall of mee,
That men may shun the slights, and subtile wyles of foes
may see.
Who well takes heede of such may liue, and long the wiser
bee.][936]

How Laelivs Hamo the Romayne Captayne was slayne
after the slaughter of Guiderius, about
the yeare of Christ, 46.

1.

A Romayne Captayne I in _Britayne_ armoure clad,[937]
Disguis’d therfore, in field did sley their noble King:
I ventred in their host, and I my purpose had
To venture so for Countrye’s sake a worthy thing;
But who so wenes to win by slaughter high renowne,
Hath often times the fate to fall by slaughter downe.

2.

Euen so my selfe that slewe, short time my ioyes did last,
In flight I taken was, and hewde in pieces small;
Which downe the cleeues they did into the waters cast,
And by my name as yet the hauen and harbor call:
Who thinkes by slaughter’s prayse, to winne immortall fame
By treason vile perchaunce encurres a shrouding sheete of
shame.[938]

How Clavdivs Tiberius Drusus, Emperour of Rome,
was poysoned by his wife Agrippina,
the yeere of Christ, 56.

1.

Say not the people well, that Fortune fauours fooles,
So well they say[939] which name her beetle blinde;
I neede not tell what[940] I haue learnde at schooles,
But may by proofe expresse my foolish minde:[941]
My mother by her prouerbs me a foole defyn’de,
Which often sayd when any foolishly had done,
In faith you are as wise as _Claudius_ my sonne.

2.

It pleased her not onely so to name me sot,
But also me a monster[942] oft she nam’de,
Unperfect all, begun by nature, but begot,
Not absolute, not well, nor fully fram’de,[943]
Sith thus my mother often me defam’de,[944]
What meant the men of _Rome_, which so elected me,
A foole, a monster foule, their gouernour to be.

3.

Th’Emperiall bloud perdy was[945] partely cause,
That I (vnfit therefore) attaynde the throne,[946]
And yet the _Senate_[947] tooke a while the pause,
Determin’de to abolish[948] euery one
Of _Cæsar’s_ linage,[949] as their mortall fone:
For why they could[950] receiue no quiet reste,
But still by vs were[951] cruelly oppreste.

4.

The souldiers which me founde where I me hid[952]
In place obscure,[953] vnfit for _Cæsar’s_ grace,
They brought me forth,[954] there me proclayme they did,
Because I seemde[955] much meekenesse to embrace,
And could dissemble [eke to serue the place,
Whereby the warriours were to me enclin’de,
Supposing I was meeke, of gentle minde:
But they herein and Fortune both were blinde.][956]

5.

The wilely Foxe that seekes to sley the sheepe,[957]
Doth fayne himselfe to beare[958] a simple eye;
The rauening Wolfe would[959] take of Lambes the keepe,
If he condemne the Mastiues might to dye;[960]
The Crocadile will fayne[961] to weepe and crye;
But if the sheepe, her young, or wandring man be caught,
The Foxe, the Wolfe, and Crocadile,[962] haue euen the pray
they sought.

6.

So I could fayne,[963] as though I did refuse
To take the Empire’s sway, a charge too greate,[964]
But well I wiste,[965] if th’armie did me chuse,
The _Senate_ could not thereof me defeate;[966]
They could not stay me[967] from the hautie seate:
Thus though I seem’d at first so simple, meeke and plaine;
Yet was I subtile, slye, and glad of glory vaine.

7.

But after this, I gaue[968] my selfe to ease,
To wyne, to woemen eke, and belly chere,[969]
And fearefull[970] was my wife for to displease,
_Messalina_,[971] whose maners homely were;
She made not onely me the horne[972] to beare,
But also did allure good matrones vnto vice,
And virgines chaste to sinne, or made them pay the price.

8.

For if that eyther they abhor’d the facte,[973]
Or men detested present for to bee,[974]
Some crime[975] was fayn’de or else some haynous acte,
Not they[976] nor theirs from slaughter could be free;
My seruants were preferde in place of mee,[977]
Their wealth was more then mine: the prouerbe went as then,
I neede no treasure want, if I would please my men.

9.

On this I caused her be[978] made away,
And made a vowe no more for aye to wedde,[979]
Because my wiues[980] sought eyther me to slay,
Or else with whoredome to defile my bedde,[981]
But at the length, s’enraged was my head,[982]
_Agrippina_ my[983] brother’s daughter braue,
Incestuously I chose, for spoused wife to haue.

10.

So leading then my life in slouth and sinne,[984]
I gaue my selfe to ryote, cardes[985] and dice:
And I so skilfull was at length therein,[986]
I wrote of dicing arte a worke[987] of price:
This may declare[988] if I were graue and wise;
[Suspicious, doubtfull, fearefull so was I,
To euery corner sent some secret spie.][989]

11.

So cruell, credulous, eache light offence[990]
Was cause[991] to take away th’offender’s life:
And so forgetfull, such[992] my negligence,
I would eftsoones enquire for those full rife,[993]
As for _Messalina_ of late[994] my wanton wife:
Eke for such others I enquir’de agayne,[995]
As I before commaunded shoulde be slayne.[996]

12.

And I extol’de[997] the meaner sort of men,
Adorning them with titles[998] of estate,
Euen such perdy as seru’d[999] my dyet then,
Amongst the auncient fathers often sate.[1000]
For this the noble _Romaynes_ did me hate.[1001]
And for the cruell beastly[1002] life I lead,
Full often times they wish’t that I were dead.[1003]

13.

_Agrippina_ perswaded me t’adopt her sonne,[1004]
That after me the[1005] Empire he might haue;
Which when at length[1006] I had vnwisely donne
At her request,[1007] as she the same did craue,
In recompence to me she poyson[1008] gaue,
Whereof I dyed:[1009] this was my life and ende,
Let so my factes and fatall fall be pen’de.[1010]

How the Emperovr Domitius Nero liued wickedly and
tyrannously, and in the ende miserably slewe
himselfe, the yeere of Christ, 70.

1.