Chapter XVI: Part I: By JOHN HIGGINS (7)

Must I that lead so loose a life speake here,
Amongst the wreckes whom Fortune’s tempestes tore;
Wel then I see I must, the case is clere,
But blame I must my onely selfe therefore,
I am that _Nero_ rule in _Rome_ that bore,
_Agrippina_ my mother wrought that feate for mee,[1011]
Her husband poisned, I might Emprour bee.

2.

A while I gaue my selfe to gouerne well,
As _Senecke_ graue instructed me thereto;
But after, I to shamelesse dealings fell,
At randome liu’de in lust as Lechers doe,
To slaughters fell, of friendes and kinred to,
Not sparing those in fleshly lustes desire,
Whome nature’s impes dombe beasts will not require.

3.

A shame it were to tell my hatefull life,
But he that wanted shame, whose face was brasse,
That spared neyther men, mayde, virgine, wife,
Not mother, sister, kinde, nor kin that was,
Whose factes both care and shame did alwayes passe:
What shoulde be shame to doe, speake, thinke, or say,
Which all his life cast bashfull shame away?

4.

For wantonnesse, I past the filthy stues;
For glutony, I had no where my peere;
No kinde of crueltie but I did vse,
No wickednesse from which my life was cleere:
My pride did passe them all, both farre and neere;
Against the trade of kind in shamelesse life,
One man for bride me had, another for bridewife.[1012]

5.

With golden nets in ryot I would fishe,
And purple lines to drawe my nets I had;
I vsed eke for pleasures many a dishe,
And was with naught but lust and mischiefe glad:
Though these thinges made the _Romaynes_ hartes full sad,
They durst not speake: for who so did complayne,
Without respect or sentence more, was slayne.

6.

For pleasures sake to see the flames arise,
I causde that _Rome_ should then on fire bee set,
And for to feede therewith my gazing eyes,
On high _Mæcenas_ Towre to stand I get:
So, sixe dayes fire and seauen nights waste I let,
And sang there while, beholding it with ioy,
The _Iliades_ sweete of _Græcians_ burning _Troy_.

7.

Then I restraynd that no man should resort
To th’ ruines great, when as the fire was past;
Nor should therefrom the reliques left transport,
But to my selfe reserude them all at last:
The marchaunts causelesse from their goods I cast,
And _Senatours_ depriude of all that ere they had,[1013]
Some slaine, the rest with life alone to scape[1014] were glad.

8.

Still out the sword to slay all sortes I drewe,
My mother could not scape amongst them free;
My brother deare, and sisters eke I slewe,
And of my wiues likewise a two or three:
My kinsemen eke I kild of each degree,
Reioysing in so heynous bloudshed still,
Nought else with _Nero_ then but, kill, them kill.

9.

And for that _Seneca_ mee counsayle gaue,
(My tutour good in youth) to leaue my vice,
I bad him choose what death him likte to haue,
Which now should pay, for then, my stripes the price:
In water warme to stand was his deuice,
And there to bleede a milde and gentle death,
Euen so I causde them reaue his vitall breath.

10.

So with almighty _Ioue_ I gan to warre,
The Christians good I did torment and sley,
Commaunding all my subiects neare and farre,
Their liues and goods to spoyle and take away;
Which they accomplisht strayght without delay,
Both _Paul_ and _Peter_, Christe’s disciples twayne,
Th’Apostles, both by mine edict were slayne.

11.

But what endureth long that’s violent?
The thunder seemes some time to teare the skies,
At seas full oft the stormes are vehement,
To cloudes alofte the wales[1015] and waters rise,
Soone after th’ayre is cleare, [and calme] the water lyes:
Experience eke the same and prouerbes[1016] old doe showe,
Eache storme will haue his calme, [and spring tide, ebbe
full lowe.][1017]

12.

For when I went about to stroy[1018] the state,
And all the _Romaynes_ noble fame t’obscure;
The _Senate_ all, and people did mee hate,
And sought which way they might my death procure:
I could no longer mine outrage endure,[1019]
They mee proclaymde a foe to publique weale,
By night forsooke of all, was forst away to steale.[1020]

13.

The iudgement was, such foes should pillered bee
By necke, in forke made fast full sure to byde;
And should with rods so long there beaten bee,
Untill therewith the woefull captiues dyde;
From this correction therefore fast I hyde,
And eke from _Galba_ then proclaymed Emprour newe,
For feare of [doomed] death, by deedes deserued due.

14.

By night (I say) forsaken quite, I fled,
And _Sporus_ th’eunuche most impure likewise,
With others three, like filthy life that led:
To slay my selfe I desperate then deuise,
Whom all the world did so for sinne despise;
And thirsting sore in flight, full fayne I [sweetly] dranke
The waters foule, which standing long in diches stanke.[1021]

15.

My seruaunts would not mee requested kill:[1022]
Haue I (quoth I) no foe, nor yet no frend,
To reaue mee from this feare of conscience ill?
Will no man make of _Nero_ naught[1023] an end?
With that my brest to poynt of sword I bend,
With trembling hand, which _Sporus_ holpe to stay,
And on the same my selfe assayde to slay.

16.

With that, of _Galbae’s_ seruaunts one drewe nie,
With fayned cheere, as though hee helpe mee would:
To late you come, call you this helpe (quoth I)?
Is this the friendshippe firme and fayth you holde?
My life was filthy, vile for to beholde,
My death more vile shall bee, more filthy I departe:
With that I fell on sword, which ran me through the harte.[1024]

How Sergivs Galba the Emperour of Rome (gieuen to slaughter,
ambition, and glotony) was slayne by the souldiers,
The yeare of Christ, 71.

1.

Amongst the hawty Emprours downe that fell,
I _Sergius Galba_ may bee placed here,
Where who so sees and markes my dealings well,
To him may soone the fruites of fraude appeare;
All murders great are bought with price full deare;
Foule slaughters donne, procure as fowle a fall,
As hee deserues that workes the woefull thrall.

2.

In _Rome_ some time I _Prætour_ chosen was,
And then obtaynde of _Spayne_ the prouince fayre,
To gouerne there, I brought by friends to passe,
In hope to be the Emprour _Neroe’s_ heyre.
For when the _Romaynes_ did of him dispaire,
So bent at home to slaughter, lust and vice,
By warres abroad I wan the prayse and price.

3.

To get the souldiers fauour I tooke payne,
For in the Emprour’s choise they gaue the stroke;
I therefore sought some spoyles for them to gayne,
Though thereby oft the lawes of armes I broke,
But who may wordes or actions donne reuoke?
The stayne abides, where staylesse[1025] strikes the good,
And vengeaunce wreckes the waste of giltlesse bloud.

4.

In _Lusitania_ while that time I lay,
I causde the people there assemble shoulde,
Reporting I had somwhat for to say,
Which in effect procure them profite would;
To which they came as many nere as could,
Full thirty thousand, thinking naught of ill,
All which I causde the souldiers there to kill.

5.

I sought some meanes that _Nero_ might abye,[1026]
Not for his vicious life, but for his place;
Although pretence were made his vice, perdy,[1027]
Whom all good men accounted voyde of grace:
But yet I could not stay so long a space,
I causde in _Spayne_ the souldiers mee proclame,
Which strayght they did, and gaue mee _Cæsar’s_ name.

6.

To _Rome_ I hyde, and _Nero_ gate him thence,
Hee stale away for feare of sentence past,
A publique foe proclaymde for negligence,
For slaughters donne, for fire of _Rome_ the wast:
Eke for because hee was of mee agast,
Hee slewe him selfe before my man could comme,
Which slaughter else my seruaunts there had donne.

7.

When I my maister thus subuerted had,
The _Romaynes_ eke began mislike with mee:
They sayd I was ambitious, nygh so bad
And cruell, giuen to pride and glotony;
Now I was ruled all by _Romaynes_ three,
_Cornelius_, _Iulius_, _Celius_, for the state
My schoolmaisters, for which they did mee hate.

8.

And _Siluius Otho_ sought the Empire then,
That vicious beast, and coward verlet vile,
Hee delte by gyftes so with mine armed men,
That factious rose in campe within a while;
Which when I came them for to reconcile,
To _Curtius_ lake, nere which the armie lay,
Of _Siluius_ friendes the souldiers did me slay.

9.

Strooke of my head, and bare it to my foe,
Who causde it should bee set vpon a speare;
So through the campe they bare it to and froe,
Saluting it, now dead, a sorte there were,
Which late thereof, aliue, did doubt and feare;
O _Galba_, ioyfull dayes the Gods thee giue,
God send thee _Galba_ well long time to liue.

10.

This was the guerdon of my hawty pryde,
To haue mine head thus wise extold aloft:
Thus I the gaynes of hasty climing tride,
To leese mine head, and after haue it scoft:
A thing perdy that[1028] chaunceth wonders oft.
Who thinkes the gayne is sweete [he gets] by sheeding bloud,
In purple yeeldes like gaine, to doe like people good.[1029]

How the Viciovs Siluius Otho, Emperour of Rome,
slew hym selfe, The yeare of Christ 71.

1.

Like will to like (for so the Prouerbe sayes)
Such are the men, as those with whom they vse:
The Goate with [the] Goate togeather is alwayes,
The Wolfe not of Wolfe doth fellowship refuse:[1030]
The crafty Foxe of Foxe the company doth chuse:[1031]
And euery liuing creature loues [of] his kinde,
As well as in shape, in qualityes of minde.[1032]

2.

And yet all men that come in company,
Are not embued with qualities alike;
One loues song ma chaunce and melody,[1033]
Another is perhaps Melancholike,
Another fumishe is and Cholerike,
Another dull and sottishe in his sence,
And all (in some what) full of negligence.

3.

Now then Complexion is somewhat in [the] case,
Concerning cheefe the disposition;
But yet the learned writers haue a place,
What maners alter our Complexion;
So some say also of correction:
And sure I thinke if that they say bee true,
I after was the worse for _Nero_ and his crue.[1034]

4.

His Courtisane brought mee in fauour furst,
Into his Court and fellowship I came;
To mee recount his vilanyes hee durst,
Not fit to tell, hee thought which had no shame;
I will no more recite of his defame:
The day was curst to mee which brought mee in,
At _Neroe’s_ house, such infamy to winne.

5.

But yet another did mee more infect,
_Seleucus_ seene in _Mathematiques_ well;
Hee of my birth a figure did erect,
Of many haps and chaunces hee did tell,
Incyted mee 'gaynst _Galba_ to rebell,
Which[1035] warraunt if I would enuade the throne,
I might aloft with scepter sit alone.

6.

Reuenge eke of _Neroe’s_ death[1036] likewise,
Incyted mee his enemy to kill;
Then with my souldiers[1037] I did deuise,
The way t’accomplishe mine endeuour still,
Whom well I might perswade almost to any ill:
Eke so in deede the souldiers did him slay,
And brought to mee his head with them away.

7.

I caused them to set it on a speare,
About the campe to beare it as a show,
To put the rest mine enemies in feare;
So they before their punishment might know;
Great giftes amongste the souldiers I bestow,
Wherewith they all in campe, with one assent,
To choose mee for their _Cæsar_, were content.

8.

But now to hold it fast a worke of skill,
[The scepter caught, the same to hold, perdy,
Doth aske much arte, and labour aske it will,][1038]
_Non minor est virtus, quam quærere, parta tueri_.
The hawty seate hath many a greedy eye.
The election was mislikte, and in short space,
_Vitellius_ sought to vndermine my grace.

9.

In armes wee were, and hee mee batayle gaue,
First at _Placentia_, where I had the foyle;
Fro _Bebriaque_ by force hee nexte mee draue,
And did mine army vanquishe quite, and spoyle:
There I not able farder to recoyle,
Dispayring quite, I wist to flye no way,
As _Nero_ erst, with sword my selfe I slay:
[Such is the holde whereby false traytours stay.
A miroure here of mee behold you may,
Which for my pride, a purple price did pay:
By bloud who rose, by treason caught decay.]

How Avlvs Vitellius Emperour of Rome came to an infortunate end,
The yeare of Christ, 71.

1.

To treade the staire to state, who takes in hand,
And thereon enters first by bribes or bloud;
On slippery ground hee cannot firmely stand,
Ne fixte is hee, his hold is nothing good,
Though he knew erst how firme on ground he stood,
And thinke to fixe his seat with better hold;
Hee cannot scape yet schotfree vncontrol’d.

2.

To see before his face the fall of such
As climbe vp so, and cannot yet take heede,
But must of force th’imperiall title tuch,
Wherein so many doubts of daunger breede:
A poynt of peeuishe pride, a rage in deede
By blindnesse blunt, a sottishe sweame hee feeles:
With ioyes bereapte[1039] when death is hard at heeles.

3.

Hence Fortune well tooke name, accounted blind,
Because men fortunate vnfitly see;
To pleasures sweete and honoures all enclynde,
Without respect the most addicted bee,
Regarding nought but titles of degree,
Whereby mishaps, infortunes of their race,
In high prospects of vew can take no place.

4.

This blindnesse is not of the eyes alone,
But of the minde a dimnesse and a mist;
For when they shift to sit in hawty throne,
With hope to rule the scepter as they list,
Ther’s no regard nor feare of had-I-wist:
The present pleasure, glory, wealth, and ioy
Bereaues their gaze, the feare of all anoy.

5.

The trade of men is such too late th’are wise;
Too late they knowe which way mischaunces fell;
At first the _Phrygians_ counsayle did despise,
At last they knewe the way t’haue holpe it well,
When _Græcians_ did their noble Princes quell,
Had fierde and sackt their Towne of worthie fame,
When they too late knewe howe t’haue sau’de the same.

6.

Our _Cæsar_ sawe too late his cause of fall,
And _Drusus_ poisned had as fortune ill;
_Domitius Nero_ hated most of all,
Eke _Galba_, which his master sought to kill,
So _Siluius Otho_ whose bloud I did spill,
And I _Vitellius_ may affirme with these,
_Illud verum, Serio sapiunt Phryges_.

7.

We all assaylde and gate the throne by sworde,
So each we sawe how they before vs spead;
The onely fruite which treason hath t’afforde,
Is losse of pleasures, goods, lands, life or head;
The gayne we get, stands vs small time in stead,
The Fame we craue, becomes defame and shame,
And rusts for aye deuouring our good name.

8.

Of slaughters mine what neede I here discry,
Or how the _Romaynes_ reft away my life,
When I seuen monthes had raygned wickedly,
Which entred in by bloud and ciuill strife;
But this I finde too late a sequell rife,
Who takes by sworde from Prince the scepter’s guide,
By sworde from him the scepter so shall slide,
[He cannot long himselfe from _Iouae’s_ Justice hide,
When loyall loue thy Prince, let treason trudge beside.]

Londricvs the Picte slayne by King Marius of Britayne,
about the 80. yeere of Christ, giues
his verdit of Fortune.

1.

Fortune erst was wont to lift aloft her children high,[1040]
And giue them kingdoms great and conquests at her will,
And place them, as they thought, aboue the gods welnigh,
She blindly leades them forth as is her custome still,
With pleasures all a while she doth their fancies fill,
And at the last doth let them fall in foule despite againe.[1041]
Shee sets aloft and pulles them downe with might and maine;
[Such is of Fortune blind the use to plague her impes with
pinching paine.]

2.

When wee the glory see of those that come to great renowne,[1042]
We are enflamed straight the like attempts to make;
But when we see mischaunce againe to driue them downe,
We are not able yet example there to take;
The stormes of enuie blacke the hawtiest housen shake,
The basest sort contend with all their force t’aspire;
The meaner persons eke the loftie roomes require,
[And equalles heartes doe burne with hatefull brands of
burning ire.]

3.

Then is the meane estate commended well for meaner sorte[1043]
And golden meane is best in euery trade of life:
For though a countrey clowne doe[1044] keepe a stately porte,
[And in expenses great, and idle charge is rife;
Although he brauely builde his house and proudly paint his wife,
Yet is he but a clowne, and makes (in deede) himselfe a scorne:
Full hard it is to make such one a gentill borne,
Except some noble gifts of grace his gentill minde adorne.][1045]

4.

So though a noble borne could get an higher seate
By conquest, or by weale, by fauour, or by fight,
And would from mighty _Ioue_ his petegrue repeate,
Yet ought hee not aduaunce him selfe aboue his height,
Hee ought not make a clayme to that hee hath no right,
Or trust to Fortune so (although shee seeme to smyle)
As though shee did not turne her selfe within a while:
[For whom shee fauours most of all, shee soonest doth beguyle.]

5.

When with my _Picts_ I came first to the _Scotish_ shore,
I bare my selfe in hand that I could _Brytayne_ win,
Because that _Scithes_ of whome I came, by conquests wan
before[1046]
Right many noble Realmes, which they had entred in:
Yet I no sooner could my conquest here begin,
But strayght King _Marius_ came with all his bande,
And met with mee and mine in _Westmerlande_,[1047]
[Where both our armies met, and fought it hande to hande.][1048]

6.

I trusted sure that Fortune woulde mee guide so well
As erste shee had,[1049] in batayles whilome faught:
But proofe doth teache mee nowe the trueth[1050] to tell
What I by Fortune’s flattery fayre haue caught.[1051]
Whom shee setts vp,[1052] shee bringeth soone to naught.
[As when I had the _Britaynes_ in disdayne,
And thought by batayle all theyr lande to gayne:
In fielde both I and mine were vanquisht, taken, slayne.][1053]

7.

T’is foly or the ende, for men to prayse theyr chaunce,
Or brag what luck they haue, or tell theyr fate,[1054]
Or boaste how Lady Fortune doth theyr deedes aduaunce:
For Fortune at the last doth vse to gieue the mate.[1055]
Whom first shee loues, shee afterwarde doth hate,
She flings them headlong downe, whom erste shee made excell,
Shee makes them bare and poore, whom erst shee placed well,[1056]
[And those which thinke to scale the skies, she hurleth downe
to hell.]

How Seuerus the Emperour of Rome, and Gouernour of Britayne,
was slaine at Yorke, fighting against the Pictes,
about the yeere after Christ, 206,
after others, 213.

1.

The stay of stately throne is nothing sure,
Where great estates on brybes or blodshed build;
As _Didius Iulian_ put for proofe in vre,
Th’emperiall seate he bought, and soone was kild:
So _Niger_ after him by armes assayde the same,
_Albinus_ then, from _Britayne_ armed came,
[For Empire sake they lost their heades and fame.]

2.

These three stoode in my way to high estate,
Which I sore thirsted for, but yet at last
I made thereto, by bloudshed bold, a gate,
And letlesse so vnto[1057] the throne I past:
The souldiers _Iulian_ slewe, for insufficient pay:
My seruants eke at _Antioch Niger_ slay:
[At _Lyons_ siege they tooke _Albinus_ head away.]

3.

Then was my seate, me thought, assurde to bide,
There could no tempest teare my sayles adowne:
No showre could cause my fixed foote to slide,
Nor vnder creeper crooke[1058] from me the Crowne
Which had the guyde of all _Europae’s_ [wealth and] might,
He, needed not to feare the force of fight,
[Nor yet the ire of any worldly wight.]

4.

Encouraged with loue of lasting fame,
I entred with an armie into th’East,
_Armenia_ can full well reporte the same,
Whereas my warlike glory first increast.
_Angarus_ I subdude by fight the noble King,
And bid his sonnes to _Rome_ for hostage bring,
[For which my fame through all the worlde did ring.]

5.

_Arabia Fælix_ felt my force likewise,
Although those warres had not so good successe:
Yet made I them with bowes (good archers) rise,
Or else they had bene driue to great distresse.
Their [fethered] shaftes from _Arras_ shot, made vs to smarte,
They poysoned of my men by policy and arte,
[And forced mee afflicted sore, with souldiers to departe.]

6.

To _Parthia_ thence, agaynst of armes the lawe,[1059]
Wee gate, forgot the truce before was plight:
And when occasion fit to serue therefore wee sawe,[1060]
King _Artabane_ w’assaylde, and put him thence to flight.[1061]
With fire and sword wee brent, [turmoylde,] and spoylde his land,
Tooke captiues, slewe the men that did vs ought with-stand,[1062]
[Enritcht with boetyes thence retournde, whereof great store
we fand.]

7.

To _Rome_ I came, and caused chartes[1063] bee drawne
Of iourneys mine, by land and seas the plats:
Not erst before such expedition sawne,
Nor of those Countryes seene so perfect mapps.
The worlde did wonder at my heaps of haps,
The _Romaynes_ honourde mee[1064] with triomphes when I came,
They vnto mee of _Parthique_ gaue to name,
[And Poets pennes perpetuate my prowes, facts, and fame.]

8.

But when can Princes best assure themselues?
What state without the stormes of strife doth stand?
What barke beares sayle in tempeste on the shelues?
What blisse abides and lasts, by sea or land?
Who takes to raygne the scepter in his hand,
Is like to him in sterne to stirre that sits,
Commaunding all the rest, theyr race hee fits,
[Mishandling there the helme with losse of all on rockes
hee hits.]

9.

For while that I abroade for glory hunt,
My sonnes at home in pleasures spent the time:
And as their father erst before was wont,
Endeuourde howe aloft they both might clime.
The elder fearce and cruell _Antonine_,
The yonger _Geta_ gentle more and milde[1065] then hee,
Could not at any time in peace agree,
[Desiring both t’inioy the empire after mee.]

10.

So I endeuourde to appeaze the strife,
But nought at all I could therein preuaile:
This made mee woe and wery of my life,
Which erst so many kingdomes did assaile.
I had the hap mine enmyes force to quaile,
To rule the _Romaynes_ well, and all the rest:
But for to rule my sonnes, which should bee best,[1066]
[I could no counsayle finde, nor haue the hurte redrest.]

11.

Perceiuing then some persons lewde there were,
Which counsailde ofte my sonnes embracing vice,
(As still is seene in court enueaglers are,
Procurers of despite, contemners of the wise,[1067]
That flatery hold for gayne a gift of price)
I causde them[1068] put to death those _Thrasoes_ vile,
And some were sent or banishte to exile:
[But yet the griefe encreased all this while.]

12.

Mine[1069] elder sonne did thinke my life to long,
The yonger lou’d the elder’s life as ill:
They studied both to make their parties strong,
Which griefe my griped harte well nere did kill.
Such are the mischieues of the stately still.
In _Britayne_ eke the _Pictes_ rebelling rose,
Some _Britaynes_ there became our secret foes,
[Wherfore in age my selfe againe to warres I did despose.]

13.[1070]

First to bee absent from the force at home,
And partly greater glory to attayne,
My children sought, perdy, my death[1071] in _Rome_,
[Without of lawes or _Senate_ house the dome.]
But chiefly _Antonine_ tooke herein payne,
I should by gard or Phisicke drugges bee slayne,
That so the Empire might to hym remayne.[1072]

14.

Yet no man would accomplishe his intent,
For my Phisitions bare mee loyall hartes:
My seruaunts eke full true no treason ment,
But playde in eache respect their faithfull partes.
They knewe themselues so bound by due desertes,
They ought not, seruaunts, such a Lord betray,
That gaue so great rewardes and giftes alway;
[To pleasure him, that sought his father’s owne decay.]

15.

To _Britayne_ I addrest an army great, perdy,[1073]
To quaile the _Pictes_ that rufled in that Ile:
And for to cops the _Britaynes_ tributes that deny,[1074]
Which were withheld from _Romaynes_ there a while,
And to bee absent from my sonnes so vile.
But see what haps befall vs in the end,
Which so to clime aloft, to raygne[1075] alone contend:
[Marke whereunto our laboures great and bloudsheds bend.]

16.

For when I was to _Britayne_ come that [famous] land,
Where people stout, vntamde, vnuanquisht dwelt:
Although once _Cæsar_ Fortune’s fauour fand,
That erst before their valiaunt valure felt:
I found the people nothing prest to pelt,
To yeeld, or hostage geue, or tributes [due to] pay,
Or couenaunts to accept, or fearefully to fray:
[But bade by war to win the price, and beare the palme away.]

17.

They sayde that we did tributes sore exacte,
Whereby their Isle empouerisht greately was:
The _Pictes_ likewise them robde, and spoyle, and sackte,
Whereof the _Romaynes_ seemed naught to pas.
Wee ought (they sayd) to tame the _Galloglasse_,
The ranging _Scythian Picte_ that them did spoyle,
[Empouerishing their people, them to foyle:]
If wee would reape a taxe or tribute[1076] of their toyle.

18.

On which at length, I did conclude a peace,
And ioynde with them in league[1077] agaynst the _Picte_:
But yet the wilfull people did not cease,
My _Britaynes_ good [and mee] by inroades to afflicte:
Whereon to wall them out I did my force addicte[1078]
Long sixe score miles and twelue,[1079] the [_Scotishe_]
banke I made
From sea to sea, that _Pictes_ should not [them so] inuade:
[Till yet the signes thereof are seene, for neuer thence to
vade.]

19.

By helpe of this, I chaste the _Pictes_ away,
And draue them into _Albany_ to dwell:
Whereon _Fulgentius Scythian_ sans delay[1080]
To _Scythia_ sayld, an army new to tell:[1081]
Which gathered great of _Pictes_[1082] apoynted well,
Hee did retourne with speede to _Britayne_ strand:
(That time I lay by North to guide the land,
[Which holpe the _Britaynes_ erst the _Scythians_ to withstand.)]

20.

At length to _Yorke_ with all his host hee came,
Beseegeing it full sharpe assaultes hee gaue:
Where I likewise for to defend the same,
And from our foes the castell good to saue
Came with my powre, as destnyes on mee draue:
But in that fielde it was my chaunce to fall,
I tooke my deadly wound, there ended all
[Renowned lyfe, my warres, my tryomphes, and my thrall.]

21.

The _Scythian_ eke receiude a deadly wounde,
Which came to conquere vs, and lost his feelde:
Thus Fortune fares her children to confounde,
Which on her wheele their bastiles brauely beelde.
Let noble Princes then to reason yeelde,
The daynefull ladie daintie and demure,
Dame Fortune’s fauour fickle is vnsure,[1083]
[Her ioyes and triomphes tickle, timelesse to endure.]

22.

Some say that I retournde to _Rome_ agayne,
Sore troubled with the gowte, desiring death:
And that I would haue taken poyson fayne,
Which me denyde, to reaue my vitall breath
I tooke a surfet great, which wrought my death.
The _Britaynes_ say, at _Yorke_ my bones doe lye,
The _Romaynes_ say at _Rome_ in _Italy_:
[But where so ere they be, I nothing recke them I.]

23.

But this I wish, all noble wights to viewe
Howe I by slaughter gate the throne at furst,
My souldiers noble men for empire slewe,
This way to rise of all I proued wurst:
For why, his hand of gods and men is curst,
To rise aloft that layes the ground with bloud:
The states of such vnstable still haue stood,
[Despisde of mighty _Ioue_, that loues the gentle, meeke,
and good.]

How Fvlgentivs a Scythian, or Picte, was slayne at the seege of
Yorke, about the yeare of Christ, 206, or 213.

1.

I am that valiaunt _Scythian_ Prince the Picte,
That vanquisht oft the _Britaynes_ in this Ile:
Against the noble _Romaynes_ powre I kikte,
And kept them play in _Britayne_ both long while,
I forst them make a wall aboue an hundreth mile,[1084]
From sea to sea, with towres to [watch and] keepe me out,
Which of vs _Pictes_ [in prowesse proud] did daily stand
in doubt.

2.

Our auncient race (although th’ambitious _Romaynes_ nill)[1085]
Had right by due discent to clayme this [noble] land:
Of which repeate some proofe therefore I will,
That so thou maist our title vnderstand.
When all mankinde felt _Iehoue’s_[1086] almighty hand,
That drensht all nations quite, for their rebellious sinne,[1087]
Then strayght [eftsoones] in _Scythia_ did the world [by
_Noah_] beginne.

3.

Th’ _Ægyptians_ hold forsooth that they restord
The world agayne, but, how vnlikely, see:
For _Scythiae’s_ site is high as all accord,
From vs the fountaynes great’ste deriued bee.
The auncient writers all likewise agree,
That on _Armenia_ mount the Arke [of _Noah_] did rest,
Till [heauenly] _Ioue_ againe the earth with drowth addrest.

4.

But they alleage agayne their _Zone_ is milde,
And fertile, temperate, meete to foster men:
Our _Scythian_ hilles (they say) are frosty, wilde,
Which cannot breede but ruder people then.
To which I may well aunswere make agen,
[That as _Iehoua_ made the _Zones_ both hot, and milde, and cold,
Euen so to them hee fitly made like men the same to hold.][1088]

5.

They say wee are nigh neighbours to the _Pole_,
Or frozen poynt: more nere the fire are they:
What poysons breede with them, and _Libians_ sole
In parcheing sands the writers wise display.
Can nature frame mankinde more deepe decay?
[Perdy] where parching heat, where serpents vgly breede,
A Clyme most fit from whence mankinde should[1089] first
proceede.

6.

But now ile tell why _Scythians_ should possesse
This noble Isle: first, Lord _Neptunus_ gaue
The Islandes to his sonnes, both more and lesse,
Eke _Albion_ first of all this Isle should haue:
Hee not with this content, the firme did craue.
Wherefore in _Fraunce_ him _Hercules_ dispacht,
When as hee would a kingdome there haue catcht.

7.

Now as from _Noah_ [first] (of _Scythia_) by descent,
Downe vnto _Albion’s_ time they held the land:
From _Scythe_ to _Scythian_ as of right it went,
And after him no _Scythian_ Prince it fand,
When as vsurpers tooke the raygne in hand,
Was it not [right and] reason wee should vndertake,
This noble Realme our owne agayne to [_Scythia_ subiect] make?

8.

The _Romaynes_ this deny, but euen themselues likewise
(If they from vertue stray as reckelesse vse,[1090]
And doe _Iehouae’s_ lawes and hestes despise,
And right, and trueth, and iustice so refuse)
Shall finde how much their Scepture they misuse.
The _Scythian_ shall [likewise] their lofty seat assaile,
The [barbarous] Prince of _Pictes_ against them shall preuaile.

9.

But softe lay here a strawe, _Seuerus_[1091] now I tell,
When hee the wall had made and pingde mee out,[1092]
To _Scythia_ hence I saylde, and stoarde mee well
With men, munition good, a warlike route,
Of youthfull _Pictes_ full strong in armour stoute
A Nauy good I brought, and entred on the land,[1093]
[A mighty worke,] of stately _Yorke_ I tooke the seege in hand.

10.

The Emprour great _Seuerus_, _Parthique_ proude,
With _Romaynes_, _Galles_, and _Britayne_ souldiers came:
To make me rayse the siege of _Yorke_ he vowde,
And I likewise to winne and raze the same.
To winne the prize we both our armies frame:
But he was [olde and] slie, his souldiers skilfull traynde,
My men to flie by ambush, [scoute, and skirmish] he constraynde.

11.

Agayne to fight wee fell afresh, the battayle grewe,
Aboute I brought my winges, and now they sounde
Tantara teares alarme, the fluits fight, fight anewe,
And there awhile the _Romaynes_ fell to grounde:
The trompet blasts, cryes, stroakes and shoutes to skyes
resounde,[1094]
They fall, fall, fly, the fluits; downe, downe, the drommes
doe cry:
Where on the _Romaynes_ sounde retrayte, and fayne
[themselues] to fly.

12.

My souldiers all to rashe had broake araye,
The _Romayne_ reare warde cast aboute with speede,
And both theyr winges enclosed vs eache waye,
Theyr mayne likewise to keepe aray gaue heede.
Which when I sawe, it made my hearte to bleede,
And to _Seuerus_ selfe I wounded made at length a wey,[1095]
Where or retourne wee _Scythian Pictes_ the _Romayne
Parthique_ sley.[1096]

13.

So when the Emprour fell, a showte arose,
The _Romaynes_ blancke, amazed, woefull were;
_Fulgentius_ fast recoylde, death wounded goes,
And of my crewe a troupe to ayde mee there:
I bought my _Britishe_ conqueste all to deare,
No conqueste yet: [for as my sworde the kingdome sought,
My vitall bloude _Seuerus_ death at _Yorke_ to dearly bought.][1097]

14.

You noble men, yee see what truste there is
In Fortune’s feages,[1098] how mischiefe makes the martes,
And howe our hoped haps in warres doe misse,
When backe the braue and blinded lady starts.
High reaching heades swimme ofte in seas of smartes.
The [setled] man [reposde,] content, is bleste and best at ease,
Which [hath decreede] in meane [e]state both God and man
to[1099] please.

How Geta the Yonger sonne of th’Emperour Seuerus once gouernour
of Britayne, was slayne in his mother’s armes by his
brother Antonine, Emperour of Rome, about
the yeare of Christ, 214.

1.

If euer Prince [opprest] had cause his state to rue,
Or by his [ruful] end might moue men mone his chaunce,
My woefull tale may shewe the like to you,
Whom Fortune erst, and birth did highe aduaunce.
In _Rome_ [perdy] in _Britayne_, _Spayne_,[1100] and _Fraunce_
I fauour had, I honourde was, I bare the sway,[1101]
I Emprour was [with _Antonine_:] what neede I more to say.

2.

In _Britayne_ while my father waeged fight
By North agaynst the _Pictes_, I rulde the South:
_Seuerus_ so apoynted mee to iudge them right,[1102]
And _Britayne_ justice well receaude from[1103] _Getae’s_ mouth:
I gaue not then my selfe to [giftes, nor] idle slouth,
But mildly made an end in causes[1104] great of strife,
With dome so [right and] iust, that men reioyste my life.

3.

The _Senate_ honourde mee [at home] for vertue’s sake,
Abroade the _Britaynes_ blest mee for their blisse,
The souldiers stout [in armes] of mee account did make.
Let stories truely tell where I doe halte in this:[1105]
Lest some suspect, that I reporte amisse.
For what is hee, which is not counted [partiall] vayne,
When for himselfe hee speakes, though [plea bee] nere so playne.

4.

In peace I [wise and] prudent was, and graue of grace,
In warres of courage good, but[1106] not so fearce withall:
Not forste with feare to turne from foes my face,
Nor bought with bribes to let Dame Justice fall,
I lou’de not, I, to throng the weaker sort[1107] with thrall,
But sought to pleasure eache at neede, both[1108] neare and
farre:
More proane to sacred peace I was, then bent to [broyles of]
warre.

5.

What hearte [is then] so harde but will for pity bleede,
To heare a [giltlesse] Prince which meant to each so well.
Should haue such cause to liue in feare and dreede
Of sworde, of bane, of force, or poyson fell,
Not daring Emprour nere his brother dwell,
Whom [both the] _Romaynes_ lou’d, and straungers honourde
still,
In peace moe bruntes abydes at home, then erste abroade
of ill.[1109]

6.

But _Antonine_[1110] I hate his [hatefull] name and factes,
Sith hee my bucher was, my brother though hee were:[1111]
The worlde detestes his vile and viprous actes,
And subtile shiftes to bane[1112] his father deare:
So voyde of grace, so voyde of honeste [dreede or] feare,
Hee durst attempte the [nerest] gardes to bribe and fee,
By them theyr Lord his father might the Emprour poysoned
bee.[1113]

7.

This when _Seuerus_ wiste our aged syre, and saw[1114]
How _Antonine_ that beaste was tiranously bent,[1115]
Agaynst the order quite of nature’s [noble] law,
Eke, how to take the empire whole hee ment;
For both of vs at _Yorke_ hee often sent,
Perswading vs to peace, to loue, and concorde bolde,[1116]
And of the fruites of discorde [foule, and ciuill
warres][1117] hee tolde.

8.

Yet _Antonine_ regarded naught his [Father’s] heste,
Ne yet the charge of [_British_] warres hee had in hande:
Hee to enlarge his powre for th’Empire him addrest.[1118]
Which when _Seuerus_ olde did vnderstand,
All pleasures quite and ioyes hee did aband,
And to the warres him gate: nere _Yorke_[1119] he tooke his ende
By sworde of _Pictes_, or by some traytour [fauning] frende.

9.

Then _Antonine_ made spoyle of all his [father’s] men,
Phisitions nilde before at his requeste
Dispatch theyr Lorde, to death hee put them then,
And so hee serude of faythfull garde the reste.
What vilany was in this [monstrous] viper’s breaste:
Was not content with death [and goodes] of those hee sought,
But after [them] bringes [all] theyr friendes likewise to nought.

10.

I warned was by diuers eke my life[1120] hee thirsted sore,
And that the empire sole [alone] hee sought to haue,
[Whereon] as wee to _Rome_ did passe I feared more,
I from his courtes and diets did mee saue:
I knew my life and th’empire he did [croach and] craue,
Wherefore in _Rome_ my court I kepte [alone] likewise
From his aparte, that did ful ofte to murder mee deuise.[1121]

11.

My cookes and butlers were allurde[1122] by sundry giftes
To poyson mee, and some for mee in ambush lurking lay:[1123]
Hee tryde to cut mee off a thousand shiftes,
What maruayle, since hee sought his syre to slay?
Hee made his father’s [dearest] friendes for spite away,
[Because they nilde consent to his vile treasons wrought,
Hee slewe the men, to saue his father’s life that sought.][1124]

12.

[But all] his sleights for mee coulde take no sure successe,
For still his traynes and treasons were descride:
And I in daunger greate was forste[1125] to seeke redresse
By like attemptes [at laste,] but that likewise was spyde.
Pretended murder no man close can [keepe or] hyde,
But out it flyes abroade, the rumor runnes apace,
The only spot thereof [doth] all [the] vertues else deface.

13.

When this was knowne [to him,] that I likewise assayde
His life to reaue (though t’were my [only] life to saue)
No longer time to wrecke[1126] the same the bucher stayde,
Hee had the thing so long [before] hee sought to haue,
[Such] cause of [iust] reuenge the rumor small him gaue,
[That in the euening hee came on mee or I knew,
In cruell sorte to reaue my life before our mother’s vewe.][1127]

14.

There she perceiuing him with [naked] sworde approache,
In armes mee caught to saue my life and bloud,
But hee deseruing all the worlde’s reproache,
No whit in doubte to end my slaughter stoode.
My mother him besought[1128] (as seemde an empresse good)
While he [in rage] without remorce [or ruth] of her request,
Betwene her armes [that bare vs both] did run me through the
breste.

15.

These were the [cruell] actes of that vile monster then
For Empire sake, to raigne alone aloft:
Despisde that was, [contemnde,] abhord of gods and men,
And curst to hell by all good men so oft,
You see the fall of _Geta_, [gentle,] milde, and soft,
Whose line of life no longer _Lachesis_[1129] could stretch,
Cut off by sworde of _Antonine_, th’unkindely captiue
wretch.[1130]

16.

Let now the world both deeme[1131] of my desertes and his,
For to his father he was most, of sonnes, vnkinde:[1132]
His mother’s ioyes he reaude away her blisse,
That [noble] dame which bare to both so mylde a minde:
And let my dealings aye due [doome and] fauour finde,
Whose murder may giue playne prospect and show
What monster gaue his faythfull frends such ouerthrow.[1133]

How Aurelius Antonius Bassianus Caracalla, Emperour of Rome,
was slayne by one of his owne seruauntes,
about the yeere of Christ, 209.

1.

Who thirstes to thring[1134] vnto the highest throne,
Ne wisely windes Dame Fortune’s subtile snare:
Or who in courte would rule the rost alone,
And sees not what he heapes himselfe of care,
Let him well wey my case, and then beware:
Whome foorth the stately seate did first allure,
Which after did my hastie death procure.

2.

And, _Higins_, here in purpose sith thou hast
The haplesse hauen where Fortune’s impes ariue,
A mirour make likewise of me thou mayst,
If thou my life and dealings wilt discriue.
It may perhaps much profit some aliue:
Which when themselues playne paynted forth they see,
They may presage their fatall falles in mee.

3.

I am that _Antonine_, _Seuerus_ sonne,
That once of mighty _Rome_ did beare the swaye,
Which in my father’s life a stryfe begone
With _Geta_, thyrsting often him to slay:
I sought to haue my father made away,
To raigne alone so great desire I had,
Naught but theyr deathes indueste my hart to glad.[1135]

4.

My father oft exhorted both to peace,
Declarde by stories olde what came by strife,
Dehorted both from ciuill discord cease,
But I sought meanes to rid him of his life.
I banisht to _Sycilia_ isle my wife,
Encreast mine hoste, reckt not my _British_ charge,
But how I might enioy the empire large.

5.

And first when as my father once was dead,
I gaue my selfe to all reuenge of foes,
The seruants late which stoode me not in stead,
And some physicions which my treasons did disclose,[1136]
Or such to saue their prince themselues dispose,
Or reconcile vs brethren tooke sore payne,
I causde them all without respect be slayne.

6.

The captaines all likewise I brybed well,[1137]
In _Britayne_ then desiring them to chuse
Mee Emprour sole, and _Geta_ to repell:[1138]
Which they to doe for dueties sake refuse.
Our mother eke all meanes with vs did vse,
Perswading vs to loue and concorde bende,
To which dissemblingly I graunted[1139] in the ende.

7.

Wee both in empire like from _Britayne_ passe,
A truce concluded there, and hostage take:
His reliques shrinde (as then the custome was)
To _Rome_ therewith our voyage fast we make.
And yet the malice could not so aslake:
For in our iourneyes wee durst neyther trust,
But seuerall courts and dyets keepe we must.

8.

Both fearing poyson, force or treason wrought,
Both crauing all the empire to enioy,
Both working all the wayes that might be sought,
To worke to each some secret great anoy,
Both seeking how his partner to destroy.
The brother which to brother should be stay,
Endeuours how to make him quite away.

9.

And those that bare of dignities degree,
The officers, were diuersly distracte:
Some fauourde _Geta_, some did fauour mee,
In him no poynt of courtesie there lackte.
He was of maners milde, of doome exact,
To studies good addict, of comely grace,
In warres and peace discharging well the place.

10.

But I was rough, and violent, and fearce,
Of fiery _Mars_ affected all to bloud:
What neede I more my qualities rehearce,
Which were so farre vnlike my brother’s good.
On threatnings, force, and feare, my Empire stood,
Whereby in deede of fauning friends I had,
For feare or gayne were of my fauour glad.

11.

Our mother long perswading vs to peace,
And both perceiuing our attempts but vaine,
Did both agree our discordes to surcease,
And for to part the empire into twaine:
My selfe should holde of _Europe_ all the maine
With th’isles thereof, and _Geta_ all the East,
Of _Asia_ all the [realmes and] islands most and least.

12.

As thus we parle amongst the counsayle all,
And so decree, full purposed thereto,
The _Senate_, which foresawe mishaps might fall,
Still sadly sate, durst nothing say nor doe:
But _Iulia_ then the mother of vs two,
When she perceiude the _Senate_ pause for feare,
Arose to speake, and sayd as you shall heare.

13.

“The sea and land (quoth she) my sonnes you get,
You finde a way how you may them deuide:
The _Pontique_ floud betweene you both is set
For boundes of both, it buts on eyther side:
But how will you your mother now deuide?
How shall my haplesse corps be parted, put
Betweene you both, shall I likewise be cut?

14.

“If needes in twayne you part this empire must,
I see what discorde after may betyde:
How empire makes men guiltlesse bloud to thrust,
What noble peeres for this betrayde, haue dyde.
T’were better both, the _Romaynes_ well to guyde,
Then separate farre, without so firme a stay,
Your seuered force some treason should decay.

15.

“One man himselfe may much by wit foresee,
But twaine may more perceiue perdy then one:[1140]
One friendly man by fauour much may bee,
But two in friendship knit, neede feare no fone.
Two brethren then to rule the world alone
As brethren shoulde, and liue in faithfull sorte,
The worlde their loue and honours will reporte.

16.

“But if deuide the Empire all you will,
First ere you goe for to enioy your raigne,
My woefull corps I pray you here to kill,
And it deuide betweene you both in twaine,
That I may eke with both of you remayne.
Doe burie each a parte so distant farre,
Deuided as your seates, selues, kingdomes are.”

17.

So when she spoken had, with teares shee came,
And sobbes, beseeching both, embracing vs,
And wil’d we should our selues to friendship frame,
Not bearing hate in hart, and enuie thus:
On which the _Senate_ nothing durst discusse,
But all arose, departing did lament,
Which vew’de our thirsting sore, to bloudshed bent.

18.

Our hatred still encreased more and more,
For when that captaines newe elected were,
Or officers in place we did restore,
In these, our mindes to all men playne appeare,
We diuersly affected fauour beare:
Of right in sentence eke, of diuers mindes,
As hatefull oft the eyes of justice blindes.

19.

Our owne we sought, and not the publique weale,
Yet both the publique wealth alone to haue:
We nothing reckt to hap the publique heale,
But to enioy the publique wealth we straue.
To cookes and butlers giftes of price we gaue,
To poyson each: when yet not these proceede,
I hired some by force to doe the deede.

20.

When this likewise had not successe aright,
My selfe, to slay my brother, I addrest:
I rusht into his chamber euen or night,
While of my force I thinke he feared lest:
There with my sworde I strake him through the brest.
Eke while our mother’s lap his wonndes embrewe,
Her _Geta_ deare betweene her armes I slewe.

21.

Which done, I flew the palace straight, and cald the garde,
Cryde treason, told I scarce escapte vnslayne,
Commaunding souldiers well to watch and warde,
And me conuey vnto the campe amayne,
Where I might safe from violence remayne:
I sayd, I should be made away, perdie,[1141]
If in the court I longer time did lye.

22.

So they supposing all was trueth I tolde,
(Not weeting what was done to _Geta_ than)
Made speede to runne with me vnto the holde:
The people hearing this, to flocke began,
Enquiring why the prince and souldiers ran:
In tent I kneeld encampt, the gods to prayse
With promist vowes, which had prolong’de my dayes.

23.

The souldiers all amazde resorted to the tent,[1142]
Where I the gods with honour serued thoe:
On which I forth amongste them boldly went,
Told them great daungers I had scaped fro,
And of mine enmyes fall and ouerthroe.
By Fortune’s gifte (quoth I) the enmye’s slayne,[1143]
And th’empyre wholy doth to mee remayne.

24.

I promist then the souldiers if they would,[1144]
My empire stablishe sure, and safty see,
Each [fiue and] twenty hundred _Attique_ grotes haue should,[1145]
More corne then earst by halfe alow’de shoulde bee,
The temples welth and treasures shoulde bee free
For them to vse at large, whereby that onely day[1146]
_Seuerus_ pile of eighteene yeare I spoylde away.[1147]

25.

The souldiers so allurde, perceiuing all my minde,[1148]
(And slaughter blazde by those in house that fled)
I was by them proclaymde and th’Emprour[1149] sole assinde,
And hee an enmy namde that now was deade.
All night in temple forth with vowes I led,
Next day to _Senate_ house with th’ [armed] hoste I gate,
And seruice done, thus wise in [th’empire] throne I spake:

“I know right well (quoth I) domestique slaughters hatefull seeme,
And euen the name thereof makes men full euill[1150] of parties
deeme:
For why, th’vnhappy slayne moues milder men to mercy still,
And noble Peeres are enui’de when compel’de theyr foes they kill,
The vanquisht iniur’de seeme, and victours deem’de vniustly ill.
But who so euer shall this case it selfe with trueth perpende
Not partially that deemes, ensearching what hee did pretend:
Hee shall perceiue and finde it better farre and needefull more
To wrecke the wrong, then wincke thereat, and after smarte
therfore.
For, to the slayne beside his woe, there comes a dastarde’s name,
The victour hath beside his health, of fortitude the fame.
But certis how by poysons hee, and all meanes sought my spoile,
You may right soone by tortures try without of farder toyle,
And therefore I commaunded all his seruaunts present bee.
That you the trueth may know when their confessions plain you see:
While I was at my mother’s house, he brought with swords his
traine,
Forwarnd, so armde, by fight my foe, I haue mine enmy slain.
Sith hee about a mischiefe went, no brother’s harte that bore,
To take reuenge on such, is due: as custome telles of yore.
The founder right of _Rome_, not with his brother flouting bare:
I leaue to speake what _Germanique_ and _Titus_ erst did dare,
And _Marcus_ wise and milde his daughter’s husband did not spare.
But I, for mee when poysons were and swords to slay mee drest,
Reueng’de my foe, (of foe the name his workes assign’de him best)
Therefore thanke you the gods, that they one prince preserued you,
Beholde the same, him loyall loue, to him bee iust and true:
For euen as loue aboue, amongst the gods doth rule alone,
So hee in earth the empire all, alottes and giues to one.”

26.

Thus hauing sayde alowde, with irefull moode,
And bloudy countnaunce cast about the place,
Th’assembly pale and trembling, fearefull stoode,
And I retourn’de to th’pallace thence a space.
My brother’s householde then I made a way a pace,[1151]
His friends, his seruaunts all, young, olde, and new,
And th’infantes eke, without respect I slewe:

27.

The wrastlers and the waggeners likewise,
Musitians, players, which did please his minde:
Of th’order of the _Senatours_ full wise,
In whome was noble bloud or wealth to finde.
Not one of _Getae’s_ friends I left behinde:
Also my wife whome I exilde away
To _Sicile_ Ile, I caused them to slay.

28.

_Lucilla_ eke, that auncient noble Dame,
To _Marcus_ wise the daughter sage and graue,
Of _Commodus_ that sister great of fame,
Which honour much in _Rome_ deseru’de to haue,
I say, shee did my deedes therein depraue,
Because to _Getae’s_ mother shee wept sore,
For _Getae’s_ death: I causde her die therefore.

29.

Her sonne likewise, I caused should bee slayne,
And of th’imperiall bloud (to make all sure)
I left not one aliue, that might remayne,
Or vnto whom they might my place procure.
By night likewise I put like acts in vre:
For day and night I ceased not to slay,
Of _Getae’s_ friendes to roote the rest away.

30.

I vestall virgins buried eke aliue,
And made the souldiers multitudes to kill
Because I deemde they were in wordes to blyue.
Against my couche[1152] wherein I trauailde still,
The souldiers slewe the men that thought no ill,
Or made them buy their liues with all they had,
Which were, to scape with life alone, full glad.

31.

This donne, for feare from _Rome_ with speede I gate,
The townelike life at home misliked mee:
For why the citty did my murders hate,
Where souldiers held their slaughters franke and free,
And were enricht by spoile of each degree.
I gate therefore with all my Martiall crewe
From _Itayle_ land, _Danubian_ shoares to vewe.

32.

Where, vnto hunting I applyde my selfe,
To ride abroade in couche, and giue them lawes:
In fewe dispacht their pleas about but pelfe,
Not gieuen to heare long pleading playnts for strawes.
I counted such but cafling[1153] captiue dawes
As spent their substaunce, time, and goods in suite,
About such things as could not yeelde them fruite.

33.

I clad my selfe much like the _Germanes_ then,
So trimde my haire, chose them my garde to serue:
So framde my selfe to please these ruder men,
As might them cause of mee full well deserue,
From labour none with them I seemde to swerue:
To digge, lifte, beare, to grinde, moulde, knead or bake,
In painfull sort and simple fare to take.

34.

The _Germanes_ much reioyste my kinde of life,
My sufferaunce great in during labours long:
The name of mate with vs was holden rife,
I seemde a fellowe souldier them among:
Of stature small, yet was I wondrous strong,
So that the stoutest men[1154] which in mine armies were,
Durst not with mee great burdens dare to beare.[1155]

35.