Chapter XX: Part II: By THOMAS BLENER-HASSET (3)

You mourning muses al, where euer you remayne,
Assist my sobbing soule this drierye tale to tell:
You furious furies fearce of lymbo lake belowe,
Helpe to vnlade my brest of al the bale it beares:
And you who felte the falle from honor’s high renowne:
From graues you grizie[1209] ghosts send forth, to helpe me mourn.
O _Pallas_, geue thou place, that mourning _Clio_ may,
On lute lamenting, sound and sing my doleful dumpes:
Let riming metered lines and pleasant musike cease:
Let satyres solome sound sende forth the fall I felt:
And when the truth of al my tragedie is knowne,
Let them that liue then learne, al things must haue an end,
The _Persian_ monarch and _Medes_[1210] it downe did fal,
That of _Assiria_, in tracte of time did end:
Yea _Alexander’s_ force in fight subdude them both,
And brought the worlde so wide into one monarchie:
What though the fretting force of fate did him dismay?
He felt at laste the foyle, his vaunting was in vayne,
He dead, the worlde it was deuided as before:
The _Roman_ emperie came tumbling downe at last:
And where is _Troy_, and _Greece_, and mightie _Macedon_?
They flourishte for a tyme like this my little ile:
The _Soldion_ brought them downe, and did theyr states destroy:
Euen so the _Saxons_ brought the _Britayns_ to the bay,
Euen these mine eyes did see, that hateful hidious sight,
These feeble handes, when long they labourde had in vaine,
Dyd yeeld their interest: then thus I did complayne:
Who can refrayne the force of mightye mounting seas?
When bellowes make a breache and beate the banckes adown,
Doth not the saltish surge then beate the bankes adown?
Then man may not withstand the rigor of their rage:
But wisedome would haue kept the waues within their boundes:
Counsayle doth come to late, when hope of helpe is past:
Such was my filthye fate, my lewde and lothsome lucke,
I sought a salue to cure and helpe the helpelesse wound:
For long before my tyme, seuen kings were setled here.
The _Saxons_ such as dwelt by east, _Sibertus_ rulde,
The _Angles_ in the east, _Redwallus_ rulde as king,
Then _Ethelbert_ was king of all the coast of _Kent_,
In _Southsex Ethelwolfus_ wore the regall crowne:
Then _Quincillinus_ was a _Saxon_ king by west,
Of _Martia_ in the midst king _Penda_ was the prince,
And _Edwin_ in _Northumberland_ did rule and raygne,
How dyd my grandsire, grand renowmed _Arthur_, he
These seuen destroye, with deadly field of wrackfull warre?
But _Mordred_ made the meane, that brought them in agayne:
_Vortiporus_ wyth warre almost consumde them all:
Then _Malgo_ he with peace restorde agayne their state,
_Cariticus_ the synne of ciuil stryfe did loue,
For which _Gurmundus_ did the _Britaynes_ much annoy:
Then _Cadwin_ out of _Wales_ kyng _Etheldred_ did spoyle,
_Cadwalline_ then did force king _Penda_ to a foyle.
And I _Cadwallader_ at last did presse in place,
Then _Lothar_ king of _Kent_ in warre that wretch I slue:
And _Ethiwolne_ the king of _Southsaxons_ I spoylde,
The other fiue did me inuade with cruel fight,
With whom in diuers warres, I diuersly did speed:
Somtime _Bellona_ blewe a blessed blaste for me,
And changed chaunce somtime did force[1211] my men to flee:
While thus I wagde my warres in secrete silent night,
The very voyce of God, it thus to me did speake:
Thou striu’st agenst the streame, the tide doth beate thee [backe,]
Strike thou thy sailes, take ancor hold, els must thou feele a
[wracke.]
Which saying did indeede amaze me more by muche,
Then al the force that man against my wil might bende:
For who the wyll of God with weapons may resist?
And when as sinne hath solde a countrye to decay,
Then prayer must preuayle, for weapons will not helpe:
And when the end is come, when all the glasse is runne,
Who can resist the force of fate and destinies?
Who things forerunne to fal from falling can refraine?
It passeth mortall might to bring such thinges about:
Let man content himselfe to do what best he may,
By trying too to much, no man his God may tempte,
But mortall man must thinke that God the best doth knowe,
Who can depresse to dust and rayse when best him please:
And as I thus amidst my musinges did remayne,
I did resigne my crowne, and deemde al honoures vayne:
And though it greeude me muche to feele the fall I felte,
Yet was I well content, I could not as I would:
For which I left my lande, my people, and my place.
The _Saxons_ they obtaynde the wage for which they warrde:
When I three yeares had raygn’d, without one day of rest,
Euen then in mourning robes at _Rome_ I did ariue,
And there contemning all the worlde, and worldly thinges,
I made my selfe a monke, (ceasse _Memory_ to muse)
A monke I made my selfe, thou knowst it passing playne:
Amongste the friers there, I led my lyngring life:
And tyl my dying day I daily did deuise,
How by my meanes it might to all the worlde be knowne,
That mortall flesh is frayle, and euery thing must fade:
And euen amongst those thinges which nature doth create,
Nothing so vile as man amongst the rest is founde,
Which made _Heraclitus_ with ceasslesse sighes to wayle,
He to hys dying day did nothing els but weepe,
Affirming all the worlde vnder the heauen, to be
A path of penitence, [a] maze of misery:
What is the life of man but care and daily toyle,
Bearyng alwayes about a burthen of mishappes?
All his delightes repentaunce dayly dothe[1212] pursue:
Nothing but death doth bryng hym peace and quiet rest:
Yet that which bringes hym blesse, he most of all doth hate,
Which made _Democritus_ with myrth to spende his dayes;
He laughing aye, did mocke the madnesse of mankynde,
Whose loue is long to liue, and feareth much to dye:
Death reaues vs from desease, death endes the feare of death:
When _Midas_ did demaunde _Silenus_ what was best
For mortall man to wishe, the satyre thus did say:
“Not to bee borne, if borne, not long our liues to leade,
For life I most do lothe, and death I least doo dread.”
And how did _Timon_ leade with sauage beastes his lyfe?
How did that _Hermite_ poore, his lothsome life detest?
Affirming with the wise _Aurelius_ emperour,
That if a man shoulde make a true discourse of all
The wretched woes he felt, from birth to dying day,
The feeble fleshe would faynt to feele so sharpe a fight,
The hart would quake to heare dame fortune’s sharpe assaults:
And I _Cadwallader_, a king, can make report,
That nothing may content the mind of mortall man:
The more my selfe did eate, the hungryer ay I was,
The more I dranke, the more thirst did me stil distresse,
The more I slept, the more I sluggishe did remayne,
The more I rested me, the more I wearyed was,
The more of wealth I had, the more I dyd desire,
The more I still did seeke, the lesse I aye did finde:
And to conclude, I founde I neuer coulde obtayne
The thing, but in the ende it caused me to complayne:
My present good successe, did threaten thrall to come,
And changing chaunce did still with sorowe me consume.
For which my royall robes, my crowne I layd aside,
Meaning to proue by proofe the paynes of pouertye,
Which pouertie I felt all ryches to exceede.
It beareth much more blesse then hygh and courtly state,
_Codrus_ and _Irus_ poore for wealth did farre surpasse:
_Midas_ and _Crœsus_ king, for wealth who did surpasse:
And I amongst my mates the _Romishe_ fryers, felt
More ioye and lesse anoye, then erst in _Britaine_ braue:
For there I doubted still, the _Saxon’s_ subtile sleyghtes,
I feared there the fall from royall regall seat:
But here at _Rome_ I liude not fearing force of foe,
I had for myne estate what I coulde wish or craue.
And this I there did finde: they of the cleargye be,
Of all the men that liue the leste in misery.
For all men liue in care, they carelesse do remayne:
Like buzzing drones they eate the hony of the bee,
They only doo excel for fine felicitie:
The king must wage his warres, he hath no quiet day,
The noble man must rule with care the common-weale,
The countreyman must toyle to tyll the barren soyle,
With care the marchant man the surging seas must sayle,
With trickling droppes of sweat the handcraftes man doth thriue:
With hand as hard as bourde the woorkeman eates his bread,
The souldiour in the fielde with paine doth get his pay,
The seruing man must serue and crouch with cap and knee,
The lawier he must pleade and trudge from bentch to barre,
Who phisicke doth professe, he is not voyde of care:
But churchmen they be blest, they turne a leafe or two,
They sometime sing a psalme, and for the people pray,
For which they honour haue, and sit in highest place:
What can they wishe or seeke, that is not hard at hande?
They labour not at al, they knowe no kinde of payne,
No daunger dooth with dreade their happy liues distresse,
Ceasse you therefore to muse what madnesse made me leaue
The courte and courtly pompe of wearing royal crowne,
No madnesse did that deede, but wisedome wisht it so,
I gayn’d thereby the blesse which few before me felt:
I niene yeares led my life, and neuer felt annoy:
And certaynely if nowe I might be king agayne,
Refusing all that pompe, I woulde become a priest,
A deacon, or a deane, prebende, or minister:
For these men leade their liues with liuings two or three.
Some haue their substitutes in vniuersities,
Some leade the brauest liues that any man may haue,
They feede vppon the fleece, they force not of the flocke:
Three houres in the yere, with beastly bosomde stuffe
They spend, and that is all that lawe of them requires:
Muse not though many thrust and shoulder for degrees,
For happy man is he, who hath a preacher’s fees:
But let me nowe returne vnto my _Romishe_ rout,
Who fed like bacon fat, did nought but play and pray.
With whom for niene yeares space, when I my life had led,
I songe my _requiem_, and payde the earth her fee.
Then in Saint _Peter’s_ church at _Rome_ they did me lay,
Booted and spur’d, euen as you see me here this day:
So now you haue the whole of al my tragedye:
Of _Brutus_ bloode the last I liude that rulde as king:
My _Britaines_ driuen to _Wales_ they _Welchmen_ then were calde,
And I at _Rome_ their king, a mumbling monke instal’d:
The _Saxons_ had the day, for which they longed long:
They _England_ calde the ile of _Brute_, which tooke her name.
Some men be borne to blisse, and some to hatefull happe:
Who would haue thought, that I in warre a raging kyng,
Should by the force of fate, at _Rome_ haue dide a monke?
Let al the worlde then know, that nothing is so sure,
That can affoorde and say, I thus wyl aye indure:
For that which seemeth best, is soonest brought to naught,
Which playnely doth appeare by that which I haue taught:
The worthiest in the worlde, princes, philosophers,
Will teach that I haue taught, and proue it passing playne:
_Paulus Aemilius_ did dye but wretchedly:
And was not _Scipio_ euen to his dying day
Constraynde, to helpe his neede, the painfull plowe to plye?
_Cæsar_ and _Silla_ both, did not they tast the whyppe?
And made not _Hannibal_ a miserable end?
And how was _Socrates_ before his tyme destroyed,
And _Anaxagoras_ inprisoned long with paine?
For cruel beastly coyne diuine _Plato_ was soulde,
And _Aristotle_ sent to exile, where he dyde:
And so was _Solon_ sage, and that _Licurgus_ wise,
And many more, which here I could at large repeat:
But let these fewe suffice to teach for certaine truth,
That al the men that liue, are subiectes al to ruth:
And seeing so it is, then let them learne the meane,
That if the barke do breake, they safe may swimme to land.

[THE INDUCTION.

“The greate desire,” quoth _Inquisition_, “whiche we haue had to heare this man hath made vs to ouerpasse king _Arthur_ and _Cariticus_; the one no lesse famous for his noble actes then the other for his vices and wretchednes infamous.” “Yea,” said _Memory_, “so haue we forgot two or three other, whose examples would haue been goodly lanternes to lighten wandryng pylgrimes. But it is not much amisse, for of _Arthur_ there be whole volumes, and of the rest ther be the like ensamples both in _Bochas_ and _Baldwin_. Let vs therefore passe them ouer, and speake somwhat of some of the _Saxons_: for seeing they were made of fleshe and blood, no doubte some of them stumbled also. But fyrst tell me, _Inquisition_, wyll you penne this man’s meterlesse tragedy, as he hath pronounst it?” “Good _Memory_, geue me your aduise, for it agreeth very wel with the _Roman_ verse, called _Iambus_, which consisteth on sixe feete, euery foote on two syllables, one short and an other long; so proper for the _Englishe_ toung that it is greate maruaile that these ripe witted gentlemen of _England_ haue not left of their gotish kinde of ryming, (for the rude _Gothes_ brought that kind of writing fyrst, and imitated the learned _Latines_ and _Greekes_.) O what braue beames and goodly tymber might be found amongst _Churchyarde’s Chippes_, if he had not affected the ryming order of his predecessors, which meeter made not onely hym inferiour vnto _Horace_, but it also made a great inequalitie to be betwixt _Buchurst_ and _Homer_, betwixt _Phaer_ and _Virgill_, betwixte _Turberuile_ and _Tibullus_, betwixt _Golding_ and _Ouid_, betwixt _George Gascon_ and _Seneca_; for al these comming neare vnto _Marot_, whom they did imitate, did put a great distance betwixt them and the _Latines_, wyth whom they might haue binne equall, euen wyth as litle labour, and with much more prayse and renowne.” “Truely,” quoth _Memory_, “let be as it is, you shall see good sport shortly. I smyle to see how _Zoilus_ and _Momus_ will crie out: 'O vayne glorious heade, whiche now for a singularitie dooth indeuour to erect a newe kinde of poetrie in _England_.’ What needest thou care, _Inquisition_, these laboures wil get thee no liuing, and these be but the trifles of thy idle houres, yet such as be in many respectes of great value. I promise you I woulde the rest of your princes would proceede in the lyke order. But how shal we goe forward wyth the seuen _Saxon_ kings? Which waye shall we turne vs? Where, or wyth whom shal we begynne?” “Wyth the west _Saxons_,” quoth _Inquisition_, “for they subdued the other six, and returned the realme into one monarchie. And surely _Ewe_, their first king, were worthy the speaking of, who for hys wife _Eheldreda’s_ pleasure, gaue ouer al his royalties, and then went to _Rome_, like a begger, in pilgrimage. But we wyl not spende our time in hearing these deuout men. Let vs (if you please) see what this meaneth: behold a heardman doth holde in his hand a headlesse body, who by his apparel would seeme to be some forlorne thing: shall I inquire of the man what the matter meaneth?” “No,” quoth _Memory_, “you neede not, for I see he wyl doo it without request.” Wherewyth the heardman lamenting both his harde happe and his good successe, sayde as followeth.]

THE COMPLAINT OF SIGEBERT.

How Sigebert was thrust from his throne, and miserably
slayne by a heardman. This tragedie dooth teach
both prince and subject his
duetie at large.[1213]

1.

Two parts in one a heardman here must play,
My tale must tende eche prince’s lyfe to mende,
And this my talke most playnely must displaye,
How farre a subiect may himselfe defende
Agaynst his liege,[1214] his souerayne lorde and king,
If his default his commonweale dooth bring
To miserie: therefore a litle while
Attende, and knowe the tenoure of my stile.

2.

A subiect I of base and lowe degree,
This headlesse corps of lyfe I did depriue,
(King _Sigebert_ it was) with crueltie:
Whose lust was lawe, whilst he was here aliue,
To feele my force it was his destinie:
Then crueltie I wrackt with crueltie,
And to reuenge the wrong that earst he wrought,
With losse of lyfe his lawlesse lust he bought.

3.

This _Sigebert_ the _Saxons_ rulde by west,
Their auncient lawes he at his lyst did chaunge,
For which his commons did him much detest:
The duke of _Cornwell_ woulde not let him raunge
Thus at his wyll, but wisht him like a friend,
To mende his faultes, or els his life to ende:
Then he in rage this duke my master’s lyfe,
His cruel handes bereaude with blooddy knife.

4.

A lawelesse life to lawlesse death dooth hale,
When witlesse wil wyl passe the powere of may:
Then il mishappe dooth drowne in dolour’s dale
The peruerse prince, whose wit doth beare the sway:
Iust _Abel’s_ blood to God for vengeance calde,
For blood with blood the bloodsheader is thralde,
And him whom here before you I present,
For sheading bloode, my blade his lyfe hath hent.

5.

As he three yeares his people did oppresse,
Then they whose backe that burden coulde not beare,
With one consent they did his state distresse,
To reaue him of his crowne they did not feare,
They him desposde from honour and renowne:
His hateful happe so frowardly did frowne,
That he who had a kingdome but of late,
Forlorne he nowe must begge from gate to gate.

6.

Doo nothing muse at his deserued happe,
For many more as he their liues haue led:
_Ioue’s_ vengeance iust such wretches dooth inwrappe
With change most strange, when he their blood will shed:
Of _Dionise_ of _Syracusia_,
Of _Neroe’s_ death of _Phalaris_ decay,
Who list to reade, he passing plaine shal finde,
That he of heauen their sorrow hath assignde.

7.

And out of doubte God did ordayne the fal
Of him, whom here I headlesse haue in hand,
Who wandring in a wood amidst his thral
I mette by chaunce, of whom I did demaund
His name, and place: who thus replide with feare:
“O friende, I am for meate nowe staruen wel neare,
Giue me therefore I thee beseech and pray
Some meate to keepe my carkasse from decay.”

8.

Some pilgrime poore, or wayfaring man him straight
I iudgde, and gaue him what my scrippe would yeelde;
And whilst we both thus on a banke dyd baite,
From sighes and sobbes himselfe he coulde not wielde,
Which made me aske agayne his name and place,
But silent he did mourne with frowning face:
Yet at the last by vrging too and fro,
He thus declarde the cause of al his woe.

9.

“O miser I, more wretch then thee by much,
I neuer coulde compare with thine estate,
This hearde of swine against thee neuer grutch;
I kept a hearde, which did their heardman hate,
A hateful heard of murmuring men I meane,
Which dyd depriue me of my[1215] honour cleane:
And now I leade my lothsome life you see,
Impalde amidste a maze of misery.

10.

“With chaunged chaunce (aye me) I chased am,
And frowning fate such sorrowe hath assignde,
That lothing life, most like a quiet lambe,
My naked necke to blocke of bale I binde:
With cruell knife (O care) come shread my twist,
So shall my soule by corps decay be blist:
But sith that care nor fate wil doo this deed,
Doo thou the same I thee beseech, with speede.

11.

“First hatefull hope with flattering face did faune,
With dreade when deepe despaier would me haue drownde,[1216]
Then chaunged chaunce did checke me with the paune
Of woful want, when good successe did sound
A blessed blast: and nowe (to tel the truth)
I haue the mate, by raging rooke of ruth:[1217]
Lo thus I liue, which dayly wishe to dye,
And life (alas) dooth make my misery.

12.

“If lothsome life (of this my corps) the king
Dooth moue one way, the bishope bids me backe:
If to that poynt the queene me backe doth bring,
On th’other side, the knight dooth woorke my wracke,
The other poyntes with paunes be al possest,
And here the rooke of ruth dooth reaue my rest:
And being brought into this strange estate,
I do confesse my selfe to haue a mate.

13.

“Sith sorrowe so hath seasde vpon my bones,
That nowe too late I doo lament my losse,
And sith no meanes may turne my gastfull grones
To ioyfull glye, sith trouble still doth tosse
Me to and fro, in walteryng waues of woe:
Death is my friend, and life I compt my foe:
Which death though once my feeble fleshe did feare,
Yet now I fayne would feele his murdring speare.

14.

“In gurging gulfe of these such surging seas,
My _pouer_ soule who drown’d you wil request,[1218]
I wretched wight haue sought mine owne disease,
By myne owne meanes my state it was distrest:
For whilst I meant to make my lust a lawe,
Iustice me from my high estate did drawe:
So that I fynde, and feele it nowe with payne,
Al worldly pompe, al honour is but vayne.

15.

“Which honour I to fiery flames compare,
For when they flash and flourishe most of all,
Then suddaynely their flamings quenched are:
For proofe whereof, to minde nowe let vs cal
_Antigonus_, and _Ptollemeus_ great,
_Cæsar_ and _Mithridate_, we may repeat,
With _Darius_, and great _Antiochus_,
_Cambises_ eke, and conquering _Pyrrhus_.

16.

“And I the last myght fyrst haue had my place,
They al as I with flaming fierie showe,
Were quenched quite: dame fortune did deface,
Yea hatefull happe, euen then did ouerthrowe
Vs most, when most we had our harte’s desire:
When most we flourisht like the flames of fyre,
Euen then the seas of sorowe did preuayle,
And made vs weare a blacke wamenting[1219] sayle.

17.

“And here before my death, I wyl repeate
To thee the thing which I of late did dreame,
That thou and al the worlde may see, how great
A care it is to rule a royal realme:
My dreame shal showe, that blisse doth not consist
In wealth nor want: but he alone is blest,
Who is content with his assigned fate,
And neuer striues to clime to higher state.

18.

“When seemely _Sol_ had rest his glittering gleames,
And _Nox_ the earth with darkenesse did imp[a]le:[1220]
Dame _Sinthia_ then with her bright burnishte beames,
The shadowed shades of darkenesse did assayle,
Then _Somnus_ causde my senses al to quayle:
On careful couche then being layde to rest,
With doubtful dreames I strangely was distrest.

19.

“In cottage colde where care me thought did keepe,
With naked neede and want of wherewithal:
Where pouertie next begger’s doore did creepe,
And where expences were so passing smal,
That al men deemde that man forethrong’d with thral,
Which there did dwel, euen there from bondage free,
I viewde a man al voyde of miserie.

20.

“And whilst I musde how he in bliue of blisse
Coulde leade his life amidst that caue of care,
From princely court proceeded eare I wist,
A man, with whom there might no man compare:
His wealth, his wit, his courage were so rare,
That none before nor since were like to him:
Yet he mee thought in waues of woe did swimme.

21.

“This man had al that men could wyshe or craue
For happy state, yet nought he had in deede:
The other, he had nought that men would haue,
Yet had he al, beleeue it as thy creede:
This saying of that happy man I reade,
That hauing nought, yet al thinges so I haue,
That hauing nought, I nothing more doo craue.

22.

“The king mee thought with al his courtly trayne,
Past to the place where pouertie did dwel,
With frowning face and with a troubled brayne,
With woe and want, his vexed vaynes did swell,
With myrth and ioy the poore man did excel:
And being come vnto his house ymade
Of one poore hogsheadde, thus to him he sayde.

23.

“'_Diogenes_, thou lead’st a lothsome life,
Me thinke thou might’st much better spend thy time
Within my court, both thou and eeke thy wife:
Thou by that meanes to high estate maist clime:
I haue the wealth, and thou art voyde of crime,
And loe, before thy face, I here am prest
To geue thee that, which thou shalt nowe request.’

24.

“'Stand backe (sir kyng) thy vaunting vowes be vaine,
I nothing recke, thy promise, goodes, nor lande,
And _Titan’s_ stately streames would me sustayne
With heate, if thou from thys my doore wouldst stande:
Thou tak’st away much more then thy commaunde
Can geue agayne: thy giftes so vile I deeme,
That none but fooles such follies do esteeme.

25.

“'With conquest thou hast wonne the worlde so wide,
And yet thou canst not winne thy wandring wyll:
Thou wouldest winne an other worlde beside:
But tushe, that facte doth farre surpasse thy skyll:
Thou neuer wilt of conquest haue thy fyll,
Til death with daunting darte hath conquer’d thee,
Then must thou leue behynd, thy monarchie.

26.

“'With greate assaultes my selfe I haue subdude,
In all respectes, I haue my harte’s desyre,
With a contented minde I am endude,
To hygher state I neuer will aspire:
More like a prince then any pore esquire,
I leade my life: and sith my state is such,
Aske thou of me, for I can geue thee muche.’

27.

“All dasht with dreade me thought in fuming heate,
He sayd, departing thence in hast with speede:
'If I were not _Alexander_ the great,
I would become _Diogenes_ indeed,
Who leades his life al voyd of woeful dread:
He hath the welth which I cannot obtayne,
I haue the welth which wise men do disdayne.

28.

“'I liue in feare, I languishe al in dreade,
Welth is my woe, the causer of my care,
With feare of death I am so il bestead,
That restlesse I much like the hunted hare,
Or as the canuiste kite, doth feare the snare:
Ten hundred cares haue brought me to the baye,
Ten thousand snares for this my lyfe men laye.

29.

“'When _Philip_ he of _Macedon_ the king,
One realme me lefte, I could not be content,
Desier prickte me to an other thing,
To winne the worlde it was my whole intent,
Which donne, another worlde to winne I ment:
When least I had, then most I had of blesse,
Now, al the worlde, and al vnquietnesse.

30.

“'No woe to want of contentation,
No welth to want of riches and renowne,
For this is seene in euery nation,
The highest trees be sonest blowen downe,
Ten kinges do dye before one clubbishe clowne:
_Diogenes_ in quiet tunne doth rest,
When _Cæsar_ is with carking care distrest.’

31.

“Wherewith me thought he was departed quite,
And _Morpheus_ that sluggishe god of sleepe,
Did leaue my limmes, wherewith I stoode vpright,
Deuising long what profite I could reape
Of this my dreame, which playnly did expresse
That neyther want nor wealth doth make man’s blesse:
Who hath the meane with a contented minde,
Most perfect blesse his God hath him assignde.

32.

“But I, who liude a crowned king of late,
And nowe am forste of thee to begge my bread,
I cannot be content with this estate,
I lothe to liue, I would I wretch were deade,
Despayer she doth feede me with decay,
And pacience is fled and flowne away:
Doe thou therefore, O heardeman, play thy parte,
Take thou this blade, and thrust it to my harte.”

33.

“O Sir,” I sayd, “the goddes defend that I
Should causelesse kil a man in myserye,
Tel me thy name and place, then by and by
I wyl prouide for thyne aduersitie:”
Then he replide: “My name is _Sigeberte_,
I am the man which wrought thy master’s smart:
I rulde of late this realme euen at my liste,
Take thou reuenge with that thy friendly fiste.”

34.

“And wel content: I wyl reuenge with speede,
The death of him whome causelesse thou didst kill:
King _Sigebert_, and art thou he indeede?
Sith he thou art, dispacth and make thy wyl;
For to my lorde this day I wyl present
Thy head: therefore thy former faultes repent,
Thou seest the blocke on which thy lyfe must ende,
Call thou for grace that God may mercie send.”

35.

Wherewith he kneelyng by the blocke of bale,
“Dispatch,” quoth he, “and do that friendly deede:
O welcome death, and farewel fortune fraile,
Dispatch good friende, dispatch my lyfe with speede.”
Wherewith, on blocke he stretcht his necke outright,
And sayd no more, but praying me to smite:
I gaue the stroke which ended al his care,
A blouddie stroke, which did my death prepare.

36.

For I who hopte to haue some great rewarde
For killing of my maister’s father’s foe:
Was hanged strayght, my cause was neuer hearde,
Such was my chance and wel deserued woe:
For when my lord had heard me tel the tale,
Howe I his king and myne did there assayle,
His frowning face did put me in great feare,
He sighte and sobde, and sayd as you shal heare.

37.

“O caitife vile, O impe of Satan’s seede,
And hast thou kylde our soueraigne lorde and kyng?
His due deserte deserueth death indeede,
Yet what made thee to doo so vile a thinge?
What though he dyd my father causelesse kyll?
What though he rulde the realme with lawlesse wyll?
Shall we therefore, with cruel bloudy knyfe,
Depriue our lorde and king of vitall lyfe?

38.

“O filth fye, may[1221] subiects false surmise,
With murthering mindes their gouernour resiste?
That may not be: for _Tully_ wonderous wyse,
_Plato_, in whom true knowledge dooth consiste,
They both agreed that no man ought to kyll
A tyrant, though he hath hym at his wyll:
Yet thou (thou wretche) this bloudy deed hast donne,
The like was neuer seene vnder the sunne.

39.

“When God wyl plague the people for their sinne,
Them then to scourge he doth a tyrant sende,
We should therefore that subiectes be, begin
With earnest minde our former faultes t’amende;
Which if we do, it is to great auaile,
Man’s force is fonde, fighting cannot preuayle:
And he who doth resist the magistrate,
Resisteth God, repenting al to late.

40.

“If subiects be by peruerse prince opprest,
They then must pray that God the change maye make:
Which God no doubt rebellion doth detest,
No subiect may his sword nor[1222] armoure take
Against his prince, whom God hath placed there:
Yet hath this wretch al voyde of subiecte’s feare,
Destroyde a king whome God did thrust from throne:
Alas, poore king, thy death I do bemone.

41.

“But he who hath thy lyng’ring lyfe destroyde,
Shal be destroyd, and finde it passing playne,
That no man may a prince’s lyfe anoye:
Although the prince desiers to be slayne,
Yet subiectes must from sheading bloud refrayne:
From which, seeing that this wretch could not abstayne,
Let him be hangde as I before decreed,
A iust rewarde for his so vile a deed.”

42.

Then I forthwith to end my lyfe was led,
I hopte to haue preferment for my deede,
I was preferde, and hangde al saue the head:
Did euer man the lyke example read?
Not one I thinke: therefore, good _Memorie_,
In register inrolle thou this for mee,
That they who liue and read the fall I felt,
May finde how fate most strangely with me delte.

43.

Yet my desert doubt dyd death deserue,
Though hatred dyd not make mee kyll my kyng,
Yet lucre lewde dyd force my feete to swarue,
That hatefull hap mee to this bale dyd bring:
Let them then learne that heedlesse liue by hope,
Her hatefull hestes wyll bring them to the rope:
And happy he, who voyde of hope can leade
A quiet lyfe, all voyd of fortune’s dread.

44.

_Perillus_, he who made the bull of brasse,
Lyke him I hopte to haue some great rewarde,
But he in brasen belly broyled was,
And to a skarfe of hempe I was preferde:
So they that meane by other’s harmes to rise,
Their dying day shall ende with dolefull cries:
And here I ende, approuing that most true,
From wicked workes no goodnesse can insue.

[THE INDUCTION.

“This heardman,” quoth _Inquisition_, “dooth make me cal to minde _Pan’s_ preachers. I meane _Maroe’s_ shepherds, _Siluanus_, _Candidus_, and such lyke, who with their oten pipes dyd often times disclose very intricate mysteries, reasoning _pro et con_ of many high poynts belonging vnto the common weale. And I know not with what knowledge they dyd decide doubtfull matters, accordyng vnto the opinyon of the best philosophers. Surely, _Memorie_, I maruel much at the men of the olde worlde, for I read of many who hauing many passing great giftes of learning and knowledge, were content with the base estate of heardmen. In these our dayes, none bee heardmen but fooles, and euery man, though his witte be but meane, yet he cannot liue with a contented mind except he hath the degree of a lorde.” “It is moste true,” sayde _Memorye_, “for heretofore men did not raunge vntryed in such a worlde of libertye as they doo nowe; then the wisest was best content with the lowest estate: yea, reason so bridled the affections of men, that _Apollo_, whome poetes do faygne to be the verye god of wisedom, what was he but a shepehearde, and that verye poore as it woulde seeme, for he kepte _Admetus’_ hearde in _Thessalie_. And _Argus_, who for the sharpnesse of his wit was reported to haue an hundred eies, he also was content to be a cowheard. And were not _Bacchus_, _Saturne_, and mighty _Iupiter_, delighted in husbandrie? But he who is most wyse in these our dayes doth approue himselfe most folish, by thrusting himselfe vnto his owne destruction, which this heardman hath declared sufficiently in this storie of _Sigebert_. But let vs nowe proceede, and let vs, by examples, teach what fruit vertue and vice, contentation and ambition, doth yeeld. Then let them of this world choose, whether lyke the wise mariners they wil auoyd those dangerous rocks, or willingly cast themselues away. Proceede therefore, good _Inquisition_, and let vs see whom you haue here.” “Shee will declare her selfe,” quoth _Inquisition_, “what she is: but for the better vnderstanding of her talke you must think that you see fifty-one nunnes, al ladies by birth, hauing all their noses and vpper lippes flead of, al flaming in a fire, being shut into a church: then do you imagine that you see this lady, the mistris and gouerner of the rest, standing dismembred and burning amongst the rest, to say as foloweth.”]

THE LYFE OF LADYE EBBE.

How Lady Ebbe dyd flea her nose and vpper lippe away,
to saue her virginitie.[1223]

1.

Do nothing muse at my deformed face,
For nature it in perfect moulde dyd make:
And when your wits haue wayed well the case,
You wyll commende me much for vertue’s sake:
With these my handes which from my face dyd take
Mine ouer-lippe, and eke my seemely nose,
So to auoyde the rage of all my foes.

2.

For I by byrth a prince’s daughter borne,
An abbiesse by my profession,
Of which estate I neuer thought it scorne,
It greatly did delight me to be one,
Which might erect diuine religion:
At _Collingam_ I tooke this charge in hand,
And fiftie more of chaste _Dianae’s_ bande.

3.

Al ladies borne by birth of high degree,
Which there did vowe with me their liues to leade,
And to auoyd carnall fragilitie,
We al did vowe as you ryght wel may reade,
With single liues to liue in feare and dreade
Of God our lorde, so to refrayne the vice
Of fleshly luste, which doth to sinne intice.

4.

Then did the _Danes_ the _Saxon_ state inuade,
And they who did the _Brittayne_ state destroy,
To sue for grace were glad and wel apayd,
So strangely did the _Danes_ vs then annoye,
That _Saxons_ like the men of broyling _Troy_,
Amazde, they gazde, not knowing what was best,
So strayghtly were the _Saxons_ then distrest.

5.

These dreadful _Danes_ they had no feare of God,
But sauage, they did make their lust a lawe,
Whome God did send for a reuenging rod,
To make vs _Saxons_ liue in feare and awe
Of him, who did from seruile bondage drawe
Vs out, and made vs liue at libertie,
When as we serude with cruel slauerie.

6.

Not much vnlike the murmuryng _Israelites_,
Sometyme we serude our Lorde with feare and dread
In trouble we imployde our whole delightes,
To fast and pray: but when we quiet were,
We restlesse led our liues, all voyde of care,
Forgetting him who did in ech distresse,
With helping hande vs blesse with good successe.

7.

See here the fruit of health and good successe,
It maketh man both proude and insolent:
In health we hate the God who hath vs blest,
Trouble doth make vs mortall men repent
Our former faultes: in sickenesse we be bent
To fast and pray, and in aduersitye,
To pray to God, is man’s felicitye.

8.

And for this fault abusing this our blesse,
The _Danes_ with ruth our realme did ouerrunne,
Their wrath inwrapte vs all in wretchednesse,
There was no sinne from which those men did shunne:
By them the commonweale was quite vndonne:
They did destroy the state of euery towne,
They churches burnt, they pluckt the abbies downe.

9.

Yet not content, vs nunnes they did annoy,
O cruel deede, our beltes they did vnbynde,
With rapine they dyd rauishe and destroy,
Deflowring al that euer they could finde:
I seeing then what sorrow was assignde
To me and mine, my vowed virgines I
Did call, then thus I spake with weeping eye:

10.

“Alas! alas! my louing ladies all,
These harde mishappes doo presse vs too to neare:
What shall we do? how may we scape the thrall
Which hath destroyde the nunneries euery where?
Alas, my feeble fleshe doth quake for feare:
Alas, howe shall we scape their cruelties,
Which thus be plast amidst extremities?

11.

“For if we do their hatefull heastes deny,
Then dreadfull death shall presently insue:
And if we graunt vnto their villany,
Our sinfull soules in hell that deed shall rue:
Beleeue me then, my ladies, this is true,
Much better twer for vs to dye with fame,
Then long to liue, with euerlasting shame.

12.

“And for because the face’s forme doth moue
With beautie’s beames and comly countenaunce,
The minde of man to lust and lawlesse loue,
I haue deuizde my honour to aduaunce,
With face deformde to trye my hard mischaunce:
For these my handes from this my face shall rippe,
Euen with this knife, my nose and ouerlippe.

13.

“They which will flye reprochfull infamye,
To do the like will them beseeme the best,
You shal preserue your vowde virginitie
Therby, and liue perhappes with quiet rest:
My daughters deare, geue eare vnto my hest.”
Wherewith, with rasors sharpe, I first, then they,
Eche one her nose, and lippe did flea away.

14.

Whilste thus we liu’d deformde to outwarde showe,
Yet vessels garnisht gaye before God’s sight,
The _Danes_ did vs inuade, who strayght did knowe
Our feate, them to defeate of their delight:
For which they wrackt on vs their wicked spight:
With fiery flames they burnt our nunnery,
And vs therein: O wretched crueltie![1224]

15.

The eare of man the like hath neuer hearde,
No penne, nor tounge the like hath euer tolde,
Had euer man a hart that was so harde,
That with his yron brest durst be so bolde,
To do the like agaynst the femine kinde?
Not on in fayth that euer I coulde heare,
But these all voyde of mercye, loue, and feare.

16.

Thus we content to leaue this present life,
In hope to haue hereafter’s better blesse,
Were brent and broyld, and so did stint the strife
Which might haue made vs liue in wretchednesse:
We gaynde therby a heauenly happinesse:
Which happinesse they doubtlesse shall obtayne,
Which do from sinne and wickednesse abstayne.

[THE INDUCTION.

“O _Diana_,” quoth _Memory_, “bryng foorthe your damosels, let vs se if any of your court haue donne the like deuoier to saue theyr virginities. But seeing that writers haue made mention of none that might compare wyth her, both for the goodnesse of the cause, and the valiaunt goyng through with the quarrel, mee thinke shee shoulde rather be esteemed a goddesse then thou, and her trayne rather the ladies of chastity then thine. Geue thou place, therfore, and let this lady haue thy seate. But (good _Inquisition_) this woman liued in the golden worlde; let vs enquire, in this our yron age, yf there be any which do come any thyng neare vnto her.” “Alas, not one,” quoth _Inquisition_, “for as shee, in her time, did dismember her wel membred body to preserue the iewel which she esteemed of so greate a price, so now a multitude may be founde who furnishe theyr vnperfite personages with all kinde of foolishe fylthy furnitures, to bestowe that on euery he who wil haue it, which she was so desyrous to keepe. But let vs nowe heare this man’s matter: it is _Alurede_, who if he had not beene geuen vnto one kinde of vice had passed _Arthur_ for warres, and _Lucy_ for godlinesse.” “What vice was that?” quoth _Memory_. “You neede not enquire,” quoth _Inquisition_, “for he is euen now repeating his history:” wherewith he sayd as foloweth.]

[THE COMPLAYNT OF ALUREDE.[1225]

Howe Alurede was brought vnto disease and vnto vntimely
death, being inclined vnto the sinne of the fleshe.
By hys example we may learne that one vice is
sufficient to deface a hundred vertues.

1.

My wrinckled cheeks bedeawde with drops of dole,
My visage pale, my wan and withered face,
Do wel declare how I haue runne my race:
And sith I must my doinges here inrolle,
The liues of them which liue for to controlle,
I am content my cruel wretched case
Shall teach the way, how all men may imbrace
The knowledge how they honour may obtayne,
And how they may from falling there remayne.

2.

Though many clime by many meanes a hye,
Yet few on toppe can sit in suer seate:
For euery storme an ouerthrowe doth threate
To them, who get the toppe by crueltie;
Whose suddayne fall doth tell their trechery:
But they who will their heades for honour beate,
And flye the fall, the greefe whereof is greate,
Let them renowne their former factes with fame,
And shunne the path which leades man’s life to shame.

3.

Who walketh in this wildernesse of woe,
And loue’s aloft on flitting fame to flee,
Must pace the pathes of mother mysery:
That man through gastfull greefe must goe,
By thousande thickes which wrapped are with wo:
By daunger’s denne where lucking she dooth lye,
By hatred’s house, where spite wil thee espye,
By caue of care, by wofull crye, alas,
His manly minde with courage stout must passe.

4.

By plesaunt playne where pleasure doth place
Her princely pallace paynted passing fine,
To gazing eyes where glitteryng glasse doth shine
Of beautie’s blaze, where feature fine of face,
Where ladye loue doth vaunte with garishe grace,
Where vayne delight doth drawe that lothsome line,
Which maketh man from vertue to decline:
Be wise and ware, and lothe theyr luering lookes,
Least craftye _Cupide_ catch thee in his hookes.

5.

To pleasure’s court a company doth come,
Euen fame to finde, the losse I do lament,
For flitting fame, them rumor rud hath hent,
Which doth declare their dole til day of dome:
With tooth and nayle which trauaile, there be some
Vertue to finde, where when some time is spent
Her to obtayne, and that with good intent,
They weary by the way do stay their race,
And rest them in this pleasaunt bitter place.

6.

They meane as there no long delayes to make,
But _Bacchus’_ comely carpites so do please,
Such courtly caues, such mirth, such quiet ease
They haue, that they to _Venus_ them betake,
The wearye wayes of vertue they forsake:
Those trustlesse traynes from dolor, and disease,
Doubtlesse do come to drowne in surging seas
Of secrete smarte, those which do them delight:
Flee thou therfore this courte, with speedy spight.

7.

From pleasure’s place, when thou shalt turne thy face,
The high may then discretion wil thee shewe
To vertue’s lodge, which thou right well mayst know
By such as dwell about that pleasaunt place:
A hundred vertues raunging on a rowe,
Thou there shalt see, how fame her trumpe doth blowe,
For greate exploytes: where when thou art renownde,
Then fame thy name through all the world shal sounde.

8.

And when thou hast obtainde that place with payne,
There is no doubt desert will honour haue,
Which being had, beware that waltering waue
Of wordly lust, which vertue doth disdayne,
Beware least thou thy former deedes doost staine:
For he who could himself from sinning saue,
He seeking that which most his minde did craue:
Which being founde, his feeble feet dooe faynt,
And strayght he doth with sinne himselfe acquaynt.

9.

When man hath most of that he doth desire,
Then most the fleshe doth force the soule to sinne,
The ende doth proue how wel we do beginne:
For he who doth from vertue’s lore retire,
His wretched ende doth make the worlde admire:
Let him therfore which will the garlond winne,
Euen to the end auoyde the hatefull ginne
Which Satan sets, with traynes of tastlesse bayte,
The glosse whereof prognosticates desayght.

10.

What gayne is got by him who runnes in hast,
If that his stumbling feete do make delay?
An other man doth beare the price away,
He got no game, one fall hath hym defast:
Euen so that man from fame is quite displaste,
If once his feete in vice’s steppes do stay,
As may appeare by me, and my decay:
For once I slipt, one vice did me deface,
One onely vice did _Alurede_ disgrace.

11.

I the fourth sonne of _Ethelwolfus_ king,
Twice tenne and eight I wore the _Saxon_ crowne,
For martial feates I had a greate renowne,
My gouernaunce was good in euery thing,
I rulde my realme to euery man’s liking,
My stature tall, my face did neuer frowne,
My learning did deserue a lawrell crowne,[1226]
My wisedome and my iustice purchast fame,
My courage bolde dyd much extoll the same.

12.

In seuen conflictes I did the _Danes_ destroy,
But more ariude which did me more molest,
Yet they likewise were by my meanes destrest:
But when my strength their strength could not destroy,
I did deuise a pretty pleasant toy,
By meanes whereof my _Saxon_ soyle was bleste:
Amidst my fone I minstrel like did ieste,
I playd the part of _Scoggin Skelton’s_ mate,
Transformde, I trudgde about from gate to gate.

13.

In minstrel’s robes my fiddle tuned fine,
With warbling notes my toung the song did sing,
Myne eyes and harte did note eche other thing
That there was done: first how they did incline,
There lothesome liues, much like to filthie swine:
I playd my part before their hoggish king,
A part which him and his to bale did bring:
For when I knewe their purposed intent,
By my returne I made them al repent.

14.

For in the night I did their campe inuade,
With bloddye blade I did destroy them al,
And those which did as then escape the thrall,
Of infidels them christened men I made,[1227]
And though with warres my realme were quite decay’d,
Yet at the laste after so greate a fal,
I wonne the price that pleasde me most of al:
Euen quiet peace a blesse of al the best,
The frute whereof is nothing els but rest.

15.

Thus being blest with peace and quiet rest,
At _Oxford_ I a grammer schoole did buyld,
By meanes whereof my common weale was filde
With learned men: and hauing thus my hest,
A abbies buylt, esteeming it the best,
That God who me in al my warres did wielde,
And me preserude euen with his myghtie shielde,
That he in peace the only prayse myght haue,
I buylded up religious houses braue.

16.

At _Winchester_ the minster there I made,
At _Shaftesburye_ I buylt a nunnerye,
I daily did erect diuinitie:[1228]
All which good deedes euen by one wicked trade,
Were quite defaste and from my fame did fade:
O hateful thing that fuming fantasye,
Should make a man that seeth, not to see:
Alas, I byte on pleasure’s bytter bayte,
Whose hateful hookes are couered with desayte.

17.

In lawlesse loue I had a great delyght,
That sugered sweete of little lasting ioye,
Those luering lookes of dayntie damsels coy,
Made me committe that lyke a carpite knighte,
I did consume ful many a day and nyght
With such delyghtes as did my name anoye,
My health and life at last they did destroy:
Yea these delightes did so my fame deface,
That now with shame I blushe to shewe my face.

18.

Those lewde delightes did drawe me to disease,
Consuming sicknesse brought me verye lowe,
Phisitions they _Sicus_[1229] that euil do know,
A kinde of sore which did me much displease,
It alwayes did bereaue me of my ease:[1230]
On partes belowe that gryping griefe doth growe,
On me my God a iust reuenge did show,
And at the last continuing in my sinne,
I lost my lyfe, and hateful hel did winne.

19.

What though I did from forayne foes defend
My _Saxon_ soyle, with thrice renowmed fame:
What though I rulde with equitie the same:[1231]
What though to buyld vp abbies I did bend
My selfe, and prayd that God his worde would send:
Though these good deedes did honour much my name,
Yet these defaste with deedes of foule defame,
Be of no price: for filthie fleshly luste
Destroyd them al, and layd them in the duste.[1232]

20.

For as you see dissolued clowdes with rayne
The beames of _Phebus_ do deface:
Euen so one sinne did al my vertues race,
They blemished myne honor with disdayne,
So that I finde al vertue is in vayne,
If vices be with vertue linkt in place,
On vice an hundred vertues doth disgrace:
Therefore the man who hopeth for renowme,
Must fight with flesh, and beate al vices downe.

21.

And hee who can his raging wyl resiste,
Is much more strong then _Alexander_ greate,
Who wonne the worlde, yet had he not the feate,
With conquest to compel his lawlesse liste,
To do the thing whereby he might be bliste:
But they who hope to haue a heauenly seate,
Their lust and fleshly fancies downe must beate:
And hereby me you may perceiue at large,
The thinges which God committeth to man’s charge.]

[THE INDUCTION.

“It is requisite,” quoth _Memory_, “that now you seeke for _Edmund Ironside’s_ father, I meane _Egelrede_, of some writers called _Etheldrede_, who as his predecessor, _Alurede_, had but one vice, so hee had neuer a vertue. In whose time the _Danes_ dyd more then ouerrunne _England_, for they ruled and raigned ouer the whole realme, and although a very valiant impe proceeded out of his raynes, who for his ablenesse to indure paynes and trauayle, was surnamed _Ironside_; yet had not _William_, duke of _Normandy_, nephew vnto the saide _Edmunde_, made a conquest therof, the _Danes_ no doubte had ruled it euen vnto this day. It is necessary, therfore, that we heare this man’s complaynt.” “I haue hym here,” quoth _Inquisition_, “but I haue no minde to heare him speake, for seeing he dyd dispise all vertue and learnyng, it is to be thought that hee wyll tell a crooked tale, such a one as wil (I feare except it be fyled after him) deforme all the rest. But I wyl take paynes to polish that which he roughly doth frame.” “Not at all,” quoth _Memorie_, “the browne byl is a goodly weapon: and let it suffise if the matter wyll beate downe vice, let the meeter delight as it may.” “Seeing you saye so,” quoth _Inquisition_, “I am content that by the example of his death, he may admonish all the worlde to flee the fall which he felt.” Wherewith he stepped forth, and saide as foloweth.]

THE COMPLAYNT OF EGELREDE.

How Egelrede for his wickednesse was diuerslye distressed
by the Danes, and lastly dyed for sorrow, [seeing
himselfe not able to deale with Canutus.][1233]

1.