Chapter XXIII: Part II: By THOMAS BLENER-HASSET (6)

[238] A line as vigorous and musical as Dryden.

[239] My haplesse deeds of yore, the same may I. N.

[240] But I. ed. 1575.

[241] Ill. ib.

[242] Force. ib.

[243] And. ib.

[244] So. ed. 1575.

[245] His. ib.

[246] Lovely. N.

[247] No Lady went on earthely grounde. ed. 1575.

[248] Euer chaunge my minde. ib.

[249] Where he declar’d what promise I did make. N.

[250] Never. 1575.

[251] “The singuler great loue and affection that he bare vnto the saide Eastrilde coued not yet out of his minde and be forgotten, wherfore he made a Caue vnder the ground in the Citie of Troynouant and enclosed her therein--insomuch as he had the companie of her the space of vij yeres full, aud none knewe it, but a fewe of his verie familyer and faythfull friendes.” _Grafton._

[252] Likewise my Elstride I as Queene ordain’d. N.

[253] Rais’d. N.

[254] Or. 1575.

[255] For. N.

[256] Stura stream. 1575.

[257] Fabian varies from the other chronicles by stating the death of Locrine as in the life time of Gwendoline’s father; as she “beynge sore discontent, excyted her Fader and frendes to make warre vpon the sayd Lotryne her husbande. In the which warre, lastly, he was slayne when he reygned or ruled Loegria, or Logiers, after the concordaunce of moste wryters XX yers; And was buryed by his Fader in the cytie of Troynouant.” This might be the authority of our author for relating his burial at Troynouant as the stanza appears in the first edition.

Then was I brought to Troynouant, and there
My body was enterrid as you reade:
When I had raigned all out twenty yere:
Lo thus I liude and thus became I deade:
Thus was my crowne depriued from my heade,
And all my pompe, my princely troupe and trayne,
And I to earth and duste resolude againe. (1575.)

[258] Now warne estates, ib.

[259] No false deceit deceiues. N.

[260] Edition 1575 has only seven lines in this stanza: it concludes thus

For though ye colour all, with coate of right:
Yet can no fained farde deceiue his sight.

THE AUTHOUR.

With that this king was vanisht quite and gone,
And as a miste dissolued into ayre:
And I was left with Morpheus all alone,
Who represented straight a Lady faire,
Of frendes depriude and left in deepe dispaire:
As eke she spake, all wet in cordes fast bounde,
Thus tolde she how she was in waters drounde.

[261] Woman. ed. 1575.

[262] The first saue three amongst vs all. ib.

[263] “Eastrildis so farre excelled in bewtie, that none was then lightly found vnto her comparable, for her skin was so whyte that scarcely the fynest kind of Iuorie that might be found, nor the snowe lately fallen downe from the Elament, or the Lylles did passe the same.” _Grafton._

[264] Was. 1575.

[265] Or. ed. 1575.

[266] For. ib.

[267] Night. N.

[268] T’whom. N.

[269] Manhode. ed. 1575.

[270] Or let me on thy Queene be wayting mayde. ib.

[271] Thou. ed. 1575. You. N.

[272] Omitted stanza from ed. 1575.

As for my Queene as yet I none possesse,
Therefore thou rather maiste voutchsafe to take
That place thy selfe, then waite on her I gesse,
Whose beautie with thy face no match can make:
The Gods denye that I thy heste forsake;
I saue thy life, eke God forbid that I
Should euer cause so fayre a Ladie die.

[273] In. ed. 1575.

[274] Mine armes and giue me libertie at will. N.

[275] With whom such fauour I did after find. N.

[276] Have. ib.

[277] Sayd. ib.

[278] Constraineth one mine Elstride to imbrace. N.

[279] So, in both.

[280] Yet faithlesse in his promise he did proue. N.

[281] _i. e._ sorrow.

[282] Attainde. ed. 1575.

[283] Not be Locrinus wife. ed. 1575.

[284] Radge. ib.

[285] Parents. ib.

[286] Woman. ib.

[287] Ladye fayre. ib.

[288] This. ed. 1575.

[289] Tygres. ib.

[290] Day. N.

[291] What strumpet, think’st, for that thou seemest braue. N.

[292] Seeme. N.

[293]

Ne stoode she still but with hir handes on syde
Walkte vp and down, and oft hir palmes she stroke;
“My husband now (quoth she) had not thus dyde,
“If such an harlot whore he had not tooke:”
And there withall she gaue me such a looke
As made me quake. ed. 1575.

[294] Thee. ib.

[295] Take. ib.

[296] Wyse. ed. 1575.

[297] Then Elstride now prepare thy selfe therfore. ed. 1575.

[298] And friends. N.

[299] The. 1575.

[300] Striving, ed. 1575.

[301] A Prince’s wife. N.

[302] Myne. ed. 1675.

[303]

Then warne all Ladies that howe much more hie
Then their degrees they clime, mo daungers nye.

ed. 1575.

[304] Flattery refuse. N.

[305] Turning, ed. 1575.

[306] Then bid beware. ib.

[307] THE AUTHOURE.

With that she flitted in the ayre abrode,
As twere a miste or smooke dissolued quite,
And or I long on this had made abode,
A virgine smale, appearde before my sight,
For colde and wet eke scarsly moue she might.
As from the waters drownd didering came,
Thus wise hir tale in order did she frame.

ed. 1575.

[308] Many of the incidents of the preceding lives are united to form the plot of “the lamentable Tragedie of Locrine, the eldest son of King Brutus, discoursinge the warres of the Britaines,” entered in the Stationers Books 1594. The first act shows Brutus sick, making the division of the kingdom among his sons Albanact, Humber, and Locrine. The succeeding acts exhibit their wars on each other, and in the last is that created by Guendoline against Locrine, concluding with his death and those of his concubine and daughter the Lady Sabrine. See Malone’s Supplement, Vol II. p. 189. There is also “an old ballad of a duke of Cornwall’s daughter,” (Guendoline) inserted in Evans’s Ballads, 1784, Vol. I. The respective writers appear to have consulted the Mirror for Magistrates. In the persons represented in the play the author has chosen to deviate from all chronicle history by making “Madan, _daughter_ of Locrine and Guendolen.”

[309] Tis wisedome rather then to winne to saue. ed. 1575.

[310] Elstride or Astrilde, is described by Robert of Gloucester as the stern Guendoline’s “bed suster, hire lordis concubine.”

[311] Flye, flye, thy gelous stepdame seekes thy life. ed. 1575.

[312] Eke. N.

[313] Farewell in woe you cannot scape hir knife. ed. 1575.

[314] Thryse. ib.

[315] Little, ed. 1575.

[316] Sclender. ib.

[317] An omitted stanza from ed. 1575.

Thus throughe the hoste he bare me to my bane,
And shewde the Souldiours what a spoyle he had:
“Loke here (quoth he) the litle Princes tane.”
And laught, and ran as brutish butcher mad;
But my lamenting made the souldiours sad,
Yet nought preuailde, the caytife as his pray
Without all pitie bare me still away.

[318] Till. ed. 1575.

[319] Some saide lo Elstride shee resembleth right. ib.

[320] Some. ib.

[321] Some said the thiefe. ib.

[322] And. ib.

[323] Nought. ib.

[324]

“O Queene (quoth I) God knowes me innocent,
To worke my father’s death I neuer ment.” ed. 1575.

[325] Take. ib.

[326]

This Sabrine hand and foote; at once let see
Her here receyue. ed. 1575.

[327] Which. ib.

[328] Guendoline “made a proclamation throughout all the whole realme of Briteyn that the same water should be euermore called Habren, after the maydens name, for so euen at this day is Seuerne called in the Welsh tongue. And this did she as one desirous to make thereby the name of the yong mayden immortall, because she was her housband’s daughter.” _Grafton._

[329] By this. ed. 1575.

[330] Hence. ib.

[331] Here may you see, the children seldome thee. ib.

[332] Farewell, and tell when Fortune most doth smile. ib.

[333] THE AUTHOUR.

With that the Lady Sabrine slinckt from sight,
I lookt about and then me thought againe
Approched straight another wofull wight:
It seemde as though with dogs he had bin slaine;
The bloud from all his members torne amaine
Ran downe: his clothes were also torne and rente,
And from his bloudy throte these plaintes he sente. ed. 1575.

[334] That. ed. 1575.

[335] Was. ib.

[336]

Durst none aduenture anger mine t’ aswage
If once to freate and fume I did begin;
And I excelde in nothing els but sinne,
So that wel nighe all men did wishe my ende. ed. 1575.

[337] And. N.

[338] In pleasures pleasaunt was my whole repaste, ed. 1575.

[339] This seems a provincial word, as crome is used in Norfolk for a hook. See _Grose’s Glossary_.

[340] Syrtes, a quicksand or bog. _Johnson._

[341] Neuer, ed. 1575.

[342] Vast. N.

[343] The conclusion of this life, from stanza 11, is thus varied in ed. 1575.

Alas that youth (in vayne) so vyly spent,
Should euer cause a king to haue such ende:
Alas that euer I should here lament,
Or else should teache vnto my cost my frende:
Alas that fortune such mishap should sende:
But sithe it is to late for me to crie,
I wishe that others may take hede herebye.

I might full well by wisdome shund this snare,
Tis sayde a wiseman all mishap withstandes.
For though by starres we borne to mischieues are:
Yet prudence bayles vs quite, from carefull bandes,
Eche man (they say) his fate hath in his handes,
And what he makes, or marres to lese, or saue
Of good, or euill, is euen selfe do selfe haue.

As here thou seest by me, that led my dayes
In vicious sorte, for greedy wolues a praye:
Warne others wysely, than to guide their wayes
By mine example, wel eschue they may,
Such vices as may worke their own decay:
Which if they do, full well is spent the time
To warne, to wryte, and eke to reade this rime.

THE AUTHOUR.

When this was said, no more was Madan seene,
(If it were he) but sure I half suspecte
It was some other else, so seru’de had bene,
For that all stories do not so detecte
His death, or else I did perhaps neglecte
His tale, bicause that diuers stories brought,
Such fancies of his death into my thought.

Therefore although it be not as some write
Here pende by me, and yet as others haue:
Let it not greeue thee reade that I recite,
And take what counsaile of good life he gaue:
I trust I may (that dreame) some pardon craue,
For if the reste, no dreames but stories pen:
Can I for that they wryte be blamed then?

No sure, I thinke the readers will not giue
Such captious dome, as Momus erste did vse,
Though Zoilus impes as yet do carping liue:
And all good willing writers much misuse.
Occasion biddes me some such beastes accuse,
Yet for their bawling hurtes me not I nill:
But with my purpose, on procede I will.

Next after that, came one in princely raye
A worthy wight but yonge, yet felt the fall:
It seemde he had bene at some warlike fraye,
His breste was woundid wide and bloudy all:
And as to mynde he musde his factes to call,
Depe sighes he fet, made all his limmes to shake:
At length these wordes, or like to me he spake.

[344] Madan had reigned forty years. Fabian says there is “lytell or no memory made (of him) by any wryters.” As a strict conservator of laws and for “great sapience,” he is briefly eulogised by Harding.

[345] We. ed. 1575.

[346] We neuer could our great, ib.

[347] We. ib.

[348] Our. ib.

[349] We. ib.

[350] Our. ib.

[351] We. ib.

[352] But O we thinke. ib.

[353] We. ib.

[354] Vppon this earth is all the greatest hap. N.

[355] We. ed. 1575.

[356] We. ib.

[357] We. ed. 1575.

[358] We. ib.

[359] And by me. ib.

[360] We. ib.

[361] Manlius, ib.

[362]

Who thinkes an other of his right beguyle,
Himselfe is soonest cleane bereaude of all. ib.

[363] My elder brother, ib. The authority for making this variation was probably Harding, to whose work Higgins may refer as “an old chronicle in a kind of English verse.” (See p. 7.) Harding says, “the yonger Memprise slewe his brother Maulyne, elder of age.” The other writers seem uniform in describing Mempricius as the elder.

[364] Did euer square, ib.

[365] Lou’d me well. ed. 1575.

[366] My brother feared I should haue his right. ib.

[367] I me bore. ib.

[368] I for because I might obtaine the crowne. ib.

[369] Fauoure. ib.

[370] Our. ib.

[371] And I could not from mine. ib.

[372] An additional stanza occurs here in the first edition.

See here, th’ occasion of my haplesse happe,
See here his chaunce that might haue liu’de ful wel:
So baited swete is euery deadly trappe;
In brauiste bowres doth deepest daunger dwell.
I thought mine elder from his right t’expell,
Though he both age and custome forth did bring
For title right: I sayd, I would be King.

[373] Instead of the tenth stanza the following are in the first edition.

Wherefore as eache did watch conuenient time,
For to commit this haynous bloudy facte;
My selfe was taken not accusde of crime,
As if I had offendid any acte,
But he as one that witte and reason lackte,
Sayde traytour vile thou art to me vntrue;
And therwithall his bloudy blade he drewe.

Not like a king but like a cut throte fell;
Not like a brother, like a butcher brute;
Though twere no worse then I deserued well,
He gaue no time to reason or dispute:
To late it was to make for life my suite,
“Take traytoure here (quoth he) thy whole deserte,”
And therwithall he thrust me to the harte.

[374] Chosen. N.

[375] “Lastly by medyacions of frends a day of communycacion in louynge maner attwene these ii bretherne was appoynted, at which day of assemble Mempricius by treason slewe his brother Manlius.” _Fabyan._

[376] Brutishe.

[377] Which likewyse went my brother for to kill. ib.

[378] Which do inuente anothers bloud to spill. ib.

[379]

Vsurping wrong incurres the curse of heauen,
And blood cries out for vengeance at his hand,
Who still in care of humane good is giuen. N.

[380] A step aboue their owne degree. ed. 1575.

[381] I think she. ib.

[382] THE AUTHOURE.

When Manlius had thus endid quite his tale,
He vanishte out of sight as did the reste;
And I perceiued straight a persone pale,
Whose throte was torne and blodied all his breste:
“Shall I” (quoth he) “for audience make requeste,
No sure it nedes not, straunge it semes to thee,
What he that beares this rentid corps should bee.

“Wherefore I deeme thou canst not chuse but bide,
And here my tale as others erste before;
Sith by so straunge a meanes thou seest I dyde,
With rentid throte and breste, thou musist more;
Marke well (quoth he) my ratling voyce therefore:”
And therwithall this tale he gan to tell,
Which I recite, though nothing nere so well. ed. 1575.

[383] In the first edition always called Manlius.

[384] But he that myndes for rule. ed. 1575.

[385] For empire as I did. N.

[386] Must not. ed. 1575.

[387] His impious hands. N.

[388] Is. ed. 1575.

[389] Lookist for to haue. ib.

[390] Wherefore to giue example yet to som. ib.

[391] But sith I must as others tell their fall. ed. 1575.

[392] Eldest. ib.

[393] I deemde was nought vnlawfull. ib.

[394] For. ib.

[395] I was deuoid of doubt. N.

[396] After attaining the crown he “became so lyther a man, that he destroyed within a whyle all the men of his londe.” _Chr. of St. Albans._

[397] So ofter that I felle. ed. 1575.

[398] Lothsome. ed. 1575.

[399] I will declare whence. ib.

[400] Alas I fell. ib.

[401] Might any ill exceed. ib.

[402] Heedes. ed. 1575.

[403] Fainted. ib.

[404] Tender, ed. 1575.

[405] By sudden death, pockes, begging. N.

[406] THE AUTHOUR.

On this me thought he vanisht quite away,
And I was left with Morpheus all alone:
Whom I desirde these gryzely ghostes to stay,
Till I had space to heare them one by one.
And euen with that was Somnus seruaunt gone,
Whereby I slept and toke mine ease that night,
And in the morning rose their tale to wrighte.

Nowe (Reader) if you thinke I miste my marke,
In any thing whilere but stories tolde:
You must consider that a simple clarke,
Hath not such skill theffect of things t’vnfolde,
But may with ease of wiser be controlde:
Eke who so writes as much the like as this,
May hap be deemde likewyse as much to misse.

Wherefore if these may not content your minde
As eche man cannot fauour all mens vaines:
I pray you yet let me this frendship finde,
Giue your good will, I craue nought els for paines.
Which if you grutch me, as to great a gaines:
Then is my loue to you, and labour lost,
And you may learne take heede, with greater cost.

But now me thinkes I heare the carpers tell,
Saith one, the writer wanted wordes to fill:
The next reprou’d the verse not couched well:
The third declares, where lackte a point of skill:
Some others say they like the meeter ill:
But what of this? shall these dismay mee quite?
No sure, I will not cease for such to write.

For with more ease, in other workes they finde
A fault, then take vpon them selues to pen
So much, and eke content eche readers minde:
How should my verse craue all their likings then?
Sith sondry are the sects of diuers men,
I must endeuour only those to please:
Which like that comes, so it be for their ease.

The rest I recke as they blame worthy bee,
For if the words I wrote for good intent:
Take other sence then they receiu’de of mee,
Be turnde to worse, torne, reached, rackt, or rent
Or hackt and hewde, not constret as I ment:
The blame is theirs, which with my workes so mell:
Lesse faulty he, that wisht his country well.

If some be pleasde and easde, I lease no toyle,
At carpers gyrdle hanges not all the keyes:
What price gaines he, that giues him fall or foyle,
Which neuer wan by wrastling any prayse,
I haue not spent in poetrye my dayes,
Some other workes in proase I printed haue:
And more I write for which I leysure saue.

And for mine age not thirty yeares hath past,
No style so rype can yonger yeares attaine.
For of them all, but only ten the last,
To learne the tongues, and write I toke the paine,
If I thereby receiued any gaine,
By Frenche or Latine chiefely which I chose,
These fiue yeares past by writing I disclose.

Of which, the first two yeares I Grammer taught:
The other twaine, I Hulœts worke enlargde:
The last translated Aldus phrases fraught
With eloquence, and toke of Terence charge
At Printers hande, to adde the flowers at large
Which wanted there, in Vdalles worke before!
And wrote this booke with other diuers more.

Then pardon whats amisse, a while giue eare,
So shall you heare the rest that I recite,
Describing next what Princes did appeare:
When I had ended these are past to wrighte.
In slomber as I chaunst to lye one night,
Was Somnus prest, whom I desyrde to sende
His Morpheus ayde, these Tragedies to ende.

Wherewith he graunted my request and calde
For Morpheus straight: which knew wherto he came
I will (quoth he) the rest, whom Fortune thralde
Of Britaynes shewe: thy selfe to heare them frame.
And therewithall he set forth one like Fame.
In fethers all with winges so finely dight,
As twere a birde, in humaine shape of flight.

Yet twas not Fame that femme of painted plume,
He rather seemed Icarus deceau’de,
With winges to flye nighe Phœbus did presume.
At length in deede I plainly well perceau’de,
It was some king of vitall breath bereaude,
From flight he fell presuming farre to hye:
Giue eare take heede and learne not so to flye.

ed. 1575.

[407] “Mempricius the _fyrst_ king of Brytons regned X yere.” _Polychronicon._

[408] Bladud is represented as a prince eager in the pursuit of learning, and of unusual mental acquirements. Having travelled to Athens he had sufficient address to obtain a visit to his native land of four of the most eminent scholars, or philosophers; for whom he founded an University at Stamford with many liberal endowments, and which flourished until the time of St. Augustine, who got the same suppressed on a presumption of heresy among the scholars, He also reputedly discovered the medicinal virtues of the hot-baths at Bath, a circumstance alone sufficient in that remote age to add a fabulous portion in the emblazonment of his character, and a belief, as the Chronicle of St. Albans hath it, that “thrugh his craft of nygromancy he made a meruaylous hote bathe, as the geste telleth.” This same “geste” seems the foundation of the tale in all the Chronicles, which, though often repeated, was early disbelieved. It is best descanted on by the enlightened Treuisa in the Polychronicon. “Bladud, Leyles sone, a nygromancer was the IX kyng of Brytons, he buylded Bathe and called it Caerbadum. Englysshmen called it after Athamannes cyte, but atte last men called it Bathonia that is Bathe.--W[illelmus Malmel.] de pontificum. li. ii. In this cyte welleth vp and spryngeth hote bathes and men wene that Julius Cezar made there suche bathes.--R[anulphus of Chestre]. But Ganfr. Monemutensis in his Brytons book sayth that Bladud made thylkes Bathes: by cause that William [of Malm.] had not seen that brytons book, wrote so, by telling of other men, or by his owne ghessing; as he wrote other thynges, not best aduisedly. Therfore it semeth more sothly that Bladud made not the hote bathes, ne Julius Cezar dyde suche a deede, though Bladud buylded and made the cyte. But it acordeth better to kendly reason that the water renneth in the erthe by veynes of brymstone and sulphure and so is kendely made hote in that cours and spryngeth vp in dyuerse places of the cyte. And so there ben hote bathes that washeth of tetres, soores and skabbes.--Treuisa. Though men myght by crafte make hoote bathes for to dure longe ynough this acordeth well to reason and phylosophye and treateth of hoote welles and bathes that ben in dyuerse londes, though the water of this bathe be more troubly, and heuyer of sauour and of smelle than other hote bathes ben that I haue seen at Akon in Almayne and at Egges in Sauoye, whiche ben as fayre and clere as ony colde welle streme. I haue ben bathed therin and assayed them.”

Higgins, in his account of the learning of Bladud, has closely copied Bale, whose character was then generally known through the medium of Grafton’s chronicle. Perhaps to form the measure on a general model this life was re-written, being first composed in quatrains. It stands thus in the first edition.

_Bladud recyteth haw he practyzing by curious artes to flye, fell and brake his necke. The yeare before Christe 844._

Shall I rehearse, likewyse my name?
And eke a place amongst them fill,
Which at their endes to mischiefe came?
Sith Morpheus bids me so, I will.

And that because I see thee minde,
To write my storie fate and fall,
Such curious heads it reade and finde:
May flee to flye, and shunne my thrall.

If daunger teach them liue take heede:
If leesers harme, make lookers wyse:
If warines do safetie breede,
Or wracke make saylers shelues dispise

Then may my hurt giue sample sure:
My losse of life may lokers learne:
My warning may beware procure,
To such as daunger scarce discerne.

I am that Bladud Britaine king.
Rudhudebras his eldest sonne,
Did learning first to England bring:
And other wonders more were done.

Now giue me eare, and after wryte:
Marke well my life, example take:
Eschue the euill that I recite,
And of my death a myrour make.

In youth I gaue my minde to lore,
For I in learning tooke repaste:
No earthly pleasure likte me more,
I went to Athens at the last.

A towne in Greece, whose fame went foorth
Through all the world hir name was spred:
I counted knowledge so much woorth,
Hir only loue to Greece me led.

There first of all the artes of seuen,
Wherein before I had small skill:
I Grammer gate declares the steuen,
By rule to speake, and wryte at will.

Next after that in Rhetorike fine,
Which teacheth how he talke to fyle:
I gate some knowledge in short time,
And coulde perswade within a whyle.

I thirdly learned Logicke well,
An arte that teacheth to dispute:
To aunswere wisely or refell,
Distinguishe, proue, disproue, confute.

Then after that, of number, I
The skilfull arte likewyse attainde:
Wherin of Mathematickes lie,
Full many pointes I after gainde.

And Musicke milde I lernde, that telles
Tune, tyme, and measure of the song:
A science swete the reste excelles,
For melody hir notes among.

But sixtly I the dame of artes,
Geometrie of great engine
Employde, with all hir skilfull partes,
Therby some greater giftes to winne.

So laste I lernde Astronomie,
A lofty arte that paste them all:
To knowe by motions of the skye,
And fixed starres, what chaunce might fall.

This pleasaunt arte allured me,
To many fonde inuentions then:
For iudgements of Astrologie,
Delites the mindes of wisest men.

So doth the arte Phisiognomie,
Dependes on iudgment of the face:
And that of Metoposcopie,
Which of the forehead telles the grace.

And Chiromancie by the hande,
Coniecures of the inward minde:
Eke Geomancie by the lande,
Doth diuers many farlies finde.

Augurium eke was vsde of olde
By byrdes of future things presagde:
And many thinges therby they tolde,
Were skilfull, learned, wyse and agde.

But Magicke, for it seemid sweete,
And full of wonders made me muse:
For many feates I thought it meete,
And pleasaunt for a Prince to vse.

Three kindes there are for nature’s skill,
The first they Naturall do name:
In which by herbes and stones they will,
Worke wonders thinges, are worthy fame.

The next is Mathematicall,
Where Magike workes by nature so:
That brasen heads make speake it shall,
Of woode birdes, bodies flye, and go.

The thirde Veneficall by right,
Is named for by it they make:
The shapes of bodies chaunge in sight,
And other formes on them to take.

What nede I tell what Theurgie is,
Or Necromancie you despise:
A diuelishe arte, the feendes by this
Seeme calde, and coniurde to arise.

Of these too much I learned then,
By those such secrete artes profest:
For of the wise and skilfull men,
Whome Fame had praisde I gate the best.

They promist for to teach me so,
The secretes of dame nature’s skill:
That I nede neuer taste of woe,
But alwayes might forsee it still.

Wherfore enflamed with their loue,
I brought away the best I could:
From Greece to Britayne lande to proue,
What feates for me deuise they would.

Of which were foure Philosophers,
For passing skill excelde the rest:
Phisitions and Astronomers,
In Athens all they were the best.

My father harde of my retourne,
Of my successe in learning there:
And how the Grecians did adourne,
My wittes with artes that worthy were.

He herde likewyse what store I brought,
Of learned Greekes from Atticke soyle:
And of my laboure learning sought,
With study, trauayle, payne and toyle.

I likewyse heard he buylded here,
Three townes while absent thence was I:
By South he foundid Winchester,
By East he built Cantorbury.

By West full highe he built the last,
On hill from waters deepe belowe:
Calde Shaftesbury on rockes full fast,
It standes and giue to Seas a showe.

These causde we both might well reioyce
He for because I gate such fame:
And I, for that by all mennes voyce,
His factes deseru’de immortall name.

What nedes much talke, the peres and all
The commons eke with one assent:
Extold my name especiall,
Which had my youth in learning spent.

I was receau’de with triumphes great,
With pageauntes in eache towne I past:
And at the court my princely seate,
Was by my fathers ioyned fast.

The nobles then desir’de to haue,
On me their children wayte and tende:
And royall giftes with them me gaue,
As might their powres therto extende.

But here began my cause of care,
As all delightes at length haue ende:
Be mixte with woes our pleasures are,
Amidste my ioyes, I lost a frende.

My father, nyne and twenty yeares,
This time had raignde and held the crowne:
As by your Chronicles appeares,
Whan fates, on vs began to frowne.

For euen amidste his most of ioye,
As youth, and strength and honours fade:
Sore sickenes did him long anoye,
At laste, of life an ende it made.

Then was I chose king of this lande,
And had the crowne as had the rest:
I bare the scepter in my hande,
And sworde that all our foes opprest.

Eke for because the Greekes did vse,
Me well in Grece at Athens late:
I bad those foure I brought to chuse:
A place that I might dedicate

To all the Muses and their artes,
To learnings vse for euermore:
Which when they sought in diuers partes,
At last they found a place therfore.

Amidst the realme it lies welnighe,
As they by art and skill did proue:
An healthfull place not lowe nor highe,
An holsome soyle for their behoue.

With water streames, and springs for welles:
And medowes sweete, and valeyes grene:
And woods, groaues, quarries, al thing else
For studentes weale, or pleasure bene.

When they reported this to me,
They prayde my grace that I would builde,
Them there an Vniuersitie,
The fruites of learning for to yelde.

I buylte the scholes, like Attikes then,
And gaue them landes to maintayne those:
Which were accounted learned men,
And could the groundes of artes disclose.

The towne is called Stamford yet,
There stande the walles vntill this daye:
Foundations eke of scholes I set,
Bide yet (not maintainde) in decaye.

Whereby the lande receauid store,
Of learned clarkes long after that:
But nowe giue eare I tell thee more,
And then my fall, and great mishap.

Because that time Apollo was,
Surmisde the God that gaue vs wit:
I builte his temple braue did passe,
At Troynouant the place is yet.

Some saye I made the batthes at Bathe:
And made therefore two tunnes of brasse:
And other twayne seuen saltes that haue
In them, but these be made of glasse

With sulphur filde, and other things,
Wylde fire, saltgem, salte peter eke:
Salte armoniake, salte Alchime,
Salte commune, and salte Arabecke.

Salte niter mixid with the rest,
In these fowre tunnes by portions right:
Fowre welles to laye them in were dreste,
Wherin they boyle both daye and night.

The water springes them round about,
Doth ryse for aye and boyleth stil:
The tunnes within and eke without,
Do all the welles with vapours fill.

So that the heate and clensing powre,
Of Sulphur and of salts and fyre:
Doth make the bathes eche pointed houre
To helpe the sickly health desyre.

These bathes to soften sinewes haue
Great vertue and to scoure the skin:
From Morphew white and black to saue,
The bodies faint are bathde therein.

For lepry, scabs, and sores are olde,
For scurfes, and botch, and humors fall:
The bathes haue vertues manyfolde,
If God giue grace to cure them all.

The ioyntes are swelde, and hardned milte:
And hardned liuer, palseis paine,
The poxe and itche, if worke thou wilt,
By helpe of God it heales againe.

Shall I renege I made them then?
Shall I denye my cunning founde?
By helpe I had of learned men,
Those worthy welles in gratefull grounde?

I will do so: for God gaue grace,
Whereby I knew what nature wrought:
And lent me lore to finde the place,
By wisedome where those wells I sought.

Which once confest lo here my harme,
Eschewe the like if thou be wyse:
Let neuer will thy wits becharme,
Or make the chaunge of kinde deuise.

For if the fishe would learne to goe,
And leaue to swim against his vre:
When he were quite the waters fro,
He could not swim you may be sure.

Or if the beast would learne to flie,
That had no plumes by nature lent:
And get him wynges as earst did I,
Would not thinke you it him repent?

Though Magike Mathematicall,
Make wooden birdes to flye and soare:
Eke brasen heads that speake they shall,
And promise many marueiles more.

Yet sith it swarues from Nature’s will,
As much as these that I recite:
Refuse the fondnes of such skill,
Doth ay with death the proufe requite.

I deemde I could more soner frame,
My selfe to flye then birdes of wood:
And ment to get eternall fame,
Which I esteemde the greatest good.

I deckt my selfe with plumes and wynges,
As here thou seest in skilfull wise:
And many equall poysing thinges
To ayde my flight, to fall or rise.

Thou thinkste an arte that seldome vsde,
In hand I tooke, and so it was:
But we no daunger then refusde,
So we might bring our feates to passe.

By practise at the length I could,
Gainst store of wynde with ease arise:
And then which way to light I should,
And mount, and turne I did deuise.

Which learned but not perfectly,
Before I had therof the sleight:
I flew aloft but downe fell I,
For want of skill againe to light.

Upon the temple earst I built,
To God Apollo, downe I fell:
In fiters broisde for such a guilt,
A iust reuenge requited well.

For what should I presume so highe,
Against the course of nature quite
To take me wynges and saye to flye,
A foole no fowle in fethers dight.

As learning founds and cunning finds,
To such haue wit the same to vse:
So she confounds, and marres the minds,
Of those her secrets seeme t’abuse.

Well then deserts requirde my fall,
Presumption proude, depriu’de my breath:
Renowne bereft my life and all,
Desire of prayse, procurde my death:

Do let allureing arts alone,
They pleasaunt seeme yet are they vayne:
Amongst an hundreth scarce is one,
Doth ought thereby but labour gayne.

Their cunning castes are crafty cares,
Deuices vayne deuisde by men:
Such witched wiles are Sathans snares,
To traine in fooles, despise them then.

Their wisdome is but wily wit,
Their sagenes is but subtiltie:
Darke dreames deuisde for fooles are fit,
And such as practise pampestry.

Thou seest my fall and eke the cause,
Vnwisely I good giftes abusde:
Lo here the hurt of learned lawes,
If they be wrested or misusde.

Then wryte my story with the rest,
May pleasure when it comes to vewe:
Take heede of counsayles all is best,
Beware, take heede farewell adieu.

Farewell, will students keepe in minde,
οὐκ αρετᾳ κακὰ ἔργα:
Els may they chaunce like fate to finde,
For why, Τοῖς κακοῖς τρὶς κακα.

Τελος.

[409] Sleek. _Jamieson._

[410]

The noble higher climes and to the skies
T’advance his name he daily doth deuise. N.

[411] That noble arts in Britain might be taught. N.

[412] Receiu’d both crowne. N.

[413] With right and equitie to rule this land. N.

[414]

Giuing to each such peace as best did fit
Their birth, their wealth, their persons and their wit. N.

[415]

And of my land I gaue the fertil’st partes,
To foster learning and the famous artes. N.

[416] We did in noble science so excell. N.

[417]

--------commending vs to skies,
Deeming vs people valiant, learn’d and wise. N.

[418] Niccols to improve the measure made several omissions in the text which are distinguished by inverted brackets.

[419] To deeme as Gods the images of men. N.

[420] By arts I made. N.

[421]

These Tunnes I did essay
To place by arte that they might last of aye. N.

[422] Both. N.

[423] Hard it healeth well. N.

[424] Whence ye haue helpe. N.

[425] Springs vertue take of vaines that they been in. N.

[426]

Fountaines hot and cold,
To heale by them the sicke, both yong and old. N.

[427]

Extols vs to the skies,
We look not downe from whence we first did rise. N.

[428]

Ambition will not wisdome’s counsell brooke,
Pride sets her thoughts on things that vade away,
Forsaken vertue which doth nere decay. N.

[429] We might admire what monsters time did hatch. N.

[430] Surpasse in his degree. N.

[431] As all the rest in wisdome weaker bee. N.

[432] Magicke arte. N.

[433] Which in the end did proue my future ill. N.

[434] Few men did euer vse like enterprise. N.

[435] And turne and winde at last which way I would. N.

[436] And in the fall I lost. N.

[437] This was my race, this was my fatall fall. N.

[438] In their effects they are. N.

[439]

Be wise in artes exceed not wisdome’s bound,
The depth of arte by wit may not be found. N.

[440] That nothing haue yet promise all to you. N.

[441]

All which by nature are abhor’d as euill,
Practisde by fooles, inuented by the diuell. N.

[442]

----Beware of climing high,
Lest that you helpelesse fall, as erst did I. N.

THE AUTHOUR.

When Bladud thus had ended quite his tale,
And tolde his life as you haue heard before:
He toke his flight, and then a Lady pale
Appeard in sight, beraide with bloudy gore:
In hande a knife of sanguine dye she bore:
And in her breste a wounde was pearced wyde,
So freshly bledde, as if but than she dyde.

She staide a while, her coulour came and went,
And doubtful was that would haue tolde hir paine:
In wofull sort she seemed to lament,
And could not wel her tongue from talke refraine.
For why her griefes vnfolde she would right faine,
Yet bashfull was: at length an ende to make,
Hir Morpheus wild, and then thus wyse she spake.

[443] Cannot still keepe in my counsaile. ed. 1575.

[444] And shew mishaps. ib.

[445] That. ed. 1575.

[446] May keep. ib.

[447] And willing be to flye. ib.

[448] For sith I see thee prest to heare that wilt recorde. ib.

[449] What I Cordila tell. ib.

[450] To thee that giu’st an eare to heare and ready art. ib.

[451] Practisde for to flye and soare. ib.

[452] Who dead his sonne my father. ib.

[453] He had three daughters faire the first hight Gonerell. N.

[454] My sister Ragan. ed. 1575.

[455] And of vs all our father deire in age did dote. ib.

[456] So. ib.

[457] To giue where. ed. 1575.

[458] Had more age. ib.

[459] My prayse t’asswage. ib.

[460] Gainst. ib.

[461] But still. ib.

[462] This stanza follows in the edit. 1575.

Yet nathelesse my father did me not mislike,
But age so simple is and easy to subdue,
As childhode weake thats voide of wit and reason quite;
They thinke thers nought you flatter fainde, but all is true,
Once old and twyse a childe tis said with you,
Which I affirme by proofe that was definde,
In age my father had a childishe minde.

[463] He thought to wed vs vnto nobles three, or peres. ib.

[464] Sent. ib.

[465]

I must assaye and eke your frendships proue.
Now tell me eche how much you do me loue.

ib.

[466] Lou’de him well and more. ib.

[467] Would agayne therefore. ib.

[468]

But not content with this he minded me to proue,
For why he wonted was to loue me wonders wel:
How much dost thou (quoth he) Cordile thy father loue
I wil (sayd I) at once my loue declare and tell:
I lou’de you euer as my father well,
No otherwyse, if more to know you craue:
We loue you chiefly for the goodes you haue.

Thus much I said, the more their flattery to detect
But he me aunswered therunto again with ire,
Because thou dost thy fathers aged yeare neglect.
That lou’de the more of late then thy deserts require,
Thou neuer shalt, to any part aspire
Of this my realme, emong thy sisters twayne,
But euer shalt vndotid ay remayne.

Then to the king of Albany for wife he gaue
My sister Gonerell, the eldest of vs all:
And eke my sister Ragan for Hinnine to haue,
Which then was Prince of Camber and Cornwall:
These after him should haue his kingdome all
Betwene them both, he gaue it franke and free:
But nought at all he gaue of dowry mee.

At last it chaunst the king of Fraunce to here my fame.
My beuty braue was blazed al abrode eche where:
And eke my vertues praisde me to my fathers blame
Did for my sisters flattery me lesse fauour beare.
Which when this worthy king my wrongs did heare,
He sent ambassage likte me more then life,
T’intreate he might me haue to be his wife.

My father was content with all his harte, and sayde,
He gladly should obtaine his whole request at will
Concerning me, if nothing I herin denayde:
But yet he kept by their intisment hatred still,
(Quoth he) your prince his pleasure to fulfill,
I graunt and giue my daughter as you craue:
But nought of me for dowry can she haue.

King Aganippus well a greed to take me so,
Hee deemde that vertue was of dowries all the best
And I contented was to Fraunce my father fro
For to depart, and hoapte t’enioye some greater rest.
I maried was, and then my ioyes encreaste,
A gate more fauoure in this Prince his sight,
Then euer Princesse of a princely wight.

But while that I these ioyes enioyd at home in Fraunce,
My father Leire in Britayne waxed aged olde,
My sisters yet them selues the more aloft t’aduaunce,
Thought well they might, be by his leaue, or sans so bolde:
To take the realme and rule it as they wolde.
They rose as rebels voyde of reason quite,
And they depriu’de him of his crowne and right.

Then they agreed, it should be into partes equall
Deuided: and my father threscore knightes and squires
Should alwayes haue, attending on him still at call.
But in sixe monthes so much encreasid hateful Ires,
That Gonerell denyde all his desires,
So halfe his garde she and her husband refte:
And scarce alowde the other halfe they lefte.

Eke as in Scotlande thus he lay lamenting fates,
When as his daughter so sought all his vtter spoyle,
The meaner vpstart gentles, thought them selues his mates
And betters eke, see here an aged Prince his foyle,
Then was he fayne for succoure his, to toyle,
With all his knightes, to Cornewall there to lye:
In greatest nede his Ragan’s loue to trie.

And when he came to Cornwall, Ragan then with ioye,
Receiu’d him and eke hir husband did the like:
There he abode a yeare and liu’de without anoy,
But then they tooke, all his retinue from him quite
Saue only ten, and shewde him dayly spite,
Which he bewailde complaining durst not striue,
Though in disdayne they last alowde but fiue.

On this he deemde him selfe was far that time vnwyse,
When from his daughter Gonerell to Ragan hee
Departed erste yet eache did him poore king despise:
Wherfore to Scotlande once againe with hir to bee,
And bide he went: but beastly cruell, shee
Bereau’de him of his seruauntes all saue one,
Bad him content him selfe with that or none.

Eke at what time he askte of eache to haue his garde,
To garde his grace where so he walkte or wente:
They calde him doting foole and all his hestes debarde,
Demaunded if with life he could not be contente.
Then he to late his rigour did repente
Gainst me, and sayde, Cordila nowe adieu:
I finde the wordes thou toldste mee to to true.

And to be short, to Fraunce he came alone to mee,
And tolde me how my sisters him our father vsde:
Then I besought my king with teares vpon my knee,
That he would aide my father thus by them misusde,
Who nought at all my humble heste refusde:
But sent to euery coaste of Fraunce for ayde,
Wherwith my father home might be conueide.

The soldiours gathered from eche quarter of the land,
Came at the length to know the king his mind and wil:
Who did commit them to my father’s aged hand,
And I likewise of loue and reuerent mere goodwill
Desirde my king, he would not take it ill,
If I departed for a space withall:
To take a parte, or ease my father’s thrall.

This had: I partid with my father from my fere,
We came to Britayne with our royal campe to fight:
And manly fought so long our enmies vanquisht were
By martial feates, and force by subiects sword and might.
The Brityshe kinges were faine to yelde our right:
And so my father well this realme did guide,
Three yeares in peace and after that he dide.

Then I at Leircester in Ianus temple, made
His tombe, and buried there his kingly regall corse,
As sondry tymes in life before he often bade:
For of our father’s will we then did greatly force,
We had of conscience eke so much remorce,
That we supposde those childrens liues to ill:
Which brake their father’s testament, and will.

[469] Who for I could not flatter did lesse fauour beare. N.

[470] Betwixt their husbands twaine they causde him to agree. N.

[471] Of sixtie Knights that on him should attendant bee. N.

[472] As thus in his distresse he lay lamenting fates. N.

[473] Ill. N.

[474] And I was Queene the kingdoms after stil to holde. ed. 1575.

[475] Becke and bay I wolde. ib.

[476] Two churlishe impes. ib.

[477] This stanza follows in edit. 1575.

The one hight Morgan th’ elder sonne of Gonnerell,
My sister, and that other Conidagus hight.
My sister Ragan’s sonne, that lou’de me neuer well,
Both nephewes mine yet would against mee Cordell fight,
Because I lou’de always that semed right;
Therefore they hated mee and did pursue
Their aunte and Queene as she had bene a jewe.

[478] This Morgane was that time the Prince. ib.

[479] Licence. ed. 1575.

[480] Was euer lady in such wofull wreckfull wo. ib.

[481] Depriu’de. ib.

[482]

When first I left, the crowne of France did me exhalt. ed. 1575.

When friends I left in France that did me first exhalt. N.

[483] This. ed. 1575.

[484] That drawes at length to ende. ib.

[485] As in this pryson. ib.

[486] Vile aliue. N.

[487] Their. ed. 1575.

[488] Carkas on couch of straw. ed. 1575.

[489] A deadly. ib.

[490] _i. e._ poniards.

[491] Or libertie agayne. ed. 1575.

[492] Get. ib.

[493] My Hope. ib.

[494] Nephewes. ib.

[495] My wofull plight. ed. 1575.

[496] Deadly. ib.

[497] A mortal. ib.

[498] That one. ib.

[499] Nephewes. ed. 1575.

[500] Which I, alasse, lament, bid those aliue beware. ib.

[501]

Their soules to hell, when as they vndertake
To kill a corps, which God did liuely make.

THE AUTHOUR.

Now when this desperate Queene had ended thus
Hir tale, and told what haplesse grace she had:
As of hir talke some pointes I did discusse,
In slomber faln I waxed wondrous sad,
Hir nephewes dealings were me thought to bad:
Which greu’de me much, but Morpheus had let bee,
And therewithall presented one to mee.

Of stature tall a worthy princely wight,
In countenaunce he seemde yet mourning still;
His complet harnesse not so braue in sight,
Nor sure as ours, made now adayes by skill:
But clampt together, ioynts but ioyned ill:
Vnfit, vnhandsome, heauy, houge, and plaine,
Vnweldy wearing, ratling like a chaine.

Wherthrough he had receu’de a deadly stroake,
By sworde, or other instrument of warre,
And downe his thighes the bloud by sithes did soake
Which I perceiued as he came a farre.
Now sith (quoth he) to heare you present are:
I will declare my name, life, factes and fall,
And therewith thus he gan to tell it all. ed. 1575.

[502] The tale of the gentle Cordelia and her unfortunate and too credulous father is better known from the pages of Shakespeare than those of History. Though in both, if not entirely sprung from, it is enlarged by fable, yet the interest that has been excited by the drama justifies the giving it here from manuscript, in one of its earliest shapes, which as such forms a valuable record.

_Of King Leir and of the answere of his yongest daughter that graciously was mariede to the kyng of Fraunce._

After kyng Bladud regned Leir his sone: and this Leir made the toune of Leicestre and lete calle the toune after his name and he gouernede the londe welle and nobly. This kyng Leir had iij doughters the first hight Gonorill, the secund Rigan and the third Cordeill, and the yongest doughter was fairest and best of condicions. The kynge hire fader, become an olde man, and wolde that his doughtres had been maried or that he deide: but first he thought to assaie whiche of ham [them] loued him best and moste, for she that loued him best shuld beste be maried. And he asked of the first doughter how moche sheo [she] him louede? and she answerd and saide, better than hier oune life. Now certes quoth the fader that is a grete loue. Tho [then] axede he of the secunde doughter, hou moche sheo him louede? and sheo said more and passing alle creatures of the world. Ma foy, quath the fader, more may I nought axen. And tho axed he of the thirde doughter, hou moche sheo him louede? Certes fader quoth she, my sustres haue tolde you glosyng wordes, but for suthe I shalle telle you treuthe, for I loue you as moche as I owe to loue my fadere, and for to bryng you more in certeyn howe love goth, I shalle you telle, for as moche as ye be worthe so muche shal ye be louede. The kyng hire fader hadde wente sheo hadde hym scorned and become wonder wrothe and swore be heuen and erthe that she shuld neuer haue good of him: but his doughtres that loued him so moche shuld be welle auaunced and maried. And the first doughter he maried to Mangles kyng of Scotlande and the secunde he maried to Hauemos Erle of Cornewaille and so they ordeynede and speken betwene ham [them] that they shulde departe the reame betwene ham too after the dethe of Leir hire [their] fader. So that Cordeill his yongest doughter shulde no thing haue of his lande. But this Cordeill was wonderous faire and of so good condicions and maners that the kyng of Fraunce Agampe, herde of hire speke and sent to Leir, hire fader, for to haue hire vnto wife and prayed him therof. And kyng Leir hire fader sente him worde that he had departed his londe vnto his two other doughters and saide he hadde no more lande wherewith hire for to marien: And whenne Agampe horde this answere he sente anone ayeyn to Leir and said, that he axid no thyng with hire, but onliche hire clothyng and hire bodie. And anone king Leir hire fader sente hire ouer the see to the kyng of Fraunce and he receyuede hire with mochel worshipp, and with moche solempnite hire spousede and made hire quene of France.

_How Kyng Leir was driven oute of his londe thurz his foly and how Cordil his yongest daughter helped him at his nede._