Book III, Chapter 16

THese Brothers, thirsting amplier Raignes, did martiallie contend,
Till Brenn his force was not of force his brothers to defend.
To Norway sayles hee, wheare he got an Armie and a prize,
The Prince of Norwaies Daughter, whom hee winneth in this wise.
The King of Denmarke stoode with him, vntill the States decreede
That both should plead before their Prince, and better Pleader speede.
And when the Norgane Prince and Peeres were seated for their strife,
The King of Danes beginning first, thus pleaded for a wife.

Not yet a King, King Philips son with none but Kings would cope,
His reason was, inferiour strife of glorie giues no hope:
I am a King, and graunt the Prize in question worthie mee,
But grudge that my Competitor a banisht man should bee.
Doe grant him what he hath for-gon, and neuer more shall gi[…],
Yeat were he but a Demi-king, to challenge me vnfit:
Dunwallos yonger Sonne, that hath his brother to his Foe,
And worthelie, his trecheries haue well deserued soe,
And yet (audacious that he is) he blusheth not to heare
The troth of his vntroth, nor yeat an heere-Repulse doth feare.
Would she for whom I must contend were not to me the same
She is, or he that stands with me a man of better fame.
But since in this vnequall Plea I must my selfe imbace,
Knowe, Norwaies, that my pleaded cause cōcernes your publique ca[…]e.
It is the King of Denmarke doth your Prince his daughter craue,
And note, it is no little thing with vs Allie to haue.
By league, or Leigure, Danske can fence, or fronte you, friend, or foe,
Our neighborhood doth fit to both, your wel-fare or your woe.
Combine therefore in needfull League our neere conioyned States:
I may your good, nought lesse can he that thus with me debates.
He is a Bruton (if Exile allow wee call him so)
And farre from aiding you, that knowes himselfe not to bestoe.
Admit he were receiued home, what Empire doth he sway?
A sorrie Ilands Moyetie, and farre from hence away.
Her Dowrie is your Diademe: what Ioynter can he make?
Not anie: giue not then to him from whom you cannot take.
And Ladie (She for whom they stroue was present) well I wo[…],
My loue doth claime a greater debt than so to be forgot.
I wish (mine Opposite his want) that Armes might giue the right,
It is not dread, but doom'd (sweet wench) that thus with tongue I fight.
Proude Bruton (frowning so on Brenn) disclaime in her my dewe,
Els thou repining shalt repent: doe make thy choyce a newe.
At least amend thine Error, and mine enuie shall haue end:
I neede not force so weake a Foe, seeke thou so strong a friend.
Norwaies consent, and, Ladie, be no Counter-mand to this:
Discent not Brenn: conclude her mine: els my Conclusion is,
If not for worth, by force perforce to winne her from you all,
Yea though our banisht Copes-mate could his Brittish Succours call.
The King of Danes concluded thus: and after silence short,
The Brutaine Heros vailed, and did answere in this sort.

Most gracious Norgane Peeres, you heare the ouer-tearming taunts
Of this Appelant, that himselfe and Scepter ouer-vaunts.
It lesser greeueth he should grudge that I with him co-riue,
Than his so peremptorie speach in your despight to wiue.
It greeues, in troth: not for my selfe, but for he beardeth you,
And seemes disdaineful of your aide, that doth so proudly wowe.
How captiously he derogates from me, and mine estate?
And Arrogates vnto himselfe, to bring me so in hate.
How daintely his eyes endure so bace an Obiects view?
How desperatly doth he conclude, and threatneth me and you?
Well, barke he, byte he, bragges nor blowes shall dare me to defend
A Challenge, wheare so braue a Prize stands for the Wagers end.
Nor thinke (vaine-glorious that thou art) me lesser than a King,
Or greater than by sute, or sword, to prize so rare a thing.
Vpbrayd me not with banishment, nor Belyns quarrell touch,
Nor yeat my petite Signorie: nor more than troth by much.
These present nobles knowe the cause for which I hether come:
Not as an exile, but for ayde, and they assure me some.
Then knowe, the cause is honest when their Honors giue supplies:
As capable are they of troth, as thou art apt for lies.
My bothers Kingdome seemes, forsooth, an Ouer-match to mine,
My Kingdome, Cutlake, therefore is an vnder-match to thine?
Nay, giue (and so I hope ye will) the Prize to me, and than
Let Cutlake with his Crowne of Danske vn-crowne me if he can.
Then he, disabling me to make a Ioynter happelie,
With Denmarke such a Ioynters want (if wanting) should supplie.
But neither haue I such a lacke, nor holde I such a loue,
As that her Dowrie (not in quest) before her selfe doth moue.
He harpeth as himselfe would haue, that maketh loue his Staile:
Els would he sue in milder sort, and suing, feare to faile.
For Ladie see your Louers Plea: your loue, saith he, is debt:
And if not words, nor worthines, then Armor shal you get.
Braue words and fit to feare, not feede, a courted Ladies vaine.
But say he cannot wowe in print, but Soldior-like and plaine:
Nor I, in sooth, more loues my heart than can my tongue explaine.
Conclude we therefore Souldior-like, and let a combate yeeld
Vnto the hardier of vs twaine the honour of the field,
If not: then, if my Lords so please: or she thereto agree,
Although thou should'st by force of Armes, subdue her hence to thee,
Yeat from thy strongest Holde in Danske I would thy Cōquest free.
Loe heer my Gage (he terr'd his Gloue) thou know'st ye Victors meed:
(So did he pause, his Pledge vntoucht, and then did thus proceede)
Then fret thy fill, and worke thy worst: deliuer, Lords, your willes:
Ye haue experience how this same with brags, not battell, killes.
He threatneth onely, I intreate, he claimeth her of dew,
I wish, and hope for to deserue. The Counsel then withdrewe
Themselues apart: and soone for Brenn a verdict did ensewe.

The Dane inraged sayled thence, and rigged out a Fleete,
And did with Brenn, resayling home, at great aduantage meete.
Their Shippes did grapple, and their swords did sunder life from lim:
So fought they, as their shippes did seeme in Seas of bloud to swim.
But multitude oppressed Brenn, he hardlye did escape,
His Ladie will he, nill hee, left the King of Denmarkes Rape.

Not meanely insolent the Danes hoyst vp their home-meant Sayleae
But after manye crabbed Flawes, and long contrarie Gayles,
The Kings and Norgane Ladies Shippe was tossed to the Coste
Of Brutaine: wheare, imprisoned, King Belyn was their Hoste:
Vntill, sufficient Pledges had that Denmarke it should pay
Continuall Tribute to the Brutes, he them dismist away.
Meane while King Bren (receiued now amōgst the Gawles did threate
For Englands Crowne-halfe him with-held his Brothers selfe & Seate:
(For Time, alaying Loue, did adde vnto domesticke hate)
And with the Cenouesean Gawles, whose Prince his heire of late
He had espoused, did inuade the Empire of his Brother:
And almost did their Battels ioyne, when thus intreates their Mother.

I dare to name ye Sonnes, because I am your Mother, yet
I doubt to tearme you Brothers, that doe Brotherhood forget.
These Prodigies, their wrothfull Shields, forbodden Foe to Foe,
Doe ill beseeme allyed hands, euen yours allyed soe.
O, how seeme Oedipus his Sonnes in you againe to striue?
How seeme these words in me (aye me) Iocasta to reuiue?
I would Dunwallo liued, or ere death had lost againe
His Monarchie, sufficing Fower, but now too small for Twaine.
Then either would you, as did he, imploy your wounds elswheare:
Or for the smalnes of your Power agree, at least for feare.
But pride of ritch and rome-some Thrones, that wingeth now your darts,
It will (I would not as I feare) worke sorrow to your harts.
My Sonnes, sweet Sonnes, attend my words, your Mothers wordes attend,
And for I am your Mother doe conclude I am your frend:
I cannot counsell, but intreate, nor yeat I can intreate
But as a Woman, and the same whose blood was once your meate.
Hence had ye Milke (She baerd her Pappes) these Armes did hug ye ost:
These fyled hands did wipe, did wrap, did rocke, and lay ye soft:
These Lips did kisse, or Eyes did weep, if that ye were vnqueat,
Thēply I did, with Song, or Sighes, with Dance, with Tung, or Teate.
For these kind Causes, deere my Sonnes, disarme your selues: if not,
Then for these bitter teares that now your Mothers Cheekes do spot:
Oft vrge I Sonnes and Mothers Names, Names not to be forgot.
Send hence these Souldiers. yee, my Sonnes, & none but ye would fight:
When none should rather be at one, if Nature had her right.
What comfort, Beline, shall I speede? sweete Brenn, shall I preuaile?
Say yea (sweete Youthes) ah yea, say yea: or if I needes must faile,
Say noe: and then will I begin your Battell with my baile.
Then then some Stranger, not my Sonnes, shall close me in the Earth,
When we by Armor ouer-soone shall meet, I feare, in death.

This sayd, with gushing teares eftsoones she plyes the one and other,
Till both did shew themselues at length Sonnes worthy such a Mother:
And with those hands, those altred hands, that lately threatned bloes,
They did imbrace: becomming thus continuall frends of foes.

Glad was the Queene: and Beline hild sole Empier: more, he had
From Denmarke Tribute: and to this a greater honor add,
His daughter Cimbra, wedded to the Almayne Prince, gaue name
Vnto the Cimbrians, holding Rome so long and warlike game.
Some (if no Error) giue to him for forraine Conquests fame.

His Valour, Warre, & Peace ore past: now speake we of the Knight,
That this side and beyond the Alpes subdewed all by fight.
The stateliest Townes in Italie had Brenn their Builder, and
Euen Rome, the terror of the World, did at his mercie stand.
The Senate, giuing to the Earth ear-while both warre and peace,
Could not themselues, their Citie, scarce their Cappitoll release.

THeir Gander Feast, what Manlius and Camillus did therein,
How This the Cappitol, and That from Brenn his Spoyles did win,
I pretermit. The three-topt Mount Parnassus had beloe
Apollos Temple, whither men for Oracles did goe.
This, with the God and Goods the Gawles did put to sacke and spoyles:
And whil'st, incamped here, they kept such sacreligious coyle,
The God, or rather Diuell, whom th'Almightie did permit,
His Deitie prophaned, to deceiue the world in it,
With Tempests, Earth-quakes, Steneh, & Sights, so cryde the Spoylers quit
That most did perish, fewe disperse, and all were out of harte,
Yea Brenn himselfe, discouraged, did change in euery parte.
He looking after and vpon the scattered and the slayne,
Did seeme a second Cadmus, saue lesse patient of his payne:
And, shaming to be seene to weepe, deuoured sightles teares:
And, in these words, his heartie greefes did number to their Eares.

Sweet Soldiours leaue me to my selfe, it likes me that ye leaue me,
More takes your tarriance frō my health than can these plagues bereaue me:
Each of these Masse of Corpses dead hath bin a death to me,
Deliuer then mine Eyes of you, too many deathes I see.
Suruiue, and tell the Westerne World what we exployted haue:
How that to Rome, amidst her Roofe, the mayden Sacke we gaue.
Tell of our Battels, Booties, and our Buildings: lastly tell
(An honor to our Ouerthrowe) that we at Delphos fell
By wounds deuine, no humane Armes. But God, who so thou be,
Lesse is thy courage than Commaund, els would'st thou cope with me,
As Pluto with Alcides did, and Mars sometimes with men:
Do me like honor, and these Graues shall lightly greeue me then.
But thou full little darest so. Nay, I doe dare too much,
That with my so vnhallowed tongue thy Deitie dare touch.
Ah, see these Slaughters, and reserue aliue this small Remayne,
Let lastly me, and only me, eike number to the slayne.
But bootlesse on a ruthles God I see my prayers spent,
As haughtely doest thou reuenge as humbly I repent.
Well (God of Delphos) since our teares, this Incense, nor these Graues
Appease thine yre, persist to plague this flesh, that henceforth craues
No pitie: to the Hebrewe God, of power exceeding thyne,
(Men say) appeale I, and bequeath the Soules of me and myne:
Accept my simple Legacie, O Godhood most deuyne,
Sayd Brenn. And with a selfe-wrought wound did perish: and his men
Departing, wonne, and left the name to Gallo-Grecia then.

The righteous Gorboman might add fresh Subiect to our Muse,
But skipping to his Fathers Sonnes, of them it thus ensewes.

FIue yeeres had Archigallo raign'd, when hated doing wrong,
He was depriued of his Realme, and liued vagrant long,
And fearing all that frended none, kept close the Woods among.
Theare Elidurus hunting found his wretched Brother, and
They gasing each in others face, with sighes and weepings stand.
A King, as Elidurus is, once was I thinkes his Brother,
A wretch, as Archigallo is, I may be thinkes the other.
The lowlie King alights anon, and when they had imbrac'd,
Then Archigallo secretly in Ebranks Towne was plac'd:
In which, the King commaunding so, the Nobles did conuent,
To whom did Elidurus thus informe of his intent.

If Fortune had bin crosse (my Lords) to me, or any feare
Of Armor were approching vs, I should perchaunce appeare
Faint and false-hearted in my charge, but euer lackt the one,
Nor hath the other likelihood, for quietler ruleth none.
Yeat Kings may thinke their heads too weake their Dyademes to sustaine,
For endles cares concurre with Crownes, a bitter sweete is Raine:
Howbeit, Subiects falsely iudge their Princes blessed are,
When both of peace and perils they containe the common care,
And yeat for this they grudgingly from Pounds a Penny spare.
Not these, my Lords, make me disclaime in it which all pursue,
But Iustice bidds my Brothers right I should commend to you.
This one Request includes, I knowe, exceeding dangers twaine,
To me, if for a priuate life I change a publique Rayne,
To you, if whom ye haue depriu'd ye shall restore againe.
But for I haue done right, no wrong, though Iustice wants not foes,
And though vnto a Magistrate disgrading bringeth woes,
Yeat gainst the bad a conscience good may safe it selfe oppoes.
Nor be ye fearefull of reuenge, that did no more than right:
Euen Archigallo will confesse his sinne, and cleare your spight:
Whose restitution (were he wrongd) at least shall you acquite.
You hassard lesse, re-kinging him, then I vn-king'd to bee,
And Danger ouer-dares, if it from Iustice disagree.
Then, good my Lords, doe right his wrong, at least-wise doe him right,
Whose smarte, no doubt, hath wrought in him a reconciled spright.
Iust Gorboman his brotherhood succeeding in their Line,
Then Archigallo should be King, to him let me resine.

So much the King did vrge this Text, that Archigallo rayn'd,
And Elidurus willingly in priuate life remaynde:
The one restored, for his late depriuing nothing mou'd,
The other (wonders tell I now) dis-crowned yeat belou'd.
Tenne yeares did Archigallo raigne, beloued well, and dyed:
And Elidurus once againe the Kingly Throne supplyed,
Vntill his Brothers secondly depose him of his raine,
But they deceasing, thirdly he was crowned King againe,
And so, vntill his Dying day, with honor did remaine.

A many Kings whose good or bad no Wrighter hath displaide
Did follow. Lud, and Hely, for their stately buildings made
Rest chiefly famous. Nor forget King Bledgrabed I shall,
Whom Brutons did their Glee-god for his skill in Musicke call.
The next whose dayes gaue famous deedes, Cassiuelan is sayde,
Whom Caius Iulius Caesar did with Armour thus inuade.