Book III, Chapter 17

THis Conquerour of Gallia found his Victorie prolong'd
By Brittish Succours, and for it, pretending to bee wrong'd,
Did send for Tribute: threatning els to bring the Brutons Warre.
The latter going forward first, the Albinests to barre
A common foe, concurre as friends: and now was come the Spring,
When Caesar out of War-wonne France victorious Trowpes did bring.
But easlier wonne the Grecians land at Pargama by much,
Than got the Latines footing heere, their Contraries were such.
Yee might haue seene of Hectors race, then thousand Hectors heere,
With pollicie on either part, the Romanes buying deere
The bloodie Shore: the water yeat lesse deerer than the land
To them, whom valiantlie to proofe the Ilanders withstand.
Ofte battell they, the Brutons still victorious, and in vaine
Their foes were valiant: onelie heere was Caesars force in waine.
And as our men vnto his men were as tempesteous Thunder,
So did his ankred Shippes on Seas by Tempest dash in sunder.
But twice (quoth Caesar) Fortune, thou wert opposite to mine,
But thirdlie heere to Caesars selfe thou (wontles) dost decline.
Conuaying then his wearie men into his wasted Shippes,
To Gallia, there to Winter them, he miscontented slippes.

Of this same Victorie did spring securitie and strife,
The Scottes and Pichtes did sunder hence, the Brutons, ouer-rise
In Largesse, making frollike Cheere, a quarrell then aroes
Betwixt the King and Luds false Sonne, and they dis-ioyne as foes:
That Caesar slippes Aduantage such were error to suppoes.
Euen of the Brutons some there were recalling backe the Foe,
And Winter past, with doubled power he backe againe did roe.

The Romaines more, the Brutons they farre fewer than before,
Offend, defend, fight for, fence from, to winne, and warde the Shore.
But Caesar landed, and ensew'd continuall cruell fight:
Thrice put the fierce Cassiuelanes the Caesarines to flight,
And still the King incouraging in euerie wing appeares,
So giuing needlesse spurres to fight, his Souldiours brooke not feares,
Nor little did the Cornish Belles offend the Romaine eares.
When Caesars oft succesles fight had tyred him and his,
Inringed with his mayhmed Campe, the Romane speaketh this.

Are these same Bands, those selfe-same Bands that neuer fought in vaine?
And ye the men that following still my Standard still did gaine?
Euen these, and ye, are verie those: nor can I discommend
Your manhoodes, that with lesser work brought greater Wars to end.
But not, as was my wont to wright, the Senate now shall reede,
I came: I sawe: I ouer-came: such Foes forbid such speede.
Nor let the Senate muse, for Troy with Troy doth here contend:
This warlike people (fame is so) from whence sprong we discend.
Yea, if Aeneas had not left the Phrygian Gods to vs,
And Greekes Palladium Shipt to Greece, this Fortune foyling thus,
I would haue thought those very Gods had followed our anoy:
But them haue we, these onely haue vndanted harts from Troy.
But what? shall Caesar doubt to fight against so brauea Foe?
No, Caesars Tryumphes with their Spoyles shall giue the brauer shoe.
Ye Gods that guide our Capitoll, Mount Palatin thou Throne
Of stately Rome, ye Followers too of her affayres each one,
Delay not, but depriue me quite my Triumphes now in hand,
Nor let me liue, if so I leaue vnconquered this Land:
This Land, the last of Westerne Isles, an Isle vnknowen ere this,
Which famous now through Caesars fight and our misfortune is.
Enough, my fellow friends in Armes, enough we Romaines haue
To seeke reuenge: your Conquest loe a Countrie rich and braue:
And (which perswadeth victorie) in Troynouant there bee,
That hold that Citie to our vse: the Brutons disagree,
No Scot or Pichte assisting them in these our Warres I see[…]
Their ciuill strife will proue their scourge, how stout soere they seeme,
And perpetuitie doth faile in euery thing extreeme.
Not Fortune still is good or bad, and now let be our day:
Too long we liue, if that so long we shall on trifles stay,
Said Caesar. And with such his words did so inflame his men,
That with lesse patience did they liue, than linger battell then.

The Romaines bid the Bace, and then did cruell Warre begin:
And little wanted that the Brutes the better did not win.
But Caesar so foresawe Supplies, and Succors here and theare,
Perswading this, disswading that, controuling flight and feare,
That, after many Romaines slaine, the Brutons tooke their flight,
To Southerne Shores: whereas to proofe Cassiuelan did fight
With oft Eruptions out of Woods, vntill the traiterous Knight,
The Earle of London yeelds his Charge and Citie to the Foe,
Through which disloyall president did other Cities soe:
And then with hard-won Tribute hence the Conquerour did goe.

BVt he, that wonne in euery Warre, at Rome in ciuill Robe
Was stab'd to death: no certaintie is vnderneath the Globe.
The good are enuied of the bad, and glorie finds disdaine,
And people are in constancie as Aprill is in raine:
Whereof, amidst our serious penne, this Fable intertaine.

An Asse, an Old-man, and a Boye, did through a Citie passe,
And whil'st the wanton Boye did ride the Old-man led the Asse:
See yonder doting foole, said Folke, that crauleth scarce for age,
Doth set the Boye vpon his Asse and makes himselfe his Page.
Anon the blamed Boy alightes, and lets the Old-man ride,
And, as the Old-man did before, the Boye the Asse did gide:
But, passing so, the people thē did much the Old-man blame,
And told him, Churle, thy limbes bee tough, the Boye should ride for shame.
The fault thus found, both Man and Boye did backe the Asse and ride,
Then that the Asse was ouer-charg'd each man that met them cride.
Now both a-light, and goe on foote, and leade the emptie Beast,
But then the people laugh, and say, that one might ride at least.
With it they both did vndershore the Asse on either side,
But then the wondring people did that witles pranke deride.
The Old-man seeing by no waies he could the people please,
Not blameles then, did driue the Asse and drowne him in the Seas.
Thus whil'st we be, it will not be, that any pleaseth all:
Els had bin wanting, worthely, the noble Caesars fall.