That did herfelfe in fondry parts divide,
And with her powre her owne felfe overthrew,
Whilft Romanes daily did the weak fubdew :
Which feeing, ftout Banduca up arose,
And, taking armes, the Britons to her drew,
With whom the marched straight against her foes,
And them unwares befides the Severne did en-
close.
There the with them a cruell batteill tryde,
Not with fo good fucceffe as the deferv'd;
By reafon that the captaines on her fyde,
Corrupted by Paulinus, from her fwerv'd:
Yet fuch as were through former flight preferv'd,
Gathering againe, her hoft she did renew,
And with fresh corage on the victor ferv'd;
But being all defeated, fave a few,
Rather than fly, or be captiv'd, herselfe she flew.
O famous moniment of women's prayfe!
Matchable either to Semiramis,
Whom antique history so high doth rayse,
Or to Hypfihil', or to Thomiris :
Her hoft two hundred thoufand numbred is,
Who, whiles good fortune favoured her might,
Triumphed oft against her enemis :
And yet though overcome in haploffe fight,
She triumphed on death, in enemies defpight.
Her reliques Fulgent having gathered,
Fought with Severus, and him overthrew ;
Yet in the chace was flaine of them that fled,
So made them victors whome he did Tubdew,
Then gan Caraufius tiranize anew
Who having oft in batteil vanquished
Thofe fpoylefull Pics, and fwarming Eafterlings,
Long time in peace his realme established,
Yet oft annoyd with fondry bordragings,
And gainst the Romanes bent their proper powre, Of neighbour Scots, and forrein fcatterlings,
But him Allectus treacherously flew,
And tooke on him the robe of Emperoure;
Nath'leffe the famje enioyed but short happy
howre.
For Afclepiodate him overcame,
And left inglorious on the vanquisht playne,
Without or robe or rag to hide his fhame;
Then afterwards he in his ftead did raigne,
But fhortly was by Coyll in batteil flaine;
Who after long debate, since Lucius tyme,
Was of the Britons first crownd foveraine :
Then gan this realme renew her paffed prime;
He of his name Coylchefter built of stone and
lime.
Which when the Romanes heard, they hether fent
Conftantius, a man of meikle might,
With whom King Coyll made an agreement,
And to him gave for wife his daughter bright,
Fayre Helena, the fairest living wight,
Who in all godly thewes and goodly praise
Did far excell, but was most famous hight
For fkil in muficke of all in her daies,
As well in curious inftruments as cunning laics.
Of whom he did great Conftantine begett,
Who afterward was Emperour of Rome;
To which whiles abfent he his mind did fett,
With which the world did in thofe dayes abound;
Which to out-barre, with painful pyonings
From fea to fea he heapt a mighty mound,
Which from Alcluid to Panwelt did that border
bownd.
Three fonnes he dying left, all under age;
By meanes whereof their uncle Vortigere
Ufurpt the crowne during their pupillage;
Which th' infants tutors gathering to feare,
Them clofely into Armorick did beare;
For dread of whom, and for thofe Picts annoyes,
He fent to Germany ftraunge aid to reare,
From whence eftfoones arrived here three hoyes
Of Saxons, whom he for his fafety employes.
Two brethren were their capitayns, which hight
Hengift and Horfus, well approv'd in warre,
And both of them men of renowmed might,
Who making vantage of their civil iarre,
And of thofe forreyners which came from farre,
Grew great, and got large portions of land,
That in the realme ere long they stronger arre
Then they which fought at first their helping
hand,
And Vortiger enforft the kingdome to aband;
But by the helpe of Vortimere his fonne
He is againe into his rule restord;
And the fad hufbandman's long hope doth throw Adowne the ftreame, and all his vowes make vayne;
His beast he felly prickt on either fyde, And his mifchievous bow fell readie bunt, With which at him a cruell shaft he fent;
Nor bounds, nor banks, his headlong ruine may But he was warie, and it warded well
Upon his fhield, that it no further went, But to the ground the idle quarrell fell; Then he another and another did expell :
Which to prevent, the prince his mortall speare
Soone to him raught, and fierce at him did ride,
To be avenged of that shot whyleare:
But he was not fo hardy to abide
That bitter ftownd, but turning quicke afide
His light-foot beaft, fled faft away for feare:
Whom to pourfue, the infant after hide,
So faft as his good courfer could him beare;
But labour loft it was to weene approch him neare.
For as the winged wind his tigre fled,
That vew of eye could fearfe him overtake,
Ne fcarfe his feet on ground were feene to tred;
Through hils and dales he fpeedy way did make,
Ne hedge ne ditch his readie paffage brake,
And in his flight the villeine turn'd his face
(As wonts the Tarter by the Cafpian lake,
Whenas the Ruffian him in fight does chace)
Unto his tygre's taile, and shot at him apace.
Apace he shot, and yet he fled apace,
Still as the greedy knight nigh to him drew;
And oftentimes he would relent his pace,
That him his foe more fiercely fhould pourfew:
But when his uncouth manner he did vew,
He gan avize to follow him no more,
But keepe his ftanding, and his fhaftes efchew,
Untill he quite had spent his perlous store,
And then affayle him frefh, ere he could fhift for
But that lame hag, ftili as abroad he ftrew
His wicked arrowes, gathered them againe,
And to him brought fresh batteill to renew;
Which he efpying, cast her to restraine
From yielding fuccour to that curfed fwaine,
And her attaching, thought her hands to tye;
But foone as him difmounted on the plaine
That other hag did far away efpye
Binding her titer, fhe to hin ran haftily;
And catching hold of him as downe he lent,
Him backward overthrew, and downe him stayd
With their rude handes and gryfely graplement;
Till that the villein coming to their ayd,
Upon him fell, and lode upon him layd:
Full litle wanted but he had him flaine,
And of the battell balefull end had made,
Had not his gentle fquire beheld his paine,
And commen to his refkew ere his bitter bane.
So greatest and most glorious thing on ground
May often need the helpe of weaker hand;
So feeble is man's ftate, and life unfound,
That in affuraunce it may never stand,
Till it diffolved be from earthly band.
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