Page images
PDF
EPUB

XIV.

Locrine was left the foveraine Lord of all;
But Albanact had all the northern part,
Which of himself Albania he did call;
And Camber did poffefs the western quart,
Which Severn now from Logris doth depart :
And each his portion peaceably enjoy'd,

Ne was there outward breach, nor grudge in heart,
That once their quiet government annoy'd,
But each his pains to others profit ftill employ'd.
XV.

Until a nation ftrange, with visage fwart,

And courage fierce, that all men did affray,
Which through the world then fwarm'd in every part,
And overflow'd all countries far away,

Like Noyes great flood, with their importune fway,
This land invaded with like violence,

And did themselves through all the north difplay:
Until that Locrine for his realms defence,

Did head against them make, and strong munificence.
XVI.

He them encountred, (a confufed rout)~

Foreby the River, that whilome was hight
The ancient Abus, where with courage ftout
He them defeated in victorious fight,
And chaft fo fiercely after fearful flight,
That forft their chieftain, for his fafeties fake
(Their chieftain Humber named was aright)
Unto the mighty ftream him to betake,
Where he an end of battle, and of life did make.
XVII.

The King returned proud of victory,

And infolent wox through unwonted ease, That fhortly he forgot the jeopardy, Which in his land he lately did appeafe, And fell to vain voluptuous disease: He lov'd fair Lady Eftrild, leudly lov'd, Whose wanton pleafures him too much did please, That quite his heart from Guendolene remov'd, From Guendolene his wife, though always faithful prov'd.

XVIII.

The noble daughter of Corineus,

Would not endure to be fo vile difdain'd;
But gath'ring force, and courage valorous,
Encountred him in battle well ordain'd,
In which him vanquisht fhe to fly constrain'd:
But the fo faft purfew'd, that him she took,
And threw in bands, where he till death remain'd;
Als his fair Leman, flying through a brook,
She overhent, nought moved with her pitious look.
XIX.

But both her felf, and eke her daughter dear,
Begotten by her Kingly paramour,

The fair Sabrina almost dead with fear,
She there attached, far from all fuccour ;
The one fhe flew in that impatient stour:
But the fad virgin innocent of all,
Adown the rolling river the did pour,

Which of her name now Severn men do call:
Such was the end that to difloyal love did fall.
XX.

Then for her fon, which fhe to Locrine bore
(Madan was young, unmeet the rule of sway)
In her own hand the crown fhe kept in store,
Till riper years he raught, and stronger stay:
During which time, her powre fhe did difplay
Through all this realm (the glory of her fex)
And first taught men a woman to obey :
But when her fon to mans eftate did wex,
She it furrendered, ne her felf would longer vex.
XXI.

Tho Madan reign'd, unworthy of his race:
For with all shame that facred throne he fil'd:
Next Memprije, as unworthy of that place,
In which being conforted with Manild,
For thirst of fingle Kingdom him he kill'd.
But Ebrank falved both their infamies
With noble deeds, and warrey'd on Brunchild
In Henault, where yet of his victories

Brave monuments remain, which yet that land envies.

XXII.

An happy man in his first days he was,
And happy father of fair progeny:
For all fo many weeks as the year has,
So many children he did multiply;

Of which were twenty fons, which did apply
Their minds to praife, and chevalrous defire:
Thofe Germans did fubdue all Germany,

Of whom it hight; but in the end their fire,
With foul repulfe, from France was forced to retire.
XXIII.

Which blot, his fon fucceeding in his feat,
The fecond Brute (the fecond both in name
And eke in femblance of his puiffance great)
Right well recur'd, and did away that blame
With recompence of everlasting fame.
He with his victor fword first opened
The bowels of wide France, a forlorn dame,
And taught her first how to be conquered;
Since which, with fundry spoils fhe hath been ranfacked.
XXIV.

Let Scaldis tell, and let tell Hania,

And let the marsh of Efthambruges tell,

What colour were there waters that fame day,
And all the moor twixt Elversham and Dell,
With blood of Henalois, which therein fell.
How oft that day did fad Brunchildis fee

The green fhield dy'd in dolorous vermill?
That not Scuith guiridh it mote seem to be;
But rather yScuith gogh, fign of fad cruelty.
XXV.

His Son King Leill, by Fathers labour long,
Enjoy'd an heritage of lafting peace.
And built Cairleill, and built Cairleon ftrong.
Next Hudibrafs his realm did not encrease,
But taught the land from weary wars to cease.
Whose footsteps Bladud following, in arts
Excel'd at Athens all the learned preace,

From whence he brought them to thefe falvage parts, And with sweet feience mollifide their ftubborn hearts.

XXVI.

Enfample of his wondrous faculty,
Behold the boiling baths at Cairbadon,
Which feeth with fecret fire eternally,

And in their entrails, full of quick brimfton,
Nourish the flames, which they are warm'd upon,
That to her people wealth they forth do well,
And health to every foreign nation:

Yet he at last contending to excel

The reach of men, through flight into fond mischief fell.
XXVII.

Next him King Leyr in happy peace long reign'd,
But had no iffue male him to fucceed,

But three fair daughters, which were well uptrain'd.
In all that feemed fit for Kingly feed:
Mongst whom his realm he equally decreed
To have divided, tho' when feeble age
Nigh to his utmost date he faw proceed,
He call'd his daughters; and with speeches fage
Inquir'd, which of them moft did love her parentage.
XXVIII.

The eldest, Gonorill, 'gan to proteft,

That she much more than her own life him lov'd;
And Regan greater love to him profest,
Than all the world, whenever it were prov'd;
But Cordeill faid, fhe lov'd him, as behov'd:
Whofe fimple anfwer, wanting colours fair
To paint it forth, him to displeasance mov'd,
That in his crown he counted her no heir,

But twixt the other twain his Kingdom whole did share.
XXIX.

So wedded th❜one to Maglan King of Scots,

And th❜other to the King of Cambria,

And twixt them fhar'd his realm by equal lots:

But without dowre the wife Cordelia

Was fent to Aganip of Celtica.

Their aged Sire, thus eafed of his crown,

A private life led in Albania,

With Gonorill, long had in great renown,

That nought him griev'd to been from rule depofed down

VOL. I.

U

XXX.

But true it is, that when the oil is spent,
The light goes out, and wike is thrown away;
So when he had refign'd his regiment,
His daughter 'gan defpife his drooping day,
And weary wax of his continual ftay.
Tho to his daughter Regan he repair'd,
Who him at first well used every way;
But when of his departure fhe defpair'd,
Her bounty fhe abated, and his chear empair'd,
XXXI.

The wretched man 'gan then avife too late,
That love is not, where most it is profest;
Too truly try'd in his extreamest state:
At laft, refolv'd likewife to prove the rest,
He to Cordelia himself addreft,

Who with entire affection him receiv'd,
As for her Sire and King her seemed best;
And after all an army ftrong fhe leav'd,

To war on those, which him had of his realm bereav'd
XXXII.

So to his crown fhe him reftor'd again,

In which he dy'd, made ripe for death by eld,
And after will'd it fhould to her remain :
Who peaceably the fame long time did weld:
And all mens hearts in due obedience held:
Till that her fifters children woxen strong,
Through proud ambition against her rebeld,
And overcomen kept in prifon long,

Till weary of that wretched life, her felf fhe hong

XXXIII.

Then 'gan the bloody brethren both to reign:
But fierce Cundah 'gan fhortly to envy
Her brother Morgan, prickt with proud difdain
To have a peer in part of foverainty;
And kindling coals of cruel enmity,
Rais'd war, and him in battle overthrew :
Whence as he to thofe woody hills did fly,

Which hight of him Glamorgan, there him flew; Then did he reign alone, when he none equal knew.

« PreviousContinue »