Who now shall giue vnto me words and sound, i

Equall vnto this haughtie enterprise?

Or who shall lend me wings, with which from ground

My lowly verse may loftily arise,

And lift it selfe vnto the highest skies?

More ample spirit, then hitherto was wount,

Here needes me, whiles the famous auncestries

Of my most dreaded Soueraigne I recount,

By which all earthly Princes she doth farre surmount.

Ne vnder Sunne, that shines so wide and faire, ii

Whence all that liues, does borrow life and light,

Liues ought, that to her linage may compaire,

Which though from earth it be deriued right,

Yet doth it selfe stretch forth to heauens hight,

And all the world with wonder ouerspred;

A labour huge, exceeding farre my might:

How shall fraile pen, with feare disparaged,

Conceiue such soueraine glory, and great bountihed?

Argument worthy of Mœonian quill, iii

Or rather worthy of great Phœbus rote,

Whereon the ruines of great Ossa hill,

And triumphes of Phlegræan Ioue he wrote,

That all the Gods admird his loftie note.

But if some relish of that heauenly lay

His learned daughters would to me report,

To decke my song withall, I would assay,

Thy name, O soueraine Queene, to blazon farre away.

Thy name O soueraine Queene, thy realme and race, iv

From this renowmed Prince deriued arre,

Who[762] mightily vpheld that royall mace,

Which now thou bear’st, to thee descended farre

From mightie kings and conquerours in warre,

Thy fathers and great[763] Grandfathers of old[764],

Whose noble deedes aboue the Northerne starre

Immortall fame for euer hath enrold;

As in that old mans booke they were in order told.

The land, which warlike Britons now possesse, v

And therein haue their mightie empire raysd,

In antique times was saluage wildernesse,

Vnpeopled, vnmanurd, vnprou’d, vnpraysd,

Ne was it Island then, ne was it paysd

Amid the Ocean waues, ne was it sought

Of marchants[765] farre, for profits therein praysd,

But was all desolate, and of some thought

By sea to haue bene from the Celticke mayn-land brought.

Ne did it then deserue a name to haue, vi

Till that the venturous Mariner that way

Learning his ship from those white rocks to saue,

Which all along the Southerne sea-coast lay,

Threatning vnheedie wrecke and rash decay,

For safeties sake[766] that same his sea-marke made,

And namd it Albion. But later day

Finding in it fit ports for fishers trade,

Gan more the same frequent, and further to inuade.

But farre in land a saluage nation dwelt, vii

Of hideous Giants, and halfe beastly men,

That neuer tasted grace, nor goodnesse felt,

But like wild beasts lurking in loathsome den,

And flying fast as Roebucke through the fen,

All naked without shame, or care of cold,

By hunting and by spoiling liued then[767];

Of stature huge, and eke of courage bold,

That sonnes of men amazd their sternnesse to behold.

But whence they sprong, or how they were begot, viii

Vneath is to assure; vneath to wene

That monstrous error, which doth some assot,

That Dioclesians fiftie daughters shene

Into this land by chaunce haue driuen bene,

Where companing with feends and filthy Sprights,

Through vaine illusion of their lust vnclene,

They brought forth Giants and such dreadfull wights,

As farre exceeded men in their immeasurd mights.

They held this land, and with their filthinesse ix

Polluted this same gentle soyle long time:

That their owne mother loathd their beastlinesse,

And gan abhorre her broods vnkindly crime,

All were they borne of her owne natiue slime,

Vntill that Brutus anciently deriu’d

From royall stocke of old Assaracs[768] line,

Driuen by fatall error, here arriu’d,

And them of their vniust possession depriu’d.

But ere he had established his throne, x

And spred his empire to the vtmost shore,

He fought great battels with his saluage fone;

In which he them defeated euermore,

And many Giants left on groning flore;

That well can witnesse yet vnto this day

The westerne Hogh, besprincled with the gore

Of mightie Goëmot, whom in stout fray

Corineus conquered, and cruelly did slay.

And eke that ample Pit, yet farre renownd, xi

For the large leape, which Debon did compell

Coulin to make, being eight lugs of grownd;

Into the which returning backe, he fell,

But those three monstrous stones doe most excell

Which that huge sonne of hideous Albion,

Whose father Hercules in Fraunce did quell,

Great Godmer threw, in fierce contention,

At bold Canutus; but of him was slaine anon.

In meed of these great conquests by them got, xii

Corineus had that[769] Prouince vtmost west,

To him assigned for his worthy lot,

Which of his name and memorable gest

He called Cornewaile, yet so called best:

And Debons shayre was, that is Deuonshyre:

But Canute had his portion from the rest,

The which he cald Canutium, for his hyre;

Now Cantium, which Kent we commenly inquire.

Thus Brute this Realme vnto his rule subdewd, xiii

And raigned long in great felicitie,

Lou’d of his friends, and of his foes eschewd,

He left three sonnes, his famous progeny,

Borne of faire Inogene of Italy;

Mongst whom he parted his imperiall state,

And Locrine left chiefe Lord of Britany.

At last ripe age bad him surrender late

His life, and long good fortune vnto finall fate.

Locrine was left the soueraine Lord of all; xiv

But Albanact had all the Northrene part,

Which of himselfe Albania he did call;

And Camber did possesse the Westerne quart,

Which Seuerne now from Logris doth depart:

And each his portion peaceably enioyd,

Ne was there outward breach, nor grudge in hart,

That once their quiet gouernment annoyd,

But each his paines to others profit still employd.

Vntill a nation straung, with visage swart, xv

And courage fierce, that all men did affray,

Which through the world then swarmd in euery part,

And ouerflow’d all countries farre away,

Like Noyes great flood, with their importune sway,

This land inuaded with like violence,

And did themselues through all the North display:

Vntill that Locrine for his Realmes defence,

Did head against them make, and strong munifience[770].

He them encountred, a confused rout, xvi

Foreby the Riuer, that whylome was hight

The auncient Abus, where with courage stout

He them defeated in victorious fight,

And chaste so fiercely after fearfull flight,

That forst their Chieftaine, for his safeties sake,

(Their Chieftaine Humber named was aright)

Vnto the mightie streame him to betake,

Where he an end of battell, and of life did make.

The king returned proud of victorie, xvii

And insolent wox through vnwonted ease,

That shortly he forgot the ieopardie,

Which in his land he lately did appease,

And fell to vaine voluptuous disease:

He lou’d faire Ladie Estrild, lewdly lou’d,

Whose wanton pleasures him too much did please,

That quite his hart from Guendolene remou’d,

From Guendolene his wife, though alwaies faithfull prou’d.

The noble daughter of Corineus xviii

Would not endure to be so vile disdaind,

But gathering force, and courage valorous,

Encountred him in battell well ordaind,

In which him vanquisht she to fly constraind:

But she so fast pursewd, that him she tooke,

And threw in bands, where he till death remaind;

Als his faire Leman, flying through a brooke,

She ouerhent, nought moued with her piteous looke.

But both her selfe, and eke her daughter deare, xix

Begotten by her kingly Paramoure,

The faire Sabrina almost dead with feare,

She there attached, farre from all succoure;

The one she slew in that impatient stoure[771],

But the sad virgin innocent of all,

Adowne the rolling riuer she did poure,

Which of her name now Seuerne men do call:

Such was the end, that to disloyall loue did fall.

Then for her sonne, which she to Locrin bore, xx

Madan was young, vnmeet the rule to sway[772],

In her owne hand the crowne she kept in store,

Till ryper yeares he raught, and stronger stay:

During which time her powre she did display

Through all this realme, the glorie of her sex,

And first taught men a woman to obay:

But when her sonne to mans estate did wex,

She it surrendred, ne her selfe would lenger vex.

Tho Madan raignd, vnworthie of his race: xxi

For with all shame that sacred throne he fild:

Next Memprise, as vnworthy of that place,

In which being consorted with Manild,

For thirst of single kingdome him he kild.

But Ebranck salued both their infamies

With noble deedes, and warreyd on Brunchild

In Henault, where yet of his victories

Braue moniments remaine, which yet that land enuies.

An happie man in his first dayes he was, xxii

And happie father of faire progeny:

For all so many weekes as the yeare has,

So many children he did multiply;

Of which were twentie sonnes, which did apply[773]

Their minds to praise, and cheualrous desire:

Those germans did subdew all Germany,

Of whom it hight; but in the end their Sire

With foule repulse from Fraunce was forced to retire.

Which blot his sonne succeeding in his seat, xxiii

The second Brute, the second both in name,

And eke in semblance of his puissance great,

Right well recur’d, and did away that blame

With recompence of euerlasting fame.

He with his victour sword first opened[774]

The bowels of wide Fraunce, a forlorne Dame,

And taught her first how to be conquered;

Since which, with sundrie spoiles she hath beene ransacked.

Let Scaldis tell, and let tell Hania, xxiv

And let the marsh of Estham bruges tell,

What colour were their waters that same day,

And all the moore twixt Eluersham and Dell,

With bloud of Henalois, which therein fell.

How oft that day did sad Brunchildis see

The greene shield dyde in dolorous vermell?

That not Scuith guiridh[775] it[776] mote seeme to bee,

But rather y Scuith gogh, signe of sad crueltee[777].

His sonne king Leill by fathers labour long, xxv

Enioyd an heritage of lasting peace,

And built Cairleill, and built Cairleon strong.

Next Huddibras his realme did not encrease,

But taught the land from wearie warres to cease.

Whose footsteps Bladud following, in arts

Exceld at Athens all the learned preace,

From whence he brought them to these saluage parts,

And with sweet science mollifide their stubborne harts.

Ensample of his wondrous faculty, xxvi

Behold the boyling Bathes at Cairbadon,

Which seeth with secret fire eternally,

And in their entrails, full of quicke Brimston,

Nourish the flames, which they are warm’d vpon,

That to their[778] people wealth they forth do well,

And health to euery forreine nation:

Yet he at last contending to excell

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

Next him king Leyr in happie peace long raind, xxvii

But had no issue male him to succeed,

But three faire daughters, which were well vptraind,

In all that seemed fit for kingly seed:

Mongst whom his realme he equally decreed

To haue diuided. Tho when feeble age

Nigh to his vtmost date he saw proceed,

He cald his daughters; and with speeches sage

Inquyrd, which of them most did loue her parentage.

The eldest Gonorill[779] gan to protest, xxviii

That she much more then her owne life him lou’d:

And Regan greater loue to him profest,

Then all the world, when euer it were proou’d;

But Cordeill said she lou’d him, as behoou’d:

Whose simple answere, wanting colours faire

To paint it forth, him to displeasance moou’d,

That in his crowne he counted her no haire,

But twixt the other twaine his kingdome whole did shaire.

So wedded th’one to Maglan king of Scots, xxix

And th’other to the king of Cambria,

And twixt them shayrd his realme by equall lots:

But without dowre the wise Cordelia[780]

Was sent to Aganip of Celtica.

Their aged Syre, thus eased of his crowne,

A priuate life led in Albania,

With Gonorill, long had in great renowne,

That nought him grieu’d to bene from rule deposed downe.

But true it is, that when the oyle is spent, xxx

The light goes out, and weeke[781] is throwne away;

So when he had resigned his regiment,

His daughter gan despise his drouping day,

And wearie waxe[782] of his continuall stay.

Tho to his daughter Regan[783] he repayrd,

Who him at first well vsed euery way;

But when of his departure she despayrd,

Her bountie she abated, and his cheare empayrd.

The wretched man gan then auise too late, xxxi

That loue is not, where most it is profest,

Too truely tryde in his extreamest state;

At last resolu’d likewise to proue the rest,

He to Cordelia him selfe addrest,

Who with entire affection him receau’d,

As for her Syre and king her seemed best;

And after all an army strong she leau’d,

To war on those, which him had of his realme bereau’d.

So to his crowne she him restor’d againe, xxxii

In which he dyde, made ripe for death by eld,

And after wild, it should to her remaine:

Who peaceably the same long time did weld:

And all mens harts in dew obedience held:

Till that her sisters children, woxen strong

Through proud ambition, against her rebeld,

And ouercommen kept in prison long,

Till wearie of that wretched life, her selfe she hong.

Then gan the bloudie brethren both to raine: xxxiii

But fierce Cundah gan shortly to enuie

His brother Morgan, prickt with proud disdaine,

To haue a pere in part of soueraintie,

And kindling coles of cruell enmitie,

Raisd warre, and him in battell ouerthrew:

Whence as he to those woodie hils did flie,

Which hight of him Glamorgan, there him slew:

Then did he raigne alone, when he none equall knew.

His sonne Riuallo[784] his dead roome did supply, xxxiv

In whose sad time bloud did from heauen raine:

Next great Gurgustus, then faire Cæcily

In constant peace their kingdomes did containe,

After whom Lago, and Kinmarke did raine,

And Gorbogud, till farre in yeares he grew:

Then[785] his ambitious sonnes vnto them twaine

Arraught the rule, and from their father drew,

Stout Ferrex and sterne Porrex him in prison threw.

But O, the greedy thirst of royall crowne, xxxv

That knowes no kinred, nor regardes no right,

Stird Porrex vp to put his brother downe;

Who vnto him assembling forreine might,

Made warre on him, and fell him selfe in fight:

Whose death t’auenge, his mother mercilesse,

Most mercilesse of women, Wyden hight,

Her other sonne fast sleeping did oppresse,

And with most cruell hand him murdred pittilesse.

Here ended Brutus sacred progenie, xxxvi

Which had seuen hundred yeares this scepter borne,

With high renowme, and great felicitie;[786]

The noble braunch from th’antique stocke was torne

Through discord, and the royall throne forlorne:

Thenceforth this Realme was into factions rent,

Whilest each of Brutus boasted to be borne,

That in the end was left no moniment

Of Brutus, nor of Britons glory auncient.

Then vp arose a man of matchlesse might, xxxvii

And wondrous wit to menage high affaires,

Who stird with[787] pitty of the stressed plight

Of this sad Realme, cut into sundry shaires

By such, as claymd themselues Brutes rightfull haires,

Gathered the Princes of the people loose,

To taken counsell of their common cares;

Who with his wisedom won, him streight did choose

Their king, and swore him fealty to win or loose.

Then made he head against his enimies, xxxviii

And Ymner slew, of[788] Logris miscreate;

Then Ruddoc and proud Stater, both allyes,

This of Albanie newly nominate,

And that of Cambry king confirmed late,

He ouerthrew through his owne valiaunce;

Whose countreis he redus’d to quiet state,

And shortly brought to ciuill gouernaunce,

Now one, which earst were many, made through variaunce.

Then made he sacred lawes, which some men say xxxix

Were vnto him reueald in vision,

By which he freed the Traueilers high way,

The Churches part, and Ploughmans portion,

Restraining stealth, and strong extortion;

The gracious Numa of great Britanie:

For till his dayes, the chiefe dominion

By strength was wielded without pollicie;

Therefore he first wore crowne of gold for dignitie.

Donwallo dyde (for what may liue for ay?) xl

And left two sonnes, of pearelesse prowesse both;

That sacked Rome too dearely did assay,

The recompence of their periured oth,

And ransackt Greece well tryde, when they were wroth;

Besides subiected Fraunce, and Germany,

Which yet their prayses speake, all be they loth,

And inly tremble at the memory

Of Brennus and Bellinus, kings of Britany.

Next them did Gurgunt[789], great Bellinus sonne xli

In rule succeede, and eke in fathers prayse;

He Easterland subdewd, and Danmarke[790] wonne,

And of them both did foy and tribute raise,

The which was dew in his dead fathers dayes:

He also gaue to fugitiues of Spayne,

Whom he at sea found wandring from their wayes,

A seate in Ireland safely to remayne,

Which they should hold of him, as subiect to Britayne.

After him raigned Guitheline his hayre, xlii

The iustest man and trewest in his dayes,

Who had to wife Dame Mertia the fayre,

A woman worthy of immortall prayse,

Which for this Realme found many goodly layes,

And wholesome Statutes to her husband brought;

Her many deemd to haue beene of the Fayes,

As was Aegerie, that Numa tought;

Those yet of her be Mertian lawes both nam’d and thought.

Her sonne[791] Sisillus[792] after her did rayne, xliii

And then Kimarus, and then Danius;

Next whom Morindus did the crowne sustaine,

Who, had he not with wrath outrageous,

And cruell rancour dim’d his valorous

And mightie deeds, should matched haue the best:

As well in that same field victorious

Against the forreine Morands he exprest;

Yet liues his memorie, though carcas sleepe in rest.

Fiue sonnes[793] he left begotten of one wife, xliv

All which successiuely by turnes did raine;

First Gorboman a man of vertuous life;

Next Archigald, who for his proud disdaine,

Deposed was from Princedome soueraine,

And pitteous Elidure put in his sted;

Who shortly it to him restord againe,

Till by his death he it recouered;

But Peridure and Vigent him disthronized.

In wretched prison long he did remaine, xlv

Till they outraigned had their vtmost date,

And then therein reseized was againe,

And ruled long with honorable state,

Till he surrendred Realme and life to fate.

Then all the sonnes of these fiue brethren raynd

By dew successe, and all their Nephewes late,

Euen thrise eleuen descents the crowne retaynd,

Till aged Hely by dew heritage it gaynd.

He had two sonnes, whose eldest called Lud xlvi

Left of his life most famous memory,

And endlesse moniments of his great good:

The ruin’d wals he did reædifye

Of Troynouant, gainst force of enimy,

And built that gate, which of his name is hight,

By which he lyes entombed solemnly.

He left two sonnes, too young to rule aright,

Androgeus and Tenantius, pictures of his might.

Whilst they were young, Cassibalane their Eme xlvii

Was by the people chosen in their sted,

Who on him tooke the royall Diademe,

And goodly well long time it gouerned,

Till the prowd Romanes him disquieted,

And warlike Cæsar, tempted with the name

Of this sweet Island, neuer conquered,

And enuying the Britons blazed fame,

(O hideous hunger of dominion) hither came.

Yet twise they were repulsed backe againe, xlviii

And twise renforst, backe to their ships to fly,

The whiles with bloud they all the shore did staine,

And the gray Ocean into purple dy:

Ne had they footing found at last perdie,

Had not Androgeus, false to natiue soyle,

And enuious of Vncles soueraintie,

Betrayd his contrey vnto forreine spoyle:

Nought else, but treason, from the first this land did foyle.

So by him Cæsar got the victory, xlix

Through great bloudshed, and many a sad assay,

In which him selfe was charged heauily

Of hardy Nennius, whom he yet did slay,

But lost his sword, yet to be seene this day.

Thenceforth this land was tributarie made

T’ambitious Rome, and did their rule obay,

Till Arthur all that reckoning defrayd[794];

Yet oft the Briton kings against them strongly swayd.

Next him Tenantius raigned, then Kimbeline, l

What time th’eternall Lord in fleshly slime

Enwombed was, from wretched Adams line

To purge away the guilt of sinfull crime:

O ioyous memorie of happy time,

That heauenly grace so plenteously displayd;

(O too high ditty for my simple rime.)

Soone after this the Romanes him warrayd[795];

For that their tribute he refusd to let be payd.

Good Claudius, that next was Emperour, li

An army brought, and with him battell fought,

In which the king was by a Treachetour

Disguised slaine, ere any thereof thought:

Yet ceased not the bloudy fight for ought;

For Aruirage his brothers place supplide,

Both in his[796] armes, and crowne, and by that draught

Did driue the Romanes to the weaker side,

That they to peace agreed. So all was pacifide.

Was neuer king more highly magnifide, lii

Nor dred of Romanes, then was Aruirage,

For which the Emperour to him allide

His daughter Genuiss’ in marriage:

Yet shortly he renounst the vassalage

Of Rome againe, who hither hastly sent

Vespasian, that with great spoile and rage

Forwasted all, till Genuissa gent

Perswaded him to ceasse, and her Lord to relent.

He dyde; and him succeeded Marius, liii

Who ioyd his dayes in[797] great tranquillity,

Then Coyll, and after him good Lucius,

That first receiued Christianitie,

The sacred pledge of Christes Euangely;

Yet true it is, that long before that day

Hither came Ioseph of Arimathy,

Who brought with him the holy grayle, (they say)

And preacht the truth, but since it greatly did decay.