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.
XII
In meed of these great conquests by them gott, 100
Corineus had that province utmost west
To him assigned for his worthy lott,
Which of his name and memorable gest
He called Cornwaile, yet so called best:
And Debons shayre was that is Devonshyre: 105
But Canute had his portion from the rest,
The which he cald Canutium, for his hyre;
Now Cantium, which Kent we comenly inquyre.
XIII
Thus Brute this realme unto his rule subdewd,
And raigned long in great felicity, 110
Lov’d of his freends, and of his foes eschewd.
He left three sonnes, his famous progeny,
Borne of fayre Inogene of Italy;
Mongst whom he parted his imperiall state,
And Locrine left chiefe lord of Britany. 115
At last ripe age bad him surrender late
His life, and long good fortune, unto finall fate.
XIV
Locrine was left the soveraine lord of all;
But Albanact had all the northerne part,
Which of him selfe Albania he did call; 120
And Camber did possesse the westerne quart,
Which Severne now from Logris doth depart:
And each his portion peaceably enjoyd,
Ne was there outward breach, nor grudge in hart,
That once their quiet government annoyd, 125
But each his paynes to others profit still employd.
XV
Untill a nation straung, with visage swart
And corage fierce, that all men did affray,
Which through the world then swarmd in every part,
And overflow’d all countries far away, 130
Like Noyes great flood, with their importune sway,
This land invaded with like violence,
And did themselves through all the north display:
Untill that Locrine, for his realmes defence,
Did head against them make, and strong munificence. 135
XVI
He them encountred, a confused rout,
Foreby the river, that whylome was hight
The ancient Abus, where with courage stout
He them defeated in victorious fight,
And chaste so fiercely after fearefull flight, 140
That forst their chiefetain, for his safeties sake,
(Their chiefetain Humber named was aright,)
Unto the mighty streame him to betake,
Where he an end of batteill, and of life did make.
XVII
The king retourned proud of victory, 145
And insolent wox through unwonted ease,
That shortly he forgot the jeopardy,
Which in his land he lately did appease,
And fell to vaine voluptuous disease:
He lov’d faire Ladie Estrild, leudly lov’d, 150
Whose wanton pleasures him too much did please,
That quite his hart from Guendolene remov’d,
From Guendolene his wife, though alwaies faithful prov’d.
XVIII
The noble daughter of Corineus
Would not endure to bee so vile disdaind, 155
But, gathering force and corage valorous,
Encountred him in batteill 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: 160
Als his faire leman, flying through a brooke,
She overhent, nought moved with her piteous looke.
XIX
But both her selfe, and eke her daughter deare,
Begotten by her kingly paramoure,
The faire Sabrina, almost dead with feare, 165
She there attached, far from all succoure;
The one she slew in that impatient stoure,
But the sad virgin, innocent of all,
Adowne the rolling river she did poure,
Which of her name now Severne men do call: 170
Such was the end that to disloyall love did fall.
XX
Then, for her sonne, which she to Locrin bore,
Madan, was young, unmeet the rule to sway,
In her owne hand the crowne she kept in store,
Till ryper yeares he raught, and stronger stay: 175
During which time her powre she did display
Through all this realme, the glory of her sex,
But when her sonne to mans estate did wex,
She it surrendred, ne her selfe would lenger vex. 180
XXI
Tho Madan raignd, unworthie of his race:
For with all shame that sacred throne he fild:
Next Memprise, as unworthy of that place,
In which being consorted with Manild,
For thirst of single kingdom him he kild. 185
But Ebranck salved both their infamies
With noble deedes, and warreyd on Brunchild
In Henault, where yet of his victories
Brave moniments remaine, which yet that land envies.
XXII
An happy man in his first dayes he was, 190
And happy 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
Their mindes to prayse and chevalrous desyre: 195
Those germans did subdew all Germany,
Of whom it hight; but in the end their syre
With foule repulse from Fraunce was forced to retyre.
XXIII
Which blott his sonne succeeding in his seat,
The second Brute, the second both in name 200
And eke in semblaunce of his puissaunce great,
Right well recur’d, and did away that blame
With recompence of everlasting fame.
He with his victour sword first opened
The bowels of wide Fraunce, a forlorne dame, 205
And taught her first how to be conquered;
Since which, with sondrie spoiles she hath bene ransacked.
XXIV
Let Scaldis tell, and let tell Hania,
And let the marsh of Esthambruges tell,
What colour were their waters that same day, 210
And all the moore twixt Elversham and Dell,
With blood of Henalois, which therein fell.
How oft that day did sad Brunchildis see
The greene shield dyde in dolorous vermell!
That not scuith guiridh it mote seeme to bee, 215
But rather y scuith gogh, signe of sad crueltee.
XXV
His sonne, King Leill, by fathers labour long,
Enjoyd an heritage of lasting peace,
And built Cairleill, and built Cairleon strong.
Next Huddibras his realme did not encrease, 220
But taught the land from wearie wars to cease.
Whose footsteps Bladud following, in artes
Exceld at Athens all the learned preace,
From whence he brought them to these salvage parts,
And with sweet science mollifide their stubborne harts. 225
XXVI
Ensample of his wondrous faculty,
Behold the boyling bathes at Cairbadon,
Which seeth with secret fire eternally,
And in their entrailles, full of quick brimston,
Nourish the flames which they are warmd upon, 230
That to their people wealth they forth do well,
And
health to every forreyne nation:
Yet he at last, contending to excell
The reach of men, through flight into fond mischief fell.
XXVII
Next him King Leyr in happie peace long raynd, 235
But had no issue male him to succeed,
But three faire daughters, which were well uptraind
In all that seemed fitt for kingly seed:
Mongst whom his realme he equally decreed
To have divided. Tho, when feeble age 240
Nigh to his utmost date he saw proceed,
He cald his daughters, and with speeches sage
Inquyrd, which of them most did love her parentage.
XXVIII
The eldest Gonorill gan to protest,
That she much more then her owne life him lov’d; 245
And Regan greater love to him profest
Then all the world, when ever it were proov’d;
But Cordeill said she lov’d him as behoov’d:
Whose simple answere, wanting colours fayre
To paint it forth, him to displeasaunce moov’d, 250
That in his crown he counted her no hayre,
But twixt the other twain his kingdom whole did shayre.
XXIX
So wedded th’ one to Maglan, king of Scottes,
And thother to the king of Cambria,
And twixt them shayrd his realme by equall lottes: 255
But without dowre the wise Cordelia
Was sent to aggannip of Celtica.
Their aged syre, thus eased of his crowne,
A private life ledd in Albania,
With Gonorill, long had in great renowne, 260
That nought him griev’d to beene from rule deposed downe.
XXX
But true it is that, when the oyle is spent,
The light goes out, and weeke is throwne away;
So when he had resignd his regiment,
His daughter gan despise his drouping day, 265
And wearie wax of his continuall stay.
Tho to his daughter Regan he repayrd,
Who him at first well used every way;
But when of his departure she despayrd,
Her bountie she abated, and his cheare empayrd. 270
XXXI
The wretched man gan then avise to late,
That love is not, where most it is profest;
Too truely tryde in his extremest state.
At last, resolv’d likewise to prove the rest,
He to Cordelia him selfe addrest, 275
Who with entyre affection him receav’d,
As for her syre and king her seemed best;
And after all an army strong she leav’d,
To war on those which him had of his realme bereav’d.
XXXII
So to his crowne she him restord againe, 280
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, 285
Through proud ambition against her rebeld,
And overcommen kept in prison long,
Till, weary of that wretched life, her selfe she hong.
XXXIII
Then gan the bloody brethren both to raine:
But fierce Cundah gan shortly to envy 290
His brother Morgan, prickt with proud disdaine,
To have a pere in part of soverainty;
And kindling coles of cruell enmity,
Raisd warre, and him in batteill overthrew:
Whence as he to those woody hilles did fly, 295
Which hight of him Glamorgan, there him slew:
Then did he raigne alone, when he none equall knew.
XXXIV
His sonne Rivall’ his dead rowme did supply,
In whose sad time blood did from heaven rayne:
Next great Gurgustus, then faire Cæcily, 300
In constant peace their kingdomes did contayne:
After whom Lago and Kinmarke did rayne,
And Gorbogud, till far in yeares he grew:
Then his ambitious sonnes unto them twayne
Arraught the rule, and from their father drew: 305
Stout Ferrex and sterne Porrex him in prison threw.
XXXV
But O! the greedy thirst of royall crowne,
That knowes no kinred, nor regardes no right,
Stird Porrex up to put his brother downe;
Who, unto him assembling forreigne might, 310
Made warre on him, and fell him selfe in fight:
Whose death t’ avenge, his mother mercilesse,
Most mercilesse of women, Wyden hight,
Her other sonne fast sleeping did oppresse,
And with most cruell hand him murdred pittilesse. 315
XXXVI
Here ended Brutus sacred progeny,
Which had seven hundred yeares this scepter borne,
With high renowme and great felicity:
The noble braunch from th’ antique stocke was torne
Through discord, and the roiall throne forlorne: 320
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 glorie auncient.
XXXVII
Then up arose a man of matchlesse might, 325
And wondrous wit to menage high affayres,
Who, stird with pitty of the stressed plight
Of this sad realme, cut into sondry shayres
By such as claymd themselves Brutes right-full hayres,
Gathered the princes of the people loose, 330
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.
XXXVIII
Then made he head against his enimies,
And Ymner slew, of Logris miscreate; 335
Then Ruddoc and proud Stater, both allyes,
This of Albany newly nominate,
And that of Cambry king confirmed late,
He overthrew through his owne valiaunce;
Whose countries he redus’d to quiet state, 340
And shortly brought to civile governaunce,
Now one, which earst were many made through variaunce.
XXXIX
Then made he sacred lawes, which some men say
Were unto him reveald in vision,
By which he freed the traveilers high way, 345
The churches part, and ploughmans portion,
Restraining stealth and strong extortion;
The gratious Numa of Great Britany:
For, till his dayes, the chiefe dominion
By strength was wielded without pollicy; 350
Therefore he first wore crowne of gold for dignity.
XL
Donwallo dyde (for what may live for ay?)
And left two sonnes, of pearelesse prowesse both,
That sacked Rome too dearely did assay,
The recompence of their perjured oth, 355
And ransackt Greece wel tryde, when they were wroth;
Besides subjected France and Germany,
Which yet their praises speake, all be they loth,
And inly tremble at the memory
Of Brennus and Belinus, kinges of Britany. 360
XLI
Next them did Gurgunt, great Belinus sonne,
In rule succeede, and eke in fathers praise:
He Easterland subdewd, and Denmarke wonne,
And of them both did foy and tribute raise,
The which was dew in his dead fathers daies: 365
He also gave to fugitives of Spayne,
Whom he at sea found wandring from their waies,
A se
ate in Ireland safely to remayne,
Which they should hold of him, as subject to Britayne.
XLII
After him raigned Guitheline his hayre, 370
The justest man and trewest in his daies,
Who had to wife Dame Mertia the fayre,
A woman worthy of immortall praise,
Which for this realme found many goodly layes,
And wholesome statutes to her husband brought: 375
Her many deemd to have beene of the Fayes,
As was Aegerie, that Numa tought:
Those yet of her be Mertian lawes both nam’d and thought.
XLIII
Her sonne Sisillus after her did rayne,
And then Kimarus, and then Danius; 380
Next whom Morindus did the crowne sustayne,
Who, had he not with wrath outrageous
And cruell rancour dim’d his valorous
And mightie deedes, should matched have the best:
As well in that same field victorious 385
Against the forreine Morands he exprest:
Yet lives his memorie, though carcas sleepe in rest.
XLIV
Five sonnes he left begotten of one wife,
All which successively by turnes did rayne;
First Gorboman, a man of vertuous life; 390
Next Archigald, who, for his proud disdayne,
Deposed was from princedome soverayne,
And pitteous Elidure put in his sted;
Who shortly it to him restord agayne,
Till by his death he it recovered; 395
But Peridure and Vigent him disthronized.
XLV
In wretched prison long he did remaine,
Till they outraigned had their utmost date,
And then therein reseized was againe,
And ruled long with honorable state, 400
Till he surrendred realme and life to fate.
Then all the sonnes of these five brethren raynd
By dew successe, and all their nephewes late;
Even thrise eleven descents the crowne retaynd,
Till aged Hely by dew heritage it gaynd. 405
XLVI
He had two sonnes, whose eldest, called Lud,
Left of his life most famous memory,
And endlesse moniments of his great good:
The ruin’d wals he did reædifye
Of Troynovant, gainst force of enimy, 410
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.
XLVII
Whilst they were young, Cassibalane their eme 415
Was by the people chosen in their sted,
Who on him tooke the roiall diademe,
And goodly well long time it governed;
Till the prowde Romanes him disquieted,
And warlike Cæsar, tempted with the name 420
Of this sweet island, never conquered,