ATE.
In pœnam sectatur & Umbra.
A mighty Lion, Ruler of the Woods,
Of wondrous Strength and great Proportion,
With hideous noise scaring the trembling Trees,
With yelling Clamours shaking all the Earth,
Traverst the Groves, and chac'd the wandring Beasts:
Long did he range among the shady Trees,
And drave the silly Beasts before his Face;

When suddenly from out a thorny Bush
A dreadful Archer with his Bow ybent,
Wounded the Lion with a dismal Shaft,
So he him strook, that it drew forth the blood,
And fill'd his furious Heart with fretting Ire;
But all in vain he threatneth Teeth and Paws,
And sparkleth Fire from forth his flaming Eyes,
For the sharp Shaft gave him a mortal Wound;
So valiant Brute, the terror of the World,
Whose only looks did scare his Enemies,
The Archer Death brought to his latest end.
O what may long abide above this Ground,
In State of Bliss and healthful Happiness! [Exit. SCENE II. Enter Brutus carried in a Chair, Locrine, Camber, Albanact, Corineius, Guendeline, Assaracus, Debon, and Thrasimachus.

Bru.
Most loyal Lords, and faithful Followers,
That have with me, unworthy General,
Passed the greedy Gulf of th' Ocean,
Leaving the Confines of fair Italy,
Behold, your Brutus draweth nigh his end,
And I must leave you, though against my Will;
My Sinews shrunk, my number'd Senses fail,
A chilling cold possesseth all my Bones,
Black ugly Death with Visage pale and wan,
Presents himself before my dazled Eyes,
And with his Dart prepared is to strike:
These Arms, my Lords, these never daunted Arms,
That oft have quell'd the Courage of my Foes,
And eke di may'd my Neighbour's Arrogance,
Now yield to Death, o'erlaid with crooked Age,
Devoid of Strength and of their proper Force;
Even as the lusty Cedar worn with Years,
That far abroad her dainty Odour throws,
'Mongst all the Daughters of proud Lebanon,
This Heart, my Lords, this ne'er appalled Heart,
That was a Terror to the bordering Lands,
A doleful Scourge unto my neighbour Kings,

Now by the Weapons of unpartial Death
Is clove asunder, and bereft of Life,
As when the sacred Oak with Thunderbolts,
Sent from the fiery Circuit of the Heav'ns,
Sliding along the Airs celestial Vaults,
Is rent and cloven to the very Roots.
In vain therefore I struggle with this Foe,
Then welcome Death, since God will have it so.

Assar.
Alas my Lord, we sorrow at your Case,
And greive to see your Person vexed thus;
But whatsoe'er the Fates determin'd have,
It lieth not in us to disannul,
And he that would annihilate his Mind,
Soaring with Icarus too near the Sun,
May catch a fall with young Bellerophon.
For when the fatal Sisters have decreed
To separate us from this earthly mould,
No mortal Force can countermand their Minds:
Then, worthy Lord, since there's no way but one,
Cease your Laments, and leave your grievous moan.

Cor.
Your Highness knows how many Victories,
How many Trophies I erected have
Triumphantly in every place we came.
The Grecian Monarch, warlike Pandrassus,
And all the Crew of the Molossians:
Goffarius the arm-strong King of Gauls,
Have felt the Force of our victorious Arms,
And to their Cost beheld our Chivalrie:
Where-e'er Aurora, handmaid of the Sun,
Where-e'er the Sun, bright Guardian of the Day,
Where-e'er the joyful Day with cheerful Light,
Where-e'er the Light illuminates the World,
The Trojans Glory flies with golden Wings,
Wings that do soar beyond fell envious flight,
The fame of Brutus and his followers
Pierceth the Skies, and with the Skies the Throne
Of mighty Jove, Commander of the World.
Then, worthy Brutus, leave these sad Laments,
Comfort your self with this your great Renown,
And fear not Death, though he seem terrible.

Bru.
Nay, Corineius, you mistake my Mind.
In construing wrong the Cause of my Complaints;
I fear'd not t' yield my self to fatal Death,
God knows it was the least of all my Thoughts,
A greater Care torments my very Bones,
And makes me tremble at the thought of it,
And in your Lordings doth the Substance lye.

Thra.
Most Noble Lord, if ought your Loyal Peers
Accomplish may, to ease your lingring Grief,
I, in the name of all, protest to you,
That we would boldly enterprise the same,
Were it to enter to black Tartarus,
Where triple Cerberus with his venomous Throat,
Scareth the Ghosts with high resounding Noise,
We'll either rent the Bowels of the Earth,
Searching the entrails of the brutish Earth,
Or with his Ixions overdaring soon,
Be bound in Chains of ever-during Steel.

Bru.
Then harken to your Soveraign's latest Words,
In which I will unto you all unfold,
Our Royal Mind and resolute Intent.
When golden Hebe, Daughter to great Jove,
Cover'd my manly Cheeks with youthful Down,
Th'unhappy Slaughter of my luckless Sire,
Drove me and old Assarachus mine Eame,
As Exiles from the Bounds of Italy,
So that perforce we were constrain'd to fly
To Grecians Monarch, noble Pandrassus,
There I alone did undertake your Cause,
There I restor'd your antique Liberty,
Though Grecia frown'd, and all Molossia storm'd,
Though brave Antigonus, with martial Band,
In pitched Field encountred me and mine,
Though Pandrassus and his Contributaries,
With all the rout of their Confederates,
Sought to deface our glorious Memory,
And wipe the Name of Trojans from the Earth;
Him did I captivate with this mine Arm,
And by Compulsion forc'd him to agree
To certain Articles, which there we did propound.
From Grecia through the boisterous Hellespont,

We came into the Fields of Lestrigon,
Whereat our Brother Corineius was;
Which when we passed the Cicilian Gulf,
And so transfretting the Illician Sea,
Arrived on the Coasts of Aquitain;
Where with an Army of his barbarous Gauls
Goffarius and his Brother Gathelus
Encountring with our Host, sustain'd the Foil,
And for your sakes my Turnus there I lost;
Turnus that slew six hundred Men at Arms,
All in an Hour, with his sharp Battle-Axe,
From thence upon the stronds of Albion
To Corus Haven happily we came,
And quell'd the Giants, come of Albion's Race,
With Gogmagog, Son to Samotheus,
The cursed Captain of that damned Crew,
And in that Isle at length I placed you.
Now let me see, if my laborious Toils,
If all my Care, if all my grievous Wounds,
If all my Diligence were well employ'd.

Cor.
When first I follow'd thee and thine, brave King,
I hazarded my Life and dearest Blood,
To purchase Favour at your Princely Hands,
And for the same in dangerous Attempts,
In sundry Conflicts, and in divers Broils,
I shew'd the Courage of my manly Mind;
For this I combated with Gathelus,
The Brother to Goffarius of Gaul;
For this I fought with furious Gogmagog,
A savage Captain of a savage Crew;
And for these Deeds brave Cornwall I receiv'd,
A grateful Gift giv'n by a gracious King;
And for this Gift, this Life and dearest Blood
Will Corineius spend for Brutus good.

Deb.
And what my Friend, brave Prince, hath vow'd to you.
The same will Debon do unto his end.

Bru.
Then, Loyal Peers, since you are all agreed,
And resolute to follow Brutus Hests,
Favour my Sons, favor those Orphans, Lords,
And shield them from the Dangers of their Foes.
Locrine, the Column of my Family,

And only Pillar of my weaken'd Age:
Locrine, draw near, draw near unto thy Sire,
And take thy latest Blessings at his Hands:
And, for thou art the eldest of my Sons,
Be thou a Captain to thy Brethren,
And imitate thy aged Father's steps,
Which will conduct thee to true Honour's Gate:
For if thou follow sacred Virtues lore,
Thou shalt be crowned with a Laurel Branch,
And wear a Wreath of sempiternal Fame,
Sorted amongst the Glorious happy ones.

Loc.
If Locrine do not follow your Advice,
And bear himself in all things like a Prince
That seeks to amplifie the great Renown,
Left unto him for an Inheritance,
By those that were his Ancestors,
Let me be flung into the Ocean,
And swallow'd in the Bowels of the Earth.
Or let the ruddy Lightning of great Jove,
Descend upon this my devoted Head. [Brutus taking Guendeline by the Hand.

Bru.
But for I see you all to be in doubt,
Who shall be matched with our Royal Son,
Locrine, receive this Present at my Hand;
A Gift more rich than are the wealthy Mines
Found in the Bowels of America.
Thou shalt be spoused to fair Guendeline:
Love her, and take her, for she is thine own,
If so thy Uncle and her self do please.

Cor.
And herein how your Highness honours me,
It cannot now be in my Speech exprest;
For careful Parents glory not so much
At their Honour and Promotion,
As for to see the issue of their Blood
Seated in Honour and Prosperity.

Guen.
And far be it from my pure maiden Thoughts
To contradict her aged Father's Will.
Therefore since he to whom I must obey,
Hath giv'n me now unto your royal self,
I will not stand aloof from off the lure,

Like crafty Dames that most of all deny
That, which they most desire to Possess. [Brutus turning to Locrine. [Locrine Kneeling.
Then now my Son thy part is on the Stage,
For thou must bear the Person of a King. [Puts the Crown on his Head.
Locrine stand up, and wear the regal Crown,
And think upon the State of Majesty,
That thou with Honour well may'st wear the Crown,
And if thou tendrest these my latest Words,
As thou requir'st my Soul to be at rest,
As thou desirest thine own Security,
Cherish and Love thy new betrothed Wife.

Loc.
No longer let me well enjoy the Crown,
Than I do peerless Guendeline.

Bru.
Camber.

Cam.
My Lord.

Bru.
The Glory of mine Age,
And darling of thy Mother Junoger,
Take thou the South for thy Dominion,
From thee there shall proceed a Royal Race,
That shall maintain the Honour of this Land,
That sway the regal Scepter with their Hands. [Turning to Alabanact.
And Alabanact, thy Father's only Joy,
Youngest in Years, but not the young'st in mind,
A perfect Pattern of all Chivalry,
Take thou the North for thy Dominion,
A Country full of Hills and ragged Rocks,
Replenished with fierce untamed Beasts,
As correspondent to thy martial Thoughts,
Live long my Sons with endless Happiness,
And bear firm Concordance among your selves,
Obey the Counsels of these Fathers grave,
That you may better bear out Violence.
But suddenly, through Weakness of my Age,
And the defect of youthful Puissance,
My Malady increaseth more and more,
And cruel Death hasteneth his quickned pace,
To dispossess me of my earthly Shape,

Mine Eyes wax dim, o'er-cast with Clouds of Age.
The pangs of Death compass my crazed Bones,
Thus to you all my Blessings I bequeath,
And with my Blessings, this my fleeting Soul.
My Glass is run, and all my Miseries
Do end with Life; Death closeth up mine Eyes,
My Soul in haste flies to the Elysian Fields. [He dies.

Loc.
Accursed Stars, damn'd and accursed Stars,
T' abbreviate my noble Father's Life,
Hard hearted Gods, and too too envious Fates,
Thus to cut off my Father's fatal Thread,
Brutus that was a Glory to us all,
Brutus that was a Terror to his Foes,
Alas too soon by Demogorgon's Knife,
The martial Brutus is bereft of Life.
No sad Complaints may move just Eacus.

Cor.
No dreadful Threats can fear Judge Rhodomanth.
Wert thou as strong as mighty Hercules,
That tamed the huge Monsters of the World,
Plaid'st thou as sweet, on the sweet sounding Lute,
As did the Spouse of fair Euridicè,
That did enchant the Waters with his Noise,
And made the Stones, Birds, Beasts, to lead a Dance,
Constrain'd the hilly Trees to follow him,
Thou could'st not move the Judge of Erebus,
Nor move Compassion in grim Pluto's Heart,
For fatal Mors expecteth all the World,
And every Man must tread the way of Death;
Brave Tantalus, the valiant Pelops Sire,
Guest to the Gods, suffered untimely Death,
And old Tithonus Husband to the Morn,
And eke grim Minos whom just Jupiter
Deign'd to admit unto his Sacrifice,
The thundring Trumpets of Blood-thirsty Mars.
The fearful rage of fell Tisiphoen.
The boistrous Waves of humid Ocean,
Are Instruments and Tools of dismal Death.
Then noble Cousin cease to mourn his chance,
Whose Age and Years were Signs that he should dye.
It resteth now that we inter his Bones,

That was a Terror to his Enemies.
Take up his Coarse, and Princes hold him dead,
Who while he liv'd, upheld the Trojan State.
Sound Drums and Trumpets, march to Trinovant,
There to provide our Chieftain's Funeral. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Enter Strumbo above in a Gown, with Ink and Paper in his hand.

Strum.

Either the four Elements, the seven Planets and all the particular Stars of the Pole Antartick, are adversitive against me, or else I was begotten and born in the Wain of the Moon, when every thing, as Lactantius in his fourth Book of Constultations doth say, goeth arsward. Ay Masters, ay, you may laugh, but I must weep; you may joy, but I must sorrow; shedding salt Tears from the watry Fountains of my moist dainty fair Eyes, along my comely and smooth Cheeks, in as great plenty as the Water runneth from the Bucking-tubs, or red Wine out of the Hogs-heads: for trust me, Gentlemen and my very good Friends, and so forth: the little god, nay the desperate god Cuprit, with one of his vengible Birds bolts, hath shot me unto the Heel: so not only, but also, oh fine phrase, I burn, I burn, and I burn a, in love, in love, and in love a, ah Strumbo, what hast thou seen, not Dina with the Ass Tom? Yea, with these Eyes thou hast seen her, and therefore pull them out, for they will work thy Bail. Ah Strumbo, hast thou heard the Voice of the Nightingale, but a Voice sweeter than hers, yea, with these Ears hast thou heard them, and therefore cut them off, for they have caus'd thy sorrow. Nay Strumbo, kill thy self, drown thy self, hang thy self, starve thy self. Oh, but then I shall leave my sweet Heart. Oh my Heart! Now Pate for thy Master, I will dite an aliquant Love-pistle to her, and then she hearing the grand verbosity of my Scripture, will love my presently.

My Pen is naught, Gentlemen, lend me a Knife, I think the more haste the worst speed.

So it is, Mistress Dorothy, and the sole essence of my Soul, that the little sparkles of affection kindled in me towards your sweet self, hath now increas'd to a great flame, and will e'er it be long consume my poor Heart, except you with the pleasant water of your secret Fountain, quench the furious heat of the same. Alas, I am a Gentleman of good Fame, and Name, majestical, in Apparel comely, in Gate portly. Let not therefore your gentle Heart be so hard, as to despise a proper tall young Man of a handsome Life, and by despising him, not only but also to kill him. Thus expecting time and tide, I bid you farewel. Your Servant, Signior Strumbo.

Oh Wit, O Pate, O Memory, O Hand, O Ink, O Paper. Well, now I will send it away. Trompart, Trompart, what a Villain is this? Why Sirrah, come when your Master calls you. Trompart.

Trompart entring saith,

Anon, Sir.

Strum.

Thou knowest, my pretty Boy, what a good Master I have been to thee ever since I took thee into my service.

Trom.

Ay, Sir.

Strum.

And how I have cherished thee always, as if thou hadst been the fruit of my Loins, Flesh of my Flesh, and Bone of my Bone.

Trom.

Ay, Sir.

Strum.

Then shew thy self herein a trusty Servant, and carry this Letter to Mistress Dorothy, and tell her.—

Strum.

Nay, Masters, you shall see a Marriage by and by. But here she comes. Now must I frame my amorous Passions.