The northerne shall Porrex the yonger rule: In quiet I will passe mine aged dayes,
Free from the travaile and the painefull cares That hasten age upon the worthiest kinges.
Free from the travaile and the painefull cares That hasten age upon the worthiest kinges.
Dodsley - Select Collection of Old Plays - v1
* erst] formerly, heretofore.
# “Taught.
” Edit.
1590.
sc. II. ]
FERREX AND PORREX, 121
For me, for myne, for you, and for the state Whereof both I and you have charge and care. Thus do I meane to use your wonted fayth
To me and myne, and to your native lande. My lordes, be playne without wrie respect,
poysonous craft
Lest, the blame Shall light you,
speake pleasyng wise, succedyng thinges
light the harmes also.
Arostus. Your good acceptance (most noble king)
Of suche our faithfulnesse, heretofore We have employed dueties your grace,
And this realme whose worthy head you are, Well proves that neyther you mistrust all,
Nor we shall neede boasting wise shewe Our trueth you, nor yet our wakefull care For you, for yours, and for our native lande.
Wherefore
Sithe Doubt not
kyng) speake one for all,
one beare you egall faith:
use our counsells and our aides
Whose honours, goods and lyves are whole avowed, serve, ayde, and defende your grace.
Gorboduc. My lordes, thanke you all. This the Case.
Ye know, the Gods, who have the soveraigne care, For kings, for kingdomes, and for common weales,
Gave me two sonnes my more lusty age, Who nowe my decayeng” yeres are growen
Well towardes ryper state minde and strength, To take hande some greater princely charge.
yet they lyve and spende their hopefull daies With me and with their mother here courte.
Their age nowe asketh other place and trade, And myne also doth aske other chaunge, Theirs more travaile, myne greater ease.
Whan fatall death shall endemy Inortall life, My purpose leave unto them twaine,
The realme divided two sondry partes:
The one, Ferrex myne elder sonne shall have, The other, shall the yongert Porrex rule.
“I)eceiving. ” Edit. 1590. other. " Edit. 1590.
* As To
Or
+ “
so to
is to
do
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in
an
in
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in all
122 FERRex AND POR REX.
[ACT 1.
That both my purpose may more firmely stande, And eke that they may better rule their charge, I meane forthwith to place them in the same; That in my life they may both learne to rule, And I may joy to see their ruling well.
This summe, what would have wey:
First whether
allowe” my whole devise, And thinke good for me, for them, for you,
And for our countrey, mother all:
And lyke and allowe well,
Then their guydinge and their governaunce,
Arostus. And this much, and asketh great advise; But for my part, my soveraigne lord and kyng,
This thinke. Your majestie doth know, How under you, justice and peace,
Great wealth and honour longe we have enjoyed, So we cannot seeme with gredie mindes
To wishe for change prince governaunce; But lyke your purpose and devise,
Our lyking must deemed proceede Of rightfull reason, and heedefull care,
Not for ourselves, but for our common state
Sithe our owne state doth neede better change.
thinke all, erst your grace hath saide: Firste when you shall unlode your aged mynde Of hevye care and troubles manifolde,
And laye the same upon my lordes your sonnes,
Whose growing yeres may beare the burden long, And long pray the Goddes graunt so:
And your life while you shall beholde
Their rule, their vertues, and their noble deedes,
Shew forth such meanes
As think meete both knowne and kept. Loe, this all; now tell me your advise.
circumstance,
Suche their kinde behighteth"
all, S. 4.
his Fairy Queen,
B.
“—ifyour sweet sway Allow obedience. ”
See Mr. Steevens's Note thereon.
behighteth] promiseth. C. 11.
Spenser,
allowe] i. e. approve. So, King Lear,
-
4. ”
*
I
Iin is
S.
it
6. i. e.
ye
“ in as
if as do ye if we I forye
is, in
So
to
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in
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it
ye
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be of
as
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it,
I
no
:
in
sc. II. ]
FER REX AND POR REX. 123
Great be the profites that shall growe thereof; Your age in quiet shall the longer last,
Your lasting age shal be their longer stay.
For cares of kynges, that rule as you have ruled, For publique wealth, and not for private joye,
Do waste mannes lyfe and hasten crooked age, With furrowed face, and with enfeebled lymmes,
To draw on creepyng death a swifter pace.
They two yet yong shall beare the parted reigne
With greater ease than one, now olde, alone
Can welde the whole, for whom muche harder is
With lessened strength the doubled weight to beare. Your eye, your counsell, and the grave regarde
Of father, yea, of such a father's name,
Now at beginning of their sondred reigne, When is the hazarde of their whole successe,
Shall bridle so their force of youthfull heates, And so restreine the rage of insolence,
Which most assailes the yong and noble mindes, And so shall guide and traine in tempred stay
Their yet greene bending wittes with reverent awe, As now inured with vertues at the first,
Custome (O. king) shall bring delightfulnesse:
By use of vertue, vice shall growe in hate.
But if you so dispose that the daye
Which ends your life shall first begin their reigne, Great the perill, what will the ende,
When such beginning
Voide such stayes Shall leave them free
such liberties,
your life lye,
randon" of their will An open praie traiterous flatterie,
The greatest pestilence noble youthe:
Whiche perill shall past, your life
Their tempred youthe with aged father's awe Be brought ure" skilfull stayednesse.
“And for his paines whistle him behight,
“That fishe’s shell was wrought with rare delight. ”
States,” edit. 1590.
randon] To without any restraint. Randomner, Fr.
wrej Ure old word, signifying habit, practise. used
Spenser and others. So, Edward III.
* 1.
by "* *2 “
in
is go an
of in a
of be
in a of
to •as of in
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do
It is
if in
be
of to
is
124 FERREX AND POR. R. Ex.
[ACT 1.
And in your life their lives disposed so
Shall length your noble life in joyfulnesse.
Thus thinke I that your grace hath wisely thought,
And that your tender care of common weale Hath bred this thought, so to divide your lande, And plant your sonnes to beare the present rule,
While you yet live to see their rulinge well, That you may longer lyve by joye therein.
What furder meanes behovefull are and meete At greater leisure may your grace devise,
When have said, and when we agreed this best, part the realme twaine,
And place your sonnes present governement:
Whereof So woulde
have plainely said my mynde,
my lordes.
thinke hath been saide
otherwise. As for dividing this realme twaine, And lotting out the same egall partes
To either my lordes your graces sonnes,
That thinke best for this your realmes behofe, For profite and advauncement your sonnes,
And for your comfort and your honour eke. But place them while your life last, To yelde them your royall governaunce,
To above them onely the name Of father, not kingly state also,
thinke not good for you, for them, nor us. This kingdome since the bloudie civill fielde
*Where Morgan slaine did yeld his conquered part
“—— Ned, thou must begin
“Now forget thy study and thy books,
“And ure thy shoulders armour's weight. ” Ascham's Torophilus, 87. Bennet's Edition:
“What thing man tender age hath most ure,
“That same death always kepe shall sure. ” Where Morgan slaine did yeld conquered part
Unto his cosins sworde Camberland, See Geoffry Mon mouth, 15. He there called Margan, and said have been killed his brother Cunedagius, contest similar the
present between Ferrex and Portex.
here the rest
part
Philander. before;
part agayne my minde
in a
of
b.
so to
ii.
I as
is
to a
p.
is
to to of
be in
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in in
in
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of In
to in
do
sc. II. ]
FER REX AND POR. R. F. X. 125
Unto his cosins sworde in Camberland *, Conteineth all that whilome did suffice
Three noble sonnes of your forefather Brute; So your two sonnes it may suffice also,
The moe” the stronger, if they gree in one:
The smaller compasse that the realme doth holde. The easier is the swey thereof to welde,
The nearer justice to the wronged poore,
The smaller charge, and yet ynoughe for one.
And whan the region is divided so
That brethren be the lordes of either parte,
Such strength doth nature knit betwene them both In sondrie bodies by conjoymed love,
That not as two, but one of doubled force, Eche is to other as a sure defence:
The noblenesse and glory of the one
Doth sharpe the courage of the others mynde
With vertuous envie to contende for praise. And such an eagalnesse” hath nature made Betweene the brethren of one father's seede, As an unkindly wrong it seemes to be,
To throwe the brother-subject under feete
Of him whose peere he is by course of kinde: And nature that did make this egalnesse
Ofte so repineth “at so great a wrong,
That ofte she rayseth up a grudginge griefe
In yonger brethren at the elders state:
Wherby both townes and kingdomes have been rased,
And famous flockes of royall blood destroied; The brother that shoulde be the brothers aide,
* moe] i. e. more. The ancient way of spelling and pronouncing this word.
*** Cumberland,” edit. 1590.
egalnessel equality. So, Folie, 1549, *5 i. e. . . in Erasmus's Praise of
Sign. D: “And friendship is never properly knitte, but betweene ** men of egall estate and condition. ”
Hall's Chronicle, Henry IV. p. 24: “ —affirmyng farther, that no
“ kyng anointed of dutie was either bound or obliged to an “swere any challenge but to his pere of egall estate and equivolent
“ dignitie. ”
#
* Sore
pineth. ”
edit. 1590.
, -
126 FERREx AND PORR. Ex. [Act I.
And have a wakefull care for his defence,
Gapes for his death, and blames the lyngering yeres,
That draw" not forth his ende with faster course; And, oft impacient of so longe delayes.
With hatefull slaughter he prevents the fates,
And heapes a just rewarde for brothers bloode, With endlesse vengeaunce on his stocke for aye. Such mischiefes here are wisely mette withall,
If egall state may nourishe egall love,
Where none hath cause to grudge at others good. But nowe the head to stoupe beneth them both, Ne kinde, ne reason, ne good ordre beares.
And oft it hath ben seene, where nature's course
, Hath ben perverted in disordered wise,
When fathers cease to know that they should rule,
And children cease to know they should obey,
That often over kindly t tendernesse
Is mother of unkindly stubbornesse,
I speake not this in envie or reproche,
As if I grudgded the glorie of your sonnes, Whose honour I besech the Goddes encrease:
Nor yet as if I thought there did remaine,
So filthie cankers in their noble brestes,
Whom I esteeme (which is their greatest praise,
Undoubted children of so good a kyng;
Onelie I meane to shewe by certaine rules,
Which kinde hath graft within the mind of man, That nature hath her ordre and her course,
Which (being broken) doth corrupt the state
Of myndes and thinges even in the best of all.
My lordes, your sonnes, may learne to rule of you, Your owne example in your noble course
Is fittest guyder of their youthful yeares.
If you desire to see some present joye
By sight of their well-rulynge in your lyfe,
See them obey, so shall you see them rule Who so obeyeth not with humblenesse Will rule with outrage and with insolence.
* “Brings. ” edit. 1590.
+ “Our unkindly. ” edit. 1590.
#. Pop
FERREx AND Rex. 127 Longe may they rule, beseche the Goddes,
II. ]
ere they begyn ould suffre would wishe
rule, . . .
kinde and fates w
Them aged princes and immortal kinges: Wherfore, most noble kynge, will assent,
Betwene your sonnes that you divide your realme, And kinde, match them degree:
But while the Goddes prolong your royall life,
Prolong your reigne, for therto lyve you here,
And therfore have the Goddes long forborne joyne you themselves, that still you might
prince and father our common weale. They when they see your children ripe rule,
Will make them roume, and will remove you hence, That yours right ensuynge your life
May rightly honour your immortall name.
Eubulus. Your wonted true regarde faithfull hartes
Makes me (O. kinge) the bolder presume
To speake what conceive within my brest, Although the same not agree
With that which other here my lordes have said, Nor which yourselfe have seemed best lyke. Pardon crave, and that my wordes demed
}. your grace, To flowe from hartie zeale unto
And the safetie your common weale.
To parte your realme unto my lordes your sonnes
thinke not good for for them,
But worste all for t
Within *one land, one single rule best:
Divided reignest make divided hartes,
But peace preserves the countrey and the prince.
Suche man the gredy minde reigne, So great his desire climbe alofte,
worldly stage the stateliest partes beare,
That faith and justice and kindly love Do yelde unto desire soveraigntie,
Where egall state doth raise egall hope To winne the thing that either wold attaine.
his our
native lande:
For with. ” Edit. 1590. Regions.
Edit. 1590.
t
of
so
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128 FERREx AND POR REX,
[ACT
Your grace remembreth how The mightie Brute, first prince
Possessed the same, and ruled
passed yeres,
He thinking that the compasse did suffice
For his three sonnes, three kingdoms eke make, Cut three, you would now twaine;
But how much British bloud hath since bene spilt, To joyne againe the sondred unities
What princes slaine before their timely houre! What waste townes and people the lande! What treasons heaped murders and spoiles! Whose just revenge even yet scarcely ceased, Ruthefull remembraunce yet rawe minde. The Gods forbyd the like chaunce againe!
And you (Oking) geve not the cause thereof. My lord Ferrex your elder sonne, perhappes
Whome kinde and custome geves rightfull hope To your heire and succede your reigne,
Shall thinke that doth suffer greater wronge Then perchaunce will beare, power serve;
Porrex, the younger, upraised" state, Perhappes courage will raysed also;
flatterie then, which fayles not assaile The tendre mindes yet unskilfull youth,
one shall kindle and encrease disdaine,
And envie the others harte enflame;
This fire shall waste their love, their lives, their land, And ruthefull ruine shall destroy them both.
wish not thys (O kyng) But feare the thing, that Geve beginning
befall,
most abhorre.
dreadfull ende, Kepe them order and obedience,
And let them both Learne such behaviour
The elder myldenesse
now obeying you, state; beseemes their
his governaunce,
The yonger, yelding contentednesse:
And kepe them neare unto your presence still,
The mightie Brute, first prince this land. ] See Geoffry Monmouth, book
“Unpaised. ”
Edit. 1590.
all this lande”, well one;
*
*
I
In If
i.
of all
is
it in of
of
II.
a
in
no
in
he in
of
as
in as
so be
to
on
by to so I
of
he
doso to
to is
be
it in
to if a
in inin
in
on
in to
sc. II. ] FERREX AND PORREX. 129
That they, restreyned by the awe of you,
May live in compasse of well-tempred staye, And passe the perrilles of their youthfull yeares. Your aged life drawes on to febler tyme,
Wherin you shall lesse able be to beare
The travailes that in youth you have susteyned, Both in your person's and your realme's defence.
If planting now your sonnes in furder partes,
You sende them furder from your present reach, - Lesse shall you know how they themselves demeane:"
Traiterous corrupters of their plyant youth
Shall have unspied a muche more free accesse: And if ambition, and inflamed disdaine
Shall arme the one, the other, or them both,
To civil warre, or to usurping pride,
Late shall you rue that you ne recked” before. Good is I graunt of hope the best,
But not live still dreadlesse of the worst.
truste the one, that th'other forsene,
Arme not unskilfulnesse with princely power. But you that long have wisely ruled the reynes
royaltie within your noble realme,
holde them, while the Gods for our avayles Shall stretch the thred your prolonged daies.
To soone clambe into the flaming carre Whose want of skill did set the earth on fire:
Time and example your noble grace,
Shall teache your sonnes both obey and rule:
When time hath taught them, time shall make them place,
The place that now full; and pray Long remaine, comforte all.
Gorboduc. take your faithful harts thankfull part But sithe see cause draw my minde,
To feare the nature my loving sonnes, Or misdeme that envie or disdaine
Can there worke hate, where nature planteth love,
“I)emaund. ” Fúit. 1590.
recked] See Note WOL.
Tancred and Gismunda, vol. II. K
Is
to
it
”*
SoOf So II he to
no
to
88 of is of to
all of to
'
to
in
:
of to
usso be I
.
130 FER REX AND POR. R. E. X. [ACT 1,
In one selfe purpose do I still abide. My love extendeth egally to both,
My lande suffiseth for them both also:
. Humber shall parte the marches of theyr realmes: The sotherne parte the elder shall possesse,
.
The northerne shall Porrex the yonger rule: In quiet I will passe mine aged dayes,
Free from the travaile and the painefull cares That hasten age upon the worthiest kinges.
But lest the fraude that ye do seeme to feare,
Of flattering tongues, corrupt their tender youth And wrythe them to the wayes of youthfull lust, To climyng pride or to revenging hate,
Or to neglecting of their carefull charge
Lewdely to live in wanton recklessnesse,
Or to oppressing of the rightfull cause,
Or not to wreke the wronges done to the poore, To treade downe truth, or favour false deceit,
I meane to joyne to either of my sonnes,
Some one of those whose long approved faith And wisdome tryed may well assure my harte,
That mynyng fraude shall finde no way to crepe Into their fensed eares with grave advise.
This is the ende, and so I pray you all
To bear my sonnes the love and loyaltie
That I have founde within your faithfull brestes. Arostus. You, nor your sonnes, our soveraign lord,
shall want
Our faith and service while our lives do last.
Chorus. When settled stay doth holde the royall throne,
In stedfast place by knowen and doubtles right; And chiefely when discent on one alone
Makes single and unparted reigne to light;
Ech chaunge of course unjoints the whole estate And yeldes it thrall to ruine by debate.
The strength that knit by faste accorde in one, Against forrein power mightie foes,
Could itselfe defend itselfe alone,
Disjoyned once, the former force doth lose.
ofall of
sc. II. ]
FERREX AND POR REX. 131
The stickes, that sondred brake so soone in twaine, In faggot bounde attempted were in vaine.
Oft tender minde that leades the parciall eye Of erring parents in their childrens love, Destroyes the wrongly “loved childe therby:
This doth the proud sonne of Apollo prove, Who, rashely set in chariot of his sire, Inflamed the parched earth with heavens fire.
And this great king that doth devide his lande, And chaunge the course of his descending crowne,
And yeldes the reigne into his childrens hande, From blisful state of joy and great renowne,
A myrrour shall become to princes all,
To learne to shunne the cause of such a fall.
The Order and Signification of the Domme Shew before the second Acte.
First the musicke of cornettes began to playe, during which came in upon the stage a king accompanied with
a nombre of his nobilitie and gentlemen. And after he had placed himself in a chaire of estate prepared for him, there came and kneled before him a grave and
aged gentleman, and offred up a cuppe unto him of wyne in a glasse, which the king refused. After him
commes a brave and lustie yong gentleman, and pre
sentes the king with a cup of golde filled with poyson, which the king accepted, and drinking the same, imme
diately fell downe dead upon the stage, and so was carryed thence away by his lordes and gentlemen, and
then the musicke ceased. Hereby was signified, that as glasse by nature holdeth no poyson, but is clere and may easily be seen through, ne boweth by any arte; so
a faythfull counsellour holdeth no treason, but is playne
and open, ne yeldeth to anie undiscrete affection, but geveth holesome counsell, which the yll advised prince
refuseth. The delightfull golde filled with poyson betokeneth Flattery, which under faire seeming of pleasaunt wordes beareth deadly pogson, which destroyed
d * “Wrongfull,” edit, 1590.
132 F ER REX AND POR REX.
[ACT
-
the prince that receyveth As befell the two brethren Ferrer and Porrer, who, refusing the holesome advise grave counsellours, credited these young para
sites, and brought themselves death and destruction therby.
ACTUS SECUNDUS. SCENA PRIMA.
FERR Ex, HERMon, DoRDAN.
Ferrer. king
mervaile much what reason ledde the
My father thus without my desert
To reve me halfe the kingdome, which course Of lawe and nature should remayne me.
Hermon. you with stubborne and untamed pryde Had stood against him rebelling wise,
Or with grudging minde you had envied So slow sliding his aged yeres,
Or sought before your time haste the course
Of fatall death upon his royall head,
Or stained your stocke with murder your kyn, Some face reason might perhaps have seemed,
To yelde some likely cause spoyle thus.
Ferrer. The wrekeful gods powre my cursed head
Eternall plagues and never dying woes:
The hellish prince adjudge my dampned ghost To Tantales thirste, proude Ixions wheele, Or cruell gripe gnaw my growing harte, To during tormentes and unquenched flames;
ever conceyved foule thought,
To wishe his ende
life, yet reigne.
Dordan. Ne yet your father (O most noble prince)
thing you; For he with more than fathers tender love
Did ever thinke fowle
While yet the fates lende him life rule,
“Rebellious,” edit 1590.
gripe. ] gripe griffin, perhaps used here for vulture. See Cotgrave.
“Groaning,” edit. 1590.
#**
If I
if
A S.
a of
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of
If 3. a inall
is so
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11.
FER REX
(Who long might lyve
To you my lorde, and
Lo resignes his realme and royaltie;
sc.
AND POR REX. 133
prince have done,
And now geve you half his realme guide, Yea and that halfe which abounding store
Which never would wise had once misdemed that
There ever lodged unkinde
But tendre love (my lorde) and setled truste Of your good nature, and your noble minde, Made him place you thus royall throne,
Of things that serve stately cities and temperate breathing
make welthy realme,
fruteful soyle,
the milder heaven,
see your ruling well) his other sonne,
things nedefull use, which frendly sea
Transportes traffike from the forreine partes, flowing wealth, honour and force,
Doth passe the double value the parte That Porrex hath allotted his reigne.
Such your case, such your father's love.
Ferrer. Ah love, my frends? love wrongs not whom he loves.
Dordan. Ne yet wrongeth you that geveth you
large reigne ere that the course time Bring you kingdome discended right, Which time perhaps might end your time before,
Ferrer. this wrong, say you, reave from me My native right halfe great realme,
And thus match his yonger sonne with me egall power, and great degree?
Yea and what sonne? the sonne whose swelling pride Woulde never yelde one pointe reverence,
When the elder and apparaunt heire
Stoode the likelihode possesse the whole; Yea and that sonne which from his childish age Envieth myne honour, and doth hate my life, What will now do? when his pride, his rage, The mindfull malice his grudging harte
“Within,” edit 1590.
your harte thought.
*
or
of no in
in
in to
so
so
in he
toa of Is to
to to
I
is
he
I. ]
In So
In In In In
If he
he to as so by
is of
to in a
to to
of a
to of
of a*inain in
by
to
134 FER REX AND POR REX.
armed with force, with wealth and kingly state?
Hermon. Was this not wrong? yea wrong,
sharpe sworde, great missehappe,
large waye
Dordan. Alas, my lord, what griefull thing this
That your brother you can thinke ill? never saw him utter likelie signe
Whereby man might see once misdeme Such hate you, such unyelding pride:
their counsell, shamefull their ende,
That raysing such mistrustful feare you, Sowing the seede such unkindly hate,
To give mad man
To
great perill
Wide open thus set
[ACT advised
Travaile Wise Worthie
treason destroy you both. your brother and noble hope,
welde large and mighty realme; much stronger frende have you therby,
Whose strength your strength, you gree one. Hermon. nature and the goddes had pinched
Their flowing bountie and their noble giftes Of princelie qualities from you, my lorde,
And powrde them ones wastfull wise Upon your fathers yonger sonne alone,
Perhappes there that your prejudice
Would say that birth should yeld worthinese: But sithe eche good gift and princelie arte
Ye are his matche, and the chiefe all
mildnesse and sobre governaunce, Ye farre surmount; and sith there Sufficing skill and hopefull towardnesse,
you
To weld the whole and match your elders prayse; see cause why should loose the halfe,
Ne would wishe you yelde such losse, Lest your milde sufferaunce great wronge Be deemed cowardishe and simple dreade; Which shall geve courage the fiery head
Of your yonge brother invade the whole.
“Acte,” edit. 1590.
IIn SoIllI is
Is so
no isof
I in
atoby ofa If
so
* inbeisa toa ye all toofne of
to
to
at so
in iu so so
ofto in be a
so if a
a
a is to in of
in
so 2 is
*
in so
yll
II.
of or
sc.
ERItEX AND POR REX. 135
While yet therfore stickes the peoples minde The lothed wrong your disheritaunce,
And ere your brother have settled power, By guilefull cloke alluring showe,
Got him some force and favour the realine:
And while the noble queene your mother lyves, To worke and practise for your availe,
Attempt redresse by-arms, and wreake yourself"—
Upon his life that gayneth your losse,
Who nowe shame you, and griefe us, your owne kingdome triumphes over you.
Shew now your courage meete for kingly state, That they which have avowed spend theyr goods,
Their landes, their lives and honours your cause, May the bolder mainteyne your parte
When they see that cowarde feare you
Shall not betray, once the death
The lords your frends eke shall appease his rage For they wise and well they can forsee,
That ere long time your aged fathers death Will bryng time when you shall well requite Their friendlie favour, their hateful spite, Yea, their slacknesse avaunce your cause. “Wise men not hang passing state “Of present princes, chiefely their age,
faile their faithfull hartes. Porrex ende the strife,
his usurped reigne, Your mother shall perswade the angry kyng,
And pay the price
“But they will further cast their reaching eye “To viewe and weye the times and reignes Ne likely though the king wrothe,
That yet will, that the realme will beare Extreme revenge upon his onely sonne;
Or woulde, what one that dare
come. ”
enterprise?
And here you now placed your owne,
Be minister such
Amyd your frendes, your vassalles and your strength . . We shall defende and kepe your person safe,
Till either counsell turne his tender minde, wreake yourself] i. e. revenge yourself.
*
if is he heit
or
be
I. ]
in
is he
in on
by
an
or
so
of ofne
to
of
of an
of by in
be
to
in
to
or to
all
a be
to
If
In
to
be F
do
do
in
in
of
136 FER REX AND POR REX.
Or age sorrow ende his werie dayes.
[ACT
The thinges that they abhorre rascall routes. “When kinges slender quarrels runne warres,
“And then cruell and unkindely wise “Commaund theftes, rapes, murder innocents, “To spoile townes, ruines mighty realms,
“Thinke you such princes suppose themselves “Subject lawes kinde and feare gods? ” Murders and violent theftes private men
Are hainous crimes and full foule reproch;
Yet none offence, but deckt with glorious name Of noble conquestes the handes kinges. ”
But you like not yet hote devise,
Ne list take such vauntage the time, But, though with perill your owne estate,
You will not the first that shall invade,
Assemble yet your force for your defence,
But the feare goddes, and secret grudge Of natures law, repining the fact,
Witholde your courage from great attempt;
Know that lust kingdomes hath law, The goddes beare and well allow kinges
And for your safetie stand upon your garde. Dordan. heaven was there ever heard
So wicked counsell noble prince
Let me (my lord) disclose unto your grace
This hainous tale, what mischiefe contanes; Your fathers death, your brothers, and your owne,
Your present murder and eternall shame.
Heare me (O. king) and suffer not sinke So high treason your princely brest.
Ferrer. The mighty goddes forbid that ever Should once conceave such mischiefe my harts Although my brother hath bereft my realme,
And beare perhappes me hatefull minde, Shall revenge with his death therefore?
Or shall destroy my father's life
That gave me life? The gods forbid, say;
the copy 1590, this and the three preceding lines are transposed make nonsense the passage.
knowne,
•
In I if if
Ia to yeor
soso O to
as be ofin do
toof it on of
in tol in of of to a so
of an
Itoit of in
in C. I
2 of of or
no
of at of ofin doof in so
to
o
II.
,
ER REX AND POR REX.
137
* Cease you speake any more me,
Ne you my frend with answere once repeate
That under me they safely shall enjoye
Their goods, their honours, landes and liberties,
With whom, neither one onely brother deare, Ne father dearer, could enjoye their lives? But sith, feare my yonger brother's rage,
And sith perhapes some other man may geve Some like advise, move his grudging head
mine estate, which counsell may perchaunce
Take greater force with him, then this with me,
foule tale. silence
What lord subject shall have hope all,
will secrete
prepare myselfe,
dye
reigne, Breake forth armes or sodeine violence
may withstand his rage and keepe mine owne. Dordan. feare the fatal time now draweth on,
When civill hate shall end the noble line
Of famous Brute and his royall seede; Great Jove defend the mischiefes now at hand
that the secretaries wise advise
Had erst bene heard, when besought the king Not divide his land, nor send his sonnes
To further partes from presence his court,
Ne yet yelde them his governaunce.
Lo such are they now the royall throne As was rashe Phaeton Phoebus carre;
Ne then the fiery stedes did draw the flame
With wilder randon through the kindled skies, Than traitorous counsell now will whirle about
The youthfull heades these unskilfull kinges. But hereof their father will enforme;
The reverence him perhappes shall stay
The growing mischiefes, while they yet are greene:
this helpe not, then woe unto themselves, The prince, the people, the divided land.
As his malice his lust
If O,IIAt Sosc. I to if 1. ]
of
to
or so
to
F In
of in in
of
so
to inIa
of
to :
he
to
let it
1
I orto in
at
138
FER REX AND POR REX.
[ACT II
*
ACTUS SECUNDUS. SCENA SECUNDA.
Port R. Ex. TYNDAR. PHILANDER.
Porrer. And is it thus? and doth he so prepare
Against his brother as his mortall foe 2
And now while yet his aged father lives?
Neither regardes he him, nor feares he me? Warre would he have 7 and he shall have it so.
Tyndar. I saw myselfe the great prepared store Of horse, of armour, and of weapons there,
Ne bring I to my lord reported tales,
Without the ground of seen and searched trouth. Loe secrete quarrells runne about his court,
To bring the name of you my lorde in hate; Ech man almost can now debate the cause,
And aske a reason of so great a wrong, Why he so noble, and so wise a prince,
Is as unworthy reft his heritage.
And why the king, misseledde by craftie meanes, Divided thus his land from course of right?
The wiser sort holde downe their griefull heades, Eche man withdrawes from talke and company Of those that have bene knowne to favour you To hide the mischiefe of their meaning there. Rumours are spread of your preparing here:
The rascall numbers of unskilfull sort
Are filled with monstrous tales of you and yours.
In secrete I was counselled by my frendes
To hast me thence, and brought you as you know
Letters from those that both can truely tell, And would not write unlesse they knew it well.
Philander. My lord, yet ere you move unkindly warre, Send to your brother to demaund the cause:
Perhappes some traiterous tales have filled his eares With false reportes against your noble grace,
Which once disclosed shall end the growing strife, That els not stayed with wise foresight in time Shall hazarde both your kingdomes and your lives. Send to your father eke, he shall appease
SC. II. ] In ER REX AND POR RE x. 139
Your kindled mindes, and rid you of this feare. Porrer. Ridde me of feare? I feare him not at all,
Ne will to him, ne to my father send : If danger were for one to tary there,
Thinke ye it safetie to returne againe?
In mischiefes such as Ferrex now intendes,
The wonted courteous lawes to messengers
Are not observed, which in just warre they use.
Shall I so hazard any one of mine 2
Shall I betray my trusty frendes to him That hath disclosed his treason unto me?
Let him entreate that feares, I feare him not:
Or shall I to the king my father send ?
Yea and send now while such a mother lives,
That loves my brother and that hateth me? Shall I geve leasure by my fonde delayes
To Ferrex to oppresse me all unware? I will not, but I will invade his realme
And seeke the traitour prince within his court: Mischiefe for mischiefe is a due reward.
His wretched head shall pay the worthy price Of this his treason and his hate to me.
Shall I abide, and treate, and send and pray, And holde my yelden throate to traitours knife; While I with valiant minde and conquering force Might rid myselfe of foes and winne a realme? Yet rather when I have the wretches head,
Then to the king my father will I send,
The bootelesse case may yet appease his wrath;
If not, I will defend me as I may.
Philander. Lo here the end of these two youthful kings,
The fathers death, the ruine of their realmes. “O most unhappy state of counsellors,
“That light on so unhappy lordes and times, “That neither can their good advise be heard, “Yet must they beare the blames of successe But will the king their father haste,
Ere this mischiefe come the likely end, That the mindfull wrath of wrekefull gods,
if
I to
to
ill
! ”
140 FER REX. A N D PO. R. R. Ex.
[Act III.
Since mightie Ilions fall not yet appeased
With these poore remnantes of the Trojan name Have not determin’d by unmoved fate line, Out of this realme to raise the Brittishe”
By good advise, by awe of father's name,
By force of wiser lordes, this kindled hate
May yet be quenched ere it consume us all.
Chorus. When youth not bridled with a guiding stay Is left to randon of their own delight.
And welds whole realmes by force of sovereign sway, Great is the daunger of unmaistred might,
Lest skillesse rage throwes downe with headlong fall Their lands, their states, their lives, themselves and all.
When growing pride doth fill the swelling brest, And gredy lust doth rayse the climbing minde,
Oh hardlie maye the perill be represt,
Ne feare of angrie goddes, ne lawes kinde,
Ne countries care can fired hartes restrayne Whan force hath armed envie and disdaine :
When kinges of foresette* will neglect the rede” Of best advise, and yelde to pleasing tales,
That do their fansies noysome humour feede, Ne reason, nor regarde of right availes;
Succeding heapes of plagues shall teach to late
To learne the mischiefes of misguided state. Fowle fall the traitour false that undermines
The love of brethren to destroye them both. Wo to the prince, that pliant care enclynes
And yeldes minde poysonous tale that floweth
From flattering mouth; and woe That wastes itselfe with civill sworde
Loe, thus poyson golde
wretched land hande.
take,
And holsome drinke homely cuppe forsake. Brutishe” Edit. 1590.
foresight.
foresette]
Mr. Reed's opinion that foresette understood foresight seems
very questionable the meaning the line seems rather
when *f; fore-set purpose will neglect listen the best
vice. ” There instance any other author where foresight
spelt foresette.
redel. advice. See Note Gammer Gurton's Needle,
vol. II.
2is““ **“
i.
e. of i. it
his
C. is no
:
e.
in
in
to in
42
to be-
to
to
to in
to
to adbe
of is to
is,
sc.
FER REX AND POR REX. 141
The Order and Signification the Domme Shewe before the thirde Act.
First, the musicke flutes began playe, during which
came upon the stage company mourners all
clad blacke, betokening death and sorrowe ensue
upon the advised misgovernement and discention brethrene, befell upon the murder Ferrer, his
gonger brother. After the mourners had passed thryse
about the stage, they departed, and then the musicke ceased.
ACTUS TERTIUS. SCENA PRIMA.
GoR BoDUc. EUBULUs. Ross Us. PHILANDER. NUNTI Us,
Gorboduc, cruell fates, mindful wrath goddes,
Whose vengeance neither Simois stayned streames Flowing with bloud Trojan princes slaine;
Nor Phrygian fieldes made ranck with corpses dead
Of Asian kinges and lordes can yet appease, Ne slaughter unhappie Pryam's race,
Nor Ilions fall made levell with the soile,
Can yet suffise but still continued rage
Pursues our lyves, and from the farthest seas
Doth chase the issues destroied Troye.
Oh man happie till his ende seene’ any flowing wealth and seemynge joye
present yeres might make happy wight, Happie was Hecuba, the wonderfullest wretch
That ever lyved make myrrour
And happie Pryam with his noble sonnes,
And happie till nowe. Alas, see
And feele my most unhappie wretchednessel Beholde, my lordes, read this letter here,
Loe conteins the ruine our realme, timelie spede provide not hastie helpe.
Yet, (O goddes,) ever wofull kyng
If ye
In If
if
of
of OAa
it
no I. ] in in
of ye
I
a
of a
I:ofO asill to
be
to
of
of, of. of
of
to by
of
142 FERREX AND POR. R. Ex.
[ACT III.
Might move ye, kings of kinges, wreke it on me And on my sonnes, not on this giltlesse realme.
Send downe your wasting flames from wrathfull skies, To reve me and my sonnes the hateful breath.
Read, read my lordes: this is the matter why I called ye nowe, to have your good advyse.
sc. II. ]
FERREX AND PORREX, 121
For me, for myne, for you, and for the state Whereof both I and you have charge and care. Thus do I meane to use your wonted fayth
To me and myne, and to your native lande. My lordes, be playne without wrie respect,
poysonous craft
Lest, the blame Shall light you,
speake pleasyng wise, succedyng thinges
light the harmes also.
Arostus. Your good acceptance (most noble king)
Of suche our faithfulnesse, heretofore We have employed dueties your grace,
And this realme whose worthy head you are, Well proves that neyther you mistrust all,
Nor we shall neede boasting wise shewe Our trueth you, nor yet our wakefull care For you, for yours, and for our native lande.
Wherefore
Sithe Doubt not
kyng) speake one for all,
one beare you egall faith:
use our counsells and our aides
Whose honours, goods and lyves are whole avowed, serve, ayde, and defende your grace.
Gorboduc. My lordes, thanke you all. This the Case.
Ye know, the Gods, who have the soveraigne care, For kings, for kingdomes, and for common weales,
Gave me two sonnes my more lusty age, Who nowe my decayeng” yeres are growen
Well towardes ryper state minde and strength, To take hande some greater princely charge.
yet they lyve and spende their hopefull daies With me and with their mother here courte.
Their age nowe asketh other place and trade, And myne also doth aske other chaunge, Theirs more travaile, myne greater ease.
Whan fatall death shall endemy Inortall life, My purpose leave unto them twaine,
The realme divided two sondry partes:
The one, Ferrex myne elder sonne shall have, The other, shall the yongert Porrex rule.
“I)eceiving. ” Edit. 1590. other. " Edit. 1590.
* As To
Or
+ “
so to
is to
do
I in
in
an
in
I to
in
yll
to
in
as
to (O to
to
as
in
at
of
to
as
in
to
on
. is .
all
to
as
so ofto
in all
122 FERRex AND POR REX.
[ACT 1.
That both my purpose may more firmely stande, And eke that they may better rule their charge, I meane forthwith to place them in the same; That in my life they may both learne to rule, And I may joy to see their ruling well.
This summe, what would have wey:
First whether
allowe” my whole devise, And thinke good for me, for them, for you,
And for our countrey, mother all:
And lyke and allowe well,
Then their guydinge and their governaunce,
Arostus. And this much, and asketh great advise; But for my part, my soveraigne lord and kyng,
This thinke. Your majestie doth know, How under you, justice and peace,
Great wealth and honour longe we have enjoyed, So we cannot seeme with gredie mindes
To wishe for change prince governaunce; But lyke your purpose and devise,
Our lyking must deemed proceede Of rightfull reason, and heedefull care,
Not for ourselves, but for our common state
Sithe our owne state doth neede better change.
thinke all, erst your grace hath saide: Firste when you shall unlode your aged mynde Of hevye care and troubles manifolde,
And laye the same upon my lordes your sonnes,
Whose growing yeres may beare the burden long, And long pray the Goddes graunt so:
And your life while you shall beholde
Their rule, their vertues, and their noble deedes,
Shew forth such meanes
As think meete both knowne and kept. Loe, this all; now tell me your advise.
circumstance,
Suche their kinde behighteth"
all, S. 4.
his Fairy Queen,
B.
“—ifyour sweet sway Allow obedience. ”
See Mr. Steevens's Note thereon.
behighteth] promiseth. C. 11.
Spenser,
allowe] i. e. approve. So, King Lear,
-
4. ”
*
I
Iin is
S.
it
6. i. e.
ye
“ in as
if as do ye if we I forye
is, in
So
to
to so
to
it of us
in
A. us 2.
it
ye
in
of
of or
is to
be of
as
be
in
it,
I
no
:
in
sc. II. ]
FER REX AND POR REX. 123
Great be the profites that shall growe thereof; Your age in quiet shall the longer last,
Your lasting age shal be their longer stay.
For cares of kynges, that rule as you have ruled, For publique wealth, and not for private joye,
Do waste mannes lyfe and hasten crooked age, With furrowed face, and with enfeebled lymmes,
To draw on creepyng death a swifter pace.
They two yet yong shall beare the parted reigne
With greater ease than one, now olde, alone
Can welde the whole, for whom muche harder is
With lessened strength the doubled weight to beare. Your eye, your counsell, and the grave regarde
Of father, yea, of such a father's name,
Now at beginning of their sondred reigne, When is the hazarde of their whole successe,
Shall bridle so their force of youthfull heates, And so restreine the rage of insolence,
Which most assailes the yong and noble mindes, And so shall guide and traine in tempred stay
Their yet greene bending wittes with reverent awe, As now inured with vertues at the first,
Custome (O. king) shall bring delightfulnesse:
By use of vertue, vice shall growe in hate.
But if you so dispose that the daye
Which ends your life shall first begin their reigne, Great the perill, what will the ende,
When such beginning
Voide such stayes Shall leave them free
such liberties,
your life lye,
randon" of their will An open praie traiterous flatterie,
The greatest pestilence noble youthe:
Whiche perill shall past, your life
Their tempred youthe with aged father's awe Be brought ure" skilfull stayednesse.
“And for his paines whistle him behight,
“That fishe’s shell was wrought with rare delight. ”
States,” edit. 1590.
randon] To without any restraint. Randomner, Fr.
wrej Ure old word, signifying habit, practise. used
Spenser and others. So, Edward III.
* 1.
by "* *2 “
in
is go an
of in a
of be
in a of
to •as of in
it,
A. l. S.
do
It is
if in
be
of to
is
124 FERREX AND POR. R. Ex.
[ACT 1.
And in your life their lives disposed so
Shall length your noble life in joyfulnesse.
Thus thinke I that your grace hath wisely thought,
And that your tender care of common weale Hath bred this thought, so to divide your lande, And plant your sonnes to beare the present rule,
While you yet live to see their rulinge well, That you may longer lyve by joye therein.
What furder meanes behovefull are and meete At greater leisure may your grace devise,
When have said, and when we agreed this best, part the realme twaine,
And place your sonnes present governement:
Whereof So woulde
have plainely said my mynde,
my lordes.
thinke hath been saide
otherwise. As for dividing this realme twaine, And lotting out the same egall partes
To either my lordes your graces sonnes,
That thinke best for this your realmes behofe, For profite and advauncement your sonnes,
And for your comfort and your honour eke. But place them while your life last, To yelde them your royall governaunce,
To above them onely the name Of father, not kingly state also,
thinke not good for you, for them, nor us. This kingdome since the bloudie civill fielde
*Where Morgan slaine did yeld his conquered part
“—— Ned, thou must begin
“Now forget thy study and thy books,
“And ure thy shoulders armour's weight. ” Ascham's Torophilus, 87. Bennet's Edition:
“What thing man tender age hath most ure,
“That same death always kepe shall sure. ” Where Morgan slaine did yeld conquered part
Unto his cosins sworde Camberland, See Geoffry Mon mouth, 15. He there called Margan, and said have been killed his brother Cunedagius, contest similar the
present between Ferrex and Portex.
here the rest
part
Philander. before;
part agayne my minde
in a
of
b.
so to
ii.
I as
is
to a
p.
is
to to of
be in
- *
I
be
In
If be all
c. to
of
by II to
in in
in
I
in is of
his to
to an
in all as
he
in be
in
of In
to in
do
sc. II. ]
FER REX AND POR. R. F. X. 125
Unto his cosins sworde in Camberland *, Conteineth all that whilome did suffice
Three noble sonnes of your forefather Brute; So your two sonnes it may suffice also,
The moe” the stronger, if they gree in one:
The smaller compasse that the realme doth holde. The easier is the swey thereof to welde,
The nearer justice to the wronged poore,
The smaller charge, and yet ynoughe for one.
And whan the region is divided so
That brethren be the lordes of either parte,
Such strength doth nature knit betwene them both In sondrie bodies by conjoymed love,
That not as two, but one of doubled force, Eche is to other as a sure defence:
The noblenesse and glory of the one
Doth sharpe the courage of the others mynde
With vertuous envie to contende for praise. And such an eagalnesse” hath nature made Betweene the brethren of one father's seede, As an unkindly wrong it seemes to be,
To throwe the brother-subject under feete
Of him whose peere he is by course of kinde: And nature that did make this egalnesse
Ofte so repineth “at so great a wrong,
That ofte she rayseth up a grudginge griefe
In yonger brethren at the elders state:
Wherby both townes and kingdomes have been rased,
And famous flockes of royall blood destroied; The brother that shoulde be the brothers aide,
* moe] i. e. more. The ancient way of spelling and pronouncing this word.
*** Cumberland,” edit. 1590.
egalnessel equality. So, Folie, 1549, *5 i. e. . . in Erasmus's Praise of
Sign. D: “And friendship is never properly knitte, but betweene ** men of egall estate and condition. ”
Hall's Chronicle, Henry IV. p. 24: “ —affirmyng farther, that no
“ kyng anointed of dutie was either bound or obliged to an “swere any challenge but to his pere of egall estate and equivolent
“ dignitie. ”
#
* Sore
pineth. ”
edit. 1590.
, -
126 FERREx AND PORR. Ex. [Act I.
And have a wakefull care for his defence,
Gapes for his death, and blames the lyngering yeres,
That draw" not forth his ende with faster course; And, oft impacient of so longe delayes.
With hatefull slaughter he prevents the fates,
And heapes a just rewarde for brothers bloode, With endlesse vengeaunce on his stocke for aye. Such mischiefes here are wisely mette withall,
If egall state may nourishe egall love,
Where none hath cause to grudge at others good. But nowe the head to stoupe beneth them both, Ne kinde, ne reason, ne good ordre beares.
And oft it hath ben seene, where nature's course
, Hath ben perverted in disordered wise,
When fathers cease to know that they should rule,
And children cease to know they should obey,
That often over kindly t tendernesse
Is mother of unkindly stubbornesse,
I speake not this in envie or reproche,
As if I grudgded the glorie of your sonnes, Whose honour I besech the Goddes encrease:
Nor yet as if I thought there did remaine,
So filthie cankers in their noble brestes,
Whom I esteeme (which is their greatest praise,
Undoubted children of so good a kyng;
Onelie I meane to shewe by certaine rules,
Which kinde hath graft within the mind of man, That nature hath her ordre and her course,
Which (being broken) doth corrupt the state
Of myndes and thinges even in the best of all.
My lordes, your sonnes, may learne to rule of you, Your owne example in your noble course
Is fittest guyder of their youthful yeares.
If you desire to see some present joye
By sight of their well-rulynge in your lyfe,
See them obey, so shall you see them rule Who so obeyeth not with humblenesse Will rule with outrage and with insolence.
* “Brings. ” edit. 1590.
+ “Our unkindly. ” edit. 1590.
#. Pop
FERREx AND Rex. 127 Longe may they rule, beseche the Goddes,
II. ]
ere they begyn ould suffre would wishe
rule, . . .
kinde and fates w
Them aged princes and immortal kinges: Wherfore, most noble kynge, will assent,
Betwene your sonnes that you divide your realme, And kinde, match them degree:
But while the Goddes prolong your royall life,
Prolong your reigne, for therto lyve you here,
And therfore have the Goddes long forborne joyne you themselves, that still you might
prince and father our common weale. They when they see your children ripe rule,
Will make them roume, and will remove you hence, That yours right ensuynge your life
May rightly honour your immortall name.
Eubulus. Your wonted true regarde faithfull hartes
Makes me (O. kinge) the bolder presume
To speake what conceive within my brest, Although the same not agree
With that which other here my lordes have said, Nor which yourselfe have seemed best lyke. Pardon crave, and that my wordes demed
}. your grace, To flowe from hartie zeale unto
And the safetie your common weale.
To parte your realme unto my lordes your sonnes
thinke not good for for them,
But worste all for t
Within *one land, one single rule best:
Divided reignest make divided hartes,
But peace preserves the countrey and the prince.
Suche man the gredy minde reigne, So great his desire climbe alofte,
worldly stage the stateliest partes beare,
That faith and justice and kindly love Do yelde unto desire soveraigntie,
Where egall state doth raise egall hope To winne the thing that either wold attaine.
his our
native lande:
For with. ” Edit. 1590. Regions.
Edit. 1590.
t
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128 FERREx AND POR REX,
[ACT
Your grace remembreth how The mightie Brute, first prince
Possessed the same, and ruled
passed yeres,
He thinking that the compasse did suffice
For his three sonnes, three kingdoms eke make, Cut three, you would now twaine;
But how much British bloud hath since bene spilt, To joyne againe the sondred unities
What princes slaine before their timely houre! What waste townes and people the lande! What treasons heaped murders and spoiles! Whose just revenge even yet scarcely ceased, Ruthefull remembraunce yet rawe minde. The Gods forbyd the like chaunce againe!
And you (Oking) geve not the cause thereof. My lord Ferrex your elder sonne, perhappes
Whome kinde and custome geves rightfull hope To your heire and succede your reigne,
Shall thinke that doth suffer greater wronge Then perchaunce will beare, power serve;
Porrex, the younger, upraised" state, Perhappes courage will raysed also;
flatterie then, which fayles not assaile The tendre mindes yet unskilfull youth,
one shall kindle and encrease disdaine,
And envie the others harte enflame;
This fire shall waste their love, their lives, their land, And ruthefull ruine shall destroy them both.
wish not thys (O kyng) But feare the thing, that Geve beginning
befall,
most abhorre.
dreadfull ende, Kepe them order and obedience,
And let them both Learne such behaviour
The elder myldenesse
now obeying you, state; beseemes their
his governaunce,
The yonger, yelding contentednesse:
And kepe them neare unto your presence still,
The mightie Brute, first prince this land. ] See Geoffry Monmouth, book
“Unpaised. ”
Edit. 1590.
all this lande”, well one;
*
*
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of all
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sc. II. ] FERREX AND PORREX. 129
That they, restreyned by the awe of you,
May live in compasse of well-tempred staye, And passe the perrilles of their youthfull yeares. Your aged life drawes on to febler tyme,
Wherin you shall lesse able be to beare
The travailes that in youth you have susteyned, Both in your person's and your realme's defence.
If planting now your sonnes in furder partes,
You sende them furder from your present reach, - Lesse shall you know how they themselves demeane:"
Traiterous corrupters of their plyant youth
Shall have unspied a muche more free accesse: And if ambition, and inflamed disdaine
Shall arme the one, the other, or them both,
To civil warre, or to usurping pride,
Late shall you rue that you ne recked” before. Good is I graunt of hope the best,
But not live still dreadlesse of the worst.
truste the one, that th'other forsene,
Arme not unskilfulnesse with princely power. But you that long have wisely ruled the reynes
royaltie within your noble realme,
holde them, while the Gods for our avayles Shall stretch the thred your prolonged daies.
To soone clambe into the flaming carre Whose want of skill did set the earth on fire:
Time and example your noble grace,
Shall teache your sonnes both obey and rule:
When time hath taught them, time shall make them place,
The place that now full; and pray Long remaine, comforte all.
Gorboduc. take your faithful harts thankfull part But sithe see cause draw my minde,
To feare the nature my loving sonnes, Or misdeme that envie or disdaine
Can there worke hate, where nature planteth love,
“I)emaund. ” Fúit. 1590.
recked] See Note WOL.
Tancred and Gismunda, vol. II. K
Is
to
it
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no
to
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130 FER REX AND POR. R. E. X. [ACT 1,
In one selfe purpose do I still abide. My love extendeth egally to both,
My lande suffiseth for them both also:
. Humber shall parte the marches of theyr realmes: The sotherne parte the elder shall possesse,
.
The northerne shall Porrex the yonger rule: In quiet I will passe mine aged dayes,
Free from the travaile and the painefull cares That hasten age upon the worthiest kinges.
But lest the fraude that ye do seeme to feare,
Of flattering tongues, corrupt their tender youth And wrythe them to the wayes of youthfull lust, To climyng pride or to revenging hate,
Or to neglecting of their carefull charge
Lewdely to live in wanton recklessnesse,
Or to oppressing of the rightfull cause,
Or not to wreke the wronges done to the poore, To treade downe truth, or favour false deceit,
I meane to joyne to either of my sonnes,
Some one of those whose long approved faith And wisdome tryed may well assure my harte,
That mynyng fraude shall finde no way to crepe Into their fensed eares with grave advise.
This is the ende, and so I pray you all
To bear my sonnes the love and loyaltie
That I have founde within your faithfull brestes. Arostus. You, nor your sonnes, our soveraign lord,
shall want
Our faith and service while our lives do last.
Chorus. When settled stay doth holde the royall throne,
In stedfast place by knowen and doubtles right; And chiefely when discent on one alone
Makes single and unparted reigne to light;
Ech chaunge of course unjoints the whole estate And yeldes it thrall to ruine by debate.
The strength that knit by faste accorde in one, Against forrein power mightie foes,
Could itselfe defend itselfe alone,
Disjoyned once, the former force doth lose.
ofall of
sc. II. ]
FERREX AND POR REX. 131
The stickes, that sondred brake so soone in twaine, In faggot bounde attempted were in vaine.
Oft tender minde that leades the parciall eye Of erring parents in their childrens love, Destroyes the wrongly “loved childe therby:
This doth the proud sonne of Apollo prove, Who, rashely set in chariot of his sire, Inflamed the parched earth with heavens fire.
And this great king that doth devide his lande, And chaunge the course of his descending crowne,
And yeldes the reigne into his childrens hande, From blisful state of joy and great renowne,
A myrrour shall become to princes all,
To learne to shunne the cause of such a fall.
The Order and Signification of the Domme Shew before the second Acte.
First the musicke of cornettes began to playe, during which came in upon the stage a king accompanied with
a nombre of his nobilitie and gentlemen. And after he had placed himself in a chaire of estate prepared for him, there came and kneled before him a grave and
aged gentleman, and offred up a cuppe unto him of wyne in a glasse, which the king refused. After him
commes a brave and lustie yong gentleman, and pre
sentes the king with a cup of golde filled with poyson, which the king accepted, and drinking the same, imme
diately fell downe dead upon the stage, and so was carryed thence away by his lordes and gentlemen, and
then the musicke ceased. Hereby was signified, that as glasse by nature holdeth no poyson, but is clere and may easily be seen through, ne boweth by any arte; so
a faythfull counsellour holdeth no treason, but is playne
and open, ne yeldeth to anie undiscrete affection, but geveth holesome counsell, which the yll advised prince
refuseth. The delightfull golde filled with poyson betokeneth Flattery, which under faire seeming of pleasaunt wordes beareth deadly pogson, which destroyed
d * “Wrongfull,” edit, 1590.
132 F ER REX AND POR REX.
[ACT
-
the prince that receyveth As befell the two brethren Ferrer and Porrer, who, refusing the holesome advise grave counsellours, credited these young para
sites, and brought themselves death and destruction therby.
ACTUS SECUNDUS. SCENA PRIMA.
FERR Ex, HERMon, DoRDAN.
Ferrer. king
mervaile much what reason ledde the
My father thus without my desert
To reve me halfe the kingdome, which course Of lawe and nature should remayne me.
Hermon. you with stubborne and untamed pryde Had stood against him rebelling wise,
Or with grudging minde you had envied So slow sliding his aged yeres,
Or sought before your time haste the course
Of fatall death upon his royall head,
Or stained your stocke with murder your kyn, Some face reason might perhaps have seemed,
To yelde some likely cause spoyle thus.
Ferrer. The wrekeful gods powre my cursed head
Eternall plagues and never dying woes:
The hellish prince adjudge my dampned ghost To Tantales thirste, proude Ixions wheele, Or cruell gripe gnaw my growing harte, To during tormentes and unquenched flames;
ever conceyved foule thought,
To wishe his ende
life, yet reigne.
Dordan. Ne yet your father (O most noble prince)
thing you; For he with more than fathers tender love
Did ever thinke fowle
While yet the fates lende him life rule,
“Rebellious,” edit 1590.
gripe. ] gripe griffin, perhaps used here for vulture. See Cotgrave.
“Groaning,” edit. 1590.
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FER REX
(Who long might lyve
To you my lorde, and
Lo resignes his realme and royaltie;
sc.
AND POR REX. 133
prince have done,
And now geve you half his realme guide, Yea and that halfe which abounding store
Which never would wise had once misdemed that
There ever lodged unkinde
But tendre love (my lorde) and setled truste Of your good nature, and your noble minde, Made him place you thus royall throne,
Of things that serve stately cities and temperate breathing
make welthy realme,
fruteful soyle,
the milder heaven,
see your ruling well) his other sonne,
things nedefull use, which frendly sea
Transportes traffike from the forreine partes, flowing wealth, honour and force,
Doth passe the double value the parte That Porrex hath allotted his reigne.
Such your case, such your father's love.
Ferrer. Ah love, my frends? love wrongs not whom he loves.
Dordan. Ne yet wrongeth you that geveth you
large reigne ere that the course time Bring you kingdome discended right, Which time perhaps might end your time before,
Ferrer. this wrong, say you, reave from me My native right halfe great realme,
And thus match his yonger sonne with me egall power, and great degree?
Yea and what sonne? the sonne whose swelling pride Woulde never yelde one pointe reverence,
When the elder and apparaunt heire
Stoode the likelihode possesse the whole; Yea and that sonne which from his childish age Envieth myne honour, and doth hate my life, What will now do? when his pride, his rage, The mindfull malice his grudging harte
“Within,” edit 1590.
your harte thought.
*
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134 FER REX AND POR REX.
armed with force, with wealth and kingly state?
Hermon. Was this not wrong? yea wrong,
sharpe sworde, great missehappe,
large waye
Dordan. Alas, my lord, what griefull thing this
That your brother you can thinke ill? never saw him utter likelie signe
Whereby man might see once misdeme Such hate you, such unyelding pride:
their counsell, shamefull their ende,
That raysing such mistrustful feare you, Sowing the seede such unkindly hate,
To give mad man
To
great perill
Wide open thus set
[ACT advised
Travaile Wise Worthie
treason destroy you both. your brother and noble hope,
welde large and mighty realme; much stronger frende have you therby,
Whose strength your strength, you gree one. Hermon. nature and the goddes had pinched
Their flowing bountie and their noble giftes Of princelie qualities from you, my lorde,
And powrde them ones wastfull wise Upon your fathers yonger sonne alone,
Perhappes there that your prejudice
Would say that birth should yeld worthinese: But sithe eche good gift and princelie arte
Ye are his matche, and the chiefe all
mildnesse and sobre governaunce, Ye farre surmount; and sith there Sufficing skill and hopefull towardnesse,
you
To weld the whole and match your elders prayse; see cause why should loose the halfe,
Ne would wishe you yelde such losse, Lest your milde sufferaunce great wronge Be deemed cowardishe and simple dreade; Which shall geve courage the fiery head
Of your yonge brother invade the whole.
“Acte,” edit. 1590.
IIn SoIllI is
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ERItEX AND POR REX. 135
While yet therfore stickes the peoples minde The lothed wrong your disheritaunce,
And ere your brother have settled power, By guilefull cloke alluring showe,
Got him some force and favour the realine:
And while the noble queene your mother lyves, To worke and practise for your availe,
Attempt redresse by-arms, and wreake yourself"—
Upon his life that gayneth your losse,
Who nowe shame you, and griefe us, your owne kingdome triumphes over you.
Shew now your courage meete for kingly state, That they which have avowed spend theyr goods,
Their landes, their lives and honours your cause, May the bolder mainteyne your parte
When they see that cowarde feare you
Shall not betray, once the death
The lords your frends eke shall appease his rage For they wise and well they can forsee,
That ere long time your aged fathers death Will bryng time when you shall well requite Their friendlie favour, their hateful spite, Yea, their slacknesse avaunce your cause. “Wise men not hang passing state “Of present princes, chiefely their age,
faile their faithfull hartes. Porrex ende the strife,
his usurped reigne, Your mother shall perswade the angry kyng,
And pay the price
“But they will further cast their reaching eye “To viewe and weye the times and reignes Ne likely though the king wrothe,
That yet will, that the realme will beare Extreme revenge upon his onely sonne;
Or woulde, what one that dare
come. ”
enterprise?
And here you now placed your owne,
Be minister such
Amyd your frendes, your vassalles and your strength . . We shall defende and kepe your person safe,
Till either counsell turne his tender minde, wreake yourself] i. e. revenge yourself.
*
if is he heit
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136 FER REX AND POR REX.
Or age sorrow ende his werie dayes.
[ACT
The thinges that they abhorre rascall routes. “When kinges slender quarrels runne warres,
“And then cruell and unkindely wise “Commaund theftes, rapes, murder innocents, “To spoile townes, ruines mighty realms,
“Thinke you such princes suppose themselves “Subject lawes kinde and feare gods? ” Murders and violent theftes private men
Are hainous crimes and full foule reproch;
Yet none offence, but deckt with glorious name Of noble conquestes the handes kinges. ”
But you like not yet hote devise,
Ne list take such vauntage the time, But, though with perill your owne estate,
You will not the first that shall invade,
Assemble yet your force for your defence,
But the feare goddes, and secret grudge Of natures law, repining the fact,
Witholde your courage from great attempt;
Know that lust kingdomes hath law, The goddes beare and well allow kinges
And for your safetie stand upon your garde. Dordan. heaven was there ever heard
So wicked counsell noble prince
Let me (my lord) disclose unto your grace
This hainous tale, what mischiefe contanes; Your fathers death, your brothers, and your owne,
Your present murder and eternall shame.
Heare me (O. king) and suffer not sinke So high treason your princely brest.
Ferrer. The mighty goddes forbid that ever Should once conceave such mischiefe my harts Although my brother hath bereft my realme,
And beare perhappes me hatefull minde, Shall revenge with his death therefore?
Or shall destroy my father's life
That gave me life? The gods forbid, say;
the copy 1590, this and the three preceding lines are transposed make nonsense the passage.
knowne,
•
In I if if
Ia to yeor
soso O to
as be ofin do
toof it on of
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,
ER REX AND POR REX.
137
* Cease you speake any more me,
Ne you my frend with answere once repeate
That under me they safely shall enjoye
Their goods, their honours, landes and liberties,
With whom, neither one onely brother deare, Ne father dearer, could enjoye their lives? But sith, feare my yonger brother's rage,
And sith perhapes some other man may geve Some like advise, move his grudging head
mine estate, which counsell may perchaunce
Take greater force with him, then this with me,
foule tale. silence
What lord subject shall have hope all,
will secrete
prepare myselfe,
dye
reigne, Breake forth armes or sodeine violence
may withstand his rage and keepe mine owne. Dordan. feare the fatal time now draweth on,
When civill hate shall end the noble line
Of famous Brute and his royall seede; Great Jove defend the mischiefes now at hand
that the secretaries wise advise
Had erst bene heard, when besought the king Not divide his land, nor send his sonnes
To further partes from presence his court,
Ne yet yelde them his governaunce.
Lo such are they now the royall throne As was rashe Phaeton Phoebus carre;
Ne then the fiery stedes did draw the flame
With wilder randon through the kindled skies, Than traitorous counsell now will whirle about
The youthfull heades these unskilfull kinges. But hereof their father will enforme;
The reverence him perhappes shall stay
The growing mischiefes, while they yet are greene:
this helpe not, then woe unto themselves, The prince, the people, the divided land.
As his malice his lust
If O,IIAt Sosc. I to if 1. ]
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to
or so
to
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of in in
of
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138
FER REX AND POR REX.
[ACT II
*
ACTUS SECUNDUS. SCENA SECUNDA.
Port R. Ex. TYNDAR. PHILANDER.
Porrer. And is it thus? and doth he so prepare
Against his brother as his mortall foe 2
And now while yet his aged father lives?
Neither regardes he him, nor feares he me? Warre would he have 7 and he shall have it so.
Tyndar. I saw myselfe the great prepared store Of horse, of armour, and of weapons there,
Ne bring I to my lord reported tales,
Without the ground of seen and searched trouth. Loe secrete quarrells runne about his court,
To bring the name of you my lorde in hate; Ech man almost can now debate the cause,
And aske a reason of so great a wrong, Why he so noble, and so wise a prince,
Is as unworthy reft his heritage.
And why the king, misseledde by craftie meanes, Divided thus his land from course of right?
The wiser sort holde downe their griefull heades, Eche man withdrawes from talke and company Of those that have bene knowne to favour you To hide the mischiefe of their meaning there. Rumours are spread of your preparing here:
The rascall numbers of unskilfull sort
Are filled with monstrous tales of you and yours.
In secrete I was counselled by my frendes
To hast me thence, and brought you as you know
Letters from those that both can truely tell, And would not write unlesse they knew it well.
Philander. My lord, yet ere you move unkindly warre, Send to your brother to demaund the cause:
Perhappes some traiterous tales have filled his eares With false reportes against your noble grace,
Which once disclosed shall end the growing strife, That els not stayed with wise foresight in time Shall hazarde both your kingdomes and your lives. Send to your father eke, he shall appease
SC. II. ] In ER REX AND POR RE x. 139
Your kindled mindes, and rid you of this feare. Porrer. Ridde me of feare? I feare him not at all,
Ne will to him, ne to my father send : If danger were for one to tary there,
Thinke ye it safetie to returne againe?
In mischiefes such as Ferrex now intendes,
The wonted courteous lawes to messengers
Are not observed, which in just warre they use.
Shall I so hazard any one of mine 2
Shall I betray my trusty frendes to him That hath disclosed his treason unto me?
Let him entreate that feares, I feare him not:
Or shall I to the king my father send ?
Yea and send now while such a mother lives,
That loves my brother and that hateth me? Shall I geve leasure by my fonde delayes
To Ferrex to oppresse me all unware? I will not, but I will invade his realme
And seeke the traitour prince within his court: Mischiefe for mischiefe is a due reward.
His wretched head shall pay the worthy price Of this his treason and his hate to me.
Shall I abide, and treate, and send and pray, And holde my yelden throate to traitours knife; While I with valiant minde and conquering force Might rid myselfe of foes and winne a realme? Yet rather when I have the wretches head,
Then to the king my father will I send,
The bootelesse case may yet appease his wrath;
If not, I will defend me as I may.
Philander. Lo here the end of these two youthful kings,
The fathers death, the ruine of their realmes. “O most unhappy state of counsellors,
“That light on so unhappy lordes and times, “That neither can their good advise be heard, “Yet must they beare the blames of successe But will the king their father haste,
Ere this mischiefe come the likely end, That the mindfull wrath of wrekefull gods,
if
I to
to
ill
! ”
140 FER REX. A N D PO. R. R. Ex.
[Act III.
Since mightie Ilions fall not yet appeased
With these poore remnantes of the Trojan name Have not determin’d by unmoved fate line, Out of this realme to raise the Brittishe”
By good advise, by awe of father's name,
By force of wiser lordes, this kindled hate
May yet be quenched ere it consume us all.
Chorus. When youth not bridled with a guiding stay Is left to randon of their own delight.
And welds whole realmes by force of sovereign sway, Great is the daunger of unmaistred might,
Lest skillesse rage throwes downe with headlong fall Their lands, their states, their lives, themselves and all.
When growing pride doth fill the swelling brest, And gredy lust doth rayse the climbing minde,
Oh hardlie maye the perill be represt,
Ne feare of angrie goddes, ne lawes kinde,
Ne countries care can fired hartes restrayne Whan force hath armed envie and disdaine :
When kinges of foresette* will neglect the rede” Of best advise, and yelde to pleasing tales,
That do their fansies noysome humour feede, Ne reason, nor regarde of right availes;
Succeding heapes of plagues shall teach to late
To learne the mischiefes of misguided state. Fowle fall the traitour false that undermines
The love of brethren to destroye them both. Wo to the prince, that pliant care enclynes
And yeldes minde poysonous tale that floweth
From flattering mouth; and woe That wastes itselfe with civill sworde
Loe, thus poyson golde
wretched land hande.
take,
And holsome drinke homely cuppe forsake. Brutishe” Edit. 1590.
foresight.
foresette]
Mr. Reed's opinion that foresette understood foresight seems
very questionable the meaning the line seems rather
when *f; fore-set purpose will neglect listen the best
vice. ” There instance any other author where foresight
spelt foresette.
redel. advice. See Note Gammer Gurton's Needle,
vol. II.
2is““ **“
i.
e. of i. it
his
C. is no
:
e.
in
in
to in
42
to be-
to
to
to in
to
to adbe
of is to
is,
sc.
FER REX AND POR REX. 141
The Order and Signification the Domme Shewe before the thirde Act.
First, the musicke flutes began playe, during which
came upon the stage company mourners all
clad blacke, betokening death and sorrowe ensue
upon the advised misgovernement and discention brethrene, befell upon the murder Ferrer, his
gonger brother. After the mourners had passed thryse
about the stage, they departed, and then the musicke ceased.
ACTUS TERTIUS. SCENA PRIMA.
GoR BoDUc. EUBULUs. Ross Us. PHILANDER. NUNTI Us,
Gorboduc, cruell fates, mindful wrath goddes,
Whose vengeance neither Simois stayned streames Flowing with bloud Trojan princes slaine;
Nor Phrygian fieldes made ranck with corpses dead
Of Asian kinges and lordes can yet appease, Ne slaughter unhappie Pryam's race,
Nor Ilions fall made levell with the soile,
Can yet suffise but still continued rage
Pursues our lyves, and from the farthest seas
Doth chase the issues destroied Troye.
Oh man happie till his ende seene’ any flowing wealth and seemynge joye
present yeres might make happy wight, Happie was Hecuba, the wonderfullest wretch
That ever lyved make myrrour
And happie Pryam with his noble sonnes,
And happie till nowe. Alas, see
And feele my most unhappie wretchednessel Beholde, my lordes, read this letter here,
Loe conteins the ruine our realme, timelie spede provide not hastie helpe.
Yet, (O goddes,) ever wofull kyng
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142 FERREX AND POR. R. Ex.
[ACT III.
Might move ye, kings of kinges, wreke it on me And on my sonnes, not on this giltlesse realme.
Send downe your wasting flames from wrathfull skies, To reve me and my sonnes the hateful breath.
Read, read my lordes: this is the matter why I called ye nowe, to have your good advyse.
