No More Learning

The Nobilitie assembled, and most terribly destroyed the Rebels, and afterwards for want issue
the Prince, whereby the succession the Crowne became uncertaine, they fell Civil Warre, which both they and many their issues were slain, and
land for long time almost desolate and miserably wasted.
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THE P [printer] TO THE READER.
WHERE this Tragedie was for furniture of part of the grand Christmasse in the Inner-Temple, first written about nine yeares agoe by the right honourable Thomas,
now Lorde Buckherst, and by T. Norton, and after shewed before her majestie, and never intended by the Authors thereof to be published: yet one W. G. getting a copie thereof at some yong man's hand that lacked a little money, and much discretion in the last great plage an. 1565, about 5 yeares past, while the said lord was out of England, and T. Norton farre out of London, and neither of them both made privie, put it forth excedingly corrupted: even as if by meanes of a broker for hire he should have entised into his house a faire maide and done her villanie, and after bescratched her face, torne her apparell, berayed and disfigured her, and then thrust her out dores dis honested. such plight after long wandring, she came
length home knew her but
the sight her frendes, who scant
few tokens and markes remayning. meane, though they were very
They, the authors
much displeased that she ranne abroad without leave, whereby she caught her shame many wantons do; yet seeing the case remedilesse have for com mon honestie and shamefastnesse new apparelled, trimmed, and attired her such forme she was before. In which better forme since she hath come me,
have harbored her for her frendes sake and her owne; and not dout her parentes, the authors, will not now discontent that she goe abroad among
you good readers, honest companie. For
my encouragement and others somewhat lesse her, because was
she
ashamed the dishonestie done
fraude and force. she
welcome among you, the house from
and gently enterteined WOL. I.
favor
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114
whence she is descended, and of her owne nature courteously disposed to offend no man, her frendes will thanke you for not, but that she shall still reproched with her former missehap, quarelled
envious persons, she, poore gentlewoman, will surely
play Lucreces part, and herself die for shame, and shall wishe that she had taried still home with me, where she was welcome; for she did never put me more charge but this one poore blacke gowne lined with white, that have now geven her goe abroad
among you withall.
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NAMES OF THE SPEAKERS.
GoRBoDUc, king of Great Brittain,
VIDENA, queene and wife to king Gorboduc. FER REx, elder sonne to king Gorboduc.
Po R REx, yonger sonne to king Gorboduc.
CLoxton, duke of Cornewall. FERG Us, duke of Albanye. MAN DUD, duke of Loegris.
Gw EN ARD, duke of Cumberland. EUBULUs, secretarie to the king.
ARostus, a counsellor to the king.
DoRDAN, a counsellor assigned by the king to his eldest sonne Ferrer.
PHILANDER, a counsellor assigned by the king to his
yongest son Porrer.
[Both being of the olde kinges counsel before. HERMon, a parasite remaining with Ferrer.
TYN DAR, a parasite remaining with Porrer.
NUNTIUs, a messenger of the eldest brother's death. NUNTI Us, a messenger of duke Fergus rising in arms.
MARCELLA, a lady of the queenes privie-chamber. CHORUs, toure auncient and sage men of Brittaine.
The Order of the Domme Shew before the first Act and the Signification therof.
First, the musicke of violenze began to play, during which came in upon the stage size wilde men, clothed in leaves. Of whom the first bare on his necke a
fagot of small stickes, which they both severallye and together assayed with all their strengthes breake,
but could not broken them. At the length one them plucked out one the sticks, and brake
and the rest plucking out all the other stickes one after another, did easely breake the same being vered, which being enjoyned, they had before attempted
vaine. After they had this done, they departed the stage, and the musick ceased. Hereby was signified, that state knit unitie doth continue strong against all force, but being divided, easily destroyed; befel upon duke Gorboduc dividing his lande his two sonnes, which before held monarchie, and upon
the discention the brethren whom was divided,
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FERREX AND PORREX".
ACTUS PRIMUS. SCENA PRIMA. *
VIDEN A. FERR Ex.
Widena. THE silent night that bringes the quiet pawse, From painefull travailes of the wearie day,
Prolonges my carefull thoughtes, and makes me blame The slowe Aurora, that so for love or shame
Doth long delay to shewe her blushing face;
* This play we are told by the printer of the second Edition was first acted at the Inner-Temple, and afterwards before Queen Eli
zabeth. Its first appearance was at a grand Christmas celebrated with unusual magnificence, as may be seen by the description of it in Dugdale's Origines Juridiciales, p. 150. It is here printed from the second Edition; the third, of 1590, from which it was published
in 1736, by Mr. Spence and by Mr. Dodsley, in this collection be fore, appearing to be only a republication of the first imperfect copy
complained of by the Authors as published in their absence without
their knowledge or consent. The testimony of Sir Philip Sidney
concerning this play is as follows: “Gorboduc is full of stately “speeches and well-sounding phrases, climbing to the height of
“Seneca his style, and as full of notable morality: which it doth “most delightfully teach, and thereby obtain the very end of
“poetry. ” And Mr. Pope was of opinion, “That the writers of “the succeeding age might have improved as much in other respects
“by copying from him a propriety in the sentiments, an unaffected “perspicuity of style, and in an easy flow in the numbers; in a “word, that chastity, correctness, and gravity of style, which are “so essential to tragedy, and which the tragic poets who fol “lowed, not excepting Shakespeare himself, either little under “stood, perpetually neglected. ”
The edition this tragedy 1590, said reprint the spurious copy first published. As the variations, verbal and otherwise, are generally curious and sometimes useful, they are
noted the bottom the page, and this purpose careful comparison has been made.
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118 FER REx AND POR REX.
[ACT s.
And now the day renewes my griefull plaint. Ferrer. My gracious lady, and my mother deare,
Pardon my griefe for your so grieved minde
To aske what cause tormenteth so your hart. Widena. So great a wrong and so unjust despite,
Without cause against course kinde—
Ferrer. Such causelesse wrong and unjust des pite, -
May have redresse, or, the least, revenge.
Widena. Neither my sonne: such the froward will. The person such, such my misehappe and thine,
Ferrer. Mine know none, but grief for your dis tresse.
Videna. Yes, mine for thine, my sonne. no
kinde father, not kindliness".
Ferrer. My father why, know nothing Wherin have misdone unto his grace.
Videna. Therfore, the more unkinde mee:
For knowing well (my sonne) the tender love That have ever borne, and beare thee, He greved thereat, not content alone,
To spoile thee my sight, my chiefest joye,
father?
all, thee and
kinde father, not kindliness] Kind nature. Hamlet has almost the same sentiment,
little more than kin, and less than Kind.
several other places this play the same word sense occurs. Again, Julius Caesar, A.
the like
“But you would consider the true cause,
“Why birds and beastes from quality and kind, “Why these thinges change from their ordinance,
“Their natures, and presumed faculties
“To monstrous quality 29 Titus Andromicus, A.
“The forest walks are wide and spacious, “And many unfrequented plots there are
“Fitted kind for rape and villainy. ”
Antony and Cleopatra,
“you, that the worm will For these instances
James's Chronicle, Nov. Hamlet, A.
“You must think this, look
his kind. ”
am indebted writer the Saint
1774. - See, also Mr. Steevens's Note
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FER REX AND POR. R. Ex. 119
But thee, of thy birth-right and heritage,
Causelesse, unkindly and in wrongfull wise,
Against lawe and right will bereave: Halfe his kingdome will geve away.
Ferrer. To whom?
Widena. Even Porrex his yonger sonne, Whose growing pride sore suspect,
That being raised equall rule with thee,
Mee thinkes see his envious hart
swell,
Filled with disdaine and with ambicious hope.
The end the goddes know, whose altars Full oft have made vaine of cattel slaine
To send the sacred smoke heaven's throne, For thee my sonne, thinges succede,
now my jelous minde misdemeth sore.
-
Ferrer. Madam, leave care and carefull plaint for me:
Just hath my father bene every wight, His first unjustice will not extend
To me, trust, that geve cause therof.
My brother's pride shall hurt himselfe, not me.
Videna. So graunt the Goddes: but yet thy father Hath firmely fixed his unmoved minde
That plaintes and prayers can whit availe,
(For those have assaid) but even this day
He will endevour procure assent
Of all his counsell his fonde devise.
Ferrer. Their ancestors from race race have borne True fayth my forefathers; and their seede,
trust they eke will beare the like me.
Widena. There resteth all; but they faile thereof,
And the end bring forth successe, On them and theirs the mischiefe shall befall.
And pray the Goddes requite them;
And they will,for wont
When lordes and trusted rulers under
To please the present fancie the prince, With wrong transpose the course governance, Murders, mischief, civill sword length,
Or mutual treason, just revenge,
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120 FER REX AND POR REX.
[ACT I.
When right succeding line returnes again
By Jove's just judgement and deserved wrath, Bringes them to cruell,” and reprochfull death,
And rootes their names and kindredes from the earth.
Ferrer. Mother, content you, you shall see the end.
Widena. The end? thy end I feare: Jove end me first I
ACTUS PRIMUS. SCENA SECUNDA.
GoR BoDUC. ARoSTUs. PHILANDER. EUBULUs.
Gorboduc. My lords, whose grave advise and faithfull aide
Have long upheld my honour and my realme,
And brought me to this age from tender yeres, Guidyng so great estate with great renowne;
Nowe more importeth mee than erst” to use Your fayth and wisdome whereby yet I reigne;
That when by death my life and rule shall cease,
The kingdome yet may with unbroken course Have certayne prince, by whose undoubted right
Your wealth and peace may stand in quiet stay:
And eke that they whome nature hath preparde, In time to take my place in princely seate,
While in their father's tyme their pliant youth Yeldes to the frame of skilfull governaunce, Maye so be taught, and trayned in noble artes,
As what their fathers which have reigned before Have with great fame derived downe to them,
With honour they may leave unto their seede; And not be thought for their unworthy life,
And for their lawlesse swarvynge out of kinde, Worthy to lose whatlawe and kind them gave; But that they may preserve the common peace,
(The cause that first began and still mainteines, The lyneall course of kinges inheritance)
* “ Civil. ” Edit. 1590. * 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.
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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. ”
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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.
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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
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ii.
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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.
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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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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
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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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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?