A commendacyon of welshmen

A treatise . LOue and desire Dooeth me require So effectually I can no lesse Of gentilnesse But graunt it willyngly . Some payne to take For desires sake And herty assuraunce With yncke and penne The gentill Walshmenne Their fame to aduaunce . As shall insewe Matter full trewe By storis euiedent Of auctours olde Bothe write and tolde Famous and excellent Trustyng in this No man there is My purpose will disdayne If my reporte Maie them comforte I shal be glad and fayne . When I consider And call together To my remembraunce The regalitee The nobilitee The redoubted puissaunce . The high parentage The fearce corage The actes moste marciall The princely fame The worthie name The bloud imperiall . The ciuilitee The vtilitee The high magnificence The policie The industrie The noble aduertence ¶ Of there progenitours Most mightie conquerours The enimyes to decline Excelling farre In strength of warre That were before there tyme ¶ Whose worthye fame Inhauncid there name As men of lustie corage Like princes great Kyngdomes to geat For them and ther lynage As noble brute In his persute And acte triumphal To his estate Kyngdomes gate And made them Imperiall First to begynne Their birthe their kynne Their generacion Then to conuoy From noble Troy The whole procreacion . ¶ Ye must then loke In the fifth boke Of the antiquities Where Birosus And Isodorus In their Ethimolegies . ¶ Affirmeth playne As authours twayne That after Noe his flood Osiris the furst kynge in Egypth the seconde sonne of ●ame . The first famouse kyng In Egipte reignyng Was called Osiris the good . ¶ But yet Moses In Genesis Nameth hym Mizraim A prince of fame The first of name That conquest did begynne . ¶ By force of strengthe He gate at lengthe To his dominion The worlde rounde Except the grounde Dewe vnto Babilon ¶ Moste circumspecte In this effecte Accoumpte the nobles all He was the furst In Egipt iust Emonges the people rurall . With greate industrie And labour of bodie The plough there did inuent To eare and sowe In countres lowe Idlenes to preuente ¶ To graffe and to plant In places skante Uynes most holsum & good He taughte them playne The barley grayne To norishe the lustie bloud ¶ Hys tyme before They hadde no store But acornes & leves grene No other trute For ther refute Emonge them was ther sene ¶ Till Osyris Of hys goodnes Applied bothe sence and mynd In such distres For ther redres Some remedy to fynd Auctors doth accorde He went abrode Hys vertues onely to shewe In straunge regions Whose affecctions Toke place in yeres fewe Fyrst to Berbarye A famose contrye The people grosse & rude Standyng in affryke Them did he seke There blyndnes to exclude Then to Almayne He toke the playne That kyndome to aduaunce Wher in lyke wyse He dyd practise All thing for their plesaunce Then at the instaunce Of the Italians With mightie apparell The cruell Titans Put to vtteraunce By fearcenes of battell ¶ Full shortlie than Doune to Tuscan He went with all his men To a citee strong Large and long Where he reigned yeres ten . ¶ Called Uitarbie Thus laboured he The people to conducte From place to place Of princely grace Onely them to instructe . ¶ Then into Grece A countree fearce A long the seas he went Unto a prouince Of greate excellence With like famouse intent . ¶ As auctours do witnes Named Pilloponnes Where stode the strong citee Called Argeos Of noblenes Hauyng the souereintee . ¶ Where he vnfayned Famously reigned XXXvii . yeres iust Till at the last The yeres gone past To Egipt he had a lust . ¶ Prepared home Where cruell Typhon As saieth Diodorus His brother vntrewe By treason hym slewe Of mynde malicious . ¶ Bocas confesseth Al so expresseth How the people rurall Changed Osiris Into Sirapis And so they dyd hym call Affermyng playne Howe he certayne In heuen was stallid In suche maner wyse Affter ther guyse A God was he called ¶ Labyn or Libus Hercules or Libus sonne of Osiris . Called great Hercules The sonne of Sirapys As auctours saythe His fathers death Reuengid shortly thys Sent a deffyaunce To all the gyauntes Throughout the wordle rounde Fyrst into Phenyce Dyd he enterpryse His enymyes to confounde To hys estate That lande he gat In maner inuincible By wonderfull strenghte Percyd it at lengthe And made it diuisible Then into phrigie A prouynce myghtie Wher he slewe Tipheus A gyaunt stronge Were it right or wronge And gaue hym to Athus Whiche he begate Beyng associate With a lady fayre & bryght Called Dinphale Whiche did preuaile Moste pleasaunt in his sight . ¶ From thence to Affricke Fearce cruell and quicke Of herte coragious Slewe the Giaunt Mightie and puissaunt Named greate Atheus . ¶ In token of fame Altered that name Then called barbarie After Libus Named it thus The greate lande of Libie . ¶ For a memoriall By art naturall He made a piller strong His conquest greate Should not forgeate The people there emong . ¶ Then to Gaulceltike Full princely lyke His passage dyd he take Wher great Iupiter Dyd hym prefere And moche there did him make ¶ For more amitye Gaue galathyae A pryncesse of highe astate Hys doughter dere To be hys fere Suche honour ther he gate Wher he was crouned Whose fame reboundyd With gal●thy hys wyfe In kyngdomes ferre After that Iupiter Had altered his lyfe Then With hys armye Into Italye Hym selfe dyd aduaunce Brake mountaynes hye By strengthe of Bodye And myghtye ordynaunce And wher the waye was Haynouse to passe And wonder dificill Brake them downe right By force of myght Without tariyng any while ¶ But entred by strengthe Where he at lengthe As Byrosus doth witnes His enymies slewe His force to renewe Manfully dyd them oppresse Then downe he came Unto Tuscane The Tytans to subdewe For malyce alone Of cruell Typhon Of treytors moste vntrue Wher for his sake Suche slaughter dyd make His enimyes to confounde That ther dolefull crye Aboue the skye To the heauens did abounde ¶ Suche was his grace With in shorte space They were all ouerthrowen Cleane out of fame As thoughe their name Had neuer bene knowen ¶ Thus this noble man Wholy became Possessor of Italy Fully yeres ten Where he reigned then As A prince stronge & myghty ¶ Frome thense into spayne Wher men dyd complayne The great extorcion Done by violence Without resistence In that famouse region ¶ By gyauntes stronge Whiche them amonge The people dyd oppresse Founde no refute In ther persute Therwooes then to redres Tyll greate Hercules Of hys gentilnes With moste manfull corage Came downe with spede In tyme of nede To a voyde ther outrage Sought them about Hauyng no doubte Of their myghty puysaunce . Frome place to place Dyd them inchace By longe contynuaunce ¶ By knyghtly strengthe Gate them at lengthe Wher they myght not astert As a prynce royall He slewe them all With a coragyouse hert ¶ After whose death Diodorus saythe In hys Antiquyties Who Lyste to loke In the .v. boke That thys noble hercules ¶ Dyd there remayne Tyll death certayne Hys bodye dyd oppres Wher he dothe lye Full sumtuoslye As Auctors bere witnes His Sepulture In such manere Raysed was with pillers hye That men myght se Of euery degre The place as they pas by And yet the same In token of fame Euermore for to encrease Ys called thys daye As Spanyardes saye Gaades le Hercules After came Tustus Tustus sonne of Hercules . A prince ful famouse Sonne to great hercules As next heyre of bloud Notable and good Full of all gentilnes ¶ Whiche in Italy Reigned quyetly Without let or dysturbaunce Right welbeloued No cause mouyd Of hys misgouernaunce Altheus son of Tustus . Next Altheus Sonne of Tustus Of Italy was kinge A Prince of renowne Comboblaston sonne of blaston whiche Blaston was sonne of Altheus and ded his father liuynge With Scepter & crowne All his tyme then lyuyng Then Comboblaston The sonne of Blaston Whiche was sonne of Altheus For his worthynes And passing goodnes Was made then Coritus ¶ Whiche was a name Of worthie fame Excellyng all other As at that daye As who wolde saye A second Iupyter . Thys noble kynge Recorde of wrytyng By Electra hys wyfe Had princes thre Of noble degre All borne in hys lyfe Dardanus the seconde sonne of Comboblaston buyl . +ded the Cytie of derdane The fyrst Iaseus The nexte dardanus The thrd Armonya Dardanus then With all hys men Wente in to phrigia A prouence stronge Myghtie and Longe Full of all pleasaunce Stondyng in Asia Called dardanya Hys name onely to avaunce His people and he Raysed a Citie With towres wonderfull hye Wallid it aboute Hauyng no doubte Of any foren enemye ¶ When it was walled Then was it called Dardane after Dardanus In all Asya Or in phrigya Was none halfe so famouse ¶ This Citie playme Was made certayne The yere for to acconpte Of Moyses A.C. doubtles Xiiii. more dyd A mounte 〈…〉 ¶ Next Dardanus His sonne Erictonius There toke possession Of ●yght enteryng As Lorde & kinge By dewe succession ¶ Then Troos the famouse Sonne of Erictonius Of all Phrigia was kyng For myghtye puyssaunce And greate aboundaunce All other surmounting ¶ Eusebius Affirmyth vs This kyng had sonnes thre The fyrst Ilius The next Assaracus The thyrd as in degre The yongest of al Whiche men dyd call Worthy Ganymydes Whom Tantalus Most auericious Of pitie all merciles ¶ Falselye dyd persewe A traytore vntrewe With couetyse ful replete Toke monye and hire His death to conspire Of Iupiter kyng of Crete ¶ Troos this famousse kyng Sore Lamenting This foule ingratitude Of mortall hate And soden debate Reysed a multitude ¶ Of herte dolorus Droue Tantalus Dute of highe phrigie Forcing hym at lenghe By pryncely strength Out of Paphlagie Diodorus Also Birosus Affermyth verely That Tantalus Full vngracious Dyed myserablye For his offence And vile pretence So ofte tymes frequented 〈…〉 sayn That he certayn In hell shuld be tourmented Wyth hunger and thurst Hauyng a lust Alwayes vnto hys meate His belly emptie With dyshes plentie And yet nothyng coulde eate ¶ In drynke dyd Swyme Aboue the Chynne His body hote and drye All was in waste Non could he taste Yet for thurst redy to die Ouid doth shewe In wordes fewe And playnely doth vs tell Howe he shulde Lye With out mercy In the depe lake of hell ¶ When cruell Tantalus Moste inpituouse Was brought to subicecion And that noble Troye Dyd fully enioye Tantalus possecion Kyng of highe phrygia In all Asya Was none so myghtie a kinge So muche redoubtid So well assured So muche honor incresing His Citie playne Called Dardaine As auctours write and saye Was called than Of euery man The great Citie of Troye Only after his name To increase his fame As a prince most fortunate The country aboute Standyng in doubte Obayed his noble estate ¶ And thus was he Of magnanimytie Redoubted on euery side None was so boulde Other yonge or olde His force that durst abide ¶ Next this famouse kinge After insuweing Was his sonne Ilius He had a brother Assaracus the yonger son● of Troos Of father and mother Namyd Assaracus ☞ Of full noble blodde Capis son● of Assaracu● Famouse and good His sonne called was Capis Stories dothe deuise Anchises sō● of Capis . Capis Likewyse Was father to Anchises Anchises was Father to Eneas As saint Augustine doth record Eneas son● of Anchise Who liste to loke In the .xviii. boke Called the Cite of God Where he endyteth Playnly resiteth The herde and dred full chaunce Like as he fande By se and Lande Throughe fortunes ordinaunce How he also Went to appollo To the Ile of delphos Whiche by miracle At his Oracle Shewed hym the whole purpos ¶ Howe he shuld be Of souereintye Full notable increasing And that his fate Was predestinate In Italy to be kyng This Eneas Graundfather was Unto noble young brute As shall appere Afterward here The stocke the braunche & frut From dardanus As gaulfridus The story dothe recompte Whose regalite In great Asiie All other did surmounte Of Iupiters blood Notable and good Whose name was stellified As poetes do fame In heuen certayne There to be deified His marciall warres Surmounting the starres Made hym celestiall After pagan guyse In suche maner wyse With ther goddes to be coequal In Libie land His temple did stand Freate with gold pearle & stone By deuine Oracle His tabernacle Made ther ful long agone Of the femenyne sexe by Galathia , whiche was doughter to greate Iubyter of Gaulcel 〈◊〉 & wife to Hercules and mothere to Tustas Of whose succession By conputacion Of ther parentage Perceaue maye ye That welshmen be Of the same stocke & lynage ¶ As stories olde Bothe writen & toulde Maketh relacion Affirminge playne The tyme the raigne And the Cituacion ¶ From Iupiters lyne Downe to declyne To worthye Dardanus Consequentely And finally To noble Priamus ¶ The laste Kyng of Troy A digres● treating 〈◊〉 Destruct●●● of Troy Whose inward ioye Was cleane disconsolate When the grekes fell By treason cruell Appallid his estate Heare to digresse I must confesse The wofull desolacion Of noble Troye The soden decaye And newe transmutacion The Greekes warres Aboue the stares Surmounting in there pryde Supposinge they myght With cruell fight The heuens to deuide ¶ And thus they wrought The story oute sought As virgell do the witnes A temple ther was Sacred to pallas The mightie great goddes ¶ Made by craft entrayle As it were deuinale By heuenly influence With in troy towne To the high renowne Of her magnyficences ¶ The grekes fraudolent Of mynde violente There treason to practise Fayned a pretence By deuine incence To make a sacrifyes ¶ Byfore pallas In hope of grace To please her deitie Thus they conspired And ofte desired To entre the Citie The Trones iust Did not mistrust There fraudolent treason Like there pretence Gaue them licence To make ther oblacion ¶ And thus Elas With gile and trespas As wolues raging wood Hauyng Libertie Within the Citie Distroyed the noble blod Farre in the night When that no wight Ther treason did suspecte The grekes vntrewe Furthe did Persue To furnyshe ther effecte Brake out at large All in a rage Their fury to declare Fretyng for ire With sworde and fire Consumyd the Cite bare The Troians at rest With paynes opprest For watche feble and faynt Nothing then knewe What shuld ensewe Of ther mortall constraynt Or they could wake Ther Cite was take Ther kyng cruelly slayne Ther Temples spoyled Ther goddes defoyled Ther houses bare & playne Alas for pitie Full wooe is me This story to beholde When I aduerte Ther soden smerte It maketh my herte colde Oh noble Hector The chiefe protector The Troians to defend The veray loodsterre In peace or warre For manhode most to commend ¶ Against whose might No grekishe Knight His person myght assure With spere or shilde In Campe or filde His stroke that might endure Alas for payne Yet was he slayne By pretensid treason His death conspired And longe desired By faulse instigacion For cruell Achylles Of pitie marceles Or he could well aduerte His backe all bare With a staffe square Percyd his manfull herte ¶ His helme vnlaced His coyffe vnbrased His shilde lyeng on the ground As he did repaire To take the Ayre Gaue hym his uortall wounde Oghe cruell grekes Cursid by your chekes With all youre cursed treason Sclaudered is youre name To your eternall shame For youre abhominacion And thou Achilles Most wreche of wreches Prouers of mynd & will Against all right So famouse a knight With treason for to kill Who will not assent The death to lament Of so princely a man Which was doubtles Of knighthod pereles Accompte lithe the worrdle began ¶ As in Troys boke Who list to loke Shall se the surphisage The magnanimitie The nobilite Of him and his parentage ☞ The imperiall blond Most famouse and good Of nature Celestiall As poetes do fayn They came certayne 〈◊〉 the blynde ●orlde they ●erra●ed god ●s for exceling in feares of noblenesse Of the Goddes immortall ¶ They were declared Whith goddes compared Throughe ther magnificence The truethe knowen well Bicause they did excell In pryncely excellence ¶ What shuld I write Or further indite This proces lamentable The dolefull destres The mortall heuines Of Priamus most notable ¶ Or yet of Eccuba Or wife Cassandra Their importable payne Or of Polexena The floure of Asia . Which was so cruelly slayne Of lustie Troylus Or yonge Dephebus Or of the blood fraternall Paris or Helenus A case most peteous Of greekes slayne were thei al ¶ Or what should I saye Of the grekes decaye And mortall aduenture Sithe that the ayre In ther repayre Turned darke & obscure Cruell Neptunus Waxed contrarius Dangerus to be holde Eolus a lofte Raging full ofte With stormes wete and colde Ulcanus then Oute of his den Forgid the thouders greate With tirie leuin Downe from heauen Unto Cerberus seate ¶ The goddes playne Had such disdayne At ther shamefull outrage Of very despite Them to acquite Send such froward passage ¶ Ther shippes tossed And all to frussed By sturdy violence Upon rockes grounded There people drowned For all ther resistence But nowe to procede My purpose to spyed Like as I furst begane To showe the distent And birthe excellent Of the gentile Welshmen ¶ After that Troy Was broughte to decaye By fortunes violence And that ther was As in that case No helpe of resistaunce But that the Cite By grekyshe crueltye Was consumed all bare As I sayde fyrst By treason vniust The truth to declare Then the noble blood Auncient and good Of Priamus discent By knyghtlye corage Toke ther voyage By sober aduisement To sundry regions With ther prouisions And marciall apparell There states to renewe Kyngdomes to Subdewe Onely by force of Battell As lustye yonge Franco Whiche was also The sonne of noble Hector Sette meeris and bandes In sondre landes As Kynge and Emperoure ¶ Fyrst into hungary With his Chiualry His stonderds displayeng Then into Fraunce With his ordinaunce His armye conuaiyng ¶ Subdwed the Gaules Brake towres & walles Brought them to hys purpose And for more fame Altered that name And called them francos ¶ But Galfridus And Eusebius Dothe playnly reporte That Faramundus Sonne of Marconinus That name did fyrst transporte Affyrmyng playne That he certayne Beyng of the Troianes blood In token of Loue Did it remoue And thus the mattier stood Likewise Turcus The sonne of Troilus Entered phaso the lesse As Antonius And Entropius Berith therto witnesse ¶ Gate ther stronge piles For all ther wiles Ther castelles & ther towers Slewe them certayne In the filde playne Like mightie conqueroures ¶ Also Elenus Sonne of Prianus By manfull occacion Within shorte space The land of Trace Brought to subuercion Noble Eneas From Troy dyd pas With myghtie prouisions With speres and shildes Perced the fildes Of sundrie regions ¶ By se and by lande Dyuerse chauncys fande Uirgill dothe vs assure By violente rage Arryuid at Cartage By soden aduenture ¶ His shippes nere loste Driuen to that cost By dredfull violence Wher Dido the Quene Most goodly besene Reioysed his presence ¶ Then with his host ▪ The countreys did cost By prudent pollicye In his defence By highe prouidence To the frontes of Italie Wher by hys manhood And famouse knighthood After many strong battel Slewe Turocelyne In helpe of Latyne One of the kinges of Itaill ¶ For his worthynesse He weddid doubtlesse The Doughter of Latinus Called Lauina Next after Chensa The Doughter of Priamus ☞ As Sabellicus And Eusevius Affermith bothe playne That this is trewe He had Issewe Of these princesses twayne ¶ Fyrst of Chensa Borne in Asia Was his sonne Astanius 〈…〉 humuis sonne of Eneas Next in Italye Successiuelye Siluius Posthumus ¶ Of Whom is discendid As is pretendid By Titus Liuius Who lyst to rede The story in dede Of Brutus Albinus Most noble brute Brute sonne of Silu●●● of whom descendid the king of Brittayne linially vnto Cadwalyder The seede , the frute The name and language The playne discent The norishement Of the welshmens linage Thus maye ye se That welshmen be Of the blood imperiall Of nature fre Cosyns in degre To the goddes immortall Of Iupiters lyne Next to declyne To worthie Dardanus Consequentlie And fynallye To noble Priamus ¶ Then to Eneas Whiche father was To Siluius posthumus By computacion Of his succession Came most noble brutus ¶ As sonne and heyre Of parson fayre Wondre delyuer & light Strong of bodye As Hector hardie In stele armyd bright ¶ This noble brute In his persute And actes most marciall Entred into grece Subdued a pece By his power imperiall A kyng ther was Named Pandras A prince right excellent Unto whose myght Ther was no wight To hym equiuolent Hauing in seruitude A multitude Of the Troians blood vii . M. in numbre For to incumbre With them so sore it stoode For the deathe doubtles Of Achilles Accused of that cryme That they shulde be Of one degre Consenting at that tyme This story out sought This were they brought In thraldome and bondage Dayly constranyed Mortally payned By force of ther seruage ¶ Till noble Brute For ther refute Full lyke a worthye knight Deuisid at large Them to discharge For all his cruell myght Prefixid a daye His strenghe to assaye As fortune lyst to prouide By battell stronge Be it right or wronge The quarell to abyde Wher kyng Pandras Constrayned was By knightlye violence The felde to forsake His parsonne take For all his assistence ¶ His Lordes distressid His knightes repressid With many mortall wound His standerds displayed Cut and arayed Beaten vnto the harde ground And thus Pandras Constrayned was Of Brute to seke his peace Gaue gooddes and treasure Out of all measure His fauoure to in crease His loue more to wynne Gaue faire Genogynne His doughter to him most dere Unto his wife Whiche in her lyfe As in stories doth appere Had sonnes thre Of noble degre All kinges of worthie fame As Antonius And Eutropius Affirmeth bothe the same The fyrst Lotrinus Then Albanactus The thyrd Cambre named was Whiche by Election Cambre br●● his sonne Kinge of 〈◊〉 For his porcion Into wales did pas ¶ To the encrese of fame After his owne name Called it Cambria But now by vsage Of corupte language Named is wallia As more playnely And effectually Herafter shall appere But fyrst to discus Of noble Brutus The story and manere ¶ After that Pandras Restorid was To his former estate His peace assured His kingdome receaued He thought hym fortunate Brute in like wise It did suffice His fury to asswage The Troians tre From Captiuite Thraldome and bondage ¶ The lande he forsoke The sees he then toke With his shippes long & large Storid with treasure Out of all measure By force of their pillage Then furthe he sayled Greatlie preuayled By helpe of Neptunus Suche was his grace With in shorte space Passid the sees dangerus ¶ Landed at Totnesse Like as the goddesse Diana had promised Predestinate To his estate This land holy comysed ¶ Within this region Called Albion Wher Gyauntes did dwell As I do finde Of Cerberus kinde Fearce odius and cruell ¶ Engendred they weare By sprites of the ayre Or by some fyndes infernall So terryble So horryble Were they of nature all For all ther stature Or dredfull figure Brute nothyng abasshed By furiouse strengthe Slewe them at lengthe And thys land possessed ¶ As storyes olde Bothe write and toulde Recomptith more at large Who list to loke Gaulfridus boke Shall se the surplusage This shall suffice The sage and wyse To haue in memorie Thinges so farre past It were in wast Agayne to specyfie ¶ Then to remembre Yong lusty Cambre Whom Brute to wales did send Ther to remayne As soueraygne That contre to defend Of whose succession By computacion Of stories euidente Remyanith the blood Most notable and good Euen nowe this tyme present Neuer was it myxed Nether yet altered With any straunge nacion Nether foreyne kyng By might vsurping Therof had possession The Romaynes great Whose power dyd threat The worlde vnyuersall Might neuer them wyn By craft or engyn To ther estate royall ¶ Nether Saxon nor Dane Nor yet foren name Might their force declyne With in Cambres land The Brutes to withstond By marciall discipline Yet more to their fame Ther blood ther name Ther contre ther language Wes neuer mixid Nether yet possessid With any straunge parentage Further to declare I dare compare For ther perfeccion Euen as who saith For the trewe fayth Of Cristes relygion ¶ For lengthe of tyme Did neuer declyne To infidelite But constaunt and sure Alway in vre Syth the tyme of Lucy The fyrst Cristen kyng In britayne reynyng The yeres for to accompte A.M. thre hundred Lxxx. full nombred 〈◊〉 more did amounte Syth they began To be Chrystian In the tyme of Elentherius Whiche dyd electe Byshoppes in effecte By consent of Lucius ¶ Thus they assured Long haue endured By deuine prouidence Nether infectid Nether suspected Of corrupte conscience ¶ Ther fayth to forsake But Christ to take For a full satisfaction As scripture sayth Firmely by fayth Of his blessid passion Thus the noble brutes Receaued the frutes Of ther perfection In tyme longe past Ryght ferme and fast Without mutacion ¶ CCCC . yeres playne XXX . and twayne The tyme fully accompting Were they Cristenyd Surely stablyshid Before saynt Austyns comming ¶ This story tried Cannot be denied With all the circumstaunce The ghostly liuing Playnly conferryng To goddes highe ordinaunce Sythen Lucis tyme Did neuer declyne From ther intellygence As in this case Suche is ther grace By goddes highe prouidence Likewyse syth Brute Did institute Cambre fyrst into wales Ther to remayne In roughe and playne Among mountaynes & vales ¶ Yet vnto this daye Perceyue ye maye Thesame stocke & lynage Of one dissent This is euident Without thraldom & bondage Wholy possessid Neuer repressid By knightly violence Cuntre or name Neuer toke shame They be of suche excellence ¶ Sithe so noble men From Troy as then Of blod are descendid Me thinke of truthe Ther lustie yowthe Ought to be comendid Then reason wolde Surely I shulde Ther honor aduaunce My selfe prepare Matter to declare Of ther princly ordinaunce As Titus Liuius And Eutropius Affirmyth to be trewe That noble Belyn Honor to wyn The Romaynes did persewe When Lucius And Emilius Were consulles of honour Also Camillus Namyd furius Was of rome dictatour ¶ Then noble belyn The Citie to wyn With standertes displayed Like Marse for myght In stele armyd bryght His britons conuayid ¶ Aboute the towne With suche renowne And knightly ordinaunce That the Romaynes playne That daye were slayne For all the myghtie puyssaunce ¶ The felde forsaken The Senatours taken Spoyled of ther araye Like Goddes for riches So greate excesse Had they of them that daye ¶ The Citie oppressid Ther goodes distressid The Romaynes infortunate This noble Belyn Honor to wynne Upon them was Lauriate This was in the yere As dothe appeare By playne descryption Thre hundrid thre score Puttyng to fyue moore After Romes fon̄dacyon In contynent then This noble Bren His fame more to aduaunce Into Gallacia And Macedonia He toke his chaunce Also to Galetes Where he slewe Sostes Ther Prince and gouernoure Thus of the Grekees In spite of their Chekes He became a conquerour Then furthe he went With his army bent To the mounte Pronasus To a Temple large Standing vpon a stage As writith polycarpus ¶ Sacrede to Appolyn As clarkes determyn Namyd also delphicus Spoylid his riches To his great increse Made him full glorius ¶ With whiche abundaunce And mighti substaunce Full lyke a famouse Knight Raylid Cities olde Feble and colde Ruynous in all mennes sight As Mediolana And Papia In the fruntes of Lombardye Likewyse verona Standing in Gallia With towres pleasaunt & hye ¶ Cremona Mantua Also Burganum And vincencia The Cetie Siena With the Citie Conum Thus Titus Liuius Playnly doth discus A Romayne of greate fame As Polycarpus And Eutro Pius Afferme both the same Thus of the blood Notable and good I coulde worthly expresse Kinges of renowne With Sceptre and crowne A great nomber doubtlesse ¶ As noble Arthur The cheiffe victour Prouid at all assayes Whose Marciall knightes Quenchid the Lightes Of all other in those dayes ¶ The Romaynes can tell Howe it befell In the tyme of Lucius Ther Emperoure slayne With many a Proud Romaine The britons victorius Also in Fraunce Froll had Like chaunce Whiche was so good a knight To death was Wounded His people confounded Onli throughe Arthurs might Also Denabus Great and monstruous Whose power none might withstand Arthure hym slewe His force to renewe Fought with hym hand to hand Like wise the Saxones Whose exacciones He myght no wyse abide Ther cruell rage For to asswage Manfully he dyd prouide Twelue battelles stronge He had them amonge Like a famous champion By strength imperiall He was victore of all Brought them to subiection ¶ Auctores do expresse Bering full wyttnesse Of his magnificence With his owne hand Their might to withstande Of knightly excellence ¶ Slewe in one daye Brekyng ther arraye Two hundrid & fourtye Iust Throughe his manfull myght Constrayned were ryght In his mercy to trust Accompte also Noble Malgo The sonne of dame nature Whose Angelicke face For beutie was Like an heuenly creature ¶ That man and beast Gladly wold rest Also Birdes in the ayre His face to beholde As it was toulde He was so passing fayre Ther was no Kyng Of natures formyng To his equiuolent So strong of body So fearce and hardy In armes so excellent The Saxones cruell With many sore batell Did him right sore inchace But yet ther rigour His princely honore Myght neuer deface The magnanymytie The nobilite Of this most princely name Auctors dothe expres The Iles orcades To Brytayne furst he wan Now to Cadwalader Cadwalader the last kyng of Brute by Linage To furnyshe my matter That famose worthy king The last of dyscent A Prince Excellent Ouer the Britones raynyng ¶ Fabian dothe write And playnly resite His actes ryght glorius Affirming them trewe Howe that he slewe A king called Lotharius Whiche was king of kente That tyme present By marciall dyssiplyne And afterwarde With strokes harde The mattier to determyne ¶ Edericus his brother It was noon other By force was lykwyse slayne Helpe or redresse Was none doubtlesse Yet were thei kinges both twāie ¶ Also Athelwold Manfull and boulde Which was of Sowthsex king Thought hym full sure Hable to indure His batell conueiyng Agaynst Cadwaladre Of inwarde displeasure Hatred and cruelnes Mette in the felde With speare and shilde Of very wilfulnes ¶ Athelwolde that daie Who euer sayd naye With many mortall wounde Lay ded and slayne The Saxones playne Beaten downe to the ground ¶ The Brutes victoriouse The Saxones tymerouse The felde durst not abide For dread and feare Fled here and there Abrode on euery side ¶ Thus Cadwalader The reuenger Of ther ambicion Brought them full lowe Ther faultes to knowe Under his subiection Also Galfridus Playnly dothe discus Affirmyng more at large Howe that the Saxones By composicions Of all ther baronage Helde of Cadwaladre As of ther gouernoure By waye of loue and finage Like their degrees By giftes and fees As of his patronage This princely manne This Christian This worthy famouse king Stories doth recompte He did surmounte All other Liuing ¶ To whome god aboue In token of loue Made demonstracion By his Angell playne That he certayne Shulde leaue his region Suche mortalite Suche aduersitie Suche plages of pestilence Suche infeccion Suche corrucpcion By heuenly influence ¶ That tyme ther was That he Alas Of force was constrayned With wofull herte Must nedes departe His subiectes were so payned ¶ Frutes vpon the grounde None coulde be founde In helpe of their redresse The Earthe all bare The people in care Sorowe and heuinesse The Brutes expelled No lenger dwelled With in this region The Saxones playne Did it attayne For them and ther succession ¶ No resistence Nether yet defence Of the Brutes was ther made Awaye they wente By one assent Euen as the Angell bade ☞ Without comforte As men amorte Lackyng consolacion Hauyng no lust But onlye a trust Of their expectacion In the prophesy Whiche did specifye The holy translacion Of Cadwaladre Frome Rome hidre By Santificacion ¶ That when his bones Were translated ones In to this region Then shulde the Brutes Receaue ther frutes And fyrst possessyon This did the Angell Graciously tell In ther wofull distres That his noble blode Auncyent and good Shuld reuiue in his successe ¶ Whiche shulde restore To them moche more Of consolacion By speciall grace Than euer was Of ther succession ¶ This noble king Goddes will perceiuing Called his sonne Iuory Likewise send for His cosen Iuor Resityng these wordes on hye ¶ Take heare he sayde Be not dysmaide My folkes & my nauye Passe ye into wale ; Amonge hilles & vales Be ye lordes of that contrye Se that no wronge Come them emonge For lacke of nobilite And that the Saxones By false compaccions Worke no dishonestie Agaynst the Brutes To hurte the frutes Of their fidelitie Be constaunte and sure Manfully indure Youre owne regalytie ¶ These wordes ones past His eyes he cast Sayeng lorde thy will be done In Earthe vs by As in heuen hye Farre surmounting the sonne Whose deuine powre Is gouernoure Of all creatid thinges Be it visible Or inuisible It is thy hande workynges ¶ And nowe good Lorde I will accorde Thy pleasure to fulfyll This lande forsake A newe to take Sythe it is thy will The wordes once sayde Mekely he obayed Of mynd will and consent With a benynge loke His leaue he toke And so to Rome he went ¶ Wherein shorte space God of his grace By his eternall myght His solle magnyfied Also sanctified To his celestiall syght ¶ Nowe to accomplyshe Also to furnyshe My mynd and intencion Ye haue harde tell Howe the Angell Made demonstration ¶ Ther shulde a king Floryshe and spryng Of the same succession By sentence deuine Of Cadwaladers lyne In the fourth generacyon Whiche shulde restore Thinges past before By his magnyficence And for his fame Men shuld hym name The prince of excellence ¶ Whose wisdome clere Shuld so apere Throughe euery regyon Men shulde hym call For gyftes naturall The seconde Salomon To verifye This mystery With stories euident Nature declareth The dede compareth All thinges equiuolente The Last famose king Ouer vs rainyng Namid the seuynth henry Henry the vii of Cadwaladers line right full kyng of Britayne called Englond Was euen the same Whose princely name Was had in suche memory ¶ Predestinate And animate By heuenly influence For to fulfyll The deuine will Of the highe magnyficence ¶ Yet in his youth Of very trueth Floryshing in yeres grene In most cruellwyse His mortall enimyes As it was playnely sene ¶ Did hym persewe With treason vntrue Fraundulently inuented Gaue monye and hyre His death to conspire If fortune had consented Supposyng therby The prophesy Cleane to extermynate As god aboue They wolde remoue His workes to violate Was not his grace As in this case In wonderfull daunger When they conspired And fully desired The ayde of euery straunger ¶ Put in Exile Alacke the while Sondrie waies were outsought His lief vncertayne Beynge in Brytayne Wher the treason was wrought What conspiracion What cured treason Or who can breuyate Whiche God aboue Of his deuine loue Listithe to anymate This noble Prince For to conuince Passid ther raged myght God wolde in nowyse Ther false interpyse Shuld depriue his princeli right As dyd appere The storie clere Of this most princely man With spere and shilde As Bosworthe filde The honour there he wan Kynge Richrd slayne And he certayne The filde hathe receaued Thus god aboue Of very loue His kingdom hathe assured For of his lyne This present tyme A kyng is discendid With septer and croune In Citie and towne Most highly commendid Henry the viii . sonne of Henry the vii kyng of England , in whom is fulfillid the mistery of Cadwaladers translation ¶ I meane pardy Most noble Henry Called th eight of that name Whose gyftes naturall Aboue princes all Bereth awaye the fame Who can magnyfye Or yet verefye His condigne worthynes His amitye Liberalitie And bountifull goodnes ¶ In all affectes To his subiectes Most graciouse & kinde In ther defence With his expence Redie of herte and mynd Oh famouse Troy Reioyce this daye Most fortunate and good All ye that be As in degre Extracte of the same blood Geue landes on hye To god most myghtie Whiche hathe resustitate So noble a king Youre hertes exityng As men most fortunate For this is he ye maye well se Whose bones are translated By sentence deuyne Frome Rome this tyme Newly seperated ¶ Accordingly As the prophesy Cadwalader bones translated by seperacion bytwene Rome & vs Afore had expressed When Cadwaladers bones Translated were ones All thinges shulde be redressed ¶ God of his grace As in this case Hathe made a seperacion Betwene Rome & vs Whose dedes monsterus Were abhomynacion Ther great abuses And long mysves Their folie and their pride The deception Ther collusion Oure kyng myght not abyde ¶ Ye knowe full well I nede not tell Ther greate exactions Nor howe they wroughte Kingdomes to haue broughte Under ther Subiections ¶ Nether to debate The mortall hate Whiche they haue conspired In especiall To be Lordes of all Wrongfully haue desired ¶ Pretending doubteles Muche holynes By sentence Angelicall To speake as the crede Yet were they in dede Uery fendes internall There lawes preferring As concernyng The papall iurisdiccion Whose vsurped power Wolde be gouernoure Of euery region Aboue king or prince Their myght to conuince If they wolde not obaye With Curses greate They would them threate Ther honor to decaye ¶ But god most iust As I sayde fyrst Hath made a seperacion Geuing oure king Grace and learning To preferre his relygion And not to trust In vayne hope and luste Of mannes tradicions As thoughe they myght 〈◊〉 heuen of right Make ther condicions To saue or spill What solle they wyll Without exception As they were deuine At season and tyme By meane of ther pardones ¶ Suche thinges abusid Oughte to be refusid By deuine ordinaunce And not to trust In thinges vniust Wher is non assuraunce ¶ Ther is but one To god alone That is appropriate Synnes to remeue Pardon to gyue And sowles to anymate ¶ Tradicions papall Hath broughte vs all Allmost to subuercyon Hauing more trust In thynges vniust Then in Cristes passion ¶ But god aboue In token of loue Hathe vs reconsiled As it befell In Israell When the lawes were commysed To Iosia Whiche of Iudea Was kinge and gouernoure As in this case Of speciall grace Stode in goddes highe fauoure Because he wolde No bodie shulde Do vniust reuerence To stocke or stone But in god alone To haue all confidence He sende through out Israell aboute Goddes Lawes to magnyfie In especiall Commaunding all To beware of idolatrie ¶ Likewise it was When Ezechias The worthye famouse king Of pure intent The Brasen serpent The people deluding Unto the ground Made hym rebounde In peces great & small Breake the hyl aulters Of ther forefathers With theyr foule Idoles all ☞ Euen from iudea Unto Aza The Philystines lande Nothing wolde suffer To goddes displeasure To be grauen or stande Whose constancy God most mightie Had in remembraunce Send his Angell In his quarell Agaynst the Assiryans By his deuine might He flewe in one night C.lxxx . thousand & fyue From Iudea Unto Assiria The reste home he did driue ¶ Like wise oure kinge His herte referring To goddes highe prouidence Suche thinges abusid Hathe nowe confused By heuenly influence ¶ Whiche had infected And sore detected Christes relygion By shrining of bones And kneling to stones Made by mannes inuencion ¶ Magnyfieng them Whiche were mortall men Of nature terrestriall With like reuerence And confidence As to god Celestiall Whose golden shrynes Trycked with vines Most curiously Wroughte With pardones plentie Made purses emptie In sondrie places sought Suche Idoles greate So richely freate With golde pearle & stone Lifte vp on hye To magnyfye As it were god alone ¶ Oure Iosias Oure Ezechias By permyssion deuine In this effecte Most circumspecte Beholdyng this present tyme ¶ Hath brought to passe Like as it was In tyme of Isarell Trusting in one In god alone According to the gospell For sacrifice In such a wyse To god onlye is dewe Ther is no other Faithe to recouer But only throughe Iesu ¶ O Lorde oure god Withdrawe thy rodde Correcte vs not in thy Ire By thou petiouse Lorde vnto vs We humbly the desire Thy eares inclyne This present tyme Harken to oure clamoure As it befell In Israell In the tyme of ther doloure Be mercyfull Lorde Let pytie accorde With thy bountyfull grace Oure sinnes remeue Pardon forgiue Oure folie and trespasse ¶ To magnifie Suche Idolatrie Lord we knowledge oure offence Agaynst thy lawe For to withdrawe Frome thy magnificence To haue a trust Or yet a lust In any grauen picture Whiche thou defendest Also commaundyst To bowe to no figure This lorde most mightie We knowe assuredly By thy deuyne insence To the deitie Of thy magestie Belongith all reuerence As concerning The true meaning Of oure saluacion Ther is but one That suffered alone For oure redempcion Oure in warde fayth As saynt Paule sayth Shuld be in Christ Iesu Let this be graued We are not sauid But onlye by his vertue Nether yet rectified By sayntes sanctified In any maner case Saue ther good liuing Example geuing To folowe the same trace ¶ Of truethe oure techers Also oure preachers Which were in tyme long past Toke full great payne And all in vayne Ther laboure spent in wast ¶ Leuing the epistell Also the gospell Most Euangelicall Treting of pardones With inuencions And Cerimones papall ¶ But oure famouse king Right well perseuing The great ingratitude The sencis pure Of holy Scripture Hyd from the multitude For oure redres Of his goodnes With most princely corage Hath deuised Also comysed Oure conscience to discharge Set out at long Oure vulger tong The scripture for to knowe The seed the grayne The verite playne Oure fayth only to showe It is consonant Not repugnaunt To goddes deuine ordinaunce But allmen shulde Who euer wolde For ther owne assuraunce Labour the scripture His lyfe to assure The commaundementes to kepe Thoughe sone repine And determyne Affrming it vnmete That we lay men Shuld laboure our pen Or scripture beholde More then the clergie Shulde vs specifye By Auctoritie toolde Prouided in this No man ther is Beyng of leude lernyng Shall interprise In any wyse Unto the expounding Oh noble Henry Of Kinges most worthye Doubteles to be magnyfied Goddes owne chosen knight By whose deuine might All thynges are rectified ¶ Our faith stablyshe Errors abolishid The gospell set out at large Nothing is hyd Wher of is nede Oure conscience to discharge O blessed lorde To vs accorde We humblye the desire As in this case Of speciall grace Who euer will conspire ¶ Agaynst oure king In hindering Of honor this his reame Ther faulse intent Lorde thou will preuent Aduoyding the dangere cleane ¶ Let not our enimyes In any wyse Agaynst vs lorde preuaile Confuse ther ire Burnyng as fire In ther malice let them quayle ¶ Like as it was When Ezechias With humble peticion Made his complaynt Of verye constraynt And hertie affection ¶ To thy deitie That of thy pitie Thou woldist thy powre extend Against the furies Of his enimyes His kingdome to defend ¶ Lorde incontinent Thy Angell thou sente His wooes to redres The Assirianes playne Laye ded and slayne Throughe thy mightifulnes ¶ So in like case Of thy deuine grace Preserue our famouse king Oure enymies withstand And saue this lande Oure god euerlastyng Come furthe ye brutes The seed the frutes Of mightie Sirapys In Egipte stalled A god ther called In the Citie Memphis ¶ Wher he is deified Also stellified After the pagan guyse With his wyfe Isis The mightye goddes So callid in Likewise Of whose successe Came hercules The famouse Champion And so to conuay Downe vnto Troy With all ther succession ¶ Considre then Ye gentle welshemen How god for you hath wrough Euen the same tyme That veray lyne To youe agayne hath brought ¶ For this is he Whose maiestie All thinges hath redressed Assuredly As the Prophesi Afore had expressid ¶ Was ther euer king So moche tendering Youre welth to aduaunce Or for your sake Suche paynes did take With so assured constaunce ¶ Ye knowe pardie As well as I What he hath deuised Onlie for youe Statutes made newe And lawes wholy commysed To that intente You shulde assent To youre ciuilite One lawe one loue One God aboue And one prencely magestie Your selues indeuore Wholly to gether With perfect assuraunce With vs to praye These wordes to saye With inwarde affyaunce God most gloryouse Lorde Christ Iesus Our hope and oure assistence Oure mediatoure Oure gouernoure And oure hertes confidence ¶ Preserue oure Kyng His grace sending Honor and victori Good Lyfe and longe Here vs amonge With helthe of his body ¶ And afterward Yong Prince Edwarde To supply his regalle place With lyke wisdome As had Salomon In euery maner case ¶ Most gracious lord To vs accorde Of thy bountyfull goodnes Thy power extend Oure prince defend As thou didest yong Ioas ¶ Whiche did inclyne By grace diuine To thy magnyficence In his yeres grene As it was sene By heuenly influence ¶ Of very truethe His tender youthe The lawes to fortyfye The house af Ball With his ydolles all Distroyed vtterly ¶ His grauen pictures His golden figures Most curyously wroughte Beaton to doust His temple vniust Prosterate doune he brought Thus let oure Prince Utterly conuynce All false Idolatrye Thy lawes supporte Oure hertes to comforte Thy name to gloryfye ¶ Let not Babilon Haue dominion Ouer vs for thy pitie Defend vs lorde god Frome the cruell rode Of their captiuitie ¶ Let our prince furnishe And fully fynyshe What his father hath begonne As was deuised Somtyme comysed To Salomon dauides sonne And so at length With bodely strength Lorde thou wyll hym aduaunce Hable to withstand With myghtie hand His enimies puissaunce As had hercules Of whose noblenes Doubtles he is descendyd As auctors olde By storyes tolde Famousely haue commendid Heare maye ye se That welshmen be Of right noble dyscent It dothe appere By stories clere And mattier euident Who may compare Or further declare By any prescription Accompte the parentyne Also the feminyne With ther procreacion ¶ To be more worthie Being creatures earthlye And of nature terrestriall Seth Noye his flod Alway ther blode Hathe byne imperiall ¶ Here to digresse I must confesse More matter in substaunce Whiche nowe I fynde Long oute of mynde For lacke of remembraunce Of noble Hercules The sonne of Osires Most myghtie champion Whose incomperablenesse Excellyth doubtles All naturall reason Non maye be comparid Nether yet declared Unto thy excellence Accompte stories all None shal be equall With thy magnifycence ¶ This was that Hercules That noble poetes So highlye doth commende And not Hercules Called Alcydes Whiche the grekes do pretend To be so mightie Hauing victorye In the fruntes of Archadie Sonne of Iupiter His name to preferre Borne of faire Alannena But Diodorus Also Birosus The chaldie affirmeth playne That this hercules Named Alcides Was the last of the twayne But Hercules Aegipcius Named Libicus As saynt Ierome writeth In the .x. of Genesis Was sonne of Osiris As he playnly affirmeth ¶ Whiche did interpryse In most knightly wyse The .xii. notable labours Dis●orus Secalus Also writyth thus Whith other famous auctours That this hercules By his noblenesse In the woodes of Nemia Slewe the great Lion For lyke occasion The serpent called Nidra Which lay of longe tyme By force of rauyne In the fennes of Lerna Also the bore Deuouring the stoore In the Land of Archadia By violent strength Caught hym at length In spite of Erimanthus Upon his sholders square He did hym beare To the kynge Euresthius Like wise did preuayle In strength of battayle Agaynst a greate nomber Called Centauries Half men halfe horses Which semyd to be a wonder The fyfthe industry By swiftnes of body His person aduancyng Caught the great harte Whose hornes by arte Were gilte for his runnyng Also Simphalides Birdes of cruell lyknes Consumyd the frutes bare Like fendes infernall For a memoryall He le●l not one to spare The seuenth wonder was Howe he coulde bring to pas The clansing of Angeus hall So noble a riuer For to deceuer Whith ●ingo poc●es didcal ¶ The eight was the bull The lee at the full Oute of Crete into grece Howe he shulde bring By see swymyng And yet deface no pece ¶ Diomedes All mercyles His rigour to accomplyshe His horses playne He fedde certayne Onlye with mannes fleshe Tyll Hercules Toke Diomedes His crueltie to abate Made those horses greate His fleshe to eate Regarding not his estate ¶ Whiche he before Had kept in score Full wilde & monsterus To his greate fame He made them tame Gaue them to Enristhens ¶ Then into Spayne He toke the payne Gereon to subdewe Of very dispite Hym to acquyte His sonnes twaine ther he slew ¶ After to hell As poetes do tell Downe he is discended Where Theseus And Pirithus He shortly defendid Them to discharge Setting at large Frome all daunger & payne Brought Cerberg bounde Whiche was the hell hounde Lincked fast in a chayne The twelueth & the last Accompting them paste Of this most princely man When his noblenes Frome Hesperides The golden Apples wan Slewe the dragon Which did enuiron The gardayne round aboute Whose looke odible Was so terrible All men of him had doubte Thus in knightly wise He did interpryse To his Eternal fame None so worthye Of memorye To haue prayse laude or name ¶ Of this Hercules In knightho depereles With noble Galathee The only doughter Of greate Iupiter Named also Selce ¶ Came the famose blode Alter Noe his flode To the troyanes linage Downe by descent Princes excellent With all ther parentage ¶ Who was more worthie Stronger of bodye Then was Ector of Troy Yf Stories be trewe A thousand he slewe Of Grekes in one daye Of this Hercules Came Olimpiades The famose mightie quene Mother to Alexander The grete conquerour In her tendre yeres grene Cesar Iulius Most victorius His enymies to confounde Came of Eneas Whiche so noble was Among the Romaynes founde ¶ Also Constantyne Sonne of saynt Elene Of the same succession Borne in this lande The holy crosse founde By deuine inspiracion This noble Emperour Was hole gouernoure Monarch and president Of euery region Throughout Cristendome From the Est to the occident ¶ Called by grace To that highe place By heuenly influence Of hert most constaunt Slewe the Tyraunt Whiche named was Maxence ¶ A thousand mo I coulde also Uerefy and expres Of the same blod Princes right good Full of all noblenes ¶ But nowe a ende I do intende My leue of you to take Desiring this All thing amys To pardon for my sake ¶ I must be breue Least that repreue Accuse me & my penne And thus to you I say adiewe Fare well ye gentel welshmen FINIS .