Certaine deu[is]es and shewes presented to her Maiestie by the gentlemen of Grayes-Inne at her Highnesse court in Greenewich, the twenty eighth day of Februarie in the thirtieth yeare of her Maiesties most happy raigne

The argument of the fift Act.

IN the first scene Arthur and Cador returned deadlie wounded and bewaild the misfortune of themselues and their Countrie, and are likewise bewailed of the Chorus.

In the seconde scene the Gho••st of Gorlois returneth reioy∣cing at his reue••dge, and wishing euer after a happier Fate vnto Brytaine, which done, he descendeth where he first rose.

¶ The Argument and manner of the fift and last dumbe shewe.

SOunding the Musicke, foure gentlemen all in blacke halfe armed, halfe vn∣armed with blacke skarffes ouerthwart their shoulders should come vppon the stage. The first bearing alofte in the one hand on the trunchion of a speare an Helmet, an arming sworde, a Gauntlet, &c. representing the Trophea: in the other hand a Target depicted with a mans hart sore wounded & the blood gushing out, crowned with a Crowne imp••riall and a Lawrell garland, thus writ∣ten in the toppe. En totum quod superest, signifying the King of Norway which spent himselfe and all his power for Arthur, and of whom there was lest nothing but his heart to inioy the conquest that insued. The seconde bearing in the one hand a siluer vessell full of golde, pearles, and other iewels representing the Spolia: in the other hande a Target with an Olephant and Dragon thereon fiercely com∣bacting, the Dragon vnder the Olephant and sucking by his extreme heate the blood from him is crushed in peeces with the fall of the Olephant, so as both die at last, this written aboue, Victor, an Victus? representing the King of Denmarke, who fell through Mordreds wound, hauing first with his souldiers destroyed the most of Mordreds armie. The third bearing in the one hand a Pyramis with a Law∣rell wreath about it representing victorie. In the other hand a Target with this deuise: a man sleeping, a snake drawing neere to sting him, a Leazard preuenting the Snake by fight, the Leazard being deadlie wounded awaketh the man, who seeing the Leazard dying, pursues the Snake, and kils it, this written aboue, Tibi morimur. Signifying Gawin King of Albanye slaine in Arthurs defence by Mor∣dred, whom Arthur afterwardes slewe. The fourth bearing in the one hande a broken piller, at the toppe thereof the Crowne and Scepter of the vanquisht King, both broken asunder, representing the conquest ouer vsurpation: in the o∣ther hand a Target with two Cockes painted thereon, the one lying dead, the o∣ther

with his winges broken, his eyes pecked out, and the bloode euerye where gushing foorth to the grounde, he standing vppon the dead Cocke and crowing ouer him, with this embleme in the toppe, Qua vici, p••rdidi, signifying Cador deadly wounded by Gilla whom he slewe. After these followed a King langui∣shing in complet Harnesse blacke, brused & battered vnto him, besprinkled with blood. On his head a Lawrell garland, leaning on the shoulders of two Heraults in mourning gownes & hoods, th'on in Mars his coate of arms, the other in Arthurs, presenting Arthur victoriously but yet deadly wounded. there followed a page with a Target whereon was portraited a Pellican pecking her blood out of her brest to feede her young ones, through which wound she dieth, this writen in the toppe, Quafoui, perit, signifying Arthurs too much indulgencie of Mordred, the cause of his death. All this represented the dismayed and vnfortunate victorie of Arthur, which is the matter of the Act insuing.

THE FIFT ACT and first Scene.

Arthur. Cador. Chorus.

ARTH.

COme Cador, as our frendship was most firme Throughout our age, so now let's linke as fast. Thus did we liue in warres, thus let vs dye In peace, and arme in arme pertake our Fates. Our woundes, our greéfe, our wish, our hap alike, Our end so neere, all craue eche others helpe.

CADO.

O King, beholde the fruite of all our Fame: Lo here our Pompe consumed with our selues, What all our age with all our warres had woonne, Loe here one day hath lost it all at once. Well: so it likes the Heauens: thus Fortune gibes: She hoyseth vp to hurle the deeper downe.

CHOR. 1

O sacred Prince: what sight is this we seé? Why haue the Fates reseru'd vs to these woes Our onely hope: the stay of all our Realme: The piller of our state: thus sore opprest? O would the Gods had fauour'd vs so much: That, as we liu'd partakers of your paines, And likewise ioyde the fruit of your exploytes: So hauing thus bereft our Soueraignes blisse, They had with more indifferent doome conioynd The Subiects both, and Soueraignes bane in one. It now (alas) ingendereth double greéfe, To rue your want, and to bewaile our woes.

ARTH.

Rue not my Brytaines what my rage hath wrought, But blame your King, that thus hath rent your Realme. My meanelesse moodes haue made the Fates thus fell, And too much anger wrought in me too much. For had impatient ire indu'rde abuse,

And yeélded where resistance threatned spoyle? I mought haue liu'd in forreine coastes vnfoilde, And six score thousand men had bene vnmoande. But wrong incensing wrath to take reuenge Preferred Chaunce before a better choyse.

CHOR. 2

T'was Mordreds wrong and to vniust desertes That iustly mooude your Highnesse to such wrath: Your claime requir'd no lesse then those attempts: Your cause right good was prais'd, and praide for most.

ARTH.

I claimd my Crowne, the cause of claime was good, The meanes to clame it in such sorte was bad. Yea: rather then my Realme and natiue soile Should wounded fall, thus brused with these warres: I should haue left both Realme, and right, and all: Or dur'd the death ordaind by ••ordreds oath.

CADO.

And yet so farre as Mars coulde bide a meane, You hatelesse sought the safegard of them all. Whereto the better cause, or badder Chaunce Did drawe, you still inclinde: preferring oft The weaker side, sometimes for loue, sometimes For right, (as Fortune swaide) your Sonne, your selfe. So pittie spar'd, what reason sought to spoyle: Till all at length, with equall spoyle was spent.

CHOR. 3

Would Gods your minde had felt no such remorse, And that your foes had no such fauour founde. So mought your friends haue had far frendlier Fates, If Rebels for their due deserts had dyde. The wickeds death is safety to the iust. To spare the Traitors, was to spoile the true. Of force he hurtes the good, that helpes the bad. In that you sought your Countries gaine, t'was well: In that you shunned not her losse, t'was hard. Good is the frend, that seekes to do vs good: A mighty frend, that doth preuent our harmes.

ARTH.

Well: so it was: it cannot be redrest: The greater is my greefe, that seés it so. My lyfe (I feele) doth fade, and sorrowes flowe, The rather that my name is thus extinct. In this respect, so Mordred did succeede, O, that my selfe had falne, and Mordred liu'd▪ That hauing conquer'd all my foes but him, I mought haue left you him, that conquer'd me. O heauie wretched lotte: to be the last That falles, to viewe the buriall of my Realme. Where each man else hath fealt his seuerall Fate, I onely pine opprest with all their Fates.

CHOR. 4

Although your Highnesse do susteine such greé••e, As needes enforceth all your Realme to rue: Yet since such ruth affordeth no releefe, Let due discretion swage each curelesse sore,

And beare the harmes, that run without redresse. The losse is ours, that loose so rare a Prince,

The breath∣lesse body of Mordred in Armour as he fell is brought vpon the Stadge.

You onely ••in, that see your foe here fo••lde.

ARTH.

A causelesse foe. When warres did call me hence He was in yeares but young, in wit too olde. As vertue shineth most in comliest wightes, When inward gifts are deckt with outward grace: So did his witte and feature f••ede that hope, Which falsely trainde me to this wofull hap. His minde transformed thus, I cannot chuse But long to see what change his face sustaines. My blood and kinred doubled in his birth, Inspir••s a mixt, and t'wice descending loue, Which driues my dying vaines to wish his view. Unhealme his luckelesse head, set bare his face: That face which earst pleas'd me and mine to much.

CHOR. 1

Seé (worthest King) the hope of all your Realme, Had not his lust to rule preuented all.

ARTH.

I see (alas) I see (hide, hide againe: O spare mine eyes) a witnesse of my crimes: A fearefull vision of my former guilte: A dreadfull horror of a future doome: A present gaule of minde. O happie they, Whose spotlesse liues attaine a dreadlesse death. And thou, O haplesse boye, O spight of Fates, (What mought I terme thee, Nephew, Sonne, or both?) Alas, how happie should we both haue bene, If no ambitious thought had vext thy head, Nor thou thus st••m'de to reaue thy Fathers rule, But stai••e thy tyme, and not forstalde vs both?

CADO.

The hoat spurde youth that forste the forward steédes, Whiles neédes he would his Fathers Chariot guide, Neglecting what his Sire had said in charge, The fires, which first he flung about the poles, Himselfe at last most wofull wretch inflamde. So to much loue to houer in the Heauens Made him to paie the price of rash attemptes.

ARTH.

Wha•• ruth, (ah,) rent the wofull Fathers hart, That sawe himselfe thus made a Sonnelesse Sire? Well: since both Heauens and Hell conspir'd in one, To make our endes a mirror to the worlde, Both of incestious life, and wicked birth: Would Gods the Fates that linckt our faultes alike, Had also fram'de our minds of frendlier mouldes: That, as our linage had approcht too neere, So our affections had not swaru'd to farre. Then mought I liu'd t'inlarge the Brytaines praise, In rearing efts the first triumphant Troy And after thou succeéding mine attempts, Haue spent thy courage in a iuster cause. But t'would not be: Ambition grew to greate:

We could not ioyne our mindes: our Fates we ioynde: And through thy blood, a way was made to mine.

CHOR. 2

And must we neédes (O worthiest Peéres) forgoe, By this vntimely Fate our greatest hope? That in your ripest yeares and likelyest time, Your chiefest force should on this sodaine fall?

CHOR. 3

Haue you throughout your youth made Brytaines pompe A Soueraigne of so many Nations stout, To th'end ere halfe your age vntimely death Should leaue vs Subiect to our woonted foiles?

CHOR. 4

See▪ seé, our idle hopes, our brittle trust, Our vaine desires, our ouer fickle state. Which, though a while they sayle on quiet seas, Yet sinke in surge, ere they ariue to hode. O wofull warres, O Mordreds cursed pride, That thus hath wrought both King, and Kingdomes woe▪

CADO.

Let plaints and mournings passe, set moanes a part. They made much of themselues: Yea too too much They lou'd to liue, that seéing all their Realme Thus topsie turuey turnd, would grudge to dye.

ARTH.

Yea sure: since thus (O Fates) your censure seemes, That freé from force of forreine foes, there rests, That Mordred reape the glory of our deaths: B'it so: driue on your doome, worke your decreé: We fearelesse bide what bane so e'r you bidde. And though our ends thus hastened through your heasts, Abruptly breake the course of great attempts: Yet goe we not inglorious to the ground: Set wish a part: we haue perfourmd inough. The Irish King and Nation wilde we tamde: The Scots and Picts, and Orcade Isles we wanne: The Danes and Gothes and Friseland men, with all The Isles inserted nere those Seas, And next The Germaine King, and Saxons we subdude. Not Fraunce, that could preuaile against our force, Nor lastly Rome, that rues her pride supprest. Ech forreine power is parcell of our praise, No titles want to make our foes affraide. This onely now I craue (O Fortune erst My faithfull friend) let it be soone forgot, Nor long in minde, nor mouth, where Arthur fell▪ Yea: though I Conquerour die, and full of Fame: Yet let my death and parture rest obscure. No graue I neéde (O Fates) nor buriall rights, Nor stately hearce, nor tombe with haughty toppe: But let my Carkasse lurke: yea, let my death Be ay vnknowen, so that in euery Coast I still be feard, and lookt for euery houre.

Exeunt. Arthur & Cador.

CHOR. 1

Lo here the end that Fortune sends at last To him, whom first she heau'd to highest happe.

The flatt••r••ng looke wherewith he long 〈◊〉〈◊〉 le•••• The smiling Fat••s, that oft had fedde his Fame: The many warres and Conquests, which he 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ Are dasht at once: one day inferres that fo••••••, Whereof so many yeares of yore were freé.

CHOR. ••

O willing world to magnifie man's state•• O most vnwilling to maintaine the same. Of all misfortunes and vnhappy Fates, Th'unhappiest seémes, to haue beéne hapie once. T'was Arthur sole, that neuer found his ioyes Disturb'd with woe, nor woes relieu'd with ioy••. In prosperous state all Heauenly powres aspi••'d•• Now made a wretch, not one, that spares his spoile.

CHOR. 3

Yea Fortunes selfe in this afflicted case, Exacts a paine for long continued pompe. She vrgeth now the blisse of woonted weale, And beares him downe with waight of former Fam••. His prayses past be present shame: O tickle trust: Whiles Fortune chops and chaungeth euery Chaunce▪ What certaine blisse can we enioy a liue, Unlesse, whiles yet our blisse endures, we die••

CHOR. 4

Yea: since before his last and outmost gaspe, None can be deemde a happy man or blest, Who dares commit him selfe to prosperous Fates, Whose death preparde attends not hard at hand? That sithence death must once determine all. His life may sooner flie, then Fortune flitte.

The second scene.

Gorlois.

GORL.

NOW Gorlois swage thy selfe. Pride hath his pay: Murther his price: Adult'rie his desert: Treason his meéde: Disloyaltie his doome: Wrong hath his wreake: and Guilt his guerdon bear••••. Not one abuse erst offered by thy foes But since most sternely punisht, is now purg'd. Where thou didst fall, eu'n on the selfe same soile Pendragon, Arthur, Mordred, and their stocke, Found all their foiles: not one hath s••apte reuenge: Their line from first to last quite razed out. Now rest content, and worke no further plagues: Let future age be freé from Gorlois Ghost. Let Brytaine henceforth bath in endlesse weale. Let Virgo come from Heauen, the glorious Starre: The Zodiac's ioy: the Planets chiefe delight: The hope of all the yeare: the ease of Skies: The Aires reliefe, the comfort of the Earth. That vertuous Virgo borne for Brytaines bli••••••:

That pierelesse braunch of Brute: that sweéte remaine Of Priam's state: that hope of springing Troy: Which time to come, and many ages hence Shall of all warres compound eternall peace, Let her reduce the golden age againe, Religion, ease, and wealth of former world. Yea, let that Virgo come and Saturnes raigne, And yeares oft ten times tolde expirde in peace. A Rule, that else no Realme shall euer finde, A Rule most rare, vnheard, vnseéne, vnread, The sole example that the world affordes. That (Brytaine) that Renowme, yea that is thine. B'it so: my wrath is wrought. Ye furies blacke And vglie shapes, that houle in holes beneath: Thou Orous darke, and deepe Auernas nooke, With duskish dennes out gnawne in gulfes belowe, Receaue your ghastly charge, Duke Gorlois Ghoast: Make roome: I gladly thus reuengde returne. And though your paine surpasse▪ I greete them th••: He hates each other Heauen, that haunteth Hell.

Descendi••.