The tragedie of Gorboduc, whereof three actes were wrytten by Thomas Nortone, and the two laste by Thomas Sackuyle. Sett forthe as the same was shewed before the Quenes most excellent Maiestie, in her highnes court of Whitehall, the. xviij. day of Ianuary, anno Domini. 1561. By the Gentlemen of thynner Temple in London

Of Gorboduc. Actus primus. Scena prima.

Viden. Ferrex.

Viden.

THE silent night that bringes the quiet pawse, From painefull trauailes of the wearie Daie: Prolonges my carefull thoughtes and makes me blame The slowe Aurore that so for loue or shame Doth longe delaye to shewe her blusshing face, And nowe the Daie renewes my griefull plainte.

Ferrex.

My gracious Lady and mother deare, Pardon my griefe, for your so grieued minde To aske what cause tormenteth so your harte.

Viden.

So great a wronge and so vniust despite, Without all cause against all course of kinde.

Ferrex.

Suche causeles wronge and so vniust despite, Maye haue redresse, or at the least reuenge.

Viden.

Neither my Sonne, suche is the frowarde will, The person suche, suche my mishap and thyne.

Fer••ex.

Myne know I none, but griefe for your distresse:

Viden.

Yes: myne for thyne my sonne: A father? no:

In kynde a Father, but not in kyndlynes.

Ferrex.

My Father: whie? I knowe nothynge at all, Wherin I haue misdone vnto his Grace.

Viden.

Therfore, the more vnkinde to thee and mee. For knowynge well (my sonne) the tendre loue▪ That I haue euer borne and beare to thee, He greued therat, is not content alone, To spoyle thee of my sight my chiefest Ioye, But thee, of the birth, right and Heritage Causeles, vnkindly and in wrongfull wise, Against all Lawe and right he will bereaue, Halfe of his kyngdome he will geue awaye.

Ferrex.

To whome?

Viden.

Euen to Porrex his younger sonne Whose growinge Pride I do so sore suspecte, That beynge raysed to equall Rule with thee, Mee thinkes I see his enuious harte to swell Fyllde with Disdaine and with ambicious Pride The ende the Goddes do know, whose Aulters I Full oft haue made in vaine of Cattell slayne, To sende the sacred smoke to Heauens Throne, For thee my sonne if thinges so succede, As nowe my Ielious minde misdemeth sore.

Ferrex.

Madame leaue care and carefull plaint for me. Iust hath my Father ben to euery wight, His firste vniustice he will not extende

To me I truste, that geue no cause therof. My brothers pride shall hurt him selfe, not mee.

Viden.

So graunt the Goddes: But yet thy father so Hath firmely fixed his vnmoued mynde That plaints & praiers can no whit auaile, For those haue I assaied, but euen this daie, He wyll endeuour to procure assent Of all his Counsell to his fonde deuise.

Ferrex.

Their Auncestours from race to race haue borne True fayth to my forefathers and their seede, I truste thei eke wyll beare the lyke to me.

Viden.

There resteth all, but if they fayle therof, And if the ende bringe forth an euyll successe On them and theirs the mischiefe shall befall, And so I praie the Goddes requite it them, And so they will, for so is wont to bee When Lordes and trusted Rulers vnder kynges To please the present fancie of the Prince, With wrong transpose the course of gouernaunce Murders, mischiefe, or ciuyll sworde at length, Or mutuall treason, or a iust reuenge, When right succedinge Line returnes againe By Ioues iust Iudgement and deserued wrathe Bringes them to ciuill and reprochefull death, And rootes their names & kindredes frō the earth.

Ferrex.

Mother content you, you shall see the ende.

Viden.

The ende? thie ende I feare, Ioue ende me first.

Actus primus. Scena secunda.

Gorboduc. Arostus. Philander. Eubulus.

Gorboduc.

MY Lordes whose graue aduise & faithfull aide Haue long vpheld my Honour & my Realme And brought me from this age from tender yeres. Guidynge so great estate with great renowme: Nowe more importeth mee the erst to vse Your faith and wisdome wherby yet I reigne, That when by death my liefe and rule shall cease, The kingdome yet maye with vnbroken course, Haue certayne Prince, by whose vndoubted right, Your wealth and peace, may stand in quiet staie, And eke that thei whome Nature hath preparde, In time to take my place in Princelie Seate, While in their Fathers tyme their pliant youth Yeldes to the frame of skilfull gouernaunce Maye so be taught and trayned in noble Artes, As what their fathers whiche haue reigned before Haue with great fame deriued downe to them With honour they maye leaue vnto their seede: And not be taught for their vnworthie life, And for their Laweles swaruynge out of kinde, Worthie to lose what Lawe aud kind them gaue But that they may preserue the cōmon peace, The cause that first began and still mainteines

The Lyneall course of kinges inheritaunce, For me, for myne, for you, and for the state Wherof both I and you haue charge and care. Thus do I meane to vse your wonted fayth To me and myne, and to your natyue Lande, My Lordes be playne without all wrie respect Or poysonous crafte to speake in pleasyng wise, Lest as the blame of yll succedynge thinges Shall light on you, so light the harmes also.

Arostus.

Your good acceptaunce so (most noble kinge) Of suche your faithfulnes as heretofore We haue employed in dueties to your Grace, And to this Realme whose worthie head you are, Well proues that neyther you mistruste at all, Nor we shall nede no boasting wise to shewe, Our trueth to you, nor yet our wakefull care For you, for yours, and for our natiue Lande, Wherfore (O kynge) I speake for one as all, Sithe all as one do beare you egall faith: Doubt not to vse their Counselles and their aides Whose honours, goods & lyues are whole auowed To serue, to ayde, and to defende your Grace.

Gorboduc.

My Lordes I thanke you all. This is the case Ye know, the Gods, who haue the soueraigne care For kings, for kingdomes, and for cōmen weales, Gaue me two sonnes in my more lustie Age, Who nowe in my deceyuynge yeres are growen Well towardes ryper state of minde and strength, To take in hande some greater Princely charge,

As yet they lyue and spende their hopefull daies, With me and with their Mother here in Courts Their age nowe asketh other place and trade, And myne also doth aske an other chaunge, Theirs to more trauaile, myne to greater ease: Whan fatall death shall ende my mortall lyfe, My purpose is to leaue vnto them twaine The Realme deuided into two sandrie partes: The one Ferrex myne elder sonne shall haue, The other shall the other Porrex rule That both my purpose may more framelie stande, And eke that they may better rule their charge, I meane forthwith to place them in the same: That in my life they maye both learne to rule, And I may Ioye to see their rulynge well. This is in sōme, what I woulde haue ye wey: Firste whether ye allowe my whole deuise, And thinke it good for me, for them, for you, And for our Countrey, mother of vs all: And if ye lyke it and allowe it well, Than for their guydinge and their gouernaunce, Shewe sorthe suche meanes of circumstaunce, As ye thinke meete to be both knowne and kept: Lot, this is all, nowe tell me your aduise.

Arostus.

And this is muche, and asketh great aduise, But for my parte my Soueraigne Lord and kyng This do I thinke your Maiestie doth knowe, Howe vnder you in Iustice and in peace, Great wealth and Honour, long we haue enioyed So as we can not seeme with gredie mindes

To wisshe for chaunge of Prince or gouernaunce, But if ye lyke your purpose and deuise, Our lykynge must be deemed to procede, Of rightfull reason, and of heedefull care, Not for our selues, but for our cōmen state: Sithe our owne state doth nede no better chaunge I thinke in all as erst your Grace hath saide: Firste when you shall vnlode your aged mynde, Of heuye care and troubles manyfolde, And laye the same vpon my Lordes your sonnes Whose growing yeres may bere the burden long And longe I praye the Goddes to graunt it so: And in your lyfe while you shall so beholde Their rule, their vertues and their noble deedes, Suche as their kinde behighteth to vs all, Great be the profites that shall growe therof, Your age in quiet shall the longer last, Your lastynge age shalbe their longer staie, For cares of kynges, that rule as you haue rulde For publique wealth and not for priuate ioye, Do wast mannes lyfe and hasten crooked age, With furrowed face and with enfeebled lymmes, To drawe on creepynge Death a swifter pace. They two yet yonge shall beare the partie reigne With greater ease, than one nowe olde alone Can welde the whole, for whom muche harder is with lessened strength the double weight to beare Your eye, your Counsell, and the graue regarde Of Fathers, yea of suche a fathers name, Nowe at beginning of their sondred reigne, When it is hazarde of their whole successe,

Shall bridle so their force of youthfull heates, And so restreine the rage of insolence, Whiche most assailes the yonge and noble minds, And so shall guide and traine in tempred staie Their yet greene bending wittes w^t reuerent awe And now inured with vertues at the first. Custome (O king) shall bringe delightfulnes By vse of Vertue, Vice shall growe in hate, But if you so dispose it, that the daye, Which endes your life, shal first begin their reign Great is the perill, what will be the ende, When suche beginning of suche liberties Voide of suche states as in your liefe do lye, Shall leaue them to free randon of their will An open praie to traiterous flatterie, The greatest pestilence of noble youthe: Whiche perill shalbe past, if in your life, Their tempred youthe with aged fathers awe Be brought in vre of skilfull staidnes And in your life, their liues disposed so, Shall length your noble liefe in ioyfulnes. Thus thinke I y^t your grace hath wiselie thought And that your tender care of cōmen weale, Hath bred this thought, so to deuide your Lande And plant your sonnes to beare the present rule While you yet liue to see their rulynge well, That you may longer lyue by ioye therein. What furder meanes behouefull are and meete At great leisure maye your Grace deuise, When all haue saide, and when we be agreed If this be best to parte the Realme in twaine,

And place your sonnes in present gouernement Whereof as I haue plamely saide my mynde, So woulde I here the rest of all my Lordes.

Philander.

In parte I thinke as haue ben saide before, In parte againe my minde is otherwise As for deuiding of this Realme in twaine And lotting out the same in egall partes, To either of my Lordes your Graces sonnes, That thinke I best for this your Realmes behosf, For profite and aduauncement of your sonnes, And for your comforte and your honour eke: But so to place them while your life do last, To yelde to them your Royall gouernaunce, To be aboue them onely in the name Of father, not in kingly state also, I thinke not good for you, for them, nor vs, This kingdome since the bloodie ciuill fielde Where Morgan slaine did yeld his conquered parte Vnto his Cosyns sworde in Camberlande Conteineth all that whilome did suffice, Three noble sonnes of your forefather Brute, So your two sonnes, it maye also suffice, The moe the stronger, if thei gree in one: The smaller compasse that the Realme doth holde The easier is the swey therof to welde, The nearer Iustice to the wronged poore, The smaller charge, and yet ynoughe for one. And whan the Region is deuided so That Brethrene be the Lordes of either parte, Such strength doth nature knit betwene the both.

In sondrie bodies by conioyned loue That not as two, but one of doubled force, Eche is to other as a sure defence, The Noblenes and glorie of the one Doth sharpe the courage of the others mynde With vertuous enuie to contende for praise, And suche an egalnes hath nature made, Betwene the Brethren of one Fathers seede, As an vnkindlie wronge it seemes to bee, To throwe the other Subiect vnder feete Of him, whose Peere he is by course of kinde, And nature that did make this egalnes, Ofte so repineth at so great a wronge, That ofte she rayseth vp a grudgynge griefe, In yonger Brethren at the elders state: Wherby both townes & kingdomes haue be rased And famous stockes of Royall blood distroied: The Brother that should be the Brothers aide And haue a wakefull care for his defence, Gapes for his death, & blames the lyngering yeres That brings not forth his ende with faster course And oft impacient of so longe delayes, With hatefull slaughter he presentes the fates And keepes a iust rewarde for Brothers bloode, With endles vengeaunce on his stocke for aye: Suche mischiefes here are wisely mette withall: If egall state maye nourishe egall loue, Where none hath cause to grudge at others good, But nowe the head to stoupe beneth them bothe, Ne kinde, ne reason, ne good ordre beares, And oft it hath ben seene, that where Nature

Hath ben preuerted in disordered wise, When Fathers cease to know that thei shuld rule And Children cease to knowe they should obey, And often our vnkindly tendrenes, As Mother of vnkindly Stubbornes: I speake not this in enuie or reproche, As if I grudged the glorie of your sonnes, Whose honour I beseche the Goddes to encrease: Nor yet as if I thought there did remaine, So filthie Cankers in their noble brestes, Whome I esteme (whiche is their greatest praise, Vndoubted children of so good a kynge. Onelie I meane to shewe my certeine Rules, Whiche kinde hath graft within the mind of man That Nature hath her ordre and her course, Whiche (being broken) doth corrupt the state Of myndes and thinges euen in the best of all My Lordes your sonnes may learne to rule of you Your owne example in your noble Courte Is fittest Guyder of their youthfull yeares, If you desire to seeke some present Ioye By sight of their well rulynge in your lyfe, See them obey, so shall you see them rule, Who so obeyeth not with humblenes Will rule without rage and with insolence Longe maye they rule I do beseche the Goddes, But longe may they learne ere they begyn to rule If kinde and fates woulde suffre I would wisshe Them aged Princes and immortall kinges: Wherfore most noble kynge I well assent, Betwene your sonnes y^• you deuide your Realme.

And as in kinde, so matche them in degree But while the Goddes prolongue your Royal life Prolongue your reigne, for therto lyue you here, And therfore haue the Goddes so longe forborne To ioyne you to them selues, that still you might Be Prince and father of our cōmon weale: They when they se your children ripe to rule Will make them roume, & will remoue you hence, That yours in right ensuynge of your life Maye rightlie honour your mortall name.

Eubulus.

Your wonted true regarde of faithfull hartes, Makes me (O kinge) the bolder to presume To speake what I conceiue within my brest, Althoughe the same do not agree at all With that whiche other here my Lords haue said Nor whiche your selfe haue seemed best to lyke, Pardon I craue and that my wordes be deemde To flowe from hartie zeale vnto your Grace, And to the safetie of your cōmon weale: To parte your Realme vnto my Lords your sōnes I thinke not good for you, ne yet for them, But worste of all, for this our Natiue Lande: For with one Lande, one single rule is best: Deuided Reignes do make deuided hartes. But Peace preserues the Countrey & the Prince. Suche is in man the gredie minde to reigne, So great is his desire to climbe alofte, In worldly Stage the stateliest partes to beare, That faith and Iustice and all kindly loue, Do yelde vnto desire of Soueraigntie:

Where egall state doth raise an egall hope To winne the thing that either wold attaine Your grace remembreth howe in passed yeres The mightie Brute, first Prince of all this Lande Possessed the same and ruled it well in one, He thinking that the compasse did suffice For his three sonnes, three kingdoms eke to make Cut it in three, as you would nowe in twaine: But how much Brutish blod hath sithence bē spilt To ioyne againe the sondred vnitie? What Princes slaine before their timely honour? What wast of townes and people in the Lande? What Treasons heaped on murders & on spoiles? Whose iust reuenge euen yet is scarcely ceased, Ruthefull remembraunce is yet had in minde: The Gods forbyd the like to chaunce againe And you (O king) geue not the cause therof: My Lorde Ferrex your elder sonne, perhappes Whome kinde and custome geues a rightfull hope To be your Heire and to succede your Reigne, Shall thinke that he doth suffre greater wronge Than he perchaunce will beare, if power serue Porrex the younger so vnpaised in state, Perhappes in courage will be raised also, If Flatterie then whiche sayles not to assaile▪ The tendre mindes of yet vnskilfull Youthe, In one shall kindle and encrease disdaine: And Enuie in the others harte enflame, This fire shall waste their loue, their liues, their land, And rutheful ruine shal destroy them both, A wisshe not this (O kyng) so to befall

But feare the thing, that I do most abhorre Geue no beginning to so dreadfull ende, Kepe them in order and obedience: And let them both by nowe obeyinge you, Learne suche behauiour as beseemes their state. The Older, myldenes in his gouernaunce, The younger, a yeldyng contentednes: And kepe them neare vnto your presence still, That they restreined by the awe of you, Maye liue in compasse of well tempred staie, And passe the perilles of their youthfull yeares, Your aged life drawes on to febler tyme, Wherin you shall lesse able be to beare The trauailes that in youth you haue susteined Both in your persons and your Realmes defence If planting nowe your sonnes in furder partes, You sende them furder from your present reache Lesse shal you know how they thē selues demaund Traiterous corrupters of their pliant youthe, Shall haue vnspied a muche more free accesse, And of ambition and inflamed disdaine Shall arme the one, the other, or them bothe To ryuill warre, or to vsurpinge pride. Late shall you rue, that you ne recked before: Good is I graunt of all to hope the best, But not to liue still dreadles of the worst, So truste the one, that the other be forsene, Arme not vnskilfulnes with princely power But you that longe haue wisely ruled the reignes Of royaltie within your noble Realme So holde them, while the Gods for our auayles

Shall stretche the threde of your prolonged dales To soone he clāme, into the flamyng Carte Whose want of skyll did set the earth on fire, Time and example of your noble Grace, Shall teache your sonnes both to obey and rule▪ Whan time hath taught thē, time shall make thē pace The place that nowe is full: and so I praie Longe it remaine, to comforte of vs all.

Gorboduc.

I take your faithfull hartes in thankfull parte But sithe I see no cause to drawe my minde, To feare the nature of my louyng sonnes, Or to misdeme that Enuie or disdaine, Can there worke hate, where nature planteth loue In one selfe purpose do I still abide, My loue extendeth egally to bothe, My Lande suffiseth for them bothe also: Humber shall parte the Marches of their Realmes: The Sotherne parte the elder shall possesse, The Northerne shall Porrex the yonger rule, In quiet I will passe mine aged daies, Free from the trauaile and the painefull cares That hasten age vpon the worthiest kinges. But lest the fraude that ye do seeme to feare Of flatteryng tongues, corrupt their tender youth And wrieth them to the waies of youthfull lust, To climyng pride, or to reuengyng hate Or to neglecting of their carefull charge Lewdely to lyue in wanton recklenesse, Or to oppressinge of the rightfull cause

Or not to wreke the wronges done to the poore To treade downe trueth, or fauour false deceite I meane to ioyne to eyther of my sonnes Some one of those whose longe approued faith And wisdome tryed may well assure my harte: That mynyng fraude shall finde no way to crepee Into their fensed eares with graue aduise: This is the ende, and so I praye you all To beare my sonnes the loue and loyaltie That I haue founde within your faithful breasts.

Arostus.

You, nor your sonnes, our soueraigne Lord shall want Our faith & seruice while our liues do last.

Chorus.

When settled staie doth holde the royall throne, In stedfast place by knowen and doubtles right: And chiefely whan discent on one alone Make single and vnparted reigne to light. Eche chaunge of course vnioynts the whole estate And yeldes it thrall to r••yne by debate.

The strength that knit by laste accorde in one Against all forrein power of mightie foes, Could of it selfe defende it selfe alone, Disioyned once, the former force doth lose The stickes, that sondred brake so soone in twaine In faggot bounde attempted were in vaine.

Oft tender minde that leades the perciall eye Of erringe parentes in their childrens loue, Destroies the wrongfull loued childe therby:

This doth the proude sonne of Appollo proue, Who rasshely set in Chariot of his sire: Inflamed the perched earth with heauens fire.

And this great king, that doth deuide his land, And chaunged the course of his discending crowne And yeldes the reigne into his childrens hande From blisfull state of ioye and great renowne, A Myrrour shall become to Princes all To learne to shunne the cause of suche a fall.