The tragidie of Ferrex and Porrex set forth without any addition or alteration but altogether as the same was shewed on stage before the Queenes Maiestie, about nine yeares past, vz. the xviij. day of Ianuarie. 1561. by the gentlemen of the Inner Temple. Seene and allowed. [et]c.
Norton, Thomas, 1532-1584., Dorset, Thomas Sackville, Earl of, 1536-1608. aut
Actus secundus.
Scena prima.
Ferrex. Hermon. Dordan.
FErrex.
I meruaile much what reason ledde the king▪
My Father, thus without all my desert,
To reue me halfe the kingdome, which by course
Page [unnumbered]Of law and nature should remayne to me.
Hermon.
If you with stubborne and vntamed pryde
Had stood against him in rebelling wise,
Or if with grudging minde you had enuied
So slow a slidyng of his aged yeres,
Or sought before your time to haste the course
Of fatall death vpon his royall head,
Or stained your stocke with murder of your kyn:
Some face of reason might perhaps haue seemed,
To yelde some likely cause to spoyle ye thus.
Ferrox.
The wrekeful Gods powre on my cursed head
Eternall plagues and neuer dying woes,
The hellish prince, adiudge my dampned ghost
To Tantales thirste, or proude Ixions wheele,
Or cruell gripe to gnaw my growing harte,
To during tormentes and vnquenched flames,
If euer I conceyued so foule a thought,
To wisshe his ende of life, or yet of reigne.
Dordan.
Ne yet your father (O most noble Prince)
Did euer thinke so fowle a thing of you.
For he, with more than fathers tendre loue,
While yet the fates do lende him life to rule,
(Who long might lyue to see your ruling well)
To you my Lorde, and to his other sonne:
Lo he resignes his realme and royaltie:
Which neuer would so wise a Prince haue done,
If he had once misdemed that in your harte
There euer lodged so vnkinde a thought.
But tendre loue (my Lorde) and setled truste
Of your good nature, and your noble minde,
Made him to place you thus in royall throne,
And now to geue you half his realme to guide,
Yea and that halfe which in abounding store
Page [unnumbered]Of things that serue to make a welthy realme,
In stately cities, and in frutefull soyle,
In temperate breathing of the milder heauen,
In thinges of nedefull vse, which frendly sea,
Transportes by traffike from the forreine partes,
In flowing wealth, in honour and in force,
Doth passe the double value of the parte,
That Porrex hath allotted to his reigne.
Such is your case, such is your fathers loue.
Ferrex.
Ah loue, my frendes? loue wrongs not whō he loues.
Dordan.
Ne yet he wrongeth you, that geueth you
So large a reigne, ere that the course of time
Bring you to kingdome by discended right,
Which time perhaps might end your time before.
Ferrex.
Is this no wrong, say you, to reaue from me
My natiue right of halfe so great a realme?
And thus to matche his yonger sonne with me
In egall power, and in as great degree?
Yea and what sonne? the sonne whose swelling pride
Woulde neuer yelde one poinct of reuerence,
Whan I the elder and apparaunt heire
Stoode in the likelihode to possesse the whole,
Yea and that sonne which from his childish age
Enuieth myne honour and doth hate my life.
What will he now do, when his pride, his rage,
The mindefull malice of his grudging harte,
Is armed with force, with wealth, and kingly state?
Hermon.
Was this not wrong, yea yll aduised wrong,
To giue so mad a man so sharpe a sworde,
To so great perill of so great missehappe,
Wide open thus to set so large a waye?
Dordan.
Alas my Lord, what griefull thing is this,
Page [unnumbered]That of your brother you can thinke so ill?
I neuer saw him vtter likelie signe,
Whereby a man might see or once misdeme
Such hate of you, ne such vnyelding pride.
Ill is their counsell, shamefull be their ende,
That raysing such mistrustfull feare in you,
Sowing the seede of such vnkindly hate,
Trauaile by treason to destroy you both.
Wise is your brother, and of noble hope,
Worthie to welde a large and mightie realme.
So much a stronger frende haue you therby,
Whose strength is your strength, if you gree in one.
Hermon.
If nature and the Goddes had pinched so
Their flowing bountie, and their noble giftes
Of princelie qualities, from you my Lorde,
And powrde them all at ones in wastfull wise
Upon your fathers yonger sonne alone:
Perhappes there be that in your preiudice
Would say that birth should yeld to worthinesse.
But sithe in eche good gift and princelie arte
Ye are his matche, and in the chiefe of all
In mildenesse and in sobre gouernaunce
Ye farre surmount: And sith there is in you
Sufficing skill and hopefull towardnesse
To weld the whole, and match your elders prayse:
I see no cause why ye should loose the halfe.
Ne would I wisshe you yelde to such a losse:
Lest your milde sufferaunce of so great a wronge,
Be deemed cowardishe and simple dreade:
Which shall geue courage to the fierie head
Of your yonge brother to inuade the whole.
While yet therfore stickes in the peoples minde
The lothed wrong of your disheritaunce,
And ere your brother haue by settled power,
Page [unnumbered]By guile full cloke of an alluring showe,
Got him some force and fauour in the realme,
And while the noble Queene your mother lyues,
To worke and practise all for your auaile,
Attempt redresse by armes, and wreake your self
Upon his life, that gayneth by your losse,
Who nowe to shame of you, and griefe of vs,
In your owne kingdome triumphes ouer you.
Shew now your courage meete for kingly state,
That they which haue auowed to spend theyr goods,
Their landes, their liues and honours in your cause▪
May be the bolder to mainteyne your parte,
When they do see that cowarde feare in you,
Shall not betray ne faile their faithfull hartes.
If once the death of Porrex ende the strife,
And pay the price of his vsurped reigne,
Your mother shall perswade the angry kyng,
The Lords your frends eke shall appease his rage.
For they be wise, and well they can forsee,
That ere longe time your aged fathers death
Will bryng a time when you shall well requite
Their frendlie fauour, or their hatefull spite,
Yea, or their slackenesse to auaunce your cause.
" Wise men do not so hang on passing sta••
" Of present Princes, chiefely in their age,
" But they will further cast their reaching eye,
" To viewe and weye the times and reignes to come.
Ne is it likely, though the kyng be wrothe,
That he yet will, or that the realme will beare,
Extreme reuenge vpon his onely sonne.
Or if he woulde, what one is he that dare
Be minister to such an enterprise?
And here you be now placed in your owne,
Amyd your Frendes, your vassalles and your strength.
We shall defende and kepe your person safe,
Page [unnumbered]Till either counsell turne his tender minde,
Or age, or sorrow end his werie dayes.
But if the feare of Goddes, and secrete grudge
Of natures law, repining at the fact,
Withholde your courage from so great attempt:
Know ye, that lust of kingdomes hath no law.
The Goddes do beare and well allow in kinges,
The thinges they abhorre in rascall routes.
" When kinges on slender quarrells runne to warres,
" And then in cruell and vnkindely wise,
" Commaund theftes, rapes, murders of innocentes,
" The spoile of townes, ruines of mighty realmes:
" Thinke you such princes do suppose them selues
" Subiect to lawes of kinde, and feare of Gods?
Murders and violent theftes in priuate men,
Are hainous crimes and full of foule reproch,
Yet none offence, but deckt with glorious name
Of noble conquestes, in the handes of kinges.
But if you like not yet so ho•e deuise,
Ne list to take such vauntage of the time,
But though with perill of your owne estate,
You will not be the first that shall inuade:
Assemble yet your force for your defence,
And for your safetie stand vpon your garde.
Dordan.
O heauen was there euer heard or knowen,
So wicked counsell to a noble prince?
Let me (my Lorde) disclose vnto your grace
This hainous tale, what mischiefe it containes,
Your fathers death, your brothers and your owne,
Your present murder and eternall shame.
Heare me (O King) and suffer not to sinke
So high a treason in your princely brest.
Ferrex.
The mightie Goddes forbid that euer I
Should once conceaue such mischiefe in my hart.
Page [unnumbered]Although my brother hath bereft my realme,
And beare perhappes to me an hatefull minde:
Shall I reuenge it, with his death therefore?
Or shall I so destroy my fathers life
That gaue me life? the Gods forbid, I say.
Cease you to speake so any more to me.
Ne you my frend with answere once repeate
So foule a tale. In silence let it die.
What lord or subiect shall haue hope at all,
That vnder me they safely shall enioye
Their goods, their honours, landes and liberties,
With whom, neither one onely brother deare,
Ne father dearer, could emoye their liues?
But sith, I feare my yonger brothers rage,
And sith perhappes some other man may geue
Some like aduise, to moue his grudging head
At mine estate, which counsell may perchaunce
Take greater force with him, than this with me,
I will in secrete so prepare my selfe,
As if his malice or his lust to reigne
Breake forth in armes or sodeine violence,
I may withstand his rage and keepe mine owne.
Dordan.
I feare the fatall time now draweth on,
When ciuil hate shall end the noble line
Of famous Brute and of his royall seede.
Great Ioue defend the mischiefes now at hand.
O that the Secretaries wise aduise
Had erst bene heard when he besought the king
Not to diuide his land, nor send his sonnes
To further partes from presence of his court,
Ne yet to yelde to them his gouernaunce.
Lo such are they now in the royall throne
As was rashe Phaeton in Phebus carre.
Ne then the fiery stedes did draw the flame
Page [unnumbered]With wilder rando• through the kindled skies,
Than traitorous counse•• now will whirle abou•
The youthfull heades of these vnskilfull kinges.
But I here of their father will enforme.
The reuerence of him perhappes shall stay
The growing mischiefes, while they yet are greene.
If this helpe not, then woe vnto them selues,
The prince, the people, the diuided land.
Actus secundus.
Scena secunda.
Porrex. Tyndar. Philander.
POrrex.
And is it thus? And doth he so prepare,
Against his brother as his mortall foe?
And now while yet his aged father liues?
Neither regardes he him? nor feares he me?
Warre would he haue? and he shall haue it so.
Tyndar.
I saw my selfe the great prepared store
Of horse, of armour, and of weapon there,
Ne bring I to my lorde reported tales
Without the ground of seen and fearched trouth.
Loe secrete quarrels runne about his court,
To bring the name of you my lorde in hate.
Ech man almost can now debate the cause,
And aske a reason of so great a wrong,
Why he so noble and so wise a prince,
Is as vnworthy rest his heritage?
And why the king, misseledde by craftie meanes,
Diuided thus his land from course of right?
The wiser sort holde downe their griefull heades.
Eche man withdrawes from talke and company,
Of those that haue bene knowne to fauour you.
Page [unnumbered]To hide the mischiefe of their meaning there,
Rumours are spread of your preparing here.
The rascall numbers of vnskilfull sort
Are filled with monstrous tales of you and yours.
In secrete I was counselled by my frendes,
To hast me thence, and brought you as you know
Letters from those, that both can truely tell,
And would not write vnlesse they knew it well.
Philand.
My lord, yet ere you moue vnkindly warre,
Send to your brother to demaund the cause.
Perhappes some traitorous tales haue filled his eares
With false reportes against your noble grace:
Which once disclosed, shall end the growing strife,
That els not stayed with wise foresight in time
Shall hazarde both your kingdomes and your liues.
Send to your father eke, he shall appease
Your kindled mindes, and rid you of this feare.
Porrex.
Ridde me of feare? I feare him not at all:
Ne will to him, ne to my father send.
If danger were for one to tary there,
Thinke ye it safetie to returne againe?
In mischiefes, such as Ferrex now intendes,
The wonted courteous lawes to messengers
Are not obserued, which in iust warre they vse.
Shall I so hazard any one of mine?
Shall I betray my trusty frendes to him,
That haue disclosed his treason vnto me?
Let him entreate that feares, I feare him not.
Or shall I to the king my father send?
Yea and send now, while such a mother liues,
That loues my brother, and that hateth me?
Shall I geue leasure, by my fonde delayes,
To Ferrex to oppresse me all vnware?
I will not, but I will inuade his realme,
Page [unnumbered]And seeke the traitour prince within his court.
Mischiefe for mischiefe is a due reward.
His wretched head shall pay the worthy price
Of this his treason and his hate to me.
Shall I abide, and treate, and send and pray,
And holde my yelden throate to traitours knife?
While I with valiant minde and conquering force,
Might rid my selfe of foes: and winne a realme?
Yet rather, when I haue the wretches head,
Then to the king my father will I send.
The bootelesse case may yet appease his wrath:
If not, I will defend me as I may.
Philand.
Lo here the end of these two youthful kings,
The fathers death, the ruine of their realmes.
" O most vnhappy state of counsellers,
" That light on so vnhappy lordes and times,
" That neither can their good aduise be heard,
" Yet must they beare the blames of ill successe.
But I will to the king their father haste,
Ere this mischiefe come to the likely end,
That if the mindfull wrath of wrekefull Gods,
Since mightie Ilions fall not yet appeased
With these poore remnantes of the Troian name,
Haue not determined by vnmoued fate
Out of this realme to rase the Brittishe line,
By good aduise, by awe of fathers name,
By force of wiser lordes, this kindled hate
May yet be quentched, ere it consume vs all.
Chorus.
When youth not bridled with a guiding stay
Is left to randon of their owne delight,
And welds whole realmes, by force of soueraign sway,
Great is the daunger of vnmaistred might,
Page [unnumbered]Lest skillesse rage throwe downe with headlong fall•
Their lands, their states, their liues, them selues & al•
When growing pride doth fill the swelling brest,
And gredy lust doth rayse the climbing minde,
Oh hardlie maye the perill be represt,
Ne feare of angrie Goddes, ne lawes kinde.
Ne countries care can fiered hartes restrayne,
Whan force hath armed enuie and disdaine.
When kinges of fore•ette will neglect the rede
Of best aduise, and yelde to pleasing tales,
That do their fansies noysome humour feede,
Ne reason, nor regarde of right auailes.
Succeding heapes of plagues shall teach to late,
To learne the mischiefes of misguided state.
Fowie fall the traitour false, that vndermines
The loue of brethren to destroye them both.
Wo to the prince, that pliant care •nclynes,
And yeldes his mind to poysonous tale, that floweth
From flattering mouth. And woe to wretched land
That wastes it selfe with ciuil sworde in hand.
Loe, thus it is, poyson in golde to take,
And holsome drinke in homely cuppe forsake.
