"Of justly vexed Leire, and those who last did In worse than civil war, the sons of Gorbodug [tug (By whose unnatural strife the land so, long was tost)

I cannot stay to tell. nor shall my Britain boast; But, of that man which did her monarchy restore, Her first imperial crown of gold that ever wore, And that most glorious type of sovereignty regain'd; Mulmutius: who this land in such estate maintain'd As his great belsire Brute from Albion's heirs it [proud streets begun "§. This grand-child, great as he, those four That each way cross this isle, and bounds did them

won.

allow.

Like privilege he lent the temple and the plough: So studious was this prince in his most forward zeal To the celestial power, and to the public weal.

"Bellinus he begot, who Dacia proud subdu’d; | And Brennus, who abroad a worthier war pursu'd, Asham'd of civil strife; at home here leaving all : And with such goodly youth, in Germany and Gaul As he had gather'd up, the Alpine mountains pass'd, And bravely on the banks of fatal Allia chas'd The Romars (that her stream distained with their gore) [ensign bore: And through proud Rome, display'd his British §. There balancing his sword against her baser gold,

The senators for slaves he in her forum sold.
At last, by power expell'd, yet proud of late success,
His forces then for Greece did instantly address;
And marching with his men upon her fruitful face,
Made Macedon first stoop; then Thessaly, and
Thrace;

His soldiers there enrich'd with all Peonia's spoil;
And where to Greece he gave the last and deadliest
foil,
[day,

In that most dreadful fight, on that more dismal O'erthrew their utmost prowess at sad Thermopylæ ; And daring of her gods, adventur'd to have ta en Those sacred things enshrin'd in wise Apollo's fane: To whom when thundering Heaven pronounc'd her fearfull'st word, [sword.

S. Against the Delphian power he shak'd his ireful "As of the British blood, the native Cambri here (So of my Cambria call'd) those valiant Cymbri were (When Britan with her brood so peopled had her

10

"So Britain likewise boasts her Elidure the just, Who with his people was of such especial trust, That (Archigallo fall'n into their general hate, And by their powerful hand depriv'd of kingly state) Unto the regal chair they Elidure advanc'd: But long he had not reign'd, ere happily it chane'd, In hunting of a hart, that in the forest wild, The late deposed king, himself who had exil'd From all resort of men, just Elidure did meet; Who much unlike himself, at Elidurus' feet, Him prostrating with tears, his tender breast so strook,

That he (the British rule who lately on him took At th' carnest people's pray'rs) him calling to the court,

There Archigallo's wrongs so lively did report, Relating (in his right) his lamentable case, With so effectual speech imploring their high grace, That him they reinthron'd; in peace who spent his days. [praise,

"Then Elidure again, crown'd with applausive As he a brother rais'd, by brothers was depos'd, And put into the tow'r: where miserably enclos'd, Outliving yet their hate, and the usurpers dead, Thrice had the British crown set on his reverend [came

head.

Where scarce a stranger's foot defil'd her virgin breast, [to rest; Since her first conqueror Brute here put his powers Only some little boats, from Gaul that did her feed With trifles, which she took for niceness more than need:

But as another world, with all abundance blest, And satisfy'd with what she in herself possess'd; Through her excessive wealth (at length) till wanton grown, [their own) Some kings (with others' lands that would enlarge By innovating arms an open passage made For him that gap'd for all (the Roman) to invade. Yet with grim-visag'd war when he her shores did greet,

And terriblest did threat with his amazing fleet, Those British bloods he found, his force that durst assail, [of hail And poured from the cliffs their shafts like showers Upon his helmed head; to tell him as he came, That they (from all the world) yet feared not his [conqueror feel, Which, their undaunted spirits soon made that Oft vent'ring their bare breast

name:

bloody'd steel;

'gainst his oft[wondrous skill And in their chariots charg'd: which they with Could turn in their swift'st course upon the steepest hill, [ground, And wheel about his troops for vantage of the Or else disrank his force where entrance might be found: [could throw; And from their armed seats their thrilling darts Or nimbly leaping down, their valiant swords bestow, And with an active skip remount themselves again, Leaving the Roman horse behind them on the plain,

And beat him back to Gaul his forces to supply; As they the gods of Rome and Cæsar did defy.

“Cassibelan renown'd, the Britons' faithful guide, Who when th' Italian pow'rs could no way be deny'd,

But would this isle subdue; their forces to fore-lay,
Thy forests thou didst fell, their speedy course to
stay:
[horse to gore,
S.Those armed stakes in Thames that stuck'st, their
Which boldly durst attempt to forage on thy shore:
Thou such hard entrance here to Cæsar didst allow,
To whom (thyself except) the western world did
[not win,
S. And more than Cæsar got, three emperors could
Till the courageous sons of our Cunobelin
Sunk under Plautius' sword, sent hither to discuss
The former Roman right, by arms again, with us.
Nor with that consul join'd, Vespasian could prevail
In thirty several fights, nor make them stoop their
[hopes,

bow.

sail.

Yea, had not his brave son, young Titus, past their
His forward father fetch'd out of the British troops,
And quit him wond'rous well when he was strongly
charg'd,

His father (by his hands so valiantly enlarg’d)
Had never more seen Rome; nor had he ever

spilt

The temple that wise son of faithful David built, Subverted those high walls, and lay'd that city

waste,

Which God, in human flesh, above all other grac'd. "No marvail then though Rome so great her Conquest thought,

In that the isle of Wight she to subjection brought,

Our Belga" and subdu'd (a people of the west) That latest came to us, our least of all the rest ; When Claudius, who' hat time her wreath imperiał wore, [shore,

Though scarce he show'd himself upon our southern It scorn'd not in his stile; but, due to that his praise, [plays; Triumphal arches claim'd, and to have yearly The noblest naval crown, upon his palace pitch'd; As with the ocean's spoil his Rome who had [ prefer ;

enrich'd.

"Her Caradoc (with cause) so Britain may Than whom, a braver spirit was ne'er brought forth by her: [head,

For whilst here in the west the Britons gather'd This general of the rest, his stout Silures 12 led Against Ostorius, sent by Cæsar to this place With Rome's high fortune (then the high'st in fortune's grace) [tain,

A long and doubtful war with whom he did maiuUntil that hour wherein his valiant Britons slain, He grievously beheld (o'exprest with Roman power) Himself well near the last their wrath did not

When (for revenge, not fear) he fled (as trusting Another day might win, what this had lately lost) To Cartismandua, queen of Brigants, for her aid, He to his foes, by her, most falsely was betray'd. Who, as a spoil of war, t' adorn the triumph sent To great Ostorius due, when through proud Rome he went, Leyes) That had herself prepar'd (as she had all been Our Caradoc to view; who in his country's guise, §. Came with his body nak'd, his hair down to his waist, [chas'd Girt with a chain of steel; his manly breast enWith sundry shapes of beasts. And when this [not awe

Briton saw

His wife and children bound as slaves, it could His manliness at all: but with a settled grace, Undaunted with her pride, he look'd her in the face:

And with a speech so grave as well a prince became, Himself and his redeem'd, to our eternal fame. "Then Rome's great tyrant next, the last's adopted heir, [clear; That brave Suetonius sent, the British coasts to The utter spoil of Mon 15 who strongly did (Unto whose gloomy strengths, th' revolted Britons flew) [dread:

pursue

There ent'ring, he beheld what strook him pale with The frantic British froes, their hair dishevelled, With fire-brands ran about, like to their furious eyes; And from the hollow woods the fearless Druides; Who with their direful threats, and execrable vows, Enforc'd the troubled Heaven to knit her angry

brews.

And often had dismay'd the Roman soldiers: when
Brave Voadicia made with her resolved'st men
To Virolam, whose siege with fire and sword she
ply'd,

Till levell'd with the earth. To London as she hy'd,
The consul coming in with his auspicious aid,
The queen (to quit her yoke no longer that delay'd)
Him dar'd by dint of sword, it hers or his to try,
With words that courage show'd, and with a voice
as high
[shield,
(In her right hand her lance, and in her left her
As both the battles stood prepared in the field)
Encouraging her men which resolute, as strong,
Upon the Roman rush'd; and she, the rest among,
Wades in that doubtful war: till lastly, when she

saw

The fortune of the day unto the Roman draw, The queen (t' outlive her friends who highly did disdain,

And lastly, for proud Rome a triumph to remain) §. By poison ends her days, unto that end prepar'd, As lavishly to spend what Suetonius spar'd.

"Him scarcely Rome recall'd, such glory having

won,

But bravely to procced, as erst she had begun,
Agricola here made her great lieutenant then:
Who having settled Mon, that man of all her men,
Appointed by the powers apparently to see
The wearied Britons sink, and eas'ly in degree
Beneath bis fatal sword the Ordovies" to fall
Inhabiting the west, those people cast of all
Which stout l'est him withstood, renown'd for
martial worth.
[north,
"Thence leading on his powers unto the utmost
When all the towns that lay betwixt our Trent and
Tweed,

Suffic'd not (by the way) his wasteful fires to feed, He there some Britons found, who (to rebate their spleen,

As yet with grieved eyes our spoils not having seen) Him at mount Grampus 18 met: which from his height beheld [compell'a Them lavish of their lives; who could not be The Roman yoke to bear: and Galgacus their guide [dy'd. Amongst his murther'd troops there resolutely Eight Roman emperors reign'd since first that war began;

66

Who faithfully and long, of labour did her ease. Then he, our flamens' seats who turn'd to bishops sees ; [owe

66

Great Lucius, that good king: to whom we chiefly §. This happiness we have, Christ crucify'd to know. As Britain to her praise receiv'd the christian faith, [death After (that word-made man) our dear Redeemer's Within two hundred years; and his disciples here, By their great master sent to preach him every where, [ferr'd; Most reverently receiv'd, their doctrine and preInterring him, who erst the son of God interr'd. "So Britain's was she born, though Italy her crown'd, [nown'd, Of all the christian world that empress most re§. Constantius' worthy wife; who scorning worldly loss,

Herself in person went to seek that sacred cross, Whereon our saviour dy'd: which found, as it was sought, [brought. From Salem 20 unto Rome triumphantly she "As when the primer church her councils pleas'd

to call,

[all; Great Britain's bishops there were not the least of §. Against the Arian sect at Arles having room, At Sardica again, and at Ariminum.

"Now, when with various fate five hundred years had past, [at last; And Rome of her great charge grew weary here The Vandals, Goths, and Huns, that with a powerful head

All Italy and France had well-near overspread, To much-endanger'd Rome sufficient warning gave, Those forces that she held, within herself to have. The Roman rule from us then utterly remov'd.

"Whilst we, in sundry fields, our sundry for

tunes prov'd

With the remorseless Pict, still wasting us with war. And twixt the froward sire, licentious Vortiger, And his too forward son, young Vortimer, arose Much strife within ourselves, whilst here they interpose [ed grew.

By turns each other's reigns: whereby, we weakenThe warlike Saxon then into the land we drew ; A nation nurst in spoil, and fitt'st to undergo Our cause against the Pict, our most inveterate foe. [the shore,

"When they, which we had hir'd for soldiers tə Perceiv'd the wealthy isle to wallow in her store, And subtly had found out how we infeebled

Out of whose ancient race, that warlike Arthur

sprong;

Whose most renowned acts shall sounded be as long As Britain's name is known: which spread themselves so wide,

As scarcely hath for fame left any roomth beside. "My Wales, then hold thine own, and let thy Britons stand

Upon their right, to be the noblest of the land. Think how much better 'tis, for thee, and those of thine, [line, From gods, and heroes old to draw your famous 5. Than from the Scythian poor; whence they themselves derive, [drive. Whose multitudes did first you to the mountains Nor let the spacious mound of that great Mercian (Into a lesser roomth thy burliness to bring) [king Include thee; when myself, and my dear brother Dee",

By nature were the bounds first limited to thee." Scarce ended she her speech, but those great mountains near,

about

Upon the Cambrian part that all for Brutus were,
With her bigh truths inflam'd, look'd every one
[them out,
To find their several springs; and bade them get
And in their fulness wait upon their sovereign flood,
In Britons' ancient right so bravely that had stood.
When first the furious Team, that on the

Cambrian side

Doth Shropshire as a mear from Hereford divide, As worthiest of the rest; so worthily doth crave That of those lesser brooks the leading she might have; [came:

win:

The first of which is Clun, that to her mistress Which of a forest 2 born that bears her proper Unto the Golden Vale and anciently ally'd, [name, Of every thing of both sufficiently supply'd, The longer that she grows, the more renown doth [in, And for her greater state, next Bradfield bringeth Which to her wider banks resigns a weaker stream. When fiercely making forth, the strong and lusty Team [embrace, A friendly forest-nymph (nam'd Mocktry) doth Herself that bravely bears; twixt whom and Bringwood-chase, [deck'd, Her banks with many a wreath are curiously beAnd in their safer shades they long time her pro[doth fling: Then takes she Oney in, and forth from them When to her further aid, next Bow and Warren bring [doth take: Clear Quenny; by the way, which Stradbrook up By whose united powers, their Team they mightier make;

tect.

cast.

Which in her lively course to Ludlow comes at last, Where Corve into her stream herself doth headlong [Rhea. With due attendance next, come Ledwich and the Then speeding her, as though sent post unto the [adieu, Her native Shropshire Icaves, and bids those towns Her only sovereign queen, proud Severn to pursue. When at her going out, those mountains of [stand)

sea,

command

(The Clees, like loving twins, and Stitterston that

The ancient bounds of Wales. 2 Clun forest.

Trans-severned, behold fair England tow'rds the rise,

And on their setting side, how ancient Cambria lies. Then Stipperston a hiil, though not of such renown As many that are set here tow'rds the going down, To those his own allies, that stood not far away, Thus in behalf of Wales directly seem'd to say: "Dear Corndon, my delight, as thou art lov'd of me, [be, And Breeden, as thou hop'st a Briton thought to To Cortoc strongly cleave, as to our ancient friend, And all our utmost strength to Cambria let us lend. For though that envious time injuriously have wrung

From us those proper names did first to us belong, Yet for our country still, stout mountains let us stand." [hand, Here, every neighbouring hill held up a willing As freely to applaud what Stipperston decreed: And Hockstow when she heard the mountains thus proceed, [express'd, With echoes from her woods, her inward joys To hear that hill she lov'd, which likewise lov'd her best, [mountains stir, Should in the right of Wales, his neighbouring So to advance that place which might them both prefer ; [frain. That she from open shouts could scarce herself reWhen soon those other rills to Severn which re◄

tain, [show And tended not on Team, thus of themselves do The service that to her they absolutely owe. First Camlet cometh in, a Montgomerian maid, Her source in Severn's banks that safely having laid,

[meet, Mele, her great mistress next at Shrewsbury doth To see with what a grace she that fair town doth greet; [throws, Into what sundry gyres her wonder'd self she And oft inisles the shore, as wantonly she flows; Of it oft taking leave, oft turns, it to embrace; As though she only were enamour'd of that place, Her fore-intended course determined to leave, And to that most-lov'd town eternally to cleave: With much ado at length, yet bidding it adieu, Her journey tow'rds the sea doth seriously pursue. Where, as along the shores she prosperously doth