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The Tragedy of Locrine (Third Folio, 1664)

Author: Anonymous
Not Peer Reviewed
86
The Tragedy of Locrine.
At length the water with continual drops,
Doth penetrate the hardest marble stone,
460At length we are arrived in Albion,
Nor could the barbarous Dacian soveraign,
Nor yet the ruler of brave Belgia
Stay us from cutting over to this Ile;
Whereas I hear a troop of Phrygians
465Under the conduct of Posthumius son,
Have pitch'd up lordly pavillions,
And hope to prosper in this lovely Ile:
But I will frustrate all their foolish hope,
And teach them that the Scythian Emperour
470Leads fortune tied in a chain of gold,
Constraining her to yield unto his will,
And grace him with their Regal diadem:
Which I will have, maugre their treble hosts,
And all the power their pettie Kings can make.
475Hubba. If she that rules fair Rhamnis golden gate,
Grant us the honour of the victory,
As hitherto she alwayes favour'd us,
Right noble father, we will rule the land,
Enthroniz'd in seats of Topace stones,
480 That Locrine and his brethren all may know,
None must be King but Humber and his son.
Hum. Courage my son, fortune shall favour us,
And yield to us the coronet of bays,
That decketh none but noble conquerours:
485But what saith Elstrid to these regions?
How liketh she the temperature thereof?
Are they not pleasant in her gracious eyes?
Estr. The plains, my Lord, garnisht with Flora's wealth,
And overspread with party-coloured flowers,
490Do yield sweet contentation to my mind,
The aerie hills enclos'd with shadie groves,
The groves replenisht with sweet chirping birds,
The birds resounding heavenly melodie,
Are equall to the groves of Thessaly,
495Where Phœbus with the learned Ladies nine,
Delight themselves with musick harmony,
And from the moisture of the mountain tops,
The silent springs dance down with murmuring streams,
And water all the ground with chrystal waves,
500The gentle blasts of Eurus modest wind,
Moving the pittering leaves of Silvane's woods,
Do equall it with Tempe's paradice,
And thus comforted all to one effect,
Do make me think these are the happy Iles,
505 Most fortunate, if Humber may them win.
Hubba. Madam, where resolution leads the way,
And courage follows with emboldened pace,
Fortune can never use her tyranny;
For valiantnesse is like unto a rock
510That standeth on the waves of Ocean,
Which though the billows beat one every side,
And Boreas fell with his tempestuous storms,
Bloweth upon it with a hideous clamour,
Yet it remaineth still unmoveable.
515Hum. Kingly resolv'd, thou glory of thy sire:
But worthy Segar, what uncouth novelties
Bring'st thou unto our royal Majesty?
Seg. My Lord, the youngest of all Brutus sonnes,
Stout Albanact, with millions of men,
520Approacheth nigh, and meaneth e're the morn,
To try your force by dint of fatal sword.
Hum. Tut, let him come with millions of hosts,
He shall find entertainment good enough,
Yea fit for those that are our enemies:
525For we'll receive them at the lances points,
And massacre their bodies with our blades:
Yea though they were in number infinite,
More then the mighty Babylonian Queen,
Semiramis the ruler of West,
530 Brought 'gainst the Emperour of the Scythians,
Yet would we not start back one foot from them:
That they might know we are invincible.
Hub. Now by great Jove the supreme King of heaven,
And the immortal gods that live therein,
535When as the morning shews his chearfull face,
And Lucifer mounted upon his steed,
Brings in the chariot of the golden sun,
I'le meet young Albanact in the open field,
And crack my launce upon his burganet,
540To try the valour of his boyish strength:
There will I shew such ruthfull spectacles
And cause so great effusion of bloud,
That all his boyes shall wonder at my strength:
As when the warlike Queen of Amazon,
545Penthesilea armed with her launce,
Girt with a corslet of bright shining steel,
Coopt up the faint-heart Grecians in the camp.
Hum. Spoke like a warlike Knight, my noble son,
Nay, like a Prince that seeks his father's joy.
550Therefore to morrow ere fair Titan shine,
And bashfull Eos messenger of light,
Expells the liquid sleep from out mens eyes,
Thou shalt conduct the right wing of the host,
The left wing shall be under Segar's charge,
555 The rearward shall be under me my self;
And lovely Estrild fair and gracious,
If fortune favour me in mine attempts,
Thou shalt be Queen of lovely Albion.
Fortune shall favour me in mine attempts,
560And make thee Queen of lovely Albion.
Come let us in and muster up our train,
And furnish up our lusty souldiers,
That they may be a bulwark to our state,
And bring our wished joyes to perfect end.
Exeunt.
565
Scena Tertia.
Enter Strumbo, Dorothy, Trompart, cobling shooes, and
singing.
Trom. We Coblers lead a merry life:
All. Dan, dan, dan, dan:
570Strum. Void of all envy and of strife:
All. Dan diddle dan.
Dor. Our ease is great, our labour small:
All. Dan, dan, dan, dan.
Strum. And yet our gains be much withall:
575All. Dan diddle dan.
Dor. With this art so fine and fair:
All. Dan, dan, dan, dan.
Trom. No occupation may compare:
All. Dan diddle dan.
580Strum. For merry pastime and joyfull glee:
Dan, dan, dan, dan.
Dor. Most happy men we Coblers be:
Dan diddle dan.
[F3v]
Trom.The