4. Excerpt from "The Complaint of Guidericus," The Second Part of the Mirror for Magistrates, by Thomas Blenerhasset (1578)

[One of many histories of Britain to represent the portion dealt with in Cymbeline, this excerpt from Thomas Blenerhasset's The Second Part of The Mirror for Magistrates has long been recognized as a probable source for Shakespeare's play. The forms of the names, for instance, are identical or almost identical, although a wide range of variations exists among the chronicles. Furthermore, Guidericus's persuasive speech to the court may have served as inspiration for the Britons' speeches to Caius Lucius in 3.1. Other elements may suggest Shakespeare's familiarity with this version, too: shared infrequent words, such as "yoke," and the specific historical details that appear in both imply a connection.]

How Guidericus refused to pay tribute unto Claudius Caesar; how he subdued Galba; how he became desirous to win all the world; spoiled France, Germany, and a great part of Italy; and lastly, how he was miserably slain in a tempest of thunder, even at what time he should have dealt with Caesar. This history is a singular example of God's vengeance against pride and arrogancy.

Guidericus, which ruled the Britain land,
I am the same, of Cymbeline the son.
Cassibelan, my grandsire, did withstand
Sir Caesar's force till Parcae{the Fates} had undone
The fatal knot and twist that they had spun;
Even then too soon the Romans did oppress
This realm, which I to right did me address,Which, that I might the better bring about,
The three estates in court to parle{conference} I
In haste did call, amongst which royal rout{company},
As one who meant for wealth of commonty{commonalty}
How to restore their ancient liberty,
Pronounced the speech which here I shall recite,
Which moved much their manly minds to fight:"The Emperor of Rome hath sent, you see,
Ambassadors, the tribute to obtain,
Which Theomant, subdued, did agree
To pay, but I such greement do disdain.
Shall I to Rome a tribute slave remain
Because they did subdue this realm of yore?
Shall we buy yoke with tribute evermore?Shall we this badge of beastly blemish bear?
Shall Trojans we to Trojans tribute yield?
Of Brutus' blood--a prince withouten peer--
We do descend, whose father first did build
In Italy: he Alba Longa filled
And furnished fine with princely buildings brave;
He was entombed next good Aeneas' grave.Then Romulus of Silvius did succeed,
And Rome of him (as London took of Lud)
Her name, which Alba Longa was indeed,
Built at the first by good king Brutus' blood.
Dare they for guerdon{repayment} of so great a good
Demand of us whose parents patrons were
To them? To do this deed, they do not fear.Let them demand! Ungrateful beasts they be.
Even tribute of us Trojans let them crave,
But we in Mars his fields will pay their fee
If needs they must of us a payment have;
They shall right stoutly{proudly; bravely} then themselves behave.
We will not fear to fight it out in field;
Without revenge we never all will yield.Did Caesar's princely prowess so prevail
That Britons were by Romans brought to bay?
Was Caesar's valure{power} of so great avail
That it could cause Cassibelan's decay?
Why should not then Guidericus assay
By furious force of Mars his bloody field
To make those roaming Romans all to yield?By prowess won{subdued}; who doth not know, by skill,
That he who once as victor wore the wreath,
By changed chance is forced against his will
That garland gay and vital life to leave?
Such ill mishaps misfortune still{always} doth heave{move to a different place}
That he who did subdue but yesterday
Is now subdued and hath the like decay,Which may appear by King Cassibelan,
Whom Caesar thrice in fight did find too strong,
Yet at the last, the lewder{worse} chance{luck} was thine,
Thou little isle: he thrust in with a throng
Of mighty men and did thee double wrong.
Thee then subdued, to Rome he servile made,
Which wrong to right, with this my bloody blade,If you my subjects will thereto consent,
I will not cease till I revenge have seen
And them destroyed with dreadful diry{dire} dent{striking}
Of wrathful war. And therefore now I mean
To bid the base{challenge} and fetch them from their den
To send them word we owe no tribute, we,
But we of them must recompensed be.I to the gods which rule the rolling skies
Have vowed a vow, for country's liberty
To die in field or else that these mine eyes
Shall see you free from foreign tyranny,
To which no doubt their goodness will agree.
Now that you have the whole of mine intent,
You know the cause why I for you have sent.All you therefore which count this quarrel good,
By heaved{lifted} hands let me them understand."
My brother Arviragus by me stood.
"I must not, I," he said, "hold up my hand,
Nor thee herein assist with any band{promise},
For sith{since} we both have sworn allegiance due
To Rome, to Rome I ever will be true.No fear of force, no hazard, no mishap
Doth daunt my mind; I dare what dare be done
Though now we sit in Lady Fortune's lap.
By faith defiled, no honor can be won;
The wrath of God, men perjured cannot shun.
Do thou therefore what best thyself doth seem;
Give them their right, for that is best, I deem.""Sith all but you, my brother, do consent,
My council and my commons do agree,
Yea, all the force of this my realm is bent
To live and die for country's liberty,
Take you therefore this sentence in bon gré{good grace}
Because thou seemst a servile life to love:
The Tower a house is best for thy behoof{duty}.An oath constrained is made to none avail;
To break such oath doth not the faith defile.
Let them go tell to Claudius this tale:
We mean with force to furnish{garrison} this our isle,
Which force himself shall feel within a while,
For if he will not fetch his tribute here,
We then will go and pay him tribute there."Which, when the Roman Claudius had heard,
Though he at home had civil strife in hand
And though he were by foreign foes debarred{prevented}
And could not come himself, yet he a band
Of thirty thousand sent for to withstand
My strength, which strength in the first foughten field{battlefield}
They found so strong that, forced, they all did yield.