Ne did it then deserve a name to have,
Till that the venturous mariner that way
Learning his ship from those white rocks to save,
Which all along the southerne sea-coast lay
Threatning unheedy wrecke and rash decay,
For safety that same his sea-marke made,
And nam'd it Albion; but later day
Finding in it fit ports for fishers trade,
Gan more the same frequent, and further to invade.
But far in land a salvage nation dwelt
Of hideous giaunts and halfe-beastly men,
That never tasted grace, nor goodnes felt;
But wild like beastes lurking in loathsome den,
And flying fast as roebucke through the fen,
All naked without shame or care of cold,
By hunting and by spoiling liveden,
Of stature huge, and eke of corage bold,
That sonnes of men amazd their sternesse to be
[hold. But whence they sprong, or how they were begott, Uneath is to assure; uneath to wene
That monstrous error which doth some assott,
That Dioclesian's fifty daughters shene
Into this land by chaunce have driven bene;
Where, companing with feends and filthy sprights,
Through vaine illusion of their lust unclene,
They brought forth geaunts and such dreadful wights
As far exceeded men in their immeasurd mights.
They held this land, and with their filthinesse
Polluted this same gentle soyle long time;
That their owne mother loathd their beastlinesse,
And gan abhorre her brood's unkindly crime,
All were they borne of her own native slime :
Until that Brutus, anciently deriv'd
From royall stocke of old Assarac's line,
Driven by fatall error here arriv'd,
And them of their uniust possession depriv'd.
But ere he had established his throne,
And spred his empire to the utmost shore,
He fought great batteils with his salvage fone;
In which he them defeated evermore,
And many giaunts left on groning flore:
That well can witnes yet unto this day
The westerne Hogh, besprincled with the gore
Of mighty Goëmot, whome in stout fray
Corineus conquered, and cruelly did slay.
And eke that ample pitt, yet far renownd
For the large leape which Debon did compell
Coulin to make, being eight lugs of grownd,
Into the which retourning backe he fell:
But those three monstrous stones doe most excell,
Which that huge sonne of hideous Albion,
Whose father Hercules in Fraunce did quell,
Great Godmer threw, in fierce contention,
At bold Canutus; but of him was slaine anon.
In meed of these great conquests by them gott,"
Corineus had that province utmost west
To him assigned for his worthy lott,
Which of his name and memorable gest
He called Cornwaile, yet so called best:
And Debon's shayre was, that is Devonshyre:
But Canute had his portion from the rest,
The which he cald Canutium, for his hyre;
Now Cantium, which Kent we comenly inquyre.
Thus Brute this realme unto his rule subdewed,
And raigned long in great felicity,
Lov'd of his freends, and of his foes eschewd:
He left three sonnes, his famous progeny,
Borne of fayre Inogene of Italy;
Mongst whom he parted his imperiall state,
And Locrine left chiefe lord of Britany.
At last ripe age bad him surrender late
His life, and long good fortune, unto finall fate.
Locrine was left the soveraine lord of all;
But Albanact had all the northerne part,
Which of himselfe Albania he did call;
And Camber did possesse the westerne quart,
Which Severne now from Logris doth depart:
And each his portion peaceably enioyd,
Ne was there outward breach, nor grudge in hart,
That once their quiet government annoyd;
But each his paynes to others profit still employd.
Untill a nation straung, with visage swart
And corage fierce, that all men did affray,
Which through the world then swarmd in every part,
And overflowd all countries far away,
Like Noyes great flood, with their impórtune sway,
This land invaded with like violence,
And did themselves through all the North display:
Untill that Locrine, for his realmes defence,
Did head against them make and strong munificence,
He them encountred, a confused rout,
Foreby the river that whylome was hight
The ancient Abus, where with courage stout
He them defeated in victorious fight,
And chaste so fiercely after fearfull flight,
That forst their chiefetaine, for his safeties sake, (Their chiefetain Humber named was aright,) Unto the mighty streame him to betake,
Where he an end of batteill and of life did make.
The king retourned proud of victory,
And insolent wox through unwonted ease,
That shortly he forgot the ieopardy,
Which in his land he lately did appease,
And fell to vaine voluptuous disease:
He lov'd faire Lady Estrild, leudly lov'd,
Whose wanton pleasures him too much did please,
That quite his hart from Guendolene remov'd,
From Guendolene his wife, though alwaies faithful
prov'd.
The noble daughter of Corinëus
Would not endure to bee so vile disdaind,
But, gathering force and corage valorous,
Encountred him in batteill well ordaind,
In which him vanquisht she to fly constraind :
But she so fast pursewd, that him she tooke
And threw in bands, where he till death remaind;
Als his faire leman, flying through a brooke
She overhent,nought moved with her piteous looke.
But both herselfe, and eke her daughter deare
Begotten by her kingly paramoure,
The faire Sabrina, almost dead with feare,
She there attached, far from all succoúre:
The one she slew upon the present floure;
But the sad virgin innocent of all,
Adowne the rolling river she did poure,
Which of her name now Severne men do call:
Such was the end that to disloyall love did fall.
Then for her sonne, which she to Locrine bore, (Madan, was young, unmeet the rule to sway) In her owne hand the crowne she kept in store, Till ryper years he raught and stronger stay: During which time her powre she did display Through all this realme, the glory of her sex, And first taught men a woman to obay:
But when her sonne to man's estate did wex, She it surrendred, ne herself would lenger vex.
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