William Shakespeare - The Complete Apocryphal Works of William Shakespeare - All 17 Rare Plays in One Edition

Sought to deface our glorious memory

And wipe the name of Trojans from the earth,

Him did I captivate with this mine arm,

And by compulsion forced him to agree

To certain articles which there we did propound.

From Graecia through the boisterous Hellespont,

We came unto the fields of Lestrigon,

Whereas our brother Corineius was,

Since when we passed the Cicillian gulf,

And so transfretting the Illirian sea,

Arrived on the coasts of Aquitaine,

Where with an army of his barbarous Gauls

Goffarius and his brother Gathelus

Encountering with our host, sustained the foil.

And for your sakes my Turnus there I lost,

Turnus that slew six hundred men at arms

All in an hour, with his sharp battle-axe.

From thence upon the strons of Albion

To Corus haven happily we came,

And quelled the giants, come of Albion’s race,

With Gogmagog son to Samotheus,

The cursed Captain of that damned crew.

And in that Isle at length I placed you.

Now let me see if my laborious toils,

If all my care, if all my grievous wounds,

If all my diligence were well employed.

CORINEIUS.

When first I followed thee & thine, brave king,

I hazarded my life and dearest blood,

To purchase favour at your princely hands,

And for the same in dangerous attempts

In sundry conflicts and in diverse broils,

I showed the courage of my manly mind.

For this I combated with Gathelus,

The brother to Goffarius of Gaul;

For this I fought with furious Gogmagog,

A savage captain of a savage crew;

And for these deeds brave Cornwall I received,

A grateful gift given by a gracious King:

And for this gift, this life and dearest blood,

Will Corineius spend for Brutus good.

DEB.

And what my friend, brave prince, hath vowed to you,

The same will Debon do unto his end.

BRUTUS.

Then, loyal peers, since you are all agreed,

And resolute to follow Brutus hosts,

Favor my sons, favor these Orphans, Lords,

And shield them from the dangers of their foes.

Locrine, the column of my family,

And only pillar of my weakened age,

Locrine, draw near, draw near unto thy sire,

And take thy latest blessings at his hands:

And for thou art the eldest of my sons,

Be thou a captain to thy brethren,

And imitate thy aged father’s steps,

Which will conduct thee to true honor’s gate;

For if thou follow sacred virtue’s lore,

Thou shalt be crowned with a laurel branch,

And wear a wreath of sempiternal fame,

Sorted amongst the glorious happy ones.

LOCRINE.

If Locrine do not follow your advise,

And bear himself in all things like a prince

That seeks to amplify the great renown

Left unto him for an inheritage

By those that were his ancestors,

Let me be flung into the Ocean,

And swallowed in the bowels of the earth,

Or let the ruddy lightning of great Jove

Descend upon this my devoted head.

BRUTUS.

[Taking Gwendoline by the hand.]

But for I see you all to be in doubt,

Who shall be matched with our royal son,

Locrine, receive this present at my hand,

A gift more rich than are the wealthy mines

Found in the bowels of America.

Thou shalt be spoused to fair Gwendoline;

Love her, and take her, for she is thine own,

If so thy uncle and her self do please.

CORINEIUS.

And herein how your highness honors me

It cannot now be in my speech expressed;

For careful parents glory not so much

At their honour and promotion,

As for to see the issue of their blood

Seated in honor and prosperity.

GWENDOLINE.

And far be it from any maiden’s thoughts

To contradict her aged father’s will.

Therefore, since he to whom I must obey

Hath given me now unto your royal self,

I will not stand aloof from off the lure,

Like crafty dames that most of all deny

That which they most desire to possess.

BRUTUS.

[Turning to Locrine. Locrine kneeling.]

Then now, my son, thy part is on the stage,

For thou must bear the person of a King.

[Puts the Crown on his head.]

Locrine, stand up, and wear the regal Crown,

And think upon the state of Majesty,

That thou with honor well mayest wear the crown.

And if thou tendrest these my latest words,

As thou requirest my soul to be at rest,

As thou desirest thine own security,

Cherish and love thy new betrothed wife.

LOCRINE.

No longer let me well enjoy the crown,

Than I do honour peerless Gwendoline.

BRUTUS.

Camber.

CAMBER.

My Lord.

BRUTUS.

The glory of mine age,

And darling of thy mother Imogen,

Take thou the South for thy dominion.

From thee there shall proceed a royal race,

That shall maintain the honor of this land,

And sway the regal scepter with their hands.

[Turning to Albanact.]

And Albanact, thy father’s only joy,

Youngest in years, but not the youngest in mind,

A perfect pattern of all chivalry,

Take thou the North for thy dominion,

A country full of hills and ragged rocks,

Replenished with fierce untamed beasts,

As correspondent to thy martial thoughts,

Live long, my sons, with endless happiness,

And bear firm concordance amongst your selves.

Obey the counsels of these fathers grave,

That you may better bear out violence.—