Note 468 — How Qveene Cordila in dispaire slew her selfe, The yeare before Christ, 800.

But not content with this he minded me to proue, For why he wonted was to loue me wonders wel: How much dost thou (quoth he) Cordile thy father loue I wil (sayd I) at once my loue declare and tell: I lou’de you euer as my father well, No otherwyse, if more to know you craue: We loue you chiefly for the goodes you haue. Thus much I said, the more their flattery to detect But he me aunswered therunto again with ire, Because thou dost thy fathers aged yeare neglect. That lou’de the more of late then thy deserts require, Thou neuer shalt, to any part aspire Of this my realme, emong thy sisters twayne, But euer shalt vndotid ay remayne. Then to the king of Albany for wife he gaue My sister Gonerell, the eldest of vs all: And eke my sister Ragan for Hinnine to haue, Which then was Prince of Camber and Cornwall: These after him should haue his kingdome all Betwene them both, he gaue it franke and free: But nought at all he gaue of dowry mee. At last it chaunst the king of Fraunce to here my fame. My beuty braue was blazed al abrode eche where: And eke my vertues praisde me to my fathers blame Did for my sisters flattery me lesse fauour beare. Which when this worthy king my wrongs did heare, He sent ambassage likte me more then life, T’intreate he might me haue to be his wife. My father was content with all his harte, and sayde, He gladly should obtaine his whole request at will Concerning me, if nothing I herin denayde: But yet he kept by their intisment hatred still, (Quoth he) your prince his pleasure to fulfill, I graunt and giue my daughter as you craue: But nought of me for dowry can she haue. King Aganippus well a greed to take me so, Hee deemde that vertue was of dowries all the best And I contented was to Fraunce my father fro For to depart, and hoapte t’enioye some greater rest. I maried was, and then my ioyes encreaste, A gate more fauoure in this Prince his sight, Then euer Princesse of a princely wight. But while that I these ioyes enioyd at home in Fraunce, My father Leire in Britayne waxed aged olde, My sisters yet them selues the more aloft t’aduaunce, Thought well they might, be by his leaue, or sans so bolde: To take the realme and rule it as they wolde. They rose as rebels voyde of reason quite, And they depriu’de him of his crowne and right. Then they agreed, it should be into partes equall Deuided: and my father threscore knightes and squires Should alwayes haue, attending on him still at call. But in sixe monthes so much encreasid hateful Ires, That Gonerell denyde all his desires, So halfe his garde she and her husband refte: And scarce alowde the other halfe they lefte. Eke as in Scotlande thus he lay lamenting fates, When as his daughter so sought all his vtter spoyle, The meaner vpstart gentles, thought them selues his mates And betters eke, see here an aged Prince his foyle, Then was he fayne for succoure his, to toyle, With all his knightes, to Cornewall there to lye: In greatest nede his Ragan’s loue to trie. And when he came to Cornwall, Ragan then with ioye, Receiu’d him and eke hir husband did the like: There he abode a yeare and liu’de without anoy, But then they tooke, all his retinue from him quite Saue only ten, and shewde him dayly spite, Which he bewailde complaining durst not striue, Though in disdayne they last alowde but fiue. On this he deemde him selfe was far that time vnwyse, When from his daughter Gonerell to Ragan hee Departed erste yet eache did him poore king despise: Wherfore to Scotlande once againe with hir to bee, And bide he went: but beastly cruell, shee Bereau’de him of his seruauntes all saue one, Bad him content him selfe with that or none. Eke at what time he askte of eache to haue his garde, To garde his grace where so he walkte or wente: They calde him doting foole and all his hestes debarde, Demaunded if with life he could not be contente. Then he to late his rigour did repente Gainst me, and sayde, Cordila nowe adieu: I finde the wordes thou toldste mee to to true. And to be short, to Fraunce he came alone to mee, And tolde me how my sisters him our father vsde: Then I besought my king with teares vpon my knee, That he would aide my father thus by them misusde, Who nought at all my humble heste refusde: But sent to euery coaste of Fraunce for ayde, Wherwith my father home might be conueide. The soldiours gathered from eche quarter of the land, Came at the length to know the king his mind and wil: Who did commit them to my father’s aged hand, And I likewise of loue and reuerent mere goodwill Desirde my king, he would not take it ill, If I departed for a space withall: To take a parte, or ease my father’s thrall. This had: I partid with my father from my fere, We came to Britayne with our royal campe to fight: And manly fought so long our enmies vanquisht were By martial feates, and force by subiects sword and might. The Brityshe kinges were faine to yelde our right: And so my father well this realme did guide, Three yeares in peace and after that he dide. Then I at Leircester in Ianus temple, made His tombe, and buried there his kingly regall corse, As sondry tymes in life before he often bade: For of our father’s will we then did greatly force, We had of conscience eke so much remorce, That we supposde those childrens liues to ill: Which brake their father’s testament, and will.