Full many noble men to rule alone I slewe, And some themselues for griefe[889] of hart did slay: For they ne would mine Empyre stay to vewe,[890] Some I did force to yeelde, some fled away,[891] As loth to see[892] theyr Countrye’s quite[893] decay The world in _Aphrike_, _Asia_,[894] distant far, And _Europe_ knew[895] my bloudsheds great in war, [Recounted yet through all the world that ar.] 51. But sith my whole pretence was glory[896] vayne, To haue renowne and rule aboue[897] the rest, Without remorce of[898] many thousands slayne, Which, for their owne defence, their warres addrest:[899] I deeme[900] therefore my stony harte and brest Receiu’d so many wounds for iust reuenge, they stood[901] [By iustice right of _Ioue_, the sacred sentence good,] That who so slayes hee payes, the price is[902] bloud for bloud. How Clavdivs Tiberius Nero Emperour of Rome was poysoned by Caius Caligula, The yeare of Christ, 39. 1. What bootes it hawty hartes depend so muche On high estate: auayles it ought thinke yee? The gold is tryde when it is brought to tuche: So tryall telles what worldly tryomphes bee. When glory shines, no daungers deepe wee see, Till wee at last finde true the prouerbe olde: Not all that shynes is pure and perfect golde. 2. While valiaunt men so burne with hoat desire Of royall rule, and thyrst so sore for seate, No springes of _Pernasse_ mount can quench the fire, Nor _Boreas_ blaste alay the hawty heate. On high renowne so much theyr braynes they beate, And toyle so much for fading flickering fame, On earth for ay to leaue behinde a name. 3. But if they would marke Fortune’s double face, And how shee turnes about the totering wheele: How shee doth chaunge her minde and turne her grace, How blinde of sight shee is, how light of heele: They would not rew the fatall falles they feele, They would not after blame her blindnesse so, But looke before, and leape her lightnesse froe. 4. Euen all well neare doe proake for price and proy,[903] And[904] prayse Dame Fortune first if they speede well: But if thereby fall after some anoy, They curse her then, as hatefull hagge of hell: If Fortune firme had stoode, they had not fell. They banne her then, and yet themselues were curst, Which tooke her bayte so freely at the furst. 5.