“Diligent _Inquisition_,” saieth _Memorie_, “beholde in the bottom lesse pyt of blind _Obliuion_: there remayneth as yet a multitude, who although in their tyme, they were of all men most famous, and euen in this our time, their ensamples be patternes passing singular, to refourme the deformities of this age, notwithstanding they are so couered and hidden with those mistie cloudes of fylthy forgetfulnes, that if thou _Inquisition_ doest not with all dilygent inquiry, and I _Memorye_, (who haue howrded vp in my treasury the knowledge of all thinges) except wee with all our industrye, doo endeuour our selues, they are not lyke euer to come into the light. For at what time those barbarous nations, (I meane the _Gothes_, _Hunes_, and _Danes_) dyd with so great outrage ouerrunne all the worlde: euen then the auncient historyes and recordes of time, were by them vtterly defaced: so that Princes before that time, how renowmed so euer they were, be at this present, euen by their meanes, buryed so deepe in obliuion, that I _Memorye_ cannot without a new inquirye of many most noble Princes, repeate a few wordes: speake you therfore _Inquisition_, and declare your mynde, how we mighte renew the decayed _Memory_ of those men.” “See heere,” quoth _Inquisition_, “with great and diligent _Memorye_, I haue founde out diuers, who with their continuall complayinges, haue euen for conscience sake made me their procleare, to exhibite vnto you in their behalfe a supplycation, in which they complayne of the great iniurie they suffer, because they bee excluded out of the English _Mirrour of Magistrates_: their only desire is that you would once agayne, by celebrating their decayed names, with a fresh memoryall geue them libertie to declare their estates themselues. Of which, as fyrst though not chiefest _Guidericus_ the thyrde king of the subdued _Brittaynes_: and the fyrst that refused to pay trybute to _Rome_, desyreth to bee harde.” “Wee will,” sayth _Memory_, “assist hym in what wee may, and not onely geue them leaue, but also intreate them to declare their estates. But where is that _Guidericus_, the exployts of whose lyfe were so passing singular, that had hee not beene moued with two much boldnesse, euen hee had brought vnder his rule the whole worlde: wee wyll heare hym wyllingly, for his death is a great ensample of God’s vengeaunce, vnto all them which thinke by their owne courage and abilitie, to compasse their desyres.” “Beholde,” quoth _Inquisition_, “hee is euen heere, his body rent and torne dooth declare, that great was his mishappe.” “Speake then, Syr Knight,” quoth _Memory_, “and let vs heare what you wil saye.” Wherewith the sorrowfull Prince sayde as followeth.] [1167]THE COMPLAINT OF GUIDERICUS.