Which newes although they dyd amaze me much, Yet I whose hart did neuer faynt for feare, “Although,” sayd I, “their good successe be such, Yet if we can subdue the _Romans_ here, They shal I think buy _Britayne_ very deare, Which out of doubt yf you as you haue donne, Will fight like men, the fielde wil soone be wonne.” 29. But they who hilde their wiues and children deare, Could not digest the losse of that their lande, For which they fledde, left me their chieftayne there, When _Claudius_ host to fight was euen at hande, Whose mightie force I could not then withstande, Yea all my page, my footmen fled for feare, And left me post alone, with heauy cheare. 30. That cruell Queene of hel, _Proserpina_, From foorth whose loynes this fury feare first fled, _Megera’s_ sighes, no, no, nor _Medusa_, Who hath ten thousand snakes about her head, The fiery flames of hell doth not so dreade The minde, as feare, which makes man’s hart we see, To shake, and quake, like leafe of aspen tree. 31. My martial knyghtes who once so valiant were, That they the worlde, euen al the world would spoyle, This fury fyerce, this feeble fayntyng feare, Did causlesse cause them thus here to recoyle, Her only force inforst me to this foyle, Not _Cæsar’s_ force: no strength of _Roman_ power, But feare, euen feare, dyd make me here to lower. 32. Which feare (for trueth) dyd neuer me dismaye, But too to soone my hartlesse men it made, To shrinke, to flinche, to flee eche man his way, And me a pray most fit for _Claudius_ blade, They left alone: alas, what may be sayde, What may be done, what fittes for mine auayle? I wyl not flee, to fight cannot preuayle. 33. What, must I then go crouche vnto my foe? Fy on that fate, that I should sue for grace To hym who is the worker of my woe, Whose hart from foorth his brest for to displace, I gladly woulde ten thousand deathes imbrace, My lyfe (in faith) doth lothe to liue with shame, By death therfore my lyfe shall purchase fame. 34. For as I once did winne with courage stout, In _Galba’s_ shielde, the praunsing _Pegasus_, So with renowne I nowe will go about, To see if _Claudius_ dare the cause discusse With me alone, if couragious Dare do that deed: that we in open feeld, May try the case, then he or I must yeelde. 35.