Beholde mee _Sabrine_ orphane erst bereft Of all my friends, by cruell case of warre: When as not one to treat for mee was left, But Ielosie did all their powers debarre. When as my father eke was slaine in warre, And when my mother euen before my sight Was drown’d to death, O wretch in woefull plight. 2. Trust who so will the staffe of hye estate, And bring mee word what stay thereby you haue: For why, if Fortune once displeasure take, Shee geues the foyle, though lookes bee neuer so braue, Tis wisedome when you winne, to winne to saue:[309] For oft who trustes to get a Prince his trayne, Would at the length of begger’s life be fayne. 3. This might the _Hunne_ erst _Humber_ well haue sayd, And this my mother _Elstride_ prou’d to true, When as his life by striuing streames was stayd, And when the tyraunts her in waters threwe. What I may say, my selfe reportes to you, Which had more terrour shew’d then twice such twayne: Geue eare, and iudge if I abode no payne. 4. First when my fathers corps was striken downe With deadly shaft, I came to mourne and see: And as hee lay with bleeding brest in sowne, Hee cast aside his watring eyes on mee. “Flye, flye, (quoth hee) thy stepdame[310] seekes for thee, My woefull childe: what flight maist thou to take, My _Sabrine_ poore, I must thee needes forsake. 5. “See here mine end, behold thy father’s fall, Fly hence, thy stepdame seekes thy staylesse life:[311] Thy mother eke or[312] this is wrapt in thrall, You cannot scape of gelous griefe her knife,[313] Farewell my childe, mine _Elstride_ and my wife, Adew (quoth hee) I may no longer byde:” And euen with that hee gasped breath,[314] and dyde. 6. What birde can flye, and soare, if stormes doe rage? What shippe can sayle if once the windes resist? What wight is that can force of warres asswage? Or elss what warre can bridle Fortune’s list? What man is hee, that dare an hoast resist? What woman only dare withstand a fielde? If not, what childe but must to enemies yeelde? 7. My father’s souldiers fled away for feare, As soone as once theyr Captayne’s death they scand: The Queene proclaym’d a pardon euery where To those would yeelde, and craue it at her hand: Excepting such as did her aye withstand. For so the course alwayes of pardons goes, As saues the souldier, and entraps the foes. 8.