A woefull thing mee thought this tale to heare, That pittie could not moue Queene _Guendoline_, When _Locrine_ both and _Elstride_ ended were, Which had committed facts adulterine, Th’adulter slayne and eke his concubine, Not so her cruell minde could bee content, But in reuenge to slay the Innocent. 2. What maruayle though shee were of such a minde, So cruell not to spare her husband’s bastard small: Sith that of gelosie wee often finde Examples passing reason naturall. Of _Porrex_ mother, reade the life who shall, Which slew her only sonne, eke _Progne_ was content, To sley her sonne an harmelesse Innocent. 3. _Medæa_ eke when _Iason_ her forsooke, And children twayne, which yong by him shee had, Full cruelly a sword in hand shee tooke, Reft both their liues, as cruell monster mad. Was not _Agaue’s_ cruelty so bad, Which _Pentheus_ her sonne to sley could bee content. Because hee nilde to Bacchanalls assent? 4. I will no more of these as now recite, Whose cruelty deserued all disgrace: Nor yet in generall thus wise I write, The worthy sexe of women to deface. Tis gelosie reproued here in place. But now I turne to Madan all to rent, Which next on stage thus wise to talke him bent. How King Madan for his euill life was slayne by Wolues, The yeare before Christ, 1009. 1. Among’st the rest that sate in hauty seat, And felt the fall, I pray thee pen for mee A Tragedy, may some such wisedome geat As they may learne, and somewhat wiser bee: For in my glasse when as themselues they see, They may beware; my fall from Fortune’s lap Shall teach them how, t’eschew the like mishap. 2. I am that _Madan_, once of[334] _Britayne_ King, The[335] third that euer raygned in this land: Marke well therefore my death, as straunge a thing As some would deeme could scarce with reason stand; Yet when thou hast my life well throughly scand, Thou shalt perceaue not halfe so straunge as true, Ill life, worse death, doth after still ensue. 3. For when my mother _Guendoline_ had raygn’d In my nonage full xv yeares, shee dide: And I but yong, not well in vertues trayn’d, Was left this noble Iland for to guide; Whereby when once my minde was puft with pryde, I past for nought, I vs’d my lust for lawe; Of right, or iustice, reckte I not a strawe. 4.