I may no longer on this sleeper byde, Which for his slouthfull sinne was serued right: Because himselfe to sluggishnes he plyde, That plague of sickenesse dead on him did light. But now beholde, next _Forrex_ came to sight, Which in this sort beganne his life t’unfold: Eftsoones thus wise, his slaughter there he tolde. How King Forrex was slayne by his brother King Porrex, about the yeere before Christ, 491.[520] 1. Complayne I may with tragiques on the stage,[521] Compeld I am amongst the rest that fell: I may complayne that felt of warres the wage, Vntimely death I drewe, doth mee compell. If I had not bin crowned king I had bene well:[522] There had no enuie vndermin’d my state, Nor fortune foil’d the seate whereon I sate. 2. What blisse enioyd I while my father raynd![523] I had no care, in honour I did liue: Would God I had in that estate remaynd, But what vs fortune wonted is to giue, Good happe that holds as water in a siue: Shee showes a glimpse of thousand ioyes, and moe Which hides in it tenne thousand seas of woe. 3. That hatefull hellish hagge of vgly hue, With rustie teeth and meygre corps misshape, I meane that monster vile, the worst in viewe, Whome some call _Discorde_, _Enuie_, _Ire_, and _Hate_: She set my brother first with me at bate: When we fiue yeeres had raygned ioyntly well, By her intisements, foule at strife we fell. 4. We liu’d that space well in this noble Ile, Deuyded well wee ioyntly did inioye The princely seate, while Fortune fayre did smile, Without disdayne, hate, discorde or anoye: Euen as our father raignd, the noble _Roy_, In wealth, peace, prayse, purporte, renowne and fame, Without the blots of euerlasting blame. 5. But when ambition bleared both our eyes, And hasty hate had brother-hoode bereft: Wee frendship fayre and concorde did dispise, And far a part from vs wee wisedome left: Forsooke each other at the greatest heft. To rule the kingdome both wee left, and fell To warring, iarring like two hounds of hell. 6. For bounds we banded first on either syde, And did incroach each one on others right. T’inlarge the limetes of our kingdome wide, We would not sticke full oft to fray and fight.[524] The wretched ground had so bewicht our sight. For why, the earth that once shall eate vs all, Is th’only cause of many Princes fall. 7.