First the proud Roman _Cæsar_ did oppresse This land with tributarie seruitude: Next those two Saxon brethren heauen did blesse, Who in our Brittish blood their blades imbru’d, And to their lordly will this land subdu’d: Thirdly the Dane did heere long time remaine, And lastly Normans ouer vs did raigne. 7. Thus seest thou fortune’s vnimpeached force, And what it hath been in our Britaine state: By this thou seest her wheeles inconstant course, And how on earth nor prince, nor potentate, Can long withstand her ruine-thirsting hate, Which my true storie’s sad catastrophe Vnto the sonnes of men can testifie. 8. I am that _Arthur_, who on honor’s wing Did mount fame’s palace 'mongst the worthies nine Fourth from false _Vortigerne_ th’vsurping king: Who, that he might with strong allies combine His shaken state, which then began decline, Wretch that he was into this land did bring The Saxons with hight _Hengist_ their false king. 9. The sonne I was of _Vter_ that stout knight, _Pendragon_ called for his policie, Not in ignoble birth brought forth to light, Though foes false imputation vilifie My royall birth with taint of bastardie: But in true wedlocke’s bands a noble dame Bore me, the fruit of loue without defame. 10. Whose former husband _Goilen_, that proud duke, At Duuilioc in fight my sire strooke dead: And 'mongst his spoiles _Igren_ the faire he tooke, With whom he did ascend loue’s amorous bed And lest the fruit of his delight new bred The time might turne to shame in lawlesse birth, He took the dame to wife, who brought me forth. 11. By peeres consent I in my youth began Vpon the throne the supreame sway to beare: And at that time against the boldest man, That breath’d on earth my spirit did not feare, In single fight the combatant t’appeare, Skilfull I was in knowledge of all fights, That then was vsed amongst martiall knights. 12. And at that time my close-neere fighting men, The frame of euery bloodie fight to know, In martiall feates, haue exercised been, And euery one would ’gainst the forren foe, With emulation striue their deeds to show, In courts where kings, adore _Bellonae’s_ shrine, There the bright blaze of chiualrie will shine. 13.