Now from my graue, the bed of my long rest Rous’d vp by fame, through shades of silent night, Behold I come obeying her behest, As Mirrours vnto men, to bring to light My deeds, oft done in my deare countrie’s right: Heare then (thou sleeping wight) whose mournefull muse To sing my storie Memorie doth chuse. 4. I am the sonne of that vnhappie king Hight _Egelred_, whose daies were wrapt in woe, And on whose head false fortune downe did fling, Such miserable scath and ouerthrow, That he was forc’d his kingdome to forgo: For subiect’s treacherie did him constraine To leaue his kingdome vnto bloodie _Swaine_. 5. To bloodie _Swaine_, who from our Albion shore Vnto the Norman duke to saue his life, Forc’d him to flie, whose sister he, before My mother dead, had made his second wife, In hope thereby t’appease domesticke strife, And by the aid of Norman valiancie, To quell the force of forren enemie. 6. But hence did rise the ruine of the state, And fourth decay of Albion’s emperie, This was the gap, which by decree of fate Was open laid for time’s posteritie, Vnto the Norman conquerer’s victorie: For by these fatall nuptials in the end, The Norman duke his title did pretend. 7. My sire being thus constrain’d by forren force, And subiects treason, in such miserie, Amongst his Norman friends to seeke remorce Of his mishaps, the land meane time did lie Groaning beneath the victor’s tyrannie, For nere did captiu’d men sustaine such woes, As did the english of the conquering foes. 8. O noble England, nurse of my renowne, Queene of all ilands canoped of heauen, How was thy towring state then troden downe? How were thy sonnes from their sad mother driuen? Thy daughter’s beautie vnto rapine giuen? My words, alas, will thy sad heart compell To bleed with woe, these woes to heare me tell. 9. The simple hinde, who with day-labour stroue In fruitlesse field to furrow vp his bread, Nor for himselfe the earth with paine did proue, But for another, whom his labour fed, Although in heart he often wisht him dead, In euery house lord Dane did then rule all, Whence laysie lozels lurdanes now we call. 10. The nuptiall bed, the lodge of chaste delight, Was common vs’d in wedlocke’s foule disdaine, Sweet virgins daily forc’d to deeds of night, Faire ladies beautie set to sale for gaine, Children made bondslaues, wretched husbands slain, Who to such rufull spoile were iustly giuen For their offence against the king of heauen. 11.