This said, our swords we sheath’d in th’armie’s sight, And with kinde armes each other did embrace, Happie it seem’d to those, that did delight In happie peace, to see such loue take place Twixt two such mortall foes in so short space: But haplesse I that did accord thereto, Th’euent whereof did breed my after woe. 76. The traytor _Edrick_, preordainde by fate To act my fall, whom for his treacherie I daylie did pursue with deadlie hate, Did instigate his sonne by villanie With impious hands to act my tragedie, Who to impietie by nature free, After this tragick sort did murther mee. 77. Vpon a time, when in the Muse’s bower, England’s Parnassus, famous Oxford hight Was my abode, there in that fatall houre, When as expedient vse did me excite To do the deed of nature requisite, Vnto the draught as was my wont I went Vnto my nature’s vse to yeeld content. 78. Where loe, the sonne of this false duke did lie Hid in the vault, to further his intent With weapon arm’d: for on the draught while I Secure did sit, with fatall instrument This villane gor’d my bodie’s fundament, And there to death his due I timelesse gaue, At Glastenburie I was laid in graue. 79. Thus after twice sixe months, and as much space, As from the time the swallow leaues her nest, Till Phœbus haue the lion in full chace, With th’angrie dog, that from his burning brest Breaths mortall plagues, hot feauers and vnrest, When I had raign’d, I lost my life and crowne: With which our English name lost her renowne. 80. Thus hast thou heard the sad catastrophe, And fatall period of my life and raigne, In which thou seest, that where false treacherie Hath toucht the heart with her foule finger’s staine, There seldome constant truth returnes againe, Which that it may to future times be knowne, Forget not what was said, when I am gone. THE LAMENTABLE LIFE _and death of Prince Alfred, brother_ to King Edmund Ironside. THE ARGUMENT.