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Edmund Spenser - Prosopopoia : or, Mother Hubbards Tale
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To be a thousand deathes, and shame beside?` 
`Fond Ape! (sayd then the Foxe) into whose brest 
Never crept thought of honor, nor brave gest, 
Who will not venture life a King to be, 
 And rather rule and raigne in soveraign see, 
Than dwell in dust inglorious and bace, 
Where none shall name the number of his place? 
One joyous howre in blisfull happines, 
I chose before a life of wretchednes. 
Be therefore counselled herein by me, 
And shake off this vile harted cowardree. 
If he awake, yet is not death the next, 
For we may coulor it with some pretext 
Of this, or that, that may excuse the cryme: 
Else we may flye; thou to a tree mayst clyme, 
And I creepe under ground, both from his reach: 
Therefore be rul`d to doo as I doo teach.` 

      The Ape, that earst did nought but chill and quake, 
Now gan some courage unto him to take, 
And was content to attempt that enterprise, 
Tickled with glorie and rash covetise: 
But first gan question, whether should assay 
Those royall ornaments to steale away? 
`Marie, that shall your selfe, (quoth he theretoo) 
For ye be fine and nimble it to doo; 
Of all the beasts, which in the forrests bee, 
Is not a fitter for this turne than yee: 
Therefore, my owne deare brother, take good hart, 
And ever thinke a Kingdome is your part.` 
 Loath was the Ape, though praised, to adventer, 
Yet faintly gan into his worke to enter, 
Afraid of everie leafe that stir`d him by, 
And everie stick that underneath did ly, 
Upon his tiptoes nicely he up went, 
 For making noyse, and still his eare he lent 
To everie sound that under heaven blew; 
Now went, now stopt, now crept, now backward drew, 
That it good sport had been him to have eyde: 
Yet at the last, (so well he him applyde) 
 Through his fine handling, and his cleanly play, 
He all those royall signes had stolne away, 
And with the Foxes helpe them borne aside 
Into a secret corner unespide. 
Whither whenas they came they fell at words, 
Whether of them should be the Lord of Lords: 
For th` Ape was stryfull, and ambicious; 
And the Foxe guilefull, and most covetous; 
That neither pleased was to have the rayne 
Twixt them divided into even twaine, 
But either (algates) would be Lords alone; 
For Love and Lordship bide no paragone. 
`I am most worthie, (said the Ape) sith I 
For it did put my life in jeopardie: 
Thereto I am in person and in stature 
 Most like a Man, the Lord of everie creature, 
So that it seemeth I was made to raigne, 
And borne to be a Kingly soveraigne.` 
`Nay (said the Foxe) Sir Ape, you are astray: 
For though to steale the Diademe away 
Were the worke of your nimble hand, yet I 
Did first devise the plot by pollicie; 
So that it wholly springeth from my wit: 
For which also I claime my selfe more fit 
Than you to rule; for government of state 
 Will without wisedome soone be ruinate. 
And where ye claime your selfe for outward shape 
Most like a man, Man is not like an Ape 
In his chiefe parts, that is, in wit and spirite; 
But I therein most like to him doo merite, 
 For my slie wyles and subtill craftinesse, 
The title of the Kingdome to possesse. 
Nath`les (my brother) since we passed are 
Unto this point, we will appease our jarre; 
And I with reason meete will rest content, 
 That ye shall have both crowne and government, 
Upon condition, that ye ruled bee 
In all affaires, and counselled by mee; 
And that ye let none other ever drawe 
Your minde from me, but keepe this as a lawe: 
 And hereupon an oath unto me plight.` 

      The Ape was glad to end the strife so light, 
And thereto swore; for who would not oft sweare, 
And oft unsweare, a Diademe to beare? 
Then freely up those royall spoyles he tooke, 
 Yet at the Lyons skin he inly quooke; 

But it dissembled, and upon his head 
The Crowne, and on his backe the skin he did, 
And the false Foxe him helped to array. 
Then, when he was all dight, he tooke his way 
 Into the forest, that he might be seene 
Of the wilde beasts in his new glory sheene. 
There the two first whome he encountred were 
The Sheepe and th` Asse, who, striken both with feare, 
At sight of him, gan fast away to flye; 
 But unto them the Foxe alowd did cry, 
And in the Kings name bad them both to stay, 
Upon the payne that thereof follow may 
Hardly, naythles, were they restrayned so, 
Till that the Foxe forth toward them did goe, 
 And there disswaded them from needlesse feare, 
For that the King did favour to them beare; 
And therefore dreadles bad them come to Corte, 
For no wild beasts should do them any torte 
There or abroad; ne would his majestye 
 Use them but well, with gracious clemencye, 
As whome he knew to him both fast and true. 
So he perswaded them, with homage due 
Themselves to humble to the Ape prostrate, 
Who, gently to them bowing in his gate, 
 Receyved them with chearefull entertayne. 
Thenceforth proceeding with his princely trayne, 
He shortly met the Tygre, and the Bore, 
Which with the simple Camell raged sore 
In bitter words, seeking to take occasion 
 Upon his fleshly corpse to make invasion: 
But, soone as they this mock-King did espy, 
Their troublous strife they stinted by and by, 
Thinking indeed that it the Lyon was. 
He then, to prove whether his powre would pas 
 As currant, sent the Foxe to them streightway, 
Commaunding them their cause of strife bewray; 
And if that wrong on eyther side there were, 
That he should warne the wronger to appeare 
The morrow next at Court, it to defend; 
 In the mean-time upon the King t` attend. 
The subtile Foxe so well his message sayd, 
That the proud beasts him readily obayd: 
Whereby the Ape in wondrous stomack woxe, 
Strongly encorag`d by the crafty Foxe; 
 That King indeed himselfe he shortly thought, 
And all the Beasts him feared as they ought, 
And followed unto his palaice hye; 
Where taking Conge, each one by and by 
Departed to his home in dreadfull awe, 
 Full of the feared sight which late they sawe. 
 
     The Ape, thus seized of the Regall throne, 
Eftsones by counsell of the Foxe alone, 
Gan to provide for all things in assurance, 
That so his rule might lenger have endurance. 
 First to his Gate he pointed a strong gard, 
That none might enter but with issue hard: 
Then, for the safegard of his personage, 
He did appoint a warlike equipage 
Of forreine beasts, not in the forest bred, 
 But part by land and part by water fed; 
For tyrannie is with strange ayde supported. 
Then unto him all monstrous beasts resorted 
Bred of two kindes, as Griffons, Minotaures, 
Crocodiles, Dragons, Beavers, and Centaures: 
 With those himselfe he strengthned mightelie, 
That feare he neede no force of enemie. 
Then gan he rule and tyrannize at will, 
Like as the Foxe did guide his graceles skill; 
And all wylde beasts made vassals of his pleasures, 
 And with their spoyles enlarg`d his private treasures. 
No care of justice, nor no rule of reason, 
No temperance, nor no regard of season, 
Did thenceforth ever enter in his minde; 
But crueltie, the signe of currish kinde, 
 And sdeignfull pride, and wilfull arrogaunce: 
Such followes those whom fortune doth advaunce. 
      But the false Foxe most kindly plaid his part; 
For whatsoever mother-wit or arte.

Could worke, he put in proofe: no practise slie, 
 No counterpoint of cunning policie, 
No reach, no breach, that might him profit bring, 
But he the same did to his purpose wring. 
Nought suffered he the Ape to give or graunt, 
But through his hand must passe the Fiaunt. 
 All offices, all leases by him lept, 
And of them all whatso he likte he kept. 
Justice he solde injustice for to buy, 
And for to purchase for his progeny. 
Ill might it prosper that ill gotten was; 
 But, so he got it, little did he pas. 
He fed his cubs with fat of all the soyle, 
And with the sweete of others sweating toyle; 
He crammed them with crumbs of Benefices, 
And fild their mouthes with meeds of malefices: 
 He cloathed them with all colours, save white, 
And loded them with lordships and with might, 
So much as they were able well to beare, 
That with the weight their backs nigh broken were: 
He chaffred Chayres in which Churchmen were set, 
 And breach of lawes to privie ferme did let: 
No statute so established might bee, 
Nor ordinaunce so needfull, but that hee 
Would violate, though not with violence, 
Yet under colour of the confidence 
 The which the Ape repos`d in him alone, 
And reckned him the kingdomes corner stone. 
And ever, when he ought would bring to pas, 
His long experience the platforme was: 
And, when he ought not pleasing would put by 
 The cloke was care of thrift, and husbandry, 
For to encrease the common treasures store; 
But his owne treasure he encreased more, 
And lifted up his loftie towres thereby, 
That they began to threat the neighbour sky; 
 The whiles the Princes pallaces fell fast 
To ruine (for what thing can ever last?) 
And whilest the other Peeres, for povertie, 
Were forst their auncient houses to let lie, 
And their olde Castles to the ground to fall, 
 Which their forefathers, famous over-all, 
Had founded for the Kingdomes ornament, 
And for their memories long moniment: 
But he no count made of Nobilitie, 
Nor the wilde beasts whom armes did glorifie, 
 The Realmes chiefe strength and girlond of the crowne. 
All these through fained crimes he thrust adowne, 
Or made them dwell in darknes of disgrace; 
For none, but whom he list, might come in place. 
 
     Of men of armes he had but small regard, 
 But kept them lowe, and streigned verie hard. 
For men of learning little he esteemed; 
His wisdome he above their learning deemed. 
As for the rascall Commons least he cared, 
For not so common was his bountie shared: 
 Let God, (said he) if please, care for the manie, 
I for my selfe must care before els anie. 
So did he good to none, to manie ill, 
So did he all the kingdome rob and pill, 
Yet none durst speake, ne none durst of him plaine, 
 So great he was in grace, and rich through gaine. 
Ne would he anie let to have accesse 
Unto the Prince, but by his owne addresse, 
For all that els did come were sure to faile. 
Yet would he further none but for availe; 
 For on a time the Sheepe, to whom of yore 
The Foxe had promised of friendship store, 
What time the Ape the kingdome first did gaine, 
Came to the Court, her case there to complaine; 
How that the Wolfe, her mortall enemie, 
 Had sithence slaine her Lambe most cruellie, 
And therefore crav`d to come unto the King, 
To let him knowe the order of the thing.

`Soft, Gooddie Sheepe! (then said the Foxe) not soe: 
Unto the King so rash ye may not goe; 
 He is with greater matter busied 
Than a Lambe, or the Lambes owne mothers hed.` 
Ne, certes, may I take it well in part, 
That ye my cousin Wolfe so fowly thwart, 
And seeke with slaunder his good name to blot; 
 For there was cause, els doo it he would not: 
Therefore surcease, good Dame, and hence depart.` 
So went the Sheepe away with heavie hart: 
So many moe, so everie one was used, 
That to give largely to the boxe refused. 
Now when high Jove, in whose almightie hand 
The care of Kings and power of Empires stand, 
Sitting one day within his turret hye, 
From whence he vewes, with his black-lidded eye, 
Whatso the heaven in his wide vawte containes, 
 And all that in the deepest earth remaines, 
And troubled kingdome of wilde beasts behelde, 
Whom not their kindly Sovereigne did welde, 
But an usurping Ape, with guile suborn`d, 
Had all subverst, he sdeignfully it scorn`d 
 In his great heart, and hardly did refraine, 
But that with thunder bolts he had him slaine, 
And driven downe to hell, his dewest meed: 
But, him avizing, he that dreadfull deed 
Forbore, and rather chose with scornfull shame 
 Him to avenge, and blot his brutish name 
Unto the world, that never after anie 
Should of his race be voyd of infamie; 
And his false counsellor, the cause of all, 
To damne to death, or dole perpetuall, 
 From whence he never should be quit, nor stal`d. 
Forthwith he Mercurie unto him cal`d, 
And bad him flie with never-resting speed 
Unto the forrest, where wilde beasts doo breed, 
And there enquiring privily, to learne 
 What did of late chaunce happen to the Lyon stearne, 
That he rul`d not the Empire, as he ought? 
And whence were all those plaints unto him brought 
Of wronges, and spoyles, by salvage beastes committed? 
Which done, he bad the Lyon be remitted 
 Into his seate, and those same treachours vile 
Be punished for their presumptuous guile. 

      The Sonne of Maia, soone as he receiv`d 
That word, streight with his azure wings he cleav`d 
The liquid clowdes, and lucid firmament; 
 Ne staid, till that he came with steep descent 
Unto the place where his prescript did showe. 
There stouping, like an arrowe from a bowe, 
He soft arrived on the grassie plaine, 
And fairly paced forth with easie paine, 
 Till that unto the Pallace nigh he came. 
Then gan he to himselfe new shape to frame; 
And that faire face, and that Ambrosiall hew, 
Which wonts to decke the Gods immortall crew, 
And beautefie the shinie firmament, 
 He doft, unfit for that rude rabblement. 
So, standing by the gates in strange disguize, 
He gan enquire of some in secret wize, 
Both of the King, and of his government, 
And of the Foxe, and his false blandishment: 
 And evermore he heard each one complaine 
Of foule abuses both in realme and raine; 
Which yet to prove more true he meant to see, 
And an ey-witnes of each thing to bee. 
Tho on his head his dreadfull hat he dight, 
 Which maketh him invisible in sight, 
And mocketh th` eyes of all the lookers on, 
Making them thinke it but a vision. 
Through power of that he runnes through enemies swerds; 
Through power of that he passeth through the herds 
 Of ravenous wilde beasts, and doth beguile 
Their greedie mouthes of the expected spoyle; 
Through power of that his cunning theeveries 
He wonts to worke, that none the same espies; 
And, through the power of that, he putteth on.

What shape he list in apparition. 
That on his head he wore, and in his hand 
He tooke Caduceus, his snakie wand, 
With which the damned ghosts he governeth, 
And furies rules, and Tartare tempereth. 
 With that he causeth sleep to seize the eyes, 
And feare the harts of all his enemyes; 
And, when him list, an universall night 
Throughout the world he makes on everie wight; 
As when his Syre with Alcumena lay. 
Thus dight, into the Court he tooke his way, 
Both through the gard, which never him descride, 
And through the watchmen, who him never spide: 
Thenceforth he past into each secrete part, 
Whereas he saw, that sorely griev`d his hart, 
 Each place abounding with fowle injuries, 
And fild with treasure rackt with robberies; 
Each place defilde with blood of guiltles beasts, 
Which had been slaine to serve the Apes beheasts: 
Gluttonie, malice, pride, and covetize, 
 And lawlesnes raigning with riotize; 
Besides the infinite extortions, 
Done through the Foxes great oppressions, 
That the complaints thereof could not be tolde. 
Which when he did with lothfull eyes beholde, 
 He would no more endure, but came his way, 
And cast to seeke the Lion where he may, 
That he might worke the avengement for this shame 
On those two caytives, which had bred him blame. 
And, seeking all the forrest busily, 
 At last he found, where sleeping he did ly. 
The wicked weed, which there the Foxe did lay, 
From underneath his head he tooke away, 
And then him waking, forced up to rize. 
The Lion looking up gan him avize, 
As one late in a traunce, what had of long 
Become of him; for fantasie is strong. 
`Arise, (said Mercurie) thou sluggish beast, 
That here liest senseles, like the corpse deceast, 
The whilste thy kingdome from thy head is rent, 
1330: And thy throne royall with dishonour blent: 
Arise, and doo thyself redeeme from shame, 
And be aveng`d on those that breed thy blame.` 
      
Thereat enraged, soone he gan upstart, 
Grinding his teeth, and grating his great hart; 
 And, rouzing up himselfe, for his rough hide 
He gan to reach, but no where it espide. 
Therewith he gan full terribly to rore, 
And chafte at that indignitie right sore: 
But when his Crowne and scepter both he wanted, 
 Lord! how he fum`d, and sweld, and rag`d, and panted; 
And threatned death, and thousand deadly dolours, 
To them that had purloyn`d his Princely honours. 
With that in hast, disroabed as he was, 
He toward his owne Pallace forth did pas; 
 And all the way he roared as he went, 
That all the forrest with astonishment 
Thereof did tremble, and the beasts therein 
Fled fast away from that so dreadfull din. 
At last he came unto his mansion, 
 Where all the gates he found fast lockt anon, 
And manie warders round about them stood: 
With that he roar`d alowd, as he were wood, 
That all the Pallace quaked at the stound, 
As if it quite were riven from the ground, 
 And all within were dead and hartles left; 
And th` Ape himselfe, as one whose wits were reft, 
Fled here and there, and everie corner sought, 
To hide himselfe from his owne feared thought. 
But the false Foxe, when he the Lion heard, 
 Fled closely forth, streightway of death afeard, 
And to the Lion came, full lowly creeping, 
With fained face, and watrie eyne halfe weeping, 
T` excuse his former treason and abusion, 
And turning all unto the Apes confusion. 
 Nath`les the royall Beast forbore beleeving, 
But bad him stay at ease till further preeving. 

Then, when he saw no entraunce to him graunted, 
Roaring yet lowder that all harts it daunted, 
Upon those gates with force he fiercely flewe, 
And, rending them in pieces, felly slewe 
Those warders strange, and all that els he met. 
But th` Ape still flying he no where might get: 
From rowme to rowme, from beam to beame he fled 
All breathles, and for feare now almost ded; 
Yet him at last the Lyon spide, and caught, 
And forth with shame unto his judgement brought. 
Then all the beasts he caus`d assembled bee, 
To heare their doome, and sad ensample see. 
The Foxe, first Author of that treacherie, 
He did uncase, and then away let flie: 
But th` Apes long taile (which then he had) he quight 
Cut off, and both eares pared of their hight; 
Since which all Apes but halfe their eares have left, 
And of their tailes are utterlie bereft. 
So Mother Hubberd her discourse did end, 
Which pardon me, if I amisse have pend; 
For weake was my remembrance it to hold, 
And bad her tongue that it so bluntly tolde.
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