Thomas Lodge - Broadview Press Publisher's Blog

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considerate judgement called him to court, commanding
him to cease his disordered assemblies,
lest in seeking to exterminate the injuries of the
rich, he should revive the insolence of the poor.
“For,” said he, “William, who seeth not whereto
these routs 1 tend? Who thinketh not that riot will
follow them? The labouring men that were kept
from innovations by their work are now capable of
all change and novelties in their idleness. In living
as they do, they rather are drawn to detest labour
than to follow it; wherethrough the offices and
mechanical crafts in the city do cease, and by the
omission of industry riseth the pretermission 2 of
duty. For this cause, as you have care of my love,
incite them not to too much liberty. Further them
what you may, if they be wronged, but let not
justice be a colour 3 to win them to wickedness.”
With these, or such like admonitions King
Richard attempted him, and so wrought him, that
for a while the commotions and motives of
trouble were laid apart, so that he walked London
streets with lesser troops, and wholly addicted
himself to play with his fair Maudeline, whose
unchaste life was a byword in the city.
How William with the Long Beard Slew
Arthur Brown, Who Deceived Him of His
Maudeline. [Chapter 4].
Whilst William was conversant in the affairs of
state, intending every way to enlarge his own
power, and attending daily upon the King’s pleasure,
it fortuned that one Arthur Brown, furthered
by his youth and fitted by occasion, fell in with
Maudeline, William’s wanton concubine. And
having wealth sufficient and wit no less subtle, he
so craftily handled the cause that he won the
young woman to stoop to a second lure, 4 and to
1 routs disordered or tumultuous assemblies.
2 pretermission neglect, disregard.
3 colour outward appearance aimed at concealing the truth.
4 to stoop to a second lure The image is taken from the falconer’s training
of the falcon to hunt for him through first training it to come to
a lure; a falcon would generally only hunt for its trainer, and Maudeline
is by implication betraying her first “trainer” William, by being
willing to pursue the lure offered by another “trainer” (Arthur).
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accept his love. Many and often times had they
intercourse, 5 so that at last the rumour passing in
every place, it could not choose but light at last in
William’s hearing, who moved beyond measure to
see himself outfaced by one who had so long time
been feared by all, he frowningly prepared
revenge, resolving with himself that no means
were too mean 6 to give a tragical sauce to his
corrupt meaning. Whereupon, breaking his mind
with certain of his faction, he agreed to watch an
opportunity to revenge impiety: and for that cause
watching very craftily when Arthur his rival should
repair unto his lawless leman, he at last surprised
and encountered him, and causing some of his
train to muffle him in his cloak and to stop his
mouth for fear of crying, he stabbed him with a
dagger in divers places, and in the last wound left
the same sticking, fastening the poor caitiff ’s own
hand with his own dagger, which he had purposely
(to avoid all means of suspicion, and to raise an
opinion that he had murdered himself) sheathed in
Arthur’s own body. This done, he departed unespied
and unsuspected; and the body being found,
according to the censure and verdict of the jury
which beheld the same, was thrust through with a
stake, and so buried as if he had been guilty of his
own murder. William—thus delivered of a supplanter
of his pleasure—after some unkindness
past and calmed between him and his Maudeline,
finally fell to an accord, accustoming her as he
was wont, under promise of more constancy in
affection [...]
But leaving these his effeminate follies of
youth, wherein he so ungraciously passed his
time, let us draw to the consideration of his traitorous
practices, and finally, as the fruit of such
sinister follies, conclude with his tragical end.
After he had for a time, until the Prince’s mind
were otherwise withdrawn with more weighty
matters, ceased both his routs and riots, the old
5 intercourse “Intercourse’s” exclusive meaning of “sexual intercourse”
is not available in the sixteenth century; here, the meaning is
more generally “meeting” or “social converse,” although sex was
obviously part of their frequent meetings.
6 mean base, low.