ouerthrowne by the Welchmen which word Croggen hath since beene vsed to the Welchmens disgrace which was at first begun with their honour And old Caer-Merdin Merlins famous towne Caer-Merdin or Merlins Towne so called of Merlins beeing found there This was Ambrose Merlin whose prophecies weâ— haue There was another of that name called Merlin Siluestris borne in Scotland surnamed Calidonius of the Forrest Calidon where he prophecied And kept our natiue language now thus long The Welchmen be those auncient Brittaines which when the Picks Danes and Saxons inuaded heere were first diuen into those parts where they haue kept their language euer fince the first without commixion with any other language FINIS To my worthy and deerely esteemed Friend Maister Iames Huish SIR your owne naturall inclination to vertue your loue to the Muses assure mee of your kinde acceptance of my dedication It is seated by custome from which wee are now bolde to assume authoritie to beare the names of our friends vpon the fronts of our bookes as Gentlemen vse to set theyr Armes ouer theyr gates Some say this vse beganne by the Heroes and braue spirits of the old world which were desirous to bee thought to patronize learning and men in requitall honour the names of those braue Princes But I thinke some after put the names of great men in their bookes for that men shoulde say there was some thing good onely because indeed their names stoode there But for mine owne part not to dissemble I find no such vertue in any of theyr great titles to doe so much for anie thing of mine and so let them passe Take knowledge by this I loue you in good faith worthy of all loue I thinke you which I pray you may supply the place of further complement Yours euer M. Drayton Elinor Cobham to Duke Humfrey The Argument Elinor Cobham daughter to the Lord Cobham of Sterborough and wife to Humfry Plantaginet Duke of Glocester the son of Henry the fourth King of England sirnamed Bullingbrooke This noble Duke for his great wisedome and iustice called the good was by King Henry the fift brother to this Duke at his death appointed Protector of the Land during the nonage of Henry the sixt this Elinor Duches of Glocester a proud and ambitious woman knowing that if young Henry died without issue the duke her husband was the neerest of the blood conspired with one Bullenbrooke otherwise called Onely a great Magitian Hun a priest and Iourdane witch of Eye by sorcery to make away the king by coniuration to know who should succeede Of this beeing iustly conuicted she was adiudged to do penance three seuerall times openly in London then to perpetuall banishment in the I le of Man from whence she writeth this Epistle ME thinks not knowing who these lines should send Thou straight turn'st ouer to the latter end VVhere thou my name no sooner hast espi'd But in disdaine my letters casts aside VVhy if thou wilt I will my selfe denie Nay I 'le affirme and sweare I am not I Or if in that thy shame thou doost perceiue I le leaue that name that name my selfe shall leaue And yet me thinks amaz'd thou shouldst not stand Nor seeme so much appauled at my hand For my misfortunes haue inur'd thine eye Long before this to sights of misery No no read on t is I the very same All thou canst read is but to reade my shame Be not dismaid nor let my name afright The worst it can is but t' offend thy sight It cannot wound nor doe thee deadly harme It is no dreadfull spell nor magique charme If shee that sent it loue Duke Humfrey so I st possible her name should be his foe Yes I am Elnor I am very shee vvho brought for dower a virgins bed to thee Though enuious Beuford slaunder'd me before To be Duke Humfreys wanton Paramore And though indeed I can it not denie To magique once I did my selfe apply I won thee not as there be many thinke vvith poysoning Philters and betwitching drinke Nor on thy person did I euer proue Those wicked potions so procuring loue I cannot boast to be rich Hollands heyre Nor of the blood and greatnes of Bauier Yet Elnor brought no forraine Armies in To fetch her backe as did thy Iacomin Nor clamorous husbands folowed me that fled Exclaiming Humfrey to defile his bed Nor wast thou forc'd the slaunder to suppresse To send me backe as an adulteresse Brabant nor Burgoyne claimed me by force Nor su'd to Rome to hasten my deuorce Nor Belgias pompe defac'd with Belgias fire The iust reward of her vniust desire Nor Bedfords spouse your noble sister Anne That princely-issued great Burgunnian Should stand with me to moue a womans strife To yeeld the place to the Protectors wife If Cobhams name my birth can dignifie Or Sterborough renowne my familie VVhere 's Greenewich now thy Elnors Court of late vvhere she with Humfrey held a princely state That pleasant Kent when I abroade should ride That to my pleasure layd forth all her pride The Thames by water when I tooke the ayre Daunc'd with my Barge in lanching from the stayre The anchoring ships that when I pass'd the roade vvere wont to hang their chequered tops abroad How could it be those that were wont to stand To see my pompe so goddesse-like on land Should after see mee mayld vp in a sheete Doe shamefull penance three times in the streete Rung with a bell a Taper in my hand Bare-foote to trudge before a Beedles wand That little babes not hauing vse of tongue Stoode poynting at me as I came along VVher 's Humfreys power where was his great command vvast thou not Lord-protector of the Land Or for thy iustice who can thee denie The title of the good Duke Humfrey Hast thou not at thy life and in thy looke The seale of Gaunt the hand of Bullingbrooke VVhat blood extract from famous Edwards line Can boast it selfe to be so pure as thine vvho else next Henry should the Realme prefer If it allow of famous Lancaster But Rayners daughter must from Fraunce be fet And with a vengeance on our throne be set Mauns Maine and Aniou on that begger cast To bring her home to England in such hast And what for Henry thou hast laboured there To ioyne the King with Arminacks rich heyre Must all be dash'd as no such thing had been Poole needs must haue his darling made a Queen How should he with our Princes else be plac'd To haue his Earleship with a Dukedome grac'd And raise the ofspring of his blood so hie As Lords of vs and our posteritie O that by Sea when he to Fraunce was sent The ship had sunck wherein the traytor went Or that the sands had swallowed her before Shee ere set foote vpon the English shore But all is well nay we haue store to giue vvhat need we more we by her lookes can liue All that great Henries conquests
THE BARRONS WARS in the raigne of Edward the second VVITH ENGLANDS Heroicall Epistles ¶ By Michaell Drayton AT LONDON Printed by I. R. for N. Ling. 1603. To the worthy and his most honored friend Ma. VValter Aston I vvill not striue m' invention to inforce vvith needlesse words your eyes to entertaine T' obserue the formall ordinarie course That euery one so vulgarly doth faine Our interchanged and deliberate choice Is with more firme and true election sorted Then stands in censure of the common voyce That with light humor fondly is transported Nor take I patterne of anothers praise Then what my pen may constantly avow Nor walke more publique nor obscurer waies Then vertue bids and iudgement will alow So shall my loue and best endeuours serue you And still shall studie still so to deserue you Michaell Drayton To the Reader The Quadrin doth neuer double or to vse a word of Heraldrie neuer bringeth foorth Gemells The Quinzain too soone The Sestin hath Twinnes in the base but they detaine not the Musicke nor the Cloze as Musitions terme it long enough for an Epick Poem The stanza of seauen is touched before This of eight both holds the tune cleaue through to the base of the columne which is the couplet at the foote or bottom closeth not but with a full satisfaction to the eare for so long detention Briefely this sort of stanza hath in it maiestie perfection soliditie resembling the piller which in Architecture is called the Tuscan whose shaft is of sixe diameters bases of two The other reasons this place will not beare but generally all stanzas are in my opinion but tyrants and torturers when they make inuention obey theyr number which sometime would otherwise scantle it selfe A fault that great Maisters in this Art striue to auoyde Concerning the deuision which I vse in this Poem I am not ignorant that antiquitie hath vsed to distinguish workes into Bookes and euery one to beare the number of theyr order Homers Iliads and Vlysiads indeede are distinguished by seuerall letters of the Greeke Alphabet as all the world knowes and not by the numerall letters onely which to Iota are digit and afterward compound the Alpha beeing our vnit for the Greekes had no figures nor cyphers in their Arithmeticke Virgils AEneis Statius Thebais Silius worke of the Carthagenian war Illyricus Argonauticks Vidas Christeis are all deuided into books The Italians vse Cantos so our first late great Reformer Ma. Spenser that I assume another name for the sections in this volum cannot be disgratious nor vnauowable Lastly if I haue not already exceeded the length of an Epistle I am to intreat that he who wil as any man may that wil make himselfe a party to this of ours would be pleased to remeÌ„ber that Spartan Prince who beeing found by certaine Embassadors playing among his children requested them to forbeare to censure til also they had some of their owne To such I giue a sample power and priuiledge as euer Ius liberorum could in Rome crauing backe againe at their hands by a regrant the like of that which I impart for great reason there is that they should vndergoe the licence which themselues challenge suffer that in their fames which they would wrongly put vpon others according to the most indifferent law of the Talio Fare you well To Ma. Michaell Drayton WHat ornament might I deuise to fit Th' aspiring height of thy admired spirit Or what faire Garland worthy is to sit On thy blest browes that compasse in all merit Thou shalt not crowned be with common Bayes Because for thee it is a crowne too low Apolloes tree can yeeld thee simple prayse It is too dull a vesture for thy brow But with a wreath of starres shalt thou be crown'd vvhich when thy working temples doe sustaine vvill like the Spheares be euer moouing round After the royall musick of thy braine Thy skill doth equall Phoebus not thy birth He to heauen giues musick thou to earth Thomas Greene. To Ma. Michaell Drayton THose painfull wits which natures depth admire And view the causes of vnconstant strife Doe tremble least the Vniuerse expire Through lasting iarres the enemies of life On earthly signes let not such Sages looke Nor on the cleere aspects of hopefull starres But learne the worlds continuance from thy booke vvhich frames past Natures force eternall warres vvherein the Muses shewing perfect glory Adorne it so with gracefull harmonie That all the acts of this lamented storie Seeme not perform'd for peoples liberty Nor through the awe of an imperious King But that thy verses their deepe wounds might sing Iohn Beumont THE FIRST BOOKE of the Barrons warres The Argument The grieuous plagues and the prodigious signes That this great warre and slaughter doe foreshow Th' especiall cause the Barronage combines The Queenes strong griefe whence many troubles grow The time by course vnto our fall inclines And how each country doth to battell goe VVhat cause to yeeld the Mortimers pretend And their commitment perfecting the end 1 THe bloody factions and rebellious pride Of a strong nation whose vnmanag'd might Them from their naturall Soueraigne did diuide Their due subiection and his lawfull right VVhom their light error loosely doth misguide Vrg'd by lewd Minions tyrannous despight Me from soft layes and tender loues doth bring Of dreadfull fights and horred warres to sing 2 VVhat hellish furie poysned your hie blood Or should bewitch you with accursed charmes That by pretending of the generall good Rashly extrudes you to tumultuous armes And from the safety wherein late you stood Reft of all taste and feeling of your harmes That Fraunce and Belgia with affrighted eyes vvere sad beholders of your miseries 3 Th'inueterate ranckor in their boosoms bred vvho for their charter wag'd a former war Or through your vaines this raging venom spred vvhose next-succeeding Nephewes now you are Or that hote gore your bowes in conquest shed Hauing enlarg'd your countries bounds so far Ensigne to ensigne furiously oppose vvith blades of Bilbo dealing English blowes 4 O thou the great director of my Muse On whose free bounty all my powers depend Into my breast a sacred fire infuse Rauish my spirit this great worke to attend Let the still night my laboured lines peruse That when my Poems gaine their wished end They whose sad eyes shall read this tragique story In my weake hand shall see thy might and glory 5 VVhat care would plot discentions quickly crosse vvhich like an earthquake rends the tottering state By which abroade we beare a publique losse Betrayd at home by meanes of priuate hate vvhilst vs these strange calamities doe tosse The daily nurse of mutinous debate Confusion still our Countries peace confounds No helpe at hand and mortall all our wounds 6 Thou Church then swelling in thy mightinesse Tending the care and safety of the â—oule O nurse not factions flowing in excesse That vvith thy members shouldst theyr griefe condole In thee rests
her vaine dietie to get By him whose birth did beare her omenous seale VVinning occasion from this very howre In him to proue and manifest her power 47 As when we see the early rising sunne vvith his faire beames to emulate our sight And when his course but newly is begun The humerous foggs depriue his wished light Till through the moist clouds his cleere forehead run Climing the noonsted in his gorgious height His bright beginning fortune hindreth thus To make the rest more rich more glorious 48 The King discreetly that considered The space of earth whereon the Barrons stand vvhat were their powers to them contributed Now being himselfe but partner of his Land And of the strength and Army that he led Gainst them that doe so great a power commaund In which t' was well he did so wisely looke The taske was great that now he vndertooke 49 And warn'd by danger to misdoubt the worst In equall scales whilst ethers fortune hung Must now performe the vtmost that he durst Or vndergoe the burthen of his wrong As good to stirre as after be inforst To stop the head whence many euills sprong Now with the marcâ—ers thinks it best beginne vvhich first must loose ere he could hope to winne 50 The Mortimers beeing men of greatest might vvhose name was dreadfull and commaunded far Sturdy to manage of a haughty spright Strongly aly'd much followed popular On whom if thus he happily could light He hopes more easly to conclude this war vvhich he intendeth speedily to try To quit that first which most stood in his eye 51 For which he expeditiously prouided That part of land into his power to get vvhich if made good might keepe them still deuided Their combination cunningly to let vvho beeing conioyn'd would be too strongly sided Two so great strengthes together safely met The face of warre would looke so sterne and great As well might threat to heaue him from his seate 52 VVherefore from London strongly setting forth vvith a faire Army furnish'd of the best Accompany'd with friends of greatest worth vvith whom ther 's many a gallant spirit is prest Great Lancaster the Lord of all the North The Mortimers are Maisters of the VVest He towards mid England makes the way twixt either vvhich they must crosse ere they could come together 53 And thus inueagled with delightfull hope Stoutly to front and shoulder with debate Knowing to meet with a resolued â—â—oupe That came prepar'd with courage and with hate vvhose stubborne Crests if he inforc'd to stoope He now must tempt some great and powerfull fate And through sterne guards of swords â—efull flame Make way to peace and propagate his name 54 VVhen now the Marchers well vpon theyr way Expecting such should promisd succour bring vvhich all this while abusd them by delay Are suddainly encounted by the King And now perceiue theyr dilatory stay To be the causer of their ruining How neere theyr bosoms blacke destruction stood vvith open iawes prepared for their blood 55 And by the shifting of inconstant wind Seeing what weather they were like to meet vvhich euen at first so aukwardly they find Ere they could yet giue sea-roomth to their fleet Cleane from their course and cast so far behind And yet in perrill euery hower to split Some vnknowne harbor suddainly must sound Or runne theyr fortunes desperatly on ground 56 The elder peere graue politique and wise vvhich had all dangers absolutely scand Finding high time his Nephew to aduise Since now their state stood on this desperate hand And from this mischiefe many more to rise vvith long experience learnd to vnderstand Nephew saith he t is longer vaine to striue Counsell best serues our safety to contriue 57 The downe-right perrill present in our eye Not to be shund what certaine end t'assures The next the weight that on our fall doth lie And what our life to our designe procures Each hope and doubt that doth arise thereby Prouing with iudgement how the same indures For who obserues strict pollicies true lawes Shifts his proceeding to the varying cause 58 To hazard fight with the Emperiall powers May our small troupes vndoubtedly appall A desperate end vs willingly deuours Yeelding our selues by this we loose not all VVe leaue our friends this little force of ours Reseru'd for them though haplesly we fall That shew of weaknes hath a glorious hand That falls it selfe to make the cause to stand 59 Twixt in expected and so dangerous ills That 's best wherein we smallest perrill see A course that reason necessary wills And that doth most with pollicy agree The idle vulgar breath it nothing skils T is sound discretion must our Pyloâ— be He that doth still the say rest meane preferre Answers opinion how so ere he erre 60 And to the worlds eye seeming yet so strong By our descending willingly from thence May vrge the shew of our opposed wrong Rather b'inforcement then fore-thought pretence Leauing th' aduantage doth to vs belong May quallifie the nature of th' offence Men are not alwaies incident to losse vvhen Fortune seemes their forward cause to crosse 61 Nor giue we enuy absolute accesse To lay our fall vpon thy forward mind Ther 's neerer meanes this mischiefe to redresse And make succesfull what is yet behind Nor of our hope vs wholy dispossesse Fortune is euer variously inclind And a small vantage to the course of Kings Guides a slight meanes to compasse mighty things 62 vvhich speech so caught his Nephewâ— plyant youth Fastning vpon a dutifull respect vvhich he with such celerlty pursu'th vvell could he counsell well could he direct Proceeding from integrity and truth And working with such prosperous effect Shews wisemens counsels by a powerfull fate Seeming from reason yet proue fortunate 63 To which they awfull Maiestie enuite By the most due and ceremonious way vvith circumstance and each conditi'nall rite Might winne respect vnto this new essay Or might opinion any way excite To which the King doth willingly obayâ— VVho as themselues in finding danger neere Rather accepts doubt then a certaine feare 64 VVhich he receaues in presage of his good To his successe auspiciously apply'd vvhich cooles the heate of his distempred blood Before their force in doubtfull Armes was try'd In his protection when they onely stood At his disposing wholy to abide vvhereon in safety he dismist their power Sends them away as prisoners to the Tower 65 O all-preparing prouidence Diuine In thy large Booke what secrets are enrold VVhat sundry helps doth thy great power assigne To stay the course thou stedfastly doost hold vvhat mortall sence is able to define Thy mysteries thy counsels manifold By these digressions strangely that extends Thy obscure proceedings to aparent ends 66 This was the meane by which the Fates dispose More threatned plagues vpon that age to bring Vtter confusion on the heads of those That were before the Barrons ruining vvith the subuersion of so many foes The murther of the miserable King And
on to draw them vp the hill That by his strength they might get power to rise Thus they in all things are before him still This perfect steersman of their policies Hath cast to walke whilst Edward beares the light And take that ayme that must direct his sight 66 And by th'alowance of his liberall will Supposd his safety furthering their intent Stands as a rest to iustifie their ill Made sound and currant by this late euent And what yet wanting lastly to fulfill Things in theyr course to fall in true consent Giues full assurance of that happy end On which they now laboriously attend 67 Nor finding reason longer to protract Or in suspence their home-left friends to hold By beeing now so absolutely back'd And thereby waxing confident and bold By their proceedings publishing their act vvhen as their power was ripened as they would Now with an armed and erected hand To abet their faction absolutely stand 68 VVhen now the fearefull fainting Exceter A man experienc'd in their counsels long vvhether himselfe thought his way to prefer Or mou'd in conscience with King Edwards wrong Or t' was his frailty forc'd him thus to erre Or other fatall accident among The onely first that backe to England flew And knowing all discouered all he knew 69 The plot of treason lastly thus disclos'd And Torletons drift by circumstances found vvith what conueyance things had beene dispos'd The cunning vsd in casting of the ground The meanes and apt aduantages he chos'd vvhen better counsell coldly comes to sound Awakes the King to see his owne estate vvhen the preuention comes too vaine and late 70 And whilst the time she daily doth adiourne Charles as a brother by perswasions deales Edward with threats to hasten her returne And Iohn of Rome with papall curse assailes T is but in vaine against her will to spurne Perswasions threats nor curses ought preuailes Charles Edward Iohn doe th' vtmost of your worst The Queene fares best when she the most is curst 71 The subtile Spensers which French humors felt And with their Soueraigne had deuisd the draught vvith Prince and Peeres now vnderhand had delt vvith golden bayts that craftily were caught vvhose flexed temper soone begins to melt On which they now by flights so throughly wrought As with great summes now lastly ouer-way'd The wretched Queene is desperate of ayde 72 Nor can all this amaze this mighty Queene vvith all th'affliction neuer yet contrould Neuer such courage in her sexe was seene Nor was she cast in other womens mould Nor can rebate the edge of her hie spleene But can endure warre trauaile want and cold Strugling with fortune ne're with greefe opprest Most cheerfull still when she was most distrest 73 And thus resolu'd to leaue ingratefull Fraunce And in the world her fortune yet to try Changing the ayre hopes time may alter chance As one whose thoughts were eleuate more hie Her weakned state still seeking to aduaunce Her mighty mind so scorneth misery Yet ere she went her grieued hart to ease Thus to the King this grieued Lady saies 74 Is this a King and Brothers part quoth she And to this end did I my griefe vnfold Came I to heale my wounded hart to thee vvhere slaine outright I now the same behold Proue these thy vowes thy promises to me In all this heate thy faith become so cold To leaue me thus forsaken at the worst My state more wretched then it was at first 75 My frailty vrging what my want requires To thy deere mercy should my teares haue ty'd Our bloods maintained by the selfe-same fires And by our fortunes as our birth aly'd My sute supported by my iust desires All arguments I should not be deny'd The grieuous wrongs that in my bosome be Should be as neere thy care as I to thee 76 Nature that easly wrought vpon my sex To thy vile pleasure thus mine honour leaues And vnder colour of thy due respects My setled trust disâ—oially deceaues That me and mine thus carelesly neglects And of all comfort wholy me bereaues Twixt recreant basenes and disord'nate will To expose my fortunes to the worst of ill 77 But for my farwell this I prophecie That from my wombe thaâ— glorious fruit doth spring vvhich shall deiect thy neere posteritie And lead a captiue thy succeeding King That shall reuenge this wretched iniury To fatall Fraunce I as a Sybel sing Her Cittie 's sack'd the slaughter of her men vvhen of the English one shall conquer ten 78 Bewmount in Fraunce that had this shuffling seene vvhose soule by kindnes Isabell had wonne For Henault now perswades the greeued Queene By full assurance what might there be done Now in the anguish of this tumerous spleene Offring his faire Neece to the Prince her sonne The surest way to gaine his brothers might To back young Edward and vphold her right 79 This gallant Lord whose name euen fild report To whom the souldiers of that time did throng A man that fashion'd others of his sort As that knew all to honour did belong And in his youth traynd vp with her in Court And fully now confirmed in her wrong Crost by the faction of th'emperiall part In things that sat too neerly to his hart 80 Sufficient motiues to inuite destresse To apprehend the least and poorest meane Against those mischiefes that so strongly presse vvhereon their low deiected state to leane And at this season though it were the lesse That might awhile their sickly power sustaine Till prosperous times by mild and temperate dayes Their drooping hopes to former height might raise 81 VVhere finding cause to breathe their restlesse state vvhere welcome look'd with a more milder face From those dishonours she receau'd of late vvhere now she wants no due officious grace Vnder the guidance of a gentler fate vvhere bountious offers mutually embrace And to conclude all ceremonies past The Prince affies faire Pâ—illip at the last 82 All cou'nants sign'd with wedlocks sacred seale A lasting league eternally to bind And all proceeding of religious zeale And suting right with Henaults mighty mind That to his thoughts much honor doth reueale vvhat ease the Queene is like thereby to find The sweet contentment of the louely bride Young Edward pleasd and ioy on eu'ry side The end of the third Canto The fourth Booke of the Barrons warres The Argument The Queene in Henault mightie power doth wiâ—â— In Harwich hauen safely is arriu'd Great troubles now in England new begin The King of friends and safety is depriu'd Flieth to VVales at Neath receiued in Many strange acts and outrages contriu'd Edward betray'd deliu'red vp at Neath The Spensers and his friends are put to death 1 NOw seanen times Phoebus had his welked waine Vpon the top of all the Torpick set And seauen times discending downe againe His fiery wheeles had with the fishes wet In the accurrents of this haplesse raigne Since treason first these troubles did beget vvhich through more strange varieties hath runne Then
first Marques and after created Duke of Suffolke beeing sent into Fraunce by King Henry the sixt concludeth a marriage betweene the King his Maister and Margaret daughter to Rayner Duke of Aniou who onely â—ad the title of the King of Cicily and Ierusalem This marriage beeing made contrare to the lyking of the Lordes and Counsell of the Realme by reason of the yeelding vp Aniou and Maine into the Dukes hands which shortly after proued the losse of all Aquitaine they euer after continually hated the Duke and after by meanes of the Commons banished him at the parlement at Berry where after he had the iudgment of his exile beeing then ready to depart hee writeth backe to the Queene this Epistle IN my disgrace deere Queene rest thy content And Margarets health from Suffolkes banishment Not one day seemes fiue yeeres exile to mee But that so soone I must depart from thee VVhere thou not present it is euer night All be exil'd that liue not in thy sight Those Sauages which worship the suns rise vvould hate theyr God if they beheld thine eyes The worlds great light might'st thou be seene abroad vvould at our noone-â—tead euer make aboade And make the poore Antipodes to mourne Fearing least he would neuer more returne VVer 't not for thee it were my great'st exile To liue within this Sea-inuirond I le Poles courage brookes not limmitting in bands But that great Queene thy soueraignty commandsâ— Our Falcons kinde cannot the cage indure Nor buzzard-like doth stoope to euery lure Theyr mounting broode in open ayre doth roue Nor will with Crowes be coop'd within a groue VVe all doe breath vpon this earthly ball Likewise one heauen encompasseth vs all No banishment can be to him assign'd vvho doth retaine a true resolued minde Man in himselfe a little world doth beare His soule the Monarch euer ruling there vvhere euer then his body doth remaine He is a King that in himselfe doth raigne And neuer feareth Fortunes hot'st alarmes That beares against her Patience for his Armes This was the meane proude VVarwicke did inuent To my disgrace at Leister parlement That onely my base yeelding vp of Maine Should be the losse of fertile Aquitaine vvith the base vulgar sort to win him fame To be the heire of good Duke Humfreys name And so by treason spotting my pure blood Make this a meane to raise the Neuels brood VVith Salisbury his vile ambitious Syer In Yorkes sterne brest kindling long hidden fyer By Clarence title working to supplant The Eagle ayrie of great Iohn of Gaunt And to this end did my exile conclude Thereby to please the rascall multitude Vrg'd by these enuious Lords to spend theyr breath Calling reuenge on the Protectors death That since the old decrepit Duke is dead By me of force he must be murthered If they would know who rob'd him of his life Let them call home Dame Ellinor his wife vvho with a Taper walked in a sheet To light her shame at no one through London street And let her bring her Negromantick booke That foule â—ag Iordane Hun and Bullenbrooke And let them call the spirits from hell againe To know how Humfrey died and who shall raigne For twenty yeeres and haue I seru'd in Fraunce Against great Charles and bastard Orleance And seene the slaughter of a world of men Victorious now and conquered agen And haue I seene Vernoylas batfull fields Strew'd with ten thousand Helmes ten thousandâ— shields VVhere famous Bedford did our fortune try Or Fraunce or England for the victory The sad inuesting of so many Townes Scor'd on my brest in honourable wounds vvhen Mountacute and Talbot of such name Vnder my Ensigne both first won theyr fame In heate and cold all fortunes haue indur'd To rouze the French within their walls immur'd Through all my life these perrils haue I past And now to feare a banishment at last Thou know'st how I thy beauty to aduance For thee refusd the infant Queene of Fraunce Brake the contract Duke Humfrey first did make Twixt Henry and the Princesse Arminacke Onely sweet Queene thy presence I might gaine I gaue Duke Rayner Aniou Mauns and Maine Thy peerelesse beautie for a dower to bring To counterpoize the wealth of Englands King And from Aumerle with-drew my warlike powers And came my selfe in person first to Towers Th' Embassadors for truce to entertaine From Belgia Denmarke Hungarie and Spayne And telling Henry of thy beauties story I taught my tongue a Louers oratory As the report it selfe did so indite And make it rauish teares with such delight And when my speech did cease as telling all My lookes shew'd more that was Angelicall And when I breath'd againe and paused next I left mine eyes to comment on the text Then comming of thy modestie to tell In musicks numbers my voyce rose and fell And when I came to paint thy glorious stile My speech in greater cadenâ—es to file By true descent to weare the Diadem Of Naples Cicils and Ierusalem And from the Gods thou didst deriue thy birth If heauenly kinde could ioyne with broode of earth Gracing each title that I did recite vvith some mellifluous pleasing Epithete Nor left him not till he for loue was sicke Beholding thee in my sweet Rhetoricke A fifteenes taxe in Fraunce I freely spent In triumphs at thy nuptiall Tournament And solemniz'd thy marriage in a gowne Valu'd at more then was thy fathers Crowne And onely striuing how to honour thee Gaue to my King what thy loue gaue to mee Iudge if his kindnes haue not power to moue vvho for his louesâ— sake gaue away his loue Had he which once the prize to Greece did bring Of whom old Poets long agoe did sing Seene thee for England but imbarqu'd at Deepe vvould ouer-boord haue cast his golden sheepe As too vnworthy ballace to be thought To pester roome with such perfection fraught The briny seas which saw the ship enfold thee vvould vaute vp to the hatches to behold thee And falling backe themselues in thronging smother Breaking for griefe enuying one another vvhen the proud Barke for ioy thy steps to feele Scorn'd the salt waues should kisse her furrowing keele And trick'd in all her flags her selfe she braues Capring for ioy vpon the siluer waues vvhen like a Bull from the Phenician strand Ioue with Europa tripping from the land Vpon the bosome of the maine doth scud And with his swannish breast cleauing the floud Tow'rd the faire fields vpon the other side Beareth Agenors ioy Phenicias pride All heauenly beauties ioyne themselues in one To shew their glory in thine eye alone VVhich when it turneth that celestiall ball A thousand sweet starres rise a thousand fall VVho iustly saith mine banishment to bee vvhen onely Fraunce for my recourse is free To view the plaines where I haue seene so oft Englands victorious Engines raisd aloft vvhen this shall be my comfort in my way To see the place where I may boldly say Heere mightie Bedford forth the
away loue if you take iealousie VVhen Henry Turwin and proud Turnay won Little thought I the end when this begun vvhen Maximilian to those wars adrest vvare Englands Crosse on his imperiall brest And in our Armie let his Eagle flie And had his pay from Henries treasurie Little thought I when first began these wars My marriage day should end those bloody iars From which I vow I yet am free in thought But this alone by VVoolseys wit was wrought To his aduise the King gaue free consent That will I nill I I must be content My virgins right my state could not aduance But now enriched with the dower of Fraunce Then but poore Suffolkes Dutches had I beene Now the great Dowager the most Christian Queene But I perceiue where all thy griefe doth lie Lewes of Fraunce had my virginitie He had indeed but shall I tell thee what Beleeue me Brandon he had scarcely that Good feeble King he could not doe much harme But age must needs haue something that is warme Smal drops God knowes doe quench that heatlesse fire vvhen all the strength is onely in desire And I could tell if modesty might tell There 's somewhat else that pleaseth Louers well To rest his cheeke vpon my softer cheeke vvas all he had and more he did not seeke So might the little babie clip the nurse And it content she neuer a whit the worse Then thinke this Brandon if that makes thee frowne For mayden-head he on my head set a Crowne vvho would exchaunge a Kingdome for a kisse Hard were the hart that would not yeeld him this And time yet halfe so swiftly doth not passe Not full fiue months yet elder then I was VVhen thou to Fraunce conducted was by fame vvith many Knights which from all Countries came Installed at S. Dennis in my throne vvhere Lewes held my coronation VVhere the proud Dolphin for thy valour sake Chose thee at tilt his princely part to take vvhen as the staues vpon thy caske did light Greeued there-with I turn'd away my sight And spake aloud when I my selfe forgot T is my sweet Charles my Brandon hurt him not But when I fear'd the King perceiued this Good silly man I pleas'd him with a kisse And to extoll his valiant sonne began That Europe neuer bred a brauer man And when poore King he simply praised thee Of all the rest I ask'd which thou should'st be Thus I with him dissembled for thy sake Open confession now amends must make VVhilst this old King vpon a pallet lies And onely holds a combat with mine eyes Mine eies from his by thy sight stolne away vvhich might too well their Mistres thoughts bewray But when I saw thy proud vnconquered Launce To beare the prize from all the flower of Fraunce To see what pleasure did my soule imbrace Might easily be discerned in my face Looke as the dew vpon a Damaske-Rose How through that clearest pearle his blushing showes And when the soft ayre breathes vpon his top From those sweet leaues falls easilly drop by drop Thus by my cheeke downe rayning from mine eyes One teare for ioy anothers roome supplies Before mine eye like touch thy shape did proue Mine eye condemn'd my too too partiall loue But since by others I the same doe trie My loue condemnes my too too partiall eye The precious stone most beautifull and rare vvhen with it selfe we onely doe compare vvee deeme all other of that kind to be As excellent as that we onely see But when we iudge of that with others by Too credulous we doe condemne our eye vvhich then appeares more orient more bright As from their dimnes borrowing great light Alansoon a fine timbered man and tall Yet wants the shape thou are adornd withall Vandon good carriage and a pleasing eye Yet hath not Suffolkes Princely maiestie Couragious Burbon a sweet manly face But yet he wants my Brandons courtly grace Proud Long auile our Court iudg'd had no peere A man scarce made was thought whilst thou wast heere County S. Paule brau'st man aâ— armes in Fraunce vvould yeeld himselfe a Squire to beare thy Launce Galleas and Bounearme matchlesse for their might Vnder thy towring blade haue coucht in fight If with our loue my brother angrie bee I le say for his sake I first loued thee And but to frame my liking to his mind Neuer to thee had I beene halfe so kind Should not the sister like as doth the brother The one of vs should be vnlike the other VVorthy my loue the vulgar iudge no man Except a Yorkist or Lancastrian Nor thinke that my affection should be set But in the line of great Plantaginet I passe not what the idle Commons say I pray thee Charles make hah and come away To thee what 's England if I be not there Or what to me is Fraunce if thou not heere Thy absence makes me angry for a while But at thy presence I must needlsy smile VVhen last of me his leaue my Brandon tooke He sware an oath and made my lips the booke He would make hast which now thou doo'st deny Thou art forsworne ô wilfull periury Sooner would I with greater sinnes dispence Then by intreaty pardon this offence But yet I thinke if I should come to shriue thee Great were the fault that I should not forgiue thee Yet wert thou heere I should reuenged be But it should be with too much louing thee I that is all that thou shalt feare to tast I pray thee Brandon come sweet Charles make hast Notes of the Chronicle Historie The vtmost date expired of my stay When I for Douer did depart away KIng Henry the 8. with the Queene and Nobles in the 6. yeere of his raigne in the moneth of September brought this ladie to Douer where she tooke shipping for Fraunce Think'st thou my loue was faithfull vnto thee When young Castile ' to England su'd for me It was agreed and concluded betwixt Hen. the 7. and Phillip King of Castile Sonne to Maximilean the Emperour that Charles eldest sonne of the said Phillip should marry the Lady Mary daughter to King Henry when they came to age which agreement was afterward in the 8. yeere of Henry the 8. annihilated When he in triumph of his victory Vnder a rich embrodered Canapy Entred proud Turney which did trembling stand c. Henry the 8. after thâ— long siege of Turnay which was deliuered to him vpon composition entred the Citty in triumph vnder a Canâ—py of cloth of gold borne by foure of the chiefe and most noble Citizens the King himselfe mounted vpon a gallant courser barbed with the Armes of England Fraunce and Ireland When Charles of Castile there to baâ—quet came With him his sister that ambitious Dame Sauoys proud Dutches. The King beeing at Tournay there came to him the Prince of Castile the Lady Margaret Dutches of Sauoy his sister to whom King Henry gaue great entertainment Sauoys proude Dutches knowing how long shee By her