their states For they bee faults that foile men not their fates Th. Phaer HOW HENRY PERCY Earle of NORTHVMBERLAND was for his couetous and traiterous attempt put to death at Yorke Anno 1407. O Morall Senec true finde I thy saying That neither kinne riches strength or fauour Are free from Fortune but are aie decaying No worldly wealth is ought saue doubtfull labour Mans life in Earth is like vnto a tabour Which now to mirth doth mildly men prouoke And straight to warre with a more sturdy stroke All this full true I Percy finde by proofe Which whilom was Earle of Northumberland And therefore Baldwine for our peeres behoofe To note mens falles sith thou hast tane in hand I would thou should my state well vnderstand For few there were that were so much redoubted Whom double Fortune lifted vp and louted As for my kinne their noblenesse is knowen My valiant acts were folly for to praise Where through our foes so oft were ouerthrowen That who but I was doubted in my daies And that King Richard found at all assaies For neuer foes rebelled in his raigne But through my force were either caught or slaine A brother I had was Earle of Worcester Alwaies in office and fauour with the King And by my wife Dame Elenor Mortimer A sonne I had which so the foes did sting That being yong and but a very spring Henry Hotspur they gaue him vnto name And though I say it he did deserue the same We three triumphed in King Richards time Till Fortune ought both him and vs a spite But chiefly mee whom cleere from any crime My King did banish from his fauour quite Proclaiming mee a most disloyall Knight Where through false slander forced mee to bee That which before I did most deadly flee Let men beware how they true folke defame Or threaten on them the blame of vices nought For infamy breedeth wrath wreke followeth shame Eke open slander often times hath brought That to effect that erst was neuer thought To bee misdeem'd men suffer in a sort But none can beare the griefe of misreport Because my King did shame mee wrongfully I hated him and soone became his foe And while he did at warre in Ireland lie I did conspire to turne his weale to woe And through the Duke of Yorke and other moe All royall power from him wee quickly tooke And gaue the same to Henry Bolenbrooke Neither did we this onely for this cause But to say truth force draue vs to the same For he despising God and all his lawes Slew whom hee would made sinne a very game And seeing nor age nor consell could him tame We thought it well done for the Kingdomes sake To leaue his rule that did all rule for sake But when Sir Henry had attaind his place Hee straight became in all points worse then he Destroied the Peeres and slew King Richards grace Against his oth made to the Lords and me And seeking quarrels how to disagree He shamelesly requir'd me and my sonne To yeeld him foes which we in field had wonne My nephew also Edmund Mortimer The very heire apparent to the crowne Whom Owen Glendour held as prisoner With chaines fast bound in dungeon deepe cast downe He would not ransome but did felly frowne ' Gainst Mortimer and me which for him spake And him proclaimed traytour for our sake Thus foule despite did cause vs to conspire To put him downe as we did Richard erst And that we might this matter set on fire From Owens Iaile our cosin we remerst And vnto Glendour all our griefes rehearst Who made a bond with Mortimer and mee To priue the King and part the Realme in three But when King Henrie heard of this deuice To Owen Glendour he sped him very quicke Minding by force to stop our enterprise And as the diuell would then fell I sicke Howbeit my brother and sonne more politicke Then prosperous with an host from Scotland brought Encountred him at Shrewesbury where they fought The one was tane and kill'd the other slaine And shortly after was Owen put to flight By meanes whereof I forced was to faine That I knew nothing of the former fight Fraud oft auailes more then doth sturdie might For by my faining I brought him in beliefe I knew not that wherein my part was chiefe And while the King thus tooke me for his friend I sought all meanes my former wrong to wreake Which that I might bring to the sooner end To the Bishop of Yorke I did the matter breake And to th' Earle Marshall likewise did I speake Whose father was through Henries cause exiled The Bishops brother with trayterous death defiled These straight assented to do what they could So did the Lord Hastings and Lord Faueonbridge Which altogether promised they would Set all their power the Kings daies to abridge But see the spite before the birds were flidge The King had word and seased on the nest Whereby alas my friends were all opprest The bloodie tyrant brought them all to end Excepted me which into Scotland fled To George of Dunbar th' Earle of March my friend Who in my cause with many more made head And when on hope of greater aid I fed Both at the Frenchmen and the Flemmings hand And could get none I tooke such as I fand And with the helpe of George my very friend I did inuade Northumberland full bold Whereas the folke drew to me still on end Bent to death my partie to vphold Through helpe of these full many a fort and hold The which the King right manfully had man'd I easely wonne and seased in my hand Not so content for vengeance draue me on I entred Yorkshire there to waste and spoile But ere I had far in the countrie gone The Shiriffe thereof Raph Rokesbie did assoile My troubled host of much part of our toile For he assaulting freshly tooke through power Me and Lord Bardolph both at Bramham moore And thence conueyed vs to the towne of Yorke Vntill he knew what was the Kings intent There loe Lord Bardolph kinder then the Storke Did lose his head which was to London sent With whom for friendship mine in like case went This was my hap my fortune or my faut This life I led and thus I came to naught Wherefore good Baldwine will the Peeres take heed Of slander malice and conspiracie Of couetise whence all the rest proceed For couetise ioynt with contumacie Doth cause all mischiefe in mens hearts to breed And therefore this to esperance my word Who causeth bloodshed shall not scape the sword HOW RICHARD PLANTAGENET EARLE OF CAMBRIDGE INTENding the Kings destruction was put to death at Southhampton Anno Dom. 1415. HAste maketh waste hath commonly been said And secret mischiefe selde hath luckie speed A murdering mind with proper poyze is way'd All this is true I find it in my creed And therefore Baldwine warne all states take heed How they conspire another to betrap Lest mischiefe ment light in
dilatorie Ne Doctor or Proctor to alledge the lawes But forced me to plead in mine owne cause The Kings counsell were called to the case My husband then shut out for the season In whose absence I found but little grace For Lawyers turned our offence to treason And so with rigor without ruth or reason Sentence was giuen that I for the same Should doe penance and suffer open shame Nay the like shame had neuer wight I weene Duches Lady ne Damsel of degree As I that was a Princesse next the Queene Wife to a Prince and none so great as hee A Kings vncle Protector of his countrey With Taper burning shrouded in a sheete Three dayes a row to passe the open streete Barelegd and bare foote to all the worlds wonder Yea and as though such shame did not suffise With more despite then to part asunder Me and my Duke which Traitors did deuise By Statute lawe in most vnlawfull wise First sending me with shame into exile Then murdring him by trechery and guile Yea and besides this cruell banishment Far from all friends to comfort mee in care And husbands death there was by Parliament Ordaind for me a messe of courser fare For they to bring me to beggers state most bare By the same act from mee did then withdraw Such right of dower as widowes haue by law Death as t' is said doth set all things at rest Which fell not so in mine vnhappy case For since my death mine enmies made a Iest In minstrels rimes mine honour to deface And then to bring my name in more disgrace A song was made in manner of a laic Which old wiues sing of mee vnto this day Yet with these spites their malice could not end For shortly after my sorowes to renue My loiall Lord which neuer did offend VVas cald in haste the cause he litle knew To a Parlement without sommons due VVhereas his death was cruelly contriued And I his wife of earthly ioyes depriued For all the while my Duke had life and breath So long I stood in hope of my restore But when I heard of his most causles death Then the best salue for my recureles sore VVas to despaire of cure for euermore And as I could my carefull heart to cure VVith patience most painfull to endure O Traitors fell which in your hearts could find Like feends of hell the guiltles to betray But ye chiefly his kinsmen most vnkind VVhich gaue consent to make him so away That vnto God with all my heart I pray Vengeance may light on him that caused all Beaufort I meane that cursed Cardinall VVhich bastard Priest of th' house of Lancaster Sonne to Duke Iohn surnamed Iohn of Gaunt VVas first create Bishop of VVinchester For no learning whereof he might well vaunt Ne for vertue which he did neuer haunt But for his Gold and summes that were not small Paid to the Pope was made a Cardinall Proud Lucifer which from the heauens on high Downe to the pit of hell below was cast And being once an Angell bright in sky For his pride in hell is chained fast In deepe darkenes that euermore shall last More haut of heart was not before his fall Then was this proud and pompous Cardinall VVhose life good Baldwine paint out in his pickle A and blase this Baal and Belligod most blind An hypocrite all faithles false and fickle A wicked wretch a kinsman most vnkind A Diuell incarnate all diuellishly enclind And to discharge my conscience all at once The Diuell him gnaw both body bloud and bones The spitefull Priest would needes make me a VVitch As would to God I had been for his sake I would haue clawd him where he did not itch I would haue plaid the Lady of the Lake And as Merline was closde him in a brake Ye a Meridian to lull him by day light And a night mare to ride on him by night The fiery feends with feuers hot and frenzy The Airy hegges with stench and carren sauoures The watry ghosts with gowtes and with dropsy The earthly Goblines with Aches at all houres Furies and Fairies with all infernall powers I would haue stird from the darke dungeon Of hell Centre as deepe as Demagorgon Or had I now the skill of dame Erichto Whose dreadfull charmes as Lucan doth expresse All feends did feare so far forth as Prince Pluto VVas at her call for dread of more distresse Then would I send of helhownds more and lesse A legion at least at him to cry and yell And with that charme herrie him downe to hell VVhich need not for sure I thinke that he VVho here in earth leades Epicurus life As farre from God as possible may be VVith whom all sinne and vices are most rife Vsing at will both widow maid and wife But that some Diuell his body doth possesse His life is such as men can iudge no lesse And God forgiue my wrath and wreakefull mind Such is my hate to that most wicked wretch Die when he shall in heart I could well finde Out of the graue his corps againe to fetch And racke his limmes as long as they would stretch And take delight to listen euery day How he could sing a masse of welaway The I le of Man was the appointed place To penance me for euer in exile Thither in haste they posted me apace And doubting scape they pind me in a Pile Close by my selfe in care alas the while There felt I first poore prisoners hungry fare Much want things skant and stone walles hard and bare The change was strange from silke and cloth of gold To rugged frize my carcas for to cloath From Princes fare and dainties hot and cold To rotten fish and meates that one would loath The diet and dressing were much alike boath Bedding and lodging were all alike fine Such Downe it was as serued well for swine Neither doe I mine owne case thus complaine Which I confesse came partly by desert The only cause which doubleth all my paine And which most neere goeth now vnto my heart Is that my fault did finally reuert To him that was least guilty of the same Whose death it was though I abode the shame VVhose fatall fall when I doe call to minde And how by me his mischiefe first began So oft I cry on Fortune most vnkinde And my mishap most vtterly doe banne That euer I to such a noble man Who from my crime was innocent and cleare Should be a cause to buy his loue so deare Oh to my heart how grieuous is the wound Calling to mind this dismall deadly case I would I had been doluen vnder ground When he first saw or looked on my face Or tooke delight in any kind of grace Seeming in me that him did stir or moue To fancie me or set his heart to loue Farewell Greenewich my Palace of delight Where I was wont to see the Christall streames Of royall Thames most pleasant to my sight And farewell Kent right
the miners lap For I Lord Richard heire Plantagenet Was Earle of Cambridge and right fortunate If I had had the grace my wit to set To haue content me with mine owne estate But O false honors breeders of debate The loue of you our leaud hearts doth allure To lose our selues by seeking you vnsure Because my brother Edmund Mortimer Whose eldest sister was my wedded wife I meane that Edmund that was prisoner In Wales so long through Owens busie strife Because I say that after Edmunds life His rights and titles must by law be mine For he ne had nor could encrease his line Because the right of Realme and Crowne was ours I searched meanes to helpe him thereunto And where the Henries held it by their powers I sought a shift their tenures to vndoe Which being force sith force or sleight must doe I void of might because their power was strong Set priuie fleight against their open wrong But sith the death of most part of my kin Did dash my hope throughout the fathers daies I let it slip and thought it best begin When as the sonne should dread least such assayes For force through speed sleight speedeth through delayes And seeld doth treason time so fitly find As when all dangers most be out of mind Wherefore while Henrie of that name the fist Prepar'd his armie to go conquer France Lord Scroope and I thought to attempt a drift To put him downe my brother to aduance But wer 't Gods will my lucke or his good chance The King wist wholly whereabout we went The night before to shipward he him bent Then were we straight as traytours apprehended Our purpose spi'd the cause thereof was hid And therefore loe a false cause we pretended Where through my brother was from danger rid We said for hire of French Kings coine we did Behight to kill the King and thus with shame We stain'd our selues to saue our friend from blame When we had thus confest so foule a treason That we deseru'd we suffered by the law See Baldwine see and note as it is reason How wicked deeds to wofull ends do draw All force doth faile no craft is worth a straw To attaine things lost and therefore let them go For might rules right and will though truth say no. W. Baldwine HOW THOMAS MONTAGVE EARLE OF SALISBVrie in the middest of his glorie was chanceably slaine at Orleaunce with a piece of Ordinance the third of Nouember Anno Dom. 1428. WHat fooles be we to trust vnto our strength Our wit our courage or our noble fame Which time it selfe must needs deuour at length Though froward Fortune could not foile the same But seeing this Goddesse guideth all the game Which still to change doth set her only lust Why toile we so for things so hard to trust A goodly thing we deeme of good report Which noble hearts do seeke by course of kind But seeing the date so doubtfull and so short The way so rough whereby we do it find I cannot chuse but praise the Princely mind That preaseth for it though we find opprest By foule defame those that deserue it best Concerning whom marke Baldwine what I say I meane the vertuous hindred of their brute Among which number recken well I may My valiant father Iohn Lord Montacute Who lost his life I iudge through iust pursute I say the cause and not the casuall speed Is to be waighed in euery kind of deed This rule obseru'd how many shall we find For vertues sake with infamie opprest How some againe through helpe of Fortune blind For ill attempts atchieu'd with honor blest Successe is worst oft times when cause is best Therefore say I God send them sory haps That iudge the causes by their afterclaps The end indeed is Iudge of euery thing Which is the cause or latter point of time The first true verdict at the first may bring The last is slow or slipper as the slime Oft changing names of innocence and crime Duke Thomas death was Iustice two yeares long And euer since sore tyrannie and wrong Wherefore I pray thee Baldwine weigh the cause And praise my father as he doth deserue Because Earle Henry King against all lawes Endeuoured King Richard for to starue In iayle wherby the regall Crowne might swarue Out of the line to which it then was due Whereby God knowes what euill might ensue My Lord Iohn Holland Duke of Excester Which was deare cosin to this wretched King Did moue my Sire and th' Earle of Glocester With other Lords to ponder well the thing Who seeing the mischiefe that began to spring Did all consent this Henry to depose And to restore King Richard to the Rose And while they did deuise a prety traine Whereby to bring their purpose well about Which was in maske this Henry to haue slaine The Duke of Aumerle blew their counsaile out Yet was their purpose good there is no doubt What cause can be more worthy for a Knight Than saue his King and helpe true heires to right For this with them my father was destroid And buried in the dunghill of defame Thus euill chance their glory did auoid Whereas their cause doth claime eternall fame When deeds therefore vnluckily doe frame Men ought not iudge the authors to be naught For right through might is often ouerraught And God doth suffer that it should be so But why my wit is feeble to decise Except it be to heape vp wrath and we On wicked heads that iniuries deuise The cause why mischiefs many times arise And light on them that would mens wrongs redresse Is for the rancour that they beare I gesse God hateth rigour though it further right For sinne is sinne how euer it be vsed And therefore suffereth shame and death to light To punish vice though it bee well abused Who furthereth right is not therby excused If through the same he doe some other wrong To euery vice due guerdon doth belong What preach I now I am a man of warre And that my lims I dare say doth professe Of cured wounds beset with many a skarre My broken iaw vnheald can say no lesse O Fortune Fortune cause of all distresse My father had great cause thy fraud to curse But much more I abused ten times worse Thou neuer flatteredst him in all thy life But me thou dandledst like thy darling deare Thy gifts I found in euery corner rife Where ere I went I met thy smiling cheare Which was not for a day or for a yeare But through the raigne of three right worthy Kings I found thee forward in all kind of things The while King Henry conquered in France I sued the warres and still found victory In all assaults so happy was my chance Holds yeeld or won did make my enemies sory Dame Prudence eke augmented so my glory That in all treaties euer I was one When weighty matters were agreed vpon But when this King this mightie conquerour Through death vnripe was both
Princes face For poore mens sutes and holpe their woefull case Yet she had not such credit as I gate Although a King would heare the parret prate My words were graue and bore an equall poies In ballance iust for many a weightie cause She pleasd a Prince with pretty merry toies And had no sight in state nor course of lawes I could perswade and make a Prince to pawes And take a breath before he drew the sword And spie the time to rule him with a word I will not say but fancy may do much Yet world will grant that wisdome may do more To wanton girls affection is not such That Princes wise wil be abusde therfore One sute of mine was surely worth a score Of hers indeed for she her time must watch And at all howres I durst go draw the latch My voice but heard the dore was open streight She might not come till she were cald or brought I rul'd the King by custome art and sleight And knew full well the secrets of his thought Without my mind all that was done was nought In wars or peace my counsell swaied all For still the King would for the Cardnall call I kept a court my selfe as great as his I not compare vnto my master here But looke my Lords what liuely world was this That one poore man became so great a peere Yet though this tale be very strange to here Wit wins a world and who hath hap and wit With triumph long in princely throne may sit What man like me bare rule in any age I shone like Sun more cleare then morning star Was neuer part so plaid in open stage As mine nor fame of man flew halfe so far I sate on bench when thowsands at the bar Did plead for right for I in publique weale Lord Chancelor was and had the great broad seale Now haue I told how I did rise aloft And sate with pride and pomp in golden hall And set my feete on costly carpets soft And plaid at goale with goodly golden ball But after Lord I must rehearse my fall O trembling heart thou canst not now for teares Present that tale vnto the hearers eares Best weepe it out and sudden silence keepe Till priuy pangs make pinched heart complaine Or cast thy selfe into some slumbring sleepe Till wakened wits remembrance bring againe When heauy teares do hollow cheekes distaine The world will thinke thy sprits are growne so weake The feeble tongue hath sure no power to speake A tale by signes with sighes and sobs set out Moues peoples mindes to pity plagued men With howling voice do rather crie and shout And so by arte shew forth thy sorrow then For if thou speake some man will note with pen What Wolsey said and what threw Wolsey downe And vnder foote flings Wolseis great renowne What force of that my fall must needs be herd Before I fell I had a time to rise As fatall chance and Fortune me preferd So mischiefe came and did my state despise If I might plead my case among the wise I could excuse right much of mine offence But leaue a while such matter in suspence The Pope or pride or peeuish parts of mine Made King to frowne and take the seale from me Now seru'd no words nor pleasant speeches fine Now Wolsey lo must needes disgraced be Yet had I leaue as dolefull prisner free To keepe a house God wot with heauy cheere Where that I found no wine ne bread nor beere My time was come I could no longer liue What should I make my sorrow further knowne Vpon some cause that King that all did giue Tooke all againe and so possest his owne My goods my plate and all was ouerthrowne And looke what I had gathred many a day Within one houre was cleanly swept away But harken now how that my Fortune fell To Yorke I must where I the Bishop was Where I by right in grace a while did dwell And was in stawle with honour great to passe The Priors then and Abbots gan to smell How Cardnall must be honourd as he ought And for that day was great prouision brought At Cawood then where I great buildings made And did through cause expect my stawling day The King deuisde a secret vnder shade How Cardnall should bee rest and brought away One Wealsh a Knight came downe in good aray And seasned sure because from Court hee came On Wolsey wolfe that spoiled many a lambe Then was I led toward Court like dog in string And brought as biefe that Butcher-row must see But still I hopte to come before the King And that repaire was not denide to me But he that kept the Towre my guide must be Ah there I saw what King thereby did meane And so I searcht if conscience now were cleane Some spots I found of pride and popish parts That might accuse a better man then I Now Oxford came to minde with all their arts And Cambridge too but all not worth a flie For schoolemen can no foule defects supplie My sauce was sowre though meate before was sweete Now Wolsey lackt both cunning wit and spreete A deepe conceit of that possest my head So fell I sicke consum'd as some did thinke So tooke in haste my chamber and my bed On which deuice perhaps the world might winke But in the heart sharpe sorrow so did sinke That gladnes sweete forsooke my senses all In those extremes did yeeld vnto my fall O let me curse the popish Cardnall hat Those miters big beset with pearle and stones And all the rest of trash I know not what The saints in shrine their flesh and rotten bones The maske of Monkes deuised for the nones And all the flocke of Freers what ere they are That brought me vp and left me there so bare O cursed priests that prate for profits sake And follow floud and tide where ere it floes O merchants fine that do aduantage take Of euery graine how euer market goes O fie on wolues that march in masking cloes For to deuoure the lambs when shepherd sleepes And woe to you that promise neuer keepes You said I should be reskude if I need And you would curse with candell booke and bell But when ye should now serue my turne indeed Yee haue no house I know not where ye dwell O Freers and Monkes your harbour is in hell For in this world ye haue no rightfull place Nor dare not once in heauen shew your face Your fault not halfe so great as was my pride For which offence fell Lucifer from skies Although I would that wilfull folly hide The thing lies plaine before the peoples eies On which hie heart a hatefull name doth ries It hath been said of old and daily will Pride goes before and shame comes after still Pride is a thing that God and man abores A swelling tode that poisons euery place A stinking wound that breedeth many sores A priuie plague found out in stately face A painted bird that
with my boats they rowde to me alas And all they cri'd keep Humber keepe their King That to our Prince we may the traytor bring So with my boats beset poore Humber I Wist no refuge my wearie armes did ake My breath was short I had no power to crie Or place to stand while I my plaint might make The water colde made all my ioynts to shake My heart did beat with sorow griefe and paine And downe my cheeks salt tears they gusht amain O must thou yeeld and shall thy boats betray Thy selfe quoth I no mercie Britans haue O would to God I might escape away I wot not yet if pardon I may craue Although my deeds deserue no life to haue I will I nill death bondage beast am I In waters thus in forren soile to die With that I clapt my quauering hands abroad And held them vp to heauen and thus I said O Gods that know the paines that I haue bode And iust reuengement of my rashnes paid And of the death of Albanact betraid By me and mine I yeeld my life therefore Content to die and neuer greeue yee more Then straight not opening of my hands I bowde My selfe and set my head my armes betweene And downe I sprang with all the force I could So duckt that neither head nor foot were seene And neuer saw my foes againe I weene There was I drown'd the Britans to my fame Yet call that arme of sea by Humbers name Take heed by me let my presumption serue And let my folly fall and rashnesse be A glasse wherein to see if thou do swerue Thou mai'st thy selfe perceiue somewhat by me Let neither trust nor treason traine forth ye But be content with thine estate so shall No wrath of God procure thy haplesse fall If thou be forren bide within thy soile That God hath giuen to thee and thine to hold If thou oppression meane beware the foile Beare not thy selfe of thee or thine too bold Or of the feats thy elders did of old For God is iust iniustice will not thriue He plagues the proud preserues the good aliue HOW KING LOCRINVS the eldest son of Brutus liued vitiously and was slaine in battell by his wife Queene Guendoline the yeare before Christ 1064. IF euer any noble Prince might rue My haplesse deeds of yore the same may I That would to God it were not farre too true Or that I iustly could my faults denie * The truth of things the end or time doth trie As well by me is seene my haplesse fall Declares whence came my great misfortunes all I am Locrinus second Britaine King The eldest sonne of him that found this land Whose death to me my mischiefes all did bring And caus'd why first I tooke my death in hand He chiefely wil'd me when he gaue this land I should be rul'd by all his Counsels will And vse their iudgements in my dealings still But what do I accuse my fathers hest What meane I heere th' unfaultie for to blame All he commanded euen was for the best Though in effect of best the worst became So things oft times well ment vnfitly frame So often times the counsell of our frend Apparent good falles faultie in the end For as he wisht I vsde his Counsels aide In each thing that I deem'd was good for me I neuer ought that they desir'd denaide But did to all their minds and hests agree And Corinaeus saw my heart so 〈◊〉 By diuers meanes he sought the match to make That to my wife I might his daughter take So I that wist not then what mariage ment Did straight agree his Guendoline to haue Yet afterward suspecting his intent My friends to me this point of counsell gaue That * whoso doth of Prince alliance craue He meanes thereby to worke some point of ill Or else to frame the Prince vnto his will It may well be he ment no ill at all But * wise men alwaies vse to dread the worst And sith it was the fountaine of my fall From whence the spring of all my sorowes burst I may well thinke was some of vs accurst For why * the end doth alwaies proue the fact By end we iudge the meaning of the act I made no haste to wed my spoused wife I wist I could as yet without her bide I had not tasted ioyes of trained life I deem'd them fooles by Cupids dart that dide I Venus vile and all her feats defide I liu'd at rest and rul'd my land so well That men delighted of my facts to tell My brethren eke long weilded well their parts We fear'd no foes we thought our state would stand We gaue our selues to learned skilfull arts Wherein we either fruite or pleasure fand And we enioyd too fine a fertile land That few in earth might with our states compare We liu'd so void of noisome carke and care But see the chance when least we thought of ill When we esteem'd our state to be most sure Then came a flaw to bridle all our will For strangers farre gan vs to warre procure And euen when first they put their pranke in vre On Albaine shores my brother there they slew Whose death we after made the Hunnes to rue When he was dead they hop'd to winne the rest And ouer Aby streame with hast did hie But I and eke my brother Camber drest Our armies straight and came their force to trie We brake their raies and forc'd the King to flie Into the arme of sea they ouer came Where Humber drownde the waters tooke their name We either slew or tooke them captiues all Amongst the which O mischiefe great to tell The Gods to worke mine ouerthrow and fall Sent Ladies three whose beauties did excell Of which because I liked one so well I tooke her straight nor she did ought denie But ech thing granted so she might not die Thus Humber we this hatefull hungrie King In Humber drencht and him depriu'd of pride And of his louely Ladies he did bring He lost the pray and all his men beside And we the spoiles of all his host diuide But I that thought I had the greatest share Had caught the cause of all my wofull care They cal'd this Ladie Elstride whom I tooke Whose beautie braue did so my wits confound That for her sake my promise I forsooke Whereby I was to Guendoline first bound Me thought no Ladie else so high renound That might haue causde me change my conflate minde So was I caught by snares of Cupid blinde Was neuer none before so li'kd mine eye I lou'd her more then I could loue my life Her absence still me thought did cause me dye I surely ment to take her for my wife But see how beautie breedeth deadly strife Loe here began my whole confusion here Sprang out the shaft from whence this wound I beare For Corinaeus had no sooner heard That I did meane his daughter to forsake But straight as one that did nought else regard In hast
soules thereby to darkesome Stygian lake Which kill the corps that mightie Ioue did make HOW KING MORGAN OF ALBANY was slaine at Glamorgan in Wales The yeare before Christ 766. I Wot not well what reason I may vse To quit my selfe from lasting infamie Wherefore I must perforce my selfe accuse I was in fault I cannot it denie Remorce of conscience prickes my heart so nie And me torments with pangs of pinching paine I can no longer me from speech refraine I am that Morgan sonne of Gonerell Th' vngratefull daughter of her father Leire Which from his kingdome did him once expell As by the British stories may appeare Ragan and she conspir'd both sisters were But were subdu'd againe and causde to yeeld Their fathers Crowne Cordila wan the field I need not heere the stories all recite It were too long but yet I briefly shall The cause Cordila ought her sisters spite Was they procur'd her and their fathers thrall Yet t' was her chance at length t' out liue them all Both sisters elder and her father graue And eke at length the kingdome all to haue That time was I of Albany the King Call'd Scotland now and eke my cousin then Of Cornwall and of Wales whom I did bring To warre against Cordila and her men We said we would our title winne agen And that because our fathers had it yore We ment to get it ours againe therefore I must confesse I was the cause of warre I was not pleasde with that was lotted mee Euen so our minds ambitious often are And blinded that we cannot reason see We thinke no men but Gods on earth we bee Yet worse are we then beasts which know their kind For we haue nought but mischiefe oft in mind We thinke if so we may our willes attaine By right or wrong by might or malice we Could neuer liue like Fortune for to gaine Or if on foes we once reuenged bee If that our foe-mens fall we chance to see O then we ioy we lift our selues to skie And on the poore we crucifige crie I deem'd if that I might once put her downe The Kingdomes all were Conidags and mine And I could easly after win the crowne If also I his state might vndermine I thought indeed to haue it all in fine By force or fraud I did intend alone To sit as King vpon the Britaine throne To speake in few we waged warre so long Gainst her at last we put her vnto flight We warriers for our Aunt were far too strong Pursude and tooke depriu'd her of her right We thought it ours what so we wan by might Eke so play tyrants Traitors all do watch To get by spoile and count their owne they catch Not so contented were we with the pray But fearing lest she should recouer aide I sent in hast to prison her away And all recourse of messengers denaid Thus when she saw her Maiestie decaid And that her griefes and sorowes daily grew In prison at the length her selfe she slew O caytife vile that did constraine a Queene That Iustice ment her kingdome to forsake Nay traytor I her cause of death haue been That would my selfe by bloodshed ruler make How could reuenge on me but vengeance take Before the seat of God her blood did call For vengeance still and so procur'd my fall Lo heere Gods iustice see my treason see Behold and see to raigne was my delight And marke and make a mirrour heere of me Which afterward was seru'd by iustice right We wan the crowne betweene vs both in fight And then because I was the elder sonne Of th' elder Queene I claimed all we wonne So were my dealings nought in peace and warre But by my force and fortunes vsde in fight I past that time the Britaines all by farre I was of person fortitude and might Both comely tall strong seemely eke in sight Whereby I won mens fauour glorie wealth And puft with pride at length forgate my selfe I said it was my right the crowne to haue But Conidagus stoutly it deni'd Wherefore I went to Wales my right to craue With all mine armie and to haue it tri'd Where long we fought it stoutly on each side Till at the last vnto my wofull paine I was depriu'd of kingdome quite and slaine And for to keepe in memorie for aye That there vnfaithfull Morgan lost his life The place is call'd Glamorgan to this daye There was I pierst to death with fatall knife There was the end of all my hatefull strife So Morgan where he thought to win the crowne Was at Glamorgan traytor striken downe Thus maist thou tell how proud ambition proues What hap haue tyrants what we Traytours haue What end he hath that cruell dealing loues What subiects get that Diademe do craue T is better then to winne thine owne to saue For so orethwartly trade of Fortune goes When win thou would'st then art thou sure to lose HOW KING IAGO DIED OF THE LETHARGIE about the yeare before Christ 612. HAue I oreslept my selfe or am I wake Or had'st thou late oreslept thy selfe that wrote Could'st thou not for the Letharge paines to take And with the rest his sleepie life to note Was I amongst the wicked wights forgote Well then awaked sith we are both twaine To write my sleepie sinfull life take paine I am that Iago once of Britaine King That ruled all this noble British Ile No fame of me the writers old do bring Because my life and gouernment was vile Yet Higgins heere take paines for me a while Enregester my mirrour to remaine That Princes may my vices vile refraine At first a while I ruled well the land I vsed iustice right tooke regall place No wight but found iust iudgement at my hand And truth durst shew without rebuke her face I gaue my selfe to all good gifts of grace My subiects liu'd in rest within my raigne No cause of Prince compel'd them to complaine But as in calme a storme we nothing feare When as the seas are milde and smooth as glasse And as in peace no thought of warres we beare Which least suppose of mischiefes come to passe Euen so my still and rightfull raigning was The calme a tempest boads the shine a raine Long peace a warre and pleasure pinching paine For rest and peace and wealth abounding thoe Made me forget my Iustice late well vsde Forsaking vertues vices gan to floe And formernoble acts I quite refusde My gifts my treasures wealth and will misusde Began all goodnes quite at length disdaine And did my facts with filthie vices staine Misgouern'd both my Kingdome and my life I gaue my selfe to ease to sleepe and sinne And I had clawbackes euen at Court full rife Which sought by outrage golden gaines to winne For * Kings no sooner well or worse beginne But euen at hand the good or bad take paine For vertues sake or meede the Prince to traine As vices grew encreasing more and more So vertues fled and bad their
immortall hate Your mothers teares nor woefull wailings moue Nor naked brests you suckt your malice slake Nor cause t' imbrace the sacred lore of loue O euerlasting Ioue that liu'st aboue Then I protest ere you doe fight the feelde this day You shall in field vngratefull sonnes your wofull mother slay Betweene you both you shall bereaue my life What woes my sonnes aliue shall I sustaine When I shall after this ambitious strife So many see of both your subiects slaine And you with brothers bloud your swords distaine I shall I say in th' end of fight take woefull vewe Of that my sonne which this my sonne his brother slewe O rather now my sonnes leaue off to iar Lay weapons both aside take truce a while If you doe loue to spend your time in war Destroy not here at home your natiue I le The present cause and quarell is too vile Ioine friendly both your armies faith and firme the same To take some conquest great in hand of lasting fame Therein you may with greater honour deale By this you shall defame your selues for aye Thereby you may enlarge your publique weale By this your selues and it shall quite decay Thereby you shall mine age with honour stay Thereby you shall most like your noble father bee Which ere he wore the crowne did conquer kingdomes three Once for my sake then ioine yet hands againe Let me enioy once both before I die I would to see you friends my sonnes bee faine And hope I haue you will not this denie I aske a thing shall neuer hurt perdy For if you now surcease and loue as brethren well Then all the world of this your concord aye shall tell And turning then to me thus wise she said Thou knowest my sonne how twice thou hast been foild Thou twice to scape with life wa st well apaide And since full farre to countries straunge hast toild If now thou shouldst of life and all bee spoilde When liue thou maist in Princely sort with peerelesse ioy What tongue can tell thy mothers griefe and great anoy I heare thou hast in France a Dukedome good Of subiects good thou hast an armie heere Thou hast a wife that came of noble blood Thou need'st at home no foes at all to feare What mean'st thou then such mortall hate to beare Against my sonne thy brother heere which gaue to thee His kingdome halfe the noble land of Albany Sith thine ambition first procur'd the strife Which did'st in armour rise against thy King Against thy brother lou'd thee more then life Thou did'st thy subiects his against him bring Think'st thou it was a wise or worthie thing If not thou hast good cause thy treason all confesse And though he draue thee hence to loue him ne're the lesse Thou shalt therefore submit thy selfe to me And take a truce a peace I will conclude Thy brother eke shall so contented be No quarrels old shall be againe renew'd These broiles haue oft my cheekes with teares bedew'd My heart is rent my hope bereau'd my ioyes are gone My life is lost if you conioyne not both in one Then turning vnto Belinus she spake My noble sonne quoth she thou twice hast quail'd Thy brothers power and mad'st him twice forsake His natiue land which I haue oft bewail'd What though thou haue so oft before preuail'd Think'st thou againe the third time eke to win the field Or art thou sure to slay my sonne or force him yeeld What glorie canst thou get thereby in th' end Will not the world of your foule slaughters tell Will not they all that liue still discommend The man that did his owne deare brother quell Mempricius shamefull acts are knowne too well And Porrex Britaines both their noble brethren slew Confounded after both examples good for you Now further this againe to both I say Do not you rue these noble souldiers good Do not you see how many you shall slay Haue you no care to shed their guiltlesse blood The state of tyrants neuer stable stood By bloodshed they do build and prop their tottering State Raigne liue and die despisde in neuer dying hate You noble men in briefe I speake to you And vnto all the Captaines of your bands And eke to all you souldiers good and true Which haue the sway of bloodshed in your hands Consider well the state of both our lands You shall decrease your force by discord and by strife Distaine your bloods and reaue Corwennas of her life Then if that either Ioues immortall ire Which euer hated slaughters such as these Or feare of Plutoes euerlasting fire Or dangers threatned both by land and seas Or mothers mind which both you ought to please Or countries loue or peace which all are bound t' imbrace May ought perswade then let my iust request haue place If not loe heere my naked breast quoth she Which once you both did sucke in tender age Let both your swords in these first bathed be Perhaps this slaughter shall your thirsts asswage It shall be counted euen as small outrage To slay your mother pleading for a righteous peace As wage the warres which gods commands you to surcease Much more she said which were too long to tell And proffred forth to swords her naked brest But when we both considered had full well Her wofull teares her wise and graue request They so to peace our hautie hearts addrest We laid our weapons downe we met and did imbrace All warre was set aside and Ladie peace tooke place We ioyned hands our captaines did the like And eke the souldiers linked all in loue There was not one that did our truce mislike Our peace did all to ioy and maruell moue With many triumphes feates of armes we proue Our subiects all reioyce in songs we sound Corwennas praise Her fame to skies aloft with many shouts and cries they raise The Galles and Senons then supposing me In Britaine from my Dukedome hard at fight Thought great occasion offred them to be And set themselues in armes and order right My subiects eke of Sauoy day and night They did entice perswade solicite and constraine To chuse another Duke at home with them to raigne Whereof when I heard tell in Britaine I le Eke when my brother Beline thereof knew We laid aside our sports and plaies a while And of our souldiers tooke a muster new Of both our hoasts we chose a noble crew We past the seas as brethren ought in concord knit And both our force in one to conquer France we fit Without resistance much we spoil'd the land At th' entrie in and after many fights We conquer'd all the Realme my foes we fand Which were in armes stout valiant noble wights By sword they fell or flew before our sights The Germans force likewise that did them succour send We made to fall therefore and to our scepters bend Three hundred thousand we in armour had An armie great renown'd Europa through The Kings and Princes of our
did them subdue Some I did force to yeeld some trauail'd farre away As loth to stay and see their countries swift decay The world on Aphrike coasts and Asia distant farre And Europe also knew my bloodsheds great in warre But sith my whole pretence was nought but glorie vaine To haue renowne and rule ' mongst men aboue the rest Without remorce in mind of many thousands slaine Which for their owne defence their warres so oft addrest I iustly deeme therefore my stonie heart and brest Receiu'd so many wounds this sentence long hath stood That who so slayes he paies the price of blood for blood HOW CLAVDIVS TIBERIVS NERO EMPEROVR OF Rome was poisoned by Caius Caligula the yeare of Christ 39. WHat bootes it hautie hearts depend so much On high estate auailes it ought thinke yee The gold is tri'd when it is brought to tuch So triall telles what worldly triumphs bee When glorie shines no dangers deepe we see Till we at ast find true the prouerbe old * Not all th at shines is pure and perfect gold While valiant men so burne with hot desire Of royall rule and thirst so sore for seat No springs of Pernasse mount can quench the fire Nor Boreas blast allay the hautie heate On high renowne so much their braines they beate And toyle so much for fading flickering fame On earth for aye to leaue behind a name But if they would marke Fortunes double face And how she turnes about the tottering wheele How she doth change her minde and turne her grace How blinde of sight she is how light of heele They would not rue the fatall falles they feele They would not after blame her blindnesse so But looke before and leape her lightnesse fro All men that in affaires themselues imploy Doe praise Dame Fortune first if they speede well But if thereby fall after some annoy They curse her then as hatefull hagge of hell If Fortune firme had stoode they had not fell They ban her then and yet themselues were curst Which tooke her baite so freely at the first For while her idle impes doe bathe in blisse They count her gifts and pleasures all good hap But if at last she frowne as custome is And let them slip againe beside her lap They then confesse her baites did boad some trap As I haue prou'd what Fortune giues to men For pleasure each she brings displeasures ten Augustus great that good Octauius hight The Emperour which in peace did rule so long In whose good raigne was borne the Lord of light Nam'd Iesus Christ in power and works so strong Whom in my daies the Iewes opprest with wrong Of which good Christ anon I haue to tell But first vnto Augustus what befell This noble Emprour did my mother wed Which Liuia hight a faire and noble dame His daughter Iulia I likewise did bed And put away my wife of better fame Agrippa great with child the more my blame I was through this and th' Empresse Liuias skill Adopted Emprour by Augustus will When he was dead then I Tiberius raign'd Adopted thus and for my noble acts I was both vnto warre and peace well train'd Th' Illyrians must confesse my famous facts In three yeares space my power their pride subacts On them and Germanes triumpht neare and farre Saue Punike fight the greatest Roman warre Now for it was my hap a victour so To Rome returne a yeare before his end Throughout the world the fame of me did go The Romans all to fauour me did bend To them Augustus did my warres commend Adopted me and as I said for this The Romanes heapt on me all worldly blisse So when I had obtained my desire Who then but Caesar I did rule alone By nature proud presuming to aspire Dissembling that which afterward was knowne For when the fathers mind to me was showne Of their electing mine Emperiall place I seem'd to stay refusing it a space And thus to proue my friends before I did And eke to heare what euery one would say Which was the cause why some I after rid The best'mongst them I made as foes away By slaughter so I thought my throne to stay But otherwise then I had thought it fell As time doth trie the fruit of things full well Another griefe conceiu'd I will recite Which made me with the Senate discontent About that time did Pontius Pilate write His letters how the Iewes to malice bent Had put to death one Christ full innocent The Sonne of God of might of power no lesse Which rose from death as Christians all confesse Thus wise he wrote PONTIVS PILATE TO HIS LORD CLAVDIVS wisheth health OF late it chanst which I haue proued well The Iewes through wrath by cruell doome haue lost Themselues and all their ofspring that ensue For when their fathers promise had that God Would send to them from heauen his holy one That might deseruingly be nam'd their King And by a virgin him to th' earth to send Loe now when as the Hebrewes God was come And they him saw restore the blind to sight To cleanse the leapers cure the palsies eke To cast fiends out of men and raise the dead Command the winds on sea with drie feete walke And many maruels great beside to do When all men called him the Sonne of God The Priests in enuie brought him vnto me And bringing many forged fained faults Nam'd him a wisard 'gainst their lawes to do Which I belieuing whipt him for the cause And gaue him vp to vse as they thought best They crucifi'd him buried him his tombe They kept three daies with souldiers stout yet he The third day rose againe and came to life Which when they heard they brib'd the souldiers all And bad them say his corpes was stolne away The souldiers yet when they the money had Could not the truth keepe silent of the fact For they did witnesse he did rise againe And of the Iewes that they money taken had I write the truth if any otherwise Do bring report account it but vaine lies THe letters read I did thereon conferre Booh with the Fathers graue in high degree And with the nobles who of Senate were That Christ in Rome as God might counted bee To which they only did not disagree Because the letters came not first to them But by edict did punish Christen men To theiâ— accusers threaten death I did Although Seianus from my partie fell The Senate which the Christians sought to rid By me were after seru'd in order well For as Christs Godhead they would Rome expell And would not serue the God of meekenesse sent To pot apace their hautie heads were pent I banisht some and some to death I put And foure and twentie Fathers graue I chose From shoulders eke most of their heads I cut And left likewise aliue but twaine of those Seianus I did slay all Drusus deadly foes I eke Germanicus with poyson slew His sonnes likewise my poysons force well knew The
and well apaid If women thus had walked in my time I had not stoopt vnto that painted lure Which did intice me to commit the crime Which to the pearch of leaudnesse ti'd me sure For her disport my Ladie could procure The wretched wings of this my muting mind Restlesse to seeke her emptie fist to find I thus arriu'd in Pleasures cursed court I lothed Mars I hated Mercurie It was me thought a passing pleasant sport Leauing the fields at Bacchus brauerie Sometime to sit vpon my mistresse knee Where that I might be at my pleasure plaste I sent the Duke away to warres in haste You which haue plaid with pleasures banding balles You know the life which lingring louers lead You know how sweet it is to scale the walles Of her good will who liu'd in feare and dread You know right well how well those wights haue sped Who haue at last by drifts of long delay Their hoped meed and wished pleasant pray Vnconquered beautie whence had'st thou that power To make stout Vter stoope to his owne shame That neuer stoopt to foes why for that flower Of sweete delight in Igren that faire Dame Did I forgoe the golden flower of fame Victorious beautie and base yeelding lust Did cast great Vters conquests in the dust Yet no such blame as writers do record Do I deserue for this vnhappie deed Proud Gorolus the bright-cheekt Igrens Lord Receiu'd no wrong but his owne merits meed When in the field I made his heart to bleed If thoughts of treason merit death and shame His trecherous deeds did well deserue the same His gracelesse treason he in act did show For when I sent him to Nathaliod hight In bloodie field against the Saxon foe He swolne in heart with enuie and despight Of his associates good did leaue the fight And leauing stout Nathaliod for a pray Vnto the foes from field he fled away By which enforc'd I was with Mars to rise From Venus bed and arme me for the field Where like a storme in thunder clad from skies Vpon my foes I fell they could not shield Themselues from death few scap't that did not yeeld Occa and Ossa both I downe did bring And led them captiue like a conquering King Againe I then gan thinke vpon my loue Vpon mine Igren deare against whose Lord I finding cause for that he late did proue Faithlesse to me did with my lust accord Gainst him as ' against my foe to draw my sword Whom by his castle called Dunilioc I slew with blade in battailes bloodie stroke Then did I take mine Igren as mine owne And crown'd her Queene in my Emperiall chaire On whom great Arthur I begot anone And after him my Anna hight the faire In seeming blisse I long liu'd void of care For thrice nine yeares with Igren I did raigne And ' gainst the Saxons did my state maintaine But for the rape of Gorolus his wife The heauens did powre downe vengeance on my head I by vntimely death did end my life My said soule hence enforc'd by poison fled By Saxons wrought who often wish'd me dead And left behind for all my deeds of fame Iust cause for writers pens to speake my shame Learne they which liue in high or low degree To flee the foile which I by folly felt Let them refraine those loftie Dames to see They know how loftie lookes with me haue delt You see how sight did make my honor melt Let all men know mans heart did neuer rue The thing which he with sight did neuer view But how may men the sight of Beautie shun In England at this present dismall day All void of veiles like Layes where Ladies run And rome about at euery feast and play They wandring walke in euery streete and way With loftie luring lookes they bounsing braue The highest place in all mens sight must haue With pride they pranke to please the wandring eye With garish grace they smile they iet they iest O English Dames your lightnesse verily The Curtizans of Rome do much detest In closets close to liue they count it best They giue not grace to euery wandring wight Your smiling cheere doth euery man delight The Poets gods Saturne and Iupiter To Beauties becke their highnesse did obay Pluto of hell did plead at Beauties bar And Phillis causde Demophoon to stay Pasiphäe a Bull brought to the bay So gods and diuels both men and beasts they all By womens wiles are slaues to Beauties thrall What gaine is got by light and wanton waies You reape reproch a guerdon got thereby Men by your meanes do cause their owne decay And you your selues all soust in sinne must die Refraine therefore to please mans gazing eie Let men likewise the baited hookes refraine Of luring lookes their vanting vowes be vaine Thomas Blener Hasset HOW CADWALLADER THE LAST KING OF THE Britaines was expelled by the Saxons went to Rome and there liued in a religious house YOu mourning Muses all where euer you remaine Assist my sobbing soule this driery tale to tell You furious Furies fierce of Lymbo Lake below Helpe to vnlade my brest of all the bale it beares And you who felt the fall from honors high renowne From graues you grizlie ghosts send forth to helpe me mourne O Pallas giue thou place that mourning Clio may On Lute lamenting sound and sing my dolefull dumps Let riming meetered lines and pleasant musike cease Let Satyres solemne sound send forth the fall I felt And when the truth of all my Tragedie is knowne Let them that liue then learne all things must haue an end The Persian Monarch and the Medes it downe did fall That of Assyria in tract of time did end Yea Alexanders force in fight subdu'd them both And brought the world so wide into one Monarchie What though the fretting force of Fate did him dismay He felt at last the foile his vanting was in vaine He dead the world it was diuided as before The Roman Emperie came tumbling downe at last And where is Troy and Greece and mightie Macedon They flourisht for a time like this my little I le The Soldion brought them downe and did their states destroy Euen so the Saxons brought the Britaine 's to the bay Euen these mine eyes did see that hatefull hidious sight These feeble hands when long they labour'd had in vaine Did yeeld their interest then thus I did complaine Who can refraine the force of mightie mounting seas When billowes make a breach and beate the bankes adowne Doth not the saltish surge then beat the bankes adowne Then man may not withstand the rigor of their rage But wisdome would haue kept the waues within their bounds Counsell doth come too late when hope of helpe is past Such was my filthie fate my leaud and lothsome lucke I sought a salue to cure and helpe the helpelesse wound For long before my time seuen Kings were setled heere The Saxons such as dwelt by East Sibertus rul'd The Angles in
Sir I said the gods defend that I Should causelesse kill a man in miserie Tell me thy name and place then by and by I will prouide for thine aduersitie Then he repli'd my name is Sigebert I am the man which wrought thy masters smart I rul'd of late this Realme euen at my list Take thou reuenge with that thy friendly fist And well content I will reuenge with speed The death of him whom causelesse thou did'st kill King Sigebert and art thou he indeed Sith he thou art dispatch and make thy will For to my Lord this day I will present Thy head therefore thy former saults repent Thou seest the blocke on which thy life must end Call thou for grace that God may mercie send Wherewith he kneeling by the blocke of bale Dispatch quoth he and do that friendly deed O welcome death and farewell Fortune fraile Dispatch good friend dispatch my life with speed Wherewith on blocke he stretcht his neck outright And said no more but praying me to smite I gaue the stroke which ended all his care A bloodie stroke which did my death prepare For I who hopte to haue some great reward For killing of my Masters fathers foe Was hanged straight my cause was neuer heard Such was my chance and well deserued woe For when my Lord had heard me tell the tale How I his King and mine did there assaile His frowning face did put me in great feare He sigh'd and sob'd and said as you shall heare O Caitiffe vile O Impe of Satans seed And hast thou kill'd our Soueraigne Lord and King His due desert deserueth death indeed Yet what made thee to do so vile a thing What though he did my father causelesse kill What though he rul'd the Realme with lawlesse will Shall we therefore with cruell bloodie knife Depriue our Lord and King of vitall life O wicked deed may subiects false surmise With murthering minds their Gouernour resist That may not be for Tully wondrous wise Plato in whom true knowledge doth consist They both agreed that no man ought to kill A Tyrant though he hath him at this will Yet thou thou wretch this bloody deed hast done The like was neuer seene vnder the Sun When God will plague the people for their sin Them then to scourge he doth a Tyrant send We should therefore that subiects be begin With earnest mind our former saults t' amend Which if we do it is to great availe Mans force is fond fighting cannot prcuaile And he who doth resist the Magistrate Resisteth God repenting all too late If subiects be by peruerse Prince opprest They then must pray that God the change may make Which God no doubt rebellion doth detest No subiect may his sword or armour take Against his Prince whom God hath placed there Yet hath this wretch all void of subiects feare Destroy'd a King whom God did thrust from throne Alas poore King thy death I do bemone But he who hath thy lingring life destroi'd Shall be destroi'd and find it passing plaine That no man may a Princes life annoy Although the Prince desiers to be slaine Yet subiects must from sheading blood refraine From which seeing that this wretch could not abstaine Let him be hang'd as I before decreed A iust reward for his so vile a deed Then I forthwith to end my life was led I hopte to haue preferment for my deed I was prefer'd and hang'd all saue the head Did euer man the like example read Not one I thinke therefore good Memorie In register inrole thou this for me That they who liue and reade the fall I felt May find how fate most strangely with me delt Yet my desert no doubt did death deserue Though hatred did not make me kill my King Yet lucre leaud did force my feete to swerue That hatefull hap me to this bale did bring Let them then learne that heedlesse liue by hope Her hatefull hests will bring them to the rope And happie he who void of hope can lead A quiet life all void of Fortunes dread Perillus he who made the Bull of brasse Like him I hopte to haue some great reward But he in brasen belly broyled was And to a skarfe of hemp I was prefer'd So they that meane by others harmes to rise Their dying day shall end with dolefull cries And heere I end approuing that most true From wicked workes no goodnesse can ensue Thomas Blener Hasset HOW LADIE EBBE DID FLEA HER NOSE AND VPPER lippe away to saue her Virginitie Anno Dom. 870. DO nothing muse at my deformed face For Nature it in perfect mould did make And when your wits haue weighed well the case You will commend me much for vertues sake With these my hands which from my face did take Mine ouer-lippe and eke my seemely nose So to auoid the rage of all my foes For I by birth a Princes daughter borne An Abbiesse by my profession Of which estate I neuer thought it scorne It greatly did delight me to be one Which might erect diuine religion At Collingam I tooke this charge in hand And fiftie more of chaste Dianaes band All Ladies borne by birth of high degree Which there did vow with me their liues to leade And to auoid carnall fragilitie We all did vow as you right well may reade With single liues to liue in feare and dread Of God our Lord so to refraine the vice Of fleshly lust which doth to sinne intice Then did the Danes the Saxon state inuade And they who did the Britaine state destroy To sue for grace were glad and well apaid So strangely did the Danes vs then annoy That Saxons like the men of broyling Troy Amaz'd they gaz'd not knowing what was best So straitly were the Saxons then distrest These dreadfull Danes they had no feare of God But sauage they did make their lust a law Whom God did send for a reuenging rod To make vs Saxons liue in feare and awe Of him who did from seruile bondage draw Vs out and made vs liue at libertie When as we seru'd with cruell slauerie Not much vnlike the murmuring Israelites Sometime we seru'd our Lord with feare and dread In trouble we imploi'd our whole delights To fast and pray but when we quiet were We restlesse led our liues all void of care Forgetting him who did in each distresse With helping hand vs blesse with good successe See heere the fruit of health and good successe It maketh man both proud and insolent In health we hate the God who hath vs blest Trouble doth make vs mortall men repent Our former faults in sicknesse we be bent To fast and pray and in aduersitie To pray to God is mans felicitie And for this fault abusing this our blesse The Danes with ruth our Realme did ouerrunne Their wrath inwrapt vs all in wretchednesse There was no sin from which those men did shunne By them the Commonweale was quite vndone They did destroy the state of euery towne They Churches
I was a King who ruled all by lust Forcing but light of Iustice right or Law Putting alwaies flatterers false in trust Ensuing such as could my vices claw By faithfull counsell passing not an haw As pleasure prickt so needs obey I must Hauing delight to feed and serue the gust Which to maintaine my people were sore pol'd With Fines Fifteenes and loanes by way of prest Blanke Charters oaths and shifts not knowne of old For which the Commons did me sore detest I also sold the noble towne of Brest My fault wherein because mine vncle told I found the meanes that he to death was sold None aide I lackt in any wicked deed For gaping Gulles whom I promoted had Would further all in hope of higher meed There can no King imagine ought so bad But shall find some that will performe it glad For sicknesse seldome doth so swiftly breed As humours ill do grow the griefe to feed My life and death the truth of this hath tri'd For while I fought in Ireland with my foes Mine vncle Edmund whom I left to guide My Realme at home rebelliously arose Percies to helpe which plied my depose And call'd from France Earle Bolenbroke whom I Exiled had for ten yeares there to lie For comming backe this sudden stur to stay The Earle of Worster whom I trusted most Whiles I in Wales at Flint my castle lay Both to refresh and multiplie mine host There in my hall in sight of least and most His staffe did breake which was my houshold stay Bad each make shift and rode himselfe away My Steward false thus being fled and gone My seruants slie shranke off on euery side Then caught I was and led vnto my fone Who for their Prince no Palace did prouide But prison strong where Henrie puft with pride Causde me resigne my Kingly state and throne And so forsaken left and post alone Yet some conspir'd their new King to put downe And to that end a solemne oath they swore To render me my royall seate and Crowne Whereof themselues depriued me before But late medcines can helpe no sothbind sore When swelling flouds haue ouerflowen the towne Too late it is to saue them that shall drowne For though the Peeres set Henrie in his state Yet could they not displace him thence againe And where they soone depriued me of late They could restore me by no manner paine Things hardly mend but may be mar'd amaine And when a man is fallen in froward fate Still mischiefes light one on anothers pate For when the King did know that for my cause His Lords in maske would kill him on a night To dash all doubts he tooke no farther pause But Pierce of Exton a cruell murdering Knight To Pomfret castle sent him armed bright Who causelesse kill'd me there against all lawes Thus lawlesse life to lawlesse death aye drawes G. Ferrers HOW OWEN GLENDOVR SEDVCED BY FALSE PROPHESIES tooke vpon him to be Prince of Wales and was by Henrie Prince of England chased to the Mountaines where he miserablie died for lacke of food An. 1401. I Pray thee Baldwine sith thou doest entend To shew the fall of such as climbe too hie Remember me whose miserable end May teach a man his vicious life to flie Oh Fortune Fortune out on thee I crie My liuely corps thou hast made leane and slender For lacke of food whose name was Owen Glendour A Welchman borne and of the Troian blood But ill brought vp whereby full well I find That neither birth nor linage make vs good Though it be true that Cat will after kind Flesh gendreth flesh but not the soule or mind They gender not but foulely do degender When men to vice from vertue them surrender Each thing by nature tendeth to the same Whereof it came and is disposed like Downe sinkes the mould vp mounts the fierie flame With horne the Hart with hoofe the Horse doth strike The Wolfe doth spoile the suttle Foxe doth pike And to conclude no fish flesh fowle or plant Of their true dame the propertie doth want But as for men sith seuerally they haue A mind whose maners are by learning made Good bringing vp all only doth them saue In honest acts which with their parents fade So that true gentrie standeth in the trade Of vertuouslife not in the fleshly line For blood is brute but gentrie is diuine Experience doth cause me thus to say And that the rather for my countrimen Which vaunt and boast themselues aboue the day If they may straine their stocke from worthie men Which let be true are they the better then Nay farre the worse if so they be not good For why they staine the beautie of their blood How would we mocke the burden-bearing mule If he would brag he were an horses son To presse his pride might nothing else him rule His boasts to proue no more but bid him run The horse for swiftnesse hath his glorie won The braging mule could nere the more aspier Though he should proue that Pegas was his sier Each man may crake of that which was his owne Our parents good is theirs and no whit ours Who therefore will of noble birth be knowne Or shine in vertue like his ancestours Gentrie consisteth not in lands and towers He is a churle though all the world were his Yea Arthurs heire if that he liue amis For vertuous life a Gentleman doth make Of her possessour all be he poore as Iob Yea though no name of elders he can take For proofe take Merlin fathered by an Hob. But who so sets his mind to spoile and rob Although he come by due descent from Brute He is a churle vngentle vile and brute Well thus did I for want of better wit Because my parents naughtly brought me vp For Gentlemen they said was nought so fit As to attast by bold attempts the cup Of conquests wine whereof I thought to sup And therefore bent my selfe to rob and riue And whom I could of lands and goods depriue Henrie the fourth did then vsurpe the Crowne Despoil'd the King with Mortimer the heire For which his subiects sought to put him downe And I while Fortune offered me so faire Did what I might his honor to appaire And tooke on me to be the Prince of Wales Entiste thereto by Prophesies and tales For which such mates as wait vpon the spoile From euery part of Wales vnto me drew For loytering youth vntaught in any toile Are readie aye all mischiefe to ensue Through helpe of these so great my glorie grew That I defied my King through loftie heart And made sharpe warre on all that tooke his part See lucke I tooke Lord Raynold Gray of Rithen And him enforst my daughter to espouse And so perforce I held him still and sithen In Wigmore land through battell rigorous I caught the right heire of the crowned house The Earle of March Sir Edmund Mortimor And in a dungeon kept him prisoner Then all the Marches longing vnto
Wales By Seuerne West I did inuade and burne Destroyed the townes in mountaines and in vales And rich in spoiles did home ward safe returne Was none so bold durst once against me spurne Thus prosperously doth Fortune forward call Those whom she minds to giue the sorest fall When same had brought these tidings to the King Although the Scots then vexed him right sore A mightie armie ' gainst me he did bring Where of the French King being warn'd afore Who mortall hate against King Henrie bore To grieue our foe he quickly to me sent Twelue thousand Frenchmen vnto the fight all bent A part of them led by the Earle of March Lord Iames of Burbon a renowned Knight Withheld by winds to Wales-ward forth to march Tooke land at Plimmouth priuily on night And when he had done all he durst or might After that many of his men were slaine He stole to ship and sailed home againe Twelue thousand moe in Milford did arriue And came to me then lying at Denbigh With armed Welchmen thousands double fiue With whom we went to Worcester well nigh And there encampt vs on a mount on high T' abide the King who shortly after came And pitched downe his field hard by the same There eight daies long our hosts lay face to face And neither others power durst assaile But they so stopt the passages the space That vitailes could not come to our auaile Where through constrain'd our hearts began to faile So that the Frenchmen shranke away by night And I with mine to 'th mountaines took our flight The King pursued greatly to his cost From hilles to woods from woods to valleyes plaine And by the way his men and stuffe he lost And when he saw he gained nought but paine He blew retreate and gate him home againe Then with my power I boldly came abroad Taken in my countrey for a very god Immediately there fell a iolly iarre Betweene the King and Percies worthie blouds Which grew at last vnto a deadly warre For like as drops engender mightie flouds And little seeds sprout forth great leaues and buds Euen so small strises if they be suffered run Breed wrath and warre and death or they be don The King would haue the ransome of such Scots As these the Percies tane had in the field But see how strongly Lucre knits her knots The King will haue the Percies will not yeeld Desire of goods some craues but granteth seeld Oh cursed goods desire of you hath wrought All wickednes that hath or can bee thought The Percies deemd it meeter for the King To haue redeemd their Cosin Mortimer Who in his quarell all his power did bring To fight with mee that tooke him prisoner Than of their pray to rob his souldier And therefore will'd him see some meane were found To quite forth him whom I kept vily bound Because the King misliked their request They came themselues and did accord with mee Complaining how the Kingdome was opprest By Henries rule wherefore wee did agree To plucke him downe and part the Realme in three The north part theirs Wales holy to be mine The rest to rest to th' Earle of Marches line And for to set vs hereon more agog A Prophet came a vengeance take them all Affirming Henry to be Gogmagog Whom Merline doth a Mould warpe euer call Accurst of God that must be brought in thrall By a Wolfe a Dragon and a Lion strong Which should diuide his Kingdome them among This crafty dreamer made vs three such beasts To thinke wee were the foresaid beastes indeed And for that cause our badges and our creasts Wee searched out which scarsly well agreed Howbeit the Herolds apt at such a need Drew downe such issues from old ancesters As prou'd these ensignes to bee surely ours Yee crafty Welehmen wherefore doe ye mocke The Noble men thus with your sained rimes Ye Noble men why flie yee not the flocke Of such as haue seduc'd so many times False Prophesies are plagues for diuers crimes Which God doth let the diuellish sort deuise To trouble such as are not godly wise And that appeard by vs three beasts indeed Through false perswasion highly borne in hand That in our feate we could not chuse but speed To kill the King and to enioy his Land For which exploit we bound our selues in band To stand contented ech man with his part So folly did assure our foolish hart But such they say as fish before the net Shall seldome surfet of the pray they take Of things to come the haps bee so vnset That none but fooles may warrant of them make The full assur'd successe doth oft forsake For Fortune findeth none so fit to flout As carelesse sots which cast no kinde of doubt How saist thou Henry Hotspur doe I lie For thou right manly gau'st the King a field And there wast slaine because thou wouldst not flie Thine vncle Thomas Percy forst to yeeld Did cast his head a wonder seene but seeld From Shrewsbury towne to 'th top of London Bridge Loe thus fond hope did both their liues abridge When Henry this great victory had wonne Destroid the Percies put their power to flight He did appoint Prince Henry his eldest sonne With all his power to meete me if he might But I discomfit through my partners fight Had not the heart to meete him face to face But fled away and he pursu'd the chase Now Baldwine marke for I cald Prince of Wales And made beleeue I should be he indeed Was made to fly among the hilles and dales Where all my men forsooke me at my need Who trusteth loiterers seeld hath luckly speed And when the Captaines courage doth him faile His souldiers harts a little thing may quaile And so Prince Henry chased me that loe I found no place wherein I might abide For as the dogges pursue the silly Doe The brache behinde the houndes on euery side So traste they me among the mountaines wide Whereby I found I was the hartles hare And not the beast the prophet did declare And at the last like as the little roach Must else be eat or leape vpon the shore When as the hungry picketell doth approach And there find death which it escapt before So double death assaulted me so sore That either I must vnto mine enmy yeeld Or starue for hunger in the barraine feeld Here shame and paine a while were at a strife Paine bad me yeeld shame bad me rather fast The one bad spare the other bad spend my life But shame shame haue it ouercame at last Then hunger gnew that doth the stone wall brast And made me eate both grauel durt and mud And last of all my dung my flesh and bloud This was mine end too horrible to heare Yet good enough for life that was so ill Where by O Baldwine warne all men to beare Their youth such loue to bring them vp in skill Bid Princes fly false prophets lying bill And not presume to climbe aboue
famous in all Realmes A thousand times I mind you in my dreames And when I wake most griefe it is to mee That neuer more againe I shall you see In the night time when I should take my rest I weepe I waile I wet my bed with teares And when dead sleepe my spirits hath opprest Troubled with dreames I fantasie vaine feares Mine husbands voice then ringeth at mine eares Crying for helpe O saue me from the death These villaines heere do seeke to stop my breath Yea and sometimes me thinkes his drerie ghost Appeares in sight and shewes me in what wise Those fell tyrants with torments had embost His winde and breath to abuse peoples eyes So as no doubt or question should arise Among rude folke which little vnderstand But that his death came only by Gods hand I plaine in vaine where eares be none to heare But roring seas and blustering of the winde And of redresse am nere a whit the neare But with waste words to feed my mournfull minde Wishing full oft the Parcas had vntwinde My vitall strings or Atropose with knife Had cut the line of my most wretched life Oh that Neptune and Aeolus also Th' one god of Seas the other of weather Ere mine arriuall into that I le of woe Had sunke the ship wherein I sailed thither The shipmen saued so as I together With my good Duke might haue been dead afore Fortune had wroken her heart vpon vs so sore Or else that God when my first passage was Into exile along Saint Albons towne Had neuer let me further for to passe But in the street with death had strucke me downe Then had I sped of my desired bowne That my poore corps might there haue lien with his Both in one graue and so haue gone to blisse But I alas the greater is my griefe Am past that hope to haue my sepulture Neere vnto him which was to me most leefe But in an I le and countrie most obscure To pine in paine whilst my poore life will dure And being dead all honorlesse to lie In simple graue as other poore that die My tale is told and time it is to cease Of troubles past all which haue had their end My graue I trust shall purchase me such peace In such a world where no wight doth contend For higher place whereto all flesh shall wend And so I end vsing one word for all As I began that pride will haue a fall G. Ferrers HOW HVMFREY PLANTAGENET DVKE OF GLOCESTER Protector of England during the minoritie of his Nephew King Henry the sixt commonly called the good Duke by practise of enemies was brought to confusion AS highest hilles with tempests been most touched And tops of trees most subiect vnto winde And as great towers with stone strongly couched Haue heauie falles when they be vndermin'd Euen so by proofe in worldly things we find That such as climbe the top of high degree From feare of falling neuer can be free To proue this true good Baldwine hearken heere See and behold me Humfrey hight by name Englands Protector Duke of Glocester Who in the sixt King Henries rule with fame Twice ten yeares kept the troubled State in frame Note well the cause of my vnhappie case And'mongst thy mirrours let the same haue place In their most weale let men beware mishap And not to sleepe in slumbring sickernesse Whilst Fortune false doth lull them in her lap Drowned in dreames of brittle blessednesse But then to feare her freakes and ficklenesse Accounting still the higher they ascend More nigh to be to danger in the end And that vaine trust in blood or royall race Abuse them not with blind securitie To trust their state but weighing well my case When she most smiles to haue in memorie My sudden fall who in most certaintie Hauing most staies which men in state maintaine Haue found the same vntrustie and most vaine Better then I none may the same approue Who trusting all in height of high estate To bite on fawning flatteries bait did loue Which neuer Prince could banish from his gate Did little thinke on such a sudden mate Not heeding lesse dreading all vnaware By foes least fear'd was trapt in suddaine snare If noble birth or high autority Number of friends kinred or alliance If wisdome learning worldly policy Mought haue ben staiers to Fortunes variance None stood more strong in worldly countenance For all these helpes had I to high degree And yet in fine they all beguiled mee Of Henry fourth by name fourth sonne I was Brother to Henry fift of that same name To the sixt Henrie vncle but alas What cause had I to build vpon the same Or for vaine glory to aduance my fame My selfe to call in records and writings The brother sonne and vncle vnto Kings This was my boast which lastly was my bane Yet not this boast was it that brought me downe The very cause which made my weale to wane So neere of kin that I was to the Crowne That was the rock that made my ship to drowne A rule there is not failing but most sure Kingdome no kin doth know ne can indure When the fift Henry by his valiancie Wan by conquest the roiall Realme of France And of two Kingdomes made one Monarchy Before his death for better obeisance To his yong sonne not ripe to gouernance Protector of England I was by testament And Iohn my brother in France made Regent To whom if God had lent a longer life Our house t' haue kept from stormes of inward strife Or it had been the Lord Almighties will Plantagenet in state had standen still But deadly discord which all states do spill Bred by desire of high domination Brought our whole house to plaine desolation It is for truth in an history found That Henry Plantagenet first of our name Who called was King Henry the second Sonne of Dame Maude the Empresse of high fame Would oft report that his ancient Grandame Though seeming in shape a woman naturall Was a Feend of the kind that Succubae some call Which old fable so long time told before When this Kings sonnes against him did rebell He cald to minde and being greeued sore Loe now quoth he I see and proue full well The story true which folk of old did tell That from a feend descended all our race And now my children verify the case Whereof to leaue a long memoriall In minde of man for euermore to rest A Picture he made and hung it in his Hall Of a Pellicane sitting on his nest With foure yong birds three pecking at his brest With bloudy beakes and furder did deuise The yongest bird to pecke the fathers eyes Meaning hereby his rebell Children three Henry and Richard bet him on the breast Ieffrey onely from that offence was free Henry died of Englands Crowne possest Richard liued his father to molest Iohn the yongest pect his fathers eye Whose deeds vnkinde the sooner made him die This King
some write in his sicknes last Said as it were by way of prophecie How that the Diuell a Darnell graine had cast Among his kin to encrease enmity Which should remaine in their posterity Till mischiefe and murder had spent them all Not leauing one to pisse against the wall And yet from him in order did succeed In England here of crowned Kings fourteene Of that surname and of that line and seed With Dukes and Earles and many a noble Queene The number such as all the world would weene So many impes could neuer so be spent But some heire male should be of that descent Which to be true if any stand in doubt Because I meane not further to digresse Let him pursue the histories throughout Of English Kings whom practise did oppresse And he shall find the cause of their distresse From first to last vnkindly to begin Alwaies by those that next were of the kin Was not Richard of whom I spake before A rebell plaine vntill his father died And Iohn likewise an enmy euermore To Richard againe and for a rebell tried After whose death it cannot be denied Against all right this Iohn most cruelly His brothers children caused for to die Arthur and Isabell I meane that were Ieffreies children then duke of Britaine Henries third sonne by one degree more neere Then was this Iohn as stories shew most plaine Which two children were famisht or els slaine By Iohn their Eame cald Saunzterre by name Of whose foule act all countries speake great shame Edward and Richard second both by name Kings of this Land fell downe by fatall fate What was the cause that Princes of such fame Did leese at last their honour life and state Nothing at all but discord and debate Which when it haps in kinred or in bloud Erynnis rage was neuer halfe so wood Be sure therefore ye Kings and Princes all That concord in Kingdoms is chiefe assurance And that your families doe neuer fall But where discord doth lead the doubtfull dance With busie brawles and turnes of variance Where malice is minstrel the pipe ill report The maske mischiefe and so ends the sport But now to come to my purpose againe VVhilst I my charge applied in England My brother in France long time did remaine Cardinal Beauford tooke proudly in hand In causes publique against me to stand VVho of great malice so much as he might Sought in all things to doe me despite VVhich proud prelate to me was bastard Eame Sonne to Duke Iohn of Gaunt as they did faine VVho being made high Chancellour of the Realme Not like a Priest but like a Prince did raigne Nothing wanting which might his pride maintaine Bishop besides of VVinchester he was And Cardinall of Rome which Angels brought to passe Not Gods Angels but Angels of old Gold Lift him aloft in whom no cause there was By iust desert so high to be extold Riches except whereby this golden asse At home and abroad all matters brought to passe Namely at Rome hauing no meane but that To purchase there his crimz in Cardinall hat Which thing the King my father him forbad Plainly saying that he could not abide Within his Realme a subiect to be had His Princes peere yet such was this mans pride That he forth with after my father di'd The King then yong obtained of the Pope That honor high which erst he could not hope Whose proud attempts because that I withstood My bound dutie the better to acquite This holy father waxed well neere wood Of meere malice deuising day and night To worke to me dishonor and despight Whereby there fell betweene vs such a iarre As in this land was like a ciuill warre My brother Iohn which lay this while in France Heard of this hurle and past the seas in haste By whose trauell this troublesome distance Ceased a while but nerethelesse in waste For rooted hate will hardly be displaste Out of high hearts and namely where debate Happeneth amongst great persons of estate For like as a match doth lie and smoulder Long time before it commeth to the traine But yet when fire hath caught in the poulder No art is able the flames to restraine Euen so the sparkes of enuie and disdaine Out of the smoke burst forth in such a flame That France and England yet may rue the same So when of two Realmes the regiment royall Betweene brothers was parted equally One placed in France for affaires Martiall And I at home for ciuill policie To serue the state we both did so applie As honor and same to both did encrease To him for the warre to me for the peace Whence enuie sprang and specially because This proud prelate could not abide a Peere Within the land to rule the state by lawes Wherefore sifting my life and acts most neere He neuer ceast vntill as you shall heare By practise foule of him and his allies My death was wrought in most vnworthie wise And first he sought my doings to defame By rumors false which he and his did sow Letters and billes to my reproch and shame He did deuise and all about bestow Whereby my troth in doubt should daily grow In England first and afterward in France Mouing all meanes to bring me to mischance One quarell was that where by common law Murder and theft been punisht all alike So as manslayers which bloodie blades do draw Suffer no more then he that doth but pike Me thought the same no order politike In setting paines to make no difference Betweene the lesser and greater offence I being seene somewhat in ciuill law The rules thereof reputed much bitter Wherefore to keepe offenders more in awe Like as the fault was smaller or greater So set I paines more easier or bitter Weghing the qualitie of euery offence And so according pronounced sentence Among'st my other Delicta Iuuentutis Whil'st rage of youth my reason did subdue I must confesse as the very truth is Driuen by desire fond fancies to ensue A thing I did whereof great trouble grew Abusing one to my no small rebuke Which wife was then to Iohn of Brabant Duke Called she was Ladie Iaquet the faire Delitefull in loue like Helene of Troy To the Duke of Bauier sole daughter and heire Her did I marrie to my great annoy Yet for a time this dame I did enioy With her whole lands withholding them by force Till Martin the Pope betweene vs made diuorce Yet all these blasts not able were to moue The anchor strong whereby my ship did stay Some other shift to seeke him did behoue Whereto ere long ill Fortune made the way Which finally was cause of my decay And cruell death contriued by my foes Which fell out thus as now I shall disclose Eleanor my wife my Duchesse only deare I know not how but as the nature is Of women all aye curious to enquire Of things to come though I confesse in this Her fault not small and that she did amisse By witches skill which
line O heedlesse trust vnware of harme to come O malice headlong swift to serue fond will Did euer madnesse man so much benome Of prudent forecast reason wit and skill As me blind Bayard consenting to spill The blood of my cosin my refuge and stay To my destruction making open way So long as the Duke bare the stroke and sway So long no Rebels quarels durst begin But when the post was pulled once away Which stood to vphold the King and his kin Yorke and his banders proudly preased in To challenge the Crowne by title of right Beginning with law and ending with might Abroad went bruits in countrey and towne That Yorke of England was the heire true And how Henrie had vsurped the Crowne Against all right which all the Realme might rue The people then embracing titles new Irkesome of present and longing for change Assented soone because they loue to range True is the text which wee in scripture read Va terra illi cuius rex est puer Woe to that land whereof a child is head Whether child or childish the case is one sure Where Kings bee yong we dayly see in vre The people awlesse by weakenes of their head Leade their liues lawlesse hauing none to dread And no lesse true is this text againe Beata terra cuius rex est nobilis Blest is the land where a stout King doth raine Where in good peace ech man possesseth his Where ill men feare to fault or do amisse Where a stout Prince is prest with sword in hand At home and abroad his enemies to withstand In case King Henry had beene such a one Hardy and stout as his fathers afore Long mought he haue sate in the royall throne Without any feare of common vprore But dayly his weakenesse shewed more and more Which boldnesse gaue to the aduersary band To spoile him at last both of life and land His humble heart was nothing vnknowen To the gallants of Yorke and their retinue A ground lying low is soone ouerflowen And shored houses cannot long continue Ioints cannot knit where as is no sinew And so a Prince not dread as well as loued Is from his place by practise soone remoued Well mought I see had I not wanted braine The worke begun to vndermine the state When the chiefe linke was loosed from the chaine And that some durst vpon bloud royall grate How tickle a hold had I of mine estate When the chiefe post lay flat vpon the flore Mought not I thinke my staffe then next the dore So mought I also dame Margaret the Queene By meane of whom this mischiefe first began Did she trow ye her selfe not ouer weene Death to procure to that most worthy man Which she and hers afterward mought well ban On whom did hang as I before haue said Her husbands life his honour and his ayd For whilst he liued which was our stable stay Yorke and his impes were kept as vnder yoke But when the Piller remoued was away Then burst out flame that late before was smoke The traytour couert then cast off his cloke And from his den came forth in open light With titles blind which he set forth for right But this to bring about him first behoued The King and his kin asunder for to set Who being perforce or practise remoued Then had they avoided the principall let Which kept the sought pray so long from the net The next point after was themselues to place In rule aboue the rest next vnto his Grace Therefore was I first whom they put out of place No cause pretending but the common-weale The Crowne of England was the very case Why to the Commons they burned so in zeale My faults were clokes their practise to conceale In counsaile hearing consider the intent For in pretence of truth treason oft is ment So their pretence was only to remoue Counsaile corrupt from place about the King But O ye Princes you it doth behoue This case to construe as no fained thing That neuer traytour did subdue his King But for his plat ere he could surder wade Against his friends the quarell first hee made And if by hap he could so bring about Them to subdue at his owne wish and will Then would hee wax so arrogant and stout That no reason his outrage might fulfill But to proceed vpon his purpose still Til King and counsaile brought were in one case Such is their folly to rebels to giue place So for the fish casting forth a net The next point was in driuing out the plat Commons to cause in rage to fume and fret And to rebell I cannot tell for what Requiring redresse of this and of that Who if they speed the stander at receit Grasp will the pray for which he doth await Then by surmise of some thing pretended Such to displace as they may well suspect Like to withstand their mischiefe intended And in their roomes their banders to elect The aduerse party proudly to reiect And then with reports the simple to abuse And when these helps faile open force to vse So this Dukes traines were couert and not seene Which ment no lesse that he most pretended Like to a Serpent couert vnder greene To the weale publique seemed wholly bended Zealous hee was and would haue all things mended But by that mendment nothing els he ment But to be King to that marke was his bent For had he beene plaine as he ment indeed Henry to depose from the royall place His haste had been waste and much worse his speed The King then standing in his peoples grace This Duke therefore set forth a goodly face As one that ment no quarell for the Crowne Such as bare rule he only would put downe But all for nought so long as I bare stroke Serued these drifts and proued all vaine The best help then was people to prouoke To make commotion and vprores amaine Which to appease the King himselfe was faine From Blacke Heath in Kent to send me to the Tower Such was the force of rebels in that hower The troublous storme yet therewith was not ceased For Yorke was bent his purpose to pursue Who seing how speedily I was released And ill successe of sufferance to ensue Then like Iudas vnto his Lord vntrue Esteeming time lost any longer to defarre By Warwickes ayd proclaimed open warre At S. Albanes towne both our hostes did meete Which to try a field was no equall place Forst we were to fight in euery lane and streete No feare of foes could make me shun the place There I and Warwicke fronted face to face At an Inne dore the Castle was the signe Where with a sword was cut my fatall line Oft was I warned to come in Castle none Hauing no mistrust of any common signe I did imagine a Castle built with stone For of no Inne I could the same diuine In Prophets skill my wit was neuer fine A foole is he that such vaine dreames doth dred And more foole he
friend Which brought himselfe to an infamous end For when King Henrie of that name the fift Had tane my father in his conspiracie He from Sir Edmund all the blame to shift Was faine to say the French King Charles his alley Had hired him this trayterous act to trie For which condemned shortly he was slaine In helping right this was my fathers gaine Thus when the linage of the Mortimers Was made away by his vsurping line Some hang'd some slaine some pined prisoners Because the Crowne by right of law was mine They gan as fast against me to repine In feare alwaies lest I should stir some strife For guiltie hearts haue neuer quiet life Yet at the last in Henries dayes the sixt I was restored to my fathers lands Made Duke of Yorke where through my mind I fixt To get the Crowne and Kingdome in my hands For aide wherein I knit assured bands With Neuils stocke whose daughter was my make Who for no woe would euer me forsake O Lord what hap had I through mariage Foure goodly boyes in youth my wife she bore Right valiant men and prudent for their age Such brethren shee had and nephues in store As none had erst nor any shall haue more The Earle of Salisbury and his sonne of Warwicke Were matchlesse men from Barbary to Barwicke Through helpe of whom and Fortunes louely looke I vndertooke to claime my lawfull right And to abash such as against me tooke I raised power at all points prest to fight Of whom the chiefe that chiefly bare me spight Was Sommerset the Duke whom to annoy I alway sought through spite spite to destroy And maugre him so choice lo was my chance Yea though the Queene that all rul'd tooke his part I twice bare rule in Normandy and France And last Lieutenant in Ireland where my hart Found remedy for euery kinde of smart For through the loue my doings there did breed I had their helpe at all times in my need This spitefull Duke his silly King and Queene With armed hosts I thrice met in the field The first vnsought through treaty made betweene The second ioind wherein the King did yeeld The Duke was slaine the Queene enforst to shield Her selfe by flight The third the Queene did fight Where I was slaine being ouer matcht by might Before this last were other battailes three The first the Earle of Salisbury led alone And fought on Bloreheath and got victory In the next I with kinsfolke euery one But seeing our souldiers stale vnto our fone We warely brake our company on a night Dissolu'd our host and tooke our selues to flight This Boy and I in Ireland did vs saue Mine eldest sonne with Warwicke and his father To Calais got whence by the read I gaue They came againe to London and did gather An other host whereof I spake no rather And met our foes flewe many a Lord and Knight And took the King and draue the Queene to flight This done I came to England all in haste To make a claime vnto the Realme and Crowne And in the house while parliament did last I in the Kings seate boldly sate me downe And claimed it whereat the Lords did frowne But what for that I did so well proceed That all at last confest it mine indeed But sith the King had raigned now so long They would he should continue till he died And to the end that then none did me wrong In ech place heire apparant they me cried But sith the Queene and others this denied I sped me towards the North where then shee lay In minde by force to cause her to obay Whereof she warnd prepard a mighty powre And ere that mine were altogether ready Came swift to Sandale and besieged my bowre Where like a beast I was so rash and heady That out I would there could be no remedy With scant fiue thousand souldiers to assaile Foure times so many encampt to most auaile And so was slaine at first and while my child Scarce twelue yeare old sought secretly to part That cruell Clifford Lord nay Lorell wilde While th' infant wept and prayed him rue his smart Knowing what he was with dagger cloue his heart This done he came to th' campe where I lay dead Despoil'd my corps and cut away my head Which with a painted paper Crowne thereon He for a present sent vnto the Queene And she for spite commanded it anon To Yorke fast by where that it might be seene They placed it where other traytours beene This mischiefe Fortune did me after death Such was my life and such my losse ofbreath Wherefore see Baldwine that thou set it forth To th' end the fraud of Fortune may be knowen That eke all Princes well may weigh the worth Of things for which the seeds of warre be sowen No state so sure but soone is ouerthrowen No worldly good can counterpoize the prise Of halfe the paines that may thereof arise Better it were to lose a piece of right Then limbes and life in striuing for the same It is not force of friendship nor of might But God that causeth things to fro or frame Not wit but lucke doth wield the winners game Wherefore if we our follies would refraine Time would redresse all wrongs we void of paine Wherefore warne Princes not to wade in war For any cause except the Realmes defence Their troublous titles are vnworthie far The blood the life the spoile of innocence Of friends of foes behold my foule expence And neuer the neere best therefore tarie time So right shall raigne and quiet calme each crime HOW THE LORD CLIFFORD FOR HIS STRANGE and abominable crueltie came to as strange and sudden a death Anno 1461. OPen confession asketh open penance And wisdome would a man his shame to hide Yet sith forgiuenes commeth through repentance I thinke it best that men their crimes ascride For nought so secret but at length is spide For couer fire and it will neuer linne Till it breake forth in like case shame and sinne As for my selfe my faults be out so plaine And published abroad in euery place That though I would I cannot hide a graine All care is bootlesse in a curelesse case To learne by others griefe some haue the grace And therefore Baldwine write my wretched fall The briefe whereof I briefely vtter shall I am the same that slue Duke Richards child The louely babe that begged life with teares Whereby mine honor foully I defil'd Poore silly Lambes the Lion neuer teares The feeble mouse may lie among the beares But wrath of man his rancour to requite Forgets all reason ruth and vertue quite I meane by rancour the parentall wreake Surnam'd a vertue as the vicious say But little know the wicked what they speake In boldning vs our enmies kin to slay To punish sin is good it is no nay They wreake not sinne but merit wreake for sinne That wreake the fathers fault vpon his kinne Because my father Lord Iohn Clyfford
is no more but pray for me all Thus say I Edward that late was your King And twentie two yeares ruled this Imperiall Some vnto pleasure and some to no liking Mercie I aske of my misdoing What auaileth it friends to be my foe Sith I cannot resist nor amend your complaining Quia ecce nunc in puluere dormio I sleepe now in mould as it is naturall As earth vnto earth hath his reuerture What ordained God to be terrestriall Without recourse to the earth by nature Who to liue euer may himselfe assure What is it to trust to mutabilitie Sith that in this world nothing may endure For now am I gone that was late in prosperitie To presume thereupon it is but vanitie Not certaine but as a cherie faire full of wo. Raigned not I of late in great prosperitie Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio Where was in my life such an one as I While Lady Fortune had with me continuance Granted not she me to haue victorie In England to raigne and to contribute France She tooke me by the hand and led me a dance And with her sugred lips on me she smiled But what for dissembled countenance I could not beware till I was beguiled Now from this world she hath me exiled When I was lothest hence for to go And am in age who saith but a child Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio I had enough I held me not content Without remembrance that I should die And moreouer to encroch readie was I bent I knew not how long I should it occupie I made the Tower strong I wist not why I knew not to whom I purchased Tartersoll I mended Douer on the mountaine high And London I prouoked to fortifie the wall I made Notingham a place full royall Windsore Eltam and many other mo Yet at the last I went from them all Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio Where is now my conquest and victorie Where is my riches and royall array Where be my coursers and my horses hie Where is my mirth my solace and my play As vanitie to nought all is withered away O Lady Bes long for me may you call For I am departed vntill domes day But loue you that Lord that is Soueraigne of all Where be my Castles and buildings royall But Windsore alone now haue I no moe And of Eton the prayers perpetuall Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio Why should a man be proud or presume high Saint Bernard thereof nobly doth treate Saying a man is but a sacke of stercorie And shall returne vnto wormes meat Why what became of Alexander the great Or else of strong Sampson who can tell Were not wormes ordain'd their flesh to freat And of Salomon that was of wit the Well Absolon preferred his haire for to sell Yet for his beautie wormes eat him also And I but late in honors did excell Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio I haue played my pageant now am I past Ye wot well all I was of no great elde Thus all things concluded shall be at the last When death approcheth then lost is the field Then seeing the world me no longer vpheld For nought would conserue me heere in this place In manus tuas Domine my spirit vp I yeeld Humblie beseeching thee O God of thy grace O you courteous Commons your hearts embrace Benignely now to remember me also For right well you know your King I was Et ecce nunc in puluere dormio HOW SIR ANTHONY WODVILE Lord Riuers and Scales gouernour of Prince EDVVARD was with his Nephew Lord Richard Gray and other causelesse imprisoned and cruelly murdered Anno 1483. AS silly suiters letted by delayes To shew their Prince the meaning of their mind That long haue bought their brokers yeas and nayes And nere the nigher do daily wait to find The Princes grace from waightie affaires vntwind Which time attain'd by attending all the yeare The wearied Prince will then no suiters heare My case was such not many daies ago For after bruite had blazed all abroad That Baldwine through the aide of other mo Of fame or shame fall'n Princes would vnload Out from our graues we got without abode And preased forward with the rufull rout That sought to haue their doings boulted out But when I had long tended for my turne To tell my tale as diuers other did In hope I should no longer while soiourne But from my suits haue speedily been rid When course and place both orderly had bid Me shew my mind and I prepar'd to say The hearers paus'd arose and went their way These doubtfull doings draue me to my dumpes Vncertaine what should moue them so to do I feared lest affections lothly lumpes Or inward grudge had driuen them thereto Whose wicked stings all stories truth vndo Oft causing good to be reported ill Or drown'd in suds of Laethes muddie swill For hitherto slie writers wilie wits Which haue engrossed Princes chiefe affaires Haue been like horses snaffled with the bits Of fancie feare or doubts full deepe despaires Whose raines enchained to the chiefest chaires Haue so been strain'd of those that bare the stroke That truth was forst to chow or else to choke This caused such as lothed loud to lie To passe with silence sundrie Princes liues Lesse fault it is to leaue then leade awrie And better droun'd then euer bound in giues For fatall fraud this world so fondly driues That whatsoeuer writers braines may brue Be it neuer so false at length is tane for true What harme may hap by helpe of lying pens How written lies may leaudly be maintain'd The lothly rites the diuellish idoll dens With guiltlesse blood of vertuous men bestain'd Is such a proofe as all good hearts haue plain'd The taly grounds of stories throughly tries The death of Martyrs vengeance on it cries The freshest wits I know will soone be wearie In reading long what euer booke it bee Except it be vaine matter strange or merrie Well saust with lies and glared all with glee VVith which because no graue truth may agree The closest stile for stories is the meetest In rufull meanes the shortest forme is sweetest And seeth the plaints alreadie by thee pen'd Are briefe enough the number also small The tediousnesse I thinke doth none offend Saue such as haue no lust to learne at all Regard none such no matter what they brall Warne thou the warie lest they hap to stumble As for the carelesse care not what they mumble My life is such as if thou note it well May cause the wittie wealthie to beware For their sakes therefore plainly will I tell How false and cumbrous worldly honors are How cankred foes bring carelesse folke to care How tyrants suffered and not quell'd in time Do cut their throats that suffer them to clime Nor will I hide the chiefest point of all VVhich wisest Rulers least of all regard That was and will be cause of many a fall This cannot be too
Beheaded vs before we were condemned My cosin Richard could not be content To leaue his life because he wist not why Good gentleman that neuer harme had ment Therefore he asked wherefore he should die The Priest his ghostly father did replie With weeping eyes I know one wofull cause The Realme hath neither righteous Lords not lawes Sir Thomas Vaughan chasing cried still This tyrant Glocester is the gracelesse G That will his brothers children beastly kill And lest the people through his talke might see The misciefes toward and thereto not agree Our tormentour that false periured Knight Bad stop our mouthes with words of high despight Thus di'd we guiltlesse processe heard we none No cause alleag'd no Iudge nor yet accuser No Quest empanel'd passed vs vpon That murdrer Ratcliffe law and rights refuser Did all to flatter Richard his abuser Vnhappie both that euer they were borne Through guiltlesse blood that haue their soules forlorne In part I grant I well deserued this Because I caus'd not speedie execution Be done on Richard for that murder of his When first he wrought King Henries close confusion Not for his brothers hatefull persecution These cruell murders painfull death deserued Which had he suffred many had been preserued Warne therefore all that charge or office beare To see all murdrers speedily executed And spare them not for fauour or for feare By guiltlesse blood the earth remaines polluted For lacke of Iustice kingdomes are transmuted They that saue murdrers from deserued paine Shall through those murdrers miserably be slaine HOW THE LORD HASTINGS WAS BETRAYED BY TRVSTING TOO MVCH to his euill Counseller Catesby and villanously murdered in the Tower of London by Richard Duke of Glocester the 13. of Iune Anno 1483. I Am that Hastings whose too hastie death They blame that know wherefore I lost my breath With others fearing lest my headlesse name Be wrong'd by partiall brute of flattering Fame Hearing O Baldwine that thou mean'st to pen The liues and falles of English Noblemen My selfe heere present do present to thee My life my fall and forced destinie Ne feare to staine thy credit by my tale In Laethes floud long since in Stigian vale Selfe loue I drown'd What time hath fin'd for true And ceaseth not though stale still to renue Recount I will whereof take this for proofe That blase I will my praise and my reproofe We naked ghosts are but the very man Nor of our selues more then we ought we scan The Heauens high and Earthly vale belowe Yet ring his Fame whose deedes so great did grow Edward the fourth ye know vnnam'd I meane Whose noble nature so to me did leane That I his staffe was I his onely ioy And euen what Pandare was to him of Troy VVhich mou'd him first to make me Chamberlaine To serue his sweets to my most sower paine VVherein to iustly prais'd for secretnesse For now my guilt with shriking I confesse To him too true too vntrue to the Queene Such hate I wan as lasted long betweene Our families Shores wife was my Nice cheat The holy whore and eke the wily peat I fed his lust with louely peeces so That Gods sharp wrath I purchast my iust wo. See here the difference of a noble minde Some vertue raiseth some by vice haue climde The first though onely of themselues begon Yet circlewise into themselues do ron VVithin themselues their force vnited so Both endlesse is and stronger gainst their foe For when end'th it that neuer hath begon Or how may that that hath no end b' vndone Th' other as by wicked meanes they grue And raigned by flatterie so soone they rue First tumbling step fro honours old is vice VVhich once stept downe some linger none arise To former type But they catch vertues spray VVhich raiseth them that climbe by lawfull way Beware to rise by seruing princely lust Surely to stand one meane is rising iust 〈◊〉 learne by me whom let it helpe t' excuse 〈◊〉 â—â—â—hfull now my selfe I do accuse 〈…〉 my Prince I euer pleas'd with such As harmed none and him contented much In vice some fauour or lesse hate let win That I ne wried to worser end my sin But vsde my fauour to the helpe of such As death in later warre to liue did grutch For as on durt though durtie shin'th the Sunne So euen amidst my vice my vertue shoane My selfe I spared with his cheate to staine For loue or reuerence so I could refraine Gisippus wife erst Titus would desire With friendships breach I quencht that brutish fire Manly it is to loth the pleasing lust Small vant to flie that of constraint thou must These faults except if so my life thou scan Lo none I hurt but furdred euery man My Chamber England was my staffe the law Whereby saunce rigour all I held in awe So kind to all and so belou'd of all As what ensued vpon my bloodie fall Though I ne felt yet surely this I thinke Full many a trickling teare their mouthes did drinke Disdaine not Princes easie accesse meeke cheare We know then Angels statelier port ye beare Of God himselfe too massie a charge for sprits But then my Lords consider he delights To vaile his grace to vs poore earthly wants To simplest shrubs and to the dunghill plants Expresse him then in might and mercies meane So shall ye win as now ye rule the Reame But all too long I feare I do delay The many meanes whereby I did bewray My zealous will to earne my Princes grace Lest thou defer to thinke me kind percase As nought may last so Fortunes changing cheare With pouting lookes gan lower on my sire And on her wheele aduanst high in his rome The Warwick Earle admir'd through Christendome Besides the tempting prowesse of the foe My Princes brother did him then forgoe The cause was lik'd I was his link'd allie Yet nor the cause nor brothers treacherie Nor enmies force nor band of mingled blood Made Hastings beare any other mind then good But tane and scap'd from Warwickes griping pawes With me he fled through Fortunes froward flawes To London come at large we might haue seemed Had not we then the Realme a prison deemed Each bush a bar each spray a banner splayed Each house a fort our passage to haue stayed To Lin we leape where while w'await the tide My secret friends in secret I suppli'd In mouth to further Henrie sixt their King And vse my best meanes Edward in to bring The restlesse tide to bar the emptie bay With waltring waues roames wambling forth Away The merrie Mariner hales The bragging boy To masts high top vp hies In signe of ioy The wauering flag is vanst The surging seas Their swelling cease to calmest euen peace Sinkes downe their pride With drunkennesse ' gainst all care The Seamen arm'd await their noble fare On bord we come The massie anchors wai'd One English ship two hulks of Holland aid In such a pinch So small though was the traine
are neare to cause that doth them shoue So soonest fall from that their highest extreame To th' other contrarie that doth want of meane So laughed he erst who laughed out his breath So laughed I when I laugh'd my selfe to death The pleasing'st meanes bode not the luckiest ends Not aye found treasure to like pleasure tends Mirth meanes not mirth all time thrice happie hire Of wit to shun the excesse that all desire But this I passe I hie to other like My palfrey in the plainest paued streete Thrice bowed his bones thrice kneeled on the flower Thrice shun'd as Balams asse the dreaded Tower What should thinke he had sense of after haps As beasts foreshow the drought or rainie drops As humours in them want or else abound By influence from the heauens or change of ground Or do we interpret by successe each signe And as we fancie of each hap diuine And make that cause that kin is to th' effect Not hauing ought of conse quence respect Bucephalus kneeling only to his Lord Shewed only he was Monarch of the world Why may not then the steed foreshew by fall What casuall hap the sitter happen shall Darius horse by braying brought a Realme And what letteth why he ne is as the asse Gods meane By speaking signe to shew his hap to come Who is dease hearer of his speaking dome But forward yet In Tower-street I stai'd Where could I haue seene loe Haward all bewrai'd For as I commond with a Priest I met Away my Lord quoth he your time is ne yet To take a Priest Lo Sinon might be seene Had not the Troians hares foolish forthright eyen But since the time was come that I should die Some grace it was to die with wimpled eye Nay was this all For euen at Tower-wharfe Neere to those walles within the which I starfe Where erst in sorow soust and deepe distresse I emparted all my pining pensiuenesse With Hastings so my Purseuant men call Euen there the same to meete it did me fall Who gan to me most dolefully renue The wofull conference had erst in that lieu Hastings quoth I according now they fare At Pomfret this day dying who caus'd that care My selfe haue all the world at my will With pleasures cloyed engorged with the fill God grant it so quoth he why doubtest thou tho Quoth I and all in chafe to him gan shew In ample wise our drift with tedious tale And entred so the Tower to my bale What should we thinke of srignes They are but haps How may they then be signes of afterclaps Doth euery chance foreshew or cause some other Or ending at it selfe extend'th no further As th' ouer flowing floud some mount doth choake But to his aide some other floud it yoake So if with signes thy sinnes once ioyne beware Else whereto chances tend do neuer care Had not my sinne deserued my death as wreake What might my mirth haue hurt or horses becke Or Hawards bitter scoffe or Hastings talke What meane then foole Astrologers to calke That twinckling starres fling downe the fixed fate And all is guided by the starrie state Perdy a certaine charge assign'd they haue To shine and times diuide not fate to graue But grant they somewhat giue it at one instant Of euery babe the birth in heauen so scand That they that restlesse roll and neuer stay Should in his life beare yet so violent sway That not his actions only next to birth But all his life and death he swayed therewith How may one motion make so sundrie affects Or one impression tend to such respects Some rule there is yet Else why were defer'd Till now these plagues so long ere now deseru'd If for they are trifles they ne seeme of care But toyes with God the stately scepters are Yet in them too plaine doth appeare foreset The certaine rule and fatall limits set Yet thinke we not this sure foresetting fate But Gods fast prouidence for each princely state And hath he erst restrain'd his prouidence Or is he nigard of his free dispence Or is he vncertaine foreset drifts to driue That not dame Chance but he all goods may giue A heathen god they hold whom Fortune keepe To deale them haps while god they weene asleepe Mocke-gods they are and many gods induce Who fortune faine to father their abuse How so it be it might haue warned me But what I could not that in me see ye Who run in race the honor like to win Whose fairest forme nought may deforme but sin Alas when most I did defie all dread By single haire deaths sword hung ouer my head For hearke the end and listen now my fall This is the last and this the fruit of all To Counsell chamber come a while we staid For him without whom nought was done or said At last he came and courteously excused That he so long our patience had abused And pleasantly began to paint his cheere And said My Lord of Elie would we had heere Some of the strawberries whereof you haue store The last delighted me so as nothing more Would what so you wish I might as well command My Lord quoth he as those And out of hand His seruant sendeth to Ely place for them Out goeth from vs the restlesse diuell againe Belike I thinke scarce yet perswaded full To worke the mischiefe that did mad his scull At last determin'd of his bloodie thought And force ordain'd to worke the wile he sought Frowning he enters with so changed cheare As for milde May had chopped foule Ianuere And lowring on me with the goggle eye The whetted tuske and fur'wed forehead hie His crooked shoulder bristlelike set vp With frothie iawes whose fome he chaw'd and sup'd With angrie lookes that flamed as the fire Thus gan at last to grunt the grimmest fire What merit they whom me the kingdomes stay Contriued haue counsell trayterously to slay Abashed all sate I thought I might be bold For conscience clearenesse and acquaintance old Their hire is plaine quoth I Be death the least To whoso seeketh your grace so to molest Withouten stay the Queene and the whore Shores wife By witchcraft quoth he seeke to waste my life Lo heere the withered and be witched arme That thus is spent by those two Sorceresse charme And bared his arme and shewed his swinish skin Such cloakes they vse that seeke to cloud their sin But out alas it serueth not for the raine To all the house the colour was too plaine Nature had giuen him many a maimed marke And it amongst to note her monstruous warke My doubtfull heart distracted this replie For th' one I cared not th' other nipt so nie That whist I could not but forthwith brake forth If so it be of death they are doubtlesse worth If traytour quoth he plai'st thou with ifs and ands I le on thy bodie auow it with these hands And there withall he mightly bounced the bord In rush'd his bil-men one himselfe bestird Laying
at Lord Stanley whose braine he had surely cleft Had he not downe beneath the table crept But Ely Yorke and I were taken straight Imprisoned they I should no longer wait But charged was to shriue me and shift with hast My Lord must dine and now midday was past The Bores first dish not the bores head should be But Hastings head the borish beast would see VVhy stay I his dinner vnto the chappel ioineth A greenish hil that body and soule oft twineth There on a blocke my head was stricken off As Baptists head for Herod bloudy gnoffe Thus liu'd I Baldwine thus dide I thus I fel This is the summe which al at large to tel VVould volumes fil whence yet these lessons note Ye noble Lords to learne and ken by rote By filthie rising feare your names to staine If not for vertues loue for dread of paine VVhom so the mindes vnquiet state vpheaues Be it for loue or feare when fancie reaues Reason her right by mocking of the wit If once the cause of this affection flit Reason preuailing on the vubridled thought Downe falth he who by fancie climbe aloft So hath the riser foule no staie from fall No not of those that raisd him first of all His suretie stands in mainteining the cause That heau'd him first which rest by reasons sawes Not onely falth he to his former state But liueth for euer in his princes hate And marke my Lords God for adulterie sleath Though ye it thinke too sweete a sinne for death Serue trulie your Prince and feare not rebels might On Princes halues the mightie God doth fight O much more then forsweare a forrein foe Who seeketh your realme and country to vndo Murther detest haue hands vnstaind with bloud Aie with your succour do protect the good Chace treason where trust should be wed to your frend Your heart and power to your liues last end Flie tickle credit shun alike distrust Too true it is and credit it you must The iealous nature wanteth no stormie strife The simple soule aye leadeth a sower life Beware of flatterers friends in outward show Best is of such to make your open foe What all men seeke that all men seeke to saine Some such to be some such to seeme them paine Marke Gods iust iudgements punishing sin by sinne And slipperie state wherein aloft we swimme The prouerbe all day vp if we ne fall Agreeth well to vs high heaued worldlings all From common sort vprais'd in honors weed We shine while Fortune false whom none erst feed To stand with stay and forsweare ticklenesse Sowseth vs in mire of durtie brittlenesse And learne ye Princes by my wronged sprite Not to misconster what is meant aright The winged words too oft preuent the wit When silence ceaseth afore the lips to sit Alas what may the words yeeld worthie death The words worst is the speakers stinking breath Words are but winde why cost they then so much The guiltie kicke when they too smartly touch Forth irreturnable flieth the spoken word Be it in scoffe in earnest or in bourd Without returne and vnreceiu'd it hangs And at the takers mercie or rigour stands Which if he sowerly wrest with wrathfull cheare The shiuering word turnes to the speakers feare If friendly courtefie do the word expound To the speakers comfort sweetly it doth redound Euen as the vapour which the fire repels Turnes not to earth but in mid aire dwels Where while it hangeth if Boreas frostie flawes With rigour rattle it not to raine it thawes But thunder lightnings ratling haile or snow Sends downe to earth whence first it rose below But if faire Phoebus with his countenance sweete Resolue it downe the dew or Manna sleete The Manna dew that in the Easterne lands Excell'th the labour of the bees small hands Else for her Memnon gray Auroras teares On the earth it stilleth the partener of her feares Or sendeth sweet showers to glad their mother earth Whence first they tooke their first inconstant birth To so great griefes ill taken words do grow Of words well taken such delights do flow This learned thus be heere at length an end What since ensued to thee I will commend Now farewell Baldwine shield my torne name From slanderous trumpe of blasting blacke defame But ere I part hereof thou record beare I claime no part of vertues reckoned heere My vice my selfe but God my vertues take So hence depart I as I entred nak'd Thus ended Hastings both his life and tale Containing all his worldly blisse and bale Happie he liued too happie but for sinne Happie he died whom right his death did bring Thus euer happie For there is no meane Twixt blissefull liues and mortall deaths extreame Yet feared not his foes to staine his name And by these slanders to procure his shame In rustie armour as in extreame shift They clad themselues to cloake their diuellish drift And forth with for substantiall citizens sent Declaring to them Hastings forged intent Was to haue slaine the Duke and to haue seised The Kings yong person slaying whom he had pleas'd But God of Iustice had withturn'd that fate Which where it ought light on his proper pate Then practised they by proclamation spread Nought to forget that mought defame him dead Which was so curious and so clerkely pend So long withall that when some did attend His death so yong they saw that long before The shroud was shaped then babe to die was bore So wonteth God to blind the worldly wise That not to see that all the world espies One hearing it cried out A goodly cast And well contriued foule cast away for hast Whereto another gan in scoffe replie First pend it was by enspiring prophecie So can God rip vp secret mischiefes wrought To the confusion of the workers thought My Lords the tub that dround the Clarence Duke Dround not his death not yet his deaths rebuke Your politique secrets gard with trustie loyaltie So shall they lurke in most assured secrecie By Hastings death and after fame ye learne The earth for murder crieth out vengeance sterne Flie from his faults and spare to hurt his fame The eager hounds forbeare their slaine game Dead dead auaunt Curs from the conquered chase Ill might he liue who loueth the dead to race Thus liued this Lord thus died he thus he slept Mids forward race when first to rest he stept Enuious death that bounceth as well with mace At Kesars courts as at the poorest gates When nature seem'd too slow by this sloape meane Conueighed him sooner to his liues extreame Happie in preuenting woes that after happ'd In slumber sweete his liuing lights he lapp'd Whose hastie death if it do any grieue Know he he liu'd to die and dide to liue Vntimely neuer comes the liues last met In cradle death may rightly claime his det Straight after birth due is the fatall beere By deaths permission the aged linger heere Euen in the swathbands out commission goeth To
The Frier low lowting crossing with his hand Speak with Contrition quoth he I would craue Father quoth Peace your comming is in vaine For him of late Hypocrisie hath slaine God shield quoth he and turning vp the eyes To former health I hope him to restore For in my skill his sound recouerie lies Doubt not thereof if setting God before Are you a surgeon Peace againe replies Yea quoth the Frier and sent to heale his sore Come neere quoth Peace and God your comming speed Neuer of help Contrition had more need And for more haste he haleth in the Frier And his Lord Conscience quickly of him told VVho entertain'd him with right friendly cheere O Sir quoth he intreate you that I could To lend your hand vnto my Cosin deare Contrition whom a sore disease doth hold That wounded by Hypocrisie of late Now lieth in most desperate estate Sir quoth the Frier I hope him soone to cure Which to your comfort quickly you shall see Will he a while my dressing but endure And to contrition therewith commeth hee And by faire speech himselfe of him assure But first of all going thorough for his fee VVhich done quoth he if outwardly you show Sound t'not auailes if inwardly or no. But secretly assoiling of his sin No other med'cine will vnto him lay Saying that heauen his siluer him should win And to giue Friers was better then to pray So he were shrieu'd what need he care a pin Thus with his patient he so long did play Vntill contrition had forgot to weepe This the wise plowman shew'd me from his sleepe He saw their faults that loosly liued then Others againe our weaknesses shall see For this is sure he bideth not with men That shall know all to be what they should bee Yet let the faithfull and industrious pen Haue the due merit but returne to mee Whose fall this while blind Fortune did deuise To be as strange as strangely I did rise Those secret foes yet subt'ly to deceiue That me maligning lifted at my state The King to marry forward still I heaue His former wife being repudiate To Anne the sister of the Duke of Cleaue The German Princes to confederate To backe me still gainst those against me lay Which as their owne retain'd me here in pay Which my destruction principally wrought When afterward abandoning her bed Which to his will to passe could not be brought So long as yet I beare about my head The only man her safetie that had sought Of her againe and only fauoured Which was the cause he hasted to my end Vpon whose fall hers likewise did depend For in his high distemprature of blood Who was so great whose life he did regard Or what was it that his desires withstood He not inuested were it nere so hard Nor held he me so absolutely good That though I crost him yet I should be spar'd But with those things I lastly was to go Which he to ground did violently throw When Winchester with all those enemies Whom my much power from audience had debarr'd The longer time their mischiefes to deuise Feeling with me how lastly now it far'd When I had done the King that did suffice Lastly thrust in against me to be heard When all was ill contrarily turn'd good Making amaine to th' shedding of my blood And that the King his action doth deny And on my guilt doth altogether lay Hauing his riot satisfied thereby Seemes not to know how I therein did sway What late was truth conuerted heresie When he in me had purchased his pray Himselfe to cleere and satisfie the sin Leaues me but late his instrument therein Those lawes I made my selfe alone to please To giue me power more freely to my will Euen to my equals hurtfull sundrie waies Forced to things that most do say were ill Vpon me now as violently ceaze By which I lastly perisht by my skill On mine owne necke returning as my due That heauie yoke wherein by me they drew My greatnesse threatned by ill-boding eyes My actions strangely censured of all Yet in my way my giddines not sees The pit wherein I likely was to fall O were the sweets of mans felicities Often amongst not temp'red with some gall He would forget by his ore weening skill Iust heauen aboue doth censure good and ill Things ouer rancke do neuer kindly beare As in the corne the fluxure when we see Fill but the straw when it should feed the eare Rotting that time in ripening it should bee And being once downe it selfe can neuer reare With vs well doth this similie agree By the wise man due to the great in all By their owne weight b'ing broken in their fall Selfe louing man what sooner doth abuse And more then his prosperitie doth wound Into the deepe but fall how can he chuse That ouer-strides whereon his foot to ground Who sparingly prosperitie doth vse And to himselfe doth after-ill propound Vnto his height who happily doth clime Sits aboue Fortune and controlleth time Not chusing that vs most delight doth bring And most that by the generall breath is freed Wooing that suffrage but the vertuous thing Which in it selfe is excellent indeed Of which the depth and perfect managing Amongst the most but few there be that heed Affecting that agreeing with their blood Seldome enduring neuer yet was good But whil'st we striue too suddenly to rise By flattring Princes with a seruill tong And being soothers to their tyrannies Worke our more woes by what doth many wrong And vnto others tending iniuries Vnto our selues it hapneth oft among In our owne snares vnluckily are caught Whil'st our attempts fall instantly to naught The Counsell Chamber place of my arrest Where chiefe I was when greatest was the store And had my speeches noted of the best That did them as hie Oracles adore A Parliament was lastly my enquest That was my selfe a Parliament before The Tower hill scaftold last I did ascend Thus the great'st man of England made his end Michael Drayton FINIS Plotinus Quintus Curtius â—ustinus â—â—b 1. Plutarchus â—iuius Colybius Aristot. Cicero Prudence Fortitude Cicero Cicero Temperance â—his letter is â—â— Flores hiâ—â—oriarum but â—â—â— may not â—â—inke that I do 〈◊〉 it dovvne â—â—ereby to afâ—â—â—me that he â—â—rote it For â—â—â— persvvaâ—â—d he vvould â—â—t vvrite so â—â—ell and yet â—â— appeares by â—rosius and oâ—â—ers that â—â—audiusâ—â—ould â—â—ould haue â—â—de Christ to â—â—ue bin taken Rome for a â—â—d and that Senate and â—â—â—ell so at vaâ—â—â—nce about â—â—â— same matâ—â—â—