Listen braue Lords a fearefull mourning tale To be deliuered by a man of death Behold these scarres the dole of bloudie Mars Are harbingers from natures common foe Citing this truncke to Tellus prison house Lifes charter Lordings lasteth not an houre And fearefull thoughts forerunners of my end Bids me giue physicke to a sickely soule O Peeres of England know you what you do There 's but a haire that sunders you from harme The hooke is baited and the traine is made And simply you runne doating to your deaths But lest I die and leaue my tale vntolde With silence slaughtering so braue a crew This I auerre if Lewes winne the day There 's not an Englishman that lifts his hand Against King Iohn to plant the heire of France But is already damnd to cruell death I heard it vow'd my selfe amongst the rest Swore on the Altar aide to this Edict Two causes Lords makes me display this drift The greatest for the freedome of my soule That longs to leaue this mansion free from guilt The other on a naturall instinct For that my Grandsire was an Englishman Misdoubt not Lords the truth of my discourse No frensie nor no brainsicke idle fit But well aduisde and wotting what I say Pronounce I here before the face of heauen That nothing is discouered but a truth T is time to flie submit your selues to Iohn The smiles of Fraunce shade in the frownes of death Lift vp your swords turne face against the French Expell the yoke that 's framed for your necks Backe warremen backe imbowell not the clime Your seate your nurse your birth dayes breathing place That bred you beares you brought you vp in armes Ah! be not so ingrate to digge your mothers graue Preserue your lambes and beate away the wolfe My soule hath said contritions penitence Laies hold on mans redemption for my sinne Farewell my Lords witnesse my faith when we are met in heauen And for my kindnesse giue me graue roome here My soule doth fleet worlds vanities farewell Sals Now ioy betide thy soule well-meaning man How now my Lords what cooling carde is this A greater griefe growes now than earst hath beene What counsell giue you shall we stay and die Or shall we home and kneele vnto the King Pemb. My heart misgaue this sad accursed newes What haue we done fie Lords what frensie moued Our hearts to yeeld vnto the pride of Fraunce If we perseuer we are sure to die If we desist small hope againe of life Salsb. Beare hence the body of this wretched man That made vs wretched with his dying tale And stand not wayling on our present harmes As women wont but seeke our harmes redresse As for my selfe I will in haste be gone And kneele for pardon to our soueraigne Iohn Pemb. I there 's the way le ts rather kneele to him Than to the French that would confound vs all Exeunt Enter King Iohn carried betweene two Lords Iohn Set downe set downe the loade not woorth your paine For done I am with deadly wounding griefe Sickely and succourlesse hopelesse of any good The world hath wearied me and I haue wearied it It loathes I liue I liue and loathe my selfe Who pities me to whom haue I beene kinde But to a few a few will pitie me Why die I not Death scornes so vilde a prey Why liue I not life hates so sad a prize I sue to both to be retaind of either But both are deafe I can be heard of neither Nor death nor life yet life and neare the neere Ymixt with death biding I wot not where Phil. How fares my Lord that he is carried thus Not all the aukeward fortunes yet befalne Made such impression of lament in me Nor euer did my eye attaint my heart With any obiect moouing more remorse Than now beholding of a mighty King Borne by his Lords in such distressed State Ioh. What newes with thee if bad report it straight If good be mute it doth but flatter me Phil. Such as it is and heauy though it be To glut the world with tragicke elegies Once will I breathe to aggrauate the rest Another moane to make the measure full The brauest bow-man had not yet sent forth Two arrowes from the quiuer at his side But that a rumor went throughout our Campe That Iohn was fled the King had left the field At last the rumor scal'd these eares of mine Who rather chose as sacrifice for Mars Than ignominious scandall by retire I cheer'd the troupes as did the prince of Troy His weary followers gainst the Mermidons Crying alowd S. George the day is ours But feare had captiuated courage quite And like the Lambe before the greedie Wolfe So heartlesse fled our war-men from the field Short tale to make my selfe amongst the rest Was faine to flie before the eager foe By this time night had shadowed all the earth With sable curtaines of the blackest hue And fenc'd vs from the furie of the French As Io from the iealous Iunoes eie When in the morning our troupes did gather head Passing the washes with our carriages The impartiall tide deadly and inexorable Came raging in with billowes threatning death And swallowed vp the most of all our men My selfe vpon a Galloway right free well pac'd Out stript the flouds that followed waue by waue I so escap'd to tell this tragicke tale Iohn Griefe vpon griefe yet none so great a griefe To end this life and thereby rid my griefe Was euer any so infortunate The right Idea of a cursed man As I poore I a triumph for despight My feuer growes what ague shakes me so How farre to Sminstead tell me do you know Present vnto the Abbot word of my repaire My sicknesse rages to tyrannize vpon me I cannot liue vnlesse this feuer leaue me Philip Good cheere my Lord the Abbey is at hand Behold my Lord the Churchmen come to meet you Enter the Abbot and certaine Monkes Abb. All health happines to our soueraigne lord the King Iohn Nor health nor happines hath Iohn at all Say Abbot am I welcome to thy house Abbot Such welcome as our Abbey can afford Your Maiestie shall be assured of Philip The King thou seest is weake and very faint What victuals hast thou to refresh his Grace Abb. Good stote my Lord of that you need not feare For Lincolneshire and these our Abbey grounds Were neuer fatter nor in better plight Iohn Philip thou neuer needst to doubt of cates Nor King nor Lord is seated halfe so well As are the Abbeis throughout all the land If any plot of ground do passe another The Friers fasten on it strait But let vs in to taste of their repast It goes against my heart to feed with them Or be beholding to such Abbey groomes Exeunt Manet the Monke Monke Is this the King that neuer lou'd a Frier Is this the man that doth contemne the Pope Is this the man that rob'd the holy Church And yet will flie
parce Dabo pecuniam si habeo veniam To goe and fetch it I will dispatch it A hundred pound sterling for my liues sparing Enter Peter a Prophet with people Pet. Hoe who is here S. Francis be your speed Come in my flocke and follow me your fortunes I will reed Come hither boy goe get thee home and clime not ouer hie For from aloft thy fortune stands in hazard thou shalt die Boy God be with you Peter I pray you come to our house a Sunday Pet. My boy shew me thy hand blesse thee my boy For in thy palme I see a many troubles are ybent to dwel But thou shalt scape them all and doe full well Boy I thanke you Peter there 's a cheese for your labor my sister prayes yee to come home and tell her how many husbands she shall haue and shee 'l giue you a rib of bacon Peter My masters stay at the townes end for me I le come to you all anone I must dispatch some busines with a Frier and then I le reade your fortunes Philip How now a prophet sir prophet whence are ye Peter I am of the world and in the world but liue not as others by the world what I am I know and what thou wilt be I know If thou knowest me now be answered if not enquire no more what I am Phil. Sir I know you will be a dissembling knaue that deludes the people with blinde prophecies you are hee I look for you shal away with me bring away all the rable and you Frier Laurence remember your raunsome a hundred pound and a pardon for your selfe and the rest come on sir prophet you shall with me to receiue a prophets rewarde Exeunt Enter Hubert de Burgh with three men Hubert My masters I haue shewed you what warrant I haue for this attempt I perceiue by your heauy countenances you had rather be otherwise imployed and for my owne part I would the King had made choice of some other executioner only this is my comfort that a king commaunds whose precepts neglected or omitted threatneth torture for the default Therefore in briefe leaue me and be ready to attend the aduenture stay within that entry and when you heare me crie God saue the King issue sodainely forth lay hands on Arthur set him in this chaire wherein once fast bound leaue him with me to finish the rest Attendants We goe though loath Exeunt Hubert My Lord will it please your Honor to take the benefit of the faire euening Enter Arthur to Hubert de Burgh Arthur Gramercie Hubert for thy care of me In or to whom restraint is newly knowne The ioy of walking is small benefit Yet will I take thy offer with small thanks I would not loose the pleasure of the eie But tell me curteous Keeper if thou can How long the King will haue me tarrie heere Hubert I know not Prince but as I gesse not long God send you freedome and God saue the King They issue forth Arthur Why how now sirs what may this outrage meane O help me Hubert gentle Keeper help God send this sodaine mutinous approach Tend not to reaue a wretched guiltles life Hubert So sirs depart and leaue the rest for me Arth. Then Arthur yeeld death frowneth in thy face What meaneth this good Hubert pleade the case Hubert Patience yong Lord and listen words of woe Harmefull and harsh hells horror to be heard A dismall tale fit for a furies tongue I faint to tell deepe sorrow is the sound Arthur What must I die Hubert No newes of death but tidings of more hate A wrathfull doome and most vnluckie fate Deaths dish were daintie at so fell a feast Be deafe heare not its hell to tell the rest Arthur Alas thou wrongst my youth with words of feare T is hell t is horror not for one to heare What is it man if it must needes be done Act it and end it that the paine were gone Hubert I will not chaunt such dolour with my tongue Yet must I act the outrage with my hand My heart my head and all my powers beside To aide the office haue at once denide Peruse this Letter lines of trebble woe Reade ore my charge and pardon when you know Hubert these are to commaund thee as thou tendrest our quiet in minde and the estate of our person that presently vpon the receipt of our commaund thou put out the eies of Arthur Plantaginet Arthur Ah monstrous damned man his very breath infects the elements Contagious venome dwelleth in his heart Effecting meanes to poyson all the world Vnreuerent may I be to blame the heauens Of great iniustice that the miscreant Liues to oppresse the innocents with wrong Ah Hubert makes he thee his instrument To sound the trump that causeth hell triumph Heauen weepes the Saints do shed celestiall teares They feare thy fall and cite thee with remorse They knocke thy conscience mouing pitie there Willing to fence thee from the rage of hell Hell Hubert trust me all the plagues of hell Hangs on performance of this damned deed This scale the warrant of the bodies blisse Ensureth Satan chiefetaine of thy soule Subscribe not Hubert giue not Gods part away I speake not only for eies priuiledge The chiefe exterior that I would enioy But for thy perill farre beyond my paine Thy sweete soules losse more than my eies vaine lacke A cause internall and eternall too Aduise thee Hubert for the case is hard To loose saluation for a Kings reward Hubert My Lord a subiect dwelling in the land Is tied to execute the Kings commaund Arthur Yet God commaunds whose power reacheth further That no command should stand in force to murther Hubert But that same Essence hath ordaind a law A death for guilt to keepe the world in awe Arthur I pleade not guilty treasonlesse and free Hubert But that appeale my Lord concernes not me Arthur Why thou art he that maist omit the perill Hubert I if my Soueraigne would omit his quarrell Arthur His quarrell is vnhallowed false and wrong Hubert Then be the blame to whom it doth belong Arthur Why that 's to thee if thou as they proceede Conclude their iudgement with so vile a deede Hubert Why then no execution can be lawfull If Iudges doomes must be reputed doubtfull Arthur Yes where in forme of Law in place and time The offender is conuicted of the crime Hubert My Lord my Lord this long expostulation Heapes vp more griefe than promise of redresse For this I know and so resolude I end That subiects liues on Kings commands depend I must not reason why he is your foe But do his charge since he commaunds it so Arthur Then do thy charge and charged be thy soule With wrongfull persecution done this day You rowling eyes whose superficies yet I doe behold with eies that Nature lent Send foorth the terror of your Moouers frowne To wreake my wrong vpon the murtherers That rob me of your faire
This if you grant were all vnto your good For simple people muse you keepe him close Ioh. Your words haue searcht the center of my thoghts Confirming warrant of your loyalties Dismisse your counsell sway my state Let Iohn doe nothing but by your consents Why how now Philip what extasie is this Why casts thou vp thy eyes to heauen so There the fiue Moones appeare Bast. See see my Lord strange apparitions Glancing mine eie to see the Diadem Plac'd by the Bishops on your Highnesse head From forth a gloomie cloud which curtaine-like Displaid it selfe I suddainely espied Fiue Moones reflecting as you see them now Euen in the moment that the crowne was plac'd Can they appeare holding the course you see Ioh. What might portend these apparitions Vnvsuall signes forerunners of euent Presagers of strange terrors to the world Beleeue me Lords the obiect feares me much Philip thou toldst me of a Wizard but of late Fetch in the man to descant of this show Pemb. The heauens frowne vpon the sinfull earth When with prodigious vnaccustom'd signes They spot their superficies with such wonder Essex Before the ruines of Ierusalem Such meteors were the Ensignes of his wrath That hast'ned to destroy the faultfull towne Enter the Bastard with the Prophet Iohn Is this the man Bast. It is my Lord. Iohn Prophet of Pomfret for so I heare thou art That calculat'st of many things to come Who by a power repleat with heauenly gift Canst blab the counsell of thy Makers will If fame be true or truth be wrong'd by thee Decide in cyphering what these fiue moones Portend this clime if they presage at all Breath out thy gift and if I liue to see Thy diuination take a true effect I le honour thee aboue all earthly men Pet. The skie wherein these moones haue residence Presenteth Rome the great Metropolis Where sits the Pope in all his holy pompe Foure of the moones present foure prouinces To wit Spaine Denmarke Germanie and France That beare the yoke of proud commanding Rome And stand in feare to tempt the Prelates curse The smallest moone that whirles about the rest Impatient of the place he holds with them Doth figure forth this Island Albion Who gins to scorne the sea and seat of Rome And seekes to shunne the Edicts of the Pope This showes the heauen and this I doe auerre Is figured in the apparitions Ioh. Why then it seemes the heauens smile on vs Giuing applause for leauing of the Pope But for they chance in our Meridian Doe they effect no priuate growing ill To be inflicted on vs in this clime Pet. The moones effect no more than what I said But on some other knowledge that I haue By my prescience ere Ascension day Haue brought the Sunne vnto his vsuall height Of Crowne Estate and Royall dignity Thou shalt be cleane dispoyl'd and dispossest Ioh. False dreamer perish with thy witched newes Villaine thou woundst me with thy fallacies If it be true die for thy tidings price If false for fearing me with vaine suppose Hence with the Witch hels damned secretarie Locke him vp sure for by my faith I sweare True or not true the Wizard shall not liue Before Ascension day who should be cause hereof Cut off the cause and then the effect will die Tut tut my mercie serues to maime my selfe The roote doth liue from whence these thornes spring vp I and my promise past for his deliu'rie Frowne friends faile faith the diuell goe withall The brat shall die that terrifies me thus Pembrooke and Essex I recall my graunt I will not buy your fauours with my feare Nay murmure not my will is lawe enough I loue you well but if I lou'd you better I would not buy it with my discontent Enter Hubert How now what newes with thee Hub. According to your highnesse strict command Young Arthurs eies are blinded and extinct Ioh. Why so then he may feele the crown but neuer see it Hub. Nor see nor feele for of the extream paine Within one houre gaue he vp the ghost Ioh. What is he dead Hub. He is my Lord. Ioh. Then with him dies my cares Essex Now ioy betide thy soule Pemb. And heauens reuenge thy death Essex What haue you done my Lord Was euer heard A deed of more inhumane consequence Your foes will curse your friends will crie reuenge Vnkindly rage more rough than Northern wind To clip the beautie of so sweete a flower What hope in vs for mercie on a fault When kinsman dies without impeach of cause As you haue done so come to cheere you with The guilt shall neuer be cast me in my teeth Exeunt Ioh. And are you gone The diuell be your guide Proud rebels as ye are to braue me so Saucie vnciuill checkers of my will Your tongues giue edge vnto the fatall knife That shall haue passage through your trayt'rous throats But husht breath not bugs words too soone abroad Lest time preuent the issue of thy reach Arthur is dead I there the corzie growes But while he liu'd the danger was the more His death hath freed me from a thousand feares But it hath purchast me ten times ten thousand foes Why all is one such lucke shall haunt his game To whom the diuell owes an open shame His life a foe that leueld at my crowne His death a frame to pull my building downe My thoughts harpt still on quiet by his end Who liuing aimed shrewdly at my roome But to preuent that plea twice was I crown'd Twice did my subiects sweare me fealtie And in my conscience lou'd me as their liege In whose defence they would haue pawn'd their liues But now they shun me as a Serpents sting A tragyke tyrant sterne and pitilesse And not a title followes after Iohn But butcher blood-sucker and murtherer What planet gouern'd my natiuitie To bode me soueraigne types of high estate So interlac'd with hellish discontent Wherein fell furie hath no interest Curst be the crowne chiefe author of my care Nay curst my will that made the crowne my care Curst be my birth-day curst ten times the wombe That yeelded me aliue into the world Art thou there villaine furies haunt thee still For killing him whom all the world laments Hub. Why here 's my Lord your Highnes hand seale Charging on liues regard to do the deed Iohn Ah dull conceipted pesant knowst thou not It was a damned execrable deed Shewst me a Seale Oh villaine both our soules Haue solde their freedome to the thrall of hell Vnder the warrant of that cursed Seale Hence villaine hang thy selfe and say in hell That I am comming for a kingdome there Hubert My Lord attend the happy tale I tell For heauens health send Sathan packing hence That instigates your Highnesse to despaire If Arthurs death be dismall to be heard Bandie the newes for rumors of vntruth He liues my Lord the sweetest youth aliue In health with eie sight not a haire amisse This heart tooke vigor from
giue the salue To cure the hurt else quite incurable Thy sinnes are farre too great to be the man T' abolish Pope and Poperie from thy Realme But in thy Seate if I may guesse at all A King shall raigne that shall suppresse them all Peace Iohn here comes the Legate of the Pope Dissemble thou and whatsoere thou sai'st Yet with thy heart wish their confusion Enter Pandulph Pand. Now Iohn vnworthy man to breath on earth That do'st oppugne against thy mother Church Why am I sent for to thy cursed selfe Iohn Thou man of God Vicegerent for the Pope The holy Vicar of S. Peters Church Vpon my knees I pardon craue of thee And doe submit me to the sea of Rome And vow for penance of my high offence To take on me the holy Crosse of Christ And carry Armes in holy Christian warres Pand. No Iohn thy crowching and dissembling thus Cannot deceiue the Legate of the Pope Say what thou wilt I will not credite thee Thy Crowne and Kingdome both are tane away And thou art curst without redemption Iohn Accurst indeed to kneele to such a drudge And get no help with thy submission Vnsheathe thy sword and sley the misprowd priest That thus triumphs ore thee a mightie King No Iohn submit againe dissemble yet For Priests and Women must be flattered Yet holy Father thou thy selfe dost know No time too late for sinners to repent Absolue me then and Iohn doth sweare to do The vttermost what euer thou demaundst Pandulph Iohn now I see thy hearty penitence I rew and pitty thy distrest estate One way is left to reconcile thy selfe And onely one which I shall shew to thee Thou must surrender to the sea of Rome Thy Crowne and Diadem then shall the Pope Defend thee from th' inuasion of thy foes And where his Holinesse hath kindled Fraunce And set thy subiects hearts at warre with thee Then shall he curse thy foes and beate them downe That seeke the discontentment of the King Iohn From bad to worse or I must loose my realme Or giue my Crowne for penance vnto Rome A miserie more piercing than the darts That breake from burning exhalations power What shall I giue my Crowne with this right hand No with this hand defend thy Crowne and thee What newes with thee Enter Messenger Please it your Maiestie there is descried on the coast of Kent an hundred Sayle of Ships which of all men is thought to be the French fleet vnder the conduct of the Dolphin so that it puts the countrey in a mutiny so they send to your Grace for succour K. Ioh. How now Lord Cardinal what 's your best aduise These mutinies must be allaid in time By policy or headstrong rage at least O Iohn these troubles tyre thy wearied soule And like to Luna in a sad Eclipse So are thy thoughts and passions for this newes Well may it be when Kings are grieued so The vulgar sort worke Princes ouerthrowe Card. K. Iohn for not effecting of thy plighted vow This strange annoyance happens to thy Land But yet be reconcil'd vnto the Church And nothing shall be grieuous to thy state Ioh. On Pandulph be it as thou hast decreed Iohn will not spurne against thy sound aduise Come le ts away and with thy helpe I trow My Realme shall flourish and my Crowne in peace Enter the Nobles Pembrooke Essex Chester Bewchampe Clare with others Pemb. Now sweet S. Edmund holy Saint in heauen Whose Shrine is sacred high esteem'd on earth Infuze a constant zeale in all our hearts To prosecute this act of mickle weight Lord Bewchampe say what friends haue you procur'd Bewch. The L. Fitz Water L. Percie and L. Rosse Vow'd meeting here this day the leuenth houre Essex Vnder the cloke of holy pilgrimage By that same houre on warrant of their faith Philip Plantagenet a bird of swiftest wing Lord Eustauce Vescy Lord Cressy and Lord Mowbrey Appointed meeting at S. Edmunds shrine Pemb. Vntill their presence I le conceale my tale Sweet complices in holy Christian acts That venture for the purchasse of renowne Thrice welcome to the league of high resolue That pawne their bodies for their soules regard Essex Now wanteth but the rest to end this worke In Pilgrimes habite comes our holy troupe A furlong hence with swift vnwoonted pace May be they are the persons you expect Pemb. With swift vnwoonted gate see what a thing is zeale That spurs them on with feruence to this shrine Now ioy come to them for their true intent And in good time here come the war-men all That sweat in body by the minds disease Hap and hearts-ease braue Lordings be your lot Enter the Bastard Philip c. Amen my Lords the like betide your lucke And all that trauell in a Christian cause Essex Cheerely repli'd braue branch of Kingly stocko A right Plantagenet should reason so But silence Lords attend our commings cause The seruile yoke that pained vs with toyle On strong instinct hath fram'd this conuenticle To ease our neckes of seruitudes contempt Should I not name the foeman of our rest Which of you all so barren in conceipt As cannot leuell at the man I meane But lest Enigma's shadow shining truth Plainely to paint as truth requires no art Th' effect of this resort importeth this To root and cleane extirpate tyrant Iohn Tyrant I say appealing to the man If any here that loues him and I aske What kindship lenitie or Christian raigne Rules in the man to barre this soule impeach First I inferre the Chesters banishment For reprehending him in most vnchristian crimes Was speciall notice of a tyrants will But were this all the diuell should be sau'd But this the least of many thousand faults That circumstance with leisure might display Our priuate wrongs no parcell of my tale Which now in presence but for some great cause Might wish to him as to a mortall foe But shall I close the period with an act Abhorring in the eares of Christian men His cousins death that sweet vnguiltie child Vntimely butcherd by the tyrants meanes Here are my proofes as cleere as grauel brooke And on the same I further must inferre That who vpholds a tyrant in his course Is culpable of all his damned guilt To shew the which is yet to be describ'd My Lord of Pembrooke shewe what is behinde Onely I say that were there nothing else To mooue vs but the Popes most dreadfull curse Whereof we are assured if we faile It were enough to instigate vs all With earnestnesse ofsprite to seeke a meane To dispossesse Iohn of his regiment Pemb. Well hath my Lord of Essex told his tale Which I auerre for most substantiall truth And more to make the matter to our minde I say that Lewis in challenge of his wife Hath title of an vncontrouled plea To all that longeth to our English crowne Short tale to make the Sea Apostolike Hath offerd dispensation for the fault If any be as trust me
none I know By planting Lewis in the Vsurpers roome This is the cause of all our presence here That on the holy Altar we protest To aid the right of Lewis with goods and life Who on our knowledge is in armes for England What say you Lords Salis As Pembrooke saith affirmeth Salisburie Faire Lewis of France that spoused Lady Blanch Hath title of an vncontrouled strength To England and what longeth to the Crowne In right whereof as we are true inform'd The Prince is marching hitherward in armes Our purpose to conclude that with a word Is to inuest him as we may deuise King of our countrey in the tyrants stead And so the warrant on the Altar sworne And so the intent for which we hither came Bast My Lord of Salisburie I cannot couch My speeches with the needfull words of arte As doth beseeme in such a waightie worke But what my conscience and my duty will I purpose to impart For Chesters exile blame his busie wit That medled where his duty quite forbade For any priuate causes that you haue Me thinke they should not mount to such a height As to depose a King in their reuenge For Arthurs death K. Iohn was innocent He desperate was the deathsman to himselfe Which you to make a colour to your crime iniustly do impute to his defalt But wher fel traitorisme hath resideÌ„ce There wants no words to set despight on worke I say t is shame and worthy all reproofe To wrest such petty wrongs in tearms of right Against a King annointed by the Lord. Why Salsburie admit the wrongs are true Yet subiects may not take in hand reuenge And rob the heauens of their proper power Where sitteth he to whom reuenge belongs And doth a Pope a priest a man of pride Giue charters for the liues of lawfull kings What can he blesse or who regards his curse But such as giue to man and take from God I speake it in the sight of God aboue There 's not a man that dies in your beleefe But sels his soule perpetually to paine Aid Lewis leaue God kill Iohn please hell Make hauocke of the welfare of your soules For here I leaue you in the sight of heauen A troope of traytors food for hellish fiends If you desist then follow me as friends If not then doe your worst as hatefull traytors For Lewis his right alasse t is too too lame A senslesse claime if truth be titles friend In briefe if this be cause of our resort Our pilgrimage is to the diuels shrine I came not Lords to troupe as traytors doe Nor will I counsell in so bad a cause Please you returne we goe againe as friends If not I to my King and you where traytors please Exit Percie A hot yong man and so my Lords proceed I let him goe and better lost than found Pemb. What say you Lords will all the rest proceed Will you all with me sweare vpon the Altar That you wil to the death be aid to Le. enemy to Iohn Euery man lay his hand by mine in witnes of his harts accord Wel then euery man to armes to meet the king Who is already before London Enter Messenger Pemb. What newes Herauld The right Christian Prince my master Lewis of France is at hand comming to visit your Honours directed hither by the right honourable Richard Earle of Bigot to conferre with your honours Pemb. How neere is his Highnesse Mes Ready to enter your presence Enter Lewis Earle Bigot with his troupe Lew. Faire Lords of England Lewis salutes you all As friends and firme wel-willers of his weale At whose request from plentie flowing France Crossing the Ocean with a Southerne gale He is in person come at your commands To vndertake and gratifie withall The fulnesse of your fauours profferd him But worlds braue men omitting promises Till time be minister of more amends I must acquaint you with our fortunes course The heauens dewing fauours on my head Haue in their conduct safe with victory Brought me along your well manured bounds With small repulse and little crosse of chance Your Citie Rochester with great applause By some diuine instinct laid armes aside And from the hollow holes of Thamesis Eccho apace repli'd Viue la Roy. From thence along the wanton rowling glade To Troynouant your faire Metropolis With lucke came Lewis to shew his troupes of France Wauing our Ensignes with the dallying winds The fearefull obiect of fell frowning warre Where after some assault and small defence Heauens may I say and not my warlike troupe Temperd their hearts to take a friendly foe Within the compasse of their high built wals Giuing me title as it seemd they wish Thus fortune Lords acts to your forwardnesse Meanes of content in lieu of former griefe And may I liue but to requite you all Worlds wish were mine in dying noted yours Salis Welcom the balme that closeth vp our wounds The soueraigne medcine for our quicke recure The anchor of our hope the onely prop Whereon depends our liues our lands our weale Without the which as sheepe without their heird Except a shepheard winking at the wolfe We stray we pine we run to thousand harmes No maruell then though with vnwonted ioy We welcome him that beateth woes away Lew. Thanks to you all of this religious league A holy knot of Catholike consent I cannot name you Lordings man by man But like a stranger vnacquainted yet In generall I promise faithfull loue Lord Bigot brought me to S. Edmunds shrine Giuing me warrant of a Christian oath That this assembly came 〈…〉 To sweare according as your pâ—ckets show'd Homage and loyall seruice to our selfe I need not doubt the suretie of your wils Since well I know for many of your sakes The townes haue yeelded on their own accords Yet for a fashion not for misbeleefe My eyes must witnesse and these eares must heare Your oath vpon the holy Altar sworne And after march to end our commings cause Sals That we intend no other than good truth All that are present of this holy league For confirmation of our better trust In presence of his Highnesse sweare with me The sequel that my selfe shall vtter here I Thomas Plantaginet Earle of Salisburie sweare vpon the Altar and by the holy army of Saints homage and allegeance to the right Christian Prince Lewis of France as true and rightfull King to England Cornewall Wales and to their territories in the defence whereof I vpon the holy Altar sweare all forwardnesse All the Eng. Lo. sweare As the noble Earle hath sworne so sweare we all Lew. I rest assured on your holy oath And on this Altar in like sort I sweare Loue to you all and princely recompence To guerdon your good wils vnto the full And since I am at this religious shrine My good wel-willers giue vs leaue awhile To vse some orizons our selues apart To all the holy company of heauen That they will smile vpon our purposes And