same We thre tryumphed in king Richards time Til Fortune ought both him and vs a spite But chiefly me whom clere from any crime My king did banish from his favour quite And openly proclaymed trayterous knight Wherethrough false slaunder forced me to be 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 bredeth wrath wreke foloweth shames Eke open slaunder oftentimes hath brought That to effect that erst was neuer thought To be misdemed men suffer in a sort But none can beare the griefe of misreport Because my king did shame me wrongfully I hated him and in dede became his foe And while he did at war in Ireland lye I did conspire to turne his weale to woe And through the duke of Yorke and other moe All royall power from him we quickely tooke And gaue the same to Henry Boleynbroke Neyther dyd we this alonely for this cause But to say truth force drave vs to the same For he dispising god and all good lawes Slew whom he would made sinne a very game And seing neither age nor counsayle could him tame We thought it wel done for the kingdomes sake To leaue his rule that did al rule forsake But whan sir Henry had attaynde his place He strayt becam in all poyntes wurse than he Destroyed the piers slewe kyng Rychards grace Agaynst his othe made to the lordes and me And seking quarelles how to disagre He shamelesly required me and my sonne To yeld him Scottes which we in field had wun My Nephew also Edmund Mortymer The very heyre apparaunt to the Crowne Whom Owen Glendour held as prisoner Uilely bound in dungeon depe cast downe He would not raunsum but did felly frowne Agaynst my brother and me that for him spake And him proclaymed traytour for our sake This sowle despite did cause vs to conspire To put him downe as we did Richard erst And that we might this matter set on fyre From Owens â—ayle our cosin we remerst And vnto Glendour all our griefes reherst Who made a bonde with Mortymer and me To pryue the king and part the realme in thre But whan king Henry heard of this devise Toward Owen Gleudour he sped him very quyck Mynding by force to stop our enterprise And as the deuell would then fell I sick Howbeit my brother sonne more politike Than prosperous with an oast fro ScotlaÌ„d brought Encountred him at Shrewsbury wher they fought The one was tane and kild the other slayne And shortly after was Owen put to flight By meanes wherof I forced was to fayne That I knew nothing of the former fight Fraude oft avayles more than doth sturdy might For by my fayning I brought him in belief I knew not that wherin my part was chief And while the king thus tooke me for his frend I sought all meanes my former wrong to wreake Which that I might bring to the sooner ende To the bishop of Yorke I did the matter breake And to Therle Marshall likewise did I speake Whose father was through Henries cause exyled The bishops brother with trayterous death defiled These strayt assented to do what they could So did lorde Hastinges and lord Fauconbridge Which altogether promised â—hey would Set all their power the kinges dayes to abridge But se the spite before the byrdes wer flidge The king had woord and seysoned on the nest Wherby alas my frendes wer al opprest The bluddy tyrant â—â—ought them all to ende Excepted me which into Scotland skapte To George of Dunbar therle of March my frend Who in my cause al that he could ey skrapte And when I had for greater succour gapte Both at the Frenchman and the Flemminges hand And could get none I toke such as I sand And with the helpe of George my very frend I did invade Northumberlande ful bold Whereas the folke drew to me stil vnend Bent to the death my party to vphold Through helpe of these ful many a fort and hold The which the king right manfully had manâ— I easely wunne and seysed in my hand Not so content for vengeaunce drave me on I entred Yorkeshire there to waste and spoyle But ere I had far in the countrey gon The shirif therof Rafe Rekesby did assoyle My troubled hoost of much part of our toyle For he assauting freshly tooke through power Me and lord Bardolph both at Bramham more And thence conueyed vs to the towne of Yorke Until he knew what was the kinges entent There loe Lord Bardolf kinder than the Storke Did lose his head which was to London sent With whom for frendshippe urine in like case went This was my hap my forâ—une or my fawte This life I led and thus I came to naught Wherfore good Baldwin wil the pyers take hede Of slaunder malyce and conspiracy Of couetise whence al the rest procede For couetise ioynt with contumacy Doth cause all mischief in mens hartes to brede Ad therfore this to Esperance my wurd Who causeth bludshed shall not skape the swurd BY that this was ended I had found out the storie of Richard earle of Cambridge and because it conteyned matter in it though not very notable yet for the better vnderstanding of the rest I thought it mete to touche it and therfore sayd as foloweth You haue sayd wel of the Percies and favourably For in dede as it should appere the chyefe cause of theyr conspiracie agaynst kyng Henry was for Edmund Mortimer theyr cosins sake whom the king very maliciously proclaymed to haue yelded hym selfe to Owen colourably whan as in deede he was takeÌ„ forcibly against his wil very cruelly ordered in prison And seing we are in haÌ„d with Mortimers matter I wyll take vppon me the person of Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge who for his sake likewise died And therfore I let passe Edmund Holland erle of Kent whom Henry the fowerth made Admirall to skoure the Seas because the Buttons were abrode whiche Earle as many thynges happen in warre was slayne with an arrowe at the assaulte of Briake shortly after whose death thys king dyed and his sonne Henry the fyft of that name succeded in his place In the beginning of this Henry the fyfts rayne dyed this Rychard and with him Henry the lord Scrope others in whose behalfe this may be sayd Hovv Richard erle of Cambridge entending the kinges destruction vvas put to death at Southhampton HAst maketh wast hath commonly ben sayd And secrete mischiefe seeld hath lucky spede A murdering mind with proper pryze is wayd Al this is true I find it in my Crede And therfore Baldwin warne all states take hede How they conspire any other to betrappe Least mischiefe meant light in the miners lappe For I lord Richard heyre Planâ—agenet Was Erle of Cambridge and right fortunate If I had had the grace my wit to set To have content me with mine owne estate But o false honours broders of
belike you mind our matters very much So I do in dede ê™ I For I dreame of them And whan I had rehearced my dreame we had long talke concerning the natures of dreames which to stint and to bring vs to our matter againe thus sayde one of them I am glad it was your chaunce to dreame of Duke Richard for it had bene pity to have overpassed him And as coÌ„cerning this lord Clyfford whych so cruelly killed his sonne I purpose to geve you notes who as he welde served came shortly after to a sodayne death yet to good for so cruell a tiraunt Wherfore as you thought you sawe and heard the headles duke speake thorow his necke so suppose you see this lord Clifford all armed save his head with his brest plate all gore bloud running from his throte wherin an hedles arrow sticketh thrugh which wound he sayeth thus Hovv the lord Clyfford for his straunge and abhominable cruelty came to as straunge and sodayne a death OPen confession areth open penaunce And wisedome would a maÌ„ his shame to hide Yet sith forgeuenes cummeth through repentaunce I thinke it best that men their crimes ascried For nought so secrete but at length is spied For couer fire and it wil neuer linne Til it breake furth in like case shame and sinne As for my selfe my faultes be out so playne And published so brode in every place That though I would I can not hide a grayne All care is bootles in a cureles case To learne by others griefe sum haue the grace And therfore Baldwin write my wretched fall The brief wherof I briefly vtter shall I am the same that slue duke Richardes childe The louely babe that begged life with teares Wherby my honour fowly I defilde Poore selly lambes the Lyon neuer teares The feble mouse may lye among the beares But wrath of man his rancour to requite Forgets all reason ruth vertue quite I mean by rancour the parentall wreke Surnamde a vertue as the vicious say But litle know the wicked what they speake In boldning vs our enmyes kin to slay To punish sinne is good it is no nay They wreke not sinne but merit wreke for sinne That wreke the fathers faultes vpon his kyn Because my father lord Iohn Clifford died Slayne at S. Albons in his princes ayde Agaynst the duke my hart for malyce fryed So that I could from wreke no way be stayed But to avenge my fathers death assayde All meanes I might the duke of Yorke to annoy And all his kin and frendes to kill and stroy This made me with my bluddy daggar wound His giltles sunne that never agaynst me sturde His fathers body lying dead on ground To pearce with speare eke with my cruell swurd To part his necke and with his head to bourd Envested with a paper royal crowne From place to place to beare it vp and downe But cruelty can never skape the skourge Of shame of horror and of sodayne death Repentaunce selfe that other sinnes may pourge Doth flye scâ—oâ—â— this so sore the soule it slayeth Dispayre dissolves the tirauntes bitter breath â–ª For sodayne vengeaunce sodaynly alightes On cruell heades to quite thier cruel spightes The infamous ende of Lord Iohn Tiptoft Earle of VVurcester for cruelly executing his princes butcherly commaundementes THe glorious man is not so loth to lurke As the infamous glad to lye vnknowen Which maketh me Baldwin disalow thy wurke Where princes faultes so openly be blowen I speake not this alonely for mine owne Which wer my princes if that they wer any But for my Pyers in numbre very many Or might report vprightly vse her tong It would lesse greve vs to augment thy matter But suer I am thou shalt be forst among To frayne the truth the living for to â—atter And otherwhiles in poyntes vnknowen to smatter For time never was nor ever I thinke shall be That truth vnshent should speake in all thinges fre This doeth appere I dare say by my story Which divers writers diversly declare But story writers ought for neyther glory Feare nor favour truth of thinges to spare But still it fares as alway it did fare Affection feare or doubtes that dayly brue Do cause that stories never can be true Unfruytfull Fabyan folewed the face Of time and dâ—des but let the causes â—ip Whych Hall hath added but with double grace For feare I thinke least trouble might him trip For this or that sayeth he he felt the whip Thus story writers leave the causes out Or so rehears them as they wer in dout But seing causes are the chiefest thinges That should be noted of the story wryters That men may learne what endes al causes bringes They be vnwurthy the name of Croniclers That leave them cleane out of their registers Or doubtfully report them for the fruite Of reading stories standâ—th in the suite And therfore Baldwin eyther speake vpright Of our affayres or touche them not at all As for my selfe I waye al thinges so light That nought I passe how men report my fall The truth wherof yet playnly shew I shall That thou mayst write and other therby rede What thinges I did wherof they should take hede Thou hast heard of Tiptoftes erfes of Wurcester I am that Iohn that lived in Edwardes dayes The fourth and was his frend and counsayler And Butcher to as common rumor sayes But peoples voyce is neyther shame nor prayse For whom they would alive devour to day To morow dead they wil wurship what they may But though the peoples â—erdit go by chauneâ— Yet was there cause to cal me as they did For I enforst by meane of gouernaunce Did execute what euer my king did byd From blame herein my selfe I can not ryd But fye vpon the wretched state that must Defaine it selfe to serue the princes lust The chiefest crime wherwith men do me charge Is death of the Earle of Desmundes noble sonnes Of which the kinges charge doth me clere discharge By strayt commaundement and Iniunctions Theffect wherof so rigorously runnes That eyther I must procure to se them dead Or for contempt as a traytour lose my head What would mine enemies do in such a case Obey the king or proper death procure They may wel say their fancy for a face But life is swete and love hard to recure They would haue doen as I did I am sure For seldome wil a welthy man at ease For others cause his prince in ought displease How much lesse I which was lieutenant than In the Irishe yle preferred by the king But who for love or dread of any man Consentes to accomplish any wicked thing Although chiefe fault therof from other spring Shall not eskape Gods vengeaunce for his dede Who sauseth none that dare do yl for drede This in my king and me may wel appere Which for our faultes did not eskape the scourge For whan we thought our states most sure and clere The wind of Warwick blew vp such a sourge
all the world would have it overthrowen When men suppose by fetches of their owne To flye theyr fate they further on the same Like quenching blastes which oft reuive the flame Will princes therfore not to thinke by murder They may auoide what prophecies behight But by their meanes theyr mischiefes they may furder And cause gods vengeaunce heauier to alight Wo wurth the wretch y t strives with gods forsights They are not wise but wickedly do arâ—e Which thinke yll dedes due destinies may barre For if we thinke that prophecies be true We must beleve it can not but beride Which God in them forsheweth shall ensue For his decrees vnchaunged do abide Which to be true my bretherne both have tried Whose wicked warkes warne princes to detest That others harmes may kepe them better blest BY that this tragedy was ended nyghte was so nere cum that we could not conveniently tary together any longer and therfore sayd mayster Ferrers It is best my masters to staye here For we be cum now to the ende of Edwarde the fowerth his raygne For the last whom we finde vnfortunate therein was this Duke of Clarens In whose behalfe I commende much that which hath be noted Let vs therfore for thiâ—â—ime leave with him And this daye seuen nightes hence if your busines will so suffer let vs all mete here together agayne And you shal se that in the mean season I will not only deuise vppon this my selfe but but cause divers other of my acquayntauns which can do very well to helpe vs forwarde with the rest To this every man gladly agreed howbeit ê™ an other seing we shall end at Edward the fowerthes ende let him selfe make an ende of our daies labour with the same â—racion which mayster Skelton made in his name the tenour wherof so farre as I remember is this Hovv king Edvvard through his surfeting and vntemperate life sodainly died in the mids of his prosperity MIseremini mei ye that be my frendes This world hath formed me downe to fall How may I endure whan that every thing endes What creature is borne to be eternall Now there is no more but pray for me all Thus say I Edward that late was your King And .xxiii. yeares ruled this imperiall Sum vnto pleasure and sum to no liking Mercy I aske of my misdoing What auayleth it frendes to be my foe Sith I can not resist nor amend your complayning Quia ecce nunc in pulvere dormio I slepe now in molde as it is naturall As earth vnto earth hath his reverture What ordeyned God to be terrestriall Without recourse to the earth by nature Who to live ever may him selfe assure What is it to trust on mutability Sith that in this world nothing may endure For now am I gone that was late in prosperity To presume therupon it is but a vanitye Not certayne but as a chery fayre ful of wo. Rayned not I of late in great prosperitye Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio Where was in my life such an one as I. While Lady Fortune with me had continuaunce Graunted not she me to have victory In England to rayne and to contribute Fraunce She toke me by the hand and led me a daunce And with her sugred lyppes on me she smyled But what for her dissembled countenaunce I could not be ware tyl I was begiled Now from this worlde she hath me exiled Whan I was lothest hence for to goe And am in age as who saieth but a childe Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio I had ynough I helde me not contente Without remembraunce that I should dye And moreover to encroch ready was I bent I knew not how long I should it occupy I made the tower strong I wist not why I knew not to whom I purchased Tattersall I amended Dover on the mountayne hye And London I prouoked to fortify 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 pulvere dormio Where is now my conquest and victory Where is my ritches and royall array Where be my coursers and my horses hyeâ— Where is my mirth my solas and playe As vanity to nought all is wyddred away O Lady Bes â–ª long for me may you call For I am departed vntill doomes day But love you that lord that is soveraine of all Where be my castels and buyldinges royall â–ª But Windsore alone now have I no moe And of Eton the prayers perpetuall Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio Why should a man be proude or presume hye Saynt Barnard therof nobly doth treat Saying a man is but a sacke of sterâ—ory And shall returne vnto wurmes meal Why what became of Alexander the great Or els of strong Sampson who can tell Wer not wurmes ordayned their flesh to freate And of Salomon that was of wit the well Absolon profered his hâ—â—re for to sell Yet for all his beauty wurmes eat him also And I but late in honour did excell Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio I have playd my pageaunt now am I past Ye wore well all I was of no great elde This all thing concluded shall be at the last Whan death approcheth than lost is the felde Than seing this world me no longer vphelde For nought would conserve me here in my place In manus tuas domine my spirite vp I yelde Humby beseching the o God of thy grace O you curteous commons your hartes enbrace Beningly now to pray for me also For right well you know your king I was Et ecce nunc in pulvere dormio WHan this was sayde every man tooke his leave of other and departed And I the better to acquyte my charge recorded and noted all such matters as they had wylled me FINIS The Contentes and Table of the booke The Epistle dedicatory ¶ A prose to the Reader continued betwene the tragedies from the beginning of the booke to the ende Tragedies beginning ¶ Tresilian and his felowes hanged folio i. ¶ Mortimer slayne folio iiii ¶ Thomas of Wodstocke murdered fol. viii ¶ Mowbray lord Marshall banished fol. xii ¶ King Richard the second murdered fol. xvi ¶ Owen Glendour starved fol. xix ¶ Percy earle of Northumberland beheaded fo xxv ¶ Richard earle of Cambridge beheaded fo xxviii Thomas Montague earle of Salisbury slaine fo xxx ¶ King Iames the fyrst murdered fo xxxvi ¶ Good duke Humfrey murdered and Elianor Cobham his wife banished fol. xl ¶ William de la Poole duke of Southfolke banished and beheaded ¶ Iacke Cade calling him selfe Mortimer slaine and beheaded ¶ Richard Plantagence duke of Yorke slaine fo lix ¶ Lord Clifford slayne fol. lxii Iohn Tiptoft earle of Wurcester beheaded fol. lxiiii ¶ Richard Nevell erle of Warwike slaine fol. lxix ¶ King Henry the sixt murdered fol. lxxii ¶ George duke of Clarence drowned fol. lxxv ¶ King Edward the fowerth surfeted fol. lxxxiii Finis ¶ Fautes escaped in the printing Leafe 1. lyne 20. reade hath be seen Leafe 8. lyne 5. reade whoss state is stablisht Seconde syde lyne 21. reade hearken to me Leafe 9. lyne 4. reade frenchmen to abandon Leafe 19. B. lyne 13. reade am sterved Owen Leafe 69. lyne 7 reade vpon her strailesse stage Leafe 82. B. lyne 15. reade attributing to man Leafe 84. lyne 26. reade fro whiche for c. Leafe 81. lyne 1. reade whose lacke The same leafe lyne 26. reade as foulder doth B. Signyfieth the seconde syde of the Leafe â–ª ¶ Imprinted at London in Fletestrete nere to Saynct Dunstones Church by Thomas Marshe
wield and furnysh so weighty an enterpryse thinkyng euen so to shut my handes But he earnest and diligent in his affayres prâ—â—iued Aâ—hles â—o set vnder his shoulder for shortly after dyuers learned men whose many giftes nede fewe praises consented to take vpon theym parte of the trauayle And whan certayne of theym to the numbre of seuen were throughe a geneâ—all assâ—nt at aâ— apoynted time aâ—d place gathered together to deuyse therupon I resorted vnto them bering with me the booke of Bochas translated by Dan Lidgate for the better obseruacion of his order whiche although we lyked well yet woulde it not cuâ—nâ—â—ly serue seynge that both Bochas and Lidgate were dead neyther were there any alyue that meddled with lyke argâ—ment to whom the vnfortunat might make their moue To make therfore a state mete for the matter they al agreed that I shoulde vsurpe Bochas rowme and the wretched princes complayne vnto me and tooke vpon themselues euery man for his parte to be sundrye personages and in theyr behalfes to bewayle vnto me theyr greuous chaunces heuy destunes wofull misfortunes This doen we opened suche bookes of Cronicles as we had there present and maister Ferrers after he had founde where Bochas left whiche was about the ende of king Edwarde the thirdes raigne to begin the matter sayde thus I meruaile what Bochas meaneth to forget among his myserable princes such as wer of our nacion whose numbre is as great as their aduentures wunderful For to let passe all both Britons Danes and Saxons and to cum to the last Conquest what a sorte are they and sum euen in his owne tyme As for example king Rycharde the fyrste slayne with a quarlle in his chiefe prosperitie also king Iohn his brother as sum saye poysoned are not their histories rufull and of rare example But as it shoulde appeare he beynge an Italien mynded most the Roman and Italike story orels perhaps he wanted our countrey chronicles It were therfore a goodlye and a notable matter to searche dyscourse oure whole storye from the fyrst beginning of the inhabitynge of the yle But â—eâ—nge the printers mynde is to haue vs followe where Lidgate left we wyll leaue that great laboure to other that maye intende it and as blinde bayarde is alway boldest I wyll begin at the tyme of Rycharde the second a tyme as vnfortunate as the ruler therein And forasmuche frende Baldvvin as it shalbe your charge to note and pen orderly the whole proces I wyll so far as my memorie and iudgement serueth sumwhat further you in the truth of the story And therefore omytting the ruâ—â—le made by Iacke Strawe and his meyny and the mourder of many notable men which therby happened for Iacke as ye knowe was but a poore prince I will begin with a notable example whiche within a whyle after ensued And althoughe he be no great prince yet sythens he had a princelye offyce I wyll take vpon me the miserable person of syr Robert Tresilian chiefe Iustice of Englande and of other which suffred with him thereby to warne all of his authorytie and profession to take heed of wrong Iudgementes mysconstruyng of lawes or wrestyng the same to serue the princes tuâ—nes whiche ryghtfullye brought theym to a myserable ende whiche they may iustly lament in maner ensuyng The fall of Robert Tresilian chiefe Iustice of Englande and other his felovves for misconstruyng the lavves â–ª and expounding them to serue the Princes affections IN the rufull Register of mischief and mishap Baldwin we beseche thee w t our names to begin Whom vnfrendly Fortune did trayne vnto a trap When we thought our state most stable to haue bin So lightly leese they all which all do ween to wyn Learne by vs ye Lawyers and Iudges of the lande Uncorrupt and vpryght in doome alway to stande And print it for a president to remayne for euer Enroll and recorde it in tables made of brasse Engraue it in marble that may be razed neuer Where Iudges and Iusticers may see as in a glasse What fee is for falshode and what our wages was Who for our princes pleasure corrupt with meed and awe wittyngly and wretchedly did wrest the sence of lawe A chaunge more newe or straunge seldome hath he seen Then from the benche aboue to cum downe to the bar was neuer state so turned in no tyme as I weeâ— As they to becum clyeâ—tes that counsaylours erst were But such is Fortunes playe which featly can prefer The iudge that sate aboue full lowe beneth to stand At the bar a prisoner holdynge vp his hand Whiche in others cause coulde stoutly speake and plead Both in court and countrey careles of the tryall Stande mâ—â—t lyke mummers without aduyse or read Unable to vtter a true plea of denyall Whiche haue seen the daye when that for halfe a â—yall We coulde by very arte haue made the blacke seme white And matters of most wrong to haue appered most right Beholde me vnfortunate forman of this flocke Tresilian sumtime chief Iustice of this lande By discent a gentleman no staine was in my stocke Loketon Holt and Belknap with other of my bands Whiche the lawe and iustice had wholy in our hands Under the seconde Richarde a prince of great estate To whom frowarde fortune gaue a foule checkmate In the common lawes our skill was so profounde Our credite and aucthoritie suche and so estemed That what so we concluded was taken for a grounde Allowed was for lawe what so to vs best semed Lyle death landes goodes and all by vs was demed Whereby with easye paine so great gaine we did get That euery thing was fishe that came vnto our net At sessions and at syses we bare the stroke and swey In patentes and commissions of Quorum alway chiefeâ— So that to whether syde so euer we did wey Were it right or wrong it past without repriefe We let hang the true man somwhiles to saue a thiefe Of golde and of syluer our handes were neuer emptye Offices termes and fees tell to vs in great plentye But what thing maye suffyse vnto the gredye manâ— The more he hath in holde the more he doeth desyre Happy and twise happy is he that wisely can Content him selfe with that whiche reason doth requyre And moyleth for no more then for his needfull hyre But gredynes of mynde doth neuer kepe the syse Whiche though it haue enough yet doth it not suffyse For lyke as dropsye pacientes drinke and styll be dry Whose vâ—staunched thyrst no lyquor can allaye And drinke they neuer so muche yet styll for more they cry So couetous catchers toyle both nyght and day Gredy and euer nedy prollyng for theyr praye O endles thyrst of golde corrupter of all lawes What mischiefe is on molde whereof thou art not cause Thou modest vs forget the fayth of our profession When sergeantes we were sworne to serue the coÌ„mon lawe Whiche was that in no poynte we should make digression From approued
of stomacke and person Princes all pereles in eche condicion Namely syr Edwarde called the blacke prince Whan had Englande the lyke before eyther since But what of all this any man to assure In state vncarefull of Fortunes varyaunce Syth dayly and hourely we see it in vre That where most cause is of affyaunce Euen there is founde moste weake assuraunce â–ª Let none trust Fortune but folowe Reason For often we see in trust is treason This prouerbe in proofe ouer true I tryed Finding high treason in place of high trust And most faulte of fayth where I most affyed Beyng by them that should haue been iust Trayterously entrapt ere I coulde mystrust Ah wretched worlde what it is to trust thee Let them that wyll learne nowe hearken vnto mee After king Edwarde the thyrdes decease Succeded my Nephewe Rycharde to reyne Who for his glory and honors encrease With princely wagies dyd me enterteyne Agaynst the Frenchmen to be his Chyefreyne So passyng the seas with royall puissaunce With God and S. George I inuaded Fraunce Wasting the countrey with swurde and with fyer Ouerturning townes high castels and towers Lyke Mars God of warre enflamed with yre I forced the Frenchmen tabaddon theyr bowers Where euer we matcht I wan at all howers In suche wyse visyting both Cytie and village That alway my soldiers were laden with pillage With honoure and triumph was my retourne Was none more ioyous than yong king Richarde Who minding more highly my state to adourne with Glocester Dukedome dyd me rewarde And after in mariage I was prefarde To a daughter of Bohan an earle honorable By whome I was of Englande high Constable Thus hoysted so high on Fortunes wheele As one on a stage attendyng a playe Seeth not on whiche syde the scaffolde doth reele Tyll tymber and poales and all flee awaye So fared it by mee for day by daye As honour encreased I loked styll hyer Not seyng the daunger of my fonde desyer For whan Fortunes slud ran with full streame I beyng a Duke descended of Kinges Constable of Englande chiefe officer in the realme Abused with esperaunce in these vaine thinges I went without feete and flewe without winges Presumyng so far vpon my high state That dread set aparte my prince I would mate For where as al kings haue counsel of their choyse To whom they refer the rule of theyr lande With certayne famyliers in whom to reioyce For pleasure or profyt as the case shall stande I not bearyng this would nedes take in hande Maulgree his wyll those persons to dysgrace And such as I thought fyt to appoynt in their place But as an olde booke sayth who so wyll assaye Aboute the Cats necke to hang on a bell Had fyrst nede to cut the Cats clawes awaye Least yf the Cat be curst or not tamed well She haply with her nayles may clawe him to the fell For doyng on the bell about the cats necke By beyng to busy I caught a sore checke Reade well the sentence of the Rat of renoune Which Pierce the plowman discribes in his dreame And who so hath wyt the sense to expoune Shall fynde that to bridle the prince of a realme Is euen as who sayeth to striue with the streame Note this all subiectes and construe it well And busy not your braine about the cats bell But in that ye be Lyeges learne to obaye Submytting your wylles to your princes lawes It sytteth not a subiecte to haue his owne waye Remember this bywurde of the Cats clawes For princes lyke Lyons haue long and large pawes That reache at raundon and whom they once twitch They clawe to the bone before the skyn itch But to my purpose I beyng once bent Towardes the atchiuyng of my attemptate Fower bolde Barrons were of myne assent By oth and allyaunce fastly confederate Fyrst Henry of Derby an Earle of estate Richarde of Arundell and Thomas of Warwicke With Mowbray erle Marshall a man most warlicke At Ratcote brydge assembled our bande The Commons in clusters cam to vs that day To daunce Robert Uere then Duke of Irelande By whom king Rycharde was ruled alway We put hym to flyght and brake his array Then maulgree the kyng his leaue or assent By Constables power we called a parlyament Where not in roabes but with bastardes bright We cam for to parle of the Publyke weale Confyrming our quarell with maine and with might With swurdes and no wurdes we tryed our appeale In stede of Reason declaryng our Zeale And whom so we knewe with the kyng in good grace Playnely we depriued him of power and of place Sum with shorte proces were banyshe the lande Sum executed with capytall payne Wherof who so lyst the whole to vnderstande In the parlyament roll it appeareth playne And furder howe stoutly we dyd the king strayne The Rule of his realme wholy to resygne To the order of those whom we dyd assygne But note the sequele of suche presumption After we had these myracles wrought The king enflamed with indignacion That to suche bondage he should be brought Suppressyng the yre of his inwarde thought Studyed nought els but howe that he myght Be highly reuenged of his high dispight Aggreued was also this latter offence with former matter his yre to renue For once at wyndsore I brought to his presence The Mayor of London with all his retinue To are a reckening of the Realmes reuenue And the soldiers of Brest were by me made bolde To clayme entertainment the towne being solde These griefes remembred with all the remnaunt Of hate in his hert hourded a treasure Yet openly in shewe made he no semblaunt By wurde nor by deede to beare displeasure But loue dayes dissembled do neuer endure And who so trusteth a foe reconcylde Is for the most parte alwayes begilde For as fyer yll quencht will vp at a starte And sores not well salued do breake out of newe So hatred hydden in an yrefull harte Where it hath had long season to brewe Upon euery occasion doth easely renewe Not fayling at last yf it be not let To paye large vsury besides the due det Euin so it fared by this frendship fained Outwardly sounde and inwardly rotten For whan the kinges fauour in semyng was gained All olde dyspleasures forgyuen and forgotten Euin than at a sodayne the shaft was shotten Whiche pearced my harte voyde of mistrust Alas that a prince should be so vniust For lying at Plasshey my selfe to repose By reason of syckenes whiche helde me full sore The king espying me aparte from those with whom I confedered in bande before Thought it not meete to tract the tyme more But glad to take me at suche auauntage Came to salute me with friendly vysage Who hauyng a bande bounde to his bent By coulour of kyndenes to byset his Eame Tooke tyme to accomplysh his cruell intent And in a small vessell downe by the streame Conueyed me to Calays out of the realme where without proces or doome of my
yeres Not nature but murder abridged my yeres This acte was odious to God and to man Yet rygour to cloke in habyte of reason By crafty compas deuise they can Articles nyne of ryght haynous treason But doome after death is sure out of season For who euer sawe so straunge a presydent As execucion doen before iudgement Thus hate harboured in depth of mynde By sought occasyon burst out of newe And cruelty abused the lawe of kynde whan that the Nephewe the Uncle slewe Alas king Rycharde sore mayst thou rewe whiche by this facte preparedst the waye Of thy harde destynie to hasten the daye For blood axeth blood as guerdon dewe And vengeaunce for vengeaunce is iust rewarde O ryghteous God thy iudgementes are true For looke what measure we other 〈◊〉 The same for vs agayne is prepardâ— Take heed ye princes by examples past Blood wyll haue blood eyther fyrst or last WHan maister Ferrers had ended this fruytfull tragedye because no man was readye with another I hauyng perused the story whiche cam next sayd Because you shall not say my maisters but that I wyll in sumwhat do my parte I wyll vnder your correction declare the tragedy of the Lord Mowbray the chiefe wurker of the Dukes destruction who to admonysh all Counsaylers to beware of flattering princes or falsely enuying or accusyng theyr Peregalles may lament his vices in maner folowyng Hovve the Lorde Movvbray promoted by Kyng Richarde the seconde vvas by hym banyshed the Realme â–ª and dyed miserably in exyle THough sorowe and shame abash me to rehercâ— My lothsum lyfe and death of due deserued Yet that the paynes thereof may other perce To leaue the lyke least they be lykely serued Ah Baldwin marke I wil shew thee how I swarued Dyssemblyng Enuy and Flattery bane that â—e Of all their hostes haue shewed their power on me I blame not Fortune though she dyd her parte And true it is she can doo lytell harme She gydeth goods she hampreth not the harte A vertuous mynde is safe from euery charme Uyce onely vyce with her stoute strengthles arme Doth cause the harte to euyll to enclyne Whiche I alas doo fynde to true by myne For where by byrth I came of noble kynde The Mowbrayes heyre a famous house and olde Fortune I thanke her was to me so kynde That of my prince I had what so I wolde Yet neyther of vs was muche to other holde For I through flattery abused his wanton youth And his fonde trust augmented my vntruth He made me fyrst the earle of Notyngham And Marshall of the realme in whiche estate The Pâ—eâ—s and people sayntly to me came with sore complaynt against them that of late Made offycers had brought the king in hate By makynge sale of Iustice ryght and lawe And lyuyng nought without all dreede or awe I gaue them ayde these euyls to redresse And went to London with an army strong And caused the king against his wyll oppresse By cruell death all suche â—â—led hym wrong The lorde chiefe Iustice suffred these among So dyd the Stuarde of his housholde head The Chauncelour scapte for he aforehande fled These wicked men thus from the king remoued who best vs pleased succeded in theyr place For whiche both kyng and commons muche vs loued But chiefely I with all stoode high in grace The kyng ensued my rede in euery case whence selfe loue bred for glory maketh proude And pryde aye looketh alone to be allowde wherfore to thende I might alone enioyâ— The kinges good wyll I made his lust my lawe And where of late I laboured to destroye Suche flatryng folke as thereto stoode in awe Nowe learned I among the rest to clawe â–ª For pride is suche yf it be kindely caught As stroyeth good and styrreth vp every nought Pryde pricketh men to flatter for the pray To oppresse and pol for mayntenaunce of the same To malyce suche as matche vnâ—thes it may And to be briefe pride doth the harte enflame To fyer what myschief any fraude maye frame And euer at length the euyls by it wrought Confounde the wurker and bring him vnto nought Beholde in me due proofe of euerye parte For pryde fyrst forced me my prince to flatter So muche that what so euer pleased his harte Were it neuer so evyll I thought a lawfull matter Wâ—â—che caused the lordes afresh against him clatter Because he had his holdes beyonde sea â—olde And seen his souldiers of theyr wages polde Though all these yls were doen by my assent Yet suche was lucke that eche man deemed no For see the duke of Glocester for me sent With other lordes whose hartes did blede for wo To see the Realme so fast to ruyne go In faulte whereof they sayde the two dukes wer The one of Yorke the other of Lancaster On whose remove fro beyng aboute the king We all agreed and sware a solempne oth And whyle the rest prouyded for this thyng I flatter I to win the prayse of troth Wretche that I was brake fayth and promise both For I bewrayed the king theyr whole intent For whiche vnwares they all were tane and shent Thus was the warder of the common weale The Duke of Glocester gyltles made awaye With other moo more wretche I so to deale Who through vntruth their trust dyd yll betraye Yet by this meanes obteyned I my praye Of king and Dukes I founde for this suche fauour As made me Duke of Norfolke for my labour But see howe pride and envy ioyntly runne Because my prince dyd more than me preferre Syr Henry Bolenbroke the eldest sunne Of Iohn of Gaunte the Duke of Lancaster Proude I that would alone be blasyng sterre Envyed this Earle for nought saue that the shine Of his desertes dyd glyster more then mine To the ende therfore his lyght should be the lesse I slyly sought all shyftes to put it out But as the pryze that would the palme tree presse Doth cause the bowes sprede larger rounde about So spyte and enuy causeth glory sprout And aye the more the top is ouertrode The deper doth the sounde roote sprede abrode For when this Henry Erle of Harforde sawe What spoyle the kyng made of the noble blood And that without all Iustice cause or lawe To suffer him so he thought not sure nor good Wherfore to me two faced in a hood As touching this he fully brake his mynde As to his frende that should remedy fynde But I although I knewe my prince dyd yll So that my heart abhorred sore the same Yet myschief so through malyce led my wyll To bring this Earle from honour vnto shame And towarde my selfe my souerayne to enflame That I bewrayed his wurdes vnto the king Not as a rede but as a most haynous thyng Thus where my duty bounde me to have tolde My prince his fault and wylde him â—o refrayne Through flattery loe I dyd his yll vpholde whiche turnde at length both hym and me to payne Wo wo to kynges whose counsaylours do
more glory in The keping thinges than is in their attayne To get and kepe not is but losse of payne Therfore ought men prouide to saue their winnings In al attemptes els lose they their beginninges Because we could not kepe the townes we wunne For they were more then we might â—asely wyelde One yere vndyd what we in ten had doen For envy at home and treason abrode dyd yelde Kyng Charles his Realme of Fraunce made barain fielde For bluddy warres had wasted al encreace Which causde the Pope helpe pouerty sue for peace So that it Tourayne at the towne of Toures Duke Charles and other for their Prince appered So dyd Lord Rosse and I than Erle for oures And when we shewed wherein eche other dered We sought out meanes all quarels to haue clered Wherein the Lordes of Germany of Spayne Of Hungary and 〈…〉 paine But sith we could no final peaâ—e 〈◊〉 For neither would the others couenants heare For eightene monthes we dyd conclude a truce And while as frendes we lay together there Because my warrant dyd me therein beare To make a perfite peace and through accorde I sought a mariage for my soberaine Lorde And for the French kinges doughters wer to small I fancied most dame Margarete his niece A lovely lady beautifull and tall Fayre spoken â–ª pleasaunt a very princely piece In wit and learning matcheles hence to Grece Duke Rayners daughter of Aniow king by stile Of Naples Ierusalem and of Scicil yle But ere I could the graunt of her attayne All that our king had of her fathers landes As Mauntes the citee the county whole of Mayne And most of Aniow duchy in our handes I did release him by assured bandes And as for dowry with her none I sought I thought no peace could be to derely bought But whan this mariage throwly was agreed Although my king were glad of such a make His vncle Humfrey abhorred it in deed Because therby his precontract he brake Made with the heire of the erle of Arminake A noble maide with store of goodes endowed Which more than this with losse the duke allowed But love and beauty in the king so wrought That neither profite or promise he regarded But set his vncles counsayle still at nought And for my paynes I highly was rewarded Thus vertue starves but lust foode must be larded For I made Marquise went to Fraunce againe And brought this Bride vnto my soverayne At whom because Duke Humfrey aye repined Calling their mariage aduowtry as it was The Quene did move me erst therto enclined To helpe to bring him to his Requiem masse Which sith it could for no crime cum to passe His life and doinges were so right and clere Through privy murder we brought him to his beere Thus righteousnes brought Humfrey to rebuke Because he would no wickednes allowe But for my doinges I was made a duke So Fortune can both bend and smothe her browe On whom she list not passing why nor howe O lord how high how soone she did me raise How fast she filde me both with prayes and prayse The Lordes and Commons both of like assent Besought my soverayne kneling on their knees To recorde my doinges in the parliament As dedes deseruing everlasting foes In which attempt they did no labour leese For they set not my prayse so fast in flame As he was ready to reward the same But note the ende my dedes so wurthy demed Of Kinge of Lordes and Commons altogether Wer shortly after treasons false estemed And al men curst Quene Margets cumming hither For Charles the french king in his feaâ—es not lither Whan he had rendred Rayner Mauntes Mayne Found meane to winne all Normandy agayne This made the people curse the mariage Esteming it the cause of every losse Wherfore at me with open mouth they rage Affirming me to have brought the realme to mosse Whan king Quene sawe thinges thus go a crosse To quiet all a parliament they called And caused me in prison to be thralled And shortly after brought me furth abrode Which made the CoÌ„mons more than double wood And sum with weapons would have layed on lode If their graund captaine Blewberd in his moode Had not in time with wisedome bene withstoode â–ª But though that he and mo wer executed The people still their wurst against me bruted And so applyed the Parliament with billes Of haynous wronges and open traytrous crimes That king queene were forst against their willes Fro place to place to adiourne it divers times For princes power is like the sandy slymes Which must perforce geve place vnto the wave Or sue the windy sourges whan they rave Their life was not more dere to them than I Which made them search all shiftes to save me still But aye my foes such faultes did on me trye That to preserve me from a wurser yll The king was fayne ful sore agaynst his will For five yeres space to send me in exile In hope to have restored me in a while But marke howe vengeaunce wayteth vpon vice As I was sayling toward the coast of Fraunce The Earle of Deuonshires barke of litle price Encountred me vpon the seas by chaunce Whose captaine tooke me by his valiaunce Let passe my shippes with all the frayt and loade But led me with him into Dover roade Where whan he had recounted me my faultes As murdring of Duke Humfrey in his bed And howe I had brought all the realme to naughtes In causing the King vnlawfully to wed There was no grace but I must loose my head Wherfore he made me shrive me in his boate On the edge wherof my necke in two he smoat A piteous ende and therfore Baldwin warne All pyers and princes to abhorre vntroth For vicious grayne must cum to fowlendes barne Who brueth breach of lawful bond or oth God wil ere long cause all the world to loth Was never prince that other did oppresse Unrighteously but died in distresse WHan this was sayd Every man reioyced to heare of a wicked man so maruaylously well punished For though Fortune in many poyntes be iniurius to Princes yet in this and such lyke she is moost righteous And only deserveth the name of a Goddes whan she prouideth meanes to punish distroye Tyrantes And whan we had a whyle considered the driftes of the King and Quene to haue saued this Duke and yet they could not It is wurth the labour sayd one to way the workes and iudgementes of God which seyng they are knowen most euidently by comparyng contraryes I wyll touche the story of Iacke Kade in order next folowynge Whome Kynge Henrye with all his puissauns was no more able for a while to destroy yet was he his rebellious enemie than he was to preserve the Duke of Suffolke his derest frend by whiche two examples doeth appere howe notably God dysposeth all thinges and that no force stretcheth farther than it pleaseth him to suffer For this Cade beinge but base borne of
Southhampton whose commocion made in Kent was cause of sely Henries destruccion And seing king Henrye him selfe was cause of the destruccion of many noble princes being of all other most vnfortunate him selfe I will declare what I have noted in his vnlucky lyfe who wounded in prison with a dagger maye lament his wretchedues in maner falowing Hovv king Henry the syxt a vertuous prince vvas after many other miseries cruelly murdered in the Tovver of London IF ever woful wight had cause to rue his state Or by his rufull plight to move men moane his fate My piteous playnt may preace my mishaps to rehearce wherof the least most lightly heard the hardest hart may pearce What hart so hard can heare of innocens opprest By fraude in worldly goodes but melteth in the brest Whan giltles men be spoylde imprisoned for theyr owne who wayleth not their wretched case to whoÌ„ the cause is knoweÌ„ The Lyon licketh the sores of selly wounded shepe The deadmans corse may cause the Crocodile to wepe The waves that waste the rockes refresh the rotten redes Such ruth the wracke of innocens in cruel creature bredes What hart is than so hard but wyl for pitye blede To heare so cruell lucke so cleare a life succede To see a silly soule with woe and sorowe souste A king deprived in prison pente to death with daggars doust Woulde god the day of birth had brought me to my beere Than had I never felt the chaunge of Fortunes cheere Would god the grave had gript me in her gredy woumbe Whan crowne in cradle made mâ—king w t 〈…〉 Would god the rufull toumbe had bene my royall trone So should no kingly charge have made me make my mone O that my soule had flowen to heaven with the ioy When one sort cryed God save the king another Vive le roy So had I not been washt in waves of worldly woe My mynde to quyet bent had not bene tossed so My frendes had bene alyve my subiectes vnopprest But death or cruell destiny denyed me this rest Alas what should we count the cause of wretches cares The starres do styrre them vp Astronomy declares Or humours sayth the leache the double true divines To the will of god or yll of man the doubtfull cause assignes Such doltish heades as dreame that all thinges drive by haps Count lack of former care for cause of afterclaps Astributing to man a power fro God bereft Abusing vs and robbing him through their most wicked theft But god doth gide the world and every hap by skyll Our wit and willing power are paysed by his will What wyt most wisely wardes and wil most deadly vrkes Though al our power would presse it downe doth dash our warest wurkes Than destiny our sinne Gods wil or els his wreake Do wurke our wrethed woes for humours bâ— to weake Except we take them so as they prouoke to sinne For through our lust by humours fed al vicious dedes beginne So sinne and they be one both wurking like effect And cause the wrath of God to wreake the soule infect Thus wrath and wreake divine mans sinnes and humours yll Concur in one though in a sort ech doth a course fulfill If likewise such as say the welken fortune warkes Take Fortune for our fate and sterres therof the markes Then destiny with fate and Gods wil al be one But if they meane it otherwise skath causers skyes be none Thus of our heavy happes chiefe causes be but twayne Wheron the rest depende and vnderput remayne The chiefe the wil diuine called destiny and fate The other sinne through humours holpe which god doth highly hate The first appoynteth payne for good mens exercise The second doth deserve due punishment for vice This witnesseth the wrath and that the love of God The good for love the bad for sinne God beateth with his rod. Although my sundry sinnes do place me with the wurst My happes yet cause me hope to be among the furst The eye that searcheth all and seeth every thought Doth know how sore I hated sinne and after vertue sought The solace of the soule my chiefest pleasure was Of wordly pompe of fame or game I did not pas My kingdomes nor my crowne I prised not a crum In heaven wer my rytches heapt to which I sought to cum Yet wer my sorowes such as never man had like So divers stormes at once so often did me strike But why God knowes not I except it wer for this To shew by patarne of a prince how britle honour is Our kingdomes are but cares our state deuoyde of stay Our riches redy snares to hasten our decay Our pleasures priuy prickes our vices to prouoke Our poÌ„pe a pumpe our fame a flame our power a smouldring smoke I speake not but by proofe and that may many rue My life doth crie it out my death doth trye it true Wherof I will in briefe rehearce my heavy hap That Baldwin in his woful warpe my wretche dues may wrap In Windsore borne I was â–ª and bare my fathers name Who wanne by war all Fraunce to his eternall fame And left to me the crowne to be receyued in peace Through mariage made with Charles his haire vpon his lifes decease Which shortly did ensue yet died my father furst And both their realmes were mine ere I a yere were nurst Which as they fell to soone so faded they as fast For Charles and Edward got them both or fortye yeres were past Thiâ— Charles was eldest sonne of Charles my father in law To whom as heire of Fraunce the Frenchmen did them draw But Edward was the heire of Richard duke of Yorke The hayer of Roger Mortimer slayne by the kerne of Korke Before I came to age Charles had recovered Fraunce And kilde my men of warre so lucky was his chaunce And through a mad contract I made with Rayners daughter I gave and lost all Normandy the cause of many a slaughter First of mine vncle Humfrey abhorring sore this acte Because I therby brake a better precontracte ThaÌ„ of the flattring duke that first the mariage made The iust rewarde of such as dare their princes yll perswade And I poore sely wretche abode the brunt of all My mariage iust so swete was 〈…〉 My wife was wise and good had 〈…〉 Wherfore warne men beware how they iust promise breake Least proofe of paynful plagues do cause them waile the wreke Aduise wel ere they graunt but what they graunt perfourme For god wil plage all doublenes although we feele no wourme I falsly borne in hand beleved I did wel But al thinges be not true that learned men do tell My cleargy sayd a prince was to no promis bounde Whose wordes to be no gospel tho I to my griefe haue found For after mariage ioynde Quene Margarete and me For one mishap afore I dayly met with three Of Normandy and Fraunce Charles got away my crowne The Duke of Yorke other sought at home to put me
principles in sentens nor in sawe But we vnhappy wretches without all drede and awe Of the Iudge eternall for worldes vayne promocion More to man than God dyd beare our hole deuocion The lawes we interpreted and statutes of the lande Not trulye by the texte but nuly by a glose And wâ—rds that wer most plaine whan thei by vs wer sâ—andâ— We turned by construction lyke a welchmans hose Wherby many one both lyfe and lande dyd lose Yet this we made a mean to mount aloft on mules To serue kings in al pâ—intes men must sumwhile breke rules Thus clymyng and contendyng alway to the top From hye vnto hygher and than to be moste hye The hunny dewe of Fortune so fast on vs dyd drop That of kinge Richards counsayle we came to be full nye To crepe into whose fauour we were â—â—ll fyne and slye Alway to his proâ—iâ—e where any wurde myght sounde That way all were it wrong the sens we dyd expounnde So wurkyng lawe lyke ware the subiecte was not sure Of lyfe lande nor goods but at the princes wyll Whiche caused his kingdome the shorter tyme to dure For clayming power absolute both to saue and spyll The prince therby presumed his people for to pyll And set his lustes for lawe and will had reasons place No more but hang and drawe there was no better grace The king thus transcending the lymittes of his lawe Not raygning but raging by youthfull insolence Wyse and wurthy persons dyd fro the courte withdrawe There was no grace nâ— place for auncient prudence Presumcion and pryde with excesse of expence Possessed the palays and pillage the countrye Thus all went to wracke vnlyke of remedie The Baronye of Englande not bearyng this abuse Conspyring with the commons assembled by assent And seynge neyther reason nor â—reaty coulde induce The king in any thing his Rygor to relent Mawgree all his might they called a parlyament Francke and free for all men without checke to debate As well for weale publyke as for the princes stare In whiche parlyament muche thinges was proponed Concerning the regaly and ryghtes of the crowne By reason kynge Richarde whiche was to be moned Full lytell regardynge his honour and renowne By synister aduyse had tourned all vpsodowne For suerty of whose state them thought it dyd behooue His corrupt counsaylours from him to remooue Among whom Robert Uere called duke of Irelande with Myghell Delapole of Suffolke newe made erle Of Yorke also the Archebysshop dyspatcht wer out of hande with Brembre of London Mayor â–ª a full vncurteous churle Sum learned in the lawe in exyle they dyd hurle But I poore Tresilian because I was the chiefe was dampned to the gallowes most vyly as a chiefe Loe the fyne of falshode the stypende of corruption Fye on stynkyng lucre of all vnryght the lure Ye Iudges and ye Iusticers let my most iust punycion Teache you to shake of bribes and kepe your handes pure Ryches and promocion be vaine thynges and vnsure The fauour of a prince is an vntrusly staye But Iustyce hath a see that shall remayne alwaye what glory can be greater before god or man Then by the pathes of equitie in iudgement to procede So dâ—lâ—e and so trulye the lawes alwayes to skan That ryght may take his place without rewarde or mede Set aparte all flattery and vaine worldly drede Take god before your eyes 〈◊〉 iust iudge supreme Remembre well your reckeniâ—g at the daye extreme Abandon all affâ—ay be soothfast in your sawes Be consâ—anâ— and câ—reles of mortall mens dyspleasure With eyes shâ—â— hands close you should pronounce the lawes Esteme not worldly â—yre thynke ther is a treasure More worth then golde or stone a thousande rymes in valure Reposed for all suche as righteousnes ensue Whereof you cannot fayle the promys made is true If sum in latter dayes had called vnto mynde The fatall fall of vs for wrestyng of the ryght The statutes of this lande they should not haue defynde So wylfully and wyttingly agaynst the sentence quyte But though they skaped paine the falte was nothing lyght Let them that cum hereafter both that and this compare And waying well the ende they wyll I trust beware WHan maister Ferrers had finished this tragedye whiche semed not vnfyt for the persons touched in the same An other whiche in the mean tyme had stayed vpon syr Roger Mortimer whose miserable ende as it should appeare was sumwhat before the others sayd as foloweth Althoughe it be not greatly appertinent to our purpose yet in my iudgement I thynke it woulde do wel to obserue the times of men and as they be more aunciente â–ª so to place theym â–ª for I fynde that before these of whom maister Ferrers here hath spoken there were two Mortimers the one hanged in Edwarde the thirdes tyme out of oure date another slayne in Irelande in Richarde the secondes tyme a yere before the fall of these Iustices whose historye syth it is notable and the example fruitfull it were pitie to ouerpasse it And therfore by your lycence and agrement I will take vpon me the personage of the last who full of woundes miserably mangled with a pale countenaunce and grisly looke may make his mone to Baldvvin as foloweth Hovve the tvvo Rogers surnamed Mortimers for theyr sundry vices ended theyr lyues vnfortunatelye AMong the ryders of the rollyng wheels That lost theyr holdes Baldwin forget not me whose fatall threede false Fortune nedes would reele Ere it were twysted by the systers three All folke be frayle theyr blysses brittle bee For proofe whereof although none other mer Suffyse may I syr Roger Mortimer Not he that was in Edwardes dayes the thyrde Whom Fortune brought to boote and efte to bale With loue of whom the kyng so muche she sturde That none but he was heard in any tale And whyles she smooth blewe on this merye gale He was created earle of Marche alas Whence envy sprang whiche his destruction was For welth bredeth wrath in suche as welth do want And pryde with folly in suche as it possesse Among a thousande shall you fynde hym skant That can in welth his loftye harte represse Whiche in this Erle due proofe did playne expresse For where he sumwhat hauty was before His hygh degree hath made hym nowe muche more For nowe alone he ruleth as him lust Nâ— recketh for rede save of kyng Edwardes mother Whiche forced envy soulder out the rust That in mens hartes before dyd lye and smother The Piers the people as well the one as the other Agaynst 〈◊〉 so haynous a complaynt That for a traytour he was taken and attaynt Then all suche faultes as were forgot before The shower afresh and samwhat to them ad For cruell envy hath eloquence in store whan Fortune byds to warsse thinges meanely bad Fyue haynous crymes agaynst hym soone were had Fyrst that he causde the kyng to yelde the Skot To make a peace townes that were from him got And therewithall