Sir I said the gods defend that I Should causelesse kill a man in miserie Tell me thy name and place then by and by I will prouide for thine aduersitie Then he repli'd my name is Sigebert I am the man which wrought thy masters smart I rul'd of late this Realme euen at my list Take thou reuenge with that thy friendly fist And well content I will reuenge with speed The death of him whom causelesse thou did'st kill King Sigebert and art thou he indeed Sith he thou art dispatch and make thy will For to my Lord this day I will present Thy head therefore thy former saults repent Thou seest the blocke on which thy life must end Call thou for grace that God may mercie send Wherewith he kneeling by the blocke of bale Dispatch quoth he and do that friendly deed O welcome death and farewell Fortune fraile Dispatch good friend dispatch my life with speed Wherewith on blocke he stretcht his neck outright And said no more but praying me to smite I gaue the stroke which ended all his care A bloodie stroke which did my death prepare For I who hopte to haue some great reward For killing of my Masters fathers foe Was hanged straight my cause was neuer heard Such was my chance and well deserued woe For when my Lord had heard me tell the tale How I his King and mine did there assaile His frowning face did put me in great feare He sigh'd and sob'd and said as you shall heare O Caitiffe vile O Impe of Satans seed And hast thou kill'd our Soueraigne Lord and King His due desert deserueth death indeed Yet what made thee to do so vile a thing What though he did my father causelesse kill What though he rul'd the Realme with lawlesse will Shall we therefore with cruell bloodie knife Depriue our Lord and King of vitall life O wicked deed may subiects false surmise With murthering minds their Gouernour resist That may not be for Tully wondrous wise Plato in whom true knowledge doth consist They both agreed that no man ought to kill A Tyrant though he hath him at this will Yet thou thou wretch this bloody deed hast done The like was neuer seene vnder the Sun When God will plague the people for their sin Them then to scourge he doth a Tyrant send We should therefore that subiects be begin With earnest mind our former saults t' amend Which if we do it is to great availe Mans force is fond fighting cannot prcuaile And he who doth resist the Magistrate Resisteth God repenting all too late If subiects be by peruerse Prince opprest They then must pray that God the change may make Which God no doubt rebellion doth detest No subiect may his sword or armour take Against his Prince whom God hath placed there Yet hath this wretch all void of subiects feare Destroy'd a King whom God did thrust from throne Alas poore King thy death I do bemone But he who hath thy lingring life destroi'd Shall be destroi'd and find it passing plaine That no man may a Princes life annoy Although the Prince desiers to be slaine Yet subiects must from sheading blood refraine From which seeing that this wretch could not abstaine Let him be hang'd as I before decreed A iust reward for his so vile a deed Then I forthwith to end my life was led I hopte to haue preferment for my deed I was prefer'd and hang'd all saue the head Did euer man the like example read Not one I thinke therefore good Memorie In register inrole thou this for me That they who liue and reade the fall I felt May find how fate most strangely with me delt Yet my desert no doubt did death deserue Though hatred did not make me kill my King Yet lucre leaud did force my feete to swerue That hatefull hap me to this bale did bring Let them then learne that heedlesse liue by hope Her hatefull hests will bring them to the rope And happie he who void of hope can lead A quiet life all void of Fortunes dread Perillus he who made the Bull of brasse Like him I hopte to haue some great reward But he in brasen belly broyled was And to a skarfe of hemp I was prefer'd So they that meane by others harmes to rise Their dying day shall end with dolefull cries And heere I end approuing that most true From wicked workes no goodnesse can ensue Thomas Blener Hasset HOW LADIE EBBE DID FLEA HER NOSE AND VPPER lippe away to saue her Virginitie Anno Dom. 870. DO nothing muse at my deformed face For Nature it in perfect mould did make And when your wits haue weighed well the case You will commend me much for vertues sake With these my hands which from my face did take Mine ouer-lippe and eke my seemely nose So to auoid the rage of all my foes For I by birth a Princes daughter borne An Abbiesse by my profession Of which estate I neuer thought it scorne It greatly did delight me to be one Which might erect diuine religion At Collingam I tooke this charge in hand And fiftie more of chaste Dianaes band All Ladies borne by birth of high degree Which there did vow with me their liues to leade And to auoid carnall fragilitie We all did vow as you right well may reade With single liues to liue in feare and dread Of God our Lord so to refraine the vice Of fleshly lust which doth to sinne intice Then did the Danes the Saxon state inuade And they who did the Britaine state destroy To sue for grace were glad and well apaid So strangely did the Danes vs then annoy That Saxons like the men of broyling Troy Amaz'd they gaz'd not knowing what was best So straitly were the Saxons then distrest These dreadfull Danes they had no feare of God But sauage they did make their lust a law Whom God did send for a reuenging rod To make vs Saxons liue in feare and awe Of him who did from seruile bondage draw Vs out and made vs liue at libertie When as we seru'd with cruell slauerie Not much vnlike the murmuring Israelites Sometime we seru'd our Lord with feare and dread In trouble we imploi'd our whole delights To fast and pray but when we quiet were We restlesse led our liues all void of care Forgetting him who did in each distresse With helping hand vs blesse with good successe See heere the fruit of health and good successe It maketh man both proud and insolent In health we hate the God who hath vs blest Trouble doth make vs mortall men repent Our former faults in sicknesse we be bent To fast and pray and in aduersitie To pray to God is mans felicitie And for this fault abusing this our blesse The Danes with ruth our Realme did ouerrunne Their wrath inwrapt vs all in wretchednesse There was no sin from which those men did shunne By them the Commonweale was quite vndone They did destroy the state of euery towne They Churches
men that did Iehouaes sonne refuse The King of Iewes the Lord of life and health Were gouern'd thus Tiberius thus did vse The men that were the Gods in Commonwealth Forsaking so their heauenly sauing health The Emprour I which should their liues defend Sought all the meanes to bring their liues to end Yet to religion I was nothing bent Dissembled things that least I fauour'd still I neuer vsde to speake the things I ment But bare in mind the waies to worke men ill I seem'd to some to beare them great good will And those I tooke away as time did serue Inconstant vnto each yet seldome seem'd to swerue To drunkennesse and riot sports and ease And pleasure all I gaue my studie then Nought more then subtill shiftings did me please With bloodshed craftie vndermining men My Court was like a Lions lurking den The Iesters nam'd me Caldius Biberius Mero In stead of this my name Clandius Tiberius Nero. I will no more my life describe this time For why my facts at last deseru'd defame Infected with so many a fulsome crime As may not heere repeated be for shame I haue no cause the Ladie blind to blame But mine owne selfe who did abuse my place Which might full well haue vsde the gifts of grace Three things in fine I tell that wrought my fall First vile dissembling both with God and man For bloodshed then which hauocke made of all Blood cries to him that well reuenge it can For filthie life I much offended than Wherefore aliue thus poysoned with these three Caligula at last did poyson me To Princes this I say and worthie Peeres I wish them wisely weigh that heare me shall And poise my first exploits with latter yeeres And well consider one thing in my fall * Abuse of power abaseth Princes all In throne on earth a Prince as God doth sit And as a God no iustice should omit HOW CAIVS CAESAR CALIGVLA EMPEROVR OF Rome was slaine by Cherea and others the yeare of Christ 42. VNhappie Princes haue in wealth no grace To see how soone their vices bring them vnder But run vnruly reckelesse of their race Till at the length they make themselues a wonder When from aloft their traces fall asonder There is no hope to hold aright the trace They cannot keepe aloft th' Emperiall place Beholde my hap on whom the Romane rout With ioy did gaze when bloudy slaine I lay Here lies quoth they thrust thirtie times throughout The monster vile that beast Caligula Which did so many guiltlesse Romanes slay The nobles now the matrons need not doubt The worthy writers may their works set out I was I grant full leaudly led by lust I forced nought of vertue faith nor law In power I put my confidence and trust Regarding right nor Iustice strict a straw My facts infarst my life with many a flawe Did me to deedes of foule lust incest draw Which had of God nor natures hests the awe To make my selfe a God I did deuise That Iupiter to name my selfe did dare For incests vile which all good wights despise Nam'd Bacchus eke a drunken shrine I bare To call me God some flatterers did not spare By message I commanded them likevise My statue in the Temple to comprise I would not haue my slaughters here enrolde And murdrous mischieues mingled with the rest Without regard of sexe of yong or olde For which the Romanes did my life detest To vices vile my deedes were all addrest Which mine owne seruants loathing at the last With their owne hands my timelesse death did hast My life was naught and thus at last I dide My life procur'd both Gods and men my foes Let Princes then beware of pompe and pride And not themselues to vices such dispose The throne will soone a Princely minde disclose The tyrants heart at once in throne is tride The Princely robe no tyrant thoughts can hide HOW GVIDERIVS KING of Britaine and the elder son of Cimbaline was slaine in battaile by a Romane the yeare of Christ 44. or as some write 46. TAke Higgins now in hand thy pen for me Let not my death and story lie forgote Good cause there is I should remembred be If thou the falles of Britaine Princes note Aloft I sate in Princely place aflote I had the sword I bare the scepter right I was accounted aye a worthy wight Guiderius was my name the sonne of yore Of noble Cimbaline and after King The Romane tribute I would pay no more Me thought it was too base a seruile thing No Romane should me in subiection bring I stoutly did deny what they did claime Though many counseld me to yeeld the same When Claudius sent this tribute for to haue I sent him word againe I would not pay I would not graunt vniustly he did craue That might in time procure my Realmes decay He should not beare our freedome so away By force and fraude proud Caesar heere did raigne But now by might my right I would maintaine On this addrest himselfe in warlike sort The noble Claudius came to trie the case Which had before receiued high report Both of my wealth my force and noble grace So thinking well he might my fame deface From Rome he came to Britaine with his hoast And landed here vpon my Southerne coast Now marke my tale and hereby shalt thou know The subtill sleights of Romanes in their war The slie deceits of such doe make a show Whereby to trie the people what they are Note well such foes in dealing neere and far Amidst the field in scout or fight alone Of all the rest example take by one Amongst his men a Captaine stout he had With whom in fight I made my party good Hamonius men him cal'd who for his blade In single fight so often I withstood At last did worke a wile to shed my blood He clad himselfe as he a Britaine weare Like armour sword and target did he beare He marcht with vs as he a friend had been And when we came to fight he shew'd a face Of comfort and bold courage gainst his men And when they fled and we pursu'd the chace Pursue quoth he the Romans flie apace In British tongue he cride they flie they flie Our hostages had taught him so to crie As we pursude in me he thrust his blade Betweene my armour splints he gaue the wound And fast away for life to shift he made Thus by deceits my life hee did confound Of my decay this was the fatall ground Which thou must pen that I a miror be For men to shun the flights of trecherie HOW LAELIVS HAMO THE ROMANE CAPTAINE was slaine after the slaughter of Guiderius about the yeare of Christ 46. A Romane Captaine I in Britaine armour clad Disguisde therfore in field did slay their noble King I ventred in their host and I my purpose had To venture so for Countries sake a worthy thing But whoso weenes to win by slaughter high renowne Hath often
and well apaid If women thus had walked in my time I had not stoopt vnto that painted lure Which did intice me to commit the crime Which to the pearch of leaudnesse ti'd me sure For her disport my Ladie could procure The wretched wings of this my muting mind Restlesse to seeke her emptie fist to find I thus arriu'd in Pleasures cursed court I lothed Mars I hated Mercurie It was me thought a passing pleasant sport Leauing the fields at Bacchus brauerie Sometime to sit vpon my mistresse knee Where that I might be at my pleasure plaste I sent the Duke away to warres in haste You which haue plaid with pleasures banding balles You know the life which lingring louers lead You know how sweet it is to scale the walles Of her good will who liu'd in feare and dread You know right well how well those wights haue sped Who haue at last by drifts of long delay Their hoped meed and wished pleasant pray Vnconquered beautie whence had'st thou that power To make stout Vter stoope to his owne shame That neuer stoopt to foes why for that flower Of sweete delight in Igren that faire Dame Did I forgoe the golden flower of fame Victorious beautie and base yeelding lust Did cast great Vters conquests in the dust Yet no such blame as writers do record Do I deserue for this vnhappie deed Proud Gorolus the bright-cheekt Igrens Lord Receiu'd no wrong but his owne merits meed When in the field I made his heart to bleed If thoughts of treason merit death and shame His trecherous deeds did well deserue the same His gracelesse treason he in act did show For when I sent him to Nathaliod hight In bloodie field against the Saxon foe He swolne in heart with enuie and despight Of his associates good did leaue the fight And leauing stout Nathaliod for a pray Vnto the foes from field he fled away By which enforc'd I was with Mars to rise From Venus bed and arme me for the field Where like a storme in thunder clad from skies Vpon my foes I fell they could not shield Themselues from death few scap't that did not yeeld Occa and Ossa both I downe did bring And led them captiue like a conquering King Againe I then gan thinke vpon my loue Vpon mine Igren deare against whose Lord I finding cause for that he late did proue Faithlesse to me did with my lust accord Gainst him as ' against my foe to draw my sword Whom by his castle called Dunilioc I slew with blade in battailes bloodie stroke Then did I take mine Igren as mine owne And crown'd her Queene in my Emperiall chaire On whom great Arthur I begot anone And after him my Anna hight the faire In seeming blisse I long liu'd void of care For thrice nine yeares with Igren I did raigne And ' gainst the Saxons did my state maintaine But for the rape of Gorolus his wife The heauens did powre downe vengeance on my head I by vntimely death did end my life My said soule hence enforc'd by poison fled By Saxons wrought who often wish'd me dead And left behind for all my deeds of fame Iust cause for writers pens to speake my shame Learne they which liue in high or low degree To flee the foile which I by folly felt Let them refraine those loftie Dames to see They know how loftie lookes with me haue delt You see how sight did make my honor melt Let all men know mans heart did neuer rue The thing which he with sight did neuer view But how may men the sight of Beautie shun In England at this present dismall day All void of veiles like Layes where Ladies run And rome about at euery feast and play They wandring walke in euery streete and way With loftie luring lookes they bounsing braue The highest place in all mens sight must haue With pride they pranke to please the wandring eye With garish grace they smile they iet they iest O English Dames your lightnesse verily The Curtizans of Rome do much detest In closets close to liue they count it best They giue not grace to euery wandring wight Your smiling cheere doth euery man delight The Poets gods Saturne and Iupiter To Beauties becke their highnesse did obay Pluto of hell did plead at Beauties bar And Phillis causde Demophoon to stay Pasiphäe a Bull brought to the bay So gods and diuels both men and beasts they all By womens wiles are slaues to Beauties thrall What gaine is got by light and wanton waies You reape reproch a guerdon got thereby Men by your meanes do cause their owne decay And you your selues all soust in sinne must die Refraine therefore to please mans gazing eie Let men likewise the baited hookes refraine Of luring lookes their vanting vowes be vaine Thomas Blener Hasset HOW CADWALLADER THE LAST KING OF THE Britaines was expelled by the Saxons went to Rome and there liued in a religious house YOu mourning Muses all where euer you remaine Assist my sobbing soule this driery tale to tell You furious Furies fierce of Lymbo Lake below Helpe to vnlade my brest of all the bale it beares And you who felt the fall from honors high renowne From graues you grizlie ghosts send forth to helpe me mourne O Pallas giue thou place that mourning Clio may On Lute lamenting sound and sing my dolefull dumps Let riming meetered lines and pleasant musike cease Let Satyres solemne sound send forth the fall I felt And when the truth of all my Tragedie is knowne Let them that liue then learne all things must haue an end The Persian Monarch and the Medes it downe did fall That of Assyria in tract of time did end Yea Alexanders force in fight subdu'd them both And brought the world so wide into one Monarchie What though the fretting force of Fate did him dismay He felt at last the foile his vanting was in vaine He dead the world it was diuided as before The Roman Emperie came tumbling downe at last And where is Troy and Greece and mightie Macedon They flourisht for a time like this my little I le The Soldion brought them downe and did their states destroy Euen so the Saxons brought the Britaine 's to the bay Euen these mine eyes did see that hatefull hidious sight These feeble hands when long they labour'd had in vaine Did yeeld their interest then thus I did complaine Who can refraine the force of mightie mounting seas When billowes make a breach and beate the bankes adowne Doth not the saltish surge then beat the bankes adowne Then man may not withstand the rigor of their rage But wisdome would haue kept the waues within their bounds Counsell doth come too late when hope of helpe is past Such was my filthie fate my leaud and lothsome lucke I sought a salue to cure and helpe the helpelesse wound For long before my time seuen Kings were setled heere The Saxons such as dwelt by East Sibertus rul'd The Angles in
the miners lap For I Lord Richard heire Plantagenet Was Earle of Cambridge and right fortunate If I had had the grace my wit to set To haue content me with mine owne estate But O false honors breeders of debate The loue of you our leaud hearts doth allure To lose our selues by seeking you vnsure Because my brother Edmund Mortimer Whose eldest sister was my wedded wife I meane that Edmund that was prisoner In Wales so long through Owens busie strife Because I say that after Edmunds life His rights and titles must by law be mine For he ne had nor could encrease his line Because the right of Realme and Crowne was ours I searched meanes to helpe him thereunto And where the Henries held it by their powers I sought a shift their tenures to vndoe Which being force sith force or sleight must doe I void of might because their power was strong Set priuie fleight against their open wrong But sith the death of most part of my kin Did dash my hope throughout the fathers daies I let it slip and thought it best begin When as the sonne should dread least such assayes For force through speed sleight speedeth through delayes And seeld doth treason time so fitly find As when all dangers most be out of mind Wherefore while Henrie of that name the fist Prepar'd his armie to go conquer France Lord Scroope and I thought to attempt a drift To put him downe my brother to aduance But wer 't Gods will my lucke or his good chance The King wist wholly whereabout we went The night before to shipward he him bent Then were we straight as traytours apprehended Our purpose spi'd the cause thereof was hid And therefore loe a false cause we pretended Where through my brother was from danger rid We said for hire of French Kings coine we did Behight to kill the King and thus with shame We stain'd our selues to saue our friend from blame When we had thus confest so foule a treason That we deseru'd we suffered by the law See Baldwine see and note as it is reason How wicked deeds to wofull ends do draw All force doth faile no craft is worth a straw To attaine things lost and therefore let them go For might rules right and will though truth say no. W. Baldwine HOW THOMAS MONTAGVE EARLE OF SALISBVrie in the middest of his glorie was chanceably slaine at Orleaunce with a piece of Ordinance the third of Nouember Anno Dom. 1428. WHat fooles be we to trust vnto our strength Our wit our courage or our noble fame Which time it selfe must needs deuour at length Though froward Fortune could not foile the same But seeing this Goddesse guideth all the game Which still to change doth set her only lust Why toile we so for things so hard to trust A goodly thing we deeme of good report Which noble hearts do seeke by course of kind But seeing the date so doubtfull and so short The way so rough whereby we do it find I cannot chuse but praise the Princely mind That preaseth for it though we find opprest By foule defame those that deserue it best Concerning whom marke Baldwine what I say I meane the vertuous hindred of their brute Among which number recken well I may My valiant father Iohn Lord Montacute Who lost his life I iudge through iust pursute I say the cause and not the casuall speed Is to be waighed in euery kind of deed This rule obseru'd how many shall we find For vertues sake with infamie opprest How some againe through helpe of Fortune blind For ill attempts atchieu'd with honor blest Successe is worst oft times when cause is best Therefore say I God send them sory haps That iudge the causes by their afterclaps The end indeed is Iudge of euery thing Which is the cause or latter point of time The first true verdict at the first may bring The last is slow or slipper as the slime Oft changing names of innocence and crime Duke Thomas death was Iustice two yeares long And euer since sore tyrannie and wrong Wherefore I pray thee Baldwine weigh the cause And praise my father as he doth deserue Because Earle Henry King against all lawes Endeuoured King Richard for to starue In iayle wherby the regall Crowne might swarue Out of the line to which it then was due Whereby God knowes what euill might ensue My Lord Iohn Holland Duke of Excester Which was deare cosin to this wretched King Did moue my Sire and th' Earle of Glocester With other Lords to ponder well the thing Who seeing the mischiefe that began to spring Did all consent this Henry to depose And to restore King Richard to the Rose And while they did deuise a prety traine Whereby to bring their purpose well about Which was in maske this Henry to haue slaine The Duke of Aumerle blew their counsaile out Yet was their purpose good there is no doubt What cause can be more worthy for a Knight Than saue his King and helpe true heires to right For this with them my father was destroid And buried in the dunghill of defame Thus euill chance their glory did auoid Whereas their cause doth claime eternall fame When deeds therefore vnluckily doe frame Men ought not iudge the authors to be naught For right through might is often ouerraught And God doth suffer that it should be so But why my wit is feeble to decise Except it be to heape vp wrath and we On wicked heads that iniuries deuise The cause why mischiefs many times arise And light on them that would mens wrongs redresse Is for the rancour that they beare I gesse God hateth rigour though it further right For sinne is sinne how euer it be vsed And therefore suffereth shame and death to light To punish vice though it bee well abused Who furthereth right is not therby excused If through the same he doe some other wrong To euery vice due guerdon doth belong What preach I now I am a man of warre And that my lims I dare say doth professe Of cured wounds beset with many a skarre My broken iaw vnheald can say no lesse O Fortune Fortune cause of all distresse My father had great cause thy fraud to curse But much more I abused ten times worse Thou neuer flatteredst him in all thy life But me thou dandledst like thy darling deare Thy gifts I found in euery corner rife Where ere I went I met thy smiling cheare Which was not for a day or for a yeare But through the raigne of three right worthy Kings I found thee forward in all kind of things The while King Henry conquered in France I sued the warres and still found victory In all assaults so happy was my chance Holds yeeld or won did make my enemies sory Dame Prudence eke augmented so my glory That in all treaties euer I was one When weighty matters were agreed vpon But when this King this mightie conquerour Through death vnripe was both
died Slaine at Saint Albanes in his Princes aide Against the Duke my heart for malice fried So that I could from wrecke no way be stayed But to auenge my fathers death assay'd All meanes I might the Duke of Yorke t'annoy And all his kin and friends for to destroy This made me with my bloodie dagger wound His guiltlesse sonne that neuer ' gainst me stor'd His fathers bodie lying dead on ground To pierce with speare eke with my cruell sword To part his necke and with his head to bord Enuested with a royall paper crowne From place to place to beare it vp and downe But crueltie can neuer scape the scourge Of shame of horror or of sudden death Repentance selfe that other sinnes may purge Doth flie from this so sore the soule it slayeth Despaire dissolues the tyrants bitter breath For sudden vengeance suddenly alights On cruell deeds to quite their cruell spights This find I true for as I lay in stale To fight with this Duke Richards eldest son I was destroy'd not far from Dintingdale For as I would my gorget haue vndone T'euent the heat that had me nigh vndone An headlesse arrow strake me through the throte Where through my soule forsooke his filthie cote Was this a chance no sure Gods iust award Wherein due iustice plainly doth appeare An headlesse arrow paid me my reward For heading Richard lying on his beare And as I would his child in no wise heare So sudden death bereft my tongue the power To aske for pardon at my dying hower Wherefore good Baldwine warne the bloodie sort To leaue their wrath their rigour to refraine Tell cruell Iudges horror is the port Through which they saile to shame and sudden paine Hell halleth tyrants downe to death amaine Was neuer yet nor shall be cruell deed Left vnrewarded with as cruell meed THE INFAMOVS END OF THE LORD TIPTOFT EARLE OF WORcester for cruelly executing his Princes butcherly commandements Anno Dom. 1470. THe glorious man is not so loth to lurke As the infamous glad to lie vnknowen Which makes me Baldwine disallow thy worke Where Princes faults so openly be blowen I speake not this alonly for mine owne Which were my Princes if that they were any But for my Peeres in number very many Or might report vprightly vse her tongue It would lesse grieue vs to augment the matter But sure I am thou shalt be forst among To wrench the truth the liuing for to flatter And other whiles in points vnknowen to smatter For time nere was nor nere I thinke shall bee That truth vnshent should speake in all things free This doth appeare I dare say by my storie Which diuers writers diuersly declare But storie writers ought for neither glorie Feare nor fauour truth of things to spare But still it fares as alway it did fare Affections feare or doubts that daily brue Do cause that stories neuer can be true Vnfruitfull Fabian followed the face Of time and deedes but let the causes slip Which Hall hath added but with double grace For feare I thinke lest trouble might him trip For this or that saith he he felt the whip Thus story writers leaue the causes out Or so rehearse them as they were in dout But seing causes are the chiefest things That should be noted of the story writers That men may learne what ends all causes brings They be vnworthy name of Chroniclers That leaue them cleane out of their registers Or doubtfully report them for the fruite Of reading stories standeth in the suite And therefore Baldwine either speake vpright Of our affaires or touch them not at all As for my selfe I way all things so light That nought I passe how men report my fall The truth whereof yet plainly shew I shall That thou maist write and others thereby reed What things I did whereof they should take heed Thou heardst of Tiptofts Earles of Worcester I am that Lord that liu'd in Edwards daies The fourth and was his friend and counsailour And butcher too as common rumor saies But peoples voice is neither shame nor praise For whom they would aliue deuour today Tomorow dead they'ill worship what they may But though the peoples verdit go by chance Yet was there cause to call me as they did For I enforst by meane of gouernance Did execute what ere my King did bid From blame herein my selfe I cannot rid But sie vpon the wretched state that must Defame it selfe to serue the Princes lust The chiefest crime wherewith men doe me charge Is death of th' Earle of Desmunds noble sonnes Of which the Kings charge doth me cleere discharge By strait commandement and iniunctions Th' effect whereof so rigorously runnes That or I must procure to see them dead Or for contempt as guiltie lose my head What would mine foemen doe in such a case Obay the King or proper death procure They may well say their fancy for a face But life is sweet and loue hard to recure They would haue done as I did I am sure For seldom will a wealthy man at ease For others cause his Prince in ought displease How much lesse I which was Lieutenant than In th' Irish Isle preferred by the King But who for loue or dread of any man Consents t' accomplish any wicked thing Although chiefe fault thereof from other spring Shall not escape Gods vengeance for his deed Who scuseth none that dare do ill for dreed This in my King and me may well appeere Which for our faults did not escape the scourge For when we thought our state most sure and clere The wind of Warwicke blew vp such a sourge As from the Realme and Crowne the King did pourge And me both from mine office friends and wife From good report from honest death and life For th' Earle of Warwicke through a cancard grudge Which to King Edward causelesse he did beare Out of his Realme by force did make him trudge And set King Henry againe vpon his chaire And then all such as Edwards louers were As traytours tane were grieuously opprest But chiefly I because I lou'd him best And for my goods and liuings were not small The gapers for them bare the world in hand For ten yeares space that I was cause of all The executions done within the land For this did such as did not vnderstand Mine enmies drift thinke all reports were true And so did hate me worse then any Iew. For seldome shall a ruler lose his life Before false rumours openly be spread Whereby this prouerbe is as true as rife That rulers rumours hunt about a head Frowne Fortune once all good report is fled For present shew doth make the many blind And such as see dare not disclose their mind Through this was I King Edwards butcher named And bare the shame of all his cruell deeds I cleare me not I worthily was blamed Though force was such I must obey him needs With highest rulers seldome well it speeds For they be euer neerest to
shamefull death no earthly wight bemones For in thy life thy workes were hated so That euery man did wish thy ouerthro Wherefore I may though partiall now I am Curse euery cause whereof thy bodie came Woe worth the man that fathered such a child Woe worth the houre wherein thou wast begate Woe worth the brests that haue the world beguil'd To nourish thee that all the world did hate Woe worth the gods that gaue thee such a fate To liue so long that death deseru'd so oft Woe worth the chance that set thee vp aloft Yee Princes all and Rulers euery chone In punishment beware of hatreds ire Before yee scourge take heed looke well thereon In wroths ill will if malice kindle fire Your hearts will burne in such a hot desire That in those flames the smoke shall dim your sight Yee shall forget to ioyne your iustice right You should not iudge till things be well discerned Your charge is still to maintaine vpright lawes In conscience rules ye should be throughly learned Where clemencie bids wrath and rashnes pause And further saith strike not without a cause And when ye smite do it for iustice sake Then in good part each man your scourge wil take If that such zeale had mou'd this tyrants mind To make my plague a warrant for the rest I had small cause such fault in him to find Such punishment is vsed for the best But by ill will and powre I was opprest He spoil'd my goods and left me bare and poore And caused me to beg from dore to doore What fall was this to come from Princes fare To watch for crums among the blind and lame When almes were delt I had an hungrie share Because I knew not how to aske for shame Till force and need had brought me in such frame That starue I must or learne to beg an almes With booke in hand to say S. Dauids Psalmes Where I was wont the golden chaines to weare A paire of beads about my necke was wound A linnen cloth was lapt about my heare A ragged gowne that trayled on the ground A dish that clapt and gaue a heauie sound A staying staffe and wallet therewithall I bare about as witnesse of my fall I had no house wherein to hide my head The open streete my lodging was perforce Full oft I went all hungrie to my bed My flesh consum'd I looked like a corse Yet in that plight who had on me remorse O God thou know'st my friends forsooke me then Not one holpe me that succred many a man They froun'd on me that faun'd on me before And fled from me that followed me full fast They hated me by whom I set much store They knew full well my fortune did not last In euery place I was condemn'd and cast To pleade my cause at barre it was no boote For euery man did tread me vnder foote Thus long I liu'd all wearie of my life Till death approcht and rid me from that woe Example take by me both maid and wife Beware take heed fall not to follie so A mirour make by my great ouerthro Defie the world and all his wanton waies Beware by me that spent so ill her daies Tho. Churchyard HOW THOMAS WOLSEY DID ARISE VNTO GREAT authoritie and gouernment his manner of life pompe and dignitie and how he fell downe into great disgrace and was arrested of high treason Anno 1530. SHall I looke on when States step on the stage And play their parts before the peoples face Some men liue now scarce fourescore yeares of age Who in time past did know the Cardnals Grace A gamesome world when Bishops run at bace Yea get a fall in striuing for the gole And bodie lose and hazard silly sole Ambitious mind a world of wealth would haue So scrats and scrapes for scorfe and scornie drosse And till the flesh and bones be hid in graue Wit neuer rests to grope for mucke and mosse Fie on proud pompe and gilded bridles bosse O glorious gold the gaping after thee So blinds mine eyes they can no danger see Now note my birth and marke how I began Behold from whence rose all this pride of mine My father but a plaine poore honest man And I his sonne of wit and iudgement fine Brought vp at schoole and prou'd a good Diuine For which great gifts degree of schoole I had And Batchler was and I a little lad So tasting some of Fortunes sweete concaits I clapt the hood on shoulder braue as Son And hopte at length to bite at better baits And fill my mouth ere banquet halfe were don Thus holding on the course I thought to ron By many a feast my belly grew so big That Wolsey streight became a wanton twig Loe what it is to feed on daintie meate And pamper vp the gorge with suger plate Nay see how lads in hope of higher seate Rise early vp and studie learning late But he thriues best that hath a blessed fate And he speeds worst that world will nere aduance Nor neuer knowes what meanes good lucke nor chance My chance was great for from a poore mans son I rose aloft and chopt and chang'd degree In Oxford first my famous name begon Where many a day the scholers honor'd mee Then thought I how I might a courtier bee So came to Court and feathred there my wing With Henrie th' eight who was a worthie King He did with words assay me once or twice To see what wit and readie sprite I had And when he saw I was both graue and wise For some good cause the King was wondrous glad Then downe I lookt with sober countnance sad But heart was vp as high as hope could go That suttle fox might win some fauour so We worke with wiles the minds of men like wax The fawning whelp gets many a piece of bred We follow Kings with many cunning knacks By searching out how are their humours fed He haunts no Court that hath a doltish hed For as in gold the pretious stone is set So finest wits in Court the credit get I quickly learn'd to kneele and kisse the hand To wait at heele and turne like top about To stretch out necke and like an Image stand To taunt to scoffe and face the matter out To prease in place among the greatest rout Yet like a Priest my selfe did well behaue In faire long gowne and goodly garments graue Where Wolsey went the world like Beeswould swarme To heare my speech and note my nature well I could with tongue vse such a kind of charme That voice full cleare should sound like siluer bell When head deuis'd a long discourse to tell With stories strange my speech should spised be To make the world to muse the more on me Each tale was sweet each word a sentence waid Each eare I pleas'd each eye gaue me the view Each Iudgement markt and paused what I said Each mind I fed with matter rare and new Each day and houre my
lent By Mars his force their raies and rancks he rent And tooke the brother of the Grecian King With others moe as captiues home to bring The taken towne from which the King was fled Sir Brutus with sixe hundred men did man Ech prisoner was vnto his keeper led To keepe in towne the noble Troians wan And into woods the Troiane gate him than Againe with his he kept him there by night To quaile the Grecians if they came to fight The King which cal'd to minde his former foile His flight and brother deare by Troians take The towne he lost where Brutus gaue the spoile He thought not so the field and fight forsake But of his men a muster new to make And so againe for to besiege the towne In hope reuenge or winne his lost renowne By night the ambush that his purpose knew Came foorth from woods whereas they waited by The Troians all th' vnarmed Grecians slew Went through their campe none could their force denie Vnto the tent where Pandrasus did lie Whereas Lord Brutus tooke their King that night And sau'd his life as see'md a worthie wight This great exploite so wisely well at chiu'd The Troiane victour did a counsaile call Wherein might be for their estate contriu'd By counsaile graue the publike weale of all Now tell quoth he what ransome aske we shall Or what will you for our auaile deuise To which Mempricius answer'd graue and wise I cannot Brutus but commend thine act In this thou noble Captaine worthy praise Which deemest well it were an heinous fact T' abridge the Grecian king of vitall daies And that we ought by clemencie to raise Our fame to skie not by a sauage guise Sith Gods and men both cruelty despise The cause we fought was for the freedome all Of Troians taken we haue freedome won We haue our purpose and their king withall To whom of rigour nothing ought be done Though he the quarrell with vs first begon And though we owe the fall of Troyes requite Yet let reuenge thereof from gods to light His subiects now bewaile their proude pretence And weapons laide aside for mercy crie They all confesse their plagues to come from thence Where first from faith of Gods they seem'd to flie Their Nobles dare not come the case to trie But euen for peace with all their hearts they sue And meekely grant whence all their mischiefes grew The Princesse faire his daughter who surmounts For vertues rare for beautie braue and grace Both Helen fine of whom they made accounts And all the rest that come of Grecian race She for her father sues bewailes his case Implores desires thy grace and gods aboue Whose woes may them and thee to mercy moue Some Troians say he should deposed be From kingdome quite or else be slaine he should And we heere bide eke this misliketh me Nay rather while we stay keepe him in hold Or let him pay a ransome large of gold And hostage giue and homage do of right To thee that wonst the field by Martiall fight For kingdomes sake a captiue king to kill Our names for aye with foule defame would brand For vs in Greece to dwell were euen as ill The force of Greece we cannot still withstand Let vs therefore both cruelty aband And prudent seeke both gods and men to please So shall we find good lucke at land and seas Or sith the Grecians will thee for to take The noble Ladie Iunogen to wife If thou so please let him her dowrie make Of gold ships siluer corne for our reliefe And other things which are in Graecia rife That we so fraught may seeke some desert shore Where thou and thine may raigne for euermore This pleas'd both Brutus and the Troians all Who wil'd forthwith that Pandrasus the King Should reuerently be brought into the hall And present when they told him of this thing So griefe and sorow great his heart did sting He could not shew by countenance or cheere That he it lik'd but spake as you shall heare Sith that the wrath of gods hath yeelded me And eke my brother captiues to your hands I am content to do as pleaseth yee You haue my realme my life my goods and lands I must be needs content as Fortune stands I giue my daughter gold and siluer fine With what for dowrie else you craue is mine To make my tale the shorter if I may This truce concluded was immediately And all things else performed by a day The King restor'd that did in prison lie The Troians proud of spoiles and victorie Did hoise vp sailes in two daies and a night Vpon the I le of Lestrigons they light And leauing of their ships at roade to land They wandring went the countrey for to view Loe there a desert citie old they fand And eke a temple if report be true Where Dian dwelt of whom the Troian crew In sacrifice their captaine counsell gaue For good successe a seate and soile to craue And he no whit misliking their aduice Went forth and did before the altar hold In his right hand a cup to sacrifice Fild both with wine and white hinds blood scarce cold And then before her stature straight he told Deuoutly all his whole petition there In sort they say as is repeated heere O goddesse great in groues that putst wilde boares in fearefull feare And maist go all the compasse pathes of euery ayrie sphere Eke of th' infernall houses too resolue the earthly rights And tell what countrey in to dwell thou giu'st vs Troian wights Assigne a certaine seate where I shall worship thee for aye And where repleat with virgins I erect thy temples maye When nine times he had spoken this and went Foure times the altar round and staid agen He powr'd the wine and blood in hand he hent Into the fire O witlesse cares of men Such folly meere and blindnes great was then But if religion now bids toies farewell Embrace that 's good the vice of times I tell He laid him then downe by the altars side Vpon the white Hinds skin espred therefore It was the third houre of the night a tide Of sweetest sleepe he gaue himselfe the more To rest surelie Then seemed him before Diana chaste the goddesse to appeare And spake to him these words that you shall heare O Brute farre vnder Phoebus fall beyond of France that raigne An Iland in the Ocean is with sea t is compast maine An Iland in the Ocean is where Giants erst did dwell But now a desert place that 's fit will serue thy people well To this direct thy race for there shall be thy seat for aye And to thy sonnes there shall be built another stately Troye Here of thy progenie and stocke shall mightie Kings descend And vnto them as subiect all the world shall bow and bend On this he woke with ioyfull cheere and told The vision all and oracle it gaue So it reioyst their hearts a thousand fold To ships they got
his voyage towards me did take Where he declar'd what promise I did make From which he said if once I sought to slide It would by dint of sword and blood be tride But if I would her take as erst I said And not this stranger chuse against his minde His helpe he promist at each time and aide To be so readie as I wisht to finde He further said my countrey did me binde To take such one as all my subiects knew Sith strangers to their foes are seldome true I waide his words and thought he wisht me well But yet because his stock should gaine thereby I reckt them lesse and yet the truth to tell I durst not dare my promise made denie For well I wist if once it came to trie It would both weaken all this noble land And doubtfull be who should haue th' vpper hand Thus needes perforce I must his daughter take And must leaue off to loue where I delight I was constraind contented to forsake The forme that most did captiuate my sight What luck had I on such a lot to light What ment you Gods that me such fortune gaue To cast my minde on her I might not haue To short my tale his Guendoline I tooke I was content against my will what then Nor quite for this mine Elstride I forsooke For why I wrought by skill of cunning men A Vault along vnder the ground a den Her companie wherein I vsed still There we accomplisht our vnhappie will There I begat my Sabrine sillie childe That virgin small mine Elstride bare to me Thus I my wife full often times beguilde Which afterward did beare a sonne to mee Nam'd Madan yet we neuer could agree And he that was the cause she was my Bride The while her father Corinaeus dide Which when I heard I had my hearts desire I crau'd no more there was my end of griefe At least I thought to quench Cupidoes fire And eke to worke my lusting loues reliefe I ment no more to stcale it like a thiefe But married Elstride whom I lou'd as life And for her sake I put away my wife Likewise my Elstride I as Queene ordain'd And tooke her as my lawfull wife by right But Guendoline that saw her selfe disdain'd Straight fled and mou'd the Cornish men to fight To them when she declar'd her piteous plight In hast they raisd an armie for to be Reuengers of my new made Queene and me And I likewise an armie did prepare I thought to quaile their courage all by force But to my cost I found too late beware There is no strength in armour men ne horse Can vaile if Ioue on wronged take remorce Sith he on whom the deadly dart doth light Can neuer scape by ransome friend or flight So when our armies met nigh Habrine streame The trumpets blew and I denide the peace I minded to expell them all the Realme Or else to make them euer after cease And they except I Elstride would release They said and take my Guendoline againe They would reuenge the wrong or else be slaine On this we met and valiantly we fought On either side and neither part did yeeld So equally they fell it was great doubt Which part should haue the better of the field But I too bold rusht in with sword and shield To breake their raies so hastie men get smart An arrow came and stroke me to the heart Thus was I brought to bale vnhappie there My bodie pierst that wicked life had led When I had raigned all out twentie yeare And had my corps with many pleasures fed The earth receiu'd my corps as cold as led And all my pompe my princely troupe and traine On earth no more shall see their Prince againe To all estates let this for wedlocke serue Beware of change it will not hold out long For * who so mindeth from his mate to swerue Shall sure at length receiue reuenge for wrong T is folly fight with God h 'is farre too strong For though yee colour all with coat of right No false deceit deceiues or dimmes his sight He guides the good and wrekes the wrongs of might HOW QVEENE ELSTRIDE THE Concubine and second wife of King Locrinus was miserablie drowned by Queene Guendoline the yeere before Christ 1064. ANd must I needs my selfe recite my fall Poore Princesse I must I declare my fate Must I the first of Queenes amongst vs all Shew how I thrice fell from my princely state And from the loftie seate on which I sate If needs I must then well content I will Lest here my place in vaine I seeme to fill I am that Elstride whom Locrinus lou'd A Prince his daughter came from Germanes land My fame of beautie many Princes mou'd To sue for grace and fauour at my hand Which bruite once blowne abroad in euery land One Humber King of Hunnes with all his traine To come to me a suiter was full faine What need I tell the gifts to me he gaue Or shew his suite or promise he me plight Sith well you know a Prince need nothing craue May nigh command each thing as t were his right For * as the fowle before the Eagles sight Euen so we fall submit and yeeld vs still At Prince his call obeysant to his will And for that time the Hunnes full mightie were And did encrease by martiall feats of warre Therefore our Germane Kings agast did beare Them greater fauour then was need by farre My father durst not Humbers hest debarre Nor I my selfe I rather was content In hope of crowne with Humber to consent Two Princely dames with me came then away He brag'd to win these countrie parts all three We Ladies rather were this Prince his pray Because he promist that we Queenes should be We came to cost these countrey coasts to see Sith he on whom our hope did wholly stand Was drown'd nam'd Humber waters lost the land For as you heard before when he suppos'd He had won all because he won a part Straightway he was againe thereof depos'd Constrain'd to flie and swim for life poore heart Loe heere the cause of all my dolefull smart This noble King with whom I came to raigne Was dreucht and drown'd vnto my grieuous paine Then were his souldiers taken slaine or spoild And well were they that could make suite for life Was neuer such an armie sooner foild O wofull warre that flowd'st in flouds of strife And card'st not whom thou cut'st with cruell knife So had not Venus fraught my face with hue I had no longer liu'd my forme to rue But as I came a captiue with the rest My countenance did shine as braue as Sunne Ech one that saw my natiue hue were prest To yeeld themselues by beames of beautie wonne My fame straight blowne to gaze on me they runne And said I past ech worldly wight as farre As Phoebus bright excels the morning starre Like as you see in night if light appeare Straightway to that ech
man directs his eye Euen so among my captiue mates that were When I did speake or make my plaints with crie Then all on me they stared by and by Bemoning of my fates and fortune so As they had bin partakers of my woe My forme did praise my plea my sighes they sued My teares enti'st their hearts some ruth to take My sobs in sight a seemely hue renew'd My wringing hands wan suiters shift to make My sober soothes did cause them for my sake Me to commend vnto their noble King Who wild they should me into presence bring T' whom when I came in cords as captiue bound O King quoth I whose power we feele too strong O worthie wight whose fame to skies doth sound Doe pitie me that neuer wisht thee wrong Release me one thy captiues all among Which frō my friends by fraud am brought away A Prince his daughter drown'd in deepe decay Now as thou art a Prince thy selfe of might And maist do more then I do dare desire Let me O King find fauour in thy sight Asswage somewhat thy deadly wrath and ire No part of knighthood t is for to require A Ladies death thee neuer did offend Sith that thy foe hath brought her to this end But let me rather safely be conuay'd O gratious King once home before I die Or let me liue thy simple wayting maid If it may please thy royall Maiestie Or let me ransome pay for libertie But if you mind reuenge of vnwraught ill Why spare you Britaines my deare blood to spill With that the King Good Ladie faire what i st Thou canst desire or aske but must obtaine Eke would to God with all my heart I wist Best way to ease thee of thy wofull paine But if thou wilt do heere with me remaine If not content conductors shalt thou haue To bring thee home and what thou else wilt crau◠O King quoth I the gods preserue thy grace The heauens requite thy mercie shew'd to me And all the starres direct thy regall race With happie course long length of yeares to see The earth with fertill fruits enrich so thee That thou maist still like Iustice heere dispose And euermore treade downe thy deadly foes The noble King commanded to vnbind Mine armes and giue me libertie at will With whom such fauour I did after find That as his Queene I was at elbow still And I enioy'd all pleasures at my fill So that they quite had quenched out my thrall And I forgat my former Fortunes all Thus loe by fauour I obtain'd my suite So had my beautie set his heart on fire That I could make Locrinus euen as mute Or pleasant as my causes did require And when I knew he could no way retire I prai'd he would his fauour so extend As I might not be blamed in the end For if quoth I you take me as your owne And eke my loue to you hath constant beene Then let your loue likewise againe be showne And wed me as you may your spoused Queene If since in me misliking you haue seene Then best depart betime before defame Begin to take from Elstride her good name No wauering heart said he Locrinus beares No fained flatterie shall thy faith deface Thy beautie birth fame vertue age and yeares Constraineth me mine Elstride to imbrace I must of force giue thy requests a place For as they do with reason good consent Euen so I grant thee all thy whole intent Then was the time appointed and the day In which I should be wedded to this King But in this case his Counsell causde a stay And sought out meanes at discord vs to bring Eke Corinaeus claim'd a former thing A precontract was made and full accord Between his daughter and my soueraigne Lord. And yet the King did giue me comfort still He said he could not so forsake my loue He euermore would beare me all good will As both my beautie and deserts did moue Yet faithlesse in his promise he did proue His Counsell at the last did him constraine To marrie her vnto my grieuous paine At which I could not but with hate repine It vexed me his mate that should haue beene To liue in hate a Prince his concubine That euer had such hope to be his Queene The steps of state are full of woe and teene For when we thinke we haue obtain'd the throne Then straight our pompe and pride is quite orethrowne Lo twice I fell from hope of Princely crowne First when vnhappie Humber lost his life And next I laid my peacocks pride adowne When I could not be King Locrinus wife But oft they say the third doth end the strife Which I haue prou'd therefore the sequell view * The third paies home this prouerbe is too true The King could not refraine his former minde But vsde me still and I my doubtfull yeares Did linger on I knew no shift to finde But past the time full oft with mourning teares * A concubine is neuer void of feares For if the wife her at aduantage take In rage reuenge with death she seekes to make Likewise I wist if once I sought to flie Or to intreat the King depart I might Then would he straight be discontent with me Yea if I were pursued vpon the flight Or came deflour'd into my fathers sight I should be taken kept perforce or slaine Or in my countrey liue in great disdaine In such a plight what might a Ladie doe Was euer Princesse poore in such a case O wretched wight bewrapt in webs of woe That still in dread wast tost from place to place And neuer foundest meane to end thy race But still in doubt of death in carking care Didst liue a life deuoid of all welfare The King perceiuing well my chaunged cheare To ease my heart with all deuis'd deceates By secret wayes I came deuoyde of feare In vaults by cunning Masons craftie feates Whereas we safely from the Queene her threats So that the King and I so vsde our art As after turn'd vs both to paine and smart By him I had my Sabrine small my childe And after that his wife her father lost I meane he died and she was strayght exilde And I made Queene vnto my care and cost For she went downe to Cornwall strayght in post Anc caused all her fathers men to rise With all the force and strength they might deuise My King and hers with me gainst her prepar'd An army strong but when they came to fight Dame Guendoline did wax at length too hard And of our King vs both deposed quight For from her campe an arrow sharp did light Vpon his brest and made him leaue his breath Lo thus the King came by vntimely death Then I too late began in vaine to flye And taken was presented to the Queene Who me beheld with cruell Tigers eie O queane quoth she that cause of warres hast beene And deadly hate the like was neuer seene Come on for these my hands shall ridde thy life And
soules thereby to darkesome Stygian lake Which kill the corps that mightie Ioue did make HOW KING MORGAN OF ALBANY was slaine at Glamorgan in Wales The yeare before Christ 766. I Wot not well what reason I may vse To quit my selfe from lasting infamie Wherefore I must perforce my selfe accuse I was in fault I cannot it denie Remorce of conscience prickes my heart so nie And me torments with pangs of pinching paine I can no longer me from speech refraine I am that Morgan sonne of Gonerell Th' vngratefull daughter of her father Leire Which from his kingdome did him once expell As by the British stories may appeare Ragan and she conspir'd both sisters were But were subdu'd againe and causde to yeeld Their fathers Crowne Cordila wan the field I need not heere the stories all recite It were too long but yet I briefly shall The cause Cordila ought her sisters spite Was they procur'd her and their fathers thrall Yet t' was her chance at length t' out liue them all Both sisters elder and her father graue And eke at length the kingdome all to haue That time was I of Albany the King Call'd Scotland now and eke my cousin then Of Cornwall and of Wales whom I did bring To warre against Cordila and her men We said we would our title winne agen And that because our fathers had it yore We ment to get it ours againe therefore I must confesse I was the cause of warre I was not pleasde with that was lotted mee Euen so our minds ambitious often are And blinded that we cannot reason see We thinke no men but Gods on earth we bee Yet worse are we then beasts which know their kind For we haue nought but mischiefe oft in mind We thinke if so we may our willes attaine By right or wrong by might or malice we Could neuer liue like Fortune for to gaine Or if on foes we once reuenged bee If that our foe-mens fall we chance to see O then we ioy we lift our selues to skie And on the poore we crucifige crie I deem'd if that I might once put her downe The Kingdomes all were Conidags and mine And I could easly after win the crowne If also I his state might vndermine I thought indeed to haue it all in fine By force or fraud I did intend alone To sit as King vpon the Britaine throne To speake in few we waged warre so long Gainst her at last we put her vnto flight We warriers for our Aunt were far too strong Pursude and tooke depriu'd her of her right We thought it ours what so we wan by might Eke so play tyrants Traitors all do watch To get by spoile and count their owne they catch Not so contented were we with the pray But fearing lest she should recouer aide I sent in hast to prison her away And all recourse of messengers denaid Thus when she saw her Maiestie decaid And that her griefes and sorowes daily grew In prison at the length her selfe she slew O caytife vile that did constraine a Queene That Iustice ment her kingdome to forsake Nay traytor I her cause of death haue been That would my selfe by bloodshed ruler make How could reuenge on me but vengeance take Before the seat of God her blood did call For vengeance still and so procur'd my fall Lo heere Gods iustice see my treason see Behold and see to raigne was my delight And marke and make a mirrour heere of me Which afterward was seru'd by iustice right We wan the crowne betweene vs both in fight And then because I was the elder sonne Of th' elder Queene I claimed all we wonne So were my dealings nought in peace and warre But by my force and fortunes vsde in fight I past that time the Britaines all by farre I was of person fortitude and might Both comely tall strong seemely eke in sight Whereby I won mens fauour glorie wealth And puft with pride at length forgate my selfe I said it was my right the crowne to haue But Conidagus stoutly it deni'd Wherefore I went to Wales my right to craue With all mine armie and to haue it tri'd Where long we fought it stoutly on each side Till at the last vnto my wofull paine I was depriu'd of kingdome quite and slaine And for to keepe in memorie for aye That there vnfaithfull Morgan lost his life The place is call'd Glamorgan to this daye There was I pierst to death with fatall knife There was the end of all my hatefull strife So Morgan where he thought to win the crowne Was at Glamorgan traytor striken downe Thus maist thou tell how proud ambition proues What hap haue tyrants what we Traytours haue What end he hath that cruell dealing loues What subiects get that Diademe do craue T is better then to winne thine owne to saue For so orethwartly trade of Fortune goes When win thou would'st then art thou sure to lose HOW KING IAGO DIED OF THE LETHARGIE about the yeare before Christ 612. HAue I oreslept my selfe or am I wake Or had'st thou late oreslept thy selfe that wrote Could'st thou not for the Letharge paines to take And with the rest his sleepie life to note Was I amongst the wicked wights forgote Well then awaked sith we are both twaine To write my sleepie sinfull life take paine I am that Iago once of Britaine King That ruled all this noble British Ile No fame of me the writers old do bring Because my life and gouernment was vile Yet Higgins heere take paines for me a while Enregester my mirrour to remaine That Princes may my vices vile refraine At first a while I ruled well the land I vsed iustice right tooke regall place No wight but found iust iudgement at my hand And truth durst shew without rebuke her face I gaue my selfe to all good gifts of grace My subiects liu'd in rest within my raigne No cause of Prince compel'd them to complaine But as in calme a storme we nothing feare When as the seas are milde and smooth as glasse And as in peace no thought of warres we beare Which least suppose of mischiefes come to passe Euen so my still and rightfull raigning was The calme a tempest boads the shine a raine Long peace a warre and pleasure pinching paine For rest and peace and wealth abounding thoe Made me forget my Iustice late well vsde Forsaking vertues vices gan to floe And formernoble acts I quite refusde My gifts my treasures wealth and will misusde Began all goodnes quite at length disdaine And did my facts with filthie vices staine Misgouern'd both my Kingdome and my life I gaue my selfe to ease to sleepe and sinne And I had clawbackes euen at Court full rife Which sought by outrage golden gaines to winne For * Kings no sooner well or worse beginne But euen at hand the good or bad take paine For vertues sake or meede the Prince to traine As vices grew encreasing more and more So vertues fled and bad their
were killed before mine owne eies Or forced to yeeld or abandon the coast I need not of honor or dignitie boast Or tell of my triumphes or crake of my crowne * The vaunt of vsurpers is void of renowne HOW KING RVDACKE OF WALES WAS slaine by Mulmucius Donwallo about the yeare before Christ 441. RVde are the reuelles royaltie that rape Restlesse the raignes of rebels in the robe Reck lesse the rage where crueltie doth scrape Roundnesse esteem'd but little of the globe No man ambitious prudent with the probe Crownerape accounted but cunning and skill Bloodshead a blockehouse to beate away ill The rudenesse of rebels reaching the crowne May be compar'd to Bladhuds fond diuice Better sit still then fall so far adowne By my mishaps let other men be wise My selfe of climbing haue pai'd well the price That rudely in throne my selfe did install Aloft not regarding how low I might fall When Britaine was restlesse wanting a King For Forrex hight and Porrex both were slaine The land many peeres ambitious did wring Endeuouring each the Kingdome to gaine The heires to forsake it wrong did constraine The subiects were armed we nobles did striue At length we amongst vs diuision contriue Then recklesse we were when all was at rest And each had a kingdome allotted his part The vice of the subiects daily increast And iustice and right were laid quite apart The lawes ouerlashed by couine and craft And we that did gouerne did winke at this geare The worser thereby our faithfull friends were The ball that dame Fortune emparteth of blisse Is golden to gaze on but voluble round If once of your handfast in holding you misse Away then it roleth and you are on ground Of watchers thereon so many abound And catchers thereat with snatching therefore That if once you leese it you catch it no more A Chirurgian that taketh a wound for to cure If skilfull and carefull he searcheth it furst The sea-man doth sound to take the depth sure By wisdome well taught for feare of the worst But our vile ambition blind blockish accurst Not prouing the sore nor reckoning the sound Our ships and our science we sinke and confound Ambition out searcheth to glorie the greece The staire to estate the graple of grace But in her is hid of perill a peece Which all our attempts doth dimme and deface We do enioy her vaine ioyes but a space Short brittle as glasse false faire giuing light Not golden though glittring braue in the sight For when she hath brought vs vnto the throne And Fortune hath fraught vs with honor at fill Then there to sit stedie and rule all alone We racke our deuices and send with our skill We cut off occursions we prole pole and pill We bolster we band out to bribe banish slay The pillers of prudence that stand in our way Our race is then restles our sleeping vnsound Our waking is warfare our walking hath woe Our talking is trustles our cares doe abound Our fauners deemd faithfull and friendshippe a foe Which troubles our fancies so tost to and froo That scarcely wee neuer inioy any rest Tormented whom Fortune exalted and blest This thing can I witnesse what troubles ensue What cares doe vs compas enhaunsed aloft I therefore wish rebels to take better view Of the falles of iutruders recorded so oft Who climeth so high his fall is not soft If once hee doe stagger or falter aside He cannot recouer the rest for to guide When I who with others did thinke my selfe sure Here ruled the realme there fell out a flawe Donwallo did seeke the Crowne to procure Alleaging a title thereto by the lawe Who when to field our powers we did draw Came straight with an hoast prepared to fight With sword for to trie out whose title was right Our number was great our title vniust Our consciences guilty our soudiers agast Donwallo with honour had souldiers of trust And Fortune was friendly to them as they past They slew of our men by manhood full fast Or forst them to flie in the field wee were faine T' oppose them poore Princes and so we were slaine First Pinnar then Stater I Rudacke likewise At last was with number oppressed dispatcht Let Lordings beware how aloft they doe rise By Princes and commons their climing is watcht No sooner they haue at the scepter once snatcht But guilty themselues they deeme worthy to die And Gods powerfull iustice such sentence doth hie HOW THE NOBLE King Brennus after many triumphant victories at the siege of Delphos in Greece slew himselfe about the yeare before Christ 375. AMongst the noble martiall worthy men Renowned farre victorious great of fame Though Authors sound my praise eftsoones agen Amongst the Britaine Princes write the same I am that Britaine once that Brennus had to name My facts exploits in warre my conquests life and end Doe write as I recite when time doth leasure lend The mightie Monarch of this noble Ile Mulmucius who with conquering blade did free The Britans troubled state from tyrants vile Was father both to Belinus and me His noble acts and lawes commended bee This Belinus mine elder brother was his heire And Queene Corwenna was our mother wise and faire When after him my brother had the crowne Hee was content to make me eke a king He gaue mee Albany where with renowne I rulde a while by Iustice euery thing But at the last ambition made me bring An army thence against my brother for to fight Which rather ought t' haue honord him with homage right When Belinus perceiued mee approach Vnto his Realme an army hee addrest Hee warned me I should not seeke t'incroach That was not mine for hee was ready prest Me to repell hee wild mee bee at rest I marched on the armies met wee fearcely fought My souldiers slaine to saue my selfe by flight I fought To Norway then I fled for succour hence Where good Elsingus reignde the gentle King I told him what I was and eke of whence Desirde his aide me home againe to bring And he not only graunted me this thing But eke his daughter Samye faire to bee my wife With me in Albany to leade a Princely life But while we were prouiding ships and men The fame abroad of my returne was spread And Guthlake that was King of Denmarke then Prouided with a nauie mee forlead His eie on Samyes beautie had so fed That for her sake he must perforce my ships forlay By force of armes to beare the Lady faire away And when our nauies met hee wilde me yeelde This Lady straight or else defend the cause A thing quoth I requested erst but seelde Against of Gods and men the sacred lawes It hath not erst bene heard'mongst wise men sawes That any King should claime the like by strife Or make assault by wrong to winne a Princes wife From words to fight we fell on either side But on his side the conquest did appeare I yeelded her that listed
woundes to smart I ioyed to feele the mighty monster start That roard and belcht and groande and plungde and cride And tost me vp and downe from side to side Long so in pangs hee plungde and panting lay And drew his winde so fast with such a powere That quite and cleane he drew my breath away Wee both were dead well nigh within an houre Lo thus one beastly monster did deuoure Another monster moodles to vs paine At once the realme was rid of monsters twaine Here maist thou see of fortitude the hap Where prudence iustice temperance hath no place How suddenly we taken are in trap When we despise good vertues to embrace Intemperance doth all our deeds deface And lets vs heedles headlong run so fast We seeke our owne destruction at the last For he that hath of fortitude and might And thereto hath a kingdome ioind withall Except he also guide himselfe aright His powre and strength prewaileth him but small He can not scape at length an haples fall You may perceiue a myrrour plaine by me Which may with wisdome well sufficient be HOW KING EMERIANVS FOR HIS TYRANNIE WAS DEPOSED ABOVT THE yeare before Christ 225. THe wofull wight that fell from throne to thrall The wretch that woue the web wherin he goes A dolefull blacke bad weede still weare hee shall In woefull sort and nothing blame his foes What neede such one at all his name disclose Except the rest of Britaine princes should Not here for shame resite his name he would I am Emeriane King that raign'd a space Scarce all one yeare in Britaine Isle long sence But for I was in maners voide of grace Fierce tyrannous and full of negligence Bloud thirsty cruell vaine deuoide of sence The Britaines me deposed from seate and crowne And reau'd me quite of riches and renowne I was despisde and banisht from my blisle Discountnanst faine to hide my selfe for shame What neede I longer stand to tell thee this My selfe was for my woefull fall too blame My raigne was short in few my fall I frame My life was lothsome soone like death that found Let this suffice a warning blast to sound HOW KING CHRINNVS GIVEN TO DRVNKENNES raigned but one yeare He died about the yeare before Christ 137. THough I my surfets haue not yet out slept Nor scarce with quiet browes begin my tale Let not my drowsy talke bee ouer leapt For though my belching sent of wine or ale Although my face be fallo puft and pale And legs with dropsy swell and panch resound Yet let me tell what vice did me confound Perhaps thou thinkst so grosse a blockhead blunt A sleepy swinish head can nothing say The greatest heads and smallest eke were wont To beare in them the finest wits away This thing is true thou canst it not denay And Bacchus eke ensharps the wits of some Foecundi calices quem non fecere desertum Yet sith long since both braines and all were spent And this in place amongst my mates I speake I trust thou wilt be herewithall content Although indeed my wits of talke are weake So old a vessell cannot chuse but leake A drunken sot whose faltering feete do slip Must pardon craue his tongue in talke will trip Chirinnus was my name a Britaine King But rulde short time Sir Bacchus was my let Erinnus eke my senses so did swing That reason could no seat amongst them get Wherefore the truth I pray thee plainely set I gaue my selfe to surfets swilling wine And led my life much like a dronken swine Diseases grew distemprance made me swell My parched liuer lusted still for baste My timpane sounded like a taber well And nought but wine did like my greedie taste This vice and moe my life and me defaste My face was blowne and blubd with dropsie wan And legs more like a monster then a man So not in shape I onely altered was My dispositions chang'd in me likewise For vices make a man a goate an asse A swine or horse as Poets can comprise Transforming into beasts by sundry wise Such men as keepe not onely shape of men But them mishapeth also now and then Wherefore let who so loues to liue long daies Without diseases strong in youthfull state Beware of Bacchus booth which all betraies The vaile of vices vaine the hauen of hate The well of weake delights the brand of bate By which I lost my health life Realme and fame And onely wonne the shrouding sheete of shame HOW KING VARIANVS GAVE HIMSELFE TO THE lustes of the flesh and dyed about the yeare before Christ 136. WHere no good gifts haue place nor beare the sway What are the men but wilful castaway Where gifts of grace doe garnish well the King There is no want the land can lacke nothing The Court is still well stor'd with noble men In Townes and Cities Gouernours are graue The common wealth doth also prosper then And wealth at will the Prince and people haue Perhaps you aske what Prince is this appeares What meanes his talke in these our golden yeares A Britaine Prince that Varianus hight I held sometime the Scepter here by right And though no need there be in these your daies Of states to tell or vertues good discriue Good counsaile yet doth stand in stead alwaies When time againe may vices olde reuiue If not yet giue me leaue amongst the rest Which felt their fall or had their deaths addrest My cause of fall let me likewise declare For * falles the deaths of vicious Princes are They fall when all good men reioice or see That they short time enioide their places hie For Princes which for vertues praised be By death arise extold they scale the skie I will be short because it may suffice That soone is said to warne the sage and wise Or if that they no warning need to haue This may perchance somewhat their labour saue With those that will not heare their faults them told By such as would admonish them for loue When they my words and warnings here behold They may regard and see their owne behoue About my time the Princes liu'd not long For all were giuen almost to vice and wrong My selfe voluptuous was abandond quite To take in fleshly lust my whole delite A pleasure vile that drawes a man from thrift and grace Doth iust desires and heauenly thoughts expell Doth spoile the corps defiles the soule and fame deface And brings him downe to Plutoes paines of hell For this my sinne my subiects hated mee Repining still my stained life to see As when the Prince is wholly giuen to vice And holdes the lewder sort in greatest price The land decaies disorder springs abroad The worser sort doe robbe pill pole and spoile The weaker force to beare the greatest loade And leese the goods for which they earst did toile How can Iehoua iust abide the wrong He will not suffer such haue scepter long As he did strike for sinfull life my seate And did
procure in th' end my fatall fall Maternian at Rome should search for all He should enquire my fate of all wise men And write hereof what was their mindes agen What he did write againe I wote not I From Carras I to Lunaes Temple went And for because it neere the Campe did lie To sacrifice with few was mine intent For why to towne from thence returne I ment And so from thence to Campe likewise againe I might retire without a greater traine Amongst the which one Martiall of my garde Whose brother not conuinst accusde I slew Thus wise my caytiue corps did watch to warde For when therefore conuenient time hee knew While I apart mee gate for natures due And bad the rest aside a space depart He came and stabde me stifly through the heart Seuerus seruants I corrupted oft Them fee'd to make their Lord my fire away With Getaes men the like attempts I wrought To bane their Lord and brother mine to slay How I the Alexandrians did betray And Parthians eke before to you I told Deseruing death for those a thousand fold But sith those faithfull seruants I did kill Which would not sley their noble Lords for gold I worthy was to haue a gard so ill As should to pierce my hatefull heart be bold The Iustice great of Ioua here behold * Vniustly who so seekes to slay the good The sword at length shall iustly shed his bloud FINIS HOW CARASSVS A HVSBANDMANS SONNE AND AFTER King of Britaine was slaine in battell by Alectus a Roman Anno Dom. 293. SIth men be borne by Nature naked all With their estates why are not men content Why doe they deeme the want of wealth a thral Why should they loath the lot which God hath sent Adam himselfe I finde at first was sent As one who did disdaine his poore estate To disobey with God to be a mate Thou maist be made a God quoth satan than If on the fruite forbidden thou wilt feede The senselesse wight the feeble forcelesse man Did taste thereof supposing that with speed He should in hast haue beene a God indeed He not content hoping for higher place Brought bitter bale to him and all his race And I the sonne of Adam by descent Did seeke to set my selfe in princely seate With mine estate I could not be content For which I felt the force of hatreds heat As at the first my good successe was great So at the last by fancies fond desires I groapt for grapes amidst the bramble briers Let such as would by vertue them aduance Marke by what meanes I did my selfe addresse To flie at first my poore allotted chance By honest meanes let them from wickednesse Which faine would flie learne this by my distresse That he who doth from right and reason stray Destruction shall destroy him with decay For I by birth borne next to beggers dore Was stai'd aloft with staffe of high estate But whil'st that I so high a pitch did sore I left the meanes which made me rise of late I vices lou'd I did all vertues hate For which Carassus ran a race in vaine And nothing got but death and deepe disdaine When ciuill strife had Britaine quite vndone So that her strength was now of none auaile The faithlesse Picts with ruth did ouerrunne That royall Realme and did so far preuaile That sorrow did on euery side assaile My natiue soile and being thus dismai'd To Rome we sent for succour helpe and aid Seuerus then by Bassianus sent To bring this Realme vnto some quiet stay The Romans and the Britaines both were bent To bring the barbarous Picts to their decay Them to returne againe to Scythia And at the last by good Seuerus aid We them destroi'd when we were most afraid Whose force though twice the Romans felt too strong Yet at the last we got a goodly day Euen by my meanes who thrust into the throng Of th' armed Picts I desperate there did play The part of him whom feare did neuer fray And at the last to end this mortall strife I did depriue King Lodricke of his life And when the Picts did see their king depriu'd Of vitall life Lord how they fled the field They made me muse to see how fast they striu'd With stailesse steppes ech one his life to shield Who could not flie he there with care was kilde So by my meanes my countrey did obtaine Her ancient state and liberty againe At my returne I to Seuerus said See here how I with woundes am all bestead I cannot liue I feele how life doth fade Lodricke himselfe did carue and cut my head For which my blade his luke warme blood hath shed He cut my cap and I haue got his crowne He lost his life and I haue found renowne Seuerus then vnto his Surgion said Heale him and bring him safe and sound againe Thou for thy paines with poundes shalt wel be paid And he shall haue such honour for his paine As vnto him for euer shal remaine For by the Gods which rule the skies aboue His noble acts deserue eternall loue When by the skill of Surgions curious art My hurts were heal'd and holesome health ensude Seuerus then reioicing at the hart Made me a Lord with wealth hee me indude Yea he although my learning were but rude Sent me to Rome as Legate of this land To make report how here our state did stand My deedes at Rome inricht me with renowne My talke abroad with proper filed phrase Adornd my head euen with a Laurell crowne The Emperour did much commend my waies So that I was bedeckt with double praise I could not reade my learning was but weake Yet they of Rome did muse to heare me speake As learned Art doth giue a goodly grace To some so some by natures gifts doe get Eternall fame and purchase them a place Aboue the place where learned men do sit We finde the fine dexteritie of wit In them which be both wise and ful of skill Yet neuer striu'd to clime Pernassus hill So I with praise a time at Rome did stay And tract of time returnd mee backe againe The Emperour he gaue my right away Within a while which made me storme amaine I had great cause me thought for to complaine Seuerus he was made the king of all The gifts hee gaue to me were very small I was but made the Captaine of the coast From Forraine force to keepe my realme in rest Seuerus he was crowned king in post Which did so boile within my warrelike brest That I with griefe most strangely was distrest Shall hee said I thus reape the high renowne Which I deserue Shall he enioy the Crowne I wonne the wreath and he wil weare the same I got the goale and he will get the gaine For me in faith it were a deadly shame If I in this his regall royall raigne Without repulse should suffer him remaine Which if I do then let the dreadfull dart Of Vulcans wrath torment in
he all his force doth bend For to defend his Diadem and Crowne But froward Fate vpon the Prince did frowne For why his men were scattered euery where In Tyber he did drowne himselfe for feare To Rome then we and all our host did hie The Romans they with ioy did vs receiue To Constantine they gaue the Emperie But he of them most earnestly did craue That I the rule of all the world might haue It is quoth he my mothers right to raigne Till dreadfull death hath shred her twist in twaine I grant my sonne the Monarchie is mine For at his death thy father gaue it me For terme of life but let it now be thine I aged must go pay the earth her fee I am content to liue with lesse degree O louing sonne giue eare vnto my hest I will not rule that charge for thee is best And when he might not rule his mothers mind Against his will he willing did assent That all should be as I had then assign'd To rule the world he grieued was content And whil'st that there my happie daies I spent Reioycing much to see my sonnes successe I di'd and had a heauenly happinesse Thrice happie I who ran this royall race And in the end my wished Goale did get For by my meanes all people did embrace The faith of Christ the orders I did set They were obey'd with ioy which made me ier Euen in this blisse a better blisse befell I di'd and now my soule in heauen doth dwell So now you see the happie hap I had Learne then thereby to do as I haue done To praise Gods name let euery Prince be glad To persecute the truth let all men shunne By vertuous waies great honor may be wonne But he who doth to vices vile incline May be compar'd vnto a filthie swine Who doth not loue the plaine nor pleasant way He cannot feare to sleepe amidst the greene But in the mire he doth delight to lay So Princes such as vile and vidious beene Do tumble aye amidsta sinke of sinne Whose names on earth whose soules in hel remaine In infamie the other pincht with paine Let them that seeke for euerlasting fame Tread in the steps that I before haue trod And he who would auoid reprochfull shame And flee the smart of Plutoes ruthfull rod Let him not cease to learne the law of God Which only law mans stumbling steps doth guide Who walkes therein his feete can neuer slide HOW VORTIGER DESTROYED THE YONG KING CONSTANTINE and how hee obtained the Crowne and how after many miseries he was miserablie burnt in his Castle by the brethren of Constantine Anno Dom. 446. BY quiet peace of Ianus iollitie Their happie hauens some with forewinds haue By wrackfull warre of Mars his crueltie With much adoe some get the Goale they craue But subtill sleights and fetches bolstred braue My haplesse hand did hit with leuelled line The aimed marke the more mishap was mine By gifts of grace some men haue happy hap By blessed birth to Kingdomes borne some be Succession sets some men in Fortunes lap By wisedome wit and prudent policie Some clime aloft by trustlesse treacherie And courage doth a multitude aduance Drifts finely filde they did my state inhance I Vortiger by birth was borne a Lord King Constantine his Cosin did me call I cride amaine and clapt his crowne abord And for a time til Fortune forst my fall With restlesse blisse I sate in stately stall But men of warre of much more might then I For my desert my carefull corps did fry As furions force of fiery flashing fame With Cinders brought my body to decay So smuldering smokes of euerlasting shame Choakt my renowne and wipte my fflame away What may I more of my misfortune say I sigh to see I silent ccase to tell What me destroid and drownd my soule in hel Here to repeat the parts that I haue plaid Were to vnrippe a trusse of trumpery For me to shew how I aloft was staid Were to erect a schoole of Trechery Silence is best let no man learne by me Nor by my meanes how they by wicked waies From low estate aloft themselues may raise As good men can by wicked workes beware So wicked men by wicked workes be wise If ill men read my deedes which wicked were They by my meanes will compasse their surmise For wicked workers daily doe deuise To make examples vile and vitious To stand in stead to serue their lawlesse lust The Serpent thence his venim vile doth draw From whence the Bee her hony sweet doth get Leaud liuers learne to breake the written law By that whereby good men do learne much wit For wicked men each fetch is thought most fit To serue their turne therefore I count it best To leaue my faults and follies vnconfest Giue leaue therefore good Memory I may Not heere repeate my tedious Tragedie Inquirie let me now depart away My Commonweale subuerted was by me I leaudly liu'd and di'd in miserie And for my faults I felt disdainfull smart Let this suffice and let me now depart With that he seem'd as one that would away But Memory stay stay thy steps quoth she Let wicked men procure their owne decay We recke it not if warned once they be Let that suffice and let thy miserie Make iust report how vaine and vile a thing It is to liue as a vsurping King Sith needs I must repented faults forerunne Repeat and tell the fall and foile I felt Patience perforce to speake shame bids me shunne To thinke thereof doth make my heart to melt But sith I needs must shew how heere I delt I am content to tell the truth of all Let wise men learne to stand which reade my fall For first I causde the yong King Constantine Of faithlesse Scots and Picts to make his guard They by my meanes did kill their King in fine For which with speed I sent them all to ward And hang'd them all their cause was neuer heard So I who first did cause them kill their King To stop their mouthes the mall to death did bring Where Rancor rules where hatreds heate is hot The hurtlesse men with trouble be turmoil'd Where malice may send forth her Cannon shot There might is right there reasons rules are foil'd For ruthfull Rancor euermore hath boyl'd With griping griefe her smuldring smokes of spite Would gladly choke all iustice law and right So might not right did thrust me to the Throne I sixteene yeares did weare the royall Crowne In all which time with griefe I aye did grone As one who felt the fall from high renowne My Noble men deuisde to thrust me downe In all this time and many did protest I laid the King in his vntimely chest At last my foes my friends were made and I Had quiet peace and liu'd a happie King Yea God who rules the haughtie heauen a high Inricht my Realme with foyson of each thing Abundant store did make my people
Englishmen did meete Then secretly my friends and I did frame That Englishmen the Danes should friendly greete And at the feast that they should do their feate And that they might the better worke their will They thus were plast according vnto skill Two before one and three before fiue Here two and there two and foure then beliue Here one and there one and three at a cast Then one and twice two and one at the last They mingled thus the watch word wisely giuen And Englishmen with weapons well bestead The Danes amidst their cups were shauen and shriuen Fiue hundred thousand in one day were dead Now note the end of blood so heastly shead For Swane the king of Denmarke did arriue He for reuenge did me to Richard driue Marke here how lawlesse polices preuaile Their good successe do promise present paine What May mans vaine deuices ought auaile Dishonest deeds no honour can obtaine Al murthering Massacres be vile and vaine Such suttle slights haue neuer good successe The proofe whereof with paine I here expresse For Swane with sword and fire did here destroy Both man and beast and euery earthly thing He did that noble London much annoy He won the Realme and was the English king When tract of time him to his beare did bring Canutus then his sonne did him succeed Whom to displace I did dispatch with speed My brother Richard Duke of Normandy Of Normans gaue to me a goodly band By help of whom Canutus forst to flee I got againe the kingdome of England But out alas what thing may firmely stand Whose vnder-prop is of so little might That want of strength doth let things drop downright Canutus did from Denmarke now returne The wrathfull wight appointed passing strong My subiects slue my Cities he did burne Which when I heard I liu'd not very long My fainting heart was thronged with a throng Of cares which broke it in my fearfull brest And so at last death brought my bones to rest Twice tenne and eight I ranne my ruthfull race And then in Pauls my cursed corps was laid Canutus did my common-weale deface The Danes were kings my kingdome was decaid This world is fraile and euery thing must fade But alwaies that which wanteth gouernment That first doth feele the force of dangers dent Thomas Blener Hasset HOW EDRICVS EARLE OF MERCIA DESTROYED THE VALIANT KING EDMVND IRON side in hope of aduancement and how he was rewarded Anno Dom. 1018. YOu hellish hags of Limbo Lake below Which daily do my cursed corps torment Come forth come forth come forth I say and shew How I on earth my dismall daies haue spent And wil you not you wretched wights assent To helpe me here to tell that drierie tale Which may amongst men liuing much preuaile O cursed ghost condemn'd to endlesse thrall Sith they refuse to aid thee in this need Do thou declare and tel the truth af all That men aliue my wretched works may read And see the fruite of suttle Satans seed Auoiding vice and fancies fond delight Note well my tale the truth I shall recite When Etheldred had giuen Canutus place Edmund his sonne surnamed Ironside Deuising how he might his foe deface By wrath of warre the cause they did decide And in the end the Realme they did diuide Edmund had halfe Canutus had the rest Then they with peace and quietnesse were blest O blind beleefe O hope of higher hope Why did you moue my minde to meditate How I in woe king Edmund might in wrap And how I might depresse my kings estate Thou blind beleefe thou breeder of debate I wanting grace did let thee moue my mind Causelesse to kil a courteous king and kinde He being kild I to Canutus went To whom I sayd See here a faithfull friend I for thy loue with bloody blade haue hent And brought my King to his vntimely end Thou by that meanes shalt rule thy realme with rest My friendly â—ist with happie good successe Hath thee inricht with blisse and happinesse Hast thou quoth he destroy'd thy soueraigne King Thou faithlesse sawning friend for loue of me Thou verlet vile and could'st thou doe the thing The which might more a bridge my libertie O heinous act O bloodie crueltie But sith that loue did moue thee doe that deede Thou for thy paines shalt be preferd with speede Wherewith in haste he to the hangman said Let this mans head the highest place obtaine On London walles wherewith I neuer staid But on a block my neck was cut in twaine In all mens sight my head did long remaine See here what wit the grape of hope doth yeeld See on what sand such busie braines do build O hatefull thing that fancies fond delight The sense of mortall man should senselesse make When vices vaunts with vertues deeds dare fight Then doth the soule the happie heauens forsake Then man makes haste to Plutoes lothsome lake Why should man loue that sugred sowre sweet Which wisedoms lore to lothe hath thought most meet Thomas Blener Hasset HOW KING HAROLD RAIGNING BVT NINE MONETHS had continuall warre with the Danes with the Norway King with his brother TOSTIVS and was at last slaine in battell by William the Conquerer An. Dom. 1095. WOuld he haue warre and we to warre proclame O Bastand Duke and dost thou dare to fight My Noble men come forth and purchase fame Ciue me my sword let me defend my right Steppe forth with speed my Martiall men of might With Bowes and Billes let vs their course restraine And teach them that their vanting vowes be vaine But that we may with wisdome wisely worke It vs behoues in Normandie to fight With him and not to let his souldiers lurke Heere in my Realme we shall thereby atchiue No noble act though hence we him do driue But if we deale with him in Normandie We shall receiue renowne and victorie It is the best with forren foes to fight Abroad as did the haughtie Hannibal And not at home to feele their hatefull spight Of all the rest it is the greatest thrall That foes arriu'd should spoile our subiects all And for a truth this alwaies hath been found He speedeth best which fights on forren ground My men of warre were mustred out of hand But all my haste was then of none auaile My brother Tostius with his rebell band In euery place my subiects did assaile And euery where did cause their hearts to quaile Whose wretched state from farther spoile to shield I by my power did force him flie the field He fled to Norway whence a cloud did rise That did obscure the shine of my content When loe the Norman Duke did then deuise If I to yeeld my Scepter would assent For which betwixt vs to and fro there went Despightfull letters which I will recite Wherein he claimes and I defend my right WILLIAM DVKE OF NORMANDIE AND RIGHT heire to the English Crowne to Harold the Vsurper THough birthright cannot cause thee yeeld
she smooth blew on this pleasant gale He was created Earle of March alas Whence enuy sprang which his destruction was For wealth breeds wrath in such as wealth doe want Pride folly breeds in such as it possesse Among a thousand shall you find one skant That can in wealth his lofty heart represse Which in this Earle due proofe did plaine expresse For whereas he was somewhat haut before His high degree hath made him now much more For now alone he ruleth as him lust Ne recks for reade saue of king Edwards mother Which forced enuy foulder out the rust That in mens hearts before did lie and smother The Peeres the people th' one as well as th' other Against him made so hainous a complaint That for a traytour he was soone attaint Then all such faults as were forgot afore They skowre afresh and somwhat to them adde For enuy still hath eloquence in store When Fortune bids to worse things meanly bad Fiue hainous crimes against him soone were had First that he caus'd the King to yeeld the Scot To make a peace townes that were from him got And therewithall the Charter call'd Ragman That of the Scots he bribed priuy gaine That through his meanes sir Edward of Carnaruan In Barkely Castle traiterously was slaine That with his Princes mother he had laine And finally with polling at his pleasure Had rob'd the King and Commons of their treasure For these things loe which erst were out of mind He was condemn'd and hanged at the last In whom Dame Fortune fully shewed her kind For whom she heaues she hurleth downe as fast If men to come would learne by other past My cosin then might cause them set aside High climing bribing murdering lust and pride The finall cause why I this processe tell Is that I may be knowen from this the other My like in name vnlike mee though he fell Which was I thinke my grandfire or his brother To count my kin dame Philip was my mother Daughter and heire of douty Lionell The third King Edwards sonne as stories tell My father hight sir Edmund Mortimer True Earle of March whence I was after Earle By iust descent these two my parents were Of which the one of Knighthood bare the fearle Of womanhood the other was the pearle Through their desert so cal'd of euery wight Till death them tooke and left mee in their right For why th' attainter of the elder Roger Whose shamefull death I told you but oflate Was found to bee vniust and passed ouer Against the law by those that bare him hate For where by law each one of free estate Should personally be heard ere iudgement passe They bard him this where through destroid he was Wherefore by doome of court in Parliament When we had prou'd our Cosin ordered thus The King the Lords and Commons of assent His lawlesse death vnlawfull did discusse And both to bloud and good restored vs. A preside at most worthy shewed and left Lords liues to saue that lawlesse might bee reft While Fortune vnto me her grace did deigne King Richards grace the second of that name Whose looser life did soone abridge his reigne Made me his mate in earnest and in game The Lords themselues so well allow'd the same That through my titles duely comming downe I was made heire apparent to the Crowne Who then but I was euery where esteemd Well was the man that might with me acquaint Whom I allow'd as Lords the people deemd To whatsoeuer folly had me bent To like it well the people did assent To mee as Prince attended great and small I hopte a day would come to pay for all But seldome ioy continueth trouble void In greatest charge cares greatest doe ensue The most possest are euer most annoid In largest seas sore tempests lightly brue The freshest colours soonest fade the hue In thickest place is made the deepest wound True proofe whereof my self too soone haue found For whilst faire Fortune Iuld mee in her lap And gaue me gifts more then I did require The subtile dame behind mee set a trap Whereby to dash and lay all in the mire The Irish men against mee did conspire My lands of Vlster from me to haue reft Which heritage my mother had mee left And whiles I there to set all things in stay Omit my toiles and trouble thitherward Among mine owne with my retinue lay The wilder men whom I did not regard And had therefore the reckles mans reward When least I thought set on mee in such number That from my corps my life they rent asunder Nought might auaile my courage nor my force Nor strength of men which were alas too few The cruell folke assaulted so my horse That all my helps in peeces they to hew Our bloud distaines the ground as drops of dew Nought might preuaile to flie nor yet to yeeld For whom they take they murder in the field They know no law of Armes nor none will learne They make not warre as other doe a play The Lord the boy the Gallowglas the Kerne Yeeld or not yeeld whom so they take they slay They saue no foes for ransome nor for pay Their chiefest boote is th' aduersaries head They end not wâ—â—â—e till th' enemie be dead Amongst these men or rather sauage beasts I lost my life by cruell murder slaine And therefore Baldwine note thou well my geasts And warne all Princes rashnes to refraine Bid them beware their foes when they doe faine Nor yet presume vnequally to striue Had I thus done I had been left aliue But I despis'd the naked Irish men And for they flew I feared them the lesse I thought one man enough to match with ten And through this carelesse vnaduisednes I was destroid and all my men I gesse At vnawares assaulted by our fone Which were in number forty to vs one See here the stay of fortunate estate The vaine assurance of this brittle life For I but yong-proclamed Prince of late Right fortunate in children and in wife Lost all at once by stroke of bloudy knife Whereby assur'd let men themselues assure That wealth and life are doubtfull to endure FINIS THE FALL OF ROBERT Tresilian chiefe Iustice of England and other his fellowes for misconstruing the Lawes and expounding them to serue the Princes affections Anno 1388. IN the sad register of mischiefe and mishap Baldwine we beseech thee with our names to begin Whom vnfriendly Fortune did train vnto a trap When as wee thought our state most stable to haue bin So lightly leese they all which all do weene to win Learne by vs ye Lawyers and Iudges of this Land Vpright and vncorrupt in doome alway to stand And print ye this president to remaine for euer Enroll and record it in Tables made of Brasse Engraue it in Marble that may be raced neuer Where Iudges of the Law may see as in a Glasse What guerdon is for guile and what our wages was Who for our Princes will
made me Duke of Northfolke for my labour But see how pride and enuy iointly runne Because my Prince did more than me prefer Sir Henry Bolenbroke the eldest sonne Of Iohn of Gaunt the Duke of Lancaster Proud I that would alone be blasing starre Enuide this Duke for nought saue that the shine Of his deserts did glister more then mine To th' end therefore his light should be the lesse I slily sought all shifts to put him out But as the poize that would the palme represse Doth cause the bowes spred larger round about So spite and enuy causeth glory sprout And aye the more the top is ouertrod The deeper doth the sound roote spred abrode For when this Henry Duke of Herford saw What spoile the King made of the noble bloud And that without all Iustice cause or lawe To suffer him he thought not sure nor good Wherefore to me twofaced in one hood As touching this he fully brake his minde As to his friend that should remedy finde But I although I knew my Prince did ill So that my harte abhorred sore the same Yet mischiefe so through malice led my will To bring this Duke from honour vnto shame And toward my selfe my soueraigne to enflame That I bewraied his word vnto the King Not as a read but as a hainous thing Thus where my duty bound me to haue told My Prince his fault and wild him to refraine Through flattery loe I did his ill vphold Which turnd at length both him and me to paine Woe woe to Kings whose counsailours doe faine Woe woe to Realmes where such are put in trust As leaue the Law to serue the Princes lust And woe to him that by his flattering reed Maintaines a Prince in any kind of vice Woe worth him eke for enuy pride or meed That misreports an honest enterprise Because I beast in all these points was nice The plagues of all together on me light And due for ill ill doers doth acquite For when the Duke was charged with my plaint He flat denied that any part was true And claimd by armes to answere his attaint And I by vse that warlike feates well knew To his desire incontinently drew Wherewith the King did seeme right well content As one that past not much with whom it went At time and place appointed we appeard At all points armd to proue our quarels iust And when our friends on each part had vs cheard And that the Heralds bad vs doe our lust With speare in rest we tooke a course to iust But ere our horses had run halfe their way A shout was made the King commanded stay And for t' auoid the sheading of our bloud With shame and death which one must needes haue had The King through counsaile of the Lords thought good To banish both which iudgment straight was rad No maruell then though both were wroth and sad But chiefly I that was exilde for aye My enmie strang'd but for a ten yeares day The date expir'd when by this dolefull dome I should depart to liue in banisht band On paine of death to England not to come I went my way the King seasde in his hand Mine offices my honours goods and land To pay the due as openly he told Of mighty summes which I had from him pol'd See Baldwine see the solary of sinne Marke with that meed vile vices are rewarded Through enuy I did lose both kith and kinne And for my flattering plaint so well regarded Exile and shame are iustly me awarded My wife and heire lacke lands and lawfull right And me their Lord made Dame Dianaes Knight If these mishaps at home bee not enough Adioine to them my sorowes in exile I went to Almaine first a Land right rough In which I found such churlish folke and vile As made me lothe my life ech other while There lo I learnd what is to be a gest Abroad and what to liue at home in rest For they esteeme no one man more then each They vse as well the lackey as the Lord And like their maners churlish in their speech Their lodging hard their boord to be abhor'd Their pleyted garments therewith well accord All iag'd and frounst with diuers colours deckt They sweare they curse and drinke till they be fleckt They hate all such as these their manners hate Which reason would no wise man should allow With these I dwelt lamenting mine estate Till at the length they had got knowledge how I was exil'd because I did auow A false complaint against my trustie friend For which they nam'd me traytour still vnhend That what for shame and what for wearines I stole from thence and went to Venice towne Whereas I found more ease and friendlines But greater griefe for now the great renowne Of Bolenbroke whom I would haue put downe Was waxt so great in Britaine and in France That Vencie through each man did him aduance Thus loe his glorie grew through great despite And I thereby encreased in defame Thus enuie euer doth her most acquite With trouble anguish sorow smart and shame But sets the vertues of her foe in flame Like water waues which clense the muddie stone And soyles themselues by beating thereupon Or ere I had soiourn'd there a yeare Strange tidings came he was to England gone Had tane the King and that which touch'd him neare Imprisoned him with other of his fone And made him yeeld him vp his Crowne and throne When I these things for true by search had tried Griefe gripte me so I pin'd away and died Note heere the end of pride see flatteries fine Marke the reward of enuie and complaint And warne all people from them to decline Lest likely fault do find the like attaint Let this my life to them be a restraint By others harmes who listeth take no heed Shall by his owne learne other better reed T. Churchyard HOW KING RICHARD THE SECOND WAS FOR HIS euill gouernance deposed from his seate in the yeare 1399. and murdered in prison the yeare following HAppie is the Prince that hath in wealth the grace To follow vertue keeping vices vnder But woe to him whose will hath wisdomes place For whoso renteth right and law asunder On him at length all the world shall wonder High birth choice fortune force nor Princely mace Can warrant King or Keyser from the case Behold my hap see how the silly rout On me do gaze and each to other say See where he lieth but late that was so stout Lo how the power the pride and rich aray Of mightie Rulers lightly fade away The King which erst kept all the Realme in doubt The veriest rascall now dare checke and flout Me thinke I heare the people thus deuise Wherefore Baldwine sith thou wilt declare How Princes fell to make the liuing wise My lawlesse life in no point see thou spare But paint it out that Rulers may beware Good counsell law or vertue to despise For Realmes haue rules and Rulers haue a sise
their states For they bee faults that foile men not their fates Th. Phaer HOW HENRY PERCY Earle of NORTHVMBERLAND was for his couetous and traiterous attempt put to death at Yorke Anno 1407. O Morall Senec true finde I thy saying That neither kinne riches strength or fauour Are free from Fortune but are aie decaying No worldly wealth is ought saue doubtfull labour Mans life in Earth is like vnto a tabour Which now to mirth doth mildly men prouoke And straight to warre with a more sturdy stroke All this full true I Percy finde by proofe Which whilom was Earle of Northumberland And therefore Baldwine for our peeres behoofe To note mens falles sith thou hast tane in hand I would thou should my state well vnderstand For few there were that were so much redoubted Whom double Fortune lifted vp and louted As for my kinne their noblenesse is knowen My valiant acts were folly for to praise Where through our foes so oft were ouerthrowen That who but I was doubted in my daies And that King Richard found at all assaies For neuer foes rebelled in his raigne But through my force were either caught or slaine A brother I had was Earle of Worcester Alwaies in office and fauour with the King And by my wife Dame Elenor Mortimer A sonne I had which so the foes did sting That being yong and but a very spring Henry Hotspur they gaue him vnto name And though I say it he did deserue the same We three triumphed in King Richards time Till Fortune ought both him and vs a spite But chiefly mee whom cleere from any crime My King did banish from his fauour quite Proclaiming mee a most disloyall Knight Where through false slander forced mee to bee That which before I did most deadly flee Let men beware how they true folke defame Or threaten on them the blame of vices nought For infamy breedeth wrath wreke followeth shame Eke open slander often times hath brought That to effect that erst was neuer thought To bee misdeem'd men suffer in a sort But none can beare the griefe of misreport Because my King did shame mee wrongfully I hated him and soone became his foe And while he did at warre in Ireland lie I did conspire to turne his weale to woe And through the Duke of Yorke and other moe All royall power from him wee quickly tooke And gaue the same to Henry Bolenbrooke Neither did we this onely for this cause But to say truth force draue vs to the same For he despising God and all his lawes Slew whom hee would made sinne a very game And seeing nor age nor consell could him tame We thought it well done for the Kingdomes sake To leaue his rule that did all rule for sake But when Sir Henry had attaind his place Hee straight became in all points worse then he Destroied the Peeres and slew King Richards grace Against his oth made to the Lords and me And seeking quarrels how to disagree He shamelesly requir'd me and my sonne To yeeld him foes which we in field had wonne My nephew also Edmund Mortimer The very heire apparent to the crowne Whom Owen Glendour held as prisoner With chaines fast bound in dungeon deepe cast downe He would not ransome but did felly frowne ' Gainst Mortimer and me which for him spake And him proclaimed traytour for our sake Thus foule despite did cause vs to conspire To put him downe as we did Richard erst And that we might this matter set on fire From Owens Iaile our cosin we remerst And vnto Glendour all our griefes rehearst Who made a bond with Mortimer and mee To priue the King and part the Realme in three But when King Henrie heard of this deuice To Owen Glendour he sped him very quicke Minding by force to stop our enterprise And as the diuell would then fell I sicke Howbeit my brother and sonne more politicke Then prosperous with an host from Scotland brought Encountred him at Shrewesbury where they fought The one was tane and kill'd the other slaine And shortly after was Owen put to flight By meanes whereof I forced was to faine That I knew nothing of the former fight Fraud oft auailes more then doth sturdie might For by my faining I brought him in beliefe I knew not that wherein my part was chiefe And while the King thus tooke me for his friend I sought all meanes my former wrong to wreake Which that I might bring to the sooner end To the Bishop of Yorke I did the matter breake And to th' Earle Marshall likewise did I speake Whose father was through Henries cause exiled The Bishops brother with trayterous death defiled These straight assented to do what they could So did the Lord Hastings and Lord Faueonbridge Which altogether promised they would Set all their power the Kings daies to abridge But see the spite before the birds were flidge The King had word and seased on the nest Whereby alas my friends were all opprest The bloodie tyrant brought them all to end Excepted me which into Scotland fled To George of Dunbar th' Earle of March my friend Who in my cause with many more made head And when on hope of greater aid I fed Both at the Frenchmen and the Flemmings hand And could get none I tooke such as I fand And with the helpe of George my very friend I did inuade Northumberland full bold Whereas the folke drew to me still on end Bent to death my partie to vphold Through helpe of these full many a fort and hold The which the King right manfully had man'd I easely wonne and seased in my hand Not so content for vengeance draue me on I entred Yorkshire there to waste and spoile But ere I had far in the countrie gone The Shiriffe thereof Raph Rokesbie did assoile My troubled host of much part of our toile For he assaulting freshly tooke through power Me and Lord Bardolph both at Bramham moore And thence conueyed vs to the towne of Yorke Vntill he knew what was the Kings intent There loe Lord Bardolph kinder then the Storke Did lose his head which was to London sent With whom for friendship mine in like case went This was my hap my fortune or my faut This life I led and thus I came to naught Wherefore good Baldwine will the Peeres take heed Of slander malice and conspiracie Of couetise whence all the rest proceed For couetise ioynt with contumacie Doth cause all mischiefe in mens hearts to breed And therefore this to esperance my word Who causeth bloodshed shall not scape the sword HOW RICHARD PLANTAGENET EARLE OF CAMBRIDGE INTENding the Kings destruction was put to death at Southhampton Anno Dom. 1415. HAste maketh waste hath commonly been said And secret mischiefe selde hath luckie speed A murdering mind with proper poyze is way'd All this is true I find it in my creed And therefore Baldwine warne all states take heed How they conspire another to betrap Lest mischiefe ment light in
dilatorie Ne Doctor or Proctor to alledge the lawes But forced me to plead in mine owne cause The Kings counsell were called to the case My husband then shut out for the season In whose absence I found but little grace For Lawyers turned our offence to treason And so with rigor without ruth or reason Sentence was giuen that I for the same Should doe penance and suffer open shame Nay the like shame had neuer wight I weene Duches Lady ne Damsel of degree As I that was a Princesse next the Queene Wife to a Prince and none so great as hee A Kings vncle Protector of his countrey With Taper burning shrouded in a sheete Three dayes a row to passe the open streete Barelegd and bare foote to all the worlds wonder Yea and as though such shame did not suffise With more despite then to part asunder Me and my Duke which Traitors did deuise By Statute lawe in most vnlawfull wise First sending me with shame into exile Then murdring him by trechery and guile Yea and besides this cruell banishment Far from all friends to comfort mee in care And husbands death there was by Parliament Ordaind for me a messe of courser fare For they to bring me to beggers state most bare By the same act from mee did then withdraw Such right of dower as widowes haue by law Death as t' is said doth set all things at rest Which fell not so in mine vnhappy case For since my death mine enmies made a Iest In minstrels rimes mine honour to deface And then to bring my name in more disgrace A song was made in manner of a laic Which old wiues sing of mee vnto this day Yet with these spites their malice could not end For shortly after my sorowes to renue My loiall Lord which neuer did offend VVas cald in haste the cause he litle knew To a Parlement without sommons due VVhereas his death was cruelly contriued And I his wife of earthly ioyes depriued For all the while my Duke had life and breath So long I stood in hope of my restore But when I heard of his most causles death Then the best salue for my recureles sore VVas to despaire of cure for euermore And as I could my carefull heart to cure VVith patience most painfull to endure O Traitors fell which in your hearts could find Like feends of hell the guiltles to betray But ye chiefly his kinsmen most vnkind VVhich gaue consent to make him so away That vnto God with all my heart I pray Vengeance may light on him that caused all Beaufort I meane that cursed Cardinall VVhich bastard Priest of th' house of Lancaster Sonne to Duke Iohn surnamed Iohn of Gaunt VVas first create Bishop of VVinchester For no learning whereof he might well vaunt Ne for vertue which he did neuer haunt But for his Gold and summes that were not small Paid to the Pope was made a Cardinall Proud Lucifer which from the heauens on high Downe to the pit of hell below was cast And being once an Angell bright in sky For his pride in hell is chained fast In deepe darkenes that euermore shall last More haut of heart was not before his fall Then was this proud and pompous Cardinall VVhose life good Baldwine paint out in his pickle A and blase this Baal and Belligod most blind An hypocrite all faithles false and fickle A wicked wretch a kinsman most vnkind A Diuell incarnate all diuellishly enclind And to discharge my conscience all at once The Diuell him gnaw both body bloud and bones The spitefull Priest would needes make me a VVitch As would to God I had been for his sake I would haue clawd him where he did not itch I would haue plaid the Lady of the Lake And as Merline was closde him in a brake Ye a Meridian to lull him by day light And a night mare to ride on him by night The fiery feends with feuers hot and frenzy The Airy hegges with stench and carren sauoures The watry ghosts with gowtes and with dropsy The earthly Goblines with Aches at all houres Furies and Fairies with all infernall powers I would haue stird from the darke dungeon Of hell Centre as deepe as Demagorgon Or had I now the skill of dame Erichto Whose dreadfull charmes as Lucan doth expresse All feends did feare so far forth as Prince Pluto VVas at her call for dread of more distresse Then would I send of helhownds more and lesse A legion at least at him to cry and yell And with that charme herrie him downe to hell VVhich need not for sure I thinke that he VVho here in earth leades Epicurus life As farre from God as possible may be VVith whom all sinne and vices are most rife Vsing at will both widow maid and wife But that some Diuell his body doth possesse His life is such as men can iudge no lesse And God forgiue my wrath and wreakefull mind Such is my hate to that most wicked wretch Die when he shall in heart I could well finde Out of the graue his corps againe to fetch And racke his limmes as long as they would stretch And take delight to listen euery day How he could sing a masse of welaway The I le of Man was the appointed place To penance me for euer in exile Thither in haste they posted me apace And doubting scape they pind me in a Pile Close by my selfe in care alas the while There felt I first poore prisoners hungry fare Much want things skant and stone walles hard and bare The change was strange from silke and cloth of gold To rugged frize my carcas for to cloath From Princes fare and dainties hot and cold To rotten fish and meates that one would loath The diet and dressing were much alike boath Bedding and lodging were all alike fine Such Downe it was as serued well for swine Neither doe I mine owne case thus complaine Which I confesse came partly by desert The only cause which doubleth all my paine And which most neere goeth now vnto my heart Is that my fault did finally reuert To him that was least guilty of the same Whose death it was though I abode the shame VVhose fatall fall when I doe call to minde And how by me his mischiefe first began So oft I cry on Fortune most vnkinde And my mishap most vtterly doe banne That euer I to such a noble man Who from my crime was innocent and cleare Should be a cause to buy his loue so deare Oh to my heart how grieuous is the wound Calling to mind this dismall deadly case I would I had been doluen vnder ground When he first saw or looked on my face Or tooke delight in any kind of grace Seeming in me that him did stir or moue To fancie me or set his heart to loue Farewell Greenewich my Palace of delight Where I was wont to see the Christall streames Of royall Thames most pleasant to my sight And farewell Kent right
famous in all Realmes A thousand times I mind you in my dreames And when I wake most griefe it is to mee That neuer more againe I shall you see In the night time when I should take my rest I weepe I waile I wet my bed with teares And when dead sleepe my spirits hath opprest Troubled with dreames I fantasie vaine feares Mine husbands voice then ringeth at mine eares Crying for helpe O saue me from the death These villaines heere do seeke to stop my breath Yea and sometimes me thinkes his drerie ghost Appeares in sight and shewes me in what wise Those fell tyrants with torments had embost His winde and breath to abuse peoples eyes So as no doubt or question should arise Among rude folke which little vnderstand But that his death came only by Gods hand I plaine in vaine where eares be none to heare But roring seas and blustering of the winde And of redresse am nere a whit the neare But with waste words to feed my mournfull minde Wishing full oft the Parcas had vntwinde My vitall strings or Atropose with knife Had cut the line of my most wretched life Oh that Neptune and Aeolus also Th' one god of Seas the other of weather Ere mine arriuall into that I le of woe Had sunke the ship wherein I sailed thither The shipmen saued so as I together With my good Duke might haue been dead afore Fortune had wroken her heart vpon vs so sore Or else that God when my first passage was Into exile along Saint Albons towne Had neuer let me further for to passe But in the street with death had strucke me downe Then had I sped of my desired bowne That my poore corps might there haue lien with his Both in one graue and so haue gone to blisse But I alas the greater is my griefe Am past that hope to haue my sepulture Neere vnto him which was to me most leefe But in an I le and countrie most obscure To pine in paine whilst my poore life will dure And being dead all honorlesse to lie In simple graue as other poore that die My tale is told and time it is to cease Of troubles past all which haue had their end My graue I trust shall purchase me such peace In such a world where no wight doth contend For higher place whereto all flesh shall wend And so I end vsing one word for all As I began that pride will haue a fall G. Ferrers HOW HVMFREY PLANTAGENET DVKE OF GLOCESTER Protector of England during the minoritie of his Nephew King Henry the sixt commonly called the good Duke by practise of enemies was brought to confusion AS highest hilles with tempests been most touched And tops of trees most subiect vnto winde And as great towers with stone strongly couched Haue heauie falles when they be vndermin'd Euen so by proofe in worldly things we find That such as climbe the top of high degree From feare of falling neuer can be free To proue this true good Baldwine hearken heere See and behold me Humfrey hight by name Englands Protector Duke of Glocester Who in the sixt King Henries rule with fame Twice ten yeares kept the troubled State in frame Note well the cause of my vnhappie case And'mongst thy mirrours let the same haue place In their most weale let men beware mishap And not to sleepe in slumbring sickernesse Whilst Fortune false doth lull them in her lap Drowned in dreames of brittle blessednesse But then to feare her freakes and ficklenesse Accounting still the higher they ascend More nigh to be to danger in the end And that vaine trust in blood or royall race Abuse them not with blind securitie To trust their state but weighing well my case When she most smiles to haue in memorie My sudden fall who in most certaintie Hauing most staies which men in state maintaine Haue found the same vntrustie and most vaine Better then I none may the same approue Who trusting all in height of high estate To bite on fawning flatteries bait did loue Which neuer Prince could banish from his gate Did little thinke on such a sudden mate Not heeding lesse dreading all vnaware By foes least fear'd was trapt in suddaine snare If noble birth or high autority Number of friends kinred or alliance If wisdome learning worldly policy Mought haue ben staiers to Fortunes variance None stood more strong in worldly countenance For all these helpes had I to high degree And yet in fine they all beguiled mee Of Henry fourth by name fourth sonne I was Brother to Henry fift of that same name To the sixt Henrie vncle but alas What cause had I to build vpon the same Or for vaine glory to aduance my fame My selfe to call in records and writings The brother sonne and vncle vnto Kings This was my boast which lastly was my bane Yet not this boast was it that brought me downe The very cause which made my weale to wane So neere of kin that I was to the Crowne That was the rock that made my ship to drowne A rule there is not failing but most sure Kingdome no kin doth know ne can indure When the fift Henry by his valiancie Wan by conquest the roiall Realme of France And of two Kingdomes made one Monarchy Before his death for better obeisance To his yong sonne not ripe to gouernance Protector of England I was by testament And Iohn my brother in France made Regent To whom if God had lent a longer life Our house t' haue kept from stormes of inward strife Or it had been the Lord Almighties will Plantagenet in state had standen still But deadly discord which all states do spill Bred by desire of high domination Brought our whole house to plaine desolation It is for truth in an history found That Henry Plantagenet first of our name Who called was King Henry the second Sonne of Dame Maude the Empresse of high fame Would oft report that his ancient Grandame Though seeming in shape a woman naturall Was a Feend of the kind that Succubae some call Which old fable so long time told before When this Kings sonnes against him did rebell He cald to minde and being greeued sore Loe now quoth he I see and proue full well The story true which folk of old did tell That from a feend descended all our race And now my children verify the case Whereof to leaue a long memoriall In minde of man for euermore to rest A Picture he made and hung it in his Hall Of a Pellicane sitting on his nest With foure yong birds three pecking at his brest With bloudy beakes and furder did deuise The yongest bird to pecke the fathers eyes Meaning hereby his rebell Children three Henry and Richard bet him on the breast Ieffrey onely from that offence was free Henry died of Englands Crowne possest Richard liued his father to molest Iohn the yongest pect his fathers eye Whose deeds vnkinde the sooner made him die This King
some write in his sicknes last Said as it were by way of prophecie How that the Diuell a Darnell graine had cast Among his kin to encrease enmity Which should remaine in their posterity Till mischiefe and murder had spent them all Not leauing one to pisse against the wall And yet from him in order did succeed In England here of crowned Kings fourteene Of that surname and of that line and seed With Dukes and Earles and many a noble Queene The number such as all the world would weene So many impes could neuer so be spent But some heire male should be of that descent Which to be true if any stand in doubt Because I meane not further to digresse Let him pursue the histories throughout Of English Kings whom practise did oppresse And he shall find the cause of their distresse From first to last vnkindly to begin Alwaies by those that next were of the kin Was not Richard of whom I spake before A rebell plaine vntill his father died And Iohn likewise an enmy euermore To Richard againe and for a rebell tried After whose death it cannot be denied Against all right this Iohn most cruelly His brothers children caused for to die Arthur and Isabell I meane that were Ieffreies children then duke of Britaine Henries third sonne by one degree more neere Then was this Iohn as stories shew most plaine Which two children were famisht or els slaine By Iohn their Eame cald Saunzterre by name Of whose foule act all countries speake great shame Edward and Richard second both by name Kings of this Land fell downe by fatall fate What was the cause that Princes of such fame Did leese at last their honour life and state Nothing at all but discord and debate Which when it haps in kinred or in bloud Erynnis rage was neuer halfe so wood Be sure therefore ye Kings and Princes all That concord in Kingdoms is chiefe assurance And that your families doe neuer fall But where discord doth lead the doubtfull dance With busie brawles and turnes of variance Where malice is minstrel the pipe ill report The maske mischiefe and so ends the sport But now to come to my purpose againe VVhilst I my charge applied in England My brother in France long time did remaine Cardinal Beauford tooke proudly in hand In causes publique against me to stand VVho of great malice so much as he might Sought in all things to doe me despite VVhich proud prelate to me was bastard Eame Sonne to Duke Iohn of Gaunt as they did faine VVho being made high Chancellour of the Realme Not like a Priest but like a Prince did raigne Nothing wanting which might his pride maintaine Bishop besides of VVinchester he was And Cardinall of Rome which Angels brought to passe Not Gods Angels but Angels of old Gold Lift him aloft in whom no cause there was By iust desert so high to be extold Riches except whereby this golden asse At home and abroad all matters brought to passe Namely at Rome hauing no meane but that To purchase there his crimz in Cardinall hat Which thing the King my father him forbad Plainly saying that he could not abide Within his Realme a subiect to be had His Princes peere yet such was this mans pride That he forth with after my father di'd The King then yong obtained of the Pope That honor high which erst he could not hope Whose proud attempts because that I withstood My bound dutie the better to acquite This holy father waxed well neere wood Of meere malice deuising day and night To worke to me dishonor and despight Whereby there fell betweene vs such a iarre As in this land was like a ciuill warre My brother Iohn which lay this while in France Heard of this hurle and past the seas in haste By whose trauell this troublesome distance Ceased a while but nerethelesse in waste For rooted hate will hardly be displaste Out of high hearts and namely where debate Happeneth amongst great persons of estate For like as a match doth lie and smoulder Long time before it commeth to the traine But yet when fire hath caught in the poulder No art is able the flames to restraine Euen so the sparkes of enuie and disdaine Out of the smoke burst forth in such a flame That France and England yet may rue the same So when of two Realmes the regiment royall Betweene brothers was parted equally One placed in France for affaires Martiall And I at home for ciuill policie To serue the state we both did so applie As honor and same to both did encrease To him for the warre to me for the peace Whence enuie sprang and specially because This proud prelate could not abide a Peere Within the land to rule the state by lawes Wherefore sifting my life and acts most neere He neuer ceast vntill as you shall heare By practise foule of him and his allies My death was wrought in most vnworthie wise And first he sought my doings to defame By rumors false which he and his did sow Letters and billes to my reproch and shame He did deuise and all about bestow Whereby my troth in doubt should daily grow In England first and afterward in France Mouing all meanes to bring me to mischance One quarell was that where by common law Murder and theft been punisht all alike So as manslayers which bloodie blades do draw Suffer no more then he that doth but pike Me thought the same no order politike In setting paines to make no difference Betweene the lesser and greater offence I being seene somewhat in ciuill law The rules thereof reputed much bitter Wherefore to keepe offenders more in awe Like as the fault was smaller or greater So set I paines more easier or bitter Weghing the qualitie of euery offence And so according pronounced sentence Among'st my other Delicta Iuuentutis Whil'st rage of youth my reason did subdue I must confesse as the very truth is Driuen by desire fond fancies to ensue A thing I did whereof great trouble grew Abusing one to my no small rebuke Which wife was then to Iohn of Brabant Duke Called she was Ladie Iaquet the faire Delitefull in loue like Helene of Troy To the Duke of Bauier sole daughter and heire Her did I marrie to my great annoy Yet for a time this dame I did enioy With her whole lands withholding them by force Till Martin the Pope betweene vs made diuorce Yet all these blasts not able were to moue The anchor strong whereby my ship did stay Some other shift to seeke him did behoue Whereto ere long ill Fortune made the way Which finally was cause of my decay And cruell death contriued by my foes Which fell out thus as now I shall disclose Eleanor my wife my Duchesse only deare I know not how but as the nature is Of women all aye curious to enquire Of things to come though I confesse in this Her fault not small and that she did amisse By witches skill which
To helpe to bring him to his Requiem masse Which sith it could for no crime come to passe His life and doings were so right and clere Through priuy murder we brought him to his bere Thus righteousnesse brought Humfrey to rebuke Because he would no wickednesse allow But for my doings I was made a Duke So Fortune can both bend and smooth her brow On whom she list not passing why or how O Lord how high how soone she did me raise How fast she fill'd me both with prayes and praise The Lords and Commons both of like assent Besought my soueraigne kneeling on their knees For to record my deeds in the Parlament As deeds deseruing euerlasting fees In which attempt they did no labour leese For they set not my praise so fast in flame As he was readie to reward the same But note the end my deeds so worthie deemed Of King of Lords and Commons all together Were shortly after treasons false esteemed And all men curst Queene Margets comming lither For Charles the French King in his feats not lither When we had rendred Rayner Maunts and Maine Found meane to win all Normandie againe This made the people curse the mariage Esteeming it the cause of euery losse Wherefore at me with open mouth they rage Affirming me t' haue brought the Realme to mosse When King and Queene saw things thus go acrosse To quiet all a Parlament they called And caused me in prison to be thralled And shortly after brought me forth abrode Which made the Commons more then double wood And some with weapons would haue laid on lode If their grand Captaine Blewberd in his mood Had not in time with wisdome been withstood But though that he and more were executed The people still their worst against me bruted And so applied the Parliament with billes Of hainous wrongs and open traiterous crimes That King and Queene were forst against their willes From place to place t'adiourne it diuers times For Princes power is like the sandie slimes Which must perforce giue place vnto the waue Or sue the windie sourges when they raue Their life was not more deare to them then I Which made them search all shifts to saue me still But aye my foes such faults did on me trie That to preserue me from a worser ill The King was faine full sore against his will For fiue yeares space to send me in exile In hope to haue restor'd me in a while But marke how vengeance waiteth vpon vice To shun this storme in sayling towards France A Pirats Barke that was of little price Encountred me vpon the feas by chance Whose Captaine there tooke me as in a trance Let passe my ships with all their frait and load And led me backe againe to Douer road Where vnto me recounting all my faults As murthering of Duke Humfrey in his bed And how I had brought all the Realme to naughts Causing the King vnlawfully to wed There was no grace but I must lose my head Wherefore he made me shriue me in his bote And on the brinke my necke in two he smote This was mine end which was by reason due To me and such as others deaths procure Therefore be bold to write for it is true That whoso doth such practise put in vre Of due reward at last shall be most sure For God is iust whose stroke delayed long Doth light at last with paine more sharpe and strong W. Baldwine HOW IACK CADE NAMING HIMSELFE MORTIMER TRAYTEROVSLY rebelling against his King in Iune Anno 1450. was for his treasons and cruell doings worthilie punished SHall I it Fortune call or my froward folly That rais'd me vp and laid me downe below Or was it courage that made me so iolly Which of the starres and bodies greement grow What ere it were this one point sure I know Which shall be meete for euery man to marke Our lust and willes our euils chiefely warke It may be well that Planets doe encline And our complexions moue our mindes to ill But such is reason that they bring to fine No worke vnayded of our lust and will For heauen and earth are subiect both to skill The will of God rul'th all it is so strong Man may by skill guide things that to him long Though lust be stout and will enclin'd to nought This forst by mixture that by heauens course Yet through the grace God hath in reason rought And giuen man no lust nor will to course But may be staied or swaged of the sourse So that it shall in nothing force the minde To worke our woe or leaue the proper kind But though this grace be giuen to some man To rule the will and keepe the mind aloft Yet few there be'mongst men that vse it can These worldly pleasures tickle vs so oft The spirit weake and will strong flesh is soft And yeeldes it selfe to pleasure that it loueth And hales the mind to that it most reproueth Now if this hap whereby we yeeld our mind To lust and will be Fortune as we name her Then is she iustly called false and blind And no reproch can be too much to blame her Yet is the shame our owne when so we shame her For sure this hap if it be rightly knowne Comes of our selues and so the blame our owne For whoso liueth in the schoole of skill And medleth not with any worlds affaires Forsaketh pomps and honors that doe spill The minds recourse to Graces quiet staires His state no Fortune by no meane appaires For Fortune is the only foe of those Which to the world their wretched willes dispose Among which fooles marke Baldwine I am one That would not stay my selfe in mine estate I thought to rule but to obay to none And therefore fell I with my King at bate And to the end I might him better mate Iohn Mortimer I caus'd my selfe be called Whose kingly bloud the Henries nigh had thrall'd This shift I vs'd the people to perswade To leaue their Prince on my side more to sticke Whereas indeed my fathers name was Cade Whose noble stocke was neuer worth a sticke But touching wit I was both ripe and quicke Had strength of limmes large stature comely face Which made men weene my linage were not base And seeing stoutnes stucke by men in Kent Whose valiant hearts refuse none enterprise With false perswasions straight to them I went And said they suffered too great iniuries By meane whereof I caused them to rise And battaile-wise to come to Blacke Heath plaine And thence their griefes vnto the King complaine Who being deafe as men say on that eare For we desired release of subsidies Refused roughly our requests to heare And came against vs as his enemies But we to stay him sought out subtilties Remou'd our Campe and backe to Senock went After whom the Staffords with their power were sent See here how Fortune setting vs a flote Brought to our nets a portion of our pray For why the Staffords with
their army hote Assailed vs at Senocke where we lay From whence aliue they parted not away Which when the Kings retinue vnderstood They all affirm'd my quarell to be good Which caus'd the King and Queene whom all did hate To raise their campe and suddenly depart And that they might the peoples grudge abate T' imprison some full sore against their hart Lord Saye was one whom I made after smart For when the Staffords and their host was slaine To Black-heath field I marched backe againe And where the King would nothing heare before Now was he glad to send to know my mind And I thereby enflamed much the more Refus'd his grants so folly made me blind For this he flew and left Lord Scales behind To helpe the Towne and strenghten London Tower Towards which I marched forward with my power And found there all things at mine owne desire I entred London did there what I list The Treasurer Lord Saye I did conspire To haue condemned whereof when I mist For he by law my malice did resist By force I tooke him in Guildhall from th' heape And headed him before the crosse in Cheape His sonne in law Iames Cromer Shrief of Kent I caught at Mile-end where as then he lay Beheaded him and on a pole I sent His head to London where his fathers lay With these two heads I made a prety play For pight on poles I bare them through the street And for my sport made ech kisse other sweet Then brake I prisons let forth whom I wold And vs'd the City as it had been mine Tooke from the Merchants money ware and gold From some by force from other some by fine This at the length did cause them to repine So that Lord Scales consenting with the Maire For bad vs to their City to repaire For all this while mine host in Southwarke lay Who when they knew our passage was denied Came boldly to the bridge and made a fray For in we would the townesmen vs defied But when with strokes we had the matter tried We wan the bridge and set much part on fire This done to Southwarke backe we did retire The morow after came the Chancellour With generall pardon for my men halfe gone Which heard and read the rest within an houre Shranke all away each man to shift for one And when I saw they left me post alone I did disguise me like a Knight of the post And into Sussex rode all hope was lost And there I lurked till that cursed coyne That restlesse begle sought and found me out For straight the King by promise did enioyne A thousand marke to whomsoeuer mought Apprend my corps which made them seeke about Among the which one Alexander Iden Found out the hole wherein the Foxe was hidden But ere I fell I put him to his trumps For yeeld I would not while my hands would hold But hope of money made him stir his stumps And to assault me valiantly and bold Two houres and more our combat was not cold Till at the last he lent me such a stroke That downe I fell and neuer after spoke Then was my carcase caried like a hog To Southwarke borow where it lay a night The next day drawne to Newgate like a dog All men reioycing at the rufull sight Then were on poles my perboil'd quarters pight And set aloft for vermine to deuour Meete graue for rebels that resist the power Full little know we wretches what we do When we presume our Princes to resist We warre with God against his glorie to That placeth in his office whom he list Therefore was neuer traytour yet but mist The marke he shot and came to shamefull end Nor neuer shall till God be forst to bend God hath ordain'd the power all Princes be His Lieutenants or deputies in Realmes Against their foes therefore fighteth he And as his enmies driues them to extreames Their wise deuices proue but doltish dreames No subiect ought for any kind of cause To force the Prince but yeeld him to the lawes Wherefore O Baldwine warne men follow reason Subdue their willes and be not Fortunes slaues A shamefull end doth euer follow treason There is no trust in rebels rascall knaues In Fortune lesse which worketh as the waues From whose assaults who listeth to stand free Must follow skill and so contented bee W. Baldwine THE TRAGEDIE OF EDMVND DVKE OF SOMMERSET SLAINE IN THE FIRST battaile at Saint Albanes the 23. day of May in the 32. yeare of Henrie the sixt Anno Dom. 1454. SOme I suppose are borne vnfortunate Else good endeuours could not ill succeed What shall I call it ill fortune or fate That some mens attempts haue neuer good speed Their trauell thanklesse all bootlesse their heed Where other vnlike in working or skill Out wrestle the world and weald it at will Of the first number I count my selfe one To all mishap I weene predestinate Beleeue me Baldwine there be few or none To whom Fortune was euer more ingrate Make thou therefore my life a caueate That whose with force will worke against kind Saileth as who saith against the streame and winde For I of Sommerset Duke Edmund hight Extract by descent from Lancaster line Were it by follie or Fortunes despite Or by ill aspect of some crooked signe Of mine attempts could neuer see good fine What so I began did seldome well end God from such Fortune all good men defend Where I thought to saue most part I did spill For good hap with me was alway at warre The linage of Yorke whom I bare so ill By my spite became bright as the morning star Thus some whiles men make when faine they would mar The more ye lop trees the greater they grow The more ye stop streames the higher they flow Maugre my spite his same grew the more And mine as the Moone in the wane waxt lesse For hauing the place which he had before Gouernour of France needs I must confesse That lost was Normandie without redresse Yet wrought I alwaies that wit might contriue But what doth it boote with the streame to striue Borne was I neither to warre ne to peace For Mars was maligne to all my whole trade My birth I beleeue was in Ioues decrease When Cancer in his course being retrograde Declined from Sol to Saturnus shade Where aspects were good opposites did marre So grew mine vnhap both in peace and warre A strange natiuitie in calculation As all my liues course did after well declare Whereof in briefe to make relation That other by me may learne to beware Ouerlight credence was cause of my care And want of foresight in giuing assent To condemne Humfrey that Duke innocent Humfrey I meane that was the Protectour Duke of Glocester of the royall blood So long as he was Englands directour King Henries title to the Crowne was good This Prince as a piller most stedfastly stood Or like a prop set vnder a vine In state to vphold all Lancasters
that will by them be led My life I lost in that vnluckly place With many Lords that leaned to my part The stout Earle Percy had no better grace Clyfford couragious could not shun the dart Buckingham heir was at this mortall mart Babthorp th' Atturney with his skill in law In pleading heere appeared very raw King Henrie thus disarmed of his bands His friends and followers wanting assistence Was made a prey vnto his enemies hands Depriued of power and Princely reuerence And as a pupill void of all experience Innocent plaine and simplie witted Was as a Lambe vnto the Wolfe committed A Parliament then was called with speed A Parliament nay a plaine conspiracie When against right it was decreed That after the death of the sixt Henrie Yorke should succeed vnto the regaltie And in his life the charge and protection Of King and Realme at the Dukes direction And thus was Yorke declared Protectour Protectour said I nay Proditor plaine A rancke rebell the Princes directour A vassall to leade his Lord and Soueraigne What honest heart would not conceiue disdaine To see the foot surmount aboue the head A monster is in spite of nature bred Some happily heere will moue a farther doubt And as for Yorkes part alledge an elder right O brainelesse heads that so run in and out When length of time a state hath firmely pight And good accord hath put all strife to flight Were it not better such titles still to sleepe Then all a Realme about the triall weepe From the female came Yorke and all his seed And we of Lancaster from the heire male Of whom three Kings in order did succeed By iust descent this is no fained tale Who would haue thought that any storme or gale Our ship could shake hauing such anker hold None I thinke sure vnlesse that God so would After this hurle the King was faine to flee Northward in post for succour and releefe O blessed God how strange it was to see A rightfull Prince pursued as a theefe To thee O England what can be more repreefe Then to pursue thy Prince with armed hand What greater shame may be to any land Traytours did triumph true men lay in dust Reuing and robbing roifled euery where VVill stood for skill and law obeyed lust Might trode downe right of King there was no feare The title was tried only by shield and speare All which vnhaps that they were not foreseene Suffolke was in fault who ruled King and Queene Some heere perhaps do looke I should accuse My selfe of sleight or subtiltie vniust VVherein I should my Princes eares abuse Against the Duke to bring him in mistrust Some part whereof though needs confesse I must My fault only consisted in consent Leaning to my foes whereof I do repent If I at first when brands began to smoke The sparkes to quench by any way had sought Neuer had England felt this mortall stroke VVhich now too late lamenting helpeth nought Two points of wit too dearely haue I bought The first that better is timely to foresee Then after ouer late a counsellour to bee The second is not easily to assent To aduice giuen against thy faithfull friend But of the speaker ponder the intent The meaning full the point and finall end A Saint in shew in proofe is found a Feend The subtill man the simple to abuse Much pleasant speech and eloquence doth vse And so was I abus'd and other moe By Suffolkes sleights who sought to please the Queene Forecasting not the miserie and woe VVhich therefore came and soone was after seene VVith glosing tongue he made vs fooles to weene That Humfrey did to Englands Crowne aspire VVhich to preuent his death they did conspire VVhat should I more of mine vnhaps declare VVhereof my death at last hath made an end Not I alone was void of all this care Some besides me there were that did offend None I accuse nor yet my selfe defend Faults I know I had as none liues without My chiefe fault was folly I put thee out of doubt Folly was the chiefe the naughtie time was next VVhich made my Fortune subiect to the chiefe If England then with strife had not been vext Glorie might haue growen whereas ensued griefe Yet one thing is my comfort and reliefe Constant I was in my Princes quarrell To die or liue and spared for no parrell VVhat though Fortune enuious was my foe A noble heart ought not the sooner yeeld Nor shrinke abacke for any weale or woe But for his Prince lie bleeding in the feeld If priuie spight at any time me helde The price is paid and grieuous is my guerdon As for the rest me God I trust will pardon G. Ferrers HOW RICHARD PLANTAGENET DVKE OF YORKE was slaine through his ouer rash boldnes and his sonne the Earle of Rutland for his lacke of valiance An. Dom. 1460. TRust not in chance in whom was neuer trust Of foolish men that haue no better grace All rest renowne and deeds lie in the dust Of all the sort that sue her slipper trace What meanest thou Baldwine for to hide thy face Thou needest not feare although I misse my head Nor yet to mourne for this my sonne is dead The cause why thus I lead him in my hand His skin with blood and teares so sore bestain'd Is that thou maist the better vnderstand How hardly Fortune hath for vs ordain'd In whom her loue and hate be whole contain'd For I am Richard Prince Plantagenet The Duke of Yorke in royall race beget From Lionel the third begotten sonne Of Kingly Edward by descent I came From Philip hight his heire we first begun The crowne as due to vs by right to clame And in the end we did obtaine the same She was sole heire by due descent of line Whereby her rights and titles all were mine But marke me now I pray thee Baldwine marke And see how force oft ouerbeareth right Way how vsurpers tyrannously warke To keepe by murther that they get by might And note what troublous dangers do alight On such as seeke to repossesse their owne And how through rigour right is ouerthrowne The Duke of Herford Henrie Bolenbroke Of whom Duke Mowbray told thee now of late When void of cause he had King Richard toke He murdered him vsurped his estate Without all right or title sauing hate Of others rule or loue to rule alone These two excepted title had he none The Realme and Crowne was Edmund Mortimers Whose father Roger was King Richards heire Which caused Henrie and the Lancasters To seeke all shift our housholds to appaire For sure he was to sit beside the chaire Were we of power to claime our lawfull right Against vs therefore he did all he might His cursed sonne ensued his cruell path And kept my guiltlesse cosin strait in durance For whom my father hard entreated hath But liuing hopelesse of his liues assurance He thought it best by politike procurance To slay the King and so restore his
the nip And fault who shall for all feele they the whip For when I was by Parliament attainted King Edwards euils all were counted mine No truth auailed so lies were fast and painted Which made the people at my life repine Crying Crucifige kill that butchers line That when I should haue gone to Blockham feast I could not passe so sore they on me preast And had not been the officers so strong I thinke they would haue eaten me aliue Howbeit hardly haled from the throng I was in Fleet fast shrouded by the Shriue Thus one daies life their maliee did me giue Which when they knew for spite the next day after They kept them calme so suffered I the slaughter Now tell me Baldwine what fault dost thou find In me that iustly should such death deserue None sure except desire of honor blind Which made me seeke in offices to serue What mind so good that honors make not swerue So maist thou fee it only was my state That caus'd my death and brought me so in hate Warne therefore all men wisely to beware What offices they enterprise to beare The highest alway most maligned are Of peoples grudge and Princes hate in feare For Princes faults his faultors all men teare Which to auoid let none such office take Saue he that can for right his Prince forsake HOW SIR RICHARD NEVILL EARLE OF WARWICKE AND HIS BROTHER IOHN Lord Marquise Montacute through their too much boldnes were slaine at Barnet the 14. of Aprill Anno 1471. AMong the heauie heape of happie Knights VVhom Fortune stal'd vpon her staylesse stage Oft hoist on high oft pight in wretched plights Behold me Baldwine A perse of my age Lord Richard Neuill Earle by mariage Of VVarwicke Duchie of Sarum by descent Which erst my father through his mariage hent VVould'st thou behold false Fortune in her kind Note well my selfe so shalt thou see her naked Full faire before but too too foule behind Most drowsie still when most she seemes awaked My fame and shame her shift full oft hath shaked By enterchange alow and vp aloft The Lysard like that changeth hue full oft For while the Duke of Yorke in life remaind Mine vncle deare I was his happy hand In all attempts my purpose I attaind Though King and Queene and most Lords of the land With all their power did often me withstand For God gaue Fortune and my good behauiour Did from their Prince steale me the peoples fauour So that through me in fields right manly fought By force mine vncle tooke King Henry twice As for my cosin Edward I so wrought When both our fires were slaine through rash aduice That he atchieu'd his fathers enterprise For into Scotland King and Queene we chased By meane whereof the Kingdome he embraced Which after he had held in quiet peace For shortly after was King Henry take And put in hold his power to encrease I went to France and match him with a make The French Kinges daughter whom hee did forsake For while with paine I brought this sute to passe He to a widow rashly wedded was This made the French King shrewdly to mistrust That all my treaties had but ill pretence And when I saw my King so bent to lust That with his faith he past not to dispence Which is a Princes honours chiefe defence I could not rest till I had found a meane To mend his misse or els to marre him cleane I me allied with his brother George Incensing him his brother to maligne Through many a tale I did against him forge So that through power that we from Calais bring And found at home we fraied so the King That he did flie to Freeselandward amaine Whereby King Henry had the Crowne againe Then put we th' Earle of Worcester to death King Edwards friend a man loe foule defamed And in the while came Edward into breath For with the Duke of Burgoine so he framed That with the power that he to him had named Vnlooked for he came to England streight And got to Yorke and tooke the towne by sleight And after through the sufferance of my brother Which like a beast occasion foulely lost He came to London safe with many other And tooke the towne to good King Henries cost Who was through him from post to piller tost Till th' Earle of Oxford I and other more Assembled power his freedome to restore Whereof King Edward warned came with speed And camped with his host in Barnet towne Where we right fierce encountred him indeed On Easter day right earely on the downe There many a man was slaine and stricken downe On either side and neither part did gaine Till that I and my brother both were slaine For we to heart our ouermatched men Forsooke our steeds and in the thickest throng Ran preasing forth on foot and fought so then That downe we draue them were they nere so strong But we ere lucke had lasted very long With force and number were so foulely cloyed And rescue fail'd that quite we were destroyed Now tell me Baldwine hast thou heard or read Of any man that did as I haue done That in his time so many armies led And victorie at euery voyage won Hast thou ere heard of subiect vnder sun That plac'd and bac'd his Soueraignes so oft By enterchange now low and then aloft Perchance thou think'st my doings were not such As I and other do affirme they were And in thy mind I see thou musest much What meanes I vs'd that should me so prefer Wherein because I will thou shalt not erre The truth of all I will at large recite The short is this I was no Hypocrite I neuer did nor said saue what I ment The commonweale was still my chiefest care To priuate gaine or good was I nere bent I neuer past vpon delicious fare Of needfull food my boord was neuer bare No creditour did curse me day by day I vsed plainnesse euer pitch and pay I heard poore souldiers and poore workemen whine Because their duties were not truly pai'd Againe I saw how people did repine At those through whom their payment was delai'd And proofe did oft assure as Scripture said That God doth wreake the wretched peoples greeues I saw the polles cut off from polling theeues This made me alway iustly for to deale Which when the people plainly vnderstood Because they saw me mind the Commonweale They still endeuoured how to do me good Readie to spend their substance life and blood In any cause whereto I did them moue For sure they were it was for their behoue And so it was For when the Realme decayed By such as good King Henrie sore abused To mend the state I gaue his enemies aide But when King Edward sinfull prankes still vsed And would not mend I likewise him refused And holpe King Henrie better of the twaine And in his quarell iust I thinke was slaine And therefore Baldwine teach by proofe of mee That such as couet peoples loue
to get Must see their works and words in all agree Liue liberally and keepe them out of det On Commonwealth let all their care be set For vpright dealing debts paid poore sustained Is meane whereby all hearts are throwly gained HOW KING HENRIE THE SIXT A VERTVOVS PRINCE WAS AFter many other miseries cruelly murdered in the Tower of London the 22. of May Anno 1471. IF euer wofull wight had cause to rue his state Or by his ruefull plight to moue men mone his fate My piteous plaint may prease my mishap to rehearse Wherof the least most lightly heard the hardest hart may pierce What heart so hard can heare of innocence opprest By fraud in worldly goods but melteth in the brest When guiltlesse men be spoil'd imprisoned for their owne Who waileth not their wretched case to whom the case is knowen The Lion lickes the sores of silly wounded sheepe The dead mans corps may cause the Crocodile to weepe The waues that waste the rockes refresh the rotten reeds Such ruth the wracke of innocence in cruell creatures breeds What heart is then so hard but will for pitie bleed To heare so cruell lucke so cleare a life succeed To see a silly soule with woe and sorrow sounst A King depriu'd in prison pent to death with daggers dounst Would God the day of birth had brought me to my bere Then had I neuer felt the change of Fortunes chere Would God the graue had gript me in her greedie wombe When crowne in cradle made me King with oile of holy thombe Would God the rufull tombe had been my royall throne So should no Kingly charge haue made me make my mone O that my soule had flowen to heauen with the ioy When one sort cried God saue the King another Viue le Roy. So had I not been washt in waues of worldly wo My minde to quiet bent had not been tossed so My frends had been aliue my subiects not opprest But death or cruell destiny denied me this rest Alas what should we count the cause of wretches cares The starres do stirre them vp Astronomy declares Our humors saith the leach the double true diuines To 'th will of God or ill of man the doubtfull cause assignes Such doltish heads as dreame that all things driue by haps Count lacke of former care for cause of after claps Attributing to man a power fro God bereft Abusing vs and robbing him through their most wicked theft But God doth guide the world and euery hap by skill Our wit and willing power are poized by his will What wit most wisely wards will most deadly vrkes Though all our power would presse it down doth dash our warest workes Then destiny our sinne Gods will or else his wreake Doe worke our wretched woes for humours be too weake Except we take them so as they prouoke to sinne For through our lust by humours fed all vicious deeds beginne So sinne and they be one both working like effect And cause the wrath of God to wreake the soule infect Thus wrath and wreake diuine mans sinnes and humours ill Concurre in one though in a sort ech doth a course fulfill If likewise such as say the welkin Fortune warkes Take Fortune for our fate and Starres thereof the markes Then destiny with fate and Gods will all be one But if they meane it otherwise skath causers skies be none Thus of our heauy haps chiefe causes be but twaine Whereon the rest depend and vnder put remaine The chiefe the will diuine cald destiny and fate The other sinne through humours holpe which God doth highly hate The first appointeth paine for good mens exercise The second doth deserue due punishment for vice This witnesseth the wrath and that the loue of God The good for loue the bad for sinne God beateth with his rod. Although my sundry sinnes doe place me with the worst My haps yet cause me hope to be among the first The eye that searcheth all and seeth euery thought Is Iudge how sore I hated sinne and after vertue sought The solace of my soule my chiefest pleasure was Of worldly pomp of fame or game I did not passe My Kingdomes nor my Crowne I prised not a crum In Heauen were my riches heapt to which I sought to come Yet were my sorowes such as neuer man had like So diuers stormes at once so often did me strike But why God knowes not I except it were for this To shew by paterne of a Prince how brittle honour is Our kingdomes are but cares our state deuoid of stay Our riches ready snares to hasten our decay Our pleasures priuy pricks our vices to prouoke Our pompe 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 cry it out my death doth try it true Whereof I will in briefe rehearse the heauy hap That Baldwine in his woefull warpe my wretchednesse may wrap In Windsore borne I was and bare my fathers name Who wonne by warre all France to his eternall fame And left to me the crowne to be receiu'd in peace Through mariage made with Charles his heire vpon his lifes decease Which shortly did ensue yet died my father furst And both the Realmes were mine ere I a yeare were nurst Which as they fell too soone so faded they as fast For Charles and Edward got them both or forty yeares were past This Charles was eldest sonne of Charles my father in law To whom as heire of France the Frenchmen did them draw But Edward was the heire of Richard Duke of Yorke The heire of Roger Mortimer slaine by the kerne of Korke Before I came to age Charles had recouered France And kild my men of warre so happy was his chance And through a mad contract I made with Raynerds daughter I gaue and lost all Normandy the cause of many a slaughter First of mine vncle Humfrey abhorring sore this act Because I thereby brake a better precontract Then of the flattering Duke that first the mariage made The iust reward of such as dare their Princes ill perswade And I poore silly wretch abode the brunt of all My mariage lust so sweet was mixt with bitter gall My wife was wise and good had she ben rightly sought But our vnlawfull getting it may make a good thing nought Wherefore warne men beware how they iust promise breake Lest proofe of painfull plagues doe cause them waile the wreake Aduise well ere they grant but what they grant performe For God will plague all doublenes although we feele no worme I falsly borne in hand beleeued I did well But all things bee not true that learned men doe tell My clergie said a Prince was to no promise bound Whose words to be no gospell tho I to my griefe haue found For after mariage ioind Queene Margaret and me For one mishap afore I dayly met with three Of Normandy and France Charles got away my Crowne The Duke
of Yorke and other sought at home to put me downe Bellona rang the bell at home and all abroad With whose mishaps amaine fell Fortune did me load In France I lost my forts at home the foughten field My kinred slaine my friends opprest my selfe enforst to yeeld Duke Richard tooke me twice and forst me to resine My Crowne and titles due vnto my fathers line And kept mee as a ward did all things as him list Till that my wife through bloudy sword had tane me from his fist But though we slew the Duke my sorowes did not slake But like to Hydraes head still more and more awake For Edward through the aid of Warwicke and his brother From one field draue me to the Scots and toke me in another Then went my friends to wrack for Edward ware the Crowne For which for nine yeares space his prison held me downe Yet thence through Warwickes worke I was againe releast And Edward driuen fro the realme to seeke his friends by East But what preuaileth paine or prouidence of man To helpe him to good hap whom destiny doth ban Who moileth to remoue the rocke out of the mud Shall mire himselfe and hardly scape the swelling of the flud This all my friends haue found and I haue felt it so Ordain'd to be the touch of wretchednesse and woe For ere I had a yeare possest my seat againe I lost both it and liberty my helpers all were slaine For Edward first by stelth and sith by gathred strength Arriu'd and got to Yorke and London at the length Tooke me and tied me vp yet Warwicke was so stout He came with power to Barnet field in hope to helpe me out And there alas was slaine with many a worthy knight O Lord that euer such luck should hap in helping right Last came my wife and sonne that long lay in exile Defied the King and fought a field I may bewaile the while For there mine only sonne not thirteene yeares of age Was tane and murdred straight by Edward in his rage And shortly I my selfe to stint all further strife Stab'd with his brothers bloodie blade in prison lost my life Lo heere the heauie haps which hapned me by heape See heere the pleasant fruits that many Princes reape The painfull plagues of those that breake their lawfull bands Their meed which may and will not saue their friends from bloodie hands God grant my woful haps too grieuous to rehearce May teach all States to know how deepely dangers pierce How fraile all honors are how brittle worldly blisse That warned through my fearefull fate they feare to do amisse HOW GEORGE PLANTAGENET THIRD SONNE OF THE DVKE OF Yorke was by his brother King Edward wrongfully imprisoned and by his brother Richard miserably murdered the 11. of Ianuarie An. Dom. 1478. THe fowle is foule men say that files the nest Which makes me loth to speak now might I chuse But seeing time vnburdened hath her brest And fame blowne vp the blast of all abuse My silence rather might my life accuse Then shroud our shame though faine I would it so For truth will out although the world say no. And therefore Baldwine I do thee beseech To pause a while vpon my heauie plaint And vnneth though I vtter speedie speech No fault of wit nor folly makes me faint No headie drinkes haue giuen my tongue attaint Through quaffing craft Yet wine my wits confound Not that I dranke but wherein I was drown'd What Prince I am although I need not shew Because my wine bewrayes me by the smell For neuer man was soust in Bacchus dew To death but I through Fortunes rigour fell Yet that thou maist my storie better tell I will declare as briefely as I may My wealth my woe and causers of decay The famous house surnam'd Plantagenet Whereat Dame Fortune frowardly did frowne While Bolenbroke vniustly sought to set His Lord King Richard quite beside the Crowne Though many a day it wanted due renowne God so prefer'd by prouidence and grace That lawfull heires did neuer faile the race For Lionel King Edwards eldest child Both Eame and heire to Richard issulesse Begot faire Philip hight whom vndefil'd The Earle of March espous'd and God did blesse With fruit assign'd the kingdome to possesse I meane Sir Roger Mortimer whose heire The Earle of Cambridge maried Anne the faire This Earle of Cambridge Richard clept by name Was sonne to Edmund Langley Duke of Yorke Which Edmund was fift brother to the same Duke Lionel that all this line doth korke Of which two houses ioyned in a forke My father Richard Prince Plantagenet True Duke of Yorke was lawfull heire beget Who tooke to wife as ye shall vnderstand A mayden of a noble house and old Ralph Neuils daughter Earle of Westmerland Whose sonne Earle Richard was a Baron bold And had the right of Salisbury in hold Through mariage made with good Earle Thomas heire Whose earned praises neuer shall appaire The Duke my father had by this his wife Foure sonnes of whom the eldest Edward hight The second Edmund who did lose his life At Wakefield slaine by Clyfford cruell Knight I George am third of Clarence Duke by right The fourth borne to the mischiefe of vs all Was Glocesters Duke whom men did Richard call VVhen as our fire in sute of right was slaine VVhose life and death himselfe declared earst My brother Edward plied his cause amaine And got the Crowne as Warwicke hath rehearst The pride whereof so deepe his stomacke pearst That he forgot his friends despis'd his kin Of oath or office passing not a pin VVhich made the Earle of Warwicke to maligne My brothers state and to attempt a way To bring from prison Henrie sillie King To helpe him to the kingdome if he may And knowing me to be the chiefest stay My brother had he did me vndermine To cause me to his treasons to encline VVhereto I was prepared long before My brother had been to me so vnkind For sure no canker fretteth flesh so sore As vnkind dealing doth a louing mind Loues strongest bands vnkindnes doth vnbind It moueth loue to malice zeale to hate Chiefe friends to foes and brethren to debate And though the Earle of Warwicke subtill fire Perceiu'd I bare a grudge against my brother Yet toward his feate to set me more on fire He kindled vp one firebrand with another For knowing fancie was the forcing rother VVhich stirreth youth to any kind of strife He offered me his daughter to my wife Where through and with his craftie filed tongue He stole my heart that erst vnsteadie was For I was witlesse wanton fond and yongue Whole bent to pleasure brittle as the glasse I cannot lie In vino veritas I did esteeme the beautie of my bride Aboue my selfe and all the world beside These fond affections ioynt with lacke of skill Which trap the heart and blind the eyes of youth And pricke the mind to practise any ill So tickled me
that void of kindly truth Which if it want all wretchednesse ensueth I stinted not to persecute my brother Till time he left his kingdome to another Thus carnall loue did quench the loue of kind Till lust were lost through fancie fully fed But when at length I came vnto my mind I saw how leaudly lightnes had me led To seeke with paine the perill of my head For had King Henrie once been setled sure I was assur'd my daies could not endure And therefore though I bound my selfe with oath To helpe King Henrie all that ere I might Yet at the treatie of my brethren both Which reason granted to require but right I left his part whereby he perisht quite And reconcil'd me to my brethren twaine And so came Edward to the Crowne againe This made my fire in law to fret and fume To stampe and stare and call me false forsworne And at the length with all his power presume To helpe King Henrie vtterly forlorne Our friendly profers still he tooke in scorne Refused peace and came to Barnet field And there was kill'd because he would not yeeld His brother also there with him was slaine Whereby decayed the keyes of chiualrie For neuer liu'd the matches of them twaine In manhood power and martiall policie In vertuous thewes and friendly constancie That would to God if it had been his will They might haue turn'd to vs and liued still But what shall be shall be there is no choyce Things needs must driue as destiny decreeth For which we ought in all our haps reioyce Because the eye eterne all things foreseeth Which to no ill at any time agreeth For il's too ill to vs be good to it So far his skilles exceed our reach of wit The wounded man which must abide the smart Of stitching vp or searing of his sore As thing too bad reproues the Surgeons art Which notwithstanding doth his health restore The child likewise to science plied sore Counts knowledge ill his teacher to be wood Yet Surgerie and sciences be good But as the patients griefe and schollers paine Cause them deeme bad such things as sure be best So want of wisdome causeth vs complaine Of euery hap whereby we seeme opprest The poore do pine for pelfe the rich for rest And when as losse or sickenesse vs assaile We curse our fate our fortune we bewaile Yet for our good God worketh euery thing For through the death of these two noble Peeres My brother liu'd and raign'd a quiet King Who had they liu'd perchance in course of yeares Would haue deliuered Henrie from the breares Or holpe his sonne t' enioy the carefull Crowne Whereby our line should haue been quite put downe A carefull Crowne it may be iustly named Not only for the cares thereto annext To see the subiect well and duly framed With which good care few Kings are greatly vext But for the dred wherwith they are perplext Of losing Lordship liberty or life Which wofull wracks in kingdoms happen rife The which to shun while some too sore haue sought They haue not sparde all persons to suspect And to destroy such as they guilty thought Though no apparance proued them infect Take me for one of this wrong punisht sect Imprisond first accused without cause And done to death no processe had by lawes Wherein I note how vengeance doth acquite Like ill for ill how vices vertue quell For as my mariage loue did me excite Against the King my brother to rebell So loue to haue his children prosper well Prouoked him against both law and right To murder me his brother and his knight For by his Queene two Pincelike sonnes he had Borne to be punisht for their parents sinne Whose Fortunes calked made the father sad Such wofull haps were found to be therin Which to auouch writ in a rotten skin A prophesie was found which said a G Of Edwards children should destruction be Me to be G because my name was George My brother thought and therefore did me hate But woe be to the wicked heads that forge Such doubtfull dreames to breed vnkind debate For God a Gleue a Gibbet Grate or Gate A Gray a Griffeth or a Gregory As well as George are written with a G. Such doubtfull riddles are no prophesies For prophesies in writing though obscure Are plaine in sense the darke be very lies What God foresheweth is euident and pure Truth is no Harold nor no Sophist sure She noteth not mens names their shields nor creasts Though she compare them vnto birds and beasts But whom she doth foreshew shall raigne by force She tearmes a Wolfe a Dragon or a Beare A wilfull Prince a rainelesse raging horse A bold a Lion a Coward much in feare A Hare or Hart a craftie pricked eare A leacherous a Bull a Goat a Foale An vnderminer a Moldwarpe or a Mole By knowen beasts thus truth doth plaine declare VVhat men they be of whom she speakes before And whoso can mens properties compare And marke what beast they do resemble more Shall soone discerne who is the griesly Bore For God by beasts expresseth mens conditions And not their badges Harolds superstitions And learned Merline whom God gaue the sprite To know and vtter Princes acts to come Like to the Iewish Prophets did recite In shade of beasts their doings all and some Expressing plaine by maners of the dome That Kings and Lords such properties should haue As haue the beasts whose name he to them gaue Which while the foolish did not well consider And seeing Princes gaue for difference And knowledge of their issues mixt together All maner beasts for badges of pretence There tooke those badges to expresse the sence Of Merlines mind and those that gaue the same To be the Princes noted by their name And hereof sprang the false nam'd prophesies That go by letters ciphers armes or signes VVhich all be foolish false and craftie lies Deuis'd by ghesse or guiles vntrue diuines For when they saw that some of many lines Giue armes alike they wist not which was he VVhom Merline meant the noted beast to be For all the brood of Warwickes gaue the Beare The Buckinghams do likewise giue the Swan But which Beare-bearer should the Lion teare They were as wise as Goose the ferry man Yet in their skill they seased not to scan And to be deemed of the people wise Setforth their gloses vpon prophesies And whom they doubted openly to name They darkely tearm'd or by some letter ment For so they thought how ere the world did frame To keepe themselues from shame or being shent For howsoeuer contrary it went They might expound their meaning otherwise As haps in things should newly still arise And thus there grew of a mistaken truth An art so false as made the true suspect Whereof hath come much mischiefe more the ruth That errors should our minds so much infect True Prophets haue oft foulely been reiect The false which breed both murder war and strife Beleeu'd to
earnestly declar'd Because it is so seeld and slackly hard Th abuse and scorning of Gods ordinances Is chiefest cause of care and wofull chances Gods holy orders highly are abused When men do change their ends for strange respects They scorned are when they be cleane refused For that they cannot serue our fond affects The one our shame the other our sinne detects It is a shame for Christians to abuse them But deadly sinne for scorners to refuse them I meane not this alonely of degrees Ordaind by God for peoples preseruation But of his law good orders and decrees Prouided for his creatures conseruation And specially the state of procreation Wherein we here the number of them encrease Which shall in Heauen enioy eternall peace The only end why God ordained this Was for th' encreasing of that blessed number For whom he hath prepard eternall blisse They that refuse it for the care or cumber Being apt thereto are in a sinfull slumber No fond respect no vaine deuised vowes Can quit or bar what God in charge allowes It is not good for man to liue alone Said God and therefore made he him a make Sole life said Christ is granted few or none All seed-sheders are bound like wiues to take Yet not for lust for lands or riches sake But to beget and foster so their fruite That Heauen and Earth be stored with the suite But as the state is damnably refused Of many apt and able thereunto So is it likewise wickedly abused Of all that vse it as they should not doe Wherein are guilty all the greedy who For gaine for friendship lands or honours wed And these pollute the vndefiled bed And therfore God through iustice cannot cease To plague these faults with sundry sorts of whips As disagreement healths or wealths decrease Or lothing sore the neuer liked lips Disdiane also with rigour some times nips Presuming mates vnequally that match Some bitter leauen sowers the musty batch We worldly folke account him very wise That hath the wit most wealthily to wed By all meanes therefore alwaies we deuise To see our yssue rich in spousals sped We buy and sell rich orphanes babes scant bred Must marry ere they know what mariage meanes Boyes marry old trots old fooles wed yong queanes We call this wedding which in any wise Can bee no mariage but pollution plaine A new found trade of humane merchandise The diuels net a filthy fleshly gaine Of kinde and nature an vnnaturall staine A foule abuse of Gods most holy order And yet allow'd almost in euery border Would God I were the last that shall haue cause Against this creeping canker to complaine That men would so regard their makers lawes That all would leaue the leaudnesse of their braine That holy orders holy might remaine That our respects in wedding should not choke The end and fruite of Gods most holy yoke The Sage King Solon after that he saw What mischiefes follow missought mariages To barre all baits established this law No friend nor father shall giue heritages Coine cattell stuffe or other carriages With any maid for dowry or wedding sale By any meane on paine of banning bale Had this good law in England been in force My fire had not so cruelly been slaine My brother had not causelesse lost his corps Our mariage had not bred vs such disdaine My selfe had lack'd great part of grieuous paine VVe wedded wiues for dignitie and lands And left our liues in enuies bloodie hands My father hight Sir Richard Woduile he Espoused Bedford Duchesse and by her Had issue males my brother Iohn and me Call'd Anthony King Edward did prefer Vs far aboue the state wherein we were He ' spous'd our sister Elizabeth Whom Sir Iohn Gray made widow by his death How glad were we thinke you of this alliance So neerely coupled with so great a King VVho durst with any of vs be at defiance Thus made of might the mightiest to wring But fie what cares do highest honors bring VVhat carelesnesse our selues or friends to know VVhat spite and enuie both of high and low Because the King had made our sister Queene It was his honor to prefer her kin And sith the readiest way as wisest weene VVas first by wedding wealthie heires to win It pleas'd the Prince by like meane to begin To me he gaue the rich Lord Scales his heire A vertuous maid in my mind very faire He ioyned to my brother Iohn the old Duches of Northfolke notable of fame My nephew Thomas who had in his hold The honor and right of Marquise Dorsets name Espoused Cicelie a right wealthie dame Lord Bonuiles heire by whom he was possest In all the rights where through that house was blest The honours that my Sire attaind were diuers First Chamberlaine then Constable he was I doe omit the gainfullest Earle Riuers Thus glistred we to glory cleere as glasse Such miracles can Princes bring to passe Among their lieges whom they mind to heaue To honours false who all their guests deceiue Honours are like that cruell King of Thrace With new come guests that fed his hungry horses Or like the tyrant Busiris whose grace Offred his Gods all strangers strangled corses To forrenners so hard false honors force is That all her bourders strangers either geasts She spoiles to feede her Gods and greedy beasts Her Gods be those whom God by law or lot Or kinde by birth doth place in highest roomes Her beasts be such as greedily haue got Office or charge to guide the silly groomes These officers in law or charge are broomes Which sweep away the sweet from simple wretches And spoile th' enriched by their crafty fetches These plucke downe those whom Princes set aloft By wresting lawes and false conspiracies Yea Kings themselues by these are spoiled oft When wilfull Princes carelesly despise To heare th' oppressed peoples heauy cries Nor will correct their polling theeues then God Doth make those reues the reckles Princes rod. The second Richard is a proofe of this Whom crafty Lawyers by their lawes deposed Another patern good King Henry is Whose right by them hath diuersly beene glosed Good while he grew bad when he was vnrosed And as they sodred these and diuers other With like deceit they vsde the King my brother While he preuail'd they said he owed the Crowne All lawes and rights agreed with the same But when by drifts hee seemed to be downe All lawes and right extremely did him blame Nought saue vsurping traytour was his name So constantly the Iudges construe lawes That all agree still with the stronger cause These as I said and other like in charge Are honours horses whom shee feedes with gests For all whom Princes frankly doe enlarge With dignities these barke at in their brests Their spite their might their falsehood neuer rests Till they deuour them sparing neither bloud Ne lim ne life and all to get their good The Earle of Warwicke was a pransing courser The hauty heart
That of mishap no feare was in my breast But false Fortune whom I suspected least Did turne the wheele and with a dolefull fall Hath me bereft of honor life and all Loe what auailes in riches flouds that flowes Though she so smil'd as all the world were his Euen Kings and Kesars bidden Fortunes throwes And simple sort must beare it as it is Take heed by me that blith'd in balefull blisse My rule my riches royall blood and all When Fortune frown'd the feller made my fall For hard mishaps that happens vnto such Whose wretched state erst neuer fell no change Agreeue them not in any part so much As their distresse to whom it is so strange That all their liues nay passed pleasures range Their sudden woe that aye weild wealth at will Algates their he arts more piercingly must thrill For of my birth my blood was of the best First borne an Earle then Duke by due descent To swing the sway in Court among the rest Dame fortune me her rule most largely lent And kind with courage so my corps had blent That loe on whom but me did she most smile And whom but me loe did she most beguile Now hast thou heard the whole of my vnhap My chance my change the cause of all my care In wealth and woe how Fortune did me wrap With world at will to win me to her snare Bid Kings bid Kesars bid all states beware And tell them this from me that tri'd it true Who recklesse rules right soone may hap to rue FINIS T. Saxuist HOW COLLINGBOVRNE WAS CRVELLY EXECVTED FOR making a Rime BEware take heed take heed I say beware You Poets you that purpose to rehearce By any art what tyrants doings are Erynnis rage is growne so fell and fearce That vitious acts may not be toucht in verse The Muses freedome granted them of eld Is bar'd slie reasons treasons hie are held Be rough in rime and then they say you raile As Iuuenal was but that doth make no matter With Ieremie you shall be had to iaile Or forc'd with Martial Caesars faults to flatter Clerkes must be taught to claw and not to clatter Free Helicon and franke Parnassus hilles Are hellie haunts and ranke pernicious illes Touch couertly in termes and then you taunt Though praised Poets alway did the like Controll vs not else traytour vile auaunt What passe we what the learned do mislike Our sinnes we see wherein to swarme we seeke We passe not what the people say or thinke Their shittle hate makes none but cowards shrinke We know say they the course of Fortunes wheele How constantly it whitleth still about Arrearing now while elder headlong reele How all the riders alway hang in doubt But what for that we count him but a lout That stickes to mount and basely like a beast Liues temperatly for feare of blockam feast Indeed we would of all be deemed gods What ere we do and therefore partly hate Rude Preachers that dare threaten plagues and rods And blase the blots whereby we staine our state But nought we passe what any such do prate Of course and office they must say their pleasure And we of course must heare and mend at leasure But when these pelting Poets in their rimes Shall taunt or iest or paint our wicked workes And cause the people know and curse our crimes This vgly fault no tyrant liues but irkes Wherfore we loath such taunters worse then Turkes Whose meaning is to make vs know our misse And so to mend but they but dote in this We know our faults as well as any other We also doubt the dangers from them due Yet still we trust so right to rule the rother That scape we shall the scourges that ensue We thinke we know more shifts then other knew In vaine therefore for vs are counsels writ We know our faults and will not mend a whit These are the feats of the vnhappie sort That prease for honors wealth and pleasures vaine Cease therefore Baldwine cease I thee exhort Withdraw thy pen for nothing shalt thou gaine Saue hate with losse of paper inke and paine Few hate their faults all hate of them to heare And faultiest from fault would seeme most cleare Th' intent I know is honest plaine and good To warne the wise to fray the fond from ill But wicked worldlings are so witlesse wood That to the worst they all things construe still With rigour oft they recompence good will They racke the words till time their sinewes burst In dolefull senses strayning still the worst A painfull proofe taught me the truth of this Through tyrants rage and Fortunes cruell tourne They murdred me for meetring things amisse For wot'st thou what I am that Collingbourne Which made the rime whereof I may well mourne The Cat the Rat and Louell our Dog Do rule all England vnder a Hog Whereof the meaning was so plaine and true That euery foole peceiued it at furst Most liked it for most that most things knew In hugger mugger muttred what they durst The tyrant Prince of most was held accurst Both for his owne and for his counsels faults Of whom were three the naughtiest of all naughts Catesby was one whom I did call a Cat A craftie Lawyer catching all he could The second Ratcliffe whom I nam'd a Rat A cruell beast to gnaw on whom he should Lord Louell barkt and bit whom Richard would Whom I therefore did rightly tearme our Dog Wherewith to rime I call'd the King a Hog Till he the Crowne had caught he gaue the Bore In which estate would God he had deceased Then had the Realme not ruined so sore His nephewes raigne should not so soone haue ceased The noble blood had not been so decreased His Rat his Cat and Blood hound had not noied Such liegemen true as after they destroyed Their lawlesse acts good subiects did lament And so did I and therefore made the rimes To shew my wit how well I could inuent To warne withall the carelesse of their crimes I thought the freedome of the ancient times Stood still in force Ridentem dicere verum Quis vetat Nay nay Veritas est pessuma rerum Belike no tyrants were in Horace daies And therefore Poets freely blamed vice Witnesse their Satyrs sharpe and tragicke plaies With chiefest Princes chiefely had in price They name no man they mixe their gall with spice No more do I I name no man outright But riddle wise I meane them as I might When bruite had brought this to their guiltie eares Whose right surnames were noted in the rime They all conspired like most greedie Beares To charge me straight with this most grieuous crime And damned me the gallow tree to clime And strangled then in quarters to be cut Which should on high ore London gates be put This iudgement giuen so vehement and sore Made me exclame against their tyranny Wherewith incenst to make my paine the more They practised a shamefull villanie They cut
me downe aliue and cruellie Ript vp my panch and bulke to make me smart And lingred long ere they tooke out my hart Heere tyrant Richard plai'd the eager Hog His grashing tuskes my tender gristles shore His blood hound Louell plai'd the hungrie Dog His woluish teeth my guiltlesse carkasse tore His Rat and Cat did what they might and more Cat Catesby claw'd my guts to make me smart The Rat Ratcliffe gnawed me to the hart If Iewes had kill'd the iustest King aliue If Turkes had burnt vp Churches gods and all What greater paine could cruell hearts contriue Then that I suffred for this trespasse small I was no Prince nor Peere but yet my fall Is worthie to be thought vpon for this To see how cankard tyrants malice is To teach also all subiects to take heed They meddle not with Magistrates affaires But pray to God to mend them if it need To warne also all Poets that be strayers To keepe them close in compasse of their chayers And when they touch that they would wish amended To sauce them so that few need be offended And so to mixe their sharpe rebukes with mirth That they may pierce not causing any paine Saue such as followeth euery kindly birth Requited straight with gladnesse of the gaine A Poet must be pleasant not too plaine Faults to controule ne yet to flatter vice But sound and sweet in all things ware and wise The Greekes do paint a Poets office whole In Pegasus their fained horse with wings Whom shaped so Medusaes blood did foale Who with his feet strake out the Muses springs From flintie rockes to Helicon that clings And then flue vp into the starrie skie And there abides among the gods on hie For he that shall a perfect Poet be Must first be bred out of Medusaes bloud He must be chast and vertuous as was she Who to her powre the Ocean God withstood To th' end also his doome be iust and good He must as she looke rightly with one eye Truth to regard and write nothing awrie In courage eke he must be like a horse He may not feare to register the right What though some frowne there of he may not force No bit nor reine his tender iawes may twight He must be armde with strength of wit and sprite To dash the rocks darke causes and obscure Till he attaine the springs of truth most pure His hooues also must pliant be and strong To rieue the rocks of lust and errors blind In brainlesse heads that alway wander wrong These must he bruse with reasons plaine and kind Till springs of grace doe gush out of the mind For till affections from the fond be driuen In vaine is truth told or good counsell giuen Like Pegasus a Poet must haue wings To flie to heauen or where him liketh best He must haue knowledge of eternall things Almightie Ioue must harbour in his brest With worldly cares he may not be opprest The wings of wit and skill must heaue him hier With great delight to satisfie desier He must also be lusty free and swift To trauaile far to view the trades of men Great knowledge oft is gotten by this shift Things that import he must be quicke to pen Reprouing vices sharply now and then He must be swift when touched tyrants chafe To gallop thence to keepe his carkas safe If I had well these qualities considered Especially that which I touched last With speedie flight my feet should haue deliuered My feeble bodie from most boistrous blast They should haue caught me ere I had bin cast But too much trusting to a tyrants grace I neuer shrunke nor changed port or place I thought the Poets ancient liberties For pleas had been allowed at the bar I had forgot how new found tyrannies With truth and freedome were at open war That lust was law that might did make and mar That among tyrants t' is and euer was Sic volo sic iubeo stet pro ratione voluntas Where lust is law it booteth not to pleade No priuiledge nor liberties auaile But with the learn'd whom law and wisdome leade Although through rashnesse Poets hap to raile A plea of dotage may all quarels quaile Their old licence their writings to expound Doth quit them cleare from faults by Momus sound This freedome old ought not to be debard From any wight that speaketh ought or writeth The Authors meaning should of right be heard He knoweth best to what end he enditeth Words sometime beare more then the heart behiteth Admit therefore the Authors exposition If plaine for truth if forc'd for his submission In case of slander lawes require no more Saue to amend that seemed not well said Or to vnsay the slanders said afore And aske forgiuenesse for the hastie braid To Heretikes no greater paine is laid Then to recant their errours or retract And worse then these can be no writers act Yes quoth the Cat thy railing words be treason And treason is far worse then heresie Then must it follow by this awkeward reason That Kings be more then God in maiestie And soules be lesse then bodies in degree For heretikes both soules and God offend Traytours but seeke to bring mans life to end I speake not this t' abase the hainous fault Of trayterous acts abhor'd by God and man But to make plaine their iudgement to be naught That heresie for lesser sinne do ban I curse them both as deepe as any can And alway did yet through my foolish rime They stayned me with that most hatefull crime I neuer meant the King or Counsell harme Vnlesse to wish them safetie were offence Against their power I neuer lifted arme Nor pen nor tongue for any ill pretence The rime I made though rude was sound in sence For they therein whom I so fondly named So ruled all that they were foule defamed This was no treason but the very troth They ruled all none could deny the same What was the cause then why they were so wroth What is it treason in a riming frame To clip to stretch to adde or change a name And this reseru'd there is no rime nor reason That any craft can clout to seeme a treason For where I meant the King by name of Hog I only alluded to his badge the Bore To Louels name I added more our Dog Because most dogs haue borne that name of yere These metaphors I vs'd with other more As Cat and Rat the halfe names of the rest To hide the sense that they so wrongly wrest I pray you now what treason find you heere Enough you rub'd the guiltie on the gaule Both sense and names do note them very neere I grant that was the chiefe cause of my faule Yet can you find therein no treason at all There is no word against the Prince or State No harme to them whom all the Realme did hate But sith the guiltie alwaies are suspicions And dread the ruine that must sue by reason They cannot chuse but
his iarring out may see Without good meane the song can neuer sweetly gree Leaue out the meane or let him keepe no tune And you shall sing when Easter falles in Iune Euen so if meaner sorts doe iangle here and iar To languish vnder Mars but fill good peace with fight As discord foule in musicke fit they for the war They neuer can atchieue the victory aright Lead such as square or feare then farewell all good night A sheepe is euen as good to starting stand and bea As he that iangles wrangles rangles runnes awea Then whoso deales for warre must wisely make his mart And choose such souldiers stout will stiffe in warfare stand If he not recke what ruffian roisters take his part He weeldes vnwisely then the mace of Mars in hand He must be able eke to deeme for sea and land What men may serue to best aduantage make And them instruct fine warlike points to take With skilfull knowledge fraight he must be void of feare Of wisedom so discreete so sober graue and sage To deeme perceiue abide aduentures both to beare As may in all exploits of fight with Fortune wage He must haue art in vre and vse not rule by rage Wise dealing sets the souldiers sure in ray Wilde ouer rashnesse casteth all away The cause ground place and time the order of their fights The valour of his foes and what is their intent The weather faire or foule occasion of the nights What witty wiles and policies may them preuent And how the time or store of th' enmies hath been spent All these I say must well be waide before By him that sets in warres of credit store In all which points that noble Duke his grace did passe I meane the Regent good for chusing vsing men By nature fram'd thereto he wondrous skilfull was And friendly vsed all instructing now and then Not only Captaines stout that were his countrie men But also sundrie souldiers as occasion came And taught them how to warres themselues to frame His princely grace and gesture yet me thinkes I see And how he bare himselfe to deale for warre or peace In warre full Mars-like hardie sterne and bold was he And meek and prudent merciful when stormes of wars did cease Whom pitie mou'd as much inflicted paines to release As euer wight in whom the broiles of warre Or force of fights had entred in so far VVhich if againe to rue the losse of such a friend In sight with plaints of teares the fountaines out might flow So all lamenting Muses would me wailings lend The dolours of my heart in sight again to show I would deplore his death and Englands cause of woe With such sad mourning tunes and such sobs sighes and teares As were not seene for one this ten times twentie yeares For why this noble Prince when we had needed most To set the states of France and England in a stay That feared was of foes in euery forren coast Too soone alas this Duke was taken hence away In France he di'd he lasse lament his losse we may That Regent regall rule of publique right Loe how my hurts afresh beweepe this wanted wight With that his wounds me thought gan freshly bleed And he waxt faint and fell and my salt teares Ran downe my rufull cheekes with trickling speed For who could chuse that such cause sees and heares O worthie Knight quoth I whose loyall faith appeares Cease wailes rise vp instruct my quiuering pen To tell the rest of Fortunes doublings then I haue quoth he not Fortunes flatterie to accuse Nor Fate nor Destinie nor any fancie faind I haue no cause t' affirme that these could ought misuse This noble Prince whose life acts such fame and honour gaind But our deserts our sinnes and our offences staind This noble Ile and vs our sinnes I say Offending God he tooke this Prince away He lasse how loth can I returne and leaue this pearle in Roane My Lord Iohn Duke of Bedford there his corps yet lies Enclosd with costly tombe wrought curiously of stone By North the altar high delighting many Martiall eyes Within our Ladie Church where fame him lifts to skies By daily view his name renoum'd exalted is And soule I trust full sweetly sweames in blisse Needs must I enterline my talke a while with this And then I will returne to tell you how I sped When once the French men saw this noble Duke to misse Which English armies all gainst foes with fortunes led They liu'd at large rebeld against their soueraigne head Forsooke their oathes allegeance all denide And English men with all their force defide While he did liue they durst not so to deale They durst not dare with th' English oft to fraie They found it was not for their owne of publique weale To rise against their Lord the Regent in arraie Soone after he was dead departed hence away Both French and Normanes close to win did close And we diuided were our rights abroad to lose The feend I thinke deuisde a way to make the breach By enuie bred in breasts of two right noble Peeres Which mischiefe hatcht in England then may teach All noble men that liue hence many hundred yeares Beware of Enuie blacke how far she deares Euen their examples tell how true our Christ doth say Each realme towne house in ciuil strife shall desolate decay Perdie the Duke of Yorke was Regent made of France At which the Duke of Sommerset did much repine He thought they rather ought him so t' aduance King Henries kin for honour of his Princely line But marke the grape which grew on this vngracious vine I will not say it after stroid their lines and houses nie But this I say we daily saw dishonour came thereby For though the hauty Duke were worthy it to haue As well for courage good as vertues honour due Yet sith to 'th Duke of Yorke th' election first it gaue And he the saddle mist what needed he to rue When tumults great and sturres in France yet daily grew He nild the Regent hence dispatcht in many daies That losse might win him hurt or long dispraise Wild wengand on such ire wherby the realme doth lose What gaine haue they which heaue at honour so At home disdaine and greefe abroad they friend their foes I must be plaine in that which wrought my webs of woe My webs quoth I would God they had wrought no moe It was the cause of many a bleeding English brest And to the French their end of woefull warres addrest I dare auouch if they had firme in friendship bode And soothly as beseemd ioin'd frendly hand with hands They had not felt defame in any forraine rode Nor had not so beene sent with losse from Gallia strands They might possession kept still of their conquerd lands And able been to tride themselues so true As might haue made their enmies still to rue For while the Duke of Sommerset made here so great delaies That
I could the King perswade And make him pause and take therein a breath Till I with suite the faultors peace had made I knew what way to vse him in his trade I had the art to make the Lion meeke There was no point wherein I was to seeke If I did frowne who then did looke a wrie If I did smile who would not laugh outright If I but speake who durst my words denie If I pursude who would forsake the flight I meane my powre was knowne to euery wight On such a height good hap had built my bowre As though my sweete should nere haue turnd to sowre My husband then as one that knew his good Refusde to keepe a Princes Concubine Forseeing th' end and mischiefe as it stood Against the King did neuer much repine He saw the grape whereof hee dranke the wine Though inward thought his heart did still torment Yet outwardly he seemd he was content To purchase praise and win the peoples zeale Yea rather bent of kinde to do some good I euer did vphold the common weale I had delight to saue the guiltlesse blood Each suters cause when that I vnderstood I did prefer as it had bene mine owne And help them vp that might haue been orethrowne My powre was prest to right the poore mans wrong My hands were free to giue where need required To watch for grace I neuer thought it long To do men good I need not bee desired Nor yet with gifts my heart was neuer hired But when the ball was at my foote to guide I plaid to those that Fortune did abide My want was wealth my woe was ease at will Ny robes were rich and brauer then the sunne My Fortune then was far aboue my skill My state was great my glasse did euer runne My fatall threed so happely was spunne That then I sate in earthly pleasures clad And for the time a Goddesse place I had But I had not so soone this life possest But my good hap began to slip aside And Fortune then did me so sore molest That vnto plaints was turned all my pride It booted not to row against the tide Mine oares were weake my heart and strength did saile The winde was rough I durst not beare a saile What steps of strife belong to high estate The climing vp is doubtfull to endure The seat it selfe doth purchase priuie hate And honors fame is fickle and vnsure And all she brings is flowres that be vnpure Which fall as fast as they do sprout and spring And cannot last they are so vaine a thing We count no care to catch that we do wish But what we win is long to vs vnknowen Till present paine be serued in our dish We scarce perceiue whereon our griefe hath growen What graine proues well that is so rashly sowen If that a meane did measure all our deeds In steed of corne we should not gather weeds The setled mind is free from Fortunes power They need not feare who looke not vp aloft But they that climbe are carefull euery hower For when they fall they light not very soft Examples haue the wisest warned oft That where the trees the smallest branches bere The stormes do blow and haue most rigour there Where is it strong but neere the ground and roote Where is it weake but on the highest sprayes Where may a man so surely set his foote But on those bowes that groweth low alwayes The little twigs are but vnstedfast stayes If they breake not they bend with euery blast Who trusts to them shall neuer stand full fast The winde is great vpon the highest hilles The quiet life is in the dale below Who treads on ice shall slide against their willes They want not cares that curious arts would know VVho liues at ease and can content him so Is perfect wise and sets vs all to schoole VVho hates this lore may well be call'd a foole VVhat greater griefe may come to any life Then after sweete to taste the bitter sowre Or after peace to fall at warre and strife Or after mirth to haue a cause to lowre Vnder such props false Fortune builds her bowre On sudden change her flittering frames be set Where is no way for to escape the net The hastie smart that Fortune sends in spite Is hard to brooke where gladnesse we embrace She threatens not but suddenly doth smite Where ioy is most there doth she sorow place But sure I thinke this is too strange a case For vs to feele such griefe amid our game And know not why vntill we taste the same As erst I said my blisse was turn'd to bale I had good cause to weepe and wring my hands And shew sad cheare with countenance full pale For I was brought in sorowes wofull bands A pirrie came and set my ship on sands What should I hide or colour care and noy King Edward di'd in whom was all my ioy And when the earth receiued had his corse And that in tombe this worthie Prince was laid The world on me began to shew his force Of troubles then my part I long assai'd For they of whom I neuer was afrai'd Vndid me most and wrought me such despite That they berest me from my pleasure quite As long as life remain'd in Edwards brest Who was but I who had such friends at call His bodie was no sooner put in chest But well was he that could procure my fall His brother was mine enmie most of all Protector then whose vice did still abound From ill to worse till death did him confound He falsely fain'd that I of counsell was To poison him which thing I neuer ment But he could set thereon a face of brasse To bring to passe his leaud and false intent To such mischiefe this tyrants heart was bent To God ne man he neuer stood in awe For in his wrath he made his will a law Lord Hastings blood for vengeance on him cries And many moe that were too long to name But most of all and in most wofull wise I had good cause this wretched man to blame Before the world I suffred open shame Where people were as thick as is the sand I penance tooke with taper in my hand Each eye did stare and looke me in the face As I past by the rumours on me ran But patience then had lent me such a grace My quiet lookes were prais'd of euery man The shamefast blood brought me such colour than That thousands said which saw my sober cheere It is great ruth to see this woman heere But what preuail'd the peoples pitie there This raging wolfe would spare no guiltlesse blood Oh wicked wombe that such ill fruit did beare Oh cursed earth that yeeldeth forth such mud The hell consume all things that did thee good The heauens shut their gates against thy spreete The world tread downe thy glorie vnder feete I aske of God a vengeance on thy bones Thy stinking corps corrupts the aire I know Thy
Princes face For poore mens sutes and holpe their woefull case Yet she had not such credit as I gate Although a King would heare the parret prate My words were graue and bore an equall poies In ballance iust for many a weightie cause She pleasd a Prince with pretty merry toies And had no sight in state nor course of lawes I could perswade and make a Prince to pawes And take a breath before he drew the sword And spie the time to rule him with a word I will not say but fancy may do much Yet world will grant that wisdome may do more To wanton girls affection is not such That Princes wise wil be abusde therfore One sute of mine was surely worth a score Of hers indeed for she her time must watch And at all howres I durst go draw the latch My voice but heard the dore was open streight She might not come till she were cald or brought I rul'd the King by custome art and sleight And knew full well the secrets of his thought Without my mind all that was done was nought In wars or peace my counsell swaied all For still the King would for the Cardnall call I kept a court my selfe as great as his I not compare vnto my master here But looke my Lords what liuely world was this That one poore man became so great a peere Yet though this tale be very strange to here Wit wins a world and who hath hap and wit With triumph long in princely throne may sit What man like me bare rule in any age I shone like Sun more cleare then morning star Was neuer part so plaid in open stage As mine nor fame of man flew halfe so far I sate on bench when thowsands at the bar Did plead for right for I in publique weale Lord Chancelor was and had the great broad seale Now haue I told how I did rise aloft And sate with pride and pomp in golden hall And set my feete on costly carpets soft And plaid at goale with goodly golden ball But after Lord I must rehearse my fall O trembling heart thou canst not now for teares Present that tale vnto the hearers eares Best weepe it out and sudden silence keepe Till priuy pangs make pinched heart complaine Or cast thy selfe into some slumbring sleepe Till wakened wits remembrance bring againe When heauy teares do hollow cheekes distaine The world will thinke thy sprits are growne so weake The feeble tongue hath sure no power to speake A tale by signes with sighes and sobs set out Moues peoples mindes to pity plagued men With howling voice do rather crie and shout And so by arte shew forth thy sorrow then For if thou speake some man will note with pen What Wolsey said and what threw Wolsey downe And vnder foote flings Wolseis great renowne What force of that my fall must needs be herd Before I fell I had a time to rise As fatall chance and Fortune me preferd So mischiefe came and did my state despise If I might plead my case among the wise I could excuse right much of mine offence But leaue a while such matter in suspence The Pope or pride or peeuish parts of mine Made King to frowne and take the seale from me Now seru'd no words nor pleasant speeches fine Now Wolsey lo must needes disgraced be Yet had I leaue as dolefull prisner free To keepe a house God wot with heauy cheere Where that I found no wine ne bread nor beere My time was come I could no longer liue What should I make my sorrow further knowne Vpon some cause that King that all did giue Tooke all againe and so possest his owne My goods my plate and all was ouerthrowne And looke what I had gathred many a day Within one houre was cleanly swept away But harken now how that my Fortune fell To Yorke I must where I the Bishop was Where I by right in grace a while did dwell And was in stawle with honour great to passe The Priors then and Abbots gan to smell How Cardnall must be honourd as he ought And for that day was great prouision brought At Cawood then where I great buildings made And did through cause expect my stawling day The King deuisde a secret vnder shade How Cardnall should bee rest and brought away One Wealsh a Knight came downe in good aray And seasned sure because from Court hee came On Wolsey wolfe that spoiled many a lambe Then was I led toward Court like dog in string And brought as biefe that Butcher-row must see But still I hopte to come before the King And that repaire was not denide to me But he that kept the Towre my guide must be Ah there I saw what King thereby did meane And so I searcht if conscience now were cleane Some spots I found of pride and popish parts That might accuse a better man then I Now Oxford came to minde with all their arts And Cambridge too but all not worth a flie For schoolemen can no foule defects supplie My sauce was sowre though meate before was sweete Now Wolsey lackt both cunning wit and spreete A deepe conceit of that possest my head So fell I sicke consum'd as some did thinke So tooke in haste my chamber and my bed On which deuice perhaps the world might winke But in the heart sharpe sorrow so did sinke That gladnes sweete forsooke my senses all In those extremes did yeeld vnto my fall O let me curse the popish Cardnall hat Those miters big beset with pearle and stones And all the rest of trash I know not what The saints in shrine their flesh and rotten bones The maske of Monkes deuised for the nones And all the flocke of Freers what ere they are That brought me vp and left me there so bare O cursed priests that prate for profits sake And follow floud and tide where ere it floes O merchants fine that do aduantage take Of euery graine how euer market goes O fie on wolues that march in masking cloes For to deuoure the lambs when shepherd sleepes And woe to you that promise neuer keepes You said I should be reskude if I need And you would curse with candell booke and bell But when ye should now serue my turne indeed Yee haue no house I know not where ye dwell O Freers and Monkes your harbour is in hell For in this world ye haue no rightfull place Nor dare not once in heauen shew your face Your fault not halfe so great as was my pride For which offence fell Lucifer from skies Although I would that wilfull folly hide The thing lies plaine before the peoples eies On which hie heart a hatefull name doth ries It hath been said of old and daily will Pride goes before and shame comes after still Pride is a thing that God and man abores A swelling tode that poisons euery place A stinking wound that breedeth many sores A priuie plague found out in stately face A painted bird that