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
lings brest Whom not desire of raigne did driue to field But mothers pride who longd the Realme to wield But straight my death shall shew my worthie meed If first to one other murther I proceed VVhile Edward liued dissembled discord lurked In double hearts yet so his reuerence worked But when succeeding tender feeble age Gaue open gap to tyrants rushing rage I holpe the Boare and Bucke to captiuate Lord Riuers Gray sir Thomas Vaughan and Hawte If land would helpe the sea well earnd that ground It selfe to be with conquering waues surround Their speedie death by priuie dome procured At Pomfret tho my life short while endured My selfe I slue when them I damned to death At once my throate I riued and reft them breath For that selfe day before or neere the hower That withred Atropos nipt the springing flower VVith violent hand of their forth running life My head and body in Tower twinde like knife By this my paterne all ye peeres beware Oft hangth he himselfe who others weenth to snare Spare to be each others butcher Feare the Kite VVho soareth aloft while frog and mouse do fight In ciuil combat grappling void of feare Of forreine foe at once al both to beare Which plainer by my pitied plaint to see A while anew your listning lend to mee Too true it is two sundrie assemblies kept At Crosbies place and Baynards Castle set The Dukes at Crosbies but at Baynards we The one to crowne a king the other to be Suspicious is secession of foule frends When eithers drift to th' others mischief tends I fear'd the end my Catesbies being there Discharg'd all doubts Him held I most entire Whose great preserment by my meanes I thought Some spurre to pay the thankfulnesse hee ought The trust he ought me made me trust him so That priuie he was both to my weale and wo. My hearts one halfe my chest of confidence Mine only trust my ioy dwelt in his presence I lou'd him Baldwine as the apple of mine eye I loath'd my life when Catesby would me die Flie from thy chanel Thames forsake thy streames Leaue the Adamant Iron Phoebus lay thy beames Cease heauenly Sphears at last your weary warke Betray your charge returne to Chaos darke At least some ruthlesse Tiger hang her whelp My Catesby so with some excuse to help And me to comfort that I alone ne seeme Of all dame natures workes left in extreeme A Golden treasure is the tried frend But who may Gold from Counterfaits defend Trust not too soone nor yet too soone mistrust With th' one thy selfe with th' other thy friend thou hurt'st VVho twin'th betwixt and steareth the golden meane Nor rashly loueth nor mistrusteth in vaine In friendship soueraigne it is as Mithridate Thy friend to loue as one whom thou maist hate Of tickle credit ne had bin the mischiefe What needed Virbius miracle doubled life Credulity surnamed first the Aegean Seas Mistrust doth reason in the trustiest raise Suspicious Romulus stain'd his Walls first reard With brothers bloud whom for light leape he feard So not in brotherhood ielousie may be borne The ielous Cuckold weares the Infamous Horne A beast may preach by triall not foresight Could I haue shund light credit nere had light The dreaded death vpon my guilty head But Fooles aye wont to learne by after read Had Catesby kept vnstaind the truth he plight Yet had yet enioied me and I yet the light All Derbies doubts I cleared with his name I knew no harme could hap me without his blame But see the fruites of tickle light beleefe The ambitious Dukes corrupt the Traitor theefe To grope mee if allured I would assent To bin a Partner of their cursed intent Whereto when as by no meanes friendship vail'd By Tyrant force behold they me assail'd And summond shortly a Counsell in the Tower Of Iune the fifteenth at appointed hower Alas are Counsels wried to catch the good No place is now exempt from sheading bloud Sith counsels that were carefull to preserue The guiltelesse good are meanes to make them starue VVhat may not mischiefe of Mad man abuse Religious cloake some one to vice doth chuse And maketh God Protectour of his crime Omonstrous world well ought we wish thy fine The fatall skies roll on the blackest day VVhen doubled bloudshed my bloud must repay Others none forceth To me sir Thomas Haward As spurre is buckled to prouoke me froward Derbie who feared the parted sittings yore Whether much more he knew by experience hoare Or better minded clearelier truth could see At midnight darke this message sends to mee Hastings away in sleepe the gods foreshow By dreadfull dreame fell fates vnto vs two Me thought a Bore with tuske so raced our throate That both our shoulders of the blood did smoake Arise to horse straight homeward let vs hie And seeth our foe we cannot match O flie Of Chanteclere you learne dreames sooth to know Thence wisemen construe more then the cock doth crow While thus he spake I held within mine arme Shores wife the tender piece to keepe me warme Fie on adulterie fie on leacherous lust Marke in me ye Nobles all Gods iudgements iust A Pander Murderer and Adulterer thus Only such death I die as I ne blush Now lest my dame might thinke appall'd my hart With eager mood vp in my bed I start And is thy Lord quoth I a Sorcerer A wiseman now become a dreame reader What though so Chanteclere crowed I reck it not On my part pleadeth as well dame Partelot Vniudg'd hang'th yet the case betwixt them tway Nay was his dreame cause of his hap I say Shall dreaming doubts from Prince my seruing slack Nay then might Hastings life and liuing lacke He parteth I sleepe my mind surcharg'd with sinne As Phoebus beames by mistie cloud kept in Ne could misgiue ne dreame of my mishap As blocke I tumbled to mine enemies trap Securitie causelesse through my fained frend Reft me foresight of my approching end So Catesby clawed me as when the Cat doth play Dallying with Mouse whom straight she meanes to slay The morow come the latest light to me On Palfray mounted to the Tower I hie Accompanied with that Haward my mortall foe To slaughter led thou God didst suffer so O deepe dissemblers honoring with your cheare Whom in hid heart you trayterously teare Neuer had Realme so open signes of wrack As I had shewed me of my heauie hap The vision first of Stanley late descried Then mirth so extreame that neare for ioy I died Were it that Swanlike I foresong my death Or merrie mind foresaw the losse of breath That long it coueted from this earths annoy But euen as siker as th' end of woe is ioy And glorious light to obscure night doth tend So extreame mirth in extreame mone doth end For why extreames are haps rackt out of course By violent might far swinged forth perforce Which as they are piercing'st while they violent'st moue For that they
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Sorcerie some call Would know of things which after should befall And for that cause made her selfe acquainted With mother Madge called the witch of Eye And with a Clerke that after was attainted Bolenbroke he hight that learned was that way With other moe which famous were that day As well in Science called Mathematicall As also in Magicke skill supernaturall These cunning folkes she set on worke to know The time how long the King should liue and raigne Some by the Starres and some by feends below Some by witchcraft sought knowledge to attaine With like fancies friuolous fond and vaine Whereof though I knew least of any man Yet by that meane my mischiefe first began Yet besides this there was a greater thing How she in waxe by counsell of the witch An Image made crowned like a King With sword in hand in shape and likenesse sich As was the King which daily they did pitch Against a fire that as the waxe did melt So should his life consume away vnfelt My Duchesse thus accused of this crime As she that should such practise first begin My part was then to yeeld vnto the time Giuing her leaue to deale alone therein And since the cause concerned deadly sinne Which to the Clergie only doth pertaine To deale therein I plainly did refraine And suffered them her person to ascite Into their Courts to answere and appeare Which to my heart was sure the greatest spite That could be wrought and touched me most neare To see my wife and Ladie leefe and deare To my reproch and plaine before my face Entreated so as one of sort most base The Clergie then examining her cause Conuinced her as guiltie in the same And sentence gaue according to their lawes That she and they whom I before did name Should suffer death or else some open shame Of which penance my wife by sentence had To suffer shame of both the two more bad And first she must by daies together three Through London streets passe all along in sight Bareleg'd and barefoot that all the world might see Bearing in hand a burning taper bright And not content with this extreame despight To worke me woe in all they may or can Exil'd she was into the I le of Man This heinous crime and open worldly shame With such rigour shewed vnto my wife Was a fine fetch further things to frame And nothing else but a preparatiue First from office and finally from life Me to depriue and so passing further What law could not to execute by murther Which by slie drifts and windlaces aloofe They brought about perswading first the Queene That in effect it was the Kings reproofe And hers also to be exempted cleane From princely rule or that it should be seene A King of yeares still gouerned to bee Like a pupill that nothing could foresee The danger more considering the King Was without child I being his next heire To rule the Realme as Prince in euery thing Without restraint and all the sway to beare With peoples loue whereby it was to feare That my haut heart vnbridled in desire Time would preuent and to the Crowne aspire These with such like were put into her head Who of herselfe was thereto soone enclin'd Other there were that this ill humour fed To neither part that had good will or mind The Duke of Yorke our cosin most vnkind Who keeping close a title to the Crowne Lancasters house did labour to pull downe The stay whereof he tooke to stand in me Seeing the King of courage nothing stout Neither of wit great perill to foresee So for purpose if he could bring about Me to displace then did he little doubt To gaine the Goale for which he droue the ball The Crowne I meane to catch ere it should fall This hope made him against me to conspire With those which foes were to each other late The Queene did weene to win her whole desire Which was to rule the King and all the State If I were rid whom therefore she did hate Forecasting not when that was brought to passe How weake of friends the King her husband was The Dukes two of Excester and Buckingham With the Marquise Dorset therein did agree But namely the Marquise of Suffolke William Contriuer chiefe of this conspiracie With other moe that sate still and did see Their mortall foes on me to whet their kniues Which turn'd at last to losse of all their liues But vaine desire of soueraingtie and rule Which otherwise Ambition hath no name So stir'd the Queene that wilfull as a Mule Headlong she runnes from smoke into the flame Driuing a drift which after did so frame As she the King with all their line and race Depriued were of honor life and place So for purpose she thought it very good With former foes in friendship to confeder The Duke of Yorke and other of his blood With Neuils all knit were then all together And Delapoole friend afore to neither The Cardinall also came within this list As Herode and Pilate to iudge Iesus Christ This cursed league too late discouered was By Bayards blind that linked in the line The Queene and Cardinall brought it so to passe With Marquise Suffolke master of this mine Whose ill aduice was counted very fine With other moe which finely could disguise With false visours my mischiefe to deuise Concluding thus they point without delay Parliament to hold in some vnhaunted place Far from London out of the common way Where few or none should vnderstand the case But whom the Queene and Cardinall did embrace And so for place they chose Saint Edmundsburie Since when some say England was neuer merrie Summons was sent this company to call Which made me muse that in so great a case I should no whit of counsell be at all Who yet had rule and next the King in place Me thought nothing my state could more disgrace Then to beare name and in effect to be A Cypher in Algrim as all men might see And though iust cause I had for to suspect The time and place appointed by my foes And that my friends most plainly did detect The subtill traine and practise of all those Which against me great treasons did suppose Yet trust of truth with a conscience cleare Gaue me good heart in that place to appeare Vpon which trust with more haste then good speed Forward I went to that vnluckie place Dutie to shew and no whit was in dread Of any traine but bold to shew my face As a true man yet so fell out the case That after trauell seeking for repose An armed band my lodging did enclose The Vicount Beaumount who for the time supplied The office of high Constable of the Land Was with the Queene and Cardinall allied By whose support he stoutly tooke in hand My lodging to enter with an armed band And for high treason my person did arrest And laid me that night where him seemed best Then shaking and quaking for dread
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
at Lord Stanley whose braine he had surely cleft Had he not downe beneath the table crept But Ely Yorke and I were taken straight Imprisoned they I should no longer wait But charged was to shriue me and shift with hast My Lord must dine and now midday was past The Bores first dish not the bores head should be But Hastings head the borish beast would see VVhy stay I his dinner vnto the chappel ioineth A greenish hil that body and soule oft twineth There on a blocke my head was stricken off As Baptists head for Herod bloudy gnoffe Thus liu'd I Baldwine thus dide I thus I fel This is the summe which al at large to tel VVould volumes fil whence yet these lessons note Ye noble Lords to learne and ken by rote By filthie rising feare your names to staine If not for vertues loue for dread of paine VVhom so the mindes vnquiet state vpheaues Be it for loue or feare when fancie reaues Reason her right by mocking of the wit If once the cause of this affection flit Reason preuailing on the vubridled thought Downe falth he who by fancie climbe aloft So hath the riser foule no staie from fall No not of those that raisd him first of all His suretie stands in mainteining the cause That heau'd him first which rest by reasons sawes Not onely falth he to his former state But liueth for euer in his princes hate And marke my Lords God for adulterie sleath Though ye it thinke too sweete a sinne for death Serue trulie your Prince and feare not rebels might On Princes halues the mightie God doth fight O much more then forsweare a forrein foe Who seeketh your realme and country to vndo Murther detest haue hands vnstaind with bloud Aie with your succour do protect the good Chace treason where trust should be wed to your frend Your heart and power to your liues last end Flie tickle credit shun alike distrust Too true it is and credit it you must The iealous nature wanteth no stormie strife The simple soule aye leadeth a sower life Beware of flatterers friends in outward show Best is of such to make your open foe What all men seeke that all men seeke to saine Some such to be some such to seeme them paine Marke Gods iust iudgements punishing sin by sinne And slipperie state wherein aloft we swimme The prouerbe all day vp if we ne fall Agreeth well to vs high heaued worldlings all From common sort vprais'd in honors weed We shine while Fortune false whom none erst feed To stand with stay and forsweare ticklenesse Sowseth vs in mire of durtie brittlenesse And learne ye Princes by my wronged sprite Not to misconster what is meant aright The winged words too oft preuent the wit When silence ceaseth afore the lips to sit Alas what may the words yeeld worthie death The words worst is the speakers stinking breath Words are but winde why cost they then so much The guiltie kicke when they too smartly touch Forth irreturnable flieth the spoken word Be it in scoffe in earnest or in bourd Without returne and vnreceiu'd it hangs And at the takers mercie or rigour stands Which if he sowerly wrest with wrathfull cheare The shiuering word turnes to the speakers feare If friendly courtefie do the word expound To the speakers comfort sweetly it doth redound Euen as the vapour which the fire repels Turnes not to earth but in mid aire dwels Where while it hangeth if Boreas frostie flawes With rigour rattle it not to raine it thawes But thunder lightnings ratling haile or snow Sends downe to earth whence first it rose below But if faire Phoebus with his countenance sweete Resolue it downe the dew or Manna sleete The Manna dew that in the Easterne lands Excell'th the labour of the bees small hands Else for her Memnon gray Auroras teares On the earth it stilleth the partener of her feares Or sendeth sweet showers to glad their mother earth Whence first they tooke their first inconstant birth To so great griefes ill taken words do grow Of words well taken such delights do flow This learned thus be heere at length an end What since ensued to thee I will commend Now farewell Baldwine shield my torne name From slanderous trumpe of blasting blacke defame But ere I part hereof thou record beare I claime no part of vertues reckoned heere My vice my selfe but God my vertues take So hence depart I as I entred nak'd Thus ended Hastings both his life and tale Containing all his worldly blisse and bale Happie he liued too happie but for sinne Happie he died whom right his death did bring Thus euer happie For there is no meane Twixt blissefull liues and mortall deaths extreame Yet feared not his foes to staine his name And by these slanders to procure his shame In rustie armour as in extreame shift They clad themselues to cloake their diuellish drift And forth with for substantiall citizens sent Declaring to them Hastings forged intent Was to haue slaine the Duke and to haue seised The Kings yong person slaying whom he had pleas'd But God of Iustice had withturn'd that fate Which where it ought light on his proper pate Then practised they by proclamation spread Nought to forget that mought defame him dead Which was so curious and so clerkely pend So long withall that when some did attend His death so yong they saw that long before The shroud was shaped then babe to die was bore So wonteth God to blind the worldly wise That not to see that all the world espies One hearing it cried out A goodly cast And well contriued foule cast away for hast Whereto another gan in scoffe replie First pend it was by enspiring prophecie So can God rip vp secret mischiefes wrought To the confusion of the workers thought My Lords the tub that dround the Clarence Duke Dround not his death not yet his deaths rebuke Your politique secrets gard with trustie loyaltie So shall they lurke in most assured secrecie By Hastings death and after fame ye learne The earth for murder crieth out vengeance sterne Flie from his faults and spare to hurt his fame The eager hounds forbeare their slaine game Dead dead auaunt Curs from the conquered chase Ill might he liue who loueth the dead to race Thus liued this Lord thus died he thus he slept Mids forward race when first to rest he stept Enuious death that bounceth as well with mace At Kesars courts as at the poorest gates When nature seem'd too slow by this sloape meane Conueighed him sooner to his liues extreame Happie in preuenting woes that after happ'd In slumber sweete his liuing lights he lapp'd Whose hastie death if it do any grieue Know he he liu'd to die and dide to liue Vntimely neuer comes the liues last met In cradle death may rightly claime his det Straight after birth due is the fatall beere By deaths permission the aged linger heere Euen in the swathbands out commission goeth To