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
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
some write in his sicknes last Said as it were by way of prophecie How that the Diuell a Darnell graine had cast Among his kin to encrease enmity Which should remaine in their posterity Till mischiefe and murder had spent them all Not leauing one to pisse against the wall And yet from him in order did succeed In England here of crowned Kings fourteene Of that surname and of that line and seed With Dukes and Earles and many a noble Queene The number such as all the world would weene So many impes could neuer so be spent But some heire male should be of that descent Which to be true if any stand in doubt Because I meane not further to digresse Let him pursue the histories throughout Of English Kings whom practise did oppresse And he shall find the cause of their distresse From first to last vnkindly to begin Alwaies by those that next were of the kin Was not Richard of whom I spake before A rebell plaine vntill his father died And Iohn likewise an enmy euermore To Richard againe and for a rebell tried After whose death it cannot be denied Against all right this Iohn most cruelly His brothers children caused for to die Arthur and Isabell I meane that were Ieffreies children then duke of Britaine Henries third sonne by one degree more neere Then was this Iohn as stories shew most plaine Which two children were famisht or els slaine By Iohn their Eame cald Saunzterre by name Of whose foule act all countries speake great shame Edward and Richard second both by name Kings of this Land fell downe by fatall fate What was the cause that Princes of such fame Did leese at last their honour life and state Nothing at all but discord and debate Which when it haps in kinred or in bloud Erynnis rage was neuer halfe so wood Be sure therefore ye Kings and Princes all That concord in Kingdoms is chiefe assurance And that your families doe neuer fall But where discord doth lead the doubtfull dance With busie brawles and turnes of variance Where malice is minstrel the pipe ill report The maske mischiefe and so ends the sport But now to come to my purpose againe VVhilst I my charge applied in England My brother in France long time did remaine Cardinal Beauford tooke proudly in hand In causes publique against me to stand VVho of great malice so much as he might Sought in all things to doe me despite VVhich proud prelate to me was bastard Eame Sonne to Duke Iohn of Gaunt as they did faine VVho being made high Chancellour of the Realme Not like a Priest but like a Prince did raigne Nothing wanting which might his pride maintaine Bishop besides of VVinchester he was And Cardinall of Rome which Angels brought to passe Not Gods Angels but Angels of old Gold Lift him aloft in whom no cause there was By iust desert so high to be extold Riches except whereby this golden asse At home and abroad all matters brought to passe Namely at Rome hauing no meane but that To purchase there his crimz in Cardinall hat Which thing the King my father him forbad Plainly saying that he could not abide Within his Realme a subiect to be had His Princes peere yet such was this mans pride That he forth with after my father di'd The King then yong obtained of the Pope That honor high which erst he could not hope Whose proud attempts because that I withstood My bound dutie the better to acquite This holy father waxed well neere wood Of meere malice deuising day and night To worke to me dishonor and despight Whereby there fell betweene vs such a iarre As in this land was like a ciuill warre My brother Iohn which lay this while in France Heard of this hurle and past the seas in haste By whose trauell this troublesome distance Ceased a while but nerethelesse in waste For rooted hate will hardly be displaste Out of high hearts and namely where debate Happeneth amongst great persons of estate For like as a match doth lie and smoulder Long time before it commeth to the traine But yet when fire hath caught in the poulder No art is able the flames to restraine Euen so the sparkes of enuie and disdaine Out of the smoke burst forth in such a flame That France and England yet may rue the same So when of two Realmes the regiment royall Betweene brothers was parted equally One placed in France for affaires Martiall And I at home for ciuill policie To serue the state we both did so applie As honor and same to both did encrease To him for the warre to me for the peace Whence enuie sprang and specially because This proud prelate could not abide a Peere Within the land to rule the state by lawes Wherefore sifting my life and acts most neere He neuer ceast vntill as you shall heare By practise foule of him and his allies My death was wrought in most vnworthie wise And first he sought my doings to defame By rumors false which he and his did sow Letters and billes to my reproch and shame He did deuise and all about bestow Whereby my troth in doubt should daily grow In England first and afterward in France Mouing all meanes to bring me to mischance One quarell was that where by common law Murder and theft been punisht all alike So as manslayers which bloodie blades do draw Suffer no more then he that doth but pike Me thought the same no order politike In setting paines to make no difference Betweene the lesser and greater offence I being seene somewhat in ciuill law The rules thereof reputed much bitter Wherefore to keepe offenders more in awe Like as the fault was smaller or greater So set I paines more easier or bitter Weghing the qualitie of euery offence And so according pronounced sentence Among'st my other Delicta Iuuentutis Whil'st rage of youth my reason did subdue I must confesse as the very truth is Driuen by desire fond fancies to ensue A thing I did whereof great trouble grew Abusing one to my no small rebuke Which wife was then to Iohn of Brabant Duke Called she was Ladie Iaquet the faire Delitefull in loue like Helene of Troy To the Duke of Bauier sole daughter and heire Her did I marrie to my great annoy Yet for a time this dame I did enioy With her whole lands withholding them by force Till Martin the Pope betweene vs made diuorce Yet all these blasts not able were to moue The anchor strong whereby my ship did stay Some other shift to seeke him did behoue Whereto ere long ill Fortune made the way Which finally was cause of my decay And cruell death contriued by my foes Which fell out thus as now I shall disclose Eleanor my wife my Duchesse only deare I know not how but as the nature is Of women all aye curious to enquire Of things to come though I confesse in this Her fault not small and that she did amisse By witches skill which
that will by them be led My life I lost in that vnluckly place With many Lords that leaned to my part The stout Earle Percy had no better grace Clyfford couragious could not shun the dart Buckingham heir was at this mortall mart Babthorp th' Atturney with his skill in law In pleading heere appeared very raw King Henrie thus disarmed of his bands His friends and followers wanting assistence Was made a prey vnto his enemies hands Depriued of power and Princely reuerence And as a pupill void of all experience Innocent plaine and simplie witted Was as a Lambe vnto the Wolfe committed A Parliament then was called with speed A Parliament nay a plaine conspiracie When against right it was decreed That after the death of the sixt Henrie Yorke should succeed vnto the regaltie And in his life the charge and protection Of King and Realme at the Dukes direction And thus was Yorke declared Protectour Protectour said I nay Proditor plaine A rancke rebell the Princes directour A vassall to leade his Lord and Soueraigne What honest heart would not conceiue disdaine To see the foot surmount aboue the head A monster is in spite of nature bred Some happily heere will moue a farther doubt And as for Yorkes part alledge an elder right O brainelesse heads that so run in and out When length of time a state hath firmely pight And good accord hath put all strife to flight Were it not better such titles still to sleepe Then all a Realme about the triall weepe From the female came Yorke and all his seed And we of Lancaster from the heire male Of whom three Kings in order did succeed By iust descent this is no fained tale Who would haue thought that any storme or gale Our ship could shake hauing such anker hold None I thinke sure vnlesse that God so would After this hurle the King was faine to flee Northward in post for succour and releefe O blessed God how strange it was to see A rightfull Prince pursued as a theefe To thee O England what can be more repreefe Then to pursue thy Prince with armed hand What greater shame may be to any land Traytours did triumph true men lay in dust Reuing and robbing roifled euery where VVill stood for skill and law obeyed lust Might trode downe right of King there was no feare The title was tried only by shield and speare All which vnhaps that they were not foreseene Suffolke was in fault who ruled King and Queene Some heere perhaps do looke I should accuse My selfe of sleight or subtiltie vniust VVherein I should my Princes eares abuse Against the Duke to bring him in mistrust Some part whereof though needs confesse I must My fault only consisted in consent Leaning to my foes whereof I do repent If I at first when brands began to smoke The sparkes to quench by any way had sought Neuer had England felt this mortall stroke VVhich now too late lamenting helpeth nought Two points of wit too dearely haue I bought The first that better is timely to foresee Then after ouer late a counsellour to bee The second is not easily to assent To aduice giuen against thy faithfull friend But of the speaker ponder the intent The meaning full the point and finall end A Saint in shew in proofe is found a Feend The subtill man the simple to abuse Much pleasant speech and eloquence doth vse And so was I abus'd and other moe By Suffolkes sleights who sought to please the Queene Forecasting not the miserie and woe VVhich therefore came and soone was after seene VVith glosing tongue he made vs fooles to weene That Humfrey did to Englands Crowne aspire VVhich to preuent his death they did conspire VVhat should I more of mine vnhaps declare VVhereof my death at last hath made an end Not I alone was void of all this care Some besides me there were that did offend None I accuse nor yet my selfe defend Faults I know I had as none liues without My chiefe fault was folly I put thee out of doubt Folly was the chiefe the naughtie time was next VVhich made my Fortune subiect to the chiefe If England then with strife had not been vext Glorie might haue growen whereas ensued griefe Yet one thing is my comfort and reliefe Constant I was in my Princes quarrell To die or liue and spared for no parrell VVhat though Fortune enuious was my foe A noble heart ought not the sooner yeeld Nor shrinke abacke for any weale or woe But for his Prince lie bleeding in the feeld If priuie spight at any time me helde The price is paid and grieuous is my guerdon As for the rest me God I trust will pardon G. Ferrers HOW RICHARD PLANTAGENET DVKE OF YORKE was slaine through his ouer rash boldnes and his sonne the Earle of Rutland for his lacke of valiance An. Dom. 1460. TRust not in chance in whom was neuer trust Of foolish men that haue no better grace All rest renowne and deeds lie in the dust Of all the sort that sue her slipper trace What meanest thou Baldwine for to hide thy face Thou needest not feare although I misse my head Nor yet to mourne for this my sonne is dead The cause why thus I lead him in my hand His skin with blood and teares so sore bestain'd Is that thou maist the better vnderstand How hardly Fortune hath for vs ordain'd In whom her loue and hate be whole contain'd For I am Richard Prince Plantagenet The Duke of Yorke in royall race beget From Lionel the third begotten sonne Of Kingly Edward by descent I came From Philip hight his heire we first begun The crowne as due to vs by right to clame And in the end we did obtaine the same She was sole heire by due descent of line Whereby her rights and titles all were mine But marke me now I pray thee Baldwine marke And see how force oft ouerbeareth right Way how vsurpers tyrannously warke To keepe by murther that they get by might And note what troublous dangers do alight On such as seeke to repossesse their owne And how through rigour right is ouerthrowne The Duke of Herford Henrie Bolenbroke Of whom Duke Mowbray told thee now of late When void of cause he had King Richard toke He murdered him vsurped his estate Without all right or title sauing hate Of others rule or loue to rule alone These two excepted title had he none The Realme and Crowne was Edmund Mortimers Whose father Roger was King Richards heire Which caused Henrie and the Lancasters To seeke all shift our housholds to appaire For sure he was to sit beside the chaire Were we of power to claime our lawfull right Against vs therefore he did all he might His cursed sonne ensued his cruell path And kept my guiltlesse cosin strait in durance For whom my father hard entreated hath But liuing hopelesse of his liues assurance He thought it best by politike procurance To slay the King and so restore his
made me Duke of Northfolke for my labour But see how pride and enuy iointly runne Because my Prince did more than me prefer Sir Henry Bolenbroke the eldest sonne Of Iohn of Gaunt the Duke of Lancaster Proud I that would alone be blasing starre Enuide this Duke for nought saue that the shine Of his deserts did glister more then mine To th' end therefore his light should be the lesse I slily sought all shifts to put him out But as the poize that would the palme represse Doth cause the bowes spred larger round about So spite and enuy causeth glory sprout And aye the more the top is ouertrod The deeper doth the sound roote spred abrode For when this Henry Duke of Herford saw What spoile the King made of the noble bloud And that without all Iustice cause or lawe To suffer him he thought not sure nor good Wherefore to me twofaced in one hood As touching this he fully brake his minde As to his friend that should remedy finde But I although I knew my Prince did ill So that my harte abhorred sore the same Yet mischiefe so through malice led my will To bring this Duke from honour vnto shame And toward my selfe my soueraigne to enflame That I bewraied his word vnto the King Not as a read but as a hainous thing Thus where my duty bound me to haue told My Prince his fault and wild him to refraine Through flattery loe I did his ill vphold Which turnd at length both him and me to paine Woe woe to Kings whose counsailours doe faine Woe woe to Realmes where such are put in trust As leaue the Law to serue the Princes lust And woe to him that by his flattering reed Maintaines a Prince in any kind of vice Woe worth him eke for enuy pride or meed That misreports an honest enterprise Because I beast in all these points was nice The plagues of all together on me light And due for ill ill doers doth acquite For when the Duke was charged with my plaint He flat denied that any part was true And claimd by armes to answere his attaint And I by vse that warlike feates well knew To his desire incontinently drew Wherewith the King did seeme right well content As one that past not much with whom it went At time and place appointed we appeard At all points armd to proue our quarels iust And when our friends on each part had vs cheard And that the Heralds bad vs doe our lust With speare in rest we tooke a course to iust But ere our horses had run halfe their way A shout was made the King commanded stay And for t' auoid the sheading of our bloud With shame and death which one must needes haue had The King through counsaile of the Lords thought good To banish both which iudgment straight was rad No maruell then though both were wroth and sad But chiefly I that was exilde for aye My enmie strang'd but for a ten yeares day The date expir'd when by this dolefull dome I should depart to liue in banisht band On paine of death to England not to come I went my way the King seasde in his hand Mine offices my honours goods and land To pay the due as openly he told Of mighty summes which I had from him pol'd See Baldwine see the solary of sinne Marke with that meed vile vices are rewarded Through enuy I did lose both kith and kinne And for my flattering plaint so well regarded Exile and shame are iustly me awarded My wife and heire lacke lands and lawfull right And me their Lord made Dame Dianaes Knight If these mishaps at home bee not enough Adioine to them my sorowes in exile I went to Almaine first a Land right rough In which I found such churlish folke and vile As made me lothe my life ech other while There lo I learnd what is to be a gest Abroad and what to liue at home in rest For they esteeme no one man more then each They vse as well the lackey as the Lord And like their maners churlish in their speech Their lodging hard their boord to be abhor'd Their pleyted garments therewith well accord All iag'd and frounst with diuers colours deckt They sweare they curse and drinke till they be fleckt They hate all such as these their manners hate Which reason would no wise man should allow With these I dwelt lamenting mine estate Till at the length they had got knowledge how I was exil'd because I did auow A false complaint against my trustie friend For which they nam'd me traytour still vnhend That what for shame and what for wearines I stole from thence and went to Venice towne Whereas I found more ease and friendlines But greater griefe for now the great renowne Of Bolenbroke whom I would haue put downe Was waxt so great in Britaine and in France That Vencie through each man did him aduance Thus loe his glorie grew through great despite And I thereby encreased in defame Thus enuie euer doth her most acquite With trouble anguish sorow smart and shame But sets the vertues of her foe in flame Like water waues which clense the muddie stone And soyles themselues by beating thereupon Or ere I had soiourn'd there a yeare Strange tidings came he was to England gone Had tane the King and that which touch'd him neare Imprisoned him with other of his fone And made him yeeld him vp his Crowne and throne When I these things for true by search had tried Griefe gripte me so I pin'd away and died Note heere the end of pride see flatteries fine Marke the reward of enuie and complaint And warne all people from them to decline Lest likely fault do find the like attaint Let this my life to them be a restraint By others harmes who listeth take no heed Shall by his owne learne other better reed T. Churchyard HOW KING RICHARD THE SECOND WAS FOR HIS euill gouernance deposed from his seate in the yeare 1399. and murdered in prison the yeare following HAppie is the Prince that hath in wealth the grace To follow vertue keeping vices vnder But woe to him whose will hath wisdomes place For whoso renteth right and law asunder On him at length all the world shall wonder High birth choice fortune force nor Princely mace Can warrant King or Keyser from the case Behold my hap see how the silly rout On me do gaze and each to other say See where he lieth but late that was so stout Lo how the power the pride and rich aray Of mightie Rulers lightly fade away The King which erst kept all the Realme in doubt The veriest rascall now dare checke and flout Me thinke I heare the people thus deuise Wherefore Baldwine sith thou wilt declare How Princes fell to make the liuing wise My lawlesse life in no point see thou spare But paint it out that Rulers may beware Good counsell law or vertue to despise For Realmes haue rules and Rulers haue a sise
be nighest For while I suing this so good successe Laid siege to Orliaunce on the Riuer side The Bastard Cuckold Cawnies sonne I gesse Tho thought the Dukes who had the towne in guide Came fiercely forth when he his time espi'd To raise the siege but was bet backe againe And hard pursued both to his losse and paine For there we wan the Bulwarke on the bridge With a mightie tower standing fast thereby Ah cursed tower that didst my daies abridge Would God thou had'st been further either I For in this tower a chamber stands on hie From which a man may view through all the towne By certaine windowes iron grated downe Where on a day now Baldwine note mine end I stood in viewing where the towne was weake And as I busily talked with my friend Shot from the towne which all the grate did breake A pellet came and droue a mightie fleake Against my face and tare away my cheeke For paine whereof I died within a weeke See Baldwine see the most vncertaine glorie How sudden mischiefe dasheth all to dust And warne all Princes by my broken storie The happiest fortune chiefly to mistrust Was neuer man that alway had his lust Then mortall fooles in fancie more then mad Which hope to haue that neuer any had W. Baldwine HOW DAME ELEANOR COBHAM DVCHESSE OF GLOCESTER FOR PRACtising of Witchcraft and Sorcery suffred open penance and after was banished the Realme into the I le of Man IF a poore Ladie damned in exile Amongst Princes may be allowed place Then gentle Baldwine stay thy pen a while And of pure pitie ponder well my case How I a Duchesse destitute of grace Haue found by proofe as many haue and shall The prouerbe true that pride will haue a fall A noble Prince extract of royall blood Humfrey sometime protector of this Land Of Glocester Duke for vertue call'd the good When I but base beneath his state did stand Vouchsaft with me to ioyne in wedlockes band Hauing in Court no name of high degree But Eleanor Cobham as parents left to mee And though by blith of noble race I was Of Barons blood yet was I thought vnfit So high to match yet so it came to passe Whether by grace good fortune or by wit Dame Venus lures so in mine eyes did sit As this great Prince without respect of state Did worthie me to be his wedded mate His wife I was and he my true husband Though for a while he had the company Of Lady Iaquet Dutchesse of Holland Being an heire of ample patrimony But that fell out to be no matrimonie For after warre long sute in law and strife She proued was the Duke of Brabants wife Thus of a Damsell Dutchesse I became My state and place aduanced next the Queene Whereby me thought I felt no ground but swam For in the Court mine equall was not seene And so possest with pleasure of the spleene The sparkes of pride so kindled in my brest As I in Court would shine aboue the rest Such gifts of nature God in me had graft Of shape and forme with other graces mo That by the shot of Cupids fiery shaft Which to the heart of this great Prince did go This mightie Duke with loue was kindled so As he abasing th' height of his degree Set his whole heart to loue and honor mee Grudge whoso would to him I was most deere Aboue all Dames aduanced in degree The Queene except no Princesse was my peere But gaue me place and Lords with cap and knee Did all honor and reuerence vnto mee Thus hoisted high vpon the rolling wheele I sate so sure me though I could not reele And weening least that Fortune hath a turne I look'd aloft and would not looke alow The brands of pride so in my brest did burne As the hot sparkes burst forth in open show And more and more the fire began to glow Without quenching and daily did encrease Till Fortunes blasts with shame did make it cease For as t is said pride passeth on afore And shame followes for iust reward and meed Would God Ladies both now and euermore Of my hard hap which shall the storie reede Would beare in mind and trust it as their Creed That pride of heart is a most hatefull vice And low linesse a pearle of passing price Namely in Queenes and Ladies of estate Within whose minds all meeknes should abound Since high disdaine doth alwaies purchase hate Being a vice that most part doth redound To their reproch in whom the same is found And seldome gets good fauour or good fame But is at last knit vp with worldly shame The proofe whereof I found most true indeed That pride afore hath shame to wait behind Let no man doubt in whom this vice doth breed But shame for pride by iustice is assign'd Which I well found for truly in my mind Was neuer none whom pride did more enflame Nor neuer none receiued greater shame For not content to be a Dutchesse great I longed sore to beare the name of Queene Aspiring still vnto an higher seat And with that hope my selfe did ouerweene Since there was none which that time was betweene Henrie the King and my good Duke his Eame Heire to the crowne and kingdome of this Realme So neare to be was cause of my vaine hope And long await when this faire hap would fall My studies all were tending to that scope Alas the while to counsell I did call Such as would seeme by skill coniecturall Of art Magique and wicked Sorcerie For to diuine the Princes destinie Among which sort of those that bare most fame There was a Beldame call'd the Witch of Ey Old mother Madge her neighbours did her name Which wrought wonders in countries by here-say Furies and feends her charming would obay And dead corps from graue she could vpreare Such an Inchantresse that time had no peere Two Priests also the one hight Bolenbroke The other Suthwel Clerkes in coniuration These two Chaplaines were they that vndertooke To cast and calke the Kings true constellation And then to iudge by deepest diuination Of things to come and who should next succeed To Englands Crowne all this was true indeed And further sure they neuer did proceed Though I confesse that this attempt was ill But for my part for any thing in deed Wrought or else thought by any kind of skill God is my iudge I neuer had the will By any inchantment Sorcerie or charme Or otherwise to worke my Princes harme Yet nerethelesse when this case came to light By secret spies to Caiphas our Cardinall Who long in heart had borne a priuie spight To my good Duke his nephew naturall Glad of the chance so fitly forth to fall His long hid hate with Iustice to color Vsed this case with most extreame rigor And caused me with my complices all To be cited by processe peremptorie Before Iudges in place Iudiciall Whereas Caiphas sitting in his glorie Would not allow my answere
famous in all Realmes A thousand times I mind you in my dreames And when I wake most griefe it is to mee That neuer more againe I shall you see In the night time when I should take my rest I weepe I waile I wet my bed with teares And when dead sleepe my spirits hath opprest Troubled with dreames I fantasie vaine feares Mine husbands voice then ringeth at mine eares Crying for helpe O saue me from the death These villaines heere do seeke to stop my breath Yea and sometimes me thinkes his drerie ghost Appeares in sight and shewes me in what wise Those fell tyrants with torments had embost His winde and breath to abuse peoples eyes So as no doubt or question should arise Among rude folke which little vnderstand But that his death came only by Gods hand I plaine in vaine where eares be none to heare But roring seas and blustering of the winde And of redresse am nere a whit the neare But with waste words to feed my mournfull minde Wishing full oft the Parcas had vntwinde My vitall strings or Atropose with knife Had cut the line of my most wretched life Oh that Neptune and Aeolus also Th' one god of Seas the other of weather Ere mine arriuall into that I le of woe Had sunke the ship wherein I sailed thither The shipmen saued so as I together With my good Duke might haue been dead afore Fortune had wroken her heart vpon vs so sore Or else that God when my first passage was Into exile along Saint Albons towne Had neuer let me further for to passe But in the street with death had strucke me downe Then had I sped of my desired bowne That my poore corps might there haue lien with his Both in one graue and so haue gone to blisse But I alas the greater is my griefe Am past that hope to haue my sepulture Neere vnto him which was to me most leefe But in an I le and countrie most obscure To pine in paine whilst my poore life will dure And being dead all honorlesse to lie In simple graue as other poore that die My tale is told and time it is to cease Of troubles past all which haue had their end My graue I trust shall purchase me such peace In such a world where no wight doth contend For higher place whereto all flesh shall wend And so I end vsing one word for all As I began that pride will haue a fall G. Ferrers HOW HVMFREY PLANTAGENET DVKE OF GLOCESTER Protector of England during the minoritie of his Nephew King Henry the sixt commonly called the good Duke by practise of enemies was brought to confusion AS highest hilles with tempests been most touched And tops of trees most subiect vnto winde And as great towers with stone strongly couched Haue heauie falles when they be vndermin'd Euen so by proofe in worldly things we find That such as climbe the top of high degree From feare of falling neuer can be free To proue this true good Baldwine hearken heere See and behold me Humfrey hight by name Englands Protector Duke of Glocester Who in the sixt King Henries rule with fame Twice ten yeares kept the troubled State in frame Note well the cause of my vnhappie case And'mongst thy mirrours let the same haue place In their most weale let men beware mishap And not to sleepe in slumbring sickernesse Whilst Fortune false doth lull them in her lap Drowned in dreames of brittle blessednesse But then to feare her freakes and ficklenesse Accounting still the higher they ascend More nigh to be to danger in the end And that vaine trust in blood or royall race Abuse them not with blind securitie To trust their state but weighing well my case When she most smiles to haue in memorie My sudden fall who in most certaintie Hauing most staies which men in state maintaine Haue found the same vntrustie and most vaine Better then I none may the same approue Who trusting all in height of high estate To bite on fawning flatteries bait did loue Which neuer Prince could banish from his gate Did little thinke on such a sudden mate Not heeding lesse dreading all vnaware By foes least fear'd was trapt in suddaine snare If noble birth or high autority Number of friends kinred or alliance If wisdome learning worldly policy Mought haue ben staiers to Fortunes variance None stood more strong in worldly countenance For all these helpes had I to high degree And yet in fine they all beguiled mee Of Henry fourth by name fourth sonne I was Brother to Henry fift of that same name To the sixt Henrie vncle but alas What cause had I to build vpon the same Or for vaine glory to aduance my fame My selfe to call in records and writings The brother sonne and vncle vnto Kings This was my boast which lastly was my bane Yet not this boast was it that brought me downe The very cause which made my weale to wane So neere of kin that I was to the Crowne That was the rock that made my ship to drowne A rule there is not failing but most sure Kingdome no kin doth know ne can indure When the fift Henry by his valiancie Wan by conquest the roiall Realme of France And of two Kingdomes made one Monarchy Before his death for better obeisance To his yong sonne not ripe to gouernance Protector of England I was by testament And Iohn my brother in France made Regent To whom if God had lent a longer life Our house t' haue kept from stormes of inward strife Or it had been the Lord Almighties will Plantagenet in state had standen still But deadly discord which all states do spill Bred by desire of high domination Brought our whole house to plaine desolation It is for truth in an history found That Henry Plantagenet first of our name Who called was King Henry the second Sonne of Dame Maude the Empresse of high fame Would oft report that his ancient Grandame Though seeming in shape a woman naturall Was a Feend of the kind that Succubae some call Which old fable so long time told before When this Kings sonnes against him did rebell He cald to minde and being greeued sore Loe now quoth he I see and proue full well The story true which folk of old did tell That from a feend descended all our race And now my children verify the case Whereof to leaue a long memoriall In minde of man for euermore to rest A Picture he made and hung it in his Hall Of a Pellicane sitting on his nest With foure yong birds three pecking at his brest With bloudy beakes and furder did deuise The yongest bird to pecke the fathers eyes Meaning hereby his rebell Children three Henry and Richard bet him on the breast Ieffrey onely from that offence was free Henry died of Englands Crowne possest Richard liued his father to molest Iohn the yongest pect his fathers eye Whose deeds vnkinde the sooner made him die This King
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
Beheaded vs before we were condemned My cosin Richard could not be content To leaue his life because he wist not why Good gentleman that neuer harme had ment Therefore he asked wherefore he should die The Priest his ghostly father did replie With weeping eyes I know one wofull cause The Realme hath neither righteous Lords not lawes Sir Thomas Vaughan chasing cried still This tyrant Glocester is the gracelesse G That will his brothers children beastly kill And lest the people through his talke might see The misciefes toward and thereto not agree Our tormentour that false periured Knight Bad stop our mouthes with words of high despight Thus di'd we guiltlesse processe heard we none No cause alleag'd no Iudge nor yet accuser No Quest empanel'd passed vs vpon That murdrer Ratcliffe law and rights refuser Did all to flatter Richard his abuser Vnhappie both that euer they were borne Through guiltlesse blood that haue their soules forlorne In part I grant I well deserued this Because I caus'd not speedie execution Be done on Richard for that murder of his When first he wrought King Henries close confusion Not for his brothers hatefull persecution These cruell murders painfull death deserued Which had he suffred many had been preserued Warne therefore all that charge or office beare To see all murdrers speedily executed And spare them not for fauour or for feare By guiltlesse blood the earth remaines polluted For lacke of Iustice kingdomes are transmuted They that saue murdrers from deserued paine Shall through those murdrers miserably be slaine HOW THE LORD HASTINGS WAS BETRAYED BY TRVSTING TOO MVCH to his euill Counseller Catesby and villanously murdered in the Tower of London by Richard Duke of Glocester the 13. of Iune Anno 1483. I Am that Hastings whose too hastie death They blame that know wherefore I lost my breath With others fearing lest my headlesse name Be wrong'd by partiall brute of flattering Fame Hearing O Baldwine that thou mean'st to pen The liues and falles of English Noblemen My selfe heere present do present to thee My life my fall and forced destinie Ne feare to staine thy credit by my tale In Laethes floud long since in Stigian vale Selfe loue I drown'd What time hath fin'd for true And ceaseth not though stale still to renue Recount I will whereof take this for proofe That blase I will my praise and my reproofe We naked ghosts are but the very man Nor of our selues more then we ought we scan The Heauens high and Earthly vale belowe Yet ring his Fame whose deedes so great did grow Edward the fourth ye know vnnam'd I meane Whose noble nature so to me did leane That I his staffe was I his onely ioy And euen what Pandare was to him of Troy VVhich mou'd him first to make me Chamberlaine To serue his sweets to my most sower paine VVherein to iustly prais'd for secretnesse For now my guilt with shriking I confesse To him too true too vntrue to the Queene Such hate I wan as lasted long betweene Our families Shores wife was my Nice cheat The holy whore and eke the wily peat I fed his lust with louely peeces so That Gods sharp wrath I purchast my iust wo. See here the difference of a noble minde Some vertue raiseth some by vice haue climde The first though onely of themselues begon Yet circlewise into themselues do ron VVithin themselues their force vnited so Both endlesse is and stronger gainst their foe For when end'th it that neuer hath begon Or how may that that hath no end b' vndone Th' other as by wicked meanes they grue And raigned by flatterie so soone they rue First tumbling step fro honours old is vice VVhich once stept downe some linger none arise To former type But they catch vertues spray VVhich raiseth them that climbe by lawfull way Beware to rise by seruing princely lust Surely to stand one meane is rising iust 〈◊〉 learne by me whom let it helpe t' excuse 〈◊〉 â—â—â—hfull now my selfe I do accuse 〈…〉 my Prince I euer pleas'd with such As harmed none and him contented much In vice some fauour or lesse hate let win That I ne wried to worser end my sin But vsde my fauour to the helpe of such As death in later warre to liue did grutch For as on durt though durtie shin'th the Sunne So euen amidst my vice my vertue shoane My selfe I spared with his cheate to staine For loue or reuerence so I could refraine Gisippus wife erst Titus would desire With friendships breach I quencht that brutish fire Manly it is to loth the pleasing lust Small vant to flie that of constraint thou must These faults except if so my life thou scan Lo none I hurt but furdred euery man My Chamber England was my staffe the law Whereby saunce rigour all I held in awe So kind to all and so belou'd of all As what ensued vpon my bloodie fall Though I ne felt yet surely this I thinke Full many a trickling teare their mouthes did drinke Disdaine not Princes easie accesse meeke cheare We know then Angels statelier port ye beare Of God himselfe too massie a charge for sprits But then my Lords consider he delights To vaile his grace to vs poore earthly wants To simplest shrubs and to the dunghill plants Expresse him then in might and mercies meane So shall ye win as now ye rule the Reame But all too long I feare I do delay The many meanes whereby I did bewray My zealous will to earne my Princes grace Lest thou defer to thinke me kind percase As nought may last so Fortunes changing cheare With pouting lookes gan lower on my sire And on her wheele aduanst high in his rome The Warwick Earle admir'd through Christendome Besides the tempting prowesse of the foe My Princes brother did him then forgoe The cause was lik'd I was his link'd allie Yet nor the cause nor brothers treacherie Nor enmies force nor band of mingled blood Made Hastings beare any other mind then good But tane and scap'd from Warwickes griping pawes With me he fled through Fortunes froward flawes To London come at large we might haue seemed Had not we then the Realme a prison deemed Each bush a bar each spray a banner splayed Each house a fort our passage to haue stayed To Lin we leape where while w'await the tide My secret friends in secret I suppli'd In mouth to further Henrie sixt their King And vse my best meanes Edward in to bring The restlesse tide to bar the emptie bay With waltring waues roames wambling forth Away The merrie Mariner hales The bragging boy To masts high top vp hies In signe of ioy The wauering flag is vanst The surging seas Their swelling cease to calmest euen peace Sinkes downe their pride With drunkennesse ' gainst all care The Seamen arm'd await their noble fare On bord we come The massie anchors wai'd One English ship two hulks of Holland aid In such a pinch So small though was the traine
raise T' accomplish which they rusht on sudden out to feeld As bent to die or win the wanted food with praise And we as readie were for them at all assaies These eager impes whom food want feaz'd to fight amaine VVe forc'd them die fall flie to take their fort againe VVhere I in chase pursu'd them euen to the towne Tane prisoner was a while for ransome lay But then the worthie Duke the Regent of renowne Did for me quite disburse the price requir'd to pay The siege we rais'd from thence we went our way And I redeemed bare this blanke in mind Till of requite I might occasion find VVhich thus ere long befell to this a while giue eare VVhen Arthur Earle of Richmond to S. Iaques came De Beuuron where my selfe and other Captaines were VVhich had repared well and fortifi'd the same VVe made him flie to his immortall shame Euen thus to him and fortie thousand moe Fiue hundred English gaue the ouerthroe Long while he batterie laid against the wall Thereby to make a breach for them to enter in But well perceiuing still his shot to profit small And that we weigh'd not of his power a pin On euery side afresh he did th' assault begin Yet we so bare them off and beate them downe They durst not seaze or enter on the towne But wearied with the siege and fault they pausd a while Consulting what were best and so did we likewise They found the feate they thought should surely vs beguile And in an euening came t' accomplish th' enterprise A sharp assault they gaue Alarme my mates we rise On both the sides they scald the fort to gaine But from the scales and walkes we flang them downe amaine It was my charge that time to keepe a bulwarke bace Where Britons came along to enter by a strait T' was in a bottome low a pond was by the place By which they needes must passe vp to a posterne gate I meant to make them fish the poole without a bait Protesting ere they there should get the wall We would as English die or giue our foes the fall The trumpets sound tan tara tan tan tara right The guns were shot founce-founce-founce fomp-fum fow-powthow The drums went downe-dun downe the fluits fit-fite-fit-fite The weapons clish-clash and the captaines now-now now With billes we beat thē downe with shafts we shot them throw The gory ground did groane the smoky shot and cries Dimd all the aire and thundred through the skies S. Denise cride the French and Britons glahe-lahee S. George the English cride fight-fight-fight kill-kill-kill Fight-fight quoth I come on they flee they flee they flee And therewithall we vse a point of warlike skill We causd the men within to cry vnto vs still Fight Suffolke now fight-fight and Salsbury Fight fight you noble Earles the Britons flee they flee With that amazed all the Britons gan recoile Some drowned in the pond wherin they ran for feare And I pursu'd the flight to wrecke my captiue foile We paid them in the chase disordred as they were Seuen hundred slew tooke fifty prisners there Gaind eighteene standerds and one banner more Yet I and mine not fully were fourescore Of this exploit when th' Earle of Richmond heard Which gaue an hot assault on th' otherside the towne No lesse was he displeasde amazed then affeard To heare the names of those two Earles of high renowne His guilty courage quaild his heart was danted downe He causde the trumpets sound retrait away To scale our walles he durst no longer stay At midnight he dislodgd from siege he made depart The Constable of France late Earle of Richmond fled And toward Fougiers sped with such as tooke his part For haste perhaps with feare lest he should lose his head They left two hundred pipes of flowre and bisket bread Greate gunnes fourteene three hundred pipes of wine Two hundred frailes of figs and raisons fine Fiue hundred barrels they of herring left beside Of pouder for our gunnes full forty barrels more They fled without their tents the dasterds durst not bide For feare they could not stay to take away their store Haue you oft heard the like of cowards such before Those forty thousand Britons French and Scots Foure score them foiled made them flee like sots When this that noble man the Duke of Bedford heard How I did quit my selfe and seru'd my Prince so well He me procured of the King as great reward As my deserts could wish and more the truth to tell Chiefe Butlership of Normandy vnto me fell Reuenues eke in Normandy of lands A thousand crownes came yearely to my hands I after this was sent to make inrode Vpon the coast of Britaine for to bate their pride A band of horsemen tooke without abode The Duke of Sommerset made me their guide To many townes about their bounds we ride Set them on fire or made them ransom pay Tooke store of prisners wrought them much decay Returned victours safe to Normandy With good successe for why the cause was good And of our Prince were guerdond gratefully With laud and gifts as for our seruice stood This makes the Captaines venture life and blood And souldiers serue with heart in what they may Which are assur'd of honour praise and pay Yee worthy wights aliue which loue your Countreis weale And for your Princes port such warres doe vndertake Learne so for Countrey yours with forraine foes to deale See that of manhood good so great accounts ye make It nothing vailes in peace to sweare stur face or crake In warres he winnes the fame of noble wight Who warlike deales for Prince and publique right Yf you so pointed be to serue your Prince in war As erst was I and must before the muster take Retaine such souldiers as well made strong seemely ar Brought vp to labour hard of such account doe make These able are at neede to stand and keepe the stake When facing foisters fit for Tiburne fraies Are food-sick faint or hart-sicke run their waies At whom a man may find a number euery day Which weare their weapons still as all the world were war And keepe a coile to beare the best of blades away VVith bucklers braue at backs to shew what men they are In peace at home they sweare stare foist roist fight and iar But when abroad they feare of warres the smart Some better souldiers proue from driuing cart In warres to serue as we and weapons haue VVhen warlike stormes do rage beseemes a warlike man In pleasant peace who sets himselfe to banding braue And facing fares at home abroad doe nothing can Though nere so much he boast fie on him coward than For not in gauntlet sword targ oathes haire staring eyes But in the breast good courage vertue lies But here perhas you say I fall a note too low Beneath the persons of these worthy Peeres and me T is true indeed and yet such fruite hereof may grow As eke the meane hereby