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
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
were killed before mine owne eies Or forced to yeeld or abandon the coast I need not of honor or dignitie boast Or tell of my triumphes or crake of my crowne * The vaunt of vsurpers is void of renowne HOW KING RVDACKE OF WALES WAS slaine by Mulmucius Donwallo about the yeare before Christ 441. RVde are the reuelles royaltie that rape Restlesse the raignes of rebels in the robe Reck lesse the rage where crueltie doth scrape Roundnesse esteem'd but little of the globe No man ambitious prudent with the probe Crownerape accounted but cunning and skill Bloodshead a blockehouse to beate away ill The rudenesse of rebels reaching the crowne May be compar'd to Bladhuds fond diuice Better sit still then fall so far adowne By my mishaps let other men be wise My selfe of climbing haue pai'd well the price That rudely in throne my selfe did install Aloft not regarding how low I might fall When Britaine was restlesse wanting a King For Forrex hight and Porrex both were slaine The land many peeres ambitious did wring Endeuouring each the Kingdome to gaine The heires to forsake it wrong did constraine The subiects were armed we nobles did striue At length we amongst vs diuision contriue Then recklesse we were when all was at rest And each had a kingdome allotted his part The vice of the subiects daily increast And iustice and right were laid quite apart The lawes ouerlashed by couine and craft And we that did gouerne did winke at this geare The worser thereby our faithfull friends were The ball that dame Fortune emparteth of blisse Is golden to gaze on but voluble round If once of your handfast in holding you misse Away then it roleth and you are on ground Of watchers thereon so many abound And catchers thereat with snatching therefore That if once you leese it you catch it no more A Chirurgian that taketh a wound for to cure If skilfull and carefull he searcheth it furst The sea-man doth sound to take the depth sure By wisdome well taught for feare of the worst But our vile ambition blind blockish accurst Not prouing the sore nor reckoning the sound Our ships and our science we sinke and confound Ambition out searcheth to glorie the greece The staire to estate the graple of grace But in her is hid of perill a peece Which all our attempts doth dimme and deface We do enioy her vaine ioyes but a space Short brittle as glasse false faire giuing light Not golden though glittring braue in the sight For when she hath brought vs vnto the throne And Fortune hath fraught vs with honor at fill Then there to sit stedie and rule all alone We racke our deuices and send with our skill We cut off occursions we prole pole and pill We bolster we band out to bribe banish slay The pillers of prudence that stand in our way Our race is then restles our sleeping vnsound Our waking is warfare our walking hath woe Our talking is trustles our cares doe abound Our fauners deemd faithfull and friendshippe a foe Which troubles our fancies so tost to and froo That scarcely wee neuer inioy any rest Tormented whom Fortune exalted and blest This thing can I witnesse what troubles ensue What cares doe vs compas enhaunsed aloft I therefore wish rebels to take better view Of the falles of iutruders recorded so oft Who climeth so high his fall is not soft If once hee doe stagger or falter aside He cannot recouer the rest for to guide When I who with others did thinke my selfe sure Here ruled the realme there fell out a flawe Donwallo did seeke the Crowne to procure Alleaging a title thereto by the lawe Who when to field our powers we did draw Came straight with an hoast prepared to fight With sword for to trie out whose title was right Our number was great our title vniust Our consciences guilty our soudiers agast Donwallo with honour had souldiers of trust And Fortune was friendly to them as they past They slew of our men by manhood full fast Or forst them to flie in the field wee were faine T' oppose them poore Princes and so we were slaine First Pinnar then Stater I Rudacke likewise At last was with number oppressed dispatcht Let Lordings beware how aloft they doe rise By Princes and commons their climing is watcht No sooner they haue at the scepter once snatcht But guilty themselues they deeme worthy to die And Gods powerfull iustice such sentence doth hie HOW THE NOBLE King Brennus after many triumphant victories at the siege of Delphos in Greece slew himselfe about the yeare before Christ 375. AMongst the noble martiall worthy men Renowned farre victorious great of fame Though Authors sound my praise eftsoones agen Amongst the Britaine Princes write the same I am that Britaine once that Brennus had to name My facts exploits in warre my conquests life and end Doe write as I recite when time doth leasure lend The mightie Monarch of this noble Ile Mulmucius who with conquering blade did free The Britans troubled state from tyrants vile Was father both to Belinus and me His noble acts and lawes commended bee This Belinus mine elder brother was his heire And Queene Corwenna was our mother wise and faire When after him my brother had the crowne Hee was content to make me eke a king He gaue mee Albany where with renowne I rulde a while by Iustice euery thing But at the last ambition made me bring An army thence against my brother for to fight Which rather ought t' haue honord him with homage right When Belinus perceiued mee approach Vnto his Realme an army hee addrest Hee warned me I should not seeke t'incroach That was not mine for hee was ready prest Me to repell hee wild mee bee at rest I marched on the armies met wee fearcely fought My souldiers slaine to saue my selfe by flight I fought To Norway then I fled for succour hence Where good Elsingus reignde the gentle King I told him what I was and eke of whence Desirde his aide me home againe to bring And he not only graunted me this thing But eke his daughter Samye faire to bee my wife With me in Albany to leade a Princely life But while we were prouiding ships and men The fame abroad of my returne was spread And Guthlake that was King of Denmarke then Prouided with a nauie mee forlead His eie on Samyes beautie had so fed That for her sake he must perforce my ships forlay By force of armes to beare the Lady faire away And when our nauies met hee wilde me yeelde This Lady straight or else defend the cause A thing quoth I requested erst but seelde Against of Gods and men the sacred lawes It hath not erst bene heard'mongst wise men sawes That any King should claime the like by strife Or make assault by wrong to winne a Princes wife From words to fight we fell on either side But on his side the conquest did appeare I yeelded her that listed
that void of kindly truth Which if it want all wretchednesse ensueth I stinted not to persecute my brother Till time he left his kingdome to another Thus carnall loue did quench the loue of kind Till lust were lost through fancie fully fed But when at length I came vnto my mind I saw how leaudly lightnes had me led To seeke with paine the perill of my head For had King Henrie once been setled sure I was assur'd my daies could not endure And therefore though I bound my selfe with oath To helpe King Henrie all that ere I might Yet at the treatie of my brethren both Which reason granted to require but right I left his part whereby he perisht quite And reconcil'd me to my brethren twaine And so came Edward to the Crowne againe This made my fire in law to fret and fume To stampe and stare and call me false forsworne And at the length with all his power presume To helpe King Henrie vtterly forlorne Our friendly profers still he tooke in scorne Refused peace and came to Barnet field And there was kill'd because he would not yeeld His brother also there with him was slaine Whereby decayed the keyes of chiualrie For neuer liu'd the matches of them twaine In manhood power and martiall policie In vertuous thewes and friendly constancie That would to God if it had been his will They might haue turn'd to vs and liued still But what shall be shall be there is no choyce Things needs must driue as destiny decreeth For which we ought in all our haps reioyce Because the eye eterne all things foreseeth Which to no ill at any time agreeth For il's too ill to vs be good to it So far his skilles exceed our reach of wit The wounded man which must abide the smart Of stitching vp or searing of his sore As thing too bad reproues the Surgeons art Which notwithstanding doth his health restore The child likewise to science plied sore Counts knowledge ill his teacher to be wood Yet Surgerie and sciences be good But as the patients griefe and schollers paine Cause them deeme bad such things as sure be best So want of wisdome causeth vs complaine Of euery hap whereby we seeme opprest The poore do pine for pelfe the rich for rest And when as losse or sickenesse vs assaile We curse our fate our fortune we bewaile Yet for our good God worketh euery thing For through the death of these two noble Peeres My brother liu'd and raign'd a quiet King Who had they liu'd perchance in course of yeares Would haue deliuered Henrie from the breares Or holpe his sonne t' enioy the carefull Crowne Whereby our line should haue been quite put downe A carefull Crowne it may be iustly named Not only for the cares thereto annext To see the subiect well and duly framed With which good care few Kings are greatly vext But for the dred wherwith they are perplext Of losing Lordship liberty or life Which wofull wracks in kingdoms happen rife The which to shun while some too sore haue sought They haue not sparde all persons to suspect And to destroy such as they guilty thought Though no apparance proued them infect Take me for one of this wrong punisht sect Imprisond first accused without cause And done to death no processe had by lawes Wherein I note how vengeance doth acquite Like ill for ill how vices vertue quell For as my mariage loue did me excite Against the King my brother to rebell So loue to haue his children prosper well Prouoked him against both law and right To murder me his brother and his knight For by his Queene two Pincelike sonnes he had Borne to be punisht for their parents sinne Whose Fortunes calked made the father sad Such wofull haps were found to be therin Which to auouch writ in a rotten skin A prophesie was found which said a G Of Edwards children should destruction be Me to be G because my name was George My brother thought and therefore did me hate But woe be to the wicked heads that forge Such doubtfull dreames to breed vnkind debate For God a Gleue a Gibbet Grate or Gate A Gray a Griffeth or a Gregory As well as George are written with a G. Such doubtfull riddles are no prophesies For prophesies in writing though obscure Are plaine in sense the darke be very lies What God foresheweth is euident and pure Truth is no Harold nor no Sophist sure She noteth not mens names their shields nor creasts Though she compare them vnto birds and beasts But whom she doth foreshew shall raigne by force She tearmes a Wolfe a Dragon or a Beare A wilfull Prince a rainelesse raging horse A bold a Lion a Coward much in feare A Hare or Hart a craftie pricked eare A leacherous a Bull a Goat a Foale An vnderminer a Moldwarpe or a Mole By knowen beasts thus truth doth plaine declare VVhat men they be of whom she speakes before And whoso can mens properties compare And marke what beast they do resemble more Shall soone discerne who is the griesly Bore For God by beasts expresseth mens conditions And not their badges Harolds superstitions And learned Merline whom God gaue the sprite To know and vtter Princes acts to come Like to the Iewish Prophets did recite In shade of beasts their doings all and some Expressing plaine by maners of the dome That Kings and Lords such properties should haue As haue the beasts whose name he to them gaue Which while the foolish did not well consider And seeing Princes gaue for difference And knowledge of their issues mixt together All maner beasts for badges of pretence There tooke those badges to expresse the sence Of Merlines mind and those that gaue the same To be the Princes noted by their name And hereof sprang the false nam'd prophesies That go by letters ciphers armes or signes VVhich all be foolish false and craftie lies Deuis'd by ghesse or guiles vntrue diuines For when they saw that some of many lines Giue armes alike they wist not which was he VVhom Merline meant the noted beast to be For all the brood of Warwickes gaue the Beare The Buckinghams do likewise giue the Swan But which Beare-bearer should the Lion teare They were as wise as Goose the ferry man Yet in their skill they seased not to scan And to be deemed of the people wise Setforth their gloses vpon prophesies And whom they doubted openly to name They darkely tearm'd or by some letter ment For so they thought how ere the world did frame To keepe themselues from shame or being shent For howsoeuer contrary it went They might expound their meaning otherwise As haps in things should newly still arise And thus there grew of a mistaken truth An art so false as made the true suspect Whereof hath come much mischiefe more the ruth That errors should our minds so much infect True Prophets haue oft foulely been reiect The false which breed both murder war and strife Beleeu'd to
losse of many a good mans life And therefore Baldwine teach men to discerne VVhich prophesies be false and which be true And for a ground this lesson let them learne That all be false which are deuised new The age of things are iudged by the hue All riddles made by letters names or armes Are yong and false far worse then witches charmes I know thou musest at this lore of mine How I no studient should haue learned it And dost impute it to the fume of wine That stirres the tongue and sharpneth vp the wit But heark a friend did teach me euery whit A man of mine in all good knowledge rife For which he guiltlesse lost his learned life This man abode my seruant many a day And still in study set his whole delight Which taught me more then I could beare away Of euery arte and by his searching sight Of things to come he would foreshew as right As I rehearse the pageants that were past Such perfectnes God gaue him at the last He knew my brother Richard was the Bore Whose tusks should teare my brothers boies and me And gaue me warning therof long before But wit nor warning can in no degree Let things to hap which are ordaind to bee Witnesse the painted Lionesse which slue A Prince emprisoned Lions to eschewe He told me eke my yoke-fellow should dy Wherein would God he had been no diuine And she being dead I should woo earnestly A spouse wherat my brother would repine And find the means she should be none of mine For which such malice should among vs rise As saue my death no treaty should decise And as he said so all things came to passe For when King Henry and his sonne were slaine And euery broile so throughly quenched was That then my brother quietly did raigne I reconciled to his loue againe In prosperous health did lead a quiet life For fiue yeares space with honours laden rife And to augment the fulnesse of my blisse Two louely children by my wife I had But froward hap whose maner euer is In chiefest ioy to make the happie sad Bemixt my sweet with bitternes too bad For while I swam in ioyes on euery side My louing wife my chiefest Iewel dide Whose lack when sole I had bewail'd a yeare The Duke of Burgoines wife dame Margaret My louing sister willing me to cheere To wed againe did kindly me entreate And wish'd me matched with a maiden nete A step-daughter of hers Duke Charles his heire A noble damsell yong discreete and faire To whose desire because I did incline The King my brother doubting my degree Through Prophesies against vs did repine And at no hand would to our willes agree For which such rancour pierst both him and mee That face to face we fell at flat defiance But were appeas'd by friends of our alliance Howbeit my mariage vtterly was dasht VVherein because my seruant said his mind A meane was sought whereby he might be lasht And for they could no crime against him find They forg'd a sault the peoples eyes to blind And told he should by sorceries pretend To bring the King vnto a speedie end Of all which points he was as innocent As is the babe that lacketh kindly breath And yet condemned by the Kings assent Most cruelly put to a shamefull death This fir'd my heart as foulder doth the heath So that I could not but exclame and crie Against so great and open iniurie For this I was commanded to the Tower The King my brother was so cruell harted And when my brother Richard saw the hower Was come for which his hart so sore had smarted He thought it best take time before it parted For he endeuour'd to attaine the Crowne From which my life must needs haue held him downe For though the King within a while had died As needs he must he surfaited so oft I must haue had his children in my guide So Richard should beside the Crowne haue coft This made him ply the while the wax was soft To finde a meane to bring me to an end For realmrape spareth neither kin nor frend And when he saw how reason can asswage Through length of time my brother Edwards ire With forged tales he set him newe in rage Till at the last they did my death conspire And though my truth sore troubled their desire For all the world did know mine innocence Yet they agreed to charge me with offence And couertly within the Tower they calde A quest to giue such verdit as they should Who what with feare and what with fauour thrald Durst not pronounce but as my brethren would And though my false accusers neuer could Proue ought they said I guiltlesse was condemned Such verdits passe where iustice is contemned This feate atchieud yet could they not for shame Cause me be kild by any common way But like a wolfe the tyrant Richard came My brother nay my butcher I may say Vnto the Tower when all men were away Saue such as were prouided for the seate Who in this wise did strangely me entreate His purpose was with a prepared string To strangle me but I bestird me so That by no force they could me therto bring Which caused him that purpose to forgo Howbeit they bound me whether I would or no And in a But of Malmesey standing by New christned me because I should not cry Thus drownd I was yet for no due desert Except the zeale of Iustice be a crime False prophecies bewitcht King Edwards hart My brother Richard to the Crowne would clime Note these three causes in thy rufull rime And boldly say they did procure my fall And death of deaths most strange and hard of all And warne all Princes prophecies t' eschue That are too dark and doubtfull to be knowne What God hath said that cannot but ensue Though all the world would haue it ouerthrowne When men suppose by fetches of their owne To fly their fate they further on the same Like quenching blasts which oft reuiue the flame Will Princes therefore not to thinke by murder They may auoid what prophecies behight But by their meanes their mischiefes they may furder And cause Gods vengeance heauier to alight Woe worth the wretch that striues with Gods foresight They are not wise but wickedly doe erre Which thinke ill deedes due destinies may barre For if we thinke that prophecies be true We must beleeue it cannot but betide Which God in them foresheweth shall ensue For his decrees vnchanged doe abide Which to be true my brethren both haue tried Whose wicked workes warne Princes to detest That others harmes may keepe them better blest HOW KING EDWARD THE FOVRTH THROVGH HIS SVRFETING and vntemperate life suddenly died in the middest of his prosperitie the ninth of Aprill Anno 1483. MIseremini mei ye that be my friends This world hath form'd me downe to fall How may I endure when that euery thing ends What creature is borne to be eternall Now there
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
ghostly health Which neuer learn'd one lesson for the same If such catch harme their parents are too blame For needs must they be blind and blindly led Where no good lesson can be taught or read Some thinke their youth discreet and wisely taught That brag and boast and weare their feather braue Can roist and rout both loure and looke aloft Can sweare and stare and call their fellowes knaue Can pill and poll and catch before they craue Can card and dice both cog and foist at fare Play on vnthriftie till their purse be bare Some teach their youth to pipe to sing and dance To hauke to hunt to choose and kill their game To wind their horne and with their horse to praunce To play at tenis set the lute in frame Run at the ring and vse such other game Which feats although they be not all vnfit Yet cannot they the marke of vertue hit For noble youth there is nothing so meete As learning is to know the good from ill To know the tongues and perfectly endite And of the lawes to haue a perfect skill Things to reforme as right and iustice will For honour is ordeined for no cause But to see right maintained by the lawes It spites my heart to heare when noble men Cannot disclose their secrets to their frend In sauegard sure with paper inke and pen But first they must a secretary find To whom they shew the bottome of their mind And be he false or true a blab or close To him they must their counsaile needs disclose And where they rule that haue of law no skill There is no boote they needes must seeke for ayd Then rul'd are they and rule as others will As he that on a stage his part hath plaid But he was taught nought hath he done or said Such youth therfore seek science of the sage As thinke to rule when that ye come to age Where youth is brought vp in feare and obedience Kept from ill company bridled of their lust Do serue God duly and know their allegiance Learne godly weale which time nor age can rust There Prince people and Peers needes prosper must For happy are the folke and blessed is that land Where truth and vertue both haue got the ouer hand I speake this Baldwine of this rufull Lord Whom I perforce do heere present to thee He faints so sore he may not speake a word I pleade his cause without reward or fee And am enforc'd to speake for him and mee If in his youth he had been wisely tought He should not now his wit so deare haue bought For what is he that hath but halfe a wit But may well know that rebels cannot speed Marke well my tale and take good heed to it Recount it well and take it for good reed Proue it vntrue I will not trust my creed Was neuer rebell heretofore or since That could or shall preuaile against his Prince For ere the subiect purpose to rebell Within himselfe let him consider well Foresee the danger and beare in his braine How hard it is his purpose to obtaine For if he once be entred to the breares He hath a raging wolfe fast by the eares And when he entred is to rule the rout Although he would he can no way get out He may be sure none will to him resort But such as are the vile and rascall sort All honest men as well the most as lest To taste of treason vtterly detest Then let him waigh how long he can be sure Where faith nor friendship may no while endure He whom he trusteth most to gaine a groate Will fall him from and seeke to cut his throate Among the knaues and slaues where vice is rooted There is no other friendship to be looked With foolish men so falsehood is in price That faith is sinne and vertue counted vice And where the quarell is so vile and bad What hope of aid then is there to be had Thinkes he that men will run at this or that To do a thing they know not how or what Nor yet what danger may thereof betide VVhere wisdome would they should at home abide Rather then seeke and know not what to find VVise men will first debate this in their mind Full sure they are if that they go to wrecke Without all grace they lose both head and necke They lose their lands and goods their child and wife VVith griefe and shame shall leade a wofull life If he be slaine in field he dieth accurst VVhich of all wreckes we should account the worst And he that dieth defending his liege Lord Is blest and blest againe by Gods owne word And where the souldiers wages is vnpai'd There is the Captaine slenderly obey'd And where the souldier 's out of feare and dreed He will be lacke when that there is most need And priuately he seekes his ease and leasure And will be rul'd but at his will and pleasure And where some draw forth other do draw backe There in the end must needs be woe and wracke To hope for aid of Lords it is but vaine Whose foretaught wit of treason knoweth the paine They know what powre a Prince hath in his hand And what it is with rebels for to stand They know by treason honor is defaced Their ofspring and their progenie disgraced They know to praise is not so worthie a thing As to be true and faithfull to their King Aboue cognisance or armes or pedigree a far An vnsported coat is like a blasing star Therefore the rebell is accurstand mad That hopes for that which rebell neuer had Who trusting still to tales doth hang in hope Till at the last he hang fast by the rope For though that tales be told that hope might feed Such foolish hope hath still vnhappie speed Is is a custome neuer will be broken In broiles the bag of lies is euer open Such lying newes men daily will inuent As can the hearers fancie best content And as the newes do run and neuer cease So more and more they daily do encrease And as they ' ncrease they multiplie as fast That ten is ten hundred ten thousand at the last And though the rebell had once got the field Thinkes he thereby to make his Prince to yeeld A Princes power within his owne region Is not so soone brought to confusion For Kings through God are strong and stoutly harted That they of subiects will not be subuerted If Kings would yeeld yet God would them restraine Of whom the Prince hath grace and power to raigne Who straitly chargeth vs aboue all thing That no man should resist against his King Who that resisteth his dread soueraigne Lord Doth damne his soule by Gods owne very word A Christian subiect should with honor due Obey his Soueraigne though he were a Iew Whereby assur'd when subiects do rebell Gods wrath is kindled and threatneth fire and hell It is soone knowne when Gods fierce wrath is kindled How they shall speed
do me loue Which when they answered him they lou'd their father more Then they themselues did loue or any worldly wight He praised them and said he would therefore The louing kindnesse they deseru'd in fine requite So found my sisters fauour in his sight By flatterie faire they won their fathers heart Which after turned him and me to smart But not content with this he asked me likewise If I did not him loue and honor well No cause quoth I there is I should your grace despise For nature so doth bind and dutie me compell To loue you as I ought my father well Yet shortly I may chance if Fortune will To find in heart to beare another more good will Thus much I said of nuptiall loues that ment Not minding once of hatred vile or ire And partly taxing them for which intent They set my fathers heart on wrathfull fire Shee neuer shall to any part aspire Of this my Realme quoth he among'st you twaine But shall without all dowrie aie remaine Then to Maglaurus Prince with Albany he gaue My sister Gonerell the eldest of vs all And eke my sister Ragan height to Hinniue to haue And for her dowrie Camber and Cornwall These after him should haue his kingdome all Betweene them both he gaue it franke and free But nought at all he gaue of dowrie mee At last it chanst a Prince of France to heare my fame My beautie braue my wit was blaz'd abroad each where My noble vertues praisde me to my fathers blame Who for I could not flatter did lesse fauour beare Which when this worthie Prince I say did heare He sent ambassage lik'd me more then life And soone obtained me to be his wife Prince Aganippus reau'd me of my woe And that for vertues sake of dowries all the best So I contented was to France my father fro For to depart and hopt t' enioy some greater rest Where liuing well belou'd my ioyes encreast I gate more fauour in that Prince his sight Then euer Princesse of a Princely wight But while that I these ioyes so well enioy'd in France My father Leire in Britaine waxt vnwealdie old Whereon his daughters more themselues aloft t' aduance Desir'd the Realme to rule it as they wold Their former loue and friendship waxed cold Their husbands rebels void of reason quite Rose vp rebeld bereft his crowne and right Betwixt their husbands twaine they causde him to agree To part the Realme and promist him a gard Of sixtie Knights that on him should attendant bee But in sixe moneths such was his hap too hard That Gonerell of his retinue bard The halfe of them she and her husband reft And scarce allow'd the other halfe they left As thus in his distresse he lay lamenting sates When as my sister so sought all his vtter spoile The meaner vpstart courtiers thought themselues his mates His daughter him disdain'd and forced not his foile Then was he faine for succour his to toile With halfe his traine to Cornwall there to lie In greatest need his Ragans loue to trie So when he came to Cornwall she with ioy Receiued him and Prince Maglaurus did the like There he abode a yeare and liu'd without annoy But then they tooke all his retinue from him quite Saue only ten and shew'd him daily spite Which he bewail'd complaining durst not striue Though in disdaine they last allow'd but fiue What more despite could diuellish beasts deuise Then ioy their fathers wofull daies to see What vipers vile could so their King despise Or so vnkind so curst so cruell bee Fro thence againe he went to Albany Where they bereau'd his seruants all saue one Bad him content himselfe with that or none Eke at what time he ask'd of them to haue his gard To gard his noble grace where so he went They call'd him doting foole all his requests debard Demanding if with life he were not well content Then he too late his rigour did repent Gainst me my sisters fawning loue that knew Found flattery false that seem'd so faire in vew To make it short to France he came at last to mee And told me how my sisters ill their father vsde Then humblie I besought my noble King so free That he would aide my father thus by his abusde Who nought at all my humble hest refusde But sent to euery coast of France for aide Whereby King Leire might home be well conueide The souldiers gathered from each quarter of the land Came at the length to know the noble Princes will Who did commit them vnto captaines euery band And I like wise of loue and reuerent meere good will Desir'd my Lord he would not take it ill If I departed for a space withall To take a part or ease my fathers thrall He granted my request Thence we arriued here And of our Britaines came to aide likewise his right Full many subiects good and stout that were By martiall feats and force by subiects sword and might The British Kings were faine to yeeld our right Which wonne my father well this Realme did guide Three yeares in peace and after that he dide Then I was crowned Queene this Realme to hold Till fiue yeares past I did this Island guide I had the Britaines at what becke I would Till that my louing King mine Aganippus dide But then my seat it faltered on each side My sisters sonnes began with me to iarre And for my crowne wag'd with me mortall warre The one hight Morgan Prince of Albany And Conidagus King of Cornwall and of Wales Both which at once prouided their artillerie To worke me wofull woe and mine adherents bales What need I fill thine eares with longer tales They did preuaile by might and power so fast That I was taken prisoner at last In spitefull sort they vsed then my captiue corse No fauour shew'd to me extinct was mine estate Of kindred Princes blood or peere was no remorce But as an abiect vile and worse they did me hate To lie in darke some dungeon was my fate As t' were a thiefe mine answeres to abide Gainst right and iustice vnder Iailours guide For libertie at length I su'd to subiects were But they kept me in prison close deuoid of trust If I might once escape they were in dread and feare Their fawning friends with me would proue vntrue and iust They told me take it patiently I must And be contented that I had my life Sith with their mothers I began the strife Whereby I saw might nothing me preuaile to pray To plead or proue defend excuse or pardon craue They heard me not despisde my plaints sought my decay I might no law nor loue nor right nor iustice haue No friends no faith nor pitie could me saue But I was from all hope of freedome bard Condem'd my cause like neuer to be heard Was euer noble Queene so drencht in wrecks of woe Deposde from Princely power bereft of libertie Depriu'd of all these worldly pompes her
soules thereby to darkesome Stygian lake Which kill the corps that mightie Ioue did make HOW KING MORGAN OF ALBANY was slaine at Glamorgan in Wales The yeare before Christ 766. I Wot not well what reason I may vse To quit my selfe from lasting infamie Wherefore I must perforce my selfe accuse I was in fault I cannot it denie Remorce of conscience prickes my heart so nie And me torments with pangs of pinching paine I can no longer me from speech refraine I am that Morgan sonne of Gonerell Th' vngratefull daughter of her father Leire Which from his kingdome did him once expell As by the British stories may appeare Ragan and she conspir'd both sisters were But were subdu'd againe and causde to yeeld Their fathers Crowne Cordila wan the field I need not heere the stories all recite It were too long but yet I briefly shall The cause Cordila ought her sisters spite Was they procur'd her and their fathers thrall Yet t' was her chance at length t' out liue them all Both sisters elder and her father graue And eke at length the kingdome all to haue That time was I of Albany the King Call'd Scotland now and eke my cousin then Of Cornwall and of Wales whom I did bring To warre against Cordila and her men We said we would our title winne agen And that because our fathers had it yore We ment to get it ours againe therefore I must confesse I was the cause of warre I was not pleasde with that was lotted mee Euen so our minds ambitious often are And blinded that we cannot reason see We thinke no men but Gods on earth we bee Yet worse are we then beasts which know their kind For we haue nought but mischiefe oft in mind We thinke if so we may our willes attaine By right or wrong by might or malice we Could neuer liue like Fortune for to gaine Or if on foes we once reuenged bee If that our foe-mens fall we chance to see O then we ioy we lift our selues to skie And on the poore we crucifige crie I deem'd if that I might once put her downe The Kingdomes all were Conidags and mine And I could easly after win the crowne If also I his state might vndermine I thought indeed to haue it all in fine By force or fraud I did intend alone To sit as King vpon the Britaine throne To speake in few we waged warre so long Gainst her at last we put her vnto flight We warriers for our Aunt were far too strong Pursude and tooke depriu'd her of her right We thought it ours what so we wan by might Eke so play tyrants Traitors all do watch To get by spoile and count their owne they catch Not so contented were we with the pray But fearing lest she should recouer aide I sent in hast to prison her away And all recourse of messengers denaid Thus when she saw her Maiestie decaid And that her griefes and sorowes daily grew In prison at the length her selfe she slew O caytife vile that did constraine a Queene That Iustice ment her kingdome to forsake Nay traytor I her cause of death haue been That would my selfe by bloodshed ruler make How could reuenge on me but vengeance take Before the seat of God her blood did call For vengeance still and so procur'd my fall Lo heere Gods iustice see my treason see Behold and see to raigne was my delight And marke and make a mirrour heere of me Which afterward was seru'd by iustice right We wan the crowne betweene vs both in fight And then because I was the elder sonne Of th' elder Queene I claimed all we wonne So were my dealings nought in peace and warre But by my force and fortunes vsde in fight I past that time the Britaines all by farre I was of person fortitude and might Both comely tall strong seemely eke in sight Whereby I won mens fauour glorie wealth And puft with pride at length forgate my selfe I said it was my right the crowne to haue But Conidagus stoutly it deni'd Wherefore I went to Wales my right to craue With all mine armie and to haue it tri'd Where long we fought it stoutly on each side Till at the last vnto my wofull paine I was depriu'd of kingdome quite and slaine And for to keepe in memorie for aye That there vnfaithfull Morgan lost his life The place is call'd Glamorgan to this daye There was I pierst to death with fatall knife There was the end of all my hatefull strife So Morgan where he thought to win the crowne Was at Glamorgan traytor striken downe Thus maist thou tell how proud ambition proues What hap haue tyrants what we Traytours haue What end he hath that cruell dealing loues What subiects get that Diademe do craue T is better then to winne thine owne to saue For so orethwartly trade of Fortune goes When win thou would'st then art thou sure to lose HOW KING IAGO DIED OF THE LETHARGIE about the yeare before Christ 612. HAue I oreslept my selfe or am I wake Or had'st thou late oreslept thy selfe that wrote Could'st thou not for the Letharge paines to take And with the rest his sleepie life to note Was I amongst the wicked wights forgote Well then awaked sith we are both twaine To write my sleepie sinfull life take paine I am that Iago once of Britaine King That ruled all this noble British Ile No fame of me the writers old do bring Because my life and gouernment was vile Yet Higgins heere take paines for me a while Enregester my mirrour to remaine That Princes may my vices vile refraine At first a while I ruled well the land I vsed iustice right tooke regall place No wight but found iust iudgement at my hand And truth durst shew without rebuke her face I gaue my selfe to all good gifts of grace My subiects liu'd in rest within my raigne No cause of Prince compel'd them to complaine But as in calme a storme we nothing feare When as the seas are milde and smooth as glasse And as in peace no thought of warres we beare Which least suppose of mischiefes come to passe Euen so my still and rightfull raigning was The calme a tempest boads the shine a raine Long peace a warre and pleasure pinching paine For rest and peace and wealth abounding thoe Made me forget my Iustice late well vsde Forsaking vertues vices gan to floe And formernoble acts I quite refusde My gifts my treasures wealth and will misusde Began all goodnes quite at length disdaine And did my facts with filthie vices staine Misgouern'd both my Kingdome and my life I gaue my selfe to ease to sleepe and sinne And I had clawbackes euen at Court full rife Which sought by outrage golden gaines to winne For * Kings no sooner well or worse beginne But euen at hand the good or bad take paine For vertues sake or meede the Prince to traine As vices grew encreasing more and more So vertues fled and bad their
tell And with an host of Picts appointed well He did returne with speed to Britaine strand That time I lay by North to guide the land At length to Yorke with all his host he came Besieging it full sharpe assaults he gaue Where I likewise for to defend the same And from our foes the castell good to saue Came with my power as destnies on me draue But in that field it was my chance to fall I tooke my deadly wound there ended all The Scythian eke receiu'd a deadly wound Which came to conquer vs and lost his feeld Thus fortune fares her children to confound Which on her wheele their bastiles brauely beeld Let noble Princes then to reason yeeld The dainefull Ladie daintie and demure Dame Fortunes fauour fickle and vnsure Some say that I return'd to Rome againe Sore troubled with the gout desiring death And that I would haue taken poison faine Which me deni'd to reaue my vitall breath I tooke a surfet great which wrought my death The Britaines say at Yorke my bones do lie The Romans say at Rome in Italie But this I wish all noble wights to view How I by slaughter gate the throne at first My souldiers noble men for Empire slew This way to rise of all I proued worst For why his hand of gods and men is curst To rise aloft that layes the ground with blood The states of such vnstable still haue stood HOW FVLGENTIVS A SCYTHIAN OR PICT WAS slaine at the seige of Yorke about the yeare of Christ 206. or 213. I Am that valiant Scythian Prince the Pict That vanquisht oft the Britaines in this I le Against the noble Romans power I kickt And kept them play in Britaine both long while I forst them make a wall an hundred mile From sea to sea with towers to keepe me out Which of vs Picts did daily stand in doubt Our ancient race as I can shew with skill Had right by due descent to claime this land Of which repeate some proofe therefore I will That so thou maist our title vnderstand When all mankind felt Ioues almightie hand That drencht all nations quite for their foule sin Then straight in Scythia did the world begin Th' Egyptians hold forsooth that they restord The world againe but how vnlikely see For Scythiaes site is high as all accord From vs the fountaines great'st deriued bee The ancient writers all likewise agree That on Armenia mount the Arke did rest Till Ioue againe the earth with drowth addrest But they alledge againe their Zone is milde And fertill temperate meete to foster men Our Scythian hilles they say are frostie wilde Which cannot breed but ruder people then To which I may well answere make agen As God did make the Zones hot milde and cold So did he make like men the same to hold They say we are nigh neighbours to the Pole Or frozen point more neere the fire are they What poysons breed with them and Lybians sole In parching sands the writers wise display Can nature fraine mankind more deepe decay Where parching heat where serpents vglie breed Is no fit clime whence man should first proceed But now I le tell why Scythians should possesse This noble Isle first Lord Neptunus gaue The Islands to his sonnes both more and lesse Eke Albion first of all this Isle should haue He not with this content the Firme did craue Wherefore in France him Hercules dispatcht When as he would a Kingdome there haue catcht Now as from Noah of Scythia by descent Downe vnto Albions time they held the land From Scythe to Scythian as of right it went And after him no Scythian Prince it fand When as vsurpers tooke the raigne in hand Was it not reason we should vndertake This noble Realme our owne againe to make The Romans this deny but euen themselues likewise If they from vertue stray as they do vse And do Iehouaes lawes and hests despise And right and truth and iustice so refuse Shall find how much their Scepter they misuse The Scythian shall their loftie seate assaile The Prince of Picts against them shall preuaile But of Proud Romes Seuerus now I tell When he the wall had made to keepe me out To Scythia hence I sail'd and stor'd me well With men munition good a warlike rout Of youthfull Picts full strong in armout stout A Nauie good I brought and taking land Of stately Yorke I tooke the siege in hand The Emperour great Seuerus Parthique proud With Romans Galles and Britaine souldiers came To make me raise the siege of Yorke he vow'd And I likewise to win and race the same To win the prize we both our armies frame But he was slie his souldiers skilfull train'd My men to flie by ambush he constrain'd Againe to fight we fell afresh the battell grew About I brought my wings and now they sound Tantara teares alarme the fluits fight fight anew And there a while the Romans fell to ground The cries and shouts of men to skies resound They fall fall flie the fluits downe downe the droms do crie Whereon the Romans sound retraite and saine to flie My souldiers all too rash had broke array The Romane rereward cast about with speed And both their wings enclosed vs each way Their maine likewise to keepe array gaue heed Which when I saw it made my heart to bleed And to Seuerus selfe I made my way Where with my Picts the Parthique I did stay So when the Emperour fell a shout arose The Romans blancke amazed wofull were Fulgentius fast recoil'd death wounded goes And of my crew a troupe to aide me there I bought my British conquest all too deere No conquest yet for as I conquest sought With my life blood the conquest deare was bought You noble men yee see what trust there is In Fortunes gifts how mischiefe makes the marts And how our hoped haps in warres do misse When backe the braue and blinded Ladie starts High reaching heads swim oft in seas of smarts The man content is blest and best at ease Which in meane state both God and man do please HOW GETA THE YONGER SONNE OF THE EMPErour Seuerus once Gouernour of Britaine was slaine in his mothers armes by his brother ANTONINE Emperour of Rome about the yeare of Christ 214. IF euer Prince had cause his state to rue Or by his end might moue men mone his chance My wofull tale may shew the like to you Whom fortune erst and birth did high aduance In Rome in Britaine Germanie and France I fauour had and liu'd belou'd alway I Emprour was what need I more to say In Britaine while my father waged fight By North against the Picts I rul'd the South Seuerus so appointed it my right And Britaine Iustice had from Getaes mouth I gaue not then my selfe to idle slouth But gaue an end to causes great of strife With doome so iust that men reioyst my life The Senate honor'd me for vertues sake Abroad the Britaines blest me
for their blisse The souldiers stout of me account did make Let stories tell if I do faine in this Lest some suspect that I report amisse For what is he which is not counted vaine When for himselfe he speakes though nere so plaine In peace I prudent was and graue of grace In warres as stout but not so fierce withall Not forst with feare to turne from foes my face Nor bought with bribes to let Dame Iustice fall I not opprest the weaker sort with thrall But sought to pleasure all both neare and farre More prone to peace I was then bent to warre What heart so hard but will for pitie bleed To heare a Prince which meant to each so well Should haue such cause to liue in feare and dreed Of sword of bane of force or poison fell Not daring Emprour nere his brother dwell Whom Romans lou'd and strangers honor'd still But brothers treason caused all our ill Hight Antonine I hate his name and facts Sith he my butcher was as may appeare The world detests his vile and viprous acts And subtill shifts to kill his father deare So void of grace so void of honest feare He durst attempt the guard to bribe and fee That so by them his fire might poisoned bee This when our Sire Seuerus wist and saw How Antonine that bloodie beast was bent Against the order quite of natures law Eke how to take the Empire whole he ment For both of vs at Yorke he often sent Perswading vs true concord for to hold And of the fruits of discord oft he told Yet Antonine regarded nought his hest Nay yet the charge of warres he had in hand T' enlarge his power for th' Empire he addrest Which when Seuerus old did vnderstand All pleasures quite and ioyes he did aband Pursuing warre neere Yorke he tooke his end By sword of Picts or by some traytour friend Then Antonine made spoile of all his men Physitions nil'd before at his request Dispatch their Lord to death he put them then And so he seru'd of faithfull guard the rest What villanie was in this vipers brest Was not content with death of those he sought But after brings their friends likewise to nought I was foretold my life he thirsted sore And that the Empire sole he sought to haue As we to Rome did passe I feared more I from his courts and diets did me saue I knew my life and th' Empire he did craue Wherefore in Rome my court I kept likewise Apart from his that did my death deuise My seruants were allur'd by sundrie gifts By poyson to procure my lifes decay He tri'd to cut me off a thousand shifts What maruell since he sought his sire to slay He made his Fathers friends for spite away Because they would not to his will be wrought To bring them vnto death he daily sought His sleights for me could take no sure successe For still his traines and treasons were descri'd In danger I was forst to seeke redresse By like attempts but that likewise was spide * Pretended murder no man close can hide But out it flies the rumor runnes a pace The spot thereof all vertues else deface When this was knowne that I likewise assai'd His life to reaue though t' were my life to saue Not long to wrecke the same the butcher stai'd He had the thing so long he sought to haue Cause of reuenge the rumor small him gaue That in the euen he came to spill my blood As I vnarmed with my mother stood There she perceiuing him with sword approch In armes me caught to saue my life and blood But he deseruing all the worlds reproch No whit in doubt to end my slaughter stood She him besought as seem'd an Empresse good While he without remorse of her request Betweene her armes did run me through the brest These were the acts of that vile monster then For Empire sake to raigne alone aloft Despisde that was abhor'd of Gods and men And curst to hell by all good men so oft You see the fall of Geta milde and soft Whose line of life no longer fates could stretch Cut off by sword of Antonine that wretch Now maist thou deeme of my deserts and his He to his sire of sonnes was most vnkind His mothers ioyes he reau'd away her blisse That Dame which bare to both so milde a mind And let my dealings aye due fauour find Whose murder may giue plaine prospect and show What monster wrought his faithfull friends such woe HOW AVRELIVS AN TONIVS BASSIANVS CARACALLA Emperour of Rome was slaine by one of his owne seruants about the yeere of Christ 209. WHo thirsts to throng vnto the highest throne Ne wisely windes Dame Fortunes subtile snare Or who in Court would rule the rost alone And sees not what he heapes himselfe of care Let him well weigh my case and then beware Whom forth the stately seate did first allure Which after did my hastie death procure And Higgins here in purpose sith thou hast The haplesse hauen where Fortunes impes arriue A mirour make likewise of me thou maist If thou my life and dealings wilt discriue It may perhaps much profit some aliue Which when themselues plaine painted forth they see They may presage their fatall falles in me I am that Antonine Seuerus sonne That once of mightie Rome did beare the sway Which in my fathers life a strife begone With Geta thirsting often him to slay I sought to haue my father made away To raigne alone so great desire I had Nought but their deathes my wicked hart could glad My father oft exhorted both to peace Declar'd by stories olde what came by strife Dehorted both from ciuill discord cease But I sought meanes to rid him of his life I banisht to Sycilia Isle my wife Encreast mine host reckt not my British charge But how I might enioy the Empire large And first when as my father once was dead I gaue my selfe to all reuenge of foes The seruants late which stood mee not in stead And some who did my trecherie disclose Or such to saue their Prince themselues dispose Or reconcile vs brethren tooke sore paine I causde them all without respect be slaine The captaines all my friends I sought to make In Britaine then desiring them to chuse Me Emprour sole and Geta to forsake Which they to doe for duties sake refuse Our mother eke all meanes with vs did vse Perswading vs to loue and concord bend To which in shew I granted in the end We both in Empire like from Britaine passe A truce concluded there and hostage take His reliques shrinde as then the custome was To Rome therewith our voyage fast we make And yet the malice could not so aslake For in our iournies we durst neither trust But seuerall Courts and Diets keepe we must Both fearing poyson force or treason wrought Both crauing all the Empire to enioy Both working all the waies that might be sought To worke to each some secret great
corrupt with meed and awe Gainst Iustice wretchedly did wrest the sense of Lawe A change more new or strange when was there euer seene Then Iudges from the Bench to come downe to the Barre And Counsellours that were most nigh to King and Queene Exiled their Countrie from Court and Counsell farre But such is Fortunes play which can both make and marre Exalting to most high that was before most low And turning taile againe the loftie downe to throw And such as late afore could stoutly speake and plead Both in Court and Countrey carelesse of the triall As mummers mute do stand without aduice or read All to seeke of shifting by trauerse or deniall Which haue seene the day when for a golden Ryall By finenes and cunning could haue made blacke seeme white And most extorted wrong to haue appeared right Whilst thus on bench aboue we had the highest place Our reasons were too strong for any to confute But when at barre beneath we came to plead our case Our wits were in the wane our pleading very brute Hard it is for prisoners with Iudges to dispute When all men against one and none for one shall speake Who weenes himself most wise may chance be too too weake To you therefore that sit these few words will I say That no man sits so sure but he may haply stand Wherefore whilst you haue place and beare the swing and sway By fauour without force let points of Law be skand Pity the poore prisoner that holdeth vp his hand Ne lade him not with law who least of law hath knowne Remember ere ye die the case may be your owne Behold me one vnfortunate amongst this flocke Tresilian cald sometime chiefe Iustice of this Land A gentleman by birth no staine was in my stocke Locketon Holte Belknap with other of my band Which the Law and Iustice had wholly in our hand Vnder the second Richarda Prince of greate state To whom and vs also blind Fortune gaue the mate In all our Common Lawes our skill was so profound Our credit and autority such and so high esteemd That what wee did conclude was taken for a ground Allowed was for Law what so to vs best seemd Both life death lands and goods and all by vs was deemd Whereby with easie paine great gaine we did in fet And euery thing was fish that came vnto our net At Sessions and Sises we bare the stroke and sway In patents and commission of Quorum still chiefe So that to whether side soeuer we did way Were it by right or wrong it past without repriefe The true man we let hang some whiles to saue a thiefe Of Gold and of Siluer our hands were neuer empty Offices Farmes and Fees fell to vs in great plenty But what thing may suffice vnto the greedie man The more he hath in hold the more he doth desire Happie and twice happie is he that wisely can Content himselfe with that which reason doth require And moileth for no more then for his needfull hire But greedinesse of mind doth seldome keepe the sise To whom enough and more doth neuer well suffice For like as dropsie patients drinke and still be drie Whose vnstanch'st greedie thirst no liquor can allay And drinke they nere so much yet thirst they by and by So catchers and snatchers do toile both night and day Not needie but greedie still prolling for their pray O endlesse thirst of gold corrupter of all lawes What mischiefe is on mould whereof thou art not cause Thou madest vs forget the saith of our profession When Sergeants we were sworne to serue the common law Which was that in no point we should make digression From approued principles in sencence nor in sawe But we vnhappie wights without all dread and awe Of the Iudge eternall for worlds vaine promotion More to man then God did beare our whole deuotion The Lawes we did interpret and statutes of the Land Not truly by the text but newly by a glose And words that were most plaine when they by vs were skand We turned by construction to a Welchmans hose Whereby many a one both life and land did lose Yet this we made our meane to mount aloft on mules And seruing times and turnes peruerted lawes and rules Thus climing and contending alway to the top From high vnto higher and then to be most hie The hony dew of Fortune so fast on vs did drop That of King Richards counsell we came to be most nie Whose fauour to attaine we were full fine and flie Alway to his profit where any thing might sound That way all were it wrong the lawes we did expound So working Law like waxe the subiect was not sure Of life of land nor goods but at the Princes will Which caused his kingdome the shorter time to dure For claiming power absolute both to saue and spill The Prince thereby presumed his people for to pill And set his lusts for Law and will had reasons place No more but hang and draw there was no better grace Thus the King outleaping the limits of his Law Not raigning but raging as youth did him entice Wise and worthie persons from Court did daily draw Sage counsell set at naught proud vanters were in price And roysters bare the rule which wasted all in vice Of riot and excesse grew scarcitie and lacke Of lacking came taxing and so went wealth to wracke The Barons of the Land not bearing this abuse Conspiring with the Commons assembled by assent And seeing neither reason nor treatie could induce The King in any thing his rigour to relent Maugre his Kingly might they call'd a Parlament Franke and free for all men without checke to debate As well for weale publique as for the Princes state In this high assemblie great things were proponed Touching the Princes state his regaltie and crowne By reason that the King which much was to be moued Without regard at all of honor or renowne Misled by ill aduice had turn'd all vpside downe For suretie of whose state them thought it did behoue His Counsellours corrupt by reason to remoue Among whom Robert Veer call'd Duke of Ireland With Michael Delapole of Suffolke new made Earle Of Yorke also then Archbishop dispatcht out of hand With Brembre of London a full vncurteous churle Some learned in the Law in exile they did hurle But I poore Tresilian because I was the chiefe Was damned to the gallowes most vilely as a thiefe Lo the fine of falshood stipend of corruption The fee of double fraud the fruits it doth procure Yee Iudges vpon earth let our iust punition Teach you to shake off bribes and keepe your hands still pure Riches and promotion be vaine things and vnsure The fauour of a Prince is an vntrustie stay But Iustice hath a fee that shall remaine alway What glorie can be greater before God or man Then by paths of Iustice in iudgement to proceed So duely and so truly the Lawes for to scan That
I was a King who ruled all by lust Forcing but light of Iustice right or Law Putting alwaies flatterers false in trust Ensuing such as could my vices claw By faithfull counsell passing not an haw As pleasure prickt so needs obey I must Hauing delight to feed and serue the gust Which to maintaine my people were sore pol'd With Fines Fifteenes and loanes by way of prest Blanke Charters oaths and shifts not knowne of old For which the Commons did me sore detest I also sold the noble towne of Brest My fault wherein because mine vncle told I found the meanes that he to death was sold None aide I lackt in any wicked deed For gaping Gulles whom I promoted had Would further all in hope of higher meed There can no King imagine ought so bad But shall find some that will performe it glad For sicknesse seldome doth so swiftly breed As humours ill do grow the griefe to feed My life and death the truth of this hath tri'd For while I fought in Ireland with my foes Mine vncle Edmund whom I left to guide My Realme at home rebelliously arose Percies to helpe which plied my depose And call'd from France Earle Bolenbroke whom I Exiled had for ten yeares there to lie For comming backe this sudden stur to stay The Earle of Worster whom I trusted most Whiles I in Wales at Flint my castle lay Both to refresh and multiplie mine host There in my hall in sight of least and most His staffe did breake which was my houshold stay Bad each make shift and rode himselfe away My Steward false thus being fled and gone My seruants slie shranke off on euery side Then caught I was and led vnto my fone Who for their Prince no Palace did prouide But prison strong where Henrie puft with pride Causde me resigne my Kingly state and throne And so forsaken left and post alone Yet some conspir'd their new King to put downe And to that end a solemne oath they swore To render me my royall seate and Crowne Whereof themselues depriued me before But late medcines can helpe no sothbind sore When swelling flouds haue ouerflowen the towne Too late it is to saue them that shall drowne For though the Peeres set Henrie in his state Yet could they not displace him thence againe And where they soone depriued me of late They could restore me by no manner paine Things hardly mend but may be mar'd amaine And when a man is fallen in froward fate Still mischiefes light one on anothers pate For when the King did know that for my cause His Lords in maske would kill him on a night To dash all doubts he tooke no farther pause But Pierce of Exton a cruell murdering Knight To Pomfret castle sent him armed bright Who causelesse kill'd me there against all lawes Thus lawlesse life to lawlesse death aye drawes G. Ferrers HOW OWEN GLENDOVR SEDVCED BY FALSE PROPHESIES tooke vpon him to be Prince of Wales and was by Henrie Prince of England chased to the Mountaines where he miserablie died for lacke of food An. 1401. I Pray thee Baldwine sith thou doest entend To shew the fall of such as climbe too hie Remember me whose miserable end May teach a man his vicious life to flie Oh Fortune Fortune out on thee I crie My liuely corps thou hast made leane and slender For lacke of food whose name was Owen Glendour A Welchman borne and of the Troian blood But ill brought vp whereby full well I find That neither birth nor linage make vs good Though it be true that Cat will after kind Flesh gendreth flesh but not the soule or mind They gender not but foulely do degender When men to vice from vertue them surrender Each thing by nature tendeth to the same Whereof it came and is disposed like Downe sinkes the mould vp mounts the fierie flame With horne the Hart with hoofe the Horse doth strike The Wolfe doth spoile the suttle Foxe doth pike And to conclude no fish flesh fowle or plant Of their true dame the propertie doth want But as for men sith seuerally they haue A mind whose maners are by learning made Good bringing vp all only doth them saue In honest acts which with their parents fade So that true gentrie standeth in the trade Of vertuouslife not in the fleshly line For blood is brute but gentrie is diuine Experience doth cause me thus to say And that the rather for my countrimen Which vaunt and boast themselues aboue the day If they may straine their stocke from worthie men Which let be true are they the better then Nay farre the worse if so they be not good For why they staine the beautie of their blood How would we mocke the burden-bearing mule If he would brag he were an horses son To presse his pride might nothing else him rule His boasts to proue no more but bid him run The horse for swiftnesse hath his glorie won The braging mule could nere the more aspier Though he should proue that Pegas was his sier Each man may crake of that which was his owne Our parents good is theirs and no whit ours Who therefore will of noble birth be knowne Or shine in vertue like his ancestours Gentrie consisteth not in lands and towers He is a churle though all the world were his Yea Arthurs heire if that he liue amis For vertuous life a Gentleman doth make Of her possessour all be he poore as Iob Yea though no name of elders he can take For proofe take Merlin fathered by an Hob. But who so sets his mind to spoile and rob Although he come by due descent from Brute He is a churle vngentle vile and brute Well thus did I for want of better wit Because my parents naughtly brought me vp For Gentlemen they said was nought so fit As to attast by bold attempts the cup Of conquests wine whereof I thought to sup And therefore bent my selfe to rob and riue And whom I could of lands and goods depriue Henrie the fourth did then vsurpe the Crowne Despoil'd the King with Mortimer the heire For which his subiects sought to put him downe And I while Fortune offered me so faire Did what I might his honor to appaire And tooke on me to be the Prince of Wales Entiste thereto by Prophesies and tales For which such mates as wait vpon the spoile From euery part of Wales vnto me drew For loytering youth vntaught in any toile Are readie aye all mischiefe to ensue Through helpe of these so great my glorie grew That I defied my King through loftie heart And made sharpe warre on all that tooke his part See lucke I tooke Lord Raynold Gray of Rithen And him enforst my daughter to espouse And so perforce I held him still and sithen In Wigmore land through battell rigorous I caught the right heire of the crowned house The Earle of March Sir Edmund Mortimor And in a dungeon kept him prisoner Then all the Marches longing vnto
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
their army hote Assailed vs at Senocke where we lay From whence aliue they parted not away Which when the Kings retinue vnderstood They all affirm'd my quarell to be good Which caus'd the King and Queene whom all did hate To raise their campe and suddenly depart And that they might the peoples grudge abate T' imprison some full sore against their hart Lord Saye was one whom I made after smart For when the Staffords and their host was slaine To Black-heath field I marched backe againe And where the King would nothing heare before Now was he glad to send to know my mind And I thereby enflamed much the more Refus'd his grants so folly made me blind For this he flew and left Lord Scales behind To helpe the Towne and strenghten London Tower Towards which I marched forward with my power And found there all things at mine owne desire I entred London did there what I list The Treasurer Lord Saye I did conspire To haue condemned whereof when I mist For he by law my malice did resist By force I tooke him in Guildhall from th' heape And headed him before the crosse in Cheape His sonne in law Iames Cromer Shrief of Kent I caught at Mile-end where as then he lay Beheaded him and on a pole I sent His head to London where his fathers lay With these two heads I made a prety play For pight on poles I bare them through the street And for my sport made ech kisse other sweet Then brake I prisons let forth whom I wold And vs'd the City as it had been mine Tooke from the Merchants money ware and gold From some by force from other some by fine This at the length did cause them to repine So that Lord Scales consenting with the Maire For bad vs to their City to repaire For all this while mine host in Southwarke lay Who when they knew our passage was denied Came boldly to the bridge and made a fray For in we would the townesmen vs defied But when with strokes we had the matter tried We wan the bridge and set much part on fire This done to Southwarke backe we did retire The morow after came the Chancellour With generall pardon for my men halfe gone Which heard and read the rest within an houre Shranke all away each man to shift for one And when I saw they left me post alone I did disguise me like a Knight of the post And into Sussex rode all hope was lost And there I lurked till that cursed coyne That restlesse begle sought and found me out For straight the King by promise did enioyne A thousand marke to whomsoeuer mought Apprend my corps which made them seeke about Among the which one Alexander Iden Found out the hole wherein the Foxe was hidden But ere I fell I put him to his trumps For yeeld I would not while my hands would hold But hope of money made him stir his stumps And to assault me valiantly and bold Two houres and more our combat was not cold Till at the last he lent me such a stroke That downe I fell and neuer after spoke Then was my carcase caried like a hog To Southwarke borow where it lay a night The next day drawne to Newgate like a dog All men reioycing at the rufull sight Then were on poles my perboil'd quarters pight And set aloft for vermine to deuour Meete graue for rebels that resist the power Full little know we wretches what we do When we presume our Princes to resist We warre with God against his glorie to That placeth in his office whom he list Therefore was neuer traytour yet but mist The marke he shot and came to shamefull end Nor neuer shall till God be forst to bend God hath ordain'd the power all Princes be His Lieutenants or deputies in Realmes Against their foes therefore fighteth he And as his enmies driues them to extreames Their wise deuices proue but doltish dreames No subiect ought for any kind of cause To force the Prince but yeeld him to the lawes Wherefore O Baldwine warne men follow reason Subdue their willes and be not Fortunes slaues A shamefull end doth euer follow treason There is no trust in rebels rascall knaues In Fortune lesse which worketh as the waues From whose assaults who listeth to stand free Must follow skill and so contented bee W. Baldwine THE TRAGEDIE OF EDMVND DVKE OF SOMMERSET SLAINE IN THE FIRST battaile at Saint Albanes the 23. day of May in the 32. yeare of Henrie the sixt Anno Dom. 1454. SOme I suppose are borne vnfortunate Else good endeuours could not ill succeed What shall I call it ill fortune or fate That some mens attempts haue neuer good speed Their trauell thanklesse all bootlesse their heed Where other vnlike in working or skill Out wrestle the world and weald it at will Of the first number I count my selfe one To all mishap I weene predestinate Beleeue me Baldwine there be few or none To whom Fortune was euer more ingrate Make thou therefore my life a caueate That whose with force will worke against kind Saileth as who saith against the streame and winde For I of Sommerset Duke Edmund hight Extract by descent from Lancaster line Were it by follie or Fortunes despite Or by ill aspect of some crooked signe Of mine attempts could neuer see good fine What so I began did seldome well end God from such Fortune all good men defend Where I thought to saue most part I did spill For good hap with me was alway at warre The linage of Yorke whom I bare so ill By my spite became bright as the morning star Thus some whiles men make when faine they would mar The more ye lop trees the greater they grow The more ye stop streames the higher they flow Maugre my spite his same grew the more And mine as the Moone in the wane waxt lesse For hauing the place which he had before Gouernour of France needs I must confesse That lost was Normandie without redresse Yet wrought I alwaies that wit might contriue But what doth it boote with the streame to striue Borne was I neither to warre ne to peace For Mars was maligne to all my whole trade My birth I beleeue was in Ioues decrease When Cancer in his course being retrograde Declined from Sol to Saturnus shade Where aspects were good opposites did marre So grew mine vnhap both in peace and warre A strange natiuitie in calculation As all my liues course did after well declare Whereof in briefe to make relation That other by me may learne to beware Ouerlight credence was cause of my care And want of foresight in giuing assent To condemne Humfrey that Duke innocent Humfrey I meane that was the Protectour Duke of Glocester of the royall blood So long as he was Englands directour King Henries title to the Crowne was good This Prince as a piller most stedfastly stood Or like a prop set vnder a vine In state to vphold all Lancasters
friends can faine Not Synon sly whose fraud best fame rebukes VVas halfe so suttle as these double Dukes First to mine Inne commeth in my brother false Embraceth me well met good brother Scales And weepes withall the other me enhalse With welcome cosin now welcome out of Wales O happie day for now all stormie gales Of strife and rancour vtterly are swaged And we our owne to liue or die vnwaged This proferd seruice saust with salutations Immoderate might cause me to suspect For commonly in all dissimulations Th' excesse of glauering doth the guile detect Reason refuseth falsehood to direct The will therefore for feare of being spide Exceedeth meane because it wanteth guide This is the cause why such as faine to weepe Do houle outright or wailing crie ah ah Tearing themselues and straining sighes most deepe Why such dissemblers as would seeme to laugh Breath not tihhee but bray out hah hah hah Why beggers faining brauery are the proud'st Why cowards bragging boldnesse wrangle loud'st For commonly all that do counterfeat In any thing exceed the naturall meane And that for feare of failing in their feat But these conspirers couched all so cleane Through close demeanour that their wiles did weane My heart from doubts so many a false deuice They forged fresh to hide their enterprise They supt with me propounding friendly talke Of our affaires still giuing me the prayse And euer among the cups to me ward walke I drinke to you good Cuz each traytour sayes Our banquet done when they should go their waies They took their leaue oft wishing me good night As heartily as any creature might A noble heart they say is Lion like It cannot couch dissemble crouch nor faine How villanous were these and how vnlike Of noble stocke the most ignoble staine Their woluish hearts their trayterous foxly braine Or proue them base of rascall race engendred Or from hault linage bastard like degendred Such polling heads as praise for prudent policie False practises I wish were pact on poles I meane the bastard law-brood which can mollifie All kind of causes in their craftie noles These vndermine all vertue blind as Moles They bolster wrong they racke and straine the right And prayse for law both malice fraud and might These quench the worthie flames of noble kind Prouoking best borne to the basest vices Through crafts they make the boldest courage blind Disliking highly valiant enterprices And praysing vilely villanous deuices These make the Bore a Hog the Bull an Oxe The Swan a Goose the Lion a Wolfe or Foxe The Lawyer Catesby and his craftie feeres A rout that nere did good in any reame Are they that had transform'd these noble peeres They turn'd their blood to melancholike fleumes Their courage hault to cowardife extreame Their force and manhood into fraud and malice Their wit to wiles stout Hector into Paris These glauerers gone my selfe to rest I laid And doubting nothing soundly fell a sleepe But suddenly my seruants sore afraid Awaked me and drawing sighes full deepe Alas quoth one my Lord we are betrai'd How so quoth I the Dukes are gone their waies Th' haue bar'd the gates and borne away the kaies While he thus spake there came into my mind This fearefull dreame whereout I waked was I saw a riuer stopt with stormes of winde Where through a Swan a Bull and Bore did passe Franching the fish and frie with teeth of brasse The riuer dri'd vp saue a little streame Which at the last did water all the Reame Me thought this streame did drowne the cruell Bore In little space it grew so deepe and brode But he had kill'd the Bull and Swan before Besides all this I saw an vglie Tode Crale toward me on which me thought I trode But what became of her or what of mee My sudden waking would not let me see These dreames considered with this sudden newes So diuers from their doings ouer night Did cause me not a little for to muse I blest me rose in all the hast I might By this Aurora spred abroad the light Which from the ends of Phoebus beames he tooke Who then the Bulles chiefe gallery forsooke When I had open'd the window to looke out There might I see the streets each where beset My Inne on each side compassed about With armed watchmen all escapes to let Thus had these Neroes caught me in their net But to what end I could not throughly ghesse Such was my plainnes such their doublenesse My conscience was so cleare I could not doubt Their deadly drift which lesse apparant lay Because they caus'd their men returne the rout That rode toward Stonystratford as they say Because the Dukes will first be there to day For this thought I they hinder me in iest For guiltlesse minds do easely deeme the best By this the Dukes were come into mine Inne For they were lodged in another by I got me to them thinking it a sinne Within my chamber cowardly to lye And merrily I ask'd my brother why He vs'd me so he sterne in euill sadnes Cried out I arrest thee traytour for thy badnes How so quoth I whence riseth your suspicion Thou art a traytour quoth he I thee arrest Arrest quoth I why where is your commission He drew his weapon so did all the rest Crying yeeld thee traytour I so sore distrest Made no resistande but was sent to ward None saue their seruants signed to my gard This done they sped him to the King in post And after humble reuerence to him done They trayterously began to rule the rost They pickt a quarell to my sisters son Lord Richard Gray the King would not be won T' agree to them yet they against all reason Arrested him they said for hainous treason Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hault Two worthie Knights were likewise apprehended These all were guiltie in one kind of fault They would not like the practise then pretended And seeing the King was herewith sore offended Backe to Northampton they brought him againe And thence discharged most part of his traine There loe Duke Richard made himselfe Protector Of King and Realme by open proclamation Though neither King nor Queene were his elector Thus he presum'd by lawlesse vsurpation But will you see his deepe dissimulation He sent me a dish of dainties from his bord That day and with it this false friendly word Commend me to him all things shall be weil I am his friend bid him be of good cheere These newes I prayed the messenger go tell My Nephew Richard whom I lou'd full deere But what he ment by well now shall you heere He thought it well to haue vs quickly murdred Which not long after thorowly he furdred For straight from thence we closely were conueied From iayle to iayle Northward we wist not whither Where after a while we had in sunder staied At last we met at Pomfret all together Sir Richard Ratcliffe bade vs welcome thither Who openly all law and right contemned
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
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
Princes face For poore mens sutes and holpe their woefull case Yet she had not such credit as I gate Although a King would heare the parret prate My words were graue and bore an equall poies In ballance iust for many a weightie cause She pleasd a Prince with pretty merry toies And had no sight in state nor course of lawes I could perswade and make a Prince to pawes And take a breath before he drew the sword And spie the time to rule him with a word I will not say but fancy may do much Yet world will grant that wisdome may do more To wanton girls affection is not such That Princes wise wil be abusde therfore One sute of mine was surely worth a score Of hers indeed for she her time must watch And at all howres I durst go draw the latch My voice but heard the dore was open streight She might not come till she were cald or brought I rul'd the King by custome art and sleight And knew full well the secrets of his thought Without my mind all that was done was nought In wars or peace my counsell swaied all For still the King would for the Cardnall call I kept a court my selfe as great as his I not compare vnto my master here But looke my Lords what liuely world was this That one poore man became so great a peere Yet though this tale be very strange to here Wit wins a world and who hath hap and wit With triumph long in princely throne may sit What man like me bare rule in any age I shone like Sun more cleare then morning star Was neuer part so plaid in open stage As mine nor fame of man flew halfe so far I sate on bench when thowsands at the bar Did plead for right for I in publique weale Lord Chancelor was and had the great broad seale Now haue I told how I did rise aloft And sate with pride and pomp in golden hall And set my feete on costly carpets soft And plaid at goale with goodly golden ball But after Lord I must rehearse my fall O trembling heart thou canst not now for teares Present that tale vnto the hearers eares Best weepe it out and sudden silence keepe Till priuy pangs make pinched heart complaine Or cast thy selfe into some slumbring sleepe Till wakened wits remembrance bring againe When heauy teares do hollow cheekes distaine The world will thinke thy sprits are growne so weake The feeble tongue hath sure no power to speake A tale by signes with sighes and sobs set out Moues peoples mindes to pity plagued men With howling voice do rather crie and shout And so by arte shew forth thy sorrow then For if thou speake some man will note with pen What Wolsey said and what threw Wolsey downe And vnder foote flings Wolseis great renowne What force of that my fall must needs be herd Before I fell I had a time to rise As fatall chance and Fortune me preferd So mischiefe came and did my state despise If I might plead my case among the wise I could excuse right much of mine offence But leaue a while such matter in suspence The Pope or pride or peeuish parts of mine Made King to frowne and take the seale from me Now seru'd no words nor pleasant speeches fine Now Wolsey lo must needes disgraced be Yet had I leaue as dolefull prisner free To keepe a house God wot with heauy cheere Where that I found no wine ne bread nor beere My time was come I could no longer liue What should I make my sorrow further knowne Vpon some cause that King that all did giue Tooke all againe and so possest his owne My goods my plate and all was ouerthrowne And looke what I had gathred many a day Within one houre was cleanly swept away But harken now how that my Fortune fell To Yorke I must where I the Bishop was Where I by right in grace a while did dwell And was in stawle with honour great to passe The Priors then and Abbots gan to smell How Cardnall must be honourd as he ought And for that day was great prouision brought At Cawood then where I great buildings made And did through cause expect my stawling day The King deuisde a secret vnder shade How Cardnall should bee rest and brought away One Wealsh a Knight came downe in good aray And seasned sure because from Court hee came On Wolsey wolfe that spoiled many a lambe Then was I led toward Court like dog in string And brought as biefe that Butcher-row must see But still I hopte to come before the King And that repaire was not denide to me But he that kept the Towre my guide must be Ah there I saw what King thereby did meane And so I searcht if conscience now were cleane Some spots I found of pride and popish parts That might accuse a better man then I Now Oxford came to minde with all their arts And Cambridge too but all not worth a flie For schoolemen can no foule defects supplie My sauce was sowre though meate before was sweete Now Wolsey lackt both cunning wit and spreete A deepe conceit of that possest my head So fell I sicke consum'd as some did thinke So tooke in haste my chamber and my bed On which deuice perhaps the world might winke But in the heart sharpe sorrow so did sinke That gladnes sweete forsooke my senses all In those extremes did yeeld vnto my fall O let me curse the popish Cardnall hat Those miters big beset with pearle and stones And all the rest of trash I know not what The saints in shrine their flesh and rotten bones The maske of Monkes deuised for the nones And all the flocke of Freers what ere they are That brought me vp and left me there so bare O cursed priests that prate for profits sake And follow floud and tide where ere it floes O merchants fine that do aduantage take Of euery graine how euer market goes O fie on wolues that march in masking cloes For to deuoure the lambs when shepherd sleepes And woe to you that promise neuer keepes You said I should be reskude if I need And you would curse with candell booke and bell But when ye should now serue my turne indeed Yee haue no house I know not where ye dwell O Freers and Monkes your harbour is in hell For in this world ye haue no rightfull place Nor dare not once in heauen shew your face Your fault not halfe so great as was my pride For which offence fell Lucifer from skies Although I would that wilfull folly hide The thing lies plaine before the peoples eies On which hie heart a hatefull name doth ries It hath been said of old and daily will Pride goes before and shame comes after still Pride is a thing that God and man abores A swelling tode that poisons euery place A stinking wound that breedeth many sores A priuie plague found out in stately face A painted bird that
of Edmund Duke of Somerset slaine in the first battell at S. Albons in the 32. yeare of Henrie the sixt 350. 65 How Richard Plantagenet Duke of York was slaine through his rash boldnesse and his sonne the Earle of Rutland for his lacke of valiancie 360. 66 How the Lord Clifford for his strange and abominable crueltie came to as strange and sudden a death 365. 67 The infamous end of Lord Tiptoft Earle of Worcester for cruelly executing his Princes butcherly commandements 367. 68 How Sir Richard Neuil Earle of Warwicke and his brother Iohn Lord Marquesse Montacute through their too much boldnesse were slaine at Barnet 371. 69 How King Henry the sixt a vertuous Prince was after many other miseries cruelly murthered in the Tower of London 375. 70 How George Plantagenet third son of the Duke of Yorke was by his brother King Edward wrongfully imprisoned and by his brother Richard miserablie murthered 380. 71 How King Edward the fourth through his surfetting vntemperate life suddenly died in the midst of his prosperity 392. 72 How Sir Anthonie Wooduile Lord Riuers and Scales Gouernour of Prince Edward was with his nephew Lord Richard Grey and other causelesse imprisoned and cruelly murthered 394. 73 How the Lord Hastings was betraied by trusting too much to his euill counsellour Catesby and villanously murthered in the Tower of London by Richard Duke of Glocester 411. 74 The complaint of Henrie Duke of Buckingham 433. 75 How Colingborne was cruelly executed for making a Rime 455. 76 The wilfull fall of the Black-smith and the foolish end of the Lord Audley 463. 77 How the valiant Knight Sir Nicholas Burdet Chiefe Butler of Normandie was slaine at Pontoise 477. 78 How Shores wife King Edward the fourths Concubine was by King Richard despoiled of her goods and forced to do open penance 494. 79 How Thomas Woolsey did arise vnto great authoritie and gouernment his maner of life pompe and dignitie how he fell downe into great disgrace and was arrested of high treason 506. 80 How the Lord Cromwell exalted from meane estate was after by the enuie of the Bishop of Winchester and other his complices brought to vntimely end 520. The Additions 81 The life and death of King Arthur 561. 82 The life and death of King Edmund Ironside 585. 83 The life and death of Prince Alfred 603. 84 The life and death of Godwin Earle of Kent 617. 85 The life and death of Robert surnamed Curthose Duke of Normandie 631. 86 The life and death of King Richard the first surnamed Coeur de Lion 659. 87 The life and death of King Iohn 681. 88 The life and death of King Edward the second 703. 89 The life and death of the two yong Princes sonnes to Edward the fourth 736. 90 The life and death of King Richard the third 750. 91 The Poem annexed called Englands Eliza. 783. The end of the Contents THOMAS NEWTON TO THE Reader in the behalfe of this booke AS when an arming sword of proofe is made Both steele and iron must be tempred well For iron giues the strength vnto the blade And steele in edge doth cause it to excell As each good Blade-smith by his Art can tell For without iron brittle will it breake And without steele it will be blunt and weake So bookes that now their faces dare to show Must mettald be with nature and with skill For nature causeth stuffe enough to flow And Art the same contriues by learned quill In order good and currant method still So that if Nature frowne the case is hard And if Art want the matter all is mar'd The worke which heere is offred to thy view With both these points is full and fitly fraught Set forth by sundrie of the learned Crew Whose stately stiles haue Phoebus garland caught And Parnasse mount their worthy worke haue raught Their words are thundred with such maiestie As fitteth right each matter in degree Reade it therefore but reade attentiuely Consider well the drift whereto it tends Confer the times perpend the history The parties states and eke their dolefull ends With odde euents that diuine iustice sends For things forepast are presidents to vs Whereby we may things present now discusse Certes this world a Stage may well be call'd Whereon is plai'd the part of eu'ry wight Some now aloft anon with malice gal'd Are from high state brought into dismall plight Like counters are they which stand now in sight For thousand or ten thousand and anone Remoued stand perhaps for lesse then one Thomas Newtonus Cestreshyrius THE AVTHORS Induction WHen Sommer sweet with all her pleasures past And leaues began to leaue the shadie tree The winter cold encreased on full fast And time of yeare to sadnes moued me For moistie blasts not halfe so mirthfull be As sweet Aurora brings in spring-time faire Our ioyes they dimme as winter damps the aire The nights began to grow to length apace Sir Phoebus to th' Antarctique gan to fare From Libraes lance to th' Crab he tooke his race Beneath the line to lend of light a share For then with vs the daies more darkish are More short cold moist and stormie cloudie clit For sadnes more then mirths or pleasures fit Deuising then what bookes were best to reade Both for that time and sentence graue also For conference of friend to stand in stead When I my faithfull friend was parted fro I gate me straight the Printers shops vnto To seeke some worke of price I surely ment That might alone my carefull mind content Amongst the rest I found a booke so sad As time of yeare or sadnesse could require The Mirour nam'd for Magistrates he had So finely pen'd as heare could well desire Which when I read so set my heart on fire Eftsoones it me constrain'd to take the paine Not left with once to reade it once againe And as againe I view'd this worke with heed And marked plaine each partie paint his fall Me thought in mind I saw those men indeed Eke how they came in order Princely all Declaring well this life is but a thrall Sith those on whom for Fortunes gifts we stare Oft soonest sinke in greatest seas of care For some perdie were Kings of high estate And some were Dukes and came of regall race Some Princes Lords and Iudges great that sate In counsell still decreeing euery case Some other Knights that vices did embrace Some Gentlemen some poore exalted hie Yet euery one had plai'd his tragedie A Mirrour well it might be call'd a glasse As cleare as any crystall vnder Sun In each respect the Tragedies so passe Their names shall liue that such a worke begun For why with such Decorum is it done That Momus spight with more then Argus eies Can neuer watch to keepe it from the wise Examples there for all estates you find For Iudge I say what iustice he should vse The noble man to beare a noble mind And not himselfe ambitiously abuse The Gentleman vngentlenesse
refuse The rich and poore and eu'ry one may see Which way to loue and liue in due degree I wish them often well to reade it than And marke the causes why those Princes fell But let me end my tale that I began When I had read these Tragedies full well And past the winter euenings long to tell One night at last I thought to leaue this vse To take some ease before I chang'd my Muse Wherefore away from reading I me gate My heauie head waxt dull for want of rest I laid me downe the night was waxed late For lacke of sleepe mine eyes were sore opprest Yet fancie still of all their deaths encreast Me thought my mind from them I could not take So worthie wights as caused me to wake At last appeared clad in purple blacke Sweet Somnus rest which comforts each aliue By ease of mind that weares away all wracke That noysome night from wearie wits doth driue Of labours long the pleasures we atchieue Whereat I ioy'd sith after labours past I might enioy sweet Somnus sleepe at last But he by whom I thought my selfe at rest Reuiued all my fancies fond before I more desirous humblie did request Him shew th' vnhappie Albion Princes yore For well I wist that he could tell me more Sith vnto diuers Somnus erst had told What things were done in elder times of old Then straight he forth his seruant Morpheus call'd On Higins heere thou must quoth he attend The Britaine Peeres to bring whom Fortune thral'd From Lethean lake and th' ancient shapes them lend That they may shew why how they tooke their end I wil quoth Morpheus shew him what they were And so me thought I saw them straight appeare One after one they came in strange attire But some with wounds and blood were so disguis'd You scarcely could by reasons aid aspire To know what warre such sundrie deaths deuis'd And seuerally those Princes were surpris'd Of former state these States gaue ample show Which did relate their liues and ouerthrow Of some the faces bold and bodies were Distain'd with woad and Turkish beards they had On th' ouer lips mutchatoes long of haire And wilde they seem'd as men despairing mad Their lookes might make a constant heart full sad And yet I could not so forsake the view Nor presence ere their minds I likewise knew For Morpheus bad them each in order tell Their names and liues their haps and haplesse daies And by what meanes from Fortunes wheele they fell Which did them erst vnto such honors raise Wherewith the first not making moe delaies A noble Prince broad wounded brest that bare Drew neere to tell the cause of all his care Which when me thought to speak he might be bold Deepe from his brest he threw an vnquoth sound I was amaz'd his gestures to behold And blood that freshly trickled from his wound With echo so did halfe his words confound That scarce a while the sense might plaine appeare At last me thought he spake as you shall heare Faults escaped PAge 555. lin 17. browes reade bowes p. 566. l. 10. left r. let p. 579. l. 3. sh r. shore p. 583. l. 13. speele r. steele p. eadem l. 15 vaines flow r. vaines did flow p. 588. l. 3. nor r. not p. 599. l. 28. approth r. approch p. 600. l. 11. t' abate r. to abate p. 629. l. 23. this r. his p. 636. l. 5. foe r. woe p. 657. l. 16. soee r. loare p. 671. l 32. with Austrian r. with th' Austrian p. 682. l. 7. let r. le ts p. 683. l. 37. to obtaine r. t' obtaine p. 706. l. 15. I r. O. p. 728. l. 15. But r. Blunt in some copies p. 793. marg Anno Reg. 51. r. 15. p. 834. l. 13. recoil'd r. recoile p. 855. l. 30. throne r. chaire 866. l. 25. house tops r. houses tops HOW KING ALBANACT THE YOVNGEST SONNE OF BRVTVS AND FIRST KING OF Albany now called Scotland was slaine by king Humber the yeere before Christ 1085. SIth flattering Fortune slily could beguile Mee first of Britaine Princes in this land And yet at first on mee did sweetely smile Behold mee here that first in presence stand And when thou well my wounded corps hast scand Then shalt thou heare my hap to penne the same In stories called Albanactae by name Lay feare aside let nothing thee amaze Ne haue despaire ne scuse the want of time Leaue off on mee with fearefull lookes to gaze Thy pen may serue for such a tale as mine First I will tell thee of my fathers line Then why he flying from the Latin land Did saile the seas and found the Briton strand And last I minde to tell thee of my selfe My life and death a Tragedy so true As may approue your world is all but pelfe And pleasures sweete whom sorrowes aye ensue Hereafter eke in order comes a crue Which can declare of worldly pleasures vaine The price we all haue bought with pinching paine When Troy was sackt and brent and could not stand Aeneas fled from thence Anchises sonne And came at length to King Latinus land He Turnus slew Lauinia eke he wonne After whose death Ascanius next his sonne Was crowned King and Siluius then his heire Espoused to a Latine Lady faire By her had Siluius shortly issue eke A goodly Prince and Brutus was his name But what should I of his misfortune speake For hunting as he minded strike the game He strook his father that beyond it came The quarrell glaunst and through his tender fide It flew where through the noble Siluius dide Lo thus by chance though princely Brutus slew His father Siluius sore against his will Which came too soone as he his arrow drew Though he in chace the game did mind to kill Yet was he banisht from his countrey still Commanded thither to returne no more Except he would his life to lose therefore On this to Greece Lord Brutus tooke his way Where Troians were by Grecians captiues kept Helenus was by Pirrhus brought away From death of Troians whom their friends bewept Yet he in Greece this while no busines slept But by his facts and feates obtain'd such fame Seuen thousand captiue Troians to him came Assaracus a noble Grecian eke Who by his mother came of Troian race Because he saw himselfe in Greece too weake Came vnto him to aide him in this case For of his brother he could finde no grace Which was a Greeke by both his parents sides His Castles three the Troian Brutus guides While he to be their Captaine was content And as the Troians gathered to his band Ambassage to the Grecian King he sent For to entreate they might depart his land Which when King Pandrasus did vnderstand An armie straight he did therefore addresse On purpose all the Troians to suppresse So as King Pandrasus at Spartane towne Thought them in deserts by to circumuent The Troians with three thousand beate them downe Such fauour loe them Ladie Fortune