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
man directs his eye Euen so among my captiue mates that were When I did speake or make my plaints with crie Then all on me they stared by and by Bemoning of my fates and fortune so As they had bin partakers of my woe My forme did praise my plea my sighes they sued My teares enti'st their hearts some ruth to take My sobs in sight a seemely hue renew'd My wringing hands wan suiters shift to make My sober soothes did cause them for my sake Me to commend vnto their noble King Who wild they should me into presence bring T' whom when I came in cords as captiue bound O King quoth I whose power we feele too strong O worthie wight whose fame to skies doth sound Doe pitie me that neuer wisht thee wrong Release me one thy captiues all among Which frō my friends by fraud am brought away A Prince his daughter drown'd in deepe decay Now as thou art a Prince thy selfe of might And maist do more then I do dare desire Let me O King find fauour in thy sight Asswage somewhat thy deadly wrath and ire No part of knighthood t is for to require A Ladies death thee neuer did offend Sith that thy foe hath brought her to this end But let me rather safely be conuay'd O gratious King once home before I die Or let me liue thy simple wayting maid If it may please thy royall Maiestie Or let me ransome pay for libertie But if you mind reuenge of vnwraught ill Why spare you Britaines my deare blood to spill With that the King Good Ladie faire what i st Thou canst desire or aske but must obtaine Eke would to God with all my heart I wist Best way to ease thee of thy wofull paine But if thou wilt do heere with me remaine If not content conductors shalt thou haue To bring thee home and what thou else wilt crau◠O King quoth I the gods preserue thy grace The heauens requite thy mercie shew'd to me And all the starres direct thy regall race With happie course long length of yeares to see The earth with fertill fruits enrich so thee That thou maist still like Iustice heere dispose And euermore treade downe thy deadly foes The noble King commanded to vnbind Mine armes and giue me libertie at will With whom such fauour I did after find That as his Queene I was at elbow still And I enioy'd all pleasures at my fill So that they quite had quenched out my thrall And I forgat my former Fortunes all Thus loe by fauour I obtain'd my suite So had my beautie set his heart on fire That I could make Locrinus euen as mute Or pleasant as my causes did require And when I knew he could no way retire I prai'd he would his fauour so extend As I might not be blamed in the end For if quoth I you take me as your owne And eke my loue to you hath constant beene Then let your loue likewise againe be showne And wed me as you may your spoused Queene If since in me misliking you haue seene Then best depart betime before defame Begin to take from Elstride her good name No wauering heart said he Locrinus beares No fained flatterie shall thy faith deface Thy beautie birth fame vertue age and yeares Constraineth me mine Elstride to imbrace I must of force giue thy requests a place For as they do with reason good consent Euen so I grant thee all thy whole intent Then was the time appointed and the day In which I should be wedded to this King But in this case his Counsell causde a stay And sought out meanes at discord vs to bring Eke Corinaeus claim'd a former thing A precontract was made and full accord Between his daughter and my soueraigne Lord. And yet the King did giue me comfort still He said he could not so forsake my loue He euermore would beare me all good will As both my beautie and deserts did moue Yet faithlesse in his promise he did proue His Counsell at the last did him constraine To marrie her vnto my grieuous paine At which I could not but with hate repine It vexed me his mate that should haue beene To liue in hate a Prince his concubine That euer had such hope to be his Queene The steps of state are full of woe and teene For when we thinke we haue obtain'd the throne Then straight our pompe and pride is quite orethrowne Lo twice I fell from hope of Princely crowne First when vnhappie Humber lost his life And next I laid my peacocks pride adowne When I could not be King Locrinus wife But oft they say the third doth end the strife Which I haue prou'd therefore the sequell view * The third paies home this prouerbe is too true The King could not refraine his former minde But vsde me still and I my doubtfull yeares Did linger on I knew no shift to finde But past the time full oft with mourning teares * A concubine is neuer void of feares For if the wife her at aduantage take In rage reuenge with death she seekes to make Likewise I wist if once I sought to flie Or to intreat the King depart I might Then would he straight be discontent with me Yea if I were pursued vpon the flight Or came deflour'd into my fathers sight I should be taken kept perforce or slaine Or in my countrey liue in great disdaine In such a plight what might a Ladie doe Was euer Princesse poore in such a case O wretched wight bewrapt in webs of woe That still in dread wast tost from place to place And neuer foundest meane to end thy race But still in doubt of death in carking care Didst liue a life deuoid of all welfare The King perceiuing well my chaunged cheare To ease my heart with all deuis'd deceates By secret wayes I came deuoyde of feare In vaults by cunning Masons craftie feates Whereas we safely from the Queene her threats So that the King and I so vsde our art As after turn'd vs both to paine and smart By him I had my Sabrine small my childe And after that his wife her father lost I meane he died and she was strayght exilde And I made Queene vnto my care and cost For she went downe to Cornwall strayght in post Anc caused all her fathers men to rise With all the force and strength they might deuise My King and hers with me gainst her prepar'd An army strong but when they came to fight Dame Guendoline did wax at length too hard And of our King vs both deposed quight For from her campe an arrow sharp did light Vpon his brest and made him leaue his breath Lo thus the King came by vntimely death Then I too late began in vaine to flye And taken was presented to the Queene Who me beheld with cruell Tigers eie O queane quoth she that cause of warres hast beene And deadly hate the like was neuer seene Come on for these my hands shall ridde thy life And
happinesse At that they only fish with Fortunes hooke Ambition will not wisdomes counsell brooke Pride sets her thoughts on things that vade away Forsaking vertue which doth nere decay Mens vaine delights are wondrous to behold For that that reason nils nor nature sowes They take in hand on science far too bold Deceiu'd by suttle snares of diuelish showes From which attempts a floud of mischiefe flowes An heape of hurts a frie of foule decaies A flocke of feares and thrals a thousand waies If that the water fish forsake the streame Against his kind feeles he no hurt ensues Or if the brocke would learne to play the breame And leaue the lambes at land were this no newes A fethered fowle in th' earth a den to chuse Or flounder say to flie the larke to catch We might admire what monsters time did hatch But sith we see that nature hath assign'd The fowle to flie the aire as seemeth well The fish to swim the sea as fits his kind The earth for men and beasts to breed and dwell Of right a man which doth the rest excell Should euen so far surpasse in his degree As all the rest in wisdome weaker bee All this I speake to warne the rest that heare And eke to shew the blindnesse of delites Herein my folly vaine may plaine appeare What hap they heape which trie out cunning slights What hurt there hits at such vaine shewes and sights Where men for pleasure only take much paine To alter natures gifts for pleasure vaine Were not it strange thinke you a King to flie To play the tombler or some iugling cast To dresse himselfe in plumes as erst did I And vnder armes to knit on wings full fast A sport you thinke that might the wise agast But Magicke arte had taught me points of skill Which in the end did proue my future ill I deckt my corps with plumes I say and wings And had them set thou seest in skilfull wise With many feats fine poyseing equall things To aide my selfe in flight to fall or rise Few men did euer vse like enterprise Gainst store of wind by practise rise I could And turne and winde at last which way I would But ere the perfect skill I learned had And yet me thought I could do passing well My subiects hearts with pleasant toyes to glad From Temples top where did Apollo dwell I sayd to flie but on the Church I fell And in the fall I lost my life withall This was my race this was my fatall fall What vainer thing could any Prince deuise Then so himselfe a foolish fowle to show Learne you by me that count your selues so wise The worst to doubt of things what ere you know Flie not so high for feare you fall so low Be wise in artes exceed not wisdomes bound The depth of arte by wit may not be found These curious artes allurements haue alone They profer much in recompence of paine But yet among'st a thousand scarce is one In practise ought by them can saue or gaine In their effects they are but false and vaine Sophisticall deceitfull and vntrue That nothing haue yet promise all to you I speake not of the rest that are in vse Amongst the wiser sort Philosophie Nor of the parts thereof but of th' abuse That comes by magicke artes of Imagerie By vile inchauntments charmes and parnpestrie All which by nature are abhor'd as euill Practisde by fooles inuented by the diuell To make an end you noble Kings content Your selues with studies seruing for the State You Lords also with all your wits inuent What way t' eschew the Prince and peoples hate Yee Subiects loue your Prince eschew debate I wish you all beware of climing high Lest that you helpelesse fall as erst did I. HOW QVEENE CORDILA IN DESPAIRE SLEW her selfe the yeare before Christ 800. IF any wofull wight haue cause to waile her woe Or griefes are past do pricke vs Princes tell our fall My selfe likewise must needs constrained eke do so And shew my like misfortunes and mishaps withall Should I keepe close my heauie haps and thrall Then did I wrong I wrong'd my selfe and thee Which of my facts a witnesse true maistbee A woman yet must blush when bashfull is the case Though truth bid tell the tale and storie as it fell But sith that I mislike not audience time nor place Therefore I cannot keepe my woes in counsell well * No greater ease of heart then griefes to tell It daunteth all the dolours of our mind Our carefull hearts thereby great comfort find For why to tell that may recounted be againe And tell it as our cares may compasse ease That is the salue and med'cine of our paine Which cureth corsies all and sores of our disease It doth our pinching pangs and paines appease It pleads the part of an assured friend And telles the trade like vices to amend Therefore if I more willing be to tell my fall With my mishaps to ease my burdened breast and mind Some others haplie may auoid and shunne the thrall And thereby for distresse more aide and comfort find They keeping measure whereas I declin'd May be as prompt to flie like brute and blame As I to tell or thou to write the same Wherefore if thou wilt afterwards record What Queene Cordila telles to ease her inward smart I will recite my storie tragicall each word To thee that giu'st an eare and readie art But lest I set the horse behind the cart I mind to tell each thing in order so As thou maist see and shew whence sprang my woe My grandsire Bladud hight that found the bathes by skill A fethered King that practisde high to soare Whereby he felt the fall God wot against his will And neuer went road raign'd nor spake nor flew no more After whose death my father Leire therefore Was chosen King by right apparent heire Which after built the towne of Leircestere He had three daughters faire the first hight Gonerell Next after her his yonger Ragan was begot The third and last was I the yongest nam'd Cordell Vs all our father Leire did loue too well God wot But minding her that lou'd him best to note Because he had no sonne t' enioy his land He thought to guerdon most where fauour most he fand What though I yongest were yet men me iudg'd more wise Then either Gonerell or Ragan more of age And fairer farre wherefore my sisters did despise My grace and gifts and sought my wrecke to wage But yet though vice on vertue die with rage It cannot keepe her vnderneath to drowne For still she flittes aboue and reapes renowne My father thought to wed vs vnto Princely peeres And vnto them and theirs diuide and part the land For both my sisters first he call'd as first their yeares Requir'd their minds and loue and fauour t' vnderstand Quoth he all doubts of dutie to aband I must assay your friendly faithes to proue My daughters tell me how you
woundes to smart I ioyed to feele the mighty monster start That roard and belcht and groande and plungde and cride And tost me vp and downe from side to side Long so in pangs hee plungde and panting lay And drew his winde so fast with such a powere That quite and cleane he drew my breath away Wee both were dead well nigh within an houre Lo thus one beastly monster did deuoure Another monster moodles to vs paine At once the realme was rid of monsters twaine Here maist thou see of fortitude the hap Where prudence iustice temperance hath no place How suddenly we taken are in trap When we despise good vertues to embrace Intemperance doth all our deeds deface And lets vs heedles headlong run so fast We seeke our owne destruction at the last For he that hath of fortitude and might And thereto hath a kingdome ioind withall Except he also guide himselfe aright His powre and strength prewaileth him but small He can not scape at length an haples fall You may perceiue a myrrour plaine by me Which may with wisdome well sufficient be HOW KING EMERIANVS FOR HIS TYRANNIE WAS DEPOSED ABOVT THE yeare before Christ 225. THe wofull wight that fell from throne to thrall The wretch that woue the web wherin he goes A dolefull blacke bad weede still weare hee shall In woefull sort and nothing blame his foes What neede such one at all his name disclose Except the rest of Britaine princes should Not here for shame resite his name he would I am Emeriane King that raign'd a space Scarce all one yeare in Britaine Isle long sence But for I was in maners voide of grace Fierce tyrannous and full of negligence Bloud thirsty cruell vaine deuoide of sence The Britaines me deposed from seate and crowne And reau'd me quite of riches and renowne I was despisde and banisht from my blisle Discountnanst faine to hide my selfe for shame What neede I longer stand to tell thee this My selfe was for my woefull fall too blame My raigne was short in few my fall I frame My life was lothsome soone like death that found Let this suffice a warning blast to sound HOW KING CHRINNVS GIVEN TO DRVNKENNES raigned but one yeare He died about the yeare before Christ 137. THough I my surfets haue not yet out slept Nor scarce with quiet browes begin my tale Let not my drowsy talke bee ouer leapt For though my belching sent of wine or ale Although my face be fallo puft and pale And legs with dropsy swell and panch resound Yet let me tell what vice did me confound Perhaps thou thinkst so grosse a blockhead blunt A sleepy swinish head can nothing say The greatest heads and smallest eke were wont To beare in them the finest wits away This thing is true thou canst it not denay And Bacchus eke ensharps the wits of some Foecundi calices quem non fecere desertum Yet sith long since both braines and all were spent And this in place amongst my mates I speake I trust thou wilt be herewithall content Although indeed my wits of talke are weake So old a vessell cannot chuse but leake A drunken sot whose faltering feete do slip Must pardon craue his tongue in talke will trip Chirinnus was my name a Britaine King But rulde short time Sir Bacchus was my let Erinnus eke my senses so did swing That reason could no seat amongst them get Wherefore the truth I pray thee plainely set I gaue my selfe to surfets swilling wine And led my life much like a dronken swine Diseases grew distemprance made me swell My parched liuer lusted still for baste My timpane sounded like a taber well And nought but wine did like my greedie taste This vice and moe my life and me defaste My face was blowne and blubd with dropsie wan And legs more like a monster then a man So not in shape I onely altered was My dispositions chang'd in me likewise For vices make a man a goate an asse A swine or horse as Poets can comprise Transforming into beasts by sundry wise Such men as keepe not onely shape of men But them mishapeth also now and then Wherefore let who so loues to liue long daies Without diseases strong in youthfull state Beware of Bacchus booth which all betraies The vaile of vices vaine the hauen of hate The well of weake delights the brand of bate By which I lost my health life Realme and fame And onely wonne the shrouding sheete of shame HOW KING VARIANVS GAVE HIMSELFE TO THE lustes of the flesh and dyed about the yeare before Christ 136. WHere no good gifts haue place nor beare the sway What are the men but wilful castaway Where gifts of grace doe garnish well the King There is no want the land can lacke nothing The Court is still well stor'd with noble men In Townes and Cities Gouernours are graue The common wealth doth also prosper then And wealth at will the Prince and people haue Perhaps you aske what Prince is this appeares What meanes his talke in these our golden yeares A Britaine Prince that Varianus hight I held sometime the Scepter here by right And though no need there be in these your daies Of states to tell or vertues good discriue Good counsaile yet doth stand in stead alwaies When time againe may vices olde reuiue If not yet giue me leaue amongst the rest Which felt their fall or had their deaths addrest My cause of fall let me likewise declare For * falles the deaths of vicious Princes are They fall when all good men reioice or see That they short time enioide their places hie For Princes which for vertues praised be By death arise extold they scale the skie I will be short because it may suffice That soone is said to warne the sage and wise Or if that they no warning need to haue This may perchance somewhat their labour saue With those that will not heare their faults them told By such as would admonish them for loue When they my words and warnings here behold They may regard and see their owne behoue About my time the Princes liu'd not long For all were giuen almost to vice and wrong My selfe voluptuous was abandond quite To take in fleshly lust my whole delite A pleasure vile that drawes a man from thrift and grace Doth iust desires and heauenly thoughts expell Doth spoile the corps defiles the soule and fame deface And brings him downe to Plutoes paines of hell For this my sinne my subiects hated mee Repining still my stained life to see As when the Prince is wholly giuen to vice And holdes the lewder sort in greatest price The land decaies disorder springs abroad The worser sort doe robbe pill pole and spoile The weaker force to beare the greatest loade And leese the goods for which they earst did toile How can Iehoua iust abide the wrong He will not suffer such haue scepter long As he did strike for sinfull life my seate And did
and well apaid If women thus had walked in my time I had not stoopt vnto that painted lure Which did intice me to commit the crime Which to the pearch of leaudnesse ti'd me sure For her disport my Ladie could procure The wretched wings of this my muting mind Restlesse to seeke her emptie fist to find I thus arriu'd in Pleasures cursed court I lothed Mars I hated Mercurie It was me thought a passing pleasant sport Leauing the fields at Bacchus brauerie Sometime to sit vpon my mistresse knee Where that I might be at my pleasure plaste I sent the Duke away to warres in haste You which haue plaid with pleasures banding balles You know the life which lingring louers lead You know how sweet it is to scale the walles Of her good will who liu'd in feare and dread You know right well how well those wights haue sped Who haue at last by drifts of long delay Their hoped meed and wished pleasant pray Vnconquered beautie whence had'st thou that power To make stout Vter stoope to his owne shame That neuer stoopt to foes why for that flower Of sweete delight in Igren that faire Dame Did I forgoe the golden flower of fame Victorious beautie and base yeelding lust Did cast great Vters conquests in the dust Yet no such blame as writers do record Do I deserue for this vnhappie deed Proud Gorolus the bright-cheekt Igrens Lord Receiu'd no wrong but his owne merits meed When in the field I made his heart to bleed If thoughts of treason merit death and shame His trecherous deeds did well deserue the same His gracelesse treason he in act did show For when I sent him to Nathaliod hight In bloodie field against the Saxon foe He swolne in heart with enuie and despight Of his associates good did leaue the fight And leauing stout Nathaliod for a pray Vnto the foes from field he fled away By which enforc'd I was with Mars to rise From Venus bed and arme me for the field Where like a storme in thunder clad from skies Vpon my foes I fell they could not shield Themselues from death few scap't that did not yeeld Occa and Ossa both I downe did bring And led them captiue like a conquering King Againe I then gan thinke vpon my loue Vpon mine Igren deare against whose Lord I finding cause for that he late did proue Faithlesse to me did with my lust accord Gainst him as ' against my foe to draw my sword Whom by his castle called Dunilioc I slew with blade in battailes bloodie stroke Then did I take mine Igren as mine owne And crown'd her Queene in my Emperiall chaire On whom great Arthur I begot anone And after him my Anna hight the faire In seeming blisse I long liu'd void of care For thrice nine yeares with Igren I did raigne And ' gainst the Saxons did my state maintaine But for the rape of Gorolus his wife The heauens did powre downe vengeance on my head I by vntimely death did end my life My said soule hence enforc'd by poison fled By Saxons wrought who often wish'd me dead And left behind for all my deeds of fame Iust cause for writers pens to speake my shame Learne they which liue in high or low degree To flee the foile which I by folly felt Let them refraine those loftie Dames to see They know how loftie lookes with me haue delt You see how sight did make my honor melt Let all men know mans heart did neuer rue The thing which he with sight did neuer view But how may men the sight of Beautie shun In England at this present dismall day All void of veiles like Layes where Ladies run And rome about at euery feast and play They wandring walke in euery streete and way With loftie luring lookes they bounsing braue The highest place in all mens sight must haue With pride they pranke to please the wandring eye With garish grace they smile they iet they iest O English Dames your lightnesse verily The Curtizans of Rome do much detest In closets close to liue they count it best They giue not grace to euery wandring wight Your smiling cheere doth euery man delight The Poets gods Saturne and Iupiter To Beauties becke their highnesse did obay Pluto of hell did plead at Beauties bar And Phillis causde Demophoon to stay Pasiphäe a Bull brought to the bay So gods and diuels both men and beasts they all By womens wiles are slaues to Beauties thrall What gaine is got by light and wanton waies You reape reproch a guerdon got thereby Men by your meanes do cause their owne decay And you your selues all soust in sinne must die Refraine therefore to please mans gazing eie Let men likewise the baited hookes refraine Of luring lookes their vanting vowes be vaine Thomas Blener Hasset HOW CADWALLADER THE LAST KING OF THE Britaines was expelled by the Saxons went to Rome and there liued in a religious house YOu mourning Muses all where euer you remaine Assist my sobbing soule this driery tale to tell You furious Furies fierce of Lymbo Lake below Helpe to vnlade my brest of all the bale it beares And you who felt the fall from honors high renowne From graues you grizlie ghosts send forth to helpe me mourne O Pallas giue thou place that mourning Clio may On Lute lamenting sound and sing my dolefull dumps Let riming meetered lines and pleasant musike cease Let Satyres solemne sound send forth the fall I felt And when the truth of all my Tragedie is knowne Let them that liue then learne all things must haue an end The Persian Monarch and the Medes it downe did fall That of Assyria in tract of time did end Yea Alexanders force in fight subdu'd them both And brought the world so wide into one Monarchie What though the fretting force of Fate did him dismay He felt at last the foile his vanting was in vaine He dead the world it was diuided as before The Roman Emperie came tumbling downe at last And where is Troy and Greece and mightie Macedon They flourisht for a time like this my little I le The Soldion brought them downe and did their states destroy Euen so the Saxons brought the Britaine 's to the bay Euen these mine eyes did see that hatefull hidious sight These feeble hands when long they labour'd had in vaine Did yeeld their interest then thus I did complaine Who can refraine the force of mightie mounting seas When billowes make a breach and beate the bankes adowne Doth not the saltish surge then beat the bankes adowne Then man may not withstand the rigor of their rage But wisdome would haue kept the waues within their bounds Counsell doth come too late when hope of helpe is past Such was my filthie fate my leaud and lothsome lucke I sought a salue to cure and helpe the helpelesse wound For long before my time seuen Kings were setled heere The Saxons such as dwelt by East Sibertus rul'd The Angles in
made me Duke of Northfolke for my labour But see how pride and enuy iointly runne Because my Prince did more than me prefer Sir Henry Bolenbroke the eldest sonne Of Iohn of Gaunt the Duke of Lancaster Proud I that would alone be blasing starre Enuide this Duke for nought saue that the shine Of his deserts did glister more then mine To th' end therefore his light should be the lesse I slily sought all shifts to put him out But as the poize that would the palme represse Doth cause the bowes spred larger round about So spite and enuy causeth glory sprout And aye the more the top is ouertrod The deeper doth the sound roote spred abrode For when this Henry Duke of Herford saw What spoile the King made of the noble bloud And that without all Iustice cause or lawe To suffer him he thought not sure nor good Wherefore to me twofaced in one hood As touching this he fully brake his minde As to his friend that should remedy finde But I although I knew my Prince did ill So that my harte abhorred sore the same Yet mischiefe so through malice led my will To bring this Duke from honour vnto shame And toward my selfe my soueraigne to enflame That I bewraied his word vnto the King Not as a read but as a hainous thing Thus where my duty bound me to haue told My Prince his fault and wild him to refraine Through flattery loe I did his ill vphold Which turnd at length both him and me to paine Woe woe to Kings whose counsailours doe faine Woe woe to Realmes where such are put in trust As leaue the Law to serue the Princes lust And woe to him that by his flattering reed Maintaines a Prince in any kind of vice Woe worth him eke for enuy pride or meed That misreports an honest enterprise Because I beast in all these points was nice The plagues of all together on me light And due for ill ill doers doth acquite For when the Duke was charged with my plaint He flat denied that any part was true And claimd by armes to answere his attaint And I by vse that warlike feates well knew To his desire incontinently drew Wherewith the King did seeme right well content As one that past not much with whom it went At time and place appointed we appeard At all points armd to proue our quarels iust And when our friends on each part had vs cheard And that the Heralds bad vs doe our lust With speare in rest we tooke a course to iust But ere our horses had run halfe their way A shout was made the King commanded stay And for t' auoid the sheading of our bloud With shame and death which one must needes haue had The King through counsaile of the Lords thought good To banish both which iudgment straight was rad No maruell then though both were wroth and sad But chiefly I that was exilde for aye My enmie strang'd but for a ten yeares day The date expir'd when by this dolefull dome I should depart to liue in banisht band On paine of death to England not to come I went my way the King seasde in his hand Mine offices my honours goods and land To pay the due as openly he told Of mighty summes which I had from him pol'd See Baldwine see the solary of sinne Marke with that meed vile vices are rewarded Through enuy I did lose both kith and kinne And for my flattering plaint so well regarded Exile and shame are iustly me awarded My wife and heire lacke lands and lawfull right And me their Lord made Dame Dianaes Knight If these mishaps at home bee not enough Adioine to them my sorowes in exile I went to Almaine first a Land right rough In which I found such churlish folke and vile As made me lothe my life ech other while There lo I learnd what is to be a gest Abroad and what to liue at home in rest For they esteeme no one man more then each They vse as well the lackey as the Lord And like their maners churlish in their speech Their lodging hard their boord to be abhor'd Their pleyted garments therewith well accord All iag'd and frounst with diuers colours deckt They sweare they curse and drinke till they be fleckt They hate all such as these their manners hate Which reason would no wise man should allow With these I dwelt lamenting mine estate Till at the length they had got knowledge how I was exil'd because I did auow A false complaint against my trustie friend For which they nam'd me traytour still vnhend That what for shame and what for wearines I stole from thence and went to Venice towne Whereas I found more ease and friendlines But greater griefe for now the great renowne Of Bolenbroke whom I would haue put downe Was waxt so great in Britaine and in France That Vencie through each man did him aduance Thus loe his glorie grew through great despite And I thereby encreased in defame Thus enuie euer doth her most acquite With trouble anguish sorow smart and shame But sets the vertues of her foe in flame Like water waues which clense the muddie stone And soyles themselues by beating thereupon Or ere I had soiourn'd there a yeare Strange tidings came he was to England gone Had tane the King and that which touch'd him neare Imprisoned him with other of his fone And made him yeeld him vp his Crowne and throne When I these things for true by search had tried Griefe gripte me so I pin'd away and died Note heere the end of pride see flatteries fine Marke the reward of enuie and complaint And warne all people from them to decline Lest likely fault do find the like attaint Let this my life to them be a restraint By others harmes who listeth take no heed Shall by his owne learne other better reed T. Churchyard HOW KING RICHARD THE SECOND WAS FOR HIS euill gouernance deposed from his seate in the yeare 1399. and murdered in prison the yeare following HAppie is the Prince that hath in wealth the grace To follow vertue keeping vices vnder But woe to him whose will hath wisdomes place For whoso renteth right and law asunder On him at length all the world shall wonder High birth choice fortune force nor Princely mace Can warrant King or Keyser from the case Behold my hap see how the silly rout On me do gaze and each to other say See where he lieth but late that was so stout Lo how the power the pride and rich aray Of mightie Rulers lightly fade away The King which erst kept all the Realme in doubt The veriest rascall now dare checke and flout Me thinke I heare the people thus deuise Wherefore Baldwine sith thou wilt declare How Princes fell to make the liuing wise My lawlesse life in no point see thou spare But paint it out that Rulers may beware Good counsell law or vertue to despise For Realmes haue rules and Rulers haue a sise
their states For they bee faults that foile men not their fates Th. Phaer HOW HENRY PERCY Earle of NORTHVMBERLAND was for his couetous and traiterous attempt put to death at Yorke Anno 1407. O Morall Senec true finde I thy saying That neither kinne riches strength or fauour Are free from Fortune but are aie decaying No worldly wealth is ought saue doubtfull labour Mans life in Earth is like vnto a tabour Which now to mirth doth mildly men prouoke And straight to warre with a more sturdy stroke All this full true I Percy finde by proofe Which whilom was Earle of Northumberland And therefore Baldwine for our peeres behoofe To note mens falles sith thou hast tane in hand I would thou should my state well vnderstand For few there were that were so much redoubted Whom double Fortune lifted vp and louted As for my kinne their noblenesse is knowen My valiant acts were folly for to praise Where through our foes so oft were ouerthrowen That who but I was doubted in my daies And that King Richard found at all assaies For neuer foes rebelled in his raigne But through my force were either caught or slaine A brother I had was Earle of Worcester Alwaies in office and fauour with the King And by my wife Dame Elenor Mortimer A sonne I had which so the foes did sting That being yong and but a very spring Henry Hotspur they gaue him vnto name And though I say it he did deserue the same We three triumphed in King Richards time Till Fortune ought both him and vs a spite But chiefly mee whom cleere from any crime My King did banish from his fauour quite Proclaiming mee a most disloyall Knight Where through false slander forced mee to bee That which before I did most deadly flee Let men beware how they true folke defame Or threaten on them the blame of vices nought For infamy breedeth wrath wreke followeth shame Eke open slander often times hath brought That to effect that erst was neuer thought To bee misdeem'd men suffer in a sort But none can beare the griefe of misreport Because my King did shame mee wrongfully I hated him and soone became his foe And while he did at warre in Ireland lie I did conspire to turne his weale to woe And through the Duke of Yorke and other moe All royall power from him wee quickly tooke And gaue the same to Henry Bolenbrooke Neither did we this onely for this cause But to say truth force draue vs to the same For he despising God and all his lawes Slew whom hee would made sinne a very game And seeing nor age nor consell could him tame We thought it well done for the Kingdomes sake To leaue his rule that did all rule for sake But when Sir Henry had attaind his place Hee straight became in all points worse then he Destroied the Peeres and slew King Richards grace Against his oth made to the Lords and me And seeking quarrels how to disagree He shamelesly requir'd me and my sonne To yeeld him foes which we in field had wonne My nephew also Edmund Mortimer The very heire apparent to the crowne Whom Owen Glendour held as prisoner With chaines fast bound in dungeon deepe cast downe He would not ransome but did felly frowne ' Gainst Mortimer and me which for him spake And him proclaimed traytour for our sake Thus foule despite did cause vs to conspire To put him downe as we did Richard erst And that we might this matter set on fire From Owens Iaile our cosin we remerst And vnto Glendour all our griefes rehearst Who made a bond with Mortimer and mee To priue the King and part the Realme in three But when King Henrie heard of this deuice To Owen Glendour he sped him very quicke Minding by force to stop our enterprise And as the diuell would then fell I sicke Howbeit my brother and sonne more politicke Then prosperous with an host from Scotland brought Encountred him at Shrewesbury where they fought The one was tane and kill'd the other slaine And shortly after was Owen put to flight By meanes whereof I forced was to faine That I knew nothing of the former fight Fraud oft auailes more then doth sturdie might For by my faining I brought him in beliefe I knew not that wherein my part was chiefe And while the King thus tooke me for his friend I sought all meanes my former wrong to wreake Which that I might bring to the sooner end To the Bishop of Yorke I did the matter breake And to th' Earle Marshall likewise did I speake Whose father was through Henries cause exiled The Bishops brother with trayterous death defiled These straight assented to do what they could So did the Lord Hastings and Lord Faueonbridge Which altogether promised they would Set all their power the Kings daies to abridge But see the spite before the birds were flidge The King had word and seased on the nest Whereby alas my friends were all opprest The bloodie tyrant brought them all to end Excepted me which into Scotland fled To George of Dunbar th' Earle of March my friend Who in my cause with many more made head And when on hope of greater aid I fed Both at the Frenchmen and the Flemmings hand And could get none I tooke such as I fand And with the helpe of George my very friend I did inuade Northumberland full bold Whereas the folke drew to me still on end Bent to death my partie to vphold Through helpe of these full many a fort and hold The which the King right manfully had man'd I easely wonne and seased in my hand Not so content for vengeance draue me on I entred Yorkshire there to waste and spoile But ere I had far in the countrie gone The Shiriffe thereof Raph Rokesbie did assoile My troubled host of much part of our toile For he assaulting freshly tooke through power Me and Lord Bardolph both at Bramham moore And thence conueyed vs to the towne of Yorke Vntill he knew what was the Kings intent There loe Lord Bardolph kinder then the Storke Did lose his head which was to London sent With whom for friendship mine in like case went This was my hap my fortune or my faut This life I led and thus I came to naught Wherefore good Baldwine will the Peeres take heed Of slander malice and conspiracie Of couetise whence all the rest proceed For couetise ioynt with contumacie Doth cause all mischiefe in mens hearts to breed And therefore this to esperance my word Who causeth bloodshed shall not scape the sword HOW RICHARD PLANTAGENET EARLE OF CAMBRIDGE INTENding the Kings destruction was put to death at Southhampton Anno Dom. 1415. HAste maketh waste hath commonly been said And secret mischiefe selde hath luckie speed A murdering mind with proper poyze is way'd All this is true I find it in my creed And therefore Baldwine warne all states take heed How they conspire another to betrap Lest mischiefe ment light in
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
To helpe to bring him to his Requiem masse Which sith it could for no crime come to passe His life and doings were so right and clere Through priuy murder we brought him to his bere Thus righteousnesse brought Humfrey to rebuke Because he would no wickednesse allow But for my doings I was made a Duke So Fortune can both bend and smooth her brow On whom she list not passing why or how O Lord how high how soone she did me raise How fast she fill'd me both with prayes and praise The Lords and Commons both of like assent Besought my soueraigne kneeling on their knees For to record my deeds in the Parlament As deeds deseruing euerlasting fees In which attempt they did no labour leese For they set not my praise so fast in flame As he was readie to reward the same But note the end my deeds so worthie deemed Of King of Lords and Commons all together Were shortly after treasons false esteemed And all men curst Queene Margets comming lither For Charles the French King in his feats not lither When we had rendred Rayner Maunts and Maine Found meane to win all Normandie againe This made the people curse the mariage Esteeming it the cause of euery losse Wherefore at me with open mouth they rage Affirming me t' haue brought the Realme to mosse When King and Queene saw things thus go acrosse To quiet all a Parlament they called And caused me in prison to be thralled And shortly after brought me forth abrode Which made the Commons more then double wood And some with weapons would haue laid on lode If their grand Captaine Blewberd in his mood Had not in time with wisdome been withstood But though that he and more were executed The people still their worst against me bruted And so applied the Parliament with billes Of hainous wrongs and open traiterous crimes That King and Queene were forst against their willes From place to place t'adiourne it diuers times For Princes power is like the sandie slimes Which must perforce giue place vnto the waue Or sue the windie sourges when they raue Their life was not more deare to them then I Which made them search all shifts to saue me still But aye my foes such faults did on me trie That to preserue me from a worser ill The King was faine full sore against his will For fiue yeares space to send me in exile In hope to haue restor'd me in a while But marke how vengeance waiteth vpon vice To shun this storme in sayling towards France A Pirats Barke that was of little price Encountred me vpon the feas by chance Whose Captaine there tooke me as in a trance Let passe my ships with all their frait and load And led me backe againe to Douer road Where vnto me recounting all my faults As murthering of Duke Humfrey in his bed And how I had brought all the Realme to naughts Causing the King vnlawfully to wed There was no grace but I must lose my head Wherefore he made me shriue me in his bote And on the brinke my necke in two he smote This was mine end which was by reason due To me and such as others deaths procure Therefore be bold to write for it is true That whoso doth such practise put in vre Of due reward at last shall be most sure For God is iust whose stroke delayed long Doth light at last with paine more sharpe and strong W. Baldwine HOW IACK CADE NAMING HIMSELFE MORTIMER TRAYTEROVSLY rebelling against his King in Iune Anno 1450. was for his treasons and cruell doings worthilie punished SHall I it Fortune call or my froward folly That rais'd me vp and laid me downe below Or was it courage that made me so iolly Which of the starres and bodies greement grow What ere it were this one point sure I know Which shall be meete for euery man to marke Our lust and willes our euils chiefely warke It may be well that Planets doe encline And our complexions moue our mindes to ill But such is reason that they bring to fine No worke vnayded of our lust and will For heauen and earth are subiect both to skill The will of God rul'th all it is so strong Man may by skill guide things that to him long Though lust be stout and will enclin'd to nought This forst by mixture that by heauens course Yet through the grace God hath in reason rought And giuen man no lust nor will to course But may be staied or swaged of the sourse So that it shall in nothing force the minde To worke our woe or leaue the proper kind But though this grace be giuen to some man To rule the will and keepe the mind aloft Yet few there be'mongst men that vse it can These worldly pleasures tickle vs so oft The spirit weake and will strong flesh is soft And yeeldes it selfe to pleasure that it loueth And hales the mind to that it most reproueth Now if this hap whereby we yeeld our mind To lust and will be Fortune as we name her Then is she iustly called false and blind And no reproch can be too much to blame her Yet is the shame our owne when so we shame her For sure this hap if it be rightly knowne Comes of our selues and so the blame our owne For whoso liueth in the schoole of skill And medleth not with any worlds affaires Forsaketh pomps and honors that doe spill The minds recourse to Graces quiet staires His state no Fortune by no meane appaires For Fortune is the only foe of those Which to the world their wretched willes dispose Among which fooles marke Baldwine I am one That would not stay my selfe in mine estate I thought to rule but to obay to none And therefore fell I with my King at bate And to the end I might him better mate Iohn Mortimer I caus'd my selfe be called Whose kingly bloud the Henries nigh had thrall'd This shift I vs'd the people to perswade To leaue their Prince on my side more to sticke Whereas indeed my fathers name was Cade Whose noble stocke was neuer worth a sticke But touching wit I was both ripe and quicke Had strength of limmes large stature comely face Which made men weene my linage were not base And seeing stoutnes stucke by men in Kent Whose valiant hearts refuse none enterprise With false perswasions straight to them I went And said they suffered too great iniuries By meane whereof I caused them to rise And battaile-wise to come to Blacke Heath plaine And thence their griefes vnto the King complaine Who being deafe as men say on that eare For we desired release of subsidies Refused roughly our requests to heare And came against vs as his enemies But we to stay him sought out subtilties Remou'd our Campe and backe to Senock went After whom the Staffords with their power were sent See here how Fortune setting vs a flote Brought to our nets a portion of our pray For why the Staffords with
died Slaine at Saint Albanes in his Princes aide Against the Duke my heart for malice fried So that I could from wrecke no way be stayed But to auenge my fathers death assay'd All meanes I might the Duke of Yorke t'annoy And all his kin and friends for to destroy This made me with my bloodie dagger wound His guiltlesse sonne that neuer ' gainst me stor'd His fathers bodie lying dead on ground To pierce with speare eke with my cruell sword To part his necke and with his head to bord Enuested with a royall paper crowne From place to place to beare it vp and downe But crueltie can neuer scape the scourge Of shame of horror or of sudden death Repentance selfe that other sinnes may purge Doth flie from this so sore the soule it slayeth Despaire dissolues the tyrants bitter breath For sudden vengeance suddenly alights On cruell deeds to quite their cruell spights This find I true for as I lay in stale To fight with this Duke Richards eldest son I was destroy'd not far from Dintingdale For as I would my gorget haue vndone T'euent the heat that had me nigh vndone An headlesse arrow strake me through the throte Where through my soule forsooke his filthie cote Was this a chance no sure Gods iust award Wherein due iustice plainly doth appeare An headlesse arrow paid me my reward For heading Richard lying on his beare And as I would his child in no wise heare So sudden death bereft my tongue the power To aske for pardon at my dying hower Wherefore good Baldwine warne the bloodie sort To leaue their wrath their rigour to refraine Tell cruell Iudges horror is the port Through which they saile to shame and sudden paine Hell halleth tyrants downe to death amaine Was neuer yet nor shall be cruell deed Left vnrewarded with as cruell meed THE INFAMOVS END OF THE LORD TIPTOFT EARLE OF WORcester for cruelly executing his Princes butcherly commandements Anno Dom. 1470. THe glorious man is not so loth to lurke As the infamous glad to lie vnknowen Which makes me Baldwine disallow thy worke Where Princes faults so openly be blowen I speake not this alonly for mine owne Which were my Princes if that they were any But for my Peeres in number very many Or might report vprightly vse her tongue It would lesse grieue vs to augment the matter But sure I am thou shalt be forst among To wrench the truth the liuing for to flatter And other whiles in points vnknowen to smatter For time nere was nor nere I thinke shall bee That truth vnshent should speake in all things free This doth appeare I dare say by my storie Which diuers writers diuersly declare But storie writers ought for neither glorie Feare nor fauour truth of things to spare But still it fares as alway it did fare Affections feare or doubts that daily brue Do cause that stories neuer can be true Vnfruitfull Fabian followed the face Of time and deedes but let the causes slip Which Hall hath added but with double grace For feare I thinke lest trouble might him trip For this or that saith he he felt the whip Thus story writers leaue the causes out Or so rehearse them as they were in dout But seing causes are the chiefest things That should be noted of the story writers That men may learne what ends all causes brings They be vnworthy name of Chroniclers That leaue them cleane out of their registers Or doubtfully report them for the fruite Of reading stories standeth in the suite And therefore Baldwine either speake vpright Of our affaires or touch them not at all As for my selfe I way all things so light That nought I passe how men report my fall The truth whereof yet plainly shew I shall That thou maist write and others thereby reed What things I did whereof they should take heed Thou heardst of Tiptofts Earles of Worcester I am that Lord that liu'd in Edwards daies The fourth and was his friend and counsailour And butcher too as common rumor saies But peoples voice is neither shame nor praise For whom they would aliue deuour today Tomorow dead they'ill worship what they may But though the peoples verdit go by chance Yet was there cause to call me as they did For I enforst by meane of gouernance Did execute what ere my King did bid From blame herein my selfe I cannot rid But sie vpon the wretched state that must Defame it selfe to serue the Princes lust The chiefest crime wherewith men doe me charge Is death of th' Earle of Desmunds noble sonnes Of which the Kings charge doth me cleere discharge By strait commandement and iniunctions Th' effect whereof so rigorously runnes That or I must procure to see them dead Or for contempt as guiltie lose my head What would mine foemen doe in such a case Obay the King or proper death procure They may well say their fancy for a face But life is sweet and loue hard to recure They would haue done as I did I am sure For seldom will a wealthy man at ease For others cause his Prince in ought displease How much lesse I which was Lieutenant than In th' Irish Isle preferred by the King But who for loue or dread of any man Consents t' accomplish any wicked thing Although chiefe fault thereof from other spring Shall not escape Gods vengeance for his deed Who scuseth none that dare do ill for dreed This in my King and me may well appeere Which for our faults did not escape the scourge For when we thought our state most sure and clere The wind of Warwicke blew vp such a sourge As from the Realme and Crowne the King did pourge And me both from mine office friends and wife From good report from honest death and life For th' Earle of Warwicke through a cancard grudge Which to King Edward causelesse he did beare Out of his Realme by force did make him trudge And set King Henry againe vpon his chaire And then all such as Edwards louers were As traytours tane were grieuously opprest But chiefly I because I lou'd him best And for my goods and liuings were not small The gapers for them bare the world in hand For ten yeares space that I was cause of all The executions done within the land For this did such as did not vnderstand Mine enmies drift thinke all reports were true And so did hate me worse then any Iew. For seldome shall a ruler lose his life Before false rumours openly be spread Whereby this prouerbe is as true as rife That rulers rumours hunt about a head Frowne Fortune once all good report is fled For present shew doth make the many blind And such as see dare not disclose their mind Through this was I King Edwards butcher named And bare the shame of all his cruell deeds I cleare me not I worthily was blamed Though force was such I must obey him needs With highest rulers seldome well it speeds For they be euer neerest to
to get Must see their works and words in all agree Liue liberally and keepe them out of det On Commonwealth let all their care be set For vpright dealing debts paid poore sustained Is meane whereby all hearts are throwly gained HOW KING HENRIE THE SIXT A VERTVOVS PRINCE WAS AFter many other miseries cruelly murdered in the Tower of London the 22. of May Anno 1471. IF euer wofull wight had cause to rue his state Or by his ruefull plight to moue men mone his fate My piteous plaint may prease my mishap to rehearse Wherof the least most lightly heard the hardest hart may pierce What heart so hard can heare of innocence opprest By fraud in worldly goods but melteth in the brest When guiltlesse men be spoil'd imprisoned for their owne Who waileth not their wretched case to whom the case is knowen The Lion lickes the sores of silly wounded sheepe The dead mans corps may cause the Crocodile to weepe The waues that waste the rockes refresh the rotten reeds Such ruth the wracke of innocence in cruell creatures breeds What heart is then so hard but will for pitie bleed To heare so cruell lucke so cleare a life succeed To see a silly soule with woe and sorrow sounst A King depriu'd in prison pent to death with daggers dounst Would God the day of birth had brought me to my bere Then had I neuer felt the change of Fortunes chere Would God the graue had gript me in her greedie wombe When crowne in cradle made me King with oile of holy thombe Would God the rufull tombe had been my royall throne So should no Kingly charge haue made me make my mone O that my soule had flowen to heauen with the ioy When one sort cried God saue the King another Viue le Roy. So had I not been washt in waues of worldly wo My minde to quiet bent had not been tossed so My frends had been aliue my subiects not opprest But death or cruell destiny denied me this rest Alas what should we count the cause of wretches cares The starres do stirre them vp Astronomy declares Our humors saith the leach the double true diuines To 'th will of God or ill of man the doubtfull cause assignes Such doltish heads as dreame that all things driue by haps Count lacke of former care for cause of after claps Attributing to man a power fro God bereft Abusing vs and robbing him through their most wicked theft But God doth guide the world and euery hap by skill Our wit and willing power are poized by his will What wit most wisely wards will most deadly vrkes Though all our power would presse it down doth dash our warest workes Then destiny our sinne Gods will or else his wreake Doe worke our wretched woes for humours be too weake Except we take them so as they prouoke to sinne For through our lust by humours fed all vicious deeds beginne So sinne and they be one both working like effect And cause the wrath of God to wreake the soule infect Thus wrath and wreake diuine mans sinnes and humours ill Concurre in one though in a sort ech doth a course fulfill If likewise such as say the welkin Fortune warkes Take Fortune for our fate and Starres thereof the markes Then destiny with fate and Gods will all be one But if they meane it otherwise skath causers skies be none Thus of our heauy haps chiefe causes be but twaine Whereon the rest depend and vnder put remaine The chiefe the will diuine cald destiny and fate The other sinne through humours holpe which God doth highly hate The first appointeth paine for good mens exercise The second doth deserue due punishment for vice This witnesseth the wrath and that the loue of God The good for loue the bad for sinne God beateth with his rod. Although my sundry sinnes doe place me with the worst My haps yet cause me hope to be among the first The eye that searcheth all and seeth euery thought Is Iudge how sore I hated sinne and after vertue sought The solace of my soule my chiefest pleasure was Of worldly pomp of fame or game I did not passe My Kingdomes nor my Crowne I prised not a crum In Heauen were my riches heapt to which I sought to come Yet were my sorowes such as neuer man had like So diuers stormes at once so often did me strike But why God knowes not I except it were for this To shew by paterne of a Prince how brittle honour is Our kingdomes are but cares our state deuoid of stay Our riches ready snares to hasten our decay Our pleasures priuy pricks our vices to prouoke Our pompe a pumpe our fame a flame our power a smouldring smoke I speake not but by proofe and that may many rue My life doth cry it out my death doth try it true Whereof I will in briefe rehearse the heauy hap That Baldwine in his woefull warpe my wretchednesse may wrap In Windsore borne I was and bare my fathers name Who wonne by warre all France to his eternall fame And left to me the crowne to be receiu'd in peace Through mariage made with Charles his heire vpon his lifes decease Which shortly did ensue yet died my father furst And both the Realmes were mine ere I a yeare were nurst Which as they fell too soone so faded they as fast For Charles and Edward got them both or forty yeares were past This Charles was eldest sonne of Charles my father in law To whom as heire of France the Frenchmen did them draw But Edward was the heire of Richard Duke of Yorke The heire of Roger Mortimer slaine by the kerne of Korke Before I came to age Charles had recouered France And kild my men of warre so happy was his chance And through a mad contract I made with Raynerds daughter I gaue and lost all Normandy the cause of many a slaughter First of mine vncle Humfrey abhorring sore this act Because I thereby brake a better precontract Then of the flattering Duke that first the mariage made The iust reward of such as dare their Princes ill perswade And I poore silly wretch abode the brunt of all My mariage lust so sweet was mixt with bitter gall My wife was wise and good had she ben rightly sought But our vnlawfull getting it may make a good thing nought Wherefore warne men beware how they iust promise breake Lest proofe of painfull plagues doe cause them waile the wreake Aduise well ere they grant but what they grant performe For God will plague all doublenes although we feele no worme I falsly borne in hand beleeued I did well But all things bee not true that learned men doe tell My clergie said a Prince was to no promise bound Whose words to be no gospell tho I to my griefe haue found For after mariage ioind Queene Margaret and me For one mishap afore I dayly met with three Of Normandy and France Charles got away my Crowne The Duke
of his could beare no mate Our wealth through him waxt many a time the worser So cankardly he had our kin in hate He troubled oft the Kings vnsteady state And that because he would not be his ward To wed and worke as he should list award He spited vs because we were preferd By mariage to dignities so great But craftily his malice he deferd Till traytorously he found meanes to entreate Our brother of Clarence to assist his feate Whom when he had by mariage to him bound Then wrought he straight our linage to confound Through slanderous brutes he brued many a broile Throughout the Realme against the King my brother And raised trayterous rebels thirsting spoile To murder men of whom among all other Robin of Kiddesdale many a soule did smother His rascall rable at my father wroth Tooke sire and sonne and quicke beheaded both This heynous act although the King detested Yet was he faine to pardon for the rout Of rebels all the Realme so sore infested That euery way assaild he stood in doubt And though he were of courage high and stout Yet he assaid by faire meanes to asswage His enemies ire reueld by rebels rage But Warwicke was not pacified thus His constant rancour causeles was extreme No meane could serue the quarell to discus Till he had driuen the King out of the Realme Nor would he then be waked from his dreame For when my brother was come and plac'd againe He stinted not till he was stoutly slaine Then grew the King and Realme to quiet rest Our stocke and friends still stying higher and higher The Queene with children fruitfully was blest I gouernd them it was the Kings desier This set their vncles furiously on fier That we the Queenes bloud were assignd to gouern The Prince not they the Kings owne bloud and brethren This causde the Duke of Clarence so to chafe That with the King he brainelesse fell at bate The Counsaile warily to keepe him safe From raising tumults as he did of late Imprisoned him where through his brothers hate He was condemnd and murdered in such sort As he himselfe hath truly made report Was none abhord these mischiefs more then I Yet could I not be therewith discontented Considering that his rancour toucht mee ny Els would my conscience neuer haue consented To wish him harme could he haue beene contented But feare of hurt for sauegard of out state Doth cause more mischiefe then desert or hate Such is the state that many wish to beare That or we must with others bloud be staind Or leade our liues continually in feare You mounting mindes behold here what is gaind By coumbrous honour painfully attaind A damned soule for murdring them that hate you Or doubtfull life in danger lest they mate you The cause I thinke why some of high degree Do deadly hate all seekers to ascend Is this The clowne contented can not be With any state till time he apprehend The highest top for therto climers tend Which seldome is attaind without the wracke Of those betweene that stay and beare him back To saue themselues they therfore are compeld To hate such climers and with wit and power To compasse meanes where through they may be queld Ere they ascend their honours to deuoure This causd the Duke of Clarence frowne and lowre At me and other whom the King promoted To dignities wherein he madly doted For seeing we were his deare allied frends Our furtherance should rather haue made him glad Then enmy-like to wish our wofull ends We were the neerest kinsfolk that he had We ioyed with him his sorow made vs sad But he esteem'd so much his painted sheath That he disdaind the loue of all beneath But see how sharply God reuengeth sinne As he maligned me and many other His faithfull friends and kindest of his kin So Richard Duke of Glocester his owne brother Maligned him and beastly did him smother A diuellish deed a most vnkindly part Yet iust reuenge for his vnnaturall hart Although this brother-queller tyrant fell Enuide our state as much and more then he Yet did his cloaking flattery so excell To all our friends ward chiefly vnto mee That he appear'd our trustie stay to bee For outwardly he wrought our state to furder Where inwardly hee minded nought saue murder Thus in appearance who but I was blest The chiefest honours heaped on my head Belou'd of all enioying quiet rest The forward Prince by me alone was led A noble impe to all good vertues bred The King my Liege without my counsaile knowne Agreed nought though wisest were his owne But quiet blisse in no state lasteth long Assailed still by mischief many waies Whose spoyling battrie glowing hote and strong No flowing wealth no force nor wisdome staies Her smoakles powder beaten souldiers slaies By open force foule mischiefe oft preuailes By secret sleight she seeld her purpose failes The King was bent too much to foolish pleasure In banqueting he had so great delight This made him grow in grossenesse out of measure Which as it kindleth carnall appetite So quencheth it the liuelines of sprite Whereof ensue such sicknes and diseases As none can cure saue death that all displeases Through this fault furdered by his brothers fraud Now God forgiue me if I iudge amisse Or through that beast his ribald or his baud That larded still these sinfull lusts of his He sodainely forsooke all worldly blisse That loathed leach that neuer welcome death Through Spasmous humours stopped vp his breath That time lay I at Ludloe Wales his border For with the Prince the King had sent me thither To stay the robberies spoile and foule disorder Of diuers outlawes gathered there together Whose banding tended no man wist well whither VVhen these by wisdome safely were suppressed Came wofull newes our soueraigne was deceassed The griefe whereof when reason had asswaged Because the Prince remained in my guide For his defence great store of men I waged Doubting the stormes which at such time betide But while I there thus warely did prouide Commandement came to send them home againe And bring the King thēce with his houshold traine This charge sent from the Counsell and the Queene Though much against my minde I beast obayed The diuell himselfe wrought all the drift I weene Because he would haue innocents betraied For ere the King were halfe his way conuayed A sort of traytors falsly him betrapt I caught afore and close in prison clapt The Duke of Glocester that in carnate deuill Confedred with the Duke of Buckingham VVith eke Lord Hastings hasty both to euill To meete the King in mourning habit came A cruell VVolfe though clothed like a Lambe And at Northampton where as then I baited They toke their Inne as they on me had waited The King that night at Stonystratford lay A towne too small to harbour all his traine This was the cause why he was gone away VVhile I with other did behind remaine But will you see how falsly
vnfolded wrapt in deadly smarts VVhen he the death of Clitus sorowed so VVhom erst he murdred with the deadly blow Raught in his rage vpon his friend so deare For which behold loe how his pangs appeare The launced speare he writhes out of the wound From which the purple bloud spins in his face His heinous guilt when he returned found He throwes himselfe vpon the corps alas And in his armes how oft doth he imbrace His murdred friend and kissing him in vaine Forth flow the flouds of salt repentant raine His friends amaz'd at such a murder done In fearefull flocks begin to shrinke away And he therat with heapes of grief fordone Hateth himselfe wishing his latter day Now he likewise perceiued in like stay As is the wilde beast in the desert bred Both dreading others and him selfe adred He calles for death and loathing longer life Bent to his bane refuseth kindly food And plung'd in depth of death and dolours strife Had queld himselfe had not his friends withstood Loe he that thus hath shed the guiltlesse bloud Though he were King and Kesar ouer all Yet chose he death to guerdon death withall This Prince whose Peere was neuer vnder sunne Whose glistening fame the earth did ouerglide Which with his power welny the world had wonne His bloudy hands himselfe could not abide But folly bent with famine to haue dide The worthy Prince deemed in his regard That death for death could be but iust reward Yet we that were so drowned in the depth Of deepe desire to drinke the guiltlesse bloud Like to the Wolfe with greedy lookes that lepth Into the snare to feed on deadly food So we delighted in the state we stood Blinded so far in all our blinded traine That blind we saw not our destruction plaine We spared none whose life could ought forlet Our wicked purpose to his passe to come Foure worthy Knights we headed at Pomfret Guiltelesse God wot withouten law or dome My heart euen bleedes to tell you all and some And how Lord Hastings when he feared least Dispiteously was murdred and opprest These rocks vpraught that threatned most our wreck We seemd to saile much surer in the streame And Fortune faring as she were at becke Laid in our lap the rule of all the Realme The Nephues straight deposde were by the Eame And we aduanst to that we bought full deere He crowned King and I his chiefest Peere Thus hauing won our long desired pray To make him King that he might make me chiefe Downe throw we straight his silly Nephues tway From Princes pompe to wofull prisoners life In hope that now stint was all further strife Sith he was King and I chiefe stroke did beare Who ioied but we yet who more cause to feare The guiltles bloud which we vniustly shed The roiall babes deuested from their throne And we like traytours raigning in their stead These heauy burdens passed vs vpon Tormenting vs so by our selues alone Much like the felon that pursu'd by night Starts at ech bush as his foe were in sight Now doubting state now dreading losse of life In feare of wrack at euery blast of winde Now start in dreames through dread of murders knife As though euen then reuengement were assinde With restles thought so is the guilty minde Turmoild and neuer feeleth ease or stay But liues in feare of that which followes aye Well gaue that Iudge his doome vpon the death Of Titus Celius that in bed was slaine When euery wight the cruell murder laieth To his two sonnes that in his chamber laine The Iudge that by the proofe perceiueth plaine That they were found fast sleeping in their bed Hath deemd them guiltles of this bloud yshed He thought it could not be that they which brake The lawes of God and man in such outrage Could so forth with themselues to sleepe betake He rather thought the horrour and the rage Of such an heinous guilt could neuer swage Nor neuer suffer them to sleepe or rest Or dreadles breath one breth out of their brest So gnawes the griefe of conscience euermore And in the heart it is so deepe ygraue That they may neither sleepe nor rest therefore Ne thinke one thought but on the dread they haue Still to the death foretossed with the waue Of restles woe in terrour and despeare They lead a life continually in feare Like to the Deere that stricken with the dart Withdrawes himselfe into some secret place And feeling greene the wound about his hart Startles with pangs till he falt on the grasse And in great feare lies gasping there a space Forth braying sighes as though ech pang had brought The present death which 〈…〉 dread so oft So we deepe wounded with the bloodie thought And gnawing worme that grieu'd our conscience so Neuer tooke ease but as our heart out brought The stayned sighes in witnes of our woe Such restlesse cares our fault did well beknow Wherewith of our deserued fall the feares In euery place rang death within our eares And as ill graine is neuer well ykept So fared it by vs within a while That which so long with such vnrest we reapt In dread and danger by all wit and wile Loe see the fine when once it felt the whele Of slipper Fortune stay it might no stowne The wheele whurles vp but straight it whurleth downe For hauing rule and riches in our hand Who durst gaine say the thing that we auer'd Will was wisdome our lust for law did stand In sort so strange that who was not afeard When he the sound but of King Richard heard So hatefull waxt the hearing of his name That you may deeme the residue of the same But what auail'd the terrour and the feare Wherewith he kept his lieges vnder awe It rather wan him hatred euery where And fained faces forc'd by feare of law That but while Fortune doth with fauour blaw Flatter through feare for in their heart lurkes aye A secret hate that hopeth for a day Recordeth Dionysius the King That with his rigour so his Realme opprest As that he thought by cruell feare to bring His subiects vnder as him liked best But loe the dread wherewith himselfe was strest And you shall see the fine of forced feare Most Mirrour like in this proud Prince appeare All were his head with crowne of gold yspread And in his hand the royall scepter set And he with princely purple richly clad Yet was his heart with wretched cares orefret And inwardly with deadly feare beset Of those whom he by rigour kept in awe And fore opprest with might of tyrants law Against whose feare no heapes of gold and glie No strength of guard nor all his hired powre Ne proud high towres that preased to the skie His cruell heart of safetie could assure But dreading them whom he should deeme most sure Himselfe his beard with burning brand would seare Of death deseru'd so vexed him the feare This might suffice to represent the fine Of
his iarring out may see Without good meane the song can neuer sweetly gree Leaue out the meane or let him keepe no tune And you shall sing when Easter falles in Iune Euen so if meaner sorts doe iangle here and iar To languish vnder Mars but fill good peace with fight As discord foule in musicke fit they for the war They neuer can atchieue the victory aright Lead such as square or feare then farewell all good night A sheepe is euen as good to starting stand and bea As he that iangles wrangles rangles runnes awea Then whoso deales for warre must wisely make his mart And choose such souldiers stout will stiffe in warfare stand If he not recke what ruffian roisters take his part He weeldes vnwisely then the mace of Mars in hand He must be able eke to deeme for sea and land What men may serue to best aduantage make And them instruct fine warlike points to take With skilfull knowledge fraight he must be void of feare Of wisedom so discreete so sober graue and sage To deeme perceiue abide aduentures both to beare As may in all exploits of fight with Fortune wage He must haue art in vre and vse not rule by rage Wise dealing sets the souldiers sure in ray Wilde ouer rashnesse casteth all away The cause ground place and time the order of their fights The valour of his foes and what is their intent The weather faire or foule occasion of the nights What witty wiles and policies may them preuent And how the time or store of th' enmies hath been spent All these I say must well be waide before By him that sets in warres of credit store In all which points that noble Duke his grace did passe I meane the Regent good for chusing vsing men By nature fram'd thereto he wondrous skilfull was And friendly vsed all instructing now and then Not only Captaines stout that were his countrie men But also sundrie souldiers as occasion came And taught them how to warres themselues to frame His princely grace and gesture yet me thinkes I see And how he bare himselfe to deale for warre or peace In warre full Mars-like hardie sterne and bold was he And meek and prudent merciful when stormes of wars did cease Whom pitie mou'd as much inflicted paines to release As euer wight in whom the broiles of warre Or force of fights had entred in so far VVhich if againe to rue the losse of such a friend In sight with plaints of teares the fountaines out might flow So all lamenting Muses would me wailings lend The dolours of my heart in sight again to show I would deplore his death and Englands cause of woe With such sad mourning tunes and such sobs sighes and teares As were not seene for one this ten times twentie yeares For why this noble Prince when we had needed most To set the states of France and England in a stay That feared was of foes in euery forren coast Too soone alas this Duke was taken hence away In France he di'd he lasse lament his losse we may That Regent regall rule of publique right Loe how my hurts afresh beweepe this wanted wight With that his wounds me thought gan freshly bleed And he waxt faint and fell and my salt teares Ran downe my rufull cheekes with trickling speed For who could chuse that such cause sees and heares O worthie Knight quoth I whose loyall faith appeares Cease wailes rise vp instruct my quiuering pen To tell the rest of Fortunes doublings then I haue quoth he not Fortunes flatterie to accuse Nor Fate nor Destinie nor any fancie faind I haue no cause t' affirme that these could ought misuse This noble Prince whose life acts such fame and honour gaind But our deserts our sinnes and our offences staind This noble Ile and vs our sinnes I say Offending God he tooke this Prince away He lasse how loth can I returne and leaue this pearle in Roane My Lord Iohn Duke of Bedford there his corps yet lies Enclosd with costly tombe wrought curiously of stone By North the altar high delighting many Martiall eyes Within our Ladie Church where fame him lifts to skies By daily view his name renoum'd exalted is And soule I trust full sweetly sweames in blisse Needs must I enterline my talke a while with this And then I will returne to tell you how I sped When once the French men saw this noble Duke to misse Which English armies all gainst foes with fortunes led They liu'd at large rebeld against their soueraigne head Forsooke their oathes allegeance all denide And English men with all their force defide While he did liue they durst not so to deale They durst not dare with th' English oft to fraie They found it was not for their owne of publique weale To rise against their Lord the Regent in arraie Soone after he was dead departed hence away Both French and Normanes close to win did close And we diuided were our rights abroad to lose The feend I thinke deuisde a way to make the breach By enuie bred in breasts of two right noble Peeres Which mischiefe hatcht in England then may teach All noble men that liue hence many hundred yeares Beware of Enuie blacke how far she deares Euen their examples tell how true our Christ doth say Each realme towne house in ciuil strife shall desolate decay Perdie the Duke of Yorke was Regent made of France At which the Duke of Sommerset did much repine He thought they rather ought him so t' aduance King Henries kin for honour of his Princely line But marke the grape which grew on this vngracious vine I will not say it after stroid their lines and houses nie But this I say we daily saw dishonour came thereby For though the hauty Duke were worthy it to haue As well for courage good as vertues honour due Yet sith to 'th Duke of Yorke th' election first it gaue And he the saddle mist what needed he to rue When tumults great and sturres in France yet daily grew He nild the Regent hence dispatcht in many daies That losse might win him hurt or long dispraise Wild wengand on such ire wherby the realme doth lose What gaine haue they which heaue at honour so At home disdaine and greefe abroad they friend their foes I must be plaine in that which wrought my webs of woe My webs quoth I would God they had wrought no moe It was the cause of many a bleeding English brest And to the French their end of woefull warres addrest I dare auouch if they had firme in friendship bode And soothly as beseemd ioin'd frendly hand with hands They had not felt defame in any forraine rode Nor had not so beene sent with losse from Gallia strands They might possession kept still of their conquerd lands And able been to tride themselues so true As might haue made their enmies still to rue For while the Duke of Sommerset made here so great delaies That
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
lent By Mars his force their raies and rancks he rent And tooke the brother of the Grecian King With others moe as captiues home to bring The taken towne from which the King was fled Sir Brutus with sixe hundred men did man Ech prisoner was vnto his keeper led To keepe in towne the noble Troians wan And into woods the Troiane gate him than Againe with his he kept him there by night To quaile the Grecians if they came to fight The King which cal'd to minde his former foile His flight and brother deare by Troians take The towne he lost where Brutus gaue the spoile He thought not so the field and fight forsake But of his men a muster new to make And so againe for to besiege the towne In hope reuenge or winne his lost renowne By night the ambush that his purpose knew Came foorth from woods whereas they waited by The Troians all th' vnarmed Grecians slew Went through their campe none could their force denie Vnto the tent where Pandrasus did lie Whereas Lord Brutus tooke their King that night And sau'd his life as see'md a worthie wight This great exploite so wisely well at chiu'd The Troiane victour did a counsaile call Wherein might be for their estate contriu'd By counsaile graue the publike weale of all Now tell quoth he what ransome aske we shall Or what will you for our auaile deuise To which Mempricius answer'd graue and wise I cannot Brutus but commend thine act In this thou noble Captaine worthy praise Which deemest well it were an heinous fact T' abridge the Grecian king of vitall daies And that we ought by clemencie to raise Our fame to skie not by a sauage guise Sith Gods and men both cruelty despise The cause we fought was for the freedome all Of Troians taken we haue freedome won We haue our purpose and their king withall To whom of rigour nothing ought be done Though he the quarrell with vs first begon And though we owe the fall of Troyes requite Yet let reuenge thereof from gods to light His subiects now bewaile their proude pretence And weapons laide aside for mercy crie They all confesse their plagues to come from thence Where first from faith of Gods they seem'd to flie Their Nobles dare not come the case to trie But euen for peace with all their hearts they sue And meekely grant whence all their mischiefes grew The Princesse faire his daughter who surmounts For vertues rare for beautie braue and grace Both Helen fine of whom they made accounts And all the rest that come of Grecian race She for her father sues bewailes his case Implores desires thy grace and gods aboue Whose woes may them and thee to mercy moue Some Troians say he should deposed be From kingdome quite or else be slaine he should And we heere bide eke this misliketh me Nay rather while we stay keepe him in hold Or let him pay a ransome large of gold And hostage giue and homage do of right To thee that wonst the field by Martiall fight For kingdomes sake a captiue king to kill Our names for aye with foule defame would brand For vs in Greece to dwell were euen as ill The force of Greece we cannot still withstand Let vs therefore both cruelty aband And prudent seeke both gods and men to please So shall we find good lucke at land and seas Or sith the Grecians will thee for to take The noble Ladie Iunogen to wife If thou so please let him her dowrie make Of gold ships siluer corne for our reliefe And other things which are in Graecia rife That we so fraught may seeke some desert shore Where thou and thine may raigne for euermore This pleas'd both Brutus and the Troians all Who wil'd forthwith that Pandrasus the King Should reuerently be brought into the hall And present when they told him of this thing So griefe and sorow great his heart did sting He could not shew by countenance or cheere That he it lik'd but spake as you shall heare Sith that the wrath of gods hath yeelded me And eke my brother captiues to your hands I am content to do as pleaseth yee You haue my realme my life my goods and lands I must be needs content as Fortune stands I giue my daughter gold and siluer fine With what for dowrie else you craue is mine To make my tale the shorter if I may This truce concluded was immediately And all things else performed by a day The King restor'd that did in prison lie The Troians proud of spoiles and victorie Did hoise vp sailes in two daies and a night Vpon the I le of Lestrigons they light And leauing of their ships at roade to land They wandring went the countrey for to view Loe there a desert citie old they fand And eke a temple if report be true Where Dian dwelt of whom the Troian crew In sacrifice their captaine counsell gaue For good successe a seate and soile to craue And he no whit misliking their aduice Went forth and did before the altar hold In his right hand a cup to sacrifice Fild both with wine and white hinds blood scarce cold And then before her stature straight he told Deuoutly all his whole petition there In sort they say as is repeated heere O goddesse great in groues that putst wilde boares in fearefull feare And maist go all the compasse pathes of euery ayrie sphere Eke of th' infernall houses too resolue the earthly rights And tell what countrey in to dwell thou giu'st vs Troian wights Assigne a certaine seate where I shall worship thee for aye And where repleat with virgins I erect thy temples maye When nine times he had spoken this and went Foure times the altar round and staid agen He powr'd the wine and blood in hand he hent Into the fire O witlesse cares of men Such folly meere and blindnes great was then But if religion now bids toies farewell Embrace that 's good the vice of times I tell He laid him then downe by the altars side Vpon the white Hinds skin espred therefore It was the third houre of the night a tide Of sweetest sleepe he gaue himselfe the more To rest surelie Then seemed him before Diana chaste the goddesse to appeare And spake to him these words that you shall heare O Brute farre vnder Phoebus fall beyond of France that raigne An Iland in the Ocean is with sea t is compast maine An Iland in the Ocean is where Giants erst did dwell But now a desert place that 's fit will serue thy people well To this direct thy race for there shall be thy seat for aye And to thy sonnes there shall be built another stately Troye Here of thy progenie and stocke shall mightie Kings descend And vnto them as subiect all the world shall bow and bend On this he woke with ioyfull cheere and told The vision all and oracle it gaue So it reioyst their hearts a thousand fold To ships they got
away the shores they draue And hoysing sailes for happie winds they craue In thirtie daies their voyage so they dight That on the coast of Aphrica they light Then to Philaenes altars they attain'd For so men call two hilles erected are In Tunise land two brethren ground that gain'd For Carthage once and went t is said too farre On Cyren ground for bounds there buried were Because they would not turne againe but striue With Cyren men they buried them aliue From thence they sailed through the middle lake Betweene Europa faire and Aphrica the drie With winde at will the doubtfull race they take And sail'd to Tuscane shores on Europe coast that lie Where at the last amongst the men they did descrie Foure banisht bands of Troians in distresse To saile with them which did themselues addresse Companions of Antenor in his flight But Corinaeus was their captaine than For counsell graue a wise and worthie wight In warres the praise of valiantnesse he wan Lord Brutus liked well this noble man With him full oft confer of fates he wold And vnto him the oracles he told The Troians so in number now increast Set on to sea and hoysed sailes to wind To Hercules his pillars from the East They cast by compasse readie way to find Where through once past to Northward race they twind To Pirene cleeues tweene Spaine and France the bound Reioycing neere the promist I le so found Eke vnto Guyne in France they failed thence Where at the hauen of Loire they did arriue To view the countrey was their whole pretence And victuals get their souldiers to reuiue Eke Corinaeus lest the Galles should striue Led forth two hundred of his warlike band To get prouision to the ships from land But when the King Goffarius heard of this That Troians were arriued on his shore With Frenchmen and with Guynes their power and his He came to take the prey they gate before And when they met they fought it both full sore Till Corinaeus rusht into their band And caus'd them flie they durst no longer stand First might you there seene hearts of Frenchmen broke Two hundred Troians gaue them all the soile At home with oddes they durst not bide the stroke Few Troians beat them in their natiue soile Eke Corinaeus followed in this broile So fast vpon his foes before his men That they return'd and thought to spoile him then There he alone against them all and they Against him one with all their force did fight At last by chance his sword was flowne away By fortune on a battaile axe he light Which he did driue about him with such might That some their hands and some their armes did leese Some legges of some the head from shoulders flees As thus amongst them all he fought with force And fortune great in danger of his life Lord Brutus had on him there with remorce Came with a troupe of men to end the strife When Frenchmen saw the Troians force so rife They fled away vnto their losse and paine In fight and flight nigh all their host was slaine And in that broile saue Corinaeus none Did fight so fiercely as did Turnus then Sir Brutus cosin with his sword alone Did slay that time well nigh sixe hundred men They found him dead as they return'd agen Amongst the Frenchmen wounded void of sence And bare his noble corps with honour thence On this they bode awhile reuenge to yeeld And to interre the dead and Turnus slaine They tooke a towne not farre from place of field And built it strong to vex the Galles againe The name they gaue it still doth yet remaine Sith there they buried Turnus yet men call It Tours and name the folke Turones all Which towne they left at last with Troians mand When as their ships were stor'd with what they need Aboord they hoise vp sailes and left the land By aiding winds they cut the seas with speed At length the shining Albion cleeues did seed Their gazing eyes by meanes whereof they fand Out Totnes hauen and tooke this promist land The countrey seemed pleasant at the view And was by few inhabited as yet Saue certaine Giants whom they did pursue Which straight to Caues in Mountaines did them get So fine were Woods and Floods and Fountaines set So cleere the aire so temperate the clime They neuer saw the like before that time And then this I le that Albion had to name Lord Brutus causde it Britaine cal'd to bee And eke the people Britans of the same As yet in ancient Records is to see To Corinaeus gaue he franke and free The land of Cornwall for his seruice done And for because from Giants he it wonne Then sith our Troiane flock came first from Troy The Chieftaine thought that dutie did him binde As Fortune thus had sau'd him from annoy The ancient towne againe to call to minde He built new Troy them Troian lawes assignde That so his race to his eternall fame Might keepe of Troy the euerlasting name And setled there in perfect peace and rest Deuoid of warre of labour strife or paine Then Iunogen the Queene his ioyes increast A Prince she bare and after other twaine Was neuer King of noble Impes so faine Three sonnes which had so shortly here begat Locrinus Camber last me Albanact Thus hauing wealth and eke the world at will Nor wanting ought that might his minde content T' increase his powre with wights of warlike skill Was all his minde his purpose and intent Whereby if foes inuasion after ment The Britans might not feare of forraine lands But keepe by fight possessions in their hands Eke when his people once perceiu'd his minde As what the Prince doth often most embrace To that the subiects all are straight inclinde And reuerence still in ech respect his grace They gat in warre such knowledge in short space That after they their force to trie begun They car'd for nought by wit or wight not won Those mightie people borne of Giants brood That did possesse this Ocean-bounded land They did sub due who oft in battell stood Gainst them in field vntill by force of hand They were made subiect vnto Brutes command Such boldnes then did in the Briton dwell That they in deedes of valour did excell Whereby the King had cause to take delight And might be bold the lesse to feare his foes Surely ech Prince may recke his en'mies spight Thereafter as his force in fight he knoes A princely heart the liberall gifts disclose He gaue to ech such guerdons for their facts As might them only moue to noble acts No labours great his subiects then refusde No trauels that might like his regall minde But ech of them such exercise well vsde Wherein was praise or glorie great to finde And to their liege bare faithfull hearts so kinde That what he wild they all obeyd his hest Nought else was currant but the Kings request What Prince aliue might more reioyce then he Had
with my boats they rowde to me alas And all they cri'd keep Humber keepe their King That to our Prince we may the traytor bring So with my boats beset poore Humber I Wist no refuge my wearie armes did ake My breath was short I had no power to crie Or place to stand while I my plaint might make The water colde made all my ioynts to shake My heart did beat with sorow griefe and paine And downe my cheeks salt tears they gusht amain O must thou yeeld and shall thy boats betray Thy selfe quoth I no mercie Britans haue O would to God I might escape away I wot not yet if pardon I may craue Although my deeds deserue no life to haue I will I nill death bondage beast am I In waters thus in forren soile to die With that I clapt my quauering hands abroad And held them vp to heauen and thus I said O Gods that know the paines that I haue bode And iust reuengement of my rashnes paid And of the death of Albanact betraid By me and mine I yeeld my life therefore Content to die and neuer greeue yee more Then straight not opening of my hands I bowde My selfe and set my head my armes betweene And downe I sprang with all the force I could So duckt that neither head nor foot were seene And neuer saw my foes againe I weene There was I drown'd the Britans to my fame Yet call that arme of sea by Humbers name Take heed by me let my presumption serue And let my folly fall and rashnesse be A glasse wherein to see if thou do swerue Thou mai'st thy selfe perceiue somewhat by me Let neither trust nor treason traine forth ye But be content with thine estate so shall No wrath of God procure thy haplesse fall If thou be forren bide within thy soile That God hath giuen to thee and thine to hold If thou oppression meane beware the foile Beare not thy selfe of thee or thine too bold Or of the feats thy elders did of old For God is iust iniustice will not thriue He plagues the proud preserues the good aliue HOW KING LOCRINVS the eldest son of Brutus liued vitiously and was slaine in battell by his wife Queene Guendoline the yeare before Christ 1064. IF euer any noble Prince might rue My haplesse deeds of yore the same may I That would to God it were not farre too true Or that I iustly could my faults denie * The truth of things the end or time doth trie As well by me is seene my haplesse fall Declares whence came my great misfortunes all I am Locrinus second Britaine King The eldest sonne of him that found this land Whose death to me my mischiefes all did bring And caus'd why first I tooke my death in hand He chiefely wil'd me when he gaue this land I should be rul'd by all his Counsels will And vse their iudgements in my dealings still But what do I accuse my fathers hest What meane I heere th' unfaultie for to blame All he commanded euen was for the best Though in effect of best the worst became So things oft times well ment vnfitly frame So often times the counsell of our frend Apparent good falles faultie in the end For as he wisht I vsde his Counsels aide In each thing that I deem'd was good for me I neuer ought that they desir'd denaide But did to all their minds and hests agree And Corinaeus saw my heart so 〈◊〉 By diuers meanes he sought the match to make That to my wife I might his daughter take So I that wist not then what mariage ment Did straight agree his Guendoline to haue Yet afterward suspecting his intent My friends to me this point of counsell gaue That * whoso doth of Prince alliance craue He meanes thereby to worke some point of ill Or else to frame the Prince vnto his will It may well be he ment no ill at all But * wise men alwaies vse to dread the worst And sith it was the fountaine of my fall From whence the spring of all my sorowes burst I may well thinke was some of vs accurst For why * the end doth alwaies proue the fact By end we iudge the meaning of the act I made no haste to wed my spoused wife I wist I could as yet without her bide I had not tasted ioyes of trained life I deem'd them fooles by Cupids dart that dide I Venus vile and all her feats defide I liu'd at rest and rul'd my land so well That men delighted of my facts to tell My brethren eke long weilded well their parts We fear'd no foes we thought our state would stand We gaue our selues to learned skilfull arts Wherein we either fruite or pleasure fand And we enioyd too fine a fertile land That few in earth might with our states compare We liu'd so void of noisome carke and care But see the chance when least we thought of ill When we esteem'd our state to be most sure Then came a flaw to bridle all our will For strangers farre gan vs to warre procure And euen when first they put their pranke in vre On Albaine shores my brother there they slew Whose death we after made the Hunnes to rue When he was dead they hop'd to winne the rest And ouer Aby streame with hast did hie But I and eke my brother Camber drest Our armies straight and came their force to trie We brake their raies and forc'd the King to flie Into the arme of sea they ouer came Where Humber drownde the waters tooke their name We either slew or tooke them captiues all Amongst the which O mischiefe great to tell The Gods to worke mine ouerthrow and fall Sent Ladies three whose beauties did excell Of which because I liked one so well I tooke her straight nor she did ought denie But ech thing granted so she might not die Thus Humber we this hatefull hungrie King In Humber drencht and him depriu'd of pride And of his louely Ladies he did bring He lost the pray and all his men beside And we the spoiles of all his host diuide But I that thought I had the greatest share Had caught the cause of all my wofull care They cal'd this Ladie Elstride whom I tooke Whose beautie braue did so my wits confound That for her sake my promise I forsooke Whereby I was to Guendoline first bound Me thought no Ladie else so high renound That might haue causde me change my conflate minde So was I caught by snares of Cupid blinde Was neuer none before so li'kd mine eye I lou'd her more then I could loue my life Her absence still me thought did cause me dye I surely ment to take her for my wife But see how beautie breedeth deadly strife Loe here began my whole confusion here Sprang out the shaft from whence this wound I beare For Corinaeus had no sooner heard That I did meane his daughter to forsake But straight as one that did nought else regard In hast
take reuengement of our mortall strife I longed long to bring thee to this day And thou likewise hast sought to suck my bloud Now art thou taken in my spoiles a pray For thee my life full long in daunger stood I will both teach thy selfe and others good To breake the bands of faithfull wedlocke plight And giue thee that which thou deseruest right O harlot whore why should I stay my hands O paynted picture shall thy lookes thee saue Nay bind her fast both hand and foote in bands And let her some straunge kinde of torments haue What strumpet think'st for that thou seemest braue Or for thy teares or sighes to scape my sight My selfe will rather vanquish thee by fight Thou rather should'st my vitall breath depriue Then euer scape if none were here but wee But now I will not file my hands to striue Or else to touch so vile a drab as she Come on at once and bring her after me With hand and feete as I commaunded bound And let mee see her here as Humber drown'd A thousand things beside she spake in rage While that a caitiffe did with cords me binde No teares nor sobs nor sighes might ought asswage The ielous Queene or mollifie her minde Occasions still her franticke head did finde And when she spake her eies did seeme as fire Shee lookt as pale as chalke with wrathfull ire Ne stood she still but fearcely me defide Raung'd vp and downe and oft her palmes shee strooke Locrinus now quoth she had not thus dide If such an harlot whore he had not tooke And therewithall shee gaue a Tigers looke That made me quake what lettes quoth she my knife To ridde this whore my husbands second wife H 'is dead I liue and shall I saue her life O Queene quoth I if pitie none remayne But I be slaine or drown'd as Humber was Then take thy pleasure by my pinching payne And let me hence as thou appointest passe But take some pitie on my childe alas Thou know'st the infant made no fault but hee That 's dead and I therefore reuenge on mee No bastards here shall liue to dispossesse My sonne she sayd but sith thou soughtest same I will prouide for her a kingdome lesse Which shall hereafter euer haue her name Thou know'st whereof the name of Humber came Euen so Sabrina shall this streame bee cal'd Sith Sabrine me as Humber Locrine thral'd With that my childe was Sabrine brought in sight Who when she saw mee there in bandes to lie Alas she cri'd what meanes this piteous plight And downe shee fell before the Queene with cry O Queene quoth shee let me more rather die Than she that 's guiltlesse should for why thy king Did as his captiue her to leaudnes bring Which when I saw the kindnes of the childe It burst my heart much more then doome of death Poore little lambe with countenance how milde See pleaded still and I for want of breath With woefull teares that lay her feete beneath Could not put foorth a word our liues to saue Or if therefore I might a kingdome haue Her piteous plaints did somwhat death withdraw For as shee long beheld the Queene with teares Quoth shee let me haue rigour void of law In whome the signe of all thy wrath appeares And let me die my fathers face that beares Sith he is dead and we are voide of stay Why should I thee for life or mercy pray My mother may to Germany returne Where shee was borne and if it please thy grace And I may well lie in my fathers tombe If thou wilt grant his childe so good a place But if thou think my bloud is farre too bace Although I came by both of princely line Then let me haue what shroud thou wilt assigne With that the Queene replied with milder cheere And sayd the childe was wonderous feate and wittie But yet shee would not her reuenge forbeare For why quoth shee the prouerbe sayes * that pittie Hath lewdly lost full many a noble Cittie Here Elstride now I le wreke my greefes on thee To die take leaue but talke no more to mee On this my leaue I tooke and thus I sayd Farewell my countrey Germany farewell Adew the place from whence I was conueyd Farewell my father and friends there dwell My Humber drown'd as I shall be farewell Adew Locrinus dead for thee I die Would God my corps might by thy coffine lie Adew my pleasures past farewell adew Adew the cares and sorrowes I haue had Farewell my friends that earst for me did sue Adew that were to saue my life full glad Farewell my fauning friends I lately had And thou my beauty cause of death farewell As oft as heart can thinke or tongue can tell Adew you heauens my mortall eyes shall see No more your lights and planets all farewell And chiefly Venus faire that paintedst me When Mercury his tale to me did tell Eke afterwards when Mars with vs did dwell And now at last thou cruell Mars adew Whose dart my life and loue Locrinus slew And must I needes depart from thee my childe If needs I must ten thousand times farewell Poore little lambe thy friends are quite exilde And much I feare thou shalt not long doe well But if they so with boyling rancour swell As thee to slea which neuer wroughtest ill How can they stay my stayned corps to kill With that my Sabrines slender armes imbrast Me round and would not let me so depart Let me quoth she for her the waters tast Or let vs both together end our smart Yea rather rip you forth my tender heart What should I liue But they the child withdrew And me into the raging streame they threw So in the waters as I striu'd to swimme And kept my head aboue the waues for breath Me thought I saw my child would venter in Which cri'd amaine O let me take like death The waters straight had drawne me vnderneath Where diuing vp at length againe rose I And saw my child and cri'd farewell I die Then as my strength was wasted downe I went Eke so I plunged twice or thrice yet more My breath departed needs I must relent The waters pierst my mouth and eares so sore And to the bottome with such force me bore That life and breath and mind and sense was gone And I as dead and cold as marble stone Lo thus you heare the race of all my life And how I past the pikes of painfull woe How twice I thought to be a Princes wife And twice was quite depriu'd my honor fro The third time Queene and felt foule ouerthro Let Princely Ladies view mine historie Mine haps and woes and hatefull destinie Bid them beware lest beautie them abuse Beware of pride for haue a fall it must And bid them Fortunes flatterie refuse Her turned wheele is void of steadie trust Who reckes no meane but leaueth all to lust Shall find my words as true as I them tell Bid them beware
in time I wish them well HOW THE LADIE SAbrine daughter of King Locrinus and Elstride was drowned by Queene Guendoline the yeare before Christ 1064. BEhold me Sabrine orphane erst bereft Of all my friends by cruell case of warre When as not one to treate for me was left But ielousie did all their powers debarre When as my father eke was slaine in warre And when my mother euen before my sight Was drown'd to death O wretch in wofull plight Trust who so will the staffe of high estate And bring me word what stay thereby you haue For why if Fortune once displeasure take She giues the foile though lookes be neu'r so braue * T is wisdome when you winne to winne to saue For oft who trusts to get a Prince his traine Would at the length of beggers life be faine This might the Hunne erst Humber well haue said And this my mother Elstride prou'd too true When as his life by striuing streames was staid And when the tyrants her in waters threw What I may say my selfe reports to you Which had more terror shew'd then twice such twaine Giue eare and iudge if I abode no paine First when my fathers corps was stricken downe With deadly shaft I came to mourne and see And as he lay with bleeding brest in sowne He cast aside his watring eyes on me Flie flie quoth he thy stepdame seekes for thee My wofull child what flight maist thou to take My Sabrine poore I must thee needs forsake See heere mine end behold thy fathers fall Flie hence thy stepdame seekes thy staylesse life Thy mother eke ere this is wrapt in thrall You cannot scape of iealous griefe her knife Farewell my child mine Elstride and my wife Adue quoth he I may no longer bide And euen with that he gasped breath and dide What bird can flie and soare if stormes do rage What ship can saile if once the winds resist What wight is that can force of warres asswage Or else what warre can bridle fortunes list What man is he that dare an hoast resist What woman only dare withstand a field If not what child but must to enemies yeeld My fathers souldiers fled away for feare As soone as once their Captaines death they scand The Queene proclaim'd a pardon euery where To those would yeeld and craue it at her hand Excepting such as did her aye withstand For so the course alwaies of pardons goes As saues the souldier and entraps the foes Then wist I flight could nothing me preuaile I fear'd her pardon would not saue my life The storme was such I durst not beare a faile I durst not go t' intreate my fathers wife Although I neuer was the cause of strife For iealosie deuoid of reasons raigne With frenzies fume enragde her restlesse braine But see the chance thus compast round with feare In broiles of blood as in the field I stand I wisht to God my corps were any where As out of life or off this hatefull land No sooner wisht but there was euen at hand A souldier vile in haste quoth he come on Queene Elstride will before thou â—â—me begon The rascall rude the rogue the clubfist grept My slender arme and plucktme on in hast And with my robes the bloodie ground he swept As I drue backe he hal'd me on full fast Vnder his arme my carefull corps he cast Sith that quoth he thou put'st me to this paine Thou shalt thereby at length but little gaine So at the length we came where we descri'd A number huge of folkes about the Queene As when you see some wonder great betide Or else the place where some strange sight hath beene So might you there the people standing seene And gazed all when as they see me brought Then sure I deem'd I was not come for nought And in the prease some praisde my comely face In beautie Elstride which resembled right Some said I looked like my fathers grace But others said it was a piteous sight I should so die the Queene me pardon might They said the beast me bore did me abuse Which not so rudely ought a Princesse vse But what did this redresse my wofull care You wot the Commons vse such prouerbs still And yet the captiues poore no better are It rather helpes their pained hearts to kill * To pitie one in griefe doth worke him ill Bemone his woe and cannot ease his thrall It kils his heart but comforts none at all Thus past we through the prease at length we came Into the presence of the iealous Queene Who nought at all the rascall rude did blame That bare me so but askt if I had seene My father slaine that cause thereof had beene O Queene quoth I God knowes my whole intent Of slaughter guiltlesse I am innocent With that I saw the people looke aside To view a mourning voice I heard thereby It was my wofull mother by that cri'd Lo Sabrine bound at brinke of death I lie What pen or tongue or teares with weeping eie Could tell my woes that saw my mother bound On waters shoare wherein she should be drown'd With that I fell before the Queene and pray'd For mercie but with fierie eyes she bent Her browes on me out bastard vile she said Thou wot'st not yet wherefore for thee I sent O Queene quoth I haue pitie be content And if thou mind of mercie ought to show Drowne me and let my mother harmelesse go For why she was a Prince his daughter borne In Germany and thence was brought away Perforce by Humber who by warres forlorne Thy King as captiue tooke her for his pray Thou maist full well her case with reason way What could she do what more then she or I Thy captiues now thine owne to liue or die Take pitie then on Princely race O Queene Haue pitie if remorce may ought require Take pitie on a captiue thrice hath beene Let pitie pierce the rage of all thine ire But if thy breast burne with reuenging fire Then let my death quench out that fuming flame Sith of thy husbands blood and hers I came Much more I said while teares out streaming went But nought of ease at all thereby I gain'd My mother eke did as she lay lament Wherewith my heart a thousand fold she pain'd And though the Queene my plaints to fauour fain'd Yet at the last she bad she should prepare Her selfe to die and end her course of care Then all her friends my mother Elstride nam'd And pleasures past and bade them all adue Eke as she thus her last farewell had fram'd With losse of him from whom her sorowes grue At length to me which made my heart to rue She said farewell my child I feare thy fall Ten thousand times adue my Sabrine small And as the cruell caytiffes came to take Her vp to cast and drowne her in the floud I fast mine armes about her clipt did make And cri'd O Queene let mercie meeke thy mood Do rather reaue my
immortall hate Your mothers teares nor woefull wailings moue Nor naked brests you suckt your malice slake Nor cause t' imbrace the sacred lore of loue O euerlasting Ioue that liu'st aboue Then I protest ere you doe fight the feelde this day You shall in field vngratefull sonnes your wofull mother slay Betweene you both you shall bereaue my life What woes my sonnes aliue shall I sustaine When I shall after this ambitious strife So many see of both your subiects slaine And you with brothers bloud your swords distaine I shall I say in th' end of fight take woefull vewe Of that my sonne which this my sonne his brother slewe O rather now my sonnes leaue off to iar Lay weapons both aside take truce a while If you doe loue to spend your time in war Destroy not here at home your natiue I le The present cause and quarell is too vile Ioine friendly both your armies faith and firme the same To take some conquest great in hand of lasting fame Therein you may with greater honour deale By this you shall defame your selues for aye Thereby you may enlarge your publique weale By this your selues and it shall quite decay Thereby you shall mine age with honour stay Thereby you shall most like your noble father bee Which ere he wore the crowne did conquer kingdomes three Once for my sake then ioine yet hands againe Let me enioy once both before I die I would to see you friends my sonnes bee faine And hope I haue you will not this denie I aske a thing shall neuer hurt perdy For if you now surcease and loue as brethren well Then all the world of this your concord aye shall tell And turning then to me thus wise she said Thou knowest my sonne how twice thou hast been foild Thou twice to scape with life wa st well apaide And since full farre to countries straunge hast toild If now thou shouldst of life and all bee spoilde When liue thou maist in Princely sort with peerelesse ioy What tongue can tell thy mothers griefe and great anoy I heare thou hast in France a Dukedome good Of subiects good thou hast an armie heere Thou hast a wife that came of noble blood Thou need'st at home no foes at all to feare What mean'st thou then such mortall hate to beare Against my sonne thy brother heere which gaue to thee His kingdome halfe the noble land of Albany Sith thine ambition first procur'd the strife Which did'st in armour rise against thy King Against thy brother lou'd thee more then life Thou did'st thy subiects his against him bring Think'st thou it was a wise or worthie thing If not thou hast good cause thy treason all confesse And though he draue thee hence to loue him ne're the lesse Thou shalt therefore submit thy selfe to me And take a truce a peace I will conclude Thy brother eke shall so contented be No quarrels old shall be againe renew'd These broiles haue oft my cheekes with teares bedew'd My heart is rent my hope bereau'd my ioyes are gone My life is lost if you conioyne not both in one Then turning vnto Belinus she spake My noble sonne quoth she thou twice hast quail'd Thy brothers power and mad'st him twice forsake His natiue land which I haue oft bewail'd What though thou haue so oft before preuail'd Think'st thou againe the third time eke to win the field Or art thou sure to slay my sonne or force him yeeld What glorie canst thou get thereby in th' end Will not the world of your foule slaughters tell Will not they all that liue still discommend The man that did his owne deare brother quell Mempricius shamefull acts are knowne too well And Porrex Britaines both their noble brethren slew Confounded after both examples good for you Now further this againe to both I say Do not you rue these noble souldiers good Do not you see how many you shall slay Haue you no care to shed their guiltlesse blood The state of tyrants neuer stable stood By bloodshed they do build and prop their tottering State Raigne liue and die despisde in neuer dying hate You noble men in briefe I speake to you And vnto all the Captaines of your bands And eke to all you souldiers good and true Which haue the sway of bloodshed in your hands Consider well the state of both our lands You shall decrease your force by discord and by strife Distaine your bloods and reaue Corwennas of her life Then if that either Ioues immortall ire Which euer hated slaughters such as these Or feare of Plutoes euerlasting fire Or dangers threatned both by land and seas Or mothers mind which both you ought to please Or countries loue or peace which all are bound t' imbrace May ought perswade then let my iust request haue place If not loe heere my naked breast quoth she Which once you both did sucke in tender age Let both your swords in these first bathed be Perhaps this slaughter shall your thirsts asswage It shall be counted euen as small outrage To slay your mother pleading for a righteous peace As wage the warres which gods commands you to surcease Much more she said which were too long to tell And proffred forth to swords her naked brest But when we both considered had full well Her wofull teares her wise and graue request They so to peace our hautie hearts addrest We laid our weapons downe we met and did imbrace All warre was set aside and Ladie peace tooke place We ioyned hands our captaines did the like And eke the souldiers linked all in loue There was not one that did our truce mislike Our peace did all to ioy and maruell moue With many triumphes feates of armes we proue Our subiects all reioyce in songs we sound Corwennas praise Her fame to skies aloft with many shouts and cries they raise The Galles and Senons then supposing me In Britaine from my Dukedome hard at fight Thought great occasion offred them to be And set themselues in armes and order right My subiects eke of Sauoy day and night They did entice perswade solicite and constraine To chuse another Duke at home with them to raigne Whereof when I heard tell in Britaine I le Eke when my brother Beline thereof knew We laid aside our sports and plaies a while And of our souldiers tooke a muster new Of both our hoasts we chose a noble crew We past the seas as brethren ought in concord knit And both our force in one to conquer France we fit Without resistance much we spoil'd the land At th' entrie in and after many fights We conquer'd all the Realme my foes we fand Which were in armes stout valiant noble wights By sword they fell or flew before our sights The Germans force likewise that did them succour send We made to fall therefore and to our scepters bend Three hundred thousand we in armour had An armie great renown'd Europa through The Kings and Princes of our
warres the dance And wan the palme the praise renowne and fame Leaue in thy booke a place to put my name I will be briefe and truly tell thee all The cause why I from graue do now appeare I will recite to thee my sudden fall And what in life mine exercises were To which since I do see thee set thine eare Marke now my tale and beare it well away Marke what me brought so sudden in decay Let who so stands trust to a stedfast hold If stedfast hold he thinke that he may find Presume not on thy strength nay yet be bold On Fortunes gifts nay let her guide thy mind In hope of hap for she is counted blind To praise her prankes occasion giues no cause Do wisely or you praise her take the pause Some loue to boast what fortune they haue had Some other blame misfortune theirs as fast Some tell of fortunes there be good and bad Some fooles of fortune make themselues agast Some shew of fortune comming present past And say there is a fate that ruleth all But sure it seemes their wisdome is but small No fortune is so bad but we it frame There is no chaunce at all hath vs preseru'd There is no fate whom we haue need to blame There is no destiny but is deseru'd No lucke that leaues vs safe or vnpreseru'd Let vs not then complaine of Fortunes skill For all our good descends from Gods good will If so a man might stay on Fortunes holde Or else on Prince as pillar of defence Then might my selfe t' haue done the same be bolde In euery perill purpose or pretence Cassibellane as much as any Prince Lou'd me his Cosin Irenglas by name For feates in armes for fauour and for fame I came by parents of his regall race Liu'd happie daies if happy mortall be Had as I said his fauour bare the grace I was his loyall seruant franke and free But what of this at all preuailed mee Yet furthermore the feates of armes I knew I fought in field when mighty Caesar flew Shall I for this praise Fortune ought at all Did Fortune ought in this no whit be sure Or shall I blame her after for my fall That neuer could me any hurt procure T' was glory vaine did sweetely me allure Wherefore giue eare and then with pen disclose How seeming friends did prooue my chiefest foes Full happy were our Countrey men that dide As noble Nennius in the field that sought When first both Britaines and the Romanes tride With dint of sword if titles theirs were ought They dide in their defence no pompe they sought They liu'd to see their Countrey conquer still They dide before they felt of priuate ill When Caesar so with shamefull flight recoil'd And left our Britaine land vnconquer'd first Which only thought our Realme and vs t' haue spoil'd We came to see of all our field the worst Our souldiers slaine O cruell Caesar curst Quoth we by thee did all these Britaines die That durst not bide but like a dastard flie But then to see them in array to lie And for to see them wounded all before Not one but in his place his life did trie To see the Romans bloodie backes that bore Their wounds in flight all scattered on the shore What thousand tongues our ioy to light could bring This made our hearts reuiue this pleasde our King With trompets mourning tune and wayling cries And drums and fluits and shawmes we sound adieu And for our friends we watred all our eyes As loth to lose the liues of such a crew To th' earth we bare them all in order dew According vnto each mans noble name And as their birth requir'd and worthie fame Of noble triumphes after was no spare We Britaines erst were neuer halfe so glad That so we made the Romans hence to fare No tongue can tell the heartie ioyes we had We were therewith for battaile bent as mad Our fingers tickled still which came from fight We had before our eyes our foes foule flight So fares it when the meaner giue the spoile And make the mightie all their force reuoke So fares it when great victours feele the foile And men lesse deem'd do giue the conquering stroke That pierceth euen the hardest heart of oke For where the weaker win the wage of fame The victours hearts a thousand ioyes enflame A solemne Iusts proclaimed was for those Who would to win renowne their valour trie Where th' Earle of Londons cosin did expose Himselfe to purchase praise against whom I To win the prize did all my powers applie But fatall was the scope I did intend Th' effects bewray'd my folly in the end For why when glorie vaine stirres men to strife When hope of praise prouokes them once to ire Then they at all regard no goods nor life From faithfull friendship rudely they retire They are so set with glories glose on fire That quite they rule and reason wrest awrie They turne away their former friendly eie O God that workest all the wonder wrought And hast the power to turne the hearts aliue Grant grace to those that labour so for nought But flitting fame and titles hautie striue Let not ambition so the earth depriue Of worthie wights giue them some better grace That they may run for countries weale their race Let them not breake the bond of friendly loue In broiles of bate but friendly faults redresse Let not them so their manhood seeke to proue By priuate hate to worke their owne distresse So shall they need their foes to feare the lesse Friends worse then forren foes themselues do make That fall at oddes for fond vaine glories sake But what need I on those aliue to stay They haue examples good before their eyes By which if they haue grace beware they may * The happiest men by others harmes are wise Let them not then our warning words despise Do will them wisely of these things debate For why the foolish aye the warning hate We spent the day in iusting as I said Appointed erst among our selues before And all the feats of armes in field we plaid Aenaeas taught our ancestors of yore What need I fill thine eares with talking more My men and I had put those feats in vre And he likewise but nothing yet so sure For as with fortune still I gaue the foile To him that thought the glorie all to haue When he perceiu'd he could not keepe the coile Nor yet with equall match himselfe to saue Occasion of dissension great he gaue In stead of iest he offered earnest play In lieu of sport he spite did still display The traytour vile the tyrant so he prou'd With coward canker'd hatefull hastie ire And caytife dealing shew'd how me he lou'd When as he could not to his hope aspire To win the praise of triumph his desire He challeng'd me and heere began the broile He thought with banding braue to keep the coile And that because mens iudgement favour'd me
men that did Iehouaes sonne refuse The King of Iewes the Lord of life and health Were gouern'd thus Tiberius thus did vse The men that were the Gods in Commonwealth Forsaking so their heauenly sauing health The Emprour I which should their liues defend Sought all the meanes to bring their liues to end Yet to religion I was nothing bent Dissembled things that least I fauour'd still I neuer vsde to speake the things I ment But bare in mind the waies to worke men ill I seem'd to some to beare them great good will And those I tooke away as time did serue Inconstant vnto each yet seldome seem'd to swerue To drunkennesse and riot sports and ease And pleasure all I gaue my studie then Nought more then subtill shiftings did me please With bloodshed craftie vndermining men My Court was like a Lions lurking den The Iesters nam'd me Caldius Biberius Mero In stead of this my name Clandius Tiberius Nero. I will no more my life describe this time For why my facts at last deseru'd defame Infected with so many a fulsome crime As may not heere repeated be for shame I haue no cause the Ladie blind to blame But mine owne selfe who did abuse my place Which might full well haue vsde the gifts of grace Three things in fine I tell that wrought my fall First vile dissembling both with God and man For bloodshed then which hauocke made of all Blood cries to him that well reuenge it can For filthie life I much offended than Wherefore aliue thus poysoned with these three Caligula at last did poyson me To Princes this I say and worthie Peeres I wish them wisely weigh that heare me shall And poise my first exploits with latter yeeres And well consider one thing in my fall * Abuse of power abaseth Princes all In throne on earth a Prince as God doth sit And as a God no iustice should omit HOW CAIVS CAESAR CALIGVLA EMPEROVR OF Rome was slaine by Cherea and others the yeare of Christ 42. VNhappie Princes haue in wealth no grace To see how soone their vices bring them vnder But run vnruly reckelesse of their race Till at the length they make themselues a wonder When from aloft their traces fall asonder There is no hope to hold aright the trace They cannot keepe aloft th' Emperiall place Beholde my hap on whom the Romane rout With ioy did gaze when bloudy slaine I lay Here lies quoth they thrust thirtie times throughout The monster vile that beast Caligula Which did so many guiltlesse Romanes slay The nobles now the matrons need not doubt The worthy writers may their works set out I was I grant full leaudly led by lust I forced nought of vertue faith nor law In power I put my confidence and trust Regarding right nor Iustice strict a straw My facts infarst my life with many a flawe Did me to deedes of foule lust incest draw Which had of God nor natures hests the awe To make my selfe a God I did deuise That Iupiter to name my selfe did dare For incests vile which all good wights despise Nam'd Bacchus eke a drunken shrine I bare To call me God some flatterers did not spare By message I commanded them likevise My statue in the Temple to comprise I would not haue my slaughters here enrolde And murdrous mischieues mingled with the rest Without regard of sexe of yong or olde For which the Romanes did my life detest To vices vile my deedes were all addrest Which mine owne seruants loathing at the last With their owne hands my timelesse death did hast My life was naught and thus at last I dide My life procur'd both Gods and men my foes Let Princes then beware of pompe and pride And not themselues to vices such dispose The throne will soone a Princely minde disclose The tyrants heart at once in throne is tride The Princely robe no tyrant thoughts can hide HOW GVIDERIVS KING of Britaine and the elder son of Cimbaline was slaine in battaile by a Romane the yeare of Christ 44. or as some write 46. TAke Higgins now in hand thy pen for me Let not my death and story lie forgote Good cause there is I should remembred be If thou the falles of Britaine Princes note Aloft I sate in Princely place aflote I had the sword I bare the scepter right I was accounted aye a worthy wight Guiderius was my name the sonne of yore Of noble Cimbaline and after King The Romane tribute I would pay no more Me thought it was too base a seruile thing No Romane should me in subiection bring I stoutly did deny what they did claime Though many counseld me to yeeld the same When Claudius sent this tribute for to haue I sent him word againe I would not pay I would not graunt vniustly he did craue That might in time procure my Realmes decay He should not beare our freedome so away By force and fraude proud Caesar heere did raigne But now by might my right I would maintaine On this addrest himselfe in warlike sort The noble Claudius came to trie the case Which had before receiued high report Both of my wealth my force and noble grace So thinking well he might my fame deface From Rome he came to Britaine with his hoast And landed here vpon my Southerne coast Now marke my tale and hereby shalt thou know The subtill sleights of Romanes in their war The slie deceits of such doe make a show Whereby to trie the people what they are Note well such foes in dealing neere and far Amidst the field in scout or fight alone Of all the rest example take by one Amongst his men a Captaine stout he had With whom in fight I made my party good Hamonius men him cal'd who for his blade In single fight so often I withstood At last did worke a wile to shed my blood He clad himselfe as he a Britaine weare Like armour sword and target did he beare He marcht with vs as he a friend had been And when we came to fight he shew'd a face Of comfort and bold courage gainst his men And when they fled and we pursu'd the chace Pursue quoth he the Romans flie apace In British tongue he cride they flie they flie Our hostages had taught him so to crie As we pursude in me he thrust his blade Betweene my armour splints he gaue the wound And fast away for life to shift he made Thus by deceits my life hee did confound Of my decay this was the fatall ground Which thou must pen that I a miror be For men to shun the flights of trecherie HOW LAELIVS HAMO THE ROMANE CAPTAINE was slaine after the slaughter of Guiderius about the yeare of Christ 46. A Romane Captaine I in Britaine armour clad Disguisde therfore in field did slay their noble King I ventred in their host and I my purpose had To venture so for Countries sake a worthy thing But whoso weenes to win by slaughter high renowne Hath often
he all his force doth bend For to defend his Diadem and Crowne But froward Fate vpon the Prince did frowne For why his men were scattered euery where In Tyber he did drowne himselfe for feare To Rome then we and all our host did hie The Romans they with ioy did vs receiue To Constantine they gaue the Emperie But he of them most earnestly did craue That I the rule of all the world might haue It is quoth he my mothers right to raigne Till dreadfull death hath shred her twist in twaine I grant my sonne the Monarchie is mine For at his death thy father gaue it me For terme of life but let it now be thine I aged must go pay the earth her fee I am content to liue with lesse degree O louing sonne giue eare vnto my hest I will not rule that charge for thee is best And when he might not rule his mothers mind Against his will he willing did assent That all should be as I had then assign'd To rule the world he grieued was content And whil'st that there my happie daies I spent Reioycing much to see my sonnes successe I di'd and had a heauenly happinesse Thrice happie I who ran this royall race And in the end my wished Goale did get For by my meanes all people did embrace The faith of Christ the orders I did set They were obey'd with ioy which made me ier Euen in this blisse a better blisse befell I di'd and now my soule in heauen doth dwell So now you see the happie hap I had Learne then thereby to do as I haue done To praise Gods name let euery Prince be glad To persecute the truth let all men shunne By vertuous waies great honor may be wonne But he who doth to vices vile incline May be compar'd vnto a filthie swine Who doth not loue the plaine nor pleasant way He cannot feare to sleepe amidst the greene But in the mire he doth delight to lay So Princes such as vile and vidious beene Do tumble aye amidsta sinke of sinne Whose names on earth whose soules in hel remaine In infamie the other pincht with paine Let them that seeke for euerlasting fame Tread in the steps that I before haue trod And he who would auoid reprochfull shame And flee the smart of Plutoes ruthfull rod Let him not cease to learne the law of God Which only law mans stumbling steps doth guide Who walkes therein his feete can neuer slide HOW VORTIGER DESTROYED THE YONG KING CONSTANTINE and how hee obtained the Crowne and how after many miseries he was miserablie burnt in his Castle by the brethren of Constantine Anno Dom. 446. BY quiet peace of Ianus iollitie Their happie hauens some with forewinds haue By wrackfull warre of Mars his crueltie With much adoe some get the Goale they craue But subtill sleights and fetches bolstred braue My haplesse hand did hit with leuelled line The aimed marke the more mishap was mine By gifts of grace some men haue happy hap By blessed birth to Kingdomes borne some be Succession sets some men in Fortunes lap By wisedome wit and prudent policie Some clime aloft by trustlesse treacherie And courage doth a multitude aduance Drifts finely filde they did my state inhance I Vortiger by birth was borne a Lord King Constantine his Cosin did me call I cride amaine and clapt his crowne abord And for a time til Fortune forst my fall With restlesse blisse I sate in stately stall But men of warre of much more might then I For my desert my carefull corps did fry As furions force of fiery flashing fame With Cinders brought my body to decay So smuldering smokes of euerlasting shame Choakt my renowne and wipte my fflame away What may I more of my misfortune say I sigh to see I silent ccase to tell What me destroid and drownd my soule in hel Here to repeat the parts that I haue plaid Were to vnrippe a trusse of trumpery For me to shew how I aloft was staid Were to erect a schoole of Trechery Silence is best let no man learne by me Nor by my meanes how they by wicked waies From low estate aloft themselues may raise As good men can by wicked workes beware So wicked men by wicked workes be wise If ill men read my deedes which wicked were They by my meanes will compasse their surmise For wicked workers daily doe deuise To make examples vile and vitious To stand in stead to serue their lawlesse lust The Serpent thence his venim vile doth draw From whence the Bee her hony sweet doth get Leaud liuers learne to breake the written law By that whereby good men do learne much wit For wicked men each fetch is thought most fit To serue their turne therefore I count it best To leaue my faults and follies vnconfest Giue leaue therefore good Memory I may Not heere repeate my tedious Tragedie Inquirie let me now depart away My Commonweale subuerted was by me I leaudly liu'd and di'd in miserie And for my faults I felt disdainfull smart Let this suffice and let me now depart With that he seem'd as one that would away But Memory stay stay thy steps quoth she Let wicked men procure their owne decay We recke it not if warned once they be Let that suffice and let thy miserie Make iust report how vaine and vile a thing It is to liue as a vsurping King Sith needs I must repented faults forerunne Repeat and tell the fall and foile I felt Patience perforce to speake shame bids me shunne To thinke thereof doth make my heart to melt But sith I needs must shew how heere I delt I am content to tell the truth of all Let wise men learne to stand which reade my fall For first I causde the yong King Constantine Of faithlesse Scots and Picts to make his guard They by my meanes did kill their King in fine For which with speed I sent them all to ward And hang'd them all their cause was neuer heard So I who first did cause them kill their King To stop their mouthes the mall to death did bring Where Rancor rules where hatreds heate is hot The hurtlesse men with trouble be turmoil'd Where malice may send forth her Cannon shot There might is right there reasons rules are foil'd For ruthfull Rancor euermore hath boyl'd With griping griefe her smuldring smokes of spite Would gladly choke all iustice law and right So might not right did thrust me to the Throne I sixteene yeares did weare the royall Crowne In all which time with griefe I aye did grone As one who felt the fall from high renowne My Noble men deuisde to thrust me downe In all this time and many did protest I laid the King in his vntimely chest At last my foes my friends were made and I Had quiet peace and liu'd a happie King Yea God who rules the haughtie heauen a high Inricht my Realme with foyson of each thing Abundant store did make my people
to me my Crowne Yet haue thou some respect of honor and renowne For thou by oath did'st sweare to yeeld to me my right When as I thee prefer'd and stal'd thee there by might Mine vncle Edward he thy fathers faithfull friend Gaue me his Crowne and thou thereto did'st condescend Yet now thou wouldest faine defeate me of my right And proue thy selfe forsworne of former promise plight Shall Harold haue his hest shall Godwines sonne be guide Shall William want his will and haue his right deni'd Well Harold if thou canst with warres determine so I am content if not prouide I am thy foe My sonnes and all my kinne shall neuer stint to striue To plucke thee from thy place whil'st one is left aliue But if thou wilt bewise to me my right resigne And thou shalt haue the place belonging to thy line If not with fire and sword I meane thy Realme to spoile I neuer thence will start till I haue forst thy foile And now thou know'st my will determine for the best Thou maist haue warres and if thou wilt thou maist haue rest WILLIAM Duke of Normandy THese letters were of little might to make My manly mind to grant him his request For which I did to Fortune me betake To wage new warres with him I deem'd it best So from his fist his threatning blade to wrest But see the force of Fortunes changing cheare Another cloud before me did appeare My brother Tostius who from me was fled Did now returne and brought the Norway King They did deuise to haue from me my head Which made me to indite another thing Vnto the Duke then plaine and true meaning I gaue him hope of that I neuer ment These were the lines which to the Duke I sent HAROLD THE ENGLISH KING TO THEE WILLIAM Duke of Normandy HArold the English King thee William Duke doth greete Thy letter being read I haue not thought it meete Without a Parlament to do so great a thing As of a forren Duke to make an English King But if my three estates will follow my aduice Thou shalt receiue the Crowne and beare away the price Therefore delay a time thou shortly shalt receiue With full consent the thing which now thou seek'st to haue HAROLD I Arm'd in haste all danger to auoid For why I heard my brother Tostius traine Two of my Earles had in the North destroy'd And many a thousand men he there had slaine But when we met his triumph was in vaine For I and mine the Norway King there kilte And I my selfe my brothers blood there spilte Now when the Duke my friendly lines had read And heard how I my men did muster new There lies a Snake within this greene grasse bed Quoth he therefore come forth my warlike crew We will not stay to see what shall ensue By long delayes from forren coasts he may Procure an aide to scourge vs with decay But when he heard with whom I had to deale Well done quoth he let him go beate the bush I and my men to the lurch line will steale And plucke the Net euen at the present push And one of them we with decay will crush For he who doth the victor there remaine Shall neuer rest till he hath dealt with twaine So I in vaine who had the victorie Within few daies was forst againe to fight My strength halfe spoil'd my wounded men were wearie His campe was comne vnwares within my sight There was no hope to flee by day nor night I Harold then a Harauld sent in haste To know the plot where he his campe had plaste He sent me word my ifs and ands were vaine And that he knew the drifts of my delay For which he said he would yet once againe Make triall who should beare the crowne away If I would yeeld he said his men should stay If not he then was present presently To trie the cause by Mars his crueltie Which when I heard and saw him march amaine His Trumpets did defie me to my face In haste I did appoint my very traine And souldier-like I all my men did place I neuer su'd nor pray'd nor gapte for grace For hauing plaste my men in battellray I with loude voice to them these words did say My mates in armes see heere the last assault Win now the field and be you euer blest This Bastard base borne Duke shall he exalt Himselfe so high giue eare vnto my hest This day no doubt we shall haue quiet rest For good successe shall set vs free from feare Or hatefull hap shall bring vs to our beare Euen heere at hand his power doth appeare March forth my men we must no longer stay Let euery man abandon fainting feare And I as guide will lead you on your way Euen I my selfe the formost in the fray Will teach you how you shall abate his pride Fight fight my men your King shall be your guide His Cros-bow men my Archers did assaile With three to one yet were they all too weake And when his forlorne hope could not preuaile Them to assist his Horsemen out did breake Three troopes I sent on them the wrath to wreake And by and by the battel 's both did ioyne With many a thrust and many a bloodie foine Of three maine battels he his armie made I had but one and one did deale with three Of which the first by me were quite dismaide The other two they did discomfort me Not yeelding but in yeelding blowes we be With losse of life constrain'd at last to yeeld The crowne the kingdome and the foughten field Note now the lot which on my limmes did light Nine monthes no more I wore the English Crowne In euery month I in the field did fight In euery fight I wonne a fresh renowne Yet at the last my strength was beaten downe And heere before you now I do protest I neuer had one day of quiet rest To the Reader HAuing hitherto continued the storie gentle Reader from the first entrance of Brute into this Iland with the falles of such Princes as were neuer before this time in one volume comprised I now proceed with the rest which take their beginning from the Conquest whose pen-men being many and diuers all diuerslie affected in the method of this their Mirror I purpose only to follow the intended scope of that most honorable personage who by how much he did surpasse the rest in the eminence of his noble condition by so much he hath exceeded them all in the excellencie of his heroicall stile which with a golden pen he hath limmed out to posteritie in that worthy obiect of his minde the Tragedie of the Duke of Buckingham and in his preface then intituled Master Sackuils induction This worthie President of learning intending to perfect all this storie himselfe from the Conquest being called to a more serious expence of his time in the great State-affaires of his most royall Ladie and Soueraigne left the dispose thereof to M.
right may take his place without regard or meed Set apart all flatterie and vaine worldly dreed Set God before your eyes the most iust Iudge supreme Remember well your reckoning at the day extreme Abandon all affray be soothfast in your sawes Be constant and carelesse of mortals displeasure With eyes shut and hands close you should pronounce the lawes Esteeme not worldly goods thinke there is a treasure More worth then gold a thousand times in valure Reposed for all such as righteousnesse ensue Whereof you cannot faile the promise made is true If Iudges in our daies would ponder well in mind The fatall fall of vs for wresting Law and right Such statutes as touch life should not be thus defin'd By senses constrained against true meaning quite As well they might affirme the blacke for to be white Wherefore we wish they would our act and end compare And weighing well the case they will we trust beware G. Ferrers HOW SIR THOMAS OF WOODSTOCKE DVKE OF Glocester vncle to King Richard the second was vnlawfully murdered An. Dom. 1397. WHose state stablisht is in seeming most sure And so far from danger of Fortunes blasts As by the compasse of mans coniecture No brasen piller may be fixt more fast Yet wanting the stay of prudent forecast When froward Fortune list for to frowne May in a moment turne vpside downe In proofe whereof O Baldwine take paine To hearken a while to Thomas of Woodstocke Addresse in presence his fate to complaine In the forlorne hope of English flocke Extract by descent from the royall stocke Sonne to King Edward third of that name And second to none in glorie and fame This noble father to maintaine my state With Buckingham Earledome did me indow Both Nature and Fortune to me were great Denying me nought which they might allow Their sundrie graces in me did so flow As beautie strength high fauour and fame Who may of God more wish then the same Brothers we were to the number of seuen I being the sixt and yongest but one A more royall race was not vnder heauen More stout or more stately of stomacke and person Princes all peerelesse in each condition Namely Sir Edward call'd the blacke Prince When had England the like before or since But what of all this any man t' assure In state vncarefull of Fortunes variance Sith daily and hourely we see it in vre That where most cause is of affiance Euen there is found most weake assurance Let none trust Fortune but follow reason For often we see in trust is treason This prouerbe in proofe ouer true I tried Finding high treason in place of high trust And most fault of faith where I most affied Being by them that should haue been iust Trayterously entrapt ere I could mistrust Ah wretched world what it is to trust thee Let them that will learne now hearken to mee After King Edward the thirds decease Succeeded my nephew Richard to raigne Who for his glorie and honors encrease With princely wages did me entertaine Against the Frenchmen to be his Chieftaine So passing the seas with royall puissance With God and S. George I inuaded France Wasting the countrie with sword and with fire Ouerturning townes high castles and towers Like Mars god of warre enflamed with ire I forced the Frenchmen t' abandon their bowers Where euer we marcht I wan at all howers In such wise visiting both citie and village That alway my souldiers were laden with pillage With honor and triumph was my returne Was none more ioyous then yong King Richard Who minding more highly my state to adorne With Glocester Dukedome did me reward And after in mariage I was prefer'd To a daughter of Bohun an Earle honorable By whom I was of England high Constable Thus hoysed high on Fortunes wheele As one on a stage attending a play See'th not on which side the scaffold doth reele Till timber and poles and all flie away So fared it by me for day by day As honor encreased I looked still higher Not seeing the danger of my fond desier For Fortunes floud thus running with full streame And I a Duke descended of great Kings Constable of England chiefe officer of the Realme Abused with desperance in these vaine things I went without feete and flew without wings Presuming so far vpon my high state That dread set apart my Prince I would mate For whereas Kings haue counsell of their choice To whom they referre the rule of their Land With certaine familiars in whom to reioyce For pleasure or profit as the case shall stand I not bearing this would needs take in hand Maugre his will those persons to disgrace And for to settle others in their place But as an old booke saith who will assay About the Cats necke to hang on a bell Had first need to cut the Cats clawes away Lest if the Cat be curst and not tam'd well She with her nailes may claw him to the fell So putting the bell about the Cats necke I vnaduised caught a cruell checke Reade well the sentence of the Rat renown'd Which Pierce the plowman describes in his dreame And whoso hath wit the sense to expound Shall find that to curbe the Prince of a Reame Is euen as who saith to striue with the streame Note this all subiects and construe it well And busie not your braines 'bout the Cats bell But in that yee be Lieges learne t' obay Submitting your willes to your Princes Lawes It fits not a subiect t' haue his owne way Remember this prouerbe of the Cats clawes For Princes like Lions haue long large pawes That reach at randon and whom they once twitch They claw to the bone before the skin itch But to my purpose I being once bent Towards the atchieuing of my attemptate Foure bould Barons were of mine assent By oath and alliance fastly confederate First Henrie of Derby an Earle of estate Richard of Arundell and Thomas of Warwicke With Mowbray the Marshall a man most warlike At Ratecote Bridge assembled our band The Commons in clusters came to vs that day To dant Robert Veere then Duke of Ireland By whom King Richard was ruled alway We put him to flight and brake his array Then maugre the King his leaue or assent We by our power did call a Parlament Where not in Robes but with our Baslards bright We came to parle of the publique weale Confirming our quarell with maine and might With swords and no words we tried our appeale In stead of reason declaring out zeale And whom so we knew with the King in grace We plainly depriued of power and place Some with short processe were banisht the Land Some executed with capitall paine Whereof whoso list the whole t' vnderstand In the Parlament roll it appeareth plaine And further how stoutly we did the King straine The rule of his Realme wholly to resigne To the order of those whom we did assigne But note the sequele of such presumption After we had
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
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
be nighest For while I suing this so good successe Laid siege to Orliaunce on the Riuer side The Bastard Cuckold Cawnies sonne I gesse Tho thought the Dukes who had the towne in guide Came fiercely forth when he his time espi'd To raise the siege but was bet backe againe And hard pursued both to his losse and paine For there we wan the Bulwarke on the bridge With a mightie tower standing fast thereby Ah cursed tower that didst my daies abridge Would God thou had'st been further either I For in this tower a chamber stands on hie From which a man may view through all the towne By certaine windowes iron grated downe Where on a day now Baldwine note mine end I stood in viewing where the towne was weake And as I busily talked with my friend Shot from the towne which all the grate did breake A pellet came and droue a mightie fleake Against my face and tare away my cheeke For paine whereof I died within a weeke See Baldwine see the most vncertaine glorie How sudden mischiefe dasheth all to dust And warne all Princes by my broken storie The happiest fortune chiefly to mistrust Was neuer man that alway had his lust Then mortall fooles in fancie more then mad Which hope to haue that neuer any had W. Baldwine HOW DAME ELEANOR COBHAM DVCHESSE OF GLOCESTER FOR PRACtising of Witchcraft and Sorcery suffred open penance and after was banished the Realme into the I le of Man IF a poore Ladie damned in exile Amongst Princes may be allowed place Then gentle Baldwine stay thy pen a while And of pure pitie ponder well my case How I a Duchesse destitute of grace Haue found by proofe as many haue and shall The prouerbe true that pride will haue a fall A noble Prince extract of royall blood Humfrey sometime protector of this Land Of Glocester Duke for vertue call'd the good When I but base beneath his state did stand Vouchsaft with me to ioyne in wedlockes band Hauing in Court no name of high degree But Eleanor Cobham as parents left to mee And though by blith of noble race I was Of Barons blood yet was I thought vnfit So high to match yet so it came to passe Whether by grace good fortune or by wit Dame Venus lures so in mine eyes did sit As this great Prince without respect of state Did worthie me to be his wedded mate His wife I was and he my true husband Though for a while he had the company Of Lady Iaquet Dutchesse of Holland Being an heire of ample patrimony But that fell out to be no matrimonie For after warre long sute in law and strife She proued was the Duke of Brabants wife Thus of a Damsell Dutchesse I became My state and place aduanced next the Queene Whereby me thought I felt no ground but swam For in the Court mine equall was not seene And so possest with pleasure of the spleene The sparkes of pride so kindled in my brest As I in Court would shine aboue the rest Such gifts of nature God in me had graft Of shape and forme with other graces mo That by the shot of Cupids fiery shaft Which to the heart of this great Prince did go This mightie Duke with loue was kindled so As he abasing th' height of his degree Set his whole heart to loue and honor mee Grudge whoso would to him I was most deere Aboue all Dames aduanced in degree The Queene except no Princesse was my peere But gaue me place and Lords with cap and knee Did all honor and reuerence vnto mee Thus hoisted high vpon the rolling wheele I sate so sure me though I could not reele And weening least that Fortune hath a turne I look'd aloft and would not looke alow The brands of pride so in my brest did burne As the hot sparkes burst forth in open show And more and more the fire began to glow Without quenching and daily did encrease Till Fortunes blasts with shame did make it cease For as t is said pride passeth on afore And shame followes for iust reward and meed Would God Ladies both now and euermore Of my hard hap which shall the storie reede Would beare in mind and trust it as their Creed That pride of heart is a most hatefull vice And low linesse a pearle of passing price Namely in Queenes and Ladies of estate Within whose minds all meeknes should abound Since high disdaine doth alwaies purchase hate Being a vice that most part doth redound To their reproch in whom the same is found And seldome gets good fauour or good fame But is at last knit vp with worldly shame The proofe whereof I found most true indeed That pride afore hath shame to wait behind Let no man doubt in whom this vice doth breed But shame for pride by iustice is assign'd Which I well found for truly in my mind Was neuer none whom pride did more enflame Nor neuer none receiued greater shame For not content to be a Dutchesse great I longed sore to beare the name of Queene Aspiring still vnto an higher seat And with that hope my selfe did ouerweene Since there was none which that time was betweene Henrie the King and my good Duke his Eame Heire to the crowne and kingdome of this Realme So neare to be was cause of my vaine hope And long await when this faire hap would fall My studies all were tending to that scope Alas the while to counsell I did call Such as would seeme by skill coniecturall Of art Magique and wicked Sorcerie For to diuine the Princes destinie Among which sort of those that bare most fame There was a Beldame call'd the Witch of Ey Old mother Madge her neighbours did her name Which wrought wonders in countries by here-say Furies and feends her charming would obay And dead corps from graue she could vpreare Such an Inchantresse that time had no peere Two Priests also the one hight Bolenbroke The other Suthwel Clerkes in coniuration These two Chaplaines were they that vndertooke To cast and calke the Kings true constellation And then to iudge by deepest diuination Of things to come and who should next succeed To Englands Crowne all this was true indeed And further sure they neuer did proceed Though I confesse that this attempt was ill But for my part for any thing in deed Wrought or else thought by any kind of skill God is my iudge I neuer had the will By any inchantment Sorcerie or charme Or otherwise to worke my Princes harme Yet nerethelesse when this case came to light By secret spies to Caiphas our Cardinall Who long in heart had borne a priuie spight To my good Duke his nephew naturall Glad of the chance so fitly forth to fall His long hid hate with Iustice to color Vsed this case with most extreame rigor And caused me with my complices all To be cited by processe peremptorie Before Iudges in place Iudiciall Whereas Caiphas sitting in his glorie Would not allow my answere
dilatorie Ne Doctor or Proctor to alledge the lawes But forced me to plead in mine owne cause The Kings counsell were called to the case My husband then shut out for the season In whose absence I found but little grace For Lawyers turned our offence to treason And so with rigor without ruth or reason Sentence was giuen that I for the same Should doe penance and suffer open shame Nay the like shame had neuer wight I weene Duches Lady ne Damsel of degree As I that was a Princesse next the Queene Wife to a Prince and none so great as hee A Kings vncle Protector of his countrey With Taper burning shrouded in a sheete Three dayes a row to passe the open streete Barelegd and bare foote to all the worlds wonder Yea and as though such shame did not suffise With more despite then to part asunder Me and my Duke which Traitors did deuise By Statute lawe in most vnlawfull wise First sending me with shame into exile Then murdring him by trechery and guile Yea and besides this cruell banishment Far from all friends to comfort mee in care And husbands death there was by Parliament Ordaind for me a messe of courser fare For they to bring me to beggers state most bare By the same act from mee did then withdraw Such right of dower as widowes haue by law Death as t' is said doth set all things at rest Which fell not so in mine vnhappy case For since my death mine enmies made a Iest In minstrels rimes mine honour to deface And then to bring my name in more disgrace A song was made in manner of a laic Which old wiues sing of mee vnto this day Yet with these spites their malice could not end For shortly after my sorowes to renue My loiall Lord which neuer did offend VVas cald in haste the cause he litle knew To a Parlement without sommons due VVhereas his death was cruelly contriued And I his wife of earthly ioyes depriued For all the while my Duke had life and breath So long I stood in hope of my restore But when I heard of his most causles death Then the best salue for my recureles sore VVas to despaire of cure for euermore And as I could my carefull heart to cure VVith patience most painfull to endure O Traitors fell which in your hearts could find Like feends of hell the guiltles to betray But ye chiefly his kinsmen most vnkind VVhich gaue consent to make him so away That vnto God with all my heart I pray Vengeance may light on him that caused all Beaufort I meane that cursed Cardinall VVhich bastard Priest of th' house of Lancaster Sonne to Duke Iohn surnamed Iohn of Gaunt VVas first create Bishop of VVinchester For no learning whereof he might well vaunt Ne for vertue which he did neuer haunt But for his Gold and summes that were not small Paid to the Pope was made a Cardinall Proud Lucifer which from the heauens on high Downe to the pit of hell below was cast And being once an Angell bright in sky For his pride in hell is chained fast In deepe darkenes that euermore shall last More haut of heart was not before his fall Then was this proud and pompous Cardinall VVhose life good Baldwine paint out in his pickle A and blase this Baal and Belligod most blind An hypocrite all faithles false and fickle A wicked wretch a kinsman most vnkind A Diuell incarnate all diuellishly enclind And to discharge my conscience all at once The Diuell him gnaw both body bloud and bones The spitefull Priest would needes make me a VVitch As would to God I had been for his sake I would haue clawd him where he did not itch I would haue plaid the Lady of the Lake And as Merline was closde him in a brake Ye a Meridian to lull him by day light And a night mare to ride on him by night The fiery feends with feuers hot and frenzy The Airy hegges with stench and carren sauoures The watry ghosts with gowtes and with dropsy The earthly Goblines with Aches at all houres Furies and Fairies with all infernall powers I would haue stird from the darke dungeon Of hell Centre as deepe as Demagorgon Or had I now the skill of dame Erichto Whose dreadfull charmes as Lucan doth expresse All feends did feare so far forth as Prince Pluto VVas at her call for dread of more distresse Then would I send of helhownds more and lesse A legion at least at him to cry and yell And with that charme herrie him downe to hell VVhich need not for sure I thinke that he VVho here in earth leades Epicurus life As farre from God as possible may be VVith whom all sinne and vices are most rife Vsing at will both widow maid and wife But that some Diuell his body doth possesse His life is such as men can iudge no lesse And God forgiue my wrath and wreakefull mind Such is my hate to that most wicked wretch Die when he shall in heart I could well finde Out of the graue his corps againe to fetch And racke his limmes as long as they would stretch And take delight to listen euery day How he could sing a masse of welaway The I le of Man was the appointed place To penance me for euer in exile Thither in haste they posted me apace And doubting scape they pind me in a Pile Close by my selfe in care alas the while There felt I first poore prisoners hungry fare Much want things skant and stone walles hard and bare The change was strange from silke and cloth of gold To rugged frize my carcas for to cloath From Princes fare and dainties hot and cold To rotten fish and meates that one would loath The diet and dressing were much alike boath Bedding and lodging were all alike fine Such Downe it was as serued well for swine Neither doe I mine owne case thus complaine Which I confesse came partly by desert The only cause which doubleth all my paine And which most neere goeth now vnto my heart Is that my fault did finally reuert To him that was least guilty of the same Whose death it was though I abode the shame VVhose fatall fall when I doe call to minde And how by me his mischiefe first began So oft I cry on Fortune most vnkinde And my mishap most vtterly doe banne That euer I to such a noble man Who from my crime was innocent and cleare Should be a cause to buy his loue so deare Oh to my heart how grieuous is the wound Calling to mind this dismall deadly case I would I had been doluen vnder ground When he first saw or looked on my face Or tooke delight in any kind of grace Seeming in me that him did stir or moue To fancie me or set his heart to loue Farewell Greenewich my Palace of delight Where I was wont to see the Christall streames Of royall Thames most pleasant to my sight And farewell Kent right
famous in all Realmes A thousand times I mind you in my dreames And when I wake most griefe it is to mee That neuer more againe I shall you see In the night time when I should take my rest I weepe I waile I wet my bed with teares And when dead sleepe my spirits hath opprest Troubled with dreames I fantasie vaine feares Mine husbands voice then ringeth at mine eares Crying for helpe O saue me from the death These villaines heere do seeke to stop my breath Yea and sometimes me thinkes his drerie ghost Appeares in sight and shewes me in what wise Those fell tyrants with torments had embost His winde and breath to abuse peoples eyes So as no doubt or question should arise Among rude folke which little vnderstand But that his death came only by Gods hand I plaine in vaine where eares be none to heare But roring seas and blustering of the winde And of redresse am nere a whit the neare But with waste words to feed my mournfull minde Wishing full oft the Parcas had vntwinde My vitall strings or Atropose with knife Had cut the line of my most wretched life Oh that Neptune and Aeolus also Th' one god of Seas the other of weather Ere mine arriuall into that I le of woe Had sunke the ship wherein I sailed thither The shipmen saued so as I together With my good Duke might haue been dead afore Fortune had wroken her heart vpon vs so sore Or else that God when my first passage was Into exile along Saint Albons towne Had neuer let me further for to passe But in the street with death had strucke me downe Then had I sped of my desired bowne That my poore corps might there haue lien with his Both in one graue and so haue gone to blisse But I alas the greater is my griefe Am past that hope to haue my sepulture Neere vnto him which was to me most leefe But in an I le and countrie most obscure To pine in paine whilst my poore life will dure And being dead all honorlesse to lie In simple graue as other poore that die My tale is told and time it is to cease Of troubles past all which haue had their end My graue I trust shall purchase me such peace In such a world where no wight doth contend For higher place whereto all flesh shall wend And so I end vsing one word for all As I began that pride will haue a fall G. Ferrers HOW HVMFREY PLANTAGENET DVKE OF GLOCESTER Protector of England during the minoritie of his Nephew King Henry the sixt commonly called the good Duke by practise of enemies was brought to confusion AS highest hilles with tempests been most touched And tops of trees most subiect vnto winde And as great towers with stone strongly couched Haue heauie falles when they be vndermin'd Euen so by proofe in worldly things we find That such as climbe the top of high degree From feare of falling neuer can be free To proue this true good Baldwine hearken heere See and behold me Humfrey hight by name Englands Protector Duke of Glocester Who in the sixt King Henries rule with fame Twice ten yeares kept the troubled State in frame Note well the cause of my vnhappie case And'mongst thy mirrours let the same haue place In their most weale let men beware mishap And not to sleepe in slumbring sickernesse Whilst Fortune false doth lull them in her lap Drowned in dreames of brittle blessednesse But then to feare her freakes and ficklenesse Accounting still the higher they ascend More nigh to be to danger in the end And that vaine trust in blood or royall race Abuse them not with blind securitie To trust their state but weighing well my case When she most smiles to haue in memorie My sudden fall who in most certaintie Hauing most staies which men in state maintaine Haue found the same vntrustie and most vaine Better then I none may the same approue Who trusting all in height of high estate To bite on fawning flatteries bait did loue Which neuer Prince could banish from his gate Did little thinke on such a sudden mate Not heeding lesse dreading all vnaware By foes least fear'd was trapt in suddaine snare If noble birth or high autority Number of friends kinred or alliance If wisdome learning worldly policy Mought haue ben staiers to Fortunes variance None stood more strong in worldly countenance For all these helpes had I to high degree And yet in fine they all beguiled mee Of Henry fourth by name fourth sonne I was Brother to Henry fift of that same name To the sixt Henrie vncle but alas What cause had I to build vpon the same Or for vaine glory to aduance my fame My selfe to call in records and writings The brother sonne and vncle vnto Kings This was my boast which lastly was my bane Yet not this boast was it that brought me downe The very cause which made my weale to wane So neere of kin that I was to the Crowne That was the rock that made my ship to drowne A rule there is not failing but most sure Kingdome no kin doth know ne can indure When the fift Henry by his valiancie Wan by conquest the roiall Realme of France And of two Kingdomes made one Monarchy Before his death for better obeisance To his yong sonne not ripe to gouernance Protector of England I was by testament And Iohn my brother in France made Regent To whom if God had lent a longer life Our house t' haue kept from stormes of inward strife Or it had been the Lord Almighties will Plantagenet in state had standen still But deadly discord which all states do spill Bred by desire of high domination Brought our whole house to plaine desolation It is for truth in an history found That Henry Plantagenet first of our name Who called was King Henry the second Sonne of Dame Maude the Empresse of high fame Would oft report that his ancient Grandame Though seeming in shape a woman naturall Was a Feend of the kind that Succubae some call Which old fable so long time told before When this Kings sonnes against him did rebell He cald to minde and being greeued sore Loe now quoth he I see and proue full well The story true which folk of old did tell That from a feend descended all our race And now my children verify the case Whereof to leaue a long memoriall In minde of man for euermore to rest A Picture he made and hung it in his Hall Of a Pellicane sitting on his nest With foure yong birds three pecking at his brest With bloudy beakes and furder did deuise The yongest bird to pecke the fathers eyes Meaning hereby his rebell Children three Henry and Richard bet him on the breast Ieffrey onely from that offence was free Henry died of Englands Crowne possest Richard liued his father to molest Iohn the yongest pect his fathers eye Whose deeds vnkinde the sooner made him die This King
some write in his sicknes last Said as it were by way of prophecie How that the Diuell a Darnell graine had cast Among his kin to encrease enmity Which should remaine in their posterity Till mischiefe and murder had spent them all Not leauing one to pisse against the wall And yet from him in order did succeed In England here of crowned Kings fourteene Of that surname and of that line and seed With Dukes and Earles and many a noble Queene The number such as all the world would weene So many impes could neuer so be spent But some heire male should be of that descent Which to be true if any stand in doubt Because I meane not further to digresse Let him pursue the histories throughout Of English Kings whom practise did oppresse And he shall find the cause of their distresse From first to last vnkindly to begin Alwaies by those that next were of the kin Was not Richard of whom I spake before A rebell plaine vntill his father died And Iohn likewise an enmy euermore To Richard againe and for a rebell tried After whose death it cannot be denied Against all right this Iohn most cruelly His brothers children caused for to die Arthur and Isabell I meane that were Ieffreies children then duke of Britaine Henries third sonne by one degree more neere Then was this Iohn as stories shew most plaine Which two children were famisht or els slaine By Iohn their Eame cald Saunzterre by name Of whose foule act all countries speake great shame Edward and Richard second both by name Kings of this Land fell downe by fatall fate What was the cause that Princes of such fame Did leese at last their honour life and state Nothing at all but discord and debate Which when it haps in kinred or in bloud Erynnis rage was neuer halfe so wood Be sure therefore ye Kings and Princes all That concord in Kingdoms is chiefe assurance And that your families doe neuer fall But where discord doth lead the doubtfull dance With busie brawles and turnes of variance Where malice is minstrel the pipe ill report The maske mischiefe and so ends the sport But now to come to my purpose againe VVhilst I my charge applied in England My brother in France long time did remaine Cardinal Beauford tooke proudly in hand In causes publique against me to stand VVho of great malice so much as he might Sought in all things to doe me despite VVhich proud prelate to me was bastard Eame Sonne to Duke Iohn of Gaunt as they did faine VVho being made high Chancellour of the Realme Not like a Priest but like a Prince did raigne Nothing wanting which might his pride maintaine Bishop besides of VVinchester he was And Cardinall of Rome which Angels brought to passe Not Gods Angels but Angels of old Gold Lift him aloft in whom no cause there was By iust desert so high to be extold Riches except whereby this golden asse At home and abroad all matters brought to passe Namely at Rome hauing no meane but that To purchase there his crimz in Cardinall hat Which thing the King my father him forbad Plainly saying that he could not abide Within his Realme a subiect to be had His Princes peere yet such was this mans pride That he forth with after my father di'd The King then yong obtained of the Pope That honor high which erst he could not hope Whose proud attempts because that I withstood My bound dutie the better to acquite This holy father waxed well neere wood Of meere malice deuising day and night To worke to me dishonor and despight Whereby there fell betweene vs such a iarre As in this land was like a ciuill warre My brother Iohn which lay this while in France Heard of this hurle and past the seas in haste By whose trauell this troublesome distance Ceased a while but nerethelesse in waste For rooted hate will hardly be displaste Out of high hearts and namely where debate Happeneth amongst great persons of estate For like as a match doth lie and smoulder Long time before it commeth to the traine But yet when fire hath caught in the poulder No art is able the flames to restraine Euen so the sparkes of enuie and disdaine Out of the smoke burst forth in such a flame That France and England yet may rue the same So when of two Realmes the regiment royall Betweene brothers was parted equally One placed in France for affaires Martiall And I at home for ciuill policie To serue the state we both did so applie As honor and same to both did encrease To him for the warre to me for the peace Whence enuie sprang and specially because This proud prelate could not abide a Peere Within the land to rule the state by lawes Wherefore sifting my life and acts most neere He neuer ceast vntill as you shall heare By practise foule of him and his allies My death was wrought in most vnworthie wise And first he sought my doings to defame By rumors false which he and his did sow Letters and billes to my reproch and shame He did deuise and all about bestow Whereby my troth in doubt should daily grow In England first and afterward in France Mouing all meanes to bring me to mischance One quarell was that where by common law Murder and theft been punisht all alike So as manslayers which bloodie blades do draw Suffer no more then he that doth but pike Me thought the same no order politike In setting paines to make no difference Betweene the lesser and greater offence I being seene somewhat in ciuill law The rules thereof reputed much bitter Wherefore to keepe offenders more in awe Like as the fault was smaller or greater So set I paines more easier or bitter Weghing the qualitie of euery offence And so according pronounced sentence Among'st my other Delicta Iuuentutis Whil'st rage of youth my reason did subdue I must confesse as the very truth is Driuen by desire fond fancies to ensue A thing I did whereof great trouble grew Abusing one to my no small rebuke Which wife was then to Iohn of Brabant Duke Called she was Ladie Iaquet the faire Delitefull in loue like Helene of Troy To the Duke of Bauier sole daughter and heire Her did I marrie to my great annoy Yet for a time this dame I did enioy With her whole lands withholding them by force Till Martin the Pope betweene vs made diuorce Yet all these blasts not able were to moue The anchor strong whereby my ship did stay Some other shift to seeke him did behoue Whereto ere long ill Fortune made the way Which finally was cause of my decay And cruell death contriued by my foes Which fell out thus as now I shall disclose Eleanor my wife my Duchesse only deare I know not how but as the nature is Of women all aye curious to enquire Of things to come though I confesse in this Her fault not small and that she did amisse By witches skill which
of a dreame Halfe waked all naked in bed as I lay What time strake the chime of mine houre extreame Opprest was my rest with mortall affray My foes did vnclose I know not which way My chamber dores and boldly in brake And had me fast before I could wake Thou lookest now that of my secret murther I should at large the maner how declare I pray thee Baldwine aske of me no further For speaking plaine it came so at vnware As I my selfe which caught was in the snare Scarcely am able the circumstance to shew Which was kept close and knowne but vnto few But be thou sure by violence it was And no whit bred by sicknesse or disease That felt it well before my life did passe For when these wolues my bodie once did sease Vsed I was but smally to mine ease With torments strong which went so neere the quicke As made me die before that I was sicke A Palsie they said my vitall spirits opprest Bred by excesse of melancholie blacke This for excuse to lay them seemed best Lest my true friends the cause might further racke And so perhaps discouer the whole packe Of my false foes whom they might well suspect For causes great which after tooke effect Dead was I found by such as best did know The maner how the same was brought to passe And then my corps was set out for a show By view whereof nothing perceiued was Whereby the world may see as in a glasse Th' vnsure state of them that stand most hie Which then dread least when danger is most nie And also see what danger they are in Which next their King are to succeed in place Since Kings most part be iealous of their kin Whom I aduise forewarned by my case To beare low saile and not too much embrace The peoples loue for as Senec saith truly O quà m funestus est fauor populi G. Ferrers HOW LORD WILLIAM DELAPOLE Duke of Suffolke was worthily banished for abusing his King and causing the destruction of the good Duke Humfrey Anno Dom. 1450. HEauie is the hap whereto all men be bound I meane the death which no estate may flie But to be banisht headed and then drown'd In sinke of shame from top of honors hie Was neuer man so seru'd I thinke but I. Wherefore Baldwine amongst the rest by right I claime of thee my wofull case to write My only life in all points may suffice To shew how base all baits of Fortune be Which thaw like yee through heate of enuies eyes Of vicious deeds which much possessed me Good hap with vice long time cannot agree Which bring best Fortunes to the basest fall And happiest hap to enuie to be thrall Called I was William De la Poole Of Suffolke Duke in Queene Margarets daies That found the meane Duke Humfreys blood to coole Whose worthie acts deserue eternall praise Whereby I note that Fortune cannot raise Any aloft without some others wracke Flouds drowne no fields before they finde bracke But as the waters which doe breake the walles Doe lose their course they had within the shore And daily rotting stinke within their stalles For fault of mouing which they found before Euen so the state that ouer high is bore Doth lose the life of peoples loue it had And rots it selfe vntill it fall to bad For while I was but Earle ech man was glad To say and doe the best by me they might And Fortune euer since I was a lad Did smile vpon me with a chearefull sight For when my King had doubed me a Knight And sent me forth to serue at warre in France My luckly speed mine honour did enhance Where to omit the many feates I wrought Vnder others guide I do remember one Which with my souldiers valiantly was fought None other Captaine saue my selfe alone I meane not now th' apprinze of Pucell Ione In which attempt my trauaile was not small Though Burgoyne Duke had then the praise of all The siege of Awmarie is the feat I praise A strong built Towne with castels walles and vaults With men and weapon armd at all assaies To which I gaue nigh fiue times fiue assaults Till at the last they yeelded it for naughts Yet Lord Ramburs most like a valiant Knight Defended it as long as ere he might But what preuailed it these townes to winne Which shortly after must be lost againe Whereby I see there is more glory in The keeping things then is in their attaine To get and keepe not is but losse and paine Therfore ought mē prouide to saue their winnings In all attempts else lose they their beginnings Because we could not keepe the townes we won For they were more then we might easily weeld One yeare vndid what we in ten had done Enuie at home treason abroad did yeeld King Charles his Realme of France made barren field For bloodie warres had wasted all encrease Which caus'd the Pope help need to sue for peace So that in Touraine at the towne of Tours Duke Charles and other for their Prince appered So did Lord Rosse and I then Earle for ours And when we shewed wherein each other dered We sought out meanes all quarels to haue clered Wherein the Lords of Germanie of Spaine Of Hungarie and Denmarke tooke great paine But sith we could no finall peace induce For neither would the others couenants heare For eighteene months we did conclude a truce And while as friends we lay together there Because my warrant did me therein beare To make a perfit peace and through accord I sought a mariage for my soueraigne Lord. And for the French Kings daughters were too small I fancied most Dame Margaret his niece A louely Ladie beautifull and tall Faire spoken pleasant and a Princely piece In wit and learning matchlesse hence to Greece Duke Rayners heire of Aniow King by stile Of Naples Ierusalem and Sicil I le But ere I could the grant of her attaine All that our King had of her fathers lands As Maunts the towne the countie whole of Maine And most of Aniow duchie in our hands I did release him by assured bands And as for do wire with her none I sought I thought no peace could be too deerely bought And when this mariage throwly was agreed Although my King was glad of such a make His vncle Humfrey hated it indeed Because thereby his precontract he brake Made with the heire of the Earle of Arminacke A noble maid with store of goods endowed Which more then this with losse the Duke allowed But loue and beautie in the King so wrought That neither gaine or promise he regarded But set his vncles counsell still at nought And for my paines I highly was awarded Thus vertue starues but lustfood must be larded For I made Marquesse went to France againe And brought this bride vnto my Soueraigne At home because Duke Humfrey aye repined Calling their match aduoutrie as it was The Queene did moue me erst thereto enclined
line O heedlesse trust vnware of harme to come O malice headlong swift to serue fond will Did euer madnesse man so much benome Of prudent forecast reason wit and skill As me blind Bayard consenting to spill The blood of my cosin my refuge and stay To my destruction making open way So long as the Duke bare the stroke and sway So long no Rebels quarels durst begin But when the post was pulled once away Which stood to vphold the King and his kin Yorke and his banders proudly preased in To challenge the Crowne by title of right Beginning with law and ending with might Abroad went bruits in countrey and towne That Yorke of England was the heire true And how Henrie had vsurped the Crowne Against all right which all the Realme might rue The people then embracing titles new Irkesome of present and longing for change Assented soone because they loue to range True is the text which wee in scripture read Va terra illi cuius rex est puer Woe to that land whereof a child is head Whether child or childish the case is one sure Where Kings bee yong we dayly see in vre The people awlesse by weakenes of their head Leade their liues lawlesse hauing none to dread And no lesse true is this text againe Beata terra cuius rex est nobilis Blest is the land where a stout King doth raine Where in good peace ech man possesseth his Where ill men feare to fault or do amisse Where a stout Prince is prest with sword in hand At home and abroad his enemies to withstand In case King Henry had beene such a one Hardy and stout as his fathers afore Long mought he haue sate in the royall throne Without any feare of common vprore But dayly his weakenesse shewed more and more Which boldnesse gaue to the aduersary band To spoile him at last both of life and land His humble heart was nothing vnknowen To the gallants of Yorke and their retinue A ground lying low is soone ouerflowen And shored houses cannot long continue Ioints cannot knit where as is no sinew And so a Prince not dread as well as loued Is from his place by practise soone remoued Well mought I see had I not wanted braine The worke begun to vndermine the state When the chiefe linke was loosed from the chaine And that some durst vpon bloud royall grate How tickle a hold had I of mine estate When the chiefe post lay flat vpon the flore Mought not I thinke my staffe then next the dore So mought I also dame Margaret the Queene By meane of whom this mischiefe first began Did she trow ye her selfe not ouer weene Death to procure to that most worthy man Which she and hers afterward mought well ban On whom did hang as I before haue said Her husbands life his honour and his ayd For whilst he liued which was our stable stay Yorke and his impes were kept as vnder yoke But when the Piller remoued was away Then burst out flame that late before was smoke The traytour couert then cast off his cloke And from his den came forth in open light With titles blind which he set forth for right But this to bring about him first behoued The King and his kin asunder for to set Who being perforce or practise remoued Then had they avoided the principall let Which kept the sought pray so long from the net The next point after was themselues to place In rule aboue the rest next vnto his Grace Therefore was I first whom they put out of place No cause pretending but the common-weale The Crowne of England was the very case Why to the Commons they burned so in zeale My faults were clokes their practise to conceale In counsaile hearing consider the intent For in pretence of truth treason oft is ment So their pretence was only to remoue Counsaile corrupt from place about the King But O ye Princes you it doth behoue This case to construe as no fained thing That neuer traytour did subdue his King But for his plat ere he could surder wade Against his friends the quarell first hee made And if by hap he could so bring about Them to subdue at his owne wish and will Then would hee wax so arrogant and stout That no reason his outrage might fulfill But to proceed vpon his purpose still Til King and counsaile brought were in one case Such is their folly to rebels to giue place So for the fish casting forth a net The next point was in driuing out the plat Commons to cause in rage to fume and fret And to rebell I cannot tell for what Requiring redresse of this and of that Who if they speed the stander at receit Grasp will the pray for which he doth await Then by surmise of some thing pretended Such to displace as they may well suspect Like to withstand their mischiefe intended And in their roomes their banders to elect The aduerse party proudly to reiect And then with reports the simple to abuse And when these helps faile open force to vse So this Dukes traines were couert and not seene Which ment no lesse that he most pretended Like to a Serpent couert vnder greene To the weale publique seemed wholly bended Zealous hee was and would haue all things mended But by that mendment nothing els he ment But to be King to that marke was his bent For had he beene plaine as he ment indeed Henry to depose from the royall place His haste had been waste and much worse his speed The King then standing in his peoples grace This Duke therefore set forth a goodly face As one that ment no quarell for the Crowne Such as bare rule he only would put downe But all for nought so long as I bare stroke Serued these drifts and proued all vaine The best help then was people to prouoke To make commotion and vprores amaine Which to appease the King himselfe was faine From Blacke Heath in Kent to send me to the Tower Such was the force of rebels in that hower The troublous storme yet therewith was not ceased For Yorke was bent his purpose to pursue Who seing how speedily I was released And ill successe of sufferance to ensue Then like Iudas vnto his Lord vntrue Esteeming time lost any longer to defarre By Warwickes ayd proclaimed open warre At S. Albanes towne both our hostes did meete Which to try a field was no equall place Forst we were to fight in euery lane and streete No feare of foes could make me shun the place There I and Warwicke fronted face to face At an Inne dore the Castle was the signe Where with a sword was cut my fatall line Oft was I warned to come in Castle none Hauing no mistrust of any common signe I did imagine a Castle built with stone For of no Inne I could the same diuine In Prophets skill my wit was neuer fine A foole is he that such vaine dreames doth dred And more foole he
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
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
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
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
Knighthood rising in degree The office of the Iewell house my lot After the Roles he frankely gaue to mee From whence a priuie Counseller I got Chose of the Garter and the Earle to bee Of Essex yet sufficient these not But to the great Vicegerencie I grew Being a title as supreame as new So well did me these dignities befit And honor so me euery way became As more then man I had been made for it Or as from me it had deriu'd the name Where was that man whose loue I not requit Beyond his owne imaginarie aime Which had me succour'd neerely being driuen As things to me that idlely were not giuen What tongue so slow the tale shall not report Of hospitable Friscobald and mee And shew in how reciprocall a sort My thankes did with his courtesie agree When as my meanes in Italy were short That me relieu'd lesse great that would not bee When I of England Chancellor was made His former bounties librally repai'd The maner briefly gentler Muse relate Since oft before it wisely hath been told The sudden change of vnauoided fate That famous Merchant reuerend Friscobald Grew poore and the small remnant of his state Was certaine goods to England he had sold Which in the hands of Creditors but bad Small hope to get yet lesser meanes he had Hither his wants him forciblie constrain'd Though with long trauell both by land and seas Led by this hope that only now remain'd Whereon his fortune finally he laies And if he found that friendship heere were fain'd Yet at the worst it better should him please Farre out of sight to perish heere vnknowne Then vnrelieu'd be pitied of his owne It chanc'd as I toward Westmister did ride Mongst the great concourse passing to and fro An aged man I happily espide Whose outward looks much inward griefe did show Which made me note him and the more I ey'd Him me thought more precisely I should know Reuoluing long it came into my mind This was the man to me had been so kind Was there withall so ioyed with his sight With the deare sight of his so reuerend face That I could scarcely keepe me from t' alight And in mine armes him openly embrace Weighing yet well what some imagine might He being a stranger and the publike place Checkt my affection till some fitter hower On him my loue effectually might shower Neuer quoth I was Fortune so vniust As to do wrong vnto thy noble hart VVhat man so wicked could betray the trust Of one so vpright of so good desart And though obey necessitie thou must As when the great'st the same to me thou art Let me alone the last be left of all That from the rest declin'd not with thy fall And calling to a Gentleman of mine VVise and discreet that well I knew to bee Shew'd him that stranger whose deiected eyne Fixt on the earth nere once lookt vp at mee Bid yonder man come home to me and dine Quoth I bespeake him reuerently you see Scorne not his habit little canst thou tell How rich a mind in those meane rags doth dwell He with my name that kindly did him greete Slowly cast vp his deadly-mouing eye That long time had been fixed on his feete To looke no higher then his miserie Thinking him more calamitie did greete Or that I had supposed him some spye VVith a deepe sigh that from his heart he drew Quoth he his will accomplisht be by you My man departed and the message done He whose sad heart with strange impressions strooke To thinke vpon this accident begun And on himselfe suspitiously to looke Into all doubts he fearefully doth run Oft himselfe cheering oft himselfe forsooke Strangely perplext vnto my house doth come Not knowing why iudg'd nor dreading yet his doome My seruants set his comming to attend That were therein not common for their skill VVhose vsage yet the former did amend He hop'd not good nor guiltie was of ill But as a man whose thoughts were at an end Fortune quoth he then worke on me thy will Wiser then man I thinke he were that knew Whence this may come or what thereof ensue His honored presence so did me enflame That though being then in presence of my Peeres Daine not the lesse to meet him as he came That very hardly could containe my teares Kindly salute him call him by his name And oft together aske him how he cheares With still along maintaining the extreame Yet thought the man he had been in a dreame At length t' awake him gently I began With this demaund if once he did not know One Thomas Cromwell a poore English man By him relieu'd when he was driuen low When I perceiu'd he my remembrance wan Yet with his teares it silently did show I wept for woe to see mine host distrest But he for ioy to see his happie guest Him to the Lords I publisht by my praise And at my table carefully him set Recounting them the many sundrie waies I was vnto this gentleman in debt How great he was in Florence in those daies With all that grace or reuerence him might get Which all the while yet silently he heares Moisting among his viands with his teares And to lend fulnesse lastly to his fate Great summes I gaue him and what was his due Made knowne my selfe became his aduocate And at my charge his creditors I sue Recouering him vnto his former state Thus he the world began by me anew That shall to all posteritie expresse His honored bountie and my thankfulnesse But Muse recount before thou further passe How this great change so quickly came about And what the cause of this sad downefall was In euery part the spatious Realme throughout Being effected in so little space Leaue not thereof posteritie to doubt That with the world obscured else may bee If in this place reuealed not by thee If the whole land did on the Church relie Hauing full power Kings to account to call That to the world read only policie Besides heauens keyes to stop or let in all Let me but know from her supremacie How she should come so suddenly to fall T' was more then chance sure put a hand thereto That had the power so great a thing to do Or ought there were had biding vnder Sunne Who would haue thought those edifices great Which first religion holily begunne The Church approu'd and wisdome richly seate Deuotion nourish'd faith allowance wonne And all that them might any way compleate Should in their ruines lastly buried lie But that begun and ended from the skie And the King late obedient to her lawes Against the Clerke of Germany had writ As he that first stirr'd in the Churches cause Against him greatliest that oppugned it And wan from her so gratefull an applause Then in her fauour chiefly that did sit That as the prop whereon she only stai'th Him she instil'd Defender of the faith But not their power whose wisdomes them did place In the first ranke the
grace and credit grew So that the King in hearing of this newes Deuised how he might my seruice vse He made me then his Chaplaine to say Masse Before his grace yea twice or thrice a weeke Now had I time to trim my selfe by glasse Now found I meane some liuing for to seeke Now I became both humble milde and meeke Now I appli'd my wits and senses throw To reape some corne if God would speed the plow Whom most I saw in fauour with the King I follow'd fast to get some hap thereby But I obseru'd another finer thing That was to keepe me still in Princes eye As vnder wing the hawke in winde doth lie So for a prey I prowled heere and there And tried friends and fortune euery where The King at length sent me beyond the seas Embastour then with message good and great And in that time I did the King so pleas By short dispatch and wrought so fine a feat That did aduance my selfe to higher seat The Deanrie then of Lincolne he me gaue And bountie shew'd before I gan to craue His Amner too he made me all in haste And threefold gifts he threw vpon me still His counsler straight likewaies was Wolsey plaste Thus in short time I had the world at will VVhich passed far mans reason wit and skill O hap thou hast great secrets in thy might VVhich long lie hid from wily worldlings sight As shewres of raine fall quickly on the grasse That fading flowres are soone refresht thereby Or as with Sun the morning dew doth passe And quiet calme makes cleare a troubled skie So Princes powre at twinkling of an eye Sets vp aloft a fau'ret on the wheele When giddy braines about the streets doe reele They are but blind that wake where Fortune sleepes They work in vaine that striue with streame and tide In double gard they dwell that destny keepes In simple sort they liue that lacke a guide They misse the marke that shoot their arrowes wide They hit the pricke that make their flight to glance So neere the white that shaft may light on chance Such was my lucke I shot no shaft in vaine My bow stood bent and brased all the yeere I waited hard but neuer lost my paine Such wealth came in to beare the charges cleere And in the end I was the greatest peere Among them all for I so rulde the land By Kings consent that all was in my hand Within on yeare three Bishoprickes I had And in small space a Cardnall I was made With long red robes rich Wolsey then was clad I walkt in Sun when others sate in shade I went abroad with such a traine and trade With crosses borne before me where I past That man was thought to be some God at last With sonnes of Earles and Lords I serued was An hundred chaines at least were in my traine I daile dranke in gold but not in glas My bread mas made of finest flowre and graine My dainty mouth did common meates disdaine I fed like Prince on fowles most deare and strange And bankets made of fine conceits for change My hall was full of Knights and Squires of name And gentlemen two hundred told by pole Tale yeomen too did hourely serue the same Whose names each weeke I saw within check role All went to church when seruice bell did knole All dinde and supt and slept at Cardnals charge And all would wait when Wolsey tooke his barge My household stuffe my wealth and siluer plate Might well suffice a Monarke at this day I neuer fed but vnder cloth of state Nor walkt abroad till Vshars cleard the way In house I had musitions for to play In open streete my trumpets loud did sound Which pearst the skies and seem'd to shake the ground My men most braue marcht two and two in ranke Who held in length much more then halfe a mile Not one of these but gaue his master thanke For some good turne or pleasure got some while I did not feed my seruants with a smile Or glosing words that neuer bring forth fruite But gaue them gold or els preferd their suite In surety so whiles God was pleasd I stood I knew I must leaue all my wealth behinde I saw they lou'd me not for birth or blood But seru'd a space to try my noble minde The more men giue the more indeed they finde Of loue and troth and seruice euery way The more they spare the more doth loue decay Iioide to see my seruants thriue so well And go so gay with little that they got For as I did in honour still excell So would I oft the want of seruants note Which made my men on master so to dote That when I said let such a thing be done They would indeed through fire and water ronne I had in house so many off'cers still Which were obaid and honourd for their place That carelesse I might sleepe or walke at will Saue that sometime I weigh'd a poore mans case And salu'd such sores whose griefe might breed disgrace Thus men did wait and wicked world did gaze On me and them that brought vs all in maze For world was whist and durst not speake a word Of that they saw my credit curbd them so I waded far and passed ore the foord And minded not for to returne I troe The world was wise yet scarce it selfe did knoe When wonder made of men that rose by hap For Fortune rare fals not in each mans lap I clim'd the clouds by knowledge and good wit My men sought chance by seruice or good lucke The world walkt low when I aboue did sit Or downe did come to trample on this mucke And I did swim as dainty as a ducke When water serues to keepe the body braue And to enioy the gifts that Fortune gaue And though my pompe surpast all Prelates now And like a Prince I liu'd and pleasure tooke That was not fure so great a blur in brow If on my workes indiffrent eyes doe looke I thought great scorne such â—â—uings heere to brooke Except I built some houses for the poore And order tooke to giue great almes at doore A Colledge faire in Oxford I did make A sumptuous house a stately work indeede I gaue great lands to that for learning sake To bring vp youth and succour scholers neede That charge of mine full many a mouth did feede When I in Court was seeking some good turne To mend my torch or make my candell burne More houses gay I built then thousands do That haue enough yet will no goodnes shoe And where I built I did maintaine it to With such great cost as few bestowes I troe Of buildings large I could rehearse a roe That by mischance this day haue lost my name Whereof I do deserue the only fame And as for sutes about the King was none So apt as I to speake and purchase grace Though long before some say Shores wife was one That oft kneeld downe before the