FORTVNES FASHION Pourtrayed in the troubles of the Ladie Elizabeth Gray wife to EDWARD the fourth Written by Tho. Sampson ANCHORA SPEI LONDON Printed for William Iones and are to be sold at his shop at White-crosse streete end by the Church 1613. TO HIS MANY WAIES INDEERED FRIEND Mr. Henry Pilkington of Gadsby in the Countie of Leicester Gentleman SIR this Tragicall history being no fiction but a true relation of the many troubles of a distressed Queene I offer to your patronage for two especiall causes the one for the long continued loue betweene vs the other for that I know your name is a sufficient protection for it and me against the many find-faults that this age is pestered with who themselues being not able or too idle to do any thing worth the reading yet are composed of such a snarling substance that nothing can escape their eye or eare without a scoffe how euer it displeaseth such I care not if it content you I haue my desire not doubting but when you are wearied with more serious studies you will at some times peruse this And so I leaue you to liue happily Your assured friend THO. SAMPSON The Argument for the better vnderstanding of the Readers WHen Henry the sixt king of that name in England was by the Earle of Warwicke and others thought vnmeete to gouerne the kingdome and Edward the fourth claimed the Crowne in a battell neare to Saint Albans Henry the sixt was taken prisoner in the 39 yeare of his reigne Anno Dom. 1461. All king Henries forces were slaine or put to flight amongst whom was slain on king Henries part one Sir Iohn Gray husband of this Lady Elizabeth Gray of whose troubles this historie now discourseth This Lady was after maried to king Edward the fourth she was daughter to the Lady Iaquet daughter to Peter Earle of Saint Paul neece to the Lord Lewis of Leutzenbrugh which Lady Iaquet was first married to Iohn Duke of Bedford and Regent of France and afterward she was married to Sir Richard Woodvile Lord Riuers by whom she had this Lady Elizabeth and others When king Edward was setled in his kingdome and had imprisoned Henry the sixt in the Tower of London the Earle of Warwicke was sent into France to intreate a marriage betweene King Edward the fourth and the Lady Bona daughter to Lewis Duke of Sauoy and sister to the Lady Carlot then wife to the French King in whose Court this Lady Bona then was which motion was well liked of by the French King and all things sorted to the Earle of Warwicks desire But in the meane time while these things were working in France King Edward going to his Mannor of Grafton in the countie of Northampton in the time of the Kings remaining there this Lady Gray was an humble suter to the King that she might haue her Ioynter giuen her which because her husband was slaine on King Henries part was since his death detained from her King Edward liked her so well that after many amorous discourses she was married to him at Grafton where first he fancied her The Kings mother and many of the Nobilitie did dislike of this mariage because she was a widow and his subiect This King was married to this Lady Gray before the Earle of Warwicke was returned from France which some say who will talke much and know little was the cause of the warres afterwards betweene the King and the Earle But the Earles hatred against the King was for another cause as in the Chronicles you may reade What troubles and griefe happened to this Queene in the time of her husband the Kings life and after his death you may imagine You see her newly risen out of her graue and in the extremity of her griefe speaking as followeth The troubles of the Ladie Elizabeth Gray wife to Edward the fourth SOmetime I was vnhappie was that time Wherein I liu'd and neuer tasted ioyes That did not wither ere they were in prime Honors are such vncertaine fading toyes I was king Edwards wife a wofull Queene As in this history may plaine be seene O had my loue in my first choice remaind How happie had I bene from griefe how free Of wofull haps I neuer had complaind But that must needs be that the fates decree The Cottage seated in the dale below Stands safe when highest towers do ouerthrow My youth was blest in loue with equall choice The matter fit prepared for loues fier In which while I consum'd nere did my voice Nor thoughts consent to wish my fortunes higher Thus in the valley whil'st my loue did rest My loue though lowly none more highly blest But fatall powers with vnreuersd decree Whom hecatombs of prayers may not perswade To adde one minute to the blisse they see Or spare one day what but a day was made Their course is fixt and cannot be preuented They best abide their might that are contented Whose power in me distressed erst was knowne When Edward fourth of name obtaind the Crowne And put sixt Henry from his regall throne Raising himselfe by casting others downe Greedy Ambition endlesse in desiring On others ruine foundeth her aspiring There first began the groundworke of my woe There lost I him that had my prime of loue And then the prime of sorrowes I did know In prime of ioy which did more sorrowes moue The daintiest palate with exactest skill Distasts the relish of the bitter pill There was my husband slaine on Henries part Then was I left a widow desolate Yet once againe loue chose another dart Whose golden head I thought would raise my fate King Edwards loue I meane but what ensude The Crowne I gain'd I euer after rewde To Witchwood forrest when this King did go For his delight to hunt the fearfull Deere He went to Grafton thence my second woe Did spring it was my hap then to be there Attendant on my mother in which space I was an humble Suter to his Grace That he would please to pitie my estate That I might haue my Ioynter giuen me Seeing my hopes were then so ruinate That I was like to taste of miserie Such was my case except it were relieued At my complaint he very much was grieued And mou'd with pitie did commiserate My cause my selfe he seem'd to fancie then With gracious words lamenting my estate Bad me take comfort ô the wiles of men He courted me and I at last did yeeld My honor sau'd that he should win the field A King to woo his subiect in such sort As no dishonor by his loue might rise Blame me not then if to that princely port I was contented to be led as prize Where honor grac'd with regall maiestie Was Pilot to my ship in ieopardie Though long he sude I granted at the last To be his wife such shew of honest loue His princely heart did seeme to haue embrac'd I was content the nuptiall sports to proue No wanton lust did harbour in my thought
Although too deare I haue my pleasure bought When it was bruted that the King affected And would without the liking of his Lords Espouse me seeing that he not respected Their discontent nor smooth intreating words But like a loyall and a royall King Would still make good his vowes in euery thing Then they deuisde against me to obiect My widowhood ô that was chiefly it Wherewith they thought me fouly to detect Alledging it was rare and farre vnfit A King should fancie such a one as I That was a widow and in pouertie But all in vaine they sought him to disswade He gaue his word and constantly did stand Vnto the oathes betwixt vs firmly made With interchange of hearts and gift of hand He did desire our marriage day to see And I did wish that time as much as he When the Kings mother thought it was in vaine To vse perswasions to her sonne the King A precontract she spared not to faine That he had made his honor so to bring Into reproch supposing that the way From marriage a while to cause him stay But then the King those cauils did disproue And we at Grafton married were with speed And there with holy rites did seale our loue Which God and man allow as sacred deed There were we ioyn'd in holy mariage state Which during life should be inuiolate Whether the King did keepe his plighted faith To me as marriage strictly doth require Or if it be that he it broken hath Which I to know or proue do not desire I liu'd and lou'd him in such duteous sort As let my life and actions make report Before the Earle made his returne from France Richard Neuil then Earle of Warwicke Being sent to treate a mariage for the King With Lady Bona time brought forth this chance The King was married which some say did bring The fall and ruine of King Edwards seed The vulgar peoples saying is no creed How dares a subiect contradict his King Must subiects wils limit their Princes loue It 's more then vaine yea a presumptuous thing Inferiors should such bold commanders proue To tie Kings thoughts to fancie none but them That please their subiects ô aspiring men What though things sorted to the Earles desire And Lewis Duke of Sauoy was content To grant as much as Warwicke did require Must princely Edward suffer banishment Or be obedient to his subiects frowne Or hazard all the glorie of a Crowne It was not this that causd the Earle rebell Nor was it conscience of King Henries right Another cause some histories do tell Enraged Warwicke and did cause him fight Against his King yet Kings can giue no cause Sufficient motiues for the breach of lawes O neuer let succeeding ages heare Vnto the staine of his nobilitie The wauering faith that Warwicke then did beare Constant in nothing but vnconstancie First fauouring one then changed to the other Faithfull to none although he were his brother Yet will I giue him being dead his due For sure it is a sinne to wrong the dead Though to his King he was vnkind vntrue His valour was by vanitie misled Who so him pleasd to raise vnto the Crowne And when he list by force to cast them downe A valiant Knight and fortunate in warre Vlysses-like for prudent policie Yet this did all his other vertues marre And was a blot to his posteritie That right or wrong he car'd not how it was But as he would so things should come to passe O no another fire the world doth know Betwixt the King and Warwicke kindled was Which I by no meanes to the world will show It was too much if so it was alas That such a blot should blemish such a King That was so royall else in euery thing I le nere beleeue that euer Edwards mind Would passe the limits of true honors name Although in histories you there may find Some things set downe that might empaire his fame I was his wife he lou'd me as I thought I paid his loue with dutie as I ought The next yeare after that we married were At Westminster I then was crowned Queene Attended there by many a noble Peere In such rare sort as at such times are seene My father and my friends he did aduance To greater place but more vnhappie chance And in this yeare into the world I brought A daughter which combin'd King Edwards loue In double knot with mine for sure t is thought The pleasingst ioy that man and wife do proue When of their honest loues such fruite they see As farre beyond all other treasures be But oh what pleasure euer lasteth long Some enuious fate maligning that our blisse Should long continue with iniurious wrong Did ouerthrow our mirth and forc'd vs misse The path that would haue led vs on to ioy And made vs tread the maze of all annoy To sowre our sweet lo what mishap befell An insurrection in Northamptonshire Robin of Redsdale cursed impe of hell Who like some furie with his hel-bred fire Enrag'd the madnes of the rebels so They like distracted men to Grafton go Where by the force of boisterous cursed hand My father then Earle Riuers they did take My brother Sir Iohn Woodvile did withstand The rebels force but oh he was too weake Farre ouermatch'd was sonne and fathers force For without law or iustice or remorse They in Northampton each did lose his head Nor Iudge nor Iurie had them ouerthrowne With cruell rigor was their sentence read It nothing booted them to make their mone Thus an oblation to that furious faction Their blouds were made ô most detested action Malicious Warwicke in a shew of loue Wrapt his displeasure at his Soueraignes match And gained leaue for health fresh aire to proue When Serpent-like he time and meanes did watch To plucke King Edward from his throne inuested That so the seeds of ciuill warre detested And subtilly with faire alluring words Did draw the hearts of all he could perswade Not to obey but to resist with swords Their lawfull King against the oath they made And so misled the people to attempt That which with losse of liues they did repent See here the fickle minds the common sort Of people beare that not respecting right Nor iust succession onely by report And light beliefe of others bend their might Hazard their liues and lands pollute their fame With shamefull blot of traitors hatefull name I grant my state was meane yet not so base Iustly to be reputed odious Nor did I spring from such a seruile race As might moue VVarwicke to be trecherous Vnto his King for oft it hath bene seene As meane a Lady hath bene made a Queene But when vile rancor boyld in Warwicks brest He gladly tooke the simplest shew of cause To leuie armes and neuer would giue rest Vnto his thoughts vntill against all lawes He raisd an armie gainst King Edwards force And by ill fortune gaue the King the worse For in the night he sodainly
surprisde King Edwards tent neare Wolney where the King Litle suspecting what his foe deuisde Securely slept but then oh piteous thing Hearing a noise he cald vnto his guard But they were slaine and he was clapt in ward And thence from Warwicke in the night conueyed To Midlam Castle where he did remaine There in the Bishops charge a while he stayed Vntill he did for want of aire complaine And by that meanes had leaue for pleasure sake To hawke or hunt the change of aire to take Which being once obtaind King Edward thought It was the high way to his libertie Plotting how this and that might best be wrought And not procure his keepers iealousie Ought to mistrust t is hard for to deuise A secret slight to circumuent the wise Whether the Bishop of himselfe did giue So large a scope vnto the captiue King Or Warwicks conscience inwardly did grieue That he had done so trecherous a thing And therefore will'd the Bishop let him haue What libertie soeuer he did craue I le not dispute how it did come to passe Though many thinke that Warwicke did consent To set him free but be it as it was All doubts to cleare the King did soone preuent The fury of his foes with heedfull care To tread the path that might escape the snare And by good fortune it did happen so Sir William Stanley with a troupe of men Met with the King as he to hunt did go It was in vaine to argue where or when He should be redeliuered for decree Had cleare resolu'd to set King Edward free And those that had the charge of his returne Vnto whose care the Bishop did commit The guarding of the King were loth to spurne Against the pricke accounting it no wit To offer force where such attempts were vaine Which rash resistance might procure their paine Determinately therefore they agreed With swiftest speed vnto their Lord to tell How euilly their sport that day did speed Which newes they knew would nothing please him well But well or ill there was no remedie The King was gone past their recouerie To Lancaster where then Lord Hastings lay The King made thither with all speed he might From thence assur'd of friends he tooke his way To London whence although his cause was right He was enforc'd to Lin to shape his course Of raging seas t' abide good hap or worse To Burgondie with wind and saile he plide There to recouer forces helpe and aide Of that great Duke now marke what did betide The boisterous waues and aduerse winds delayd His direct course the Easterlings at sea Thought to haue made K. Edwards ship their prey His ship being small with helpe of saile did beare Such forewind speed that in despite of foe It ranne so neare the shore at Alquemare Their ships drew deeper that they could not go So neare the towne but were compeld to ride At ancor there attending the next tide In the meane time Lord Gronture gouernor In humblest maner welcomed the King And charg'd the Easterlings to touch no shore Commanding them not to attempt the thing That to the English might offensiue be Thus was the King from dangerous foes set free But when the rumor through the land was blowne That Edward was inforc'd to flie the land And that the certaintie thereof was knowne O in what desperate state did all they stand That were his friends but vnto me his wife No hope was left of safetie friends or life Now to the hardest censure I appeale What world of woes opprest my soule with griefe How could I hide my sorrowes or conceale My horror for no hope of my reliefe On any side I no way could descrie But gloomy death and endlesse miserie Which sad prospect did threaten hard euent To wretched me of all good hap forsaken Despaire attended me no way I went But by sad thoughts my thoughts were ouertaken Pale death my master was and at my helme Stood terror all my ioyes to ouerwhelme In this red sea which was not nauigable My weather-beaten barke was runne aground I thought to find some place auaileable Where I might strike my saile and not be drownd The sanctuary a most sacred place I fled vnto hoping to find some grace Such grace I meane as to a wretched soule Yeelds comfort in extremes neare drownd in griefe There willingly my selfe I did inrole ' Mongst miserable soules voide of reliefe But that the reuerence of that holy place Was a protection to them in that case And in that place I had not long remaind But to the world Edward the fift I brought Where like a poore mans child I not disdaind To haue him Christned though so meane a thought Did nothing fit the mind of any Queene Who chuseth least of ils we wise esteeme The poorest man whose labour gets his pay Whose court a cottage is doth at such time More cost bestow on such a solemne day Then I had meanes to giue that child of mine The Gossips and chiefe credit of the troope Were th'Abbot Prior and the Lady Scroope Where was my cloth of state my canopie Ladies of honor to attend my will Where my rich hangings of rare tapestrie The stateliest banquets that deuice or skill Could set before vs where the songs of mirth To tell the world we ioyd a Princes birth My state and grace of all the world neglected Onely a naked name of Queene then left me My nearest friends arrested or suspected With traitors blot from which they were as free As new borne babes yet were they ouerthrowne Was euer such a cruell tyrant knowne The troope of gallants that once fawn'd on me My fortune-followers now they all are gone My pompe and complements for my degree Are vanisht cleane and I am cast vpon The rocke whereon alas I was vndone Before my prime of pleasure was begun O all was gone and I my selfe deiected From Court and Crowne to fatall miserie Of Lord nor Lady graced nor respected But headlong throwne into aduersitie Oh let no creature liue secure of state For Kings themselues are subiects vnto fate Let meane mens wiues imagine what it is To want things fitting them in such a case I of all princely ornaments did misse Was glad of such as seruile were and base Thus fortunes wheele some vp some downe doth tosse And I enforc'd perforce did beare this crosse O that I had a world of willing eares That patiently would heare my sorrowes told And in this sad discourse to lend me teares When they the map of my mishaps behold But ô the world shrowds in obliuion Their name and fame that to the earth are gone My King was fled my friends themselues did shrowd Vnder the couert of my enemies The new made gouerner insolent and proud Hatefull to me and all my progenie Ten thousand deaths yea trebled mischiefe fall Vpon his head that sowrd my sweet with gall Nay more then so that wrongd not onely me But to their King were instruments