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
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
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
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
with whom he is offended If God giue victorie to whom he liketh best Why looke they for it whom God doth most detest For treason is hatefull and abhor'd in Gods sight Example of Iudas that most wicked wight Which is the chiefe cause no treason preuailes For ill must he speed whom Gods wrath assailes Let traytours and rebels looke to speed then VVhen Gods mightie power is subiect to men Much might be said that goeth more neere the pith But this sufficeth for a rurall Smith Baldwine when thou hear'st reason in this case Belike thou think'st I was not very wise And that I was accurst or else wanted grace Which knowing the end of my fond enterprise VVould thus presume against my Prince to rise But as there is a cause that moueth euery woe Somewhat there was whereof this sore did grow And to be plaine and simple in this case The cause why I such matter tooke in hand VVas nothing else but pride and lacke of grace Vaine hope of helpe and tales both false and fond By meane whereof I did my Prince withstand Deni'd the taxe assest by conuocation To maintaine warre against the Scottish nation VVhereat the Cornish men did much repine For they of gold and siluer were full bare And liued hardly digging in the mine They said they had no money for to spare Gan first to grudge and then to sweare and stare Forgot their due obeysance and rashly fell to rauing And said they would not beare such polling and such shauing They first accus'd the King as author of their griefe And then the Bishop Morton and Sir Reinold Bray For they then were about the King most chiefe Because they thought the whole fault in them lay They did protest to rid them of the way Such thanke haue they that rule aboue a Prince They beare the blame of other mens offence VVhen I perceiu'd the Commons in a rore Then I and Flamoke both agreed together To whom the people resorted more and more Lamenting and crying helpe vs now or neuer Breake bondage now then are we free for euer VVhereat inflam'd in hope to purchase fame To be their captaines tooke on vs the name Then might you heare the people make a shout God saue the captaines and send vs all good speed Then he that fainted counted was a lout The ruffians ran to sow seditious seed To call for company there was no need For euery man his brother did entice To be partaker of his wicked vice Then all such newes as made for our auaile Was brought to me but such as sounded ill VVas none so bold to speake or yet bewaile Each one so wedded was vnto his will That forth they cri'd with bowes with sword and bill And what the rufler spake the lout tooke for a verdite For there the best was worst worst best regarded For when men rebell there still the viler sort Conspire together and will haue all the sway And be it well or ill they beare the port As they will do the rest must needs obay They prattle and prate as doth the Popingay They crie vnto the rest to keepe th' array Whiles they may range and rob for spoile and pray And when we had prepared euery thing VVe went to Tawnton with all our prouision And there we slew the Prouost of Peniyn For that he there did sit in high Commission He was not wise nor yet of great discretion That durst approch his enmies in their rage VVhen wit nor reason could their ire asswage From thence we went to Wels and were receiued Of this Lord Awdely as our chiefe captaine He had the name but yet he was deceiued For I indeed did rule the clubbish traine My cartly Knights true honour did disdaine For like doth loue his like t' will be none other A chorle will loue a chorle before he will his brother From Wels and Winchester to Blackheath field And there encamped looking for more aid But when none came we thought our selues beguild Such Cornishmen as knew they were betraid From vs by night away together straid There might we learne how vaine it is to trust Our fained friends in quarels so vniust But we that thought our power was strong Were bent to try what euer should betide We were the bolder for the King so long Deferred fight which so increast our pride That sure we thought the King himselfe did hide Within the City and with courage hault We did intend the City to assault But he contrary to our expectation Was fully bent to let vs run our race Till we were farthest from our habitation Where that of aid or succour was no place And then be plagu'd as it should please his grace All doubtfull plaints how euer they did sound To our best vaile we alway did expound When that the King saw time with courage bold He sent a power to circumuent vs all Where we enclosd as simple sheepe in folde Were slaughtered all as beasts in butchers stall The King himselfe what euer might befall VVas strongly arm'd within Saint Georges field And there abode till that he heard vs yeeld Then downe we kneeld and cride to saue our life It was too late our folly to bewaile There were we spoild of armour coate and knife And we which thought the City to assaile Were led as prisners naked as my naile Of vs two thousand they had slaine before And we of them three hundred and no more My Lord and we the Captaines of the West Took Inne at Newgate fast in fetters tide Where after doome we had but litle rest My Lord through London was drawne on a slide To Tower hill where with an axe he dide Clad in his armour painted all in paper Torne and reuers'd in spite of his behauer With Flamoke I and other of our bent As traytours at Tiburne our iudgement did obay The people lookt I should my fault lament To whom I spake that for my fond assaie I should haue fame that neuer should decay Wherby ye may perceiue vaine glory doth enflame As well the meaner sort as men of greater name But as the fickle patient sometime hath desire To tast the things that Physick hath denide And hath both paine and sorrow for his hire The same to mee right well may be applide Which while I raught for fame on shame did slide And seeking fame brought forth my bitter bane As he that fierd the temple of Diane I tell thee Baldwine I muse oft to see How euery man for wealth and honour gapeth How euery man would climbe aboue the skie How euery man th' assured meane so hateth How froward Fortune oft their purpose mateth And if they hap their purpose to obtaine Their wealth is woe their honour care and paine VVe see the seruant happier then his Lord VVe see him liue when that his Lord is dead He sleepeth sound is merry at his bord No sorow in his heart doth vex his head Happie is he that pouertie can wed VVhat
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
fire that is crept in the straw The thirstie drinkes there is no other shift Perforce is such that need obeyes no law Thus bound we are in worldly yokes to draw And cannot stay nor turne againe in time Nor learne of those that sought too high to clime My selfe for proofe loe heere I now appeare In womans weed with weeping watred eyes That bought her youth and her delights full deare Whose loud reproch doth sound vnto the skies And bids my corse out of the graue to rise As one that may no longer hide her face But needs must come and shew her pitious case The sheete of shame wherein I shrowded was Did moue me oft to plaine before this day And in mine cares did ring the trumpe of brasse Which is defame that doth each thing bewray Yea though full dead and low in earth I lay I heard the voice of me what people said But then to speake alas I was afraid And now a time for me I see prepar'd I heare the liues and falles of many wights My tale therefore the better may be har'd For at the torch the little candle lights Where pageants be small things fill out the sights Wherefore giue eare good Churchyard do thy best My tragedie to place among the rest Because the truth shall witnes well with thee I will rehearse in order as it fell My life my death my dolefull destinie My wealth my woe my doing euery deale My bitter blisse wherein I long did dwell A whole discourse by me Shores wife by name Now shalt thou heare as thou hadst seene the same Of noble blood I cannot boast my birth For I was made out of the meanest mold Mine heritage but seuen foot of th' earth Fortune ne gaue to me the gifts of gold But I could brag of nature if I wold Who fil'd my face with fauour fresh and faire Whose beautie shone like Phoebus in the aire My shape some said was seemely to each sight My countenance did shew a sober grace Mines eyes in lookes were neuer proued light My tongue in words was chast in euery case Mine eares were deafe and would no louers place Saue that alas a Prince did blot my brow Loe there the strong did make the weake to bow The maiesty that Kings to people beare The stately port the awfull cheere they show Doth make the meane to shrink and couch for feare Like as the hound that doth his master know What then since I was made vnto the bow There is no cloke can serue to hide my fault For I agreed the fort he should assault The Eagles force subdues ech bird that flies What metall may resist the flaming fire Doth not the Sun dazell the clearest eies And melt the ice and make the frost retire Who can withstand a puissant Kings desire The stiffest stones are pierced through with tooles The wisest are with Princes made but fooles If kinde had wrought my forme in common frames And set me forth in colours blacke and browne Or beautie had beene percht in Phoebus flames Or shamefast waies had pluckt my fethers downe Then had I kept my fame and good renowne For natures gifts were cause of all my griefe A pleasant prey entiseth many a thiefe Thus woe to thee that wrought my peacocks pride By clothing me with natures tapestry Woe worth the hew wherein my face was dide Which made me thinke I pleased euery eye Like as the starres make men behold the skie So beauties shew doth make the wise full fond And brings free harts full oft to endlesse bond But cleare from blame my frends can not be found Before my time my youth they did abuse In mariage a prentise was I bound Then that meere loue I knew not how to vse But wel away that cannot me excuse The harme is mine though they deuisde my care And I must smart and sit in slandrous snare Yet giue me leaue to plead my cause at large If that the horse do run beyond his race Or any thing that keepers haue in charge Do breake their course where Rulers may take place Or meat be set before the hungries face Who is in fault th' offender yea or no Or they that are the cause of all this wo. Note well what strife this forced mariage makes What lothed liues do come where loue doth lacke What scratching breers do grow vpon such brakes What common weales by it are brought to wracke What heauie loade is put on patients backe What strange delights this branch of vice doth breed And marke what graine springs out of such a seed Compell the hauke to sit that is vnman'd Or make the hound vntaught to draw the Deere Or bring the free against his will in band Or moue the sad a pleasant tale to heere Your time is lost and you no whit the neere So loue ne learnes of force the knot to knit She serues but those that feele sweet fancies fit The lesse defame redounds to my dispraise I was entist by traines and trapt by trust Though in my powre remained yeas and nayes Vnto my friends yet needs consent I must In euery thing yea lawfull or vniust They brake the boughes and shakte the tree by sleight And bent the wand that might haue growne full streight What helpe in this the pale thus broken downe The Deere must needs in danger run astray At me therefore why should the world so frowne My weaknesse made my youth a Princes pray Though wisdome should the course of nature stay Yet trie my case who list and they shall proue The ripest wits are soonest thralles to loue What need I more to cleare my selfe so much A King me wan and had me at his call His royall state his princely grace was such The hope of will that women seeke for all The ease and wealth the gifts which were not small Besieged me so strongly round about My powre was weake I could not hold him out Duke Hannibal in all his conquest great Or Caesar yet whose triumphs did exceed Of all their spoiles which made them toile and sweat Were not so glad to haue so rich a meed As was this Prince when I to him agreed And yeelded me a prisner willingly As one that knew no way away to flie The Nightingale for all his merry voyce Nor yet the Larke that still delights to sing Did neuer make the hearers so reioyce As I with words haue made this worthie King I neuer iar'd in tune was euery string I tempred so my tongue to please his eare That what I said was currant euery where I ioyn'd my talke my gestures and my grace In wittie frames that long might last and stand So that I brought the King in such a case That to his death I was his chiefest hand I gouern'd him that ruled all this Land I bare the sword though he did weare the Crowne I strake the stroke that threw the mightie downe If iustice said that iudgement was but death With my sweete words
lings brest Whom not desire of raigne did driue to field But mothers pride who longd the Realme to wield But straight my death shall shew my worthie meed If first to one other murther I proceed VVhile Edward liued dissembled discord lurked In double hearts yet so his reuerence worked But when succeeding tender feeble age Gaue open gap to tyrants rushing rage I holpe the Boare and Bucke to captiuate Lord Riuers Gray sir Thomas Vaughan and Hawte If land would helpe the sea well earnd that ground It selfe to be with conquering waues surround Their speedie death by priuie dome procured At Pomfret tho my life short while endured My selfe I slue when them I damned to death At once my throate I riued and reft them breath For that selfe day before or neere the hower That withred Atropos nipt the springing flower VVith violent hand of their forth running life My head and body in Tower twinde like knife By this my paterne all ye peeres beware Oft hangth he himselfe who others weenth to snare Spare to be each others butcher Feare the Kite VVho soareth aloft while frog and mouse do fight In ciuil combat grappling void of feare Of forreine foe at once al both to beare Which plainer by my pitied plaint to see A while anew your listning lend to mee Too true it is two sundrie assemblies kept At Crosbies place and Baynards Castle set The Dukes at Crosbies but at Baynards we The one to crowne a king the other to be Suspicious is secession of foule frends When eithers drift to th' others mischief tends I fear'd the end my Catesbies being there Discharg'd all doubts Him held I most entire Whose great preserment by my meanes I thought Some spurre to pay the thankfulnesse hee ought The trust he ought me made me trust him so That priuie he was both to my weale and wo. My hearts one halfe my chest of confidence Mine only trust my ioy dwelt in his presence I lou'd him Baldwine as the apple of mine eye I loath'd my life when Catesby would me die Flie from thy chanel Thames forsake thy streames Leaue the Adamant Iron Phoebus lay thy beames Cease heauenly Sphears at last your weary warke Betray your charge returne to Chaos darke At least some ruthlesse Tiger hang her whelp My Catesby so with some excuse to help And me to comfort that I alone ne seeme Of all dame natures workes left in extreeme A Golden treasure is the tried frend But who may Gold from Counterfaits defend Trust not too soone nor yet too soone mistrust With th' one thy selfe with th' other thy friend thou hurt'st VVho twin'th betwixt and steareth the golden meane Nor rashly loueth nor mistrusteth in vaine In friendship soueraigne it is as Mithridate Thy friend to loue as one whom thou maist hate Of tickle credit ne had bin the mischiefe What needed Virbius miracle doubled life Credulity surnamed first the Aegean Seas Mistrust doth reason in the trustiest raise Suspicious Romulus stain'd his Walls first reard With brothers bloud whom for light leape he feard So not in brotherhood ielousie may be borne The ielous Cuckold weares the Infamous Horne A beast may preach by triall not foresight Could I haue shund light credit nere had light The dreaded death vpon my guilty head But Fooles aye wont to learne by after read Had Catesby kept vnstaind the truth he plight Yet had yet enioied me and I yet the light All Derbies doubts I cleared with his name I knew no harme could hap me without his blame But see the fruites of tickle light beleefe The ambitious Dukes corrupt the Traitor theefe To grope mee if allured I would assent To bin a Partner of their cursed intent Whereto when as by no meanes friendship vail'd By Tyrant force behold they me assail'd And summond shortly a Counsell in the Tower Of Iune the fifteenth at appointed hower Alas are Counsels wried to catch the good No place is now exempt from sheading bloud Sith counsels that were carefull to preserue The guiltelesse good are meanes to make them starue VVhat may not mischiefe of Mad man abuse Religious cloake some one to vice doth chuse And maketh God Protectour of his crime Omonstrous world well ought we wish thy fine The fatall skies roll on the blackest day VVhen doubled bloudshed my bloud must repay Others none forceth To me sir Thomas Haward As spurre is buckled to prouoke me froward Derbie who feared the parted sittings yore Whether much more he knew by experience hoare Or better minded clearelier truth could see At midnight darke this message sends to mee Hastings away in sleepe the gods foreshow By dreadfull dreame fell fates vnto vs two Me thought a Bore with tuske so raced our throate That both our shoulders of the blood did smoake Arise to horse straight homeward let vs hie And seeth our foe we cannot match O flie Of Chanteclere you learne dreames sooth to know Thence wisemen construe more then the cock doth crow While thus he spake I held within mine arme Shores wife the tender piece to keepe me warme Fie on adulterie fie on leacherous lust Marke in me ye Nobles all Gods iudgements iust A Pander Murderer and Adulterer thus Only such death I die as I ne blush Now lest my dame might thinke appall'd my hart With eager mood vp in my bed I start And is thy Lord quoth I a Sorcerer A wiseman now become a dreame reader What though so Chanteclere crowed I reck it not On my part pleadeth as well dame Partelot Vniudg'd hang'th yet the case betwixt them tway Nay was his dreame cause of his hap I say Shall dreaming doubts from Prince my seruing slack Nay then might Hastings life and liuing lacke He parteth I sleepe my mind surcharg'd with sinne As Phoebus beames by mistie cloud kept in Ne could misgiue ne dreame of my mishap As blocke I tumbled to mine enemies trap Securitie causelesse through my fained frend Reft me foresight of my approching end So Catesby clawed me as when the Cat doth play Dallying with Mouse whom straight she meanes to slay The morow come the latest light to me On Palfray mounted to the Tower I hie Accompanied with that Haward my mortall foe To slaughter led thou God didst suffer so O deepe dissemblers honoring with your cheare Whom in hid heart you trayterously teare Neuer had Realme so open signes of wrack As I had shewed me of my heauie hap The vision first of Stanley late descried Then mirth so extreame that neare for ioy I died Were it that Swanlike I foresong my death Or merrie mind foresaw the losse of breath That long it coueted from this earths annoy But euen as siker as th' end of woe is ioy And glorious light to obscure night doth tend So extreame mirth in extreame mone doth end For why extreames are haps rackt out of course By violent might far swinged forth perforce Which as they are piercing'st while they violent'st moue For that they
are neare to cause that doth them shoue So soonest fall from that their highest extreame To th' other contrarie that doth want of meane So laughed he erst who laughed out his breath So laughed I when I laugh'd my selfe to death The pleasing'st meanes bode not the luckiest ends Not aye found treasure to like pleasure tends Mirth meanes not mirth all time thrice happie hire Of wit to shun the excesse that all desire But this I passe I hie to other like My palfrey in the plainest paued streete Thrice bowed his bones thrice kneeled on the flower Thrice shun'd as Balams asse the dreaded Tower What should thinke he had sense of after haps As beasts foreshow the drought or rainie drops As humours in them want or else abound By influence from the heauens or change of ground Or do we interpret by successe each signe And as we fancie of each hap diuine And make that cause that kin is to th' effect Not hauing ought of conse quence respect Bucephalus kneeling only to his Lord Shewed only he was Monarch of the world Why may not then the steed foreshew by fall What casuall hap the sitter happen shall Darius horse by braying brought a Realme And what letteth why he ne is as the asse Gods meane By speaking signe to shew his hap to come Who is dease hearer of his speaking dome But forward yet In Tower-street I stai'd Where could I haue seene loe Haward all bewrai'd For as I commond with a Priest I met Away my Lord quoth he your time is ne yet To take a Priest Lo Sinon might be seene Had not the Troians hares foolish forthright eyen But since the time was come that I should die Some grace it was to die with wimpled eye Nay was this all For euen at Tower-wharfe Neere to those walles within the which I starfe Where erst in sorow soust and deepe distresse I emparted all my pining pensiuenesse With Hastings so my Purseuant men call Euen there the same to meete it did me fall Who gan to me most dolefully renue The wofull conference had erst in that lieu Hastings quoth I according now they fare At Pomfret this day dying who caus'd that care My selfe haue all the world at my will With pleasures cloyed engorged with the fill God grant it so quoth he why doubtest thou tho Quoth I and all in chafe to him gan shew In ample wise our drift with tedious tale And entred so the Tower to my bale What should we thinke of srignes They are but haps How may they then be signes of afterclaps Doth euery chance foreshew or cause some other Or ending at it selfe extend'th no further As th' ouer flowing floud some mount doth choake But to his aide some other floud it yoake So if with signes thy sinnes once ioyne beware Else whereto chances tend do neuer care Had not my sinne deserued my death as wreake What might my mirth haue hurt or horses becke Or Hawards bitter scoffe or Hastings talke What meane then foole Astrologers to calke That twinckling starres fling downe the fixed fate And all is guided by the starrie state Perdy a certaine charge assign'd they haue To shine and times diuide not fate to graue But grant they somewhat giue it at one instant Of euery babe the birth in heauen so scand That they that restlesse roll and neuer stay Should in his life beare yet so violent sway That not his actions only next to birth But all his life and death he swayed therewith How may one motion make so sundrie affects Or one impression tend to such respects Some rule there is yet Else why were defer'd Till now these plagues so long ere now deseru'd If for they are trifles they ne seeme of care But toyes with God the stately scepters are Yet in them too plaine doth appeare foreset The certaine rule and fatall limits set Yet thinke we not this sure foresetting fate But Gods fast prouidence for each princely state And hath he erst restrain'd his prouidence Or is he nigard of his free dispence Or is he vncertaine foreset drifts to driue That not dame Chance but he all goods may giue A heathen god they hold whom Fortune keepe To deale them haps while god they weene asleepe Mocke-gods they are and many gods induce Who fortune faine to father their abuse How so it be it might haue warned me But what I could not that in me see ye Who run in race the honor like to win Whose fairest forme nought may deforme but sin Alas when most I did defie all dread By single haire deaths sword hung ouer my head For hearke the end and listen now my fall This is the last and this the fruit of all To Counsell chamber come a while we staid For him without whom nought was done or said At last he came and courteously excused That he so long our patience had abused And pleasantly began to paint his cheere And said My Lord of Elie would we had heere Some of the strawberries whereof you haue store The last delighted me so as nothing more Would what so you wish I might as well command My Lord quoth he as those And out of hand His seruant sendeth to Ely place for them Out goeth from vs the restlesse diuell againe Belike I thinke scarce yet perswaded full To worke the mischiefe that did mad his scull At last determin'd of his bloodie thought And force ordain'd to worke the wile he sought Frowning he enters with so changed cheare As for milde May had chopped foule Ianuere And lowring on me with the goggle eye The whetted tuske and fur'wed forehead hie His crooked shoulder bristlelike set vp With frothie iawes whose fome he chaw'd and sup'd With angrie lookes that flamed as the fire Thus gan at last to grunt the grimmest fire What merit they whom me the kingdomes stay Contriued haue counsell trayterously to slay Abashed all sate I thought I might be bold For conscience clearenesse and acquaintance old Their hire is plaine quoth I Be death the least To whoso seeketh your grace so to molest Withouten stay the Queene and the whore Shores wife By witchcraft quoth he seeke to waste my life Lo heere the withered and be witched arme That thus is spent by those two Sorceresse charme And bared his arme and shewed his swinish skin Such cloakes they vse that seeke to cloud their sin But out alas it serueth not for the raine To all the house the colour was too plaine Nature had giuen him many a maimed marke And it amongst to note her monstruous warke My doubtfull heart distracted this replie For th' one I cared not th' other nipt so nie That whist I could not but forthwith brake forth If so it be of death they are doubtlesse worth If traytour quoth he plai'st thou with ifs and ands I le on thy bodie auow it with these hands And there withall he mightly bounced the bord In rush'd his bil-men one himselfe bestird Laying