late duke Humfries old alies With banisht Elnors base complices Attending their reuenge grow wondrous crouse And threaten death and vengeance to our house And I lone the wofull remnant am T' endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham I pray thee Poole haue care how thou doost passe Neuer the Sea yet halfe so dangerous was And one foretolde by Water thou shouldst die Ah! foule befall that foule tongues prophecie And euery night am troubled in my dreames That I doe see thee tosst in dangerous streames And oft-times shipwrackt cast vpon the land And lying breathlesse on the queachy sand And oft in visions see thee in the night Where thou at Sea maintainst a dangerous fight And with thy proued target and thy sword Beatst backe the pyrate which would come aboord Yet be not angry that I warne thee thus The truest loue is most suspitious Sorrow doth vtter what vs still doth grieue But hope forbids vs sorrovve to belieue And in my counsell yet this comfort is It can not hurt although I thinke amisse Then liue in hope in triumph to returne When cleerer dayes shall leaue in cloudes to mourne But so hath sorrow girt my soule about That that word Hope me thinks comes slowly out The reason is I know it heere vvould rest Where it vvould still behold thee in my breast Farewell sweete Pole faine more I would indite But that my teares doe blot as I do write ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie Or brings in Burgoyne to ayde Lancaster PHillip Duke of Burgoyne and his sonne were alwaies great fauorites of the house of Lancaster howbeit they often dissembled both with Lancaster and Yorke Who in the North our lawfull claime commends To win vs credite with our valiant friends The chiefe Lords of the North parts in the time of Henry the fixt withstood the Duke of Yorke at his rising giuing him two great ouerthrowes To that allegeance Yorke was bound by oth To Henries heires and safety of vs both No longer now he meanes Records shall beare it He will dispence with heauen and will vnsweare it The Duke of Yorke at the death of Henry the fift and at this Kings coronation tooke his oth to be true subiect to him and his heires for euer but afterward dispensing therewith claimed the crowne as his rightfull and proper inheritance If three sonnes faile shee 'le make the fourth a King The Duke of Yorke had foure sonnes Edward Earle of March that afterward was Duke of Yorke and King of England when he had deposed Henry the sixt and Edmund Earle of Rutland slaine by the Lord Clifford at the battel at Wakefield and George Duke of Clarence that was murthered in the Tower and Richard Duke of Gloster who was after he had murthered his brothers sonnes King by the name of Richard the third He that 's so like his Dam her yongest Dicke That fowle illfauored crookeback'd Stigmaticke c. Till this verse As though begot an age c. This Richard whom ironically she heere calls Dicke that by treason after his Nephewes murthered obtained the crowne was a man low of stature crooke-back'd the left shoulder much higher then the right and of a very crabbed and sower countenance his mother could not be deliuered of him hee was borne toothd with his feet forward contrary to the course of nature To ouershadow our vermilian Rose The red Rose was the badge of the house of Lancaster and the white Rose of Yorke which by the marriage of Henry the seauenth with Elizabeth indubitate heire of the house of Yorke was happily vnited Or who will muzzell that vnruly beare The Earle of Warwicke the setter vp and puller downe of Kings gaue for his Armes the white Beare rampant and the ragged staffe My Daisie flower which erst perfumde the ayre Which for my fauour Princes once did weare c. The Daisie in French is called Margaret which was Queene Margarets badge where-withall the Nobilitie and chiualrie of the Land at the first arriuall were so delighted that they wore it in their hats in token of honour And who be starres but Warwikes bearded staues The ragged or bearded staffe was a part of the Armes belonging to the Earledome of Warwicke Slandring Duke Rayner with base beggery Rayner Duke of Aniou called himselfe King of Naples Cicile and Ierusalem hauing neither inheritance nor tribute from those parts and was not able at the marriage of the Queene of his owne charges to send her into England though he gaue no dower with her which by the Dutchesse of Glocester was often in disgrace cast in her teeth A Kentish rebell a base vpslart groome This was Iacke Cade which caused the Kentish-men to rebell in the 28. yeere of King Henry the fixth And this is he the white Rose must prefer By Clarence daughter match'd to Mortimer This Iacke Cade instructed by the Duke of Yorke pretended to be descended from Mortimer which married Lady Phillip daughter to the Duke of Clarence And makes vs weake by strengthning Ireland The Duke of Yorke being made Deputy of Ireland first there began to practise his long pretended purpose strengthning himselfe by all meanes possible that hee might at his returne into England by open warre claime that which so long he had priuily gone about to obtaine Great Winchester vntimely is deceasde Henry Benford Bishop and Cardinall of Winchester sonne to Iohn of Gaunt begot in his age was a prowd and ambitious Prelate fauouring mightily the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke continually heaping vp innumerable treasure in hope to haue beene Pope as himselfe on his death-bed confessed With France t' vpbraide the valiant Somerset Edmund Duke of Somerset in the 24. of Henry the sixth was made Regent of France and sent into Normandie to desend the English territories against the French inuasions but in short time he lost all that King Henry the fifth won for which cause the Nobles and Commons euer after hated him T' endure these stormes with wofull Buckingham Humfrey Duke of Buckingham was a great fauorite of the Queenes faction in the time of Henry the sixt And one sore-told by water thou shouldst die The Witch of Eye receiued answer from her spirit that the Duke of Suffolke should take heede of water which the Queene forwarnes him of as remembring the Witches prophecie which afterwards came to passe Finis To the Right Worshipfull Sir Thomas Munson Knight SIR amongst many which most deseruedly loue you though I the least yet am loth to be the last whose endeuours may make knowne how highly they esteeme of your noble and kinde disposition Let this Epistle Sir I beseech you which vnworthily weares the badge of your worthy name acknowledge my zeale with the rest though much lesse deseruing which for your sake doe honour the house of the Mounsons I know true generositie accepteth what is zealously offred though not euer deseruingly excellent yet for loue of the Art from whence it receiueth resemblance The light Phrigian harmony
sits a helmet and there lies a shield O ill did fate these noble Armes bestow Which as a quarry on the soilde earth lay Seizde on by conquest as a glorious pray 58 Heere noble Bohune that braue issued peere Herford so hie in euery gracious heart Vnto his country so receiude and deere Wounded by treason in the lower part As o're the bridge his men returning were Through those ill-ioynd planckes by an enuious dart But Lancaster whose lot not yet to die Taken reseru'd to greater infamie 59 O subiect for some sadder Muse to sing Of fiue great Earledomes happily possest Of the direct line of the English king with fauours friends and earthly honours blest If so that all these happinesse could bring Or could endow assurednes of rest But what estate stands free from fortunes powre The Fates haue guidance of our time and howre 60 Some few themselues in sanctuaries hide In mercie of that priuiledged place Yet are their bodies so vnsanctifide As scarce their soules can euer hope for grace Whereas they still in want and feare abide A poore dead life this draweth out a space Hate stands without and horror sits within Prolonging shame but pard'ning not their sinne 61 Here is not death contented with the dead As though of some thing carelesly denide Till which might firmely be accomplished His vtmost fully were not specifide That all exactly might be perfected A further torment vengeanec dooth prouide That dead men should in misery remaine To make the liuing die with greater paine 62 You soueraine Citties of th' afflicted I le In Cipresse wreathes and widowed attire Prepare yee now to build the funerall pile Lay your pale hands vnto this latest fire All mirth and comfort from your streetes exile Till you be purgde of this infectious ite The noblest blood yet liuing to be shed That euer dropt from your rebellious dead 63 When this braue Lord great Lancaster who late This puâ—ssant force had now thus long retainde As the first Agent in this strange debate At fatall Pomfret for those facts arraignde 〈◊〉 whom of all things they articulate To whom these factions chiefly appertainde Whose proofes apparant so directly sped As from his body reft a reuerent head 64 Yet Lancaster it is not thy deere breath Can ransome backe the safety of the Crowne Nor make a league of so great powre with death To warrant what is rightfully our owne But they must pay the forfait of their faith Which sondly broke with their ambition when now reuenge vnto the vtmost rackt The Agents iustly suffer with the act 65 Euen in that place where he had lately led As this darke path vnto the rest to show It was not long ere many followed In the same steps that he before did goe London thy freedom is prohibited The first in place O would the first in woe Others in blood did not excell thee farre That now deuoure the remnant of this warre 66 O parents ruthfull and hart-renting sight To see that sonne thy tender bosome fed A mothers ioy a fathers sole delight That with much cost yet with more care was bred A spectacle euen able to affright Th' most sencelesse thing and terrifie the dead His blood so deere vpon the cold earth powr'd His quarter'd coarse of birds and beasts deuour'd 67 But t' is not you that heere complaine alone Or to your selues this fearefull portion share Heere 's choice and strange variety of moane Poore childrens teares with widdowes mixed are Many a friends sigh many a maidens grone So innocent so simply pure and rare As though euen Nature that long silent kept Burst out in plaints and bitterly had wept 68 O wretched age had not these things beene done I had not now in these more calmer times Into the search of former troubles runne Nor had my virgine impolluted rimes Altred the course wherein they first begunne To sing these bloodie and vnnaturall crimes My layes had still beene to Ideas bowre Of my deere Ankor or her loued Stoure 69 Or for our subiect your faire worth to chuse Your birth your vertue and your hie respects That gently daine to patronize our Muse Who our free soule ingeniously elects To publish your deserts and all your dues Maugre the Momists and Satyricke sects Whilst my great verse eternally is sung You still may liue with me in spight of wrong 70 But greater things reserued are in store Vnto this taske my armed Muse to keepe Still offering me occasion as before Matter whereof my tragicke verse may weepe And as a vessell being neere the shore By aduerse windes enforced to the deepe Am driuen backe from whence I came of late Vnto the bus'nes of a troubled state The end of the second Canto ⧠The third Booke of the Barrons warres The Argument By asleepie potion that the Queene ordaines Lord Mortimen escapes out of the Tower And by false slights and many subtile traines Shee gets to France to raise aforraigne power The French King leaues his sister neede constraines The Queene to Henault in a happie hower Edward her sonne to Philip is affide And for inuasion presently prouide 1 SCarce had these passed miseries their ends When other troubles instantly begunne As still new matter mischiefe apprehends By things that inconsid'rately were done And further yet this insolence extends Whilst all not yeelded that the sword had wonne For some there were that secretly did lie That to this bus'nes had a watchfull eye 2 Whenas the King whilst things thus fairely went Who by this happy victory grew strong Sommons at Yorke a present Parlement To plant his right and helpe the Spensers wrong By which he thinkes t' establish his intent Whence more more his Minions greatnes sprong Whose counsells still in all proceedings crossde Th' inraged Queene whom all misfortunes tossde 3 When now the eldst a man extreamely hated Whom yet the King not aptly could preferre The edge of their sharpe insolence abated This Parlement makes Earle of Winchester Where Herckley Earle of Carlell is created And Baldocke likewise is made Chancellor On whom the king had for his purpose wrought A man as subtile so corrupt and nought 4 When now mishaps that seldome come alone Thicke in the necks of one an other fell The Scot pretends a new inuasion And France doth thence our vse-full powre expell Treasons suspected to attend his throne The grieued Commons euery day rebell Mischiefe on mischiefe curse doth follow curse One ill scarce past when after comes a worse 5 For Mortimer this winde yet fitly blew Troubling their eyes which else perhaps might see Whilst the wise Queene who all aduantage knew Is closly plotting his deliuery Which now she dooth with all her powres pursue Aptly continu'd by her deepe policie Against opinion and the course of might To worke her will euen through the jawes of spite 6 A sleepy drinke she secretly hath made Whose operation had such wondrous powre As with cold numnesse could the sense inuade And
mortifie the patient by an houre The lifelesse coarse in such a slumber laide As though pale death did wholy it deuoure Nor for two dayes take benefite of eyes By all meanes Arte or Physicke could deuise 7 For which she Plantane and colde Lettice had The water Lilly from the marrish ground with the wanne Poppy and the Night-shade sad And the short mosse that on the trees is found The poysning Henbane and the Mandrake drad With Cypresse flowers that with the rest are pownd The braine of Cranes like purposely she takes Mixt with the blood of Dormise and of Snakes 8 Thus sits the great Enchauntresse in her Cell Strongly engiâ—t with ceremonious charmes Her cleansed body sensde with halowing smell With vestall fire her potent liquor warmes Hauing full heate vnto her busnes fell When her with Magicke instruments she armes And from the herbs the powrefull verdure wrong To make the medcine forcible and strong 9 The sundry doubts that incident arise Might be supposde her trembling hand to stay If she considred of the enterprise To thinke what perill in th'attempting lay The secret lurking of deceitfull spies That on her steps continually do pray But when they leaue off vertue to esteeme Those greatly erre which take them as they seeme 10 Their plighted faith for liberty they leaue Their loue is colde their lust hote hote their hate With smiles and teares they serpent-like deceaue In their desires they be insatiate There 's no restraint their purpose can bereaue Their will no bound nor their reuenge no date All feare exempt where they at ruine aime Couering their sinne with their discouered shame 11 The elder of the Mortimers this space That many sundry miseries had past So long restrainde within that healthlesse place Redeemde by death yet happily at last That much auailes the other in this case And from this Lord that imposition cast Which the deare safety of his vncles breath within the tower so strictly limiteth 12 Put there was more did on his death depend Than heauen was pleasde the foolish worlde shoulde know And why the Fates thus hasted on his end Thereby intending greater things to show Braue Lord in vaine thy breath thou didst not spend From thy corruption further matters grow And some beginning fruitfully to spring New formes of feare vpon the time to bring 13 All things preparde in readinesse and fit The Queene attends her potions powre to proue Their stedfast friends their best assisting it Their seruanâ—s seale their secrets vp in loue And he expresse his valure and his wit Whome of the rest it chiefly doth behoue Places resolu'd where guide and horses lay And where the ship him safely to conuay 14 As his large bounties liberally were heap't To all deseruing or to those that heede His solemne birth-dayes festiuall was kept At his free charge all in the Tower to feede which may suspition cleerely intercept A strong assistant in so great a neede VVhen midd'st their cates their furious thirst to quench Mixing their wine with this approoued drench 15 Which soone each sence and eu'ry power doth seize when he that knew the strength of euery warde And to the purpose sorting all his keyes His corded ladders readily preparde And lurking foorth by the most secret wayes Not now to learne his Compasse by the Carde To winne the walles couragiously doth goe which looke as scorning to be maistied so 16 They soundly sleepe whilst his quicke spirites awake Opposde to perill and the stern'st extreames Alcydes labours new to vndertake Of walls of gates of watches and of streames Through which his passage he is now to make And let them tell king Edward of their dreames For ere they rose out of the brainsicke fraunce He hopes to tell this noble jeast in Fraunce 17 The sullen night hath her blacke curtaines spred Lowring the day had tarried vp so long Whose faire eyes closing softly steales to bed When all the heauens with duskie clowdes are hung And Cynthia now pluckes in her horned head And to the West incontinently flung As she had long'd to certifie the sunne What in his absence in her Court was done 18 The glimmering lights like Sentinels in warre Behind the clowdes stand craftily to pry And through false loope-holes looking from afarre To see him skirmish with his desteny Not any fix'd nor any wandring starre As they had held a counsell in the skie And had before concluded with the night It should not looke for any cheerefull sight 19 In deadly silence all the shores are hush'd Onely the Skreech-howle sounds to the assault And Isis with a troubled murmure rush'd As if consenting and would hide the fault And as his foote the sand or grauell crush'd A little whisp'ring mou'd within the vault Made by the treading softly as he went Which seem'd to say it furthred his intent 20 This wondrous Queene whom care yet restlesse kept Now for his speede to heauen holds vp her hands A thousand strange thoughts in her bosome heap't As in her closet listning still she stands That many a sigh spent many a warme teare wept And though diuided as in sundry strands Most absent present in desires they bee Our mindes discerne where eyes do cease to see 21 The small clowdes issuing from his lips she saith Labouring so fast as he the ladder clame Should purge the ayre of pestilence and death And as sometime that filch'd Promethian flame Euen so the power and vertue of his breath New creatures in the elements should frame And to what part of heauen it happ'd to stray There should path out another milkie way 22 Attainde the top halfe spent a while to blow Now round about he casts his longing eyes The gentle earth salutes him from below And couered with the comfortable skies Viewing the way that he is now to goe Cheer'd with the beames of Isabels faire eyes Downe from the turret desperately doth slide Night be successefull fortune be his guide 23 With his descent her eye so still descends As feare had fix'd it to fore-warne his fall On whom her hope and fortune now depends When suddaine feare her sences doth appall For present aide her god-like hand extends Forgets herselfe and speedie aide doth call Silent againe if ought but good should hap She begs of heauen his graue may be her lap 24 Now she intreates the darke distempred ayre Then by strong Magicks she coniures the wind Then she inuokes the gloomie night by prayre Then with her spells the mortall sence to bind And fearing much lest these yet frustrate are Now by the burning tapers she diuin'd Intreating Thames to giue a friendly passe The deerest fraught ere on her bosome was 25 The rushing murmure stills her like a song But yet in feare the streame should fall in loue Suspects the drops that on his tresses hung And that the billowes for his beautie stroue To this faire body that so closely clong Which when in swimming with his breast he droue Palled with
haplesse raigne Since treason first these troubles did beget which through more strange varieties had runne Than it that time celestiall signes hath done 2 Whilst our ill thriuing in those Scottish broiles Their strength and courage greatly doth aduance That being made fat and wealthy by our spoiles When we still weakned by the jarres in France And thus dis-hartned by continuall foiles Yeeldes other cause whereat our Muse may glance And Herckleys treasons lastly brings to view Whose power of late the Barrons ouer-threw 3 Now when the Scot with an inuasiue hand By daily inroads on the borders made Had spoilde the Country of Northumberland whose buildings leuell with the ground were laide And finding none that dare his power withstand Without controlement eu'ry where had praide Bearing with pride what was by pillage got As our last fall appointed to their lot 4 For which false Herckley by his Soueraigne sent T' intreate this needefull though dishonored peace Cloking his treasons by this fain'd intent Kinling the warre which otherwise might cease And with a Scot new mischiefes doth inuent T' intrap King Edward and their feare release For which their faith they constantly haue plight In peace and warre to stand for eithers right 5 For which the King his sister doth bestow Vpon this false Lord which to him affy'd Maketh too plaine and euident a show Of what before his trust did closely hide But being found from whence this match should grow By such as now into their actions pry'd Displaies the treasons which not quickly crost Would shed more blood then all the wars had cost 6 Whether the Kings weake Counsells causes are That eu'ry thing so badly sorteth out Or that the Earle did of our state dispaire when nothing prosperd that was gone about And therefore carelesse how these matters fare I le not define but leaue it as a doubt Or some vaine title his ambition lackt Hatch'd in his breast this treasonable act 7 Which now reueal'd vnto the jealous King For apprehension of this trait'rous Peere To the Lord Lucy leaues the managing One whose knowne faith he euer held so deere By whose dispatch and trauell in this thing He doth well worthy of his trust appeare In his owne Castell carelesly desended The trecherous Herckley closely apprehended 8 For which ere long vnto his triall led In all the roabes befitting his degree Where Scroope chiefe Iustice in King Edwards sted was now prepar'd his lawfull Iudge to bee Vrging the proofes by his enditement read Where they his treasons euidently see Which now themselues so plainely do expresse As might at first declare his bad successe 9 His honor'd title backe againe restord Noted with termes of infamie and scorne And then disarmed of his knightly sword On which his faith and loyalty was sworne And by a varlet of his spurres dispur'd His coate of Armes in peeces hal'd and torne To taste deserued punishment is sent T' a traitrous death that traitrously had meant 10 When such the fauorers of this fatall warre Whom this occasion dóth more sharpely whet Those for this cause that yet impris'ned are Boldly attempt at libertie to set Whose purpose frustrate by the others care Doth greater wounds continually beget Warning the King more strictly looke about These secret fires still daily breaking out 11 And Hereford in Parlement accusde Of treasons which apparantly were wrought That with the Queene and Mortimers were vsde Whereby subuersion of the Realme was sought And both his calling and his trust abusde Which now to answer when he should be brought Seizde by the Clergie in the Kings despight Vnder the colour of the Churches right 12 Whilst now the Queene from England day by day That of these troubles still had certaine word Whose friends much blamde her tedious long delay When now the time occasion doth afford With better haste doth for her selfe puruay Bearing prouision presently abord Ships of all vses daily rigging are Fit'st for inuasion to transport a warre 13 The Earle of Kent by 's soueraigne brother plac'd As the great Generall of his force in Gwine Who in his absence heere at home disgrac'd And frustrated both of his men and coine By such lewd persons to mainetaine their waste From the Kings treasures ceas'd not to proloine Th'lasciuious Prince though mou'd regardlesse still Both of his owne losse and his brothers ill 14 Whose discontentment being quickly found By such as all aduantages await That still apply'd strong corsiues to the wound And by their sharpe and intricate deceit Hindred all meanes might possibly redound This fast-arising mischiefe to defeate Vntill his wrongs were to that fulnesse growne That they haue made him absolute their owne 15 Whose selfe-like followers in these faithlesse warres Men most experienc'd and of worthiest parts Which for their pay receiued onely scarres Whilst the inglorious reap'd their due desarts And Mineons hate of other hope debarres With too much violence vrg'd their grieued harts On Iohn of Henault wholy doe rely Who led a great and valiant company 16 That in this conquest do themselues combine The Lords Pocelles Sares and Boyseers Dambretticourt the young and valiant Heyn Estoteuill Comines and Villeers Others his Knights Sir Michaell de la Lyne Sir Robert Balioll Boswit and Semeers Men of great power whom spoile glory warmes Such as were wholy dedicate to Armes 17 Three thousand souldiers mustred men in pay Of French Scotch Almaine Swiser and the Dutch Of natiue English fled beyond the sea Whose number neere amounted to asmuch which long had look'd for this vnhappie day whom her reuenge did but too neerely tutch Her friends now ready to receiue her in And new commotions eu'ry day begin 18 When she for England fitly setting forth Spreading her prowd sailes on the watry plaine Shaping her course directly to the North with her young Edward Duke of Aquitaine with th' other three of speciall name and worth The destainde scourges of his lawlesse raigne Her souldier Beumount with the Earle of Kent And Mortimer that mightie malconsent 19 A fore-winde now for Harwich fitly blowes Blow not too fast to kindle such a fire whilst with full saile and fairer tide shegoes Turne gentle winde and force her to retire The fleete thou driu'st is fraughted with our woes But windes and seas do Edwards wracke conspire For when iust heauen to chastice vs is bent All things conuert to our due punishment 20 Thy coasts be kept with a continuall ward Thy Beacons watch'd her comming to discry O had the loue of subiects beene thy guard T 'had beene t' effect that thou didst fortifie But whilst thou standst gainst forraigne foes prepard Thou art betraide by thy home enemy Small helpe by this thou art but like to win Shutting death out thou keep'st destruction in 21 When Henry brother to that haplesse Prince The first great engine of this ciuill strife Deere Lancaster who law did late conuince And that at Pomfret left his wretched life This Henry in whose great
37 And in despight and mockery of a Crowne A wreathe of grasse they for his temples make Which when he felt as comming from a swoune And that his powers a little gan awake Fortune quoth he thou doost not alwaies frowne I see thou giu'st aswell as thou doost take That wanting naturall couert for my braine For that defect thou lend'st me this againe 38 To whom O heauen should I my griefes complaine Since thou art iust and prouident in all How should this body naturall strength retaine To suffer things so much innaturall My cogitations labour but in vaine Except thou be partaker in my fall And when at once so many mischiefes meete By change of sorrow mak'st my torment sweete 39 Wherefore my fate I should but fondly grutch T is vaine contention when with heauen we striue Which preordaines my miseries for such That by one woe another should suruiue To shew how it mortalitie can tutch My wretchednesse so strangely to contriue That all my comfort in mishaps should rest And else in nothing but misfortune blest 40 To Berckley thus they led this wretched King The place of horror that was long fore-thought What power should suffer so defilde a thing Or can behold this murther to be wrought That might the Nation into question bring But that your waies with iudgement still are fraught Thus art thou hap'd into thy earthly hell Now take thy leaue and bid the world farewell 41 Berekley whose faire seate hath beene famous long Let thy faire buildings shreeke a deadly sound And to the ayre complaine thy greeuous wrong Keeping the figure of King Edwards wound That as thou waxest old their shame still yong Their wretched foote-steps printed on the ground That when report shall lend their vile act breath All tongues may adde damnation to their death 42 The omenous Rauen with a dismall cheere Through his hoarse beake of following horror tells Begetting strange imaginarie feare With heauie ecchoes like to passing-bells The howling dogge a dolefull part doth beare As though they chimde his latest burying knells Vnder his caue the buzzing shreech-owle sings Beating his windowes with her fatall wings 43 And still affrighted in his fearefull dreames With raging fiends and goblins that he meetes Of falling downe from steepe Rockes into streames Of toombes of burialls and of winding-sheetes Of wandring helpelesse in far forraigne Realmes Of strong temptations by seducing sprites Wherewith awakde and calling out for aide His hollow voyce doth make himselfe afraide 44 Next comes the vision of his bloody raine Masking along with Lancasters sterne ghost Of Barrons twenty eight or hangd or slaine Attended with the ruefull mangled host That vnreuengde yet all this while remaine At Borough battell and at Burton lost Threatning with frownes and trembling eu'ry lim As though in peeces they would torture him 45 And if it chance that from the troubled skies The least small starre through any chincke giue light Straitwaies on heapes the thronging cloudes arise As though the heauen were angry with the night That it should lend that comfort to his eies Deformed shadowes glimpsing in his sight As darkenes for it would more darkened be Through those poore crannies forâ—de it selfe to see 46 When all th'affliction that they could impose Euen to the full and vtmost of their hate Aboue his torment yet his strength arose As Nature made a couenant with Fate When now his watchfull and two wary foes That cease not still his woes to aggrauate All further helps suspected to preuent To take his life to Berckley closely sent 47 And subtilly a letter fashioning Which in the wordes a double sence doth beare Which seemes to bid them not to touch the King Shewing withall how vile a thing it were But by false poynting is another thing And to dispatch him bids them not to feare which taught to find these murderers need no more For which they stood too ready long before 48 Whereas he haps a Chronicle to find Of former kings their raignes their deaths and deedes which some their lodgde forgotten had behind On which to passe the houres he falls to reede Thinking thereby to recreate his mind But in his breast this greater woe doth breede For when deepe sorrow on the fancie seaseth What ere we see our misery increaseth 49 First of great William Conquerour of this I le From whom hee 's tenth that in succession lies Whose power inforcde the Saxon to exile Planting new lawes and forraine subtilties Force and subiection so to reconcile The punishment of Harolds tyrannies which he applies with arguments so strong To the due course of his iust punisht wrong 50 Rufus his sonne duke Robert farre abroade Receiues the rule in weake infeebled state His fathers steps that euidently troade Depressing those who had beene conquerd late Wishing release of this their gricuous loade Vnder the guidance of their former fate The place for men that did to beasts intend A bestiall life had last a beastly end 51 Henry the yongst his brother William dead Taketh the Crowne from his vsurpfull hand Due to the eldest good duke Roberts head Bearing our Red Crosse in the Holy Land whose force farre off so much diminished That his returne disabled to withstand when those for whom th'unnaturall war was done The sea deuours he left without a sonne 52 To Mawd the Empresse he the Scepter leaues His onely daughter which by false pretext Stephen Earle of Bolloine forcibly bereaues Henries false nephew in succession next By which the Land a stranger warre receaues wherewith it grew so miserably vext Till Stephen failing and his issue reft T 'the heires of Mawd the regall Scepter left 53 The second Henry Mawd the Empresse sonne Of th' English line Plantagenet the first By Stephens death a glorious raigne begunne whose youth prolongd to make his age accurst By his sonne Henries coronation Which to his dayes much woe and sorrow nurst when those for whom he conquerd to make great Abroad his townes at home vsurpde his seate 54 Richard his sonne that after him succeedes Who not content with what was safely ours A man lift vp to great and glorious deedes Into the East transportes our valiant powres Where with his sworde whilst many a Pagan bleedes Relentlesse Fate hastes on vntimely howres And makes a period to this hopefull story Euen in the spring and blossome of his glory 55 When him succeedes his faithlesse brother Iohn Murthring yong Arthur by oppressefull might Climing by sorce to his vsurped throne Iustly with poyson was repayde his spight His life to all men is so hatefull growne Who grieues his wrongs that ne're did any right That on the Cleargie ryrannously fed Was by the Cleargie iustly punished 56 Henry his sonne now crowned very yong Who for the hate they to his father bare His state of raigning stoode in question long Or to be left vnto a strangers care With whom the Barrons insolent and strong For the old Charter in commotion are Which his
tuggd together so Wonting my way through sword and fire to make So oft constraind against the streame to rowe To doubt with Death a couenant to make When I am growne familiar with my woe And nothing can th' afflicted conscience grieue But he can pardon that doth all forgiue 87 And thus thou most adored in my heart Whose thoghts in death my humbled sprite doth raise Lady most faire most deere of most desart Worthy of more than any mortall praise Condemned March thus lastly doth depart From her the greatest Empresse of her dayes Nor in the dust mine honor I interre Thus Caesar dide and thus dies Mortimer 88 To Nottingham this Letter brought vnto her Which is subscribde with her Emperious stile Puts her in minde how once that hand did wooe her With this short thought to please herselfe a while Thus sorrow can so subtilly vndooe her That with such flattery doth her sence beguile To giue a sharper feeling to that paine Which her grieu'd heart was shortly to sustaine 89 Putting her fingers to vnrip the seale Cleaning to keepe those sorrowes from her eyes As it were loth the tidings to reueale Whence griefe should spring in such varieties But strongly vrg'd doth to her will appeale When the soft waxe vnto her touch implies Sticking vnto her fingers bloody red To shew the bad newes quickly followed 90 Thus by degrees she easly doth begin As the small fish plaies with the baited hooke Then more and more to swallow sorrow in As threatning death at eu'ry little looke Where now she reades th'expences of her sin Sadly set downe in this blacke dreadfull booke And those deere summes were like to be desray'd Before the same were absolutely pay'd 91 An hoast of woes her suddainely assaile As eu'ry letter wounded like a dart As though contending which should most preuaile Yet eu'ry one doth pierce her to the hart As eu'ry word did others case bewaile And with his neighbour seemde to beare a part Reason of griefe each sentence is to her And eu'ry line a true remembrancer 92 Greefe makes her reade yet straitwaies bids her leaue With which ore-charg'd she neither sees nor heares Her sences now their Mistris so deceiue The words do wound her eyes the sound her eares And eu'ry organe of the vse bereaues When for a fescue she doth vse her teares That when some line she loosely ouer-past The drops do tell her where she left the last 93 O now she sees was neuer such a sight And seeing curs'd her sorrow-seeing eye Yet thinkes she is deluded by the light Or is abusde by the orthography And by some other t' is deuisde for spight Or pointed false her schollership to try Thus when we fondly sooth our owne desires Our best conceits oft proue the greatest liers 94 Her trembling hand as in a feauer shakes Wherewith the paper doth a little stirre Which she imagines at her sorrow shakes And pitties it who she thinkes pitties her Each small thing somwhat to the greater makes And to the humor something doth infer Which when so soone as she her tongue could free O worthy Earle deere loued Lord quoth shee 95 I will reserue thy ashes in some Vrne Which as a relique I will onely saue Mixt with the teares that I for thee shall mourne Which in my deere breast shall their buriall haue From whence againe they neuer shall returne Nor giue the honor to another graue But in that Temple euer be preserued Where thou a Saint religiously art serued 96 When she breakes out to cursing of her sonne But March so much still runneth in her mind That she abruptly ends what she begunne Forgets her selfe and leaues the rest behind From this she to another course doth runne To be reuengde in some notorious kind To which she deepely doth ingage her troth Bound by a strong vow and a solemne oth 97 For pen and incke she calles her maides without And the kings dealings will in griefe discouer But soone forgetting what she went about She now begins to write vnto her louer Heere she sets downe and there she blotteth out Her griefe and passion doe so strongly moue her When turning backe to reade what she had writ She teares the paper and condemnes her wit 98 And thus with contrarieties araised As waters chilnesse wakeneth from a swownd Comes to her selfe the agony appeased When colder blood more sharpely feeles the wound And griefe her so incurably hath seized That for the same no remedie is found As the poore refuge to her restlesse woes This of her griefe she lastly doth dispose 99 That now vnkinde King as thou art my sonne Leauing the world some legacie must giue thee My harts true loue the dying March hath wonne Yet that of all I will not quite bereaue thee The wrong and mischiefe to thy mother done I thee bequeathe so bound that they out liue thee That as my breast it hourely doth torment Thou maist enjoy it by my Testament 100 Henceforth within this solitary place Abandoning for euer generall sight A priuate life I willingly embrace No more rejoycing in the obuious light To consumate the weary lingering space Till death inclose me with continuall night Each small remembrance of delight to flie A conuertite and penitently die Finis To the Reader SEing these Epistles are now to the world made publike it is imagined that I ought to be accountable of my priuate meaning chiefely for mine owne discharge lest being mistaken I fall in hazard of a inst and vniuersall reprehension for Hae nugae seria ducent In mala derisum semel exceptumque sinistre Three points are especially therefore to bee explained First why I entitle this worke Englands Heroicall Epistles then why I obserue not the persons dignitie in the dedication lastly why I haue annexed notes to euery Epistles end For the first the title I hope carrieth reason in it selfe for that the most and greatest persons heere in were English or else that their loues were obtained in England And though heroicall bee properly vnderstood of demi-gods as of Hercules and Aeneas whose parents were said to be the one celestall the other mortall yet is it also transferred to them who for the greatnesse of minde come neere to Gods For to bee borne of a celestiall Incubus is nothing else but to haue a great and mightie spirit farre aboue the earthly weaknesse of men in which sence Ouid whose imitator I partly professe to bee doth also vse Heroicall For the second seeing none to whom I haue dedicated any two Epistles but haue their states ouer-matched by them who are made to speake in the Epistles howeuer the order is in dedication yet in respect of their degrees in my deuotion and the cause before recited I hope they suffer no disparagement seeing euery one is the first in their particular interest hauing in some sort sorted the complexion of the Epistles to the character of their iudgements to whom I dedicate them excepting onely the
not and a death that dies not That hates vs most when most it speakes vs faire Doth promise all things alwaies paies with aire Yet sometime doth our greatest griefe appease To double sorrow after little ease Like that which thy lasciuious will doth craue Which if once had thou neuer more canst haue Which if thou get in getting thou doost waste it Taken is lost and perrish'd if thou hast it Which if thou gain'st thou ne're the more hast wonne I loosing nothing yet a 〈…〉 quite vndone And yet of that if that a King depraue me No King restores though he a kingdome gaue me Doost thou of father and of friends depriue me And tak'st thou from me all that heauen did giue me What Nature claimes by blood alies or neerenesse Or friendship challenge by regard or deerenesse Mak'st me an Orphan ere my father die A wofull widdow in virginitie Is thy vnbrideled lust the cause of all And now thy flattering tongue bewailes my fall The dead mans graue with fained teares to fill So the deuouring Crocodile doth kill To harbor hate in shew of sweetest things So in the Rose the poisned serpent stings To lurke farre off yet lodge destruction by The Basiliske doth poison with the eye To call for aide and then to lie in wait So the Hiena murthers by deceit By sweete inticements suddaine death to bring So from the rockes th'alluring Mir-maides sing In greatest wants t' inflict the greatest woe This is the vtmost tyranny can doe But where I see the tempest thus preuailes What vse of ankors or what neede of sailes Aboue vs blustring windes and dreadfull thunder The waters gape for our destruction vnder Heere on this side the furious billowes flie There rocks there sands dang'rous whirl-poole lie Is this the meane that mightinesse approues And in this sort do Princes woo their loues Mildenesse would better sute with maiestie Then rash reuenge and rough seueritie O in what safety Temperance doth rest Obtaining harbor in a soueraigne breast Which if so praisefull in the meanest men In powerfull Kings how glorious is it then Alas and fled I hether from my so That innocence should be betraied so Is Court and Country both her enemy And no place found to shrowd in chastitie Each house for lust a harbour and an Inne And euery Cittie a receite for sinne And all do pittie beautie in distresse If beautie chaste then onely pittilesse Thus is she made a tempting stale to lust Or vnreleeued nedsly perrish must Lasciuious Poets which abuse the truth Which oft teach age to sinne infecting youth For the vnchaste make trees stones to mourne Or as they please to other shapes do turne Cinyras daughter whose incestuous minde Made her wrong Nature and dishonour Kinde Long since by them is turnde into a Mir Whose dropping liquor euer weepes for her And in a fountaine Biblis doth deplore Her fault so vile and monsterous before Silla which once her father did betray Is now a bird if all be true they say Shee that with Phoebus did the foule offence Now metamorphosde into frankencense Other to flowers to odors and to gumme At least Ioues leman is a starre become And more they faine a thousand fond excuses To hide their scapes and couer their abuses The virgine onelie they obscure and hide Whilst the vnchaste by them are deifide Yet if a Vestals name be once exprest She must be set together with the rest I am not now as when thou sawst me last That fauour soone is vanished and past That Rosie-blush lapt in a Lilly-vale Now with the morphew ouer-growne and pale And down my cheeks with showres of swelling tears Remaine the furrowes that continuance weares And in the circles of my withered eies In aged wrinckles Beautie buried lies And in my grace my presence gesture cheere Ruine distresse woe anguish doth appeere That breast that hand that cheeke that eie that brow Faded decayed fallen darkned wrinckled now Such was my beautie once now is it such Once thought most rare now altred more than much Nor I regarde all that thou canst protest My vovv is taken I a Nunne profest This vestall habite doth content me more Then all the robes that yet I euer wore Had Rosamond a recluse of our sort Taken our Cloister left the wanton Court Shadowing that beauty with a holy vale Which she alas too loosely set to sale She neede not like an vgly Minotaur Haue beene lookt vp from jealious Ellenor But bin as famous by thy mothers wrongs As by thy father subiect to all tongues To shadow sinne might can the most pretend Kings but the conscience all things can defend A stronger hand restraines our wilfull powres A will must rule aboue this will of ours Not following what our vaine desires doe wooe For vertues sake but what we only doe And hath my father chose to liue exilde Before his eyes should see my youth defilde And to withstand a tyrants lewd desire Beheld his towers and castles razde with fire Yet neuer tucht with griefe so only I Exempt from shame might with true honor die And shall this jewell which so deerly cost Now after all by my dishonour lost No no his reuerend words his holy teares Yet in my soule too deepe impression beares His latest farewell at his last depart More deepely is ingraued in my hart Nor shall that blot by me his name shall haue Bring his gray haires with sorrow to his graue Better his teares to fall vpon my tombe Then for my birth to curse my mothers wombe Though Dunmow giue no refuge heere at all Dunmow can giue my body buriall If all remorcelesse no teare-shedding eie My selfe will moane my selfe so liue so die Notes of the Chronicle history THis Epistle containeth no particular points of Historie more than the generality of the argument layeth open for after the banishment of the Lord Robert Fitzwater and that Matilda was become a Recluse at Dunmow from whence this reply is imagined to be written the King still earnestly persisting in his sute Matild 〈…〉 i th this chaste and constant deniall hopes yet at length to find some comfortable remedy and to rid her selfe of doubts by taking vpon her this monasticke habite and to shew that shee still beareth in minde his former cruelty bred by the impatience of his lust shee remembreth him of her fathers banishment and the lawlesse exile of her alies and friends Doost thou of father and of friends depriue me Then complaining of hir distresse that flying thether thinking there to find reliefe she sees herselfe most assaild where she hoped to haue found most safety Alas and fled I hether from my fo◠That c. After againe standing vpon the precise poynts of conscience not to cast off this habite she had taken My vow in taken I a Nunne profest And at last laying open more particularly the miseries sustaind by her father in England the burning of his Castles and houses which she prooueth to
our father won before Nor leaue our sonne a sword to conquer more Thus but in vaine we fondly do resist Where power can doe euen all things as it list And with vniust men to debate of lawes Is to giue power to hurt a rightfull cause Whilst Parlements must still redresse their wrongs And we must starue for what to vs belongs Our wealth but fuell to their fond excesse And we must fast to feast their wantonnesse Think'st thou our wrongs then insufficient are To moue our brother to religious warre And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquytaine And if not that yet hath he broke the truce Thus all accurre to put backe all excuse The sisters wrong ioynde with the brothers right Me thinks might vrge him in this cause to fight Be all those people sencelesse of our harmes Which for our Country ought haue manag'd armes Is the braue Normans courage now forgot Or the bold Brittaines lost the vse of shot The big-bonde Almaines and stowt Brabanders Their warlike Pikes and sharpe-edg'd Semiters Or do the Pickards let their Crosse-bowes lie Once like the Centaurs of old Thessalie Or if a valiant Leader be their lacke Where thou art present who should driue them back I doe coniure thee by what is most deere By that great name of famous Mortimer By antient Wigmors honourable crâ—st The tombes where all thy famous grand-sires rest Or if than these what more may thee approue Euen by those vowes of thy vnfained loue That thy great hopes may moue the Christian King By forraigne armes some comfort yet to bring To curbe the power of traitors that rebell Against the right of princely Isabell Vaine witlesle woman why should I desire To adde more heate to thy immortall fire To vrge thee by the violence of hate To shake the pillars of thine owne estate When whatsoeuer we intend to doe To our misfortune euer sorts vnto And nothing else remaines for vs beside But teares and coffins onely to prouide When still so long as Burrough beares that name Time shall not blot out our deserued shame And whilst cleere Trent her wonted course shall keep For our sad fall her christall drops shall weepe All see our ruine on our backes is throwne And to our selues our sorrowes are our owne And Torlton now whose counsell should direct The first of all is slaundred with suspect For dang'rous things dissembled seldome are Which many eyes attend with busie care What should I say My griefes do still renew And but begin when I should bid adiew Few be my words but manifold my woe And still I stay the more I shiue to goe As accents issue forth griefes enter in And where I end me thinks I but begin Till then faire time some greater good affords Take my loues paiment in these ayrie words ¶ Notes of the Chronicle Historie O how I feard that sleepte drinke I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent MOrtimer being in the Tower and ordaining a feast in honor of his birth-day as he pretended and inuiting there-vnto Sir Stephen Segraue Constable of the Tower with the rest of the officers belonging to the same he gaue them a sleepie drinke prouided him by the Queene by which meanes he got liberue for his escape I steale to Thames as though to take the aire And aske the gentle streame as it doth glide Mortimer being got out of the Tower swamme the riuer of Thames into Kent whereof she hauing intelligence doubteth of his strength to escape by reason of his long imprisonment being almost the space of three yeares Did Bulloyne once a festiuall prepare For England Almaine Cicile and Niuarrâ— Edward Cà rnaruan the first Prince of Wales of the English blood married Isabell daughter of Philip the Faire at Bulloine in the presence of the Kings of Almaine Nauarre and Cicile with the chiefe Nobilitie of France and England which marriage was there solemnized with exceeding pompe and magnificence And in my place vpon his regall throne To set that girle-boy wanton Gaueston Noting the effeminacie and luxurious wantonnesse of Gaueston the Kings Minion his behauiour and attire euer so womanlike to please the eye of his lasciuious Prince That a fowle Witches bastard should thereby It was vrged by the Queene the Nobility in the disgrace of Piers Gauestone that his mother was conuicted of witchcraft and burned for the same and that Piers had bewitched the King Albania Gascoine Cambria Ireland Albania Scotland so called of Albanact the second son of Brutus and Cambria Wales so called of Camber the third sonne the foure Realmes and Countries brought in subiection by Edward Longshanks When of our princely Iewells and our dowers We but enioy the least of what is ours A complaint of the prodigalitie of King Edward giuing vnto Gauestone the jewels and treasure which was left him by the ancient Kings of England and enriching him with the goodly Manor of Wallingford assigned as parcell of the dower to the Queenes of this famous â—le And ioyn'd with the braue issue of our blood Alie our kingdome to their crauand brood Edward the second gaue to Piers Gaueston in marriage the daughtet of Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester begot of the Kings sister lone of Acres married to the said Earle of Glocester Should giue away all that his father won To backe a stranger King Edward offered his right in France to Charles his brother in law and his right in Scotland to Robert Bruse to be aided against the Barrons in the quarrell of Piers Gaueston And did great Edward on his death-bed giue Edward Longshankes on his death-bed at Carlile commanded yong Edward his sonne on his blessing not to call backe Gaueston which for the mis-guiding of the Princes youth was before banished by the whole counsell of the Land That after all this fearefull massaker The fall of Beuchamp Lasy Lancaster Thomas Earle of Lancaster Guy Earle of Warwicke and Henry Earle of Lincolne who had taken their oaths before the deceased King at his death to withstand his sonne Edward if he should call Gaueston froÌ„ exile being a thing which he much feared now seeing Edward to violate his fathers commandement rise in armes against the King which was the cause of the ciuill warre and the ruine of so many Princes And gloried I in Gauestons great fall That now a Spenser should succeede in all The two Hugh Spensers the father the son after the death of Gaueston became the great fauorites of the king the son being created by him lord Chamberlain the father Earl of Winchester And if they were yet Edward doth detaine Homage for Pontiu Guyne and Aquitaine Edward Longshankes did homage for those Citties and Territories to the French King which Edward the second neglecting moued the French King by the subornation of Mortimer to sease those Countries into his hands By antient Wigmors honourable Crest Wigmore in the marches of Wales was the antient
the remembrance of the thing To make the people more abhorre their King Nor shall a Spenser be he ne're so great Possesse our Wigmore our renowned seate To raze the antient Trophies of our race With our deserts their monuments to grace Nor shall he leade our valiant marchers forth To make the Spensers famous in the North Nor be the Gardants of the British pales Defending England and preseruing Wales At first our troubles easily reculde But now growne head-strong hardly to be rulde With grauest counsell all must be directed Where plainest shewes are openly suspected For where mis-hap our errour dooth assault There doth it eassiest make vs see our fault Then sweet represse all fond and wilfull spleene Two things to be a woman and a Queene Keepe close the cindars lest the fire should burne It is not this which yet must serue our turne And if I doe not much mistake the thing The next supply shall greater comfort bring Till when I leaue my Princesse for a while Liue thou in rest though I liue in exile Notes of the Chronicle Historie Of one condemnd and long lodgde vp in death ROger Mortimer Lord of Wigmore had stoode publikely condemned for his insurrection with Thomas erle of Lancaster and Bohune earle of Herford by the space of three months and as the report went the day of his execution was determined to haue bin shortly after which he preuented by his escape Twice all was taken twice thou all didst giue At what time the two Mortimers this Roger lord of Wigmore and his vncle Roger Mortimer the elder were apprehended in the west the Queene by meanes of Torlton Bishop of Hereford and Becke Bishop of Duresme and Patriarke of Ierusalem being then both mighty in the state vpon the submission of the Mortimers somewhat pacified the king and now secondly shee wrought meanes for his escape Leauing the cordes to tell where I had gone With strong ladders made of cords prouided him for the purpose he escaped out of the Tower which when the same were found fastned to the walles in such a desperate attempt they bred astonishment to the beholders Nor let the Spensers glory in my dâ—awe The two Hugh Spensers the father and the sonne then being so highly fauored of the King knew that their greatest safety came by his exile whose high and turbulent spirit could neuer brooke any corriuall in greatnes My grandsire was the first since Arthurs raigne That the Round-table rectifide againe Roger Mortimer called the great Lord Mortimer Grandfather to this Roger which was afterward the first Earle of March reeâ—ected againe the Round-table at Kenelwoorth after the ancient order of king Arthurs table with the retinue of a hudred knights and a hundred ladies in his house for the entertaining of such aduentures as came thither from all parts of Christendome Whilest famous Longshanks bones in Fortunes scorne Edward Longshanks willed at his death that his body should be boyled the flesh from the bones and that the bones should bee borne to the wars in Scotland which he was perswaded vnto by aprophecie which told that the English should still be fortunate in conquest so long as his bones were caried in the field The English blood that stained Banocksburne In the great voyage Edward the second made against the Scots at the battell at Striueling neere vnto the riuer of Banocksburne in Scotland where there was in the English campe such banketâ—ing and excesse such riot and misorder that the Scots who in the meane time laboured for aduauntage gaue to the English a great ouerthrow And in the Dead-sea sincke our horses fame From whose c. Mortimer so called of Mare mortuum and in French Mort mer in English the Dead-sea which is said to be where Sodom â—nd Go morra once were before they were destroyed by fire froÌ„ Heauen And for that hatefull sacrilegious sin Which by the Pope he stand◠〈…〉 ursed in Gaustelinus and Lucas two Cardinals sent into England from Pope Clement to appease the auncient hate betweene the King and Thomas Earle of Lancaster to whose Embassie the king seemed to yeeld but after their departure hee went backe from his promises for which he was accursed at Rome Of those industrious Roman Colonies A Colony is a sort or number of people that come to inhabite a place before not inhabited whereby he seemes here to prophecie of the subuersion of the land the Pope ioyning with the power of other Princes against Edward for the breach of his promise Charles by inuasiue Armes againe shall take Charles the French King mooued by the wrong done vnto his sister seiseth the Prouinces which belonged to the King of England into his hands stirred the rather thereto by Mortimer who solicited her cause in France as is expressed before in the other Epistle in the glosse vpon this poynt And those great Lords now after their attaints Canonized among the English Saints After the death of Thomas Earle of Lancaster at Pomfret the people imagined great myracles to be done by his reliques as they did of the body of Bohune earle of Hereford slaine at Borough bridge Finis ⧠To my worthy and honored friend Sir Walter Aston Knight of the Bath SIR though without suspition of flatterie I might in more ample and free tearmes intimate my affection vnto you yet hauing so sensible a taste of your generous and noble aisposition which without this habite of ceremony can estimate my loue I will rather affect bre 〈…〉 though it should seeme my fault than by my tedious complement to trouble mine owne opinion setled in your iudgement and discretion I make you the Patron of this Epistle of the Blacke-Prince which I pray you accept till more easie houres may offer vppe from mee some thing more worthy of your view and my trauell Yours truely deuoted Mich Drayton ¶ Edward the Blacke-Prince to Alice Countesse of Salisbury The Argument Alice Countesse of Salisbury remaining at Roxborough castle in the North in the absence of the earle her husband who was by the Kings commaund sent ouer into Flaunders and there deceased ere his returne This Lady being besieged in her castle by the Scots Edward the Blacke-Prince being sent by the King his father to relieue the north parts with an Armie and to remooue the siege of Roxborough there fell in loue with the Countesse when after she returned to London hee sought by diuers and sundry meanes to winne her to his youthfull pleasures as by forcing the Earle of Kent her father and her mother vnnaturally to become his Agents in his vaine desire where after a long and assured triall of her inuincible constancie hee taketh her to his wife to which end he only frameth this Epistle REceiue these papers from thy wofull Lord With farre more woes than they with wordes are storde Which if thine eie with rashnes do reproue Thei 'le say they came from that imperious loue In euery letter thou maist vnderstand Which loue
Palador Caer-Septon now called Shaftsburie at whose building it was said an â—â—agle prophecied or rather one named Aquila of the fame of that place and of the recouerie of the I le of the Brytaines bringing backe with them the bones of Cadwallader from Rome And from Eneons line the South-wales King From Theodor c. This Eneon was slaine by the Rebels of Gwentsland he was a noble and worthie Gentleman who in his life did many noble acts and was father to Theodor or Tudor Maur of whom discended the Princes of South-wales From her great Grandam faire Guenelliam Guenelliam the daughter of Rees ap Griffeth ap Theodor Prince of South-wales maried Edniuet Vahan auncestor to Owen Tudor By true descent from Liolin the great This is tho Lewhelin called Liolinus Magnus Prince of North-wales Nor that word Croggen nick-name of disgrace In the voyage that Henry the second made against the Welchmen as his Souldiers passed Offas ditch at Croggen Castel they were ouerthrowne by the Welchmen which word Croggen hath since beene vsed to the Welchmens disgrace which was at first begun with their honour And old Caer-Merdin Merlins famous towne Caer-Merdin or Merlins Towne so called of Merlius beeing found there This was Ambrose Merlin whose prophecies wee haue There was another of that name called Merlin Siluestris borne in Scotland surnamed Calidonius of the Forrest Calidon where he prophecied And kept our natiue language now thus long The Welchmen bee those ancient Britaines which when the Picts Danes and Saxons inuaded heere were first driuen into those parts where they haue kept their language euer since the first without commixtion with any other language Finis To my worthy and deerly esteemed friend Maister Iames Huish SIR your own naturall inclination to vertue your loue to the Muses assure me of your kinde acceptance of my dedication It is seated by custome from which wee are now bolde to assume authoritie to beare the names of our friends vpon the fronts of our bookes as Gentlemen vse to set their Armes ouer their gates Some say this vse began by the Heroes braue spirits of the old world which were desirous to be thought to patronize learning and men in requitall honour the names of those braue Princes But I think some after put the names of great men in their bookes for that men should say there was some thing good only because indeed their names stood there But for mine owne part not to dissemble I find no such vertue in any of their great titles to do so much for any thing of mine and so let them passe Take knowledge by this I loue you and in good faith worthie of all loue I thinke you which I pray you may supply the place of further complement Yours euer M. Drayton Elinor Cobham to Duke Humfrey The Argument Elinor Cobham daughter to the Lord Cobham of Sterborough and wife to Humfrey Plantaginet duke of Glocester the sonne of Henry the fourth King of England surnamed Bullingbrooke This noble Duke for his great wisdome and iustice called the good was by King Henry the fift brother to this Duke at his death appointed Protector of the land during the nonage of Henry the sixt this Elinor Duches of Glocester a prowd and ambicious woman knowing that if young Henry died without issue the Duke her husband was the neerest of the bloud conspired with one Bullingbrooke otherwise called Onely a great Magitian Hun a priest and Iourdane witch of Eye by sorcerie to make away the King and by coniuration to know who should succeed Of this being iustly conuicted shee was adiudged to do penance three seuerall times openly in London and then to perpetuall banishment in the I le of Man from whence she writeth this Epistle ME thinks not knowing who these lines should send Thou straight turn'st ouer to the latter end Where thou my name no sooner hast espi'd But in disdaine my letters cast aside Why if thou wilt I will my selfe denie Nay I 'le affirme and sweare I am not I Orifin that thy shame thou doost perceiue I le leaue that name that name my selfe shall leaue And yet me thinkes amazd thou shouldst not stand Nor seeme so much appauled at my hand For my misfortunes haue invrde thine eie Long before this to sights of misery No no reade on t is I the very same All thou canst reade is but to reade my shame Be not dismaide nor let my name affright The worst it can is but t' offend thy sight It cannot wound nor doe thee deadly harme It is no dreadfull spell nor magique charme If shee that sent it loue duke Humfrey so I st possible her name should be his foe Yes I am Elnor I am verie shee Who brought for dower a virgins hed to thee Though enuious Beuford slaunderd me before To be duke Humfreis wanton Paramore And though indeede I can it not denie To Magique once I did my selfe apply I wonne thee not as there be many thinke With poisning Philters and bewitching drinke Nor on thy person did I euer proue Those wicked portions so procuring loue I cannot boast to be rich Hollands heire Nor of the bloud and greatnes of Bauire Yet Elnor brought no forraine armies in To fetch her backe as did thy Iacomin Nor clamorous husbands followed me that fled Exclayming Humfrey to defile his bed Nor wast thou forcde the slaunder to suppresse To send me backe as an adulteresse Brabant nor Burgoyne claimed me by force Nor su'd to Rome to hasten my deuorce Nor Belgias pompe defac'd with Belgias fire The iust reward of her vniust desire Nor Bedford spouse your noble sister Anne That princely-issued great Burgunnian Should stand with me to moue a womans strife To yeelde the place to the Protectors wife If Cobhams name my birth can dignifie Or Sterborough renowne my familie Where 's Greenewich now thy Elnors Court of late Where she with Humfrey held a princely state That pleasant Kent when I abroad should ride That to my pleasure laid forth all her pride The Thames by water when I tooke the ayre Danc'd with my Barge in lanching from the staire The ankoring ships that when I pass'd the road Were wont to hang their chequered tops abroad How could it be those that were wont to stand To see my pompe so goddesse-like on land Should after see me mayld vp in a sheete Doe shamefull penance three times in the streetâ— Rung with a bell a Taper in my hand Bare-foote to trudge before a Beedles wand That little babes not hauing vse of tongue Stood pointing at me as I came along Where 's Humfreys power where was his great command Wast thou not Lord-protector of the Land Or for thy iustice who can thee deny The title of the good Duke Humfrey Hast thou not at thy life and in thy looke The seale of Gaunt the hand of Bulling brooke What blood extract from famous Edwards line Can boast it selfe to be so pure as
illusions so in the honour of so rare a Gentleman as this Earle and therewithall so noble a Poet a quality by which his other titles receiue their greatest lustre inuention may make somewhat more bold with Agrippa aboue the barren truth That Lion set in our bright siluer bend The blazon of the Howards honorable armour was Gules betweene six crosselets Fitches abend Argent to which afterwards was added by atchieuement In the Canton point of the bend an escutcheon or within the Scottish tressure a Demi-lion rampant Gules c. as Maister Camden now Clerenceaulx from authoritie noteth Neuer shall time nor bitter enuie be able to obscure the brightnesse of so great a victory as that for which this addition was obtained The Historian of Scotland George Bucchanan reporteth that the Earle of Surrey gaue for his badge a Siluer Lion which from antiquitie belonged to that name tearing in peeces A Lion prostrate Gules and withall that this which he termes insolencie was punished in him and his posteritie as if it were fatall to the Conquerour to doe his Soueraigne such loyall seruice as a thousand such seuere censurers were neuer able to performe Since Scottish blood discoloured Floden field The batttle was fought at Bramstone neere Floden hill being a part of the Cheuiot a mountaine that exceedeth all the mountaines in the North of England for bignesse in which the wilfull periurie of Iames the fifth was punished from heauen by the Earle of Surrey being left by King Henry the eight then in France before Turwin for the defence of his Realme Nor beauteous Stanhope whom all tongues report To be the glory c. Of the beautie of that Lady he himselfe testifies in an Elegie which he writ of her refusing to daunce with him which hee seemeth to alegorize vnder a Lion and a Wolfe And of himselfe he saith A Lion saw I late as white as any snow And of her I might perceiue a Wolfe as white as Whales bone A fairer beast of fresher hue beheld I neuer none But that her lookes were coy and froward was her grace And famous Wyat who in numbers sings Sir Thomas Wyat the elder a most excellent Poet as his Poems extant doe witnesse besides certaine Encomions written by the Earle of Surrey vppon some of Dauids Psalmes by him translated What holy graue what worthy Sepulchre To Wyats Psalmes shall Christians purchase then And afterward vpon his death the said Earle writeth thus What vertues rare were tempred in thy breast Honour that England such a iewell bred And kisse the ground whereas thy corpes did rest At Honsdon where those sweete cel-stiall eyne It is manifest by a Sonnet written by this noble Earle that the first time he beheld his Lady was at Hunsdon Hunsdon did first present her to mine eyne Which Sonnet being altogether a description of his loue I do alleadge in diuers places of this glosse as proofes of what I write Of Hampton Court and Windsor where abound All pleasures c. That he enioyed the presence of his faire and vertuous Mistris in those two places by reason of Queene Katherines vsuall aboad there on whom this Lady Geraldine was attending I proue by these verses of his Hampton me tanght to wish her first for mine Windsor alas doth chase me from her sight And in another Sonnet following When Winsor walls sustainde my wearied arme My hand my chin to ease my restlesse head And that his delight might draw him to compare Winsor to Paradice an Elegy may proue where he remembreth his passed pleasures in that place With a Kings sonne my childish yeeres I pass'd In greater feast then Priams sonne of Troy And againe in the same Elegie Those large greene Courts where we were wont to roue With eyes cast vp vnto the maidens Tower With easie sighs such as men draw in loue And againe in the same The stately seates the Ladies bright of hue The dances short long tales of sweete delight And for the pleasantnesse of the place these verses of his may testifie in the same Elegie before recited The secret groues which we haue made resound With siluer drops the meads yet spread for ruth As goodly flowers from Thamisis doe growe c. I had thought in this place not to haue spoken of Thames being so oft remembred by mee before in sundry other places on this occasion but thinking of that excellent Epigram which as I iudge either to bee done by the said Earle or Sir Frauncis Brian for the worthinesse thereof I will heere insert which as it seemes to me was compiled at the Authors being in Spaine Tagus farewell which Westward with thy streames Turn'st vp the graines of gold already tride For I withspur and saile go seeke the Thames Against the Sunne that shewes her wealthy pride And to the towne that Brutus sought by dreames Like bended Moone that leanes her lusty side To seeke my Country now for whom I liue O mighty Ioue for this the windes me giue FINIS Geraldine to Henry Howard Earle of Surrey SVch greeting as the noble Surrey sends The same to thee thy Geraldine commends A maidens thoughts do checke my trembling hand On other termes or complements to stand Which might my speech be as my heart affords Should come attired in farre richer vvords But all is one my faith as firme shall proue As hers that makes the greatest shevv of loue In Cupids Schoole I neuer read those bookes vvhose lectures oftvve practise in our lookes Nor euer did suspitions riuall eye Yet lie in vvaite my fauours to espie My virgine thoughts are innocent and meeke As the chaste blushes sitting on my cheeke As in a feuer I do shiuer yet Since first my pen was to the paper set If I do erre you know my sexe is weake Feare proues a fault where maids are forc'd to speake Do I not ill ah sooth me not heerein O if I doe reproue me of my sin Chide me infaith or if my fault you hide My tongue will teach my selfe my selfe to chide Nay noble Surrey blot it if thou wilt Then too much boldnesse should returne my guilt For that should be euen from our selues concealde Which is disclosde if to our thoughts reuealde For the least motion more the smallest breath That may impeach our modestie is death The page that brought thy letters to my hand Me thinks should meruaile at my strange demand For till he blush'd I did not yet espie The nakednesse of my immodestie Which in my face he greater might haue seene But that my sanne I quickly put betweene Yet scarcely that my inward guilt could hide Feare seeing all feares it of all espide Like to a taper lately burning bright Now wanting matter to maintaine his light The blaze ascending forced by the smoke Liuing by that which seekes the same to choke The flame still hanging in the ayre doth burne Vntill drawne downe it backe againe returne Then cleere then dim then spreadeth then closeth Now getteth
not I build my hopes a world aboue the skie Yet with the Mole I creepe into the earth In plenty am I â—â—aru'd with penurie And yet I surffet in the greatest dearth I haue I want dispaire and yet desire Burn'd in a sea of ice and drown'd amidst a fire Sonnet 62. TRuce gentle Loue a parlee now I craue Me thinks t is long since first these warres begun Nor thou nor I the better yet can haue Bad is the match where neither party wonne I offer free conditions of faire peace My heart for hostage that it shall remaine Discharge our forces heere let malice cease So for my pledge thou giue me pledge againe Or if nothing but death will serue thy turne Still thirsting for subuersion of my state Doe what thou canst raze massacre and burne Let the world see the vtmost of thy hate I send defiance since if ouerthrowne Thou vanquishing the conquest is mine owne Certaine other Sonnets to great and worthy Personages To the high and mightie Prince Iames king of Scots Sonnet 61. NOt thy graue Counsells nor thy subiects loue Nor all that famous Scottish royaltie Or what thy soueraigne greatnes may approue Others in vaine doe but historifie When thine owne glory from thy selfe doth spring As though thou didst all meaner praises scornee Of Kings a Poet and the Poets King They Princes but thou Prophets doost adorne Whilst others by their Empires are renown'd Thou doost enrich thy Scotland with renowne And Kings can but with diadems be crown'd But with thy laurell thou doost crowne thy Crowne That they whose pens euen life to Kings do giue In thee a King shall seeke themselues to liue To Lucy Countesse of Bedford Son 61. GReat Lady essence of my chiefest good Of the most pure and finest tempred spirit Adorn'd with gifts ennobled by thy blood Which by descent true vertue doost inherit That vertue which no fortune can depriue Which thou by birth tak'st from thy gratious mother Whose royall mindes with equall motion striue Which most in honour shall excell the other Vnto thy fame my Muse herselfe shall taske Which rainst vpon me thy sweete golden showers And but thy selfe no subiect will I aske Vpon whose praise my soule shall spend her powers Sweet Lady yet grace this poore Muse of mine whose faith whose zeal whose life whose al is thine To the Lady Anne Harington Sonnet 62. MAdam my words cannot expresse my minde My zealous kindnes to make knowne to you When your deserts all seuerally I finde In this attempt of me do craue their due Your gratious kindenes first doth claime my hart Your bounty bids my hand to make it knowne Of me your vertues each doe challenge part And leaue me thus the least that is mine owne What should commend your modesty and wit Is by your wit and modesty commended And standeth dumbe in most admiring it And where it should begin is onely ended Returning this your praises onely due And to your selfe say you are onely you To the Lady L. S. Sonet 63. BRight starre of Beauty on whose cie-lids sit A thousand Nymph-like and enamoured graces The goddesses of memorie and wit which in due order take their seuerall places In whose deere bosome sweete delicious loue Layes downe his quiuer that he once did beare Since he that blessed Paradice did proue Forsooke his mothers lap to sport him there Let others striue to entertaine with wordes My soule is of another temper made I holde it vile that vulgar wit affords Deuouring time my faith shall not inuade Still let my praise be honoured thus by you Be you most worthie whilst I be most true To sir Anthonie Cooke Sonet 64. VOuchsafe to grace these rude vnpollisht rimes Which but for you had slept in sable night And come abroade now in these glorious times Can hardly brooke the purenes of the light But sith you see their destenie is such That in the world their fortune they must try Perhaps they better shall abide the tuch Wearing your name their gracious liuerie Yet these mine owne I wrong not other men Nor traffike further then this happy clime Nor filch from Portes not from Petrarchs pen A fault too common in this latter time Diuine sir Philip I auouch thy writ I am no picke-purse of anothers wit Finis The Legend of Robert Duke of Normandie WHat time soft night had silently begunne To steale by minutes on the long-liu'd daies The furious dogge pursuing of the sunne Whose noysome breath addes feruor to his raies That to the earth sends many a sad disease Which then inflam'd with his intemprate fires Her selfe in light habiliments attires When the rathe morning newly but awake Scarse with fresh beautie burnished her browes Her selfe beholding in the generall Lake To which she paies her neuer-ceasing vowes With the new day me willingly to rowze Downe to faire Thames I softly tooke my way Where the milde windes continually do play Striuing to fancie his chaste breast to moue Whereas all pleasures plentifully flowe When him along the wanton tide doth â—houe And to keepe backe they easily doe blow Still meete him comming thinking him too slowe He forcing waues to checke their hote imbrace They fanning breath vpon his cristall face Still forward sallying from his bounteous â—ource Along the shores lasciuioâ—sly doth straine And often times retreating in his course As to his fountaine he would backe againe Or turnde to looke vpon his siluer 〈◊〉 With coy regards the goodly soile he greetes Till with faire Medway happily he meetes Steering my compasse by the wandring streame whose flight might teach me 〈…〉 es ne'r-turning howrs Delighted thus as in a pretty dreame Where pleasure wholly had possest my powres Yet looking backe on Londons c 〈…〉 g Towres So Troy thought I her stately head did reare Whose crazed ribs the furrowing plow doth eire Wearie at length a willow-tree I found Which on the banke of this great torrent stood Whose roote with rich grasse greatly did abound Forc'd by the moisture of the surging flood Ordain'd it seemde to sport her Nimphish brood Whose curled top denied the heauens great eye To view the stocke he was maintained by The Larke that learnes obseruance to the Sunne Quauers her cleere notes in the quiet ayre That on the riuers murmuring base doth runne And the pl 〈…〉 sde heauens their fairest liuery ware The place such pleasure gently doth prepare The flowers my scent the flood my taste to steepe Each sence thus sâ—ted 〈…〉 ed me asleepe When in a dreame it seemed vnto me Triumphall musicke from the flood arose As when the Soueraigne we embargde do see And by faire London for his pleasure rowes whose tender welcome the glad Cittie showes The people swarming thicke vpon the shores And the curlde water ouer-spread with oaâ—es A troupe of Nimphs came suddainely on land In the full end of this triumphall sound And me incompast taking hand in hand Casting themselues about me in a round And so downe set
father with the Norman sword On fruitfull England prosprous entrance made I cast the proiect that this youthfull Lord In the meane time should Normandie inuade And with as prou'd and powerfull a blade Him I perswaded constantly by this To make his owne yet doubtfull to be his That Robert daily in disgrace might runne As still the Conqueror towards his end did grow who well in yeeres thus vexed by his sonne which now his will so openly did show His state deuised wisely to bestow For his owne safety that his daies to close He might himselfe more quietly repose And that lest time might coole his weakned blood This lucklesse warre by lingring I supplide That whilst Duke Robert iustly censured stood Vnder the weight of his vnnaturall pride In heate of all this Conqueror William dide Setting young Rufus on th'vnrightfull throne Leauing h 〈…〉 strugling for his owne Which in small time so many mischiefes bred As sundry plagues on Williams of-springs sent Attaining to so violent a head which pollicie not after could preuent when to destruction all things head-long went And in the end as consumating all Was Roberts irrecouerable fall When none could prosprous Nonmandie disswade From sending ensignes to the English field Brother opposde the brother to inuade Sword against sword shield menaced to shield whose equall worth to other scorne to yield One arme a front the others furious stroke Scepter with septer violently broke These sundry soiles in both of which was sowne By so approu'd and fortunate a hand The seede to both might prosprously haue growne By their 〈◊〉 in a mutuall band Now when these Princes opposite do stand what them should foster greater wounds them lent Then the prowd'st powre that Europe could haue sent Hauing my selfe wonne William in his life This conquered Realme to Rufus that did giue Getting by strength what he did leaue in strife Those to molest that after him should liue In this aduantage cunningly I driue T' afflict his issue with a generall ill Yet th' extreame in Robert to fulfill As when stowt Odo that with William held Daily prickt forward by prowd Lanfrancks spight Both powerfull Prelates rigorously compeld Rufus to leaue abetting Roberts right Drawing both Mortaines and Mongomeries might Mangling the I le with many a greeuous scarre Scarcely yet cured of the former warre That being set in so direct a way Strong friends at hand his enterprize to becke Ready before him when his entrance lay Of all supplide that he did lately lacke Him I perswade the remedy to slacke Stopping the course which he did lately runne All to vndoe that he had euer done Thus did I stirre vp that vnkindely rage That did so farre preuaile vpon his blood And at my pleasure did againe asswage When now this heate in sted might him haue stood Thus with his humour altred I my mood That first by Armes his vigor he might lose Which then laid down gaue strength vnto his foes That by concluding this vntimely peace I might thereby a lingring warre beginne That whil'st these tumults did a little cease Craft more aduantage cunningly might winne Thus let I treason secretly in Giuing deceitfull Pollicie the kay To the faire closet where his councells lay Thus reconciling outwardly a friend I drew an inward and a dangerous foe That all his wit ambitiously did lend To clothe his treasons in a vertuous show Which were contriued â—so currantly to goe That secret mallice strengthned more and more Lastly should proue more dangerous then before And now poore Fame my power to thee addrest And thee mine onely instrument I made That whilst these brothers at this passe do rest Him to the warres I wonne thee to perswade With those that now were going to inuade With great Duke Godfrey pressing for his bands From Pagans power t'regaine the holy lands His youthfull humour finely thus I feed The meane most fit to draw him forth abroad When now at home his presence most should neede In forraine lands to fasten his aboad Him in this order onely I bestow'd That William dying Robert being gone Henry might seate him on his brothers throne So sweete the sounds of these aduent'rous Armes And euery sence so strougly they do binde That he hath now no feeling of his harmes So farre away transported is his minde Declaring well the greatnesse of his kinde That him so high and forcibly doth beare As when most cause he least his ill doth feare Him hauing throwne into eternall thrall Wisely fore-casting how the same should bee When euery thing made fit vnto his fall Which none could hinder though the most fore-see For which I made an instrument of thee For where destruction sadly I pretend Mischiefe like lines all to their centre bend He gone and William yeelded vp the breath The younger Henry couetous of raigne Offered so fairely by his brothers death whilst Robert doth in Palestine remaine And now a Kingdome easily might gaine what by his power and science to perswade Himselfe a Monarch absolutely made Whilst this great Duke imbraced is by thee which thou as thine doost absolutely claime Finding meere shadowes onely missing mee And idle Castles in the ayre doth frame Lot such a mighty Monarchesse is Fame That what she giues so easie is to beare As none therefore needes violence to feare Vntill returning from those holy warres So highly honored with the Pagans flight From forraigne battells vnto ciuill â—arres And getting others for his owne to fight Inforc'd to vse the vtmost of his might with that rich sword in Pagan blood imbru'd Himselfe to saue by his owne friends pursu'd When wanting summes the sinewes of his force which his great courage quickly comes to finde Euen in the high speede of his forward course So skilfully I mannaged his minde That I a way out readily did finde To his destruction Henry to supply His future safetie happily to buy Him by all waies to amity to winne Not fully yet establish'd as he would Hauing thus farre already gotten in Setting himselfe substantially to hold By the francke offers of bewitching gold The yearely tribute from his Crowne to rise Which might all former iniuries suffice Which entertaind by confident beleefe By which to passe his purposes were brought Not yet suspitious of this secret theefe By which he soone and cunningly was caught Of which the least when princely Robert thought Euen in a moment did annoy him more Then all their powre could euer do before Which to this great Lord vtterly vnknowne Not vnderstanding easily could not flie Into his way that subtilly was throwne which to auoide Duke Robert look'd too hie Into good minds fraud doth the soonest prie whose pliant nature I securely chose To worke vvhat forme it pleasde me to dispose This fatall tribute cutting off the claime A lawfull Prince to Englands Empire laid His former right doth altogether maime As they agreed yeerely to be paid Thereon relying after being staid As from a fountaine plenteously did spring The
efficient cause of Roberts ruining Whenas his friends so well to him that meant And for this day did wholly them prepare Seeing him thus their purpose to preuent And how thereby t' was like with him to fare Now vpon Henry bended all their care Giuing their power their peace with him to make Gathered at first the Norman part to take And I by whom yet euery thing had beene Since Norman William conquest heere begunne To shew my selfe the worlds emperious Queene Direct my course against his eldest sonne Things falling out disastrously to runne On Englands part gainst Normandie to stand Conquerd but lately by the Norman hand The conquest William made vpon this I le When Norman blood the Englishmen did tame That natiue now enriched with her stile Turnde with reuenge to captiuate the same As backe descending whence it lately came As Norman power did English thrall prouoke That Norman neckes should beare the English yoke For which being vp and fallne to open Armes Such mortall hate betweene them daily growes And pressing in where deadly perill swarmes The angry brothers dealing furious blowes Backe to regaine what they before did loose Either to quit him of the others thrall Either to rise or euermore to fail Him on whome late in Palestine I smilde Returnde from Fraunce now dreadfully I frowne Being calld home that chiefly is exilde And in his kingdome onely leaues his crowne Him in the deluge of mischance to drowne Lastly himselfe contemptfully doth lose Leauing his realme to his iniurious foes Which home to England prisner doe him bring Left as a spoile and prey vnto his owne Become her captiue should haue bin her king Such was the lot vpon his life was throwne Where he remaining in continuall mone Prescrib'd to one poore solitarie place Whose lawfull bounds the ocean did embrace Could humane knowledge comprehend my hate Or reason sound the depth of things diuine The world amazed at Duke Roberts state Might thinke no might to be comparde with mine And all the chaunces vnto me resigne In Roberts fall apparantly to see Amongst the starres the strength that rests in mee That sword vpon him which resumes such powre Yet is too weake to consumate his daies Time whose swift course doth euery thing deuoure In his most neede prolongs him with delaies Whilst he his brothers tyrannie obeies That he in life a thousand deaths might die In euery course so forcible am I. And whilst in such extreamity he lies Depriude of all comfort but the blessed light Yet t' was not this that could my rage suffice But to abridge that rob him of his sight To sute his daies directly with the night That that to all men lastly which should be Due to the wretchedst him denide by me That Robert so infortunately blinde No outward obiect night dispearse his care The better to illuminate his minde To see his sorrowes throughly what they are To do so much vnto this Prince I dare That being depriu'd of that which was the chiefe Did of the other amplifie the griefe And when bereaued of his nightly rest With the remembrance of so great a wrong Fastning so deepely on his pensiue breast His heart the while that violently stung Nature in him doth shew herselfe so strong That griefe which many doth of life depriue Seemes to preserue and keeps him still aliue Him I denide his enemy to kill Nor by his owne hand wretchedly to die That life vnto him should be loathsome still And that death from him euermore should flie Making them both to him an enemie Willing to die by life him double killing Vrged to liue twice dying he vnwilling So many yeares as he hath worne a Crowne So many yeares as he hath hopde to rise So many yeares vpon him did I frowne So many yeares he liues without his eyes So many yeares in dying e're he dies So many yeares shut vp in prison strong Sorrow doth make the shortest time seeme long Thus sway I in the course of earthly things That time might worke him euerlasting spight To shew how I can tyrannize on Kings And in the fall of great ones do delight In fined things my working infinite All worldly changes at my will disposed For that in me all wonder is inclosed At Fortunes speech amazed whilst they stand And Fame herselfe yet wondreth at his woe When from Duke Robert Fortune takes her hand Whose misery she thus had let them know When now to answer her dispightfull foe Fame from deepe silence seeming to awake Thus for her Client modestly bespake Quoth she returning from renowned Rome Seeking my selfe in Europe to aduance To winne her Princes to regaine the tombe Which had beene lost by her misgouernance Calling to England Germany and France At length perswaded happily by me From Pagan hands faire Palestine to free That holy hermite long that did bemone This their so great and euident a losse With famous Godfrey forwards that was gone Bearing the banner of the bloody Crosse Now whilst in so faire forwardnes it was And euery care attentiue now did stand To this great buisnes onely then in hand Thither did all the noblest spirites resort Which I that time successefully did bring Allured by the confident report That from so great an enterprise did spring T'aduenture in so popular a thing And no man deemed worthy to be mine That was not forward in this great designe Where now this duke the Conqu'rors eldest sonne Which with his birthright Normandie did wrest When of what else his noble father wonne His brother Rufus strongly was possest Which whilst he striueth from his hands to rest This great attempt now gloriously broke forth Which was by me divulged through the north Which hauing got free entrance to his care Such entertainement happily did finde As no perswasion suffreth to be there From this high purpose to diuert his minde And being so religiously inclinde woo'd with this offer fitly doth prepare Himselfe to furnish to this great affaire That kingdome he dooth carelesly neglect His brother Rufus wrongfully doth keepe And onely that doth constantly respect where he once in his sepulchre did sleepe At whose deere death the very rockes did weepe His crown of gold this christian Prince doth scorn So much he lou'd him that was crownd with thorne The want that him did grieuously oppresse Of those great summes in leuying power were spent Himselfe againe of England to possesse Much hindreth his religious intent Yet could not this his purpose so preuent Although a while it seemd delay to make Of that which he did brauely vndertake Wherefore this noble and high spirited Lord. whilst novv his buisnes standeth at this stay And since his state no better could afford In gage to Henry Normandie doth lay Prouiding first his souldiers how to pay Rather himselfe chose kingdomlesse to leaue His countries hopes then basely to deceaue To his victorious ensigne comes from farre Th'inlled Red-shanks toucht with no remorse The light-foote Irish that with