Lucy and Hastings went Which charging but too home all sorely wounded were VVhom liuing from the field the Barons stroue to beare Being on their partie fixd whilst still Prince Edward spurres To bring his Forces vp to charge the Londoners T'whom cruell hate he bare and ioyning with their Force Of heauy-armed Foot with his light Northerne Horse He putting them to flight foure miles in chase them slew But ere he could returne the conquest wholly drew To the stout Barons side his father fled the field Into the Abbay there constrained thence to yeeld The Lords Fitz-warren slaine and Wilton that was then Chiefe Iustice as some say with them fiue thousand men And Bohun that great Earle of Her'ford ouerthrowne With Bardolfe Somery Patshull and Percie knowne By their Coat-armours then for Barons prisoners ta'n Though Henry ware the Crowne great Le'ster yet did raigne Now for the Conflict next at Chesterfield that chanc'd Gainst Robert that proud Earle of Darby who aduanc'd His Ensignes gainst the King contrary to his oath Vpon the Barons part with the Lord Deuell both Surpriz'd by Henry Prince of Almain with his power By comming at so strange an vnexpected hower And taking them vnarmd since meerely a defeat With our well-ordered fights we will not here repeat The fatall Battell then at fertile Eusham struck Though with the selfe same hands not with the selfe same luck For both the King and Prince at Lewes prisoners taken By fortune were not yet so vtterly forsaken But that the Prince was got from Le'ster and doth gather His friends by force of Armes yet to redeeme his father And th' Earle of Glo'ster wonne who through the Mountfords pride Disgrac'd came with his power to the Emperiall side When now those Lords which late at Lewes wonne the day The Sacrament receiu'd their Armes not downe to lay Vntill the King should yeeld th' old Charter to maintaine King Henry and his sonne Prince Edward swore againe They would repeale those Lawes that were at Oxford made Or through this bloody warre to their destruction wade But since the King remain'd in puissant Lei'sters power The remnant of his friends whom death did not deuoure At Lewes Battell late and durst his part partake The Prince excites againe an Armie vp to make Whom Roger Bigot Earle of Norfolke doth assist Englands high Marshall then and that great Martialist Old Henry Bohun Earle of Her'ford in this warre Gray Basset and Saint-Iohn Lisle Percie Latimer All Barons which to him their vtmost strengths doe lay VVith many a Knight for power their equall euery way And William Valence Earle of Pembroke who had fled From Lewes field to France thence with fresh succour sped Young Humphrey Bohun still doth with great Le'ster goe VVho for his Countries cause becomes his fathers foe Fitz-Iohn Gray Spencer Strange Rosse Segraue Vessey Gifford Wake Lucy Vipount Vaux Clare Marmion Hastings Clifford In that blacke night before his sad and dismall day VVere apparitions strange as drad Heauen would bewray The horrors to ensue O most amazing fight Two Armies in the Ayre discerned were to fight VVhich came so neere to earth that in the morne they found The prints of horses feet remaining on the ground Which came but as a show the time to entertaine Till th' angry Armies ioyn'd to act the bloody Sceane Shrill shouts and deadly cries each way the ayre do fill And not a word was heard from either side but kill The father gainst the sonne the brother gainst the brother With Gleaues Swords Bills and Pykes were murthering one another The full luxurious earth seemes surfitted with blood VVhilst in his Vnckles gore th' vnnaturall Nephew stood VVhilst with their charged Staues the desperate horsmen meet They heare their kinsmen groane vnder their Horses feet Dead men and weapons broke doe on the earth abound The Drummes bedash'd with braines doe giue a dismall sound Great Le'ster there expir'd with Henry his braue sonne VVhen many a high exployt they in that day had done Scarce was there noble House of which those times could tell But that some one thereof on this or that side fell Amongst the slaughtered men that there lay heap'd on pyles Bohuns and Beauchamps were Basets and Mandeviles Segraues and Saint-Iohns seeke vpon the end of all To giue those of their names their Christian buriall Ten thousand on both sides were ta'n and slaine that day Prince Edward gets the gole and beares the Palme away All Edward Long shankes time her ciuill warres did cease Who stroue his Countries bounds by Conquest to increase But in th' insuing raigne of his most riotous sonne As in his fathers dayes a second warre begun When as the stubborne heires of the stout Barons dead Who for their Countries cause their blood at Eusham shed Not able to endure the Spencers hatefull pride The father and the sonne whose counsels then did guide Th'inconsiderate King conferring all his graces On them who got all gifts and bought and sold all places Them raising to debase the Baronage the more For Gauaston whom they had put to death before Which vrg'd too farre at length to open Armes they brake And for a speedy warre they vp their powers doe make Vpon King Edwards part for this great Action bent His brother Edmund came the valiant Earle of Kent With Richmount Arundell and Pembroke who engage Their powers three powerfull Earles against the Baronage And on the Barons side great master of the warre Was Thomas of the Blood the Earle of Lancaster With Henry Bobun Earle of Hereford his Peere With whom of great command and Martialists there were Lyle Darcy Denvile Teis Beach Bradburne Bernvile Knovile With Badlesmer and Bercks Fitz-william Leyburne Louell Tuchet and Talbot stout doe for the Barons stand Mandute and Mowbray with great Clifford that command Their Tenants to take Armes that with their Landlords runne With these went also Hugh and Henry Willington Redoubted Damory as Audley Elmesbridge Wither Earles Barons Knights Esquiers embodied all together At Burton vpon Trent who hauing gathered head Towards them with all his power the King in person sped Who at his neere approach vpon his March discri'd That they against his power the Bridge had fortifi'd Which he by strong assault assayes from them to win Where as a bloody fight doth instantly begin When he to beat them off assayes them first by shot And they to make that good which they before had got Defend them with the like like Haylestones from the skie From Crosse-bowes and the Long the light-wingd arrowes flie But friended with the Flood the Barons hold their strength Forcing the King by Boats and pyles of wood at length T' attempt to land his force vpon the other side The Barons that the more his stratagems defide Withstand them in the streame when as the troubled flood With in a little time was turned all to blood And from the Boats and Bridge the mangled bodies feld The poore affrighted Fish
so vnbeleeuing then Next holy Ioseph came the mercifulst of men The Sauiour of mankind in Sepulchre that layd That to the Britans was th'Apostle in his ayd Saint Duvian and with him Saint Fagan both which were His Scollers likewise left their sacred Reliques here All Denizens of ours t' aduaunce the Christian state At Glastenbury long that were commemorate When Amphtball againe our Martyrdome began In that most bloody raigne of Dioclesian This man into the truth that blessed Alban led Our Proto-Martyr call'd who strongly discipled In Christian Patience learnt his tortures to appease His fellow-Martyrs then Stephen and Socrates At holy Albans Towne their Festiuall should hold So of that Martyr nam'd which Ver'lam was of old A thousand other Saints whom Amphiball had taught Flying the Pagan foe their liues that strictly sought Were slaine where Lichfield is whose name doth rightly sound There of those Christians slaine Dead field or burying ground Then for the Christian faith two other here that stood And teaching brauely seald their Doctrine with their blood Saint Ialius and with him Saint Aron haue their roome At Carleon suffring death by Dioclesians doome Whose persecuting raigne tempestuously that rag'd Gainst those here for the Faith their vtmost that ingag'd Saint Angule put to death one of our holiest men At London of that See the godly Bishop then In that our Infant Church so resolute was he A second Martyr too grace Londons ancient See Though it were after long good Voadine who reprou'd Proud Vortiger his King vnlawfully that lou'd Anothers wanton wife and wrong'd his Nuptiall bed For which by that sterne Prince vniustly murthered As he a Martyr dy'd is Sainted with the rest The third Saint of that See though onely he confest Was Guithelme vnto whom those times that reuerence gaue As he a place with them eternally shall haue So Melior may they bring the Duke of Cornwalls sonne By his false brothers hands to death who being done In hate of Christian faith whose zeale lest time should taint As he a Martyr was they iustly made a Saint Those godly Romans then who as mine Authour saith Wanne good King Lucius first t' imbrace the Christian faith Fugatius and his friend Saint Damian as they were Made Denizens of ours haue their remembrance here As two more neere that time Christ Iesus that confest And that most liuely faith by their good works exprest Saint Eluan with his pheere Saint Midwin who to win The Britans com'n from Rome where Christned they had bin Conuerted to the Faith then thousands whose deare graue That Glastenbury grac'd there their memoriall haue As they their sacred Bones in Britaine here bestow'd So Britaine likewise sent her Saints to them abroad Marsellus that iust man who hauing gathered in The scattered Christian Flocke instructed that had bin By holy Ioseph here to congregate he wan This iustly named Saint this neuer-wearied man Next to the Germans preach'd till voyd of earthly feare By his couragious death he much renown'd Treuere Then of our Natiue Saints the first that di'd abroad Beatus next to him shall fitly be bestow'd In Switzerland who preach'd whom there those Paynims slue When greater in their place though not in Faith ensue Saint Lucius call'd of vs the primer christned King Of th' ancient Britons then who led the glorious ring To all the Saxon Race that here did him succeed Changing his regall Robe to a religious Weed His rule in Britaine left and to Heluetia hied Where he a Bishop liu'd a Martyr lastly died As Constantine the Great that godly Emperour Here first the Christian Church that did to peace restore Whose euer blessed birth as by the power diuine The Roman Empire brought into the British Line Constantinoples Crowne and th' ancient Britans glory So other here we haue to furnish vp our Story Saint Melon welneere when the British Church began Euen early in the raigne of Romes Valerian Here leuing vs for Rome from thence to Roan was cald To preach vnto the French where soone he was instauld Her Bishop Britaine so may of her Gudwall vaunt Who first the Flemmings taught whose feast is held at Gaunt So others foorth she brought to little Britaine vow'd Saint Wenlocke and with him Saint Sampson both 〈◊〉 Apostles of that place the first the Abbot sole Of Tawrac and the last sate on the See of Dole Where dying Maglor then thereof was Bishop made Sent purposely from hence that people to perswade To keepe the Christian faith so Goluin gaue we thither Who sainted being there we set them here together As of the weaker Sex that ages haue enshrin'd Amongst the British Dames and worthily diuin'd The finder of the Crosse Queene Helena doth lead Who tough Rome set a Crowne on her Emperiall head Yet in our Britaine borne and bred vp choicely here Emerita the next King Lucius sister deare Who in Heluetia with her martyred brother di'd Bright Vrsula the third who vndertooke to guide Th'eleuen thousand Mayds to little Britaine sent By Seas and bloody men deuoured as they went Of which we find these foure haue been for Saints preferd And with their Leader still doe liue incalenderd Saint Agnes Cordula Odillia Florence which With wondrous sumptuous shrines those ages did inrich At Cullen where their Liues most clearely are exprest And yearely Feasts obseru'd to them and all the rest But when it came to passe the Saxon powers had put The Britans from these parts and them o'r Seuerne shut The Christian Faith with her then Cambria had alone With those that it receiu'd from this now England gone Whose Cambrobritans so their Saints as duely brought T' aduance the Christian Faith effectually that wrought Their Dauid one deriu'd of th'royall British blood Who gainst Palagius false and damn'd opinions stood And turn'd Menenias name to Dauids sacred See Th Patron of the Welsh deseruing well to be With Cadock next to whom comes Canock both which were Prince Brechans sonnes who gaue the name to Brecnocksheere The first a Martyr made a Confessor the other So Clintanck Brecknocks Prince as from one selfe same mother A Saint vpon that sear the other doth ensue Whom for the Christian Faith a Pagan Souldier slue So Bishops can shee bring which of her Saints shall bee As Asaph who first gaue that name vnto that See Of Bangor and may boast Saint Dauid which her wan Much reuerence and with these Owdock and Telean Both Bishops of Landaff and Saints in their Succession Two other following these both in the 〈◊〉 profession Saint Dubric whose report old Carleon yet doth carry And Elery in Northwales who built a Monastery In which himselfe became the Abot to his praise And spent in Almes and Prayer the remnant of his dayes But leauing these Diuin'd to Decuman we come In Northwales who was crown'd with glorious Martyrdome Iustinian as that man a Sainted place deseru'd Who still to feed his soule his sinfull body steru'd And for
shame T is well thy happy Iudgement could deuise Which way a man this Age might Poetize And not write SATYRS Or else so to write That scape thou mayst the clutches of Despight For through such Woods and Riuers trips thy MVSE As will or loose or drowne him that pursues Had my Inuention which I know too weake Enabled been so braue a Flight to make Should my vnlucky Penn haue ouer gone So many a Prouince and so many a Towne Though I to no mans wrong had gone astray I had been pounded on the Kings hye way But thou hast better Fortune and hast chose So braue a PATRON that thou canst not lose By this Aduenture For in Him suruiues His Brother HENRIE'S Virtues and hee liues To be that Comfort to thy MVSE which Hee Had nobly e're his death begun to be Yet ouer much presume not that these Times Will therefore value thy Heroick Rymes According to their Merit For although Hee and some fewe the worth of them shall know This is their FATE And some vnborne will say I spake the Truth what e're men thinke to Day Ages to come shall hugg thy POESY As we our deare Friends Pictures when they dye Those that succeed vs DRAYTONS Name shall loue And so much this laborious PEECE approoue That such as write beereafter shall to trim Their new Inuentions pluck it limbe from limbe And our great-Grandsonnes Childrens-children may Yea shall as in a Glasse this ISLE suruay As wee now see it And as those did to Who liued many hundred yeares agoe For when the Seas shall eat away the Shore Great Woods spring vp where Plaines were heretofore High Mountaines leueld with low Vallyes lye And Riuers runne where now the ground is drie This POEME shall grow famous And declare What old-Things stood where new-Things shall appeare And hereunto his NAME subscribeth He Who shall by this PRaeDICTION liue with Thee George Wither To my Worthy Friend MICHAEL DRAYTON Esquire An Acrosticke Sonnet vpon his Name MVst Albion thus bee Stellified by thee In her full pompe that her the world may praise Cheerefull Braue Isle yea shall I liue to see Him thus to decke and crowne thy Front with Bayes And shall I not in Zeale and Merit too Expresse to thee my Ioy my Thankes to him Lesse sure then this I may not will not doe Drayton 〈◊〉 still Parnassus thou doest clime Right like thy selfe whose Heauen-inspired Muse As doth the Phenix still her selfe renewing Yee into other the like life infuse Thou his rich Subiect he thy Fame pursuing Ohadst thou lou'd him as 〈◊〉 thee hath done No Land such Honor to all times had wonne IOHN REYNOLDS POLY-OLBION The nineteenth Booke THE ARGVMENT The Muse now ouer Thames makes forth Vpon her Progresse to the North From Cauney with a full carrere Shee vp against the streame doth beare Where Waltham Forrests pride exprest Shee poynts directly to the East And shewes how all those Riuers straine Through Essex to the German mayne When Stoure with Orwels ayd prefers Our Brittish braue Sea-voyagers Halfe Suffolke in with them shee takes Where of this Song an end shee makes BEare brauely vp my Muse the way thou went'st before And crosse the kingly Thames to the Essexian shore Stem vp his tyde-full streame vpon that side to rise Where * Cauncy Albions child in-Iled richly lyes Which though her lower scite doth make her seeme but meane Of him as dearly lou'd as Shepey is or Greane And him as dearly lou'd for when he would depart With Hercules to fight she tooke it so to heart That falling low and flat her blubberd face to hide By Thames shee welneere is 〈◊〉 euery tyde And since of worldly State she neuer taketh keepe But onely giues her selfe to tend and milke her sheepe But Muse from her so low diuert thy high-set song To London-wards and bring from Lea with thee along The Forrests and the Floods and most exactly show How these in order stand how those directly flow For in that happy soyle doth pleasure euer wonne Through Forrests where cleere Rills in wild Meanders runne Where daintie Summer Bowers and Arborets are made Cut out of Busshy thicks for coolenesse of the shade Fooles gaze at painted Courts to th' countrey let me goe To climbe the easie hill then walke the valley lowe No gold-embossed Roofes to me are like the woods No Bed like to the grasse nor liquor like the floods A Citie 's but a sinke gay houses gawdy graues The Muses haue free leaue to starue or liue in caues But Waltham Forrest still in prosperous estate As standing to this day so strangely fortunate Aboue her neighbour Nymphs and holds her head aloft A turfe beyond them all so sleeke and wondrous soft Vpon her setting side by goodly London grac'd Vpon the North by Lea her South by Thames embrac'd Vpon her rising point shee chaunced to espie A daintie Forrest-Nymph of her societie Faire Hatfield which in height all other did surmount And of the Dryades held in very high account Yet in respect of her stood farre out of the way Who doubting of her selfe by others late decay Her sisters glory view'd with an astonish'd eye Whom Waltham wisely thus reprooueth by and by Deare Sister rest content nor our declining rue What thing is in this world that we can say is new The Ridge and Furrow shewes that once the crooked Plow Turn'd vp the grassy turfe where Okes are rooted now And at this houre we see the Share and Coulter teare The full corne-bearing gleabe where sometimes forrests were And those but Caitifes are which most doe seeke our spoyle Who hauing sold our woods doe lastly sell our soyle T is vertue to giue place to these vngodly times When as the fostred ill proceeds from others crimes Gainst Lunatiks and fooles what wife 〈◊〉 spend their force For folly headlong falls when it hath had the course And when God giues men vp to wayes abhor'd and vile Of vnderstanding hee depriues them quite the while They into errour runne confounded in their sinne As simple Fowles in lyme or in the Fowlers gynne And for those prettie Birds that wont in vs to sing They shall at last forbeare to welcome in the Spring When wanting where to pearch they sit vpon the ground And curse them in their Notes who first did woods confound Deare Sister Hatfield then hold vp thy drooping head We feele no such decay nor is all succour fled For Essex is our dower which greatly doth abound With euery simple good that in the I le is found And though we goe to wracke in this so generall waste This hope to vs remaines we yet may be the last When Hatfield taking heart where late she sadly stood Sends little Roding foorth her best-beloued Flood Which from her Christall Fount as to enlarge her fame To many a Village lends her cleere and noble name Which as she wandreth on through Waltham holds her way With goodly
Seas are dasht Against each others waues that all the plaines were washt With showers of sweltring blood that downe the furrowes ran Ere it could be discern'd which either lost or wan Earle Baldwin and Fitzvrse those valiant Knights were seene To charge the Empresse Horse as though dread Mars had beene There in two sundry shapes the day that beautious was Twinckled as when you see the Sunne-beames in a glasse That nimbly being stirr'd flings vp the trembling flame At once and on the earth reflects the very same With their resplendent swords that glistred gainst the Sunne The honour of the day at length the Empresse wonne King Stephen prisoner was and with him many a Lord The common Souldiers put together to the sword The next the Battell neere Saint Edmundsbury fought By our * Fitz-Empresse force and Flemings hither brought By th' Earle of Leister bent to moue intestine strife For yong King Henries cause crown'd in his fathers life Which to his kingly Syre much care and sorrow bred In whose defiance then that Earle his Ensignes spred Back'd by Hugh Bigots power the Earle of Norfolke then By bringing to his ayd the valiant Norfolke men Gainst Bohun Englands great high Constable that swayd The Royall forces ioyn'd with Lucy for his ayd Chiefe Iustice and with them the German powers to expell The Earles of Cornewall came Gloster and Arundell From Bury that with them Saint Edmonds Banner bring Their Battels in aray both wisely ordering The Armies chanc'd to meet vpon the Marshy ground Betwixt Saint Edmunds towne and Fornham fitly found The bellowing Drummes beat vp a thunder for the charge The Trumpets rend the ayre the Ensignes let at large Like wauing flames farre off to either hoste appeare The bristling Pykes doe shake to threat their comming neere All clouded in a mist they hardly could them view So shaddowed with the Shafts from either side that flew The Wings came wheeling in at ioyning of whole forces The either part were seene to tumble from their horses Which emptie put to rout are paunch'd with Gleaues and Pyles Lest else by running loose they might disranke their 〈◊〉 The Bilmen come to blowes that with the cruell thwacks The ground lay strew'd with Male and shreds of tatterd Iacks The playnes like to a shop lookt each where to behold VVhere limbes of mangled men on heaps lay to be sold Sterne discontented Warre did neuer yet appeare With a more threatning brow then it that time did there O Leicester alas in ill time wast thou wonne To ayd this gracelesse youth the most ingratefull sonne Against his naturall Syre who crown'd him in his dayes VVhose ill requited loue did him much sorrow raise As Le'ster by this warre against King Henry show'd Vpon so bad a cause O courage ill bestow'd VVho had thy quarrell beene as thou thy selfe was skild In braue and martiall feats thou euermore hadst fild This I le with thy high deeds done in that bloody field But Bigot and this Lord inforc'd at length to yeeld Them to the other part when on that fatall plaine Of th' English and the Dutch ten thousand men lay slaine As for the second Fight at Lincolne betwixt those VVho sided with the French by seeking to depose Henry the sonne of Iohn then young and to aduaunce The Daulphin Lewes sonne to Philip King of France VVhich Lincolne Castle then most straightly did besiege And William Marshall Earle of Pembroke for his Liege Who led the faithfull Lords although so many there Or in the conflict slaine or taken prisoners were Yet for but a surprize no field appointed fight Mongst our set Battels here may no way claime a right The Field at Lewes then by our third Henry fought VVho Edward his braue sonne vnto that Conflict brought VVith Richard then the King of Almaine and his sonne Young Henry with such Lords as to his part he wonne VVith him their Soueraigne Liege their liues that durst engage And the rebellious league of the proud Barronage By Symon Mounford Earle of Le'ster their chiefe Head And th' Earle of Gloster Clare against King Henry led For th' ancient Freedomes here that bound their liues to stand The Aliens to expulse who troubled all the land Whilst for this dreadfull day their great designes were meant From Edward the young Prince defiances were sent To Mountfords valiant sonnes Lord Henry Sim and Guy And calling vnto him a Herauld quoth he Flie To th' Earle of Leisters Tents and publikely proclame Defiance to his face and to the Montfords name And say to his proud sonnes say boldly thus from me That if they be the same that they would seeme to be Now let them in the field be by their Band roules knowne Where as I make no doubt their valour shall be showne Which if they dare to doe and still vphold their pride There will we vent our spleenes where swords shall it decide To whom they thus replide Tell that braue man of Hope He shall the Mountfords find in t'head of all their Troupe To answere his proud braues our Bilbowes be as good As his our Armes as strong and he shall find our blood Sold at as deare a rate as his and if we fall Tell him wee le hold so fast his Crowne shall goe withall The King into three fights his forces doth diuide Of which his princely * sonne the Vaward had to guide The second to the King of Almaine and his sonne Young Henry he betooke in the third Legion Of Knights and Men of Armes in person he appeares Into foure seuerall Fights the desperate Barons theirs I' th first those valiant youths the sonnes of Leister came Of leading of the which Lord Henry had the name The Earle of Gloster brought the second Battell on And with him were the Lords Mountchency and Fitz-Iohn The third wherein alone the Londoners were plac'd The stout Lord Segraue led the greatest and the last Braue Leicester himselfe with courage vndertooke The day vpon the host affrightedly doth looke To see the dreadfull shocke their first encounter gaue As though it with the rore the Thunder would out-braue Prince Edward all in gold as he great Ioue had beene The Mountfords all in Plumes like Estriges were seene To beard him to his teeth toth' worke of death they goe The crouds like to a Sea seemd wauing to and fro Friend falling by his friend together they expire He breath'd doth charge afresh he wounded doth retyre The Mountfords with the Prince vye valour all the day Which should for Knightly deeds excell or he or they To them about his head his glistring blade he throwes They waft him with their swords as long with equall showes Now Henry Simon then and then the youngest Guy Kept by his brothers backe thus stoutly doth reply What though I be but young let death me ouerwhelme But I will breake my sword vpon his plumed helme The younger Bohun there to high atchiuements bent With whom two other Lords
it the more Which in his mightie spirit still rooted did remaine By his too much default whom he imputed slaine At Shrewsbury before to whom if he had brought Supplies that bloody field when they so brauely fought They surely it had wonne for which to make amends Being furnished with men amongst his forraine friends By Scotland entred here and with a violent hand Vpon those Castles ceaz'd within Northumberland His Earledome which the King who much his truth did doubt Had taken to himselfe and put his people out Toward Yorkshire comming on where soone repaid his owne At Bramhams fatall More was fowly ouerthrowne Which though it were indeed a long and mortall fight Where many men were maim'd and many slaine outright Where that couragious Earle all hopes there seeing past Amongst his murthered troups euen fought it to the last Yet for it was atchieu'd by multitudes of men Which with Ralfe Roksby rose the Shreefe of Yorkshire then No well proportion'd fight we of description quit Amongst our famous fields nor will we here admit That of that Rakehel Cades and his rebellious crue In Kent and Sussex raisd at Senok fight that slue The Staffords with their power that thither him pursu'd VVho twice vpon Black heath back'd with the Commons rude Incamp'd against the King then goodly London tooke There ransoming some rich and vp the prisons broke His sensuall beastly will for Law that did preferre Beheaded the Lord Say then Englands Treasurer And forc'd the King to flight his person to secure The Muse admits not here a rabble so impure But brings that Battell on of that long dreadfull warre Of those two Houses nam'd of Yorke and Lancaster In faire Saint Albans fought most fatally betwixt Richard then Duke of Yorke and Henry cald the sixt For that ill-gotten Crowne which him his * Grandsire left That likewise with his life he from King Richard reft When vnderhand the Duke doth but promoue his claime Who from the elder sonne the Duke of Clarence came For which he raised Armes yet seem'd but to abet The people to plucke downe the Earle of Somerset By whom as they gaue out we Normandy had lost And yet he was the man that onely rul'd the roast With Richard Duke of Yorke into his faction wonne Salsbury and Warwicke came the father and the sonne The Neuils nobler name that haue renown'd so farre So likewise with the King in this great action are The Dukes of Somerset and Buckingham with these Were thrice so many Earles their stout accomplices As Pembroke great in power and Stafford with them stand With Deuonshire Dorset Wilt and fierce Northumber land VVith Sidley Bernes and Rosse three Barons with the rest VVhen Richard Duke of Yorke then marching from the west Towards whom whilst with his power King Henry forward set Vnluckily as 't hapt they at Saint Albans met Where taking vp the Street the buildings them enclose Where Front doth answer Front strength doth strength oppose Whilst like two mightie walls they each to other stand And as one sinketh downe vnder his enemies hand Another thrusting in his place doth still supply Betwixt them whilst on heaps the mangled bodies lie The Staules are ouerthrowne with the vnweldy thrust The windowes with the shot are shiuered all to dust The Winters Sleet or Hayle was neuer seene so thicke As on the houses sides the bearded arrowes sticke Where Warwicks courage first most Comet-like appeard Who with words full of Spirit his fighting Souldiers cheerd And euer as he saw the slaughter of his men He with fresh forces fil'd the places vp agen The valiant * Marchmen thus the battell still maintaine That when King Henry found on heaps his Souldiers slaine His great Commanders cals who when they sadly saw The honour of the day would to the Yorkists draw Their persons they put in as for the last to stand The Duke of Somerset Henry Northumberland Of those braue warlike Earles the second of that name The Earle of Stafford sonne to th' Duke of Buckingham And Iohn Lord Clifford then which shed their noble gore Vnder the Castles signe of which not long before A Prophet bad the Duke of Somerset beware With many a valiant Knight in death that had his share So much great English blood for others lawlesse guilt Vpon so little ground before was neuer spilt Proud Yorke hath got the gole the King of all forfaken Into a cottage got a wofull prisoner taken The Battell of Blore-heath the place doth next supply Twixt Richard Neuill that great Earle of Salisbury Who with the Duke of Yorke had at Saint Albans late That glorious Battell got with vncontrouled Fate And Iames Lord Audley stir'd by that reuengefull Queene To stop him on his way for the inueterate spleene Shee bare him for that still he with the Yorkists held Who comming from the North by sundry wrongs compeld To parley with the King the Queene that time who lay In Staffordshire and thought to stop him on his way That valiant Tuchet stir'd in Cheshire powerfull then T' affront him in the field where Cheshire Gentlemen Diuided were th' one part made valiant Tuchet strong The other with the Earle rose as he came along Incamping both their powers diuided by a Brooke Whereby the prudent Earle this strong aduantage tooke For putting in the field his Army in aray Then making as with speed he meant to march away He caus'd a flight of Shafts to be discharged first The enemy who thought that he had done his worst And cowardly had fled in a disordred Rout Attempt to wade the Brooke he wheeling soone about Set fiercely on that part which then were passed ouer Their Friends then in the Reare not able to recouer The other rising banke to lend the Vaward ayd The Earle who found the plot take right that he had layd On those that forward prest as those that did recoyle As hungry in reuenge there made a rauenous spoyle There Dutton Dutton kils A Done doth kill a Done A Booth a Booth and Leigh by Leigh is ouerthrowne A Venables against a Venables doth stand And Troutbeck fighteth with a Troutbeck hand to hand There Molineux doth make a Molineux to die And Egerton the strength of Egerton doth trie O Chesshire wert thou mad of thine owne natiue gore So much vntill this day thou neuer shedst before Aboue two thousand men vpon the earth were throwne Of which the greatest part were naturally thine owne The stout Lord Audley slaine with many a Captaine there To Salsbury it sorts the Palme away to beare Then faire Northampton next thy Battell place shall take Which of th' Emperiall warre the third fought Field doth make Twixt Henry cald our sixt vpon whose partie came His neere and deare Allies the Dukes of Buckingham And Somerset the Earle of Shrewsbury of account Stout Vicount Beaumount and the yong Lord Egremount Gainst Edward Earle of March sonne to the Duke of Yorke With
night Appeare the dreadfull ghosts of Henry and his sonne Of his owne brother George and his two nephewes done Most cruelly to death and of his wife and friend Lord Hastings with pale hands prepar'd as they would rend Him peece-meale at which oft he roreth in his sleepe No sooner gan the dawne out of the East to peepe But Drummes and Trumpets chide the Souldiers to their Armes And all the neighboring fields are couered with the swarmes Of those that came to fight as those that came to see Contending for a Crowne whose that great day should be First Richmond rang'd his fights on Oxford and bestowes The leading with a Band of strong and Sinewy Bowes Out of the Army pick'd the Front of all the field Sir Gilbert Talbot next he wisely tooke to weeld The right Wing with his strengths most Northern men that were And Sir Iohn Sauage with the power of Lancashire And Chesshire Chiefe of men was for the left Wing plac'd The Middle Battell he in his faire person grac'd With him the noble Earle of Pembroke who commands Their Countrey-men the VVelsh of whom it mainly stands For their great numbers found to be of greatest force Which but his guard of Gleaues consisted all of Horse Into two seuerall fights the King contriu'd his strength And his first Battell cast into a wondrous length In fashion of a wedge in poynt of which he set His Archery thereof and to the guidance let Of Iohn the noble Duke of Norfolke and his sonne Braue Surrey he himselfe the second bringing on Which was a perfect square and on the other side His Horsemen had for wings which by extending wide The aduerse seem'd to threat with an vnequall power The vtmost poynt ariu'd of this expected hower He to Lord Stanley sends to bring away his ayd And 〈◊〉 him by an Oath if longer he delayd His eldest sonne young Strange imediatly should die To whom stout Stanley thus doth carelessely reply Tell thou the King I le come when I fit time shall see I loue the Boy but yet I haue more sonnes then he The angry Armies meet when the thin ayre was rent With such re-ecchoing shouts from eithers Souldiers sent That flying o'r the field the Birds downe trembling dropt As some old building long that hath been vnderpropt When as the Timber fayles by the vnweldy fall Euen into powder beats the Roofe and rotten wall And with confused clouds of smouldring dust doth choke The streets and places neere so through the mistie smoke By Shot and Ordnance made a thundring noyse was heard VVhen Stanley that this while his succours had deferd Both to the cruell King and to the Earle his sonne When once he doth perceiue the Battell was begun Brings on his valiant Troups three thousand fully strong Which like a cloud farre off that tempest threatned long Falls on the Tyrants host which him with terrour strooke As also when he sees he doth but vainly looke For succours from the great Northumberland this while That from the Battell scarce three quarters of a mile Stood with his power of Horse nor once was seene to stirre VVhen Richard that th' euent no longer would deferre The two maine Battels mix'd and that with wearied breath Some laboured to their life some laboured to their death There for the better fought euen with a Spirit elate As one that inly scorn'd the very worst that Fate Could possibly impose his Launce set in his Rest Into the thick'st of Death through threatning perill prest To where he had perceiu'd the Earle in person drew Whose Standard 〈◊〉 he Sir William Brandon slew The pile of his strong staffe into his arme-pit sent VVhen at a second shocke downe Sir Iohn Cheney went Which scarce a Launces length before the Earle was plac'd Vntill by Richmonds Guard inuironed at last VVith many a cruell wound was through the body gride Vpon this fatall field Iohn Duke of Norfolke dide The stout Lord Ferrers fell and Ratcliffe that had long Of Richards counsels been found in the field among A thousand Souldiers that on both sides were slaine O Red-more it then seem'd thy name was not in vaine When with a thousands blood the earth was coloured red Whereas th' Emperiall Crowne was set on Henries head Being found in Richards Tent as he it there did winne The cruell Tyrant stript to the bare naked skin Behind a Herauld truss'd was backe to Le'ster sent From whence the day before he to the Battell went The Battell then at Stoke so fortunatly strucke Vpon King Henries part with so successefull lucke As neuer till that day he felt his Crowne to cleaue Vnto his temples close when Mars began to leaue His fury and at last to sit him downe was brought I come at last to sing twixt that seuenth Henry fought With whom to this braue Field the Duke of Bedford came With Oxford his great friend whose praise did him inflame To all Atchieuements great that fortunate had bin In euery doubtfull fight since Henries comming in With th' Earle of Shresbury a man of great command And his braue sonne Lord George for him that firmly stand And on the other side Iohn Duke of Suffolks sonne Iohn Earle of Lincolne cald who this sterne warre begun Subborning a lewd Boy a false Imposter who By Simonds a worse Priest instructed what to doe Vpon him tooke the name of th' Earle of Warwicke heire To George the murthered Duke of Clarence who for feare Lest some that fauoured Yorke might vnder hand maintaine King Henry in the Tower did at that time detaine * Which practise set on foot this Earle of Lincolne sayld To Burgundy where he with Margaret preuayld Wife to that warlike Charles and his most loued Aunt Who vexed that a proud Lancastrian should supplant The lawfull Line of Yorke whence she her blood deriu'd Wherefore for Lincolnes sake shee speedily contriu'd And Louell that braue Lord before him sent to land Vpon the same pretence to furnish them a Band Of Almanes and to them for their stout Captaine gaue The valiant Martin Swart the man thought scarce to haue His match for Martiall feats and sent them with a Fleet For Ireland where shee had appoynted them to meet With Simonds that lewd Clerke and Lambert whom they there The Earle of Warwicke cald and publish'd euery where His title to the Crowne in Diuelin and proclaime Him Englands lawfull King by the fift Edwards name Then ioyning with the Lord Fitz-Gerald to their ayd Who many Irish brought they vp their Ankres wayd And at the rocky Pyle of * Fowdray put to shore In Lancashire their power increasing more and more By Souldiers sent them in from Broughton for supply A Knight that long had been of their confederacy Who making thence direct their marches to the South When Henry saw himselfe to farre in dangers mouth From Couentry he came still gathering vp his Host Made greater on his way and doth the
that height in zeale whereto he did attaine There by his fellow Monkes most cruelly was slaine So Cambria Beno bare and Gildas which doth grace Old Bangor and by whose learn'd writings we imbrace the knowledge of those times the fruits of whose iust pen Shall liue for euer fresh with all truth-searching men Then other which for hers old Cambria doth auerre Saint Senan and with him wee set Saint Deiferre Then Tather will we take and Chyned to the rest With Brauk who so much the I le of Bardsey blest By his most powerfull prayer to solitude that liu'd And of all worldly care his zealous Soule depriu'd Of these some liu'd not long some wondrous aged were But in the Mountaines liu'd all Hermits here and there O more then mortall men whose Faith and earnest prayers Not onely bare ye hence but were those mightie stayres By which you went to heauen and God so clearely saw As this vaine earthly pompe had not the power to draw Your eleuated soules but once to looke so low As those depressed paths wherein base worldlings goe What mind doth not admire the knowledge of these men But zealous Muse returne vnto thy taske agen These holy men at home as here they were bestow'd So Cambria had such too as famous were abroad Sophy King Gulicks sonne of Northwales who had seene The Sepulchre three times and more seuen times had beene On Pilgrimage at Rome of Beniuentum there The painfull Bishop made by him so place we here Saint Mackloue from Northwales to little Britaine sent That people to conuert who resolutely bent Of Athelney in time the Bishop there became Which her first title chang'd and tooke his proper name So she her Virgins had and vow'd as were the best Saint Keyne Prince Brechans child a man so highly blest That thirtie borne to him all Saints accounted were Saint Inthwar so apart shall with these other beare Who out of false suspect was by her brother slaine Then VVinifrid whose name yet famous doth remaine Whose Fountaine in Northwales intitled by her name For Mosse and for the Stones that be about the same Is sounded through this I le and to this latter age Is of our Romists held their latest Pilgrimage But when the Saxons here so strongly did reside And surely seated once as owners to abide When nothing in the world to their desire was wanting Except the Christian Faith for whose substantiall planting Saint Augustine from Rome was to this Iland sent And comming through large France ariuing first in Kent Conuerted to the faith King Ethelbert till then Vnchristened that had liu'd with all his Kentishmen And of their chiefest Towne now Canterbury cald The Bishop first was made and on that See instauld Foure other and with him for knowledge great in name That in this mighty worke of our conuersion came Lawrence Melitus then with Iustus and Honorius In this great Christian worke all which had beene laborious To venerable age each comming in degree Succeeded him againe in Canterbury See As Peter borne in France with these and made our owne And Pauline whose great zeale was by his Preaching showne The first to Abbots state wise Austen did preferre And to the latter gaue the See of Rochester All canoniz'd for Saints as worthy sure they were For establishing the Faith which was receiued here Few Countries where our Christ had ere been preached then But sent into this I le some of their godly men From Persia led by zeale so Iue this Iland sought And neere our Easterne Fennes a fit place finding taught The Faith which place from him the name alone deriues And of that sainted man since called is Saint-Iues Such reuerence to her selfe that time Deuotion wan So Sun-burnt Affrick sent vs holy Adrian Who preacht the Christian Faith here nine and thirtie yeere An Abbot in this Isle and to this Nation deare That in our Countrey two Prouinciall Synods cald T'reforme the Church that time with Heresies enthrald So Denmarke Henry sent t' encrease our holy store Who falling in from thence vpon our Northerne shore In th' Isle of * Cochet liu'd neere to the mouth of Tyne In Fasting as in Prayer a man so much diuine That onely thrice a weeke on homely cates he fed And three times in the weeke himselfe he silenced That in remembrance of this most abstenious man Vpon his blessed death the English men began By him to name their Babes which it so frequent brings Which name hath honoured been by many English Kings So Burgundy to vs three men most reuerent bare Amongst our other Saints that claime to haue their share Of which was Felix first who in th'East-Saxon raigne Conuerted to the faith King Sigbert him againe Ensueth Anselme whom Augusta sent vs in And Hugh whose holy life to Christ did many win By * Henry th' Empresse sonne holpe hither and to haue Him wholly to be ours the See of Lincolne gaue So Lumbardy to vs our reuerent Lanfranck lent For whom into this land King William Conqueror sent And Canterburies See to his wise charge assign'd Nor France to these for hers was any whit behind For Grimbald shee vs gaue as Peter long before Who with Saint Austen came to preach vpon this shore By Alsred hither cald who him an Abbot made Who by his godly life and preaching did perswade The Saxons to beleeue the true and quickning word So after long againe she likewise did afford Saint O smond whom the See of Salsbury doth owne A Bishop once of hers and in our conquest knowne When hither to that end their Norman William came Remigius then whose mind that worke of ours of fame Rich Lincolne Minster shewes where he a Bishop sat Which it should seeme he built for men to wonder at So potent were the powers of Church-men in those dayes Then Henry nam'd of Bloys from France who crost the Seas With Stephen Earle of Bloys his brother after King In VVinchesters rich See who him establishing He in those troublous times in preaching tooke such paine As he by them was not canonized in vaine As other Countries here their holy men bestow'd So Britaine likewise sent her Saints to them abroad And into neighbouring France our most religious went Saint Clare that natiue was of Rochester in Kent At Volcasyne came vow'd the French instructing there So early ere the truth amongst them did appeare That more then halfe a God they thought that reuerent man Our Iudock so in France such fame our Nation wan For holinesse where long an Abbots life he led At Pontoyse and so much was honoured that being dead And after threescore yeares their latest period dated His body taken vp was solemnly translated As Ceofrid that sometime of Wyremouth Abbot was In his returne from Rome as he through France did passe At Langres left his life whose holinesse euen yet Vpon his reuerent graue in memory doth sit Saint Alkwin so for ours we English boast
Pilgrimages Concerning whom the world since then hath spent much breath And many questions made both of his life and death If he were truely iust he hath his right if no Those times were much to blame that haue him reckond so Then these from Yorke ensue whose liues as much haue grac'd That See as these before in Canterbury plac'd Saint Wilfrid of her Saints we then the first will bring Who twice by Egfrids ire the sterne Northumbrian King Expulst his sacred Seat most patiently it bare The man for sacred gifts almost beyond compare Then Bosa next to him as meeke and humble hearted As the other full of grace to whom great God imparted His mercies sundry wayes as age vpon him came And next him followeth Iohn who like wise bare the name Of Beuerley where he most happily was borne Whose holinesse did much his natiue place adorne Whose Vigils had by those deuouter times bequests The Ceremonies due to great and solemne Feasts So Oswald of that seat and Cedwall sainted were Both reuerenc'd and renown'd Archbishops liuing there The former to that See from Worcester transfer'd Deceased was againe at Worcester inter'd The other in that See a sepucher they chose And did for his great zeale amongst the Saints dispose As William by descent com'n of the Conquerors straine Whom 〈◊〉 ruling here did in his time ordaine Archbishop of that See among our Saints doth fall Deria'd from those two Seats styld Archiepiscopall Next these Arch Sees of ours now London place doth take Which had those of whom time Saints worthily did make As Ceda brother to that reuerent Bishop Chad At Lichfield in those times his famous seat that had Is Sainted for that See amongst our reuerent men From London though at length remoou'd to Lestingen A monastery which then he richly had begun Him Erkenwald ensues th' East English Offa's sonne His fathers kingly Court who for a Crosiar sled Whose works such fame him wonne for ho linesse that dead Time him enshrin'd in Pauls the mother of that See Which with Reuenues large and Priuiledges he Had wondrously endow'd to goodnesse so affected That he those Abbayes great from his owne power erected At Chertsey neere to Thames and Barking famous long So Roger hath a roome in these our Sainted throng Who by his words and works so taught the way to heauen As that great name to him sure was not vainely giuen With Winchester againe proceed we which shall store Vs with as many Saints as any See or more Of whom we yet haue sung as Hcada there we haue Who by his godly life so good instructions gaue As teaching that the way to make men to liue well Example vs assur'd did Preaching farre excell Our Swithen then ensues of him why ours I say Is that vpon his Feast his dedicated day As it in Haruest haps so Plow-men note thereby Th' ensuing fortie dayes be either wet or dry As that day falleth out whose Myracles may wee Beleeue those former times he well might sainted bee So Frithstan for a Saint incalendred we find With Brithstan not a whit the holyest man behind Canoniz'd of which two the former for respect Of vertues in him found the latter did elect To sit vpon his See who likewise dying there To Ethelbald againe succeeding did appeare The honour to a Saint as challenging his due These formerly exprest then Elpheg doth ensue Then Ethelwald of whom this Almes-deed hath been told That in a time of dearth his Churches plate he sold T'releeue the needy poore the Churches wealth quoth he May be againe repayr'd but so these cannot be With these before exprest so Britwald forth she brought By faith and earnest prayer his myracles that wrought That such against the Faith that were most stony-hearted By his religious life haue lastly been conuerted This man when as our Kings so much decayed were As'twas suppos d their Line would be extinguisht here Had in his Dreame reueald to whom All-doing heauen The Scepter of this land in after-times had giuen Which in Prophettick sort by him deliuered was And as he stoutly spake it truly came to passe So other Southerne Sees here either lesse or more Haue likewise had their Saints though not alike in store Of Rochester we haue Saint Ithamar being then In those first times first of our natiue English men Residing on that Seat so as an ayd to her But singly Sainted thus we haue of Chichester Saint Richard and with him Saint Gilbert which doe stand Enrold amongst the rest of this our Mytred Band Of whom such wondrous things for truths deliuered are As now may seeme to stretch 〈◊〉 strait beleefe too farre And Cimbert of a Saint had the deserued right His yearely Obijts long done in the Isle of Wight A Bishop as some say but certaine of what See It scarcely can be proou'd nor is it knowne to me Whilst Sherburne was a See and in her glory shone And Bodmin likewise had a Bishop of her owne Whose Diocesse that time contained Cornwall these Had as the rest their Saints deriued from their Sees The first her Adelme had and Hamond and the last Had Patrock for a Saint that with the other past That were it fit for vs but to examine now Those former times these men for Saints that did allow And from our reading vrge that others might as well Related be for Saints as worthy euery deale This scruteny of ours would cleere that world thereby And shew it to be voyd of partiality That each man holy cald was not canoniz'd here But such whose liues by death had triall many a yeere That See at Norwich now establisht long not stird At Eltham planted first to Norwich then transferd Into our bedroule here her Humbert in doth bring A Counsellour that was to that most martyred King Saint Edmund who in their rude massacre then slaine The title of a Saint his Martyrdome doth gaine So Hereford hath had on her Cathedrall Seat Saint Leofgar a man by Martyrdome made great Whom Griffith Prince of Wales that sowne which did subdue O most vnhallowed deed vnmercifully slue So Worster as those Sees here sung by vs before Hath likewise with her Saints renown'd our natiue shore Saint Egwin as her eld'st with Woolstan as the other Of whom she may be proud to say shee was the Mother The Churches Champions both for her that stoutly stood Lichfield hath those no whit lesse famous nor lesse good The first of whom is that most reuerent Bishop Chad In those religious times for holinesse that had The name aboue the best that liued in those dayes That Stories haue been stuft with his abundant praise Who on the See of Yorke being formerly instauld Yet when backe to that place Saint Wilfrid was recald The Seat to that good man he willingly resign'd And to the quiet Closse of Lichfield him confin'd So Sexvlfe after him then Owen did supply Her Trine of reuerent men renown'd for sanctitie As Lincolne to
vp a Trine the name of Saints that wonn Who was a Yorkshire man and Prior of Berlington So Biren can we boast a man most highly blest With the title of a Saint whose ashes long did rest At Dorchester where he was honoured many a day But of the place he held books diuersly dare say As they of Gilbert doe who founded those Diuines Monasticks all that were of him nam'd Gilbertines To which his Order here he thirteene houses built When that most thankfull time to shew he had not spilt His wealth on it in vaine a Saint hath made him here At Sempringham enshrin'd a towne of Lincolneshire Of sainted Hermits then a company we haue To whom deuouter times this veneration gaue As Gwir in Cornwall kept his solitary Cage And Neoth by Hunstock there his holy Hermitage As Guthlake from his youth who liu'd a Souldier long Detesting the rude spoyles done by the armed throng The mad tumultuous world contemptibly forsooke And to his quiet Cell by Crowland him betooke Free from all publique crowds in that low Fenny ground As Bertiline againe was neere to Stafford found Then in a Forrest there for solitude most fit Blest in a Hermits life by there enioying it An Hermit Arnulph so in Bedfordshire became A man austere of life in honour of whose name Time after built a Towne where this good man did liue And did to it the name of Arnulphsbury giue These men this wicked world respected not a hayre But true Professors were of pouertie and prayer Amongst these men which times haue honoured with the Stile Of Confessors made Saints so euery little while Our Martyrs haue com'n in who sealed with their blood That faith which th' other preach'd gainst them that it withstood As 〈◊〉 who had liu'd a Herdsman left his Seat Though in the quiet fields whereas he kept his Neat And leauing that his Charge he left the world withall An Anchorite and became within a Cloystred wall Inclosing vp himselfe in prayer to spend his breath But was too soone alas by Pagans put to death Then Woolstan one of these by his owne kinsman slaine At Eusham for that he did zealously maintaine The veritie of Christ. As Thomas whom we call Of Douer adding Monke and 〈◊〉 therewithall For that the barbarous Danes he brauely did withstand From ransacking the Church when here they put on land By them was done to death which rather he did chuse Then see their Heathen hands those holy things abuse Two Boyes of tender age those elder Saints ensue Of Norwich William was of Lincolne little Hugh Whom 〈◊〉 Iewes rebellious that abide In mockery of our Christ at Easter ciucifi'd Those times 〈◊〉 euery one should their due honour haue His freedome or his life for Iesus Christ that gaue So Wiltshire with the rest her Hermit Vlfrick hath Related for a Saint so famous in the Faith That 〈◊〉 ages since his Cell haue sought to find At Hasselburg who had his Obijts him assign'd So 〈◊〉 we many Kings most holy here at home As 〈◊〉 of meaner ranke which haue attaind that roome Northumberland thy seat with Saints did vs supply Of thy 〈◊〉 Kings of which high Hierarchy Was Edwin for the Faith by Heathenish hands inthrald Whom Penda which to him the Welsh Cadwallyn cald Without all mercy slew But he alone not dide By that proud Mercian King but Penda yet beside Iust Oswald likewise slew at Oswaldstree who gaue That name vnto that place as though time meant to saue His memory thereby there suffring for the Faith As one whose life deseru'd that memory in death So likewise in the Roule of these Northumbrian Kings With those that Martyrs were so foorth that Country brings Th'annoynted Oswin next in Deira to ensue Whom Osway that bruit King of wild Bernitia slue Two kingdomes which whilst then Northumberland remain'd In greatnesse were within her larger bounds contain'd This Kingly Martyr so a Saint was rightly crown'd As Alkmond one of hers for sanctity renown'd King Alreds Christned sonne a most religious Prince Whom when the Heathenish here by no meanes could conuince Their Paganisme a pace declining to the wane At Darby put to death whom in a goodly Phane Cald by his glorious name his corpse the Christians layd What fame deseru'd your faith were it but rightly wayd You pious Princes then in godlinesse so great Why should not full-mouthd Fame your praises oft repeat So 〈◊〉 her King Northumbria notes againe In 〈◊〉 the next though not the next in raigne Whom his false Subiects slue for that he did deface The Heathenish Saxon gods and bound them to embrace The liuely quickning Faith which then began to spread So for our Sauiour Christ as these were martyred There other holy Kings were likewise who confest Which those most zealous times haue Sainted with the rest King Alfred that his Christ he might more surely hold Left his Northumbrian Crowne and soone became encould At Malroyse in the land whereof he had been King So Egbert to that Prince a Paralell we bring To Oswoolph his next heire his kingdome that resign'd And presently himselfe at Lindisferne confin'd Contemning Courtly state which earthly fooles adore So Ceonulph againe as this had done before In that religious house a cloystred man became Which many a blessed Saint hath honoured with the name Nor those Northumbrian Kings the onely Martyrs were That in this seuen-fold Rule the scepters once did beare But that the Mercian raigne which Pagan Princes long Did terribly infest had some her Lords among To the true Christian Faith much reuerence which did add Our Martyrologe to helpe so happily shee had Rufin and Vlfad sonnes to Wulphere for desire They had t' imbrace the Faith by their most cruell Sire Were without pittie slaine long ere to manhood growne Whose tender bodies had their burying Rites at * Stone So Kenelme that the King of Mercia should haue beene Before his first seuen yeares he fully out had seene Was slaine by his owne Guard for feare lest waxing old That he the Christian Faith vndoubtedly would hold So long it was ere truth could Paganisme expell Then Fremund Offa's sonne of whom times long did tell Such wonders of his life and sanctitie who fled His fathers kingly Court and after meekly led An Hermits life in Wales where long he did remaine In Penitence and prayer till after he was slaine By cruell Oswayes hands the most inueterate foe The Christian faith here found so Etheldred shall goe With these our martyred Saints though onely he confest Since he of Mercia was a King who highly blest Faire Bardncy where his life religiously he spent And meditating Christ thence to his Sauiour went Nor our West-Saxon raigne was any whit behind Those of the other rules their best whose zeale wee find Amongst those sainted Kings whose fames are safeliest kept As Cedwall on whose head such praise all times haue heapt That from a Heathen Prince a holy Pilgrim turn'd Repenting in
his heart against the truth t' haue spurn'd To Rome on his bare feet his patience exercis'd And in the Christian faith there humbly was baptiz'd So Ethelwoolph who sat on Cedwalls ancient Seat For charitable deeds who almost was as great As any English King at Winchester enshrin'd A man amongst our Saints most worthily deuin'd Two other Kings as much our Martyrologe may sted Saint Edward and with him comes in Saint Ethelred By Alfreda the first his Stepmother was slaine That her most loued sonne young Ethelbert might raigne The other in a storme and deluge of the Dane For that he Christned was receau'd his deadly bane Both which with wondrous cost the English did interre At Wynburne this first Saint the last at Winchester Where that West-Saxon Prince good Alfred buried was Among our Sainted Kings that well deserues to passe Nor were these Westerne Kings of the old Saxon straine More studious in those times or stoutlier did maintaine The truth then these of ours the Angles of the East Their neer'st and deer'st Allies which strongly did invest The * Island with their name of whose most holy Kings Which iustly haue deseru'd their high Canonizings Are Sigfrid whose deare death him worthily hath crownd And Edmund in his end so wondrously renownd For Christs sake suffring death by that blood-drowning Dane To whom those times first built that Citie and that Phane Whose ruines Suffolke yet can to her glory show When shee will haue the world of her past greatnesse know As Ethelbert againe alur'd with the report Of more then earthly pompe then in the Mercian Court From the East-Angles went whilst mighty Offa raign'd Where for he christned was and Christian-like abstain'd To Idolatrize with them fierce Quenred Offa's Queene Most treacherously him slew out of th'inueterate spleene Shee bare vnto the Faith whom we a Saint adore So Edwald brother to Saint Edmund sang before A Confessor we call whom past times did interre At Dorcester by Tame now in our Calender Amongst those kingdomes here so Kent account shall yeeld Of three of her best blood who in this Christian Field Were mighty of the which King Ethelbert shall stand The first who hauing brought Saint Augustine to land Himselfe first christned was by whose example then The Faith grew after strong amongst his Kentishmen As Ethelbrit againe and Ethelred his pheere To Edbald King of Kent who naturall Nephewes were For Christ there suffring death assume them places hye Amongst our martyred Saints commemorate at Wye To these two brothers so two others come againe And of as great discent in the 〈◊〉 straine Arwaldi of one name whom ere King Cedwall knew The true and liuely Faith he tyranously slew Who still amongst the Saints haue their deserued right Whose Vigils were obseru'd long in the Isle of Wight Remembred too the more for being of one name As of th' East-Saxon line King Sebba so became A most religious Monke at London where he led A strict retyred life a Saint aliue and dead Related for the like so Edgar we admit That King who ouer eight did soly Monarch sit And with our holyest Saints for his endowments great Bestow'd vpon the Church With him we likewise seat That sumptuous shrined King good Edward from the rest Of that renowned name by Confessor exprest To these our sainted Kings remembred in our Song Those Mayds and widdowed Queenes doe worthily belong Incloystred that became and had the selfe same style For Fasting Almes and Prayer renowned in our Isle As those that foorth to France and Germany we gaue For holy charges there but here first let vs haue Our Mayd-made-Saints at home as Hilderlie with her We Theorid thinke most fit for whom those times auerre A Virgin strictlyer vow'd hath hardly liued here Saint Wulfshild then we bring all which of Barking were And reckoned for the best which most that house did grace The last of which was long the Abbesse of that place So Werburg Wulpheres child of Mercia that had been A persecuting King 〈◊〉 Ermineld his Queene At Ely honoured is where her deare mother late A Recluse had remain'd in her sole widdowed state Of which good Audry was King Ina's daughter bright Reflecting on those times so cleare a Vestall light As many a Virgin-breast she fired with her zeale The fruits of whose strong faith to ages still reueale The glory of those times by liberties she gaue By which those Easterne Shires their Priuiledges haue Of holy Audries too a sister here we haue Saint VVithburg who her selfe to Contemplation gaue At Deerham in her Cell where her due howres she kept Whose death with many a teare in Norfolke was bewept And in that Isle againe which beareth Elies name At Ramsey Merwin so a Vayled Mayd became Amongst our Virgin-Saints where 〈◊〉 is enrold The daughter that is nam'd of noble Ethelwold A great East-Anglian Earle of Ramsey Abbas long So of our Mayden-Saints the Female sex among With Milburg Mildred comes and Milwid daughters deere To Meruald who did then the Mercian Scepter beare At VVenlock Milburg dy'd a most religious mayd Of which great Abbay shee the first foundation layd And Thanet as her Saint euen to this age doth herye Her Mildred Milwid was the like at Canterbury Nor in this vtmost Isle of Thanet may we passe Saint Eadburg Abbesse there who the deare daughter was To Ethelbert her Lord and Kents first Christened King Who in this place most first we with the former bring Translated as some say to Flanders but that I As doubtfull of the truth here dare not iustifie King Edgars sister so Saint Edith place may haue With these our Maiden-Saints who to her Powlsworth gaue Immunities most large and goodly liuings layd Which Modwen long before a holy Irish mayd Had founded in that place with most deuout intent As Eanswine Eadwalds child one of the Kings of Kent At Foulkston found a place giuen by her father there In which she gaue her selfe to abstinence and prayer Of the West-Saxon rule borne to three seuerall Kings Foure holy Virgins more the Muse in order brings Saint Ethelgiue the child to Alfred which we find Those more deuouter times at Shaftsbury enshrin'd Then Tetta in we take at Winburne on our way Which Cuthreds sister was who in those times did sway On the West-Saxon Seat two other sacred Mayds As from their Cradels vow'd to bidding of their beads Saint Cuthburg and with her Saint Quinburg which we here Succeedingly doe set both as they Sisters were And Abbesses againe of VVilton which we gather Our Virgin-Band to grace both hauing to their father Religious Ina red with those which ruld the West Whose mothers sacred wombe with other Saints was blest As after shall be shew'd an other Virgin vow'd And likewise for a Saint amongst the rest allow'd To th' elder Edward borne bright Eadburg who for she As fiue related Saints of that blest name there be Of VVilton Abbasse was they
her of VVilton styl'd Was euer any Mayd more mercifull more mild Or sanctimonious knowne But Muse on in our Song With other princely Mayds but first with those that sprung From Penda that great King of Mercia holy Tweed And Kinisdred with these their sisters Kinisweed And Eadburg last not least at Godmanchester all Incloystred and to these Saint Tibba let vs call In solitude to Christ that set her whole delight In Godmanchester made a constant Anchorite Amongst which of that house for Saints that reckoned be Yet neuer any one more grac'd the 〈◊〉 then she Deriu'd of royall Blood as th' other Elfled than Neece to that mighty King our English Athelstan At Glastenbury shrin'd and one as great as shee Being Edward Out-lawes child a Mayd that liu'd to see The Conquerour enter here Saint Christian to vs knowne Whose life by her cleere name diuinely was foreshowne For holinesse of life that as renowned were And not lesse nobly borne nor bred produce we here Saint Hilda and Saint Hien the first of noble name At Strenshalt tooke her vow the other sister came To Colchester and grac'd the rich Effexian shore Whose Reliques many a day the world did there adore And of our sainted Mayds the number to supply Of Eadburg we allow sometime at Alsbury To Redwald then a King of the East-Angles borne A Votresse as sincere as shee thereto was sworne Then Pandwine we produce whom this our natiue Isle As forraine parts much priz'd and higher did instyle The holyest English Mayd whose Vigils long were held In Lincolneshire yet not Saint Frideswid exceld The Abbesse of an house in Oxford of her kind The wonder nor that place could hope the like to find Two sisters so we haue both to deuotion plite And worthily made Saints the elder Margarite Of Katsby Abbesse was and Alice as we read Her sister on that seat did happily succeed At Abington which first receiu'd their liuing breath Then those Northumbrian Nymphs all vayld as full of Faith That Country sent vs in t' increase our Virgin-Band Faire Elfled Oswalds child King of Northumberland At Strenshalt that was vaild As mongst those many there O Ebba whose cleere fame time neuer shall out-weare At Coldingham farre hence within that Country plac'd The Abbesse who to keepe thy vayled Virgins chast Which else thou fearst the Danes would rauish which possest This Isle first of thy selfe and then of all the rest The Nose and vpper Lip from your fayre faces keru'd And from pollution so your hallowed house preseru'd Which when the Danes perceiu'd their hopes so farre deluded Setting the house on fire their Martyrdome concluded As Leofron whose faith with others rightly wayd Shall shew her not out-match'd by any English Mayd Who likewise when the Dane with persecution storm'd She here a Martyrs part most gloriously perform'd Two holy Mayds againe at Whitby were renown'd Both Abbesses thereof and Confessors are crown'd Saint Ethelfrid with her Saint Congill as a payre Of Abbesses therein the one of which by prayer The Wild-geese thence expeld that Island which annoy'd By which their grasse and graine was many times destroy'd Which fall from off their wings nor to the ayre can get From the forbidden place till they be fully set As these within this Isle in Cloysters were inclosd So we our Virgins had to forraine parts exposd As Eadburg Ana's child and Sethred borne our owne Were Abbesses of Bridge whose zeale to France was knowne And Ercongate againe we likewise thither sent Which Ercombert begot sometime a 〈◊〉 of Kent A Prioresse of that place Burgundosora bare At Eureux the chaste rule all which renowned are In France which as this Isle of them may freely boast So Germany some grac'd from this their natiue coast Saint Walburg heere extract from th'royall English Line Was in that Country made Abbesse of Heydentine Saint Tecla to that place at Ochenford they chose From Wynburne with the rest in Dorsetshire arose Chast Agatha with her went Lioba along From thence two not the least these sacred Mayds among At Biscopsen by time encloystred and became Saint Lewen so attayn'd an euerliuing name For Martyrdome which shee at 〈◊〉 wan Mayds seeming in their Sex t' exceed the holyest man Nor had our Virgins here for sanctitie the prize But widdowed Queenes as well that being godly wise Forsaking second beds the world with them forsooke To strict retyred liues and gladly them betooke To Abstinence and Prayer and as sincerely liu'd As when the Fates of life King Ethelwold depriu'd That o'r the East-Angles raign'd bright Heriswid his wife Betaking her to lead a strait Monasticke life Departing hence to France receau'd the holy Vayle And liued many a day incloystred there at Kale Then Keneburg in this our Sainted front shall stand To Alfred the lou'd wife King of Northumberland Daughter to Penda King of Mercia who though he Himselfe most Heathenish were yet liu'd that age to see Foure Virgins and this Queene his children consecrated Of Godmanchester all and after Saints related As likewise of this Sex with Saints that doth vs store Of the Northumbrian Line so haue we many more Saint Eanfled widdowed left by Osway raigning there At Strenshalt tooke her Vaile as Ethelburg the pheere To Edwin rightly nam'd the holy which possest Northumbers sacred seat her selfe that did inuest At Lymming farre in Kent which Country gaue her breath So Edeth as the rest after King Sethricks death Which had the selfe same rule of VVilton Abbesse was Where two VVest-Saxon Queenes for Saints shall likewise passe Which in that selfe same house Saint Edeth did succeed Saint Ethelwid which here put on her hallowed weed King Alreds worthy wife of VVestsex so againe Did VVilfrid Edgars Queene so famous in his raigne Then Eadburg Ana's wife receiued as the other Who as a Saint her selfe so likewise was she mother To two most holy Mayds as we before haue show'd At VVilton which we say their happy time bestow'd Though she of Barking was a holy Nunne profest Who in her husbands time had raigned in the West Th' East-Saxon Line againe so others to vs lent As Sexburg sometime Queene to Ercombert of Kent Though Ina's loued child and Audryes sister knowne Which Ely in those dayes did for her Abbesse owne Nor to Saint O sith we lesse honour ought to giue King Sethreds widdowed Queene who when death did depriue Th' Essexian King of life became enrould at Chich Whose Shrine to her there built the world did long enrich Two holy Mercian Queenes so widdowed Saints became For sanctity much like not much vnlike in name King Wulpheres widdowed Pheere Queene Ermineld whose life At Ely is renown'd and Ermenburg the wife To Meruald raigning there a Saint may safely passe Who to three Virgin-Saints the vertuous mother was The remnant of her dayes religiously that bare Immonastred in Kent where first she breath'd the ayre King Edgars mother so is for a Saint preferd Queene Algyue who they say at