man directs his eye Euen so among my captiue mates that were When I did speake or make my plaints with crie Then all on me they stared by and by Bemoning of my fates and fortune so As they had bin partakers of my woe My forme did praise my plea my sighes they sued My teares enti'st their hearts some ruth to take My sobs in sight a seemely hue renew'd My wringing hands wan suiters shift to make My sober soothes did cause them for my sake Me to commend vnto their noble King Who wild they should me into presence bring T' whom when I came in cords as captiue bound O King quoth I whose power we feele too strong O worthie wight whose fame to skies doth sound Doe pitie me that neuer wisht thee wrong Release me one thy captiues all among Which frō my friends by fraud am brought away A Prince his daughter drown'd in deepe decay Now as thou art a Prince thy selfe of might And maist do more then I do dare desire Let me O King find fauour in thy sight Asswage somewhat thy deadly wrath and ire No part of knighthood t is for to require A Ladies death thee neuer did offend Sith that thy foe hath brought her to this end But let me rather safely be conuay'd O gratious King once home before I die Or let me liue thy simple wayting maid If it may please thy royall Maiestie Or let me ransome pay for libertie But if you mind reuenge of vnwraught ill Why spare you Britaines my deare blood to spill With that the King Good Ladie faire what i st Thou canst desire or aske but must obtaine Eke would to God with all my heart I wist Best way to ease thee of thy wofull paine But if thou wilt do heere with me remaine If not content conductors shalt thou haue To bring thee home and what thou else wilt crau◠O King quoth I the gods preserue thy grace The heauens requite thy mercie shew'd to me And all the starres direct thy regall race With happie course long length of yeares to see The earth with fertill fruits enrich so thee That thou maist still like Iustice heere dispose And euermore treade downe thy deadly foes The noble King commanded to vnbind Mine armes and giue me libertie at will With whom such fauour I did after find That as his Queene I was at elbow still And I enioy'd all pleasures at my fill So that they quite had quenched out my thrall And I forgat my former Fortunes all Thus loe by fauour I obtain'd my suite So had my beautie set his heart on fire That I could make Locrinus euen as mute Or pleasant as my causes did require And when I knew he could no way retire I prai'd he would his fauour so extend As I might not be blamed in the end For if quoth I you take me as your owne And eke my loue to you hath constant beene Then let your loue likewise againe be showne And wed me as you may your spoused Queene If since in me misliking you haue seene Then best depart betime before defame Begin to take from Elstride her good name No wauering heart said he Locrinus beares No fained flatterie shall thy faith deface Thy beautie birth fame vertue age and yeares Constraineth me mine Elstride to imbrace I must of force giue thy requests a place For as they do with reason good consent Euen so I grant thee all thy whole intent Then was the time appointed and the day In which I should be wedded to this King But in this case his Counsell causde a stay And sought out meanes at discord vs to bring Eke Corinaeus claim'd a former thing A precontract was made and full accord Between his daughter and my soueraigne Lord. And yet the King did giue me comfort still He said he could not so forsake my loue He euermore would beare me all good will As both my beautie and deserts did moue Yet faithlesse in his promise he did proue His Counsell at the last did him constraine To marrie her vnto my grieuous paine At which I could not but with hate repine It vexed me his mate that should haue beene To liue in hate a Prince his concubine That euer had such hope to be his Queene The steps of state are full of woe and teene For when we thinke we haue obtain'd the throne Then straight our pompe and pride is quite orethrowne Lo twice I fell from hope of Princely crowne First when vnhappie Humber lost his life And next I laid my peacocks pride adowne When I could not be King Locrinus wife But oft they say the third doth end the strife Which I haue prou'd therefore the sequell view * The third paies home this prouerbe is too true The King could not refraine his former minde But vsde me still and I my doubtfull yeares Did linger on I knew no shift to finde But past the time full oft with mourning teares * A concubine is neuer void of feares For if the wife her at aduantage take In rage reuenge with death she seekes to make Likewise I wist if once I sought to flie Or to intreat the King depart I might Then would he straight be discontent with me Yea if I were pursued vpon the flight Or came deflour'd into my fathers sight I should be taken kept perforce or slaine Or in my countrey liue in great disdaine In such a plight what might a Ladie doe Was euer Princesse poore in such a case O wretched wight bewrapt in webs of woe That still in dread wast tost from place to place And neuer foundest meane to end thy race But still in doubt of death in carking care Didst liue a life deuoid of all welfare The King perceiuing well my chaunged cheare To ease my heart with all deuis'd deceates By secret wayes I came deuoyde of feare In vaults by cunning Masons craftie feates Whereas we safely from the Queene her threats So that the King and I so vsde our art As after turn'd vs both to paine and smart By him I had my Sabrine small my childe And after that his wife her father lost I meane he died and she was strayght exilde And I made Queene vnto my care and cost For she went downe to Cornwall strayght in post Anc caused all her fathers men to rise With all the force and strength they might deuise My King and hers with me gainst her prepar'd An army strong but when they came to fight Dame Guendoline did wax at length too hard And of our King vs both deposed quight For from her campe an arrow sharp did light Vpon his brest and made him leaue his breath Lo thus the King came by vntimely death Then I too late began in vaine to flye And taken was presented to the Queene Who me beheld with cruell Tigers eie O queane quoth she that cause of warres hast beene And deadly hate the like was neuer seene Come on for these my hands shall ridde thy life And
and creepe and bow Our hearts our heads we sauage were but now Yet by and by such was the good successe In fiery flames the truth we did professe Then flitting Fame the truth to testifie Against my wil at Rome made such report That Constatinus thence did hither hie And being come vnto my Britaine Court With louers lookes he striu'd to scale the Fort Of my good will but when it would not bee He sighing thus addrest his talke to me O Queene quoth he thy deeds deserue great fame The goodly gifts that God hath giu'n to thee Be such as I cannot thee greatly blame Though thou without desert disdainest me Who for thy sake doth lothe all crueltie But for thy loue with Mars his cruell knife I could command thy Realme and reaue thy life But out alas whil'st breath doth lend me life My heart shall hate to thrall thy happie state What though thou dost refuse to be my wife Thy hatred tho shall neuer cause me hate But whil'st I liue I will thee loue let Fate And Fortune fell powre on me all their spight To die for thee shall greatly me delight Then I repli'd O Duke without desert Thou dost me loue a little Ilands Queene I know thou to the Emperour heire art Thy valiant acts I diuers waies haue seene I like thy deeds most noble which haue been And thee I loue yet priuate pleasures lust May neuer make me throw my Realme to dust If thou quoth he wilt daine my Queene to be Thy Britaines shall to Rome no tribute yeeld You if you please to Rome may go with me Your mightie mate the world so wide may wield Or if you please I heere with you will bilde My biding place and in this little land I will remaine yours heere at your command His comely grace his friendly promise plight His famous actes his Noble royall race Some other things which heere I could recite The Romans heart within my brest did place And when my wit had weighed well the case Then for the chiefe of all my Realme I sent And thus I spake to know the whole intent My louing Lords and you my subiects see This Roman heire whom I indeed do loue He will restore your ancient libertie If I will bend my hest to his behoue Which benefits they chiefely do me moue To loue at last a man by whom you may Receiue a Shield to keepe you from decay Perhaps you thinke I loue because I see His comely shape and seemely sanguine face You be deceiu'd no outward brauery No personage no gallant courtly grace What though he be by birth of royall race I recke it not but this I do regard My Commonweale by him may be preseru'd For if he will from tribute set you free And end the worke which I haue well begonne That Christs Gospell preached still may bee God may by him send vnto me a sonne To you a King what wealth then haue you wonne What great renowne what honor will insue Speake you your minds these things me thinke be true O Queene quoth they the Lord preserue thy grace Do thou the thing that seemes to thee the best We do allow the match in euery case If by that meanes we may haue quiet rest With what great good shal this our Realme be blest Do thou therefore O noble Queene we pray The thing which best may keepe vs from decay The Roman Duke he nothing would deny But granted more then I could aske or craue So that there was proclaimed by and by A famous feast a banquet passing braue There to the Duke the Britaine crowne I gaue With sacred spousall rights as man and wife We wedded liu'd in loue for terme of life And whil'st we ment to rule this little I le A greater good vnlooked for befell Death did destroy his Sire with hateful hand For which we both at Rome must now go dwell And so we did things prospered passing well My Feere was made the Emperour Lord and king Of all and I the Queene of euery thing His mightie Mace did rule the Monarchie My wit did rule some writers say his Mace And to increase with ioy our merrie glie I brought him forth a babe of Royall race The boy he had an amiable face O Rome thou maist reioyce for this was he Which did at Rome erect Diuinitie Whil'st thus in blisse I did at Rome remaine A Britaine still my mind her care did cast For which I caus'd my husband to ordaine That euermore those ancient Lawes should last Which heretofore amongst them there I past And that to Rome no Britaine borne for aye Should taxe or toll or tenth or tribute pay Though there at Rome an Empresse life I led And had at hand what I could wish or craue Yet still me thought I was not wel bestead Because I was so farre from Britaine braue Which when my louing Lord did once perceiue He set a stay in all the Emperie To Britaine then he did returne with me We raign'd of yeeres thrice seuen with good successe Then Dolor and Debilitie did driue My louing Lord with fainting feeblenesse For vitall life with braying breath to striue He felt how death of life would him depriue He cal'd his Lords his child and me his wife And thus he spake euen as he left his life The haughtie Pines of loftie Libanus From earth to earth in tract of time returne So I whose spreading praise were maruellous Must now returne my flesh to filthie slime On Fortunes wheele I may no longer clime Therefore my Lords although my glasse be runne Yet take remorse on Constantine my sonne My Monarch Court my Kingdomes all O stately Rome farewell to them and thee Farewell my Lords which see my finall fall Farewell my child my wife more deare to mee Then all the world we must depart I see And must we needs depart O Fortune fie We must depart adue farewell I die Wherewith he sigh'd and senselesse did remaine Then I his death as women do did waile But when I view'd that weeping was but vaine I was content to beare that bitter bale As one who found no meanes for her auaile His corps at Yorke in Princely Tombe I laid When funerall sacred solemne rites were paid And when report his death about had blowne Maxentius then the triple crowne to weare Did challenge all the Empire as his owne And for a time that mightie Mace did beare Which when my sonne my Constantine did heare The youthfull Lad indeuour'd by and by To claime his right by Mars his crueltie I then his tender youthfull yeares to guide Went with my sonne to see his good successe He being Campt by fruitfull Tybers side To spoile his foe he did himselfe addresse He knew that God did giue all happinesse Therefore to God euen then the youth did pray With mightie hand to keepe him from decay Behold how God doth godly men defend And marke how he doth beate Vsurpers downe Maxentius now
BEING A TRVE CHRONICLE HISTORIE OF THE VNTIMEly death of such vnfortunate Princes and men of Note as haue happened since the first entrance of BRVTE into this Iland vntill this our latter Age WHEREVNTO IS ADDED THE FAMOVS LIFE AND DEATH OF QVEENE ELIZABETH with a declaration of all the Warres Battles and Sea-fights wherein at large is described the Battell of 88. with the particular seruice of all such Ships and men of note in that action Contre fortune nulne peut AT LONDON Imprinted by F. K. for William Aspley and are to besold at his shop in Pauls Churchyard at the Signe of the Parrot 1619. Loue and liue TO THE NOBILITIE AND ALL OTHER IN OFFICE GOD GRANT ENcrease of wisdome with all things necessarie for preseruation of their estates Amen AMongst the wise right Honorable whose sentences for the most part tend either to teach the attaining of vertue or eschewing of vice Plotinus that wonderful and excellent Philosopher hath these words The property of Temperance is to couet nothing which may be repented not to exceed the bands of measure and to keepe Desire vnder the yoke of Reason Which saying if it were so well knowne as it is needfull so well embraced as is wished or so surely fixed in mind as it is printed in his works then certes many Christians might by the instruction of an Ethnicke Philosopher shun great and dangerous perils For to couet without consideration to passe the measure of his degree and to let will run at randon is the only destruction of all estates Else how were it possible so many learned politicke wise renowned valiant and victorious personages might euer haue come to such vtter decay For example we haue Alexander the Great Caesar Pompey Cyrus Hannibal c. All which by desire of glorie felt the reward of their immoderate and insatiable lusts for if Alexander had bin content with Macedonie or not been puft vp with pride after his triumphes he had neuer been so miserablie poisoned If Caesar and Pompey had been satisfied with their victories and had not fell to ciuill dissension the one had not been slaine in the Senate with daggers nor the other abroad by their friends procurement If Cyrus had bin pleased with all Persia Media and not thirsted for blood he had neuer come to so infortunate a fal So if Hannibal had not so much delighted in glory of warfare his coūtry had neither fel in ruine nor he bin miserably forced to poyson himselfe But you will say desire of fame glorie renowne and immortalitie to which all men well nigh by nature are inclined especially those which excell or haue any singular gift of fortune or the bodie moued them to such dangerous great and hardy enterprises which must needs be confessed as an infallible veritie and therefore I surely deeme those Princes aboue specified considering their fortunes fame and exploits had neuer come to such end but for want of temperance And now sith there are three other Cardinal vertues which are requisit in him that should be in authoritie that is to say Prudence Iustice and Fortitude which so wonderfully adorne and beautifie all estates If Temperance be with them adioyned that they moue the very enemies with admiration to praise them some peraduenture as affection leads will commend one some another as Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers names Prudence the mother of vertues but Cicero defines her the knowledge of things which ought to be desired and followed and also of them which ought to be fled and eschewed yet you shall finde that for want of Temperance some which were counted very wise fell into wonderfull reproch and infamie But Iustice that incomparable vertue as the ancient Ciuilians define her is a perpetual and constant wil which giueth to euery man his right yet if shee be not constant which is the gift of Fortitude nor equal in discerning right from wrong wherein is Prudence nor vse proportion in iudgement and sentence which pertaineth to Temperance she can neuer be called equitie or iustice but fraud deceit iniustice and iniurie And to speak of Fortitude which Cicero defineth a considerate vndertaking of perils and enduring of labours if he whom we suppose stout valiant and of good courage want Prudence Iustice or Temperance he is not counted wise righteous and constant but sottish rude and desperate For Temperance saith Cicero is of reason in lust and other euill assaults of the mind a sure and moderate dominion and rule This noble vertue is diuided into three parts that is Continencie Clemencie and Modesty which well obserued and kept if grace be to them adioyned it is impossible for him that is endued with the aboue named vertues euer to fall into the infortunate snares of calamitie or misfortune But Ambition which is immoderate desire of honor rule dominion and superiority the very destruction of nobilitie and common weales as among the Romans Sylla Marius Carbo Cinna Catiline Pompey and Caesar are witnesses hath brought great decay to our countrey and countrey-men But I haue heere Right Honorable in this booke only reproued folly in those which are heedlesse Iniury in extortioners rashnesse in venterers treacherie in traytours riot in rebels and excesse in such as suppresse not vnruly affections Now I trust you will so thinke of it although the stile deserue not like commendation as you thought of the other part Which if you shall I doubt not but it may pleasure some if not yet giue occasion to others which can do better either to amend these or to publish their owne And thus wishing your Prudence to discerne what is meet for your callings Iustice in the administration of your functions Fortitude in the defence of your Countrey and Temperance in moderation of all your affections with encrease of honors and euerlasting felicity I bid you in Christ Iesus farewell At Winceham the 7. day of December 1586. Your most humble in the Lord IOHN HIGINS TO THE READER TO acquaint you in briefe with what is done in this impression know that the verse is in proportion by measure and in symphonie or rithmos in diuers places amended the storie in some places false and corrupted made historically true the tragedies wrongly inserted disposed in their proper places according to iust computation of time those neuer before collected in one volume published in this impression for the forme and frame of the whole historie I did intend to haue reduced it into the same order which I haue obserued in my Additions but preuented by other occasions I haue thus digested it The tragedies from the time of Brute to the Conquest I haue left with dependencie vpon that Induction written by M. Higins Those from the Conquest to this our last age that is to the fall of the Lord Cromwell excellently well penned by M. Drayton hath reference to that golden Preface called M. Sackuils Induction After these I haue placed my
take reuengement of our mortall strife I longed long to bring thee to this day And thou likewise hast sought to suck my bloud Now art thou taken in my spoiles a pray For thee my life full long in daunger stood I will both teach thy selfe and others good To breake the bands of faithfull wedlocke plight And giue thee that which thou deseruest right O harlot whore why should I stay my hands O paynted picture shall thy lookes thee saue Nay bind her fast both hand and foote in bands And let her some straunge kinde of torments haue What strumpet think'st for that thou seemest braue Or for thy teares or sighes to scape my sight My selfe will rather vanquish thee by fight Thou rather should'st my vitall breath depriue Then euer scape if none were here but wee But now I will not file my hands to striue Or else to touch so vile a drab as she Come on at once and bring her after me With hand and feete as I commaunded bound And let mee see her here as Humber drown'd A thousand things beside she spake in rage While that a caitiffe did with cords me binde No teares nor sobs nor sighes might ought asswage The ielous Queene or mollifie her minde Occasions still her franticke head did finde And when she spake her eies did seeme as fire Shee lookt as pale as chalke with wrathfull ire Ne stood she still but fearcely me defide Raung'd vp and downe and oft her palmes shee strooke Locrinus now quoth she had not thus dide If such an harlot whore he had not tooke And therewithall shee gaue a Tigers looke That made me quake what lettes quoth she my knife To ridde this whore my husbands second wife H 'is dead I liue and shall I saue her life O Queene quoth I if pitie none remayne But I be slaine or drown'd as Humber was Then take thy pleasure by my pinching payne And let me hence as thou appointest passe But take some pitie on my childe alas Thou know'st the infant made no fault but hee That 's dead and I therefore reuenge on mee No bastards here shall liue to dispossesse My sonne she sayd but sith thou soughtest same I will prouide for her a kingdome lesse Which shall hereafter euer haue her name Thou know'st whereof the name of Humber came Euen so Sabrina shall this streame bee cal'd Sith Sabrine me as Humber Locrine thral'd With that my childe was Sabrine brought in sight Who when she saw mee there in bandes to lie Alas she cri'd what meanes this piteous plight And downe shee fell before the Queene with cry O Queene quoth shee let me more rather die Than she that 's guiltlesse should for why thy king Did as his captiue her to leaudnes bring Which when I saw the kindnes of the childe It burst my heart much more then doome of death Poore little lambe with countenance how milde See pleaded still and I for want of breath With woefull teares that lay her feete beneath Could not put foorth a word our liues to saue Or if therefore I might a kingdome haue Her piteous plaints did somwhat death withdraw For as shee long beheld the Queene with teares Quoth shee let me haue rigour void of law In whome the signe of all thy wrath appeares And let me die my fathers face that beares Sith he is dead and we are voide of stay Why should I thee for life or mercy pray My mother may to Germany returne Where shee was borne and if it please thy grace And I may well lie in my fathers tombe If thou wilt grant his childe so good a place But if thou think my bloud is farre too bace Although I came by both of princely line Then let me haue what shroud thou wilt assigne With that the Queene replied with milder cheere And sayd the childe was wonderous feate and wittie But yet shee would not her reuenge forbeare For why quoth shee the prouerbe sayes * that pittie Hath lewdly lost full many a noble Cittie Here Elstride now I le wreke my greefes on thee To die take leaue but talke no more to mee On this my leaue I tooke and thus I sayd Farewell my countrey Germany farewell Adew the place from whence I was conueyd Farewell my father and friends there dwell My Humber drown'd as I shall be farewell Adew Locrinus dead for thee I die Would God my corps might by thy coffine lie Adew my pleasures past farewell adew Adew the cares and sorrowes I haue had Farewell my friends that earst for me did sue Adew that were to saue my life full glad Farewell my fauning friends I lately had And thou my beauty cause of death farewell As oft as heart can thinke or tongue can tell Adew you heauens my mortall eyes shall see No more your lights and planets all farewell And chiefly Venus faire that paintedst me When Mercury his tale to me did tell Eke afterwards when Mars with vs did dwell And now at last thou cruell Mars adew Whose dart my life and loue Locrinus slew And must I needes depart from thee my childe If needs I must ten thousand times farewell Poore little lambe thy friends are quite exilde And much I feare thou shalt not long doe well But if they so with boyling rancour swell As thee to slea which neuer wroughtest ill How can they stay my stayned corps to kill With that my Sabrines slender armes imbrast Me round and would not let me so depart Let me quoth she for her the waters tast Or let vs both together end our smart Yea rather rip you forth my tender heart What should I liue But they the child withdrew And me into the raging streame they threw So in the waters as I striu'd to swimme And kept my head aboue the waues for breath Me thought I saw my child would venter in Which cri'd amaine O let me take like death The waters straight had drawne me vnderneath Where diuing vp at length againe rose I And saw my child and cri'd farewell I die Then as my strength was wasted downe I went Eke so I plunged twice or thrice yet more My breath departed needs I must relent The waters pierst my mouth and eares so sore And to the bottome with such force me bore That life and breath and mind and sense was gone And I as dead and cold as marble stone Lo thus you heare the race of all my life And how I past the pikes of painfull woe How twice I thought to be a Princes wife And twice was quite depriu'd my honor fro The third time Queene and felt foule ouerthro Let Princely Ladies view mine historie Mine haps and woes and hatefull destinie Bid them beware lest beautie them abuse Beware of pride for haue a fall it must And bid them Fortunes flatterie refuse Her turned wheele is void of steadie trust Who reckes no meane but leaueth all to lust Shall find my words as true as I them tell Bid them beware
in time I wish them well HOW THE LADIE SAbrine daughter of King Locrinus and Elstride was drowned by Queene Guendoline the yeare before Christ 1064. BEhold me Sabrine orphane erst bereft Of all my friends by cruell case of warre When as not one to treate for me was left But ielousie did all their powers debarre When as my father eke was slaine in warre And when my mother euen before my sight Was drown'd to death O wretch in wofull plight Trust who so will the staffe of high estate And bring me word what stay thereby you haue For why if Fortune once displeasure take She giues the foile though lookes be neu'r so braue * T is wisdome when you winne to winne to saue For oft who trusts to get a Prince his traine Would at the length of beggers life be faine This might the Hunne erst Humber well haue said And this my mother Elstride prou'd too true When as his life by striuing streames was staid And when the tyrants her in waters threw What I may say my selfe reports to you Which had more terror shew'd then twice such twaine Giue eare and iudge if I abode no paine First when my fathers corps was stricken downe With deadly shaft I came to mourne and see And as he lay with bleeding brest in sowne He cast aside his watring eyes on me Flie flie quoth he thy stepdame seekes for thee My wofull child what flight maist thou to take My Sabrine poore I must thee needs forsake See heere mine end behold thy fathers fall Flie hence thy stepdame seekes thy staylesse life Thy mother eke ere this is wrapt in thrall You cannot scape of iealous griefe her knife Farewell my child mine Elstride and my wife Adue quoth he I may no longer bide And euen with that he gasped breath and dide What bird can flie and soare if stormes do rage What ship can saile if once the winds resist What wight is that can force of warres asswage Or else what warre can bridle fortunes list What man is he that dare an hoast resist What woman only dare withstand a field If not what child but must to enemies yeeld My fathers souldiers fled away for feare As soone as once their Captaines death they scand The Queene proclaim'd a pardon euery where To those would yeeld and craue it at her hand Excepting such as did her aye withstand For so the course alwaies of pardons goes As saues the souldier and entraps the foes Then wist I flight could nothing me preuaile I fear'd her pardon would not saue my life The storme was such I durst not beare a faile I durst not go t' intreate my fathers wife Although I neuer was the cause of strife For iealosie deuoid of reasons raigne With frenzies fume enragde her restlesse braine But see the chance thus compast round with feare In broiles of blood as in the field I stand I wisht to God my corps were any where As out of life or off this hatefull land No sooner wisht but there was euen at hand A souldier vile in haste quoth he come on Queene Elstride will before thou â—â—me begon The rascall rude the rogue the clubfist grept My slender arme and plucktme on in hast And with my robes the bloodie ground he swept As I drue backe he hal'd me on full fast Vnder his arme my carefull corps he cast Sith that quoth he thou put'st me to this paine Thou shalt thereby at length but little gaine So at the length we came where we descri'd A number huge of folkes about the Queene As when you see some wonder great betide Or else the place where some strange sight hath beene So might you there the people standing seene And gazed all when as they see me brought Then sure I deem'd I was not come for nought And in the prease some praisde my comely face In beautie Elstride which resembled right Some said I looked like my fathers grace But others said it was a piteous sight I should so die the Queene me pardon might They said the beast me bore did me abuse Which not so rudely ought a Princesse vse But what did this redresse my wofull care You wot the Commons vse such prouerbs still And yet the captiues poore no better are It rather helpes their pained hearts to kill * To pitie one in griefe doth worke him ill Bemone his woe and cannot ease his thrall It kils his heart but comforts none at all Thus past we through the prease at length we came Into the presence of the iealous Queene Who nought at all the rascall rude did blame That bare me so but askt if I had seene My father slaine that cause thereof had beene O Queene quoth I God knowes my whole intent Of slaughter guiltlesse I am innocent With that I saw the people looke aside To view a mourning voice I heard thereby It was my wofull mother by that cri'd Lo Sabrine bound at brinke of death I lie What pen or tongue or teares with weeping eie Could tell my woes that saw my mother bound On waters shoare wherein she should be drown'd With that I fell before the Queene and pray'd For mercie but with fierie eyes she bent Her browes on me out bastard vile she said Thou wot'st not yet wherefore for thee I sent O Queene quoth I haue pitie be content And if thou mind of mercie ought to show Drowne me and let my mother harmelesse go For why she was a Prince his daughter borne In Germany and thence was brought away Perforce by Humber who by warres forlorne Thy King as captiue tooke her for his pray Thou maist full well her case with reason way What could she do what more then she or I Thy captiues now thine owne to liue or die Take pitie then on Princely race O Queene Haue pitie if remorce may ought require Take pitie on a captiue thrice hath beene Let pitie pierce the rage of all thine ire But if thy breast burne with reuenging fire Then let my death quench out that fuming flame Sith of thy husbands blood and hers I came Much more I said while teares out streaming went But nought of ease at all thereby I gain'd My mother eke did as she lay lament Wherewith my heart a thousand fold she pain'd And though the Queene my plaints to fauour fain'd Yet at the last she bad she should prepare Her selfe to die and end her course of care Then all her friends my mother Elstride nam'd And pleasures past and bade them all adue Eke as she thus her last farewell had fram'd With losse of him from whom her sorowes grue At length to me which made my heart to rue She said farewell my child I feare thy fall Ten thousand times adue my Sabrine small And as the cruell caytiffes came to take Her vp to cast and drowne her in the floud I fast mine armes about her clipt did make And cri'd O Queene let mercie meeke thy mood Do rather reaue my
one Prince preserued you Behold the same him loyall loue to him be iust and true For euen as Ioue aboue amongst the gods doth rule alone So he in earth the Empire all allottes and giues to one Thus hauing said aloud with irefull mood And bloodie countnance cast about the place Th' assemblie pale and trembling fearefull stood And I return'd to 'th Palace thence a space My brothers house and fame I did deface His friends his seruants all yong old and new And th' infants eke without respect I slew The Wrastlers and the Waggeners likewise Musitians players which did please his mind Of th' order of the Senators full wise In whom was noble blood or wealth to find Not one of Getaes friends I left behind Also my wife whom I exil'd away To Sicile I le I caused them to slay Lucilla eke that ancient noble Dame To Marcus wise the daughter sage and graue Of Commodus that sister great of fame Which honor much in Rome deseru'd to haue I say she did my deeds therein depraue Because to Getaes mother she wept sore For Getaes death I causde her die therefore Her sonne likewise I caused should be slaine And of th' Imperiall blood to make all sure I left not one aliue that might remaine Or vnto whom they might my place procure By night likewise I put like acts in vre For day and night I ceased not to slay Of Getaes friends to roote the rest away I Vestall virgins buried eke aliue And made the souldiers multitudes to kill Because I deem'd they were in words too bliue Against my coach wherein I trauell'd still The souldiers slew the men that thought no ill Or made them buy their liues with all they had Which were to scape with life alone full glad This done for feare from Rome with speede I gate The towne like life at home misliked me For why the City did my murders hate Where souldiers held their slaughters franke and free And were enricht by spoile of each degree I gate therefore with all my Martiall crew From Itayle land Danubian shores to view Where vnto hunting I applide my selfe To ride abroad in couch and giue them lawes In few dispacht their pleas about but pelfe Not giuen to heare long pleading plaints for strawes I counted such but cau'lling caitiue dawes As spent their substance time and goods in suite About such things as could not yeeld them fruit I clad my selfe much like the Germans then So trimde my haire chose them my guard to serue So framde my selfe to please these ruder men As might them cause of me full well deserue From labour none with them I seem'd to swerue To digge lift beare to grinde mould knead or bake In painfull sort and simple fare to take The Germans much reioyc'd my kind of life My sufferance great in during labours long The name of mate with vs was holden rife I seem'd a fellow souldier them among Of stature small yet was I wondrous strong So that few men which in mine armies were Could with like strength such weightie burthens beare When at Danubius I had placed strength To Thracia thence with speed apace I went There Monuments againe I made at length To Alexanders fame to Rome I sent Likewise of statues for the same intent In Capitole and Temples them to place For honour great of Alexanders grace I made me garments eke of Thracian guise And Captaines me to Alexander call To Pergame thence in Asia great that lies I gate Achilles tombe with honours all With eie to view as stories witnesse shall Whence order set to Antioch I farde Where my receit with honour was preparde To Alexandria then I fared fast For they had scoft full oft before at mee My mother they had named Queene Iocaste Achilles great and Alexander mee They smilde my folly great herein to see Which though I were a dwarfe of stature small Durst take the name of Captaines great and tall Ne Getaes murder spared oft to spread As is their nature giuen to taunt and iest Wherefore as though Religion had me lead I offred sacrifice with solemne feast At Alexanders tombe where most and least Of all the youth were present to behold The offerings great I brought and gifts of gold This done I wil'd the youth should all prepare To shew themselues in field for I would chuse A band by Alexanders name to fare As erst in Thrace and Sparta I did vse They came reioicing all to heare the newes Where I with souldiers come to take the view Them compast in and all the people slew The valley all did swimme with streames of bloud So great that time a slaughter was there made It stainde the mightie mouthes of Nilus floud And on the shores you might bloud wetshod wade My piners eke were prest with showle and spade Tinterre the dead a monstrous trench that fill And on them dead they reard a mightie hill But then desiring glorie more to get By Parthian name which erst my father had I sent to Artabane without of let Ambassage great with gifts his minde to glad And for his daughter them perswade I bad Desiring him to giue her me to wife The cause of lasting loue and end of strife By this both ioind in one we might for ay Of all the world the Diademe possesse And might to each in all attempts be stay In fight our foes by firmer force suppresse When they my message thus did there expresse At first he feard deceit againe I sent Wherewith he was at last full well content By gifts I wrought and plight my faith withall For truth to him and for his daughters loue And he began me sonne in lawe to call Which new report did all the Parthians moue Vs to receiue our friendships firme t' approue Reioycing now such league at last to see Whereby they might from Romane warres be free And so I entred Parthia as mine owne The Parthians me receiued with triumphs great When mine approch to Artabane was knowne In plaine before the City of his seat He came to meete mee with a number great Ware garlands gay in golden vestures clad With all the ioy and triumphs might be had So when great multitudes assembled were Their horses left behind and bowes laid downe Amongst their cups deuoide of force the feare By numbers great the chiefe of all the towne Which came to see the bridemans high renowne Disorderly vnarm'd as so they stand I gaue my souldiers signe to vse their hand And downe by sword they fell they could not flie The King scarse scap'd conueid by horse away Their solemne garments long their flight did tie A slaughter great of Parthians was that day We sackte their Townes and noble men did slay From thence I past t'Azamia after this To hunt and gaue my selfe to bathe in blisse Thus hauing runne my recklesse race vnkinde And doubting both of treason and my thrall I sought by curious arts of sprites to finde Who should
are neare to cause that doth them shoue So soonest fall from that their highest extreame To th' other contrarie that doth want of meane So laughed he erst who laughed out his breath So laughed I when I laugh'd my selfe to death The pleasing'st meanes bode not the luckiest ends Not aye found treasure to like pleasure tends Mirth meanes not mirth all time thrice happie hire Of wit to shun the excesse that all desire But this I passe I hie to other like My palfrey in the plainest paued streete Thrice bowed his bones thrice kneeled on the flower Thrice shun'd as Balams asse the dreaded Tower What should thinke he had sense of after haps As beasts foreshow the drought or rainie drops As humours in them want or else abound By influence from the heauens or change of ground Or do we interpret by successe each signe And as we fancie of each hap diuine And make that cause that kin is to th' effect Not hauing ought of conse quence respect Bucephalus kneeling only to his Lord Shewed only he was Monarch of the world Why may not then the steed foreshew by fall What casuall hap the sitter happen shall Darius horse by braying brought a Realme And what letteth why he ne is as the asse Gods meane By speaking signe to shew his hap to come Who is dease hearer of his speaking dome But forward yet In Tower-street I stai'd Where could I haue seene loe Haward all bewrai'd For as I commond with a Priest I met Away my Lord quoth he your time is ne yet To take a Priest Lo Sinon might be seene Had not the Troians hares foolish forthright eyen But since the time was come that I should die Some grace it was to die with wimpled eye Nay was this all For euen at Tower-wharfe Neere to those walles within the which I starfe Where erst in sorow soust and deepe distresse I emparted all my pining pensiuenesse With Hastings so my Purseuant men call Euen there the same to meete it did me fall Who gan to me most dolefully renue The wofull conference had erst in that lieu Hastings quoth I according now they fare At Pomfret this day dying who caus'd that care My selfe haue all the world at my will With pleasures cloyed engorged with the fill God grant it so quoth he why doubtest thou tho Quoth I and all in chafe to him gan shew In ample wise our drift with tedious tale And entred so the Tower to my bale What should we thinke of srignes They are but haps How may they then be signes of afterclaps Doth euery chance foreshew or cause some other Or ending at it selfe extend'th no further As th' ouer flowing floud some mount doth choake But to his aide some other floud it yoake So if with signes thy sinnes once ioyne beware Else whereto chances tend do neuer care Had not my sinne deserued my death as wreake What might my mirth haue hurt or horses becke Or Hawards bitter scoffe or Hastings talke What meane then foole Astrologers to calke That twinckling starres fling downe the fixed fate And all is guided by the starrie state Perdy a certaine charge assign'd they haue To shine and times diuide not fate to graue But grant they somewhat giue it at one instant Of euery babe the birth in heauen so scand That they that restlesse roll and neuer stay Should in his life beare yet so violent sway That not his actions only next to birth But all his life and death he swayed therewith How may one motion make so sundrie affects Or one impression tend to such respects Some rule there is yet Else why were defer'd Till now these plagues so long ere now deseru'd If for they are trifles they ne seeme of care But toyes with God the stately scepters are Yet in them too plaine doth appeare foreset The certaine rule and fatall limits set Yet thinke we not this sure foresetting fate But Gods fast prouidence for each princely state And hath he erst restrain'd his prouidence Or is he nigard of his free dispence Or is he vncertaine foreset drifts to driue That not dame Chance but he all goods may giue A heathen god they hold whom Fortune keepe To deale them haps while god they weene asleepe Mocke-gods they are and many gods induce Who fortune faine to father their abuse How so it be it might haue warned me But what I could not that in me see ye Who run in race the honor like to win Whose fairest forme nought may deforme but sin Alas when most I did defie all dread By single haire deaths sword hung ouer my head For hearke the end and listen now my fall This is the last and this the fruit of all To Counsell chamber come a while we staid For him without whom nought was done or said At last he came and courteously excused That he so long our patience had abused And pleasantly began to paint his cheere And said My Lord of Elie would we had heere Some of the strawberries whereof you haue store The last delighted me so as nothing more Would what so you wish I might as well command My Lord quoth he as those And out of hand His seruant sendeth to Ely place for them Out goeth from vs the restlesse diuell againe Belike I thinke scarce yet perswaded full To worke the mischiefe that did mad his scull At last determin'd of his bloodie thought And force ordain'd to worke the wile he sought Frowning he enters with so changed cheare As for milde May had chopped foule Ianuere And lowring on me with the goggle eye The whetted tuske and fur'wed forehead hie His crooked shoulder bristlelike set vp With frothie iawes whose fome he chaw'd and sup'd With angrie lookes that flamed as the fire Thus gan at last to grunt the grimmest fire What merit they whom me the kingdomes stay Contriued haue counsell trayterously to slay Abashed all sate I thought I might be bold For conscience clearenesse and acquaintance old Their hire is plaine quoth I Be death the least To whoso seeketh your grace so to molest Withouten stay the Queene and the whore Shores wife By witchcraft quoth he seeke to waste my life Lo heere the withered and be witched arme That thus is spent by those two Sorceresse charme And bared his arme and shewed his swinish skin Such cloakes they vse that seeke to cloud their sin But out alas it serueth not for the raine To all the house the colour was too plaine Nature had giuen him many a maimed marke And it amongst to note her monstruous warke My doubtfull heart distracted this replie For th' one I cared not th' other nipt so nie That whist I could not but forthwith brake forth If so it be of death they are doubtlesse worth If traytour quoth he plai'st thou with ifs and ands I le on thy bodie auow it with these hands And there withall he mightly bounced the bord In rush'd his bil-men one himselfe bestird Laying
loose thy breath that yet but yongly bloweth Happie thrice happie who so loos'th his breath That life he gaineth by his godly death As Hastings heere Whom time and truth agree To engraue by fame in strong eternitie Who spareth not speaking with danger of his blood Yet loe this noble Lord did thinke it good To cleare the innocent not to spare to speake Although his shoulders with his blood should reake Worthie to liue who liu'd not for himselfe But prised his same more then this worldly pelfe Whose name and line if any yet preserue We wish they liue like honor to destrue Whether thou seeke by martiall prowese praise Or Pallas policie high thy name to raise Or trustie seruice honor to attaine Hastings foreled tracke heere his bloodie traine FINIS Master D. THE COMPLAINT OF HENRIE DVKE of Buckingham WHo trusts too much to honors highest throne And warily watch not slie dame Fortunes snares Or who in Court will beare the swing alone And wisely weigh not how to weild the care Behold he me and by my death beware Whom flattering Fortune falsely so beguilde That loe she slew where erst full smooth shee smilde And Sackuill sith in purpose now thou hast The wofull fall of Princes to descriue Whom Fortune both vplift and eke downe cast To shew thereby th' vnsuretie in this life Marke well my fall which I shall shew beliue And paint it forth that all estates may know Haue they the warning and be mine the woe For noble blood made me both Prince and Peere Yea peerelesse too had reason purchast place And God with gifts endow'd me largely heere But what auailes his gifts where failes his grace My mothers sire sprung of a kingly race And call'd was Edmund Duke of Sommerset Bereft of life ere time by nature set Whose faithfull heart to Henrie sixt so wrought That he him nere in weale or woe forsooke Till lastly he at Tewkesbury field was cought Where with an axe his violent death he tooke He neuer could King Edwards partie brooke Till by his death he voucht that quarrell good In which his Sire and Grand-sire spilt their blood And such was erst my fathers cruell chance Of Stafford Earle by name that Humfrey hight Who euer prest did Henries part aduance And neuer ceast till at Saint Albones fight He lost his life as then did many a Knight Where eke my Grandsire Duke of Buckingham Was wounded sore and hardly scapt vntane But what may boote to stay the Sisters three When Atropos perforce will cut the thred The dolefull day was come when you might see Northampton field with armed men orespred VVhere fate would algates haue my Grandsire dead So rushing forth amids the fiercest fight He liu'd and di'd there in his Masters right In place of whom as it befell my lot Like on a stage so stept I in straightway Enioying there but wofully God wot As he that had a slender part to play To teach thereby in earth no state may stay But as our parts abridge or length our age So passe we all while others fill the stage For of my selfe the dreerie fate to plaine I was sometime a Prince withouten peere VVhen Edward fift began his rufull raigne Ay me then I began that hatefull yeare To compasse that which I haue bought so deare I bare the swinge I and that wretched wight The Duke of Glocester that Richard hight For when the fates had reft that Roiall Prince Edward the fourth chiefe mirrour of that name The Duke and I fast ioined euer since In faithfull loue our secret dristes to frame VVhat he thought best to me so seem'd the same My selfe not bent so much for to aspire As to fulfill that greedy Dukes desire Whose restlesse minde sore thirsting after rule When that he saw his nephewes both to bin Through tender yeares as yet vnfit to rule And rather ruled by their Mothers kin There sought he first his mischiefe to begin To pluck from them their Mothers friends assinde For well he wist they would wistand his minde To follow which he ran so headlong swift With eagre thirst of his desired draught To seeke their deaths that sought to dash his drift Of whom the chiefe the Queenes allies he thought That bent thereto with mounts of mischiefe fraught He knew their liues would be so sore his let That in their deaths his onely help he set And I most cursed caitiffe that I was Seeing the state vnstedfast how it stood His chiefe complice to bring the same to passe Vnhappie wretch consented to their blood Yee Kings and Peeres that swim in worldly good In seeking bloud the end aduert you plaine And see if bloud ay aske not bloud againe Consider Cyrus in your cruell thought A matchlesse Prince in riches and in might And weigh in minde the bloudy deedes he wrought In sheading which he set his whole delight But see the guerdon lotted to this wight He whose huge power no man might ouerthrow Tamiris Queene with great despite hath slow His head dismembred from his mangled corps Her selfe she cast into a vessell fraught VVith clottered bloud of them that felt her force And with these words a iustreward she taught Drinke now thy fill of thy desired draught Loe marke the fine that did this Prince befall Marke not this one but marke the end of all Behold Cambises and his fatall day Where murders mischiefe mirrour like is left While he his brother Mergus cast to slay A dreadfull thing his wits were him bereft A sword he caught wherewith he pierced eft His bodie gor'd which he of life benoomes So iust is God in all his dreadfull doomes O bloodie Brutus rightly didst thou rue And thou O Cassius iustly came thy fall That with the sword wherewith thou Caesar slue Murdredst thy selfe and reft thy life withall A Mirrour let him be vnto you all That murdrers be of murder to your meed For murder cries out vengeance on your seed Loe Bessus he that arm'd with murdrers knife And traytrours heart against his royall King With bloodie hands bereft his masters life Aduert the fine his foule offence did bring And lothing murder as most lothly thing Behold in him the iust deserued fall That euer hath and shall betide them all What booted him his false vsurped raigne Whereto by murder he did so ascend When like a wretch led in an iron chaine He was presented by his chiefest friend Vnto the foes of him whom he had slaine That euen they should auenge so foule a gilt That rather sought to haue his blood yspilt Take heed ye Princes and ye Prelats all Of this outrage which though it sleepe a while And not disclos'd as it doth seld befall Yet God that suffereth silence to beguile Such guilts wherewith both earth and aire ye file At last descries them to your foule disgrace You see th' examples set before your face And deeply graue within your stony harts The dreerie dole that mightie Macedo With tears
to the morning mist And straight againe the teares how they down rold Alongst his cheekes as if the riuers hist Whose flowing streames ne were no sooner whist But to the stars such dreadfull shouts he sent As if the throne of mighty Ioue should rent And I the while with sprits welny bereft Beheld the plight and pangs that did him straine And how the bloud his deadly colour left And straight returnd with flaming red againe When suddenly amid his raging paine He gaue a sigh and with that sigh hee said Oh Banastaire and straight againe he staid Dead lay his corps as dead as any stone Till swelling sighs storming within his breast Vpraisd his head that downeward fell anon With lookes vpcast and sighs that neuer ceast Forth streamd the teares records of his vnrest When he with shrikes thus groueling on the ground Ybraied these words with shrill and dolefull sound Heauen and earth and ye eternall lamps That in the heauens wrapt will vs to rest Thou bright Phoebe that clearest the nights damps Witnesse the plaints that in these pangs opprest I wofull wretch vnlade out of my brest And let me yeeld my last words ere I part You you I call to record of my smart And thou Alecto feede mee with thy food Let fall thy serpents from thy snaky heare For such reliefe well fits mee in this mood To feede my plaint with horrour and with feare While rage afresh thy venomd worme areare And thou Sibylla when thou seest mee faint Addresse thy selfe the guide of my complaint And thou O Ioue that with the deepe fordoome Dost rule the earth and raigne aboue the skies That wreakest wrongs and giu'st the dreadful doome Against the wretch that doth thy name despise Receiue these words and wreake them in such wise As heauen and earth may witnesse and behold Thy heapes of wrath vpon this wretch vnfold Thou Banastaire gainst thee I clepe and call Vnto the Gods that they iust vengeance take On thee thy bloud thy stained stocke and all O Ioue to thee aboue the rest I make My humble plaint guide me that what I speake May be thy will vpon this wretch to fall On thee Banastaire wretch of wretches all O would to God the cruell dismal day That gaue me light first to behold thy face With foule eclipse had reft my sight away Th' vnhappy hower the time and eke the day The Sunne and Moone the Stars and all that was In their aspects helping in ought to thee The earth and aire and all accursed be And thou caitiffe that like a monster swarued From kind and kindnes hast thy master lorne Whom neither trueth nor trust wherein thou serued Ne his deserts could moue nor thy faith sworne How shall I curse but wish that thou vnborne Had beene or that the earth had rent in tway And swallowed thee in cradle as thou laie To this did I euen from thy tender youth Vouchsafe to bring thee vp did I herefore Beleeue the oth of thy vndoubted truth Aduance thee vp and trust thee euermore By trusting thee that I should die therfore O wretch and worse then wretch what shall I say But clepe and curse gainst thee and thine for aye Hated be thou disdaind of euery wight And pointed at where euer that thou goe A traiterous wretch vnworthy of the light Be thou esteemd and to encrease thy woe The sound be hatefull of thy name also And in this sort with shame and sharp reproch Lead thou thy life till greater griefe approch Dole and despaire let those be thy delight Wrapped in woes that cannot be vnfold To waile the day and weepe the weary night With rainy eine and sighes cannot be told And let no wight thy woe seeke to withhold But count thee worthy wretch of sorowes store That suffering much oughtst still to suffer more Deserue thou death yea be thou deem'd to die A shamefull death to end thy shamefull life A sight longed for ioifull to euery eye When thou shalt be arraigned as a theefe Standing at bar and pleading for thy life With trembling tongue in dread and dolours rage Lade with white lockes and fourscore yeares of age Yet shall not death deliuer thee so soone Out of thy woes so happy shalt not be But to th' eternall Ioue this is my boone That thou maist liue thine eldest sonne to see Reft of his wits and in a soule Bores stye To end his daies in rage and death distrest A worthy tombe where one of thine should rest Yet after this yet pray I more thou may Thy second sonne see drowned in a dike And in such sort to close his latter day As heard or seene erst hath not been the like Ystrangled in a puddle not so deepe As halfe a foot that such hard losse of life So cruelly chanst may be the greater griefe And not yet shall thy dolefull sorrowes cease Ioue shall not so withhold his wrath from thee But that thy plagues may more and more encrease Thou shalt still liue that thou thy selfe maist see Thy daughter strucken with the leprosie That she that erst was all thy whole delight Thou now maist loath to haue her come in sight And after that let shame and sorrowes griefe Feed forth thy yeares continually in woe That thou maist liue in death and die in life And in this sort forwaild and wearied so At last thy ghost to part thy bodie fro This pray I Ioue and with this latter breath Vengeance I aske vpon my cruell death This said he flung his retchlesse armes abroad And groueling flat vpon the ground he lay Which with his teeth he all to gnasht and gnaw'd Deepe grones he fet as he that would away But loe in vaine he did the death assay Although I thinke was neuer man that knew Such deadly paines where death did not ensue So stroue he thus a while as with the death Now pale as lead and cold as any stone Now still as calme now storming forth a breath Of smokie sighes as breath and all were gone But euery thing hath end so he anon Came to himselfe when with a sigh outbrayed With woefull cheere these woefull words he said Ah where am I what thing or whence is this Who rest my wits or how do I thus lie My limbes do quake my thought agasted is Why sigh I so or whereunto do I Thus groule on the ground and by and by Vprais'd he stood and with a sigh hath stai'd When to himselfe returned thus he said Sufficeth now this plaint and this regrete Whereof my heart his bottome hath vnfraught And of my death let Peeres and Princes were The worlds vntrust that they thereby be taught And in her wealth sith that such change is wrought Hope not too much but in the mids of all Thinke on my death and what may them befall So long as Fortune would permit the same I liu'd in rule and riches with the best And past my time in honor and in fame