exceeding great fauour with the Commons With Salisbury his vile ambitious Sire In Yorks sterne brest kindling long hidden fire By Clarence title working to supplant The Eagle Ayrie of great Iohn of Gaunt Richard Plantaginet Duke of Yorke in the the time of Henrie the sixt claymed the Crowne beeing assisted by this Richard Neuell Earle of Salisburie and Father to the great Earle of Warwicke who fauoured exceedingly the house of Yorke in open parliament as heyre to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of Edward the third making his title by Anne his mother wife to Richard Earle of Cambridge sonne to Edmond of Langley Duke of Yorke which Anne was Daughter to Roger Mortimer Earle of March which Roger was sonne and heyre to Edmond Mortimer 〈◊〉 married the Lady Phillip Daughter and heire to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward to whō the crowne after Richard the seconds death lineally discended he dying without issue And not to the heires of the Duke of Lancaster that was younger Brother to the Duke of Clarence Hall cap. 1. Tit. 〈◊〉 or Lanc. Vrg'd by these enuious Lords to spend their breath Calling reuenge on the Protectours death Humfrey Duke of Glocester and Lorde Protectour in the 〈◊〉 yeare of Hen. 6. was by the meanes of the Queene and the Duke of Suffolk was atested by y e Lord Beumond at the Parliament 〈◊〉 at Berry and the same night after murthered in his bed If they would know who rob'd him c. To this verse To know how Humfrey dyed and who shall raigne In these verses her iests at the Protectours wife who being 〈◊〉 and conuicted of treason because with Iohn Hun a Priest Roger Bollingbrooke a Negromancer and Margery Iordane called the Witch of Ely shee had consulted and agreed by Sorcery to kill 〈◊〉 King was adiudged to perpetuall pryson in the Ile of Man and 〈◊〉 doo penaunce openly in three publique places in London For twenty yeares and haue I seru'd in Fraunce In the 6. yeare of Hen. the 6. the Duke of Bedford being deceased then Lieutenant generall and Regent of Fraunce this Duke of Suffolke was promoted to that dignity hauing the L. Talbot 〈◊〉 Scales and the Lord Mountacute to assist him Against great Charles and Bastard Orleance This was Charles the seauenth that after the death of Henry the 〈◊〉 obtained the crowne of Fraunce recouered againe much of that his Father had lost Bastard Orleance was sonne to the Duke of Orleance begotten of the L. Cawnies wife preferred highly to many notable offices because he being a most valiant Captaine was continuall enemy to the Englishmen daylie infesting them with diuers incursions And haue I seene Vernoyla's batfull fields Vernoyle is that noted place in Fraunce where the great battell was fought in the beginning of Hen. 6. his raigne where the most of the French cheualry were ouercome by the Duke of Bedford And from Aumearle with-drew my warlike powers Aumearle is that strong defenced towne in Fraunce which the Duke of Suffolke got after 24. great assaults giuen vnto it And came my selfe in person first to Towers Th'Embassadours for truce to entertaine From Belgia Denmarke Hungary and Spaine Towers is a Citty in Fraunce built by Brutus as he came into Britaine where in the 21. of Henry the 6 was appoynted a great dyet to bee kept whether came th'Embassadours of th'Empire Spaine Hungary and Denmarke to intreate for a perpetuall peace to be made betweene the two Kings of England and Fraunce By true descent to weare the Diadem Of Naples Cicile and Ierusalem Rayner Duke of Aniou Father to Queene Margarit call'd him selfe King of Naples Cicily and Ierusalem hauing the title alone of King of those Countries A fifteenes taxe in Fraunce I freely spent The Duke of Suffolke after the marriage concluded twixt King Henry and Margarit Daughter to Duke Rayner asked in open Parliament a whole fifeteenth to fetch her into England Seeue thee for England but imbark't at Deepe Deepe is a Towne in Fraunce bordering vpon the Sea where the Duke of Suffolke with Queene Margarit tooke shippe for England As when ariu'd in Porchesters faire Roade Porchester a Hauen Towne in the South-west part of England where the King taried expecting the Queenes ariuall whom from thence he conueyed to South-hampton Queene Margarit to William de la Pole Duke of Suffolke WHat newes sweet Pole look'st thou my lines should tell But like the sounding of the dolefull bell Bidding the deaths-man to prepare the graue Expect from me no other newes to haue My brest which once was mirths imperiall throne A vast and desart wildernes is growne Like that cold Region from the world remote On whose breeme seas the Icie mountaines flote vvhere those poore creatures banish'd from the light Doe liue imprison'd in continuall night No ioy presents my soules internall eyes But diuination of sad tragedies And care takes vp her solitarie Inne vvhere youth and ioy theyr Court did once begin As in September when our yeere resignes The glorious sunne vnto the watry signes vvhich through the clowdes lookes on the earth in scorne The little Byrd yet to salute the morne Vpon the naked branches sets her foote The leaues now lying on the mossy roote And there a silly chirripping doth keepe As though shee faine would sing yet faine would weepe Praysing faire Sommer that too soone is gone Or mourning VVinter too fast comming on In this sad plight I mourne for thy depart Because that weeping cannot case my hart Now to our ayde who stirres the neighbouring Kings Or who from Fraunce a puissant Armie brings VVho moues the Norman to assist our warre Or brings in Burgoyn to ayde Lancaster VVho in the North our lawfull claime commends To winne vs credite with our valiant friends To whom shall I my secrete thoughts impart VVhose brest is now the closet of my hart The auncient Heroes fame thou didst reuiue And didst from them thy memory deriue Nature by thee both gaue and taketh all Alone in Pole she was too prodigall Of so diuine and rich a temper wrought As heauen for him perfections depth had sought Peables and Flints we finde in euery path The Diamond rich India onely hath VVell knew King Henry what he pleaded for vvhen thou wert made his sweet-tong'd Orator vvhose Angell-eye by powrefull influence Imparteth wonders passing eloquence That when loue would his youthfull sports haue tryde But in thy shape himselfe would neuer hide vvhich in his loue had beene of greater power Then was his Nymph his flame his swanne his shower To that allegiance Yorke was bound by oath To Henries heyres and safetie of vs both No longer now he meanes record shall beare it He will dispence with heauen and will vnsweare it Hee that's in all the worlds blacke sinnes forlorne Is carelesse now how oft hee be forsworne And now of late his title hath set downe By which he claimes the right of Englands Crowne And now I heare his
alas too loosely set to sale Shee need not like an vgly Minataur Haue been lock'd vp from iealious Ellinor But beene as famous by thy mothers wrongs As by thy Father subiect to all tongues To shadow sinne might can the most pretend Kings but the conscience all things can defend A stronger hand restraines our wilsull powers A will must rule aboue this will of ours Not following what our vaine desires doe wooe For vertues sake but what we onely doe And hath my Father chose to liue exild Before his eyes should see my youth defild And to withstand a Tyrants lewd desire Beheld his Towers and Castles razd with fire Yet neuer tuch'd with griefe so onely I Exempt from shame might with true honour die And shall this iewell which so deerely cost Now after all by my dishonour lost No no his reuerend words his holy teares Yet in my soule too deepe impression beares No no his fare-well at his last depart More deepely is engrauen in my hart Nor shall that blot by mee his name shall haue Bring his gray haires with sorrow to his graue Rather with pitty weepe vpon my Tombe Then for my birth to curse my mothers wombe Though Dunmowe giue no refuge heere at all Dunmowe can giue my body buriall If all remorcelesse no teare-shedding eye My selfe will moane my selfe so liue so die Notes of the Chronicle historie THis Epistle containeth no particuler poynts of historie more then the generallity of the argument layeth open for after the banishment of the Lord Robert Fitzwater and that 〈◊〉 was become a Recluse at Dunmowe from whence this reply is imagined to bee written the King still earnestly persisting in his sute Matilda with this chast constant deniall hopeth yet at length to find some comfortable remedy and to rid herselfe of doubts by taking vpon her this monasticke habite and to shew that shee still beareth in minde his former crueltie bred by the impatience of his lust she remembreth him of her fathers banishment the lawlesse exile of her alies and friends Doost thou of Father and of friends depriue mee Then complayning of her distresse that flying thether thinking there to finde releefe she sees herselfe most assayld where she hoped to haue found most safetie Alas and fled I hether from my foe That c. After againe standing vpon the precise poynts of conscience not to cast off this habite she had taken My vowe is taken I a Nunne profest And at last laying open more particulerly the miseries sustained by her Father in England the burning of his Castles and houses which she proueth to be for her sake as respecting onely her honour more then his natiue country and his owne fortunes And to withstand a Tyrants lowde desire Beheld his Towers and Castels set on fire Knitting vp her Epistle with a great and constant resolution Though Dunmow giue no refuge heere at all Dunmow can giue my body burià ll FINIS To the vertuous Lady the Lady Anne Harrington wife to the honourable Gentleman Sir Iohn Harrington Knight MY singuler good Lady your many vertues knowne in generall to all and your gracious fauours to my vnworthy selfe haue confirmed that in mee which before I knew you I onely sawe by the light of other mens iudgements Honour seated in your breast findes herselfe adorned as in a rich pallace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which makes her admirable which like the sunne from thence begetteth most precious things of this earthly world onely by the vertue of his rayes not the nature of the mould Worth is best 〈◊〉 by the worthie deiected mindes want that pure fire which should giue vigor to vertue I refer to your owne great thoughts the vnpartiall Judges of true affection the vnfained zeale I haue euer borne to your honorable seruice and so rest your Ladiships humbly at commaund Michaell Drayton Queene Isabell to Mortimer * The Argument Queene Isabell the wife of Edward the seconde called Edward Carnaruan being the daughter of Phillip le Beau King of Fraunce forsaken by the King her husband who delighted onely in the company of Piers Gaueston his minion and fauorite and after his death seduced by the euill counsaile of the Spensers This Queene thus left by her husband euen in the glory of her youth drewe into her especiall fauour Roger Mortimer Lorde of VVigmore a man of a mightie and inuinsible spirit This Lord Mortimer rising in Armes against the King with Thomas Earle of Lancaster and the Barrons was taken ere hee could gather his power and by the King committed to the Tower of London During his imprisonment he ordained a feast in honor of his birth-day to which he inuited Sir Stephen Segraue Lieutenant of the Tower and the rest of the officers where by meanes of a drinke prepared him by the Queene hee cast them all into a beauie sleepe and with ladders of cordes beeing ready prepared for the purpose hee escapeth and flyeth into Fraunce whether shee sendeth this Epistle complayning her owne misfortunes and greatly reioycing at his safe escape THough such sweet comfert comes not now from her As Englands Queene hath sent to Mortimer Yet what that wants which might my power approue If lines can bring this shall supply with loue Mee thinks affliction should not fright mee so Nor should resume these sundry shapes of wo But when I faine would finde the cause of this Thy absence shewes mee where the erroris Oft when I thinke of thy departing hence Sad sorrow then possesseth euery sence But finding thy deere blood preseru'd thereby And in thy life my long-wish'd libertie vvith that sweet thought my selfe I onely pleuse Amid'st my griefe which sometimes giues me ease Thus doe extreamest ills a ioy possesse And one woe makes another woe seeme lesse That blessed night that mild-aspected howre VVherein thou mad'st escape our of the Towre Shall consecrated euer-more remaine VVhat gentle Planet in that howre did raigne And shall be happy in the birth of men vvhich was chiefe Lord of the Ascendant then Oh how I fear'd that sleepie iuyce I sent Might yet want power to further thine intent Or that some vnseene misterie might lurke VVhich wanting order kindly should not worke Oft did I wish those dreadfull poysoned lees That clos'd the euer-waleing Dragons eyes Or I had had those sence 〈◊〉 stalkes That grow in shadie Proserpines darke walkes Or those blacke weedes on Lethe bankes below Or Lunary that doth on Latmus flow Oft did I feare thys moyst and foggie Clime Or that the earth waxt barraine nowe with time Should not haue hearbes to helpe me in this case Such as doe thriue on Indias parched face That morrow when the blessed sunne did rise And shut the lidds of all heauens lesser eyes Forth from my 〈◊〉 by a secret staire I steale to 〈◊〉 as though to take the ayre And aske the gentle stood as it did glide Or thou didst 〈◊〉 or perish by the tide If thou didst perish I desire the streame To
modesty then of such liberty Howbeit the Vestall Nuns had seats assigned them in the Roman Theater whereby it should appeare it was counted no impeachment to modestie though they offending therein were buried quicke a sharpe lawe for them who may say as Shores wife dooth When though abroad restraining vs to rome They very hardly keepe vs safe at home FINIS To the Right Worshipfull Henrie Goodere of Powlesworth Esquire SIR this Poeme of mine which I imparted to you at my beeing with you at your lodging at London in May last brought at length to perfection emboldened by your wonted fauours I aduenture to make you Patron of Thus Sir you see I haue aduentred to the worlde with what like or dislike I know nor if it please which I much doubt of I pray you then be pertaker of that which I shall esteeme not my least good if dislike it shall lessen some part of my griefe if it please you to alow but of my loue howsoeuer I pray you accept it as kindly as I offer it which though without many 〈◊〉 yet I assure you with much desire of your honour Thus vntill such time as I may in some more larger measure make knowne my loue to the happy generous family of the Gooderes to which I confesse my selfe to be beholding to for the most part of my education I wish you all happines Michaell Drayton Marie the French Queene to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke * The Argument Mary the daughter of that renowned Prince King Henry the seauenth beeing very young at her Fathers death after by ber Brother King Henry the eyght was giuen in marriage to Lewes King of Fraunce being a man old and decrepite This faire and beautifull Lady long before had placed her affection on Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke a braue and couragious young Gentleman and an especiall fauorite of the King her Brother and a man raised by him King Lewes the husband of this beautifull Queene lyued not long after bee was married and Charles Brandon hauing commission from the King to bring her backe to England but beeing delayed by some sinister meanes the French Queene writeth this Epistle to hasten the Duke forward on his intended voyage to Fraunce SVch health from heauen my selfe may wish to mee Such health fro Fraunce Queene Mary sends to thee Brandon how long mak'st thou excuse to stay And know'st how ill we women brooke delay If one poore Channell thus can part vs two Tell mee vnkinde what would an Ocean doe Leander had an Hellespont to swim Yet thys from Hero could not hinder him His Barke poore soule his brest his armes his oars But thou a shyp to land thee on our shores And opposite to famous Kent doth lie The pleasant fields of famous Pickardie vvhere our 〈◊〉 Callice walled in her sands In kenning of the cliffie Douer stands Heere is no Beldame nurse to pout or lower vvhen wantonning we reuell in my Tower Nor neede I top my Turret with a light To guide thee to mee as thou swimm'st by night Compar'd with mee wert thou but halfe so kind Thy sighes should stuffe thy sayles though wanting wind But thy breast is becalm'd thy sighes bee slack And mine too stiffe and blow thy broade sayles back But thou wilt say that I should blame the flood Because the winde so full against thee stood Nay blame it not it did so roughly blow For it did chyde thee for thou wast so slow For it came not to keepe thee in the Bay But came from mee to bid thee come away But that thou vainely lett'st occasion slide Thou might'st haue wasted hether with the tyde If when thou com'st I knit mine angry brow Blame me not Brandon thou hast broke thy vow Yet if I meant to frowne I might be dombe For this may make thee stand in doubt to come Nay come sweet Charles haue care thy ship to guide Come my sweet hart in faith I will not chide VVhen as my Brother and his louely Queene In sad attire for my depart were seene The vtmost date expired of my stay vvhen I from Douer did depart away Thou know'st what woe I suffred for thy sake How oft I fain'd of thee my leaue to take God and thou know'st with what a heauie hart I tooke my farewell when I should depart And being shypp'd gaue signall with my hand Vp to the Cliffe where I did see thee stand Nor could refraine in all the peoples view But cried to thee sweet Charles adiew adiew Looke how a little infant that hath lost The thing where-with it was delighted most vveary with seeking to some corner creepes And there poore soule it sits it downe and weepes And when the Nurse would faine content the mind Yet still it mourns for that it cannot finde Thus in my carefull Cabin did I lye vvhen as the shyp out of the roade did flie Think'st thou my loue was faythfull vnto thee vvhen young Castile to England su'd for mee Be iudge thy selfe if it were not of power vvhen I refusd an Empyre for my dower To Englands Court when once report did bring How thou in Fraunce didst reuell with thy King vvhen hee in tryumph of his victorie 〈◊〉 a rich imbrodered Canapie 〈◊〉 proude Tournay which did 〈◊〉 stand To beg for mercy at his conquering hand To heare of his enderements how I ioy'd But see this calme was suddainly destroy'd VVhen Charles of Castile there to banquet came vvith him his sister that ambitious Dame Sauoys proude Dutches knowing how long shee By her loue sought to winne my loue from mee Fearing my absence might thy vowes acquite To change thy Mary for a Margarite VVhen in King Henries Tent of cloth of gold Shee often did thee in her armes enfold vvhere you were feasted more diliciously Then Cleopatra did Marke Anthonie vvhere sports all day did entertaine your sight And then in Masks you pass'd away the night But thou wilt say It proper is vnto vs That we by nature all are iealious I must confesse t'is oft found in our sexe But who not loue not any thing suspects True loue doth looke with pale suspitions eye Take away loue if you take iealousie VVhen Henry Turwyn and proude Tournay wonne Little thought I the end when thys begunne VVhen Maximilian to those warrs adrest vvare Englands Crosse on his imperiall brest And in our Armie let his Eagle flie And had his pay from Henries treasurie Little thought I when first beganne these warrs My marriage day should end these bloody iarrs From which I vow I yet am free in thought But thys alone by VVoolseys wit was wrought To hys aduise the King gaue free consent That will I nill I I must be content My virgins right thy state could not aduaunce But now enriched with the dower of Fraunce Then but poore Suffolks Dutchesse had I beene Now the great Dowger the most Christian Queene But I perceiue where all thy griefe doth lie Lewes of Fraunce had my
sun VVhere lawfull right and conquest doth allow A triple crowne on Richards princely brow Three kingly Lyons beares his bloody field No bastards marke doth blot his conquering shield Neuer durst he attempt our haplesse shore Nor set his foote on satall Rauenspore Nor durst his slugging Hulks approch the strand Nor stoop'd a top as signall to the Land Had not the Percyes promisd ayde to bring Against theyr oath vnto theyr lawfull King Against theyr fayth vnto our Crownes true heyre Theyr valiant kinsman Edmond Mortimer VVhen I to England came a world of eyes vvere there attending on my fayre arise vvhen I came back those fatall Plannets frowne And all are set before my going downe The smooth-fac'd Ayre did on my comming smile But with rough stormes are driuen to exile But Bullenbrooke deuisd we thus should part Fearing two sorrowes should possesse one hart That we should thus complaine our griefes alone Least one should liue in two two liue in one Inflicting woe and yet doth vs denie But that poore ioy is found in miserie Hee hath before diuors'd thy Crowne and thee vvhich might suffice and not to widdow mee Nor will one place our pouertie containe vvhich in our pompe both in one bed haue laine VVhich is to proue the greatnes of his hate How much our fall exceedeth our estate VVhen England first obtaind mee by thy loue Nor did a kingdome my affection moue Before a Crownes sad cares I yet did try Nor thought of Empire but loues Emperie Before I learn'd to sooth a publique vaine And onely thought to loue had been to raigne I would to God that princely Anne of Beame Might still haue worne the English Diademe That shee whose youth first deck'd thy bridall bed Had kept that fatall wreath vppon her head VVould God shee still might haue enioy'd her roome Possest my throne and I haue had her Toombe Or would Aumerle had sunck when he betrayd The complot which that holy Abbot layd VVhen he infring'd the oath which he first tooke To end that proude vsurping Bullenbrooke And been the ransome of our friends deere blood Vntimelie lost and for the earth too good And we vntimely mourne our hard estate They dead too soone and we doe liue too late Death seuers them and life doth vs inclose Their helpe decreased doth augment our woes And though with teares I from my loue depart This curse on Herford fall to ease my hart If the foule breach of a chast lawfull bed May bring a curse my curse light on his head If murthers guilt with blood may deeply staine Greene Scroope and Bushie die his fault in graine If periurie may heauens pure gates debar Damn'd be the oath he made at Doncaster If the deposing of a lawfull King Thy curse condemne him if no other thing If these disioyn'd for vengeance cannot call Let them vnited strongly curse him all And for the Percies heauen yet heare my prayer That Bullenbrooke now plac'd in Richards chayre Such cause of woe vnto their wiues may bee As those rebellious Lords haue been to mee And that proude Dame which now controleth all And in her pompe triumpheth in my fall For her great Lord may water her sad eyne vvith as salt teares as I haue done for mine And mourne for Henry Hote-spurre her deere sonne As I for my sweet Mortymer haue done And as I am so succourlesse be sent Lastly to taste perpetuall banishment Then loose thy care where first thy crowne was lost Sell it so deerely for it deerely cost And sith they did of libertie depriue thee Burying thy hope let not thy care out-liue thee But hard God knowes with sorrow doth it goe vvhen woe becomes a comforter to woe Yet much mee thinks of comfort I could say If from my hart pale feare were rid away Some-thing there is which tells mee still of woe But what it is that heauen aboue doth know Griefe to it selfe most dreadfull doth appeare And neuer yet was sorrow voyde of feare But yet in death doth sorrow hope the best And with this farewell wish thee happy rest Notes of the Chronicle historie If fatall Pomfret hath in former times POmfret Castle euer a fatall place to the Princes of England most ominous to the blood of Plantaginet O how euer yet I hate my lothed eyes And in my glasse c. When Bullenbrooke returned to England from the West bringing Richard a prisoner with him the Queene who little knewe of her husbands hard successe stayd to behold his comming in little thinking to haue seene her husband thus led in triumph by his foe and now seeming to hate her eyes that so much had graced her mortall enemie Wherein great Norfolkes forward course was staid She remembreth the meeting of the two Dukes of Herford and Norfolke at Couentry vrging the iustnes of Mowbrayes quarrell against the Duke of Herforde and the faithfull assurance of his victory Oh why did Charles releeue his needy siate A vagabond c. Charles the French King her father receiued the Duke of Herford into his Court and releeu'd him in Fraunce being so neerly alied as Cosin german to King Richard his sonne in Lawe which hee did simply little thinking that hee shoulde after returne into England and dispossesse King Richard of the crowne When thou to Ireland took'st thy last fare-well King Richard made a voyage with his Armie into Ireland against Onell and Mackemur which rebelled at what time Henry entred heere at home and rob'd him of all kingly dignitie Affirm'd by Church-men which should beare no hate That Iohn of Gaunt was illigitimate William Wickham in the great quarrell betwixt Iohn of Gaunt the Clergie of meere spight and mallice as it should seeme reported that the Queene confessed to him on her death-bed being then her Confessor that Iohn of Gaunt was the sonne of a Flemming that she was brought to bed of a woman child at Gaunt which was smothered in the cradle by mischance and that shee obtained this child of a poore woman making the King beleeue it was her owne greatly fearing his displeasure Fox ex Chron. Albani No Bastards marke doth blot our conquering shield Shewing the true and indubitate birth of Richard his right vnto the Crowne of England as carrying the Armes without blot or difference Against their fayth vnto the Crownes true heyre Theyr noble kinsman c. Edmond Mortimer Earle of March sonne of Earle Roger Mortimer which was sonne to Lady Phillip daughter to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne to King Edward the third which Edmond King Richard going into Ireland was proclaimed heyre apparant to the Crowne whose Aunt called Ellinor this Lorde Percie had married I would to God that princely Anne of Beame Richard the second his first wife was Anne daughter to the K. of Beame which liued not long with him and after hee married this Isabell daughter to Charles King of Fraunce This Princesse was very young and not marriageable when shee came
first into England O would Aumerle had suncke when he betrayd The complot which that holy Abbot layd The Abbot of Westminster had plotted the death of King Henry to haue beene doone at a Tylt at Oxford of which confedracie there was Iohn Holland Duke of Excester Thomas Holland Duke of Surry the Duke of Aumerle Mountacute Earle of Salisbury Spenser Earle of Gloster the Bishop of Carlile Sir Thomas Blunt these all had bound themselues one to another by Indenture to performe it but were all betrayd by the Duke of Aumerle Scroope Greene and Bushie die his fault in graine Henry going towards the Castle of Flint where King Richard was caused Scroope Greene and Bushie to be executed at Bristow ' as vile persons which had seduced this King to this lasciuious wicked life Damn'd be the oath he made at Doncaster After Henries exile at his returne into England hee tooke his oth at Doncaster vpon the Sacrament not to clayme the crowne or kingdome of England but onely the dukedome of Lancaster his owne proper right and the right of his wife And mourne for Henry Hote-spurre her deere sonne As I for my c. This was the braue couragious Henry Hote-spurre that obtayned so many victories against the Scots which after falling out right with the curse of Queene Isabell was slaine by Henry at the battaile at Shrewsburie Richard the second to Queene Isabell. WHat canst thou looke or hope for frō that hand which neither sence nor reason could cōmand A kingdoms greatnes hardly can he sway That wholsome counsaile did not first obay Ill did thys rude hand guide a scepter then Ill thys rude hand now gouerneth a pen How should I call my selfe or by what name To make thee know from whence these letters came Not from thy husband for my hatefull life Hath made thee widdow being yet a wife Nor from a King that title I haue lost And of that name proude Bullenbrooke doth boast Neuer to haue beene might some comfort bring But no woe is to say I was a King This lawlesse life which first procur'd my hate This tongue which first denounc'd my kingly state This abiect minde which did consent vnto it This hand that was the instrument to doe it These all beare witnes that I doe denie All worldly hopes all kingly maiestie Didst thou for my sake leaue thy fathers Court Thy famous Country and thy princely port And vndertook'st to trauaile dangerous waies Driuen by aukward winds and boyst'rous seas And lefts great Burbon for thy loue to mee VVho sued in marriage to be linck'd to thee Offring for dower the Countries bordring nie Of fruitfull Almaine and rich Burgundie Didst thou all this that England should receaue thee To miserable banishment to leaue thee And in thy ruine and thy fortunes wracke Forsaken heere to Fraunce to send thee back VVhen quiet sleepe the heauy harts releefe Seales vp my sences some-what lesning greefe My kingly greatnes vnto minde I call And thinke that I but dreamed of my fall VVith this conceite my sorrowes I beguile That my fayre Queene is but with-drawne a while And my attendants in some Chamber by As in the height of my prosperitie Calling aloude and asking who is there The Eccho aunswering tells mee VVoe is there And when mine armes would gladly thee enfold I clip the pillow and the place is cold VVhich when my waking eyes precisely view T'is a true token that it is too true As many minuts as in one howre be So many howers each minute seemes to me Each howre a day morne euening set and rise Each day a yeere complet with miseries A sommer winter spring-time and a fall All seasons varying yet vnseasoned all Hote griefes cold cares moyst sorrow scorching hate Too long extreames too short a temperate Each yeere a world from golden ages past That hasteth on the yron times at last That from creation of all happy things A desolution to my fortune brings Thys endlesse woe my thred of lyfe still weares In minuts howers dayes moneths ages yeres Ioy in the sunne that doe possesse the South For Pomfret stands here in the Norths cold mouth There wanton Sommer lords it all the yeere Frost-starued VVinter doth inhabite heere A place wherein Dispayre may fitly dwell For sorrow best sutes with a clowdy Cell Let Herford vaunt of our atchiuements done Of all the honours that great Edward wone Of famous Cressy where his keene sword lopp'd The flowers of Fraunce which all had ouer-topp'd And with those fayre Delices set the walke vvhere our emperious English Lyons stalke vvhich pluck'd those Lillies planted on those streames And set them heere vpon the banks of Thames Now Bullenbrooke our conquering Trophies beares Our glorious spoyles thys false Vlisses weares And all the story of our famous warre Must grace the Annalls of great Lancaster Seauen goodly syens from one stocke begun Seauen liuely branches from one roote did run My princely Father was the straightest stem The fairest blossome which adorned them VVhose precious buds began to spring so faire As soone they shew'd what fruit they meant to beare But I his graft and barraine trunke am growne And for a fruitlesse water-bough am hewne From our braue Grandsire both in one degree Yet after Edward lohn the young'st of three But princely VVales by me giues place to Gaunt Henry on Richard now predominant VVhen that vsurping bastard-sonne of Spayne Deposed Petro from his peacefull raigne My Father mou'd with the Castillians moane Pluck'd downe that proude aspyring Phaeton And ere a Crowne had yet adorn'd his head A conquered King from Fraunce to England led A subiects hand my Crowne from mee hath torne And by a home-nurst begger ouer-borne Is valour hence with him to heauen fled Or in my barren breast decay'd and dead VVho for his vertue and his conquests sake Posteritie a demie God shall make And iudge this vile and abiect spirit of mine Could not proceede from temper so diuine VVhat earthly humor or what vulgar eye Now lookes so low as on my misery VVhen Bullenbrooke is seated on our throne And makes that his which we but call'd our owne He bids commaunds he chooseth he elects Pardons defends he warrants he protects Into our counsells he himselfe intrudes And who but Herford with the multitudes Thus Bullenbrooke triumpheth in our fall And for their King reputed is of all His power disgrades his dreadfull frowne disgraceth He throwes them downe whō our aduauncement placeth As my disable and vnworthy hand Could giue no soueraine title of commaund He treads our sacred tables in the dust And proues our acts of parliament vniust As though he hated that it should be said That such a law by Richard once was made VVhen Herford had his iudgement of exile Saw I the peoples murmuring the while Saw I the loue the zeale the fayth the care The Commons still to pleasing Herford bare Fond women and scarce-speaking chyldren moume vveeping his parting wishing his
these three let thy assurance lye On fayth repentance and humilitie Humilitie to heauen the step the stayre Is for deuotion sacrifice and prayer The next place doth to true repentance fall A salue a comfort and a cordiall Hee that hath that the keyes of heauen hath That is the guide that is the port the path Fayth is thy Fort thy shield thy strongest ayde Neuer controld nere yeelded nere dismayd vvhich doth dilate vnfold fore-tell expresseth vvhich giues rewards inuesteth and possesseth Then thanke the heauen preparing vs this roome Crowning our heads with glorious martirdome Before the black and dismall dayes begin The dayes of all Idolatry and sinne Not suffering vs to see that wicked age VVhen persecution vehemently shall rage vvhen tiranny new tortures shall inuent Inflicting vengeance on the innocent Yet heauen forbids that Maries wombe shall bring Englands faire Scepter to a forraine King But vnto faire Elizabeth shall leaue it vvhich broken hurt and wounded shall receaue it And on her temples hauing plac'd the Crowne Roote out the dregs Idolatry hath sowne And Syons glory shall againe restore Layd ruine wast and desolate before And from black sinders and rude heapes of stones Shall gather vp the Martirs scattered bones And shall exterpe the power of Rome againe And cast aside the heauy yoake of Spaine Farewell sweet Gilford know our end is neere Heauen is our home we are but strangers heere Let vs make hast to goe vnto the blest vvhich from these weary worldly labours rest And with these lines my dearest Lord I greete thee Vntill in heauen thy Iane againe shall meete thee Notes of the Chronicle history They which begot vs did beget this sinne SHewing the ambition of the two Dukes their Fathers whose pride was the cause of the vtter ouerthrow of their children At Durham Pallace where sweete Hymen sang The buildings c. The Lord Gilford Dudley fourth Sonne to Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland married the Lady Iane Gray Daughter to the Duke of Suffolke at Durham house in the Strand When first mine eares were pearced with the fame Of Iane proclaimed by a Princesse name Presently vpon the death of King Edward the Lady Iane was taken as Queene conueyed by water to the Tower of London for her safety and after proclaimed in diuers parts of the Realme as so ordayned by King Edwards Letters-pattents and his will My Grandsire Brandon did our house aduaunce By Princely Mary Dowager of Fraunce Henry Gray Duke of Suffolke married Frauncis the eldest daughter of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke by the French Queene by which Frauncis hee had this Lady Iane this Mary the French Queene was Daughter to King Henry the seauenth by Elizabeth his Queene which happy marriage conioyned the two Noble families of Lancaster and Yorke For what great Henry most stroue to auoyde Noting the distrust that King Henry the eight euer had in the Princesse Mary his Daughter fearing she should alter the state of Religion in the Land by matching with a Stranger confessing the right that King Henries issue had to the Crowne And vnto faire Elizabeth shall leaue it A Prophecie of Queene Maries barrennes of the happy and glorious raigne of Queene Elizabeth her restoring of Religion the abollishing of the Romish seruitude and casting aside the yoake of Spaine The Lord Gilford Dudley to the Lady Iane Gray THus from the strongest treble-walled Tower Swan-like I sing before my dying hower O if there were such power but in my verse As in these woes my wounded hart doe pierce Stones taking sence th'obdurate flint that heares Should at my plaints dissolue it selfe to teares Lend mee a teare Ile pay thee with a teare And interest to if thou the stock forbeare vvoe for a woe and for thy interest lone I will returne thee franckly two for one Ile giue thee howers of woe and yeares of sorrow And turne the day to night the night to morrow And if thou think'st tyme yet doth passe to soone vvhen euening comes wee'll make it but our noone And if a griefe proue weake and not of force I will exchange a better for a worse And if thou thinke too quickly sorrowe ends Another twice so long shall make amends Perhaps thou'lt iudge in such extreames as these That words of comfort might farre better please But such strange power in thy perfection liueth As smyles in teares and teares in gladnes giueth Yet thinke not Iane that cowardly I faint As begging mercy by thys sad complaint Or yet suppose my courage daunted so That thou shouldst stand betwixt mee and my foe That grym-aspected death should now controule And seeme fo fearefull to my parting soule For were one life a thousand lifes to mee Yet were all those too few to die with thee vvhen thou thy woes so patiently doost beare As if in death no cause of sorrow were And no more doost lyfes dissolution shun Then if colde age his longest course had run Thou which didst once giue comfort to my woe Now art alone become my comforts foe Not that I leaue wherein I did delight But that thou art debarr'd my wished sight For if I speake and would complaine my wrong Straightwayes thy name doth come into my tongue And thou art present as thou still didst lie Or in my hart or in my lypps or eye No euill plannet raigned at thy birth Nor was that hower prodigious heere on earth No fatall marke of froward destenie Could be diuin'd in thy natiuitie Tis onely I that dyd thy fall deuise And thou by mee art made a sacrifice As in the East whereas the louing wiues Doe with theyr husbands euer end theyr liues And crown'd with garlands in theyr brydes attire Goe with theyr husbands to that holy fire And shee vnworthy thought to liue of all vvhom feare of death or danger doth appall I boast not of Northumberlands great name Nor of Ketts conquest which adornes the same VVhen he to Norfolke led his troupes from farre And yok'd the Rebells in the chayne of warre vvhen our VVhite-beare dyd furiously respire The flames that sing'd theyr Villages with fire And brought sweet peace in safetie to our dores Yet left our fame vpon the Easterne shores Nor of my princely Brothers which might grace And plant true honour in the 〈◊〉 race Nor of Grayes match my chydren borne by thee Alied to Yorke and Lancaster should be But of thy vertues proudly boast I dare That shee is mine whom all perfections are I crau'd no kingdome though I thee did craue And hauing thee I wish'd no more to haue Yet let me say how ere thys fortune fell Mee thinks a Crowne should haue becom'd thee well Mee thinks thy wisedome was ordaind alone To blesse a scepter beautifie a throne Thy lyps a sacred oracle retaine vvhere in all holy prophecies remaine More highly priz'd thy vertues were to mee Then Crownes then Kingdoms or then Scepters bee So chast thy loue so innocent thy life A wifed virgine and a