euer Michaell Drayton Henry Howard Earle of Surrey to Geraldine The Argument Henry Howard that true noble Earle of Surrey and excellent Poet falling in loue with Geraldine descended of the noble family of the Fitzgeralds of Ireland a faire modest Lady and one of the honourable maids to Quene Katherine Dowager eternizeth her prayses in many excellent Poems of rare and sundrie inuentions and after some few yeares beeing determined to see that famous Italy the source and Helicon of all excellent Arts first visiteth that renowned Florence from whence the Geralds challence their descent from the ancient familie of the Geraldi there in honour of his mistresse be aduanceth her picture and challengeth to maintaine her beauty by deeds of Armes against all that durst appeare in the lists where after the proofe of his braue and incomparable valour whose arme crowned her beauty with eternall memorie he writeth this Epistle to his deerest Mistres FRom learned Florence long time rich in same From whence thy race thy noble Grandsires came To famous England that kind nurse of mine Thy Surrey sends to heauenly Geraldine Yet let not Thuscan thinke I doe her wrong That I from thence write in my natiue tongue That in these harsh-tun'd cadences I sing Sitting so neere the Muses sacred spring But rather thinke her selfe adorn'd thereby That England reads the praise of Italy Though to the Thuscans I the smoothnes grant Our dialect no maiestie doth want To set thy prayses in as hie a key As Fraunce or Spaine or Germany or they That day I quit the Fore-land of faire Kent And that my ship her course for Flandersbent Yet thinke I with how many a heauy looke My leaue of England and of thee I tooke And did intreat the tide if it might be But to conuey me one sigh backe to thee Vp to the decke a billow lightly skips Taking my sigh and downe againe it slips Into the gulfe it selfe it headlong throwes And as a Post to England-ward it goes As I sit wondring how the rough seas stird I might far off perceiue a little bird vvhich as she faine from shore to shore would flie Hath lost her selfe in the broad vastie skie Her feeble wing beginning to deceiue her The seas of life still gaping to bereaue her Vnto the ship she makes which she discouers And there poore foole a while for refuge houers And when at length her flagging pineon failes Panting she hangs vpon the ratling failes And being forc'd to loose her hold with paine Yet beaten off she straight lights on againe And tost with flawes with stormes with wind with wether Yet still departing thence still turneth thether Now with the Poope now with the Prow doth beare Now on this side now that now heerâ— now there Me thinks these stormes should be my sad depart The silly helpelesse bird is my poore bart The ship to which for succour it repaires That is your selfe regardlesse of my cares Of euery surge doth fall or waue doth rise To some one thing I sit and moralize VVhen for thy loue I left the Belgick shore Diuine Erasmus and our famous Moore vvhose happy presence gaue me such delight As made a minute of a winters night vvith whom a while I stai'd at Roterdame Now so renowned by Erasmus name Yet euery houre did seeme a world of time Till I had seene that soule-reuiuing clime And thought the foggy Netherlands vnfit A watry soyle to clog a fiery wit And as that wealthy Germany I past Comming vnto the Emperors Court at last Great learn'd Agrippa so profound in Art vvho the infernall secrets doth impart vvhen of thy health I did desire to know Me in a glasse my Geraldine did shew Sicke in thy bed and for thou couldst net sleepe By a watch Taper set thy light to keepe I doe remember thou didst read that Ode Sent backe whilst I in Thanet made abode vvhere as thou cam'st vnto the word of loue Euen in thine eyes I saw how passion stroue That snowy Lawne which couered thy bed Me thought look'd white to see thy cheeke so red Thy rosie cheeke oft changing in my sight Yet still was red to see the Lawne so white The little Taper which should giue thee light Me thought wax'd dim to see thy eye so bright Thine eye againe supplies the Tapers turne And with his beames doth make the Taper burne The shrugging ayre about thy Temple hurles And wraps thy breath in little clouded curles And as it doth ascend it straight doth ceaze it And as it sinks it presently doth raise it Canst thou by sicknes banish beauty so VVhich if put from thee knowes not where to goe To make her shift and for her succour seeke To euery riueld face each bankrupt cheeke If health preseru'd thou beauty still doost cherish If that neglected beauty soone doth perish Care drawes on care woe comforts woe againe Sorrow breeds sorrow one griefe brings forth twaine If liue or die as thou doost so doe I If liue I liue and if thou die I die One hart one loue one ioy one griefe one troth One good one ill one life one death to both If Howards blood thou hold'st as but too vile Or not esteem'st of Norfolks Princely stile If Scotlands coate no marke of fame can lend That Lion plac'd in our bright siluer bend vvhich as a Trophy beautifies our shield Since Scottish blood discoloured Floden field VVhen the proud Cheuiot our braue Ensigne beare As a rich iewel in a Ladies haire And did faire Bramstons neighbouring valies choke vvith clouds of Canons fire disgorged smoke Or Surreys Earldome insufficient be And not a dower so well contenting thee Yet am I one of great Apollos heires The sacred Muses challenge me for theirs By Princes my immortall lines are sung My flowing verses grac'd with euery tung The little children when they learne to goe By painefull mothers daded to and fro Are taught my sugred numbers to rehearse And haue their sweet lips season'd with my verse vvhen heauen would striue to doe the best it can And put an Angels spirit into a man The vtmost power in that great worke doth spend vvhen to the world a Poet it doth intend That little difference twixt the Gods and vs By them confirm'd distinguish'd onely thus vvhom they in birth ordaine to happie daies The Gods commit their glory to our praise To eternall life when they dissolue that breath vve likewise share a second power by death VVhen time shall turne those Amber curles to gray My verse againe shall guild and make them gay And trick them vp in knotted curles anew And in the autumne giue a sommers hue That sacred power that in my Inke remaines Shall put fresh blood into thy wither'd vaines And on thy red decay'd thy whitenes dead Shall set a white more white a red more red VVhen thy dim sight thy glasse cannot discry Thy crazed mirrhor cannot see thine eye My verse to tell what eye what mirrhor was Glasse to
which way they â—ould â—ake 38 Slaughter runnes wildly through th' afflicted host vvhilst yet the battaile strongly doth abide That in this strange distemprature is lost VVhere hellish fury sensibly doth guide Neuer suffisd where tyrannizing most That now their wounds with mouthes euen open'd wide Lastly inforc'd to call for present death That wants but tongues your swords do giue the breath 39 Heere lyes a heape halfe slaine and halfly drownd Gasping for breath amongst the watry segs And there a sort falne in a deadly swound Troad with the presse into the muddy dregs Other lie bleeding on the firmer ground Hurt in the bodies maym'd of armes and legs One kills a foe his braine another cuts On 's feere intangled in anothers guts 40 One his assayling enemy beguiles As from the bridge he happily doth fall Crush'd with his weight vppon the forced piles Some in their gore vpon the pauement spraule That euery place so lothsomly defiles The carcasses lie heaped like a wall Such hideous shreekes yet still the souldiers breath As though the spirits had howled from beneath 41 The faction still defying Edwards might Edmond of VVoodstocke with the men of Kent Charging a fresh reuiues the doubtfull fight Vpon the Barrons languishing and spent New preparation for a tragique sight vvhen they againe supplies immediat sent A second battaile proudly to begin The noblest spirits but newly entred in 42 As at Troyes fack faire Thetis godlike sunne Couragious Talbot with his shield him bare Clyfford and Mowbray brauely following on Audly and Gifford thrunging for a share These seconding the former beeing gone Elmsbridge and Baldsmere in the thickest are Pell mell together flie this furious power vvhen they perceiue that death will all deuour 43 Mountfort and Teis your worth I faine would speake But that your valure doth so ill deserue And Denuile heere from thee perforce must breake And from thy prayses VVillington must swerue Your deedes permit not I your wrongs should wreake Proud Damory here must thy glory starue Concealing many most deseruing blame Because your actions quench my sacred flame 44 O had you fashiond your great deedes by them vvho summond Acon with an English drum Or march'd before that faire Ierusalem vvith the vnited powers of Christendome Eternall then had been your Diadem And with Christs warriors slept about his Toombe Then ages had immortaliz'd your name vvhere now my song can be but of your shame 45 O age inglorious Armes vntimely borne vvhen now this prooued and victorious sheeld Must in this ciuill massacre be torne vvhich bare the marks of many a bloody feeld And lastly in their ouerthrowne forlorne vvhen now to flight the Barrons basely yeeld That since that time the stones for very dreed Against foule stormes small drops of moisture shee l 46 VVhen now those wretched and vnstedfast friends vvhich all this while stood doubtfully to pause vvhen they perceiue what desteny intends And his successe doth iustifie his cause Their faintnes now more comfort apprehends For victory both feare and friendship drawes T' an open smile conuert a couered frowne All lend their hands to hew the conquered downe 47 That part of power th'emperiall seem'd to lacke vvhilst yet the aduerse bare an vpright face vvhen now constraynd to giue a recreant back Quickly returnes to prosecute the chase vvhere now the Barrons wholy goe to wracke In the iust tryall of so neere a case Inforc'd to proue the fortune of the Coast vvhen they perceiue the glorious gole is lost 48 And to the fortunes of the conquering King vvhich well confirm'd his long and tendered hope His fayre successe still more incouraging vvhich now had got so large and ample scope The Earle of Carlell happily doth bring His light-arm'd bands the valiant Northerne troope Armed too lately and with too much speed To doe most harme euen when we least had need 49 vvhen now the Barrons making out their way Through parts for safety and aduantage knowne Keeping their force still bodied as they may Into the depth of this misfortune throwne And in pursute deuising day by day T' offend th'assailant and defend their owne In their last hope the vtmost to endure To deferre the effect although the end were sure 50 And whilst their fortune â—uâ—ing sadly thus To Burrough-bridge conducted by their fate Bridges to Barrons euer omenous And to this place their fall preordinate That ministring such cause of griefe to vs By the remembrance of their passed state The very soile by deepe impression yit Euen to this day doth still remember it 51 New courage now new fights new battailes rang'd New breath but what might make destruction newe They change the ground but yet their fate vnchang'd vvhich too directly doth their course pursue Nor from their former misery estrang'd Their strength decayes their dangers daily grew To shorten that which whilst it did depend Gaue a long breathing to a fearefull end 52 Like to a heard of weary hartlesse Deare vvhom hot-spurd Huntsmen seriously doe chase In brakes and bushes falling here and there Proouing each couert euery secret place Yet by the hounds recouered eu'ry where vvith eager yearning in the sented trace Hem'd on each side with hornes rechating blast Headlong themselues into the toyles doe cast 53 Ensigne beards Ensigne sword gainst sword doth shake vving against wing and ranke doth ranke oppose In on each other furiously they brake And death in earnest to his bus'nes goes A generall hauock as dispos'd to make And with destruction doth them all inclose Dealing it selfe impartially to all Friend by his friend and foe by foe doth fall 54 This part of life which yet they did respire In spight of fortune as they stood prepar'd vvith courage charg'd with comlines retire Make good their ground and then relieue their guard vvithstand the entrer then pursue the flier New forme their battaile shifting eu'ry ward As your hie courage but were your quarrel good O noble spirits how deere had beene your blood 55 The Northerne bands th' ambitious Herckley led On the weake Barrons mangled so before That now towards Burrough make a puissant head Incouraging th' imperiall power the more O day so fatall and so full of dread vvhen ere shall time thy ruinous wast restore vvhich to amend although thou shalt perseuer Thou still mai'st promise but performe it neuer 56 Pale death beyond all wontâ—d bounds doth swell Caruing proud flesh in cantels now at large As leaues in Autumne so the bodies fell Vnder rough steele at eu'ry boysterous charge O what sad pen can the destruction tell vvhere scalps lay beaten as the battered targe And eu'ry one he claimeth as his right That not prouides t' escape away by flight 57 Those Ensignes earst that in the glittering field vvith their curld forheads threat th' ambitious foe Like wether'd foule the drouping pyneons yield Stooping their proud heads to the dust below There sits a helmet and there lies a shield O ill did fate these noble Armes
it that time celestiall signes hath done 2 VVhilst our ill thriuing in those Scottish broyles Theyr strength and couâ—age greatly doth aduaunce That beeing made fat and wealthy by our spoyles vvhen we still weakned by the iarres in Fraunce And thus dishartned by continuall foyles Yeelds other cause whereat our Muse may glaunce And Herckleys treasons lastly brings to view vvhose power of late the Barrons ouerthrew 3 Now when the Scot with an inuasiue hand By daily inroads on the borders made Had spoyld the Country of Northumberland The buildings leuell with the ground weare layd And finding none that dare his power withstand vvithout controlement eu'ry where had pray'd Bearing with pride what was by pillage got As our last fall appointed to theyr lot 4 For vvhich false Herckley by his Soueraigne sent T' intreate this needfull though dishonored peace Cloking his treasons by this fayn'd intent Kinling the warre which otherwise might cease And with the Scot new mischiefes doth inuent T' intrap King Edward and their feare release For which their faith they constantly haue plight In peace and warre to stand for eithers right 5 For which the King his sister doth bestow Vpon this false Lord which to him affy'd Maketh too plaine and euident a show Of what before his trust did closely hide But beeing found from whence this match should grow By such as now into their actions pry'd Displayes the treasons which not quickly crost vvould shed more blood then all the warres had cost 6 VVhether the Kings weake counsels causes are That eu'ry thing so badly forteth out Or that the Earle did of our state despaire vvhen nothing prosper'd that was gone about And therefore carelesse how these matters fare I le not define but leaue it as a doubt Or some vaine title his ambition lackt Hatch'd in his breast this treasonable act 7 VVhich now reueal'd vnto the iealous King For apprehension of this tray't rous Peere To the Lord Lucy leaues the managing One whose knowne faith he euer held so deere By whose dispatch and trauell in this thing He doth well worthy of his trust appeare In his owne Castell carelesly defended The trecherous Herckley closely apprehended 8 For which ere long vnto his tryall led In all the roabes befitting his degree VVhere Scroope chiefe Iustice in King Edwards sted vvas now prepar'd his lawfull Iudge to be Vrging the proofes by his enditement red vvhere they his treasons euidently see vvhich now themselues so plainly doe expresse As might at first declare his bad successe 9 His honor'd title backe againe restord Noted with tearmes of infamie and scorne And then disarmed of his knightly sword On which his faith and loyaltie was sworne And by a varlet of his spurres dispur'd His coate of Armes in peeces hal'd and torne To tast deserued punishment is sent T'a trayterous death that trayterously had ment 10 VVhen such the fauorers of this fatall war vvhom this occasion doth more sharply whet Those for this cause thet yet impris'ned are Boldly attempt at liberty to set vvhose purpose frustrate by the others care Doth greater wounds continually beget vvarning the King more strictly looke about These secret fires still daily breaking out 11 And Hereford in Parlement accusd Of treasons which apparantly were wrought That with the Queene and Mortimers were vsd vvhereby subuersion of the Realme was sought And both his calling and his trust abusd vvhich now to aunswere when he should be brought Ceaz'd by the Clergy in the Kings despight Vnder the colour of the Churches right 12 VVhilst now the Queene from England day by day That of these troubles still had certaine word vvhose friends much blam'd her tedious long delay vvhen now the time occasion doth afford vvith better hast doth for herselfe puruay Bearing prouision presently abord Ships of all vses daily rigging are Fit'st for inuasion to transport a warre 13 The Earle of Kent by 's soueraigne brother plac'd As the great Generall of his force in Gwine vvho in his absence here at home disgra'st And frustrated both of his men and coyne By such lewd persons to maintaine theyr wast From the Kings treasúres ceas'd not to proloyne Th'lasciuious Prince though mou'd regardlesse still Both of his owne losse and his brothers ill 14 VVhos 's discontentment beeing quickly found By such as all aduantages await That still apply'd strong corsiues to the wound And by their sharpe and intricate deceit Hindred all meanes might possibly redound This fast-arising mischiefe to defeate Vntill his wrongs vvere to that fulnesse growne That they haue made him absolute their owne 15 VVhose selfe-like followers in these faithlesse warres Men most experienc'd and of worthiest parts vvhich for their pay receaued onely scarres vvhilst the inglorious reap'd their due desarts And Mineons hate of other hope debarres vvith too much violence vrg'd their grieued harts On Iohn of Henault wholy doe rely vvho led a great and valiant company 16 That in this conquest doe themselues combine The Lords Pocelles Sares and Boyseers Dambretticourt the young and valiant Heyn Estoteuill Comines and Villeers Others his Knights Sir Michaell de la Lyne Sir Robert Balioll Boswit and Semeers Men of great power whom spoile and glory warmes Such as were wholly dedicate to Armes 17 Three thousand souldiers mustred men in pay Of French Scotch Almaine Swiser and the Dutch Of natiue English fled beyond the Sea vvhose number neere amounted to asmuch VVhich long had look'd for this vnhappy day vvhom her reuenge did but too neerely tuch Her friends now ready to receaue her in And new commotions eu'ry day begin 18 VVhen she for England fitly setting forth Spreading her proud sayles on the watry plaine Shaping her course directly to the North vvith her young Edward Duke of Aquitaine vvith th' other three of speciall name and worth The destain'd scurges of his lawlesse raine Her souldier Beumount with the Earle of Kent And Mortimer that mighty malcontent 19 A for-wind now for Harwich fitly blowes Blow not too fast to kindle such a fire vvhilst with full saile and fairer tide she goes Turne gentle wind and force her to retire The fleet thou driu'st is fraughted with our woes But winds and seas doe Edwards wracke conspire For when iust heauen to chastice vs is bent All things conuert to our due punishment 20 Thy coasts be kept with a continuall ward Thy Beacons watch'd her comming to discry O had the loue of subiects beene thy guard T 'had beene t' effect that thou didst fortifie But whilst thou stand'st gainst for raine foes prepard Thou art betrayd by thy home enemy Small helpe by this thou art but like to win Shutting death out thou keep'st destruction in 21 VVhen Henry brother to that haplesse Prince The first great engine of this ciuill strife Deere Lancaster whom law did late conuince And that at Pomfret left his wretched life This Henry in whose great hart euer since Reuenge lay couer'd smoother'd vp in griefe Like fire in some fat
affection youth to loue with youth No sharper corsiue to our blooming yeeres Then the cold badge of vvinter-blasted haires Thy kingly power makes to withstand thy foes But canst not keepe back age with time it growes Though honour our ambitious sex doth please Yet in that honour age a foule disease Nature hath her free course in all and then Age is alike in Kings and other men vvhich all the world will to my shame imputeâ— That I my selfe did basely prostitute And say that gold was fuell to the fire Gray haires in youth not kindling greene desire O no that wicked woman wrought by thee My tempter was to that forbidden tree That subtile Serpent that seducing deuill vvhich bad me tast the fruite of good and euill That Circe by whose magick I was charm'd And to this monstrous shape am thus transform'dâ— That viperous hag the foe to her owne kinde That wicked spirit vnto the weaker minde Our frailties plague our natures onely curse Hels deep'st damnation the worst euills worse But Henrie how canst thou affect me thus T'whom thy remembrance now is odious My haplesse name with Henries name I found Cut in the glasse with Henries Diamond That glasse from thence faine would I take away But then I feare the ayre would me betray Then doe I striue to wash it out with teares But then the same more euident appeares Then doe I couer it with my guiltie hand VVhich that names witnes doth against me stand Once did I sinne which memory doth cherrish Once I offended but I euer perrish VVhat griefe can be but time doth make it lesse But infamie time neuer can suppresse Sometimes to passe the tedious irkesome howres I climbe the top of VVoodstocks mounting towres vvhere in a Turret secretly I lye To view from farre such as doe trauaile by vvhether me thinks all cast theyr eyes at mee As through the stones my shame did make them see And with such hate the harmelesse walls doe view As vnto death theyr eyes would me pursue The married women curse my hatefull life vvhich wrong a lawfull bed a Queene a wife The maydens wish I buried quick may die The lothsome staine to their virginitie VVell knew'st thou what a monster I would beâ— vvhen thou didst build this Labyrinth for mee vvhose strange Meanders turning euery way Be like the course wherein my youth did stray Onely a Clue to guide me out and in But yet still walke I circuler in sin As in the Tarras heere this other day My mayd and I did passe the time away Mongst many pictures which we passed by The silly girle at length hapt to espie Chast Lucrece picture and desires to know vvhat she should be herselfe that murdred so VVhy girle quoth I this is that Romane dame Not able then to tell the rest for shame My tongue doth mine owne guiltinesse betray vvith that I send the pratling girle away Least when my lisping guiltie tongue should hault My lookes should be the Index to my fault As that life blood which from the hart is sent In beauties felde pitching his crimson Tent In louely sanguine sutes the Lilly cheeke vvhilst it but for a resting place doth seeke And changing often-times with sweet delight Conuerts the white to red the red to white The louely blush the palenes doth distaine The palenes makes the blush more faire againe Thus in my brest a thousand thoughts I carry vvhich in my passion diuersly doe varry VVhen as the sunne hales towards the VVesterne slade And the trees shadowes three times greater made Forth goe I to a little Current neere vvhich like a vvanton traile creepes here and there vvhere with mine angle casting in my baite The little fishes dreading the deceit vvith fearefull nibbling flie th' inticing gin By nature taught what danger lyes therein Things reasonlesse thus warnd by nature be Yet I deuour'd the baite was layd for me Thinking thereon and breaking into grones The bubling spring which trips vpon the stones Chides me away least sitting but too nie I should pollute that natiue puritie Rose of the world so doth import my name Shame of the world my life hath made the same And to th'vnchast this name shall giuen be Of Rosamond deriu'd from sinne and me The Clyffords take from me that name of theyrs Famous for vertue many hundred yeeres They blot my birth with hatefull bastardie That I sprang not from their nobilitie They my alliance vtterly refuse Nor will a strumpet shall theyr name abuse Heere in the garden wrought by curious hands Naked Diana in the fountaine stands vvith all her Nimphes got round about to hide her As when Acteon had by chaunce espide her This sacred Image I no sooner view'd But as that metamorphosd man pursu'd By his owne hounds so by my thoughts am I vvhich chase me still which way so ere I flie Touching the grasse the honny-dropping dew vvhich falls in teares before my limber shue Vpon my foote consumes in weeping still As it would say vvhy went'st thou vnto ill Thus to no place in safety can I goe But euery thing doth giue me cause of woe In that faire Casket of such wondrous cost Thou sent'st the night before mine honour lost Amimone was wrought a harmeles mayd By Neptune that adulterous God betrayd Shee prostrate at his feete begging with prayers vvringing her hands her eyes swolne vp with teares This was not the entrapping baite of men But by thy vertue gentle warning then To shew to me for what intent it came Least I therein should euer keepe my shame â—â—d in this Casket ill I see it now vvat Ioues loue I-o turnd into a Cow Yet was shee kept with Argus hundred eyes So wakefull still be Iunos iealousies By this I well might haue forewarned beene T' haue cleerd my selfe to thy suspecting Queene vvho with more hundred eyes attendeth mee Then had poore Argus single eyes to see In this thou rightly imitatest Ioue Into a beast thou hast transformd thy loue Nay worser farre degenerate from kinde A monster both in body and in mind The waxen Taper which I burne by night vvith his dull vapory dimnes mocks my sight As though the damp which hinders his cleere flame Came from my breath in that night of my shame vvhen it did burne as darkenes vgly eye vvhen shot the starre of my virginitie And if a starre but by the glasse appeare I straight in treate it not to looke in heere I am already hatefull to the light It is enough betray me not to night Then sith my shame so much belongs to thee Rid me of that by onely murdring me And let it iustly to my charge be layde Thy royall person I would haue betrayd Thou shalt not neede by circumstance t'â—ccuse mee If I denie it let the heauens refuse mee My life 's a blemish which doth cloude thy name Take it away and cleere shall shine thy fame Yeeld to my sute if euer pittie moou'd thee In this shew mercy as I
branches spring From wrinkled furrowes of times ruining Euen as the hungry vvihter-starued earth vvhen she by nature labours towards her birth Still as the day vpon the darke world creepes One blossome forth after another peepes Till the smal flower whose roote is now vnbound Gets from the frostie prison of the ground Spreading the leaues vnto the powerfull noone Deck'd in fresh colours smiles vpon the sunne Neuer vnquiet care lodg'd in that brest vvhere but one thought of Rosamond did rest Nor thirst nor trauaile which on warre attend Ere brought the long day to desired end Nor yet did pale Feare or leane Famine liue vvhere hope of thee did any comfort giue Ah what iniustice then is this of thee That thus the guiltlesse doost condemne for me vvhen onely she by meanes of my offence Redeemes thy purenes and thy innocence vvhen to our wills perforce obey they must That iust in them what ere in vs vniust Of what we doe not them account we make The fault craues pardon for th' offenders sake And what to worke a Princes will may merrit Hath deep'st impression in the gentlest spirit If 't be my name that doth thee so offend No more my selfe shall be mine owne names friend And if 't be that which thou doost onely hate That name in my name lastly hath his date Say t is accurst and fatall and dispraise it If written blot it if engrauen raze it Say that of all names t is a name of woe Once a Kings name but now it is not so And when all this is done I know t will grieue thee And therefore sweet why should I now belieue thee Nor should'st thou thinke those eyes with enuie lower vvhich passing by thee gaze vp to thy tower But rather praise thine owne which be so cleere vvhich from the Turret like two starres appeare Aboue the sunne doth shine beneath thine eye Mocking the heauen to make another skye The little streame which by thy tower doth glide vvhere oft thou spend'st the wearie euening tide To view thee well his course would gladly stay As loth from thee to part so soone away And with salutes thy selfe would gladly greete And offer vp those small drops at thy feete But finding that the enuious banks restraine it T' excuse it selfe doth in this sort complaine it And therefore this sad bubling murmur keepes And in this sort within the channell weepes And as thou doost into the water looke The fish which see thy shadow in the brooke Forget to feede and all amazed lye So daunted with the lustre of thine eye And that sweet name which thou so much doost wrong In time shall be some famous Poets song And with the very sweetnes of that name Lyons and Tygers men shall learne to tame The carefull mother from her pensiue brest vvith Rosamond shall bring her babe to rest The little birds by mens continuall sonnd Shall learne to speake and prattle Rosamond And when in Aprill they begin to sing vvith Rosamond shall welcome in the spring And she in whom all rarities are found Shall still be sayd to be a Rosamond The little flowers which dropping honied dew vvhich as thou writ'st doe weepe vpon thy shuâ— Not for thy fault sweet Rosamond doe mone But weepe for griefe that thou so soone art gone For if thy foote tuch Hemlock as it goes That Hemlock's made more sweeter then the Rose Of Ioue or Neptune how they did betray Nor speake of I-o or Amimone vvhen she for whom Ioue once became a Bull Compar'd with thee had beene a tawny trull He a white Bull and she a whiter Cow Yet he nor she neere halfe so white as thou Long since thou knowst my care prouided forâ— To lodge thee safe from iealous Ellenor The Labyrinths conueyance guides thee so vvhich onely Vahan thou and I doe know If she doe guard thee with a hundred eyes I haue an hundred subtile Mercuries To watch that Argus which my loue doth keepe Vntill eye after eye fall all to sleepe Those starres looke in by night looke in to see vvondring what star heere on the earth should be As oft the moone amidst the silent night Hath come to ioy vs with her friendly light And by the curtaine help'd mine eye to see vvhat enuious night and darknes hid from mee vvhen I haue wish'd that she might euer stay And other worlds might still enioy the day vvhat should I say vvords teares and sighes be spent And want of time doth further helps preuent My campe resounds with fearefull shocks of war Yet in my breast the worser conflicts are Yet is my signall to the battailes sound The blessed name of beautious Rosamond Accursed be that hart that tongue that breath Should thinke should speake or whisper of thy death For in one smile or lower from thy sweet eye Consists my life my hope my victorie Sweet VVoodstocke where my Rosamond doth rest Blessed in her in whom thy King is blest For though in Fraunce a while my bodie be Sweet Paradice my hart remaines in thee Notes of the Chronicle Historie Am I at home pursued with priuate hate And warre comes raging to my Pallace gate RObert Earle of Leicester who tooke part with young King Henry entred into England with an Armie of 3. thousand Flemmings spoiled the Countries of Norfolke and Suffolke being succoured by manie of the Kings priuate enemies And am I branded with the curse of Rome King Henry the second the first Plantaginet accused for the death of Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterburie slaine in the Cathedrall Church was accursed by Pope Alexander although hee vrg'd sufficient proofe of his innocencie in the same and offered to take vpon him any pennance so he might escape the curse and interdiction of the Realme And by the pride of my rebellious Sonne Rich Normandie with Armies ouer-runne Henry the young King whom King Henry had caused to be crowned in his life as he hoped both for his owne good and the good of his Subiects which indeede turned to his owne sorrowe and the trouble of the whole Realme for he rebelled against him and raising a power by the meanes of Lewes King of Fraunce and William king of Scots who tooke part with him inuaded Normandie Vnkind my children most vnkind my wife Neuer King more infortunate then King Henry in the disobedience of his children first Henry then Geffrey then Richard then Iohn all at one time or other first or last vnnaturally rebelled against him then the iealousie of Ellinor his Queene who suspected his loue to Rosamond which grieuous troubles the deuout of those times attributed to happen vnto him iustly for refusing to take vppon him the gouernment of Ierusalem offered vnto him by the Patriarcke there which country was mightilie afflicted by the Souldane Which onely Vahan thou and I doe know This Vahan was a Knight whom the King exceedingly loued who kept the Pallace at Woodstock much of the Kings iewels treasure to whom the
ouerthrowe giuen to the Barrons by Andrew Herckley Earle of Carlill at Borrough bridge after the battaile at Burton And Torlton now whose counsels should direct This was Adam Torlton Bishop of Herford that great Polititian who so highly fauoured the faction of the Queene and Mortimer whose euill counsell afterward wrought the destruction of the King Mortimer to Queene Isabell. AS thy salutes my sorrowes doe adiourne So backe to thee their interest I returne Though not in so great bountie I confesse As thy heroicke princely lines expresse For how should comfort issue from the breath Of one condemn'd and long lodg'd vp in death From murthers rage thou didst me once repriue Now in exile my hopes thou doost reuiue Twice all was taken twice thou all didst giue And thus twice dead thou mak'st me twice to liue This double life of mine your onely due You gaue to me I giue it back to you Nere my escape had I aduentur'd thus As did the skie-attempting Daedalus And yet to giue more safety to my flight Haue made a night of day a day of night Nor had I backt the proud aspiring wall vvhich held without my hopes within my fall Leauing the cords to tell where I had gone For gazing eyes with feare to looke vpon But that thy beauty by a power diuine Breath'd a new life into this spirit of mine Drawne by the sunne of thy celestiall eyes vvith fiery wings made passage through the skies The heauens did seeme the charge of me to take And sea and land befriend me for thy sake Thames stopt her tide to make me way to go As thou hadst charg'd her that it should be so The hollow murmuring winds their due time kept As they had rock'd the world whilst all things slept One billow bore me and another draue me This stroue to helpe me and that stroue to saue me The brisling Reedes mou'd with the ayre did chide me As they would tell me that they meant to hide me The pale-fac'd night beheld thy heauie cheere And would not let one little starre appeare But ouer all her smokie mantle hurl'd And in thick vapours muffled vp the world And the pure ayre became so clame and still As it had beene obedient to my will And euery thing disposd vnto my rest As when on Seas the Alcâ—on builds her nest VVhen those rough waues which late with fury rusht Slide smoothly on and sodainly are husht Nor Neptune lets his surges our so long As Nature is in bringing forth her yong Nor let the Spensers glory in my chance That I should liue an exile heere in France That I from England banished should be But England rather banished from me More were her want France our great blood should beare Then Englands losse should be to Mortimer My Grandsire was the first since Arthurs raigne That the Round-table rectifi'd againe To whose great Court at Kenelworth did come The peerelesse knighthood of all Christendome vvhose Princely order honoured England more Then all the conquests she atchiu'd before Neuer durst Scot set foote on English ground Nor on his backe did English beare a wound vvhilst VVigmore flourisht in our Princely hopes And whilst our Ensigne march'd with Edwards troupes vvhilst famous Longshanks bones in fortunes scorne As sacred reliques to the field were borne Nor euer did the valiant English doubt vvhilst our braue battailes guarded them about Nor did our wiâ—es and wofull mothers mourne The English blood that stained Banocksburne vvhilst with his Minions sporting in his Tent vvhole dayes and nights in banquetting were spent Vntill the Scots which vnder safegard stood Made lauish hauocke of the English blood And battered helmes lay scattered on the shore vvhere they in conquest had beene borne before A thousand Kingdoms will we seeke from far As many Nations wast with ciuill war vvhere the disheuel'd gastly Sea-nimph sings Or well-rigd ships shall stretch their swelling wings And drag their ankors through the sandy foame About the world in euery Clime to roame And those vnchristned Countries call our owne vvhere scarce the name of England hath beene knowne And in the dead-sea sinke our houses fame From whose sterne waues we first deriu'd our Name Before foule black-mouth'd infamie shall sing That Mortimer ere stoop'd vnto a King And we will turne sterne-visag'd furie backe To seeke his spoile who sought our vtter sacke And come to beard him in our natiue Ile Ere he martch forth to follow our exile And after all these boistrous stormie shocks Yet will we grapple with the chaulkie Rocks Nor will we come like Pyrats or like theeues From mountaine Forrests or sea-bordering Cleeues But fright the ayre with terror when we come Of the sterne trumpet and the bellowing drum And in the field aduance our plumy Crest And martch vpon faire Englands flowrie brest And Thames which once we for our life did swim Shaking our dewy tresses on her brim Shall beare my Nauie vaunting in her pride Falling from Tanet with the powerfull tide vvhich fertile Essex and faire Kent shall see Spreading her flags along the pleasant lee vvhen on her stemming poope she proudly beares The famous Ensignes of the Belgicke peeres And for the hatefull sacreligious sin vvhich by the Pope he stands accursed in The Cannon text shall haue a common glosse Receits in parcels shall be paid in grosse This doctrine preach'd who from the Church doth take At least shall treble restitution make For which Rome sends her curses out from farre Through the sterne throate of terror-breathing warre Till to th' vnpeopled shores she brings supplies Of those industrious Romaine Colonies And for his homage by the which of old Proud Edward Guyne and Aquitaine doth hold Charles by inuasiue armes againe shall take And send the English forces o're the Lake vvhen Edwards fortune stands vpon this chaunce To loose in England or expuls'd from Fraunce And all those townes great Longshanks left his son Now lost againe which once his father won VVithin their strong perculliz'd Ports shall lie And from their walls his sieges shall defie And by that firme and vndissolued knot Betwixt the neighbouring French and bordering Scot Bruse now shall bring his redshanks from the seas From th'Iled Orcad's and the Hebrydes And to his VVesterne Hauens giue free passe To land the vvarlike Irish Galiglasse Marching from Tweede to swelling Humber sands vvasting along the Northerne netherlands And wanting those which should his power sustaine Consum'd with slaughter in his bloody raigne Our warlike sword shall driue him from his throne vvhere he shall lie for vs to tread vpon And those great Lords now after theyr attaints Canonized amongst the English Saints And by the superstitious people thought That by their Reliques miracles are wrought And thinke that flood much vertue doth retaine vvhich tooke the blood of famous Bohun slaine Continuing the remembrance of the thing To make the people more abhor theyr King Nor shall a Spenser be he nere so great Possesse our VVigmore
first Marques and after created Duke of Suffolke beeing sent into Fraunce by King Henry the sixt concludeth a marriage betweene the King his Maister and Margaret daughter to Rayner Duke of Aniou who onely â—ad the title of the King of Cicily and Ierusalem This marriage beeing made contrare to the lyking of the Lordes and Counsell of the Realme by reason of the yeelding vp Aniou and Maine into the Dukes hands which shortly after proued the losse of all Aquitaine they euer after continually hated the Duke and after by meanes of the Commons banished him at the parlement at Berry where after he had the iudgment of his exile beeing then ready to depart hee writeth backe to the Queene this Epistle IN my disgrace deere Queene rest thy content And Margarets health from Suffolkes banishment Not one day seemes fiue yeeres exile to mee But that so soone I must depart from thee VVhere thou not present it is euer night All be exil'd that liue not in thy sight Those Sauages which worship the suns rise vvould hate theyr God if they beheld thine eyes The worlds great light might'st thou be seene abroad vvould at our noone-â—tead euer make aboade And make the poore Antipodes to mourne Fearing least he would neuer more returne VVer 't not for thee it were my great'st exile To liue within this Sea-inuirond I le Poles courage brookes not limmitting in bands But that great Queene thy soueraignty commandsâ— Our Falcons kinde cannot the cage indure Nor buzzard-like doth stoope to euery lure Theyr mounting broode in open ayre doth roue Nor will with Crowes be coop'd within a groue VVe all doe breath vpon this earthly ball Likewise one heauen encompasseth vs all No banishment can be to him assign'd vvho doth retaine a true resolued minde Man in himselfe a little world doth beare His soule the Monarch euer ruling there vvhere euer then his body doth remaine He is a King that in himselfe doth raigne And neuer feareth Fortunes hot'st alarmes That beares against her Patience for his Armes This was the meane proude VVarwicke did inuent To my disgrace at Leister parlement That onely my base yeelding vp of Maine Should be the losse of fertile Aquitaine vvith the base vulgar sort to win him fame To be the heire of good Duke Humfreys name And so by treason spotting my pure blood Make this a meane to raise the Neuels brood VVith Salisbury his vile ambitious Syer In Yorkes sterne brest kindling long hidden fyer By Clarence title working to supplant The Eagle ayrie of great Iohn of Gaunt And to this end did my exile conclude Thereby to please the rascall multitude Vrg'd by these enuious Lords to spend theyr breath Calling reuenge on the Protectors death That since the old decrepit Duke is dead By me of force he must be murthered If they would know who rob'd him of his life Let them call home Dame Ellinor his wife vvho with a Taper walked in a sheet To light her shame at no one through London street And let her bring her Negromantick booke That foule â—ag Iordane Hun and Bullenbrooke And let them call the spirits from hell againe To know how Humfrey died and who shall raigne For twenty yeeres and haue I seru'd in Fraunce Against great Charles and bastard Orleance And seene the slaughter of a world of men Victorious now and conquered agen And haue I seene Vernoylas batfull fields Strew'd with ten thousand Helmes ten thousandâ— shields VVhere famous Bedford did our fortune try Or Fraunce or England for the victory The sad inuesting of so many Townes Scor'd on my brest in honourable wounds vvhen Mountacute and Talbot of such name Vnder my Ensigne both first won theyr fame In heate and cold all fortunes haue indur'd To rouze the French within their walls immur'd Through all my life these perrils haue I past And now to feare a banishment at last Thou know'st how I thy beauty to aduance For thee refusd the infant Queene of Fraunce Brake the contract Duke Humfrey first did make Twixt Henry and the Princesse Arminacke Onely sweet Queene thy presence I might gaine I gaue Duke Rayner Aniou Mauns and Maine Thy peerelesse beautie for a dower to bring To counterpoize the wealth of Englands King And from Aumerle with-drew my warlike powers And came my selfe in person first to Towers Th' Embassadors for truce to entertaine From Belgia Denmarke Hungarie and Spayne And telling Henry of thy beauties story I taught my tongue a Louers oratory As the report it selfe did so indite And make it rauish teares with such delight And when my speech did cease as telling all My lookes shew'd more that was Angelicall And when I breath'd againe and paused next I left mine eyes to comment on the text Then comming of thy modestie to tell In musicks numbers my voyce rose and fell And when I came to paint thy glorious stile My speech in greater cadenâ—es to file By true descent to weare the Diadem Of Naples Cicils and Ierusalem And from the Gods thou didst deriue thy birth If heauenly kinde could ioyne with broode of earth Gracing each title that I did recite vvith some mellifluous pleasing Epithete Nor left him not till he for loue was sicke Beholding thee in my sweet Rhetoricke A fifteenes taxe in Fraunce I freely spent In triumphs at thy nuptiall Tournament And solemniz'd thy marriage in a gowne Valu'd at more then was thy fathers Crowne And onely striuing how to honour thee Gaue to my King what thy loue gaue to mee Iudge if his kindnes haue not power to moue vvho for his louesâ— sake gaue away his loue Had he which once the prize to Greece did bring Of whom old Poets long agoe did sing Seene thee for England but imbarqu'd at Deepe vvould ouer-boord haue cast his golden sheepe As too vnworthy ballace to be thought To pester roome with such perfection fraught The briny seas which saw the ship enfold thee vvould vaute vp to the hatches to behold thee And falling backe themselues in thronging smother Breaking for griefe enuying one another vvhen the proud Barke for ioy thy steps to feele Scorn'd the salt waues should kisse her furrowing keele And trick'd in all her flags her selfe she braues Capring for ioy vpon the siluer waues vvhen like a Bull from the Phenician strand Ioue with Europa tripping from the land Vpon the bosome of the maine doth scud And with his swannish breast cleauing the floud Tow'rd the faire fields vpon the other side Beareth Agenors ioy Phenicias pride All heauenly beauties ioyne themselues in one To shew their glory in thine eye alone VVhich when it turneth that celestiall ball A thousand sweet starres rise a thousand fall VVho iustly saith mine banishment to bee vvhen onely Fraunce for my recourse is free To view the plaines where I haue seene so oft Englands victorious Engines raisd aloft vvhen this shall be my comfort in my way To see the place where I may boldly say Heere mightie Bedford forth the
combine And Yorks sweet branch with Lancasters entwine And in one stalke did happily vnite The pure vermilion Rose with purer white I the vntimely slip of that rich stem vvhose golden bud brings forth a Diadem But oh forgiue me Lord it is not I Nor doe I boast of this but learne to die vvhilst we were as our selues conioyned then Nature to nature now an alien The purest blood polluted is in blood Neerenes contemn'd if soueraignty withstood A Diadem once dazeling the eye The day too darke to see affinitie And where the arme is stretch'd to reach a Crowne Friendship is broke the deerest things throwne downe For what great Henry most stroue to auoyde The heauens haue built where earth would haue destroyd And seating Edward on his regall throne He giues to Mary all that was his owne By death assuring what by life is theyrs The lawfull claime of Henries lawfull heyres By mortall lawes the bound may be diuorc'd But heauens decree by no meanes can be forc'd That rules the case when men haue all decreed vvho tooke him hence foresaw who should succeede In vaine be counsels statutes humaine lawes vvhen chiefe of counsailes pleades the iustest cause Thus rule the heauens in theyr continuall course That yeelds to fate that doth not yeeld to force Mans wit doth build for time but to deuoure But vertu's free from time and fortunes power Then my kinde Lord sweet Gilford be not grieu'd The soule is heauenly and from heauen relieu'd And as we once haue plighted troth together Now let vs make exchange of mindes to eyther To thy faire breast take my resolued minde Arm'd against blacke dispayre and all her kinde And to my bosome breathe that soule of thine There to be made as perfect as is mine So shall our faith as firmely be approued As I of thee or thou of me beloued This life no life wert thou not deere to mee Nor this no death were I not woe for thee Thou my deere husband and my Lord before But truly learne to die thou shalt be more Now liue by prayer on heauen fixe all thy thought And surely finde what ere by zeale is sought For each good motion that the soule awakes A heauenly figure sees from whence it takes That sweet resemblance which by power of kinde Formes like it selfe an Image in the minde And in our faith the operations bee Of that diuinenes which by fayth we see vvhich neuer errs but accidentally By our fraile fleshes imbecillitie By each temptation ouer-apt to slide Except our spirit becomes our bodies guide For as our bodies prisons be these towers So to our soules these bodies be of ours vvhose fleshly walls hinder that heauenly light As these of stone depriue our wished sight Death is the key which vnlocks miserie And lets them out to blessed libertie Then draw thy forces all vnto thy hart The strongest fortresse of this earthly part And on these three let thy assurance lie On fayth repentance and humilitie Humilitie to heauen the step the staire Is for deuotion sacrifice and Prayer The next place doth to true repentance fall A salue a comfort and a cordiall He that hath that the keyes of heauen hath That is the guide that is the port the path Faith is thy fort thy shield thy strongest ayde Neuer controld nere yeelded nere dismaid 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 blacke and dismall dayes begin The dayes of all Idolatry and sin Not suffering vs to see that wicked age vvhen persecution vehemently shall rage vvhen tyrannie new tortures shall inuent Inflicting vengeance on the innocent Yet heauen forbids that Maries wombe shall bring Englands faire Sceptâ—r 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 Martyrs scattred bones And shall extirpe the power of Rome againe And cast aside the heauy yoke of Spayne 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 deerest Lord I greete thee Vntill in heauen thy Iane againe shall meete thee Notes of the Chronicle Historie They which begot vs did beget this sin SHewing the ambition of the two Dukes their Fathers whose pride was the cause of the vtter ouerthrow of theyr chyldren At Durham Pallace where sweet 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 persed 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 safetie and after proclaimed in diuers parts of the Realme as so ordained 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 Suffolk married Frauncis the eldest daughter of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk by the French queene by which Frauncis he had this Lady Iane this Mary the French Queene vvas daughter to king Henry the seauenth by Elizabeth his Queene which happy mariage coÌ„ioyned the two noble families of Lancaster York For what great Henrie most stroue to auoyde Noting the distrust that King Henry the eyght euer had in the Princesse Mary his daughter â—earing 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 prophecy of queene Maries barrenâ—es of the happy glorious raigne of Queene Elizabeth her restoring of Religion the abolishing of the Romish seruitude casting aside the yoke of Spayne The Lord Gilford Dudley to the Lady Iane Gray AS Swan-like singing at thy dying howre Such my reply returning from this tower 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 me a teare I le pay thee with a teare And interest to if thou the stocke forbeare vvoe for a woe and for thy interest lone I will returne thee frankly two for one And if thou thinke too soone one sorrow ends Another twice so long shall make amends Perhaps thow'lt iudge in such extreames as these That words of comfort might far better please But such strange power in thy perfection
liueth As smiles in teares and teares in gladnes giuethâ— Yet thinke not Iane that cowardly I faint As begging mercy by this sad complaint Or yet suppose my courage daunted so That thou shouldst stand betwixt me and my so That grim-aspected death should now controule And seeme so fearefull to my parting soule For were one life a thousand lifes to me Yet were all those too few to die with thee vvhen thou my woes so patiently dost beare As if in death no cause of sorrow were And no more doost lifes dissolution shunne Then if cold age his longest course had runne Thou which didst once giue comfort in my woe Now art alone becom 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 Straight-waies thy name doth come into my tongâ— And thou art present as thou still didst lye Or in my hart or in my lips or eye No euill plannet raigned at thy birth Nor was that houre prodigious heere on earth No fatall marke of froward destinie Could be diuin'd in thy natiuitie T is onely I that did thy fall deuise And thou by me art made a sacrifice As in those Countries where the louing wiues Doe with their husbands euer end their liues And crown'd with garlands in their brides attire Goe with their husbands to that holy fire And she vnworthy thought to liue of all vvhen feare of death or danger doth appall I boast not of Northumberlands great name Nor of Kets conquest which adornes the same vvhen he to Norfolke led his troupes from far And yok'd the rebels in the chaine of war vvhen our white Beare did furiously respireâ— The flames that sing'd their Villages with fire And brought sweet peace in safety to our doores Yet left our fame vpon the Easterne shores Nor of my princely brothers which might grace And plant true honour in the Dudleys race Nor of Grayes match my children borne by thee Alied to great Plantaginet should bee But of thy vertues proudly boast I dare That she is mine whom all perections 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 euer it befell Me thinks a Crowne should haue becom'd thee well Me thinks thy wisedome was ordain'd alone To blesse a Scepter beautifie a throme Thy lips a sacred Oracle retaine vvherein all holy prophecies remaine More highly priz'd thy vertues were to me Then crownes then Kingdomes or then Scepters bâ— So chast thy loue so innocent thy life A wiued virgine and a mayded wife The greatest gifts that heauen could giue me heere Nothing on earth to me was halse so deere This was the ioy wherin we liu'd of late Ere worldly cares did vs excruciate Before these troubles did our peace confound By war by weapon massacre or wound Ere dreadfull Armies did disturbe our shores Or walls were shaken with the Cannons roares Suspect bewrayes our thoughts bewrayes our words One Crowne is guarded with a thousand swords To meane estate but common woes are showne But Crownes haue cares that euer be vnknowne And we by them are to those dangers led Of which the least we are experienced VVhen Dudley led his Armies to the East Of all the bosome of the land possest vvhat Earthly comfort was it that he lack'd That with a Counsels warrantie was back'd That had a Kingdome and the power of lawes Still to maintaine the iustnes of his cause And with the Clergies helpe the Commons ayd In euery place the peopled Kingdome swayd But what alas can Parliaments auaile vvhen Maries right must Edwards acts repealeâ— VVhen suffolks power doth Suffolks hopes withstand Northumberland doth leaue Northumberland And those which should our greatnes vnder prop Raze our foundation ouerthrow our top Ere greatnes come we wish it with our hart But being come desire it would depart And indiscretly follow that so fast which when it comes brings perrill at the last If any man doe pittie our offence Let him be sure to get him far from hence Heere is no place no comfort heere at all For any one that shall bewaile our fall And we in vaine of mercy should but thinke Our briny teares the fullen earth doth drink O that all teares for vs should be forlorne And all should die so soone as they be borne Mothers that should their childrens fortunes rue Fathers in death too kindly bid adue Friends of their friends a kind farwell to take The faithful seruant mourning for our sake Brothers and sisters waiting on our Beere Mourners to tell what we were liuing heere Those eares are stopt which should bewaile our fall And wee the Mourners and the dead and all And that which first our Pallace was ordain'd The prison which our libertie restrain'd And where our Court we held in princely state There now alone are left disconsolate Thus then resolu'd as thou resolu'd am I. Die thou for me and I for thee will die And yet that heauen Elizabeth may blesse Be thou sweet Iane a faithfull Prophetesse VVith that health gladly resaluting thee VVhich thy kind farwell wish'd before to mee Notes of the Chronicle Historie Nor of Kets conquest which adornes the same IOhn Duke of Northumberland when before he was Earle of Warwicke in his expedition against Ket ouerthrew the rebels of Norfolk and suffolk encamped at Mount-Surrey in Norfolke Nor of my princely brothers which might grace Gilford Dudley as remembring in this place the towardnesse of his brothers which were all likely indeed to haue raised that house of the Dudleyes of which he was a fourth brother if not suppressed by their Fathers ouerthrow Nor of Grayes match my children borne by thee Noting in this place the alliance of the Ladie Iane Gray by her mother which was Frauncis the daughter of Charles Brandon by Mary the French Queene daughter to Henry the seuenth and sister to Henry the eight To blesse a Septer beautifie a threne Sildome hath it euer been known of any woman endued with such wonderfull gifts as was this Ladie both for her wisedome and learning of whose skill in the tongues one reporteth by this Epigram Miraris Ianam Graio sermone â—alere Quâ— primum nata est tempore Graia Fuit When Dudley led his armies to the East The Duke of Northumberland prepared his power at London for his expedition against the Rebels in Norfolke and making hast away appointed the rest of his forces to meete him at Newmarket Heath of whom this saying is reported that passing through Shorditch the Lord Gray in his company seeing the people in great numbers came to see him hee said the people presse to see vs but none bid God speede vs. That with the Counsels warranty was back'd Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland when he went out against Queene Mary had his Commission sealed for the generalship of the Armie by the consent of the whole Counsell of the Land
insomuch that passing through the Counsell chamber at his departure the Earle of Arondell wished that he might haue gone with him in that expedition and to spend his blood in the quarrell When suffolks power doth Suffolks hopes withstand Northumberland doth leaue Northumberland The Suffolke men were the first that euer resotted to Queene Mary in her destresse repairing to her succours whilst she remained both at Keningall and at Fermingham Castle still increasing her aydes vntill the Duke of Northumberland was left forsaken at Cambridge FINIS Idea THE worlds faire Rose and Henries frosty fire Iohns tyranny and chast Matilda's wrong Th' inraged Queene and furious Mortimer The scourge of Fraunce and his chast loue I song Deposed Richard Isabell exil'd The gallant Tudor and faire Katherine Duke Humfrey and old Cobhams haplesse child Couragious Pole and that braue spiritfull Queene Edward and the delicious London Dame Brandon and that rich dowager of Fraunce Surrey with his faire paragon of fame Dudleys mishap and vertuous Grayes mischaunce Their seuerall loues since I before haue showne Now giue me leaue at last to sing mine owne To the Reader of his Poems Sonnet 2. INto these loues who but for passion lookes At this first sight heere let them lay them by And seeke else-where in turning other bookes vvhich better may his labour satisfie No far-fetch'd sigh shall euer wound my brest Loue from mine eye a teare shall neuer wring Nor in ah-mees my whining Sonnets drest A Libertine fantastickly I sing My verse is the true image of my mind Euer in motion still desiring change To choyce of all varietie inclin'd And in all humors sportiuely I range My actiue Muse is of the worlds right straine That cannot long one fashion entertaine Sonnet 3. MAny there be excelling in this kind vvhose well-trick'd rimes with all inuention swell Let each commend as best shall like his minde Some Sidney Constable some Daniell That thus their names familiarly I sing Let none thinke them disparaged to be Poore men with reuerence may speake of a King And so may these be spoken of by me My wanton verse neere keepes one certaine stay But now at hand then seekes inuention far And with each little motion runnes a stray vvilde madding iocond and irreguler Like me that lust my honest merry rimes Nor care for Criticke nor regard the times Sonnet 4. THine eyes taught me the Alphabet of loue To con my Crosrow ere I learn'd to spell For I was apt a Scholler like to proue Gaue me sweet lookes when as I learned well Vowes were my vowels when I then begun At my first lesson in thy sacred name My consonants the next when I had done VVords consonant and sounding to thy fame My liquids then were liquid Christall teares My cares my mutes so mute to craue releefe My dolefull Dipthongs were my lifes dispaires Redoubling sighs the accents of my greefe My Loues Schoole-mistres now hath taught me so That I can read a storie of my woe Sonet 5. MY hart was slaine and none but you and I vvho should I thinke the murder should commit Since but your selfe there was no creature by But onely I guiltlesse of murth'ring it It slew it selfe the verdict on the view Doe quit the dead and me not accessary VVell well I feare it will be prou'd by you The euidence so great a proofe doth carry But â— see see we need enquire no further Vpon your lips the scarlet drops are found And in your eye the boy that did the murther Your cheekes yet pale since first they gaue the wound BY this I see how euer things be past Yet heauen will still haue murther out at last Sonnet 6. TAking my pen with words to cast my woes Duly to count the sum of all my cares I finde my griefe innumerable growes The reckonings rise to millions of dispaires And thus deuiding of my fatall houres The payments of my loue I reade and crosse Substracting set my sweets vnto my sowers My ioyes are rage leades me to my losse And thus mine eyes a debtour to thine eye vvhich by extortion gaineth all their lookes My hart hath paid such grieuous vsurie That all his wealth lies in thy beauties bookes And all is thine which hath beene due to mee And I a Bankrupt quite vndone by thee An allusion to Narcissus Sonnet 7. BEauty sometime in all her glorie crowned Passing by that cleere fountaine of thine eye Her sun-shine face there chauncing to espie Forgot herselfe deeming shee had beene drowned And thus whilst Beautie on her beautie gazed vvho then yet liuing thought she had been dying And yet in death some hope of life espying vvith her owne rare perfections so amazed Twixt ioy and griefe yet with a smiling frowning The glorious sun-beames of her eyes bright shining And she on her owne desteny diuining Cast in herselfe to saue herselfe by drowning The vvell of Nectar pau'd with pearle and gold vvhere she remaines for all eyes to behold Sonnet 8. NOthing but no and I and I and no How falls it out so strangely you reply I tell ye Faire I le not be aunswered so vvith this aâ—firming no denying I I say I loue you slightly aunswere I I say you loue you pule me out a no I say I die you eccho me with I Saue me I cry you sigh me out a no Must woe and I haue naught but no and I No I am I if I no more can haue Aunswere no more with silence make reply And let me take my selfe what I doe traue Let no and I with I and you be so Then aunswere no and I and I and no. To Harmonie Sonnet 9. LOue once would daunce within my Mistres eye And wanting musique fitting for the place Swore that I should the instrument supply And suddainly presents me with her face Straightwayes my pulse playe liuely in my vaines My panting breath doth keepe a meaner time My quau'ring artiers be the Tenours straines My trembling sinewes serue the Counterchime My hollow sighs the deepest base doe beare True diapazon in distincted sound My panting hart the treble makes the ayre And descants finely on the musiques ground Thus like a Lute or Violl did I lie vvhilst he proud slaue daunc'd galliards in her eye Sonnet 10. LOue in an humor plaid the prodigall And bids my sences to a solemne feast Yet more to grace the companie withall Inuites my hart to be the chiefest guest No other drinke would serue this gluttons turne But precious teares distilling from mine eyne vvhich with my sighs this Epicure doth burne Quaffing carouses in this costly vvine vvhere in his cups or ' come with foule excesse Begins to play a swaggering Ruffins part And at the banquet in his drunkennes Slew my deere friend his kind and truest hart A gentle warning friends thus may you see vvhat 't is to keepe a drunkard company To the Moone Sonnet 11. PHoebe looke downe and heere behold in mee The elements within thy sphere inclosed How
kindly Nature plat'd them vnder thee And in my world see how they are disposed My hope is earth the lowest cold and dry The grosser mother of deepe melancholie vvater my teares coold with humiditie vvan flegmatick inclind by nature wholie My sighs the ayre hote moyst ascending hier Subtile of sanguine dy'de in my harts dolor My thoughts they be the element of fire Hote dry and percing still inclind to choller Thine eye the Orbe vnto all these froÌ„ whence Proceeds th' effects of powerfull influence To Lunacie Sonnet 12. AS other men so I my selfe doe muse vvhy in this sort I wrest Inuention so And why these giddy metaphors I vse Leauing the path the greater part doe goe I will resolue you I am lunaticke And euer this in mad men you shall finde vvhat they last thought on when the braine grew sick In most distraction keepe that still in minde Thus talking idely in this bedlam fit Reason and I you must conceiue are twaine T is nine yeees now since first I lost my wit Beare with me then though troubled be my braine vvith diet and correction men distraught Not too farre past may to their wits be brought Sonnet 13. TO nothing fitter can I thee compare Then to the sonne of some rich penny-father vvho hauing now brought on his end with care Leaues to his sonne all he had heap'd together This newe rich nouice lauifh of his chest To one man giues and on another spends Then heere he ryots yet amongst the rest Haps to send some to one true honest friend Thy gifts thou in obscuritie doost wast False friends thy kindnes borne but to deceiue thee Thy loueâ— that is on the vnworthy plac'd Time hath thy beautie which with age will leaue thee Onely that little which to me was lent I giue thee back when all the rest is spent Sonnet 14. YOu not alone when you are still alone O God from you that I could priuate be Since you one were I never since was one Since you in me my selfe since out of me Transported from my selfe into your beeing Though either distant present yet to eyther Sencelesse with too much ioy each other seeing And onely absent when we are together Giue me my selfe and take your selfe againe Deuise some meanes but how I may forsake you So much is mine that doth with you remaine That taking what is mine with me I take you You doe bewitch me â— that I could flie From my selfe you or from your own selfe I. To the Soule Sonnet 15. THat learned Father which so firmly proues The soule of man immortall diuine And doth the seuerall offices define Anima Giues her that name as she the body moues Amor. Then is she loue imbracing Charitie Animus Mouing a will in vs it is the minde Mens Retaining knowledge still the same in kinde Memoria As intellectuall it is the memorie Ratio In iudging Reason onely is her name Sensus In speedy apprehension it is sence Conscientia In right or wrong they call her conscience Spiritus The spirit when it to Godward doth inflame These of the soule the seuerall functions bee vvhich my hart lightned by thy loue doth see To the shaddow Sonnet 16. LEtters and lines we see are soone defaced Mettles do waste fret with cankers rust The Diamond shall once consume to dust And freshest colours with foule staines disgraced Paper and incke can paint but naked words To write with blood of force offends the sight And iâ— with teares I find them all too light And sighes and signes a silly hope affords O sweetest Shadow how thou feru'st my turne vvhich still shalt be as long as there is Sunne Nor whilst the world is neuer shall be done vvhilst Moone shal shine or any fire shal burneâ— That euery thing whence shadow doth proceed May in his shadow my loues story reade Sonnet 17. IF hee from heauen that filch'd that liuing fire Condemn'd by loue to endlesse torment be I greatly meruaile how you still goe free That farre beyond Promethius did aspire The fire he stole although of heauenly kinde vvhich from aboue he craftily did take Of liueles clods vs liuing men to make Againe bestow'd in temper of the mind But you broke in to heauens immortall store vvhere vertue honour wit and beautie lay vvhich taking thence you haue escap'd away Yet stand as free as ere you did before But old Promethius punish'd for his rape Thus poore theeues suffer when the greater scape Sonnet 18. VIewing the glasse of my youths miseries I see the face of my deformed cares VViâ—h withered browes all wrinckled with dispayres That for my youth the teares fall from mine eyes Then in these teares the mirrors of these eyes Thy fairest youth and beautie doe I see Imprinted there by looking still on thee Thus midst my woes ten thousand ioyes arise Yet in these ioyes the shadowes of my good In this â—aâ—re limmed ground as white as snow Painted the blackest image of my woe vvith murthering hands imbru'd in mine owne blood And in this image his darke clowdy eyes My life and loue I here anatomize To the Phenix Sonnet 19. WIthin the compasse of this spacious round Amongst all birds the Phenix is alone VVhich but by you could neuer haue beene knowne None like to that none like to you is found Heape your owne vertues seasoned by their sunne On heauenly top of your diuine desire Then with your beautie set the same on fire So by your death your life shall be begunne Your selfe thus burned in this sacred flame VVith your owne sweetnes all the heauens persuming And still encreasing as you are consuming Shall spring againe from th' ashes of your fame And mounting vp shall to the heauens ascend So may you liue past world past fame past end To Time Sonnet 20. STay stay sweet Time behold or ere thou passe From world to world thou long hast sought to see That wonder now where in all wonders be vvhere heauen beholds her in a mortall glasse Nay looke thee Time in this celestiall glasse And thâ— youth past in this faire mirrour see The first worlds beautie in the infancie vvhat it was then what thou before it was Now passe on Time to after worlds tell this And yet shalt tell but trulie what hath beene That they may say what former time hath seene And heauen may ioy to think on past worlds blis Heere make a Period Time and say for me She was whose like againe shall neuer be To the Celestiall numbers Sonnet 21. VNto the world to learning and to heauen Three nines there are to euerie one a nine One number of the earth the other both diuine One woman now makes three od numbers euenâ— Nine orders first of Angels be in heauen Nine Muses doe with learning still frequent These with the Gods are euer resident Nine worthy ones vnto the world were giuenâ— My worthy one to these nine worthies addeth And my faire Muse one Muse vnto the nine And