soonest pry Whose nature thus I chose to be the mould Therein to worke what forme of hap I would 98 His owne compassion cause of his owne care Vpon his thought his constant promise stood Vertue in him most naturally rare No vile base humor tainted his pure blood His bounty still gaue good desert her food His mind so great and honorably free Made him too prone to loose credulitie 99 His counsels thus are combred by his care In nothing certaine bnt vncertaintie His friends resolu'd on nothing but dispaire Yet shewes he greatnes in most misery Each place become a stage for Tragedy By error wandring far beyond his scope Strong in desire but weakest in his hope 100 In publique shame oft counsell seemes disgrac'd No priuiledge can from the Fates protect In desperation counsell hath no taste Vntamed rage doth all aduise reiect Hiding the course which reason should direct Making himselfe the author of his harms VVithout experience valor wants his arms 101 Now I whose power in Williams wars was seene VVhen first on Williams conquest he begun To shew my selfe the worlds imperious Queene Now turne my selfe against his warlike son To lose by me by me his Father won On Englands part gainst Normandy to stand Which Normandy had conquered by my hand 102 The conquest William made vpon this Ile VVith Norman blood be-peopling Brittany Euen now as Brittons made within a while Turne with reuenge to conquer Normandy Thus victory goes back to victory That his own blood wins what before he won His conquering son subdu'd his conquering son 103 Thus Norman townes begirt with English arms The furious brother dealing wrathfull blowes Both pressing in where deadly perrill swarms These English-Norman Norman-English foes At last doe get what they at first did lose As Normandy did Englands fall prouoke Now Norman necks must beare the English yoke 104 The flood of mischiefe thus comes in againe VVhat Fortune works not alwaies seems pretéded The wind thus turn'd blows back the fire amaine VVhere first mischance began she will be ended And he defend him from those he offended For this we find the course of fatall things Is best discern'd in states of Realms Kings 105 On whom of late in Palaestine I smild In ciuill warrs now dreadfully I frowne He call'd from exile I from him exil'd To leaue his crowne who had refus'd a crowne Who beat all down now heare is beaten down Here to lose all who there had gotten all To make his fall more grieuous in his fall 106 To England now a prisoner they him bring Now is he hers which claim'd her for his owne A Captiue where he should haue been a King His dūgeon made wher shold haue been his throne Now buried there wheras he shold haue growne In one poore tower mew'd vp within one place Whose Empires bounds the Ocean shold embrace 107 Could mortall sence containe immortall hate Or reason sound the depth of things diuine Iudgement might stand amaz'd at Roberts state And thinke no might to be compar'd with mine That all power may vnto my power resigne And that in Roberts fall the world may see Amongst the starrs what power remaines in mee 108 That sword which on his fortune hath such power Yet powerles is to end his wretched dayes Those daies w c in their course all things deuoure To his swift griefe makes slow and lazie staies To Tyrannies long raigne he thus obaies That he in life a thousand deaths might die Onely in mercy rackt with crueltie 109 He hath no ioy but in his miseries His greatest comfort is the blessed light For which as I were angry with his eyes I make the King depriue him of his sight To sute his daies so iustly with the night That sencles stones to mone he should not see Yet sencles stones behold his misery 120 And this he felt that Fortune made him blinde Least his eyes obiects yet might lighten care That y e light wanting more might light his minde VVhose eyes might see how great his sorrows are That euery sence that sences woe might share And so that sence depriu'd of ioy alone Might more increase the griefe of euery one 111 These griefes and horrors enemies of rest VVhich murther life where they do harbor long Kill humors which his body oft opprest Vnnaturally thus making nature strong As out of deaths dead stock new life still sprong As life with death had tempted him till now Yet death to life no ease would er'e allow 112 Death he fear'd not is taught his end to feare Life once he lou'd with him now fall'n in loue That foe a friend to hurt him doth forbeare That friend a foe he cannot now remoue Twixt them he all extremities doth proue Aged in youth to pine his ioy thereby Youthfull in age to suffer misery 113 Courage forbids that he himselfe should kill His life too proud to be constrain'd to die His will permits not death now when he will VVhat would dispaire true valor doth deny Thus life's life foe death is deaths enemy VVilling to die by life him double killing Vrging to die twice dying he vnwilling 114 So many yeeres as he hath worne a crowne So many yeeres as he hath hop'd to rise So many yeeres he liues thus quite thrown downe So many yeeres he liues without his eyes So many yeeres in dying ere hee dyes So many yeeres lockt vp in prison strong Though sorrow make the shortest time seeme long 115 Thus sway I in the course of earthly things That Time might worke him euerlasting spite To shew that power yet euer makes not kings Nor that conceit can compasse my deceit In fined things such meruails infinite Nor any wonder is to be supposed In that wherein all wonders are inclosed 116 AT Fortuns speech they stand as all amaz'd Whilst Fame herselfe doth wonder at his woe And all vpon this deadly Image gaz'd VVhose misery shee had discribed so But in reuenge of this dispightfull foe Fame from a slumber as it seem'd awake On his behalfe thus for herselfe be-spake 117 What time I came frō world-renowned Rome To waken Europe from her drouzie traunce Summoning the Princes of great Christendome To Palaestine their Ensignes to aduaunce Soūding my trump in England Spaine Fraunce To moue the Christians to religious war Frō Pagans hands to free CHRISTS sepulchar 118 That holy Hermit Peter then as one VVhich as a Saint bewaild so great a losse With Bulloigne Godfrey Christs strong champion Vnder the Banner of the bloody CROSSE Now on the Alps the conquering collours tosse Leading along the brauest Christian band To reare their Tropheys in the HOLY LAND 119 Hether the flocks of gallant spirits do throng The place whence immortalitie doth spring To whom the hope of conquest doth belong Nor any thought lesse then to be a King Hether doth Fame her deerest children bring And in this Camp shee makes her treasury The rarest Iems of Europs Chiualry 120 This conquering lord
crowne 53 Here in the bodies likenes whilst it liues Appeare the thoughts proceeding from the mind To which the place a forme more glorious giues And there they be immortally deuin'd By vertue there more heauenly refin'd And when the earthly body once doth perrish There doth this place the minds true Image cherish 54 My beauty neuer fades but as new borne As yeares encrease so euer waxing young My strength is not diminished nor worne VVhat weakneth all things euer makes me strong Nor from my hand my Scepter can be wroong Times sacriligious rapine I defie A tributarie to eternitie 55 The face of heauen my chronicles containe Where I erect the Tropheis of my fame VVhich there in glorious characters remaine The gorgeous feeling of th'immortall frame The constellations letters of my name VVhere my memorialls euermore abide In those pure bodies highly glorified 56 FAme ending thus Fortune againe began Further to vrge what she before had said And loe quoth she Duke Robert is the man VVho by my might and pollicie's betraid Then let vs see how thou canst lend him aide I tooke from him his libertie and crowne Raise thou him vp whō I haue thus thrown downe 57 Quoth Fame a fitter instance is there none Then Robert is then Fortune doe thy worst Here may thy weaknes and my power be showne Here shall I blesse whom thou before hast curst Begin thou then since thus thy turne comes first And thou shalt see how great a power I haue Ouer the world proud Fortune and the graue 58 Quoth Fortune then my hand did point the Star The seale wherwith heauen sign'd his vtmost date Which markt his birth with brands of bloody war Rash mutinys rude garboiles harsh debate His forrain plagues home wrongs priuate hate And on the height of his great Fathers glory First laid the ground work of his Sonnes sad story 59 Nature which did her best at Roberts birth I most vndid in his natiuitie This friend I made his greatest foe on earth Her gifts I made his greatest enemie Framing such mildnes in Nobilitie Differing so far from haughtie Williams straine That thus hee iudg'd his Sonne vnfit to raigne 60 And yet that courage which he did inherit And from the greatnes of his blood had taken Stird vp with griefe awakes this greater spirit VVhich more and more did Williams hate awaken Hee thus forsaken as hee had forsaken Yet to his will so partiallie inclind As now his rage his reason quite doth blind 61 Now doe I leane to him whom all haue left Laughiug on him on whom dispaire doth lowre Lending him hope of former hope berest Giuing his youth large wings wherwith to towre Ayding his power to crosse great Williams power That so his might in countermaunding might By his owne wrong might hinder his owne right 62 That whilst his Fathers sierie tempered sword Through Albions cleeues that fatall entrance made With Germaine power returnes this youthfull Lord VVith others Armes his owne bounds to inuade And Normandy lyes coucht vnder his blade Thinking to make a present meane of this To make his owne yet doubtfull to be his 63 Towards Williams end now Williams hate begun VVhom he begot doth now beget his woe He scarse a Father Robert scarse a Sonne His Sonne the Father fo his ouerthrowe Youth old in will age young in hate doth growe He nursing that which doth all mischiefe nurse He by his blessing causing his owne curse 64 And yet least age might coole Duke Williams blood VVith warrs in Fraunce I still the heate suppli'd That whilst young Robert yet disgrace stood Iustly condemn'd of insolence and pride In this confirm'd the famous Conqueror di'd Setting proud Rufus on his regall throne VVhilst Norman Robert striues but for his owne 65 Much trust in him a carelesnes first bred His courage makes him ouer-confident Blinding reuenge besides his course him led VVhen lost his wits in errors darknes went Rashnes sees all but nothing can preuent VVhat his mind loth'd disgrace did vrge him to Making his will the cause of his owne woe 69 This buried trunck of William is the roote From which these two world-shadowing branches spred This factious body standing on this foote These two crosse currents springing frō one head And both with one selfe nutriment are fed Vpon themselues their owne force so should spend Till in themselues they both themselues shold end 67 Thus the old conquest hath new conquests made And Norman Ensignes shaddow English fields The brother now the brother must muade The conquerors shield against y e conquerors shield Right wounding right nor wrong to wrong will yield One arme beare off the others furious stroke Scepter with Scepter sword with sword be broke 68 The hatefull soiles where death was sown in blood Encreasing vengeance one against the other And now the seede of wrath began to bud Which in their bosoms they so long did smother These but as bastards England their step mother Weakning her selfe by mallice giues them strength With murdring hands to spoile thēselues at length 69 This Williams death giues Roberts troubls life VVhose life in death made lucklesse Robert liue This end of strife beginneth greater strife Giuing to take what it did take to giue Liuing depriu'd which dead doth him depriue Euill brought good that good conuerts to ill Thus life and death breed Roberts mischiefe still 70 VVhen first King William entred on this Ile Harrold had friends but then the Norman none But Rufus liued here as an exile And Robert hop'd to raigne of many a one Onely my hand held vp his slyding throne William but weake beats Harold down by wrong William supplanting Robert Robert strong 71 Odo the prop which Rufus power vpheld Reuolting then inrag'd with Lansrancks spight And on this hope grounding his faith rebell'd might In bloody letters writing Roberts right Great Mortayns power and strong Mountgomeres Mangling this Ile with new deformed scars Ere peace had cur'd the wounds of former wars 72 The Normans glory in the conquest won The English bruzed with their battred Armes The Normans followed what they had begun The English fearefull of their former harmes What cooles the English Norman corage warms The Normans entred to new victorie The English for their fight already flie 73 VVhilst Rufus hopes thus freshly bleeding lay And now with ruine all things went to wrack Destruction hauing found the perfect way Were not proud Robert by some meanes kept back By fond delayes I forc'd him time to slack And stopt the mischiefe newly thus begun To vndoe all what he before had done 74 Thus first by counsell spurr'd I on the rage Forcing the streame of their distempred blood Then by my counsaile did againe aswage VVhen this great Duke secure of conquest stood Pyning his force giuing aduantage foode That first by taking Arms he strength might loose And making peace giue strength vnto his foes 75 A peace concluded to destroy their peace A suddaine truce to breed
blind or wink and will not see Or doe you sport at my calamitie 87 O happy climat what so ere thou be Cheerd with those sunnes the fair'st that euer shon Which hast those Starrs which guide my destenie The brightest Lamps in all the Horizon O happy eyes that see what most I lack The pride and beautie of the Zodiack 88 O blessed Fountaine source of all delight O sacred spark that kindlest Vertues fier The perfect obiect of the purest sight The superficies of true loues desire The very tuchstone of all sweet conceite On whom all graces euer-more awaite 89 Thus whilst his youth in all these storms was tost And whilst his ioyes lay speechlesse in a trance His sweet content with such vnkindnes crost And lowring Fortune seem'd to looke a skance Too weake to swim against the streamfull time Fore-told their fall w c now sought most to clime 90 Camelion-like the world thus turnes her hue And like to Proteus puts on sundry shapes One hastes to clime another doth ensue One falls another for promotion gapes Flockmell they swarme like flies about the brim Some drown whilst others w t great danger swim 91 And some on whom the Sunne shone passing faire Yet of their Sommer nothing seeme to vaunt They sawe their fall presaged by the ayre If once this Planet were predominant Thus in their gate they flew with wings of feare And still with care doe purchase honor deare 92 Thus restlesse Time that neuer turnes againe VVhose winged secte are slyding with the Sunne Brings Fortune in to act another Scene By whom the Plot already is begunne The argument of this black tragedie Is vertues fall to raise vp infamie 93 The brute is blowne the King doth now pretend A long-look'd voyage to the Holy-land For which his Subiects mighty sums doe lend And whilst the thing is hotly thus in hand Blind Fortune turnes about her fickle wheele And breaks y e prop which maks y e building reele 94 I feare to speake yet speake I must perforce My words be turn'd to teares euen as I write Mine eyes doe yet behold his dying course And on his Hearse me thinks I still indite My paper is hard sable Ebon wood My pen of Iron and my Inke is blood 95 Loe here the time drew on of Edwards death Loe here the dolefull period of his yeares O now he yeeldeth vp that sacred breath For whom the Heauens do shower down floods of teares For whom the Sun euen mourning hides his face For whom the earth was all too vile and base 96 May I report his dolefull obsequie VVhen as my Ghost doth tremble at his name Faine would I vvrite but as I vvrite I die My ioynts apald vvith feare my hand is lame I leaue it to some sacred Muse to tell Vpon whose life a Poets pen might dwell 97 No sooner was his body vvrapt in lead And that his mournfull Funerals vvere done But that the Crowne vvas set on Edwards head Sing I-o now my Ghost the storme is gone The wind blows right loe yonder breaks my day Caroll my Muse and now sing care away 98 Carnaruan now calls home vvithin a vvhile Whom vvorthy Long-shanks hated to the death Whom Edward swore should dye in his exile He vvas as deere to Edward as his breath This Edward lou'd that Edward loued not Kings wils perform'd dead mens words forgot 99 Now waft me wind vnto the blessed Ile Rock me my ioyes loue sing me with delight Now sleepe my thoughts cease sorrow for a while Now end my care come day farwell my night Sweet sences now act euery one his part Loe here the balme that hath recur'd my hart 100 Loe now my Ioue in his ascendant is In the Aestiuall solstice of his glorie Now all the Stars prognosticate my blis And in the Heauen all eyes may read my storie My Comet now worlds wonder thus appeares Foretelling troubles of ensuing yeares 101 Now am I mounted with Fames golden wings And in the tropick of my fortunes height My flood maintayned with a thousand springs Now on my back supporting Atlas weight All tongues and pens attending on my prayse Surnamed now the wonder of our dayes 102 VVho euer sawe the kindest Romaine dame VVith extreame ioy yeeld vp her latest breath VVhen from the wars her Sonne triumphing came And stately Rome had mourned for his death Her passion here might haue exprest a right VVhen once I came into the Princes sight 103 VVho euer had his Lady in his arms Which hath of loue but felt the miserie Touching the fire that all his sences warms Now clips with ioy her blushing Iuorie Feeling his soule in such delights to melt Ther's none but he can tell the ioyes we felt 104 Like as when Phoebus darting forth his rayes Glydeth along the swelling Ocean streams And whilst one billow with another playes Reflecteth back his bright translucent beams Such was the conflict then betwixt our eyes Sending forth looks as tears doe fall and rise 105 It seem'd the ayre deuisd to please my sight The whistling wind makes musick to my tale All things on earth doe feast me with delight The world to me sets all her wealth to sale VVho now rules all in Court but I alone VVho highly grac'd but onely Gaueston 106 Now like to Mydas all I touch is gold The clowds doe showre downe gold into my lap If I but winck the mightiest are controld Plac'd on the turret of my highest hap My Cofers now euen like to Oceans are To whom all floods by course doe still repare 107 With bountie now he franckly seales his loue And to my hands yeelds vp the Ile of Man By such a gift his kingly mind to proue Thys was the earnest where-with he began Then Wallingford Queene Elnors stately bower With many a towne and many a goodly tower 108 And all those summs his Father had prepard By way of taxes for the Holy-land He gaue me franckly as my due reward In bountie thus it seem'd he pleasd his hand Which made the world to wonder euery howre To see me drowned in this golden showre 109 Determin'd now to hoyse my saile amaine The Earle of Cornwall he created me Of England then the Lord high Chamberlaine Cheese Secretarie to his Maiestie VVhat I deuisd his treasure euer wrought His bountie still so answered to my thought 110 Yet more to spice my ioyes with sweet delight bound by his loue apprentice to my pleasure VVhose eyes still leueld how to please my sight VVhose kindnes euer so exceeded measure Deuisd to quench my thirst with such a drink As from my quill drops Nectar to my inck 111 O sacred Bountie mother of Content Prop of renowne the nourisher of Arts The Crowne of hope the roote of good euent The trump of Fame the ioy of noble harts Grace of the heauens diuinitie in nature Whose excellence doth so adorne the creature 112 Hee giues his Neece is marriage vnto me Of royall blood for beautie
time Drouping with faintnes hold their heads aside The boistrous storms dispoile y e greenest greues Stripping the Trees staik naked of their leaues 296 Death cald in liueries of my louely cheeks Layd in those beds of Lillies and of Roses Amaz'd with meruaile here for wonders seeks VVere he alone a Paradice supposes Grew male content and with himselfe at strife Not knowing now if he were death or life 297 And shutting vp the casements of those lights Which like two suns so sweetly went to rest In those faire Globes he saw those heauenly sights In which alone he thought him onely blest Cursing himselfe who had depriued breath From that which thus could giue a life in death 298 VVith palenes touching that faire rubied lip Now waxing purple like Adonis flower Where Iuory walls those rocks of Currall keep From whence did slow y t Nectar streaming shower There earth-pale Death refresht his tyred lims Where Cupid bath'd him in those Christall brims 299 And entring now into that house of glory That Temple with sweet Odors long perfumed VVhere Nature had ingraued many a story In Letters which by death were not consumed Accursed now his crueltie he curst That Fame should liue when death had done his worst 300 Now when the King had notice of my death And that he saw his purpose thus preuented In greeuous sighes he now consumes his breath And into teares his very eyes relented Cursing that vile and mercy-wanting age And breakes into this passion in his rage 301 O heauens quoth he lock vp the liuing day Cease Sunne to lend the world thy glorious light Starres flye your course and wander all astray Moone lend no more thy siluer shine by night Heauen Stars Sun Moone coÌ„ioyne you al in one Reuenge the death of my sweet Gaueston 302 Earth be thou helplesse in thy creatures birth Sea breake thou sorth from thy immured bound Ayre with thy vapours poyson thou the earth Wind break thy Caue all the world confound Earth Sea Ayre Wind conioyne you all in one Reuenge the death of my sweet Gaueston 303 You Sauage beasts which haunt y e waylesse woods You Birds delighted in your Siluan sound You scaly Fish which swim in pleasant floods You hartlesse Wormes which creep vpon y u ground Beasts birds fish worms each in your kind alone Bewaile the death of my sweet Gaueston 304 Faire Medowes be you withered in the prime Sun-burnt and bare be all the goodly Mountains Groues be you leauelesse in the Sommer time Pitchy and black be all the Christall Fountains All things on earth each in your kind alone Bewaile the death of my sweet Gaueston 305 You damned Furies breake your Stigian Cell You wandring spirits in water earth and ayre Lead boyled Ghosts which liue in lowest hell Gods deuils men vnto mine ayde repayre Come all at once conioyne you all in one Reuenge the death of my sweet Gaueston 306 Eyes neuer sleepe vntill you see reuenge Head neuer rest vntill thou plot reuenge Hart neuer think but tending to reuenge Hands neuer act but acting deepe reuenge Iust-dooming heauens reuenge me from aboue That men vnborne may wonder at my Loue. 307 You peerlesse Poets of ensuing times Chaunting Herioque Angell-tuned Notes Or humble Pastors Nectar-filled lines Driuing your flocks with musick to their Cotes Let your high-flying Muses still bemone The wofull end of my sweet Gaueston 308 My earth-pale body now enbalmd with tears To famous Oxford solemnly conuaid There buried by the ceremonious Friers Where for my soule was many a Trentall said With all those rites my obsequies behoued Whose blind deuotion time truth reproued 309 But ere two yeeres were out and fully dated This gracious King who still my fame respected My wasted bones to Langley thence translated And ouer me a stately Tombe erected VVhich world-deuouring Time hath now out-worne As but for Letters were my name forlorne FINIS The vision of Matilda ME thought I saw vpon Matildas Tombe Her wofull ghost which Fame did now awake And crâ—â—â—'d her passage froÌ„ Earths hollow wombe To view this Legend written for her sake No sooner shee her sacred Name had seene Whom her kind friend had chose to grace her story But wiping her chast teares from her sad eyne Shee seem'd to tryumph in her double glory Glory shee might that his admired Muse Had with such method fram'd her iust complaint But proud she was that reason made him chuse To patronize the same to such a Saint In whom her rarest vertues may be shown Though Poets skil shold faile to make theÌ„ known H. G. Esquire TEares in your eyes and passions in your harts With mournfull grace vouchsafe Matildas story The subiect sad a King to act the parts Of his owne shame to others endlesse glory But such is sinne where lawlesse lust is raigning Sweet to the tast till all turnes to infection VVhen count is cast a reckoning is remayning VVhich must be payd but not at our election Perrill and Greefe the interest of Pleasure Spending the stock that Danger long was gayning Makes soule and body banckrupt of that treasure Which vainly spent what helps our fond coÌ„plaining O that my lines could so the Author grace As well his vertues merit prayse and place R. L. Esquire To M. Drayton MIchaell which dost great Roberts fame compile Thy subiects worth thy wit thy Ladies glory Cheere vp thy Muse add lyfe vnto thy stile VVhile thou assaist to write his worthy story Whose boundlesse spirit whose high chiualrie And vertuous deeds must needs haue buried beene By ages enuie and times tirannie And neuer had with mortall eyes been seene Had not thy Muse restor'd his former fame The twise dead Norman to his speaking sight Euen when his eyes had lost their shyning flame Like vnto Lamps that wanting oyle want light By thee he sees he liues he speaks againe TheÌ„ chere thee Michaell Fame rewards thy paine Mirocinius
tears sith eyes your small drops cannot see And since the Fountains cease of my full eyes Teares get you eyes and help to pitty mee And water them which timelesse sorrow dryes Teares giue me teares lend eyes vnto my eyes So may the blind yet make the blind to see Else no help is to them nor hope to mee 189 Body and eyes vsurping others right Both altring vse contrarie vnto kind That eyes to eyes those dark which shold giue light The blind both guide guided by the blind Yet both must be directed by the mind Yet that which both their trustie guide should be Blinded with care like them can nothing see 190 The day abhors thee and from thee doth slie Night followes after yet behind doth stay This neuer comes though it be euernie This ere it comes is vanished away Nor night nor day though euer night and day Yet all is one still day or euer night No rest in darknes nor no ioy in light 191 Whilst light did giue me comfort to my mone Teares sound a meane to sound my sorrows deepe But now alasse that comfort being gone Tears do want eies which shold giue tears to weepe Whence I lost ioy there care I euer keepe What gaue me woe from me doth comfort take Delight a sleepe now sorrow still must wake 192 I saw my ill when ill could scarclie see I saw my good when I my good scarce knew Now see not ill when as my ill sees mee Hasting to that which still doth mee pursue VVith my lost eyes sorrow my state doth view In blindnes loosing hope of all delight And with my blindnes giue my cares full light 193 As man himselfe so the most hatefull beast The Worme enioyes the ayre as well as wee The little Gnat or thing that liues the least Of this by nature kindly is made free what thing hath mouth to brethe but eyes to see Though honor lost yet might I humbly craue To haue what beasts or flies or pore worms haue 194 Mine eyes hurt not the Sun nor steale the day Except a candle they see neuer light These monstrous walls do take that doubt away What feare then y t they shold harme y e night Needles is that sith tears haue blotted sight I know not then froÌ„ whence this hate should rise Except it onely be that they be eyes 195 The man-betraying Basilisk hath eyes Although by sight those eyes be made to kill Though her owne works be made her enemies Though naturally ordained vnto ill Yet in her selfe so iust is nature still How monstrous then am I alone in nature Denide of that she giues the vilest creature 196 Oh tyrannie more cruell far then death Though death be but the end of tyranie Death lends vs sight whilst she doth giue vs breath Of all the sences that the last doth dye In lyuing death how miserable am I In life of this sence me thus to depriue To make the others dye my selfe aliue 197 Eyes which with ioy like Sunnes haue risen oft To view that holy Citties glorious Towers And seene the Christian Ensignes raisd aloft Crowning the walls like garlands of rare flowers Now lie you perrisht in your Iuory bowers Nor shal you henceforth boast what you haue been But leaue the minde to thinke what you haue seen 198 You which haue seene faire Palestine â—estor'd And gorgeous Syon from the Paynims freed The Sepulcher of your most glorious Lord And y t faire Mount wher his sweet wouÌ„ds did bleed And with these sights my hungry soule did feed Within you brincks be drownd in your own blood Which oft haue view'd great Iordans sacred flood 199 Rake vp the sparks which nourished your fire VVithin the ashes of consumed eyes Those little brands which kindled youths desire The haples starrs of passed miseries VVander no more within your circling skies Vnder the Globes great compasse euer roule And in my minds great world now light my soule 200 Good night sweet Sunns your lights are cleane put out Your hollow pits be graues of all your ioy VVith dreadfull darknes compassed about VVherein is cast what murther can destroy That buried there which did the world annoy Those holy Fanes where vertue hallowed stood Become a place of slaughter and of blood 201 Poure downe your last refreshing euening dew And bathe your selues in fountains of your tears The day no more shall euer breake to you The ioyfull dawne no more at all appears No cheerfull sight your sorrow euer cheers Shut vp your windows ere constraint compell Be-take your selues to nights eternall Cell 202 HIS passion ending Fortune discontent Turning her back as shee away would flie Playing with fooles and babes incontinent As neuer toucht with humane misery Euen after death shewing inconstancy As straight forgetting what she had to tell To other speech and girlish laughter fell 203 VVheÌ„ graceful Fame conuaying thence her charge With all these troupes attended royallie Gaue me this booke wherein was writ at large Great Norman Roberts famous history T'amaze the world with his sad Tragedy But Fortune angry with her foe therefore Gaue me this gift That I should still be poore FINIS THE ARGVMENT OF MATILDA MATILDA for her beauty named the faire A second Lucretia the daughter of a noble Barron the Lorde Robert Fitzwater a man of great wisdom courage was long time followed of king Iohn who sought by all meanes possible to winne her to his vnlawfull desire But finding that all hee could deuise tooke no effect such was her wonderfull chastitie hee sought by force to take her from the Court and to sende her to some secret place where hee might fitlie accomplish his wicked intent but his purpose was preuented by her Fathers pollicie The King hereat enraged through despight subborned certaine malicious persons subtilly to accuse the Lord Fitzwater of rebellion where-vpon hee is banished Matilda flieth to Dunmowe in Essex and there became a Nunne in a Religious house there builded by IVGA a Virgin one of her Auncestors to vvhich place the King sendeth one to solicite his old sute with poyson eyther to yeelde to his desire or to end her life Shee seeing her Father banished none left to succour her and fearing to be takeÌ„ out of the Nunnary tooke the poyson and ended her dayes THE LEGEND of Matilda the chaste 1 IF to this some sacred Muse retaine Those choise regards by perfect vertue taught And in her chaste and virgin-humble vaine Doth kindlie cherrish one pure May den thought In whom my death hath but true pittie wrought By her I craue my life be reueald Which black obliuion hath too long concealed 2 Or on the earth if mercie may be found Or if remorce may touch the harts of men Or eyes may lend me teares to wash my wound Or passion be exprest by mortall pen Yet may I hope of some compassion then Three hundreth yeeres by all men ouer-past Now finding one to pittie mee at last 3 You blessed Imps
things made subiect but a womans will 109 The King like one sick of a strange disease VVhose cruell paine no phisick can asswage Nor plaster can his torments once appease Boyling his entrails with such hellish rage With his owne knife his horror doth engage Thus desperate he fore-thinks to end this strife Or els by poyson take away my life 110 But first with lines hee brauely setteth on VVords steep'd in syrrop of Ambrosia Sweet method sauoured with inuention VVhat can be said that Louers cannot say Desire can make a Docter in a day Each sentence seem'd a sweet inchaūting charme A trumpet sounding gentle Loues alarme 111 VVith rare hart-curing Phrigian harmonie Hee tunes his strings as not a trebble iarrs His straines so pleasant and melodious be As might appease the heat of fearefull warrs Distilling Balme to cure the greatest scarrs His pen dilates his harts Apologie And shewes my sinnes by loues Theologie 122 VVhat curious thing did Nature ere bring forth VVhat glistering starre that yeelds his siluer shine To which he doth not now compare my worth Or what is there thats mortall or diuine VVhat sublimation doth hee not refine Or what rare thing was euer yet deuised That vnto mee he hath not lightly prized 113 Now mounts he vp with loftie straines of loue Then to sad vaines his pliant Muse doth bow His humors seruing as his passions moue And as the Tydes the numbers ebbe and flow His hopes now wither then againe they grow Painting his griefe in hope to quench desire But inck to loue like oyle vnto the fire 114 And now of one hee had himselfe aduis'd Both red and practiz'd in this wretched Art Within whose braine all mischiefes were cōpris'd VVhose words were venom his tongue a Dart And thys is hee must act thys damned part To him the King my poysoning doth commit VVho had before made tryall of his wit 115 Another Dagon was thys miscreant A deuill walking in a humane shape Foule Dagon borne true vertue to supplant For whom th' infernall pyt of hell doth gape Image of pride of villanie and rape Bee thou abhord of all posteritie And let thy vile dishonour neuer die 116 By him to Dunmow hee these lines conuayde A Monestary Iuga had begun Iuga sometime a holy Vestall Mayde At whose great charge this Monument was done VVhere I had vow'd to liue a holy Nun And in my Cloister kept amongst the rest VVhich in this place virginitie profest 117 NOVV he which had this bloody act in charge Thether repairs with Letters from the King Whose black Commission was but all too large To execute so base and vile a thing This messenger which now my death doth bring To add fit matter to my tragicke storie Finds means to boord mee in my oratorie 118 VVith courtly congies gently greeting mee Giues me the packet which the King had sent mee Receiue faire Maid these Letters here quoth he The faithfull earnest of that good is meant thee But crauing that which neuer shall repent thee His lines be loue the letters writ in blood Then make no doubt the warrant passing good 119 Kindly accept a Princes kingly offer Tis more then folly if thou doe refuse it Neuer hath Fortune made a fairer profer The gyft too great if fondly thou abuse it Nor any reason sorueth to excuse it Be not a foe vnto thine owne good hap Refusing treasure throwne into thy lap 120 Eares eyes hands nostrils tongue th' instruments To heare to see to touch to smell to tast Sounds pleasurs softs smells meats euery sence Euen as a King with his delight is plac't Nature yet neuer framed thing in wast O to her power an horrible offence This prophane vse of froward continence 121 If thou be wise hold this as ominous The heauens not like disposed euery howre The starrs be still predominant in vs Fortune not alwaies forth her bags doth poure Nor euerie clowde doth raine a golden showre Occasion's wing'd and euer flyeth fast Comming she smiles frowns once being past 122 VVrong not thy selfe nor yet the world depriue Of that rare good which Nature freely lent Think'st thou by such base nygardize to thriue In sparing that which neuer will be spent And that is worst in age shall thee repent Playing the Churle to hoord vp beauties pelfe And liue and die and all vnto thy selfe 123 Fye on this lyppish lisping fond forsooth Thys chyldish nicenes and these pettish noes A gracefull smyle y e wrinkling brow doth smooth Pennance and Pleasure still are mortall soes Let springing youth reiourne old ages woes Away with fasting beggerly deuotion Thys is no way to climbe vnto promotion 124 Yet were this all quoth he as would it were But there is more which needs I must reueale Behold the poyson hee hath sent thee here VVhich on my life I dare not to conceale Thus is the King determined to deale I onely waite vpon thy resolution To win thy loue or see thy execution 125 Leaue of these humors be not singuler Make not an Idoll of thine owne perfection Prize not this word Virginitie so deere Seeme not so Saint-like moou'd w t no affection Beautie brings perrill wanting safe protection Forswear this drouzie mellancholie Cell Was neuer Girle could grace a Court so well 126 This feare first sprong from foolish superstition VVhich fond conceit into our eares hath blowne VVhich we receiue from old folkes by tradition And as a weede to choke our ioyes is growne Reason rootes out what Error erst hath sowne A gentle iest to fright poore babes withall Like to a Bug-beare painted on a wall 127 Tush these be triuiall toyes of reputation VVhose Ceremonies haue the world infected Held in regard but onely for a fashion Which friuolous the wiser haue neglected And but as Dreames of doting age respected Whose spleen-sick humors on their galls were fed Thinking all true which they imagined 128 Religion was deuis'd by pollicie A subtill shaddow couering all excesse As Nature giues you seeming modestie To shaddow that you would too soone expresse O cunning only is true holines Blush pray be patient most of all most chast Thus by deceit delights must be imbrac't 129 Dispatch quoth he loe here is pen and inke Here make the Prince assurance of thy loue Or els prepare thee to thy fatall drinke VVhich is of force thy Feuer to remoue VVhich ah pore fondling thou too soone maist proue And if thy will be so fast chayn'd to thee Let thine own hands the Executioners bee 130 And is quoth I the Princes pleasure thus You are deceiu'd he doth but this to try me I know my Lord is kind and gracious He thinks my sexe weaknes will disery me I hope the King will deale more kindly by me Those blessed hands which neuer did but good Will not be stain'd with virgins guiltlesse blood 131 As he doth raigne his mind should truly raigne In one consent their gouernment agree His publick rule his Subiects should
all infamie and shame Dispis'd of men abhord in euery place Hate to thy selfe the very worlds disgrace 176 VVhen all thy race shall be in tryumph set Their royall conquests and atchiuements done Henrie thy Father braue Plantaginet Thy conquering Brother Lyon-hart his sonne The crownes spoiles these famous Champions won This still shall be in thy dishonour said Loe this was Iohn the murderer of a Maid 177 Looke I to heauen her purenes tells my sin Looke I on man hee frownes with hatefull sight Looke I on earth I see my fault therein The light to view my shame doth giue me light The night puts me in mind of my fames night I read my shame in all things as a booke And yet most grieu'd when on my selfe I looke 178 This act enrold in booke of black Defame Where men of death tragick murders reed Recorded in the Register of shame In lines whose letters freshly euer bleed VVhere all the world shall wonder my misdeed And quote the place thus euer passing by Note heere King Iohns vile damned tyranny 179 Her blood exhal'd from earth vnto the sky A fearfull Meteor still hangs ore my head Stayning the heauens with her Vermilion dye Changing the Sunnes bright rayes to gorie red Prognosticating death and fearfull dread Her soule with howling reuengfull steuen Shreeking before the christall gates of Heauen 180 VVhose sacred Counsell now in iudgment set And shee before them stands to plead her case Her drearie words in bloodie tears are wet The euidence appears before my face And I condemn'd a catife wanting grace Iustice cryes out vpon this sinfull deed And to my death the fatall starrs proceed 181 Earth swallow me and hide me in thy wombe O let my shame in thy deepe Center dwell Wrap vp this murder in my wretched tombe Let tender mercy stop the gates of hell And with sweet drops this furious heat expell O let repentance iust reuenge appease And let my soule in torment find some ease 182 O no her tears are now become a flood And as they rise increasing mine offence And now the shedding of her guiltlesse blood Euen like a Cankar gnawes my conscience O ther's my griefe my paine proceeds frō thence Yet neuer time wears out this filthy staine And I dishonor'd euer shall remaine 183 Fame in her death shame in me tooke her birth That shame in dying till her fame be dead My sinne on earth whilst shee is in the earth And by her fall my fault will still be fed My black more black my red be made more red Her no my I her was my wicked is Her good my ill my basenes be her blisse 184 Then doe I vow a solemne pylgrimage Before my wretched miserable end This doone betake me to some Hermitage VVhere I the remnant of my daies will spend VVhere almes and prayer I euer will attend And on the Tombe at last where thou dost lie VVhen all is done Ile lay mee downe and die 185 And for his pennance lastly he deuis'd Monthly to Dunmow would he take his way And in a simple Palmers weede disguis'd VVith deep deuotion kneele him downe to pray Kissing the place whereas my body lay Washing my Tombe with his repentant tears And being wet yet dry'd it with his hairs FINIS THE ARGVMENT OF PEIRS GAVESTON PEIRS Gaueston borne in Gascoyne at a place of that name his Father a valiant Gentleman and a souldiour seruing vnder Edward Longshancks in his warres in Fraunce Scotland and Wales This Peirs Gaueston then beeing a child of singuler beautie and no lesse towardnesse was preferd to the place of a Page to Edward of Carnaruan the young Prince of Wales with whom hee became so highlie in fauour as neuer any thing could remooue his inviolable loue Gaueston as he grew in yeers became most licentious by his inticments drew this toward young Prince following this his youthfull Minion into hate with the Noblemen and disgrace with the King his Father who banished this lasciuious corrupter of his Sonne But after the death of this good King Edward of Carnaruan comming to the Crowne calls him home creating him Earle of Cornwall making him Lord Chamberlaine Treasurer Secretarie Lord Deputie of Ireland and Lord Protector of the Land in his absence in Fraunce giuing him the Ile of MAN with all Queene Elinors dowrie Hee thus established by the King becommeth a hater of the Noble men drowned in pride and ambition setting mortall debate betwixt the Barrons and the King who subborned him in all his actions as a man bewithced by this wicked and vile man Hee was twice banished the Realme by meanes of the Barrons who deadly hated him and yet still the King founde meanes to restore him At length the Barrons seeing no remedy rise in Armes taking Gaueston at Scarborough in the North thether fled as to a refuge frō their furie They bring him to Warwicke where by Guy Beuchamp the great Earle of Warwicke he was beheaded at Blacklow bill THE LEGENDE OF Piers Gaueston Entituled To the vvorthie and Honourable Gentleman Ma. Henrie Cauendish Esquire 1 FRom gloomy shaddow of eternall night Where cole-black darknes keeps his lothsom cel And frō those ghosts whose eyes abhor y e light From thence I come a wosull tale to tell Prepare the Stage I meane to act my part Sighing the Scenes from my tormented hart 2 From Stygian Lake to gracelesse soules assign'd And from the flood of burning Acheron VVhere sinfull spirits are by fire refin'd The fearfull ghost of wofull Gaueston With black-fac'd Furies frō the graues attended Vntill the tenor of my tale be ended 3 Wing-footed Fame nowe summons me frō death In Fortunes triumph to aduaunce my glory The blessed Heauens againe doe lend me breath VVhilst I report this dolefull Tragick storie That soule body which death once did sunder Now meete together to report a wonder 4 O purple-buskind Pallas most diuine Let thy bright Fauchion lend me Cypresse bowes Be thou assisting to this Poet of mine And with thy tragick garland girt his browes Pitying my case when none would hear me weep To tell my cares hath layd his owne to sleepe 5 You mournfull Maidens of the sacred nine You Destenies which haunt the shades beneath To you fayre Muses I my plaints resigne To you black spirits I my woes bequeath VVith sable penns of direfull Ebonie To pen the processe of my tragedie 6 Drawe on the lines which shall report my life VVith weeping words distilling from thy pen Where woes abound and ioyes are passing rife A verie meteor in the eyes of men Wherein the world a wonder-world may see Of heauen-bred ioy and hell-nurst miserie 7 Declare my ebb my often swelling tyde Now tell my calmes and then report my showres My Winters storms and then my Sommers pride False Fortunes smiles then her dissembling lowres The height wherto my glory did ascend Then point the period where my ioyes did end 8 When famous Edward wore the
English crowne Victorious Longshanks flower of chiualrie First of his name that raign'd in Albion Through worlds renown'd to all posteritie My youth began and then began my blis Euen in his daies those blessed daies of his 9 O daies no daies but little worlds of mirth O yeeres no yeeres time slyding with a trice O world no world a very heauen on earth O earth no earth a verie Paradice A King a man nay more then this was hee If earthly man more then a man might be 10 Such a one hee was as Englands Beta is Such as shee is euen such a one was hee Betwixt her rarest excellence and his VVas neuer yet so neere a simpathy To tell your worth and to giue him his due I say my Soueraigne hee was like to you 11 His Court a schoole where Arts were dailie red And yet a Campe where Armes are exercised Vertue and learning heere were nourished And stratagems by souldiers still deuised Heere skilfull Schoolmen were his Counsailors Schollers his Captains Captains Senators 12 Here sprang the roote of true gentilitie Vertue was clad in gold crown'd with honor Honor intitled to Nobilitie Admired so of all that looked on her Wisdom not wealth possessed wisemens roomes Vnfitting base insinuating Groomes 13 Then were vile worldlings loth'd as filthy toades And good men as rare pearls were richly prized The learned were accounted little Gods The hatefull Atheist as the plague despised Desert then gaynd what vertues merit craues And Artles Pesants scornd as basest slaues 14 Pride was not then which all things ouerwhelms Promotion was not purchased with gold Men hew'd their honor out of steeled helms In those daies fame with blood was bought sold No petti-fogger pol'd the poore for pence These dolts these dogs as traytors banisht hence 15 Then was the Souldier prodigall of blood His deeds eterniz'd by the Poets pen VVho spar'd his life to doe his Countrie good VVhen after death his fame remain'd with men Then learning liu'd with liberalitie And men were crownd with immortalitie 16 Graunt pardon then vnto my wandring ghost Although I seeme lasciuious in my praise And of perfection though I vainlie boast VVhilst here on earth I troad this wearie maze VVhilst yet my soule in body did abide And whilst my flesh was pampred here in pride 17 My valiant Father was in Gascoygne borne A man at Arms and matchlesse with his launce A Souldier vow'd and to King Edward sworne VVith whom he seru'd in all his warrs in Fraunce His goods and lands he pawnd layd to gage To follow him the wonder of that age 18 And thus himselfe hee from his home exil'd Who with his sword sought to aduaunce his fame VVith me his ioy but then a little chyld Vnto the Court of famous England came Whereas the King for seruice he had done Made me a Page vnto the Prince his sonne 19 My tender youth yet scarce crept from the shell Vnto the world brought such a wonderment That all perfection seem'd in mee to dwell And that the heauens me all their graces lent Some sware I was the quintessence of Nature And some an Angel and no earthly creature 20 The heauens had limm'd my face with such a die As made each curious eye on earth amazed Tempring my lookes with loue and maiestie A miracle to all that euer gazed So that it seem'd some power had in my birth Ordained me his Image heere on earth 21 O beautious varnish of the heauens aboue Pure grain-dy'd colour of a perfect birth O fairest tincture Adamant of loue Angell-hewd blush the prospective of mirth O sparkling luster ioying humaine sight Liues ioy harts fire loues nurse y e soules delight 22 As purple-tressed Titan with his beames The sable clowdes of night in sunder cleaueth Enameling the earth with golden streames VVhen he his crimson Canapie vpheaueth Such where my beauties pure translucent rayes Which cheer'd y e Sun cleerd y e drouping daies 23 My lookes perswading Orators of loue My speech diuine infusing harmonie And every word so well could passion moue So were my icstures grac'd with modestie As where my thoughts intended to surprize I easly made a conquest with mine eyes 24 A gracious minde a passing louelie eye A hand that gaue a mouth y e neuer vaunted A chast desire a tongue that would not lye A Lyons hart a courage neuer daunted A sweet conceit in such a cariage placed As with my iesture all my words were graced 25 Such was the work which Nature had begun As promised a Iem of wondrous price This little starre fore-told a glorious Sunne This curious plot an earthly Paradice This Globe of beauty wherein all might see An after world of wonders heere in mee 26 As in th' Autumnall season of the yeere Some death-presaging Comet doth arise Or some prodigious meteor doth appeare Or fearefull Chasma vnto humaine eyes Euen such a wonder was I to behold Where heauen seem'd all her secrets to vnfold 27 If cunnings't pensill-man that euer wrought By skilfull Arte of secret Sumetrie Or the diuine Idea of the thought VVith rare descriptions of high Poesie Should all compose a body and a minde Such one was I the wonder of my kinde 28 VVith this faire bayte I fisht for Edwards loue My daintie youth so pleasd his princlie eye Heere grewe the league which time could not remoue So deeplie grasted in our infancie That frend nor so nor life nor death could sunder So seldom seene and to the world a wonder 29 O heauenlie concord musick of the minde Touching the hart-strings with such harmonie The ground of nature and the law of kinde Which in coniunction doe so well agree VVhose reuolution by effect doth proue That mortall men are made diuine by loue 30 O strong combining chayne of secrecie Sweet ioy of heauen the Angels oratorie The bond of faith the seale of sanctitie The soules true blisse youths solace ages glorie And endles league a bond thats neuer broken A thing diuine a word with wonder spoken 31 With this faire bud of that same blessed Rose Edward surnam'd Carnaruan by his birth VVho in his youth it seem'd that Nature chose To make the like whose like was not on earth Had not his lust and my lasciuious will Made him and me the instruments of ill 32 With this sweet Prince the mirror of my blisse My souls delight my ioy my fortunes pride My youth enioyd such perfect happines Whilst Tutors care his wandring yeeres did guide As his affections on my thoughts attended And with my life his ioyes began and ended 33 Whether it were my beauties excellence Or rare perfections that so pleasd his eye Or some diuine and heauenly influence Or naturall attracting simpathy My pleasing youth became his sences obiect Where all his passions wrought vpō this subiect 34 Thou Arke of heauen where wonders are inroled O depth of nature who can looke on thee O who is he that hath thy doome controuled Or
on my youthfull story These were y e Wolues which thirsted for my blood These all vnlade their mischiefes at this bay And make the breach to enter my decay 61 These currs which liu'd by carrion of the court These wide-mouth'd helhounds long time kept at bay Finding the King to credit their report Like greedie Rauens follow for their pray Despightfull Langton fauorit to the King This was the Serpent stroke me with his sting 62 Such as beheld this lightning from aboue My Princely Ioue from out the ayre to thunder This Earth-quake which did my foundation moue This boystrous strome this vnexspected wonder They thought my Sunne had been eclipsed quite And all my day now turn'd to Winters night 63 My youth embowel'd by their curious eyes VVhose true reports my lyfe anotomis'd VVho still pursu'd me like deceitfull spyes To crosse that which I wantonly deuis'd Perceiue the traine me to the trap had led And down they come like hailstones on my head 64 My Sunne eclips'd each starre becomes a Sunne When Phoebus failes then Cynthia shineth bright These furnish vp the Stage my act is done Which were but Glo-worms to my glorious light They erst condemn'd by my perfections doome In Phoebus Chariot now possesse my roome 65 The Commons swore I led the Prince to vice The Noble-men said I abus'd the King Graue Matrons such as lust could not intice Like women whispred of another thing Such as could not aspire vnto my place These were subborn'd to offer me disgrace 66 The staffe thus broke wheron my youth did stay And like the shaddow all my pleasures gone Now with the winds my ioyes fleet hence away The silent night makes musick to my mone The tatling Ecchoes whispring with the ayre Vnto my words sound nothing but dispayre 67 The frowning Heauens are all in sable clad The Planet of my liues misfortune raineth No musick serues a dying soule to glad My wrong to Tirants for redresse complaineth To ease my paine there is no remedie So far despayre exceeds extremitie 68 VVhy doe I quake my down-fall to report Tell on my Ghost the storie of my woe The King commaunds I must depart the court I aske no question he will haue it so The Lyons roring lesser Beasts doth feare The greatest flye when he approcheth neare 69 My Prince is now appointed to his gard As from a Traytor he is kept from me My banishment alreadie is prepard Away I must there is no remedie On paine of death I may no longer stay Such is reuenge which brooketh no delay 70 The skyes with clouds are all inuelloped The pitchy fogs eclipse my cheerfull Sunne The geatie night hath all her curtains spred And all the ayre with vapours ouer-runne Wanting those rayes whose cleernes lent me light My sun-shine day is turn'd black-fac'd night 71 Like to the bird of Leda's Lemmans die Beating his breast against the siluer streame The fatall Prophet of his destenie With mourning chants his death aproching theame So now I sing the dirges of my fall The Anthemes of my fatall funerall 72 Or as the faithfull Turtle for her make VVhose youth enioyd her deare virginitie Sits shrouded in some melancholly brake Chirping fotth accents of her miserie Thus halfe distracted sitting all alone With speaking sighs to vtter forth my mone 73 My beautie sdayning to behold the light Now weather-beaten with a thousand storms My dainty lims must trauaile day and night Which oft were luld in princely Edwards armes Those eyes where Beautie sat in all her pride VVith fearefull obiects fild on euery side 74 The Prince so much astonisht with the blowe So that it seem'd as yet he felt no paine Vntil at length awakned by his woe He sawe the wound by which his ioyes were slaine His cares fresh bleeding fainting more and more No Cataplasma now to cure the sore 75 Now weepe mine eyes and lend me teares at will You sad-musd sisters help me to indite And in your faire Castalia bathe my quill In bloodie lines whilst I his woes recite Inspire my Muse â Heauens now from aboue To paint the passions of a princely loue 76 His eyes about their rowling Globes doe east To find that Sunne frō whom they had their light His thoughts doe labour for that sweet repast VVhich past the day and pleasd him all the night He counts the howers so slolie how they runne Reproues the day blames the loytring Sunne 77 As gorgious Phoebus in his first vprise Discouering now his Scarlet-coloured head By troublous motions of the lowring skies His glorious beames with foggs are ouer-spread So are his cheerfull browes eclips'd with sorrow w t cloud y t shine of his youths-smiling morrow 78 Now showring downe a flood of brackish teares The Epithemas to his hart-swolne griefe Then sighing out a vollue of despayres VVhich only is th'afflicted mans reliefe Now wanting sighes all his teares were spent His tongue brake out into this sad lament 79 O breake my hart quoth he ô breake and dye Whose Infant thoughts were nurst with sweet delight But now the Inne of care and miserie VVhose pleasing hope is murthered by despight O end my dayes for now my ioyes are done VVanting my Piers my sweetest Gaueston 80 Farewell my Loue companion of my youth My soules delight the subiect of my mirth My second selfe if I report the truth The rare and only Phenix of the earth Farwell sweet friend with thee my ioyes are gon Farewell my Piers my louely Gaueston 81 VVhat are the rest but painted Imagrie Domb Idols made to fill vp idle roomes But gaudie Anticks sports of foolerie But fleshly Coffins goodly gilded toombs But Puppets which with others words replie Like pratling Ecchoes soothing euery lie 82 O damned world I scorne thee and thy worth The very source of all iniquitie An ougly dam that brings such monsters forth The maze of death nurse of impietie A filthy sinke where lothsomnes doth dwell A Labyrinth a Iayle a very hell 83 Deceitfull Syren Traytor to my youth Bane to my blisse false theese that steal'st my ioyes Mother of lyes sworne enemie to truth The ship of fooles fraught all with gauds toyes A vessell stuft with foule hypocrisie The very temple of Idolatrie 84 O earth-pale Saturne most maleuolent Combustious Planet tyrant in thy raigne The sword of wrath the root of discontent In whose ascendant all my ioyes are slaine Thou executioner of foule bloody rage To act the will of lame decrepit age 85 My life is but a very map of woes My ioyes the fruit of an vntimely birth My youth in labour with vnkindly throwes My pleasures are like plagues that raigne on earth All my delights like streams that swiftly runne Or like the dewe exhaled by the Sunne 86 O Heauens why are you deafe vnto my mone Sdayne you my prayers or scorne to heare my misse Cease you to moue or is your pitty gone Or is it you which rob me of my blisse What are you
of his layre Pursue the chase through vastie forrest grounds So like a thunder ratling in the ayre Thus doe they hunt vs still from Coast to Coast Most hated now of those we fauored most 270 This gracious Prince loe thus becoms my guide And with a conuoy of some chosen friends Brings me to Yorke where being fortified To Balioll the King of Scots hee sends And to the Welchmen crauing both their ayde That by their help the Barrons might be staid 271 But they which in their busines neuer slept And as it seem'd had well fore-seene this thing Cause all the Ports and Marches to be kept That none should enter to assist the King And by disswasiue Letters still deuise To stay their neighbours from this enterprize 272 Loe in this sort the King and I betrayd And to their wills thus left as wofull thrals And finding now no further hope of ayde VVee shut vs vp within Yorks aged walls Vntill we knew the Barrons full intent And what all thys rude hurly burlie ment 273 This gracious King wanting his wonted rest And toyling still in this perplexitie VVith greeuous sicknes is so sore opprest And growne by this to such extremitie As hee is forced to depart away A while to purge this humor at the sea 274 From Bedford now the synod of their shame The counsell-house of all their villanie These bloody Barrons with an Armie came Downe vnto Yorke where they besieged mee VVhere now not able to resist their might Am forst persorce to flye away by night 275 To Scarborough with speed away I post With that small force the Citty then could lend me The strongest Castell there in all the Coast And as I thought the surest to defend mee VVhereas I might with-stand thē by my power Hoping the Kings returning euery howre 276 But now like to a sousing suddaine raine Forc'd by a strong and sturdie Easterne blast Or like a hayle storme down they come amaine And in the Castell girt mee now so fast No way to scape no hope for mee to flye My choyse was hard or yeeld my selfe or dye 277 Away thus like a prysoner am I led My costlie roabs in peeces rent and torne Bound hand and foote my haire disheuiled Naked and bare as euer I was borne Saue but for shame to stop the peoples cryes Am basely clothed of mine enemies 278 Along the Land toward Oxford they conuay mee Like bauling curres they all about me houle VVith words of foule reproch they now repay mee VVondring my shame as byrds doe at an Owle Cursing my life my manners and my birth A scourge of God ordain'd to plague the earth 279 The King now hearing how I was arested And knew my quarrell cause of all this strife Hee writes he sends he sues he now requested Vsing all meanes he could to saue my life VVith vowes othes that al should be amended If that my death alone might be suspended 280 And being brought to Dedington at last By Aymer Valence Earle of Pembrooke then VVho toward King Edward rode in all the haft And left me guarded safely by his men This gentle Earle w t meere compassion moued For Edwards sake whom he so deerely loued 281 But now Guy Beuchamp whom I feared still The Earle of VVarwick whom I called curre Hauing fit time to execute his will The Fox thus caught he vowes to teare my furre And hee for whom so oft hee set the trap By good ill luck is fallen into his lap 282 This bloody Beuchamp I may tearme him so For this was he which onely sought my blood Now at the vp-cast of mine ouer-throw And on the chaunce whereon my fortune stood To Dedington by night came where I lay And by his power conuay'd me thence away 283 To Warwick thus fast bound he doth me bring Imprisoning me within the Castell there And doubting now my succor from the King Hee raiseth vp the power of VVarwickshire By whom forth-with to Blacklow I was led And on a scaffold there I lost my head 284 LOe heere the poynt and sentence of my time My liues full stop my last Catastrophe The stipend of my death-deseruing crime The Scene that ends my wofull Tragedie My latest farwell knitting my conclusion Mine vtter ruine and my fames confusion 285 Like as Adonis wounded with the Bore From whose fresh hurt the life-warme blood doth spin Now lieth wallowing in his purple gore Stayning his faire and Allablaster skin My headles body in the blood is lest Heere lying brethles of all life bereft 286 O now my Muse put on thy Eagles wings O lend some comfort to my tyred ghost And with Apollos dolefull-tuned strings Now helpe at need for now I need thee most Sorrow possesse my hart myne eyes mine eares My breth consume to sighs my braine to teares 287 My soule now in the heauens eternall glasse Beholds the scarrs and botches of her sin How filthy vglie and deformd shee was The lothsome dunghill that she wallowed in Her pure Creator sitting in his glory VVith eyes of iustice to peruse her story 288 Like as a Stagge at bay amongst the hounds The bloody Moat sounding in his eares Feeling his breth diminish by his wounds Poures downe his gummy life-preseruing tears Euen thus my soule now bayted by my sin Consuming shewes the sorrow shee is in 289 Thus comfortles forsaken and alone All worldly things vnstable and vnsure By true contrition flyes vnto his throne In whose compare the heauens are most impure By whose iust doome to blessed soules reuealed She gets her pasport to his mercy sealed 290 And by repentance finds a place of rest Where passing to the faire Elisian plaine Shee is alow'd her roome amongst the blest In those Ambrosian shadowes to remaine Till summond thus by Fame she is procur'd To tell my life which hath been long obscur'd 291 Thys Monster now thys many-headed beast The people more vnconstant then the wind VVho in my life my life did so detest Now in my death are of another mind And with the fountains from their tearfull eyes Doe honour to my latest obsequies 292 Star-holding heauen hath shut vp all her light Nature becom a step-dame to her owne The mantled truch-man of the Rauen-hu'd night In mournfull sables clad the Horizon The sky-borne Plannets seeming to conspire Against the ayre the water earth and fire 293 Pearle-paued Auon in her streamfull course VVith heauie murmure floting on the stones Mou'd with lament to pitty and remorse Attempering sad musick to my mones Tuning her billowes to sweet Zephyrs breath In watrie language doth bewaile my death 294 Oke-shadowed Arden fild with bellowing cryes Resounding through her holts and hollow grounds To which the Eccho euer-more replyes And to the fields sends forth her hidious sounds And in her Siluan rude vntuned songs Makes birds beasts for to expresse my wrongs 295 The heauen-dyed slowers in this happy clime Mantling the Medowes in their Sommers pride As in the wofull frostie winter