sollicited me ten times more To bring those meditations to effect And so my wary counsell to direct As might content the pillar of my state That next in counsell to his soueraignesate A man made old to teach the worth of age Patriarke-like and graue in all designes One that had finish't a long pilgrimage Sparing in diet abstinent from wines His sinews small as threeds or slender lines Lord of the citty where with solemne rites The old Prince Arthur feasted with his Knights He saw my gifts were such as might deserue He knew his life was drawing to an end He thought no meanes so likely to preserue His fame with time and enuy to contend As to aduance some faithful seruing friend That liuing might in time to come record Th'immortall praise of his deceased Lord. He brought me first in presence of the King Who then allotted me his Chaplains place My eloquence did such contentment bring Vnto his eares that neuer Prince did grace Poore Chaplaine more nor lowly priest embrace Dread soueraigne so For Nature teacheth euer Who loues preferment needes must loue the giuer Next who but I was sent Embassadour With Europes greatest Monarch to intreate Caesar of Almaine Germans Emperour In Belgia keeping his imperiall seat To handle matters of importance great My hap was such the King could hardly ghesse Which pleasde him more my speede or good successe The Argonauticke vessell neuer past With swifter course along the Colchan maine Then my small barke with faire and speedy blast Conuayd me forth and reconuayd againe Thrice had Arcturus driu'n his restlesse waine And heau'ns bright lampe the day had thrice reuiu'd From last departure till I first arriu'd The King not deeming I had yet beene gone Was angry for my long surmiz'd delay I tolde his Maiestie that all was done And more than all and did his pardon pray That I beyond commission went astray And could haue wisht for euer to be chid With answer to content as then I did T'is not huge heapes of figuratiue deuises Nor luxurie of metaphors or phrases Nor finenesse of connexion that intices Court-learned eares and all the world amazes But depth with pleasure crauing all the graces Of art and nature curiously precize Serenely modest excellently wise It is not learning for the Courtiers know it Nor folly but for Councellors most fit Nor graue demeanour for we must bestow it On Ladies toyes nor quintessence of wit For that is most vnstaide nor doth it fit With Courtiers maiestie to be reputed Too learn'd too graue too fine or too conceited A skill transcendent ouer euery art Yet subiect or essentiall vnto none Vnperfect too yet hauing euery part And thus though strange vnperfect and but one Yet all admire and reuerence it alone Vnknowne and vndefin'de saue in discerning By practise to be got but not by learning Men pointed out by Fortune for good happe Haue from their infancy this gift inspir'd Promotions fall as plenteous in their lappe As words out of their mouths thus I acquir'd The deanerie of Lincolne vndesir'd And then the Almnership and euery hower Some droppes distilling of a golden shower As in a burning glasse or little sphere Dispearsed sun-beames oft vnited are And in one point beames infinite appeare Innumerable rayes disiected farre From th'oblique circle of that glorious starre So like that instrument I now begun Tunite the fauours of our earthly sun New friends vnknowne great presents vndeseru'd Olde sutors came held backe with long delay And al like poppets when their time was seru'd Gaue place to other and so likewise they Ending their parts let other actors play No way in all the court so duly tread As was the path which to my lodging led Transplanted thus into a fertile spring And watred from aboue with heau'nly dew Enlightned with the presence of my King My branches waxed large and faire of hew And all about fresh buddes of honor grew Garlands of Lordships blossomes of degree White roddes of office keyes of knightly fee. Looke how the God of Wisedome marbled stands Bestowing Laurel wreathes of dignitie In Delphos Ile at whose vnpartiall hands Hang antique scrolles of gentle Herauldrie And at his feete ensignes and trophies lie Such was my state whom euery man did follow As liuing statue of the great Apollo But see euen when my ioyes did most abound My crowned pillar most vntimely fell And I about his shaft like Iuie wound That did in pride as he in height excell Was left behind to heare his heauy knell And sing a Requiem to his soule deceast For I poore I lost more then all the rest O hidden doome of that eternall spirit That sentence giues the righteous man shall die Iniurious death that lets rude soules inherit Long leases of their liues and dost enuy That Princes liue on whom all states rely And cruell fate that such confusion brings To common wealths by Ostracisme of Kings He died and in memoriall of his name Built that faire chappell where he now takes rest A rich foundation of a curious frame The fairest monument left vnsupprest Passing all temples of the gorgeous East O strew his hearse with roses red and white For he both stemmes did in one bed vnite True branch of both thy father is not dead For in thy looke I reade his vertuous raigne His crowne is set on thy victorious head Dead to himselfe he liues in thee againe His wisedome seated in thy princely braine O were not Times old wings so farre outworne But he new crownde and thou as newly borne But both are gone and we too soone bereft To better kingdomes both translated are This testimony to the world is left He was the Prince of peace thou God of warre He was a fixed thou a wandring starre Seu'n is a number fatall from the heau'ns But eight King Henrie passing all the seu'ns He came of noble thou of Kingly race He brought to win thou borne to weare a crowne He got great wealth thou honor didst embrace He kept his owne thou conquer'st many a towne He houses built thou batterdst citties downe O worthies both and vnsufficient me To mourne for him or speake enough of thee Then for my selfe whom wisedome neuer taught To seeke for gold in coffins of the dead My deepe contriuing pollicie so wrought That in his youthly raigne my dearest dread Me to his sacred counsell did aread Where all estates in open court did find The liuely vigor resting in my mind When I did muse my spirit did wholy beare His full perfection to enrich my thought What time I spake my life was wholy there And to my speech all grace and beautie brought What praise soeuer any member sought That God whom we call soule sprung from our heart Was all in all and all in euery part What matters past in priuate conference Or publique counsell for the common good I still enform'd his sacred excellence Framing my sentence to his princely moode His word my deede his will my
THE LIFE and DEATH of Thomas Wolsey Cardinall Diuided into three parts His Aspiring His Triumph and His Death By Thomas Storer Student of Christ-church in Oxford At London Printed by Thomas Dawson 1599 To the Worshipfull M. Iohn Howson Chaplaine to her Maiestie BAse Vulcans crowne with Laurell to adorne That still stands plodding by his Anuills side Would make the seely smith be laught to scorn And wiser heads the foolish gift deride Euen so some Thrasoes fancy to haue fed With Muses flowres that know not what they be Had bin to bring Silenus Asse a bed That vnderstands a rime as well as he Which made me consecrate this verse of mine To him that can with iudgement reade the same Yet stand not too praecize on euery line But rather such a web as I could frame In slender lines yet slender as they be My Muse Arachne-like presents to thee Ad Thomam Storerrum de suo Tho Wolsaeo Hendecasyllabi DUm tu trina tui Storerre fata Wolsaei triplici canis libello Ortus quis celebrem tulit Iuuentam Incrementa viristetêre quanta Occasus Sene qualis est potitus Quaeres cunque bonum queant in vsum De quôis hominum statunotari Pertrectare tuum satis videtur Diuerso vnum elegans stylo Poêma Quid dicam magis es Storerre vates Tutam magnifico pius parenti An Wolsaee tuus cinis beatus Quem tot post hyemes recens tepentem Hic nostro genitus poeta in aeuo Grata mente sacrâ reponit vrnâ Argento meliore item lapillis Et gemmis pretiosiore ferro Nec non aere perenniore cuncta Mausolaea supra Poesis vrna est Non de fossa ferens humo recondi Nec per secla situ premi futuros Informi metuens apud nepotes Haec est ingenij memor character Aeterna haec notaposteris dicata Quâ serinimium licet prioremâ— Wolsaeum recolent tamen recenti Famâ par meritis quod est duorum Et Thomae scio Maximi Patroni Et Thomae reor optimi Poetae Plusquam corpore sic valentis arte VT NOS VNDA Prosopopoeia Wolseij FOrtunae auspicibus nostrae non immemor ipse Templa Deo Musis maenia constitui Iusta nec abrupti surgunt in culmina muri Contigerat summum vita nec ipsa gradum Par eademque mei est aeuique operisque ruina Par iterumque mihi vita operique datur Musa quidem haec nostras imitata est penè ruinâ—â— Et iacuit longo semisepulta situ Nunc tamen eripuit foedis me seque tenêbris Haecque Amphionio maenia forte modo Restituat Citharam si intenderet altiùs at quae Speret ab ingratis proemia temporibus Ruderibus sed viue tuis domus inclita viue Vate tuo truncum tolle sub astra caput Nulla tuam valeat premere inde ruina ruinam Nulla meam Cineristant bene facta suo Eduardus Michelborne De Wolseide Momo LEgerat Aoniam nuper Wolseida Momu Cumque nihil toto viderat esse libro In quo liuenti genuinum frangeret ore Talibus ora ferox soluit hiulca modis Hà malè Quem versu morientem inducit eundem Aeternùm versu vtuere Musafacit Thomae Wolsaei Reginaldi Poli Cardinal Angl. comparatio LIs erat an maior Polus an Wolsaeus vterque Magnus Cardinei splendor vterque chori Tempora purpureo redimitus vterque Galero Infula cum lauru cinxit vtrique comam Ausoniâ triplici cingendus vterque Tiarâ Si suus ex merito quemque maneret honos Hinc cumulos Wolsaeus opum Polus inde parentes Hic Proauûm laudes iactat ille suas Alter Romanos patrios habet alter honores Ingenio Vlsaeus maior at arte Polus Tu litem Storere secas super alta ferendo Sydera Wolsaeum laude superque Polum Carolus Fitzgeofridus Latiforensis COnceits true Storer when I view'd of late Thy new-borne Wolsey while he did remaine As in the matrice yet inanimate An imperfected embrion of thy braine O how my feareful thoughts misaugured Least Wolsey like the worke himselfe did frame Should euer thus stand inaccomplished Which none dare end saue who began the same But now although thy worke be so perfected As that no prowder vaunting Muse can mend it And though the stately frame by him erected Lies still imperfect while no hand dares end it Yet thine thus ended doth with his agree That thine like his shall neuer ended be Aliud WHile Fortune yet did Wolseys state vphold Liuing he fram'de himselfe a costly toombe To girt with marble crowne the longing mould Prowde of the treasure that it should enwombe Yet neuer did that monument inuest The naked temples of his bare-head graue And death which him of life first dispossest Was dispossest of what it selfe should haue But wherefore did the heau'ns his ghost this wrong Thus of his duest honour to depriue him They knew his graue should not obscure him long There should a Muse they had in Store reuiue him Toombes are for dead men not for Wolsey then Whom thou hast made immortall with thy pen. Charles Fitz-Geffrey WHen Wolsey died me seemes the sunne did set And that his glory with himselfe did waine But since his death another did beget Which lendes him helpe his life to reobtaine One sunne did set but two do rise againe Cease you that wont admire the starres alone Your eies haue now enough to gaze vpon Shine Wolsey cause the world to wonder stil And thou true sunne of great Apollo shine The world with thy conceited volumes fill Smoothe Tasso and the famous Florentine Their garlands now to thee do both resigne Laura that greene hath slourish'd all this while Lies blasted now at the thunder of thy stile Thomas Michelborne ¶ To the Author of the life and death of T. W. Cardinall THus long a slaue to Silence hast thou seru'de Breake out O Muse into thy first assayes Was therefore this mine infant verse reseru'de In fatall darknesse to record thy prayse O Witte diuine that hast so well deseru'de The fruitfull garland of eternal Bayes Then let thy Fame erect my drooping eies And by thy praise begin my selfe to rise Let me while Eagle-wise thou mountes on height Be as thy shade with lowly cariage And whiles aboue thou spread'st with piercing flight Prowde Wolseys life let me in humble rage Condemne the world below that wanting light See'th brightsome candles burne vpon her stage Till vitall humor faileth to sustaine them Yet Niggard giues no matter to maintaine them There was a time when Laureats in their cell Diuinely rauisht wrate those tragicke playes That after should in loftie Buskin swell Whiles they with huge applause and frolike bayes Their learn'de ambitious browes beseeming well Sate prowdly tickled with the peoples prayse And from th'indulgent Consuls wondring hand Extort a rich reward and Laurell band It was the worldes first youth that ware the Socke And wanton Myrtill ensigne of her sport That
for aduice No'r teaching right from wrong deceit from truth Nor shewes from substance toyes from things of price Layd downe my heart a liuing sacrifice On Honors altar where it burned bright Like Uestaes fire with an eternall light This siluer tongue me thought was neuer made With rhetoricke skill to teach each common swaine These deepe conceits were neuer taught to wade In shallow brookes no'r this aspiring vaine Fitto conuerse among the shepheards traine I could not girt me like a worthlesse groome In courser garment wouen of country loome Iust cause I saw my titles to aduance Vertue my gentry Priesthood my discent Saints my allies the Crosse my cognisance Angells my guard that watcht about my tent Wisedome that vsher'd me where ere I went These are our honors though the world withstand Our lands and wealth are in another land Yet as through Tagus faire transparent streames The wandring Marchant sees the sandy gold Or like as Cynthia'es halfe obscured beames In silent night the Pilot doth behold Through misty clowdes and vapors manifold So through a mirror of my hop'te for gaine I saw the treasure which I should obtaine Then did I my poore country charge resigne Where I had liu'd disgrac'd and discontent Wrong'd by a Knight for no desert of mine But when he deem'd my torch of malice spent I made my cleargy-scorning Knight repent For Nature fram'd my memory quicke and strong But most intentiue to reuenge a wrong Forth as I went when my desires were ti'de I was perplext with thousand sundry minds The swelling Ocean in a stormy tide Was ne're so tosst with selfe resisting winds As now my heart it selfe tormented finds Nought left but Hope to ease my troubled soule And euen that Hope Despaire did thus controule Wolsey are these the hopes of thy desarts Are these the fruites of wit is this to know O vaine Philosophie and bootlesse artes Such seedes of learned ignorance to sow Where Skilles disgrace and Wisedomes folly grow Grow where you list in me your rootes vnknit A setled braine is worth a world of wit In Court who euer heard my name before Or hearing it none knowes it I am sure Suppose they do who cares for me the more Or graunt they did how long will that indure Admit it should what good may care procure O rather on that homely seate rely Where knowne and car'de for thou maist liue and die Seek'st thou for fame hee's best that least is knowne Or Princes fauours that's no common grant Seru'st thou for wealth a Courtier knowes his owne Or for degree preferment waxeth scant Wantst thou to liue no hell to Courtiers want O rather yet embrace thy priuate lot With honest fame and riches purely got Each perfect sense must things repugnant do Thy eyes must watch but neuer seeme to see Thy tongue must braue but learne to flatter too Thy eares must heare yet deafe and carelesse be Affection fast and loose thoughts bond and free Vaine yet precise chaste but to maidens kinde A Saint in sight a Machiuel in minde Thy present calmes these stormy waues surpasse As pearles indeede the things which precious seeme Thy glebe brings corne thy pasture plenteous grasse For thee thy toiling oxen ioyne in teeme And after with their death thy life redeeme Thy sheepe a pleasant flocke their fleeces vaile And from their dugges yeeld nectar to thy paile At home what duty neighbors yeeld to thee Creeping to others now thou must resigne Attend their diet euer waiting be When with lesse plentie in a shadie vine But greater pleasure thou wer't wont to dine Nature hath powr'd enough in each mans lappe Could each man learne to vse his priuate happe But say all wealth and honor me betide And I were borne the onely man to rise My Kings deare fauorite and countries guide Th'autentique obiect of all wondring eies Experience holdes the Tragique Poet wise That rather chose mong Corsicke rockes to dwell Then in the pompe of Casars court excell Thus reason sought to stale ambitions hould Wise Empyricke with twentie truths attended But his enchaunted force all force controulde With priuiledge and charter long defended Gainst all inuasions till that world were ended Whereon presuming he did thus reprooue All doubts and from his seate all feares remooue Vnthankfull man to heau'n and heau'ns creatour To men and Angells enuious and vnkinde Burying Gods Image quintessence of Nature Vertues perfection excellence of minde In barbarous woodes and desart fields inshrinde When men like trees to sweetest voice ne're hearke Where words of life can pierce their sauage barke Long time the princely shepheard did remaine Striking his harpe in fruitfull Palestine But as the sheepe so euery shepheard swaine Knew not the vertue of his touch diuine Till once the Prince his fancie did incline To heare him play then home this child they bring With charming notes to ease the troubled King The Princes court is mansion of the wise Figure of heau'n faire fountaine of delights Theatre of honor earthly Paradise Sodaine aduauncer Sphere of purest lights The liuely Vatican of beauties brights Thither let Phoebus progeny resort Where shines their father but in Ioues great court Let neuer man indued with sundry graces So sell himselfe for tithes and trifling gaine Nor that rich infinite spirit that embraces This vniuerse in compasse of a braine So prostitute her deity nor restraine In narrow limits of a base content Of learned thoughts the boundlesse continent But since our fairer meanes seeme to inuite vs By Iacobs ladder to ascend on high Whose euery round with pleasure may delight vs Why cease we all our studies to apply To gaine this tipe And wherefore linger I With whose hart-strings Amphions Lute is strung And Orpheus Harp hangs warbling at my tongue Now was I drawne in chariot of Desire While Typhis-like Ambition led the way Arriu'd at Court I needed not enquire What Lord about the King bore greatest sway Their troupes of followers riches of aray Numbers of suters almost numberlesse Taught me to know or somewhat more then ghesse To please their vaine and be my selfe admirde I cast my learning in a Courtiers mold My schollership and carriage both conspirde T'appeach their wrong that most iniurious hold Such men vnfit to haue their names enrold In place of note or handle things of weight That spend their time in contemplations height Frame to your selues imaginary courts O piercing spirites inflam'de with heau'nly fire Kings Mathematicke counterfeit resorts Portraites of iustice shadows of desire Such aery castles as conceipts inspire Such commonwealths as Plato did vphold Administring booke-iustice vncontrold Such heau'ns such planets and such whirling spheres The Syracusan wisard did inuent Wherein the curious workmanship appeares Of their first mouer and did represent The wondrous fabricke of the firmament If heau'ns and common wealths may be so showne The courts estate much easier may be knowne These fancies I had framed long before Deeming my selfe my fortunes architect Now care
like curtaines at their best To make vs sleepe or hinder vs from light Troublers of Nature children of the west Haters of sence adopted sonnes of night In whom the wise both sorrow and delight Yet were there not such vegetalls the while What had the wiser sort whereat to smile O you that beare the courage of diuines Hate such mens patronage ingage not Art For who beholds the spoiler of the vines And stands secure or takes the spoilers part Shall in his conscience feele such deadly smart That when he seekes by scripture to be easde The more he reades the more he is displeasde Renowned Picus of Mirandula Hated the substance of a cleargy man That was vnlettered and made a lawe An ignorant which neuer had began To seeke or after seeking neuer skan Some part of somewhat that might wisedome bring Should be accounted but a liuing thing The noble Tichobraghe for whose deare sake All Denmarke is in admirations loue In deepe regard such difference doth make Betweene those men whose spirit soare aboue And those base essenses which only moue That in his Isles horizon he admittes No clowdy meteors of such foggy wittes On forraine princes I will neuer stand Sweete Clio pardon if I do digresse The noble Earle the learn'd Northumberland Fauours you Muses and he doth addresse His peerelesse cares which you must needes expresse Write Clio write and that aeternally In spite of Muses he shall neuer die For in his life his praise and after death Thankfull remembrance still remaines aliue So long as Fame's aeternall trump hath breath And time drawes time and these daies other driue Or hasty minutes in their swiftnesse striue While man can speake with man and vertue praise So long continues his immortall praise Princes are meere diuines for they maintaine The liuing Gospel of the liuely truth Doubly in them Gods Image doth remaine In high commanding where hir mercy shew'th The future hopes of goodnesse that ensu'th And then in their creation Thus two waies Princes are bound the Prince of heau'n to praise Now to be princely and to be diuine I added Winchester to all the rest With sundry others which I held by fine And being once installed in the best Vouchsafte with Abbies to be so possest I held this certaine sure and neuer doubt Abbies and Bishoprickes will not fall out I made them friends and that they might continue I got church-liuings more then I will say Small liuings added to a great reuenue Riddes poore reports and common talkes away The Chorus of the people that can say The Parson careth not for our soules health Will hold their tongues at hearing of such wealth Thus full of riches and exceeding powre I added liuing vnto liuing still Scarce came a day within whose euery howre There were not yeelded offrings of free will To haue or leaue vntill I had my fill One starre is newly added shining faire Vnto the backe of Cassopeias chaire Betweene solemnitie and loftie state The sequele of my life I will diuide Whereby I purchaste honor ioyn'd with hate And enuie still did beare a mightie side Who rises by his wisedome is enui'de Let them enuie but when their lordships fell I must haue notice where their Wardes must dwell I car'd not for the gentrie for I had Tithe-gentlemen yong nobles of the land The greatest of the Realme were highly glad When with great charge and sute vnder my hand They left the first fruites of their neerest band Fortune is Lady of the nobly borne The learned noble haue her gifts in scorne It may be some were glad when I was sent Twice in Embassage to the Emperours court And others sad respecting that I went Furnisht so royally with such resort As farre exceedes beleefe of true report Speake they their pleasure Yet with equall worth And greater good I came then I went forth Imperious ghost of Charles come sit by mine He cannot come but lies in Princes ward And he disdaines to sue to Proserpine Deare fellow ghost but he will not regard Or if he do from comming is debard Truly Imperious for thy entertaine To me and all the followers of my traine The towne of Bruges Princes faire resort Flanders rich ornament noble Peeres Exchange The chosen cittie for the Emperours Court About whose streetes my following troupes did range Was in her curtâ—sie so highly strange That nothing there was suffred to be spent Either by me or any one that went Returning home in farre more glorious sort Then Mardocheus to the Median King The summe of my successe I did report Plâ—asing his eares with sound of euery thing Eloquence taught my common talke to sing Contenting matter and delighting wordes No sweeter straines all Musicks art affordes Honour's without emploiments of estate Are like to sun-beames without heate or light A noble man and not a magistrate Shines halfe eclipsed in his cleerest bright Ioyne heau'nly gifts to earthly light to light Let these great excellencies make a truce Fortune shall neede no wheele-write for her vse But from a Monarch of that soueraigne power Twise to be sent so honourably grac'd To Europs highest braunch and fairest flower In so short season with so happy blast Each doubtfull care with wisedome ouercast Returning to be more then going forth Was fatall to the Cardinal of the North. Now at such times as Lawyers walke the streets Without long rowles of papers in their hands When friendly neighbour with his neighbour meetes Without false chalenge to each others lands The counsellor without his client stands When that large Capitoll lies voide and waste Where Senators and Iudges late were plac't Then in a solemne progresse would I ride To see the houses where my liuings lay The Image of what was did not abide Nay scarce the memory remaines this day For any stranger that shall passe that way This course in old Records ignoraunce tooke Teare the red letters and burne all the booke How patient is Antiquitie the while And all the soules that leane on Abrahams breast Those sacred spirits that with inspired stile Wrote truly of the church and hauing ceast Their paines on earth do liue in peace and rest Our parents age worse then our grandsires be We worst beget our children worse then we Then in an humor I accursed strait Those vnbaptised sacrilegious hands That onely for Gods vestrie laide their waite Prophanely seazing on the churches lands And casting faire for all while none with stands But lest my sorrowes openly should breake Thus with my selfe me thought I gan to speake Ye churches founded by religious Kings Reioyce within your Eccho sounding vaultes Though enuious Time this desolation brings Battring your marble pillars with assaults And euen in men there rest no meane defaults Triumph in this there is a doome for time Reuenge for men that by your losses climbe And ye the seruants of the liuing King Let not your stately pallace walles decline No desolation may confusion bring To those faire
asleepe Distill my ashes yet they cannot weepe All as my Chrysom so my winding sheete None ioy'de my birth none mourn'd my death to see The short Parenthesis of life was sweete But short what was before vnknowne to me And what must follow is the Lords decree The period of my glory is exprest Now of my death and then my Muse take rest Not such as I tooke when they from me hent The Seale of England by great Henries will Wherein his picture with his fauour went A double losse They that haue Courtiers skill They that haue fauor let them signe their bill While wax is warme and Fortune seemes to blesse And Princes seale is ready to impresse For I vnseal'd was open to the view Of all that read my fortune some woulde say They thought as much before but that's vntrue Because they saw no likelihood of decay No bird that striu'd nor beast that lost his way But men interpreted and made a glosse Imagining them Prophets of my losse My Crosses fall and Chaplains broken head Were Oracles in silence cause of feare Emblemes of trouble impreses of dread Doubt and suspition in my minde did reare Heauy conceits when nothing did appeare Such are the desperate troubles of our soule Where greater things the better things controule The day was now approaching nigh at hand Of my enstalment in Yorkes gracious See Th'aeternall Prouidence did then withstand M'intented enterprise but things must be As heau'ns fore-seeing wisedome shall decree The mace of Honor borne like Vertues crest Was now laid on my shoulder for arrest I did not meane with Predecessors pride To walke on cloth as custome did require More fit that cloth were hung on either side In mourning wise or make the poore attire More fit the dirige of a mournfull quire In dull sad notes all sorrowes to exceede For him in whom the Princes loue is dead I am the toombe where that affection lies That was the closet where it liuing kept Yet wisemen say affection neuer dies No but it turnes and when it long hath slept Lookes heauy like the eie that long hath wept O could it die that were a restfull state But liuing it conuerts to deadly hate My seruants shal like bondmen serue the time My guard attend without or welt or gard We now are subiect to another clime Vaine pride and sumptuous pomp we must discar'd For from my losse they haue their iust reward Now is captiuity the first degree Of downefall by commission falne on me But why do I heere cease at my arrest By which I am prouoked to proceede O Libertie how much is that man blest Whose happy fortune do his fates areede That for Deserts reioyces to be freede Much more may others grieue and much more I That for Desert haue lost our Libertie By short and heauy iourneys I was brought To Sheffield parke there taking sweeterepose Where true Nobilitie intirely sought T'ennoble griefe and entertaine my woes O how doth heau'n the course of cares dispose By enterchange of honor and of pleasure To augment our miseries exceeding measure His traines attendance shew'd my glories past Bitter remembrance and my present shame Vnhappy presence and the times of waste Accusing all when I deseru'd the blame Accursing Change that keepes mee not the same Let him that sees his priuate miserie Auoid the prospect of prosperitie It breeds pale Enuy and sad Discontent Procures offence before a proffered wrong Torments it selfe till all conceits are spent And thoughts deliuered by malitious tongue Then rapt with violent fury growes so strong That it enuenomes all our humane parts Blind-iudging eies and sense-confounding harts Farre better had I met vpon the way Legions of Lazars ghosts of men vniust Afflicted spirits tormented night and day With Prides remembrance and incestuous lust Appearing in their ornaments of dust Such passengers might well haue met with me Of like profession and of like degree Ages to come will thankfully admire That princes worth which pittied prelates want Those benefits are noble and entire But in few grounds increaseth such a plant Since their old vertuous rootes are growne so scant Professions doubt breedes good house-keepers care That though they would yet few there are that dare Sicknesse the Herault of armes hearts and all Frustrating all arrests arrests my health Stopping my vitall powres and did fall So violent and with so sodaine stealth As that it ceaz'd on all my spirits wealth Some thought it was a wind and sooth they say It blew my breath my life and all away By this time and t'was more then high time now Another Knight was sent me from the King To whom saluting me I gan a vow My innocencie till his words did ring A peale of ioyes neuer did Syren sing Nor Sayler heare such musike on the seas Sweetly to sound and rauishingly please The King said he thereat I lowly bent Commends him then I rear'd my heart againe Commaunds me how I muz'd at his intent Assure you that his Grace doth still remaine His royall selfe your louing soueraigne And wills you by his beames your thoughts to cleere Shrowded so long in clowdes of heauy cheere Where blind reports haue buzzed in his eares Some heinous crimes wherein you should offend Since no sound proofe no certaintie appeares He reckes them of no truth nor to no end Which made him in his princely iudgement send To heare your triall and not iudge before He could commaund no lesse you craue no more I thank't him for his kindnesse and repli'de Did now the liuehood of my youth remaine Had not my strength late with my honor di'de No opposite occasion could restraine My iourney poste but yet ere Phoebus waine Haue drawne him twice vnto his westerne rest I hope to be in better health addrest Two Agonies at once each in his kind Vnite themselues and so diuided me The bodies griefe and passions of the mind Agreeing in strength and striuing in degree Worke on their subiect leauing one to be Patient of sicknesse suppliant of mone And I poore I must be that odious one My Mitre with two toppes deceiu'd my head Within one top of Antichrists owne crowne In this I blessed am in being dead Before I wore that weight that casts men downe The soules and bodies both be ouerthrowne And were my Rotchet true religions staine Repenting teares now wash it white againe Comming to Leicester hard at their gate The Abbot with his Couent and their lights Met me O then againe I saw the state Not mine but theirs not theirs but churches rights This was the last of all the holy nights When no pure Planet would this sadnesse see The very toarches dropt blacke teares for me The Abbot meeting me stood halfe amaz'd Doubting what title should befit me best Seeing him silent when I had embrac'd Thus opned I the closure of my brest Father I come to take my latest rest Vouchsafe for this vile flesh some holy shrine Prouide a place to lay