King Edward the 2. surnamed Carnaruen was crouned att Westminster at the 22. yere of his age the 24. of febru 1308. he Raigned 19 yere 6 monethes was deâ—â—sed the 25 of Iaâ—â—â—â—rius 1326. he was slayne in the Castle of barkley in the 43 yere of his age THE HISTORIE OF EDWARD THE SECOND Surnamed CARNARVAN one of our English KINGS Together with the Fatall down-fall of his two vnfortunate Favorites GAVESTON and SPENCER Now Published by the Author thereof according to the true Originall Copie and purged from those foule Errors and Corruptions wherewith that spurious and surreptitious Peece which lately came forth vnder the same Tytle was too much defiled and deformed With the Addition of some other Observations both of vse and Ornament By F. H. Knight LONDON Printed by B. A. and T. F. for L. Chapman and are to be sold at his Shop at the vpper end of Chancery-Lane 1629. TO HIS VERY LOVING Brother Mr. RICHARD HVBERT the Author of this historicall Poëme F. H. Knight wisheth all Health and Happinesse WORTHY SIR I Know that noble Natures desire more to doe good then to hearâ— of the good they doe and therefore without all farther Complement you shall giue me leaue Onely to say thus much That if GOD and Nature had not yet your many kind and Constant fauours to mee and all mine haue made mee truely your owne which as I gladly acknowledge so I would haue the World take notice That I am both sensible of them and thankefull for them And now Sir being already deepe in your debt I must still runne farther vpon your score by committing to your Care and custodie this Innocent Child not of my Body but of my Braine It is surely of full Age for It was conceiued and borne in Queene Elizabeths time but grew to more maturitie in King IAMES's and therefore as wee vse to say It should be now able to shift for It selfe But I that gaue It life finding the weaknesse thereof was fully resolved to keepe It still at home vnder mine owne wing and not to let It see the Sunne when loe after Twenty yeares concealement when I thought the vnfortunate Babe like to It 's Father euen dead to the World I saw the false and vncomely Picture of my poore Child taken by a most vnskilfull hand offered to the publicke sight and censure of euery judicious Eye and though that could not yet truely I did blush for It to see It so nakedly so vnworthily so mangled and so maymed thrust into the world that I scarce knew It and was asham'd to owne It And therefore good Brother to vindicate both It and my Selfe from those grosse and sencelesse Errours wherewith that false Bastard was too foulie deformed I haue now sent It abroad to seeke It's fortunes in It 's own true shape and habite desiring your Selfe and euery vnderstanding Reader for I know It is not for the vse of euery Ordinarie Eye to lâ—oke vpon that former Peece with scorne and Contempt and once againe to take a resurvay of It as now It Appeares in It's owne true feature and posture It may bee you shall find somewhat in It both to informe the Vnderstanding and to rectifie the Affections and if in any of the Passages thereof It shall seeme eyther too light and remisse or too bold and free eyther too open and tart or too sparing and reseru'd That you must impute eyther to the matter that I handle or the parties that I personate which must of necessitie be drawne according to the true Life both in colours and proportion or else the Worke will bee of very little vse and of lesse Grace and Ornament eyther to my Selfe or others And so humbly desiring the Almighty to blesse You both in Soule Body and Estate I rest not your Servant according to the new and fine but false Phrase of the Time but in honest old English your loving Brother and true Friend for euer FRAN HVBERT THE AVTHORS PREFACE ⸫ 1 REbellious thoughts why doe you tumult so And striâ—e to breake from forth my troubled brest â—t not enough that I my selfe doe know The mouing Causes of mine owne vnrest â—â—s't not enough to know my selfe distrest O no Surcharged hearts must needs complaine Some ease it is though small to tell our paine 2 Yet weyward thoughts retire vnto your home â—nto my heart your proper home retire There rest in your vnrest till Death â—oth come And Death will come call'd by conceal'd desire For Coales rak'd vp glow more then open Fire And deepest streames doe run with smoothest speed And silent griefes are the true griefes Indeed 3 But if my heart bee so Inâ—r'd to groaning Or if my tongue must bee the voyce of Sorrow Or that my Pen bee still Injoyn'd to moaning Because my night of Care hath neuer morrow Yet of my griefe thus much at least I 'le borrow That for a time I may surcease mine owne And tune my Muse to tell anothers moane 4 Anothers moane to tell my Muse is tun'd If any tune can bee in jaâ—ring Griefe And I a King for subject haue assum'd An English King Whâ—â— whilst he liâ—'d was chiâ— In Honours height yet dyed without reliefe So true is that which SOLON once did say No man is Happie till his dying day F. H. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF EDVVARD the Second 5 IT is thy sad disaster which I sing Carnarvan EDVVARD Second of that name Thy Minions pride thy States ill-managing Thy Peeres revolt the sequell of the same Thy Life thy Death I sing thy Sin thy shame And how thou wert depriued of thy Crowne In highest fortunes cast by Fortune downe 6 Did I say Fortune Nay by Folly rather By vnrespect vnto the rules of State For let a Prince assure himselfe to gather As he hath planted eyther Loue or Hate Contempt or Dutie not the workes of Fate Much lâ—sse of Fortune but of due respects To Causes which must needs produce effects 7 As if a Prince doe draw his plat-forme right And then with courage builds vpon the same His ends proues happie But by ouersight Hee that is weake wholly subuerts the frame Of his owne building and doth Idly blame Fortune the seruant to deseruing merit But the Commander of the aâ—ject spirit 8 In which discourse if I shall hap to touch Those faults which in our time are frequent growne Let not the gall'd offender winch or grudge For I intend a priuate wrong to none Onely I would haue those same errours knowne By which the State did then to ruine runne That warn'd by theirs Our Age like sins mighâ— shunne 9 Nor doe I meane to bound my selfe so much As onely for to tye mee to those Times The causes courses consequents I 'le touch Of later Ages and of their designes And if detrâ—ctions breath doth blast my Lines Bee it for me I haue for my defence The priuie-Coat of harmlesse Innocence 10 And thou * great King that now do'st weild our State
to play I 'le cry I 'le kisse and so begin the fray 385 You will Nay then I must because you will Women are weak poore soules and dare not fight Who-euer rises we goe downward still And yet fond men will say that we are light Well 't is our Fortunes and the destines spight I am Content because I cannot chuse 'T is best to take what bootes not to refuse 386 Thus Mortimer did steale this fleece of gold That storie so apply'd doth Ill agree Shee rather was Medea fierce and bold And gaue away that golden fleece 'T was shee That let another griffe vpon my Tree The fruit of sin and shame whence did proceed Matter that made me both to blush and bleed 387 O woman Thou art euer in extreames Eyther an Aetna or a Caucasus Or burning like the Dog-starres fierie gleames Or like North windes too bleake and boysterous Eyther too mirthfull or too mischieuous Yet of the twaine since needs thou wilt be such Thy fire is better then thy frost by much 388 Thy ouer-louing may proue Iealousie And that 's an amorous sicknesse a kind paine But hatred Is the Dame of Crueltie And at the very Life-bloud still doth Ayme But leauing this Goe to thy Loomes againe Vnwearied Muse till thou hast wou'n at will The wofull storie of poore Edwards Ill. 389 'T is not the Ayre whereby we liue and breath 'T is not the Earth the Mother of vs all Nor Starres aboue nor is it Hell beneath Nor yet those Spirits which we our Demons call Nor chance which seemes to sway things casuall That are the sole-efficients of our Euils We to our selues are eyther Gods or Deuils 390 But I was still the latter of the twaine My selfe-wrought woe beares witnes of the same And you great Lords yâ— liu'd whil'st I did raigne And were consumed with the furious flame Of my enraged wrath I will not blame Your wayward Pride nor yet my wiues vntruth My seed was Sin my Crop was shame and ruth 391 And when did euer that accursed field Beare other haruest then such thriflesse weed Can poyson'd fountaines wholsome waters yield Or doe not wormes out of corruption breed Mischiefe the Dâ—m pregnant with sinfull seed Brings forth her daughter Miserie at last And they are alwayes glew'd together fast 392 There can be no divorce betweene these twaine They mix or rather they incorporate Like to the Poles of Heau'n it doth remaine Constant and fix'd Sinne is vnfortunate Still drawing Iudgements downe on each estate which somtimes are defer'd not following streight But what time looseth is repay'd with weight 393 How many houses haue bin rais'd by Sinne And flourish'd faire for one or two discents But still the third vnprosperous hath bin And God hath crost them with some strange euents Whereof these times yield many presidents But stay my Muse If thou wilt shun offence Thou must not meddle with the present Tence 394 Speake of the Spencers mightie in their dayes Let Edward be the Subject of thy Pen. Who did his Minions to such greatnesse rayse That the whole State was by them manag'd then As men with Counters So doe Kings with men Sometimes they stand for halfe-pence and anon What was but so becomes a Million 395 But when my Peeres did see how I was bent To make base waxen wings to mount the skye Whil'st their faire Plumes were pluck't which vile coÌ„tempt And they deprest with scorne and Injury To late-left Armes they got them by and by They moved warre the Spencers to remoue Hate armed them and I was arm'd by Loue. 396 They leuied men I likewise men did leuie Both raised all the Forces wee could make A Tyrants hand they say was too too heauie A traytors head I said became a stake They vow'd redresse I vow'd revenge to take We met and meeting fought fighting found No hurt more grieues then doth a selfe-wrought wound 397 O English Peeres relinquish Impious Armes Build not your weightiest actions vpon sand 'T is not the Colour of pretended harmes Nor seeming zeale vnto your Natiue Land Nor reformation though you beare in hand The people so of some abuse of Lawes That can make lawfull your vnlawfull Cause 398 These are and euer haue bin those smooth Oyles With which foule treason seekes to paint her face That she might seeme faire pleasing full of smiles So to win loue and gaine the peoples grace Who silly Gudgions euer bite apace Vntill the fatall hooke be swallowed downe Where-with Ambition Angles for a Crowne 399 Who euer practis'd against Prince or State But alwayes did pretend the Common good Thereby to draw into contempt or hate The course of governement as then it stood This hath beene still the marrow life and blood Of such Attempts But here the rule stands fast What 's thought-on first Is executed last 400 For when that once their priuate turne is seru'd The care of Common-wealth Is layd aside That did but whâ—t the knife with which they caru'd For their owne good That vizor did but hide Some Secret ends not fit to be discry'd Vntill accomplish'd which once brought to passe The Common State stands as before it was 401 And for to angle men Crimes must be made Against the Prince I if he be without touch So that no just exceptions can be had Then must the Imputation rest on such Who being neare the Prince are vsed much For this is certaine They that stand on high Are fairest markes for foulest obloquie 402 But though the Arrow seemeth at them aym'd Yet through their sides it wounds the Princes brest Whose reputation cannot be but stain'd By their reproach whom they doe fauour best And they that kill the birds would spoile the nest But what 's intended must be closely wrought And that pretended which was neuer thought 403 Why should vaine man still daube his actions thus With outward whit-lime that are pitch'd within Eu'n wicked Kings must be Indur'd by vs. What e're the cause be Treason is a sinne Rebellious Armes cannot true honour win The sword is not the Subjects His defence In all extreames Is Prayer and Patience 404 Therefore deare spirits dye not your silver Armes Into a Sanguine with your Mothers bloud Let not vnciuill hands cause ciuill harmes For priuate griefe confound not publike good Not all the water in the Ocean flood Can wash the Sin from you and your Allyes For Treason liues although the Traitor dyes 405 Sweet Trent How were thy Christall-waters stain'd With English-bloud that was at Burton shed Let Burrow-bridge a Golgotha bee nam'd A field of death wherein lay buried So many people and all Natiues bred 'Gainst forreigne foes had those liues bin Imploy'd We had not grieu'd though they had nobly dy'd 406 At last the doubtfull victorie prou'd mine The Barons lost the day and lost their liues Their heads went-off whose hearts did so repine Against their Prince For treason seldom thriues That great all-seeing God whose knowledge diues
his sharpe auenging sword Till his just plagues no breathing time afford Then I haue sinn'd Pray for me Let them goe And then who God Is Pharoh learnes to know 517 So doth the Sharpest bryer heare sweetest Rose And bittrest Poâ—ions purge the body best How woundrously doth God his workes dispose That eu'n by Crosses he can make vs blest And hatch our chiefest joy in sorrowes nest Then let vs not repine against his doome But weaue our web as he hath warp'd our loome 518 And Reading of the world thou read'st aright It is indeed but meerely temporall And those deare pleasures wherein men delight Friends honours riches all are Casuall And as they haue their honny so their gall There 's nothing certaine in the world but this That euery worldly thing vncertaine Is. 519 Whom Rosie Phoebus rising in the East Hath seene aloft in glory and renowne Before he tooke his lodging in the West Hath often seene as low dejected downe That man that in the morning wore the Crown Had not er'e night nor Crown nor head to weare So full of frailties are our fortunes here 520 These were our parlies as we sate alone These tearefull Tributes duely were defraid Now did we walke and weepe now sit groane Till faithlesse Welch me friendles wretch betrays Vnto their hands who streight waies me conueys To Kâ—nnelworth where I imprison'd lay And neuer after saw one happy day 521 The proofe whereof we doe not onely see But by a selfe experience we doe feele Others to vs haue taught others shall bee Inform'd by vs how that part of the wheele That 's now aloft doth streight wayes downward reele And never rests at any certaine stay But vp and downe weares out a wearie way 522 The Spencers both the Father and the Sonne Discended of an ancient worthy race By whose directions all designes were done And nothing past with-out their speciall grace They were so great in power so high in place Both dy'd such wretched deaths as men may say A gloomie night shut vp a glorious day 523 To vse the French-mans phrase vnder an Oake They both of them at seuerall times did dye Their Bodies quartered by the Hangmans stroake Their Heads cut off were placed very high As Spectacles for euery enuious Eye Which done sayes form of Law by lawlesse will Though they deseru'd It was vnjust and Ill. 524 The Sonne Glosters proud Earle so great before Had a white Paper fix'd vpon his head Wherein both to disgrace and grieue him more In * Capitall letters were Caractred Those words that in one of the Psalmes are read For so the two and fiftieth doth begin Thou Mightie Man why do'st thou boast iâ— Sinne 525 Vnhappie Lord It was enough to dye It was too much to dye with sâ—orne and shame Men should not trample vpon miserie Since euery Mothers Sonne may share the same I know he was in many things too blame Proud griping cruell Well Say what you can Yet giue me leaue to say Hee was a man 526 I write not Idly doe not read mee so I pray obserue vpon what slipperie way Greatnes that is too great doth euer goe How apt It is to catch a fall and they That so doe slip how readily they may Breake their own necks without especiall grace They fall not soft that fall from an high place 527 Besides who will obserue the Course of things From Conquering Williams Raigâ—e til this our age Shall find how those great Fauorites of Kings Haue by themselues bin brought to tragicke stage Or prou'd vnprosperous by the vulgar rage Or weeded vp by him that next succeeds Such dangerous humours swelling greatnesse breeds 528 Thou shalt not need to trauaile very farre To fetch in matter to informe thy mind Of which our Stories true relaters are Studie but them Thou shalt not faile to find Particuler Examples in each kind I am but as an Index to a Booke To point thee too 't Turne thou the leaues and looke 529 Aske Wolsey Aske Lord Cromwell Both will say That Princes Minions doe but hold at will That fauours neuer were Free holds but they Are soone transferr'd from one t' another still That as the wind doth change So must the Mill. Bee turn'd about and euery-one doth know Winds doe not alwayes in one quarter blow 530 Empson and Dudley flourish'd very faire And mightie were during seuenth Henries raigne But he being dead his next succeeding Heire Did cut them downe and they did fall againe They had their waxing and they had their wane And for the vulgar rage who doth not know How many mightie men haue perish'd so 531 I was my selfe depos'd by Parliament From Princely rule as one not fit to raigne Both Peeres and people all did giue consent That I vnking'd in durance should remaine And sent their Agents to me to explaine That if I would not to my Sonne resigne They 'd chuse a Prince out of some other Line 532 O Englands Peeres weigh what you take in hand Looke but with Iudgement into your designe That which you now attempt will wracke the Land The wounds whereof will bleed in after-time And Babes vnborne will Curse your hatefull crime For what so doth peruert the course of things Wrath Enuie death and desolation brings 533 There is a lawfull and a certaine right Which alwayes must be kept Inuiolate And being infring'd by practise or by might Drawes fearfull Iudgements downe vpon a State Then you or yours will wish although too late That I had kept my rightfull Int'rest still And you had not bin Agents in this Ill. 534 When your owne children shall each other wound And with accursed hands gore eythers brest When Ciuill furie shall your state confound Then will you say His Ghost is not at rest His whom vnjustly we haue dispossest The second Eâ—wards for whose Sacrifice Your Nâ—phews then shall pay a bloudie price 535 Neuer O neuer was the rightfull Course Of this our Crowne peruerted or supprest But still the same hath bin the fatall source Of many mischiefes and of much vnrest And as the Land hath bin therewith opprest So the vsurpers neuer kept it long In any quiet what they got with wrong 536 William who with his sword did get the Crowne Winning by Conquest what he kept with Care The true lawfull heire being shouldred down Like a wood-Lyon His owne word did fare Against the English whom he did not spare Or young or old that were of worth and place And for the rest He yoak'd with bondage base 537 And as he toyl'd the Land with his vnrest So tasted hee his share of miserie Robert rebels a Byrd of his owne nest The Normans breake forth into mutinie Tâ—â— ' opressed English hatch conspiracie Alwayes in Forreigne broyles or Ciuill strife And so wastes forth a wretched wearie life 538 Nay Death the Period-maker of all moane Eu'n against Nature followes him with spight The mightie Prince of thousands waited-on Being dead
Is left alone forsaken quite No Sonne no friend to doe him his last right None that vouchsaf'd to giue him buriall But vnregarded lay despis'd of all 539 Nay more The ground where he should be Inter'd Anselme Fitz-Arthur his dead bones to spight Claim'd as his owne A thing not euer heard And for the Prince there dead by lawlesse might Had worm'd him out of that which was his right On Gods behalfe He did forbid them all Within his Earth to giue him buriall 540 Nor would he cease the challenge he had made Nor yet durst they interre his Corpes therein Vntill a summe of mony was defray'd With which they pay'd a ransome for his sinne So much a doe had this great Prince to winne That which none doth the poorest wretch deny A bed of peace where his dead bones might lye 541 Nor was the streame of miserie thus stay'd The date of our Affliction lasted still There is not yet sufficient ransome pay'd The Ill-got Scepter must be sway'd as Ill Rufus succeeds and still more bloud doth â—pill Still hauocks more and still doth Tyrannize Vntill by sodaine violence he dyes 542 Nor did the Crowne stand well on any head Till * Ben. Clarke got the Scepter in his hand Who to the Saxon Maude being married Some beames of coÌ„fort cheer'd the drooping Land And then our State in peacefull tearmes did stand Till Henry dy'd and Steephen vnjustly got The Crowne and set new troubles here on foot 543 Then burst there forth an all consuming flame The Empresse Maâ—de sought to require her right Steephen had the Crowne and he would keepe the same Vntill She could recouer It by fight Then followed all the hostile Acts of spight Sword fire Rapes murders leaguers wast and wrack And nothing of extreamest Ills did lacke 544 So hath vnjust Succession scourg'd this Realme At length Steephen dyes after a wretched Raigne Then Second Henry weares the Diadem In whom the rightfull Title did remaine And then our state did happy fortunes gaine Then did our strength encrease our bounds extend And many nations to our yoake did bend 545 And Richard his braue Sonne did next succeed In a just Course and all things prosper'd well In Sâ—ria hee did many a worthy deed The Easterne world of his exploits can tell And many thousand miscreants sent to Hell By his vnconquered Armes haue prou'd long since That Cure-De Lyon was a peerlesse Prince 546 He dead young Arthur should haue had the Crown The Sonne of Ieffrey who was Henries Sonne Had not King Iohn his Vnckle put him downe Who being hauld on by Ambition Diuerts the Course of true succession Makes himselfe King vsurpes the Princes name And murthers Arthur to secure the same 547 And now O now begins our Tragedie VVhere Death and horrour onely Actors are Iohn gouernes as hee got preposterously And doth both with his Peeres and Clergie jarre Then Ianus sets wideâ—ope the gates of warre And then the Land with blood was ouerflowne And none could safely call his owne his owne 548 Then were the Cities sack'd the fields lay'd wast The Virgins forc'd the Marriage bed defil'd Then were the auncient Monuments defac'd The Portes vntraffick'd landed vp and spoyl'd Eu'n God himselfe seem'd hence to bee exil'd The land was Curs'd all Sacred rights were bard And Six yeeres space no publike prayers were heard 549 Then did the King lease forth the Realme to Rome Then did the Peeres to France betray the Crowne O heau'ns great King how fearefull is thy doome How many mighty Plagues canst thou powre downe Vpon a Nation If thou please to frowne Arthur It was the wrong done thee of late That made just Heau'n so to afflict our State 550 But yet might not his death that did the deed Bee a Peace-offring to redeeme the Sinne Why should the Land of the one wound still bleed Or wherefore dy'd not his offence with him Was not the measure heap'd-vp to the brim Both of the Ills hee suffred and had done But that the guilt must prosecute the Sonne 551 O no Although third Henry was the man In whom The lawfull Title was Inuested For Arthur dead the right was then in Iohn And Iohn decea'sd the same in Henry rested Yet that the world should see â—ow God detested Such wrongfull meanes Acts so vniustly done The Fathers whip is made to lash the Sonne 552 For still did Ciuill furie wound the state During the time of Henries pupillage And still the Peeres swolne with Intestiâ—e hate Against theyr harmelesse Prince being vnder age CoÌ„bine themselues w th France wheÌ„ that rage Was spent the Barons-warre brake forth againe So full of troubles was third Henries raigne 553 Hee dead my Father Long-shankes then did raigne And in due Course succeeded next his Sire Then all afflictions did begin to waine And England did to peace and wealth aspire Nor did the streame of blisse flow euer higher Then when first Edward managed the State Prudent in Peace and in warres fortunate 554 That Noble Prince to mee my birth did giue Whom I succeeded in a rightfull line You all haue sworne Allegiance whilst I liue And will you now inforce mee to resigne Will you againe with wicked hands vnt wine That Sacred chayne whereon depends our good And drowne this Iland once againe in blood 555 O If you doe disorder thus the Crowne And turne the lawfull course another way If you vnjustly wring from mee mine owne You spinne a Thred to worke our owne decay And my propheticke Soule doth truely say The time will come when this vniust designe Will plague your selues your sonnes and mine owne line 556 For from my Stocke two branches shall arise From whom shall grow such great dis-union As many thousand liues shall not suffice To re-unite them both againe in One England shall wast more deare blood of her owne Against her selfe then would suffice t' obtaine All France and conquer Germany and Spaine 557 Thou wert too true a Prophet fatall King And thy Presages were too ominous From thee and from thy worthy Sonne did spring Those Families that so afflicted vs For Yorke and Lancaster litigious For the Crowne-right did make the Sword their plea And so white Albion grew to be a red-Sea 558 But when that men are bent to doe amisse Then all perswasions are but spent in vaine The Parliament was resolute in this That I their King no longer should remaine Whereto If I oppos'd my selfe 'T was vaine They were resolu'd And my peruersnes might Make them perhaps to doe my Son lesse right 559 Which when I heard thinke how my soule did war Within It selfe which way I should incline Deare was my Sonne my selfe was dearer farre By my Eclipse must I procure his shine Cannot hee raigne vnlesse I now resigne My Father dy'd e're I could get the Crowne I liue And yet my Sonne must put me downe 560 My Sonne Alas poore Prince It is not hee For many Wolues maske in that Lambes
attire Proud Mortimer 'T is thou vncrownest mee Luxurious Queene This is thy foule desire And moodie Tarleton bellowes of this fire 'T is you that are the marrow of this sinne My Sonne doth serue but for the outward skin 561 You are the wheeles that make this Clock to strike My fatall hower The last of all my good For this is not the height of your dislike Death is the fruit when Treason is the bud Such practices doe alwayes end in blood WheÌ„ others stumble Kings fall headlong down There is no meane betwixt a Graue Crown 562 For this is certaine Sinne doth alwayes find Within It selfe sufficient cause of feare 'T is dangerous to trust a guiltie mind The Creditor remou'd the debt 's thought cleare Men hate whoÌ„ they haue wrong'd hating feare And fearing will not cease till they haue prou'd All meanes by which the cause may be remou'd 563 Therefore would I might leade a priuate life In some sequestred place which none might see Where I may seeke to reconcile the strife That Sinne hath made betwixt my God and mee For if the ransome of my Crowne might free My life from slaughter little would I grieue There 's none so wretched but desires to liue 564 And yet why should I loose or life or Crowne Are liues or Crownes so light and easie losses 'T is vaine to aske why fortune list to frowne Or to dispute the causes of our Crosses When Ships at Sea stormes winds and billowes tosses It boots not ask why winds and stormes should rise All ruling heau'n respects not humaine whyes 565 Cato would know a reason of the Gods Why Pompey should by Caesar vanquish'd bee Whose cause was better as he thought by oddes Cato thou seest Euents thou canst not see Their causes They are kept reseru'd from thee In Gods close Cabinet being safely layd And hee must not bee question'd but obey'd 566 The stately Steed that champs the steely bit And proudly seemes to menace friend and foe Doth fling and foame and boundeth oft and yet Poore beast perforce hee is inforc'd to goe Eu'n so far'd I and since It must bee so As good the same should seeme to come from me 'T was best to will what gainst my will would be 567 And so I made a solemne resignation Of all my right and Title to my Sonne And there withall an earnest Protestation Which was with sighes weeping teares begun How much I grieu'd that I had so misdone As to procure thereby my Peoples hate And so bee thought vnworthy of the State 568 Which since I was I willingly would giue Vnto my Sonne my throne of Maiestie Desiring them to giue mee leaue to Liue And not too much tread on my miserie For I had once their Faith and fealtie Which though I now discharg'd set them free Though not obey yet should they pitie mee 569 The Crowne had often made my head to Ake And I pray'd God my Sonne felt not the same Whom they should not lesse value for my sake Since by his vertue hee might salue my shame And well I hop'd my President would tame All youthfull humours which are easily led Vnto those courses which Confusion bred 570 And here though griefe my sences did o'rewhelm And I did swoâ—ne e're formes could finished bee Yet * Thomà s Trussell Knight for all the Realme Did then renounce Allegiance vnto mee And of all Faith and Seruice set men free My Steward brake his staffe my State before Was now discharg'd and I was King no more 571 Marke what pretences wrong can make of right How loath men seeme 'gainst Iustice â—o offend O Sacred vertue Thou art full of might When eu'n thy foes thy Title will pretend As if thy onely shadow could amend All Impious Acts But now 't is growne an vse Thou must bee made a Bawd vnto abuse 572 Well well wise Politickes With formall shewes Your lawlesse Actions you haue gilded ouer And now the streame in a smooth channell goes My resignation now doth fairely Couer Your foule Abuse But Time will truth discouer That 's current now that will not alwayes goe Formes serue for men God Is not serued so 573 Your hands can not wipe off the holy-Oyle Which hee hath layd on Kingly Maiestie Nor your deuices wash away the soyle From your owne Soules of wilfull Periurie To God To mee of Infidelitie Vse all your Art you neuer can get free From that just Oath you gaue to God and mee 574 When I had thus departed from my Crowne I did bewayle the wayning of my State Poore Prince sayd I how low art thou cast down From that high Heau'n which thou inioy'dst of late Thou hast no prospect but an Iron-grate Thy costly Hangings ragged walles of stone And all thy solace solitarie moane 575 Now of a Cushion thou must make a Crowne And play the mock-king with it on thy head And on the Earth thy chaire of State sit downe And why not so Since thou art Earthly bred But for a Scepter how wilt thou bee sped Why take a brand and shake it in thy hand And now thou art a King of high Command 576 All guiding Heau'n what change doe I indure Once wealth at will But wealthy now in want Then men my pleasure now my paine procure Then sumptuous houses now one Chamber scant Then thoughts of rest now restlesse thought doth plant The sad remembrance of my wretched fate What now I am and what I was of late 577 Mee thinkes the Birds vpbraid me in their songs And earely sing my shame in euery place Me thinks the waters murmure forth my wrongs And in their course discourse of my disgrace Me thinkes the Sunne doth blush to see my face The whistling winds me thinks do witnes this No griefe so great as to haue liu'd in blisse 578 When I complaine to Eccho of head-aking Shee sounds a King And yet no King am I. In silent night when I my rest am taking I dreame of Kings yet I vnking'd doth lye And till sweet sleepe seales-vp my weary Eye I cannot fixe my thought on any thing Buâ— tels mee straight that once I was a King 579 That once I was aye me that now I am not And now I am not would I had bin neuer Lesse feeles he want that yet to plenty came not To haue bin happie Is vnhappy euer But to forget my selfe I will endeauour One of the Soules perfections Memorie Is vnto me a Cause of miserie 580 Restlesse remembrance how dost thou torment The feeling Soule with a sad apprehension Of former pleasure present discontent Of many wrongs in Act more in Intention And they without all compasse of preuention It is some Comfort though a wretched one To know Our sorrows are at their high-noone 581 But to feele miserie in a high degree And sure I am not sencelesse of my smart Yet still to feare that It will worser be Is a most eating Corr'siue to the heart But O my
thoughts why doe you beare a part In these sad dumpes This plain-song only sing I was not borne nor shall I dye a King 582 So when the tempest of my stormie passion which at the first wrought strongly on my sence Was somewhat calm'd then I in better fashion Began to sift the mouing Causes whence My great disasters did at first Commence And after such a serious scrutinie I found That Sinne had caus'd my miserie 583 I did forget my duty to my God My Subjects they neglected theirs to mee It was high time for him to vse the rod And lash me mee foundly When that he did see How milder med'cines could not worke on me When the still growing Gangreane hazards life The skilfull Surgeon needs must vse the knife 584 I writ awry and God hath rul'd me thus With his blacke-lead to make my lines more streight It is a Iustice sweet and gracious To make a daring Sinner feele the weight Of his owne sinnes and so vnload the freight Wherewith the burd'ned Soule did sinke before The more we feele humbled we are the more 585 And God is gracious when by punishments Hee makes the Sinner see his woefull case Who vpon sight and sence thereof repents Humbling himselfe before th' Almighties face And that makes way vnto ensuing grace For then doth CHSIST that good Samaritan Powre Wine and Oyle into the wounded Man 586 When the sear'd Soule that feeles no smart at all But is by pleasure nusled in its Ill Doth still remaine a poore Captiued Thrall To Sinne and Satan Who commands him still Both in his vnderstanding and his will Till at the last comes death and rings his knell Who liuing feares not dying findeth Hell 587 This I know true by selfe-experience For being thus mur'd vp in miserie I then began to haue a feeling sence Of mine owne Sinnes which blinded libertie Kâ—pt from my sight Or did so qualifie That I did hold my selfe in best estate When my condition was most desperate 588 But seeing now my danger I began To cast about how to preuent the Ill. I found there was nor helpe nor hope in man For they that wrong'd me now would wrong me still And they had able means to work their will At last I found a Supreame Dietie Who could or mend or end my miserie 589 O then my Soule aduance thy thoughts to heau'n If there be hope of helpe there it doth rest And onely by that hand it must be giu'n That festred sore that matters in thy brest That worme with-in thee will not let thee rest Till thy Repentance makes thy peace with God And thou canst blesse his hand and kisse his Rod. 590 Heau'n-seeking Soule whoeuer that thou bee Let me acquaint thee with one meditation Which was like Ajax's buckler vnto me A seu'n-fold shield temp'red in such a fashion As did abate the Edge of all temptation And this It was As I sate musing long My hart grew hot and I spake with my tongue 591 Number the Moates that in the Sun-beames fly Number the Sand vpon the beachy shore Number the sparkling Diamonds of the sky But number not my sins for they are more Yet joyne in one Moates Sands Starres Sins All â—oure Nay be they many more then all these are The mercies of my God are more by farre 592 And mine he is and all those mercies mine Not by deseruing worth that is in me But by that Int'rest which is truely thine O blessed IESVS and transferr'd from thee To mee most sinfull wretch So mine they bee So God is mine And this I fully know Because my blessed IESVS makes him so 593 But how comes IESVS to be thine By faith Which Apprehends him and applyes him too That may be false O no The Spirit saith The Sacred Spirit That all which he did doe Whil'st he did liue And all he suffer'd too By his free Grace doth vnto me pertaine Nay Is made truely mine And ther 's my claime 594 Thy Claime is grounded on a weake foundation What if that Spirit doth informe a Lye Then wher 's thy strange presumptioÌ„ of Saluation O no It is Gods Spirit certainly And hee 's a God of truth and veritie How know'st thou this Because his motions tend To make me good and happie at my end 595 Because he makes me see my owne demerit And what is lustly due to me by right And then hee Comes and like a blessed Spirit Presents my gracious Sauiour to my sight Makes me lay hold on Christ with all my might And tender him vnto the God of heau'n To cleare my score make our reck'nings eu'n 596 In these good thoughts I spent my best of Time My Cosin * Leicester well respecting me Which to my foes did seeme a heinous Crime Who after Consultation did agree Some lesse Indulgent should my keepers bee And * Gurney and * Maltrevers chosen were To rid me of my life them of their feare 597 They that haue Eares to heare of my extreames And feeling hearts to comprehend my woes And yet haue Eyes as dry as Sunny beames Whence no moyst Teares poore Pitties tribute flowes Within such minds whole mines of marble growes Flint-hearted men that piâ—tie not my moane Some Gorgons head hath turn'd your hearts to stone 598 And what haue I to doe with stonie hearts With men of marble what haue I to doe I take no pleasure in Pigmalions Arts I would not worke on stone or marble wooe Hee lou'd his stony-maide and had her too She was transform'd at his incessant moane So were my foes but chang'd from men to stone 599 And would to God I had beene chang'd like theÌ„ Then without sence I should haue borne my pain And senceless haplesse are halfe-happie men who feele no grief what need they much coÌ„plain But I was touch'd being strucke in euery veine That my extreames to their desires might bring The fatall Period whence their feares did spring 600 And first They hurried me from place to place 〈…〉 might haue Intelligence of me 〈…〉 clothed me with garments vile and base 〈◊〉 my selfe that I vnknowne might bee And least I should the chearefull day-light see I still remou'd when Sol his course had run My day was night Moone-shine was my Sun 601 I did lament that woes to words might yield And said Faire Cynthia with whose brightsome shine This sable-night doth beate a siluer shield Yet thou art gracious to these griefes of mine That w th thy light do'st cheare my weeping Eyne Thou borrowest light to lend the same to me I lighten those that my Eclipsers bee 602 The glorious Sunne thy Brother lends thee light My Sonne makes me obscure vnlike to thee Enâ—iâ—â—ions loue thou did'st with loue require My loue distresseth and disdaineth me Yet both too like in often changing bee O no for thou being wan'd dost wax againe But still her loue continues in the wayne 603 Some doe ascribe the Oceans ebbs and flowes Vnto thy Influence
portraiture 645 The Earth it selfe is wearie of my paine And like a tender Mother moanes for mee From me thou cam'st returne to me againe Within my wombe I 'le keepe the safe quoth she And from these vile abuses set thee free Never shall these fell Tyrants wrong thee more Hee that payes death dischargeth euery score 646 These bodyes that thou seest thy Brothers were Subject to many wants and thousand woes They now are clear'd from Care and free'd from feare And from the pressures of Insulting foes And now they liue in joy and sweet repose Thy selfe can'st witnesse that they feele no woe And as they rest eu'n thou shalt rest thee so 647 Their eyes that whil'st they liu'd oft Tyded teares Thou seest how sweetly they Injoy their rest Those harsh vnpleasing sounds that wrong'd their Eares Are turn'd to Angels tunes among the blest Their Soules that were w th pensiue thoghts possest Now in their Makers bosome without end Injoy that peace whereto thy Soule doth bend 648 And thou hast need of peace poore wretched Soule If euer any Soule had need of Peace God being in Armes against thee doth enroule All Nature in his list which doth not cease To fight against thee and doth still Increase Thy wretchednesse forbeare rebellious dust To warre with him who is most great and just 649 O would to God that I had dy'd ere this Then had my sinnes bin feweâ— then they are Then had my Soule long since repos'd in blisse That now Is wandring still in wayes of Care Lifes griefe exceeds lifes good with-out CoÌ„pare Each day doth bring a fresh supply to Sorrow Most wretched now yet shal be more to morrow 650 My carefull mother might haue helped mee When I lay sprawling in her tender wombe If she had made her burd'ned Bellie bee My fruit-lesse birth-bed and my fatall Tombe Sure had she knowne her Sonnes accursed doome She never would haue wrong'd her selfe so much To beare a wretch saue whom was never such 651 My tender Nurse is guilty of these paines Shee might haue put some poyson in my pap Or let me fall and so dash'd out my braines When she full oft did dance me on her lap A thousand wayes had freed me from mishap But he whom Heau'n ordaines to liue distrest Death will delay to set that wretch at rest 652 For Death's the wearie Pilgrims rest and joy This world of woes a hard and flintie way Our birth the path that leades to our annoy Our friends are fellowâ—passengers to day And gone to morrow Honour Is a stay That eyther stops or leades vs else amisse Pleasures are Theeues that Intercept our blisse 653 And in the passage as the way doth lye Wee meet with seuerall Innes wherein we rest Some at the Crowne are lodg'd and so was I Some at the Castle So am I distrest Some at the Horne That married folkes doe feast Though men haue divers Innes yet all men haue One home to which they go that 's the graue 564 Yet whil'st we trauaile Fortune like the weather Doth alter faire or foule so doth our way If faire then Friends like foules do flocke together If foule Each man doth shift a severall way Onely our vertues or our vices stay And goe with vs whose endlesse memorie Doth make vs liue or dye Eternally 655 This Is the freight that men cannot vnload No not by death Therefore Mortalitie Worke for thy selfe whil'st here thou hast abode For on the present hath dependancie Eyther thy endlesse blisse or miserie And death 's the Convoy to conduct vs home Come death to me that I to rest may Come 656 Perhaps thou fearst me being great and hye O death Man were a thing Intollerable Were he not mortall But eu'n Kings must dye No priuiledge doth against death Inable Both fat and leane are dishes for his Table The diff'rence this The poore-one hath his graue The great-one hee his Monument must haue 657 Our fates may be concein'd but not Controul'd Before our dated time we cannot dye Our dayes are numbred and our minutes told Both life and death are destin'd from on high And when that God that rules the Imperiall skye Shall find It fit then thou shalt goe in peace Meane while with patience looke for thy release 658 Thus vnto Care I pay'd his due Complaint And joynd withall my tributarie teares Such my laments for griefe finds no restraint As they at last did come vnto their Eares That by the Castle past which caus'd such feares In their selfe-guilty soules that vs'd me so As they resolu'd by death to end my woe 659 To which effect came Letters from the Court Written by Tarleton at the Queenes command In such a cloudie and ambiguous sort That diuers wayes one might them vnderstand By pointing them That if they should be scann'd Hee and his Letters might be free from blame And they Delinquents that abus'd the same 660 The words were these * Kill Edward doe not feare 'T is good which being Comma'd diuersly As pleas'd the Reader double sence may beare O Art Thou art the Earths chiefe treasurie But being Imploy'd to practise villanie What monstrous births from thy faire wombe do spring So Grâ—mmar here is made to kill a King 661 Which to effect They first remoued mee From forth the place where I before did lye And made a shew as if they seem'd to bee Compassionated for my miserie And would hereafter graunt Immunitie From such vnworthy vsage So we see The Sunne shines hot before the shower wil bee 662 But being ouer-watch'd and wearied too Nature was much desirous of some rest Which gaue them opportunitie to doe What they desir'd for being with sleepe opprest They clap great massie Beds vpon my brest And with their weight so kept me down withall That breath I could not much lesse Cry or Call 663 And then into my Fundament they thrust A little horne as I did groueling lye And that my violent death might shun mistrust Through that same horne a red hot Spit whereby They made my guts and bowels for to fry And so Continu'd till at last they found That I was dead yet seem'd to haue no wound 664 And here I pitch the Pillars of my paine Now Ne plus vltra shall my Poesie bee And thou which hast describ'd my tragicke raigne Let this at least giue some content to thee That from disastrous fortunes none are free Now take thy web out of the Loomes againe And tell the world that all the world Is vaine THE AVTHORS Noli peccare 1 FOrbeare to Sinne God hath thee still in sight Nothing is hid from his all seeing Eye Though thou putt'st on the Sables of the night Thou canst not cloud thy selfe from him thereby All time all place all Ends and all thy meanes He better sees then thou the Suns bright beames 2 Forbeare to Sinne The Angels grieue for thee When by thy Sinne thou grieu'st thy louing Lord. Those noble natures our Attendants bee To whom both day and night they doe afford Theyr dearest seruice O vnkind too much To cause their griefe whose loue to thee is such 3 Forbeare to Sinne For eu'n that damned Fiend That mou'd thee first and sooth'd thee in thy Sin When hee hath once attayn'd his cursed End And made thee Act his ill will straight begin To aggrauate thy guilt Hee 'l vrge thy shame Against thy selfe that vrg'd thee to the same 4 Forbeare to Sinne For out of Sinne doth breed A biting worme that gnawes the Sinner still Deuouring wolfe that on thy selfe doest feed Blacke Register that do'st record our Ill. And makes the Soule the booke where thou dost write Sad thoughts by day and fearefull dreames by night 5 Forbeare to Sinne Death standeth at the Doore Ready to Enter on thy house of Earth One day being spent The lesser is thy store Of time to come Man dyes from his first birth Who euer writes or speakes of any-One Still ends his tale with Mortuus est Hee 's gone 6 Forbeare to Sinne There is a day of Doome There are Records where thy sinnes are Inrol'd There is a just and fearefull Iudge from whom Lyes no appeale Who cannot bee control'd Whom teares-almes prayers may here to mercy moue But theÌ„ there is no place for peace or loue 7 Forbeare to Sinne Because there is a Hell Where cease-lesse ease-lesse Endlesse torments be Where Diu'ls all the damned Soules doe dwell Whom Millions of yeares shall neuer free Where to remaine Is grieuous past Conceit And whence not any hope to make retreat Therefore to End as I did first begin Let these respects make thee forbeare to Sin Quorum si singula duram Flectere non possunt possunt tamen Omnia Mentem FRAN. HVBERT Miles Timens Deum non habet quod timeat vlterius FINIS IACOBVS 1 Tacitus Sardanapalus A transmigration of the soule froÌ„ one body to another Onâ— of Pythagoras his dreames Alexander magnus Themisâ—ocles Rich. 2. ALEXANDER Epiroâ— SARDANAPALVS ROVVEN HENRY 4. the Great The death of GAVESTON IACOB I. Da obuluâ—â—â— Bellisario vâ—â—â—ator queâ—â— Inuidia noâ—â— culpa cacâ—â—â—â—â—it formâ—â— suaepetitionâ—â— IACOB I. Tho. Plantaginet Earle of Lancaster Richard 〈◊〉 Earle of Warwicke 〈…〉 Constable of the Tower ADAM DE ORLETON or TARLTON Bâ—shâ—p of Hereford By Narwich in Essex HENRY 4. RICH. 2. Bishop of Winchester ALEXANDER Quid gloriâ—â—vis potens iâ—â— molitiâ—â—udâ— HENRY 1. Speaker of the Parliament Henry Earle of Lecester kept him at Kenelworth Tho. Gurney Iob. Maltrevers Knights â—linius Edward umâ—â— occidere nolitâ— timere bâ—num est Deus videt Angelâ— tristaÌ„tur Diabolus accusat Conscientiaterret Mors minatur â—â—dicium instat â—nferni â—crâ—ciant