The Famous History of GEORGE Lord FAVKONBRIDGE Bastard Son to RICHARD CORDELION KING OF ENGLAND Begotten in his royal Tower vpon the princely Clarabel Daughter to Don Iohn Duke of Austria surnamed The Worldes faire Concubine Shewing his Knightly Aduentures dignified Victories with his Life and death spent in the honor of GOD and his Countrey Neuer wearing any other Garment but that Lyons Skinne by which his Kingly Father challenged his Lyon-like Title Printed at London by I. B. and are to be sold by Iames Danie◠at his shop neere Fleet Conduit 1616. THE FAMOVS History of GEORGE Lord FAVKONBRIDGE Bastard sonne to RICHARD CORDELION King of England CHAP. I. How Richard Cordelion King of England going to the holy Land slew Phillip the Prince of Austria and how Don Iohn doomed him to a most strange punishment and of his wofull lamentation in prison WHen the true spirits of illustrious atchieuements possest the Nobility of Europe and that the Babes of honour fed vpon the milke of Knightly aduentures here raigned in England a royall minded King named Richard Cordelion a Prince replenished with the commendable reports of renowne in whose gouernement both Armes and Art flourished warres wrought peace and peace brought happinesse In this Kings time the blessed state of Gods holy City of Ierusalem groaned vnder the heauy yoke of Paganisme and the despised Infidels with pride and tyranny suppressed all her royalties for recouery whereof all Christendome tooke Armes and the rumors of warre wrathfully thundered in all our Northerne Nations Fiue Christian Kings vnder the bloody standers of Godfrey of Bullin that imperious Monarks and worthy of the World marched Amongst which glorious number one matchles King Richard Plantaginet was too aduenturous forward for he in the blooming bud of his youth with the chiefest Chiualry of England cloathed in stéele fired with fame and full of resolution left the gouernment of his kingdome to his brother Iohn then Duke of Ireland and arriued in Austria the méeting place of these Christian Potentates The rest of this Campe royall not then in a readinesse according to the customes of Princes caused King Richard to request entertainement for him and his Knights Don Iohn then Duke of Austria being a Prince so curteous and noble that he could doe no lesse then grant it Now Fame and Fortune in King Richards thoughts smiled and the smooth brow of wished good spéed bad him and his hundred Knights welcome A hundred he had as then for his guard called Knights of the Bath a title of dignity first giuen by this King but now while the rest of his Army planted their standers vpon the downes adioining to the Court these Knightly Gallants so reuelled in the Dukes Pallace that well were they that could purchase their fauours and highly graced were all such as had but the smallest imployment of an English Knight So amiable pleasing and curteous were the conditions of King Richard and his followers so truely were their minds deuoted to honour that they euen inforced loue from all estates the haughty minded of their own accords became gentle the stubborne nature pliable and the frowne of euery English brow by desert challenged both cap and knée Don Iohn himselfe began to grow disgracious his Subiects wauering alegiance waxed cold and none but the name of English Richard merited Fortunes high graces All Austria estéemed England a happy Nation by nature the darling of vertue and the only hopes of Christendome so grealy are still the fauors of our English people in the eies of forren kingdoms This detracted loue of his subiects did not a little displease Don Iohn and his son Prince Phillip and no little enuy by it were bred in their two fired breasts that nothing could quench the increasing flame therof but King Richards shame and confusion Politicke and close were their purposes deadly and diuellish their intents and most vnhumane and vnchristian like their procéedings the law of Armes was quite laid aside the honor of Princes forgotten and the dignity of Knight hood vilely abused malice and wrath the champions of pale death hourely possessed their two hearts with a secret imagination of vengeance plotted against the life of royall Richard to murther by violence would but incurre displeasures of forren Nations to kill innocents offendeth Heauen and to betray Princes hath rewards in hell a thousand thousands of displeasing motions disquieted their discontented mindes dishonoured as they thought by the vertues of King Richard disgrace boyling in her greatest heart could no longer be suppressed but néeds the flames of fury must breake forth and a flattering practise of reuengement mollifie their intollerable torments and in this manner was it accomplished Prince Phillip the onely sonne and heire apparant to Don Iohn the pride and hopes of Austria in whose life and good Fortune consisteth his countries honor like a desperate and prodigall gallant in a dissembling shape of friendship challenged King Richard at a Princely turnament and in the knightly games of tilting personally to combat hand to hand the English King in the Aprill of his man-hood nothing inferior in prowesse to Prince Phillip hauing the sparkes of Maiesty glowing in his bosome in a most princely manner accepted his challenge and against the day appointed prouided al things fitting for so noble an enterprise Time with his lazy wings séemed to fly too slowly and to crosse the forward attempts of these youthfull combitants each minute séemed an houre each houre a day and each day a moneth till the appointed time came of this royall turnament so bold forward and illustrious were these martialists the one striuing for honor the other for reuenge I néed not here speake of the sumptuous preparations the excéeding charge and costly habilliments prouided against that day numberlesse were the eye-witnesses of this Court-like pastime ready prepared to bid them welcome with a gracious applause To come to the fulnesse of this glory the day approched the morning Sunne chéerefully rose with a bright smile the christall Skie put on her fairest robe and the moderate aire séemed to further their procéedings all things by nature were as furtherers to summon them to Armes Don Iohn himselfe attended by his greatest Nobility sate as Vmpiers in the case and each Lady with a prepared eye was ready to censure of their deserts the tilting place being rayled in quadrangle-wise round about beset with lofty galleries whereon people in degrees were placed in such multitudes as memory it selfe could hardly number the Sunne beames had not more motes by imagination then this theater spectators equally wishing good fortune to them both bright honors sceane being ready to begin the Drums and Trumpets gaue warning of the two combitants approch in such a melodious manner as both aire and earth resounded the first that entered the listes was Prince Phillip in a black caparison his horse betrapt with sable his beuer close made of the fashion of a flying Griffon his Launce and Scutchion borne
before him by a naked Indian all agréeable to his blacke desires for the stéeled point of his Launce and the kéen edge of his sword were both impoisoned his motto was True honour hath no equall Immediately after entered Richard of England mounted vpon a Spanish Gennet as milke white and spotles as were his thoughts his Armor bright and glistering his Helmet of the fashion of a sunne sparkeling fire expressing both malice and mercy Vpon his breast he had the honorable red crosse of England platted with Arabian silke his Motto was Honour tainted in vaine repented Thus all things in readines for this royall turnament the chéerefull reports of relentlesse Drums and Trumpets thundred a charge whereupon the two couragious Princes fired with resolution so fiercely assailed each other that a strange admiration of their man-hoods possessed all the beholders The old Duke Don Iohn himselfe sitting with a longing desire of his sonnes victory was immediatly discontented wich the spight of Fortune for after he had wounded the English Prince with his impoisoned weapons to the great danger of life couragious Richard expressing his Lion-like nature closed Prince Phillip with such a manly power that with his heauy courtelax at one blow he broke his necke Folly it were to resist destiny for euen at that instant he yéelded vp the ghost and in the sight of his old father imbraced death This sudden accident aduanced not so much the honours of King Richard as it setled fury in Don Iohns heart for hauing lost the hopes of his Kingdome his onely sonne and glory of his age like a man desperate of all good fortune ioy and consolation he raged both against heauen and earth blaspheming his Creator swearing both by God and the world that the treasures of Europe should not redeeme King Richards life nor the vnknowne treasures of the déepe Ocean were they laid at his féet preserue him from a dishonourable death for quoth he in loosing my Sonne the sight of the World displeaseth me I will pine in griefe I will famish with woe I will liue foodlesse féeding vpon nothing but desires of vengeance Assist me thou spirit of destruction that in wrath I may confound the murtherer of my sonne in whose life I more delighted then in my royall crown for in wanting him I liue as a forlorne wofull and deposed King exild and banisht from this worlds royalty my second soule adores the smallest drop of thy déere harts blood shal be quittanced with the purple goaâ—e of King Richards bosome Hauing spoken these or such like wordes he commanded the Marshall of Austria to take the English Prince vnto his charge and to kéepe him close prisoner in a square Tower of Marble stone adioining to the vttermost part of his Court and likewise to discharge all the followers of his Countrey vpon paine of death not any one of them to bée séen in his territories after the date of seuen daies All which according to the angry Dukes command was by the Marshall spéedily accomplished the wofull King he to prison and his sorrowfull followers to their natiue countrey where his loyall Subiects made not a little moane for his hard misfortunes Don Iohn with his Nobility mourned as grieuously for Prince Phillip whom in most solemne manner they enterred in a Princely Tombe where we will leaue him sleeping in peace and perseuere in this our wofull History King Richard hauing now neither Crowne Kingdome nor liberty but by his late receiued wounds from Prince Phillips poisoned weapons lay bléeding in prison to his liues greatest danger and being destitute of friends and all hopes of recouery he dolefully breathed out this lamentation Oh vniust Fortune said hee why in the prime of youth hast thou thus deceiued me and by thy flattering promises of aduancement thus betraied my Knightly aduentures Those blessed warres where the standard of Christ by their incouraging flourishes makes cowards inconquerable must by mee bee forsaken and my vnhappy daies by Don Iohns vnprincely doome haue ending sweat with teares Oh you ingrateful wals that with your pittilesse bounds claspes in a royall Prince mercilesse woe like a cruell tyrant féedes vpon my heart and the sunne shine of delightfull consolation is now for euer dimmed with the blacke cloudes of despaire banisht be all hopes of liberty and the freedome that attends on Kings is curbed with the base pennance of captiuity Farre more fortunate is the humble estate of the Plow-mans life he suffers onely the crosse of priuate disgraces when principalities indure the generall scandall of dishonour wherein Kingdomes and the glory of Diadems lose their illustrious dignities Where are now all my courtly traines of starre-bright Nobility my attendant followers my gardiants and humble seruitors my pompous state roiall banquetings and delightful musicke all so my soules eternall griefe now vanished and conuerted into continuall lamentations no fellowship haue I to comfort me but discontent sighes and melancholy dispaire Care is my food and teares my drinke nothing but the imaginations of woe intercepts all hopes of fréedome Oh vnhappy England thou nurse and mother of my life dishonoured in thy Kings disgraces and made most miserable by this iniurious and most vnprincely dealings Heauen I hope with blacke vengeance deadlier then the feare of hell will in time spie out a most dreadfull quittance written in the bloody brow of a cursed Austria stained with inhumane murther of a King whose death the child as yet vnborne shall rew and after ages shall speake off pitty my distresses thou reuenger of mankind that my soule may sléepe in peace and rest in that blessed mansion prepared for Monarches These or such like heart-breaking complaints being breathed from his grieued bosome the paine of his impoisoned wounds so inraged and so furiously tormented his body yet bléeding that poore King he fell into a swound liuelesse and breathles sauing a little panting breath moued in his breast a signe that the sparkes of life were not quite extinguished But now euer as this sudden trance assailed King Richard there entered into the prison the Lord Marshall vnder whose charge he was then kept where when to his great amasement he beheld as he supposed the King bereft of life hauing a mind framed of a noble disposition began to pitty his misfortunes and to accuse his Lord and Master of iniustice whereupon according to his gentle nature hee dressed his wounds with a precious kind of balme by nature so excellent that it not onely recouered life but also health and in lesse then in three daies made him as sound as he was before his combat with Prince Phillip where we shall leaue King Richard making his praiers to heauen for his deliuery from death and speake of other accidents that followed hereafter CHAP. II. How the two English Earles of Arundell and Oxford disguisedly comforted King Richard in prison of the loue betwixt him and Clarabella the Dukes daughter how he how hee pulled out the Lyons heart and thereby came to bee called Richard Cordelion and of other accidents ACcording to the heauy and bitter command of the angry Duke in reuenge of his sonnes death the
doo I purchase my fathers frowne the Diademe of Austria Now my right and patrimony doe I vtterly forsake changing all my natiue honours into forraine hopes and for thy sake make my selfe a stranger to my countrey euen in death springs my loue and being dead all earthly loues in me ends Cast me not off in disgrace but locke my true heart in thy Princely bosome there kéepe it as an inestimable Iewell pure vnspotted and vnstained and tender as the budding Rose blasted with the least winde of thy dislike As for thy liues danger swéet Prince feare not heauen I sée with a smiling countenance promiseth comfort and legions of Celestiall Angels stand ready armed to defend thée from that hunger-starued Lyon prepared for thy liues destruction a death dishonourable and vnfit for so royall a person In speaking these words shée tooke a gréene scarfe from about her iuory necke and gaue it to King Richard saying Take this swéet Prince as the maiden-like promise of my loâ—e and remembrance weare it for my sake it may proue thy liues preseruer and the onely instrument to glut vp the Lyons gréedy Iaw euen at that deadly minute when he seaseth vpon thy noble body Pardon my immodest presumption for desire and loue imboldens me and all my maiden like bashfulnesse is abolished by the delightfull presence of thy swéet selfe For thée and for thy loue haue I sold all my royall promotions Then equall it great King that my affection bee not blasted in the bloome and I made the most wofull and dispised Lady aliue More would shée haue spoken but that the gentle King tooke her from the ground yet knéeling and with the delightfull ioy of a curteous kisse sealed their lippes together and after gratified her kindenesse with this louing discourse Thou faire of all faires thou paragon of beauty in whose countenance I sée sits inthronised both vertue and modesty what vndeserued fauour hath true iudging Heauen graced me with in that thy inspiring loue hath eluminated my cloudy Fortunes now scowling with a dismall countenance Were the whole world mine and I commander of Monarchies yet should all my dignities inrich thee and my powerfull regalties aduance thee to the imperiall estate of all earthly graces This thy kindnesse hath inchanted me rauisht my sences eleuated my soule and of an earthly substance made my desires immortall Now flie I with the wings of good chance which nothing can clip but the sharpe sickle of despitefull death For death I know with his gasily visage walkes here inuisibly with his tirannous command ready to seaze vpon me now is the houre of my liues aduenture and the minute of that fearefull iudgement to be put in practise to the appeasing of Prince Phillips angry ghost At this word speaking came in the Lord Marshall with an armed guard hauing a commission to conduct King Richard to a square Court walled round wherein was a Shée-Lionesse newly bereaued of her Whelps to make her the more mankind about which Court sat the Duke and his Barrons in a gallery to behold this vnnaturall tradegy vnto which place being come attended on a farre off by the Princesse Clarabell who with teares and sighes did not a little solicet heauen for his strengthner all which forced pitty from the hearts of his enemies and might haue mollified euen Tygers to relent The two English Earles of Arundell and Oxford his approued friends in misery High spirited and full of resolution attended as before in their Friers habits feeding him as the beholders supposed with the food of diuine counsels but indéed with the animation of courage imbouldening him to take his fortunes patiently and to thinke of the honour of his Countrey by whose death England was widdowed and his subiects made Kinglesse These motions of incouragement bred in his manly heart an inconquerable strength committing his life to the disposing of fate He stripped himselfe from all Court-like habiliments and in his cambricke shirt with faire Clarabels scarfe wrapped about his arme he stood prepared for the entertainement of the remorslesse Lyon which at the sound of a Trumpet was let loose whose roares were as thunder from the clouds and in whose grim visage sat the fearefull president of destruction heart-breaking afflictions possest all his well willers and the quiuering feare of his confusion assailed euery gentle eye excepting Don Iohn and his associats To bee short the Lyon like the galfe of burning Acharon gaped to receiue the royal body of King Richard who neither fearing death nor the threatnings of tyranny with an vnknowne courage he most valiantly thrust his arme wrapped about with faire Clarabels silke scarfe into the gaping iawes of the ouer-furious Lyonesse and by the force of his manhood to are out his sauage heart yet leaping warme in his hand and threw it at Don Iohns face saying Take that thou monster of humanity thou vnprincely Potentate heauen thou séest hath defended me to the wonder of ages and thy vile disgraces Generall was the applause the intollerable vexation of the wrathfull Duke who like an vntamed Panthar rose from his seat and in great wrath departed King Richard séeing the Lionesse heartlesse and liuelesse lying on the ground to the great amasement of all the beholders yéelded the glory of this victory to the all-seeing praises of Heauen No little ioy had the two English Earles at this lucky successeâ— but espeâ—ially the heart of diuine Clarabell danced in delights Neuer had Lady the like cause of content nor neuer Lady more bound to thanke the Almighty powers of heauen The relieued King as the ignorant Lambe newly escaped from the bloody fury of the Wolie with a countenance of a crimson blush declared the like gladnesse and in most kinde manner cast the reflecting beames of his eyes toward Clarabell that shee well perceiued his curteous thoughts and that gratefull thankes harboured in his Princely heart After the Dukes departure the whole company soone broke off bearing a secret fauour to the English King who by faire Clarabell the Earles of Arundell and Oxford with some few other attendants of England conducted him to a priuate chamber where after some refreshing repast they prepared for England but not meaning discourteously to leaue faire Clarabell behind caused her to be attired in the habit of a Court Page in a sute of watched coloured veluet to signifie the trunesse of her loue for his sake in refusing both Countrey Parents and Kindred and in this sort to become estranged from al her acquaintance Such an imperious God is loue and so commanding The next day vnknowne of any of the Dukes Court but the Lord Marshall who assisted them in all their procéedings they tooke leaue of Austria and iournied toward England where by the way King Richard and faire Clarabell so secretly closed in affections that her blooming bud of virginity was cropt and the quittance of his loue-stroake sealed in her wombe a condition of such content as both pleasure and
Seas of blood CHAP. IIII. A wofull report of King Richards death Of faire Clarabels lamentation for the same Of her grieuous punishment by famine and of other accidents AFter some little ease like the swéet returne of some long absent friend had mittigated the inward sorrowes of faire Clarabell and that a little the remembrance of her Infants losse some-what ceased her former laments thinking to cheere her sad heart with infusing delights that shée hoped to enioy by the swéet presence of King Richard wishing hourely his company little dreaming of his departure for Austria but that he reuealed in his owne Court to her great ioy and his owne renowne that at his first arriuall into her presence they might like Mars and Venus surfet in delight or like Paris with his Helena seale vp the true quittances of desire but all was not as shée wished for her hearts beloued King Richard flourished in the royalties of Belonaes battels wading in blood and mounted vpon his vndaunted courser treading vpon mangled men and marching after the cheerefull melody of warre Which when the poore distressed Lady hard off like a condemned exile banished from all solace shée exclaimed against cruell desteny reuiling the angry Quéene of chance accounting all her hopes ominous and her selfe the onely patterne of misfortunes Oh quoth shée what vnlucky planet predominated my birth why was I borne to these miseries I liue destitute of friends in an vnknowne kingdome dishonoured with the title of a Curtizan a pointing marke for vertuous Ladies a staine of woman-hood Oh why was I borne to commit so foule a sinne that blemisheth the glory of all Princes Oh vnkind King Richard now I sée thou heapest vpon my backe a second misery as thou hast disrobed me of virginity making me neither wife widow nor maide so wilt thou orphane me and intitle me by the name of a parentlesse child Woe vpon woe I sée pursues me calamity discontent sorrow despaire yea and all the miseries that euer haplesse woman indured now like whirle-winds or tempestuous gusts tumbles my care kild heart into the gulfe of vnpitied afflictions be iust thou punisher of blacke trespasses for my skarlet sinnes knocke at Heauen gates for reuenge and my desert excéedeth Tarpies that sold Rome or the daughter of Ninus that betraied her fathers kingdome for euen as the Viper I féed vpon my Parents woe and as the curse of nature haue gloried in disobedience what good fortune can I challenge at the hand of destiny in louing my fathers foe yéelding that vnrecouered iem to his pleasure as being well bestowed might haue merited the worlds fame but being lost to satisfie his lust hath placed me for a strumpet in the blacke booke of infamy who can pitty my extremities or what gentle eye will vouchsafe thereat to shed one teare Teares from a remorslesse bosome are most comfortable dewes and the swéet waters of hearts ease These or such like passions breathed shee from her discontented bosome which manner of lamentations once a day shée made to the sightlesse aire till the time of sixe moneths ouerpassed at the end whereof there arriued at her lodging the two Earles of Arundell and Oxford newly returned from Austria being the onely counsellors to King Richard in all his procéedings which two Lords brought the heauiest newes that euer néerely touched England such newes that might euen haue broke a sauage heart newes of death and dolour the signification thereof sate like characters in their foreheads and as it were made dumbe shewes of discontent being with heauy countenances both come into the presence of Lady Clarabell the good Earle of Arundell said as followeth Prepare swéet Lady with a gentle silence to entertaine the wofullest tale that euer man at armes reported for it tels of blood and death and of the ruine of imperious soueraignety Know faire Clarabell that in one day by the fury of relentlesse warre thou hast lost both thy Father and thy Loue First thy Father when the battel 's ioined closed with high spirited Richard in such Princely resolution as euen fired his whole army with the liuely sparkes of valour and so proudly managed himselfe against the gun-shot of chance as if Hector and Achilles combated each other On the other side English Richard vnder whose ensignes our selues marched so nobly and so beyond expectation he behaued himselfe as if Mars fought vpon the earth both Heauen and Earth thundered forth their glories Our two Armies were in number like the Campe of Scythian Tamberlaine which as it were made the huge earth to grone Neuer since the ten yéeres warres at Troy did mans eye behold so numberlesse a multitude all valiant fearelesse and aduenturous we for the honour of England they for the honour of Austria Seas of blood couered the gréene fields and the féete of horses trampled out dead mens braines the cries of dying souldiers séemed like thunder and the christ al Aire spread forth her sable Canopy mourning at so wofull a massacre After thousands lay breathlesse on the hungrie earth glutted with the blood of so many thousand Christians the victory grew so doubtfull that Lady Fortune sate wauering not resolued to what side to yéeld it But woe is me euen then the glory of both our Armies faded and the eluminating light of two Princes was by consuming death extinguished Austria lost royall Don Iohn your Father and wee imperious Richard our King Two such losses as Europe for them weepes blood and may well consume in griefe Vpon whose deaths both our Armies sounded retreate a peace proclaimed and both their bodies had such funerals as befitted the persons of such high dignities Our Leaders and Captaines hauing lost their Princely Generall imbraced peace and with the Swordes sheathed Cullors rolled vp and with heauy hanging countenances are now arriued in England where with the generall consent of the whole Nobility we haue crowned Iohn his brother King of this Countrey whom in all allegiance we will henceforth honour and obey More would they haue spoken but the griefe of Clarabella so abounded that shee could keepe silence no longer but in great extremity of passion burst out into these spéeches Héere quoth shée let the World end for the terrible extremity of woe like the raging Ocean breakes in and ouerflowes all my ioyes I haue lost my Father Friends Countrey Kinred Acquaintance yea and my Child and the dearest of all Iewels Royall King Richard by whose death I am made most vnfortunate Descend some vnlucky starre fall vpon me you fatall planets and strike me blinde that my sightlesse eyes may behold no further miseries Where art thou mischance afflict me with some fearefull confusion that like the wife of Oedipus the whole World may report my shame Heauens blessings I sée hath refused me and like an out-cast loaden my blood-red heart with more then earthly sorrow and with which it is rent torne and most lamentably tormented At these wordes shée offered to teare forth her