Earle the kinges lieuetenant and the whole Realme The dead bodye of the king of Scottes was founde among the other carcases in the fielde and from thence brought to London and so through London streetes on a horsebacke in such order as you haue reade before of king Richarde and from thence it was caried to Sheene neere vnto Brainford wheras the Queene then laye And theare this periured carcas lyeth vnto this daye vnburied A condigne ende and a meete Sepulker for such a forsworn Prince This shamefull ende of the Scottish king kindled the Fyer of malyce in the breastes of the Scottes the flame whereof in the ende consumed also their yong king that then was lefte vnto them as followinge you may reade But first I haue taken vpon mee to introduce king Iames vnto thee informe of the Mirror for Magestrates to vtter his complaynt tell his owne tale as followeth The Lamentable complaint of king Iames of Scotlande who was slayne at Scottish fielde Anno. 1513. AMong the rest whom rewfull fate hath rest whose shrouding sheetes hath wrapt their woful lyues why haue not I a place among theÌ„ left whose fall eche tong with dayly talke reuyues Such is the wheele that froward Fortune driues To day a King of puisance and might And in one howre a wofull wretched wight A happie life by happie end is tride A wretched race by wofull ende is known Though pleasant wind the Ship do rightly guyd At last by rage of stormes t is ouer throwne The greatest Oke with tempest is fyrst blowne Though fortune seeme a loft to hoyse thy sayle Yet fortune ofte tymes smyles to small auaile I thought my Bower buylt on happie soyle Which vnder propped was with tickle staye Wherfore on sodayne chaunce I tooke the foyle In hope for to haue had a noble praye In search whereof I reapt my fatall daye With shamefull death my fame was forcte to bow A gwerdon meete for breach of sacred vow A Prince his promise ought not to be broke Much more his Othe of ryght obserude should be But greedie gayne doth oft the mynde prouoke To breake both othe and vowe as seemes by mee Ambicion blearde myne eyes I coulde not see I fynd though man with man his faith forgoe Yet man with God may not do so I was a king my power was not small I ware the Crowne to wield the Scottish land I raigude and rewlde the greater was my fall The myght of God no kingdome can withstand An Earle wan of mee the vpper hande With blodie Sworde my lucklesse lyfe to ende By shamefull death without tyme to amende Such was the force of Atrops cruell spight Unlooked for to cut my farall lyne My wretched carcas then was brought in sight Through London slrears wherat the Scots repine The endeles shame of this mishap is myne Like butchers ware on horsbacke was I brought The king of kinges for me this end hath wrought Let Princes all by me example take What daunger t is to daily in such cace By periurie their faythe 's for to forsake Least seate of shame shall be their endles place Foule infamie shall their renoune deface Offalsed faith such is deserued hyre And he must falle that will too hyghe aspyre â—e noble Peeres whose liues with myne did end Send forth froÌ„ graues your griesly ghosts ech one To wayle the chaunce that Fortune vs did sende Let all the Scots powre out their plaints mone That we to hedles haste were apt and prone Which rashe beginning voyde of Godly awe Had lyke successe for breach of sacred lawe I thought that Englande had beene far to weake For my strong powre when Henry was away Which made mee light regarde my vow to breake But yet I founde they were left in good stay With force and strength to purchase my decay Thus my aspiring minde had guerdon due Which may a Myrror bee for men to vewe Whereby to shun the breach of sacred vow And not to seeke by lawelesse meanes to rayne For right will force vsurped rule to bow And reape repulst in steade of noble gaine Thus truthe in tyme doth turne her foe to paine And GOD him selfe doth shield the rightful cause Then let men learne to lyue within his lawes ¶ Nowe that king Iames hath tolde hys tale and vttered his complainte let vs see what befell vnto his Sonne whom he lefte to succeede in his kingdom Whose history I haue annexed vnto this although it folowed not immediatly that the iust iugdement of God againste periurie maye the playnelyer appeare The notable example wherof may bee a terror vnto the large careles conscience of man Fyrst reade his storie then bestowe the perusing of his complaynte The Historie of king Iamies sonne who after the death of his Father was king of Scottes being but a chylde YOu haue hearde before of the death of kinge Iames and the maner therof who left behynde him a sonne named after his father Iames. This yong king of Scottes was both Neuew and Godson vnto king Henry by meanes whereof the king was lothe to do anye annoyance vnto the Realme of Scotlande But the Scottes being greedie of reuenge for the death of their late king prouoked him to be doing with them by meanes wherof many incursions were made into Scotlande to the great detriment of the Scottes and destruction of many of their Castels and villages But at the laste by the mediation of the Queene of Scottes an abstinence of warre was taken and shortly after a peace concluded whiche continued vntil the yere of our Lorde 1542. at whiche tyme king Henry tooke his Progres towardes the Citie of Yorke where he made great preparation for to haue mett with his Nephewe the king of Scottes who promysed vnto his vncle king Henry that he would verye gladly meete him at Yorke and accordingly prepared so to doo Wherefore king Henry laye at Pipwell Abbey while great prouision was made at Yorke for the meeting of these two noble kinges to the greate charges of the king of Englande at whose proper costes a sumptuous lodging was ordayned for the king of Scottes in the Abbay of Yorke with offices and furniture accordingly Whyle the king laye at Pipwell Abbay aforesaid in a readynesse to come vnto yorke by the day appointed the Secretorie vnto the king of Scottes came vnto king Henry who was at his handes noblye entertayned and returned againe into Scotlande enforming the king his maister what great cost the king of Englande was at in preparing for his cumming The king of Scottes was as desyrous to see his Uncle king Henry as he was to haue seene his Nephew But when he was in a readinesse to come towardes Englande the Cardinall of S. Andrewes who was then newely come from Rome made haite vnto the king of Scottes as he was setting forth toward Yorke and threatned him that if he proceeded to go into Englande that another shoulde bee proclaimed king of Scotlande before he
shoulde bee iii. Myles out of his Realme Wherat the kyng was sore abashed and not without good cause For a kingdome deuyded in it selfe cannot be quieted without great trouble and bloodshed And the saide Cardinall bare so great a swaye that the king durst not come into Englande according to his appointment It is thought that the Cardinal feared lest the king of Englande would haue perswaded the kinge of Scottes to abolyshe the Popes aucthoritie out of Scotlande and to alter the state of Religion and therefore was not willing that this meeting shoulde be betweene the two kinges King Henry perceiuing him selfe to be thus deluded by the king of Scottes conceiued therof great discurtesie as he myght ful well Notwithstanding he went forwarde him selfe with all his trayne to yorke and made Proclamation that if any man had any matters to exhibite vnto his grace that they shoulde be heard and haue Iustice administred which accordingly hee accomplished to as many as came before him And whereas there had bene an insurrection in the same countrey a little before this tyme The king comaunded that all the Rebelles which were apprehended shoulde be placed before him on the lefte hande of his waye as he passed thorough the countrey and hauing set the countrey in good order he returned to London againe The Cardinall of sainct Androes who as is before saide caused the king of Scottes to breake promise with his vncle king Henry for doubt least that discourtesie might be reconsiled to make hys matter sure set the two kinges at open warre and caused the Scottes to make a roade into the borders who spoyled and did much harme Wherof when king Henry hearde he sent the Duke of Norffolke with an Armie into Scotlande who burned and spoyled muche of the countrey But when the Duke was departed from thence into Englande The Scottes inuaded the borders againe did theare muche harme But at the last Sir Thomas Wharton beeing warden of the marches there with Sir William Musgraue and a fewe of the borderers met with the Scottes the 14. of Nouember and ouerthrew them In which conflict the Lorde Maxwell the Earles of Glencarue and Sassiles with all the captaynes of the Scottish Armie were taken and on S. Thomas eeuen the Apostle they were brought to the Tower of London where they laye that night The next day following they were brought into the starre Chamber before the Lorde Chaunceller of England and the Counsaile being by the kinges charges rychely apparailed and vsed more like Princes then prisoners which they did full euil requite For after they were dismissed vppon agreement vnto certein articles they not only refused the performance of their promises but notwithstanding the benefites on them bestowed by the king they rebelled against him But nowe to returne againe vnto their kinge It is thought of some men that he him selfe was in the Battaile and thear receiued his deathes wounde but escaped vntaken but it was not so True it is that this conflict stroke him to the hart wherof he dyed incontinently Whereby we may bee sure that God strooke the stroake And whether it were that God who stryketh to the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate him did it for his fathers offence or for his owne I maye not nor will not iudge But no doubt his fathers vngodly periurie was heauily in his mynde since whose death the Realme of Scotlande hath bene sore plaged and haue had little good successe in any attemptes and especially against Englande The tirste that brought newes of the kinge of Stottes death vnto king Henry was the Earle of Angoes a Scott who was banished out of Scotlande and lyued here in Englande by a pencion that the king gaue vnto him This Earle came into the Courie the king then lying at hys house of Sainct Iames betweene tenne and xi of the clocke at nyght and desyred to speak with the king which being vnto him admitted he rehearsed vnto the king the whole circumstance of the king of Scottes death Whiche when he hearde he was so sorie of that newes that notwithstanding he warred against him yet he let fall teares from his eyes for sorrowe of his Nephewes death ¶ The Lamentation of king Iames Sonne vnto king Iames before mentioned WHat hard mishap haue I among the rest Whose froward fate vntimely deth hath wrought While youthfull yeres did harbour in my brest My wretched corpes to lodge in claye is brought By haples chaunce contrary to my thought But who is sooner trapte by witched wyle Then he whose harte is free frem craltie guyle Shall I exclayme on fortunes frowarde face Or on the wombe that life to mee fyrst gaue Or on my Fathers facte whose foule deface Hath caused mee this luckelesse lot to haue Would god my mothers wombe had ben my graue Or els the Ayre that yelded mee fyrst breath With sodayne dampe had rendred present death Woulde God my Fathers facte had beene vndon When he made vow a faythfull leage to holde Or els I woulde I had not beene his Sonne But rather borne to pen the Sheepe in folde My Father in this poynt was far too bolde Whereby he moude almighty GOD to spill Him selfe and me his Sonne that thought no ill What may I deeme of this my Fathers deede Whereof I grounde the chiefe cause of my playnte What stonie harte for pittie will not bleede To see how death this pageaunt doth depainte In floure of age our liues so to attainte The Father and the Sonné sucessiuelie The Realme eke plagde for one mans periurie I can not scuse his rage and hautie pride That forced mee my vnkle to offende Who courteousely my comming did abide In frendlie wise a time with ioye to spende I was constraynde my owne minde to vnbende The Prelasie then bare so great a swaye That king and keiser must their mindes obaye I was constraynde contrarye to my will Reuengement on the English Realme to take And eke of Mars his lore to learne the skill Where I lyke Phaeton my match did make My foes mee rulde my frendes I did forsake Though I was king another bare the sworde Whome I durst not offende in deede ne worde I call for vengeaunce on thy wretched lyfe Thou Prelate proude that hast procurde my fall Thou were the cause and aucthor of the strife I was thy Prince and yet I was thy thrall Take heede therefore by mee ye Princes all Where enuious subiects beares so great aswaye The Princes state is like for to decaye Such men they are as fyrst do stier vp stryfe But they them selues of sauegarde will be sure Their deedes are scant their words are very ryfe They rayse the broyle the brunte they not endure Yet bloody warre they dayly do procure And prease foorth Princes to auenge their yre Whyle they them selues with gredy minds aspire Lo by this meanes my fatall shrouding sheete Is now my weede no other robe haue I The graue is
The Flovver Of Fame Containing the bright Renowne moste fortunate raigne of King Henry the viii Wherein is mentioned of matters by the rest of our Cronographers ouerpassed Compyled by Ulpian Fulwell ¶ Hereunto is annexed by the Aucthor a short treatice of iii. noble and vertuous Queenes And a discourse of the worthie seruice that was done at Hadington in Scotlande the seconde yere of the raigne of king Edward the sixt Viuit post funera virtus 1575. Imprinted at London in Fleete streate at the Temple gate by VVilliam Hoskins To the ryght honorable and his singuler good lorde sir William Cecill Baron of Burghleygh Knight of the moste noble order of the Garser Lorde high Treasorer of Englande master of the courtes of wardes and Liueries Chauncellour of the Uniuersitie of Cambridge and one of the Queenes Maiesties priuie Counsaile Ulpian Fullwell wisheth long health with encrease of honor BEeing at stryse with my selfe Right honorable whether I might presume to exhibite the dedication of this my vnpolished labour vnto your good Lordship or not I was as oft abashed as I vewed the homelinesse of my style and eftsons vtterly discomfited But contrary wise while I considered with my selfe as it were waying in the other Balaunce your noble nature in accepting the good will of the geeuer aboue the valure of the gift I am againe recomforted And in the ende of this conflict the noble curtesie of your honour wonne in mee the victorie whereupon I was not onely enboldened my self humbly to desyre your L. Patronage but also as muche as in mee laye encouraged my Aucthour master Edmunde Harman to offer vnto you the grosse fruites of this our labours The matter meriteth the Pen of the best writer although it hath nowe happened to the handes of an vneloquent Compyler But if it may please your honour to accept the protection hereof I doubt not but bothe the matter and the worthinesse of the Patrone will stirre vp some of exquisite skill to furnishe my defect by the renuyng of this my begonne attempt VVhich I confesse to be by mee taken in hande more willingly then wittilye respecting more the truthe of the woorkes then the eloquence of wordes Thus ceasing to trouble your good Lordship any longer at this present with my rough and ragged style In moste humble wise I submit my selfe and this my sclender trauaile vnto your honour praying allmightie God to preserue and prosper you in all your noble affaires to the great comfort of this Realme Your honours most humble Vlpian Fulwell A Table of the contents of this booke A Commendations of King Henries noble vertues Fol. 1 A Resitall of King Henries fortunate raigne 2 A briefe discourse of the vnyting the two noble houses of Lancaster and Yorke From whych vnyted house King Henrye was the first kinge that proceaded 4 Of the Battaile fought at Bosworth betweene King Henry the seuenth and king Richarde 8 Of the byrth of King Henry the eyght 10 Of King Henry the eyght in the tyme of his minoritie 12 Of his ryding to the Tower of London before his Coronation 13 Of his Coronation 14 Of the winning of Turwin and Turney 16 The Historie of King Iames of Scotlande that was slayne at Branxston fielde And of his lamentation 22 The Historie of King Iamies sonne who after the death of his father was king of Scottes being but a chylde That tooke his death after the ouerthrowe of his menne at Solomos and of his Complaint 24 How the Kinges of England and of Fraunce met at Morguison An. 1532. 29 Of the winning of Bullaine 32 Of the death of King Henry the eight 36 An Epitaph of his death 37 A Treatice of iii. noble vertuous Queenes 39 The Historie of the noble seruice that was at Hadington in Scotlande 49 A Commendation of the English Souldiers that serued at this siege of Hadington with the Capitaines names as neare as coulde be called to remembraunce 56 To the frindly Reader Vlpian Fullwell wisheth health THE wyse sage Philosopher Solon noting the insolencie of Cressus who esteemed him self the happiest man lyuing because of his abundant welth tolde him that no man is to bee reputed happie during his lyfe tyme because he knoweth not whether it shall ende with renowne or infamie Concluding hereby that a goodly lyfe a godly death maketh a perfect happie man. Nowe seing our late soueraigne Lorde Kynge Henrye the eyghth hath hit the marke of trewe felicitie and wonne the game of ioyfull immortalitie what ruthe were it that so singuler an example shoulde not be recorded in the golden booke of perpetuall Fame His noble lyfe his Godly proceedinges his inuicted raygne his fortunate successe his whole race of lyfe and ende of the same deserueth to be engraued in letters of pure Golde If Alexander the myghtie Monarche of Macedon was offended with a Schoolemaster in whose Schoole he founde not the fame of Vlisses written by Homer howe much more maye wee deeme he woulde checke and reproue all Englyshe Gentlemen that laye not before their faces the booke of King Henryes lyfe if he were nowe amongst vs But happely it will be sayd vnto mee Sir if you weare as good an Englyshe Poet as Homer was in Greeke or if the worthinesse of your style were comparable to the matter wee would the better esteeme of your woorke If that bee thy obiection gentle Reader I cannot excuse my selfe For I confesse I haue not the gifte of flowing eloquence neyther can I enterlace my phrase with Italian termes nor powder my style with frenche Englishe or Inkhorne Rhethoricke neyther cowche my matter vnder a cloake of curious inuentions to feede the daintie eares of delicate yonkers And as I cannot So if I could I woulde not For I see that manye men are so affected with these premisses that manye good matters are obscured the Aucthors encombred the woorkes but meanely commended and the Reader deceaued For while he coueteth to come to the purpose he is lead amasked in the wylde Desert of circumstance and digression seeking farre and finding little feeding his humor on pleasant woordes of slender wayght guyded or rather giddyed with plaucible eloquence I do not herein condempne neither discomende the noble Science of Rhethorike nor the eloquent Rhethoritian but rather wishe that excellent skill to be employed onlye on such matters as may both commende the speaker and the thing spoken or the writer and the thing written hauing alwayes the cheefe respect to tyme place For as it would sounde verye absurde to the eares of the skilfull Musitian to heare a gallyard or any other daunce playde on the solemne Organs So no lesse contrarie is it to daunce after an Hymn or other cunning voluntarie Thus gentle Reader I desyre at thy handes that thou accept the matter beare with my crabbed meeter Considering well that often tymes is founde good graffes vppon a Crab tree stocke Take then the fruite and accepte my good will. And if
his graces behoote so that he woulde graunt pardon of lyfe vnto all the people of the town and licence to depart with bagg and boggage Whiche the king mercifully graunted on this condicion that none of them should departe with any Gonne charged And the Bulleiners departed the town with as much of theyr goodes as they could cary with them After which departure king Henrie with hys nobilitie entred the towne with Banners displayed lyke a conquerour And after hee had taried there by the space of fyue dayes or there about he returned againe into Englande leauing behinde him to defende the towne the Duke of Suffolke that most valiant Capitayne But when the kings maiestie was vppon departure newes was brought vnto him that the Dolphin of Fraunce was determined to come downe and repell him from thence and hys power whereunto the king aunswered that hee shoulde be verie welcome For quoth he the Dolphin is my God sonne and if he come he shall haue my blessing But he made no haste to come as he vaunted Wherefore the Duke of Suffolk and the Earle of Essex perswaded the king to returne home to Englande againe for that he had wonne as much honour theare as was to be had at that tyme Wherupon the king committed the defence of the towne to the Duke of Suffolke and the Earle of Essex ioyntly But before his departure he being doubtfull whether the Duke of Norfolke had any neede of help at Muttrell called vnto him syr Anthony Browne appointed him to go thither to the ayde of the Duke of Norfolke with all his power But Sir Anthony Browne answered that he had dismissed many of his souldiers by reason of sicknesse the rest were either wounded or wearied with trauaile and many of their Horses tyred Then the king demaunded of the Earle of Essex In what estate his bande was who had vnder his charge 1500 horsemen he aunswered the kyng that of his whole power he wanted not 60. And that hee was ready to fulfill his graces pleasure Wherupon the king thought to haue sent him to Muttrell but in the end that king hauing a speciall regarde for the keeping of Bullaine leatte the Earle with the Duke to defende the towne and sent Sir Ihon Gage to Muttrell to the ayde of the Duke of Norfolk And then the king returned into England againe with great triumph After whose departure out of Fraunce y frenchmen began to be verye busie against the englishmē But when they could preuaile nothing at all they began to entreat for peace always hoping to haue Bullayne againe by some meanes or other But king Henry was so affected to that towne that neyther strengthe of warre nor force of money could win it from hym And he would oft times saye that no true subiect of his woulde perswade him to yelde it vp Which towne he helde in despight of the Frenchmen during his life ¶ And thus I ende this discourse of the wynning of Bullayne Omitting to treate of the large circumstaunce heereof least I might seeme to rob Grafton or Halle of their laboures concluding this commemoration of king Henry with his conquest of Bullaine After which triumphant victorie no special warre happened vnto him till death the conquerour of all mortall men subdued his body whose soule liueth with God in his Heauenlye kingdome KIng Henry in his life time would often tymes saye that if it woulde please God to endue hym with life vntill he might see three thinges brought to passe hee woulde not desire to liue anye longer The fyrst was to confirme true religion in this Realme The seconde to establish the Crowne The thyrde to see hys Sonne a man Also hee would say that if he knewe any one to bee a man of GOD and meete to gouerne a common welthe he would rather yelde his Crowne vnto him then weare it himself so that hee myghte doe it to the pleasure of God the weale publyke of his people ¶ An Epitaph of the deathe of the moste valyant and renowmed Prince King Henry the eyghth AWake ye worthies nyne that long in graues haue rest Powre out your plaints with wayling teares Let langor be your geast Do off your shrowding sheetes that clads you in the claye and decke your selues with black attyre your mourning to displaye Bedewe with saltie teares your manly faces stowte Laye downe those weapons that were wont to quell the raging rowte For nowe that pierlesse Prince that neuer yet tooke foyle The eyghth king Henry hath resynde his bodye to the soyle Recorde your dolefull tunes ye noble Peeres eche one Let gryping greefes gnawe on your breastes to shewe your pensiue moane With bryndie blubbered teares ye commons all lament Sende forth your sobbes from boyling breast let trynkling teares be spent For our Achilles nowe hath left vs in the fielde That wonted was with valiant force from foes our lyues to shylde And this hath death deuysde to wrecke his wrathfull spyght Wherefore O Mors wee curses yelde on thee both daye and nyght Oh noble Brutus lande howe much was death thy foe when he with cruell darte constraynde this Gemme from thee to goe But though the cursed dame that cuttes the fatall lyne So muche enuyed thy happie state in making him declyne Yet God through mercy great in spyght of death his darte Hath left a Blossome of his braunche to ease thy pensiue smarte For whome now let vs praye that shee the race may runne of Nestors yeres with like successe as yet her grace hath done And that his royall Impe Elizabeth by name May weare the Crowne and wielde the sworde with ioye and endlesse fame Whose lyfe doth render lyght vnto her fathers fame whose noble harte doth plainly shewe the stocke from whence shee came Though death hath done his woorst with drift of dyrefull darte By stryking of that valyant king and piercing of his harte Yet hath he not the powre his fame to ouercast which shall remaine in mouth of man whyle Pen and ynke doth last And eke the shyning Sunne shall cease his running race before king Henries worthie fame shall suffer one deface And as his soule is lodgde with Ioue in starrie Skye Euen so remembraunce of his name on earth shall neuer dye ¶ A Preamble to this parte of the Booke following LYke as the auncient Greekes haue painted out at large Their noble ladyes worthie lyues and therof taken charge And as the Romaine dames had writers of their actes Euen so the trowpe of Englysh trayne haue some to tell their factes Whose bryght and shyning fame deserues to haue a place Coequall with the best that hath runne on in vertues race Then let not Englande blushe to blase their ladies lyues Which no whit is inferiour vnto the Romayne wyues Let them vaunt if they list of Lucrece chastitie I prayse the greekes Penelope for her fidelitie A nomber myght be namde that wryters pennes haue praysde Who for their lyues and noble actes an
the place Decreed that one among the rest should beare the cheefest mace Commaunding euery lady theare to answere to theyr name As they in order should be calde by voyce of noble Fame When this decree proclaymed was and all thinges whus ht and still My greedy eyes to view this sighte coulde neuer gase their fill Then Fame calde for Vlisses wife whereto one sayde strayght waye That dyrefull death with cruell launce had lodgde her corse in claye Then heard I good Cornelia namde and many other calde Some aunswerde here and some by fate in earthy clod were stalde At last by lot the Cryer sayd where is that noble Dame That was the eight king Henries wife and had K. P. to name Wherto a noble English Queene that then was in the place Made aunswere that her mortall lyfe had run the fatall race Then vertue sent foorth saltie teares and bad the Cryer pawse And sayd shee lost the worthiest wight that euer kept her lawes Dame Pacience with wringing handes her dollor did declare And prudent pallas for her parte no paynefull plaints did spare The Muses mooude with mestiue moode resounded dolefull voyce The Graces all with rented heares in langor did reioyce In fyne the whole assembly there in sodayne sorowes were For ech one thought this noble Queene dame Vertues Mace shoulde beare At last stoode vp Virginitie attyred all in whyte Whose countenaunce lyke Phebus beames did yelde a heauenly lyght Unto the iudge dame Vertue shee her minde began to showe with Angels voice and Heauenly grace eche worde shee did bestow O noble Dames leaue off qd shee your dumpyshe dolors staye And licence mee O rightfull iudge somwhat herein to saye With that it was a ioye to see How sorowes were resynde And Vertue bad Virginitie proceede to say her minde Eche one attentiue eare gan bende to heare this noble voice Whose prudent wordes and graue deuyse made all the rest reioyce This was the tale the Goddesse tolde O worthie wightes drawe neere And see the only cause that wee are nowe assembled heere Ye are the troupe and noble trayne that vertue hath embraede Whose endlesse fame for vertues sake shall neuer be defacde Here haue you hearde that auncient dames by fatall stroke are flayne And yet theire names in booke of Fame for euer shall remayne Among the rest Queene Katherin Par so was her Parents name Hath yelde her soule vnto the heauens yet left on earth her fame Unto whose lot it shoulde haue lyght dame Vertues Mace to guyde But cruell Atrops all too soone her noble race enuyde Yet one among this worthie crewe must take the charge in hande whose due desertes for vertuous praise in chiefest place must stande Here is a royall Queene in place whose lyfe I knowe right well within whose brest euen from a babe vnto this day I dwell Whome you O Lady Vertue fyrst committed to my charge When nature made her perfect moulde her skill to shewe at large And whyle vpon this Princely babe in Cradle I attende You Lady Pallas came in haste your heauenly giftes to spende And Caliop with all her Nimphes made haste from Pernas hill For to adorne this peereles peace with perfect learned skill You lady Graces know right well and beare it yet in mynde What haste you made vnto this babe ye fearde to bee behynde In fyne her grace was theare adornde with all your giftes so well That outwarde shape and inwarde giftes Panthora did excell Her father was a royall king graund Captain of the trayne Of all the worthie warlike wights that fame did euer gayne Her noble Mother bare the bell for vertue in her dayes Whose worthie fame with toung and Penn hath reapte immortal prayse And shee a virgin lo doth were the Fathers regall crowne And prudently doth wyeld the sworde with lardge and bright renowne She hath repressed errors blinde and causde Gods worde to shyne Whose noble lyfe from vertues lore did neuer yet declyne Shee best deserues to haue the Mace that vertue meanes bestowe Elizabeth of England Queene you all her grace do knowe And let Queene Katherin Par enioye Fame for her vertuous race And vnto Queene Elizabeth dame vertue yeld thy Mace. No sooner had virginitie this sentence vttred tho But all the reste with one consent sayde Lady be it so Then Vertue prayide the noble Mayde that thus this tale declarde Commaunding scilence to be synde that iudgement myght be harde Then saide the Iudge this is the doome and sentence in this case Queene Katherin Par in booke of Fame shall haue a speciall place And noble Queene Elizabeth as cheefest of my trayne Shall take this Scepter at my hande as meetest for to raygne Hereat this noble heauenly crewe brake vp with greate delyte And I yet holde my Pen in hande Queene Katherins lyfe to wryte ¶ It will happely seeme somewhat straunge vnto thee Gentle Reader that I haue so sclenderly past ouer the treatise of these noble ladies before mencioned whose lyues and noble vertues I can at large descrybe And peraduenture I may bee deemed parciall for mentioning of these and omitting the names of king Henryes other wyues I confesse I haue in my handes a Treatise of all their lyues so farre foorth as tendeth to the commendations of their noble and princely vertues worthie the immitation of all Ladies and gentleweomen But it fareth with mee as with the soare Hauke that keepeth her selfe aloofe from the Faukners fist vntill acquaintaunce hath breed a further familiaritie So if I maye perceiue this beginning to haue thy frindly fauour Thou shalt win mee to thy lure and encourage mee to mount as hygh as I may not bolting aboue my reache lyke rashe Icarus whereby to come tumblinge downe and be drencht in the flood of follye And thus I ende desyring at thy hands nought else but thy good worde in lewe of this my labour Finis ¶ THE HISTORY OF the winning of Hadington in Scotlande An. 2. Reg. Edwardi 6. WHen I had ended this treatise of the moste famous king Henry the eyght and readie to put the same in prynte I chaunced into the company of certaine Capitaines that had serued in king Henries warres in king Edwardes and euersince as often as they haue bene called thereunto And after talke ministred They seemed greatly to lament that so noble a piece of seruyce as was done at Hadington shoulde so sleyghtlye passe thorough the handes of Cronographers Whereupon I being by them earnestly requested haue taken on mee to discourse therof by the instruccions of these sayde Gentlemen who were theare present during all this worthie seruice which well deserueth the name of noble and worthie In so muche that the Frenchemen that then were there to the ayde of the Scottes saye vnto this daye that there are fewe good Soldiers in Englande except those that were at this siege of Hadington preferring the seruice that was then thear before any other that euer they knewe or
Which for thy wealth the Heauenly heste This order doth deuyse And I of Ioue the messenger this newes now bring to thee With bande of Peace as faithfull pledge If thou thereto agree What losse and languor thou hast had Thy selfe caust witnesse best And Mischiefe hath not sparde to spurne To purchase thy vnrest Wherefore the God that guydes all thinges doth charge thee that with speede Thou ioyne in knott of Mariage as thus he hath decreede There is a lande in Westerne soyle That Britaine hath to name Which coast doth now retayne the wyght that must thy quyet frame A proper youth of pregnant witt To whome with speede repayre Of Lancaster that noble house He is the ryghtfull heire His Princely porte doth well deserue To wear thy Regall Crowne By due discent to wield the Sworde with fame and bryght renowne This worthie wight shall turne the warre That long thy wealth hath wast This Earle Henry shall redresse Thy wayling woe forepast Now see the sequell of this hest That God appointed hath Marke well the meane against Syr Mars To pacifie his wrath A noble spouse within thy lande Of ryght must now be found To linke in sacred wedlockes state And Queene for to be crownde Beholde a Uirgin bryght of hue with vertues force bedect Of personage surpassing all that Nature hath elect Dianaes peere for chastitie A seconde Susan shee Her godly nature well deserues A Goddesse for to bee The daughter of a Royall king That rewlde thy lande of late The heyre of Yorke that long hath beene with Lancaster at bate Elizabeth this Lady hight The late king Edwardes chylde Shee shall bring forth a peerlesse Prince thy people for to shylde Now sith these houses twaine hath causde Such ruyne for to raygne Which bluddie broyle hath forced thee to feele the smarte and paine With speede repaire to Britaine lande This Henry home to call And place him in thy regall seate Be ye his Subiectes all As for his Foes take ye no feare For God his frende doth stande He is annoynted of the Lorde to rule thy famous lande Which being done let sacred state of Wedlocke ioyne these twayne Then be thou sure in perfect peace hereafter to remayne When Concorde had these wordes rehearst and all her message tolde To see the ioye that men did make was wonder to beholde With clapping handes and cheerefull shoutes They shewde foorth great delyght And thought eche day to bee a yere till he shoulde come in syght And when that Fame had blowne her blast that hee had taken lande Determining to chace the Bore with force of myghtie hande Eche man him selfe do then addresse This royall Prince to place With courage stoute and loyall hartes They serue his noble grace Of the Battaile fought at Bosworth betweene King Henry the vii Richard that then vsurped the Crowne AFter long coÌ„tinuance of blody warre through ciuill contention betweene the two â—â—ble houses of Lancaster Yorke for the imperiall Diademe of this Realme to the great effusion of English blood as well of the nobilitie as also of the Comons It pleased Almightie God to put into the mindes of the nobilitie of this Realme a meane how to preuent this eminent subuersion by ioyning in knot of Mariage the heires apparant of these two noble houses as is aforesaide to the perfect securitie of this noble Nation And here is to be noted that when kyng Edward the fourth dyed who was lineally discended from the house of Yorke whose variable chaunces of Fortune I ouer passe He lefte behynde him two sonnes and fyue daughters The elder of his sonnes was named Edwarde who was afterwardes proclaymed Kyng being of the age of xi yeres His yonger brother had to name Richarde who was Duke of yorke Now by reason of the nouage of the yong king Richard Duke of Gloucester being vncle vnto the yong kyng intruded him selfe to the Protectorship of the kyng and the Realme and also wrested into his tuition the kinges brother taking him from the Queene his Mother who then laye in the Sanctuarie at Westminster for doubt of the cruell tyrannie of the Protector whose Ambitious mynde shee knewe to bee insatiable of honor and dignities wholly bent to cruell tyrannie which shortly after he put in practyse For when he had got into his clawze these two yong Princes Like a cruell Tyger and rauenyng Wolfe moste vnnaturally he caused them to be pittifully murthered within the Tower of London And caused one Doctor Sha who better deserued to be called doctor Shame to preach at Paules Crosse perswading the people that king Edwarde the fowerth late deceased was not ryghtfull king Affirming that he was a Bastarde And that the Duke of Cloucester being lawfully begotten ought to haue beene king when his brother was and therefore myght nowe iustlye challenge the Crowne Was not this a graceles sonne that caused his owne naturall and vertuous mother to be proclaimed at Powles Crosse a Harlot This and his vnnaturall homicide sownded moste abhominably in the eares of all honest men Notwithstandinge by this beastly and detestable policie wherunto he also added the death of the Lorde Hastinges and other noble men whome he supposed woulde by all meanes possible haue hindered his vngodlye proceedinges he hitt the marke whereat he shot which was the Crowne of Englande and in fine was crowned king by the name of king Rycharde the thirde But ere he had raigned little more then two yeres it pleased God to stir vp the nobilitie of this Realme to the ayde of Henrye Earle of Richemond to set him in his ryghtfull inheritaunce of the Imperiall Diadem of this Realme The large discourse wherof is exquisitely written by Sir Thomas More as appeareth in the Cronicle written by Edwarde Hall. In conclusion this noble Earle of Richemonde after manye doubtfull casualties harde euents arryued at Milforde Hauen in Wales wyth an armye of Britons and by the ayde of the Welshmen his power encreased And manye of the nobilitie of Englande with greate strength came to hys ayde vntill he came to a place in Leycester shiere called Bosworth where he met with kynge Richarde his armye and betweene them was fought a sharpe battaile in which conflict the king himselfe was slayne and his bodie caryed to Leycester on horsebacke as a Butcher caryeth a Calfe to the Market After whiche victorie won by this noble Earle he was proclaymed kyng of England by the name of king Henry the seuenth consequently he maried the lady Elizabeth daughter vnto king Enward the iiii they bothe crowned king and Queene of Englande to the greate ioy of the whole realme And thus were the noble houses of Lancaster Yorke vnited in one whiche was the finishing of long warre ¶ The Byrthe of the puisant Prince King Henry the eyght which was in the yere of our Lorde God. 1490. the xxii of Iune WHen Lady Concorde quencht the broyle
Their enemies within the towne with hope for to preuayle No engin was omitted then that myght their purpose gayne The battry was so fierce and sharpe that they in th ende were fayne To parle and to entreat for peace their states for to maintayne In fine they craude for mercye then Acknowleging their faulte Desyring his most noble grace â–ª to cease his sharpe assault And they his vassayls woulde become and faithfull to his Crowne In token of their loyaltie they yelde to him their towne And all the furniture thereof to vse at his owne will Desyring that he will vouchsafe their bloods not for to spill Whose noble aunswer was againe Sith you for mercy craue We mercy graunt you for your lyues from bloody Swoorde to saue With Trump and Banner then displayde he entreth this his towne Saint George his flagg is then aduaunst And all the rest throwne downe Anno Domini 1513. KIng Henry being confederate with the Emperour Maximilian and manye of the nobilitie of Brabant Flaunders and Holland hauing the sayde Emperor in wages vnder his Banner inuaded Fraunce and first assaulted Turwin with a puissant Armye Whiche towne in the ende was enforced to yelde it selfe vnto the mercye of king Henry who mercyfully graunted them pardon of their lyues and free leaue to departe in safegarde yelding vp their towne with all their furniture and munition vnto the king who entred the sayde towne with Banner displaide as a conquerour And hauing taken the ordnaunce with the rest of the spoyle within a whyle after he consumed the towne with Fyer which thing pleased the Emperor very well for that the sayd town was oftentymes a scourge vnto him The king at this tyme to solace him self rode to Lisley which is a town of the Emperours where as he was nobly entertained And at his entrie in to the towne the keyes of the gates were offered vnto him to dispose at his pleasure who receiued them thankfully rendring them againe to him of whome he tooke them And when he had recreat him selfe thear three dayes he returned vnto his campe againe Whose returne was ryght ioyfull vnto his Souldiers For as his presence encreased their ioyes so his absence augmented their dolours so entire he was vnto all his loiall Subiectes Shortly after he marched forwardes with his whole Armie towardes the great Citie of Turney which Citie is saied to haue as manye Towers in it as be dayes in a yere which is in nomber 365. And in fine after sharpe assault he obtained the towne and after possession taken hee built there a strong Castle In this meane season he enuyâ—ed the Emperour and the Empresse his wyfe to this his new wonne towne of Turney who ryght ioyousely came thither and were there royally feasted and his trayne had both greate entertainment and bountifull rewardes In these warres were manye feates of Armes tryed and sundry noble exploites atchyued and in conclusion the cheefe power of Fraunce discomfited But among the tragicall euents that there happened one pretie accident chaunced by master Henry Norace who at that tyme being a yong Gentleman and one of the kinges Henchemen hauing on his head the kinges Helmet was by the fiercenesse of his horse caryed from the kings Campe into the middest of the Frenche armye that then lay without the towne of Turnay in battaile ray And being thus among his enemies against his will at laste founde the meanes to turne his horse hed againe and so by good happe came backe vnto the king wherof the king was ryght glad And being thus escaped the king offered to make him knight for this aduenture But he tolde the king that his horse rather deserued that dignitie which caryed him among his enemies against his will. Whereat the king pleasantly laughed for he loued this yong gentleman verie well And because my Aucthor was brought vp vnder this saide Gentleman and by him preferred vnto the king I am occasioned somewhat to digresse by remembraunce of his worthinesse This forenamed master Norace grewe in suche fauour and grace with the king that he became to be the chiefe gentleman of his priuie Chamber and also was master of the blacke Rodd Which is an office to the noble Order of the Garter which office hath a large Prerogatiue He was rightfullye termed the father of the Court nexte vnder the king for his singuler order of education in courtly ciuilitie As dyuers noble men and gentlemen by him brought vp can full well witnesse Namely The Lorde Henry Dudley the Lord Sheafield The Lorde Edmund Shandos with many more His nature was to do good to as manye as hee might and harme to none His pursse was neuer shut from the needie Finally he was endued with all godly and vertuous condicions liuing in the courte in great fauour and estimation vntill enuye who alwaies pursueth vertue threw at him her spytefull and poysoned dartes to his decaye After whose death the king to shewe his good will towardes him shewed him selfe gracious Lord vnto as manye as were seruauntes vnto the sayde master Norace in his lyfe tyme and to expresse the same more at large he bestowed his daughter mistresse Marie Norace in Mariage on Sir George Carew which mariage was solempnised in the Court at the proper costes and charges of the king to the same and furtherance of the saide knight and the yong ladye his wife Now to returne to my matter againe Whyle the king was in Fraunce king lames of Scotlande notwithstanding his league and solempne vowe before mencioned made an inuasion vppon the Borderers adioyning vnto Scotlande And sent an Ambassadour vnto the kyng into Fraunce accusing the Borderers for breache of the truce betweene them taken When the king vnderstoode by the Ambassadour of the king of Scottes pretence He rewarded the Ambassadour and so dismissed him Nowe the king of Scottes supposed that all the power of Englande was in Fraunce with king Henry knowing also that king Henry could not nor woulde not breake vp his Campe to come against him And thought that nowe he had a plaine gappe opened vnto him to enter into Englande and there to woorke his will. But by the prouidence of the Queene who was left Regent of the Realme by the king at his setting foorth by the balyanties of the Earle of Surrey the kinges lieftenaunt he was preuented of his purpose For when he thought to haue entered this Realme with all his power he was mett by the Earle of Surrey at a place called Brampston where betweene them was fought a cruell battayle not without great effusion of blood on both parties but in the ende by Gods prouidence the victorie fell vnto the englishe men The King of Scottes himselfe being slayne in this fielde with xi of his noble men being all of them Earles besydes a number of his knyghtes and gentilmen of name and his whole power made very weake This battaile being ended to the renoune of the Queene the
had set vp in the market place the Emperours Armes and the Frenche kinges Armes for so is the custome when kings meete together and desyred his grace to enforme him what might please him to bee erected in his behalfe to whom the King aunswered that nothing shoulde bee set vp for him neyther I care not quod he for anye suche matter Then sayde the Heralde it is my duitie to erecte somewhat in your graces name If it be so quoth the King I will that you depaint an armed Arme rysing out of a clowde holding in the hande a naked Sworde with thys Poesse vnder it Celuy au quel ie m'adiouincts Dieu aydant vaincra Whiche is as muche to say Whether parte I take by Gods helpe shall haue victorie This was set ouer the Emperours and the Frenche kings Armes as in this Portraiture appeareth And full truely did this Poesie proue As in Sleydon his Commentaries ye may reade at large Celuy au quel ie m'adiouincts Dieu aydant vaincra ¶ The Historie of the winning of Bulleyne by the moste victorious King Henrye the eyghth in his owne person YF townes subuerted coulde declare with tong or paynting Pen Their rufull falles and finall fate their losse of worthie men Or if the ruinous Castels olde that flatt on grounde nowe lye Or else the walles that earst were deckt with lofty Turrets hye Coulde shewe their wofull ouerthrowes by any kynde of waye And eke what Captaines them subdude to take the spoyle and praye Then Bulleyne that was wont to bragg in brauery of her myght Woulde clips her fame of large renowne that earst did shyne so bryght This stately Forte whose furnisht walles felt neuer yet annoye Nowe playnly shewde the auncient tales that Poets tolde of Troye Prince Agamemnon with his Greekes that wan olde Ilions towne In all his toyle of tenne yeres siege gat neuer such renowne The mighty Monarke Macedon that conquerd Darius soyles Wonne neuer greater victorie thoughe many greater spoyles But as king Henries courage stoute alwayes his foes subdude So mercy matcht his manly mynde who bloodshed still eschewde He neuer brewde his sworde in bloode on them that mercy craue His face with fauour still was fraught submissiue men to saue And Bullein men among the rest can testifie this case Who tasted both his force and eke his fauourable grace What mischiefe myght his hand haue wrought if tyrannye had raygnd Or rage had harbourd in his brest which he alwayes refraynd Though pleasant prayes do oft entice the mynd that gapes for gayne To passe the boundes of princely fame great spoyle for to obtayne Yet no such crime of greedy mynde from mercy might him moue The towne of bulleyne can right well this fame of him approue Theyr towne theyr lyues theyr goodes and all lay in his might and power For to haue spoylde and ouerthrowne and destroyde in one hower But piety prickt his Princely hart in mercy to excell Whose noble nature doth deserue for prayse to beare the bell THe Realmes of Fraunce and Scotlande perceiuing that they neuer coulde preuayle against the king of Englande in any attempt neyther by dissembling peace nor yet by open warre ceased not to followe the example of the Scarabe who presuming to contende with the Eagle and being farre vnable to encounter with him deuysed to annoye him though it were but with the filthye dung wherin he accustometh to welter and tomble So these two Realmes to obtaine their desyred purposes namely for that they coulde not bring vnder yoke the king of Englande they alway shott at him a farre of to annoy him as much as they durst which king Henry well perceiuing And calling to mynde the dammages that some of his predecessours had sustained after the death of the right valyant king Edward the thirde by the Realme of Fraunce and further waying with him self the feythlesse leagues of the frenchmen who alwayes when they entreated for peace had theyr Swordes readye to fight and theyr dissembling mindes wholy bent on treason mischiefe thought with him selfe that it was better to haue them hys open foes then his fayned friendes and determyned to inuade the Realme of Fraunce and in the ende was fully mynded to passe into Fraunce very secretly with a mightie puissant power which in deede was wrought so priuily that he imparted his minde in this matter vnto no man sauing only to the Duke of Suffolk but caused a rumor to be spread that hee was determined to goe ouer vnto Parys The Duke of Norfolk lay by the kinges apointment at the siege of Muttrell who hearing of the kinges pryuie passage into Fraunce maruailed with him selfe what shoulde bee hys pretence And thought some vncurtesie that he might not haue been made pryuy therof he being one of the kings pryuy counsail Wherupon he sent a letter vnto Sir Anthony Brown the maister of y kings horse wherin he declared that he mused what the kinges purpose shoulde bee desiring Sir Anthony Browne to resolue him by his letters of this doubt This letter was brought when the kinge lay at Calyce to passe into Fraunce And because the custome is in the tyme of warre that all letters which are sente vnto anye noble man or other of the campe shall fyrst be presented vnto the king to breake them opeÌ„ and to read them if he be in the campe him selfe the messenger brought the letter vnto the maister of the Postes who exhibited it vnto the Kinges grace The letter that was sent from the Duke of Norfolk vnto Sir Anthony Brown being in the packet of letters which the king tooke opened And when hee had reade it hee sayde vnto master Edmunde Harman one of his pryuye Chamber who then was in presence with him and none els Lo quoth hee the Duke of Norfolk seemeth by this letter to thinke him selfe not well dealt withal because hee is not made pryuye to our pretence in this voyage I assure thee Fdmund quoth he no mortall man in this worlde doth knowe the cause hereof but onelye Sir Charles Brandon And thou shalt bee the second vnto whome I will reueale this matter My purpose is sayd the Kyng to lay siege vnto Boloygne and I doubt not but to win it by Gods help May it please your grace then sayde maister Harman it will bee a noble victorie to win But it will bee more noble to hold it when it is wonne Well sayd y king I nothyng doubt the holding of it by Gods grace if I may winne it Now was the Duke of Suffolke before Bullaine and had layde siege vnto it on the Easte syde ofit who thear remayned vntill the king him selfe came and encamped on the North side After whose comming the towne was so sore battered with gunshot and so sharply assaulted that after a Moneths siege the captayn whose name was Mounsier Desâ—e shot out an arrowe with a letter tyed to the shafte wherin hee offered the King to render vp the towne vnto