At saint Maquere all our striuing showne Where Iohn Maltrait Siluester Buds did hold Two hardie Brittons couragious tride and bold These two could not agree which he should part To sucker sieged frends then by accords They cuts would draw so fortune and not art Should chuse and chance the longest cut affords To Buds whereat they laugh with pleasant words Foorth he comes with twelue right hardie men Got in where we his frends full close do pen Loue of frend despiseth dangerous feare We one whole quarter of the wall downe breake Then marshalling our selues to enter there A lowly herauld they sent in haste to speake Vnto our Duke finding themselues too weake Enraged he so much in angrie minde Small was the grace that they were like to finde But then sir Richard Dangle sought for me As one to mercie greatly bent he knoeth This noble Duke toth reasons doth agree That we pronounce for deer he loude hus both So we appeased his conceaued wroth Buds his cutting a raunsome deere him cost And thus againe the French the fortresse lost Mountcounter castle in the marches stands Of Aniou and of Poictow very strong Foure leagues from Thouars two captains with bands Of men it kept offering neighbors wrong The peece toth Duke of Aniow did belong Sir Thomas Percie Poictow seneshall To come to him doth good commanders call Assembled soone three thousand armors bright From citties frends doth mightie engins bring And fiercely it assailed day and night Incessantly they battring engins fling Here were companions courage stirring Whose harts eirned ought should them resist Still toth assault they forward do persist Sir Walter Huet and sir Iohn Carswell heare Daui of Hulgreue in ermins finely clad A scuchion gules these three them well do beare And cheefest praise at this assailment had Companions three the Frenchmen greatly drad By heedy force and skilfull warie paine Won was Mountcounter neere alth'warders slaine And to these three was this faire castle giuen Strong frontier war against the French t' maintaine Booties rich from them they often driuen And patised the countrie for their gaine Idle to rest for busie wits is paine Braue captaines and good soldiers at assaies Deserue rewards as well as pleasing praies Faire Ladie Blanch the noble Henries heir Duke of Lancaster and of Darbie erle Whose titles Iohn of Gaunt did rightly beare But death his percing dart too soone did therle Bereft her life the worlds sweete orient perle In widdowers state this hautie duke did bide When he thaffairs of Gascoyne had in guide Don Peter king of Castile and of Spaine Slaine he left two daughters heirs behinde Which Ladies yoong in great distresse remaine Lest froward bastard vnkle should them finde Sir Guiscard Dangle had this thing in minde Imparts to me these Ladies titles faire Then to the duke both we the same declare Perswading him to comfort their distresse He speciall knights of good account foorth sends Declaring how for their behoofulnes It was he so himselfe to them commends And for their safetie all his thoughts attends They come he likes the eldest doth he wed Thus of a wife and kingly title sped Till September with vs he made his staie Then into England purposd he to saile My selfe Mucident and Lespaire the swaie He left of Gascoyne hoping to preuaile So with the king as that we should not faile Of succors when the spring time did returne He gon in Gascoine made I my soiorne The sommer prochaine truely to record Was to vs sent much succors and reliefe By th'erle of Penbroke and many a noble Lord Which all was lost vnto our heauie griefe No worser dispite or blinder mischiefe Could haue befalne the erle two daies did fight In Rochell hauen in the townsmen sight Yet could not sir Iohn Arden Seneshall There at that time perswade the paultrie maire With any of his the erle to helpe at all But like a broking varlet dasht with feare Or traitrousnes no reasons foorth could steare In daintie ermins armed was this knight Gold and azure in fes faire chekered right I hard of this and thither hide amaine And many knights of England willing bent The Lords of Gascoyne with their gallant traine Of noble harts fraught with hardiment We come too late our enimies tooke Le vent Which made me storme and fret with anger sad That they and we so hard mischaunce had had The Constable French assembled mightie power With him the dukes Berrie and Burbon both Gay erls and Lords drest for warlike stower In gaining forts his time he whole bestoth Besieged one made sir Iohn Deuereux wroth Saint Seuer namde at Poicters he did bide When as the siege Saint Seuer doth betide Sir Thomas Percie he earnest doth desier To further that his men may rescude be Who condescends to that most iust requier So foorth they come and both encounter me Shewing the state of friends extremitie The ground and strength that French foemates hield We purposed to seeke them in the field So foorth to friends we letters sent in haste good numbers gaine and for the rescue pace Our enimies receiue these newes at last Which mightily their courage doth abace No will they had t'meete vs in open place Our friends ignorant of our present post Yeelded and our desiers were wholie lost When sir Iohn Deuereux of this yeelding hard He chaft and stampt for his the castle was And thus with vs our Poyctaine buisnes fard Thus wauering fortune too and fro doth pas Worldly triumphs are like to flowering gras Whose fragrant smels and hewe at suns vprise With liked fauor vades ere night and dies No knight that cloths himselfe for wars affaires That alwaies can atchiue his harts request All are alike to fortune none she spares Her coiest darlings oft she makes distrest Now is she sloe and then too forward prest She dandles him and then on him she frowns Here spades she giues and there she deales her crowns Oftenest times when least we do mistrust With some od toy are soonest ouertane Euerie hower ech daring captaine must Be well resolud for to attend her wane Often she sports to bring vs to our bane Yet noble minds must still despise her might Braue honor liues maulgree so wicked wight It is a world to marke the iollitie Of seamen floting in the Liquid sea His careles thought of dredles ioperdy His buisie prattle his so plesant lay Full merrie mate like gladsome bird in may Fairely forward with spredded canuas flies Like him that would attaine the hautie skies Of all the liues led vnder Phaetons wheele He thinkes none can compare in blisfulnes With his such tickling ioy his hart doth feele And laughing pride at present happines Right cherefully whistles to their buisnes His company not any helliers end Hawser booling but soone he will amend Scarce little chip shall lie vpon the hatch But for the swabber hastely doth call Cleane and fine ech buisnes to dispatch Then to his ioy a fresh
durs sages Combatants à bonnes certes ia pour mourir plain pie nen fuiront c. LORD CHANDOS THE GLORIOVS LIFE AND HONORABLE DEATH OF SIR IOHN CHANDOS LORD OF SAINT Saluiour le Vicount great Seneschall of Poyctow high Constable of Acquitaine Knight of the honorable order of the Garter elected by the first founder king Edward the third at his institution thereof LET none reioice too much in fortunes state Reading the storie of my tragike death But watchfull be t' attend some turning fate Which like wild whirlwind all our dooings sweath For as graue Senec in wise morals seath No mortall man with Gods gaine fauor might Of warrantice to see next mornings light No earthly one how goodly so he seeme Fine faire or perfect how so he appear Renowmed rich of excellent esteeme That firmly stands and fixed forme doth bear For wauing fortune so the ship will stear With giddie guiding to hir fond intent Nor wit nor prowesse can bad rule preuent Vncertaine more than is slow Lidian brooke Which dallieth his winding banks within Fast forward hasts then doth regardant looke Staying in doubt th' ocean t' enter in Or to reslide where first it did begin Yet suddenly quicke plungeth in amaine After much showe turnes backe to springs againe No whistling fowler hath so many gins No wading fisher halfe so many baits No nimble spider threeds so many spins No toiling hunter tenth part of deceits That fortune hath of woondrous ticing feats Training men on triumphing in their fall Shewing them honie poisning them with gall As AEacus imagind was to deale With Tantalus deluded with the pray Of hungers ease and scalding thirsts assaile Whom wearie proffers make to emptie way Yet near vncaught the luring frute doth stay So are they fed high honors seeke to gaine Shee l manies blood and purpose not obtaine When fortune shewes hir friendly countenance What mightie ones in selfe conceits we seeme Weightie affaires dispose by ordinance As what we list to bring to passe we deeme In our owne reach ech thing we do esteeme We him appoint to death and him we â—ease Welding whole world as doth our liking please Led onward with hope of long assurance We neuer thinke of fortunes frowning But high honors plant as if perdurance had promised continuall showring Fresh still to increase increased springing But long before proud honor taketh roote Wisest forecasting proued is no boote Oft when we are most busie tampering Some foes to trap within our plotted snares Not him vnlike who pit is digging Headlong into it fals himselfe vnwares So we surprised in our owne affaires For fortune that attendeth worldlie chaunce Where smooth she smild now blinketh wide askaunce For proofe marke me of hir deare darlings one That seemd to haue hir fettred fast in giues It might be thought that onely I alone Faire fauor had and thus she daily striues To haue the chiefest regement of our liues That when she list to knit the brows and frowne He standing high is quickly tumbled downe When first that woorthy golden booke began For Magistrates bright mirror cleare indeed Through which eternall praise the Authors wan Streight I beleeud as truly as my Creed My hard mishap so happely would speed As that some one of those rare learned men My blis and bale would haue vouchsaft to pen. In perfect die could they haue pictured False turncote with true shadowes in true kind Hir fained shew of truth and truest falshed Hir glosing face and hir vnconstant mind And hir continuall foe-mate still I find Since fates she driues my spent life to rehearse In lowly rimes refuse of loftie verse Outragious she slayeth without remorse Alike most woorthy and vnwoorthy wight As roling waue that needs must haue the force Tossing light things subiected to great might Respectles where or when so ere they light So careles she not caring when or how She casteth downe or maketh low to bow What time King Edward first inuaded France With good aid of th'erle of Henauld won Friend fortune then mine actes seemd to aduance So euenly my silken threed did run High enterprise what I attempt was done With shining glory and faire honors name As golden trumpe shield foorth Iohn Chandos fame Then as my King by Cambray Cittie past I armd approchd the barriers of the towne There lept I in my foes some wondred fast To see my deed a Squier of renowne Iohn de saint Ager stroue to beat me downe Right strong we coped with sterne courage bold Our mightie bufs some ioyed to behold Ecchoing stroks on eithers helmet lights With sparkling fier thundering mightilie All for glorious praises both our fights Stird with youths heat and mindfull dignitie Th'assailed strikes and both incessantly Imprinting dents do yeald so I at last Returnd with praise on with the Armie past When as the French had gathered mightie power Came to Vironfosse where treatie ended war Froisard me recounts among the flower Of English Squiers sets my fame full far In his large booke is shone how much we are In reuerence bound vnto such learned clarks As with their paine eternize broad our warks For if none should register noble deed Ther 's none would striue to shew his noblenes Or presse in vertues others to exceed If memorie none made were of valiantnes Freshlie burgening to future ages This pricking spur doth harts heroick heaue To thinke fell death faire Fame cannot bereaue Some sots there be so scrupulous that nought At all beleeue but what themselues do see These coy iudgers haue seld or nener thought Of times forepast what mightie men might be Of others deem by thimbecilitie Found in themself recall in question when Our acts memorizd are by learned men This truce expirde King Edward new prepard puissantly to passe the foming flud Which gate king Phillip strongly thought t' aue bard Decking a fleete thick seeming like a wood Whereof had charge three captaines seamen good Sir Hugh Kyriell Babuchet Barbnoire With stretched sailes the narrow seas do scower These Chieftaines fortie thousand men command Laid by French King to stop vs if they could Which when our King had spide he doth demand What masts they were so thicke he doth behould His Pylot named them and well he tould These were the foes that so his costes anoid Southamton towne and th'yle of Wight destroid Replide the king Saint George God be our guide I much desire with yonder fleete to fight A looffe to winde-ward all our Nauie wride To view the turne right goodlie was the sight Banners pensils stremers wauing bright Ladies we had whose minds these sights might daunt Going to see the Queene brought bed at Gaunt Whose presences fresh minds incouraged With double flame t'assaile the enimie For trustie seruants oft had vowed For their sweete sakes t'prooue all extremitie T'fight for his Ladie knights felicitie hot feruent loue makes coldest coward bold desirous much gaie Ladies grace to hold In front the French foorth plast a goodly
remaine Keeping estate whereby mens harts I won Largely I spent most like a Princes son In plentious fare bountifull and much King Edwards loue and lowance to me such His royall loue to me was passing rare Numbers thought I did deserue no lesse Courteous I aduisd and would not spare But liberall be fraught with temperatenesse Faire points of honor would I not disgresse Amongst braue Lords faire Ladies I esteemd Of great estates in gentle fauor deemd Foorth of the charter was except the land Saint Saluiour sir Godfrey Harecourts late Who Pollux like at Constantine did stand To his defence when slaine was euerie mate With weldie axe his stroke so heauie sate Not prowdest enemie durst sad blowes abide Till at the length two horsemen at him ride Inragd beare downe a knight most cheualrous Which stradling set his legs to stand more suer On surest leg and there dispiteous They beare him downe who fights whilst he may duer Liue still his praise and glory fresh in vre For wisdome and prooude skill in martiall facts No liuing knight one iote exceeds his acts With plainest difference of Earle Harcourts race In glorious red two golden bars did beare Daring gainst foe toth vtterance shew his face Which tride he was well woorthie armes to weare Amongst his foes that durst them noblie reare The home made knight that neuer ward in field Small title hath vnto a noble sheild In his past life his land he did behest To my good king and he to me it gaue Toth valiant Iohn of Fraunce he made request For his consent that I the same might haue He gently seald to what the king doth craue I it enioid well woorth in yeerely rent Of hundred franks fifteene which free I spent Most bountifully amongst soldiers bould To gallant men my purse was neuer closd Which caused that as often as I would I had companions valiants lads disposd To warlike feats that strongest holds haue posd Sweet behauiour ioind to liberall hand Reasons I was with manly soldiers mand Braue Duke of Lancaster mars his Henrie dide Whilst I at Nyort kept so high estate Faire cosen Germaine to the king allide Good gentle Duke lamented was thy fate Mongst valiant knights thou nobly ledst of late When as thou didst with Darbie title raine As after when the Dukedome thou didst gaine In battelous Arms before the king of Fraunce Like Pallas knight thou entredst roiall list Gainst Brownswick Duke full bent to prooue the chaunce Of doubtfull combat the king cause why it mist Staid the euent great eithers losse he wist This Brownswick Duke tride strong champion bold Bare faire in red two lions passant gold True golden fame blacke death cannot defile Glistering honor buds from dustie graue Ech noble Lord that beareth glorious stile Spend must his life eternall praise to haue As thou high Duke didst honor euer saue Most mightie God let England neuer want Such noble Lords true honor seeke to plant In England cause the prince kept princely port Most like himselfe the counsell thoughten best Int ' Acquitaine that he should make resort Partly for that the Gascoins do request His presence and reuenewes largely rest His noblenes right noble to vphold And Gascoin Lords desier that he would Repasse the seas he answereth their desiers Once landed carefull I to meet him well Accompaned with knights and youthfull squiers On coursers mounted decked euerie sell And receiuing him at warlike Rochell We thence attended vnto Poycters towne As reason wild and dutie had vs bowne Of Acquitaine I Cunstable was ordaind High honors giuen and feastings to me made Continually his fauor more I gaind Through enterprises of account I wade Noble exploits I end by skilfull trade Which plaisd him so as he loude me euer Bicause in honor still I do perseuer Peter of Lusignon King of Cypresse I le Made means to all the Kings of Christendome From iarring discord to abstaine a while Helpe to repulse the miscreants late come Their borders neere and much of neighbors wone Had been in Italie France and Almaine In Flaunders England came to Acquitaine Not when swift fame had pierced hautie skies Admetus praise which made Apollo bowe Downe from estate to view with leeuing eies His bountifulnes which seen made him alowe So well of it and further did avowe Fame sparing was yet suer my Prince exceeds The praises of Admetus lib'rall deeds For when he hard of this strange kings ariue He sent me foorth with knights accompaned In gentlenes could with right courteous striue At kings first entrance he saw well placed Fortie knights so many squiers faced All for the honor of Lady Princes Faire was the iusts ech prooued blamles More signe of loue more shew of princelie power Rare welcoms giuen fine curtesies withall Of curtesie sweete prince a pearles flower Nor wandring king did neuer see nor shall More store of knights in earthly regents hall The prince me will to take him to my guide Him plesaunce shew in his dominions wide A vermile crosse the Cyprian king still wore For holy voyage he had vndertake Against the Turke his soueraign to adore In glorious Arms a partie prince to make He wild and found to no good seruice slake Our loued prince departed well content Great intercourse of loues betwixt them blent Thus hauing been most kindly intertaind By me and stout sir Thomas Phelton much Sir Neal Loring sir Simon Basset daind Him well to treat sir Baldwine Frâ—uile such His kindnes shewd as spite could not but gruch To see the like he safely went his way The principalitie through I him conuay King Iohn of Fraunce into England past Braue king faire queen gay nobles for to see Through true firme loue which doth eternall last Wher 's fained loue small iars remembred be No vertues more in phear of high degree Than were resiant in this soueraine Whose woorthie praises euer may remaine Bloodie parcas what meanest thou to sheare His vitall twine so woorthie longer life Canst thou pale malice such priuly vertues beare Than bluntest coulter duller be thy knife Amongst best things thou mischiefe euer rife But mightie God oft takes away the best For our bad sins or for to ease his blest Whilst this good king in England made his stay Him sicknes tooke with sharpe incresment sore And strong oppresment at Sauoy where he lay Death doth approch then flesh can breath no more His losse king Edward greatly doth deplore From England Parris to stately tombe conueid And Charls his sonne the Regall scepter sweid Oh vading flower why flatterest thou thy selfe In pompeous seat of mightie maiestie Fraile honors titles or foule wasting pelfe Forgetting great eternall dignitie Scorneth mightiest earthly Imperie What low inferior fears of you amisse That high superior threts againe ywis Sir Iohn Montfort in th'aprill of his youth Gay Arms gan weld and with successe begon In Britton to sir Charls of Bloys his ruth This faire new knight was that braue Countesse sonne Of whom
From one to thother thus she hurls the ball A goodly custome of our passed wars That passing faire and Christian like did seeme For euer at the end of hottest iars The conquests selfe so much we did esteeme That ransom better than spilt blood we deeme On solem oth we oft great prisoners trust That would redeem their gaged promise iust For curtesie at end of battels rage We Englishmen and French are greatly famde For cruell handling and slauish vsage Rough Almains and sterne Spaniards greatly blamde Vnciuill rude and beastly were they namde Vndoutedly braue knight most valerous Vnarmed is most sweet and courteous With baissed launce the knights approch amaine Foorth stept the French willing them to hold For as tane prisoners they do all remaine My heauie seruants that same thing haue told When coummen knights saw me lie on the mold In wounded state they greatly do bemone My luckles death that heer was slaine alone Sharpe brinish teares trickle from their eies Some wring their hands making full pitious griefe Some fill the eare with their resounding cries My speciall seruants such whose sole reliefe Stay comfort aid and succor was I chiefe I heard one waile my hard and luckles chaunce And in his mone my praises high aduaunce Sweete gentle knight he said faire peerles flower Of Mars his traine good valiant champion stout What wicked wight to forge bad gleaue had power Whereby bright lampe of life was striken out Blacke colie smith when first thou wents about This toole to forge I would thou hadst ben mad Dan Vulcans luck or woorse mischaunce hadst had Braue England neuer bred a brauer knight Puissant Fraunce hath felt no fierceser foe Fairer conditionde neuer liuing wight More curtesies no earthly man did knoe More finer wit more iudgement none did shoe In his attempts more honors none hath gaind By high exployts then those thou hast attaind From out our bunch our Orients pearle is gon From treasure ours our rarest iewell lost From iuorie ours stolne is our whitest bon Reft from our welth rich thing of greatest cost Of all our pillars falne is most surest post Good Chandos slaine I saie no more but this Best English knights thy presence much will mis Companions bold adiutors of thy acts Captains stout whose harts with thee did dwell Soldiers true the furtherers of thy facts For thy mischaunce their pleasures will expell As onely he they loued deerely well This speech I hard but could not speake againe Oppressed I so much with dolefull paine Right pensiuely resorteth to my minde Lord Cleremount slaine at Poycters feild Not far from hence sir Charls of Bloys I finde My conscience neere whom I from peace withheild Now I as he lay tumbled by my sheild Ech captaine that doth slaie when he may saue Some blooddie end must euer looke to haue More praisefull vertue in a conquerer Then mansuetie is none to be found More famous neuer any victorer Then those whose acts do breath good gentle sound Loth tyrant hatefuls name vpon the ground As thundring storme suffers smooth calme at last Well intreating should be when battails past Vertuous clemencie spareth life from death When gastly Mors attacheth with sharpe dart The onely thing dasht mind in quiet sleath From crueltie is free to haue the hart Sweete soule it makes most ioyfully depart A princely thing the yeeldeds life to spare Most manly minde in victor doth declare On sheilds and pauish laied warely Borne to Mortimer plast on softned bed My wounded hed vnarmed charely And salues applied to that which freshly bled In dolerous plight I laie thus sore bested But in the space of fowr and twentie howers Foorth flew my soule to faire Elisian bowers The English they lament my sodaine losse Some Frenchmen ioyed much at my mischaunce Because I woonted was with them to tosse In warlike wise to their anoyaunce My fortunes fauors they thought abundaunce Frends English loud because in me they found Bountie valure and vertue to abound Foes French feared from hence growed their hate Vile giddie fortune laugh vntill thou burst Triumph and ioy that thus thou gaues a mate To me shewing hatefull spite at woorst Who trusts thy fauns is senceles mad and curst Toling me on vnto my sharpe decay Setting my sun and closing vp my day At prosperous things thy leuell dost thou ame Proud though thou hast thus foild me in the feild No fretting time shall yet decay my name Thou strengthles art bright glory to ore weild But vertuous fame thy spite obscureth seild All mortall men be subiect to mishap But cheefely those that sit in fortunes lap I Chandos felt the force of fortunes power How fickle she how soone she doth decay In greatest brauery me lesse then in an hower She did confound as here perceaue you may At Chauigney if I had made my stay What I desirde had come vnto my hand For Frenchmen had been taken and their band Or being come if that I had not slid And so receud my fatall deadly blo Or that my vysore closed downe had bid Or Percy had of my aduenture kno What do I here of ifs fond resons sho My dismall day my latest time was doon My oyle all spent and hastie course out run My death bewaild mongst Lords and noble dames For that in me much noblenes they found Full many a knight my great misfortune blames To whom my curtesie often did abound For my large fame about the world did sownd A batchelers life pursuing armes I liud In countries cause that hastie death depriud What glorious praise deserues that woorthy wight Whose armd bodie as bulwark gainst the foe Dispising life in throngs of foes doth fight For cuntries cause and sweetest sweet bestow Though bodies die wide do their praises gro Seld well got honor sufferd is to die But memorized liues perpetually I count not my past death vnfortunate Because I was in my kings quarrell slaine But that when least I thought of fortunes mate Alone I was brought to my finall baine Why God so would the reasons shewed I plaine Though like offence on earth God pardoneth Great dangers is of that still lasting death For though vile murtherer florish as a palme Fast planted in faire Iordans meddows flore And goodlike daies passe foorth in pleasant calme And bended peoples knee him doth adore Great kingdome rules from one toth other shore Yet douted is it that eternally He is condemnd to hels perplexitie Wherefore good captains sprong of English race That faire atchiue makes Lords of life or death To yealded foe shew woonted English grace Before you kill do as olde prouerbe saith Talke eate drinke sleepe and often take your breath Ear you execute thing of importaunce Then seldome will ensue repentaunce Rare is the vertue hurt not to reharme Great fortitude offences to remit Shining glorie to strong conquering arme To sheath his sword when ended fighting fit Which happie fames doth so togither knit As wering age can neuer waste
the same Pleasant musicke to sound mild victors name Armed knight true staie of commonwealth Selfe gouerning in goodly temperaunce Conseruer of her cheefest states in health Good winner of her peacefull plesaunce For lawyer none could plead his ordinaunce Vnles thy armed bodie did defend Him and the thing whereto his speech doth tend Departed life the Prince my heire remaind Vnto my goods which great esteemed were Foure hundred thousand Franks which I had gaind In wars pursuit of body I had no heire On expert knight King Edward loued deare Sir Allain Bocquesels who bare in shield of gold A Lion blew that siluer fret did fold Saint Saluiours lands sir Godfrey Harcourts Late he bestowd and sir Thomas Percie My office had and thus coy fortune sourts Some now aloft and then cast downe we see Thus gasing stages euer filled bee He was he is he is vp and now he is downe He liues he dies here is here was the towne Ah throughfare full of balefull miseries Hard passage couerd with sharp thretning rocks Vile toilsome life subiect to destinies Mad fools on stage whom flouting fortunes mocks Poore silly sheepe to slaughter led by flocks Drunke peeuish men whom safties thought confound Dreaming they neuer shall consume in ground As silent night brings quiet pawse at last To painfull trauels of forepassed day So closing death doth rest to labors cast Making of our toilfull worke a stay Thoughts griefes sad cares are bandon then away In pomp and glory though braue daies we spend Yet happie none vntill be knowen his end FINIS WILLIAM WYRLEY CAPITALL DE BVZ THE HONORABLE LIFE AND LANGVISHING DEATH OF SIR IOHN DE GRALHY CAPITALL DE BVZ one of the Knights elected by the first founder of the Garter into that noble order And somtime one of the principall Gouernors of Guyen Ancestor to the French King that now is LOVE is a thing that cannot be compeld Nor further wrested then his liking growes Not mines of wealth nor honors glory weld Nor blandisment with hir faire pleasing shoes Not gastfull death from which great horror growes Not lothd imprisonment nor loue of libertie Nor sad conceits plungd in perplexitie The more you striue the more you vainely striue Thinking to mooue a constant setled mind Such one as seeks not after gainfull thriue But firmely doth his thoughts to honor bind And troubles makes him faster for to twind Fast gaged band of loue and scornes to liue More rather then the same he will vnriue Rather then that one iot of plighted truth Good valiant hart will swerue from voud behest It suffer will much woe and pining ruth With endles griefes and torments ouer prest For true loue dwels but in a valiant brest Harboreth but in high Heroique thought For cowards loue is fickle light and nought Record my selfe a knight in Gascoine borne And to the house of Foix by wife allide Germaine Remond from him fame did adorne With Phoebus surname for his wittie guide His honor wealth estate were bruted wide For errant knights such as braue Arms professe Right welcome these strange knights his chiefest gesse And vnder him I first gan Arms to wear Learnd faire to ride and tame the raging steed To don my helme and couch my thretning spear To brandish sword to serue his maisters need That daring foe by these his end might reed To weld resisting shield with gold bedight On sables crosse fiue siluer scallops bright The English partie strongly I maintaind And euer armd against the crowne of Fraunce Much honor praise and noblenes I gaind Most highly me king Edward did aduaunce Deckt in his knightly Garter gay I praunce Mongst first elected is my name enrold And euer went my valure vncontrold At Poicters field in battelous aray I raunged was among the hardie knights My shining pennon wefting I display Amid the throngs in thickest of the fights On whom soeuer my sad axe it lights Is either feld or slaine or prisoner bound So dealt I death and many a dolefull wound Sir Charls D'artoys and many knights were tane By me and mine that ransoms rich we gaine For through the presse I pressing made a lane Of ventring Arms delighted with the paine No trifling heere nor leasure was to faine But fight or die or yeeld with foule reproofe Defend assaile for honor and behoofe The battaile wone our furie all was laid In such triumphant iolitie we groe That ech one thinks him selfe so well apaid As numbers of our captiues we let goe On their gagd faiths we trust them euen soe Word and deed deare Christian blood is saude The conquest ours the thing we onely craud The noble mind nought but the conquest seeks And where the quarrels but for titles cause Faire wars should be not like reuenging Greeks Whom scattered blood and fier made to pawse For as our God is iust in all his lawes Plagues the murtherous and bloodthirstie mind With blood for blood as those fell Greeks did find I ouer passe the taking of King Iohn His yoongest son and many a great estate The numbers slaine of Erles and Lords ech one But fortune here did yoong Lord Barckeley mate Pursuing foe with swift and speedie gate With courage stout through too much courage lost His iorney did a Barons ransom cost A squier he spide to void the field in hast Well mounted braue he after him doth hie The French lookt backe and was not much agast Though fine in Armes the Lord he dight espie In field of gneuls ten formed croslets bee Of siluer bright a cheuron them betweene Full knightly Lord one might him easly deeme This skilfull squier a warie man at Armes Practisde in fight and heedy in his deed The Lord venterous dreadles of all harms Fast spurring coms as he that thought to speed But fortune him a little faild at need Right poysent bloe he stroke and haples mist For th 'others checke hit right vpon his wrist Th'incountring stroke did force his sword to fall Into the field the Lord dismounted streight As he no misaduenture could apall But as he stoupt the squier by cunning sleight Picketh his sword and pearst his thies with weight Iohn Helens light the Lord his prisoner swore Drew out his sword and from the field him bore Such doth of wars the rare aduentures fall Most sonst to loose when least we do mistrust Now was blacke prince so buissie t'order all His great affairs abstaine a space he must From Armes but I lest that mine Armour rust With cosen Foix to war in Pruce do wend Where Sarisines soules full fast to hell we send Like Christian knights on miscreants we war High honor gaine and home we ment returne But now in France was falne so foule a iar To heare the same ech honest eare would burne The pesant French did at the gentle spurne No Scythian nor lothd Parthian act So monstrous euer both for forme and fact This clownish rabble by troups assembled Vntill that they six thousand were
conueid To England where great ransom he desiers When Chatelon his mischaunce had weid Back in a ship in stealing wise he streid This same the cause why he so swift did pas From friends when medling with Gomigines was King Edward his death I heard reported Who gloriously in knightly dignitie Had raind first noble sonne departed Which Hector like with great triumphancie Had conquerd kings through magnanimitie Then followed father woorthie such a sonne A shining sun which still bright glorie won The founder of our high fraternitie The fortresse of a firme concordance The fauor of right noble soueraintie The perfect pledge of true assurance The constant gage of goodly ordenance The founder of the Azurd garter dide With honor Ioue so long let th' order bide The strong incursions sir Hue Caueley made Then Callis captaine were vnto me told How sir Iohn Harleston doth fierce inuade Captaine of Guins some did to me vnfold And how at Arde Gomigines did hold Exploiting well of braue attempts I hard But oh my selfe from fair atchiuements bard My closure I with great impatience tooke Perplexed thoughts oppresse me euery hower This vile restraint I heauily do brooke And bitter sighes continuall foorth I power Right safely shut within this warding tower Still in danger euery day of death Least melancholious griefe would stop my breath If thousand marchants venter into Ind Seeking forraine stroud for wished gaine And only one his ship hath left behind Through wrack which peeuish fortune did constraine How could it choose but inly breed his paine To see the rest in such a reioicing For that he hopt now greeues at the loosing For fellowes many in distressednes Is to the greeuance much releasment Far lesse by ods he thinks his wretchednes That sees with his the tears of many spent To saddest woes it is much easement When others with like griefe as ours do mone And that we are not wracked all alone All other captains my selfe excepting Of ech calling had their deliuerie Though somtimes they staid th'expecting Being not wrought to wish most speedilie Yet ear the end it chaunced still to be It was my fortune and not deseruing That thus I lay in prison staruing Past hope I make a vertue of my need With pining patience I my griefe support Desiered death comes on with wished speed I drooping passe as one stroke alemort This hard restraint was vnto me more tort Than sharpest death that tirant might deuise My swelling mind could halfe so sore agrise Thus long I liud I thought it was too long All hopeles of relinquishing my care Or relaxment from loth prison strong Vnles on booke I would full solemn swear Against the crowne of Fraunce no Arms to bear I flat refusd me leuer were to die Than to abiure my English loyaltie Heere prooud I plaine that force no harts could win Heere tride I true that proffers nought preuaile Heere was it seen loue forst not of a pin Sweet libertie the mind her greats assaile No luerments wrought my constant mind to faile No no my Gascoine bodie bare an English hart Not mooueable by fortunes ouerthwart And in my smart it oft did straine a smile To thinke how Charls my libertie did dreed He doubted least I would within a while Some broiling wars and battels newly breed For quaking fear his hart did euer feed How much the English excelled in the war So much the French in treaties past them far For by the Parley still they somewhat got I leading foorth my life all malecontent In smoking sighs which out I daily shot But for my soule I thought it pertinent Which giuen was and must be permanent Most quiet and sweet harmonie to make Of discords all and all the world forsake Fore passed life I ouer canuassing Found my great sins exceeding numberous Subiected to fraile natures trauasing Ore whelmd vnlesse by mercie wonderous We saued were in world so comberous By sweetely Lord that straied sinners sought And perisht soules through blessed torment bought And he diuers waies deuinely worketh To bring vs in the compas of his fold Out of the which what worldling dieth Perisheth as sage deuines haue told He grant vs all our selues therein to hold Which made himselfe a subiect for our sin Yet Lord of heauen earth and all therein Oh how good God vs often suffereth With worldly wit our selues to iniurie Chaffring as occasion offereth Respecting not the end till sodainely Repentaunce comes our frendly enimie And then we crie if this had not been don Then had not fates so foule against vs run If I had not perswaded Iohn of Gaunt For to make choise to Spanish marriage Which thing our buisnes French did greatly daunt For he tended as is common vsage To owne aduancement and aduantage I had not lean he me would haue redeemd How difficult so ear the matter seemd And from first time I welded glorious arms Full carefull I least murther should attaint My fame with bad and blacke reprochfull charms Of hellish rumors to ages to depaint Through murther many captains are distaint This prouerbe vsd mongst some I highly hate A hedlesse man doth seldome breed debate But often times for cruell murther don God stirreth vp our friends vnto our harme And father hath been slaughtered by his son And brother slaine with brothers blouddy arme Oft for one murther thousand men will swarme Whom greatest God doth vse as instruments For sharpe reuenge of murtherers torments Most happie knight that vseth temperance So in past life that he be not defilde With murtherers name which works anoyance Through world of ages badly be reuilde And lasting heaps of slander hath vp pilde In quarrels iust whilst foes resisting bin To slay them then in fighting is no sin No man of life I euer did depraue In my cold bloud when striuing fight was don In hottest wars I willed bloud to saue Whereby among my foes great praise I won The cheefst thing God hateth vnder sun Is murther and for mercy bloud to spill Bloud crieth for bloud the prouerbe runneth still Reuenge on hatefull murther doth attend And slie occasion doth so warely watch As bloud for bloud with earth doth fouly blend Merciles plagues this blacke reuenge doth hatch When parties selfe of plagues tasts but a smatch To generations three or fower they run Till all the brood and ofspring be vndun Oh heauenly God that long didst lend me space My former faults committed to deplore Fiue yeeres I did in lothed prison pace Which my proud nature did too much abhore That so I tamed was I thee addore I mercy loud and thou didst mercy lend Sweet mercy far more then man may offend Receaue my soule Lord to thy gouernance Most richly since from hell thou it redeemd I flat renounce all worldly pleasance Yea those vaine ioies that I so high esteemd How lothsome now that earst so likefull seemd Lord since I come thy promise is not old Receaue me where the ioies may not be told LENVOY Thus closed was his burning lampe of life That glorious shone in knightly dignitie Here was the period set of all his strife Conclusion of his fatall destinie Lanterne sometime of noble cheualrie Dreaded champion whilst the fraie did last Louely conqueror at th end of battails blast In prison dide this most valiant knight Renoumd and dred for magnanimitie His funerall king Charls causd be dight At Parris in estate most solemnly Of barrons knights and praieng clergie A nobler one could scarcely there be found Within the French or in the English ground The king of England lost a trustie hart The king of Fraunce a stout couragious fo The warlike countrie Gascoine cheefest part When thou braue knight wast reft her bowels fro Thy glistering fame about the world shall glo As bright as star set in faire welkings face The starrie skie thy fittest dwelling place For vertue good transcends the decked skie Enstalde in throne beond ech twinckling star No time day night obscures hir glorious eie Ech vading substance so she passeth far Mongst cheefest knights extold for noble war Thou houldst thy seat within sweet heauens rest In paradice prepared for the blest Almightie God that oft hast England blest With glorious triumphs ouer enimie In thy puissance victorie doth rest And not in mans weake plotting policie Giue t' our Captains in their true cheualrie Like constant vertue truth and courage bold That Chandos and the Captall true did hold FINIS WILLIAM WYRLEY Act. Apost Cap. 28. Num. cap. 2. Num. ca. 31. Num. cap. 16. Iosue lib. cap. 4. Num. cap. 27. Num. cap. 26. Counter changed to Sir Walter Deuereux the elder house Arnaldin Barnardine Sir Aimon de Pommiers the Lord of Courton Sir Balwine Danekin Sir Arnole Canole brother to sir Robert Canole Yoonger brother to sir Lewis Robersart Sir Iohn Deuereux and sir Eustace Dabscote Meignill of the north Of Poiwike Edward the 3. first founder of the noble order of the Garter