rule and gouernement the which if it bee vnfortunately brought to passe what other hopes may you then expect but to bee ransacked and dispoyled of all your possessions and wealth your young men put to violent sworde your wiues rauished and your daughters euerie one defloured surely then let troth bee in your hearts stirre vp your valours manifest your noble minds and stretch forth the power and strength of men whereby that they which seeke to winne our ioyes may first bee drowned in a sea of sorrowes and those that will bee honoured with crownes must first in marshal fields obtaine a victorie therefore my louing souldiours if you stedfastly stand I wil sprinkle my heart bloud vpon our English ground before that cowardize shall inforce me to flie or loose one iotte or little portion of my kingdome Be not amazed my friends and country-men either let vs liue to maintaine our states together at liberty or else loose our liues with fame renowne Thus much I trust sufficeth to witnesse the vnfeigned affection the which I beare towards you from whose loue I wil neuer depart till death THis Knightly Oration so reioyced the soldiours harts that they almost willingly offered their liues a sacrifice in Prince Edmonds seruice and made choise rather to fight in defence of their Countrey then to be captiuated with tyrannicall slauery for whereas the English forces were before separated in their seuerall opinions so nowe were they with inseparable heartes knit fast together valiantly resolued to trie the last euent of this dangerous warre Thus whilst Prince Edmond incouraged his followers in this Knightly maner the Denmarke King with King Edward ariued on the coastes of Englande with a mightie band of armed souldiours intermingled with the ayde of many forraine Princes who marched succesfully to a conuenient place in Rent whereas they pitched their forces at the bottome of a high hill in which place the Danish King being a perfect good souldiour a man of a prudent iudgement practised many excellent pollicyes for in the night time he caused a thousand wild horses with hollow rattls of yron fastened to their neckes to be sent forth vpon the English tents without returne this in-rode being so confusedly entered he ordained also an hoast of foure thousand souldiours to pursue them with wilde fire burning brimstone in their handes In this maner entred they vpon the English souldiers as naked men and dispoiled the whole multitude of their liues in which conflict Prince Edmond was taken prisoner who had his head by his owne fathers commandement stroken from his shoulders and pitched vpon the top of a Pikes ende The battle thus ceasing newes by a publike reporte was spread throughout the land of Prince Edmonds death at which report the cities and principall houlds in the countrey were yeelded vp and the forraine souldiours being inforced to shift for themselues escaped away in the night after whose departure King Edward although in vtter hatred of the people yet once againe gloriouslie entered into his kingdome and became their gouernour where after he had setled himselfe and the Denmarke King taken leaue and departed backe into his Eountrey but King Edwarde reposses sing his former estate larde sharpe punishments harde lawes vppon the English-mens backes the which brought him againe into cankered contempt for the people being vnruly with vnbrideled will placed their former malice against him vpon which the King for his better fecuritie resigned his crowne and gouernement to his daughter Silina and vnto Lord Essricke hir husband and so betooke himselfe to priuate pleasure and rest Lorde Essricke and faire Silura with renowned honour thus tooke vpon them the gouernment of the land and because they were vnacquainted with the manners conditions of the people they retained Sir Perce of Winchester to be esperially of their councel and their only Secretarie who cunningly dehaued himselfe that he obtained the faudr and friendship of the common fort winding himselfe more and more into their priuities in such sort that he perswaded the people that Lord Essticke and Lady Siluia were vnnaturall Princes and vnfit to gouerne so souing a people Sir Perce of Winchester thus got into the loue of the common sort winked vppon all transgressions faâ—â—â—â—ed traytors theeues harlots and such dissolute persons and many times hauing a company of simple then in his presents he would speake to them in this maner saying Oh if I were your gouernour the awful sword of Iustice in my hands what liberty theÌ„ should ouershadow your attions for without controusment or punishment then should you freely liue and haue both honour wealth pleasure at your will This practise fecretly came to king Edwards eares who being well acquainted with the driftes of flatterers trembling at the memorie of his former miseries led Winchester by faire wordes vp to the top of a high Tower whereas ouerlooking the same King Edward with other confederates appoynted for that purpose cast him hedlong ouer the wall dashing his bones against the hard ground so brake his necke euen as he craftely crept into the fauour of the common sort so wretchedly with shame and dishonour ended he his life Now King Edward thinking the estate of his kingdome freed from all traitrous complotters gaue him selfe wholly to voluptuous desires and hauing vnchast lust harboring in his â—â—est against all nature he desired incestious concupisence with faire Siluia his owne daughter and being in a secret chamber ready to inforce her to that filthy fact she spake to him in this maner Deare Father remember the honour of your house my alcadance and duetie to my husband and the violating of my nuptiall chastetie all which if you commit your pretended sinne will bring a heauy iudgement and greeuous scourge from God to punish our wicked deed and euermore in this worlde we shal be made a disdaine and open contempt to be gaped at All which perswasions nothing preuayled for the King being drowned in forgetfulnesse of former miseries inforced vehemently the rauishment and deflowring of his daughter Siluiaes honorable chastety the which being no soner obtained and shamefully committed but by the iust iudgement of God he was sodainly stroken with death for in his daughters presence a fearefull flambe of burning fire descended from the celestiall throne of heauen and bereaued him both of speach and lyfe in a moment in the twinckling of an eye Which strange vengeance was no litle vexation to the sorrowfull hart of Lady Siluia yet remembring the duety of a daughter to her father she caused a costly Monument of pure wrought gold to be framed wherein with her husbands consent he was with great honour intombed as though he had left this transitorie world naturally without any such violent end After king Edwards death thus strangely happened Lord Essrick vpon his owne absolute authority bore sway among the people who was not able to gouerne the countrey except it were with mercilesse tyrannie for the natures of English-men be euermore such that they wil not indure nor sustame the burthens of any forraine Prince In
a summers morning to refresh his dulled wits roade forth into a faire greene Forrest forsaking his company and traine and prauncing his courser somewhat aside by chance he met with a poore country pesant being a she apheard by profession whom he saluted on this manner Good morrow fellow saide the King whether art thou trauelling Good sir answered the shepheard I am trauelling to London about necessary businesse But tell me quoth King Edward doest thou know the King of this land No by my troth said he I knowe him not neither do I care if I neuer do except his maners were better and his wits more surer What saide the King doth his manners indammage or hurt thee No said the shepheard but he hurts both himselfe his subiects and his whole country The King being in wardly chafed hereat could hardly gouerne nature or tie vp affection to heare the poore countrey fellow reckon vp his abhominable life but yet dissembling a little longer he asked him what reportes the countrey did giue out of Lady Casiope Marry saide the shepheard some say that she is a lewde Curtezan and one that hath almost vndon this noble fruitful dominion which for many hundred yeeres hath beene vertuously guided now ouerthrowne by Casiope whose wicked counsell first procured the banishment of Queene Katherine and hir children and now hath vsurped the crowne and scepter to Valentinus hir bastard sonne besides which the King is vsed as a fiddle to plaie vpon for the Barron of Buckingham day and night gathereth the choisest flowers out of his Mafesties garden the which is no small griefe to his subiects hearts More would the shephearde haue spoken had not King Edward interrupt him in this manner Good fellowe quoth he knowe that I my selfe am the king charging and commaunding thee vpon paine of death to giue attendance at the court there to auow and vtter at large the same words to Casiope which thou hast here already discouered to me I wil be thy safeguard from al barmes and wil richly reward thy paines therein taken Thus in a discontented humour departed the King after his company and being returned backe to the court there he found the Shepheard according to his commandement giuen who seemed to play his part before king Edward in the presence of Casiope counterfeiting the gesture of an Iddiot pleasantly conceited himselfe to expell fantasticall imaginations from the kings braines My Lord saith the Shepheard you haue a faire pond replenished with daintie fish preserued for your own taste but yet deceitfully robbed by night by one which slattereth you by day Your white Swan swimming in a most pleasant Riuer preserued by you but is pluckt by others Your delicate Plumb-tree daintily kept for your owne tooth hath hir boughs broken by a priuy practiser but such is your liberal and franke hart I know that if within your garden a sweet posie be gathered and sufficient smels left behind to refresh your sences it wil be no griefe at al for things vnseene of the eie is not rewed of the heart This biting talke of the Shepheard so opened the kings blind sences that he began to haue cleare knowledge of Casiope and the Barrons violent villanies whereby he fel into witles fury watching the gates while the City is on fire and thought to subdue Casiopes inclination when he himselfe was slaine before so great was his griefe that he began to curse and sweare wishing himselfe dead and reputed himselfe aboue all others the most accursed in giuing credite to false Curtezans and dissembling Paracites Well saieth Casiope if my sight and company haue glutted and pampered your affections I pray you make speedy deuoydance of me I wil not impaire your honour I was neuer accounted a lewde liuer before I met with a violent leacher and if you so gladly desire to forsake my societie I must brooke and digest your hard nature in the same as well as I may These furious stormes ouerpassed the Barron the next night following inticed the Sheapheard to a secret corner of the kings pallace where he thrust a sharpe sword through his hart and buried the pesants carcasse within a stinking dunghill the report whereof pierced the kings eares with extreame griefe but seeing helpe preuaâ—â—ed not as a man plagued in his head diseased in his browes he vpbraided Casiope of falshood and ingratitude in this manner If that wise and learned councell in times past coulde haue reformed my wilfull follies I had not nowe bin ouerturned If I had been guided by the example of the gentle Reed bending with euery wind hither and thither I had now like the proude stately Dake ouer high in mine owne conceite beene cast vp by the rootes The same shamefull scorne now happeneth to me as to the simple Goate who meeting with the crafty Foxe drinking both togither in a deepe ditch where the Foxe by faire wordes procured the Goate with his hornes to lift him vp to the high bankes the simple Goate beleâ—uing ouermuch to the Foxes faire words performed his request and left himselle still in the ditch not knowing how to escape wishing that he had better considered before hand what would follow after so surely if gouernement in the beginning had foreseene the ende I had not now beene subiect to your wicked false and disguised dissimulations Haue I hatred in place of friendship hath familiarity brought contempt and hath beneuolence nursed ingratitude I haue neglected all mens counsels to preferre and aduance your reputations I haue banished wife and children forsaken friendes and subiectes stripped my selfe from all honors and resigned my crowne scepter into your handes onely to satisfie your willes and pleasures in all points yet for all this brute beasts and foules of the ayre in all thankfulnesse and humanitie excell your sauadge natures In this maner King Edward sought to reobtaine the wonted fauour good lyking of Casiope and the Barron who keeping still silence in a great snuffe departed the Kinges Pallace to an other house which they inioyed in the right of Vallentinus the Bastard and being there setled the Barron writ this Letter backe to the King as followeth The Barron of Buckingams Letter sent to King Edward YOVR euill desertes and franticke fashions hath so highly offended your dearest friendes that they haue refused at any time hereafter to hazard credite life and goodes in your behalfe And since you haue forgot the right rule of honest life abandoning the spetiall care of the Common-wealth which inconueniences grow through your negligent slouthfulnesse our purpose is therefore to haue it reformed And now since fortune hath appoynted me an honorable Magistrate in the right of virtuous Vallentinus I am readely bent to abridge and cut off your licentious minde and carelesse lyuing For as you haue dispossessed your selfe from princely gouernement of the Realme so we must constraine you either to liue as a priuate person or els by banishment inforce you to forsake the land whereby
in comely apparell iewels money and other prouision to his daughter Siluia brought vp as then in the Denmarke Court vpon whose arriuall there newes was sent vnto the King that a stranger being an English-man by birth was desirous to speake with his Maiestie who being full of friendly entertainement receiued him in a most royall maner and being come before his presence King Edward spake as followeth The tempestâ—s of aduersitie right excellent King hath brought me vnto your presence not in any euill pretence against your countrey but as one trayterously deceiued by ambitious Subiectes For know most noble Prince that I am the vnhappie King of England banished from my countreys and dominions and bereft from Princely tytles honour and renowne And now sith my deare Daughter and childe faire Siluia here at your cost charge is brought vp nature and affection haue drawne me hither to see her This being sayd the Denmarke King with right good grace reioyced and both courteously receiued and reuerenced him profering him friendshyp power and assistance as well to maintaine his present estate as to restore him againe vnto his Kingdome Faire Siluia with great obedience presented her selfe before King Edward her father who greatly commended her beautie and diuine gyftes of nature condemning his owne hard hart in banyshing her so vnnaturally from her natiue Countrey for I wish sayd he my graue had swallowed me aliue when first my malitious minde committed her to banishment Therefore in requitall of that iniurie faire Siluia yf euer I recouer agayne my right refuse not to be crowned the royall Queene of England These and many more lyke speaches past berwixt King Edward and his daughter duering the tyme of his aboade in the Denmarke Court the which King gaue him such honorable mayntenance as belonged to his princely estate the rather because he esteemed faire Siluia a meete wife for his sonne and heire young Essricke both being of an equall age and nursed vp together Thus the Denmarke King reuiued with a gladsome hope of climbing the highest top of these famous dignities did make no spare of cost for the accomplishing of his haughtie expectation Also King Edward made a determined purpose with more deliberation riper iudgement to reobtaine his dominion and gouernment CHAP. 9. ¶ How Vallentinus the bastard was crowned King and how he through the perswasions of Perce of Winchester caused his owne Mother with her paramour the wicked Barron to be most strangely put to death NOW must we speake againe of the troubles that happened in England after the Kinges banishment where the wicked Barron and his minion Casiope many a day practised their wits not onely for euer to bar king Edward from his kingdome but vsed diligent watch and examined the bottome of euery attempt that might practise his returne but at last they concluded vpon the coronation of young Vallentinus and resigned the Crowne and Scepter into his handes which before time they had reserued to his vse for declaration of true obedience Many of the best Subiectes did sweare disloyaltie to King Edward and subiection to the Bastard who had no sooner falsely vsurpt the Crowne but by vnkind behauiour he altered the minds of the welthiest Subiectes who in securitie of their lyues forsooke their natiue Countries whereby the Realme was left vnpeopled without tillage destitute of bread bereft of money treasures and trafficke of marchandize from other dominions for their necessary trades decayed and all things grew out of frame and good order But now Vallentinus the Bastard beginning to grow proud ryetous and wanton disdayned the wonted checkes of the Barron and his Mother who many times sought to controwle his wretchles lyfe through which a great misâ—iking and dissention grew amongst them and to make enuie the more riper there was one Sir Perce of Winchester a notable cunning youth brought vp with Vallentinus and wholly of his counsell who knowing him to be no lawfull Prince but a vsurper also viewing the wofull calamitie and ruine the Countrey was brought into stirred sinders more hotter amongst them for he so flattered the young King feeding his humors and aduised him to reiect the Barron and Casiope his Mother to make denyall of their checkes contemne their controulments and to beare sway of his owne absolute authority Thus being incensed by Sir Perce he began to rouse vp his peacocks fethers and to beare a malitious hatred against the Barron and his mother his best friendes and chiefe aduauncers Sir Perce nothing fayling in all maner of deceites playde likewise on the other side and vnder the colour of loue that he bore to the young Prince he wished and exhorted them sharpely to reproue the vnbridled lyfe of Vallentinus Thus ambodexter like this young flatterer Sir Perce of Winchester vnder a cloake of true loue still feeding the stubborne and vnciuill natures of both parties planted vp most waightie cannons and battered the strongest walles of the Kingdome Casiope and the Barron thinking themselues without hope of reclayming Vallentinus secretly departed his Court and raysed vp an armie of well approued Souldiers and attempted as well to ransacke his Pallace as the apprehention of his person Vallentinus through the cunning of Sir Perce was admonished of this deuice and practise and mustred into his seruice the most couragious and valient Captaines and best approued Souldiers that could be found But now the Barron with his Armie seeking to preuent them fought such an vnlucky Battayle that two thousand of his brauest followers came to foyle and slaughter and him selfe and Casiope taken prisoners who by the furious crueltie of the young Prince was clapt vp in prison to abide a hard and mercilesse captiuitie Hauing thus taken an occasion of the time and fortune he consulted with Sir Perce what was best to be done in such a businesse who hauing a wylie wit and a craftie capasetie whispered priuely in the Princes eares and aduised him to iudge them to a speedy execution for doubt you not quoth he but there is iust causes to be layd agaynst them as chiefly your mothers filthy adulterous lyfe with that bace and wicked Barron whose trayterous minde hath not onely mooued this rebellion but hath been the cause of your deare fathers banishment And beeing now in safe custodie let no good fortune be neglected till you haue expressed the duetie of a louing childe by their dispatchance out of this transitorie worlde Vallentinus now wholly fastning his minde more vppon prodigalitie ambition and vaine glory then publike profite to his Crowne and Countrey and was ignorant what danger would ensue in cutting off the Barron and his Mother beeing his best friendes and surest proppes in all extremeties therefore without any further consideration he erected furnished and sumptuously builded a strong Tower very splendant and admirable to behold of wonderfull largenesse deapth and hight He also caused a Gibbet to be festened vpon the toppe thereof the which being no sooner finished by the handy worke
being once entered into the mind neuer resteth till it penitrateth into the secret deapth of the hart The King thus catcht in a fooles net neclected honest trueth and was choaked with the sweete baight of flatterie and being vnable to discharge the boyling heate of his stomacke with exstreame outrage called for the Lord high Marshall of England and commaunded him to take a strong Garrison of best tryed marshall Souldiers and to apprehend the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke and keepe them both in safe custody vntill he knew his further pleasure which sharpe commaundement was presently put in execution by the Marshall who in hart greatly lamented the dishonour of so vertuous a Queene But now the King like one being scandalizde by his wiues infidelitie departed into his chamber where many a day he secluded him selfe from all company except the wicked Barron which continually encreased his Ielosie in which hell of lyfe we will leaue him for a space and speake of the Queenes extremitie being imprisoned vnder the Lord high Parshals guard CHAP. 2. ¶ How the three Earles of Westmerland Sommerset and Durham came to visite Queene Katherine being in Prison and what passed betwixt them THe Duke of Suffolke seeing himselfe so wrongfully imprisned and such false accusations layde against the honour of his reputation was stroken into such a sodaine amaze that he could not outwardly bewray his sorrow but as it were inwardly bleed teares of blood to cleare his conscience before the immortall Maiestie of God for such a crime On the other side the noble guiltlesse Queene oppressed with like woe and mortall mishappe beholding her selfe a spectacle of dishonour to the worlde although before the supernall Iudge most cleare and perfect in conscience without either staine or spot of defamation yet being perplexed plexed with sundry thoughtes of griefe procured by the furious frownes of her Husbandes hate in the time of her imprisonment writ these verses vpon the walles with the blood of her marriage finger The spightfull Barrons cursed flatterie Hath wrongd Queene Katherines spotlesse chastetie And leueld out his dartes of lasting shame Against the princely honours of her fame But Trueth in time shall conquer Enuies will Where Fayth shall spring and brightly floorish still Packe hence Dispaire sweete Ioy come ease my smart For constant Fayth doth harbour in my hart My Loue is true my spousall Promise iust Not staind with any crime of lawles lust Then princely EDWARD cease thy cruell hare For Falshood wronges my noble fame and state Deare Spouse despise not thus thy constant Queene Whose loyaltie doth glister bright and greene If euer you tooke pleasure in my youth Let sound beliefe be witnes of my truth No sooner had the Queene finished these bloody lines but there came into the Prison to comfort her three graue Counsellers of King Edwards Court whom she did most louingly entertaine and after some conference passed betwixt them she most kindly kissed her Husbandes liuely Picture which as then hanged about her necke by a faire chaine or rundle of Gold powring out many bitter teares to the wonderful griefe admiration of all that beheld her the which being done she humbly desired pardon of the Lords to vse some words in the defence of her chastetie so that she might not abuse their patience and as she hauing an innocent guiltlesse hart so she might freely discharge her conscience and cleare her selfe from all those vniust accusations layde against her This her vertuous request so highly pleased the three Lords that they presently consented to giue her free authoritie openly to honest her honorable and auncient credite The harmeles Queene in a most seueere and bolde countenance with sundry taire amiable syrtes in her checkes her browes beset like the maiestie of Diana her white iuorte trembling hands like the driuen snow her body euen framed and fashioned of the virgin waxe spake as foloweth If vnmeasurable griefe of hart Right honorable Lords or the noble blood of my predecessors may be sufficient to draw melting pittie from your mindes I doe not doubt but your wisedomes will accompt the accusation of the wicked Barron to be vniust which he hath oppressed me withall who dayly seekes by flatterie to cut the sweete verdure and tender greenesse of my young yeeres therefore most noble Lordes for pitties sake arme me from his hurtes defende and guard me from his dreadfull conspiracies succour and support me with honourable iustice for he doth assault me with miserie he doth vsurpe tirannicall villanie against me he seeketh the ouerthrow of the Seigniorie of our Kingdome he setteth a deuiston betwixt my Lord and me and doth prepare an entraunce for himselfe But I wish a seperation of soule with a thousande tormentes of body if euer I ouerturned my spousall chastetie the which I haue alwayes carefully kept and without violation preterued it to my deare Lord and Husband If then these my wordes may mollefie your hartes to pleade in my behalfe to Kind Edward that he may with discretion consider my â—nnâ—cencie 〈◊〉 repute you mercifull men and sound searchers 〈◊〉 wherefore haue mercie vpon me I say haue mercie vpon a wronged Queene trayterously abused And in speaking this teares so abundantly flowed from the cundets of her eyes that she was forced to be silent These wordes of Queene Katherine so greeued their hartes that they were all perswaded of her vertuous lyfe and that her honourable fame was iniured through the bengance of the aspyring Barron who by flatterie had peruerted King Edwards noble minde therefore to comfort the greeued Queene the worthy Earle of Sommerset in the name of all the rest spake as followeth Your modestie most noble Queene quoth he shall inforce vs to prostrate our selues before his Maiestie that he may fauourably infranchize your lipertie and take you againe to his good grace and well likeing whose head no doubt is fraughted with many fantasies against you but yet since humilitie doth illustrate and aduance your cause with open trueth resolue this a comfort to your princely minde that your enemie which hath so mightely abused your reputation can neuer escape due punishment and the Gods I know will neuer forgiue so vile a wickednesse As for example Camera the Queene of Egypt hauing a hundred thousand sorrowes lodged in her chast minde being by rigorous iustice condemned to be torne a sunder by wilde Horses and so made a dolorous example vnto the worlde But now marke the iudgementes of God vpon the vile betrayers of this vertuous Queene for euen in the hower of her death an hoast or armie of angry Waspes with the sharpe stinges in their tayles in open view destroyed and subuerted her enemies an exployte of worthy warning against all false pertured accusers and sodaine seueritie against such as exercise by tyrranic all fury to flatter Princes eares Let not me forget the noble Egyptian Panteron which made a law that whosoeuer vowed a false oath should be led and
of cunning Artificers but he commaunded the Barron and his mother Casiope dispightfully to be brought foorth as scornes of the world to iest vpon where casting his eyes to the Tower he sayd You thinke time sleepeth or that siouthfulnesse wantonly walloweth in me no no although to my great cost yet haue I setled vp a surer stay to this my Realme Countrey then euer did my predecessours before me For I haue here established a Tower to hange trayterous Knaues Curtizans vpon The worlde shall not adiudge me partiall in my Lawes for subiectes shall drinke alike of one cuppe and licour This being sayd he caused the Barron and Casiope to be againe carryed to prison and there to remayne tyll his further pleasure euery hower expecting the deadly stroke that should seperate their bodyes from their soules All this while Sir Perce was not vnbusied omitting no time that might further his intent but continually fillyng Vallentines eares with strong perswasions that their liues and spirits might be speedely depriued a sunder which bloudy stratagem was not long a finishyng for the young Prince or rather vnnaturall viper in this maner powred downe the tempestious showers of truell murther for early in the mornyng he caused his Mother Casiope to be brought foorth who the night before hauing intelligence by her keepers that her dayes were at an ende cloathed her selfe in vestments of white silke and comming before her bastard sonne she very humbly prostrated her selfe and craued pittie mercie and forgiuenesse at his handes and with a blushing countenance as beautifull as the new bloomed Rose she spake in this maner Oh sonne Valentinus said she remember that I am the Mother thy selfe fashioned of my wombe and body and by nature springing from the tree of my life yet thou like a most vnnatural Homicide seckest to shorten my daies and to stop my breath whereas thou oughtest in duety and obedience to vpholde my honour and prolong my life I do confesse my vile offences haue deserued punishment but shall mine owne child be the reuenger thereof The banishment of good Queene Katherine and the confusion of all her friends through my vniust meanes was accomplished with many other miseries which I haue ouerburthened this lande withall onely to aduance an vngratefull dissembler which like the Viper seeketh to finish the life of his dearest pareuts Many more were the speeches which Casiope spake in hope to attract remorse from hir Iron harted sonne who nothing regarded her words but rather the more imboldened and stirred vp into a greater fury by a present commandement he caused her bodie to be cast vpon a Table and hir hands and legs to be houlden by the strength of men the which being done he with a sharpe knife cut his Mothers throate and with the same butcherly instrument deseuered her lisly necke from hir shoulders which ad wont to be adorned with a glittering chaine of pure gold After this he caused the place which first conceaued him to be ript vp and sild full of corny salt where after hir belly being thus closed vp he gaue commandement to haue her dead carcasse transported to the top of the Tower there hung vpon a Iibbet Her deare friende the Barron was vsed in the same order for he had his mouth stuft ful of burning Pepper and hung likewise vpon the same Iibbet aliue as a iust view of such vngeateful flatterers and adulterous traitours to behold This bloudy action being finished Valentinus spake to the people many reprochfull wordes in the disgrace of the wicked Barron and Casiope his mother calling her the She-deuouring Beare of England hir deare friend the first causer of King Edwards dishonour in which tyrannicall course of life our story bids vs now leaue the bastard Valentinus with his new friend Sir Perce and speake of the accidents that happened in the Normaine court CHAP. 10. ¶ How Prince Edmond returned againe into England and was crowned King and how the bastarde King was put to death after a strange maner QVEENE Katherine as you heard before after her wrongfull banishment from England was graciously entertained of the Normane Duke where she dayly had intelligence of the wofull estate of England by many of hir distressed countrymen which continually fled thither for succour in the redresse of whose miseries shee made suite vnto Duke Robert of Normandie that hir young sonne Prince Edmund might returne into Enland not onely to possesse himselfe into the rightfull inheritance of his owne dominions but to represse the pride of the miscreant bastard whose tyrannize had made England the perfect merror of calamity and the wofullest nation vnder the cope of heauen In this maner euery day Queene Katherine solicited Duke Robert with fauourable petitions for the furnishing of her sonne into his owne Countrey with a band of warlike Souldiers vnto whom the Normane Duke answered in this maner Loth I am faire Queene that your princely sonne should forsake my dukedome and dominion being the only staffe of my old age and after my death the hope of my subiectes although not naturally borne amongst them yet comming of a royall blood the sonne of a maiestical Prince they will rather submit to his obedience then to the gouernment of one of a simpler birth No no sayd Queene Katherine there is no reason why a stranger should be Prince of forraigne subiectes through whom they should be either too much burthened or mooued to disdaine and therefore most noble Duke I humbly craue that permission may be graunted for his departure and in regarde of your princely liberality hauing brought him vp to such abilitie prowesse and warlike perfection he shal be bound to confesse homage and loyaltie to your kingdome whilst he liueth The Normane Duke being possest with a milde nature and ready in all actions to satisfie Queene Katherines expectation presently mustered a great multitude as well of Normane souldiers as exiled Englishmen which zelously protested all duetifull indeuours in the young Princes behalfe and in the accomplishment of that honorable exployte Queene Katherine hauing gathered great masses of golde and siluer attayned through her learned skill and practise in Phisicke furnished her sonne Prince Edmond with such abundance that nothing wanted either to his aduenture or contentment and so beeing furnished with Munition Ships and Souldiers he hoysted vp sayle and with a merrie winde safely arriued vpon the confines of England where presently he aduanced his Culloures and planted his forces to the best aduantage But now the bastard Prince Valentinus being amazed at the sight hereof with a fearefull troubled minde greatly misdoubted that his kingly gouernment was at an ende yet hauing mustered vp a slender armie of English Souldiers nothing auayleable for his defence he committed them vnder the leading of Sir Perce of Winchester who tendering his owne safety went to the enemy where both him selfe and his souldiers sware true obedience to Prince Edmond This vnexpected accident so daunted the
to the accomplishment of al the tragicall calamities that long had oppressed her country England whose happines she inwardly in hart most entirely loued long sighed after with the ayde of the Normaine Duke and other Princes of Christendome which tenderly affected her vertues shee returned with great admiration praise and renowne from her banishment who being placed in a Coach of pure gold drawne with foure milke white Palfries with a rich imperiall Diadem vppon her head a Septer of bright siluer in her hande with many other gorgeous ornaments which most gloriously adorned bit princely person in which sumptuous maner shee entered vpon the coast of her natiue Country from whence shee was vniustly banished whereon being no sooner come on land but there met her such multitudes of distressed English people that the pleasant pastures where she trauailed seemed to be ouerspread who entertained her with exceeding ioy saying aloude with a generall voice Oh happy is the hower and blessed is the day that our renowned Queene is returned from banishment the gods preserue and blisse hir with euerlasting peace and send her long to raigne and gouerne vs with ioy and great tranquility in more admired glorie then did euer Queene in this happy Iland These and such like speeches was spoken both of young and olde not onely to her great ioy but to the excreding comfort of all the forraine Princes her well willers But nowe Lord Essricke and his chiefe Counseller the Physition perceiuing the whole Country to reuolt from their subiection willingly yeelded to the wished gouernment of Queene Katherine which vnexpected alteration caused them both to submit themselues to hir gratious fauour who remembring the death of Prince Edmund and the murdering of Siluia her deare children and also what inconuenience and disturbance by prolonging their liues might happen to the common-weale Therfore in straight execution she commanded her will effectually to be discharged which was to haue Lord Essrick and his Councellers head presently deseuered from their shoulders the which was not so strictly commanded as speedely performed The great prosperitie and wealth wherewith Queene Katherine by her returne from banishment bewtified and inriched England did so much reioice the dying spirits of the mournfull people that they were glorified in their own desires and euerie one deemed their fortunes lifted from long continued misery to euerlasting felicitie But nowe the vertuous Queene to make requital for the good Duke of Soffolkes banishment and hainous iniuries besides in times past extended through the vnbrideled fury of her husbands wrath much desired his returne into England to possesse his owne patrimonies lands and lofty dignities so long witholden from him Therefore to the same effect she sent Embassadors speedily into Porttingall where shee heard he remained and gouerned in Princely estate which knowledge was no sooner giuen to the Duke but with maiestie sumptuous renowne and aboundant of treasures furnished on euery side he hastened into England who by the vertuous Queene was receiued with surpassing glorie and magnificence long had not these two princely personages remained in the English Court but by the consent of the whole Countrey they were ioyned and matched together in the lawfull estate of marriage by whose wise gouernement the lande of Egland in short time not only became populous rich honourable and quiet but replenished with all maner of necessary thinges And finallie Queene Katherine marrying the good Duke of Suffolke together with the consent and aduice of the whole dominion were crowned legetimate gouernors of England where they inioyed issue and posteritie betweene them with long life prosperous renowne eternall honour and euerlasting felicitie * ⎠* FINIS Imprinted at London by William White dwelling in Cow-lane 1600.