Strikes England so yet this they comfort call Into the hands of man they shall not fall b Sad growes the time nor with her wonted cheare Or usuall dressing does the Spring appeare No cleansing gale of Zephyre moves the ayre While rising fogs obscure the welk in faire Without his showres contagious Auster blowes And painted Summer no kind fruit bestowes Nor does the Sunne as if inflam'd with ire Send out that wholesome and prolifique fire He us'd to doe but beames of mortall heat And from the bosome of the twins as great Combustion kindles here as if he then Vpon the Nemean Lion's backe had beene Within the farthest Easterne Lands from whence Day breakes breakes forth the fatall pestilence As if with rising Titan it begunne And follow'd thence the motion of the Sunne To Europe then does th hot contagion flye Raging through euery part of Italy And France that bled so late is forc'd to see Beside warres stroke a new mortality But most of all o're England's mourning face The sad infection spreads and Death apace In his pale Chariot rides through all the land No age nor sexe escape his vengefull hand Young men in prime of all their strength are strooke And yeeld The sucking Infant what he tooke From Nature soone is summon'd to repay From those soft limbs untimely fleets away The new-come Soule before it can be growne Acquainted with the tender mansion The aged man not because aged goes But onely ' cause he had a life to lose The mourning grave becomes a marriage bed To beauteous maids praeposterously dead One father wailes his sonne another all His houshold carries in one funerall And for so many deaths one mourning serves If one be left to mourne No care preserves Nor antidote can save from this disease Their greatest hope is but to dye in peace For oft the fiery sicknesse did invade Reasons coole seat and there prevailing made A strange distraction worse then losse of breath For which their friends wish'd as a cure their death The face oft burn'd no moisture had the eye Nor could by teares expresse their misery Some while their dearest friends they doe entombe Before that pious office done become Themselves a funerall Death makes him to be An hearse that came a mourning obsequy Nor does this venemous contagion Worke the destruction of mankind alone The sheepe and cattell perish as if growne On earth quite uselesse since the men are gone Wast lye the Lawnes the fields of tillage now Are desolate while the forsaken plow Nor men nor cattell scarce can exercise The Oxe in midst of all his labour dyes And leaves behind his mourning fellow now Dismist from toyle and service of the plow Who takes no comfort now in shady woods In flowery meadowes or cleare Chrystall floods That destiny alas for him remaines Although at rest The warrelike horse disdaines The pleasant streames and sicke forgetteth quite His food or th' honour of a race or fight Even Toads and Vipers dye acquainted growne With venome farre more mortall then their owne Twice through th' Horrizon had Hyperion runne Since first the fatall Pestilence begunne Before th' Almighty did his sword restraine And with his favour visit earth againe He now is pleas'd to cast a gracious eye On this distemper'd world her misery He cures and makes her former beauty come With kindly fruits he fills earth's fertile wombe And makes sweet blasts to move the wholesome ayre The people find at last their humble prayer Is heard and now the teares are wip'd away Due praise and thankes before his Altar pay Annotations upon the fourth Booke a Those that would see at large the actions of the Earle of Darby in Guyenne Aquitaine and Normandy let them read Froissard where they shall see them fully though not elegantly related This Earle of Darby a man of great worth and neere in blood to King Edward was afterwards by him created Duke of Lancaster the first Duke that ever was in England and left behind him no other issue but one daughter who being his sole heire was married to Iohn of Gaunt the Kings sonne and brought to him a large dowry together with the title of Duke of Lancaster b This wonderfull mortality which it pleased God in his wrath to send upon the wretched earth happened in the 22. yeare of King Edward immediately after the taking of Calleis a greater pestilence wee can scarce read of in any particular land or kingdome much lesse so great and with all so generall as this was For not onely England but France Italy and most of the Easterne and Southerne kingdomes were visited at that time and felt the rod most heavy and sad on them The fore-runner of this great sicknesse was immoderate raine for our Chronicles agree in generall that from Midsummer to Christmas it rained every day or night The yeare following it is noted that there dyed in London betweene Ianuary and the end of July seven and fifty thousand persons Other Cities and Townes suffered the like according to their proportions insomuch that some writers of those times were of opinion that halfe the inhabitants of the Land dyed for we must not beleeve Walsingham who sayes there was not above a tenth part of mankinde left alive As great a death of Cattell happened both that and the yeere following Thie was the greatest but not the onely plague which happened during the reigne of this King Edward For twelve yeeres after England was visited with another which our Chronicles called the second great Plague In that many of the Nobility dyed and among the rest that noble Henry Duke of Lancaster a chiefe actor in all the warres and victories of Edward and a maine Pillar of the state at that time THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE THIRD The fifth Booke Argument V. Prince Edward levyes forces to maintaine Against the French his right in Aquitaine The King wasts Scotland Poictiers field is fought From whence King Iohn of France is prisoner brought PHilip of France had left the earth and John The eldest Sonne as in his father's Throne So in his sad mis-fortunes does succeed Who what the Fates in vengeance had decreed Against his Realme by rashnesse hastens on And gainst all right on Charles his eldest sonne Conferres the stile of Duke of Aquitaine Great Edward bound in honour to maintaine His owne inheritance creates his Sonne Young Edward Prince of that Dominion Exhorts him bravely to defend his right And ' gainst the French for his just Title fight For which Prince Edward armes and with a traine Of valiant Lords prepares for Aquitaine Never did Fortune with more favour smile On any armes nor from this martiall Ile Did ever army crosse the Seas before That more triumphant did returne or wore A richer Garland from Bellona's tree There to maintaine young Edward's signiory Brave Warwicke armes who neare the Prince his side When Crescy field his mayden prowesse try'd Before had fought and Suffolke whose renowne
maiden prey A royall army would vouchsafe to take Nor is King Philip in her rescue slacke But for the late dishonourable blow Fill'd with revenge and fury thither now Is marching with a numerous hoast and brings Besides his French-men the two warlike Kings Navarre and Boheme nor will Edward rise From Tourneys siedge although too small a prize One Cities conquest now appeares to be For Edward's sword but Fortune lets him see That she to crowne his glorious hopes so nigh Had brought a warre of greater dignity And now the two incensed Kings are met And their great cause on one dayes tryall set As all beleeve all expectations neere Are drawne nor have they time to hope or feare The armies both stand rang'd in faire array And fierce Bellona proud of such a day As if it lay not in the power of chance That storme to scatter shakes her dreadfull lance For like two high-swoll'n seas on either side Whose meeting rage no Isthmos did divide But windes that from contrary quarters blow Together drive the two Battaliaes show But that Eternall God who from on high Surveys all hoasts disposes victory Call'd thence the Lord of hoasts and sets the times Of warre or peace as sinfull Nations crimes Provoke his justice did not thinke it good That cloud should yet dissolue in showres of blood But pleas'd to respite for a time the woes Of wretched France and for his purpose chose An instrument whose weaknesse might make knowne The power that reconcil'd them was his owne A veiled Nun alone could enterpose And stay the fury of these armed foes Jane de Valois a Princely Lady neere To one in blood as by alliance deere To tother Mother to great Edward's Queene And Philip's sister who of late had beene Since Heinaults death at Fontenelles vow'd A holy Nun She waken'd with the loud Alarmes of this so great so fear'd a blow Her quiet cloister had forsaken now Amidst their armed troopes her way she tooke And through the rudest breasts a reverence strooke Well did the fame of her chaste life before Become the sacred habit that she wore Pure innocence her snow-white veile profest Her blacke a sorrow silently exprest Grave was her comely face Devotion On beavties ruines with more beavty shone In all her gestures dwelt humility But temper'd with commanding Majesty As thus she passes to perswade the Kings Faire Peace descends and with her silver wings Cutting the ayre above the Princesse still Hangs gently hovering whose calme breath doth fill The changed Campes the Souldiers 'gan to feele A mildenesse seize their breasts all thoughts of steele Of blood and slaughter seemed to withdraw This gentle Nymph when fierce Bellona saw As she from heaven descended downe and knew Her hopes were now put off away she flew And left the field but with an angry looke Turn'd backe and proudly her plum'd helmet shooke Goe sluggish Nymph quoth she enjoy thy day Fates may deferre but cannot wipe away This Kingdomes wounds but 't is not their decree The fields of Tourney should renowned be To future times for such a glorious day In Crescy fields brave Edward shall display His conquering colours there the French shall fall And that poore Village now scarce nam'd at all Shall for the death of many thousands be A place of fame to all posterity There I shall reigne till then dull fields adieu And like a Dragon through the ayre she flew And now so well the Princesse did perswade Both Kings so powerfull he that sent her made Her pious Eloquence that all their hate Seem'd banish'd Philip of Valois forgate His thirst of vengeance for the fatall blow France tooke in that great Navall overthrow Edward relented too content to cease His royall clayme a while a sudden peace Is for three yeeres concluded to remaine The dreadfull colours folded up againe The threatning swords are sheath'd not stained yet In blood at all and all those Princes met To make the tryall of so great a day Depart againe King Edward takes his way By Flanders home and with his dearest Queene That royall pledge that for two yeeres had beene Left there by him the honour of their clime And there had brought within that happy time His royall family a faire increase Two Princely Sonnes to England crost the Seas But soone Wars flame that had a while in vaine Beene by the Truce deprest broke out againe And higher blaz'd but by degrees it came Nor did the royall quarrell and great claime That Edward laid to France begin the jarre But to draw on this great and fatall Warre Collaterall causes are found out by fates And first in aide of their confoederates Abovt the question'd right of Brittaines Lands Th'engaged Princes by their servants hands And meaner strengths begin to blow the flame To England Montford's widow'd Dutchesse came And here from Edward noble succours gain'd Gainst Charles of Bloys whom Philip's power sustain'd The Earles of Suffolke Pembrooke Salisbury And Stafford flowers of English chevalry Bourchier and Spencer Lords and many moe Of honour'd name with her to Brittaine goe With them went Robert of Artois who first In Edward kindled that ambitious thirst And fir'd his active spirit to advance His owne high honour by the woes of France At Vannes siedge so fate ordain'd he tooke His mortall wound but ere the soule forsooke Her earthly reliques thence to Englands ground Transported backe a quiet grave he found Her Souldier England willingly entomb'd His native France that by his meanes was doom'd So many following mischiefes to endure Bestow'd his death but not his sepulture Vannes and other little townes are won And lost but no important action This warre produces where the threats are high Save that the two great foes are drawne so nigh Though timely truces doe againe prevent The fatall blow great Edward not content To send in Montford's aide those forces ore Arrives himselfe upon the Brittaine shore To whom Prince Iohn the Duke of Normandy With forty thousand men approached nigh In Bloys his right the armies both prepare To give the blow Neere was the stroke of warre And Brittaine Vannes had almost beheld What was decreed to Crescyes fatall field The royall powers of England and of France In Brittaines cause to try their puissance Before their owne great quarrell they maintaine But Brittaines Dutchie must not hope to gaine So great an honour here cleere growes the day Without a showre this cloud is blowne away The warre is done two Cardinals attone As earst a Ladies gentle breath had done The royall Armies and so well perswade Truce is againe 'twixt France and England made Sterne Mars a while from deeds of blood restrain'd Strove still to whet his rage and entertain'd That breathing space in pastimes to prepare His cruell forces for th' ensuing warre For like a Campe showes Edwards marshall Court To which the Knights of greatest fame resort From every land their prowesse there to try And gaine renowne by active Chevalry
to Now does the day grow blacker then before The Swords that glister'd late in purple gore Now all distain'd their former brightnesse lose Whilest high the tragicke heape of slaughter rose Swords meeting swords and breaking lances sound Clattering of armed breasts that fall to ground And dying souldiers groanes are onely heard Horror in all her saddest shapes appear'd But long the fury of a storme so strong Could not endure nor Fortune waver long In such a tryall but at last must show Which way her favours were decreed to goe The English Swords with slaughter reeking all At last had carved in the Frenchmens fall Their way to victory who now apace Are beaten downe and strew the purple place Where like their owne pale-fading Lillies lye The flower of all the French Nobility What Muse can in this field of death declare Each private wound each fate particular Or pay the severall obsequies to all ' Mongst common souldiers slaughter'd Princes fall 'Twixt whom Death takes away the distance now While in one streame their bloods commixed flow There Alanson striving to cure in vaine The wound of France is beaten downe and slaine There dyes Majorca's King who from his home So farre had sail'd to find a forraigne tombe And dearely that alliance which he thought So safe to him in this fierce battell bought Lewis Earle of Flanders that to Philip's state Had beene so constant a confaederate Whom no conditions to King Edward's side Could ever draw on Edward s weapons dy'd Sealing in blood his truth to France to lye A wailed part of her calamity There Savoy's Duke the noble Amy lay Weltring in gore arriv'd but yesterday At Philip's haplesse Campe as short an ayd As Rhaesus prov'd to falling Troy betray'd The first sad night and by Tidydes hand Slaine e're his Steeds had graz'd on Trojan land Or drunke at all of Xanthus silver streame But most the warrelike Monarch of Boheme Old Lewis was fam'd Who on that honour'd ground Chain'd to the formost of his troops was found And charging at the head of all was slaine His cold dead hand did yet that Sword retaine Which living erst it did so bravely weild His hopefull sonne young Charles had left the field When he perceiv'd that Fortune quite was gone To Edward's side His Father blood alone Was too too great a sacrifice to be Bestow d on France whose dying valiancy Made all men more desire his Sonne to live And that the branch of such a tree might thrive There was the Noble Bourbon there Lorraine Aumall Nevers and valiant Harcourt slaine In vaine had Philip now whose Princely soule In all those deaths did bleed strive to controll By highest valour what the Fates would doe Wounds not in mind alone but body too Vnhorsed twice did th' active King receive As much asham'd no blood at all to leave In such a field although enforc'd to part Himselfe from thence at last his strugling heart Is to necessity content to yeeld And flyes with speed from that unhappy field With whom the Frenchmen all the fight forsake And o're the Countrey flight disordred take By this had Night her sable mantle spred Vpon the earth by whose protection fled The vanquish'd French with more security A most compleat and glorious victory The English had obtain'd yet would not now Dis-ranke themselves to chase the flying foe But in that field which they alone possest Resolve to give their weary'd bodies rest Till mornings light display those wealthy spoyles That must reward the conquering souldiers toyles Now great King Edward from the Windmill hill Came downe where his untouch'd Battalia still Had stood till all the fight below was done And in his armes embrac'd his armed Sonne Who now with blood and sweat was all distain'd Then gratulates his early honour gain'd In such a field of danger joy'd to see His blooming yeares thus flesh'd in victory Well did that day presage the future glory And martiall fame of this great Prince whose story With admiration after-times shall heare Like miracles his conquests shall appeare In France atchiev'd nor shall that kingdome bound His Swords great deeds whose fame shall farther sound And royall trophees of blacke Edward's praise Beyond the Pyrenaean mountaines raise Next morne mists fatall to the French arose To Crescy field where their encamped foes Stood now refresh'd were many troops of France Discerning not the former battels chance Like sacrifices come and fell there more Then had beene flaine in all the fight before Victorious Edward for so great a day To God's high Throne on bended knees did pay His true and humble thankes and briefly then Commend the worthy service of his men Who now the spoyles of that rich Army share As just reward of their victorious warre Annotations upon the third Booke a King Edward taking Caranton protested openly that he sacrificed it to the memory of these Gentlemen who had the yeere before beene uniustly massacred by King Philip and their heads now were standing upon the gates of that unhappy towne For King Philip of France the yeare before perceiving that a terrible tempest of warre was likely to fall upon him out of England waxed cruell in his iealousie and put sundry principall men of Normandy Picardy and Guyenne to death for no other crime but that they were English in affection Among whom are reckoned Sir Oliver de Cliâ—â—on Baco Persie and Geoffrey of Malestroict Knights of the best note Sir Godfrey of Harecourt brother to the Earle of Harecourt a man once in high favour with King Philip being upon this occasion also summoned to Paris fled to King Edward into England and became another Robert of Artois for his valour and counsels at this present invasion of France did much advantage King Edward's atchievements though two yeares after he forsooke the English and returned againe to the obedience of Philip his naturall Lord. b This great battell of Crescy where King Edward obtained so full and wonderfull a victory is at large recited in the Poem and therefore little shall need here to bee spoken of it but onely of the numbers which fought or dyed on both sides The English Army by generall consent of almost all Authors consisted of 30000. The French according to those that speake least together with their auxiliaries were about 60000. But many Authors of good credit report their number twice as many others agree upon an hundred thousand Upon that Saturday being the 26 of August 1346 when this great battell was fought the slaughter was great on the French side for none were taken to mercy upon that day for the Conquerors thought it not safe for themselves to take any Prisoners But the next morning presented new worke for a great mist arose that men could hardly see the distance of an acre of ground from them when as many troops of Frenchmen from Roan Beavicois and other Cities comming to joyne themselves with King Philip and not hearing of his discomfiture together with great
get Safe to their journey's end Through all Poictou And through the County of Xantoigne they goe The French admiring but resisting not Till to the river side at Blays they got Which with their wealth and prisoners all they past And at faire Burdeaux safe arriv'd at last Sad fame before had into England brought The Prince his danger What amazed thought Could hope alas for conquest there or who Durst thinke that valour disadvantag'd so Could worke it selfe a passage feare possest All English hearts and great King Edward's breast Revenge had entred in as horrid height As France could feare or that great cause invite How many Cities had he doom'd to sacke And men to death but Fame could not be slacke Fate would not suffer England long to erre Nor such a dayes triumphant joy deferre But on a sudden as the golden Sunne When darkest thunder-clouds are newly gone Shoots forth againe in all his glorious light That men amazed scarce dare trust their sight They heare of Poictiers battell of the high And strange successe But incredulity A while the freedome of that joy controlls For feare of too much surfetting their soules With such a change So slowly they receive Th' unlook'd for newes and by degrees beleeve That even their eyes are satisfi'd as soone As are their eares almost nor had the Moone Thrice fill'd her orbe before to second fame With that great King victorious Edward came Oh how to Plimmouth where the Paince arriv'd From every part the people flock'd and striv'd Betimes to kisse that Martiall hand and see So great a prize of one dayes viâ—â—ory Now safe at home as much was all the way From thence to London as their progresse lay With showes adorn'd and thronging people fill'd Where equall to his prowesse they beheld The Prince his goodnesse how he humbly rode Below the King no pride his gesture show'd But such respect as if he did not bring In triumph thither but attend a King Where noble Edward shall we find for thee A paralell in true humanity What ancient Prince or moderne ever shew'd So sweet a temper joyn'd with fortitude What Conqueror did ever use successe More modestly or staine his fortune lesse Imperiall Rome in her most vertuous age When wisest writers durst by strong presage Affirme the worlds sole Empire due to be Not to her strength but her morality Knew no such vertue to great Princes fals How farre unlike it her proud Generals In that inhumane pompe of Triumphs dealt Jugurtha Syphax and great Perseus felt And yet what Roman Army e're could boast A nobler conquest than thy English hoast At Poictiers battell wonne without Romes vice Her greatest vertues thou didst aequalize In that great act and shew'dst as then was try'd The Roman prowesse not the Roman pride With joy as great but more magnificence Did London welcome her triumphant Prince Where great King Edward with all curtesie Receives King Iohn of France as if that he Did aemulate the vertue of his sonne Or rather would approve what he had done And by that noble moderation shew Himselfe the stocke from whence Prince Edward grew Within his sumptuous hall at Westminster He entertaines and feasts them all and there The pensive King with gentle speeches cheeres To all the other princely prisoners The like respect the Lords of England give And at the boord in full-crown'd goblets strive To banish from their breasts all thoughts of care O're which old Heroes fortunes and the rare Events of ancient battels they relate So o're the Wine in massie Phthian plate Talk'd great Achilles in his tent at night When he the Grecian Princes did invite But he whose noble actions were become The argument of every tongue on whom The greedy eyes of all were fixed there Prince Edward seemes himselfe of heavy cheere A greater captive in his owne sad thought Than those that he from Poictiers battell brought Nor could great Mars with all his honors heale The wound that love had made Deep sighs would steale Sometimes from him although with care represt And speake the inward passions of his breast Among the sparkling beauties that resort More to enlighten this triumphant Court His Love-ficke eyes doe often wander round To find although he feare to find his wound Kents beauteous Countesse But no where at all Does she appeare nor was the festivall Grac'd with her presence Soone had she beene spy'd If there nor could so bright a starre be hid But missing her his other passions rise A thousand doubts and jealous feares surprize His loving breast at once Alas what crime Of Fate should he suspect at such a time Of Courtly state and high magnificence What cruell cause should keepe the Lady thence Faine would he know yet blushes to enquire And though he burne still strives to hide the fire As many men whose sudden ruine's nigh Have beene in height of all their jollity And some have beene observ'd in pensive mood Iust then when Fate contrives their greatest good Even so it fares with Princely Edward here Who feares the worst and cannot thinke how neere Th' accomplishment of his desires should be Till to remove the sad uncertainty Some Lords discoursing doe by chance relate How noble Holland was deceas'd of late A sudden change in Edward's lookes appeares Againe the passions alter doubts or feares Since now to every eye the cause is plaine That did the Countesse from this feast detaine No longer hold possession in his breast Love freely enters to displace the rest The Prince resolves his pleasing fuit to move And spite of all opposers gaine his love In Savoy Palace when the feast is ended King John of France is lodg'd and thence attended In fitting state to Windsor Castle there T' enjoy what sports the season of tho yeare Would yeeld what games the Countrey could present To give a King's perplexed thoughts content And David King of Scotland that ten yeare Had beene detaid'd in England prisoner Is ransom'd home since England seemes to be Secur'd from France by Iohn's captivity Vnhappy France whilest England nothing knowes But joyes and triumphs now o'rewhelm'd with woes Sits like a mourning widow wailes her fate And shee that was the pride of Europe late Is fall'n from all her glories and become The pitty of astonish'd Christendome Her bosome fill'd with sad confusion And rebell members while the head is gone Doe from their safe and wholesome order fall The Royall City Paris most of all Is out of joynt that should the rest redeeme Sicke even to death does this great kingdome seeme Nor can the Cure be sudden for the Sunne Five times through his coelestiall signes must runne Before King Iohn of France be ransom'd home Yet healthier farre for France in time to come Shall this Confusion and long sicknesse prove By such unlook'd-for wayes the Powers above Doe worke in their disposing Providence Wise Charles the Dauphine by experience Of those disordred and rough times shall gaine So true a
thousands dying strew the purple plaine The wretched Souldiers feele but cannot see The wondrous cause of this great tragedy Some with amaze and feare are almost kill'd Some onely overthrowne but all hearts fill'd Withsad destruction thinke the day of doome And dissolution of the world is come Or else surpriz'd with more particular feares They deeme alas some winged Messengers Of God above against their campe are sent T' inflict on them immediate punishment As once an Angell sent from God did smite The hoast of proud Senacherib by night Great Edward sadly trembles every where Enforc'd his dying souldiers grones to heare But when the horror of the storme was gone The darkenesse vanish'd and bright day-light shone On them againe and had discover'd all His heart relents and in the pity'd fall Of his poore men he thinks he truly sees God's wrath for all those Christian tragedies Which his victorious sword in France had wrought And all the woes he had on Scotland brought Never before did Edward's pensive breast Truly revolve how tragike is the best Successe that warre ' gainst Christian lands affords What impious wounds his sadly conquering swords Had made in Europe all the battel 's wonne Since first that fatall title he begunne To set on foot are running in his thought Now Crescy Poictiers Halidowne are brought Into his fad remembrance and almost He wishes all his triumphs had beene lost Rather than with such horrid slaughter wonne For which in paenitent Devotion His knees in Chartres Temple Edward bowes Forgivenesse begs for what is past aud vowes Thenceforth the fury of his sword shall cease And he with wretched France conclude a peace On easier termes then erst he stood upon Home to his land restoring ransom'd Iohn Few months had past before this good entent Of pious Edward found accomplishment At Brettigny so well on either side The Agents dealt that peace was ratifi'd On steddy Articles and John whom here Five painted Springs had seene a prisoner Is to his native land returned backe With kind embraces the two Monarchs take Their leave at Calleis With a Royall heart So full of love did John from Edward part So well his usage pleased him that he Entends againe in noble courtesie To visit England and for favâ—rs done To thanke great Edward and his Princely sonne The bloody stormes of warre away are blowne And white-wing'd peace from heaven descended down To cheare faire France her late afflicted state Whilst England's quiet Court does celebrate At once two Princely Nuptials with as high A state as may befit their dignity The Paphian Queene in all her smiles appeares His purple robe the pleased Hymen weares When brave Prince Edward now all lets remov'd Weds that faire Countesse he so long had lov'd And Iohn of Gaunt enjoyes the wealthy heire Of Noble Henry Duke of Lancaster The State at home well setled to employ Prince Edward's worth and raise his dignity He with his Princesse and a noble traine Is sent away to governe Aquitaine Annotations upon the sixth Booke a Concerning the lowly demeanour of Edward the blacke Prince toward King Iohn of France after hee had taken him Prisoner in the battell of Poictiers and the Courteous reception which King Edward gave him here in England there were no Authors either then or since but did freely acknowledge insomuch as many yeares after Guicciardine an Italian Writer and therefore indifferent to both Nations speaking of the warres of Christendome in his time when Francis the first King of France had beene taken prisoner at the battell of Pavie by the souldiers of Charles the fifth Emperour and King of Spaine and had long beene kept in hard durance in the Castell of Madrid brings in King Francis complaining of his unworthy usage where comparing the mis-fortunes of King Iohn with his owne and the wonderfull difference of both their entertainments hee much extols the Courtesie of the English Nation and condemnes the Spaniards insolence And so much did that Courtesie worke upon the noble disposition of King Iohn that as many of that time thought it occasioned his voluntary comming into England to visit King Edward not many yeares after his releasement Though other occasions there might be of that journey as the selling of his affaires before his entended voyage to the holy Warres and yet those perchance might well have beene performed by Embassadours But howsoever it were in the yeare 1364 and of King Edward's Reigne the 38 this King Iohn came into England and besides him two other Kings the Kings of Scotland and of Cyprus where the magnificence of the English Court was well expressed in feasting sumptuously three Kings at once The King of Scotland and the King of Cyprus after they had dispatched their businesse returned home to their owne kingdomes but King Iohn of France fell sicke and dyed at London the yeare following His death was much lamented by King Edward who solemnly attended his corps to Dover from whence it was conveyed to Saint Denys and entombed with his Ancestors b This miraculous storme of haile stones which neere to Chartres fell upon King Edward's Army was esteemed by many of those times an immediate Messenger of Gods wrath for all the Christian blood which King Edward for many yeares had shed both in France and Scotland So great was the haile and so violent the fall of it that it felled horses to the ground and slew above two thousand of the English Souldiers King Edward himselfe was much astonished and thought it no lesse than an immediate judgement of God upon which in penitence hee performed many devotions and on reasonable termes concluded a peace with France so that King Iohn was ransomed and returned home to his owne kingdome after hee had remained a prisoner five yeares in England THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE THIRD The seventh Booke Argument VII Prince Edward marches into Spaine to fight ' Gainst Henry in deposed Pedro's right At Naveret he beats the strength of Spaine And sets Don Pedro in his Throne againe PRince Edward's honour was not mounted yet Vp to her Zenith Fate is in his debt Another Garland and from Aquitaine Shee calls him forth againe that conquer'd Spaine May feele his noble prowesse and advance His fame as high as erst triumphed France The tyrant Pedro of Castile was by His land depos'd for brutish cruelty Whose Crowne his Bastard-brother Henry gain'd At Burdeaux then the Prince of Wales remain'd Whose fame was spred through every land and he Esteem'd the noblest flower of Chevalry That Europe boasted To his Martiall Court Deposed Pedro humbly does resort And weeping craves Prince Edward's ayd to gaine His right That Pedro may his suit obtaine Beside that bloods alliance that he brings The bad example of deposing Kings Perswades the Prince and to that brave entent His Father great King Edward gives consent At hand great troops of expert souldiers are Cashier'd of late from service of the warre Who now employment want since
plague to earth I cannot feare When I behold your manly faces here Brave friends and souldiers To your valours now Let our deare land a greater safety owe Than e're she did to one successefull fight Nor let the fame of English Edward fright Your thoughts at all Fortune has done for him Enough already and it well may seeme Since blinded he maintaines so curs'd a cause That she her favour from that Prince withdrawes The King had done when all the Spanish troops Inflam'd with love of fight and fill'd with hopes A strong desire to heare the signall shew All wish to dye should what they feare be true From every part confused showts are sent And both the hoasts with passions different Together joyne th'auxiliary troops Of France are filled with revengefull hopes To make the English in that bloody day For all their conquests and proud trophees pay The English bold by former battels wonne And to maintaine their fame come fiercely on As strong resolves the eager Spaniards bring Here to establish their new-crowned King And by one prosperous fight for ever free Their wretched land from Pedro's tyranny Great is the fury high the cause is try'd Deepe the engagements lye on either side Both armies mighty in their numbers one In prowesse t'other nor had Spaine e're knowne Although of mighty warres so oft the stage Though there th' old Punicke and the Roman rage So long were seene while fortune doubted yet Which land to make the worlds Imperiall seat Two nobler Hoasts than in that tryall fought And yet this storme so blacke so tragicke brought This one sad comfort that it could not last But all the warre when this great field was past The wretched people hop'd would quite expire Spaine could not bleed so long nor feed the fire So oft with fuell to protract her fate As rich but haplesse France had done of late Against the formost English battell there Which Iohn of Gaunt the Duke of Lancaster Brought up does Bertram of Clesquy advance With all th'auxiliary troops of France There hot and furious the encounter growes No where does Death more freely deale his blowes No part of all the field more stain'd with blood As there the warre began it longest stood And various Fortune longest doubted where To give her favours Youthfull Lancaster Came bravely on in that dayes fight to winne His maiden fame and Bertram that had beene Not many yeeres before in Brittaines warre By famous Chandois taken prisoner The Banner of his ancient foe had seene ' Gainst which he prest with eager hopes to winne From him the honour he had lost againe While slaughter'd bodies strew the purple plaine With Fate farre different did Don Tello draw Against Prince Edward's maine Battalia His forces up though strong that body were And well dispos'd for charging did appeare With Speares in front so strongly fortifi'd Yet there alas King Henry's haplesse side 'Gan first to faile nor could Don Tello long Endure the fierce encounter of so strong And expert souldiers as the Prince had brought Who in so many prosperous fields had fought And in all feats of warre so well were try'd Their fatall taske the strong-nerv'd Archers ply'd So fast that soone the ranke of Speares was broke And routed so that they the field forsooke The rest left naked when the Speares were gone Are by the Gascoigne Horsemen trampled on And now the warres whole fury 'gan to draw Vpon King Henry's great Battalia And was from thence with equall fury met So much the Spaniards on that day had set Their Countries future fortunes and their owne In that Battalia from their slings were throwne Such mortall stones as seem'd awhile to be Aequivalent to th'English Archery But could not prove at last so strong an ayd There stucke the warre there Edward's fortune stay'd There various feats of hardy armes were wrought So many thousand hands to fight were brought Nor did the Common souldiers onely there The toyles of warre and brunt of dangers beare But highest Chiefetaines playd the souldiers parts And through the battell with couragious hearts Their passage made there sterne Don Pedro fought And to the ground that day had many brought Pleas'd now he seem'd he might with honour doe What by his nature he was prompted to Shed human blood Most eager was his spite His visage blacke He that had seene him fight And kill so fast would have suppos'd that from Th' infernall caves the Prince of night had come To worke on earth the ruine of mankind But not content with vulgar deaths his mind Had Fortune suffer'd chiefly aym'd to meet His brother Henry there No blood so sweet As his could be to Pedro's cruell thought So when of old the Argive Princes fought ' Gainst fatall Thebes in Polynices right The banish'd Prince could with no other fight Nor Tragedy be pleas'd but through the presse Still sought his brother proud Eteocles Vntill at last in spite of Piety They meet in field and Fate so cruelly Ballanc'd their impious strengths that both were slaine Yet both did guilty Conquerours remaine Nor did King Henry in his thoughts decline The sad encounter Had the Power Divine But let them meet the like perchance had beene And Spaine as much as fatall Thebes had seene There through the midst the terror of his foes Like Mars himselfe renowned Edward goes White Victory still o're his standard slew As if no other name but his she knew And he in warre did guide the wheele of Fate The glittering swords that shone so bright of late Are quickly all distain'd with purple gore And all the field with slaughter cover'd o're Mischiefe and fury reign'd Deaths groning sound The Trumpets noyse and showts of souldiers drown'd But long the heartlesse Spanish troops how-e're Great were their numbers and their quarrell deare Could not the prowesse of the English bide Which when alas unhappy Henry spy'd And that their rankes they 'gan forsake apace With restlesse industry from place to place He rides to breath into his fainting men Fresh vigour and restore the fight agen He cryes aloud oh friends oh souldiers why Doe you forsake so neare a victory One stroke will finish what is done almost There is no safety when this field is lost For swords why seeke you gibbets and above A noble death an ignominious love With such sad speeches did the eager King Renew the fury of the fight and bring His fainting souldiers on that bloody grew The day againe till th' English spirits anew Collected charg'd their rally'd foes so sore That soone the Spaniards routed as before Into disorder'd flight began to fall Although no office of a Generall Did Henry leave undone Thrice did he stay His vanquish'd men from flight and thrice that day Restore the desperate field but all in vaine Nor did the Fates in justice then ordaine That he should be the Conqueror one fight Must needs be lost to prove Don Pedro's right And raise Prince Edward's fame Then